easy adjustment and is popular among those
using- it.
The '* bat- wing" motion is also frequently
used. It is similar to the Stearns except in
the shape of the cam and position of the lever.
It is not very well liked on account of its
many parts, but is best for wide looms as a
great deal of power can be had from it.
There are various combinations of these
motions having different names, but as all
embody essentially the same principles it is
unnecessary to mention them in detail.
In selecting a loom, other things being
equal, preference should be given to the one
having the smallest pick-cams and gears on
account of the momentum caused by large
ones. If a loom never got out of fix there
would be no objection to a large cam. In
fact they would be preferable as a large cam,
properly set, give a smoother pick, but when a
4
â– 26 LoOM-FlXIXG AND WEAVING.
loom slams off, the lav and crank-shaft come
to a sudden stop, while the cam-shaft has a
tendency to go on, often breaking the teeth^
boxes and other parts.
Beating Up. — When the shuttle passes
through the shed it leaves a single thread in
a diagonal line at varying distances from the
cloth. This is beat up by the reed, the mo-
tion being derived from the cranks on the
crank shaft. The throw of the cranks varies
from four to seven inches, being greatest for
wide looms. It is very evident, that in a
wide loom the shuttle has f^irther to go, and
therefore requires more time in which to do
it. To a certain extent this is g'ained bv
changing the time of the harness, but the
best possible advantage gained in this way
would not be sufficient for a very wide loom.
It is customary therefore for loom-makers to
vary the throw of the crank in proportion to
the width of the loom. It is desirable how^-
ever to have the throw as small as possible so
that the threads are not subjected to so much
chafing as would be the case with more space
in W'hich the reed could damage them. Man-
ufacturers having any 'trouble on account of
the shuttle not having- sufficient time to g-o
through the warp can often remedy it b}"
using a smaller shuttle. For a forty-inch
loom the width of the shuttle should be about
one-third the throw of the lay. For broader
LooM-FixiNG AND Weaving. 27
looms a little less and for narrower ones a
little more.
It is very evident that as the motion of the
lay changes at each revolution of the crank-
shaft it must stop a short tim.e at the end of
each stroke. If the center of the crank-shaft
were level with the pin connecting the crank-
arm with the la}^, the pause would be of ex-
actly the same duration at each end of the
stroke, but as the shaft is several inches low-
er, the lay will stop longer at the back center
than at the front, thus allowing more time for
the shuttle to pass through.
For ordinary work the reed is firml}^ se-
cured to the lay, but for goods where the cost
of the material is great, such as silk, the
reed is so arranged that if the shuttle should
stop before reaching the opposite box, the
reed springs back as soon as the shuttle strikes
it and no harm is done. The ordinary protec-
tor sometimes fails to act and to guard against
such accidents and also to protect the loom
from the jar caused by suddenly stopping it,
this device has been invented.
CHAPTER IV.
Setting and Starting Up New Looms-
Setting the Motions.
When looms are shipped knocked down,
the frames and sometimes the g-ears and pul-
leys are bolted together in crates — as many
in a crate as can be conveniently handled.
All the smaller parts — -rolls, temples, rockers,
etc., are boxed up, usually a hundred of each
kind together.
The plan by which the looms are to be
placed is generally prepared by the engineer,
but if not it is well enough to observe a few
general points. The heavier looms, or if
all are for tlie same weight of goods, the
wider ones should be placed on the line of
the main shaft and as near the source of pow-
er as possible. If they are not, the torsion
on the shaft will cause a vibration which of
course is to be avoided as much as possible.
The looms should not be crowded. With
looms thirty-six inches wide there should be
Loom-Fixing and Weaving. 29
four in a set — two facing each other — and
room to cret around each set. With narrow
looms six may be placed together. In weav-
ing any kind of goods the weaver often has
occasion to get to the back of the loom and
when they are so close together that he has
to go up the alley three or four looms farther
than is necessary, much valuable time is lost-
What is gained in floor space is more than
lost in production.
In order to have two lines of looms run
from the same shaft, every other loom must
be set over six or eight inches in order that
the delivery belts may not be together.
Sometimes the crank-shaft is made longeron
one of the looms. When this is done they
can be set in a straight line across the room
as well as length ways. This adds a great
deal to the appearance of the room
but is a bad plan except for very light
looms, as the addition length puts a great
deal of strain on the shaft. Some mill men
run the line of looms next the wall from a full
length shaft while others prefer a counter-
shaft for ever}^ two looms. In either case
the hangers should be as near the wall as
possible so as to avoid falling oil. The best
constructed hangers often give trouble from
this cause, but if there is no loom directly
underneath damage is not so likely to result.
After arranging the plan by which the
30 Loom-Fixing and Weaving.
looms are to be placed, the next thing to do
is to drop a plumb from the center of the
main shaft at each end of the room. From
the points where the plumb touches the floor
measure out as far as the looms are to be
and run a line from these two points. If a
permanent line is desired, -take a straight
edsre and scratch a line on the floor. The
CD
ends of the looms are then placed in
position with their feet just touching the
mark. The breast-beam, back-beam and
girths are then firmly bolted on. The frame
is now ready for leveling, which is usually
done from the breast and back-beam. The
cam-shaft is then put in followed by the crank-
shaft. On some looms it is most convenient
to put on the pick levers before putting in
the lay, but if not, the lay should next be
put in and after being connected with the
cranks it makes no material difierence in
what order the other motions are put on.
Care should be taken that all bolts are tight.
They are so apt to work loose that on a new
loom they should be tightened as tight as
they will stand.
The shuttle boxes need more attention
than they usually receive. When they leave
the shop they are supposed to be ground and
filed smooth. The writer served an appren-
ticeship in a shop where looms are made and
Loom-Fixing and Weaving. 31
saw enough to convince him that it will not
pay to trust to luck in this matter. Every
box should be examined and any rough
places carefully filed. It is a good plan to
file the front side a little beveled so that the
top will touch the shuttle a little before the
bottom. This will prevent the filling being
cut. The swell springs should be bent so as
to have the greatest curviture in the center,
graduall}^ reducing toward the ends. Where
the shuttle boxes are very long, for several
reasons it is best to have the greatest curvi-
ture as near the mouth of the box as possible.
It will not only cause the dagger to act
quicker, saving power, but will commence to
check the shuttle sooner and thus prevent
the filling being knocked off.
On ordinary looms, however, the spring
should be bent uniformly from the center,
for if the loom slams off and there is no
brake or it fails to act, the shaft may run
backwards enough to throw the reed against
the shuttle the end of which may be in the
selvage. If the spring is bent so that the
bulge is nearer the back of the box, the loom
will run all right, but w^hen the warp is off
and the fixer examines the dagger, he finds
the top of it beveled off as if by a file. This
is because the pressure of the shuttle against
the swell is relieved at the very beginning of
32 Loom-Fixing and Weaving.
the stroke and the dagger flies up and strikes
the knock-off lever before the lay has time
to get out of the way.
Whenever it is practicable the loom belts
should be crossed. Not only does this give
more surface of contact with the pulleys, but
the belts are kept clean. Where they are not
crossed they should be cleaned with a piece
of cloth at least once a week and some good
dressing applied. Card-clothing should never
be put on a belt and is not necessary where
they are kept clean. All belts should be put
on with the smooth side to the pulley. Not
only is the friction greater but the belt lasts
much longer. In a weave-room belts should
not be laced. In the first place it takes too
long and in the second place it gives too
much trouble. The largfer ones should be
cemented and the smaller ones fastened with
hooks. They are cheap, durable and easily
and quickly put on. Care should be taken
not to hammer out the curve that is in
them as it aids materially in holding them to
the leather. In putting on a new belt the
fixer usually puts it on any way it comes most
convenient. The lap, where the different
sections are cemented together should run
with the pulley. If it runs against it is very
.apt to give trouble and need repairing. If
LoOM-FlXlNG AND WeAVING. 33
the laps start up, about the quickest and best
way to fix it is to tack it down with tacks
that are just long enough to ^o through and
clinch.
When a loom has been run a long time the
bore in the loose pulley wears larger, at the
same time making the shaft smaller. This
â– allows the face of the loose. pulle}^ to drop be-
low the face of the tight one, and when the
belt is shifted its edge strikes the edge of the
pulley, greatly damaging the belt. The best
way to remedy this is to have a bushing put
in the pulley, bored the right size. Wire is
som.etimes wrapped around the shaft to in-
crease its diameter but is not as good a
method.
Setting The Motions,
Slieddillg Motion.-— This consists of the
cams, treadles, harness and straps for con-
necting the same. The proper adjustment is
of great importance, for on it, to a great ex-
tent, depends the appearance of the cloth.
If, when the harness were level, the eyes
would be on a level with .the whip-roll and
breast beam, each shade of the warp would
be of equal tension, and when the filling
was beat up every two warp threads would
be separate from the next two by a distance
easily appreciable to the eye. It is desirable
then to have the harness depressed so that at
each pick the top shade maybe slack. When
5
34^. LooiM-'FixiiM'G AXD Weaving.
this is the case the reed, when beating for-
ward will take up the slack and spread it;
over the f^ce of the cloth. To accomplish
this the whip-roller is raised several inches
higher than the race-board, and a strip of
wood about an inch thick is put on the breast
beam. The exact adjustrn:ent depends on the
class of soods woven. When the rmods are'
coarse or the filling beat up A'^ery close, there
is no space between the threads anyway aijd
no necessity for raising the vv^hip-roll or
breast beam. An exception to this rule is al-
so to be noted when weaving colored work
or drills. In the former case the colors show-
up more brightly, and in the latter the twill
is made more prominent.
It is not desirable to have the warp line
out of level more than is absolutely necessary^
as the yarn is submitted to a greater strain
and will break more easily. It may be said
in this connection, that anything which
tends to improve the appearance of the cloth
by spreading the warp threads will put ad-
ditional strain on the yarn. It is the business
then of every good weaver to find the exact
limit beyond which it would be unwise to go.
The harness cam should be set so that the
harness are level when the crank is just a
little forward of the bottom center. If all the
cams were made exactl}^ alike, it would make
no difference which box the shuttle were in.
L/OOM-FixiNG AND V7eaving. 35
but throiurh the carelessness of macliinists
the holes are often not in the right place and
to have some uniformity it is customary to
have the shuttle in the box nearest the pulley^
'There is an idea among some weavers that
the treadle to be depressed should be the one
nearest the side from which the loom is about
to pick. This idea probably originated with
the hand loom where such an arrangement
Vv^ould be a convenience to 'he weaver, but
in the power loom it is a matter of no conse-
quence. Care should be taken that the back
harness be depressed by the larger cam, and
the cam.s should be put in all the looms uni-
formly so that whether it be a right or left
hand loom, the large cam is always to the
left of the fixer when he is at the back of the
loom.
The front harness shculcl be set so that the
threads are as near the race board as possi-
ble without touching it, and the back harness
;a trifle hi.o-her. If the threads are too low,
thev will be chafed by the race board and if
too high by the shuttle. The harness should
open the same widith, or, in other words, the
shade should be as wide wheii the front har-
ness is raised as when the back is. To ac-
complish this, besides observing the points
previously mentioned, be careful to have both
the harness balls of the same diameter, to
have the harness straps the same thickness
36 Loom-Fixing and Weaving'..
and the motion of the balls equally divided
between the front and back straps.
The Lease EodS.— These play a more im^-
portant part in the shedding motion than is
generally supposed. As their narae indicates-
their primary object is to keep the lease, i. e.,.
keep the threads for the different harness
separate. This is necessaiy partly to keep
them from being- tangled, but ior the most
part in order to find the proper place for one
when broken. If a loom is started up with-
out the rods being in their place every fixer
knows what will happen— -the threads will
become tangled, obstruct the shed and the
shuttle will be thrown out. In order to main-
tain the relative position of the threads the
ones through the front harness are put under
the back rod, and those through the back
harness under the front rod. A moments
notice will show that if both rods were in the
same place, the shade of the harness would
vary only as they are a slight distance apart.
As both cannot be in the same place the dif-
ference is made up by having one thinner
than the other. This equalizes the size of
the sheds, and taken in connection with the
different size of the cams, balls , etc, the har-
ness can be set so that both sheds are of al-
most exactly the same width
If the rods are made of wood the threads
soon cut groves which are apt to catch a
Loom-Fixing and Weaving. 37
passing knot and break the thread. They
are sometimes covered with tin, but when the
tin wears off the sheet iron underneath dis-
colors the warp. It is best to have them cov-
ered with black enamel as it is so hard as to
resist the action of the threads, and so smooth
as to make practically no friction.
The Harness.— Too much stress can not
be laid on the importance of having good
harness. No one thing bothers a weaver
more or takes more time than frequently re-
pairing harness. In a mill of any size the
cost of harness is a considerable item, and
the superintendent noticing this will very of-
ten have the overseer to patch up the old ones
rather than buy new ones. Not only does
this take a great deal of time but the
chances are that a great many of the eyes
will break in the loom causing loss of time
and cloth.
Two harness are all that are necessary for
plain v/eaving, but a great many manufac-
turers prefer using four, the eyes being
spaced only half as close together. Most of
the threads that break in the loom are broken
by chafing against spooler knots, and if the
eyes are not crowded it is obvious that there
would be less trouble. All weavers agree
that the four harness system is the better if
it were not for the additional cost. New
^8 Loom-Fixing and Weaving.
harness should be thoroughly greased with
tallow before using.
Picking Motion. — This consists essentially
of a cam, pick-lever and picker-stick with
straps for connections. Its proper adjustment is
of the utmost importance, for without it, it is im-
possible to obtain satisfactory results. The cam
should be set so that the shuttle will begin to
leave the shuttle box when the crank lacks
just a little of being at the top center. Tlie
loom is then said to be picking soon. The
exact position of the cam varies under differ-
ent conditions. For a fast loom, i. e., one
making 175 or more picks per minute the
cam should be set so as to pick earlier than
for a loom making only 150. If the shuttle
box is short or if the goods woven is fully
as wide as the reed space, the cam must be
set a little later as the shuttle starts so close
to the cloth, not giving the harness time to
open the shed. In this case the shuttle must
receive a stronger blow in order to get it
through the shed in time.
For a new" loom the cam should be set at
such a distance from the bearing of the shaft
that its outer edge will be just flush with the
outer edge of the pick-ball. As the cam and
ball wear, the cam must be placed nearer the
bearing in order to obtain the same amount
of power.
The pick-lever should be set as close to
Loom-Fixing and Weaving. 39
the cam as possible. There is usuall}^ a
flangre or some Drominent mark on the loom
frame with which the back bearing should
come even. When the loom is running the
tendency is to knock the bearing up, thereb}^
preventing the cam from exerting its full
power. For this reason the bolts holding the
bearing should be large and v^^ell tightened.
The best picker-sticks are made from
straight-grain, second-growth hickory and,
if properly made and adjusted should last at
least a year. The lug-straps (the straps con-
necting the lever with the picker-stick)
should be so adjusted that when the loom
picks the picker does not come within two
inches of the bumper. In other words lengthen
the strap as much as possible and still have
the loom to run. The strength of the blow
necessarv to throw the shuttle from one box
â– J
to another, is known as the power, and the
rule of all rules among loom fixers is to use
as little as possible. Too much power means
broken picker-sticks, worn out straps, bat-
tered pickers and three times the trouble and
attention that would otherwise be necessary.
Besides thig the extra jar and vibration will
tend to loosen the bolts and screws in every
part of the loom. How to make a loom run
without too much power is what takes so
long to learn. As every loom fixer knows,
it takes about as long to learn this trade as
40 Loom-Fixing and Weaving.
any other. The exact position of the cams,
pick-levers, swells, etc., can only be determ-
ined by long experience. A large part of
the secret is having the protection right and
keeping it right. A great many fixers will
put the dagger in the center of the slot in the
knock-off lever, thinking it may work a little
either way and still be all right. If the lever
is pulled forward to the position it occupies
when the loom is running the dagger v/ill
strike it nearly an eighth of an inch higher
than when the lever is pushed full back.
This is owing to the fact that the dagger,
being fixed to the lay, describes the arc of a
circle, the radius of which is equal to the
length of the sword, and shows that a very
little margin when the looms is stopped,
becomes sufficient when it is running.
Besides this the fingers on the protecting rod
and more especially the plates on vv^hichthey
press wear rappidly, letting the dagger up a
little. If it was originally set in the center
of the slot, it soon gets entirel}^ over it and
the result is a smash.
Pickers. — Fo^^ plain w^eaving the pickers
are usually made of leather, well tanned and
cemented. When putting one on a loom
place it against the picker-stick at the ex-
treme end of the lav and bring the shuttle
against it with sufficient force to make a
small puncture in the leather. With this as
Loom-Fixing and Weaving. 41
a center cut a conical hole in the picker the
shape of the shuttle point. After putting on
the loop with sufficient packing to make it
tight, drive it on the picker-stick until the
center of the hole is exactly level with the
point of the shuttle, then bring the picker
forward against the bumper and if the hole is
still level or a little higher than the shuttle
point it is all right, but under no circumstan-
ces should it be lower. If it is too low it can
be made higher by inserting a small leather
wedge between the rocker or shoe and the
parallel tongue. If it is too high a wedge
similarly placed, but on the under side, w^ill
bring it to a proper level. On some looms a
set screw with a check-nut is on the rocker
bv means of which the picker can be ad-
justed.
It is desirable that the hole in the picker
be exactly level with the shuttle as it leaves
the box, but for fear of having it too low, it
is customary to have it a little high — say from
one-sixteenih to one-eighth of an inch. In
theory the shuttle should make its own hole
in the picker, when it is certain to be in the
right place, but in practice it is almost sure
to rebound unless the shuttle boxes are made
tighter, which is objectionable for several
reasons. The shuttle also has a tendency to
knock the picker up, which for obvious rea-
sons should be avoided.
6
42 L00M - FlXING AND WEAVING,
Filliilg Stop Motion.— This consists of a
cam on the cam shaft, a rack on the lay
between the reed and shuttle box, a
filling-fork mounted on a slide, a lever for
pushing the shipper handle from the retain-
ing notch, and a jointed lever tor communi-
cating the motion of the cam to the filling
fork. When the shuttle is in the home box
(the one nearer the pulley) the cam should
be set so that the lever just begins to rise
when the crank is on the front center. The
hook on the fork should then clear the
snake-head by one-tenth of an inch.
If the fork is adapted for the work it has to
do, it is not necessary for the prongs to pro-
ject beyond the rack, but just get through.
If the fork is too heavy the prongs must be
further forward. When this is done however
it draws off too much slack, and is liable to
kink the filling or have it catch on the fork.
The fork should either present a square front
to the filling or be slightly concave. If it is
rounding the filling sometimes goes over it
and the loom stops. If the prongs are too
short the filling occasionally gets under it
with the same result
Take Up Motion.— ^n this motion there is
an excentric either on the cam or crank shaft
which by means of a lever operates a ratch-
et gear which in turn is connected with the
sand roller by a train of gears. There is also
LOOM-FIXING AND WEAVING. 43
a device connected with the filling-fork, by
means of which the loom fails to take up for
several picks after the filling gives out.
When the shuttle is in the box farthest
from the pulley, the excentric should be
set so that the lever begins to go forward
(toward the excentric) just a little before the
crank reaches the front center. The loom
will take-up when it is in other positions but
will often take up one tooth in the gear when
it is not desirable, for instance, when the
weaver is getting the loom ready for chang-
ing the shuttles or draVv'ing in a brokan
thread. The stud holding the catch should
be placed about in the center of the slot.
Some take-up levers may be a trifle longer
than others, and to suit varying lengths, the
stud may be moved backward or forward.
Let Off Motion.' — There are several kinds
af let-off motions, all however, being classed
under two heads : the friction and the auto-
matic. The former usually consists of a
rope or strap passed around a drum on the
beam head. One end of it is fastened to a
lever to which a weight is attached. Bj'this
means a constant strain is kept on the warp
which lets off uniformerly whether the diam-
eter be great or small. The motion is rather
out of date and is not liked very^well as
damp weather effects the rope unfavorably.