IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR HACKLING AND SCUTCHING FLAX AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Combe, of Belfast, in the County of
Antrim, and Kingdom of Ireland, and James Barbour, of the same
Place, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR HACKLING
AND SCUTCHING FLAX AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES."
Scaled the 31st July 1868, and dated the 3rd February 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Combe and
James Barbour at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 3rd February 1868.
WO, JAMES COMBE, of Belfast, in the County of Antrim, and Kingdom.
of Ireland, and JAMES BARBOUR, of the same Place, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
HACKLING AND SCUTCHING FLAX AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES," to be as
follows:-
In ordinary hackling machines the hackles pass along the fibres from
the line of penetration to the end of the material which is being operated
on, thus tending to accumulate tow, short fibre, and waste as. they'
proceed. Now these improvements consist in actuating hackles in
such a manner that at each time they penetrate the material they

page_text: only act upon a portion of its length, and they can thus be made to
strike into it at right angles and nearer to the nip or holder than has
hitherto been accomplished, the result being to ensure better cutting
or splitting of the fibres and a greater yield of dressed line.
The Invention comprises two arrangements, the first being an addition
to the ordinary vertical sheet machine, and the second being designed
to complete in itself the process of machine hackling, being a new
arrangement for actuating the whole of the hackles; but in both these
parts the principle of the action of the hackles is similar.
The first part of this Invention consists in the addition to the ordinary
vertical sheet machines of a set or pair of hackles to act on each side
of the material between the top sheet rollers and the holders; these
hackles being actuated by a set of cranks and connecting rods in such
a manner that the pins enter and leave the material after passing
along a portion of its length as nearly as possible at right angles to
.the strick.
The second part of this Invention is designed to complete in itself
the process of machine hackling, and consists in a new arrangement
for actuating the hackles. In this arrangement the hackles like those
of the ordinary vertical sheet machine operate upon opposite sides of
the stricks of flax, but instead of acting simultaneously the hackles
on the opposite sides act alternately the one set of hackle pins
advancing as the other set recedes from the pendent flax. This
operation is effected by means of cranks and connecting rods, their
motion being controlled by radius bars which rock upon fixed centres.
The pins are stripped of what little tow or short fibre is made by a
series of bars or wires that are carried by endless sheets, the hackles
moving out and in between them as the sheets pass round. The sheets
with their bars extend some distance below the line where the lowest
hackle recedes, the bars will therefore effectually strip and carry away
from the hackles the tow or short fibre. By means of this arrangement
the advantage of frequent and straight striking in action of the pins
is attained, and by the alternate action of the hackles striking into
the opposite sides of the material and between the sheets of bars
(instead of against pins) the material is softened and the yield and 3
quality of the dressed material is thereby improved. The arrangements
as described can also be used for scutching or softening fibrous materials,
the hackles or pins being in whole or part dispensed with and bars with

page_text: straight or serrated edges put in their place. One design in these
improvements is to imitate the short quick actions on the points of
the hackle pins which is found so effectual in producing fine fibres when
dexterously done by the hands of a good hackler.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Combe and James Barbour in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 3rd August 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JAMES
COMBE, of Belfast, in the County of Antrim, and Kingdom of Ireland,
and JAMES BARBOUR, of the same Place, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of February, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-first
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto us, the said James Combe and James Barbour, Her special
licence that we, the said James Combe and James Barbour, our
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said
James Combe and James Barbour, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
HACKLING AND SCUTCHING FLAX AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES,"
upon the
condition (amongst others) that we, the said James Combe and James
Barbour, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under our, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said James Combe and James Barbour,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement, reference being had to the

page_text: Drawing hereunto annexed and to the letters and figures marked
thereon (that is to say):-
:-
This Invention has reference to two arrangements or methods of
hackling, one of which is also applicable to the scutching of flax and
hemp.
The first part of the Invention consists in the application to ordinary
vertical sheet hackling machines of a set or pair of hackles for acting
upon opposite sides of the material between the ordinary top sheet
rollers and the holders.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section
of so much of a vertical sheet hackling machine with the improvements
applied thereto as will serve to illustrate this part of our Invention.
a, a, are the top rollers; 6 shows the travelling holders, and c the pairs of
hackles which are carried at the end of a series of connecting rods c'.
These rods pass through rocking guide rails which are free to 1
turn upon their bearings to suit the varying positions of the connecting
rods c' when set in action. The rods care respectively connected at c*
to the cranks of shafts c which, rotating in the direction indicated by
the arrows c³, will cause the points of the hackles c to describe a figure
similar to that indicated by the red lines c", entering the flax nearly at 2
right angles to its length and close to the nip of the holder b. The
hackles pass through and along a portion of the length of the strick
of flax and then recede, and any tow that may remain on these hackles c
is taken from them by the ordinary shect hackles a' as they pass over
the top sheet roller a, the passage of the sheet hackles a' being arranged 2
to suit the receding of the introductory hackles c. The object of the
hackles is to split and open the flax and make it more susceptible to
the action of the hackles a' on the ordinary sheets.
The second head of this Invention consists of a new method of
arranging and actuating the hackles, whereby a frequent and straight
striking-in action at right angles or nearly so to the line of the fibres
is given to the pins.
Figures 1 and 2 of the Drawing relate to this improvement. The
hackles d on each side of the strick are carried by vertical bars d³,
together with which and the rails d' they form a pair of frames. These 3
frames are attached at each end of the machine to the ends of horizontal
bars e, which are severally carried by two connecting rods e¹ to which
they are jointed. These rods are connected to and supported by stud

page_text: wheels or cranks e³, to which motion is given in the direction indicated
by the arrows e³, and by the controlling action of the radius arms e*
jointed to the outer connecting rods e', the points of the hackles d are
caused to describe a figure similar to the red lines f, thus entering the
flax nearly at right angles. The frames or sets of hackles & alternately
enter the stricks of flax, one set receding at the bottom of the stricks
after finishing its stroke, and the other entering at the top to commence
the hackling operation. The hackles d enter and recede from the fibre
between stripper bars 9, which are carried round on sheets 9' with a
motion corresponding with the descending hackles d by means of star
and elliptic toothed wheels h, i, or ratchet wheels driven by catches
actuated by the connecting rods e', or by any other suitable contrivance.
When the hackles d enter or come in contact with the material to be
hackled the fibre is not pressed against the opposite pins, as in ordinary
intersecting machines, but against the stripper bars 9 which retain the
fibre during the entrance and passage of the pins d, at the same time
these bars strip the pins of any tow that may have accumulated thereon
during the hackling operation. Owing to the simultaneous action of
all the pins of the hackle frame on the flax a peculiar arrangement
of the pins may be adopted and the lift of the flax holders very much
shortened if not dispensed with altogether in some cases. The hacklo
pins we arrange in groups or gradations of fineness, as shewn in Fig. 2
by the figures which indicate the relative number of pins per inch, so
that with a uniform or quick intermittent motion (of the material)
along the hackles through the machine the cutting becomes gradually
finer, commencing at the end of the strick and gradually working
upwards until the required amount of hackling is accomplished, when
the pins become more open again, finally dressing the ends with a fine
tool. The object of this arrangement of motion and set of pins is to
imitate as nearly as possible the peculiar short and quick action of a
dexterous hand hackler. The pins are effectually stripped of what
little tow or short fibre is made by the stripper bars 9 passing some
distance below the line where the lowest hackle recedes. The arrange-
ments described under this second head can also be used for scutching
or softening flax or other fibrous materials, the hackles or pins being
in whole or in part dispensed with and bars with straight or serrated
edges put in their place.
Tasing now not forth the natu of Insantion

page_text: Substances," and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect,
Iwe wish it to be understood that we do not confine ourselves to the
exact details shown and described, but that under the above in part
recited Letters Patent we claim,-
First. The arrangement described with reference to Fig. 3 of the
Drawing, whereby the hackles are enabled to work close up to the nip
of the holders.
Secondly. The arrangement described with reference to Fig. 1 of the
Drawing for actuating the hackles or scutching tools and for holding
the material whilst being operated upon and clearing the tow from
the tools or hackles.
In witness whereof, we, the said James Combe and James Barbour,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, the Twenty-fifth day of
July, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-eight
JAMES COMBE.
(L.B.)
JAMES BARBOUR. (L.S.)