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CHAIN WORK. 



Network. 



Construc- 

 tion and 

 u*e ot the 

 meshing 

 frame. 

 PLATE 

 CXXXIX. 

 figures 

 1, 2, 8, 4. 



represented at BB and FF, or what may, without 

 impropriety, be termed the meshing frame of the ma- 

 chine. In order to convey a3 ample and clear an 

 idea of the nature and action of this part, it will be 

 proper to refer to Plate CXXXIX. Figures 1, 2, 3, 4. 

 where it is represented in various points of view, and 

 upon a much more enlarged scale. 



Construction and Use of the Meshing Frame. 



In Plate CXXXIX. Figs. 1 and 2, are two ver- 

 tical representations of this part of the machine, 

 shewing the different forms which it assumes in va- 

 rious stages of the operation. Fig. 1 represents it in 

 its close state ; that is to say, in the way in which 

 it appears after the formation of the mesh and the 

 knotting to secure it are completed. Fig. 2 repre- 

 sents it ID its open state, as it appears previous to, and 

 during the formation of, the mesh and knotting. In 

 Fig. 3 is given a horizontal plan of the same appara- 

 tus, necessary to elucidate some of the principles of 

 its construction, and mode of its operation ; and in 

 Fig. 4 is given a section of the bobbins upon which 

 the twine is wound, to explain also their particular 

 construction and operation. This last, like Fig. 1 

 and 2, is a vertical representation or elevation. 



In order to form the ring knot, it is well known 

 that two twines or cords are to be laid parallel to, and 

 in contact with, each other ; that they are then 

 turned round in a circular form similar to that of a 

 ring, (whence probably the name is derived.) and 

 one end of both twines being passed through the 

 ring, the knot is completed. This mode of knotting 

 seems to afford a particular advantage over all others 

 not liable to slip in this respect, that the two twines 

 to be knotted being parallel and contiguous to each 

 other, the requisite motions and crossings of both are 

 precisely the same, and consequently when knotted by 

 the aid of machinery, the process becomes more simple 

 than where the motions of the two twines and their flex- 

 ures and crossings are different. The twine of the 

 net being wound upon bobbins, and these disposed 

 in pairs, so that two threads may be contiguous, and 

 the further extremities attached to the receiving beam, 

 we are ready to commence the operation, the mesh 

 frames being in the open state as represented by Fig. 



2. It is proper to keep in mind, however, that there 

 are four upright arms in each frame similar to those 

 at CC, although only two are represented, the other 

 two being at right angles to those which appear at 

 B, which will be very plain by inspecting the hori- 

 zontal plan. Fig. 3. The whole four diverging 

 equally, form a diamond, and by passing two twines 

 round at the points CC, a ring is formed for the knot. 

 When the twines are thus passed round so as to form 

 somewhat more than a circle, that part which crosses 

 must be done below the other. If the bobbins are then 

 raised, brought over the ring, again sunk in its centre, 

 and pulled tight, the ring knot will be complete, and 

 the tension of the ends will close the frame until the 

 points meet in the centre, as in Fig. 1. The knot 

 may be then slipped off, and the upright arms at 

 CC will revert to the open state by their own gravi- 

 ty. This may be very well seen by inspecting Fig. 



3. It is thus that the ring knot may be formed 

 with the greatest accuracy and dispatch ; and were 

 the same twines always contiguous and knotted to- 

 gether, the operation would be simple indeed. But 



it is evidently necessary to complete the diagonal or Network. 



diamond shape of the mesh, that the contiguity of the S *~Y"" I< " >/ 



twines should be changed at every alternate knotting. 



Thus at one knotting, the twines 1 2, 3 4, 5 6, &c. 



(see Fig. 5.) should be contiguous, anu, at the 



next, that 2 3, 4 5, Sec. should come into contact. 



For this purpose some addition is necessary to the 



apparatus, and an idea of its construction and 



use will be gathered from Figs. 3 and 4, Plate 



CXXXIX. 



In addition to the exterior apparatus or folding PLATE 

 arms of the frame, another part is necessary, which is XX , ?^* 

 partially represented at L, Fig. 1, but which will be lgs * ' 

 better understood by referring to Figs. 3 and 4. Fig. 

 3 exhibits a horizontal plan of the meshing Frame and 

 contiguous apparatus. The standards upon which 

 the upright arms of the frame are jointed, appear 

 plainly as quadrants of a circle at DDDD. That 

 part of the apparatus which directs the operation of 

 the bobbins at L, will also be distinctly seen in this 

 figure. When the operation commences, the appa- 

 ratus L, which moves horizontally on a centre, is in 

 the situation of L2, that is to say, just without the 

 circumference of the meshing frame. Now let the 

 whole apparatus of this frame revolve upon the com- 

 mon centre of motion, or spindle which supports it* 

 (A, Fig. I.) and the two contiguous twines at NN, 

 &c. will form the ring of the knot, the arms of the 

 meshing frame serving to keep the ring distended. 

 The two bobbins being at the lower part of the 

 spindle on which they revolve, will cross under the 

 twines which are round the frame at the point near 

 M. The bobbins are then to be raised upon the up- 

 per spindle. The cross rail, with projecting pins at 

 O. being next shifted in a direction towards the upper 

 part of the figure, the apparatus at L will change its 

 position until it is right over the centre of motion, 

 when the bobbins being let down into the centre of 

 the ring, the knot will be formed, and the distended 

 arms brought into contact as in Fig. 1. An inverted 

 shift of the shaft O will then bring the bobbins again 

 without the ring, and one series of meshes will be 

 completed. The next operation, then, will be to 

 change the contiguity of the bobbins for the next 

 mesh. In order to effect this, reference may be made 

 to the vertical section, Fig. 4. In this figure the 

 vertical spindles are placed at a little distance, the 

 one being perpendicularly over the other. This in- 

 terval or chasm is to allow them to change freely 

 from the outside to the inside of the ring after it has 

 been formed, the twines passing through the interval. 

 The lower part of the bobbin spindle Al, moves upon 

 the centre at D, a> already described. All the up- 

 per parts at A 2 are fixed in a shaft of wood F, ex- 

 tending across the machine. This shaft, by means 

 of grooves or slit holes, slides freely from side to side 

 upon another shaft E, and this latter shaft, by means 

 of a crank at each end, is susceptible of the same 

 motion as that at A below, so that one may be al- 

 ways perpendicularly over the other. In order to 

 guard as much as possible against those trivial in- 

 accuracies to which machinery of every kind is in 

 some degree liable, it may be proper to give each 

 spindle a sharpened point, so that they may approach 

 each other like inverted cones. If the bobbins be 

 also countersunk at each end, there will be little dan- 

 ger of their miasing the proper direction while shift- 



