Improvements in Machinery for Scutching Flax, Hemp, Rhea, Jute, or other like Fibrous Stems or Plants.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Oct., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 25th Aug., 1893-Accepted, 21st Oct., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Scutching Flax, Hemp, Rhea, Jute,
or other like Fibrous Stems or Plants.
We, GEORGE EDMUND DONISTHORPE, Managing Director of The Fibre
Machinery Co. Limited, of 12 Oat Lane in the City of London, and TAYLOR
BURROWS of 88 Upper Kennington Lane, London, Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in machinery or apparatus for scutching
flax, hemp, rhea, jute or other like fibrous stems or plants and has for its object to
produce a machine for beating cleaning and softening such fibrous plants after
same have been previously crushed by passing through any suitable breaking and
crushing machine the object of the present invention being to produce a complete
finishing scutching action on such fibres.
The machine consists essentially of a carrying and holding device which holds
the fibrous material while being scutched and one or more beating devices suitably
mounted to act on the fibre as same is mechanically carried along and presented to
such beating devices.
The present invention is as follows:-
One or more (advantageously two or three) endless flexible bands are mounted
so as to travel round in a horizontal plane by passing round a horizontally disposed
drum at each end of the machine.
One or both of these horizontally revolving drums are driven by any suitable
means from the main driving shaft of the machine or in any other suitable
manner so as to carry round therewith the aforesaid horizontally disposed endless
metal carrier.
The upper edge of the band or bands forming the said horizontally disposed
carrier is or are formed wilh serrations teeth or the like surfaces or projections of a
suitable form to receive thereon and carry along therewith the crushed stems or
plants which are laid thereover preparatory to being scutched.
Upon each side of this machine and outside of the said endless travelling band
beating devices are mounted as hereinafter described.
Or these beating devices may be arranged inside of said band or on both sides
thereof as desired.
For facility of description one such beating device will be described it being
understood that the same or other suitable constructions may be applied and as
many as are required for the purpose of obtaining a good result.
The beating device which has been found suitable consists simply of two end
discs (or radial arms or equivalents) mounted on an axle and connected to one
another on their peripheries (or outer ends) by beating arms plates or paddles which
are advantageously mounted to project more or less from said discs as required
according to the fibre under treatment.
Two such beating devices (or any other suitable beating devices) are mounted
on each side of the machine and the pair (mounted on one side of the machine)
revolved in opposite directions; and the pair mounted on the other side of the
machine are similarly arranged also to revolve in opposite directions.
These opposite revolutions of each pair of beating devices may be effected by a
bevelled cog wheel on the axle of one beating device meshing with the teeth of a
second bevelled cog wheel which in its turn meshes with the teeth of a third
bevelled cog wheel on the axle of the other beating device of the pair or this
opposite revolution of the beating drums may be effected in any other well known
or suitable manner.

page_text: The aforesaid horizontally disposed carrier passes.under a depressing plate or
plates or the like device just before coming to the first of the beating devices and
the crushed fibrous straws etc. being laid on the endless carrier (advantageously by
hand) are carried under such locking device and there securely held (mechanically)
while presented to the action of the beating device so that the strain upon such
fibrous straws endways cannot draw out the same from the said endless carrier.
Thus the first beating device acts on one end of the fibrous straws hanging
loosely from the endless carrier and on one side thereof until the said carrier travels
along and presents the same end to the action of the oppositely revolving beating
drum whereupon the other side of such end is beaten and this end of the fibre is
then fully scutched and finished.
The fibre now comes from under the locking plate (i.e. from under the aforesaid
depressing plate) and is lifted off the endless carrier (i.e. out of the teeth or projec-
tions thereof before same reaches the horizontally disposed pulley or drum) and is
transferred to the opposite side of the machine and again placed on the endless
carrier so that the unscutched end which previously lay inside the endless carrier
now hangs down outside the endless carrier the already scutched part of the fibre
lying on the carrier and partly inside said carrier.
The fibrous material thus placed on the endless travelling band now passes under
a second depressing plate or locking device which locks and holds same firmly
while carrying along same and presenting the now unscutched ends to the action
of another beating device which acts on one side thereof until same has been
carried clear of this beating device and presented to the action of an oppositely
revolving beating device which, in its turn, finishes the scutching of this part of
the fibre.
The fibre now comes from under this last depressing plate or locking device
and is now fully scutched and finished from end to end and is lifted off or otherwise
removed from the endless carrier in such finished state.
In the event of more than two beating devices being used on each side of the
machine or in the event of any such beating device being mounted within the line
of travel of the said endless carrier such parts are mounted to produce the same
operation on the fibrous material as hereinbefore described.
By arranging and mounting two separate endless band carriers with a pair of
oppositely revolving drums to each such carrier the fibrous material may be fed on
at one end of the machine and, automatically (i.e. mechanically) lifted out of one
such carrier and passed on to the other carrier and thereby deliver at the opposite
end of the machine the finished scutched material-the operation of the beating
device being the same as before described.
Dated this 25th day of October 1892
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,.
Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Scutching Flax, Hemp, Rhea, Jute,
or other like Fibrous Stems or Plants.
We, GEORGE EDMUND DONISTHORPE Managing Director of The Fibre
Machinery Co. Ltd., formerly of 12 Oat Lane but now of 46 Queen Victoria
Street, in the City of London, and TAYLOR BURROWS of 88 Upper Kennington
Lane, London, 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 :-
This invention relates to an improved machine or apparatus for scutching flax,
hemp, rhea, jute or other like fibrous stems or plants and is designed to produce a
machine for beating cleaning and softening such fibrous straws, stems or plants

page_text: (after same have been crushed previously by passing through any suitable breaking
and crushing machine) the object of the present invention being to produce a
complete finishing scutching action on such fibres or fibrous material.
Our machine consists essentially of endless horizontally revolving carrying bands
of metal which have upwardly projecting teeth or serrations on the upper edge (or
edges) thereof in which the fibrous stems etc. are carried along (and firmly held
therein by means of intersecting depressing or locking plates) to present same to
the beating and scutching devices which latier consist of oppositely revolving
beaters or scutching devices which are so arranged and mounted and operate in
such a manner as to very thoroughly and effectively scutch the fibrous stems as
same are thus mechanically held and presented thereto.
We will now proceed to fully describe and set forth our said present invention
with reference to the drawings hereunto annexed.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the complete scutching machine.
Fig. 2 is a plan of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is an end view of the machine looking in the opposite direction to the
arrows 2.
Fig. 4 is a "local" view in cross section on line y-y Fig. 1 and 2- Fig.
on an enlarged scale.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout.
A is the support or frame.
and
BB are horizontally disposed pulleys arranged and mounted as shown at each
end of the frame A.
CC are fast and loose pulleys by which the whole machine is driven by means of
an ordinary driving belt. (not shown).
D is the main driving shaft actuated by C or this main driving axle D may be
driven in any other suitable manner.
E is a second shaft on the opposite side of the machine to D and each shaft D
and E has respectively thereon a pulley and a crossed driving belt F running round
said pulleys by which means the shaft E is rotated.
G is worm shaft driven by suitable train of wheels from the beater shaft M-or
driven in any other suitable manner...
HH are worms on worm shaft G.
II are worm wheels on the vertical axles J of horizontal pulleys B.
E' is a pulley on the beater shaft E and K' is a pulley on the beater shaft K on
the opposite side of the machine and a belt L on these two pulleys causes the
beater shaft K to be revolved by and in the same direction as E.
D' is a pulley on the main driving shaft D at the opposite end thereof to fast
and loose pulleys C: C.
M' is a pulley on the beater shaft M and this pulley and shaft are revolved by a
driving belt D from the said pulley D'.
M² is a second pulley on beater shaft M and N' is a corresponding pulley on the
beater shaft N and a belt M' on these two pulleys causes the shaft N to be revolved
by and in the same direction as M.
It will thus be seen that beater shafts E and K are respectively revolved in the
opposite directions to the two shafts M and N that is E is revolved in the opposite
direction to M, and also N is revolved in the opposite direction to K.
Pare the scutching blades or beaters three of which as shown in the drawings (see
Fig. 3) are mounted on the radial arms Q to form the separate beating devices
mounted respectively on the separate and oppositely revolving shafts E and M on
one side of the machine and similarly on the other side of the machine on the
oppositely revolving shafts K and N.
If desired the beating devices may consist of any number of blades P other than
three as above described.
QQ are radial arms fixed respectively to the separate shafts.E K M and N.
S is the endless metallic band toothed or serrated on its upper edge and two of
such endless metal ribbons or bands S are shown in the drawings (see Fig. 4) to

page_text: form the carrier these bands being arranged so as to be carried around by the
horizontally disposed pulleys B so that such endless carrier S is caused to
continuously travel round and round in a horizontal plane.
If desired any suitable number of the bands S (other than two) may be used.
T is grooved plate forming an undersupport for said carrier S.
U is a depressing and locking plate or plates which intersect between and overlap
these bands S and thereby lock and firmly hold the fibrous stems etc. while being
scutched (see Fig. 4) to prevent same being dragged out of S.
V is a table or platform in the central part of the machine within the line of
travel of S.
Wis first feed table.
X is an incline or "plough" to lift the fibrous stems etc. out of the teeth of the
carrier S and acts also as a stop to prevent any of the said stems from being carried
round the pulley B.
Y is second feed table.
Z is second incline same as X, and for the same purpose at the other end of the
machine.
The following device or means to prevent entanglement of the fibre with the
beater shafts or other working parts of the machine to pass said fibre from one
beater to the other as also the means to cover in the beaters by hinged covers or
other suitable shields which latter serve also to keep the fibrous material down to
the beaters-form the subject matter of an invention for which application for
Patent has been filed dated 26th July, 1893, No. 14427 by Francis Pears and The
Fibre Machinery Co. Ld. and therefore these said features form no part of our
present invention:-
Upon the shaft E of the first beater a drum or flanged pulley e is rigidly keyed
or fixed the edge of one side of this drum e overlapping and enclosing the blades P
on said beater shaft E and this drum e is thus revolved by and with the said
shaft E.
A piece of wire f is fixed at one end to the beater blade P and at the other to
drum e to prevent the ends of the fibres getting entangled between P and e-a
separate guard being thus mounted for each beater blade P.
The edge of the other side of the drum e overlaps a cover or guard g fixed to
the frame of the machine which fixed cover g in its turn overlaps the mouth or free
end of a second drum or device of peculiar shape as shown in the drawings (Figs. 1
and 2) this drum or device / being fixed to the second shaft M and revolved
thereby with the blades of the second beater.
i is a blade arm or bar fixed on drum or device transversely to the line of
travel of the latter for the purpose of throwing over the fibre in the direction of
the line of travel of beater blades P on shaft M.
jis a drum or cylinder at the outer end of shaft M with guard wires as before
to pass the fibre clear as same leaves the beater on M.
A similar arrangement for guarding the working parts and keeping the fibre from
entanglement etc. is provided with the two oppositely revolving beaters on the other
side of the machine.
m m (Fig. 3) are shields or covers over the scutching blades P which covers m
serve the double purpose of shielding said blades and keeping the fibrous material
under treatment close up to the revolving blades P.
These covers m are advantageously made to readily remove when required.
As already explained these parts efghij and m form no part of our present
invention and we wish it to be clearly understood that we herein make no claim to
same whatsoever..
The operation is as follows:-
The crushed fibrous stems straws or stalks are fed on to the machine in any
suitable manner but for the sake of example we will describe the operation of the
machine with three attendants thereto and such attendants may be either boys or
iris os skilled labour is ant
"

page_text: The main driving shaft D is set going so that the endless carrier S is steadily
caused to travel round in the direction of the arrows a Fig. 2.
The first operative stands at or near the table W (Fig. 2) and lays the fibrous
stems etc. c d across the carrier S (as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2) and the latter
carries such stems under the depressing plate U so that the said stems are caused
to assume a zig-zag or undulating form and are thus locked and held securely
between S T and U while being carried along by S.
The outermost ends c now reach the first beating device (ciz. on the shaft E)
and thereby the said ends e are well beaten and scutched as they are carried along
by the carrier S.
6
The carrier S (continuing to travel) now carries the ends clear of the beating
device on shaft E and immediately afterwards these ends e reach the beating device
on shaft M (which revolves in the opposite direction to E) and consequently the
depending ends c are now thoroughly beaten from the opposite direction so that
when the ends e move clear of the blades P on shaft M they are most thoroughly
scutched and finished.
The transfer from the blades P on shaft E to blades P on shaft M is effected by
the fibre passing off P over guide wires onto revolving drum e thence on to the
non-revolving guard g and thence onto the oppositely revolving conical drum -
the blade on which "latter throws over the ends c and same then pass to blades P
on shaft M and they are there beaten on the other side.
The stems now come from under the locking plate U and are then automatically
raised clear of the carrier S by the incline the unscutched ends d resting on the
table and the now scutched ends e hanging down over the shaft D.
The second operator placed at or near the second table Y now reaches over and
grasps the ends d and draws same towards Y until the fully scutched part c lies
over the carrier S at the table Y and the unscutched ends d rest on the table Y and
the fibrous material is thus laid onto the carrier S which then carries same on under
the locking plate U on that side of the machine and the scutched ends care thus
firmly held and the now unscutched ends d are presented to the beating blades P
on shaft N and then transferred as before described to the blades on shaft K
revolving in the opposite direction to N and thus the ends d are as thoroughly
scutched softened and finished as c and the fibrous material is now completely
scutched and finished from end to end and then comes from under the locking
device U near the second plough or incline Z which latter acts the same as X to
lift the fibre clear of S and the finished scutched fibre is then lifted off the machine
by a third operator placed close to Z.
As an obvious modification of the machine illustrated we may form the machine
double that is with two band carriers such as S and so arranged and mounted with
relation to each other that when the fibrous stems etc. reach the plough or incline X
such plough or incline (which will not then have the stop or curved head thereto
shown in Fig. 1) will simply lift the said fibrous material out of the carrier S and
then the scutched ends will drop into the teeth or serrations on a second and
separate carrier such as S arranged to travel close to the point X and being thus
transferred the fibrous material will be carried along by this second endless carrier
(not shown) and will present the unscutched ends d to similar beating devices to
those previously described.
C
The attendant at the point Y would thus be dispensed with and also the shafts N
and K and beating devices thereon would not be required on that side of the
machine the carrier S (see Fig. 2) travelling round empty from the point X to
the feed table W.
In place of the hereinbefore described means to revolve the shaft M in the
opposite direction to the shaft E it will be obvious that we may use any other
suitable means of revolving these said shafts E and M (and scutching devices
thereon) in opposite directions to each other and also to revolve the two separate
shafts N and K (and scutching devices thereon) in opposite directions to one
another.

page_text: Neither do we limit ourselves to use the transfer device hereinbefore set forth as
any other suitable means of transferring from one beating device to the other of
each pair of oppositely revolving beaters may be used if desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is
The improved scutching machine hereinbefore described and illustrated by way
of example in the drawings annexed hereto and consisting essentially of the
combination of a metallic carrier such as S constructed of a thin endless metal
ribbon or band or bands so disposed arranged and mounted as to be caused to travel
round in a horizontal plane or thereabouts with teeth or serrations formed integrally
on the uppermost edge thereof a locking plate or plates such as U descending
below such uppermost edge so as to cause the fibrous steins or other fibrous
materials laid thereon to assume an undulating form and thus firmly lock same
during scutching and two (or more) separate beating devices or scutchers arranged
to revolve in opposite directions to one another on one side of the machine and a
similar pair (or pairs) of beating devices or scutchers similarly mounted on the
other side of the machine and arranged to revolve in opposite directions to one
another substantially in the manner and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.
Dated this 24th day of August 1893.
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,.
34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.