296 CLBPET MANUFACTURE IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 



duly set in counter directions within the body of the web all ready for 

 the felting to take place. 



The felting is effected by one of two machines used for the purpose. 

 In one of these machines the surface of the web as it unwinds from the 

 roll which has been formed from the separate bats is passed across a 

 series of small revolving cylinders set close together in the same hori- 

 zontal plane. These small rollers in revolving slightly engage the lower 

 surface of the web as it goes over them gently subtending the material 

 in the direction of its length, and at the same time by a movement hor- 

 izontally transverse to the direction in which their own revolution oc- 

 curs and in which the web also is traveling they combine a slight cross- 

 wise oscillating motion with the other. The resultant agitation causes 

 the felting of the fibers. 



This latter movement of the rollers is accomplished by means of re- 

 ciprocating attachments fixed at the ends of the separate rollers, which 

 attachments slide the rollers back and forth in their beds as they revolve, 

 and combining with the rotary motion of the rollers set up an action, 

 half of rubbing, half of shaking, operating on the lower surface of the 

 web, and, as already stated, producing in the body of the web that in- 

 terlocked condition of the fibers which is known as " felted." Steam is 

 passed through the material during the course of the felting process in 

 in order to facilitate the interlacing of the fibers. This is done with 

 each of the felting machines. 



The second felting machine referred to is in the nature of a long flat 

 frame, on and to which four rolls of webs are fed simultaneously. The 

 sheets unwinding from these rolls pass horizontally under a square press, 

 which forms part of the machine and is composed of a number of small 

 panels. 



The four sheets go under the press together, but are kept separate 

 from one another by strips of like width of stout linen cloth, which 

 separate them while permitting free action to the press. As this quad- 

 ruple length of the webs, with the intervening folds of the linen, comes 

 into position underneath the press the machine pauses for a moment, 

 then the plate descends upon the four-ply mass below and proceeds to 

 slowly shake itself down and upon it with a peculiar pulverizing sort 

 of motion which is hard to describe, but which results in concerting 

 the previously open-textured substance into closely matted felt. As in 

 the other machine, steam is used in this one, also, in order to expedite 

 the felting. At this stage the mechanical constitution of the fabric 

 may be considered pretty nearly complete. 



It has still, however, to be milled. This is done in tubs, or stocks, 

 as they are called, where the long pieces after being soaped are beaten 

 with wooden hammers set in motion by steam-power, and working in 

 some of the tubs perpendicularly, in some horizontally. 



The pieces are afterwards washed and are then either dyed or printed 

 or finished plain. 



