T, Sheet coagulation tank; C, cylinder for reception and dilution of latex; GG, gutter; PP, raised platform on verandah; SS, steps leading to platform; W, dwarf wall; EE, expanded metal partition; OO, open.
In the successful working of a tank it is necessary, in order to obtain the best results, to standardise all latex. This cannot be effected properly in the tank itself, and hence it is the practice to dilute each lot of latex to standard before it is run into the tank. In the ordinary way this would entail a great deal of labour in handling the diluted latex. To obviate this, the scheme outlined in the accompanying [sketch] has been suggested on several occasions and in various quarters. Such a scheme or modification of it has been put into successful practice on several estates. Although the drawing was made some considerable time ago when estates were not then prepared to go so far in this direction, subsequent modifications show only minor differences which, while leaving the original principle intact, testify to a fertility of resource in adapting the idea to existing circumstances and buildings. The drawing is in toto almost a replica of the original installation now in successful use on the Kinrara Estate of the Ledbury Rubber Company. On this company’s Ledbury Estate likewise a similar system is employed, except that the reception verandah is part of a natural formation and needed no such direct raising. Several other estates have now adopted the scheme, which has been proved to be of practical value. The writers make no claim to originality in the idea, which might have occurred to many independently on the introduction of coagulating tanks.
Raised Verandah for Reception and Handling of Latex.
Verandah.—In reproducing the drawing it is believed that the sketch will convey practically all the information required. It may be explained that the coolies are allowed to enter only the outer part of the verandah. The buckets are handed across the low wall into the care of factory coolies, who strain the latex through gauze sieves into the latex cylinders.
Latex Reception Vessels.—These cylinders may be similar to the tanks commonly used for transport of latex from distant fields to the factory. An 80-gallon cylinder is easily mounted by its trunnions on a suitable iron framework which is superimposed on a skeleton truck.
Another Set of Dilution Tanks on Raised Verandah.