SEWING SILK AND TWIST. 93 



rods, and is distributed on the bobbin by a traverse 

 motion. It is next cleared of knobs and husks by 

 another machine, so constructed that the silk passes 

 through holes in two plates of iron, over a glass rod 

 and on to another bobbin. The silk is next spun 

 single on a spinning frame, so constructed that the 

 spindles turn 1800 times in a minute, and may be so 

 regulated as to make any given number of twists in an 

 inch. 



The next process in order is tramming, or, in more 

 familiar language, doubling the silk. This is done on 

 a machine so constructed that the silk may be doubled 

 any number of times required to make a coarse or 

 fine thread. After tramming, it is throwsted, or, as it 

 is commonly called, twisted. This also is done on a 

 machine constructed in such manner that any given 

 number of twists may be made in an inch. The 

 twist is then set by steaming. This is done by submit- 

 ting the silk, while on the reels as it comes from the 

 throwsting machine, to the action of steam. The 

 steam is generated in a tin vessel over a cylindrical 

 stove, and passed into a receiver by a leaden pipe. 

 It is then ungummed by boiling in soap and water. 

 Having carried it through these several processes the 

 silk is ready for dyeing. 



After dyeing, the silk goes through another process 

 called " soft silk winding," the object of which is 

 merely to get the silk from the skeins to the bobbins. 

 It is then prepared for the weaver, and, if of the pro- 

 per size and twist, makes good sewing silk. 



The foregoing is the manner in which Mr. Cobb> 

 of Dedham, manufactures silk with the machinery 

 which he has in his factory. Some of his machinery 

 i<? from English patterns, and some of American in- 



