ing crosswise are transferred from (A) to (E) and from (E)
to the clearer, which again presents them to the cylinder.

When long fibres are turned to point in the direction of rotation they
advance upon the cylinder A to the doffer teeth, where the scattered
fibres on the surface of A are collected into a light fleece. In this
condition they are stripped by a vibrating comb (F), drawn together by
a funnel, formed into a sliver, and deposited in a can (G). This
machine is now chiefly used to card waste and low-class cotton. If
such a card is made with two main cylinders, a connecting cylinder
called a tummer collects the fibres from the first and passes them on
to a second main cylinder, where they are again treated as already
described. In a stationary flat card the teeth in the flats are bent
to oppose those on the main cylinder, and by this means the fibres are
combed and straightened. In a revolving flat card the flats (H) are
formed into an endless chain, and they travel slowly in the same
direction as the cylinder. In other respects both flat cards are
similar to a roller and clearer card. Formerly double carding, namely,
two passages of the fibres through separate cards, or one passage
through a double card, was general, but single carding is now employed
for most purposes.

_Combing._--For counts from 60s upward, and for exceptionally good
yarn of lower counts, from 14 to 20 cans from the carding engine are
taken to a _sliver lap machine_ where the slivers are drawn alongside
each other, passed between three pairs of drawing rollers and two
pairs of calender rollers, and formed into laps that vary in width
from 7-1/2 in. to 12 in. This machine is provided with mechanical devices
for stopping it on the failure of a sliver, and on the completion of a
predetermined length of lap. When the sliver lap machine furnishes
laps for the comber, the slivers are previously put through one head
of drawing, namely, between four lines of drawing rollers, to
straighten out the fibres. The more general practice is to pass sliver
laps to a _ribbon lap machine_, at the back of which six laps are
placed, end facing end, in one long line and simultaneously unrolled
to feed each web between four pairs of drawing rollers. From the
rollers the cotton passes in separate films over curved plates to a
smooth table where one is superposed upon another, and in the combined