IL27930A - Weaving method and machine therefor - Google Patents

Description

rniay naiDai runic ΠΟ*Ε? WEAVING METHOD AND MACHINE THEREFOR Leater Raphael Wellman Highland Park, 111. USA This invention relates to a unique oonstruotion and method suitable for use in the weaving of materials. The invention is particularly directed to a weaving machine which is capable of combining threads in woven patterns whereby lengths of material oan be produced in a highly economical and efficient manner.

It is a general object of this invention to provide a weavin maohine system oomprising construction and method which is uniquely suitable for the efficient produotion of lengths of material.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide a weaving naohine construction which is characterized by a unique operating arrangement permitting the formation of woven material at exceptionally high speeds and with exceptional reliability.

It is a more specific object of this invention to provide a weaving maohine oonstruotion which employs structural arrangements chrac-terized by highly reliable operation whereby the weaving can proceed without encountering expensive dow time for threading or mechanical failure.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a system of the type described whic is characterized by great versatility from the standpoint of the types of woven material that can be produced, which oan be easily adjusted for purposes of accommodating different jroduction rates and different types of materials, which can be produced at low initial cost and maintained at low cost, and which requires little supervision during a production run. v .

These and other objects of this invention will appear hereinafter and for purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, a specific embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in vfaichi- .. . Fig. 1 is a side elevational view illustrating the basic nature of the weaving,machine construction of this invention; Fig, 2 is a schematic plan view taken about the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig, 3 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the arrangement of threads. t the entry end of the construction! Fig, 4 is an enlarged detail view illustrating the operation of the guide means employed at the entry end} Fig, .5 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of a seotion of the thread interchange mechanisms of the machine; Fig. 6 is a detail illustration of one method of accomplishing thread transfer employed in the machine operation; Fig, s ». cross-sectional view of a conveyor belt and associated thread holding hook; Fig, ?Δ is an end iew taken about line 7»-7» of Fig. 7 Fig, 8 is a top view of the arrangement shown in Fig. ? Fig. 9 is a detail illustration of a thread locking sleeve employed i conjunction with the thread holding hook Fig, 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken about the line -10 of Fig, 7; Fig, 11 is a bottom view of the arrangement shown in Fig, 7; Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the weaving zone of the con-struction near the entry end; Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the weaving aone near the exit end; Fig. 14 is an enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating the thread transfer aeohanisa; Figs, 15 through 17 conprlse schematic illustrations of mechanisms adapted to be employed for achieving pick-up of threads by the conveyor belts; Fi , 13 is a framentar view artl in seotion tak · poin end illustrating a (suitable drive mechanism for the construction! Fig. 19 is ft side view taken about the line 19-19 of Fig. 18; and Fig, 20 is a sectional view taken about the line 20-20 of Fig. 18.

General Machine Operation The weaving machine construction of this invention generally comprises conveyor means which are adapted to carry rows of threads through the weaving zone of the machine. . The threads oarried by the conveyor means extend transversely across the machine, and these conveyor mean releasably hold the threads at the ends of the threads.

Means are provided for carrying the conveyors whereby the conveyors define an undulating path whereby the ends of the threads held by the conveyors will also define an undulating path. The conveyors are such that upper and lower transverse rows of threads are presented to the maohine and the ends of each of these upper and lower rows define the undulating paths', and these undulating paths periodically meet i the weaving zone, The means carrying the conveyors and the conveyors are designed whereby the ends of the threads held by the respective conveyors are exohanged as the conveyors meet. The threads held by an upper conveyor are transferred to the lower conveyor while the threads held by the lower conveyor are transfex'red to the upper conveyor.

Immediately before this transferring operation, longitudinal threads are introduced periodically or at specific points discretely along the length of the weaving zone. These longitudinal threade are introduced into spaces defined between the conveyors and, due to the periodic tarns-ferring action above described, the longitudinal threads become woven into the threads carried by the conveyors. The machine operation is such that the longitudinal threads are woven into the material in the direction of movement of the maohine while the transverse threads are disposed substan t Fig, 1 illustrates the general nature of the machine construction. The machine includes conveyors 10 consisting of separate belts, riding over support rolls 12. The belts are adapted to piok up transversely oriented threads 14 from feeders 16. · As best shoTOi in Figs. 3 and 4·, the threads 14 are secured to the belts 10 by means of hooks 18, The belts are adapted to carry the threads into the entry end 20 of the machine, and the belts then engage a first pair of pulleys 22. The belts pass around this first pair of pulleys onto the first set of guide pulleys 24. The belts are then moved dotmwardly over transfer pulleys 26 and back to the next set of guide pulleys 24. The belts thus define an undulating path along the entire weaving zone of the construction to the ea t end 28.

Fig. 2 illustrates the manner in which additional threads 30, when fed into the -ocaving zone, become associated with the transverse threads 14. The i st threads introduced extend longitudinally, along the center line of the weaving zone. As .these additional threads accumulate, the threads introduced are progressively located nearer the edge of the material whereby the completed fabric 32 is produced. A bolt 34 of material is then collected on the roll 6 beyond -the exit end of the construction.

The Weaving Operation Figs. 3, 4, 5, 12 and 13 best illustrate the manne in rahich the weaving action is accomplished. As noted, the pulleys 24 and 26 cause the conveyo belts to undergo an undulating action during their movement through the weaving zone. This results in the formation of OJD nings all along the length of the weaving zone at the sides of the zone.

In the central section of the zone, there are provided a pair of guide rods 38. These rode engage the threads entering the weaving zone and hold the threads i a plane at the center of the reaving zone. Accordingly, the I oloeed and flattened end of a vortex is formed which extends into an opening of fixed shape at the outer edges of the zone, each upper and lower half of the vortex being a standing wave.

Supply tubes 40 are adapted to be inserted into each of these vortex openings. Spools 42 supply threads o these tubes', and the ends 46 of the tubes extend to points adjacent the end of the vortex openings. In this manner, the additional threads 30 are delivered in the manner shown in Fig. 2. Obviously, other mechanical means can be employed for guiding the threads,, for example, by the use of pulleys at the ends of the tubes 40. The threads can also be blom in or other non-meohanical means can be used.

Th actual weaving action results duo to the ct that the transfer pulleys 26 inolude means for transferring the hooks holding the thread ends. For example, all of the hooks carried by the lowermost conveyor belt 10 shown in Fig, 5 "ill be transferred to the uppermost oonve or belt 10 by the action of the first pair of transfer pulleys 26. At the same time, the hooks from the upper belt 10 are transferred to the loner belt. As the belts again meet at the second pair of transfer pulleys 26, the reverse action takes place whereby the upper hooks move to the lower belt, and the lower hooks move to the upper belt.

Thread Transfer Mechanisms The transfer of the threads is accomplished due to the design of the hooks 18 carrying the threads, the design of the belts 10 carrying the hooksj, and the design of the transfer pulleys 26. The design of the hooks 18 and belts 10 io best illustrated in Figs.7 through 11.

The hook includes a recess 44 at its outer end for receivin a thread 14. Bends 47 oe preferably formed in the hook in order to prevent rotation about its own axis and thereby to insure alignment of the hook with respect to the belt 10. As shown in Fig. 8, grooves 48 can be formed in > the edges of the belt at each hook position whereby the bends 46 will fit within the grooves and thereby maintain the hook in proper alignment, The grooves only loosely guide the hooks to avoid binding as the belts separate.

The head of the hook comprises a shank portion 50 and an enlarged end 52. The shank 50 is adapted to fit into an elongated recess 54 formed in the belt 10, S e head 2 fits into a channel 56 extending along the length of the belt whereby the hooks will always be maintained in a constant position with respect to the belt.

The belt also includes teeth 58 which are employed for achieving in-termoshing of adjacent belts whereby precise alignment of the recesses 54 can be accomplished. Openings 60 are defined by the belts in the area of the shank portions 0 of th® hooks 18.

A sleeve 62 can be located around the outer portions of the hook 18 for purposes of securing the threads 14 to the hooks, · The sleeve 62 includes ah end 64 having the corners cut off to permit some give whereby pressure can be applied against threads 14. Recesses 7 and 72 arc located in the sleeve 62. and corresponding recesses 74 and 76 are formed in the hook 18. As will be explained, these recesses permit engagement of devices to effect sliding movement of the sleeve relative to the hook for gripping and releasing a thread 14.

The design of the transfer pulleys 26 is best illustrated in Figs.5». and 14. Each of the pulleys 26 is mounted for rotation about the shaft 32. Cams 84 are fixed to the shaft within the confines of the pulleys 26. Thus, the pulleys 26 rotate relative to stationary oams 84.

Each of the pulleys 26 carries a plurality of pins 86. Theso pins are slideably received in openings 88 defined by flanges 90 of the pulleys. As shorn in Fig. 14, the pins 86 are adapted to engage the edges 92 of the stationary cams 84.

As shown in Fig. , the pins remain in the same position on the surface 92 for the majority of their rotation about the cam 84. However, the sur ace 92 includes a oaa rise area 94, and as the pins move around the cam, they are caused to ride up this rise 94.

As illustrated in Figs. 6 and 14, the cam rise 94 causes the pins 86 to move into the openings 60 defined by the belts 10. The pins engage the portion 50 of the hooks and thereby force the hooks out of association with one belt 10 and into the openings 54 of the adjacent belt 10. Restoration of the pins can be accomplished by any suitable means, for example, as described with reference to Fig. 18.

The means for mounting the pins 8 shown in Figs. 18 and 20 comprise a mounting disc holding the stems 98 of the pins 86. The diso 96 rotates about the shaf 82 and, accordingly, the disc rotates relative to the stationary cam 84. The stems 98 act as spring members whereby the pin ends 86 will continuously bear against the cam surfaces so that the pins will be automatically restored when they fall off the cam rise 94.

It will be noted that in Fig. 18, the oam 84 is tied to the shaft outwardly of the confines of pulley 26. With this arrangement', the stem 98 bears against the oam surface rather than the pin portion 86. This comprises suitable alternative to the arrangement shown in Fig. 14.

It will be noted that the pins 86 are alternately positioned on any two adjacent transfer pulleys 26. Thus, a pin from one side is adapted to push a hook to the other side, and o this other side, the opening 60 is empty so that there will be no interference during the transfer of the hook. In this connection, the resilient characte of the belts allows spreading of the entry to the openings 4 for eas transfer. Also each is fixmly backed up by the opposing pulley sur Drive Mechanisms It is extremely important to provide reliable drive means for the belts and pulleys since proper synchronizatio is oritical to the operation of the system. The teeth 58 are formed in the belts so that the belts will mesh with each othe In the vicinity of the hook transfer, as shown in Pig, 6, Ther interconnection of the pulleys and belts as shown in Fig, 14 is also susceptible to a meshing relationship whereby positive synchronization can be accomplished* Thus, the elements 78 and 80 nay comprise a tooth and corresponding recess to provide positive meshing alignment, A suitable drive mechanism is Illustrated in Fig, 12, 18 and 19, This drive mechanism involves the use of sprockets 100 attached to the .shaft 82 which carries transfer pulleys 26, The sprockets may be formed integrally with the pulleys or they may comprise separate members attached to the bushing.

As shown in Fig, 19, the peripheral edges of the sprockets define recesses 102 which receive pins 10 of the drive chain 106, With this arrangement, a highly desirable synchronization of the sprocket movements can be achieved since the single chain 106 drives both the upper an lower sprockets and thereby the upper and lower transfer pulleys. Obviously, the chain 106 oan extend along the entire length of the weaving zone. It will be apparent, however, that the drive sprookets need not be placed at every position. It will be apparent that with a single srive mechanism of the type described, the production speed oan be easily regulated by varying the speed of the drive chain.

The drive means referred to eliminates longitudinal strain on the belts, and it will be noted that both sets of pulleys oan be positioaally adjusted to pull outwardly on the belts for increasing or relaxing the transer thread tensio without altering the other operations.

When referring to Figs. 12 and 13, it trill be noted that the angle of the threads 14 changes as the width of the woven production increases. A correspondin change in the deposition of the pulleys 24 is preferred. Suitbale driving action can be accomplished even with this change where the belts are designed in the manner illustrated in Figs. 7 through 11. Specifically, the belt may be manufactured with slits 108 formed between each hook holding position. T e belts are actually secured together only at their ends 110. A reinforcing web 112 may be embedded in the belt ends to provide added strength. With thi arrangement, the belts oan readily flex to accommodate any arc forced by angling of the pulleys between the pulleys 26 and 24.

The particular drive means described is not intended to limit the coverage of the instant invention. Obviously, other suitbale drive means may be utilized to accomplish the movement of the belts through the weaving zone.

Transfer Thread Pick-Up Mechanism As noted', the transverse threads could be attached to the hooks 18 i any desired manne including attachment by hand. This latter technique would, however, considerably limit operating speed, and it is, therefore,, preferred to provide an automatio loading technique whereby the threads can be automatically attached to the hooks at high speed, for example, from a scrim making machine.

Scrim making equipment of the type manufactured by the Cybernetics Corporation', Nashua Paper Company or by Union Carbide. Such machines are designed whereby rows of transversely disposed thread oa be continuously presented to the conveyor belts 10. In the typical operation of such known machines, the threads are presented at intervals of £ inch. If five such machines are employed on each side of the apparatus as shown in Fig. 1, then the combination of the upper and lower flights of conveyors will be carry A fender element 118 engages the hooks whic have been picked up by the lifting elements 116. As noted in Pig. 17", the fender elements engage the hooks near the outer ends whereby the opposite ends of the hooks are still hold by the belt 10.

As the hooks rise on the fender element, the threads 14 presented by the scrim making equipment, or by other conventional means, are engaged by the recess 44 of the hooks. At this point, a plate 120 is received by the recess 74 in the sleeve 62 as the hooks continue their travel along the fender 118. This plate acts as a cam whereby the sleeve 62 will move forward and grasp the thread 14. The plate 120 may be mounted on a vibrating member 122 whereby the oamming action of the hook will be facilitated by the vibrating action.

With the threads 14 grasped by the hooks', continued movement of the belts will bring the ends of the hooks to the end of the fender 11Θ whereby the hooks can travel to the entry end of the construction. It will be apparent that the provision of the recess 7 in the sleeve 62 will permit release of the thread ends at the opposite end of the weaving ■zone.... . .

The Woven Rroduct As the threads 14 move into the weaving zone',,, the upper and lower threads combine whereby 10 threads per inch pass between the entry pulleys 22. At this point', the ends of the threads commence their undulatin movement while the centers of the threads, restrained by the rods 38» are maintained in the same level plane. This results in bunching of the threads at the center, and if, forexample^ the belt travel exceeds the distance of travel at the center by five times, then the density of threads at the center will increase to 50 threads per inch. Obviously, the number of threads per inch in the finished produot can be readily con be noted, however, that the pulleys 24 oan be adjusted relative to the pulleys 26 so as to increase or deorease the distance of movement of the belts relative to the distance of movement of the center of the threads. Such adjustments will automatically vary the density of the threads in the finished ^rodut.

It is to be particularly noted that the mechanisms employed for attacing the threads to the hooks carried by the belts do not form a par of this invention. Conventional equipment is available for this purpose* however, various othe means could be devised for locating. ransverse rows of threads between the hooks on the outside flights of the respective conveyors. Obviously, this could even be accomplished by hand, although this would slow down the production rate.

Where automatic equipment is employed, the transverse threads can be attached to the hooks while the belts are moving at the rate of 50 feet per minute. This will provide a production rate of 10 feet per minute if a 5*1 ratio of belt speed to center line speed is maintained in the weaving zone. It is contemplated, however, that much higher speeds could be employed since there is no speed limiting factors as in the case of typical looms where the time-consuming insertion of transverse threads is necessary, plus the intermittent motion of the web.

There are also no limitations with respect to the width of material which can be handled, and it is obvious that the weavng of dual', treble and quadruple threads oan readily be accomplished by controlling the thread transfer at various locations and by inserting any desired number of threads through the guide tubes.

The operating characteristics of the construction described provide other extremely valuable features when compared with conventional looms. Specifically, the operation of this system is continuous since the supply of both the transverse and longitudinal threads can readily be undertaken in a continuous fashion. In the event of any breakage in the threads, the machine operation oan simply continue irithout interruption einoe the defective area can be readily cut out of the finished product. It is contemplated that the longitudinal threads supplied by the tubes 40 oan be blown in, and it will be obvious that if the threads should be broken, then only a small area of the total product will be affected.

In order to achieve a wove product of sufficient width, it is quite possible that as many as 800 of the guide tubes 40 will be associated at the sides of the construction. Since this would result in a construction of considerable length, it is conceivable that the construction will be formed in a plurality of folds whereby sufficient operating length oan be achived by usin vertical space. In this connection, it will be apparent that proper functioning of the machine does not depend upon the orientation of the machine with the horizontal, and various curves and other modifications are clearly possible without disrupting the basic operating features.

It will be understood that other changes and modifications may be made in the above described construction which provide the characteristic* of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, particularly as defined in the following claims.

Claims (6)

1. C l ims 1, In a weaving process In which longitudinal threads are interwoven with transverse threads in a weaving plane, the steps of advancing a plurality of transverse threads along the weaving plane by the ends of the transverse threads and moving the ends of alternate threads in diverging directions through wave paths above and below said weaving plane, forming said being openings &» generally the center line of the openings thus ormed and inserting longitudinal threads through said openings and presenting said threads finally in an advancing direction to form a woven web moving generally along said weaving plane, while the longitudinal threads are interwoven with transverse threads progressively approaching said openings and in which middle portions of transverse threads are confined in said weaving plane and the ends of alternate transverse threads are moved at the opposite sides of said weaving plane to form openings and in which longitudinal threads are inserted through said openings on both sides of the plane in longitudinal direction thus forming a woven web moving generally along said weaving plane, and in which the longitudinal threads are interwoven first with said middle portions of said transverse threads and then progressively with side portions of the transverse threads.

2. , The process according to claim 1 in whioh the longitudinal threads interwoven near the side portions of said transverse threads are introduced through openings ollowing the openings through which said longitudinal threads already interwoven with said portions of the transverse threads were inserted.

3. , A method for weaving a length of material, comprising the steps of continuously supplying separately-held transversely arranged threads, moving a portion of the threads into compacted relationship, moving the threads through a weaving zone while maintaining a portion of said threads at substantially the same plane of movement, moving both ends of said threads forward in diverging directions through undulating paths extending above and below the weaving plane forming s/Cide openings whereby the successive end meet- and oross periodically through the length of said weaving zone, introducing longitudinal threads into the vortex formed by rows of transverse threads at spaced points alon said weaving zone, nd exchanging the ends of said transverse threads at said meeting points whereb additional longitudinal threads are presented to he trapped and woven into the transverse threads, the trapped threads being thus drawn along and disposed longitudinally in relation to said transverse threads. transverse

4. A method in accordance with claim 3 wherein said lougitudi-ggi threads are carried on oonveryor means, the ends of the threads being releasably attached to said conveyor means, said conveyor means comprising seotions with each section carrying one of the longitudinal threads.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein repetitive configurations are transverse defined by the Wng-btttetti»i threads c rried by the respective oonveyor seotions due to the undulating movement of the oonveyor sections, and wherein said longitudinal threads are Introduced from the now open ends of the configurations to points at the apices of said configurations, said longitudinal threads being trapped by the moving threads,

6. A method In accordance with claim 4 wherein said transverse threads are carried on means which are releasably held by said conveyor seotions, and Including the step of successively releasing each of said means transferring the filament ends at said meeting points and foroing said means into attaohing relationship with the now contiguous oonveyor. 8. A weaving machine comprising conveyor means adapted to carry rows of transverse threads through the machine, means releasably connecting the ends of said transverse threads to said oonveyor means, said threads extending transversely across the machine in a direction substantially,, perpendicular to the direotion of movement of said conveyo means, said conveyor means comprising separate conveyor* looated on opposite sides of. the machine, means for carrying said conveyors; into. %he weaving zone of the machine, means for moving the respective conveyors through an undulating path in the vicinity of the ends of said transverse threads -while the oonveyors are in said weavin zone, and wherein the conveyors periodically meet within said weaving zone, and means for transferring the ends of said transverse threads from one conveyor to an adjacent,.conveyor during the time said conveyors, meet in said weaving zone whereby said ends are al e- nately carried by the separate conveyors, including means to hold the cefcters of converging transverse rows in a constant line of travel whereby the undulating action imparted to the ends of said transverse threads assis in the formation of a plurality of oone-like configurations of traasverse threads along the path of travel of said oonveyors,, and ,inpluding means supplying longitudinal threads at points along said weaving zone, said supplying means alternating with the meeting points of said oonveyors, said longitudinal threads being taken up by the transverse threads carried by said conveyors and being positioned substantially, erpendioular thereto for travel in the . direction of movement of said conveyors, said longitudinal threads being woven into said transverse threads as a result of the transferring action of said conveyors, 9. A machine in accordance with claim 8 wherein guide means are employed for delivering longitudinal threads from said supply means to said apices* the guide means at the trailing end of said portion of travel delivering said longitudinal threads to the apices of said oone-like oonfigurationSj and said guide means beooming successively shorter as said longitudinal threads build up a progressively wider woven width from the center. 10. An apparatus in acoordanoe with claim 8 wherein said oonveyors comprise belts and wherein the means for releasably oarrying the ends of said transverse threads comprise hooks, and inoluding recesses formed i said belts for resi- r lientl holding said hooks. 11. A machine according to claim 10 wherein said helts define means whio are adapted to enter into meshing relationship at said meeting points whereby the movement of mating belts can be synchronized. 12. A machine aocordin to Claim 10 includin transfe pulleys for carryin said belts at said meetin points, oam means associated with said pulleys, and means acted on by said oam means fo engagin said hooks and for thereby forcing said hooks out Of one belt and into releasable engagement with its mating belt. 13. A machine in accordance with claim 12 wherein said belts are adapted to define openings communicating with the recesses holding said hooks, and inoluding pins carried by said transfer pulleys, said oam means being adapted to force said pins into said openings in said belts to thereby force said hooks out of said recesses, 14. A machine in accordance with claim 13 wherein said transfer pulleys are adapted to define flanges which form an open interior in the pulleys, said oams comprising stationary members looated within said interiors, and said pins being looated in openings extending through said flanges whereby one end of said pins is adapted to ride o said oams while the other end of said pins is provided for engagement with said hooks. Dated this 8th day of May, 1 67