Thus it appears, that I expect the favourable result of this System from two sources: the first, (but least) from the length of this pump, which permits much water to be raised without much agitation; and second, from the quantity of sail it is possible to carry by this method, compared with the sails of a wind-mill. My idea is, indeed, that since the power of the wind is so boundless, we ought to use it more liberally than we do: and I am persuaded, that ten times as much work might be done at a given expense, by such means as these, as can be done by the usual methods.
Before I quit this subject, I would just observe, that there are many situations in which this powerful agent might be made useful, in conjunction with water power, as applied, perhaps, to encreasing works, and being itself incapable of proportionate extension. Thus, there are many water mills (used for various purposes) that are obliged to wait the re-filling of the mill pond; and which, therefore, lose much time, although the wheel would be capable of doing even more work than is actually wanted. In fact, it often happens, that the worse the supply of water, the better is the wheel: for this has been sometimes thought a mean of making up the deficiency. In such a case then, a cheap wind apparatus might double or triple the effect of the wheel, and the produce of a given establishment. But it will be objected, that the wind is an uncertain helper! and thus less fit to be resorted to. This I acknowledge; but still say, that could it be used when only a breeze or a zephyr, it’s utility would be much extended; and this is another consequence of a system founded on the application of much sail to a given purpose. Still however, as nothing absolutely conclusive can be said on so variable a subject, I shall not now lengthen this discussion.
OF
A FLAX-BREAKING MACHINE.
It is important, in most machines, to avoid oscillatory motions:—which uniformly protract the time of an operation, or require a greater power to perform it. This consideration has given rise to the form and properties of the Machine I am about to describe.
In [Plate 36], [figs. 1, 2 and 3], represent this production. The first is an elevation; and the second is a plan, serving to shew the manner of feeding the Machine. To speak first of the second figure—A B is a pulley, (shewn at large in [fig. 1], and marked with the same letters;) it’s use is to receive the endless cord C D E, which is composed of three strands, like the apparatus of a peruke-maker; these strands being divided at F, and passing there over three pullies placed at a proper distance on the same shaft F. These pullies are gently turned by that shaft, and carry with them the afore-mentioned triple cord, to which, in the passage toward the Machine, have been woven small handfuls of flax, by the same process as the barber uses to fasten the hair of a wig; one difference however obtains: the flax is knit to the cords at it’s small end, and within a few inches of it, so that the root-ends hang pendent, and when that part of the cord enters beyond the pulley E, those ends hang round the large pulley A B, against the grooved surface of the outer rim: The method of grooving this drum is better shewn in [fig. 3]: and it should be noted, that the smaller drums C D, are grooved in a similar form, their diameters being such as to divide exactly, in some ratio, the outer cylinder E F. In [fig. 1], two portions of these handfulls of flax are represented by the waved lines m n, drawn between the cylinders C D, and the section E F of the said outer cylinder; where it is evident, that if these cylinders had, in that place, teeth like those of [fig. 3], these handfulls of flax would appear bent—which is indeed the process by which the wood is broken, and the filament divested of it. It appears also by the [figure 1], that the cylinders C D, run on centres, fastened only to the pins of the cross piece o p, (shewn by dotted lines in [fig. 2].) These cylinders I say, are thus mounted, that there may be no centres below, to gather up the flax or wood, and thus embarrass the motion of the Machine.
Adverting then, a second time, to the [second figure], the flax is fastened in small handfulls, to that part of the endless cord that goes toward the Machine; namely, F E, and taken off from that part which comes from the Machine behind the pulley A B: so that the triple cord before mentioned, there consists of three cords, and passes round the separate pullies at F. The flax being thus taken off at M, is handed to the charger at N, and re-fixed to that cord by it’s other end—so as to be finished by a second passage. It would be superfluous to add, that the waved form of the grooves in the cylinders, is intended to break the flax at every point of it’s passage before those grooves as conducted by the large pulley A B, (in the centre of which the main shaft turns without giving it any of it’s own motion) the said pulley A B, being turned, as before stated, by the triple cord from the slow motion of the pullies F in the [figure].