US6888A - Improvement in hemp-brakes - Google Patents

Description

I Patented Nov. 20,v 1849.

A. SMITH.

Hemp Brake.

' UNITED w STATES PATEN'r rrrc O AGUSTINE SMITH, OF MOBILE, ALABAMA.

IMPROVEMENT IN HEMP-BRAKESf specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 6,888. dated November 20, 1849.

To all whom it may cmwern:

Be it known that I, AUGUsrINE SMITH, of

the city of Mobile, in'the county of Mobile andy State of Alabama, have invented a new and usefulMac-hine or Mill for Orushing Hemp, FlaX, 850.; and I do hereby declare the following` to be a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawing, mak- .drawing are represented as double size and twice the'distance apart in proportion to the other part of the drawng, that they might appear more plainly. They may be elevated to a more convenient height to work at.

O O are the two full-length rollers, extending the whole length of the bars on the platform, with their supports or pivot-'blocks dependng from the levers, between which they turn as they roll around the platform.

D D are the two half -length rollers, extending only half of the length of the bars on the platform-one large for the outer circle, and the other small for the inner circle. Their piVot-blocks are not represented.

The machine for crushing hemp, fiaX, &c., is construeted with a horizontal circular platform, whose surface is irregular-that is,with bars and their interstices across the surface, extending from the periphery toward the center for any length required. Those bars have their sides formed by lines regularly diverging from the center to the periphery, and their thickness is a little less than their interstices.

'the outer or larger circle forming the coarser brake, and the inner or smaller circle the finer brake. Thus, though the platform is perfectly horizontal, it presents the appearance of a bevel-wheel, and the rollers are really beveled, though rolling over a level surface.- Those rollers, two or more in number, are attached to levers projecting from the shaft in the center, and suspended from those levers by depending pivot-blocks. Upon their own pivots they turn as they are carried around the circle of the platform. At the endof those levers the horse-power is applied to carry those rollers around; but any other motive power may be applied to the shaft by the usual' mode of gearing. The interstiees are opened through, that the broken'pieces of stock may fall when loosened by the crushing. The hemp or fiaX is laid along on this circular platform of bars, and the rollers,passing over and pressing it into the interstices, crush the stock at the outer part of the circle in the coarser brake, and then is removed to the inner part of the circle,where the finer breaking is done, which completes the operation. The length of the roller may be divided into two half-rollers-V say a coarse and a line rollerthe largest or eoarsest going over the hemp or flax first on the outer circle, and as it leaves each bundle the helnp or 'flaX is put 011 the inner circle in time for the smaller or finer roller to crush it, those two half-rollers being attached to different levers. The hemp or fiax may continue in the mill until it is completely crushed, without producing any injury to the fiber. With well-rotted hemp or flax in this machine the rind' or outer bark gives to the first pressure of the roller, an'd as only one bar at a time is at full work the crushing is done without much rubbing of the lint or inner bark before it is severed from the wood or stock, and as the bar is then lifted by the progression of the roller, and the next bar comes in full work, there can be no rubbing, except what is actually necessary to be produced for the severance of the bark .from the wood.

The peeuliar usefulness which this machine is clair'ned to possess is that it is cheap and within the means of any small farmer who can grow the hemp or flax, for one horse is sufficient to roll around on `a level a ton or more in weight; and it may be erected by what is called a botch workman, or any one who can stock a common plow. The lever can also be lengthened, to give an advantage to a weak horse. On the top of levers aplatform may be erected to add to the weight of a wooden roller, if desired. The size of the bars may be varied, so that they can crush coarse or fine. The circle can be extended to suit the largest crop. rl`he number of rollers may be increased7 to dispatch the business more speedily, and the rollers may be of cast metal, for the weight is the prncipal merit of the machine, as it does away with friction of a sudden stroke of the beater-mill, and with a gentle force it carries the hemp beyond the angle or cnrve which its own resistance can sustain, and then it must break and crush; and as the bark and fiber is thus loosened from the stock, this stock, being,` hardest, protects the fiber from severe frietion, as it is firmly held until the rolling` lifts the bar. It is capable of tu rning out a Vast amount of work if well attended, and with unrotted or badly-rotted hemp will excel any other machine.

That I claim as my own invention, and de: sire to secure by Letters Patent in the abovedeseribed circular indented platform mill with horizontal surface, is-

cases The circular indented platform, with the application of the bevel indented roller or rollers on the horizontal circular indented platform, which gives a coarser and a finer brake, to suit any thickness of stock, from the coarsest hemp to the finest and most delicate flaX, and that it is capable of being extended to any diameter, to receive any number of rollers of any desired weight, and to do any amount of business by the application of any motive power; and the model is intended to show simply the form and position of the bars on the platform, and the form and application of the rollers-Vizit is only intended to show the principle, and not the mechanism or most /convenient mode of application, as the mechanism and mode will vary in almost every instance.

AUGE. SMITH.

Teste:

JOHN F. INNnsARITY, GEO. G. PYNE.

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