MILLS. 
which is sold, under the name of oil-cake, 
for the purpose of fatting cattle. 
Mills, copper and brass, are almost in- 
variably worked by water, having large 
wheels that give immediate action to ham- 
mers of great weight, some being near three 
hundredweight; these beat out the large 
slabs and bricks of metal into various forms, 
such as kettles, coppers, boilers, &c. and 
roll out sheets for various purposes, but 
especially for coppering tlie bottoms of 
ships. This process is elFected by passing 
the heated metal between two cast-iron 
cylinders, of about a foot diameter, which, 
having contrary motions, draw it through a 
small interval left between them ; and, by 
reducing the thickness, give greater surface 
to the sheet. In this manner the metal may 
be brought to any degree of thinness ; the 
workmen bringing the cylinder's nearer to 
each other, by means of screws at each 
end, every time a plate has been passed. 
The same mills have .shears, worked by off-, 
sets from the counter-wheels, that cut the 
edges of the plates perfectly even, and are 
sufficiently forcible to divide lumps of cop- 
per, full an inch thick and six or seven in 
breadth, at one cut, the metal being pre- 
viously brought to a red heat. 
Mills, silk, cotton, &c. require much 
delicacy in their construction ; their prin- 
cipal movements depend on the same prin- 
ciples as those of the mills described in the 
plate ; the more minute parts, such as the 
bobbins, &c. being moved by means of one 
or more leather straps passing them, in close 
contact, so as to occasion them to revolve 
with an astonishinj^degree of velocity. 
Mills, saw, though extremely simple in 
their parts, require the greatest care in their 
formation. The saws which are moved by 
cranks (much the same as those in use for 
pumps in water-works), must be set with 
most scrupulous exactness, else they will 
not only tear obliquely, and destroy much 
wood, but create such an accumulation of 
friction as must deteriorate the powers of 
the machine so as to approach to equili- 
brium. In most instances the timber is 
brought forward to the saw by means of a 
small toothed w'heel, and an axle whereon 
the rope that pulls the timber is gradually 
coiled. See Saw-mill. 
Mills, flax, are generally worked by 
cattle ; their construction is simple ; the 
essential parts being the hackle, which 
combs the flax ; and the scutcher, which 
strikes it ; both lend to clearing away the 
coarser apd unequal fibres, and to prepare 
the material for being spun either by hand* 
or by means of machinery. 
We feel some surprise at the neglecf 
shewn towards a very ingenious and useful 
invention in the department of mill-work ; 
viz. the action of wheels, mutually, without 
the aid of cogs, or teeth. We have in- 
stances of wheels having been worked for 
nearly 30 years, simply by means of coti- 
tact; the fellies (or circumference), being 
made of pieces of wood, having their grain, 
or fibres, all pointing to the centre. T’liis 
produces a certain degree of roughness, ex- 
teriorly, which causes two wheels, thus 
formed, to bind sufficiently for the purposes 
of communicating rotation, where the stress 
is not excessive; and, even in that case, 
much may be eft'ected by causing the 
wheels to bear very hard against each other, 
so as to excite friction to such an extent as 
may overcome the resistance of the weight, 
&c. We have seen a spinning machine con- 
sisting only of a vertical wheel (turned by a 
foot-lathe), that had its perimeter armed 
with a band of stout buff-leather; whicli 
coming in contact with a number of bob- 
bins, &c. caused all to move with great 
ra|»idity. Each bobbin was under the care 
of a little girl, who, by means of a slider, 
could either set it to work by approxima- 
tion to the wheel, or liberate it from agency 
by withdrawing it from contact. 
Having said thus much on the subject of 
mill-work, we beg leave to refer those of 
our readers who may be in search of ab- 
struse knowledge, to Olinthus Gregory’s 
work on the Theory of Mechanics ; and to 
the excellent practical treatise of the late 
Mr. Snieaton, for a great variety of experi- 
ments not only in this, but in many other 
most important branches of mechanics; 
which the limits of our volumes do not per- 
mit us to enter upon in any other than a 
brief, summary, and popular manner. 
Mill. From and after July 1, 1796, 
pvery miller shall have in his mill a true 
balance, with proper weights; and every 
miller, in whose mill shall be found no ba- 
lance or weights, shall forfeit not exceed- 
ing 20s, 
Every person may require the miller to 
woigh, in his presence, the corn before it shall 
be ground, also after it shall be ground ; and 
if he refuse, he shall forfeit not exceeding 
40s, Every rniller shall, if required, deliver 
the whole produce of the corn, allowing-tor 
the waste in grinding and toll, when toll is 
hereinafter allowed to be taken, on pain to 
forfeit not exceeding Is. per bushel, ap^ 
