IMPROVEMENTS IN CIRCULAR MAGNETIC LOOMS
Year: 1885

page_text: We, EDOUARD WINCKLER, and JEAN JACQUES HEILMANN, of Mulhouse, Alsace-
Lorraine (Gerinany) Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of our said invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CIRCULAR MAGNETIC LOOMS," to be as follows:-
The present application for Letters Patent has for its object certain improve-
ments in the system of circular weaving looms which was patented on April 8th
1884 No 6120.
These improvements relate especially to the following points!
1. The method of weaving the edges of the fabrics produced simultaneously on
the loom.
2. The method of propelling the shuttles.
3. The system of the circular comb constructed for pushing up the weft thread
to the tissue.
4. The system of rollers for distributing and maintaining the threads of the warp
around the loom.
In the prior patent referred to above, the warp is described and shown as
divided into groups, the number of which corresponds to that of the pieces which
are to be woven simultaneously, and that in order to form the borders of these
strips, each thread of the weft is cut, midway between every two strips and that
the loose ends thus produced are interwoven by means of hooks or movable claws
in the fabric; these different organs being set in motion by the comb or harness
of the loom; A modification of this method, possessing special advantages will
now be described.
The frame of the loom receives in the openings indicated above a little pair of
shears of which one limb is fixed, and the other limb is movable, and carries a
knob projecting sideways, destined to be caught by the comb at the moment when
it rises after the passage of the shuttle. This action of the comb therefore
suddenly closes the jaws of the shears, which are otherwise held open by a spring.
In this arrangement the comb on rising and pushing up the weft thread into the
tissue, places it between the jaws of the shears which are open to receive it then
continuing its ascent it strikes the knob and cuts the thread, both ends of which
are immediately inserted into the tissue so as to form the border. For this
purpose, two levers the upper ends of which are curved so as to allow of the

page_text: passing of the shuttle and furnished with little claws or holders into which the
comb on rising inserts the thread, are articulated to the lower part of a support
fixed to the frame.
On the other hand the comb on reaching the bottom of its course abuts upon the
short lower arms of levers projecting from the shears, cach drawing an end of the
weft thread and folding it back in the tissue in which they leave it: springs
replace automatically the hooked levers in their original position as soon as the
comb commences to rise and ceases to press upon their lower end.
In these conditions care having been taken that the sled has changed the warp
threads before the comb has completed its descent, the ends of the weft will remain
engaged in the thread which follows that where the weft has passed, and they will
be pushed up into this fabric simultaneously with the following thread by the
action of the comb, thereby forming a satisfactory border.
Or a modification of the arrangement just described is constructed in which the
opening of the shears is determined by the movement of the comb, and the closing
is effected by a spring.
In some cases the shears employed to cut the weft are replaced by a fixed
cutting blade, moreover the moving hooks are actuated by eccentrics driven by the
shaft of the loom.
The mechanism employed in this modification consists essentially of two pieces
of parallelogram shape, fixed in the intervals of the warps, the lower branches of
which carry a needle bent at its end like a crochet hook.
These parallelograms are suspended from pivots fixed upon a piece attached to
the breast piece of the loom, by means of a rod passing through the aperture in the
threads of the warp.
The arms of the parallelograms are moved by rods actuated by eccentrics, the
curves of which are calculated to cause the hooks at the ends of the needles to take
a fixed course. These parallelograms are fixed on the loom in such positions that
during their movements, the needles penetrate obliquely between the warp threads,
forming the cone shaped outer surface, in the interior of which the shuttle passes.
To cut the thread a sort of reversed fork is employed in this case, one blade of
which is sharp, this fork is articulated in the interval of the warp threads upon the
frame so as to be capable of movement in a plane perpendicular to the loom; the
position of this fork is so adjusted that its apex is fixed a little below the point
where the thread is pushed up by the comb. On the other hand, the shuttle race
is furnished with a projecting knob which at each revolution projects the fork into
position.
The apparatus constructed as described operates as follows:
The shuttle in passing leaves behind it a thread which being pushed up into the
fabric by the comb becomes lodged in the apex of the fork after this the crossing
of the threads of the warp changes and the shuttle passes again: upon contact
with the stud on the shuttle race the fork is displaced and catches the thread
which it contains in the hooks of the needles: these needles then draw back and in
this movement press the thread against the edge of the fork which is cutting: the
thread is thus cut.
Immediately afterwards the needles assume the first position and the comb
thrusts the fresh thread into the fork which has been returned by its spring to its
initial position and the warp being again changed by the harness the needles
traverse the exterior set of the warp threads, and take the fresh thread as soon as
the stud of the shuttle race again displaces the fork as has been described above.
It should be stated moreover that for certain fabrics where it is desirable to
increase the width of the intervals between the several warps, each of the
parallelograms is actuated by means of a special pair of eccentrics, actuating
separately at an interval of time calculated according to the width of the space.
Another improved detail of this system of weaving looms has reference to
the mode of actuating the shuttles, and has for its object to secure their action
whichever way the loom turns.

page_text: As has been pointed out in the previous patent the system is one of mechanical
propulsion of the shuttle around the axis of the loom, only making use of an
electro magnet to counterbalance the centrifugal force. The curved shuttle pro-
vided with its bobbin carries a plate of soft iron intended to be attracted by the
electro magnet, the thread in running off the bobbin passes through a little
channel, and may if desired be passed through a tension mechanism.
It then runs
out by means of a metallic guide towards the upper part of the web formed by the
crossing of the warp threads.
As described in the previous patent the movement of circular propulsion is
transmitted to the shuttle by means of two piñions mounted upon axles driven by
spur wheels forming part of a train of gearing arranged in the interior of the
frame piece of the loom. The axles are carried by the arms revolving around the
main axis of the loom and bearing the electro magnet. The pinions receive
therefore a movement of rotation which they transmit to the little wheels placed
symmetrically at the ends of the shuttle and between which they are partially
inserted so as to secure a circular movement.
The special shape of the pinions secures the movement of the shuttle in a
horizontal plane, and prevent it rising or descending in the warp threads, and the
cylindrical portions which bound the curved ones are designed to prevent the
shuttle from turning round during its motion.
A further improvement in the circular loom which forms the subject of this
specification consists in the construction of the circular comb. In the previous
patent already cited, a circular comb is described consisting of a series of sections
adjusted to rise successively, and of which each portion only commences to descend
after that which follows it has arrived at the top of its course.
This comb may be
constructed as already described, or of a series of articulated blades working
separately or in groups and actuated by means of projections or pinions attached, to
the ends of the arms revolving round the axis of the loom and fixed some below
and some above the movable blades which are thus alternately raised and depressed
by the passage of these pinions.
A further improvement has reference to the distributing rollers facilitating the
adjustment of the warp around the loom. It is found in practice that the use of
cylindrical rollers for this purpose tends to draw the warp threads together towards
the centre of these cylinders; with the object of removing this drawback the
following arrangement has been contrived: The warp threads, wound as usual
upon cylindrical rollers placed at the lower circumference of the loom, pass from
them to rollers composed of a series of cylindrical portions of decreasing diameter
from the ends of the rolls to the middle; the diameters of these different portions
of the rollers are calculated so that they are practically tangential to the cylinder
formed by the warp.

page_text: We, EDOUARD WINCKLER, and JEAN JACQUES HEILMANN, of Mulhouse, Alsace.
Lorraine (Germany) Engineers, 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 application for Letters Patent has for its object certain improve-
ments in the system of circular weaving looms which was patented on April 8th
1884 N° 6120.
These improvements relate especially to the following points:
1. The method of weaving the edges of the fabrics produced simultaneously on
the loom.
2. The method of propelling the shuttles.
3. The system of the circular comb constructed for pushing up the weft thread to
the tissue.
4. The system of rollers for distributing and maintaining the threads of the warp
around the loom.
These details will be made more clearly intelligible by reference to the drawings
accompanying this specification.
Figure 1 represents a vertical section of the apparatus showing the shears which
cut the thread, and the claws which turn back the ends into the fabric.
Figure 2 is a front view.
Figure 3 is a horizontal section.
Figure 4 represents another method of actuating the shears.
Figure 5 is a perspective view shewing an apparatus working without shears,
and in which the claws are actuated by eccentrics.
Figure 6 is an elevation of this construction, shewing the action of the claws, and
of the parallelograms to which they are adapted.
Figure 7 is a vertical section of the same.
Figures 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 represent in detail the various positions which the
parallelograms assume successively under the action of the eccentrics which actuate
them.
Figure 13 represents a plan view of the shuttle and of the method of propulsion.
Figure 14 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same.
Figure 15 is a transverse section of the apparatus shewing the form of the
driving pinions of the shuttle.
Figure 16 is a transverse section shewing the arrangement of the electro-magnet
which holds the shuttle against its driving pinions.
Figure 17 represents a plan view of distributing rollers for the warp around the
cylindrical loom.
Figure 18 represents a view of the same in transverse section.
In the prior patent referred to above, the warp is described and shewn as divided
into groups, the number of which corresponds to that of the pieces which are to be
woven simultaneously, and that in order to form the borders of these strips, each
thread of the weft is cut, midway between every two strips; and that the loose
ends thus produced are interwoven by means of hooks or movable claws in the

page_text: fabric; these different organs being set in motion by the comb or harness of the
loom; a modification of this method, possessing special advantages, will now be
described.
c
As shewn on Sheet I Figures 1, 2, 3, the support a of the loom receives in the
openings indicated above, a little pair of shears of which the limb b is fixed, and
the other limb c is movable, and carries a knob d projecting sideways, destined to
be caught by the comb f at the moment when it rises after the passage of the
shuttle. This action of the comb therefore suddenly closes the jaws of the shears,
which are otherwise held open by a spring e. In this arrangement the comb f on
rising and pushing up the weft thread into the tissue, places it between the jaws of
the shears, which are open to receive it, then continuing its ascent it strikes the
piece d and cuts the thread, both ends of which are immediately inserted into the
tissue so as to form the border for this purpose, two levers g, the upper ends of
which are curved so as to allow of the passing of the shuttle k and furnished with
little claws or holders into which the comb on rising inserts the thread, are
articulated at i to the lower part of a support h fixed to the frame a.
On the other hand the comb on reaching the bottom of its course, that is to say
in the positions f¹, f" abuts upon the short lower arms of the levers g projecting
from the shears in the direction shewn by the arrows, each drawing an end of the
weft thread and folding it back in the tissue in which they leave it: springs j
replace automatically the hooked levers g in their original position as soon as the
comb commences to rise, and ceases to press upon their lower end.
In these conditions care having been taken that the sled has changed the warp
threads before the comb has completed its descent, the ends of the weft will remain
engaged in the thread which follows that where the weft has passed, and they will
be pushed up into this fabric simultaneously with the following thread by the
action of the comb f, thereby forming a satisfactory border.
Figure 4 shews a modification of the arrangement just described, in which the
opening of the shears is determined by the movement of the comb f and the closing
is effected by the spring e.
In the arrangements shewn in Figures 5 to 12 the shears employed to cut the
weft are replaced by a fixed cutting blade; moreover the moving hooks are
actuated by eccentrics driven by the shaft of the loom.
The mechanism employed in this modification consists essentially of two pieces of
parallelogram shape, fixed in the intervals of the warps, the lower branches of which
carry a needle bent at its end like a crochet hook.
These parallelograms shewn at A, B, C, D, and A¹, B¹, C¹, D¹, Figures 6 and 7,
are suspended from pivots A, A¹, fixed upon a piece E attached to the breast
piece F of the loom, by means of a rod passing through the aperture in the threads
of the warp.
The arms A, B, A¹, B', and A, D, A¹, D', of the parallelograms are moved by the
rods HH actuated by the eccentrics G G¹ the curves of which are calculated to
cause the hooks at the ends of the needles I to take a fixed course.
The various positions which these needles have to take up are represented in
Figures 8 to 12 of the annexed drawings; there is moreover shewn in Figure 6
the positions of the parallelograms, indicated by the Figures 1, 2, 4, 5 and corre-
sponding to the positions of Figures 8, 9, 11, 12, of the drawing. As shewn at
Figures 6, 7, the eccentrics G, G¹, actuated by a shaft J. move the parts L L'
provided with opposing springs K K and held by a support fixed to the breast
piece F of the loom: it is to the lower part of these pieces I, I', that the rods H H¹
are articulated, which actuate the parallelograms. These parallelograms are fixed
on the loom in such positions that during their movements, the needles I r
penetrate obliquely between the warp threads, forming the cone shaped outer
surface, in the interior of which the shuttle passes; this position of the needles is
clearly shewn at Figure in the drawings. To cut the thread, a sort of reversed
fork is employed in this case, one blade of which is sharp; this fork M is articu-
lated in the interval of the warp threads upon the frame F so as to be capable of

page_text: movement in a plane perpendicular to the loom, as shewn in Figure 5, the position
of this fork is so adjusted that its apex is fixed a little below the point where the
thread is pushed up by the comb. On the other hand, the shuttle race O is
furnished with a projecting knob P which at eách revolution projects the fork M
into the position shewn by the dotted lines in the drawing.
The apparatus constructed or described operates as follows:-
The shuttle in passing leaves behind it a thread which being pushed up into the
fabric by the comb, takes the position Z, Z, Figures 5, 6, that is to say it becomes
lodged in the apex of the fork M; after this the crossing of the threads of the
warp changes, and the shuttle passés again: upon contact with the stud P on the
shuttle race the fork M is displaced and catches the thread which it contains in
the hooks of the needles I which are at this moment in the position III: these
needles then draw back, and in this movement, press the thread against the edge
of the fork M. which is cutting the thread is thus cut, the hooks take successively
the positions IV, V, Figure 6, and engage the ends of the thread which they hold
in the warp threads at the very time when the fabric closes.
:
Immediately afterwards the needles assume the positions I and II, and the comb
thrusts the fresh thread into the fork M, which has been returned by its spring N
to its initial position, and the warp being again changed by the harness the needles
pass from position I into position III, traversing the exterior set of the warp
threads to reach the position shewn at Figure 5 and take the fresh thread: as
soon as the stud P of the shuttle race again displaces the fork M as has been
described above. It should be stated moreover that for certain fabrics, where it is
desirable to increase the width of the intervals between the several warps, each
of the parallelograms, A, B, C, D, A, B, C, D, is actuated by means of a special
pair of eccentrics G, G¹, actuating separately at an interval of time calculated
according to the width of the space.
Another improved detail of this system of weaving looms has reference to the
mode of actuating the sluttles and has for its object to secure their action which-
ever way the loom turns.
1
As has been pointed out in the previous patent No 6120 of 1884 the system is
one of mechanical propulsion of the shuttle around the axis of the loom only
making use of an electro magnet to counterbalance the centrifugal force. Figures 13
to 16 of the annexed drawings represent a specimen of the improved construction
which forms the object of this patent. As shewn in the drawings, the curved
shuttle A provided with its bobbin B carries a plate of soft iron F intended to
be attracted by the electro-magnet H; the thread is running off the bobbin B
passes through a little channel C and may, if desired be passed through a tension
mechanism. It then runs out by means of a metallic guide D towards the upper
part of the web formed by the crossing of the warp threads E.
As described in the previous patent cited above, the movement of circular
propulsion is transmitted to the shuttle by means of two pinions P and P¹ mounted
upon axles L L driven by spur wheels M forming part of a train of gearing
arranged in the interior of the frame-piece N of the loom. The axles L L' are
carried by the arms I, revolving around the main axis of the loom, and bearing the
electro magnet H. The pinions P and P¹ receive therefore a movement of rotation
which they transmit to the little wheels, G, G¹, G, G placed symmetrically at
the ends of the shuttles, and between which they are partially inserted so as to
secure a circular movement.
As shown in Figures 14 and 15 of the annexed drawings, the outline of the
pinions P, P¹ and G, G¹, G, Gu presents curved portions ending at top, and at
bottom in straight cylindrical portions. The convexities and concavities of the
pinions secure the movement of the shuttle in a horizontal plane and prevent it
rising or descending in the warp: threads and the cylindrical portions which bound
the curved ones are designed to prevent the shuttle from turning round during its
motion. It is obvious that these pinions may be of any desired diameter, size and
pitch according to the speed of working and the fabrics to be woven..

page_text: A further improvement in the circular loom, which forms the subject of this
specification consists in the construction of the circular comb. In the previous
patent already cited, a circular comb is described consisting of a series of sections
adjusted to rise successively, and of which each portion only commences to descend
after that which follows it has arrived at the top of its course.
This comb may
be constructed as already described, or of a series of articulated blades working
separately or in groups, and actuated by means of projections or pinions attached
to the ends of the arms revolving round the axis of the loom and fixed, some
below and some above the movable blades which are thus alternately raised and
depressed by the passage of these pinions. Figures 17 and 18 of the annexed
drawings illustrate an arrangement of distributing rollers facilitating the adjust-
ment of the warp. around the. loom. It is found in practice that the use of
cylindrical rollers for this purpose tends to draw the warp threads together towards
the centre of these cylinders: with the object of removing this drawback the
following arrangement has been contrived. As shewn in Figures 17 and 18 the
warp threads, wound as usual upon cylindrical rollers R placed at the lower
.circumference of the loom, pass from them to rollers S composed of a series of
cylindrical portions of decreasing diameter, from the ends of the rolls to the
middle the diameters of these different portions of the rollers are calculated so
that they are practically tangential to the cylinder X X formed by the warp
(Figure 17).
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. The method of weaving borders on the edges of fabrics produced simultane-
ously upon circular looms, by cutting each weft thread in the interval between
the sets of warp threads corresponding to each width of the web, and inserting the
eut ends into the fabric after the position of the warp threads has been changed
so that the cut ends are pushed up by the comb simultaneously with the following
thread.
2. The arrangement in the intervals of the sets of warps of shears adjusted to
cut each weft thread automatically under the action of the comb, and of an
opposing spring in combination with a system of articulated hooks also actuated
by the comb, and which fold back the ends of the weft thread after it has been
cut, in the fabric after the position of the warp threads has been changed,
3. The use for the same purpose of an oscillating fork with an inside cutting
edge holding and cutting the thread: this fork being actuated by a projection upon
the movable conductor of the shuttle, combined with a system of hooked needles
for inserting the cut ends of the weft in the warp.
4. The use of parallelograms suspended at a fixed point, for the purpose of
actuating the booked needles aforesaid, two arms of which parallelograins are
actuated by means of rods driven by eccentrics, the adjustment of which determines
the amount and direction of the. penetration of the hooks in the warp, where
they take hold of the weft as soon as the warp has been changed for the purpose
of ensuring the cutting of it, and the insertion of the ends in the fabric.
5. In circular weaving looms, the method of mechanically propelling the shuttles
by means of pinions P and P¹ revolving upon themselves, and mounted on arms
actuated by the loom; these pinions P P being in train with pinions G, G¹, G, G,
arranged symmetrically at the two ends of this shuttle, which is held firmly against
the pinious P P¹ by means of electro-magnets H.
6. The use, for propelling the shuttles, of pinions having respectively convex or
concave edges, having sufficient grip to prevent the shuttles from rising during
their circular movement, these edges being also provided with cylindrical parts
adapted to prevent the shuttles from turning aside or revolving during their
motion.

page_text: 7. The use, as a circular comb, of metallic blades disposed fan-wise and pivoted,
working separately or in groups, actuated by pinions revolving around the shaft of
the loom, and acting upon the blades alternately above and below.
8. The use of rollers formed of a series of cylindrical portions, juxtaposed, of
diameter decreasing from the ends of the roller towards the middle, so as to be
always practically tangential to the cylinder formed by the threads of the warp,
for the purpose of distributing and maintaining the threads of the warp evenly
around the loom,
The whole substantially as described and shewn in the accompanying drawings.