US2148164A - Braiding machine - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 21, 1939. L. H. KRIPPENDORF BRAIDING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 23, 1938 INVENTOR Louls H. Kri n' enolorf BY M 0 W- ATTORNEY M QA Feb. 21, 1939. 1.. H. KRIPPENDORF BRAIDING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 23, 1958 'Iillllfl INVENTOR LOUIS H Krippenclo ma M1 ATTO RN EYSI Feb. 21, 1939. L. H. KRIPPENDORF 2,148,164

BRAIDING MACHINE v Filed March 23, 1958 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Feb. 21, 1939. L. H. KRIPPENDORF BRAIDING MACHINE Filed March 25 1938 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTUR.

Louls H Krippendorf BY e,

ATTOR YS.

Feb. 21", 1939.

1.. H, KRIPPENDORF 2,148,164

BRAIDING MACHINE Filed March 23, 19:58

7 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

I Lbuis Kr lppenalorf BY war 7M2 A m3 EYS.

F85 1939- u... H.- KRIPP'ENDORF $3 BR'AIDING MACHINE Filed March 23, 1938 '7 Sheets-Sheet 6 appenclorf 1939- H. KRIPPENDORF 2,148,164

BRAIDING MACHINE Filed March 23, 1938 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTOR. Louis H. Krippendo rf BY Wax k V Ammvz s.

Patented Feb. 21, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ESRAIDING MACHINE Louis Henry Krippendorf, New York, N. Y., 'assigner to American Cystoscope Makers, Inc., New York, N. Y., a. corporation of New York Application March 23,

9 Claims.

My present invention relates generally to braiding machines.

Generally speaking, a braid is formed from a number of strands of suitable material diagonally interwoven so that each strand passes alternately over and under one or more of the others. A machine for accomplishing this purpose consists essentially of a series of bobbin carriers, each bobbin supporting one of the strands, the carriers being advanced along suitable intersecting paths of travel. Usually, a plate is provided with intersecting serpentine slots, and the bobbincarrlers are provided with lugs extending through theslots so as to be engaged by suitable driving members. There is a driving member for each lobe of the slot pattern, usually in the form of a horned element continuously rotating in one or the other direction. The driving members are interconnected by a series of gears so that the driving members rotate in alternate directions. The result is that the bobbin carriers in one serpentine slot are advanced in one direction, while the carriers in the other slot are advanced in the opposite direction.

Where the slots are entirely separate from each other, so that the carriers in one slot never enter into the other slot, the machine is generally spoken of as a round braider, the braided product being tubular in character. Where the slots are connected by adjacent loop adapted to guide the carriers from one slot into the other and thereby reverse their travel, the machine is generally spoken of as a flat braider, because the resultant braided product is substantially flat.

unique capability of the present improved machine, braided products of unusual and specialized character can be produced. Merely by way of example, I am enabled to produce a braided tube having one or more openings or eyes in it. Such a braided product, heretofore incapable of complete automatic production by machine, enters into the manufacture of surgical catheters. By means of the present machine a large variety of braided products, consisting partly of the socalled flat braid and partly of a round braid, can now be successfully and inexpensively woven entirely by machine. I

The operation of a braiding machine, by the 1938, Serial No. 197,590

very nature of the braid to be produced, requires the maintenance of predetermined spacing between successive bobbin carriers and the maintenance of an accurately timed relationship of movement of the carriers, so that each bobbin carrier will cross one of the slot intersections in predetermined timed relation to the bobbin carriers that are traveling in the opposite direction. One of the problems I have had to solve in devising a machine of the present character, i. e., wherein a change-over from round to flat braiding can be effected, resided in the maintenance of the normal spacing between the carriers. The reason for this difliculty becomes apparent upon a comparison of the continuously intersecting slot pattern of the round braider with the slot pattern of the flat braider. The latter includes two adjacent loops necessarily traversed by each bobbin carrier to reverse its direction of'travel. Where a round braider is transformed to a flat braider without changing the number of bobbin carriers, then to avoid collisions and to maintain a proper timed cooperation between the carriers at the slot intersections, it is necessary in one Way or another to speed up the travel of the bobbin carriers in one loop and to retard the travel of the bobbin carriers in the other loop.

This latter result may be accomplished in various Ways, e. g., by making one loop of shorter peripheral length and making the other loop of longer peripheral length while still maintaining constant the lineal velocities of the carriers; or, e. g., by effectingan actual increase in lineal velocity of movement of the carriers in one loop, and effecting an actual retardation or delay in the movement of the carriers in the other loop.. It is the latter system which I prefer to employ and which I have herein illustrated in a preferred embodiment of the invention.

One of the features of my invention lies in the fact that it is not necessary to alter the number of bobbin carriers in effecting a transformation of the machine from one type of braider to the other.

I accomplish the foregoing objects. and such other objects as may hereinafter appear or be pointed out, in the manner illustratively exemplified in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a fragmentary view of a tubular braid with an opening or eye therein;

Figure 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially along the. line 2-1 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic plan view of the pertinent portion of a braiding'machine of the present character;

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the directions of travel of the bobbin carriers when the machine is used as a round braider;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5, showing the carrier travel when the machine is used as a flat braider;

Figure '7 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the lower portion of Figure 4, with parts broken away for the sake of clearness;

"Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 8-8 of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure '7, taken substantially along the line 9--9 of Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a plan view of one of the cams shown by itself; I

Figure 11 is a plan view, shown by itself, of the element that is guided by the cam of Figure 10;

Figure 12 is a plan view of the horned driving member that cooperates with the element of Figure 11;

Figure 13 'is a plan view of another cam shown by itself; I

Figure 14 is a plan view, shown by itself, of the horned driving member that cooperates with the cam of Figure 13;

Figure 15 is a front view of Figure 14;

Figures 16-19 inclusive are diagrammatic views similar to Figure 7, showing the operation of the machine when used as a round braider; and

Figures 20-23 inclusive are views similar to Figures 16-19, showing the operation when the machine is used as a flat braider.

The present machine employs the usual su stantially circular plate in which there are two intersecting serpentine slots 3| and 32. Mounted for guided advancement in these slots are a series of bobbin carriers which may be of any usual construction. As viewed in Figure 4, I have shown a series of bobbin carriers 33 in the slot 3|, and a series of bobbin carriers 34 in the slot 32.

All the bobbin carriers are alike, but when the machine is operating as a round braider, so that the paths of travel of the carriers are as indicated in Figure 5, the carriers in the slot 3| remain in that slot and never enter the slot 32; while the carriers in the slot 32, traveling in the opposite direction, never enter into the slot 3|.

'During such operation of the machine, the strands 35 are braided together to form a tubular structure such as that shown most clearly in Figure 2.

In accordance with my invention, I provide an arrangement at at least one of the slot intersections to selectively guide the carriers either across the intersection, or from one slot to the other.

Assuming that the present arrangement is associated with the intersection 36 of Figure 5, I am thus enabled to transform the slot pattern of Figure 5 into that of Figure 6. In the latter pattern, attention is directed to the adjacent loops 31 and 38, the loop 31 serving to guide the carriers in the slot 32 into the slot 3|; the loop 38 similarly guiding the carriers in the slot 3| into the slot 32; and there being in each case complete reversal of travel of the bobbin car- 1 th the carriers traveling along the intersecting paths indicated in Figure 6, the machine is operating as a so-called flat braider, during which period of operation a product such as that shown most clearly in Figure 3 is produced.

Because of the facility with which the present machine may be selectively transformed between the modes of operation shown in Figures 5 and 6, I am enabled to produce a braided product of the For the purpose of explaining the general nature of my invention, however, I have illustrated ,a machine in which the special arrangement is provided only in association with one slot intersection, viz., the intersection designated 36 in Figure 5. i

This special arrangement consists essentially of a guiding partition or wall 40 mounted for movement into and out of a position sealing the intersection 36 transversely. The wall 40 is preferably mounted in a slot and guided in a reciprocatory manner by means of a handle 4| pivoted to the machine as at 42. In Figure 4, and also in Figure 'l, the wall 4|] is in a retracted position, leaving the intersection 36 open for cross-travel of the carriers. When the handle 4| is manipulated to position the wall 40 in an endwise manner across the intersection 36, as indicated by 'dot-and-dash lines in Figures 20-23, the intersection is sealed transverselyand the bobbin car- I riers then travel in accordance with the pattern of Figure 6. L

It will be understood that the strands 35 customarily travel upwardly from the bobbin carriers toward a sort of apex 43 at which the actual braiding takes place, the braided product, as it is formed, being withdrawn upwards and guided in any suitable manner onto a take-up reel or the like. This mode of operation is well known per se and is, therefore, not illustrated in detail.

The bobbin carriers themselves are also wellknown per se and are, therefore, not illustrated in detail. However, it may be pointed out, with respect to Figures 7 and '8, that each bobbin carrier is provided with an oval plate 44 which rides on the top surface of the plate 30, and with a bottom plate 45 which rides along the under surface of the plate 30, the plates 44 and 45 being connected by an elongated shank 46 (see right hand portion of Figure '7) which rides in one or the other of the serpentine slots and is guided thereby. Each carrier also carries beneath the plate 45 a downwardly projecting lug 41, this lug being circular in cross-section, and being the element that is engaged by successive driving members in order to advance the carrier alon the slot in which it is mounted.

The structure of the bobbin carrier above the plate 44 is a matter which does not enter into the present invention and is, therefore, merely indicated in certain of the figures, more detailed description being unnecessary in the present case.

Referring now to Figures 7, 8, and 9, I will point out-first that the plate 30 is retained in spaced relationship, from an under plate 48 by means of suitable spacer studs designated generally by the reference numeral 49. Wherever necessary, as at the left. of Figure 8, the bottom plate 48 is provided with an additional under plate 56, the purpose of these under plates being to serve as a housing for the gearing and also for the driving members.

Because of the intersecting slots 3| and 32, portions of the top plate 36 are completely sepa rated from the body of the plate, constituting islands which are held in position by the studs 49. The normal islands, such as those shown at 5| and 52 in Figure '7, have pointed ends 53 to conform to the slot intesections. The islands 54 and 55 arranged on opposite sides of the intersections 36 are, however, of slightly modified shape, having the pointed ends 56 at the intersections 5! and 58, but having rounded contours adjacent to the intersection 36.

In order to compensate for this relatively deficient slot guidance of the shanks 46 at the intersection 36, I provide the auxiliary guide elements 66 mounted for limited pivotal movements around axes 6| and urged toward the intersection 36 by the leaf springs 62, the elements 66, BI,

and 62 being carried by the islands 54 and 55,

respectively, as shown most clearly in Figure 7. The elements 66 serve as guides for the plates 44 of the bobbin carriersto facilitate their travel through this region of the machine.

I also prefer to provide the leaf springs 59 which are adapted to bear against the plates 44 of the bobbin carriers as the latter pass through this region of the machine, these springs serving to hold the lugs of the carriers against the horns of the driving members in this region of the machine.

In each lobe of the slot pattern there is a driving member. Beneath the islands 5|l and 52 the driving members are of conventional character.

Beneath the islands 54 and 55 the driving memhers are of special character.

Mounted on the stud 49, which is centered with respect to the island 5|, is a sleeve 65; and rotatably mounted on this sleeve is the driving member 66 having peripheral gear teeth. The latter mesh with the teeth on a similar gear 61 rotatably mounted on a sleeve 66 on the next adjacent stud 49. The gear 61 similarly meshes with a gear 69 mounted beneath the island and this gear in turn meshes with a driving member 16 beneath the island 52. In a similar way, the driving members throughout the entire .machine are geared together, and at a suitable part of the machine a motive power is applied to one of .the gears, thereby effecting rotational conventional horned variety.

movements of all the driving members.

i The gears 66 and 10 are of the more or less I have shown the gear 66 provided with the four horns H (see Figure 9), and "-I have shown the gear 10 provided with the four horns 12. The only difierence between the horns II and I2 is that the latter stand further away from the body of the gear 16 so that they will not conflict with the horns on the next adjacent normal gear (not shown) which is of the character shown at 66. Similarly, the horns II on the gear 66 are lower than the horns on the next adjacent normal gear (not shown) which will be of the type shown at 16. This variance in horns extends around the ma- Y chine and is a customary expedient.

Mounted directly beneath the island 54 is' acam 13 having a spiral operative surface 14 substantially as shown in Figures 9 and. 10. This cam is rigidly secured to the island 54.

Directly beneath this cam is a disc 15 in which a slot 16 is formed. Mounted for reciprocation in this slot is a wiper or special horn 11,-

the spring 19 and the cam surface 14, the wiper 11 projects outwardly from the disc 15 during certain regions of its rotative travel, and is retracted into the slot 16 during other regions of its travel.

Immediately beneath the disc 15 is a horned driving member 8| provided with four horns and characterized by the fact that each of the horns is mounted in a yieldable manner. For purposes of illustration, one horn 82 will be'described in detail. It consists of an L-shaped member normally projecting in a radial manner as shown in Figure 12, one arm of the. L being pivoted, as at 83, to the disc 8|.

free to yield into the dot-and-dash position 85 of Figure 12 when pushed in a clockwise direction. When it yields, it presses against a yieldable leaf spring 86 serving conjointly to hold all of the horns 82 in their normal projecting rela-- tionship.

The member 88 is rigidly secured to the gear 61 and rotates with the latter on the outside of the sleeve 66. The latter is either integral with or securely fastened to the disc 15 and is also secured to a gear 61. The latter meshes with a gear 86 which is in turn secured to the sleeve 65, the latter being keyed or otherwise secured to the normal gear 66.

The 'gear 88 is larger than the gear 81 by an amount sufficient to drive the disc 15, and with it the wiper ll, at a speed twice as great as that of the horned driving member at.

Reference will now be had to the driving mechanism beneath the island ,55, the elements of which are shown most clearly in Figures 13-15.

Mounted directly beneath the island 55 and secured thereto'in any suitable manner is the oddly shaped cam 89 having the operative inner cam surface 96. This cam is shown in dot-anddash lines in Figure 8 because it is technically not visible alongthe line 8-8 of Figure '7.

Beneath the cam 89, and firmly secured to the A stop pin 84 limits the outward movement of the horn 82, but the horn is gear 69, is the horned driving member 9| shown most clearly in Figures 14 and 15. This member has four horns, two of which are fixed and two of which are retractable. The fixed horns 92 are diametrically opposite each other and may be 7 horn 93, however, is provided with the pin 96.

adapted to engage withthe operative surface 90 of the cam 89, thereby periodically retracting each horn 93 during a predetermined region of its rotative travel. Each of the horns 93 is preferably provided with lateral fins adapted to ride in corresponding grooves 91 for guiding purposes.

The operation of the machine can best be described upon reference flrst to Figures 16-19, and by subsequent comparative reference to Figures -23.

- In Figures 16-19 the machine is operating as a. round braider, the element 40 of Figure 4 being retracted so as to leave the slot intersection 36 unimpeded; whereby the carriers in the slot 32 travel continuously in one direction, always within the slot 32, while the carriers in the slot 3| travel continuously in the opposite direction, always in the slot 3|.

For illustrative purposes, I have shown lugs b, c, d, and e of four carriers in the slot 32 traveling, so far as Figures 16-19 are concerned, from left to right. I have also shown lugs w, as, y, and z of four carriers traveling from right to left within the slot 3|. It will be noted upon viewing Figure 16 that the lug b is under the influence of one of the horns 1|; the lug c is under the influence of one of the horns 82; the lug d is under the infiuence of one of the fixed horns 92; and the lug e .is under the influence of one of the horns 12.

Similarly, traveling in the opposite direction, the lug w is under the influence of another horn 12; the lug a: is under the influence of one of the retractable horns 93; the lug y is under the influence of another of the horns 82; and the lug z is under the influence of another of the horns 1|.

The lug c has just completed crossing the intersection 51 and the lug y is just about ready to' cross this same intersection in the opposite direction. The lug a: is about to cross the intersection 38, at which time it will be picked up by one of the horns 82. The lug w is approaching the inter-' a revolution. The lug b is still under the influ-' ence of the horn 1|; the lug c is still under the influence of the horn 82; the lug o. is still under the influence of the horn 92; and the lug e is still under the influence of the horn 12. The lug w, crossing the intersection 58, is being picked up by the horn 83 which has sprung out into operative position. The lug a: has been picked up by one of the horns 82; and the lug y, in process of crossing the intersection 51, is being picked up by one of the horns 1|.

After an additional one-sixteenth revolution, the parts assume the relationship of Figure 18 in which the wiper 11 is shown in retracted position and in which an ensuing lug v has made its appearance in the slot 3|.

After an additional one-fourth revolution, the parts assume the positions shown in Figure 19. The carriers having almost completed a revolution of 180, as compared with Figure 16, it will be observed that the wiper 11 has almost completed a revolution of 360. Again, this wiper is too far behind the lug :c to have any effect upon it, since the lug a: will be at the intersection 51 before the wiper 11 catches up to it.

- It will also be noted in Figure 19 that the horn 83, formerly operative to advance the lug 1:, is now inoperative and in retracted position.

Also, a lug "a in the slot 32 has now made its appearance at the left of Figure 19.

The parts of Figure 19 are substantially correspondent to the parts in Figure 16, except that all the lugs have been advanced across one of the slot intersections. Thus, the lug b has advanced across the intersection 51; the lug c has advanced across the intersection 35; and the lug d has advanced across the intersection 58. Similarly, the

,lug w has advanced across the intersection 58;

the lug a: has advanced across the intersection 36; and the lug y has advanced across the intersection 51.

This advancement of the carrier lug is continued in the same way, as long as the machine continues to operate as a round braider.

The special functions of the wiper 11 and of the retractable horns 93 have not yet manifested themselves. But the unique functioning of these parts will become readily apparent upon a similar examination of Figures 20-23, which represent the operation of the machine when it is functioning as a fiat braider.

In the first place, it will be noticed that the guiding partition 40 of Figure4 has been advanced across the intersection 36, as a result of which the slot pattern is of the character shown in Figure 6.

In Figure 20 the parts are in exactly the same relative positions as they are in Figure 16, except for the fact that the partitioning wall 40 has been advanced. It may be noted, in passing, that this adjustment of the wall 40 is all that is necessary to transform the operation from that indicated in Figure 5 to that indicated in Figure 6; and it will thus be obvious that the present machine is an outstanding improvement in the art since the change-over requires no interruption of operation, nor any removal of excess bobbin carriers, nor substitution of new gears or parts.

It should be observed that the carriers b, c, d, and e, both in Figure 20 and also in Figure 16, are spaced from each other by 180. Thus, the lug c is 180in advance of the lug b; the lug d is 180 in advance of the lug c; and the lug e is a one-eighth of a revolution. This view correi.

sponds, therefore, to Figure 17 and the parts are in the same relationship as in Figure 1'1 except for the lug at. In Figure 17, this lug has been picked up by the horn 82; but in Figure 21 it is deflected by the wall 40 and, therefore, remains under the control of the lug 83.

This impairs the spacing between lugs, as will be noted upon a consideration of lugs 11 and d. The lug 31 should have behind it 9. lug which is 180 to the rear. In Figure 1'7 this requirement is met by the lug :1: which is 180 behind the lug y. In Figure 21, however, the lug a: has been deflected and it is the lug c which .is now behind the lug y. The lug 0, however, is 270 behind the lug y, and this gap must be closed up during the traverse of the lug around the loop 31.

Similarly, the lug d in Figure 17 is followed up by the lug c which is I behind it. In Figure 21, however, it will be observed that the lug :c has been interposed, and it is the lug a: which now follows the lug d. The lug at, however, is only behind the lug d and must, therefore, be retarded during its traverse of the loop 38.

Thisnecessary readjustment of the normal spacing between the lugs is taken care of by the present mechanism, as indicated most clearly in Figures 22 and 23. In Figure 22, the high-speed wiper H has just about caught up to the lug c; and in Figure 23 it has already succeeded in advancing the lug c, at an accelerated rate of speed, to a point which is approximately 180 behind the lug y. 'In effecting this movement of the lug c, it will be observed from Figure 23 that the lug c is caused to bear upon the rearsurface of one of the horns 82. Unless the horn 82 is yieldable, the smooth operation would be interfered with. That is the reason why the lugs 82 are each of yieldable character, as illustrated most clearly in Figure 12. In Figure 23, the horn 82 upon which the lug c is pressing is in the process of yielding to permit passage of the lug 0.

With respect to the lug ac, it will be noted from Figure 22 that the retraction of the horn 93, which has theretofore served to advance the lug 1:, leaves the lug a: stranded until it is again picked up by the succeeding horn 92, as shown in Figure 23. This permits the lug d to advance through 90 while the lug :1: stands still; and in this way the normal spacing of 180 between the lug d and the lug a which follows it is restored.

After a desired period of operation as a fiat braider, during which time an opening or eye is formed in the normally tubular braided product, the partitioning wall 40 may be again withdrawn to enable a resumption of operation of the character illustrated in Figures 16-19. During the operation of the machine as a round braider, as indicated in Figures 16 and 19, the high-speed wiper l1 fulfills no function and the periodic retraction of the horns '93 is similarly of no utility.

It will be understood that, from certain aspects, my invention is not restricted to a machine which is necessarily transformable from one mode of operation to another. For-example, the functioning oi the special mechanism, as indicated in Figures 20-23, is useful in a machine that is constructed to serve permanently as a flat braider,

By the employment of the present improved .mechanism the flat braider is enabled to operate with an-even number of bobbin carriers, a capabillty which is absent from conventional flat braiders so far as I am aware.

I mention this feature because it is customary at the present time for the user of a round braider to rebuild the same to make it serve as a. fiat braider. At the present time, this rebuilding necessarily involves the removal of one of the bobbin carriers. By means of the present invention, such removal would be unnecessary.

I further draw attention to the fact that the adjustment of the partitioning wall 40, While illustrated as a procedure to be accomplished by a manual operation, may obviously be taken care of by mechanical or electrical means, and I do not consider my invention to be limited to a manual adjustment of the partitioning wall.

Furthermore, I have illustrated the invention in connection with a simple type of braid, in which a single strand interweaves alternately with other single strands. It is within the purview of my invention to apply its features also to braiding machines which are timed and arranged to pro- ,gestoration of proper spaced relationship between the bobbin-carriers, when the machine is adjusted nbm one type of operation to the other, need not necessarily be accomplished by the actual increase in velocity of one set of carriers and an actual reduction of the other. While this mode of accomplishing the result is preferable, it is nevertheless within the purview of my invention to accomplish thissame result by other means, e. g., by making the loop 31 (Figure 6) relatively small with respect to the loop 38. This would cause the lug 0 (Figures 21-23) to travel through a shorter distance within a given period of time, and would cause the lug :1: (Figures 21-23) to travel through a longer distance within the same period of time, thereby closing the gap between the lugs c and y, and enlarging the gap between the lugs a: and d.

In general, it will be understood that changes in the details, herein described and illustrated for the purpose 'of explaining the nature of my invention, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims. It is, therefore, intended that these details be interpreted as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1.,In a braiding machine, a plate with intersecting serpentine slots, a series of bobbin carriers, means for advancing the carriers in one slot in one direction and the carriers in the other slot in the opposite direction, means for selectively guiding the carriers across one of the slot intersections or guiding them into the other slot to reverse their travel, and means controlling the movements of the carriers during their reversal to maintain the normal spacing between them, whereby the machine may be selectively transformed from a round to a flat braider and vice versa without reducing or increasing the number of bobbin carriers.

2. In a braiding machine, the combination set forth in claim 1, said last-named means comprising mechanism for momentarily speeding up the carriers on one side of said intersection, and mechanism for momentarily retarding the carriers on the other side of said intersection.

3. In a braiding machine, a plate with intersecting serpentine slots, a series of bobbin carriers, means comprising a horned driving member for each lobe of the slot pattern for advancing the carriers in one slot in one direction and the carriers in the other slot in the'opposite direction, means at one of the slot intersections for selectively guiding the carriers across the intersection or guiding them into the other slot to reverse their travel, mechanism operable during such reversal for momentarily speeding up the carriers on one side of said intersection, and mechanism operable at the same time for momentarily retarding the carriers on the other side of said intersection; said speeding-up mechanism comprising a wiper movably mounted alongside of one of the driving members adjacent to said intersection, and means for moving said wiper at twice the speed of the horns of said driving member.

4. In a braiding machine, the combination with the elements of claim 3, of means for rendering said wiper inoperative within a predetermined region of its travel.

5. In a braiding machine, a plate with intersecting serpentine slots, a series of bobbin carriers, means comprising a horned driving member for each lobe of the slot pattern for advancing the carriers in one slot in one direction and the carriers in the other slot in the opposite direction,

means at one of the slot intersections for selectively guiding the carriers across the intersection or guiding them into the other slot to reverse their travel, mechanism operable during such reversal for momentarily speeding up the carriers on one side of said intersection, and mechanism operable at the same time for momentarily retarding the carriers on the other side of said intersection; said retarding mechanism comprising means for rendering inoperative, within a predetermined region of their travel, certain horns of one of the driving members adjacent to said intersection.

6. In a braiding machine, a plate with interseeting serpentine slots, 9. series of bobbin carriers, means comprising a horned driving memv her for each lobe of the slot pattern for advancing the carriers in one slot in one direction and the carriers in the other slot in the opposite direction, means at one of the slot intersections for selectively guiding the carriers across the intersection or guiding them into the other slot to reverse their travel, mechanism operable during such reversal for momentarily speeding up the carriers on one side of said intersection, and mechanism operable at the same time for m0- mentarily retarding the carriers on the other side of said intersection; said retarding mechanism comprising retractable horns on one of the driving members adiacent to said intersection, and means for retracting said horns to render them inoperative within a predetermined region of their travel.

7. In a braiding machine, a plate with intersecting serpentine slots, a series of bobbin carriers, means comprising a horned driving member for each lobe of the slot pattern for advancing the carriers in one slot in one direction and the carriers in the other slot in the opposite direction, the slots being connected by adjacent loops adapted to guide the carriers from one slot to the other and thereby reverse their travel, and means controlling the movements of the carriers during their traverse of said loops to maintain the normal spacing between them, said means comprising mechanism for momentarily speeding up the carriers in one of said loops, and mechanism for momentarily retarding the carriers in the other loop.

8. In a braiding machine, the combination set forth in claim 7, said speeding-up mechanism comprising a wiper movably mounted alongside of the driving member in said first-named loop, and means for moving said wiper at twice the speed of the horns of said driving member.

9. In a braiding machine, the combination set forth in claim 7, said retarding mechanism comprising means for rendering inoperative, within a predetermined region ,of their travel, certain horns of the driving member in said other loop.

LOUIS HENRY KRIPPENDORF.

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