There are a few other things to be observed by way of closing this article. As the Lace, or Cord is made on the Machine by a turning motion, it must be received below into a turning vessel, or it will be twisted, and thus injured. The vessel D, is provided for that purpose; and is turned by a cord from a pulley on the axis of the wheel z, coming under two vertical pullies, and acting on an horizontal pulley F E, connected with the said vessel; and if preferred, the draught itself might be placed in, or above, the vessel D, but it would not, I think, produce so perfect an article.
With respect to the drawing Machinery in the Machine at c, there is shewn, a flat surface just under that Machinery. It’s purpose is to serve as a mover for that System: To shew which, in a clearer manner, is the use of the fifth figure. In this figure, the drawing rollers turn in a frame a b b, and carry on one of their shafts a cog-wheel c or d, by which they receive this motion from the pinion e; this pinion being connected with the rowel f g, and running with it on a stud h, more or less removed from the centre, as circumstances may require. This rowel then, (for it’s edge, formed as in the figure, is indented with sharp teeth across it’s face) runs on the flat surface before indicated, at or near e, ([fig. 3]) and by the rotatory motion received from the wheel x′, gives a drawing motion to the rollers, the use of which has already been explained; namely, to draw down the goods as they are formed. It need hardly be observed further, that any kind of filling may be brought down twisted from C, to the entrance of these rollers at c, and thus be included in the plaited texture; and in fact, the rollers in [fig. 5], are shewn (by the dotted lines) as formed to receive an object of considerable diameter, as a whip, &c. that it may be wished to cover. Where I remark, that this lozenge form of the grooves O, is not given without a motive: the grooves are thus formed (the cylinders being supposed capable of opening by a springy movement) in order that, if desired, they may draw the body downward, so much the faster, as it’s diameter increases—and thus keep the covering threads at the same angle in every case. I shall only add, that these movements can be permanently determined by wheels, when the rowel f g, acting on the horizontal surface c, has fixed the real velocities of draught required for a given purpose.
This Machine then, is capable of excellent results, and of a speed almost inconceivable: since at every turn, if there are twelve bobbins p, and twelve pipes n o, it makes twenty-four passages of the threads among each other, answering, in some cases, to an inch in length of the fabricated texture; so that, counting 120 turns per minute, (which is moderate) we have 2880 passages, and 120 inches of work in a minute; equal to 200 yards per hour—a quantity which does not yet limit the produce of this Machine.
OF
A BATTING MACHINE,
For Cotton, or FINE Filaments in general.
This Machine is represented in [figs. 1 2 3] of [Plate 35]. It is composed of a frame A B, on which are placed two sets of rollers a b, c d, round which is stretched an endless feeding cloth, on the upper surface of which the Cotton is laid by the attendant. Across this frame A B, is fixed a strong board C D, having a ledge or bridge at each end, over which are tightened the cat-gut strings 1 2, 3 4, &c. Moreover, across this board, is fixed on proper bearings, (placed either straight or diagonally) the axis e f, furnished with any proper number of iron fingers 7 8, &c. which spring the cords 1 2, 3 4, &c. every time they pass by them: where it may be observed, that by the varied forms of the ends of those fingers, the vibrations are made to be vertical, horizontal, or oblique, at pleasure. In [fig. 2], these fingers are seen from one end of their axis e f—and in [figs. 1 and 3], they are shewn sideways: and in the latter figure, the strings are shewn as small circles between e and f, with the feeding cloth a c, stretched under them.