i A Se een Ng aay ELON e Senet eraser eager anaes 
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the work of two men, and feed a machine yielding half a ton of dry 
fibre per day. 
It 
This is published in the ir nal Soc. Arts. (Vol. ay. April 25 1897, 
PP. 424-440) ; see also British Trade Journal (May 1, 18° 8). 
“The machine, which weighs 11 ewt., is very strong and not liable 
to get out of order. It ee mainly of the framework and driving- 
gear, the decorticating drum carrying beaters and the feed-bed. This 
latter is the important ae of the machine, by reason of its special 
contour which varies at different parts to suit the various descriptions 
of work which the machine has to perform. The first part of the bed is 
curved outwards, the second is straight, and the third is curved inwards. 
The stems are fed into the machine over the first part of the bed, where 
the woody portion ben a immediately broken and partly removed: 
the strip passes on to the second part, and as the speed of the beaters is 
ae ably greater than that at which the stems are fed into the 
nachine, a scraping effect is produced on the strips, seeing that the 
dimus between the beaters and the surface of the bed is less than the 
fibre. The strips then pass down vertically into the machine, and the 
separated matters, viz., most of the woody parts, the skin, and gummy 
substances, are thrown out to a distance by the centrifugal force of the 
beater drum. aaar the stems have entered to within a short distance 
of their end, the return movement is effected and they are wi 
still adhering. The operation is performed with great delicacy ; ; the 
fibres assume the position of the chord of the curve, and are constantly 
ie by the beaters. When the fibres arrive at the second part of 
the action of the beaters. Choking is thus rendered ancaihe All 
strains are avoided, and the machine can be kept at work from 
abnormal 
morning till night without stoppages for cleaning. The refuse falls 
