US1507392A - Method and apparatus for weaving french-knot fabrics - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 2, 1924. 1,507,392

F. B. MANLEY METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WEAVING FRENCH KNOT FABRICS Fild Jan. 19. 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 z /j 70 m INVEN TOR.

$ ATTORNEY.

Sept. 2 1924.

F. B. MANLEY METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WEAVING FRENCH KNOT FABRICS Filed Jan. 19 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY.

Sept. 2. 1924. R 1,507,392

F. B. MANLEY METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WEAVING FRENCH KNOT FABRICS Filed Jan. 19 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 2, 1924.

PATENT OFFICE...

UNITED STATES FRED B. MANLEY, F PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 TEXTILE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION OF NEW YORK, N. '55., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WEAVING FRENCH-KNO'I FABRICS.

Application filed January 19, 1923. Serial No 613,659.

To all whom. it may concern.

Be it known that I, FRED B. MANLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Paterson, in the county of Passaic and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods and Apparatus for Weaving French-Knot Fabric, of which the following is a specification.

Fabrics having loose loops formed in certain special warp threads to produce the effect of French knots on the surface of the fabric have heretofore been woven by inserting wires beneath the warp strands in which the loops are to be formed and then removing the wires. Such a method is, of course, slow and expensive to operate.

One of the objects of my present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus by which such French knot fabric may be woven entirely automatically without special attention on the partof the operator. Other objects of my invention will appear in the following description.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a plan of a more or less diagrammatic representation of a piece of fabric with the French K110i. etlect produced thereon;

Fig. 2 is a section of Fig. 1- on the line 22.

Figs. 3, 4-, 5 and 6 represent diagrammatically the different positions of the several strands when my preferred method is carried out.

Fig. 7 is a more or less diagrammatic illustration of a loom arranged to embody my invention, with the normal and usual. parts of a dobby loom omitted.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged view of the looplifting device.

Fig. 9 is plan view thereof.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail of the loop 1 lifter and filling cutter, and

Fig. 11 is a. plan view thereof.

Like reference characters indicate like parts in the several views.

Referring now to the fabric shown in Figs. 1 and 2, it will be understood that the main portion of the fabric may have the filling and the normal warp strands interlaced in any of the usual and desired manners, according to the effect to be produced,

since my invention relates merely to the production of the French knot effect on any kind of fabric.

In the illustrative form shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the normal warp strands 10 and 11 are interlocked with the normal filling strands 12, and at predetermined points across the fabric are special warp strands 13, here shown as of larger diameter, though, of course, this may be varied as desired.

The special warp strands 13 .in the illustrative form pass over and under the filling strands 12 precisely the same as the warp strands 11, except that at predetermined in tervals in the weaving of the fabric, a loop, such as shown at 14, is produced in the special warp strands 13, which loops when pressed down on the surface of the fabric, produce the effect of French knots. It will be understood, of course, that the special warp strands 13 may be grouped in any desired manner across the fabric and may be made up of any kind or color of strand.

In Figs. 3 to 6 I have illustrated diagrammatically the successive steps according to my method ofproducing the fabric illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. The portion at the left represents the normal fell of cloth with the normal and the special warp strands in tel-laced with the filling threads inv the usual manner. After the insertion of the last pick of the filling thread, as shown in F ig. 3, the shed is changed so that the warp strands 11. are carried down and the warp strands 10 remain down while the special warp strands 13 remain up, as shown in Fig. i. Thereupon an extra pick of filling is inserted and with the warp strands in the position shown in Fig. 4, it will be seen that this extra. pick passes over all of the normal strands 10 and 11 and beneath the special warp strands 13. Preferably, when this extra pick 15 is inserted, the fabric is held stationary and furthermore, I prefer to pro duce slack in the strands 13 so as to hare sufiicient material available to produce the loops 14 in the following steps of the method. After the extra pick 15 is inserted, the shed is again formed in the normal manner, with the special warp strands 13 extending in the same direction as thenormal strands 11 and the normal strands 10 forming the opposite portion of the shed. In Fig. 5 a normal pick of filling is being inserted, and Fig. 6 shows the position occupied by the strands after serted. As will be pointed out hereafter,

however, the extra pick 15 is used to enlarge the loops 14 and to take up the slack in the special warp strands 13, which may be provided not only when the extra pick 15 is being inserted, but both prior and subsequent to the insertion of this extra pick.

The fabric thus formed is now in a condit-ion from which theFrench knot effect may be readily completed. For instance, by running a thin wedge along the surface of the fabric and beneath the extra pick 15, it is obvious that this extra pick will be lifted from the body of the fabric and, by reason of its engagement beneath the loops 14, will draw up such loops, an enlargement of the loop being accomplished without drawing or puckering the fabric because of the slack which has been provided in the special warp strands 13. It will be obvious that slack may be provided in the special warp strands 13 for some distance. at each side of the extra pick 15, according to the looseness of weave of the fabric, and that such slack may all be taken up by the raising of the extra pick 15 which will draw the special strand l3 lengthwise of the fabric to take up this slack.

After the extrapick 15 has been raised to produce the loops, it then may be removed, since its function is merely a mechanical one, and it does not enter into the cloth proper. I have found it convenient to remove the extra pick by snipping it at either side of the special warp strands 13, and then brushing the fabric to remove the small ends of the extra pick thus out. It will be obvious, however, that any other convenient method may be used, or, indeed, if desired, the extra pick may be left in the fabric.

While I have illustrated the insertion of one extra pick only, it will often be found in practice desirable to insert a plurality of such extra picks, particularly where the fill-- ing is alight yarn. By inserting two or more extra picks, the necessary strength for raising the loops 14 may be obtained.

By holding the fabric stationary while the extra pick 15 is being inserted, I insure that such extra pick will lie above the sur- "face of the fabric, as shown in Fig. 6, the extra pick 15 tending to be located directly above the preceding normal pick'of filling.

'IVith some fabrics, however, it will not be Referring now to Fig. 7, 20 is the warp beam for the normal warp strands 10 and 11, which strands pass in the usual manner into the shed and through the reed 21, the fell of the cloth passing over thebreast beam 22 to the take-up beam 23 by way of the usual take-up rolls.

A special warp beam 24 carries the special warp strands 13, the strands passing over a roller 25 into the shed of the loom.

In order to provide the let-off or slack in the special strands 13, I have. illustrated pawls 26, 27 engaging a ratchet 28 attached to the roller 25, these pawls being carried on the end of a lever 29 normally held in retracted position by a spring 30 against a stop 31. Obviously if the pawls 26, 27 are moved to the left of Fig. 7, the special warp strands 13 will be drawn from the beam 24 to provide slack in such strands. In order to keep the warp strands in proper relation, suitable guides, such as shown at 32, 33, may be provided. Since the slack in the strands 13-is to be provided one or more times in each repeat,I preferably attach the pawls 26, 27 to some apparatus which controls the repeat, as, for instance, a .dobby, which I have illustrated diagrann'natically at 34, this dobby having a chain with cams and rollers added to the chains provided for controlling. the usual interlacing of the strands, which added chain may operate through a cable 35 to swing the lever 29 at the desired times in each repeat to turn the roller 25 to produce the slack in the special warp strands 13.

In order to suspend the operation of the cloth take-up, I connect the detent 36by means of the cable 37 with a chain on the dobby 34, so that when the extra pick 15 is being inserted, this detent may be lifted out of engagement with the ratchet 38 connected to the take-up beam 23. When this is done, the operating pawl 39, which is reciprocated by the eccentric 40, will continue to work back and forth, but since the detent 36 no longer holds. the ratchet 38, it is obvious that. the take-up beam 23 will not be advanced to take up the cloth, so that the fell of the cloth will remain stationary as long as desired, and as'controlled by the dob-by 34.

In order to raise the extra pick 15 to enlarge the loops 14, I preferably provide a series of wedge-shaped members 41, which preferably are held on'the breast beam 22, so as to be adjustable across the beam and to be held in desired position to engagethe extra pick 15 adjacent the special warp strands 13. Preferably I provide a bracket 42 at either end of the breast beam 22 and in this bracket fasten a rectangular bar 43, the members: 41 having openings fitting over the bar 43 and screws 44 by which the member. 41 may be held in adjusted position on the bar 43.

The end of the member 41 is brought down to a fine edge and is held so that it slides over the face of the fabric as the latter is drawn over the breast beam 22, the thin edge of the wedge assing beneath the extra pick 15 and raising it as the cloth is drawn over the beam 22, thus enlarging the loops 14 in the fabric.

Preferably I combine with the member 41 a fixed cutting knife 45 set into a recess in the side of the member 41, the cutting knife itself being wedge-shaped but at a steeper angle than the top of the member 41, so that after the extra pick 15 has been raised to the proper distance, it will engage the cutting edge of the knife 45 and be severed as'the cloth is drawn over the cloth beam. Since as many cutting knives 45 are'provided as there are members 41, it will be seen that the extra pick 15 will be cut into many small pieces which may be readily brushed from the surface of the fabric.

It will be understood that the device for raising and cutting the extra pick of fillin is merely illustrative and may be varie though the form which-I have illustrated is exceedingly simple and effective and obviously involves no attention on the part of the operative after the members 41 are properly positioned.

The foregoing method of weaving produces a cloth with a smooth back and loops of absolutely uniform height and size.

I claim:

1. The method of weaving fabric, comprising the interlacing of normal and special warp strands with filling to produce cloth, inserting at predetermined times an extra pick of filling over all of the normal warp strands and beneath the special warp strands, and then raising the extra pick of filling above the surface of the fell of the cloth to produce large loops in the special warp strands.

2. The method of weaving fabric, comprising the interlacing of normal and special warp strands with filling to produce cloth, inserting at predetermined times an extra pick of filling over all of the normal warp strands and beneath the special warp strands, producing slack in the special warp strands at or about the time the extra pick is being inserted, and then raising the extra pick of filling above the surface of the fell of the cloth to produce large loops in the special warp strands.

' 3. The method of weaving fabric, comprising the interlacing of normal and special warp strands with filling to produce cloth, inserting at predetermined times an extra pick of filling over all of the normal warp strands and beneath the special warp strands, and then removing the extra pick of filling after it has passed into the fell of the cloth.

4. The method of weaving fabric, coinprising the interlacing of normal and specialwarp strands with filling to produce cloth, inserting at predetermined times an extra pick of filling over all of the normal warp strands and beneath the special warp strands, and then raising and removing the extra pick of filling after it has passed int the fell of the cloth.

5. The method of weaving fabric, comprising the interlacing of normal and special warp strands with filling to produce cloth, inserting at predetermined times an extra pick of filling over all of the normal warp strands and beneath the special warp strands, then raising and cutting the extra pick of filling between pairs of the special warp strands after the extra pick has passed into thefell of the cloth.

6. The method of weaving fabric, comprising the interlacing of normal and special warp strands with filling to produce cloth, inserting at predetermined times an extra pick of filling over all of the normal warp strands and beneath the special warp strands, holding the cloth stationary while the extra pick is inserted, and then removing the extra pick of filling after it has passed into the fell of the cloth.

7. The method of weaving fabric comprising the interlacing of normal and spe cial warp strands with filling to produce cloth inserting at predetermined times an extra pick of filling over all of the normal warp strands and beneath the special warp strands, producing slack in the special warp strands at or about the time the extra pick is being inserted, and then removing the extra pick of filling after it has passed'into the fell of the cloth.

8. The method of weaving fabric, corn-- prising the interlacing of normal and spe cial warp strands with filling to produce cloth, inserting at predetermined times an extra pick of filling over all of .the normal warp strands and beneath the special warp strands, producing slackin the special warp strands at or about the time the extra pick is being inserted, and then raising and'rei of filling after after it has moving the extra pick of filling after it has passed'into the fell of the cloth.

9. The method of weaving fabric, comprising the interlacing of normal and special warp strands with filling to produce cloth, inserting at predetermined times an extra pick of filling over all of the normal warp strands and beneath the special warp strands, holding the cloth stationary while the extra pick is inserted, producing slack in the special warp strands at or about the time the extra pick is being inserted,. and thenraising and removing the extra pick passed into-the fell of the cloth.

10. The method of weaving fabric, comprising the interlacing of normal and spe cial warp strands with filling to produce cloth, inserting at predetermined times an extra pick of filling overall of the normal warp strands and beneath the special Warp strands, holding the cloth stationary while the extra pick is inserted, producing slack in the special warp strands at or about the time the extra pick is being inserted, and then raising and cutting the extra pickof filling between pairs of the special warp strands after the extra pick has passed into the fell of the cloth. I

IL The combination with at 100111 having means for weaving cloth by interlacing normaland special warp strands with filling strands, and means for taking up such cloth, of means to lay an extra pick of fill ing over all of the normal warp strandsfand beneath the special warp strands at predetermined intervals, and means located be tween two. pairs of special warp strands and adapted to be passed beneath the extra fi ling strand to raise said extra filling strand as the cloth passes to the takesup of-thelooni, I

'12. The combination with a-loo1n having means for'weaving' cloth by interlacii'ig nor-i mal and special warpstrands with filling strands, and means for taking up such cloth, of means to lay an extra pick of filling over a l of 'the normal warpstrands and beneath tlie special Warp strands 'atpredetermined intervals, and means located between two pairs of s ecial warp'stra-nds and adapted to be passer beneath the extra fills ing strand to raise and out said extra filling strand as the cloth passes to the tjakeaup of the loom. V

13. The combination with a loom having means for weaving cloth by interlacing normal and special warpstrands with filling strands, and means for taking up such cloth, of means to lay an extra picket-filling over all of the normal warp strands and beneath the special warp strands at predetermined intervals, means to hold the cloth stationary at about the time of the insertion of saidextra pick of filling, and means toproduce slack in the special warp strands;

at or about the time the extra pick is being inserted. I

14. The combination with a loom having means for Weaving cloth by interlacing normal and special warp strands with filling strands, and means for I taking up such clot-h, of means to lay an extra pick of fillingover all of the normal warp strandsand beneath the special warp strandsat predetermined intervals, means to holdthe cloth stationary at about the time of the'insertion of said extra pick of'filling, means to produce slackin the special warp strandsat or about the timethe extra pick is being inserted, and means located between two pairs of special warp strands and-adapted to be passed beneath the extra filling strand to raise said extra filling strand as the clot passes to the take-up of the loom. I V 15. The combination with a loom having means for weaving cloth by interlacing nor mal and special warp strands with filling strands, and means for taking up such cloth, of means to lay an extra pick of filling over allzof the normal warp strands and beneath the special warp strands at predetermined intervals,- meansto hold the cloth stationary at about the time of the insertion of said extra pick of filling, means to pro= duce slack in the special warp strands at'or about the time the extra pick is being in serted, and means located between two pairs of special warp strands and adapted to be passed'beneath the extra filling strand to raise and out said extra filling strand as the cloth passes. to the take-up of the loom;

16. The combination with a loom having means for weaving a fabric and wherein at predetermined times a pick of filling is passed over aplurality of adjacent warp strands and underneath widely separated slack warp strands, of a fixed 'vedge-like member under which the surface of the fabric is passed, the member being so located that the extra pick of filling passes overthe member to raise the pick offilling from the surface'ofjthe cloth, andistretch the slack warp strands. v

17 The combination with a loomhaving means for weaving a fabric and wherein at predetermined times a pick of filling is passed over a plurality of adjacent warp strands and underneath widely separated slack warp strands, of a fixed -wedge-like member under which the surface of the fabric i passed, the m ber being so In,

cated that the extra pick of filling passes.

over the member to raise the pickof fillin from the surface of the cloth and stretc' the-slack'warp strands, saidniember being provided with a cutter to cutthe extra pick of filling after it has been raised. p 18. The combination with a loom having means for weaving'a fabric and'wherein at predetermined times a pick of filling is passed over a plurality of adjacent warp strands and underneath widely separated slack Warp strands, of a bar supported above the cloth, and a wedge-like member connected to the bar and adapted to be held in adjusted position lengthwise of the bar, said member being so located that the surface of the cloth passes underneath the member and the extra pick of filling passes over the member to raise the pick of filling from the surface of the cloth and stretch the slack warp strands.

19. The combination with a loom having means for weaving a fabric and wherein at predetermined times a pick of filling is passed over a plurality of adjacent warp strands and underneath widely separated slack warp strands, of abar supported above the cloth, and a wedge-like member connected to the bar and adapted to be held in adjusted position lengthwise of the bar, said member being so located that the surface of the cloth passes underneath the member and the extra pick of filling passes over the member to raise the pick of filling from the surface of the cloth and stretch the slack Warp strands, said member being provided with a cutter to cut the extra pick of filling after it has been raised.

Signed at New York city, in the county and State of New York, this 17th day of January, 1923.

FRED B. MANLEY.

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