e decorticating cylinder does
not coincide with that of the vessel, B', so that the free interval
for the passage of the cane continues to diminish from the entrance to
the exit.

The passage of the cane to the decorticator gives rise to a small
quantity of juice, which flows through two orifices, _b'_, into a sort
of cast iron trough, G, suspended beneath the vessel. The cane, which
is brought to the apparatus by an endless belt, empties in a conduit
formed of an inclined bottom, E, of plate iron, and two cast iron
sides provided with ribs. These sides rest upon the two ends of the
vessel, B', and are cross-braced by two flat bars, _e_, to which is
bolted the bottom, E. This conduit is prolonged beyond the
decorticating cylinder by an inclined chute, F, the bottom of which is
made of plate iron 7 mm. thick and the sides of the same material 9
mm. thick. The hollow frame, B, whose general form is like that of a
saddle, carries the bearings, _b_, in which revolves the shaft, _a_.
One of these bearings is represented in detail in Figs. 9 and 10. It
will be seen that the cap is held by bolts with sunken heads, and that
the bearing on the bushes is through horizontal surfaces only. In a
piece with this frame are cast two similar brackets, B squared, which support
the axle, _h_, of the endless chain. To this axle, whose diameter is
100 mm., are keyed, toward the extremities, the pinions, H, to which
correspond the endless pitch chains, _i_. These latter are formed, as
may be seen in Figs. 11 and 12, of two series of links. The shorter of
these latter are only 100 mm. in length, while the longer are 210 mm.,
and are hollowed out so as to receive the butts of the boards, I. The
chain thus formed passes over two pitch pinions, J, like the pinions,
H, that are mounted at the extremities of an axle, _j_, that revolves
in bearings, I', whose position with regard to the apparatus is
capable of being varied so as to slacken or tauten the chain, I. This
arrangement is shown in elevation in Fig. 13.

_Transmission._--The driving shaft, _k_, revolves in a pillow block,
K, cast in a piece with the frame, B. It is usually actuated by a
special motor, and carries a fly-wheel (not shown in the figure for
want of space). It receives in addition a cog-wheel, L, which
transmits its motion to the decorticating cylinder through, the
intermedium of a large wooden-toothed gear wheel, L'. The shaft, _a_,
whose diameter is 228 mm., actuates in it