The spinning silk-mill

—The machine which twists the silk threads, either in their single or doubled state, is called the spinning mill. When the raw singles are first twisted in one direction, next doubled, and then twisted together in the opposite direction, an exceedingly wiry, compact thread, is produced, called organzine . In the spinning mill, either the singles or the doubled silk, while being unwound from one set of bobbins, and wound upon another set, is subjected to a regular twisting operation; in which proce the thread is conducted as usual through guides, and coiled diagonally upon the bobbins by a proper mechanism. IMG:4147767755307473660_illo1111a.png:Spinning machine Fig. 988. exhibits an end view of the spinning mill; in which four working lines are shown; two tiers upon each side, one above the other. Some spinning mills have three working tiers upon each side; but as the highest tier must be reached by a ladder or platform, this construction is considered by many to be injudicious. IMG:4147767755307473660_illo1111b.png:Spinning machine Fig. 989. is a front view, where, as in the former figure, the two working lines are shown. IMG:4147767755307473660_illo1112.png:Details of machine Fig. 990. is a cro section of a part of the machine, to illustrate the construction and play of the working parts; figs. 996 , 997. are other views of fig. 990. IMG:4147767755307473660_illo1113a.png:Details of machine Fig. 991. shows a single part of the machine, by which the bobbins are made to revolve. Figs. 992. and 993. show a different mode of giving the traverse to the guide bars, than that represented in fig. 990. IMG:4147767755307473660_illo1113b.png:Bobbins Figs. 994. and 995. show the shape action of these two different traverse motions. The upper part of the machine being exactly the same as the under part, it will be sufficient to explain the construction and operation of one of them. A , A , are the end upright frames or standards, between which are two or three intermediate standards, according to the length of the machine. They are all connected at their sides by beams B and C , which extend the whole length of the machines. D , D , are the spindles, whose top bearings a , a , are made fast to the beams B , and their bottoms turn in hard bra steps, fixed to the bar C . These two bars together are called, by the workmen, the spindle box. The standards A , A , are bound with cro bars N , N . c , c , are the wharves or whorls, turned by a band from the horizontal tin cylinder in the lines of E , E , fig. 988. , lying in the middle line between the two parallel rows of spindles D , D . F , F , are the bobbins containing the untwisted doubled silk, which are simply pre ed down upon the taper end of the spindles. d , d , are little flyers, or forked wings of wire, attached to washers of wood, which revolve loose upon the tops of the said bobbins F , and round the spindles. One of the wings is sometimes bent upwards, to serve as a guide to the silk, as shown by dotted lines in fig. 990. e , e , are pieces of wood pre ed upon the tops of the spindles, to prevent the flyers from starting off by the centrifugal force. G , are horizontal shafts bearing a number of little spur wheels f , f . H , are slot-bearings, similar to those of the doubling-machine, which are fixed to the end and middle frames. In these slots, the light square cast-iron shafts or spindles g , fig. 989. , are laid, on whose end the spur wheel h is cast; and when the shaft g lies in the front slot of its bearing, it is in geer with the wheel f , upon the shaft G ; but when it is laid in the back slot, it is out of geer, and at rest. See F , F , fig. 986. Upon these little cast-iron shafts or spindles g , fig. 991. , the bobbins or blocks I , are thrust, for receiving, by winding-on, the twisted or spun silk. These blocks are made of a large diameter, in order that the silk fibres may not be too much bent; and they are but slightly filled, at each succe ive charge, lest, by increasing their diameter too much, they should produce too rapid an increase in the rate of winding, with proportional diminution in the twist, and risk of stretching or tearing the silk. They are therefore the more frequently changed. K , K , are the guide bars, with the guides i , i , through which the silk pa es, being drawn by the revolving bobbins I , and delivered or laid on by the flyers d , d , from the rotatory twisting-bobbins F . The operation of the machine is therefore simple, and the motions are given to the parts in a manner equally so. Upon the shaft of the tin cylinder or drum, exterior to the frame, the usual fast and loose pulleys, or riggers, L , L ′, are mounted, for driving the whole machine. These riggers are often called steam-pulleys by the workmen, from their being connected by bands with the steam-driven shaft of the factory. In order to allow the riggers upon the shafts of the upper and the under drums to be driven from the same pulley upon the main shaft, the axis of the under drum is prolonged at L , L , and supported at its end, directly from the floor, by an upright bearing. Upon the shafts of the tin cylinders there is also a fly-wheel M , to equalize the motion. Upon the other ends of these shafts, namely at the end of the spinning-mill, represented in fig. 988. , the pinions 1 are fixed, which drive the wheels 3, by means of the intermediate or carrier wheel 2; called also the plate wheel, from its being hollowed somewhat like a trencher. 1, is called the change-pinion, because it is changed for another, of a different size and different number of teeth, when a change in the velocity of wheels 2 and 3 is to be made. To allow a greater or smaller pinion to be applied at 1, the wheel 2 is mounted upon a stud k , which is movable in a slot concentric with the axis of the wheel 3. This slot is a branch from the cro bar N . The smaller the change-pinion is, the nearer will the stud k approach to the vertical line joining the centres of wheels 1 and 3; and the more slowly will the plate wheel 2 be driven. To the spur wheel 3, a bevel wheel 4, is fixed, with which the other also revolves loose upon a stud. The bevel wheel 5, upon the shaft l , is driven by the bevel wheel 4; and it communicates motion, by the bevel wheels 6 and 7, to each of the horizontal shafts G , G , extending along the upper and under tiers of the machine. At the left-hand side of the top part of fig. 988. the two wheels 6 and 7 are omitted, on purpose to show the bearings of the shaft G , as also the slot-bearings for carrying the shafts or skewers of the bobbins. If it be desired to communicate twist in the opposite direction to that which would be given by the actual arrangement of the wheels, it is nece ary merely to transpose the carrier wheel 2, from its present position on the right hand of pinion 1, to the left of it, and to drive the tin cylinder by a cro ed or close strap, instead of a straight or open one. The traverse motion of the guide is given here in a similar way to that of the engine, ( fig. 975. ) Near one of the middle or cro -frames of the machine (see fig. 990. ) the wheel f , in geer with a spur wheel h , upon one of the block-shafts, drives also a spur wheel m , that revolves upon a stud, to which wheel is fixed a bevel wheel n , in geer with the bevel wheel o . To wheel o , the same mechanism is attached as was described under figs. 979. and 980., and which is here marked with the same letters. To the crank-knob r , fig. 990. , a rod x , is attached, which moves or traverses the guide bar belonging to that part of the machine; to each machine one such apparatus is fitted. In figs. 992. and 993. another mode of traversing the guide bar is shown, which is generally used for the coarser qualities of silk. Near to one of the middle frames, one of the wheels f , in geer with the spur wheel m , and the bevel wheel n , both revolving on one stud, gives motion also to the wheel o , fixed upon a shaft a′ , at whose other end the elliptical wheel b′ is fixed, which drives a second elliptical wheel c′ , in such a way that the larger diameter of the one plays in geer with the smaller diameter of the other; the teeth being so cut as to take into each other in all positions. The crank-piece d′ is screwed upon the face of the wheel c′ , at such a distance from its centre as may be nece ary to give the desired length of traverse motion to the guide bar for laying the silk spirally upon the blocks. The purpose of the elliptical wheel is to modify the simple crank motion, which would wind on more silk at the ends of the bobbins than in their middle, and to effect an equality of winding-on over the whole surface of the blocks. In fig. 993. the elliptical wheels are shown in front, to illustrate their mode of operating upon each other. Fig. 994. is a block filled by the motion of the eccentric, fig. 900. ; and fig. 995. is a block filled by the elliptical mechanism. As the length of the motions of the bar in the latter construction remains the same during the whole operation, the silk, as it is wound on the blocks, will slide over the edges, and thereby produce the flat ends of the barrel in fig. 995. The shortened motions of the guide bar, as the stud approaches, in its sun-and-planet rotation, nearer to the general centre. IMG:4147767755307473660_illo1113c.png:Differential mechanism Figs. 996 , 997. are two different views of the differential mechanism described under fig. 990. The bent wire x , fig. 990. , is called the guider iron. It is attached at one end to the pivot of the sun-and-planet wheel-work t , s , o , and at the other to the guide bar f , f , fig. 989. The silk threads pa through the guides, as already explained. By the motion communicated to the guide bar ( guider ), the diamond pattern is produced, as shown in fig. 994. THE SILK AUTOMATIC REEL. In this machine, the silk is unwound from the blocks of the throwing-mill, and formed into hanks for the market. The blocks being of a large size, would be productive of much friction, if made to revolve upon skewers thrust through them, and would cause frequent breakage of the silk. They are, therefore, set with their axes upright upon a board, and the silk is drawn from their surface, just as the weft is from a cop in the shuttle. On this account the previous winding-on must be executed in a very regular manner; and preferably as represented in fig. 994. IMG:4147767755307473660_illo1114.png:Automatic silk reel IMG:4147767755307473660_illo1115.png:Automatic silk reel Fig. 998. is a front view of the reel; little more than one-half of it being shown. Fig. 999. is an end view. Here the steam-pulleys are omitted, for fear of obstructing the view of the more e ential parts. A , A , are the two end framings, connected by mahogany stretchers, which form the table B , for receiving the bobbins C , C , which are sometimes weighted at top with a lump of lead, to prevent their tumbling. D is the reel, consisting of four long laths of wood, which are fixed upon iron frames, attached to an octagonal wooden shaft. The arm which sustains one of these laths is capable of being bent inwards, by loosening a tightening hook, so as to permit the hanks, when finished, to be taken off, as in every common reel. The machine consists of two equal parts, coupled together at a , to facilitate the removal of the silk from either half of the reel; the attendant first lifting the one part, and then the other. E is the guide bar, which by a traverse motion causes the silk to be wound on in a cro direction. b and c are the wire guides, and d are little levers lying upon the cloth-covered guide bar E . The silk in its way from the block to the reel, pa es under these levers, by which it is cleaned from loose fibres. On the other end of the shaft of the reel, the spur wheel 1 is fixed, which derives motion from wheel 2, attached to the shaft of the steam-pulley F . Upon the same shaft there is a bevel wheel 3, which impels the wheel 4 upon the shaft e ; to whose end a plate is attached, to which the crank f is screwed, in such a way as to give the proper length of traverse motion to the guide bar E , connected to that crank or eccentric stud by the jointed rod g . Upon the shaft of the steam-pulleys F , there is a worm or endle screw, to the left of f , fig. 999. , which works in a wheel 5; attached to the short upright shaft h ( fig. 998. ). At the end of h , there is another worm, which works in a wheel 6; at whose circumference there is a stud i , which strikes once at every revolution against an arm attached to a bell, seen to the left of G ; thus announcing to the reel-tenter that a measured length of silk has been wound upon her reel. e is a rod or handle, by which the fork l , with the strap, may be moved upon the fast or loose pulley, so as to set on or arrest the motion at pleasure. Throwsters submit their silk to scouring and steaming proce es. They soak the hanks, as imported, in lukewarm soap-water in a tub; but the bobbins of the twisted single silk from the spinning mill are enclosed within a wooden chest, and exposed to the opening action of steam for about ten minutes. They are then immersed in a cistern of warm water, from which they are transferred to the doubling frame. The wages of the workpeople in the silk-throwing mills of Italy are about one half of their wages in Manchester; but this difference is much more than counterbalanced by the protecting duty of 2 s. 10 d. a pound upon thrown silk, and the superior machinery of our mills. In 1832, there was a power equal to 342 horses engaged in the silk-throwing mills of Manchester; and of about 100 in the mills of Derby. The power employed in the other silk mills of England and Scotland has not been recorded. There is a peculiar kind of silk called marabout , containing generally three threads, made from the white Novi raw silk. From its whitene , it takes the most lively and delicate colours without the discharge of its gum. After being made into tram by the single twist upon the spinning mill, it is reeled into hanks, and sent to the dyer without further preparation. After being dyed, the throwster re-winds and re-twists it upon the spinning mill, in order to give it the whipcord hardne which constitutes the peculiar feature of marabout. The cost of the raw Novi silk is 19 s. 6 d. a pound; of throwing it into tram, 2 s. 6 d. ; of dyeing, 2 s. ; of re-winding and re-twisting, after it has been dyed, about 5 s. ; of waste, 2 s. , or 10 per cent.; the total of which sum is 31 s. ; being the price of one pound of marabout in 1832. An Estimate of the Annual Quantities of Silk produced or exported from the several Countries in the World, exhibiting also the Countries to which exported. | Countries whence exported. | Quantities. | Countries to which exported. | Quanti- ties. | | Italy exports | 34,000 | bales | of | 225 | | small lbs. | | Bales. | | France produces | 10,500 | | - | | 73 | 1⁄8 | kils., or | | | - | England | 28,000 | | India and Bengal export | 9,500 | | 128 | 1⁄2 | Vienna lbs. | France | 22,000 | | Persia | 7,500 | | | | 162 | | lbs. English | | Pru ia | 7,600 | | China | 4,000 | | | Ru ia | 6,400 | | Asia Minor | 3,500 | | | Austria and Germany | 5,000 | | Levant, Turkey, and Archipelago export | 3,500 | | | Switzerland | 5,000 | | Spain | 1,500 | | | | | Total | 74,000 | bales. | | Total | 74,000 |