boiler plate and shown in sectional elevation in
fig. 4. The kier is from 10 to 12 ft. in height and from 6 to 7 ft. in
diameter, and stands on three iron legs riveted to the sides, but not
shown in the figure. The bottom exit pipe E is covered with a
shield-shaped false bottom of boiler plate, or (and this is more
usual) the whole bottom of the kier is covered with large rounded
stones from the river bed, the object in either case being simply to
provide space for the accumulation of liquor and to prevent the pipe E
being blocked. The cloth is evenly packed up to within about 3 to 4
ft. of the manholes M, when lime water is run in through the liquor
pipe until the level of the liquid reaches within about 2 ft. of the
top of the goods. The manholes are now closed, and steam is turned on
at the injector J by opening the valve v. The effect of this is to
suck the liquor through E, and to force it up through pipe P into the
top of the kier, where it dashes against the umbrella-shaped shield U
and is distributed over the pieces, through which it percolates, until
on arriving at E it is again carried to the top of the kier, a
continuous circulation being thus effected. As the circulation
proceeds, the steam condensing in the liquor rapidly heats the latter
to the boil, and as soon as, in the opinion of the foreman, all air
has been expelled, the blow-through tap is closed and the boiling is
continued for periods varying from six to twelve hours under 20-60 lb.
pressure. Steam is now turned off, and by opening the valve V the
liquor, which is of a dark-brown colour, is forced out by the pressure
of the steam it contains.

[Illustration: FIG 4.--High Pressure Blow-through Kier.]

The pieces are now run through a continuous washing machine, which is
provided with a plentiful supply of water. The machine, which is shown
in fig. 5, consists essentially of a wooden vat, over which there is a
pair of heavy wooden (sycamore) bowls or squeezers. The pieces enter
the machine at each end, as indicated by the arrows, and pass rapidly
through the bowls down to the bottom of the vat over a loose roller,
thence between the first pair of guide pegs through the bowls again,
and travel thus in a spiral direction until they arrive at the middle
of the machine, when they leave at the side opposite to that on which
they entered. The same type of machine is used for liming, ch