Method of and Apparatus for Manufacturing Lace and other Braided or Plaited Fabrics upon Circular Frames.
Year: 1894

page_text: Method of and Apparatus for Manufacturing Lace and other Braided
or Plaited Fabrics upon Circular Frames.
We, ERNEST MALHERE, LEON MALHERE and Alfred Malhère, all of
Beaumont le Roger, Eure, France, Manufacturers, 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 an improved construction of circular frames such as are
employed for the production of plaited ribbons whereby they are adapted to the
manufacture of lace and other looped fabrics.
As is well known, in these frames :
Firstly. The threads are wound on bobbins arranged vertically upon tubular
spindles on issuing from which the threads are united at the centre of the frame,
forming together a more or less sharp cone.
Secondly. The spindles are subject to interrupted movements in circular slides
communicating with each other at their points of contact.
Thirdly. The movements of the spindles are obtained by means of discs having
at their periphery two or four diametrically opposite notches, and revolving
concentrically with the slides and in contrary directious in pairs.
The arrangement with two diametrically opposite notches will alone be considered
here.
Fourth. During a semi revolution of the discs, the whole of the spindles are
only subject to the motion of the discs turning in the same direction for producing
the crossings of threads in the same direction grouped two and two together.
On the completion of this semi revolution, that is to say, when all the spindles
are arranged in line at the points of contact of the discs, they leave the first disc
and follow for another semi revolution the motion of the discs travelling in the
contrary direction, so that by this means the direction of the crossings of the
threads is changed at each semi revolution.
Fifth. The guidance of the spindles at the crossing points of the slides is obtained
in most frames by means of articulated switches which open those slides through
which the spindles are to pass and simultaneously close the others.
Sixth. The movements of the switches are alternating and in the opposite
direction for two consecutive semi revolutions of the discs.
If a plaited band and a strip of lace be compared, it will be seen that there is
considerable analogy in the modes of interlacement of the threads constituting the
same, and it may be said that a piece of lace is a plait of which a certain number of
interlacements have been suppressed, according to a method adapted to each design
of lace, as shewn at Figs. 1, 1; 2, 2; 3, 3 of Sheet 1 of the accompanying
drawings, which shew to an exaggerated scale: Figs. 1 and 2 lace fabrics, Fig. 3 a
portion of woven fabric and Figures 1, 2, 3b, the diagrams in which the thick
lines indicate the order of the crossings of the threads while the fine lines shew
those which are suppressed.
This order of crossing of the threads is well characterised by the fact that
there are only produced at the same time crossings in the same direction, that
is to say, that the whole of the threads being supposed to be divided into groups of
two threads at the first line of the diagrams, all the threads passing from left to
right pass below the threads passing from right to left in each group; at the
second line, the same process takes place, but in the reverse sense, that is to say,

page_text: .
it is the threads passing from right to left which pass underneath those passing
from left to right, and the order of grouping of the threads is reversed. On
examining Figs. 1 and 2 it will be seen in effect, that a thread situated at c for
example is the left hand thread of the group which it forms with the thread
situated at d for the first line of crossings, and that for the second line, the thread
at c is the right hand thread of the group which it forms with the thread at 6; at
the third line the process is the same as at the first line, and at the fourth, the same
as at the second, and so on.
The result of these reversals at each line of crossings is, to produce interlacings,
of which each thread passes alternately above and below those which it meets,
whether for forming a plait or an element of lace.
From what has been said it will be seen that for producing lace or a looped
fabric, it will suffice to prevent certain crossings of the threads, or, what is the
same thing, to produce in any suitable order only a certain, number of the crossings
which would constitute a plait if they were entirely carried out.
It may happen that all the threads, or only some of them, effect more crossings
in one direction than in the opposite direction, this would have for result to increase
or decrease the degree of torsion of the threads. In order to remedy this
inconvenience, the bobbin spindles must be prevented from turning on their
own axis.
The interlacings of the threads being obtained, they must be tightened one
against the other as in any woven fabric, and the lace must be fed forward as it is
produced.
We will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying drawings
how we realise the practical carrying out of the method of manufacture by means
of the lace frame invented by us.
Figure 4 shews a vertical section of the machine to a reduced scale on line 1-2
Figure 5, which shews a plan indicating only generally the driving gear of the
machine.
Figure 6 shews to an enlarged scale a part clevation of the crown, Figure 7 a
plan of the same and Figure 8 a vertical section on line 3-4 of Figures 6
and 7.
Figure 9 is a front view of the mandril on which the lace is formed. Figure 10
is a part section of the counter or Jacquard chain of the machine and Figure 1.1 is
part of the front view of the endless apron of the counter. Figures 12, 13 and 14
are part borizontal sections of Figure 8, Figure 12 being taken on line 7-8,.the
left hand side of Figure 13 on line 5-6, the right hand side on line 9-10, and
Figure 14 on line 11-12.
The general arrangement of the machine is the same as that of frames used for
the manufacture of plaits. It is composed of a foundation plate A resting on feet,
on which are fixed tubular axes a arranged according to a suitable subdivision for
forming a circle, or, more correctly, a regular polygon. On each of the axes a is
mounted a carrying disc or flanged sleeve B formed in one with a toothed wheel C
situated below. All the toothed wheels C gear with each other. They are driven
by one or, preferably, by four toothed wheels C' C Fig. 5. The sleeve discs B
are of such a diameter as to touch each other slightly. They are each provided
with two semicircular notches bb diametrically opposite each other, and so arranged
that the notches of two contiguous plates, when passing through the points of
contact, form a circular hole as regular as possible. At the upper end of the axes a
and slightly above the disc B are fixed discs D which do not touch tangentially as
the discs B, but leave between them a space more or less equal to the diameter of
the circular holes formed by the notches of two contiguous discs as shewn at Fig. 7.
These discs D are surmounted by cross heads E Fig. 7 having in plan a lozenge
shaped appearance, the large axis of which is about equal in length to the diameter
of the discs D. The discs D and the cross heads E are rigidly connected together
by shoulders c, the thickness of which determines the distance between them.
In the same plane as the discs D are placed two rings FF' of the same thickness

page_text: as the discs D and formed, the one internally and the other externally, with curved
profiles concentric with the said discs D and so as to leave between them and the
discs the same space as that which exists between two contiguous discs. There are
consequently formed sharp edges xx projecting towards the points of contact of
he discs B. The one half of these edges viz. those marked a¹, are considerably
lunted, so that facing one sharp edge of the internal ring F there is a point ¹
of the outer ring F, and vice versa.
The circular space existing round the discs D are the paths or slides which serve
to direct the spindles G, of which the foot H, Figs. 7 and 8 forms the characteristic
part, the upper part being indifferently made of the one or the other of the arrange-
ments ordinarily employed for facilitating a suitable unwinding of the threads and
to give them always the same tension in the various positions which they may
occupy in the machine. The feet H are formed of a cylindrical stem d, Fig. 8,
carrying at about the middle of its length two large flanges e e. This stem d
terminates at the upper end in a massive part H for fixing the tubular spindle G and
an oblong flange carrying at each end a small stud
9. 9.
If the stems d of the feet be introduced into the circular paths, the flanges e of
the feet will embrace the discs D and the rings F F', which will prevent them from
moving up or down, and the lower part of the stem d will penetrate into the semi-
circular notches b of the discs B, so as to receive therefrom the circular motion
which is imparted to them in a continuous manner.
The whole of the spindles thus set in motion will form a plait by the interlacings
of the threads which result from such motion. But, as has been previously stated,
all the spindles must not circulate simultaneously for producing a fabric constituting
lace of any kind; a certain number of the spindles must consequently be prevented
in a suitable order from being acted upon by the discs, or, which is the same thing,
only those spindles must be submitted to the action of the discs which are required
to circulate for producing a particular design of lace.
For this purpose there are arranged below the blunted edges ¹ plates I mounted
on stems which are vertically movable and are guided on the one haud by the
rings FF and on the other hand by the foundation plate A through which they
pass. Helical springs raise these plates I and maintain them in a raised position
when the downward pulling action of the pulls J ceases.
For preventing all oscillating motion of these plates I they are maintained by a
stem fixed below at the edges of the rings FF' and which penetrate into a
groove formed at one of the ends of the plates. At their other extremity, towards
the point of contact of the discs, and on their upper faces, the plates I carry a
sort of rib having an internal profile of a very open V shape and the sides of
which are parallel to the sides of the blunted edges of the rings F F. These
ribs pass sufficiently under the discs B to cause the lower extremity of the stein d
of the foot of the spindle to come in contact therewith if they are raised and to
slide along the sides of the V rib as on inclined planes. This sliding has the effect
of disengaging the stems d from the notches 6 of the discs B and to bring them to
rest in a sort of resting place formed by the hollow blunted edges of the rings and
the bottom of the V ribs j. The said spindles remain at rest as long as the plates I
are not lowered.
The lowering of the plates I not only has for its object to free the stopped
spindles, but also to force them to leave their resting place at a suitable moment
for re-entering into the notches of the plates B. This result is obtained by a system
composed of two parallel bars kl connected together by a link m, Figs. 8 and 13
and arranged to slide between the discs B and their toothed wheels C. The lower
bars & carry a stud n and the upper bars are in contact with the back part of the
notches of the discs B so that if they are drawn out beyond the discs B which
cover them, they can in their rotary motion reach the stems d of the feet, Fig. 13,
and thus oblige them to recommence their motion. For withdrawing from the
discs B the bars kl, the movable plates I carry on their face and at their lateral
extremities two ribs j' constituting a cam so arranged that if they are lowered their

page_text: outer extremities force the studs n of the lower bars k to slide on their profile and
thus cause the bars to pass outward in order to seize, in their rotary motion with
the discs, the feet of the spindle carriers which are required to be set in motion
again.
It is to be observed that for setting in motion a stopped spindle the lowering of
a plate I acts simultaneously upon a system of bars kl of each of the discs 13
situated at the right hand and left hand of the resting place. This simultaneou
action has for its result to cause the two forces to act together for imparting to the
foot d the direction which it has to follow for passing through the point of contact
of the discs B as at Fig. 13.
When the bars of the two contiguous discs are nearly touching each other
behind the foot which they push, the cams j' cease to draw them outwards. These
cains are so arranged as to allow them to re-enter under the action of their
respective pushers.
It is to be remarked that the lowering of the plates I not only has to be effected
for setting in motion a stopped spindle, but also for preventing the stoppage of
the, spindles when they should continue in motion. In this case the movable
bars of the discs operate as above described, and, instead of having to get in
motion again a stopped spindle, they operate together with the notches of the
discs B to ensure its continued movement at the moment when it passes through
the resting places.
From what has been said it will be seen that each system of movable bars is
brought back under its disc at the moment of its passage through the points of
contact of the discs and that it will only be made to issue again by the lowering of
the plates 1. We have, however, foreseen that it might issue without this lowering
of the plates by an accidental cause such, for example, as the action of a shock
resulting from the sudden stopping of the entire machine. It is necessary in this
case that the bars should be forced to re-enter before coming in contact with the
foot of the spindle when at rest, which they could not carry with them because it is
retained by the upper rib of the plate J. This is effected by a boss with incline o
Fig. 12 situated below the upper bar and, consequently, situated in the same
horizontal plane as the upper rib j of the plates I, which rib pushes away at the
required time this boss o and the bars kl to which it is connected as shown at
Figs. 8 and 12.
The guidance of the feet d into one path or slide or the other at the moment of
arriving at the points of communication is determined by the position occupied by
the directing switches K, Fig. 7, closing the one slide and opening the other.
These switches K are situated above the sharp edges of the rings FF1 opposite
the resting places ; and in the plane of the cross heads E E which serve as
abutments to them. They are pivoted at the middle of their length and their
At the same time that
position is changed at each semi-rotation of the discs B.
they open and close the slides for the feet, they operate together with the slotted
levers I, cross heads E and the external inclines of the pieces M, to prevent the
spindles from turning on their own axes, in acting successively upon the stud g fixed
at the extremity and below the oblong flanges of the feet. For understanding the
working of these several parts it must be borne in mind:
Firstly, that they are all situated in the same horizontal plane,
Secondly, that the crossheads E and pieces M are fixed, leaving between them
and the rings F F' a space sufficient for the free passage of the upper flanges e of
the feet,
Thirdly, that the switches K receive a to and fro motion which they communicate
to the levers L through the medium of the links N.
is
Assuming a spindle to be stopped in its resting place j, one of the studs
maintained between the two pieces M M Fig. 7 and the other stud 9 is advanced
towards the switch K which can oscillate in front of it without touching it. At the
moment when the spindle should be set in motion, the switch is at rest and the
right band slide, for example, is open.

page_text: When leaving the resting place, the foot has its rear stud maintained for a certain
length of time between the pieces M M. When it leaves these, the front stud can
come in contact with the directing switch or the rear stud can come in contact with
the cross head E on the left hand, the foot being capable of oscillating between
these two extreme positions. When the foot is sufficiently advanced towards the
switch for the rear stud to be necessarily in contact therewith, the front stud engages
in the channel formed by the lateral part of the switch and the extremity of the
piece M which faces it, and afterwards it engages in the slot p of the lever L.
It will now be seen that, if at this moment the switch begins to move in the direction
of the arrow,
it will transmit its movement to the slotted lever L which then assumes
a position in which it allows the stud which it has held to leave it and to slide on
the incline of the piece M, it being understood that, during this movement of the
switch, the central stem of the foot is carried into the slide by the notch of the
actuating disc B. The spindle has thus been held in its entire motion in a position
about parallel to that which it occupied at its point of depart and the torsion of the
thread will not have experienced any alteration.
All the internal and external switches on a frame operate simultaneously. It is
sufficient to actuate a certain number of them which communicate their motion to
the others by means of links O pivoted to the extremities of the switches. For
actuating the first they are mounted on the ends of a vertical axis P, Figs. 7, 8
and 14 passing through the rings F F and taking into the foundation plate A.
Immediately above this plate the axis carries a lever q Fig. 8 which has a small
roller below the toothed wheels C of the discs B. This roller is pushed alternately
from one side to the other by means of cams Q Q fixed below the toothed wheels C.
A certain dwell is arranged between each movement as shewn at Fig. 14; a
complete motion of the switches is obtained by a complete rotation of the cams Q
and consequently of the discs B. The other switches which receive the movement
of the first by means of the links O are mounted on axes a¹ fixed on the rings F F¹.
It has been stated above that it is necessary to lower the plates I for effecting the
putting in motion of the spindles or for the continuation of their motion, that this
lowering is obtained by a pull by means of the pulls J, that for producing the
interlacings of the threads it is necessary to put in motion a certain number of
the spindles grouped two and two together and that the order of grouping of the
spindles to be maintained in motion is reversed at each half revolution of the discs.
It results from this that as a plate I carrying the resting places of the outer ring,
for example, must be lowered at the same time as one of its neighbouring plates to
the right and to the left alternately of the outer ring F1, all the stems h of the
plates I have two pulls J connected with two levers s side by side and independent
of each other (Figs. 4 and 8). One of these levers s serves to form the grouping of
the stoppages considered relatively to its right hand neighbour and the other lever s
with its left hand neighbour as shown at Figs. 4 and 5. These levers s are of
unequal length, but they are all pivoted in such a manner as to have the same
proportion of leverage so that the extremity to which the pulls are connected, having
a determined motion, the other extremity has the same amount of motion for all
the levers. This extremity s* of each levers is connected by a wire t to an elbow
lever u, the vertical arm of which is actuated by the rollers v of the endless Jacquard
chain R as shown at Figs. 10 and 11. This chain travels over a driving drum y.
It will be understood that the position of the rollers of this counter cause, when the
chain travels, the descent of the pulls J, and consequently of the plates I which have
to effect the putting in motion of the spindles that have to work.
.
The lace is formed as a tube, being formed upon a mandril z Figs. 4 and 9.
Supplemental threads serve to unite the selvages or top and bottom edges of the
lace for giving it a tubular form, this connecting thread being afterwards removed
to allow the lace to be flattened out. These connecting threads are shown dotted
in Fig. 9.
The tightening of the lace produced at X' is effected by means of beaters b'
divided into two groups and operating alternately in order that the lace may never

page_text: be let go of and in order that the crossings of the threads that have been effected
cannot come undone again.
As the manufacture of the lace proceeds it advances on the mandril z fixed at
its lower end upon the stem Y placed at the centre of the circular opening formed
by the beaters b. The mandril is first circular at the base and is gradually
flattened until at the upper end at ¹ it assumes the shape of a blade over which
the lace is drawn. For ensuring the travel, the flattened mandril is held
between two rough carrier cylinders c¹³ which cause sufficient friction for ensuring
the regular travel of the lace. This issues at Z and is coiled upon a drum in the
ordinary manner.
The machine receives its motion by means of a pulley T on the main shaft U to
which it is connected by a clutch. The shaft U transmits the motion through
bevil pinions d¹d to a horizontal shaft V which actuates the parallel shaft V₁,
Fig. 5, through the medium of the shaft V and pinions ele ees. The shaft Vi
actuates at its middle the central vertical axis X which operates the beaters. The
shafts VV impart motion through the pinions f¹ƒƒ³ƒ^ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ³ to the four
toothed wheels C¹ which actuate the wheels C of the discs B. The shaft V has
at its one end a worm g¹ which actuates a worm wheel & fixed on the shaft h¹ of
the counter y..
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
1. In a circular frame. for the manufacture of lace and other looped fabrics such
as is herein referred to, effecting the movement only of those bobbin spindles the
threads of which are required to form crossings in the fabric, by maintaining the
other spindles at rest in resting places formed in one with plates I, these plates
being continuously urged upward, and being drawn downward at the required
moments by means of pulls actuated by a counter or Jacquard chain through the
medium of levers, substantially as described.
2. Actuating the pulls of the plates I referred to in the preceding claim in
groups of two, the extremities of all the levers which operate these pulls having
all the same extent of motion imparted to them although they are of different
lengths, by maintaining the same proportion between the two arms of all the levers,
substantially as described.
3. The arrangement of the rings F F¹ with edges xx¹ formed by the intersection
of the curved paths, the alternate edges a¹ being blunted, substantially as and for
the purpose described.
4. Constructing the bobbin spindles with a foot formed of two flanges e e made
to embrace discs D fixed on the axes above the carrying plates B and the
rings F F referred to in the third claim, and with an oblong flange provided
.at its ends with studs g g serving as pivots to the feet of the spindles when they
are set in motion, in order to prevent their rotation on their axes, substantially as
described.
5. The arrangement of the plates I with carns j¹ arranged below and so formed
that when one of them is lowered and thus liberates the corresponding spindle,
the cams cause the issue of the moveable bars kl by the sliding of the studs n of
these upon their outer profile, which bars in projecting beyond the discs B impart
motion to the stationary spindles, substantially as described.
6. The arrangement in combination with the moveable bars kl referred to in
the fifth claim, of devices so arranged that in case of the accidental issue of the
bars from below the discs B, they are brought back under the discs by means of a
boss with incline o situated below the upper bars 1, and which comes in contact
with the upper ribj of the plates I so as to be pushed back thereby, substantially
as described.
7. The combination of the oscillating switches K the slotted levers L, cross-
heads E and pieces M for guiding the spindles by acting upon the studs of
9

page_text: these for preventing their rotation and consequent twisting or untwisting of the
threads, substantially as described.
8. The use in combination with the switches and slotted levers referred to in the
seventh claim of cams Q so arranged as to move backwards and forwards levers
mounted on the axes of some of the switches, which are connected with the others
in such manner that all the inner and outer switches are made to operate simul-
taneously but in reverse directions, no matter what number of spindles may be put
in motion at the same time, substantially as described.
9. The method of manufacturing lace upon a mandril the upper end of which is
flattened and is acted upon by two rollers which carry forward the lace as it is
manufactured, supplemental threads being provided for temporarily uniting the
edges of the lace so as to produce it in tubular form, substantially as described.
Dated this 12th day of June 1894.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants.