The water frame was the first spinning machine that performed constant spinning of cotton yarn. Through the use of a series of rollers, the water frame was able to produce very strong, smooth yarn that paved the way for the weaving of all-cotton fabrics.

The water frame was invented in England by Richard Arkwright and was patented in 1769. At that time, James Hargreaves' spinning jenny was enjoying great success. However, the spinning jenny simply mechanized the actions of a hand-turned spinning wheel; it could not improve upon the actual quality of yarn produced.

Arkwright came up with a design that would produce stronger yarn by drawing the cotton fibers apart further and more evenly. The cotton was pulled through a set of eight rollers arranged in four pairs. In each pair, the top roller was covered in leather, a material that easily gripped the rough cotton...