the finger, and causes the latter to be thrown out near to the point
at which the filaments going to make up the weakened thread are being
drawn from the cocoons. Here the new filament is attached to the new
running thread by a kind of revolving finger, J, called in France a
"lance-bout." This contrivance takes the place of the agate of the
ordinary filature, and is made up, essentially, of the following
parts:

(1) A hollow axis, through the inside of which the thread passes
instead of going through the hole of an agate. This hollow axis is
furnished, near its lower end, with a ridge which serves to support a
movable portion turning constantly round the axis. (2) A movable
portion turning constantly round the axis. (3) A finger or hook
fastened on the side of the movable portion and revolving with it.
This hook, in revolving, catches the filament brought up by the finger
and serves it on to the thread.

Such are the principal parts of the automatic reeling machine.
Although the fact that this machine is entirely a new invention has
necessitated a somewhat long explanation, its principal organs can
nevertheless be summed up in a few words: (1) A controlling drum which
serves to give the thread a constant elongation; (2) a pulley mounted
on a pivot which closes an electric current every time that the thread
becomes too fine, and attains, in consequence, its minimum strength,
in other words, every time that a fresh cocoon is needed; (3)
electromagnets with the necessary conducting wires; (4) the feeding
basin; (5) distributing finger and stops; and (6) the lance-bout.

Our illustration, Fig. 1, shows diagrammatically a section through the
cocoon frame and reel. The thread is composed of three, four, or more