GB191013997A - Improvements in Decorticating Machinery. - Google Patents

Abstract

13,997. Pape, F. A. G. June 9. Scutching - apparatus; feeding and transferring flax &c.-Relates to that type of apparatus in which the leaves placed transversely on a conveyer belt are delivered to a pair of gripping-chains, which grip the leaves centrally and hold them while the ends, depending on one side of the chains, are scutched by a wheel, the partially-stripped leaves being immediately gripped by another pair of chains overlapping the first pair and the unscutched ends presented to a second scutching-wheel on the opposite side of the machine. The upper portion of the lower chain of each pair of gripping-chains c, c<1>, Fig. 1, runs upon a series of rollers a<1> journaled in a raceway a having a grooved floor a<2>, as shown in Fig. 4, leading to outlets a<3> from which the pulp is discharged. The outlets are preferably spaced between successive rollers a', and alternately lead to opposite sides of the raceway. The lower portion of the upper chain of each pair of gripping-chains is pressed downwardly by rollers b journaled in a carriage b<1>, which is mounted in the machine frame and pressed downwardly by adjustable springs b<3>. The co-operating faces of the chains are V- shaped with rounded angles, and the chains are driven by octagonal sprocket-wheels d having teeth d<1>, of which the sides taper both ways, and the flat tips are parallel with the sides of the sprocket-wheel. The chains are driven from a pinion f<1> on the driven shaft f of the second scutching - wheel D' through the medium of pinions e<5>, e<3> on a countershaft e<4> and a bevelwheel e<2> on the shaft e, carrying the driving- sprockets of both upper chains, which impart a frictional drive to the lower chains. In a modified arrangement, in which the chains overlap so as to ensure the second pair of chains gripping the leaves before they are released by the first pair, the sprocket-wheels at adjacent ends of the chains c, c<1> are keyed respectively on two parallel shafts h, h<1> connected by bevelgearing i, i<1>, j<1> with a shaft j driven in the same manner as the shaft e above. Each scutching-shoe is mounted by slides g<3> in guides g<4> in the bed-plate, and is adjustable laterally by a screw provided with a hand-wheel g<5> and screwing through brackets g<6> bolted to the bedplate; by means of screws g<2> passing through lugs g<1> on the shoe, the shoe can be adjusted vertically with respect to the slides. The leaves are directed downwards towards the shoe of the second scutching-wheel D<1> by guides k, l; and a fork m detaches any portions of the leaves that may adhere to the chain, The fibres are delivered into a receiver E.