BANDANNA 



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manner of forming which will be described in the sequel. One of these plates is fixed 

 to the upper block of the press. This block is so contrived that it rests upon a kind 

 of universal joint, which enables this plate to be applied exactly to the under fellow- 

 plate. The latter sits on the movable part of the press, commonly called the sill. 

 When this is forced up, the two patterns close on each other very nicely by means of 

 the guide-pins at the corners, which are fitted with the utmost care. 



101 



The power which impels this great hydrostatic range is placed in a separate apart- 

 ment, called the machinery-room. This machinery consists of two press-cylinders of 

 a peculiar construction, having solid rams accurately fitted to them. To each of these 

 cylinders three little force-pumps, worked by a steam-engine, are connected. 



The piston of a large cylinder is eight inches in diameter, and is loaded with a top 

 weight of five tons. This piston can be made to rise about two feet through a leather 

 stuffing or collar, The other cylinder has a piston of only one inch in diameter, which 

 is also loaded with a top weight of five tons* It is capable, like the other, of being 

 raised two feet through its collar. 



Supposing the pistons to be at their lowest point, four of the six small force-pumps 

 are put in action by the steam-engine, two of them to raise the large piston, and two 

 the little one. In a short time so much water is injected into the cylinders that the 

 loaded pistons have arrived at their highest points. They are now ready for working 

 the hydrostatic discharge-presses, the water-pressure being conveyed from the one 

 apartment to the other, under ground, through strong copper tubes of small calibre. 



Two valves are attached to each press, one opening a communication between the 

 large driving cylinder and the cylinder of the press, the other between the small 

 driving cylinder and the press. The function of the first is simply to lift the under 

 block of the press into contact with the upper block ; that of the second is to give 

 the requisite compression to the cloth. A third valve is attached to the press for the 

 purpose of discharging the water from its cylinder, when the press is to be relaxed 

 in order to remove or draw through the cloth. 



