A New or Improved Machine for Breaking Flax, Straw, and the like.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Oct., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 14th July, 1890-Accepted, 16th Aug., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Machine for Breaking Flax, Straw, and the like.
I, JAMES ANDERSON of Patch Mills, Keady in the County of Armagh Ireland,
Miller and Farmer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to a new or improved machine for breaking flax straw and
the like, and has for its object to more effectually and expeditiously break flax straw
and the like by introducing beetles or beaters, to act between the rollers, simul-
taneously with them.
To carry my invention into practice 1 provide a strong frame of wood or other
suitable material, mounted on four uprights. On this frame, are placed rollers, working
in pairs (one roller above the other)."
A feeding board is placed at one end of the frame, at which feeding board the
flax is taken in by a pair of plain rollers. After passing through the said rollers the
flax moves forward unto a heavy beam of wood (or other material) placed right across
the roller frame, over this beam a row of twelve or more beetles or beaters is placed,
which beetles are lifted up by a revolving beam, having thereon arms corresponding
in number to the beetles or beaters, each arm as it moves round lifting a beetle or
beater, causing the beetles or beaters to strike the flax from sixty to seventy times
per minute. The pressure of the unbroken flax on entering the rollers, causes the
beetled flax to move gradually forward, when it is caught by a pair of fluted rollers,
passing through three separate pairs of said fluted rollers, and from thence into
another pair of plain rollers, for the purpose of being operated upon by another set
of beetles or beaters arranged in a similar manner to the first set. By this means any
number of rows of beetles or beaters can be used, but two sets are generally
sufficient to soften flax. The last pair of rollers must be plain for the purpose of
delivering the flax, etc.
The foregoing described machine is put in motion by the ordinary appliances, used
for such purposes, or other suitable method, which appliances are driven or worked
by steam, water or other motive power.
Dated this 5th dow of October 1880
HUGHES, SON & Co.,
38, Chancery Lane, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Machine for Breaking Flax, Straw, and the like.
JAMES ANDERSON of Patch Mills, Keady in the County of Armagh Ireland
Farmer and Miller 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 :-
My Invention relates to a new or improved machine for breaking flax straw and
the like and has for its object to increase the efficiency of flax breaking machinery
such as heretofore used by inserting sets of heaters at suitable intervals between the
grooved rollers in such a manner as to act conjointly with the latter.
In carrying my Invention into practice I provide a suitable frame comprising two
or more pairs of uprights mounted upon a bed plate and connected at the top by
longitudinal bars. These uprights carry longitudinal beams supporting the bearings
of a suitable number of rollers provided with a set of pegs or lifters arranged along a
helicordal curve drawn over the outer surface of the said rollers. Below the longi-
tudinal beams aforesaid is arranged the feeding table provided with perforated sides

page_text: carrying the bearings of any suitable number of pairs of superposed fluted rollers.
Between each pair of uprights is arranged a set of vertical beaters working on the
above mentioned table and carrying a number of pins which are operated by the pegs
or lifters aforesaid.
And in order that my Invention may be more fully understood I have shown the
same in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a side view, Fig. 2 a plan and
Fig. 3 an end view of my improved machine. Fig. is a horizontal sectional plan
on line X X of Fig. 1.
The frame shown in Fig. 1 and 2 consists of three pairs of uprights U, U, U', U¹,
U2, U2, joined at the top by two transverse bars N, N', and mounted upon a bed plate B.
This frame carries the transverse beams 0, 0¹ supporting the axes of the three
rollers R, R, R, which are furnished with pegs or lifters, r, r, etc. arranged upon a
helicoidal curve drawn upon their outer surface, the said pegs or lifters gearing
respectively with the pius p, p, etc. of three sets of vertical beaters bb- - - - etc.
いい- - etc. and 6212- etc. working between the guides 9, g¹ in such a manner
that at each revolution of the rollers R R R each pin p is raised once by the
corresponding peg or lifter, the heater carrying such pin being likewise raised
and subsequently allowed to drop in order to break the flax on the table T. All the
pins p are raised successively by the pegs or lifters r of the said rollers. As shown
in Fig. 4 a set of beaters is arranged at an interval of three superposed set of grooved
or breaking rollers M, M etc. operating over the table T the sides f, f, of which are
perforated to act as bearings for the axes of these rollers, but the said beaters may be
placed at shorter or longer intervals according as it may be found desirable for the
purpose in view.
s, s¹ are inclined boards facilitating the feed of the flax through
the rollers and upon the table T which takes place in the direction of the arrow a.
The above mentioned lifting and breaking rollers may be set in motion by any
suitable gearing or mechanisin actuated by any convenient motor, such gearing or
mechanism forming no part of my Invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. In flax breaking machinery inserting at suitable intervals between the grooved
or breaking rollers a set of vertical beaters operated by rollers above furnished with
pegs or lifters substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2. The improved flax breaking machine arranged constructed and operating sub-
stantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 15th day of July 1890.
HUGHES, SON & Co.,
38, Chancery Lane, London, Agents.