WEAVING 



1113 



he sheds the warp, draws through the weft, and beats it close up to the web with 

 his rod shuttle or batten. 



2105 



The European loom is represented in its plainest state, as it has existed for several 

 centuries, in fig. 2106. A is a warp-beam, round which the chain has been wound; B 

 represents the flat rods, usually 

 three in number, which pass across 

 between its threads, to preserve the 

 lease, or the plane of decussation 

 for the weft ; c shows the heddles 

 or healds, consisting of twines 

 looped in the middle, throughwhich 

 loops the warp-yarns are drawn, 

 one-half through the front heddle, 

 and the other through the back 

 one ; by moving which, the decus- 

 sation is readily effected. The 

 yarns then pass through the dents 

 of the reed under D, which is set in 

 a moveable swing-frame E, called 

 the lathe, lay, and also batten, be- 

 cause it beats home the weft to the 

 web. The lay is freely suspended 

 to a cross-bar F, attached by rulers, 

 called the swords, to the top of the lateral standards of the loom, so as to oscillate 

 upon it. The weaver, sitting on the bench o, presses down one of the treddles at H, 

 with one of his feet, whereby he raises the corresponding heddle, but sinks the alternate 

 one ; thus sheds the warp, by lifting and depressing each alternate thread through a 

 little space, and opens a pathway or race-course for the shuttle to traverse the middle 

 of the warp, upon its two friction rollers M M. For this purpose, he lays hold of the 

 picking-peg in his right hand, and with a smart jerk of his wrist drives the fly-shuttle 

 swiftly from one side of the loom to the other, between the shed warp-yarns. The 

 shoot of weft being thereby left behind from the shuttle pirn or cop, the weaver brings 

 home, by pulling the lay with its reed towards him by his left hand, with such force 

 as the closeness of the texture requires. The web, as thus woven, is wound up by turn- 

 ing round the cloth beam i. furnished with a ratchet-wheel, which takes into a holding- 

 tooth. The plan of throwing the shuttle by the picking-peg and cord, is a great im- 

 provement upon the old way of throwing it by hand. It was contrived upwards of a 

 century ago, by John Kay, of Bury, in Lancashire, but then resident in Colchester, 

 and was called the ' fly-shuttle',' from its speed, as it enabled the weaver to make double 

 the quantity of narrow cloth, and much more broad cloth, in the same time. 



The cloth is kept distended during the operation of weaving, bj- means of two 

 pieces of hard wood, called ' a templet,' furnished with sharp iron points in their cuds, 

 which take hold of the opposite salvages or lists of the web. The warp and web are 

 kept longitudinally stretched by a weighted cord, which passes round the warp-beam, 

 and which tends continually to draw back the cloth from its beam, where it is held 

 fast by the ratchet-tooth. See FUSTIAN, JACQTJARD LOOM, REET>, and TEXTILE FABRICS. 



The greater part of plain weaving, and much even of the figured, is now performed 



