Scientific instrument
Category
Scientific instruments
Date
Unknown
Materials
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Quarry Bank, Cheshire
NT 1459553
Summary
Yarn thread torsion tester made by John Nesbitt, Manchester. To test for strength, threads had to be carefully and accurately reeled out by using a wrap wheel. If threads were twisted together, the strength would appear greater than it should. Approximate breaking strengths were used as a guide, and if there was a pronounced lower break, yarn would require examination to trace the cause. This yarn testing machine was made in Manchester in the nineteenth century and used to conduct tensile tests on cotton yarn before proofing and dyeing. It has a simple and efficient design. A calibrated and adjustable bed with geared handle and revolving clamp grip allowed thread to be attached and a scaled wheel pointed to the torsional strength of the material. The tests were made under strict atmospheric conditions, and the instrument employed was calibrated often. The length of the test specimen affected tensile strength, as the longer the thread, the more weaknesses would be found. Therefore, the threads measured were all of equal length. John Nesbitt was located at 42 Market Street, Manchester. The workshop manufactured instruments for the textile industry such as weighting scales, yarn balances, wrap reels. In 1913, John Nesbitt took over scale makers H. Sutcliffe & Co, which was also located in Manchester.