US1013235A - Apparatus for dissecting pulpy and fibrous plants. - Google Patents

Description

F. F. STRONG. APPARATUS FOR DISSEGTING PULPY AND PIBROUS PLANTS. I

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10, 1910.

Patented Jan. 2, 1912.

. handling such plants as are common in the mnnarcx srnone, or $1". rnrnnssnaartonme.

APPARATUS son nrssnc'rriwe PULPY AND ruinous PLANTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented J an. 2,1912.

Application filed June 10, 1910. Seria1 1o.:586,221.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK and State of Florida, have invented an Improvement in Apparatus for Dissect1ng Pulpy and Fibrous Plants, of which the following description, in connection wlth the accompanying drawings, is a speclfication, likeletters on the drawings representing like arts. p My invention aims to handle stalky plants so as to separate the pulp and fibers from each other without requiring previous treatment of the stalks.

My invention is particularly intended for southern part of the United States, whereby the rapid and economical production of commercial conunodpities, such as crude paper pulp, raw textile and cordage fiber, raw material for the manufacture of artificial hard.

rubber or ivory and vulcanized'fiber, is rendered practicable from the leaves, leaf stalks, stem,sheaths, trunk wood, and roots of a large variety of these tropical and sub-tropical plants and trees. Some of these plants have been heretofore utilized in connection with various preliminary treatments whereby the fibers and pulpy substance have been softened and disintegrated chemically -preplants which contain long parallel fibers, or

undles of fibers, running continuously from izhefroot through the trunk, leaf-stalk, and

ea i v In carrying out my invention, I provide means to feed the fibrous material end-on while the end is being'subjected simultaneously to a rapid whipping and sub-dividing operation. The mechanism is such that the pulp matter is separated mechanically from the fibers without injury to the latter. The sub-dividing mechanism operates practically on each fiber to push therefrom the pulp but not'to injure the fiber, simply leaving the uninjured fiber stripped clean of its pulp and juices or parenchyma. The pulp is pushed from between contiguous fibers and 1s beaten or whipped and combed away by a continuous succession of exceedingly rapid and yet delicate blows; and I regard my in- F. STRONG, a citizen of the United-States, and resident of St. Petersburg, in the county of Hallsboro vention as broadly new in provlding means for accomplishin this action on the end wise-fed materia Having separated the fibrous material from its pulpy container, it

is squeezed and brushed so as still further to clean and straighten it, while all the tissue substance and juices removed therefrom are passed to a further separator which separates and sub-divides the-latter.

In the drawings, in whichI have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention Figure 1 is a vertical'longitudinal sectional view of .one form of the machine, parts being broken away for clearness of illustration; Fig. 2 shows in enlarged front elevation one of the mechanical dissector rolls; Fig. 3 is a view partly diagrammatic showing a projection of the drum with its successive portionslaidout in'a'plane so as to I exhibit thelr mutual relation; and Fig. 4 is a fragmentar scraper or u p reducer.

In handling the"plants,'the raw material 'per 1, which preferably has a vertical front wall 2 and a sloping rear wall 3 so .that the stalks, etc., are caused to aline themselves endwise against the front wall in horizontal layers ready for the feeding operation,"being fed forward by a toothed or spiked roller 4 of a delivery =bed plate '11, over the edge of which the material. being treated is bent, as clearly shown in Fig. -1, by the rapid whipping and sub-dividing action of the dissector mechanism, the front edge of said bed plate being parallelto and nearly in contact with. the peripheral portion of the rotatin "reel 9. The/purpose 'ofthe latter is to e ect the separation and isolation of the structural and skeletal elements by the progressive multiple splitting of the plant along the lines of least resistance, combined Wlbll' a plan view ofithe grinding (leaves and stalks) is delivered into a h'op brushing or rubbing away of the loosened tissues and juices, leaving the rawtextile or cordage fibers separated one from the other and practically free from previously adherent cells and coloring matter.

Between the heads or ends 12 of the rotary member 9,11 mount a series of dis sector rolls L 13, herein shown as sixin number, e ach be.- mg hereinshown'as'conslstmg 'of aseries of metal disks 14 mounted on a shaft-15 and separated by spacing washers 16. These thin sheetmetal disks or plates constitute fingers forsub-divi'ding the'stalks,"etc.' which are fed endwise thereto, the finger-like members or disks 14 of the successive rolls being staggered with relation to each other, 7 as" .'clearly shown in Fig. 3, where it willibe -seen that the corresponding knife-like fingers of the successive rolls are not in the same plane but are staggered from each other just sufficiently so that each occupies a vertical plane. by itself and therefore engages the fibrous-material at a separate point, which fact, taken with the rapid 'movement of the dissector device, secures the required results.

For instance, if the thin metal disks are set one-tenth of'an inch apart, it follows that, in view of the fact that the disks 'of the .six 'rolls 13 are staggered as shown in Fig. 3, the

. fiber will receive sixty cuts to the inch; In

other words, the individual disks of a row are set suficiently far apart so as not tol break or tear awaythe fiber but merely to, ,cut through the stalk, and the successive rows of disks are setso as to enga e at suc-' cessive points of the stalk latera y'of the preceding cuts, with'theresult that the stalk is cut with. a degreeof 'fineness which separates all the individual;- fibers' from each other. vThis degree of fineness could not be attained by settin all the disks in one row,

because, if so set, -t e cutters would have such a small space between them .as to. allow n0. place for the passage of the fibers, and'hence the fibers would be torn off instead of remaining. in a fringe as at present. As each dissector roll-.13 passes through. the material being out, each of its disks or knives loosens and pushes forward some of the pulp tissue,

' and this proceeds continuously and progresnot mg but a fringe of fibers.

the successive cutter members 13, I prosively until practically all the tissue or pul matter has been removed, leaving Between vide combs 17 held in angular adjustment on transverse rods 18, these combs having relatively wide. teeth and narrow slots so as to permit the passage therethrough'of more or less of the fibrous portion, of the plant while at the same time accomplishing a rapid whippin These combs are made of thin ribbon stee which yields sufliciently to provide a light combing blow, and cooperate with the dissector rollsto whip out the subdivided material into a fringe of fibers which, being freed from the soft tissue and debris, are bent downwardly under the edge of 'the plate or table 11, where. they are pulled orward by two small rolls 19, 20, which squeeze-them together more or less as the fibers are fed over a supporting block fully cleaned a brush ro remainin ,juices and pa ,and the brus '22 and b ock 21 further 0 can and drythe freed fibers from all remaining debris. The

brushrotates faster-than the movement of the fiber so'as togivea slight brushin action, its bristles being preferably me e of fine'metal'wires. In workingcabbag'e-palm leaves, saw. palmetto, .sa'w grass, or other. material which is to-be converted entirely into paper pulp, I-provide a steel baror knife- 25 ad ustably supported radially in the dissector reel -9, being adjusted so as to cooperate-with the front edge of the bed plate to form therewith a cutting shear to cut the plan fiber into short portions; Each time the knife meets the bed plate, it cuts off the fiber fringe which has been fed out and split or. subd1videdby the dissecting a paratus. By varyi theperi heral spec of the'feed roll in i efation to t tion of' the .dissector apparatus,=the 1e of the fri .e of fibers'cut at each revolution of the kni e is adjusted according, to the reuirements of the 'ven roduct tobe made. s the portlons o the. ringe ar'e'lcut, they "are whipped between therolls; 19, 20 and e rate of rota th thence carried into the receptacle 24 the same as before, where they are washed in salt water and prepared for the'next sta of their treatment; The pulp cells and ebris which are separated from the isolatedfibers or fringe,-are pushed and whipped ofl' I into-'a'tank 26, being aided in their movement by jets of salt water driven from a transverse pipe 27 under pressure against the fiber at the point of dissecting. The particular construction of this tank and the subjacent and coil crating j mechanism are not herein claimedgbeing covered in a divisional application. *The tissue, etc., collected in the tank 26 is agitated, in the salt water 28 therein by a suitable stirrer 29, herein-shown as journaled at .30 vertically" in the bottom of thereceptacle. This mechanical sti removes much of the microscopic chlorop granules, soluble igments, and finely ivided debris, whic pass through the meshes of a fine wire screen 31 and-out through an outlet 32 in the side of the tub or riece tacle 26, whence it passes to evaporating an settling tanks for further refining in the production of mi filif-b products. The material left in the tub conf sists' of bits of-torn fibers, together with the pulp or parenchlyma cellsv more or less broken and. mechanica 1y freed from their green juice and chlorophyl, also bits of leaf cuticle and thin laminae formed of skin cells free of, chlorophyl and consisting of nearly ,being light, rise and pure tough cellulose, admirably adapted .the production of paper pulp,

- ready in a meteor less finely dividedcondition, they care easilyreached and acted upon by any chemical agents used for refining or this place.

The ulp-like portion in the solution 28 graduafiy settles to the bottom as it is washed and separated by the stir'rer 29, the proper depth-of solution being provided by any suitable means, as through a pipe 33 in addition to the washingsolutlon M27. The bottom 34 of the tank 26 is providedwith a series of holes 35 for the passage of the pulp, which are preferably substantially closed at their lower end by a circular subbottom or scraper 36 secured at37 to the shaft 38 which operates the stirrer. The upper surface of this scraper 36is provided witha series of radial and preferably curved grooves of fiutings 39, see Figs. 1 and 4,

which operate to pull the pulp gently downward and outward as it settles in the holes 35 of the :toraminous bottom of the tank. It

1 is thus further macerated and refined" and finally dropped into a collecting basin 40, whence it passes through a pipe l1 for its further treatment, an inlet pipe 42 being preferably provided for introducing further salt solution and facilitating the more rapid delivery of the pulp through the pipe 41. V

The operation of my'mechanism has already been sufliciently described, and it will be suficient to point out that although maccrating and decorticating fibrous material (previoifily rotted or chemically treated) has been heretofore, accomplished, my invention is entirely difl'ercnt therefrom and is not to be confused therewith. One of its chief characteristics is that it feeds the nonrotted and inte ral original growth endwisc into position w ere it is longitudinally dissected automatically in a manner approximating the careful hand dissection inthe botanistls laboratory. It is simultaneously whipped, bent and mechanically freed of its juices, pulp, and cellular tissue. This takes place continuously and rapidly and yet deli-r cately, so that the plant is literally dissected into its primal elements, roughly speaking. The fibers are separated, liinbered, washed, squeezed, brushed, and dried. The pulpy container is mechanically pushed, brushed,

Being al-- washed,-and stripped from the separated fibers; It is then collected in a tank in proper solution, where it is further washed and separa-ted'mechanicall and the lighter coloring matter and other light arts drained oft from the gulpy parts. T e latter are then gently an 'yet rapidly squeezed, pulled,

mashed, and ground into such a sub-divided state that, when diluted or. permitted to mix freely with the liquid in the collecting tank, they readily forward in-a practically Y selit propelling stream.

From the above, it will be evident that my invention in its broader aspects is capable of a wide variety of mechanical enibodiments without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as defined i1 the appended claims. v Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An apparatus of the kind described, comprising means to feed the plant-material endwise. to a dissecting mechanism, cpmbinecl with said dissecting mechanism, including means to cut the plant-material at its'lend lengthwise of the fibers with a series of cuts close to each other, said cutting means being arranged to separate'the individual fibers from each other and pass between said fibers with a pushing action against the intervening pulp tissue, said cutting means comprising av plurality of successive series of cutting blades, each occupying a vertical cutting plane by itself.

2. An apparatus of the kind described,

comprising means to feed the plant-material "endwise to a dissecting mechanism, combined with said dissecting mechanism,ineluding a plurality of sets of knives, the knives of each set being parallel to each other and arranged to cut the end of the plant-material lengthwise of its fibers, and the knives of each succeeding set being out of alinement with the knives of all the precedin sets.

3. n apparatus of the kind described,

comprising meansto feed the plant-material endwise to a dissecting mechanism, com.- bined with said dissecting mechanism, in-

cluding a plurality of sets of knives, the

knives of each set being parallel to each other and arranged to cut the end of the plant-material lengthwise of itslfibers and the knives of each succeeding set being out of alinement with the knives of all the preceding sets, and combing mechanism operating on the out ends during the cutting action to-comb the parenchyma from the fibers.

. 4. An apparatus of the kind described, comprisingmeans to hold the plant material endwise to be operated upon, a rotary reellike member havin rolls mounted adjacent the periphery thereof, each roll having a series of metal disks a series of dissector so mounted for angular adjustment tween the successive rolls being imountedtoq "317611-5111" --;plan'ee out 3 of". alinem'ent";

and a pluralitj ofwhippin mounte at-iintervalsfofi saidrreelke memherbetw fl'shid" rolls imposition 't o lwhip-the ends ofqth i plant material with a rapid:

- series ofiwhi ping movements interspersed with the cutting, movements of the rolls, 5. An ap aratus of x the kind described-,3

- comprising ceding means to feed theiplant material into position to he -operated' u on,

- and a reel-like member provided wi a" .of series of knives, an

' certain of said series plurality of series of cutting knives arranged parallel-to each other and each knife standmg in a difierent' vertical plane from I comprising" feedin mechanism to feed the.

the other knives throufhout the pluralityintervenin combs mounted .for angular adjustment etweenj of knives.

6. An ap fratus of the'kinddescribed,

comprising? ceding means to feed the plant.

. a 7 material into position toheoperated and a reel-like member provided W1 a plurality of series of cutting knivesarranged parallel to each "other and each knife'standin a difierint vertical plane from all the other kni'v thr u hout the-'plurali of series of knives 15 W 0 an intervenin combs p lant material' en wise, mocha co of thin s rin' gm gmateml; r0- .{li'ridedivl h ividc ,te e hand liar-row slotgto;

of theTfibrous portion'.' of the plant while: ra dly wh p issi h p t mawrid' m 01. a. An apparatu's of the kind described,

mechanism to feed the plant-material en wise, mechani 8m to'dissect-"the fibers of the endwise sfed. material from the tissue parts thereof,

and a separato'rarranged to receive the latgtersegarate from the strong fibers and S0p$f 'I rate. elighter portions of" the matter v 'ceivedfrom'the heavier rtionB 8.-An apparatus of at e kind. described,

nism'to'dissectthe fiber. of them wise fed material from the tissue parts thereof, and

a 'se arator arranged to receive bygravity the atter and separate the lighter portions from the heavier. crtions. f

In testimony w ereof,-"I havesigned my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribm witnesses; 1 FRED RIGK--E.' STRONG.' Witnesses-:

was sea-0f as art y it .the passage ther

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