Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1853-10-22

methods. The tediousness and irregularity Of
the sleeping process, whether cold or hot with its
noisome accompaniments, are avoided no ex-
pensive chemicals are required; the chance Of
injury to the fiber is lessened, and the whole
product Of the operation is rendered valuable to
| the manufacturer This method of treating
flax was patented by Watts, of Glasgow, in
the middle of last year, and was shortly after
wards carried into operation on large scale at
Belfast. Its simplicity and effectiveness were
speedily recognized; and already several other
establishments are in progress in the different
parts of the country. The whole arrangements
required are inexpensive, and occupy but little
space. The straw is placed in steam-tight
chamber Of a suitable size and shape, the top
being formed by an iron tank containing cold
water, and the lower end having perforated
false bottom at about IL inches from the other.
Steam at a low pressure is then blown from the
boiler, through pipe, into the steaming cham
| Der, and, passing up through the straw, comes
in contact with the iron top, by which it is con-
densed; then, trickling down the spikes, fixed
there as points of dispersion, through the mass,
it passes through the false bottom, carrying
with it the extractive matter thus dissolved
out of the straw, and is drawn off by waste
/ pipe into vessel or tank below, in which
It is preserved for use as feeding substance.
| This is continued from 10 to IL hours. The
straw is then removed, and is passed through
| four sets of smooth rollers, which squeeze out
about 80 per cent. of the water, and at the same
time crush the stems, breaking up the central
/ woody core or shove and materially assist
ing its subsequent separation from the fiber.
1 From these rollers it is carried into the drying
house, which is heated by steam-pi from the
| boiler, and thence to the scutching frames,
where the operation is performed more rapidly
aud efficiently than when the flax is prepared
| by the ordinary method, owing to the thoroughly
crushed state in which it comes from the rollers.
The flax is then ready for market, having passed
through the uhole process, from the yap mate
rial to the prepared fiber, az The short space OF
about SO hours.
The importance Of this process to the fax in
terests generally, was Immediately recognized
| by the Flax Improvement Society Of Ireland,
and committee Of investigation appointed to
institute I" a careful and erteasire series Of er-
periments Nth ciep to compare II, both i,s a
practical and financial point Of rieac, aoith the
modes Of hot and cold sleeping generally prac-
ticed." The committee made. their report on
the Sd Of November last. The experiments
were personally superintendent by the commit
tee, and the fax Of ordinary quality operated
upon, Of which 10 cwt. or. Fl lbs. was taken
and placed in the steaming chamber, when it
was submitted to the action Of steam for about
eleven hours. After sleeping, wet-rolling, and
drying, it weighed cwt. 0 qrs. Ii lbs., and on
being scutched the yield was 1877 lbs. of fine
fax, and Of scutching tow II lbs. 81 OF. fine,
and 35 lbs. 3 OF. coarse The time occupied in
the process up to scutching was 241 hours The
scutching by four stands occupied hours and
16 minutes. The cost Of all these operations
in the experiment appeared to be under 910
per ton Of clean fiber for labor, exclusive Of
general expenses. The valuation of the sam
pies varied from esq to f7O per ton, according
to the quality Of the stricks Of fiber sent The
report throughout was very satisfactory.
No sooner, however, had the spinners given
their testimony in favor Of Watts fiber, than
another process was patented by Buchanan also
of Glasgow, which appears to be an Improved
application Of the same principle as Watts's, for
the solvent is clearly not due to the steam, as
made use of by him, but to the hot water occa-
stoned by its condensation.
In this the sleeping is effected By repeated nm
mersi0as in tank of heated water, arrange
ments being made by which the temperature is
never allowed to reach certain degree point
of great importance. 1t is well known that al
| luminous solutions coagulate at q temperature
| of 100 degrees, and then become insoluble it
| is always considered that fiber is more OF less
injured if exposed beyond a certain high tenn
perature. These two important points have
been taken advantage ofby Buchanan's process.
The process is quite automatic, thus saving la
Dor and the risk consequent upon carelessness;
and the mechanical arrangements by which it
1 is effected are very simple and inexpensive.
/
ing apparatus (selfacting,) which illustrated the
whole process in very clear and satisfactory
manner.
The fax straw is placed in an open vessel,
termed the sleeping vat, having false bottom,
boiler generates the steam required, and be-
tween these two is placed suitable vessel,
| the condenser, of about the same capacity as
the sleeping vat, and communicating with that
| by the hot water pipe, and with the boiler with
the steam pipe. This centre vessel or condens-
ing chamber is filed with water from cistern,
and steam is then blown in from the boiler.
/ When the latent heat Of the steam is absorbed,
and the condensation no longer takes place, the
hot water is driven over into the sleeping vat,
and completely immerses its contents. The
overflow pipe then conveys portion into a
| bucket, which, overpowering balance weight,
descends, and drawing the chain, which, being
attached to pullies fixed on to the cocks of the
steam pipe, and Of the condensing pipe, reverses
their action by cutting off the steam and turn
ing on q charge Of cold water into the con-
denser. The steam is then rapidly condensed
and the liquor drawn from the steep vat into
which it had previously been forced. This
completes the operation of immersion, which
recommends Immediately, for as soon as the
overflow bucket has reached certain point in
its descent it strikes against pin, having a
screw adjustment, which causes the valve at
the bottom to open and discharge its contents.
The bucket then relieved of its load resumes its
original position, the balance weights act on
the pullies, which again reverse the cocks, cut
| ting off the cold water, and turning on the
steam again to the condensing chamber. This
is repeated as often as may be required. So
far as the experiments have gone, It has been
found that by ten such dimensions the whole
of the coloring matter of the fax has been re-
moved. These in practice occupy not more
than three or four hours.
BY this process we have all the advantages
we obtained by Watts-economy Of products