DESCRIPTION:

1. FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates to circular looms for weaving ventilated fabric, usually flat strip- like or ribbon shaped material as per the use or industrial application it is required to be used for and also depending upon the fabric of the material used.

In addition, this invention relates to a circular loom mechanism, weft carriers or shuttle assemblies, for orienting warp ends in preparation for formation of a warp structure frame work in circular looms, to methods for making fabric, particularly from ribbon-shaped materials, and to the unique fabric resulting there from for commercial use.

2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

The earlier existing prior art consists of methodologies for making flat loom, circular looms were limited to a specific set of manufacturing and the present invention is an advancement over the existing prior art.

In the present invention the speed and structure of weaving greatly increased, by the use of looms in the manner, which the shuttle travels in a circular path.

As is known, various types of actuators have been provided in looms for transmitting the driving movement of a shedding motion to a heddle frame of the loom. Generally, these actuators are provided in order to raise and lower the heddle frame and, in many cases, employ springs for moving the heddle frame in one direction or another.

Accordingly, existing weaving machines, whether of the frame or circular type, are deficient especially when it is desired to manufacture fabric from ribbon-shaped stock. In addition, the known circular looms are limited in their capabilities both as to types and quality of fabric produced.

Moreover, even when the quality of the specialized fabrics produced by known circular looms is good, such looms are limited in weaving speed and in the size or width of the fabric which they can produce. One reason for this invention to improve upon existing ones is that the present invention in one addresses the various improvements over already existing circular loom, which are used for weaving ventilated fabrics, depending on weaving construction, fabric, and quality of tapes.

The Current invention is also controlled by microcomputer is equipped with automatic warp transmission unit, automatic broken weft detector and speed-change clutch compensation device. Woven bags it produces are applied to pack cement, fertilizer, rice, flour, vegetables and other light products. This machine has traits like convenience in maintenance, high output, low energy.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the principal object of this invention is to provide a loom whose design, structure and operation overcome the problems of wastage of material and loss of production time, in comparison over existing technologies in the vertical looms.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved circular loom, which can be set for weaving a wide variety of fabric patterns into high-quality fabrics from ribbon-shaped materials as well as yarn threads.

A further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved circular loom design which can accommodate more than one rotating shuttle assembly, ideally in the range of 8 to 12, based on the weave requirements with higher ppm (picks per minute) speeds without breakage of the
Still another object of my invention is to provide a new and improved circular loom, which is capable of high-speed weaving of a wide variety of fabric patterns into high-quality fabric from yarn or ribbon-shaped threads.

An additional object of the invention is to provide new and improved methods for weaving fabric wherein the speed of weaving; the width of cloth produced and the quality of the product are enhanced, thereby reducing production cycles and disruption to the material for weave.

These and other objects, features and advantages of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the more detailed description hereinafter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The weft carrier or shuttle assembly of the present invention travels in a circular path about the circular assembly of a loom. A primary feature of this carrier or shuttle assembly is the use of a body member, which carries its own weft supply, auto mated power. The mechanism for orienting the entering warp ends in advance of the warp shed forming means comprises either a plurality of sets of disks mounted outside the path of the shuttle assembly in which each set of disks rotates together on a common axis in spaced-apart relationship and receives the entering warp ends there between or, alternatively, a rotating finger-like member carried on the shuttle assembly, which has a off-center point. In either form of the orienting mechanism of this invention, the entering warp ends are selectively positioned upwardly or downwardly in advance of contact with the warp shed forming means of the shuttle assembly, and suitable means are provided to reset the orienting mechanism in timed relationship to the passage of the shuttle assembly.

In the preferred form of the orienting mechanism comprising the sets of disks, it is possible to reset the orienting mechanism immediately after the shuttle assembly has entered the warp shed such that the entering warp ends are automatically reoriented before the complete pass of the shuttle assembly. As such, the circular loom of the instant invention incorporating the foregoing shuttle assembly and warp end orienting mechanism is capable of better orienting the warp ends, particularly for ribbon-shaped materials, and allows significantly increased speeds and operation.

In the weaving method of the instant invention, the weft carrier or shuttle assembly travels in a circular path about the table of the loom through the warp ends entering the loom, which warp ends have been oriented in advance of the shuttle assembly.

Upon passing through the entering warp ends, the shuttle assembly separates the warp ends to form a warp shed, and, simultaneously, weft from the weft supply carried by the carrier or shuttle assembly is guided to the fabric forming plane to which the warp ends converge from the warp shed, whereby fabric is formed. In the preferred form of the invention, at the same time that the shuttle assembly is passing through the warp shed, the entering warp ends are selectively reoriented in preparation for a subsequent pass of a shuttle assembly. And the fabric is taken up as it is formed.

The invention accordingly comprises the several steps and the relationship of one or more such steps with respect to each of the others in a method for forming fabric together with an apparatus embodying features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangements of parts which are adapted to effect such steps and the product resulting there from, all as exemplified in the following detailed disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference is had to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevation view of a circular loom of the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side view showing the Cam mount assembly 25 on the upper plate 14;

FIG. 3 is a combined enlarged sectional view taken and an exploded view of top plan of the loom.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a portion of a loom of the invention showing the Gauge Ring 02 and the Wheel holding ring 17 and the positioning of the Guide Roller.

FIG. 5 and FIG 6 are Enlarged Cross Section of the Pulley and assembly of the Loom.

FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 are a partial, enlarged sectional view of the Warps 50 / 60 though the Twister 07 and passing trough the Guide Roller 0.

FIG. 9 A, 9B, 9C and 9 D are the positioning of the Warps 50/60 and the Wefts 70 / 71.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged side view of the forward / upward motion of the Guide Roller Showing the inter twining (Weave) of the Warps with the Weft.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT:

Moreover, although the loom of the invention is termed a "circular loom", because the shuttle assembly of the loom travels in a circular path on the loom, it will be realized that the general appearance of the loom, other than the immediate portion upon which the shuttle assembly travels, need not be circular. Accordingly, the term "circular loom" is merely a convenience and likewise is not a necessary limitation upon the
A

spirit or scope of the invention.

Figure 1 is the basic supporting structure of the loom in this invention. With particular reference to Figure 1, it should be noted that the basic supporting structure includes horizontally disposed support structure, circular and having an upper component and a lower component with supporting columns. The Central Shaft is mounted on the supporting structure on which is mounted the Ropper Pulley Bracket 10 Assembly and the Ropper Pulley Bottom 15 Assembly.

As shown in Figure 2, they are preferably rotatable in timed relationship to the rate of weaving or the speed of the shuttle assembly or assemblies in weaving the fabric. As shown by the assembly of the Cam 25 on the Upper Plate 14.

As illustrated in Figure 3, the main driving assembly of the weaving machine including a circular plate, herein called the upper plate 14, consisting of the Ropper Pulley Bottom 15 and the Ropper Pulley Bracket 16. On the upper plate 14 are the Locking Strip 06, a Slide Rod 03, and a Guide Arm 04. The cam 25 is mounted rotatably on the upper plate 14 as represented in Figure 2.

As illustrated in Figure 3 Mounted between the upper and lower Plates and a plurality of means for horizontally spacing the warps ends entering the loom, such as a Slide Rod 03 and Guide Arm 04 mounted outwardly on the circle of the Upper Plate 14, are the Ropper Pulley Brackets 16. The second circular plate 13 consists of the Twister 07 as represented on the guider wheel along with the Stud 09 fastening the same as one unit and on the main base is the Roper Pulley (small) 11 and the an elongated belt 12 which is attached to the Ropper pulley bottom 15.The base 13 is fixed on the top of a vertically and reciprocally movable Upper Plate 14, which is driven on the machine bed in a known manner.

The Upper Plate 14 has a centrally disposed guide roller 01, which exerts a centripetal force on the shuttle assembly as it rotates in its circular path on the loom. The bridging members support means, such as a Guage Ring 02, for guiding warps 50 and 60 to contact with weft in a fabric forming plane as shown in Figure 4

As illustrated in Figure 4, the Gauge ring has the assembly of multiple Guide rollers 01 which is then attached to the Assembly ring 17 as represented in the exploded view of Figure 4.

The Sectional view of Figure 5 shows the functional twister device 07 and the Guider Wheel 08, which moves the Twister 07 in the appropriate down ward movement positions assisted by Belt 12, the Ropper Pulley (small) 11, the Guide Arm 04 assembled on the Guide Rod 03.

The exploded view of Figure 6 shows the functional Twister 07 in the Straight / upward sweep position and the Guider Wheel 08, which moves the Twister 07 in the appropriate upward movement position assisted by Belt 12, the Ropper Pulley (small) 11, the Guide Arm 04 assembled on the Guide Rod 03.

The weaving machine and is used for positioning a first series of warp threads, the Warps 50 and 60 once on the right and once on the left in a second series of warp threads, the Weft 70, in consequence of which the Warps 50 and 60 are turned or weaved around the Weft 70, as represented in Figure 7. Another movement of the Twister 07 and the corresponding movement of the same are illustrated in Figure 8 as shown.

With reference to Figures 2-8, the Weft carrier or shuttle assembly of this invention

includes a circular track that facilitates movement in a circular path about between the Plates. The Plate carries in the weft supply from the spools or reels and in a similar cut out, automated by power such as an electric motor.

In operation, as best shown in FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8, it will be seen that, by this arrangement of components between the weft carrier and warp end orienting mechanism, the reversal of the orientation of the warp ends 50 and 60 is initiated even before the carrier or shuttle passes totally past the warp ends forming the warp shed so that the warp ends can be oriented in preparation for the next pass of a shuttle. Such an arrangement thus greatly increases the permissible speed of the shuttle assembly and allows for the operation of multiple shuttle assemblies on the same loom because the entering warp ends 50 and 60 are essentially reoriented for the next pass of a shuttle assembly before the shuttle assembly then forming the warp shed for those particular warp ends has actually completed its pass.

The illustration in Figure 9A, 9B, 9C and 9D are the corresponding weave patterns formed by the multiple movement of the Twister against the Guide roller and the plurality of weaves formed by the Warps 50 and 60 and the Wefts 70, 71, 72, 73 as illustrated.

The illustration in Figure 10 shows the Direction of movement of the Guide Roller 01 as shown by the arrow corresponding to the upward movement when the synchronized weaving process is in progression and hence the resultant weaving pattern as programmed and automated on the weaving machine.

The Circular loom of this invention is especially adapted for the weaving ventilated fabric from ribbon-shaped or usually flat strip-like or ribbon-shaped materials into fabric. For example, fabric for heavy-duty packaging or upholstering must be heavy duty but nevertheless must breathe. For these and other uses, the fabric of the invention is a may vary in quality based on the application to high-quality products having improved surface appearance, hand and strength.

What is claimed is:

1. A circular weaving loom comprising:

A shuttle assembly for advancing a flat ribbon shaped weft to a fabric-making plane, said shuttle assembly being adapted for travel about a circular track on the table of a loom, which loom includes means for orienting warp ends entering the loom, said shuttle assembly comprising

a. a body member.

b. a supply of said flat ribbon-shaped weft carried by said body member.

c. guiding means for positioning said flat ribbon-shaped weft uniformly in said
fabric-making plane.

d. whereby said weft is interwoven with said oriented warp ends to form a
tubular fabric.

2. A circular weaving loom as claimed in claim 1, wherein said shuttle assembly adapted for circular movement about the positioning of a loom comprising of a selective adapted entering warp ends into first and second alternating positions to thereby for a warp shed, the rotation of each is timed to orient the entering warp into first and second positions (as seen in 50 and 60).

3. A circular weaving loom as claimed in claim 1, wherein in combination with a circular loom having means to orient warp ends entering the loom, at least one shuttle assembly rotatable about a circular track on said loom and carrying its own supply of flat ribbon-shaped weft guided by the Twister 07 thereby making a weave.

4. A circular weaving loom as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fabric making plane of said loom is cylindrical in configuration, and further wherein said warp guiding means includes a guider wheel 08 spaced around the cylindrical fabric making plane of the loom, said guider wheel 08 serving to guide the warp from said warp shed into said fabric making plane.

5. A mechanism for orienting warp ends entering the circular loom including a circular shuttle assembly adapted for circular travel by the shuttle assembly having a body member.

6. A mechanism wherein the Twister 07 and Glide wheel 08 assembly included as a pair of the said Cam 25 surfaces mounted one adjacent each end of the said body member, and wherein the said mechanism is adapted for 45 to 90 degree rotation for each actuation by each said Cam 25 surface.