Patent GB-190224933-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Circular Looms.
Inventor: THROPP PETER DUNCAN
Filed: 1902-11-13
Granted: 1903-03-19
Abstract: 24,933. Thropp, P. D., and Laski, A. de. Nov. 13. Circular looms.-A loom for use in weaving a tubular fabric, either directly upon a wire, rod, or pipe, or independently, has a series of pillars 3 secured to a base-plate 1 and supporting a table 4, which is preferably dodecahedral. An annular plate 6 is carried by pillars 5 secured to the angular parts of the plate 4, and the pillars 5 also support an annular table 8, while the pillars 3 support an annular table 7. A tubular standard 11 is secured within an aperture in the baseplate by a set-screw 12 ; the rod, pipe, or other core may be fed vertically through the standard 11, or may be passed therethrough from a lateral aperture in the standard. A rotary sleeve 14 on the standard carries a bevel-wheel 15, a camwheel 16 for operating the healds, and a toothed wheel 17 for operating the shuttles. The wheel 15 is driven by a bevel-wheel 29 on the driving- shaft 18. A horizontally-adjustable holder 32 is secured to a flanged thimble 30 resting in the hub 31 of the plate 4, and carries a core 36, which, in the form shown in Fig. 2, is a curved and flattened piece with a cylindrical basal portion, and is used in the weaving of tubular fabrics, such as are suitable for covering the tyres of vehicles. Each of the shuttles, of which two are employed, has a frame 44 with wheels 73 running between annular rails 39, 40 ; the shuttles are revolved by means of a circular rack 45 and pinions 46 mounted on vertical shafts, 47 driven by the wheel 17. Horizontal displacement of the shuttles is prevented by series of wheels 70 mounted on trucks at the ends of the shuttle frames. Both the upper and lower wheels are lubricated by means of a common lubricator. Each shuttle is provided with a follower or laying- in bar 59, for laying the weft closely in the shed, and a spreader 60, preferably formed in one with the bar 59 and serving to open out the parts of the shed. The combined follower and spreader are hinged at one end of the shuttle frame, and supported at the opposite end by an adjustable rod 63 connected to the shuttle frame. By varying the direction of the axis of the spreader, the closeness of the woven fabric, at its outer and inner parts, may be varied. The bobbin 75 carries a terminal peg, which enters one of a series of apertures in a brake wheel at one end of the bobbin. The tension of the thread during the unwinding of the bobbin is kept uniform by means of a brake shoe 79, which rests upon the bobbin and is mounted upon a rock-shaft 81 ; the shaft is rocked, during the unwinding of the thread, by means of a spring-controlled brake strap on the brake wheel. From the bobbin, the weft thread passes a series of guides 96 and then round a tension wheel on the shuttle frame. The loom represented in Figs. 2 and 7 is arranged for forming twelve sheds, the healds for each shed being operated consecutively. Each of the sets of healds 116, 117 is arranged to slide upon vertical bars 114. 115, mounted in brackets 112 secured to the twelve pillars 5. The healds are connected by rods 133, 134 to rocking levers 130, actuated by links 129 and oscillating levers 127, mounted on slides 124 having slots engaging with the periphery of the cam-wheel 16. The warps 160 pass round warp rolls 135, preferably covered with sandpaper. Each roll has a brake wheel 136 and strap 137, the tension of which is regulated by means of an arm 141 on a rocking shaft 142. In order to enable the tension on the warps of all the sheds to be relaxed simultaneously, the shafts 142 are connected by means of arms 145 and links 146, and can be operated simultaneously by means of a handle 147, Fig. 2. The tension of the warps on one of the warp rolls may also be relaxed without disturbing the others. The warps pass between the teeth of combs 151, then over bars 162, round the rolls 135, through eyes formed in wire springs 153, over comb-bars 161, and finally through the healds to the fabric. The springs are removably attached to adjustable bars 151. The take-up mechanism comprises two tapering rollers 162 having their ends mounted in laterallyadjustable bearings, which are supported by a a yoke 170 having slotted ends adjustably secured to slotted standards 180. The rollers are rotated simultaneously from the driving-shaft 18 by toothed gearing 195, 194, 196, and a vertical shaft 190 carrying a worm 189, which drives two wormwheels respectively mounted on shafts 187 connected to the shafts 185 of the rollers by universaljoint connections. A claw-clutch 199, actuated by means of a sliding yoke-piece 201 and a handle 206, serves to connect the driving-gear 196 with the shaft 190. If desired, at any stage of the weaving, the shaft 190 may be actuated by means of a hand-wheel 209. When straight tubular fabrics are to be woven, cylindrical take-up rollers mounted in a bridge-piece are substituted for the tapering rollers.