James Henry Northrop
Encyclopedia
James Henry Northrop, was born in Keighley
, West Yorkshire
in the United Kingdom, where he worked in the textile industry. He emigrated to Boston
, MA, in the USA in 1881. By 1898, working in Hopedale, Massachusetts
for George Draper and Sons
he had filed several hundred patents some of which were used in the Northrop Loom
. He retired at 42. He died in Santa Ana, California
on 12 December 1940, at 84.
He moved to Hopedale, Massachusetts
to work for George Draper and Sons
. Here he invented the Northrop spooler guide. He unsuccessfully tried to be a chicken farmer. And it was there he worked on his shuttle-charger for Mr Otis Draper,who saw a model of the device on March 5, 1889. Draper was also developing the Rhoades shuttle-charger. Northrop was given a loom to test his idea.
By May 20 he had concluded that his first idea was not practical, and had thought of another idea, On July 5, the completed loom was running, and as it seemed to have more advantages than the Rhoades loom. The Northrop device was given a mill trial in October 1889 at the Seaconnett Mills
in Fall River
. More looms were constructed.
Meanwhile he invented a self-threading shuttle and shuttle spring jaws to hold a bobbin by means of rings on the butt. This paved the way to his filling-changing battery of 1891, the basic feature of the Northrop Loom
.
The development of a workable warp stop motion by other members of the Draper organization and marketing of the first Northrop looms in 1894 the textile industry achieved new levels of production. By 1900, Draper had sold over 60,000 Northrop looms, They were shipping 1500 a month, were employing 2500 men and enlarging their works to increase that output.
Keighley
Keighley is a town and civil parish within the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated northwest of Bradford and is at the confluence of the River Aire and the River Worth...
, West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
in the United Kingdom, where he worked in the textile industry. He emigrated to Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, MA, in the USA in 1881. By 1898, working in Hopedale, Massachusetts
Hopedale, Massachusetts
Hopedale is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,911 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Hopedale, please see the article Hopedale , Massachusetts....
for George Draper and Sons
Draper Corporation
The Draper Corporation was once the largest maker of power looms for the textile industry in the United States. It operated in Hopedale, Massachusetts for over 130 years.-Beginnings:...
he had filed several hundred patents some of which were used in the Northrop Loom
Northrop Loom
The Northrop Loom was a fully automatic power loom marketed by George Draper and Sons, Hopedale, Massachusetts beginning in 1895. It was named after James Henry Northrop who invented the shuttle-charging mechanism. -The Loom:...
. He retired at 42. He died in Santa Ana, California
Santa Ana, California
Santa Ana is the county seat and second most populous city in Orange County, California, and with a population of 324,528 at the 2010 census, Santa Ana is the 57th-most populous city in the United States....
on 12 December 1940, at 84.
Working life
He started his working life in England, where he was a mechanic and factory foreman before emigrating to Massachusetts in 1881.He moved to Hopedale, Massachusetts
Hopedale, Massachusetts
Hopedale is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,911 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Hopedale, please see the article Hopedale , Massachusetts....
to work for George Draper and Sons
Draper Corporation
The Draper Corporation was once the largest maker of power looms for the textile industry in the United States. It operated in Hopedale, Massachusetts for over 130 years.-Beginnings:...
. Here he invented the Northrop spooler guide. He unsuccessfully tried to be a chicken farmer. And it was there he worked on his shuttle-charger for Mr Otis Draper,who saw a model of the device on March 5, 1889. Draper was also developing the Rhoades shuttle-charger. Northrop was given a loom to test his idea.
By May 20 he had concluded that his first idea was not practical, and had thought of another idea, On July 5, the completed loom was running, and as it seemed to have more advantages than the Rhoades loom. The Northrop device was given a mill trial in October 1889 at the Seaconnett Mills
Seaconnett Mills
Seaconnett Mills is an historic cotton textile mill site located at 21 Father DeValles Boulevard in Fall River, Massachusetts.Mill No. 1 was built in 1884, while Mill No. 2 was built in the 1890s. Henry C...
in Fall River
Fall River
-Cities and towns:In Canada:*Fall River, Nova ScotiaIn the United States:*Fall River, Kansas*Fall River, Massachusetts, the largest city with this name*Fall River, Tennessee*Fall River, Wisconsin*Fall River County, South Dakota-Rivers:In Canada:...
. More looms were constructed.
Meanwhile he invented a self-threading shuttle and shuttle spring jaws to hold a bobbin by means of rings on the butt. This paved the way to his filling-changing battery of 1891, the basic feature of the Northrop Loom
Northrop Loom
The Northrop Loom was a fully automatic power loom marketed by George Draper and Sons, Hopedale, Massachusetts beginning in 1895. It was named after James Henry Northrop who invented the shuttle-charging mechanism. -The Loom:...
.
The development of a workable warp stop motion by other members of the Draper organization and marketing of the first Northrop looms in 1894 the textile industry achieved new levels of production. By 1900, Draper had sold over 60,000 Northrop looms, They were shipping 1500 a month, were employing 2500 men and enlarging their works to increase that output.