Improvement in the Process and Machinery for Breaking, Decortica- ting, and Scutching Fibrous Plants and Stems such as Brown Rhea, Ramie, Hemp, Jute, and the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 9th May, 1898-Accepted, 25th June, 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in the Process and Machinery for Breaking, Decortica-
ting, and Scutching Fibrous Plants and Stems such as Brown
Rhea, Ramie, Hemp, Jute, and the like.
I, HENRY FERGUSON, of 137, Fentiman Road, Vauxhall Park, London,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
1
This invention has for object, the construction of machines in or by which,
first, a bruising and cracking of the outer bark or skin of plant straws, such as
ramie, hemp, jute, flax, or the like can be effected in one part, and the opening
out or spreading of the straws into fibrous form, and the complete scutching of
the fibres of the plants in another part for removing the pith without injuring the
fibre.
The construction of the machine will be clearly understood by the annexed
drawings.
Figure 1 plan view, and Figure 2 part sectional elevation of a machine con-
structed for the double treatment of the straws as before explained.
The combined machine by which the bruising and cracking of the outer bark
can be accomplished is in the shape of striated or corrugated surfaced rollers A, A,
of which there are two pairs for successive bruising purposes as the straws are
fed by hand from the table B, this being fixed on the frame at the entry
portion of the machine. These bruising rollers A, A, are driven by spur
gearing D from an intermediate wheel E, this being actuated by a worm F from
a shaft G set at an angle and deriving its motion from the gear H on the main
drive shaft I.
The upper of the two pair of wheels receive their motion preferably by their
own weight but they can be forced down by weights or springs as found desirable.
J, J, are two pairs of winged or part scutching rollers driven by their own gear
from a wheel K common to both pairs, said wheel K being also on the main drive
shaft I on which are also mounted the fast and loose pulleys L, L', and capable
of being driven by strap from overhead motion, or otherwise. These rollers J, J,
by the distance the wings are apart and the engagement of one with the other
complete the cracking, the bending, and the breaking up of the straws which
the rollers A, A, have bruised, but without removing or tearing away the par-
ticles of flaky skin which still adheres as part of the extra bruised straws. As
these straws are delivered from the cracking rollers J, J, they fall down the
slope M and are collected by an attendant on the board N, which attendant
standing on the platform P transfers the gathered handful into the decorticating
and scutching part of the machine consisting of a drum rotated slowly by
gear R from skew toothed train of wheels $ from a second main drive shaft T and
arranged above a pair of close winged rollers U, U, at right angles thereto and
which thoroughly decorticate and scutch the fibrous portion of the straws as they
are dragged by the drum Q along and between the scutching rollers U, U, said

page_text: rollers U, U, being driven rather fast by the gear V from the second main
shaft T.
The tufts or bundles of straws are looped over the prongs W of the drum Q,
and to prevent the prongs being injured and to offer the necessary resistance to
the drag of the rollers U, U, I fit a fence X for the ends of the prongs W to ride
on as carried round by the drum Q.
The action of the drum Q gradually lowers the straws into and between the
rollers U, U, and then as gradually raises them up until they are lifted clear and
carried up over the drum Q closed in upon one another by the bar until
removed by another attendant standing on the same platform P but on the
opposite side of the machine and by whom the bundles of scutched straws are
removed, leaving the prong last emptied ready for the previously named
attendant to place a fresh bunch of bruised straws in place for a continued
operation.
I have, and as preferred, arranged both these apparatus on the same framing,
but they may be separate structures and the two operations be carried on in
separate buildings, if so desired.
+
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is: :-
1. In a combined bruising, cracking, decorticating, and scutching machine, the
employment of two pairs of feed or bruising rollers A, A, and two pairs of
opening rollers J, J, in one part of the frame C, all the said rollers being
parallel to each other, and a drum Q provided with prongs W and set centrally
and oppositely carried to rotate above a pair of decorticating and scutching
rollers U, U, set at right angles thereto in another part of the same frame, sub-
stantially as specified.
2. In a scutching machine, arranging a drum Q with prongs W centrally above
and in line with a pair of winged rollers U, U, in which straws to be scutched
can be dragged and be lowered and raised by said drum during its rotation, as
'specified.
1
Qu
1000