A Dictionary of Arts, Manufactures and Mines / containing a clear exposition of their principles and practice

by Andrew Ure

At e, the endless cord passes through the eyes of wires resembling needles, which are contained in a wooden box placed in front of the machine, and shown in this figure in section only. These wires are called the punch-projectors; they are guided and supported by horizontal rods and vertical pins, the latter of which pass through loops formed at the hinder part of the respective wires. At f are two horizontal rods extending the whole width of the machine, for the purpose of producing the cross in the cords; g is a thick brass plate, extending along in front of the machine, and lying close to the box which holds the punch-projectors; this plate g, shown also in section, is called the punch-holder; it contains the same number of apertures as there are punch-projectors, and disposed so as to correspond with each other. In each of these apertures, there is a punch for the purpose of piercing the cards, slips, or pasteboards with holes; h is a thick steel plate of the same size as g, and shown likewise in section, corresponding also in its number of apertures, and their disposition, with the punch-projectors and the punch-holder. This plate h, is called the punch-receiver.

The object of this machine is to transfer such of the punches as may be required for piercing any individual card from the punch-holder g, into the punch-receiver h; when they will be properly situated, and ready for piercing the individual card or slip, with such holes as have been read in upon the machine, and are required for permitting the warp threads to be withdrawn in the loom, when this card is brought against the ends of the needles. The process of transferring the patterns to the punches will be effected in the following manner.

The pattern is to be read in, according to the ordinary mode, as in a false simple, upon the endless cords below the rods f, and passed under the revolving wooden cylinder a, to a sufficient height for a person in front of the machine to reach conveniently. He there takes the upper threads of the pattern, called the beard, and draws them forward so as to introduce a stick behind the cords thus advanced, as shown by dots, for the purpose of keeping them separate from the cords which are not intended to be operated upon. All the punch-projectors which are connected with the cords brought forward, will be thus made to pass through the corresponding apertures of the punch-holder g, and by this means will project the punches out of these apertures, into corresponding apertures of the punch-receiver h. The punches will now be properly arranged for piercing the required holes on a card or slip, which is to be effected in the following manner.

Remove the punch-receivers from the front of the machine; and having placed one of the slips of card or pasteboard between the two folding plates of metal, completely pierced with holes corresponding to the needles of the loom, lay the punch-receiver upon those perforated plates; to which it must be made to fit by mortises and blocks, the cutting parts of the punches being downwards. Upon the back of the punch-receiver is then to be placed a plate or block, studded with perpendicular pins corresponding to the above described holes, into which the pins will fall. The plates and the blocks thus laid together, are to be placed under a press, by which means the pins of the block will be made to pass through the apertures of the punch-receiver; and wherever the punch has been deposited in the receiver by the above process, the said punches will be forced through the slip of pasteboard, and pierced with such holes as are required for producing the figured design in the loom.

Each card being thus pierced, the punch-receiver is returned to its place in front of the machine, and all the punches forced back again into the apertures of the punch-holder as at first. The next set of cords is now drawn forward by the next beard, as above described, which sends out the punch-projectors as before, and disposes the punches in the punch-receiver, ready for the operation of piercing the next card. The process being thus repeated, the whole pattern is, by a number of operations, transferred to the punches, and afterwards to the cards or slips, as above described.

JADE; axe-stone; (Nephrite, Ceraunite, Fr.) is a mineral commonly of a greenish colour, compact, and of a fatty lustre. Spec. grav. 2·95; scratches glass, is very tough; fuses into a white enamel. Its constituents are, silica 50·5; alumina 10; magnesia 31; oxide of iron 5·50; oxide of chrome 0·05; water 2·75. It comes from China, is used among rude nations for making hatchets; and is susceptible of being cut into any form.

JAPANNING, is a kind of varnishing or lacquering, practised with excellence by the Japanese, whence the name. See [Varnish].

JASPER; (Jaspe calcedoine, Fr.; Jaspis, Germ.) is a sub species of calcedony quartz, of which there are five varieties. 1. The Egyptian red and brown, with ring or tendril-shaped delineations. 2. Striped jasper. 3. Porcelain jasper. 4. Common jasper. 5. Agate jasper. The prettiest specimens are cut for seals, and for the inferior kinds of jewellery ornaments. See [Lapidary].

ICEHOUSE; (Glacière, Fr.; Eishaus, Germ.) Under the article [Freezing], I have enumerated the different artificial methods of producing cold. But for the uses of common life, in these climates, the most economical and convenient means of refrigeration in hot weather may be procured by laying up a store of ice in winter, in such circumstances as will preserve it solid during summer.