CIRCULAR OR ROTARY LOOM
Year: 1884

page_text: I, GEORGE WASSERMANN, residing at Aussersihl-Zürich, Draughtsman, do hereby
declare the nature of said invention for A CIRCULAR OR ROTARY LOOM, to be as
follows:
My invention relates to a loom in which the warp-threads, instead of forming a
horizontal plane, as usual, are arranged in a cylinder, and in which the shuttle (or
shuttles) describes a circular motion instead of a straight line. The product of this
loom is therefore a cylindrical fabric similar to that produced by circular knitting
machines.
In the accompanying drawing, which serves to illustrate the invention,
Fig. I is a vertical section of a loom with two shuttles.
Fig II a horizontal section above the excentrics e, and e³, with special reference
to the shedding motion,
11
A is a fixed stand around which are arranged the warp-beams B; the weights b,
serve as brakes for these warp beams. The warp c extending downward thus forms
a sort of tube.
On the shaft a.passing through the stand A are mounted excentrics or cams e¹, e³,
which control the position of the warp threads, by means of the strings fl, f*
connected with the shafts F1 and F. The strings f¹, f² are guided radially by
the teeth X of the circular comb. Weights fo suspended from strings connected
with the shafts produce a tension contrary to the pull of the excentrics. Each
excentric controls a portion of the warp-threads, the excentric e¹ serving for the
warps c¹ and the excentric e³ for the warps c².
The warp-threads are guided-by-the eyelets or mails of the radially arranged
shafts or harness frames. Each shedding action thus comprises an excentric e¹
or e², and the shaft F" or F2, connected by radial strings on the inner side with the
excentrics el or e³, and on the outer side with the counterweights fo, in order to
produce a periodical to and fro motion of the warps.
The reed i is likewise arranged radially and is mounted on the platform J. The
tension disc or cylinder G is mounted on the shaft a, but not keyed upon the same,
so that the former does not share the rotary motion of the shaft. The disc forms
a sort of guide or mould between the warp c¹ c* and the woven fabric C, inasmuch
as the shuttle D inserts the weft into the wedge shaped clearance or shuttle race
situated over the upper edge of the disc. The shuttle forms a sort of carriage with
P

page_text: two wedge-shaped wheels, one of which has at its circumference a small groove for
the weft thread wound off the shuttle bobbin. Small rollers h. connected with the
body of the shuttle serve to guide the shuttles revolving in the shuttle race.
The arm H keyed upon the shaft a and carrying rollers h² serves to guide the
shuttle by the pressure of the rollers h³ upon the inner roller h¹ through the inner
warp (cl).
Underneath the tension cylinder G, and in the middle of the machine, is mounted
the pair of press-rollers M. The tubular cloth leaving the tension cylinder G is
compressed and drawn along by the rollers M.
The motion of the shaft a and rollers M may be produced in any suitable
manner.
The flattening or stretching of the tubular web is effected by the guide-rollers n,
connected with the tension cylinder G by brackets C and held in position laterally
by the guide-rollers n¹.
The circular loom just described has two shuttles, as already mentioned, which
number corresponds to the arrangement of the shedding motion, in order to obtain
only one crossing of the warp threads after each passage of the shuttle.
If only one shuttle is used, only one crossing of the warp threads must of course
take place at every revolution of the shaft a or travel of the shuttle. However, as
during the travel of the shuttle from 1 via 2 to 3, the shuttle is always in the
previously formed maximum opening of the shed, and the excentric must open and
close the shed with a speed equal to that of the shuttle, no crossing of warps must
take place on the portion 1-2-3, during the passage, of the shuttle from 3 viâ 4
to 1. For this reason a second pair of excentrics must be employed, and the two
pairs are alternately in motion and at rest.
-1.
The product of this circular loom is a closed webbing with a continuously
inserted weft thread.
J
J
Besides other advantages, this webbing is of large size as compared with the size
of the loom
These circular looms are applicable for various kinds of woven fabrics.
The details of construction may be modified without departing from the principle
of the invention; for instance the warp thread may be fed from the bottom or from
the top. The shuttles or bobbin carriage may have two or more wheels, and may
be set in motion by mechanical contact, by magnets or by gravity.
Various disengaging mechanisms may be employed, adapted to act on the
rupture of a thread, for instance. a portion of the shuttle may be employed to
establish an electric contact, in case of a rupture.
F

page_text: I, GEORGE WASSERMANN, of Zurich, Switzerland, do hereby declare the nature of
my invention for A CIRCULAR OR ROTARY LOOM, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
Circular looms in general differ essentially from ordinary looms almost in every
detail.
This great difference is caused by the cylindrical form of the warp surface, while,
in the case of ordinary looms, the so-called warp-bottoms form plane surfaces. For
instance, the warp-beams, the reed and the harness are, arranged radially; the
movement of the shuttle or shuttles is circular round a revolving axle, which may.
also impart motion to the harness and to the reed for forming the shed.
My invention differs from other circular looms principally by the peculiar shuttles
and by the manner of their being placed between the warp surfaces; but also by
the arrangement of the radial stationary reed over the shuttle race, in combination
with the method of operating the harness by circular eccentrics. The improved
loom weaves cylindrical hose-shaped, or closed pieces..
In the annexed drawings Fig. I is a partial side elevation and partial section of
the circular loom. Fig. II is a section of th circular loom along line 1-2 of
Fig. L. The upper half of Fig. III is a section along line 3-4 and the lower half
a section along line 5-6 of Fig I, the harness frames on the right side being
omitted. Fig. IV is a section and plan of the circular loom along line 7-8.
Figs. V. VI, VII are respectively, elevation, plan and vertical section along line 7-8
of the shuttle, Fig. VII showing also the contiguous parts of the loom, which
influence the course of the shuttle.
In the arrangement, shown by the drawing, a column A³ serves as principal
support of the circular loom; the driving axle m, situated above the arm A¹, receives
motion from the pulley M and transmits this rotary motion to the centre axle a,
which forms the axis of the circular loom and of its weaving movements.
The axle a is guided above in the arm A¹, and below in the casing A rigidly
connected with the arm A. With the casing A is rigidly connected the plate or
disc b, holding the small warp.beams B and the circular rack X with its guide
pins x for the strings f¹, f¹ and ƒ³ of the harness frame F¹ and F³. The springs fo
serve as brakes for the small warp-beams B. The rings y, are envelopped by the
warp-thread c and thereby keep the latter better in order. Also the plate G, at
the edge of which the web is formed, is in some measure fastened, and the axle a
turns therein; although there is no rigid connection, as by screwing etc, the web
holds the plate G sufficiently fast and the axle a turns freely therein.
The ring I is rigidly connected with the stand or column A* and is provided
with the stationary circular reed i, under which the shuttles move, and over which
the harness-frames F¹ and F are situated. The harness frames with their heddles
and eyelets for guiding the threads, receive the shedding motion from eccentrics
with eccentric-rings e¹ and e², which eccentrics are keyed on the axle a.
eccentric is connected with a circle or set of warp threads, therefore corresponding
Ench

page_text: to one of the so-called warp-bottoms of looms with horizontal warp. The two
eccentrics are situated on opposite sides, that is to say, they are keyed at an angle
of 180°, and, in the annexed drawing, they are connected with each other by the
strings for the purpose of balancing the strains.
The connecting strings f³ pass over the pulleys z, which, by the adjustable
tension of the spring. fo, keep the harness frames F. and F' always in good
balancing position.
During one revolution of the axle a, the vertical warp bottoms or sets are twice
crossed, and therefore also two shuttles D are used.
Figs V and VII. The arm H, keyed upon the axle a, conducts the shuttle, circu-
lating in the groove g², formed by the plate G-and a ring G¹, the said arm carrying
guide rollers 2, which act through the interior warp-bottom (c²
Fig. VII) by pushing the pulleys h¹, connected with the shuttle D. The ring Gi
is fast, and, in the annexed drawings, rigidly connected with the ring I, placed
above the same.
For attaining a smooth and accurate driving of the shuttle D, a rolling. guide is
employed; for this purpose the toothed rim g³ is connected with the plate G and
gears into a toothed pinion g', keyed upon the axle 2, which is adapted to turn in
the arm H. The guide roller h², also keyed upon the axle r, is situated at the top
of the latter. By the revolution of the arm H, therefore, the roller ³ is also turned
and transmits this revolving motion to the rollers through the respective" warp
threads. Also by the contact of the rollers h¹ with the rollers h (in contact with
the ring I) the pulleys receive rotary motion, and the circumferential or rolling
speed of the rollers corresponds to the velocity of the shuttle. From the groove g
downward, the warp'c (or c¹ and c) has become cloth by its crossing with the woof
or shuttle-thread d. The supporting links 2, adjustable, as regards their distance,
by the screw-joint m³, carry rollers n, which effect the transition from the circular
hose-shape of the cloth C into the folded shape, and facilitate the winding of the
fabric on the cloth beam M. The latter is driven from the axle m by means of
worm and worm-wheel, axle m¹, and tooth gearing. The shuttle, Figs V to VII,
has as a characteristic feature the rollers g and gl of wedge-shaped cross-section
running between the upright warp threads and pressing the weft thread d between
the warp-threads for the purpose of forming the web; the roller g', provided with
a groove at the circumference, inserts at the same time the weft-thread d'in its
proper place.
The shuttles D are placed under the stationary reed i in the shed, produced by
the motion of the eccentrics, and their carrying and pressing rollers (g and g²) move
on the groove g³, formed by the exterior circumference of the plate G and the
interior circumference of the ring G¹.
Between the rollers g and g¹ is placed the bobbin d for the weft-thread d, the
winding offend being turned towards the pulley q₁ The bobbin d may be
placed in the shuttle D in any convenient manner, for instance, as shown in the
drawing, it may be suspended at the top and slide at the bottom in the shuttle race.
The shuttle, shown-in the drawing, is furnished, as aforesaid, with two inner guide
rollers and two outer guide rollers h, resting against the ring I, when the shuttle
has its position on the groove g₁; the outer rollers h are at their circumference in
contact with the inner rollers h. Now, the arm h, with its revolving guide
roller h², sets in motion, as aforesaid, the guide rollers h¹; and also the guide rollers h,
which roll with their circumference on the inner surface of the ring I, and thus
the shuttle D receives its circular motion. Therefore, the operation of weaving on
the improved rotary loom is effected so, that the warp c'is drawn vertically down-
ward from the warp-beam B, corresponding to the motion of the 'cloth beam M.
The warp-is-divided into the two warp bottoms or sets c' and c passing through
the stationary reed i and enclosing in their maximum openings or intervals under
the reed' the shuttles D. Consequently the position of the shuttle, while turning
in a circle, remains the same with regard to the position occupied by the harness
:

page_text: frames F and F2 set in motion by the excentric ring or strap e¹ and e³, that is to
say, the shuttles have the set c¹ or the set c' always on the same side.
The shuttles run along the circumference of the plate G, which is preferably
surrounded by the ring G. In the groove g³, between G and G', the formation of
the cloth takes place, by the warp bottoms c¹ and c³ crossing at the place, where a
quarter revolution ago (90°) the shuttle has inserted the shuttle thread d. The
cloth, formed in hose-shape, passes over the pulleys n to the beam M, by which it
is rolled up. Instead of being rolled up, the cloth could be merely pulled on by
two rolls or analogous means. The product of the circular loom is a closed web or
hose C, the weft thread d of which has been inserted continuously by the carrying
roller gl, which, simultaneously with the other carrying roller g, has pressed in the
weft between the warps, and thus into the web. The shuttle carrying rollers
replace therefore the pressure of the lace or batten. The principal advantage of
the improved circular loom is the continuity in inserting the weft thread without
using a lay or batten, and the production of large webs.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. A roller g of wedge shaped cross-section, applied to a loom shuttle and
adapted to move between the two upright sets of warp-threads (warp bottoms) of
looms, the said roller being adapted to run with its circumference on the line
of intersection of the two sets of warp-threads and to exert a pressure on the
said line.
2. A carrying and press roller g₁ of wedge-shaped section, applied to a loom-
shuttle, and running in the shed formed between the upright sets of warp threads,
the said roller having a circumferential groove adapted to place the shuttle-thread
into the lowest part of the shed.
3. In circular looms, a weaving shuttle having a plain carrying and press roller
(without groove) g of wedge-shaped cross section, as well as a similar roller gl
provided with a groove for the weft thread, these rollers g and g¹ being tangential
to the respective radius of curvature of the shuttle and running' on the freshly
formed edge of the woven fabric, the shuttle being set in motion from the central
shaft.
4. In circular looms, the production of the shedding motion (that is to say the
crossing of the two upright sets of warp threads) by circular eccentrics, the
strings, which set in motion the harness frames or heddles being constantly in.
tension.
5. The combination of the cloth plate, G with the ring G¹ surrounding the latter,
the two parts being adapted to form a groove g² for the reception of the shuttle
rollers g and g¹.