[ 175 ] 15» 



hy only screwing the cane roll posts nearer, or further Irom, the breast 

 roll- 4. The gibbet is formed in the loom, and therefore the trou- 

 ble of fixing it is prevented. 5. The bridge of the battons are not nail- 

 ed to the block, but iron pins are put in the block, and partly go through 

 the bridge, fastened with glue, so that the silk cannot be injured as 

 formerly. 6. The battons rise as the work rises, and keep more true 

 than in the old looms. Trans. Soc. Jirts, London, for 1790. 



Plate 3d. — Figure 1. 



Winding Reel. — To wind the silk off from the skeins, in which it 

 is imported or made up, upon wooden bobbins. 



The reel figured, is calculated to wind six threads at once, but, by in- 

 creasing the length, it may be made to receive any number. 



Each of the skeins is extended upon a slight reel A A, called a swift: 

 it is composed of four small rods fixed in an axis, and small bands of 

 string are stretched between the arms to receive the skein; but, at the 

 same time, the bands admit of sliding to a greateror less distance from the 

 centre, so as to increase the effective diameter of the reel according to the 

 size of the skein; because the skeins which come from difierent coun- 

 tries, vary in size, being generally an exact yard, or other similar mea- 

 sure of the country where the silks are produced. 



The swifts are supported upon iron pivots, upon which they turn 

 freely when the silk is drawn off" from them; but, in order to cause the 

 thread to draw with a gentle force, a looped piece of string or wire is 

 hung upon the axis withinside the reel, and a small leaden weight e be- 

 ing attached to it, will cause a sufficient friction. 



B B are the bobbins which draw off the threads; they are received in 

 the frame, and are turned by means of a wheel beneath each; the bob- 

 bin having a small roller upon the end of it, which bears by its weight 

 upon the circumference of the wheel, and the bobbin is thereby put in 

 motion to draw off the silk from the twist. 



D is the layer, a small light rod of wood, which has a wire eye fix- 

 ed into it, opposite to each bobbin, so as to conduct the thread upon; and, 

 as the layer moves constantly backwards and forwards, the thread is 

 regularly spread upon the length of the bobbin. The motion of the 

 layer is produced by a crank fixed upon the end of a cross spindle, E, 

 which is turned by means of a pair of bevelled wheels from the end of 

 the horizontal axle upon which the wheels for turning all the bobbins 

 are fixed. These winding machines are usually situated in the top 

 building of a silk mill, '(when water or steam power are used,) the 

 frame being made of great length, and also double, to contain a row of 

 bobbins and swifts at the back as well as in front. The winding ma- 

 chines require the constant attention of children to mend the ends or 

 threads which are broken, or, when they are exhausted, to replace them 

 by putting new skeins upon the swifts. When the bobbins are filled, 

 they are taken away, by only lifting them out of their frame, and 

 fresh ones are put in their place*?. 



