Improvements in Preparing Machinery for Flax and like Fibrous Material.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 30th June, 1899
Complete Specification Left, 20th Mar., 1900-Accepted, 21st Apr., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION,
Improvements in Preparing Machinery for Flax and like Fibrous
Material.
We, ROBERT HENRY STURROCK READE, Managing Director, and JAMES GLASGOW
CRAWFORD, Director of York Street Flax Spinning Company, Limited, Belfast,
in the County of Antrim, Ireland, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates principally to the spread-boards employed in the pre-
paration of flax and similar fibres.
Hitherto these machines have been constructed with a pair of plain rollers
set at the front of the machine between which the fibres pass.
Our invention is designed to secure greater evenness or levelness in the sliver
and consists essentially in applying to the machine a roller cut with a screw
thread either in substitution for or addition to the present front roller so as to
divide up the fibre of the flax (or other material) as it comes forward drawing
different parts of it in succession.
In carrying out the invention the fallers and other parts of the spread boards
are constructed in the ordinary way. For the present front roller we substitute
a corresponding roller upon which a screw thread is cut of suitable pitch and depth
say 1 inch pitch deep. This roller is preferably the size of the present front
roller and may be the same roller with the thread cut or chased thereon.
In front of the screwed or threaded roller we place an additional roller of about
the same or somewhat smaller diameter and the position of the top or pressing
roller is altered to rest or press upon both rollers. The rest of the machine may
be as heretofore with the exception of what alteration may be necessary in the
framing and brackets to provide bearing for the additional roller and the altered
position of the pressing roller.
1
Ta 1800
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6, Bank Street, Manchester, Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Preparing Machinery for Flax and like Fibrous
Material.
We, ROBERT HENRY STURROCK READE, Managing Director, and JAMES GLASGOW
CRAWFORD, Director of York Street Flax Spinning Company, Limited, Belfast,
in the County of Antrim, Ireland, 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:
This invention relates principally to the spread boards employed in the pre-
iam of fox and similar fibres.

page_text: Hitherto these machines have been constructed with a pair of plain rollers set
at the front of the machine by which the fibres are drawn.
Our invention is designed to secure greater evenness or levelness in the sliver
and consists essentially in applying to the machine a drawing roller cut with a
screw thread so as to divide up the piece of the flax (or other material) as it comes
forward drawing different parts of it in succession.
It will be fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings in
which sufficient of a machine is illustrated to show the invention.
Fig. 1. End elevation of part of a spread board.
Fig. 2. Plan of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3. Elevation (enlarged) of drawing roller with single thread.
Fig. 4. Elevation (enlarged) of drawing roller with double thread.
The fallers and other parts of the spread board (not shown in the drawings)
are constructed in the ordinary way.
The front drawing roller A we construct with a screw thread leaving one part a
of the surface of the roller higher than the other so that as the roller rotates it
successively grips or takes hold of different parts of the piece of flax and carries
forward first one part and then the next thereby causing the individual fibres
comprising the piece to alter their relative positions to one another.
The thread on the roller A may be single as in Fig. 3 or double as in Fig. 4
and of any suitable pitch and depth say about one inch pitch and deep. The
edges of the threads are rounded to prevent the fibres being deflected to one side.
The roller A is preferably about the same size or diameter as the present front
roller and may be the same roller with the thread cut or chased thereon.
In front of and close to the screwed or threaded roller we place an additional
roller B of about the same or somewhat smaller diameter to grip the fibres as
they pass from the roller A and to ensure that the fibres once drawn by the
roller A continue to be drawn.
The position of the top or pressing roller is altered to rest and press upon
both the drawing rollers A and B.
1) is the ordinary bracket to prevent the pressing rollers moving longitudinally
and E is the sliver plate and below the rollers are applied the rubbers F and G.
The rest of the machine may be as heretofore with the exception of what
alteration may be necessary in the framing and brackets to provide bearing for
the additional roller and the altered position of the pressing roller.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:
1. In a flax preparing machine the use of a drawing roller with a screw thread
cut or formed thereon to successively take hold of or grip the end of the piece
of flax substantially as described.
2. In a flax preparing machine the combination with the rollers B and C of
the threaded drawing roller substantially as and for the purpose described and
shown.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Manchester, Liverpool, & London, Patent Agents.