Improvements in Plaiting or Braiding Machines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Apr., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 13th Jan., 1892-Accepted, 5th Mar., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Plaiting or Braiding Machines.
:―
I LOUIS BOLLMANN, an Engineer, at Vienna in Austria, II. Obere Donau-
strasse No. 93, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to machines for covering cords electric wire or cables
with plaiting, and to produce braided tapes or other similar fabrics, and its nature
consists chiefly in disposing half of the cops or spools, containing the plaiting
threads, in rotating shuttles, and the other half on a plate or wheel, rotating below the
shuttles in opposite direction to the latter; the lower threads represent thereby
the warp of a weaving loom, being alternatively changed in positions, in order that
the shuttles may pass freely once inside and then outside of them, which causes the
interlacing of the two sets of thread, without the dancing motions of the spools,
used in other such machines.
Fig. is a vertical central section of the plaiting-mechanism, as far as it relates
to this invention; the upper parts for leading off the plaited fabrics, which may
be the same as in other plaiting-machines, are not shown in the drawing.
Fig. 2 is in its upper half a plan, and in its lower half a view from below upwards,
for showing the rotating plate G with the several parts, belonging to it.
Fig. 3 is a plan of the table-plate A', and the other figures show details.
Equal letters denote the same parts in all figures.
A is the frame and A' the table-plate of the machine, having in their centre
bearings a a, the lower of which, a', serves as support for the vertical holow
shaft B, while the upper one a" bears the tube C, in which rotates the shaft B.
band care bevel wheels, fastened to B and C, both gearing into the wheel D on
shaft ; the latter carries the pulley E, and thus rotates B and C in opposite
directions.
There is a second bevelwheel d' on shaft d, which gives motion to shaft F by
means of wheel; the latter shaft is connected to the mechanism above the
machine, for leading off the plaited fabric.
If any material is to be covered by the plaiting (such as wire, cables, cords etc.),
it is led through the holow shaft B from below to the head of the machine.
Gis a rotating disk, fastened to the tube C, the outer edge of which is shaped,
so as to form there a cone, whose surface forms nearly a right angle with the
threads, passing upwards to the prolongated main axis of the machine. The lower
side of this conical part of G carries a number of cases H (Figs. 6 & 7), having the
form of segments and containing cops, the same as are used for loom-shuttles; they
rotate with the disk G, and can be easely replaced by others, newly filled with
thread.
Each thread passes out at one end of the case, then through the tensionplates '
and the thread hole of the lever h", the object of which is explained further on;
from there it goes through the eye to the thread holes of the thread-
guide J, and then obliquely upwards to the plaiting.
The threadguides J are mounted on supports fastened to the disk G, (Figs. 1, 2
& 4) and receive sidemotions by means of the guiding-groove K, which forms part
of the table A' and into which gear friction rollers, connected at "to the guides;
they guide the threads, passing through "reciprocating across the circle of
rotation, once towards the axis, and then towards the circumference of G, as
indicated in Fig. 1.
For the sake of simplicity and plainness those parts, shown in the other figures
in oblique position, are drawn in Fig. 2 so, as if they were laying flat on the disk G.

page_text: The upper face of the conical part of the disk G has a circular race in which th
segment shaped shuttles L (Fig. 5 and 6) are rotating in opposite direction to th
disk G; their arrangement is similar to that described above for the cases H; the
are however not fastened, but revolve freely and independently in the race, eac
being driven by two carriers M, mounted near the circumference of the rotatin
disk N; they have teeth m, which act against projections on the concave sides o
the shuttles.
While the threads of the cases H are led by the guides towards the circum
ference of G. the shuttles, passing over the radial slits g of G, (Fig. 2) will no
come in contact with them. But when these threads are led towards the axis, th
shuttle carriers M must retreat a small distance off from the shuttle, while passing
the slit g, in order to make place for the threads to pass inside the shuttles. Thes
motions of M are produced by a guiding groove O, forming part of the disk G, inte
which reach friction rollers, benring on studs fastened to the lower faces of M
The opposite motions of G and N produce the required side motions of the carriers
nt the moment, when they are passing one of the slits
9.
The projections on the concave side of the shuttles, against which the carriers M
act, are protected by rounded shields, guiding the lower threads freely over them
so that the latter may not be caught. The small levers 4" and "on the cases H
and shuttles L (Figs. 5, 6 & 7) serve to stop the machine, if one of the threads
goes out; they are held in the position, shown in Figure 5A, by the tension of the
threads; but when the latter goes out, they are pulled back by springs (or (1)
to the position shown in Fig. 5, and act then against a stopping arrangement, that
works against a trigger or catch, and thus sets free a powerful spring, which has
been previously stretched, while the machine was set in motion. The levers of
the cases H nct direct on the stopping lever R (Fig. 3 & 4); but those of the
shuttles Lact on a lever Q, the shaft of which is then falling down by means of a
spring q, and strikes against R.
The machine shown in the drawings produces that pattern of plaiting, generally
used for covering electric wires, cables and plain tapelace, whereby each thread
crosses two others, similar to trilling or ticking, made by looms.
This pattern requires all thread guides J to move together inwards or outwards,
after each shuttlc has passed two of the lower threads, which motions would
require two separate guiding-grooves K on account of the opposite rotations of G
and N. To avoid this complication, the thread guides are connected in pairs by
flexible wire shafts P (Fig. 2), and only every second guide is supplied with roller
at to gear into the groove K.
To produce other patterns of plaitings, the guiding-groove K may be arranged
rotating instead of being stationary, and its curve may be of another suitable shape,
to produce the required motions of the thread guides J.
For producing complicated patterns, the disk G with the lower spools may be
arranged stationary, while the head of the machine with the plaiting is rotating in
opposite direction to the shuttles. The motions are hereby relatively the same, but
this arrangement allows the application of jacquard-mechanism for regulating the
motions of the guides J.
It is not necessary to make the numbers of the cases II and of the shuttles L, or
of their rotations equal, and the axis of their rotations may be horizontal or
oblique, instead vertical as shown in the drawings.
The spools or cops for the lower threads may be mounted on the disks G without
the use of cases M, for the object of these cases is only, to supply the machine
quickly with new threads, already threaded through the different eyes.
The conical arrangement of the plate G, and of the parts carried by it, may be
avoided, if a circular thread guide is placed directly above the shuttles, so that the
threads pass perpendicular upwards, and then from that guide obliquely towards
the prolongated central axis. In order that the threads (which become partly
twisted one around the other), may pass freely, this guide may consist of two disks,

page_text: one laying over the other and each rotating opposite to the other; their circular
edges are undulatedly shaped, so that, on account of their motions, each thread is
laying alternatively once over the edge of the one, and then over the that of the
other disk, which alternating contact allows the twisted threads to pass quite
freely.
Dated this 14th day of April
LOUIS BOLLMANN.

page_text: shuttles are arranged similar to the cases H, but they rotate freely and inde-
pendently in the race, each being driven by two drivers M, mounted in the disk N,
which is rotated by the tubular shaft C, in opposite direction to G; these drivers
act on projections m, situated on the concave face of each shuttle, and protected
by rounded shields, in order, that the lower threads pass them freely without being
caught.
While the guides J, lead the lower threads towards the circumference of the
disk G, they will not come in contact with these threads; but when the latter are
led towards the main-axis, the drivers M, must retreat one after the other from the
shuttles while passing the guides J, in order to give free spaces is thus moving off
for the passage of
the threads on the inner faces of the shuttles.
While one
from the shuttle, the latter will be driven on by the other. These motions are
produced by a guiding-groove-cam O, fastened either to the disk G, (as shown in
the drawings) or to an immovable disk above the disk N, which is then fastened to
a hollow shaft, fixed below and passing upwards through the shaft B, in which case
the studs, on which the drivers play, must extend above the disk N, and there be
supplied with short arms with rollers, gearing into the said upper immovable cam.
The shuttles contain cops of thread, such as are generally used for loom shuttles,
which can be bought ready made from all spinning mills, so that the tedious process
of winding bobbins are saved by this arrangement; these cops are pressed flat to
an elliptical form in section, and bent to a segment so that they will perfectly fill
up the inner space of the shuttles and cases, which are more high than broad, as
shown in the section Fig. 5.
The cops are therefore laying in the direction of the motion of the shuttles,
which is the most favourable in regard to the passage of the lower threads.
The thread passes out from the shuttle (the same as from the cases H) at one
end, and being led between the adjustable tension plates l', is then passed through
the eye of the lever 1, and lastly through the eye. The object of the levers!"
and on the shuttles and cases (L& H in Figs. 5, 6 & 7) are, to stop the
machine, if one of the threads goes out; they are held in the position shown in
Fig. 5, by the tension of the threads, but are pulled back to the position Fig. 5º,
by springs or, as soon as the thread tension goes out, and acts then on a stopping
mechanism, by striking against on arm, which acts on a catch or trigger, whereby
a powerful spring is set free, which then acts on the shifter of the driving pulley E,
said spring having been stretched, while the machine was set in motion. The
levers of the shuttles act against the arm Q, (Figs. 2 & 4) which, being thereby
slightly turned, allowes a pin fastened to Q to drop into a recess in the support,
fastened to the disk G, which dropping causes the bolt to be pushed downwards
by a spiral spring, so that it can strike on the bent arm of the lever R. The
levers (Fig. 4) strike directly on the arm R, which arrangements of Q and R
are required, because the shuttles and cases rotate in opposite directions. It is to
be remarked, that for the sake of simplicity and plainness, those parts, which are
shown in the side and front views in conical position, are drawn in the plan views
Figs. 2 & 3 so, as if they were laying flat.
The shuttles and cases are so arranged, that they can be quickly removed and
replaced by others, which have been previously supplied with new thread, and
threaded through the different eyes ready for use, in order that the renewal of the
cops may require but little time. For this purpose is the bottom part of each
shuttle formeil as an open box, (Fig. 2 and 5) while the top part, containing the
cop and the tension and stopping mechanism, forms a cover, shoved into this box ;
the box remains constantly in the race, the cover alone being removed to he
replaced by another one, previou-ly threaded. The cases II, are arranged in
similar manner, the boxes being firmly fastened to the disk G, and the covers
thereof with the cops removeable. Any suitable fixture is applied to hold the
cover fast in the box,
The machine represented in the drawings is so arranged, as to produce double

page_text: braided patterns, which are most generally used for covering wire and other
cordage-braiding, and which has till now been made by the old dancing bobbins;
each thread crosses thereby two others, this crossing being alternatively, as is shown
by Fig. This pattern requires all thread guides J to move together inwards or
outwards the shuttle race, after each shuttle has passed two of the lower threads.
This simultaneous motions of the guides would require two separate fixed guiding-
grooves K, on table A, in one of which the 1st, 3th, 5th-te. and in the other the
2nd, 4th, 6th etc. of the guides have to gear. The two grooves might be arranged
side by side, or also within one another, forming switches where they cross each
other. To avoid such double-grooves, the guides are represented in the drawings
(Fig. 2) as being coupled in pairs by flexible wire shafts P', forming universal joint-
connections, and only every second one as being supplied with a roller m, gearing
into the single groove K (Fig. 3), which is so formed, as to alternate the motions
of the thread-guides, after each guide J has passed two of the shuttles.
Various other patterns of braiding can be produced by changing the relative
motions of the thread guides and shuttles and the numbers of threads in each set,
for which purpose the single groove cam K, (or two or more separate ones), can be
arranged to rotate on the table instead of being fixed, and the groove or grooves
accordingly formed.
For producing complicated patterns, the disk G with the guides J, and the lower
threads, can be arranged so, as not to rotate, while the feeding mechanism above
the machine is constructed in such a nanner, that the braided fabric rotates in
opposite direction to the shuttles. The moticns of the threads and method of
braiding are hereby relatively the same as above described, but this arrangement
facilitates the application of more complicated radial motions of the thread guides J,
by jacquards or other mechanism regulating these motions, such as are used for
looms in many different ways, according to the required patterns.
The conical arrangement of the plate G, and the parts in connection with it, can
be avoided, if the thread guides Jare prolongated, so as to reach up to the top of
the shuttles, or also by placing a circular thread guiding disk or ring above the
shuttles, so that the threads must pass perpenticular upwards over the edge of that
disk, and then obliquely towards the prolongated central axis.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
(1.) Arranging the mechanism for moving the thread guides reciprocatingly in
radial direction across the circular path of continually rotating shuttles in such a
manner, that all thread guides are moving at the same moment either towards the
main axis of said path or away from it, after two or more of said shuttles have
rotated past cach thread guide, in order to produce double (or other) braided
patterns, substantially as above described.
(2.) Having all or a part of the braiding threads wound as cops, and to place
these cops into the said shuttles (and eventually also into the lower thread cases or
their equivalents), with their axes in the direction of the path of the motions of said
shuttles and cases.
(3.) Making the shuttles and cases, or a part of them, easily removable, and
mounting thereon the tension and stopping-mechanism as described, in order that
these parts can be quickly replaced by others, in which new threads have been
previously laid and passed through the different thread eyes.
(4.) Driving each shuttle by two separate drivers, one in front and the other in
rear, both alternating in action, so that while one is driving, the other is removed
from the shuttle, to let the lower threads pass freely, substantially as herein
described.
(5.) To arrange the relative rotary motions of the braiding machine so, that the
feeding mechanism with the braided fabric is rotating instead the thread carriers

page_text: and lower threads, which arrangement allowes better the application of complicated
mechanism for producing the radial motions of the thread guides for complicated
braiding patterns, substantially as described.
(6.) In braiding machines having continuous rotating shuttles, the mechanism for
stopping the machine, substantially as described.
Dated this 9th day of January 1892.
LOUIS BOLLMANN.