IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR .SCUTCHING FLAX AND OTHER LIKE STRAWS AND FIBROUS BODIES."
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Robert Dry, of 25, Oriental Street, East India Road,
in the County of Middlesex, and Sebastian Anderson, of Selhurst, in the
'County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
.SCUTCHING FLAX AND OTHER LIKE STRAWS AND FIBROUS BODIES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Robert Dry and
Sebastian Anderson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
21st June 1877.
JAMES ROBERT DRY, of 25, Oriental Street, East India Road, in the County of
Middlesex, and SEBASTIAN ANDERSON, of Selhurst, in the County of Surrey. "IM-
PROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FOR SCUTCHING FLAX AND OTHER LIKE STRAWS AND
FIBROUS BODIES."
The object of this Invention is that wind produced by the blades of rotating
drums is thrown off with sufficient force to scutch the retted straws which pass
down and up between them, the said drums travelling at a speed in proportion to
the effect to be produced, coupled with a soft touch of the edges of the blades upon
the straws, which constantly, so to speak, thrust the straws against the opposite
drum of the pair, and thus bring all the straws into position to be acted upon
equally by the tremulous motion given to them to remove the shive.
The straws are arranged upon a table carried by a sliding platform, which is free
to be slid from one end of the machine to the centre and back again when desired.
This platform has a centre pin upon it, and carries a table or top plate, which can
be rotated on the pin to bring either end towards a pair of feed rollers, which take
the straws from the table and direct them downwards between a pair of bladed
drums by an intermediate guide board. The drums are in duplicate below the first
pair, in a similar manner but in reverse order, and as the straws leave them are
acted upon by a lower central drum, also bladed. The straws lie upon this drum,
which by a rubbing action removes the shive still remaining. The pairs of bladed
drums are of conical form, i.e., one end is of less diameter than the other, and the

page_text: larger diameters of the upper drums are at the same end, but above the smaller
diameters of the lower drums, which are also together, the central single drum being
preferably of parallel diameter throughout its length.
The pairs of drums are set as to leave a parallel gap or opening between them,
into which the straws enter by the feed of the feed rollers, and as they, i.c., the
straws, are acted upon by the wind and by the soft touch of the blades of the upper
set, continue to descend into between the lower set, to be acted upon in a similar
manner, but in the reverse order, for the following reason. Each of the blades has
a greater surface exposed at one end of the drum than at the other, consequently
the wide part throws off more wind in proportion to the other part, and this tends
to waft the straws towards the smaller surfaced ends of the pairs of drums, which
tendency is however frustrated by the reverse action from the lower pair of drums,
whose blades are set in the opposite direction.
The blades are not set in a line with the axis of the drums, but at a tangent
thereto, one end of each blade being at a right angle to the axis at the smaller end,
and at about a tangent to the periphery at the larger end of the cone barrel to
which the blades are affixed. The edges of the blades of each pair of drums are
arranged to occupy a position intermediate between every two blades of the opposite
drum, so that there is no nip of the straws by the blades to bruise the straws,
neither can the straws be struck by the blades of opposite drums at the same
instant, because the drums are so driven that they maintain their respective speeds
one to the other by gearing in any ordinary manner.
The feed rollers, are
double, i.e., a pair is upon each side, to facilitate straws being taken from either of
the tables, there being preferably two, to enable separate parcels of straws to be
operated upon, or as may be necessary. The bladed drums are adjustable in slots
in the main frame by screws and blocks, so that as the blades become worn they
can be set in and regulated; the slots also facilitate repairs and renewals of the
blades and drums.
The spur gearing is mostly slightly bevilled, because the axles of the drums are
set at slight angles, it being essential for the perfect operation of the blades upon
the straws that they be all geared to run together.
The diverging lines of the pentagon or other shaped cone drums may be drawn
from one end to any point within the circle at the other end, and further, we can,"
by altering the centre of our pentagon cones at the small end, cause an eccentric
motion of that end, and a circular motion of the large end.
In action the straws are laid upon one of the tables in a flat even layer, while the
table is near the end of the machine, and with one end of the straws projecting.
from the inner end thereof. The table and platform as one article is then pushed
in by an attendant until the projecting ends of the straws are taken hold of by the
feed rollers. These draw the straws in between them by their rotation, and as they
pass the ends become deflected by the guide board into between the upper pair of
bladed drums, whose speed of rotation is about six to one that of the feed, conse-
quently as the straws descend they become scutched by the sharp cutting action of
the wind, coupled with the constant bending to and fro, and the soft blows of the
blade edges, against which they are alternately wafted by the wind from the blades,
as before explained. The straws only descend a given distance into between the
bladed rollers, but this is sufficient for more one-half their length to rest upon
and receive a rubbing by the lower central-bladed drum for the removal of the shive
which has not been removed by the two pairs of bladed drums above. The attendant
then, by shifting the pulley bands, causes a reverse travel of the feed rollers and a
drawing back of the straws, which become relaid upon the table. The attendant
then draws the table and platform towards the end of the machine, and turns the
table half round upon its centre pin. He then slides the straws along upon the
table for the other ends to project, and for the table to be again pushed towards the
centre for the feed rollers, on reshifting the belts, to again take the straws, in order
that, their opposite ends may be operated upon by the bladed drums in a manner

page_text: similar to that already explained, the straws being afterwards returned on to the
table. The straws can then be taken to a combing machine, which may be a distinct
machine from that used for wind scutching, or as part thereof.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Robert Dry and Sebastian Anderson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 21st December 1877.
JAMES ROBERT DRY, of 25, Oriental Street, East India Road, in the County of
Middlesex, and SEBASTIAN ANDERSON, of Selhurst, in the County of Surrey. "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SCUTCHING FLAX AND OTHER LIKE STRAWS AND
FIBROUS BODIES."
The object of this Invention is that wind produced by the blades of rotating
drums is thrown off with sufficient force to scutch the retted straws which pass
down and up between them, the said drums travelling at a speed in proportion to
the effect to be produced, coupled with a soft touch of the edges of the blades upon
the straws, which constantly, so to speak, thrust the straws against the opposite
drum of the pair, and thus bring all the straws into position to be acted upon equally
by the tremulous motion given to them to remove the shive.
Our Invention is clearly illustrated in the annexed Drawings, in which Figure 1
is a side view of our scutching machine; Figure 2, a plan; and Figure 3, an end
view partly in section. Figure 4 is a detail section through the lines x, x, of
Figure 3; and Figure 5 a detail plan view of a pair of drums and their gearing.
A, A, are two side frames, stayed at intervals by transverse bars to render the
inachine of a rigid character. B, B, are ribs or guide plates, on which a platform is
free to be slid from one end of the machine to the centre and back again when
desired. This platform has a centre pin Cupon it, and carries a table or top plate D,
which can be rotated on the pin to bring either end towards a pair of feed rollers E,
which take the straws from the table and direct them downwards between a pair of
bladed drums F, F, by the intermediate guide board G. The drums are in duplicate
below the first pair, in a similar manner but in reverse order, and as the straws:
leave them are acted upon by a lower central drum F¹, also bladed, as shown.
straws lie upon this drum, which by a rubbing action removes the shive still:
remaining. The pairs of bladed drums are of conical form, i.e., one end is of less
diameter than the other, and the larger diameters of the upper drums are at the
same end, but above the smaller diameters of the lower drums, which are also
together, the central single drum being preferably of parallel diameter throughout:
its length.
The
It will be seen by sectional detail plan, Figure 5, that the pairs of drums are set
as to leave a parallel gap or opening between them, into which the straws enter by
the feed of the feed rollers, and as they, i.e., the straws, are acted upon by the wind
and by the soft touch of the blades of the upper set, continue to descend into
between the lower set to be acted upon in a similar manner, but in the reverse
order, for the following reason-Each of the blades has a greater surface exposed:
at one end of the drum than at the other, consequently the wide part throws off
more wind in proportion to the other part, and this tends to waft the straws towards
the smaller surfaced ends of the pairs of drums, which tendency is however frustrated.

page_text: .
by the reverse action from the lower pairs of drums, whose blades are set in the
opposite direction.
The blades are not set in a line with the axis of the drums, but at a tangent
thereto, one end of each blade being at a right angle to the axis at the smaller end,
and at about a tangent to the periphery at the larger end of the cone barrel to
which the blades are affixed. The edges of the blades of each pair of drums are
arranged to occupy a position intermediate between every two blades of the opposite
drum, so that there is no nip of the straws by the blades to bruise the straws,
neither can the straws be struck by the. blades of opposite drums at the same
instant, because the drums are so driven that they maintain their respective speeds
one to the other by gearing in any ordinary manner.
In the Drawing we have shown what we consider the best arrangement. This
consists of a main power wheel or belt drum H, which gives rotation to the shaft I,
upon which on one side is the band drum J communicating motion to one of the
feed rollers E, the other of the pair taking its motion by spur gearing therefrom.
The feed rollers are double, i.e., a pair is upon each side, to facilitate straws being
taken from either of the tables D, D, there being preferably two shown, to enable
separate parcels of straws to be operated upon, or as may be necessary. The shaft I
also carries a band pulley K, by which one of the bladed drums is driven, as in
Figures 1, 2, and 3, the other drums of the series receiving their motion by spur
gearing L. The bladed drums are adjustable in slots in the main frame by screws.
and blocks M, M, so that as the blades become worn they can be set in and regu-
latéd. The slots also facilitate repairs and renewals of the blades and drums.
The spur gearing is mostly slightly bevilled, because the axles of the drums are
set at slight angles, it being essential, for the perfect operation of the blades upon
the straws, that they be all geared to run together.
The diverging lines of the pentagon or other shaped cone drums may be drawn
from one end to any point within the circle at the other end, and further, we can,
by altering the centre of our pentagon cones at the small end, cause an excentric
motion of that end and a circular motion of the large end.
In action the straws are laid upon one of the tables in a flat even layer, while the
table is near the end of the machine, and with one end of the straws projecting
from the inner end thereof. The table and platform, as one article, is then pushed
in by an attendant until the projecting ends of the straws are taken hold of by the
feed rollers. These draw the straws in between them by their rotation, and as they
pass the ends becoine deflected by the guide board G into between the upper pair of
bladed drums, whose speed of rotation is about six to one that of the feed, conse-
quently as the straws descend they become scutched by the sharp cutting action of
the wind, coupled with the constant bending to and fro and the soft blows of the
blade edges, against which they are alternately wafted by the wind from the blades,
as before explained. The straws only descend a given distance into between the
bladed rollers, but this is sufficient for more than one-half their length to rest upon
and receive a rubbing by the lower central bladed drum for the removal of the shive
which has not been removed by the two pairs of bladed drums above. The attendant
then, by shifting the pulley bands a, a, on to the other pullies b, c, which cause a
reverse travel of the feed rollers and a drawing back of the straws, which become
relaid upon the table. The attendant then draws the table and platform towards
the end of the machine, and turns the table half round upon its centre pin. He
then slides the straws along upon the table for the other ends to project, and for the
table to be again pushed towards the centre for the feed rollers, on re-shifting the
belts a, a¹, to again take the straws, in order that their opposite ends may be
operated upon by the bladed drums in a manner similar to that already explained,
the straws being afterwards returned on to the table. The straws can then be
taken to a combing machine, which may be a distinct machine from that used for
wind scutching, or as part thereof.
The combing machine we prefer to use is one patented by us on the 20th day of
December, 1876, No. 4921.

page_text: Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, we declare that we claim,-
Firstly. The construction and arrangement of machinery in the manner described
and shown in the accompanying Drawing, by which a combined beating and wind
action can be effected upon flax, straws, and like fibrous bodies, to scutch or remove
the shive therefrom, as set forth, and substantially as shown in the annexed
Drawings.
Secondly. We claim the arrangement of appliances (rotating table on reciprocating
platform) by which flax, straws, and like fibrous bodies can be presented or fed
"end on" alternately to the scutching mechanism, as set forth with reference to the
annexed Drawings.
Thirdly. We claim the construction and employment of bladed rollers of tapered
form and in pairs, as set forth and shown in the annexed Drawings, by which a
beating or flipping action, coupled with wind produced from the rotation of the
bladed rollers, effect a scutching of flax, straws, and like fibrous bodies.
In witness whereof, we, the said James Robert Dry and Sebastian Anderson,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-first day of December,
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
JAMES ROBT. DRY. (L.S.)
S. ANDERSON.
(L.S.)