TEMUKA LINSEED COMPANY.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 3587, 30 March 1886, Page 3

TEMUKA LINSEED COMPANY.

(ey our own reporter.)

Visitors to and travellers passing through Tetnuka, invariably have their attention drawn to nn industry of which tho townspeople are justly proud, ami which, m respect to its appointments, is about as perfect as any similar industry m the colony. This is tho TemukaLinßeed, Oil, Cake and Fibre Dressing and Spinning Company. Tlio factory is situated on filteen acres of ground, fronting on the Main North Road, and i» a good half hour's walk from the Tetnuka Post Office. The buildings nre well plnced, and the very lengthy covcred-in rope walk attracts attention lons before the visitor gains Iho main gate leading into the grounds. It is now something over four years since Ihe Company commenced operations, aid though Fortuno did not show a smiling face to them for a very long tiaie, the shareholders nnd others who had tho success of the industry at heart persevered, got out the most improved machinery, ami have now the satisfaction of knowing that tho twine nnd ropo made at the factory cannot bo excelled for quality by any other factory m the colonies; or for tho matter of that, m the Old Country either. Within the last few months many improvements and addition* have been made, and the industry is now one of tho principal m South Canterbury, and all interested m it should, when stopping ut Temuka, never fail to pay it a visit nnd judge for themsolvc3 of the truth or otherwise of what is hero written. To hark back to the factory, however, ono is at onco struck with amazement on seeing the very large

STACKS OP UNSEED Thnt are dotted over the ground. This year, a9 pointed out souio weeks ago by our agricultural reporter m hia " Notes" on tho crops, the linseed harvest has been a good one, aud as tho flax has all boon carefully pulled, it has come to band m splendid order. The linseoi, on being taken from Ihe stack, is put through a machine which strips it of seed, and this is very carefully cleaned and exported. Tho seed is for the most part sold to manufacturing chemists, who extract the oil, and also make oil cake from it. By cold expression tho seed yields from 18 to 20 per cent, and with beat from 22 to ?7 V er C B D * °f oil, so that it will be easily seen tho seed is very valuable. The flux, after the seed bolls aye taken off, is put m tho BETTING TANKS. Those tanks are 3ft 6in deep, 33ft long and 15ft deep, and aye made of concrete. At the Temuka Factory there are two tanks, and after they have been filled with flax water is poured m, and tho flax is left to ret for from 9to 14 days, according to temperature. For instance, if tho weather is very hot tho flax is only retted for the shorter period j if the fibre U very fine it takes tbo longer period, and vice versd. After retting the water is run out of tho tanks, and the fibre is then spread out m tho field till it dries thoroughly. It is noxt taken to tho

SCtJTCHINO BOOST. Hero the flax is run through five paira of fluted rollers, which break the shievo or boom, or, what may be more aptly termed, the woody core that lies on the inside of tho fibre. From the rollers the ilax passes to an American Bcutcher, and from this it goes to tho " devil," or tow terser. After leaving the scutcher the fibro is pretty well divided, but when it leaves the devil it is like very coarse wool, pome six inches m length. The fibre is f etl from a table into the teaser, and passes over a large cylinder, which is studded with very sharp steel pins, 2in long and with a liia pitch This cylinder makes 200 revolutions a minute, teases the fibre m a very completo way, and finally throws it into the tow box. The whole of the machinery m the scutching room is driven by a portable engine stationed at the rear, and great care is taken to reduce the danger to employees to a minimum by having the machinery, etc., well guarded. The tow is next taken to the

PBBPABINfI BOOM, AncJ js first o£ all fed on to the carding machtna, which is one of the most complicated and ingenious machines ever studied by tho brain of man. The carder covers a space Borne 12ft square, and stands about 7ft high. Carding may be shortly stated to be the process of disentangling and arranging m parallel rows the fibres (or tow) of the flax, machine consists of a series of cylinders which revolye iv a strong iron frame, and are placed so close together that they almost touch each other. .Each cylinder js covered with "heckle pins," as are also the feed rollers. The tow goCB first of all on to ft cylinder 4ft m diameter, which has a pitch of 8 pins to (;he square inch, then on to the stripper, llin m diameter, then on to the worker j from the worker the tow 19 thrown

i ' on to the lar^o cylinder again, -which passes it on to the stripper and worker again j this process being repeated exactly five times. Tho cylinders travel at a varying speed, namely — tho largo cylinder at tho rate of 180 revolutions a minute, the stripper at 225, and tho worker nt only 4 revolutions a roinulc. The whole operation may, m fact, bo compared i to the combing and brushing of one's hair, , tho " card " combining the properties of tho comb and brush, hut having teeth of steel instead of hair. The tow is combed out as the cylinders revolve m tho form of beautiful films, but not so fine, of course, as those seen coming from t)io carder m a cotton mill. Tho tow is eventually given off m ribbon-like form from the dolling rollers along the dofling knive3, and finally into the " sliver" can. The sliver runs into the can like an endless ribbon, and is now m tho first stage of spinning. The " tow" is drawn considerably whilst on its journey through the carder, but n3 it is rather uneven m texture, it is next placed on what is called the FIRST DKAWrNQ JBAME. The frame at the factory has eight heads, and the sliver passes from tho eaiis on lo fallers or gill?, which have a peculiar up and forward motion, and carry the sliver on and between cast-iron and wood rollers, which are regulated according to tho " draw" required. Tho drawing frame can take m 4, 8, or 16 slivers at each head, which leave the machine m front still m ribbon-like form, the number of slivers depending on the strength required for the twine or rope that is about to be made. The sliver next passes through the second drawing frame, which effectually levels down all slight thicknesses, and makes the Bliver ready for the BPINNINO FEAMB. This is, for the moat part, similar to the drawing frames, but m front of it aro placed the flyers and bobbins. Tho machine has 60 spindles, and the way it does its work is truly wonderful. The flyers make 700 revolutions per minute, but the speed of the bobbins varies. The former puts tho twist on the sliver, and the latter reels it up as it is twisted. As tho flyers motion is regular, they are worked by spur wheels independent of those working the bobbins, whose speed is regulated by two cones and a differential motion. Tho whole mnehine m fact is a complete study, and it is very interesting to wntch how tho "buiMer," which rises and falls by means of a quadrant driven from tho cones, winds the yarn evenly nnd surely on the bobbins. We have now reached the twine stage, and if much binding twine is required, tho bobbins are taken off the machine, the twine placed m the balling machines and made into balls van ing from alb to 30lb m weight. The twine made at the factory, we may hero mention, is exceptionally stronc, and we were well pleased to see a piece four feet long stand a strain of over 103! b, and then not show signs of dissolution. ITU! HOPE -WALK. Adjoining the preparing room is the rope walk, which is 275 yards long, and i« covered m partly by a shod Gfi6ft long and 17ft wide. In the rope-making department are foreboards, n traveller, and a polishing lnnehine. The ropo-making mncliincs will turn out six two-fold, four throe-fold, or three four-folJ ropes, and aro similar m construction and mechanism to those used m all first-class factories. The machines aro driven. by an endless rope, and the machinery is bo simple that the processes of twisting and laying can be accomplished witli ease. The polishing machine stands Cft bigh, is 4ft broud, ami is driven overhead by an endless rope, has the u-ual winch attached, also relief and reverse motion, and works the strokers along tho cords, effectually polishing them ready for inurkot. TUB ENGINE AVu IIOILKU liOOM. In this room is one of Mr J. .Anderson's (Canterbury Foundry) best boilers ; the one that was shown and so f ivorably commented on at tho laio Exhibition m Wellington. Tho boiler is loft Gin long ; ha-s a diameter of 4fi Bin and has been tested up to l.">Ulb. It is furnished with three G nil j way tubes ; is well bricked m, and has a chimney stack attached 45feet high. By its side lies on a strong concrete bed a splendid horizontal engine, mado by Mr Andrew Morton, of Charleston, Dunfcrmlinc, Scotland. Tho engine is fitted with a singlo cylinder, which is 14in m diameter, and has a 3Gin stroke. The engine uof 18 h.p. nominal, has a flywheel 12fi m diamoter, and drives flic whole of the carding, drawing, spinning and r po making machinery. The ongino is certainly a grind one, nnd works beautifully and silently. Mr Wickham, ono of Mr .■'. nderson's employees, fitted the machinery of the engine and boiler room up, and Mr Lynch, of Teniuka, did the brick work, and they deserve credit for tho way they have carried out their duties. CONO.irsio.v. Before concluding, it may be added that the building m which the scutching machinery is situated U 21ft by 32ft, and that m which is tho spinning, eto., machinery, 3ilt by 50ft. The buildings aro made of wood nnd iron, aro very strong, and every precaution is taken to guard against fire, or accident. The supply of water is good, and is co distributed that it is available all over the buildings and ground. As soon as the boiler and engineshed is erected, which will bo m about a fortnight's time, active operations will be resumed, and it is confidently expected tho output this year will be n very la:go one. The quantity of llax on hand is very large, and as the quality of Ihe articles turned out Cannot be excelled it is to be hoped all fanueis using binder twii'.e ivi ! l do all m their power to help forward such an important industry. Farmers also who require plough line, an I all who uso rope, should " go and do likewise." Before laying down his pen, our reporter de3ires to thank Mr 11. Monalnu, tho Manager, for so kindly showing him over tho factory on Saturday last, and for so courteously and lucidly explaining to him the different processes through which linseed flax passes ere reaching tho twino or ropo Btage.