542 



CARPET. 



Carpet. wa ys to select one where the figures are small, for in 

 S *"~Y~"'' this case the two fabrics are always much closer in- 

 ter woven than in those where large figures upon 

 ample grounds are represented. 



In an economical view, considered comparatively 

 with other fabrics, the application of the principle of 

 fabricating double cloths, seems judicious in various 

 respects, when applied to carpets or floor cloths. 

 They must possess more warmth ; they may be re- 

 versed at pleasure, thus exposing alternately two 

 surfaces differing in the arangement of colour, al- 

 though similar in pattern ; and they are susceptible 

 of more variety of figure than could be produced so 

 cheaply on any single cloth. 



In giving such an account of this sort of cloth as 

 our limits will admit, we must confine ourselves whol- 

 ly to the operation of 'weaving the cloth in this article ; 

 for the other operations, although the whole are 

 generally practised within the same manufactory, 

 belong to the various processes for preparing and 

 dying woollen yarn, and will be found under the re- 

 spective articles relating to these branches of the 

 manufacture. 



The carpet manufactory, as practised in every part 

 of Europe where carpets are made, may be reduced 

 to two kinds. 



1st, Those which are woven double, and which 

 form by far the greatest part. 



2d, Those which are cut in imitation of velvet, and 

 which being much more expensive, are only used by 

 the most opulent persons. 



Double Cloth Carpets. 



Double If we suppose these to be composed only of two 



cloth colours, the principle of weaving them may be very 



carpets. easily explained. It is only necessary to raise the 

 warp of each web alternately for the passage of the 

 shuttle, the upper web being entirely above when the 

 under web is woven, and vice versa. A representa- 

 tion of the carpet draw loom, will be found in Fig. 

 PLATE 1 . Plate CXXX. which is a transverse section of a car- 

 CXXX. pet loom, showing that part which is called the har- 

 Fig- ! ness. In the front of these, in the real loom, are four 

 leaves of heddles, two being allotted for each web ; 

 but as these differ in no respect from common hed- 

 dies, excepting in the length of the eye, they are not 

 represented. The form of the eye which is common 

 both to the carpet and damask draw loom, will be 

 yj 5 seen by examining Fig. 5. In draw looms of every 

 kind, there is no sinking of any portion of the warp, 

 as in plain cloth ; the general body of the warp is 

 therefore placed low, and the threads under which 

 the shuttle is to pass are raised, all the others re- 

 maining stationary. The harness part of the loom is 

 moved by a boy or girl, placed to assist the weaver, 

 by moving the harness whilst he inserts. the woof, 

 /Fig. 4. and works the front mounting or heddles. Fig 4. A 

 represents the frame work of the loom ; B is a box 

 or frame of pullies, over which the cords of the 

 harness pass, and are then made fast to a piece of 

 wood, which the weavers call a table, and which 

 will be seen at E. From the tail of the harness 

 the simples descend, and to the end of each is 

 attached a small handle, called a bob. These han- 



Carpet. 



dles being disposed in pairs, and their regularity 

 preserved by means of a perforated board, it is only 

 necessary to pull every handle in succession ; the 

 weaver, at the same time, working the treddles with 

 his feet exactly as in any other loom. The treddles 

 are four in number, the fabric being that of plain or 

 alternate cloth, and two treddles allotted for each 

 web. The harness part of the carpet draw-loom is 

 furnished with mails, or metallic eyes, to avoid fric- 

 tion, and two threads are drawn through each eye. 

 The design of a carpet is drawn upon cross ruled 

 paper, exactly in the same way as every other species 

 of fanciful loom work, and is transferred from the 

 paper to the mounting, by rules so entirely similar to 

 those used for damask and all the branches of orna- 

 mental weaving, that a very short description will be 

 abundantly sufficient. It may, however, be of use 

 shortly to advert to the general principle upon which 

 the particular application of the harness to the weav- 

 ing of carpets depends ; for a little consideration of 

 general and elementary principles must, in every art 

 or science, prove of the greatest utility to those who 

 wish afterwards to qualify themselves for an extensive 

 knowledge of their particular application. Suppose 

 that two webs then, are so mounted, that every alter- 

 nate thread of the one may be raised, so as to form 

 an ample passage for the shuttle, without at all de- 

 pressing the other. Then suppose another web 

 placed above the former, at such a distance that it 

 will exactly touch the summit of those threads of 

 the former which are raised. Then if the threads of 

 the latter web are sunk, while the others are raised, 

 the two would be entirely incorporated. But if this 

 be only partially done at particular places, only those 

 parts immediately operated on will be affected by the 

 action of the apparatus employed. Supposing the 

 carpet is to consist of two colours, as green and yel- 

 low, and that on the upper surface, as stretched in 

 the loom, yellow flowers or ornaments are to be re- 

 presented upon a green ground ; then all those species 

 of design paper, which are coloured, may be suppo- 

 sed to represent the yellow, and those which are va- 

 cant the green. Then counting the spaces upon 

 the paper, omit those which are vacant, and cord 

 those which are coloured, and the effect will be pro- 

 duced. But as the two webs are to be raised alter- 

 nately, whatever is corded for the first handle must 

 be passed for the second, and whatever is passed for 

 the first must be corded for the second. Thus the 

 handles being placed in pairs, one will produce the 

 flower, and the other the ground. Fig. 2 and 3, 

 are profile elevations of the carpet draw loom. Fig. 



2. represents' a section of the harness ; the box of 

 pullies being at B, the perforated board or regula- 

 tor at C, and the suspended weights at D. In Fig. 



3. the box or frame of pullies is at B, the board by 

 which the simples are regulated appears at F, and the 

 handles or bobs at G. In both figures, the portion 

 of the frame work of the loom which is visible, is 

 distinguished by the letter A. 



Turkey and Wilton Carpets. 



Turkey 



These carpets are merely woollen velvets, with va- and Wil- 

 riegated colours, and theirprinciple is, inevery respect, ton carpets. 



PLATE 

 CXXX. 



Fl ^* 2> 



