AN IMPROVED MILL FOR ROLLING FLATTENING AND SHAPING STRAWPLAITS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, JEPHRAI JASON GROOM of 11 Windmill St., High Town, Luton, in the County
of Bedford, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for AN IMPROVED MILL
FOR ROLLING FLATTENING AND SHAPING STRAWPLAITS, to be as follows¦—
In lieu of the ordinary wooden apparatus known in the trade as a "straw-plait
mill" used by straw-plaiters for pressing and equalizing the plaits of straw after
they are plaited, and which is clumsy, fatiguing and inefficient, I construct my
improved "strawplait mill” with a metal frame, preferably of wrought or malleable
iron or steel. I mount the hardwood grooved rollers called "trowls" (which press
and flatten the plaits of straw to the required shape,) on turned metal spindles,
which revolve in suitable and accurately fitted metal bearings.
The bearings of the upper "trowl" slide vertically in a slit in the side of the
frame, and are held down by the ends of an arched steel spring placed over the said
bearings, on the apex of which spring pressure is applied by a screw or lever
attached to the upper part of the said frame,
When driven by hand, as is customary the power is applied through a handle
fixed on the periphery of a small flywheel which rotates a spindle carrying the
larger of a series of three multiplying cogwheels the smallest of which is fixed on
the spindle of the lower "trowl," so as to cause the said "trowl" to revolve much
faster than the said flywheel.
Suitable pulleys or gearing can be added for driving by power when required.
My machine is therefore superior to the "strawplait mill" at present in use in
the following respects. It is stronger, and more durable and can be worked at far
higher speed. The pressure is easily adjusted. So much easier is it to turn, that
three times the amount of work can be turned out in the same time, fully equal
if not superior in quality, and without more fatigue, than can be produced by the
mill now in use.

page_text: I, JEPHRAI JASON GROOM of N° 11, Windmill Street, High Town, Luton in the
_County_of_Bedford, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention-for-
AN IMPROVED STRAW PLAIT MILL, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
"
The apparatus known amongst straw plait makers as a "Straw Plait Mill," and
which is used for pressing, tightening and equalizing the plaits-of-straw-after-they-
are-plaited, is usually formed of wood and is consequently clumsy-in appearance,
fatiguing to the operator, and slow in action,
-In-my-improved-"-mill"-I-discard-the-wooden-frame-now in use, and substitute_1
a neat metal frame, preferably of wrought iron, maleable iron or steel.
I also mount the grooved wood rollers called "trowls" (which press and flatten
the plaits to the required shape,) upon turned metal spindles or axles, which
revolve in suitable and accurately fitted bearings so as to minimise the friction.
In order to apply the necessary pressure in an adjustable form, I cause the upper
bearings to slide vertically in a slot placed in each side of the metal frame.
C
Above the said upper bearings and resting thereon is an arched steel spring, on
the apex of which pressure is applied by means of a screw or lever attached to the..
upper part of the said frame.
When driven by hand power, as is customary with the old form of mill, a small s
flywheel is attached having a handle on or near its periphery.
The axle of this flywheel carries also the larger of a series of three multiplying
cogwheels the smallest of which is fixed on the axle of the lower "trowl" so as to
cause the said "trowl" to revolve much faster than the fly wheel.
Suitable pulleys or gearing can be added to my mill for driving by steam, water
or other power when required.
In the accompanying drawings figure 1 represents a front view and figure 2
shows a side view of the improved mill.
The letter A denotes the metal frame-B denotes the trowls or rollers-C denotes
the screw-D denotes the spring-E denotes the flywheel-F denotes the cog-
wheels-G denotes the metal bearing H denotes the slot in which the bearing
slides.
My machine is therefore superior to the "Straw Plait Mill" hitherto, used in the
following respects.
1st It is stronger, neater and more durable.
2nd It can be driven at a much higher rate of speed.
8rd The pressure is more easily adjusted.
4th It is so much easier to turn that three times the amount of work can be
turned out in the same time, without more fatigue,

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1-A straw plait mill constructed wholly or in part of metal with turned metal
spindles on which the wooden trowls are carried, such spindles revolving in
accurately fitted bearings of metal or other suitable material.
2-A straw plait mill having a flywheel and also multiplying cogwheels geared
for speed, the said mill being capable of being driven by hand or by steam or other
power as required.
8-A straw plait mill fitted with an adjustable elastic pressure, easily regulated
by the operator.