Improvements in Machines for Hackling Flax, Hemp, Jute, and similar Fibres.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Oct., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 9th July, 1896--Accepted. 15th Aug., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Hackling Flax, Hemp, Jute, and
similar Fibres.
We, JOHN MCKELVEY HORNER, of Clonard Foundry, Belfast, Ireland, Machino
Maker, and JAMES ALEXANDER LAUGHLIN, of 142, Falls Road, Belfast, Ireland,
Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in machines for hackling flax, hemp, jute,
and similar fibres, with particular reference to what are known as vertical sheet
hackling machines wherein the stricks or locks of fibre are combed in the downward
vertical direction between a pair of endless moving sheets upon which sets of projecting
pins are mounted so as to face one another when in action, these enlless slicets being
usually suspended by their upper bights or loops passing over shafts which serve to
maintain at the requisite distance apart the upper or more immediately effective portion
of the opposed surfaces of the sheets. Each hackle sheet is composed of a series of
endless bands or "hackles "attached side by side transversely of the sheet, and the
strick of fibre in the course of being treated is subjected to the action of each
opposed pair of hackles successively, the hackle pins in successive pairs being set
closer together, as is well understood.
Hitherto the general practice has been to employ pins of uniform length in all the
hackles comprised in one pair of sheets and to keep the points of the pins lineable
throughout by aligning the top or guide shafts substantially parallel to one another,
an arrangement which takes no account of the gradual decrease in bulk which the
strick of fibre undergoes during the progress of the hackling operation.
The object of our invention is to provide hackling machines of the kind referred
to with pins whose effective length is varied proportionately to the alteration in bulk
of the material treated, the pins of greater effective length being contained in those
hackles to which the libre is first presented, the effect of this arrangement being to
secure more thorough treatment and consequently to render obtainable a larger
proportionate yield of fibre of high quality from a given quantity of raw material
than has heretofore been possible. We may attain the above mentioned object by
either of the following means, namely:
1. By employing hackle pins of different lengths, the longer pins being used
towards the course" end of the machine (.e. the end of the sheets to which the
rough fibre is first subjected) whilst the alignment of the points of the pins is
maintained by causing the top or guide shafts to converge towards the "fine" or
opposite end to an extent equal to the combined decrease in the lengths of the opposed
pins towards that end.
2. By employing, as above, hackle pins of differing lengths but maintaining the
alignment of their points by using parallel top shafts of proportionately varying
diameter, the diameter of each shaft increasing by successive steps whose projection
is equal to the corresponding diminution in the length of the pins.
3. By employing, as above, pins of different lengths, set in "stocks" of equal
thickness and carried over parallel top shafts, the alignment of the points of the
pins being maintained by packing up from beneath the stocks of successive backles
with liners whose thickness in each case corresponds to the diminution in length of
the pins.
It is to be understood that, in each of the three cases above mentioned, all the
nins in one bookle are of equal length

page_text: 4. By employing pins of equal length throughout all the hackles, but reducing the
effective length of the pins in successive hackles towards the "fine end of the
machine by correspondingly increasing the thickness of the "stocks," or wooden
laths wherein the pins are set, and concurrently setting the pins deeper in the stocks
so as to present a shorter projection, the alignment of the points of the pins being
maintained by the parallelism of the top shafts.
Although the invention has been described with particular reference to vertical
sheet hackling machines we would have it understood that its employment is not
limited to such machines.
In machines with centre or intermediate bearers or gables, wo divide the top slmfts
at snch gables or bearers so as to constitute separate sections and provide same with
independent intersecting screws so that each section may be independently nujnsted.
Thus in a machine having three galles or bearers the pins in the last or finer section
of the machine may be shorter and brought in line with the longer pins in the first
or coarser section. This provision for independently adjusting the alignment of the
pins in different sections may be employed, whether pins of different effective
lengths as above described be employed or not.
Dated this 14th day of October 1895
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
58, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION,
Improvements in Machines for Hackling Flax, Hemp, Jute, and
similar Fibres.
We, JOHN MCKELVEY HORNER of Clonard Foundry, Belfast, Ireland, Machine
Maker, and JAMES ALEXANDER LAUGHLIN of 142, Falls Road, Belfast, Ireland,
Machinist, 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 improvements in machines for hackling flax, hemp, jute,
and similar fibres, particularly vertical sheet hackling machines, and it has for its
object to enable the effective lengths of the hackle pins to be proportioned to the
varying bulk of the strick of material (the bulk decreasing as the work on it proceeds)
whilst maintaining constant the common working plane of the pins of the pairs of
hackle sheets, whereby a larger yield and superior product may be obtained.
Hitherto the pins have been of uniform length from one end of the machine to
the other, no account being taken of the gradual decrease in bulk which the strick
of fibre undergoes during the progress of the hackling operation, but by our
invention hackling machines are provided with pins whose effective length is
progressively decreased from the coarse to the fine end of the machine proportionately
to the decrease in bulk of the strick, without however altering the relation between
the points of the pins of the two sheets which move in a substantially common plane
throughout the whole length of the machine as usual, the pins of greater effective
length being those to which the fibre is first presented so as to ensure more gentle
treatment and consequently to render obtainable a larger proportionate yield of fibre
of high quality from a given quantity of raw material than has heretofore been
possible.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings (wherein the same letters of
reference indicate like parts in all the Figures) which illustrate several arrangements
whereby the desired object may be accomplished. Figures 1 and 2 are vertical
cross-sections [at the coarse end Y and fine end Z (Figure 3) of the machine
respectively of the pair of top shafts and adjacent portions of the hackle sheets
thereon; Figure 3 being a plan of the same broken out at the middle, only the

page_text: immediately active portions of the hackle sheets being shewn in section. Fig. 4
is a similar plan illustrating two other arrangements. Figures 5 6 7 8 and 9 shew
details of a modification drawn to a larger scale.
>
In Figures 1 to 3 the backle pins a are of lengths (both actual and effective)
graduated substantially in proportion to the variation in bulk of the strick of
material during the hackling process (as indicated in Figures 1 and 2) all those
pins which are fixed in the same hackle stock & being however for convenience of
manufacture preferably of one length, the lengths varying by steps from stock to
stock in the direction of the length of the machine, the stocks being of the samo
thickness throughout and of the usual length and number and fixed to continuous
hackle bars c as usual. To admit of the graduation of the length of the pins and
yet maintain the substantial alignment of their points and the movement of the
points of the pins of the two sheets in a common plane dd (Figure 3) the shafts ee
are placed out of parallel and nearer together at the fine end to an extent equal
to the combined decrease in the lengths of the opposed pins at that end. The
bottom shafts (which are not shown) may similarly convergo or may be parallel as
usual without materially affecting the result.
Figure 4 shews two ways in which top shafts ee parallel and of equal diameter
throughout may be used, the actual length of the pins being varied at the left hand
side of the figure and the alignment, maintained by the use of packing pieces
of proportionately varying thickness interposed between the stocks (which are, as
before, of equal thickness throughout) and the hackle bars d; whilst at the right
hand side the pins are of uniform actual length but their effective length or the
distance they project from the stock is varied by setting them in stocks b' of
proportionately varying thickness, the pins being set completely through the stocks
as usual.
Figures 5 to 9 shew the application of our invention to an arrangement of backle
bar and stocks differing from that previously illustrated in that the hackle stocks b
are mounted alongside of instead of upon the bars c and are secured to lug-plates /
carried by the bars; Figure 5 being a face view of a portion of the length of a
hackle bar and stocks and Figure 6 a cross-section of the same at the coarse end of
the machine. Figures 78 and 9 are cross-sections at the fine end of the machine ;
Figures 7 and 8 showing different forms of an arrangement virtually the same as that
illustrated on the left hand side of Figure 4 wherein the pins (set in stocks & of equal
thickness throughout) are of progressively varying length the alignment of their
points throughout the length of the machine being maintained either by means of
packing pieces g (Figure 7) of proportionately varying thickness interposed between
the stocks and the hackle bars d, or by the lug plates (Figure 8) being themselves
progressively thickened so as to take the place of the packing pieces. Figuro
shews an arrangement virtually the same as that illustrated on the right hand sido
of Figure 5 wherein the pins a are of uniform actual lengths, their effective length
being varied by their being set in stocks of proportionately varying thickness.
Although the invention has so far been described with particular reference to
vertical sheet hackling machines we would have it understood that the employment of
the improvements hereinbefore described is not limited to such machines.
In machines whose frames comprise one or more intermediate gables or standards
the top shafts are divided at such gables or standards and their hearings are provided
with independent adjusting screws so that the several sections into which the shafts
are divided may be independently adjusted to regulate the intersection of the hackles.
Thus in a machine having three gables the several sections of the top shafts may be
put so far out of alignment as to bring the points of the shorter pins used in the
last or finest section of the machine into the same working plane with those of the
longer pins in the first or coarser section. This provision for independent adjustment
in different sections may be employed whether pins of the same or different lengths
be used or not and is chiefly intended to be supplementary to the previously described
methods of varying the effective lengths of the pins by varying the thickness of
the stocks.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The method of progressively varying the effective length of the pins of a hackling
machine so as to proportion such length to the varying bulk of the strick of material
under treatment in its progress from one end of the machine to the other whilst
maintaining the points in a common working plane of intersection, by using pins of
varying actual length set in stocks of equal thickness and placing the top shafts of
the hackle sheets out of parallel as specified.
2. The method of progressively varying the effective length of the pins of a
hackling machine so as to proportion such length to the varying bulk of the strick
of material under treatment in its progress from one end of the machine to the other
whilst maintaining the points in a cominon1 working plane of intersection, by
progressively varying the effective thickness of the stocks in which the hackle pins
(whether of uniform or of varying actual lengths) are set as specified.
Daud this that Jul 1802
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.