BLEACHING 



369 



are carried by this apparatus into the fire-place, where they are consumed. The 

 arrows show the passage of those vapours from the surface of the cloth downwards 

 into the hearth, and thence into the fire. 



For goods to be finely printed both sides are singed ; for market bleaching, one 

 side. Sometimes, however, singeing is not at all desired. 



The use of a line of gas jets instead of a red-hot plate was introduced by Mr. 

 Samuel Hall. It has not, however, found its way generally into bleach-works : the 

 plate is preferred. Gas jets are used necessarily in singeing threads. See SINGEING. 



Shearing. For fine printing, it is by some considered needful to shear tho nap of 

 the cloth instead of singeing it. The method is more expensive than singeing. 

 Messrs. Mather and Platt have made a machine which will shear 60 to 80 yards per 

 minute. 



Bucking or Bowking. This is the process of boiling goods. It is performed in 

 alkaline liquids, generally lime, or soda, or both. The kier for bowking is a cylin- 

 drical iron vessel, the chief peculiarity of which is 

 a method of preventing the cloth from being burnt 

 on the bottom of the vessel, or allowed to dry on 

 the vessel, or so to bo pressed on the bottom as 

 to prevent the boiling of the liquid in a uniform 

 manner. This is done by simply having a false 

 bottom to the kier, or a wooden perforated bottom, 

 about eight or ten inches above the actual bottom. 



The boiler, such as A, fig. 109, has a stopcock, 

 H o, at bottom, for running off tho waste lye. 

 Kiers are commonly made of cast-iron, and are 

 capable of containing from 300 to 600 gallons of 

 water, according to the extent of the business 

 done. In order that the capacity of tho boilers 

 may bo enlarged, they are formed so as to admit 

 of a crib of wood, strongly hooped, or, what is 

 preferable, of cast-iron, to bo fixed to tho upper 

 rim or edge of it. To keep the goods from the 

 bottom, where the heat acts most forcibly, a strong iron ring, covered with netting 

 made of stout rope, c, is allowed to rest six or eight inches above the bottom of 

 the boiler. Four double ropes are attached to the ring E, for withdrawing the goods 

 when sufficiently boiled, which have each an eye for admitting hooks from the 

 running tackle of a crane. Where more boilers than one are employed,, the crane 

 is so placed that, in tho range of its sweep it may withdraw tho goods from any of 

 VOL. I. $B 



