US2370465A - Machine for tearing woven fabric - Google Patents

Description

I J 1945- M. w; HIGBY 2,370,465

MACHINE FOR TEARI NG WOVEN FABRIC Filed Sept. 24, 1945 s Sheets-Sheet 1" W IN VEN TOR.

BY a W A TTORNEYS.

Feb. 27, 1945. w |-||GBY MACHINE FOR TEARING WOVEN FABRIC Filed Sept. '24, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Feb. 27, 1945. H|GBY MACHINE FOR TEARING WOVEN FABRIC Filed Sept, 24, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. WARM & ATTORNEYS.

lllllllrrl of the machine being shown in separated position as when the fabric is being fed forward.

Fig. 5 i a horizontal sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 1 of the central part of my machine omitting the fabric to be torn but showing in plan view the regular feed belts for advancing the woven fabric to be torn and showing the catch belts in distended position.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but on line B--6 of Fig. 3 viz. the plane of the top of the fabric showing the two sets of catch-belts advanced to catch and carry forward the new severed end of the fabric.

Fig. '7 is a side elevation of one of the catch belt carriages with a catch belt on its rollers and below the carriage an adjacent portion of the platform carrying this set of "catch belt car riages.

Referring to the drawings in a more particular description it will be seen that as best seen,

in Fig. 4 the tearing device per se of my invention comprises a small spearpoint at the bottom end of a vertically mounted and vertically moved spear-carrying rod 2| which spearpoint has attached thereto at its opposite sides two loosely mounted tearing arms 22 which extend upwardly and crosswise of the therebelow intermittently progressed and stationary fullwidth length 23 of said woven fabric.

The lower end of each of these arms 22 is loosely hinged to its wing of the spearpoint 20 and the upper end of each arm is loosely con. nected to the outer end of a brace 24 which in turn has its inner end attached somewhat loosely to a crosshead 25 on the upper part of the said vertical spear-carrying rod 2|. The middle part of the said rod'2l is operatively connected to the lower end of a pitman 25 the other end of which is pivotally attached to the crank arm 21 preferably provided on a wheel 28 suitably mounted the proper distance above the said length of fabric to be operated upon and preferably on a horizontal shaft 29 extending longitudinally of the said length 23 fabric and of the machine which progresses and tears said fabric. Two eyes 30 and 3| encircling respectively the upper part and the lower part of the said spear-carrying rod, guide said rod in a vertical path but the said loose mounting of the side arms allows the side arms to move the necessary amount back or forward to follow the bow or crosswise curve of the fabric when the rotation of said wheel 28 drives the spear point 20 down into the middle portion of the short length of fabric 23a temporarily held in the tearing zone of the machine and makes a short initial cut crosswise and the slanting arms 22 at once with a. camming action tear the fabric in opposite directions completely across to and through its selvaged edges.

As the means for temporarily holding the short length 23a of fabric stationary and taut in the tearing zone I provide two spaced pairs of jaws, jaw 32 being the upper and jaw 33 being the lower and cooperating jaw of the pair of jaws first reached by the advancing fabric (said first pair being to the right as the machine is shown in Fig. 1) and jaw 34 being the upper jaw and jaw 35 being the lower jaw cooperating therewith of the second reached pair of jaws, the second pair being in'practice a few inches beyond the first p 50 as to allow room for the tearing device to descend between saidtwo pairs of jaws with its arms 22 swinging to follow the bow of the fabric and also to allow for the presence therebetween of parts of the "catch belts" hereinafter described.

The shaft 29 for wheel 28 is carried in a cross bar 35 which bar also carries the motor 31 and reducing gear or other mechanism for driving at a relatively slow speed the wheel 28 which intermittently moves the tearing device. The said cross bar 36 is a part of an upright rear frame having spaced side posts 38 and 39 upstanding from and past the horizontally extending spaced side rails 40. Upon these rear upright posts are mounted in moveable relation to each other the said second reached or rear pair of jaws 34 and 35 preferably by having the upper jaw 34 fixed to the said posts and by having the lower jaw 35 slidable inor on the said posts.

A front upright frame has upright posts 4| rising from or past said side rails 40 and connected by a top crossbar (carrying the top guide eye 30) and connectedby a lower crossbar viz. the upper front jaw 32 carrying the said lower guide eye 3| for guiding the spear-carrying rod 2 I.

In or upon the opposite side rails 40 of the machine are located oppositely disposed pairs of bearings for the fabric supporting rollers 45. As already mentioned, this machine is organized and illustrated to have the long length of woven fab ric 23 moved from the right-hand half of the machine towards the left and through the first pair of jaws 32 and 33. Accordingly a roller is located just to-the right of this first pair of jaws and another roller 45 is located as far as required to the right so that these two rollers may have mounted thereover several endless bands of webbing 46, the upper length of which travels to the left and over the roller 45 which is located near but to the right of the firstreached pair of jaws. Preferably this roller is the one which is provided with a pulley 47 driven by power from any convenient source whereby in obvious manner the several belts of the webbing 4B are caused to move to the left and thereby move the length of woven fabric that is rest- :x ed upon said belts of webbing. As shown more or less diagrammatically in Fig. I to the right of the right-hand roller 45, there is a feed table 44 leading to the belts 46 and to this table the woven fabric is delivered by means of two cooperating oppositely driven friction rollers 48 and 49 which it is assumed are drawing the woven fabric from a source of supply such as a large roll of the fabric or even from the adjacently loacated finishing machine of the plant for separately finishing indefinitely long lengths of woven fabric.

Beyond or to the left of the left-hand pair of fabric-engaging jaws 34 and 35 there is located roller 50 and spaced further to the left upon the side rails of the machine is a similar roller (not shown). Over these rollers are stretched several endless belts 5| of webbing for moving the severed fabric to the left from the feed jaws 34 and 35. One of these last-named rollers will be rettaed by suitable power so as to impart a forward motion (or to the left as this machine is illustrated) to thefseveral belts 5| stretched over this left-hand series of rollers.

At any convenient part on the receiving or right-hand length of travel of the woven fabric,

there is located a cloth measuring meter 52 hav- I ing a suitable friction-surfaced fabric-engaging wheel which upon being rotated a suitable number of times measure the length of said woven fabric that is to be cut off as for forming a sheet. This machine can be adjusted to measure the detor 31 which operates the tearing device.

- tearing" operation and return originalposition; the -turning off of the electric meme-o5 siredi-number of inches: as' required -for standard 52' has madethe K proper numlcier= of rot'ations to" have passed thereb-eneath a"- givenlength of themonster which-- it is-set an electric-contact" for the-* necessary-time is made at' IB which by suit a'b'lewiring "I9 and 811 rendersoperative the" mo- Att he same time the' movea-ble lower iatiric engaging jaws-- 33and 35 are moved so as to -close the two pairs' of fabric-engaging jaws,- through the circuit being completed at IE-through wires 19 and we) actuate asolenoid Bl to-turn on the com pressed'air' atvalve-82 antf adinit airto'theflower half of cylinder 53* throughcompressed air-- line 86-. After the electric contact inember at 18 has remainedintcontact long enough-to complete the the? wheel to its current" allows return spring 84' toreverse the position of the air-valve 8 2-=whereupon airis ad mitted through"- air line 85" to* the-upper ends' of the four cylinders 5'3; quickly causingthepist'ons 54- to move dowrr and open the and 353 As convenient meansfor-sociosin'g-bothsaid pairs ofl'aws there is providedundertheoppositelower" jaws 33* 60: which have ends ofeacnofsaidflow-er jawsacylinder prefer I abl'y 'pneumatic 53 suitably supported in properposition by orfiom theadjacent. side -rail=4ll and having a piston" 84} the--pistonrod 55 0i which extends out from the cylinder and" is connected directlyto the adjacent end of said lower fabric: engaging jaw; By'the admission of air t'mthe lower-side ofsaid' pistons under pressure; the'said twopi'stons connectedto 'each" of said lower jaws will he quicklyand simultaneously raised The valves for admitting such' air' under pressure to these cylinders will be operated byproper mecha-nical (Jr-pneumatic or electrical means, contemporaneously with the actuatiorrof"thefabric tearing device or perhaps .a fraction of w secondearlier" so that by; the time the 'spearpoint 2D descends a. shortdist'ancetowards the short length of fabric ZSa-betWeenthesaid two pairs oi jaws; said ja-Ws'= will be" closedand the short length? of fabric' reaching; from one pair of jaws to 'the'other will he 'he'ldtaut by-said' closed*jaws and asalready stated the spearpoint will make a very short preliminary cut transversely of the fahricand thiscut" willb'e quickly continuedby the tearing downward travel of- I the tea-ring arms 2-2: After these tearing" arms have tornthe held length of fabriccompletely-through:the selvagesat the opposite sides" of the fabric; the following halfrot'ati'on' ofthe wheel .28' will lift thetearing device upwardly entirely 'clear from' between the two pairs of jaws more or'l'ess to the position shown" by solid lines inFig. 4e and simultaneously the lower jaws will be moved downwardly-to open b'othpairso-f ja-ws, sincethe'requirement ofhoid:

ing the fabric has now passed. This opening of the jaws-will'be pro'ducedby adn'ritting aii tn the upper sideof the" pistons 54 in: all four" cylinders'5'3'; t

From an inspection of "Fig. 2 itwill be" seen-that after'the eloth=tearing 'd'evicehas descended and performedits complete active operation and then ascended to. be out ofthe way; there are two new ends of fabric 55 and .ifi'hanging down 'f'romthe fab'ric engaging j aws; Any'forward movementby either set" of main feed belts that" is to the" right ofthe'tearing zone oreventothe'lef-tof the tear ihg zone will' not operate" to' carry the' torn onhelts: 5 k will draw .tively to: the-outside coming I 'endl 55 0f the fabric just: to: the. right-of? thesevering: zone -v over: towardsitheemaimdeliveryi Eel-ts; 5li1on: rollers- It is: true that: upon. the opening of: the rearward j aws= 3'4 and the main. through the feed: jaws andmove to" the leftt on auxiliary feedl belts. 64 the piece of fab ricafififi' that hadt just 'been released. by said pair-of jaws; but". the. other rollers; $5 with their belt 4fiionith'eother: or right-hand side of the machine-will not be: abletoroarrylthe severedend 56 up to the jaws seam-34am onto themainr helt -5r1 at 'thatend of the machine: To overcome this 'very'troublesome situation due to' th'e length of woven fabric being entirely severed, I have prowded two sets-of? auxiliary: feedi belts or: what plan viewsof severalofthese catoh'belt carriages.

The catch belt '5'l 'is-mountedlon twospaced-apart rollersa58- which are mounted f severally on a shortv pintha-tis in: the upper ends: of two;- thin: armstheir: lower: ends fixedly mounted upon the;oa-rriageiil The arms-fill asr-shownzbest' in- Fig. slant away from each. other as :they' go up for; a purpose: hereinafter" mentioned; The-- catch belt 51. hasits: upper length: extending between the opposite faces of thefirstipainof jaws 3.2:andi33 while-the'lower lm hmf S i catchbelt passes:beneathmhealowersjaw:33$ Severalzofrthese catchibelts are arranged in the:widthiiofi the machine. with the=belts arranged in: the: spaces; between: the" main feed belts in as; best? shown in Figs; 4. and 5 of-the' drawings; T11ese*catoh='.belt"s. do nott have? 2J2 separate means for driving them but-:through their contact. withwthe: closely: located: roller just; to the right oit'the right' handi pair of. fabrio-engaging jaws; 3'2 and: 33? thesesmall belts: are driven. withastrength and power enoughfor the very small powerr consumihg' job which they have. In cross-section thes'e' belts'may 'bealikethe common v s'ha'l ed"v belts and rollers: 585 may have a V-shapedgroove in their-peripheries for morewreadily holding theilo'e'ltsain place and performingitheiriworkz v So that: the closing of thexjaws will not beprevented by these catch belts: notches or' recesses 62 on thevupperwsideiand"63:0!1 the: lowersiderof the lower jaw 33 will beaprovide'di as will beplainly seenon'examination of'Figs: 2 andie'. The righthand-I catch: beltv carriage El: places its left-hand pulley' 58 insideof the iabrici-engagingrjaws- 32 andzfliwhne sits 'othenpulleyfitds. a little distance away fromzthemain belt'rollerflfirto the. outside of; Said-fabrie-engaeingsjflW: A similarly constructed and arranged: setof, catchibelts 64 are provided,

mountedl upon spaced pulleys; 65 and 6.6; respecof,. and. inside; of the: lefthand; jaws-'34 and; Ziliwith its belt passing. around the rollers hit-of. thev main beltsys-temlon-that end of. the machine 1 and with. the. belt- 64 at its upper.

reachlpassing betweenlthe toppof the lower-jaw finandithe bottom otthe upper. jaw-'34:

Thelower. reach, of. said'catch belt-passes below.

the. lower. jaw- 3.5 ancl-saidj aw hasielearancespaces 62 and'zfit in. itsupper and. lower edges asalready mentioned with r'espect.to lower jaw 33" to. allow the laws to be closed without interference with orfrorn this catch belt The pulleys 65 and 66 of this rearcatch belt-64" are likewise, mounted upon theupper ends-ofslantihgly arranged pairs of arms extending up fromthe carriage 61 so that as shown in Figs. 1 and2 the said rear catch belt inner pulleys 66 will be on the inside or to the right of the rear jaws 34 and 35, when these catch belt carriages are respectively in a spaced-apart position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. During normal feeding operation of the fabric, these catch belts and their pulleys operate idly as it were, that i they allow the fabric to feed over the catch belt pulleys through the power received from the driven main belts.

. As best shown in Figs. 1. and 3 the two sets of catch belt carriages have their own separate platforms, 68 for the right-hand carriages carrying the catch belts 51 and platform 69 for the lefthand carriages 61 carrying the left-hand catch belts 64.

Attention is now particularly called to the fact that the right-hand catch belts 5lare not in line with the nearly oppositely disposed left-hand catch belts 64 but are offset in relation thereto and similarly that there is a like offset between the right-hand carriages BI and theirnearly oppositely disposed left-hand carriages 61. It will be further understood that each set of catch belts and carriages is separately and independently moved by reason of the carriages ill at the right hand half of the machine being mounted upon their laterally extending platform 68 which at opposite ends thereof is mounted in suitable slideways (not shown) supported from the opposite side rails 40.

The left-hand carriages 61 are supported upon their ownlaterally extending platform 69, the'opposite ends of which similarly are slidingly mounted in suitable slideways (not shown) supported or let down from the opposite side rails 40 at the left hand half of the machine. The two sets of catch belts are at the proper time simultaneously moved towards each other from their retracted positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2 to their forward positions as shown in Fig. 3. In this forward position, the near pulleys of the two sets of catch belts have advanced preferably to be slightly past each other as most plainly shown in Fig. 3. Conveniently branches 85' of the air lines 85 that go to the upper ends of cylinder 53 to open the jaws 33 and 35 may also go to the outer ends of v both the horizontal cylinders 10 and H operating the catch belts so that asthe jaws are opened the piston 12 of cylinders 10 and II will be forced towards each other moving the two series of catch belts to the position of Fig. 3.

correspondingly the air lines 86 that carrythe compressed air to the lower ends of vertical cylinders 53 have branch lines 86' that carry the compressed air to the inner ends of the horizontal cylinders and operate to move the catch belts apart to the position shown in Fig. 1. This silghtly passing movement of the catch belts it will be seen will operate to carry the forward depending end 55 of the fabric from the position shown in Fig. 2 to a position of the parts of Fig. 3 where this depending end will have been carried from its depending position up to and upon the upper rear portion of the left-hand catch belts. It will be understood that during the advancing of these catch belts to their slightly past position, the upper length of the catch belts will be eachmoving forwardly or to the left. After a very short time, the forward end 56 willbe carried by the left-hand catch belts through the now separated rearward jaws 34 and 35 and onto the main feed belts 5| at this left-hand end of the machine. It

will be further u'nderstood that this approaching and slightly relative passing of the catch belts will be automatically brought about promptly after the tearing device has accomplished its operation and been raised to its raised position as shown in Fig. 2. The advance of the two sets of catch belts will preferably be simultaneous and may conveniently be accomplished by pneumatic means.

Such pneumatic means may conveniently consist of two sets of tandem-arranged pairs of pneumatic cylinders Ill and H, one set arranged beneath each opposit end of the tearing zone and conveniently supported by suitable brackets (not shown) depending fromthe side rails of the machine. As particularly shown in Figs. 1 and 3 the right-hand cylinder 10 has its piston 12 in the outer end of said cylinder when the catch belts are in distended position and this piston ID has a piston rod 13 reaching to the right end connected to the platform 68 which carries the carriages GI and thereby the catch belts 51. Similarly the left-hand cylinders II have pistons 12 at the outer end of the cylinders H when the catch belts are in distended position so that the piston rod 13 therefrom extending to the left end is connected to the platform 69. It will now be apparent that on air under pressure being admitted to the farther or remote sides of said pistons, they will be moved for the length of their travel in said cylinders and thereby in obvious manner will carry the platforms 68 and 69 towards but not quite to each other and similarly the carriages 6| and 51 towards but not quite to each other, although the latter members, as already mentioned, are offset from each other.

Preferably I provide means to stop the feeding forward of the woven fabric while the fabricholding jaws are closed. This prevents the fabric being piled up just to the right of the front or right hand pair of jaws. The means for accomplishing this stoppage of the forward feed without stopping the rotation of the main feed rollers 45 may consist of a cleat" 14 carried at its opposite ends by a pair of bell crank levers l5 operated by a rod 16 connected to the bridge 68 whereby on the bridge 68 moving to the right which happens when the jaws are being closed the cleat is lowered and holds the length of fabric 23 from traveling forward with themain feed belts. Inother words the fabric is held fromadvancing through the power driven belts continue to travel but the fabric is held from traveling with the belts causing a slippage between the fabric which simply rests of its own Weight on the belts 46.

During the time of the tearing operation and until the tearing device has been raised out of the way in the tearing zone, the fabric being advanced from the feed rollers 48 and 49 piles up to the right of the cleat 14 on the stationary table 44. But on the completion of the tearing operation and the raising of the tearing device, the sequence of movement of the parts of my machine is that the catch belts advance first and then the jaws open and on the advance of the catch belts the bridge 68 moves to the left. This moves the connecting rod 16 to the left and swings the bell crank clockwise and lifts the cleat l4. Thereupon the weight of the fabric resting on the belts 46 becomes operative to let the fabric feed forward with the belts 46. It will be understood that the feed of these belts is fast enough to pull all the accumulated or piled-up fabric from table 44 well before another tearing operation and its incidental stoppage of feed takesplace.

ing device whereuponthe catchbelts are .again 4 advanced, the jaws-opened iandtheinew end of fabric fed through the left-hand jaws and the fabric again .fed forward an improper sequence and.automatically performed.

-It will .:now be seen that .-I;have produced ;a

machine well adapted to. fulfill the purposes and .to perform the-operations mentioned at the beginning of thiszspecification. I I

And in particularit will seen that I haveprovided;means ,for holding a short .length of full width woven fabric taut =whi1e simple, .direct and positively acting tearing mean tears the fabric from' some intermediate point clear through the opposite :selvagessand especially that the tearing arms are Joosely :mounted with enough easily or feedingrmeans located beyond the second, pair of jaws, yet-b .-an .ingenious system of two sets of :bodily .imoving constantly-advancing catch 5 belts or auxiliary ifeed belts, I have provided means after the -.t.earin g -:device is :removed from the tearingrzone :to carry. them-coming new end of woven'fabric across the tearingzzone and betweenthesecondpair of now opened butv recently said .held :-l.en gth of fabric and comprising a spear ;p.oint above an intermediate part of the said-held length :Of fabric ;and,-.tw0 arms extendingloosely therefrom inopposite directions laterally .and upwardly whereby on thesaid tearin device descending the vsaid spearpoint makes a shortcut andsaid arms tearthefabric crosswise therefrom in .opposite directions .completely through the zopposite edges .thereof.

,3. In a machine.fortearingfull width woven fabric lcrosswise, the combination -.of two spaced pairs of -jaws, the members .of eachpair being in :moveable relation to each other and each pair when separated .adapted :to have .a full width .of the fabric;proceed.-horizontally therebetween and adapted when closed to hold :ashort length of .the fabric taut between -.the said two ,pairs, a tearing device located vertically from the said held length of fabric and movable vertically theretowards and therefrom and comprising ;a spear lpointiopposite amintermediate part .of the said -.he1d length of fabric and two arms-extend.- ing loosely therefrom vin opposite directions daterallyand .at-a slant, yielding imeans for' feeding a full width length of :woven fabrictowards and through said first .ofzsaid pairs .of jaws and from theesecondgpairs ;of Jaws, means for intermittently closing ssaid ttwolpairs .1 of jaws: and means for :then moving said .tearing device. against the fabric and-then therefrom.

A. iln=a machine for tearing full width woven fabric .crosswise, ithe ecombination .of two spaced pairs of Jaws, the .membersof each pairbeing in moveable relation-toeach-Qtherand each pair whens separated adapted to .have a :full ,width of the .fabric proceedrhoriz ontally..thereb etween. and adapted when :closed to .hold .a short length .of

the fabric tautbetweentheesaid two pairs, a tearing device .located above .the said. held length i of fabric :and ecomprisinga spear point above .an

closed fabric engaging jaws and .into working pair :being inzmoveable relation ,to eachother. and I each pair when separated adapted (to have a'full width of the :fabric proceed horizontally =therebetween andsadaptediwhen c1osed:.to hold a short length of :the fabric itaut I between :the said two pairs, :9. tearing device located uvertically:from, the said held :length of 2 fabric and movable vertically theretowar'ds and therefrom and :comprising :a spear point opposite :an intermediate -;part of the said held length of fabric andrtwozarms extending loosely therefrom in opposite directions laterally "and at a-slant whereby 'on .the tearin'gdevice being moved vertically :against :the .fabric the said -spearpoint makes '"a short cut and said arms tear the fabric crosswise therefrom incepposite directions completely through theopposite edges thereof. I g

'2. In ,a machine "fortearing *full width 'woven fabric crosswise, the combination oftwo spaced pairscf holding membersgthe members of each pair being in moveahleer'e'l'ation to eachother and .each pair when separated adapted .tohave a full width of ,the ,fabric .proceed Lhorizonta lly therebetween zandzadapted when .closed .to hold a short length :of :the .fabric :taut lbetween the said twwpairsga tearing: device locatedabove .the

intermediatemar-t of .the said held length of fab-- ric and .two :arms extending loosely therefrom in oppositedirections laterally. and upwardly yield- -ing-means :for feeding a -fu1l width length vof .woven fabric towards and through .said vfirst of said ,pairs .of .-jaws sand from the second pair of ,jaws, means .for .-intermittently closing .said two pairs of jaws and means for then movingsaid tearing device ,downwardlyand then upwardly. 5. In a .machinefor' .tearingrfull width .woven fabric crosswise, the combination of two vspaced pairs of tjaws the membersof eachpairbeingdn moveable relation to each .other and each pair 7 when separated adapted .to have .a .full vwioltl'roit the fabric proceedahorizontally therebetween .and adapted when closed-to hold; a shortlength. of the fabric taut between the ,sa-id itWO' pairs, aitearing device locatedvertically from-thesaid heldilength of fabric and movable vertically .theretowards and therefrom and comprising. aspear point opposite :an intermediate part of .the said held length -Df fabric and two-arms extending loosely therefrom in I opposite directions laterally .and .at .a :slant, yielding meansafor feeding \a, full width length of wovenfabric itowardstand 'throughsaid first :of said ;pairs of Jews v.and i from .the second pair [of jaws, means for intermittently closing said [two pairs .of;-j.aws.rand. means for then; moving said tearing device Jagainst the .fab-ric and thentherefromand'means :fOI'a arresting. the feeding forwardiofithe..fabric-jtothe-first pair of .jaws

' on the CIOSiIIE'Of saidjaws.

a full width length of woven fabric towards and through said first of said pairs of jaws and from the second pair of jaws, means for closing said two pairs of jaws, means for then moving said tearing device against the fabric and then therefrom, means operative after each tearing operation and after the withdrawal of the tearing device for opening both pairs of jaws and auxiliary feeding means means operative after each tearing operation and the withdrawal of the tearing device forcarrying the new end of the fabric forward from the first pair of jaws, to, through and from the second pair of jaws;

7. In a machine for tearing full width woven fabric crosswise, the combination of two spaced pairs of jaws, the members of each pair being in moveable relation to each other and each pair when separated adapted to have a full width of the fabric proceedhorizontally therebetween and adapted when closed to hold a short length of the fabric taut between the said two pairs, a tearlength of fabric and movable vertically theretowards and therefrom and comprising a spear point opposite an intermediate part of the said held length of fabric and two arms extending loosely therefrom in opposite directions laterally and at a slant, yielding means for feeding a full width length of woven fabric towards and through said first of said pairs of jaws and from the second pair of jaws, means for intermittently closing said two pairs of jaws and means for then moving said tearing device against the fabric and then therefrom and means for arrestin the feeding forward of the fabric to the first pair of jaws on the closing of said jaws, means opera tive after each tearing operation and-after the withdrawal of the tearing device for opening both pairs of jaws and auxiliary feeding means advanced into the tearing zone after each tearing operation and the withdrawal of the tearing device for carrying thenew end of the fabric forward from the first pair of jaws, to,v through and from the second pair of jaws and into engagement with the regular feeding means beyond the said jaws and means for withdrawingthe auxiliary feedingmeans from the'tearing zone before the next tearing operation.

8. In a machine for tearing full width woven fabric crosswise, the combination of two longitudinally spaced sets of belts for normally yieldingly feeding said fabric forward, spaced means for intermittently holding a short length of said fabric taut in the tearing zone therebetween, a wedge-shaped tearing device located above the said held length of fabric and having a puncturing point above anintermediate' part of said held length of fabric and two arms extending loosely therefrom laterally and upwardly, means operative when the short length of fabric is held taut for moving said tearing device downwardly until said arms tear completely through said fabric and then lifting the tearing device out of the ing device located vertically from the said held tearing zone, auxiliary feeding means bodily movable to extend across the tearing zone for advancing the new torn end through said holding means andinto engagement with the normal feeding means located beyond the second-reached holding means for again feeding the fabric forward and means for removing said auxiliary feeding means from the tearing zone before the tearing device is brought into another operation.

9. In a machine for tearing full width woven fabric crosswise, the combination of two spaced pairs of jaws, the members of each pair being in movable relation to each other and each pair when separated adapted tohave a full width of the fabric proceed horizontally therebetween and adapted when both pairs are closedto hold a short length of the fabric taut therebetween in a tearing zone, a tearing device located vertically from said held length of fabric and movable vertically theretowards and therefrom and including a spear point opposite an intermediate part of said held length of fabric and two arms extending therefrom in opposite directions laterally and at a slant whereby on the tearing device being advanced the said point makes a short cut transversely and said arms tear therefrom completely across the full width of fabric.

10. In a machine for tearing full width woven fabric crosswise, the combination of two spaced pairs of jaws, the members of each pair bein in movable relation to each other and each pair when separated adapted to have a full width of the fabric proceed horizontally therebetween and adapted when both pairs are closedv to hold a short length of the fabric taut therebetween in a tearing zone, a tearing device located vertically from said held length of fabric and movable ver tically theretowards and therefrom and including a spear point opposite an intermediate part of said heldlength of fabric and two arms extending therefrom in opposite directions laterally and at a slant whereby on the tearing device being advanced the said point makes a short cut transversely and said arms tear therefrom completely across the full width of fabric, two sets of regular feed belts, one feeding'the fabric to the first pair of jaws and'the other taking the fabric from the second pair of jaws, two sets of auxiliary feed belts each overlapping one of the regular sets of feed belts and having its carrying length extendingthrough the adjacent pairs of jaws, each of said auxiliary sets of feed belts being carried on spaced pairs of pulleys one of each pair within and one without the tearing zone and mounted for bodily movement of its set towards and from the said tearing zone whereby on the auxiliary sets of feed belts being retracted the said tearing device may be temporarily moved into the tearing zone and when the tearing de vice has been operated and withdrawn leaving a new depending end of the on-co-ming fabric between the pairs of jaws, the auxiliary feed belts may be temporarily advanced into the tearing zone into interlapping relation and will carry the new on-coming end of fabric through the second pair of jaws and into operative engagement with the regular delivery feed belts beyond the second pair of jaws. v

11. In a machine for tearing full width woven fabric crosswise, the combination of two spaced pairs of jaws, the membersof each pair being in movable relation to each other and each pair when separated adapted to have a full width of the fabric proceed horizontally therebetween and adapted when both pairs are. closed to hold a short length of the fabric taut therebetween in v a tearing zone, a tearing device'located vertically from said held length of fabric and movable vertically theretowards and therefrom and including a spear point opposite an intermediate part of said held length of fabric and two arms extending therefrom in opposite directions laterally and at a slant whereby on the tearing device being advanced the said point makes a short cut transversely and said arms tear therefrom completely across the full width of fabric, means for feeding the desired length of fabric to the

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