Improvements in or relating to Trimmings and like Fabrics and Apparatus for Making the same.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Aug., 1897.- Accepted, 25th Sept., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION..
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Improvements in or relating to Trimmings and like Fabrics and
Apparatus for Making the same.
A Communication from HENRY AUGUST SCHAEFER and CHARLES PHILIP
SCHLEGEL, of the City of Rochester, in the County of Monroe and State of
New York, United States of America, Gentlemen.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 111 Hatton Garden in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:
The present invention has for its object to provide an improved fabric adapted
particularly for use as an edging or trimming for garments, or other articles,
which shall be capable of ready attachment and present an edge composed of a
plurality of strands twisted into a cord, which forms not only an ornamental
part of the fabric, but a wearing portion as well, and the invention has further
for its object to provide an apparatus for making said fabric cheaply and rapidly.
To these and other ends, the invention consists in the improved fabric and
mechanism for making it hereinafter fully described, the novel features being
pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.
In the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1 is an enlarged plan view of a fabric constructed in accordance with
this invention.
Figure 2, a cross-sectional view of the same.
Figure 3, a plan view of a portion of a loom and attachments for making the
fabric.
Figure 4, a longitudinal-sectional view on the line of Figure 3.
Figure 5, a cross-sectional view on the line y-y of Figure 4, looking to the
rear.
Figure 6, a sectional view on the line z-z of Figure 3.
Figure 7, a rear view of the devices for actuating the cord-twisting heads.
Figure 8, a front view of the reed.
Figure 9, a sectional view on the line of Fig. 7.
Similar reference letters in the several figures indicate similar parts.
The fabric forming the subject-matter of our present invention embodies,
generally, a body portion composed of the warp threads a, a, which may be single
or compound, and a weft or filling b, which may also be composed of single or
compound threads, interwoven with the warp to produce a textile fabric or
material of any desired pattern, and at the side of this fabric is a twisted cord
composed of a plurality of compound strands C, the elements c of the compound
strands being twisted together, and the compound strands of the cord are
secured to the body of the fabric by the weft or filling 6, which is passed around
them during the formation of the fabric.

page_text: In making cord it is necessary that the strands composing it shall be given an
initial twist in a direction opposite to that of the completed cord formed of the
strands, in order that as the strands tend to untwist when left alone, they will
twine themselves about each other to form the cord, and, in the present inven-
tion, the strands C are formed of "elements" or smaller strands c twisted tightly
together, the direction in which the elements c tend to untwist being indicated
by the arrows in Figure 1. Inasmuch as the strands C are bound to the edge
of the fabric by the weft thereof, which passes around them, and as hereinafter
described, the fabric is adapted to be made on an ordinary loom having a shuttle
which carries the weft, we find it necessary to pass the weft around the strands
composing the main cord, in a direction opposite to that in which the elements c
are initially twisted, as by this means the elements c of the strands in untwisting
will tend to draw the weft b from the completed fabric instead of from the
shuttle which is laying the weft around the strands, whereas if the elements c
should be twisted in the opposite direction from that shown they will tend by
their untwisting to draw the weft backward from the shuttle, which would render
the loops of the weft that secured the cord to the fabric loose, and the connection
would be an unsatisfactory one, the main cord in that event not being bound
tightly to the fabric, but permitting the exposure of the weft threads on one
or the other side of the main cord so that they might become worn and the con-
nection between the cord and fabric impaired. The body of the fabric may be
formed of any material and may have any desired pattern woven therein by the
use of warps of different materials or colors or by special manipulation of the
threads to produce figures in the body thereof. It is not essential that the cord
be composed of any particular number of strands or that the strands be composed
of three or any particular number of elements, though three is preferred, as shown.
Nor is it essential that all the elements of the strands be given the same amount
of twist, as in some kinds of cord, suitable for strands C of the cord attached to
the fabric, the central part or cord is composed of elements or strands of cotton,
for instance, which are twisted very little, while the outside or covering strands
or elements of silk, for instance, are wound or whipped around the cotton strands
so as to cover them, and as this whipped covering must be tight the cord thus
formed has a decided twist so that its tendency to twist around a corresponding
strand and form a compound cord is precisely the same as the strands C shown
in the drawing, the only difference being that the elements of the strands are not
twisted the same amount.
It will be noted, from an inspection of Figures 1 and 2, that it is necessary
to form the cord constituting the edge of the fabric at the same time that the
body of the fabric is woven, and while the strands of the cord are shown in the
drawing as bound to the fabric by alternate passages of the weft around the
strauds, this is not absolutely essential, although it is preferred for the reason
that the weft binds the edge of the warp at d when it does not engage a cord
strand, thereby forming a secure edge for the body of the fabric and making a
longer twist in the cord, so that the tendency of the cord as a whole to untwist,
will not twist up the fabric.
This form of edging aside from the cheapness of its production, which will
be referred to later on, is admirably adapted for use on the bottoms of ladies'
skirts, and when the body is made of fine thread and the cord of fine silk it may
be used for binding men's garments, the body of the fabric being secured to the
garment between the edges of the lapel of a dress coat, for instance, leaving only
the cord exposed, the cheaper fabric itself and the connection between it and
the cord being concealed by the material of the garment and affording a firm
holding ground for the securing stitches, and thus the fabric will take the place
of the expensive silk braids now used for this purpose and obviates the laborious
operation of sewing silk cord sometimes used for edging a garment. While a
fabric such as described could be made by hand, it is preferred to make it by

page_text: machinery, as it will be more uniform in structure and the cost be materially
reduced.
In the drawings is shown the apparatus, which it is preferred to employ, and
which consists, generally of a weaving loom and a cord-forming device of special
construction and application. The loom is of the ordinary kind used for making
narrow fabrics, sheds only being shown, and contains the breast-rod or bar 1
on a suitable support 2 and over which the completed fabric extends to the fabric
winding devices, the rear warp bars or rods 3 and the movable lay 4 having a
reed 5 and ways 6 for the shuttles 7, which are actuated as usual in narrow ware
looms, or in any preferred manner. The warp threads a pass through suitable
heddles 8 contained in heddle frames 9 actuated from the jacquard or in any
suitable manner to produce the desired pattern. The shuttles may be of any
suitable construction and carry the spools 10 operated upon by brakes 11 and
take-up devices 12, which may also be of any suitable construction. The loom
thus far described does not differ materially from ordinary looms excepting in
the provision of an enlarged recess 13 at one side of the reed, as shown particularly
in Figure 8.
The lay 4 is capable of swinging forward as usual to beat up the weft laid by
the shuttles, and as the construction of looms generally is well-known we have
not deemed it necessary to specifically show herein the means for operating said
lay.
The cord-twisting devices embody, generally, cord-twisting heads carrying
bobbins or spools on which the strands of the cord are contained, and also tension
take-up devices for each strand so that the strands are always kept under even
tension while they are being twisted to form the cord and any slack due to the
rotation of the twisting heads or the manipulation of the strands is taken up,
and it is also preferable that the twisting heads should rotate on vertical axes so
that not only may space be economized and a relatively small twisting head be
employed, but the tension take-ups be operated by gravity, as this permits an
even tension to be maintained on the strands at all times. These twisting heads
are supported upon a beam or suitable support 15 secured to the loom frame and
extending across the same, preferably beneath the warp, and the twisting heads
are each composed of a base 16, in the form of a sprocket wheel, mounted upon a
vertical axis and having extending upwardly from it three spindles 17 upon the
upper reduced ends of which are arranged bobbins 18 carrying the strands C
of which the cord is composed. Arranged at one side of each of the spindles
is a vertical support 19, preferably angular in cross section, and having at its
upper end a guide eye 20. 21 indicates gravity pawls arranged to slide upon the
uprights 19 and to engage the ratchet teeth 22 formed on the upper ends of the
bobbins or spools 18; said pawls normally engaging the spools and preventing
their rotation. 23 indicates weights sliding upon the standards 19 and serving
as take-up devices, being supported upon the strands C, which pass through the
guide eye 24 and beneath the weight, and thence up through the guide eye 20
at the upper end, as shown in Figure 6. The strands extend from the completed
fabric downward or away from the shed through the recess 13 in the reed to the
eyes 20 on the twisting head at such an angle that the shuttle will ordinarily
clear them, but on one side of each shed is arranged a bar 25, in the present
embodiment, vertically movable, and provided with a shedding hook or notch 26
and adapted when raised to shed or carry the strand of cork next the warp,
upward in such position that the shuttle may pass beneath it, the weft binding
it to the fabric and then when the rod is moved down again, the strand will be out
of the way and the shuttle may make the pick necessary to bind the warp threads
as at d, Figure 1. The movements of the shedding hook 26 may be accomplished
by any suitable mechanism, but it is preferable to attach the rod 25 to a heddle
frame 27, which is operated from the jacquard, or otherwise, so as to raise the
strand laid in the hook by the rotation of the twisting head at the proper time
to bind the strand to the fabric. The rotation of the twisting heads may be

page_text: accomplished by any suitable mechanism, but it is preferred to employ a sprocket
chain 28 passing around the sprocket 16 (being held in contact by guide rollers 29,
as in Figure 3) which chain may be intermittingly moved by suitable mechanism
actuated from the jacquard or a cam, but preferably from the jacquard by means
of a lever 30 carrying a pawl 31 engaging a ratchet wheel 32 on a bevel gear 33
meshing with a beveled pinion 34 on one of the supports or sprockets 16. In
order to prevent racing of the ratchet wheel 32, a pivoted lever 35 is provided
connected to the lever 30 by a link 36 and carrying an arm or pin 37 adapted,
when the lever 30 is raised, to project between two of the pins or studs 38 and
ensure the arrest of the twisting heads in proper position. The connection
between the lever 30 and the jacquard or other actuating device may be a rod 39
attached to the lever and drawn upward periodically to rotate the gears, said
lever 30 being returned to normal position by gravity or otherwise.
The amount of movement permitted the twisting heads, which rotate in the
direction shown by the arrow in Figure 3, is sufficient to bring one of the strands
against the side of the rod 25 on which the shedding hook is mounted, as in
Fig. 3, and lay the strand in the hook, the bobbin carrying the strand last
removed from the hook passing to the rear of the loom as the head is rotated.
The rotation of the twisting heads, the movement of the shedding hook, and the
movement of the shuttle are so timed, relatively, that the shuttle is passed out
over the cord strand, then the cord strand is moved up by the shedding hook,
then the shuttle passes beneath the cord strand, as in Figure 3, carrying the
weft over the strand in a direction opposite to that in which the elements of the
strand are initially twisted, the lay then beats up the weft, the shedding hook
returns beneath the shed, carrying the cord with it, the shuttle passes out of the
shed on the cord side, then some, or all of the warp threads change, thence the shuttle
passes back through the shed forming the scouring loop d, and in the meantime
the cord-twisting head has been rotated one step, sufficient to bring the next
strand of cord into the shedding hook, the shuttle passes out at the cord side,
then the shedding hook is raised, and the shuttle passes back beneath the strand,
thus returning to the position of parts shown in Figure 3. It will be understood
that at each pick the weft is beaten up by the movement of the lay, as usual.
As before stated, it is important that the initial twist in the cord strands and
the direction of passage of the weft around them be opposite so that the tendency
of the strands to untwist will draw upon the weft from the completed fabric
rather than the portion extending to the shuttle and thereby an even tension will
be given to the parts, preventing any slack during the beating up of the weft
or during the inward movement of the shuttle.
The sliding weights 23 on the twisting heads in connection with the pawl 21
constitute tension take-up devices, the weight serving to keep an even tension
on the strands while falling and the pawls preventing the rotation of the spools
until the weights are raised high enough to trip the pawls, when the strand will
be unwound from the spool or bobbin and allow the weight to fall again, it being
supported, however, by the strand until the pawl is released again. This device
or its equivalent, a spring-operated tension take-up, is found to be essential to the
practical operation, because it is necessary to keep an even tension on the strands
at all times to form a perfect cord and as the spools move in succession nearer to
the completed fabric and then away again, as the heads rotate, and as the shedding
hook draws and slackens the strands in succession, the slack in the strand must
be positively taken up, this being shown clearly in Figure 3.
While it is desirable that a single strand of the cord should be bound to the
fabric at every other inward movement of the shuttle from the cord side, this
could be readily changed, depending upon the fabric to be made and the cord
could be twisted and bound at every pick of the shuttle if desired, but, for reasons
before stated, the form shown is preferred. While the shedding of the cord
strand could be accomplished by any suitable mechanism it is desirable that it
be done by a jacquard, because greater variety can be given the trimming, the

page_text: shedding hook shown permitting the strands to be drawn out of the hook if the
latter is not operated.
The cord-forming devices described could be readily attached to narrow-ware
looms now in use at comparatively slight expense.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. As a new article of manufacture, a woven fabric embodying a warp and
a weft or filling and having at one edge a twisted cord composed of a plurality of
compound twisted strands, the elements of the strands having a set or twist in
themselves, and said strands being bound to the edge of the fabric by the weft
of the latter, which is passed around the strands in a direction opposite to that
of their initial twist, as set forth.
2. The combination with a weaving loom, of a rotatable cord-twisting head
arranged in rear of the lay and at one side of the warp and out of the plane of
movement of the shuttle, a series of bobbins on said head, each carrying a cord
strand, a tension take-up device for each strand, and a vertically movable shedding
hook into which the cord strands are laid by the rotation of the twisting head,
substantially as described,
3. The combination with a weaving loom, of a cord-twisting head located at
one side of the shed and in a different plane from that in which the warps extends,
said twisting head having a series of bobbins carrying cord strands, and a tension
take-up for each strand, an intermittingly operated shedding hook for shedding
the cord strand next the warp, and mechanism for rotating the twisting-head
intermittingly, substantially as described.
4. The combination with a weaving loom, of a cord-twisting head rotatable on
a vertical axis arranged in rear of the lay and at one side of the warp and out of
the plane of movement of the shuttle, a series of bobbins on the head, each
carrying a cord strand, a tension take-up device for each strand, and a shedding
hook into which the cord strands are laid by the rotation of the twisting head,
substantially as described.
5. The combination with a weaving loom, of a cord-twisting head arranged in
rear of the lay, at one side of the warp and out of the plane of movement of the
shuttle, said head embodying a rotatable support, a series of spindles and bobbins
thereon, a series of standards having guide-eyes at their ends, weights sliding
on the standards and supported by the cord strands, and stop devices, as pawls,
retaining the bobbins adapted to be released by the weights, and a vertically
movable shedding hook for shedding the cord-strands next to the warp, sub-
stantially as described.
6. The combination with a weaving loom, of a rotary cord twisting head located
at one side of the shed, carrying a series of cord strands and a tension take-up
device for each strand, of a ratchet wheel connected to said twisting head, and
baving a series of studs thereon, a lever, a pawl thereon engaging the ratchet
wheel, and an arm operated by the lever and adapted to engage the studs on the
wheel to limit its motion when actuated by the movement of the lever, substantially
as described.