AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR BREAKING, STRIPPING HEMP, FLAX, INDIAN GRASS, RAMIE, AND OTHER
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jacques Theodore Cardon, one of the Firm of
J. Cardon & Co., of Abbeville, in the Department of the Somme,
France, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MACHINE
FOR BREAKING, STRIPPING HEMP, FLAX, INDIAN GRASS, RAMIE, AND OTHER
Sealed the 23rd February 1875, and dated the 2nd September 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jacques Theodore
Cardon at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 2nd September 1874.
I, JACQUES THEODORE CARDON, one of the Firm of J. Cardon & Co.,
of Abbeville, in the Department of the Somme, France, Manufacturer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
MACHINE FOR BREAKING, STRIPPING HEMP, FLAX, INDIAN GRASS, RAMIE, AND
OTHER TEXTILES," to be as follows:-
My machine for stripping or scutching flax, hemp, "ramie," and all
kinds of textile materials is illustrated on the accompanying Sheet of
Drawing, upon which Figure 1 is an clevation of the left side of my
machine; Figure 2, an elevation of right side of same; and Figure 3 a
-

page_text: plan. It is composed of a cast-iron frame A, upon which are placed
grooved or fluted cylinders E. These cylinders are of cast iron, copper,
or other suitable metal, and receive a rotary motion on their axle by
means of the bevel gearing C, D. The cylinders receive their motion
half upon the right side of the machine, and the other half on the
left side by means of two shafts B, which are themselves set in motion
by two bevel wheels O, P, and shaft R placed crosswise. This shaft R
itself receives motion from the main shaft T, on which are set the
pulleys J, J. By means of the toothed gearing L, L', L", L, L, the
intermediate toothed wheels L', L", L", may be changed at pleasure to
increase or lessen the speed. Upon the same shaft as the pulleys is
placed the fly wheel K, by which the movement of the machine is
steadied. This shaft also carries an eccentric, which by means of the
rod H transmits motion to two flat bars F, upon which are pinned the
arms G fixed at N upon the axle of the lower cylinders E. The upper
grooved cylinders I are loose in their bearings S. The upper part of
these bearings is pressed against the lower part by means of a spring M
formed of a blade of steel twisted spirally.
If the material should pass in too large a quantity, or that some
foreign body should happen to be mixed with it, which might break the
fluting or grooving, the spring yielding the upper roller moves away
from the lower one to resume its position when the machine is freed
therefrom.
The movement of the machine causes the arms G to oscillate around
the pins N like the beams of a steam engine.
The upper cylinders I having the same fluting as the lower ones E
the result is that in the alternate circular movement round the point N,
described by the cylinders I, they in a manner gear with the cylinders E,
and are consequently obliged to turn upon their axle.
The flutings or grooves of each pair of cylinders are similar, as other- a
wise there would be no impulsion. Further, all the cylinders have
flutings of the same or of different thickness, according to the require-
ments of the manufacture. Thus for scutching flax the flutings of each
pair of cylinders generally diminish in thickness.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Jacques Theodore Cardon in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 23rd February 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JACQUES
THEODORE CARDON, one of the Firm of J. Cardon & Co., of Abbeville,
in the Department of the Somme, France, Manufacturer, send
greeting.
:
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in
the thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Jacques Theodore Cardon,
Her special licence that I, the said Jacques Theodore Cardon, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Jacques Theodore Cardon, my executors, 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, excrcise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle.
of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR BREAKING, STRIPPING
HEMP, FLAX, INDIAN GRASS, RAMIE, AND OTHER TEXTILES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Jacques Theodore Cardon, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument 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
Scal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Jacques Theodore Cardon, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
My machine for stripping. or scutching flax, hemp, ramic, and all
kinds of textile materials, is illustrated on the accompanying Sheet of
Drawing; upon which Figure 1 is an elevation of the left side of my
machine; Figure 2, an elevation of right side of same; and Figure 3 a

page_text: which
plan view thereof. It is composed of a cast-iron frame A, upon
are placed grooved or fluted cylinders E. These cylinders are of cast
iron, copper, or other suitable metal, and receive a rotary motion on
their axle by means of the bevel gearing C, D. These cylinders receive
their motion half upon the right side of the machine, and the other half
upon the left side by means of two shafts B, which are themselves set in
motion by two bevel wheels O, P, and a shaft R placed crosswise..
This shaft R itself receives motion from the main shaft T, on which are
set the pulleys J, J'. By means of the toothed gearing L, L', L", L", L¹¹¹,
the intermediate toothed wheels L, L", L, may be changed at pleasure
to increase or lessen the speed. Upon the same shaft as the pulleys is
placed the fly wheel K, by which the movement of the machine is
steadied. This shaft also carries an eccentric, which by means of the
rod H transmits motion to two flat bars F, upon which are pinned the
arms G fixed at N upon the axle of the lower cylinders E. The upper
grooved cylinders I are loose in their bearings S. The upper part of
these bearings pressed against the lower part by means of a spring M
formed of a blade of steel twisted spirally.
If the material should pass in too large a quantity, or that some
foreign body should happen to be mixed with it, which might break the
fluting or grooving, the spring yielding the upper roller moves away
from the lower one to resume its position when the machine is freed
thereform..
The movement of the machine causes the arms G to oscillate around
the pins N like the beams of a steam engine.
The upper cylinders I having the same fluting as the lower ones E
the result is that in the alternate circular movement round the point N,
described by the cylinders I, they in a manner gear with the cylinders E,
and are consequently obliged to turn upon their axle.
The flutings or grooves of cach pair of cylinders are similar, as other-
wise there would be no impulsion. Further, all the cylinders have
flutings of the same or of different thickness, according to the require-
ments of the manufacture. Thus for scutching flax the flutings of each
pair of cylinders are generally diminish gradually in thickness.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is or may be performed, I would

page_text: have it understood that I reserve the right of increasing or lessening
the numbers of pairs of cylinders, and that what I claim as secured to
me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, the oscillating
and rotating movement of the upper cylinders combined with the action
of the spring, substantially as herein-before set forth.
nu rotating movement of the upper cymmuers combined with the action
f the spring, substantially as herein-before set forth.
In witness whereof, 1, the said Jacques Theodore Cardon, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of February,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-five.
JACQUES THEODORE CARDON. (L.S.)
PAUL PERROT.
JEAN BAPTISTE GIRARD.