Weaving matting

 LOOM AND ITS IMPORTANT PARTS

Loom is equipment with the aid of which coir products are produced by the process of weaving. Though in the industry, the major quantity of coir matting is manufactured with the help of handlooms, semi-mechanized, fully automated, and pneumatic looms are also engaged.

Handloom:-

A handloom in the coir industry consists of the following parts.

Chain beam

Waist beam

Chain rest beam

Tension beam

Heddle frame

Treadles

Pulley

Lamp rod

Slay

Shuttle.

Reed

Chain Beam:-

CHAIN BEAM

Wooden Ratchet Wheel

Wooden Flanges

A chain beam is a wooden roller upon which the warp yarn is wound. The length of the chain beam will depend upon the width of the loom. It is provided with two flanges on both sides. The warp is wound on the beam in between the flanges. At one end of this beam is provided with a wooden ratchet wheel, operating which the warp can be released from the beam as well as maintain the tension of the warp yarns during the progress of weaving.

CHAIN REST BEAM: -

This is a wooden beam. The size of which is equal to the front rest. The function of this beam is to guide the warp yarn from the chain beam in a parallel sheet form to the heddles, reed, etc. of the loom. Separate chain beams are provided for tight and slack chains. The chain beam for the slack chains is comparatively smaller in size than that of the chain rest beam for the tight chain. The length of the chain rest beam is equal to the width of the loom. 

 This is a wooden rectangular frame in which the heddle is arranged by suitable introduction of two iron rods at top and bottom which are called heddle staves. The number of heddle frames for a loom depends upon the design and the type of fabric to be woven. The heddles are usually made of iron wire twisted to form a heddle eye at the center and two holes at the top and bottom to insert the heddles through the heddle staves. A handloom in the coir industry is provided with a maximum of 4 heddle frames.