WOOLLEN MANUFACTURE 



1159 



approach to parallelism, tho teeth enter moro deeply into the wool, till they pro- 

 gressively comb tho whole length of its fibres. The machine being then thrown out 

 of gear, the teeth are stripped of the tresses by the hand of the attendant ; the noyls, 

 or short refuse wool, being also removed, and kept by itself. 



This operation being one of simple superintendence, not of handicraft effort and skill, 

 like the old combing of long wool, is now performed by boys or girls of 13 and 14 

 years of age; and places in a striking point of view the influence of automatic 

 mechanism, in so embodying dexterity and intelligence in a machine, as to render the 

 cheap and tractable labour of children a substitute for the high-priced and often 

 refractory exertions of workmen too prone to capricious combinations. Tho chief 

 precaution to be taken with this machine, is to keep the steam-joints tight, so as not 

 to wet the apartments, and provide due ventilation for the operatives. 



The machine patented by James Noble, of Halifax, worsted-spinner, deserves 

 particular notice, as its mode of operation adapts it well also for heckling flax. 

 In fy. 2120, its internal structure is exhibited. Tho framework, a, a, supports the 

 axlo of a wheel, b, b, in suitable bearings on each side. To the face of this wheel 

 is affixed the excentric or heart-wheel cam, c, c, On the upper part of the peri- 



2120 



phery of this cam or heart-wheel, a lever, d, d, bears merely by its gravity ; one 

 end of which lever is connected by a joint to the crank, e. By the rotation of 

 the crank, e, it will be perceived that the lever d, will be slidden to and fro on 

 the Tipper part of the periphery of the excentric or heart-wheel cam, c, the outer 

 end of the lever, d, carrying the upper or working comb or needle-points, /, as 

 it moves, performing an elliptical curve, which curve will be dependent upon the 

 position of tho heart-wheel cam, c, that guides it. A moveable frame, g, carries 

 a series of points, h, which are to constitute the lower comb or frame of needles. 

 Into these lower needles the rough uncombed wool is to be fed by hand, and to be 

 drawn out and combed straight by the movements of the upper or working comb. 



As it is important, in order to prevent waste, that the ends of the wool should be 

 first combed out, and that the needle-points should be made to penetrate the wool 

 progressively, the moveablo frame, g, is in the first instance placed as far back as 

 possible ; and the action of the lever, d, during the whole operation, is so directed by 

 the varying positions of tho cam-wheel, as to allow tho upper comb to enter at first a 

 very little way only into the wool ; but as the operation of combing goes on, the 

 frame with the lower combs is made to advance gradually, and the relative positions 

 of the revolving heart cam-wheel c, being also gradually changed, tho upper or 

 working needles are at length allowed to bo drawn completely through tho wool, for 

 the purpose of combing out straight the whole length of its fibre. 



In order to give the machine the necessary movements, a train of toothed wheels 

 and pinions is mounted, mostly on studs attached to the side of the frame ; which 

 train of wheels and pinions is shown by dots in the figure, to avoid confusion. The 

 driving power, a horse or steam-engine, is communicated by a band to a rigger on 

 tho short axle i; which axle carries a pinion, taking into one of the wheels of the 

 train. From this wheel the crank c, that works the lever d, is driven ; and also, by 

 gear from the same pinion, the axle of the wheel b, carrying the excentric or heart- 

 wheel cam, is also actuated, but slower than the crank-axle. 



At the end of the axle of the wheel b, and cam c, a bevel-pinion is affixed, which 

 gears into a corresponding bevel-pinion on the end of the lateral shaft k. The re- 

 verse end of this shaft has a worm or endless screw /, taking into a toothed-wheel m ' r 

 and this last-mentioned toothed-wheel gears into the rack at tho under part of the 

 frame g. 



It will hence be perceived, that by tho movements of the train of wheels, a slow 



