173 [ 175 ] 



4. 'I'he common loom makes only one ribbon at a time, and produces 

 It the rate of about 1^ piece per week. Mr. T.'s make four at once. 



Mr, T.'s loom allows the weaver to put any quantity of plain work 

 that he pleases between the pattern, without changing the figure. 



6. The weaver may instantly throw off the figure altogether, and 

 produce plain ribbons, whenever work of this kind is required; whereas, 

 all the present figure looms must continue making the particular figure 

 for which they have been mounted. Fifty guineas and a gold medal, 

 were presented to Mr. Thompson for this great improvement in the 

 art of ribbon weaving. 



In the 7th volume of the elaborate work by Borgnis, on arts and 

 manufactures, there is another description of a ribbon loom, for weav- 

 ing many pieces at the same time, with plates. The Nouvelle Ency- 

 clopedic Methodique contains ten double quarto plates, equivalent to 

 twenty single plates of machinery, for the manufacture of several pieces 

 of ribbon at once. It is probable that they represent the old ma- 

 chinery, but they may doubtless be referred to with advantage, as they 

 are large and very distinct. These three works are in the library of 

 the American Philosophical Society, Philadelphia, and may be con- 

 sulted by artists, upon application to the Librarian, Mr. John Vaughar?. 



Improved French Looms. 



In the year 1S08, Mr. Jacquart, of Lyons, in France, invented a 

 loom intended to do the work commonly effected by draw-boys, in 

 the manufacture of figured stuff* for which he received a premium of 

 3,000 francs from the Society for the Encouragement of National In- 

 dustry. This admirable invention remained unknown to the English 

 until the year 1816, when it was seen by Mr. William Hale, and men- 

 tioned by him to several silk manufacturers: one of whom, Mr. Ste- 

 phen Wilson went over to France, and introduced it into England, t 

 with improvements. The loom is applicable alike to silk, cotton, 

 woollen, and linen stuffs. The specification of Mr. W.'s patent is in- 

 serted in the Repertory of Arts, vol. 44, p. 257, with a plate. It is 

 also described, but without a plate, in Borgnis' work, vol. 1, p. 267. 



The great advantages of Jacquart's loom, consist in — 



1. Enabling every plain weaver to become a figured weaver, to 

 make goods which they have the greatest difficulty in making in Spi- 

 tal fields. 



2. In their being but one treadle. Instead of a number of treadles, 

 or cords, which a boy stands to pull up and down, as in the common 

 loom, the weaver has only to tread on that one treadle, and to throw 

 the shuttle. 



3. In enabling the weaver to change a pattern in a few minutes, 

 while the common loom requires many days or weeks. 



* That is, pulling down the cords, to work a number of treadles at a time. 

 I Minutes of the evidence taken before the Committee of the Lords on the Silk 

 rrade, June 25, 1823, p. 12. Do. Jtily 3, 182.3, p. 174. 



