The arrangement of this machine, as will be apparent from the description, is well calculated to accomplish its purpose. The air from the heaters, in its hottest state, first comes into contact with the yarn just as it leaves the sizing rollers ; and, as the yarn passes through the ohamber in a line almost in contact with the heater, the current of air is forced to pene trate the sheet of yarn, thus drying it perfectly on every side. In the other chambers, the current must similarly- pass through the warp.
The current induced by the fan T' ensures a constant supply of dry air ; whilst the heater-cylinders, being capable of bearing a steam pressure of 20 lb. an in., afford a wide margin of heating power, capable of drying either lightly or heavily sized yarn. Several leading firms have adopted this system, and find it very satisfactory.
Another very useful machine on the same principle, but differing considerably in details, has been designed by Baerlein and Co., of Manohester, and is made by Atherton Bros., of Preston.
Ball-warp sizing is older than the above systems of sizing, and ie mostly carried on as a separate and independent business, manufacturers sending out their warps to the sizing establishment, where they are sized at a specified oharge, and returned in the ball form.
Where this system is retained, it necessitates the employment, by the manufacturer, of the hall warping maohine and the beaming-frame. The former is a large reel, revolving on a vertical axis. It is furnished with a bobbin-creel, containing a given number of bobbins, a certain multiple of which will constitute the quantity required for the warp. The length is obtained by several layers of yarn being wound upon the reel by means of a guido-rail. When the length and breadth for a loom warp is completed, the warper doffs his creel, by winding the warp in a ball upon his arm— hence its name—after which it is ready for the sizer. When sized it is returned in the same form to the manufacturer, and is passed to the beamer. Tho beaming-frame is a very simple machine, in which the warp is wound upon the loom-beam, being spread over its width by a hand wraithe, held and guided by the beamer. As this plan is gradually declining, and will probably become extinct at an early date, it requires no further description.
Hank-sizing is chiefly resorted to when the yarn has been bleached, dyed, or printed, these processes rendering it necessary that the yarn throughout its length should be subjected to treat ment. Henoe, dealing with it in the hank greatly facilitates the handling. Hank-sizing is undoubtedly a crude form of working, and might be considerably improved, but it is still very general for the ()lasses indicated above. The method of operation is to take a " knot "of hanks—the number reeled at one time—and dip them into the size, as often as may be necessary to thoroughly saturate them. The hanks are then wrung out, either by hand or machinery, and then thoroughly dried. Cold size ie mostly used for coloured yarn, partioularly when the colours would suffer from heat. To preserve the oolours, it is advisable that the yarn should be air-dried, and not allowed to come into contact with hot surfaces. Another reason why hank-sizing is used is that the various coloured yarns which are sometimes united in one warp cannot advantageously be sized together, as should any one colour "bleed" in the process, the remainder would be injured. In some newly constructed sizing-maohines, separate size-boxes can be used for the different colours.
The hank winding-frame is similar to the cop-frame, already described, except that reels are introduced for the hanks in place of the skewer-rail for cops.
A great improvement in the warping of coloured warps was introduced about three years ago by the invention of the section warping-frame of J. J. Ashworth and Bros., of Pendleton. This is one of the most important improvements that have been introduced in the preparatory department of the coloured goods trade for a long time past.
Fig. 563 will enable the reader to follow the description. The creel in this machine is slightly altered from its form in the ordinary warping-frame, being oblique, and constructed to hold about 400 bobbins. To that end of the creel—not shown in the drawing—which is nearest the machine, is attached an eyelet-rod, the eyelets being composed of strips of white earthenware, about 2 in. broad by 5-6 in. long. These are perforated by two lines of circular holes, and are fitted in a frame in the manner of reed-dents. This rod extends from the top to the bottom of the creel, and receives the threads of the bobbins, carrying them in a horizontal position until they pass the eyelets. The threads then converge to the lease-reed a, a small reed, every alternate dent of which is soldered up about '2 in. from its extremity thus :— the others being open throughout their length. By means of this reed, the threads, though under going condensation, are still kept apart, and the "lease ",is easily obtained. This "lease" is a separation of the threads, to prevent their entanglement in weaving. Near the reed, are two vertical rods b b', joined at the top by a cross-rod, and fitted at the bottom into a sliding-board. The yarn, after leaving the reed, passes through this frame. By sliding it a sufficient distance in one direction, and then in the other, the leases are correctly and instantly obtained, in a manner much superior to the old plan. By means of the bow d, the threads are contracted to suit the width of the section of the beam. This bow has also a further use. When coloured warps of a large pattern are being made, it is usual to warp only half the pattern at once, putting it upon every alternate section of the beam. When the first half is thus completed the bow is used to reverse the pattern, which is then filled upon the empty sections, and completes the design. The yarn, after passing the bow, goes over a roller, and descends thence to and around the roller e. This is a faller-roller, automatically taking up the slack on the stoppage of the frame. The warp next passes upwards, and under and over several tension-rods, which compensate for the diminishing weight of the bobbins, owing to the loss of their contents ; then over the roller f, and upon the beam. The lever g is for the purpose of raising the tension-rode, in order to pull back. The roller f is an indicating-roller, and, by means of a worm upon its axle, it measures the length of yarn wound upon the first section of the beam. The beam is an important part of the machine, the sections being adjustable, according to requirement. The pinion at the base of the bell-pillar, is the regulator, measuring the length of yarn delivered upon the beam. Each tooth delivers 2 yds., so that the length can be accurately measured for marking purposes. At every revolution of the marking-pinion, the bell is rung, and the piece-mark is put in. The pinion j, which is driven by a worm upon the beam shaft, is an indicator, showing the number of revolutions of the beam during the filling of each section, by which a uniform length can be obtained, and waste prevented. Gauges are used for setting the section-flanges accurately.