LOOM AND SPINDLE—HOOPER. 643 
of a little contrivance called a flier and bobbin attachment to the 
spindle. 
The first historic hint we have of this invention is from a drawing 
in one of the sketchbooks of the great artist-craftsman, Leonardo da 
Vinci. But it was not until nearly a century after his death, which 
took place in 1519, that the spinning wheel with this clever attach- 
ment came into general use. 
Figure 22 shows Leonardo’s drawing and the later spinning- 
machine attachments which have been derived from it. 
In Leonardo’s drawing No. 1 is called the flier. It is firmly fixed 
on the end of a shaft or spindle No. 2 A and 2 B. No. 3 is a small 
pulley also firmly fixed to the 
spindle between the bearings 
Cand D. When this pulley is 
made to revolve very rapidly, 
by means of a cord or belt 
from a large wheel, the flier 
revolves with it and twists the 
thread which is passed 
through the hole in the spin- 
dle at No. 2 A. 
No. 4 is another pulley, 
rather larger than No. 3. 
This pulley is fixed on a hol- 
low shaft, which extends from 
the pulley to No. 5. In the 
hollow of this shaft the spin- 
dle can freely revolve, and on 
it the bobbin, No. 6, tightly 
fits. 
Now, if the different-sized 
pulleys, Nos. 3 and 4, be actu- 
ated by cords from the same large wheel, the flier will revolve at a 
greater speed than the bobbin, the difference in speed being, of 
course, in proportion to the difference in size of the pulleys. 
The result of this arrangement will be that, if the thread, twisted 
by the revolution of the spindle, be passed through the eyes in the 
flier, as in the drawing, and fastened to the bobbin, two operations 
will take place: (1) The thread will be twisted by the flier; (2) be- 
cause the bobbin revolves at less speed than the flier the thread will 
be gradually wound upon the bobbin. 
No. 7 appears to be a kind of fork fixed to the end of the spindle. 
If this fork were pushed to the right the eye of the flier could be 
placed at any part of the bobbin, so as to spread the yarn evenly 
upon it. 
Fic. 22.—First drawing of bobbin and their 
attachment for spinning wheels. 
