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IMPROVED TEXTILE MACHINERY.


[Illustration: THE TEXTILE EXHIBITION, ISLINGTON.]

In the recent textile exhibition at Islington, one of the most extensive
exhibits was that, of Messrs. James Farmer and Sons, of Salford. The
exhibit consists of a Universal calender, drying machines, patent creasing,
measuring, and marking machines, and apparatus for bleaching, washing,
chloring, scouring, soaping, dunging, and dyeing woven fabrics. The purpose
of the Universal calender is, says the _Engineer_, to enable limited
quantities of goods to be finished in various ways without requiring
different machines. The machine consists of suitable framing, to which is
attached all the requisite stave rails, batching apparatus, compound
levers, top and bottom adjusting screws, and level setting down gear, also
Stanley roller with all its adjustments. It is furthermore supplied with
chasing arrangement and four bowls; the bottom one is of cast iron, with
wrought iron center; the next is of paper or cotton; the third of chilled
iron fitted for heating by steam or gas, and the top of paper or cotton. By
this machine are given such finishes as are known as "chasing finish" when
the thready surface is wanted; "frictioning," or what is termed "glazing
finish," "swigging finish," and "embossing finish;" the later is done by
substituting a steel or copper engraved roller in place of the friction
bowl. This machine is also made to I produce the "Moire luster" finish. The
drying machine consists of nineteen cylinders, arranged with stave rails