Page images
PDF
EPUB

lel, and the sliver reduced to its proper size or number, to be twisted into an even and smooth thread. I say the various stages of drawing; for I consider the Railway head, Drawing frame, Speeder, Stretcher, Slubber, Fly frame, and Spinning frame, as only so many Drawing frames, for drawing, doubling and reducing the silver to its proper number and evenness, for twisting into yarn. The Speeder has its Flyers, Spindles, Cones and complicated machinery, for no other purpose than to put the cotton, or Roving, into a convenient form to be taken to the next machine, or Drawing Rolls, without injury.

Let us now return to the first process of drawing on the Railway head, and take the cotton where our worthy friend left it so nicely laid away, and pass it between the back drawing rolls of the Railway head. The Bottom roll is made of steel or iron, and fluted; the Top roll covered with cloth and leather, the Bottom or Fluted roll having all the work to do, both of drawing in the cotton, and, through the cotton, transmitting power to the Top roll; which last requires a considerable amount of force to make it revolve, on account of the heavy weight that rests upon it; this weight being further increased, or more than doubled, to overcome any friction that may be created by the want of oil, imperfect rolls, or by any foreign substance collecting on its bearings.

The effect of this large amount of weight, and consequently large amount of friction, is, in the first place, to wear off the sharp edge of the Fluted roll, making it more likely to slip under the cotton. Second, to destroy the cloth and leather coverings of the Top roll. So much weight upon the cotton has a tendency to destroy its barb, or beard, and also its elasticity. The effect upon all the rolls is the same, until the cotton reaches the Front roll, where you have to contend with the additional trouble of electricity, and winding up of rolls, which you all well understand. I think it must be admitted, that if the Top roll can be run independently of the influence of the cotton, or fluted boss, that it must be an improvement

The draft on the railway head is from three to five, varying with the number of cards, according to the views of the manager. The grist, or sliver, that comes from the railway head, must in any case be large, to prevent a too rapid movement of the front roll, and the consequence is, a large amount of electricity. I think, to save expense and for convenience, we are apt to run too many

and cards into one head. It would be better to use more Heads, to have a smaller Grist: this would require less weight on the rolls and prevent injury to the staple.

The sliver is now taken to the second drawing, or, as it is called, the first Drawing frame, and passes between the back rolls in an elliptic form. The bosses of these rolls are usually about four inches long, with a traverse of about two inches; leaving an inch at each end, which acts as a gear to help drive the roll; this causes in a short time the top roll to be of a less diameter in the centre of the boss; and if the ends of the Top roll rest upon the Fluted or Bottom roll, as it must do after it becomes a little hollowing, the velocity of the centre must be less than that of the ends; which causes a slipping somewhere, and a crimping of the under side of the sliver, and more than counteracts all the good that is expected from the drawing. Another bad effect of long boss rolls, is the manner in which the weight operates upon the sliver.

The weight is usually attached to the middle of the top roll, with one or more slivers under each end, and the traverse motion causing each sliver alternately to come nearer the weight, while that at the opposite end recedes from it; the result is, that the effective weight is continually changing; but, as it must at all times be equal to the work required, it will be double what is wanted when the sliver is nearest the centre.

This continual changing of the weight has a tendency to change the amount of cotton drawn in, by indentation of the rolls, and the weight of the sliver on the front side, or at the Calender rolls. When the speed is uniform, both rolls, being geared, must also be affected in the same ratio. The draft of a Drawing frame is not, as is generally understood, between the back and front rolls, but between the back and Calender rolls; and a little slipping of the front top roll, will not effect the weight of the sliver, yard by yard, but has much to do with its general evenness, owing to the great distance between the front and Calender rolls. This same reasoning will apply to all the drawing frames.

How sensitive and liable the Top roll is to be retarded, may be seen and demonstrated daily and hourly, on our Roving frames, by the operator pressing his thumbs against the roll, to retard its motion when the roving is running loose. A small percentage of slipping is not observed by the operator, or, if observed, he cares

but little, unless the frame given him trouble; consequently, small variations are only noticed, if noticed at all, after the roving leaves the Carding room, and too late to trace them to their cause.

If we wish to have a smooth and even thread, I consider it of vital importance that every means should be used to overcome this evil, as it is sure to appear in the cloth and in the salesroom.

I think it is generally admitted by all manufacturers, that the less we draw and press cotton, to get an even thread, the better it is for the staple, and the stronger the yarn. If, therefore, by any arrangement of machinery, we can dispense with a large part of the weight, we have taken a step in the right direction.

The "Anti-Friction Top Roll," a sample of which I have here to-day, I have run in the Nashua Manufacturing Company's Mills for about two years, with the most perfect success; it having more than answered our most sanguine expectations, in remedying and, in some instances, entirely doing away with many of the evils that I have referred to.

It will be seen by the model, that the spindle, upon which the loose boss runs, is geared at one end, and driven by a similar gear on the Bottom or Fluted roll,-the gears being so arranged that the spindle in the top roll runs some five or ten per cent. faster than the boss.

The effect of this increased speed, is not only to do away with all the retarding effect of the friction caused by want of oil and the collection of foreign substances; but to actually help drive the boss of the roll, and thus cause good to come out of evil.

By this arrangement, no power to force the top roll to revolve has to be transmitted through the cotton or sliver; and consequently a less amount of weight is required, less electricity is generated, and the coverings of the rolls are made to last at least twice as long, and are less liable to be made hollow and to destroy the undercoat of cloth.

ENGLISH COTTON MANUFACTURES.

REMARKS OF A. D. LOCKWOOD, Esq., LEWISTON, ME.

Mr. Lockwood observed that, from the terms of the invitation given him to speak, he inferred that gentlemen did not expect very definite and positive conclusions, or decisive recommendations of new machinery; which would not be warranted by the brief time thus far employed in observation and experiment: but rather desired to learn, in general, the impressions received by him, and be guided by their own judgment in adopting them.

His visit was a business one. Its purpose was to examine the various improvements alleged to have been made in machinery, with a view to their possible adoption in the mills under his charge; and he is now preparing to test some of them at home, under such circumstances as will enable him to form a definite and positive opinion as to their merits. He would with pleasure give briefly the results thus far reached.

Of the several Openers in use, he saw chiefly the Cylinder Opener, as built by Messrs. Platt Brothers & Co., of Oldham, and many other parties, and the Crighton. Both performed to very good satisfaction, but his own preference is decidedly for the Crighton. In its latest make, it is simple, compact, and requires but little power. He ordered several for his mills, and their use has fully confirmed his good opinion.

To determine the best Card, was a matter of no little difficulty. Specific advantages belong to each.

That most commonly in use was the Roller Card; in some instances having the Gambrel principle attached, in others, without it. It is what is known among us as the Worker and Clearer Card.

The Evan Leigh Card was being extensively introduced, and growing in public favor. One which the speaker imported three or four years ago proved very unsatisfactory. In England, however, they were found working much better. He examined some of them made by Evan Leigh & Son, by Platt Bros., by William Higgins & Sons; all of which performed very satisfactorily, and on all numbers from 16 to 150.

The Wellman Card has a good reputation; but is regarded as perhaps less economical than the others mentioned. More of these are exported to France, and other parts of the Continent, than are used in England.

The conclusion arrived at was, that there are objections to the Roller Card which are likely to preclude its general adoption among us. These are not lack of economy in its working, but chiefly that more skill is required for its proper management, demanding a class of labor which we cannot readily command. This, of course, is not an objection in England.

The Leigh Card is simple, and well adapted for us, so far as Single and Finisher carding are concerned.

Practical difficulties occur in applying them as Breaker Cards. The choice, therefore, seems to lie between the Leigh and the Wellman Cards. The speaker purchased 12 Leigh Cards for Single work, and 28 for Finishers, to be used in connection with Wellman Cards for Breakers. They are not fully tested; but he hoped to present some definite results of their working, at the next meeting of the Association. Another Carding Engine, he understood, is soon to be introduced, with new devices to aid the carding process; but of this he was not at liberty to give a description.

In Spinning, the speaker saw nothing to induce him to go back from his present practice to Throstle spinning; nor, on the other hand, do the English manufacturers seem disposed to adopt Ring spinning.

« PreviousContinue »