IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SCUTCHING OR CLEANING FLAX OR OTHER FIBRES." VEGETABLE
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Brasier, of New Cross, in the County
of Surrey, Engineer, and John Eliot Hodgkin, of West Derby, in
the County of Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR SCUTCHING OR CLEANING FLAX OR OTHER
FIBRES."
VEGETABLE
Sealed the 2nd October 1869, and dated the 10th April 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Brasier and
John Eliot Hodgkin at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 10th April 1869.
We, EDWARD BRASIER, of New Cross, in the County of Surrey,
Engineer, and JOHN ELIOT HODGKIN, of West Derby, in the County
of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SCUTCHING OR CLEANING FLAX OR OTHER
VEGETABLE FIBRES," to be as follows:-
Our Invention relates to machinery for scutching or removing the
"boon" or woody matters from flax or other vegetable fibres.

page_text: In place of fixing wooden blades to iron or wooden radial arms to
form the scutching blades of a radial scutching wheel we form such
scutching blades in one piece of wood. By means of bolts or otherwise
we secure our improved scutching blades to a central boss, which we
prefer to form of cast iron or other metal. When we desire to cause the
scutching blades to yield at the time of striking the fibre, and thereby
diminish the severity of the blow, we insert strips or pieces of india-
rubber or other elastic or yielding substance between the flat surface of
the scutching blades and the metal or other portion of the boss. We also
form the scutching blades so that they will yield when striking the flax.
In order to strengthen the scutching arms we attach them to a ring of
cast iron or other metal by means of bolts, rivets, or other suitable
means, and strips or pieces of india-rubber may be inserted between the
flat surface of the beaters and the surface of the rings. We also find an
advantage in so forming and arranging the scutching blades that their
striking edge forms a line tangential to a circle described around the
centre of the scutching wheel, in place of such striking edge being radial
to such centre. We also make the striking edge of the scutching blades
curved or scimitar like in form, so as to give a sliding blow to the flax.
The "stock" or "breast" moves at its lower part on a joint or support,
so that it can be readily adjusted and secured by means of screwed links
and lock nuts; and we have found it desirable to arrange the aperture
through which the flax, straw, or other fibrous material is introduced
above the centre of the axis of the scutching wheel, or so that it forms a
line tangential to a circle described around the centre of the scutching
wheel.
According to another part of our Invention we provide machines for
rolling or "breaking" flax, straw, or other fibrous substances with a
suitable coupling or couplings, and so construct and arrange two or
more scutching wheels and stocks that they can be readily connected
with the rolling or "breaking" machine, and worked with it as one
machine, the rolling or "breaking" machine and the scutching wheels
and stocks being readily separated for transport. In some cases we
provide the machines with removeable wheels and shafts, which can be
used in moving the machines from place to place, and then taken off.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edward Brasier and John Eliot Hodgkin in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 6th October 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, EDWARD
BRASIER, of New Cross, in the County of Surrey, Engineer, and JOHN
ELIOT HODGKIN, of West Derby, in the County of Lancaster, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-second
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto us, the said Edward Brasier and John Eliot Hodgkin, Her
special licence that we, the said Edward Brasier and John Eliot
Hodgkin, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
we, the said Edward Brasier and John Eliot Hodgkin, 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 SCUTCHING OR CLEANING FLAX OR OTHER VEGETABLE FIBRES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the. said Edward Brasier
and John Eliot Hodgkin, executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under our or their hands and seals, or under the hand
and seal of one of us or them, 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 I, the said Edward Brasier, on behalf of myself
and the said John Eliot Hodgkin, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to.
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following.
statement thereof, that is to say :-
Our Invention relates to machinery for scutching or removing the
"boon" or woody matters from flax or other vegetable fibres.

page_text: annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows a side view, and Figure 2 an end view of so much of
a scutching machine constructed according to our Invention as will
enable us to explain the same; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a
similar machine.
In place of fixing wooden blades to iron or wooden radial arms to
form the scutching blades of a radial scutching wheel, we form such
scutching blades a, a, in one piece of wood. By means of bolts b, b, or
otherwise, we secure our improved scutching blades to a central boss c,
which we prefer to form of cast iron or other metal. The bosses c, c,
are secured upon the axis c', which revolves in bearings formed in
suitable supports c³. When we desire to cause the scutching blades a
to yield at the time of striking the fibre, and thereby diminish the
severity of the blow, we insert strips or pieces of india-rubber, leather,
or other elastic or yielding substance between the flat surface of the
We
scutching blades a and the metal or other portion of the boss c.
also form the scutching blades so that they will yield when striking the
flax. In order to strengthen the scutching arms we attach them to
rings d, d, of wrought iron or other metal by means of bolts or rivets e, e,
or other suitable means, and strips or pieces of india-rubber, leather, or
other elastic or yielding material may be inserted between the flat
surfaces of the beaters a, a, and the surfaces of the rings d, d. We
also find an advantage in so forming and arranging the scutching
blades a, a, that their striking edge forms a line tangential to a circle
described around the centre of the scutching wheel, in place of such
striking edge being radial to such centre. In place of making the
striking blades a, a, with a tangential striking edge, we can produce a
good result by making the striking edge of the scutching blades curved
or scimitar-like in form, so as to give a sliding blow to the flax, as
shown by the dotted line a¹ in Figure 2. The "stock" or "breast" f
moves at its lower part on a joint or support f, so that it can be readily
adjusted and secured to the standards g by means of screwed links f* and
lock nuts fa, and we have found it desirable to arrange the aperture f
through which the flax, straw, or other fibrous material is introduced

page_text: above the centre of the axis c¹ of the scutching wheel, or so that such
aperture forms a line tangential to a circle described around the
centre of the scutching wheel.
According to another part of our Invention we provide machines for
rolling or "breaking" flax, straw, or other fibrous substances with a
suitable coupling or couplings, either rigid or what are commonly
known as universal joints, and so construct and arrange two or more
scutching wheels and stocks that they can be readily connected with
the rolling or "breaking" machine, and worked with it as one machine,
the rolling or "breaking" machine and the scutching wheels and stocks
being readily separated for transport. In some cases we provide the
machine with removeable wheels and shafts, which can be used in
moving the machines from place to place, and then taken off.
In Figures 1 and 3 h is the framework of a rolling or "breaking"
machine provided with fluted rollers for breaking the woody portions
of fibrous plants. To one end of the driving or other revolving axis h¹
of the "breaking" machine we connect the end of the axis c¹ of the
scutching wheels by the "coupling" h³ and key h³, or other convenient
contrivances with which engineers are well acquainted may be employed
for this purpose. We prefer to mount the machine and scutching wheels
upon a frame i, as shown in Figure 3, and to this frame we attach
wheels and shafts when it is required to remove the machine from place
to place, and afterwards remove such wheels and shafts.
Having now described the nature of our Invention, and means
whereby the same may be carried into practice, we would have it
understood that we do not confine ourselves to the precise details of
form and construction herein-before described and shown in the ac-
companying Drawings; what we claim is,-
Firstly. The form, arrangement, construction, and combination of the
parts forming a radial scutching wheel and stock, substantially as and
for the purposes herein-before described and shewn in the accompanying
Drawings.
Secondly. Providing couplings and so constructing and arranging the
parts of "breaking" machines and scutching machines that they can be
readily connected and worked with each other as one machine, sub-
stantially as and for the purposes herein-before described and shown in
the accompanying Drawings.

page_text: Thirdly. Providing machines constructed and arranged as herein-
before described with wheels and shafts, as and for the purposes herein-
before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Brasier, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
Witness,
J. G. TONGUE,
Patent Agent,
EDWARD BRASIER. (L.S.)
34, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane,
London, W.C.