Morris, encouraged by his previous successes, laboured in the further development of the machine, and, in 1781, patented another improvement, whereby the sinker-loop was put across two needles, and the feat of making point-net was accomplished. These inventions in combination formed a remarkable advance in the progress from the hosiery-frame to the lace-machine. This was, how ever, soon surpassed by an invention perfected by Else and an associate, who discarded the tuck presser, substituting and regulating the action of the tickler on a sliding needle-bar, and imparting to the latter a " shogging " or lateral motion to remove the stitch by means of the tickler alone. This nearly doubled the productiveness of the machine, but Morris, who still held the patent right of Butterworth's invention, sued Else for infringement.
Thomas Taylor, of Nottingham, invented a machine for making figured lace in 1769, which may be regarded as the basis of the idea so successfully developed afterwards by Jacquard. In Taylor's invention, a slide-lever tickler was used to every needle, and those which were desired to work were pushed into action by means of an organ-barrel, carrying pins upon its periphery, arranged according to the pattern. These acted upon pins at the ends of the tickler-slides which were required, leav ing those not wanted to remain at rest. Any stitch iu the row could thus be moved at pleasure and any pattern be produced.
Hammond, an ingenious workman, improved Taylor's machine in different points, and made upon the modification several varieties of looped fabrics to which he improperly and incorrectly gave the name of Valenciennes lace. About the same time, 1768, Crane, an inventor, of Edmonton, added a warp-frame to the stocking-machine, which subsequently formed the germ of the warp lace machine. Some unknown person effected a great advance by devising a plan whereby the stitches were removed so as to leave large interstices, which received the name of "bullet holes," and these, being surrounded with needlework, formed the basis of the subsequent large business of lace-running, in which as many as 150,000 females are stated to have beeu employed.
Improvements followed each other in rapid succession, but they were chiefly in small details. About 1777, Holmes invented a plan of making what was called "two-plain " net, and Frost, in the same year, brought out the square net, and subsequently flowered uet. A great advance was effected about this time by the invention of what was called the point-net machine, which is attributed to a journeyman stocking-maker named Flint, of Nottingham. Either pressed by poverty, or not appreciating the value of his improvement, he sold his invention to a neighbouring frame-smith, who effected further improvements, and disposed of the plan to Morris. This machine.
further improved by the application to it of an invention of John Rodgers, of Mansfield, laid the foundation of the prosperity of the lace trade of Nottingham. By it, was obtained a mesh which was perfect in shape, and fast in its texture. The fabric produced from it was subsequently embroidered in all sorts of designs, this process finding employment for many thpusands of people in Nottingham and neighbourhood. The articles produced consisted of edgings, insertions, border flouncings, veils, scarves, and other articlea required by the fashion of the day. The widths varied from 1 to 30 in. Owing to changes in fashion, and deterioration of the quality, the lace made on this frame rapidly declined in quantity after 1810, and was nearly extinct in 1815.
The inventions described up to this point for lace-making purposes were all modifications of or additions to the stocking-frame. A distinct departure in the principle and style of the machine, and from which modern lace machinery has been developed, took place in 1775 by the invention of the hosiery warp-machine by Crane, a workman of Edmonton. In this invention, the warp of the ordinary loom was introduced, a thread was given to every needle, and the looped stitches of the atocking-frame were formed upon each. This frame was successively improved by other inventors, and ao much increased in width, that its productions entered the market in rivalry with ordinary woven fabrics, with which they successfully competed for clothing purposes. It is singular that, in the present day, the stockinette-machine of Nottingham should threaten to become the successful rival of Yorkshire and West of England cloth-looms, yet such is the case.
The allotment of a thread to every needle greatly increased the capability of varying the mesh upon this machine over the hosiery-frame, though twenty years elapsed before the advantage was discovered or practical use made of it. About that time, attempts attended with considerable success were made to get open work from it with lace effects. These products were highly appre ciated, and gave a great stimulus to further invention, by which the capacity of the machine was still more enlarged, and manufacturers were enabled to produce from it the finest silk-net lace, silk blonds and edgings, tattings, pearls, antimacassars, and doyleys, of all qualities and designs, which soon became and still remain articles of great consumption in the home and foreign markets.