METHOD OF, AND APPARATUS OR MACHINERY FOR CLEANING AND SEPARATING THE PULPY MATTERS FROM THE FIBRES OF LEAVES AND PLANTS
Year: 1885

page_text: and flats.
I, JOHN GEORGE STEPHENS of Brooklyn, Kings County, State of New York,
United States of America Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my said
invention for IMPROVED METHOD OF, AND APPARATUS OR MACHINERY FOR CLEANING
AND SEPARATING THE PULPY MATTERS FROM THE FIBRES OF LEAVES AND PLANTS
to be as follows:-
My invention consists of an improved method of removing the pulpy or fleshy
matters of the stalks and leaves of fibre producing plants, such as Henequen or
Sixil, Ixtile or Tampico, Pita, Hemp and others of like character, by which the
said fibres can be cleaned, separated and prepared with great rapidity and at the.
same time be more thoroughly cleaned, and be left in a better natural condition for
industrial purposes, and with less waste of the fibres, than as heretofore prepared
and my invention also consists of certain improvements in mechanical contrivances
for carrying out the said improved method of operation for the treatment of the
leaves or stalks, to obtain the fibres thereof as follows.
My improved method of operation consists in suspending the leaves, stalks, or
other fibre bearing substance, in front of a rapidly moving combing or carding
cylinder or belt, clothed or armed with fine sbarp teeth,, pins or studs of any
approved form adapted for carding or combing as distinguished from scraping, and
running downward along the fibre bearing substance which is suspended in such
manner, that the teeth of the card or comb are made to run lightly against the
same, and rapidly cut, and comb away the pulp therefrom beginning at the lower
end, and gradually working upward along the whole range of the suspended part
so as to cause but little stress, and no crushing, breaking or tearing effect whatever
on the fibre, as when scraped and the essential feature of the mechanism employed
consists of the said carding cylinder or belt, adapted for thus carding or combing
away the pulpy matters, and provided with contrivances for automatically con-
ducting the fibre bearing leaves, stalks, or other objects to, and sidewise along the
combing or carding device, and away therefrom in a manner to enable the work to
be accomplished rapidly, all as hereinafter described.

page_text: The method now in use, of disintegrating fibre bearing leaves and plants, and
cleaning the pulpy matters away from the fibres consists of first crushing the pulpy
substance, then scraping away the pulp, as much as it can be removed in that
manner, and finally or simultaneously, washing the fibre to remove the rest of what
may be sufficiently disintegrated by the crushing and scraping to be so removed
but the scraping is not as effectual as is desirable, in that the pulpy matters lying
between the fibres cannot be scraped away, and it is also objectionable because
many of the fibres are cut or broken apart by the edges of the scrapers, and wasted
with the pulp, and those fibres that are naturally round, and particularly the round
and tubular fibres, such as are obtained from the. Henequen plant, are materially
injured by the crushing and flattening effect of the scrapers.
The scraping process is also slow and demands excessive power; hence I have
contrived the method of combing or carding the pulpy matters by means of teeth
or pins of sufficient fineness to work into the pulpy matters, and between the fibres
in a much easier, more effectual and less injurious manner; as follows.
For cutting away the pulp I prefer to employ an ordinary carding cylinder;
except that I prefer to have the pins or teeth of larger dimensions and stronger
capacity than are used in cotton or wool machinery, for green leaves, and preferably
of angular form in cross section, but for retted or chemically treated leaves I may
use fine wires or bristles, and for long fibres I may use an endless toothed belt, of
card clothing or similar material and I suspend the leaves or stalks containing the
fibre in front of that side of the cylinder or belt that runs downward, and move
them sidewise along the same suitably for combing away the pulp from the fibres
which remain suspended so that the teeth of the card or comb run freely between
the fibres and thoroughly cut and carry away the pulp, and clean the fibres
effectually without pulling and straining, tearing or crushing them the leaves or
stalks being free to be forced away from the points of the teeth and escape the
tensile strain by the lateral thrusts of the teeth in case the resistance of the pulp
is too great for the strength of the fibres. For the purpose of causing the carding
teeth to begin at the lower ends and gradually work upward along the leaves or
stalks as the fibres are freed from the pulp below the point or points of action of
the teeth on the pulp, to prevent clogging and straining the fibres, and thus enable
the teeth to work freely in the pulp and also to facilitate the application of the
leaves to, and removal of them from the card, I cause the leaves to move sidewise
along in front of the cylinder and employ a shielding apron between the hanging
leaves and a portion of the cylinder and being so shaped that it fends off the leaves
except at the lower end at first, and allows them to gradually touch higher up the.
card as they move along until the leaves are dressed nearly to the grip clutch by
which they are suspended and carried.
For a simple means of suspending the leaves in contact with the cylinder, and
also for moving them sidewise along the same, I employ a rod or bar suitably
located and placed horizontally over and more or less back of the front or descending
side of the cylinder, as best adapted for the purpose, across which to place the
leaves, and hold them by one end, so that the greater portion of the rest will hang
in contact with the teeth, the leaves being held by hand or by any suitable clutch
supported by the rod.
To begin with I fix the leaves in this position over the fending shield, which
prevents contact of the leaves with the teeth until the leaves are properly adjusted
and secured, and then move them along in contact with the teeth by which the
pulp and other foreign matters are quickly combed away in small fine particles
that are easily detached by the points of the quickly running teeth without strain
on the fibres. The rapidly running teeth carry the leaves and fibres side wise along
the cylinder parallel with the movement of the leaves along the bar, even though
the movement on the bar be as rapid as the attendant can shift the leaves along
the bar, so that as one passage of the leaves is sufficient for effectually cleaning
them with a cylinder of not more than three feet long, the rapidity of the process
is limited only by the rate of the supply of the leaves to the cylinder. But as the

page_text: same action of the teeth on the leaves may be had by shifting them forward and
backward a short distance each way along the cylinder so as to obtain the same
length of range by the aggregate of several short movements of the leaves a
cylinder of much shorter length may be used with equal results in respect of the
efficiency of the work and the quantity of the product.
If desired, the action of the teeth on the fibres may be continued indefinitely.
subsequently to the cleaning of the pulp, for smoothing and polishing the fibres to
any desired extent. After thus treating the portion of the leaves first presented
to the cylinder in this manner I reverse and hold them by the dressed fibres so as
to present the undressed portion to the cylinder, and treat it therewith in like
manner, thus completing the whole, then I deliver the fibres to any receptacle, as
an endless rope, on which I hang the bunches of fibres the rope being suitably
contrived to carry the fibres slowly along in the sun, or in a drying house, to dry;
any suitable guard may be placed between the cylinder and the operator's stand,
to protect the operator from the teeth of the cylinder and the bar, may be supported
on said guard or otherwise as preferred.
But instead of holding and feeding the leaves by hand, I propose to employ
clutch devices suspended from the before named rod or bar, which in this case will
be located a little higher above the cylinder, the said clutch devices consisting of
any suitable gripping jaws, in which the leaves may be gripped with sufficient
power to hold them against the pull of the cylinder, and being suspended on a bar
or rod by a hook ring or other device adapted to be shifted along the bar by the
attendant more easily than he can shift the leaves held directly on the bar, and to
which the jaws will be swivelled to enable the clutch to be turned half way round
for shifting it after one part of the leaf has been dressed, to present the other part
to the cylinder, the jaws being pivoted together with a spring, to close them for
effecting the grip on the leaves, said jaws having lever handles by which to open
them for applying the leaves and for shifting the leaves lengthwise after combing
the first part to present the whole of the uncombed part to the cylinder in the
second operation, and to discharge the fibres when completely dressed. The bar
over the cylinder may consist of an endless way, when the suspending clutches are
used, for enabling, said clutches to be shifted back along it to the place of starting
where the leaves may be supplied to the clutches, and the clutches shifted to the
position most convenient for the operator, by an assistant operator, thus enabling
the principal operator to feed the machine continuously for greater expedition of
the work.
The clutches may be shifted back to the assistant for him to take out the fibres
if desired, for still further expediting the work, the suspended fibres being passed
back aloug over the cylinder in a trough, which protects them from contact with .
the cylinder.
Power may be applied to the cylinder in any approved way, as by a crank or
pulley, and the drying rope may be geared with the driving power for continuous
movement, or it may be shifted intermissingly by a pawl, and ratchet wheel, the
pawl being actuated by a foot lever suitably arranged for enabling the operator to
work it from time to time, as demanded by the collection of the fibres thereon.
For carrying out the invention on a larger scale I use a modified form of
machine in which, to begin with the leaves or stalks are clutched in carrying
chains, a suitable distance from the ends, the stems or butts being suspended
in front of the card, but, being so held that the stems or butts, and some
portion of the leaves or stalks will be carried above the reach of the card, and
consequently will not be dressed. For dressing these portions, I cause them
by means of rolls, or by other suitable contrivance to be shifted lengthwise
between the clamps of the grip chains, while the pressure of the grip is temporarily
relaxed, so that they drop in front of the cylinder, suitably for being carded or
combed in the same manner as the rest, whilst the previously combed fibres
are carried clear of the cylinder along the trough, or way, thus completely
removing the pulp the whole length of the leaves or plants and leaving the fibres

page_text: clear from end to end; the fibres are then discharged from between the carrying
chains, down the inclined way, on which the bunches or hanks of the respective
leaves fall in loops adapted to be conducted to any receptacle. I prefer to denude
the cylinder of a portion of its clothing where the shifting of the leaves takes
place, and may perhaps make the cylinder a little smaller in this part, to facilitate
the drawing up of the cleaned fibre, but this is not essential. Thus it will be seen
that the pulp is combed and cut away from the fibres in a manner almost wholly
relieving them from tensile strain and therefore avoiding the severe strains to
which they are subject, by a stripping process, and wholly avoiding the crushing
effect to which they are subject in the cominon method of first crushing the pulp,
and then scraping it from the fibres. Hence I economize largely in the yield of
fibre by not breaking and carrying portions away with the pulp and I have the
much greater advantage of getting the fibre out in its natural round, or nearly
round shape, in which condition its utility for industrial purposes is far greater, both
in strength and form, than when flattened by the crushing, rubbing and scraping
process. This method of combing away the pulp from the leaves suspended in
front or at the side of the card cylinder is also highly advantageous in respect of
the more economical expenditure of power required' to do the work which results
from the more natural action, and consequently easier operation of the mechanism.
It will also be seen that by rapid action of the card cylinders or belts, the pulp is cut
away, in very fine particles, with but slight stress upon the fibres, enabling the
work to be done so quickly that the limit of speed at which the machine may run
is not dependent upon the effect on the fibres as much as on 'the capacity of the
mechanism for high speed, from which it results that the rate of progress is vastly
greater by this method than by any other known method.
Practically it is governed mainly by the ability of the attendant to supply the
leaves or stalks to the machine. For supplying the leaves or stalks to the grip
chains, by which they are fed along the cylinder, or belt I arrange a horizontal
endless feeding apron, on the table level with the upper surface of the feeding
chain, to receive the leaves or stalks on it from the attendant and carry them so
that the stems or butts will pass along over that portion of said lower chain that
extends beyond the upper one, and will pass between and be gripped by the two
chains, to be held thereby and be carried along the card cylinder.
The feed apron may consist of two parts, one on each side of the chains or it
may have only one part, and be located on the side along which the main body of
the leaf or stalk is placed; said apron terminates a little beyond where the leaves
enter betwen the two chains, to allow the leaves or stalks to drop and hang
vertically from the chains, and a depressing wheel is located at a suitable position
for pressing them down in case they are naturally too stiff to drop, or become so
by drying. If the leaves are too rigid to be, thus bent downward, they may be
crushed by passing them through crushing rolls of any approved kind as for
instance such as are used for crushing sugar cane, previously to its being supplied
to the feeding mechanism, but the feeding chains may be contrived to receive the
leaves vertically, and so that the leaves hang naturally, whether stiff or not. The
crushing rolls may be fluted or corrugated if desired.
: The chains, are located more or less back of the extreme front of the card
cylinder according as the length of the leaves or stalks, or other conditions require for
the length of the range, the card teeth along them, and the cylinder is constructed
with a conical end to conduct or guide the dependent portions of the leaves around
to the front of the cylinder, and on to the guard, that graduates the contact of the
card teeth and the leaves. The leaves are then carried along the front of the
cylinder and sufficiently beyond the guard to be dressed from the lower ends,
upward as high as the range of. the cylinder, the projecting stems of the partly
dressed leaves then pass between rolls, and are gripped and pulled forward by the
descent of the upper roll when let fall by a cam, and by the rotation of said rolls,
by which the leaves are so shifted in the grip chains that the stem portions fall in
front of the card cylinder after passing from between said rolls, and are combed or

page_text: carded clear as they are carried further along the cylinder or belt as the case may
be. The grip of the chains is relaxed during the shifting of the leaves, this
being effected by the construction of the guides in which the chains run so as not
to press the chains quite so close together along where the shifting rolls are.
In practice I propose to graduate the teeth or pins of the carding cylinder by
arranging coarser or stronger ones for the earlier and grosser portions of the work,
and finer and closer teeth along the cylinder in the direction the material passes
them.
For enabling the feeding chains to grip the leaves or stalks, and hold them
securely against the pull of the card teeth, I attach to, or construct the chains
with, a series of clutches consisting of gripping jaws or blocks, suitable for working
together in pairs by closing coincidently on the stems, the clutches being confined
between grooved guides along which they run to maintain the grip, and to enable
the chains to resist the pull of the card teeth on the leaves or fibres.
The upper guide is pressed down by springs, which enable the grip chains to
work uniformly on the leaves of different thicknesses, and where the pressure is
to be relieved for shifting the leaves by the rolls, the upper guide may be dispensed
with for a short distance, or one, or both of said guides may be reduced in
thickness to have less pressure on the chains and allow them to run slack but
therefrom the guides must be arranged closer, as the chains must run closer together
to grip the fibre. The gripping faces of the jaws may be variously shaped and
otherwise fitted for adapting them to hold the different kinds and forms of leaves,
stems, and other parts of the fibre-bearing substances to be treated; for instance,
the lower jaws may be grooved transversely in concave or V shape, and the upper
jaws may be flat, or convex, or similar to the form of the lower jaw, and the
surfaces may be plain or roughened, or may have leather, rubber, or other approved
lining or facing, adapted to hold more firmly than the metallic surfaces of the jaws,
or the jaws may be made wholly of other material For securely holding the
dressed fibres, the jaw faces should have elastic cushions, or pads of rubber specially
adapted as to their elasticity, to bind the individual fibres so that none will fail to
be securely held. Other means of feeding the leaves along the cylinder may be
employed if preferred, and I do not limit myself to the particular feeding mechanism
herein described, nor do I limit myself to the employment of a contrivance for
shifting the leaves in the grips, nor the extension of the cylinder or.belt for
dressing the stems and butts, because by contriving the apparatus so as to dress
the leaves and stalks close up to the ends of the stems or butts, the undressed
portions may be cut off and thrown away, or they may be dressed off by sub-
sequently running the partly dressed leaves or stalks again along the same
apparatus employed for the first dressing, the leaves or stalks being in this case
presented to the feeding mechanism in reverse of their first position so as to be
gripped this time on the clean fibres, the saine as herein described, after being
shifted by the rolls, but it is best of course to employ the extension cylinder or
belt and the shifting feeding mechanism substantially as described. When the
leaves, stalks or other parts of plants are dry and hard, it may sometimes be
desirable to lubricate the card teeth with water, for which purpose I arrange one
or more pipes having numerous jet orifices or nozzles, suitable for the purpose,
along the front of the cylinder or belt as the case may be, and having a suitable
supply pipe, for discharging fiue jets on the cylinder or belt, and the leaves while
the work is in progress. The power may be applied to the feeding chains in any
approved way for working them, say by fast and loose pulleys for the driving belt
fitted on a shaft, of the lower chain, which is geared by pinions with the shaft of
the upper feeding chain, and the lower chain may drive the apron; the cylinder
being driven by a belt running on a pulley. The shifting rolls are driven by a
belt running on another' pulley which gears by a pinion, with the intermediate
wheel, with with the lower roll gears by a pinion on it, said roll being mounted
on fixed bearings and driving the upper one by friction when pressed down on the
leaves by a lever, in which it is mounted. The lever is pivoted in supports, and

page_text: has a spring to thrust the upper roll down when the notch of the cam passes a
bearer, said cam being geared by a further pinion with the intermediate wheel.
The cam is to be so "timed with relation to the feed chains, that the shifting
rolls will act consecutively with sections or lengths of the chains carrying as many
of the leaves as may be well gripped between the rolls at once, say three or four
according to the length of the rolls.
The contrivance of the rolls, cam and lever mechanism may be modified or
changed as may be preferred, and any other means or mechanism that will effect
the shifting of the leaves may be employed in lieu of the same. The depressing
roller will be turned by a belt, from a pulley. When it is preferred to employ
endless carding belts instead of the ordinary carding cylinder, they may be arranged
in an inclined position, or be placed vertically if preferred.
In either case a support will be placed behind or under the belt to prevent it
from sagging or being crowded away from the work. With the belt, a curved
guide may be employed to guide the leaves from where they are pressed down by
the wheel, around the edge of the belt on to the shield, and such a guide may also
be used with the cylinder, but I prefer to construct the cylinder with the conical
end which serves the same purpose, making the base of the cone, a little larger
than the rim of the cylinder to form a ledge with which the edge of the shield
will set flush so that the leaves will pass smoothly from the cone on to the shield.
A conical cylinder may be used without the guard for graduating the action of the
teeth from the points of the leaves upward, the leaves being fed on to the small
end of the cylinder.
•
It is to be noted that the teeth or pins of the carding cylinder or belt give lateral
movement to the portions of the leaves and fibres having contact therewith, and
move them along even with the parts carried in the chains, by the side push which
the pins give the fibres while running rapidly along and between them, and from
where the pins enter between the fibres, they run along the whole of the rest of
their length, and pass from between them at the ends carrying away all. detached
particles of matter, and keeping the fibres straight and separate from, or parallel
with each other.
Although I have described the invention as being applied to the leaves or plants,
so that the points or upper ends as they grow are dressed first, I do not mean to be
limited in this respect, as it is only the preferable way; the stems or butts may be
dressed first, if desired.
Dated this twenty ninth day of June A.D. 1885.

page_text: and Plants.
I JOHN GEORGE STEPHENS of Brooklyn, Kings County, State of New York,
United States of America, Manufacturer 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 consists of an improved method of removing the pulpy or fleshy
matters of the stalks and leaves of fibre producing plants, such as Henequen or
Sisal, Ixtile or Tampico, Pita, Hemp, and others of like character, by which the
said fibres can be cleaned, separated and prepared with great rapidity, and at the
same time be more thoroughly cleaned, and be left in a better natural condition
for industrial purposes, and with less waste of the fibres than as heretofore pre-
pared, and my invention also consists of certain improvements in mechanical
contrivances for carrying out the said improved method of operation for the
treatment of the leaves or stalks, to obtain the fibres thereof as follows:
My improved method of operation consists in suspending the leaves, stalks, or
other fibre-bearing substance in front of a rapidly moving combing or carding
cylinder or belt, clothed or armed with fine sharp teeth, pius or studs of any'
approved form adapted for carding or combing, as distinguished from scraping,
and running downward along the fibre bearing substance, which is suspended in
such manner that the teeth of the card or comb are made to run lightly against
the same, and rapidly cut and comb away the pulp therefrom, beginning at the
lower end, and gradually working upward along the whole range of the suspended
part so as to cause but little stress, and no crushing, breaking or tearing effect
whatever on the fibre as when scraped, and the essential feature of the mechanism
employed consists of said carding cylinder or belt, adapted for thus carding or
combing away the pulpy matters, and provided with contrivances for automatically
conducting the fibre-bearing leaves, stalks, or other objects to and sidewise along
the combing or carding device and away therefrom in a manner to enable the work
to be accomplished rapidly, all as herein-after described, reference being made to
the accompanying drawings in which:
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a small portable carding or combing machine
adapted for carrying out the improved method of cleaning fibres, part of the
protecting guard being broken away.
Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same.
Fig. 3* is a front elevation of the same with the grip mechanism for suspending
the leaves.
Fig. 4 is a plan view of the apparatus represented in fig. 3*.
Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the same.
Fig. C is a detail of the clutch mechanism.
Fig. 1 is a plan view of a machine suitably contrived for carrying out my
improved method of cleaning and separating fibres, on a larger scale, with leaves

page_text: Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.
Fig. 3 is a transverse section at × ×, figs. 1 and 2.
Fig. 4 is a transverse section at y, y.
Fig. 5 is a transverse section at z, z.
Fig. 6 is a transverse section at x, x, with an endless belt of card clothing such
as I propose to substitute for the cylinder for treating Pita, and other leaves of
greater length than can be well treated on a cylinder of moderate size.
Fig. 7 is a detail of the chains and the guides in cross section, and on an enlarged
scale.
Fig. 8 is a detail of the same in longitudinal section also on an enlarged scale,
and Fig. 9 represents a small section of the card clothing in side, and front views,
and on an enlarged scale, to illustrate the contrivance of the teeth or pins more
clearly, but it is to be understood that the form or shape, and dimensions of the
teeth may be varied if desired.,
The method now in use of disintegrating fibre bearing leaves and plants, and
cleaning the pulpy matters away from the fibres consists of first crushing the pulpy
substance, then scraping away the pulp as much as it can be removed in that
manner, and finally, or simultaneously, washing the fibre to remove the rest of
what may be sufficiently disintegrated by the crushing and scraping to be so
removed, but the scraping is not as effectual as is desirable, in that the pulpy
matters lying between the fibres cannot be scraped away, and it is also objectionable
because many of the fibres are cut or broken apart by the edges of the scrapers,
and wasted with the pulp, and those fibres that are naturally round, and particularly
the round and tubular fibres, such as are obtained from the Henequen Plant, are
materially injured by the crushing and flattening effect of the scrapers. The
scraping process is also slow and demands excessive power; hence I have contrived
the method of combing or carding the pulpy matters by means of teeth or pins of
sufficient fineness, to work into the pulpy matters, and between the fibres in a
much easier, more effectual and less injurious manner as follows:
For cutting away the pulp, I prefer to employ an ordinary carding cylinder, a,
except that I prefer to have the pins or teeth of larger dimensions and stronger
capacity, than are used in cotton or wool machinery, for green leaves, and preferably
of angular form in cross section, but for retted or chemically treated leaves I may
use fine wires or bristles, and for long fibres, I may use an endless toothed belt, a³,
of card clothing or similar material as represented in fig. 9, or in any equivalent
form; and I suspend the leaves or stalks, b, containing the 'fibre in front of that
side of the cylinder or belt that runs downward and move them sidewise along the
*same, suitably for combing away the pulp from the fibres which remain suspended
Bo that the teeth of the card or comb run freely between the fibres and thoroughly
cut and carry away the pulp, and clean the fibres effectually without pulling and
straining, tearing or crushing them, the leaves or stalks being free to be forced
away from the points of the teeth and escape the tensile strain by the lateral
thrusts of the teeth in case the resistence of the pulp is too great for the strength
of the fibres.
For the purpose of causing the carding teeth to begin at the lower ends and
gradually work upward along the leaves or stalks as the fibres are freed from the
pulp below the point or points of action of the teeth on the pulp, to prevent
clogging and straining the fibres and thus enable the teeth to work freely in the
pulp, and also to facilitate the application of the leaves.to, and removal of them
from the card, I cause the leaves to move sidewise along in front of the cylinder,
and employ a shielding apron, 1, between the hanging. leaves and a portion of the
cylinder and being so shaped that it fends off the leaves except at the lower end at
first, and allows them to gradually touch. higher up the card as they move along
until the leaves are dressed nearly to the grip clutch by which they are suspended
and carried.

page_text: For a simple means of suspending the leaves in contact with the cylinder and
also for. moving them sidewise along the same, I employ a rod or bar, 62, suitably.
located and placed horizontally over and more or less back of the front or descend-
ing side of the cylinder as best adapted for the purpose across which to place the
leaves and hold them by one end, so that the greater portion of the rest will hang
in contact with the teeth; the leaves being held by hand or by any suitable clutch
supported by the rod. To begin with I fix the leaves in this position over the
fending shield, which prevents contact of the leaves with the teeth until the leaves
are properly adjusted and secured, and then move them along in contact with the
teeth by which the pulp and other foreign matters are quickly combed away in
small fine particles that are easily detached by the points of the quickly-running
teeth without strain on the fibres.
The rapidly running teeth carry the leaves and fibres sidewise along the cylinder
parallel with the movement of the leaves along the bar, even though the movement
on the bar be as rapid as the attendant can shift the leaves along the bar, so that
as one passage of the leaves is sufficient for effectually cleaning them with a
cylinder of not more than three feet long, the rapidity of the process is limited only
by the rate of the supply of the leaves to the cylinder:
But as the same action of the teeth on the leaves may be had by shifting them
forward and backward a short distance each way along the cylinder so as to obtain
the same length of range by the aggregate of several short movements of the leaves,
a cylinder of much shorter length may be used with equal results in respect of the
efficiency of the work and the quantity of the product.
If desired the action of the teeth on the fibres may be continued indefinitely
subsequently to the cleaning of the pulp for sinoothing and polishing the fibres to
any desired extent. After thus treating the portion of the leaves first presented to
the cylinder in this manner, I reverse and hold them by the dressed fibres so as
to present the undressed portion to the cylinder and treat it therewith in like
manner, thus completing the whole, then I deliver the fibres to any receptacle as
an endless rope, c², on which I hang the bunches of fibres, sl, the rope being suitably
contrived to carry the fibres slowly along in the sun or in a drying house to dry;
any suitable guard, d², inay be placed between the cylinder, a, and the operators
stand, f, to protect the operator from the teeth of the cylinder and the bar, b² may
be supported on said guard or otherwise as preferred.
But instead of holding and feeding the leaves by hand, I propose to employ
clutch devices, g, suspended from the rod or bar, 63, which in this case will be
located a little higher above the cylinder, the said clutch devices consisting of any
suitable gripping jaws, h2, in which the leaves may be gripped with sufficient
power to hold them against the pull of the cylinder, and being suspended on the
bar or rod, b, by a hook, k³, ring or other device adapted to be shifted along the
bar by the attendant more easily than he can shift the leaves held directly ou
the bar, and to which the jaws will be swivelled at 2, to enable the clutch to be
turned half way round for shifting it after one part of the leaf has been dressed to
present the other part to the cylinder, the jaws being pivoted together with a
spring, m², to close them for effecting the grip on the leaves, said jaws having lever
handles, , by which to open them for applying the leaves, and for shifting the
leaves lengthwise after combing the first part to present the whole of the uncombed
part to the cylinder in the second operation and to discharge the fibres when
completely dressed.
The bar, 63, may consist of an endless way as in figs. 3*, 4*, and 5*, when the
suspending clutches are used for enabling said clutches to be shifted back along it
'to the place of starting where the leaves may be supplied to the clutches, and the
clutches shifted to the position most convenient for the operator by an assistant
operator thus enabling the principal operator to feed the machine continuously for
greater expedition of the work. The clutches may be shifted back to the assistant
for him to take out the fibres if desired for still further expediting the work, the

page_text: .
suspended fibres being passed back along over the cylinder in a trough, e, which
protects them from contact with the cylinder.
-
Power may be applied to the cylinder in any approved way as by a crank
or pulley, and the drying rope may be geared with the driving power for continuous
movement or it may be shifted intermissingly by a pawl, n², and ratchet wheel, o²,
the pawl being actuated by a foot lever, p2, suitably arranged for enabling the
operator to work it from time to time as demanded by the collection of the fibres
thereon.
In a modified machine which I also make for carrying out the invention on
a larger scale represented in figs. 1 to. 9 inclusive, to begin with, the leaves or
stalks are clutched in the carrying chains, d, a suitable distance from the ends of,
preferably, the stems or butts, to be suspended in front of the card, a, suitably to
be combed but so that the stems or butts, and some portion of the leaves or
stalks, will be carried above the reach of the card and, consequently, will not be
dressed.
For dressing these portions I cause them, by means of rolls, f, or it may be other
suitable contrivance, to be shifted lengthwise between the clamps of the grip
chains, while the pressure of the grip is temporarily relaxed, so that they drop in
front of the cylinder, suitably for being carded or combed same as the rest, whilst
the previously combed fibres are carried clear of the cylinder along the trough, or
way, e, thus completely removing the pulp the whole length of the leaves or plants,
and leaving the fibres clear from end to end; the fibres are then discharged from
⚫ between the carrying chains down the inclined way, s, on which the bunches, or
hanks, so to speak, 81, of the respective leaves fall in loops suitably to. bé conducted
to any receptacle. I prefer to denude the cylinder of a portion of its clothing at a',
along where the shifting of the leaves take place, and may, perhaps, make the
cylinder a little smaller in this part, to facilitate the drawing up of the cleaned
fibre, but this is not essential:>
:
Thus it will be seen that the pulp is combed and cut away from the fibres in a
manner almost wholly relieving them from tensile strain, and, therefore, avoiding
the severe strains to which they are subject, by a stripping process, and wholly
avoiding the crushing effect to which they are subject in the common method of
first crushing the pulp and then scraping it from the fibres. Hence, I economize
largely in the yield of fibre by not breaking and carrying portions away with the
pulp, and I have the much greater advantage of getting the fibre out in its natural
round or nearly round shape, in which condition its utility for industrial purposes
is far greater, both in strength and form, than when fattened by the crushing,.
rubbing and scraping process.
This method of combing away the pulp from the leaves suspended in front or at
the side of the card cylinder is also highly advantageous in respect of the more.
economical expenditure of power required to do the work which results from the
more natural action, and consequently easier operation of the mechanism.
It will also be seen that by rapid action of the card cylinders or belts, the pulp
is cut away in very fine particles, with but slight stress upon the fibres, enabling
the work to be done so quickly that the limit of speed at which the machine may
run is not dependent upon the effect on the fibres as much as on the capacity of the
mechanism for high speed, from which it results that the rate of progress is vastly
greater by this method than by any other known method.
Practically, it is governed mainly by the ability of the attendant to supply the
leaves or stalks to the machine.
For supplying the leaves or stalks to the grip chains, a, by which they are.fed
along the cylinder, a, or belt, a², I arrange a horizontal endless feeding apron, f',
on the table level with the upper surface of the feeding chain, d, suitably to receive
the leaves or stalks on it from the attendant, and carry them so that the stems of
butts will pass along over that portion of said lower chain that extends beyond the
upper one, as shown in figs. 1 and 2, and will pass between and be gripped by the
two chains, to be held thereby, and be carried along the card cylinder.

page_text: The feed apron, f¹, may consist of two parts, as here shown, one on each side of
the chains, d, or it may have only one part, and be located on the side along which
the main body of the leaf or stalk is placed; as shown said apron terminates a little
beyond where the leaves enter between the two chains, to allow the leaves or stalks
to drop and hang vertically from the chains, and a depressing wheel, g, is located
at a suitable position for pressing them down in case they are naturally too stiff to
drop or become so by drying.
If the leaves are too rigid to be thus bent downward,, they may be crushed by
passing them through crushing rolls of any approved kind, as, for instance, such as
are used for crushing sugar cane previous to being supplied to the feeding mechanisın,
but the feeding chains may be contrived to receive the leaves vertically, and so
that the leaves hang naturally, whether stiff or not. The crushing rolls may be
fluted or corrugated, if desired.
The chains are located more or less back of the extreme front of the card
cylinder, according as the length of the leaves or stalks, or other conditions,
require for the length of the range the card teeth along them, and the cylinder is
constructed with a conical end, a³, to conduct or guide the dependent portions of
the leaves around to the front of the cylinder, and on to guard, b', that graduates
the contact of the card teeth and the leaves.
'
The leaves are then carried along the front of the cylinder and sufficiently beyond
the guard to be dressed from the lower ends upward as high as the range of the
cylinder, the projecting stems of the partly-dressed leaves then pass between rolls, f,
and are gripped and pulled forward by the descent of the upper roll, when let fall
by the cam, 7, and by the rotation of said rolls, by which the leaves are so shifted
in the grip chains that the stem portions fall in front of the card cylinder after
passing from between said rolls and are combed or carded clear as they are carried
further along the cylinder or belt as the case may be. The grip of the chains is
relaxed during the shifting of the leaves, this being effected by the construction of
the guides in which the chains run so as not to press the chains quite so close
together along where the shifting rolls arc.
In practice, I propose to graduate the teeth or pins of the carding cylinder by
arranging coarser or stronger ones for the earlier and grosser portions of the work,
and finer and closer teeth along the cylinder in the direction the material passes them.
For enabling the feeding chains to grip the leaves or. stalks and hold them
securely against the pull of the card teeth, I attach to or construct the chains with
a series of clutches consisting of gripping jaws or blocks, l, m, suitably for working
together in pairs by closing coincidently on the stems, the clutches being confined
between grooved guides, n, o, along which they run to maintain the grip, and to
enable the chains to resist the pull of the card teeth on the leaves or fibres.
The upper guide, o, is pressed down by springs, q, which enable the grip chains
to work uniformly on the leaves of different thicknesses, and where the pressure is
to be relieved for shifting the leaves by the rolls, f, the upper guide may be
dispensed with for a short distance, as shown in fig. 2, or one or both of said
guides may be reduced in thickness to have less pressure on the chains and allow
them to run slack, but therefrom the guides must be arranged closer as the chains
must run closer together to grip the fibre.
The gripping faces of the jaws may be variously shaped and otherwise fitted for
adapting them to hold the different kinds and forms of leaves, stems, and other
parts of the fibre-bearing substances to be treated; for instance, the lower jaws, l,
may be grooved transversely in concave, or V shape, and the upper jaws may be
flat, or convex, or similar to the form of the lower jaw, and the surfaces may be
plain or roughened, or may have leather, rubber, or other approved lining or
facing, p, adapted to hold more firmly than the metallic surfaces of the jaws, or the
jaws may be made wholly of other material.
For securely holding the dressed fibres, the jaw faces should have the elastic
cushions or pads of rubber, p, specially adapted as to their elasticity to bind the
individual fibres so that none will fail of being securely held.
-

page_text: Other means of feeding the leaves along the cylinder may be employed if
preferred, and I do not limit myself to the particular feeding mechanism herein
represented, nor do I limit myself to the employment of a contrivance for shifting
the leaves in the grips, nor the extension of the cylinder or belt for dressing the
stems and butts, because by contriving the apparatus so as to dress the leaves and
stalks close up to the ends of the stems or butts, the undressed portions may be cut
off and thrown away, or they may be dressed off by subsequently running the
partly-dressed leaves or stalks again along the same apparatus employed for the
first dressing, the leaves or stalks being in this case presented to the feeding.
mechanism in reverse of their first position so as to be gripped this time on the
clean fibres the same as herein represented after being shifted by the rolls, f, but it
is best of course to employ the extension cylinder or belt, and the shifting feeding
mechanism substantially as herein shown.
When the leaves, stalks or other parts of plants are dry and hard, it may
sometimes be desirable to lubricate the card teeth with water, for which I arrange
one or more pipes, t, having numerous jet orifices or nozzles, v, suitably for the
purpose, along the front of the cylinder or belt, as the case may be, and having a
suitable supply pipe, u, for discharging fine jets on the cylinder or belt, and the
leaves while the work is in progress.
The power may be applied to the feeding chains in any approved way for
working them, but in this case I have represented the fast and loose pulleys, w, for
the driving belt fitted on the shaft, z, of the lower chain, d, which is geared by the
pinions, a, with the shaft, y, of the upper. feeding chain, and the lower chain, d,
drives apron, f. The cylinder is driven by a belt running on the pulley, c'.
The shifting rolls, f, are driven by a belt running on the pulley, d', which gears
by the pinion, e', with the intermediate wheel, g', with which the lower roll gears
by a pinions, es, on it, said roll being mounted on fixed bearings, and driving the
upper one by friction when pressed down on the leaves by the lever, h¹, in which
it is mounted. The lever is pivoted in supports, i¹, and has a spring, j, to thrust
the upper roll down when the notch, k¹, of the cam, 11, passes the bearer, m³, said
cam being geared by a pinion, n¹, with the intermediate wheel, g¹. The cam is to
be so "timed'
with relation to the feed chains, that the shifting rolls will act
consecutively with sections or lengths of the chains carrying as many of the leaves
as may be well gripped between the rolls at once, say three or four according to
the length of the rolls.
"
The contrivance of the rolls, cam and lever mechanism, may be modified or
changed as may be preferred and any other means of mechanism that will effect
the shifting of the leaves, may be employed in lieu of the same. The dépressing
roller, g, is turned by a belt, e, from a pully on.shaft, y¹.
When it is preferred to employ endless carding belts instead of the ordinary.
carding cylinder, they may be arranged in an inclined position, as in fig. 6, or be
placed vertically if preferred. In either case a support, 63, will be placed behind
or under the belt to prevent it from sagging or being crowded away from the
work. With the belt a curved guide, h, may be employed to guide the leaves
from where they are pressed down by wheel, g, around the edge of the belt on
to the shield, b', and such a guide may also be used with the cylinder, but I prefer
to construct the cylinder with the conical end which serves the same purpose,
making the base, a, of the cone, a³ little larger than the rim of the cylinder to
form a ledge, with which the edge of the shield, b¹, will set flush so that the leaves
will pass smoothly from the cone on to the shield.
A conical cylinder may be used without the guard for graduating the action of
the teeth from the points of the leaves upward, the leaves being fed on to the small
end of the cylinder.
It is to he noted that the teeth or pins of the carding cylinder or belt, give
lateral movement to the portions of the leaves and fibres having contact there with,
and move them along even with the parts carried in the chains, by the side push
which the pins give the fibres while running rapidly along and between them,

page_text: and from where the pins enter between the fibres, they run along the whole of
the rest of their length, and pass from between them at the ends, carrying away
all detached particles of matter and keeping the fibres straight and separate from,
or parallel with each other.
Although I have represented and described the application of the leaves, or
plants, so that the points or upper ends as they grow are dressed first,.I do not
mean to be limited in this respect, as it is only the preferable way; the stems
or butts may be dressed first, if desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1st The method of separating the pulp of fibrous leaves, stalks, and other parts of
vegetable substances from the fibres therof by carding or combing the same from
the said substances suspended.in front of, that is to say, the descending side of a
carding cylinder or belt having combing or carding teeth, pins, or bristles, substan-
tially in the manner described.
2nd. The method of separating the pulp of fibrous leaves, stalks, and other parts
of vegetable substances from the fibres thereof by carding or combing the same
from the said substances suspended in front of the descending side of a carding
cylinder or belt having combing or carding teeth, pins, or bristles, and caused to
move along the same substantially in the manner described.
3rd The method. of separating the pulp of fibrous leaves, stalks, and other parts
of vegetable substances from the fibres thereof by carding or combing the same
from the said substance suspended in front of the descending side of a carding
cylinder or belt having combing or carding teeth, pins, or bristles, and caused to
move along the same, and also caused to touch or have contact with the card or
comb at one end first, and to gradually increase the range of the contact therefrom
along the leaves and the cylinder substantially as described.
4th The combination with a carding or combing cylinder having combing or
carding teeth, pins or bristles, and being adapted for the feeding of leaves or plants
sidewise along the same, of a feeding bar or rail adapted for suspending the leaves
or plants in the described relation with, and feeding them along said cylinder as
herein set forth.
5th The combination with a carding or combing cylinder having combing or
carding teeth, pins or bristles, and being adapted for the feeding of leaves, or plants
Bidewise along the same, of a feeding bar or rail and suspending clutchés. thereon
adapted for suspending the leaves or plants in the described relation with, and
feeding them along said cylinder as herein set forth.
6th The combination with a carding or combing cylinder having combing or
carding teeth, pins or bristles, and being adapted for the feeding of the leaves or
plants sidewise along the same, of a feeding bar or rail and suspending clutches
thereon adapted for suspending the leaves or plants in the described relation with,
and feeding them along said cylinder, also a trough adapted for enabling the
dressed fibres to be moved along over and without contact with the cylinder.
7th The combination with a carding or combing cylinder or belt having combing
or carding teeth, pins or bristles, and being adapted for feeding the leaves or plants
sidewise along the same of a feeding guard or shield adapted to cause the leaves or
plants to touch the card first at their points and to gradually increase the range
of the contact along said leaves or plants and the cylinder or belt substantially as
described.
8th The combination with a carding or combing cylinder or belt having combing
or carding teeth, pins or bristles, of mechanism contrived substantially as berein
described to hold and suspend the leaves, stalks and other parts of vegetable fibre-
bearing substances in front of the descending side of the cylinder or belt to be
carded or combed thereby as specified.

page_text: 9th The combination with a carding or combing cylinder or belt having combing
or carding teeth pins or bristles of mechanism contrived to hold and suspend the
leaves, stalks, or other parts of vegetable fibre-bearing substances in front of tho
descending side of the cylinder or belt, also to feed the leaves or other vegetable
substances along the cylinder or belt in said suspended condition substantially as
described..
10th The combination with a carding or combing cylinder or belt, having combing
or carding teeth pins or bristles of mechanism contrived to hold and suspend the
leaves, stalks, or other parts of vegetable fibre-bearing substances in front of the
descending side of the cylinder or belt, also to feed the same along the cylinder, and
also mechanism contrived to cause the leaves or other parts to touch the card first
at their points, and to gradually increase the range of the contact from the points
of tlie leaves along said leaves or other parts, and the cylinder or belt substantially
as described.
11th The combination of feeding chains, d, having clutches, l, m, and grooved
guides, n, o, with the card cylinder, a, or belt, a³, having combing or carding teeth,
pins, or bristles, substantially as described.
12th The combination of feeding chains, d, having clutches, l, m, and grooved
guides, n, o, with carding or combing cylinder, a, or belt, a², having the shield b¹,
substantially as described.
13th The combination of the feeding chains, d, having clutches, l, m, and grooved
guides, n, o, with the cylinder, a, or belt, a³, having the cone or a curved guide, h,
to guide the leaves on to the shield b', substantially as described.
14th The combination of the feeding apron, f', feeding.chains, d, and depressing
roller, g, with the card cylinder, a, or belt, a², having combing or carding teeth,
or pins, substantially as described. .
15th The combination with the carding cylinder, a, or belt, a³, having combing
or carding teeth, pins or bristles, of the feeding chains, d, adapted to suspend and
carry the leaves or plants along the same, and the shifting rolls, f, adapted to grip
and shift the leaves or plants in the carrying, chains, and with relation to the
cylinder or belt substantially as described.
16th The combination of chains, d, having clutches, l, m, and grooved guides, n; o,
one of which is adjustable, with the carding cylinder, u, or belt, a², substantially as
described.
17th The combination of a card cylinder or belt, leaf or a stalk carrying and
suspending mechanism adapted to carry the leaves laterally along the cylinder or
belt, and water sprinklers, or jet apparatus adapted to lubricate and wash the cards
or combs, and the fibres, while the carding or combing is in progress substantially
as described.