Ramie, Jute, and other Fibres.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd May, 1887
Complete Left, 6th June, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 22nd July, 1887.
Ramie, Jute, and other Fibres.
I CHRISTIAN C. KAUFFMAN of 64 Magazine Street New Orleans in the Parish of
Orleans State of Louisiana United States of America, Flour Dealer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the treatment of ramie, jute, hemp, and other fibres, to
prepare the same ready for market or use, but for the convenience of explanation it
will here be described more particularly with reference to the treatment of ramie.
Heretofore, it has been customary to first decorticate the ramie, etc.; and afterward
by a separate process to remove the gum or sap by subjecting the fibre to the action
of hot water soaps and different chemicals, which treatment is not only detrimental to
the fibre, especially where certain chemicals are used, but much time and labor is
consumed in washing and subsequently drying the fibre. This makes the preparation
of the fibre not only tedious and expensive but often results in more or less injury
to the fibre.
This Invention removes these objections and consists mainly in exposing the fibre
after decortication, to the action of a body or current of artificially heated air, the
temperature of which will be sufficient to drive off the moisture and to solidify the
gum or sap, and afterward exposing the fibre to a mechanical cleaning action as, for
instance, to the action of beaters and brushes which will remove the solidified gummy
or sappy matter.
The Invention furthermore consists in treating the fibre in a continuous manner,
first to a decorticating operation, then to a drying one by artificially heated air, and
afterward to a mechanical cleaning operation for removing the dried or solidified
substances from the fibre these several operations all being performed while the fibre
is in motion and whereby all re-handling of the fibre after each operation is avoided
and much time and labor is saved.
The Invention also consists in certain detailed modes of carrying out the process,
and in certain constructions of the apparatus necessary therefor, including specially

page_text: -
constructed machines or portions of the whole apparatus for stripping and decorticating
the ramie or other fibre, and for drying and cleaning it, substantially as hereinafter
described.
Referring, in the first instance, to the machine or portion of the apparatus for
decorticating or stripping the ramie or other fibre. The said machine comprises a
feed table on or over which the ramie or other fibre stalks are passed to and through
a pair of feed rolls, to which or one of which rotary motion is communicated in any
suitable manner. Passing from these feed rolls, the stalks enter and are delivered
through or between a stationary box or frame extending the length of the rolls or
thereabouts. As the stalks pass through this box or slotted frame in their way to a
second pair of rolls, either or both of which may be driven and which it is preferred
to cover with rubber, they are caught by a vertically reciprocating slotted breaker
intersecting the box or frame and between the two pairs of rolls. Said stalks as they
pass through this breaker, are struck successively on their upper and under sides and,
as the stalks are thus brought successively into contact with the upper and lower
working surfaces of the breaker, they are broken transversely at short distances apart.
To do this, the double-acting breaker should move up and down very rapidly. Said
breaker may be driven by a belt from any suitable part of the machine, the shaft of
the belt pulley which extends across the machine having a crank or crank-like disc on
each end, each of which cranks is connected by a rod with either end of the breaker,
the ends of which are fitted to slide up and down within a slot in each side of the
main frame. From the breaker and second pair of rolls, the material to be stripped
passes to and between a pair of rotary beaters and down between the lower one of
said beaters and a third rotary beater to and between a pair of receiving rolls which
are provided with endless carriers or slotted belts arranged to pass around said
receiving rolls and around suitable pulleys or drums. These carriers are driven by
any appropriate means to pass the fibre in a close manner between them and the
receiving rolls on to the lower carrier which delivers the decorticated fibre. The
carriers also serve to prevent the fibre from wrapping around the receiving rolls.
The rotary beaters are made to revolve rapidly to whip, beat, or knock the broken
wood and outside bark from the fibre. The broken stalks, as they leave the breaker
on the way to the beaters, pass through or between small rolls which, while carrying
said stalks along, also support or hold the broken stalks while being acted upon by
the beaters. Said beaters are coupled to rotate in concert, and are or may be made
to revolve alternately in reverse directions simultaneously, that is, firstly on their
meeting sides of travel toward the rear end of the machine and then or after the
receiving rollers, either or both of which may be driven, have taken hold of the
fibre or material and just before the fibre is released from the small rollers in a reverse
direction. This reversal of the beaters may be effected by any suitable means, as for
instance by using a straight driving belt and a cross driving belt in connection with
two fast pulleys and a loose pulley upon the shaft of one beater and a shifter of said
belts operated through a lever by the operator standing in front of the machine.
Such reversing motion being a common one, needs no further description.
The beaters may be variously constructed. Thus, they may be of a spider
construction with outer strips or paddles of wood or metal connecting the radial arms
on the opposite ends of them, or said beaters may be constructed with the paddles
supported by solid ends or bodies constructed to form a series of outer concaves that
admit of the paddles working in between them, and whereby each paddle extremity is
made to scrape the fibre as it is passed between the beaters. Said beaters, or certain
of them, should be provided with enlarged flanges on their opposite ends, constructed
to prevent the fibre from working on to the journals, or the closed ends of the beaters,
commencing with the flanges on the lower beater, may be arranged to work one
within the other for the same purpose.
Reference will now be made to the drying and cleaning machine or portion of the
apparatus and details thereof. The functions of this portion of the apparatus is to dry
and remove the gummy or sappy matter from the ramie or fibre after it has passed
through the decorticating or stripping machine or portion of the apparatus hereinbefore

page_text: described. In this drying and cleaning machine or portion of the apparatus, the
fibre, after decortication, is subjected under cover, to the action of hot air or to a
current of artificially heated air at a proper temperature, for the purpose of solidifying
the gum or sap, so that the same can be readily removed by mechanical means, as for
instance by revolving beaters and brushes. In this portion of the apparatus is a hot
air drying chamber of a close or closed construction but having openings at its
opposite ends sufficiently large to admit of two endless flexible aprons or belt-like
carriers arranged one above the other freely passing the fibre as it comes from the
decorticator, through them or between their contiguous parallel sides within the
drying chamber said carrier otherwise running outside of the drying chamber as for
instance over end rollers, and being supported throughout their length by rollers
arranged inside and outside of said chamber. The air to be supplied to the drying
chamber is heated in a furnace or chamber, preferably to a temperature of
160° Fahrenheit, say from 160° to 175°. The cold or fresh air to be heated is drawn
by a suction fan or pump through a pipe or coil arranged within the furnace, the air
entering said coils and, after it is heated; being discharged by the fan through a pipe
into the interior of the drying chamber at or near its one end while pipes at or near
the opposite end of said. chamber provide for the escape of the expelled air and
moisture. The carriers have a continuous motion in the same direction, to keep up a
continuous supply of fibre from the drying chamber to the cleaning devices. They
also have combined with them certain feed and delivery rollers which conduct the
fibre after its delivery from the drying chamber to and between rotary whippers
or beaters and brushes and from thence on to a receiving table in the rear.
whippers or beaters and brushes constitute the cleaning devices which remove the
gum or sap from the fibre after it has been solidified by the passage of the fibre
through the drying chamber. While the feed of the fibre is a continuous one, that
is, always in the same direction, the direction in motion of the cleaning devices is
being repeatedly changed, that is, the beaters and brushes are made to rotate
alternately in reverse directions whereby a more thorough cleaning is obtained.
Combs are used in conjunction with the brushes, to free or relieve them of adhering
matter.
These
The beaters, which act in advance of the brushes upon the dried fibre and which
are arranged one above the other, are composed of cylinders armed on their peripheries
with flexible thongs or thrashers of any suitable kind. The brushes are similarly
arranged at back of the beaters. Two independent sets of gears are used to drive the
feeding and cleaning devices in a positive manner. Thus, the feeding devices are
driven by a driving pulley made to continuously move in the same direction and
upon the shaft of which is a toothed wheel, that by means of pinions on the feed and
delivery rollers intermediate transmitting wheels and toothed wheels upon a rear
roller, of each of the carriers, serves to communicate the necessary motion to the
carriers and feed and delivery rollers to pass the fibre continuously in the same
direction through the apparatus.
The whippers or beaters and brushes are operated by a driving pulley fast upon a
shaft and pulleys loose upon said shaft on opposite sides of the fast pulley. These
loose pulleys are driven to rotate in reverse directions to one another by means of a
cross belt upon one of them and a straight belt upon the other, from or by an
overhead or other drum common to both so that by shifting first the one of said belts
and then the other on to the fast pulley, said fast or driving pulley is made to rotate
first in the one direction and then in the other. This is a well known method or
means of obtaining an alternate reverse circular movement. Upon the shaft thus
driven to rotate alternately in reverse directions is a wheel which gears with wheels
upon the one whipper and one of the brushes, and these wheels gear in turn with
other wheels upon the other whipper and other brush, to make both whippers and
both brushes move in concert, that is, the two whippers or beaters and the two brushes
to-rotate first in one direction and then in the opposite direction to thoroughly clean
the dried fibre and to remove from it the solidified gum and sap as said fibre is passed
by the feeding devices continuously moving in one and the same direction between

page_text: To
said whippers and brushes or rotary cleaners. The belt like carriers which support
the fibre and carry it along and keep it from being blown about and becoming
tangled may, that is either or both of them, be of a reticulated or more or less open
construction to facilitate the passage of the hot air through and among the fibre.
prevent free escape of the hot air from the drying chamber where the carriers enter
and leave said chamber, rubber or other elastic flaps, arranged to press against said
carriers above and below, may be applied to the openings in the drying chamber.
In the process of treating ramie, jute, and other fibres by the apparatus as made up
of the two machines hereinbefore-described, these machines, that is, the decorticating
machine and the drying and cleaning machine operate in concert and connectedly,
the one before the other, to produce the desired result in a continuous manner, a
delivery belt or carrier passing the fibre after it has passed through the decorticating
machine to and between, in a continuous or straight manner the endless belts or carriers
in the drying chamber of the drying and cleaning machine or portion of the apparatus,
for the purposes hereinbefore described. It is preferred to run the ramie or fibre
through the apparatus formed by the combined machines, at the rate of about 25 feet.
per minute, more or less. The fibre leaving the decorticating devices, machine or
portion of the apparatus, passes without arresting its onward movement or travel, at
the same and uniform velocity to and through the drying and cleaning devices,
machine, or portion of the apparatus, that is, first through the drying chamber and
then through the cleaning devices. In this way, the ramie or material is decorticated,
its gum or sap dried or solidified, and such solidified matter removed and the fibre
cleaned ready for the market or use without any re-handling. To do this, that is to
make the several operations continuous, the drying and cleaning portion of the
apparatus should be arranged immediately in rear of the decorticating portion of the
apparatus, regardless of any special constructions of the apparatus. The exposure of
the fibre within the drying chamber need not exceed a few minutes and said chamber
may be made of any desired length to secure the necessary exposure or the fibre may,
by any suitable means, be made to travel forward and backward through the drying
chamber before leaving the same for the cleaning devices. The cleaning devices, that
is, the devices for mechanically removing the dried and solidified matters from the
fibre after passing out of the drying chamber, may be otherwise constructed than has
herein before been described, if desired, without changing the process. In some cases,
too, the stalks, etc., of the fibrous plants to be disintegrated, may be stripped or
decorticated by means wholly disconnected from the means used to solidify and
remove the gummy or other matter in the fibre and the stripped fibre afterward be
separately conveyed otherwise than in a continuous manner to the drying or drying
and cleaning devices, but it is preferred to make these several operations continuous
and successive as described, so as to avoid re-handling of the fibre.
I will now describe a modified construction of the apparatus adapted to feed
the material to be operated upon from either end of the apparatus and embodying
certain changes, as hereinbefore referred to, as well as others, the process, however,
remaining the same. Supposing the ramie or material to be fed from the right hand
side of the apparatus, it is first passed in an undressed condition over a table of rollers
between rotary strippers having saw-like teeth and which are suitably driven by
pulleys or gearing, to strip the leaves from the stalks and to prepare the stalks
for the decorticating portion of the apparatus, the strippings falling on to a table
helow. The stalks then pass between a guide to and between a
pair of driven
rollers in the upper portion of one end of the drying chamber which is made of
considerable depth and capacity. These feed rollers convey the partly stripped
stalks on to an endless belt like carrier within the upper portion of the drying
chamber, which carrier being suitably driven and supported, as by rollers, passes the
stalks or material through the drying chamber to partly dry the same, and conveys
the stalks out between rollers at the opposite side or end of the drying chamber
to and between a pair of upper and lower feed rollers forming a portion of the
decorticating machine and either or both of which may be driven. Another pair
of like feed rollers is arranged side by side with the rollers and connected with

page_text: them to act in concert. Between these two pairs of feed rollers is a V-shaped guide
that serves, in conjunction with the first pair of rollers and the lower roller of the
second pair, to pass the material to and through a lower slotted guide or box
between which, and a lower apertured table virtually forming part of said box, the
double acting reciprocating breaker works to break the stalks at short distances
apart, preparatory to their passage down between a pair of rotary scraping beaters,
of like construction to those first described. From these beaters, the broken and
decorticated material passes to and between receiving rolls and endless travelling
carriers or slotted belts, on to one of a pair of endless travelling slotted belt-like
carriers arranged to pass through the drying chamber, to expose the decorticated
fibre to the necessary drying heat therein before passing it to the cleaning devices
as in case of the dryer herein before described, but in the present modification, said
carriers, which pass round and over or under suitable pulleys rollers and spiders,
are arranged to run repeatedly upward and downward or back and forth within
the drying chamber, thus giving the fibre a longer drying exposure before passing
out of the drying chamber, to and down between rotary cleaners on to and between
a second pair of receiving rolls, and endless travelling belts or delivery carriers.
In feeding however from the opposite or left hand side of the apparatus, then the
fibre or stalks will be passed between the feed rollers of the decorticating machine
and down on the reverse side of the guide to that in the former course of feed
between the lower rollers of the two pairs, to and through the slotted box or guide
and reciprocating double action breaker to the rotary beaters and from thence
between the receiving rollers and endless belts or carriers to and between the
endless travelling carriers in the drying chamber and out between the rotary
cleaners to the second or delivery pair of receiving rollers and endless carriers.
In such course of travel, the ramie or fibre will only pass once through the drying
chamber.
C. C. KAUFFMAN.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane,
Patent Agents.

page_text: I, CHRISTIAN C. KAUFFMAN of 64 Magazine Street New Orleans, in the Parish of
Orleans and State of Louisiana United States of America, Flour Dealer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention 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 to the treatment of ramie, jute, hemp, and other fibres; to
prepare the same ready for market or use, but for the convenience of explanation it will
here be described more particularly with reference to the treatment of ramie.
Heretofore, it has been customary to first decorticate the ramie, etc.; and afterwards,
by a separate process, to remove the gum or sap, by subjecting the fibre to the action
of hot water, soaps, and different chemicals, which treatment is not only detrimental
to the fibre, especially where certain chemicals are used, but much time and labor is
consumed in washing and subsequently drying the fibre.
This makes the preparation of the fibre not only tedious and expensive, but often
results in more or less injury to the fibre.
This invention removes these objections and consists mainly in exposing the fibre
after decortication, to the action of a body or current of artificially heated air, the
temperature of which will be sufficient to drive off the moisture and to solidify the gum
or sap, and afterward exposing the fibre to a mechanical cleaning action, as, for
instance, to the action of beaters and brushes, which will remove the solidified gummy
or sappy matter. The invention furthermore consists in treating the fibre in a
continuous manner first to a decorticating operation, then to a drying one by
artificially heated air, and afterward to a mechanical cleaning operation for removing
the dried or solidified substances from the fibre; these several operations all being
performed while the fibre is in motion and whereby all rehandling of the fibre after
The invention also
each operation is avoided, and much time and labor are saved.
consists in certain detailed modes of carrying out the process, and in certain construc-
tions of the apparatus necessary therefor, including specially constructed machines or
portions of the whole apparatus, for stripping and decorticating the ramie or other fibre
and for drying and cleaning it, substantially as hereinafter described.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this

page_text: specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in
all the figures.
Figure represents a central vertical longitudinal section of a machine for
decorticating the ramie or other fibre, forming a part of the whole apparatus ;
Figure 2 a transverse vertical section of the same upon the line x-x in Figure 1; and
Figure 3 a vertical section, transversely to their axes, of the beaters in said
machine, under a modified construction;
Figure 4 represents a vertical longitudinal section of the machine or part of the
apparatus for drying and cleaning the ramie or other fibre after decortication;
Figure 5 is a partly sectional plan of the same;
Figure 6 a view, upon a larger scale, of certain mechanism for rotating alternately
in reverse directions certain beaters and brushes used in cleaning the fibre ;
Figure 7 a like view of certain mechanism used in passing or delivering the fibre
through the drying and cleaning machine; and
Figure 8 a view in perspective of a comb used in connection with the cleaning
brushes in said machine;
Figure 9 represents a longitudinal sectional elevation of the decorticating machine
or part of the apparatus and of the drying and cleaning machine or other part of
the apparatus as connected for operation in concert in carrying out the improved
process;
Figure 10 represents a vertical longitudinal section of a modified construction of
the apparatus, including a decorticating machine or devices, drying and cleaning
machine, leaf stripping mechanism, and special means for working the ramie or other
fibre from either end of the apparatus and for passing it either once or twice through
the drying. chamber of the apparatus ;
Figure 11 is a horizontal section of such modified apparatus upon the line y-y in
Figure 10; and
Figure 12 a further horizontal section thereof, upon the line z-z in Figure 10.
Referring, in the first instance, to the machine or portion of the apparatus for
decorticating or stripping the ramie or other fibre, as illustrated in whole and
in detail in Figures 1, 2, and 3, of the drawing, it will here first be observed that the
frame of such machine and the mechanism used for driving its working parts may be
variously constructed.
A in said machine is a feed table on or over which the ramie or other fibre stalks
are passed to and through a pair of feed rolls B B, to which, or one of which, rotary
motion is communicated in any suitable manner. Passing from these feed rolls,
the stalks enter and are delivered through or between a stationary box or frame C
extending the length of the rolls, or thereabouts. As the stalks pass through
this box or slotted frame, in their way to a second pair of rolls DD, either
or both of which may be driven and which it is preferred to cover with rubber,
they are caught by a vertically reciprocating slotted breaker E intersecting the
box or frame and between the rolls BB and D D. Said stalks as they pass
through this breaker E are struck successively on their upper and under sides,
and as the stalks are thus brought successively into contact with the upper and lower
working surfaces of the breaker, they are broken transversely at short distances apart.
To do this, the double-acting breaker E should move up and down very rapidly.
Said breaker may be driven by a belt 6 and pulley c from any suitable part of the
machine, the shaft e of the pulley c, which extends across the machine, having a crank
or crank-like disk fon each end, each of which cranks is connected by a rod
either end of the breaker, the ends of which are fitted to slide up and down within a
slot in each side of the main frame.
with
From the breaker E and rolls D D, the material to be stripped passes to and between
a pair of rotary beaters G G and down between the lower one of said beaters and a
third rotary beater H, to and between a pair of receiving rolls II which are
provided with endless carriers or slatted belts J K arranged to pass around said
receiving rolls and around suitable pulleys or drums L L. These carriers J K are
driven by any appropriate means to pass the fibre in a close manner between them

page_text: and the receiving rolls II on to the lower carrier K which delivers the decorticated
fibre. The carriers K L also serve to prevent the fibre from wrapping around the
receiving rolls I I.
i
The rotary beaters G G and H are made to revolve rapidly to whip, beat or knock
the broken wood and outside bark from the fibre. The broken stalks as they leave the
breaker E on their way to the beaters pass through or between the small rolls D D,
which, while carrying said stalks along, also support or hold the broken stalks while
being acted upon by the beaters. Said beaters are coupled to rotate in concert as by
gearing and are or may be made to revolve alternately in reverse directions simul-
taneously, that is firstly their meeting sides travel toward the rear end of the machine,
and then [or after the receiving rollers II, (either or both of which may be driven,)
have taken hold of the fibre or material and just before the fibre is released from the
rollers DD,] in a reverse direction. This reversal of the beaters may be effected by
any suitable means as for instance by using a straight driving belt m and a cross driving
belt in connection with two fast pulleys oo and a loose pulley r upon the shaft of the
one beater, and a shifters of said belts operated through a lever by the operator standing
in front of the machine. Such reversing motion being a common one, needs no
further description.
The beaters G G and H may be variously constructed. Thus they may be of a spider
construction as shown in Figures 1 and 2, with outer strips or paddles of wood or
metal connecting the radial arms on the opposite ends of thein, or said beaters may be
constructed as shown in Figure 3 with the paddles I supported by solid ends or bodies
constructed to form a series of outer concaves u that admit of the paddles working in
between them and whereby each paddle extremity is made to scrape the fibre as it is
passed between the beaters. Said beaters or certain of them, should be provided with
enlarged flanges on their opposite ends, as shown for the lower beater, at in Figures 1
and 3, constructed to prevent the fibre from working onto the journals, or the closed
ends of the beaters, commencing with the flanges on the lower beater, may be
arranged, as shown in Figure 3, to work one within the other, for the same purpose.
Reference will now be made to Figures 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 of the drawing, which
represent the drying and cleaning machine or portion of the apparatus, and details
thereof. The function of this portion of the apparatus is to dry and remove the
gummy or sappy matter from the ramie or fibre after it has passed through the decor-
ticating or stripping machine or portion of the apparatus hereinbefore described.
In this drying and cleaning machine or portion of the apparatus, the fibre, after
decortication, is subjected, under cover, to the action of hot air, or to a current of
artificially heated air at a proper temperature, for the purpose of solidifying the gum
or sap, so that the same can readily be removed by mechanical means, as, for instance,
by revolving beaters and brushes.
In this portion of the apparatus A¹ is a hot air drying chamber, of a close or
closed construction, but having openings 61 at its opposite ends sufficiently large
to admit of two endless flexible aprons or belt-like carriers B B¹, arranged one above
the other, freely passing the fibre, as it comes from the decorticator, through them or
between their contiguous parallel sides within the drying chamber A¹, said carrier
otherwise running outside of the drying chamber, as for instance, over end rollers C¹ C₁
and being supported throughout their length by rollers c¹ c¹ arranged inside and
outside of said chamber.
D'is a furnace or chamber in which the air to be supplied to the drying chamber A¹
is heated, preferably to a temperature over 160° Fahrenheit, say from 160° to 175°
The cold or fresh air to be heated is drawn by a suction fan or pump S¹ through a pipe
or coil d'arranged within the furnace, the air entering said coil as at a¹ and, after it is
heated, being discharged by the fan through a pipe into the interior of the drying
chamber A¹ at or near its one end, while pipes at or near the opposite end of said
chamber A¹ provide for the escape of the expelled air and moisture.
The carriers B'B' have a continuous motion in the same direction, as indicated by
the arrows y in Figure 4, to keep up a continuous supply of fibre from the drying
chamber A to the cleaning devices. They also have combined with them certain feed

page_text: and delivery rollers g¹ which conduct the fibre, after its delivery from the drying
chamber to and between rotary whippers or beaters EE and brushes F¹ F¹ and from
thence onto a receiving table G¹ in the rear. These whippers or beaters and brushes
constitute the cleaning devices which remove the gum or sap from the fibre after it
has been solidified by the passage of the fibre through the drying chamber A³.
While the feed of the fibre is a continuous one, that is always in the same direction,
the direction in motion of the cleaning devices is being repeatedly changed, that is
the beaters E¹ and brushes F¹ are made to rotate alternately in reverse directions,
whereby a more thorough cleaning is obtained.
Combs H'H' are used in connection with the brushes to free or relieve them of
adhering matter.
The beaters E' E', which act in advance of the brushes upon the dried fibre, and
which are arranged one above the other, are composed of cylinders armed on their
peripheries with flexible thongs or thrashers of any suitable kind. The brushes F' F¹
are similarly arranged at back of the beaters E' E.
Two independent sets of gears are used to drive the feeding and cleaning devices in
a positive manner. Thus the feeding devices are driven as follows:-I' is a driving
pulley made to continuously move in the same direction and upon the shaft of
which is a toothed wheel ¹ that, by means of pinions ¹¹ upon the feed and delivery
rollers g', intermediate transmitting wheels and toothed wheels upon a rear
roller C¹ of each of the carriers B', serves to communicate the necessary motion to the
carriers B¹ B¹ and feed and delivery rollers g¹ to pass the fibre continuously in the
same direction through the apparatus.
The whippers or beaters E' E' and brushes F1 F1 are operated as follows:-J¹ is a
driving pulley fast upon a shaft m¹, and K'K' pulleys loose upon said shaft on opposite
sides of the fast pulley. These loose pulleys are driven to rotate in reverse directions
to one another by means of a cross belt n¹ upon one of them and a straight
belt o' upon the other, from or by an overhead, or other drum common to both, so that
by shifting first the one of said belts and then the other onto the fast pulley J, said
fast or driving pulley is made to rotate first in the one direction and then in the other.
This is a well known method or means of obtaining an alternate reverse circular
movement. Upon the shaft m' thus driven to rotate alternately in reverse directions,
is a wheel r which gears with the wheels s¹s upon the one whipper E' and one of the
brushes FF, and these wheels s' s¹ gear in turn with other wheels ss upon the other
whipper and other brush to make both whippers and both brushes move in concert,
that is the two whippers, or beaters and the two brushes to rotate first in one direction
and then in the opposite direction to thoroughly clean the dried fibre and to remove
from it the solidified gum and sap as said fibre is passed, by the feeding devices
continuously moving in one and the same direction, between said whippers and brushes
or rotary cleaners.
The belt like carriers B' B', which support the fibre and carry it along and keep it
from being blown about and becoming tangled, may, that is either or both of them, be
of a reticulated or more or less open construction to facilitate the passage of the hot
air through and among the fibre. To prevent free escape of the hot air from the
drying chamber A' where the carriers B'B' enter and leave said chamber, rubber or
other elastic flaps, arranged to press against said carriers above and below, may be
applied to the openings 6 in the drying chamber, as shown in Figure 4.
Figure 9 of the drawing is explanatory of the process of treating ramie, jute and
other fibers by the apparatus as made up of the two machines herein before described,
which machines, that is, the decorticating machine and the drying and cleaning
machine, operate in concert and connectedly, the one before the other, to produce the
desired result in a continuous manner.
The decorticating machine or portion of the apparatus is shown at the left hand of
Figure 9 and represents like parts, referred to by like letters, as shown in Figure 1;
and the drying and cleaning machine or portion of the apparatus is mainly shown at
the right hand of said Figure 9; and represents like parts, referred to by like letters
B

page_text: as shown in Figure 4, so that there is no occasion to repeat the description of these
machines, K being the delivery belt or carrier which passes the fibre, after it has
passed through the decorticating machine, to and between in a continuous or straight
manner the endless belts or carriers B' B' in the drying chamber A¹, of the drying and
cleaning machine or portion of the apparatus, for the purposes hereinbefore described.
It is preferred to run the ramie or fibre through the apparatus formed by the
combined machines at the rate of about twenty-five feet per minute, more or less. The
fibre leaving the decorticating devices, machine or portion of the apparatus, passes,
without arresting its onward movement or travel, at the same and uniform velocity,
to and through the drying and cleaning devices, machine or portion of the apparatus,
that is, first through the drying chamber and then through the cleaning devices. In
this way, the ramie or material is decorticated, its gum or sap dried or solidified
and such solidified matter removed and the fibre cleaned, ready for the market or use
without any re-handling. To do this, that is to make the several operations continuous,
the drying and cleaning portion of the apparatus should be arranged immediately in
rear of the decorticating portion of the apparatus, regardless of any special con-
structions of the apparatus; This arrangement is shown in Figure 9, the delivery
helt or carrier K passing the decorticated fibre directly into the drying chamber A¹ or
rather to the carriers B¹ therein, which pass the fibre through said chamber to the
cleaning devices in rear of the chamber.
The exposure of the fibre within the drying chamber need not exceed a few minutes
and said chamber may be made of any desired length to secure the necessary exposure,
or the fibre may by any suitable means be made to travel forward and backward
through the drying chamber before leaving the same for the cleaning devices. The
cleaning devices, that is the devices for mechanically removing the dried and solidified
matters from the fibre after passing out of the drying chamber, may be otherwise con-
structed than has hereinbefore been described, if desired, without changing the process.
In some cases, too, the stalks, etc., of the fibrous plants to be disintegrated, may be
stripped or decorticated by means wholly disconnected from the means used to solidify
and remove the gummy or other matter in the fibre, and the stripped fibre afterward
be separately conveyed, otherwise than in a continuous manner, to the drying or
drying and cleaning devices, but it is preferred to make these several operations
continuous and successive as described, so as to avoid re-handling of the fibre.
A modified construction of the apparatus adapted to feed the material to be operated
upon from either end of the apparatus, and embodying certain changes as hereinbefore
referred to, as well as others, is shown in Figures 10, 11 and 12 of the drawing, the
process however remaining the same.
In these Figures 10, 11 and 12, supposing the ramie or material to be fed from the
right hand side of the apparatus, it is first passed in an undressed condition over a
table of rollers M between rotary strippers N N having saw-like teeth and which are
suitably driven by pulleys or gearing to strip the leaves from the stalks and to prepare
the stalks for the decorticating portion of the apparatus, the strippings falling on to a
table O below. The stalks then pass between a guide P to and between a pair of
driven rollers QQ in the upper portion of one end of the drying chamber A¹, which
is made of considerable depth and capacity. These feed rollers QQconvey the
partly stripped stalks on to an endless belt-like carrier R within the upper portion of
the drying chamber, which carrier being suitably driven and supported, as by
rollers a²
passes the stalks or material through the drying chamber, to partly dry
the same, and conveys the stalks out between rollers c³ ³ at the opposite side or end
of the drying chamber, to and between a pair of upper and lower feed rollers B³ B
forming a portion of the decorticating machine and either or both of which may be
driven. Another pair of like feed rollers B³ B³ is arranged side by side with the
rollers B B and connected with them to act in concert as by gearing d³ d³.
Between these rollers B2 B3 is a V-shaped guide T, that serves in conjunction with
the rollers B B2 and lower roller B³ to pass the material to and through a lower
slotted guide or box C between which and a lower apertured table virtually forming

page_text: part of said box the double acting reciprocating breaker E works to break the stalks
at short distances apart preparatory to their passage down between a pair of rotary
scraping beaters G G of like construction to those shown in Figure 3.
From these beaters G G in Figures 10 and 12, the broken and decorticated material
passes to and between the receiving rolls I I and endless travelling carriers or slotted
belts J K, on to one of a pair of endless travelling slatted belt-like carriers B¹ B¹
arranged to pass through the drying chamber A', to expose the decorticated fibre to
the necessary drying heat therein, before passing it to the cleaning devices, as in case
of the dryer herein before described, but in the modification shown in Figures 10, 11
and 12, said carriers B¹ B¹, which pass round and over or under suitable pulleys,
rollers and spiders e f g are arranged to run repeatedly upward and downward or
back and forth within the drying chamber A', thus giving the fibre a longer drying
exposure before passing out of the drying chamber A¹ to and down between rotary
cleaners E F on to and between a second pair of receiving rolls I² I' and endless
travelling belts or delivery carriers J² K².
The arrows in Figure 10 indicate the course of the ramie or fibre through the
apparatus when fed from the right hand as described and whereby the fibre makes two
passes through the drying chamber.
In feeding however from the opposite or left hand side of the apparatus shown in
Figures 10, 11 and 12, then the fibre or stalks will be passed between the rollers B³ B³
and down on the reverse side of the guide T to that in the former course of feed,
between the two lower rollers B³ B², to and through the slotted box or guide Cand
reciprocating double action breaker E to the rotary beaters G G, and from thence
between the receiving rollers II and endless belts or carriers J K, to and between the
endless traveling carriers B' B' in the drying chamber A¹ and out between the rotary
cleaners E¹ F¹ to the second or delivery pair of receiving rollers I³ I and endless
carriers J K. In such course of travel the ramie or fibre will only pass once
through the drying chamber A¹, as in the apparatus shown in Figure 9 of the
drawing.
The drying chamber A' in Figures 10, 11 and 12 is or may be artificially heated
as hereinbefore described, e' indicating the inlet for the air and f¹ the outlet.
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:
1. The process herein described of treating or preparing ramie, jute, hemp and
other fibres, which consists in subjecting the fibre, after decortication, to the action of
artificially heated air, whereby the gummy and other matters contained in the fibre
are solidified and thereby made capable of being readily and mechanically removed
from the fibre, substantially as specified.
2. In the treatment or preparation of ramie, jute, hemp and other fibres, subjecting
the same under cover, after decortication, to a blast of artificially heated air, whereby
moisture is expelled from the fibre and the gummy and other matters contained
therein are solidified, essentially as and for the purposes herein described.
3. In the process herein described of treating or preparing ranie, jute, hemp and
other fibres, exposing the fibre, under cover, after decortication, to the action of a
body or current of artificially heated air and afterward exposing it to a mechanical
cleaning action, whereby the gummy and other matters in the fibre are first solidified
and subsequently mechanically removed, essentially as specified.
4. In the process herein described of treating or preparing ramie, jute, hemp and
other fibre, after decortication, exposing the fibre while in motion, first to the action
of a body or current of artificially heated air, and afterward to a mechanical cleaning
action, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
5. The within described process of treating or preparing ramie, jute, hemp and other
fibres, which consists in subjecting the material while in continuous and uniform
motion, first to the action of decorticating devices, then to a drying action, by
artificially heated air, and subsequently to a beating and brushing or mechanical
cleaning action, essentially as described.

page_text: 6. In apparatus or mechanism for decorticating ramie, jute and other fibrous plants,
the combination, with the feed rolls B B, of the slotted frame or box C, and the
reciprocating slotted double acting breakers E, substantially as described with
reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings.
7. The combination, with the feed rolls B B, the slotted frame or box C, and the
reciprocating slotted double acting breaker E, of the rolls D D in rear of said breaker,
essentially as herein set forth and shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing.
8. In a mechanism for decorticating ramie, jute, and other fibrous plants, the
combination of the revolving beaters or whippers G G H, the rolls D D, the slotted
frame or box C, and the reciprocating double-acting breaker E, substantially as
specified and shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing.
9. In a mechanism for decorticating ramie and other fibrous plants, the combination,
with the forward rolls D D and the receiving rolls II and carriers J K, of the revolving
beaters or whippers G G H, and a mechanisin for revolving said beaters alternately
in reverse directions simultaneously, substantially as specified, and shown in Figures 1,
2 and 3 of the drawing.
10. In apparatus or mechanism for drying and cleaning ramie and other fibres,
after decortication, the combination of a hot air drying chamber adapted to solidify
the gum or sap in the fibre, cleaners adapted to mechanically remove such solidified
inaterial or materials, and feeding devices adapted to pass the fibre through the drying
chamber and to or through and between the cleaners, substantially as specified.
11. In mechanism for drying and cleaning ramie and other fibres, after decorti-
cation, the combination of a series of rotary cleaners driven to revolve alternately in
reverse directions, a hot air drying chamber through which the fibre is passed to said
cleaners, and feeding devices adapted to continuously move the' fibre through the
drying chamber and to and between said alternately reversely rotating cleaners,
essentially as specified.
12. In apparatus or mechanism for drying and cleaning ramie and other fibres,
after decortication, the drying chamber A¹ of close or closed construction provided
with apertures in its ends, in combination with the endless apron or belt-like
carriers B B adapted to receive the fibre in between them and operated to travel in
like directions through and outside of said drying chamber, substantially as described
and shown in Figures 4 and 5 of the drawing.
13. In mechanism for drying and cleaning ramie and other fibres, after decortication,
the combination, with the drying chamber A¹ and its endless traveling belt-like
carriers B B adapted to pass the fibre through said chamber, of the furnace or air
heating chamber D', the pump or fan S', and pipes adapted to conduct the air from
the pump or fan through the furnace to the drying chamber and to establish an
outlet from the latter, essentially as described and shown in Figures 4 and 5 of the
drawing.
14. The combination of the hot air drying chamber A¹, the endless travelling
belt-like carriers B¹ B¹, the feeding and delivery rollers g¹ operated to move in
concert with said carriers as described and the beaters E' and brushes F¹ operated
alternately in reverse directions, essentially as shown in Figures 4 and 5 of the
drawings.
15. In apparatus for preparing and treating ramie and other fibres, plants or stalks,
the combination of a decorticating machine provided with feed rolls, a reciprocating
double acting breaker, and rotary beaters, with mechanism for drying and cleaning
the decorticated fibre, arranged in rear of the decorticating machine for operation
in concert therewith and provided with a hot air drying chamber, endless belts or
carriers adapted to pass the decorticated fibre through said chamber as it leaves the
decorticating devices, and rotary cleaning mechanism arranged to act upon the fibre
as or after it leaves the drying chamber, substantially as specified.
16. In apparatus for preparing and treating ramie, jute, hemp and other fibres, the
combination, with the drying chamber A¹, of the rotary strippers N N at or beyond
the one end of said chamber, the endless belt or carrier R, adapted to pass the stripped
material through the chamber A', the rolls B2 B³, the guide T, slotted box and

page_text: reciprocating double acting breaker E at or beyond the opposite end of said chamber,
beaters arranged to operate upon the decorticated fiber after it passes from the breaker,
carriers for conducting the fibre after it leaves said beaters to the drying chamber, the
endless belts or carriers B' adapted to pass the fibre through said chamber, and the
cleaning devices E¹ F¹ at or beyond the same end of the chamber A¹ as the rotary
strippers N N are arranged, essentially as described and shown in Figures 10, 11 and 12
of the drawings, for the purposes herein set forth.