IM- PROVEMENTS IN EXTRACTING AND CLEANSING FIBRES FROM THE VEGETABLE AND OTHER SUBSTANCES ADHERING TO THEM IN THEIR NATURAL STATE, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR THESE PURPOSES
Year: 1871

page_text: ETTERS PATENT to George Tomlinson Bousfield, of Loughborough
Park, Brixton, in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN EXTRACTING AND CLEANSING FIBRES FROM THE VEGETABLE
AND OTHER SUBSTANCES ADHERING TO THEM IN THEIR NATURAL STATE, AND
IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR THESE PURPOSES."-A communication from
abroad by James Brown, residing at Exchange Place, New York,
in the United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Tomlinson
Bousfield at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 20th April 1871.
I, GEORGE TOMLINSON BOUSFIELD, of Loughborough Park, Brixton,
in the County of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN EXTRACTING AND CLEANSING FIBRES FROM
THE VEGETABLE AND OTHER SUBSTANCES ADHERING TO THEM IN THEIR NATURAL

page_text: STATE, AND IN APPARATUS
follows:-
EMPLOYED
FOR
THESE
PURPOSES,
to
DC
as
This Invention has for its object improvements in extracting and
cleansing fibres from the vegetable and other substances adhering to
them in their natural state.
For this purpose the plant (or a portion thereof) containing the fibre
is fixed upon a cylinder by means of a catch or gripe in which the plant
is firmly held upon the face of the cylinder, and by means of which
when the cylinder revolves the plant is cast or thrown upon a row or
rows of fixed or stationary teeth, combs, or heckles, and is dragged
through the said teeth, combs, or heckles every time the cylinder
revolves. The teeth, combs, or heckles may in shape cither be hooked,
straight, or angular, and round, flat, square, or oval, and gradually
increase in diameter from their points down until they become of equal
diameter to the distances between their points and so touch each other.
The block or foundation upon which the upper row of teeth or heckles
is fixed is so constructed that it can be reversed at pleasure, and when
so reversed it presents a row of straight perpendicular teeth instead of
the hook-shaped ones through which the fibre is passed when the
machine is loaded and first put in motion.
The axle or shaft upon
which the cylinder is fixed and revolves is so constructed that it bas
"play," and vibrates from side to side when in motion so that each time
the cylinder revolves a different part of the plant can if desired be
A roller is
brought into contact with the teeth, combs, or heckles.
attached in front of the upper row of teeth, combs, or heckles, and a bar
is applied pressing upon the plant so as to force or bring it into contact
with the upper row of teeth, combs, or heckles, there is a trough into
which water can be introduced if required, and through which the under
section of the cylinder will pass as it revolves, and so dash or wash the
fibre at each revolution of the cylinder. A row or rows of teeth, combs,
or heckles are attached on the inner side of the back part of the frame
of the machine, so that the points may be brought into contact with
the fibrous material during the upward motion of the cylinder. The
machine can be efficiently operated by manual power.
11
1 1
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page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Tomlinson Bousfield in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 18th October 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
TOMLINSON BOUSFIELD, of Loughborough Park, Brixton, in the County
of Surrey, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fourth year year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said George Tomlinson Bousfield, Her special
license that I, the said George Tomlinson Bousfield, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George Tomlinson
Bousfield, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN EXTRACTING AND CLEANSING FIBRES FROM THE VEGETABLE
AND OTHER SUBSTANCES ADHERING TO THEM IN THEIR NATURAL STATE, AND IN
APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR THESE PURPOSES," a communication to me from
abroad by James Brown, a person resident at Exchange Place, New
York, United States of America, upon the condition (amongst others)
that I the said George Tomlinson Bousfield, my executors or admi-
nistrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and scals, 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 Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Tomlinson Bousfield, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof, that is to say:
This Invention has for its object improvements in extracting and
cleansing fibres from the vegetable and other substances adhering to
them in their natural state, and in apparatus employed for these

page_text: purposes. For this purpose the plant (or a portion thercof) containing
the fibre is fixed upon a cylinder by means of a catch or grip in which
the plant is firmly held upon the face of the cylinder, and by means of
which when the cylinder revolves the plant is cast or thrown upon a
row or rows of fixed or stationary teeth, combs, or heckles, and brush,
and is dragged through the said teeth, combs, or heckles and brush
every time the cylinder revolves. The teeth, combs, or heckles may in
shape either be hooked, straight, or angular and round, flat, square, or
oval, and gradually increase in diameter from their points down until
they become of equal diameter to the distances between these points
and so touch each other. The block or foundation upon which the
upper row of teeth or heckles is fixed is or may be so constructed that
it can be reversed at pleasure, and when so reversed it presents a row of
straight perpendicular teeth instead of the hook-shaped ones through
which the fibre is passed when the machine is loaded and first put in
motion. The axle or shaft upon which the cylinder is fixed and revolves
is so constructed that it has "play" and vibrates from side to side when
in motion, so that each time the cylinder revolves a different part of the
plant can, if desired, be brought into contact with the teeth, combs, or
heckles and brush. There is a trough into which water can be intro-
duced, if required, and through which the under section of the cylinder
will pass as it revolves and so dash or wash the fibre at each revolution
of the cylinder. A row or rows of teeth, combs, or heckles are attached
on the inner side of the back part of the frame of the machine so that
the points may be brought into contact with the fibrous material during
the upward motion of the cylinder.
The machine can be efficiently operated by manual power.
In order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and
readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawing here-
unto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
This Drawing shews a perspective view of the machine.
A is the frame of the machine; B is the cylinder; C is the catch or
grip consisting of two small fluted rollers so fixed in the cylinder that
their outer edge will not project beyond the surface of the cylinder;
D is the upper row of teeth or heckles, which are of a hooked form, and
gradually increase in diameter from point to butt until the space at butt
between the teeth is reduced to ½nd of an inch; E are the combs or

page_text: under row of teeth in front of the machine; F is the water trough;
G are the combs or under row of teeth on the back of the machine; I is
the brush fixed on upper cross bar of the frame on the back of the
machine; J is the shaft and handle by which the cylinder is moved, and
while of course any kind of motive power can be applied.
The machine in question is intended to be worked by manual labor;
and so casy is it to work that a boy or girl of 14 would be sufficient for
the purpose.
By this arrangement the fibrous material is caused to be rotated by
means of holding it at the thick end in the grip of the fluted rollers in
face of the cylinder, and when the cylinder is put in motion it casts or
whips the said fibrous material into and through the heckles, combs, and
brush, and also through the water trough with water in it, provided that
for the special fibre under treatment water should be found to expedite
the cleaning process.
The shaft is of sufficient length in the part
working upon the bearings to admit of to of an inch "play" so
that the cylinder can at the will of the driver be made to oscillate to
that extent from side to side while revolving, and so at every revolution
of the cylinder the fibrous material is in a fresh part made to strike the
points of the heckles, combs, and brush.
The machine now described, which I call a "fibre machine," will clean
and prepare all vegetable fibres from dwarf flax to giant hemp, china
grass, or rhea fibre included, fit and suitable for manufacturing purposes.
The manner in which the machine will be operated will be as follows:
-There will be a supply of the fibrous material alongside of the
machine. The root end of the fibre will by a turn of the hand with a
key which fits the end of the small fluted rollers or grip be drawn into
said rollers or grip, and there firmly held until it is cleaned, when a
reverse turn of the key at end of fluted roller releases it, and the
2 or 3 inches which were in the grip are cut off, the remainder being
clean and ready to bale up for market. The feeding into and taking out
from the grip in the cylinder is done very rapidly. The cylinder of the
machine may conveniently be 4 feet in diameter and will suffice to
clean fibrous material six feet in length; the width of the cylinder is,
say, 10 inches, and the width of fluted rollers or grip, say, 8 inches.
The grip or fluted rollers have a rubber spring backing which whilo
admitting of a space between always keeps them close in their grip of the
fibrc.

page_text: The combs or heckles will be varied in size to suit different fibres;
those shewn are adapted for a long coarse fibre.
In place of fluted rollers other holding instruments may be employed.
The surface of the cylinder in place of being entirely closed may be
open at intervals, the fibre simply being supported by bars at short
distances apart; this will remove any tendency there might otherwise
be in the fibre when long to adhere to the surface of the cylinder.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, I would have it understood that I
claim the method of extracting and cleaning fibres by holding the
material at the end in a grip on the face of a cylinder, which in revolving
casts or whips the fibrous material through heckles, combs, brushes, or
such like instruments, substantially as described.
I also claim the use of the water trough, substantially as described.
I also claim the combination of the parts of the machine, substantially
as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Tomlinson Bousfield, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of October,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
one.