560

DYEING AND CALICO PRINTING.

and made with arms inside ; cc are the surface-rollers supplied with colour bythe endless web or sieve,//, revolving round the wooden tension-rollers, d d e.The roller, E, is screwed down so as to press the sieve on the furnishing-roller, f, which revolves in the copper-colour box, G ; the two tension-rollersnext to the surface-roller move in slides, so that by means of the screw, H, thesieve can be pressed against the surface-roller; on leaving the furnishing-roller, F, the sieve is wiped by the docftor, I. The printing-roller is in relief,and there is consequently no need for the levers of the common machine.1 he surface-machine is well adapted for woollen fabrics, and the colours, beinglaid on the top of the cloth, have a very rich appearance. The outlines areapt to be not well defined.

The general routine of machine-printing is as follows:—The pieces to beprinted, generally in lots of forty, are wound on a wooden roller, as shown in

Fig. 32.

the above engravings. Last of all a few yards of common coarse cotton keptfor this purpose are attached. This serves for the printer to fit the pattern on.The printer’s assistant stands behind, guiding the cloth evenly, and cuttingoff any loose threads. The printer stands in front, and, after he has fitted hispattern, attends to the colour boxes, and watches to prevent any irregularityin working. After thirty to forty pieces have been run through, the machine isstopped, the dodtors are removed, and the edges are re-touched with the file.

The drum which revolves in contadt with the pattern-cylinder is coveredfirst with a coarse, stout cloth, which is wrapped tightly around it to thethickness of J inch. Over this is drawn the blanket, a very important part ofthe machine. It is a thick woollen tissue, about 40 yards long, very uniformin texture, thickness, and elasticity. One blanket will generally serve during the