590,062. Treating flax &c. BRITISH UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CO., Ltd., RICKS, F., CHOICE, F. C., PRATT, J. W., and ROFFEY, F. June 28, 1944, No. 12337. [Class 120 (i)] The scutching elements of a flax-treating machine of the Hollier type (Specifications 359,977, 375,834 and 479,218) engage the stalks from above and effect their scutching action while travelling in a path inclined at a substantial angle to the horizontal. (1) General arrangement of machine. (i) The flax &c. stalks from a feed table 605 are removed between the grip of upper and lower feed belts 19, 135, across which they extend transversely, channelshaped segments 191 on the upper belt bending the root and seed end portions of the stalks downwardly on each side of the lower belt 135. (ii) While so carried, the stalks are simultaneously and progressively combed and partially scutched at both root and seed ends by devices 163, 165, situated on either side of the conveyer. Following this treatment, (iii) the seed end portions are finally scutched at 167. The stalks are then transferred (iv) to a second conveyer comprising upper and lower belts 25, 137, the upper belt also being provided with channelshaped segments 191 to bend the finally scutched seed ends and partially scutched root ends of the stalks downwardly for treatment at the root ends by (v) a combing device 173 and (vi) a final root-end scutching device 175. The scutched stalks are then delivered from the machine. (2) Conveyers of scutching machine (Figs. 4, 5, 17, 30). The upper and lower feed belts 19, 135, run over free pulleys 15, 139, at their front ends, and the belt 135 projects a short distance in advance of the belt 19. The upper belt is driven by a pulley 17. whereas the lower belt 135 runs freely over a skid 141 and a pulley 143, the lower belt being driven from the upper. Attached to the upper belt 19 is a series of part-overlapping channel-shaped members 191, the downwardly projecting portions of which hold the stalk-ends in a downward direction. The upper run of the lower belt 135 is supported on a slightly downwardly-sloping surface 155 at the head of castings 157 and the lower run of the upper belt 19 is pressed downwardly by a bar 177 supported adjustably by two bellcrank levers. The free pulley 15 is adjustable. After the stalks have been simultaneous combed and partially scutched at both root and seed ends at 163, 165 respectively, and then finally scutched at the seed end only at 167, the stalks are transferred to the grip of two further conveyers 25, 137, similar to conveyers 19, 135, an adjustable transfer-assisting belt 227, furnished with pins, engaging the stalks and moving them over a triangular-nosed plate 221. An adjustable deflector blade 269 may project through the plate 221, so that the length of stalk between the two sets of conveyers may be increased. The conveyer 25 is driven by a pulley 21, co-axial with the pulley 17, both being driven through a worm and worm wheel by an electric motor 107 and retraction gearing 103, and at its near end passes over an adjustable pulley 23. The conveyer 137, driven by the belt 25, runs over free pulleys 145, 147 and a skid 149, and the top run is supported upon the top of castings, similarly to the belt 135. In order to ensure that the finally-treated stalks will leave the channelled members 191 of the belt 25, a stripping belt 115 is fitted which travels in the channelled members of the upper belt and around an adjustable skid member 117 and a stripping finger. While gripped by the belts 25, 137, the root ends are again combed (at 173) and finally scutched at 175. The scutched fibres, supported upon the top of vertical -walls and held thereon and to the projecting lower belt by a flexible finger, are removed by hand. The pulleys 17, 21 are eccentrically mounted so that they may be readily turned when it is required to remove the conveying belts. The speed of the conveyers is controlled by the operator at the delivery end of the machine. The second upper belt 25 is urged toward the second lower belt by a presser plate similar to the bar 177. The transfer-assisting belt is driven from the driving shaft of the pulleys 17, 21 through an Oldham coupling. (3) Combing and partial scutching mechanism for root end of stalks. (Figs. 32, 4, 6.) This mechanism, 163, comprises preliminary combing bars 339, intermediate combing bars 351 and partial scutching bars 357. These bars each carry pins 373 and are moved, remaining parallel throughout their motion, by chains 297, 299, 301 running on sprockets, the sprockets 303, 309, 315 being driven by a shaft through a chain and sprocket from the driving means, on the other side of the machine, which drives the seed end combing and partial scutching and final scutching mechanisms 165, 167. The casting 279 carrying the mechanism 163 may swivel about hollow spigots 281 (for servicing), the driving shaft for the sprockets extending therethrough. The partial scutching bars 357 are formed in two parts, each carrying a row of scutching pins one part being movable longitudinally by a shogging cam 387, and an aligning cam 385, which are adjustable. The scutching pins are aligned by the cam 385 as they enter the stalks, being thereafter shogged by the cam 387. The combing and scutching bars are carried in the links of the chains by interengaging splines and grooves so that they may be secured in their axes to an adjusted position so to enter the stalks at any required angle. To ensure the entry of the pins among the stalks, a grid 421 is positioned behind the stalks, comprising a series of parallel bars between which the pins move, the grid being carried from the central casting by a link system, so that when the casting 279 is swung outwardly for servicing, the grid 421 will be moved to avoid fouling. The central casting is recessed at 169 to permit movement therein of the scutching pins and a supporting plate for the stalks is fitted to ensure proper entry of the pins into the flax. (4) Combing and partial scutching mechanism for seed end of stalks. (Figs. 5, 6.) This mechanism, 165, is constructed and operates in similar manner to that described for the root end, but is positioned at a slightly lower level and arranged at a slightly greater angle to the vertical. The central casting is recessed at 171 to allow the pins to move near to a stalk-pdsitioning plate, similar to that mentioned above. The pins of both mechanisms 163, 165 are cleared of shive &c. by brushes, of which fixed brushes clear the pins of the bars 339, 351 and rotary brushes 505 clear the pins of the bars 357. The rotary brushes 505 are cleared by carding rolls 509 (intermittently rotated), an oscillating blade stirring each carding roll. (5) Final scutching mechanism for seed end of stalks. (Figs. 45, 5.) This mechanism 169 comprises a casting 523 carrying sprockets 527 which drive chains supporting a series of scutching bars 525. The bars include a longitudinally movable portion, i.e., ' fixed and movable portions carrying rows of scutching pins. In their motion with the chains, the bars pass cams, the first of which aligns the pins for entry between the stalks and the second subsequently shogs the bar portions to effect scutching. The casting 523 pivots about spigots 529 through which passes the driving shaft for the sprockets 527, the driving shaft being driven by a variable-speed electric motor 553, through an Oldham coupling. This motor also drives the mechanism 165. The bars 525, which are formed in two lengths connected together by interlocking teeth and grooves, are prevented from rotating during their motion by links 567, the ends of which are pivoted to links on a fourth chain displaced from the others. The bars are carried in their links by interengaging splines and grooves to allow of adjustment about their axes. In a modification, the mechanisms 163, 165 may be driven by a separate motor from that driving the mechanism 167. In a further modification, the shogging cams may be replaced by discs, freely rotating about inclined axes, the discs being driven by the frictional contact of the passing scutching bar. A stalk supporting plate, similar to the plates previously described, is fitted behind the mechanism 167 and a grid similar to the grid 421 is also fitted. The scutching pins are cleared by rotary brushes 572, carried in alignment with the brushes 505, driven from the driving shaft of the sprockets 527. (6) Root end combing mechanism. (Fig. 4.) After the flax stalks have been transferred to the second conveyer 25. 139, the stalks are re-combed at the root end to ensure parallelism This combing mechanism, 173, is similar to the mechanism 163 in that it comprises preliminary and intermediate combing bars (similar to the bars 339, 351) carried by chains running over sprockets on a casting pivoted to the machine framing. Behind the combs is positioned a grid (similar to grid 421), carried by levers to ensure that when the combing casting is swung forwardly the grid will move to prevent fouling. The bars which effect the final combing are similar to the bars 357 but do not comprise two sections since scutching is not effected. The combing bars are also adjustable on their axes, and the pins are cleared by stationary brushes &c as previously described. (7) Root end final scutching mechanism. (Fig. 4.) From the combing mechanism 173, the conveyer 25, 139 moves the stalks to the final root end scutching mechanism 175 which is substantially identical with the seed end final scutching mechanism 167. The mechanisms 173 and 175 are both driven from variable-speed electric motor 595 through shafting including an Oldham coupling. The pins of the scutching mechanism 175 are cleared by rotary brushes &c. as previously described. In a modification, the intermediate combing bars 351 may be dispensed with and replaced by straight bars forming a continuation of the scutching bars. The clearing apparatus is then