The operation is as follows : the first process, creeling, is commenced at the top of the creel, and carried morose, each succeeding line being oreeled in the same direction. This completed, the threads of each row are drawn through the eyelets in the rod, then through the reed, commencing with an open dent, and following with a closed one, thus proceeding until all are drawn in. The warp is then passed through the brass lease-rods, next across the cord of the bow, and through the rollers, to the beam. The wire-rode k, projecting through the flange of the beam, pass through all the sections. The axle is an iron shaft, upon which the sections are movable, being fixed with set-screws. Between the rode and the axle, is a cavity, into which the warp end is passed, and secured to the heads of the set-screws. The tension-rods are screwed down, the measuring-roller is set with proper pinion, the revolution-indicator is adjusted, and the section-warp is laid in. " Taking the lease" is performed by drawing to one side the vertical rods b the result being that half the threads—alternate ones—are drawn to one side of the reed, the second half being arrested at the points where the dents are closed. A shed or opening is thus formed between the two sets of threads, through which a cord is passed. The rods are next pushed to the opposite side, a second opening is made, another cord is passed through and secured to the previous one, which completes the leasing ; this requires to be done at the commencement of each section. The two indicators are set, and the beam is turned round to discover if the section-warp is wide enough to fill the beam section ; if this be not the case, a slight inclination of the bow secures it in a moment. The frame is then set to work, the warp running upon the beam like a ribbon, every thread perfectly parallel with the other, showing no confusion or admixture of colours. The divisions of the beam are thus successively filled, when it is ready for transfer to the loom-beam, upon which it is directly run, without the aid of a wraithe, in a perfectly even sheet, in which no two threads are crossed. In this reepeot it is even superior to the sizing-frame, showing the pattern of the warp as perfectly as the cloth itself. In the process of weaving, the warp comes from the beam with the same evenness, and freedom from entanglement or twisted parts, as it went on. A better cloth is produced, the quantity is increased, the weaver has leas labour and earns more money, and the employer, from being enabled to engage the cheaper labour of females, economizes wages, secures a greater production from his looms, obtains more profit, and is subject to lest loss owing to the improved quality of the goods produced.
In the coloured goods trade, it is customary to make pattern-warps, in order to test designs ; for this purpose, the above machine offers unequalled facilities for producing warps of very short lengths, in great variety, yet perfect in every detail. Where the importance of securing these at little expense is considered, this feature will be eppreoiated.
The weft yarns for coloured goods, unlike those used for grey goods, often have to go through two or three processes, such as reeling, bleaching, printing, or dyeing, before they are ready for the loom. From the hank form the yarn has to be wound upon pirns for the loom-shuttle. There are numerous pirn winding-frames made by different machinists, which vary chiefly in points of detail.
Fig. 564 shows a well-designed pirn winding-frame, made by Hacking and Co., Bury. The
reel-creel is shown at a; the series of friction-discs b are fixed upon the shaft c, and are bevelled at the edges to form the cone of the pirn. A spindle is fixed in the vertical socket d, having its free end downwards, and inserted in a hole in the rail, through which it extends a short distance. Upon this spindle, the pirn e—often called a bobbin—is placed. Its shape is seen in the section, Fig. 565, and in the three spindles of the frame on the right.
When ready for work, the threads are conduoted from the hanks on the reels to the bobbins, and as the latter fill with yarn, the bevelled edge of the disc pushes the bobbin upward, as shown at the left of the drawing ; the socket moves up the rod as the bobbin fills, until the bottom of the spindle is lifted out of the hole, as shown at f in the frame, when the point is pushed aside into a groove prepared for the purpose ; contact then ceases, and the bobbin, being full, is removed by the attendant.
This machine is, in its leading features, thoroughly novel. A firm, hard, and well-constructed pirn is formed by it, without friction upon the yarn, which thus preserves the bloom of the dye, an important matter in coloured goods.
Drawing- or twisting-in.—When the warp has been put upon the loom-beam, there is one more process before it is ready for the loom : it has to be furnished with heads or heddlea.
The " heald " is composed of two flat staves of wood, of a length proportionate to the width of the loom, placed about 10 in. apart, and connected by a series of cords extending across and uniting the staves throughout the length. The yarn which enters into the manufacture of healds for the cotton trade, is composed of cotton of two or three strands, each strand containing several threads. Heald manufacturing is a separate business. The yarn forming the heald is always varnished when composed of cotton, but this is often omitted when it is of worsted. Sometimes, though rarely in the cotton trade, metallic healds are employed.
For plain weaving, four " leaves " constitute a set ; these are arranged in two pairs, 'thus, 1-2 3-4. The warp threads are drawn through the rings in the middle by means of a specially constructed wire hook. The order of the draught, commencing on the left hand, is 1 3 2 4; this is repeated throughout. Whilst this is being done, the threads are also passed through the reed, between the dents, in pairs, in the last-mentioned order of the heald-draught, 1-3 and 2-4 going together. The reed is composed of a series of short strips of flattened wire, set vertically, and bound at each extremity between two strips of wood, laid horizontally, with the wires between them. The spaces between the wires are perfectly uniform, and are obtained by means of a pitch-covered band being wrapped around the horizontal strips of wood, with a wire dent between each round. The parts are, by this means, held firmly together, and in their whole, constitute a reed. When all the threads of the warp are thus "drawn in," they are tied together by several knots in front of the reed, to secure them. Drawing-in is the process followed when the healds are new, and attached to a warp for the first time. As, however, they last for several warps, in successive attachments, " twisting-in " is substituted for the above, as being more economical. This consists simply in leaving a small portion of the warp in the reed and healds, with which the threads of the new warp are deftly twirled by the operative's fingers.