MACHINERY AND MANUFACTURE 



187 



the rollers act as sheeters, as on the finishing mills. As stated 

 before, Jth of an inch is the minimum depth of cutting that 

 should be accepted, but f\ths is better and allows for some 

 wearing away of surface which a cutting of Jth of an inch does 

 not do. 



It should not be necessary to state that in planning the 

 factory, mills should be laid down with the front of the rollers 

 facing the coagulating department. Yet cases have occurred 

 where the mills have been so laid that the coolies have to pass 

 round to the back with the 

 lumps of coagulated latex for 

 feeding the machines. This, 

 of course, involved lifting the 

 mills and laying down fresh 

 foundations. 



Owing to the strain on 

 the mills during working 

 operations they require very 

 solid cement foundations. 

 The cement should be of 

 the best quality or it will 

 crack in places and work 

 loose, and the mills will 

 rock and grind away their 

 bushes. Carelessness in such 

 respects means early and 

 frequent repairs, breakdowns 

 and general disorganization. 

 A manager may be a hard- 

 working man with a thorough 



knowledge of cultivation and yet not have any experience of 

 engineering. If, therefore, the factory is not to be fitted up 

 and the machines erected and started by competent engineers, 

 the plans and details sent out for his guidance should be 

 clearly drawn out and complete in all respects. 



In laying down rubber-mills they should be put down in 

 the order in which the work ought to progress. In a factory 

 the latex ought to enter from the plantation at one door and 

 leave by another door leading to the drying-shed, having 

 passed in proper sequence through the mills. No rubber 



FIG. 48. Shaw's Hand-driven Machine. 

 Rollers changeable from Vertical to 

 Horizontal Position. 



