AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR SOFTENING STRAW
Year: 1886

page_text: I, CHRISTIAN FRIEDRICH RICHTER of Brandenburg on the Havel in the German
Empire, machine maker do hereby declare the nature of my invention for AN
IMPROVED METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR SOFTENING STRAW and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described anḍ ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
My invention relates to an improved method of softening straw and a machine
for carrying this method into effect, and has for its object to soften the straw and
impart to it a greater pliability, smoothness and durability as well as to reduce its
volume considerably.
This object I attain by pressing and at the same time smoothing the straw by
means of suitable machinery when it issues out of or is delivered from the
thrashing machine. The machine I use for this purpose is represented on the
accompanying sheet of drawings, figure 1 showing a side view, figure 2 a front
view and figure 3 a plan of the machine. The drawings are marked with letters
of reference, similar letters denoting similar parts on the different figures.
The machine consists essentially of a pair of rollers W and W₁ to which the
straw to be softened is conducted by a suitable feeding apparatus. On a frame,
which may be made of wood or iron, a feeder A is placed which can turn on the
pivots F and be adjusted by means of a setting device to the height of the straw
delivery of the thrashing machine. The setting device shewn consists of pillars K
with holes into which pegs can be inserted on which the feeder A rests.
feeder A catches the straw thrown out by the thrashing machine and conducts it
by means of the feeding brat B between the rollers W and W. A shake motion
of any ordinary or known kind may be attached to the frame for shaking the
feeder.
The
The machine may be arranged to be driven by hand or power. The lower
roller W is fixed upon the driving shaft and rotates in fixed bearings attached to
or forming part of the frame. The upper roller W' can adjust itself vertically in
the guides FF which also permit it to assume an inclined position or to rise
higher at one end than the other as may be required by the uneven thickness of
the layer of straw between the rollers. The upper roller is pulled downwards by
the weights D on the levers E and E¹ which are respectively connected to the
draw bars Z and Z,

page_text: The straw gets pressed and flattened between the rollers W and Wand
smoothed at the same time, the upper roller being taken round by the material
between the rollers. The guard plates G and G¹ prevent the lateral escape of the
straw from between the rollers. After the straw has been pressed between the
rollers, it is delivered over the bridge H upon the table C, where it can be bound
and forwarded to its further destination.
The straw which has been prepared on this softening machine is well suited for
packing fragile articles and can be more easily cut on chaff cutting machines, as
the feed and cut can be made more uniform. A further important result is the
reduction of its volume, whereby about one third of the space required for carriage
and storage is saved.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I hereby declare that
what I claim is:
(1.) The method of softening straw by means of rollers substantially as and for
the purposes hereinbefore described and set forth.
(2.) The arrangement of machines for softening straw substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated by the drawings.
(3.) In machines for softening straw the arrangement of a feeder adjustable to
the different heights of thrashing machines for the purpose of facilitating the use
of such softening machines in combination with thrashing machines substantially
as hereinbefore described.
D 1004