Interior shots of the Knockando Woolmill. Carding and spinning Department. Self-acting mule.

Description Interior shots of the Knockando Woolmill. Carding and spinning Department. Self-acting mule.

Date 16/12/2014

Collection Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu

Catalogue Number MV 000240

Category Digital Files (Non-image)

Scope and Content Department where the spinning takes place. Inside the woollen spinning mill is a self-acting mule made by Platt Brothers &Co Limited and dating back from 1870. It is made of a carriage with 120 spindles on it (60 on either side of a headstock). The spools from the carding are settled on the back rollers at the far end of the machine which twists the yarns (the name of the threads at that step of the process), winds them up onto the spindles and slowly build a cup of yarn. To do so the carriage with the spindles goes back and forth while the latter turns on the spot. By doing so the yarn gets more strength and get evenly thin. When the carriage is between 2/3 and 3/4 on its way out, the back rollers stop delivering the yarn but the carriage keeps going back and the spindles keep turning on themselves to pull and twist the yarn. When the carriage goes forth towards the end of the machine, the spindles turn the other way round and wind up the yarns. Then the manoeuvre starts all over again with another section of the yarn. It takes 22 to 23 seconds to complete one cycle. The spinning mule was originally invented by Samuel Crompton in 1779 as a hybrid of Arkwright's water frame and the James Hargreave spinning jenny. Sound: sound Colour: colour Running time: 6.29

External Reference vimeo123844725

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/collection/1466509

File Format (MP4) MPEG-4 Part 14 file format