Water frame

From Free net encyclopedia

The water frame is an extension of the spinning frame; both of which are credited to Richard Arkwright. Arkwright, however, is just the person who patented and exploited the technology, with the real invention being carried out by Thomas Highs. John Kay, the clock maker/mechanic who help Highs build the water frame was duped, by Arkwright, into giving up the design.

The water frame is derived from the adaptation of a water wheel to the spinning frame. The water wheel provided more power to the spinning frame then that of human operators, allowing much human labor to be dropped. This allowed the water frame to increase its spindle count dramatically. However, unlike the spinning jenny, it could only spin one thread at a time, until Samuel Crompton combined the two inventions into his spinning mule

In 1771, Arkwright installed the water frame in his cotton mill at Cromford, Derbyshire, England, on the River Derwent, creating one of the first factories that were specifically built to house machinery, rather than just bringing workers together.

[edit]