Another important contribution to the perfection of the loom was made by the same inventor and a relative, Adam Bullough. This was the loose-reed. Previously to 1847, the reed was held fast in the slay, which was the cause of great damage to the warp when, from any accident, the shuttle failed to get to the box to whioh it had been despatched, and remained in the shed. The warp threads covering the shuttle, not being strong enough to arrest the impact of the slay, tho obstructing shuttle would be driven away by the breakage of the warp. This damaged the cloth, and occasioned a great loss of time to effect repairs. The fast-loom had a provision to prevent this, but it was far from certain in its action, and compelled the loom to be run at a slow pace, seldom exceeding 150 picks a minute. The invention of the picking method described above, and its subsequent improvement, has enabled the fast-reed loom to be run at a much greater speed than formerly ; but for light goods, the loose-reed is safer. The fast-reed loom is retained for making heavy goods.
A ohief objection to the loose-reed loom for heavy goods is that the reed is driven out of its position by tho necessarily heavy blow required to drive home the weft in heavily picked cloth. Recently, however, this has been obviated by an invention brought out by Thomas Sager, machinist, Burnley, which is illustrated in Fig. 567. The bracket A (Fig. c) fixed to the loom side has attached thereto the link B, the opposite end of which is connected with a catch-lever c at the point E. The catch has for its fulcrum a pin in the slay-sword D On the under surface of the slay J, is a rod, which carries several fixed levers, holding the retaining-board H, the function of which is to keep the reed I in position. Previously the reed has been held here by pressure simply, and it has been difficult, if not impossible, to apply sufficient pressure to drive home the weft in strong cloths, and yet allow the reed to be thrown out by any obstruction as shown in the illustration (Fig. b). By this arrangement, however, this object is scoured.
The different parts are actuated as follows :—As shown in Fig. c, when the reed is advanced to the fell of the cloth—the point where the pick is left—the catch C is lifted by the link B into a position where it holds the lever G, thereby locking the reed as firmly as it is held in the fast-reed loom. As the slay recedes, the distance between the fulcrum of the link B and the catch C increases, by which the latter is drawn down to the position shown at Fig. a. Whenever the catch O is brought below the end of the lever G, the reed is quite loose, and liable to be thrown out by the least obstruction. This is its state in every part of the traverse, until it is brought within in.
of the fell of the cloth, when it locks perfectly fast, being released when it has receded a similar distance. As exhibited here, it requires slay-swords cast; but an alternative arrange ment has been devised, capable of being adapted to existing looms. By this invention, the advantages of the loose-reed loom for speed and safety, and of the fast-reed loom for wide range of work, are combined.
Another improvement has just been perfected by George Keighley, also a Burnley machinist. This is illustrated in Fig. 568. In this, the wooden beam forming the slay has been replaced by a light cast-iron one, which is not liable to warp or swell with changes of temperature—a fault frequently experienced in the wooden slay. The shuttle-boxes are comparatively open at the back ; and the slot for the picker-foot also goes through the plate, which arrangements secure steady running, and perfect cleanliness in the cloth, waste being thrown out, instead of accumulating in the slot, and being carried by the shuttle into the shed.
In the same loom, the taking-up beam j has been moved from the position it occupies in the ordinary loom, to the place of the breast-beam which it substitutes. The advantage of this is that the space within which the width of the cloth can contract—viz. between the fell and the point of contact with the taking-up roller—is greatly diminished, thereby relieving the strain upon the ends of the healds and reed. The roller being carried further into the frame, gives more space for the weaver in the passage, and affords more room for other necessary duties, such as oiling, sweeping, pulling out the finished pieces, and " getting " warps.
The plain loom, with a slight modification of the frame, is easily fitted for the reception of the jacquard attachment for the production of figured goods. The ordinary jacquard in the cotton trade is chiefly used in the Bolton and Ashton districts; but, as it is common to all the textile industries, its description will come more appropriately under other manufactures.
A modification of the jacquard, called the "dobby," is in extensive use in E. Lancashire, and more particularly in Blackburn, for making fabrics for the Indian market. These are chiefly goods with coloured and figured borders, such as have been manufactured by the native Hindoo weavers for ages. A great trade has sprung up in these goods within the past twenty years, and the dobby appears to have been invented to meet its requirements.