IMPROVEMENTS IN MA- CHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE PREPARATION OF FLAX AND SIMILAR FIBROUS MATERIAL
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Hill Dickson, of Evelyn Street, Lower
Road, Deptford, in the County of Kent, Flax Manufacturer and
Flax Machinist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MA-
CHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE PREPARATION OF FLAX AND SIMILAR
FIBROUS MATERIAL."
Sealed the 13th March 1854, and dated the 13th September 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James HillDickson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 13th September 1853.
I, JAMES HILL DICKSON, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE PRE-
PARATION OF FLAX AND SIMILAR FIBROUS MATERIAL" to be as follows,
viz.:-
This Invention has reference to improvements in machinery for the
preparation of flax and similar fibrous material, such improvements
consisting in the use and adaptation to the purposes of beating and
preparing raw or retted flax of a series of fluted rollers mounted in a
frame, with a large fluted roller in the centre. The smaller rollers not

page_text: only revolve, but move to and fro also, in order to allow a greater or less
supply of flax stalks to pass between these surfaces and the surface of
the large roller, and also to effect the beating as well as the breaking
thereof. The flax, having passed through this machine, then goes
through a similar machine, differing only in having more rollers and being
more finely fluted. From this machine it passes to a third, and this has
rollers presenting teeth or sharp ridges between which are open spaces,
and the roller in the centre is similarly constructed with spaces between
the ridges. The centre roller, altho' it revolves, but as its surface does
not touch the surface of any of the smaller rollers, the large roller
works the small ones by pinions at each end of each such smaller ones.
In the two first machines motion is communicated from the fluted
surface of the large to the fluted surfaces of the smaller rollers. The
rims of the rollers have an annular projection thereon which prevents
them from closing in upon each other too far.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Hill Dickson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 13th March 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
JAMES HILL DICKSON, of Evelyn Street, Lower Road, Deptford, in the
County of Kent, Flax Manufacturer and Flax Machinist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
seventeenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said James Hill Dickson, Her special
licence that I, the said James Hill Dickson, my executors, administra-
tors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James Hill Dickson,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain

page_text: and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE PREPARATION OF
FLAX AND SIMILAR FIBROUS MATERIAL," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said James Hill Dickson, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascer-
tain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Hill Dickson, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:
The nature of my said Invention, as already set forth in the Provi-
sional Specification filed in the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents and Great Seal Patent Office, consists in improvements in
machinery for the preparation of flax and similar fibrous material, such
improvements consisting in the adaptation to the purposes of beating
and preparing raw or retted flax of a series of fluted rollers mounted in
a frame with a large fluted roller in the centre. The first-named
rollers not only revolve, but move too and fro (on moving plummer
blocks), in order to allow a greater or less supply of flax stalks to pass
between their surfaces and the surface of the large roller, and also to
effect the beating out as well as the breaking thereof. The flax, having
passed through this machine, then goes through a similar machine,
differing only in having more rollers and being more finely fluted.
From this machine it passes to a third machine, which has the four
lower rollers presenting finer teeth or sharp ridges, between which are
also open spaces, and the roller in the centre is similarly constructed
with spaces between the ridges. The centre roller, although it revolves,
yet it does not touch the surface of any of the smaller rollers; the large
roller works the small ones by fluted parts at each end thereof. In the
two first machines motion is communicated from the fluted surface of
the large roller to the fluted surfaces of the smaller rollers. The rims
of the rollers have an annular projection thereon, which prevents them

page_text: from closing in upon each other too far. And for the better exempli-
fication of the "nature of my said Invention," and especially as "to
what manner the same is to be performed," I now proceed to par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the same, wherein I shall refer to the
Drawings hereto annexed by the words, figures, and letters hereafter
set forth.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1, an elevation of one of the machines aforesaid. Fig. 2, verti-
cal section through A, B, at Fig. 3. Fig. 3, top plan.
Although the whole of my machinery comprises a system of three
macltines which work in conjunction, yet the said Drawings exhibit one
machine only, as I deem this sufficient to illustrate the nature and
character of my said Invention, seeing that the other two machines
vary only as regards the number of outer rollers, and as regards such
rollers being more finely fluted, or having the teeth closer together
Throughout these Drawings the same letters of reference denote
corresponding parts wherever visible; but as precisely similar parts are
of necessity many times repeated in the same Drawing, therefore only
some of each of such parts are marked with letters or figures. Thus
C,C, denote the framing of the machine, which is provided with bear-
ings D, for the axle E, of the large centre roller F, F.
The upper part of the framing, it will be observed, is circularly
formed, and has projecting pieces G, to which are secured cross
pieces H, through an orifice in which works the end of a small
spindle, around which is a helical spring I, the other end of the said
spindle abutting against and secured to the top of the plummer
blocks K, provided for the axles L, of the small or outer rollers M;
two edges of each plummer block being Vshaped or otherwise formed,
so as to slide up and down in V or other grooves in the said projecting
pieces G, of the framing.
This arrangement of spindle spring and moving plummer blocks is
adopted for the aforesaid purpose of allowing the distance between the
surfaces of the centre roller and the outer rollers to vary in extent as
may become necessary from any difference in the bulk of the feed.

page_text: By*,
the feeding point is denoted, and by **, the delivery point.
N, is a rim or hoop on the outer edge of each of the said rollers,
which projects so far beyond the surfaces of the teeth of the rollers as
may be necessary to keep them at such a distance apart as to prevent
the flax or fibre being cut whilst breaking the woody part or shives.
The wide flutes O, at each end of each of the outer rollers are for
the purpose of driving the roller, and this part of the roller is of larger
diameter than the middle part of the roller.
My complete system of machinery as aforesaid necessitates the use
of three machines similar to that exhibited by the Drawing, differing
only as herein-before stated, in which case a delivery board will proceed
from the delivery point of one machine to the feeding point of another
machine. Thus No. 1, machine, which will have the widest flutes, will
only partially prepare the flax, aad render it only fit for ropemakers'
use. No. 2, machine being finer in the teeth will operate better, and
clean it sufficiently for fine twine makers. No. 3, machine will finally
finish flax and make it ready for the spinners of fine yarns. The three
machines being required to commence and finish the process of breaking
and cleaning out the woody parts or shives, ou the first being fed it
passes to the second, and the second feeds the third.
No. 1, machine should consist of not less than six fluted outer rollers
and one large centre roller two feet eight inches long, one foot eleven
and a half inches diameter; four of the outer rollers are of solid metal,
and two are not solid. The whole six outer rollers are made to work
round the large centre roller; the two lower rollers, which are not
solid, are brought up into work by levers and weights, and the other
four rollers are brought down by their own weight and the arrange-
ment of helical springs and moving plummer blocks, which gives or
produces a beating as well as a revolving motion, according as a large
or small handful or parcel of flax be entered from the feeding board.
The rim or hoop aforesaid also prevents the fluted teeth from enter-
ing too far into each other, and by this simple but very useful addition,
along with the moving plummer blocks, the flax fibre can be completely
separated from the wood, and without risk of being cut or injured, and

page_text: consequently I produce more fibre from a given weight of flax straw
than has ever before been taken by hand or machinery.
No. 2, machine differs from No. 1, in that it has more outer rollers
(for instance, if six be used in No. 1, then twelve will be adopted in
No. 2,) revolving round the large centre roller, and that they are quarter
inch finer or closer in the teeth or fluted parts, and the large roller being
open between each tooth or grate, like the wood or shives, as the flax
passes over it falls through, and consequently the flax is better cleaned
by this machine; the No. 1, machines breaks it open so that the second
or finer machine gets properly at or into it, and passes it through to
the third or finishing machine.
No. 3, machine is much larger than Nos. 1, or 2; it has the same
number as No. 2, of small fluted outer rollers, and one large centre
roller, the small rollers working round the large roller. In the moving
plummer blocks, springs, and levers the novelty and peculiarity in my
Invention is, that I allow the increase of the diameter to four inches at
each end of each of the small rollers to give motion from, whilst the centre
of each, which is also grate-like, is two feet eight inches in length, and
acts on the fibre, never touching each other; consequently no portion of
fibre can be cut or injured, whilst the woody park or shives as they are
broken fall through the grate-like teeth of the large rollers, dispensing
as I do with scutching and avoiding waste and expense.
Flax prepared by the above-mentioned machines in the green state
will be ready for sale without any other process, and retted flax can be
equally prepared without incurring half the usual expense and no
waste of fibre, but one third more gained than by any other method of
preparing it.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as my In-
vention the "Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for the Pre-
paration of Flax and similar Fibrous Material," consisting of a machine
or a system of two or three machines, each having a large centre roller
driving a suitable number of smaller ones, the distance between the
surfaces of the large and small rollers being adjusted by moveable
plummer blocks and springs, such rollers being provided with a rim or

page_text: flange to prevent their working too close to each other, and the centre
roller in some cases being open between the teeth or grate-like.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Hill Dickson, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of March, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-
four.
JAMES HILL DICKSON. (L.S.)
Signed and sealed in my presence,
F. W. CAMPIN,
Patent Agent,
Strand.