Mechanic Avis. Z9o 



review. But, like most other enterprises in the 

 manufacturing line, undertaken in our country, 

 they have not been pursued eitlier so extensivelv 

 or so profitably as could be wished. 



In this connection it will be proper to take some 

 notice of two American inventions, for facili- 

 tatine: the makino^ of wool and cotton Cards. 

 About sixteen or seventeen years ago, a machine 

 was invented in Massachusetts, for cutting and 

 bending wire in a state completely prepared for 

 sticking cards.'^ Before this time the cards used in 

 the United States were imported from Eurvone. 

 Ever since a sufficient quantity has been manufac- 

 tured in our owm country to supply its demands, 

 and, at a late period, for exportation to a considera- 

 ble amount. In 1797, Mr. Amos Whittemore, 

 of Cambridge, in Massachusetts, invented a ma- 

 chine, which, by a simple operation, bends, cuts, 

 aiulfsticks card teeth, by the aid of which a dozen 

 pairs of cards can be furnished in less time than 

 was formerly required to make a single pair.' 



Allied to the inventions above enumerated are 

 the improvements in the art of Weaving which 

 modern times have produced. Among these, per- 

 haps none is of more importance than the Flying 

 Shuttle, lately introduced by the artists of Great- 

 Britain. Previous to the introduction of this con- 

 trivance, when wide cloth was woven it was ne- 

 cessary to employ two or more hands to execute the 

 work. The same task can now be executed by 



h Two persons claimed the invention of this machine, v\z. Foster and 

 M'Clincu. The latter had hi? machine first in use, being more of a prac- 

 tical mechanic; but it was said that he had privately obtained a sigfit of 

 Foster's work, who first planned the machinery. As it is not easy to 

 ascertain the precise truth of this question, so it is of no importance to the 

 public to which of these gentlemen the honour belongs. 



;■ In September, 1799, William Wuittemore and Co. commenced the 

 manufacture of cards with this machine, in Cambridge. There are no\r 

 twenty three machines of this kind in operation at the same manufactory, 

 vhich are able to fornish two hundred dozen ^airs of cards, on an average, 

 every week. 



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