Improvements in or relating to Weaving Apparatus.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Jan., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 17th Nov., 1891-Accepted, 16th Apr., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Weaving Apparatus.
I, RUDOLPH WEISS of 139 Noel Street, in the Borough of Nottingham,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates more especially to weaving apparatus in which the warp
threads are disposed so as to form a circular shed in which the shuttle or shuttles
travel and have a constant motion in a circular path corresponding to the shed.
The warp threads are operated by radial guides which are preferably carried by
inner and outer annular rings provided with combs or sleys with radial gates to
carry the guides and in which they can slide. Between these rings is an annular
space to allow of the passage of the threads the outer one being carried by a
suitable framing and the inner one, which may be provided with a central boss
connected to the ring by radial arms may be secured to a central fixed shaft or
pillar secured at its lower end to the framing.
The radial guides work across the space between the annular rings and the
threads are carried between them and through a hole or eyelet formed in or
attached to each, corresponding preferably to the position of the eyelet hole in
each guide is an upward projection which when the shed is open that is for
example when alternate guides are in their extreme inner and and outer positions,
form a path for the shuttles between the projections. The shuttles two or more
of which may be employed, are preferably formed with a curve corresponding to
the curve of the path in which they travel and are provided at the rear with a
double inclined surface of a suitable angle. As the position of each guide is
successively reversed by revolving cam surfaces, the vertical projections as they
cross will by their action on the inclined surfaces at the rear of the shuttles propel
them and will thus lay in the shuttle thread immediately preceding the successive
shedding motion of the warp threads operated by the guides.
It is not necessary for the guides to cross so as to propel the shuttle but when
weaving a pattern in the fabric, some of the guides may not cross but only
approach the centre so as to assist in the propulsion of the shuttle and then
return.
To reduce the friction the shuttles may be provided with anti-friction rollers, a
shuttle thread guide may be also attached to each arranged so as to lay the thread
in the desired position.
The upper ends of the vertical projections may be enlarged so as to form a cover
over the shuttle race and their upper edges inclined so as to force the shuttle thread
up to the fabric as it is laid in.
Provision may be made for removing or inserting the shuttle by making a segment
of the cam surfaces removable or constructing the segment so as to slide radially on
the main part.
The radial guides may be operated by the direct action of a cam wheel rotating
on the central shaft provided with cam grooves or projecting cam surfaces engaging
with heels on the inner ends of the guides or in recesses formed in the guides or the
guides may be operated by levers pivotted in suitable combs or sleys carried prefer-
ably by the inner ring one end of each of which engages with its corresponding
guide and their other ends engaging with the cam surface of the cam wheel.
As it is necessary to reverse the position of the guides or some of them at the
same time, two cam surfaces are required and each cam surface preferably engages
with alternate guides. To effect this the heels or recesses of alternate guides are
formed at different parts and engage with one of two independent cam grooves in
different cams or both formed in one cam wheel; when the guides are actuated

page_text: through levers engaging with the cam surfaces each alternate lever may be adapted
to engage in one of the two.
If preferable the guides may be operated by suitably formed wheels pivotted on
the ends of arms or on the periphery of a main wheel turning on the central shaft or
pillar each wheel or set of wheels giving to the guide the reverse motion to the one
preceding it.
The cam wheel may be driven by a pinion secured to a vertical shaft engaging
with an annular wheel secured to or forming part of the cam wheel; the vertical
shaft may be carried in bearings secured to the central shaft or pillar and may be
connected by suitable gearing to a driving shaft carried in suitable bearings and
provided with pulleys.
The warp threads are carried on preferably three or more beams arranged on the
underside of the guides and carried in suitable bearings secured to the framing;
to ensure an equal take up from each beam so as to obtain equality in the work they
may be connected to each other by gearing, sufficient tension being obtained in the
usual manner or the beams may be connected by gearing to the driving shaft so that
the threads may be given off at a rate corresponding to the take-up of the work beam
or nearly so.
To compensate the warp threads so as to maintain the tension on them during
the movement of the guides a supplementary set of guides may be employed;
these may be arranged so as to operate the threads between the guides and the
beams and may be carried by suitable combs or sleys and actuated by a cam ring
provided with an annular wheel gearing with a pinion on the vertical shaft.
Sufficient motion is imparted to the supplementary guides corresponding to
the guides which are moved so as to compensate the threads for that movement.
The work beam or beams are preferably arranged centrally and above the guides
and carried in bearings secured to the framing; they may be actuated by a worm
secured to a vertical shaft engaging with a worm wheel on one of the work beams,
the lower ends of the shaft being connected to the main driving shaft by gearing
60 as to take up the work at the required speed or this may be effected by other
suitable mechanical arrangements.
The fabric as it is produced passes over a circular facing of a suitable diameter
which may be secured to the radial arms of a central boss secured to the central shaft
or pillar.
;
If desirable to assist in beating up the shuttle thread points or jacks may be employed
arranged radially and pivotted in combs to sleys secured preferably to the circular
facing the outer ends of these points or jacks are formed so as to engage with and
raise the shuttle threads and their inner ends may engage with and be actuated by
the cam surface of a cam wheel rotating on the central shaft or pillar driven
simultaneously with and in the same manner as the thread guide cam wheels.
To produce patterns or different effects in the fabric the thread guides may be
constructed with supplementary links provided with heels or recesses engaging with
the cam surfaces so that they may be thrown out of action with the cam surfaces
by the action of a jacquard and such links may be adapted so that when thrown out
of action with the main cam surface they engage with supplementary cam surfaces
which impart to them sufficient motion only to propel the shuttle.
Without tying myself absolutely to the foregoing Specification I submit it as
giving a fair description of my invention.
Dated this 17th day of January 1891.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Weaving Apparatus.
RUDOLPH WEISS of 139 Noel Street, in the Borough of Nottingham,
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 :-
This invention relates to weaving apparatus in which the warp threads are
disposed so as to form a circular shed in which the shuttle or shuttles travel and
have a constant motion in a circular path corresponding to the shed.
It will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation and Fig. 2 a plan of a portion of the apparatus.
Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation showing part of the same drawn to a larger scale.
Fig. 4 is a plan of a shuttle and operating mechanism.
Fig. 4 is a side elevation of one of the shuttles.
Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation and
Fig. 6 a plan showing detail of beating up mechanism.
Fig. 7 is an elevation of the take-up and work rollers, and
Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation showing alternative arrangement.
Figs. 5 & 6 are drawn to a larger scale than any of the other figures.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
The framing of the loom is formed by pairs of outer and inner vertical
supports A. A cach pair being connected by radial stays B, the inner supports A¹
are connected together by rings C and, the outer supports A by segmental
stays D.
The shuttles a two or more pairs of which may be employed (see Figs. 3 & 4)
are carried and operated by radial jacks or slides 6 which are carried by outer and
inner rings c, c', c², c³, c, provided with radial recesses or gates to receive the jacks b
and in which they freely slide: the rings are carried by brackets d, d', secured
respectively to the vertical supports A, A¹.
The jacks work across the annular space between the rings c, c', e³, et, and are
provided at this part each with a vertical extension 7. When in their normal
position the extension on each alternate jack is on the right of the annular space
and the extensions on the other jacks on the left so that an annular recess or race
is formed by the jacks b and their extension in which the shuttles travel and
through which the warp threads F can pass.
The shuttles a are formed with a curve corresponding to the curve of the race in
which they travel and are provided at the rear with inclined surfaces a' they are
propelled by the action of the jacks which are operated so that their extensions
successively approach from both sides the centre line of the shuttle race.
The inner edges of the extensions 6' acting on the intervening inclined surfaces (¹
of each shuttle force the said shuttles forward in the same direction as the cam
ringe operating the jacks in such a manner that the warp threads cannot get dis-
placed, dragged, or broken, through being caught by, or squeezed between the
shuttle and the shuttle propelling apparati nor be influenced dragged or torn by the
shuttle leaning against the wall or walls of the shed.
b
The jacks are actuated by a cam ringe working between the rings c¹, c³ and
provided with two cam grooves in which the heels of alternate jacks respec-
tively engage. The cam ring e is secured to an annular rack or internally toothed
ring or wheel e which is in gear with the wheel e Fig. 1 secured to a short shaft e³
carried in a bearing & secured to the bracket d'. Secured to the upper end of the
shaft e is a second wheel which engages with a wheel e secured to the vertical

page_text: shaft which is carried in bearings e secured to one of the supports A' and is
connected to the main driving shaft by bevel wheels e".
The shedding motion is effected by radial guides y arranged in two tiers and
carried in radial recesses or gates on the underside of the ring c and the upper
surface of the ring the latter being carried by brackets h' secured to the
supports A, their inner ends being also supported by the sley / secured to the
ring c¹.
The guides g may be provided with holes or other suitable arrangement for the
passage of the warp threads F and are actuated by a cam ring g' working between
the rings and h and provided with cam grooves on its upper and lower surfaces
in which the heels g² of the guides o engage, the movement of one tier being the
reverse of the other so as to actuate the warp threads in the same manner as an
ordinary loom harness.
On the periphery of the cam ring glare teeth engaging with an intermediate
wheel pivotted on a bracket go secured to the framing. The wheel 9 is in gear
with a wheel g' secured to the vertical shaft which is carried in bearings y
secured to one of the supports A and which shaft is connected to the main driving
shaft by bevel wheels 10. The main shaft is carried in bearings f¹ & f2 secured
to two of the supports A Aand is provided with fast and loose pulleys f³ for the
driving belt.
The beating up is effected by slides shaped as shown in Figs. 5 & 6 carried in
outer and inner rings 1, 2, secured to the brackets d, d', and provided with radial
recesses or gates to receive the slides. The slides i are actuated by outer and inner
cam rings provided with cam grooves in which the heels of the slides i
engage, the inner edge of the inner cam ring is formed with teeth which engage
with the beforementioned wheel e on the short shaft e³.
The outer edge of the outer cam ring is also formed with teeth which engage
with an intermediate wheel pivotted to a bracket Fig. 1 secured to the framing
and this intermediate wheel engages with a wheel secured to the beforementioned
vertical shaft g*.
The slides i are disposed so that every alternate one is operated by the outer cam
ring and the remainder by the inner cam ring so that when beating up they act
in opposite directions and their ends cross each other as shown. The inner edge of
the ring and the outer edge of the ring are provided with projections or teeth j
which divide the space between the slides i in each ring so as to prevent the warp
threads from moving from one side of the space to the other when the slides are
withdrawn to admit the shuttle thread.
For this purpose also the shedding motion is effected whilst the slides i are in
their inner or closed position so that the threads will take their proper position
before the slides i are withdrawn to admit the shuttle thread.
With this arrangement the number of slides i may correspond with the number of
warp threads employed per inch, that is the gauge of the fabric, while the jacks b
may be less in number, two or more threads passing between each, and consequently
may be of such a thickness and strength as required for the propulsion of the
shuttle.
Secured to the shuttles a by preferably a spring a is a plate a² of the shape
shown, the pointed end of which divides the warp threads and holds them in the
teeth whilst the slides i are open. The plate a² may be provided with a hole or
guide for the passage of the shuttle thread and also two vertical extensions a' which
run in a groove formed by cutting a notch in the underside of each slide i the
position of which notches coincides with the centre line of the shuttle race when
the slides are closed, this prevents the shuttles from jumping and insures the shuttle
threads being laid in the exact position required.
The extensions a keep each of the plates a² in such a position as to prevent
squeezing of the warp threads F between the plate a² and the rings i¹ & 2, while
at the same time this means of supporting the plate centrally between the

page_text: rings & insures the retention of the warp threads between the teeth or
projections of both rings i¹ & at the time the slides i are opened or withdrawn to
admit the shuttle thread.
The warp threads are carried on beams & supported in bearings secured to the
supports A.
The take-up mechanism consists of two rollers & carried centrally above the loom.
in bearings secured to or formed in two of the vertical supports A which two are
extended for this purpose. These rollers are preferably covered with perforated
or punctured zinc or other roughened material so as to firmly grip the material
between them. Motion is imparted to one of the rollers by a worm m and
wheel m', the latter being secured to the roller spindle and the former secured
on shaft m connected to the beforementioned shaft g by wheels m². The material
after passing between the rollers is wound on the beam n any suitable well known
arrangement being employed for taking up the slack between the rollers and
beam n.
In an alternative arrangement shown in Fig. 8 the extensions of the jacks bare
continued above the shuttle and may be shaped as shown, in this arrangement the
upper parts of the extensions are employed for beating up the shuttle thread as
it is inserted. The jacks may also be formed with holes for the passage of the
warp threads F and by reversing the positions of the extensions that is moving
those on the right to the extreme left, and those on the left to the extreme right
after each shuttle thread is inserted, the jacks will propel one shuttle and at the
same time perform the shedding motion for the following one.
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 a circular loom propelling a shuttle by radially reciprocating jacks which
moving in opposite directions exert pressure upon oppositely inclined surfaces at
the rear of the shuttle substantially as described.
2. A circular loom in which a shuttle race is formed by radial jacks such as bb'
which retain the shuttle in its position so that it does not bear against the warp.
threads and permits of the free passage and shedding of the said warp threads
substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. A circular loom in which the beating up is effected by slides such as i arranged
on both sides of the threads and moved towards and across each other substantially
as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
4. In a circular loom the combination with beating up slides such as i of teeth
or projections such as; dividing the space between the said slides i substantially as
and for the purpose described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
5. In a circular loom the combination with a shuttle such as a of a plate such
as a for holding the warp threads in the recesses between the teeth j and slides i
while the said slides are open to admit the shuttle thread substantially as described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
6. In a circular loom the combination with a shuttle and extensions such as a³.
in
of beating up slides such as i each having a notch which together form a groove
which the extensions a travel for retaining in position a shuttle thread plate such
as a acting as a guide substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
7. In a circular loom the combination with jacks such as b₁ forming a shuttle.
race and propelling mechanism of slides such as i forming the beating up mechanism
the number of which is dependent upon the number of warp threads per inch that
is the gauge of the fabric substantially as described and illustrated in the accom-.
panying drawings.
8. A circular loom in which jacks such as form a shuttle race and pro-
pelling mechanism and the parts b' of which are formed with heads for effecting
the beating up and holes for the passage of the warp threads so that the consecutive

page_text: crossing of the parts b¹ effects the shuttle propelling the beating up and the
shedding substantially as described and illustrated in Fig. 8 of the accompanying
drawings.
9. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete loom
substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 16th day of November 1891.
RUDOLPH WEISS.
W. P. Thompson & Boult,
Agents for the Applicant.