GB219810A - Improvements in or relating to machines for breaking, softening and scutching fibrous materials - Google Patents

Abstract

219,810. Boby, Ltd., R., and Griffiths, C. H. July 17, 1923. Breaking and scutching apparatus; grip-chain and like arrangements for feeding, holding, and conveying fibrous materials.- In a machine for breaking, softening and scutching flax &c. the stalks are laid on the feed apron 22, Fig. 2, and fed forward between rollers 23, 24 where the ends are gripped and carried forward between belts 25, 26. The belts are turned into a vertical position by a guide roller 27 and pass round part of a turntable 21. The ends of the stalks which hang down pass through a scutching-device 3. The belts then pass forward round rollers 41, 42, the belt 25 passing round pulleys 47, 48, 49 to the roller 23, whilst the belt 26 returns direct to the roller 24 round pulleys 50, 51. As the belts pass round the pulley 47, the scutched ends of the stalks are gripped by belts 43, 44 passing round pulleys 45, 46, and are carried back round another part of the turntable 21 where the untreated ends are acted upon by a second scutching-device 4. The belts 43, 44 pass round pulleys 54, 55 and then separate to allow the completely scutched stalks to fall out of the machine. The belt 43 is guided by a pulley 56 back to the pulley 45, and the belt 44 by pulleys 58, 59 to the pulley 46. The belts are moved by the rotation of the turntable 21 which is driven by from the main shaft 2 by a chain 11, gearing 13 - - 16, and bevel gearing 18, 19. The scutching-devices comprise a grid 31, Fig. 3, with bars 30, and a series of rotating toothed cylinders 32 moving round a common axis 33 and meshing with the bars 30 as they roll over the grid. The bars 30 may be inclined so as to intensify the bending action on the stalks as they pass across the grid. Bars 37, 38 which may be toothed or plain, may be arranged between the cylinders 32. A wall 40 may be arranged at each end of the bars to prevent fibres from floating out and wrapping round other parts of the machine. A shaking-device may be interposed between the two scutching-devices.