CANTERBURY SPINNING AND WEAVING COMPANY.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 205, 4 February 1875, Page 2

CANTERBURY SPINNING AND WEAVING COMPANY.

"Within a few weeks it is anticipated that the foregoing company will be in a position to commence operations at the factory, neaf Eaiapoi. It will be remembered that it wps originally started under the name 6f Canterbury Flax Fibre Spinning and Weaving Company (Limited), with the object of purchasing flax, principally tow, and manufacturing it into coarse sacking and wool bales. This, however, was not looked upon as likely to be sufficiently remunerative, and at a general meeting of the company about twelve months since, it was resolved to turn attention to the making of blankets and woollen fabrics, the resolution in favor of this being, with a slight opposition, adopted. Immediately the order for the machinery to make bagging was countermanded, and instructions given for the sending out of machines for woollen manufacture. The latter have recently arrived in the province, and under the supervision of competent men brought out in charge, they have been fitted up. At present they are by no means so complete as that an estimate can be given of the work which will be turned out, and a fuller description if necessary must be reserved till operations commence, when it will be possible to procure information as to the capabilities of the establishment. This notice has been made somewhat hurriedly, bat we have to thauk those: in charge at the works for the manner in which every portion of the machinery was described, and to the local director for permission to inspect. As previously stated, the premises are admirably adapted for the factory, being on eleven acres of land, near the river Cam. The premises were originally erected in 1865 for flax works, and were since purchased by the company. The principal part of the building has received considerable additions; It is 105 ft in length, and 49ft in width, but is not apparently so substantial as it ought to be for the machinery contained in it. To this is attached an engine house, 32ft x 16ft. Adjacent to the building is an excellent drying ground, as well as storage sheds. The motive power in the factory is a 12 horse power horizontal steam engine, made by Young and Co, London, and'which drives all the machines to which reference will be made. . Coming to the machinery, which it may be here remarked is all of a high class character. The first on entering the main doorway is the devil or teazer for breaking up the wool, The material is fed into it from a travelling table or brattice board 2ft 9in x 3ft 6in, when it is taken possession of by a pair of rollers, and thence on to the main cylinder, which is 46in in diameter, with steel teeth 2 Jin long; As this revolveß, the wool is subjected to the action of five rollers at the. top, • and four strippers, which latter, fitted with finer combs than the rollers, return any wool which has not been properly teased on to the cylinder again, so as to have it properly treated. The wool then leaves the engine, coming from the* devil under the brattice board before referred to, and is ready for the scribbling engine. This may be described as a multiplicand of rollers covered with cards, through which the wool. is carded as fine as possible for the next process. . The wool passes into the scribbler along a brattice board similar to the last machine, into a pair of iron rollers covered with cards. From these the fibre is carried on to a cylinder or " doffer," thirty inches in diameter. From the " doffer" it passes on to the main cylinder, which is fifty-two inches in diameter, also covered with card cloth. Above and around this cylinder work rollers covered with card cloths and strippers, to comb out the wool preparatory to spinning. It may here be stated that this scribbling engine is one comprising all the moat-modern improvements, and is a double one containing two large cylinders, three doffers, thirteen rollers, and thirteen strippers. The machine has also two "fancy" rollers which, covered with a par* ticular make of cloth, act as a brush to keep the two main cylinders clean. As the wool emerges from this engine, a comb runs along the last " doffer," which forces it through a small funnel and pair of rollers, where it is passed along a travelling brattice to the condensing carding engine. The condensing carder receives it then in a sort of rope about three inches thick, by a self-feeder, patented by a person named Apperley, which lays it on a diagonal feed, part consisting of a number of belts of cotton webbing, which in turning acts like a travelling brattice, and conveys it into the main part of the machine by a pair of small iron card rollers, thence through a similar operation as in the last engine, the cloths and cards, however, being finer. The engine has only one large cylinder, one doffer, eight rollers, and eight strippers. The. wool leaving the cylinder in the machine is drawn on to two rollers, the diameter of which is about fourteen inches. These rollers have twenty wire rings on each, which forms the fibre into forty threads. In turn the threads pass into leather rubbers, and from these on to the bobbins, of which four bobbins can be filled at the same time, ten threads being received on to each. This portion of the engine might" be more fully described, but sufficient has been stated to give a general idea of its purpose. The bobbins filled with yarn are then taken mules. There is one pair of mules on the premises 70ft in length, containing 720 spindles, viz., 360 on each side. Leaving the bobbins the yams pass between a pair of small rollers; after having delivered a 'certain length of yarn out, whioh may be regulated to give off a greater or less fineness

of thread, the rollers stop, and the carnage draws it out to its proper fineness,-there being 66in of a stretch to the machine. This done, the threads are received on to the loom bobbins, of which there is one bobbin to each spindle. Next in order come the looms, ten in number, on the opposite Bide *of the buildiDg to the mule engines. These are all of one kind, intended for weaving blankets and flannels, all being intended to be put in operation together when work commences. Blankets 10ft wide can be manufactured on those looms. It is needless perhaps to describe them minutely, as nearly everyone who has seen weaving is pretty well acquainted with their operations. The yarn for the woof shuttle goes direct to the loom, while that for the warp goes to the warping mill first. This mill receives the bobbins on a stand, from which the yarn is carried through wire eyes, and thence on to the mill, the yarn passing through the " heck," which traverses athwart the mill. What is technically called the mill is like eight beaters, with 4ft 2in arms, similar in construction to some of the flax scutchers. Round this mill the yarn is wound till sufficient is obtained for the width of warp wanted. From this the warp is taken to the sizing machine, that, in some respects, resembles an ordinary washing machine, and will contain a liquid for making the yarn firmer, but not needed for blanket making. Through this, by means of rollers for conveying the warp in and out, and wringing it, the warp is passed into a state ready for the next operation. From the last, the warp is put on what is termed the warp drying machine, which is only partially set up at present. Here the threads are wound round a frame layer after layer, and are dried by the rapid revolution of a fan in the centre of the same. The warp from the drying machine is carried to the other end of the premises to the beaming machine. It is directed on to the revolving beams by means of wire guides, and then ready for the loom. This part of the machinery like the rest is in every way perfect, and contains the latest improvements. When the fabric, whether blankets or other material, leaves the loom, it is taken to the milling machine. This ia a machine only recently patented, and a decided improvement on the old "stocks" by which the fabrics were hammered to the required thickness, but this is now done by pressure. This machine, like the combine of a thrashing machine, takes in the fabric and presses it in strong rollers, thence it is to be removed to the washing machine which .is not fitted up yet. To the latter will be attached a wringer. From this the fabrics will be dried either out of doors or in a drying room, for which latter purpose the shed near the premises seems every way suitable. Being thoroughly dry the blankets are then put through the raising gig, which raises the nap on them; The blankets pass into the machine from above it by means of rollers, past a second set of rollers they then come on to the main cylinder containing the teazles. This cylinder is 40in in diameter, and wide enough for the widest blanket. The face of the cylinder, which is iron, contains rows of the teasles formed of a vegetable product with spines that raise the nap, giving the blankets that furry appearance. On leaving this department the blankets are to be pressed and then sent forward to market. All the machines bear the name of Mr Leach, of Rochdale, and in addition two machines are ordered for washing the wool, and a press. The force pump on the premises was not quite into working order, and its successful operation could hardly be described. In noticing the machinery it has been presumed that the wool was all washed atid prepared. The company will make the washing of wool and so forth another branch so soon as the proper machines arrive. ,