IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PREPARING AND SPINNING FLAX OR OTHER FIBROUS MATTERS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Augustus Sacré, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of
Belgium, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR PREPARING AND SPINNING FLAX OR OTHER FIBROUS MATTERS."
Sealed the 31st October 1861, and dated the 25th June 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Augustus Sacré at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
25th June 1861.
I, AUGUSTUS SACRÉ, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR PREPARING AND SPINNING FLAX OR OTHER FIBROUS MATTERS," to
be as follows:-
This Invention consists, firstly, in an improved apparatus for dividing and
spreading flax, and which is capable of being placed upon the tables of the
machines called spreaders. This apparatus consists of a cylindrical casing,
into which the flax or other material to be operated upon is fed at both sides,
and after being divided by moveable points, fingers, or stops, is carried down
in small quantities by reciprocating fingers to the lower part of the casing,
where it is deposited on an endless travelling belt, and is acted upon by a
reciprocating forked lever (actuated by a tappet wheel or other suitable
contrivance), which has the effect of spreading it evenly alternately over
both sides of the belt.
The Invention consists, secondly, in the application of a double spiral or
CD071

page_text: screw arrangement to the first preparing machine, for the purpose of doing
away with the pressing rollers which conduct the flax thereto. The fibrous
substance having been laid by the divider and spreader without having been
condensed, is conducted between two rows of gill bars, the drawing operation
is therefore effected without fraying or breaking the flax, as it is entirely
free at the ends.
Thirdly, the Invention consists in the application of a second drawing roller
to the said machine, in order to distribute over two points the great pressure
put upon the flax. By this means a portion of the pressure lost is utilized.
Fourthly, in the application of a pinion mounted upon the said drawing
roller, taking into a wheel which is mounted upon the shaft, on which are
mounted wooden pressing rollers, so that the working of these latter is regular,
and is never stopped by the resistance which might be offered by the flax.
This method has the advantage of diminishing still further the pressure
exerted upon the substance to be drawn.
Fifthly, in the machine for spinning flax in the half wet state of different
lengths, my improvement consists in the inclination to be given to the strick
according to the fineness of the thread to be obtained. In any case, the
ends of the strick of flax are rubbed continuously upon the drawing roller
until they are taken hold of between the pressing rollers.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Augustus Sacré in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
24th December 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, AUGUSTUS
SACRE, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of June, 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 Augustus Sacré, Her special license that I, the said Augustus
Sacré, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Augustus Sacré, 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 "IMPROVE-

page_text: MENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR PREPARING AND SPINNING FLAX OR OTHER FIBROUS
MATTERS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Augustus
Sacré, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should par-
ticularly 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 I, the said Augustus Sacré, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say:
-
This Invention of "Improvements in Machinery for Preparing and Spinning
Flax or other Fibrous Matters," consists, firstly, in dividing and spreading
flax mechanically by a machine, which I call a divider spreader.
Secondly, in the application in duplicate of the spiral or screw gill
arrangement to the first preparatory machine, the object being to do away
with the pressing rollers which condense the flax therein. The fibrous
matter having been laid by the divider spreader without having been
condensed, is conducted between two rows of gill bars. The drawing
operation will, therefore, be effected without breaking or injuring the flax,
as it is entirely free in the pins or gills.
Thirdly, in the application of a second drawing roller to the said
machine, in order to extend over two points the enormous pressure exerted
upon the flax. By this means a portion of the waste pressure is utilized.
Fourthly, in the application of a fixed pinion upon the drawing cylinder,
made to gear into a wheel which is mounted fast upon the shaft upon which
the wooden pressing rolls are mounted, so that the working of these latter
will be regular, and never stopped by the resistance which might be offered
by the flax. This method possesses the advantage of still further diminish-
ing the pressure exerted upon the matter operated upon for the drawing
operation.
Fifthly, in the machine for spinning flax in the half wet state of different
lengths, my improvement consists in the inclination to be given to the strick
according to the fineness of thread required to be obtained. In any case the
ends of the stricks of flax rub constantly against the drawing cylinder until
they are taken hold of between the pressing rollers. The machine is so
constructed as to give these various inclinations.
Description of the flax divider and spreader.-This machine is intended to

page_text: divide and spread flax of a length of from seven to twelve inches It is so
constructed as to be capable of being placed upon the table of the machines
called spreaders, with four slivers. Each machine is composed of four
perfectly distinct movements.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1, Sheet I., represents one of the
machines in side elevation, and Fig. 8 is an elevation of a pair of machines
combined together; a train of gearing 1, 2, 3, communicates motion to the
shafts c, c, (Fig. 1). A rack 4 with its roller 5 transmits motion to each of
the machines, and is actuated by a crank, which forms part of the mechanism
under the table, as shewn in Fig. S. This under gearing is set in motion by
means of a pulley 6 (Fig 8), which is in communication with another pulley S
by means of a driving band. The gearing 7 connects the whole of the machine
with the spreader, or other gearing consisting of several wheels of different
diameters may be substituted therefor; and as this would drive the
machinery at a greater or less speed, the flax may be spread more or less
close, according to the greater or less length of the flax.
Fig. 2 (Sheet II.) is a transverse vertical section of the apparatus, and
Fig. 3 (Sheet III.) is a longitudinal vertical section of the same. The flax
is placed for each of the slivers in the grooves, shown by the arrows,
Figures 2 and 3.
A, A, is the framing; B, the cross pieces or traverses. The parts for
effecting the different movements are placed inside the framing. The first
movement (drawn in red in Figures 2 and 3) is composed, first, of cams or
excentrics c, fixed by a nut b (Fig. 3) upon the main shaft D; second, of
levers E, furnished with bowles F,running upon the cams or excentric C, and
also at their upper ends with small pulleys G (Figures 2 and 3); third, of
pulleys H (Figures 2 and 3), having two grooves, one being half the diameter
of the other; a cord is alternately wound on to and unwound from off each of
these pullies. The first of these cords which I shall call I, attached at one end
to the small diameter of the pulley H,passes round the pulley G and back to
an eye piece K(Fig. 3), its other end being fixed to the traverse B by means
of a screw L (Fig. 3). The second cord, which is fixed atone end to the large
diameter of the pulley H, passes over a guide pulley M above, and communi-
cates motion to the weight N, which is suspended at its other end (seen in
side view at Fig. 3, in front view at Fig. 2, and in section at Fig. 4). This
weight is intended to drive the flax in a uniform manner into the groove, and
to facilitate the action of this weight in all its positions, it is gradually
enlarged up to its extremity where the flax meets the piece T (Figures 2, 3,
and 6), which arrests it progress. At the extremity of the groove there are

page_text: two very small tongue pieces where the flax is compressed. This allows the
point (which will be hereafter mentioned) to introduce itself into the fibrous
matter without disarranging it.
Description of the second movement (drawn in blue color).-The second
movement, which is intended to separate and limit the quantity of flax to
be taken up, is composed, first, of an excentric O (Figures 2 and 3), fixed by
means of three screws a to an arm or lever Y (seen in front view at Fig. 2
and in side view at Fig. 3). This arm or lever forms part of the movement
for taking up the flax, and it is fixed by means of the nut b and adjusting
screw c to the main shaft D (Fig. 3); the second part of this movement con-
sists of a slotted rocking lever P (seen in front view at Fig. 2, in side view at
Fig. 3, and of the real size detached at Figures 6), which terminates at one end
in a bayonet-shaped point, having an aperture for the introduction of the finger
of the piece Z, which takes hold of the flax; at its other extremity this lever P
is furnished with a bowle (Figures 2 and 3) running upon the cam O; it is
held by the slotted arm R (seen in front view at Fig. 2, and in side view at
Fig. 3), so that the lever P by the action of the excentric () is raised and
lowered, a spring S(Fig. 2) causing it to follow the movements of the said ex-
centric; thirdly, it consists of a piece T (shewn in section at Fig. 2, in front
view, Fig. 3, and of the real size detached at Fig. 5), to which is applied a
small plate (Figures 2 and 5), held in place by the upper screw d', and bear-
ing against the lower screw d². It is by the greater or less distance at which
this plate Tis set that the quantity of flax to be taken up is determined. The
piece T is furnished inside its guide with a helical spring, for the purpose of
keeping it in the groove >, in order to form an obstacle to the escape
of the flax when it is acted upon by the weight. N. When the point of the
piece P is raised by the action of the excentric or guide cam, it passes through
the flax which is at the end of the groove and raises with it the
piece T, so that the proper quantity of flax to be taken up will be separated
from the other portion, which is retained by reason of the point of the piece P
being substituted for the piece T.
Description of the third movement (drawn in black ink).-The third move-
ment is intended to take the flax prepared by the preceding movement, and lay
it upon the endless travelling bolts or tables below. It is composed of a hollow
shaft U (seen in front view at Fig. 2, and in section at Fig. 3), which is
circular throughout its length and is fixed by three screws e (Fig. 3) to the
framing A. Through this hollow shaft passes the main shaft. D, which is sup-
ported inside by two brass bearings f. On this shaft is fixed the casing or
sleeve shaft V by means of the nut band an adjusting screw o (Fig. 3). This

page_text: casing V forms with the extremity of the piece U a perfect box in which the
take-up motion for the flax is contained. In this box to the piece U is fixed
a segment of a circl i, made up of tempered steel (seen in front view at Fig. 2,
and in section at Fig. 3). To the box V is fixed a slotted arm X, which is
furnished at its outer end with a spring hook y. The space comprised between
this hook and the finger may be increased or diminished, as the lower stem
of this book is firmly attached to the groove piece X by two screws, whilst
the upper part is capable of adjustment by a set screw. In the guide groove
of this slotted arm works the lever arm Z, which is terminated at one end by
the finger which takes up the flax. It is provided with a stud or projection j
(Figures 2, 3, and 4), which works in the segmental piece i. The piece Z
is also provided with a small bowle %, to avoid the friction of each of the
springs l, m, (Fig. 2,) which impart motion to it. Thus, at each half revolution
of the main shaft, the piece V with the slide and its hook is put in motion
for the purpose of taking up the flax. At the moment when the projection
on the arm Z escapes from the segment i by reason of the pressure of the
spring, the extremity of the arm Z where the finger is will enter the aper-
ture in the point P, the flax being thus held between this hook and finger.
By a contrary movement it is drawn along the outer casing of the machine,
as indicated by the arrow, until it meets at the lower part thereof with the
stop », seen in side view at Fig. 2, and in front view at Fig. 3. But as the
projection of the arm Z is at the lower extremity of the segment, the force
of the spring m will press it into the interior of the guide, and the flax will
then be supported by the hook only at the moment when it meets with the
stop n. The movement being continued, the flax will be disengaged and
fall upon the inclined plate o (Fig. 2).
Description of the fourth movement (drawn in black).-The fourth move-
ment has for its object to place or lay each portion of flax as it comes from the
hook side by side with the other portions; it consists of a lever arm t(Fig. 2),
fixed to the lever E and furnished with a hook u (Figures 2 and 3), also of a
wheel (v, Figures 2 and 3), provided with six ratchet teeth, which communi-
cate motion to a tappet wheel w (Figures 2 and 3). This tappet wheel w is
divided into three parts and acts upon the rocking lever x, which is provided
with a bowle which runs over the tappet wheel or cam w, and is caused to
follow its movement by means of an india-rubber or other spring a (Figures 2
and 3.)
The rocking lever a imparts motion to the shaft y (Figures 2 and 3), to
which are attached two arms 2, 2, (Figures 2 and 3). These arms oscillate
with the shaft y, and this continual reciprocating movement causes the flax to

page_text: fall alternately upon one of the arms z and upon one of the endless aprons s.
The flax is contained in a case r, to avoid its being mixed with the adjoining
sliver.
In Sheet IV. Fig. 1 represents the improvements applied to the preparation
machines. A, A, is the framing; B, the application in duplicate of the spiral
or screw gill system, the pressing rollers wbich conduct the flax into the ordi-
nary machines being done away with; C is a channel or spout leading from
the endless table; D is the drawing roller; D' is a second drawing roller of
the saine diameter as the first one; E is a pinion mounted upon the second
drawing roller D; F is a wheel mounted upon the same shaft as the wooden
pressing rollers; G is a large wheel fixed upon the drawing roller D and gear-
ing into the wheel H; I is a large wheel fixed upon the second drawing roller
D' and gearing with the wheel J; H and J are two wheels mounted upon the
shaft K and gearing with the two wheels G and I, the wheels G, H, being
placed on one side of the machine, and the others J, F, on the other; K is a
shaft on whicharemounted the fast and loose pullies and the toothed wheel H,
which serves to set the machinery in motion; O, Fig. 2, Sheet IV., is the gill
bar, shewn detached.
It will be observed that all the gill bars have their gills set in the same
manner for the application in duplicate of the spiral system (that is say)
the gills are placed upon the bars on the opposite side to that of ordinary
machines.
Fig. 3, Sheet IV., represents in side elevation the improved machine for spin.
ning flax or other textile matters in a continuous length. A, A, is the framing
to which is fixed a traverse or cross piece B, by means of a screw C; D is
the drawing roller; E is a slotted segmental piece which is caused to move
round the axis of the drawing roller 1 by means of a rack on its outside
taking into a pinion E, for the purpose of giving to the strick of flax the
required inclination, according to the different degrees of fineness of thread
required. To this segmental slotted lever are adapted the delivery roller F,
the guide roller G, with its presser rollers H and the inclined table I, upon
which the strick of flax J slides; K is a guide which holds the ends of the
strick firmly upon the drawing roller; these ends (by means of the water
carried forward by the cylinder) then unite in order to form the thread; Lis
a segmental slotted lever which moves round the axis of the delivery roller;
M are cross pieces in which are grooves N, in which work the axles of the
presser rollers O; P are steps in which the bobbins work, and are supported
by the horizontal arm of the segmental lever L; R is a saddle piece fixed to
the traverse B by means of a screw R'; S is a brass bearing acting upon the

page_text: centre of the shaft upon which the front presser rollers are mounted; T is a
screwed rod provided at one end with a thumbscrew for adjusting the same,
and connected at its other end to the spring V, by means of which the pressure
of the rollers is exerted upon the front of the drawing roller D; W is a vat or
trough containing water, and having a steam pipe for heating the same; this
vat or trough and also the guide Y for guiding the thread to the spindle are
mounted upon an axle a.
Having now described my Invention of "Improvements in Machinery for
Preparing and Spinning Flax or other Fibrous Matters," and having explained
the manner of carrying the same into effect, I claim as the Invention secured
to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid, the general arrangement of apparatus or
machinery called a divider spreader herein shewn and described, or any
mere modification thereof.
I further claim the application in duplicate to the ordinary spreaders of the
spiral system or screw gill arrangement shewn in Sheet IV., and also of
a second cylinder or drawing roller with gearing applied to the pressing
roller.
I also claim the application of the stricks to the drawing cylinder in
machinery for spinning the flax in a continuous length; also the mechanical
means above described for effecting this object, and consisting of the saddle
piece, the parts which serve to give the inclination, and the reversed
guide.
In witness whereof, I, the said Augustus Sacré, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Thirteenth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
A. SACRE. (J.S.)