Volume One

The following text is from "Essential Mechanics of Vehicles/Instruments" (original: "器象車要", Qixiang Cheyao), a technical manual on the construction of sericulture equipment.

The joint connects to the interlocking driving bracket original: "牡孃鐙", muniang deng. In traditional Chinese mechanics, "mu" (male) and "niang" (female/mother) refer to interlocking components like tenons and mortises or gears. This specific term refers to the cam or coupling mechanism that drives the silk-guide. The tenon is three inches long. This tenon should not be straight but must slant forward. The face of the pillar should not be flush with the machine body but slightly to the side to facilitate the movement of the axle. If the face is flat and pushed straight, then the pillar will tilt along with the frame. When the driving bracket rotates on top, it will not sit level or fit snugly. It should be level, though lower in the front and higher in the back, as the frame must be propped up high during the reeling process.

At the rear, two layers of horizontal crossbars original: "橫檔", hengdang are installed, each one foot eight inches long. Both rear layers are positioned at the bottom to provide clearance for the axle. The two front layers are divided into upper and lower positions. The lower layer should be curved rather than straight; if it is straight, it will obstruct the stove original: "竈", zao. The furnace used to heat the water for the cocoons.. On both the left and right sides, two layers of bars are also installed, each one foot four inches long. Two inches away from the upper bars, another set of bars is installed, extending seven inches beyond the body of the machine bed the main frame. A mortise hole original: "隼眼", sunyan is cut into the end to support the vertical archway frame original: "牌坊", paifang. The superstructure that holds the silk-guiding components..

The Axle

The axle is made of hardwood and is two feet five inches long. A round pivot original: "圓樞", yuanshu, two inches long, is carved at the head. The middle section is used for mounting the treadle-crank original: "貫腳", guanjiao. The mechanism where the foot pedal connects to the axle to provide power., sized according to the width of the machine bed. Six inches from the end, another round pivot two inches long is carved. Both pivots must rotate smoothly and fluidly. Beyond the rear pivot, the wood is shaved into eight equal facets creating an octagonal shape so that the driving bracket rope can be wound around it. At the very end, a short piece of wood six inches long is inlaid; atop this short wood, a round piece is inlaid horizontally to serve as a handle original: "柄", bing, also measuring...