two last-mentioned figures, the flax must be spread upwards, over the outer surface of the cylindrical casing, and its ends passed through the opening in the casing at s, in order to bring the ends of the flax into the teeth of the heckles, upon the drum within. The drum is then made to revolve rapidly, by means of a band and pulley, or by any other moving power, applied to the main axle b, mounted upon the side standards or framing, by which the points of the revolving heckles will be made to take hold of the ends of the flax, and draw the fibres up tightly.

It will be perceived, that in commencing the operation upon the strick of flax, its ends only being passed through the opening in the cylindrical casing, a very short portion of the fibres are at first submitted to the points of the heckles. The reason for submitting but a small portion of the flax, at first, to the action of the heckles, is, that the process will be more beneficially conducted, when the length of the strick of flax is gradually introduced to the hecklepoints, as, by that means, the tow is cleared away before the following heckles, and the staple or fibre of the flax is less liable to be broken. In order, therefore, to bring the whole length of the fibres gradually upon the points of the revolving heckles, the cylindrical casing is made to turn loosely upon the main axle, and advance slowly, as the process goes on, which causes the opening s, to be brought round from the top of the machine, down to the situation. of the stationary holder at r. The means of effecting this movement of the casing is as follows:

One end of a cord or chain t, t, is attached by a hook to the cylindrical casing l, and this cord or chain, being conducted over carrier pullies, and weighted at its reverse end, draws the casing back, that is, causes it to turn upon the main axle, so that the opening r, is brought to its highest position, as shewn in fig. 3, when the heckles are beginning to operate upon the strick. As, however, the casing must be slowly moved round, to admit gradually the whole length of the strick, a small pinion is fixed upon the end of the main axle, which, as the drum revolves, takes into and drives a toothed-wheel u, see figs. 1 and 2.-This wheel u,

is connected to a train of wheels and pinions, for the purpose of giving motion to a wheel v, turning loosely upon the end of a short axle w, placed transversely at the top of the machine, and mounted in bearings, affixed to the back part of the standards or frame-work, as shewn by dots in fig. 2. This axle w, with its clutch and other appendages, are represented detached from the machine, in a horizontal view, at fig. 8, and, in a back elevation, at fig. 9, carrying a snail or spiral pulley x, to which one end of a chain is affixed, the reverse end of this chain being connected to the cylindrical casing l, as shewn in the section, fig. 3.

By the diameters and numbers of the teeth of this train of wheels and pinions u, to v, it will be perceived, that the rotary motion, communicated from the main axle to the wheel, will be very considerably reduced, and, consequently, that when this wheel is connected, by its clutch, to the axle w, the rotation of that axle and its snail or spiral pulley x, will be comparatively slow also; and hence the rotary movement of the cylindrical casing, carried round by the draft-chain, which connects it with the pulley, will be likewise slow, and indeed its rotary movement depending upon the coiling of the draft-chain round the spiral periphery of the pulley x, will necessarily diminish, as the opening s, in the casing, approaches its lowest position.

Let it now be considered, that by means of a horizontal lever and clutch, shewn at the top of the machine, in fig. 1, and also in the detached view, fig. 8, that the axle w, has been thrown into gear with the train of wheels u, v. The rotary motion of the heckling-drum will, as described, give motion, through the train, to the axle w, and pulley x, by which the draft-chain will be made to bring round the cylindrical casing, until the opening s, has arrived at the lowest part of its rotary movement, as shewn by dots in fig. 3. A small stud, set in the periphery of the cylindrical casing, will, by this movement, have been brought under the tail of a lever y, fig. 8; the position of which lever, in the machine, is also shewn by dots in figs. 1 and 2. This stud, by raising the tail of the lever y, causes a catch-pin to be withdrawn from the side of the sliding-clutch ≈, and

thereby allows the clutch-bolts to be thrown back by the force of a spring, which disengages the axle and spiral pulley from the wheel v.

The heckling-drum continues revolving, but the weighted cord or chain t, carries back the cylindrical casing again, so that the opening s, stands at its highest point, and the fibres of the flax being, by that means, withdrawn from the heckle-points, the combed or heckled strick must be removed, and another strick, to be operated upon, placed in holders and fixed in the brackets r, as before. The axle w, and spiral pulley x, must now again be thrown into gear with the train of wheels u, v, and the operations of the machine will go on, as before described.

By means of the excentric wheels k, k, the peripheries of which work against the under parts of the strippers h, h, in the manner already described, the strippers are slidden to the outer extremities of the radial slots, in the flanges d, d, at the lower part of the rotary movement of the drums, as shewn in the section, fig. 3. This sliding action of the strippers pushes off the tow that has accumulated upon the heckles toward their points, and in that situation a very powerful current of wind is, by means of a rotary fan below, brought upon the heckles, which blows off, and completely discharges the whole of the tow from the heckle points, and deposits it in a box or receptacle under or behind the machine.

The patentee claims, firstly, giving elasticity to the heckles; secondly, the mode of mounting them upon a rotary drum; thirdly, stripping the tow from the heckles, by means of the sliding strippers, worked by excentric wheels; fourthly, the cylindrical casing of the drum, and the mode of adapting it to regulate the gradual feeding in of the strick of flax; and fifthly, the peculiar manner of applying a powerful current of air to the surface of the heckle-drum, for the purpose of carrying off the tow.-[Inrolled in the Petty Bag Office, January, 1841.]

Specification drawn by Messrs. Newton and Son.

To GEORGE GWYNNE, of Portland-terrace, Regent's Park, Gent., for improvements in the manufacture of candles, and in operating upon oils and fats.-[Sealed 10th March, 1840.]

THE first part of this invention consists in treating oils and fats, with carbonated alkalies, for the purpose of producing better candles, and rendering oils more suitable for the various uses to which they are applied.

With respect to fats, the operation is as follows:-220 imperial gallons of cold water, and 280 lbs. of carbonate of potassa, (or, instead of potassa, 560 lbs. of carbonate of soda,) are placed in a vessel, and heated by the introduction of steam; when the mixture boils, 20 cwt. of tallow are added; and after boiling for eight hours, the steam is shut off, and the mixture allowed to stand, until the next day. By this time, the greater part of the water and carbonate of potassa (lye) will have settled; and being drawn off, the tallow is removed to another vessel, provided with a steamjacket, and 280 lbs. of carbonate of potassa are mixed with it. On the admission of steam into the steam-jacket, the temperature is raised to 110° Fahr., and from that to 200°; the steam is then shut off, and the mixture allowed to stand for twelve hours; when this period has elapsed, the tallow is drawn off, and allowed to solidify. The remainder of the operation consists in submitting the tallow to a temperature of 200° Fahr., in a vessel furnished with a steam-jacket.

To refine oil, the patentee boils it with water and carbonate of potassa, in the same manner as tallow; and after the lye is drawn off, the oil is transferred into another vessel, in which it remains for eight hours, and then, any lye that may have settled, is drawn off. The oil is next removed to a vessel, furnished with a steam-jacket, and 280 lbs. of carbonate of potassa having been mixed with it, the temperature is raised to 200° Fahr. After standing for a day, the oil is drawn off, and the turbid appearance, which it presents, is removed, by subsidence or filtration.

The second improvement consists in a mode of treating, by distillation, in vacuo, fatty and oily matters, and their products, for the purposes mentioned in the first improve

ment.

The apparatus employed, is similar to that used by sugar refiners, and the vacuum-pan is heated by a coke fire, which is raised or lowered, by means of a rack and pinion.

The third improvement consists in treating, by distillation; and, when requisite, by repeated distillation, under atmospheric pressure, fatty acids and their products.

The fourth improvement consists in a mode of separating the fluid from the solid parts of fats and oils, by taking advantage of the different degrees of solubility which such matters offer when converted into salts.

A mixture, containing 560 lbs. of carbonate of potassa, 280 lbs. of lime, and 350 gallons of water, is first boiled up, in any suitable vessel. To this 20 cwt. of tallow are added, and, after boiling for an hour, the mixture is allowed to cool; it is then reduced to a thin paste, by the addition of water, and, having been first passed through a sieve, it is filtered through bags of twilled cotton, enclosed in linen bags. The fluid portion, which runs through the filter, is boiled with lime, and the compound of oily matter and lime is decomposed, by weak sulphuric acid. The solid matter, remaining in the filter, undergoes a similar operation, and a stearine wax, suitable for making candles, is thus obtained, without the employment of hydraulic pressure.

The patentee claims, Firstly.-The mode of refining fats and oils, by means of carbonated alkalies, as herein described, in order to obtain common candles, of a better quality than those now made, and to improve oils.

Secondly. The distillation, in vacuo, of all fatty and oily matters, and all the bodies derived from them, directly or indirectly, by means of any agent or agents, or process or processes.

Thirdly. The distillation, and, when requisite, the repeated distillation, under atmospheric pressure, of fatty acids and their products.

Fourthly. The mode of separating the fluid from the