The manufactnre of wool is divided into two distinct classes,—long wool, or worsted-spinning, and short wool, or woollen-yarn-spinning. We have already described, under COTTON, the process of spinning that material : it will be readily conceived that the spinning of other fibrous matter does not very essentially differ therefrom, but that it merely requires certain modifications in the apparatus to adapt it to the difference of fibre in the staple commodity. In worsted by hand, the portion of wool plucked from the sliver was aced across the fingers of the left hand, and from the thick part of it the fibres were drawn and twisted as the hand was withdrawn from the end of the spindle, to which it had been previously attached. The revolution of the wheel, effected by the right hand, conveyed by a band to the wheel, or pulley on the spindle, produced the requisite to give firmness to the thread; and by a very gentle motion of the same wheel, the thread being brought nearly perpendicular to the spindle, it was wound upon the spindle to form the cop. From this it was transferred to the reel, and became a hank, of a definite length, but varying in weight with the thickness of the thread. In this state it was transferred to the manufacturer, to be converted into &balloons, bombazin, or whatever other fabric wonted is applicable to.
"A few years after the introduction of cotton machinery," (says the author of the Operative Mechanic), obscure individual of the name of Hargraves, previously unknown as a mechanic, who had long been employed by Messrs. W. Birkbeck and Co. of Settle, in Yorkshire, in the management of a branch of the worsted manufactory, attempted to spin long wool by means of rollers. He constructed working models of the necessary preparing machinery, and of a spinning frame, by the assistance of persons accustomed to the construction of cotton machinery ; and succeeded so completely, as soon to induce his employers to build a large mill for its application. By degrees his plans became known to the trade, and many large manufactories have subsequently been erected for this purpose. Contrary to the earlier anticipations on this subject, it has been found that mill-spun yarn answers better for the coarse as well as the finer fabrics, than that produced by the hand, which it has entirely superseded." In spinning worsted by machinery, a sliver of wool is laid upon the drawing frame, from whence it is conducted through several pairs of rollers, of which the operation of the first and last are the essential ones, the intermediate rollers moving with equal velocities, and serving merely to conduct the akin, which is received into a cylindrical can ; three such skins being passed through another drawing-frame, and stretched in their progress, become fitted for roving, —the last step in the preparatory process. The spinning, which is the con .:lading process, is effected by means of two pair of rollers moving with equal velocities, and intermediate auxiliaries.
In manufacturing shod wool into cloth, it is first soaked in urine, ar-a uetidy rinsed in clean water, which adapts it to the next operation,—that of carding. The carding engine for fine short wool is constructed with one main cylinder, having in lieu of the top cards used in jenny-spinning, numerous small rollers, lying and rolling upon its upper surface; it is used in place of abreaker engine, and is called a scribbler. The wool is delivered from a main cylinder to a duffer, and, being combed or doffed, is carried to another engine called the carder, which perfects the carding, and delivers it off, by means of grooved mahogan tellers, in a row or rowan, as to jenny-spinning. If the wool is of a coarse such as is formed into yam, for the manufacture of coarse cloths, more carding is required.
The seribbk engine has three distinct parts or cylinders in one frame. The first part consists of the first main cylinder with its tap rollers, and is celled the breast ; this delivers the wool to the second main cylinder, which with its top rollers is called the first part; this delivers it up to a small intervening cylinder called the tween duffer, which carries it to the third main cylinder, which, with its tap rollers, is celled the second part; from hence it goes to the last duffer cylinder, from which it is combed by a doffing-plate, and finally carried by hand to a carding engine; by which the wool is formed into separate and smooth rolls of twenty-eight inches long, and half en inch thick, which are immediately taken by boys, and attached to the spindles of the roving or 'dubbing machine. This machi..e draws out the wool into large and slightly twisted threads, and winds it into balls ready for spinning. By the spinning jenny the threads are twisted, and drawn to a proper degree of size and strength, and are then reeled into skeins and prepared for the loom. The sort intended for the woof is wound on spools, or quills, which are tubes size and shape as to be easily placed in the hollow of a shuttle. That designed for the warp is wound on large wooden bobbins, from which it is by the rep ing-bar oonveniently arranged for the chain or warp of the piece.
A patent was taken out a few years since, by Mr. Hadden, for improvement, in preparing wool, and also for roving and spinning it in a heated state. The patentee observes, that various methods may be adopted for supplying heat to wool, during all sr either of the three processes of p g, roving, and spin ning. The method which Mr. Hadden bas adopis the introduction of cast iron heaters into the retaining rollers used fur these processes, observing that he always uses three rollers or cylinders together, and by leading the wool over half the circumference of the upper two rollers, charged within with the heaters above mentioned, he thorhly warms the wool, without retarding the progress the other presses.