Hunt Let-Off Machine

Title

Hunt Let-Off Machine

Accession Number

2004.26.2

Accession Date

09/29/2004

Accession Creator

Carm Hudson

Depositor

Dewey Williams Jr.

Description

Hunt Let-Off machine rebuilt by Dewey Williams Jr. in 2003 who worked for Southern Machinery for 29 years.

John O. Hunt worked at Riegel Textile in Ware Shoals at the beginning of World War II. He developed and patented a brace for looms which he called a "spreader". This device allowed for an increase in the speed of the loom. Hunt then bought Mountain City Foundry on Academy Street in Greenville S.C. where he began producing and installing the braces. This device greatly helped the war effort because of the increase in speed. After the war, Hunt sold the company to Abney Mills in 1951-1952

Hunt then developed and patented the Hunt Let-Off machine in his Garage on West Augusta Road in Greenville, S.C. He died before his company received the first large order. His wife then sold the company, which he called Southern Loom Development, to Mr. Harris and Mr. Stewart who then built a plant named Southern Machinarty in Greer, S.C. at the intersection of Brushy Creek and Buncombe.
500,000 units of Hunt Let-Off machines were built, shipped, and installed on all types of looms and weaving machines. The Southern Machinery Plant operated from 1960-1990 when it was sold to another company.

Format

metal

Storage Location

Mill Gallery, next to Universal Tying Machine

Nomenclature

Category 04: Tools & Equipment for Materials
Textileworking T&E
Textile Manufacturing Equipment
Textile Machine