AN IMPROVED SYSTEM AND MEANS FOR BREAKING SPLITTING AND COMBING THE STALKS AND LEAVES OF PLANTS YIELDING TEXTILE FIBRES
Year: 1885

page_text: I WALTER ALFRED BARLOW of 6 St. Pauls Churchyard in the city of London
Patent Agent and Engineer do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for
AN IMPROVED SYSTEM AND MEANS FOR BREAKING SPLITTING AND COMBING THE
STALKS AND LEAVES OF PLANTS YIELDING TEXTILE FIBRES a communication to
me from abroad by Léon George de Landtsheer of 15 Rue de Richelieu Paris in
the Republic of France Engineer, to be as follows:-
"
This improved system and means for breaking splitting and combing the stalks
and leaves of plants yielding textile fibres has for object to prevent the waste of
the broken ends. The improved machine cleaves the stalks or leaves of the textile
producing plants in their length during the breaking which permits of bruising
more easily and into smaller portions the ligneous plants.
The opening of the fibrous envelope permits of the removal of the ligneous parts
by a light beating, and there is thus obtained a fax or fibre of more clean and
open character.
For splitting or dividing the stalks or leaves of the plants in their length whilst
preventing them from being broken, they are passed between cylinders arined with
very fine steel points. These points are flat on their sides and arranged with
their edges lying in planes perpendicular to the axis of the cylinder and are fitted
around the circumference of the cylinder or only on the alternate parts of the
circumference with cylindric plain or grooved parts between the pointed parts and
with such parts alternately opposite to the other parts in each pair of cylinders.
The drawings annexed hereto represent two illustrative constructions based
upon the same principle above described.
In Fig. 1 is represented an arrangement of apparatus in which the operation is
continuous.

page_text: Figs. 2 and 3-represent in plan and elevation another arrangement in which the
fibre is doubled on itself following the alternate circular movement of the various
organs of the apparatus.
In the various figures like letters refer to similar parts. On a cast framing A
whereof the parts are held together by rods B are mounted breaking cylinders of
plain or grooved surface a a¹ after which follow the cylinders b b¹, c c¹ having
spines or points round or flat (arranged in planes perpendicular to the axis of the
cylinders) on one part of their circumference and alternating with the plane and
grooved cylindric parts of the said rollers each to each.
The splitting of the material by these pointed cylinders b b c c¹ being effected
the fibres are passed between flat rollers d d for the purpose of flattening the.
stalks and crushing the ligneous portions already split up.
For completing the division there is provided in machines of continuous working
following the flattening cylinders d d pointed cylinders e e¹ the points whereof
gear or pass between each other.
.
Grooved cylinders ffl crush the ligneous parts in fragments and the cylinders g g¹
continue this breaking and hold the fibres during the cleansing operation of the
beater drums h h turning at high speed.
The fibre is next siezed in a. y. by its extremity and then treated by a circular
comb 3. to form a sliver.
On the driving shaft o, is keyed the toothed wheel l, pinion m, and pulley p or
it might be a fly wheel.
To regulate the upper cylinders in their pressure press screws 8 are provided
On the shaft o is an endless screw w giving movement to the skew wheel w¹ on
axle v which carries an endless screw gearing with wheel k turning the circular
comb z on shaft q.
In the arrangement shewn in Figs. 2 and 3 an oscillating motion is given to the
cylinders for which purpose the toothed wheel m is conical and gears with
wheel m² mounted on the intermediate shaft o¹, supported by the arm n; m is
a pinion gearing with wheels m¹ and mill keyed alternately on the axle of
cylinder c by fork i, and lever j¹. The wheel mi serves to enter the fibre into
the machine and m¹ to bring it out.
The toothed wheel r commands by wheel r¹ the other cylinders a, b², c¹ and f.

page_text: An Improved System and Means for Breaking, Splitting, and
Combing the Stalks and Leaves of Plants Yielding Textile
Fibres.
I WALTER ALFRED BARLOW of 6 St. Paul's Churchyard, in the City of London,
Patent Agent and Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a com-
munication from abroad by Léon George de Landtsheer of 15 Rue de Richelieu
Paris in the Republic of France Engineer), and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This improved syestem and means for breaking, splitting and combing the stalks
and leaves of plants yielding textile fibres has for object to prevent the waste of
the broken ends. The improved machine cleaves the stalks or leaves of the textile
producing plants in their length during the breaking process which permits of
bruising more easily and into smaller portions the ligneous plants.
The opening of the fibrous envelope permits of the removal of the ligneous parts
by a light beating and there is thus obtained a flax or fibre of more clean and open
character.
The splitting or dividing of the stalks or leaves of the plants in their length
whilst preventing them from being broken is effected by passing them through or
between cylinders armed with very fine steel points These points are flat blades
arranged to present their edges in the direction of the rotation of the cylinder and
are fitted arround the circumference of the cylinder, or only on parts of the
circumference leaving spaces of the cylinder between them which spaces of
the cylinder surface may be plain or groved and in each pair of cylinders such
parts opposite the one to the other, each cylinder to each.
>
In the following particular description reference will be had to the drawings
annexed to the Provisional Specification filed on the application herein which
drawings represent two constructions of apparatus based upon the principle above
described.
In Fig. 1 is represented an arrangement of apparatus in which the operation is
continuous.
Figs. 2 and 3 represent in plan and elevation another arrangement in which the
fibre is doubled on itself following the alternate circular movement of the various
organs of the apparatus.
Fig. 4 represents diagramatically the splitting or dividing cylinders with their
flat blades or points.
In the various Figures like letters refer to similar parts.
On a cast framing A, whereof the parts are held together by rods B, are mounted
breaking or crushing cylinders of plain or grooved surface a, a', after which follow
the cylinders b, b, c, c¹, having spines or points, round or flat, (arranged in planes
perpendicular to the axis of the cylinder) on one part of their circumference
and with alternate plane or grooved portions opposite to each other each cylinder
to each.

page_text: The splitting of the material by these pointed cylinders b b¹, c c¹, being effected
the fibres are passed between flat rollers d d for the purpose of flattening the
stalks and crushing the ligneous portions already split up.
For completing the division there are provided, in machines of continuous
working and following the flattening cylinders dd, pointed cylinders e e', the
points whereof gear or pass between each other.
Groved cylinders ff, crush the ligneous parts in fragments and the cylinders g g¹,
continue this breaking and hold the fibres during the cleansing operation of the
beater drums h h¹ turning at high spead so as to beat out the ligneous particles in
a finely divided state.
The fibre thus worked falls at x. y. its extremity at t, u which is nipped by the
cylinders g g¹, escapes the action of the beaters but it is cleaned on a circular
comb z, from which it is formed into a sliver.
On the driving shaft o is keyed the toothed wheel 1, pinion m; and pulley p, or
it might be a fly wheel.
The wheel l, gears with the pinion 11 fixed on the shaft of the beater drum h,
The pinion m, gears with the wheel m' fixed on the axle of the cylinder f. The
wheel m³ drives the wheel m₁, fixed on an intermediate axis o' and thus drives
the wheel m, fixed on the axle of cylinder a.
The toothed wheel 7, transmits the movement of the cylinder f. to the
cylinders g¹, e¹, d, c¹, b, and a¹, whilst the toothed wheel r gives movement to the
cylinders b, c, d, e, by means of cylinder a.
To regulate the pressure of the upper cylinders upon the lower cylinders there
are provided pressure screws with springs 8, to each pair of cylinders.
On the shaft o, is an endless screw w. which gives motion to the worm wheel w¹,
fixed on shaft v, This shaft v, carries a screw which gears with the wheel k. which
turns the circular comb z, mounted on the centre q.
The workman lifts the worked fibre and passes it over the teeth of the comb z
for cleansing the ends which has escaped the beaters of the druins h.
In the arrangement shown in Figs. 2 and 3 the cylinders are driven by an
alternate circular movement back and forth in such wise as to bring back the sliver
when it has been worked and discharge it from the machine.
For obtaining these results the toothed wheel m, fixed to the shaft o, is conical
and gears with a cone wheel m³, mounted on the intermediate shaft o', supported
by the arm, n. On this shaft o¹, is keyed a cone pinion m", which gears with the
toothed wheels 11 and m¹ keyed alternatively on the axie of the cylinder c by
a coupling, with the lever j, The wheel m¹, serves or operates on the entry of
the material into the apparatus and the wheel m¹111, ou the return that is on
discharge of the material.
The toothed wheel 7, gears with and drives, by means of the toothed wheels r¹,
and other suitable gearing the other cylinders.
It is intended to employ where desired bladed cylinders alone or bladed cylinders
with grooved or plain cylinders. The cylinders with blades or points have as in
Fig. 4 blades on all or part of their circumference in such wise that the pointed or
bladed parts alternate with the plain parts or grooved parts and work reciprocally
the one opposite to the other pair by pair of cylinders.
It is also intended to claim the application of the pointed cylinder with plain or
grooved cylinders in the breaking splitting and combing apparatus arranged
vertically where the sliver of material is nipped in rising and falling jaws for
presenting the textile fibres to the action of the breaking or splitting device.
In this case the cylinders a b c d instead of being placed horizontally the one at
the side of the other, will be placed horizontally and in series of cylinders a, or b,
or c, the. one under the other with cylinders a', or b², or c¹, in relation. These
cylinders may also be arranged in series and vertically the sliver moving
horizontally.

page_text: It will be readily understood that by this arrangement of cylinders there may
be effected simply the crushing, or the crushing and splitting or the crushing
splitting and combing of the fibres.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that
what I claim is :-
Firstly. The improved system of breaking splitting beating and combing stalks
and leaves of textile plants by the arrangement of smooth or grooved cylinders and
steel pointed or bladed cylinders combined and operating as herein set forth and
shown by the drawings.
Secondly. The arrangement and construction of apparatus for the purpose
working in a continuously progressive direction or operating by an alternate
movement to cleanse both ends of the lap of fibre as herein set forth and shown in
the respective figures of the drawings.
Thirdly. The combination of pointed or bladed cylinders partly so armed and
partly smooth or partly grooved or so armed on all or part of their circumference
arranged and operating in pairs with cylinders of correspondingly different or
similar construction as represented in Fig. 4 and herein described for the purpose
Bet forth.
WALTER A. BARLOW,
6, St. Paul's Churchyard, E.C.