Wrap wheel
Category
Machinery and industrial devices
Date
Unknown
Materials
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Quarry Bank, Cheshire
NT 1454138
Summary
Yarn examining machine, unknown maker, consisting of a red metal frame, two wheels with a handle fixed on one side, rear of frame two spindels, front of frame black card gripped by small clamp. The wheel turns the card that in turn is fed by yarn from the spindels and wraps around the card (imperfections show on the black). It was important that yarn was of good, consistent quality with no knots that could compromise the value of the cotton produced. This machine allowed for the examination of yarn for quality, evenness and regularity. As Lancashire products entered the global stage as exports, it was vital that the yarns were examined closely for faults such as unevenly placed knots. The threads were drawn from one or more bobbins, and spread evenly over a piece of cardboard with a shiny black surface. The operator spread the threads over the cardboard with sufficient space to allow for defects to be spotted. When sufficient yarn was wound, the board was removed and another placed in the clips for the next test. The filled boards were often kept for future reference. The machine was manually operated and allowed for yarn to be graded as per national standards after visual examination.