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_.]
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.
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.
The yarn coming from the spinning frame is sometimes dyed before weaving. The warp is formed by winding as many threads as the width of the fabric is to contain on a slowly revolving drum, called a "beam," in the same relative position in which they are to appear in the finished cloth. From its position on the beam at the back of the loom, each thread is brought through its particular loop or eye with the heddle, then passes through its own slot in the reed, and down to the roller or "cloth beam" that is to take up the woven cloth. This is called "drawing in the warp." If there is a piece of cloth coming from the loom, the work is very simple, for the ends of the new warp are tied to the ends remaining from the warp that has been woven out.