Woolen and worsted loomfixing; a book for loomfixers and all who are interested in the production of plain and fancy worsteds and woolens

Preface

The particular subject on which this work treats is "The Knowles Heavy Woolen Loom " but the subject matter in general, with the exception of certain specific points is applicable to almost any woolen loom. The troubles, causes, and treatment being very much the same in general on one loom as on another.

It is not intended in this book to explain how the different looms are made nor what the different parts are for, as that is unnecessary to a loomfixer, and furthermore would require too large a volume to suit the author's purpose ; but to discuss as much as possible, the various problems with which a fixer has to grapple.

The author's first intention in this line was simply to make notes of all the various remedies, little tricks etc., valuable to a loomfixer, that should come to his knowledge, either through instruction, experience, observation or in any other way while in the prime of life so that in future years, when his memory begins to fail him, as it has done to many men who were good fixers in their day, he will have something to refer to. And it may be said here, after having made up his mind to pub-

II PREFACE

lish the work in book form, that he would have given a good deal, earlier in life to have known some of the things herein contained.

It will no doubt be worth its cost many a time over to young fixers who have not yet acquired the experience of an older hand, and it may be used at least as a reminder to an old fixer.

Of course if a man is not a loomfixer, all the books ever published would not make him one. If he cannot fix looms without a book, he cannot do so with one. But any one who has not had the experience, or whose 'mind is too occupied with something else, some trouble with another loom for instance, so that at the time being, he does not think of things of vital importance, may find a discourse on the subject to save him a great amount of experimenting. Or it may bring to mind some remedy which he had used successfully on former similar occasions.

There are two things that are absolutely necessary to the making of a good loomfixer : they are gumption and experience. The latter, though a necessary assistant to the former can never be sufficiently acquired to take its place altogether.

The work of a loomfixer may be classed into two parts, viz : Mental and physical ; a large

PREFACE III

proportion of the fancy loomfixer's work being of the former kind ; comprising principally, such things as hunting for the causes of the different things that will occur on a section of looms. Trying to get a good smooth pick on a loom, which by the way is sometimes a very difficult thing to do. Trying to remedy a case of filling cutting ; having trouble with the head motion, harness skips, for instance. Loom-banging through uneven picking power ; unsteady box-motion ; shuttle going crooked etc. These things at times will tax the ingenuity of the best fixer that ever attempted to learn the language of a loom. It is this part of the loomfixer's work which the author has herein attempted to discuss.

The manual part of a loomfixer's work, comprising such things as replacing broken pickersticks, pickers, and other parts are things on which it is not necessary to dwell to any great extent, though at times it requires considerable skill to do even that part of his work to the best advantage ; in fact there is skill in everything. Even the man who uses the pick and shovel may become so skillful at it that he can do perhaps twice the amount of work with the same exertion that another man would have to use who was not accustomed to that kind of work. He would know just where to dig in

IV PREFACE

with his pickaxe and at what angle, etc. which the unskilled would not have learned.

Generally speaking (but not always by any means), it is an easy matter to fix a loom after the cause of the trouble has been located ; but whenever it is thought advisable, not only is the probable cause pointed out, but suggestions are offered as to the best way to go about fixing it.

While there may be some important points in loomfixing omitted through oversight, there are a great many things left out purposely. Things which all loomfixers must necessarily know about, consequently there is no need to take up the space in this book with them. Someone has said that a loom talks, but alas ! how difficult is its language to learn ! A young fixer may think he understands it thoroughly but as he grows older and begins to see a little deeper into things, he finds out that he does not understand it as well as he thought he did, and bye and bye he sometimes begins to think he does not understand it at all.

Of the origin or history of weaving the author has got nothing to say, but the progress that has been made in the art of manufacturing in general during the last thirty or forty years is such, that now we find machinery almost entirely automatic. Cotton looms are made at

PREFACE V

the present day that will run for more than an hour without the attention of a weaver and produce perfect cloth.

One cannot think seriously of these things without the thought suggesting itself that the time has come when women and children, yes and even men, should not be required to work and be confined in the mill ten hours a day to earn a scanty living. If anyone thinks that that is not too long, let him look into the weary, careworn faces of the mill operatives as they come out at night or before they get out into the open air, and if he is a man who tries to live up to the divine law he will alter his opinion.

This book, to be used to the best advantage, should be kept with you at your work where it will be handy and whenever you have any trouble with anything for which at the time you do not think of a remedy, just turn to that subject and see what is said on it. The chances are that if you do not find any satisfactory solution in it, there will be something suggested that will help you to invent one.

A. AINLEY, Lawrence, Mass.

CONTENTS,

Chapter I. The Belt

Belts should not be put on to a loom in any manner, whichever end comes first ; they should be put on so that the splicings on the outside will follow. This is contrary to the teachings of some writers on this subject. They claim that the lap on the inside of the belt should go with the pulley ; if so, the end of the lap on the outside would lead, and that is wrong, for the simple reason that, on account of the outside of the belt where it is passing around the pulley being considerably tighter than the inside, the laps whenever they do start at all do so on the outside, consequently the laps on the out side should not lead, but follow, so as to avoid contact with the air, which of itself is sufficient to open out the splice after it has once started. The statement that the slipping of the belt would cause the lap to roll is all nonsense, because if such a thing was possible in one direction it would be in the other. The driving pulley would do it in one direction ^nd the driven pulley would do it in the other.

The question has often been asked "Which is the best side of a belt to run to the pulley ?"

There is no doubt that the smooth side has a little greater pulling power than the flesh side, but the difference is very small indeed. The flesh side, being the shorter side, fits more snugly to the pulley, and belts that are run on that side will last longer than the other way, — in the writer's estimation.

TIGHT BELTS are no advantage to a loom, but rather a disadvantage to the steady running of it Any lurch or back-lash in the speed is communicated to the loom when the belt is too tight but if it is moderately slack the loom is not run so rigidly.

BELT DRESSING. If the belt is slipping it is not the best thing you can do to tighten it up, unless it is very slack. It should have the accumulation of dust, dried belt-dressing and flyings cleaned off the surface and some good dressing applied. The dressing in some cases seems to get dried on very quickly, leaving a dry, hard surface. When this is the case it should be well oiled ; not with lubricating oil, but castor oil or Neat's foot oil or something of that nature that will make the surface soft and pliable but not soak it with grease.

Every fixer should have a hand card of fine wire tacked on to a block of wood for the purpose of cleaning his belts, but it should not be used so hard as to make the surface rough. A rough surface does not pull as well as a smooth one if it is kept clean and soft. Cross belts very seldom need any attention as they are selfcleaning. They are the best on a loom.

It is a poor policy to lace loom belts, the ordinary belt fasteners are far better. In the fic£t place they can be applied in less than a quarter of the time that it takes to lace one, they give less trouble and if properly applied will last a great deal longer. The belt should be hammered on to the clasp, not the clasp on to the belt, and care should be taken not to flatten it out or the belt would have a tendency to leave it when passing around the pulley.

THE FRICTION PULLEY.

The friction pulley plays a very important part in the running of a Knowles loom or perhaps any other loom where a friction pulley is used, especially on heavy work.

On some weaves where there are more harnesses changing places on one pick than on another, a poor friction will cause a loss of power and result in loom banging off.

Of course there are other things besides loss of power that will cause a loom to bang off, but that subject is treated more fully later on. To overcome this trouble find out in the first instance whether it is the friction pulley or the belt that is slipping the most. This can be done in the following manner : take the shuttle out of the box, hold the brake lever down with your foot and start the loom up. Watch the loose pulley ; if it stops you will know that the friction is holding and that the belt is slipping. But if it is the friction that is slipping, find out first (to use the fixer's term) if there is friction enough on. If not, draw it up a little closer. Next, see that the counter shaft is properly blocked so that it can't slide forward. If after seeing that these things are all right, the friction is still slipping, it is probably greasy. A greasy friction is an abomination and the best way to get over it, if it is badly soaked, is to take it off and have it recovered. Every mill should have spare friction pulleys so as to avoid waiting. If you prefer to use it a little longer, scrape the grease off with a straight edged scraper and rub some dry slacked lime into it and it will be good for a while longer. The above directions are also a good thing to follow in cases where the loom does not stop quickly enough. But first see that the wooden block in the casting at the end of the counter shaft is the proper thickness to hold the shaft properly ; not to bind, but prevent it from slipping forward. Because, if when you start the loom the counter shaft should move forward, say one-twelfth inch, it would slide back the same amount when you stop it ; thus, if the friction is a little sticky the loom would be likely to run a couple of picks after you had tried to stop it.

• Never scrub the leather on the friction pulley with sand paper, as that spoils its surface but does it no good.

TURNING IT DOWN. Whenever you put on a new friction pulley and after it has run a little while you are not satisfied with it, take the shaft out and examine the surface of the leather, and you will probably find that it only touches here and there ; consequently it does not get a good hold. In that case it should be put into a lathe and turned down good and true. You will then have a good friction after it has run a few days.

Chapter II. The Picking Iviotion

The picking motion in general is a very sensitive part of a loom.

It requires a great amount of skill and gumption on the part of the fixer to adjust the different parts so as to work to the best advantage.

To write up an article of instruction on this subject is pretty sure to come in for a good share of criticism.

I have read articles on the subject in textile papers which, although I considered them very instructive and likely to infuse new ideas, another fixer on the same kind of looms would say the fellow didn't know what he was talking about.

Now, it is well known that most loomfixers have some system or rule whereby they set the shoes and other parts of the picking motion ; but how few there are who are able to get a good smooth pick on every loom on their section after they have been used a few years, especially where the casting for repairs do not come from the loom works.

Owing to certain differences in the position or condition of the various parts which go to make up the picking motion of the loom, there can be no fixed rule for the setting of shoes. The shoe shaft may be bent or twisted a little, or the hole in the shoe may be a trifle out of true, etc. Such things will throw the curve of the shoe out of its proper position and I may s^ right here that a little difference in the shoe may make a great difference to the pick, especially on the short shoe No 86.

In many cases the rule that the fixer works by does not make proper allowance for these things, but they do try to counteract them in other ways which do not always come out right.

If the circle, or curve of the shoe is not in such a position as to give a smooth, steady stroke, it must follow that there will be unproportionate strain on some part of it. That extra strain, not being accomplished gradually but coming on suddenly, causes a jar which weakens the pick, thus causing the loom to bang off. Unless the position of the shoe is changed, it becomes necessary to lower the sweepstrap to gain more power. Again, it naturally follows that in putting on more power in this manner you are getting too near the wrong end of the lever (picking stick), which increases the jar ; thus increasing the liability to bang off. The consequences are an uneven pick, which causes filling kinking on certain classes of goods and a number of other troubles too numerous to mention. I will mention here one system generally used by fixers, some of whom taking them all through are good fixers.

They will set the shoes both alike so far as the distance is concerned, measuring from the back bearings. Next, they will set both shoe shafts the same distance below the cam shaft and set them level in all cases. Now this is where they make a mistake, as by setting the shoes according to that rule it becomes necessary in some cases to set the picking roll forward on one side more than the other in order to get both sides to pick together.

I will now give the method which I have found to give better satisfaction.

First, hang a plumb-line over the front of the cam shaft directly opposite the toe of the shoe, if it is the short shoe No. S6. This rule is for the style of looms that have a two to one gearing. Set the shoe just to touch the line on both sides. The long shoe, used on the equal geared looms, will come about an inch forward of the line, or a little more according to condition.

Then turn the shaft by hand until the picking rolls come within one-sixteenth inch of the line, if they are not both alike make them so. Then measure the distance of the lay or edge of the shuttle-race from the breast beam ; turn the crankshaft one pick to the exact position it was in before, and set the next two rolls in the same way, that is, one sixteenth of an inch from the plumb-line. Be sure in the first instance to have all the rolls the same size.

Next set both sweep sticks in the same position on the pickerstick and get the sweep up to within two inches of the bunter.

It will now probably be found that, although everything is set the same on both sides, the pick does not start at the same time on both sides ; if they do, then all right. But if not, it shows that the circle of the shoes are not both alike, or at least not in the same relative position to the circuit of the rolls.

In this case do not begin to set the picking rolls different to get both sides to pick together, they are all right, it is the shoes that are wrong ; but to adjust matters so that they will come right requires a considerable amount of skill and gumption. In the first place take the side that is picking late and lower the shoe shaft at the back and raise it at the front. By so doing you will alter the position of the circle of the shoe, which will necessitate the shortening of the sweepstick a little, thus making it pick earlier.

If you cannot get it to start soon enough in this way, perhaps the best thing to do would be to try another shoe ; or you may turn your attention to the other side and by doing just opposite to what you did before you may make it start a little later ; which will tend to bring about the same results. I do not favor setting the back casting up any higher than the back rail if it can be avoided. I do not think it gives a very easy pick if it is raised up too much.

The same object may be accomplished by packing the s,hoe up on the front and down at the back with one or two thicknesses of tin on the side which is picking late, or visa versa on the other side, but to do that you would need to file the square hole out more on the opposite side to where you intend putting your packing.

As I said before, it requires sound judgment in doing these things so as not to go too far either way or you will effect the steadiness of the stroke.

When the pick is too slow at the commencement but makes up for lost time towards the latter part of the stroke, the reason is that the shoe is too high at the front in comparison with the back, or the back is too low in comparison with the front part of the shoe.

AINLEY'S LOOMFIXING.

Looms having a pick of this description run in a sort of plunging manner but they usually give a good pick.

But if, on the contrary, the pick starts very suddenly at the commencement of the stroke, keeping very much the same speed all through, there will be a poor pick. It will pick as though it was going to drive the shuttle through the wall, but in reality it will scarcely get through in time to prevent the loom from banging off.

If you turn the loom slowly by hand a well regulated pick will start slowly at first and gradually increase in speed for about threequarters of the way and then diminish the rest in the following manner. Take the measurement from the shuttle-race to the breast beam at the commencement of the pick, push the lay back one-fourth inch at a time, and the pickerstick at the top, or on a level with the picker, Fortheist. 1-4 in. should have moved 3-4 in.

2nd. 3rd. 4th. 5th. 6th. 7th. 8th. 9th.

3-4 in.

I in.

If the pickerstick makes its stroke at or about that rate and does not give a smooth, easy pick, I should look for the cause anywhere rather than in the shoe.

In the first place the friction pulley or belt may be in poor condition. A loom will very rarely give a steady, even pick if the belt and friction is slipping.

The back support of the shoe shaft may have been neglected until the hole is worn to twice its proper size through the want of oiling, in which case we can hardly expect as steady a pick as we would like to have.

A poor pickerstick may cause a lot of annoyance in various ways. It will not only give a poor, uneven pick which is not to be depended upon, but, unless the spring is very strong, it will be slow in getting back and be liable to get caught in the boxes.

A badly shaped binder will also have its effect and cause the loom to bang off unless the power is greater than would otherwise be necessary. If the binder-pinhole in the boxes is badly worn at the top it will have about the same effect as a poorly shaped binder.

Now we will suppose the pinhole is worn out, say about one-eighth of an inch. The binder will wabble at both ends when the shuttle is in the box. The shuttle will get in the top box easier under these conditions when there is one in the second box than it would if the second box was empty. Because, when one shuttle is in, it holds the pin out to its extent and holds off the pressure of one spring, consequently the check on the shuttle is not always the same. The result may be either the shuttle rebounding in one instance or not getting fully in, in the other.

The picking shoe is not always at its best when it is new ; in fact quite often, probably owing to its position, it does not give a first rate pick at first, but after it has run a few days or weeks it begins to give a good pick ; while in some cases it is not at its best until it is pretty well worn down.

If when a new shoe is put on it gives a good easy pick at the start the probabilities are that it will not last very long.

I have previously mentioned the proportionate movement of the pick to that of the lay. Now when the shoe is worn down sufificiently to give that proportion it is at its best and will stay there for a long time if it is not disturbed. In a great many cases they never reach that condition.

Generally the pick should commence when the crank is straight up, but in weaving very tender filling it is better to have it start a little earlier so as to give the shuttle more time to get through the shed ; thus enabling you to take off a little power.

-THE CAUSE OF OCCASIONAL WEAK PICKS." Who is there that has run a section of looms for any length of time, particularly the kind that takes the short picking shoe, that has not been bothered at times with a loom banging off about once in half an hour or so without any apparent cause ? And the question has often been asked, " What is the reason } " Some say it is the belt or the friction that is slipping. Perhaps that is partly the cause, but there is something else ; because, if you take particular notice, you will find that it always happens out of the same box.

Others lay the blame on the speed or shafting not running steady ; but in this case I should like to know how they account for the loom in front and the one behind running all right ; they are run from the same shaft.

I am satisfied that the principal cause is in the picking shoe, which is in such a condition that it will do its work right so long as everything else is right. But there is one of the binders that is not shaped right, though that alone is not sufficient to cause it to bang off ; but if the belt or friction should happen to slip just on the moment when the shuttle is being picked out of that particular box (which they are Hable to do at any time), then there is a combination of three things acting simultaneously, which might not occur once in ten minutes but when it does it results in a weak pick, and the loom bangs off.

Now if the position of the shoe could be changed, or a new one put on that would give a more perfect stroke, so that no part of it would sustain a loss of power, nor receive any extra strain, the trouble would be entirely overcome.

Chapter III. The Shittle Binder

The binder, though it looks so simple, plays a very important part in the running of a loom ; if it is not shaped properly it may not only fail to check the shuttle the same every time, but also effect the delivery.

There may be a good strong pick delivered out of one box and a very poor weak one out of the next.

A good binder will receive the shuttle and check it properly under a varying speed, while one not properly shaped and in poor condition would allow it to rebound a little when the speed is high, and perhaps not let it get well in when it is a little lower.

Then again, if the picker is pretty well worn, the shuttle tip would stick in it and either cause the box to jump or prevent it from dropping. The remedy often applied in this case is to chip the picker around the hole when the real cause of the trouble is the binder. All fixers will at times remedy the effect, but a good fixer will get at the cause as much as possible.

Of course the effect of the shape of the binder on the running of a loom depends a great deal on other things in connection with it. For instance, some looms seem to go all right with any old shape of a binder, while others will not go at all unless they are just so. A great deal depends on the kind of a pick the loom has got.

Xake it on a loom where the picking motion is not in good condition, you will find a great unevenness of power. There will be a good strong pick out of one box, while another one will always give a poor weak pick. And yet you can make a good even pick out of every box by simply shaping the binders properly if you know how to do it.

On the other hand, if you let the binders stay just as they are and put on a new pickershoe, you will get quite a different pick, one on which the binder does not seem to make any difference.

Writers on this subject differ extremely on the way a binder should be shaped to give the greatest satisfaction. Some say that they should be bent so that the greatest curvature will be in the centre, or in some cases nearer to the mouth of the box.

Others say that there is but one correct way to bend a binder and that is to have it bear on the shuttle as near the heel of the binder as possible.

It is amusing, if not interesting, to see the excellent string of reasons in support of their statements.

In theory, it is no doubt advisable that the binder be bent so that the most prominent part will be near the mouth of the box, but in practice we find very few fixers who bend them that way.

If it is bent too prominently near the mouth of the box it will give the shuttle too great a shock before it has got half way in, and the rest of its course is accomplished too easily, so that the least variation in power may cause it either to rebound or not get quite to its destination.