IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR BREAKING AND CLEANING FLAX AND OTHER LIKE FIBRE-YIELDING PLANTS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughts-
man, for the Invention of "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR BREAKING AND
CLEANING FLAX AND OTHER LIKE FIBRE-YIELDING PLANTS."-A communi-
cation from abroad by Gelston Sanford and James Edward Mallory,
both of the City, County, and State of New York, United States of
America.
Sealed the 1st August 1862, and dated the 2nd June 1862.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Vincent Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 2nd June 1862.
I, ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
5,in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR BREAKING AND
CLEANING FLAX AND OTHER LIKE FIBRE-YIELDING PLANTS," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to effect more perfectly than by any other
known plan the breaking and cleansing of flax and other like fibre-yielding
plants.
In performing this important operation on such plants, the object is to break
the woody parts of the plant, and not only to effectually remove from the
fibres all the particles of woody matters so broken, but to do this without
serious injury to the fibres, and at the same time to loosen and separate the
cementing matter which attaches the woody part to the fibres.

page_text: Now the Inventors have observed that if the flax be griped between the
thumb and finger of both hands, and in close proximity, and a short vibratory
motion be given while pressing the stalks between the rubbing surfaces pre-
sented by the thumb and finger of the two hands, that the woody part and
cementing matter is readily broken and reduced to very small particles, which
readily drop from the fibres, leaving them thoroughly cleansed and soft and
uninjured. The object, therefore, of the Invention has been to embody in an
organized machine this mode of operating by the hands.
The following contrivance will be found to produce the desired result:-
Mounted in suitable framing is a large horizontal roller formed with a series
of circumferential grooves, into which grooves a series of endless chains work,
there being one chain for each groove. These chains also pass around a
small grooved roller at the back of the main roller, and around a series of
small grooved wheels in front. These wheels are keyed to cranks or excen-
trics, which are made fast to their shaft, which is the driving shaft of the
machine, and each excentric carries two grooved wheels. This driving shaft is
placed above the axis of the main grooved roller and at the feeding-in end of
the machine, and the small grooved roller, which is at the delivery end of the
machine, is placed below the axis of the main grooved roller, so that the
upper part of the chains from the wheels to the small grooved roller pass in
the grooves of the main roller. The under part of each chain passes under a
small guide roller below the main roller. Between the grooved wheels and
main roller a grooved feed roller is mounted to allow the chains in their
rotation to pass below the periphery, which presents a series of toothed wheels
corresponding with and running nearly in contact with the ridges between the
grooves of the main roller. Above the series of grooved wheels a feed table is
placed to receive the flax (or other fibre-yielding plant), and from which it is
fed into the machine by an attendant, who lays it across the chains, whence it
is taken regularly by the teeth of the féed roller, and carried between the main
roller and the series of chains. It is thus forced into the series of grooves,
and there broken and carried along until it is delivered at the other side over
the small grooved roller. The mode of operation of the chains in connection
with the grooves is peculiar. The woody part of the flax is not only snapped
in very short pieces, but rubbed alternately in opposite directions, thereby
completely separating the fragments and cementing matter from, but without
breaking, the fibres.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alfred Vincent Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 2nd December 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Alfred Vincent Newton, Her special license that I, the said Alfred Vincent
Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as 1, the
said Alfred Vincent Newton, 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 term 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
"IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR BREAKING AND CLEANING FLAX AND OTHER LIKE FIBRE-
YIELDING PLANTS," being a communication from abroad, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, 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 death of
the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alfréd Vincent Newton, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
-
The object of this Invention, as communicated to me by my foreign cor-
respondents, is to effect more perfectly than by any other known plan the
breaking and cleausing of flax, and other like fibre-yielding plants."
In performing this important operation on such plants, the object is to
break the woody parts of the plant, and not only effectually to remove from the
fibres all the particles of woody matter so broken, but to do this without
serious injury to the fibres, and at the same time to loosen and separate the

page_text: cementing matter which attaches the woody part to the fibres, and which until
removed leaves them in a harsh, rough, and rigid condition.
Now the Inventors having observed that if the flax be griped between the
thumb and finger of both hands, and in close proximity, and a short vibratory
motion be given while pressing the stalks between the rubbing surfaces pre-
sented by the thumb and finger of the two hands, the woody part and
cementing matter was readily broken away, leaving the fibres thoroughly
cleansed and soft and uninjured. The object sought was to embody in an
organized machine this mode of operating by the hands.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 shews in plan view a machine
embodying the principle of action above illustrated; Fig. 2 is a side elevation;
Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section, and Fig. 4 is a separate view of the
many throw crank employed in obtaining the desired motion. The same letters
indicate like parts in all the Figures.
a is the frame of the machine, and b a large horizontal roller formed with a
series of circumferential grooves, into which grooves a series of endless chains
c, c; work, there being one chain for each groove. These chains c also pass
around a small grooved roller d at the back of the main roller b, and around a
series of small grooved wheels e in front. The grooved wheels e are mounted
on a series of cranks on a many-throw crank shaft f, each crank carrying two
of the said wheels. The Drawings represent a four-throw crank shaft (see
Fig. 4), the centres of the four cranks being at equal distances from the axis
of rotation, and at equal distances apart, so that the action of the pairs of
chains shall be successive for a purpose to be presently described. The
number of chains, grooves, and wheels may be varied at the pleasure of the
constructor; the number of cranks and their relative position in the circle
being varied as the number of chains is increased or decreased. The crank shaft
fis placed above the axle of the main grooved roller band at the feeding-in
end of the machine, while the axle of the small grooved roller d, which is at
the delivery end of the machine, is placed below that of the main grooved
roller b, so that the upper part of the chains c, from the wheels e to the small
grooved roller d, pass in the grooves of the main roller b, and the under parts
of the chains pass under a small guide roller g below the main roller b.
Between the wheels e and the main roller b there is a feed roller h, which is
also grooved, so that the chains in passing over it shall be below its periphery,
which presents a series of toothed wheels corresponding with and running
nearly in contact with the ridges between the grooves of the main roller b.
The crank shaft f, which is also the driving shaft, is provided with a set of
coned pulleys i, connected by a band with another set of coned pulleys k,

page_text: mounted on a stud axle. These pullies k carry a pinion 7, which engages a
cog wheel m, also mounted on a stud axle, carried by the framing of the
machine. A pinion is attached to this wheel m, and engages a wheel o
keyed to the shaft of the main roller b. This wheel o drives a pinion p on the
shaft of the feed roller h. The proportions of this train of gearing should be
such as to cause the peripheries of the main roller and the feed roller to travel
at or about the same speed, and the object of the coned pulleys is to admit of
increasing or decreasing the working action of the chains relatively to the
motion of the main grooved roller. The journals of the small groved roller d.
are mounted in sliding boxes 9, 9, provided with india-rubber or other springs r, r,
the tension of which forces the small roller from the main roller, thereby dis-
tending the chains and causing them to press against the main roller, when
the cranks carrying the grooved wheels e make that part of their circuit
farthest from the main, roller b; but instead, the required tension on the
chain can be given by applying the springs to the boxes in which the journals
of the guide roller g below the main roller run. Above the series of small
grooved wheels e a feed table s is placed to receive the flax or other fibre-
yielding plant. From this table it is fed into the machine by an attendant,
who lays it across the chains, whence it is taken regularly by the teeth of the
feed roller and carried between the main roller and the series of chains. The
tension of these chains forces the flax into the series of grooves, where it is
broken, and it is then carried along until it is delivered at the other side over
the small grooved roller d. The woody part of the flax is not only snapped
into very short pieces, but rubbed alternately in opposite directions, thereby
completely separating the fragments and cementing matter from, but without
breaking, the fibres. By the rotation of the many-throw crank shaft the
chains alternately in pairs are drawn tight, and thereby caused to press
against the flax and to force it into the grooves of the main roller, and thereby
to bend it in the grooves and over the ridges that separate the grooves, while
at the same time the chains slide on it and rub it. As the first pair of chains
are gradually loosed by the rotation of the crank shaft, the next pair begin to
make pressure, and so on throughout the series, all the pairs acting in this
manner several times on the same plant before the flax is delivered from the
machine. In this way it will be seen that the flax is not only rubbed across
its length, but also in the direction of its length by being bent into the
grooves and drawn over the ridges. The mode of operation above described
can be produced by ropes or anything analogous thereto having suffi-
cient indentations or roughness to take hold of the flax; but the use of
chains formed with open links, and working in conjunction with an opposing

page_text: surface is deemed the best, for the reason that the openings in the links
permit the free discharge of the woody matters to be separated from the
useful fibres.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of "Improved Machinery
for Breaking and Cleaning Flax and other like Fibre-yielding Plants," and ex-
plained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood.
that under the above in part recited Letters Patent, I claim the combination
of a grooved surface, or the equivalent thereof, with a series of chains, or the
equivalent thereof, having a mode of operation substantially such as herein
described, and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Second day of December, in the year of
. our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
A. V. NEWTON. (L.S.)