Contrast with the above admirable system, the primitive cotton wheel of India, as represented in the annexed [figure 348]. By the aid of mechanical fingers, one Englishman at his mule can turn off daily more yarn and of far finer quality than 200 of the most diligent spinsters of Hindostan.

[Fig. 349 enlarged] (195 kB)

[Fig. 349.], is a transverse section of the mule, in which its principal parts are shown.

The machine consists of two main parts; a fixed one corresponding in some measure to the water-frame or throstle, and a moveable one corresponding to the jenny. The first contains in a suitable frame the drawing roller-beam and the chief moving machinery: the second, is called the carriage, in which the remainder of the moving mechanism and the spindles are mounted.

The frame of the fixed part consists of two upright sides, and two or more intermediate parallel bearings, upon which the horizontal roller beam a, the basis of the drawing rollers is supported, b, c, d, are the three ranges of fluted iron rollers; e, f, g, are the upper iron rollers covered with leather; h, the wooden wiper-rollers covered with flannel, which being occasionally rubbed with chalk, imparts some of it to the pressure rollers beneath, so as to prevent the cotton filaments adhering to them. The rollers are made throughout the whole length of the mule in portions containing six flutings, which are coupled together by squared ends fitted into square holes.

The skewers upon which the bobbins containing the rovings from the bobbin and fly or stretching frame, are set up, are seen at a1, a1, a1, arranged in three rows in the creel z. The soft threads unwound from these bobbins, in their way to the drawing rollers, pass first through eyelets in the ends of the wire arms b1, then through the rings or eyes of the guide bar w, and enter between the back pair of rollers. The number of these bobbins is equal to the number of spindles in the mule, and twice as great as the number of fluted portions of the rollers; for two threads are assigned to each portion.

The carriage consists of two cast-iron side pieces, and several cast-iron intermediate similar pieces, such as f2, which all together are made fast to the planks b2, c2, d2. The top is covered in with the plank k2. The carriage runs by means of its cast-iron grooved wheels, upon the cast-iron railway l2, which is fixed level on the floor.

The spindles stand upon the carriage in a frame, which consists of two slant rails x2, x2, connected by two slender rods y2, and which frame may be set more or less obliquely. The lower rail carries the brass steps for the points of the spindles b3; upon the upper rail brass slips are fixed pierced with holes through which the tops of the spindles play. The spindles are as usual made of steel, perfectly straight, turned truly round, and are all arranged in one plane. To each of them a small wooden or cast-iron whorl g2 is made fast. They are distributed into groups of 24, and the whorls are arranged at such different heights, that only two of them in each group are upon a level with each other. A small brass head h2, which every spindle has beneath the upper slant rail of the frame x2, prevents their sitting down into the step, during their rotation, or sliding off their cop of yarn.