Improvements in Braiding Machines.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Oct., 1892-Accepted, 31st Dec., 1892
CUMI LEIE DI DUITICATION.
Improvements in Braiding Machines.
I, WILHELM RICHARD SCHÜRMANN of Düsseldorf Rhenish Prussia, Germany
Mechanical Engineer 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 :--
In the machines hitherto used for making braids and round braided cords there
are two groups of bobbins which move in opposite directions and they complete
their course round a common centre in the same time; the threads crossing each
other therefore form right or left handed screw lines or spirals of the same pitch.
The object of the present invention relates to the method of working one set
of bobbins faster or slower than the other, in order to form screw lines of different
pitch by the threads crossing each other..
This is attained by the machine shown by Figs. 1-3 which is of the usual
design and in which the working bobbins are moved in their curves by drivers or
wheels having notches in their top flange, by turning the drivers a a not only as
usual round their own pivot, but by turning them also together with all the bobbins,
including the centre cord bobbins A, A, if any at a suitable angular speed,
round a fixed pin B, which is hollow in order to be able to pass through it a
central cord, which is braided all around. Round this pin there are fitted two
bushes, which may be turned independently from each other. The inner bush,
which may be set in motion direct by the wheel L at its foot, (Fig. 3), gives
motion to the drivers a a at the usual speed by means of intermediate wheels R R
and the wheel at its top, the outer box and the complete braiding machine fixed
upon it, is driven at any desired speed by means of the change wheels and the
wheel at its foot, as shown in Figures 1 and 3.
The effect thus obtained by means of an ordinary braiding machine may also
be attained by turning the device that takes up the finished cord or braid, instead
of the machine itself, in such a manner, that the turning motion is transmitted to
the interlacing or braiding point. But this alone might not be sufficient, when
thicker or thinner cores shall be covered by braiding around them, for these
cores have the tendency, in consequence of the forced twisting, which they receive
in the braiding point, to untwist themselves, even after having been braided all
around and they would thus twist the braided part and spoil its appearance.
It is therefore to be recommended,-where there are not reasons against this,-
to arrange the bobbins carrying central cores in such a manner, that they are
turned not only round their own axis, but also so, that the core threads drawn off*
from them, will not be twisted by the taking up gear.
Figures 4 and 5 show such an arrangement for a double braiding machine of
ordinary design for making cords. e is the driving wheel for both machines,
being fixed, as it is, upon the shaft f, upon which are also keyed the two
wheels 9 g, which by means of intermediate wheels are in gear with the wheels i i
of equal diameter; they are turned at the same time together with their hollow
spindles, upon which they are keyed, at the same angular speed and in the same
direction, when the change wheels g g have been made of same size.
The two upper hollow spindles, with the arms / fixed thereto, are turned in
fixed boxes upon each of which is keyed a wheel k, and a pair of wheels m, made
of one piece, may be turned thereon. The wheel fixed to the lower end of the
spindle n, as well as the pair of wheels above, which turn on this spindle, are in
gear with the said wheel. Now since the spindle n is guided in the arm 1, so
that it can be turned therein and carries the taking up roller o which can be
easily changed, and carrying besides a rope pulley underneath for driving the

page_text: taking up bobbin p, o and p go round the axis of the hollow spindle and at the
same time they are turned round their own axis, twisting thus the cord and winding
it upon p at the same time.
The core need not be twisted, because it is wound off from the bobbins g g,
which are turned at the same time with the lower hollow spindles and which may
be arranged as shown in Figures 4 and 6.
The same result is attained best by means of the braiding machine shown by
Figs. 7 and 8 and 8B, which has other advantages to be explained hereafter.
One of the chief particularities of this machine consists in that, that with it
each group of bobbins may be turned at any desired angular speed in opposite
direction, or in the same direction round a common centre, and that the bobbins.
of one group move in a circle and those of the other group in a radial direction
to a common eentre, in order to produce the crossing of the threads required for
braiding.
The principal parts of this machine are:
1.) The hollow pin, s, which is held fast at its lower part to some suitable base;
2.) The drum C turning round the same;
3.) The cover D consisting of two concentric pieces, the inner part of which
being fixed to the boss of the drum and the outer one, of ring shape, being
fastened to the edge of the drum; the cover therefore turning round with the
drum;
4.) The grooved plate E, which can be turned round the central part of the
boss of the drum;"
5.) The changeable wheels t, u, v, to serving for setting in motion the plate E,
of which t is fixed upon E and w upon s; u and being keyed to a common
shaft, Rx, which guided in the bottom of the drum ;
6.) The bobbins x and y, shown in an enlarged scale in Fig. 9 and which may
act as single bobbins and as double bobbins.
The apparatus for taking up and carrying away the finished cord may be of
known design in this machine and it is therefore not shown specially.
The bobbins & are fixed upon the plate E and turn round with the same;
therefore a ring shaped recess is made between the two parts of the cover allowing
the spindles of the bobbins to pass through.
The bobbins y are fixed to 1 shaped pins, which can be turned in the slides <,
and having the shape of little shuttles and reaching down in the curved grooves
which guide them.
Now since the slides can be shifted in the radial grooves in the cover, the
bobbins y not only are turned with the drum but they also move to and fro in the
grooves in the cover D. The cover may of course be turned in one direction or
in other.
The Figures 84 and 8B show the manner of driving two such braiding machines
by means of one belt from one driving pulley only; and Figure 84 shows the use
of a curve plate with single crossings, whereas Fig. 8B shows the curves arranged
for double crossings, in each case, of course, with the bobbins arranged accordingly
on the plate..
If t, u, and w denote the dimensions of the wheels and their ratios to each
other, the bobbins x of the curve plates move at the same angular speed, but in
opposite direction as the bobbins on the cover, when the quotient of u × w divided
by tx is equal 2 (
น.พ
1.5=2).
Thus a cord is produced as in ordinary braiding machines, in which the threads
crossing each other make spirals of same pitch but in opposite directions.
than 1
t. v <
> 1)
If the quotient of u xw divided by t xv be larger or smaller than 2 but larger
u. w 2 but >
then the bobbins of the curve plate move at a larger
or smaller angular speed than the bobbins of the cover in opposite direction-
(this case is shown in Fig. 7 and 8)—and a cord is produced, same as with the

page_text: machine shown by Figs. 1-6, in which the threads crossing each other form
spirals of different pitch and of opposite direction.
u. 10
t. v
=
In the special case where 1, where consequently u and v and also w
and t are of same size, the bobbins of the curve plate stand still and the bobbins
of the cover only move as usual. A cord is thus produced in which only one
part of the threads crossing each other, forms spiral lines, whereas the other part
lays straight in the longitudinal direction of the cord, same as in the reversed case
where only the curve plate is turned with its bobbins, and the bobbins of the
cover move only to and fro in their slots.
t. v
º),
If finally the quotient of u xw, divided by t xv is smaller than 1 but larger
u. w <1 but >
than 0
then the bobbins of the plate move in the same
direction as the bobbins of the cover, but slower than these, and a cord is produced,
in which the threads crossing each other form spirals of same direction but of
different inclinations.
"Therefore, according to the cord that one has to make, be it of one or the other
sort, both pairs of wheels or only one of them must be exchanged.
It needs no particular explanation that the manner in which the threads cross
each other in such a machine, in which manner the bindings are made, depend in
the first line from the shape of the curves of the plate.
In Figure 8 the double threads of the bobbins of the curve plate will cross
alternately with the pairs of the threads of the bobbins of the cover and a
binding or braiding resembling the ordinary linen binding or taffeta in weaving
is produced.
In Figure 8 each pair of threads of the bobbins of the cover passes first under-
neath of two pairs of the threads of the bobbins of the curve plate before crossing
the following pair of the same on the outside. A sort of tweel binding is
therefore produced and this without the use of switches or tappets and like
devices, because the curves of the plates prescribe the way exactly to the bobbins
of the cover and they even represent the manner of the binding or braiding like
a diagram.
The number of the bobbins of the cover in this machine may be easily increased,
when the number of the respective slots is increased and care is taken that the
bobbins find sufficient space. In the example shown sixteen slots may be arranged
instead of the eight shown.
This is recommended for the sake of the greater efficiency of the machine,
especially then, when the bobbins of the curve plate move slower than those of the
cover, because then the threads of the bobbins of the curve plate form the steep
screw lines of the cord, they represent, so to speak, the warp threads of the fabric,
whereas the threads of the bobbins of the cover are to be compared with the weft
threads of an ordinary weaving fabric.
In Figures 10 and 11 are shown two curve plates of same size and of same number
of bobbins with single bobbins on the curve plate and the double number of bobbins
on the cover, which are placed in the double number of slots; these curve plates are
provided with curves intersecting each other in three different distances from the
centre. Now since each of these curves of the curve plate consists in reality of
four endless curves, the bobbins on the curve plate a are surrounded only by such
bobbins of the cover, the shuttles of which run in these curves. It is therefore
possible to use for the bobbins of the cover, running in different curves, different
threads, for instance such of different colours, which then are visible on the outside
of the cord at special places, and therefore give the cord a peculiar character.
Because the hobbins of the cover do not change their distance from the interlacing
point, they are, like the bobbins carrying the core threads, very well adapted to
carry thick and stiff threads.
If then the 8 bobbins of the curve plate in Fig. 10 are provided with thick threads'
and the bobbins of the cover are provided with threads of 4 different colors, as

page_text: stated above, so that on each curve a bobbin of special colour is running, and using
a central core on a slowly turning curve plate, and a quickly turning drum, a
braided cord of four colours is produced having a sectional view as shown in the
centre of Figure 10. Each two opposite laces of this cord are of same colour.
In employing in a similar manner on the bobbins of the cover threads, having
four different colours, but using thin threads on the bobbins of the curve plate, the
curve of the plate of Fig. 11 will produce a cord of the section shown in the centre
of Fig. 11. The cord looks like an octagonal prism having helically twisted edges
and always two opposite sides of same colour. It is clear that cords of more or
less distinct colours may be made by using plates of more or less single curves.
Thus for instance, the plate curves Fig. 12 and Fig. 12B will produce respectively
a three coloured cord of the section shown in the upper half (124) when the drum
is turned rapidly and the plate goes round slowly and when the bobbins of the
cover are provided with threads of three different colours, the bobbins of the curve
plate carrying thick threads; or a cord of the section in the lower half (128) of
hexagonal shape having helically twisted edges and of three colours, when the
bobbins of the cover move slowly, and the double bobbins of the plate move quickly,
and provided for, that the colours are divided on the bobbins of the curve plates so,
that on each curve only bobbins of same colour are running.
Figure 13 shows an example where on a rapidly turning drum and on a slowly
turning curve plate the bobbins on the latter may be provided alternately with
thick and thin threads in order to produce a two coloured cord of the section shown.
Cords of similar qualities being variegated either by colours or by the manner of
the interlacing of the threads cannot be made on the machines shown by Figs. 1-6,
even when using thick core threads and switches or the like, for with these machines
the core threads are surrounded by threads coming from opposite directions, and
these threads therefore make spirals of opposite twist. With the machines
represented by the Figures 7-10 all the threads, taking the places of the core
threads in other machines, are only crossed, above and below by such threads
moving at equal speed and in the same direction and forming therefore spirals of
same pitch and of same direction. It is to be observed that with this machine all
the bobbins of the curve plate, which run singly and not as double bobbins, may
be arranged so that they can turn with their spindles round their axis on the curve
plate E.
In place of the nut fixed to the spindle below the plate, a little rope
pulley M (Fig. 14 and 154) is then to be fixed to the spindle and an endless
cord N is then put round all of them, which is fixed at Oto the internal circum-
ference of the drum C and therefore is pulled round with the same. By this means
all the pulleys M and also the bobbins are turned round their own axis by the
drum and the yarn pulled off from the bobbins is twisted before being interlaced.
Such a machine is therefore capable of producing a regularly twisted cord, the
strands of which are firmly connected to each other in covering them above and
below with other threads (covering threads) by braiding.
C
If it is desired to make only twisted cords with the machine, the bobbins y y may
be taken off, that they need not be run empty; the cover D in this case may also
be taken away. The space thus gained may be used for bobbins xx" arranged in
another manner, (Fig. 14" and 15) the spindles of which are stuck into the disc of
the rope pulley M, which is fixed to the spindle of the bobbins of the curve plate.
Now since an endless rope or chain N¹ is placed round the pulleys M¹ and which is
fastened to the drum C at O' the bobbins a turn round the bobbins like planets
and at the same time they turn together with the latter round the hollow pin s.
Therefore when the bobbins are provided with thick core threads and the
bobbins a are fitted out with the covering threads proper, and a main central core
being passed through the hollow spindle s, as many single strands of the curve plate
as there are sets of bobbins x and e¹ will be twisted in the plane P Q, and besides
this, all the strands will be twisted to form a thick cord right up in the prolongation
of the hollow pin s.
In order to produce cords having different distinct colours, it is only necessary

page_text: to provide the bobbins x', turning round the bobbins c, with the same distinctively
coloured thread.
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 process of running the oue group of bobbins in a braiding machine
quicker or slower than the other group round a common centre in order to produce
spirals of different pitch by the threads crossing each other.
2.) A braiding machine in which the bobbins not only move in their curves as
usually but in which they also turn around a common centre together with the
whole machine with the exception of the uptaking apparatus.
3.) The uptaking roller o on braiding machines (Fig. 4 and 5) which turns round
its own axis and which at the same time moves around in the surface of a cone or
cylinder.
4.) The process of twisting the core of cords before its being surrounded by
braiding.
5.) The method used with the machines Fig. 7 and 8 of running both groups of
bobbins x and y at any angular speed in the same or in opposite directions, round a
common centre in such a manner, that the one group & moves in a circle and the
other group y moves to and fro in a radial direction to the common centre, in order
to produce the crossings of the threads required for braiding.
6.) The curve plates E (Fig. 7-13) having guide curves for the bobbins of the
cover y, crossing in equal or in different distances from the centre in order to
produce variegated cords by different colors or by the manner of braiding and
interlacing.
7.) With the use of curve plates E (Fig. 84 and 10-13) having two or more
endless curves, the method of running in each of such curves only those bobbins of
the cover, or to run in these curves only such bobbins of the curve plate, which are
provided with threads of same colour in order to produce cords of two or more
specific colours.
8.) In machines for braiding and twisting cords
a.) The shaft R* for setting in gear the plate E (Fig. 7, 8 and 14) turning
around the pin s;
b.) The cords N and N¹ (Fig. 14 and 15) for setting in motion the pulleys M
and M' turning themselves together with the plate E, which cords are
fixed to points O and O' outside of the plate and which may either stand
still, or which may be moved in opposite direction to the curve plate
round the pin s.
Dated this 30th day of September 1892,
W. R. SCHURMANN,
Per Karl J. Mayer,
Agent.