Fig. 10
Each of these staples represents so many lines of the design paper, or so many lashes or draughts. The pattern is ruled out and painted on the barrel, and staples are driven into it so as to cover the painted squares of the pattern. The barrel is so arranged on the loom that exactly the space of one line of the design paper is turned round for each draught, and the slides are drawn back by cords attached from their ends to a roller when the shift of the barrel is being made. B is a section of the comb; it is a cylinder with teeth, C, like a parrot’s beak fixed to it. The teeth are made of this shape to hold the knot cords when they are caught by them, and they rise or fall as the roller is rocked upwards or downwards by a treadle.
Whilst these improvements on the draw loom were being made in this country for the purpose of producing a convenient method of harness weaving, the French were endeavouring to obtain the same result, but on a different principle, and their method has proved successful.
In 1725 M. Bouchon employed a band of pierced paper, pressed by hand against a row of horizontal needles, so as to push back those which were opposite the blank spaces, and thus bring loops on the extremities of vertical wires into connection with a comb-like rack below, which, being depressed, drew down the wires, pushed on the pins in it, and raised the harness.
Fig. 11
[Fig. 11] is a sketch of a model of this loom in the Conservatoire des Arts, Paris. A is the pulley-box with two rows of pulleys in it; B the tail cords; C the simples, tied to rings on their upper ends, which run on the tail cords at B; the other ends of the simples pass over a small roller at D to prevent them rubbing against the side of the loom, then down through the hole board F, under which they are tied to wire hooks or loops, as shown under A ([Fig. 11a]). Next these wires pass through the needle box G, also shown at B, [Fig. 11a], and down to the comb H ([Fig. 11]), and C ([Fig. 11a]). The perforated paper is rolled on the roller E, and passing downwards, is pressed against the needles with a hand bar, as shown at L, [Fig. 11b]. The roller K is for rolling up the paper as it passes down from the upper roller.
[Fig. 11b] is a back view of the mounting. A shows where the simples are connected with the tail cords P; B shows the connection of the tail cords with the harness; C is the cumber board; D the mails and E the leads. F and K are the two rollers for the paper, H the needle box, and I the comb. This was the first attempt at forming the pattern by means of perforated paper acting upon needles and wires.