Pick

PICK, sb.1 and v.1 Var. dial. uses in Sc. Irel. and Eng. Also written pic w.Yks.3; picke Chs.; pik Sc.; and in forms pack Sur.; peck Crk. Rut. War.2 s.Wor.1 Glo.1 Oxf.1 Brks.1 Ess.1 Ken.1 Sus.1 Hmp.1 Wil.1; pecky Dor.; peek Cor.; pix Nhp.2 [pik, pek.] 1. sb. A pickaxe; a miner's pointed hammer. Sh.&Ork.1 MS. add. Elg. Couper Poetry (1804) I. 218. Abd. Alexander Ain Flk. (1882) 187. s.Sc. Wi' pick an' spade, T. Scott Poems (1793) 320. Ayr. Service Notandums (1890) 62. Lnk. The handle of a miner's pick, Gordon Pyotshaw (1885) 56. Edb. Maclagan Poems (1851) 159. Gall. Wark that's done wi' pick, or sledge, Lauderdale Poems (1796) 59. Wgt. Fraser Wigtown (1877) 123. n.Ir. Pick, spade, an' sack, Lays and Leg. (1887) 20. Nhb. To thraa in the picks [to throw up a job] (R.O.H.); Nhb.1 It is about eighteen inches long; sharpened at both ends; now usually of steel throughout, weighing from three pounds upwards. Through an eye or socket in the centre is fixed a handle of ash or hickory, two and a half feet in length. Nhb., Dur. Greenwell Coal Tr. Gl. (1849). e.Yks.1 w.Yks. A small pickaxe, usually weighing from 3 to 4 lb. The principal tool used by a collier (S.J.C.); w.Yks.3 Chs.1 In salt-mining the picks used are of a somewhat special construction. The handle of wood is about 30 inches long; the head is straight but tapering at each end, with sharp steel points. The weight is from four to six pounds. Der. No miner's.. pick.. may be removed from their ground, Manlove Lead Mines (1653) l. 207. Not. (L.C.M.) Nhp. Which the sandman's delving spade, And the pitman's pix have made, Clare Vill. Minst. (1821) I. 116; Nhp.1 A pointed mattock, a pick-axe. In some places a single tool is called by a plural name, as, ‘a pair of picks'; Nhp.2, War. (J.R.W.), War.2 s.Wor. Pick or peck has two pointed ends. Pick-axe has one pointed end and one cutting end at right angles to the helve (H.K.); s.Wor.1, se.Wor.1, Glo.1, Oxf. (G.O.), Oxf.1 MS. add., Brks.1, Suf.1, Ess.1 Ken. The roads are so hard, it spoils their picks (D.W.L.). Sur. (T.S.C.), Sus.1, Hmp.1, Wil.1 Dor. Haynes Voc. (c. 1730) in N. & Q. (1883) 6th S. viii. 45. e.Som. W. & J. Gl. (1873). w.Som.1 Kaa·n dùe· noa·urt wai dhee·uz pik voa·r ee·z u-shaa·rpt. Dev. A labourer with what is here called a pick, Bray Desc. Tamar and Tavy (1836) I. 70. nw.Dev.1 2. Comp. (1) Pick-carrier, a boy employed to carry the blunt ‘picks’ to the ‘pick-shop’ to be sharpened; (2) Pick-hammer, a geologist's hammer; (3) Pick-hawm, the handle of a pickaxe; (4) Pick-hole, a wound made by the point of a pickaxe; (5) Pick-money, (6) Pick-pence, a sum varying from 1d. to 2d. per week paid by each hewer for the sharpening of his pickaxe; (7) Pick-shaft, see (3); (8) Pick-sharper, the smith employed to sharpen the hewers' ‘picks’; (9) Pick-shop, the place where the ‘picks’ are taken to be sharpened. (1) Nhb., Dur. Nicholson Coal Tr. Gl. (1888). (2) Nhb. Gannin' aboot jowlin' aal the rocks an' ‘glidders’ wi' a wee pick-hammer, Pease Mark o' Deil (1894) 124. (3) Lan. Sich heighvy-keighvy pickhawms, Clegg Sketches (1895) 397. (4, 5, 6) Nhb.1 Nhb., Dur. Nicholson Coal Tr. Gl. (1888). (7) n.Cy., Yks. (J.W.), s.Wor.1, Glo.1 (8) Nhb.1 The hewer finds his own picks, but has them sharpened and set out for him by the colliery smith (called the pick-sharper) employed for the purpose, paying to him in return 1d. per fortnight, Greenwell Coal Tr. Gl. (1888). Nhb., Dur. Nicholson Coal Tr. Gl. (9) Nhb., Dur. Nicholson COAL Tr. Gl. 3. Obs. A pike. Sc. I will go, if it were with but a pick upon my shoulder, Rogers Reformers (1874) 4. Abd. These gallants had dainty muskets, picks, and guilded partisans, and such like, Spalding Hist. Sc. (1792) I. 21. Wxf.1 Hence Pickman, sb. a soldier armed with a pike. Sc. He hade, from the degree of a pickman in Colonel Hepburn's regiment in France, by his great gallantry, raised himself to the chief command, Kirkton Ch. Hist. (1817) 66. 4. A gaff used in sea-fishing; an eel-spear; an instrument for detaching limpets from the rock; a fisherman's heading-knife. Sh.I. He took his cuddie an' pick an' guid i' da lempit ebb, Sh. News (Jan. 22, 1898); Sh.&Ork.1 MS. add. n.Sc. He [the kelper] is armed with a ‘pick,’ an implement resembling a very strong hay fork, but with the prongs set, like those of a rake, at right angles to the handle. With this pick... he grapples the tumbling sea-weed and drags it up to the beach, out of the reach of the waves, Longman's Mag. (Nov. 1895) 33. Nhb. ‘Stand by with the pick, it is a big 'un,’ and a fine codling was hauled in. The ‘pick’ was a rude kind of gaff, Davies Rambles Sch. Field-club (1881) xxxv. e.An.1, Ken.1 5. An instrument used for cutting beans; a turnip-hack; see below. Rut. (J.P.K.) Ess. They cut their beans with a tool they call a peck, being a short handled scythe for one hand, and a hook for the other, Young Annals Agric. (1784-1815) II. 50. 6. A point; the prong of a fork. Not. (L.C.M.), Nhp.1 Nhp.2 7. A small mark or stroke. Dev. I think there's a little pick over it, Reports Provinc. (1884) 25. 8. A basket used for drawing coals out of a pit. Chs. Eight pickes make a tun (K.); Chs.1 Chs.3 9. v. To use a pickaxe; to loosen ground with a pickaxe; gen. with up. s.Wor. (H.K.), Oxf.1 MS. add., Brks.1 Sus.1 He pecked he with a peck. Wil. To peck up the road (G.E.D.); (E.H.G.); Wil.1 Hence (1) Pecking-poker, sb. the poker with which slag is removed in casting metal; (2) Picker, sb. (a) a man who separates coal from refuse at the pit-bank; (b) a mining tool; see below; (3) Picking-standing, sb. the floor upon which the quarryman stands to pick ‘jad.’ (1) s.Yks. (W.S.) (2, a) w.Yks. (T.T.) (b) Cor. Haft of round iron, blade, rectangular, or slightly tapered with chisel-faced point, used in the St. Just district for working in jointy ground, Bauerman Mining Models (1865) 19. (3) Som. Winwood Excur. to Corsham, Prov. Geol. Assoc. (July 1896) XIV. 351. 10. To uproot turnips with a hand instrument. Rut. (J.P.K.) Hence Picker, sb. an instrument used for picking turnips. Nhb.1 It is called a ‘tormit’ picker, or picker simply. It is usually made from a broad-bladed sickle, the back rib of which is forged and drawn over in hook form to a fine point. The pointed hook is used for ‘ruttin up’ the turnips, whilst the blade is used for ‘shawin’ the tops, when the turnips require to be gathered and stored. For pulling turnips only, a two-pronged curved-in picker is used. A third form of picker is used for lifting out the shells of turnips which have been eaten hollow below the surface by sheep; it has a point at nearly a right angle from the shank, and is called a ‘dyeuk-neb’ (duck-bill) picker. n.Yks. (I.W.) 11. To give a light stroke with any pointed instrument; to indent; to hew and dress stone. Sc. ‘To pik or pick a millstane,’ to indent it slightly (Jam.). Sh.I. Shü's as slight noo as a sharpin'-stane for want o' bein' pickid, Sh. News (Dec. 11, 1897). Bnff.1 Hence Picked, ppl. adj. of a millstone: dressed and prepared for grinding. Abd. The miller sets a new picked stane, An' dreams o' a swellin moulter, Murray Hamewith (1900) 4. 12. Phr. to see as far on or through a millstone as he that picked it, to understand what is going on. Sc. Kelly Prov. (1721) 215. Don. The same lad... can see as far through a millstone as the man picked it, MacManus Bend of Road (1898) 40. 13. To dig for eels with an eel-pick; to detach limpets from a rock. Sh.I. (J.S.) Nrf. We go a' pickin for sich eels as have buried theerselves in the mud, Patterson Man and Nat. (1895) 51. 14. Salt-making term: to break up and take away the scale that forms on the bottom of a pan during evaporation. Chs. Pan-scratch or scale gradually accumulating it becomes necessary to remove it every three or four weeks by picking, Marshall Review (1819) II. 97; Chs.1 Hence (1) Pickings, sb. pl. salt encrusted at the bottom of the pans; (2) Picking-salt, sb. the first salt made after a pan has had the scale taken off the bottom. (1) Chs. These pickings were analysed. He found 480 parts to contain 40 muriate of soda, 60 carbonate, and 380 sulphate of lime, Marshall Review (1818) 97. w.Wor.1 Broken and ground up for agricultural purposes. (2) Chs.1 15. Fig. To set to work; to work hard. Crk. Away they pecked at it hard and fast, Flk-Lore Jrn. (1883) I. 317.

PICK, sb.2 and v.2 In gen. dial. use in Sc. and n. counties to Not. Lin. Also written pic w.Yks.3; pik e.Lan.1 Der.1 [pik.] 1. sb. Pitch. Also used advb. in comb. Pick-dark, Pick-mirk, &c. Sc. The last of Pick and Tarre... ij ounce, Skene Difficil Wds. (1681) 28. Sh.I. Seven yoag shalls o' pick, Sh. News (June 12, 1897); Sh.&Ork.1 Or.I. Twa barrels pick castin in about the banks of the Skerries, Peterkin Notes (1822) Append. 30. Abd. It's mark's pick in winter, Alexander Ain Flk. (1882) 208. Per. As dark as pick, Edwards Strathearn Lyrics (1889) 125. Frf. The nicht's coming on as black as pick, Barrie Minister (1891) xxxi. e.Fif. Pick-mirk cam doon on them afore they had gane half the wey, Latto Tam Bodkin (1864) ii. Lth. I canna tarry, Pick mirk night is setting in, Macneill Poet. Wks. (1801) 131, ed. 1856. Edb. Roads are deep, and nights pick dark, Macneill Bygane Times (1811). Peb. Twa tups,.. Wi' sconces black as pick, Lintoun Green (1685) II, ed. 1817. n.Cy. (J. Losh 1783), N.Cy.1 Nhb.1 Pick an' tar meng'd together. Pick dark. Pick black. Dur. Raine Charters, &c., Finchale (1837) 360. Cum. It was seunn as dark as pick, Sargisson Joe Scoap (1881) 204. Cum., Wm. Nicolson (1677) Trans. R. Lit. Soc. (1868) IX. Wm. Afooar it wes pick dark, Spec. Dial. (1885) pt. iii. 7. n.Yks.1 n.Yks.2 n.Yks.4 ne.Yks.1 T'neet's as black as pick. e.Yks. Beughs o' big esh three, at cooaner, meead it as dahk as pick, Nicholson Flk-Sp. (1889) 33; e.Yks.1, w.Yks. (F.P.T.), w.Yks.4 w.Yks.5, n.Lan.1, e.Lan.1, Der.1, Not. (J.P.K.) Lin. Skinner (1671). n.Lin. Sutton Wds. (1881); n.Lin.1 sw.Lin.1 It's pick, I'm just hotting it for the mester, he's clipping sheep. Hence (1) Pickie-fingered, adj. inclined to steal; cf. tarry-fingered; (2) Picky, adj. pitchy; dark. (1) s.Sc. Applied to one to whose fingers the property of his neighbour is apt to adhere (Jam.). (2) w.Yks.1 2. Comp. (1) Pick-mark, the mark on sheep, made upon them when newly shorn. n.Yks.1 n.Yks.4; (2) Pick-pot, a pitch-pot. sw.Lin.1 3. Wax. Sh.&Ork.1 Hence Pickit-lingal, sb. a shoemaker's waxed thread. Sh.&Ork.1 4. v. To daub or cover with pitch or dirt. Sc. (Jam.) Sh.&Ork.1 ‘Pickit-wi-dirt’ ─ daubed with dirt. [1. Pyk or pyche, pix, Prompt.; Pikke, pix, Cath. Angl. (1483). 4. To pykke, bituminare, Cath. Angl.]

PICK, v.3 and sb.3 Var. dial. uses in Sc. Irel. and Eng. Also written pic w.Yks.3; pik w.Yks.5; and in forms peck Dev.; peek Som. Dev. [pik, w.Cy. also pīk.]

1. v. To pitch, throw; to fling, toss; to thrust, push, shove; to pitch forward, overbalance. Sh.&Ork.1 s.Sc. To pick stanes, to throw stones at any object (Jam.). n.Cy. Grose (1790) Suppl.; (J. Losh 1783); N.Cy.1 Nhb.1 ‘Just pick here, look ye.’ Gen. used in games. Dur.1, Lakel.2 Cum. Efter pickan yan or two yung chaps backerts ower t'skemmel, Sargisson Joe Scoap (1881) 20; Cum.1 Ned pick't Joe ower; Cum.4 Wm. He pickt me intul t'beck (B.K.). n.Yks.1 He picked him intil t'beck; n.Yks.2 n.Yks.4 ne.Yks.1 That feeal Jack picked oor lahtle Annie doon inti t'muck. e.Yks. He picked me down, Marshall Rur. Econ. (1788); e.Yks.1, m.Yks.1 w.Yks.1 He tried to pick me down; w.Yks.2 w.Yks.3 w.Yks.4 w.Yks.5 Lan. Hoo pick'd him o' th' hillock, Axon Flk. Sng. (1870) 15; Davies Races (1856) 237. ne.Lan.1, e.Lan.1 m.Lan.1 When footbo' players pick a side, they shove t'other side. Der.2, Not.1, n.Lin.1 sw.Lin.1 It seems as if I should pick head-forwards. Lei.1 Ah wur sa feared a'd pick in. Shr.1 (s.v. Peck).

2. To pitch or lift corn, hay, &c. from the ground on to a wagon or stack. ne.Yks.1 She's pickin' atop o' t'stack. Der.1 To pick corn or hay, i.e. pitch it from the wagon into the barn at the picking-hole. Not.2 It is harder to pick a load than to team it. s.Not. In harvesting to pick is to take up the hay or corn from the cock or stook on the long pick-fork, and deliver it to the loader in the wagon (J.P.K.). Lin.1 I've been picking in the harvest field all day long. n.Lin.1 sw.Lin.1 He picked all last harvest. When they're mates, some'll pick and some'll teäm. s.Dev. To pick up hay (G.E.D.). Hence (1) Picker, sb. the man who ‘picks’ or pitches the sheaves, &c. on to a wagon or stack in harvesting; (2) Picking-fork, sb. a long fork or pitchfork used for lifting sheaves, &c. on to a wagon or stack; (3) Picking-hole, sb. a hole in the wall of a barn or hayloft, through which hay or straw is thrown. (1) w.Yks.2, Not.1, Lin.1, n.Lin.1 sw.Lin.1 He wanted Frank to be picker this harvest. Lei.1, Nhp.1 (2) w.Yks. (J.W.), Der.2, Not. (J.H.B.), n.Lin.1 (3) n.Cy. Grose (1790) Suppl. w.Yks. Made it into hay an thrawn it throo t' pickin-hoyle, Tom Treddlehoyle Bairnsla Ann. (1854) 25; w.Yks.2 w.Yks.3, Der.2, nw.Der.1 n.Lin.1 A hole, commonly square, closed by a wooden shutter, through which sheaves of corn are put into a barn.

3. To play at ‘pitch and toss.’ Lin. (Hall.) Hence Pick-and-hotch or Pickenhotch, sb. the game of ‘pitch and toss.’ Lin.1, n.Lin.1 4. Phr. to pick pie over, to turn a somersault. w.Yks.1 5. To vomit. den. with up. n.Cy. Grose (1790). Lakel.2 Wm. He pickt up o' his food (B.K.). n.Yks.1 n.Yks.2 n.Yks.3 n.Yks.4 e.Yks. Marshall Rur. Econ. (1788); e.Yks.1, m.Yks.1 w.Yks.1 w.Yks.2 w.Yks.3; w.Yks.5 He wur pikking awalt' neet. Lan. (J.L.), n.Lan.1, e.Lan.1 se.Lan. N. & Q. (1880) 6th S. i. 344. Chs.1 s.Chs.1 The words ‘pickin' an' purgin' are generally used together. Der.1 Der.2, nw.Der.1, n.Lin.1

4. Of animals: to give birth to or ‘cast’ prematurely. Twd. To pick foal, to part with a foal before the proper time. Also applied to cows (Jam.). Gall. So that none of the kye, the incoming year, may be guilty of picking-cauve, Mactaggart Encycl. (1824) 304, ed. 1876. Wgt. (A.W.), N.I.1 Nhb.1 The mear hes picked her foal. The new coo hes hed a misfortin ─ she's pick'd her calf. Cum. Jerry' black filly pick'd the fwoal, Anderson Ballads (1805) 83. Wm. We hed twea kaws pickt coaf, Wheeler Dial. (1790) 51, ed. 1821. n.Yks. If one of the cows in a dairy unfortunately produces a calf prematurely ─ in local phrase, ‘picks her cau'f,’ Atkinson Moorl. Parish (1891) 62; n.Yks.1 n.Yks.2 n.Yks.4, w.Yks.1 w.Yks.2 w.Yks.3, ne.Lan.1 Chs.1 Abortion in cattle often takes the form of an epidemic. The popular idea is that it is infectious, or even that one cow influences another in some mysterious way; and several superstitious practices are resorted to in order to prevent the spread of the disease. One remedy is to bury the first prematurely born calf under its mother's boose. Occasionally the calf is nailed up against a wall, and left there to decay; Chs.3, s.Chs.1, s.Not. (J.P.K.), n.Lin.1 sw.Lin.1 We'd a yow picked three lambs this morning. The mare picked her foal. Shr.1 [Ewes in lamb... or kept in a wet lair, will pick lamb, that is suffer abortion, Stephens Farm Bk. (ed. 1849) I. 221.] Hence (1) Picked-calf, sb. a premature or stillborn calf; also used fig. as a term of abuse; (2) Picked-calver, sb. a cow which calves prematurely; (3) Picking-calf, sb. abortion in cows. (1) Dmf. Wallace Schoolmaster (1899) 351. Chs. Thah gurt gawpingle picked cawf, Clough B. Bresskittle (1879) 3. (2) s.Chs.1 (3) Lan., Chs., w.Cy. Morton Cyclo. Agric. (1863).

5. Weaving term: to throw or push the shuttle across the loom; also with over; see below. w.Yks. One of the weaver's hands ‘picked’ the shuttle, the other sent the weft home with the ‘going part,’ and was termed ‘striking,’ so that when the warp was good, he had nought to do ‘but pick an' strike.’ Before the flying shuttle was invented for broad looms, a man was stationed at each end of the loom, and each pushed or picked the shuttle across the warp to his fellow. It is prob. about 100 to 120 years since this way of weaving ceased in this locality [Calverley] (W.T.); ‘To pick double,’ when the shuttle is driven across the loom and back, or twice across (S.A.B.); (R.H.R.); w.Yks.3 ‘To pick a pick,’ to throw the shuttle once across. Lan. He ne'er picked ower i' his loife, Gaskell M. Barton (1848) iv.

6. To push off with the inner edge of the ‘calker’ when sliding on the ice in clogs. Cum.4 9. sb. A pitch or shove; a push. Also in comp. Pick-by or Pick-over. Also used fig. Cum. And monny a panting heart was there That buode full bitter picks, Stagg Misc. Poems (ed. 1807) 40; A snotty lad ga' ma a bit ov a pick by, Willy Wattle (1807) 8; Cum.4 ‘Bidin' t'picks on't,’ suffering from the gibes and jeers of malevolent neighbours. ‘When ah say" three" give her a good pick reet ower and let her gah,’ W. C. T. X. (1893) 5, col. 4. n.Yks.2, e.Yks.1 m.Yks.1 He gave him a pick, and ower he went. Give him a pick-ower.

7. A small flat stone used in the game of ‘pickie’ (q.v.). Ker. Gomme Games (1898) II. 451.

8. Comp. Pick-pie, in phr. to turn a pick-pie, to turn a somersault. w.Yks.1 12. A pitchfork. Also in comp. Pick-fork. Cf. pike, sb.1 4. Wxf.1, N.Cy.1, Nhb.1, Dur.1, n.Yks.1 n.Yks.2 n.Yks.4, ne.Yks.1 e.Yks.1 MS. add. (T.H.) w.Yks.1 w.Yks.2, s.Not. (J.P.K.) n.Lin. Sutton Wds. (1881). sw.Lin.1, Nhp.1 Glo. Horae Subsecivae (1777) 325; Gl. (1851); Glo.1 Glo.2, Hmp.1 Wil. Britton Beauties (1825); Wil.1 Dor.1 Wher the hâymakers put all ther picks, 72. Som. An' carr' a pick in my han', an' just walk roun' bimeby, Raymond Sam and Sabina (1894) 73; Sweetman Wincanton Gl. (1885). e.Som. W. & J. Gl. (1873). w.Som.1 Dev. Aw yü gert slamicking theng! Yer clothes lükes s'off twuz drawed on wi' a peek! Hewett Peas. Sp. (1892) 123; Horae Subsecivae (1777) 325; Dev.1 n.Dev. A gaff, dree picks vrom Varmer Reed, Rock Jim an' Nell (1867) st. 74. nw.Dev.1 Hence Pick-pike, sb. a pitchfork. Glo.1

9. An emetic. w.Yks.1 He gav her a pick last neet, ii. 290; w.Yks.3 w.Yks.5 se.Lan. The doctors gave him a pick, N. & Q. (1880) 6th S. i. 344.

10. The thread of yarn laid by one throw of the shuttle across the piece. Also used fig. and in comp. Pick-over. w.Yks. They do a loom to soa many picks a minit, Hartley Puddin' (1876) 319; (J.M.); w.Yks.3 Lan. A couple of picks-o'er is a shuttle sent twice. We say sixty picks in an inch. I have seen cloth with over four hundred picks-o'er per inch (S.W.); I'll be wi' thee, owd gel, in a couple o' picko'ers, Brierley Waverlow (1863) 151, ed. 1884. Hence (1) Picker, sb. the instrument by means of which the shuttle is ‘picked’ or pushed across the loom; (2) Picking-arm, (3) Picking-band, (4) Picking-bant, sb. a stout piece of leather used to connect the ‘picking-stick’ (q.v.) with the ‘picker’ (q.v.); (5) Picking-peg, (6) Picking-rod, (7) Picking-stick, sb. the wooden rod or handle by which the shuttle is thrown in weaving. (1) se.Sc. My pickers too, I want them sair, My shuttle swears she'll rin nae mair, Donaldson Poems (1809) 70; So may your pickers gae nick-nack, Just like the pend'lum o' your clock, DONALDSON Poems 137. w.Yks. It is made of buffalo hide, and moved along a small rod used as a guide, in the shuttle-box at each end of the loom. A string (or strings) is fastened to it, the other end of which is held by the weaver's right hand, and often affixed to a handle for a better grasp. A sudden jerk causes the shuttle to cross the warp (J.T.); (J.M.); (W.T.) Lan. Wi' mi pickers and pins, Axon Flk. Sng. (1870) 53. Chs.1 A small frame of buffalo leather fitted on the spindle which propels the shuttle across the yarn. (2) w.Yks. (J.M.) (3) w.Yks. (W.T.) (4) Chs.1 (5) w.Yks. Clothiers wi cloaze props an pickin' pegs, Tom Treddlehoyle Bairnsla Ann. (May 1850) 2; (D.L.) Lan. To and fro like a picking peg, Brierley Layrock (1864) iv; Lan.1, Chs.1 (6) Lan. Straight as ony pickin' rod, Waugh Sngs. (1866) 19, ed. 1871; Lan.1 (7) Cum.4 This was held in the hand-loom weaver's right hand, and gave motion to the Fly by means of a cord attached to the spindle of the Fly, and thus the Shuttle carrying the weft passed it between the threads of the warp. w.Yks. Her looms are clattering away like fury, the ‘picking sticks’ hitting out violently at each other, Bradford Life, 196; It bettered tewing with picking-stick, Snowden Web of Weaver (1896) 26; (W.T.) Lan. Davies Races (1856) 237; Lan.1 [1. To pick, iaculari, Levins Manip. (1570); I pycke with an arrowe, Je darde, Palsgr. (1530).]

    PICK, v.4 and sb.4 Var. dial. uses in Sc. Irel. Eng. and Amer. Also written pik Sh.I.; and in forms peak Suf.; peek sw.Lin.1 Nhp.1 [pik.] I. v. Gram. forms. Preterite and pp.: (1) Pook, (2) Puck, (3) Puk. (1) Lei.1 Has onybody pook oop a poomp? (2) n.Stf. The little doog there as I puck up on the road, Geo. Eliot A. Bede (1859) xxxvi. s.Stf. I'm sure I dain't stale it, I puck it out o' the gutter, Pinnock Blk. Cy. Ann. (1895). Lei.1, War.3 Shr.1 Bin them pars shuk or 'and puck? Shr., Hrf. Bound Provinc. (1876). Hrf.2 I like them shoes best as I puck out first. (3) I.Ma. The place where Donal' was puk up, Rydings Tales (1895) 51. II. Dial. uses. 1. v. In comb. with adv. and prep.: (1) Pick abroad, to rip apart; (2) Pick at, to find fault with; to tease, upbraid; to quarrel with; to persecute; (3) Pick in, to fetch or take in; (4) Pick on, (a) to pick out, choose; (b) to worm out a secret; (5) Pick out, to discover, find out by inquiry; (6) Pick up, (a) to overtake; (b) in the game of marbles: to assist another boy by picking up and holding all the marbles which he knocks out of the ring; (c) to pick a pocket; (7) Pick upon, (a) see (4, a); (b) to tease, annoy, make a butt of; (8) Pick up with, to fall in love with, to ‘keep company with.’ (1) Dev. ‘When I sent it to Pullar's I did not pick it abroad, for I thought it would not run up so.’.. She meant that she did not rip the dress to pieces, because she thought it would not shrink so much as it would have done if she had sent it in pieces, Reports Provinc. (1891). (2) e.Dur.1 Cum.1 They're always pickin' at yan anudder; Cum.4 If theear's owt wrang he starts pickan at me. n.Yks.1; n.Yks.2 They're always picking at teean t'other; n.Yks.4 ne.Yks.1 T'au'd man's varry natthery; he's awlus pickin' at ma. e.Yks.1 MS. add. (T.H.) Chs.1 Of a boy at school who was always being teased by his schoolfellows, or a cow in a herd that was constantly being persecuted by the rest, it would be said, ‘They're allus pickin at him, or her.’ s.Not. They wor pickin at my cloak becos it wor an oad un (J.P.K.). n.Lin.1 I'd be shaam'd to call mysen a gentleman, an' then pick at my awn wife as thoo duz. sw.Lin.1 She's always a-picking at him. [Amer. He's always picking at me to sell out, Carruth Kansas Univ. Quar. (1892) I.] (3) Cor. My landlady was out in the garden, ‘picking in' her week's washing from the thorn hedge, ‘Q.’ Noughts and Crosses (1891) 251. (4, a) Sc. The climax of his importance being reached as he picked on one of the porters waiting at the gate for a job, Stevenson Puddin (1894) 52. Gall. The first twa that he picked on War Rab and Jock the Tar, Mactaggart Encycl. (1824) 267, ed. 1876. (b) Dor.1 (5) w.Yks. (S.P.U.), Not.1 Lei.1 Ah couldn' joostly pick aout wheer a coom frum. War.3, Glo.1 w.Som.1 I can't pick out nort at all about-n. Do 'ee try vor to pick out all you can. [But what do we picke out to resolute him withall Rogers Hist. of Naaman (1642) 396.] (6, a) Sus.1 I picked up the postman between Selmeston and Berwick. (b) Oxf. (G.O.) (c) Chs.1 Chs.3 (7, a) e.An.2 (b) Ken.1 They always pick upon my boy coming home from school. Sur.1 You all seem to want to pick-upon him. Sus.1 (8) Nhb. He sune picks up wiv a lass, Pease Mark o' Deil (1894). Dor. He might pick up with a maid with a bit ov money, Agnus Jan Oxber (1900) 166; She picked up wi' en against her father's wish, Harper's Mag. (Dec. 1900) 25. Cor. Joan's picked up wi' a sweetheart ─ tee-hee! ‘Q.’ Splendid Spur (ed. 1893) 207.

11. Comb. (1) Pick-and-dab, potatoes and salt; (2) Pick-fig, a fastidious person; (3) Pick-folly, the lady's-smock, Cardamine pratensis; (4) Pick-lock, the finest selected staple from a fleece of wool; the dearest class of wool; (5) Pick-lock key, a master key; (6) Pick-man, (a) the fore-raker in haymaking who rakes the grass into ‘rollers’; (b) obs., the tern, Sterna fluviatilis; (7) Pick-needle, the musk heron's-bill, Erodium moschatum; (8) Pick-nosed mouse, a shrew-mouse; (9) Pick-purse, (a) the shepherd's purse, Capsella Bursa-pastoris; (b) the corn spurrey, Spergula arvensis; (10) Pick-sniff, (a) an insignificant, paltry, contemptible person; (b) paltry, despicable; (11) Pick-the-puddock, a contemptuous name for a Frenchman; (12) Pick-thong, a variety of apple; (13) Pick-tooth, a toothpick; (14) Pick-up, (a) the last train at night which runs on the Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire railway from Sheffield to New Holland; (b) fried fish and potatoes mashed together; (15) PIck us up, a stimulant, ‘pick-me-up.’ (1) Sc. One of the poorest meals of the poorer classes (Jam.). (2) Som. (C.W.D.) (3) Nhp. (W.D.S.); Nhp.2 Children pick the leaves of the herb called ‘Pick-folly,’ one by one, repeating each time the words ─ ‘Rich-man, poor-man, beggar-man, thief,’ &c., fancying that the one which comes to be named at the last plucking will prove the condition of their future partners, 162. (4) w.Yks. (J.M.) Hrf. The dearest class of wool, called ‘picklock,’ is estimated at thirty-two pence a pound, Foot Agric. (1794) 61. (5) w.Yks. Wha a pick-lock key waddant naw t'road inta wun on em, Tom Treddlehoyle Fr. Exhibition (c. 1856) 33. (6, a) Dor.1 (s.v. Haymiaken). (b) Cum.4 (7) Dev. Much esteemed for its musk-like fragrance... Nor, indeed, are any of the numerous and beautiful nosegays which deck our market-stalls considered perfect without a branch of Muscovy or Pick-needle, Banks Flora (1830) in (B. & H.). (8) w.Sus. Uttering curses deep against those horrid ‘pick-nosed mice,’ Flk-Lore Rec. (1878) I. 42. (9, a) n.Cy. (B. & H.) (b) Lin.1 The pick-purse is smothering the wheat. sw.Lin.1, e.An.1 Nrf. Marshall Rur. Econ. (1787). (10, a, b) War.2 (11) Ayr. I'll learn ye that, Monshur Pick-the-puddock, Ainslie Land of Burns (ed. 1892) 16. (12) Dor. We are only just grinding down the early pick-thongs, Hardy Desperate Remedies (1871) 151, ed.

12. (13) Glo.1 (14, a) n.Lin.1 (b) Cor.1 (15) Nhb. Come up ti the hoos, an' hev a pick-us-up, an' a bit wash, Pease Mark o' Deil (1894) 45.

13. Phr. (1) pick packet to London, a child's name for the shepherd's purse, Capsella Bursa-pastoris; (2) pick your mother's eyes out, the field speedwell, Veronica agrestis; (3) pick your mother's heart out, see (1); (4) to pick and dab, to eat; (5) pick and dab at, (6) pick and pike at, to find fault with, criticize; to quarrel with; (7) pick it in, to get a severe scolding or punishment; to ‘catch it’; (8) pick a person's fingers, to harass, annoy, punish; (9) pick one's lane, to manage for oneself; (10) pick prates, to tell tales; (11) pick sport (out) on, to make game of; (12) pick up flesh, to gain flesh; (13) pick up one's crumbs, to recover health after sickness; to prosper generally; (14) pick upon the kirn, to churn gently by hand. (1) w.Yks. Juveniles get one another to pick one of the seed-vessels off and cry in derision, ‘Pick packet to London, You'll never go to London’ (F.K.). (2) Dor. (G.E.D.) (3) War. Flk-Lore Rec. (1878) I. 159; (B. & H., s.v. Mother's Heart). (4) Lnk. He must needs pick and dab, Rodger Poems (1838) 33, ed. 1897. (5) Ayr. The rising generation began to pick and dab at him, Galt Provost (1822) xxiii. (6) Lakel.2 Cum.4 If thoo doesn't like it, niver pick and pike at it like that, leave it. (7) w.Som.1 Dhee-t pik ut ee·n muy·n, haun mae·ustur zee·th dhee; aay wúd·n stan een dhuy· shèo·z vur zau·mfeen. (8) Bnff.1 It 'ill pick's fingers till 'im, afore he big an' plinsh his new hoose. Cld. I'll pick his fingers to him for that yet (Jam.). (9) e.Fif. It had lang been my intention to tak the young man into pairtnership wi' me as sune as he was of legal age, an' able to pick his lane, Latto Tam Bodkin (1864) xxvii. (10) w.Som.1 Billy, I on't ha you comin' to pick prates 'pon the tothers; you be all so bad's they. n.Dev. And nif tha dest pick prates upon me and tell vauther o', Exm. Scold. (1746) l. 221. nw.Dev.1 (11) n.Lin.1 (12) Nhp. Grose (1790) MS. add. (C.) (13) e.Yks.1, w.Yks. (J.W.) Chs.1 ‘He's picking up his crumbs nicely,’ said of anyone who is prospering, Chs. Sheaf, I. 322. s.Stf. He's better now he picks up his crums the last tewthree days, Pinnock Blk. Cy. Ann. (1895). Nhp.1, se.Wor.1 w.Som.1 Our Liz bin ter'ble bad, her was a'most come to a nottomy; but her's pickin up her crooms again now, like, thank th' Almighty. (14) Sh.I. The milk is put into a narrow deep vessel, and to the end of a stick a round perforated disk of wood is attached. This is wrought up and down, piston fashion, and the milk is churned by the beating action of the disk. When the quantity of milk is small this action must be gently performed, and is said to be ‘picking apo' da kirn’ (J.S.); Com' an' pick apo' da kirn fil I see if I can rin doon wi' yon fraik o' a grice, Sh. News (May 13, 1899); A'll come an' pik apo' da kirn a moment, fil doo rests dee, Sh. News (Oct. 21, 1899).

14. To glean; esp. to glean a field a second time; to pick up the broken ears of corn left on the ground; also in phr. to pick ears. ne.Lan.1, Stf.1 Nhp.1 We're going a picking; Nhp.1 The gathering of [wheat stubble for thatching] after harvest, is called peeking the haulm (s.v. Haulm). War.3 Gleaners gathered only the wheat ears on stalks which they could bind into knots or tiny sheaves, and could afford to leave on the ground those ears of wheat which had been broken from the stalk, and were left for food for pigs, or to the operation of picking after gleaning. Wor. (J.R.W.), Hrf.1, Bdf. (J.W.B.), w.Cy. (Hall.) s.Dev. Fox Kingsbridge (1874).

15. To strip off feathers, to pluck a fowl. Sus. (F.E.) Dev. Lüke sharp, Jane, and pick tha vowls. Yü knaw there's zebben geeze and dree turkeys 'et tü be picked, Hewett Peas. Sp. (1892).

16. To pilfer, steal. Rnf. A charge of picking and unlawfully intromitting with his neighbours' goods, Hector Judic. Rec. (1876) 193. w.Sus. Picking's picking, and stealing's stealing, Gordon Vill. and Doctor (1897) 54.

17. To peck or eat in small quantities, as a bird; to eat little, have a poor appetite; to eat; also fig. to help or support oneself. Sc. A white and shilpet thing ─ picking at her meat as if it was a sin to be hungry, Keith Lisbeth (1894) xii. Sh.I. Da snawie füils [snow buntings] wi' coorin' wing Around da door cam' pickin', Stewart Tales (1892) 97. Frf. A cow he'll chuse To pick around his borders, Morison Poems (1790) 45. se.Sc. He's been my care, six years an' mair Sin' he began to pick, Donaldson Poems (1809) 83. Lnk. Hamilton Poems (1865) 35. Dmf. Each puir man's parritch pot he pickit, Hawkins Poems (1841) V. 42. Don. I mayn't say I ate at all; I only pick, like a chicken, Harper's Mag. (Jan. 1900) 215. w.Yks. Il atta skrat afoor he picks, ur else fly up wi' a empty crop [ He would have to work or else have no food and go to bed hungry] (C.C.). sw.Lin.1 They'll soon begin to peek. War.3; War.4 Our Bill is a bit better, he can pick a bit at his meals now again. w.Mid. Children and chicken should always be picking (W.P.M.). Hence (1) Picking, ppl. adj., (2) Pickish, (3) Picksome, (4) Picky, adj. having a small appetite; dainty, fastidious in eating. (1) Oxf.1 MS. add. w.Som.1 I'll tell thee hot 'tis, thee'rt to pickin by half. Poor blid, her do look wisht sure 'nough; and there, her's so pickin too, her don't make use o' nothin'. (2) Sus.2, Hmp.1 (3) w.Mid. He's such a picksome child, he won't eat any fat (W.P.M.). Ken. A sickly child is said to be picksome (W.F.S.). Sur. The pike... is, at certain times of the year, very ‘picksome,’ as our folks say, if not dainty, Son of Marshes On Sur. Hills (ed. 1894) 155; Sur.1 Sus. He's wonderful pick-some wi' his vittles, Gent. Mag. (May 1899) 465; (F.A.A.); Sus.1 Sus.2, Hmp.1 (4) Cum.1; Cum.4 T'barn's nut weel, it's too picky by far.

18. To choose, select, pick out. e.Sc. He needna hae pickit that lass o' a' lasses! Strain Elmslie's Drag-net (1900) 223. Dmb. We mean to pick our ain minister noo, and for a' time coming, Cross Disruption (1844) xxxix. n.Cy., Yks. (J.W.) Shr. The father picks the name, Burne Flk-Lore (1883-1886) xxii. War.3 Wor. This player was not picked at the committee meeting, Evesham Jrn. (Sept. 25, 1897). Oxf. (G.O.) Bdf. Will you pick me a Psalm? (J.W.B.)

19. To find fault; to quarrel. m.Yks.1 Don't pick so. Chs.1, sw.Lin.1, Suf. (E.G.P.) Hence (1) Picking, (a) vbl. sb. fault-finding, quarrelling; (b) ppl. adj. carping, fault-finding, censorious; (2) Picky, adj., see (1, b). (1, a) sw.Lin.1 There's such a deal of picking one can hardly live. (b) s.Not. Her neighbours are all such a newsy, picking lot (J.P.K.). (2) sw.Lin.1 She's rather a picky kind of woman.

20. To worm out a secret. w.Cy. (Hall.) 11. A term in playing marbles; freq. with at, from, or off; see below. Nhb. (W.G.); To pick off, to pick from, is to make a shot at the pool of marbles and strike out of it one or more. The marbles so detached become the property of the successful shot. To ‘pick at’ is also to aim at a particular marble in the games of ‘Three-hole-teezer,’ ‘Brewery,’ &c. (R.O.H.)

21. sb. In phr. (1) pick and wale, a selection from which to choose; the best choice; (2) pick of the basket, the best of the lot; (3) pick or bang, see below. (1) Abd. Purchase goods at Lon'on town Whare he wad get his pick an' wale, An' a' thing o' the newest style, Anderson Poems (ed. 1826) 44. Fif. The hail pick and wale o' Fife, Gentle and sempill, Tennant Papistry (1827) 167. Dmb. When I gang to buy a hat, I get nae pick and wale o' shapes like ither folk. I have just to tak' the biggest I can get, Cross Disruption (1844) xi. (2) Nhb. The lad canna help his freends, and he's the pick of the basket, Graham Red Scaur (1896) 23. (3) e.An.1 A way of deciding which side is to go in first at any game. A stick is thrown up, and if it falls upright it is ‘pick,’ and ‘bang’ if it falls flatling.

22. A chosen or selected article. Sh.I. Seemon düne up i' da picks o' his sister Osla's wardrobe, Ollason Mareel (1901) 85.

23. A peck. Sc. The hen jist gied ae pick at it an' left it (Jam.).

24. The small quantity which a bird takes at a peck; small quantity of food; a meal; a small quantity of anything. Bnff.1 There hizna a pick o' meals-corn gehn our's craig this three days. There's nae a pick o' clay on's sheen. w.Sc. There were few in our house could tak ony dinner that day; I took my ordinar pick, Carrick Laird of Logan (1835) 275. Cld. He taks a guid pick o' meat now (Jam.). Rnf. Young Pictures (1865) 173. Ayr. I should be taking my pick, that the master's wark mayna gang by, Galt Sir A. Wylie (1822) xiii. Lnk. Coghill Poems (1890) 25. Ir. Won't ye sit down and have a pick of dinner with us? MacManus Chim. Corners (1899) 97. Don. Into my left pocket I dives me arm, but behould ye, there was ne'er a bone or a pick there! Harper's Mag. (Jan. 1901) 326. Nrf. I'm gettin' scrannish [hungry] and could do a pick, Emerson Wild Life (1890) 96. Hence Pick-straw, sb. the smallest possible amount. Lakel.2 He didn't care a pick-streea fer any man Jack amang t'lot.

25. The fruit of the sloe, Prunus spinosa. Wil.1

26. The bar-tail godwit, Limosa Lapponica. e.An.1 Nrf. Swainson Birds (1885) 198.

PICK, sb.5 Nhb. Not. Nhp. Glo. Nrf. 1. A pointed hill or mountain; a steep ascent. Cf. pike, sb.1 11. Nhb.1 A heavy pick. Glo. Cam's Pick, Horae Subsecivae (1777) 325. 2. The corner of a field; a small field. Cf. pike, sb.1 10. Not. (L.C.M.) Nhp.1; Nhp.2 Triangular fields are thus denominated in true Saxon phrase, ‘Three-pick closen.’ Nrf. Trans. Phil. Soc. (1885) 35.

PICK, sb.6 Sc. n.Cy. Dur. Cum. Yks. Lan. Also ? w.Cy. Also written pik w.Cy.; and in forms pict w.Yks.; pike Abd. 1. A spade in playing-cards. Sc. He then laid out the ace o' picks, Burness Tales, 286 (Jam.). Abd. In rural districts. ‘The ace o' pikes is trumph.’ The Jack o' spades is ‘the munsie pike’ (G.W.). Hence Pik-axe, sb. the ace of spades. ? w.Cy. (Hall.) 2. A diamond in playing-cards. N.Cy.1, Dur.1 Cum. Picks was trump, Gilpin Pop. Poetry (1875) 67; Cum.4 Obs. Yks. Grose (1790). e.Yks. Marshall Rur. Econ. (1788). w.Yks. Hutton Tour to Caves (1781); w.Yks.2 w.Yks.4, Lan.1, ne.Lan.1 Hence (1) Pick-ace, sb. the ace of diamonds. n.Cy. Grose (1790); (2) picks and hearts, phr. red spots on the shins occasioned by sitting too near the fire. w.Yks.1 [Fr. pique, a spade [a suit of cards], G. pique (Grieb).]

PICK, see Peak, v.2, Pyke.

PICK, v.1 11. n.Yks. (I.W.).

PICK, v.4 se.Lin. In phr. to pick and pule, to eat little and mope or fret. (J.T.B.)

PICK, sb.2 Abd. A marble used as a mark or ‘jack’ in playing. Cf. pick, sb.3 10. The way of rolling the ‘pick’ from a far stance and deciding who shall fire from short distance by the nearness of the various thrown marbles puts one in mind of bowls, Abd. Wkly. Free Press (Apr. 9, 1904).

PICK, v. n.Yks. (I.W.) i.q. Peck, v.2 2.

The Manufacture Of Linen, Hemp, And Jute Fabrics by Carter, H. R., Comp. Publication date 1909

Page n9

Types of Loom.s—IJnderpick and Overpick—Picking—Velocity of Shuttle—Shuttle Bt-x—War[) Protector—Shuttle (Juards— El>ing Shuttle.s—Picks per Minute—Weight of LoomsThe Lay 01 Sley— Thiow of Crank— The ReedSize of Shed— “Stretch”—The Heddlc.s—Shedding—Tappet Looms

Page n14

The modern loom consists of a framework over which the warped threads are stretched horizontally from the yarn beam to the cloth beam. The weft is carried in the shuttle which is thrown across among the warp threads, while the weft is beaten up against the preceding shot by the slay which carries the reed.

Page n31

The weft must next be prepared. It is generally purchased from the spinner or bleacher in hank form, and must be wound upon pirns or into cops for the shuttle. Fine linen yarns, however, may sometimes be had, whicli have been spun and dried upon perforated paper tubes in cop form, thus saving two processes, the reeling and the cop or pirn winding. Other yarns are sometimes copped by the spinner from the bobbin and sold to the weaver in the form of cops, thus avoiding the reeling process. In many cases, however, this cannot be done, as, for instance, in the case of yarn which is required in the bleached state.

Page n36

When wound upon the bate spindle, the tliread may be drawn from the inside of the cop and the shuttle peg dispensed with, the shuttle forming a kind of box m which the cop is enclosed. When wound upon a wooden pirn or paper tube the end is rlrawm tioni the nose (jl the cop, whitdi is held in the shuttle upon a tongue oi peg. 'Phere is au everincreasing tendency in the trade touanls the universal use of cops, owing to the gicatei length of yarn which they contain and the less fiecjiient stoppages of the loom for shuttle changes wdiicli their use entails.

Page n36

The dimensions of the pirns or cops which are used has a very material effect upon the wca\ing. Large pirns or cops mean fewer stoppages of the loom to change the shuttle when the weft runs out. Cops of laige diameter require big shuttles, a large shed, and put a greater strain upon the warp threads. As the shuttle can be changed several times over during the time required to mend one broken warp thread, a happy medium must be chosen as regards the diameter of the cop or piin. As regards their length, they should be

Page n37

as long as practicable, a long shuttle and consequently long shuttle boxes being the necessary accompaniment of a good working pick.

Page n37

The shuttle is an indispensable organ of tlie loom, and it is of the utmost importance that it should be suitable for the •class of goods to be woven. Shuttles are made of various sorts of wood, and at various prices. Cheap shuttles are often dear at any price. Many weavers prefer boxwood shuttles, ])ut cornel wood is also much used in their construction, and it IS not so heavy. W'hen shuttles arrive at the mill they should be steeped in oil for a few weeks, and then thoroughly dried. Before being put into the loom the sluittle should be thoroughly examined, to make sure that it is of exactly the same length, breadth, height, and weight as the other shuttles with which it is to run, this being a most important point if the loom is to run properly.

Page n37

The shuttle is an almost leciangiilar piece of liard, polished wood, tapered at the ends and tipped with iron, d'he shuttle itself should be smooth, and the edges slightly rounded, especially the near top edge, which comes most in contact with the top yarn. An average jute shuttle is about 20 in. long tUid 2 ill. square, and weighs about 2 lb. For fine linen fabrics the shuttle may not weigh more than 12 while for heavy cainases it may be up to 3 lb. in weight. Generally shuttles are put into the loom with the eye end nearest to the weft fork when in that box, although there are mills in which the opposite plan is the rule. They are also sometimes made rightor left-handed, i.c., with the eye at the right or left hand end of the shuttle.

Page n38

Picking is the driving of the shuttle carrying the weft from side to side of the loom, through the “ shed ” lorrned by the warp threads, as some of them are held up and some down by the heddles.

Page n38

In the overpick loom the picking arms proper are wholly above the shuttle boxes, as seen in fig. lo, while in the underpick loom the picking stick or sword moves about a fulcrunir at its base and near the floor, its upper extremity passing through a slot in the bottom of the shuttle box. The picking mechanism of the overpick loom consists of a picking wyper, or tappet, keyed to the bottom or wyper shaft; also of a stud which carries a conical anti-friction roller, and which is bolted in a-tapered hole in a vertical shaft, to the top end of which

Page n39

and to the buffalo-hide picker on the picking spindle, and thus gives motion to the shuttle.

Page n40

arm of the picking stick lever is likewise forced downwards, and at the same time the upper end of the sword is compelled to travel rapidly inwards, and thus propel the shuttle. The stick is returned to its position by means of a spring and a strap attached to the bracket, tlic spring also serving as a buffer.

Page n40

The shuttle often moves with a velocity of 40 ft. per second. It is brought to a stop at the end of its journey by the “ swells ” of the shuttle boxes into which it runs at

Page n40

either side. The pressing out of the swell raises the tongue of the warp protector clear of the “ knee,” or buffer, and thus permits the motion of the loom to continue, or another pick to be made. Were the shuttle to remain in the shed, the swell would not be pressed out, nor the tongue of the warp protector raised, and the loom would be brought to a stand* still before the warp threads were broken by the presence of the shuttle in the shed and between the reed and the lay of the cloth.

Page n41

Stick or sword is imparted to the shuttle, should be of well seasoned and compressed leather. Quite a different pattern of picker is required for over pick and undcrpick looms. That required for the former loom is usually made of buffalo hide, while underpick or brown pickers are of cow hide.

Page n41

• Various shuttle guards are applied to the loom to prevent the shuttles dying out. 'I'hey never try to do so without cause, however. The causes of shuttles flying out are numerous. Any tiling which has a tendency to throw the

Page n41

shuttle out of a straight line, while it is moving from box to box, will cause it to fly out. 'khe reed forms the back guide and the race board the bottom guide for the shuttle in its passage across the warp, leaving the lop, front, and both ends open for tlic shuttle to leave the loom if its course is diverted by a broken thread 01 knot in the shed, or by an uneven blow of the picker. Sometimes the picker spindle is not exactly parallel, so that the picker does not give the shuttle a straight blow, but one that deflects the shuttle, causing it either to lly out, or the loom to bang off. Sometimes the hole into which the taper end of the spindle fits is a little large, and as the picker moves backwards and forwards on the spindle, the latter moves also, giving tlie shuttle an uneven blow which will cause it to fly out. If the spindle hol^ of the picker is not reamed out true, the shuttle may be thrown out. The sweep of the strap also has an influence on the movement of the shuttle. If the strap is made so short that the blow of the picker ball is immediately communicated to the picker stick, the movement of the shuttle will be jerky, and the probabilities are that it will be occasionally thrown out. The sweep of the strap should be sufficient to impart the blow of the picking ball gradually to the picker stick. The slack of the strap is first taken up for the blow, and then the force is imparted to the picker stick, with the result that the blow of the stick on the picker and shuttle is free from jerkiness. If the picker stick is not true and square 30 manuf'acture of linen, hemp and jute fabrics .

Page n42

where it fits into the picker, it may impart an uneven blow or movement to the picker, thereby causing the shuttle to move out of a straight line. If the hole in the picker head is" uneven, it will cause the shuttle to fly out by imparting a crooked motion, but it may not do so every time, as the deflecting motion may be imparted only at intervals, or in^ stead of throwing the shuttle out of its shed, the tip may be raised so that it will break the Avarp threads. With the picking motion, which includes picker, strap, spindle, and picker stick properly Avorking, there is not much liability of the shuttle being thrown out unless there is a defect in the ■ raceboard or reed. If the reed does not form a perfectly straight line with the back of the boxes, the shuttle will be deflected from a straight line and thrown out of the shed. A straight edge laid from box to box Avdl ahvays tell whether the reed is out of truth or not. A bent dent in the reed will deflect the shuttle from a straight course, and cause it to leave the shed. A worn raceway Avill also cause trouble by occasionally throAving out the shuttle; it should then be taken out of the loom and planed down true.

Page n42

To adjust the picker stroke, both cranks on the crank shaft are moved till they point vertically doAvnwards. This opens the shed more than half-Avay, the lathe being moved halfway towards the rear, and since a short time will elapse before the picker strap becomes tightened and the shuttle arrives at the shed, the nose of the tappet may now begin to engage with the striking roller, in fact, the latter should rest exactly in the hollow of the tappet. Slots are provided in the tappet to enable its nose to be adjusted and fixed by the aid of a couple of screws. To quicken the stroke, the screws are loosened and the nose drawn forward, whilst fer retarding the stroke the nose is pushed further back and' then refastened by tightening the screws up again. To fix the strikers, the loom is moved round until the point of the tappet nose points exactly to the centre of the roller. The

Page n43

The shuttle should not enter the shed until the latter is sufficiently open and the lathe drawn far enough back. The speed of the shuttle must be sufficient to cause it to leave the shed before the latter begins to close. Should it enter too soon or leave too late, the result will be the breakage of the threads at the edges of the warps or faults will be produced by the shuttle missing some of the threads.

Page n44

The lay or sley upon which the shuttle runs through the shed and which carries the reed which beats up the shots* is supported at either end by two vertical pieces called the swords, which are fulcrumed at their extremities in the framing. The swords arc connected by means of rods with cranks upon the crank shaft which is placed in a lower plane than the pins by which it is connected to the swords, d'he result is that the slay is given an oscillating movement backward and forward, the backward motion slow, in order to allow the shuttle time to get across, and the forward motion quick to save time and to beat up the weft smartly. The distance which the crank shaft should be below its point of connection with the sword is equal to half the diameter of the circle the crank describes.

Page n44

The throw of the crank must be increased m proportion to the width of the loom so that the shuttle may have time to get across.

Page n44

Any one at all conversant with the manufacture of cloth knows what an important part the reed and sley play in the production of a perfect fabric. As previously explained one of the chief purposes of the reed is to act as a gauge by v,‘hich the fineness of the cloth may be indicated. In addition the reed is used in weaving (i) to separate the ends of warp and to arrange them m their required places in the cloth ; {2) to serve as a guide for the shuttle in its passage across the loom; and (3) to beat up the weft to the preceding picks.

Page n44

In ancient times, reeds were made of reeds, rushes or strips of cane or wood, but now steel or a good quality of iron wire is used. Reeds should always be sufficiently deep to allow of a shed of suitable size for the shuttle being formed without the upper threads touching the top of the reed. In many cases the attachment of shuttle guards makes the substitution of deep reeds or narrow ones advis-

Page n45

able, as some forms of shuttle guards are apt to come into contact with the temples. The reed being used as a guide for the shuttle necessitates that some attention be paid to the position and method of affixing the reed in the lay and lay cap. The centre of the reed should be a little further back than the sides as this enables the shuttle to be kept against the reed on its passage across the loom. The broader the loom, the greater the bend of the reed. Care, however, must be taken that the ends of the reed do not project in front of the box backs, otherwise the shuttle will not run straight and may be thrown out. When beating up, the reed should be vertical or upright when at the fell of the cloth, as sometimes the weft is slightly cut or frayed, when the reed beats up, if it is inclined at an angle.

Page n45

The crank shaft makes two revolutions for one of the wiper shaft, for the former makes a complete revolution for each pick, while one revolution of the latter produces two picks, the shuttle being thrown from both sides.

Page n58

passage of the shuttle in the widest open part of the shed. This eccentricity in the movement of the lay depends upon two factors, which we give in order of their effective value.

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The motion of the batten must be more eccentric for wide looms than for narrow ones, for the wider the loom the longer the time the shuttle will occupy in travelling from box to box. *

Page n61

The weft-fork automatic stop arrangement is an important organ of the loom, for it often happens that the weaver omits to stop tlie loom directly the shuttle is empty, cither through carelessness or through the fact that he or she is minding a pair of looms. It may also happen tliat the weft breaks. In any case, if no automatic stop-gear were provided, faults, consisting of tliin places or a total absence of weft threads, would result. To prevent this a weft fork is affixed on the driving side, which fork, on the advance of the lathe, fits into a grid constni/,'ted in the latter. This fork is also put in connection with the starting lever, and while the loom is in gear is forced by the action of this lever in the direction of the lathe, so that when the crank reaches its front dead point the fork projects a short distance through the grid when no weft thread is across it. At the end of the fork opposite to the prongs is a small hook, which, at the instant under consideration, descends. On the other hand, if a weft thread prevents the prongs of the fork from passing through the grid, the hooked end is raised.

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mounted on the tappet shaft, the said tappet being adjusted in such a way that when the crank is in its foremost dead point {i.e,y the one next the cloth), the slightest forward movement of the loom causes the tappet to lift the lever arm. Ae the tappet roller makes only one revolution for every two picks, it results that the movement of the lever arrn follows every second pick. Consequently, in the above-named position of the crank shaft, the shuttle must be in the box on the driving side: i.e,^ the last pick must have been from the opposite side of the loom to the driving side. If now, as already contemplated, a weft thread lies between the prongs of the fork and the grid, the hook is lifted and the catch on the bent lever moves away underneath. If, however, the weft thread is absent, then the prongs project through the grid, the hook descends and, being engaged by the bent lever, is drawn forward, the lever connecting the fork with the starting lever comes into play and pushes the latter out of its notch, thus throwing the belt on to the loose pulley.

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The stop-rod or shuttle-protector is another organ of great importance in power looms, its object being to protect the warp from injury in the event of the shuttle, from any cause, failing to reach the shuttle-box and leave the shed before the reed beats up to the cloth. There is a “ frog ” or stop attached to the front of the framing of the loom. A lever comes in contact with this stop if the shuttle is not in the box at the proper time, but if the shuttle reaches the box in time it presses back a spring or lever, which acts upon the first-mentioned lever^ and raises its point, so that it clears the top of the “ frog ” as

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the lay makes its forward stroke; but if, as we have said, the shuttle does not enter the box, the point of the lever remains down, and strikes the shoulder of the “ frog,” the force of the concussion knocking off the loom by throwing the belt on to the loose pulley.

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The swords or arms of the lay are liable to break if the vertical distance between the stop-rod and the pin connecting the swords with the crank arms is too great. As regards liability of damage to the stop-rod itself, the nearer the “ frog ” is placed to the plane in which the stop-rod is moving the less the liability of damage to the latter. When the loom “ knocks off" the belt should pass on to the loose pulley as quickly as possible. The “ frog ” is often made so that it will slide for a short distance on the loom frame when it is struck by the stop-rod lever, and it has also a projection upon it which is intended to strike the handle communicating with the belt fork, and at tlie same time to liberate the brake. If these parts are carefully adjusted the belt is actually upon the loose pulley and the brake fully applied before any concussion takes place in the various parts, even when a loom is running at a fair speed. This arrangement has a tendency to put more work upon the picking motion, for the shuttle must be thrown with sufficient force to enter the box and press back the spring. It must also be thrown at such a speed that it may reach the box in time to press back the spring and raise the lev^r catch to prevent knocking off at the time when the reed is at a sufficient distance from the cloth to avoid damage to warp thread should the shuttle fail to reach the box.

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The aim and object of automatic looms is to diminish the labour and attention required on the weaver’s part, and thus to enable him or lier to attend to a larger number of looms. Since a large part of the weaver’s work on the ordinary loom consists in refilling and re-threading the shuttle when the weft breaks or runs out, the leading feature of automatic looms is the automatic supply of fresh weft to the loom on the exhaustion or failure of the supply. In this way the weaver has time to attend to a very considerably larger number of looms. The fact that the weaver does look after a large number of looms entails the necessity for a warp slop motions, lest fault in the cloth should be produced by broken warp threads running for a considerable time. As linen warps are inelastic and frequently brittle, automatic looms are not nearly so common in the linen and jute trades as they are in ihe cotton trade, and when they are used in the former trade it is generally upon union cloths with cotton warps.

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There are two types of looms in which the weft is automatically replenished. In one, fresh shuttles, filled in the usual way, are automatically supplied from a magazine. In the other type the shuttle is not changed, but the spent pirn or cop is pushed out and another forced in to take its place, the shuttle being made in such a way that it re-threads itself. The Northrop loom, shown in fig. 20, is representative of the latter type, and the Hatterslcy self-shuttling loom, reprecented in fig. 21, of the former type.

Page n79

The Northrop loom possesses, in addition to ihe shedding, picking and beating-up mechanisms of the power loom, a battery, warp stop motion, feeler and thread-cutting motion, and warp let-ofF motion. The magazine or battery for holding the reserve of weft cops or pirns ready for transference to the shuttle consists of three principal parts, namely, (i) the battery frame, a circular casting of substantial proportion, * hrmly affixed to the right-hand side of the breast beam, and

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of such construction that its bottom centre extends directly over the shuttle-box when the slay is fully forward ; (2) a disc, carried on a shaft fixed to the centre of ‘the battery frame, round the periphery of which disc are thirty cup-shaped notches intended to receive the butt or base of a cop skewer or pirn. At a correct distance from this disc is placed a flange, having suitable springs which come directly opposite and iupport the end of the pirn or cop. The ends of the weft threads extend from the weft holder over a guide, and are wound round a stud. The weft carriers with their disc are free to revolve on the shaft and come in succession under the face of a “ transfer hammer ” or bell crank lever, worked from a movable contact, which, on the exhaustion of the weft, through connection to the weft fork, is brought into the path of a projecting catch on the slay, imparting a downward circular motion to the transfer hammer as the slinttle-boxes come beneath the battery, a full pirn or cop being forced downwards into the shuttle, thrusting out the empty pirn or cop skewer at the bottom, causing it to fall into a box iixed for its reception.

Page n82

The llattersley self-shuttling loom (hg. 21) is really an ordinary one-shuttle loom which automatically stops on failure of the weft, ejects the spent shuttle, replaces it with a full shuttle and re-starts the loom. As will be seen from the illustration, the loom is provided with a hopper containing a number of shuttles provided with cops or pirns in the ordinary way. This hopper or magazine is secured in a fixed position on the breast beam, oppo.site to the box on the lathe. On the failure of weft the loom is stopped by means of the weft fork, the shuttle being brought opposite to the magazine when the loom comes to a stop. The dri\ ing belt of the loom, through the medium of the ordinary loose pulley, brings into action a pap-whecl, on the low shaft of which aie four lappets, which respectively communicate with mechanism which raises the fiont of the shuttle-box, ejects the spent shuttle, places a full shuttle in the box, and re-siarts the loom. All these motions are carried out (juitc automatically, and without any attention from the weaver beyond keeping a*constant suppl) of shuttles in the magazine, and placing the end of the weft from the cop or pirn in each shuttle in a clip, so that when a full shuttle is being exchanged for an empty one, the end of the weft will be held whilst the shuttle is picked lor the first time, dims the mechanism takes the place of the wea\er, and automatically performs the same operation that she would perform in introducing a. fresh shuttle in the loom, hut docs it considerably quicker than the most expert weaver could. The arrangement entirely prevents thick or thin places in the cloth, the worst fault that can occur jDeing two picks of Aveft in the same shed pait way across the piece. In order to prevent even this defect the motion may

Page n83

be SO arranged that when the weaver sees that tlie weft in the shuttle is nearly exhausted, she touches a button, and the shuttle is automatically ejected and replaced by a full shuttle from the magazine, and the loom is automatically re-started. If the weaver fails to notice that the weft is nearly exhausted, the loom will in this case stop on the failure of the weft, and must be re-started in the usual way. Or, as in the Northrop loom, a weft indicator or feeling motion may be provided both lor the automatic and semi-automatic looms. 'I'his mechanism is arranged to constantly feci at the cop or pirn near the end, and wlien only a few yards of weft are left, motion is transmiticl to the usual stop motion, the siuittlc ejected, a fresh one supplied, and the loom started again. The self-shn'tlmg motion opeiates exceedingly well. An advantage is claimed over the Northrop loom in that the loom comes to a dead stop for the change of shuttle, preventing undue wear and tear to the change mechanism. There arc stronger and fewer working parts, which recpiire but little more attention from the tenter than in the ordinary loom. The usual reeds, healds, shuttles, pickers, l\:c., are used. Further, any kind or size of w’eft pirn or cop may be used. As the change ol shuttle is effected in two and a quarter seconds', the time spent in rc-shuttling is less than five minutes per day on the average, and the production only 2 per cent. Jess than if the loom had not been stopped for re-shuttling.

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The jute or hemp loom has a shuttle-box which admits a shuttle taking a cop 10 in. long by if in. diameter. On the failure of the weft, the loom is stopped by the w'efi fork, the loose pulley biinging into action a pap-wdicel, on the lowshaft of which arc fixed four tappets, which respectively raise the front of the shuttle-box, eject tlie spent shuttles, place the full shuttle in the box and restart the loom. The take-up inc^ion is positive, with heavy wrought iron take-iip beam, turned true, ami covered with filleing ; a change wdieel determines the number of picks per inch. An auxiliary negative

Page n100

Height of Loom, 33 ,, ,, Shuttle, 25

Page n101

,, Linen Yarn Counts, 60 “ PorteiSystem, 6 ,, Yarn Table, 61 Schock, 61 Seamless Sacks, 53 Seats of the Jute Industry, 2 Selvedge Threads, 11 Sett of Reed, 62 Shed I'orining Motions, 33, 43 ShuUles, 25 Shuttle Guaids, 29 Size for Jute Warps;, 17 ,, ,, Linen ,, 17