ame of spinning, it is obvious that a considerable number of
processes are involved, and an immense amount of work has to be done
before the actual process of spinning is attempted. The nomenclature
is due to custom dating back to prehistoric times when the
conversion of fibre to yarn was conducted by much simpler apparatus
than it is at present; the established name to denote this
conversion of fibre to yarn now refers only to one of a large number
of important processes, each one of which is as important and
necessary as the actual operation of spinning.

A photographical reproduction of a large spinning flat in one of the
Indian jute mills appears in Fig. 20, showing particularly the wide
"pass" between two long rows of spinning frames, and the method
adopted of driving all the frames from a long line shaft. Spinning
frames are usually double-sided, and each side may contain any
practicable number of spindles; 64 to 80 spindles per side are
common numbers.

[Illustration: FIG 20. AN INDIAN SPINNING FLAT]

The rove bobbins, several of which are clearly seen in Fig. 20, are
brought from the roving frame and placed on the iron pegs of a creel
(often called a hake) near the top of the spinning frame-actually
above all moving parts of the machine. Each rove bobbin is free to
rotate on its own peg as the rove from it is drawn downwards by the
retaining rollers. The final drafting of the material takes place in
this frame, and a considerable amount of twist is imparted to the
drawn out material; the latter, now in the desired form and size of
yarn, is wound simultaneously on to a suitable size and form of
spinning bobbin.

When the rove emerges from the retaining rollers it is passed over a
"breast-plate," and then is entered into the wide part of the
conductor; it then leaves by the narrow part of the conductor by
means of which part the rove is guided to the nip of the drawing
rollers, The rove is, of course, drafted or drawn out between the
retaining and drawing rollers according to the draft required, and
the fibrous material, now in thread size is placed in a slot of the
"thread-plate," then round the top of the flyer, round one of the
arms of the flyer, through the eye or palm at the end of the flyer
arm and on to the spinning bobbin. The latter is raised and lowered
as in the roving frame by a builder motion, so that the yarn may be
distributed over the full range between the ends or flanges.

Each spindle is