OF SAMUEL CROMPTON. 327 



on which the puUies were fixed. Mr. Crompton's 

 rollers were supported upon wooden cheeks 

 or stands. His tops were constructed much in 

 the same way, with something like a mouse-trap 

 spring to keep the rollers in contact. His first 

 machine contained only about 20 or 30 spindles. 

 He finally put dents of brass reed-wire into his 

 under-rollers, and thus obtained a fluted roller. 

 But the great and important invention of 

 Crompton was Ms spindle carriage, and the 

 principle of the thread having no strain upon it, 

 until it was completed. The carriage with the 

 spindles could by the movement of the hand and 

 knee recede, just as the rollers delivered out the 

 elongated thread in a soft state, so that it would 

 allow of a considerable stretch before the thread 

 had to encounter the stress of winding on the 

 spindle This was the corner stone of the 

 merits of his invention. The frame of his 

 machine was composed entirely of wood, and 

 extended to the length of the draw or stretch : 

 the roller-beam was supported at each end by 

 the frame ; and the wheel-end, and wheel-frame, 

 and roller-beams all stood breast high. The 

 rim or wheel had a small pulley upon its axis, 

 with a band for the purpose of communicating 

 power or motion to the back shaft which had 

 pullies upon it to give motion to the rollers. 

 There were also from the same shaft, bands to 



