Improvements in Circular and other Looms or Machines for Weaving Textile Fabrics.
Year: 1888

page_text: Improvements in Circular and other Looms or Machines for
Weaving Textile Fabrics.
We HIPPOLYTE AIMABLE SORET Junr. of 12 rue Henri Elbeuf Professor of weaving
JACQUE HURTU and VICTOR HAUTIN both of 54 rue St. Maur Paris Engineers all in the
Republic of France 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 :-
This Invention relates to the construction and arrangement of circular and other
looms for weaving textile fabrics and has for its object ensuring a regular action
of the mechanism and obtaining fabrics in which the tension of the warp and weft
threads is equalised.
The improvements are more particularly applicable to circular looms which possess
as compared to rectilinear looms the advantage of producing tubular fabrics which
can be divided longitudinally thus enabling pieces of great width to be manufactured
making less waste in cutting up or which can be cut in a helical direction in order
to obtain lengths of fabrics in which the warp and weft threads are inclined or
diagonal relatively to the edges of the piece which consequently presents greater
resistance. The main features of our invention are as follows.
1st. The action of the shuttles and their mode of advancing between the warp
threads.
2nd. The method of driving these shuttles by a divided batten which also serves to
beat up the weft threads.
3rd. Special arrangement of the beams, in order to obtain a uniform tension of the
warp threads during the weaving.
4th. Method of taking up the woven fabric by means of hoops partaking of recipro-
cating vertical movements.
5th. Sustaining the wheels or rollers of the shuttle by means of the taking-up hoop
ituated near the point of formation of the fabric.

page_text: All these improvements in combination enable us to construct a circular loom
which is certain in its action and which is under the control of a weaver or attendant
who stands in the centre of the machine, and admitting of being combined with a
jacquard mechanism for producing the changes required to produce the pattern.
Our invention involves no alteration in the structure or formation of the fabric which
is produced as in an ordinary loom by the introduction of a weft thread in the shed
or opening of the warp threads, and we will consequently confine ourselves to
describing the particular arrangements and action of the parts which we have
invented.
And in order that the said invention may be fully understood we will now proceed
more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to the several
figures on the annexed sheets of drawings the same letters of reference indicating
corresponding parts in all the figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents in vertical section taken through
the axis a circular loom according to this invention and illustrates the starting motion,
the mechanism for opening the shed, taking up the fabric etc.
Figure 2 represents a partial plan of the loom (the upper part being removed)
showing the starting mechanism and the arrangement of certain of the parts, hereinafter
described.
Figure 3 represents a partial plan of the upper part on the side opposite to that
represented in Figure 2 and showing the jacquard mechanisin in its position at the
upper part of the loom.
Figure 4 represents a vertical section taken through the axis of one of the jacquards
and illustrating the arrangement of the cords or chains working the heddles.
Figures 5 and 6 illustrate in elevation and in plan respectively a modification of the
arrangement of the divided batten and of the shuttle which it drives.
Figure 7 illustrates the improved arrangements of the beam with a brake.
Figures 8 and 9 represent different views of the several arrangements of the divided
batten.
Figures 10, 11 and 12, illustrate separately the shuttle, its mode of travelling in the
opening of the warp threads and the beating up of the weft.
Figures 13 and 14 represent in plan and in transverse section respectively a recti-
linear loom according to this invention.
The circular loom illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3 is constructed with a framework
composed of uprights A suitably fixed or supported on the floor and connected together
by rigid rings or other suitable supports. These uprights carry the reels or beams for
the warp threads, internal and external breast beams D and I jacquard mechanism B
external platform G and a slotted table J. At the centre of this framework there is a
support F carrying an internal platform G¹ provided at its circumference with four
vertical slides or guides H supporting the inner edge of the table J. The platform G¹
carries a central hollow pillar K supporting at its upper part a starting mechanism P¹
for starting and stopping the weaving mechanism and also supporting the parts con-
trolling the taking up of the fabric the mechanism for feeding forward the material
being situated in the interior of the said pillar.
Mechanisin connected with the starting of the loom and the taking up of the fabric
is also arranged at the lower part of the frame underneath the platform G³.
The beams Cany suitable number of which may be employed are arranged around the
loom and are provided with a brake which impedes the too rapid unwinding of the thread.
This brake (see figure 7) is provided with a strap embracing a brake pulley being
attached at one end to the frame and at the other to a lever E loaded with suitable
weights according to the amount of retarding friction which it is desired to exert on
the beam. The beams or bobbins C are removeable so that they can be replaced by
full beams or bobbins when empty. The warp threads are drawn from the bobbins
over rods C figures 1 and 2 which direct the threads tangentially over a guide D
figures 5 and 6 and equalise the length and tension of the said threads during the whole
of the period of the formation of the fabric. The said rods obviate the inconvenience
that would otherwise arise from the polygonal arrangement or grouping of the beam

page_text: or bobbins around the loom and the gradual diminution of their diameters. The
progress of the unwinding may be watched by a boy or attendant stationed on the
outer platform G.
The guide or outer breast beam D over which the warp threads from the bobbins C
are drawn may be composed of a series of short loose rollers working on a bar or
rod of suitable shape or it may consist of rigid bars or segments connecting the
uprights (figure 5).
The leaves N (figures 1 and 2) which are employed to operate the warp and form
the shed are divided into a series of independent sections each containing a suitable
number of heddles. The loom represented by way of example in the drawing, is
arranged for 4 sections each containing 10 heddles. Each leaf is formed by two flat
bars n and n of iron bent to the required curve according to their distance from
the centre being guided at their extrenieties in guides c (figures 1 and 6) attached
to the uprights of the frame. Each leaf carries a series of heddles stretched vertically
between the bars n n' and carrying suitable eyes at the centre for the passage of the
warp threads. These parts (leaves and heddles) which open the warp threads being
well known it is unnecessary to give further details with regard to their construction
and action but it must be understood that owing to their curvature they are suspended
on vertical lines passing through their centres of gravity by means of attachments A¹
figures 1 and 5. Moreover the leaves are suspended from the hooks of the jacquard
by means of chains E guided by rods b attached to their extremities (figure 1).
The jacquards indicated at B which control the action of the leaves are arranged at
the upper part of the loom figures 1. 3. and 4 and receive motion from a shaft B
operated by the main shaft A by suitable gearing. The jacquards operate in the
usual manner but alternately to change the position of the warp in opening the shed
for the passage of the weft. The loom in the example illustrated being divided into
sections the jacquard mechanism is similarly divided and works in pairs there being
two shuttles.
The divided batten or sley hereinbefore referred to is made in separate parts one of
which is shown detached in fig. 9 guided in slots in the table J figures 1 and 2 each
part is composed of a rocking rod or arm M oscillating on centres M* figures 1 and 8
at the upper extremity of which there are attached a number of thin steel plates
separated by washers or distance pieces of suitable thickness and connected together
by a rivet a the warp threads passing between them. These plates are cut to a shape
which facilitates the progress of the shuttle B4 (figures 2 and 9).
At the lower part of the arm M there is a loose bowl or roller M" working in a
groove in an annular cam P figure 1 which imparts to the arms the movements
necessary to admit of the passage of the shuttle B 4. These arms may be differently
arranged as indicated in figures 5 and 8. In this case the blades are attached to a
sliding bar M' guided on the slotted table J and provided at its lower part with the
bowl which works in the cam groove P.
The divided batten is worked by the cam P carried by supports Q (figures 1 and 5)
formed in one with a bevel wheel or circular rack R working on the central support F
and driven by a corresponding bevel pinion L fixed on the main driving shaft A. The
groove of this cam is made with curves or inclines which impart an oscillating motion
to the levers M so as to move back the battens O in succession in order to allow the
shuttle B to pass and then cause them to move forwards or close up behind the shuttle
so as to act on the incline at the back of the shuttle and push it forwards and compel
it to travel round the loom according to the movements of the annular cam P
(figures 2 and 6).
The shuttle B4 placed in the open angle formed by the warp threads is provided at
its front end with a lense shaped roller or wheel C4. figures 1. 2. 10 and 11. and
at the hinder end with a similar roller D4. which roll on the last crossing of the
warp threads and press thereon thus travelling along the circular shed. The middle
part of the shuttle of circular form contains a bobbin carrying the weft thread which
is employed to construct the fabric by being interwoven with the warp.

page_text: A tube E4 guides the weft thread and places it in front of the edge of the
wheel D 4 which rolls on the thread and lays it in the place which it has to occupy
in the fabric. This wheel having rolled over the thread the batten closes up imme-
diately behind the shuttle finishing the beating up of the weft and maintaining it
until the next crossing of the warp whilst one shuttle is travelling round one quarter
of the circumference of the loom the warp threads in the succeeding quarter are
shifted and the shed reopened so that the two shuttles are enabled to advance, following
one another in their circular path without any stops and depositing the weft thread in
the different sheds.
The speed at which the shuttles move being relatively slower than in rectilinear
looms the weft thread may be stretched and introduced into the fabric in this condition
.without risk of breakage Notwithstanding this a greater developement of thread is
obtained, the shuttle not being stopped as in rectilinear looms.
Another effect resulting from this arrangement is that the weft thread is firmly
pressed up between the warp threads by the action of the travelling wheels of the
shuttle, and the intimate or close contact of the threads is completed by the batten
acting directly behind the shuttle.
Figure 6 illustrates a modified form of the shuttle which may be employed with
advantage in certain kinds of work.
As the shuttle travels along the shed the front wheel D₁ produces a depression in
the fabric figure 10 which is utilized to support the wheel and facilitate the motion.
With this object rings or annular plates I and Z (Figures 1 and 11) supporting the
fabric in course of formation are arranged to form a tangent with the curve of the
.depression produced by the wheel D4 so that the said wheel is supported thereon and
its rolling action is facilitated. The said curve is shown in the plan fig. 10. It will
be observed that the wheel is held out of contact with the said rings by the warp
threads only. The fabric expanding immediately behind the wheel D' projects slightly
from the edges of the rings 1% and allows the batten O (Figure 12) to perform the
beating up of the weft against the said rings.
The taking up of the fabric produced is performed by means of a hoop or annular
clamp X Figures 1 and 5 against the inner edge of which the fabric is nipped or
held by an open ring Y which is expanded or contracted so as to hold or release the
fabric by means of a cam Y2 Figure 2, provided at the opening in the ring. The
hook X is provided with nuts V in which work vertical screws which by the inter-
vention of bevel wheels s and radially arranged shafts T are driven by a central bevel
wheel S2 and raise or lower the clamp formed by the hoops or rings X and Y.
The said wheel S2 is connected to a shaft U by means of a friction cone or
clutch R2 operated by the lever T2 ring U2 helical spring V2 and the adjusting
screw X. By working this screw the attendant stationed on the platform G', is
enabled to release the clutch and disconnect the wheel S 2 in order to arrest the move-
ment of the screws and consequently also that of the hoop X. The shaft U is driven by
the shaft I, which receives motion from the shaft A¹ when the hoop X is to be moved
downwards and from a belt working on a pulley X when the hoop is to be moved
upwards.
The shaft A drives the shaft I¹ by means of an eccentric T¹ acting through a pawl
lever upon a ratchet wheel U1 which imparts a step by step motion to the shaft l' in
a suitable direction for taking up the fabric. The pulley X on the contrary causes
the shaft I to rotate in the direction required for raising the hoop X. It is con-
sequently necessary to arrange the ratchet wheel U₁ and the pulley X¹ loosely upon
the shaft and to place a clutch mechanism between them so as to alternately connect
and disconnect them from the shaft. This clutch marked V' in Figures 1 and 2 is
worked by the attendant by means of a cam Y¹ at the upper part of the pillar K
operating a vertical rod Q connected to a bell crank lever R' rod S' and a lever L
working in the throat or groove of, the clutch.
When the hoops X. Y. have been slowly brought down by the aforesaid step by
step motion to the bottom of their stroke the loom is stopped as hereinafter described

page_text: and the fabric is clamped to the breast beam I by the hoop Z which is constructed to
be tightened in a similar manner to the hoop Y. This being done the hoop Y is
loosened by acting on the cam Y2 and the pulley ✗' is put in gear in order to
rapidly elevate the hoop X. At the same time the hoop Y is raised by working a
winch Z2 connected to the said hoop by suitable cords z. The hoop Y is afterwards
tightened in the hoop X whose motion has been already arrested and now the fabric
between the hoops Z and X is stretched by turning a crank handle Z¹ on the upper
extremity of the shaft U, the hoop Z is loosened the ratchet wheel U₁ is put in gear
and the loom started afresh.
The mechanism for starting and stopping the loom is situated on the main shaft A¹
supported by bearings cast or otherwise attached to a base or support. W Figures
and 2 and consist of a loose pulley J¹ driven by a belt and provided with a friction
cone K¹ which is incapable of rotation, but can slide longitudinally. On being pressed
towards the pulley J₁ the cone causes the shaft A' to rotate with a speed proportionate
to the pressure exerted; on being brought back in the opposite direction towards a fixed
ring it renders the shaft A' immoveable stopping it with a quickness proportionate
to the pressure exerted. This friction cone or clutch is worked by a lever L' moved
by a rod S¹ a bell crank lever R' a rod Q¹ and a cam P¹ situated at the centre of the
loom at the upper part of the pillar K within convenient reach of the Attendant stationed
on the Platform G¹.
The fabric woven in a tubular form as hereinbefore described is afterwards cut in a
longitudinal or helical direction according as it is desired to obtain pieces of material
of great width or pieces in which the warp threads and the weft threads are equally
inclined or oblique relatively to the direction of the length of the piece.
In the first case there is a saving owing to the avoidance of waste in the second
case greater strength is obtained for closing purposes.
The circular loom hereinbefore described with reference to the drawing by way of
example only may be modified as regards the dimensions and may be arranged with
one shuttle and two sections of leaves or within two shuttles and four sections (as in
the example illustrated) or with four shuttles and eight sections and so on this being.
rendered possible owing to the smallness of the shuttles relatively to the length of
the circumference.
In like manner each section of leaves can be provided with any suitable number of
leaves to accommodate them to the jacquard mechanism employed according to the
pattern or tie up.
Figures 13 and 14 illustrate a rectilinear loom according to this invention. This
loom is provided with a shuttle B4, propelled by a divided or jointed batten O exactly
At the end of a shot or travel in
in the same way as the shuttle in the circular loom.
one direction or the other the shuttle is received on prolongations A on the frame
where it stops and whence it returns. The shuttle is made of the same shape at
both ends so as to work in both directions. Its mode of action is precisely the same
in each case.
A number of shuttles acting successively may be employed as indicated
in the plan (fig. 13)-For this purpose it is simply necessary to increase the number
of sections of leaves opening the shed.
The divided batten is composed of a series of arms guided in slots in a table J
being worked by levers M provided with bowls engaging with a cam groove P
which imparts to the arms the movements necessary for the passage of the
shuttle B The loom is provided with as many cams P as it has shuttles in
operation the said cams being arranged on a stationary bar or table Q and par-
taking of a to and fro rotary motion obtained by any suitable mechanical
arrangement.
The face of the batten forms as many undulations as there are shuttles in
action.
The warp threads are operated by leaves N divided into as many sections as
there are shuttles multiplied by two-One half of these sections is always out of
action to allow the shuttles to pass whilst the other half is changing the position
of the warp.

page_text: The leaves may be operated in the ordinary way by the employment of as many
jacquard mechanisms as there are sections in the width of the loom-The beams C
provided with a suitable brake deliver the warp threads which are crossed as
described and the woven fabric after being acted on by the battens 0 is drawn
'between a bar Z and breast beam I and wound upon a beam X.
It is evident that by means of these improvements it is possible to construct
rectilinear looms of a width heretofore unattainable.
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. In rectilinear and circular looms the arrangement of the shuttle B* provided
with wheels D and C of lenticular form and its mode of travelling in the
angle formed by the warp the said shuttle being capable of being propelled by a
divided batten substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1, 2,
4, 5, and 10 of the accompanying drawings.
2. In rectilinear and circular looms the method of driving the shuttle B4 by
means of a divided batten composed of blades O carried either by oscillating levers M
or by a sliding bar M 1 guided by a table J presenting slots perpendicular to its length
and operated by a cam P receiving motion from any suitable mechanism substantially
as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, and 9 of the
accompanying drawings.
3. In a circular loom the arrangement of the beams or bobbins C provided with
loaded brakes and combined with rods which provide for a regular unwinding and
constant tension of the warp substantially as herein before described with reference to
Figures 1, 2 and 7 of the accompanying drawings.
4. In a circular loom the mode of taking up the woven fabric by means of hoops X
and Y partaking of alternating ascending and descending movements one of the said
hoops being operated by screws S driven by gearing capable of causing the said screws
to rotate in either direction and the other of the said hoops being capable of being
tightened against the first in order to hold the fabric and draw it onward or to release
it in order to be raised by means of a winch or the like substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.
5. In a rectilinear or circular loom the mode of supporting the wheels of the
shuttle B 4 by the edges of the hoops Z and I (the latter forming the internal breast
beams) substantially as herein before described with reference to Figures 1, 11, and 12
of the accompanying drawings.
6. In a circular loom the arrangement in the interior of the loom of a central
platform G for the attendant weaver having within reach the stopping and starting
gear the take up gear and other parts to be operated in controlling the working of
the loom and an external platform G for the boy or attendant employed to attend
to the unwinding of the warp threads from the bobbins or beams substantially as
hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.
7. In a circular loom the arrangement of the leaves N acting in combination with
jacquard mechanism in order to form the opening of the wrap and change the
relative position of the warp threads according to the pattern to be produced sub-
stantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 of
the accompanying drawings.
8. in rectilinear and circular looms the arrangement of the mechanism for starting
and stopping acting in combination with the mechanism for taking up or beaming
the fabric substantially as bereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
or
9. The general arrangement of a circular loom comprising braked bobbins
beams C leaves N worked by jacquard mechanism B, a batten composed of parts O
worked by a cam Pa hoop Z and a breast beam I for the support of the wheels of
the shuttle, a shuttle B4 hoops X and Y for taking up the fabric, a starting and

page_text: stopping mechanism, a central platform G 1, and an external platform G, all com-
bined in such a manner as to produce a tubular fabric and operating in the manner
hereinbefore set forth with reference to Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the accompanying
drawings.
10. The general arrangement of a rectilinear loom comprising braked bobbins or
beams leaves N. operated by jacquard mechanism, a batten composed of parts O
worked by cams P, a hook Z and a breast beam I for, the support of the wheels of the
shuttle, a shuttle B4 and a beam X for taking up the fabric all combined in such a
manner as to produce a fabric of great width with equal tension of the warp and
weft threads and operating in the manner hereinbefore set forth with reference to
figures 13 and 14 of the accompanying drawings.
The arrangements and combinations of parts constituting the improvements in
circular and rectilinear looms substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to
the accompanying drawings.