GB432216A - Improvements in breaking and scutching machines for preparing bast fibres and like fibrous material for spinning - Google Patents

Abstract

432,216. Breaking and scutching bast fibres. STEWART, H. J., Trafford Park, Hillside, Bulawayo, Rhodesia, GARDINER, W., 15, Biggar Place, Camlachie, and RUSSELL, M., 11, Bothwell Street, both in Glasgow. Feb. 28, 1934, No. 3212. [Class 120 (i)] A breaking and scutching machine for preparing flax, hemp and like bast fibres for spinning, comprises in combination one or more pairs of plain or smooth crushing rollers 10, 12, 20, Fig. 2, a number of sets of longitudinally fluted breaking rollers 14, each roller being positively driven and one roller of each pair being resiliently mounted, pairs of rotary flexible brushes 11, 21 interposed at intervals between the rollers and air blast pipes 13 similarly interposed between the rollers and directing air jets on to the stalks in the direction of their travel. The brushes 11, 21 are driven faster than the smooth and fluted rollers. The upper member of each roller or brush pair 10, 11, 14, is mounted in resilient bearings 15, Fig. 3, and is positively driven from the lower through bevel gearing 16, 18 on a vertical shaft 17, the bevel pinion 18 being slidable on the shaft 17. The bearings 15 are mounted between upper springs 19 and a plate or other spring 36. Alternatively a packing piece may be substituted for the spring 36. The drive is transmitted from the main driving pulley 25 through pinions 31 gearing with pinions 30 on the lower rollers. The material, which is preferably dried at a low temperature before treatment, is fed into the machine by a conveyer 8 and is delivered by rollers 22, 23 on to a table 24. The rollers 14 are provided with flutes of different pitch and/or depth, while a smooth roller may be substituted for the lower brush of some of the pairs 11, 21.