IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SCUTCHING AND PREPARING FLAX, HEMP, OR OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Brasier, of South Terrace, New Cross, in
the County of Surrey, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY FOR SCUTCHING AND PREPARING FLAX, HEMP, OR OTHER
FIBROUS MATERIALS."
Sealed the 9th November 1866, and dated the 11th May 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Brasier at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 11th
May 1866.
I, EDWARD BRASIER, of South Terrace, New Cross, in the County of
Surrey, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SCUTCHING AND PREPARING FLAX, HEMP, OR
OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in that class of machinery for
scutching and preparing flax, hemp, or other fibrous materials, wherein a series
of beaters arranged around the periphery of a rotating wheel or drum are
caused to operate upon a strick or portion of fibrous material held or laid
over a "stock," or "grid," or grating of bars (herein-after called the grid)
between which the "shive" or "boom" escapes as it is beaten out of the
fibres.
One part of my improvements consists in mounting the "grid" or frame of
bars over which the flax, hemp, or other fibrous material is laid, upon a shaft
[Price 8d.]

page_text: or axis capable of adjustment so as to regulate the distance the lower part
of the "grid" is placed from the beaters. Lever arms are fixed upon the
grid or its axis with balance weights thereon to balance the grid, the ends of
the levers passing through slots or straps furnished with set screws to adjust
the position of the levers, and consequently the position of the grid in relation
to the rotating beaters as required. The grid is formed in two divisions, sɔ
that the flax or hemp may be introduced on each side and be withdrawn at
the centre, and the bars of the grid are arranged so as to project at the upper
surface of the grid, such projection of the bars becoming gradually less and
less towards the lower part.
Another part of my improvements relates to the arrangement and con-
struction of the beaters mounted upon the revolving drum or wheel. Each
alternate beater consists of a bar upon which a serrated or corrugated plate is
fixed (capable of adjustment) with a strip of india-rubber or other suitable
elastic or flexible material between, thus imparting elasticity to the beater,
which at the same time acts as a wiper. In front of each of these beaters I
fix another beater at a suitable angle and capable of adjustment.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Brasier in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 10th
November 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
BRASIER, of South Terrace, New Cross, in the County of Surrey, Engiucer,
seud greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Edward Brasier, Her special licence that I, the said Edward
Brasier, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Edward Brasier, myexecutors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SCUTCHING AND PREPARING FLAX, HEMP, OR

page_text: OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Edward Brasier, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the 'said Edward Brasier, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to improvements in that class of machinery for
scutching or preparing flax, hemp, or other fibrous materials wherein a series
of beaters arranged around the periphery of a rotating wheel or drum are
caused to operate upon a strick or portion of fibrous material held or laid over
a "stock," "grid," or grating of bars (herein-after called the grid), between
which the "shive" or "boom" escapes as it is beaten out of the fibres.
One part of my improvements cousists in mounting the grid or frame of
bars over which the flax, hemp, or other fibrous material is laid upon a shaft
or axis capable of adjustment so as to regulate the distance the lower part of
the "grid" is placed from the beaters. Lever arms are fixed upon the grid
or its axis with balance weights thereon to balance the grid, the ends of the
levers passing through slots or straps furnished with set screws to adjust the
position of the levers, and consequently the position of the grid in relation to
the rotating beaters as required. The grid is formed in two divisions, so that
the tax or hemp may be introduced on each side and be withdrawn at the
centre, and the bars of the grid are arranged so as to project at the upper
surface of the grid, such projection of the bars becoming gradually less and
less towards the lower part.
Another part of my improvements relates to the arrangement and con-
struction of the beaters mounted upon the revolving drum or wheel. Each
alternate beater consists of a bar upon which a serrated or corrugated plate is
fixed, capable of adjustment, with a strip of india-rubber or other suitable
elastic or flexible material between, thus imparting elasticity to the beater,
which at the same time acts as a wiper. In front of each of these beaters I
fix another beater at a suitable angle and capable of adjustment.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily
carried into practice, I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto
annexed.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows an end view, and Figure 2 a front view of a machine
suitable for scutching and preparing flax, hemp, or other fibrous materials
arranged and constructed in accordance with my improvements; Figures 3
and 4 show separate views of the revolving drum and beaters.
a is a rotating drum mounted upon an axis a¹, to which motion is com-
municated from a steam engine or other motive power. A series of beaters
b, b, are arranged around the periphery of the drum a, part of which I prefer
to fix in a diagonal position as shown; c is the " stock," "grid," or frame of
bars with spaces between, over which the fibrous material is laid to be
operated upon by the beaters, the "grid" c is mounted upon an axis or axes c¹
supported in bearings which are capable of adjustment in the slotted
brackets c carried by the end framings of the machine in order to regulate
the distance the lower part of the grid is placed from the beaters; care lever
arms fixed on the axes of the grid c, upon which adjustable balance weights c
are mounted to balance the grid c, and thus adjust its position in relation to
the rotating beaters; are slots or straps furnished with set screws to
determine the amount of movement of the lever arm c³. The grid c is formed
in two divisions so that the strick of flax, hemp, or other fibrous material may
be introduced on each side of the machine to be operated upon by the beaters
and be withdrawn at the central space or opening c*, the bars of the grid
being arranged to project more at the upper surface, such projection gradually
diminishing towards the lower part, as clearly shown in the Drawing. In
some cases I apply a spring breast plate or surface ex* in place of the pro-
jecting bars to the grid c, as shown at Figure 4, to press fibrous material of
a short description up to the beaters. The beaters b, b, mounted upon the
revolving drum are arranged and constructed according to iny Invention in
the following manner :-Each alternate beater 6 consists of a bar fixed upon
the surface of the drum «, upon which a serrated or corrugated plate (shown
separately at Figure 5) is fixed so as to be capable of adjustment, a strip of
india-rubber or other elasticorflexible material being fixed between the plate
and the bar in order to impart elasticity to the beater, which at the same
time acts as a wiper to dress and clean the fibre preparatory to the subsequent
processes of combing and spinning.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is carried into practise, I would have it understood that I
do not confine myself to the exact details herein described; but what I
claim is,

page_text: First, the arrangement and construction of the "stock or grid" of
machinery for scutching and preparing flax, hemp, or other fibrous materials,
as herein shown and described.
And, secondly, I claim the arrangement and construction of the "beaters,"
applied to machinery for scutching and preparing flax, hemp, or other fibrous
inaterials, as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Brazier, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Ninth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
Witness,
J. G. TONGUE,
Patent Agent,
34, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Jane, W.C.
E. BRASIER. (L.S.)