Tokyo - TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION (TMC) is proud to announce that it has donated an original Toyoda Type G Automatic Loom (Toyoda Type G) for permanent display at Britain's venerable National Museum of Science & Industry. The precedent-setting loom, manufactured by Toyoda Automatic Loom Works, Ltd. in 1926, is part of the Museum's "Making the Modern World" gallery, which was officially opened today in London by Her Majesty the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.

The Toyoda Type G is a non-stop shuttle-change motion automatic loom invented by Sakichi Toyoda, father of Kiichiro Toyoda, founder of Toyota Motor Co. The authentic unit donated to the Science Museum is fully operational and has the same specifications as a sample unit sent to then-world leading spinning and weaving machine manufacturer Platt Brothers & Co. of the U.K., which bought the rights to the loom's design in 1929.  

"Making the Modern World" highlights the culture and technology of the nearly 250 years since the start of the industrial revolution. The gallery, mostly using items from the museum's own collection, focuses on "first in the world" technologies, displaying them according to era and year. The Toyoda Type G was the first automatic loom to allow shuttle changes without stopping the machine.  

The unit on display at the museum was contributed on request through co-operation between TMC and Toyoda Automatic Loom Works. Special demonstration times have been designated to let visitors see it in action as the only working exhibit in the gallery.  

The Toyoda Type G was the world's first automatic loom with a non-stop shuttle-change motion. It was developed by the founder of the Toyota Group, inventor Sakichi Toyoda, in 1924.  

Sakichi knew that the key to making a better loom would be to invent one that was both powered and automatic. His enthusiasm led him to developing Japan's first power loom in 1896. In 1903, he accomplished a series of innovations, including creating an automatic shuttle-change device, which enabled automatic supply of weft (horizontal) yarn, and a device that automatically stopped the cutting of weft and warp (vertical) yarn. Other achievements included a variety of devices for protection and safety as well as "human-oriented" automation. He made all of these devices himself and repeatedly tested them.  

With his firm belief that "No invention should be introduced unless fully proven in trial operation," he started long-term, large-scale tests covering both spinning and weaving operations. In 1920, Sakichi was joined by his son Kiichiro (the founder of Toyota Motor Co.). In November 1924, the two completed a flawless automatic loom that implemented all of Sakichi's patents. Among other attributes, the new loom allowed the smooth change of shuttles without the need to reduce running speed, even during high-speed operation.  

The result was a machine that was 15 times more productive than existing looms. In addition to increasing dramatically the weaving efficiency and textile quality, the machine was quite easy to operate, thus leading to major reductions in labour and equipment costs. In terms of overall performance, it comprehensively outperformed the automatic looms made in the U.S. and U.K. at the time. To start producing the Toyota Type G, Sakichi established Toyoda Automatic Loom Works, Ltd. in 1926. The company received orders for roughly 6,000 units during the first year alone. By 1937, more than 60,000 units were produced for sale in Japan and export to China, India, the U.S. and other countries.  

With the introduction of an amendment to the Factory Law in 1929, which prohibited late-night labour by women and children, and world-wide rationalisation in the fields of production and management following World War I, the Toyoda Type G came atthe perfect time and not only made a huge contribution to Japan's textile industry, but also served as the basis for the growth and development of the Toyota Group.  

Britain's Platt Brothers & Co., Ltd., the world's top manufacturer of spinning and weaving machines at the time, highly regarded the Toyota Type G for its performance and bought for 100,000 pounds (about 1 million yen in those days) the exclusive rights to manufacture and sell the model in countries other than Japan, China and the U.S. The fact that the greatness of this invention was being recognised world-wide and that a Japanese patent could fetch such a high price was a rare occurrence and this became one of the defining moments in Japanese technological history.  

(June 27, 2000)