Machine-hackling.—After undergoing rough dressing, the material is brought forward to the next process, machine-hackling. Each fibre of flax, being composed of a number of finer filaments bound together by a natural gum, is capable of being chemically separated to its ultimate fibres. It is not often that this is done, however, and perhaps never for manufacturing purposes. The amount of splitting which the fibre undergoes in machine-hackling depends upon its quality, and the purpose for which it is destined. There are several varieties of machines constructed for accomplishing this object, all possessing particular merits, and being generally efficient.
The hackling-machines in a flax-mill should not be all alike in fineness, nor adapted for exactly similar work. Should the mill not possess more than three, one each should be fitted for coarse, medium, and fine work, because it is certain that, with the best care in purchasing the raw material, these three grades will come to the front in the necessary classification. The " parcels " from the " roughing-shop" having been allotted to appropriate machines, the attendant who serves the operatives in charge of the hackling-machine, generally a boy, gives them the shorts of each parcel to put through first, to serve as a distinguishing mark between that and the preceding parcel, which enables an accurate account to be taken of the weight of the longs obtained from each 2 cwt. The flax of each parcel, as the machining goes on, is made up into bundles of about 10 lb. each, termed " tipples," by a boy who attends a number of machines, and who is technically called a "tippler." His task is to go round and make up these tipples, and to answer the call of the hackler when his parcel is finished. The tipples, having all been put into a basket, are taken to the weighing-machine or scales, where the nett weight is ascertained ; another boy at the same time brings the tow, the particulars of which are also taken, and entered upon a ticket. The weights being added together, the total should come to within a lb., or thereabout, of the weight of the parcel.
The feeding of the machine is performed as follows :—The filler—a boy—takes two pieces of flax from that received from the rougher, which he spreads upon a metallic plate, about 12 in. by 4, and which has a bolt called the " holder " fixed in the centre. A piece is spread on each side of this bolt, all except about 12 in. falling over the holder. A top plate is next placed upon the bolt, which is also a screw, and by means of a nut, the plate is firmly screwed down, and made as fast as if held in a vice. The faces of both plates are covered with corrugated indiaruhber.or cloth, in order to increase the security of the hold. The attendant boy, called a " filler," lifts the secured flax into the head or holder-channel of the machine, which is a "lifter," or rising and falliug bar, having a vertical traverse of 12-18 in., or other required distance, according to the length of the flax. Inside the channel, is a rack, workint upon a slide, which, by means of deflectors, takes the holders upon being placed in the machine, and, at each ascent of the head to the top of its vertical traverse, shifts the holder laterally a distance equal to its own length, so that, on its next descent, the flax in the holder which has been moved passes between the vertical sheets as before, but in front of a finer set of hackles. These sets of hackles are called "tools," and the quantity varies
according to the size of the machine, and the requirement of the work. The Horner machine may have 6-12 tools ; in this case, the breadth of the tool will vary from about 8i to 111 in., there being little difference in the frame of the machine, which is generally 11-12 ft. in length. According to the number of tools contained in the machine will be the lifts of the head to complete the lateral traverse of each holder, when it will be thrown out, with one half of the fibre it contains—the portion hanging down—completely hackled. The vertical traverse of the head is obtained by the action of a horizontal lever, working on a centre stud, set below and at right angles to the heads. At a short distance from the above stud, is a strong iron pin fixed in the side of the lever, having a runner encircling it, which is confined in a groove cast in the side of a large wheel, called the "wiper," and this, by its revolution, raises or lowers the runner in a manner corresponding to the direction of the groove. The fixed pin upon the lever being contained in the runner, the rocking motion is thus communicated to the lever, and by its means, the head-slides resting upon its extremities are alternately raised and lowered. On the outside of the wiper, is another groove, of a different shape from the former, by means of which the lateral traverse of the holders is effected. This groove has a runner also, which is connected with a vertical lever, that midway in its length has a V-bend, which is held in a given position by a stud-pin carried by a bracket upon the frame between the sheets. The opposite extremity of this lever is bifurcated, the arms being connected with rods working detente in the head-channel, which are adjusted so as to draw the holders when the head is at the top of its vertical traverse ; the same movement carries the detente of the other head, which is at its lowest point, backwards to be ready for bringing forward another holder. The arrangement of the head is such that there is a holder for each detent, and one of the latter for every tool. The consequence is that, at every elevation of the head, and shift of the holders, one of the latter is thrown out at the end of its lateral traverse. This is lifted down by a boy, who is technically called a "changer," and laid flat upon a bed on the table, in such a manner as to cause the hackled portion of the flax to fall evenly over another holder, similarly placed to receive it, or rather sufficient of it to secure a firm grip as before ; and to subject the unhackled part, when placed in the second head of the machine, to the certainty of being hackled or cut precisely as the first has been.