TRIAL OF FLAX MACHINES.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVI, Issue 3889, 8 February 1870, Page 4

TRIAL OF FLAX MACHINES.

(WEITTEIT FOB. TStE "DAILY SOUTHEBST CHOS3.") On Thursday, the 9rd, Thomas Macfiarlane, Ksq.,M.Gk A.,placed the Dundee Flax Mills at the disposal of ' Messrs. Fraser and Tinne, Price, and Gibbons and Co., to test the respective Merits of their flax . machines. A quantity waa weighed for ■ each machine, Messrs. Fraser and Tinne had a new machine of their usual construction j Messrs. Price had a new machine* entirely different from any of theirs I have, seen .before -the drum larger in diameter, the feed-rollers driven by separate belt. Gribbona'a machine was one that had been working for some time at the mil]. The time the machines ran was one hour and fifteen minutes. Fraser and Tinne's machine dressed scwt. flax ; Price's machine dressed 6ewt. 3qr. tidx; Gibhoriß's machine dressed 6ewt. 2qr. flax. Fraser and Tinne's machine has also a' different; feed-mouth from any of theirs I have seen befote. It woUld be att improvement on all the machines if they would make the feed-mouth wider, with a gradual taper to the feed-rollers. This machine ran very smoothly, and did its work well. It was, however, driven at a disadvantage to the others, and owing to this the machine was unable to do the work it would otherwise have done had it been properly driven. Little power is required to drive this machine ; the beater acts upon a plate, adjusted by screws behind, and, in the eventof anything going wrong with the plate, can easily be put in order. The feed is driven by a separate belt, and acts with regularity. -Altogether I look upon this machine as favourable— not liable to get out of order. Price's machine is a new one. It is got up with considerable taste, and is a decided improvement on their other machines ; thejdrum is larger in diameter, and the beater is much closer than in the old one, and in the form of a V, and did its work very well. The beater ofthismachinebeingoneofthefeed rollers, the rollers having to be so much more compressed together, it takes more power to drive the feed than the machine. There were five stoppages with the feed of this machine during the trial ; there was a difficulty to get it to take the flax with large butt ends. This could be obviated by putting in a beater.stationary, and only allowing the rollers to feed. Were this small alteration made ifc would be a irosfc useful machine, and surpass their other machines entirely. Gibbons's machine haB been wrought for some time, two machines being fitted on one frame. Only one was wrought during the trial. It did its work remarkably well, and had no stoppages. It is a machine simple in construction, easy to keep in order, and takes little power to drive. Altogether this is a most useful machine, and will do a large amount of work, but I Bhould like to see Messrs. Gibbons make machines on single frames of this construction. The feed is driven by belt separate from the machine; the heater acts upon a bar which has four squares. In case of anything going wrong with it, it can be turned to another square, and when worn out can easily be replaced. Altogether the trial of these machines wag of the most satisfactory kind, and was a credit to the various makers. 1 poi confident that the engineers of the proviuce deserve the thanks of the community for the care and attention and ingenuity in bringing these machines to the perreoiion that they have now reached. No doubt j Messrs. Fraser and Tinne, being the Srsfc in the field, have had to persevere against many difficulties— a large share of credit is due to them ; but they have now two rivals in Messrs. Price and Gibbons, ! which gives the public a choice, and ia a guarantee to the public that each will do his best to supply perfect machines of good workmanship. ]3ut the great point in machines is simplicity in construction and non-liability to getouL of order, as it is most disheartening for people far from the makers when anything goes wrong with the machine. They have to be idle for a week before they can get the most simple thing replaced. Feedrollers, beaters, and adjusting screws should be all sent out in duplicate. One thing I would remark to the tanners. The leather they supply for belts is by no means up to the mark, and would require to be improved considerably, so as to prevent money being sent elsewhere for belt-leather when it cau be made within the province.