Elastic and Non-Elastic Narrow Fabrics
Chapter I.
Growth of Webbing Business—Attempts to Substitute Cut Products for Individually Woven Webs Made on Gang Looms—Loom Setting to Reduce Vibration—Capacity of Looms and Explanation of the Various Motions That Are Employed
When we think of the discovery of rubber vulcanization and the effect it has had on world affairs our minds naturally turn to the big things, such as the automobile industry with its millions of rubber tires in constant use. These may crowd from our notice a thousand and one smaller things of importance. It is difficult to fully realize how many comforts and conveniences we derive from rubber and not the least among them is the multiplicity of woven fabrics which are used both for comfort and convenience in a variety of ways and for innumerable purposes. It is not only in such things as garters and suspenders, with which our minds may first associate elastic webs, that these fabrics are used, but they find employment in a variety of other products, which are growing more numerous all the time. Today there are in operation thousands of looms and braiders, in which many millions of dollars are invested and in the operation of which, together with complementary machinery, about ten thousand people are employed.
It was about the year 1840 when the idea of weaving threads of elastic in connection with other materials was first conceived. After long experiments this was accomplished in the very simplest form of weaving. New ideas were from time to time introduced, and new uses found for the product, until now it covers a large variety of both plain and fancy weaves, and the multiplicity of uses are so varied that few realize them who are not closely associated with the business.
American Industry Started About 1860
It was not until about the year 1860 that elastic web weaving was introduced into this country, although for a number of years previous England and Germany, and also France in a small way, had found here a market for their product, particularly in cords, braids and shoe goring, which at that particular time was fast growing in popularity. About 1860, a few looms which had been used, were brought over from England and located at Easthampton, Mass., and the manufacture of shoe goring commenced. The rubber thread required was for some time imported from England. The business grew rapidly, and factories were established in a number of cities, more particularly at Boston, Lowell and Brockton, Mass., Bridgeport, Conn., and Camden, N. J. An unfortunate labor dispute took place about the year 1890, which developed into a long-drawn out strike, ultimately precipitating friction between the shoe trade and the goring web manufacturers, which finally ended in a positive boycott of this product from which the trade has never recovered. Most of the looms which were up to this time devoted to shoe goring have been remodeled and are now used in the making of other types of elastic fabrics. In passing, it may be interesting to note that some of the looms originally brought from England 60 years ago are still in operation and doing excellent work along other lines.
Attempts to Use Wide Looms
Attempts have been made from time to time to weave elastics on wide looms, the cloth being divided at intervals by open spaces in the warps at the front reed, at either side of which spaces binding threads were woven in. These narrow strips were spaced in the front reed according to the different widths which might be required, and could easily be changed to meet the varying requirements by redrawing a few threads, inasmuch as the whole weave was uniform throughout the full width of the cloth. Between these spaces, but at a point away from the weaving line, were arranged stationary knives by which the cloth was cut into the requisite widths while it was being woven, and as it gradually passed by the knife edges. These knives were so arranged that they could be adjusted to new positions when it became necessary to change the widths of the individual strips.