Chinchilla Cloth

a thick, heavy, woolen cloth, with a tufted nap, used for overcoats, women's cloaks, etc. It is supposed to have received its name from being made originally in a gray color to imitate chinchilla fur. It is now made in a great variety of colors, weights, and qualities. The distinguishing features are the double-weave and tufted nap. In double-weave, coarse yarns are used in the center or at the back of the web. The yarns are loose twisted, and the result is a bulky and yet pliable material of fine surface. The tufted nap is produced by a special machine called the chinchilla machine. This device contains a "bed," or flat surface, covered with tightly drawn Brussels carpeting. Over this the cloth is passed at a slow rate of speed. Above the cloth is suspended a cast-iron frame called a "follower," the under side of which is fitted with a rough, solid, India rubber plate or block. This "follower" can be raised or lowered, and has a rotary motion. By rubbing the surface of the cloth, the block raises the nap in little tufts or spiral points. A variety of effects can be produced, depending somewhat upon the length of the nap.