squeezing all kinds of piece goods
after dyeing or washing. It consists of a pair of heavy rollers on
which, by means of the screws shown at the top, a very considerable
pressure can be brought to bear. The piece is run through the eye
shown on the left, by which it is made into a rope form, then over
the guiding rollers and between the squeezing rollers and into (p. 200)
waggons for conveyance to other machines. This machine is effective.

Another plan on which roller, or rather in this case disc, squeezing
machines are made is to make the bottom roller with a square groove in
the centre, into this fits a disc, the cloth passing between them. The
top disc can, by suitable screws, be made to press upon the cloth in
the groove and thus squeeze the water out of it.

WASHING.

One of the most important operations following that of dyeing is the
washing with water to free the goods, whether cotton or woollen, from
all traces of loose dye, acids, mordanting materials, etc., which it
is not desirable should be left in, as they might interfere with the
subsequent finishing operations. For this purpose a plentiful supply
of good clean water is required, this should be as soft as possible,
free from any suspended matter which might settle upon the dyed goods
and stain or speck them.

Washing may be done by hand, as it frequently was in olden days, by
simply immersing the dyed fabrics in a tub of water, shaking, then
wringing out, again placing in fresh water to finish off. Or if the
dye-works were on the banks of a running stream of clean water the
dyed goods were simply hung in the stream to be washed in a very
effectual manner.

In these days it is best to resort to washing machines adapted to deal
with the various kinds of fibrous materials and fabrics, in which they
can be subjected to a current of water.

#Loose Wool.#--If this has been dyed by hand then the washing may also
be done in the same way by hand in a plain vat. If the dyeing has been
done on a machine then the washing can be done on the same machine.

[Illustration: Fig. 25.--Hank-washing Machine.]

#Yarn in Hanks.#--A very common form of washing machine is shown (p. 202)
in figure 25. As will be seen it consists of a wooden vat, over which
are arranged a series of revolving reels on which the hanks are hung,
the hanks are kept in motion through the water and so every part of
the yarn is thoroughly washed. Guides keep the hanks of yarn separate