Flying Shuttle is a Technology in Empire: Total War.
Description[]
A flying shuttle means the width of a loom can be increased beyond the span of a weaver's arms.
Manually powered looms can only make pieces of cloth that are no wider than the easy reach of the weaver, simply because he has to throw the shuttle carrying the woof across the warp threads on the loom. A flying loom uses a clever arrangement of lines and pulleys to launch the "flying" shuttle with atug on a cord, catch it at the other side of the loom, and return it with another tug of the cord. The width of the loom, and so the width of the cloth, can be increased as a result, and the quality of the cloth also improves, as the weaver is now free to use one hand to comb and compact the woven material.
The device was invented by Englishman John Kay (1704-80), and it brought him little but unhappiness. Weavers saw it as a threat to their livelihoods, and other inventors stole the idea and never paid him a penny for his work. The unfortunate man died penniless, having failed to sell his idea to the French (Good Lord, the French!) after his ill luck in Britain.
General Information[]
Flying Shuttle has no prerequisites, but completion of its research unlocks research for the Punch-Card Loom.