US3716078A

US3716078A - Woven pile fabrics

Info

Publication number: US3716078A
Application number: US00195293A
Authority: US
Inventors: E Clark; U Clark
Original assignee: Fieldcrest Mills Inc
Current assignee: FIELD CREST CANNON Inc
Priority date: 1971-11-03
Filing date: 1971-11-03
Publication date: 1973-02-13
Anticipated expiration: 1990-02-13
Also published as: CA955827A; DE2226821A1; GB1378926A; BE780733A

Abstract

D R A W I N G
A PILE FABRIC HAVING A BASE FORMED OF GROUND WARPS ARRANGED IN A PAIR OF BANKS INTERWOVEN WITH SUCCESSIVE GROUPS OF WEFTS, AND EACH GROUP OF WEFTS INCLUDING A PULRALITY OF PAIRS OF WEFTS. THE RESPECTIVE BANKS OF WARPS EXTEND IN OPPOSITION TO EACH OTHER SUCCESSIVELY OVER AND UNDER THE SUCCESSIVE GROUPS OF WEFTS WITH THE WARPS CROSSING EACH OTHER ONLY AT THE JUNCTURE OF ADJACENT GROUPS OF WEFTS, AND WEFTWISE ROWS OF SUBSTANTIALLY U-SHAPED PILE TUFTS ARE LOOPED BENEATH ONLY ONE PAIR OF WEFTS IN EACH RESPECTIVE GROUP.

Description

Feb. 13, 1973 E. F. CLARK WOVEN FILE FABRICS Filed Nov. :3, 1971 United States Patent G 3,716,078 WIJVEN PILE FABRIC Eugene F. Clark, deceased, by Ursa W. Clark, heir, Eden, N.C., assignor to Fieldcrest Mills, Inc, Eden, N.C. Filed Nov. 3, 1971, Ser. No. 195,293 Int. Cl. DOSd 27/16 US. Cl. 139-399 10 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention generally relates to pile fabrics such as are used for carpets and rugs, and more especially, to improved pile fabrics of the Axminster type.

It is an object of this invention to provide a pile fabric of simple construction which can be produced at high speeds on a spool-type loom without removing the spools from the usual conveyor chain therefor, and wherein the particular construction of the fabric contributes to effective support for the pile tufts both during use and during weaving of the pile fabric.

It is a more specific object of this invention to provide a pile fabric having a base formed of ground warps arranged in a pair of banks interwoven with successive groups of wefts with each group of wefts including a plurality of pairs of wefts, and the respective banks of warps extending in opposition to each other succesively over and under the successive groups of wefts and crossing each other only at the juncture of adjacent groups of wefts, and weftwise rows of substantially U-shaped pile tufts looped beneath only one pair of wefts in each respective group.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a portion of a preferred embodiment of the improved fabric, with portions broken away and showing the opposing selvages thereof, with a few of the warpwise rows of tufts omitted for purposes of clarity;

FIG. 2 is a warpwise vertical sectional view through the fabric taken subsantially along line 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a weftwise vertical sectional view taken substantially along line 3-3 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary warpwise vertical sectional view similar to FIG. 2, but showing a second embodiment of the fabric; and

FIG. 5 is another fragmentary warpwise vertical sectional view similar to FIG. 2, but showing a third embodiment of the fabric.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, the pile fabric of this invention comprises a base or backing fabric formed of chain or hinder ground warps arranged in a pair of banks 10, 11 interwoven with successive groups of wefts. Each group of wefts includes a plurality of successive pairs of wefts, preferably in the form of a first pair of

wefts

12, 13 and a second pair of

wefts

14, 15. In FIG. 1, four successive groups of wefts are shown indicated at G, G-1, G2 and G-3. The respective banks of ground warps 10, 11 extend in opposition to each other over and under the successive weft groups G, G-l, 6-2,

G3 with the warps 10, 11 thereby extending between the wefts only at the juncture of adjacent weft groups. Thus, there are no ground warps extending between any of the wefts 12-15 within each respective group. Stated otherwise, the ground warps in bank 10 extend over the weft groups G-l, G-3 and under the weft groups G, G-2, and the ground warps in bank 11 extend under the weft groups G-ll, G3 and over the weft groups G, G-Z. It follows, therefore, that one bank of warps is disposed under alternate groups of wefts and above intervening groups of wefts with the other bank of warps being disposed above said alternate groups of wefts and under said intervening groups of wefts.

The fabric includes a pile face in the form of weftwise rows of substantially U-shaped pile tufts 20. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 there is a single weftwise row of tufts for each group of wefts and the tufts of each weftwise row have their lower bights 20 looped beneath only one of the pairs of wefts in each respective group. In this instance, the tufts 20 in each weftwise row are looped under the respective first pair of

wefts

12, 13 only, thus providing one of the second pairs of

wefts

14, 15 between each warpwise adjacent pair of substantially U-shaped tufts with the legs of the tufts 20 projecting upwardly between adjacent first and second pairs of wefts substantially throughout the length of the fabric.

Any desired number of chain warps may be provided between adjacent pairs of warpwise rows of tufts 20. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 by way of example, a group of four chain warps; i.e., two chain warps 10 from one bank and two chain warps 11 from the other bank is provided between each adjacent pair of warpwise rows of tufts 20.

Although the chain warps of the fabric are disposed entirely above and entirely beneath the fabric base, except where they extend between adjacent groups of wefts, the wefts of the fabric may be disposed in a common plane substantially parallel with opposite faces of the base, or some of the wefts may be in a different plane from others of the wefts as desired. In this regard, in the first embodiment of the fabric, it will be observed with particular reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 that the two wefts 12, 13 of the first pair in each group are disposed one above the other, and the two

wefts

14, 15 of the second pair in each group are disposed side by side or one in front of the other.

In the second embodiment of FIG. 4, the elements of the fabric bear the same reference characters as in FIGS. 1-3 with the letter a added thereto to avoid repetitive description. It will be observed that the portion of fabric shown in FIG. 4 differs from that shown in FIGS. 1-3 only in that all of the wefts 12a-15a are disposed in a single plane; i.e., they are disposed in a common plane substantially parallel with the upper and lower surfaces of the base. Such an effect may be produced by weaving the fabric of FIG. 4 with the chain warps and the pile yarns under somewhat lesser tension than is the case in weaving the fabric shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

In the third embodiment of the fabric shown in FIG. 5, the elements of the fabric bear the same reference characters as in FIGS. 1-3 with the letter b added thereto to avoid repetitive description. The portion of the fabric shown in FIG. 5 differs from those of FIGS. 1 3 and FIG. 4 only in that one of the wefts of each pair is disposed above the other weft of the corresponding pair in each instance; i.e., the two wefts of each

pair

12b, 13b and 14b, 15b in each group are disposed one above the other. The yarns of which the warps, wefts and pile tufts are formed, in each embodiment, may be conventional weights and constructions and, therefore, need not be further described.

Referring again to the first embodiment of the fabric shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, it will be observed in FIG. 1, in particular, that the fabric there shown is provided with novel selvage constructions at opposite warpwise side edges thereof. Such selvage constructions may be provided for all three embodiments of the fabric and may be formed on a loom utilizing two side by side weft needles or inserters having separate weft yarn supplies. Each weft inserter may be of the type generally used on an Axminster loom. Accordingly, an illustration of the weft inserters is deemed unnecessary.

It will be observed in FIG. 1 that the left-hand selvage is in the form of a plurality of hairpin-like selvage loops 21, 22 alternately arranged warpwise of the fabric and formed integral with and interconnecting the two wefts of the respective and first and

second pairs

12, 13; 14, of each group G, G-l, 6-2, 6-3. A common selvage yarn 23 is threaded through, and interconnects all of, the selvage loops 21, 22 at the corresponding warpwise side edge of the fabric.

The right-hand selvage of the fabric, as shown in FIG. 1, also is formed of loops of the wefts 12-15, including a plurality of first weft selvage loops 24 which alternate with respect to a plurality of second weft selvage loops 25. Although the first weft loops 24 are shown extending outwardly from the adjacent selvage warp 111 a greater distance than the second left loops 25, it is apparent that all of the weft loops may extend outwardly the same distance or the second loops 25 may extend outwardly further than the first weft loops 24, as desired.

More specifically, it will be observed that the lefthand portion of the centermost first weft selvage loop 24 in the right-hand upper portion of FIG. 1 is integral with weft 13 in weft group G-1 and extends across the weftwise plane of the second pair of

wefts

14, 15 in the same weft group G-1. The latter weft selvage loop 24 then extends into the next adjacent weft group G-2 on one side of weft group G-1 and is integral with the weft 12 of the first pair in the weft group G-Z. Similarly, it will be observed that one of the second weft selvage loops 25 is integral with weft 15 in weft group G-1 and extends across the weftwise plane of the first pair of

wefts

12, 13 in the next adjacent group 6-2. The latter loop 25 then extends into weft group G-2 and is integral with the weft 14 of the second pair in weft group 6-2.

The weft

selvage loops

24, 25 which are integral with the

respective wefts

12, 14 in group G-1 extend in the opposite direction from those Weft selvage loops which are integral with

wefts

13, 15 in the same weft group G-1, and the latter weft selvage loops extend into the next adjacent weft group G disposed on the other side of weft group G-1, and are formed integral with the

respective wefts

13, 15 in group G. Thus, the bight of each first weft loop 24 extends across the weftwise plane of a respective second pair of

wefts

14, 15, in each instance, and the bight of each second weft selvage loop 25 extends across the weftwise plane of a respective first pair of

wefts

12, 13, in each instance.

All three embodiments of the fabric have similar advantages, as will be mentioned with respect to the fabric of FIGS. 1-3. In this regard, it should be noted that, since none of the warps 10, 11 extend between any of the wefts 12-15 within each group, it is apparent that there need be no warp shed change during the weaving of each portion of the fabric embraced by any one of the groups of wefts, such as the groups G, G-l, G-2, G-3 of FIG. 1. Thus, both pairs of

wefts

12, 13; 14, 15 in each group may be inserted in the warp shed and during a single pick of the loom, and a corresponding weftwise row of substantially U-shaped pile tufts also may be formed during the corresponding pick of the loom. Also, the effect of a two-shot, double-Weft fabric construction is achieved, although the basic fabric construction is essentially a single-shot weave; i.e., all four wefts 12-15 of each group are disposed in a single channel defined by the warp banks 10, 11 between successive points at which they extend between the wefts. The second pairs of

wefts

14, 15 not only aid in supporting the adjacent weftwise rows of tufts 20 looped beneath the adjacent first pairs of

wefts

12, 13, but they also are useful in supporting the tufts 20 during the weaving operation, as the usual loom reed advances the wefts 12-15 of each group during beat-up of the reed to push the corresponding group of wefts forwardly over the usual noseboard during the formation of the corresponding weftwise row of pile tufts 20.

In the drawing and specification, there have been set forth preferred embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms are employed they are used in a descriptive and generic sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

That which is claimed is:

1. A pile fabric comprising a base consisting of ground warps arranged in a pair of banks interwoven with wefts, said wefts consisting of successive groups of wefts with each group of wefts including a plurality of pairs of wefts, and the respective banks of warps extending in opposition to each other successively over and under said successive groups of wefts and crossing each other only at the juncture of adjacent groups of wefts, and weftwise rows of substantially U-shaped pile tufts looped beneath only one pair of wefts in each respective group.

2. A pile fabric according to claim 1, wherein the two wefts of one of said pairs in each group are positioned warpwise one in front of the other in at least a portion of the fabric, and wherein the two wefts of another pair in each group are positioned one above the other in said portion of the fabric.

3. A pile fabric according to claim 2, wherein said tufts are looper beneath only said other pair of wefts in each group.

4. A pile fabric according to claim 1, wherein said pairs of wefts in each group extend in a single plane in at least a portion of the fabric.

5. A pile fabric according to claim 1, wherein the two wefts of each of said pairs in each group are disposed one above the other in at least a portion of the fabric.

6. A pile fabric according to claim 1, including a selvage on one edge of the fabric formed of loops of said wefts and wherein one of the wefts of each pair forms a loop extending from one of said groups to the next adjacent group on one side thereof and which loop is integral with a respective one of the wefts in said next adjacent group, and wherein the other weft of each pair in said one of said groups forms another loop extending therefrom to the next adjacent group on the other side of said one of said groups nad which other loop is integral with a respective one of the wefts in the last-mentioned next adjacent group.

7. A pile fabric comprising a base consisting of ground warps arranged in a pair of banks interwoven with wefts, said wefts consisting of successive groups of wefts, with each group of wefts consisting of a first pair of wefts and a second pair of wefts, and the respective banks of warps extending in opposition to each other successively over and under said successive groups of wefts and crossing each other only at the juncture of adjacent groups of wefts, and weftwise rows of substantially U-shaped tufts looped under only one of the pairs of wefts in each group with the legs of the tufts projecting upwardly between adjacent first and second pairs of wefts.

8. A pile fabric according to claim 7, including a selvage on one edge of the fabric and comprising a first selvage loop integral with and connecting one of the wefts of the first pair in one group to one of the wefts of the first pair in an adjacent group, and a second selvage loop integral with and connecting one of the wefts of the second pair in said adjacent group, wherein the first selvage loop extends across the weftwise plane of both of the 5 wefts of the second pair in said one group, and wherein References Cited the second selvage loop extends across the weftwise plane UNITED STATES PATENTS of both of the Wefts of the first pair in said adjacent 716 519 12/1902 Clark 139 401 group.

9- A pile fabric according to claim 8, including a 5 g selvage on the other edge of the fabric formed of hair- 5 41 5/1962 i g z'g 139 4O2 pin-like selvagc loops integral with an interconnecting both Wefts of each respective pair HENRY S. J-AUDON, Primary Examiner 10. A pile fabric according to claim 9, including a common selvage yarn extending through all of said hair- 10 U8. Cl. X.R.

pin-like selvage loops. 139-402 3, 716,078 Dated February 13, 1973 Patent No.

lnventofls) Eugene F. Clark, deceased, by .Ursa W. Clark, Heir It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are-hereby corrected as shown below:

IN THE CLAIMS:

Column-4, Line 35, Claim 3, "looper" should be --looped-; v same column, Claim 6, Line 52, "had should be --and--; same column, Claim 8, Line 74, "0nd" should be --one-; same column same Claim, Line 74, after "said" insert --one group to one of the wefts of the second pair in said Column 5, Line '7, "an" should be -and-- Signed and sealed this 3rd day of July 1975.

(SEAL) Attestz EDWARD M.PLETCHER,JR. j Rene Tegtmeyen Attesting Officer Acti Commissioner of Patents FORM Po-1'o5o (10-69) USCOMM-DC wan-P69 U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE i969 O-356334