Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 14th May, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 14th Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 16th Mar., 1889
I SAMUEL CRAIG of Liscolman Mills, Dervock in the county of Antrim do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-'
My invention relates to improved means for treating flax or like fibrous material
whereby I separate the ligneous material from the fibre proper and I also soften the
fibre.
In carrying out my invention I employ a series of graduated fluted rollers between
which the flax or other material to be treated is fed from a spread board or otherwise
which may be fitted with partitions or guides for the purpose of enabling the material
to be led to the rollers in divisions or separate streams and these after passing through
one or more pairs of rollers are twisted into the form of ropes or strands by means of
flyers and bobbins or other suitable contrivances or by manual labour.
The ropes or strands are fed through a series of slowly revolving plain or fluted
rollers (which rollers in series as the delivery roller is approached may have accelerated
speeds) into a pair or series of pairs of rings or short tubes placed at short distances
apart and end to end, or the fluted rollers may alternate with each pair of rings so
that the rope is caused to successively pass between the rollers and then through the
rings arranged in a series to meet the varying requirements of different materials or
numbers of pairs of rings could be placed between each pair of rollers.
I construct the rings or tubes with their ends next to the rollers expanded to a
larger diameter and gradually contracting in size to their smallest diameter in such a
manner that the ends next to the roller are funnel shaped so as to form guides to lead
the material through them and prevent undue abrasion and to facilitate the passage of
it through the rings or tubes.
The rings or short tubes are caused by suitable means to rapidly vibrate in opposite
directions or they may have a circular motion imparted to them in such a manner that
each describes a circular path in the reverse direction of the other, while the rope is
passing through them. Owing to the ends of these rings or short tubes being only a
short distance apart the action on the rope is as follows.

page_text: A portion of the rope is retained within each ring or short tube and as such is
quickly vibrating in a direction opposite to the motion of its neighbour the result is
that the portion of rope between the ends of rings or short tubes is subjected to a
simultaneous bending in opposite directions thus causing a disintegrating action on
the ligneous portion of the material, so liberating it from the fibrous part and also
softening the fibre and removing from it dust and extraneous matter.
The accelerating motion of the feed rollers causes the entire length of each rope to
gradually pass through its own series of rings or short tubes so that every part of each
rope is acted upon as it passes through the machinery.
In lieu of the aforesaid rings or short tubes I may employ a series of bars or beaters
placed either horizontally or vertically or otherwise conveniently placed and caused to
rise and fall each alternately with the other, the flax or like material in passing
between them being subjected to a bending and striking action due to the rapid
alternate interlocking motion imparted to the said bars or beaters.
Or I may produce similar results by means of a pair or pairs of flat surfaces or
tables having long ribs or projections formed on each upper and lower face in such a
manner that the projections on the one face interlock with those on the other face
when the surfaces approach each other. The motion having been imparted to them
then the ropes or strands of fibre may be made to traverse between the aforesaid
tables.
Or I may use the action of a beetling engine having suitably constructed beetles
and corresponding indentations formed on the beam, then the ropes or strands being
led along may have the simultaneous rubbing and striking or bending in opposite
directions for the purpose of removing the ligneous part from the fibrous material
when such is twisted or formed into the semblance of rope or twisted strands.
1.do not limit myself to the precise arrangement of mechanism before described in
regard to my peculiar method of treating flax hemp and like fibrous materials in the
raw state.
D

page_text: 1 SAMUEL CRAIG of Liscolman Mills, Dervock, in the county of Antrim do hereby
declare the nature of the above 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 improved means for treating flax or like fibrous material
whereby I separate the ligneous material from the fibre proper and also soften the
fibre.
The accompanying sheet of drawings illustrates the manner in which I prefer to
carry out my invention although I do not limit myself to the details herein
described.
Figure 1. is a side elevation of an apparatus for use in carrying out my invention
and
Figure 2. is a plan of the same.
I employ a series of graduated fluted rollers between which the flax or other material
to be treated is fed from a spread board or otherwise which may be fitted with parti-
tions or guides for the purpose of enabling the material to be led to the rollers in
divisions or separate streams and these after passing through one or more pairs of
rollers are twisted into the form of ropes or strands by means of flyers and bobbins or
other suitable contrivance for effecting this or by means of manual labor.
Referring now to Figures 1 and 2 the ropes or strands a. a. a (though more or less
in number can be treated) are fed through a series of slowly revolving plain or fluted
rollers the top roller being set up against the bottom one by adjustable springs c or
the bearings of the rollers may be weighted, these rollers may be made to
revolve slowly in unison or may have accelerated speeds as the delivery roller is
approached.
The ropes or strands a are fed into a pair or series of pairs of rings or short
tubes d placed at short distances apart and end to end as shewn, or, the rollers may
alternate with each pair of rings or short; tubes d so that the rope is caused to
successively pass between the rollers and then through the rings or short tubes
arranged in a series to meet the varying requirements of different materials—or,
numbers of pairs of rings could be placed between each pair of rollers b.
I construct the rings or tubes with their ends next to the rollers expanded to a
larger diameter and gradually contracting in diameter towards their opposite ends in
such a manner that the ends nearest to the rollers are funnel-shaped so as to form
guides to lead the material through them and prevent undue abrasion and facilitate its
passage through such rings or tubes. These rings or tubes d. d. are caused, by
suitable means such as bars f. working in guides and pivotted to connecting rods
worked from opposite cranks g. g. driven by a pulley / or otherwise, to rapidly vibrate
in opposite directions or they may have a circular motion imparted to them in such a
manner that each describes a circle in an opposite or reverse direction whilst the rope
is passing through them, the ends of the rings or short tubes being but a short distance
apart the action is as follows.
A portion of the rope is retained within each ring or short tube and as this is
quickly vibrating in a direction opposite to that of its neighbour the result is that the

page_text: portion of rope between the ends of the rings or short tubes is subjected to a simul-
taneous bending and straining in opposite directions thus causing a disintegrating
action to be brought to bear upon the ligneous portion of the material, so liberating it
from the fibrous part and also softening the fibre and removing from it dust and
extraneous matters.
The accelerating motion of the feed rollers causes the entire length of each rope
to gradually pass through its own series of rings or short tubes so that every part
of each rope is acted upon as it passes through the machinery.
In lieu of the aforesaid rings or short tubes I may employ a series of bars or
beaters placed either horizontal or vertically or otherwise conveniently placed and
caused to rise and fall each alternately with the other, the flax or like material in
passing between them being subjected to a bending and striking action due to the
rapid alternate interlocking motion imparted to the said bars or beaters.
.
Or, I may produce similar results by means of a pair or pairs of flat surfaces or
tables having long ribs or projections formed on each upper and lower face in such
a manner that such projections on the one face interlock with those on the other face
when the surfaces approach each other; motion being imparted to these tables the
ropes or strands of fibre may be made to traverse between them.
Or I may use the action of a beetling engine having suitably constructed beetles
and corresponding indentations formed on the beam when the ropes or strands being
led along may have the simultaneous rubbing and striking or bending in opposite
directions for the purpose of removing the ligneous. part from the fibrous material
when such is twisted or formed into the semblance of rope or twisted strands.
Rollers e e are placed at the end of the frame and have an accelerated motion from
the driving gear differential from the rollers b. b. so as to keep the strands or twisted
ropes of fibre taut while the shaking or bending action is proceeding.
The treated fibre can then be suitably delivered to any further process or simply
collected.
I do not limit myself to the precise arrangement of mechanism before described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what I
claim is
1. The improved method of treating flax or like fibrous material so as to separate
the ligneous from the fibrous portions consisting in twisting the fibres into the form
of strands or ropes feeding these strands or ropes through revolving rollers into rings,
tubes or equivalent devices, such as described, oscillated; vibrated revolved or recipro-
cated whereby a disintegrating effect is brought to bear upon the strands or ropes
separating the ligneous matter therefrom, whilst a pair or pairs of rollers running at
an accelerated speed keep the twisted strand or rope taut as it issues from the squeezing
rollers, substantially as described.
2. In an apparatus for treating flax or like fibrous material when made into the
form of ropes or strands, the combination of a series of pairs of adjustable rollers
through which the said ropes or strands are passed, vibrating shaking or beating devices
such as d. d or their equivalents and drawing off or tension rollers such as e. e. substan-
tially as and for the purposes described.
Dated this 14th day of February 1889.
POPPLEWELL, COLTON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.