SJ^lt HINTS TO MANUFACTURERS. IC9 



In this way combed wool might eafily be roved ^ fo as to 

 make it fit for being afterwards fpun by the machine ; and if, 

 in the roving, the thread were left pretty thick, a woman might 

 do a good many poimds in a day ; io that although this opera- 

 tion were done by the hand, it would llill be fpuii,y«r the great- 

 ejl part, by the machine, and muft of courfe prove a great ac- 

 celeration of work, and conliderably diminifli the expcnce. 



But it does not appear to me a matter of any diiEcuIty to 

 contrive a machine that would perform even this operation ; 

 and as it is well known, that where machinery is employed, 

 the work is always performed with much more accuracy than 

 ^by hand, I tliink fome pains fliould be beftowed to effetS this. 

 The only difEculty th.at occurs in this department, is that which 

 arifes from the unequal thicknefs of the tape of wool. As that 

 comes from the combs, it is ihickefl: at the middle, and goes 

 tapering fmaller and fmaller, till it comes to a point at either 

 end. When fpinniiig by the hand, this form is not attended 

 with .iny confiderable inconvenience, becaufe it is cafy to let it 

 flip.fafter or ilower through the hand, as fhall appear to be ne- 

 celTary ; but this cannot be done by a machine, which muft go 

 fteadily and equally along, in all parts of the operation. But 

 if the tape of woo), after it comes fi'om the comber, v/ere drawn 

 cut by hand in the middle, fo as to make it fmaller tliere, and 

 were brought to an equal thlcknefs by joining another tape to 

 tile former, where the two ends are fmall, fo as to bring the 

 whole to an equal thicknefs ; and were that winded up, it 

 might tlien be paiTed through the machine, whicli might be fo 

 ■fet, tliat at every pull of the thread, an equal quantity miglit be 

 given off, fo as to leave the thread, or rove, of an uniform 

 thicknefs, and a perfectly equal twiit throughout its whole 

 length. 



In tills way, yarn, of no great degi-ee of flnenefs, miglit be 

 fpun from conib-d wool, at one operation; but where it was 

 wanted of a fuperior decree of finenefs, this firil operation 

 (hou!d only be confideredas a finer kind of roving. The de- 

 gree of twill will in this cafe, however, be much greater than h 

 requiredfor roving, where it is to be drawn over again. But, t5'' 

 jiafling it tlirou^li the untwllling machine, it may be opened 

 to aiiy decree tliat the circunnlance of the cafe fhall require ; 

 and in tins way, combed woo! may doubtlefs be drawn to an 

 exceeding d.-give of finenefs, ;ind at an inconceivably fmrdl ex- 



