called a Gypsey, for Spinning Hemp and Flax. 355 
towards the hatchel points and its truncated apex opening be- 
tween the drawing-rollers; being shaped so as to conform to 
those portions of the rollers which are situated against it. To 
prevent the end of the gatherer last described from being worn, 
two pieces of steel plate are screwed upon the inside of both 
sides, being shaped to conform to the rollers, as the sides of the 
gatherer are. The top of the gatherer passes off towards the 
bobbin-belt, and a piece of tin or thin iron plate is bent over it 
on each side, and passes down nearly to touch the hatchel-plates, 
inside of the hatchel-pins and outside of the hatchel-points, 
This is called the tail of the gatherer, and is seenat Y. The 
top of the gatherer has several slits cut through it, so that the 
teeth of the comb, 8 0, hereafter described, can pass through it. 
There is moreover in the gatherer a false bottom, hung by a joint 
at the end nearest the drawing-rollers, and capable of being 
swung upwards like a trap-door. This false bottom has slits 
across it, corresponding with those through the top. ais a fast 
pulley upon the shaft 6, to which the power is applied, by means 
of a belt, to drive the machine. a’ is a loose pulley on the same 
shaft 6, on which the driving-belt may run when the machine is 
at rest. On the end of the shaft d is the pinion ¢, which drives 
the wheel d d, fixed on the shaft U, which is coupled to the 
lower drawing-roller S. 
Let us now suppose a roving of hemp to be passed into the 
tunnel ZL, and the pulley B to be turned in the direction of the 
arrow; the bobbins lying between the rows of hatchel-teeth 
must be carried along with the hatchel-belt; and as, some of the 
bobbins, by their connexion, in forming the bobbin-belt, con- 
stantly pass out of the hatchel-belt on the right, so others.con- 
stantly pass into it on the left. When, therefore, the roving of 
hemp, passing into the tunnel Z, meets the hatchel-points, it is 
