envelopment of the shuttle commence, and the thread required for it flows
downward through the puncture. The envelopment is completed before the
needle has attained its highest point, and the consequent loose thread is
immediately pulled up by a lever, called a positive take-up, before the
needle begins to descend for a fresh stitch. In this way little or no
movement of the thread is required in the cloth while the puncture made is
occupied by the needle. The result is the capability of such apparatus to
work with an incredibly fine needle--indeed, so fine as to be no thicker
than the incompressed thread itself. This would have been considered quite
impossible of accomplishment by our earlier machine makers. The advantage
thereby gained in stitching linen goods, and in sewing leather, where every
puncture of the needle should be quite filled by the thread, is at once
apparent. Indeed, a rubber or leather sack, stitched in this way, will
contain water without leakage--a very extreme test.

_Revolving Shuttles_.--The class of shuttles known as revolving or
rotating, and which really consist of a combination of the disk shuttle and
the earlier rotating hook of Wilson, have been under trial by several
makers for many years. If, for example, the oscillating shuttle we have
just examined were to complete its circular movement, it would constitute a
revolving shuttle, but would not be quite similar to those devices now
known as such. The most remarkable device of this kind yet introduced is to
be found in Wheeler & Wilson's machine known as No. 10 D, and invented by
Mr. Dials last year. It consists, in fact, of a detached hook, and its
inventor declines to class it with shuttles at all, styling it a detached
hook. It consists of an exterior shell or skeleton of steel, capable of
rotation in an annular raceway. Its detachment from the axis forms a
striking exception to the general construction of interlocking apparatus in
this company's machines. Under the beak of this curious device is found an
oblong recess, into which fits loosely a carrier or driver, rotating with a