IMPROVEMENTS IN 'MACHINES FOR OBTAINING FIBRES AND JUICES FROM VEGETABLE AND OTHER SUBSTANCES
Year: 1883

page_text: 1:
LETTERS PATENT to Arthur William Lovell Reddie of the Office for Patents
66 Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN 'MACHINES FOR OBTAINING FIBRES AND
JUICES FROM VEGETABLE AND OTHER SUBSTANCES." communicated to him
from abroad by James Kennedy, a person resident at Kingston, Jamaica.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Arthur William Lovell
Reddie at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th July 1883.
ARTHUR WILLIAM LOVELL REDDIE of the Office for Patents 66 Chancery
Lane in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent " IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES
FOR OBTAINING FIBRES AND JUICES FROM VEGETABLE AND OTHER SUBSTANCES
[communicated to him from abroad by James Kennedy, a person resident at
Kingston, Jamaica.]
"
This invention more particularly relates to machines for treating the leaves
stalks and other portions of fibre bearing plants for obtaining fibres therefrom
without chemical treatment; but it is also applicable to machines for macerating
plants, fruits, vegetables and other substances and obtaining juices therefrom..
The invention consists in the combination with an arc-shaped bed or concave,
which is preferably supported upon blocks of india rubber or other springs so that
it will accommodate itself to the thickness of the material, passing over it, of a
rotary drum or wheel having a circular series of bars which extend approximately
parallel with its axis and which are provided with teeth or projections inclined
slightly relatively to the direction of rotation. These projections, as they strike
the materials subjected to them, separate the fibres and move them slightly to one
side, and bars in the series have their teeth or projections arranged alternately at
reverse angles relatively to the direction of rotation, whereby the fibres or materials
are moved alternately towards opposite sides. The bars before described may
advantageously consist of screws or screw threaded rollers, mounted at their ends
in the rotary wheel so that they may turn freely, and alternate screws or rollers
may be of a pitch the reverse of that of the intermediate screws or rollers.

page_text: A number of these screws or rollers are arranged in a circular series and the
alternate screws all have right hand threads, while the intermediate screws have
left hand threads. As these screws catch the leaves or plants fed over the bed,
their threads tend to separate the fibres and to move them sidewise first in one-and
then in the other direction in accordance with the pitch of the screws.
The pitch of the screws and the coarseness of the thread may be varied as is found
to be desirable for operating on different materials. In lieu of the screws, fixed bars
having upon their faces teeth or projections inclined slightly relatively to the
direction of rotation may be used, alternate bars having their teeth or projections
inclined in an opposite direction to the teeth or projections of intermediate bars.
The screws or screw-threaded rollers are, however, preferable.
The invention also consists in the combination with the bed or concave and the
rotary drum or wheel provided with screws, rollers, or bars of the kind above
described, of beaters, which may be hinged in place so that they will tend to swing
outward under the influence of centrifugal force, and so strike the materials under
treatment with a sharp blow, and preferably, also, scrapers which follow the hinged
beaters and aid in removing pulp and extraneous matters from the materials.
A guard or cover, which incloses the wheel or rotary drum is provided at the
front with an opening through which materials may be fed to the bed. This
guard or cover is hinged at the back edge so that it may be thrown back to expose
the wheel and appurtenances when desired.
A roller adapted to rotate in bearings below the wheel and at the end of the bed
and supported in such a position that the screws or screw-threaded rollers just
come in contact with it as they revolve, may be provided; and this roller may
have its periphery covered with india rubber and may be rotated positively; or
may be left free to rotate by the contact of the screws with it.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Arthur William Lovell Reddie in the Patent Office on the
17th January 1884.
"
ARTHUR WILLIAM LOVELL REDDIE of The Office for Patents 66 Chancery
Lane in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES
FOR OBTAINING FIBRES AND JUICES FROM VEGETABLE AND OTHER SUBSTANCES
a communication to me from abroad by James Kennedy a Citizen of the United
States, resident at Kingston, Jamaica
1
This Invention more particularly relates to Machines for treating the leaves,
stalks and other portions of fibre bearing plants for obtaining fibres therefrom
without chemical treatment, but it is also applicable to Machines for inacerating
plants, fruits, vegetables and other substances and obtaining juices therefrom
The Invention consists in the combination with an arc-shaped bed or concave, of
a rotary drum or wheel having a circular series of bars which extend approximately
parallel with its axis and which are provided with teeth or projections inclined
slightly relatively to the direction of rotation-These projections as they strike the
materials subjected to them separate the fibres and move them slightly to one side,
aud bars in the series have their teeth or projections arranged alternately at reverse
angles relatively to the direction of rotation whereby the fibres or materials are
moved alternately towards opposite sides-The bars before described may advan-
tageously consist of screws or screw threaded rollers mounted at their ends in the
rotary wheel so that they may turn freely, and alternate screws or rollers may be
of a pitch the reverse of that of the intermediate screws or rollers. The Invention
also consists in the combination with the bed or concave and the rotary drum or
wheel provided with screws, rollers or bars of the kind above described, of beaters
which may be hinged in place so that they will tend to swing outward under the
influence of centrifugal force, and so strike the materials under treatment with a
sharp blow and preferably also of scrapers which follow the hinged beaters and aid.
in removing pulp and extraneous matters from the materials.
The Invention also consists in combinations of parts hereinafter particularly
described and claimed
In the accompanying drawing Fig 1 represents a vertical longitudinal section of
a Machine embodying my Invention; Fig 2 represents a plan thereof; Fig 3
represents a transverse vertical section thereof; Figs 4 represent a face and end
view of one of the hinged beaters, and Figs 5 represent corresponding views of one
of the fixed scrapers.
Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.
A designates a curved or arc-shaped stationary bed or concave which may be made
of or faced with any suitable material. It is preferably supported upon blocks a of
India rubber or other springs so that it will accommodate itself to the thickness of
the material passing over it.
B designates a shaft mounted in bearings band adapted to be rotated rapidly
by means of a driving belt upon the fast and loose pulleys B¹ B² or by other
suitable means. The said shaft also carries a fly wheel B³ to steady its motion.
Upon the shaft B are two discs or flanges C which together form a drum or
wheel, and which are secured in place between a collar c fixed on the said shaft
and a nut c¹ secured upon the shaft as best shewn in Fig: 1.
D designates a number of screws or screw-threaded rollers which are journalled:
in bearings d in the discs or flanges C. so as to be capable of rotating freely. A
number of these screws or rollers (here represented as six) are arranged in a circular

page_text: series as best shewn in Fig 3, and the alternate screws all have right-hand threads
while the intermediate screws have left-hand threads. As these screws catch the leaves
or plants fed over the bed A their threads tend to separate the fibres and to move
them sidewise, first in one and then in the other direction in accordance with the
pitch of the screws. The pitch of the screws and the coarseness of the thread may
be varied as is found to be desirable for operating on different materials. In lieu
of the screws D, fixed bars having upon their faces teeth or projections inclined
slightly relatively to the direction of rotation of the wheel C may be used,
alternate bars having their teeth or projections inclined in an opposite direction to
the teeth or projections of intermediate bars. The screws or screw-threaded rollers
are however preferable.
Behind each screw or roller D is a beater E which has pivots d¹ at its inner edge
whereby it is loosely pivotted or hinged in the flanges or discs C, and as the shaft
is rotated rapidly these beaters by a centrifugal force are caused to tend toward
positions radial to the shaft B.
Behind each hinged beater E is a scraper F which is provided at the ends with
projections or studs e, as best shewn in Figs 5, which are inserted in holes in the
flanges C and by which the said scrapers are securely fixed in place.
G designates a guard or cover which encloses the wheel or rotary drum and is
provided at the front with an opening of through which materials may be fed to
tlie bed: This guard or cover is linged at the back edge at g, so that it may be
thrown back to expose the wheel and appurtenances when desired.
A roller H adapted to rotate in bearings h below the wheel C, and at the end
of the bed A, and supported in such a position that the screws or screw-threaded
rollers D just come in contact with it as they revolve, may be provided; and this
roller may have its periphery covered with India rubber i and it may be rotated
positively from the shaft B, or it may be left free to rotate by the contact of the
screws D with it.
The
In the operation of my Machine the leaves or other materials are introduced
through the opening f in the guard or cover G, and are caught between the
bed A and the screws D. The whole of the fibres are forced into the V-shaped
spaces between the convolutions of the thread of the screws D, and the screws
force the pulp from the fibres and at the same time move them back and forth
from one side to the other by reason of the reverse pitches of the screws.
hinged beaters E strike a blow upon the fibres and are slightly deflected backward
from their radial position relatively to the shaft and rub over the fibres, their
constant outward tendency due to centrifugal force causing them to press or bear
forcibly on the fibres. These beaters aid in removing the pulp and extraneous
matters from the fibres. The fixed scrapers F rub over the fibres and remove
therefrom all the pulp and other extraneous matter. This operation is continued
until the leaf or plant is finished to within a few inches of the butt end, when it
is drawn back and turned end for end and again introduced into the Machine.
The roller H aids in delivering the fibres freely from the bed or concave when
their treatment is completed. The fibres are then bound into bundles of about one
pound each, and are placed in hot water after which they are thoroughly dried
preferably by the heat of the Sun.
In obtaining. the fibres from vegetable, substances my Machine macerates the
pulp and extracts all the juices which may be collected in any suitable receptacle
if desired.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention as communicated to
me by my Foreign Correspondent, what is claimed and desired to be secured by
Letters Patent is :-
First The combination with an arc-shaped concave or bed, of a rotary drum or
wheel having a circular series of bars which extend approximately parallel with
its axis and which are provided with teeth or projections inclined slightly
relatively to the direction of rotation substantially as and for the purpose herein.
described..
•

page_text: Second The combination with an arc-shaped concave a bed of a rotary drum
or wheel having a circular series of bars which extend approximately parallel
with its axis, and which are provided with teeth or projections inclined slightly
relatively to the direction of rotation, alternate bars having their teeth or
projections inclined reversely to those of the intermediate bars substantially as
and for the purpose herein described.
Third The combination with a curved bed or concave, of a wheel or rotary
drum and a circular series of screws or screw-threaded rollers extending from
end to end of the wheel or drum substantially as and for the purpose herein
described.
Fourth The combination with a curved bed or concave, of a wheel or rotary
drum and a circular series of screws or screw-threaded rollers D, the alternate.
screws having right-hand threads and intermediate screws left hand threads,
substantially as and for the purpose herein described.
Fifth The combination with a curved bed or concave, of a wheel or rotary
drum having a circular series of bars which extend approximately parallel with
its axis and which are provided with teeth or projections inclined slightly
relatively to the direction of rotation, and beaters hinged in said wheel or drum
and following the said bars substantially as and for the purpose herein described.
Sixth The combination of the bed or concave A, the wheel or drum C, the
screws or screw-threaded rollers D, the hinged beaters E, and the fixed scrapers F
substantially as herein described.
Seventh The combination of the bed or concave A, the wheel or drum C, the
screws or screw-threaded rollers D; the hinged beaters E, the fixed scrapers F and
the roller H substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof I the said Arthur William Lovell Reddie have hereunto set
my hand and seal the seventeenth day of January in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty four.
בוזזיזחז!
TIT +
זתחת
ARTHUR W. L. REDDIE—(L.D.)