MECHANICS AND USEFUL ARTS. 47 



of using cotton is, that it is capable of a tighter twist ; that it is less 

 liable to injury by friction than hempen cords. The old cotton rope 

 will be worth considerably more than the old hempen rope. The rope 

 of cotton is found to run with greater freedom through the blocks, and 

 is altogether more pliable than ordinary ropes. It has been success- 

 fully applied to rigging for vessels ; to hoisting-tackle ; bow, stern, and 

 tow-lines for canal-boats ; fishermen's lines, &c. The description of 

 cotton used is a long-staple " Macon, Georgia." The fibres of the 

 cotton are laid together far more compactly, and with more perfect 

 tension, by this process than by any other made known ; consequently, 

 the rope possesses greater strength than when laid in the ordinary 

 way. It is lighter than Manilla, so that although its price per pound 

 is a few cents more than that of Manilla roping, it is no more expen- 

 sive when regarded according to length, while it is believed to be 

 capable of lasting three times as long. 



IMPROVED MACHINES FOR PREPARING FLAX. 



Chichester's Flax and Hemp Brake. This machine is furnished 

 with a feed-table, over which the material is spread out, and entered 

 into the bite of a pair of iron calender rollers, which flatten and split 

 the stalks lengthwise, as they are carried forward through a pair of 

 iron fluted rollers into the bite of a pair of large breaking cylinders, 

 which form the body of the machine, from which the material is de- 

 livered on to a receiving apron in a wide mass or sheet of fiber. 



These breaking cylinders are each formed by securing near the op- 

 posite ends of a shaft, a pair of iron heads or flanges, perforated with 

 radial slots, into which are inserted breaking plates, or ribs of iron 

 (wrought to a smooth edge on top), which are free to move in and out 

 towards or from the center of the cylinder heads, as they are guided 

 by cams and springs, arranged in such a way that the ends of every 

 other plate or rib in each cylinder project through the radial slots in 

 the cylinder heads, and rest upon stationary cams, placed outside of the 

 heads, and all the intermediate plates or ribs rest upon spiral springs, 

 supported by circular flanges, keyed on the shafts just inside and close 

 to the cylinder heads. These flanges are perforated with holes form- 

 ing sockets on their periphery, to receive and support the spiral 

 springs, and admit the iron pins which pass through and sustain the 

 springs, and are fastened or locked to the under edge of the pressure 

 plates or ribs. 



As the cylinders revolve together (one being placed over the 

 other), the cam-plates or ribs of the lower cylinder are guided upwards, 

 and meet and carry back the spring or pressure plates of the upper 

 cylinder : and at the time the cam-plates or ribs of the upper cylinder 

 are in the same manner guided downwards, and meet and carry back 

 the pressure plates of the lower cylinder. 



These cylinders, in their operation and action upon the materials 

 were designed to copy the movement of the hands when pressing a 

 stalk of flax betw-een the thumbs and fingers, then slowly moving the 



