THE WOOL INDUSTRY 443 



The most interesting development to be noted in the woollen trade is the attempt which 

 is being made to introduce a continuous frame spinner in place of the woollen mule. Some 

 remarkable yarns are being produced on this machine, and it seems probable that for at 

 least a section of the trade the mule will be superseded by this simpler and quicker spinner. 



Perhaps the most important development to note with reference to both cap and flyer 

 spinning is the marked development of the self-doffing mechanism. Three years ago the 

 self-dofnng machine was considered a questionable advantage; to-day, owing in England to 

 the shortage of half-time labourers, and also to certain incidental advantages, it is being 

 adopted as the only possible solution to the difficulties by which the spinner is surrounded. 

 The Arnold-Forster self-doffing flyer frame led the way and is now closely followed by 

 Lister's, Prince Smith's and others for the flyer frame, and by Prince Smith and Hall and 

 Stall self-doffers for the cap frame. When the self-doffer was first suggested its mechanical 

 advantages were considered nil, and it has needed some years of experience to find out that 

 there undoubtedly are such advantages. The latest cap frame doffer for example is so 

 designed that there is no nicking of bobbins and no wearing away of cap spindles, and there 

 are other advantages which are slowly being realised. Strange to say, "cap-doffing," which 

 for some time after the introduction of "flyer-doffing" was considered impossible, is now the 

 simpler of the two, and further has not necessitated that change in the construction of the 

 frame which is noticeable in the flyer-frame. The ring and mule self-doffers have yet to 

 appear, but the demand for them seems inevitable. 



Various attempts have been made to increase the production of wool spinning machines 

 by the adoption of a variable drive. At present each machine is driven at the speed which 

 will just yield a satisfactory result when the machine is spinning at its worst, say when the 

 yarn is being wound upon the thin part of the bobbin or tube. Under the new arrangement 

 the speed is no^ changed for this portion of this spin but the machine is automatically speeded 

 up for the easier part. Possibly the extra expense of the variable speed motors has militated 

 against any wide adoption of this method of increasing production. 



The winding of yarn on to bobbins, tubes or spools seems unimportant, but the Inter- 

 national Winder has proved its value; for by its means layer after layer of yarn can be so 

 closely laid that about double the length can be got on to the spool or bobbin as compared 

 with ordinary winding. Thus when such spools or bobbin come to be woven there are but 

 half the stoppages for reshuttling, with a consequent greater production. 



Reference should here be made to the difficulties often to be faced due to the electrification 

 of wool while passing through the various machines. Two main systems to meet this 

 difficulty have been tried. The most successful method seems to be to introduce humidity 

 into the atmosphere and thus carry off the electricity. The other method is to employ a 

 neutraliser throwing a continuous stream of the opposite sort of electricity into the electrified 

 wool. The use of radium has also been suggested, but is too expensive. 



Warping, Weaving, etc. Processes. In the weaving section some few improvements are 

 to be noted. The Scotch Warping Mill and the Warpers' Beam Systems are undoubtedly 

 taking the place of the old upright mill, and more perfectly tensioned warps result. 

 The tedious operations of drawing and twisting or tying-in have naturally claimed the 

 attention of the inventor, and all these operations are being systematically and seriously 

 attacked. The ease with which the Barber warp-tying-in and the automatic warp draw- 

 ing-in machines work is a revelation in mechanical possibilities. 



The most interesting loom development to note is an automatic shuttling mechanism in- 

 troduced by Messrs. Robert Hall & Sons, Bury. The warpstop motion, shuttling mechan- 

 ism, etc. is so connected up to the lighting up of the loom that the moment anything goes 

 wrong and it stops, in come the lights; the moment the loom is put to rights and set 

 running, down go the lights and the loom does its work in an economical darkness. 



In both automatic and ordinary looms a marked extension of the warp-stop mechanism 

 is to be noted. Such a mechanism ensures greater perfection in the resultant pieces. 



A shuttle-box control mechanism has been put on the market by two firms. Traps or 

 double-shuttling are here obviated by the empty box controlling the picking. 



The question of mechanical as against electrical driving of looms has been strongly 

 fought. More electrical driving is certainly being introduced, but, upon the whole, under 

 special circumstances only. It seems probable that if current can be supplied at jd. (.25d.) 

 per unit then electrical driving is as cheap as mechanical driving. Both the group and 

 individual drive systems are advocated, but the group system seems to be gaining. 



Dyeing and Finishing Processes. In the dyeing industry marked advance seems to have 

 been made in the dyeing of "tops" or wool in the combed state. Regularity of the dye has 

 been considered an impossibility until quite recently, but the latest machines have certainly 

 suggested the possibility of success. The Permutet water-softening apparatus is worthy 

 of note, a good water supply being a desideratum both for scouring and dyeing. 



In the designing section of the industry the two most noticeable features are the develop- 

 ment of the worsted tweed trade no doubt largely due to the introduction of the hobble- 

 skirt and artificial silk. In 1912 tons of artificial silk were being employed in the York- 

 shire manufacturing district alone, and the manufacturing firms were months behindhand 

 with deliveries. (A. F. BARKER.) 



