GB2164670A

GB2164670A - Pattern weaving

Info

Publication number: GB2164670A
Application number: GB08523204A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hans Brabender
Original assignee: BRAKEL LABELS Ltd
Current assignee: BRAKEL LABELS Ltd
Priority date: 1984-09-19
Filing date: 1985-09-19
Publication date: 1986-03-26
Also published as: GB8523204D0; GB8423727D0

Abstract

In a label, in which a pattern is woven into a background of woven warps and wefts by pattern wefts a supplementary system of warp threads is used to bind floats of the pattern weft to the background instead of using the background warp. The threads of the supplementary warp system are invisible when in situ over the colour of the pattern weft threads and may be translucent, thin, or of the same colour as the pattern weft.

Description

SPECIFICATION Pattern weaving The present invention relates to a method of pattern weaving on a background warp-weft system and to the product of such a method. Such pattern weaving would normally be carried out to produce a strip of narrow fabric such as in the manufacture of labels.

In the pattern weaving of labels the interest is usually in a prominent colour on a contrasting background. A background colour weft thread is inserted through a background colour warp shed to produce the body of the ground fabric. The pattern is produced by inserting additional weft picks of coloured yarn through the warp shed. The actual selection of weft picks for the coloured yarn and the shedding of the warp threads is normally carried out automatically by a jacquard mechanism. The jacquard mechanism may be operated in response to computer instruction. In such a case the information is delivered to the computer in the form shown in Figure 4. Where the pattern incorporates a vertical line the weft thread floats over the face of the body fabric and it is necessary to bind the weft to the body fabric by lifting a warp end within the length of the float.In the case of a long float two or more warp ends may be lifted.

This results in a speckled effect on the pattern (see Figure 2) as the colour of the pattern is dappled with the colour of the background. As the two colours will always be chosen to contrast, this problem cannot be overcome by adjusting the colour ways.

According to the present invention there is provided a method of weaving a pattern on a background comprising inserting weft picks of pattern yarn into a warp-weft system of background yarn wherein invisible threads are distibuted through at least the area of the pattern to form a supplementary warp system, and floats arising in the pattern being bound to the background fabric by lifting one or more invisible threads.

Preferably the invisible threads lie on the back of the body fabric, periodically being bound into the fabric to maintain tension.

In another aspect the invention provides a woven fabric in which a pattern of weft picks is woven into a background fabric comprising warp and weft threads, wherein any floats in the pattern are bound to the background fabric by a supplementary warp system of invisible threads.

Thus the background colour no longer appears on top of the design threads and the pattern is seen in solid colour.

"Invisible" when used in reference to the aditional threads used should be taken to mean not visible from the front of the woven fabric and may include a translucent thread or a very thin thread.

The threads need not be invisible when viewed separately out of the context of the woven pattern.

For example they may be the same colour as the pattern threads.

In the most modern looms a system is used in which a weft yarn is threaded through a warp shed, caught the other end, and then returned through the same shed parallel to the forward pick before the warp is shedded. Thus for each line of pattern weft there are two threads. This is called a "double pick" or "two pick" system. The advantages of using these modern machines with their additional electronic and computer operated components is that the weaving rate is substantially improved and the machine size is much reduced.

The disadvantage is that in using two threads instead of one for wach weft row of pattern, the binding of the pattern weft thread floats by the ground warp produces a speckled effect which is so obvious that it is not tolerable unless this effect is particularly required. Thus while the method of the invention provides an advantage for a single pick weaving system, it is indispensible when the fabric is woven on a "two pick" system.

The method of the invention is equally appropriate for synthetic and non-synthectic materials, as well as mixed fibres. However it is particularly suitable when the ground material is satin because it is with this material that the effects of ground thread binding of weft floats is most marked.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a graphic illustration outside the area of the pattern of a woven label according to the present invention, Figure 2 is a label made in accordance with prior art methods, Figure 3 is a label made in accordance with the method of the present invention, Figure 4 illustrates the information fed to a machine to produce the label of Figure 2 and Figure 5 illustrates the information fed to a machine to produce the label of Figure 3.

Figure 1 shows the warp 11 and weft 12 which form the background 10 of a satin weave label. Superimposed into this background is a number of invisible nylon or polyester threads 13 dispersed evenly across the width parallel to the warp threads 11. The threads 13 lie across the back of the fabric and are only brought to the front at intervals to bind them to the fabric. One such instance is shown at 15. Adjacent threads are lifted at different wefts 12 on the ground fabric. Towards the edge of the fabric on each side a special binder is formed without invisible threads. The label is finished on both sides, outside the special binder, by an edge 17.

The method by which this is achieved is that a weaving machine is threaded with a set of warp threads for the background. Interspersed among these warp threads the machine carries a set of invisible threads over the central area only, or at least where the pattern will appear appear on the label which needs binding. The invisible threads will lie parallel to the warp of the background. Although it will be known that the warp thread is longitudinal of the woven fabric and the weft is transverse, it must also be appreciated that a label will be woven sideways so that the warp threads will be those that run across the pattern and the weft threads will be those that run up and down the pattern.

Over the area of the design or pattern, which in the illustrated case is the word PLANET, the design colour is incorporated into the woven fabric by inserting weft picks of coloured yarn 18 through warp sheds. Where the design includes long thread on the weft, as in the vertical parts of the P and T, these must be bound to the fabric to prevent the formation of a float or loop. This is accomplished by lifting to the front of the fabric enough of the invisible threads 13 to achieve this. The invisible threads are brough to the front of the pattern only to bind the float and then return to the back of the fabric. The background warp threads must remain under the design.

In the case of the "two pick" system each row of the design will be formed by two weft picks. The invisible thread or threads which are brought forward to bind floats on this machine will bind simultaneously both picks if a weft.

The insertion of the weft picks of the design thread and the lifting of the individual invisible threads may be achieved automatically by programming a jacquard machine having a computer.

Figures 4 and 5 illustrate the picture which is visible on the computer screen when information is fed to the computer to enable it to determine the exact machine operations for the manufacture of the labels shown in Figures 2 and 3 respectively.

With a method in accordance with the invention it is possible do away with the speckled effect and white spots which spoil the figure weave when woven in the standard method as described in the introduction. Using the method of the invention the basic structure and appearance of the woven design is not changed, but the clarity of the figure weave is greatly improved.

Claims

1. A method of weaving a pattern on a background fabric comprising inserting weft picks of pattern yarn into a warp-left system of background yarn wherein invisible threads are disributed through at least the area of the pattern to form supplementary warp system, any floats in the pattern being bound to the background by the invisible threads.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the weft picks of pattern yarn are woven in a two pick system, the invisible threads binding floats to the ground material by passing across both picks of a weft.

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the ground material is satin.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein the pattern weft thread is satin.

5. A method according to any of the preceding claims wherein the invisible threads are translucent.

6. A method according to any of claims 1 to 4 wherein the invisible threads are of the same colour as the pattern weft thread.

7. A woven fabric manufactured by a method according to any of the preceding claims in which a pattern of weft picks is woven into a background fabric comprising warp and weft threads, wherein any floats in the pattern are bound to the background fabric by a supplementary warp system of invisible threads.

8. A woven fabric according to claim 7 wherein two weft picks are woven between each shed of warp threads.

9. A woven fabric according to claim 7 or 8 wherein the ground material is satin.

10. A woven material according to claim 9 wherein the pattern weft thread is satin.

11. A woven fabric according to any of claims 8 to 10 wherein the invisible threads are translucent.

12. A woven material according to any of claims 7 to 10 wherein the invisible threads are of the same colour as the pattern weft thread.

13. A method of pattern weaving substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1, 3 and 5 of the drawings.

14. A woven material substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1, 3 and 5 of the drawings.

15. A method according to any of claims 1 to 6 wherein the supplementary warp system of invisible threads is retained at the back of the fabric except where threads are lifted to bind a float or for periodic binding into the background fabric.