Improvements in Machinery for Breaking or Treating Flax and similar Textile Materials.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Nov., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Aug., 1893-Accepted, 16th Sept., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Breaking or Treating Flax and
similar Textile Materials.
I, RICHARD DAVISON, of Beechville, Ballymena, in the County of Antrim,
Ireland, Retired Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows, that is to say :-
My said invention has for its object to substitute for the ordinary scutching
process as applied to flax and similar textile materials, the action of improved
machinery designed to secure the desired result in a superior manner, and without
the great waste of fibre which accompanies the scutching operation.
In carrying out my invention according to one modification, the flax in a layer
of suitable thickness is entered horizontally into the operating parts of the
machinery off a feed table or endless feed apron, and may pass through one or
more pairs of heavy plain or fluted softening rollers; or it may pass through a
pair of comparatively light feed rollers which move it forward at a regular rate
either continuously or intermittently. The flax passes onwards through three
sets of slotted vertical plates, and through pairs of rollers situated between the
sets of plates and beyond the last set. Each of the vertical plates may be a
single plate extending across the machine in which case the flax has to be entered
through the slots of the several plates; or the plates may be compound, each
consisting of lower plates and upper plates or bars which latter are removable to
allow of the flax being laid across the lower plates. The slotted vertical plates
are made to reciprocate vertically to the extent of about an inch or a little more
or less, as found suitable in practice, the odd-numbered plates always moving
oppositely to the even-numbered plates. The reciprocating motions are communi-
cated to the plates by means of side bars, the odd-numbered plates being attached
to one pair of side bars and the even-numbered plates to another pair, and the side
bars being moved by rocking shafts or other convenient mechanism.
The slots in the vertically reciprocating plates are wide enough relatively to
the thickness of the layer of flax not to materially interfere with the forward
or progressive movement of the flax through the machine. When the plates
are compound adjusting devices may be provided for varying the width of
the slots.
The vertically reciprocating bars are placed very near together, and their vertical
faces may be corrugated; and the rollers which feed and move forward the flax are
also placed as near the plates next to them as conveniently practicable.
As the flax passes through the plates parts of it very near together are
repeatedly bended in opposite directions whereby the shove becomes broken at
every part and loosened from the fibre, which last remains uninjured, unbroken,
and not wastefully disintegrated.
The number of the vertically reciprocating slotted plates may be varied if it is
in practice found desirable to employ more or fewer, thus there may be two or more
between each pair of rollers; and the number of sets of plates may be more or
fewer than as herein before specified.
Dated this Ninth day of November 1892.
EDMUND HUNT,
Per pro David Ferguson,
Applicant's Agent.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Breaking or Treating Flax and
similar Textile Materials.
I, RICHARD DAVISON, of Beechville, Ballymena, in the County of Antrim,
Ireland, Retired Manufacturer, 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, that is to say :-
My said invention has for its object to substitute for the ordinary scutching
process as applied to flax and similar textile materials, the action of improved
machinery designed to secure the desired result in a superior manner, and without
the great waste of fibre which accompanies the scutching operation.
In carrying out my invention, the flax, in a layer of suitable thickness is entered
horizontally into the operating parts of the machinery, off a feed table or endless
feed apron, and may pass through one or more pairs of heavy plain or fluted
softening rollers; or it may pass through a pair of comparatively light feed rollers
which move it forward at a regular rate either continuously or intermittently.
The flax passes onwards through one or more sets of slotted vertical plates and
through a pair of rollers after passing each set of the plates. Each of the
vertical plates may be a single plate extending across the machine, in which case
the flax has to be entered through the slots of the several plates, the slots being
horizontal; or the plates may be compound, each consisting of lower plates and
upper plates or bars which latter are removable to allow of the flax being laid
across the lower plates. The slotted vertical plates are made to reciprocate
vertically to the extent of about an inch or a little more or less, as found suitable
in practice, the odd-numbered plates always moving oppositely to the even-numbered
plates.
The slots in the vertically reciprocating plates are wide enough relatively to
the thickness of the layer of flax, not to materially interfere with the forward or
progressive movement of the flax through the machine. When the plates are
compound, adjusting devices may be provided for varying the width of the slots.
The vertically reciprocating plates are placed very near together, and their
vertical faces may be corrugated; and the rollers which feed and move forward
the flax are also placed as near the plates as conveniently practicable.
As the flax passes through the plates parts of it very near together are repeatedly
bended in opposite directions, whereby the shove becomes broken at every part and
loosened from the fibre, which last remains uninjured, unbroken and not wastefully
disintegrated.
There may be two or more of the vertically reciprocating slotted plates between
each two pairs of rollers.
And in order that my said invention and the manner of performing the same may
be properly understood I hereunto append a sheet of explanatory drawings to be
hereinafter referred to and representing a flax breaking machine as made according
to my invention.
Figures, 1, and, 2, are a plan and a vertical section of the machine; and
Figures, 3 to 6, are enlarged face and end views of the vertically reciprocating
slotted plates.
In these drawings the same reference letters and numerals are used to mark the
same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
The working parts of the machine are carried on a framing, A, which is repre-
sented as of dimensions and construction suitable for wood, but which may be
made of iron. On the upper side bars, B, of the framing there are fixed iron
housings or blocks, C, in which are provided bearings for two pairs of rollers, D, E;
and between the bearings of the two pairs of rollers there are formed in the
housings, C, guides for vertically moving upper and lower end blocks, F, G, (the

page_text: lower ones being directly under the upper ones and not seen in Figure, 1). To
the upper end blocks, F, are fixed a number of upper vertical plates, H, having
horizontal slots, J, formed through their lower parts; and, similarly, the lower end
blocks, G, have fixed to them lower vertical plates, K, which have horizontal
slots, L, formed through their upper parts. The end blocks, F, of the upper
plates, H, have formed on them pins, M, which project outwards, and on these pins
are jointed the upper ends of connecting rods, N 1, from eccentrics, Pl, ou a
rotating shaft, Q, below. The end blocks, G, of the lower plates, K, have pins, R,
formed on them but projecting inwards and having jointed on them the rods, N 2,
of eccentrics, P 2, also on the shaft, Q. The eccentrics to which the end blocks, G,
of the lower plates, K, are connected are set diametrically opposite to the
eccentrics, P1, connected to the end blocks, F, of the upper plates, H, in conse-
quence of which arrangement the shaft, Q, gives opposite reciprocations to the two
sets of plates, one set moving up as the other set moves down and vice versa.
two sets of plates are fixed to their end blocks so that each plate of one set has
next it a plate of the other set; and when both sets of plates are at half stroke
their several slots are all in the same plane. The reciprocating plates have between
them and each pair of rollers, D, E, end plates, I, which are stationary and have
their slots in a middle position.
The
The shaft, Q, is a first-motion shaft and has on it fast and loose pulleys, S, for
a driving belt, and also a flywheel, T. A short upper shaft, U, which by means
of stepped pulleys, V, can be driven at various speeds either from the shaft, Q, or
any convenient shaft, drives, by means of a worm and wormwheel, W, a horizontal
shaft, X, which by bevil wheels, Y, drives the lower roller of each pair of
rollers, D, E, the upper rollers being driven from the lower rollers by spur
pinions, Z, at the other ends of the rollers. A clutch is provided in connection with
the wormwheel, W, for putting the shaft, X, into or out of gear.
The flax is fed into the machine off a table or endless apron (not shown in the
drawings) and is entered between the first pair of rollers, D, next through the slots
of the plates, I, H, and, K, and then between the second pair of rollers, E, and is
subjected to the action of the reciprocating plates as it proceeds from the first pair
of rollers, D, to the second pair, E. The rollers, D, E, may be made to move
the flax forwards either continuously or intermittently.
If found desirable the
rollers, D, E, may be covered with rubber or other compressible material to give the
rollers a better hold upon the flax or other fibrous materials.
The machine may be used for operating on other fibre yielding vegetable
materials, and may be modified as regards the number of the slotted reciprocating
plates or of the sets of plates or as regards other parts, to suit the materials to be
operated on.
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. Constructing and combining the parts of machinery for breaking or treating
flax and similar textile materials substantially in the improved manner hereinbefore
described.
2. For breaking or treating flax or other textile materials, pairs of rollers arranged
to move the materials combined with plates made with slots through which the
materials are passed, the said plates being made to reciprocate each plate moving
oppositely to the plate next it, and the parts operating substantially as and for the
purposes herein before described.
Dated this Second day of August 1893.
EDMUND HUNI,
Applicant's Agent.