Cause and Prevention of Uneven Yarn Reprint of Articles Which Appeared on the Discussion Pages of the ^ > SOUTHERN TEXTILE BULLETIN During December, 1915, and Which Were Submitted in Competition for the Be^ Pradical Article on "Cause and Prevention of Uneven Yarn".3«> PRICE 75 CENTS CLARK PUBLISHING COMPANY CHARLOTTE, N. C. The Choice of a Humidifying Sy^em must be one that for simplicity with great capacity and economy in maintenance pro- duces uniformly such conditions that may be determined for the different require- ments of the work. In the American Moistening Company's method of humid- ifying, all such requirements are guaranteed. Our Comins Sedional Humidifiers Our Fan Type and High Duty Humidifiers Our Ventilating Type of Humidifier (taking fresh air into the room from the outside ) Our Atomizer or Compressed Air Sy^em Our Compressed Air-Cleaning Sy^em Our Conditioning Room Equipment Our Automatic Humidity Control (can be appHed to systems already installed ) Our Automatic Temperature Control Are all Standards of Modern Textile Mill Equipment. AMERICAN MOISTENING COMPANY 120 FRANKLIN STREET, BOSTON, MASS. WILLIAM FIRTH, Pres. FRANK B. COMINS. Vice-Pres. & Treas. We have been manufacturing Humidifiers and kindred moistening devices for more titan twenty-five years. JOHN HILL, Southern Representative 1014 Healey Building - - - ATLANTA, GA. The Judges. C. \. Poore Supt. Louisville Cotton Mills Louisville, Ky. J. R. Killian Supl. Cannon Mfg. Co. Concord, N. G. John S. Stroud Supt. Stonewall Cotton Mills Stonewall, Miss. R. P. Sweeney Supt. Social Circle Mills Social ('ircle, (ia. .Milton Ensor Supt. Wampum Mills Lincolnton, N. C. L, F. Kelley Supt. Elk Cotton Mills Dalton. Ga. J. \. Shinn Gen. Supl. Eva .lane and Central Mills Sylacauga, Ala. INDEX. Page No. F. L. Abernethy 77 J. A. Adams 83 E. F. Anderson 92 A. C. Atkinson 3,: R. M. Barnham 74 B. M. Bowen 65 A. B. Brown 25 W. T. Bvrd 67 M. R. Chrystal 34 John Curwen 57 J. L. Davis 40 T. J. Digby 16 B. L. Doby 78 J. 0. Edwards 36 J. B. Flovd 94 E. L. Goble. "...85 R. F. Harris 44 T. W. Harvey 12 W. Cr. Henderson &■) Eugene Herring 38 J. H. Jenkins 80 W. J. Jennings 90 J. M. Jolly 52 N. V. Jones 18 L. W. King 93 L. C. Langsfon 8 W. P. Lee 69 C. H. I.ockman 84 J. H. Mayes. Jr 61 Ct. L. Meacham in G. B. McCrackan 29 H. B. McAbee 89 J. R. Manlv 59 T. R. Morton 3 Paul Nuchols 41 James Gates 74 J. W. Ouzts ^27 J. A. Parker 71 R. V. Porter '. 5 A. J. Rodgnrs .14 T. L. Sanders. Jr .....55 E. L. Shpridan [ * 87 C. H. Strickland 42 riias. M. Stny 2C L. R. Summpy 76 J. A. Sorrplls. 4p E. G. Waifs 79 R. A. Whatlev ^ N. L. WhittPn '.'.'.'.' iS \V. E. Williams 63 E. B. Wisp '.'.'.'.'.22 \V. G. Young <^o Cause and Prevention of Uneven Yarn Winner of First Prize By T. R. MORTON, Edenton, N. G. It is not the intention of the writer to discuss this subject except from a practical standpoint. Cause and prevention of uneven yarn is a problem that we have to face more or less every day, and the only way to make an even yarn is to be on (he lookout for small things at all T. H. .Alortoii. Edenton, N. C. times. To make an even yarn we must, have a uniform staple, the carder should get out his mixing and grade his cotton, try to get the staple as near the same as possible, open as many bales at one time as the space in opening room will per- mit. Have the man whose duty it is to feed the hopper to keep this machine about two-thirds full at all times. This may seem too small a matter for some to pay much atten- tion to, but if we expect to get an even lap on the neater we must have an even feed from hopper. The breaker laps should be weigh- ed two or three times each day and kept as near one weight as possible. Close attention should be given to the pickers as it is very desirable that we make good even laps. Do not allow finished laps to vary in weight over 1-4 of a pound either way. If they are too light or too heavy have picker man to set them back and run over, or the card sliver will be uneven. Cards. The cards do not receive the at- tention by some that they should. Bad work made on these machines will show itself during each process. The cards should be ground every 15 or 20 days, with good grinding emery, the grinding rolls should be covered with new emery after 10 or 15 cards has been ground'. If we expect the cards to turn off a good even sliver free from foreign mat- ter we must keep the wires sharp. The licker-in should be kept in good shape and set as close as the staple will permit. A lot of uneven work is caused on the cards from split ■aps. If the lap splits and runs into the card double, the sliver will be too heavy. The card hand should be watched very closely and made to get all singlings or doublings out of cans on front of cards. Keep the cards clean so the dirt and trash won't get into the good stock. If the card hands let the sliver cans get too full the sliver will be stretch- ed and be too tight. When strip- ping cards a good idea is to strip every other card after these have run about an hour, then fmish strip- ping. The sliver will run lighter when the card has just been strip- ped than after the card has been stripped awhile, so if we only strip half the cards at one time, we only get half the light sliver that we will if we strip all cards toeether. Drawing Frames. Drawing frames are the simplest machines in the mill, for that reason they receive less care. These ma- chines should be looked after very carefuly. The rolls should be kept in good condition and properly oil- ed. The stop-motion should work perfectly or we will get light and heavy sliver. If a sliver breaks on the back of frame or cans run empty and the stop-motion works a little slow, we will have 5 ends up instead of 6 and the sliver on the front of machine will be 1-6 too light, or if an end is lapped on the back of frame for two or three inches we will have 7 ends up in- stead of 6. The sliver on front of frame will be 1-7 too hea\T- By the time this sliver reaches the spinning frames it will be stretched several inches and the yarn will be uneven. Keep an eye on the drawing hand when he gets behind and see that he dont slip cans of sliver from the front of first drawing to slubbers in order to catch up quickly. See that all parts of machines are oiled at the right time, and that the weights are hung right and that there is plenty of weight on top rollers. See that top and under clearers are picked clean once every hour. Keep all bad rolls out of frames; don"t allow rolls to stay in frames that need varnishing; don't allow the drawing tender to let the cans get too full on front of machine, as this well stretch the sliver. If you have can stop-motion see that it is in working order. Size the drawing sliver at least 6 times each day, and don"t fail to change the draft gear if the weight isn't right. All numbers should be kept on drawing and if watched closely at this point it will hardly ever become necessary to change draft gears on fly frames or spinning frames. > Fly Frames. Slubbers, intermediates and sfieeder.* must receive proper atten- tion if even roving is to be made. It is possible for the picking, carding and drawing to be almost perfect and then bad. uneven roving to be made on lly frames. The rolls on fly frames should be cleaned once each day and oiled regularly. The bottom steel rolls should he taken out of frames and cleaned with card clothing and whitiig once a year. It IS necessary to keep the tlutes clean on steel rolls if even work is made. The roving must have enough twist so it wont break in creels. If too soft, it wont have strength enough to pull itself and the results are the roving will stretch and this will cause thin places. The tension on fly frames is very important and should be watched very closely by the overseer, for if tension is too tight roving will be uneven and full of thin places, if too slack it will wind too loose on bobbin and make a soft bobbin, and this will break- back and stretch in creel at next process. This means uneven work. Special care should be given to the creeling of intermediates and speed- ers, as bad creeling means uneven work. Every doubling and singling made on fly frames means bad run- ning spinning and weak and heavy yarn. Things to Watch Around Fly Frames. See that the roving travis works freely and makes full stroke. Have frame lined and leveled once ever year. Keep all worn spindles and bolsters out of frames, have stops oiled every two weeks. See that no roving is wound around the back steel rolls as this will raise the top • leather roll and stretch the roving. Do not let frame hands run frames too full, as this will chafe and cut the roving. Keep all bad bobbins ofif spindles as a bad bobbin will vibrate or shake and make the roving un- even. Have section men to keep all bad rollers out of frames as a bad roller means bad work. Never put a new roller in frame without oil- ing it. nor allow frame hands to fan off, as the flyings will get on the stock in process and make lumpy roving. Have spindles oiled every Monday and Thursday. We must pay attention to the small things if we make even work. Draft in Card Room. •If good running work and even roving is made then drafts must be righ' at each process. For a 4.50 hank roving on speeders made from from 1-inch staple cotton, would ad- vise the following drafts: 98 on cards. 6 on drawing. 4.35 on slub- bers. 5.35 on intermediates. 6 on speeders. The writer has tried this and has gotten good results Spinning Department. Everv thing in the spinning room depends on how clean we keep the frames. As to what kind of yarn we turn out. the carder may make almost perfect roving and if the managomoiil in Ihf spinning doosii"t watch and look after the cleaning at this point, bad yarn will be the result. The frames should be lined and leveled once every year. The roving creels must be level and in line so there wont be any undue IJull on the roving. The oiling is a very important factor in this de- partment. Special attention should be given to the top rolls which should be oiled at least twice a week. Spindles should be oiled every three weeks. A dry spindle will vibrato and niako unoven yarn. Banding. llie bands should be tied on by a particular person and one that can be (rusted, as a slack band will re- duce the speed of the spindle and make soft, uneven yarn. The bands should be made of roving and weigh about one pound to 120 bands, Dont make bands out of yarn, as a yarn band will stretch and not come otr when it lirst gets slack Thinfls to Watch and Do in Spin- ning Kooni. Spindles should be plumbed and set in center of rings, guide wires set to top of spindle. Keep all bad spindles and bolsters out of frames. Dont use guide wires that have grooves worn in them. See that roving creels are in line and per- fect I v level. See that roving sticks are m good shape and that the bot- toms are not worn blunt, as thev must turn freely or the roving will be stretched. Do not allow bad or worn bobbins to be used as a worn bobbins will vibrate and make un- even yarn. Have roving creels wiped once each day. for if lint and cotton arp allowed to collect around the end of the roving stick, it will be hard to pull and the roving will be stretched. Have all top rolls picked every day for dirty rolls make more uneven yarn than any- thing else in spinning. Have some one to inspect all rolls once a day and see that all bad or worn rolls are kept out of frames as a bad roller can't make any thing but bad and uneven yarns. Have guides run or wiped out every 30, minutes. If Imt is allowed to collect at this point, it will catch on the yarn and show up in lumps, and these lumps wdl hang in the thread guides on winders or spoolers and stretch the yarn. Have all travelers changed every 3 weeks, as a worn traveler will cut and chafe the yarn. Do not allow roving to wind around the steel rolls and stay there, as this will raise the top leather roll and make the yarn uneven, keep all lumps of cotton out of the trumpets as this will make the roving draw- hard and make the yarn weak. Keep all worn rings off of frame for good even yarn cannot be spun on a bad ring. Don't allow the spinners to let 3 strands of roving run into one end where two is all that is neces- sary. Make dolTers piece up as soon as frame is started after doffing, as a lot of doublings and choked rolls will be saved by this. If the varn IS made right in the carding "and spinning departments we will not have much trouble in the other rooms. If we will watch the little thmgs the big ones will take care of themselves. Winner of Second Prize By R. V. PORTER, Batesburg. S. C. This subject has probably been studied since the first cotton varn was spun and improvements made before my time ,and I can see where .great improvements have been made m the past twenty years, but at the present time with all improved ma- chinery and all the graduates of the textile schools, I failed to know of a mill that is making perfect even yarn. Anyway, we all are trying to get it better. However, some men can make more even yarn than others. Some men can make a more even varn at one mill than he can at another, even if both mills be equipped alike, if other conditions differ. Sorry cotton will make uneven yarn, therefore good stiff land should be selected for cotton. The land should be prepared deep, in the month of January or February. It should be planted with good seed from a good even grade of cotton. The cotton plant should be culti- vated shallow, to prevent in.jurv to the roots, and fast enough to 'keep It growing, for should it get stunt- ed for the want of cultivation or by growing it too thick on the land we will have a sorry cotton, which will not work well. It will not draft well, therefore it will make uneven yarn. Cotton should be picked from the burrs as free from trash and dirt as possible. It should be ginned very carefully, not to let it get cut or taking olT small pieces of seed with the lint, for gin-cut cotton or cotton that is ginned too close, leaving small parts of seed and motes in the lint, will not work even and will make uneven yarn. A cotton graaer is a valuable man to a mill if he will attend to his bus- iness. He should see that the mill gets what it pays for and not allow just any old thing to be dumped on the mill, even if he be a good friend to the seller. But with a good grader it is best for the superinten- dent or the overseer of carding to inspect every bale of cotton that is brought to the mill and reject or lay asido all bales that are not up to standard, and should he find sev- R. V. Porter, Batesburg, S. G. eral bales which he would with the ordinary grader, in a short while he would have enough to run the mill a week. Then if he wished to run the rejected cottxjn the overseer would have time to adjust his ma- chinary to suit it and could make a more even yarn with it than if it had been opened up all together and run into the pickpr room by the outside man without the knowlodpe of the overseer of carding \intil it was giving: trouble. The more even the cotton the more even will be the yarn. Therefore superintend- ents and overseers of carding should have more sayso about looking after cotton than some mills allow them. Furthermore we can not get even yarn with good cotton mixed with a poor grade of short punk cotton for it will not draft even and a sorry punk cotton will lly out while being run through tlie machines and cause the yarn to be light and un- even. Before starting to open one should have plenty of cotton to start with. Thoroughly mix it in the opening room twelve hours before putting in the breaker feeders, which should be kept as near half full all the time as possible. Otherwise the breaker laps will vary several pounds, and this will cause uneven yarn. We can not expect even work from the first pickers unless the laps were even to start with, nor with the breaker laps splitting or a cone belt slack enough to slip or a lap apron slipping. Sometimes a clutch gear or a knock off gear will cause a lap to vary and should be looked after as well as the evener. The evener belts and all of its at- tachments should be looked after, kept clean, and well oiled, so each part can be depended on to do its duty when the slightest variation takes place. When putting a set of laps on pickers I think it well to start with two or four sizes. Say 1-4, 1-2, 3-4 and full, or half of them 1-2 full and the others full which will pre- vent them all running out at once, which will give the tender more time to replace them and will make a more even lap than if all had been put on full at one time to run out together. When replacing new laps they should be pieced in and not lap one end of the lap over the other. If so it makes a heavy place and is uneven. Lap racks on the machine should be kept level, or otherwise one end of lap will be larger than the other and uneven. Now we come to the fmisher. This is one place where I think any mill that expects first-class work should allow his carder to have a compe- tent man, one who can be depended on at all times to weigh the laps and see that every thing goes right, for if the weights or numbers on the finisher are not right there is no other to remedy it and the yarn will be uneven. Every yard in a lap should be made to weieh the samp as welf as to have the laps wpjph alike. Cardinfj. Cards should be kept in good or- der. Use the best of clothing. Keep will cause uneven yarn. Drawing them properly ground and set to boys should be watched. Some- suit the stock being carded, so as to tunes they may ha\e an end to run lay the fibers straight and get out slack. Instead of reporting the as much motes and trash as possible, trouble, they will put some cotton for the better cotton is carded the in the st-and between the top and more even it works. One can not do bottom rolls which will stretch the good carding with sorry clothing, or drawing and it will be uneven, wornout clothing or with flat places Intermediates and speeders should being mashed on the clothing, by be kept in good order as well as letting things get into the card that slubbers with good stands, good should not. When replacing a lap bottom and top rolls, remembering it should be pieced in and not lap- that a worn neck, a worn stand, a ped over the other end as some crooked roll will make an uneven tender.s do, for it will cause a heavy roving. Trumpets that are not uni- place in the sliver and uneven yarn, form, or bent, or half choked will Coiler heads should be looked after ^iso cause roving to be uneven, and see that the sprmg, or bonnet xention being too tight will cause tongue, which holds the trumpet roving to stretch, which will find down m the coder head is not brok- ^^^ ^.^y into uneven yarn. When en. If this spring or bonnet tongue replacing roving in creels it should is broken the card end or sliver will ]^q spliced or broken very short for run slack, get onto the floor and if tbis is one place where a great deal the tloor is dirty it will likely take ^f uneven roving is made, caused by up all the loose waste it comes in ^ frame hand who usually starts at contact with, which will cause it to o^e end of frame to replace the rov- be uneven. The tender will prob- j^g jj^ ^le backs. Sometimes they ably put some cotton under them jet several bobbins run out before to take up the slack. Will make replacina them. Then singling is some run tighter than others. Then jjgj^g ^^^^de. They verv often let we have uneven sliver. All strip- f^om one to two yards of extra rov- per plates should be set the same j^g get in, which causes it to be so as to get the same per cent of heavy. Then if the ends, which strips from each card. If set close bave the singling in them, begin to you will not get much waste while r^n slack they will sometimes run if set far oflf the quantity will be an extra end in it from behind, larger, while the sliver of different which will cause light roving and cards will be uneven if not set cor- heavy roving as well as uneven rect. All card and drawing cans roving to be on the same bobbin for should be kept smooth inside and the spinning frame in? hi"i!-v°Vni^.'i^nl';PH . Jl'hLf^n''l= I ^vill meution a few causes that not be kicked around and bent in as jjj j ^.^^^ ^^^-^^ being the sliver ;2?"jlot come out free. ^^^ „^g prevention is to kee? ^l c '" Til^^^J^^LSUKuSh everything about the frame in first- if so, we have an uneven sliver ^^^J condition and clean, namely: w^nen it. lakes piace. uniform trumpets, creel stands he- Draw Frames. jug broken or misplaced, roving By all means keep the stands, roll skewers being broken or bruised at necks and rolls, spoons and stop- bottom, while bobbins are resting motions in good condition, for a on them preventing an even pull, crooked roll will make an uneven Spinners replacing roving, allowing sliver. A worn neck or stand will from six inches to two yards of etxra make an uneven sliver. A dirty roving to run in instead of breaking bottom roll will make an uneven it off short, worn stands, bad rolls, sliver and if stop-motions fail to crooked steel rolls will make an un- work properly we have singlings even, weak yarn. If ring rails are which will cause uneven sliver, badly out of level or rings not prop- Stop-motions or spoons should work erly nlaced in ring rail, the yarn so as to stop the machine as soon doesn"! soem to havp tlip saino tonfion as the card sliver leaves it. Leav- and is to some extent uneven. Lev- ing enough end for the tender to ors out of level or resting on creel piece to instead of sticking the new boards will make yarn uneven also, end in with some times a yard or Dirty rolls, especially with a thin so of extra card sliver going through coat of cotton or roving getting the rolls. If so. w^e have a heavy around back or middle steel roll place in the drawing sliver which will cause uneven yarn also. 7 A spindle dry for the want of oil, or a spindle which is badly out of plumb, or a guide wire which is out of set, will cause the yarn to be uneven as well as weak. If draft gears are set too deep, the rolls do not run steady, therefore the yarn is uneven. If travelers are too heavy the yarn is stretched to some extent and is uneven; and if light enough fo be continually whip- ping against the separator it is un- even also; if roving is drafted too long the yarn is uneven: if steel rolls are not properly oiled they are inclined to quiver and do not draft the roving even, therefore the yarn is uneven. If spinners let two rov- ings run in where it should be one, or three where it should be two, or fail to pick out all the doublings made on the speeder the yarn will be heavv and uneven. .NiiiuImm" Three. by L. C. LAiN(iSTON, Louisville, Ky. There are numbers of things to contend with to keep from making uneven yarn. The man who does the buying and n^ixing must be fa- miliar with his job and be a good judge of cotton. In selecting stock for a mixing, every bale should he examined to see that you have prac- tically an even staple. There should not be bales with 7-.S inch staple L. C. Langston Louisville, Ky. mixed with 1 1-18 inch. If this be the case there is certain to be un- even yarn. Before we go into details with the different machines, I would like to say right here that we must have them properly oiled and cleaned. All gears must be in good condition and set properly in order to do away with, lost motion, which is a com- mon cause of uneven yarn. Open as many bales as space will allow ^fhe more space the better) jnid fake a small portion from each bale and feed to bale breaker. The cotton is then blown to picker room. Taking for granted we have a mix- ing with practically the same length staple, we will now start with the breaker. Keep the hoppers about 3-4 full all the time. If you let it run down to say 1-4 full, you will produce a light lap. which makes unnecessary work for the eveners on tlie next process. Weigh breaker laps as well as intermediate and finisher. Cone belts should be run in middle of cones so as to allow room either way for belt to shift in case of necessity. See that your nprons do not slip and if possible have a chain drive on aprons. In creelincr pickers have two full laps and two half full laps on apron at same time, in order to get as near as possible the same weight on aprons. Keep feed rolls free from laps. Do not run beaters too fast. Keep chokes out of screens. Regulate fan dampers as tliey need to be, if you don't there wili be split laps, which is an evil towni'ds making uneven yarn. Keep your beater blades in good con- ditions and do not let them get blunt by any means. Have a good, honest man to run finishers and if laps do not weigh within 1-4 of a pound fach way, they should be set back to be run over, especially where you have good stock and want to make fine numbers. We will now'pass to the card, which is sometimes called the soul of the mill. The card grinder should be a man of good judgment and sensitive tu touch. In setting in uider to have a good grip on up a card, the grnider sliould be stocic when piecing up. The nip- carel'ui to get iiis settings parallel, pers should grip the stock tightly lor instance, if the Hats are suppos- at all points on cushion plate. See ed to be set to a \), they should be that the hearings or brass detach- that way on both sides, not to a 9 m^ i-uHs are not worn. If they are on one side and a 12 on the other, tim ^eb will appear to he rough If the hllet is loose on cylinder and and uneven and will cause lumpy doffer you cannot get a close set- combed sliver. Beware of singles ting. The lillet should be taken on combers. If any are made see oir and rewound or put new lillet that they tender pulls tliem out of on. For instance, if you had a cyl- cans. Do not let cans run too full inder with loose lillet on one side as tiiis stretches sliver, and tight on the other and would Cut drawing is something to be undertake to set Hats to a 9 or 10, watched very closely as this is one tlie lillet would raise up on the of the main causes of uneven yarn, loose side as soon as cotton is put <^Vt drawing is made very easily through and would cause flats and ^^ w^U^^be^^e^ w^rn^"^^^^^ cylinder to face, Uiereby causing ^^^^ ^^^^g^ ^^ ^^ ^^^ ^^^p ^^^^ ^^.jn yarn to run flats olT. actually grind the fibres into pieces. • The front plates on all cards should where arbors are worn the remedy be set the same in order to take is to buy new ones or have old out the same amount of toppings, ones repaired. Metallic rolls should In putting in new laps, card hands be scoured at least every two weeks must not lap ends too much as this if not more often. Where leather causes thick places in yarn. After polls are used thcv should be var- a card has been stripped the sliver nished at least once a week. See should be taken down and not put that there is no stretch in sliver be- up until the cylinder has fllled up iwoen front rolls and calender rolls, enough to cause the sliver to get if this is not observed "you will flnd back to its normal condition. This thick and thin places in yarn, is done to avoid thin places or un- Change compensating gear to rem- even yarn. Do not allow card edy this. Keep clearers picked hands to use flaps, as it causes a clean so as to kep out slugs, certain amount of trash to get in wq now come to the first twisting sliver, thereby causing lumpy yarn, process in the mill and that is slub- There should be no stretch in web hing. if ^ve have a smooth, even between doffer and calender roll, drawing sliver it can be ruined very To remedy this is to put on the easily by not having the proper right compensating gear. Have all draft, twist, lay and tension. A your trumpets the same bore. good draft for slubbers is between Where there is combing you 3.5 and 4.5. There should be just should see that the doubters are in enough twist to pull the bobbin at good shape. Keep the sliver plate the next process. If there is too polished nicely and by all means much twist it will not draw out have your stop motion in order so properly and will cause hard ends that when a sliver runs out or and unnecessary piecing, breaks down the machine will stop ^p^e roving should be laid on bobbin immediately and not allow a sing e -^ , j ^^ possible, not to ride, to get through. See that your rolls {^^ ^^^^, ^^^^^ j» ^j^^ ^^^^^-^^ ^^.^^^^ are kept clean and free from laps, j^ ^^^^ .^^^^^ important of all and is a The ribbon tapper is a good place hard thing to keep regulated. It is to produce uneven yarn. If you easy to regulate but is h;ird fo keep don't watch the help closely they the' frame tenders to let it alone will raise the stop motion and allow after it has been regulated. Frame singles to go through. For instance tenders should not be allowed to if you have a four-end tapper and fake up or let off on ends. If any one end is out, you have 2.5 per ihing is to be done is to have section cent lighter stock and this will man change tension gear. At the never be overcome. See that the beginning of a set there should be rolls are in good condition and free proper bottom cone gear on so that from laps. the ends will not start up too tight Keep half laps on combers in or too slack. After The proper cone good condition. Leather detaching gear is on, put the proper tension rolls should be kept well varnished gear on to cause ends to run same 9 throughout the set. Taking up on ends does not only stretch roving (causing thick and thin places) but causes tangled bobbins and some- times causes frame to run over which means lots of unnecessary piecing. Do not run bad rolls. See that the roving traverse is making the proper traverse. If it stands in one place grooves will be made in roll, which will cause lumpy slub- ber roving. Do not fan off machine and keep clearers picked good so as to keep out stubs. Another thing that is overlooked and that is piec- ing up ends. The tender should not twist ends too hard as it will cause hard ends on next process and this means uneven yarn. The above paragraph will apply to intermediates, speeders and jack frames with the exception of draft. A good draft for intermediates is 4 to 5, speeders 5 to 6, jacks 6 to 7. Watch skewers and skewer sticks and see that the sticks are not blunt. Suppose we have good, even rov- ing ready to be spun. It can easily be turned into uneven yarn if cer- tain things are not observed. First, we must have good skewers and skewer sticks. Second, we much haVe good rolls and keep them well oiled. Third, the right traveler should be used and spindles must be plumb. No fanning off should be allowed as slugs are certain to get ill y-arn. Poor piecing is another evil that produces uneven yarn. Number Four. By G. L. MEACHAM, West Durham, N. C. The "Cause and Prevention of Un- even Yarn" is a good subject, as we will have it until we commence in the field? where the coton is grown and V>. L. Mcacljani hiirhain. .\. (1. give it more attention in the open- ing, mixing and picking rooms, than most mills do. One more trouble in lots of Southern mills is the buying of the cotton. Some mills buy cot- ton in small lots from, sav the Car- lo olinas, also Georgia and Alabama and probably Mississippi. This cot- ton is delivered without being grad- ed, and is just stacked in the ware- house. The consequence is that the carder has to take it just as he comes to it. More than likely he will have cotton from different states in process at the same time not properly mixed, which will make uneven numbers. Now we will take the opening, mixing and picking. Some mills have room enough to open one day's run ahead, and some have not. Some mills make down a mix and run it the next day. while other mills have not room and mix only one-half day ahead. I prefer the former. Some mills have to open and run right off the bale. We will first take the mill that has the room to mix one day ahead. First, if you are nmning 20 bales a day, and using cotton from 4 dif-^ ferent sections, bring it out and open 5 bales from each lot of cot- ton. Take a layer of 50 pounds of each bale in the first lot and start your mixing. Go to the next five bales and do likewise. Keep on go- ing around until you have mixed the 20 bales. In the meantime, take all of the waste which you have on hand, and work it all through your mix in thin layers, just as you put down your mix. Next comes the hopper. Make the man who feeds the cotton com- mence on one side of the mix. and beginning at the top of the pile, go to the floor. Do not let him pull it set back all laps that vary over off the top, but feed straight down one-half pound from the standard through the mix, and by doing this weight, you will deliver a good, you will have cotton in your hop- even lap to the card, which if hand- pers from all the 20 bales, also led properly, will make good even some of the waste. You will de- yarn. liver to the next process, a nice, We will now take up the cards. It even grade of cotton. Should you must be kept sharp and stripped not have room to make this mix when necessary. Some men strip and have to run right off the bale, twice a day and some 4 times. I am and you have cotton from 5 differ- carding a 11-ounce lap, making a ent sections, then open 2 bales from 60-grain sliver and I strip my cards each section, and have the hopper 4 times a day. Will give a good set- man feed from all these bales. See ting for 7-8 to 1 inch cotton for that he keeps cotton in the hopper coarse numbers from 9s to 14s. Set from all 10 bales at the same time feed plates to 10, licker-in to cylin- for by doing this you will get a der to 7, top mote knife to 7, bottom good even mix, but not as good as mote knife to 10, top Hats to 10, dof- the first. See that hoppers are kept fer to cylinder to 7, dofl'er to comb from 2-3 full to full all the time, to 12, stripper plate to 17 at top and and you will get a good, even break- 22 at bottom, breast plate to 22, er lap. If the hopper man fills the plates between licker-in and flats hopper full and then sits down and to 17 at bottom and 22 at top, licker- sleeps until the hoppers run empty, in screen to 34, under licker-in, then refills them you will have un- main screen to 17 at back, 34 at even breaker laps, which will make center of card, 68 at front next to uneven yarn. , dofler. Now do not let the card The breaker should make laps so hand put up the ends as soon as the that when 4 of them are put on the card is stripped, nor allow him to intermediate lappers, your evener let the laps run out, or you will belt will run in the center of the have your wire bungled up on cylin- cones. Now for ordinary cotton and der and top flats. Try and teach the numbers the porcupine beater on card hand to lap the ends just as the opener should run about 500 short as possible, say about 1 1-2 to to 600. turns per minute. The break- 2 inches, otherwwise you will have er 2-blade beater should run about a long doubling, and if you are draft- 1,200 to 1,400 turns per minute and ing as much as 90 inches and the should be set to the feed rollers to card hand doubles his laps 4 or 5 about 1-4 inch, and to the grid bars, inches you will have about 360 at top of circle, to about 5-16 inch, inches of doublings, making uneven at bottom circle about 5-8 inch. - yarn. Also when the card is first Next we come to the intermediate stripped the sliver or roll is several lapper. Never let the lappers run grains light. See that the card hand out, or apron slip, or you will have or stripper lets the roll run 3 or 4 uneven work. Keep four laps on yards and break this off before apron. See that apron does not piecing, or you will have light rolls, slip, that machine is well oiled and making uneven yarn, cleaned. Replace all worn gears Coming to the drawing frames, and bearings and worn journals see that they are kept clean and with new ones. Draft from 3 1-2 to properly oiled ,and that the rolls are 4 inches and run the 2-blade beater correctly set for the grade of cot- about 1,200 turns and the fan about ton that you are drawing. See that 700 turns. Set beater to feed rolls the drawing hands make proper about 3-16 inch, set beater to grid splices and that they put the roll at bar at top of circle to about 1-4 the proper place before starting the inch, at bottom of circle about 7-8 frames. If they start a frame, then inch. This will give a nice, clean- throw the end up, the chances are lap for the finisher. that you will have a long singling, Next comes the finisher lapper making light yarn. For 7-8 to 1 inch I think a draft of from 4 to 4 1-2 cotton will suggest the following inches is all right for the finisher, setting. First to second roll, 1 3->^ If you are using a carding beater, inches from center to center, second run fan 800 turns per M. Set beater to third roll, 1 1-2 inches, third to to feed roller to about 1-8 inch. Set l3ack roll. 5 5-8 inches. The above beater to grid bars at top of circle is for a. 68 to 70 grain drawing sliver, to about 3-16 inch, at bottom of The front roll should not run over circle to about 3-4 inch, and if you 400 turns, 350 being better to make U a good even sliver. See that the ends run slack. I do not mean sag too much, but they should sag the least bit. If they are run too tight the sliver is damaged and you will have weak and uneven yarn. Be sure and keep top and bottom clear- ers clean. The slubber comes next. The first thing is to see that the slubber is well oiled and all gears are in good condition, that you have no lost motion and that rolls are properly set for tiie stock and numbers be- ing run. See that the ends are not tight when the slubbers are first doffed, and started up. If so, you will stretch the roving, damaging the work and making uneven yarn. See that the slubber tender makes as short a splice as possible when creeling, or you will have lots of doublings, and Just run enough twist in the slubbei* roving to make it pull off good without breaking back on the intermediate. See that the rov- ing is wrapped the same number of times on each finger and that the tender does not run the doffs too full. If he does this, the roving will be stretched, and you will have weak and uneven roving to deliver to the next frame, which will make uneven yarn. Now, we take up the intermediate and fiy frames. Too much twist makes the roving run badly in the next machine. Use as little as pos- sible on the intermediates. See that the frames are kept clean and prop- erly oiled and that all fingers are wrapped the same number of times. Do not run the ends too tight or you will have uneven yarn. Try to keep same tension on all frames and keep the skewers all in good shape. If ony of them : re in bad shape, they pull hard and you will have a light bobbin from that spindles, which will make uneven yarn. Some mills let the frame hands, when creeling, stick the ends in the rol- lers. They pull the other off, but they make lots of doublings. I pre- fer piecing the ends for if you run' '.i inches of doublings in the inter- mediates, and you are drafting 5 inches, you have 15 inches of doub- lin^jS to go to the lly frames, and if y^u are drafting 6 inches there, you >"dve 0X15, or 90 inches of doub- .ings to go into the spinning, and if you are drafting 10 inches, you will have 10X90, or 900 inches of un- even yarn which will be heavy. See that the fine frame is property set and the proper lay gear and twist are used. I will not give the settings, as most carders have dif- ferent settings and of course difi'er- ent hank roving and difl'erent grades of cotton require different settings. See that no singlings or doublings go to the spinning frame. The spinning is next. You must set the rolls as close as possible to make a g'ood even yarn, but not close enough to make cockley yarn. See that all worn roving and skewer sets are replaced with new ones and that there are no worn necks and loose joints in steel rolls. If worn, have them re-necked, for worn and loose ones make uneven yarn. See that all worn rings are turned, or replaced with new ones and that the travelers are right. Do not get your travelers mixed, as that will cause bad work and uneven yarn. Try to keep the humidity as near one thing possible. See that all are mixed. There are lots of card- ers and spinners today who don't know what draft and twist gear they have on. They trust to the section men to get out the gears and some- times the latter are careless and mix the gears, uneven yarn being the result. Number Five. By T. W. HARVEY, Cherryville, N. G. The making of even yarn may be likened to the buildino of a large structure that is to carry great weight. We must start at the foun- dation of any great undertaking if we wish it to withstand the various storms that will be brought to bear on it, whether it be the delicate cot- ton fibre or the strongest piece of metal known to man. Hence we start to make even yarns by select- 12 ing stock suitable for the class of yarns required. After having done this, it is necessary to have a suit- able and large enough room to open the cotton and thoroughly mix it. Poor mixing is one of the greatest fa\ilts of our mills today. Now the mixing of cotton does not consist simply of throwing great big pieces of cotton from the bales as they are brought in from the cotton house into one pile, which is very often the case. The cotton should be opened and each bale tested for length and trash. After you have determined the average mix you are to make, have a small portion taken off each bale and thoroughly shak- en out over a given lloor space. Keep on trimming the bales in this manner until you have the lot all mixed, into a larger pile. The man who does the feeding of the hopper or blowing system should bo instructed to take the cotton T. \V. Harvey Cherryville, N. C. from top to bottom of the pile in order to get a small portion of each i.ale in every armful or boxful as the case may be. In this way you get an even mixture of fibres to start with, which will insure regular strength and eveu running numbers as far as the stock question is con- cerned. Now we take up the picking de- partment. Remember, the less beat- ing you give the cotton the stronger and better the yarn will be. My experience has taught me to beat it Just enough to get the heavy trash out of it. A two system (breaker and intermediate picker) will clean the cotton. Do not run it through the finishers just because you have them in the mill. If you have a three system picker room doing 2,5U0 pounds per day, convei^t 13 your intermediate into a finisher and cut the speed down to 1,300 lbs. for eacli machine. If you have carding beaters, reduce their speed to be- tween lUOU to 1100 R. P. M. I am reasonably sure you will get better results through your mill and make it easier for your cards. Tlie pick- ing department is only intended to clean the cotton and make it into an even layer convenient to transfer to the ijext process, the cards. To get even yarn, the card cloth- ing must be tight so as to allow close setting of the difl'erent parts of the card, cylinders, tops and dof- fer. To get a good even webb from a card, it is necessary to set the licker-in close to the feed plate and use a light lap. Run your doller to get the required production, have licker-in to cylinder, top to cylinder and doller to cylinder, set so you are not liable to face the clothing at a;iy point. Now we go to the drawing frame, that simple machine that any fool can run (so some mill men say), a machine that has caused more bad. uneven work in the mill than all of the rest combined. Why? It is so simple to run, nothing to do but put ends up at the back and take the cans off at the front when they get full. However, there is a lot more about the drawing frame than the average layman can understand. To get the best results from drawing frames they should be thoroughly cleaned each week and the top rolls examined. Th6 adjustment of the weights should be carefully looked after, as it is absolutely necessary that each end of the top rolls have the same amount of weight. Now, the sliver guide at the bac^^ of the frames should be set just high enough to keep the slivers close when running and not allow them to separate and part of them sag down between calender rolls and front steel rolls. By keeping them as one wide ribbon coming through the rolls you can get the proper compensating gear on the frame and avoid any draft between the calen- der rolls and front rolls. The draft question on drawing frames is what destroys more good sliver than any other point. Get your machine drafted properly if you expect to make even yarn. Light sliver and short draft at the draw- ing frames will show up in high class yarns, whereas if you use a long draft and heavy sliver, at the drawing, your yarn will be put in as low class yarns. The slubber is the first machine that puts twist in the cotton and like all others that proceed it, has four motions .drawing, twisting, lay- ing and tension. Close watch must be kept on the first and last two. First, the setting of the rolls to suit the stock, cleaning, oiling, etc., to keep the rolls moving freely. Above all things avoid long drafts with a sliver too heavy for the roll weights. As to the tension, see that the frames starts oil right and never allow a hand to take up or let out the cone belt. If you have trouble with your frames jerking and stretching the roving, increase the width of the cone belt to 3 inches and change the bottom cone gear to give you the proper speed at the start of the set. I will not dwell <-r\ the intermed- iates, nor speeders, as they require the same attention as the slubber, except this. See that the skewers are not blunt, vvhich allows the rov- ing from the slubbers to intermed- iates to be stretched in the creel. Keep sight of your drafts on these machines. Excessive drafts will make unr ven yarns, and there is no fomedy jjr it, not even short drafts, in the spinning room. Now suppose we have observed all of the above very carefully, see- ing that there is no carelessness in handling the stock from picker to speeder. Suppose that the oiling and cleaning have been done with care and intelligence, we will enter the spinning room. In the spinning room we again meet the same conditions except on a differently constructed machine. Here the draft and rolls of the ma- chine must receive the same atten- tion as before and like work shall be performed with more strict at- tention on the part of the overseer and second hands ,as we have now to deal with the young people who make up the spinning room help. A boss spinner must make certain rules regarding the cleaning and oiling of rolls, the inspecting of same by an intelligent person. I find the best method is on Saturday when all is cleaned up to have the spinners place top clearers on top of the iiau'ies and then the second hands pass up and down each alley, inspecting the condition of them, and then and there remove or have removed, any roll which in his judg- ment is not making good work. Now, Mr. Editor, there have been so many articles ^ivritten on the management of the spinning room, some of which you have published and distributed in book form, that it would be folly for me to say any- thing that some fellow may say of, "I wrote 4hat same thiiig for The Bulletin a year ago." So I will close with' this short sentence: There are two things in the mill that make luieven work and that have ruined the product of many a mill. These two are Draft and Tension. I heard the president of the New England Manufacturers' Association once say: "Give me roving free from overdraft and tension strain, and I can make good yarn on a wheel- barrow." Now, I want anyone who reads this to understand that I do not overlook the twist question, but we all know there is no set rule for twist in the average American cotton, except the rule of common sense, and that is to put in enough tto carry it through to the next pro- cess without stretching it. Number Six. By A. J. RODGERS, Blacksburg, S. C. I am sending this for entry in the contest of "Cause and Prevention of Uneven Yarn." Bad cotton or the weather never cause the numbers to mix, some light and some heavy, on the same frame or speeder as the case may be, for either will make them vary, all the same way, all heavy or all light. To keen numbers even, it is essen- tial to have an honest, well ex- perienced man on the pickers, one 14 that will not send laps to the cards that you do not want. You should have a standard weight for your laps, and allow one- quarter pound variation on either side of standard and no more. All of the rolls on the picker should be clear of waste that catches on them. If allowed to run they will be in- clined to stretch the lap, if on the calender rolls, but if on the feed rolls they will cause more stock to be delivered, and cause the lap to have heavy places in it. The fric- tion should not be too tight, or the lap will be stretched more in some places than others, and this will cause the numbers to vary. The grinder has a lot to do with the numbers varying too. He should have all of the cards set alike, so as to take out the same amount of motes, the same amount of (lyings under the dolTer, the same amount of toppings off the tlats. Now some men will say this cannot be done, but I have found that it can be done. If there is more waste coming from some cards than others, the sliver will be somewhat lighter than it will be from those (hat aio aoL faking out so much. If all the trumpets at the calender rolls are not the same size, the sliver will not weigh the same, and if the trumpets at the coiler are not the same size they will cause the num- bers to vary. All of the gears on the calender rolls should have the same number of teeth, or j^ou can not run the combs alike. Some will have to be run higher than others, and if all of the trumpets are not the same size the combs can not be run at the same height, and if the combs are not run alike the num- bers will vary according to the amount of stretch that the sliver gets between the comb and calender rolls. The drawing should be kept clean and well oiled. If the rolls are lap- ped with was(e, they will cause more stock to be delivered than if they were not. and it will cause the work to be heavy, and if there is one en(l that sags more than any of the others, and comes down from this cause. The drawing tender will pack waste in between the top and bottom rolls in the stands to keep (he end (ight enough to keep it from coming down, but this should not. be done, as it will cause that end (o be heavy. The (rumpe(s on the back drawing should be all of one size, and all of (he (rumpe(s on (he second drawing (he same on it, and the finished drawing trumpets should be all of one size. If all of (he trumpets are not the same, those that are the largest will be stretched more than those that are smaller, and consequently will be lighter than the others. But if all the trumpets are the same size on one machine there will be (he same amount of draft on each end be- tween the calender rolls and the drawing rolls. The weights should 15 be uniform and never allow some to be let down lower than others. .\11 should be level and clear of raising levers, and not mixed, some of til i heavier weights in front and some of the lighter ones behind. All of the lightest weights should be on the front roll. If not the num- bers will not be even, and the cans should not be run too full as this cr. 'i.'^es the drawing to be stretched by the coiler and consequently be- come lighter at top of can than at bottom. The slubber rolls should be kept clean and well oiled. Dry top rolls in the back will cause light work, but dry shell in front will cause the work to be heavy. Waste in guide trumpets will cause the drawing to stretch and make light work. The (ontion gear should be changed when the ends get too tight or too loose. Never let the slubber tender take up or let off, to keep the tenlion right, for he will take up too much and stretch the roving when he takes up on the rack to make the ends tight enough, and if they run too tight he may not let off soon enough, and the roving .will be stretched before he lets off, and this will cause \meven numbers. The intermediate and speeder rolls should be kept clean and well oiled, and all waste kept out of guide trumpets, and all skewers in good shape, or the roving will stretch on the ends that are choked in the guide or have a bad roving skewer or set. The (ention gears should be right so (ha( (he help will not have (o be taking up or letting off on the ends, or the numbers will not be even all through the doff. The spinning rolls, like the speed- ers, should be clean and well oil- ed. If the top back rolls are dry it will make the work light, and if "the front rolls are dry or have waste on the steel rolls ,the work off that roll will be heavy, and you will have mixed numljers and changing dm ft gears will not get them right. The way to keep even numbers is to start with an even lap, and keep every machine in good fix, clean and well oiled, and the numbers will stay even, (not mix up). If they vary they will all vary (he same way, not some get too light and some too heavy and some be the right weight, but will all vary to the same side, if caused from a change in the weather or a change in cotton. If you will weigh your speeder roving once per day, and your card sliver and finished drawing twice per day. and you find your numbers one-half grain off the standard, change your lap standard according- ly, and you will never nave to change the draft on the speeders or spin- ning, except when you are changing from one number of hank roving to another, or from one number of yarn to another. My ideas are to watch the numbers closelv and change the lap standard when the numbers vary heaxy or light, which they will if you haven't a good sys- tem of humidifying, and heating,' so as to keep the same degree of heat and humidity all the time. If your numbers are giving trou- ble try some or all these rules and you will find that they will get bet- ter results than all the changing draft gears, or blaming the cotton. Number Seven. By T. .1. DKiHY. Newberry, S. C. We don't know that we could just- ly go back to the planting of the cotton to take up the subject of "Uneven Yarn." However, we do believe that there should be more consideration given to the selection of the cotton seed for planting in order to get a better ana more even T. J. Digby, Newberry, S. C. running staple, all of which tends toward a more even uniform yarn. Also if yopr staple was even run- ning your numbers would be easily kept — hence a more even yarn. If cotton is not properly ginned (we mean by this, saws in bad shape, too dull, and not set right) it will injure the staple, cause bad spinning and uneven yarn. It would be better for manufac- 16 turers if it were possible for all cotton to go through a conditioning process preparatory to ginning. It is the opinion of the writer that the staple does not reach its full ma- turity until it has stayed on the seed a certain length of time after the boll has opened, therefore, it should be ginned after being housed about thirty days, especially the first picking. Then as before stated, great care should be exercised in (he ginning; saws should be sharp and properly set so as not to injure the staple. When taken to the opening room great care should be given to the mixing, especially if you have more than one grade of cotton to run. You should see that the exact num- ber of bales of each grade is put into the mixing. If you are not equipped with bale breakers, or some other up-to-date machinery for opening the cotton, such as the C. 0. B. machine, it would be well to open up as much cotton in your openmg room as you can, even if it is two or three days run, and give your cotton a chance fo open up to its natural state, which will help considerably in its spinning quality, This is more imperative in dealing with compressed cotton. If possible you should have your breaker tappers equipped with eveners, and all aprons equipped with chain drives. The eveners on your breakers, intermediates, and finishing pickers should be kept in the best of working order at all times so as to take care of the slightest unevenness in the laps. You should keep picking machin- ery well cleaned and in good re- pair, and see that all laps that are under or over the standard allow- ance are thrown back and worked over, all of which will tend to more even varn. Next we will take the cards. You defective rollers. And of course the should see that your cards are steel rollers should be set to the ground and set up exactly right for length of staple you are running; the grade of work you are on, as the shorter the staple the closer the irregular settings on your cards, rolls should be set, and the longer such as feed plate to lickcr-in or the more open. Lots of uneven yarn licker-in to cylinder, as well as other is caused here by bad creeling. A few settings will cause the sliver to vary inches of doubling on intermediates in weight on the difTerent cards, would mean a great many yards which, of course, would cause un- after passing through speeders and even work. Also the way the card spinning frames. The same care hands laps his cards, letting some should be given to speeders as to run out and putting others in intermediates, such as keeping a double (also split laps) will cause close watch on the creeling to see uneven work. And if you don't keep that the creeler hand breaks off the a close watch on your men who old roving when the new one starts strip cards they will make a lot of in. See that th-; rollers are kept uneven work by starting the cards clean and set the proper distance too soon after stripping and letting apart for the staple you are run- slivers run into the can before at- ning. See that the shells are taken taining the proper weight. It is off each week, arbors well cleaned impossible for the draw frames to and oiled before putting them back take care of all these evils, as you in frame. All this has to do with generally have to run your drawing even yarn. with cheap hands who are careless, You should not run yo[ir roving and don't care a ran just so they with a too soft twist o^* it will keep the cans empty. They don't stretch and break-back in creels in care whether the frames stop when spinning frames, causing spinning to the cans run empty, or the sliver run had. thereby making uneven breaks, or not, and at this point is yarn. Also too much twist in the where a great deal of the uneven roving will make an uneven yarn, work is made. Frames not stopping On spinning frames you should off when sliver breaks, rolls dirty see that you have no blunt .skewers, and choked up, flutes full of dirt, keep your rollers well cleaned and and frames not proper Iv cleaned and oiled, get all choakes off your steel oiled, all play a part in producing roller.s, and see that your top front bad. uneven work. rollers are same size on bota -, , . , XV, 1 vv- ends. Your rolls should he caliper- Next in order comes the slubber ^^ ^^ spinning, also on all the fly which makes its pro rata share of frames, and matched up to avoid the uneven work, caused mostly by ^laki^g uneven varn. You should careless operation by the slubber r^i^g gee that alfwpight levers are hand in changing cans and piecmg ^^^ jp^.^i ^^ spinning frame with up behind. Great care should be weight hooks in same notch on all taken not to run doublings, as an ipvers. Frames should be well inch of doubling on slubber means aligned and leveled, and spindles many yards of doubling when it has should be plumbed at top and hot- passed through the spinning frame. ^ ^n ^^ ^,}^iph ^.jn y^pip t^ make The slubber should be kept clean ^^^ ^^,^^ ^^^^n. and all parts well oiled: especially „. ," , , - „i„o;,,„ the rollers should have special at- We would also say before closing tention as to cleaning and oiling, onv article on uneven yarns that Also the tension at this point should P^^at ^^re should be given to the have good attention to see that rov- Piecing up of the ends on the slub- ing is not stretched and the proper bers, intermediates, and fine frames amount of twist put in so that when so as not to make hard ends or it goes to the intermediates it will doublings, which, of course, would not stretch in the creels and cause cause uneven yarn Many times uneven work there. You should also when ends break down on see that your skewers on intermed- the fly frames, th sliver or iates are in good shape so that the broken end catches up to the end pull in creel will not be sufficient to running on the right or left of this stretch the roving. Intermediates broken end. which, of course, causes should he well cleaned and oiled, a doubling. The hand piecing up especially steel and top rollers, and these ends should be compelled to see that you have no worn out or pull oflf these doublings, or be fined 17 lor their carelessness, as a few yards of this doubling on slubbers or intermediates will mean several hundreds of yards of doubling when same has passed through the spin- ning frame. The same applies to speeders. Also hard ends made by bad piecing up on the fly frames give trouble all the way through and injure a large per cent of the leather covered rolls. When said hard ends have passed through any of the machines that are equipped with leather covered top rolls they will tend to groove these rolls more or less, after which they will not draw perfectly until replaced with new ones. This is another cause for uneven varn. Last, but not the least, by any means, is poor management in the spinning room. Spinners should be taught to piece up ends at all times without making lumps and gouts and where ends break down without calching on the scavenger roll, but catches to the end running on the right or left. Spinners should see that this yarn is pulled off the bob- bin and not allowed to go to the spooler room. Overhead cleaners and sweepers should be taught to be careful to avoid letting loose lint and waste catch to the ends on the spinning frames. This also applies to card room, which is an- other reason for uneven yarn. Number Eiaht. By W. V. JONES, Social Circle, Ga. As you are running a contest on "Cause and Prevention of Uneven Yarn," I will proceed to air my ex- perience on same. As the average cotton buyer for all mills buys cot- ton from various climates and localities, the average mill has a variety of cotton staple to begin with, consequently it is necessary to blend this variety of cotton into an even and regular mixing each day, or mixing time. The mill I am working for has about 2,500 bales of cotton on hand, grades A, B. G. D, as we call our mixing code. D is the best staple, averaging about 1 3-16 inches, A averages 1 1-16, B averages 1 1-8, and G is slightly above 1 1-8 and a little under 1 3-16. As I cannot open but 10 bales at a time, owing to lack of space, I mix 3 bales of Ds, 2 Cs, 4 Bs, and 1 As. I never allow this mixing to be changed, and using a blow system, I open cotton today for tomorrow's run. I am making 20s warp, 24.50 filling. What little waste the room makes is run through the intermediate picker each day, with 50 per cent good stock, taken from the back of the cotton pile and thereby mixed in before starting to use, so I avoid the uneven weights caused by too much waste at one mix and not enough at the next, to keep on an average basis. The object of the picker room be- ing to clean and condense the stock, it is only accomplished when the machinery is kept in good working 18 order and properly adjusted to suit the staple. If you are using 7-8 inch staple and setting the picker machinery for 1 or 1 1-16 inch staple, the result is a lot of varying flyers of good stock and uneven laps. I am making a 50-pound fin- ished lap, allowing one-half pound for variation, one-quarter each way and keep standard weights on break- ers and intermediate pickers, and paying special attention to the workings of all eveners. I am pro- ducing even finisher laps, which are uniform through the entire length and not merely getting 50 pounds case. Laps weights may be O. K., and yet not produce even work. In such cdses, look after your air cir- culation and beater speeds. When a good even lap is placed on the cards, properly set, the result is an even, well-carded sliver. See that all flats produce the same weight strips. Weigh motes and flyers from each ( ard occasionally Lo ascertain whether they are all producing equal amounts. Examine all draft gears and bevel gears on side of shaft at d »ffer end to be sure that none are slipping, and causing light work. Test the cylin- der speed and get all running the same as a high speed cylinder throws off more flyers than one running slower. Gauge up the sliver trumpets, get them all to suit the diameter of the sliver, then see that all of them are the same, as a small trumpet hole wiU make lighter work, and a large hole makes heavy work. If the holes are not uniform the result is uneven work. Do not not stretch simply by being un- allow sliver to run in card while wound. stripping or immediately after. Wait we will assume that we have for the cylmder to get stocked and placed in the spinning a perfect avoid light places. Do not allow roving. It is to be feared that spin- cans to run too full and stretch the ners have not perceived clearly the sliver. Doff the cans by a schedule perils which tend to beset the roving and you will prepare good even and produce poor and uneven yarn stock for the drawing. in weight which is sometimes the When placing sliver on drawing from perfect roving. Do not allow do not allow it to run tight or spinning skewers to run that have crossed from the cans. Have a nails or wire in them, or one that place for every end and every end has been whittled down on the bear- >y in place; space the rolls to suit ing end, as it is of a special shape, staple length. Get exact distance which once destroyed, is rarely re- from bite to bite by placing a small stored. When they are damaged or copperwire (extracted from some broken, discard them and avoid that old electric wire) between top and strain on the roving. Have all bottom metallic rolls while frames weight levers set to a gauge so they are standing. This gives you a good will all hang about level and not impression to measure each frame rest or vibrate against the boards, by and see that they are all alike. Keep the top leather rolls in good And if they are set to suit the staple condition. By condition I mean just in process, you will not find blotchy what the word implies, reasonable or cloudy sliver at the front rolls, cushion, good laps, well covered, Keep the drawing rolls and gears cleaned and oiled. Test out the cleaned, oiled and working fine, for spacing of bottom and top rolls as if the rolls or gears run dry, you above mentioned with small wire, will find the results is heavy and Be sure to space to suit staple and lumpy sliver. Have the can tables avoid brake draft and unnecessary plumb, so every head will produce flyings of short fiber, which often alike. If a 6 delivery frame pro- occur when changing from one num- duces 1 can, with a hole 1 1-2 inches bcr traveler to another on frames, in diameter, in center of coils, num- Sometimes help fails to collect sup- ber two can has 1 1-4 inch hole piy of old travelers in cups and and so on, diminishing down to 1 eventually they become all mixed inch hole in can number 6, all this up. This produces uneven yarn is sure sign that your can tables from good roving, are not plumb. Have a space of » Have all the bands uniform in inches between can top and coiler weight and tension, keep spindles plate gear. See that all are the oiled regularly, and all bolsters same. Try a can of overpacked properly adjusted. Give every spin- sliver at slubs and one not run full, die the same treatment and atten- and if you have less than 2 or 3 tion, as though it was the entire grains difference in 12 yards, I'll room. Do not allow frames of the set *em up. same counts to run different drafts. On slubbers pay special attention twist or speeds, as this will make to the rolls, their condition, spacing uneven yarn. Keep the clearers and oiling. If you have shell rolls, covered and do not allow them to have calipered pairs; use good bind on roller bars, causing hard heavv oil for same. See that the twisted and heavy yarns. The ques- lav is not piling up, keep tension <'ion of oiling and cleaning rolls is right, and do not allow tenders to important to even work, and one take up or let off tension by hand, also that local conditions govern. You have a piece of mechanism for To answer this repeat the action that purpose. Get after it and put so often that they cannot get dry it to work. Do not allow the help or run dirty. A few donts. Dont to unwrap some and not all of the allow the roving cut, dont allow a presser fingers on anv frames. Do solid roll which has been run in not allow twist draft "lav or tension front to be put in the back or mid- gears changed on a part of the ^i^' dont allow spindles to get out frames without making all frames of Plumb and create unnecessary ^la-n Tf -rr.,, r^r. ,rr^„ „,;!! Ko,-^ „t, stralu on the yarn, don t allow rov- ahke. If you do, you will have un- -^^ ^^ ^^^ ^/^gse^ i^ ^^^^^^^ ^o^^-t even work made. Place in the spin- allow roving guides to choke up or ning a good even roving that will stand still, don't allow roving to run 19 off with the reverse end up, as this little things and remedy them. You pulls out the fibres and makes light can see a shaft fall down or a spin- yarn, don't allow any bad creel ning frame on fire, at a distance, steps, don't allow shell rolls on Pay attention to bands, oil and spinning without having them call- traverse at spoolers. Do not place pered in pairs, as a large roll and a excess strain on yarn and break it small roll on the same arbor make with tension and excess speeds at different number yarn. Above all, spoolers and warpers, as a single BOs don't allow a section man in your yam, 35,000 yards long, has been room who will not look after the known to contain 15 grains of knots. Number Nine. By CHAS. M. STOY, Anniston, Ala. In order to make even yarn, the cotton should be of uniform grade and staple, and free from dampness. To bring about this condition as near as possible there should be two mixing bins large enough to C. M. Stoy Anniston, Ala. hold two days mixing with the cot- ton from each bale well shaken up and evenly laid over floor, one layer on another, until a day's run is put into each bin. While one bin is be- ing used from the other bin can be filled. The opener hand should take arm- fuls of cotton from top to bottom of pile when filling feeder, so that some from each bale will be fed into hopper. The hopper should never be allowed to get below 3-4 full. Cleaning trunks should be kept free from chokes so that the cotton will be sucked onto the screen in a smooth, even sheet. All air currents should be evenly regulated. The fan speed should not be too high for split laps will result; 900 revolu- tions per minute is fast enough to run them ordinarily. When there is not proper mixing space, mix as large a quantity as it is possible to mix in the manner above described. All waste from card and spinning rooms should be mixed with about 50 per cent of cotton and run into separate laps one of these laps put onto the intermediate apron with three laps of cotton. Three blade beaters should only run 950 revolu- tions per minute while 1,540 is a good speed for two blade beaters. Beaters should be kept fairly sharp and not set too close, as broken staple and split laps will be made. Eveners should receive close atten- tion and set so as to give best re- sults according to the quality of the cotton and weight of lap going into the machine. Each lap taken from finisher should be weighed and all laps over or under standard should be put back on apron and re-run. Cards. Cards should be true and sharp, set to No. 7 to No. 12 gauge from feed plate, according to weight of lap. A dull or mashed lickerin will jerk the lap in in bunches. No air currents should be allowed under cards. No waste allowed to accu- mulate and roll up in lumps at end of cylinder or doffer, thus causing an uneven selvage in web. All waste taken from under cards as often as it should be. Cards should be stripped as often as the quality of the work requires. In stripping it is best to strip every other card and when around start back and 20 strip those that were not stripped the first round. Always start card up and let end run onto floor until the next card is stripped, thus al- lowing card to All up. When put- ting on laps pull off 12 to 18 inches of the old lap as it is always heavy. Make short splices so as not to double in the lap. Have all cards set to take out 2 1-2 to 3 per cent waste. All single and double should be pulled out of can and end prop- erly spliced. Drawing. This is the vital point in the pro- cess of manufacturing. Therefore constant care and close attention should be given it. Metallic rolls should be carded twice each day, top and bottom, by the drawing ten- der and given a thorough cleaning and inspection of gears once each month by the section hands and grinder. All rolls and gears oiled regularly each day. Top rolls thor- oughly wiped with waste to remove dirt and chokes. The back should be all creeled at one time. A care- less hand some times puts an extra end in behind in order to catch up. This should never be allowed. If leather top rolls are used they should be given close attention and regularly varnished and oiled. All bad rolls . should be taken out of frames as soon as discovered. All gears should be gone over regularly, oiled, examined and set. All single and double must be pulled out and splicing properly made with a short lap. Work should be weighed three to six times a day according to num- bers, and gears changed to suit var- iation of weight of sliver, as this (outside of the picker room) is the place to keep numbers. All top rolls evenly weighted. Heaviest weight on back rolls, next heaviest on second, and so on. with the lightest weight on front. Draft should not exceed six (6). Stop mo- tions must receive close attention and set to stop as soon as an end runs out or comes down in front. Spoons must he well balanced, kept free from lint in order to act quick- ly. The sliver should be closely ex- amined from time to time and rolls kept properly set as the setting of draw frame rolls, how and when, is of great importance. The sliver guide at back roll should be adjust- ed so the sliver will come out in front an even sheet. There should be onlv enough draft between the front and calender roll to prevent sagging of the sliver, and not enough to stretch it. The point of the trumpet should be as near the bite of the calendar roll as it is possible to get it without it rubbing the roll. Sliver should only be con- densed enough to make it pull up to the back roll of the next machine without stretching, as too much condensation prevents an even draft. The sliver on draw frames and slubbers should be tested every few days by inserting a gauge between the back and second rolls and feel- ing the strength of the cotton by pushing down on it. This will de- termine whether the back rolls need opening or closing. If it needs open- ing the stock will be found to stand very hard pressure and if needs closing the stock will feel weak. There has been many a good man to lose his job just because he did not know how or when his rolls needed setting. Three of the great essential points to consider in making good even yarn are proper speed on all machines; second, good common sense and systematic methods and application in hand- ling the cotton in its various pro- cesses, and third, close attention and care to the condensation of the sliver and the setting of the rolls on drawing, roving and spinning frames. Roving Frames. These include slubbers, interme- diates and speeders and on very fine numbers jack frames. These frames should be leveled and overhauled and spindles plumbed once each year. Steel rolls should be scoured every six months. Drafts should be 3 1-2 to 4 on slubbers, 4 1-2 to 5 on intermediates and 6 to 6 1-2 on speeders and jack frames. All chokes should be kept out of trumpets. Skewers should be well pointed and roving steps kept in creel. All broken ones replaced with new ones. Flyers balanced and free from chokes. Sockets on flyers and tops of spindles clean and occas- ionally oiled. Bobbin gears and spindles oiled each day, steps oiled every two weeks. Bobbin and spin- dle gear set so there will be no jumping of spindles or bobbins. Creel rods clean and smooth so that roving will not strain. Tension. The proper gear to give an even tension to ends so that the frame 21 hand will not have to alter the ten- sion in the run of a doff. Endless cone belts, proper gear on end of cone to give the proper starting speed for bobbins. All bobbins gaug- ed. Bobbins with wornout bottoms discarded. Top rolls well oiled and kept clean. Shell rolls well oiled once each week, and paired to match. Rolls spotted so they can be put in so laps will run the right way. Poorly covered, top rolls flut- ed, and all bad rolls taken out of frame. Steel Rolls. They should be kept free from laps. Regularly oiled and stands wiped, flutes scoured with card clothing two to three times a year. All crooked joints renecked and made to run true. The gears should be set so as not to bind or make the roll tremble as uneven work will result. The rolls should be set to produce an even strand. One has to be governed by the twist of the rov- ing, the weight of stock, the speed of the roll, and the length of the staple. Twist and Lay. There should only be enough twist in the work to pull itself into the back rolls without stretching. The roving traverse must be kept run- ning and traverse as near across the face of the rolls as it is possible for it to do. Clearers should be picked regularly. Frame hands should not be allowed to stick cotton under clearer cloth. The carriage should be oiled regularly so that it will not jump. The proper lifting gear run even. Pressors should all be wrap- ped alike. The wrapping of pres- sors should be governed by the length of staple used. All doubling and single should be pulled from bobbins, short splicings made. Speeder hands should not be allow- ed to fan frames, but wipe off flyers and roller beam at regular inter- vals. Spinning. The same general rule applies to rolls, draft, creels, etc., as in the card room. Spindles should be oil- ed regularly and plumbed to run true. Travelers should be the right weight and have the proper circle for the ring. Guide wire set over center of spindles, roving traverses kept in working order, lifting rods clean and free of chokes, rings properly set and set down level in ring rails. Ring rails should be leveled and clean. Spinners should not be allowed to make bad piecing, doffers should set bobbins down well on spindles. All choked bobbins punched out. All slack bands cut off of frames, and all bands tied on with care and judg- ment. Bands made from hard twist ed roving, creels kept clean. All weight levers kept free from back board and leveled. Use proper weights to suit the work being spun. All steel rolls should be kept cleaned and regularly oiled. Under clearers well covered and made to turn and not fall out of frame. Clearer boards kept in good condition and cleaned at regular intervals. Spool- er guides set so as not to chafe the yarn. Knots should be tied with a knot tier. Warper hands should not be allowed to fan lint on the yarn as it will make lumps and bunches. Running spools too low on warper creels. Yarn slashed on slashers without side shafts, etc. There are many other things that will cause uneven yarn, but space will not per- mit me to tell. Number Ten. By E. B. WISE, Batesburg, S. C First, let us consider the different soils on which cotton is grown. That grown on sandy land does not produce as even yarn or as clean work as cotton grown on clay or stiff land and (that of the clay or stiff land) the latter has the strong- est staple. The more frequently cotton is cultivated the better yarn it will produce. The first picking will not make as even numbers as the second picking. Next the cotton buyer for the mill should be a good judge of what is required. Most of them have small mixing rooms and can only get a day or so run at a time and if there is, say 12 or 15 bales of blue, fluffy, ordin- ary, grade sent down on Monday, then on Tuesday the buyer sends 12 or 15 bales of good middling. Then the numbers are sure to go to pieces, while if all these were put together and thoroughly mixed it would be all to the good with the have to cut nearly all air off at numbers. times. This is very important and The opening space should always I will say right here, most of un- be large, where, say 50 to 100 bales evenness is caused by picker room mixed at once, even for a 20,000 being neglected. The cone belts and spindle mill then our numbers shifters should be watched closely would go even. The opening as the belts will get slack and not room should be kept closed dur- pull and make uneven numbers, ing damp nights, as cotton is a '-I'he shifter rods should be oiled great absorbent. Next to the breaker and kept clean. The picker room picker, if the hoppers are not kept should be kept closed at night and uniformly full the breaker laps are in damp weather, as the moisture off and the less the intermediate and will cause the first laps to be heavy finisher belts have to shift on account and when they get through to spin- of heavy and light breaker laps and ning the yarn will show up light, intermediate laps, the more even Now, as to cards, I have seen yarn you get. card hands lapping cards and lap Next we go to intermediate pick- ^l^. ^"^^ of the laps 4 or 5 inches, ers. First have all evener parts in ^his makes a thick, heavy place a good repair, also keep clean and ♦'trough the mill. Again they will oiled well. Do not allow 4 full ^^.'°w ^^P, ^^ ^^^ put causing light breaker laps on apron at one time, fliver and never take it from can, but use 2 half full and two fulls! Jt^^® ^^ ^ ^^§^^ streak all through to Try one each way and note what }^^ ^/\^- i^ometimes a card is al- the difference is on your intermed- ^°''^®^ ^^ ^^^^ .^^^h the sliver drag- iate laps. Keep cone belts in center f ^"^ ^^ sagging on floor, caused of cones, or your evener can't make ^^°P^ ^of,^ ^^afts in coiler head even laps, do not allow picker men ^'^^^^^ ^^^^^: This can t make even on any machine to lap the laps when ^f^^- ^^F^ ^^^^ should be kept putting on full laps. This is a prac- ^'^^^P ^^*^ ^^^, ^et to suit the pro- tice causing much uneven yarn in duction and stock. Be sure there a great many mills. I have seen f!'^ ^?. ^^^^^ ^^^^ ^^J^^}? ^^^^ ^^^^^ men let 3 laps run on intermediates "^.?, i^^"^^^ ^^ ^^^^ ^^dly, and you and finisher pickers for a day or so 7f^^^ have uneven yarn Many a man because the breaker laps were heavy '^^^ wondered why his yarn was and they were too lazy to change Tu'^^^*'^^^^ ^^ ,^^^ ?^^x^®^ ^L^^. the draft gear, still they want good °^^i ^^^^ ^^^ ^ ^^^^^^ ^^^t couldn't even yarn. Now, the finisher should "^ drawn even. be watched more carefully than any /o"^,', ^^ 1°. draw frames. I know machine the carder has, if he wants ^^ ^^^^^ • which used metallic rolls to give the mill good, even work for ^^ dravving and on top roll weight what faults leave the picker room, °" ^^^J^^ ^^'^f • , The weights varied such as heavy and light places, can- ^^o""" ^ pounds to 10 pounds. When suua as neavy ana iigni places, can- : " : , '—"""- >-" ^^ k^^^-^^^. " "^" not be entirely remedied elsewhere, f^, ®"*^ ^^T}^ ^J^^ slack they would. The evener must be in perfect con- ^^^^ weights off until it ran right, dition and laps all weighing not over f'^ P^^^H ^^lu^ ^^^ shoulder of hot- 1-4 pound allowed to pass. Weigh ^^^ roll, either of which is sure to after the finisher man and have him P^'® ,"^^ven yarn. The spoon and put the weights down. I have had ^""^^^^'^^ ^^i^°,^ get bent or dirty them to quit on account of weigh- °^ ^^^ ^5°°" holders dull and I have ing right after them, but better l^'ll ^.^^f "^J^^K ^o^, ^^ to 20 minutes them than me to be hiked for un- T^ ,iHf^ a doubling where there even work should be 6. Have your spoons ex- T^v^o or^„l,,o „u 1 I V, 1 i 1- ux amined twice a week and your draw- .n il MPnnf"tr^°''^'^>.H^. kept tight, ing creeled a set at a time. The f .nrn?i.Sf^ho^' '''" H^"^"" 'f'"/ "'^ ^^^s should be spliced and not fhp"^.nrnn n'^^ni" ^iid sprockets ou thrown in. The latter will give 7 «hnnl? n L^iil^^h'?''/^'- ^ 'f'''^f ^nds for 5 feet and it should be 6. monlLlIAi^, that his air adjust- Of course this can't make anything ?r i5in«? cS^ivf''V'''^^"'P'r^^?-T ^""^ uneven yarn. Some times the ihiM. ^! ?? ?^ **P^ 7"^^^ ?PJ/^ draw frame tender will prop the which can be done, most especially knock-off motion with a piece of u you use a split lap preventer cotton and I have seen as few as 4 which will stop most of it. ends running where there should be I hen if your laps split, put 6. You see this is 33 1-3 per cent more cotton on top cage than light, and with the other doublings you do on bottom, or you may you can't get it less than 15 per cent 23 light side. Watch tension on draw- standard on lap from 1-2 to 2 per ing and see that ends do not run cent and you will have few changes too tight or slack; also change rolls on gears to keep even numbers, where you have an end. Just one Also it is a good idea to raise the or two on a frame that are tight or lap weight on inferior cotton to slacker than the balance you can take care of extra loss, find a roll on some other frame that Now, as to the spinning. I knew will fix the ends or end all 0. K., a mill where the numbers .were ir- and have good even sliver so far. regular and the beams would pop up See that trumpets on cards and and down. They changed spinners draw frames are the right size, not 3 times in two years. The last one to compress the sliver too much, was one who took nobody's word also not to make fluffy and soft sliv- about his gears, so found his draft er. This is sure to give uneven gears to vary from 40 to 46 teeth on work. I have seen draw frames same numbers. Now, the other where the holes in some trumpets overseer had never known what were three times as large as the they were running. They just told others and consequently uneven the section man what to put on and work. he put on what he found first. Now, Next, go to the slubber. Have this is the cause of a great deal of shell rolls oiled every two weeks, uneven yarn solid roll oiled once a day just a sometimes the weight levers are drop. Have botom and top rolls ^^^ level, they should be set when cleaned once a day. See that pres- ^ne gets out of line. This will cause f'^^L^^^o%^I^f !?iof'^.tn'^SF«?: bad numbers; also some times a fP'V"^ hLf I .?^ i^'/if^inr Lhw spinner will put a solid roll Vhere LooL^nf ^n^L Li;^TP =Lr.?° .nH '-^ ^^ell should be. I kuow a carder fS^rnZ.J'Hl ^?.lr^ J tfiL nn who said his weights were nice, but that flyers are firmly seated on .j^ . x^ couldn't be kent rieht A spindle. See also that the ends are new sSinne^came and found^ all wrapped the same number of soiYd?ins La 12 000 sniX mill times around the presser finger, ^here here should have Wn Have frames kept clean, oil steps J^^^^ A fluted roH should not^S once a month. Have tender to piece l\^^^^^^ to run as it wm c^use a drawing when creeling and if a bob- f. J°St. ' bin by an end breaking and allow- ''^^^^^^^^- „ , ing to run becomes too small, by Now a few don ts and I ve flnished. no means allow him to run two Don't fail to inspect your pickers ends into it until it becomes large several times a day. again. I have seen this done in Don't allow oil to run in beater several large card rooms. Now, if cages above rules are carried out there is t^„,. ,, , fpndprs to iPt int''ermedfatls.'^'TVe'e''^h3' be ^.^^'f it'"'' ^''' '"'^ '^"^^^"^ '"' kept oiled as the slubbers, and Jt ,/ ' „ same rule as to rolls, flyers, pressers Don t allow laps punched out at and drafts. I want to add that they ends. should not be fanned, but wiped off. Don't run front draw frame rolls Fly frame tenders should also piece faster than 300 R. P. M. roving and not double it for even Don't miss a week cleaning fluted work, an'' they should not be allow- rolls on draw frames your ^section' man' ti'"ke°ep clole . ^^^'^ "^*«^ ^ ^'^^ ^^^^^ ^'''' ^^ Hch'on^tens"rand\y 'no' mtns i'^I^^'J^^'^J'''^'' ^"^ ^^^^^^^^^- allow them to be run tight. o\ernaui them Now, just a word more and then Don t allow frame hands to hold a we take up the spinning room, roll to make an end run tight or Keeping numbers should be done in stuff cotton under clearer clothes to a card room by the lap or on P"t "^o^e pressure on front roll, slubber. I prefer the lap, and in All of the above "don'ts," if allow- damp weather, raise your weight ed, will cause uneven yarn. 24 Number Eleven. By A. B. BROWN, Belmont, N. C. I am glad to get an opporunity to contribute an article on this subject, The Cause and Prevention of Uneven Yarn. This is one of the worst prob- lems the cotton manufacturers have to contend with today. I will try to explain to the best of my knowl- edge how to remedy and prevent the things that cause uneven yarn, but I would not try without first ex- plaining to the young men who in- tend to make a success out of the cotton mill business the importance A. B. Brown Belmont, N. C. of an efficient and thorough open- ing and mixing of the cotton. A thorough mixing is a firm founda- tion for this subject, but it alone cannot prevent uneven yarn. There are a hundred and one more things which will cause uneven yarn, but the opening and mixing, as I stated before, form a good foundation. Mixmg means the mixing of the different qualities of cotton in such a way as to secure an economical production of uniform qualitv and color, and at the same time an even yarn. Mosf, of us know that to mix cotton thoroughly, we should have a bale breaker, and by using a bale breaker, cotton will not be thrown 25 off of the bale in bunches and large fiakes of from 12 to 20 pounds, and then expecting the automatic feeder to perform the work that another machine should have done. No mat- ter how small your opening room may be, mix as many bales at one time as you can. If that is only 4 to 6 bales, see that they are thor- oughly mixed, but if you can handle 40 to 60, then so much the better, as it will be the means o{ eliminat- ing some of the unevenness of the yarn, though not all of it. However, the mixing and picker rooms have been too much neglected, but we are glqd to note that they are now beginning to be recognized as the foundation of all even yarn. The regularity of the laps is of the greatest importance in produc- ing a perfectly even yarn. Close attention should be given to the feeding of the < otton to the break- er and to the correct weighing of the laps on all the picking machines. If your feeding is regular and your laps are correctly weighed, why it must produce even work on the cards, providing all other things are in good working order about the cards. Keep the automatic feeder about half full all the time. It is neces- sary that all machines are kept cleaned and oiled all the time, and the axles at the beater free from rolls, else it will cause the cotton to run to one side and make heavy sided laps. Imperfect air currents will cause irregular and uneven laps to be made and this, as you know, will cause uneven work throughout me mill. Keep the evener belts in good working order. Never run an evener belt that is 'lard or stiff, or one that is put to- gether with a buckle or lace, but use good, soft, pliable belts that are cemented together. Keep all gears well set and in good working order. (Anything said about gears or belts on these machines will apply to all other machines throughout the mill). We next take up the cards. Card- mg is the most important process of the entire system of cotton man- ufacture and is the life of good spin- ning, and of perfect yarn. The theory that imperfect picking and carding will regulate itself at the drawing and other processes should electric stop motions not working be exploded. The sooner we realize properly. the importance of good mixing, We now take up the slubbers, in- picking and carding of cotton, the termediates, speeders and jack sooner will our manufacturers come frames, all as one, as they are all on up with those of New England. about the same principle. Uneven yarn can be caused at Some of the things to be avoided many pomts m the carding, and are, poor piecing at the slubber and from now on through this article, I roving frames; long piecing when will give just the point and give it creeling hard ends; (when creeling just as clearly as possible. As the just enough lap should be made to space is limited and I do not wish to hold it together, not twisted too hard use too much space, I will say that as this will make light and heavy uneven yarn can be caused on the places in the roving) gathering of cards as follows: Improper setting, waste at the top and bottom of hckerin-m in bad condition; card skewers; skewers binding in creels clothing in poor condition and im- and in bad condition, in most cases properly ground; too much draft; caused from broken creel steps; top work too heavy; machines not oiled and 'bottom clearers not kept clean, and cleaned as they should be; strip- poorly covered rolls, and rolls not ping not well done; clothing not fitting well; rolls not kept well suited for the numbers being spun cleaned and oiled and adjusted; steel as you cannot spin yarn with any rolls not clean; flutes worn out; success where clothing is made for rolls put in with laps running counts 30s and you try to spin 60s; wrong way; loose fitting joints; bad piecing at back and front of worn necks on rolls; bent rolls; too card when putting up laps at back much draft between back and mid- and putting up ends at front as ^le rolls; too much draft through this causes heavy and light places tiie whole machine; tension too in the yarn; putting up ends at tjght. Never allow the frame hand stripping time before the cylinder ^o take up on tension, but instead IS allowed to fill up and fanning off change tension gears. Other causes cards with a broom or burlap will f^^ bad work are flyer pressers not cause thick places in the s iver weighting of rolls on either spin- where he Imt flies into it. AH of wrapped correctly; improper wind- these things should be watched j^g of the roving being made closely and guarded against. ^ radical change is being made bv Next we come to the drawing ^ot changing bottom cone gear and frames. Poor conditions of the builder gear; change gear not prop- rolls ,whether solid or shell, or erly set; spindle and bobbin gears rolls not being same diameter, set too deep; ill balanced and poor should be avoided. Uneven work fitting bobbins; flyers not kept will be caused by poorly varnished cleaned and balanced; the whole rolls, or if metallic rolls, not being machine not kept well oiled and properly cleaned; rolls not correctly cleaned; fanning off machines with weighted and oiled; top and bottom broom or burlap, flaps as they are clearers not kept cleaned; change called; roving guides becoming par- gears not properly set and gearing tially filled with waste; running top not all in good condition, and worst rolls with grooves in them, of all some of them slipping; rolls Spinning uneven yarn is to mv not well set too much draft between rnind the greatest evil which the back and third to calender ro Is; mill man has to deal with and if the bent rolls; flu.es worn out; stop work goes to the spinning room in motions n9t working as they should; pood condition, it can also be ruined poor piecing, bo h at back and fhere, as the overseer has important front; worn necks on roll; bent things to look after and watch verv rolls: stop motion not working closely or else the yarn will be properly; calender rolls not proper- ruined. T will now trv to explain ly set: trumpet too large for weight the important points to be looked of silver being run, and sliver not after in the spinning room. Bad as well condensed as it should be, yarn is made when lint is allowed sometimes seven slivers being run to gather on top of the creels; waste t^hrough instead of six, the tender allowed to gather around top and doing this on the sly so as to keep up bottom of skewers; skewers in bad more eashly; frames not being kept condition, broken creel steps; long well oiled, and last but worst, the pieces when setting in full rov- ing: skewer eyes and skewers set also). What has been said in re- down into creel boards, creating gard to rolls, saddles, stirrups, or more strain on the roving; roving weighting of rolls on either spin- guide rods not properly set, so as ning or fly frames will also apply to travel the proper length; roving to the others. guides partly filled with waste I think that if these points are and in bad condition; loose rings; looked after closely, there will be slack bands; allowing spinners to little danger of uneven yarn. Of fan off sides; travelers too light; course there are several other worn out steel rolls not kept clean- things that could be mentioned on ed; lint allowed to gather around this subject, but as I said in the be- separators; spindles out of plumb; ginning, the space is limited, and I guide wires worn out or not proper- think I have about covered the ly set; scavenger rolls not covered, space allowed. I will close by add- which will cause steel rolls to lick ing that if you carry out the mixing up ends and make a different diam- and picking as I have tried to ex- eter; saddles not correctly placed plain and then watch for the other on rolls; stirrups rubbing steel defects that I have pointed out, you rolls (this applies to fly frames will obtain an even yarn. Number Twelve. By J. W. OUZTS, Eufaula, Ala. I will give a brief outline of causes It is very essential that the lap of uneven yarn and some of their aprons on machines be kept in per- remedies. We will assume that the feet repair. You can ill afford to proper stock for the yarn being use a poorly patched up apron, spun has been provided, and begin There should be a sprocket wheel at thp mixing. This should be from connected to the gear on the end as large a number of bales as space of the apron shaft and a sprocket will permit, and at least 24 hours wheel put on the end of the rear old before using. shaft, and a chain connecting them. Waste should be mixed in with This gives a positive drive rear the pile or thrown into the feeder shaft which aids in propelling the at intervals by the tenders, but a apron and lessens the liability of separate hopper should be provided apron slippage. With the applica- to feed the waste in steadily, just tion of the lap splitting preventer heavy enough to take care of the behind the calender rolls and the amount of waste used. A hopper attention outlined above, an even can be built by any ordinary ma- lap that will not split will be pro • chinist and carpenter at small cost, duced. or purchased from the shops for a Of course it is necessary for the trifle. And it is well worth the tender to be careful not to let the price. laps run out. In putting laps upon Cotton should be torn up finely be- the apron, be careful to make an fore throwing into the hopper, so even splicing. Ends must not be that the feed at the breaker lapper lapped over and run in a lump, will be reasonably uniform. The A very accurate and sensitive lap breaker lapper must be kept clean weighing scale must be provided, inside, cage section in good repair, and six weighings a day made on lap draw heads even and of proper intermediate lapper in order to keep resistance. The fan speed should be them to standard weight. Every just strong enough to keep good cot- lap coming from the finisher should ton from going into motes. Set be weighed and a record kept. Only beater 3/16 inch from feed rolls, a very slight variation should be al- The above applies also to the in- lowed, termediate and finisher lapper. The Cards. eveners on these two machines re- All card sliver must be weighed^ quire constant and careful attention, and comparisons made after each* The moving parts should be kept grinding and setting to see that moving perfectly freely and pulleys slivers are of proper weight. Cards covered with white or red lead. To not stripping the same in flats or eliminate belt slippage, the telts cylinder .or both, or not making the should be very pliant and of a good same amount of fly waste, causes clinging material. variation in slivers. Tenders must be taught to splice in laps very evenly, and when part of the web at the dofifer falls down and the other part runs into the can, this must be pulled out and a neat splicing of sliver made. Every time an end is put up, it must be spliced to pre- vent unnecessary stoppage of the drawing frames, for every time one of these machines is started, there is more or less damage done to the sliver. It is best to strip each alter- nate card in a line. Do not put the end up too quickly, but allow the sliver time to regain its normal weight, before going into the can. It is absolutely impossible to make good smooth yarn from poorly card- ed stock. And to get good carding it is necessary to have a good, sharp, even-surfaced licker-in, sharp wires on flats, cylinder and doffer and close setting of the flats to cylinder. To keep the wire sharp, have a good sharp emery on the grinders, and gi'ind reasonably heavy. The writer has been in mills where the emery was used until it had no more cutting qualities than measle bumps on a nigger's face, and the grinders set so lightly that they could scarce- ly be heard. A man might just as w'ell be fanning at his cards with his old hat as to be grinding in this way, and good yarn cannot be made where this method of grinding is used. Cards must be kept sufficiently clean to prevent batches of fly from collecting and blowing or dropping to the web. Of course all cards should have the same draft. Drawing. Here is where a lot of mischief is done. I am very partial to leather covered top rolls. As most men set their rolls too closely, I will not give any rules, as this varies with the nature and bulk of the stock being worked. Drafting rolls must be properly geared and all gears in good repair, and perfectly tight to prevent lost motion when starting the frame. Defective trumpets are a fruitful cause of uneven work. The follow- ing will give an idea of the proper size for trumpets 45 grains sliver, 9-64; 55 grains, 10-64; 65 grains, 11-64. These should be bored with a straight drill and not reamed with a tapered reamer, as this tapered hole soon wears at the point and gives too much opening. Breaker drawing runs better with five ends up and a draft of a little 28 less than 5. This is true because of the curled and matted condition of the fibres, which makes it difficult to draw them evenly. So the shorter draft is more even. The second drawing is all right; 6 ends up and draft of six. In operating drawing, all of the cans should be put in at the back of a wholj frame at one time and nice, even splicmgs made. This eliminates the frequent starting and stopping which in itself is damaging, to say nothing of the singlings made from defective stop-motions, and doublings made when throwing ends up when stop-motion does work. All stop-motions should be tested once a week and corrected when- ever found faulty. When metallic rolls are used the front line of rolls should be re- placed with new ones, both top and bottom, whenever one or more ends begin to sag down on one side, or run slack entirely. These rolls, when they begin to v."-ar and col- lars get bumping, do a lot of dam- age, and play havoc with the break- ing strength. Drawing frames should be provided with a full can knock-oflf motion, aside from the tube gear lift knock-off. When the can runs sufficiently full to lift the tube gear, the sliver stretches under the resistance. Drawing should not be run at too high speed. A front roll speed of 370 turns is too much. Drawing rolls must be kept clean, no lumps of any kind being allowed to collect in the flutes. Top rolls must be well lubricated, by no means ever allowed to be run dry. Drawing frame 'onders should all be well trained and taught the im- portance of doing their work prop- erly. Roving. When replacing can at the back of the slubber, they should be splic- ed in when frame is knocked off to doff, and these splicings run through to where they will go in the first few rounds on the empty bobbin be- fore slacking ends to doff. In this way these splicings are pulled off in the subsequent processes when creeling and do not go into the yarn. When creeling on intermediate and fine frames, the piecings must be made each end together, but they must not be made too thin. It is necessary for all top rolls to be good and smooth, well lubricated and free in motion. Few people watch their flyers times and prevents stretching the closely enough. The fingers on these yarn in places, must work properly and flyer be I did not cover combed yarn in this evenly balanced. Steps must be well article, but will say that in operat- oiled so that the spindles will run ing sliver lap and ribbon lap ma- steadily. The roving must be wrap- chines that what I said about rolls ped the same on all fingers. on drawing frames and prevention The tension on all roving frames of singlings and doublings; and must be well regulated and never cleanliness, will apply to these, tampered with by Ihe tender. All As to the combers, the needles in roving frames must be kept clean, the half laps must be in good order. Drafts must not be too short on rov- Nippers must be set correctly for ing frames, nor too long; 4, 5 and 6 the length of the cotton being used, are good drafts.^ ^ leather covered rolls smooth surfac- Spinning. ed and carefully varnished. Stop- You must have good straight motions must be kept in good re- spindles and good steps, and keep pair, laps watched carefully to pre-» steps well oiled, so the spindles will vent running in split and trumpets run steadily. Rings must be re- bored the proper size, all rolls well placed when worn. Travelers must lubricated. All machines should be suit the yarn and be changed before tested each day and see that the they are worn enough to cut the proper percentage of waste is being yarn. It is necessary to keep good removed. easy running roving skewers, and To make good yarn, and a good skewer steps in good condition. All impression on the trade, it is neces- roving must have sufficient twist to sary to have every machine in the prevent stretching between card and mill well lined and level and run- rolls. This applies to slubber and ning smoothly. No worn bearings, intermediate roving frames as well, sprung shafts and wobbling pulleys Spinners should be taught to piece should be allowed. The mill should up their ends without making a ^e nicely painted inside and kept gout and not to make doublings „,„ rp^ nufsidp snrrnnnHinffs when setting in roving. The frames ^if^^' ^^® outside surroundings and room should be kept clean. ^^^,^1"^ present a neat appearance Warp yarn should be spun on fill- ^^d living conditions for the body Ing wind traverse and a tension de- must be good in order to attract an vice similar to that used on a cone intellectual class of help, which are winder attached to spoolers. This more easily trained to do their work gives an even tension on yarn at all correctly. Number Thirteen. By G. B. McCRACKAN, New Orleans, La. The words "uneven yarns," are may be from any or all of the fol- sometimes applied to two separate lowing causes: Aprons slipping, and distinct classes of yarns, name- causing light or thin places in the ly: Such yarns as may be compar- laps, pickers not properly cleaned, atively even so far as the individual chokes getting wedged in the threads are concerned, but vary screens, leathers getting olT of the greatly one thread from another. In casing that encloses the ends of the other words yarns that are suppos- screens, evener motion not working ed to be No. 10s will vary from 9s properly, or some of the parts being to lis or even from 8s to 12s. The badly worn. The evener belt should other class of uneven yarns is yarns be set so that if one lap runs out that may weigh comparatively even on the apron it can move far enough —one thread with another— and yet towards the little— or fast end of each thread may contain a large the cone— to hold the feed up to the number of places that are much too same weight. A fair way to set the thick or too thin; and as the cause evener belt is about 1-3 of the and cure of these two troubles are length of the cone from the large different I will treat them separate- end. T have reference to the cone ly and in the order named. that drives the feed rolls. If laps are uneven in the picker Trying to run very damp and room it will greatly affect the even- very dry cotton at the same 'time ness of the yarn, and uneven laps or Irving to use compressed cotton 29 one day and uncompressed cotton back rolls altogether and let them the next day will have a very bad stay off for days until it would be- effect upon the evenness of the come necessary for the overseer to yarn. make a systematic search to locate Laps splitting at the cards,— dull the trouble. Where leather rolls cards, or improperly set cards will are used much bad and uneven have a bad effect on the yarn. work can be caused from bad rolls, Drawing frame stop motions not or from improperly oiling or poor working properly allowing frames varnishing. I have obtained excel- to run with one or more ends out lent results from varnishes made at the back, will cause uneven yarn, from receipes taken from the text Some times drawing frame ten- books of the International Corres- ders will get behind with their pondence Schools, but I know of work and in order to get caught up equally good results to have been quickly will slip in an extra can, obtained from other recipes. When thus having one end too many up metallic rolls are bemg used, espe- at the back. Again the help will ciallv after the rolls have been m some times pass card sliver around use for a long tmie, the collars that to the finisher drawing and as prevent the rolls from meshmg too there is usually a difference in the deeply will become worn, and as weights of the cards and breaker they all do not wear in the same proportion, some of the rolls will mesh a little deeper than the others and thus cause uneven work. It sometimes happens that even old and worn metallic rolls can be matched up so as to get fairly even work, but it is very important that great care be used when scouring the rolls to get each roll back where it belongs, for if they get changed up, uneven work is almost sure to result. Much uneven work can re- sult from the way the drawing frame tender gets up the ends at the back. I have seen drawing frame hands start a frame and throw the end up to the bite of the rolls and then drag it back two or three times in order to get.it to go in straight and all the time the frame was running. This caused a place from 1 to 3 feet long to go through 1-6 light, and as there is usually a draft of 6 on the drawing, it made from 6 to r n iif^rT.^r.L-^n 18 feet of light drawing and when u. H. OTCi^racKan ^-^^^ reaches the spinning it makes i\ew urieans, L.a. several hundred yards of light yarn, drawing sliver it will cause uneven* A good way to prevent this is to yarn. Too great a draft between have the cans behind the drawing front rolls and calender rolls will frames so arranged that the opera- contribute to both classes of uneven tive can walk right up to the frame yarns as referred to in the begin- and stick the sliver into the bite of hing of this article. A bad licker- the rolls. Another method that in on the cards will sometimes so gives good results is to have the mess up the cotton that it will draw drawing frames creeled in the same very unevenly at some of the subse- way that a slubber is creeled — that quent processes. Sometimes the is— start the frame with all full cans weights on the back rolls of a draw- at the back and when one can runs ing frame will be allowed to rest out break out all the rest and splice partly on the frame and partly on the pieces together in one can and the rolls. This will allow the second then splice in an entirely new set set of rolls to draw the cotton past of cans. the back rolls without drawing it Double and single roving on inter- out,, thus making the drawing too mediates and fly frames will cause heavy. I have known careless oper- uneven yarns, but as the difiference atives to take the weights ofif the here is so great that most of it will 30 be detected on the spinning or spool- ing and thrown out, I will not dis- cuss it further. However, it is a very hurtful practice to ignore single and double. If cotton is al- lowed to accumulate around the back steel rolls either on drawing frames, slubbers, fly frames or spin- ning frames, the increased size of the roll will cause them to take in more stock than they should, thus causing some of the ends to pro- duce roving or yarn that is too heavy. Where solid rolls are used in the front on spinning they should be very carefully watched and kept well oiled. The writer got into a good big hole once by not watching (his. We were spinning No. 12s hosiery yarn and there was quite a lot of yarn being produced that looked more like 8s. The bobbins were no larger than the regular yarn that was right but had twist in it to make it appear like double roving. A careful investigation showed that it was due to lack of oil on the top front rolls. This will also apply to shell rolls but to a less extent. I will now take up the discussion of the other class of uneven yarn or yarn that is cut or full of thick and thin places, etc. Too much waste or short cotton in the mix will cause the roving or yarn to draw very unevenly. If the rolls on any of the drawing or fly- frame processes are set too wide for the cotton being used, or if the rolls on the spinning frames are set too wide, uneven yarn will he the result. Too much draft at any of the above named processes will not only cause the yarn to be uneven but will make it very weak. Run- ning tention too tight on fly frames will streach the roving and cause it to draw very uneven at the next process. It sometimes happens that bobbins are bought at difTerent times from difTerent firms and some of the bobbins are much larger in diameter than the others. When bobbins of two or more sizes are run on a fly frame at the same time some of the roving is sure to be stretch- ed, and uneven yarn is the result. If the rolls on any of the pro- cesses are set too close for the cot- ton being used the stock will cockle as it comes through and cause lumpy or uneven yarn. Loose joints and badlv worn necks on the steel rolls are the cause of much lumpy or cut yarn, and I want to say right here that a fly frame roll may have a loose joint and yet make a roving that looks to be even, but when it gets to the next process the cut places will draw out and the roving or yarn will appear to be very lumpy. If chokes are allowed to accumulate around the joints of the back or middle rolls of a fly frame, or if they are allowed to run with- out grease or oil they will soon begin to run with a tremble, and the stock will appear cut or lumpy in the next process. If any of the readers of this article are troubled with lumpy roving, it would be to their advantage to go around and put their Hands under their steel rolls and see if they are running with a tremble. This is especially true of frames that are very long and have draft gears only at one end, or if they have draft gears at both ends mesh and thus cause all of the strain to be on one set of draft gears. The torsion or tendency of the steel rolls to twist will allow them to run with a jerky or trembly motion un- less they are perfectly free from chokes and well oiled. The cut places do not show until the roving is drawn out at the next process. Draft gears being set too deep, or a broken tooth, or gears not bored perfectly true all have a tendency to make the rolls jump, and cut or lumpy yarn is the result. Allowing under clearers to run without hav- ing cloth on them, or allowing a warped or bad one that will not turn to remain in the frames will allow the sliver from a broken end to catch in the threads and make some lumps; guide-boards getting too dirty will also cause trouble. Bad top rolls or shell rolls of difTerent size on the same arbor, or weight hooks resting on the back boards will all cause lumpy yarn as well as to make the work run bad. If a steel roll is sprung or bent it will cause the yarn to be cut. As to the cure for all classes of cut yarn I can only say: first locate the cause and then do all that can bo done to remove that cause and the uneven yarn wmII either be great- ly reduced or disappear altogether. The above is only a small por- tion of what could be said on the subject of uneven yarns, but as I fear that I am using too much space T will bring my article fo a close. 31 Number Fourteen. By A. C. ATKINSON, Claytx)n, N. C. The contest on "Cause and Pre- vention of Uneven Yarn" should be a very interesting subject to the overseers and superintendents of the Southern cotton mills, for at the best we can do our yarn ;s very often uneven. At the end of this contest, however, I hope to be, and hope others will be, benefitted upon this subject. Great care should be taken in selecting the stock to be opened; the staple should be as approx- A. C. Atkinson Clayton, N. C. imately uniform in length and strength as possible. It is ab- solutely necessary that the cotton should he well mixed, mixing as many bales as there is room to he opened, taking equal portions of the cotton from each bale and throwing it upon the pile. This cot- ton when being used, should be taken from the pile, perpendicular, as by this means a proportion of each layer will be removed to- gether. Where the cotton is fed to the automatic breakers, the hopper should be kept about two-thirds full, for if it is run over to start \ 32 with and then let run down real low before any more is put in there will be an uneven lap to start with. The intermediate and finisher lappers have eveners and by keep- ing the eveners clean and active, we should get a good even lap. Have each finisher lap weighed as they are taken off 'lie machine and do not allow these laps to vary over one-quarter of a pound either way, for laps must be made even, if even work iij the following processes is expected. With good, even laps upon the cards, then the quality of the work depends to a great extent upon good grinding and accurate setting as poor carding means poor spinning and poor weaving. The card nand, in putting on new laps, should not be allowed to lap the ends, but place them in just behind the end that is running out. If the ends are lap- ped this will cause a thick place in the sliver. Do not allow the cans to iio run too full and tight, as this tends to stretch and weaken the sliver. The drawing frames are perhaps the simplest machines used in the carding department and are among the most important. The drawing frame is for the purpose of drawing out and and laying in parallel order, the fibers. The drawing and doub- ling also greatly reduces the unev- enness of the sliver. Very often when the carder has new help to work and they are not skilled enough to put on other machines he puts them on drawings. This is a great mistake. There should be a competent and painstaking per- son in charge. An improper work- ing stop-motion will let an end run through, then if you haven't got a good man on the job he puts up the end, but fails to pull out the single drawing that has passed. It may not be many yards, but by the time it has reached the spinning room it has increased many times its length and results is weak and uneven yarn. A very important part of the drawing frame is the top rollers, whether metallic or leather covered rollers. Also the hooks and weights are very important parts. If metallic rollers are used they should be cleaned once per week and all dirt and foreign substance removed from the llutes. If this is hunches to catch in with the work, not done the flutes become full of Hoving must not ho laid too close dirt and the rollers will be slightly on the bobbins as the layers will raised thereby causing cut sliver, ride each other, stretching the rov- When leather covered rollers are ing, nor too far apart, but should used they should be varnished re- be laid so as to give a smooth ap- gularly and often enough to keep pearance. them in good condition and with Another defect on frames is the and the varnish that will not crack and peel bobbin gears jumping here off. When they are taken out to there, which is caused by be varnished the section hand or gears being very dirty or not prop- the one in charge should examine erly set. When bobbin gears are each one to see if there are any with allowed to jump it causes the coils loose covering. If so they should to over-nde each other as they are be replaced with new ones, as they wound on the bobbins and when the will damage the sliver. The rollers bobbin is unwound at the next pro- should be spaced to suit the stock, cess the part of the coil that is re- that is being used. This applies to ceiving the pull may be under an- the length of the staple. other coil, which in most cases Wornout trumpets are a defect causes the roving to be broken on drawing frames and by all means back. If not broken back it will be keep the stop motion in the best of stretched, uneven work. The end be- order, whether electric or mechani- ing wound arouuu the pressor a dif- cal. The sliver on the fmisher ferent number of times, or allow- drawing should not exceed sixty- ing the eye and nollow leg of the two grains to the yard. In the slub- flyer to become clogged with dirt, bing process there is no doubling which will cause hard and soft bob- and is the first machine to put twist bins. Frame tenders should not be into the stock and wind it upon a allowed to make singling and doub- bobbin. Intermediates, Fine and Jack Frames. In each machine there is a pro ling. Singling is caused when one end running two iulo one is broken and the single end is allowed to run for a few layers. When the end cess of doubling. This adds to the 's pieced up the defective roving evenness of the roving, if the frame should be pulled oh. Doubling is is in good condition. Roving frame caused by the broken end m the tenders should not be allowed to ^bove case joining with the two take up or let off the tension, for other ends rurining along side, mak- great care must be taken in regulat- l^^ J,^^^^ ends running into one. ing the tension upon the roving. If Pil^l.^j^^Ln! ;^?»,„ "i^^"^? l^i'J^.,.^® too great the roving will be stretch- ed and thin and weak places will be the result. Top rollers on rov- ing frames should always be kept broken ends in the from running in with other ends. There should be no excuse for making singling and doubling. If the speeder tender is clean and well oiled, if not they making singling and doubling it is will run drv, thus causing cut and lie overseers fault. When speeder uneven work. All rollers should be !r"!L'^r.l"!l^^.^.^.^,r"'7"5 ll!^7 .'^I^^.'Y examined once per month and all bad ones replaced with new ones. , . . , . Steel rollers should be properly set Ij^^ DODpin. ,. . , . to the length of staple being used. \^'^ "^^ process making thick and Roving frame tenders in creeling 'nm places it and they should stop the frame and pull the defective roving from otherwise it will go to should not be allowed to lap their ends, but join the ends together. With the best of roving delivered to the spinning room if not under thus saving a thick place in the good, watchful management uneven roving y^^i^o will be made. Draft is a very Frames should be properly geared important item. I do not think the up, loose, worn, broken tooth gears ^I'aff should exceed fl2) twelve on and loose steel roller joints will double roving and nine on single i5ause cut and uneven roving. Keep rovmg, 10.50 or 11 on double roving the steel rollers clean. Do not allow would be much better as long laps to accumulate on them, thus f'^^^fts make uneven yarn, increasing the size and causing un- As I have said elsewhere the rol- even work. The creels and roller lers must be properly set to the beams should be wiped off and not length of the staple, which is from fanned off, as the latter causes 1-16 to 1-8 of an inch greater from 33 center to center of the rollers than the length of staple. If the rollers are too close together, the front roller will be biting the end of the staple before the middle roller turns it loose, thus causing cockley and uneven yarn. Avoid changing draft gears on spinning as much as possible, be- cause nine times out of ten you will make a thin place in each end. On the entire frame I find standard twist to be about the best, as too much tends to weaken the yarn and destroy the elasticity. On coarse yarns the travelers should be chang- ed before they become worn enough to chafe and cut the yarn. On fine yarn they need not be changed as they will fly off when they become worn. Use good top rollers and keep them clean and will oiled. Do not sacrifice the quality of your yarn by trying to save a few cents in the roller bill. Keep the weight levers in line. Do not have some of them resting on the creel board, this will not give a uniform weight on the top rollers, which will cause bad work. See that the roving traverse has a good stroke. Let it run as near the end as possible, without running out at the sides. It should not dwell upon the change. If the roving re- mains too long upon one spot it will wear a groove in the cot on the top roller and when the roving gets in the groove, the roller will not draw it as they should, thus causing lumps and bad places in the yarn. Have the roving wiped often enough to keep the creels clean and keep good skewers in the creels and do not allow them to be sharpened at the end with a knife, for this will soon cause trouble. The ends of the skewers will get brushlike, thus causing extra strain on the roving, making it break back and become stretched, thus making uneven yarn. Keep the scavenger rollers in good order and turning all the time, so as to catch the sliver as soon as the thread breaks. If the sliver is allowed to collect on the thread boards it will fall off and catch into the other ends, breaking more down, or cause lumps and gouts on the one next to it. Do not allow spin- ners to fan off or blow out their thread boards and back guides, as the lint will fly into the ends, caus- ing lumps and gouts in the yarn. Number Fifteen. Bv M. R.^CHRYSTAL, Commerce, Ga. Openers and Pickers. When doing this fill the place un- The picking department should der the heater with a narrow board have mbre intelligent care than it covered with tm Close all draft usually gets. Overseers should le^k^and you will save much good manage speed and feed to give plenty of time for cleaning both in- side and out. Dirty and gummy con lint cotton without in.iury to the yarn. These are good split lap pre- venters on the market and should ditions inside of pickers make very b^ used as split laps are a great uneven laps. Beaters should be oil- ed light and often. All parts should be carefully adjusted and repairs evil. Cards. Cards should have very careful looked after. Uneven and choked attention. All parts should be very drafts cause much bad work, carefully set to accepted gauges. Evener motions should be closely Great care and skill is necessary looked after, cone belts should be for good results. Grind light and kept clean and not too tight, use no often. See that you have no slack grease on them. All calender rol- fillets. Look closely after licker- lers and piano motions should be in teeth. When the teeth are un- taken apart and thoroughly clean- even and broken, have new clothing ed at least every two months. put on. although they do no carding, You should have a good sensitive they should be kept sharp, smooth, scale, and every lap should be and even, or they will not give good weighed and kept as uniform as results. possible. Beater blades should be Cards should be leveled and thor- kept properly sharp, and carefullv oughly gone over at least once a adjusted to accepted guages. If year, as a card out of level cannot pickers throw out too much clean be closely and properly set. T will cotton into the motes and fly. the not give any rules for setting as grid bars should be set closer, every skilled grinder has his own 34 rules, which in the main should be Keeping Numbers in the Carding right. I have found this the best Department. way. If grinder doesn't give good As my strong hold in the carding results, make hmi change his sys- department has been keeping close tern or you change your grmders. numbers which is vitally important Gnndmg" emery should be kept free to even yarn, I will give my views next two processes. I advise using on it. When my advice is asked the same system that I use on slub- about it I tell them that I keep bers in drafting intermediates and them in the three processes of the speeders. I am using it now with picking department and this is good results. Don't use bobbin that true, as uneven laps are hard to >are larger or smaller than the ac- overcome. Although I size my cepted sizes. Larger bobbins will drawing twice each day, in doing stretch the roving, smaller ones this I measure one yard from every will cause slack tension and soft from oil, or dirt, for best results, roving. I can not emphasize too Above all keep cards clean and free much the necessity of slack, uni- from all gumming substances, espe- form, tensions on all three fly cially about fronts, as gum and dirt frame processes. break many ends and cause uneven Spinning Frames. sliver. Don't fill cans too full. Spinning frames should be care- With light careful grinding cards fullv leveled and lined about once need not be stripped more than a year, and all parts properly ad- twice a day as they will not change justed. Spindles should be plumb- as much as heavier ground cards, ed top and bottom and thread Drawing Frames. guides set to spindles. Travelers a great deal of bad and uneven should be carefully filled to ring yarn is made on the drawing frames tlanges and changed fairly often, from lack of proper adjustments Rollers should not be set too close and close attention. The rollers or cockled yarn may result. All should be set at proper distance bands should be of uniform sizes or apart for the length of staple used, uneven twist will result. Bad top The distances apart should be grad- rollers make bad yarn, dry rollers uated in proportion to the bulk of injure the yarn. Dirty rollers make sliver and the amount of draft be- much waste and dirty yarn, rough tween each roller, on medium rollers make waste. Laps on steel counts and middling cotton I set rollers make uneven yarn, fluted my rollers as follows: 1 3-8 inch, leather rollers make uneven yarn, i 7_i6 jnch, and 1 1-2 inch with If used in front they make a finer good results. The tension between thread than a good smooth roller, front roller and calenders should If used in the back they make a be give and take as near as practi- coarser thread. Top rollers should cal. Metallic rollers will allow for be carefully lined to steel rollers, or more storm than leather, as they cut yarn many result. Roving leave a crimp that is somewhat guides should be carefully adjusted more elastic. A great deal of bad for the roving will run out at the uneven sliver is caused by badly ad- ends and break or cut the yarn, justed stop motions and waste clog- Lost motion in guides ruin the rol- ged spoons. When an end runs lers and badly cut yarn many re- through back roller without stop- suit. Good, clean top roller cloths pjng the attendant should remove are a necessity. Cot wires should the spoon, place it in sight on the not bear on rollers. It cuts the top roller cover and notifv the cloth. In all miUs where difl'erent fixer. (And leave the spoon out un- sized whorls are used the spindles til it is fixed). are liable to get mixed, causing un- When electric stop motions don't even twist and kinky filling. Care- stop promptly the first aid should fill dnffine- nrpvpnts much had ^^ ^^ ^'^an all electric parts, if that lui doHing prevents mucn naa ^^^,^^ remedy it notify the fixer, work, every broken end causes scour all metallic rollers every waste and lumpy yarn. Frames two weeks, as dirty flutes make bad should be very systematically clean- sliver. When cleaning don't mix ed and oiled. Eternal vigilance is rollers, or change ends, or uneven the price of good quality and quan- tension and bad sliver will result, tity. (All overseers and second Don't allow hands to use brushes hands please take notice). on rollers as it makes dirty work. 35 Here as elsewhere, keep things guides should be carefully set to clean. traverse a safe distance without any Slubbers. lost motion. This is also true with Slubbers should be leveled and carriage motions. Do not allow lined at least once a year and all bands to take up or let out tensions, parts carefully adjusted. All horse- or uneven roving will' result, head trains should have patent Pi*esser fmgers should be carefully washers and good jamb nuts. This adjusted to bobbins. Don't allow also refers to all parts that are l^elp to wrap the sliver more or less liable to jar loose. Much chopped than the accepted turns. If an end sliver is made on slubbers, as a runs slack, don't allow help to hold large bulk is drawn by compara- their thumbs on roller as it injures/ tivelv small rollers. The strain of the sliver. Break back the end. the drafts cause a vibration in the Careful cleaning and oiling of all rollers which does a great deal of Pai"ts should be enforced. A dry damage to the yarn. This doesn't roller will make uneven work, show in the roving, yet it makes a Spindle and bobbin gears should be choppy yarn; the longer the slub- cleaned and oiled systematically, ber the greater the damage. As to Hands should be taught to piece- drafts. I draw about one-third be- "P f^^^s without leaving thin and tween middle and back rollers and hard places. about two-thirds between front and It is not necessary to treat inter- middle rollers, thus my draft is 4 mediates and speeders, as my re- to 1. I do away with the intermed- marks about slubbers cover the iate gear between middle and back finisher drawing. I add these to- rollers. In its stead I use two gears gether and strike an average, but as fastened together. My back roller nearly all carders do this I am not gear has 30 teeth, middle roller gear enlightening the reader much, has 19 teeth, my double gear that What I wish to emphasize is your enters into back roller gear has 64 judgment about changing when teeth, my driver that enters into weights vary, which they often middle roller gear has 72 teeth, will. In heavy damp weather laps This gives a draft between middle will absorb much moisture. This and back rollers of 1.42, and be- can be overcome by making your tween front and middle 2,81. I set finisher laps from 1-4 to 1-2 pounds my rollers apart as follows from heavier according to the length; front to middle; 1 5-16 inch, and don't do this light weight drawing from middle to back 1 7-16 inch from will result. Do not change for even center to center. I have gone into little variation, but let your judge- this in detail as it is a new depart- ment have good play between the ure (as far as I know). The results lines. Keep an accurate account of are so good I wish others to try it. your weights and average them say As I use the same stand and stud, once a month. This will be a guide the two gears are the only extra to your judgment when your rov- expense. ing weights don't agree with the The tensions between front rol- spinner weights, look for a reason lers and flyers should be fairly in the spinning room, reel or on slack and uniform from the empty the frame. It will be a mutual help, to full bobbin. Slubber roving A good spinner will help his own should be twisted just enough to interest by cooperating with the carry it without break or strain carder. Consult together, give and through the next process. Roving take advice, and good will result Number Sixteen. By J. 0. EDWARDS. Pell City, Ala. On the subject of uneven yarn, ter how small your opening room, everv cotton mill manager, superin- Mix as many bales at a time as you tendent and overseer should be in- can if only five See that they are terested. I am sure that we all real- thoroughly mixed. If you can mix ize the importance of a thorough fifty, so much the better. Too mixing of the cotton to produce an much care cannot be given to feed- even yarn. This should be done by '"^ the cotton to the automatic carefully grading each bale before feeders. Hopers should never be al- putting it into the mixing, no mat- lowed to run lower than half full 36 at any time, and should be kept rubbing, improper stripping Cards two-thirds full all the time. should be stripped at certain times 1 want to say here that the picker set too close, front and back plates room has in time been too much and when done, the end should be neglected, but we have begun to re- run into waste until it is full size alize that it is the foundation of again Let me say that a good grind- successtiil manufacturing. Evenness er is essential to good carding, for and regularity of the laps are im- if we do not have the proper set- portant to the production of even ^^^S' we will not have even work, yarns. The correct weighing of the '»enoe we will have uneven yarn laps on breakers, intermediates and at the spinning frames On the drawing frames we have many things that will cause uneven work, some of them being as fol- lows: gears not properly set; rolls not properly adjusted; too much draft between middle and back rolls; bent necks; badly worn cal- ender rolls improperly set; stop motions not working as they should, allowing singlings and doublings to pass through; poor piecing, both at the front and back trumpets too large for weight of sliver being made, so that the sliver is not con- densed as it should be; lop and bot- tom clearers not kept clean; chops on top and bottom rolls, whether steel or solid, not being the same diameter; rolls not properly spread for staple being used. All ^of these are causes of uneven yarn and should be looked after. Next we come to the slubbers, in- J. O. Edwards, termediates and roving frames. On Pell City \la' these we have many things that «„. , , ,, ' * ■ . , will cause uneven work. Poor piec- fim^hers and the proper adjustment ing at slubbers on back, long splices of the eveners is essential to good on rovirs frames when ^pftincr in carding, providing however, that all full boKbins hard^ends skelei'? things are in good order about the hunt on end camire friction on cards. It is important also to keep tl Proving and stSin-tr and ^el'-^l?.^T.,^^tr^^ ''^'^' 1^"^- bottom cfeare?s not keVt dean; the latter wm /.n^P ^fhT.',^"' f P^o^l^^ cleaned top leather rolls nin to nnp ./hp .nH ^i^\''°i^°'' ^° ^o"^ 0^ varying diameters; laps on s^^i';d^?ap^s"\l^o'lr?efur'a^d\TL- S^e^ "1^ ^S'^n^Hl Jlt^nS^' ffe^^crn'diSTf ?^eX!'ttin7i ^^ wrSng^l^y"; ToHs^'b'ent-'irse leaveTttXichPr niS "^^"^ '^ .loints; worn necks; tension too tight leaves the finisher picker. Carding is the next important pro (frame hands should not be allow- ed to take up or let off on the ten- cess and is the back bmie of good ^^on) improner wraD^iT of the fSe'woTkS l°eft?lfoMrHr„/n'.'^' ^d^aroTn^fhe pres''s?r"lng°er, bad ce« ?erv iflf e ran ho rtnn*^'^.^' bobbins and nol filling properly: nv- llmieirwe have nf-fnv ?hi„t= fn thl '"''" ™t ^eing kept clean and the other processes tS^anse^nneven ^"""^ •'"'"'-' ""•'"? "hocks on them: n^1o^oi"/o''Vi?,"-de-"^^'S„^'"'j!: ^"n\"4rrn'it "ili^o^erf?' Jet blSk^ lash in gears; running "top ing loose on cylinder and doffer, im- ,.,,„ „. ,,„„„„. ruumue- pn.per grinding, and setting plates l^ill, '^Vob "'' in"?K afid stay in poor condition, feed plates chansin? bottom cone eear 37 rolls not and builder gear when changing from coarse to fine roving. We now come to the spinning frame. The work may be made ever so well in the card room and be ruined in the spinning room if the following things are not looked after and kept straight: Broken creel steps; blunt skewers; long pieces when setting in full roving; skew- ers left in creel board, thereby causing friction and stretching the rovin;allowing spinners to fan their frames at any or all times; roving guides partially filled with w^aste, causing unevenness in the yarn; rolls not properly covered and of different diameters; saddles not properly adjusted on rolls; stirrups rubbing against steel rolls; bottom steel rolls not kept cleaned and well oiled; running top rolls with grooves in them; weight levers not properly adjusted; too much draft; guide wires worn and not properly set; travelers too light or too heavy; worn travelers, worn or loose rings; spindles crooked or out of center of ring; bad steel rolls, such as flutes and necks being worn; loose joints. All of these causes are common and can be remedied by the overseer keeping constantly on the alert. Number Seventeen. By EUGENE HERRING, LaGrange, Ga. In discussing this question we are discussing one of the most vital questions concerning the cotton mill. Leaving out the gouts, which are mostly caused in the spinning room by carelessness in putting up ends, running without scanvenger rolls, or fanning off frames while run- ning, the thin places in the yarn cause at least 50 per cent of the yarn breakage in the weave room. The most of the twist runs to the thin places, which makes the twist at that point excessive. And by the time the yarn is run over the spool- ers, warpers and slashers, these thin places are dead and brittle, and easily broken. By being twisted so hard they don't absorb the size in slashing, even if they don't break in these processes ,which they do to a great extent, causing laps and lose ends in the warps that go to weave room. It is impossible to make good section beams on the warpers when the ends break excessively. And it is just as impossible for the slasher man to make good warps for the weave room. If the yarn is weak when it leaves the spinning frames, it increases in "badness" with each process that it goes through from there on. As each process from spinning frame on, is a wearing and stretching pro- cess. The strengthening and build- ing process ceases when it leaves the spinning frame. But these injuries are partly overcome by the sizing at slasher if properly done. The weave room becomes the dumping ground for all the careless- ness and mistake of the whole shooting-match fr m the man that bought the cotton on down to the slasher man. The opening and mix- ing, picker room, cards, drawing frame, slubbers, speeders, and spin- ning, each contributing its share of bad work and causes of uneven yarn. To start with, I know some mills that have their cotton bought in a haphazard way, not paying much at- tention, if any, to the length of the staple of each bale. They just pick it up in job lots as cheap as pos- sible. If there is too great a difference in the shortest and longest staple it is a mechanical impossibility to get a mixing that you can produce even yarn. Intelligent, careful mixing in many cases will partially overcome (he buyer's mistake. This first mis- fake though is like all the balance made in the different processes, the evil once done can not be entirely eradicated in any of the processes following this one mistake. Once wrong, it will go through wrong. I will not attempt to go into all the settings of the different adjustable parts of the picker room and card room machinery, as there are no sfandard settings that will apply to all classes of work and conditions. Keep the air currents right, the beaters at right speed according to class of work, and on any class of work keep the evening mechanism on the pickers in perfect working condition. Good horse sense and care is need- ol here, and this properly applied will get out some good laps for the cards. 38 But I think the majority of the thin places in the yarn is caused liis weights come pren-y bv©.-, wiat/w tliey may, but that is no sign the after the stock reaches the drawing quality is right to make even yarn. frames. The setting of the rolls from the drawing frames, the set- tings of the rolls from here on is responsible for even or uneven work. Roving stretched on any of the machines is ruined for making The spinner takes the product in hand and goes through the same process of "batting 'em" through without much, if any, thought of the man that has to follow him, just as the carder did him. Both getting even yarn. Roving with excessive by with good production in pounds with low cost, and the consequence is bad running work the rest of the way to the cloth room with a lot of second-class cloth. A lot of corres- pondence between the selling house, mill agent and the mill customers, twist in it will not draw evenly when being spun. The rolls on spin- ning frame set too far apart for the length of the staple will make un- even yarn. Rolls set too close will make the same or cockled yarn, mn/ ageni anu uib mm GusLumci^B, wnich is worse than yarn with thin and some times a oss of good cus- tomers, and a bad reputation on the market, and in dull seasons close down. yarn places in it. Here is where the bad mixing shows up in his best clothes and makes it impossible for the spinner to set his rolls to suit the stock, trying to get through his machinery. If he sets his rolls for medium length staple and a bunch of ex- tremely short hits him he is up against it. If extremely long hits him he is into it again. Though the Team work — intelligent team work — is needed in the mills, and will do more to cut out uneven work than any one thing. Each man in charge of the different departments should strive to give over the pro- duct to the next man in as good con- dition as possible. Everybody from best he can do isto neutralize his "^^ ^^.^ton buyer down should have rnll« nnH malro thprr^ n« fr>io,.HK. in OUC ObjBCt lU VIBW, VIZ., tO have the rolls and make them as friendly to both extremes as possible. And then the long, hard twisted staple will come through his rolls "pigtail" fashion and ruin his shell rolls. I don't think it is a mechanical possibility to make perfect yarn, technically speaking; but by intelli- gent team work from the man who buys the cotton, on down the line to the spinner, it can under normal conditions be made even enough to get out a good product in the weave room and make cloth up to the re- quirements of the customers of the mill. So much for the machines. Poor things, it is a pity some time that they have to do so bad and be blam- ed for doing the very thing that it is set to do, it is a pity they can't ad- just themselves some times, but as it is they depend on man to set them, and if the man in most cases would do his part as accurately as the machine, we wouldn't have very much uneven yarn. So the big trouble after all is the human ma- chine. To start with, the cotton buyer buys promiscuously. (There are exceptions, of course). The carder "bats 'em" through to get a big poundage for his report at low cost. (Which in some cases would finished product first class. I am sorry to say that some superintend- ents pinch down on the carder so close on cost that it is almost im- possible for him to get a satisfac- tory production in pounds and make it A-1 quality. The same is true of other departments. Another common tning in a lot of mills is unbalanced machinery. Not enough opening and picker room machinery. Not enough cards, not enough drawing, some shortage that necessitates over-speeding the ma- chines that they are shy on, making the laps too heavy, and various schemes to make the weak part keep up, which throws the drafts wrong on a lot of machines. All this makes bad work, uneven yarn, and causes a big loss to the company. Sometimes they lose dollars to save cents. I am not knocking, but it is the human machine that is causing most of the uneven yarn and poor quality goods from the mills of the South to-day. Get the right kind of su- perintendent and let him and the men in charge of each department work together in a friendly, business- like co-operative way. Garry in- structions and orders down from the head — the superintendent or man- be costly to the mill company, if it ager — down to the other end of the was put through free gratis). He gets his poundage 0. K., and says line in a military fashion. It won't be long until every thing will be 39 working smoothly with even yarn But I am about to get off on an- and good business. other subject, so I will quit. Number Eighteen. By J. L. DAVIS, Easley, S. C. In taking up this discussion, we have a broad one. There are so many causes for uneven yarn and also so many ways in which these causes can be eliminated. The first and one of the most important things in making even yarn is to use good average grade cotton. We all agree that a short, immature, irregular length staple will not draft even and make a uniform yarn. Another point very often overlooked is the mixing of the waste. We take the sliver and roving waste from the card room, the scavenger roll and cut roving waste from the spin- ning room, and in many cases there is' an unusual amount, carelessly thrown in. This waste, as it is be- ing fed from the opening or breaker room, is not mixed by the hopper tender and passes on to the different processes just as it was carelessly thrown on your pile of stock. Con- sider the results that will arise from this alone. Beaters on picker should not be set close enough to damage the stock, but by no means should they be set too far from the feed roll. In the lat- ter case, the beater will deliver the stock to the card in thick and thin flakes, making an uneven lap. In tvirn the card passes this uneven lap on to the drawing and roving frames. The more this uneven lap, drawing or roving, is drafted, in many cases with an excessive draft, the more and longer thick and thin uneven stock is delivered to the spinning. Drawing frames should be watched closely for lapped rolls, weights dropped when frame is run- nmg, gears worn and not set prop- erly, ton much tension on sliver be- tween delivery and calender rolls. These are great evils and in the end will result in uneven yarn. Now we come to the different pro- cesses of roving frames, where from time to time, if we are not careful, we will make uneven roving. Take the drafts. They are often made to supply the place of another slubber or intermediate roving, or jack frame, or whatever the case many be, with long overdraft, in- sufficient twist, old and worn roving skewers, trying to deliver roving to 4t the next process. Let us not sup- pose that all roving processes are in such condition, but in many cases they are. Can we expect even yarn under such conditions? There is nothing like plenty of twist, all the way through on the different processes, especially the finer roving and jack frames. We have rules and ways to establish a twist to suit each number of roving, better known as standard twist. However, we cannot use this stand- ard twist any more, especially where the average 7-8 to 1 1-8 inch staple is used. Should we undertake to do so with the above mentioned evils, uneven roving and yarn will be the result. One great evil many a mill has to contend with, and is contend- ing with today, is leaving the sec- tion man on the job at noon and night and allowing him to put on a larger twist gear in order to gain on the next process, not count- ing the cost in stretched, uneven roving, and yarn, short production on weaving and high percentge of seconds. There are causes that ex- ist every day at many mills, yet they wonder why they have uneven yarn. One rule I believe should be ob- served is that no twist gear in rov- ing or yarn department should be changed without the knowledge and consent of the superintendent, in order that he might notify the next man in charge who received such roving or yarn. There is no end to the uneven yarn and roving that has been made and is still being made under such conditions or changes. A great evil we have and one often overlooked is operating roving machinery with too tight a tension. Oftentimes we have seen frames running where the ends would become so tight that they would break at the flyer presser. Where this is the case, how many yards are delivered to the next pro- cess, or spinning, unevenly drawn or stretched? Insufficient lubrication of both rolls and saddles on spinning and roving frames is responsible for a lot of uneven yarn. We have seen where the mandel or shell roll, or even the solid roll, become verv dry for the lack of oil. As the the spinning, as we have already frame moves ofif the rolls will lag, or discussed the spinning problems he slow in starting, thereby caus- where they exist, along with the rov- ing uneven yarn in whatever the ing frame problem, case may be. Bad rolls, flat or poor- in closing, I will say that these lv,f''^n^?"i®HlH''''.niic^l°!-o rinTihJ are simple remarks, but practical, cut. llat-sided rolls are responsible , . , • . • , 1 for their part of uneven yarn. things which we come in contact I will not say very much about with more or less every day. \umber Miiieteen. By PAUL NUCHOLS, Cordova, Ala. Primarily, the cause ol ^ineven to the cards that will not tear them yarn is the uneven length of the up. Be sure that the card tenders fibres in the cotton, which is caus- start them in the card right, as a ed first by soil and cultivation, then lap properly made ill not split, by being gin cut, and last, but not The same thing can oe said of all least, by being cut and pulled in machinery that the cotton goes two through the ditTerent machines through. The machinery is care- it goes through before becoming fully put up by a shop which has yarn. If we could get cotton culti- a reputation to maintain and if you vated exactly alike, grown on abso- will adopt a set of rules to keep the lutely the same soil with the same machinerv in as near that shape as seasons .and only the fully open, possible ,it will help more than mature bolls picked and properly anything else. ginned, and then run through abso- ^he cards should all be kept set lutely perfect machinery, including ^like .even to all the different combers we would have perfect ^^^^^ j^^ing run at the some height, yarn. However, since tiiis is not rp^^g ^j^e should be kept tight and likely, I will discuss the best way of ^harp. The sliver ends should be handling cotton bought here and broken down at stripping and the there and run through the niachin- cylinder allowed to fill up before ery of the average equipped mill, piecing. Drawing should have a not including combers. 5e(.tion ^an with it all the time, as To save space, I will aiscuss ^^ ^^^^^^ ^^ j, ^ level, clean and things to do to prevent uneven yarn, properlv oiled. Everv stopmotion for If certain things will prevent i . ^^j,^ ^.^ working, everv part of tlien not doing hem wnll cause it. e.-g^v frame kept set alike, with To start With, do not buy gin cut ^^^ p^uj, ^d to suit the length cotton Grade your cotton into at ^^ g^aple vou are running. Worn least three grades as it is put m the hpapj^^s and nicked rollers should warehouse, or later. These should ^^ replaced, especially must the be the longest, shortest and me- bearings, for the drawing and cal- dmm staple, or the lowest, highest ^^^^^ %^^^ ^e kept in good repair, and medium grade. Then take the r^, ,, . , ■,. . . « same percentage of each kind for ..^^^it^T^^^^l,'^ your mix, that is if you have 2,000 ^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^ ^i,jn„ cleaning, and bales, one grade 1,000 another grade, ipyeling that will take care of them, and 500 another grade, and are run- The rolls, both top and bottom, must ning 35 bales a day, take 1 per cent be spread to suit the average length of each lot for vour days run. of staple being run. and the tension Now the machines in the opener l^ept without any pull to it, but not and picker rooms were put up slack. The top rolls must be kept clean, level, oiled and in good shape, in perfect condition and always siz- Keep them that way by adopting ed ^vhen they are changed, rules for cleaning, oiling, feeding. The same things can be said of weighing. That will take care of (he spinning. It must have rules your machines and your weights, for everything, oiling, cleaning and Pee that these rules are carried out. leveling .to keep the machines me- Have all worn bearings replaced chanically perfect. The rolls must with new ones. Get your work be spread to suit the staple and top through the picker room right and rolls sized when changing, then have a way to carry your laps The average overser knows how 41 to keep his machinery up, and make loam work among the employees, so rules to run by, but those who get that each man knows just what to in trouble do not see that their rules do and when to do it, or you have are carried out. You have to have not an up-to-date room. Number Twenty. By C. H. STRICKLAND, Belton, S. C. In discussing the subject, "Causes and Prevention of Uneven Yarn," I will begin at the opening and mix- ing room, supposing the grades of cotton have been properly mixed, as this is the foundation from which to start an even yarn. The cotton not being uniformly mixed will C. H. Strickland Belton, S. C. caus'^ an unevenness that cannot be remedied throughout all the pro- cesses. After the stock leaves the mixing room, it is delivered to the auto- matic feeder in the picker room. If the feeder is not kept in good run- ning order and properly fed, it will cause a lot of uneven laps, which, of course, make uneven yarn. The automatic feeder hopper should have as near the same amount of cotton in it all the time as possible, because when it is full it will feed heavier than it does when half full or nearly empty, so if the hopper is filled up and then let run nearly empty before it is filled again, you 42 see you have an irregular lap. The proper way to keep the feeding as uniform as possible is to feed the hopper about two-thirds full, then keep it as near that all the time as possible, and you will get a very uniform lap. This first lap we will call the breaker lap. Suppose we have a uniform lap from the breaker; it is then put on the intermediate where it is still liable to be made uneven if the proper care is not taken, but if the fan drafts are kept well reg- ulated so that the cotton will be laid on the screens in a uniform sheet, the lap apron in good shape, the laps not allowed to run three to the apron when four is the right number, the evener motion in good condition, the beater set properly (o the feed roll — there is not much chance for an uneven lap from the intermediate. These same rules apply to the finisher picker. The finisher laps can be as near uniform as possible and then not give an even sliver from the cards, unless the card is in good shape in regard to the wire being sharp on the cylinders, and the flats and licker-in and settings all accurate. The licker-in is one of the most important parts about a card when it comes to cleaning the stock and giving a good, even sliver. It is very important that the wire on the licker-in is kept sharp and hi sure that there are no high and low places in it that would prevent a close setting to the feed plate. If ll^e licker-in is uneven, it will jerk the cotton from the feed plate in an uneven sheet and an uneven sliver will be delivered from the doft'er. A close watch should be kept on the lap between the lap roll and the feed roll, also on the web between the doffer and bottom cal- endar rolls and coder calendar rolls, to be sure that no unnecessary or irregular strain is on the sliver, caused from lost motion in these parts. The trumpet in the coiler being too small for the weight of sliver being run, will cause excess strain and uneven work, also the roving cans being allowed to run too full and press too tight against the coiler will cause uneven yarn. All cards running on the same numbers of yarn should, as far as possible, have all the settings made the same, and even then there will be a slight difference in the weight of roving produced from each card, but it is impossible to get exactly the same results from a number of cards, al- though this variation can be reduc- ed by careful setting of all the cards. Lap splitting is a big cause for uneven yarn and should be remed- ied in the picker room at once. When a lap runs out on a card and a new lap is to be put on, it is very important to see that the card hand makes his piecing just right to avoid a thick or thin place in the sliver. The next process in most mills on coarse and medium numbers is the drawing frame, which is one of very much importance, even more so, I fear, than most carders realize, as this process is the last opportunity we have to correct, to any great ex- tent, the unevenness of the sliver. Therefore, it is very important that a great deal of attention is given this process. There are usually two processes for coarse and medium numbers; only one needs to be dis- cussed as they are principally the same. One of the first things I wish to mention on the drawing frame process is the draft. More uneven and weak yarns are 'made from ex- cess drafts than any other one cause in all the processes. Regu- late the drafts according to the staple used. On the drawing frame the draft usuallv enuals the number of doubling, but for metallic rolls, allowance should be made in the figured draft, the draft on metallic rolls being greater than the figured draft, due to the flutes on the rolls. To illustrate: If figured draft for a given drawing was 6, using metal- lic rolls I would draw about 5.85 with 6 doubling. The setting of the rolls is also important. The dis- tance between the centers of the rolls should be regulated to suit the staple being used, the bulk of cotton being drawn, and the speed of the rolls. It is a good idea to have the cans so arranged at the back of the drawing frame that the full cans of sliver will be at the back of the ones not so full, then when one of the cans next to the frame runs empty, just remove it and push all 43 the remaining cans to the front and set the full can at the back. In this way the slivers are prevented from dragging over the tops of full cans and stetching them, causing uneven places in the yarn. When using metallic rolls, in the course of time the collars will become worn and let the flutes too deep in the mesh, causing the sliver to sag too much and occasionally it will lap and run through the trumpets double, causing thick places in the yarn. A simple remedy for that is to tile off the tops of flutes on the roll a little, being careful not to do too much, only enough to put t..e sliver back to the right tension. All worn gears or bearings should be replaced with new ones, as lost motion from these parts puts ex- cess strain on the sliver, making it uneven. The rolls should be clean- ed and oiled regularly. The stop- motion should be kept in good re- pair so that when a sliver breaks back, the frame will stop suddenly and avoid a thin place by not let- ting the end run through the rolls before it is pieced up again. The drawing hand should be taught how to piece up the ends when they break down so as to avoid thick places caused by making too long a lap in the sliver. When several dif- ferent weights of the card sliver are used, be careful not to get them mixed, as that would cause a big variation of the yarn. The fly frame processes are all principally the same and uneven yarn will be produced by them from any of the following causes: extreme draft, rolls not spaced to suit the staple of cotton, loose joints in steel rolls, rolls not properly cleaned and oiled, weight saddles worn and not oiled regularly, weights not heavy enough for stock being drawn, lost motion caused by worn gear or bearings, bad roving skewers, uneven tension and roving laid too close on bobbin. Most of these causes will apply to the spinning process also. If all of these causes are remedied on fly frames and spinning frames, with rings and spindles set properly, I do not see much reason for uneven yarn at either of these processes. There is also an unevenness caus- ed by variations in humidity due to changes in the weather. To illus- trate: When it is raining, the laps in picker room will absorb from a half a pound to a pound of water, which will dry out as the weather clears up, leaving the lap a half to a pound shy of actual cotton. They will gain more from a warm rain than from a cold one. When these laps that are made during a wet day, reach the roving and yarn and are mixed in with the roving and yarn that are made from laps made on dry days, it will cause both ir- regular numbers and uneven yarn. Some carders try to remedy this by changing draft gears on the differ- ent processes, but that is not a good practice, as he does not know just when to make these changes in or- der to keep yarn even. A tooth in the draft gear usually makes too big a change anyway. The best way to remedy this unevenness is to have a standard weight for the laps, then on wet days watch humidity and as it increases, increase the weight of the laps accordingly; say, start at one-quarter pound heavy, then if humidity continues to in- crease, go to one-half or three- quarters heavy or during long wet spells it is sometimes necessary to have an entire pound — then when the weather clears up and humidity decreases, the laps should be light- ened accordingly. In this way very nearly the same amount of cotton can be kept in the laps all the time. When roving and yarn are weigh- ing heavier on wet days, the drafts should not be changed as it is water that has increased the weight and it will weigh all right when the weather dries up. In conclusion I will say that to k<'( an oven yarn it must be started right and kept right, especially in carding and spinning processes. Number Twenty-One. By R. F. HARRIS, Lowell, N. C. Causes and prevention of uneven yarn is a broad subject. There are many causes and many terms used R. F. Harris Lowell, N. C. by buyers and weavers as to what constitute uneven yarn, such as thick and thin places and mixed numbers counts varving. The causes 4/> are many and can be found in all departments of the mill. Uneven yarn will result from an improper mixing of any kind, especially of compressed and loose bales mixed in the opening room, unless the comprpssed bales are thoroughly loosened up, which is seldom or never done. When the two are fed to the opener in their natural state the compressed wnll go through leaving the loose bales, and causing an uneven lap to start with. To prevent this, run the compressed and loose bale cotton separately through the opener and mix on the intermediate picker, which is the only way to thor- oughly mix more than bne grade or staple of cotton. If inside of machine gets dirty or air passages become choked, it will cause uneven laps. To prevent this clean inside of machine at least once a week and air passages should be cleaned every day. There are many ways to make an uneven card sliver, such as: (t) Cards not all drafted alike. (2) Cloth- ing dull and settings bad. (3) Laps too heavy per yards and draft too long. (4) Laps doubled at back when replacing and cans running too full. (5) No regulai'ify abuut strip- to break there are thousands of ping. To prevent this see that all yards stretched almost to the break- cards have the same draft gear on in& Point. It's a bad practice for side shaft speeder tenders to take up catches ^ . , ,' ■ ,^ , ,, . . J ,, , to make ends run tight. The first Grmd before the clothmg is dull and few layers of the set stretching and set every card as near the same and making uneven roving. Rolls be- as close as condition will admit, coming dry or waste being put Run a light lap and short draft, under clearer or anything that will which IS best, especially on long retard the action of the roll will cotton. Have operatives put ends cause a much heavier roving. Too together and not double when re- heavy a slubber roving run on in- placing laps. Have the cans chang- fermediates with short draft will ed before they are too full. cause an uneven roving. Singling Have the cards stripped at regu- and doubling from speeder cause lar intervals. When the wiro is full lots of uneven yarn, and every su- the card is producing uneven sliver perintendent and overseer has had and dull cards fill quicker than a to deal with this trouble. The best sharp one. When stock is combed remedy is to dock the hand that much uneven work is made in the makes them and pay the one that sliver and ribbon machine, by the finds them. Pay twice as much for drawings rolls being improperly set doublings as singles. As some of and not being properly varnished the singles will break at the suc- with a good varnish. This causes ceeding process and doubling will thick and thin places. When the not produce a very undesirable yarn, aspirator is used on the comber and ^ bad leather roll will cause un- the air passages become choked even roving because the roll does or some combers taking out more the drawing out of the fibers waste than others causing the ends and it is false economy to use cheap to run s ack on the table and in- stock in roll covering. Rolls should variably the wrong thing is done by be all spaced alike for if one speeder changing the gear to make ends run jg set closer than another, it will tight, thus causing more uneven cause a much heavier hank roving work. The waste should be taken As to spinning it is a continuation on each comber once a week to as- of drawing and much can be done certain if tliey are all taking the and left undone that will result in same percentage of waste. If not, bad and uneven yarn. Rolls im- correct the evil. Do not add fire to properly spaced, or rolls not all the fla.me by changing the gear to spaced alike on the same counts, make the ends run tight. Much un- spaced too close will cause knotty even work will result from drawing yarn. Too wide will cause thin and frames if not properly looked after, thick places. Rolls should be clean- s^"h as roll speed too high, causing ed and oiled periodically as anything the rolls to jump. And having the that causes the roll to dwell will slner such that will cause the bulk cause uneven yarn. A bad leather of cotton being fed to be too heavy, roll will cause lots of uneven work will aggravate the above cause. The and should never be allowed to run hole in the trumpets being too lai\He if grooved or worn. Use plenty of will cause the ends to run tight, rolls covered with the best mater- stretcliing the sliver. Another cause ial to be had and this alone will of uneven sliver is the second or prevent lots of uneven varn. All third roll collecting until it has a liiil and llv should be kept if possi- lap across the whole surface, run- sible off the yarn as it causes thick nine sometime from one clearer places which is uneven yarn. For picking to another. If the roll this reason the ceiling motors and weights are not kept evenly hung, shafting should be cleaned at noon- the rolls will jump, causing thick and time. The sides shouldn't run too thin places in the sliver. long before brushing not the sweep- We will consider slubbers, inter- er allowed to knock under and drag mediate roving and jack frames un- out from under more than three der one head. There are many frames. If allowed to go the whole things in the speeder room that width of the room the accumulation can cause uneven yarn. The ten- is so great that lots of the lint will sion is mostly considered the source be caught up by the bands, then on of most of the uneven roving and the yarn causing thick or uneven it does play an important part. If places. The yarn should be hand- some of the ends are tight enough led with care after it leaves the 45 spinning. The spindles speed on bands, causing slack twist. Anoth- spooler should not be such that will er way much uneven yarn is made cause the yarn to stretch or the is by getting the different counts guides set so close as to chafe it mixed after they have been twisted, and different counts can be mixed This can be avoided to a certain ex- at the spooler, causing an unevenly tent by having different colored bob- twisted yarn. After the yarn is de- bins for each count and twist. These livered to the twister comparatively are a few of the causes and pre- even, it can be twisted in such a ventions of uneven yarn in a yarn way as to make it uneven, such as mill. doubling and sinj^lings are slack Number Twenty-Two. By J. A. SORRELLS, New Holland, Ga. Cotton should all be graded. Get the feed gear, slack evener belts, the average grade and mix to suit bad oilings, or bearings running dry the grade. Set the machinery or and sticking up, evener gearing not rolls to suit the grade and mix as ^^^^g j^^pt in good shape, many as 10 bales for a mixing using The clothing on the cylinder a little off of each bale at a tinie. g^^^j^ j^^ Q^j ^.^^ ^^^ ^^^ If possible, mix today what you ^1^3^; g g^^t ^^ ^l^^l^'flllg^ ^,^^^^0^ need to run tomorrow g^^^^^ ^^ it and card the stock Keep the opener or breaker hop- ^^^ properly. The clothing on the pers evenly fed, preferably about cylinder doffer flats and th? licker- 3-4 full as heavy feeding at dif- -^ ^^^^^^ ^^ ^^ ^^^ ^^^^ g^^ ^^ ferent times vvill cause light and g^^ ^^^ amount of stock going heavy laps. If you use the trunk through it. Uneven settings meaS system, see that your drafts m the ^^^^^^ j^ ^^^ licke?-in has fan flues are kept clean and that j^^^j ^^j^^^ j^^^g ^^ ^^^g ^^ ^^^^ It loses no draft, so that the cotton g^^^^^g ^^ ^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^ -^ ^.jl can be evenly spread on the con- ^^^g^ ^j^^^^^ unevenness. denser screen. Fanning or running up and down White drawing or rovmg as well t^e card allevs will cause the sliver as scavenger roll waste should be to break, and loose matter to float mixed in even during the day's run. jn. The sliver, once broken, drops Have the fan speeds in excess of down a trifle and is more than the beater drafts. Let the fan speeds iji^eiv to catch on in a bit and or drafts just take care of the draft double back in, causing thick and of the beaters at all places, so that thin places. Cards not being strip- the cotton will not float around over ped cleanlv and regularlv will cause the screen, but be strong enough to them to All up and not do their duty catch the cotton as the beater in properly carding the flbres out. knocks it over and sucks it to all Flats ground dowTi too low before little open places in the screen, as reclothing will loose their carding it revolves. This assures you of an strength, and the same is true of even spread. See that the dis- weak cvlinder fillet that has gotten charge pipes are kept clean, watch soft and rotten, the blowouts on the sides of the The ends should be broken down draft flues, commonly called "back at the coiler heads while strip- draft." ping out the doffer. Then they The lapping of the aprons should should be carefully pieced together be done by having two about half after it has run enough to come the full and two full, which gives you a usual size. uniform weight on your aprons, in setting the laps on the back assuring you of good running of the of cards, care should be taken not aprons, and no slips by being over- to let the old laps, or the last part weighted at one time and overrun- of the one on the card, run entire- ning at another. ly out, as it is thicker than the In lapping up full laps, it should other portion of the lap. About 36 be done by letting the end just inches should be broken out and running out just come together, end put in the white waste, then the for end .with the one you are put- new laps carefully pieced end for ting on. Avoid broken gearing in end. Worn out gearing on the feed 46 roll shalting will cause irregular and reliable hands on the job, just feeding of the laps, making uneven the same as you would pick out one ^ork. tor the roving frames, and try to Runnmg the cans too full, makes educate them to the meaning of friction against the coiler, strain- and the necessity for, good work ing the sliver, and making it un- at this machine. ' even. Slubbers, in some respects, will If split laps are allowed to run, include the intermediates, speeders then straighten out on the back of and jack frames. First of all, we the card and the uneven sliver not must have all gearing in good con- taken out of the cans down to dition, and then set well, so it will where the sliver was before it split, not slip or crawl and quiver. Do the sliver will be uneven all the not draft too long, or have any more way through. DofTer combs run twist in the roving than is neces- too high will stretch the sliver. A sary to keep it from breaking back little waste accumulating on the at the next machine, as hard twist- cylinder screen next to the doffer, ed roving is hard to draft out. Then as it usually does, will cause it to the proper tension is to be consid- rub against the dotTer as it re- ered, as it is one of the most es- volves and cause bad selvages, or sential things on a roving frame of if in the center or anywhere, will any kind. Start the frame off at cause little holes in the sliver and doffing time with the ends just eventually pull off and go through, wavering a bit, then use the proper This means places with little holes tension gears to carry the cone rack in it, and others with lumpy places, out until the bobbins are full. That When such places are found, the will give you the same soft tension card should be stopped and the without any stretching. Doff them dirty and rough places wiped off. just before they fill out to the First of all have the frame rolls linger, and gearing wiped clean, good gears. Caliper all bobbins and use none and gears set properly. Dirty that will not caliper within one drawing frames mean cut or un- thirty-second of an inch of one an- even sliver, which is also true of other. Then you can set the ten- bad gearing or poor gear setting, sion very close and keep it. Allow Then if the frames are not kept no roving frame hand to put chokes oiled as they should be it means up under the clearer boards to dry rolls and vibrating rolls from squeeze up on the shell rolls to being dry, causing unevenness. make some end stay up that has Calender rolls drawing the sliver been broken down for a change or too tight will cause stretched places two of the carriage. Clean and oil in the silver. Some trumpets be- the arbors or mantles once a week, ing bored too large while others which also applies to the back and on the same frame are smaller, will middle rolls. Keep the chokes out cause some ends to run too tight, from the solid rolls and under the drawing thm places, while others saddles and see that the latter have run too slack and sag, occasionally oil on them at all times. Also see catching up by looping through the that the stands on the steel rolls are trumpet making a knot in the kept oily and clear of chokes around ^"^®^- . ^ ,. the stands. The flutes should not Excessive speeds, creeling not be scarred up, the necks in steel properly done m the cans on the rolls should be good, so as to allow back of the drawing frame, making no back lash, and the roving doubling or singling on creeling traverse in good working order them, all means uneven work. See that the spindle and bobbin Drawing frames should be creel- gears are oiled regularlv, also the ed m all at one time by carefully spindle steps. Never allow them to piecing the ends together. When become dry, or any other running calender roll necks get worn down parts on the roving frame. In creel- it is hard to get even work. Keep ing the roving frame see that ends the knock-off motions working, are pieced together and not stuck properly. Cans which are rough at in, therebv making a three-ply the top will cause the cotton to orooling. instead of a two-plv Have Hmf ?n f?^l te^' ^M^^^^^^"^ fr^ ^^'^^ ^'^ewers and good "skewer w^v ininZ. IhSL''''" ^'"^ ^^^''' '^^^^' as inferior ones cause the n.o fhi.S ■? ?^^^- ♦ 1 , l^obbins to pull hard and stretch One thing, is to try to keep good the roving. Use the same precau^ 47 tions as to oil, gears, tensions and otiier causes on roving frames, as mentioned above. Try to prevent strong winds blowing through the windows into the room, as they cause tlying lint and waving ends at different places. Some ends will be irregularly brok- en down part of the end will catch in and draw itself into the running stock, especially on cards and drawing frames, causing uneven work. Try to keep the temperature of the room as near constant as pos- sible as the conditions will allow, once you get the average temper- ature, you have but little trouble with the drawing and roving frame tension, which is one of the most dangerous things to even yarn. The leather top rolls should all be calipered. the shells matched, the flannel of a regular thickness and cots stuck so as to allow the laps just to cover and run them off of the laps instead of against the laps of the cots. They should be stamped by the roller shop man to show which way the cots are stuck. Spinning frames are almost sim- ilar to the roving frames. First, we must have good gearing and good settings. Then good leather rolls and good oiling of top rolls and keep them clean, also good banding. Do not allow slack band- ing. Isc tilt' traveller that runs best, and 99 times out of a 100 it is the traveler that should be used, for good spinning depends a lot on a well suited traveler, the quality of roving being good. Fluted top rolls should not be used. The oiling should be kept up with on all parts. Spindles kept set right, plumb, and guides to suit the spindles or direct- ly in terms with the spindles. Keep the roving traverse in good work- ing order, the skewers and steps in good condition. Allow no fan- ning' off and be very careful in wiping off guides. It is bard to make even yarn with loose bolsters and dry spindle steps. The setting on all rollers in either the carding or spinning should be just so wide as to escape the staple. Use no excessive drafts on any drawing process. The shorter the better, to a limited degree. Number Twenty-Thrpp. Bv X. L. WRITTEN. Elberfon. Oa N. L. Whitten Elberton, Ga. The cause of uneven yarn starts with our cotton buying system. In most cases the buying is done by one who is ignorant of the spinning of even yarn and the importance of a uniform length staple, as well as fully matured fibres. He is partly guided by a very small fraction of a cent per pound, which should not be considered in cotton buying. The difference in the cost of the stock will more than overbalance the loss in waste and seconds if we prefeni to make even yarn. Stains are nut to be considered. It is the length of, and the quality of the stock, and yet just as important is the uni- formity of the length of the staple. If we use 7-8 inch to 1 inch, or 1 1-3 inch staple, the cotton buyer should set up his standard and stick around it as close as he can. He should have a knowledge of the trouble the carder and spinner will have trying to find the right setting of the rolls in order to draw even sliver roving and finally yarns from a great variety of lengths of stapi^. The opening room should have space enough to permit opening as 48 many bales as we have grades, to sliver when it goes into the drawing be spread in as thin a layer on the frames tloor as can be reasonably done Drawnig frames should be well quickly by hand. One grade cleaned and oiled. Rolls setting and directly on top of the first grades draft here means more than is ap- spread and so on until all grades predated and should be attended are open and spread. When U3ftd (o by the foreman personally. If m the hopper, the cotton should be the draw frame does not deliver a used down through the spread to the good sliver, find the causes and tloor. The hopper should be kept and remedy same before you ruin about two-thirds full at all times the future process. The trumpets to insure as uniform breaker lap as condense the sliver in a compact possible, so the evener mechanism I'tJ^'e should be small eiiougli to will not have to jump from one ex- strand, but not enough to stretch it. treme to the other. As we know the AH trumpets on drawing should be evening process starts right hci'o ol a uniform diameter, in proportion and cannot be attended too closely, t-o the weiglit of sliver passing The beater speed should be well through them. Uniformity means down, as most carders are running evenness. The stop-motions should the staple by excessive beating. The ^^^ work quickly and accurately and air currents should be understooi ^^^ sliver in the cans should be and watched carefully to properly handled with great care to the slub- oarrv cotton to the screens and in- ^^er. Set close the rolls for the sure an even lap. length staple, and keep good leather All finisher laps should not vary rolls on at all times. If you expect over one-third of a pound. If they even roving, use good rolls, and vary more, they should be prompt- keep rollers oiled well, and clean, ly returned to the back of the ma- Above all else watch the tension, chme and run over again. The fore- as more unevenness is caused by man in charge should watch thi« carelessness in attending to the ten- process here if he expects to hohl sion in slubbers and the following his weights in the latter processes— roving frames than any other thing, and made even yarns. Laps should except overdraft and too much be handled with care to the cards, twist. Paintaking efforts are re- as ragged edge laps mean uneven- quired here by a close observer, as ness, and weak work on through. we have changes in atmospheric Cards should be well cleaned and conditions that will ruin th§ future oiled, and above all else, the cards evenness if not arrested. Cleanli- require the most delicate settings ness should be our slogan through- and the very highest skill in grind- ^^^ ^^^e roving processes. Take an ing. We must not stint our grinders '"^®^,®f '^v, ^V ^^® • skewers. They On fillets. His grinding rolls should be kept pointed and free of should be covered with the bes* ll^^ ^o as not to stretch the roving, fillet and kept in good shape at all ^^^ ^a^ie thing applies to the spin- times, regardless of the cost of do- T"^"^^ skewers. After cleaning, lu- ing so. We should encourage him bricate and watch them run. to use new fillet unsparingly, for it Set rolls as close as the stock will is the best investment we can make permit, and above all, do not use It has often been asked how often bad rolls. Replace with good ones, should cards be ground. The time all which are worn or badly cov- to grind is before they get dull. If ered and keep bands on spindles we expect good carding we must tight, with spindles plumb and keep the cards sharp and free from guides in center. Use a traveler hooked teeth. The teeth should be neavy enough to keep the yarn well burnished. Very few agree on from chaffing against the separat- the best setting, but we can get ors, or you can expect unevenness good results from almost any of the here. Spinning rolls must be pick- close settings, if we adopt a stand- ed at regular intervals and kept ard setting and stick to it. Unifor- cleaned and well oiled, not oiled at. mity in card settings means uni- The weight levers and weights formity in evenness. should be looked after closely and The trumpets in the coiler head travelers changed often. Do not should condense enough to admit as ^vait until they wear out. much sliver in the can as possible. When we have efficient cotton to insure against stretching the buying, grading and mixing and 49 system throughout the carding and spinning, with close co-operation with the superintendent, even to the details, we will have attained some- thing worth while, and when the yarn is examined, we will find that it is reasonably free from imper- fections. We should not stint on card fil- lets, grinder fillets and comb belts, rollers and travelers. If we do, the result is uneven and weak yarn. It is the little things that get by us that cause uneven yarn. So, if every one connected with the mill, from the president, cotton buyer, on down through the mill, will get on his efficiency cloak, stay on his tiptoes and watch the results with a thought for the poor devil in the weave roon/, who is supposed to make 99 per c»'.nt perfect goods from imperfect 3'arn8. Number Twenty- four By R. A. WHATLEY, LaFayelte, Ga. To prevent uneven yarn altogeth- er, we first have to get our farmers interested in manufacturing to the extent to realize that mixed staple will affect the manufacture of his product. To prevent uneven yarn, we must first have it to contend with, and then prevent it. We are then R. A. Whatley LaFayette, Ga. able to tell how we did it, and to know the cause we must first exe- cute our ideas and see if they are the remedy. Then follow up the remedy until we find the theory is right, apply the remedy, and see if it will do the work. Such is the experience that I am going to men- tion. 50 Cotton and Its Faults. We have in one farming section, with which I have had experience, five or more different staples of cot- ton grown and sold to one mill, and each one originated from different soils and under different climatic conditions. After careful study of them and their staples, I give the names of them. First we have the Russell big boll, which is coarse, heavy staple. Then the Cleveland big boll, which has coarse, large staple, Cook's improved early, with small staple in diameter, and short. There is also the half and half cot- ton, with which very few mills are not acquainted, with its fine produc- tion of motes and fly and other waste that it produces, King's im- proved early, is small staple in diameter, and short, Perry improved is medium length staple of large liameter. Bank account is a late cotton, with a tendency to be very uneven. It seems to be a mixture of several other staples brought out fo compete with higher grades and high productive cotton. Not being the farmer or the buyer, I could not overcome the staple proposition, but had to meet the conditions the best I could. We Qnd the gin trouble, also, in uneven work. When we had the old time gin, the ginner was working to gin the cotton the best way he could. Now he is trying to see how many bales he can gin. not giving the manufacturer a thought. High gin speed means cut staple, more waste and uneven work for the superin- tendent and overseers to explain. Pages could be written of things to prevent uneven yarn, before the cotton is opened at the mill. Here is what I followed up, and I got satisfactory results. After on coiler top. Read the Uiermometer opening the cotton and selecting the at least four times per dav, twice nearest grades, keep at least one in forenoon and twice in afternoon, day s run ahead of the opener and and see that it is near same. When mix well. Never allow, where you stripping out be sure that the card have an automatic feeder hopper fiUs up before putting up end. A to be over three-fourths full few inches here on each card four never let it run lower. So much is times per day will affect the weight, being said about high and low Just a few inches of split lap on speed beaters that I will only say card with 90 draft will make several that it is folly to run them at the yards of uneven yarn when it goes speed found in most old mills. through first and second drawing When looking for trouble from slubber and intermediate fine frame uneven weights, I look at the motes process. under the opener. Then I see if The setting of cards would take anything is affecting the air cur- pages to tell. Watch the sliver rent. If I find that right I look after from doffer to delivery roll, as just the feeder and see if there is any a little from bad selvage here and lost motion in the carrier or apron a little there will make a vast dif- feed. If no trouble there then take ference. When you find one run- lap from breaker and see if any thin "i"8 with fiber splitting stop the places appear. Examine the mote f/l^ f^'^tZ^lfL^'"'^ '^^ ^^^ ''^"^" box again and see if any staple is "°" ^^ me silver, going in mote. If so I go to screens _, Drawing Frame. and see if they are all right. If TJie drawing frame is a very im- I find no thin places in the lap, I Portant process and has very little weigh the whole lap and see if the attention given. It should be given weight is right. Never stop on "^o^e attention. The knock-off weighing one. Then if I find they should be in perfect order all the are right I go to the intermediate ^\"^^' ^^^^^^^^}^^ ^^o"/^ ,^^ S®P^ picker and go through it. If the ^^^an. The fiutes in steel rollers weight of whole lap is right, weigh kept clean. The tension gear should several yards, a yard at a time and be just right to take care of sliver if thin places appear, see that the when delivered. When leather rolls eveners are working. Try several are used they should be varnished times. Look after the air, and see at least once every ten davs. The that the draft is right. The air trumpets should be carefully select- draft should not be broken. Run ed for the number grains of sliver evener belt, when steady, so that it running and never run a worn will stand in c'enter of the cone, trumpet with the hole worn out of That will give the evener opportun- shape. If leather rolls are used see ity to work either up or down, that they are the same size. Don't Cards. let can run full enough to ride on If laps are delivered to cards coiler top. See that your draft is right and you find sliver from one right for the staple that is being card weight light and the next one run. For if you carry it through heavy, and so on through the line, two processes of drawing with care- have the cards stripped and then less handling of cans, at coilers, and time each one and weigh the strips had rollers, one will be drawn tight and see if the cards are making the enough to break back every few same amount of strips in the same minutes. Weigh it and you will find time. If not set the stripper plates variation there, so they will. If you have uneven sliver, then look at the fly and see *'>' *rames. if each card is throwing out the At slubbers have cans so they same amount of fly. If not set the will deliver to feed roll on slubber screens so tJiey will. This all takes without any strain on sliver and time and can not be done in one see that each roller is of the same day. Sometimes you will find the size in the back and the middle delivery feed slightly varying in rolls the same diameter. The front speed. When same make of card is rollers, some times after being re- in use the feed gears should all be covered, and maybe new flannels the same. The can on front plays pnt on and will affect the size of very important part. Never allow rollers, when one larger than the it to run so full that it will drag other, or smaller, as the case may 51 be, weigh llie roving and see the dif- strain off of the roving. It is very ference. The tension on slubber delicate and the least strain will plays a very important part and will affects the weight and strength. Have affect the weight of roving. Never all bobbins the same size and don't let the operator change the tension use a bobbin that is worn and on slubber. A slight change in ten- loose on spindle or broken the least, sion at the wrong time makes a for when it is put on the frame and great deal of difference in the the speed on it will expand in first weight. Keep the cones in perfect few rounds to affect the roving for working order and the twist in several yards of yarn, slubber should only be enough to «ninniim Fr-imp unwind it in creel of intermediate ^ ., spinning rrame. frame. Keep the carriage rail clean ,, ^ee that he creels are clean and and the spindles well oiled, the [he creel stands m perfect condit- frame lined and leveled. 1?^, that creel sticks have pouits on The intermediate frame carriage ^^'^'^^ ^^^^ ^hat creels are leve both should be kept clean, the spindles below and above, so each stick wi 1 oiled and the cone belt in perfect ^^ve the same friction and all work condition, no chokes in traverse and ^^^ely. See that all the trumpets the flyers all well balanced. Allow are set and tight, that roving traverse no lost motion in it. Pressers ^ear is clean and working freely, should be watched and see that spindle steps clean and the bases there is not a worn one here and well oiled. Use no worn pointed there to make uneven work. Too spindles or any bobbins that don't much stress cannot be laid on fit on the spindle correctly. Have watching the rollers also, or the a system of oiling and see that it amount of the tension. Keep all the ^^ carried out. Watch for dry thin and uneven places out of the f ^ells or rollers as either will effect varn bv watching these little things, ''he yan. Watch for worn saddles; mi V t i-i allow no waste to accumulate on The fme fames are on he same spindles, see that each stand is principle of the intermediate frames ^^^^^ ^^^^ f.^^ ^^^.^^. ^,1^^^ ^ H^^ ?.nnl/nn i - Zv nffpn tn linp '« ^^U OU middle roU that is WOm would not say how often to line ^^^ ^^ ^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^ j^ ^?ttle"l/e"ran'^^otl^^r"s^ T^^^ ^.«^j- ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^^ - -1/,- should be examined often and if ?^ ^^^^ ^^^^f, diameter. Have the necessarv line them. A system of ^-averse builder gear so that it will oiling is ^absolutelv necessay, as dry ^^y "^e yarn side by side and not rolls or shells will make uneven Pile it one on another. Keep trav- work. eler cleaner on every ring if pos- Here I will say that any machine ^^^le. Never use a ring that is worn in perfect condition will produce ^" scollops. perfect work, and to keep it in per- This is written without giving feet condition it must be kept oiled draffs, but would have made the and cleaned. Keep the spindles article too long, and each length of free from foreign matter, stands staple must have its own draft, and well oiled, skewers well pointed and card setting to suit the grade cot- the stands in place. Keep all the ton in use. Number Twentv-Five. By J. M. .TOLLY. College Park, Ga. To my mind one of the most pro- ten different grades of cotton in the lific causes of uneven yarn is that w^arehouse, as most mills have, the the overseers depend too much on superintendent or overseer of card- the finisher picker. We sometimes ing should have the opportunity of get the idea that just so we have a going to the warehouse and select- good finisher hand and weigh his ing his cotton, a reasonable amount laps occasionally the work will be of bales of each different grade, so all right. Carelessness, we will say, as to get the same grade for each is the biggest cause, but an- days run. other great evil is the way cotton is Let us suppose we have our cotton graded from the warehouse to the in mixing room properly graded, opener room. If we have eight or Now the cotton must be mixed in 52 equal amounts from each bale, oth- erwise the trouble of grading is all in vain, and careless mixing is the same as bad grading. The beater blades must be kept in good shape and not allowed to run with a knife edge. We should have a perfectly smooth edge on beater blades and have the edge a little rounded The knife edge will cut the fibre and cause a lot of uneven work throughout the mill. This breaker lap must be as light as pos- sible, for the thinner the sheet, the cleaner the cottrin. and the cleaner J. M. Jolly College Park, Ga. the cotton, the more even yarn. In- termediate laps should be weighed twice a day at least. On the finisher picker we must at all times keep good spike beaters if we expect even work, and must not allow part of the cotton to reach the card improperly cleaned. The object of the pickers is to clean and lap the cotton. The work of the grid bars and dampers must be looked after closely if we expect to clean the cotton, and if we ex- pect even work, we must clean the cotton. If we clean the cotton in the picker room this week, and half clean it next week, we need not ex- pect even yarn. We must keep everlastingly at it. Well, we are up to the card with a good even finished lap. here we must have all cards properly set. Have grinders carry with them a good whisk broom and thoroughly brush every screen after grinding the card, so that all foreign sub- stance will fall away from the card, instead of going to the stock. This will help make clean work, and to my mind, the cleaner the more even. We all know that draft gears slip- ping will cause uneven work. We all should know that if the wooden lap roll on the back of the card skips teeth, the feed roll will pull thin places in the lap and make un- even work. I examine the draft gears on my cards at least once a week and if the draft gear, feed roll gear or lap roll is slip])ing I will find it. If the numbers come up wrong, which fliey sometimes do I will find it. These are some of the little things that make the big ones. We must watch close after the doffer comb blades and make sure that a part of the web does not get on the floor, for we need it all in the can if we expect even work. Make sure that the calender roll on tlie card is properly speeded. Do not have mix- ed gears scattered throughout the room at this particular place and have certain cards pulling the web away from the doffer too fast. If you do it will make uneven work, 'ieach the card hands to notify card grinders the first lime they have a card to make a singling on account of a bad doffer blade. The card ought not to go to the card grinder the second time, but report it to the overseer. Flat stripper blades must have the same care. Card stripping running back through the work on account of bad blades or from any other cause will make uneven yarn. We are now up to the drawing with even work. Set the spoons on back of drawing so they will knock off even for singling coming from the cards. Inspect cards daily to take out all singling. Arrange cans back of draw frames so that draw- ing hands can walk close to the frame to put in ends, for if we al- low them to stand back the depth of 4 cans and throw sliver up on other sliver, and start the frame with the other hand it will be im- possible to get work through the drawing even. Keep weights ad- .iusted so that the rolls will have the ^proper amount of weight, for the least bit of variation from too much weight or lack of proper oil- ing, will cause much variation in drawing, which will make yards more later. If you do not think the drawing question is mighty impor- tant, and lots of uneven work is caused there, experiment a little and have the second hands and fixers spend an hour or so adjusting the weights. Get every end in drawing sections running in ribbon form. Drawing frame rolls should be cleaned at least every 10 days, or better every 6 days. If you expect even work keep chokes off drawing frame rolls and oil them well. I weigh drawing twice a day, once be- fore noon anu once after. If I find more than 2 grains variation per yard, I look for the cause. At best our roving and yarn has some varia- tion but I bear in mind to watck . the drawing if I expect even work. In cleaning drawing rolls, we use the cheapest labor we have, usually in charge of a card grinder or sec- tion man, and the saddles are all mixed up and when the cleaning is over, the numbers on drawing are worse than they were before clean- ing. The slubbers, intermediates and speeders all work practically alike except creeling, my, my, the uneven work speeder hands will make creel- ing, if you do not watch them. Watch creeling closely the tentions on all fly frames have a lot to do with even or uneven work. The lack of oil on back or middle rolls will make uneven work. Take shells off of arbors at least every 2 weeks and wipe arbors clean with card strips, and put on plenty of fresh oil. Have this done on Satur- day at closing time and do not al- low some of the frame hands to say, "I did that yesterday". If it is all done at a specified time, it will help make even yarn. The use of worn shells will cause uneven work. One newly covered and one old shell on same arbor will cause unevenness. Keep shell rolls locked up and keep a pair of calipers in cupboard. Let second hand caliper and pair all shells as they are given to the frame hands. This will help make even work. Don't put a new shell on arbor without first putting on fresh oil. Hard driven spindles from lack of oil cause lots of uneven work, as will one wrap too much or one wrap too little on presser. Uneven work is also caused from a lack of knowl- edge as to what temperature is need- ed. I prefer to have humidity reg- ulated separately so as to have it 54 even in card room without speeders. Humidity and temperature have quite a lot to do with uneven work. Double lapping cards where laps are running out is as bad a thing as I know of. Do not allow card hands in laying laps, to lap them 3 or 4 inches as they put them under feed rolls. Inches bad in the card room make yards further on. Before we leave the card room let's drop back to the grading and mixing in warehouse. We have cotton graded froni 3s to 9s. We consume about 24 bales daily, more or less. We run today on 3s and the next day on 9s, the following day on 5s and so on. We cannot produce even yarn out of this. Why not take so many bales of each grade for each days run and have a proper mixing and better numbers? This is why I say poor mixing is causing a lot of variation. Now, we go to the spinning room. A lot of spinners say that if they get good work, they make good work, but if they get bad work, they cannot make it good. I am aware of the fact that the card room is the place to start it even. There are causes for uneven work in spinning as well as in carding. Here are some of the things that will make big ones. Cotton wound around flutes of steel rolls will cause varia- tion in yarn. One large shell and one small one running on same ar- bor will make uneven work. These shells should be calipered as they are given to spinners to put on sides. Teach spinners the importance of oiling before running new rolls. Overseers will say that the rolls come from the shop ready paired and marked. Probably they do, but do they reach the sides that way? Keep shells locked and have second hand caliper every pair that goes out. Keep shell arbors oiled throughout the spinning room, for if they run dry it will cause uneven work. Watch closely after the trav- elers. If you are running more than one number of yarn, do not let trav- elers get mixed on the frame. Un- usually heaN'y travelers scattered around here and there through the spinning room will pull the life out of the yarn and make it weigh wrong. Bad roving skewers in speeders or spinning frames will cause the same trouble. Make sure that cap bars are all spaced alike. One end of the roll a six- teenth of an inch out of line will make a lot of uneven yarn. Keep spinning rolls well cleaned and back saddles well ' oiled. Have lever screws adjusted so that all levers will be about 1 1-2 inches from creel board at back end of lever. Watch close after the roving traverse and keep it working freely at all times. Teach spinners to watch out for chokes in roving guides, for they will weaken the roving and cause uneven yarns. Overseers should lake a sizing from each different yarn and roving twice each day. Make sure that the reels and scales are in the proper shape. Do not try to weigh roving or yarn in a current of air. Be careful about this little job, it is im- portant. Do not be too quick to change. Be sure you are right be- fore having changing done. Get right and then have it done. Other- wise, you will have variation. Do all the changing, if possible, in the card room to keep numbers. Do not change draft unless you are com- pelled to do so. Give spinning a 9- inch draft, if possible. The shorter the draft, the better the breaking strength and the evenness of the yarn. • iNunibep Twenty-Six. By T. L. SAUNDERS, JR., Morganton, N. C. I will try and write an article on "Cause and Prevention of Uneven Yarn." First we will start in the warehouse and select the different grades of cotton, good middling, strict middling, middling and tinges, that is, if we use all of the above grades. However, take your mixing T. L. Saunders, Jr. Morganton, X. C. in and lay the bales side by side. Get the opener man to use a large box on wheels. Take cotton off each bale, if you can use fifty bales, so much the better. So you see you wil have all the bales, no matter 55 what numbers may be going through the mill at the same time. I find this a much better mixing than the old way. The man who feeds the hopper can run along beside each bale and get the same amount from each one. There can be 2 or more boxes used, according to the space. Keep the bale breaker or hopper two-thirds or more full, and be sure that this is strictly carried out and you will get good results. Keep the inside of the machine clean and free from friction. Keep screens clean and draft ways clear. See that the draft is distributing equally and use the lap split preventer. Be sure to oil every part well. Do not let the laps run out together, and keep them from splitting. Run the even- er belt two-thirds above center and in case one lap should run out, or a lap split, the evener will take charee of it. It is a good idea fo weigh breaker laps several times a day, as well as the intermediate laps, to keep them even. Be sure to weigh the finisher laps, every one. Have the finisher man to set them down and keep *a record. It will be a caution to the operator. Do not let the finisher laps vary over one-quarter pound each way. If they vary more, run them over. If the above is properly carried out, the cards will receive good work. Cards should be closely watched by all from the overseer down. If card hands are allowed to be negli- gent and the card chokes up and jams the doffer. the result is that the mashed places can never be as smooth as before, so the web wili be uneven. Set the feed plates to a number 12 gauge; mote knives 7 to on the casing, just over the sliver 12; screen to cylinder front to 4 leaf spoons to hold them as close as pos- gauge, and back to cylinder 22 sible to the knock-off motion, so gauge; back plate lower edge 17, up- when the ends run out they will per edge 12; front stripper plate, stop quickly. I am usmg this and it upper edge 17, lower edge 12 gauge, eliminates 50 per cent of the ends Of course you must use your good from running in too close, or all the judgment to meet all good and bad way. Be sure and have drawing conditions, and vary the above tender put the ends as close to each where necessary. The cards must other as possible and see that they be ground sharp and kept that way. piece up a nice smooth splice. The If the above is carried out, you will cans must not run too full. If the have an even sliver to the first cleaning and oiling and all of the drawing. The card draft should be adjustments are looked after there 90 to 100. I prefer 100. I do not will be good even sliver to run to recommend over 15 turns per minute the slubbers. IZ hi tt. "^twp iip'mnrp'virn.^ I recomm'end a draft of 3.85 on aused ?o varv from exceTshe spe?d blubbers. With this, and standard +ho^ or,;?thfrri: ;Lo nn nnt i^t fhP twist ,proper lay and tension, rolls ^.n?,= ?.?? ?nn^fn 1 Tf tnn fni thW s^t to suit the Staple, an even slub- win fniU and stretch the sHver ber roving will be produced. The and of bourse it vfl be une^^^^^^ filing and cleaning must be done if ^^or^ kn^IvH Joi?n loH hnf nvmH til© laps are kept the correct weight, ^xce^ssive oi[.' Be" surf no^'to" g^t I do a^l my changing, that is heavy oil on the clothing for it will injure up or lighten up on slubber*, the fillet and make it soft. The re- changing the crown- gear will only suit will be bad and uneven carding. "}ake a slight difference Otherwise, J ^ fi f c ^^ v.r.ty. if you change laps or drawing or .r.L'pTc°oT'];?''HrLln/ not nvpr ?ie sP^eder, as there are doublings, it Swf ' ThP Hr.rncfVrpmp^f ne^ m^kes too great a difference, so it ?pMpH hi : ^^^™^ ^J?^ <^.f^ .,^\"^,s along doesn't lap his ends, see that he ^it-h slubber, then it will help us to pulls out all doublngs and singlings, keep good help, which will help us never allow him to pull stick out of to keep down uneven work, for it is lap too soon causing a roll on the impossible to get good results when floor. This will cause uneven sliv- vou have got a new drawing hand er. See that your cards are strip- everv month. See that your draw- ped as often as they need it, and jngs'have the proper draft. 5.50 to this will depend on the amount of /. ^ », , „„ ^tin i^^i, „4^»„„ ♦v^^c** stock you run. Try and give your f/^- " ^o^ ^'^^ look after these cards the proper draft— 95-105 would tilings, and watch your waste, it will be in the bounds of reason to get help to prevent uneven work. Now best results. I don't think cards we come to slubbers, should card more than 175 pounds .Slubbers^ Intermediates, Speeders. per day. I think mills today make See that your slubber is lined and a mistake trying to put through level; bobbin and spindle gears set more than the card can card, caus- right; all lost motion out of spindle ing cloudy carding, which causes and bobbin shaft; see that spindles uneven work. See that your cans are taken out once a year and bol- don't run too full, as this will cause sters cleaned out; flyers cleaned out; your sliver to be weakened. Look steel rollers and carriage cleaned after your setting and grinding, as twice a year; see that your steps this needs every mans attention, are oiled every month; spindles oil- Dont put too much confidence in ed twice a week. Give vour slub- your grinder. See that cards are bers the proper draft; see that ten- properly oiled and cleaned. If these sion is kept right; rollers picked and things are looked after, I don't see oiled every day; see that no bad why your cards shouldn't do good rollers stay in frame; see that sliver work. Now we come to the draw- guide is in good shape, and that you ing. _ have the same twist, draft, tension, Drawinfls: and lay gears on each frame of the See that your drawings are lined same number. See that ends are and level; see that your rolls are pieced right; keep clearer clean; cleaned every week and properly see that rollers are wiped with cot- oiled and that all knock-oflf motions ton instead of brushes; don't allow work free; see that your rollers are vour hands to fan off, as this will varnished every week; and see that get on roving. Look after your all loose rollers are taken out. If skewer sticks, and see that thev metallic, see that they are taken jont get blunt, causing roving to out every week and the ends clean- stretch, and keep cotton from ed and fresh oil put m them. If around them. Never allow frame this IS done, I find it will prevent hands to let singlings and doublings lots of slack ends. See that tension gg; see that they wrap fingers three IS right; see that clearers are clean- times. See that your frames are edevery hour; see that your weights ^ept in good shape and well oiled are right; never allow your drawing and vou will make good work, if hand to put seven ends up when you -^rju look out for the things six are required; see that he doesn't mentioned above and keep them put cotton under the spoons. If right, you have electric stop motion, see " Spinning: that all connections are clean. Nev- 0^,^111? reek should he wined er allow cotton to get on rollers; ^o'^^^f reels should J>e wipea see that oil is kept off of machine at least once a day; roller bars where electrical connection is made; fhould be wiped every two hours o«^ *v,^t ^^,,^ ^o,v^^t^ ^o l,^«lro^ to prevent trumpets from getting see that your magneto is looked ^^^\.^^^ ^s this will make rov- after; dont put too much oil on ■ ^^^^ ^^ ^^^w. Spinners should bearings, as this will make your cur- ]^q taught to blow or fan all the rent weak, if it gets on brushes. Of Unt off of the roving before setting course the greatest thing to look it in the frame, as this too will 68 cause your trumpets to get chocked around the ring. The size of thi up, thus preventing an even draft, ring should be governed according The rollers should be kept well lu- to number of yarn being spun, as bricated with oil. Good rolls should all spinners know too large a ring be run in the middle as well as in will result in uneven yarn, as you the front, as drafting is done be- cannot get your traveler regulated tween the middle and front rolls, to suit both the empty and full bob- Only enough drafting should be bin, as the traveler that is heavy done between the back and middle <'nough to keep the balloons from roll to keep the roving from slack- striking together on the full bobbin ing, as middle and back rolls are will stretch the yarn on the empty not set the proper distance to draft bobbin. The weight of the traveler and the more drafting done between should be so regulated as to be these two rolls, the more uneven light enough not to stretch the good yarn you will have. The front and yarn. middle rolls are built to do the ' jf the yarn is to be wound, too drafting, and they should be set ac- great a tension should not be placed cording to the staple of the cotton q^ it there ,and wherever it is used being run, I would say from .^^qy it is spun, care should be 1-8 to 3-16 further apart than the taken to see that too great a strain length of your staple is. Lap rolls is not placed on it, as it can be should be kept clean at all times, ruined after it is spun, but no definite time can be set as "it is not he that knoweth, but he to how often they should be cleaned, that doeth my sayings, that shall in- owing to the different counts run, herit eternal life," sayeth the Lord and we all know that coarse counts of hosts. It is not so much in what will get rollers dirty quicker than a man knows in this enlightened fine counts; so clean them as often (jay, as in how he doeth that which as is necessary is all that can be he knows, and he that properly said. looks after the above mentioned The thread guides should be things will not be haunted by un- set so as to hold the thread even yarn. Lots more could be said to the center of the spindle. The on this subject and then the half ring rail should be perfectly level, would not be told, but space de- as the varn has to drag the traveler mands that I ring off. Number Thirty-three. By W. P. LEE, Lenoir, N. C. Speaking of a few things in regard to perform. The proper setting of to causes and prevention of uneven the various parts of cards is very varn, the first thing to be consider- often slighted and the quality of the ed is cotton. The staple or length work suffers thereby. Cards should of its fibre is of greatest import- have very close adjustments, loo ance, as it determines the quality of much attention cannot be given to yarn produced, also the size and clothing, gnndmg, setting cleaning setting of drawing rolls on different and operating cards Split or un- machines, etc. Where fine yarns even laps, dull clothing, clothing are to be made, a good grade of that has been mashed in places, un- cotton is absolutely necessary, even setting of the doffer. or flats. Beaters should be reduced to 1000 R. not being evenly set at both ends P. M. as the varn will be stronger too much draft between calender than with a fast beater speed. Feed rolls and coiler heads, cans under roll should be set to beater thick- coils running too full, cards not be- ness of a 2-foot rule, grids set to ing properly cleaned and oiled, card keep good cotton from mote box, hands fanning off fronts of cards, laps kept as uniform as possible. These are a few of the many things Evener motion should be near driv- about a card that cause uneven ing end of cone, waste must be mix- work, and they should have the ed as evenlv as possible, otherwise closest attention, uneven and' bad running work will Cards should be stripped every follow. Pickers should be clean and other one on a line at a time, in the oiled at all times. mean time teaching the hands not Cards have a very important duty to put up ends until the cylinder is 69 sufficiently filled up. On fine work fine frames would not be excessive, light card sliver and slow carding though slightly under the above will give the best results. Cards drafts will be better if conditions should have as even a humidity as will permit. possible Licker-ins are largely re- The setting of steel and leather sponsible for the class of work pro- rolls depends somewhat on the con- duced and must have close adjust- ditions such as cleaning, oiling and ments, and the best of attention. condition of leather rolls. With Where extra good quality fine everything in good condition, the yarns are wanted, lap machines and rollers set 1-16 farther than staple combers are used, though they will being used will give the best re- produce considerable uneven work suits. if not properly kept up. Lap ma- The roving traverse must be kept chines should have as short a draft moving. The tension of the ends is as conditions will permit. Knock- very important. If they are too off motions must be kept in working slack, roving will be too heavy and order. Leather rolls should be kept if too tight, strained and light rov- clean and free from lumps in ends, ing will result. The top cones must They rrjust be newly varnished be kept tight, cone belts clean and often. Steel rolls must be scoured free from slippage, and spindle and once a month. Laps should be put. bobbin gears kept properly set. The on as evenly as possible. The pol-' lost motion on vertical angle and ished sliver plates must be frequent- compound must be kept out. The ly polished with whiting. Machines proper lav gear must be used must be carefully cleaned and oiled One full and one half full bobbin at regular intervals. Combers must should be run at each end at a lime, have uniform setting. I will not Flyers must be free from rough give rule for setting, as grade of places. Speeder hands should not cotton, amount of waste wanted be allowed to stuff cotton under out size laps, are to be consider- slats when bobbin gets too small, ed. Combers should be torn down T\^'0 or more sizes of bobbins should to upright stands, carefully cleaned not be used on a frame at the same and scoured, resetting and removing time. If they are, an operative will all worn- parts before putting up the take up tension for the small size machine. This should be done twice that is running slack. The larger a year. Half laps must be kept free one will then be too tight and from hooked ends. The sliver pans stretched roving is the result, and plates must be polished fre- The roving should not have more quently with whiting. Half laps and twist than is necessary to turn bob- top combs must be examined often bins in the spinning room. Sing- and kept in good condition. lings, doublings, and hard ends Leather detaching rolls must be should be avoided at all times. Four newlv varnished once a week. Draw bobbins from each hank roving head must be kept cleaned and oiled, should be sized daily and kept as also leather rolls kept in good con- uniform as possible, dition. Laps should be set in as Spinning. evenly as possible. Uneven work jt is useless to sav that the most may be caused on draw frames by fruitful cause for uneven varn on running in too much waste at one spinning frames is tho rollers. Thev time, rollers not being properly cov- mav be drv. fluted, worn, or choked ered or weighted, as improperly oil- with waste or improperly set. The ed rollers may be choked at the setting of the steel and leather rolls ends with wa.ste, or not properly ad- depends a good deal on the above justed with the staple being used, conditions. With everv thing in and clearers not being clean. good condition, the setting should With the above things in good slightly exceed the staple being shape, rollers should be set with used. On medium and fine yarn, front rollers 1-8 inch farther than where good grade cotton is being staple, middle and back 1-16 inch. used, back saddles should not be Frames should not exceed a draft used. T would also use a slight of 6. Steel rolls should be scoured draft between middle and back rolls, once a month. Speeders, excessive This will enable us to get a closer drafts and rollers improperly set setting, which means smoother yarn are the most frequent causes of un- and better running spinning, even roving. Draft of 4 on slub- The draft of the spinning frame bers. 5 on intermediates and 6 on should not exceed 12 at the outside, 70 and if conditions will permit, a draft slightly under that will give better results. Rings and spindles must be set and plumbed at the top and bottom once a year. Worn rings must not be used. The size of the rings is governed by the number of the yarn being made. The proper travelers must be carefully selected at all times. Traveler cleaners must be used, to keep travelers from being choked with lint. Worn guides, guides not being properly set, spindles vibrating for lack of oil. bands running slack, slack belts, excessive speed, draft or crown gears not being set deep enough, so they slip a tooth occasionally or being set too deep and causing the rolls to quiver. These are some of the thifigs that cause uneven and bad running spinning. Bad work will al60 be caused by steel rolls being bent: or worn at stands, causing lost motion; flat flutes may be scratched, broken roving sets or skewers with blunt ends; yarn getting too light or heavy; spare roving left on frames too long, trumpets choked with lint; levers not level; weights not hooked on levers at same hook; improper hu- midity, roving traverse standing at one place; one end of steel or leath- er rolls becoming roped with cot- ton, not allowing other end on same arbor the proper tension; leather rolls in poor condition; giving spinners more sides than they can efficiently keep up; not keeping frames properly oiled and cleaned. All these little things should be guarded against at all times. After the yarn leaves the spinning frame, it can be shaved and other- wise weakened by the spooler and winder guides being improperly set, twister rings being out of plumb, worn twisters, or travelers, etc. Many other things could be men- tioned in regard to uneven yarn, but for lack of space I will not go farther into details at this time. Number Thirty-four. By J. A. PARKER, Greenville, S. C. We will flrst take up the many causes that contribute to the unev- enness of yarn. i. .\. Parker Greenville. S. C. The first and direct principle of making yarn is drawing a small portion of fibers from a larger body of fibers and twisting them, caus- ing same to form a thread or yarn. Too much twist in the roving, caus- ing stock not to draw easily and slip under middle roller and not draw uniformly. If roving traverse stroke is too short, the middle top roller will be- come hollow or creased, allowing stock to slip from under middle roller, which shows much irregular- ity in yarn. Hollow middle rollers on any pro- cess throughout the card room, will cause uneven roving or sliver, and shows up badly on yarn, when the doubling does not match up and off- set same. It's a fact that yarn has short and long, thick and thin places. The spinning frame is responsible for the short, uneven places in the yarn, and the longer places are drawn out from uneven roving The best demonstration of the above fact, is to carry stock from slubber on through your regular processes, and spin same, which will show where most of your unevenness is 71 made. After leaving drawing frames, this stock should go through single. For example: Take length of thick or thin place in yarn and divide by draft, on spinning head. Repeat this operation at each pro- cess until length of uneven place is less in inches than draft. , which shows the process it started on. The overseer should teach the help to piece roving tip to tip when creeling. Tight tention on flyer frames, causing twist to slip after being laid in roving, which will draw very uneven on spinning. Loose cotts or drawing new cotts on old flannels or large ended rolls, dry saddles on top rolls, any of the above in card room or spinning room will make very uneven yarn. The overseer should have very rigid rules on cleaning steel rollers and top rollers; be careful to see that all chokes are kept out. Roller setting is a very vital point in making uniform yarn. You have to be governed by the weight of stock you are - setting for. Too close to point of staple on heavy stock is just as hurtful as too far off. If you are carrying an over amount of twist in roving, you have to set rollers off, to allow stock to condense free, and not draw un- even. There is quite a lot of unevenness in yarn caused by improper draft. There is a standard draft on all the different processes t-hat is a good guide for an overseer to be governed by. 7-inch draft on spinning head, single roving, is commonly known as the standard basis to reckon from. It's a known fact that the best re- sults are obtained from a 7-inch draft under all conditions, with single roving on spinning. That is where 7-inch draft originated for a basis. A draft too short draws the stock too much in a body and tightens the twist in roving and lets loose in bunches, which causes uneven yarn. A draft too long gives you bad re- sults from having to use a very heavy hank roving, which carries more short fibers, and while the long fibers are being drawn out, the short fibres follow in bunches causing thick and thin places. Good results can be obtained from a 20-inch draft on spinning head by using a light hank roving 3 or 4 double. It is possible for a perfect strand of yarn to be made out of cotton, but not probable, as it would be more expensive than silk. Cotton, like other plants, has a nature peculiar to itself. A bale of upland cotton 1-inch staple will possibly have 25 per cent 1-iuch staple, 50 per cent 15/16-inch staple, 15 per cent 7/8-inch staple, 10 per cent 3/4-inch staple. Another bale grown from the same seed on the same farm, under the same climatic conditions, and planted on same date, only growing on bottom land, has 50 per cent 1-inch staple, 40 per cent 15/16-inch staple, 10 per cent 7/8-inch staple. Now it is impos- sible to mix these two bales of cot- ton and get perfect results, either in combed stock or carded stock. For a perfect strand of yarn we will use 1 3/16-inch staple, accord- ing to writer's experience on staples, 1 3/16-inch staple has prov- en to be the best average American staple. This cotton must show 50 per cent 1 3/16-inch when pulled. It must go through pickers very light and card- ed with 15 per cent waste and combed with 50 per cent waste, leav- ing us as a result all your fibers a perfect uniform length, with proper doublings, light hank rov- ings, proper drafts, low twist, no tention. bites of rollers up to point of staple, and your different ma- chines properly adjusted, you can spin a strand of yarn uniform and round. Number Thirty -five. By E. G. WAITS, Goldville, S. C. If I understand this contest, un- so as to keep an even temperature even yarn means what we generally in this room at all times. Why call lumpy and thick and thin should this be? Because some cot- places in yarn. So I will begin at ton has too much moisture in it Opening ]^oom. and dries out between picfers and I think every opening room should roving frames. With the opening be equipped with a heating system room heated to about 90 degrees, it 72 would dry out this excess moisture Cards. that now causes us to do so much I will start with an even lap on changing in our draft gears. When back of card, and suppose that the we are all the time changing draft card hand should piece laps at back gears, we are causing more or less so as not to make a thick or thin uneven yarn. The cotton that did place in the sliver. The following not have too much moisture in it things will cause uneven yarn: would not dry out any with a tem- Licker-in bearing set too far off from perature of 90 degrees in the open- feed plate; dull licker-ins; flats set ing room. We would then get an to far from cylinder; card not clean- even moisture in our cotton which ing the sliver, but allowing the means evener yarn and less chang- motes and trash to go through; ing. jams on cylinder and doffer, cutting Ck)tton, holes in sliver; doffer combs that Uneven staple causes a lot of un- catch the sliver and let it off in even yarn. If we had a thousand bunches. Keep the combs so that bales of cotton to run through a they will not hang the sliver. Keep mill, 500 of which was 7-8-inch all gears set tight. I have seen the staple and the other 500 bales 1 1-8- draft gear on a card on the outside inch, we should not mix this cotton, shaft just turn the feed roll about We should set our machines and half way round, and then feed roll rollers to suit the 7-8-inch staple would stop for a bit. Keep all and run it through and then set the gears set about two-thirds in mesh, machines and rollers for the 1 1-8- Another cause at the cards for un- inch staple. Uneven staple will cer- even yarns is allowing cans to run tainly cause uneven yarn, as -no too full, which will stretch the settings will suit mixed length sliver, staple. Drawing, Roving and Spinning. Pickers. Anything that will cause rollers to Uneven laps mean uneven yarn, bounce and drag means uneven although even laps do not mean yarn. Too long a draft in any pro- even yarn every time, as there are cess, too much twist in roving, ear- so many places where it can be riage standing on change, forming made uneven, through the carding a knot on the end of the bobbin, are and spinning rooms. How can we other causes for uneven yarn. No make even laps on picks? If the frame tender should be allowed to breaker laps are uneven, we get lap ends or not splice end to end. uneven intermediate and finisher Both rollers on one arbor should be laps. In order to get even laps on the same size in diameter, other- the breaker picker, the feed box wise uneven work will follow, should be kept with the same Grooved rollers will cause uneven amount of cotton in it at all times, yarn; all rollers should be smooth and we should see that every part and as stated above should be of of the machine is doing what it the same diameter where there are should do to make an even lap. See two rollers on one arbor. All rol- that all gears are tight on shafts lers should be kept clean and well and rollers. Also see that the oiled so as to turn free and easy, screen is tight on shaft and clean and not allowed to drag. All rolls and that the air current is sufficient should also be set to suit the staple to draw the cotton from beater box of the cotton in order to get even without allowing the cotton to drag yarn. Tight ends, stretching the and come up in bulks to the screen, roving, is another cause for uneven The aprons and belts must be tight yarn; ends should be run as slack as enough not to slip. See that the possible to run good on every ma- friction pulley is not too tight so as chine. Keep clearers clean so none to stretch the lap. Dull beaters and of the clearer waste will pull off far off settings will cause uneven and go through on sliver, and see laps. Keep beater sharp and set it that no machine is fanned off with just as close to feed roll as possible a fan rag unless it is clean, for if to do without damaging the staple of they are dirty and covered with lint, the cotton. Avoid starting and it will get on roving and yarn, and stopping pickers with feed gear in cause uneven work. It should be gear with feed roll; this will cause the desire of every carder and uneven laps; always knock the feed spinner to improve the sliver and roll gears out of gear, for if you yarn at every process through which don't it will cause uneven laps. it goes. Never allow sliver and 73 yarn to be made worse at any pro- see that it is made a little bit better cess, and more uneven. If anything at every process. Number Thirty-six. By R. M. BARNHAM, Mayodati, N. C. I think one of the greatest causes of uneven yarn is uneven top rol- lers, and as long as we have untrue rollers we will have uneven yarn. If one end of the roller is larger than the other it will not bear evenly on the steel rolls and will not run true on tne steel roller. For one end has more running surface than the oth- er, which will cause one end to run against the capbar harder than the other until it slips, and when it slips it makes uneven work. All rollers should be of the same si/e, for if one is larger than another, it will have more cushion, and one will bed in the flutes of the steel roller and cause the fibres to crimp and when the fibre crimps in the flute deeper than the others, it will make the yarn light, because it gets the top and bottom surfaces of the flutes of steel rollers by having a greater cushion. And it has its ef- fect on every machine it goes through, and by the time it goes through the mill, you not only have uneven work, but you have a great variation in your work, for the work will not draw alike where one roller has a greater cushion than the other. There is only one way to overcome this trouble. That is to grind the rollers down until they are perfectly true, for I think all rollers should be dressed up, for it takes all of the high and flat places off of them and gives them a good, true and smooth surface. Until you get this, you will always have un- even yarn. Of course there are people who try to roll the rollers true and some burn them down, but I do not like either method, for either way takes away the quality that you get from covering, for the rollers are hard and they do not bed in the flutes of the steel rollers as they should. You may as well have steel rollers without flutes if you do not have rollers that will cushion and get some grip to prevent the fibres from slipping. I do not see how you can expect to get even yarn with burnt down or rolled down rollers, for there is no way to burn or roll them down all alike. You would burn down one end more than the other, if you get them true, and the same is true of rolling them. Rol- lers of this kind will cause uneven work because they will not cushion alike. A good, smooth, true, soft, springy roller that will let a hard end come through and then spring back to keep from cutting the next time traverse carries the roving across is one of the greatest features in making even yarn when all steel rolls are running true. Of course there are other causes of uneven yarn, such as uneven laps, bad carding, not enough mois- ture, rollers not properly spread, too long a draft, too much twist in roving, bad piecing all through the mill. This is what the majority of the writers will write about, and that is where I think they are in error, for I do not think that any of the above will do as much bad work as bad rollers will. It is im- possible, I think, to make even yarn without good, smooth, true rollers, so if every reader of this article who is having trouble with uneven yarn will put this in practice, I am sure he will find a great improve- ment in his work. Number Thirty-seven. By JAMES OATES, Siluria, Ala. The subject for this contest is a farmer stores his cotton in a cotton good one, and I am glad to have the house while it is damp, and some- opportunity to give my experience times, even while it is wet. Even on this line. though this cotton contains the To begin with, I will go to where seed and is stored in a compect the cotton is stored away after pick ing. In may cases we find that the 74 manner, it becomes mildewed, and to a certain extent becomes weak and rotten. This evil can be pre- vented by being sure that the cotton is dry before it is packed away to await ginning and at the same time if the cotton goes to the gin while damp, we need not look for good, even ginning, as we all know that damp or wet cotton cannot be gin- ned well. This can be prevented by taking precautions along this line. In my judgment, to even get first- James Gates Siluria, Ala. rate yarn, we should bear in mind that after the cotton is taken from the cell in which it grows, it must be treated very carefully, and the quality of the yarn produced de- pends on the treatment it gets. I shall not discuss buying cotton. Mixing Cotton in the Opening Room. The matter of making up a mix- ture of cotton at the opening room is an important problem. We might say that the evenness of the card sliver depends largely on the average mixing. It is a good policy to, assign a special man to see to the mixing of the cotton. If it is mixed at random, we get our qual- ity at random throughout the fol- lowing processes. To prevent this careless mixing, the overseer should see that it is properly done. To obtain good even mixing, take say one bale of first, one bale of second and one bale of third, and so on, and tearing it into small tufts allow it to stand a day or so if possible. Give the fibres time to expand as much as possible so that when the cotton is fed to the opener it will receive the full benefit of the open- ing process. It is a fact that the picker cannot do the work of the opener, so the opener is essential to 75 begin with. Improper mixing and opening cannot be rectified at the next process. Next, we pass on to the breaker, where the cotton receives practi- call its first beating or cleaning action. These beater wings should be kept in first-rate condition. There are in the picker room break- er, intermediate and finisher pick- ers. How well the carding can be done depends on the beating and cleaning of the cotton, also how even the sliver will be. Excessively heavy laps to the yard will produce bad, uneven work for carding. To prevent any uneven card sliver, is in my jurgment, to produce good work, with a 9-ounce lap, the card kept in good condition, card light and quick. At this process of card- ing, it is essential to good, even yarn in the spinning, to keep the proper setting at the proper places. Carding is the place where the fibres are laid paralelel with each other. I think carding should get the very best care that can be had, as here the very small pieces of foreign matter are taken out. Now after getting our sliver in good condition on the cards, we take it to the drawing frames. At this process, metallic rolls are generally used. Getting these rollers mixed will cut the stock and cause uneven work. These rolls should be kept clean and oiled when necessary. The draft here should not exceed 6 inches for the first drawing. The second drawing should be treated in like manner, with a draft of 5 3-4 inches. The sliver from the drawing frames is taken to the slubber where it is started in the form of being placed on bobbins. The slub- ber is a machine that needs a very cautions watch kept over it. The draft on the slubber should not ex- ceed 5 inches at most, or be less than 3 1-4 inches, depending, of course, on the length of the staple. Rolls set too far apart on this ma- chine with short cotton will make uneven roving. Gentlemen, let me emphasize right here, that if drawing sliver and slubber roving is made uneven, it cannot be rectified in the succeed- ing processes. It would take too much space to give all causes and remedies for un- even yarn. Difl"erent size bobbins will cause uneven yarn, as will too tight a tension on the slubber. Weather conditions affect the ten- sion on the flj' frames, in some cases enough to justify changing the ten- sion gear. After maintaining the slubber in good condition, the same troubles are to be overcome on the intermediate as on the previous machines, for the roving is next run on the intermediate. The draft on. the intermediate should not ex- ceed ^ 1-2 or 6 inches. Then the finisher flyer frames, where this roving from the intermediate is used, has the same troubles to be overcome as the previous flyer frames. I shall name some of the causes and remedies for uneven yarn caused in the carding department. These are cloudy and uneven card- ing; overdrafts; weights too heavy; dirty rolls on drawing frames; dry rolls on slubber, intermediate and- finisher fly frames; lost motion in gearing; poorly balanced carriage and allowing frame hands to take up the tension. I think it is a bad practice for the overseer to allow in his room anything that will re- flect on the quality of the finished product of the mill in which he is employed. Gentlemen, I do not contend that uneven yarn cannot be made in the spinning department, and I will dis- cuss that later. But I do contend that the greatest number of causes and remedies are largely found in the treatment of the cotton in the various machines which it must pass before it reaches the spinning department. However, nowadays, it has become necessary for every one concerned to take precautions against bad work. It is not what a man knows that helps his employer out on any evil, but it is the employee putting that which he knows in practice. Listen, friendship and harmonious rela- tions have just as much to do with good work as anything I know of. Please pardon me, but be business- like with every employee. I think the overseer should be a positive in- structor and leader for his help. Practice will prevent uneven yarn to a certain extent. As a matter of fact we are obliged to confess that we find in the carding department a tendency to get a large stock of roving ahead of the spinning for different reasons, such as having more time to clean up, wanting a day off, or some similar reason, failing to have in mind the amount of uneven yarn this rushed through stock will cause. Now, to prevent this evil, the carder should keep in mind that when he is done with the stock, that it is just in the youth of , its construction. Please keep the making of roving well fixed in your heads, as on it de- pends the making of even yarn. Spinning. To begin with I will say that spin- ning is the place where the body of the yarn is formed by attenuating the roving to the required size/ or number. But in view of the lact that uneven yarn is our subject and to give causes and remedies in spin- ning, I will assume that I have good, clean stock as roving from which to make this yarn. Some of the causes of uneven yarn are: Back lash in gearing; stopped up roving trumpets, or roving trav- erse not in motion, and causing rolls to crease; too much twist in roving for weights to break; rollers set too close, breaking the fibres; rollers set too far apart, and fibres slipping by each other; overdrafting; poorly set top leather rolls; roller cots not right on tension; thick and thin skins on solid rolls; levers resting on creel broads; rolls run too long leaving on old tension. However, I want to say that an up-to-date overseer, who is not afraid to do or have done this work, can remedy each and every cause which I have previously mentioned, by doing nothing less than run the job. Let's reason together that if roving is more even with the above causes rectified, then you are sure to get good even yarn on an average. Number Thirty-eight By L. R. SUMMEY, Belmont, N. C. My experience on yarn is that we correctly. If a lap is one ounce off must start at the coiler room. First in weight, it will make singlings on have the screens in good order, and cards. Third, have the card ground second, have every lap weighing right. I mean by this, not to have 76 a jackleg grinder, for some of the ly to prevent the cage from jump- best get careless in putting the card ing. up. They have the most of the fiber Tenth, the cage jvmiping stretches going into the fly by not setting the roving and many think the right. trouble is in the draft, and will Fourth, we must have our counter change the draft and make things belts pulling level. If they are not worse than before, level, it will cause the frames to Eleventh, have correct tension shake, making light places in the gear to prevent tight ends, and do yj^Pjj not allow the hands to change it. Fifth have the driwine rol's Sometimes they change the tension i-iitn, nave tne arawing roi.s j ^^^ • um^ecessary. cleaned once or twice a day to pre- Twelfth, see that you have no vent lumps. The machine niust be ^j j ^ spindles or loose bolsters, as clean every week. I mean by this j^j^^g^ ^^^j^^ uneven yarn to take the rollers out and scrub Thirteenth, clean the frames from ki'^h JS^.no''i\hT..^ni^ ^o in^n ^he Tollers to the spindle gears See that none of the rolls are jump- ^ 3 ^ g months. ing, tor If they are, it will cause un- Fourteenth, have the frames oil- even yarn. ^^ ^^jj every day to make them Sixth, beware of singlings. See run smooth and prevent uneven that no such work goes through. yarn. Seventh, have first-class rollers We must havo our belts pulling on speeders, so they will run steady. What I mean by this is that smoothly. they must not have too much slack. Eighth, we must have our rolls If they have they will jump and set to right and correct gauge to cause uneven yarn. A frame can- the staple of cotton we are running, '^ot make even yarn when the coun- Ninth, we must see that the frames ^er belt is jumping, because it makes are kept in good order, meaning by the frame jump when running, this that they must be kept clean stretching the roving and making and the Sampsons running smooth- uneven work. Number Thirty -Nine. By F. L. ABERNATHY, East Monbo, N. G. In discussing the subject of the To begin with the picking depart- causes and preventions of uneven ment, silways keep your hopper or yarn there are a great many things breaker lap machine filled about to consider and I would like to say the same, so as to get a good, even in the beginning that I do not ex- feed on your machine, say about pect to give all the causes and pro- two-thirds full. Have a good evener ventatives of uneven yarn. How- on your intermediate picker and ever, will try to give some of the get as near an even lap here as pos- things which I have learned from sible so you will not have trouble experience. A great many times we on finisher for an uneven lap will find the cause of uneven yarn sure give you uneven yarn. So be brought about by not taking the sure your laps are a certain weight, proper care in selecting the raw yard by yard, as nearly as you can stock, that is, not buying the grade possibly get them, and see that even- of cotton that should be used, on ers work well and that you have a the particular grade of yarn we ex- nice, smooth lap. It is a good idea pect to turn out. If we do not have to weigh your laps from time to this we have a hard proposition try- time, to see if they are correct by ing to make even yarn, but some the yard, as well as by the finished times by the proper care taken in lap. Don't beat your cotton too mixing we can overcome some of much. I have seen the quality of the causes of uneven yarn. I would yarn increased in strength by dis- like to say here that if we expect to posing of one of the beaters, get good results we should always With a good even lap for cards we select our cotton before mixing, so should not overlook them if we as to get a good average of what- want good results. We should not ever grades of cotton we have and try to card too heavy a lap and get a uniform mixing and let it have our feed so as to not let our air out, say a week before using. licker-ins cut the cotton too much. 77 See that each card is ground prop- to get a fairly even yarn, eriy and all parts set the same on On spinning frames I find that each card and keep them stripped the cause of most of our uneven out systematically. Grind your yarn is brought about by the little cards as often as is necessary to things which are more than likely to keep them sharp. be neglected and they are many. Of The drawing frame should be course, we suppose that we have watched very closely for right here good even roving to start with, we are sure to get a lot of uneven See that your roving has plenty of work if we neglect this machine, twist in it, that is just enough to and very often this is done. Look keep it from stretching while pass- after your rolls carefully and keep jng from creel to rolls. Second, do them properly set for your work not draft over ten, on double roving and don't get them too wide apart, or seven on single, if you want good Keep your weights well adjusted, even yarn. Keep your top rolls in A way to do this is to clean your good running order, have them well rolls every week and look over cleaned and oiled as often as is your settings. See that your trump- necessary. To keep them clean, a ets are all bored the same and look ^^^^ pj^n to work by is to have out for your draft between front section man go over all his rolls at and calender [oil or you will stretch j ^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^ slivers. All these things wiU give ^^ g ^ ^ ^^ you uneven work if not kept in ^ j ^ ^ f^ . ^ „ ^ ^^^^ proper shape Do not draw too (^^^ ^^^ ^^^ ^j^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^ ^ ^^ much here, not over six .^^ j^ ,^ ^ -j ^.^^ On fly frames we get a ot of un- ^^ .^^^ . ^ ^j .^ j, ^ even work by not looking after J ^ .^ ^l^^^ ^^^ tension. This I think is one of the rpstin^ on Vrppl hoards Keen greatest sources from which uneven ^^^ ^^e/l TfveTed and weighted AU yarn comes and It r^eguires a lot of j^ j . ^^j^ \ ^ ^^^ attention o keep tensions right, and ^ ^^ ^^ spindles, spindles If not looked after Pjoperly the ^j^rating for lack of oil or worn i^n^^ Th i ihnniH^'PnPvpr hP ^^nw bolsters Be sure to keep ring rails T^V ^J/^-c^^.^.'ifLr llJ^Lr^^^^^^^ level and look carefully after your ed. Twist IS another very particu- travelers and see that they are not lar and deceiving evil, and a great niixed many times you will find that just All these little things will give enough to keep roving from break- you an uneven yarn if they are not ing back m the creels will seem to j^ept in proper shape. Another be sufficient, but by careful exami- source of uneven yarn is sometimes, nation you will find your roymg through carelenssness, the wrong stretching just enough to weaken ^^jst, or draft gear will be put on your yarn. I believe that a great some of your frames. The writer deal of our uneven yarn comes from took charge of a spinning room one either too tight a tension or not ti^e and found three different sizes enough twist. Of course there are of draft gears running, which were many other sources of uneven- supposed to be making the same ness, but if you will look after the yarn, so this is very important and things above mentioned and keep should be looked after, your rollers in good shape, that is, jn conclusion. I would like to sav properly cleaned, oiled, and all bad ^iiat if you will look carefully for rolls kept replaced, rolls properly ^^e little things the larger ones will spaced for your staple, and your j^g found drafts not too long, you can expect Number Forty. By B. L. DOBY. Lumberton, N. C. The opening room is where we proper results, as some of the cot- start the manufacture of cotton ton is grown in one State and some yarn. Here we must take in consid- in another, and we are sure to have eration that we must have a floor great difference in the staple of the space large enough to open up six cotton. By opening and mixing the or eight bales of cotton to get the several different bales, we get a 78 more uniform grade. We must Coming to the intermediate, we keep in mind that wet or damp cot- again have a process where we ton will give us trouble throughout must see that the machinery is kept the plant and our weights will be clean. Never allow the operatives hard to keep up. to lap the ends or make hard ends. Now we come to the pickers. Here Here we start at the point where we must be very careful to have singlings and doubling are often the hopper feed evenly and not al- made, and we should give the oper- low the picker man to let the hop- ator strict instructions in regard to pers be full of stock at one time and this menace, as singling and doub- run empty another, as this will ling are sure to give you trouble cause thick and thm places in the through the rest of the process of lap. We must have the aprons on manufacturing the yarn, the lappers kept in good condition At the fine speeders, we should and see that both sides are set at all times keep the rolls oiled and properly, as the aprons play an im- cleaned and see that they are set portant part in making even laps, together to suit the staple that we Then too, we must see that the are running, as this plays an im- evener belt is kept in good shape, portant part in the evenness of the so as to perform its duty in making roving. See that the speeder tender an even lap. See that the lapper man looks after the frames and keeps never sets aside a lap to be deliv- them well cleaned. If he lets sing- ered to the card that varies over lings pass, charge them to him and 1-4 pound. The lap should be you will not find many more, handled carefully by the operatives we now come to the spinning, when dehvermg it to the cards. Here we must bear in mind that Now we come to the cards, one of we are on the last process in the the most important processes in the making of yarn. We can take the manufacture of cotton yarn. See best roving made and ruin it on the that they are set properly and kept spinning frames in several different clean at all times. They should be ways. First, by drafting too much; stripped out at least 4 times a day. second, by not having the rolls set Great care should be exercised in properly to suit the staple that we putting up the ends. Do not allow are running; third, by cut yarn the operative to lap the rolls to- caused by gears not properly set; gefher, as this makes a heavy lump fourth, by bands being tied on too all the way through the rest of the slack; fifth, by dry rolls, as a dry process of manufacture. roll will not draw evenly. We We next come to the drawing, should have the spinner to keep on Here we begin to double the pro- the lookout for singling and doub- cess. Six rolls are run in one and ling at all times. See that the trav- we should see that the operative elers are well regulated, for a trav- looks after them very carefully, eler too light will allow the spinning Never allow him to start the draw- to make single yarn where we are ing for the purpose of putting up running double roving, and on the an end, and hold the machine run- other hand a traveler that is run too ning with only five rolls instead of heavy will cause the ends to break six. as this will cause much trouble down and keeps the spinner con- all the way through. Use care and stantly putting up ends, and you are do not draft too much on the draw- s^re to have stubs in the frame, ing. as here the fibre oftens gets cut The draft gears should be examin- and looks cloudv and wavy when it ed by the section man occasionally, is delivered to" the calender rolls, who should see that the stud pin We should never allow this condi- is not worn off. for this will allow tion to exist, as we are sure to the gear to slip a little now and have uneven yarn from this cause, then and rosults in cut yarn. We We now come to the slubber, must keep in mind that improperly Here we must watch very carefully covered leather rolls will give a lot and see that the tension is kept of trouble and cause unevenenss in well regulated, otherwise it will the yarn, if we allow them to be cause trouble. If it is too tight or used. A burr on the steel roll will too loose, it will allow the roving to cause uneveness, a dry spindle will become stretched or rolled up cause improperly spun yarn, around the tops of the fiyers and it Next we come to the cone winder, will be drawn on the bobbins in We cannot change the yarn here, wads. but we can see that the winder roll 79 is kept free from burrs and see that a fuzzy-like appearance of the fibre the slub catchers are properly set when it is finished, as we can save to suit the yarn. Do not have them many a slub by giving it the proper set close enough to score or cause attention. Number Forty-One. By J. H. JENKINS, Hillsboro, N. G. I want to thank Mr. Clark for the through. Keep laps on steel rol- opportunity of allowing me to pub- lers clean. lish in his paper the opinion I have Slubbers should be kept clean and formed concerning "Cause and Pre- allow no hard ends to be made. B% vention of Uneven Yarn." sure you have the right draft on Keep your cotton as dry as pos- them. With this little trouble sible, as you cannot keep your num- eliminated, you will have good work bers even with running wet cotton for the intermediates, one day and dry cotton the next. I am sure that if the intermed- Different grades of cotton not mix- iates are kept clean and properly ed makes bad work on pickers and drafted, and no hard ends, singlings cards, in fact on all the machinery and doublings allowed to be made, used throughout the mill, such as you will get good results, speeders, spinning frames, etc. This will put the work to the Suppose you have 2 or 3 different speeders in good shape. Also keep grades of cotton to run. Run one the speeder room clean, in fact all grade and see that all the waste is of the machinery should be kept so. put in of that grade regularly each Do not allow bad work to be made, day as long as that certain grade Creel two rows of roving on each lasts. frame at intervals. See that the drafts on your pick- Have the leather rolls calipered ers are the same, so as to make the and put them in all frames as near laps even. Do not let your laps as possible the same size, vary more than one-quarter of a if the above rules are carried pound, if there is any variation at out, the spinner will have some- ^'v .,, .. J , J thing with which to make even yarn. cti.1 a few right he must not allow his speeder words on efficient organization, tenders to take up and let off on Yoji must require every man to run the tension, as w. know they can his o^^ ^^^ - -PO|stient,\°o p^ not do very much damage by let- ^ ^^^ j; without the co- tmg oft on the tension But If they operation of all concerned. Each are permitted to let off on it they |^^ ^^e connected with the are sure to take up on it. I always different processes must do their impress it on the frame hand s ^t, and it is the duty of the over- mind that it IS just as necessary to geer to see that each one does his get the section man when his ten- part, and when anything comes up sion needs adjusting as it is for any ^^ produce bad, uneven yarn get other reason. j^^gy ^j^jj locate the trouble and re- Now, if roving is delivered to the move the cause. He can't do this spinning in good even condition, a by sitting in his office and talking competent spinner will not ex- the matter over, but he must get perience any trouble in getting an busy, find the trouble and remedy even yarn. The chief causes in it. Number Forty-Foui*. By J. A. ADAMS, Fitzgerald, Ga. k I would Ike to say that this is a 4 inches from the large end of the broad subject and one thing that has cone, so if one lap should get been somewhat neglected in the through, it will have lee-way Southern mills. The question is, enough to take care of it. The laps are we doing wliat we know ought should be weighed (by the yard) to be done? There is no one thing three or four times a week, to see that causes uneven yarn. whether the aprons are slipping, or Of course we will have to start i^ there is anything else wrong, in the opening room, which plays a Now we come to the cards. Every very important part. We should man has his own way of setting have two opening pens and keep them. Of course, they should all one day's run, properly mixed, be set alike for the class of goods ahead. The staple, of course, de- being made. Break the ends down pends on the class of goods being when stripping, and then wait until made, but in all cases we should the card fills up before putting them try and get as near the same length back. This is one thing that is neg- staple as possible for the goods we lected more or less. There is no are making. Keep the hopper from setting, within the bounds of rea- one-half to two-thirds full at all son, that will make as great a dif- times and see that the breaker fans ference in the weight of the sliver are pulling both sides alike. At the as this one thing, intermediates and finishers, see that The drawing frames, the worst of laps are kept on the aprons prop- all, come next. There is more bad erly. Evener belts should run about work made on drawing frames than 83 any other process in the mill. All the inexperienced help as a rule, as well as the cheap help, are plac- ed here to get their experience, and when they come to a singling or a heavy sliver they let it pass on through, if it will. The overseer should go over his drawing every day to see if all the weights are on, and that it is free from roller laps, top and bottom. Uneven weighting will cause great variation. Drawing should be weighed twice a day, each end separately, and the variation noted. Rolls should all be set alike. Help should not be allowed to set in all their cans at once, as this will cause a great variation. The full cans will weigh three to five grains heavier than when they are about empty. The calender roll change gears should be looked after and changed whenever needed. The ends should be run just light enough not to sag, so that they will not double and go in, causing a lump. Crooked rolls are bad things and will cause bunchy work. Slubber rolls should all be set alike, the leather rolls in line with the flutes of the steel rolls. Chokes should be kept off. Have plenty of rolls, and have them oiled well. Creased rolls will not pi^.oduce even work. Tire tension has a great deal to do, with even roving. Excessive twist is a bad thing, as it will cause the ends to stay up, even when they are too light. The twist runs to the weak part, and when it gets to the next process, the smallest place is the liardest to draw, and the middle rolls will steal from the back ones, causing varation. Cotton pack- ed in the clearers is a bad thing and will make heavy roving. Loose jionts, and dry rolls will cause bunchy roving and yarn. The weight levers on spinning should all be alike, so as not to have more weight on one roll than another. There are a lot more little things, too numerous to mention, that make uneven yarn. If we would all put into practice what has been said and w^hat will be said, there would be a great improvement in South- ern mills, I have had 27 years ex- perience in Southern cotton mills and have worked in about 25 mills, all the way from 15 minutes to 7 years, and am sorry to say that a great many men are not doing as well as they can do. A little per- sonal attention goes a long way. I am not throwing stones at any one. I think almost any good mill man will agree with me. I hope we will all derive some benefit from this contest. c\iimbei' Forty-Five. By C. H. LOCKMAN, Fitzgerald. Ga. This subject, the "Cause and Pre- portant matter pertaining to the vention of Uneven Yarn," I consider manufacture of cotton goods. If one of the most, if not the most im- there could be an absolute remedy found to stop making uneven yarn it would benefit almost all mills, for all that I know any thing about make more or less of it. Of course the fiber can be damaged a great deal before it gets to the mill. In growing, picking and ginning, but I will not take up the causes until w-e reach the pickers. I know that when I say the pickers will cause it I will meet opposition, but I say it just the same, and believe I can prove it. I know we are supplied with eveners on our pickers to take care of thick and thin laps, but you can throw a lump of cotton behind a finisher picker and you will have a thick place after it passes through. On the other hand you let a lap run out and you will have a thin place. You may not detect it; but weigh it and you will find out. 84 C. H. Lockinan Fitzgerald. Ga. We will pass to the card. I claim on some rollers than others, some the card will make this uneven yarn hngers wrapped more or less than by throwing too much trash and others, where the operative is al- motes into the good cotton. An- lowed to monkey with the tension other way is for part of the sliver and run his ends tight and slack as to be running on the lloor while the tiie traverse traverses, lint and remainder is going into the can. trash runnuig through on the sliver. This will be light weight sliver and what is known as a half singling. I see no way in the world to rem- All these things will cause uneven edy it. yarn. These are the most principal We now come to the drawing causes on slubbers, intermediates, frame. All the machines up to now speeders, and jack frames, we have a chance to double and The spinning frame will make kind of even up the thick and thin uneven yarn by allowing a leather places to a certain extent, but can roll to become dry for want of oil, never fully repair them. I suppose running a bent steel roll, having the uneven yarn that is to be dis- your gears binding on your steel cussed in this contest is what is rolls, by letting your steel rolls be- commonly known and termed come dry and retard their speed, among mill men as thick and thin I have endeavored to give you a places alternating with each other few causes of uneven yarn being every three to six inches, and it is made in the manufacture of cotton made on drawing frames, slubbers, goods. I am satislied there are intermediates, speeders, jack frames many more causes, as what I have and spinning frames. And the cause given you is just what has come is most always some defect in the under by observation, running of the leather or steel Now, the next part of this subject rollers. When you state the cause is the prevention of uneven yarn, of one of these machines you come Well, it does look to me like that if very near stating them all, because we all knew the causes we could what causes thick and thin places very easily prevent, but as I said in on the drawing frame will cause it the beginning, I know of no mill on any of the succeeding frames. that is preventing, as all I know Take the drawing frame first, anything about make more or less Lint, clearer waste, and extra sliver of it. So that proves to me beyond a or any foreign matter passing doubt that there are some causes through the rollers will make a we haven't found yet, or at least we thick place in the sliver that can all haven't found them. Maybe never be remedied. Let a sliver after this contest is over we will break and the machine fail to stop, all know how. So the only preven- which is often the case, or the draw- tion I can give you for uneven yarn ing boy fail to take out the roving, is to stop the causes, and if the which is also very often the case, causes I have given you are correct and you have a thin sliver that can and I have found them to be in my never be remedied. You can fail to experience then if I will stop these get the gears set as they should be causes and keep them stopped, and and make uneven yarn. A bent stop any and all other causes that steel roller will make uneven yarn, will make uneven yarn and keep We now come to the slubber, them stopped, then I have solved There are many things to cause un- the problem of preventing uneven even yarn here, but I will only name yarn. And so long as I keep these a few. A bent steel roller, a dry top causes corrected and the machines roller, front steel roller running and help going right I will never faster than top roller, more weight have any more uneven yarn. Number Forty-Six. By E. L. GOBLE, China Grove. N. C. The cause and prevention of un- being carded, it will be found to go even yarn is a vital question and the through lumpy and very uneven, causes start back at the cotton gin. Openinji and Mixing. It will be found that if the cotton Opening and mixing are most im- is ginned while it is too damp, the portant things in making even yarn, gin saws will cut the staple and Cotton should first be bought as make it nappy and lumpy and on near one grade and length as pos- 85 sible. When opened in the opening room, it should be graded as it is brought in and as many bales as possible prepared for mixing at one time, say from 3 to 5 bales. Then take quantities in proportion, from each bale for mixing, and as much as one day's run should be opened, using the cotton from the top of the pile to the bottom. Keep the hop- per only about two-thirds full. Eveners should be very closely look- ed after and kept in good condition, and the ounce lap should be just as light as will keep up well. Cards. Cards should not be overdrafted nor the doffer speed too high. The setting of cards is a very important problem and should be looked after by an experienced and careful man*. E. L. Goble China Grove, N. C. They should be set even at each end. Sliver is very often strained by the cans packing under the cod- er heads too tight. Drawing Frames. The drawing frames are as im- portant a factor in cotton manufac- turing as any thing else and they get the least attention of any ma- chine throughout the mill. For good, even work, there should be a doubling of six and a draft of one inch to roll of sliver, making six inches draft. Rollers should be tak- en out and top and bottom ones scoured once a month. Every jour- nal should have the same amount of weight and it should be seen that the calender rolls do not take the sliver from the delivering sliver rolls fast enough to stretch it. Very careful attention should be given this. Tbe stop motions should be very carefully looked after and se . so as not lo make any singli::gs. Roller journals should be very care- fully oiled, as lack of oil will cause thick and thin places, which will go through the rest of the remainder of the processes of manufacture. The clearers should be kept clean. Keep rollers adjusted to suit the length of staple being used, as the poor setting of the rolls frequently causes uneven sliver which the slubber does not take out. Slub- bers should be set so as to build in proportion to the let-off of the ten- sion, so as to be perfectly uniform until the bobbins are full and knock- off, otherwise the roving will be stretched and thick and thin places made. Rollers must be closeiy looked after. Determine the average length of the staple being used and set the rollers one-sixteenth wider than the length of the cotton, being careful to have the leather rolls directly over the steel rolls. If possible, it is best to keep up a 3 1-2 inch draft, but if hard to keep up with in the next process, make it a draft of 4 inches, not using any more twist than it takes to hold the roving up and turn the bobbin in the creel without making any stretch. Clear- ers should be kept clean and rolls well oiled. See if all bobbins are the same in diameter, for if different sizes are used it will cause uneven roving. Do not draft over 5 1-2 inches for even work and do not allow speeder tenders to let off and take up tension, for if they do so, there will be stretched and uneven roving. Let twist be governed by the stock being used and be careful to put in onough so that it will not stretch in the spinning frame creels. Roving being too slack in the creels, or the '^kewer gathering waste around the bottom will cause uneven yarn. Spinning Department. This department has to take the stock just as it comes from the card 86 room, good or bad, and with the with lump oil, as this will cut loose roving coming from the card room all gummed and dirty spindles. See in perfect condition in every way, that the caps on the bases for hold- then the spinning, with proper at- ing the spindles down are kept on. tent ion to small matters will deliver If they are not, Ihe band will pull a good smooth quality of yarn. A the spindle up and make a bad few of the little things to watch bobbin. Make bands weigh 120 to are: First, the draft and twist. c lookcd aftcr all the time from the as close to the calender roots as po^- superintendent down. Too much sible, for the further apart he attention cannot be given this one trumpet and calender rolls, the ^^^ing. Frame hands should be longer the stock is between these taught not to lap the roving over two points. This will have a ten- while creeling, nor just let one dency to stretch and break the strand of roving run through. Care- staple, lessness Here causes a lot of uneven The knock-off motion should be yarn. The roving traverse should very closely observed and kept free be m good working condition and !iot and easy to work. The weight must allowed to stand at any one point be the same on both ends of the top only long enough to change. Roving rolls. The rolls should be cleaned trumpets should be clear of chokes every week and all rough places at all times. The roving skewers polished, I have seen drawing must not be allowed to become frames that stretch the work be- blunt and hard to turn. The bob- tween the steel rolls and the calen- bins should be uniform in size and der rolls. This will sure ruin the be well cleaned before doffing. The llycrs should be clear of chokes high. About 2 inches is ail right an.l all rough places polished for them. Now see that the rolls are smooth. The fmgers should be well oiled. If they are dry they will smooth and easy on the roving. All cause choppy and uneven yarn. The of these things will cause uneven front foUs should be set to press yarn if not attended to promptly, and against the front part of the roller thev should be closely looked after, ^ar. f this roll Plajs back and An excessive draft here will cause I%'^*'l'J'' ^''i'' "n"^ ^!l^J^lu^Ji'il \ve an know mat it tne loving is t^^aveler will make bad yarn. They not even we cannot make uniform g,,„^,,^ ^^ j.,^ , P,ea,^ jf ,^g g,gg^„_ ma "h?ne ha'v^'"''no^ ev'enlr's SuT- ^^'^ ^^« ^«"«. have the spinners take ^l.i !,« ho^^l o-^^H oJoJ?^^;,irCl ?-. the corner of their aprons and hold K/;ith^.^^^Thrwr!^inTrZu^^ ?;;ul.rout^^?>^o ^^etZ^s^ first thing wa would set in the rov- ^ht'^fj/b'ruit upXeVewers'^Ind ing and see that the roving skevyer ^^q^]^ ^p j^^e sets and stretch the is all right^not loo blunt nor too i-oving. Do not let spinners blow or sharp. Then v^ith the roving set, f^^^ ^gf g^i^les or back, as this will see that it is not out or broken, cause uneven yarn. Do not draft See that the roving trumpets are too heavy for it makes uneven work, chnui and free of burs or dents, and You will find that by drafting some that the roving traverse is running between the back and middle rolls its full stroke and does not hang on that vou will get smoother yarn, its change. Then see that the rolls There are a lot of things that are clean and good and that the top have not, and will not be mentioned, and bottom ones are both properly that will cause uneven yarn. Uni- set for the staple we are running, formity all the way through the They should be set just a fraction mill, with oversers and others in over the length of the staple. Then charge trying to make the work see that the proper weight is on all good for the next man, will help rolls. Don't let the lever get down more than anything <*.lse. on the weight board or get them too Number Forty-Eight. By H. B. McABEE, Laurinburg, N. C. Picker Room. cannot expect to get even yarns. Of There is so much said about mi- cour.se you will have to keep them even varn that it is impossible for ri^l^t, and I might tell you how to one man to suggest all points. It set a card, but it depends altogether might be caused bv neglecting the on what you want to make, and it picker room. The picker room is will have to be set and drafted even varn that it is impossible for "S^^t and all the lumps kept out if a very important place. There are you want to make good and even so many things said about pickers yam- that I don't know where to begin. ^ „ Urawing. Most people trv to crowd the cotton Drawing frames are most import- through too fast and expect the ant pieces of machinery and you cards to do the rest, but the cards have to have your rollers set ac- cannot do v^hat the pickers are in- cording to what staple of cotton tended to do. You must give the you are working. \our draft nnu,t cards a chance if vou want them to "ot be too long, not be oyei the do their part. Now. Mr. Overseer, doubling or less the doubling and I want you to see that vour pickers well kept to make good and even are doing their part. P'V" ,^°'''' ^f *'^^'' -fhlH Thh fh! " kept clean and varnished with the Cards. best varnish you can get. If you Cards are more important than have metallic rolls you must keep anv other machinery you know, and them very clean to make good even if "you do not get them right, you yarn. Suppose you have a 6 draft 89 on your first drawing and a 4 draft on your slubber, a 5 on your inter- mediate and a 6 on youi' tine frames H. B. McAbee Laurinburg, X. C. and a 12 on your spinning. Suppose you have one inch of doubling on your first drawings. Then it will give you 1,440 yards of uneven yarn, so you see that it won't do to make doublings or singlings and that is what makes bad numbers and bad running spinning. Roving. Roving machinery is another im- portant piece of machinery. Leath- er rolls must be covered with the best leather you can get and sized well, both ends must be the same size. Your steel rolls must not have loose joints in them, and your draft must not be over from 6 to 7, if you want good even yarn. Your rolls nmst be set according to the staple of cotton you are using. Lost mo- tion in your spindle shaft causes uneven yarn. Taking up and let- ling out on your tension causes un- even yarn. The tension is govern- ed by what hank cotton you are running, the twist you are putting in it and the cotton you are using. Tension is a thing that you must be governed by the climate and the temperature and the make of ma- chinery you are using. If you look after the little things you can pre- vent them from growing to be large things. Spinning. Spinning is the all-important thing. You must have no bad seams or lumps on your rollers and both ends must be the same size and oiled with good oil. See that no oil gets on your leather rollers and see that your spindles are properly set and plumbed and leveled at the l3ottom and top. See that your frames are leveled and lined. See that your thread guides and rings are set right and keep them cleaned for all these things causes uneven yarn. Number Forty-Nine. By W. J. JENNINGS, Gibsonville, N. C. The subject of the "Causes and Prevention of Uneven Yarn" has been very thoroughly discussed and very helpful to all who have been so fortunate as to read what has been said. There are a great many of us who cannot make our work as even as it is our desire to on ac- count of certain conditions that are beyond our control. But the sub- ject is a very important one and one that every superintendent is familiar with to a limited degree. It is every one's intention to make the very best yarn that is possible to produce under the conditions that he is laboring under. The first subject to take into con- sideration is the opening room, 90 which in my estimation is the most important. Where the room will admit it is best to open enough cotton for a whole week's run at a time and throw this cotton up in a large pile, taking some from every bale that is opened and make a layer the full extent of the room. As soon as one layer is made, go back over in the same manner until all of the cotton is thrown up. Then when this cotton is being run begin at one side and take it from the top to the bottom, cutting down as straight as is possible to do and in this way it will get thoroughly mix- ed. In feeding the breaker lapper it is best to keep the hopper as near- ly the same at all times as is pos- sible for if allowed fo vary in hop- cards could do their work riirht Rf Vcf ^?Pf '"'! ' ''^'^'' ^"^ ^^''^ ^ill "'en the cards would do theirs in be a start for the uneven yarn, but the same way Verv often whin If It can pass the breaker in good there is a presence of elPPtririTv in shape It will be so much the better, the caS room one side ofthe live? A 1 fans and air shafts should be will fall down and run for somP kep clean and free from foreign time and then the tender w 11 coSe matter so as not to retard tlie cotton along and put it up some Times iJ^t m Its course The next machine to taking out the light work hat haJ Now'tf'fhp*hfJ^^''T'^^"^H" '^PP^f- P^^««^ ''' ^0 the can and again we Now, if the breaker has done its have started an uneven work It work properly It is much easier for should be every carder sSre to th s machine to do its work. The eliminate every bit of singS nos intermediate has an evener on it sible, yet it will get by lii^! amj as a ^^^ I tS/^ l^ndl^^ £ ^ -^^" St^?\^^\^^3 then the^n^torSlate'Tapper can s"op'tran"on'' he^^PlPnf?^^,''"^"^ and will do better and more even Both should indwi if HnVh.^l '^°?- work than it could othprw7VE ALSO BUILD CONVEYING SYSTEMS PICKERS SPOOLERS CARDS SLASHERS DRAWING WARPERS EVENER DRAWING CONE WINDERS CARDS REELS ROVING ' LOOMS SPECIAL EQUIPMENT FOR RE-WORKING WASTE -SHOPS A.T- BIDDEFORD, MAINE LOWELL, MASS. NEWTON UPPER FALLS, MASS. * EXECLITIVK OFFICES BOSTON, MASS. ROGERS W. DAVIS, Southern Agent Realty Building : : CHARLOTTE, N. C.