Year: 1899

page_text: Improv CL
I, JONATHAN SMITH, of 146, Disraeli Road, Putney, Merchant, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows..
The object of my invention is to strip flax from the straw, wood, or boon, to
which it is attached, & open the fibres, keeping them parallel.
Hither to this has been performed by first breaking up the wood, or boon, into
small fragments by means of corrugated rollers, or some similar device; and
then removing those fragments, and opening the fibre, by means of beaters.
The chief objections to which method are:-it acts imperfectly, not removing
all the boon the flax (which all lies outside the boon) cannot but be injured
by the breakers & beaters, and a considerable proportion of it is broken & thrown
down as tow & waste: the fibres are no longer parallel, being more or less
tangled & matted by the beaters, thus increasing the loss, when the flax comes
to be heckled, or combed.
"
It is proposed by my invention to scutch flax, not by means of corrugated
rollers or beaters, but by means of a rubbing and stripping action: for example,
by drawing the flax straw round one or more bars, or iods. This may evidently
be done either by fastening the straw & drawing the strippers along it. or, by
fixing the strippers & drawing the flax through them.
(4) For a hand machine, it may be more convenient to use the first method,
which I now proceed to describe.
In Fig 1 (side elevation). A, A1 is the flax straw in position for beg
stripped: B, B1 is the clamp in which the 100t end of the straw is fixed. Cis
a guide bar, up to which the straw has been pushed: 1, D1 are guide combs
for separating & guiding the straws: E, E1, E2 are strippers, fixed in the
frame G, G1: F, FI are movable strippers which may be lifted out of the
frame or, preferably, hinged to it at H, H1, H2: K, K1 are springs for holding
F, F1, when in position, by means of the bar & stud L, & released by the
levers M, M, respectively; N NI is the base line, the top of the table along
which the frame G, GI is moved, in the direction of the arrow.
In Fig. 2 (end view). 1) is a guide comb (shown part of its length, with the
straws of flax passing round the stripper F 1): 0 is the guide bar along which
the frame G G 1 slides
.
To operate the machine: we first lift out the combs D, 11, & remove the
strippers F, F1 by revolving the portion of the frame, in which they are fixed,
on the hinges H. H1, H2 we then open the clamp 1, B1 (which is operated
by a level, or other device). &, taking the flax straw by the root end, we spread
it evenly, in single file, on the bed B 1 (pushing the ends against the guide bar C)
& fasten it in the clamp. We next pass the comb D 1 through the straw, draw-
ing it evenly over the strippers E, E1, E2, & fix the comb in its slot at D 1.
Next we replace in position the strippers F, F1 and drop the comb D into its
slot at D finally, we draw the frame G, G1 through the whole length of the

page_text: flax straw. The operation of scutching is then completed by opening the clamp,
& drawing the roots of the flax straw through the comb D &, if needful, through
the strippers also.
(2.) For a machine to be operated by steam power, the second method may be
more convenient viz, to draw the flax through the strippers (fixed).
To do this, the only alterations necessary are. to reverse the frame G, G 1 &
fix it to the table: & to replace the clamp by a pair of rollers, or other tractive
device. If the flax be spread evenly, & the root ends be so fed into the rollers,
the operation will proceed as already described.
Dated this Seventh day of February 1899.
I, JONATILAN SMITH, of 146, Disraeli Road, Putney, Merchant, 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:-
-
The object of my invention is to strip flax from the straw, wood, or boon, to
which it is attached, & open the fibres, keeping them parallel.
Hitherto this has been, & is, performed by first breaking up the straw, or boon,
into small fragments by means of corrugated rollers, or some similar device;
and then removing those fragments, & opening the fibre, by means of beaters.
The chief objections to which method are: it acts imperfectly, not removing all
the straw, or boon the flax (which all lies outside the boon) cannot but be
injured by the breakers & beaters: a considerable portion of the flax is broken,
& thrown down, as tow & waste: the fibres are no longer parallel (being more or
less tangled & matted by the beaters) thus increasing the loss when the flax comes
to be heckled, or combed.
It is proposed by my invention to scutch flax, not by means of corrugated
rollers & beaters, but by means of a rubbing & stripping action, obtained by
drawing the flax straw round (or partly round) one or 1ods, or bars
This may
evidently be done either by fastening the straw & drawing the stripping rods
along it, or by fixing the strippers & drawing the flax through them.
(1). For a hand machine, it may be more convenient to use the former method,
which I now proceed to describe. The diawings referred to are those left with
the provisional specification.
In Fig. 1 (side elevation): A, A 1 is the flax straw in position for being stripped
B, B1 is an ordinary clamp, in which the root end of the straw is fixed. C is
a guide bar, up to which the straw has been pushed: 1), 11 are guide combs,
for separating & guiding the straws: E, E1, E2 are stripping rods fixed in
the frame G, GI. F, FI are movable stripping iods, which may
be lifted out of the frame, or, prefarably, hinged to it at H, H1, H2: these
movable rods may be fastened in position by any ordinary bolt, lock, catch, or
similar device which admits of being readily released. (The method suggested
in the drawing, by means of the springs K, K1, is found to be too elaborate &
expensive, & entirely unnecessary) N, N1 is the base line, the top of the table
along which the frame G, G1 is moved, in the direction of the arrow.
In Fig. 2 (end view): D1 is a guide comb, shown part of its length, with the
straws of flax passing round the stripping rod F1. O 1s the guide bar, along
which the frame G, G1 slides
To operate the machine: we first lift out the combs D, D1, & remove the

page_text: rods F, F1 by revolving the portion of the frame, in which they are fixed, on
the hinges H, H1, H2: we open the clamp B, B1 (which is operated by a lever
or other device) &, taking the flax straw, we spread the root ends evenly, in
single file, on the bed B1 (pushing the ends against the guide bar C) & fasten
them in the clamp We next pass the comb 1 through the straw, drawing it
evenly over the strippers E, E1, E2, & fix the comb in its slot at 1) 1. Next
we replace in position the strippers F, F 1, & drop the comb D) into its slot at I).
Finally, we draw the frame G, G1 through the whole length of the flax straw.
The operation is then completed by opening the clamp, & drawing the roots of
the flax through the comb D, &, if needful, through the strippers also.
(2). For a machine to be operated by steam power, the second method may
be more convenient, iz, to fix the frame G, G1 and draw the flax through the
strippers.
To do this, the only alterations necessary are reverse the frame G, G1 & fix
it to the table: & replace the clamp by a pair of rollers, or other drawing device.
If the flax straw be first spread evenly, as before, & the root ends be fed into the
rollers, the operation will proceed as already described
The rods above named (any or all of them) may be, in section, round, oval,
shaped as in the drawing, or of any other convenient shape, or size, which will
give sufficient strength to the rod, & present a proper stripping edge, or surface,
to the straw The said stripping edge, or surface, is preferably presented to the
flax at an obtuse angle-say, 135° as in the figure-but this may be altered to
a right angle, or even an acute angle should the character of the flax require it.
Such rubbing & stripping rods (one or more of them) may be used in addition
to, or in place of, any other method of scutching, or any portion of such other
method.
Having now particularly described & ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention, & in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1 The method of scutching flax by a rubbing & stripping action obtained by
drawing the flax straw round, partly round, or against one o more rods sub-
stantially as described.
2. The use of such rubbing & stripping rods (one or more of them) substan-
tially as described, when added to any other method of scutching, or to any part
of such other method.
Doted this Seventh day of November 18900