US1399904A

US1399904A - Weaving-machine

Info

Publication number: US1399904A
Application number: US360951A
Authority: US
Inventors: Terrell Thomas
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1920-02-24
Filing date: 1920-02-24
Publication date: 1921-12-13
Anticipated expiration: 1938-12-13

Description

T. TERRELL. H wmvme MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 24. 1920.

- 1,399,904. Patented Dex:- 13, 1921.

-5 SHEETS-SHEET I.

T. TERRELL. 'WE AVING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED FEB- 24. 1920. I

- Patented Dec. 13, 1921. I 5 SHEETS-SflEET 2- WWW" 0 n U r H-I H u H x I. n n

T. TERRELL.

WEAVING MACHINE. APPLICATION FELED FEB. 24, 1920.

1,399,904. Patented Dec. 13, 1921.

5'SHEETSSHEET 3- .T-TERRELL.

WEAVING MACHINE. APPLICATION FI LED FEB. 24, 1920.

1,399,904, Patented Dec. 13,1921. I

5 SHEETSSHEET 4.

Jam M, 1 am T. TERRELL.

WEA VING MACHINE. APPLICATION, FILED FEB. 24. 1920,

9 904 Patented Dec. 13, 1921.

5 SHEETS- SHEET 5- UNITED STATES THOMAS TERRELL, 'OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

WEAVING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Batent.

Application filed February 24, 1920. ;Serial No. 360,951.

' T all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS TERRELL, K; C., a subject of the King of England, residing at London, England,'have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Weaving-Machines, of which thefollowing is a specification. 7

The present invention relates broadly to weaving machines, and more particularly to machines of this nature adaptedto weave tubular articles.

An important object of the present invention is to provide av machine for weaving tubular articles of different or varying diameters.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mandrel on which the-fabric is woven, which mandrel is shaped to determine the diameter of configuration of the completed article.

Still another object of the present-invention is to provide means for drawing off the woven fabric from the mandrel at substantially the same rate as the weaving is accomplished thereon.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for reciprocating the mandrel through or across the weaving plane during the weaving operation, whereby the differently shaped portions thereof may be brought into operation at the desired times.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a series of bobbins carrying the warp threads, which bobbins are adapted to be operated toform a shed by the reciprocation at predetermined times of jacks pro-' vided for this purpose.

An additional object of this invention is to provide guiding means whereby the weft threads employed are laid on the mandrel always in the same position longitudinally of the axis thereof, irrespective of the position of the mandrel itself. p

The present invention is particularly valuable in connection with the weaving of tubular fabrics of varying diameters and shapes such, for example, as incandescent gas mantles. It is customary at the present time to either form such mantles from flat strips'of material. or from suitable lengths of tubular material by plaiting the ends.

It will be apparent that bythe use of the P esent inv nt n a mantl less extensibl in the dire ion of -.either the Warp :or-we-ft may be exactly formed and shaped.

' Th1s invention is also held to cover the v fabric produced by the machine as above described, the fabric being woven to the shape of the article (for example, a gas-mantle) which it is intended to produce.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 isan elevation showing the complete machine;

Fig. 2 is a central vertical section f a part of the machine to a'larger scale;

Fig. 3 is a partial plan, beingasection on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; y

Figs. 4 and 5 are views showing details of themachine; y Fig. 6-shows the operating cams and their carrier in central verticalsection;

Fig. 7 is a perspective ,view showing the driving mechanism, and Figs. 8, 9 and IOarediagrammatic views showing the process of weaving.

Like reference characters indicate like parts throughoutthe figures. H The machine comprises suitable :standards .20, supporting a table 21, provided with a central circular, opening. Vertical frame-members 22 are provided with inwardlydirected brackets 23, which carry an annular plate24c. WVithin the circular opening in the table 21 'there is mounted .or formed integrally, SeeQF-ig. 2, an annular member '25 carried on brackets 26 and plate 24 is coaxial with a pin. on the lower plate'27. These pins constitute guides or supports for bobbin carriers [as shown a most clearly in Fig. 2, the bobbin carrierwith its spaced awayv from the inner .edge of the bobbin being illustrated in- Fig. 5. The

bobbin-carrier comprises bowed strip .29 formed-with or secured to -a centra lly perr ediplat bos 0 a each in fl-tl fi 2O bearings on the frame 20.

two plates facing one another and being provided on their opposed faces with central hollow trunnion portions 31 whereon can be mounted the bobbin 32 which has suitably shaped recesses at its ends to engage these trunnions. The bowed strip 29 is provided with an aperture 33 at the middle of its length to serve as a thread-guide, so that the thread from the bobbin 32 is always led off at the same point.

"The annular'space between the table 21 and the inner member is occupied by a rotary cylinder 40 having a flange 41 which rests upon the table 21 and the member 25 aforesaid and is rotatable thereon. A flange 42 depending from the lower side of the flange 41 is provided with teeth 43 adapted to be engaged by a gear-wheel 44 driven by the main driving spindle 45 of the machine, this-spindle 45 being mounted in suitable The outer circumference of the stationary cylinder 27 is provided with parallel aXial notches or grooves wherein are mounted jacks 46 which are free to slide vertically therein. These jacks are each provided with an outwardly extending tongue 47 to engage a cam surface formed on the inner face of' the rotating cylinder 40 as hereinafter described. The upper ends of the jacks are formed as laterally extending flanges 48 which may be forked to embrace a pin 28 of the lower series of pins, and the number of jacks provided is equal to the number of pins in the lower series. The jacks are 3 arranged in two series, those of one series which'are operated by one cam alternating with those of the other series which are operated by another cam. The forked ends 48 are adapted to engage the undersides or lower endsof the bobbin-supports 30 which clined portion '51.

are mounted on the pins 28 so that as the jacks are raised and lowered by the cams they can each lift a bobbin-supportand its bobbinfrom a lower pin toan upper pin.

f The cams for the operation of the acks maintained stationary at its upper level by the cam-surface 50. At a later point in the revolution of the cylinder 40, a second inclined'portion similar to that shown at 51 brings the jack back to the lower level 49.

In order to insurepositive operation of thejacks in both directions the cam takes the form of a groove at the inclined portion 51,

but a single cam surface is sufficient at the

parts

49 and 50 slnce there IS no tendency two'separate cams paths are provided one above the other and they each engage alternate jacks as above described. The cams are arranged to lift and lower the bobbin supports and bobbins once in each revolution' of the cylinder 40; that is to say during each revolution, the upper and lower sets of bobbins change place andthen return to their original positions. These bobbins sup ply the warp-threads for the tubular fabric to be woven in the manner hereinafter described. In order to insure the bobbins moving down and not sticking in their raised positions when the jacks are drawn down, a cam 7 9 may be fixed as shownon the cylinder 40 to engage the bobbins or bobbin-- carriers themselves and force them down at the same time as the jacks are moved down, orshortly afterward.

The cylinder 40 has brackets 53 secured upon its outer face at two diametrically opposite points each bracket carrying a vertical pin 54 which constitutes a support for the cop 55. These two cops supply the weftthreads for the tubular fabric in the manner hereinafter described. Adjacent to each of the brackets '53 there is also mounted upon the outer face of the cylinder 40 an upstand ing arm 56 carrying at its upper end an arm or knife 57 directed radially inward. This knife is tapered transversely as shown most jack and permit the knife 57 to pass between them. The boss or plate 30 on the bobbincarrier as shown in Fig. 5, is rounded or chamfered, and the edge of the side of the forked end 48 of each jack may be similarly inclined or curved so as to insure the easy entry of the" knife between the jack and the bobbin-carrier.

The knife 57 is provided with a suitable thread-guide, conveniently a longitudinal hole 58 (see Fig. 4), which receives the thread from the cop 55 and directs it radially inward delivering it inside the circle of the bobbins 32. Two of these brackets 56 are provided one for each cop 55, so that there are two separate weft-threads used in the weaving as hereinafter described.

The weaving of the tubular fabric takes place on a mandrel centrally situated with respect to the circles of bobbins. The mandrel 60, as illustrated in Fig. 1, is carried on a vertical rod 61 mounted to slide vertically in suitable guides 62 under the control of any suitable mechanism. In the case illustrated, a wheel 63 revolved at a uniform rate carries a roller 64 eccentrically mounted on it and engaging a roller 65 secured on the vertical rod or spindle 61, This is equivalent to a crank and connectingrod mechanism so that the mandrel 60 is reciprocated with an approximately harmonic motion. The wheel 63 is operated by means of a worm 66 mounted on a shaft 67 which is chain-driven from the main driving shaft 45. The mandrel itself comprises a cylindrical portion 60, a hemispherical portion 70,

and a peg 71. The hemispherical portion 70 has a spiral shoulder out upon it, the direction and angle of the spiral corresponding to the spiral on which the weft threads are laid, that is to say to the direction of rotation of the cylinder 40. When the cylinder rotates in an anti-clockwise direction viewing it in plan, the spiral is right-handed and vice versa. Surrounding the mandrel and coaxial with it is a cylindrical thread guide 69 mounted on the table 21. This directs the warp-threads on to the mandrel.

The vertical surface of the spiral shoulder may be sloped inward and downward to a -slight degree to facilitate the downward drawing-off of the woven fabric, and it is further to be understood that the spiral shoulder is not essential although it is the preferred construction. Alternatively the surface of the hemisphere could be slightly roughened or )rovided with small horizontal serrations or otherwise formed to enable the weft-threads to lie upon that portion of the surface to. which the weaving plane is nearly tangential, without slipping off under the tension at which they are wound on.

On the lower part of the frame 20 of the machine there is mounted a pair of draw-

off rolers

75, 76. The roller is driven through a worm-gear 77 from the main driving-shaft 42-5, and the roller 76 is so mounted that it is free to move toward and away from :the roller '75 and is held in contact'therewith by springs 78. 7 These two rollers are so mounted that their line of contact is vertically beneath the axis of the mandrel and they receive between them the tubular fabric and draw it down, as is is woven, off the mandrel 60. .7

The operation of this machine will nowbe described. Thebobbins 32, each filledwith. the thread or yarn which is to beused, are

mounted in place and the'thread from'each' is laid through the aperture 33 in its support 29, over the upper edge of the cylindrical thread-guide 69, and thence clownward longitudinally of the mandred to the drawing-off rollers 7 5, 76, these threads.con-' stituting the Warp of the tubular fabric which is to be woven. The cops 55 are mounted in position and the thread or yarn from each of them is laid through the guide 58 in the knife 57 and lapped around the mandrel. These threads constitute the weft of the tubular fabric which is to be woven.

During the rotation of the cops '55 about the mandrel, the bobbins 32 are alternately raised and lowered through the weaving plane by the action of the cams. Referring to Fig. 9 it will be seen that the warpthreads, a, a 7), b 0, 0 are arranged in two groups, the alternate threads at, Z), 0, coming from bobbins which are in their lowered position, while the others a 6 0 come from bobbins which are in their raised position. In this position the warp-threads as shown are ready forthe laying-on of the weft-thread d this position having been arrived at by laying-on the weft-thread d and then reversing the relative positions of the bobbins for the warp-threads. V

The machine is now set. in motion, so that thecylinder 40 is set in rotation and carries the cops 55 around the mandrel 60. It will be seen that the weft threads are always laid on the mandrel in the same horizontal plane, such plane being determined by the plane of rotation'of the knives 57. Assuming that the mandrel is atits uppermost position, the peg 71 at its lower end lies in this plane, and the fabric is therefore woven closely around the peg. The weft-threads are under a. certain amount of tension provided in any convenient or well known manner so as to be drawn closely around the mandrel, and thediameter of the mandrel at the plane in which the weaving takes place therefore determines the diameter of the tubular fabric. Asz'the hemispherical portion 70 of the mandrel passes through the plane of weawng, the fabric will be woven to .a corresponding hemispherical shape; "The rate of downward movement of the mandrel I is preferably equal to the rate at which {the warp-threads, and the woven" fabric, are:

drawn down bythe drawing-off rollers-so that the fabric travels down at the same rate as the'mandrel, fitting closely to it. It will be appreciated that the weft threads are laid on in acontinuous soiral the angle cylindrical at its upper end.

formed by the weft-threads, so that the threads are laid as a pair on the vertical face of the shoulder. It will be obvious that the mechanism used for-reciprocating the man drel gives only approximately harmonic motion instead of a uniform rate of movement, but in practice this is found to be satisfactory.

As the operation of the machine continues the mandrel moves downward and has the fabric closely woven to it so) that the shape of the fabric is determined by the shape of the mandrel which is hemispherical or otherwise tapered at the lower end and The downward movement of the mandrel ceases while the cylindrical portion is still opposite the plane of weaving, and upward movement then commences. During such upward movement the woven. fabric continues to be drawn oil? downward by the rollers 75, Y and the cylindrical shape of the fabric is maintained so long as the cylindrical part of the mandrel intersects the plane of weaving. Then, however, the portion of the mandrel rises into the plane of weaving, the diameter on which the weaving is effected is successively reduced and the diameter of the woven fabric is correspondingly reduced.

The spiral shoulder above-mentioned which is used on the hemispherical part 70 of the mandrel does not interfere with this part of the operation of the device, since almost immediately after each weft-thread is laid on the mandrel, it is drawn-off owing to the. downward movement of the woven fabric and the upward movement of the mandrel. This part of the operation is illustrated in Fig. 10, which shows in diagrammatic form, the extent to which the weaving of the tubular fabric has proceeded when the mandrel has nearly approached the up per limit of its travel. The weaving started on the peg 71 when the: part E was formed during the downward movement of the mandrel. The hemispherical portion F was next formed, this having the same shape as the mandrel, since the mandrel moved down at the" rate at which the fabric was drawn off, and then the lower half G of the cylindrical portion was formed. At about the point H the mandrel reached the lowest point of its travel and its motion was reversed. The cylindrical portion \J was then woven, and when the hemispherical 70 of the man- 7 drel is passing through the plane of weaving, as shown in the figure, the hemispherical portion K of the fabric is formed. Since the movement of the mandrel is at the same rate whether itis going upward or clownward, the part K is exactly similar to the art F, because the shaping is determined by the rate at which the mandrel moves through the weaving plane. The upward movement of the mandrel continues until the peg 71 passes through the weaving plane when a portion similar to E will be formed. This operation continues so long as the warp and weft-threads are supplied, and the resultant tubular fabric consists of a series of bag-like portions nearly or substantially closed at each end, connected together by the small tubular portions E. These baglike portions are separated at the narrow parts E and then each bag is divided at H in the middle of its length, to provide two mantles which it will be seen are of the requisite shape, such shaping having been achieved in the weaving of the material.

It will be appreciated that any desired shaping may be given to the mandrel and that such shaping will be a factor in the shaping of the tubular fabric. In addition to varying the shape of the mandrel, therate at which it is moved past the weaving point may also be varied, and such variations, it

will be appreciated, are also a factor in the shape to which the article is woven. It also lies within the scope of this invention to weave the fabric in a bag-shape to the shape of the mandrel and then to withdraw the mandrel rapidly so as to start weaving again on the peg and thereby produce a series of bag-like portions all arranged the same way instead of being in pairs as above described.

It may be pointed out that any desired number of spools 55 for the weft-threads may be used but in order to obtain a true weave without crossing the cam-paths for the warp-bobbins, it is desirable that an even number of weft-threads should be used. If a single or odd number of weft-threads were used, the weaving would not be true in that the weft-threads would always pass over and under the same warp-threads in stead of passing alternately under and over each.

Any desired feeding-mechanism may be used for imparting the desired motion to the mandrel longitudinally of its own axis. If it is considered essential that the rate of movement of this mandrel should be uniform and notharmonic, or approximately harmonic, it maybe gear driven from the wheel 63 through a pair of vertical racks, any convenient mechanism being arranged to transfer the drive suddenly from one bins disposed in a circle thereon, jacks for operating said bobbins, rotatablecams for moving said jacks, weft thread supports rotatable with said cams, weft threads carried by said supports, a reciprocating mandrel upon which the fabricis woven, and means for withdrawing the fabric from said mandrel as it is woven, substantially as de scribed.

2. In a machine for weaving cylindrical fabrics, of varying diameters, the combination with a support of a series of warp bobbins disposed thereon, jacks for operating said bobbins, means for moving said jacks, weft thread supports carried by said means, means for rotating said means, a mandrel, and means for automatically reciprocating said mandrel during the operation of said machine, substantially as described.

3. In a machine for weaving cylindrical fabrics of varying diameters, the combination with a support of a series of warp bobbins supported thereon, means for operating said bobbins to form a shed, means for supplying weft threads, a mandrel upon which the fabric i woven, and means for automatically reciprocating said mandrel during the weaving of the fabric thereon, substantially as described.

4. In a machine for weaving cylindrical fabrics of varying diameters, the combination with a support of a series of warp bobbins supported thereon, means for operating'said bobbins to form a shed, means for supplying weft threads, a mandrel upon which the fabric is woven, means for automatically reciprocating said mandrel during the weaving of the fabric thereon, and means for withdrawing the woven fabric from said mandrel as it is woven thereon, substantially as described.

' 5. In a machine for weaving cylindrical fabric of varying diameters, the combination with a support, of a series of warp bobbins supported thereon, means for operating said bobbins to form a shed, means for supplying weft threads, a mandrel upon which the fabric is woven, means for automatically reciprocating said mandrel during the weaving of the fabric thereon, said mandrel being shaped in accordance with the varying diameter of thefabric to be woven, substantially as described.

6. In a machine for weaving tubular fabrics, means for supplying warp threads, means for supplying weft threads, a mandrel on which the fabric is to be woven, and means for continuously reciprocating said mandrel during the weaving of the fabric thereon, substantially as described.

7. In a machine for weaving tubular fabrics, a mandrel, means for continuously reciprocating said mandrel, means for supplying warp threads to said mandrel, means for supplying weft threads to said mandrel, and

across the transverse weaving plane at the means for continuously drawing 05 the fabric from said mandrel as it is woven thereon, substantially as described.

8. In a machine for weaving tubular fabrics, a mandrel, means for displacing the 'mandrel longitudinally of its own axis,

dinally of the axis thereof irrespective of the position of the mandrel, substantially as described.

9. In a machine for weaving tubularfabrics, a mandrel, means for displacing the mandrel longitudinally of its own axis, means for supplying warp threads to said mandrel, means for supplying weft threads to said mandrel, and means for guiding said weft threads whereby they are always laid on the mandrel in the same position longitudinally of the axis thereof irrespective of the position of the mandrel, said mandrel having different portions thereof of different diameters, substantially as described.

10. In a machine for weaving tubular fabrics, a mandrel, means for displacing the mandrel longitudinally of its own axis, means for supplying warp threads to said 95 mandrel, means for supplying weft threads whereby they are always laid on the mandrel in the same position longitudinally of the axis thereof irrespective of the position of the mandrel, said mandrel having a portion of its length provided with a spiral shoulder, substantially as described.

11. In a machine for weaving tubular fabrics shaped and substantially closed at both ends, the combination with a circular loom weaving in a transverse plane, of a mandrel shaped to substantially conform to the finished shape of the fabric being woven, and means for automatically reciprocating said mandrel as the fabric is woven thereon, substantially as described.

12. In a machine for weaving woven fabrics shaped and substantially closed at both ends, the combination with a circular loom weaving in a fixed transverse plane, of a mandrel shaped to substantially conform to the finished shape of the fabric being Woven, and means for reciprocating said mandrel same lineal velocity as the fabric is formed thereon, substantially as described.

13. In a machine for weaving woven fabrics shaped and substantially closed at both ends, the combination with a circular loom weaving in a fixed transverse plane, of a mandrel shaped to substantially conform to the finished shape of the fabric being woven, means for reciprocating said mandrel across 1 the transverse weaving plane at the same lineal velocity as the fabric is formed thereweft threads, and a shaped mandrel to which said threads are fed, said mandrel having a tapered surface provided with a spiral shoulder, the angle of which is equal to the angle of the spiral on which the weft threads are laid, substantially as described.

15. In a circular loom for Weaving shaped tubular fabrics, means for feeding weft and warp threads, a shaped mandrel to which said threads are fed, and means for reciprocating said mandrel during the weaving of ,the fabric thereon, said mandrel having a surface provided with a spiral shoulder, the 1 angle of'which is equal to the angle of the spiral on which the weft threads are laid, substantially as described; 7

16. A mandrel for circular looms, comprising a body portion having part of its surface provided with a spiral shoulder, substantially as described.

17. A mandrel for circular looms, comprising a body portion having part of its surface provided with a spiral shoulder, the angle of which is substantially equal'to the angle of the spiral on which the weft threads are laid, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

THOMAS TERRELL.