US839673A

US839673A - Apparatus for treating and dressing flax and other fibers.

Info

Publication number: US839673A
Application number: US24678605A
Authority: US
Inventors: Alfred Launcelot James Tait
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1905-02-21
Filing date: 1905-02-21
Publication date: 1906-12-25
Anticipated expiration: 1923-12-25

Description

No. 889,678. PATBNTED'DEO. 25, 1906. A. L. J. TAIT.

APPARATUS FDR TREATING AND DRESSING FLAX AND OTHER FIBERS.

APPLICATION FILED F2121. 1905 G. Qua/q PATENTED DEG. v25, 1906.

A. L. J. TAIT. APPARATUS FOR TREATING AND DRESSING FLAX AND OTHER FIBERS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.21, 1905.

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PATENTED DEC. 25, 1906.

A. L. J. TAIT. APPARATUS FOR TREATING AND DRESSING FLAX AND OTHER FIBERS.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 21. 1905.

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E STATES PATENT @FFIQE.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING AND DRESSING FLAX AND OTHER FIBERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 25, 1906.

Application fil d February 21, 1905. Serial No. 246,786.

To all whom, it may concern: Be it known that I, ALFRED LAUNCELOT JAMES TAIT, inventor, of 1 Balniain street, Richmond, in the State of Victoria, Commonwealth of Australia, have invented certain new and useful Apparatus for Treating and Dressing Flax and other Fibers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention provides improved apparatus for treating and dressing such fibers as flax and the like, and is especially adapted for that class of flax known as New Zealand flax, (Phormium temwc.) WV hen treating the latter flax, the green bulk flax or envelop is removed from the fiber by means of any suitable stripping apparatus. It is then subjected to squeezing-rollers with water or liquid, and is next treated, when necessary, in a wet scutching apparatus and then dried, and finally passed through a dry scutcher, emerging in a finished state.

By the use of my invention a considerable saving of labor is effected in the process of treating and dressing flax.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the invention, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the stripping appara tus and the squeezing apparatus. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of stripper, taken on line a, a. 3 is a side elevation of the wet and dry scutching apparatus. Fig. 4 is a plan of the apparatus shown on Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a plan of the stripper and squeezing apparatus. Fig. 6 is a cross-section through the wet scutcher, taken on line I) I) of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is an end view of means for conveying the fiber onto the scutchers. Fig. 8 is a detail side view of chain-carrying rubbers. Fig. 9 is plan of parts shown in Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a detail side viewof the chain-carrying brushes.

In the drawings, 1 2 represent two pairs of rollers that are supported on the machineframe. The top rollers are fluted, that of the first pair of rollers being preferably fluted annularly and that below it smooth-faced, and those of the second pair being each fluted laterally. These rollers are set on spindles. I provide a feed-plate 4 in front of the rollers and a revolving toothed wheel 5 at back of same, and which is arranged to strike a plate 6, set beneath the rollers upon a cushion 7, of rubber, that is supported on a sliding block 8, that is in turn mounted on a fixed block 9, supported by the frame 3. The plate 6 has a bevel edge that engages with the wheel 5, and it is arranged to slide. Pins 10 on the side block 8 project into guide-slot 11 in the plate for this purpose.

The slide-block is made adjustable by means of screw-rods 12, that pass through the fixed block and have heads that lie in a bracket 14, attached to the slide-block. A spring 15 keeps the slide-plate 6 in its for ward position.

The green covering or envelop is separated from the fibrous portion by passing between the rollers 1 2. This partly divides the leaf lengthwise, then crosswise, and thereby a lighter stripping-blow is required. The leaf is carried forward to meet the revolving wheel 5, the teeth of which strike the slide-plate 6, giving a rubbing blow to the fiber, the blow being light or heavy, according to the adjustment of the screws 12. The fiber thence passes on to the endless copper band 18, that is carried by rollers 19 19*, supported by the frame, and the fiber conveyed by the band between a number of squeezing-rollers 20, set in pairs one over another in a chamber 21, that has a supply-pipe 22, provided with a controlling-cock 29 for water leading from a tank (not shown) set above the rollers and arranged to allow the water to pour showers on the flax or fiber. The water falls from the passing fiber into the draining-tank 23 beneath the roller with a lead-away pipe for the drainage. The top roller of each alternate pair of rollers is corrugated armularly or fluted laterally. The fiber after being treated with the series of squeezing-rollers passes out and on to the finishing or scutching apparatus, where the flax is separated from the stalk.

The means for driving the apparatus consists of a pulley 61, set on the toothed-wheel shaft 62, and this shaft carries a sprocketwheel 63, that is connected by a chain 63 with a sprocket-wheel 64 on a short shaft. This shaft carries a small spur-wheel 65, that gears with a cog-wheel 66 on the spindle of roller 2. By this means motion is given to the roller 2 and is thence transmitted by sprocketwheels 67 and chain 67 to the roller 1.

Motion is given to the endless band by a sprocket-wheel 68, that connects by a chain 69 with a sprocket 70 on the spindle of the leading-roller 19 Means are provided for conveying the fiber from the squeezing-rollers to the finishing apparatus,which separates the flax from the stalk. This consists of a roller 24, that has its bearings in the end of lever25 at one side and a link-bar 26 at the other. I provide also a sprocket-chain 27, that passes over sprocket-wheels 28, whose spindles are supported from the frame, said wheels 28 being arranged in a triangle with the base thereof over the roller 31, hereinafter de scribed. The sprocket-chain carries a number of arms or rods 27, and the fiber as it falls from the band 18 and thence onto the roller 24 will be directed by these rods in its fall to lie across the endless band of the finishing-machine, to be treated in a manner as hereinafter described.

Motion is given to the lever 25 by a cam on a spindle 71, supported by the frame. Thus the roller 24 is given a short oscillating movement. Spindle 71 carries a sprocketwheel 72, that is connected by a sprocketchain ani wheel 74 with spindle of roller 19. The spindle 7 1 carries also a bevel-pinion, (not shown,) gearing with corresponding bevelpinion on cross-shaft 76. The latter carries sprocketwheel 78, that operates by chainconnection with sprocket-wheel 79 the spindle 80. This mechanism gives the necessary motion to the roller 24, carried by the lever, and also actuates the sprocket-chain 27 to give the required motion to the conveyingarms.

The scutching apparatus consists of

rollers

31 and 32, that carry an endless copper band 33. These rollers have bearings in a main frame that support the frames 34 35. The band is supported by tables 95. These frames support a driving-shaft 37, that carries a driving-pulley 90, and a number of sprocketwheels 38, that are connected by sprocketchains to corresponding sprocket-wheels 39.

40 40 are parallel spindles having their bearings 1n pivoted depending bars 41 41 and carrying sprocket-wheels 91 91, which support sprocket-chains 9.2. The sprocketwheels 39 are secured to either the spindles 40 or 40, as may be most convenient. The pair of spindles 4O 40, with their sprocket wheels and chains, are thus capable of being raised or lowered, and this may be accomplished by means of a lever 42,connected to one of the bars 41 of 41. The sprocketchains 92 carry rubbers 93,(see Figs. 8 and. 9,) formed of angle-pieces connected to a flange of the links at intervals along the chain. I provide also a gripping-plate 44, that is set across each division of the scutcher to be operated i. e., raised and lowered-by a lever 43, the opposite end of the gripping-plate being supported by a link 81 from cross-bar 94. The drawings only show a grippingplate in one compartment of the dry scutcher but it will be understood that I use such a plate in each compartment of both the dry and wet scutcher. Above these rubbing appliances is set a tank 36, that is perforated to cause a water-spray to descend onto the band carrying the flax, and a draining-tank 47 is set beneath the band with an outlet-pipe 48. The wet scutcher has two compartments which correspond, except that the rubbing appliances are set forward and back in each, re-.

brushes, Fig. 10, instead of the rubbers described. Beyond the frame 35 is set a roller 50, between which and the endless band the flax finally emerges.

An intermittent motion is given to the traveling belt from the main shaft 37. A sprocket-wheel 51 on this shaft connects by sprocket-chain 52 with a sprocket-wheel 53 on a counter-shaft 54. The shaft 54 carries bevel-pinion 55, gearing with bevel-wheel 56, to which is pivoted a pawl 57. This pawl engages with ratchet-wheel 58, set on the spindle of roller 32. The pawl is held down by spring 59.

The flax or fiber carried by the band 33 will come beneath the arrangement of rubbers in the first compartment of the wet scutcher, the rubbers being at this time in their raised position. The gripping-plate will also be in its raised position. As the traveling band is driven the flax will be carried forward to the extent of its travel,which depends on the action of the pawl 57 on the ratchet-wheel 58. The levers 42 43 will be operated to close the gripper and the rubbers onto the band and with the water-spray the flax will be acted on by the rubbers while the band 33 is in a stationary position and while feeding takes place for the time being. It will be understood that the rubbing devices act during a period of rest of the band 33. The wheels 56 and 58 are so proportioned that the periods of stopping of the band 33 will be sufficient to allow the adjustment and operation of the rubbers for a sufficient length of time. On the next movement of the band (the grippers and rubbers being first raised) the flax will be carried forward, and so on through first the wet scutcher, next the drying box, and finally the dry scutcher in a finished state.

The endless band is made narrower or wider, as required. Thus if the fiber be fed onto it across the band the said band will require to be made wider than if the fiber be fed lengthwise onto the band. When the fiber is fed into the machine lengthwise with the band, only one set of rubbers on a frame is required.

The whole machine or any part thereof may be used with hot liquids in lieu of the cold-water spray hereinbefore mentioned or by a combination of hot water in one portion, preferably the latter portion of the machine, with the colder water in the earlier part of the said apparatus.

I have shown a machine for stripping the materia before it is passed through the squeezing-rollers; but it will be understood that this machine forms no part of my invention, as any other machine of this nature may be substituted therefor.

I claim- 1. In an apparatus of the class described two large rollers an endless band carried thereby, small rollers arranged in pairs between the two large rollers, the upper part of the belt passing between the rollers of each pair, nozzles for delivering jets of water onto the belt between the pairs of rollers and a tank located below the pairs of rollers and between the upper and lower portions of the belt and adapted to receive the water.

2. Means for conveying the flax from the squeezing-rollers to the scutching apparatus comprising a lever carrying a roller at its end and a number of conveying-arms set 011 a sprocket-chain and arranged to travel along the surface of the traveling band of the scutching apparatus carried by sprocketwheels 28, means for giving motion to the lever, and means for actuating the sprocketwheels substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. An apparatus of the class described comprising an endless traveling band, rubbers arranged to travel on the band and means for raising and lowering the rubbers substantially as and for the purposes described.

4. An apparatus of the class described comprising an endless traveling band carried by rollers mounted on framing and supported on tables, rubbers arranged to travel on the band, means for raising or lowering the rubbers, a gripping-plate and means for raising and lowering same from or to the band substantially as and for the purposes described.

5. An apparatus of the class described comprising an endless traveling band carried by rollers, rubbers carried by sprocket-chains on sprocket-wheels set on spindles pivoted bars carrying said spindles, means for raising and lowering the spindles and means for driving same, means for supplying water or liquid to the band and for draining same off substantially as and for the purposes described.

6. An apparatus of the class described comprising an endless traveling band carried by rollers, and supported by tables, rubbers carried by sprocket-chains on sprocketwheels set on spindles pivoted bars carrying the spindles, means for turning the bars on their pivots, a gripping-plate and means for raising and lowering same, a driving sprocketwheel on one of the spindles, a driving sprocket wheel on an overhead shaft, and a sprocket chain connecting the driving sprocket-wheels, means for driving the overhead shaft substantially as and for the purposes described.

ALFRED LAUNGELOT JAMES TAIT.

Witnesses:

CHARLES WILLIAM WADE, JAMES MILLAR.