^ TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



quality it is worth from one to two cents per lb. more than ordinary- 

 tow — that is, flax from this machine parts with, as tow, but 32 

 lbs., while the same quantity of flax prepared in the old way 

 would part with 56 lbs. of tow of inferior quality. The increase 

 in perfecting flax is therefore great. 



The machine is simple and not liable to derangement, and free 

 from the usual chances of accident to the operatives, requiring 

 only one boy or girl to operate the machine, and one to prepare 

 the straw. The whole machine is inclosed within a case and 

 may be thus described : 



Two feed rollers, the one of India rubber or other flexible 

 material, the other of metal, corrugated, and so geared as to run 

 either way, thus j^roviding for the ingress and egress of the straw 

 which is held in clamps so that it may be pressed into and pulled 

 from between these feed rollers as required. The straw on pass- 

 ing through these rollers is impinged upon their rear by a cylin- 

 der armed with lugs, each alternate lug being slightly toothed, 

 while immediately under the feed rollers is a small spider drum 

 aver which passes an endless belt, armed with lugs similar in 

 form and use to those before described, so that both sides of the 

 straw are acted upon alike, removing all the non-fibrous organic 

 matter, and leaving the flax of the full length of the straw. 



Your committee would recommend that the premium offered in 

 the programme be awarded to this machine. 



Signed, J. A. NASH, 



JAMES J. MAPES, 



Committee. 



New York, March 24, 1862. 



