Blending

Wool being scattered inside a blending room (c1940s).

After the weights of the different types and qualities of wool to be incorporated into the blend have been decided (normally about 12,000lbs in total), the bales containing the raw materials are taken to the blending room. The fibres are then fed by hand into a machine called a shaker, in which they are torn and opened out by large metal teeth on a revolving 'swift' (a cylinder or roller). As the fibre is circulated inside this machine the dust is extracted through the cradles at the bottom by a fan and is dispatched into a dust bag. The fibre is finally projected from the front of the machine and onto a sideways-moving conveyer which in turn drops the fibre into a hopper (container). The hopper evens out the flow of fibre to the next opening machine called a 'picker teaser'.

From this machine the fibre is drawn through large pipes by a fan to the top of a blending bin. It is then scattered around the inside of the bin by a revolving S-shaped spreader. When the complete blend has passed through the machines and into this blending bin another sequence starts. In each bin there are ducts in the floor which can be opened or closed. The duct will be opened and the fibre fed by hand or pitchfork through it. The fibre will then be blown into the next blending bay. This process gives adequate mixing or blending of the various types of fibre being used, which also means it ensures regular shrinking of the blankets when they get to the finishing process.

The blend, having been mixed twice, is then fed by hand again through the ducts in the floor and blown into the hopper of the 'willey' machine or 'fearnought', from where it is delivered at a steady pace onto the slowly moving feed sheet. As the fibre passes along the feed sheet it is sprayed with oil, or an oil and water mixture, the quantity varies depending on the type of fibre being processed. The oil, besides acting as a lubricant, prevents static electricity and thus keeps down 'fly' during the carding process. It also acts, after the addition of sodium carbonate powder, as a soap during the scouring (washing) process of the woven blanket. After oiling, the material passes into the 'fearnought' where the fibre is fully opened up by the many small teeth on a revolving swift and four pairs of worker and stripper rollers. It is then blown again through ducts, but this time into smaller bins behind the respective carding machines in the carding and spinning department.

Mike French