Improvements in Scutching, Heckling, and like Machines or Apparatus Used in the Treatment of Flax and similar Materials.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 25th July, 1896-Accepted, 2 th Aug., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Scutching, Heckling, and like Machines or
Apparatus Used in the Treatment of Flax and similar
Materials.
I, ELIS GUSTAF ADOLF SCHENSON, of Arbra, in the Kingdom of Sweden,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
This invention relates to a feeding device for scutching machines and similar
apparatus for treating flax and other textile materials.
The present feeding device has for its object, when scutching, heckling or
otherwise treating flax or similar materials, to cause the raw material to pass
through such an apparatus while it is working the same. The said apparatus can
be of any kind whatever and is hereinafter indicated only as an example in order
that the invention may be fully understood.
The feeding device consists principally of clips connected to form an endless
chain, the openings being turned outwards, and of a rope feeding the said chain
and accompanying it part of the way, between which and the chain the stalks of
the raw-material which are placed transversely against the rope, are fed. This
feeding in takes place where the chain and the rope meet. In the continuous
motion of the chain and the rope the latter enters into the clips and then folds the
raw material into the said clips and takes it along.
The raw material then hangs freely down from the chain and is by this dragged
through the apparatus standing below (the seutching machine, the heckling machine
or the like). When the end of the material which is hanging down has been
treated in this way it is turned upside down in order that its other end may hang
down. The chain continuing in its movement draws the raw material further
through another apparatus so that the last mentioned end of the material also will
be treated. Finally the raw material, treated in this way throughout is fed upon
a reception table.
In the accompanying drawing,
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the endless chain and a part of the rope co-operating
with it, also showing the scutching machines.
Figures 2 and 3 illustrate in side and end elevation the hereinafter described
clips drawn to a larger scale.
Figures 4 and 5 show a front and a side view respectively of the device for
feeding in the raw material between the rope and the chain.
Figures 6, 7 and 8 represent, in side elevation end elevation and plan, the
mechanism for shifting the ends of the raw material.
Figures 9 and 10 show details of this mechanism and
Figures 11, 12 and 13 show in side elevation, end elevation and plan the
arrangement for piling up the ready made raw material.
In Figure 1, 2 indicates the clips connected together to form an endless chain 1
which may be regarded as the links of the chain. The chain passes around the
two pulleys 3, 4, the bearings of which rest upon a plate 5, provided with a
longitudinal opening in the middle for the said chain. Every link or clip of the
said chain consists of two plates 6, 6, connected to each other and to the adjacent
ones by means of intermediate circular pieces 7 and rivets 8, so that the plates
can move slightly as levers one against the other transversely to the longitudinal

page_text: axes of the chain and moreover turn conjointly as much as necessary for enabling
the chain to pass around the pulleys 3, 4.
The plates 6 are at the inner tapering ends bent outwards or provided with
shoulders 9 by means of which they slide upon the plate 5 and at the outer ends
the said plates are bent a little towards each other and have their edges serrated
or toothed. Below the chain runs an endless rope 10 which passes around pulleys,
of which two, 11 and 12, are arranged immediately below the pulleys 3, 4 and in
front of the chain 1, so that the rope will follow this. A pulley 13 causes the
rope to enter between the plates 6, 6 immediately at the point, where the chain and
the rope meet. Other ropes or bands 14 and 15, arranged inside the endless
chain 1, pass around pulleys 16, 16 and 17, 17 which are so arranged that the
ropes enter between the inner ends of the plates thereby causing the plates 6, 6
to pinch the rupe 10 with the outer ends. In Figure 1 portions of two scntching
machines 18, 19 are indicated. These may be constructed in different ways, thus
for instance they may consist of two endless bands or cloths 20, 20 on which
laths 21 are fixed transversely, those fixed on the one band entering between those
on the other band. The bands rotate as indicated by the arrows in Figure 3, so
that the raw material introduced between the bands will be simultane usly broken
and scraped and in this way cleaned.
The device for feeding in the raw material, where the chain and the rope 10
meet, consists of a table 22, the foot of which is attached to an horizontal shait 23,
so that the table may be swung towards and from the pulley 11. The shaft of
the pulley 11 is provided with two toothed wheels 24, situated one on either side
of the pulley 11. At the under side of the plate 5 in front of the wheels 24 are
fixed two plates 25 a portion of each of which is formed to suit the circumference
of the wheels 24, so that there remains only a small space, the said plates projecting
over the table 22. The latter has a back 26 provided with openings for the
plates 25 or having such a shape that the plates will not prevent the movement of
the table towards the wheels 24. A spring, a weight 27 or similar device tends to
move the table in the desired direction. The raw material for instance, the flax, is
placed upon the table when pulled back, after which it is released. The back 25
then presses the stalks of flax against the toothed wheels 24 which rotate
simultaneously with the chain pulley 4, but in the opposite direction, whereby the
teeth of the wheels 24 take along successively so much of the flax as the dimensions
of the teeth will permit. When the flax stalks have reached the highest point of
the wheels 24 they are caught by the teeth of the chain 1 and folded around the
rope 10 accurling us this is by the pulley 13 pressed up between the plates 6, 6 by
which it will be thus embraced.
In order that the raw material may not, during the operation be drawn out of
the clips, these are locked by the rope or band 14 which by the next pulley 16 is
caused to enter between the top ends of the plates 6, 6 whereby the lower ends of
the plates will be pressed sufficiently tight around the rope 10. The length of the
rupe 14, which may be a chain or the like, is determined by the width of the
scutching apparatus, so that when the raw material has passed through the latter,
the rupe is withdrawn from the plates thus permitting the disengaging of the
raw material from the chain which is necessary for shifting the ends of the
same.
The device for shitting the ends of the raw material, Figures 6-10, consists
in leading the rope 10 downwards and backwards to the pulley 29, journalled
somewhat obliquely, and from this around the small palley 30, situated still
further down and journalled almost horizontally and finally again upwards to the
pulley 31 which introduces the rope again between the plates 6, 6. That part of
the rope 10 which is between the pulleys 30 and 31 passes between two guide bars
or rods 32, 32, place a little higher up than the rope and along the same. 'The
pulley 30 is toothed, as shown in Figure 9. These teeth catch the ready made
ends of the raw material which is hanging down free and introduces it between the
rope 10 and the bars 32, so that its position with relation to these will be as shown

page_text: in Figure 10 in section. The bars 32 have such a position, that the opening
between them is somewhat at the side of the plane, in which the raw material is
hanging down. The latter will thus be bent as shown in Figure 10. Pinched in
this way between the polished bars 32 and the comparatively rough rope 10, the
raw material must follow the latter and consequently be introduced again between
the plates 6, 6, while its other end is disengaged from the chain by the rope 10,
descending and going round the pulley 29 out of the unlocked clips. The end of
the raw material not worked will thus hang freely down from the chain and by this
be drawn through the other scutching machine. Above this machine there is, as
shown in Figure 1, the rope 15, actuating the clips in the manner described above
with relation to the rope 14, so that the raw material cannot be drawn down from
the chain 1.
The raw material having thus heen treated to its whole length it remains only to
pile up the ready made product without deranging it. The device for that purpose
is shown in Figures 11, 12, 13. In a line with the chain 1 there is a triangular
table 33, the point of which is turned towards the chain 1 and passing under it.
Through an opening in the table projects the pulley 12, upon which descends the
rope 10. On each side of the table is arranged an endless string 34, 35 respectively,
the inner portion of which passes along the turned down edge of the table. The
said portions of the string move in the same direction as the lower portion of the
chain 1. When now the ready made product (for instance the flax) suspended
from the rope 10 arrives at the table, it will be divided by the point of the latter,
so that its one end gets between the one edge of the table and the rope 34 and its
other end between the other edge of the table and the rope 35. Owing to the
increasing width of the table, the flax disengaged from the chain 1 and dropping
down upon the table will to a greater or lesser part of its length be spread and in
a horizontal thin layer advanced to the hooks 36 or other suitable feeding device.
The ropes 34, 35 obtain their movement by means of a gearing from the shaft of
the pulley 3. The ropes mentioned above can evidently be substituted by chains
or the like.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In the scutching or other treatment of flax or similar raw material, a device
for conducting the latter through one or more apparatus such as a scutehing
machine, heckling machine and the like, operating upon the said raw material,
consisting of clips (2), forming an endless chain (1) and of a rope or chain (10)
meeting the said chain (1) and running together therewith, this rope or chain (10)
entering into the clips according as the chain and the rope meet, thus causing the
raw material fed upon the latter to fold itself around the rope (10) and to enter
therewith into the clips, with the view that the raw material attached in this way
to the chain and hanging freely down from it may be drawn by the chain throngh
one or more machines.
2. In the device indicated in Claim 1, the arrangement in which the clips (2),
forming a chain, consist each of two plates (6, 6) situated in front at a small
distance from each other, and connected with each other and with the adjacent
ones in such a way that they can move one against the other as levers, with the
object that the plates may be caused to pinch the rope (10) at one end clasping the
same, by reason of the introduction of a chain or band 14 between their opposite
ends which move these latter apart.
3. In the device indicated in Claim 2, the arrangement in which the part,
having for its object to move apart the ends of the plates, consists of an endless
rope chain or the such like (14), which, running around pulleys along the chain (1),
are caused by said pulleys to enter between the ends of the plates.
4. In the device indicated in Claim 1, an arrangement for feeding the raw
material between the chain composed of clips and the rope or chain (10) meeting

page_text: it, cousisting of two toothed wheels (24, 24), situated on their respective sides of
the vertical middle plane of the chain (1), which wheels, viewed from the side,
almost touch the toothed chain (1) immediately ahead of the point, where this
meets the rope (10), further of a feeding table (22) for the raw material provided
with a back and movable towards the toothed wheels (24, 24) and of guiding
plates (25, 25) projecting above the table and accompanying the toothed wheels a
short distance, with the view that the raw material, advanced by the table towards
the toothed wheels may with the aid of these be brought between the chain (1) and
the rope (10).
5. In the device indicated in Claim 1, an arrangement for shifting the ends of
the raw material, after its one end hanging down from the chain (1) has been
worked, consisting of two guide bars (32) or edges between which the rope (10),
passing out from the chain (1) and around pulleys (29, 30), runs, in order to pass
over another pulley (31), which in its turn presses it in between the clips, and
which guide bars are so situated that the end of the raw material, caught by means
of a toothed wheel or the like, may be seized by the rope, running between them
in order that, when the other cud of the raw material has been disengaged by
removing the rope (10) from the chain (1), it may be brought into the latter.
6. In the device indicated in Claim 1, an arrangement for piling up the ready
made raw material, cousisting of a wedge-shaped table (33), the point of which
heing directed towards the chain along the edges of which table run endless ropes
or chains (34, 35) which, by catching the respective ends of the raw material
entering between the rope and the edge of the table, take the said material in a
thinly spread layer along the table (33).
7. In the device indicated in Claim 2, the arrangement in which the plates are
at their inner ends bent outwards or provided with outer shoulders, by means of
which they themselves and consequently also the chain (1) rest upon the edges of
some support (5), placed along the chain.
8. In the device indicated in Claim 1, the arrangement of a pulley (13), situated
under the rope (10) where this meets the chain (1) and causing the rope (10) and
the raw material introduced thereupon to enter into the clips (2) so as to fold the
raw material around the said rope.
Dated this 25th day of July 1896
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.