Pliny Earle (inventor)
Encyclopedia
Pliny Earle I was an American
inventor who made wool and cotton carding
machines.
He was born in 1762 in Leicester, Massachusetts
.
He was a descendant of Ralph Earle
, who petitioned Charles I of England
, in 1638, for a charter to form themselves into Rhode Island
.
In 1785, he teamed with Edmund Snow in the manufacture of carding
machines for cotton and wool. Among the many obstacles encountered by Samuel Slater
in the introduction into the United States of the manufacture of cotton by machinery was the difficulty of procuring card clothing for his machines.
After unsuccessful applications to several other persons, he went, in 1790, to Earle, who, although it was a new and untried work, agreed to make the cards. He succeeded, but to achieve that success he was obliged to prick the holes for the teeth with two needles fastened in handle. This led him to the invention of the machine for pricking "twilled" cards, by which the labor of a man for fifteen hours could be performed in as many minutes. This machine was in general use for years, until the machine that both pricks the leather and sets the teeth superseded it. He was a member of the Society of Friends, and, apart from his inventive genius, made extensive attainments in science and literature.
Earle subsequently took little part in political affairs. He devoted his time principally to literary work, and published an "Essay on Penal Law" ; an "Essay on the Rights of States to Alter and to Annul their Charters"; "Treatise on Railroads and Internal Communications" (1830) and a" Life of Benjamin Lundy." At the time of his death he was engaged in a translation of Sismondis "Italian Republics," and in the compilation of a "Grammatical Dictionary of the French and the English Languages."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
inventor who made wool and cotton carding
Carding
Carding is a mechanical process that breaks up locks and unorganised clumps of fibre and then aligns the individual fibres so that they are more or less parallel with each other. The word is derived from the Latin carduus meaning teasel, as dried vegetable teasels were first used to comb the raw wool...
machines.
He was born in 1762 in Leicester, Massachusetts
Leicester, Massachusetts
Leicester is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 10,970 at the 2010 census.-History:Leicester was first settled in 1713 and was officially incorporated in 1714....
.
He was a descendant of Ralph Earle
Ralph Earle
Ralph Earle may refer to:*Ralph Earle *Ralph Earle , American naval officer*Ralph Anstruther Earle , UK politician*Ralph Earle, Jr., biblical scholar...
, who petitioned Charles I of England
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
, in 1638, for a charter to form themselves into Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
.
In 1785, he teamed with Edmund Snow in the manufacture of carding
Carding
Carding is a mechanical process that breaks up locks and unorganised clumps of fibre and then aligns the individual fibres so that they are more or less parallel with each other. The word is derived from the Latin carduus meaning teasel, as dried vegetable teasels were first used to comb the raw wool...
machines for cotton and wool. Among the many obstacles encountered by Samuel Slater
Samuel Slater
Samuel Slater was an early English-American industrialist known as the "Father of the American Industrial Revolution", or the "Father of the American Factory System" because he brought British textile technology to America. He learned textile machinery as an apprentice to a pioneer in the British...
in the introduction into the United States of the manufacture of cotton by machinery was the difficulty of procuring card clothing for his machines.
After unsuccessful applications to several other persons, he went, in 1790, to Earle, who, although it was a new and untried work, agreed to make the cards. He succeeded, but to achieve that success he was obliged to prick the holes for the teeth with two needles fastened in handle. This led him to the invention of the machine for pricking "twilled" cards, by which the labor of a man for fifteen hours could be performed in as many minutes. This machine was in general use for years, until the machine that both pricks the leather and sets the teeth superseded it. He was a member of the Society of Friends, and, apart from his inventive genius, made extensive attainments in science and literature.
Earle subsequently took little part in political affairs. He devoted his time principally to literary work, and published an "Essay on Penal Law" ; an "Essay on the Rights of States to Alter and to Annul their Charters"; "Treatise on Railroads and Internal Communications" (1830) and a" Life of Benjamin Lundy." At the time of his death he was engaged in a translation of Sismondis "Italian Republics," and in the compilation of a "Grammatical Dictionary of the French and the English Languages."
Children
- John Milton EarleJohn Milton EarleJohn Milton Earle was an American businessman, abolitionist, and statesman who founded the Massachusetts Horticultural Society in 1829....
- Pliny Earle II
- Thomas EarleThomas EarleThomas Earle was an American journalist, lawyer, and politician.-Biography:The son of Pliny Earle, he was born in Leicester, Massachusetts....