Atwood Industrial Loom

Atwood Industrial Loom

Atwood industrial silk loom. This loom was built in 1875 by the Atwood Machine Co. of Stonington, CT, for weaving silk textiles. When used in conjunction with a Jacquard Motion one weaver per loom was required; when used as shown here one weaver could handle two looms. This loom was only capable of plain weaving; that is, 1/1 fabrics but by varying the draw different effects could be obtained. The harnesses were equipped with Swiss wire heddles. Belt drive. Overhead lay. Positive take-up (ratchet type). Rope friction let-off. Cone type harness motion. Driven from cam shaft. The Atwood Company began in Mansfield, CT, relocated to Willimantic, CT, and then relocated again to Stonington just before this loom was constructed. The Mill Museum acquired it from the Little Red Shop Museum in Hopedale, MA. The LRSM is located in a wooden building that was once the original building of the Draper Company, once the United States' major manufacturer of industrial looms. As the Draper Company grew, it moved its manufacturing to larger brick buildings and converted the original building into a museum that featured a variety of looms, some made by Draper and some not, from different eras, including this Atwood loom. When the Draper Company closed, the museum became the property of the Town of Hopedale and today is operated as a local history museum. Not having a need for looms made outside of Hopedale, the LRSM donated this loom to the Mill Museum.