IMPROVEMENTS IN BRAIDING MACHINES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frank Wirth, of the Firm of Wirth and Company, Patent
Agency, of Frankfort-on-the-Maine, in the Empire of Germany, for the In-
vention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BRAIDING MACHINES." A communication from
Gustav Wuppermann, residing at Barmen, in the Empire of Germany.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frank Wirth at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 7th October 1876.
FRANK WIRTH, of the Firm of Wirth & Company, Patent Agency, of Frankfort-
on-the-Maine, in the Empire of Germany. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BRAIDING MACHINES."
A communication.
My Invention relates to certain improvements in braiding machines, and consists
in so constructing such machines that a greater number of bobbins and of braiding
wheels than heretofore can be employed, and that the direction of the bobbins can
be varied at pleasure, as it is possible to force these bobbins to run at any desired
interval in accordance with the design and the form of the braids to be manu-
factured.
It has not heretofore been practicable to make a machine with 12 winged wheels,
namely, 4 wheels of 4 wings, and 8 wheels of 6 wings each by employing at the
same time 16 bobbins. Neither has it hitherto been possible to govern and to vary
the action of bobbins in such manner that the braiding has a regular density at
every point. A device called a "turning plate" has been used to effect the same
object, but this turning plate has for different causes not proved satisfactory.
It is well understood that the discretion to govern the direction of the bobbins is
limited, and the returning of the bobbins must regularly be repeated every turn of
the machine in order that the pattern of the braiding fabric may become regular.
My regulating or governing arrangement consists essentially of a system of spiral
springs governing the action of the bobbins by causing them to run from one winged
wheel to another, and it consists further of a system of slides which by closing the
passage prevents the running of the bobbins from one winged wheel to another, so
that the bobbins must run back at this point, and cannot cross the passage; in
consequence whereof it is possible to permit or prevent the crossing of the passage
by the bobbins.

page_text: The apparatus by means of which the action of the bobbins is raised consists of a
spiral spring, on the free end of which is fixed a head, which by means of its
inclined plane presses against the shoulder of the bobbin, thus giving to the bobbin
the desired direction. However, this bobbin can only work if the slide is opened;
if the slide is closed the spring cannot work, and the bobbin moves back.
On the shaft of the winged wheel below the main toothed wheel is fixed a second
smaller toothed wheel gearing with a large toothed wheel, on the shaft of which is
fixed a worm; this worm gears with the toothed wheel, the diameter of which is
rather large, and which moves the slide. On this toothed wheel are fixed segments,
which during the rotation of the said toothed wheel press against a cam of the
spring lever, which in consequence thereof is pulled back. The said lever bears
on its shaft another lever, which by means of a rod causes the slide to move to
and fro.
As the segments can be made of any desired dimensions and number, it is evident
that one can also at every moment re-pull the slide out of the opening of the crossing
point, and by means of the spring and the head cause the bobbin to move from one
winged wheel to another.
The machine is provided with four partial ways, of which ench has two wheels
of 6 wings each, and one of 4 wings. Each of these partial ways has 4 bobbins.
By regulating the number, the dimensions, and the positions of the segments,
it is possible to execute every desired combination, and to regulate the action of the
bobbins,
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Frank Wirth in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th April 1877.
FRANK WIRTH, of the Firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Agency, of Frankfort-
on-the-Maine, in the Empire of Germany. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BRAIDING MACHINES."
A communication from Gustav Wuppermann, a person resident at Barmen, in the
Empire of Germany.
My Invention relates to certain improvements in braiding machines, and consists
in so constructing such machines that a greater number of bobbins and of braiding
wheels than heretofore can be employed, and that the direction of the bobbins
can be varied at pleasure, as it is possible to force these bobbins to run at any
desired interval in accordance with the design and the form of the braids to be
manufactured.
It has not heretofore been practicable to make a machine with 12 winged wheels,
namely, 4 wheels of 4 wings each, and 8 wheels of 6 wings each by employing at
the same time 16 bobbins. Neither has it hitherto been possible to govern and
to vary the action of the bobbins in such manner that the braiding has a regular
density at every point. A device called a "turning plate" has been used to
effect the same object, but this turning plate has for different causes not proved
satisfactory.
It is well understood that the discretion to govern the direction of the bobbins is
limited, and the returning of the bobbins must regularly be repeated for every
turn of the machine in order that the pattern of the braiding fabric may become
regular.
My regulating or governing arrangement consists essentially of a system of spiral
springs governing the action of the bobbins by causing them to run from one winged
wheel to another, and it consists further of a system of slides which by closing the
passage prevents the running of the bobbins from one winged wheel to another, so
that the bobbins must run back at this point, and cannot cross the passage; in
consequence whereof it is possible to permit or prevent the crossing of the passage
by the bobbins.

page_text: My Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, to which reference is
had in the following description of my Invention:-
Figure 1 is an upper side view of a machine provided with the new arrangements
according to the said Invention, by means of which it is possible to govern at
pleasure the way of the bobbins.
Figuro 2 is a front view of the said machine.
Figure 3 is a detail view of the slide with spring giving the direction to the
bobbins.
Figure 4 illustrates the effect of the closed slide and the way of the bobbin in
this case.
Figure 5 illustrates the effect of the spring when the slide is opened.
Figures 6 to 14 is a schedule of the braiding machine showing the way of the
bobbins with respect to my Invention.
Figures 1 and 2 shew my new machine consisting of 4 wheels of 4 wings
K₁, к„, K., K, and 8 wheels of 6 wings each C C C C C C C Cab
The
In order that these Drawings may be more clearly understood there are only 4
bobbins represented in Figure 2, although the machine has 16 bobbins.
passage is opened at the place where the frame is fixed on which the finished
braid is wound. I may however employ or construct a machine with a closed
passage.
B1, B2, B3, indicate the apparatus by means of which the way of the bobbin can
be varied. This apparatus is represented in detail by Figures 3, 4, 5. The said
apparatus consists of the spiral spring D, on whose free end is fixed the head D¹,
which by means of its inclined plane presses against the shoulder E of the bobbin,
thus giving to the bobbin the desired direction. This bobbin can only work when
the slide is opened, as shown in Figure 5, when the bobbin takes the way shown by
the arrow by passing from one wheel to another. If the slide is closed (Figure 4),
the spring D cannot work, and the bobbin moves backward. The moving mechanism
of this slide is shown in Figure 3.
On the shaft of the winged wheel below the main toothed wheel is fixed a second
smaller toothed wheel a, gearing with a large toothed wheel b, on the shaft of which
is fixed the worm d; this worm gears with the toothed wheel f, the diameter of
which is rather large, and which moves the slide. On this toothed wheel are fixed
the segments g, g, y, which during the rotation of the toothed wheel f press against
the cam h of the spring lever ȧ, which in consequence thereof is pulled back. The
said lever i consisting of the angular parts i, i, 2, bears on its shaft the lever l,
which by means of the rod causes the slide to move to and fro. The size of the
lever allows a small movement of the wheel f to give a sufficient stroke to
the slide.
It is evident that the spring lever i is by the action of its spring pulled forward
quickly as soon as the segment g ceases to press against the cam h.
As the segments can be made of any desired dimension and number, it is evident
that I can also at any moment pull the slide out of the opening of the crossing
point, and by means of the spring D and the head D¹ cause the bobbin to run from
one winged wheel to another.
The aforesaid machine is composed, properly speaking, of four partial ways (indi-
cated in Figures 6, 7, 8, and 9), of which each has two wheels of six wings each,
and one of four wings. Each of these partial ways has 4 bobbins, which are for
each partial way colored in Sheet II. by different colors.
The bobbins move first in their respective partial ways, and are then caused to
cross and engage with each other, the bobbins of way 1 with those of way 2, and
the bobbins of way 3 with those of way 4 (as shown in Figures 7, 8, and 9); then
the right and left hand slides are pulled forward and the fore slide is drawn back,
in consequence whereof the bobbins of the ways 2 and 3 cross and engage with each
other (as shown in Figure 10), whilst the bobbins of the ways 1 and 4 follow their
regular course.
It is evident that such variations can be made in an unlimited number, as by

page_text: regulating the number, the dimensions, and the position of the segments g, it is
possible to execute every desired combination, and to regulate the action of the
bobbins.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, and the manner in which the
same may be conveniently and advantageously carried into practice, I wish it
understood that I do not limit myself to the precise details of construction shown
in the Drawings, nor to the number of regulating slides, as the same may be
varied without departing from the essential features of my Invention, and I
claim,―
First. The arrangement of the above described braiding machine provided with
four partial ways, consisting each of two wheels with 6 wings, each enclosing a wheel
of 4 wings, for which machine 16 bobbins are employed in such manner that there
is always between 2 bobbins a space of 3 free grooves of the winged wheels, as
above described and as illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
Second. The above described arrangement of the sliding and spring mechanism,
in the manner and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frank Wirth, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Thirty-first day of March, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-seven.
FRANK WIRTH. (L.S.)