Improvements in Machinery for Breaking Flax and other like Fibrous Materials.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Sept., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 5th June, 1890-Accepted, 19th July, 189n
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Breaking Flax and other like
Fibrous Materials.
I, GEORGE WALKER of Castle Gardens Mills, Newtownards, Ireland, Flax and
Hemp Spinner, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
This invention has reference to machinery for breaking flax and other like fibrous
materials and mainly consists of a combination of plain rollers and fluted rollers
as hereinafter described whereby the flax-straw or other fibre is first split longi-
tudinally and then the ligneous or woody portions are broken transversely into short
lengths and so become loosened or detached from the fibrous part.
In the improved machine the flax or other material to be treated is supplied by
means of a spread or feed board to a series of pairs of plain or smooth rollers
between which it passes in succession under pressure, the pressure being capable
of adjustment by means of springs or otherwise. In its passage through these
rollers the flax stalks become split from end to end so that their form is that of
laminated or flattened strips; consequently the dissociation of the ligneous or woody
part from the fibrous portions can be readily and easily effected by the subsequent
part of the process which I will now proceed to explain.
On leaving the series of plain rollers the material is led through one or more
series of pairs of fluted rollers; when more than one series are employed they are
spaced some distance apart so as to avoid undue strain upon the material which is
convoyed from one series to another by means of endless bands or conveyors that
maintain a continuous travel or supply of the material from end to end of the
machine. The several series of fluted rollers are of varied degrees of pitch or
fineness, that is to say, those of the second series have flutes that are narrower and
placed nearer together than those of the first series. In passing through the series
of fluted rollers, the ligneous or woody portions are broken or bruised transversely,
that is to say, at right angles or approximately so to the bruising or flattening
imparted by the plain rollers; these ligneous portions thus become broken into
short lengths or segments and loosened or detached from the fibrous part. The
subsequent operation of scutching is thus much facilitated.
Dated this 6th dov of Santumhan 1000
J. C. MEWBURN,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Breaking Flax and other like
Fibrous Materials.
I, GEORGE WALKER of Castle Gardens Mills, Newtownards, Ireland, Flax and
Hemp Spinner, 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 has reference to machinery for breaking flax and other like fibrous
materials preparatory to the process of scutching in order to soften the fibrous parts
and break up or dissociate the woody or ligneous material and thereby facilitate the
after process of scutching and removal of the woody matter; and the invention
ונ...מ

page_text: mainly consists of a combination of plain rollers and fluted rollers as hereinafter
described whereby the flax-straw or other fibre is first split longitudinally and then
the ligneous or woody portions are broken transversely into short lengths and so
become loosened or detached from the fibrous part.
In the improved machine the flax or other material to be treated is supplied by
means of a spread board or feed band to a series of pairs of plain or smooth rollers
between which in succession it passes under pressure, the pressure being capable of
adjustment by means of springs or otherwise. In its passage through these rollers
the flax stalks or other fibre become split from end to end so that their form is that of
laminated or flattened strips; consequently the dissociation of the ligneous or woody
part from the fibrous portions can be readily and easily effected by the subsequent
part of the process which I will now proceed to explain.
On leaving the series of plain rollers (which may be slightly indented or grooved so
as to enable them to grip the stalks) the material is led through one or more series of
pairs of fluted rollers the flutes of which may be longitudinal or spiral; when more
than one series are employed they are spaced some distance apart so as to avoid undue
strain upon the material which is conveyed from one series to another by means of
endless bands or conveyors that maintain a continuous travel or supply of the material
from end to end of the machine. The several series of fluted rollers are preferably of
varied degrees of pitch or fineness, that is to say those of the second series have flutes
that are narrower and placed nearer together than those of the rollers of the first
series. In passing through the series of fluted rollers the ligneous or woody portions
are broken or bruised transversely, that is to say at right angles or approximately so
to the bruising or flattening imparted by the plain rollers; these ligneous portions
thus become broken into short lengths or segments and loosened or detached from the
fibrous part.
The subsequent operation of scutching is thus much assisted, the
removal of dirt and other impurities is facilitated and the fibre is rendered soft and
pliable.
The accompanying drawings represent a machine constructed according to my
invention; two series of fluted rollers are shown but the number of series of these
rollers can be varied as desired. a is the spread or feed band by which the stalks or
fibre are supplied to the series of plain rollers. 6b are the pairs of plain rollers
between which in succession the fibres pass under pressure and are split and laminated
or flattened. The pressure of these rollers is adjustable by means of springs. c c is
the first series of fluted rollers between which the split and laminated stalks pass after
leaving the last pair of the rollers b b. d is an endless band passing over the
rollers e e for conveying the fibres from the last pair of the first series of fluted
rollers cc to the second series of fluted rollers c¹ c¹. The split and flattened fibres in
passing through the fluted rollers have their woody or ligneous portions broken
transversely into short lengths or segments so that these portions become loosened or
det ached from the fibrous part. The gearing whereby the various rollers are driven
will be sufficiently understood by reference to the drawings, and it can be modified if
desired
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 I am aware that
it has been proposed to use a series of fluted rollers having successive pairs of
increasing fineness in machinery for scutching or preparing flax or similar fibre and
I make no claim at large to apparatus having this feature, but what I claim is :-
1. In machinery for breaking flax or other like fibrous materials, the combination
of a series of plain rollers and of one or more series of fluted rollers through which
in succession the stalks, fibres or raw material are caused to pass, whereby the said
stalks, fibres or material are first split and flattened or laminated or softened and
then their woody or ligneous portions are broken transversely into short lengths,
substantially as set forth.
2. In machinery for breaking flax or other like fibrous materials the combination
of a series of plain rollers and of two or more series of fluted rollers through which

page_text: in succession the fibres are caused to pass, the rollers of the second series of fluted
rollers having flutes or ribs that are narrower and placed nearer together than
those of the rollers of the first series, substantially as set forth.
D
3
Tema 1000
J. C. MEWBURN,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agent.