716 



H A I N W O R K. 



Tambour 

 ing. 



PLATE 

 CXXXVII. 



Fig. 2. 



Figure 2. This figure represents a section of the 

 needle frame, the rack by which the handles are 

 made to revolve, and all the apparatus for opening 

 and shutting the needles. The point and barb of 

 the needle appear at a ; and the slider, which is par- 

 tially sunk in a groove, sunk longitudinally in the 

 stem of the needle, is at b. The slider is merely a 

 piece of pointed wire, which has also a longitudinal 

 groove, a:id is pointed pretty sharp. The slider was 

 at first fixed to a piece of flat brass, with waxed 

 silk, as fishing hooks are tied ; but the silk being of- 

 ten cut, by friction and other causes, it was found 

 better to cast a socket of tin round them, of the 

 shape which the figure represents in profile. At e 

 is a socket of brass, bored so as to fit the handle ex- 

 actly, and slide freely upon it. The upper part of 

 this socket being flattened, to receive the tin into 

 which the slider is cast, they were screwed together; 

 a slot being cast in the tin to allow it to slide a little 

 backward or forward, for the purpose of fitting the 

 tin, so that the points of the slider and needle might 

 correspond when shut. At f is a section of a cast- 

 iron bar extending across the machine, being the 

 same as is represented in Fig. 1. PlateCXXXVI. at 

 E. By the oscillatory movement of this bar, the 

 sockets slide backward and forward on the handles, 

 to open and shut the needles, each socket being 

 grooved to admit a notch of the bar. The handle 

 is at g, the pinion at h, and a profile of the rack at i. 

 These are the principal mechanical parts of the 

 machine, which has. been found to answer very well, 

 and is still in use. Its chief defect is its complexity, 

 and the fanciful nature of the work for which it is 

 employed. For this reason, the reader will perhaps 

 pardon the lengthening of the article a little, for the 

 purpose of considering its practical economy, in point 

 of expence, produce, and return, especially as those 

 remarks are accompanied by a description of another 

 machine, since invented, by the writer of this article, 

 the expence of which will not exceed one-tenth part 

 of that of the present, and whose product must be 

 vastly greater. It is also so different in its principle, 

 as to invade no one particular upon which the for- 

 mer patent rests for its validity. Mechanical de- 

 scriptions, in general, also so very seldom embrace con- 

 siderations of economy, or mercantile calculation of 

 any kind, as often to be dangerous, instead of pro- 

 ving really useful. 



Economy of this Invention. 



Economy ^ l " ias Decn vej 7 generally and very justly remark- 

 of the tarn- ed, that of the numerous speculators and projectors 

 bouring in mechanical inventions, very few, if almost any, dfe- 

 machine. r j ve benefit or emolument either from their genius or 

 their labour; but that those who succeed them very 

 frequently do. The causes of this phenomenon are 

 of the first importance, to both the man of science, 

 who devotes his time, his labour, and generally the 

 most valuable part ot" his life to pursuits of this 

 kind, and also to the capitalist, who, allured by the 

 prospect of exorbitant profit, after expanding large 

 . sums in untried speculations, ninety-nine turn sin a 

 hundred finds his golden dream suddenly interrupt- 

 ed, and heavy loss the consequence of embarking in 

 the dark, with no other guides to direct his course 

 but cupidity and credulity. The experience of this in- 

 vention affords a very fair, and, if properly considered, 



a very salutary, lesson to both these descriptions of Tambour- 

 people ; and the author of this article does not know * n S* 

 how he can discharge a more important, or more 

 useful duty, than to present to others the results of 

 long and dearly purchased experience. In the ex- 

 pectations of profit to be derived from every new in- 

 vention, it is necessary, in the first instance, to exa- 

 mine, with as much accuracy as the nature of the bu- 

 siness will admit, 



1st, What is likely to prove the reduction of la- 

 bour, and, consequently, of expence attending the 

 improvement, supposing it to be completely successful. 

 2d,' Of what nature is the business, and what pros- 

 pect does it present of employment, extension, and 

 permanence. 



3d, Under the peculiar circumstances of the case, 

 what capital will it require, both to overcome the 

 constant impediments attending new experiments ; to 

 mature the invention ; and, finally, to establish the 

 business upon such a scale of magnitude, as will ul- 

 timately remunerate the adventurers. 



Respecting the first of these points, the prospects- 

 attending the completion of this discovery were suffi- 

 ciently alluring. The tambouring business had been 

 established in Scotland for upwards of twenty years, 

 and it might have been very safely assumed, that 

 from twenty to thirty thousand people were either 

 constantly or occasionally employed in it. During 

 all this period, although, in common with every 

 other branch of the muslin manufacture, it had un- 

 dergone occasional vicissitudes, still, after every stag- 

 nation, it had constantly revived, and become equally 

 or more flourishing than ever. Consequently, it 

 seemed sufficiently rational to assume, that it had be- 

 come a permanently established trade in the coun- 

 try ; which, although subject to the vicissitudes com- 

 mon to all trades, and especially to those whose basis 

 is rather founded on luxury than actual necessity, 

 presented every prospect of holding a certain place 

 in the general mass of manufactures at all times. It 

 seemed further warrantable to conclude, that every 

 improvement, which, by diminishing labour, must ul- 

 timately lower the price of the commodity produced, 

 would contribute to its further extension, by .bring- 

 ing it within the reach of the most numerous class of 

 the community, who were withheld, not by want of 

 desire, but by want of wealth, from obtaining it. 

 The monopoly attending the possession of the ex- 

 clusive right of manufacture, also held out the most 

 flattering temptation to the possessors, by affording 

 a prospect of bringing the whole trade almost under 

 their immediate controul. Such prospects might very 

 naturally be supposed to operate powerfully, both 

 upon the inventor, and those who embarked with 

 him in the spedulation ; and, indeed, it would have 

 required a more than ordinary share of moderation, 

 not to have been sanguine in the anticipation of suc- 

 cess. 



Respecting the capital necessary, it was more diffi- 

 cult to form any precise or definite idea. Much 

 must depend on the scale of magnitude upon which 

 the business was to. be conducted, and huw soon its 

 returns w-.>uld be sufficient to iurnish the means of 

 its own extension, as far as prudence would warrant. 

 When the business was bfguu, the first difficulty 

 which prcst-nu-d itself, was the most proper means 

 of providing the requisite machinery. At this time 



