Britannica
Sources used in this answer
What jobs did the shuttle and batten perform on a loom?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
textile
An annotated diagram showing how an operator uses a hand wheel, rollers, and spindles on a spinning jenny to draw and twist unspun fiber into thread.
In the context of weaving, the shuttle and the batten (often referred to as the reed or the frame carrying the reed) perform distinct, essential roles in the production of fabric:
- The Shuttle: This is a spindle-shaped device used to carry the crosswise threads, known as the weft, through the lengthwise threads, or warp. As the shuttle traverses the shed (the opening created between warp threads), it leaves a trail of weft yarn behind it.12
- The Batten: While the term "batten" is sometimes used to describe the frame or bar that carries the reed, the actual process of "beating in" is performed by the reed itself. The reed is a grating of uniformly spaced, parallel wires that oscillates between the heddles and the junction where the warp meets the finished cloth. Its job is to push or "beat" each newly inserted pick of weft firmly into place against the fabric already woven, while also maintaining the proper spacing of the warp ends.2