US251818A - Machine for cleaning and separating the fibers of leaves - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E. BEOVIDE.

MACHINE EOE CLEANING AND SEPARATING TEE FIBERS OF LEAVES.

No. 251,818. Patented Jan. 8,1882.

/VENTOR WITNESSES:

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4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

B. BE-OVID-E.

'MAGEINE FOR CLEANING AND SEPABATING THE FIBERS 0F LEAVES.

Patented Jan. 3,1882.

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

N. PETERS. Fhnlo-Lllbngrupher. Washmgtnn. D. C.

. (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Shet 3.

E. BEOVIDE.

MACHINE FOR CLEANING AND SEPARATING THE FIBERS 0F LEAVES.

N0. 251,818. Patented Ja1 1.3,1882.

WITNESSES: u

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I V O E B E M MACHINE FOR GLEANING AND SEPARATING THE FIBERS 015 LEAVES.

Patented Jan; 8,188 2.

INVENTOP. (5%

ATTORNEYS.

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3 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EUGENIO BEOVIDE, OF MINERAL DE OATOROE, MEXICO.

MACHINE FOR CLEANING AND SEP ARATlNG TH E FIBERS 0F LEAVES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 251,818, dated January 3, 1882. Application filed August 31, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom t't may concern Be it known that I, EUGENIO BEOVIDE, of Mineral de Oatorce, Mexico, have invented a new and Improved Machine for Cleaning and Separating the Fibers of Leaves, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a new and improved machine for removing the epidermis and filling'cellular tissue from the fibers of such leaves as those of the Agave Americana, or aloe, Hcmlquen zcchnqu'itta mm"- qut'sia, or. Ooprosma, and other plants growing in Mexico, Central and SouthAmerica, which fibers are then used in the industries in the same manner as hemp and jute fibers, &c.

The invention consists of a frame in which two or more rollers provided with yielding, rasping, and scraping knives and with yielding, feeding, and pressing blades guided by suitable guide-rim gs on the frame are journaled above each other and are surrounded by suitable casings, into the upper one of which the leaves; are fed from an inclined table by adj ustable feed-rollers and are drawn downward thrOugh the several receptacles by adjustable feed-rollersjournaled between each pair of raspjng-rollers. The rasping-rollers revolve very rapidly and scrape all cellular matter from the fibers, this waste being thrown out through openings in the casings and the cleaned fibers passing out between two rollers below the lowest rasping-roller;

The invention further consists in a rasping- I roller provided with a series of radial longitudinally-gro'oved wings containing radiallyniovable rasping and scrapingknives and feeding and pressing blades,which are pressed outward radiallyby springs contained in recesses in these wings.

The invention further consists in the combination, with the scraping and pressing rollers, of cog-wheels, shal'ts, and pinions for rotatin'g the several parts at the various speeds required.

The invention also consists in the arrangements and construction of parts and details,as will be more fully described hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings,formiug part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate cor- Figurel is a rear elevation of my improved machine for cleaning and separating the fibers of leaves from the surrounding tissues. Fig.

' 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of one of,

the scraper-rollers of the machine, showing the scraper-knives in elevation. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the machine. Fig. 4. is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the scraper-roller, showingthe feedingand pressing blades in elevation. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional elevation of part of one blade and its spring. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal elevation of the bearing and its adjusting-spring for one pair of feed-rollers. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal elevation of one of the bearings of a rasping or scraping roller. Fig. 8 is an end elevation of the machine, the cogwheels being removed. Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional elevation of the raspin g or scraping roller on the line y 3 Fig. 4. Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional elevation of the same on the line 2 c,

Fig. 4. Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional elevation of the machine on the linewm, Fig. 1. Fig. 12 is a longitudinal elevation of one of the rasping or cutting rollers. Fig. 13 is a partial longitudinalsectional elevation of one of scraperrollers, showing the pressing or feeding knives in elevation.

A rasping or scraping roller, A, is formed of I a shaft, A, provided with a series of radialand longitudinal wings, A which are grooved longitudinally and contain either a blade, 13 or 13, these blades being held in the grooved wings by screws or pintles a. passing through the grooved wings and through transverse slots 11 in the blades, thus permitting a radial movement of the blades. Spiral springs B are containedin recesses A formed in the grooves of the wings A ,and each has a centrally-apertured cap, B as shown in Figs. 5 and 10, resting on the outer end, which cap fits into a recess, c, in the edges of the blades B or B and a projection, c, in the middle of the inner edge of this recess passes into the aperture 0 of the cap B and thus holds the cap in the recess, as clearly shown in Fig 5. The several springs, B, acting on a blade, B or B press this blade outward. The blades B serve to rasp and scrape and have a beveled outer edge, and the blades B? serve to press and push or feed the leaves and are provided at the outer edge with a longitudinal head or rib, 13*, having a triangular cross-section, as shown in Figs. Sand 10. I prefer to have two opposite rasping or scraping blades, B, and two opposite pressing or feeding blades, B on each scraper-roller A.

The ends of the presser-blades B extend to the inner surface of the end walls, 0, of the wings A as do the rasping-blades B also; but the latter have a projection, O, at the upper edge at each end, the end of this projection being flush with the outer surface of the end wall of the wing, as shown in Fig. 2. The outer or upper edge of the projection O is rounded. Two or more of these scraper-rollers A are arranged above each other and separated a certain distance in frames D D, the shafts A of these rollers being journaled in bearings D attached to the outer sides of the frames D D and across openings E in these frames, into which openings the ends of the scraperrollers pass. The openings E are of such diameter as to admit the scraper-rollers A when the projections C of the blades B rest on the outer edges of the end walls, 0, of the wings, as is shown in Fig. 2.

Each scraper-roller A is surrounded by a cylindrical casing, F, of precisely the same diameter as the apertures E. These casings F have a longitudinal opening. F, at one side and a longitudinal opening, F, at the bottom. The uppermost casing F has a longitudinal opening or slot, F in the side opposite the opening F, but has no top opening; but the lower casings F are not provided with this second side opening, F, but have a longitudinal top opening, F The bottom openings, F extend throughout the entire length of the easing F, but the side and top openings, F F, are not quite as long as the casings, so that short segmental ridges I will project from the inner surface of the walls D D for a purpose that will be specified hereinafter.

' Two fluted feed-rollers, G G, are journaled in front of the opening F of the upper casing F and parallel with this casing, so that these rollers G G will feed the leaves from an inclined table, H, into the uppermost casing F through the opening F Two smooth feedingrollers, J, are mounted on shafts J J J, re-

spectively journaled in the frames D D between each two casings F, in such a manner that the lines of the peripheries of these feedrollers J will be in contact with. the innerperiphcry of the casin g F above each set of rollers, but will be about half of an inch from the inner periphery of the casing F below each set of rollers, as is clearly shown in Fig. 11. The feed-rollers J will thus almost fill the bottom or lower opening, F, of each casing F. The

feed-rollers G and J all have one journal-box, g, fixed, and the other journal-box, 71, made -1novable, these movable journal-boxes It being adjusted by means of a spiral or rubber spring, K, and a set-screw, L. Both the fixed and slidingjournal-boxes are held in a frame, L.

The shafts A of the rasping or scraping rollers A all project from the frame D, and on each shaft A a cog-wheel, M, is rigidly mount ed, these cog-wheels engaging with each other and being of the same size. I

' On the uppermost shaft A apulle-y, N, for a driving-belt is mounted, and on the lowest shaft A is mounted a pinion, O, engaging with a large cog-wheel, P, mounted on a shaft, P,

on the opposite end of which is also mounted a small cog-wheel, P engaging with a cog- Wheel, Q, mounted on a shaft, Q, on which is mounted'a pinion, Q engaging with a large cog-wheel, R, mounted on the shaft J of the driving-roller J of the lowest set of feed-rollers J. On this shaft J a cog-wheel, R and a pinion, S are mounted, the pinion engaging with a pinion, T on the shaft of the adjustable roller J, and the cog-wheel R en ga ging with a cog-wheel, E on the shaft J of the roller with the fixed bearing of the second set of feed-rollers. ()n this shaft J a pinion, S is mounted, engaging with a pinion,T on the shaft of the corresponding adjustable feedroller. The wheel R engages with a cogwheel, R, on the shaft J of the roller with the fixed bearing of the uppermost set of feedrollers J, and a pinion, S, mounted on this shaft J engages with a pinion, T, on the corresponding adjustable feed-roller J. A cogwheel, U, mounted on the shaft J, engages with a cog-wheel, V, on the shaft G of theupper fluted feed-roller G. A pinion, W, on this shaft G engages with a pinion, X, on the shaft G of the lower roller Gr. As each alternating scraping or rasping roller A rotates in opposite directions the openings F of the casings F must alternately be in the front and rear of the machine.

The operation is as follows: The leaves, stems, &c., are passed downthe inclined table H, in between the fluted rollers G, which seize them and pass them transversely through the opening F into the uppermost cylinder F. The presser-blades B and the scraper-blades B will immediately seize theleaves and draw is removed-that is, from that side exposed to the action of the blades B B .As has been previously stated, the presser-blades B are.

shorter than the scraper-blades and the aperture F is longer than the other apertures ot' the casing F. The presser blades B are pressed into their corresponding grooved wings by the inner sides of the casings F and by the segmental ridges I formed at the ends of the openings F, F, and F; but as there are no such ridges at the ends of the openings F the springs B can press the presser-blade downward in between the rollers J J every time the presser-blade arrives at this opening F, as shown in Fig. 13. As the head or rib B of each presser-blade is beveled, the outer edge of the presser-blade will not catch on'the roller J, but will slide up the same, and when the edge of the presser-blade arrives at the longi- 'tudinal edge of the opening F it is pressed shoots outward whenarrivin g at this opening, 850. The rasping or-scraping blade B cannot pass in between the rollers J, for the projections 0 project even beyond the ends of the opening F and thus hold the knife within the aperture E. This is absolutely necessary, as the blades B would cut, and tear the leaves and fibers if they had the same movements as the'presser-bla'des B By passing in between the rollers J J this presser-blade presses the fibers or those parts of the leaves that have not been thrown out through the opening F of the upper casing]? in between the feedrollers J, which catch them and pass them into the next lower casing. The rasping or scraping cylinder of the second casing F revolves in the inverse direction of the rasping-rollerof the uppermost casing F. The other side of the leaf is thus rasped andscraped and the fibers are again seized by feed-rollers J and passed into the next lower casing F, where all the remnants of the epidermis or cellular matter are removed and the cleaned fiber is seized by the rollers J of the lowest easing F and are ejected.

If desired, more than three scraping or rasping rollers may be used, as the circumstances may require. i

It will be observed that the gearing is so arranged that the feed rollers J rotate about onefit'tieth as fast as the scrapingrollers A, thus permitting the blades to act onthe leaves a certain time before these leaves are removed from one easing into another. The fibers obtained are about from eight to twelve inches long and resemble hemp or jute fibers.

The edge of the blades B must not be sharp, but are preferably dulled or rounded so as to rasp and scrape and not cut. The springs B must be powerful enough to press the blades on the leaves withsufficient force to break and tear the epidermis without breaking or cutting the fiber. The rollers J have their lowest point slightly above the highest point of the next lower casing F, so that the leaves can pass into the lower casing F more conveniently and without producing undue resistanceor friction.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a machine for cleaning the fibers of leaves and plants, the combination, with the rpller A, provided with the longitudinallygrooved wings A thesprin gs B, and the means ior securing them in the said grooved wings, of the rasping or scraping blades B, having beveled outer edge, and the pressing or feeding blades B provided with heads 13, triangular in cross-section, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. i 2. In a raspingor scraping roller, A, for machines for cleaning the fibers of leaves and plants, thecombination, with the shaft A and the longitudinally-grooved radial'wings A provided with recesses A of the blades B B provided with recesses c, the springs B, and

the caps B substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a machinefor cleaning the fibers of leaves and plants, the combination, with the rotating cylinder, provided with spring supported rasping or scraping blades B formed with projections 0,01" theendcasing, (3, formed with apertures into which the said projections extend, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a machine for cleaning the fibers of leaves and plants, the combination, with the frames D D provided with apertures E, and the casings F, having the same diameter as the apertures E, the rasping or scraping rollers A, contained in the casings F, of the feedfrollers J J, located between the casings F, and of gearing for operating the rasping or scraping rollers and the feed rollers, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a machine for cleaning the fibers of leaves and plants, the cylindricalcasings F, constructed, substantially as herein shown and described, with a bottom longitudinal opening, F extending throughout the entire length of the casing, with a top longitudinal opening, F extending to within a short distance from the ends of the casing, and with a longitudinal side opening, F, extending to within a short distance of the ends of the casing and forming segmental ribs I on the inner sides of the frames D D substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a machine for cleaning the fibers of leaves and plants, the combination, with the casings F, of the feed-rollers J, located between two casings in such a manner that the periphery of the rollers J will touch the inner periphery ot' the casingF above the feed-rollers and will be a short distance above or frointhe inner periphery of the casing F below the feedrollers, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth. i

7. In a machine for cleaning the fibers of leaves and plants, the combination, with the frames D D of the rasping and scraping rollersA, the feedrollers J and G, the casings F, the cog-wheels M, the pinion O, the cog-wheel I, the shaft P, the cog-Wheels P Q, the pinion Q the cog-wheels R B B R the pinions S T S 'I S T the cog-wheels U and V, and

the pinions W and X, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

8. In' a machine for cleaning the fibers of leaves and plants, the combination, with the rasping or scraping rollers A, the feed-rollers J, and the casings F,"of devices for rotating the rasping or scraping rollers with a much greater rapidity than that of the feed-rollers, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

. EUGENIO B-EOVIDE. Witnesses:

OSCAR F. GUNZ, (J. SEDewIcK.

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