GB105094A - An Improved Process and Apparatus for the Separation of Fibres from the Stalks of Bast Plants and other Adherent Fibres. - Google Patents

Abstract

105,094. Pritchard, R. L. March 27, 1916. Breaking and scutching apparatus.- Retted or unretted flax and other bast plants are passed through a series of groups of fluted rollers, which bend the material sharply and quickly without crushing it whilst it is held in a taut condition. The rate of movement of the material decreases as it passes from group to group, but the rate of bending becomes higher. The material is placed upon an apron 2a, Fig. 1, which carries it against a transverse pivoted hand-operated evening-board 3. When the butt ends of the material have been straightened, the board is raised to a certain height, and a layer of material of a definite depth is seized by plain rollers a and drawn through a grid a<2> to feed the material perpendicularly to the rollers. The rollers a deliver the material to a series of independently-driven groups d, e - - m of fluted rollers. The rollers are in fixed bearings and have rectangular teeth z, Fig. 10, so arranged that the material is never crushed between the sides or bottom of the teeth as they intermesh. The upper rollers are carried in sliding bearings 6, Fig. 3, which can be secured in position by setscrews 8<a>. The rollers in each group are driven at the same speed. A number of pairs of plain rollers b, c may be placed in between the groups of fluted rollers. The plain rollers are arranged in spring-controlled bearings. When the material has been seized by the final pair c, Fig. 3, of plain rollers, a comb 9<b> is lowered by hand into the fibres, and the material is drawn through it. The material is delivered bv the rollers c to a series of gripping-devices mounted upon intermittently-moving chains 13. Each device comprises a U-shaped frame 24a and a pivoted spring- controlled comb 27, which grips the material against an horizontal member 27<a> on the frame 24<a>. The device is held open by a cam 30 engaging a bowl 29 on the comb 27, whilst the material is fed through into the gripping-device, which is for the time stationary. Movement is then imparted to the chains 13, and the device closes upon the material and draws it along. When the material reaches the end of the upper run of the chains 13, it is grasped by an operative and pulled through the comb 27. An automatic device for controlling the movements of the chains 13 comprises fast and loose pulleys 23, 24, Fig. 4, on the shaft 18 actuating the chains. A belt-fork 38 is carried by a sliding block 37 mounted on a rod 34 and engaging a groove in the fixed bracket 35a. The rod 34 carries collars 39, 40, one each side of the block, and is surrounded by a spring 43 tending to force the belt on to the loose pulley. The belt is held on the fast pulley by a pin 44 on the collar 40 engaging a projection 45 on the bracket 35. A plate 33 carried by the rod 34 is'adapted to come into engagement with a pin 29a on the gripping-device 24<a> and to be moved by it to rotate the rod 34 and free the pin 44 from the projection 45. A handle 34a is provided on the rod to enable it to be pushed back to re-start the delivery device, and to be turned to re-engage the pin 44 behind the projection 45. The plants are passed, prior to treatment in the machine, through heavy rolls to break the seed pods. These rolls may be combined with the present machine or arranged in a separate machine.