Elastic and Non-Elastic Narrow Fabrics _By_ SAMUEL BROWN and a Chapter on Narrow Fabrics Made on Knitting Machines _By_ WILLIAM DAVIS, M.A. This book originally appeared serially in TEXTILE WORLD and has been republished in this form at the urgent request of many readers. BRAGDON, LORD & NAGLE CO. TEXTILE PUBLISHERS 334 FOURTH AVENUE NEW YORK Copyright 1923 BRAGDON, LORD & NAGLE CO. New York Elastic and Non-Elastic Narrow Fabrics CHAPTER I. _Growth of Webbing Business—Attempts to Substitute Cut Products for Individually Woven Webs Made on Gang Looms—Loom Setting to Reduce Vibration—Capacity of Looms and Explanation of the Various Motions That Are Employed_ When we think of the discovery of rubber vulcanization and the effect it has had on world affairs our minds naturally turn to the big things, such as the automobile industry with its millions of rubber tires in constant use. These may crowd from our notice a thousand and one smaller things of importance. It is difficult to fully realize how many comforts and conveniences we derive from rubber and not the least among them is the multiplicity of woven fabrics which are used both for comfort and convenience in a variety of ways and for innumerable purposes. It is not only in such things as garters and suspenders, with which our minds may first associate elastic webs, that these fabrics are used, but they find employment in a variety of other products, which are growing more numerous all the time. Today there are in operation thousands of looms and braiders, in which many millions of dollars are invested and in the operation of which, together with complementary machinery, about ten thousand people are employed. It was about the year 1840 when the idea of weaving threads of elastic in connection with other materials was first conceived. After long experiments this was accomplished in the very simplest form of weaving. New ideas were from time to time introduced, and new uses found for the product, until now it covers a large variety of both plain and fancy weaves, and the multiplicity of uses are so varied that few realize them who are not closely associated with the business. AMERICAN INDUSTRY STARTED ABOUT 1860