MEMOIR OF DANIEL TREADWELL. 



369 



Tlie flax, being supplied to the cvliiider, and passed between the rollers, is drawn througli 

 the points as through a hatchel. Several of these rovings are then just put together, and the 

 process is repeated until the fibres are sufficiently reduced for spinning." 



The first of the five operations of rope-making consists in drawing out the fibres 

 of hemp into parallel lines, or splitting the fibres, if need be, and removing loose, 

 sliort portions of the material, the tow, and any dust or foreign matter which would 

 interfere with the subsequent processes. "When this is done by hand, the workman 

 takes a mass of the material by one of its ends and draws it through a number of 

 long prongs of polished steel set in a block of wood called a hacMc, repeating the 

 movement until the fibres are parallel and clean ; he then takes the mass of hemp 

 by the other end, and does the same for the end which before he had grasped. 



Fig. 1. 



Mr. Treadwell's machine for performing the same work is described in his 

 specification as " an improved machine for dressing, combing, or hatchelling hemp, 

 flax, wool, and other fibrous substances."* It consists essentially of two cylinders of 

 unequal diameter, set in a wooden frame, with their axles parallel. The great cylin- 

 der is completely covered with rows of steel points or teeth, c c, curved in the 

 direction of its motion ; its shaft runs in boxes on the frame, and is furnished with 

 fixed and loose pulleys, mm, nn, ee, dd. Fig. 2. On the same frame is placed the 

 small cylinder, covered with straight teeth smaller than those of the great cylinder. 



* More commonly called "a circular hatclitl or lapper." 



