AN IMPROVED PROCESS OF AND MACHINERY FOR TREATING OR PREPARING FIBRE-YIELDING PLANTS THE PURPOSE OF OBTAINING
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Hill Dickson, of Harefield, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED PROCESS
OF AND MACHINERY FOR TREATING OR PREPARING FIBRE-YIELDING PLANTS
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Hill Dickson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 10th October 1872.
I, JAMES HILL DICKSON, of Harefield, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
IMPROVED PROCESS OF AND MACHINERY FOR TREATING OR PREPARING FIBRE-YIELDING
PLANTS FOR THE PURPOSE OF OBTAINING USEFUL FIBRES THEREFROM," to be as
follows:-
The object of my Invention is to separate the useful fibres from the
stalks, woody substance, or pith of fibre-yielding plants, such as rheca,
hemp, and flax, and analogous fibre-yielding plants. These fibres when
obtained may be spun into yarns on flax, worsted, silk, and flax

page_text: utilized.
First with a view to obtain a substitute for rags for paper-making
purposes one portion of the Invention may be applied to nettles,
sunflower, and hopbine, Foreign or English, and will produce strong and
good material for making paper pulp, and as such material comes from
the fields in a damp state and cannot be worked in this state the first
and best course is to quickly dry it by steam.
The apparatus which constitutes the part of the Invention for drying
all kinds of fibres previous to their being further worked, consists of
two level iron plates of about one yard cach long, four feet wide,
attached to each end of a frame 12 feet long by 4 feet wide, on which
frame two perforated tables, each 6 feet long, made of gun metal are
placed about three inches from the top of the frame, and on this there
is fixed four rollers, two of brass or gun metal, on the centre, three feet
apart, grooved or fluted, and two of iron, plain or smooth faced, one on
each end, three feet apart from the centre gun metal rollers. Some of
these rollers are heated by steam or otherwise. On the sides of these
tables there are two rows of cogs, and on the ends of each of the 4
rollers there are similar cogs to fit, so as to allow of a to-and-fro or
forward and back motion to be given to the perforated tables, to obtain
which an excentric is arranged to drive an arm with a small carrying
wheel at the end of the shaft or arm to work ou a flat rack, and with
a fast and loose pulley outside the frame. The tables for washing and
all the rollers are thus put in motion, and to finish this part of the
washing, wringing, and drying portion of the Invention the con-
densed or other steam is carried by flexible pipes into the two plain iron
rollers on the ends of the frame. These rollers are thereby brought up
to such a degree of heat as to all but thoroughly dry the material that
is passed under them on the iron flat plate, either before or after being
washed. On this being done, suspending the fibres for a short time on
lines in the open air or under a shed will finish them for further
working, but in case the fibres are required to be nearly white the centre
part of the apparatus should be placed over a close vat heated by steam
and provided with a pump to be worked by hand or other power, so as
to keep a flow of the washing liquid or water over the perforated tables,
so as to wash away all the woody substance of the rlcea fibre, hemp,
and flax, and more especially the cuticlo from off the New Zealand flax,

page_text: the gum-like matter that so binds the fibres that it has been thought
all but impossible to get rid of it, and if a clear white must be obtained
a filter must be placed above the perforated gun metal tables to
overflow them when at work. This machine when worked dry will
remove the seed capsules from flax and hemp straw most successfully,
as the seed will fall from the broken capsules or husks through the
all but impossible to get rid of it, and if a clear white must be obtained
filter must be placed above the perforated gun metal tables to
overflow them when at work. This machine when worked dry will
remove the seed capsules from flax and hemp straw most successfully,
as the sced will fall from the broken capsules or husks through the
perforated tables.
The next part of the Invention relates to the removal of the woody
and gummy substance from the fibres, and as the fibres of the East
and West Indies as well as from Japan, Africa, Mexico, and other warm
climates do not require drying like our home grown fibres, such as
hemp and flax, I build a framework of about 16 feet in length
and about 5 feet in width, and about 10 feet in height, on which
I place a driving shaft and pullies. Under this shaft there are three
divisions, so as to allow four large fluted but perforated cylinders to
revolve separately in each compartment on its own spindle. The ends
of each drum act on and serve as the driving part of three smooth
revolving feeding rollers provided with cogs on the ends, whilst the
middle or centre part of each drum is fluted, and serves to drive the
other four fluted rollers which beat and crush at a distance of three
feet apart, flax being seldom above a yard in length, the material is
not broken into short lengths and knocked into tow, and hence it is
that the produce of long fibre is near to one half more than if prepared
by the closely packed rollers in general use. These cylinders act on
seven, nine, or more rollers placed over the upper half of the drums
with similar cogs and fluted parts, so that they must be rotated by such
driving parts of the four cylinders. The rheca fibre rods, hemp, or flax
straw, are introduced at, say, the top end first, between the upper rollers
and the perforated cylinder. The stalks will then be flattened or
crushed and broken without being cut or injured. The second cylinder
or drum is of a finer pitch in the centre working part than the first, and
as the top ends enter the first and come out on the delivery board at
the back of the last roller, the worker turns it over on to the feeding
board of the second part of the machine which is driven by a cross band,
and he introduces the root ends between the cylinder and the 7 or 9
rollers, so that a forward and back motion on the stems or fibre is
obtained, and all being crushed in more parts than by the first cylinder
or drum the fibres are delivered on the board behind, and turned over

page_text: by the worker to the feed board of the finer part. The third cylinder
or drum is of a still finer pitch on the fluted parts than the second, and
is driven by a straight band same as the first. The worker turns over
the top ends of the already crushed fibre by the second on the feed
board of the third part, so as to keep up the forward and back
motion on the fibres. The fourth cylinder is of a still finer pitch, and
is the finishing part of the machine, and it is driven from a cross belt
by a cog wheel and pinion with fast and loose pulleys. The root end is
entered by the workers, an as by this very fine fluted cylinder and
roller the woody substance or cuticle especially on the New Zealand
flax and aloc fibres, is ground and rubbed into dust, so that a good
shake of the hand of the workers will free the fibres and leave all ready
for being combed. This machine is about 10 feet long, and is so
constructed as to be placed on wheels and divided into two 8 feet
lengths. It may be drawn about from farm to farm and put to work
like a threshing machine by horse, steam, or water power, and for India
or our Colonies will be found of great value. The fibres may then be
combed and left all ready for being spun on flax, worsted, silk, or cotton

page_text: down an inclined wood grate, through which the broken wood of the
flax and dust falls, and the fibres are left perfectly free of such matters.
The two feeding drums or cylinders are much larger in circumference,
and are turned slowly by hand by means of two handles and pinions,
one on each drum. There is a row of cogs all round the inside of each
drum or cylinder on which the pinion teeth act, and the eight holders
when filled with flax, hemp, or other fibres are pushed into the drums
with two-thirds of the length of fibres hanging down, so that when the
drums are turned up to come into contact with the combs it is so flat
or level on the outside of the drums that no portion can be left
uncombed. It is fed first at the bottom and taken out by another
attendant at the top, and when taken out it is changed into other
holders in order that the uncombed end may be combed like the first
end. Four cribs or cradles are placed inside the feeding cylinder or
drum, so as to hold the unfinished end until the first end is combed.
This novelty enables the workers to comb the largest hemp without
being tossed or entangled.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Hill Dickson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 10th April 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
HILL DICKSON, of Harefield Valley, in the County of Middlesex,
Engincer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said James Hill Dickson, Her special
licence that I, the said James Hill Dickson, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James Hill Dickson, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and 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 "AN IMPROVED

page_text: "
PROCESS OF AND MACHINERY FOR TREATING OR PREPARING FIBRE-YIELDING PLANTS
FOR THE PURPOSE OF OBTAINING USEFUL FIBRES THEREFROM,'
upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said James Hill Dickson, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 James Hill Dickson, 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 Drawings
hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that
is to say) :-
The object of my Invention is to separate the useful fibres from the
stalks, woody substance, or pith, of fibre-yielding plants, such as
Indian and other rheca fibre, hemp and flax, and other analogous fibre-
yielding plants. These fibres when obtained may be spun into yarns
on flax, worsted, silk, and spiuning machinery now in general use, and
then woven into cloth or otherwise utilized.
With a view to obtain a substitute for rags for paper-making
purposes, one portion of the Invention may be applied for treating the
stalks of the nettle, the sunflower, and also for operating on hop bine,
Foreign or English. If the plants are pulled about a week before they
are what is usually termed "ripe," a finer, more lustrous, and stronger
fibre can be obtained than when the plants are left longer in the
ground. I have also found that six or seven tons of flax straw when
prepared from the green state by my improved process without steeping
in water, in vats or ditches, to rot the woody parts in the usual manner,
will produce ono ton of marketable fibre, whereas by the ordinary
process or method of treatment it requires from nine to twelve tons
weight of the plant to obtain one ton of marketable fibre.
•
In the accompanying Drawings I have shewn three different machines
for treating or preparing fibres by my improved process.
In Sheets I., and II., of the accompanying Drawings are shewn
several views of a machine for drying, washing, wringing, and crimping

page_text: all kinds of fibres previous to their being further worked. Fig. 1,
Sheet I., is a sectional clevation of the machine; Fig 2 is a transverse
vertical section of the same taken on line 1, 2, of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3
is a plan view of the machine. Figures 4 and 5 are enlarged sectional
views of one of the fluted rollers hereafter referred to.
The machine consists of a recriprocating table A about twelve feet
in length, carried upon V guides a, a, bolted to the inner sides of the
side frames B, B, of the machine. The centre portion a¹ of tho
reciprocating table is corrugated, but both ends A', A', are left plain.
for about a yard in length. The corrugated portion of the table A. is
perforated between the corrugations in the manner best seen in the
enlarged view, Fig. 4, Sheet II., and is made by preference of gun
metal. Mounted in sliding frames c, c, in the uprights B', B', and at
a distance of about three feet apart, are four hollow metal rollers
Two of
C, C¹, C², C³, made by preference of brass or of gun metal.
these rollers C and C¹ are grooved or fluted, and the other two rollers
C3 and C are plain or smooth faced. The requisite downward elastic
pressure is given by means of the hand wheel and spring c', c², which
act upon the sliding frame c in which the axles of the rollers are
mounted.
The plain faced rollers C³, C³, which operate on the plain surface
A', A, of the reciprocating table A are heated by steam conveyed
thereto through one of their hollow axles by the pipe ct, and finding
an exit by the opposite pipe c'. On cach side of the reciprocating
table A there is a toothed rack, and the ends of each of the four rollers
are similarly furnished with teeth or wheels which gear with the racks,
so that the to and fro, or forward and back motion of the table A
communicates rotary motion in either direction to the rollers C, C¹,
C², and C. This reciprocating motion of the table A is obtained in
the following manner:-The main shaft D receives its motion from a
band or belt passed round the fast and loose pullies D' outside the
frame of the machine. The rods or stems of the two excentrics E, E,
(mounted on the main driving shaft D) are pivotted to vertical rocking
levers F, F, which at their upper end are connected by links or
connecting rods F' to the axle of the toothed wheels G, G, which gear
with fixed racks G' fixed on the frame of the machine. The toothed
wheels G, G, also gear with racks G, G³, formed on the under side
of the reciprocating table A, as shewn by dots in Fig. 1. It will be

page_text: evident that, as the excentrics E roll the wheels G backwards and
forwards in the rack G' the table A will travel at double the speed of
the wheels G, G.
When washing liquid or water is to be used in this machine for
treating the fibres the liquid is introduced into the interior of fluted
rollers C and C¹ by means of the pipes c" which pass through the hollow
axles of the rollers C, C'. This will be best understood by referring to
the enlarged views, Figures 4 and 5, Sheet II. When the liquid is thus
C₁it will run out of the
introduced into the cylinders or rollers O and
holes made therein, and will run on to the fibres on the fluted table A,
which being also perforated will allow it to pass into the trough a³ under
the table A. It will be seen that the liquid runs from the pipe c
into a trough or box c placed near the lower interior surface of the
cylinder C, and passes out through the perforated bottom of the trough
c' and through the perforations made in the cylinders C, C', between the
corrugations or flutings, and is thus delivered on to the material under
operation which is well washed while being broken. The liquid with
the dirt and extraneous matters that have been detached from the fibres
will pass through the perforations in the fluted surface of the table A
and will be collected in the sheet-iron trough a* attached to the under side
of the table A, from whence it may be conveyed by the pipe a³ to a close
vat situated below or adjacent to the machine. This vat may be heated
by steam and provided with a pump (worked by hand or other power)
for the purpose of returning the heated liquid to the cylinders C, C*;
by this means a flow of the washing liquid or water will be maintained
over the perforated table so as to wash away all the woody substance of
the rheca fibre, hemp, and flax, under operation, and more especially the
cuticle from off the New Zealand flax; this gum-like matter so binds
the fibres together that it has been thought all but impossible to get rid
of it.

page_text: it comes from the fields, and break or cut up the fibre into suitable
lengths, say from six to nine inches in length as is usual in preparing
paper-making fibre, I then spread it on the plain portions a' of the
reciprocating table A of the above described drying, washing, and
wringing machine for the purpose of quickly drying it. The rollers
C2, C3, are heated by steam (as above described) to such a degree of heat
as to all but thoroughly and quickly dry the material which the
reciprocating motion of the table A carries under them. This material
after being subjected to the action of the breaking machine, to be
herein-after described, is again to be brought to the above described
washing and drying machine, and the material being now placed upon
the corrugated portion a, a, of the reciprocating table A from the side of
the machine between the rollers C and C or between C¹ and C³, the
reciprocations of the table will carry the material underneath the fluted
rollers C and C', by which means the woody substance, cuticle, or gummy
matter will be rubbed loose and washed away by the liquid. The
material may then be removed from the corrugated surface of the table
and placed on the plain portion of the table A, and then passed under
the rollers C or C³ for the purpose of wringing out the superabundant
moisture. The material will then be in a marketable state for paper-
making purposes, or in a state commonly termed three-quarter stuff.
In the preparation of fibres for spinning purposes the use of the above
described drying, washing, wringing, and crimping machine is nearly
the same as above described with reference to the preparation of paper-
making material except that in some cases from the length of the fibre
it may be fed on at the ends A¹, A', of this machine and carried on to
the corrugated portion of the table by the incrcased speed of rotation of
the plain rollers C2, C3, which increased speed is obtained by raising the
driving racks above the level of the plain part of the table A', A¹, and
thereby decreasing the size of the pinions in gear therewith. After
subjecting the fibres to the treatment above described they may be sus-
pended on lines in the open air for a short time, or under a shed, by
which means they will be brought to a better or more finished state for
further working in the combing machine herein-after described.
In cases where the fibres are required to be bleached (wholly or
in part) the liquid employed in washing away the woody particles,
cuticle, or gummy matters in this machine may be of a bleaching
character.

page_text: In the preparation of flax or hemp the machine (when worked dry)
will remove the seed capsules from flax and hemp straw most suc
cessfully, as the seed will fall from the broken capsules or husks through
the perforated table, thereby effecting a great saving and economy of
time, the straw being at the same time under operation and its prepa-
ration forwarded.
The next part of the Invention relates to the breaking down and
removal of the woody and gummy substance from the fibres of various
East and West India fibre-yielding plants as well as those obtained from
Japan, Africa, Mexico, and other warm climates. As these plants do
not require drying like our own home grown fibre-yielding plants (such
as hemp and flax) they may be operated upon in the breaking machine
without any previous preparation.
I would here remark that for the sake of convenience I prefer to so
construct and arrange the machine as to render it capable of being
transported from place to place so that the fibre may be operated on
(when desired) in or near the locality where it is grown and thus the
cost of transportation of a great deal of useless refuse will be avoided.
In Sheet III. I have shown various views of my improved breaking
machine. For the purpose of more easily transporting this machine
from place to place it is made so as to be capable of being divided up
into sections, each section differing only in the degree of fineness or
gauge of the corrugations or flutings of the operating parts and the
mode of driving. These sections (of which there may be any desired
number,) are severally mounted on running wheels for the convenience
of removal by horse power. When drawn up in line (in the manner
herein-after described) and bolted together the several sections will form
one machine.
Fig. 6 is an end elevation of one of these sections, and Fig. 7, a side
view of the same; Fig. 8 shews two of these sections drawn up in line
and bolted together; Fig. 9 is a diagram or sectional view of the fluted
drum and rollers; and Fig. 9° is an enlarged or full sized view of the
fluting employed.
It will be seen that each section consists of a fluted drum H mounted
in bearings carried by the side frames I. Around the upper half of the
drum H and at equal distances apart are a series of rollers J and J,
mounted in sliding bearings in the forked projections of the framing I.

page_text: Four of these rollers J are fluted, and between them are plain or smooth
feeding rollers J', as shewn at Fig. 9, the whole being so arranged that
the distance apart of the fluted rollers J is greater than the ordinary
length of flax or other fibre. In other words they are about three feet
apart. The bearings of these rollers are pressed down to their work by
the spiral springs j, Fig. 7, and the depth at which the flutings interlock
may be regulated by the set screws 1. The end of the large drum H is
furnished with a toothed wheel or a ring of spur teeth which gear with
a similar wheel or ring of spur teeth on the ends of the rollers J, J', so
that the fluted rollers will be driven independently of the interlocking
flutings. By this means any danger of cutting up the fibre under
operation is avoided, and a suitable breaking or rubbing action is
ensured. In Fig. 7 K and L are the feeding and delivery boards, both
of which are hinged to the framing and are supported in their proper
position when in use by struts k and l. Each portion or section of the
machine has a separate length of driving shaft M mounted in bearings
in the extension I' of the side frames I, and carries fast and loose belt
pullies N, N¹, from which the belt n transmits motion to the pulley O
on the shaft of the large fluted drum H.
It will now be seen on referring to Fig. 8 (which shews two of these
sections connected together) that the sections of the machine are drawn
up in line, and (the hind or larger wheels being removed) they are
secured together in such a position that the receiving or feeding board
of one section is side to side with the delivery board of the next adjacent
section, the sections being keyed together by the keyed coupling and
bolts I³, Fig. 8.
The short sections of the driving shaft M are coupled by means of the
crank pin and slotted disc, as clearly seen in Figures 7 and 8; one of the
sections of the driving shaft is fitted with fast and loose pullies D by
which the machine receives its motion from the engine or other prime
mover; the belts n, n, being alternately straight and crossed the drums
of the several sections will be rotated in opposite directions.
Flax stalks being seldom above a yard in length the material when
operated upon in the machine above described will not be broken into
5 short lengths and knocked into tow, and therefore in the improved
machine the produce of long fibre will be near to one-half more than if
prepared by the closely packed rollers in general use. Seven, nine, or

page_text: more rollers placed over the upper half of the large drum I may be
employed according to the nature of the fibres to be operated on. The
rheca fibre rods, hemp or flax straw, are introduced into the machine
with their top ends first, and they are passed between the rollers J and
the perforated cylinder H; the stalks or straw are then reversed and
the root end is entered and worked through the second section of the
machine in the same manner. The stalks will then be flattened or
crushed and broken without being cut or injured. The fibre being thus
fed into the machine by the attendant at one side of the machine will be
received by the attendant at the opposite side, and transferred on to the
feed board of the next section at the same side of the machine. The
fluted cylinders and drum of this second section are of a finer pitch than
the first, and as the top ends were entered first in the first section of the
machine and come out on the delivery board at the back of the last
roller the attendant or worker on that side of the machine turns it over
on to the feeding board of the second section or part of tho machine,
which is driven by a cross band, and he introduces the root ends between
the cylinder H and the seven or nine rollers J, J', so that a forward and
back motion of the stems or fibre is obtained, and all the stalks being
crushed in more parts than by the first cylinder or drum the fibres will
be delivered on to the board behind the second section, and turned over
by the worker to the feed board of the next section, which will be made
with still finer flutings. The fourth cylinder is of a still finer pitch
and may be the finishing part of the machine, but more sections with
still finer flutings may be used if desired. By the very fine fluted
cylinder and rollers of the last section the woody substance or cuticle
(especially in the New Zealand flax and aloc fibres) will be ground and
rubbed into dust, so that a good shake of the hand will free the fibres
and leave all ready for being further operated upon in the washing,
wringing, and drying machine, and made ready to be combed.
Sheets IV. and V. represent several views of the improved combing
machine; Fig. 10 is a side clevation of the machine, and Fig. 11 is a
plan view of the same; Fig. 12, Sheet V., is a sectional view of the
combing and holding cylinders; Figures 13, 14, and 15 are detail views
of the several parts. This combing machine is supported upon running
wheels as shown at Fig. 10, so that it may be drawn about from farm
to farm and actuated by horse, steam, or water power. The machine
consists of three cylinders, the broad comb cylinder O, Fig. 12, and the

page_text: two holding cylinders P, P₁, Fig. 11. The comb cylinder O is mounted
in bearings on the frame Q of the machine. The cylinders P and P¹ arc
mounted in bearings Q', which are capable of sliding longitudinally in
the cast-iron guides Q³ bolted to the outside frames Q, and the inside
frame Q, shewn longitudinal elevation at Fig. 14. The cylinder O
carries the combs O' which are coarse on one side, and on the other side
are finer (as seen in the plan view, Fig. 11), and are therefore finishing
combs. These combs are inclined so as to opon or split the fibre
without taking out anything like the quantity of tow that the old
plan of hackling makes. They are set about four inches apart, and as
the cylinders rotate the tow or shorts are pushed off the points of the
combs by the spring cleaners O2 (shewn in full size at Fig. 14, Sheet V.,)
and the shorts are blown down an inclined wood grate (not shown in the
Drawing) through which the broken wood of the flax and dust falls, and
the fibres are left perfectly free from such extraneous matters. The two
feeding or holding drums or cylinders P, P¹, are mounted in sliding
bearings Q, to each of which is fitted a sliding frame q carrying a
threaded nut through which passes the screw q', and by turning the
handle on this screw the feeding drums can be caused to approach and
recede from the comb cylinder O. Each drum P, P¹, is formed with recesses
to receive four holders R, and their interiors are furnished or filled up
with four cradles R² formed of sheet iron or other light material on
which the ends of the fibres (when not under operation) are carried.
The drums P, P', when filled with holders (containing the fibre to be
combed) are turned slowly by hand by means of the handles r, r, on the
axle of the pinions S, S, which are carried on the sliding bearings Q' of
the drums P, P¹. These pinions gear with the rings of spur teeth T, T,
secured to the outside arms of the wheels P, P¹.
It will thus be seen that the drum can be rotated by the workman
whilst being traversed up to or from their work by the attendant
stationed at the back of the machine, who will either withdraw or
advance the drum as he is directed by the workman; after the drums
are filled with holders containing fibres to be combed the drums are
turned in the direction of the arrow until they have passed the angular
hinged tables U of which there are two, one for each holding drum
shewn best in Fig. 12. The hinged curved table U (after the passage of
the fibres past it) will spring back (by mean of the adjustable spring u,
Fig. 15) into its normal position, that is, its upper end (which is

page_text: furnished with a friction bowl) will lic close to the periphery of the
holding cylinder P, and the proximity of its curved surface to the points
of the combs will be adjusted with great nicety by the sliding forward or
backward of the cylinder against which the upper end of the curved
table rests; this table thus forms an extension on which the fibres lie
within reach of the combs throughout their whole length. The mode of
operating with this machine is as follows:-The four recesses which
receive the holders R, are filled by the attendant from the back of the
machine when the recess is at a convenient height, the drum P is then
rotated, and each recess is in succession provided with a holder supplied
with fibre; the fibres to be combed (after passing the upper end of the
hinged curved table U) are gradually lowered to the combs by turning
back the holding cylinder so as to bring the fibres gradually (that is,
inch by inch) under the action of the combs of the large rotating comb
cylinder O, beginning from thoir extreme ends and continuing up to the
holder R. The holding drums P receive a partial rotation alternately in
opposite directions until the fibres are sufficiently finished, when the
next holder will be brought up to its work and similarly operated upon;
the attendant at the back of the machine in the meantime will be able
to remove the holders to the next holding drum, so as to be combed by
the finer teeth of the other part of the combing drum; in the room of the
holder which has been removed from the first holding drum. a fresh
holder may be placed, and the fibres may then be changed into other
holders in order that the uncombed end may be combed like the first
end. The four cribs or cradles R' that are formed inside each of the
feeding cylinders or drums P, P, will hold the unfinished onds of the
fibre, which are tucked in the side openings in the drums P, P',
until the first end is combed, and by this means the machine is
enabled to comb the longest hemp without it being tossed about or
entangled.
Having now described my Invention of "An Improved Process of and
Machinery for Treating and Preparing Fibre-yielding Plants for the
Purpose of Obtaining Useful Fibres therefrom," and having explained
the manner of carrying the same into effect I claim as the Invention
secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid,-
First. The improved process herein set forth of preparing fibres for
spinning or for making paper pulp and for other purposes, whereby I am
enabled to operate upon the plants or stalks in the green state direct from
1

page_text: the field, and by so doing to produce a superior quality of combed or
useful fibres with less waste than heretofore.
Second. The construction and arrangement of parts shown and
described with reference to Sheets I. and II. of the Drawings, whereby the
operations of washing, drying, wringing, and crimping fibres, and also
the removal of the seeds of flax and hemp may be performed as herein
set forth. I claim particularly the combination of plain and fluted rollers
with a plain and fluted reciprocating table, and also driving the rollers
by racks and pinions actuated by the reciprocating motions of the table
or by other gear independent of the interlocking flutings of the
reciprocating table and rollers as and for the purpose herein set forth.
Third. I also claim the use of a perforated reciprocating table in com-
bination with fluted rollers, which may be either perforated or not, so
that the fibres may be subjected to the action of cleansing liquids while
under operation on the table. I claim the use of this perforated
reciprocating table whether the hot liquids be supplied first to the
interior of the rollers and allowed to run therefrom on to the fibres on
the table or such cleaning liquids be supplied direct to the table.
Fourth. I claim the arrangement or combination of smooth or plain
rollers in alternation with fluted rollers around a central fluted drum as
herein set forth, so that the flax, straw, or other fibre, when passed
through the machine is subjected to the action of one pair of fluted
surfaces at a time, thereby avoiding much of the waste common to
breaking machines of the ordinary kind.
Fifth. I claim dividing the breaking machine into sections (for the
facility of transporting the same) each section consisting of a fluted
drum and several fluted and plain rollers with their gearing and
accessories, such sections being capable of being coupled together as and
for the purpose described.
Sixth. I claim feeding the fibres (which require to be combed, brushed,
or hackled) to the combing cylinder by means of a moveable cylinder
containing four or more holders, and provided internally with cradles for
supporting the uncombed ends, or the ends not under operation, as shewn
and described with reference to Sheets IV. and V. of the Drawings.
Seventh. I claim the use of the curved spring table placed between the
holding cylinder and the combing cylinder for the purpose of enabling

page_text: the fibres to be acted upon by the combs throughout their whole length,
as shewn and described with reference to Figures 12 and 15 of Sheet V.
of the Drawings.
Lastly. I claim mounting the machine upon wheels for the facility of
transporting the same from place to place.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Hill Dickson, have hercunto
set my hand and seal, the Tenth day of April, in the year of
our Lord Ono thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.