Abstract
This article presents the results from the theoretical research of tension loading in a channel of fixing conveyor of the apparatus for flax beating and scutching. The analyses of literature have shown that the quality of flax fibre greatly depends on the conditions of retted straw processing by means of breaking-scutching machines, namely on machine parameters, operating regimes and design characteristics. There are considerable high fibre losses due to inappropriate fixing of straw in the conveyor canal; percentage of these losses is much higher than losses caused by any other reasons. The paper presents equations for calculation of pressure inside the conveyor canal of apparatus for flax breaking and scutching. It investigates the regularities of pressure loading in the sectors which fix the straw according to the aforementioned equation. Research shows that the highest pressure occurs in the area opposite the press-rolls axis; it decreases when distancing from it. Research also shows that pressure in the axis zone is lower when the belt tension and spring compression are low. This pressure loading causes pulling of the strands from the conveyor canal and fibre losses. These theoretical regularities can be utilized for calculation of the fixation force to secure the retted straw between belts in order to reduce the losses.