Patent Abstract:
An apparatus and method for warping a loom includes a heddle with an open or openable break in the circumference of its eyelet that allows insertion and removal of warp thread with simple motions through the break while both ends of the warp threads are fastened to the loom. A warp beam includes a plurality of retaining members that retain parallel strands of warp thread in a spaced relationship to one another. A length of warp thread is wound in consecutive parallel lines between two spaced apart warp beams. The combination of openable heddles and warp beams with warp thread retaining members allow a loom or knitting device to be rapidly set-up, allow for easy correction of mistakes, and for the removal and reloading of the heddles or a weaving project in mid-production.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND 
   1. Technical Field 
   Embodiments of the invention relate to the field of warping looms in textile weaving and manufacturing. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   Since before the industrial revolution, the heddles used on handlooms have been similar in design. Heddles generally have a closed loop in the center through which the ends of warp threads are threaded. The top and bottom of the heddles have loops through which the heddles are attached to the harness or shaft frame. Heddles are typically made of polyester, twisted wire, or are pressed from sheet metal. Warp threads extend from a beam on one end of the loom, through a heddle, and attach to another beam at the other end of the loom. 
   One disadvantage of a closed loop heddle is that, once it is attached to the frame, it cannot be removed from the frame. Nor can the warp threads be removed from the heddles, once warping begins, since the warp threads are threaded through the heddle&#39;s center. Advanced weavers create complex weaving patterns using shaft switching. Shaft switching is the changing of the harness on which a single warp thread is moved. When switched to another harness, those warp threads can then change the pattern being woven. Shaft switching is not easily accomplished with conventional closed loop heddles. If a mistake is made during the warping process, all of the ends of the warp threads must be unthreaded back to the point at which the mistake was made to correct the problem. While some complex assemblies have been designed that open and close the eyelet of the heddle, the complex assemblies consist of several moving parts and are not readily adaptable to existing looms. 
   The warp beams or tie rods used on most handlooms are similar in design. The beams consist of a metal rod or wooden stick onto which the ends of the warp threads are tied. The traditional warp beams, and looms, do not provide any means to measure out the length of the warp threads. The warp beams are not meant to be used when removed from the loom. They also do not have means for maintaining a fixed distance between warp threads. The warp beams are seldom, if ever, removed from the loom. Clamps have been developed to attach warp thread to a beam without tying knots. However, the clamps have several disadvantages including multiple warp threads bunched together without separation, requiring drilling many holes into existing warp beams, having multiple parts, and using a series of springs with inconsistent tension on the warp threads across the beam. 
   Groups of 8 or more warp threads are typically tied to a warp beam in a single knot, which causes the threads to fan out from the knot to the heddles. The fan-out of the warp threads causes a scalloped edge at the beginning portion of a warp, and is referred to as the draw-in effect. For this reason, several inches of cloth must be woven before the scallops even out and the actual project may be started. This consumes time, adds to the amount of wasted material, and increases the overall length of the required warp. 
   An alternate means of attaching warp threads to a loom is to wind individual warp threads over a strip of adhesive on the beam and around the circumference of the beam. The disadvantages of this method include the potential for adhesive residue on the warp threads, potential release of the adhesive on one or more warp threads and attendant variations of tension, and a lack of positive and consistent control of the separation between warp threads. In addition, the method is not conducive to removal and replacement of the entire warp due to an inability to replicate the initial tension. This method also does not allow loading or removing the warp without removing all heddles from their frame. 
   Attaching the warp threads to the warp beams, also referred to as warping, in the traditional manner is very tedious. Traditional weavers usually install yards and yards of warp thread at one time. This permits the weaver to weave many projects before re-warping the loom. Unfortunately this means waiting until the entire warp is used before the individual projects can be removed from the loom. This can be especially frustrating for beginning weavers. 
   SUMMARY 
   It is therefore desirable to provide quick threading, openable heddles and a warp beam that provides even spacing of warp thread, even tension on the warp thread, and rapid set-up. 
   In some embodiments, a heddle for a weaving loom includes an eyelet with a break in the circumference of the eyelet. The break allows insertion and removal of a warp thread in the eyelet while both ends of the warp thread are attached to the weaving loom. 
   In other embodiments, a method of warping a loom includes positioning the warp thread against the periphery of an eyelet in the heddle; and moving the warp thread through a break in the periphery of the eyelet. 
   In still other embodiments, a warp beam includes a deck and a plurality of retaining members configured in spaced relationship to one another on the deck. Each retaining member retains a strand of warp thread that is substantially parallel to lines of warp thread retained by the other retaining members. 
   In further embodiments, a kit for retrofitting a loom includes a first warp beam and a second warp beam. The first and second warp beams include retaining members for retaining portions of warp thread in spaced apart substantially parallel relation, and the first and second warp beams are attachable to existing warp beams on the loom. 
   The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of embodiments of the present invention so that those skilled in the art may better understand the detailed description of embodiments of the invention that follows. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Embodiments of the present invention may be better understood, and their numerous objects, features, and advantages made apparent to those skilled in the art by referencing the accompanying drawings. The use of the same reference symbols in different drawings indicates similar or identical items. 
       FIG. 1A  is a front view of an embodiment of a heddle for threading warp thread in a loom. 
       FIG. 1B  shows detail of the eyelet portion of the heddle of  FIG. 1A . 
       FIGS. 1C and 1D  show how a warp thread can be inserted in the eyelet of the heddle of  FIGS. 1A and 1B  without removing either end of a warp thread from a warp beam. 
       FIG. 2A  is a front view of another embodiment of a heddle that can be threaded without removing either end of a warp thread from a warp beam. 
       FIG. 2B  shows detail of the eyelet portion of the embodiment of the heddle shown in  FIG. 2A . 
       FIG. 3A  shows another embodiment of a heddle that can be threaded without removing either end of a warp thread from a warp beam. 
       FIG. 3B  shows a side view of the heddle of  FIG. 3A . 
       FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of another embodiment of a heddle that can be threaded without removing either end of a warp thread from a warp beam. 
       FIG. 5A  shows another embodiment of a portion of a heddle that can be threaded without removing either end of a warp thread from a warp beam. 
       FIG. 5B  shows the apparatus in  FIG. 5A  in the open position. 
       FIG. 5C  is a cross-sectional view of a finger portion engaged in a channel portion of the heddle of  FIGS. 5A and 5B . 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a series of heddles installed on a frame. 
       FIG. 7  is a side view of loom components including frames and warp beams. 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a warp beam. 
       FIG. 9  is a top view of a conceptual diagram of a warp utilizing the warp beams of  FIG. 8 . 
       FIG. 10  is a top view of a loom utilizing the warp beams of  FIG. 8 . 
       FIG. 11  is a side view of loom components including frames and the warp beams of  FIG. 8 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Embodiments of heddles and warp beams are disclosed that facilitate warping a loom by allowing the beams to be warped before being attached to the loom. Additionally, the warp threads can be threaded through an opening in the eyelets of the heddles while both ends of the warp thread remain attached to the warp beams. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1A and 1B , an embodiment of heddle  100  is shown with eyelet  110  that includes opening  112  in the circumference of eyelet  110 . Opening  112  allows warp thread to be inserted and removed without removing either end of the warp thread from a warp beam. In the embodiment shown, eyelet  110  is formed from a spiral loop  120  of material, such as plastic, metal, or other suitable material capable of substantially retaining its shape. In one embodiment, spiral  120  includes approximately one and one-half turns (coils) of material. Ends  122  of heddle  100  can include J-hooks or other fastening means to allow heddle  100  to be attached to, and detached from, a frame (not shown). 
   As shown in  FIGS. 1C and 1D , heddle  100  can be threaded by raising one end  122  of heddle  100  to be substantially parallel to warp thread  124 . Warp thread  124  is positioned through opening  112  of spiral  120  and captured within eyelet  110  when end  122  of heddle  100  is lowered. The end  122  of heddle  100  can then be reattached to a frame. 
     FIGS. 2A and 2B  depict another embodiment of a heddle  200  comprising an interlocking closure  202  in the circumference of eyelet  204 . The circumference of eyelet  204  is constructed from a flexible material, such as plastic, that allows bending of the ends of interlocking closure  202  in opposite directions to create an opening between adjacent portions of interlocking closure  202 . When interlocking closure  202  is open, warp thread  124  ( FIG. 1C ) can be inserted into eyelet  204  without removing either end of the warp thread from a warp beam, as well as without detaching either end  122  of heddle  200  from a frame (not shown). 
     FIGS. 3A and 3B  depict an embodiment of a portion of another heddle  300  including a V-shaped break  302  in the circumference of eyelet  304 . As shown in  FIG. 3B , one end of break  302  includes an inner V-shaped portion that engages an outer V-shaped portion of the other end of break  302 . The V-shapes retains the ends of break  302  in alignment during use of the loom. In some embodiments, a gap between the ends of break  302  allows a warp thread  124  ( FIG. 1C ) to be inserted into eyelet  304  without removing either end of the warp thread from a warp beam and without removing heddle  300  from a frame (not shown). A user simply raises the warp thread to the gap in break  302 , and exerts a slight inward pressure against break  302  to force the ends of break  302  apart. A slight upward and downward movement, or vice versa depending on the orientation of the V-Shape of break  302 , may be required, depending on the height of the vertex of the V-shape. In some embodiments, the circumference of eyelet  304  is fabricated with a flexible material that allows the ends of break  302  to bend open to insert or remove warp thread  124 . The material is sufficiently elastic to return the ends of break  302  to a substantially closed position when released. 
     FIG. 4  depicts an embodiment of a portion of another heddle  400  with a break  402  that can be configured in the circumference of an eyelet (not shown) to allow warp thread  124  ( FIG. 1C ) to be inserted and removed from the eyelet while the heddle remains attached to a frame, and the ends of warp thread  124  remain attached to the loom. 
   In the embodiment shown, break  402  includes two overlapping portions  404 ,  406  formed or cut in the sidewall of the circumference of the eyelet. Overlapping portions  404 ,  406  are fabricated from rigid material with flexible properties that allows overlapping portions  404 ,  406  to be separated to insert and remove warp thread  124  from the eyelet, and return to their original position when released. In some embodiments, overlapping portions  404 ,  406  can include a fastener to retain overlapping portions  404 ,  406  in a closed position to retain warp thread  124  in the eyelet. The fastener can be disengaged to move overlapping portions  404 ,  406  apart to remove warp thread  124  from the eyelet. An example of a fastener than can be used on overlapping portions  404 ,  406  includes one or more protuberances  408  that are sized and shaped to snap into and out of corresponding indentation(s) (not shown) in overlapping portion  404 . Other suitable fasteners for opening and closing overlapping portions  404 ,  406  can be utilized, in addition to, or instead of, protuberances  408  and corresponding indentations. 
     FIGS. 5A and 5B  depict another embodiment of a heddle  500  that includes a finger portion  502  and channel portion  504 . Finger portion  502  is movable to engage channel portion  504  in a closed position, and to disengage channel portion  504  in an open position. Finger portion  502  can be moved to open or closed positions by exerting lateral force on the outer periphery of finger portion  502 . Any suitable angle can be utilized between finger portion  502  and channel portion  504  to help discourage warp threads  124  ( FIG. 1C ) from snagging in the eyelet.  FIG. 5C  is a cross sectional view of finger portion  502  engaged in channel portion  504 . Finger portion  502  and channel portion  504  can be formed by any suitable means such as extrusion, injection molding, or other fabrication process. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 6 , heddles  100 ,  200 ,  300 ,  400 ,  500 , collectively referred to herein as heddles  600 , can replace closed heddles in most looms. Most frames  602  include a flat thin steel bar or rod  604  at the top and bottom of frame  602 . A series of heddles  600  are suspended onto rods  604 . The end portions of heddles  600  can be shaped to accommodate various frames  602 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 7 , loom  700  is shown with a plurality of frames  602 . Warp threads  124  are inserted through heddle eyelets (not shown) mounted in frames  602 . Warp threads  124  extend from front beam  702  through heddles in frames  602  to back beam  704 . During operation, frames  602  alternately raise and lower warp thread  124 . Typically, half of the frames  602  alternate with adjacent frames  602  between up and down positions. Back roller  706  is unwound to allow unwoven warp thread stored on it to move through the heddles, and front roller  708  winds up woven cloth. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 8 , warp beam  800  includes a plurality of retaining members  802  protruding from a rounded edge  804  of deck  806 . Retaining members  802  retain parallel strands of warp thread  124  ( FIG. 1C ) in a spaced relationship to one another, typically evenly spaced at intervals depending on the desired tightness of the weave. Alternatively, retaining members  802  can be relatively closely spaced, and a user can skip one or more alternating retaining members  802  to achieve the desired weave density. One advantage of warp beam  800  over known configurations is that retaining members  802  evenly space warp thread  124  over the width of the loom. The even spacing provides consistent warp tension, and produces more evenly woven material. A common spacing of retaining members  802  is five retaining members  802  per inch. Other spacing intervals can be used, however. Some embodiments of warp beam  800  include a plurality of attachment points  810  connected to deck  806 . Attachment points  810  can be eyebolts, snap hooks, hooks or other means for attaching warp beam  800  to various portions of loom  700 , either directly or by means of rope, hooks or other fastening material. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 7 ,  8  and  9 , a top view of a conceptual diagram of warp  900  includes parallel lines of warp thread  124  created by the consecutive back and forth winding of a single length of warp thread  124  between two spaced warp beams  800 . Warp beams  800  are typically used in pairs, and can be positioned the desired distance apart on a table or other surface, and “warped” by winding warp thread  124  between retaining members  802 . The warp beams  800  can be held in place during the warping process with C-clamps or other suitable attachment, with retaining members  802  facing outward. Warp  900  can then be fastened to existing front and back beams  702 ,  704  on loom  700 . Alternatively, warp beams  800  can be fastened to loom  700  before installing warp thread  124  on retaining members  802 . Once warp  900  is completed, each parallel line of warp thread  124  can be inserted through a corresponding heddle  600  ( FIG. 6 ). 
   Warp beams  800  can include warp thread attachment points to retain the ends of warp thread  124 . The ends of warp thread  124  can be tied or otherwise fastened to retaining members  802 , or other suitable structure. In one embodiment, a knot is tied in warp thread  124  to fasten the end of warp thread  124  to one of retaining members  802 , or other suitable structural component on warp beam  800  or loom  700 . In alternate embodiments, the ends of warp thread  124  can be adhesively attached, positioned in a notch, or clamped to warp beam  800 . In some situations, for example in the production of multi-colored or striped material, more than two attachments for the ends of warp threads  124  may be required. In such embodiments, different warp threads  124  can be wound on warp beam  800 , with each end of warp thread  124  being attached to an intermediate retaining member  802 , or other suitable structural component, on warp beam  800 . 
   A single length of warp thread  124  can be used to warp loom  700  by winding warp thread  124  in consecutive parallel lines between two spaced apart warp beams  800 . Accordingly, parallel lines of warp thread  124  are evenly spaced over their entire length between warp beams  800 , and very few knots or other means for attaching warp threads  124  are required. The even spacing between parallel lines of warp thread  124  over their entire length eliminates the “draw-in effect” found on conventional looms, which is caused by attaching multiple warp threads  124  to one location on a warp beam. 
   In some embodiments, warp thread  124  is attached to warp beam  800  by inserting a portion of warp thread  124  between retaining members  802  and retention strip  808 . Retention strip  808  can be fabricated with elastic material capable of deflecting when warp threads  124  are inserted around portions of the retaining members  802 . Retention strip  808  substantially maintains to its original shape to provide compressive force on warp thread  124  against retaining members  802 . Retention strip  808  can be positioned adjacent retaining members  802  to keep warp thread  124  in place by providing compression against the portion of warp thread  124  positioned between retaining members  802  and retention strip  808 . 
   Sufficient tightness of retention strip  808  is typically developed to hold the warp thread in place if warp thread  124  breaks. Alternatively, a strip of adhesive tape or other retention mechanism placed under and over the ends of warp thread  124 , adjacent to retention strip  808 , can retain warp thread  124  in the event of a break. 
   In some embodiments of warp beam  800 , retaining members  802  comprise snap hooks or other suitable fasteners that grasp a portion of warp thread  124 . Such embodiments may not require retention strip  808 . Retaining members  802  can be spring-mounted to create consistent tension between parallel lines of warp thread  124 . Further, certain types of fasteners such as snap hooks can be used as retaining members  802  to reduce or even eliminate the need to tie knots in warp thread  124  to attach the ends of warp threads  124  to retaining members  802 . The snap hooks, or other fasteners, can be installed at any desired spacing along warp beam  800 . 
   Warp beams  800  can be attached to loom  700  ( FIG. 7 ) using large metal snap hooks or other suitable fasteners. Fasteners may be attached to the loom&#39;s original warp beam or to ropes used to secure the original warp beams  702 ,  704  to loom  700 . Warp beams  800  can be strapped or tied to existing warp beams  702 ,  704 , or attached with a variety of mating interlocking mechanisms, such as hooks and eyes, and dovetails. Other suitable attachment means may also be used to attach warp beams  800  to loom  700 . 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 7 ,  8 ,  9 ,  10  and  11 , alternate embodiments of warp beams  800  can be attached to loom  700  using attachment points  810 . (In  FIG. 10 , front beam  702  and back beam  704  have been removed for clarity.) In one embodiment, attachment point  810  comprises an eyebolt through which attachment media  1010  is threaded. Attachment media  1010  is typically comprised of nylon rope when it is used to attach a tie rod in traditional looms. However, attachment media  1010  could be made of other suitable material, such as rope, chain, or twine. One section of attachment media  1010  attaches a first warp beam  800  to roller  706 , and another section of attachment media  1010  attaches the other warp beam  800  to roller  708 . In some embodiments, many yards of warp thread  124  are suspended between two warp beams  800 . Excess warp thread  124  can then be wound around back roller  706 , together with one warp beam  800  at the beginning of weaving, and then unwound as needed in the weaving process. Later, the completed cloth would follow the first section of attachment media  1010  and the front warp beam  800  as they are all wound onto front roller  708 . 
   A loom assembly that includes warp beams  800  and heddles  600  can be warped in much less time than conventional looms. The various alternate embodiments of heddles  600  described herein enable warp threads  124  to be threaded through heddles  100  after the entire warp  900  is attached to loom  700 . Additionally, warp beams  800  and heddles  600  enable different warps  900  to be easily interchanged to switch weaving projects before the projects are finished. The various embodiments of heddles  600  also allow warp thread  124  to be removed without removing either end of warp thread  124  from loom  700 . Once unthreaded, individual heddles  600  can be removed from frame  602  while the rest of warp  900  remains intact on loom  700 . Heddles  600  also allow shaft switches to be easily made to create complex weaving patterns. 
   Unlike conventional closed loop heddles, embodiments of heddles  600  can easily be inserted or removed from frame  602 . Instead of threading ends of warp thread  124  through eyelets with closed circumferences, the weaver can lift warp thread  124  that has already been warped on the loom, and insert it through an opening in heddle  600 . Warp threads  124  can be reinserted in heddles  600  while warp thread  124  remains attached to front and back warp beams  800  (or  702 ,  704 ) on loom  700 . 
   While the invention has been described with respect to the embodiments and variations set forth above, these embodiments and variations are illustrative and the invention is not to be considered limited in scope to these embodiments and variations. Accordingly, various other embodiments and modifications and improvements not described herein may be within the scope of the present invention, as defined by the following claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 3