from the Ramie and other Plants.
Year: 1884

page_text: from the Ramie and other Plants.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the
PROCESSES
" IMPROVED
nature of my invention for
OBTAINING FIBROUS MATERIAL FROM THE RAMIE AND OTHER PLANTS
follows:-
AND
APPARATUS FOR
to be as
"
This invention is more especially designed for extracting fibre from the ramie
plant, but it may also be employed for extracting fibre from other fibre-producing
plants, as for example, from the fibrous leaves of various kinds of tropical vegetation.
Its object is to provide a cheap, simple, and efficient means whereby the fibre of
various plants of the class above indicated may be more readily and effectually
separated and fitted for use than has heretofore been practicable.
My invention comprises certain novel means or apparatus whereby said objects
are secured.
In practising this invention I make use of various combinations of parts, forming
parts of my said invention and embodied in the apparatus hereinafter set forth;
also of certain novel processes also included in my said invention said combinations
of parts and said processes, when co-ordinated, providing a most efficient means of
effectuating the object hereinbefore explained, and even when used separately,
promoting to a greater or less extent, the result desired.
In the said apparatus an endless belt or apron is arranged to transfer the ramie
or other fibre-producing material between two pressure rollers which crush the said
material and if the same be green material, express the juice therefrom. The
crushed material then passes between two cogged rollers which break the woody
substance of the material transversely, thereby fracturing said woody substance
into relatively small fragments, and loosening and partially separating the same
from the fibre, care being taken that the cogged rollers do not grind one upon the
other, which would sever the fibre, but act as a breaking apparatus merely, to
break and partially separate the woody substance. From these cogged rollers the

page_text: material passes between two cylinders, the external surfaces of which are provided
either with beaters, with scraping bars, with combing devices, with card clothing,
or with other suitable means for beating, scraping, or combing the material to
further separate and loosen the woody substance from the fibre. After leaving
these cylinders the material is subjected to the action of two rollers having a
surface substantially corresponding to that of the cylinders aforesaid; these rollers
further being preferably arranged to prevent the fibrous material from clinging to
the cylinders during the rotation of the latter, the said cylinders, it should be
remarked being run at different speeds, the upper one at a much greater speed
than the lower one. From the rollers just mentioned the material passes between
two delivery rolls which transfer it to a receiving table, from which it may be
removed, manually or by any suitable means, and thereafter subjected to any of
the finishing processes usual with textile materials.
The apparatus is provided with a pumping or forcing mechanism for projecting
either a blast of air or a current of water. This fluid-forcing pump or mechanism
may, for compactness and convenience, be located within one of the rotating
cylinders, suitable mechanical devices being provided to permit the rotation of the
cylinders, without interference with the pumping mechanism. The air-blast or
water-current, as the case may be, is conducted by a pipe to the table aforesaid, the
said table being composed substantially of a box or hollow shell having at the top
a grating which forms the table proper.
When the apparatus is used for dry material, an air blast is employed to blow
away the dry fragments of woody matter from the fibre, as the latter passes to,
and upon, the table. When wet or green material is used, the water-current is
employed, and; by its volume and impetus, carries away the fragments of woody
material. The water may, when desired, be heated previous to its delivery to the
table for the purpose specified. When the apparatus is used upon green material
a receiving vessel is placed below the first named or feeding rollers and also below
the cogged rollers to catch the matter expressed from the material, which it is
believed may be utilized for various purposes.
The various rollers, cylinders, etc, hereinbefore specified receive their motion
from suitable gearing, belts, or other driving mechanism, and the uppermost of each
of the rollers, and also the uppermost of the cylinders, should be placed in vertically
adjustable bearings, in order that the position of said upper parts may be adjusted
and regulated with reference to the coincident under parts of the apparatus. My
said invention is designed to include each and all of the several processes and
various combinations of parts included in the foregoing description.
Dated this 27th day of November 1884

page_text: from the Ramie and other Plants.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for "IMPROVED PROCESSES
AND APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING
FIBROUS MATERIAL FROM THE RAMIE AND OTHER PLANTS" 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 especially to the extraction of fibre from the ramie plant,
but it also relates to the extraction of fibre from other fibre producing plants, as
for example, the fibrous leaves of various kinds of tropical vegetation. The object
of the said invention is to provide cheap simple and efficient means, whereby the
fibre of various plants of the class above indicated may be more readily and
effectually separated, and made fit for use, than has heretofore been practicable,
and to this end the said invention comprises the improvements bereinafter
described.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view, and
Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line, x, x, Figure 1, of
apparatus constructed according to this invention.
Figure 3 is a central longitudinal section, and
Figure 4 a transverse section of one of the parts of said apparatus.
The various working parts of the apparatus are supported by a suitable frame or
other support. As the frame-work of machinery is a matter well known and
understood, a specific description thereof is not here required.
The right band end of the apparatus as represented in Figures 1 and 2, is
that at which the crude material or fibre producing plant is introduced. The
construction of the machine may therefore be most conveniently set forth by
commencing with the description of the parts at the said right hand end of
Figures 1 and 2.
A, is an endless feeding apron supported on two rollers a, and B, B, are two
pressure rollers, behind which are two cogged rollers, C, C, working one into the
other. Behind these are two beating, scratching, or hetcheling cylinders D, D, the
outer circumferential surfaces of which are covered with card clothing b; or with
longitudinal ribs to act as scrapers or beaters; or with radial teeth; or with other
suitable means for beating, scratching, combing or performing a similar operation
upon the material to be treated. These cylinders are intended to run in the
direction indicated by the arrows in Figure 1.
Behind the cylinder D, and preferably closely adjacent thereto are two beating,
scratching and hetcheling rollers E, E, the outer surfaces of which are provided
and constructed in the manner herein before explained with reference to the
cylinders D, and which are intended to run in the same direction. Behind these
are two pressure rollers F, F, the office of which is to deliver the material, after it
has been subjected to the action of the parts herein before mentioned, to the

page_text: receiving table G, at the rear end of the machine. The uppermost of the feeding
rollers B, B, cogged rollers C, C, beating, scratching or hetcheling cylinders D, D,
beating, scratching or hetcheling rollers E, E and of the rollers F, F, have their
gudgeons or shafts journalled in vertically adjustable boxes, in order that each of
the said devices may be adjusted at a greater or less distance from the like device
below it as occasion may require.
As the construction of such adjustable journalled boxes is a matter well known
and understood, I do not think it necessary to specifically describe them here.
The cylinders D, D, are both preferably made hollow. The uppermost of the
Faid cylinders is made hollow and open at one end as shown at c. Within this is
inserted a cylindrical shell H, the inner end of which is open as shown at d. An
annular space e is afforded between the shell H and the said upper cylinder D, so
that air may pass in at c, through the space e, and thence through the open end d
to the interior of the shell H. This shell H is in fact the casing of a fan blower,
of which the vanes J are attached to the hollow shaft K of said upper cylinder D;
said shaft K being perforated along its length, so that the rotation of the vanes J,
consequent upon the rotation of the upper cylinder D will ensure the action of the
vanes J to draw air, water, or other fluid through the openings, a¹ a², of the shaft K
and into the said shaft, and thence through a pipe L under the receiving table G.
The receiving table G is composed of a hollow box f, provided at its top with
slats g, so that the air, water or other fluid, forced through the pipe L as aforesaid,
will pass up from the box f through the spaces between the bars g. It is to be
understood that the rollers B, B, C, C, the cylinders D, D, and the rollers E, E and F, F,
are to be rotated in the direction indicated by the arrows in Figure 1, and that
this rotation may be secured by suitable gearing, belts or other appropriate means.
As the construction and arrangement of gearing or equivalent driving mechanism
for propelling the rollers, cylinders and the like, is well known, I do not deem a
specific description thereof to be here necessary.
Underneath the rollers B, B, and C, C, is a vessel I arranged to receive the juices
which may be expressed from the material while undergoing treatment by said
rollers. This vessel I may have an outlet pipe h provided with a suitable cock i.
The said invention may be employed for the extraction of fibre from suitable
material in either the green or dry state. When the material is in a green state, a
water supply is connected with a fan mechanism, in such manner that the water
may be passed to the table G through the pipe L, as hereinbefore indicated; the
object of this being to mechanically carry away from the fibre, the woody material
loosened and broken away from the fibre by the treatment of the material before
it reaches the table G. When the apparatus is used upon dry material the said
fan mechanism is employed for propelling a blast of air, in order that the air blast,
acting upon the comparatively light, dry, woody material, may separate and blow
away the said dry woody material.
The material to be treated is fed upon the endless apron A, and is crushed by
passing between the rollers B B. It then passes between the cogged rollers C, C,
so that the woody portion of the said material is broken transversely, thereby
reducing said woody portion to fragments, and in a great measure loosening it
from the fibre. The material then passes between the beating, scratching, or
hetcheling cylinders D, D, and these, according to the character of their surface
coverings, as herein before explained, strike or beat out, or scratch or comb out the
loosened fragments of woody material, and further loosen any still adhering
portion of said woody material. This action is repeated by the rollers E E from
which the fibrous material, still containing a greater or less quantity of the woody
material, passes upon the table G, where, according as the original material was
wet or dry the remaining woody fragments are swept away by a current of water
or a blast of air as the case may be.
The separated fibre removed from the table G may be subjected to any of the
subsequent processes usual with raw textile material, to fit the same for the final
industrial uses.

page_text: The juices or liquids expressed from the green material and collected by the
vessel I may be utilized for various purposes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to
me by my foreign Correspondent I declare that what I claim is
First. In apparatus for separating fibres from the ramie and other plants, the
relative arrangements of the rollers B, B, the cogged rollers C C, the beating,
combing, or hetcheling cylinders D, D and the delivery rollers F F, all substantially
as, and for the purpose, herein set forth.
Second. In apparatus for separating fibres from the ramie and other plants, the
relative arrangements of the feeding and crushing rollers B, B, the cogged
rollers C, C the beating, combing, or hetcheling cylinders D, D, the beating,
combing or hetcheling rollers E E, and the delivery rollers F, F, all substantially
as, and for the purpose, herein set forth.
Third. In apparatus for separating fibres from the ramie and other plants, the
relative arrangements of the cogged rollers C, C, the beating, combing or hetcheling
cylinders D, D, the delivery rollers F, F, and a hollow grated receiving table G, all
substantially as and for the purpose, herein set forth.
Fourth. In apparatus for separating fibres from the ramie and other plants, the
combination of the cogged rollers C, C, the beating, combing or betcheling
cylinders D, D, the delivery rollers F, F, a hollow grated receiving table G, and
mechanism for projecting fluid to the said table G, all substantially as, and for the
purpose, herein set forth.
Fifth. In apparatus for separating fibres from the ramie and other plants, the
combination of the feeding and pressure rollers B, B, the cogged rollers C, C and
the receiving vessel I placed underneath the same, all substantially as, and for
the purpose, herein set forth.
Sixth. In apparatus for separating fibres from the ramie and other plants, the
process of cleaning the said fibre by subjecting the same to partial breaking,
beating, combing or hetcheling, and to the action of a current of air, all substantially
as, and for the purpose, herein set forth.
Seventh. In an apparatus for separating fibres from the ramie and other plants,
the process of cleaning the said fibre, by subjecting the same to partial breaking,
beating, combing or hetcheling, and to the action of a current of water, all
substantially as, and for the purpose, herein set forth.
Dated this 26th day of August 1883
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.