Improvements in Machines for Scutching the Leaves and Stems of certain Plants.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Nov., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 28th Aug., 1890-Accepted, 4th Oct., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Scutching the Leaves and Stems of
certain Plants.
I, THOMAS CRITCHLEY BARRACLOUGH, of 8 King Street, Manchester in the County
of Lancaster, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in scutching or extracting machines
employed to remove the fleshy or pulpy portions from the fibrous leaves or stems
of the aloe and other plants.
At the present time in machines furnished with a feeding apparatus the leaf or
stem when clamped or secured in position on a travelling apron or its equivalent is
caused to alternately approach to and recede from the scutching drum or cylinder
and the motion of the feed mechanism has consequently to be reversed after each
traverse which arrangement causes considerable loss of time and requires the constant
care of the attendant.
The chief object of my improvements is to dispense with the reversal of the feed
mechanism and consequent loss of time. To attain this I use a stationary feed table
which joins the front or feed plate of the scutching machine and preferably made
wider at the end farthest from the same; below the table and near each end a pair
of chain wheels are mounted on vertical axes driven either from the scutching
machine or from an independent counter shaft and arranged to revolve in one
direction either continuously or intermittently as desired.
I make the pair of chain wheels on the axis farthest from the scutching drum
considerably larger than the other pair so as to correspond with the widened surface
of the table. Round the chain wheels I pass two endless chains and in suitably
formed links of these chains I fit two studs equidistant from one another which
preferably project through an endless slot in the table corresponding with the path
of the chains.
On each of these studs I secure one of my improved clamps for gripping the
leaves or stems the bed of each clamp being a plate provided with a boss on its
underside which is fitted and free to swivel on its stud This plate carries arms on
which are mounted an eccentric clamping jaw the working surface of which as also
the upper surface of the plate is serrated or faced with movable serrated or corrugated
plates. These clamps being fixed on the swivelling studs are so mounted that the
action of the scutching machine always tends to tighten their grip on the leaves or
stems notwithstanding the fact that the clamps are carried toward and from the beaters
by the continuous regular motion of the chains in one direction only.
By my improvements a machine fitted with two clamps can be fed continuously
with leaves or stems as when one of the clamps reaches the farthest end of the table
from the heater the attendant puts in a new leaf or reverses the partly scutched
leaf without necessarily stopping the machine.
Although I have described two studs and clamping devices it is obvious that one,
two or more can be used and other forms of clamps can be substituted for those
described so long as they are arranged to move axially for the purpose specified.
Fibre scutching machines are frequently fitted with a rising and falling wind board
and I propose to divide this board into two portions in its width and to fit a roller
on the bottom portion of each so that they may act independently and more effectively
in closing the entrance to the scntching drum or cylinder.
For more effectually cleansing the fibres I introduce a stream of water on the top

page_text: of and across the scutching cylinder in combination with the usual stream of water
on the curved trough of the machine.
Dated this 29th day of November 1889.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Scutching the Leaves and Stems of
certain Plants.
I, THOMAS CRITCHLEY BARRACLOUGH, of 8 King Street, Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster, Engineer, 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 :-
My invention relates to improvements in scutching or extracting machines employed
to remove the fleshy or pulpy portions from the fibrous leaves or stems of the aloe
and other plants.
At the present time in machines furnished with a feeding apparatus the leaf or
stem when clamped or secured in position on a travelling apron or its equivalent is
caused to alternately approach to and recede from the scutching drum or cylinder
and the motion of the feed mechanism has consequently to be reversed after each
traverse which arrangement causes considerable loss of time and requires the constant
care of the attendant."
The chief object of my improvements is to dispense with the reversal of the feed
mechanism and consequent loss of time.
And in order that my invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect I will describe the accompanying sheet of drawings, reference being had to the
figures and letters marked thereon.
Figure 1 is a side elevation and Fig. 2 a plan of my improved machine for
scutching the leaves and stems of certain plants and Figs. 3 to 6 are detail views of
parts of the same.
In the drawings, a designates the stationary feed table which I employ according
to my improvements and which joins the front or feed plate of the scutching machine &
and is preferably made wider at the end farthest from the same as shown in Fig. 2;
below this table a and near each end a pair of chain wheels c c and c c respectively
are mounted on vertical axes d d' of which the axis d' is driven from the shaft e of
the scutching drum or cylinder f as follows
--
On the shafte which is driven by a belt and pulley e¹ is mounted a two speed
pulley from which motion is transmitted by a belt, not shown, to a corresponding
pulley mounted on a countershaft or studi on which is fixed a pinion gearing
into and driving a spur wheel j fixed on a shaft j on which is also fixed a worm
the worm gears into and drives a worm wheel d", see Fig. 5, fixed on the vertical
axis d' whereby the chain wheels c¹ chains k k and chain wheels c receive motion in
one direction. Instead of this arrangement of gearing any other suitable arrangement
may be employed for driving the pairs of chain wheels c c¹ and chains k k in one
direction either continuously or intermittently as desired.
I make the pair of chain wheels c on the axis d farthest from the scutching drum f
considerably larger than the other pair c¹, so as to correspond with the widened
surface of the table a.
In suitably formed links k¹ of the endless chains k k I fit two studs which are
free to swivel in the links k¹ and preferably project as shown through an endless
slot a¹ in the table a corresponding with the path of the chains k k. These studs l
are enlarged at their upper ends l' to form shoulders or collars and at their lower
ends have nuts by which they are secured in the links k¹.
On each of the studs 1, I secure one of my improved clamps for gripping the leaves
or stems, the bed of each clamp being a plate m which is fixed upon and free to

page_text: swivel with its stud l. This plate m has arms to which is pivoted an eccentric
clamping jaw m' the working surface of which has also the upper surface of the
plate m is serrated or faced with detachable serrated or corrugated plates. These
clamps being fixed on the swivelling studs are so mounted that the action of the
scutching machine always tends to tighten their grip on the leaves or stems
notwithstanding the fact that the clamps are carried toward and from the beaters of
the scutching drum f by the continuous regular motion of the chains k k in one
direction only.
By my improvements a machine fitted with two swivelling clamps as above
described can be fed continuously with leaves or stems, as when one of the clamps.
reaches the end of the table a farthest from the beaters of the scutching drum the
attendant puts in a new leaf or stem or reverses the partly scutched leaf without
necessarily stopping the machine.
Although I have described and shown two studs Il and clamping devices it is
obvious that one, two, or more can be used and other forms of clamps can be substituted
for those described so long as they are arranged to move axially for the purpose
specified.
Fibre scutching machines are frequently fitted with a rising and falling wind board
and I propose to divide this board o into two portions in its width and to fit a roller p
on the bottom portion of each so that they may act independently and more effectively
in closing the entrance to the scutching drum or cylinder f.
For more effectually cleansing the fibres I introduce by means of a branch s¹ from
the ordinary supply pipes a stream of water on the top of and across the scutching
drum or cylinder fin combination with the usual stream of water on the curved
trought of the machine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The arrangement, use, and application of a swivelling clamping device or devices.
which is or are caused to travel with the leaves or stems to and from the scutching.
drum or cylinder by driving mechanism driven either continuously or intermittently
in one direction as described.
2. The combination with the stationary feed table a, the chains and chain wheels
which are driven in one direction either continuously or intermittently by the means.
herein set forth or equivalent means, of the swivel clamping devices mounted on said
chains substantially as and for the purposes herein described and as illustrated by the
drawings annexed.
3. The improvement which consists in making the rising and falling wind board
in two or more separate parts and mounting a roller on the lower portion of each
part as set forth.
4. The improvement which consists in combining with the usual stream of water
on the curved trough of the machine a separate stream of water directed on the top.
and across the scutching drum or cylinder as set forth.
Dated this 27th day of August 1890.
H. B. BARLOW,
17, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agent for Applicant..