SEPARATING THE REFUSE VEGETABLE MATTER CONTAINED IN THE STALK AND LEAVES OF THE PLANTAIN SPECIES, AND ALSO TREES GROWN IN TROPICAL CLIMATES, FROM THE FIBROUS MATERIAL OF THE SAME, IN ORDER THAT THE LATTER MAY BE MANUFACTURED INTO ROPES OR CORDAGE, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES FOR WHICH HEMP AND FLAX ARE USED
Year: 1853

page_text: TTERS PATENT to Jolin Lilley, of Thingwall, in the Parish of
Woodchurch and County of Chester, Merchant, for the Invention
of "SEPARATING THE REFUSE VEGETABLE MATTER CONTAINED IN THE
STALK AND LEAVES OF THE PLANTAIN SPECIES, AND ALSO TREES
GROWN IN TROPICAL CLIMATES, FROM THE FIBROUS MATERIAL OF THE
SAME, IN ORDER THAT THE LATTER MAY BE MANUFACTURED INTO ROPES
OR CORDAGE, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES FOR WHICH HEMP AND FLAX
ARE USED."
ealed the 21st January 1854, and dated the 21st July 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Lilley at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
21st July 1858.
I, JOHN LILLEY, of Thingwall, in the Parish of Woodchurch, County
5 of Chester, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for SEPARATING THE REFUSE VEGETABLE MATTER CONTAINED IN

page_text: follows:-
By the use of rollers, between which the stalk or substance is to be
inserted, or other suitable mechanism, to cause such stalk or substance
to be drawn under the blade of a knife or scraper, the apparatus being
so arranged that the soft and refuse matter is separated without
lestroying the fibre...
ADDITION TO PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
JOHN LILLEY, of Thingwall, in the Parish of Woodchurch, County
of Chester, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "SEPARATING THE REFUSE VEGETABLE MATTER CONTAINED IN THE
STALK AND LEAVES OF THE PLANTAIN SPECIES, AND. ALSO TREES GROWN IN
TROPICAL CLIMATES, FROM THE FIBROUS MATERIAL OF THE SAME, IN ORDER
THAT THE LATTER MAY BE MANUFACTURED INTO ROPES OR CORDAGE, AND FOR
OTHER PURPOSES FOR WHICH HEMP AND FLAX ARE USED," to "be as
follows:-
By the use of rollers, between which the stalk or substance is to be
inserted, or other suitable mechanism, to cause such stalk or substance
to be drawn under the blade of a knife or scraper, the apparatus being
so arranged that the soft and refuse matter is separated without
destroying the fibre. The
The upper roller is so constructed as to be
capable of being lifted up at the same time that the knife or scraper is
lifted, in order to introduce the end of the stalk. As soon as the end
of the stalk is introduced between the rollers the upper one and the
knife are made to press heavily on the -stalk, and the rollers being
caused to revolve by means of manual or other power, the stalk is
drawn through between the rollers and under the knife, and the
vegetable or refuse matter is thereby cleansed or separated from the
fibre.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Lilley in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 21st January 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
JOHN LILLEY, of Thingwall, in the Parish of Woodchurch, in the
County of Chester, Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the seven-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Lilley, Her special licence
that I, the said John Lilley, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said John Lilley, 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 terin therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "SEPARATING THE REFUSE
VEGETABLE MATTER CONTAINED IN THE STALK AND LEAVES OF THE PLAN-
TAIN SPECIES, AND ALSO TREES GROWN IN TROPICAL CLIMATES, FROM THE
FIBROUS MATERIAL OF THE SAME, IN ORDER THAT THE LATTER MAY BE
MANUFACTURED INTO ROPES OR CORDAGE, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES FOR-
WHICH HEMP AND FLAX ARE USED," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John Lilley, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain
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 John Lilley, do hereby de-
clare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the sanie
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement and Drawings:
Figure 1, is a side elevation of the machine, having a base plate A,
on which are fixed two frames B, (also Figures 2, and 3,) in which

page_text: frames B, are suitable bearings O, for the reception of the rollers C;
the bearings for the top roller C, are made to move freely in the
grooves D, to allow the top roller to rise or fall when necessary. These
rollers are connected at one end by means of the wheel E; to make
them revolve simultaneously they are moved by means of the handles
F, F; they may also be driven by steam or other power, the connection
being made where the handles are fixed means of wheels, pulleys,
or any other suitable manner. On the front of the frames B, there is
a plate G, fixed, having thereon brackets to receive the spindles
(Figures 3, 4, and 5, on which spindles are fixed the levers H, to
which levers are attached the knives or scrapers K, which are made of
steel or other suitable material; on the bottom of the frame G, under-
neath the knives or scrapers, I cover with vulcanized india-rubber or
other suitable material; I also, at the end of each knife or scraper,
have wedges L, for the knives or scrapers to set on or against, as a
counteracting power, so as to keep always the regular distance between
the knives and scrapers and the india-rubber, so as to prevent the
destruction of the fibrous substance. The wedges L, are moveable on
the frame G, by means of the screws P; on the outer edge of the
spindle I, are two levers M; which are connected together by means of
the links N; on the inner lever is a weight to keep them in the posi-
tion shewn in Figure 2, where the knives or scrapers are shown in the
position ready for the introduction of the stalk or leaf; after it has
been entered, and the rollers turned a little, the knives or scrapers are
brought to the position shewn in Figures 1, 2, and 4, and by turning
the rollers the stalk or leaf is drawn through the rollers and under the
knives or scrapers, and the refuse vegetable matter separated from the
fibre; on the opposite side of the rollers to the frame G, I fix two
scrapers also, for the purpose of keeping the rollers clean. I also
propose to use, if necessary, a comb made of steel, brass, or other
suitable material, attached to where the immer knife or scraper is fixed,
for the purpose of finely dividing the fibre after the refuse vegetable
matter has been taken away.
I claim as my Invention,-
First, the method of fixing the knives or scrapers in connection with
the rollers, as described.

page_text: Secondly, the use of an elastic substance for the knives or scrapers
to act upon, and the governing of the action of the knives or scrapers
by wedges.
Thirdly, the use of a comb in connection with the rollers for the
division of the fibre.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Lilley, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
JOHN LILLEY. (L.B.)