The losses thus arising have led to many attempts to devise a remedy, though, until quite recently, without muoh success. An invention-just perfected and patented by Taylor and Ramsden, of Bolton, has, however, accomplished the end sought. The arrangement is illustrated in Fig. 551. The spindle is reduced in length, and slightly tapered towards the top. The fiier f is removed from the summit of the spindle—the position it occupies in the ordinary throstle —inverted, and relegated to the place formerly occupied by the bobbin b. In stead of being made fast, as before, it has a boss b" fixed to it, and is left loose upon the spindle, resting upon the bolster-rail r, with only the ordinary leather washer intervening. Midway on the spindles, is placed a braid b', uniform in height. These braids have a rib cast upon and across their upper surface. The bobbin b being put upon the spindle, descends to the braid, the rib upon the latter fitting into a groove in its base. It is there held with sufficient firmness to pre vent slipping. It will thus be seen that with the inversion of their relative positions, their functions are also exchanged : the drag being obtained from the flier, instead of the bobbin, as before. Fig. 551 exhibits the application of Taylor and Ramsden's invention to existing spindles. In the construction of new machines, it would be further modified, as seen in Fig. 552. This repre sents the most perfect form it has yet attained. The important changes effected will be best seen by contrasting the following particulars of the old and new forms :—length, 16 in. : 11 in.; weight, oz. : 5 oz. ; length of traverse, 2 in. : in.; weight of flier, 3 oz. : oz. ; diameter of bobbin across top, in. : 2 in. The new form easily attains a speed of 7000 rev. a minute, whilst maintaining good results. The braid b' is dispensed with.
The advantages of this arrangement are obvious, and will commend them selves to everyone practically acquainted with the matter. The bobbin is placed quite away from contact with oil, and revolves with the spindle. There arc consequently no bobbins saturated, and no oil-stained yarn. The fliers not being to take off, doffing can be performed by the minder, a spindle at tt time, without stopping the frame. . This increases production and diminishes expense, dis pensing with doffers' wages. The space between the arms of the flier is also increased. Bobbins can be used until they break, and the introduction of larger flanges greatly increases their capacity, and reduces the number of knots made by piecing the yarn in the winding room. There is no waste from snarled yarn at the spindle top, as in the old arrangement. In wet doubling, the fliers soon become rusty, and comparatively rough, which, owing to the thread having to pass several times round the arM, causes it to be frayed and roughened. In the new arrangement, this is obviated, the surface of the yarn is more glossy and free from fibre, enabling a better thread to be made from a standard quality of cotton, or the standard to be lowered, whilst the quality is maintained.
In a large establishment, say of 65,000-70,000 spindles, the economy resulting from this invention has been estimated at 1500/. per annum, and may safely be put at a considerably higher figure.
The ring-frame has also been very successfully adapted to doubling, and the yarn from it occupies a position intermediate in its chaxacteristies between the productions of the throstle-frame and the twiner.
The last-named machine, the twiner, is an adaptation of the mule for doubling purposes, and the characteristics of the yarn from it are that it is less firm and hard than that from either of the above-mentioned machines.
Gasing.—This is a process in which yarn is passed through tt jet flame, in order to burn from the surface of the yarn the ends of the fibres that have not been thoroughly incorporated in the thread in the course of spinning. The yarn subjected to this process is usually doubled, and is used in the lace trade, and when polished for mixing with silk goods; in this connection, it usually forms the back of what are termed silk-faced textures. The gasing machine is like almost all others, nearly automatic. The yarn is wound from one bobbin to another, and, in its passage, goes through the flame. When the thread breaks, or the supply is finished, the gas jet automatically drops out of its position, until the connection is again made. In stopping the machine, the same thing occurs. Every care is taken to reduce breakages of the yarn to a minimum, as knots are a serious drawback to the value of this description of yarn. An essential quality of a good machine is that the pace of the thread should be capable of the nicest adjustment, so that it may never be under-singed nor burnt. The driving in order to secure this object should also be thoroughly uniform. There are several mauhines in the market, differing somewhat in details, but they call for no further description.
Polishing.—This is another of the subordinate processes employed in special branches of the cotton industry. In this, the hank of yarn is placed over two rollers of a machine, the distance between which is gradually increased, thus stretching the yarn to its full extent, whilst a sizing of beeswa.x and other materials is applied thereto. This imparts to the thread a beautiful gloss, and when the yarn is dyed in bright colours, the effect is exceedingly rich. Polished yarn is mostly used for silk mixtures.
Cotton Weaving or Dranufacturing.—As technically understood, manufacturing forms the 'second great division of the processes usually grouped under that term, when used in its most extended signification. In the restricted sense in which it has to be considered, it includes all the processes necessary to transform yarns, after they leave the spinner, into the various descriptions of cotton cloths. These processes are five in number, and may be briefly defined as follows :— 1. "Winding."—This is the operation of transferring yarn from the cop or hank, to bobbins, to prepare it for the next stage.