This is principally used for working leno curtains or Madras muslins in power looms. The texture of these fabrics is a plain gauze ground, the figure being formed by one or more colours of thick soft weft, thrown in and bound for the figure, but flushed or floated over the ground, to be cut off afterwards. The reed is wrought in conjunction with a harness, the reed forming the ground of the fabric and the harness the figuring. The harness is mounted in the same way as a half-harness, or for half the warp, and the reed does the work of the doups. The gauze reed will suit for gauze up to 55 threads per inch in the reed, but is more used for fabrics ranging from 30 to 50 threads per inch. A portion of the reed is given in [Fig. 148], in which it will be seen that it consists of the usual dents set in ribs, and a set of half-dents, perforated at the points which are set into the lower rib of the reed behind the others, and lie about half-way through the splits in a slightly slanting position. The gauze reed works behind the slay and in front of the harness. It should be about 1/2 in. behind the slay when the cranks are at the back centre, so as to leave sufficient room for clearance between them.
Fig. 148
Fig. 149
