WHEN two or more pieces are woven in one width and afterwards cut or torn apart, if there are not a few leno ends to divide each piece the warp threads have nothing to stop them from coming out at the cut sides. In light fabrics this is a greater disadvantage than in heavy and finely picked ones, such as velvets, and therefore in the former it is usual to weave a few ends leno to keep the edge firm. There are various kinds of motions for effecting this object, one of the oldest being that illustrated at Figs. 98 and 99. This is for an ordinary plain loom, and the crossing end is taken through the back stave and through a loop from the top of the front stave. This loop is often formed of a small fine pliable chain, as it wears longer than worsted. Fig. 98 shows the back stave lifted, and Fig. 99, the front stave up, when it will be seen that the crossing end is brought up on the opposite side from the previous pick.

Another, and perhaps a better, method, is Shorrock and Taylor’s patent, shown at Figs. 100 and 101. For a plain loom the two straps A and B are fastened to a drum on the top roller of the loom. In these straps are the small eyes C and D, and through these eyes the crossing ends are taken. The “standard” ends, round which C and D are crossed, are drawn through the fixed eyes EF, immediately above the small bobbins MN. The straps pass round the bobbins and up to the elastics X, which are fastened to a hook, L, at the top of the loom. The top roller is rocked to and fro by the ordinary staves, and when rocked in the direction against the elastics the crossing threads are brought up inside as shown at Fig. 100, and as the roller rocks back the elastics pull the eyes C and D completely round the bobbins and take the crossing threads up the other side of the “dummy” or “standard” ends, EF. The selvedge formed is thus like that shown at Fig. 102.

There are many patents taken out every year for split motions, but the simple old forms still keep their place.

Another invention of a totally different kind may be mentioned. In this, the weft is cut between the two cloths every pick as it is being woven, and the loose end is then turned round and taken into the cloth at the next pick, thus forming a practically perfect selvedge; indeed, it would be impossible for any one to find out the difference without being told or making a very close examination. For about half an inch at the inner side of the cloth there are double picks, but this is scarcely noticeable. The practical utility of this invention is yet to be proved, and one thing to militate against its general adoption is its cost, which is several pounds per loom, whereas some of the ordinary split motions cost only a few shillings per loom. With Jacquards or dobbies it is an easy matter to arrange an ordinary doup heald to form a split, but the arrangements before mentioned are used for plain looms, where it is not so easy to get the required lift. The twist used must be very strong, as no slackener is used. Usually it is a three-or four-or six-fold cotton thread.

Another kind of selvedge motion is that used for producing a plain selvedge on a loom weaving satteens with tappets. The fact of the ordinary satteen being five picks to the round, and a plain selvedge being a necessity, causes either the tappets to be made ten to the round, working the plain selvedges by tappets on the same shaft, or the selvedge ends must be worked from another shaft. In what is known as Smalley’s satteen motion the former principle is acted upon: the tappets are ten to the round, and the plain is worked from the same shaft.

A more ordinary form is that shown at Fig. 103. A small tappet, A, is fitted on the bottom shaft (or picking shaft), and this acts upon a lever, B, to which the bottom of one set of harness threads containing, say, the odd-numbered ends of the plain is connected, the other, or even-numbered, ends of the plain being connected to the elastic E, the bowl F at the top being used for working round. When the tappet presses down the lever B, it will take half the plain ends down and the other half up, and the elastic will pull back again as the tappet allows it. In this way a plain selvedge is obtained in a five-shaft satteen.

Another method of effecting the same purpose is shown at Fig. 104. A shaft A is placed under the loom, and this shaft is made to rock to and fro to work the mails B and C alternately up and down. The picking shaft of the loom has a crank M fastened to it, and a strap S is taken from this crank to the small drum H on the shaft A, and is wrapped round it. As the crank M revolves it will pull the shaft A in one direction until the crank gets to the top, and when the crank has passed the top of its stroke the spring X will pull the shaft back to its original position, and thus the required reciprocating motion is given to the shaft A and to the mails B and C.

Double-beat Slay.

A double beat is sometimes required to be given to each pick of weft. This is done in weaving some of the heaviest kinds of sackings, carpets, and similar fabrics. Fig. 105 shows how this is effected. AB is the slay, and is movable about B as a centre; EC is in two pieces, viz. ED and DC, and these are fitted loosely on a pin at D. It will be obvious that when the crank occupies either position QP or QP', the slay will be at the front of its stroke, and as the crank is moving from P to M it will pull the slay back a little, and in moving from M to P' a second beat-up will be made. Whilst the crank is moving from P' to P the shuttle is passed through the shed. It is obvious that a beat-up of this kind will enable the weft to be beaten well up into the cloth, and more to be put in than with a single beat. The force exerted is often so great that the looms have to be very firmly fastened into the floor on which they stand, or they would move.