Timeline: Textile Industry

By: Pink
Flying Shuttle (1733)
What is it? Who invented it? How does it work?

The Flying Shuttle was invented by John Kay in 1733. He was

a British machinist and engineer. The flying shuttle was
designed for the weaver to be able to weave the threads using
paddles with their feet. When the weaver stepped on the
paddles, the shuttle will shoot from side to side. It was a really
important step towards automatic weaving.

How did it affect the textile industry and the process of

making clothes?(Revolution)
Usually, the shuttle would be thrown by the hands of two
people at each side, but with the flying shuttle, a weaver is
able to weave independently at a much faster rate than 2
people using the previous shuttle.
Flying shuttle. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/
objects/co8646677/flying-shuttle-shuttle-textil
e-working-equipment
Flying Shuttle (1733)
What problems did it solve? (Innovation)

Apart from speeding up the process of weaving, the flying shuttle help extended the width of the cloth
produced by the weaver. Before the invention, the width of the cloth was only limited to the weaver’s
reach.

What problems did it create to the system? (Innovation)

The flying shuttle, just like other inventions, has flaws within it. It made the process of beating
heavier. So, the weaver beats with only one hand and pulls the cord with the other hand, making the
weaving less balanced and stable. Another problem, was that the shuttle was very dangerous. It could
fly out at any moment and hit someone, injuring that person very badly.a
Spinning Jenny (1764)
What is it? Who invented it? How does it work?

The spinning jenny is a spindle-machine for spinning wool or cotton created by James
Hargreaves in 1770. He was a weaver, carpenter, and inventor who lived and work in England.
He was born in January, 1721, in Lancashire and died on April 22, 1778 in Nottingham. The
hand-powered machine used eight spindles, spinning all eight thread at once.

How did it affect the textile industry and the process of making clothes?(Revolution)

The spinning jenny was what moved the textile industry from houses to factories, which
allowed the Industrial Revolution to spread across the world. Before, the production of cloth
was done by individuals inside their homes. After the invention, factories were built all over,
causing people to start moving in from the countrysides into the cities. The condition of the
factories were not suitable for the health of the workers. Many got injured and sick from the
work. The machine is considered dangerous for hand-spinners to use.
Spinning Jenny (1764)
What problems did it solve? (Innovation)

The invention of spinning jenny was a significant factor to the Industry Revolution. The
machine helped speed up the process of spinning cotton or wool into thread. This invention
allowed the process of spinning cotton and wool into thread to become 8 times faster, requiring
only one person using one spinning wheel to spin 8 threads. It shortened the gap between
supply and demand of cloth production.

What problems did it create for the system? (Innovation)

The spinning jenny, of course, had some disadvantages. The thread that it produced was
thinner and weaker than the usual ones, decreasing the quality of it. It took some time for it to
be developed and improved.
 Spinning Jenny

Bellis, M. (2019, March 22). James Hargreaves and the

Spinning Jenny: Facts, Invention, Industrial Revolution
Invention of the Spinning Jenny. Retrieved from
& How It Works. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/who-invented-the-spinning-
https://schoolhistory.co.uk/notes/spinning-jenny/ jenny-4057900
Water Frame (1769)
What is it? Who invented it? How does it work?

The water frame was invented by Richard Arkwright in 1769, in Cromford. Richard Arkwright is an
inventor from Preston England. He was born on December 23, 1732, and died on August 3rd, 1792. The
water frame is powered by a water wheel, spinning about thousands of threads at once. The machine is twice
faster than the traditional spinning wheel.

How did it affect the textile industry and the process of making clothes?(Revolution)

Richard Arkwright built his first textile mill in Cromford, England, in 1774. He was believed to be the
creator of the modern factory system and was known as ‘the father of the Industrial Revolution. To work in
his factory, he hired workers from surrounding areas and build cottages for them to live in. Both adults and
children ended up working very hard in his mill, not having a lot of time to rest.
Water Frame (1769)
What problems did it solve? (Innovation)

Before the invention, spinning threads were time-consuming. This machine was the first powered automatic
machine in history, making a big impact on the textile industry with lots and lots of factories using it. It
decreased the amount of labor spent on spinning threads. Usually, workers were required to pick the cotton
seeds out with their own hands, and then hand it over to spin the cotton into only individual threads at once.

What problems did it create for the system? (Innovation)

The water frame needed a location with large and steady flow of water. It is the point of building factories.
This also separated the worker’s families as each parent had to work in different places.
Pics, V. D. (n.d.). Richard Arkwright S Water Frame.
From by Vintage Design Pics. Retrieved from
https://pixels.com/featured/richard-arkwright-s-water-f
rame-from-ken-welsh.html
Simkin, J. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://spartacus-educational.com/TE
Xframe.htm
Spinning Mule (1775 -1779)
What is it? Who invented it? How does it work?

The spinning mule was invented during 1775-1779 by Samuel Crompton. He was born in
December 3rd, 1753, and died in June 26th, 1827. His innovation, the spinning mule, is used
to spin textile fibres into yarn. It is a hybrid that includes the best features of the water frame
and the spinning jenny, two inventions before it.

How did it affect the textile industry and the process of making clothes?(Revolution)

Crompton’s invention was able to possibly work more than 1,000 spindles at the same time
with a single operator. On top of that, the yarn that was produced was fine and great-quality.
Spinning Mule (1775 - 1779)
What problems did it solve? (Innovation)

The invention did not only made a big impact on the industry with its production speed, the
spinning mule was able to produce strong and excellent threads of yarn.

What problems did it create for the system? (Innovation)

The spinning mule, however, cost a lot of resources and money. With the machine in the
factories, kids were forced into labor, working in an unhealthy surrounding. And just like other
inventions, the spinning mule was a threat to spinners and weavers at home that was on the
risk of losing their jobs. They had no choice but to join the factory to earn money.
Whitney, E., Kay, J., Hargreaves, J., Arkwright, R., Crompton, S.,
Cartwright, E., . . . Charles. (n.d.). Industrial Revolution - ppt download.
Retrieved from https://slideplayer.com/slide/13021199
Power Loom (1784)
What is it? Who invented it? How does it work?

The power loom was invented by Edmund Cartwright in 1784 and built in 1785. He was
inspired by the inventor, Richard Arkwright’s, cotton-spinning mills. The power loom is
steam-powered and designed to weave threads into cloth in a mechanized process.

How did it affect the textile industry and the process of making clothes?(Revolution)

The process of weaving before the invention was very slow. People didn’t have time for it and
started seeking other jobs in the city. The innovation of the Power loom increased the rate of
the production of cloth and decreased the amount of labor and the skills for weaving.
Power Loom (1784)
What problems did it solve? (Innovation)

Even with the cloth weaved by the weavers with the best skills, they still had some flaws and
weren’t always the best quality. Now, the steam-powered power loom is able to both produce
the cloth fast and well.

What problems did it create for the system? (Innovation)

Usually, the process of weaving threads into cloth was done by the hands of weavers. It
required a lot of time and skills. With this invention, the process was much faster and much
more accurate. The production was able to caught up with the demand of cloth. Even better,
the cloth that was produced faster, was even better quality than the ones that took longer.
 CC Cycle 2 Week 13 - Industrial Revolution: A
power loom is mechanically operated. The first
power loom was designed in 1784 by Edmund ...:
Victorian history, Power loom, Industrial
revolution. (n.d.). Retrieved from
Power loom. (2019, January 11). Retrieved from
https://www.pinterest.es/pin/19351
https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pow
Cotton Gin (1793)
What is it? Who invented it? How does it work?

The cotton gin was invented by an American inventor named Eli Whitney in 1793. He was
born on December 8th, 1765, and died on January 8th, 1825. The machine was invented in
1793, but wasn’t approved until 1803. This invention separates the seed from the cotton
quickly and efficiently.

How did it affect the textile industry and the process of making clothes?(Revolution)

The cotton gin made a big impact on the American economy and slavery. With its faster
process, they were able to export and expand their cotton. This leads to more demand of cotton
from the farmers, which requires more slaves to help with the hard work.
Cotton Gin (1793)
What problems did it solve? (Innovation)

Before this invention, the seeds had to be hand picked and plucked out of the cotton by the
hands of the workers. The process was very slow and hard. The cotton gin helps reduce the
time being spent on this and the amount of labor needed for this process.

What problems did it create for the system? (Innovation)

The more cotton was needed , the more work was needed to be done. As the popularity of the
cotton gin rose up, it also increases the amount of slaves working on the fields. Slavery was
expanding really quickly and the work was becoming unbearable.

Cotton Gin Invention in the Industrial Revolution. (n.d.).
Retrieved from
https://www.historycrunch.com/cotton-gin-invention-in-
the-industrial-revolution.html#/
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2019,
April 04). Cotton gin. Retrieved from
https://www.britannica.com/technology/cotton-g
in
How did the inventions affect the agricultural system?
Before the industrial revolution, agricultural workers would work six days a week to keep their
crops growing. Despite its hard work, agriculture is the largest employment source in Europe
because of its importance and necessity. It was like a lifestyle for each family, where they can
also stock food for their family through their work. Because of all the hard work required in
agriculture, a solution was needed to improve the system

The Agricultural Revolution started in the mid-18th century, developing along with the
inventions of the Industrial revolution. It cause a change in the intensity of the work and the
amount of labor needed on the farm. With the inventions of the textile industry being able to
produce much more clothing, more cotton was needed following the high demand of cloth. That
leads to more work that has to be done on the farm requiring much more amount of labor. More
people that seek industrial jobs were forced to find work in the industries because of decline in
need for agriculture workers.