In this case the relative circumferences of the embossing cylinder, and of the paper bowl, must be exactly proportioned to each other; that is, the circumference of the bowl must be equal, exactly, to a given number of circumferences of the embossing cylinder, very accurately measured, in order to preserve a perfect register or coincidence, as they continue revolving between the pattern on the surface of the embossing cylinder, and that indented into the surface of the paper bowl.
The axle of the paper bowl E, turns in brasses fitted into slots in the side frames, and it may be raised by hand from its bearings when required, by a lever k, extending in front. This lever is affixed to the end of a horizontal shaft L, L, crossing the machine seen in the figures, at the back of which shaft there are two segment levers P, P, to which bent rods Q, Q, are attached, having hooks at their lower ends, passed under the axle of the bowl. At the reverse end of the shaft L, a ratchet-wheel r, is affixed, and a pall or click mounted on the side of the frame takes into the teeth of the wheel r, and thereby holds up the paper bowl when required.
When the iron roller G, is to be brought into operation, the vertical screws t, t, mounted in the upper parts of the side frames, are turned, in order to bring down the brasses N, which carry the axle of that roller and slide in slots in the side frames.
The cylinders A, B, and C, are represented hollow, and may be kept at any desired temperature during the operation of printing, by introducing steam into them; and under the colour boxes c, c, c, hollow chambers are also made for the same purpose. The degree of temperature required to be given to these must depend upon the nature of the colouring material, and of the goods operated upon. For the purpose of conducting steam to these hollow cylinders and colour boxes, pipes, as shown at v, v, v, are attached, which lead from a steam boiler. But when either of these cylinders is employed for embossing alone, or for embossing and printing at the same time, and particularly for some kinds of goods where a higher temperature may be required, a red-hot heater is then introduced into the hollow cylinder in place of steam.
If the cylinder B, is employed as the embossing cylinder, and it is not intended to print the fabric by that cylinder simultaneously with the operation of embossing, the feeding rolling b, must be removed, and also the colour box c, belonging to that cylinder; and the cylinders A, and C, are to be employed for printing the fabric, the one applying the colour before the embossing is effected, the other after it. It is however to be remarked, that if A, and C, are to print colours on the fabric, and B, to emboss it, in that case it is preferred, where the pattern would allow it. A and C, are wooden rollers having the pattern upon their surfaces, and not metal, as the embossing cylinders must of necessity be.
It will be perceived that this machine will print one, two, or three colours at the same time, and that the operation of embossing may be performed simultaneously with the printing, by either of the cylinders A, B, or C, or the operation may be performed consecutively by the cylinders, either preceding or succeeding each other.
The situations of the doctors, when required to be used for removing any superfluous colour from the surface of the printing cylinder, are shown at d, d, d; those for removing any lint which may attach itself, at e, e, e. They are kept in their bearings by weighted levers and screws, and receive a slight lateral movement to and fro, by means of the vertical rod m, which is connected at top to an eccentric, on the end of the axle of the roller H, and at its lower end to a horizontal rod mounted at the side of the frame; to this horizontal rod, arms are attached, which are connected to the respective doctors; and thus by the rotation of the eccentric, the doctors are made to slide laterally.
When the cylinders A, B, or C, are employed for embossing only, those doctors will not be required. The driving power is communicated to the machine from any first mover through the agency of the toothed geer, which gives rotatory motion to the cylinder B, and from thence to the other cylinders A, and C, by toothed geer shown in [fig. 370.]
EMBROIDERING MACHINE. (Machine à broder, Fr.; Steckmaschine, Germ.) This art has been till of late merely a handicraft employment, cultivated on account of its elegance by ladies of rank. But a few years ago M. Heilmann of Mulhausen invented a machine of a most ingenious kind, which enables a female to embroider any design with 80 or 140 needles as accurately and expeditiously as she formerly could do with one. A brief account of this remarkable invention will therefore be acceptable to many readers. It was displayed at the national exposition of the products of industry in Paris for 1834, and was unquestionably the object which stood highest in public esteem; for whether at rest or in motion, it was always surrounded with a crowd of curious visiters, admiring the figures which it had formed, or inspecting its movements and investigating its mechanism. 130 needles were occupied in copying the same pattern with perfect regularity, all set in motion by one person.
Several of these machines are now mounted in France, Germany, and Switzerland. I have seen one factory in Manchester, where a great many of them are doing beautiful work.