Textile Machinery Belt

Leather belting for use on textile machinery.

This length of the leather belting connected individual machines with a line shafting mechanism.

Line shafting allowed a central source of power, such as a waterwheel, steam engine, or turbine, to power multiple machines at once. Using pullies, gears and belts, power was transmitted via the line shafting system, typically suspended from the ceiling, throughout the mill or factory.

The belting was often unguarded in early factories, causing injury or death when hair or clothing got caught up in it.