Cotton manufacturing. Fig. 4D, Dobby motion: The knife beam (A), rises and falls with the motion of the loom, and the hooks in the upright position (B) rise and fall with (A); a revolving drum (D), fitted with pegs (E), forces back the springs (F), and y the rods (H) with hooks (G) are thrown back, and the healds attached to these do not rise with (A).

Dobby Motion

Cotton manufacturing. Fig. 4D, Dobby motion: The knife beam (A), rises and falls with the motion of…

An illustration of a hand loom. he earliest looms were vertical warp-weighted looms, with the warp threads suspended from a branch or piece of wood and weighted or attached to the ground. The weft threads would be pushed into place by hand or a stick that would eventually become the shuttle. At first, it was necessary to raise and lower every warp thread one at a time, which was a time-consuming and laborious process. Basic techniques, such as the insertion of a rod, were developed to produce a shed, the space between warp threads (perhaps every other thread would be alternately raised and lowered), so that the weft thread or shuttle could pass through the entire warp at once.

Hand Loom

An illustration of a hand loom. he earliest looms were vertical warp-weighted looms, with the warp threads…

Cotton manufacturing. Fig. 1D, hand loom.

Hand Loom

Cotton manufacturing. Fig. 1D, hand loom.

One of the sets of vertical cords or wires in a loom, forming the principal part of the harness that guides the warp threads.

Wire Heddle

One of the sets of vertical cords or wires in a loom, forming the principal part of the harness that…

Originally the Jacquard machines were mechanical, and the fabric design was punched in pattern cards which were joined together to form a continuous chain. The Jacquards often were small and only independently controlled a relatively few warp ends. This required a number of repeats across the loom width. Larger capacity machines, or the use of multiple machines, allowed greater control, with fewer repeats, and hence larger designs to be woven across the loom width.

Jacquard Machine and Harness

Originally the Jacquard machines were mechanical, and the fabric design was punched in pattern cards…

Cotton manufacturing. Fig. 5D, Jacquard motion.  The hooks are held upright by rods connected by spiral springs, a card pressing against the ends of these, pierced with holes opposite the ends of the rods connected with the required hooks; the arrangement of holes in the card thus determines the pattern which is woven.

Jacquard Motion

Cotton manufacturing. Fig. 5D, Jacquard motion. The hooks are held upright by rods connected by spiral…

Loom used to make textiles

Loom

Loom used to make textiles

The first completely automated loom was made by Jacques Vaucanson in 1745. A different power loom was built by Edmund Cartwright in 1785. Originally, powered looms were shuttle-operated but in the early part of the 20th century the faster and more efficient shuttleless loom came into use. Today, advances in technology have produced a variety of looms designed to maximize production for specific types of material. The most common of these are air-jet looms and water-jet looms. Computer-driven looms are now also available to individual (non-industrial) weavers. Industrial looms can weave at speeds of six rows per second and faster.

Loom

The first completely automated loom was made by Jacques Vaucanson in 1745. A different power loom was…

A hand loom - front view.

Loom

A hand loom - front view.

Any loom that uses a shuttle. Most looms use a shuttle of some sort, however there are some shuttle-less looms.

Shuttle Loom

Any loom that uses a shuttle. Most looms use a shuttle of some sort, however there are some shuttle-less…

A diagram of a complete pin loom. Notice the pins holding the thread to the loom and the top and bottom.

Complete pin loom

A diagram of a complete pin loom. Notice the pins holding the thread to the loom and the top and bottom.

This machine is used to weave cloth, the purpose of any loom is to hold the warp threads under tension.

Weaving Loom

This machine is used to weave cloth, the purpose of any loom is to hold the warp threads under tension.

An illustration of a man using a loom. A loom is a machine or device for weaving thread or yarn into textiles. Looms can range from very small hand-held frames, to large free-standing hand looms, to huge automatic mechanical devices. A loom can also refer to an electrical cable assembly or harness such as a wiring loom.

Man and Loom

An illustration of a man using a loom. A loom is a machine or device for weaving thread or yarn into…

The shuttle is a device in which the thread is woven between the warps to create fabric.

Threaded shuttle

The shuttle is a device in which the thread is woven between the warps to create fabric.

Cotton manufacturing. Fig. 2D, tappet motion: A, B, cams on shaft C, operate the tappet levers D, E by means of pedals F, and raise or lower the healds G as required.

Tappet Motion

Cotton manufacturing. Fig. 2D, tappet motion: A, B, cams on shaft C, operate the tappet levers D, E…

"Tela, a loom. Although weaving was among the Greeks and Romans a distinct trade, carried on by a separate class of persons, yet every considerable domestic establishment, especially in the country, contained a loom, together with the whole apparatus necessary for the working of wool. These occupations were all supposed to be carried on under the protection of Athena or Minerva, specially denominated Ergane. When the farm or the palace was sufficiently large to admit of it, a portion of it called the histon or textrinum, was devoted to this purpose. The work was there principally carried on by female slaves, under the superintendence of the mistress of the house." &mdash Smith; 1873

Tela

"Tela, a loom. Although weaving was among the Greeks and Romans a distinct trade, carried on by a separate…

"Tela, a loom. Although weaving was among the Greeks and Romans a distinct trade, carried on by a separate class of persons, yet every considerable domestic establishment, especially in the country, contained a loom, together with the whole apparatus necessary for the working of wool. These occupations were all supposed to be carried on under the protection of Athena or Minerva, specially denominated Ergane. When the farm or the palace was sufficiently large to admit of it, a portion of it called the histon or textrinum, was devoted to this purpose. The work was there principally carried on by female slaves, under the superintendence of the mistress of the house." — Smith; 1873

Tela

"Tela, a loom. Although weaving was among the Greeks and Romans a distinct trade, carried on by a separate…

"The use of the spindle and loom, sewing, braiding, etc, form the subjects of many of the paintings, as also the process of cultivating flax, beating and combing it." — Goodrich, 1844

Egyptian Weaving

"The use of the spindle and loom, sewing, braiding, etc, form the subjects of many of the paintings,…