Class VI.]
190
(12.) Lithographic, and Copper-plate Presses.
Tn the English section tlie following LithographicPresses are exhibited: — By Mr. Siiarwooo (103,p. 230h in which a mangle wheel is used for producingthe motion of the stone; by Messrs D. and J. Greig(114, p. 280), with side lever and registering apparatus;by Mr. Straker (142, p. 283), with similar appeudages;by Messrs. M‘Cli;re and Co. (1G0, p. 285), for a zincplate, which is arranged over the leather cover; andby Mr. Underwood (473, Class V.), which is chieflyadapted for printing in colours. In the French sectionwe also find a press, by Messrs. Lacroix and Son (283,p. 1190 ), and another by M. Brisset (440, p. 1199), inwhich the top lever is turned sideways instead of beingraised upwards as usual.
Tn the English section Messrs. D. and J. Greig (114,p. 280) exhibit a copper-plate press, and Mr. Fourdri-nikr a press (100, p. 280) to be worked by steam, andintended to print impressions, which are to be transferredto earthenware or china. Tills is accompanied by a spe-cimen of his pottery tissue paper, in one continuouslength of more than two miles and a half, manufacturedfrom old coal-pit ropes and hawsers.
(D.) Working parts of Machines.
In all machines there are certain parts which actuallydo the -work for which the machine is constructed, themechanism serving merely to produce the proper relativemotion of these parts to the material upon which theyoperate, and these working parts being the tools withwhich the machine operates.
Accordingly, in machinery for spinning and its pre-paratory processes, for weaving of all kinds, and forpaper-making, there are a variety of such working tools,as, for example, spindles and flyers, fluted rollers, heckles,gills, all the variety of card-clothing for cotton, flax,wool, and silk, weavers’reeds and shuttles, the wire clothemployed by paper-makers, &c., the making of each ofwhich articles constitutes a distinct branch, and is carriedon by a different set of workmen from those who makethe machines. For the machine-makers usually purchasethese parts from their proper makers when they fit uptheir machines for sale, as the manufacturers and theirworkmen do when such parts are worn out.
Specimens of all these working parts have been trans-mitted to the Exhibition, and placed in Class VI.; al-though it might fairly be questioned whether they oughtnot rather to have been submitted to the judgment of themanufacturers, whose daily experience teaciies them thequalities necessary to enable these working tools to per-form their office well, and last the longest time-qualitieswhich are quite independent of the merits of the machinery-winch sets them in motion ; for as the best lathe willmake bad work with a bad tool, so a good carding-engine, and a good loom, will fail, if fitted up with im-perfect card-clothing, or ill-made reeds and shuttles; andreversely, the best, tools are useless if attached to a badmachine. However, we may proceed to direct attentionto the principal specimens of this kind, premising thatmany exhibitors have transmitted glass cases containinga few such articles that can be looked upon in no otherlight than as pattern-cards.
In the English Department we would select, for par-ticular attention, the spindles of Mr. Preston (5, p.268.;the reeds of Mr. De Berger (45, p. 274); heckles byMr. J. Taylor (51, p. 274); and a wool-comb by Mr.John Perry, of Bradford (suspended against the wool-combing machine of Mr. Doxisthorpe) (40, p. 273).Besides these there are others, apparently very good, butso few of each as not to afford an equally good criterionof merit. In the French section Messrs. Papavoine andChatkl, of Rouen (339, p. 1193), the exhibitors of amachine for making card-clothing, already mentioned,also exhibit some samples of its work. Messrs. ScriveBrothers, of Lille (1005, p. 1227), contribute excellentsamples of card-clothing for cotton and wool, some havingthe teeth set in leather, others in Horsfall’s patent card-cloth. Messrs. Mirolde Brothers, of Rouen (645, p.
1207), also send excellent specimens of cards for cotton*tow, silk, and wool. Mr. Harding Cocker, of Lille(S!>4, p. 1221), furnishes a large number of capital heckles,gills, porcupines, and combs. Messrs. Dandoy, Mail-lard, Lucq, and Co., of Maubeuge (491, p. 1201ex-hibit well-made spindles, rollers, bolsters, steps, &o.Many other exhibitors in this class are to be found inFrance, Belgium, Spain, Switzerland, and the Zollverein .Some reeds, by Madame Coy hue, from Tuscany (72, p.1299), merit notice.
(E.) Engineers’ Toons for Metal, "Wood , and other
Materials.
13. Lathes.
Amongst the machine tools, lathes, as might he ex-pected, appear in the greatest number and of every varietyof size and arrangement, from the powerful machines,which are capable of turning wheels 7 or 8 feet indiameter, or shafts 3G feet in length, down to the delicatelathes used by amateurs, or the makers of small machinesand apparatus. However, it must be remarked, that inthis collection, complete as it is, several importantmachines are not represented, as, for example, tlie colossallathes which are employed for boring cylinders.
A magnificent railway-wheel lathe, with two oppositeheadstocks and face plates, and two compound slide-reststo correspond, capable of turning wheels above seven feetin diameter, is exhibited by Messrs. Sharp (204. p. 291),and one of smaller dimensions by Messrs. Whitworthand Co. (201, pp. 2S7-90), who also contribute two of theirpatent duplex lathes, in which the work is acted uponsimultaneously by two tools cutting at the opposite ex-tremities of the same horizontal diametrical line. Thusvibration and deviation of tlie work in shaft turning iswholly prevented. The hods of these lathes are 18 feetand 3G feet in length respectively, and the latter is pro-vided with two duplex slide-rests, which can be made totravel simultaneously by self-action, either in tlie sameor opposite directions at pleasure, so as to economizethe time required for finishing the work. They also ex-hibit a 5-inch self-acting foot-lathe, with complete ar-rangements for sliding, screwing, and surfacing. Largelathes of excellent workmanship, each having somepeculiar facilities in the details, and adapted for sliding,screwing, and surfacing by self-action, are exhibited byMessrs. Smith, Beacock, and Tasnf.tt (230, p. 295;,Parr, Curtis, and Madkley (213, p. 292), Sandford,Owen, and Watson (223, p. 294), and Shepherd, Hill,and Siink (220, p. 293). Mr. MriR (206, p. 291-2), con-tributes a well-made small foot lathe, with a variety ofscrew stocks and other tools.
In tlie American Department, a lathe sent by theLowell Machine Shop (447, p. 14G4), of 12-inch centreand 13-feet bed, with the usual arrangements for self-action, will be looked on with great interest, as a specimenof first-rate transatlantic workmanship in this brand],and as ottering various peculiarities of form and distribu-tion of metal, the latter being employed as sparingly aspossible on account of the great cost of iron. Hence alightness of construction carried to the extreme pointconsistent with strength and stiffness, which presents asingular contrast to the solid proportions adopted by ourown engineers.
In the smaller class of lathes Messrs. IIoltzapffel andCo. (232, p. 295) take the lead, by exhibiting a first-rateamateur lathe, provided with all the apparatus requiredfor ornamental turning, such as oval, excentric, anddrilled work, and a variety of tools and contrivances ap-pertaining thereto, of the most elegant and perfect work-manship. Mr. Dalgkty (22G, p. 294), lias a highly-finished lathe, to which is appended, amongst other things,his useful chuck, which is capable of fixing perfectlycentral a wire of any size not larger than j-inch. Otherlathes are contributed by Mr. Williams (234, p. 295),with a new tool-holder and self-acting screw cutting-apparatus; by the Messrs. Knight (614', who havefitted up a complete amateur-work cabinet, and byMessrs. Fades and Son (224, p. 294\ Messrs. Mordan,Sampson, and Co. (295, p. 291), send a new machine for