FLAX 



417 



ing through the machine without interruption. E E arc tho beaters ; F p are two cones, 

 currying a leather band, which gives the motion to the ropes, or carrying-apparatus. 



927 



By shifting the position of this band towards one end or the other of the cones, the 

 speed of the carrying-ropes may be varied at pleasure, so as to keep the flax a longer 

 or shorter time under the beaters. Some kinds of flax require more scutching than 

 others. G G are the driving pulleys, for giving motion to the machine by means of a 

 band from motive power, which may be steam, water, wind, or horses. Each pair of 

 pulleys drives one set of beaters separately from the other set, and hence, if requisite 

 to drive one set faster than the other, which is sometimes the case when the top end 

 of the flax is hard to clean, this is easily done by using a similar pulley on the machine, 

 or a larger drum on the driving shaft. 11 H are the tension-weights and levers for 

 keeping tight the carrying-ropes. J J are bearers of wood for carrying the frame of 

 the machine. K K are pits underneath the compartments containing the beaters, 

 and are for receiving the woody dust as it falls from the flax-straw. The machine 

 occupies a space of 1H feet, by 10 feet, but some space is required round it for 

 handling tho flax. The height of the machine is 6 feet. The power required is 

 three-horse. 



M. Mertens, of Grheel, Belgium, has invented a scutching-machine, which merits 

 notice. It is portable and cheap, and requires the attendance of only boys or girls, to 

 put the flax-straw in and take the scutched fibre out. Tho action is something similar 

 to that of the Irish scutch-mill, but the bruised flax-straw is placed in iron clasps, one 

 end being first cleaned out, and then the clasps opened, the flax -straw reversed, and a 

 second insertion in the machine clears out the other end. 



Messrs. ^ Rowan, of Beliast, have recently introduced a scutching machine, 

 whose action differs from all hitherto in use. The flax-straw is not previously 

 bruised, but is at once fastened in iron clasps, which are placed in a slide, the action 

 of the machine carrying them on along one side, while two parallel bars of iron, 

 toothed, comb the straw and separate the woody part from the fibre. The first 

 portion of these bars have coarse teeth, and the teeth become closer by degrees upto 



VOL. II. E E ' 



