GB2102035A

GB2102035A - Narrow fabrics

Info

Publication number: GB2102035A
Application number: GB8218167A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Lindsay Davenport
Original assignee: BRITISH TRIMMINGS Ltd
Current assignee: BRITISH TRIMMINGS Ltd
Priority date: 1981-07-02
Filing date: 1982-06-23
Publication date: 1983-01-26

Abstract

A narrow fabric is woven with the weft 14 at an angle of 30 DEG to 60 DEG , preferably 45 DEG to the warp 13. The fabric is woven on a loom with an inclined reed 10, a weft inserting needle 11, which preferably moves parallel to the reed, and with a selvedge knitting needle 12 which may also knit a catch thread into the selvedge. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Narrow fabric This invention concerns narrow fabrics.

For certain practical applications, it is desirable that narrow fabrics should have a certain degree of pliability. Thus, for instance, when piping or edging fabric products, use is generally made of so-called bias binding and braids. Bias binding is, of course, usually, a conventionally-woven fabric cut on the bias to strip form, and each strip has to have its longitudinal edges folded inwards towards one another so that when sewn in place such edges will not unravel. Because it is produced by cutting loom width fabric, bias binding can only be produced in relatively short lengths. Braided narrow fabrics are, of course, capable of being produced in continuous lengths, but have the disadvantage that they can only be produced relatively slowly, so that they are relatively more expensive than conventionallyproduced woven fabrics.

An object of the present invention is to provide a form of narrow fabric which is more pliable than conventionally-produced narrow fabrics so that it can be employed in circumstances wherein bias binding and like products have hitherto been employed, and which has the advantage that it can be produced in continuous lengths.

With this object in view, the present invention provides a woven narrow fabric comprising warp threads extending longitudinally of the fabric and woven with weft threads which extend thereacross at an angle in the range of 30 to 609 to the warp threads and which are bound in along one longitudinal edge of the fabric.

Preferably the angle of the warp threads is substantially 45".

The invention further provides a method of preparing a woven narrow fabric as aforesaid which comprises, in a narrow fabric loom, forming a shed of warp threads extending in parallel away th rough a reed which is inclined at an angle in the range of 30 to 60 to the direction of the shed, inserting weft yarns into said shed in such a manner as to be bound in along at least one longitudinal edge of the fabric, and causing the reed to move longitudinally of the shed so as to beat the weft up at an angle in the range 300 to 600 to the warp threads.

Preferably the angle of the reed to the shed and the resultant angle at which the weft is beaten up is substantially 45".

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing which illustrates diagrammatically a preferred embodiment of the narrow fabric of the invention and a method of preparing same.

In making a preferred form of the narrow fabric of the invention, use is made of a narrow fabric loom which is generally similar two a conventional narrow fabric loom. It differs from such a conventional loom, however, principally in that its reed 10, as shown in the drawing, is inclined at an angle substantially of 45" to the direction of a shed of warp yarns 13 which extend from a reel (not shown), through the reed 10, and associated healds (not shown), in a parallel array. Also, a weft inserter 11, which is disposed at one side of the reed 10, is adapted to move to and fro across the warp in a direction, indicated by arrow 16, which is substantially parallel to the orientation of the reed 10 and at an angle substantially of 45" to the warp yarns 13.A selvedge needle 12 is provided at the opposite side of the reed 10.

Operation of the loom involves insertion of a weft yarn loop or pair 14 at each cycle of movement of the inserter 11. Between each cycle of movement, the reed 10 reciprocates (downwardly and upwardly as shown in the drawing) to beat the last inserted weft yarn loop or pair 14 up to a fell, generally indicated by reference numeral 15, where all previously inserted weft yarn loops or pairs 14 are tight packed.

(For clarity, these weft yarn loops or pairs 14 are not shown tight packed in the drawing). Also, the selvedge knitting needle 12 serves to engage with each newly inserted loop or pair 14to lock or bind the same at the respective longitudinal edge of the fabric as it is woven.

The resultant fabric, of course, is a narrow fabric having substantially parallel warp yarns 13 but with its weft threads 14 extending across the width of the fabric at an angle of about 45" to the longitudinal direction of the fabric. In accordance with conventional techniques, the selvedge knitting needle 12 binds the inserted weft yarns 14 along one edge of the fabric and the other selvedge 17 is formed, of course, as a result of shed changes between each successive weft insertion. The fabric is relatively pliable and can be used in the same way as bias bindings, braids and the like, yet is less expensive than the latter.

The invention is not confined to the precise details of the foregoing example and variations may be made there to. Thus, whilst an angle of 45" of weft thread to warp thread has been proposed in the example, other angles, generally within the range of 30"to 600, can be employed with similar effect.

During preparation of the fabric, the weft yarn loops or pairs may be inserted at any angle to the warp yarns so long as the reed is inclined at the required angle, in the range 300 to 600, to the warp thread so as to beat up the weft yarn to the required angle at the fell. Of course, as described, the weft yarn is preferably also inserted at the required angle.

Also, the selvedge knitting needle may operate to bind the weft yarn loops or pairs at the edge of the fabric in a different manner to that described, e.g. by means of a supplementary selvedge thread.

1. A woven narrow fabric comprising weft threads extending longitudinally of the fabric and woven with warp threads which extend thereacross at an angle in the range of 30 to 60 to the warp threads and which are bound in along one longitudinal edge of the fabric.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Narrow fabric This invention concerns narrow fabrics. For certain practical applications, it is desirable that narrow fabrics should have a certain degree of pliability. Thus, for instance, when piping or edging fabric products, use is generally made of so-called bias binding and braids. Bias binding is, of course, usually, a conventionally-woven fabric cut on the bias to strip form, and each strip has to have its longitudinal edges folded inwards towards one another so that when sewn in place such edges will not unravel. Because it is produced by cutting loom width fabric, bias binding can only be produced in relatively short lengths. Braided narrow fabrics are, of course, capable of being produced in continuous lengths, but have the disadvantage that they can only be produced relatively slowly, so that they are relatively more expensive than conventionallyproduced woven fabrics. An object of the present invention is to provide a form of narrow fabric which is more pliable than conventionally-produced narrow fabrics so that it can be employed in circumstances wherein bias binding and like products have hitherto been employed, and which has the advantage that it can be produced in continuous lengths. With this object in view, the present invention provides a woven narrow fabric comprising warp threads extending longitudinally of the fabric and woven with weft threads which extend thereacross at an angle in the range of 30 to 609 to the warp threads and which are bound in along one longitudinal edge of the fabric. Preferably the angle of the warp threads is substantially 45". The invention further provides a method of preparing a woven narrow fabric as aforesaid which comprises, in a narrow fabric loom, forming a shed of warp threads extending in parallel away th rough a reed which is inclined at an angle in the range of 30 to 60 to the direction of the shed, inserting weft yarns into said shed in such a manner as to be bound in along at least one longitudinal edge of the fabric, and causing the reed to move longitudinally of the shed so as to beat the weft up at an angle in the range 300 to 600 to the warp threads. Preferably the angle of the reed to the shed and the resultant angle at which the weft is beaten up is substantially 45". The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing which illustrates diagrammatically a preferred embodiment of the narrow fabric of the invention and a method of preparing same. In making a preferred form of the narrow fabric of the invention, use is made of a narrow fabric loom which is generally similar two a conventional narrow fabric loom. It differs from such a conventional loom, however, principally in that its reed 10, as shown in the drawing, is inclined at an angle substantially of 45" to the direction of a shed of warp yarns 13 which extend from a reel (not shown), through the reed 10, and associated healds (not shown), in a parallel array. Also, a weft inserter 11, which is disposed at one side of the reed 10, is adapted to move to and fro across the warp in a direction, indicated by arrow 16, which is substantially parallel to the orientation of the reed 10 and at an angle substantially of 45" to the warp yarns 13.A selvedge needle 12 is provided at the opposite side of the reed 10. Operation of the loom involves insertion of a weft yarn loop or pair 14 at each cycle of movement of the inserter 11. Between each cycle of movement, the reed 10 reciprocates (downwardly and upwardly as shown in the drawing) to beat the last inserted weft yarn loop or pair 14 up to a fell, generally indicated by reference numeral 15, where all previously inserted weft yarn loops or pairs 14 are tight packed. (For clarity, these weft yarn loops or pairs 14 are not shown tight packed in the drawing). Also, the selvedge knitting needle 12 serves to engage with each newly inserted loop or pair 14to lock or bind the same at the respective longitudinal edge of the fabric as it is woven. The resultant fabric, of course, is a narrow fabric having substantially parallel warp yarns 13 but with its weft threads 14 extending across the width of the fabric at an angle of about 45" to the longitudinal direction of the fabric. In accordance with conventional techniques, the selvedge knitting needle 12 binds the inserted weft yarns 14 along one edge of the fabric and the other selvedge 17 is formed, of course, as a result of shed changes between each successive weft insertion. The fabric is relatively pliable and can be used in the same way as bias bindings, braids and the like, yet is less expensive than the latter. The invention is not confined to the precise details of the foregoing example and variations may be made there to. Thus, whilst an angle of 45" of weft thread to warp thread has been proposed in the example, other angles, generally within the range of 30"to 600, can be employed with similar effect. During preparation of the fabric, the weft yarn loops or pairs may be inserted at any angle to the warp yarns so long as the reed is inclined at the required angle, in the range 300 to 600, to the warp thread so as to beat up the weft yarn to the required angle at the fell. Of course, as described, the weft yarn is preferably also inserted at the required angle. Also, the selvedge knitting needle may operate to bind the weft yarn loops or pairs at the edge of the fabric in a different manner to that described, e.g. by means of a supplementary selvedge thread. CLAIMS

2. A woven narrow fabric as claimed in claim 1 wherein the angle of the warp threads is substantially 45".

3. A woven narrow fabric substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

4. A method of preparing a woven narrow fabric as defined in claim 1, 2 or 3, said method comprising, in a narrow fabric loom, forming a shed of warp threads extending in parallel array through a reed which is inclined at an angle in the range of 300 to 600 to the direction of the shed, inserting weft yarns into said shed in such a manner as to be bound in along at least one longitudinal edge of the fabric, and caus ing the reed to move longitudinally of the shed so as to beat the weft up at an angle in the range 300 to 60 to the warp threads.

5. A method of preparing a woven narrow fabric as claimed in claim 4 wherein the angle of the reed to the shed and the resultant angle at which the weft is beaten up is substantially 45".

6. A method of preparing a woven narrow fabric as claimed in claim 4 or 5 wherein the weft is inserted into the shed at an angle in the range 30 to 600 to the warp threads.

7. A method of preparing a woven narrow fabric substantially as hereinbefore described.