The European loom is represented in its plainest state, as it has existed for several centuries, in [fig. 1161.] A is the warp-beam, round which the chain, has been wound; B represents the flat rods, usually three in number, which pass across between its threads, to preserve the lease, or the plane of decussation for the weft; C shows the heddles or healds, consisting of twines looped in the middle, through which loops, the warp yarns are drawn, one half through the front heddle, and the other through the back one; by moving which, the decussation is readily effected. The yarns then pass through the dents of the REED under D, which is set in a movable swing-frame E, called the lathe, lay, and also batten, because it beats home the weft to the web. The lay is freely suspended to a cross-bar F, attached by rulers, called the swords, to the top of the lateral standards of the loom, so as to oscillate upon it. The weaver, sitting on the bench G, presses down one of the treddles at H, with one of his feet, whereby he raises the corresponding heddle, but sinks the alternate one; thus sheds the warp, by lifting and depressing each alternate thread, through a little space, and opens a pathway or race-course for the shuttle to traverse the middle of the warp, upon its two friction rollers M, M. For this purpose, he lays hold of the picking-peg in his right hand, and, with a smart jerk of his wrist, drives the fly-shuttle swiftly from one side of the loom to the other, between the shed warp yarns. The shoot of weft being thereby left behind from the shuttle pirn or cop, the weaver brings home, by pulling, the lay with its reed towards him by his left hand, with such force as the closeness of the texture requires. The web, as thus woven, is wound up by turning round the cloth beam I, furnished with a ratchet-wheel, which takes into a holding tooth. The plan of throwing the shuttle by the picking-peg and cord, is a great improvement upon the old way of throwing it by hand. It was contrived exactly a century ago, by John Kay, of Bury in Lancashire, but then resident in Colchester, and was called the fly-shuttle, from its speed, as it enabled the weaver to make double the quantity of narrow cloth, and much more broad cloth, in the same time.

The cloth is kept distended, during the operation of weaving, by means of two pieces of hard wood, called a templet, furnished with sharp iron points in their ends, which take hold of the opposite selvages or lists of the web. The warp and web are kept longitudinally stretched by a weighted cord, which passes round the warp-beam, and which tends continually to draw back the cloth from its beam, where it is held fast by the ratchet tooth. See [Fustian], [Jacquard Loom], [Reed], and [Textile Fabrics].

[Fig. 1162 enlarged] (195 kB)

The greater part of plain weaving, and much even of the figured, is now performed by the power loom, called métier mécanique à tisser, in French. [Fig. 1162.] represents the cast-iron power loom of Sharp and Roberts. A, A′, are the two side uprights, or standards, on the front of the loom. D, is the great arch of cast iron, which binds the two sides together. E, is the front cross-beam, terminating in the forks e, e; whose ends are bolted to the opposite standards A, A′, so as to bind the framework most firmly together. G′, is the breast beam, of wood, nearly square; its upper surface is sloped a little towards the front, and its edge rounded off, for the web to slide smoothly over it, in its progress to the cloth beam. The beam is supported at its end upon brackets, and is secured by the bolts g′, g′. H, is the cloth beam, a wooden cylinder, mounted with iron gudgeons at its ends, that on the right hand being prolonged to carry the toothed winding wheel H′. k′ is a pinion in geer with H′. H′′, is a ratchet wheel, mounted upon the same shaft h′′′, as the pinion h′. h′, is the click of the ratchet wheel H′′. k′′′, is a long bolt fixed to the frame, serving as a shaft to the ratchet wheel H′′, and the pinion h′. I, is the front heddle-leaf, and I′, the back one. J, J, J′, J′, jacks or pulleys and straps, for raising and depressing the leaves of the heddles. J′′, is the iron shaft which carries the jacks or system of pulleys J, J, J′, J′. K, a strong wooden ruler, connecting the front heddle with its treddle. L, L′, the front and rear marches or treddle-pieces, for depressing the heddle leaves alternately, by the intervention of the rods k, (and k′, hid behind k). M, M, are the two swords (swing bars) of the lay or batten. N, is the upper cross-bar of the lay, made of wood, and supported upon the squares of the levers n, n′, to which it is firmly bolted. N′, is the lay-cap, which is placed higher or lower, according to the breadth of the reed; it is the part of the lay which the hand-loom weaver seizes with his hand, in order to swing it towards him. n′, is the reed contained between the bar N, and the lay-cap N′. O, O, are two rods of iron, perfectly round and straight, mounted near the ends of the batten-bar N, which serve as guides to the drivers or peckers o, o, which impel the shuttle. These are made of buffalo hide, and should slide freely on their guide-rods. O′, O′, are the fronts of the shuttle-boxes; they have a slight inclination backwards. P, is the back of them. See [figs. 1163.] and [1164.] O′′, O′′ are iron plates, forming the bottoms of the shuttle-boxes. p, small pegs or pins, planted in the posterior faces P ([fig. 1164.]) of the boxes, round which the levers P′ turn. These levers are sunk in the substance of the faces P, turn round pegs p, being pressed from without inwards, by the springs p′. P′′, [fig. 1162.] (to the right of K,) is the whip or lever, (and Q′′, its centre of motion, corresponding to the right arm and elbow of the weaver,) which serves to throw the shuttle, by means of the pecking-cord p′′, attached at its other end to the drivers o, o.

On the axis of Q′′, a kind of eccentric or heart wheel is mounted, to whose concave part, the middle of the double band or strap r, being attached, receives impulsion; its two ends are attached to the heads of the bolts r′, which carry the stirrups r′′, that may be adjusted at any suitable height, by set screws.