During the past 20 years, however, much has been done in this country in introducing machinery for the washing of wool. Since its invention, it has moved steadily towards perfection. This has caused it to rise rapidly in public estimation, and, as a consequence, to get generally adopted. There are several makers of wool-washing machines, whose productions leave little to be desired or even accomplished in the way of perfectly performing their work. Fig. 1442 shows one of the best, by J. and W. McNaught of Rochdale, and embodies the latest improvements. The single 4-rake maclaine here shown occupies a floor space of 24 ft. 9 in. in length by 6 ft. 8 in.
greatest width over the pulleys. The feed a is a travelling apron, upon which the wool to be washed is evenly spread by the attendant, and in that manner passes into the tank 6, where it is immersed in the prepared bath, and brought within the action of the first rake. The series of rakes c are actuated by the bevelled gearing shown, which carries cranks, whose revolutions immerse the rakes at the point of their traverse nearest the back or feed end of the machine, and slowly push them through the liquid, each rake carrying with it the wool thst had c,ome within its reach, and delivering it to the next. This slow propulsion prevents the matting or stringing of the fibres, and the felting that would ensue were the action quicker, whilst it is sufficiently quick to thoroughly cleanse the wool by the time it reaches the opposite end of the tank. 11 ere the last rake delivers the wool to the reciprocating harrows d. These are frames with rows of alternate prongs on the under side. Each frame moves with its prongs parallel to and nearly touching the inclined plane, and returns over it with its prongs away from and clear of it, in the same manner as the rakes of the tanks retire backwards over the water. The inclined plane is made of polished plate glass, in order to reduce the friction to a minimum, and consequently the stringing and entangle ment of the fibre, whilst the rapid flow backwards of the water brought with it by the saturated wool returns all impurities that might have been brought up therewith into the tank. As ono harrow is travelling up the plane with the wool it has received, the other is returning. The washed wool is brought forward by the strokes of the rakes to the bottom of the incline, upon which it subsides within reach of the barrow, which then slides it up. Arriving at the top, it descends by its own gravity, a chute or reverse incline f, also of plate-glass, at the bottom of which it comes within the action of the pressure-rollers g g'. The prongs of either one or other of the harrows are
always acting upon the wool, sliding it forward over the plate-glass surface, neither leaving it until the other has descended upon it, which produces a constant and uniform delivery, preventing all backward slip, which would lead to entanglement.
These machines are easily combined, and made single, double, triple, or sometimes in sets of four. In small establishments, a single machine may suffice, the wool being put through twice ; the first time for scouring, the second for rinsing. In large establishments, where a great quantity of wool is consumed, and the best results are desired, the combined machines are used, and the wool is washed, scoured, and rinsed at one operation. In a set of four, cold or tepid water may be used in the first trough, scouring baths in the next two, and again tepid or cold water as may be desired in the last ; or any other arrangement may be adopted that skill and experience may devise as likely to yield the most satisfactory result. When the liquor in the first scouring-trough has become uuelean, it may be run off, and that from the second made to take its place. For this pur pose, the makers have invented a steam-jet transmitter, which causes the liquor when required to flow quickly from one trough to another, thus enabling all the troughs to be placed on one level, instead of at different elevations, as necessitated when the contents are required to flow from one to another by gravitation. The steam used for this purpose is utilized in warming the respective baths. Where it is impossible to arrange several machines in a straight line, the troughs can be made in the form of an elbow, the feeder being at right angles with the delivery.
The process of cleansing the raw material is exceedingly iniportant, and when badly performed gives rise to the most unsatisfactory results, the real cause of which frequently passes undiscovered. To secure the end sought, requires the employment of soap uniform in strength, the use of a proper quantity for each bath, the right temperature of the water, care in rinsing, and uniformity in feed ing. On no account should the troughs be so filled with wool as to cause the latter to be shovelled forward, as it were, by the rakes ; but the supply should be so graduated as to allow each lock to be thoroughly exposed to the cleansing influence of the scouring liquor, and similarly to the clearing action of the rinsiog bath at the close. These points require conscientious attendance.