MACHINE FOR BREAKING FLAX AND OTHER FIBROUS STALKS
Year: 1885

page_text: I, HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of 67 Strand, in the city of Westminster, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of said Invention for MACHINE FOR
BREAKING FLAX AND OTHER FIBROUS STALKS, a communication to me from abroad
by Jean Dalle, of Bonsbecque, France, Manufacturer, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
The new machine has for its purpose to crush and break, beat or swing flax or
other textile plants. The textile plant or fibrous material V (see the accompanying
drawings) is placed on the table T and well spread out, the top of the plant being
in front. Subsequently it gets between the grooved rollers c, by which it is
crushed. The rollers conduct the material towards the middle of the machine, but
before the end has left the inner rollers, the workman stops the rollers by means
of a lever U, adapted to turn around o and to be held in notches z. In this
position the ends of the plant are beaten alternatively by the boards H and K, each
of which turns on an axe in inverse direction to the other, so that the fibrous plant
is beaten from the top towards the bottom and from the bottom towards the top,
whereby the bark is efficaciously removed. When the work appears to be
sufficiently advanced, the workman causes the rollers to turn backwards by means
of the same lever U, whereby the textile material travels back on the table.
Subsequently it is again introduced between the rollers, but now, with the roots
in front, and undergoes a second operation, similar to the first. Then it is taken
out, ready to be formed into coils or bundles and brought into the market.
Besides the boards or beaters H and K, there are intermediate boards I and N,
acting on the longer fibres of the textile material.
The forward and backward turning and the stopping of the crushing rollers are
obtained by means of two pinions 5 and 6, which are caused to gear at will either
into the toothed wheels 1 and 4, or into the toothed wheels 2 and 3, or to remain
entirely out of gear. The four rollers are caused to turn together by means of an
intermediate wheel Q.
The textile plant is thus completely and rapidly broken and swung and with less
waste than by the usual means, whether by hand or by machine.
P are two pulleys, a fast one and a loose one, for driving the machine,

page_text: A and B are toothed wheels, turning the pinions 1 and 2, which drive the
rollers c either forward or backward,
✗ are toothed wheels for turning the beaters or boards H, I and N, K in opposite
directions.
This mechanism may be varied or modified for obtaining mechanically the same
movements and results as those described.
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.
1) A machine, having crushing rollers, beaters and driving mechanism, adapted
to crush and break or beat flax and other textile plants in a single operation by
causing the said material to pass between the rollers, which hold the same, while
the beaters act on the crushed material.
2) The method of crushing and breaking or beating flax and other textile plants,
which consists in first causing the said material to pass between crushing rollers
and subsequently between revolving beaters, adapted to act on the material from
the top and from the bottom, while it is still held by the rollers, then withdrawing
the material and passing it through the machine with the opposite end.
Dated this 4th dow of Tul.. 100K