Lacing Machines.—The Singer Sewing Machine Company brought out a machine some years ago for lacing cards, and it performs its work very well, though many object to it, as it stitches a lacing tape along the cards, instead of lacing them in the usual way. The machine is a 3-or 4-head sewing machine, according as three or four rows of lacing are to be used on the cards. The lacing is a tape; one tape is laid below the cards at each row of lacing, and another above, and both are stitched together through the cards.
Another machine was invented by Count Sparre more recently which laced or sewed the cards through the ordinary lacing holes, much in the same manner as hand lacing, except that the lacings are looped on each other through the holes instead of passing up and down through alternate holes.
A still later one, by Messrs. Reid & Fisher, of Dunfermline, and Mr. Parkinson, of Bradford, has further improvements; this machine is now working very satisfactorily. Other machines have since followed.
Copying or Repeating Machines.—There are several varieties of machines for copying or repeating a set of cards after they have been cut by the piano machine, and it often happens that this is required in case of several looms being put on the same pattern; or it may be that a set of cards for one loom is made up of two or three parts repeated several times.
One of the simplest of the repeaters is a small treadle machine in which the card is repeated by rows, the holes of the cut card acting upon needles that push in the pins above the punches, which are similar to those in the piano machine; and each row is punched by depressing a treadle. This is a slow method of repeating, but suits for small factories where it is not worth while having a more expensive machine. Any boy or girl can repeat the cards, instead of requiring a card-cutter to read them.
A more useful machine is the railway press repeater; it is taken from the old method of cutting described on page 142. The cards to be repeated are placed on a cylinder the same as that used in the jacquard, and pass down over the ends of long needles similar to the jacquard needles, but arranged in a box, and with long helical springs on them. In a thick plate, or box, in front of the needles is a set of punches, and the stamping plate rests in front of the punch box, close up against it. By means of a treadle the needle box can be drawn forward, and where there are holes in the card to be copied the needles pass through them, and, pressing on the punches, push them from the box into the stamping plate. The punches have heads on them that will not pass through the stamping plate, but will go into the holes in the box or frame, and when they are pushed into the plate it can be drawn away and turned over so as to prevent them from falling out. The plate is then placed on a box-plate made to hold the card to be cut, and somewhat similar to that shown in Fig 90. The box or hinged plates are set on a slide frame with rollers to travel on, and at the end of the frame is a strong roller press. The plates can easily be run forward to the press, and the card punched by running them under the roller; it may then be taken out, and as many impressions from the plate cut as are required. When finished, the stamping plate is taken back to the punch box and placed against it as before; then, with a comb, or block of wood, set with pins, all the needles are pushed out of the plate into the punch box. Another card can be brought before the needles, and the plate filled as before.
Fig. 95