FIG. 108.
It is important to have a clear understanding as to which is the hook which lifts the first end in the draft. This hook is the one connected with the bottom needle in the last row on the 25-side of the machine. As we stated previously, a 400s machine has 400 hooks arranged in 50 rows of 8, or 8 rows of 50 hooks, and in addition there is always a spare row of hooks, making 51 rows in all. As it is necessary to lace the cards in the middle as well as at the sides, a space has to be allowed for the lace holes, and therefore the machine is divided into two parts by a space between the 26th and 27th rows.
A plan of a card is given at [Fig. 108]. The length of the card between the two peg holes A and B is nearly 14½ inches, and the distance between the centre of the top needles and the bottom needles is 1⅞ inch exactly. This holds good for all English-made machines, but the American index is different.
It will be seen that there are 26 rows on the right of the machine and 25 rows on the left, and one is called the “26-side” and the other the “25-side.” The cards are always numbered at the “26-side,” and the cutting is commenced at this end. It may be as well to explain here the order in which the holes are cut from the design, as it will assist in following the point paper design to the loom. The cutting is usually done in a “piano” cutting machine, which will be explained more fully later on. By this machine one row of eight holes can be cut by operating eight punches and pressing down the right-foot treadle of the machine.
The number end of the card is gripped by the machine, and at the first stroke of the right foot, the lace holes EF and the peg hole A are cut, then one stroke of the treadle is made without cutting, and the pointer of the machine arrives at the 1st or spare row. If the selvedges are worked from this row, holes are cut accordingly. Then the pointer comes to the 2nd row, and in this row the cutting from the design is commenced.
At [Fig. 109] the design is made on point paper, as it is required to appear in the cloth right side up, with the twill in the ground running in the same direction as shown on the design. When cutting, the design is usually turned round, as shown at [Fig. 110], and the cutting commences from the top right-hand corner A. To show the matter clearly, the first row of holes cut are numbered, both in the design and the card, in consecutive order.
FIG. 109.