What made Edmund Cartwright's Power Loom revolutionary for sheer volume weaving?
Answer
It mechanized weaving using power, leading to exponential jumps in yardage output once perfected.
Edmund Cartwright patented the Power Loom in 1784 specifically to match the massively increased speed of yarn supply achieved by the late 18th-century spinners. The revolutionary aspect was mechanizing the weaving action itself using external power sources, such as water or later steam power, rather than human muscle. Although early versions required human intervention, the perfected, power-driven mechanism allowed a single operative to oversee multiple looms operating at high speed. This led to an exponential acceleration in cloth production, making mass-produced textiles economically viable for the first time.
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