Improvements in Machinery for Obtaining Fibrous Material from Ramie and other Plants.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Apr., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Sept., 1891-Accepted, 14th Nov., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Obtaining Fibrous Material from
Ramie and other Plants.
I, EDMOND CASIMIR MARC, of 31 Boulevard Henri IV, Paris, in the Republic
of France, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to machinery for splitting decorticating and disaggregating
the stems of ramie and other plants in order to obtain fibrous material therefrom.
The machine, which splits and decorticates the stems, comprises a frame bolted
to a bench or table and having a cross-piece at the top and two tie-bars at the
lower parts; a shaft passing through the frame and carrying on one side a driving
pulley or drum and on the other side a toothed-wheel which gears with another
toothed-wheel keyed on a shaft; a decorticating cylinder or roller of india-rubber
or other suitable elastic material, keyed on the pulley shaft and a similar cylinder
keyed on the shaft of the second named toothed-wheel.
The shafts revolve in bearings sliding in a guide slot made in the sides of the
frame, and they are moved towards one another by a spiral-spring. Their motion.
towards one another is limited by two blocks sliding in slots connected to the
bearings by four links pivotted at their points of attachment.
These links together form a jointed lozenge which, by reason of the firm con-
nection of the bearings with the blocks, compels these various parts in their inward
and outward movements to always keep symmetrical with regard to the two
diagonals of the lozenge. The same parts exist under the same conditions on the
right and left hand sides of the frame. A cutter is fixed to the frame by two lugs
The blade of
fitted in the sides of the frame and held by means of strong screws.
the cutter is placed horizontally with its edge between the cylinders, so that the
axes of the cylinders may be quite symmetrical with relation to the cutting edge
of the blade.
Four plates are fixed to the bearings, and are connected together by cross-bars
on which are secured strips of leather held by screws between the cross-bars and
other plates, the said strips of leather serve to prevent the strips of ramie from
becoming wound around the cylinder.
The said four plates are also connected by cutter-strips or guides strengthened
by metal bars whose surfaces are concaved to follow the shape of the cylinders.
A cylindrical inlet tube, having a trumpet-mouth, is fixed to the frame and has
its axis in the same plane as that of the cutter-blade.
From the hereinbefore described construction it will be evident that, if one of
the india-rubber cylinders be raised, it will carry with it its cross-bar and cutter-
strip, but the other cylinder will, at the same time, move to an equal extent with
respect to the axis of the blade and will also carry its cross-bar and cutter-strip
with it.
The disaggregating apparatus comprises a cast-iron frame on the front of which
are fixed two plates and a cast-iron bracket. To the cast-iron bracket is fixed a
chair formed with a semi-cylindrical recess adapted to receive an india-rubber
disaggregating cylinder or roller. The chair is cut away on its two sides perpen-
dicularly to the axis of its recess, so as to guide the strips of ramie in their passage.
The inlet side is of a somewhat rounded shape, and the outlet side presents a sharp
edge but is slightly rounded. Between the said plates slides a dovetail-shaped
plate which is fixed to a horizontal rod constantly drawn downwards by a spring
fixed to the frame by a regulating screw. Under the action of this spring the

page_text: cylinder, the shaft of which is fixed to the dovetail-shaped plate, is pressed into the
semi-cylindrical recess of the chair.
An eccentric lever pivotted upon a screw fixed to the dovetail-shaped plate allows
of raising the said plate and consequently the cylinder, the said eccentric lever
being operated by foot, hand or mechanically in any suitable manner.
The machine rests on the hereinbefore described bench or table.
The operation is as follows:
The apparatus being set in motion, if a strip of ramie be introduced into the tube
of the splitting and decorticating machine, it will be drawn in and flattened by the
india-rubber decorticating cylinders or rollers and will be presented in front of the
cutter-blade which splits it longitudinally.
At this moment the half strips come against the cutter-strips which detach the
bark from the wood, the wood passes out in one direction and the bark, guided by
the concave metal bars, passes out in another direction. The attendant takes the
strips of bark as they come out and the wood falls onto the bench or table.
The movableness of the bearings of the shafts of the decorticating cylinders,
regulated by the jointed lozenge, allows of the introduction of stems of various
thicknesses with the certainty of their being drawn in normally in front of the
cutters.
The barks are then passed to the disaggregator. The disaggregating cylinder
being raised by means of the eccentric, the end of a strip of bark is placed in the
cut away parts of the chair, the cuticle upwards, and the cylinder is lowered. The
strip of bark is then drawn in a direction which follows as much as possible
the contour of the outlet edge of the chair. During this movement the cuticle
becomes separated from the fibre and falls onto the bench. The disaggregating
operation is then complete.
In some
cases I arrange the splitting and decorticating machine, with its
cylinders or rollers, in a vertical position, in which case the frame of the machine
supports two superposed platforms between which pivot and gear two spur-wheels,
one of which has fixed to it a bevel-wheel gearing with a similar wheel driven
by 2. pulley.
On the upper platform are fixed four columns on which rests the cross-piece in
which rotate the shafts carrying the decorticating cylinders. Between the top
platform and the cross-piece is the splitting-blade with its cutting edge situated
between the two decorticating cylinders. This blade is fixed to the cross-piece and
to the top platform by means of metal bars.
The two cutter-strips or guides are also fixed to the cross-piece and to the top
platform and have one of their surfaces curved to correspond with the concave
sides of the said bars. They serve to conduct the two half stems of ramie between
two pairs of cylinders, one of each pair of cylinders revolving freely in the cross-
piece and top platform, whilst the other cylinder of each pair, besides rotating,
can automatically adjust itself to the varying thickness of the half stems of
ramie.
These cylinders may be caused to revolve in the same direction as the decorticating
cylinders by means of gearing or other suitable mechanism.
The ends of the adjustable cylinders work in two small slots in the top platform
and in the cross-piece, and the said cylinders are constantly drawn towards the other
cylinders by springs or by other suitable means.
In other respects the construction is the same as that of the splitting and decorti-
cating machine herein before described, and its mode of action as far as regards
the passage of the stem of ramie through the inlet tube and decorticating cylinders
to the blade which divides it in halves is also 'similar. The half stems then pass
and are guided between the concave bars and the curved guides. They then pass
between the hereinbefore described pairs of cylinders when the attendant takes
hold of the bark, which will detach itself, and draws it in a direction almost at
right angles to the passage of the half stems whilst the wood, having a certain
amount of rigidity, will follow a direction more in a line with the passage of the

page_text: half stems. The advantage of this arrangement is that it allows of working with
greater speed and consequently of effecting an economy.
In order not to interfere with the attendant, either on the inlet or outlet sides,
the driving pulley is placed obliquely..
Dated the 20th dor of April 1891
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Obtaining Fibrous Material from
Ramie and other Plants.
I, EDMOND CASIMIR MARC, of 31 Boulevard Henri IV, Paris, in the Republic
of France, 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 machinery for splitting, decorticating and for what I
term disaggregating the stems of ramie and other plants in order to obtain fibrous
material therefrom.
The manner in which my invention is carried into effect is fully described in the
accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 is a vertical section (on line X, X of Figure 2) of an apparatus for
splitting and decorticating the stems of ramie and other plants constructed according
to my invention, the decorticating cylinders or rollers being arranged horizontally.
Figure 2 is a plan of the same, the top of the frame being removed.
Figure 3 is a side elevation of the splitting and decorticating apparatus with the
wheels removed, and
gear
Figure 4 is a back elevation of the apparatus.
Figure 5 is a front elevation of the disaggregating apparatus.
Figure 6 is a plan, and
Figure 7 is a side elevation of the same.
Figure
8 is a section on the line Y Y of Figure 7.
Figure 9 is a front elevation with the cylinder raised.
Figure 10 is a side elevation of the complete machine.
Figure 11 is a perspective view of part of the disaggregating apparatus illustrating
the operation of disaggregation.
Figure 12 is a vertical section on the line Z Z of
Figure 13 which is a horizontal section of my splitting and decorticating
apparatus having its decorticating cylinders or rollers arranged vertically.
Figure 14 is a front elevation of the upper part of the machine.
The machine illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, which splits and decorticates the
stems, comprises a frame A bolted to a bench or table J and having a cross-piece B
at the top and two tie-bars C C at the lower part; a shaft D passing through the
frame and carrying on one side a driving pulley or drum E and on the other side
a toothed wheel F which gears with another toothed wheel F keyed on a shaft D';
a decorticating cylinder or roller G of india-rubber or other suitable elastic
material keyed on the pulley shaft D and a similar cylinder G¹ keyed on the
sbaft D'.
The shafts D and D¹ revolve in bearings I and l' sliding in a guide slot H made
in each side of the frame, and they are moved towards one another by spiral
springs K. Their motion towards one another is limited by two blocks LL
sliding in slots M, M' and connected to the bearings I and I¹ by four links N
pivotted at their points of attachment.
These links together form a jointed lozenge which, by reason of the firm
connection of the bearings I and I with the blocks L and L compels these various
parts in their inward and outward movements to always keep symmetrical with

page_text: regard to the two diagonals of the lozenge. The same parts exist under the same
conditions on the right and left hand sides of the frame. A cutter O is fixed to
the frame A by two lugs P fitted in the sides of the frame and held by means of
strong screws. The blade of the cutter is placed horizontally with its edge between
the cylinders G and G' so that the axes of the cylinders may be quite symmetrical
with relation to the cutting edge of the blade.
Four plates Q, Q, Q', Q', are fixed to the bearings I, I, I, 1. The plates Q, Q
are respectively connected together by cross-bars R, R' on which, when it is found
advisable, strips of leather S, S₁ may be secured being held by screws between
the cross bars R, R' and plates T, T. These strips however are not essential and
may be dispensed with.
The said four plates Q, Q' are also connected by cutter-strips or guides U, U¹
strengthened by metal bars V, VI, whose surfaces are concaved to follow the shape
of the cylinders.
A cylindrical inlet tube W having a trumpet mouth is fixed to the frame A and
has its axis in the same plane as that of the cutter blade O.
From the hereinbefore described construction it will be evident that, if one of
the india-rubber cylinders, G for example, be raised it will carry with it its cross
bar R¹ and cutter strip U', but the other cylinder G' will, at the same time, move
to an equal extent with respect to the axis of the blade O and will also carry its
cross bar R and cutter strip U with it.
The apparatus, which 1 term disaggregating apparatus and use for removing the
gum and bark, is illustrated in Figures 5 to 11 and comprises a cast-iron frame a,
on the front of which are fixed two plates band b¹ and a cast-iron bracket c.
To
the cast-iron bracket c is fixed a chair d formed with a semi-cylindrical recess
adapted to receive an india-rubber disaggregating cylinder or roller e mounted on
a spindle m. The chair dis cut away on its two sides at n and n' perpendicularly
to the axis of its recess so as to guide the strips of ramie in their passage. The
inlet side d' is of a somewhat rounded form and the outlet side d" presents a sharp
edge, but is slightly rounded. Between the plates 6 and 6 slides a dovetail-shaped
plate which is fixed to a horizontal rod y constantly drawn downwards by a
spring fixed to the frame a by a regulating screw i.
Under the action of this
spring the cylinder e, the shaft of which is fixed to the dovetail-shaped plate f is
pressed into the semi-cylindrical recess of the chair d.
An eccentric lever pivotted upon a screw fixed to the plate fallows of
raising the said plate and consequently the cylinder e, the said eccentric lever being
operated by foot, or by hand, or mechanically in any suitable manner.
The machine rests on the herein before described bench or table J opposite the
splitting and decorticating apparatus as shewn in Figure 10.
The operation is as follows:-
The apparatus being set in motion with the india-rubber decorticating cylinders
or rollers G G, Figures 1 to 4, revolving in the proper direction, if a strip of ramic
be introduced into the tube W it will be drawn in and flattened by the india-rubber
decorticating cylinders or rollers G, G' and will be presented in front of the cutter
blade which splits it longitudinally.
At this moment the half strips come against the cutter-strips U and U¹ which
detach the bark from the wood, the wood passes out in the direction of the
arrows, and the bark guided by the concave metal bars V and V₁, passes out
in the direction of the arrows s, s¹. The attendant takes the strips of bark as they
come out and the wood falls onto the bench or table J.
The movableness of the bearings of the shafts D and D' regulated by the jointed
fozenge, allows of the introduction of stems of various thicknesses with the certainty
of their being drawn in normally in front of the cutters.
The
The barks are then passed to the disaggregator, Figures 5 to 9.
disaggregating cylinder e being raised by means of the eccentric lever k the end
of a strip of bark is placed in the cut away parts of the chair d, the cuticle upwards,
and the cylinder e is lowered. The strip of bark is then drawn in the direction of

page_text: the arrow which follows as much as possible the contour of the outlet edge d" of
the chair. During this movement the cuticle becomes separated from the fibre and
falls onto the bench J. The disaggregating operation is then complete.
A modification of my splitting and decorticating machine, shewn in Figures 12, 13
and 14, I find may be used with great advantage. I arrange the cylinders or
rollers G, G' in a vertical position, in which case the frame A, A' of the machine
fixed to the bench or table J supports two platforms C and H placed at a distance
one above the other and between which pivot and gear two spur-wheels F, F'
carried upon shafts D, D'. The wheel F has fixed to it a bevel-wheel K gearing.
with a similar wheel K driven by a pulley E keyed on the same shaft as the
wheel K¹.
On the upper platform Çare fixed four columns a, b, c, d on which rests the
ross-piece B in which rotate the shafts D, D' carrying the decorticating cylinders G
and G. Between the top platform C and the cross-piece B is the splitting-blade O
with its cutting edge situated between the two decorticating cylinders G and G.
This blade is fixed to the cross-piece B and to the top platform C by means of
metal bars R, R¹.
The two cutter-strips or guides V V' are also fixed to the cross-piece B and to
the top platform C and have one of their surfaces curved to correspond with the
concave sides of the bars R and R¹. They serve to conduct the two half stems of
ramie over two cylinders f and f¹ revolving freely in the cross-piece B and top
platform C.
These cylinders may be caused to revolve in the same direction as the
decorticating cylinders & G¹ by means of gearing or other suitable mechanism.
In other respects the construction is practically the same as that of the splitting
and decorticating machine herein before described and shewn in Figures 1 to 4 and
its mode of action as far as regards the passage of the stem of ramie through the
inlet tube W and decorticating cylinders G, G' to the blade O which divides it
in halves is also similar. In some cases a double inlet tube may be employed
instead of the inlet tube W, that is to say, a tube having two mouths or inlets.
The half stems pass and are guided between the concave bars R, R' and the curved
guides V V. They then pass over the cylinders f, f when the attendant takes
hold of the bark, which will detach itself, and draws it in the direction of the
arrows s, s², whilst the wood, having a certain amount of rigidity, will follow the
direction indicated by the arrows r, r¹. The advantage of this arrangement is that
it allows of working with greater speed and consequently of effecting an economy.
In order not to interfere with the attendant either on the inlet or outlet sides,
the driving pulley is placed obliquely, as shewn.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. The combination of parts constituting my improved machines for splitting
and decorticating and for disaggregating the stems of ramie and other plants
respectively constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. The use in machinery such as that herein described of an inlet tube W having
a trumpet-mouth, in combination with two india-rubber cylinders or rollers G, G¹
allowing of the introduction and passage of the stems.
3. The combination of the rollers G, G' with a fixed blade O serving to split
the stems as and for the purpose described.
4. The combination herein described of the rollers G, G' with the cutter strips
or guides U, U, Figure 1, serving to remove the bark, that is to say, to decorticate
the stems, the said cutter-strips being mounted upon the metal bars V, V.
5. The use as described of the pulley E keyed on the shaft D on which is also
keyed a toothed wheel F driving a second toothed wheel F' keyed on the shaft D'
as illustrated in Figures 2 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.
6. The combination of an india-rubber roller e mounted and rotating upon a

page_text: spindle m, with a chair d in which it rotates with slight friction as hereinbefore
described with reference to Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 11 of the accompanying
drawings.
7. The chair d provided with two edges d', d" and cut away portions n, n' as
hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 11 of the accom-
panying drawings.
8. The combination of a spring h with a rod g fixed to the plate f which slides
between the two plates 6, 6' for the purpose of insuring a constant pressure of the
roller e against the chair d substantially as hereinbefore described with reference
to Figures 5, 6, 7 and 9 of the accompanying drawings.
9. The combination of the plate with the eccentric lever & pivotted at 1 and
serving to lift the plate and consequently the roller e to allow of the introduction
of the strips of bark between the roller e and the chair d as hereinbefore described
with reference to Figures 5, 6, 7 and 9 of the accompanying drawings.
10. The combination of the splitting and decorticating apparatus with the
disaggregating apparatus, both being fixed to the table or bench J as herein before
described with reference to Figure 10 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated the 99nd day of Santamban 1001
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.