US2013588A - Loom attachment - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 3, 1935.

L. STURM LOOM ATTACHMENT Filed Nov. 20, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet l L. STURM LOOM ATTACHMENT Sept. 3, 1935.

5 Sheefs-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 20, 1955 L. STURM Sept. 3, 1935.

Filed NOV. 20, 1953 i i i z lav Patented Sept. 3, 1935 LOOM ATTACHMENT tion of Delaware Application November 20, 1933, Serial No. 698,884

20 Claims.

This invention relates to the weaving of cut pile fabrics, upside down, in accordance with the general principle disclosed in the British Patent No. 145,456, dated June 18, 1920. In the weaving of cut pile fabrics, upside down, that is, with the base or ground web of the fabric facing upwardly in the loom and the pile loops pointing downwardly, the pile wires around which the pile loops are formed are inserted transversely of the web below the stuffer and binder warps and above the pile warps, in an open warp shed formed by said warps jointly.

Under this priciple of weaving the pattern or pile warps extend from the creel or warp beam to the breast beam of the loom and at times certain of the pile warps are severed from the fabric adjacent the fell. These free ends of the pile warps rest on the breast plate of the loom and are pressed into contact therewith by the pile loops which have been previously formed around the under sides of the pile wires.

The pile warps are controlled by jacquard or other pattern mechanism adapted to raise the pile warps selectively to permit of a Weft, or plurality of wefts, being inserted transversely through an open warp shed formed by the stuffer and binder warps, for tying the pile warp threads into the base Web, whereupon the selected warps are again lowered and another pile wire is inserted, which presses the selected pile warps down against the gripping surface of the breast plate of the loom.

This method of weaving is particularly adaptable to the production of floor coverings, such as carpets and rugs, and it is possible toobtain a wide variation of design closely approaching that obtainable in the weaving of Axminster rugs with an added advantage of being able to obtain a larger number of tufts per inch transversely of the fabric than canbe obtained on an Axminster loom. The number of tufts per inch under the upside down method of weaving closely approaches the number obtainable in the weaving of Wilton and similar carpets.

Another advantage afforded by upside down weaving is that the base or ground web of the fabric is of a construction similar to that of the Wilton carpet, whereby each tuft is more firmly secured in the base web than is possible with the Axminster weave.

It may be said that under the upside down principle of saving a fabric, a range of design corresponding approximately to that of Axminster weaving is possible; that a base or foundation weave closely approximating that of the Wilton Weave is afforded; and that a fabric having the best features of both is formed, in that the pile tufts are more closely arranged and more firmly tied in than is possible with the Axminster weave; and that the disadvantage of the Wilton weave which necessitates the floating of the idle pile warps in the base of the fabric between the points at which such pile warps have been selected to form relatively space pile loops in the fabric is eliminated.

The upside down method of Weaving, affords a considerable savingof pile yarn, in that each pile Warp after being selected to form a pile loop or a succession of pile loops is cut loose from the fabric and its free end held until that particular pile warp is again required for the formation of additional tufts.

Upside down weaving, prior to the present invention, has been subject to one major difficulty, that is, an ability to maintain the pile warps under sufficient tension to insure the back face of the fabric, on which the bases of the pile loops appear, being smooth and even throughout the entire area of the fabric. This difficulty arises by the fact that the idle pile warps, prior to this invention, have been, gripped and held in place solely by the above noted downward pressure exerted thereon by the woven fabric with the pile wires therein bearing down on the ends of the idle pile warps, by which the idle pile warps are pressed against the breast plate of the loom. Under such circumstances, if the pile warps were placed under sunicient tension to provide smoothness on the back of the fabric, such tension would be sufiicient to cause the loose ends of the pile warps to be pulled away from the grip exerted thereon by the fabric and the breast plate of the loom, consequently the loose ends of the idle warps will fall behind the breast plate and out ,of position to be raised by the pattern mechanism for binding into the fabric when selected to form one or more pile loops.

The object of the present invention is to provide positive means for gripping the free ends of the idle pile warps until each such end is woven into the fabric as a result of its selection by the pattern mechanism, and for regripping the loose end of such pile warp immediately upon the pile warp being severed from the fabric, as and when effected by the removal from the fabric of the last pile wire around which that particular thread has been looped.

The severing of the pile warps from the Woven fabric is accomplished by a knife of usual construction carried by and on the free end of the pile wire which, as the pile wire is drawn out of the fabric, cuts each and all of the pile warps extending around the lower edge of the pile wire.

The construction and operation of the mechanism forming the subject of the present invention will be fully disclosed hereinafter, reference being had to the accompanying drawings; of which:

Fig. 1 is a plan'view of sufficient of a loom to illustrate the operation of the mechanism of the present invention as applied to the loom;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional elevation taken on the line 22, Fig. 1, showing the clamping mechanism of the present invention in a position firmly gripping the looose ends of the pile warps;

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are views similar to Fig. 2 illustrating the clamp in various positions in a cycle of its operation;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating the manner in which the pile warps are formed into loops around the pile wires and subsequently cut as the pile wires are successively withdrawn;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary elevation illustrating the mechanism for operating the clamp through the cycle disclosed in Figs. 2 to 5 inclusive. Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating a modified form of the invention; and

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 7 illustrating the arrangement of the operating mechanism for the clamp shown in Fig. 8.

Referring to Figs. 1 to '7 inclusive, the breast beam of the loom is illustrated at I. On the upper surface of the breast beam l is the breast plate 2. The loom employed is preferably of the Wilton type and under normal weaving of Wilton carpets the fabric bears on the upper surface of the breast plate 2 and passes over and around a spiked roll 3 which is rotatably mounted in front of and parallel to the breast beam I. The lay beam is illustrated at 4 and the the reed carried by the lay beam is illustrated at 5.

In order to adapt a loom of this type for weaving pile fabrics under the upside down principle the breast plate 2, adjacent its rear edge 6, is provided with a modified angle bar I0, one flange i l of which rests on the upper surface 1 of the breast plate 2 and is secured thereto in any suitable manner. The second flange [2 of the angle bar i9 projects vertically with its rear surface l3 substantially flush with the rear edge 6 of the breast beam 2. The upper edge of the vertical flange l2 of the angle bar I0 is roughened,v such as by knurling, as indicated at M to provide a holding surface for the loose ends of the warp threads as will be hereinafter described. The front surface l5 of the flange l2 extends in a substantially vertical plane and blends into a smoothly curved surface I 6 which forms a continuation of and between the vertical surface l5 and an angular surface ll formed on the bar If). The angular surface ll blends into a second smoothly curved surface l8 which in turn blends into the upper smooth horizontal surface IQ of the horizontal flange H of the angle bar I6.

At each side of the breast plate 2 is secured a guide bearing 20 having an elongated horizontally disposed slot 2| in which is rotatably and slidably mounted a roller 22. The rollers 22, 22 are rotatably mounted on studs or trunnions 23, 23 which project outwardly from the opposite ends respectively of a clamp member 25.

The rear edge of the clamp member 25 is in the form of a substantially vertically extending blade 26, the upper edge of which is provided with a rearwardly substantially horizontally eX- tending rib or flange 2?. The rear face of the rib 27 is vertically grooved or serrated as indicated at 28 and serves to grip the looose ends of the warp threads firmly between the clamp 25 and the front surface E5 of the vertical flange l2 of the bar iii. The lower portion of the blade 26 of the clamp member 25 is beveled as indicated at 29 to provide a relatively sharp edge 38 for engagement with the upper surface !l i8-i9 of the bar it, for purposes hereinafter described.

At each of its opposite ends, the clamping member 25 is provided with a forwardly extending lever arm 3! which is pivotally connected at 32 to one end of a link 33. The second end of each link 33 is pivotally connected at 35 to the free end of a lever 35. The levers S5, 35 are rigidly secured to a horizontal shaft 36 which is rotatably mounted in bearings 3i, 3? carried by or formed on brackets 38, 38 respectively. The brackets 38, 38 are rigidly secured to breast beam 3.

Secured to the shaft 36, adjacent each of the bearings 31, is a lever 48, the free end of which is pivotally connected at El to the upper end of a vertically extending link 42. The lower end of each link 42 is connected to an arm of a lever M. Each lever 34 is pivotally mounted at 45 on a flexed portion 9 of the loom. The second arm 1'6 of each lever i4 is provided at its outer end with a roller 41 disposed in the pa"'h of a lobe =35 of a substantially circular cam element 9.

The cam elements 39, 49 are rigidly secured to a continuously rotating shaft 59 which may be driven in any suitable manner from the normal operating mechanism or drive shaft of the loo-m, or it may constitute one of the shafts of the loom normally operating in one-to-one' ratio with the crank shaft of the loom by which the oscillating movements of the lay 4 are accomplished.

The rear gripping surface 28 of the clamp member 25 is normally pressed into engagement with the front surface i5 of the bar H3, or into engagement with the loose ends of the warp threads disposed between the surfaces 65 and 23, by a pair of springs 5i, i, one end of each of which is rigidly anchored to a fixed portion of the loom wh le the opposite end is connected by a rod 52 L with a lever 53 rigidly secured to the shaft In order that clamping of the threads is at all times under the control of the springs 5!, 5! the roller t? normally is not in contact with the peripheral edge 55 of the cam elements and is engaged only by the lobe 48 for rocking the levers 46 whereby the clamp member 25 is actuated to release the threads at such time only as when the lay moves forwardly into the position illustrated in Fig. 2 when beating up one of the weft threads or one of the pile wires at the fe l of the fabric.

The release of the warp threads by the clamp 25 is but momentary and is effected while the lay 4 maintained in its forward position, as illus trated in Figs. 2 to 6 inclusive, whereby the dragging of the warp threads out of the normal grip obtained between the lower edges of the pile wires and the upper edge M of the bar it as would be effected by a rearward movement of the lay is eliminated.

As shown in Fig. 6, the base or ground fabric is illustrated at A, and for the purpose of illustration comprises stuffer warps s and binder warps b, b with which are interwoven weft threads w, w w The pile face P of the fabric is composed of successively formed courses of pile tufts p, each of which is looped around a back weft w, laid at one side of the stuffers s between the front wefts 10 w associated with said back weft w. Each group or series comprising the one back and two front wefts w, w 11) respectively is tied in and the three threads firmly pressed together and toward each other by the crossings of the binder warps b, b which occur between the insertion of the last weft w of each group and the first weft w of the next succeeding group, whereby each pile tuft p is firmly held in the ground web A of the fabric.

The pile tufts p are composed selectively of any desired number of pile warps of which, in the present instance for the purpose of illustrations, five are shown and indicated respectively at 10 p2 p3 p4 p5 The pile wires .are indicated at X and each of said pile wires is provided at one end in the usual manner with a cutting blade :c which extends in the present instance below the lower edges of the pile wires X, the upper edges of said wires being in engagement with the under surface of the ground fabric A.

In the weaving of the frabric the stufier and binder warps are controlled in the usual manner by harness frames and the pile warps p to p inclusive are controlled by suitable jacquard or other pattern mechanism. In normal weaving of Wilton carpet the jacquard mechanism raises the pile warps selectively for the insertion of a pile wire between the selected pile warps and the binder and stuifer warps. In the weaving of fabric upside down the jacquard mechanism raises the selected pile warps for the reception of a back weft w.

After a back weft w has been inserted the selected pile warps are dropped and a front weft 20 is then inserted. The ground warps are then all raised and the pile warps are lowered to form a shed for receiving a pile wire X, whereby the previously selected pile warps are carried around the lower edge of the pile wire in the manner indicated in Fig. 6.

If any of the previously selected pile warps are selected for the next course of pile tufts of the design being woven in the fabric such pile warps are carried around the lower edge of the pile wire X when the selected warps are again raised by the jacquard mechanism, whereby the pile warps selected for successive lines of the design are formed into pile loops 10 However, after the last raising of any one of the pile warps, and until such time as such pile warp is again selected to be raised in the manner above noted, the pile warp, instead of floating through the ground web, as in a Wilton carpet, extends along the pile face of the fabric between the pile loops p and the upper knurled face id of the bar it and at each beatup of the lay A such pile warps are drawn forward with the fabric. Such step by step drawing of the pile warps which are still connected to the fabric continues until the pile wire which was inserted after the last selected raising of the then connected pile warps is withdrawn, whereupon the knife a: of such pile wire will sever the connected pile warp at the point indicated at x in Fig. 6. severing of the thread leaves a loose end p extending from the fell of the fabric to the point where the last of the pile wires is withdrawn. These loose ends 11 then drop down between the rear face 28 of the clamp member 25 and the front face !5 of the bar 59, it being noted that such dropping is permitted by the momentary releasings of the clamp 25 at each time the lay t moves to its forward position.

The clamp 25, as noted above, holds all of the loose ends p of the warps from the time they are severed from the fabric until the warps are again called in the formation of design. When a warp thread is again called and tied into the fabric to produce one or more pile tufts, and as the fabric moves forward on each beat-up of the lay 4, the previously formed loose end 10 is dragged forwardly by newly formed connection of the pile warp with the fabric and the loose end 20 is thereby drawn out of the grip formed between the pile loops p and the gripping surface Id of the bar it. The loose end p advances step by step with the similar advancement of the fabric, until such thread assumes the position illustrated at p in Fig. 6, then, as the pile wires move forwardly to the withdrawing position by the successive beat ups of the lay t, the loose end is severed from the fabric along the line indicated at whereupon the said loose end is severed completely from the fabric and drops between the vertical flange E2 of the bar 58 and the rear flange 26 of the clamp 25 in the form of a short piece of thread, as indicated at p in Figs. 3, 4 and 5.

In order to carry these short cut pieces of thread away from the gripping point the clamp element 26 is given a peculiar raking motion each time the clamp is released, the cycle of movement of the clamp 25 being illustrated in Figs. 2, 3, l and 5.

As shown in Fig. 2, the clamp 25 is in the full thread-holding position gripping the free ends s of the threads in the manner above noted. As the lay beats up into the position shown in Fig. 2, the cam lobes d8 engage the rollers H and rock the levers M which through the links 42 and levers til rocks the shaft 35 and the levers 35 in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 3. Such rocking of the levers 35 through the links 33 raises the outer ends of the lever arms M of the clamp 25 in the direction of the arrow 0. (Fig. 3), whereby the rear end of the clamp member 25 is moved downwardly in the direction of the arrow (1 (Fig. 3), the clamp member rocking about the common axis of its trunnions 23, 23. At the same time the clamp member 25 moves forwardly, as indicated by the arrow (1. in Fig. 3. This combined downward and forward movement of the clamp member 25 causes the lower bevel edge 38 of the clamp member 25 to scrape along the surface i-tl-lS-Hi of the bar member H3, whereby the bevel edge to of the clamp member engages all the loose pieces 10 of the pile threads and moves them forwardly step by step away from the gripping point, said threads eventually passing over the front edge of the horizontal flange H of the bar iii and falling through openings tit formed in the breast plate 2 as indicated in Fig. 4, wherein the clamp member 25 is shown as having moved forwardly to its extreme position with its lower bevel edge 3%! in contact with the upper edge is of the said horizontal flange H. The rollers 22 during the movement of the clamp bar 25 from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 4 have moved forwardly in the horizontal slots 2! of the bearing members 20.

In order to prevent the loose pieces of threads p from being carried rearwardly again by the clamping member 25 said clamp member is moved vertically from the position shown in Fig. 4 to that shown in Fig. by a reverse rocking movement of the shaft 36 by the springs 5! in the direction of the arrow a in Fig. 5, which, through the links 33, moves the arms 3! ofthe clamp member 25 downwardly in the direction of the arrow 0, while the rollers 22 remain practically stationary, by reason of the pivots 32 between the lower ends of the links 33 and arms Si being below a plane extending through the axes of the rollers 22 and the axes of the pivots 3 3, by which the upper ends of the links S3 are connected to the levers 35, when the shaft 35 is rocked reversely by the springs 5!. Such lowering of the arms 3! raises the rear blade or rake 25 of the clamp 25 in the direction of the arrow a (Fig. 5), whereby the upper edge of the blade 26 of the clamp member 25 is pressed firmly against the underside of the pile loops p At the same time the rocking of the levers 35 in the direction of the arrow (1 (Fig. 5) moves the clamp member 25 rearwardly in the direction of the arrow a during which the rollers 22 move rearwardly in the bearing slots 2! and the upper edge of the blade 2'5 of the clamping member 25 scrapes along the underside of the fabric and carries with it any of the small pieces 19 of the threads which may have adhered to the pile loops after being severed from the fabric. The clamping member 25 then moves from the position shown in Fig. 5 into the position shown in Fig. 2 to complete its cycle of operation carrying with it any of the small pieces of thread which may have been raked off the underside of the fabric. Such small pieces of thread may then be gripped with the loose ends p and in order to remove such small pieces of thread from among the gripped ends of the idle pile warps the serrations 28 along the upper rear edge of the clamping member 25 function as a comb to comb out such small pieces of thread from among the free ends 10'' of the idle warps whereupon such loose pieces fall onto the curved surface it and, on the next cycle of operation of the clamping member 25, are engaged by and carried down along the surface I! by the beveled edge 36 of said clamping member.

In this manner the gripping point is kept clear of small pieces of thread which otherwise would accumulate between the gripping members 25 and i8 and interfere with the proper gripping of the free ends p of the idle warp threads.

Severing of the threads in the manner above noted leaves extensions 10 on. some of the pile tufts p, such small extensions being removed when the fabric, after being removed from the loom, is run through the usual shearing operation commonly practiced in the finishing of cut pile fabrics.

In weaving under the practice laid down in the above noted British patent wherein no clamping mechanism is provided and wherein no raking of the surface is effected as above described the long ends p remain on the fabric and before the fabric is subjected to the normal shearing operation such long pieces must be removed manually with hand shears which is an expensive operation. In weaving according to the applicants invention such hand shearing preliminary to the mechanical shearing operation is eliminated at a considerable saving to the manufacturer.

Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate a modification of the invention wherein the clamping member 25a moves in a single plane indicated by the arrow in Fig. 8, and the removal of the short pieces of thread p is effected by a ratchet action effected by a plate 6! which is pivotally connected to the underside of the clamping member 25a as indicated at 62, the plate 6| extending at an angle and being provided along its free edge with teeth 63 which engage the loose pieces of thread and carry them over the toothed surface 64 formed on the upper side of the horizontal flange II of the bar l8, whereby the loose pieces of thread are advanced step by step during the reciprocations of the clamping member 25a until the said thread pieces fall through the openings 60 formed in the breast plate 2.

Reciprocations in the single plane 0 are effected by side arms 3M, which project forwardly from the clamping bar 25a, said bar 3la being pivotally connected at 32a to links 33a which are also connected at 34a to levers 35a secured to transversely extending shaft 36a. The shaft 36a is rotatably mounted in the manner above described with respect to the shaft 36. The shaft 38a is provided with levers 40w which are connected by links 42a to levers 44a, said levers being provided with rollers 41a for engagement by cam lobes 48a. Springs m are secured at one end to the frame of the machine and at their opposite ends to the arms 43a of the levers 44a and function to rock the shaft 36a in a manner to effect gripping of the free ends of the idle pile warps between the rear edge 28a, the clamping member 250. and the front surface [5 of the bar it. The clamp bar 25a is guided in its reciprocation by sliding contact with guides 65 disposed at the opposite ends of the clamping member 25a between the arms Sla. and short bars 65 secured to the underside of the clamp bar 25a.

I claim:

1. In a loom employing warp threads adapted to be incorporated in, severed from, and positioned adjacent a fabric being woven by said loom, a device comprising a pair of rigid relatively movable elements cooperating one with the other and operable independent of the fabric for holding a plurality of said threads in said position simultaneously during intervals between said incorporations.

2. In a loom employing warp threads adapted to be incorporated in, severed from, and positioned adjacent a fabric being woven by said loom, a device comprising a pair of rigid relatively movable elements cooperating one with the other to grip and to hold the freed ends of a plurality of said threads simultaneously in said position independent of the fabric during intervals between said incorporations.

3. In a loom employing warp threads adapted to be incorporated in, severed from, and positioned adjacent a fabric being woven by said loom, a device comprising relatively movable elements adapted to hold the freed ends of said threads in said position during intervals between said incorporations, and raking means for removing loose severed pieces of said ends from said holding elements.

4. In a loom employing warp threads adapted to be incorporated in, severed from, and positioned adjacent a fabric being woven by said loom, a device comprising relatively movable elements adapted to hold the freed ends of said threads in said position during intervals between said incorporations, raking means for removing loose severed pieces of said ends from said holding elements, and pusher means for discharging said loose pieces from said device.

5. In a loom employing warp threads adapted to be incorporated in, severed from, and positioned adjacent a fabric being woven by said loom, a device comprising relatively movable elements adapted to hold the freed ends of said threads in said position during intervals between said incorporations, and pusher means for discharging loose severed pieces of said ends from said device.

6. In a loom employing warp threads adapted to be incorporated in, severed from, and positioned adjacent a fabric being woven by said loom, a device operable independent of the fabric for holding the freed ends of said threads in said position during intervals between said incorporations comprising a rigidly fixed supporting element for the freed ends of said threads, and a relatively movable rigid clamp element adapted to grip said freed ends in cooperation with said supporting element.

7. In a loom employing warp threads adapted to be incorporated in, severed from, and positioned adjacent a fabric being woven by said loom, a device for holding the freed ends of said threads in said position during intervals between said incorporations comprising a supporting element for the freed ends of said threads, a relatively movable clamp element adapted to grip said freed ends in cooperation with said supporting element, and means for removing loose severed pieces of said ends from said device.

8. In a loom employing warp threads adapted to be incorporated in, severed from, and positioned adjacent a fabric being woven by said loom, a device for holding the freed ends of said threads in said position during intervals between said incorporations comprising a supporting element for the freed ends of said threads, a relatively movable clamp element adapted to grip said freed ends in cooperation with said supporting element, and means for removing loose severed pieces of said ends from the gripping field of said elements.

9. In a loom employing warp threads adapted to be incorporated in, severed from, and positioned adjacent a fabric being woven by said loom, a device for holding the freed ends of said threads in said position during intervals between said incorporations comprising a supporting element for the freed ends of said threads, a relatively movable clamp element adapted to grip said freed ends in cooperation with said supporting element, means for removing loose severed pieces of said ends from the gripping field of said elements, and means for removing loose severed pieces of said ends from said device.

10. In a loom employing warp threads adapted to be incorporated in, severed from, and positioned adjacent a fabric being woven by said loom, a device for holding the freed ends of said threads in said position during intervals between said incorporations comprising a supporting element for the freed ends of said threads, a clamping element cooperating with said supporting element to clamp said freed end therebetweemand means for effecting relative movement between said elements longitudinally of said freed ends to remove loose severed pieces of said ends from the gripping field of said elements.

11. In a loom employing warp threads adapted to be incorporated in, severed from, and positioned adjacent a fabric being woven by said loom, a device for holding the freed ends of said threads in said position during intervals between said incorporations comprising a supporting element for the freed ends of said threads, a clamping element cooperating with said supporting element to clamp said freed end therebetween, means for moving said clamping element in one direction relative to said supporting element to remove loose severed pieces of said ends from the gripping field of said elements, and means for moving said clamping element in a second direction relative to said supporting element to discharge said loose pieces from said device.

12. In a loom employing warp threads adapted to be incorporated in, severed from, and positioned adjacent a fabric being woven by said loom, a device for holding the freed ends of said threads in said position during intervals between said incorporations comprising a supporting element for the freed ends of said threads, a clamping element cooperating with said supporting element to clamp said freed end therebetween, means for moving said clamping element in one direction relative to said supporting element to remove loose severed pieces of said ends from the gripping field of said elements, means for moving said clamping element in a second direction relative to said supporting element to discharge said loose pieces from said device, and means for moving said clamping element in a direction substantially perpendicular to the gripping surface of the supporting element to grip the supported free ends between said elements in said field.

13. In a loom employing warp threads adapted to be incorporated in, severed from, and positioned adjacent a fabric being woven by said loom, a device for holding the freed ends of said threads in said position during intervals between said incorporations comprising a supporting element for the freed ends of said threads, said supporting element comprising a substantially horizontal surface on which said freed ends rest and a substantially vertical gripping surface adjacent said horizontal rest surface, a clamping element comprising a gripping surface substantially parallel to the vertical gripping surface of said supporting element, and means for moving the clamping element substantially perpendicular to the gripping surface of the supporting element for receiving and gripping said freed ends therebetween.

14. In a loom employing warp threads adapted to be incorporated in, severed from, and positioned adjacent a fabric being woven by said loom, a device for holding the freed ends of said threads in said position during intervals between said incorporations comprising a supporting element for the freed ends of said threads, said supporting ele-. ment comprising a substantially horizontal surface on which said freed ends rest and a substantially vertical gripping surface adjacent said horizontal rest surface, a clamping element comprising a gripping surface substantially parallel to the vertical gripping surface of said supporting element, means for moving the clamping element substantially perpendicular to the gripping surface of the supporting element for receiving and gripping said freed ends therebetween, and means for moving said clamping element downwardly from the horizontal rest surface of said supporting element to clear the gripping field afforded by said gripping surfaces of loose severed pieces of said thread ends.

15. In a loom employing warp threads adapted to be incorporated in, severed from, and positioned adjacent a fabric being woven by said loom, a device for holding the freed ends of said threads in said position during intervals between said incorporations comprising a supporting element for the freed ends of said threads, consisting of an angle bar having one flange disposed in a substantially vertical plane and a second flange disposed in a substantially horizontal plane with the freed ends of said threads resting on and hanging over the upper edge and downwardly in front of a gripping surface of said vertical flange to a position above said horizontal flange, a clamping element comprising a blade disposed substantially parallel to the vertical flange of the said bar, and a rib on said blade arranged to press said free ends into gripping contact with the vertical gripping surface of said bar.

16. In a loom employing warp threads adapted to be incorporated in, severed from, and positioned adjacent a fabric being woven by said loom, a device for holding the freed ends of said threads in said position during intervals between said incorporations comprising a supporting element for the freed ends of said threads, consisting of an angle bar having one flange disposed in a substantially vertical plane and a second flange disposed in a substantially horizontal plane with the freed ends of said threads resting on and hanging over the upper edge and downwardly in front of a gripping surface of said vertical flange to a position above said horizontal flange, a clamping element comprising a blade disposed substantially parallel to the vertical flange of the said bar, and a rib on said blade and having a vertically serrated surface arranged to press said freed ends into gripping contact with the vertical gripping surface of said bar.

17. In a loom employing warp threads adapted to be incorporated in, severed from, and positioned adjacent a fabric being woven by said loom, a device for holding the freed ends of said threads in said position during intervals between said incorporations comprising a supporting element for the freed ends, of said threads, consisting of an angle bar having one flange disposed in a substantially vertical plane and a second flange disposed in a substantially horizontal plane with the freed ends of said threads resting on and hanging over the upper edge and downwardly in front of a gripping surface of said vertical flange to a position above said horizontal flange, a clamping element comprising a blade disposed substantially parallel to the vertical flange of the said bar, a rib on said blade and having a vertically serrated surface arranged to press said freed ends into gripping contact with the vertical gripping surface of said bar, and means for moving said serrated rib downwardly along the vertical gripping surface of said bar to comb out loose severed pieces of said freed ends from among said ends.

18. In a loom employing warp threads adapted to be incorporated in, severed from, and positioned adjacent a fabric being woven by said loom, a device for holding the freed ends of said threads in said position during intervals between said incorporations comprising a supporting element for the freed ends of said threads, consisting of an angle bar having one flange disposed in .a substantially vertical plane and asecond flange disposed in a substantially horizontal plane with the freed ends of said threads resting on and hanging over the upper edge and downwardly in front of a gripping surface of said vertical flange to a position above said horizontal flange, a clamping element comprising a blade disposed substantially parallel to the vertical flange of the said bar, a rib on said blade and having a vertically serrated surface arranged to press said freed ends into gripping contact with the vertical gripping surface of said bar and a beveled lower edge for contact with the upper surfacevof said horizontal flange, and means for moving said blade downwardly relative to the vertical gripping surface of the'one flange and outwardly therefrom along the upper horizontal surface of the second said flange for removing loose cut pieces of said ends from said device.

19. In a loom employing warp threads adapted to be incorporated in, severed from, and positioned adjacent a fabric being woven by said loom, a device for holding the freed ends of said threads in said position during intervals between said incorporations comprising a supporting element for the freed ends of said threads,

consisting of an angle bar having one flange disposed in a substantially vertical plane and a second flange disposed in a substantially horizontal plane with the freed ends of said threads resting on and pressed by said fabric into contact with serrations formed on the upper edge of said vertical flange with portions of said ends hanging over the upper edge and downwardly in front of a gripping surface of said vertical flange to a position above said horizontal flange, a clamping element comprising a blade disposed substantially parallel to the vertical flange of the said. bar, and a rib on said blade arranged to press said freed ends into gripping contact with the vertical gripping surface of said bar.

20. The combination of a breast plate, an angle bar on the breast plate, a clamp bar paralleling said angle bar, trunnions on the opposite ends of the clamp bar journaled in slotted bearings on the breast plate at the opposite ends respectively of the angle bar, a blade on the clamp bar having a serrated faced rib for engaging one surface of a vertically extending flange of the angle bar and a beveled lower edge for engaging the upper surface of a horizontal flange of the angle bar, arms on the clamp bar for rocking the same about said trunnions, links connected to the outer ends of said arms, a rock shaft, levers on the rock shaft respectively connected to said links, a cam for rocking said shaft in one direction, and a spring for rocking the shaft in the opposite direction as and for the purposes specified.

LINUS STURM.

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