286 
POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
the fibres. A Belgian machine for this purpose is shown in 
the Exhibition by Messrs. Curtis, Parr & Madeley. This card- 
ing process has to be continued through a series of carding- 
engines, in order to free and clear the wool sufficiently for 
spinning into yarn. These machines consist of an arrangement 
of cylinders coated with a very even brush-work of fine wires, 
called cards, which, working in contrary directions, pull open 
the wool and lay the fibres evenly in the direction of their 
length, the foreign substances falling away the more entirely 
the more perfect the machines and the more thoroughly they 
perform their operations. The three carding-engines displayed 
by the Messrs. Platt, of Oldham — the finest machinists of this 
class in the world — will be regarded with admiration. The 
first of these carding-engines is called the “ scribbler ; ” the 
second the “ intermediate ; ” the third “ the finisher and con- 
denser.” We have selected their “finisher and condenser” for 
our illustrative plate, as the type of the best English machine 
of its class ever produced. 
This machine is in itself a study. The “ sliver ” is brought 
over from the second carder by a Scotch feed, and is laid 
beautifully on the lattice for feeding the machine. The wool 
then passes over the cylinder, being constantly combed or 
carded by the five pairs of smaller rollers called “ workers ” and 
“ clearers.” On coming finally from the “ doffer,” the web, which 
is then the whole breadth of 48 inches, is divided into 74 
threads ; and that part of the machine which now gives the 
slight roll or twist to these threads is most worthy of close 
attention, as an admirable mechanical motion. It is seen 
prominently in the front portion of the machine in our plate. 
There is a novel addition also in this machine of two small 
“ dicky rollers,” the cards of which go just a little way into the 
card covering of the doffer, and prepare it beautifully to 
receive the wool from the cylinder. 
When the wool comes from the machine it has the appear- 
ance, but not the reality, of threads ; the fibres simply cling 
together, and it still requires to be firmly twisted, or spun into 
“ yarn.” This is done by the “ mule ; ” and here again with 
pride may the superb workmanship of the famous Oldham 
house be referred to. This machine, with its 192 spindles 
twirling round so fast that their rotation is invisible ; the 
whole row of them coming forward, drawing the thread ; 
stopping ; spinning ; winding up and running in on the bobbins ; 
coming forward again to spin, wind, and return ; is a sight of 
which one never tires, and over which one never forgets the 
memory of the man who gave this wonderful and most useful 
machine to the world. 
We must here, in justice to its merits, refer to the machinery 
