Improvements relating to the Extraction, Cleaning, and Preparation of Vegetable Fibres, and to Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1894

page_text: Improvements relating to the Extraction, Cleaning, and Preparation
of Vegetable Fibres, and to Apparatus therefor.
We, SYDNEY SHORTER, of Suffolk House, Laurence Pountney Hill, Cannon
Street, in the City of London, Merchant, and SAMUEL STANBRIDGE, of 67, Seaford
Road, South Tottenham, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for the extraction
and cleaning of vegetable fibres and for the preparation of the same for industrial
uses, and has for its chief object the provision of an apparatus for this purpose
which shall be more simple in construction, more rapid and automatic in its
operation and more efficient in practical use than those heretofore devised.
In the apparatus hitherto devised for this purpose, the leaves, plants or other
material containing the fibres are fed to or brought into and held in contact with a
series of rotating beaters and brushes or the like by means of stationary feed-
rollers or carrying chains. Now it has been found in practice that these methods
of bringing the leaves or other vegetable material into contact with the beaters and
the like, are uneconomical in respect of both time and labour. Moreover it has
been found that, in apparatus of this kind or class as heretofore constructed, the
fibres are not thoroughly cleaned.
Now according to our said invention we provide means whereby a transverse
movement is imparted to the leaves or other materials whilst being acted upon by
the beaters or the like. In this manner we cause the fibres to rotate or twist
slightly about their own axes, and thus ensure that the whole of their exterior
surface shall be thoroughly cleaned or freed from the pulpy portions of the leaf,
plant, or other vegetable material.
Our said invention also comprises means for altering the position of the leaves
or other materials, relatively to the supporting device, whilst they are being acted
upon by the beaters or the like, so that the whole of the fibres in each leaf
can be cleaned at one operation, and a considerable economy in respect of time and
hand labour thus effected.
'
Our said invention also comprises improved means whereby the leaves or other
materials may be automatically inserted into, and withdrawn from the machine;
and other improvements hereinafter mentioned.
In carrying our said invention into practice, we mount in bearings on suitable
standards or the like, forming parts of the frame of the machine, a shaft carrying a
beater drum provided with suitable beaters, brushes, or the like, for cleaning the
fibres. At one end of the said frame is supported a slide-box or a slide-bar which
is preferably arranged parallel to the periphery of the beater drum. Within the
slide-box or upon the slide-bar we provide a movable frame, on which is mounted
one or more rollers, preferably 'two, arranged in line with each other, the said
frame being caused to slide parallel to the outer edges of the beaters by means of
a nut and leading screw provided with automatic reversing gear or by other
suitable gearing. Either above or below the said roller or each of the rollers, on

page_text: the movable frame we mount a second roller or rollers, the pivot or axis of which
is attached at one end only to the movable frame in such a manner that either of
the second rollers may be swung out from above or below the corresponding first
mentioned roller or rollers, suitable gearing, such as a spur-wheel or toothed
segment secured thereto and engaging with a fixed rack or otherwise, being
provided for this purpose. The said gearing is so arranged as to swing outwards
or open the second roller or rollers above mentioned when the said movable frame
is coming to or going from one end of the slide-box or bar, and to swing inwards
and to bring the said roller or rollers into close proximity with the corresponding
roller above or below it, as the movable frame comes to or goes from the other end
of the said slide-box or bar.
We prefer to construct our improved machine with two pairs of rollers, one pair
at each end of the movable frame, and operating alternately, that is to say, one
pair being open during the travel of the movable frame in one direction, the other
pair remaining closed, and vice versa during the travel of the movable frame in the
opposite direction. As the said movable rollers close, they take a suitable quantity
of the leaves or other materials to be operated upon from tables or rests which are
placed in suitable positions on the frame of the machine, and when they open at
the opposite end of the machine, they release the cleaned fibre which is removed as
hereinafter mentioned. The leaves are preferably first seized in the centre by the
said rollers and are caused to pass between the said beater drum and a suitable
table or shield placed adjacent thereto, where the pulpy part thereof is removed, a
stream of water being preferably allowed to pass over the same from a row of jets
along the upper edge of the said table or shield. We provide moreover, suitable
guides or ways for conducting the free ends or parts of the leaves after the said
leaves have been seized by the rollers towards the beater-drum. When the leaf
has passed across the machine before the said beaters and brushes or the like, the
bottom or top roller or rollers are made to swing outward or open, and the fibre is
removed therefrom by means of a suitable receiving or taking-off device preferably
consisting of a revolving or reciprocating arm or arms: the other pair of rollers,
which have meanwhile remained open, immediately close upon other leaves which
are lying ready on a table at this side of the machine, and these operations are
repeated automatically, an attendant keeping the tables or rests supplied with
fresh leaves.
To cause all the parts of the leaves or other materials to be worked upon by the
beaters or brushes, we provide means whereby the position of the leaf or other
material will be changed when the ends or other portions extending from between
the rollers have been sufficiently cleaned. For this purpose we provide at one end
of each of the said rollers a bevel or other gear-wheel, the said gear-wheels being
mounted on a shaft at right angles to the axis of the said rollers, and arranged to
be operated through a suitable spur or other gear-wheel by a rack arranged in its
path, preferably in a position on or in the guide-box or bar corresponding to the
centre of the beater-drum, the length of the said rack being such as to cause the
said rollers to turn sufficiently to bring the uncleaned portion of the leaf, which we
prefer to keep in the middle, under the beaters. During the time when the beaters
are acting on the leaf or the like, and when the said spur-wheel is not in contact
with the rack, the rollers are locked by means of pawls provided with arms or
tail-pieces engaging with a suitably-formed surface, so as to enable the said rollers
to resist the drag of the beaters or the like on the leaf.
We preferably drive the leading-screw for traversing the movable frame carrying
the rollers, and the devices for receiving or taking-off the cleaned fibres from the
swinging rollers, through suitable gearing from the main-shaft carrying the beater-
drum, although, if desired, they may be driven separately.
It is obvious that, if desired, the free ends of the pivots carrying the swinging
rollers may be supported, by allowing them to slide on suitable guide-ways, while
the leaves are being carried past the beaters, and thus reduce the strain on the
pivots of the said rollers."

page_text: It is also obvious that our improved apparatus may be somewhat further
modified without departing from the nature of our said invention.
Dated the 8th day of December 1894.
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements relating to the Extraction, Cleaning, and Preparation
of Vegetable Fibres, and to Apparatus therefor.
We, SYDNEY SHORTER, of Suffolk House, Laurence Pountney Hill, Cannon
Street, in the City of London, Merchant, and SAMUEL STANBRIDGE, of 67, Seaford
Road, South Tottenham, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, 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 :-
Our invention relates to the extraction and cleaning of vegetable fibres and to
the preparation of the same for industrial uses, and has for its chief object the
provision of an apparatus for this purpose which shall be more simple in con-
struction, more rapid and automatic in its operation and more efficient in practical
use than those heretofore devised.
In the apparatus hitherto devised for this purpose, it has been necessary, in order
to treat the whole of the leaves or other parts of the plants containing the fibres,
either to effect the cleaning in two operations by means of a single cleaning or
heating wheel, the leaves or the like being, in this case, shifted by hand between.
the two operations; or to employ two cleaning or beating wheels, the leaves or the
like being subjected to the action of these wheels successively, so that the portion
of the leaves or the like which cannot be cleaned in the first operation will be.
cleaned in the succeeding operation.
Our invention comprises a method of providing for the treatment of the whole
of the leaves or other fibrous materials by means of a single beating or cleaning
wheel in one operation, by the employment of means for automatically altering the
position of the leaves or other materials, relatively to their supporting devices,
whilst they are being acted upon by the beaters or the like. A considerable.
economy is thus effected in respect of both time and hand labour.
Our said invention also comprises means whereby the leaves or other materials
are automatically seized by the feed-mechanism of the machine, brought into and
held in position to be operated upon by the beaters or the like and then released.
For this purpose we employ rollers which are so arranged that they close together
and seize between them the material to be treated, then carry the said material
across the path of the beaters, and then open out to release the cleaned fibres. For
the purpose of changing the position of the material relatively to these rollers so as
to permit the cleaning of the part of the material previously held between them,.
the said rollers are rotated about their axes after they have been moved through
a predetermined distance across the machine; the part of the material previously
held between the rollers is thus brought into position to be acted upon by the
beaters.
Our said invention also comprises other improvements hereinafter described.
In the accompanying drawings we have shown how our said invention may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice :-
Figure 1 is a side elevation, and
Figure 2 a plan showing one form of our improved apparatus.

page_text: Figure 3 is a plan of the slide-box detached, showing the sliding frame or
carriage in the position which it occupies when commencing to turn the swinging
rollers hereinafter described.
Figure 4 is an underside view of the said slide-box, showing the internal toothed
racks.
Figure 5 is a front elevation of the said slide-box and sliding carriage.
Figure 6 is a longitudinal central section, and
Figure 7 a transverse section on the line a, a, Figure 6, showing the sliding
carriage.
Figure 8 is a front elevation, and
Figure 9 a side elevation, showing another form or modification of our improved
apparatus.
Figure 10 is a side elevation, partly in longitudinal central section, and
Figure 11 a plan, both drawn to an enlarged scale, illustrating details of
construction.
Figure 12 is a side clevation showing the parts in a different position.
Figure 13 is a section on the line a, x, Figure 9, showing the interior of the
slide-box.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings."
A is the frame of the machine; B is the main-shaft carrying the drum or
framework C on which are mounted the beaters a for cleaning the fibres;
this
shaft B is driven by belting through the pulley bor in any other suitable manner.
from a steam-engine or other convenient source of power. Suitable brushes or the
like may, if desired, be provided on the drum or frame C in addition to the
beaters a according to the particular class of vegetable fibrous material to be
operated upon. In front of the beaters a is fixed a curved guard, shield or
scutching-board C against which the vegetable material is supported whilst being
acted upon by the beaters. D is a slide-box which is mounted on brackets A¹
attached to the frame A and which is so arranged that its guiding surfaces shall
lie parallel to the operative edges of the beaters a, brushes or the like. A frame
or carriage E is arranged to be moved backwards and forwards on the slide-box D
by means of a leading-screw F having two threads cut thereon, one of the said
threads being right-handed and the other left-handed. The helical grooves of this
screw pass one into the other at each end of the screw by means of a suitable
curved path so that the said screw serves to continuously reciprocate the carriage E
along the slide-box D by means of a segmental nut c pivotally secured to the said
carriage E. Rotary motion is imparted to the screw F from the main-shaft B by
means of a worm d on the said shaft geared with a worm-wheel e on a shaft f
mounted in suitable bearings on the frame A; the shaft drives by means of
bevel gearing, g', a third shaft g from which motion is communicated to the
leading-screw F through gear-wheels g², F¹. The leading-screw F is thus rotated
continuously in one direction and causes the carriage E to move backwards and
forwards along the slide-box D as the segmental nut c traverses either the right-
handed or left-handed screw-threads on the leading screw F. It is obvious that,
if desired, other suitable mechanism may be employed for automatically recipro-
cating the sliding carriage, for example, the leading-screw may be made with
a single thread and be provided with means for reversing the direction of its
rotation at the proper times.
In the carriage E is mounted a roller G adapted to be intermittently rotated as
bereinafter described. At each end of the said carriage is pivotally mounted
a vertical shaft, provided, at its upper end with a gear wheel ' and at its lower
end with a piece, in which is rigidly secured an arbor k. Rollers H, H', are
fitted to rotate on the arbors k which are so arranged that, when either of the
shafts his in the operative position, the corresponding roller H or H¹ will be
parallel to and in contact with the roller G so that the leaves or other fibrous
materials to be treated will be held between the contiguous rollers. Grooves or
slots are formed in the. pieces at the opposite side to that at which the

page_text: arbors are attached, these grooves being adapted to receive tenons k¹ provided at
the free ends of the arbors k, so that when, for example, the roller H is in contact
with the roller G, the tenon k, at the end of its arbor k, rests in the slot in the
piece on which the roller H' is mounted, as shown in Figures 5 and 6,
the inoperative roller H being meanwhile extended beneath the slide-box D in a
line with the operative roller H. The arrangement is similar when the roller H¹ is
in contact with the roller G and the roller H the inoperative one.
By thus
supporting the free ends of the arbors k, any undue strain thereon or on the shafts h,
is prevented when the rollers H, H' are supporting the leaves or other vegetable
material to be cleaned as hereinafter described. Other suitable devices may
however be employed for this purpose; for example, the free ends of the arbors
carrying the swinging rollers may slide on suitable guide-ways.
In order to lock the pieces j carrying the rollers H, Hin either of the above'
described positions and to release them at the proper times, a slide K is provided
working in guides on the carriage E, which. slide carries bolts m sliding in suitable"
guides or recesses in the body of the carriage E and adapted to enter holes * in
opposite sides of the pieces so that the said pieces and the rollers H, H' mounted"
thereon can be locked in either of two positions at an angle of 180° to one another.
The slide K is provided at its upper end with an arm or projection K¹ whereby it"
may he raised at the proper times as hereinafter described to release the pieces j,
it being normally held in its lowermost position by means of the spring.n.
The rollers G, H and H are adapted to be simultaneously turned about their"
axes so as to alter the position of the leaves or other fibrous materials with respect
to the beaters, as follows, viz. :-In the sliding carriage E are provided sleeves p
turning freely on the shafts h, these sleeves have gear-wheels prigidly secured
thereon and geared with similar wheels formed at each end of the roller G and at
the inner end of each of the rollers H, H'. The teeth on the gear-wheels pl are
nade of such width that each of the said gear-wheels engages with both the gear-
wheel formed at the end of the roller G nearest thereto, and the gear-wheel formed"
at the end of the swinging roller H or H' adjacent to it, as the case may be.
Motion is imparted to the intergeared system of rollers G, H, Has hereinafter
described through a gear-wheel p provided at the upper end of one of the"
sleeves p; in the machine shown it is attached to the sleeve driving the roller H.
It is obvious that, instead of the gear-wheels p', pairs of bevel or mitre wheels
engaging with similar wheels ou the ends of the rollers may be employed if found
necessary.
The several devices above described are operated by the motion of the
sliding carriage E relatively to the slide-box D in the mauner hereinafter set.
forth viz. :-
Considering first the rotation of the rollers G, H, H' about their own axes:-
The gear-wheel on the sleeve p projects up into the interior of the slide-box D
and engages, when the carriage E is in the middle of the length of the slide-box,
with a rack q secured to the said slide-box, this rack being of sufficient length to
turn the pair of rollers, in which the leaf or the like is held, through such a number'
of turns as to bring all parts of the said leaf under the action of the beaters.
This turning of the rollers takes place in different directions according to the
direction in which the sliding carriage is travelling.
The swinging rollers H H are alternately brought into their operative position
with respect to the roller G at or near each end of the travel of the carriage E by
means of the gear-wheels on the shafts h. These gear-wheels extend up into the
iuterior of the slide-box D higher than the gear-wheel p2 and are operated by'
means of two pairs of racks r, r, one pair being arranged at each end of the slide-
box D. The said racks are mounted in suitable ways in the interior of the
slide-box D and are provided with guides moving in apertures formed in
the walls of the said slide-box; the racks r, r¹ at each end of the slide-box D, are
connected by means of links to pins on the under side of a disc s pivotally
mounted in the slide-box D. On the upper side of each of the discs s is provided a

page_text: projection rigidly fixed thereto, and a spring-pawl u, the motion of which is
limited in one direction by means of a stop ul. The spring-pawl u is operated by
the leading end E³ of the carriage E, as it approaches the end of its travel, so as to
turn the discs and thus bring the racks r, r' at that end of the slide-box D into
engagement with the gear-wheels h'. When the rollers H, H¹ have been inter-
changed in position beneath the roller G, a projection E3 on the other side of the
carriage E engages the arm or projection t to turn the discs back to its original
position and retract the racks r, 1 so as to permit the passage of the gear-
wheels has the carriage E commences a fresh stroke or passage along the
slide-box D; for this purpose the projection E2 is made of such length as to pass
the spring-pawl u before the projection E³ comes into contact with the arm t.
As the carriage E moves on the said fresh stroke, the inner edge of the
projection E2 again engages the spring-pawl u but in this case the spring thereof
enables the said pawl to yield and return to its normal position after the passage of
the said projection, E.
The slide K is raised to release the swinging rollers H, H' during their motions
above described, by means of an inclined projection formed on a rod a pivotally
mounted on the upper surface of the slide-box D. This projection is so formed as
to engage with the underside of the arm K and raise the said slide K as the
carriage E approaches the end of the slide-bar D, as shown in Figure 3, but when
the carriage E moves from the end of the said slide-bar, the arm K' passes
under the projection v raising the pivoted bar v¹.
L, L are tables or rests along which the leaves or other material are fed and
supported as hereinafter described, the said tables being provided with crushing
rollers M driven from the main-shaft B through the bevel-gearing M', shafts M³,
and worm-gearing M³ or in any other suitable manner.
The operation of our improved apparatus is as follows:-The leaves or other
vegetable materials to be treated are first passed through the crushing rollers M
and then laid over the ends of the tables L so that about half of their length hangs
down in front of the slide-box D. In the movement of the sliding carriage E as
indicated by the arrow in Figure 3, the roller G is moved into position behind the
overhanging leaves and the rollers H, H' are swung about their pivots in opposite
directions so that the said leaves are seized or gripped between the roller H₁ and
the roller G, whilst the roller H carries away from the roller G the leaves just
cleaned, which leaves are then removed by an attendant or automatically by means
of a suitable taking-off or receiving device, such as a revolving or reciprocating
arm or arms, as desired. The leaves seized by the roller H' are then caused, by
the movement of the carriage E in the reverse direction, to pass between the
beater drum C and the scutching-board C, where the pulpy part of the leaves is
removed, a stream of water being preferably allowed to pass over the same from a
row of jets along the upper edge of the said scutching board. The said scutching
board is provided with guides or ways C2 for conducting the free ends or parts of
the leaves, after the said leaves have been seized by the rollers, towards the beater-
drum. As the leaves pass in front of the beaters a, the rollers G, H' are turned
about their horizontal axes by means of the rack g sufficiently to bring in front of
the beaters the uncleaned portions of the leaf, that is to say, the portions thereof
which could not be reached by the beaters. When the leaves have thus been
moved across the machine, they are discharged by the swinging inwards of
the roller H', the roller H at the same time seizing a fresh quantity of leaves.
The sliding carriage E then travels back across the machine and the above
described operations are repeated automatically, an attendant keeping the tables or
rests supplied with fresh leaves as required.
By imparting a transverse movement to the leaves or other materials whilst being
acted upon by the beaters or the like, we cause the fibres thereof to rotate or twist
slightly about their own axes, and thus ensure that the whole of their exterior
surface shall be thoroughly, cleaned or freed from the pulpy portions.
It is obvious that the sliding carriage may, if desired, be provided with two

page_text: scutching-board or table C¹ so as to be brought in frout of the beaters a and
brushes a'. After entering the slide-box D and before they reach the gear-
wheel R, the rollers G, H are prevented from turning by means of a spline or
feather D which enters one of the spaces between the teeth ou the roller H and
prevents the same from turning as the beaters act on the leaves or other materials
to be cleaned; if desired, this feather may be allowed to slide against the pressure
of a suitable spring, similarly to the wheel R.
The cleaned fibres, after being released at the other end of the slide-box D by
the opening of the rollers H on the wheel P, are carried over the said wheel and
fall out into a truck or other receptacle placed beneath the said wheel to
receive them.
If desired the mechanisın for driving the shaft w, the shaft f, the leading-
screw and other parts may be operated separately, as may also the devices for
taking-off the cleaned fibres from the swinging rollers. Or they may be operated
in any other suitable manner. The rollers may be plain, toothed, polygonal or of
other suitable form.
It is, moreover obvious that our improved apparatus may be somewhat further
modified without departing from the nature of our said invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is
First. The herein described method of providing for the treatment of the whole
of the leaves or other vegetable fibrous materials hereinbefore referred to, by means
of a single beating or cleaning wheel in one operation, by the employment of means
for automatically changing the position of the leaves or other materials relatively
to their supports during the cleaning operation.
Second. A machine for the purposes above specified, wherein the material to be
treated is carried across the path of the beaters by rollers which close together at
one side of the machine to grasp the said material, are turned about their axes
after they have moved a predetermined distance across the machine, to permit the
cleaning of that part of the material previously held between them, and open-out at
the other side of the machine to release the cleaned fibres.
Third. In a machine for the purposes above specified, the employment of a
carriage or carriages arranged to move transversely, to the feeding table and pro-
vided with swinging or pivoted rollers which operate during the movement of the
carriage to take the materials off the feeding table and present the same to the
action of the beaters, and to release them after they have been acted upon by
the said beaters, substantially. as hereinbefore described.
Fourth. The combination of the rollers for supporting the fibrous materials to be
treated, means for moving the said rollers transversely across the machine, and
means for turning the said rollers about their axes during a portion of their
transverse movement, substantially as, and for the purposes, above specified.
Fifth. The improved machine constructed substantially as described with
reference to Figures 1 to 7, or with reference to Figures 8 to 13 of the drawings
and operating as, and for the purposes, above specified.
Dated this 8th day of October 1895.
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants..

page_text: stationary or non-swinging rollers, one for each swinging roller, these pairs of
rollers operating alternately, one pair being open and the other pair closed, during
the travel of the carriage in one direction and vice versa during the travel of the
carriage in the reverse direction. And the said swinging rollers may, if desired.
be arranged above or at the side of the stationary rollers instead of beneath the
same as shown.
In some cases we find it advantageous, instead of reversing the direction of
motion of the carriage at each end of its travel; to provide a circular or endless.
slide-box or bar and to cause a series of carriages to travel around it continuously
in one direction in any suitable manner. In this case the mechanism for retracting
the racks may be dispensed with, since the carriages do not require to travel back
past them as above described, moreover only one swinging roller will be necessary
for each stationary roller.
To prevent turning of the rollers G, H, H' when the spur-wheel p² is not in
contact with the rack 9, we sometimes provide for locking the said rollers by means
of pawls provided with arms or tail-pieces engaging with a suitably formed surface
on the slide box or bar, so as to enable the said rollers to resist the drag of the
beaters or the like on the leaf.
In Figures 8 to 13 we have shown a modification of our said invention in which
the slide-box D is open on the inner side and in which a series of carriages E are
employed, the said carriages being connected as hereinafter described so as to form
a continuous chain. This chain is supported on wheels P, P¹ mounted on brackets A*
and is fed through the slide-box D by means of the wheel P which is driven from
the main-shaft B through the worm d, worm-wheel e and shaft f. The arbor Q of
each stationary roller G is rigidly secured at one end in the corresponding carriage E.
and its other end is pivotally attached at Q' to one side of the adjacent carriage E.
The swinging rollers H are corrugated, as are also the rollers G, and turn on
arbors pivotally mounted in projections E on the carriage E. Each arbor k is
provided with a forked tail-piece k² having slots k³ through which extend a pin.Q³
on the arbor Q of the roller G of the adjacent pair of rollers. The distance between
the pin Q2 and the pivot Q and the length of the tail-piece k² are so arranged, as
shown for example in Figures 10 to 12, that the swinging rollers H will be swung
out or opened as the chain bends in passing around the chain-wheels P, P' and,
when the chain is straightened out, the swinging rollers H are pressed closely
against the rollers G by the pressure of the pins Q on the tail-pieces k³, as shown
in Figure 10.
For the purpose of turning the rollers G, H, about their axes, as they pass
through the slide-box D in front of the beaters, we provide a gear-wheel R adapted
to gear with the teeth or corrugations on the rollers H, this gear-wheel being
mounted on a shaft w so as to be free to slide longitudinally thereon between two
stops w¹, w². The said gear-wheel is normally held against the stop w¹ by means
of a spiral spring R' and is prevented from turning relatively to the shaft w by
means of a feather working in a slot or by other well-known or suitable means.
Rotary motion is imparted to the shaft w from the shaft through the bevel-
wheels 2, S1, shaft S, bevel-wheels S2, T, and gear-wheels T', w, the bevel-wheel T
and gear-wheel T₁ being connected and turning on a stud T2. As the rollers H
are carried along the slide-box D, they come into engagement with the gear-wheel R
and are turned thereby as required; should it happen, however, that the teeth on
the gear-wheel R do not register with those on the roller H, the wheel R will yield
or slide longitudinally, compressing the spring R', until the wheel R has been
turned sufficiently to bring the teeth of the one into alignment with the spaces of
the other, damage to the apparatus is thus prevented.
The leaves or other materials to be cleaned are, in this case, laid on a feeding
table L which is provided with a slot or aperture L² through which the rollers H
As the
pass before they close against the rollers G and enter the slide-box D.
ends of the leaves fall down they are guided into position over the lower edge D¹ of
the slide-box D by means of a guiding horn C2 formed on the end or edge of the