Textiles and Clothing | Page 9

"boiling off" about 30 per
cent which is made up and much more by "loading."

MODERN METHODS
All the complex processes and machinery of the textile industry are but
developments of the old-time methods of the home. Brief outlines only
will be given here for the processes are most intricate in detail.
SPINNING
The spinning of cotton yarn (thread) is typical of all the fibers. The
stages may be divided into--
1. Opening and picking. 2. Carding. 3. Combing. 4. Drawing. 5.
Spinning.
[Sidenote: Picking and Carding]
The picking and carding have for their object the removal of all foreign
substances with as little damage to the fiber as possible. The foreign
substances in cotton are sand, dirt, pieces of leaves, seed, husk, etc.,
which have become mixed with the fiber during the process of growing,
ginning and transportation.
[Sidenote: Cleaning]
The cotton bales are opened and thrown into the automatic feeder
which carries up a layer of cotton on a spiked apron from which it is
removed by a rapidly revolving "doffer" underneath which is a screen
which catches some of the dirt. It is next fed between rolls in front of a
rapidly revolving blunt-edged knife which throws out more of the dirt
through a screen. There is a suction of air through the screen which
helps remove the foreign substances. The cotton passes through several
of such machines, being formed into a soft web or "lap" which is
wound into a roll.
[Sidenote: Carding]
The carding machine further cleans the fibers and lays them in a
general parallel position. From this machine the web is formed into

"sliver," a loose rope of cotton fiber about two inches in diameter. This
is received in circular cans.
[Illustration: COTTON OPENER AND PICKER
The cotton from the bale is thrown into A, carried by the spiked aprons
B and C, evened by E, removed from the apron by F (some of the dirt
falls through the screen into box G) is beaten by the revolving "knife,"
N P, more dirt being removed through screen N, then goes through the
flue C to the next machine.]
[Sidenote: Combing]
The combing is omitted for short fiber cotton, but is used in worsted
spinning and with long staple cotton to remove the short fibers. Cotton
to be used for making yarn suitable for hosiery, underwear, sewing
thread, lace, and for very fine cotton fabrics is carded.
In drawing, from six to sixteen "slivers" are run together and the fibers
drawn out in several stages until the soft rope is about an eighth of an
inch in diameter, called "roving." This tends to get rid of any
unevenness and makes the fibers all parallel. From this machine the
roving is wound on a bobbin ready for the spinning frame.
[Illustration: COTTON CARD
The roll of webbing A is beaten and transferred to the cylinder H H,
carded by the spiked belt E, removed by the "doffer" and formed into a
"sliver" which runs into the can M.]
[Sidenote: Spinning]
The spinning frame may have a hundred spindles or more, each one of
which is drawing out its supply of "roving" to the required size of yarn
and giving it the twist necessary to bind the fibers together. The yarn to
be used for the warp is given a harder twist so that it may be strong
enough to stand the strain in weaving. The yarn for filling is usually left
soft.

[Illustration: COTTON COMB, USED FOR LONG STAPLE]
[Illustration: RECEIVING THE "SLIVER" AT THE BACK OF THE
DRAWING FRAME.]
[Illustration: DRAWING FRAME Drawing the Roving Finer.]
[Illustration: A FLY SPINNING FRAME The Spools of Roving Above
Are Being Drawn Out, Given the Twist by the Fliers, and Wound on
Bobbins Below.]
[Illustration: MULE DRAWING AND SPINNING FRAME Always
used for wool. Part of the machine moves away from the frame, thus
drawing out the thread, which is then twisted.]
[Illustration: MODERN RING SPINNING FRAME FOR COTTON.
SIXTY-EIGHT SPINDLES Gives the Largest Production.]
[Illustration: A PLAIN POWER LOOM WEAVING LINEN]
The yarn for warp is now usually given a coating or "sizing" of starch
and gums so that the thread may not become unwound and break
during weaving.
The process of spinning is much the same for flax and for wool,
although somewhat differently constructed machines must be used.
Flax is usually spun wet.
WEAVING
[Sidenote: Modern Loom]
The modern power driven loom is a wonderful piece of machinery. The
principle of its operation is essentially the same as the hand loom, but it
is almost perfectly automatic in its action, a man or woman being able
to tend from ten to fifteen looms weaving plain cotton goods.
[Sidenote: Warping]

The yarn coming from the spinning frame is sometimes dyed before
weaving. The warp is formed by winding as