1835 Alexander Shanks - Patent for Preparing And Dressing Hemp

THE LONDON JOURNAL OF Arts and Sciences; AND REPERTORY OF PATENT INVENTIONS.

CONDUCTED BY W. NEWTON, CIVIL ENGINEER AND NECHANICAL DRAFTSMAN.

(Assisted by se Scientifs Gentlemen.) VOL. VI. (CONJOINED SERIES.)  Vol 6 London: PUBLISHED BY SHERWOOD, GILBERT, AND PIPER, PATERNOSTER ROW;

To ALEXANDER SHANKS, Jun., flax-spinner, in Arbroath, in the county of Forfar, in North Britain, for his invention of certain improvements in machinery for preparing and dressing hemp, and other fibrous sub stances.-[Sealed 15th January, 1835.]

THESE improvements in machinery for preparing and dressing hemp, and other fibrous substances, consist, first, in an improved arrangement and construction of machinery or apparatus for separating or releasing the fibrous parts of hemp, flax, and other textile plants from the boom, bark, and other woody matters, in order that the textile fibres of such platns may be softened and prepared for the subsequent process of heckling. Secondly, in the adaptation of a set of rubbing surfaces to a bobbin and fly frame, or other spinning machinery, in order that the fibres of hemp, flax, or other materials, may undergo a second process of rubbing or preparing, by which the fibres may be softened, separated, or refined, previous to their being conducted to the spindle and flyer. Figs. 1, and 2, Plate XVI., represent the mechanism which constitutes the first of my improvements. Fig. 1, is an elevation of one side of the machine; fig. 2, is a horizontal view, exhibiting the top of the machine; fig. 3, is a front elevation; and fig. 4, is a longitudinal section, one of the side frames being removed to show the working parts: a, a, a, is the framework or standards of the machine; b, is the main shaft or axle, turning in proper bearings on the lower part of the framework, and receiving its rotary motion by a band passed from a steam-engine, or other first mover, to the fast and loose pulley mounted on its end; c, c, are two auxiliary shafts or axles, placed parallel to the main shaft, also turning in bearings in the framework; these receive rotary motion from the toothed wheel d, mounted on the main axle, which gears with two other similar wheels e, e, mounted on the ends of the auxiliary shafts c, c, whereby they all have a continuous and equal rotary motion. Upon each of these three shafts there are formed two cranks g, g, of small radii, connected in the usual way to vertical rods h, h, h, which are attached to the plates or rubbing pieces i, i, i, i, above. These plates are placed in pairs across the machine; one plate of each pair bears against the stops or guides k, k, fixed to the side frame, which are furnished with small anti-friction rollers (see fig. 4); the other plates are pressed towards, and kept in contact with, their fellow plates by springs 1, 1, 1, affixed to the side frames, which springs act against anti-friction rollers at the back of the other. plates. Through the central part of the other plate a long slot or opening m, is formed (see fig. 3, and the detached face view of one of the plates at fig. 5); this slot is for the purpose of allowing the hemp, flax, or other fibrous material to be introduced between the rubbing surfaces, and also to allow it to pass through the machine. Four or more pairs of fluted or grooved rollers are mounted in the end frames, tuming in bearings. The upper rollers of each pair bear upon the lower ones, and are kept down in contact with them by means of the horns 0, 0, 0, 0, which rest upon the ends of the axles of the rollers, and are pressed by levers p, p, having their fulcrums in slings or bridle pieces attached to the side frame. These levers are furnished with adjustable screws to regulate the pressure; and from the ends of these levers the rods q, q, are suspended, being connected at the lower ends to the weighted levers r,r: by these means any required pressure can be given to the upper fluted rollers. The lower fluted rollers receive their motion in the following manner:-Upon the end of the main shaft b, is mounted the pinion s, taking into the spur wheel t, which turns upon a pin or short axle projecting from the side frame. Upon the boss of this wheel 1, is formed a pinion u, which takes into gear with another wheel v, also mounted upon a projecting pin or axle, and carrying another pinion w, gearing with the toothed wheels x, x, mounted on the end of the axles of the two middle lower fluted rollers. (see fig. 1.).By these means both the wheels x, x, and the two inner rollers, receive rotary motion in the same direction. The wheels x, x, also take into gear with the other intermediate spur wheels y, y, mounted upon studs or axles, which spur wheels take into gear with two other wheels, , mounted upon the ends of the axles of the two outer rollers. By these means all the rollers have a continuous rotary motion in the same direction, and cause them to draw or conduct through the machine the stalks of flax, or other fibrous or textile substances placed between them, the indentation on the periphery of the rollers crushing or breaking and loosening the boom and bark. The inner surfaces of the rubbing plates are grooved or roughed, as shown in fig. 5, for the purpose of producing a greater effect upon the hemp, flax, or other fibrous materials. It will be seen by the connexion of the plates with the crank shafts or axles b, and c, that, as they revolve, the cranks give to the plates i, i, reciprocating up and down movements; and as the stalks of the plants, in passing through the machine, conducted by the fluted rollers n, m, n, n, are gathered in between the plates, their reciprocating action produces that degree of rubbing which separates the boom and bark, and at the same time softens and loosens the fibres. The person attending the machine places upon the feeding table or endless cloth a proper quantity of the hemp, flax, or other fibrous material, to be operated upon, which is conducted between the first pair of fluted rollers n, m, where it becomes partially crushed, and the boom and bark broken and loosened; from the first pair of rollers the material is conducted through the openings or slots m, m, and is gathered between the plates or rubbing surfaces i, i, from whence it passes between the next pair of rollers, and from thence to the second pair of rubbing plates, and so on to the last or delivering rollers at the reverse end of the machine, when the prepared hemp, flax, or other textile materials may be taken to a heckling machine, where it may be heckled and combed in the usual manner for the after processes of roving and spinning. The second part of my improvements, (in which the fibres of the hemp, flax, or other textile plants, formed into rovings, undergo a further process of rubbing or refining, previously to their being spun into yarns,) is shown at fig. 6; which represents a front elevation of a spinning machine, of the usual construction, with the rubbing surfaces adapted to it. Fig. 7, is an end elevation of the same; and fig. 8, a partial plan view, showing the arrangements for putting the rubbing surfaces into motion. The construction of the spinning frame being well understood, and forming no part of my invention, it will not be necessary for me to describe it; but only to show the mode of applying the rubbing surfaces thereto, and actuating the same. The rovings of hemp, flax, or other fibrous material, are wound upon bobbins or spools d, d, and placed in the spinning frame, as usual; from whence the rovings are conducted to an additional set of retaining rollers b, b, placed above the ordinary retaining rollers c, c, and are actuated by a pinion e, on the end of one of the axles of the lower rollers c. Between these two sets of retaining rollers the rubbing plates, bars, or surfaces f, and g, are placed, extending across the machine, their ends sliding in bearings or guides h, h, in the end frames. The ends of each of the rubbing plates or bars are joined to the two connecting rods i, k, which are attached in the usual manner to the cranks 1, m, formed on the end of the horizontal shaft n, turning in bearings formed on brackets, projecting from the end framework of the machine. The shaft n, is actuated axis by a hand o, passed from the pulley p, on the end of the of the ordinary driving drum q, the band o, passing over a pulley r, mounted on the lateral shaft n, and giving it the required motion. 

The rubbing bars or plates may be roughed or grooved at those parts where the rovings pass between. Shanks', for Impts. in dressing Hemp. them, if it should be thought desirable, or they may be furnished with leather, or any other substances, to suit the different textures of various materials. The rubbing surfaces are kept in contact by the pressure of the springs, placed on a cross bar, of the frame, and adjusted by a set screw u. Having now described the nature of my improvements in machinery for preparing hemp and other fibrous substances, I wish it to be understood that I do not mean or intend to claim, as my invention, all the parts which I have found it necessary to describe; for instance, I do not claim the application of rubbing surfaces, either roughed or plain, for the purpose of preparing hemp, flax, and other textile plants, as they have been applied to this purpose for many years: neither do I claim the application of the fluted rollers for breaking or crushing the boom and bark, in preparing rough hemp and flax; but I claim as my improvements, the arrangement and construction of the machine above described under the first head of this my specification, such machinery having several pairs of fluted rollers connected with several pairs of rubbing surfaces, both of such rubbing surfaces being moved reciprocally to and fro in opposite directions, whereby the fibres of the hemp, flax, or other materials are not so liable to be broken, as when one plate or rubbing surface is stationary, and the other moving; and, secondly, I claim as my improvement the application of the extra set of retaining rollers, and the rubbing surfaces to ordinary spinning frames or machines, for the purpose above stated; namely, that of submitting the fibrous materials to a second rubbing after it has been formed into a roving, and before it descends to the bobbin and flyer, to be twisted or spun into a yarn or thread, such second rubbing, softening, and refining the textile fibres, and allowing them to be spun into a finer yarn.-[Inrolled in the Rolls Chapel Office, July, 1835.] Specification drawn by Messrs. Newton and Berry.