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4. DEVICES FOR WINDING LACE BOBBINS

4.1. Traditional devices

Contrivances for winding lace bobbins have the centuries-old history as well as the history of lace making. Rests for pillows and winding devices are the first contrivances demanded by lace makers. And these devices appeared before steam-engine and electricity were invented. Nowadays invention of an original winding device is much more difficult task than invention of a new bicycle. It would be laudable to invent something useful for lace making but the invented thing would be scarcely a new one.

The Spain lace makers use for a long time the simplest manner to wind bobbins (www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwYyzLjI58k).

Their technique reminds the primeval manage to get fire by means of dry wood stick friction with other wood surface. The stick is reversible rotated with the bow-string that surrounds the stick with one coil. The difference is that lace makers have unmovable bow-string as soon as the stick (i.e. bobbin) moves along “bow-string”. Lace makers use a strong thin thread instead a bow-string. The thread length is about 40-50 cm (16-20 inch). There are two loops at the ends of the thread. A small loop is to attach with a pin, the big one is intended to hold with a finger. The big loop can be substituted with a plastic ring.

Lace makers using dozens and hundreds pairs of bobbins can not manage without technical contrivances for winding bobbins. Just they are who urge inventions.

Two basic types of winding devices roam from one century to another.

Type 1. A bobbin is a part of the belt transmission. It serves as a driven wheel. The leading wheel is rotated by hand. The leading wheel diameter is 8-10 times more than the bobbin handle diameter. At that degree the gyration rate of bobbins is increased.

The bobbin is pressed to a bearing surface or to a roller with the belt. One of the bobbin ends (or both) stays free. Winding devices differ in manner of bearing only: there is one pole (Fig.4.8, Fig.4.9) or there can be two poles [6].

Fig.4.8. Winding device

Fig.4.9. Winding device

The discussed method has a good property - winding does not depend on the bobbin length. But it is perceptive to the bobbin handle form. It necessary to take care that the bobbin does not shift along the gyration axe. If the bobbin trends to shift at one side, a restrictor is provided (Fig.4.9). More often bobbins are made of special form that prevents shifts at both sides.

Type 2. A bobbin is squeezed between two rotating bearings. One of them (active) is joined with the leading wheel with a tooth (Fig.4.10), belt (Fig.4.11) or worm transmission. The second bearing is passive.

Fig.4.10. Winding device (the 19^th century)

Fig.4.11. Winding device (the 21^th century)

Dependence on the bobbin length is eliminated with two methods:
- adjust the basic distance between bearings;
- fasten the bobbin at the handle (Fig.4.12, Fig.4.13).

Fig.4.12. Winding device

Fig.4.13. Winding device (”A.B.G.Anderssons”, Sweden)

The same idea is realized in the home-made device with the drive spinning mechanism (Fig.4.14). The original wooden zange holds the bobbin head.

Fig.4.14. Winding device

At last lace makers can not miss the opportunity to use a sewing-machine as a winding contrivance (Fig.4.15)

Fig.4.15. Improvised winding device

As a rule bobbins are wound by hand. Manual winding allows to feel tension of the thread and to control it. The electric drive of the winding device meets rarely, however there is alike suggestion (Fig.4.16). The contrivance has an electric motor powered with an accumulator.

Fig.4.16. Winding device with electric motor. Spain

The short review of the foreign winding devices shows that all of them are created for bobbins having standard form and sizes. So all the winding contrivances prove to be devices specialized for the definite bobbins.

There are many regional centers of lace making in Russia. Each of them has own plating traditions and original lace bobbins. Hence it is difficult to find out some bobbin standards. On the same reason winding device is to be fit to bobbins of any origin or at least to bobbins of some typical row.