IMPROVED MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR PREPARING VEGETABLE FIBRES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Walter Alfred Barlow, of 6, St. Paul's Churchyard, in
the City of London, Patent Agent and Engineer, for an Invention of
"IMPROVED MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR PREPARING VEGETABLE FIBRES."
A communication from abroad by Just Roguet, of Paris, France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Walter Alfred Barlow at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st August 1881.
WALTER ALFRED BARLOW, of 6, St. Paul's Churchyard, in the City of London,
Patent Agent and Engineer. "IMPROVED MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR PREPARING
VEGETABLE FIBRES." A communication from abroad by Just Roguet, of Paris,
France.
In the preparation of vegetable textile fabrics it is requisite that the separation
of the fibrous part, that is to say, the fibre proper, from its external covering and
its internal ligneous stalk be effected, and to attain to this result recourse is had to
two separate operations. 1st. The breakage of the external fibres and the ligneous
parts. 2nd. The clearing of the fibres from all foreign or extraneous bodies, and at
the same time the rendering the fibres supple.
The first operation is produced by means of two pairs of grooved cylinders, the
grooves of the said cylinders being of different size in order to break and divide
the ligneous matter in parts as sinall as possible, and the second operation is
effected by means of beaters (knives or paddles) which expel the foreign bodies
which adhere to the textile, and at the same time produces frictional shocks upon
the fibres and strikes it against the polished surface of other bars placed con-
centrically to the breaking drum, and thus give the fibres great suppleness.
The machine which forms the object of this Invention produces simultaneously
the two said operations, but it is constructed in such way that the two operations

page_text: are independent of one another, and that it is possible, according to the require-
ments, either to "break" or to beat separately.
In this said machine the beating is produced by means of two pairs of grooved
cylinders with a circular alternative motion obtained by combination of motions
as hereinafter described.
Besides, and independently of this alternative motion, the grooved cylinders
have a continuous circular motion which permits of the operating upon the whole
length of the fibres to be prepared.
By this disposition the fibres are pushed forward and fall into the second part
of the machine, where they are beaten and suppled. This second part of the
machine is composed of a drum, the axle whereof is parallel to the axles of the
grooved cylinders, and which said drum carries on its surface wooden or metal
paddles, which, through the rotation of the drum strike the fibres as they come
away from the grooved cylinders to the polished plate or bars placed concentrically
to the said drum.
By the successive shocks of the beaters the boon and other refuse parts are
thrown down and the fibres become flexible.
An arrangement of tooth wheels disengages the fibres from the machine and
reverses them in order to operate in the same manner on the other face thereof.
The apparatus consists of a cast iron frame provided with cross-bars, within
which fraine is a drum carrying paddles which receives the stuff from two pairs of
fluted or grooved cylinders, one pair above the other, which are pressed together by
means of springs or spring bearings.
The paddles on the drum may be fixed or movable and carry brushes or combs,
and are made of wood or metal, according to the nature of the stuff to be operated
upon, and are fastened upon the drum with a layer of caoutchouc placed between
them to temper the shocks on the fibres:
Motion is imparted to the mechanism by means of pulleys and bands: The
arrangement of pulleys and bands is so made that while the material is being set
free the breakage operation ceases, which arrangement is entirely new, and is
intended to be claimed as part of this Invention.
An excentric or winch handle driven by a connecting rod fixed upon the axle of
the drum regulates the alternative motion of a lever which carries pinions, these
pinions run round-a-central-pinion-and-are-engaged-with-the-tooth-of-a-circular
rack to which they give an alternate circular motion. The above rack is toothed
outside and inside, the outside teeth to engage with pinions placed upon the axles
of the grooved cylinders in order to give motion to these cylinders.
Upon the axle of the central pinion there is fixed a pinion which regulates the
. entrance and the exit of the material to be worked or prepared according to the
position of two driving bands of the grooved cylinders.
The drum has a cover or outer drum provided to it made of iron plates.
The new parts of this Invention are,―
1st. The independence between the action of the drum and that of the grooved
cylinders, the two mechanisms being separately driven from the axle of the
general transmission of the engine.
2nd. The construction which allows of utilizing the mechanism either for the
simple breakage only or for the clearing or beating, as well as for the breaking and
clearing or beating simultaneously.
3rd. The arrangement allowing to drive the drum directly from the driving axle
of the grooved cylinders, as well as to drive the grooved cylinders directly from
the driving axle of the druin.
4th. The new arrangement of the toothed wheels allowing to operate all the
change of motion with the least number of wheels.
5th. The automatic interruption in the breakage when the material is coming
away after treatment.

page_text: The combination of the different constructions and arrangements herein described
present the following advantages:-
1st. The cheapness of the machines, which nevertheless give more produce and
work with greater regularity than any known system.
2nd. Less motive power is required.
3rd. The attendance upon and lubricating of the machine are more economical.
4th. There is no danger for the workmen who are in charge of the machine.
5th. No special knowledge is necessary to work the machines, and they may be
applied to prepare all vegetable fibres, flax, hemp, jute, aloes, and so forth.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Walter Alfred Barlow in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
28th February 1882.
WALTER ALFRED BARLOW, of 6, St. Paul's Churchyard, in the City of London,
Patent Agent and Engineer. "IMPROVED MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR PREPARING
VEGETABLE FIBRES." A communication from abroad by Just Roguet, of Paris,
France.
In the preparation of vegetable textile fabrics it is requisite that the separation of
the fibrous part, that is to say, the fibre proper, from its external covering and its
internal ligneous stalk be effected, and to attain to this result recourse is had to
two separate operations.
1. The breakage of the external fibres and the ligneous parts.
2. The clearing of the fibres from all foreign or extraneous bodies, and at the
same time rendering the fibres supple.
The first operation is produced by means of two pairs of grooved cylinders, the
grooves of the said cylinders being of different size in order to break and divide
the ligneous matter in parts as small as possible, and the second operation is
effected by beaters (knives or paddles) which expell the foreign bodies which
adhere to the textile,' and at the same time produces frictional shocks upon
the fibres and strike it against the polished surface of other bars placed concen-
trically to the breaking drum, and thus give the fibres great suppleness.
The machine which forms the object of this Invention produces simultaneously
the two said operations, but it is constructed in such way that the two operations
are independent of one another, and that it is possible according to the require-
ments either to " break or to "beat" separately.
"
In this said machine the beating is produced by means of two pairs of grooved
cylinders with a circular alternative motion obtained by combination of motions as
hereinafter described.
Besides, and independantly of this alternative motion, the grooved cylinders
have a continuous circular motion, which permits of the operating upon the whole
length of the fibre to be prepared. By this arrangement the fibres are pushed
forward and fall into the second part of the machine, where they are beaten and
suppled. This second part of the machine is composed of a drum, the axle whereof
is parallel to the axles of the grooved cylinders, and which said drum carries on
its surfaces at intervals wooden or metal paddles, which through the rotation of the
drum strike the fibres as they come away from the grooved cylinders to the
polished plate or bars placed concentrically to the said drum.
By the successive shocks of the beaters the boon and other refuse parts are
thrown down and the fibres become flexible.
An arrangement of tooth wheels disengages the fibres from the machine, and
reverses them in order to operate in the same manner on the other face thereof.
In order that the said Invention may be well understood, I have hereunto
annexed a Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof, wherein Fig. 1- is the side
elevation of the machine, which can be used if desired as a simple breaker.
Fig. 2 is a plan. Fig. 3 is a view from right of Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a side
elevation of the machine working simultaneously as a breaker" and beater."
Fig. 5 is the plan of Fig. 4.
"
"1
The apparatus consists of a cast iron frame B provide with cross bars, within
which frame is a drum C carrying paddles D, which drum receives the stuff from
the pairs of fluted or grooved cylinders E, E¹, one pair above the other, which are 5
pressed together by means of steel or india rubber springs b.

page_text: The paddles D of the drum may be fixed or movable and carry brushes or combs,
and are made of wood or metal, according to the nature of the stuff to be operated
upon, and are fastened upon the drum with a layer of india rubber placed between
them to temper the shocks on the fibres.
Motion is imparted to the mechanism by means of fast and loose pulleys
G¹, G, G, and bands G₁, G", said bands working in fork pieces b' carried on a
lever V, which forks act as guides for the bands G, G
The band G working on its pulley whilst effecting the action of breakage, serves
to ensure the regular breakage in proportion to the entry of the material.
When the band G is upon the pulley G the material is set free whilst the
breakage operation ceases, which arrangement is entirely new and is intended to
be claimed as part of this Invention,
An excentric I through connecting rod K gives alternate motion to the lever L,
said lever carrying the pinions N which run upon the central pinion P, and thus
produces the alternate circular movement of the "breaker" by working concen-
trically the double toothed wheel M, which gears with the pinions x on the breaking
cylinders E. The said wheel M is toothed outside and inside, the outside teeth
engaging with pinions N and the inside teeth engaging with the pinions x. Upon
the axis I¹ is fixed a pinion P, which by its rotation regulates the entrance and
exit of the material to be worked or prepared, according to which of the two
bands G¹, G¹¹, is upon the pulley G. The drum has a cover or outer drum Y
provided to it, made of iron plate.
Qis a toothed wheel fixed on the axis I at the extremity opposite the pinion P;
R is a pinion fixed on the axis of the pulley G driving the wheel Q by means of the
intermediate wheels R', R; O is the axis on which the pulley G turns freely
when the clutch T it not in gear; when the clutch T is in gear the pulley G drives
the axis O and operates the "breakage" cylinders.
The clutch is in gear when the material comes between and is released when the
material departs, and said clutch T allows of the automatic interruption of the
movement of the "breakage" cylinders by the displacement of the band G" on
the pulley G; P, P" are the driving pulley and the loose pulley of the drum.
U is a fly wheel fixed on the axis O of the pulley G, and permits the displace-
ment by hand of the material as desired.
X is a wooden table on which is laid the material to be worked, and on which
the material returns after having been operated upon. Z is a wooden box into
which falls the tow and other refuse parts.
It will be seen from the preceding description that the new features which
characterise this Invention are:-
1st. The independence between the action of the "breakage" and beating
actions, the two operations being separately and directly obtained from the main
driving motion of the works.
2. The construction which allows of utilizing the mechanism either for the
simple breakage only, or for the simple beating only, or simultaneously for the two
operations.
3rd. The arrangement allowing for driving the beater drum directly from the
axle of the grooved cylinders, as well as to drive the grooved cylinders directly
from the driving axle of the drum.
4th. The new arrangement of the toothed wheels allowing for the operating
of all the changes of motion with the least possible number of such wheels.
5th. The automatic interruption in the breakage action when the material is
coming away after treatment.
The combination of the different constructions and arrangements herein
described present the following advantages:-
1st. The cheapness of the machines, which nevertheless give more produce and
works with greater regularity than any known system.
2nd. Less motive power is required.

page_text: 3rd. The attendance upon and keeping in order and lubrication of the machine
are more economical.
.
4th. There is no danger of accident to the workmen who are in charge of the
machine.
5th. No special knowledge is necessary to work the machines, and they may be
applied to prepare all vegetable fibres, flax, hemp, jute, aloes, and so forth.
Having now described the nature and particulars of the said Invention, I
claim,
The improved means of or apparatus for preparing vegetable fibres operating
and constructed substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth, and as shown
by the respective Figures of the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Walter Alfred Barlow, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty-two.