Improvements in Apparatus for Breaking, Scutching, and Cleaning Flax, Hemp, and other Fibrous Plants.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 14th May, 1887
Complete Left, 14th Feb., 1888
Complete Accepted, 16th Mar., 1888
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Breaking, Scutching, and Cleaning
Flax, Hemp, and other Fibrous Plants.
I, WILLIAM SIBBALD JOHNSTON, of Newtownards, in the County of Down,
Ireland, Bleacher, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates especially to the scutching or cleaning of flax or hemp
preparatory to manufacture, but is also applicable to other like fibrous plants.
Its object is to provide a machine with which the breaking and cleaning may be
effected at the same time, and one that may be manufactured at comparatively small
cost.
The machine is constructed with two pairs of revolving cylinders or bosses geared
together, and working in conjunction. Each boss is armed with a series of blades or
bars, in shape flat and angular. In addition to these, on each cylinder or boss, and
between each of the flat blades, is a flat corrugated blade. I prefer to use six of each
variety of blades, but any other convenient number may be employed. The bosses or
cylinders are placed together, so that the blades in one, overlap the corresponding
ones in the opposite cylinder. The blades may be of steel or other material, and
attached to a convenient number of series of angle iron or other arins, preferably laid
in the mould when the boss is cast, and the latter cast around their jagged ends in a
manner well known to iron founders; they can however, if desirable, be bolted or
screwed to the boss. One set of blades are radial with their edges on the advancing
side when rotating. The other set of blades have wavy edges and are placed tangen-
tially on the ends of the angle iron arms. Both are bolted or screwed to the arms, by
bolts or screws passing through slotted holes in the blades or arms, so that they can
be adjusted. The beaters are placed as shown, so that when revolving, the blades
overlap one another, but do not touch the periphery of the opposite cylinder.
Above the beaters and about midway between their centres, is placed an inclined
rest or slide. The rests are preferably curved or inclined for about half their
length, the remainder of their length being level, or they may be inclined their
whole length. The flax straw to be operated upon is securely held near to one

page_text: end by small clamps of any convenient shape or form, in the top of the inclined
rests or slides, with the ends of the fibre hanging downwards. The clamps are made
to easily move in the slide. The clamps or holders I prefer to use are formed of
two plates, one of which is provided with two lugs or projections on both sides.
The other plate is provided with holes which fit the lugs in the first mentioned
plate. The two plates are secured together by means of a screw. When the flax
is spread between the plates, and the plates are screwed together, the fibre is held
tight and prevented from being pulled out. The lugs rest on the inclined slides
so as to be easily movable. The machine may be made with any required number
of sets or pairs of beaters, and they may be arranged so that the slide for each
alternate pair shall be inclined in the opposite direction.
When arranged
thus, the fibre after it has been first scutched at one end, can be re-clamped, and
passed to the second set of beaters without having to carry it from one side of
the machine to the other. Or it may be passed onto a second machine placed
alongside the first. In order that the gearing for connecting the reversal sets of
beaters may not interfere with the flange which is being scutched, I may place
if desired, the gearing wheels on the side of the machine at which the flax is fed
into the slide.
It will of course be understood that in the construction of the machine, the
cylinders or bosses are not essential, as the blades may be carried on arms radiating
from a common centre, and may be fixed by means other than those heretofore
described.
The mode of action is as follows:-
The flax being hung in position in the clamps or holders, and the machinery being
in motion, the clamps are pushed forward, their weight going down the incline, and
the drag on the fibre carries them on and propels forward those in front, the attendant
has therefore only to adjust the clamps to the flax to start them, and the attendant at
the other end to remove them and readjust the clamp, so that the other end of the
flax shall be scutched, and start them on the return machine rails. The flat blades
break the hard wood, which is effectually cleared away by the corrugated blades. One
half of the length of the fibre is thus cleaned in its passage through the first machine,
and the clamp or holder being removed to the other end of the fibre, the other half is
cleaned in the return machine.
The action of the beaters upon the fibre in addition to breaking and scutching,
materially improves its spinning quality, by removing the outer skin or gummy
substance of the plant.
Dated th: 19th
1007
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Breaking, Soutening, and Cleaning
Flax, Hemp, and other Fibrous Plants.
I, WILLIAM SIBBALD JOHNSTON of Newtownards, in the County of Down Ireland
Bleacher, 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 specially to the scutching or cleaning of flax or hemp,
preparatory to manufacture, but is also applicable to other like fibrous plants.
Its object is to provide a machine with which the breaking and cleaning may be
effected at the same time, and one that may be manufactured at comparatively small
cost.
Referring to the annexed drawings:-
Figure 1, is a side elevation of a machine constructed in accordance with this
invention.
Figure 2, a plan of same.
Figure 3, end elevation of one section thereof.
In these, A is the base or framework of the machine. B, B', two pairs of revolving
beaters geared together by wheels C, and working in conjunction. Each beater is
armed with a series of blades or bars D and E, preferably of steel, and in shape flat,
and angular, as shown. In the drawings the beaters B B³, are shown to have each six
of each variety of blades D and E, but any other convenient number may be employed.
The beaters are placed together, so that the blades in one overlap the corresponding
one in the opposite beater. Blades D and E are preferably of steel and attached to
three series of angle iron arms G, preferably laid in the mould when the boss is cast,
and the latter cast around their jagged ends in a manner well known to iron founders,
they can, however, if desirable, be bolted or screwed to the boss. Blades D are radial
with their edges on the advancing side when rotating; blades E have wavy edges as shown
with angular edges, and are placed tangentially on the ends of the angle iron arms.
Both are bolted or screwed to the arms by bolts or screws passing through slotted holes
in the blades or arms, so that they can be adjusted. The beaters are placed as shown,
so that when revolving the blades overlap one another, but do not touch the periphery
of the opposite cylinder. F, F, are inclined rests or slides placed above the beaters
about midway between their centres. They are preferably curved as shown. H, H, are
clamps of any convenient shape or form in which the flax straw I can be securely
held, and with a T or other head, which will easily move down the slide F. The machine
may be made with any required number of sets or pairs of beaters, and they may be
arranged so that the slide for each alternate pair shall be inclined in the opposite
direction as shown. When arranged thus, the fibre after it has been first scutched at
one end, can be reclamped and passed to the second set of beaters without having to
carry it from one side of the machine to the other. Or it may be passsed on to a
second machine placed alongside the first.

page_text: The dry flax straw to be operated upon, is securely clamped at one end or about the
middle by the clamps or holders H, H, which are placed on the top of the slide with
the ends of the fibre hanging downwards. J, is the driving pulley, and K, K, the
pulleys for driving the return machine from the other, or the machine may be driven
separately and may be either placed alongside or in front of the first machine as may
be most convenient.
The mode of action is as follows:-
The flax being hung in position on the clamps H, and the machinery being in motion,
the clamps are pushed forward, their weight going down the incline, and the action of
the beaters on the fibre carries them on, and propels forward those in front, the
attendant has therefore only to adjust the clamps to the flax to start them, and the
attendant at the other end to remove them, and re-adjust the clamp, so that the other
end of the flax shall be scutched, and start them on the return machine rails F. The
blades D and E break the hard wood, which is effectually cleared away by the
corrugated or wavy blades E. One half of the length of the fibre is thus cleaned in
its passage through the first machine, and the clamp or holder, being removed, to the
other end of the fibre, the other half is cleaned in the return machine.
The action of the beaters, upon the fibre in addition to breaking and scutching,
materially improves its spinning qualities, by removing the outer skin or gummy
substance of the plant.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1st. In a machine for breaking, cleaning or scutching flax (or other like fibrous
plant) the combination of a pair of rotating beaters, such as B B₁ geared together
with intersecting circles of rotation, with a device such as H. F for holding the fibre
suspended immediately above the points of intersection, and hanging down so as to be
acted upon by the beaters, whereby the fibre is bent alternately in opposite directions
with a series of blows rapidly following each other and the woody matter broken and
beaten out at one operation.
2nd. In a flax breaking or scutching machine, a carrier such as F placed longi-
tudinally over the points of intersection of the beaters, inclined near the beginning of
its course, and horizontal or nearly horizontal for the remaining distance and having
thereon a series of travelling clamps such as H H for holding the flax suspended;
whereby the latter is gradually brought under the action of the beaters, and the motive
power of its descent is available for pushing along the clamps of flax in front.
3. The beaters B B¹, each consisting of a central axle or cylinder J, arms G, or
their equivalent, longitudinal radial blades, such as 1), and tangential longitudinal
blades, such as E, substantially as and for the purpose described.
4. In a flax breaking or scutching machine, the combination of two pairs of beaters
placed side by side, or one in front of the other, and two carriers such as F arranged
to carry in opposite directions, whereby one half of the flax is scutched in the forward
travel, and the other half in the return travel.
Dated this 13th day of February 1888