An Improved Braiding Machine.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 4th July, 1893-Accepted, 26th Aug., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Braiding Machine.
I ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the Firm of A. M. & Wm. Clark, of
53 Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Chartered Institute
of Patent Agents do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication
to me by Louis Raffloer, Merchant, of 111 Kurfurstendamm Berlin, Germany
and Charles Henry Schott, Merchant, of 801 Driggs Avenue Brooklyn, in the
County of Kings and State of New York, United States of America) and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
drawings forming part hereof, wherein :-
Figure 1 is a front elevation of the improved braiding machine.
Figure 2 is a diagrammatic plan view partly in section, of the bed plate of the
improved braiding machine.
Figure 3 is a similar view of part of said bedplate, showing several carriers and
spool holders in position.
Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of two adjoining carriers.
Figures 5 and 6 are vertical sections through one wall of a carrier showing the
locking and unlocking mechanism in different positions.
Figure 7 is a horizontal section on the line 7, 7 Figure 5.
Figures 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 are diagrams showing different relative positions
of approaching unlocking latches of two carriers.
Figure 14 is an enlarged face view, partly in section of the machine; and
Figure 15 is an enlarged top view, partly in section, of part of the machine.
This invention relates to a new braiding machine in which the spool-holding
carriers are geared together and provided with spool-holders which when the
carriers are rotated are adapted to be transferred from one carrier to the other,
thereby avoiding the necessity of using a slotted bed-plate, as heretofore frequently
required; and in this connection the invention consists in the new locking and
unlocking mechanism as applied to said rotary carriers for causing the delivery by
any one carrier of the spool-holders supported by it to an adjoining carrier as soon
as the latter reaches contact with such spool-holder, all as hereinafter more fully
described.
In the drawing the letter A represents the bed-plate of the machine. This
bed-plate, as Figure 2 clearly shows, is no longer provided with the sinuous slots
that are frequently employed in braiding machines as guides for the travelling
spool-carriers. In lieu of these slots the bed-plate of the machine has series of
holes a (see Fig. 2) so arranged that the spool-holding carriers may be set into
larger or smaller circles on the same bed-plate or into other suitable relation to one
another so as to produce means for adapting the same machine to braiding with a
larger or smaller number of threads. Thus if the dotted larger circles shown in
Figure 2 represent the spool-holding carriers as used in one example on the same
bed-plate A, it will be seen that said bed-plate is adapted to operate 22 carriers at
one time, while if it be assumed that the shafts of the carriers are set into the
holes nearest the center of the bed-plate, the same machine will hold but 8 carriers,
and thus with the same bed-plate and framing the same machine can be adapted to
braiding with a larger or smaller number of threads, where heretofore it was
necessary in machines employing slotted bed-plates to employ a separate machine
for every variation in the number of threads used in braiding, or else to employ
different bed-plates on the same framing.
Each carrier B (see Figs. 14 and 15) is an upright nearly cylindrical block firmly

page_text: mounted upon a vertical shaft b which extends downward from the carrier body
and is fitted into one of the holes of the bed-plate A, as clearly shown in Figure 4
of the drawing. Above the bed-plate, or if desired below the same, the shaft b of
each carrier is provided with a toothed wheel d which gears into similar wheels of
the two adjoining carriers. This is clearly indicated in Figures 14 and 15 of the
drawing, Figure 14 also showing, on the right-hand side, the full length of shaft b
that holds the carrier and that sets into an aperture of the bed-plate A. Each of
these carriers B is provided with four, more or less, vertical grooves along its
periphery. These grooves are marked e in the drawing, and the said grooves e are
so proportioned as to their depth that the upright shank D which extends from the
lower end of the spool-carrier may be received between any two carriers B B in
their grooves e e, whenever two of said grooves are contiguous or aligned with
each other. At about the middle of each groove e (speaking of its length) is
pivoted in each carrier a peculiar latch E, of which a detail top view appears in
Fig. 7. This latch has a shank f which enters into a recess g of the carrier B
(see Figure 6) and which by pins h is pivoted in the carrier B. The shank of the
latch E is perforated or eye-shaped, and through it pass the shanks of two upright
bolts F and G. The upright bolt F extends upwardly and the other bolt G
extends downwardly, as shown in Fig. 5. The bolt F, after passing through the
aperture of the shank f of the latch E, has beneath said shank a hook or lateral
enlargement, and in like manner the other bolt G has above the shank a hook
or lateral enlargement ; (see Fig. 5). Each of these bolts is connected with a
coiled or other spring k, there being one such spring to each bolt, said springs
tending to draw the bolt F upwards and the bolt G downwards. The hook i of the
upwardly projecting bolt projects forward, and the hook of the downwardly
projecting bolt projects rearwards of the pivot h of the shank f of the latch E;
so that the tendency of the springs kk will be not only to push the bolts F and G out,
but also to tilt the latch E on its pivot upwards, meaning that its outer projecting
end shall be tilted up under the influence of the springs to the fullest possible
extent. This extent is limited by a shoulder l, shown in Figures 5 and 6, against
which shoulder these springs k draw the latch E, whenever said springs are
permitted to exert their full influence upon said latch. In the same position of
parts the upper end of the bolt F projects slightly above the top of the carrier B,
and the lower end of the bolt G projects slightly below the carrier B, as shown in
Figure 5. These projecting ends of these two bolts are beveled, as clearly shown,
the bevel facing outwards, as indicated in Figure 4, so that each bolt may be
pushed inwards that is, the upper bolt pushed down and the lower bolt pushed
up whenever a horizontally sliding obstacle reaches contact with these beveled
ends of the bolts and moves towards the center of the carrier B.
In order to permit the vibration hereinafter described of the latch E and yet
maintain proper connection between said latch and the bolts F G, so that no lateral
strain shall be brought upon the bolts, each hook i j is caused to bear upon a knife
edge m of the shank f of the latch. This is fully represented in Figures 5 and 6,
these figures showing that the hook bears upon an upper knife edge m and the
hook upon a lower knife edge m, and a comparison of Figures and 6 also
showing that, whether the latch E points upwards, as in Fig. 5, or downwards as
in Fig. 6, these narrow contact edges maintain proper contact with the bolts F
and G without causing lateral strain. It goes without saying that the carrier B is
provided with proper chambers for the reception of the springs k, which chambers
after said springs have been inserted are closed by suitable plates n that are
screwed into position as indicated in Fig. 4.
It has been already stated that the springs k crowd the latch E in the normal
position against a fixed shoulder or shoulders l. It remains to observe, before
describing the relation of the different latches in the different carriers to one
another, that the outer end of each latch-that which projects furthest from the
carrier is beveled, as appears clearly from the drawing, Figs. 5 and 6. It also
appears from Fig. 5 that in the normal position this beveled free end of the latch E

page_text: points slightly upwards, the shoulder being situated so as to permit this. But the
extent of the upward inclination of the different latches on the same carrier differs
in alternate latches. As already mentioned each carrier has four, more or less,
grooves e. It is necessary for the purpose of this invention that each carrier shalĺ
have an even number of such grooves e, either 2, 4, 6, etc. In the drawings, Fig. 15,
each carrier is represented as having four such grooves e. As regards these
grooves, they may be numbered with odd and with even numbers, say, 1, 2, 1, 2, and
the carriers are so meshed, as Figure 15 shows, that when two grooves of two carriers
face each other, as they do in Fig. 15, the odd numbered groove of one carrier faces
the even numbered groove of the other. The shoulders near these different
grooves are so placed that those pertaining to the odd numbered grooves are
slightly lower than those pertaining to the even numbered grooves. This will
perhaps more clearly appear from an inspection of Figure 14 of the drawing, in
which three horizontal dotted lines are shown near the lefthand side, and the latch E
nearest the left is in an odd numbered groove 1, and points with its extreme outer
end into the middle one of these three lines; whereas the latch on the lefthand end
of the next carrier B, which is the central carrier of Fig. 14, is raised so that its
extreme free end enters the upper one of these three dotted lines. In other words,
the shoulder for determining the upward inclination of the latch E in each even
numbered groove 2 is placed a little higher than the shoulder in the odd numbered
grooves. It follows that whenever during the rotation of the carriers in opposite
directions a latch E of one. carrier meets the latch E of the adjoining carrier that
latch which is carried in the odd numbered groove will be slightly below that which
is carried in the even numbered groove and will on meeting the latter be slightly
depressed, as is represented in Figure 14, at that part of said figure where two
latches are shown in contact, the lower latch there shown being depressed from the
position originally occupied by it, thus allowing the two latches that met to pass
one another and preventing them from interfering with the rotation in opposite
directions of the carriers. The statement that the latches are by the springs
crowded against the shoulders I, had reference to their position when no shank D is
in engagement with them.
The following happens when the shank D carrying the spool is held in a carrier.
The shank D is an upright bar having a disk o near its upper end, and another
disk p near its lower end, these disks being so far apart from one another that
when the shank is in position on a carrier, the disk o will be directly on top and
the disk p directly below the bottom of such carrier. The disk o has slots and 4
(see Fig. 15) of which one, when the spool-holder is carried, receives the bolt F as
a locking instrumentality. In like manner the lower plate p bas similar slots, one
of which receives the lower bolt G. Thus by the bolts F and G entering these
slots in the plates o p, the spool-holder-or rather its shank D-is locked to a
carrier. The shank D has furthermore between its extremities a disk or shoulder q
which, whenever such shank is pressed into a groove e of the carrier, bears directly
upon the top of the latch E, slightly depressing the same. but not sufficiently far
as to allow the bolts F G to be withdrawn from the disks o p. The degree of
depression of the latch by the inserted disk g of the shank D is well illustrated in
Figs. 9 and 12, as contrasted with Figures 8 and 11 respectively. Thus Figure 8
shows two latches E E on adjoining carriers in the odd and even grooves e
respectively, the latch E pertaining to the groove 1 being represented as slightly
below the latch E that pertains to the groove 2. The same appears from
Figure 11, which represents the latches of Figure 8 simply in the reversed position.
Figure 9 shows that when the lefthand latch of Figure 8 is brought under cover of
a disk
9, it is depressed still further than it was in Fig. 8, but still remains the lower
latch. Figure 12, however, shows that when the latch which was the upper latch
is brought under cover of a disk g of shank D, this upper latch is thereby
depressed sufficient to become now the lower. Hence, whenever a groove in a
carrier B which is not filled by a shank D meets a groove of another carrier which
has a shank D, the latch E of the empty groove will always be higher than the
9

page_text: €
latch E of the filled groove; (Figures 10 and 13 simply serve to make this fact
still more apparent) for upon this important fact depends the operation of the
machine. It is evidently the purpose of a machine of this character to cause the
spool-holders to travel in a sinuous line around the machine. Hence it is necessary
that, whenever a spool-holder is brought by one carrier into contact with another,
it be at once received by the second and let go by the first of these carriers, and
that this be the invariable result, no matter in what direction a carrier turns, nor in
which groove the spool-holder is received. The spool-holder, it will be assumed, is
pressed into a groove e so that its disks op snap over the bolts F G and receive
them in their slots. By this means the spool-holder is locked to the particular
carrier. When now this carrier brings this spool-holder opposite another carrier,
the latch E which is under the disk q of the particular spool-holder in question,
will be the lower latch, the other latch E in the empty groove of the other carrier
being higher, as necessarily follows from what has been stated in connection with
Figures 9, 12, 10 and 13. Now as in turning the carriers in opposite directions the
higher latch E meets the lower latch E, which is below the disk q, it will depress
the said lower latch still further, as shown in the sectional part of Figure 14,-so
far indeed as to draw the bolts F G, that thus far held the spool-holder, out of the
slots of the disk o p. This occurs when the bolts F G of the new carrier have
already entered the empty slots of the same spool-holder. To make the meaning clear
in this connection, reference should be had more particularly to what is shown in
Fig. 15. The middle carrier of that figure shows that it is engaged with a spool-
holder on the side which is uppermost in Fig. 15. Now as this middle carrier
moves in the direction of the arrows shown, it carries the said spool-holder to the
left meanwhile the carrier B which stands to the left of this central carrier is
turned in the opposite direction and gradually brings the groove e, which is
represented as on the uppermost edge of Fig. 15, towards the right. The central
carrier engages the disks o, p by means of its bolts F G entering the slots 3 of said
disks op; but as the motion of the carriers continues, the disks op will gradually
lap over the adjoining carrier B on the left and will receive the bolts F G of this
adjoining carrier finally into their slots 4, and just at about that time the latch E
of the central cylinder having been depressed by the latch E of the cylinder at the
left, the said spool-holder is released from the central cylinder and received and
carried along by the left-hand cylinder; and this happens whenever a spool-holder
on one carrier is met by an empty groove on the other carrier. For the purpose of
ensuring the proper location of the slots 3, 4 with reference to the bolts FG, each
shank D is provided with projecting guide-pins which enter proper creases or
horizontal grooves on the carriers, as shown in Figure 4.
It is therefore an essential feature, of this invention that each carrier has the
latches E E in its successive grooves e so located that the latch pertaining to one
groove will be slightly higher than that pertaining to the next following
groove, and this again slightly lower than that in the next following groove, etc., so
that the latches of empty grooves meeting one another may pass one another
without stopping the rotation of the carriers, and that whichever latch is depressed
by the disk of the spool-holder will stand still lower, though but slightly so,
than the latch which normally is lowest.
This machine, and especially the carriors that have the even numbers of latches
of which one set is inclined normally to a higher plane than the other set have been
described with reference to a circular braiding apparatus such as is shown in
Figure 2, where a complete ring of carriers is intergeared. When, however, flat
braid is to be made, this circle is at one place interrupted, as is indicated in Figure 3,
and at the extreme ends of the curve described by the carriers there may be in
some instances carriers B1 and B2 (see Fig. 3 which have an uneven number of
notches. When such carriers having an uneven number of notches are used at the
end of the row of regular carriers B that have the even number of notches and
the unequal set of latches, these carriers B and B are provided with latches that
stand with their free ends in a plane midway between the highest and lowest latches

page_text: of the regular carrier, being higher than the lower latches and lower than the
higher latches, and being thus able to pass both kinds without producing end
contact.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination of the carrier B, having two or more grooves e, with the
pivoted latches E E, and with the bolts F G controlled by said latches, all arranged
so that the latch pertaining to one groove or set of grooves of the carrier shall be
slightly higher than the latch pertaining to the remaining groove or set of grooves
and so that the latches of empty grooves meeting one another may pass over one
another without stopping the rotation of the carriers, substantially as described.
2. In a braiding machine, the carrier B having upright grooves e for the recep-
tion of the shanks of the spool-holders, and shoulders on each side of said grooves
the shoulders pertaining to one groove or set of grooves being higher than the
shoulders pertaining to the adjoining groove or set of grooves, substantially as and
for the purpose specified.
3. In a braiding machine, the series of carriers B B intergeared so as to turn in
alternately opposite direction, each of said carriers having upright grooves e, a set
of bolts F G for each groove, and a pivoted latch E connected with said bolts in
each groove, the latches in the alternating grooves being held by the bolt springs
in slightly different normal elevations, in combination with the shanks D of the
spool-holders, said shanks having locking disks op and latch-depressing disk
the parts being arranged as described, namely, so that every latch which is depressed
by a disk g of the shank D shall thereby stand lower than every latch which is not
so depressed, as set forth.
all
4. In a braiding machine, the combination of the carrier B with the latch E
pivoted therein, said latch having perforated shank f, and with the bolt F having
hook and bolt G having hook j, the contact edges m of the latch with the hooks
of the bolts being substantially knife edges, as and for the purpose specified, so
that the latch may swing on its pivot without straining the bolts laterally.
5. In a braiding machine, the carrier B combined with mechanism substantially
as described for rotating it, and with adjoining carriers and mechanism for rotating
them in opposite directions, and with spool-holding shanks D having disks op that
straddle the carriers, and means substantially as described for locking these disks
to the carriers, all as specified.
6. The spool-carrying-shank D having projecting disks op, each disk being
adapted to receive a locking bolt at two opposite places and having intermediate of
said disks a projecting disk or shoulder q for combination with a series of grooved
carriers B having latches E E that control the locking bolts, substantially as
and for the purpose specified.
7. The spool-carrier D having locking shoulders op adapted to straddle the
carriers and to receive bolts on diametrically opposite sides and having intermediate
shoulder or disk and guide-pins r, combined with the carrier B having upright
groove e, recesses for the guide-pins r, a latch adapted to enter beneath the disk
and bolts controlled by said latch, as set forth.
1000
A. MELVILLE CLARK,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.