US722556A

US722556A - Machine for defibrating fibrous plants.

Info

Publication number: US722556A
Application number: US4385001A
Authority: US
Inventors: Warren S Belding
Original assignee: EYSSENPACKER DEFIBRATOR Co
Current assignee: EYSSENPACKER DEFIBRATOR Co
Priority date: 1901-01-19
Filing date: 1901-01-19
Publication date: 1903-03-10
Anticipated expiration: 1920-03-10

Description

.No. 722,556. v PATENTED MAR. 10, 1903 W. S. BELD ING. MACHINE FOR DEFIBRATING FIBROUS PLANTS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 19, 1901.

no MODEL. 5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

' WITNESSES:

ATTORNEY m: "cums PETERS co. PMbru-uma. WASHINGTON. n. c.

No. 722,556. PATENTED MAR. 10, 1903.;

W. s. BELDING! MACHINE FOR DEFIBRATING FIBROUS PLANTS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 19, 1901.

10 MODEL. 5 SHEETS-SHEET mww , ATTORNEY Noi 722,556. PATENTED MAR. 10, 1903.

I W." s. BELDING. MACHINE FOR DEFIBRATING PIBROUS PLANTS;

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 19, 1901.

10 MODEL. 6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

wnuasszs: j INVENTOR ,No. 722,556. PATENTED MAR. 10, 1 03.-

w. s. BELDIN'G MACHINE FOR DEFIBRATING FIBROUS PLANTS.

' "APPLICATION TILED JAN. 19, .1901.

I0 MODEL. 5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

ATTORN EY I I r n m Q h m v I M R B E 1 T Q w #5 a Wm ow 2 & L I 7R3. RX .N f m J 0 a 3s El WITNESSES. gwoww 01 No. 722,556- PATENTED MAR. 10, 1903. W. S. BELDING. MACHINE FOR DEFIBRATING FIBROUS PLANTS. AP PLIOATION FILED JAN. 19, 1901.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

R0 MODEL.

lllllllllll WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WARREN S. BELDING, OF HAOKENSACK, NE\V JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO EYSSEN- PACKER DEFIBRATOR COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

MACHINE FOR DEFIBRATING FIBROUS PLANTS.

SPECIFICATION. forming part of Letters Patent No. 722,556, dated March 10, 1903. Application filed January 19, 1901. Serial No. 43,850. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.- for powerful feeding-rollers which will grip Be it known that I, WARREN S. BELDING, a the reeds tightly in order to force them into citizen of the United States, and a resident of the machine, and if they are soft or small the town of 'Hackensack, in the count-y of Berthey will frequently buckle between the feed- 5 5 5 gen and State of New Jersey, (having my ing devices and the splitting devices; also, it

post-office address Overlook avenue, Hack-- has been found impossible to make the slitensack, New Jersey,) have invented a new ting devices continuous in their operation, and useful Machine for Use in the Defibrabecause they clog so quickly that a large tion of Fibrous Plants, such as Ramie, Jute, part of the running time has been necessarily 6o and the Like, of which the followingis a speciconsumed in clearing the machine of obstrucfication. tions; also, as they have been constructed In order that my invention may be better individual strands of the fiber inevitably sepunderstood, I will briefly refer to certain prior arate from the main body of the fiber in their attempts which have been made to accompassage through the machine and become 65 I plish the defibration of fibrous plants by the entangled in and woundaround the parts in aid of machinery. Most of the machines such manner that most annoying delays inheretofore devised for this purpose have been cessantly occur, necessitating stoppage of the so constructed that the reed or stalk has been machine for the removal of these woundsubjected to a breaking action, whereby the up fibers; also, in some of the machines of 7c woody and pithy interior has been broken up this class it has been found impossible to into small sections or pieces and then in orproperly slit or divide reeds of different sizes der that the wood and pith may be separated or the different ends of the same reed, befrom the fiber the broken-up reeds have been cause of differences in size. The butts of the subjected toa beating, brushing, scraping, or stalks vary in diameter from one-quarter 75 similar operation. Such machines have not ofan inch to three-quarters, or thereabout, been successful,although used toacertain limand thetwo ends of a normal reed also differ ited extent, for a number of reasons, among markedly on the ratio of about one to three. them the fact that during the breaking up of As a result of many and long-continued exthe reed the fiber, which is on the exterior of 'periments in this matter, during which I have 80 c the stalk, is necessarily subjected to violent built several machines, I have devised and strains, tending to its disruption and injury; constructed the one hereinafter to be doalso, the fiber is necessarily snarled or more scribed, which in a recent test has been found or less tangled during the beating operation. to do its work with very great satisfaction Oonsequentlyalarge proportion of the fibrous and to be commercially profitable. 8 material has been wasted. Referring to the drawings hereof, Figure 1 In order to avoid the stated and other obillustrates a plan view of the machine comjections to the breakingmachines, others plete. 1 Fig. 2 illustrates a section side elevahave been devised which were supposed to tion of the machine, as shown in Fig. I. Fig. split the reed from end to end, so that the 3 illustrates a plan view of the parts of the 90 4o separation of the wood and pith from the fiber machine shown in .Fig. 1 back to the sepa could be effected more easily and without inrators. Fig. 4 illustrates a side elevation of jury to the latter. that which is shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a My present invention relates to the lastvertical sectional side elevation. Fig. 6 illusnamed class of machines. The former ones trates a vertical sectional elevation of the 5 of this class, with all of which I am familiar, feeding, slitting, and ribbonizing mechanism. having had extensive personal and practical Fig. 7 illustrates an end view in elevation of experience with the best of them, have proven the primary feeding-rollers. Fig. 8 illustrates of little practical value for a number of reaan elevation of one of the slitters with its 00- sons, among them the fact that it has been acting roller. Fig. 9 illustrates a detail in I00 found impossible to feed stalks of any conperspective of the reed-flatteningdevice. Fig. sidera'ble variance in size; also, the necessity 10 illustrates three views in section of .the

stalk or reed in its passage through the machine. Fig. 11 illustrates the details of the separator mechanism, shown in perspective and viewed from the under side. The parts in this figure are shown in a vertical position instead of nearly horizontal, as in the actual machine, because thereby the construction is more clearly illustrated.

In the drawings and following specification I set forth an embodiment of my invention in operative form; but it is given as one illustration only of a manner in which the parts may be constructed and combined.

The machine may be supported on any suitable frame or standard. In the illustrations shown, for the sake of stability I have employed two standards, one on each side, with a heavy channel-iron cross-bar at their upper ends and suitable braces below. The upper ends of the standards are shown at A.

B is the upper cross-bar or channel-iron; O, the main driving-shaft, upon which is the main driving-pulley D, provided with belt E. Any other means for driving the machine may be employed.

The main shaft and coacting parts are supported upon horizontally-extending side bars F, which are transversely connected by angleiron braces G at the end.

H is a feeding-table located at one end of the machine, upon which the reeds are placed. At the end of this table are deflectors I, which guide the stalks as they are fed by hand or otherwise into the hoppers K. (See Figs. 1, 3, and 5, wherein L represents one of the stalks.) Immediately in front of the hoppers are the primary feed-rolls M and N. The upper rollers N are grooved, as shown best in Fig. 7. The lower rollers M are preferably fiat-faced and corrugated transversely, so as to grip and feed the stalk more surely.

In this machine I have shown two hoppers K K and two sets of feed-rollers, slitters, spreaders, 85c. Obviously the number of these parts may be increased or reduced to one, as desired.

The rollers M are mounted upon a transverse shaft O, which is set in bearings 0 upon opposite sides of the machine. The upper grooved rollers N in order to compensate for stalks of difierent sizes are each mounted upon a separate swinging frame P, (see Fig. 6,) which has forwardly-projecting arms or side pieces P P with a cross-shaft P upon which the grooved rollers N are rigidly fastened, and upon this shaft there is also located a gearwheel Q, which meshes into a pinion or gearwheel R, mounted upon a shaft S, upon which the frames P are fulcrumed.

The shaft S extends from side to side of the machine and is properly journaled upon the side frames at T, as shown in Fig. 1.

U U (see Figs. 2, 4, and 5) are curved arms or posts bolted to the side frames and which projecting upwardly are connected by a cross-bar V at their upper ends. In this cross-bar are threaded screws W, which have a shoulder W beneath the cross-bar B, and a downwardly-extending stem Wiwhich passes through a coiled spring W seated on the swinging frame P, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 6. By this construction it will be seen that the upper grooved rollers N can independently rise and fall by the swinging of the individual frames which support them respectively and that the springs W will depress them into proper engagement with the reeds, so that the latter will beproperly controlled and fed irrespective of their size, and compensation will also be afforded for the tapering form of the reeds. The gearing which actuates these rollers is or may be as follows: a, is a pinion on the main shaft, which gears into another pinion b on the shaft 0. At the opposite end of the shaft 0 is a gear 0, which meshes into an idlergear (1, mounted upon a shaft 6, supported upon a stud f, which may be mounted upon the cap of the journal-box g for the shaft 0, (see Fig. 4,) and the idler d meshes into a gear h on the shaft S. 011 the shaft S adjacent to each of the grooved rollers N is a pinion R, which meshes into the gear-wheel Q, which is keyed to the shaft P Consequently the grooved roller N is properly driven at a speed the same as that of the flat feeding-roller M. Immediately beyond these primary feed-rollers there is a shaft is, upon which are grooved guiding-rollers m. They are located directly in line with the feeding-rollers and are employed simply to guide the end of the reed from the primary feed-rollers between the slitting-rollers. They will not always be necessary; but they insure more accurate movement of the reeds through the slitters.

Immediately beyond the guide-rollers m are the slitters and coactin g parts. These slitters or cutters are sharp-edged rotary disks p, mounted upon the main shaftO. (Seen best in Fig. 8.) Adjacent to'them are the gears q, fixed on the shaft 0. Above the cutters p are the coacting grooved rollers 7. They are mounted on shafts 8, supported in separate frames't, there-being a frame for each roller. The frames are fulcrumed on a shaft it, which runs transversely of the machine and is suitably journaled on the side frames at '0. These frames t are shown in plan in Figs. 1 and 3 and in partial elevation in Fig. 6 and in front view in Fig. 8. They have a rising-and falling movement, as the sectional dismensions of the reed passing through them may require. The rollers r are each driven by a gear 10, (see Figs. 6 and 8,) mounted upon their shafts s.

The grooved rollers r are or may be held down to their work by the following means: A cross-bar a, substantially the same as the barV,heretofore described, is supported upon uprights b, which are bolted to the side frames, and at about the central part of the oscillating frames t screws 0 are provided having shoulders and a downwardly-extending spindle, the same as the screws W, above described, and a spiral spring 01, which bears upon the upper portion of the swinging frame, as at 6. Consequently the pressure of the spring d may be properly regulated to hold the grooved rollers 1" down to their work with the requisite pressure and so that the teeth of the gears which actuate the parts will be in suitable engagement at all times.

The slitters or rotary knives are rotated by the main shaft on which they are mounted. The upper grooved rollers are rotated by reason of the intermeshing of the gears q and w.

Adjacent to each rotary cutter (indeed. preferably located on top of it, as it were) I employ a spreaderf to aid in flattening the slit reed. It is shown in perspective in Fig. 9, and in shape it somewhat resembles the double moldboard of a two-way or drilling plow. It fits over the edge of the cutterp and is, in effect, a horizontal projection of the contour of its edge, gradually flattening, howover, into a straight horizontal surface, so that the reed while being slit will pass over the cutter directly out upon and over the spreader and by it be spread and flattened laterally into a flat ribbon-like form. The spreadersf may be supported in any preferred manner. I attach them to a cross-bar g, (see Figs. 6 and 9,) suitably stayed at the sides of the machine.

71. i are two rollers suitably journaled in the sides of the machine. Upon the roller z" is an endless belt 70, which is supported by another roller, m. The several rollers are driven by gears n and respectively, and sprocket-wheels my, connected by sprocketchain 10 (receiving primary motion by gearing with the main shaft on the opposite side of the machine, as shown in Fig. 1.) Beltstretching devices are provided by threaded screws q, (see Fig. 4,) whereby the journalboxes for the shaft of the roller m may be moved and the belt tightened. If preferred, the stretcher may be constructed as shown in Fig. 2, which being a well-known construction does not require special description. I prefer also to employ a roller (12, (see Figs. 4 and 5,) which may be positively driven by a gear g This roller aids in the proper control and forward movement of the ribbonized reed and is particularly useful when theseparating devices,hereinafter to be described,are used. When they are not used, however, this roller is desirable, since thereby the ribbonized reeds are better supported against the action of the brushes.

The purpose of the rollers 71. and 'i is twofold. First, they lie immediately adjacent to the spreader, and by reason of their considerable pressure upon the split and opened reed efieetively flatten it, so that after passing between them it maintains its ribbonlike shape. Another function of these parts is that the reeds may be held by them firmly upon the endless belt it while subjected to the rubbing action of rotary brushes about to be described, whereby the rough scaly surface of the bark, dirt, dry gum, &c., which may be upon it are removed, thus greatly improving the quality of the product.

1 and 2 are shafts journaled on the side frames, and upon these shafts are mounted rotary brushes. In the example shown they are composed of eight radiating vanes or sections 3 3, &c., which may be flat pieces of rubber or equivalent tough yet yielding material. On one of the brushes (that at the left in Fig. I show these radiating sections of rubber backed up by metallic supportingpieces 4 4 almost to their outer edges. I sometimes find it advantageous to use these reinforcing-backs in order that the brushes may have the requisite stiffness to properly remove the scale, dirt, &c., from the fiber.

5 and 6 are pulleys on the ends of the shafts 1 and 2, respectively, whereby the brushes are rotated at a rapid speed. They preferably revolve in the direction of the travel of the flattened ribbons. As will be seen, the reeds are slit and flattened into ribbon-like form by the machine in such manner that the fiber which is upon the exterior is presented upwardly, so as to be adjacent to these brushes, the wood and pith being on the under side adjacent to the endless belt is.

The operations thus far performed on the reed are pictorially illustrated in Fig. 10, which shows three views of the reed as it appears during its passage thus far through the machine. 7 is the exterior fiber-the valuable part. 8 is the Woody material next to the fiber, and 9 is the interior pith. In the left-hand sketch of this figure a transverse section of the reed is shown in its natural condition. The central sketch illustrates the commencement and in dotted lines the conclusionof the slitting operation. The righthand sketch shows it in its flattened or ribbon-like form, with the fiber presented upwardly and the wood and pith downwardly.

It will of course be understood that in actual practice the flattened ribbon, as shown at the right hand, is not so uniform and exact in shape as there shown. The wood will sometimes be uneven and the fiber sometimes slightly broken. The pith will be more or less removed because of its lack of consistency or strength. This figure is intended as illustrative merely of the general operation and appearance.

The fiber may be stripped from the flattened or ribbonized reeds produced as above by hand, if desired, it being a relatively inexpensive and easy matter to accomplish; but I prefer to do this work also mechanically and by the employment of devices. substantially as follows, (see Figs. 1, 2, and 11:) Immediately beyond the rollers m and g are a series of other rollers 10 11 12 13 14 15, each supported upon suitable shafts, as shown, which are properly journaled at their ends. The

rollers

10, 12, 13, 14, and 15 are continuous, extending from side to side of the machine. The rollers 12 and 15 support an endless belt or carrier 16, and the rollers 13 and 14 likewise support another belt 17. The roller 12 is positively driven by a belt-pulley 20, fixed upon its shaft, and the roller 13 is likewise positively driven by the gearing 18 19. (See Fig. 1.) Other means for driving these rollers may be employed. The rollerlO, likewise continuous, is driven by a sprocketchain 21, (a belt or other means may be substituted.) The roller 11 is made in separate sections, so that, in eifect, as illustrated in the drawings hereof, it may constitute two rollers, each half or section being adapted to properly coact with one of the sets of feeding, slitting, and flattening devices heretofore described. The construction may be as shown best in Figs. 1 and 11. The rollers or roller-sections are supported in a frame 30, which extends crosswise of the machine, and immediately beyond each of them is the device which I call the deflector. These-devices are shown at 24. They are pieces of metal of the shape shown best in Fig. 11, and each is loosely mounted on a shaft 25, which is supported in frame 30. The deflectors normally lie in the position shown in dotted lines 1 in Fig. 2-that is to say, directly in the path of the ribbonized reed-so that the front end of the reed will strike against the upwardlycurving surface of the deflectors,respectively, and be thereby deflected between the

belts

16 and 17 at the point where they come together over the roller 13. As soon as this takes place the ribbon is pulled tightly against the surface of the sectional roller 11,. with which it engages, and in order that this may be accomplished more surely I speed the

plates

16 and 17 somewhat faster than the normal traveling of the ribbons. The friction of the ribbon against the roller-sections at such times as they engage therewith immediately rotates the sections with which the engagement is made. Upon the end of each of these rollersections 11 there is a gear 22, which meshes into the corresponding gear 23, one of which is mounted upon or attached to each of the.

deflectors above described, so that the instant the sectional rollers 11 start in their rotation consequent upon the friction of the ribbon the shaft of the deflectors likewise moves in such manner as to bring the chisel-like edge of the deflector into contact with the wood and pith of the reed, pressing it into a groove or notch 26, made in the roller-sections 11 and which extends across them from end to end.

The impact or grip of the edge of the deflector breaks through the wood and pith and entering between the fiber and the wood effectively separates or peels one from the other as the fiberis pulled forwardly by the traction of the

belts

16 and 17. The wood and pith 27 pass above the roller 10 and drop to the floor, or are otherwise carried away, while the fiber 28 passes upwardly between the belts, over the roller 13, and is delivered separately, as shown.

The relation between the roller 11 and the deflector is such that when the deflector is brought up against the reed its chisel-like edge is directly opposite the notch referred to in the roller 11, and after the wood and pith have been forced away from the fiber by the action of the edge of the deflector it crowds the fiber more or less into the transversely-extending groove, so that the edge of the deflector acts as'a stop-pawl, engaging with the notch of the roller-sections 11, whereby further rotation is prevented, and also because of the deflection of the fiber the separation of the Wood and pith therefrom is more effectively secured. The roller 10 is provided simply as a guide for the forward end of the ribbonized reed to properly control its movement between the delivery-belt k and the deflector.

It will be particularly noted that the rollersections 11 and the deflectors which coact with them,respectively,are totally independent in their action, and that there are to be in the machine as many of these as there are separate feeding, slitting, and ribbonizing devices, so that through the machine from end to end there are as many separate sets of these instrumentalities as desired, each set in alinement with itself throughout and independently acting. If one set for any reason should get out of order, there would be no interference with the operation of the other set or sets; also, if for any reason it was not necessary to use certain of the sets the others could be used. For example, an unskilled hand might be able to operate one or at most two sets of devices; one having more skill might operate more.

It is obvious that so long as there is a ribbon passing through either of the separators the friction of the ribbon against the rollersection 11 will maintain the deflector in such position as to efliciently separate or strip the fiber from the Wood and pith. In order to return these parts to their primary position with positiveness, I sometimes employ mechanical means, such as a spring properly engaged with the parts--as for example, a spring of requisite stiffness, (shown at s, Fig. 11,) which, as shown in that figure, engages with the shaft 25 of the deflectors and takes a bearing on the frame 30-whereby as soon as the ribbon has passed the roller 11 and the deflectors 24 they are returned to primary position.

It will be observed that a small piece or v chip of the wood and pith 29 will be left adhering to the extreme forward end of the fiber. This results from the fact that the extreme end of the ribbon passes the deflector before its edge is brought into contact with the wood and pith to separate them from the fibrous portion of the ribbon. This chip 29 is easily separated from the fiber by simply switching the ends of the bunches as they are collected from the machine across a board or other suit-- able device. They do not adhere with any considerable degree of tenacity at any time; but

after the drying of the fiber the separation is effected with great ease.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: The reeds or stalks, which may be beneficially more or less stripped of their leaves and tops, are thrown upon the feed-table H and fed into the hoppers K. The guiding-blocks I aid in properly presenting the stalks one at a time to the primary feed-rollers M and N. They grasp the reeds and feed them forwardly over the guiding-rollers m to the slitters. In passing through the slitters the rotary cutters p slit the reeds on one side, and owing to the flaring shape of the sides of the cutter the reeds are not only slit, but are also spread open into a partially flattened condition. From the slitters the reeds pass over the spreaders f by which the cut edges are spread apart and lifted into a substantially horizontal position, so that as they pass from the spreaders between the pressure-rollers h and '5 they are pressed into a flat condition. As they travel from the pressure-rollers h and over the endless belt is they are subjected to the action of the rapidly-revolvin g brushes 3,- whereby the scale, dirt, gum, and other impurities are removed from the surface of the fiber. From the brushes the flattened or ribbonized reeds pass to the separators,where the fiber is stripped from the wood and pith in a manner fully described.

It will be noted that, owing to the fact that the feeding and slitting devices are independent in their action and that one member of the primary feed-rolls and one member of the slitting devices are vertically yielding under spring-pressure, reeds of diiferent sizes, also all diameters of the same reed, will be equally well acted upon by them, and it will also be noted that the form of the feed-rollers and of the slitters is such that the reed will always maintain a central position relative to them, so that it will be slit from end to end irrespective of its size and also irrespective of its tapering form, and it will be particularly noted that the fiber is stripped from the wood and pith without exerting upon it any strain or injurious action whatever and that it is delivered in perfectly straight normal condition without admixture with particles of the wood or pith, cleaned of the exterior scale and dirt, and free from snarls or other objectionable conditions.

I wish it distinctly understood, as before suggested, that I do not limit myself to the details of construction or arrangement of the parts shown and described, for those who are reed, rotary brushes adapted to act on the fibrous side of the flattened reed,means to support the reed against the action of the brushes, positively-driven devices adapted to grasp the end of the flattened reed and pull it forward, means to deflect the end of the flattened reed into engagement with said grasping devices, and means to strip the wood from the fiber actuated by the friction of the fiber when pulled forward against said means, for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination of a feeding-table, separable feed-rollers, a rotary slitter, a grooved roller coacting with the slitter and separable therefrom, a spreader adjacent to the slitter, pressure devices for flattening the opened reed, positively driven devices adapted to grasp the end of the flattened reed and pull it forward, means to deflect the end of the fiattened reed into engagement with said grasping devices, and means to strip the wood from the fiber actuated by the friction of the fiber when pulled forward against the said means, for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination of a feeding-table, separable spring-actuated feed-rollers, a rotary slitter,a movable and spring-actuated grooved roller coacting with the slitter, a spreader adjacent to the slitter, pressure devices for flattening the opened reed, rotary brushes adapted to act on the fibrous side of the flattened reed, means to support the reed against the action of the brushes, positively-driven devices adapted to grasp the end of the flattened reed and pull it forward, means to deflect the end of the flattened reed into engagement with said grasping devices, and means to strip the wood from the fiber actuated by the friction of the fiber when pulled forward against said means, for the purposes set forth.

4:. The combination of a feeding-table, separable and spring-actuated feed-rollers, a rotary slitter, a movable and spring-actuated grooved roller coacting with the slitter, a spreader adjacent to the slitter, pressure devices for flattening the opened reed, positively-driven devices adapted to grasp the end of the flattened reed and pull it forward, means to deflect the end of the flattened reed into engagement with said grasping devices, and means to strip the wood from the fiber actuated by the friction of the fiber when pulled forward against said means for the purposes set forth.

5. The combination of a feeding-table, separable feed-rollers, a rotary slitter, a grooved roller coacting with the slitter and separable therefrom, and pressure devices for flattening the split reed, positively-driven devices adapted to grasp the end of the flattened reed and pull it forward, means to deflect the end of the flattened reed into engagement with said grasping devices, and means to strip the wood from the fiber actuated by the friction means, for the purposes set forth.

6. The combination of separable feed-rollers, a rotary slitter, a grooved roller coacting with the slitter and separable therefrom, a spreader adjacent to the slitter, pressure devices for flattening the opened reed, positively-driven devices adapted to grasp the end of the flattened reed and pull it forward, means to deflect the end of the flattened reed into engagement with said grasping devices, and means to strip the wood from the fiber actuated by the friction. of the fiber when pulled forward against said means, for the purposes set forth.

7. The combination of separable feed-rollers, a rotary slitter, a grooved roller coacting with the slitter and separable therefrom, a spreader adjacent to the slitter, brushing devices adapted to act on the fibrous side of'the flattened reed, means to support the reed against the action of the brushes, positivelydriven devices located beyond the brushes adapted to grasp the end of the flattened reed and pull it forward, means to deflect the end of the flattened reed into engagement with said grasping devices, and means to strip the wood from the fiber actuated by the friction of the fiber when pulled forward against said means, for the purposes set forth.

8. The combination of a feed-table, separable feed-rollers, a rotary slitter, a grooved roller coacting with the slitter and separable therefrom, a spreader adjacent to the slitter, pressure devices for flattening the opened reed, an endless belt for the support of the flattened reeds beyond the pressure devices,

rotary brushes above the endless belt adapted to act on the fibrous side of the flattened reed, positively-driven devices located beyond the brushes adapted to grasp the end of the flattened reed and pull it forward, means to deflect the end of the flattened reed into engagement with said grasping devices, and means to strip the wood from the fiber actuated by the friction of the fiber when pulled forward against said means, for the purposes set forth. j

9. The combination of a feeding-table, separable feed-rollers, a rotary slitter, a grooved roller coacting with the slitter and separable therefrom, a spreader adjacent to the slitter, pressure devices for flattening the opened reed, rotary brushes adapted to act on the fibrous side of the flattened reed, and means to support the reed against the action of the brushes, for the purposes set forth.

10. The combination of a feeding-table, separable feed-rollers, devices on the table to guide the reeds between the feed-rollers, a rotary slitter, a grooved roller coacting with the slitter and separable therefrom,,a spreader adjacent to the slitter, pressure devices for flattening the opened reed, rotary brushes adapted to act on the fibrous side of the flattened reed, and means to support the reed against the action of the brushes, for the purposes set forth.

11. The combination of a feeding-table, separable feed-rollers, a rotary slitter, a grooved roller coacting with the slitter and separable therefrom, a spreader adjacent to the slitter, and pressure devices for flattening the opened reed, for the purposes set forth.

12. The combinationofafeeding-table,separable spring-actuated feed-rollers, a rotary slitter,a movable and spring-actuated grooved roller coacting with the slitter, a spreader adjacent to the slitter, pressure devices for flattening the opened reed, rotary brushes adapted to act on the fibrous side of the flattened reed, and means to support the reed against the action of the brushes, for the purposes set forth. 1

13. The combination of a feeding-table, separable and spring-actuated feed-rollers, a rotary slitter, a movable and spring-actuated grooved roller coacting .with the slitter, a spreader adjacent to the slitter, and pressure devices for flattening the opened reed, for the purposes set forth.

14. Thecombination ofa feeding-table,separable feed-rollers, a rotary slitter, a grooved roller coacting with the slitter and separable therefrom, and pressure devices for flattening the split reed, for the purposes set forth.

15. The combination of afeeding-table, separable feed-rollers, a rotary slitter, a grooved roller'coacting with the slitter and separable therefrom, pressure devices for flattening the split reed, rotary brushes adapted to act on the fibrous side of the reed, and means to support the reed against the action of the brushes, for the purposes set forth.

16. The combination of separable feed-rollers, a rotary slitter, a grooved roller coacting with the slitter and separable therefrom, a spreader adjacent to the slitter, and pressure devices for flattening the opened reed, for the purposes set forth.

17. The combination of separable feed-rollers, a rotary slitter, a grooved roller coacting IIO with the slitter and. separable therefrom, a

spreader adjacent to the slitter, brushing devices adapted to act on the fibrous side of the flattened reed, and means to support the reed against the action of the brushes, for the purposes set forth. I

18. The combination of a feed-table, separable feed-rollers, a rotary slitter, a grooved .roller coactingvvith the slitterand separable therefrom, a spreader adjacent to the slitter,

pressure devices for flattening the opened acting with the slitter, a spreader adjacent to the slitter, and pressure devices for flattening the opened reed, for the purposes set forth.

21. The combination of a feeding-table, feed-rollers, a rotary slitter, a spring-cushioned grooved roller coacting with the slitter, and a spreader adjacent to the slitter, for the purposes set forth.

22. The combination of a feeding-table, feed-rollers, a rotary slitter, a spring-cushioned grooved roller coacting with the slitter, a spreader adjacent to the slitter, rotary brushes adapted to act on the fiber side of the flattened reed, and means to support the reed against the action of the brushes, for the purposes set forth.

23. The combination of a feeding-table, feed-rollers, means on the table to guide the reeds between the feed-rollers,a rotary slitter, a spring-cushioned grooved roller coacting with the slitter, a spreading device adjacent to the slitter, pressure devices for flattening the opened reed, rotary brushes adapted to act on the fiber side of the flattened reed, and means to support the reed against the action of the brushes, for the purposes set forth.

24. The combination of a feeding-table, feed-rollers, means on the table to guide the reeds between the feed-rollers, a rotary slitter, a springcushioned grooved roller coacting with the slitter, a spreading device adjacent to the slitter, and pressure devices for flattening the opened reed, for the purposes set forth.

25. Reed-splitting devices embodying a rotary sharpedged disk, a grooved roller within which. the edge of the disk works, and means to yieldingly hold the two together, for the purposes set forth.

26. Reed-splitting devices embodying a rotary sharp-edged disk, a grooved roller within which the edge of the disk works, means to yieldingly hold the two together, and gears to positively rotate both disk and roller, for the purposes set forth.

27. Reed-splitting devices embodying a rotary sharp-edged disk, a grooved roller within which the edge of the disk works, means to yieldingly hold the two together, and a spreader imposed upon the sharpened disk and being adjacent thereto, of substantially the contour of the edge of the disk, but flattening rearwardly until it attains substantially a plane or horizontal surface, for the purposes set forth.

28. In a deflbrating-machine, fiber-stripping devices embodying a pair of positivelydriven endless belts, a pivotally-supported deflector which guides the end of the reed between the belts, a roller to which the deflectoris geared, so located that the reed as pulled by the belts will rotate it, whereby the deflector will be brought toward it and engage with the reed, for the purposes set forth.

29. In a defibrating-machine, fiber-stripping devices embodying a pair of positivelydriven endless belts, a pivotally-supported deflector which guides the end of the reed between the belts, a roller to which the deflector is geared, having a longitudinally-extending groove or recess, said roller being so located that the reed as pulled by the belts will rotate it, whereby the deflector will be brought adjacent to the said groove and engage with the reed, for the purposes set forth.

30. Ina defibrating-machine devices for stripping or peeling the fiber from the wood and pith, embodying a pivotally-supported, chisel-like device and a roller geared together, the two being so located relative to each other that the reed in its passage through the machine will impinge upon'the roller and rotate it, whereby the chisel like device will be brought toward the roller and engage with the wood-and-pith side of the reed, for the purposes set forth.

31. In a defibrating-machine, devices for stripping or peeling the fiber from the Wood and pith, embodying a pivotally-supported chisel-like device and a roller having a longitudinally-extending notch or recess, gears connecting the roller and the chisel-like device, and means whereby the passage of the reed through the machine will cause rotation of the roller and consequent approach of the edge of the chisel-1ike device toward the said groove or recess, the reed lying between them, for the purposes set forth.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 10th day of January, A. D. 1901.

WARREN S. BELDING.

Witnesses:

PHILLIPS ABBOTT, EDGAR R. MEAD.