WO2000068478A1

WO2000068478A1 - Air jet loom accumulator

Info

Publication number: WO2000068478A1
Application number: PCT/US2000/011492
Authority: WO
Inventors: Steven J. Parks; Clifton C. Snyder, Jr.; Michael Dane Lanier
Original assignee: Ppg Industries Ohio, Inc.
Priority date: 1999-05-07
Filing date: 2000-04-28
Publication date: 2000-11-16
Also published as: AU4807100A; WO2000068478A9

Abstract

The present invention provides an accumulator (36) for feeding yarn in an air jet loom, comprising: a yarn accumulating surface, wherein at least a portion (54) of the surface is inclined inwardly toward an axial centerline of the accumulating surface (56) and has a surface finish that reduces sliding friction between the surface portion and yarn contacting the surface portion; a winder (50) to wind yarn around the accumulating surface; and a device (66) to permit periodic removal of yarn wound around the accumulator surface (56, 60). In one nonlimiting embodiment of the invention, the yarn accumulating surface (56) of the accumulator comprises a plurality of spaced apart fingers (42) positioned and configured to provide discrete yarn contacting surfaces that form the yarn accumulating surface, and the surface finish comprises a textured finish that provides less surface contact between the yarn and surface portion.

Description

AIR JET LOOM ACCUMULATOR

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an air jet loom, and in particular to a weft (i.e. fill) yarn feed system and methods for receiving and accumulating weft yarn drawn off a supply package for delivery, or picking, into a warp shed of an air jet loom.

Background of the Invention

Air jets looms are widely used for high speed fabric weaving. Typically, air jet looms are provided with one or more weft yarn feed systems that deliver, or insert, weft yarn from the weft feed system into a shed formed by warp yarns using a main air jet nozzle assisted by groups of relay nozzles disposed across the warp shed. More particularly, a predetermined amount of weft yarn from a supply package is accumulated in the weft feed system and then jetted air under pressure from the main nozzle picks the weft yarn and inserts it into the warp shed. Various types of pressure and timing controls are used to control and trigger the main nozzle as well as the relay nozzles, as is well known to those skilled in the art.

Depending in the nature of the weft yarn, problems can occur as the yarn is accumulated and delivered by the weft feed system. For example, if the yarn has a sticky or tacky coating on its surface, the yarn can stick to selected surfaces of the feed system and disrupt the picking operation. This in turn can result in stoppage of the weaving operation.

It would be advantageous to provide a weft feed system that ensures continuous feed of the weft yarn to the main nozzle of an air jet loom.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention provides an accumulator for feeding yarn in an air jet loom, comprising: a yarn accumulating surface, wherein at least a portion of the surface is inclined inwardly toward an axial centerline of the accumulating surface and has a surface finish that reduces sliding friction between the surface portion and yarn contacting the surface portion; a winder to wind yarn around the accumulating surface; and a device to permit periodic removal of yarn wound around the accumulator surface. In one nonlimiting embodiment of the invention, the yarn accumulating surface of the accumulator comprises a plurality of spaced apart fingers positioned and configured to provide discrete yarn contacting surfaces that form the yarn accumulating surface, and the surface finish comprises a textured finish that provides less surface contact between the yarn and surface portion.

The present invention also provides an air jet loom for weaving a fabric, comprising: (a) a yarn supply; (b) an accumulator comprising: (i) a yarn accumulating surface wherein at least a portion of the surface is inclined inwardly toward an axial centerline of the accumulating surface and has a surface finish that reduces sliding friction between the surface portion and yarn contacting the surface portion; (ii) a winder to wind yarn around the accumulating surface; and (iii) a device to permit periodic removal of yarn wound around the accumulator surface; and (c) at least one main air jet nozzle to receive the yarn from the accumulator and propel the yarn across the width of the air jet loom.

The present invention further provides a method of weaving a fabric with an air jet loom, comprising the steps of: providing an accumulator having a yarn accumulating surface; inclining at least a portion of the yarn accumulating surface inwardly toward an axial centerline of the accumulating surface; providing the portion of the yarn accumulating surface with a surface finish that reduces sliding friction between the portion and yarn contacting the portion; supplying yarn to an accumulator; winding a desired length of yarn at least around the portion of the yarn accumulating surface of the accumulator; sliding the wound yarn along the portion of the yarn accumulating surface; periodically releasing the wound yarn from the accumulator; drawing the released yarn into a main air jet nozzle; and propelling the released yarn from the nozzle across the air jet loom. In one nonlimiting embodiment of the invention, the yarn is a resin compatible yarn.

Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is a schematic of an air jet loom. Figure 2 is an enlarged isometric view of an embodiment of an accumulator of a weft feed system for an air jet loom incorporating features of the present invention.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the accumulator illustrated in Figure 2. Figure 4 is a view through line 4-4 of Figure 3. Figures 5 and 6 are alternate embodiments of an accumulator incorporating features of the present invention.

Detailed Description of the Invention A woven fabric 10 can be formed by using any conventional loom well known to those skilled in the art, such as a shuttle loom or rapier loom, but preferably is formed using an air jet loom as shown in Figure 1 so as to increase the speed at which the fabric is fabricated. Nonlimiting examples of commercial air jet looms include those available from Tsudakoma of Japan, e.g. Model No. 103 and 1031, and Sulzer Brothers Ltd. of Zurich, Switzerland, e.g. Sulzer Ruti Model Nos. L-5000 and L-5200.

A typical air jet loom 12 is shown schematically in Figure 1. In operation, fill yarn (weft) 14 is inserted into a warp shed 16 of the loom 12 by a blast of compressed air 18 from one or more main nozzles 20. The warp shed 16 is formed by the warp yarn 22, which extends longitudinally along the length of the air jet loom 12. The fill yarn 14 is propelled across the width of the fabric 10, generally about 0.96 to about 1.52 meters (about 38 to about 60 inches). Typical industrial glass fiber fabric styles would include 0.96 meter (38 inch), 1.12 meter (44 inch), and 1.27 meter (50 inch) widths.

The air jet loom 12 can have a single or multiple main nozzles 20, but preferably also has a plurality of supplementary, relay nozzles 24 along the warp shed 16 for providing blasts of supplementary air 26 to the fill yarn 14 to maintain the desired air pressure required for the yarn 14 to traverse the width of the fabric 10. The air pressure supplied by the main air nozzle 20 preferably ranges from about 34 to about 413 kiloPascals (kPa) (about 5 to about 60 pounds per square inch (psi)), and more preferably is about 55 to about 310 kPa (about 8 to about 45 psi), depending on machine type, yarn type, fabric style and width, speed, etc. Although not limiting in the present invention, the air jet loom 12 typically has about 15 to about 18 supplementary air nozzles 20 which supply auxiliary blasts of air in the direction of travel of the fill yarn 14 to assist in propelling the yarn 14 across the loom 12. The air pressure supplied to each supplementary air nozzle 24 preferably ranges from about 300 to about 600 kPa (about 43.5 to about 87 psi).

In operation, a predetermined length of the fill yarn 14 is drawn from the supply package 28 by a feeding system 30 at a feed rate of about 180 to about 550 meters (about 197 to about 601 yards) per minute, and preferably about 274 meters (about 300 yards) per minute. System 30 measures and accumulates the yarn 14 prior to being inserted into the warp shed 16 by main nozzle 20. The fill yarn 14 is then drawn into the main nozzle 20 and a blast of air propels the yarn across the width of the fabric through the warp shed 16 and a tunnel reed 32. When the insertion is completed, the end of the yarn near the main nozzle 18 is cut by a cutter 34.

The feeding system 30 includes an accumulator that collects a predetermined length of fill yarn 14 prior to its insertion into the warp shed 16. Without limiting the present invention, Figures 2-4 illustrate a nonlimiting embodiment of an accumulator 36 used in a Tsudakoma Model 103 weaving machine. The accumulator 36 (referred to by Tsudakoma as an FDP (Free Drum Pooling) system) includes a plate 38 and central hub 40 displaced from the plate 38. A plurality of fingers 42 extends between and interconnects the plate 38 and hub 40 and forms a cage-like structure 44. In addition and without limiting the present invention, in the particular embodiment shown in Figures 2-4, a curved plate member 45 also spans between plate 38 and hub 40 and forms a portion of the cage structure 44. A length of fill yarn 14, supplied by the supply package 28 and sufficiently long to extend at least across the full width of fabric 10, is wound around the cage 44 by a flier 46 (shown only in Figures 3 and 4) which is positioned and revolves within a housing 48. Flier 46 includes an eyelet 50 through which the yarn 14 passes as it is wound on the accumulator 36. A tensioning device 52 (shown only in Figure 1) adjusts the tension in the yarn 14 as it is drawn from the supply package 28 by the flier 46 of feeding system 30.

Referring to Figures 2-4, the fingers 42 and plate member 45 are configured to define a yarn accumulating surface wherein at least a portion 54 of surface 56 of the fingers 42 and a portion 58 of surface 60 of plate 45 that contacts the yarn 14, i.e. the outwardly facing surface of the cage structure 44, is inclined inwardly toward an axial centerline 62 (shown only in Figure 4) of the cage structure 44 of the accumulator 36. As used herein, the term "axial centerline" means the line extending through the center of the three dimensional yarn accumulating surface defined by cage 44. In the particular embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 2-4, portions 54 and 58 of surfaces 56 and 60, respectively, provide discrete yarn contacting surfaces that form the yarn accumulating surface around which the fill yarn 14 is wound. Although not limiting in the present invention, the yarn accumulating surface is preferably generally conical in shape. It should be appreciated that although fingers 42 and plate 45 form a surface having generally conical portions, the unsupported yarn 14 spanning from finger to adjacent finger is straight.

Referring the Figure 5, it should be appreciated that the fingers 42 and plate 45 can be replaced with a member 142 that provides a generally continuous surface 154 having and inclined portion 156, which is preferably a continuous conically shaped surface, around which the fill yarn 114 is wound. In the particular embodiments of the invention shown in Figures 2-5, the inclined portions of surfaces 56, 60 and 156 are straight surfaces. However, it should be appreciated that these surface portions can be nonlinear, for example as shown schematically by portion 254 of surface 256 of member 242 in Figure 6.

It is important that cage 44 provide an inclined surface so that as the yarn 14 is wound on the accumulator 36, it will move inwardly relative to centerline 62 along surfaces 56 and 60 and slide toward hub 40 and a release pin 64 (which will be discussed later in more detail). As the yarn 14 slides along the cage surface, flier 46 maintains the yarn tension necessary to ensure that each wrap of the yarn 14 remains tight as it spirals inward along the inclined surface of the cage 44.

Accumulator 36 further includes a device that controls the accumulation of yarn 14 around and release of the yarn 14 from the cage 44. Without limiting the present invention, in the particular embodiment shown in Figures 2-4, a release pin 64 is positioned in close proximity to the cage 44 to both hold the yarn 14 in the cage 44 and periodically release it for feeding into the main nozzle 20. More particularly, pin 64 is movable by an actuator 66 from a first position, where it is spaced from plate member 45 as shown in Figure 4, to a second position as indicated by dotted line 68 in Figure 4, where it extends through plate 45 and into cage 44. While in this second position, pin 64 holds the yarn 14 on the accumulator 36 as it is wound around the cage 44. When the desired length of fill yarn 14 is wound around the accumulator 36 by flier 46, pin 64 is retracted to its first position and the yarn 14 is drawn off, i.e. is unwound, from the accumulator 36 and drawn into the main nozzle 20 for insertion into the warp shed. After the desired length of yarn is removed, pin 64 is then moved to the second position as the yarn 14 is continued to be wound around the cage 44 of accumulator 36 to repeat the process.

As discussed earlier, it is highly desirable that the yarn 14 move freely along portions 54 and 58 of surfaces 56 and 60, respectively, of the accumulator 36 so that the yarn 14 can advance toward the pin 64. Depending on the characteristics of the yarn, there are potential problems when the yarn 14 is wound and removed from the accumulator 36. In particular, it has been observed that a smooth surface portions 54 and 58 increases the surface contact between the yarn 14 and the accumulator fingers 42 and plate 45, resulting in greater friction and thus inhibiting the desired sliding action of the yarn 14 along the inclined surface of the cage 44. If the yarn 14 does not slide easily along surface portions 54 and 58 as it is wound and tightened on the accumulator 36 by flier 46, the yarn 14 might not be in the desired position on cage 44 for removal when pin 64 is retracted to its second position. For example, if the yarn 14 has not slid far enough along surfaces 56 and 60, when pin 64 is retracted, the yarn 14 may contact the pin 64 or the actuator 66. The sliding action of the yarn is particularly critical when the yarn 14 includes a coating composition that is tacky or sticky. In addition, the yarn 14 can stick to the surfaces 56 and 60 of the fingers 42 and plate 45, respectively, so as to prevent quick release of the yarn from the accumulator 36. Furthermore, there is the potential for coating build-up on the finger and plate surfaces 56 and 60.

The present invention is particularly applicable for yarns comprising glass fibers coated with a coating that is compatible with a resin matrix material into which the yarn is incorporated. As used herein, the terms "compatible with a resin matrix material" or "resin compatible" mean the coating composition applied to the glass fibers is compatible with the resin matrix material into which the glass fibers will be incorporated such that the coating composition (or selected coating components) achieves at least one of the following properties: does not require removal prior to incorporation into the matrix material (such as by de-greasing or de-oiling), facilitates good penetration of the matrix material through the individual bundles of fibers in a mat or fabric incorporating the yarn and good penetration of the matrix material through the mat or fabric during conventional processing and results in final composite products having desired physical properties and hydrolytic stability.

Without limiting the present invention, one embodiment of the resin compatible coating composition on the glass fibers comprises one or more, and preferably a plurality of particles that when applied to the fibers adhere to the fibers and provide one or more interstitial spaces between adjacent glass fibers. Nonlimiting examples of preferred particles include hexagonal boron nitride and hollow styrene acrylic polymeric particles.

In addition to the particles, a nonlimiting embodiment of the resin compatible coating composition preferably comprises one or more film- forming materials, such as organic, inorganic and polymeric materials.

Nonlimiting examples of film-forming materials include vinyl polymer, such as, but are not limited to, polyvinyl pyrrolidones, polyesters, polyamides, polyurethanes, and combinations thereof.

In addition to or in lieu of the film forming materials discussed above, a nonlimiting embodiment of the resin compatible coating compositions can include one or more glass fiber coupling agents such as organo-silane coupling agents, transition metal coupling agents, phosphonate coupling agents, aluminum coupling agents, amino-containing Werner coupling agents and mixtures thereof. A nonlimiting embodiment of the resin compatible coating compositions can further comprise one or more softening agents or surfactants. Nonlimiting examples of softening agents include amine salts of fatty acids, alkyl imidazoline derivatives, acid solubilized fatty acid amides, condensates of a fatty acid and polyethylene imine and amide substituted polyethylene imines.

A nonlimiting embodiment of the resin compatible coating compositions can further include one or more lubricious materials that are chemically different from the polymeric materials and softening agents discussed above to impart desirable processing characteristics to the fiber strands during weaving. Nonlimiting examples of such fatty acid esters useful in the present invention include cetyl palmitate, cetyl myristate, cetyl laurate, octadecyl laurate, octadecyl myristate, octadecyl palmitate and octadecyl stearate. The lubricious materials can also include non-polar petroleum waxes and water-soluble polymeric materials, such as but not limited to polyalkylene polyols and polyoxyalkylene polyols.

A nonlimiting embodiment of the resin compatible coating compositions can additionally include one or more emulsifying agents for emulsifying or dispersing components of the coating compositions, such as the particles and/or lubricious materials. Nonlimiting examples of suitable emulsifying agents or surfactants include polyoxyalkylene block copolymers, ethoxylated alkyl phenols, polyoxyethylene octylphenyl glycol ethers, ethylene oxide derivatives of sorbitol esters, polyoxyethylated vegetable oils, ethoxylated alkylphenols, and nonylphenol surfactants. Other additives can be included in a nonlimiting embodiment of the resin compatible coating compositions, such as crosslinking materials, plasticizers, silicones, fungicides, bactericides and anti-foaming materials. Organic and/or inorganic acids or bases in an amount sufficient to provide the coating composition with a pH of 2 to 10 can also be included in the resin compatible coating composition.

Nonlimiting examples of resin compatible coatings are shown in Table 1.

TABLE 1 - WEIGHT PERCENT OF COMPONENT ON TOTAL SOLIDS BASIS

¹ PVP K-30 polyvinyl pyrrolidone which is commercially available from ISP Chemicals of Wayne, New Jersey.

² STEPANTEX 653 which is commercially available from Stepan Company of Maywood, New Jersey.

³ A-187 gamma-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane which is commercially available from CK Witco Corporation of Tarrytown, New York. A-174 gamma-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane which is commercially available from CK Witco Corporation of Tarrytown, New York.

⁵ EMERY® 6717 partially amidated polyethylene imine which is commercially available from Cognis Corporation of Cincinnati, Ohio.

⁶ MACOL OP-10 ethoxylated alkylphenol; this material is similar to MACOL OP-10 SP except that OP-10 SP receives a post treatment to remove the catalyst; MACOL OP-10 is no longer commercially available.

⁷ TMAZ-81 ethylene oxide derivative of a sorbitol ester which is commercially available from BASF Corp. of Parsippany, New Jersey.

⁸ MAZU DF-136 antifoaming agent which is commercially available from BASF Corp. of Parsippany, New Jersey.

⁹ ROPAQUE® OP-96, 0.55 micron particle dispersion which is commercially available from Rohm and Haas Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

¹⁰ ORPAC BORON NITRIDE RELEASECOAT-CONC 25 boron nitride dispersion which is commercially available from ZYP Coatings, Inc. of Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

¹¹ POLARTHERM® PT 160 boron nitride powder which is commercially available from Advanced Ceramics Corporation of Lakewood, Ohio.

Additional nonlimiting examples of glass fiber yarns having a resin compatible coating are disclosed in U.S. Serial No. 09/548,379 entitled "Impregnating Glass Fiber Strands and Products Including the Same" and filed April 12, 2000, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

¹² SAG 10 antiforming material, which is commercially available from CK Witco Corporation of Greenwich, Connecticut.

¹³ RD-847A polyester resin which is commercially available from Borden Chemicals of Columbus, Ohio.

¹⁴ DESMOPHEN 2000 polyethylene adipate diol which is commercially available from Bayer Corp. of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

¹⁵ PLURONIC™ F-108 polyoxypropylene-polyoxyethylene copolymer which is commercially available from BASF Corporation of Parsippany, New Jersey.

¹⁶ ALKAMULS EL-719 polyoxyethylated vegetable oil which is commercially available from Rhone-Poulenc.

¹⁷ ICONOL NP-6 alkoxylated nonyl phenol which is commercially available from BASF Corporation of Parsippany, New Jersey.

¹⁸ POLYOX WSR 301 poly(ethylene oxide) which is commercially available from Union Carbide Corp. of Danbury, Connecticut.

¹⁹ DYNAKOLL Si 100 rosin which is commercially available from Eka Chemicals AB, Sweden.

²⁰ SERMUL EN 668 ethoxylated nonylphenol which is commercially available from CON BEA, Benelux.

²¹ SYNPERONIC F-108 polyoxypropylene-polyoxyethylene copolymer; it is the European counterpart to PLURONIC F-108.

²² EUREDUR 140 is a polyamide resin, which is commercially available from Ciba Geigy, Belgium.

²³ VERSAMID 140 polyamide resin which is commercially available from Cognis Corp. of Cincinnati, Ohio. In the present invention, portion 54 of surface 56 of the accumulator fingers 42 and portion 58 of surface 60 of plate member 45 are modified to provide the desired accumulator performance based on the type of yarn used in the air jet loom. In particular rather than having the standard smooth chrome-type finish typically found on the accumulator fingers 42 and plate 45, in one nonlimiting embodiment of the invention, the finger surface 56 and plate surface 60 are modified to reduce the sliding friction developed between the yarn and surface portions 54 and 58. In one nonlimiting embodiment of the invention, the yarn contacting surfaces of finger 42 and plate 45 are treated to provide a textured surface, e.g. a roughened or matte finish. It has been observed that this textured surface reduces the friction between the yarn 14 and surfaces 56 and 60 and allows the yarn 14 to slide inwardly along the inclined surface portions 54 and 58 of cage 44 and into the desired position prior to release of the yarn 14 by pin 64 so that the yarn 14 can be easily unwrapped and removed from the accumulator 36 and will clear the pin 64 for insertion into the warp shed 16. It is believed that this reduced friction is due to reduced physical contact between the yarn and the finger and plate surfaces as a result of there being less surface along surface portions 54 and 58 to contact the yarn 14. Although not limiting in the present invention, at least yarn contacting surface portions 54 and 58, and preferably surfaces 56 and 60, can be treated by sandblasting, etching or applying a coating to provide the desired textured surface.

In another nonlimiting embodiment of the invention, the sliding friction between yarn 14 and the fingers 42 and plate 45 can be reduced by coating the finger and plate yarn contacting surfaces with a non-stick finish. As used herein, the term "non-stick" means that the yarn will freely release from the surface without leaving any appreciable residual material on the surface. Such a surface finish would be of further value if the coating on the yarn 14 tended to leave deposits on surfaces 56 and 60 which could interfere with the movement of yarn 14 along the inclined surface of the accumulator 36. The non-stick surface would also facilitate cleaning of the surfaces 56 and 60. The non-stick surface can be formed by providing a highly polished yarn contacting surface or a non-stick coating to the yarn contacting surface of the accumulator, such as but not limited to TEFLON fluoroplastic resin or DELRIN acetal resin, both available from E.l. DuPont.

Care should be taken when coating or modifying the finger surface 56 and plate surface 60 to control the surface roughness. More particularly, if these surfaces are too rough, the yarn can get caught on the surfaces or filaments within the yarn can break if they slide along the surfaces. To this end, it is further contemplated that the yarn contacting surface 56 and 60 of the accumulator 36 can incorporate both of these features. More specifically, in one nonlimiting embodiment of the present invention, surface 44 can be a roughened surface that is coated with a non-stick coating. Although not limiting in the present invention, if desired, in order to ensure that the removal of the yarn 14 is not inhibited by contacting the pin 64 or actuator 66, the pin 64 and/or actuator 66 can be moved further from plate 45 so as to provide additional space through which the yarn 14 can move when being removed from the cage 44 of the accumulator 36. In one particular arrangement, the pin 64 was moved such the clearance between plate 45 and end 70 of the pin 64 increased from about 0.8 mm (0.031 inches) to about 1.5 mm (about 0.059 inches).

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof. It is understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but is intended to cover modifications which are within the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

WE CLAIM:

1. An accumulator for feeding yarn in an air jet loom, comprising: a yarn accumulating surface, wherein at least a portion of the surface is inclined inwardly toward an axial centerline of the accumulating surface and has a surface finish that reduces sliding friction between the surface portion and yarn contacting the surface portion; a winder to wind yarn around the accumulating surface; and a device to permit periodic removal of yarn wound around the accumulator surface.

2. The accumulator according to claim 1 , wherein the yarn accumulating surface is a generally continuous surface.

3. The accumulator according to claim 1 , wherein the yarn accumulating surface comprises a plurality of spaced apart fingers positioned and configured to provide discrete yarn contacting surfaces that form the yarn accumulating surface.

4. The accumulator according to claim 3, wherein the surface finish comprises a textured finish that provides less surface contact between the yarn and surface portion.

5. The accumulator according to claim 1 , wherein the surface finish comprises a non-stick coating.

6. The accumulator according to claim 1 , wherein the surface finish comprises a textured finish that provides less surface contact between the yarn and surface portion.

7. The accumulator according to claim 6, wherein the textured finish further comprises a non-stick coating.

8. The accumulator according to claim 1 , wherein the portion of the yarn accumulating surface is a generally conically shaped surface.

9. An air jet loom for weaving a fabric, comprising:

(a) a yarn supply;

(b) an accumulator comprising:

(i) a yarn accumulating surface wherein at least a portion of the surface is inclined inwardly toward an axial centerline of the accumulating surface and has a surface finish that reduces sliding friction between the surface portion and yarn contacting the surface portion;

(ii) a winder to wind yarn around the accumulating surface; and

(iii) a device to permit periodic removal of yarn wound around the accumulator surface; and

(c) at least one main air jet nozzle to receive the yarn from the accumulator and propel the yarn across the width of the air jet loom.

10. The air jet loom according to claim 9 wherein the main air jet nozzle inserts the yarn into a warp shed.

11. The air jet loom according to claim 9, further including a plurality of supplemental nozzles positioned to assist propelling the yarn across the width of the air jet loom.

12. The air jet loom according to claim 9, wherein the yarn accumulating surface is a generally continuous surface.

13. The air jet loom according to claim 9, wherein the yarn accumulating surface comprises a plurality of spaced apart fingers positioned and configured to provide discrete yarn contacting surfaces that form the yarn accumulating surface.

14. The air jet loom according to claim 9, wherein the surface finish comprises a non-stick coating.

15. The air jet loom according to claim 9, wherein the surface finish comprises a textured finish that provides less surface contact between the yarn and surface portion.

16. A method of weaving a fabric with an air jet loom, comprising the steps of: providing an accumulator having a yarn accumulating surface; inclining at least a portion of the yarn accumulating surface inwardly toward an axial centerline of the accumulating surface; providing the portion of the yarn accumulating surface with a surface finish that reduces sliding friction between the portion and yarn contacting the portion; supplying yarn to an accumulator; winding a desired length of yarn at least around the portion of the yarn accumulating surface of the accumulator; sliding the wound yarn along the portion of the yarn accumulating surface; periodically releasing the wound yarn from the accumulator; drawing the released yarn into a main air jet nozzle; and propelling the released yarn from the nozzle across the air jet loom.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the yarn is a resin compatible yarn.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the first providing step includes the step of providing a continuous yarn accumulating surface.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein the first providing step includes the step of providing a plurality of finger members configured and positioned to provide discrete yarn contacting surfaces that form the yarn accumulating surface.

20. The method according to claim 16, wherein the second providing step includes the step of providing at least the portion of the yarn accumulating surface with a textured surface.

21. The method according to claim 16, wherein the second providing step includes the step of providing at least the portion of the yarn accumulating surface with a non-stick coating.