US2085334A

US2085334A - Braiding machine

Info

Publication number: US2085334A
Application number: US2855A
Authority: US
Inventors: Norman E Richards
Original assignee: Textile Machine Works
Current assignee: Textile Machine Works
Priority date: 1935-01-22
Filing date: 1935-01-22
Publication date: 1937-06-29
Anticipated expiration: 1954-06-29

Description

June 29, E937. N. E. RICHARDS 2,085,334

BRAIDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 22, 1935 5 Sheecs-Sheferl l June 29, 1937. N. E. RICHARDS '2,085,334

BRAIDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 22, 1935 5 Sheets-$heet 2 June 219, 1937. N. E. RICHARDS BRAIDING MACHINE 'Filed Jan. 22, 1935 5 sheets-sheet 5 g Y W j 1% Z 17 155 9" 15g 177i@ l i as? 175 57 ,j/iv- 5 5 .5 g-jz'l; 1D l ULS z, 5 LA" 5 I J L E- 7 165 y 151 170k 162 160 1M 159 a X752 i@ INI/ENTOR:

f5 llmzanf nis;

z 165 jj 16% 170 166 159 BY Q jj 1195 y/ 160 y ATTORNEY Fume 29, 1937. N; E. RICHARDS 2,085,334

BRAIDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 22, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Y ipa INVENToR:

llormanfhards,

BY C/f 4 f y@ W,

TORNE `June 29, 1937. N. E. RICHARDS BRAIDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 22, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented June 29, i937 STATES PATENT @FFCE BRAIDING MACHINE Application January 22, 1935, Serial No. 2,855

14 Claims.

This invention relates to a braiding machine for producing a flat selvedged-edge strip of textile fabric, substantially rectangular in crosssection and suitable when completed for use as a brake lining or in the fabrication of brake linings and/or correspondingly and similarly used and fabricated articles. It relates more particularly to a novel and useful means for making an article which in its ultimate form would be subl0 jected to a rubbing or frictional action on at least one of its flat faces, which friction would cause a wearing away of the exposed surface of the strip.

In order to increase the Wearing resistance of such a strip of brake lining to a maximum and in order to simultaneously make .a strip having maximum frictional gripping qualities at all times during its useful life, the present invention contemplates the provision of a simple yet highly emcient machine which is adapted to lay the various wear-resisting threads of which the strip is composed in a predetermined order and pattern-weave with respect to each other and to arrange these threads and intertwist them in such a manner as to cause the frictional rubbing action to take place in a direction transverse to the wear-resisting threads, i. e., across the ends of the fibers of the interbraided threads of the strip, to the greatest possible extent.

In order to produce a strip having a firm body with a minimum degree of longitudinal extensibility and at the same time to accentuate the presentation of the ber ends to the wearing 5 action of the drum or other member against which it frictionally rubs, the machine is adapted to insert longitudinally extending core threads within the strip during the interbraiding of the wear-resisting threads. The interbraiding of the wear-resisting threads may thus take place about or around these core threads and thus the core threads become rmly bound into the body of the strip.

One object of my invention is to produce a novel machine adapted to braid strands or threads of any desirable cross-section or quality whereby a friction or brake lining of any thickness may be made in a single braiding operation.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a machine capable of making a braided fabric in which the interbraided threads are completely interlocked and intergripped within the fabric, thereby producing an article far superior to, and more cheaply and easily made than any similar article heretofore manufactured.

A further object of this invention is to provide a machine for producing an article that is integrally interbraided and does not embody the objectionable features of super-positioned layers of fabric. 5

With these and other objects in view, which will become apparent from the following detailed description of an illustrative and practical embodiment of my invention, shown in the accompanying drawings, the invention comprises the 10 novel elements, features of construction and arrangement of parts in cooperative relationship as hereinafter more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings: l0

Figure l is a face View of a piece of flat fabric strip which is one type that may be produced on the machine illustratively forming the subject matter of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic transverse sec- 20 tional View of the strip taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 diagrammatically illustrates the braiding path or course traversed by one of the series of threads of which the strip shown in 2D Figs. 1 and 2 is composed;

Figure 4 is a View similar to Fig. 3 but showing the braiding course followed by a second series of threads while travelling through the body of the strip shown in Figs. l and 2;

Figure 5 is a View showing the courses of Figs. 3 and 4 combined, wherein the intersecting relation of the two courses with respect to each other is clearly illustrated;

Figure 6 is an end elevation of one embodiment of a machine constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

Figure 7 is a top plan view slightly reduced however, and taken on the line 1--1 of Fig. 6; 0

Figure 8 is a front elevational View of the machine illustrated in Fig. 6, partially diagrammatic, with the superstructure of the machine shown in section;

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic top plan view of the thread carrier supporting race-plate of the machine;

Figure 10 is a sectional plan view taken on the line lll-I0, Fig. 6, and shows, clearly, the driving means for the thread carriers and the means 50 for determining their movements over the carrier-supporting race-plate shown in Fig. 9; and

Fig. 1l is a sectional view taken substantially along the line Il-I I, Fig. 6.

In all of the drawings corresponding numbers 55 indicate the same or similar structures and where repeated, the same has been done in order to more clearly indicate the inter-relation and association of the respective parts.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the strip S comprises a braiding series A consisting of individual Wearresisting threads a1 to a13 inclusive and a second braiding series B consisting of individual Wear-resisting threads b1 to Z913 inclusive. The threads of the series B are interbraided with the threads of the series A, this interbraiding of the series A and B takes place around a` series C of longitudinally extending core threads disposed in a central plane substantially parallel to the cpposite faces S1 and S2 of the strip S and consistn ing of individual threads c1 to c'z inclusive; an outer series C1 disposed in a plane intermediate that of the series C and the plane of the face S1 of the strip and consisting of individual core threads C11 to C12 inclusive; and a second outer series C2v disposed in a plane intermediate the plane of the series C and the plane of the face S2 of the strip and consisting of individual core threads c21 to c28 inclusive.

As diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 3, the series of Wear-resisting threads A follows an undulated course transversely of the strip S Which takes the form of the letter W, the first arm A1 of which starts at one corner of the strip on the face S1 thereof and extends obliquely and at an angle to the plane of face S1 of the strip, and through the interior of theistrip to the second face S2 thereof, then passes into a second arm A2 extendingiobliquely and at an angle to the second face S2 and to the arm A1 and traverses from the second face S2 of the strip to the first face S1, then goes into a third arm A3 extending in a direction substantially parallel to the direction of the first arm A1, the arm A3 extends the course from the rst face S1 to the second face S2 of the strip and finally, a fourth arm A1 extends in a direction substantially parallel to the direction of the second arm A2 of the course A and goes from the second face S2 of the strip to the first face S1 thereof, terminating at a corner of the strip in the same plane as that in which the first arm of the course began, e. g., on the same face S1 of the strip as the beginning of the arm A1.

The second thread series B diagrammatically illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, follows a course substantially the same as that of the course A but in inverted and intersecting relationship thereto. The course of the series B is inverted with respect to the course of the series A and takes the form of the letter M, wherein, the rst arm B1 of the second series B intersects the rst arm A1 of the first series A; the second arm B2 of the course of the series B intersects the second arm A2 of the course of the first series A; the third arm B3 of the course of the second series B intersects the third arm A3 of the course of the first series A; and the fourth arm B1 of the course of the second series B intersects the fourth arm A4 of the course of the first series A, the terminals of the arms B1 and B4 being in the same plane e. g., face S2 of the strip S and directly opposite, respectively, to the terminals of the arms A1 and A4 of the course of the series A.

As shown in Fig. 2 the core threads of the central series C and those of the outer series C1 and C2 are longitudinally disposed and are separated from each other by the traversing courses of the series A and B, i. e. the intersecting of the tWo series of threads A and B takes place between adjacently disposed core threads.

The machine comprises a main horizontal bedplate I, Figs. 6 to l0, supported by a series of latu erally spaced transversely extending pairs of

legs

2, 2, said bed-plate being substantially rectangular in form.

Spaced above and disposed substantially parallel to the bed-plate I is the race-plate 3 of the machine which, like the bed-plate I, is substantially rectangular in form. The race-plate 3 is supported in spaced relation to the bed-plate I by a series of shouldered bolts l of relatively large diameter intermediate the plates I and 3 and having reduced threaded ends passing through said plates respectively. Securing nuts 5 hold the plates against shoulders S provided by the reduction in the diameters of the opposite ends respectively of the bolts ll, the shoulders 6 functioning to maintain the plates l and 3 rigidly in spaced relation' to each other.

As clearly shown in Fig. 9, the race-plate 3 is provided With two intersecting raceWays Ill and 2E? respectively which denne a parallel-sided braiding zone, the raceway Ii! taking the form of the letter W in accordance with the course of the series of threads A, the racevvay 2! taking the form of the letter M in accordance with the course followed by the series of threads B.

The rst arm I I of the W-shaped raceway Iii comprises a pair of substantially parallel slots i Ea and I Ib formed in the race-plate 3 connected to form one terminal end of the racev/ay iii by a substantially semicircular slot Hc.

The second arm I2 of the raceway It comprises a pair of substantially parallel slots I2a and IZb which are connected to the slots Ila and IIb of the raceway III by arcuate slots IZc and I2@ respectively, the slot I2a of the second arm crossing the slot IIb of the first arm at IIe.

The third arm I3 of the raceway I comprises a pair of substantially parallel slots 13a and I3b which are connected to the slots |2a and IZb of the second arm I2 by arcuate slots |30 and i3d respectively, the slot Ia of the third arm crossing the slot I2b of the second arm at I2e.

The fourth arm Ill of the raceway lll comprises a pair of substantially parallel slots Ia and, Ilb which are respectively connected to the slots I3a and I3b of the third arm by arcuate slots Ille and Illd respectively, the slot Ida of the fourth arm crossing the slot i319 of the third arm at Ie. The ends of the slots I 4a and Mb of the fourth arm I Il are connected by a substantially semi-circular slot Ide forming the second terminal end of the raceWay It.

The raceway 2G in a like manner comprises four relatively angularly disposed arms each consisting of a pair of substantially parallel slots respectively extending substantially at right angles to the slots of the corresponding legs of the raceway lil, the raceway 20 being substantially of the same form` as the raceWay III but in an inverted position with respect thereto as the letter M is to the letter W.

The first arm 2l of the M-shaped raceway 2Q comprises a pair of substantially parallel slots 2Ia and 2lb connected at the first terminal end of the raceway 2t by a substantially semi-circular slot 2Ic.

The second arm 22 comprises a pair of substantially parallel slots 22a and Eb which are connected to the slots 2 Ia and 2lb of the rst arm 2l by arcuate slots 22o and 22d, with the slot 22a of the second arm 22 crossing the slot 2 Ib of the first arm 2| at 2Ie.

The third arm 23 of the raceway 20 comprises a pair of substantially parallel slots 23a, and 23h, which are respectively connected to the slots 22a and 22h of the arm 22 by arcuate slots 23C and 23d, with the slot 23a of the arm 23 crossing the slot 22h of the second arm 22 at 22e.

The fourth arm 24 of the raceway 20 comprises a pair of substantially parallel slots 24a. and 24h which are respectively connected to the slots 23a and 23h of the arm 23 of the raceway 20 by arcuate slots 24o and 24d, the slot 24a, of the fourth arm 24 crossing the slot 23h of the third arm 23 at 23e.

The terminal ends of the slots 24a and 24h are connected by a substantially semi-circular slot 24e forming the second terminal end of the raceway 20.

Due to the intersecting relation of the various slots constitutingthe various arms of the two raceways I0 and 20, intervening portions of the raceplate 3 are completely separated from the outer or marginal portions of the race-plate and from each other, forming what are commonly referred to as tellers or quoits which in Fig. 9 are indicated at 25.

The

tellers

25, 25 are individually supported from the underlying bed-plate I by

studs

26, 26, Fig. 10, respectively. In the present instance the studs 2E are of a tubular form and are rigidly connected at their upper ends to the

tellers

25, 25 and at their lower ends to the bed-plate I, whereby the tellers are maintained in rigidly xed laterally spaced relation to each other and to the marginal portions of the race-plate 3 to form and maintain the continuity of the slots constituting the intersecting raceways I0 and 29 respectively.

Arranged to travel over the upper face of the race-plate 3 along the raceways I0 and 20 respectively are two independent series of thread or

bobbin carriers

30, 30, Fig. 6,l there being provided one carrier for each of the threads a1 to a13 inclusive in the series A thereof and one carrier for each of the threads b1 to D13 inclusive in the series of B thereof.

The bobbin carriers for this specific machine may be of any of the well-known type familiar to those versed in the related art. However, in this particular case, the carriers are provided with a pair of spaced plates 3| and 35, Fig. 6, which are connected by an elongated fm or heart piece 33 of well known and suitable construction, see Fig. 11. The n 33 extends through and rides in the raceway slots I0, 20, Fig. 9, formed or cut in the race-plate 3. Each bobbin carrier at its lower extremity is provided with a lug or stud 31 which is adapted to be engaged by and travel with a horn-shaped pair of projections IOI carried by the gears |00.

The usual

upright arms

45, 45a, Fig. 6, the spindle-shaft or axle 53, and the bobbin or spool of thread 50 having lateral flanges 5|, together with its attendant thread tensioner '||f, and thread gui-de 48 are also shown. The thread is led upwards, as shown to the braiding point X, Fig. 6.

The braiding movements of the carriers 30 for effecting interbraiding of the series of threads A with the series of threads B are effected through mechanism shown particularly in Fig. 10.

Rotatably mounted on each of those of the teller or quoit-supporting studs 26 which correspond in position to the outer series of core threads C1, C2, intermediate the base plate I and the race-plate 3, is an ordinary horn bearing gear or horn-gear |00. Those horn-gears which are located at the terminal ends of the race- Ways I0 and 20 are provided with four horns, illustrated at IOI, while those intermediate the terminals of said race-ways are provided with but three horns each.

Each horn gear intermeshes with each of its immediately adjacent neighbors and the horns on the several gears are so arranged that a horn on one gear is brought into alignment with a horn on the next gear at predetermined times during the rotation of the several gears at uniform peripheral speed.

The horns |0| engage the studs 3'! of the carriers 30 and as the several gears are rotated in unison the carriers are moved over the surface of the race-plate 3 and are guided by the tongues or fins 33 running in the slots constituting the race- Ways I0 and 20 respectively. The slots guide the carriers through the above noted intersecting courses of the threads indicated as series A and B to effect intertwining and interbraiding of the two series of threads in the manner above noted. These slots also function to guide the stud 3l of each carrier out of the horn of one gear into the horn of the next gear when the horns are aligned one with the other in the manner above noted.

The train of horn gears is driven at the opposite ends thereof by horizontally disposed pinions |02 and |03, Fig. 10, respectively. These pinions are secured or journalled on vertically disposed shafts |04 and |05 respectively, the lower ends of which are mounted in bearings |06, Fig. 8, carried by brackets |0'| and |08 respectively secured to the under side of the base plate I adjacent the opposite ends thereof.

'Ihe upper ends of the shafts |04 and |05 have bearing in the base plate I and extend above said base plate a sufficient distance to permit of the pinions |02 and |03 being secured thereto in the plane of the teeth of the horn gears |00.

The main drive shaft I is horizontally disposed beneath the base plate and rotatably supported in the bearings |06 of the brackets |0`| and |08 and in a bearing |I2 carried by an intermediate bracket I I3 which, like the brackets |0'| and |08, is secured to the underside of the base plate I.

The main shaft II I is provided with tight and loose pulleys Il@ and |I5 respectively, about which is adapted to pass a drive belt I I5, the belt running between the forks or arms I|'| and IIB of a be1t-shifting mechanism, whereby the belt may be shifted from the tight to the loose pulley, and vice versa.

The belt-shifting arms and IIB are secured to a horizontally disposed shift rod II9 which is slidably mounted in bearings |20 secured to the underside of the base plate I. Rotation of the shift rod II9 is prevented by an arm I2! secured to the said shift rod and provided with a bearing |22 which is in turn secured to a second rod |23. The rod |23 is disposed parallel to the rod I I9 and is slidably mounted in bearings |24, |24 secured to the underside of the base plate I.

rhe shift rod ||9 is at all times urged to move in a direction to shift the belt IIB from the tight pulley ||4 on to the loose pulley ||5 by a spring |25, Fig. 10, one end of which is secured'to a fixed part of the machine while the other end is secured to a collar |26 fixed on the shift rod H6.

Normally, the movement of the rod H9 in the direction above noted is prevented by a latch lever |21 forming part of the stop motion of the machine, said latch lever having a notch |28 into which extends a lug |29 which is carried by the shifter lever |36.

The latch lever |21 is secured to the lower end of a vertically disposed shaft |35 fixed to the base plate and the race-way guide plate 3, respectively.

At predetermined points along the intertwining straight serpentine race-ways I6 and 26 are provided -a series of trip arms |35, Fig. 9,- each of which is secured to the upper end of a trip shaft |31, Fig. 10, said trip shafts being vertically disposed and having bearing in the parallel plates and 3.

Means may be provided on the bobbin carrier such that when the thread breaks or becomes unusually slack, the lever 11, Fig. 6, used for tensioning the thread may operate a tripping device which in turn actuates the stop mechanism by causing a tripping device to fall in the plane of the several trip shoes |36. Consequently as the carrier on which the lowered drop or tripping device is mounted is moved along the course of either the series of threads A or B, as the case may be, then one of the drop levers or tripping devices would engage one of the trip shoes |36, thereby effecting a rocking of the shoe and a corresponding rocking of the main trip shaft |35 whereby the latch lever |21 would be moved to a position releasing the shifter lever |30, whereupon the spring |25 would slide the trip rod ||9 longitudinally to effect movement of the belt ||6 from the tight pulley ||l| to the loose pulley ||5, causing the machine to stop.

During the interbraiding movements-'of the several carriers in the manner above noted, the core threads of the series' C, Cl and C2 are fed upwardly into the field of movement or braiding point of the binder or wear-resisting threads as the interbraiding operation takes place. For this purpose each of the hollow-teller-supporting f studs 26 is provided with an extension |145, Fig. 6,

which projects above the race-plate 3 to a plane substantially level with or above the plane of the eyes 68 of the several carriers 36.

The core threads preferably pass from any suitable source of supply located at the rear of the machine and passing under the base plate and -around suitable guides |46, Fig. 8, from which the threads pass to the lower ends of the hollow teller-supporting tubes 26, passing through them andthe vertical extensions |65, uninterruptedly.

The guide tubes |65 for the core threads C11 and c1s of the series C1, and c21 and C28 of the series C2 are preferably provided with guide needles |48, around which the carriers 36, of the A braiding series travel on the S1 face, and the B series travel on the S2 face of the fabric, the needles keeping the fabric stretched to a width conforming with the size of the former |51 in a manner well known`in the art.

From the upper ends of the guide tubes and 'from the upper ends of the eyes i8 the core threads and binder threads respectively converge toward the braiding point :l: of the machine. The braiding point is located some distance above the .plane of the race-plate 3 as clearly illustrated in Figs. 6 and 8. The braiding point is normally determined by the position of a forming mechanism or a former |41 and the take-up mechanism of the machine with respect to the longitudinal and transversely extending center lines of the intertwining race-ways i6 and 26. In the present instance the braiding point is disposed somewhat to the rear of the longitudinal center line of the combined race-ways and on the transverse center line thereof. The former |41 is supported between a pair of horizontally disposed transversely extending parallel rods |56, Fig. 6.

The frame |52, see Fig. '1, is of a substantially rectangular'construction composed of end mem-- bers |55, |59 and side members |66, |66. Disposed in the open center of the frame |52 is a series of take-up and/or take-olf rolls |6|, |62 and |63 which are secured to horizontally disposed shafts |6l|, |65 and |66 respectively.

Secured to each of the shafts |56, and |66 is a pair of gears |16 which intermesh one with the other and effect a relative rotation of the take-up rolls |6|, |62 and |53.

From the take-off roll |63 the finished strip S passes into the upper end of a chute |81 .projecting forwardly and downwardly to the front central portion of the machine. 'I'hen the finished fabric is guided into a receptacle, together with its integrally twisted binder and core threads which were interbraided by the relative movements of the carriers 36 over the surface of the race-plate 3.

Of course, the improvements specically shown and described, by which I obtain the above results, can be changed and modified in various ways without departing from the invention herein disclosed and hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

l. In a braiding machine, a carrier supporting race-plate including a pair of raceways arranged to dene a parallel-sided braiding zone and a series of carriers for traversing said raceways, a plurality of drive gears for said carriers, each raceway comprising a plurality of pairs of contiguous substantially parallel slots extending in straight lines between opposite sides of said zone and interconnected at the `ends of the Zone to form a continuous raceway, the slots of each pair being spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the diameter of one of said drive gears.

2. In a braiding machine, a carrier supporting race-plate including a pair of raceways arranged to denne a parallel-sided braiding Zone and a series of carriers for traversing said raceways, a plurality of drive gears for said carriers, each raceway comprising a plurality of pairs of contiguous substantially parallel slots extending in straight lines between opposite sides of said zone and interconnected at the ends of the zone to form a continuous raceway, the spacing between parallel pairs of slots of different raceways being substantially the same as the spacing between parallel slots of the same raceway and being substantially equal to the diameter of one of said drive gears.

3. In a braiding machine provided with a raceplate including a pair of sinuously disposed raceways arranged to define a parallel-sided braiding zone and a series of carriers for traversing said raceways, each raceway comprising a pair of substantially parallel slots interconnected at their ends to form a continuous raceway, a plurality of lines of drive gears for said carriers individual lines of which are positioned adjacent each side of said braiding zone, the gears of one line intermeshing with the gears of a second line and the gears of each line intermeshing with each other,

said slots of each pair being spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the diameter of one of said horn gears.

4. In a braiding machine, a race-plate provided with two independent raceways arranged to dene a parallel-sided braiding zone and a series of carriers for traversing said raceways, a plurality of drive gears for said carriers, each raceway including a plurality of straight arm portions alternately arranged in oppositely inclined angular relation to each other, each arm comprising only two straight and substantially parallel contiguous slots extending between opposite sides of said braiding zone and spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the diameter of one of said drive gears, one of the raceways being arranged in reversed relation to the other of said raceways and with the corresponding arms of the two raceways crossing each other.

5. A carrier supporting race-plate for a braiding machine having a plurality of substantially straight guide slots for the carriers arranged to deiine a parallel-sided braiding zone and a series of carriers for traversing said slots, a plurality of drive gears for said carriers, said slots being sinuously disposed in substantially parallel pairs eX- tending and arranged between opposite sides of said braiding zone to effect a straight line movement only of the carriers crosswise of the braiding zone and comprising a rst set of contiguous paired slots, a second set of contiguous paired slots substantially perpendicular to and intersecting said rst set, said slots of each pair being spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the diameter of one of said drive gears, the pairs of each set being operatively interconnected for guiding a carrier only within their respective Set, whereby two independent, yet intersecting raceways are formed.

6. A carrier supporting race-plate for a braiding machine having a plurality of substantially straight guide slots for the carriers arranged to dene a parallel-sided braiding Zone and a series of carriers for traversing said slots, a plurality of drive gears for said carriers, said slots being sinuously disposed in substantially parallel pairs eX- tending and arranged between opposite sides of said braiding zone to eiect a straight line movement only of the carriers crosswise of the braiding zone and comprising a rst set of contiguous paired slots, a second set of contiguous paired slots substantially perpendicular to and intersecting said first set, said slots of each pair being spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the diameter of one of said drive gears, the pairs of each set being operatively interconnected for guiding a carrier only within their respective set,

.whereby two individual intersecting raceways are formed, said race-plate having openings for the passage of core threads within one or both of said raceways.

'7. A carrier supporting race-plate for a braiding machine having a plurality of substantially straight guide slots for the carriers arranged to dene a parallel-sided braiding zone, said slots being sinuously disposed in substantially parallel pairs extending between opposite sides of said braiding zone, and comprising a rst set of contiguous paired slots, a second set of contiguous paired slots substantially perpendicular to and intersecting said rst set, the pairs of each set being operatively interconnected for guiding a carrier within the set, a fin on the carriers for .guiding the same in the slots of one set, a lug on each carrier below the fin thereon, gears disposed below the race-plate, said gears having horns for engaging the lugs, the lugs being adapted to slide radially along the horns as the carriers course the straight portions of their respectively :associated guide slot set.

8. A carrier supporting race-plate for a braiding machine having a plurality of substantially straight guide slots for the carriers arranged to dene a parallel-sided braiding zone, said slots being sinuously disposed in substantially parallel pairs extending between opposite sides of said braiding Zone, and comprising a rst set of contiguous paired slots, a second set of contiguous paired slots substantially perpendicular to and intersecting said first set, the pairs of each set being operatively interconnected for guiding a carrier within the set, a fin on the carriers for guiding the same in the slots of one set, lug on each carrier below the iin thereon, gears disposed below the race-plate, said gears having horns for engaging the lugs, the lugs being adapted to slide radially 4along the horns as the carriers course the straight portions of their respectively associated guide slot set, and being adapted to remain at a fixed radial distance along said slots during -a portion of the course interconnecting the pairs of each set.

9. A carrier supporting race-plate for a braiding machine having a plurality of substantially straight guide slots for the carriers arranged `to dene a parallel-sided braiding Zone, said slots being sinuously disposed in substantially parallel pairs extending between Aopposite sides of said braiding zone, and comprising a iirst set of contiguous paired slots, a second set of contiguous paired slots substantially perpendiculal` to and intersecting said lirst set, the more remote pairs of each set being operatively interconnected for guidi-ng `a carrier lat their extreme ends by substantially semi-circular slots and at their intervening ends being connected sequentially to the remaining pairs of their respective set by segmental arcuate slots.

10. A carrier supporting race-plate for a braiding machine having a plurality of substantially straight guide slots for the carriers arranged to dene a parallel-sided braiding Zone, said slots being sinuously disposed in substantially parallel pairs extending between opposite sides of said braiding zone, and comprising a rst set of contiguous paired slots, a second set of contiguous paired slots substantially perpendicular to and intersecting said iirst set, the pairs of each set being operatively interconnected for 'guiding a carrier within the set, a iin on the carriers for guiding the same in the slots of one set, a lug on each carrier below the n thereon, gears disposed below the race-plate, said gears having horns for engaging the lugs, the lug on each carrier being adapted to engage every one of the horned gears for a portion of the latters rotation during each complete course of the carrier over its respectively assigned raceway.

11. A braiding machine comprising a raceplate provided with two independent raceways arranged to dene a parallel-sided braiding zone and a series of carriers for traversing said raceways, a plurality of drive gears for said carriers, each raceway including a plurality of straight -arm portions alternately arranged in oppositely inclined angular relation to each other with one oi the raceways arranged in reversed relation to the other vof said raceways and with the corresponding arms of the two raceways crossing each other, each arm comprising two straight and substantially parallel contiguous slots eX- tending between opposite sides. of said braiding zone and spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the diameter of one of said drive gears, each raceway comprising a pair of substantially parallel paths providing two-way ltraiTic throughout the course of each raceway, said paths of each raceway being connected by reverse turns at the terminal ends thereof, and the corresponding paths of each arm of each raceway being connected by arcuate sections disposed outside the intersections of the arms of the two raceways for maintaining continuity of the respective raceways.

l2. A braiding machine comprising a race-plate provided with two independent raceways each including a plurality of straight arm portions alternately arranged in oppositely inclined angular relation to each other with one of the raceways arranged in reversed relation to the other of said raceways and with the corresponding arms of the two raceways crossing each other, each raceway comprising a pair of substantially parallel paths providing two-way traffic throughout the course of each raceway, said paths of each raceway being connected by reverse turns at the terminal ends thereof, the corresponding paths of each arm of each raceway being connected by arcuate sections disposed outside the intersections of the arms of the two raceways for maintaining continuity of the respective raceways, and one path in each arm of each raceway crossing the opposite path of the adjacent arm thereof intermediate the arcuate sections and said intersections, these paths comprising slots formed in ways arranged in reversed relation to the other of said raceways and with the corresponding arms of the two raceways crossing each other, each raceway comprising a pair of substantially parallel paths providing two-way traffic throughout the course of each raceway, said paths of each raceway being connected by reverse turns at the terminal ends thereof, the corresponding paths of each arm of each raceway being connected by arcuate sections disposed outside the intersections of the arms of the two raceways for maintaining continuity of the respective raceways, and one path in each arm of each raceway crossing the opposite path of the adjacent arm thereof intermediate the arcuate sections and said intersections, these paths comprising slots formed in the race-plate and separating those portions of the plate disposed within the areas of the intersecting raceways and between the intersections thereof from each other and from the marginal portions of the race-plate, a base-plate parallel to and spaced from the race-plate, studs rigidly securing said separated parts respectively of the race-plate to said base-plate to maintain alignment of the paths of the raceways, a series of thread carriers operating in each raceway, and means rotatably mounted on predetermined ones of said studs intermediate the base-plate and the race-plate for moving the series of carriers along the raceways respectively to eiect interbraiding of threads respectively .carried by the carriers, the studs being of tubular form and extending from the underside of the base plate for feeding additional threads therethrough and between the threads carried by the carriers during the interbraiding.

14. A braiding machine comprising a race-plate provided with two independent allochiral raceways each defining a plurality of straight arm portions alternately arranged in oppositely inclined angular relation to each other and with the corresponding arms of the two raceways crossing each other, each raceway comprising a pair of substantially parallel paths providing for two-way travel throughout the course of each raceway, said paths of each raceway being connected by reverse turns at the terminal ends thereof, the corresponding paths of each arm of each raceway being connected by arcuate sections disposed outside the intersections or" the arms of the two raceways for maintaining continuity of the respective raceways, and one path in each arm of each raceway crossing the opposite path of the adjacent arm thereof intermediate the arcuate sections and said intersections, these paths comprising slots formed in the race-plate and separating those portions of the plate disposed within the areas of the intersecting raceways and between the intersections thereof from each other and from the marginal portions of the race-p1ate, a base-plate parallel to and spaced from the race-plate, and studs rigidly securing the separated parts respectively of the race-plate to the base-plate to maintain continuity of the raceways.

NORMAN E. RICHARDS.