COTTON FACTORY 



9. Tho yarn thus completed is now converted into the special fabric for which it hag 

 boon prepared by one or other of the following processes : 



a. Weaving for which, however, certain preparatory operations are needed. Tho 

 warps must bo formed, first, by winding the yarn on largo bobbins, one continuous 

 thread on each. From a given number of bobbins the requisite number of thro.-u.lB 

 are then laid side by side upon beams. These again are passed through the sizing 

 machine, which adds strength and elasticity to the threads of the warp, enabling them 

 more successfully to resist the necessary strain of wearing. The weft needs no pre- 

 paration after leaving the mule, but is placed at once in the form of a ' cop ' into tho 

 shuttle. 



b. Doubling. In this process two or more threads are twisted together; the doubled 

 yarn being then either converted into warps for woven goods of special strength, such 

 us double warp calicoes, fustians, velveteens, and cotton velvets ; or is carried forward 

 through one or other of the following operations. 



c. Reeling and Binding, Here the yarn is wound into reels or skeins and packed 

 in bundles for the purpose of exportation, or for dyeing or bleaching, or for the manu- 

 facture of hosiery. 



d. Singeing and Polishing. By the first of these processes the thread passes through 

 jets of gas flame, and thus loses its superfluous fibres ; by the latter, having first been 

 dyed, it acquires a high degree of glossiness, and is then used for admixture with silk 

 in the mixed goods which of late years have become popular, under the designation of 

 Japanese silks, &c. 



There are few instances in which the whole of these operations are carried on in tho 

 same factory. To a large extent even the two main divisions spinning and weaving 

 are tho work of separate firms and establishments. Usually, however, these two are 

 combined. In order the better to illustrate these main features of tho factory system, 

 wo now proceed to describe a concrete example that of a cotton mill at Stockport, 

 containing 61,400 throstle and mule spindles, and 1,320 looms. 



The mill consists of a main body with two lateral wings, projecting forwards, the 

 latter being appropriated to store-rooms, a counting-house, rooms for winding the 

 yarn on bobbins, and other miscellaneous purposes. The building has six floors, 

 besides the attic story. The ground-plan comprehends a plot of ground 280 feet long 

 by 200 broad, exclusive of the boiler sheds. 



The right-hand end, A (fig. 538) of the principal building, is separated from the 

 main body by a strong wall, and serves in the three lower stories for accommodating 

 two ninety-horse steam-engines, which are supplied with steam from a range of boilers 

 contained in a low shed exterior to the mill. 



The three upper stories over the steam-engine gallery are used for unpacking, 

 sorting, picking, cleaning, willowing, and lapping the cotton wool. Here are tho 

 willow, the blowing, and the lap machines, in a descending order, so that the lap 

 machine occupies the lowest of the three floors, being thus most judiciously placed ou 

 tho same level with the preparation room of the building. On the fourth main floor 

 of the factory there are, in the first place, a line of carding engines arranged near 

 and parallel to the windows, as shown at B B, in the ground plan (fig. 538), and, in 

 tho second place, two rows of drawing frames, and two of bobbin and fly frames, in 

 alternate lines, parallel to each other, as indicated by D, c, D, c, for the drawing 

 frames, and E, E, E, E, for the bobbin and fly frames in the ground plan. The latter 

 machines are close to the centre of the apartment. 



The two stories next under the preparation room are occupied with throstle frames, 

 distributed as shown at F F, in the ground plan. They stand in pairs alongside of 

 each other, whereby two may be tended by one person. These principal rooms are 

 280 feet long and nearly 50 feet wide. The two stories, over the preparation room, 

 viz., the fifth and sixth floors from the ground, are appropriated to the mule jennies, 

 which are placed in pairs fronting each other, so that each pair may be worked by one 

 man. Their mode of distribution is shown at G o, in the ground plan. The last 

 single mulo is seen standing against tho end wall, with its head-stock projecting in the 

 middle. 



The ground floor of the main building, as well as the extensive shed abutting behind 

 it, marked by N, H, H, in the plan, is devoted to the power looms, the mode of placing 

 which is plainly seen at H, H, H. 



The attic story accommodates the winding frames, and warping mills, and the warp 

 sizing machines, subservient to power weaving. 



Some extra mules (self-actors), are placed in the wings. 



We shall briefly sum up the references in the ground plan as follows : 



A, the ground apartment for the steam-engines. 



B, the distribution of the carding engines, the moving shaft or axis running in a. 

 straight l|ne through them, with its pulleys, for receiving tho driving bands., 



