CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF HEMP AND FLAX
Year: 1846

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
BRETT SCHENCK, late of the City of New York, in the United States of
America, but now residing at Fitzroy Square, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, send greeting
WHEREAS Iler present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Hei
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain and Ireland,
bearing date at Westminster, the Seventeenth day of November, in the tenth
year of Ile reign, did, for Herself, Hei heirs and successors, give and giant
unto me, the said Robert Biett Schenck, Her especial license, full power, sole
privilege and authority, that I, the said Robert Brett Schenck, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, and such others as I, the said Robert Brett
Schenck, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term of
years therein mentioned, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and in
all Her Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, and in the Islands of
Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and Man, an Invention of " CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF HEMP AND FLAX," being a communication
from a Foreigner residing abroad; in which said Letters Patent is contained
a proviso obliging me, the said Robert Brett Schenck, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, particularly to describe and ascertain the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, and to cause the same to be inrolled in Her Majesty's High Court
of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the date

page_text: of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, referenc
being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the sai
Robert Brett Schenck, do hereby declare that the nature of the said Invention
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, is particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference being
had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon (that is to say) :-
process of
This Invention of Improvements in the Preparation of Hemp and Flax consist
in subjecting such fibrous materials to a series of processes, whereby the fibres
fit for spinning may be separated from the woody portions of the plants, and ren-
dered fit to undergo the heckling or combing process. That part of the
preparing hemp and flax to which the Invention refers may be thus defined.
First, I propose to take the flax or hemp (the operation for both plants being
precisely similar) as it is brought from the field, and at once submit it to a
novel process of water retting, in order to destroy the resin or gummy matter
contained in the plant, and allow the fibres to be readily separated. When
the flax is brought to this state I next submit it to a machine of a new
construction, wherein the woody portions are broken away and separated from
the useful fibres. And, to complete the operations which I contemplate, I
lastly submit the flax to a machine, whereby the fibres are more minutely
divided, and the short fibres or tow, the dust, and other extraneous matters
contained in the flax, are removed Instead of acting upon the flax imme-
diately it is taken from the field, my improved process of retting may be applied
with equal advantage to the plant in a dried state, say of one or more years'
growth. The improvements connected with the first or retting process com-
prises the application of chemical means, governed in their operation by
mechanical arrangements, whereby the resinous o glutinous matter which
attaches the hind" or fibics to the stem of the rough plants is dissolved,
and the cohesion of the fibies to the wood or stem is destroyed. This is
effected in a short time, at a small cost, and at all seasons of the year, without
loss of the useful paits by putrefaction on the one hand, and also without loss
by an incomplete abstraction of the fibre from the woody matter, and also
without breakage of the fibre, or any injury to the natural strength of the
plant. As the technical term "lint" is commonly applied to the fibrous
portions of rough hemp and flax, and the term "boon" is usually applied to
the woody part of the stem, these terms will be so applied in the subsequent
description
The second part of these improvements comprises a new arrangement
of

page_text: mechanical means, by which the "boon" is broken up and most effectively
separated from the lint" without breaking or wasting the fibre, and in such
a manner that far less tame and labor is needed in the operation than by any
other known process
The third part of the process comprises an arrangement of peculiar formed
rotating beaters in connection with a fan or blower, by means of which the
operation, technically known as "scutching," is performed, and the material
is delivered in a fit state for the market.
The constructive anangement and combinations of the machinery, and parts
employed in these operations, are exhibited in the accompanying Drawings.
In Sheet I. I have shewn, in several views, the apparatus necessary for
carrying out the first part of these improvements.
Figure 1 represents the foundation framework of a wooden vat or vessel,
which may be any convenient size, but is proportioned as about ninety feet
long, ten and a half feet wide, and about five feet deep. This vat may, for
convenience, be sunk in the earth to nearly its own depth, if it can be
conveniently emptied at such a level. Figure 2 is a side elevation of the
fiaming, and Figure 3 is an end elevation. The Figures 4, 5, and 6 are
referred to hereafter, and in these, and all the Diawings hereafter described,
the same letters and numbers of reference used therein apply to the like parts
in all the Figures.
a, a, are the cross tiniber sleepers, forming the lower foundation of the vat,
b, b, are posts, dovetailed or otherwise secured at their lower ends to the
timbers a, a. About every third post is made from one fourth to one thud
longer than the others, to receive a set of cross ties c, c, on their upper end, to
keep the sides of the vat fiom bulging out; these cross ties may serve also to
support a light roof, it deemed needful. When thus fitted, the bottom, sides,
and ends of the tank are to be well planked and caulked, inside the timbers,
up to the height of the longitudinal bars d, which bais project within the vat
over the planking, for a use hereafter mentioned. 12, is an horizontal water
pipe, shewn in plan view at Figure 5, and having holes or perforations on cach
side, as at k, k, to allow of the exit of water supplied to the pipe by the
descending vertical pipe 3. connected with one or more cisterns, set at a
sufficient height for the water to descend into and fill the vat In Figure 5
a pipe and branch are shewn that are to form a connection with a boilcı, from
which steam is to be admitted into a metal pipe g, g, laid along the bottoni of
the vat from the point p to the other end, and returning by an elbow, to form
two parallel lengths This pipe is laid on a gentle slope fiom the part h, to

page_text: allow the water of condensation to run off at the other or open end *Above
the pipes g and'i a 'wooden platform m, perforated with a number of holes, as
shewn in Figure 6,-is to be placed,-leaving'a 'small space between the under side
of the platform and the upper side of the pipe i, so that the perforations k, k,
shall allow of the water which enters the pipe i, through the pipe, to flow
freely into the vat;t which water, when the operation of retting is completed, is
to be drawn off by a sluice gate l; made in the end of the vat for that purpose
When thus provided the vat is ready to receive the rough plants of hemp or flax,
which are placed on the perforated platforin m, and piled up to about the height
of the longitudinal bars d; the long timbers e, e, shewn in Figure 4, are then
to be laid on the rough plants, lengthways of the vat, and the timbers f, f, ale
placed across them, the upper part of each end being inserted beneath the
lower edges of the bais d, d. The object of this framing is to keep the plants
from rising as they śwell and enlarge from fomentation while the retting
process is being accomplished. In Figure 4 the suitable proportions for this
fiaming is shewn, which; from the expansion of the retting mass of plants
beneath being very great when unbibing the retting water, would be liable to
break up unless strongly made. It may be proper here to notice that 'wood
without any coloring matter is preferable. to other wood, or to ion, for the
material of the vat, because colored wood or iron will be acted on by the
acetous fermentation next to be described, and discolor the fibres of tlie hemp
or flax The mode of operation is as follows -The hemp or flax being laid
in the vat; water is admitted which; descending through the pipe 7, passes into
the horizontal pipe i, and out of that pipe by the perforations k, k When the
space beneath the platform is filled, the water will rise through the perforations
in the platform, and become equally distributed among and over the 'mass' of
plants in the vat. The supply of water is to be reuewed as it becomes absorbed
by the plants, or is lost by evaporation; in order to keep the plants covered.
Steam is now to be admitted by the valve h, before referred to, and made to
circulate in the pipe g, g, so as to raise the water previously admitted amongst
the plants to about minety degrees of Fahrenheit, and maintain it at a uniform
heat The water when heated immediately begins to dissolve the resinous and
glutinous mucilage which "attaches the "lint" to 'the "boon," and within a
few hours the acetous fermentation will commence; this fermentation speedily
decomposes the resinous matter, and abstracts the color from the "lint" and
"boon," leaving them in a state to be readily separated from each other After
the flax has remained in the vat fiom two and half to three days, the water
Sunchanged. with the mucilage is diawn off by the sluice gate.. and the retted

page_text: plants are taken out, and are either dried in the sun or by. artificial means, the
vat may then' be recharged with other plants,' to be' operated; upon in the same
manner.
"
+1 . **
au, aby
The machine which I employ for operating upon the flax.or hemp, after it
has undergone the preparatory process of water retting, as represented in
several views in Sheet II. of the accompanying Drawings.. Figure 1' is a side
elevation of the machine; Figue 2 is a plan view of the same; and Figure 3
is a sectional elevation, taken through about the middle of the machine.
is the main fiaming for supporting the various parts of the machine, is the
diving shaft, which receives motion from any first mover, and by means of
its pinions c, d, and d, commumeates the same to the moving parts of the
machine
The pinion c gears into a pinion e, mounted on a short shaft, which
has its bearings in the curved bais f. f, bolted to the top of the main framing
of the machine Upon the same shaft as that of the pinion è as a pinion''g,
which communicates motion to a series of pinions h, i, k, mounted also on' short
shafts, having their bearings on the bais f, f At each end of these several
shafts a disc is keyed, and these discs are provided with 'adjustable studs to
carry the pendant arms m, which are attached together at their lower ends in
paus by a coupling rod n, as shown in the detached view at Figure 4. These
1ods n have eyes formed in them to allow-of a cylindrical guide o.passing
through them Of these guides there are four pairs, one for each pair of
pendant arms, and they are affixed by nuts capable of adjustment to curved
slotted bars p, p, which are bolted to the main flaming Immediately below
the pendant arms is a rotary dium mounted on a shaft q, which has its bear-
ings on the main framing. This drum is provided around its periphery with
fixed radiating blades », r, for the purpose to be hereafter explained. s, s; are
honzontal blades or benters attached to the lower end of the pendant arms m,
and by the rotation of the discs (which act as cranks), have an up and down
motion communicated to them which motion is so timed with regard to the
1otation of the drum as to allow of the blades or beaters s coming down
suddenly into the space between the blades r, and rising quickly to permit the
continuous 1otation of the <lrum t. t, aic' two pairs of feeding 1ollers, which
receive the flax or hemp to be acted upon fiom an endless travelling apion u, u
These rollers are weighted, as shewn in the Drawings, by a double lever
attached to the framing, but it is obvious that any other convenient mode may
be employed. Rotary motion is communicated to these parts in the following
manner -On the driving pulley side of the machine (see the plan view,
Figure 2), a wheel vis mounted on a stud projecting from the framing This
wheel gears into the wheel d on the mam driving shaft, and being also 111

page_text: gear with a wheel w, keyed on a shaft x, 1otary motion is communicated to that
shaft, which, having on its other end a pinion y gearing into a large cog wheel,
rotary motion is transmitted thereto. On the shaft of the wheel z a pinion 1
is also mounted, which gears into a cog wheel 2, mounted on the axle of the
lower roller of the pair of feeding rollers t¹. This same axle also carries a
pinion 5 (see Figure 3), for actuating the travelling apion and the feed rollers.
The rotation of this pinion 5 drives a pinion 6, in gear with a pinion 7, which
is mounted on the shaft of the inner roller of the endless travelling apion, and
thus causes the apron to feed in the flax or lemp to the machine. The
pinion 5 also takes into a pinion 8, in gear with a pinion 9 on the axle of the
lower roller of the second pair of rollers t, and the top feeding rollers are cach
provided with a pinion which takes into its respective pinion on the lower
rollers, whereby they are made to tuin in a reverse direction, and carry the
flax or hemp forward into the machine to be acted upon by the knives or
beaters. 10 is a cog wheel mounted on the drum shaft q, and receives 10tary
motion from a pinion 11 mounted on a short stud, supported by the main
framing. This stud also carries a cog wheel 12, which is brought into gear
with the pinion & on the driving shaft b, and thereby communicates 10taly
motion to the drum which carries the blades 1. In this machine the blades r
on the dium, and the beaters s, have all smooth square edges, and the peri-
pheries of the feed rollers t are cylindrical. The action of the machine is as
follows Rotary motion being communicated to the diving shaft b. the
requisite movements are transmitted by the gearing above described to the
vanous parts of the machine, and the flax or hemp being laid lengthways upon
the apron u, is called forward to the feed rollers t', which take it up and
conduct it to the other pair of rollers t In passing between these two paus of
rollers the flax is partially crushed and brought to a thin sheet, in which state
it is received on to the blades r of the notating dium, and carried under the
beaters s These beaters being made to use and fall by the excentric motion
of the studs which attach the upper ends of the pendant arms m to the 1otating
discs, will beat the flax against the edges of the blades 2, and break up the
boon on woody portions of the plant, and completely loosen it from the useful
fibies The flax, after it has passed under the action of all the beaters, is then
taken off the drum by hand, and submitted to the operation of the scutcheı.
I will now describe the machine which I employ for carrying out the thud
and last part of the flax diessing process. This machine is exhibited in
Sheet III of the accompanying Diawings, and is intended for effecting the
operation commonly termed "scutching" the flax after the "boon" has been
broken up, and beaten up by the machine above described.

page_text: Figure 1 is a plan view, the top casing being removed to show the
interior construction; and Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional clevation of the
scutching machine. A, A, is the ground framing, B, B, vertical supports, and
C, C, the cross ties, composing the frame on which the working parts are
mounted D, D, are the fast and loose pullies for commumcating motive
power from any first mover to the diving shaft E, which extends across the
framing, and turns in bearings 1, 1. Upon this shaft, and near each end
thereof, four metal arms F, F, are keyed. for the purpose of carrying four
beaters G, G. These beaters G are formed as shewn in the detached view,
Figure 3, the outer edge, or that which comes in contact with the flax, being
seriated, and on its flat or inner face the beater is provided with a series of
teeth, so set in casting the bais that the two half divisions form respectively a
right and left handed helix, each converging to the centre of the machine.
A right-angled flanch at each end of the bars G, shewn in Figures 2 and 3,
enters an opening in the ends of the arms F', to which they are bolted
II, II, are short diums, secured to the arms F at each end of the beaters, and
are so made that they closely overlap, but do not touch, a druin oi uing I, I,
affixed by flanches to the side fiames B, B. These diums together prevent
the access of any dust from the hemp or flax to the journal boxes 1, 1. The
space within the beaters is enclosed by a square wooden box K, K, which is
supported at its angles by the bais I, and is intended to prevent the access of
any loose lint on tow to the shaft E, or to the journals 1, 1 Lis a hoise or
rest, over which the hemp or flax to be operated upon is land.
beaters is a trunk M, the outer end of which is supported by a small frame,
and its inner end is brought into close connexion with the framing of the
beatei Thus trunk is intended to pass out the tow with the dust or waste
abstracted from the hemp or flax by the action of the beaters. The dust or
waste falls through a giating N, formed lengthwise at the bottom of the trunk,
and the tow is to be arrested upon and taken off the elevated part of this
giating, which projects beyond the trunk M To accelciate this part of the
operation, a pulley P is fitted on one end of the shaft E, and from it a band 2
passes over a pulley 3 on a shaft 4, set in journals and boxes on the sides of
the trunk The shaft 4 canes within the trunk M a fan or blower O, rather
more than half the diameter of the cucle formed by the beaters, and driven at
about four times the speed of the beaters This quick rotation of the fan is
intended to cicate a rapid indraught of air between the beaters, by which
means the tow, dust, and waste separated by the boaters from the material
under operation aic diven forward into the trunk M, where, as before stated,
the dust falls through the grating N, and the tow is carried up the incline of
Beyond the

page_text: "
the grating to be taken. off by hand.. The mode of operating the machine
Is as follows. The workman takes a strick of hemp or flax by one end in his
hands, and lays the loose ends over the hoise L. These are at once operated
upon by the beaters, and the lint or fibies are so separated by the scriated
edge and helical teeth of the beaters that all the small chips or broken pieces
of the "boon" are beaten out, and likewise, the short fibres of tow, with the
waste and dust, are removed therefrom. The workman then "turns ends'
with the stuck of flax, to finish the other part of the strick in the same manner,
and the operation is then completed, leaving the long, staple fibres in a
marketable condition, and fit for the operation of the heckling machine. If it
is desired to clean and comb the tow or waste abstracted from the stricks of
flax or hemp by this operation, the mode of fitting the blower shown in
Figures 4 and 5 may be successfully adopted. In this arrangement the bars
of the grating N and the edges of the blower fans are fitted with spike-formed
teeth, arranged so that those on the blower will pass between the teeth on the
grating. By this micans the tow, while passing from the beaters, will be
combed and cleaned, and the centrifugal force of the blast from the blower will
prevent any adhesion of the tow to the blower teeth
Having now described these improvements in the preparation of hemp
and flax, and the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be
understood that under the first head of my Invention, viz., the water-letting
process, I do not intend to claim the exclusive use of hot water, however it
may be employed, in dissolving the resinous or gummy particles of hemp or
flax, as many attempts have been made with heated solutions of alkali and of
acid to effect the same purpose, and with various results; but that which I
claim, and desue to secure by the above in part recited Letters Patent, is, the
application of hot water (without any chemical ingredients). maintained at a
uniform, or nearly uniform, heat, for steeping hemp and flax, whereby acetous
fermentation, wluch destroys the adherence of the fibres of such plants, is
quickly induced, and thus the time required for the retting process is consi-
derably shortened, the fetid smell arising from the partial decay of the plants,
as is ordinarily the case, is prevented, and the fibies of the plants, not not
being subject to discoloration or decay, are obtained of a better quality, both
in strength and color. I also claim the arrangement of the apparatus
employed for effecting the retting process, as above described, and shewn in
Sheet I.
Secondly, claim the general arrangement of the machinery for breaking
the boon on woody portion of the flax and hemp plants from the useful fibies.
And particularly I claim the employment of the sliding beaters in connection

page_text: Iniolled the Seventeeth day of May, in the year above written