IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DIVIDING AND SOFTENING VEGETABLE FIBRES
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Spence, of 50, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR DIVIDING AND SOFTENING VEGETABLE FIBRES."-A com-
munication from abroad by Felix Sorin, of 31, Rue des Fossés Mont-
martre, Paris, in the Empire of France.
Sealed the 28th February 1862, and dated the 6th September 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Spence at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 6th
September 1861.
I, WILLIAM SPENCE, of 50, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DIVIDING AND SOFTENING VEGETABLE FIBRES,"
(being a communication from abroad by Felix Sorin, of 31, Rue des Fossés,
Montmartre, Paris, in the Empire of France), to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object the dividing and softening or rendering
supple of various kinds of vegetable fibres. For this purpose there is used a
machine or apparatus consisting of a revolving cylinder with longitudinal grooves
on its circumference surrounded by a stationary circular case, having grooves
on its internal surface, the material to be operated upon being introduced into
the space between the said cylinder and its surrounding case. There is an
opening in the upper part of the case through which the material is intro-
duced into the machine, and over a portion of which is fixed a hinged flap

page_text: worked by an excentric and rod from the driving shaft, so as to draw in the
material to be operated upon at one part of the revolution of the excentric, and
to throw it out of the case after being operated upon at another part of the saine.
The case is kept in its required position by means of springs having suitablo
bearings external to the case. The longitudinal grooves on the circumference of
the cylinder and on the internal surface of the case respectively are, by preference,
semicircular, and the space between the cylinder and the case may be varied
to suit the nature of the material to be operated upon. In some cases the
surfaces of the cylinder and the case may be smooth instead of grooved, and
the material may be soaked in water before being passed through the machine
in order to facilitate the process of dividing and softening the fibres.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Spence in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
4th March 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
SPENCE, of 50, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent,
send greeting.
WHEREAS IIer most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Spence, Her special license that I, the said William Spence, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Spence, my 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 APPA-
BATUS POR DIVIDING AND SOFTENING VEGETABLE FIBRES," being a communication
from abroad by Felix Sorin, of 31, Rue des Fossés, Montmartre, Paris, in
the Empire of France, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
William Spence, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should
particularly describo 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Spence, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to
the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention of "Improvements in Apparatus for Dividing and Softening
Vegetable Fibres," has for its object the dividing and softening or rendering
supple of various kinds of vegetable fibres. For this purpose there is used a
machine or apparatus consisting of a revolving cylinder with longitudinal
grooves on its circumference, surrounded by a stationary circular case having
longitudinal grooves on its internal surface, the material to be operated upon
being introduced into the space between the said cylinder and its surrounding
case. There is an opening at one side of the case, through which the material
is introduced into the machine over an endless feeding cloth or apron, so as by
the revolution of the cylinder to draw in the material to be operated upon at
one side of the case, and to throw it out thereof after being operated upon at
the upper part of the same on to an inclined plane. The case is kept in its
required position by means of springs having suitable bearings external to the
case or by means of weights. The longitudinal grooves on the circumference
of the cylinder, and on the internal surface of the case respectively are, by
preference, semicircular, and the space between the cylinder and the case may
be varied to suit the nature of the material to be operated upon. In some
cases the surfaces of the cylinder and the case may be smooth instead of
grooved or roughened, and the material may be soaked in water before being
passed through the machine in order to facilitate the process of dividing and
softening the fibres.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention, I will proceed to
describe more particularly in what manner the same is to be performed by
reference to the accompanying Drawings, in which is represented the machine
or apparatus above referred to.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is an end elevation, partly in section; and Fig. 2 is a longitudinal
section of the machine.
A is the revolving cylinder, with longitudinal grooves on its circumference ;
B is the stationary case, within which the cylinder turns, and which is also
grooved longitudinally on its internal surface. The grooves both of the cylinder

page_text: The fibres intended to be treated are first laid on an endless cloth or apron a,
driven by a střap or chain set in motion from the axle c of the cylinder A.
This endless cloth or apron has its tension regulated by means of an adjusting
screw & passing through the bracket c. The fibres of hemp, or flax, or other
material previously placed on the endless cloth or apron a are drawn into the
space between the revolving cylinder A and the stationary case B, when by
the revolution of the cylinder the fibres are divided and softened, or rendered
supple between the grooves or roughened surfaces, and are deposited as they
leave the case on to an inclined plane f.
In the Drawings the rotary motion is represented as given to the cylinder A
by the following means:-On the axle c of the cylinder A is fixed a toothod
wheel 9, which gears with another wheel h fixed on an axle i, on which is a
pulley driven by the strap communicating with the prime mover; j* is a
loose pulley. But this mode of driving the cylinder A may be varied and
arranged so as to drive it from the circumference instead of from the centre
by means of an internal toothed wheel fixed inside it, and gearing with the
pinion on the axle of the driving pulley. The power of the cylinder A may
bo varied by means of a roller on the end of its axle, and its speed by
changing the gearing wheels. The case B is held by braces m to a metal
hoop n, which is fixed to the frame o of the machine. This case is kept as
close to the cylinder A, as is required, by means of chains or cords p with
weights r. The case might also be held by means of hoops s, shewn in red
lines, such hoops being provided with springs t, which press on the outer cir-
cumference of the case, and keep it nearer to or farther from the cylinder, as
required. The space between the case and the cylinder may be parallel, but
experience has shown that it is preferable to make their respective grooved
or roughened surfaces nearer to each other at the ends of the case and cylinder
than in the middle thereof.
The operation of the machine is as follows:-The material deposited on the
endless cloth or apron a falls into the space between the revolving cylinder A
and the stationary case B, in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1.
The fibres are successively divided and drawn between the grooves, and when
they reach the upper part of the cylinder are thrown out and deposited on the
inclined plane f. If it be required to obtain a very fine material the fibrous
substances may be soaked for a certain length of time before submitting them
to the action of the cylinder, they are then passed through the machine in a
wet or damp state, then on leaving the machine they are dried, and are passed
through it again in a dry state.
Although the use of a machine constructed so as to produce a continuous

page_text: effect appears to be preferable for the purpose, yet plane or bent surfaces with
a reciprocating rectilinear movement might be substituted for the cylinder A
and circular case B, such surfaces being grooved in a manner similar to those
of the cylinder and case. Machines of various dimensions may be used, such
machines being worked either by mechanical power or by hand. The cylinder
and the case and the framework may be constructed of wood or of metal.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, communicated to
me from abroad, as aforesaid, I hereby declare that what I claim as of the
Invention is,
-
First, the dividing and softening of vegetable fibres by submitting them to
the process of rolling, sliding, and rubbing between surfaces grooved or rough-
ened or even smooth, such surfaces or surface having either both, or one or
the other, a continuous rotary motion, or a reciprocating motion applied to
them or it.
And, secondly, the combination of the parts of the machine composed of a
moving cylinder and a stationary case, both with grooved or roughened sur-
faces with an endless feeding cloth or apron (or the material may be fed in by
hand), whereby the fibres become divided and softened by passing between the
said surfaces in a direction parallel to the fibres, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Spence, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Fourth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
Witness,
WALTER W. CLARE,
Clerk to G. B. Coulcher,
Law Stationer,
50, Chancery Lane.
WILLIAM SPENCE. (L.S.)