CALICO-PRINTING 



581 



the cloth, which is done by passing the piece rapidly through a flame of gas, or over 

 a red hot semi-circular plate. The latter method -will be found described under the 

 head of BLEACHING. 



There are two methods in use of singeing with flame : one invented by Henry 

 Glodhill, in which coke is burnt in a furnace provided with a cast-iron plate for a top, 

 in which is left an aperture about 42 inches long and ^ths of an inch wide at the out- 

 side, but which is fths of an inch on the inside. The coke rests upon fire-bars in the 

 usual manner, being fed from a close-fitting fire-door. The ash-pit, instead of being 

 open as usual, is also provided with a closely-fitting door ; a pipe from the blast fan 

 is introduced into the side of the ash-pit. A fire being lighted, the furnace is filled 

 with coke, and the fan being started, both the fire-door and the ash-pit door are 

 closed and luted with clay ; the flame now rises through the rectangular aperture to 

 a height of about two feet, a hopper over the apparatus conducts the products of 

 combustion into a chimney or flue, connected with the main chimney of the factory. 

 Tho grey pieces are now passed rapidly over the flame, about 8 inches above the iron 

 plate, being unwound from a roller, and after passing through a trough of water, 

 being rewound on another roller. The flame is depressed by the cloth, and extends 

 about a foot in length. The effect of this singeing is to thoroughly remove all the 



324 



fibrous down on one side of the cloth without weakening it or making it appear thin. 

 In some print works this singeing machine is supplemented by the copper semi- 

 circular hot plate (BLEACHING, ./z^. 109), which is arranged to receive the cloth on 

 coming from the coke-gas flame. Singeing by coal-gas is a very cleanly and 

 economical mode, but after its introduction it fell partly out of use on account of the 

 thinning of the cloth by the gas flame being drawn through it. The gas singeing 

 machine patented by Mather and Platt, overcomes this defect. The flame impinges 

 against the surface of the cloth, which is thoroughly cleansed without being im- 

 poverished, and the gas is so perfectly consumed that there are no stains from im- 

 perfect combustion. There is also a considerable saving both of gas and time as 

 compared with the old method. Fig. 324 is a vertical section of this machine, A, 

 framing of the machine ; B, binding rollers on rails ; c, rollers where the flame im- 

 pinges on the cloth ; these are moveable to make a wide or narrow opening for the 

 flame, for a mild or keen singe ; D, arms and levers for supporting the burners, &c. 

 across the machine, and bringing or taking away the flame from its work ; E, gas- 

 burners and flame ; F, drawing drum and pressing rollers ; o, water-box and rollers for 

 killing sparks ; H, plaiter ; i, tubes for taking away the dust, heat, &c., drawn through 



