416 



FLAX 



machine of this construction is capable of supplying twelve scutching-stands of the 

 ordinary mill. It is attended, by two boys, one to feed the flax-straw into the machine, 

 by means of a feeding table, and the other to remove it at the opposite extremity. 

 Once passing through the machine is quite sufficient to prepare the flax-straw 

 thoroughly for being scutched. The force required to drive it is one horse-power. 

 Fig. 926 will best show its construction and mode of action. 



It having been found that many disadvantages were inherent in the old scutch- 

 mill, several persons have set themselves to work to supply a machine which would 

 reduce the cost of labour, obviate the necessity of obtaining skilled workmen, and 

 diminish the great waste of fibre, which was but too frequent in the ordinary mill. 

 Among the most successful of these scutching machines, is an invention of ]\Ir. 

 MncBride, of Armagh, Ireland, Jigs. 927, 928. It consists of a cast-iron frame, at 

 each end of which is a compartment, enclosing a double set of beaters, of peculiar 

 construction, which revolve rapidly in a contrary direction, striking alternately on 

 each side of the flax, as it is submitted to their action, and thoroughly removing the 

 woody part, which falls down in dust into a pit or hollow under the machine. In 

 order to carry the flax gradually through the machine, and present it in a proper 

 manner to the beaters, in succession, an endless double rope is introduced, carried in 

 the hollow of a large grooved wheel, in which it is kept tight, by means of tension- 

 weights. The flax-straw, made into handfuls, is introduced at A, under the double 

 rope, at one end of the machine, and is at once grasped by it firmly rather above its 

 middle, and carried along slowly, by the movement of the grooved wheel, until it 

 enters, hanging downwards, the compartment B, containing the first set of beaters. 

 By the time the flax-straw has been carried through them, all its lower half, whi'-h 

 has been exposed to the action of the beaters, is cleaned out, and the rope, passing on 

 a short way farther, arrives at a point when- a second grooved wheel is revolving. 

 furnished with ropesin like manner, but arranged ai a rather lower level. By a simple 

 arrangement, the flax is here transform! from one s--t, of ropes to the other, the 

 second set grasping it near its lowest end, thus leaving all the uncleancd part, or upper 

 half, ready to be scutched. The second wheel mov< on, and carries the flax to- 

 wards the compartment Containing the second set of beaters, cleaning all the upper 

 portion of the flax. It then issues out at D, cleaned throughout, and is received l.y a 

 person placed there for that purpose, who makes it tip into the usual package for sal.- 

 of 16J N>s- A constant succession of similar handful- of flax-straw is thus kept pa-s 



