Improvements in Pile Fabrics and in the Process and Mechanism Employed in Making the same.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 8th July, 1890-Accepted, 9th Aug., 18:0
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pile Fabrics and in the Process and Mechanism
Employed in Making the same.
I, ALFRED HEALD, of 54 West Johnson Street, Germantown, in the City of
Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, United States of America, Designer of Textilo
Fabrics, 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:-
My invention relates to a pile fabric in which cotton or like inelastic yarn is used
for the pile threads, one object of my invention being to support and prevent the
flattening of the pile loops, and a further object being to provide simple means
in connection with the ordinary wire drawing devices of a pile fabric loom for weaving
the fabric.
In the accompanying drawings
:-
Figs. 1, 2 and 3, are diagrams illustrating the mode of weaving a pile fabric in
accordance with my invention;
Fig. 4, is a front view of sufficient of an ordinary pile loom to illustrate the
application thereto of devices for carrying out my invention;
Fig. 5, is a plan view of part of the loom ; and
Fig. 6, is a detached perspective view of a filling thread guide forming one of the
features of the attachment to the loom.
On reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, A, represents a section of pile fabric having pile
loops a, formed over pile wires b, in the usual manner, the yarn of which these loops
are composed being, however, of cotton or other cheap and inelastic fibre instead of
the usual expensive woolen yarn now used for the purpose in the manufacture of
Brussels carpets and fabrics of like character.
As the pile loop has no inherent resiliency or elasticity, owing to the character of
the yarn employed, it becomes necessary to support the loop in order to prevent
flattening of the same under pressure, and this I accomplish by drawing into each
row of loops a filling or stuffing thread d, of such character as to fill or almost fill the
loop and keep the same in the desired distended condition.
Each of the pile wires has at one end an eye b', with which engages the with-
drawing hook f, carried by a slide f', which is mounted and free to slide upon a guide
har g, of the loom, the opposite end of each pile wire forming a hook, whereby
the stuffing thread is drawn into the row of loops as the pile wire is withdrawn
therefrom.
The stuffing thread d, is drawn from a bobbin suitably located on the ffaine of the
loom, and passed through an eye m, on the guide plate B, located adjacent to the
selvedge of the fabric, and having a rising and falling and a rocking movement
imparted to it by the means described hereafter.
On the opposite side of the loom from that at which the drawing hook f, is located
is a guide bar h, to which is adapted a slide i¹, carrying a looping hook i, the outer
end of which is slotted for the reception of a securing bolt, so that said hook can
be adjusted longitudinally in respect to the slide.
The slides f, and i, operate in unison, so that the looping hook i, approaches the
fabric on one side as a pile wire is withdrawn from the fabric on the other side.
When the hook bas reached the limit of its inward movement it passes between
the guide eye m, and a projecting finger n, below the same and the thread d, is
caught in the barb of the said hook, as shown in Fig. 1, and the hook is then
caused to move outward so as to draw a loop of the thread d, as shown in Fig. 2.
Meantime, the guide B, has been lowered and rocked so as to lay the thread a, in
the hook of the first or most advanced pile wire, prior to the withdrawal of the

page_text: latter by the hook f. As the pile wire is withdrawn, the hook i, moves inward and
delivers the thread of the loop which had been previously formed thereby, as shown
in Fig. 3, so that the drawing of the stuffing or filling thread into the pile is effected
without any strain whatever upon the selvedge of the fabric.
The speed of the hook i, is so proportioned in respect to the draft of the pile wire
as to deliver the side loop at a rate of speed commensurate with the draft upon.
the same, so that the side loop is maintained under more or less tension from the
beginning to the end of the operation.
As the hook i, approaches the limit of its inward movement, the guide B, is
rocked backward and raised so that the hook i, again passes between the eye m,
and finger n, as before, and on the next outward movement of the hook fresh
thread is drawn from the supply bobbin to form a fresh loop and the operations are
repeated indefinitely.
In the view of the organized loom for carrying out my invention, shown in
Figs. 4 and 5; 1, represents the fixed frame of the loom, and 2, the driving shaft of
the same, which is geared by means of a pinion 3, and spur wheel 4, to the crank
shaft 5, the latter having a pinion 6, gearing into a spur-wheel 7, on the cam-
shaft 8, of the loom. The shaft 5, also has a bevel pinion 9, which gears into a
bevel wheel 10, on the short longitudinal shaft 11, provided at its front end with a
crank 12, the pin of which is connected by a link 13, to one arm of a lever 14,
bung to a fixed bearing on the frame, the other arm of said lever being connected
by a link 15, to the slide f¹, which carries the pile wire withdrawing hook f
This arm of the lever is also connected by a rod 16, to the slide ¹, which carries
the looping hook i, the connection being such that the said slide will move at
about half the speed of the slide of the withdrawing hook.
The guide plate B, is carried by a shaft 17, mounted in bearings on the loom frame,
and having a collar 18, with projecting pin 19, and an arm 20, with vertically
projecting pin 21, these pins 19, and 21, being adapted respectively to cam slots 22,
in a right angled cam plate 2, shown in Fig. 6, said plate being attached to and
moving with the rod 16, as shown in Fig. 4 and the cam slots being such as to
impart the proper rocking and rising and falling movements to the guide plate B, at
the appropriate times.
The pusher slide 23, for re-introducing the wires to the shed, is connected as usual,
by a link 24, to an arm 25, on the slide f, and the shifting of the pile wire is
effected, as in an ordinary pile loom, by means of a finger 26, carried by a pivoted
arm 27, connected by a rod 28, to a lever 29, operated by a cam 30, on the
shaft 8.
These features, however, form no essential part of my invention and are simply
illustrated in order to better convey to those skilled in the art the manner of carrying
out my invention in connection with a pile loom of the ordinary character.
While I prefer to hook the pile wires and to utilize them as a means of drawing
the filling or stuffing thread into the loops of the pile, my invention may be carried
out by means of a special drawing hook operated by or from the slide of the hook f,
and the end of the hook may be provided with a latch similar to that of a knitting
needle, or may be constructed to nip the thread instead of being simply hooked, as
shown.
In either case, however, my mode of weaving is essentially different from that
employed in the usual needle loom, in which the weft or filling thread is drawn into
the open shed formed by the warp threads, the latter being then closed upon said weft
or filling thread, to bind it in place. In such case, the tension upon the warp causes
it to bite into the filling thread so as to squeeze the latter out between the loops of
the pile; moreover, the formation of a high pile of uniform character in this way is
impracticable, because there are always hard and soft spots in the filling thread, and
the tension upon the warps must necessarily cause them to be pulled further down
upon the soft portions of the filling than apon the hard portions of the same.
By my improved method of weaving the pile is formed over a rigid and unyielding
pile wire as in weaving an ordinary Brussels carpet, and the stuffing or filling thread

page_text: is not pulled into a row of loops until said row of loops has advanced so far beyond
the shedding point as to be practically relieved from all strain due to the tension upon
the warp, so that uniformity of pile is insured.
4.
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. The mode hereinbefore described. of producing a pile fabric having stuffed pile
loops, said mode consisting in forming the pile over a series of pile wires, and with-
drawing the said wires, and drawing the stuffing or filling thread through the rows of
pile loops after the latter have advanced so far beyond the shedding point as to be
unaffected by the tension upon the warp.
2. The mode herein before described of producing a pile fabric having stuffed pile
loops, said mode consisting in forming the pile over a series of pile wires having
hooked ends, applying a filling or stuffing thread to the hooked end of the outer pile
wire of the series, and withdrawing said pile wire, so as to draw the filling or staffing
thread into the row of loops previously formed over the wire.
3. The mode hereinbefore described of producing a pile fabric having stuffed pile
loops, said mode consisting in forming the pile over a series of pile wires, drawing the
filling or stuffing thread into a loop extending outward from the selvedge of the
fabric, and then applying one end of this loop to the outermost pile wire or equivalent
draft rod, whereby it is pulled through a row of pile loops, from one side of the fabric
to the other.
4. The combination, in a loom for weaving pile fabrics, of a draft hook whereby
the thread is drawn through the loops of pile, a looping hook whereby a loop of filling
thread is formed at one side of the fabric and ineans for operating said draft and
looping hooks in unison, all substantially as hereinbefore specified.
5. The combination of the draft hook, the looping hook, a thread guide, and means
for operating said parts, whereby the filling thread is applied first to the looping hook,
and then to the draft hook, all substantially as hereinbefore specified.
6. The combination of the pile wire mechanism of a pile loom, with pile wires
having hooked ends, means for supplying a filling thread, a looping hook whereby a
loop of said thread is formed at one side of the fabric, and means for operating said
looping hook in conjunction with the pile wire mechanism of the loom, all substantially
as herein before specified.
7. A pile fabric having uniform rows of loops of cotton or other inelastic fibre,
supported by means of a stuffing or filling thread filling said loops but not unequally
compressed or indented thereby, substantially as hereinbefore specified.
Dated this 4th dor of Inly 1800
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.