836 



SIZE 



gas through the interstices of the lace, as it passes over the burner, by means of an 

 aperture in a tube placed immediately above the row of gas-jets, which tube commu- 

 nicates with an air-pump or exhauster. 



Fig, 1852 shows the construction of the apparatus complete, and manner in which 

 it operates : a, a, is a gas-pipe, supplied by an ordinary gasometer ; from this pipe, 

 several small ones extend upwards to the long burner b, b. This burner is a hori- 

 zontal tube, perforated with many small holes in the upper side, through which, 

 as jets, the gas passes ; and when it is ignited, the bobbinet lace, or other material 

 intended to be singed, is extended and drawn rapidly over the flame, by means of 

 rollers, which are not shown in the figure. 



The simple burning of the gas, even with a draught chimney, is found not to be at 

 all times efficacious. There is now introduced a hollow tube c, c, with a slit or 

 opening, immediately over the row of burners ; and this tube, by means of the pipes 

 d, d, d, communicates with the pipe e, e, e, which leads to the exhausting apparatus. 



This exhausting apparatus consists of two tanks, f and g, nearly filled with water, 

 and two inverted boxes or vessels, h and i, which are suspended by rods to the 

 vibrating beam k : each of the boxes is furnished with a valve opening upwards ; 

 I, I, are pipes extending from the horizontal part of the pipe e, up into the boxes or 

 vessels h and i, which pipes have valves at their tops, also opening upward. When 



1852 



the vessel h descends, the water in the tank forces out the air contained within the 

 vessel at the valve m ; but when that vessel rises again, the valve m being closed, tho 

 air is drawn from the pipe e, through the pipe I. The same takes place in the vessel 

 i, from which the air in its descent is expelled through the valve n, and in its ascent 

 draws the air through the pipe I, from the pipe e. By these means, a partial exhaus- 

 tion is effected in the pipe e, e, and tho tube c, c; to supply which, the air rushes 

 with considerable force through the long opening of the tube c, c, and carries with it 

 the flame of the gas-burners. The bobbinet lace, or other goods, being now drawn 

 over the flame between the burner b, b, and the exhausted tube c, c, by means of 

 rollers, as above said, the flame of the gas is forced through the interstices of tho 

 fabric, and all the fine filaments and loose fibres of the thread are burnt off, without 

 damaging the substance of the goods. 



To adjust the draught from tho gas-burners, there are stop-cocks introduced into 

 several of the pipes d ; and to regulate the action of the exhausting apparatus, an air 

 vessel o is suspended by a cord or chain passing over pulleys, and balanced by a 

 weight p. There is also a scraper introduced into the tube c, which is made, by 

 any convenient contrivance, to revolve and slide backwards and forwards, for tho 

 purpose of removing any light matter that may arise from the goods singed, and 

 which would otherwise obstruct the air-passage. Two of these draught tubes c 

 may be adapted and united to the exhausting apparatus, when a double row of 

 burners is employed, and the inclination of the flame may be directed upwards, 

 downwards, or sideways, according to the position of the slit in the draught tube, by 

 which means any description of goods may, if required, be singed on both sides 

 at one operation. 



SIZE. A solution of gelatinous matter, usually made from skin, employed for the 

 purpose of giving adhesiveness to certain substances, which could not be otherwise 

 secured to surfaces. See GELATINE and GLUE 



