Arkwright's Wrap-reel Winding Wheel, English, 1769-1775

Original wrap-reel or winding wheel used at Sir Richard Arkwright's mill and probably made by John Kay, Cromford, Derbyshire, England, 1769-1775.

This is a measuring appliance, invented and made by Sir Richard Arkwright, for winding yarn into hanks of measured length and convenient for packing. As yarn is sold by weight the price depends largely upon the number of hanks that go to the pound, a quantity known as the count of the yarn - and for determining the count this wrap reel is also most convenient. The reel consists of a six-armed star turning on a horizontal axis and rotated by a winch handle. From the axis reducing gearing transmits motion to an index moving over a horizontal circular dial, the reading on which indicates the length wound on. One revolution of the reel winds on 1.5 yd. of yarn and moves the index through 1/560th of the circle. The dial is divided into seven equal parts so that one division represents 80 turns of the reel or 120 yd., which makes one 'lea' or 'wrap'. Seven wraps make one or 840 yd., a quantity represented by the index having moved once round the dial. When reeling to find the count of the yarn, one wrap is wound off and weighed. As there are 7,000 gr. in a pound and seven wraps in a hank, the number or count of the yarn is obtained by dividing 1,000 by the weight of the measured wrap in grains.