IMPROVE- " MENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING UP SUGAR-CANE AND OTHER VEGETABLE STALKS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Denton Abel of No 28 Southampton Buildings
Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex for an Invention of "IMPROVE-
"
MENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING UP SUGAR-CANE AND
OTHER VEGETABLE STALKS communicated to him from abroad by Alfred
Perret of Roye, Somme, in the French Republic
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Denton Abel at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th November 1882.
CHARLES DENTON ABEL of No 28. Southampton Buildings Chancery Lane in
the County of Middlesex "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR
CUTTING UP SUGAR-CANE AND OTHER VEGETABLE STALKS [communicated to
him from abroad by Alfred Perret of Roye, Somme, in the French Republic]
ม
According to the present invention machinery or apparatus for cutting up sugar-
cane into short lengths consists of two revolving knives or cutters, similar to those
of a chaff cutter, but formed of one piece of metal and mounted on a driving shaft
at the side of an inclined shoot or trough through which a quantity of sugar cane
is made to travel downwards, and at the front end of which is a metal plate having
an opening through which the sugar cane is protruded and against which the
cutters pass in close contact as they revolve, so as to cut the protruded sugar cane
with a shearing action, the sugar cane being advanced through the said opening
by a step-by-step motion so as to remain stationary while being cut.
For this purpose the cutter shaft which is driven from any convenient motor by
fast and loose pullies, imparts motion by bevil wheels to a transverse shaft having
a crank that works a lever carrying a pawl which imparts a step-by-step rotary
motion to a ratchet wheel. This ratchet wheel is mounted on a shaft carrying one
of a series of rollers over which passes an endless band forming the bottom of the
shoot down which the sugar cane passes. A similar series of rollers with endless
travelling band is arranged at the top of the shoot, so that the sugar cane is carried
forward by the step-by-step motion imparted to the endless bands by the ratchet
wheel. The motion of the lower rollers is imparted to the upper rollers by a train

page_text: of toothed wheels mounted on articulated bars, so that the upper rollers, while free
to move up and down relatively to the lower rollers, always receive their motion
from the latter. The two sets of rollers are mounted in adjustable bearings in
frames so that they can be adjusted to keep the endless bands more or less
stretched. The rollers have circular grooves on them of a size corresponding to
the sugar canes, and the endless bands have corresponding longitudinal grooves, so
as to have a better hold on the sugar cane. The frame of the upper set of rollers
turns on a moveable pivot at the front end and can be raised more or less at the
back end by means of a lever, the frame being pressed down on the sugar cane by
a weight.
The cutters are not fixed directly on the driving shaft, but are attached to the
face of a fly wheel fixed thereon, caoutchouc blocks being introduced between the
two, whereby the knives are pressed with an adjustable elastic pressure against
the face of the steel plate through which the sugar cane is protruded.
The fly wheel also carries a disc at some distance from the cutter face, such
disc serving to determine the exact length of sugar cane cut off at each cut,
inasmuch as the cane is thrust forward by the endless bands until it touches the
said disc.
Immediately behind the plate through which the cane is protruded is a vertical
sliding plate kept pressed down upon the top of the cane by a weight and
arrangement of levers so as to compress the cane to a considerable extent as it
issues from the shoot.
Grooved plates extend from the front rollers of the endless bands both at the top
and bottom, to the steel plate through which the sugar cane issues in order to serve
as guides for the same.
The before mentioned crank and lever movement for imparting motion to the
ratchet wheel is capable of adjustment by slotted connections so as to enable the
feed to be increased or decreased at will.
The inclination of the shoot and travelling bands is also rendered adjustable, so
as to vary the oblique angle at which the sugar cane is cut. Although more
particularly intended for cutting sugar cane, the above described machine may
also be used for cutting straw, maize stalks, and other vegetable stalks and
even wood.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Denton Abel in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th May
1883.
CHARLES DENTON ABEL of N° 28 Southampton Buildings Chancery Lane in
the County of Middlesex "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR
CUTTING UP SUGAR-CANE AND OTHER VEGETABLE STALKS A communication to
me from Abroad by Alfred Perret of Roye, Somme in the French Republic
"
According to the present invention, machinery or apparatus for cutting up
sugar-cane into short lengths consists of two revolving knives or cutters similar
to those of a chaff cutter, but formed of one piece of metal and mounted on a
driving shaft at the side of an inclined shoot or trough through which a quantity
of sugar cane is made to travel downwards, and at the front end of which is a
metal plate having an opening through which the sugar cane is protruded and
against which the cutters pass in close contact as they revolve, so as to cut the
protruded sugar-cane with a shearing action, the sugar-cane being advanced
through the said opening by a step-by-step motion so as to remain stationary while
being cut.
The construction and mode of action of the said apparatus will be readily
understood on reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 6 shews a
front view of the apparatus. Figs. 1 and 2 shew opposite side views, Fig. 5 shews a
plan and Figs 3, 4 and 7 shew detached details.
Motion is imparted to the fast and loose pullies P P' on the driving shaft O
which transmits motion by the bevil wheels A B, to the shaft C, on the
opposite end of which is a crank that communicates its motion to wheels D, x y z
and also to the ratchet wheel a the pawl b of which is actuated by the lever c.
The sugar-cane is fed forward between two endless bands EE of which the
upper one E travels round the rollers F F F, which are grooved, as is also
the endless band, as shewn at Fig. 5, the grooves corresponding in size to the size
of the cane.
The band, which is by preference of caoutchouc, is kept stretched
by the stretching roller G. The four rollers F can also be raised and lowered
by an arrangement of levers H H which are worked either by band or by a
weight.
4
The lower rollers I I¹ 1* 1³ revolve on fixed axes, the axis of the roller I being
alone driven by the wheel D. These four lower rollers carry the grooved endless
band El, which is stretched by the roller G'.
The bundles of cane K are introduced between the bands E E'.
The motion imparted to the pinion D is imparted to the roller I which drives
the lower band E. The bundle of cane K, being wedged in between the two
bands E E', presses the upper one against the upper rollers so that by the friction
and by the gearing the roller D drives the band E' which rotates the rollers
III. This motion causes the bundle of canes to advance, such advance being
however step-by-step on account of the motion imparted to the ratchet wheel a
actuated by the lever c. During this time the revolving cutters L L' which are
made of one piece work with frictional contact against the steel plate M
through an opening in which the sugar-cane projects. The cutters L L'
are fixed to the fly wheel N by means of the screw bolt e and spring
washers f
The moveable plate Q and roller F are actuated by a counterweight and cam or
eccentric P. The sliding plate Q has for its object to keep the sugar cane strongly,
compressed when acted upon by the cutters.
The compression is effected intermittently by lever P³ at each passage of the
cutters

page_text: A sheet iron disc k is fixed between the fly wheel and the cutters, being cut out
behind the latter; it serves, together with the ratchet motion, to regulate the
lengths of the sections of sugar-cane, inasmuch as the latter, in their advance, are
made to butt against the disc.
The canes are guided up to the disc by means of slides R. R' grooved longi-
tudinally like the bands. The lower slide R' guides the bundle of canes in
continuation of the lower band.
It will be seen that by the above described arrangement the sugar cane is cut
obliquely, at a variable and adjustable angle to the axis of the cane.
Although the apparatus has been described as applied to the cutting of
sugar cane, yet it is equally applicable for cutting other stalks or stems of
plants.
Having thus described the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent
I claim :-
First. The combination of the double cutters, formed of one piece, with the
plate also of one piece, in which is formed the opening through which the
sugar cane is projected, the cutters operating with elastic and adjustable frictional
pressure against the said plato, substantially as herein described
Second the construction of the double cutters formed of one piece of steel fixed.
to the fly wheel by a screw bolt with the intervention of elastic cushions substan-
tially as herein described.
Third. Effecting the forward feed of the sugar cane by means of two endless
grooved bands passing over grooved rollers of which the upper ones can be raised
by means of a lever action on the passage of the sugar cane.
Fourth. The use of guide plates forming a continuation of the upper and
lower endless bands, for leading the sugar cane to the opening through which the
cane projects.
Fifth. Effecting a step-by-step forward feed of the cano by means of an adjustable
ratchet motion for regulating the length of cane sections.
Sixth. The combination with the fly wheel and cutters of a solid disc having
openings behind the cutters, and serving as abutment for the sugar cane.
Seventh. Effecting the compression of the sugar cane when being cut, by
means of a weighted slide situated behind the plate through which the sugar cane
issues.
Eighth. Effecting the cutting of the sugar-cane obliquely at a variable and
adjustable inclination to the axis of the cane substantially as herein described.
In Witness whereof I the said Charles Denton Abel have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Twenty fourth day of May in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty-three.
OTTAR
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