Improvements in Machinery for Preparing and Cleaning the Stalks of Fibrous Plants for the Purpose of Obtaining Fibres therefrom.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Oct., 1891-Accepted, 14th Nov., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Preparing and Cleaning the
Stalks of Fibrous Plants for the Purpose of Obtaining Fibres
therefrom.
I, AUGUSTUS ELFONZO ELLINWOOD, Machinist, a Citizen of the United States,
residing at No. 142 North Broadway, in the City of Akron, County of Summit,
and State of Ohio, U.S.A., 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 preparing and cleaning the 'stalks of fibrous plants, and
separating the woody or refuse part of the stalk from the fibrous part that is
utilized in commerce. It consists in several devices which form my combined
machine, or said devices may be applied separately to other forms of similar
machines.
In the drawings,
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved machine for treating fibrous stalks;
Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same with a portion of the casing broken away to
show the brake-bars;
Fig. 3 is an elevation of the delivery end of my machine, with part of the casing
removed, showing the brake-arms and fan location;
Fig. 4 is an enlarged view in longitudinal section through the center of my.
machine; showing the essential features of the invention; as stated hereafter;
Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views, showing on a large scale the construction of the
reciprocating sash;
Figs. 7, and 8 are similar views, showing the brake-bars;
Figs. 9, 10, and 11 are enlarged detail views of the yielding or spring-support of
same, as described.
..
In the drawings, 1 is the main supporting-frame, preferably made of cast iron,
one frame on each side of the machine, which I have also shown as being-securely
bolted to the cross sills 2, of the transporting runners 3 and 4, to which is attached
a draw bolt 5.
The
In the drawings illustrating my devices, the material to be treated or sèted on
by the machine is placed in a supporting or yielding chute or box; 39, which has
a removable side piece secured by hook 40, and the material passes under a
corrugated feed-roller, 36, and, as it is forced outward beneath the roller, the.
aperture is provided with means of expansion and contraction at any point beneath
the roller; or the entire width of the aperture upon which the material is supported
in its outward passage, as the passage-way is provided at this point with a series of
yielding fingers or bars, 43, having steel-plated surfaces, 46, which fingers are
pivoted at 44 to the stationary portion of the table, beneath a shield 45.
elasticity of the same I have provided for by placing immediately under the feed-
roller, 36, separate rubber springs, 47, secured by bolts 48, that support separately
each bar or finger. This permits a yielding pressure, and the variable or uneven
quantities of the outward moving stream is not liable to obstruct the regularity of
flow, or separate the stream and interrupt the flow through the stalk-breaking
devices, and cause repeated breaking or mutilation of the fibre. The condition or
tensile strength of the fibre is changeable, and it differs in various periods after its
harvest, and is very materially affected by the atmospherical conditions at the time
of decortication.
My breaking device consists of a vertically-reciprocating frame, 8, or sash, that
is mounted at each side on vertical bearings 6. secured to supports 7, on the main.

page_text: frame. This reciprocating frame consists of an upper and lower bar 9 and 10,
loosely secured at each end in an enlarged aperture, 49, in the vertically-recipro-
cating frame. This manner of securing the reciprocating bars provides a means for
imparting a flexible stroke- of- the bars against the hemp, which is not liable to
break the fibre, as is the case when the blow or contact is made by or between
rigid bars or surfaces, which have no faculty of yielding. The stationary bars are
provided with means to adimit this yielding movement for the same purpose.
The crank-journal 14, on the side of the frame 8, has attached thereon, at ench
side, a pitman 13, secured to a crank-pin or journal 15, in the disk 16, that is
secured to the power-shaft 17, through which it derives its motion; by means of
the driving-pulley 21, and its actuating-belt 22, the bars 9 and 10, of the recipro-
cating frame, are placed at a sufficient distance apart to provide a throat or
passage-way A, through which the stalks are forced, while above and below the
bars 9 and 10, on each side, and parallel therewith, are placed elastically-secured
stationary brake-bars, 11, 11, 12, 12, and the aperture or throat or passage-way for
the stalks being larger and of greater distance apart than in the reciprocating
bars, these brake-bars 11, 11, 12, 12, are supported and adjustably secured at each
end to vertical rods 18, 18, 18, 18, which supporting rods are elastically and
adjustably supported on the slotted projecting lugs 19, 19, on the main frame, by
means of elastic cushions 20, 20, 20, 20, located above and below on the slotted
projecting lugs and in the slotted apertures, 50, through which the rods 18 pass, as
shown in Figs. 9, 10, and 11, and at each end the adjusting-nut rests on a metallic
friction washer.
The object of making a wider space between the stationary brake-bars, through
which the stream of stalks pass, than in the reciprocating sash, is to admit of free
space for expansion of the material, as it is forced from the supporting bars against
and between which it is broken above and below by the action of the reciprocating
sash. This space also materially aids in separating the fibre from the wood, and
also facilitates the outward passage of the stream of broken stalks, and the
disentanglement of the fibre.
The elongated aperture or slot 50, in the supporting lugs 19, admits of a lateral
movement of the bar supporting rods, 18, 18, in order that the bars 11, 11, and
12, 12, may be able to yield at times, when a large quantity of stalks of material is
being acted on by the reciprocating bars 9, 10, is forced between them, and thus
prevent the mutilation or breaking of the fibre, or clogging of the machine under a
large stream of stalks.
It will be observed that all of my brake-bars are provided with rounded edges in
order that the fibre of the stalk may not be cut thereby.
I have also provided means for producing an outwardly forcing or driving air
current or pressure in the direction of the movement of the hemp to assist in forcing
forward the stalks as they are acted on by the breaker, and at the same time the
current of air is directed to straighten the lint and force it outwardly and to
disentangle its fibres, and also assist in separating the hurds of stalks from the lint
or fibre. This current of air is created by fan-arms, 27, of any desired number,
mounted on a rapidly revolving shaft 26. The fan case which has opening ends 41,
is provided with an elastic apron attachment a', under the yielding fingers, 43, so
as not to interfere with the yielding action of said fingers. I have also provided
means for varying and changing the direction of the current of air and regulating
the same, to cause the current to pass upward between the feed-roller and brake-
bars, and thence to continue over or between the brake-bars, that it may he brought
downwardly upon the fibre that has passed through the brake, or by changing its
direction, to force the current of air beneath the breaking device, and thence
upwardly from below, against the fibre on its under side, and at the same time the
current of air will pass outwardly through the throat or passage-way, as it is opened
by the reciprocating movements of the passage-way A, or throat of the vertically-
moving brake-bars 9, 10. I have provided sliding or regulating movable

page_text: plates, 42, 42, for controlling and regulating the direction of the air as desired, in
the operation of the machine on different conditions of the fibre and stalks, and by
means of my adaptation and changing the manner of application of the air currents,
it will be found of great value and utility in practical use.
I have also provided my feed-roller with an adjustable speed-regulating device,
as it is very desirable to increase or decrease the speed of the feed-supplying devices,
that it may be regulated to the varying conditions of the material under treatment,
also to enable the attendant to regulate the action of the feed as in his judgment
it may be desirable to secure the best results. This device consists of the vertical
shaft 30, provided with a bevel-pinion 29, through which it derives its motion from
wheel 28, by means of a sprocket-wheel 25, secured to shaft 26, that is actuated by
driving-chain 24, and its sprocket-wheel 23, that is secured to the main shaft 17,
and this vertical shaft 30, is provided with a vertically-adjustable friction-roller 31,
that revolves with the shaft, and being in frictional contact with disk 32, secured
to shaft 33, that is provided with a driving-pinion 34, that actuates the gear driving-
wheel 34*, secured to shaft 35, of the feed-roller; this driving-disk or friction-
roller, 31, imparts motion to the feeding-roller, and the hand-lever 37, pivoted
at 372, is secured to a collar that encircles the driving-roller, and as the lever is
adjusted up or down and locked to plate 38, it moves the friction-roller to any
desirable point between the periphery and the center of the disk 32, and thus
imparts increased or decreased motion to the driving-pinion or shaft 33.
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. The combination of the feed-box 39, its elastic yielding fingers 43, and the
feed-roller 36, with the vertically-reciprocating break-bars 9 and 10, provided with
rounded or beveled breaking edges, the stationary break-bars 11, 11, and 12, 12,
likewise provided with rounded or beveled edges, and means for adjusting the break-
bars 11, 11, and 12, 12, substantially as described.
2. The combination of the movable break-bars 9 and 10, stationary break-bars 11,
and 12, means for adjusting said stationary bars and elastic and yielding supports
for said stationary break-bars, substantially as described.
3. The combination of the reciprocating breaking sash or bars 9 and 10, provided
with rounded edges, and the reciprocating frame to which said bars are loosely
attached, with the stationary break-bars 11, and 12, for supporting the stalks above
and below and on each side of the reciprocating bars, and elastic and yielding
supports for said stationary bars.
4. The combination of the reciprocating breaking sash, provided with a passage-
way between the bars thereof, and the stationary elastically supported bars 11-11
and 12-12, against which the stalks are broken the passage-way between the
stationary bars being deeper or larger vertically than the passage-way between the
reciprocating sash bars, to admit the expansion of the stalks and libre as the outward
moving stream is reciprocated vertically across the passage-way and brought
alternately in contact with and pressed partially between the stationary bars,
substantially as shown, and for the purposes described.
5. The combination of the feed-roller 36, the elastic supporting fingers 43, the
breaking device, and the air fan provided with means for directing the current of
air upwardly beneath the breaking device, or downwardly over the same and
against the out-going stream of stalks or lint, whereby the lint is forced outwardly
and disentangled and cleaned in the manner shown and described.
6. The combination of the breaking frame having a regular reciprocating move-
ment for breaking the stalks, a feeding-roller and adjustable devices for changing
the speed of said feeding-roller, and a locking detent to secure the said speed
changing devices in any of its adjustments, substantially as described.
7. The combination of the elastically supported breaking bars 11, 11, and 12, 12,

page_text: their supporting rods 18, 18; 18, 18; add means whereby the said breaking-
bars may be adjustably secured to the sailsupporting rods, substantially as
describet.
Dated this 8th day of September 1891.
AUGUSTUS ELFONZO ELLINWOOD.