US2247760A - Loom and method of weaving - Google Patents

Description

July 1, 1941. F J, MMDONALD 2,247,760

LOOM AND METHOD OF WAVING Filed May 1:5,v 19:58 7 sheets-sheet 1 July 1, 1941.

F. J. MacDoNALD 2,247,760

LOQM AND METHOD OF WEAVING Filed May 13, 1938- '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 July-1 1941- `F. J. MacD'oNALD. 2,247,760

LOOM AND METHOD OF WEAVING Filed May 15, 1938 '7 Sheets-Sheet 3 July 1, 1941 F. J. MacDoNALD l '2,247,760

y LOOM. AND METHOD OF4 WEAVING Filed May 15. 1958 7 sheets-sheet 4 7 sa Z: JFZaaUnE/d F. J. MacDoNALD LOOM AND METHOD OF WEVI-NG July l1,` 1941.

' Filed May 13, 193e 7 sheds-sneu, 5

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July l, 1941.

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` LooM AND METHOD 0F; wEAvING A Filed May 15, 1938l 7 shets-sheet v Patented July 1, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT -o-FQFICE A* LooM AND METHOD F WEAVING Frank J. MacDonald, Brookline, Mass., assignor yto Hood Rubber Company, Inc., Watertown, Mass., a. corporation of Delaware Application May-13, 1938, Serial No. 207,724

.14 Claims. (Cl. 139-11) This invention relates to looms for weaving textile materials and to methods of weaving and articles produced thereby.Y The invention is especially useful in the production of formed articles, especially those having three dimensional characteristics, such as gloves, shoes and others of complex shapes.

elimination of wind-up or other mechanism which heretofore has had thedisadvantage of so tensioning the woven fabric thatY the operation has been limited to the weaving of Vilat fabric. Accordingly it is anobject to provide such freedomof the woven material-that articles Ofcomlplex contour may be woven Ywith facility.

"Ihesel and other objects will appear from the 'following description, and ,the accompanying drawings. n

O'f the drawings: K Fig. 1 is an end'elevation ofY a loom .embodying .the Vapparatus'of 'the'invention in its preferred `form,parts being broken away.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the saine .parts being broken away, the warp supply mechanism being broken away. r

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of the same taken onflines'3-3 of Fig. "2 parts being broken away. 1'

Figfl'is 'a sectional elevation taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2, parts being broken away.

Fig. 5l is aV detail Vview of the selvage thread shuttle mechanism.v y y A,

Fig. 6 `is `a sectional View taken on line 6--6 of Fig'. 5.

Fig.'7 is a detail view showing selvage thread shuttle with the ller `needle in its most'advanced postionawith the ller threaded therethrough.

Fig. 8 is a detailsideview of the shuttle.

Fig. '9 is a detail View of the selvage thread shuttle and the ller needle, illustrating how the ller is cast over the selvage thread shuttle at each pick.

Fig. 10 is a plan view Vof the shuttle showing the loop of filler being cast thereover.

Fig. 11 is a perspective detail view showing section.

Fig. 12 is a sectional elevationA of the heddle mechanism, parts being broken away, the heddles being shown in one shed-forming position.

Fig. 13 is a similar view somewhatrsimplied by omission of parts,showing theheddles vin a succeeding shed-forming position.

Fig. V14 is a view of two` of `the heddles to an enlarged scale, showing the partially completed fabric and illustrating the luse of the `he'ddles to beat up the filler. Y 1

Fig. V15 is a detail plan viewofthe operating ends of the heddles, the filler needle, and .the partially completed fabric, the parts being shown in posi-v tion assumed by themas 'the needle advances a succeeding loop of filler. p ,n Y Y, Y

Fig. 16 is a similar View with the selvage thread looped through the ller loop fand the `needle returning.

Fig. 17 is a similar view with the needle fully withdrawn. v

Fig. 18 is a plan view of a piece of unfinished fabric of `varying width leaving the heddlesand ducing a glove such as that illustrated in Fig. 23.

Fig. 21 is a plan view of a pattern cam for producing the shoe vupper of Fig. A25, y

Fig. 22 isa similar view of a pattern cam `for producing the helical fabric of 27,. y

Fig. 23 is a planr view of, a nishedwoven glove, the dot and dash lines indicating the division of the weaving operations.

Fig. 24 is a rear view of the same.

Fig. 25 is a perspective view of a finished shoe upper, the dot and dash lines indicatingth'edivi- Vcurrent from any convenient source', has apulley I6 which drives the countershaft I4v at areduced speed through a pulley I1 "fixedrto shaft Hand a belt I8. Countershaft I4 has "a pulley I9 fixed thereto, which drives cam shaft -I'2 at a reduced lspeed by meansof va :pul1ey-20, xed thereto, yand a belt 2|. Auxiliary cam shaft |3 is driven at half the speed of cam shaft I2 from that shaft by a sprocket 22, xed to the cam shaft, a sprocket 23 fixed to the auxiliary cam shaft and a chain 24.

The machine includes means for individually tensioning a series of Warp threads and a serles of individual heddles, one for each warp thread, which are `operated in alternate groups to form a shed'for receiving the filler thread and are also used to force the filler into place in the woven fabric without the use of the usual comb or beater mechanism.

Provision is made for eliminating the usual wind-up mechanism so that little or no tension need be applied to the largest part of the woven material and so that consequently the woven material will be free to adjust itself, which facilitates the weaving of complicated shapes.

To support the heddles an L-shaped bar 25 (see Fig. 12) is mounted across the machine and fixed to the frame members I0, Il. The bar is slotted vertically at regular intervals to receive a series ofV sheet metal partition plates 26 which arewelded orfotherwise aixed to the bar in the slots to define a series of stalls within which the heddles are guided; The heddles each comprise a thin sheet metal bar'21 having an aperture or heddle eye 28 at its upper extremity. The heddles are all pivoted on a rod 29 which extends through alignedl partition plates 26. A rod 30 extends along the margins of the partitions and is affixed thereto to assist in holding them in proper spaced relation and also acts as a stop to limit rotative movement of the heddles about the pivot rod 29. The lowerends'of the heddles, below the pivot rod 29 are-shorter and of less weight than their upper ends and the heddles are at all times inclined to the verticalV so that they naturally lie in lowered position. Their lower ends are tapered on one edge at an acute angle to their length 4so as to provide substantial vertical pushing -faces 3| to receive pressure to tilt the heddles to raised position.

The heddle pushing or shedding mechanism includes a pusher carriage 32 slidably mounted on the machine frame members I0, for motion lengthwise-of the machine toward and from the heddles. 'I'he carriage is'actuated by a cam 33 fixed to cam shaft 'lf2 and engaging rollers 34, 35 mountedV on a sliding carriage `35. Levers 31, 31a are pivoted on the frame members I0, by rod 38. Their lupper extremities are pivotally attachedto the carriage 32 at 39, 39a and they are engaged therebetween by -the carriage 36 to which they are pivoted at 40. Carriage 32 supports a bar 4| extending cross-wise of the loom and channeled onits under side, as at 42.

Slidably supported on one end by the bar 25, and supported atthe other end as hereinafter explained, and located under each heddle is a heddle-pusher 43, therebeing one for each heddle. i Each hed-dle pusher-comprises a thin strip of sheet metal formed at its heddle engaging'end with-a heddle lowering surface 44 and a heddle pushing surface 45 separated by a clearance notch 46, and at its opposite end with a raised projection 41 adapted to be engaged by a shoulder of thebar 4| defining the groove 42 to ad- Vance the heddle-pusher to elevate its heddle. Eachl heddle pusher is normally held with its projection 41 depressed so as not to be engaged by the bar 4| by a spring 48 mounted on a bar 49 fixed to the frame of the machine, there being one spring for each heddle pusher.

To provide for raising alternate heddles in groups, as in plain weaving, a swinging lift pin guide 56 is pivoted at 5|, 52 to the frame of the loom by a rod 53. A cam 54 fixed to shaft |3 contacts a lever 55 which is pivoted to the frame of the loom at 56. A link 51 pivotally connects the upper end of the lever 55 to the lift pin guide at 58, the arrangement being such that the lift pin guide swings in one direction and remains stationary during the insertion of one pick of filler, then swings in the opposite direction and remains stationary during the succeeding pick. 'I'he lift pin guide 56 has two parallel rows of holes for guiding a number of push pins 59. Each push pin is formed with a loop at its upper end which straddles the rod 53 and has its lower end extending through an aperture in the guide 50. Every alternate pin extends through a hole in the same row, the others extending through the remaining row. Each heddle pusher 43 rests on the looped portion of one push pin 59.

Below the push pin guide is a stationary bar 60 arranged crosswise of the loom. The bar 60 is formed with a single row of apertures, one for each heddle, in which contact pins 66a are mounted to slide vertically. A leaf spring 60h bears upon a contact pin and holds it in depressed position, there being an individual leaf spring for each. contact pin. YIn the swinging movementof the push rod guide-'50, one set of push rods 59 is aligned over contact pins 60a duringl one pick and the otherset of push rods is aligned thereover during a-succeeding pick, the arrangement being such that raising of all the contact pins will elevate every other heddle pusher during one pick so that such heddle pushers engage the groove in bar 4| and elevate alternate heddles, and during the next Vpick,`there maining push pins will be lifted, raising the remaining heddles. f

To provide for selectively lifting the heddles in prearranged order whereby to control the shape of the woven article, a rectangular frame 6| is mounted on the frame members .|0, and comprises a pair of side members 62, 63, having racks 62a, 63a, slidably mounted thereon, and a cross member 64 is connected tol said racks. A table 65 is pivotedat one end thereof on cross member 64. A pair of rollers 66, 61 are mounted in bearings, fixed to a bar 68 which is vertically moveable so as to rest upon a'pair of similar cams 10, 1| fixed to cam drum |61 mounted on shaft |2. The bar 68 is i'lxed to a pair of arms pivoted at 69 to frame memberslll and The arrangement is such that at each revolution of cam shaft vl2 the table 65 is in raised position during 70 degrees of rotation of the cam shaft and is in lowered position during 260 degrees thereof. The movement of the'table 65 is such that at no position do'es it contact the pins 69a. which are spaced therefrom at such a distance that-wl'len a template 12 'is Vlixecl to the'table,

any of the pins 66a above the template will be raised when the table 65 is raised so as to lift the corresponding heddle pushers 43 to a positior where they will engage the bar 4| in its forward movement, thereby raising the corresponding heddles.

The template 12 may be of any desired shape. To provideV for advancing Athe table 65 step by step as the weaving progresses, and thereby to control the shed at each pick, a shaft 13 is mounted cross-wise'of` the loom and is rotatable in bearings xed to the frame members l0, Fixed t9 Shaft 13 are a pair of pinions 14, 15,

adapted to engage the rack teeth on members 62a, 63a, and a ratchetwheel 16. A crank 11 is also fixed to the shaft and provides means for manually advancing or returning the table 65.

Y, A ratchet lever 18 is' pivoted on shaft 13 and carries a spring pressed pawl 18a which may be turned into a plurality of positions to feed the ratchet wheel 16 in either direction.A The lever 18 receives a rocking motion from a' cam 19 which engages a roller 80, mounted on a push rod 8| pivotally attached to lever 18 between nuts 82, 83 engaging a threaded portion of the lever, whereby the radius of the pivoted connection may be adjusted to control the are of feed. The arrangement is Vsuch that the table is fed the width of one pick just before the table is elevated to raised position, and by reversing the ratchet pawl, the table may be fed in a reverse direction.

The warp threads 85 are individually Wound on spools 86 supported byra creel 81 and travel through guides 88, 89 over .a series of parallel rods 90 to the weaving position where they are guided under a rod 9| which determines the extent of the shed. Between the rods 90, take-up weights 92 vare hung, one on each -Warp thread to apply a fixed tension to the thread and to eliminate slack therein. Each warp is passed from under the rod 9| through the eye 28 of its heddle. The arrangement is such that each warp is kept taut whether or not it is being Woven into the fabric at the moment.

The filler thread is manipulated through the shed -by a needle which is manipulated as follows: Extending laterally from the loom frame is a wing frame |0|, supporting a rail |02. A carriage |03 is slidably mounted thereon. A rail |04 is mounted on the machine frame parallel to rail |02. A carriage |05 slidably mounted on rail |04, carries a roller which engagesI in a groove |06 ina cam drum |01 fixed to shaft |2. By rotation of the drum, the carriage is caused to reciprocate along the rail |04. A shaft |08 is journaled in bearings formed on the rail |04 with its axis extending warp-wise. A pinion |09 and a rope drum ||0 are fixed thereon. A pair of guide pulleys 2 are rotatably mounted on the frame at opposite ends of the rail. A drive rope ||3 extends twice around the drum ||0 to which it is attached at one point, and extends around the guide pulleys ||2, to provide a free reach parallel to the rail |02, to which the carriage |03 is attached. A rack bar ||4 is xed to the carriage |05 and engages the pinion |09. The arrangement is such that rotation of cam drum |01 reciprocates carriage |03. The needle |00 is positioned to be driven back and forth through the shed, and is guided by grooved guide pulleys ||5, ||6 rotatably mounted on the machine frame. The weft or filler thread ||1 is drawn from a supply spool ||8 and then through a tension ||9, and is threaded through an eye |20 near the point of the needle. At each pick, a loop of filler thread is passed through the shed, where it is engaged by a selvage thread as hereinafter explained, the needle returning to form a succeeding loop.

A plate |2| is rigidly mounted on the frame of the loom opposite to the needle operating mechanism and has an aperture |22 through which the -point of the needle passes. A tubular bearing |23 is fixed to the center of the plate and a shaft |24 is rotatably mounted therein. Fixed to this shaft are a pinion |25 and a crank arm |26. A cam |21 xed to shaft |2 actua-tes a lever arm |28 which is pivoted to the frame of the loom at |29 and carries a roller |30 adapted to engage the cam. A rack bar |3| is pivotally connected to the end of lever |28, as at |32 and its rack teeth engage the pinion |25, a roller |33 being rotatably mounted on plate |2| to guide the rack and keep it engaged with the pinion. The arrangement is such that the arm |26 isrotated a full revolution in one direction and then a full revolution in the opposite direction.

A looper |34, comprising a substantially circular disc, having a notch |35 in its periphery defining a looper hook |36 is rotatably mounted between a set of grooved guide pulleys |31 with its center in alignment with shaft |24. The pulleys |31 are arranged in pairs to readily span the notch |35, and are rotatably supported by plate 2| in such a position that the periphery of the looper disc is substantially close to the needle |00. Mounted upon the looper disc is a bracket |38 which'carries a bobbin shaft |39 in which a bobbin |40 of selvage thread is rotatably mounted. A tension brake 4| on the end of the bobbin shaft, bears against the bobbin to prevent overrun thereof. A guard |42 partially enclosed the bobbin and is fixed to the looper disc. Apertures |43 provide tension means and guides through which the thread may be withdrawn. Guide rolls |44, |45 are rotatably mounted on the looper dise and guard, respectively, to reduce friction on the thread. A guide I|46, for the needle, is fixed to the frame of the loom. The arrangement is such that as the needle |00 reaches its most advanced'position, the hook |36 of the looper 'picks up the filler thread ||1, and drawing a loop |48 therefrom, casts it over the entire looper plate so as to entwine it about the selvage thread |49. The looper is driven by a pin |41 on the arm |26 which loosely fits in the notch |35, thereby permitting the loop to pass entirely over the looper. The cam.

'I'he reach of the filler thread between thev tension |-|9 and the eye of the needle is kept under constant tension so as to draw the selvage thread into theweave. By'increasing thisY ten-v Y sion the filler Aloop may bel drawn tight enough to pull the selvage thread into theweave'in' the form of loops, as'shown in Fig. 18.V Such a construction has certain advantages in that accidentalcutting of the selvage thread does not release the loop of filler thread and where a selvage thread of contrasting color is employed, a border of contrasting color may be Woven in the fabric. To provide such tension on the filler thread, a weighted take-up |50 is located between a thread guide, |5| and the tension I|9, andthe thread Ill' is passed under a pulley |52 on the take up, and over a pulley I 53 adjacent the thread guide |5|. A convenient method of weighting the take up is by pressure applied thereto by compressed air. For this purpose, a cylinder |54 is i'lxedto the frame of the loom. A piston |55 slidably mounted therein is attached to a rod |56 which is fixed to the take up weight |50. The upper end of the cylinder is closed by a stuing box |51, the lower end being open to the atmosphere. A pipe |58 connects the upper end of the.

cylindertoa source of compressed air or other pressure'uid. f

Due to the absence of any means for beaming or otherwise withdrawing the flnished'fa'bric, the fabric may proceed in; any direction from the formingfposition. This is of advantage in weaving articles in which the weaving proceeds in different planes. Articles of Acomplicated construction, such as the glove of Fig. 23, the shoe upper of Fig. 25, or the helical strip of Fig. 27 may be woven in a continuous operation by weaving successive adjoining areas thereof .in succession with the warp threads extending continuously through adjacent areas in which the warps extend in different directions, and the filler thread being also continuous throughout adjacent sections. Due to the independent takeupson the warp threads and the template control'of the operation of the heddles, warps may be worked into one section, dropped during the weaving of a second and picked up during the Weaving of a third section adjacent the first.-

Figs. 20, 21 and 22 illustrate the forms of templates 12 which may be affixed to the table 65 to control the heddles'in weaving the articles illustrated in Figs. 23, 25 and 27, respectively. In Weaving the article of Fig. 23 which is a glove having overlapped fingers, a template such as that illustrated'in Fig. 20 is attached to the table and fed through the loom in the direction indicated bythe arrow. As the portion of the template marked |60 passes under the heddle raising mechanism, the loom starts at the wrist of the back of the glove and weaves up the back to the tip of the index finger, certain warps being dropped at |6| on line |6|a of the glove, and others being dropped at |52'at line H520I of the glove. As the part |63 passes through the loom, the inside face of the index nger is woven. At line |64 `of the template certain warps are dropped on line ||4a of the glove while at linev |65 certain warps dropped during the weaving of the back of the index finger are picked up and the back of the index'fnger is started against the last pick utilizing such warps. In similar manner weaving proceeds up the back of one finger, th'en down the front thereof, the portion lffo'rming the back of the middle finger, the part |61, the front thereof, the part |68 forming theback of the fourth finger, the part |59 the front thereof, the part |10 forming theA back of thevlittle finger and the part |1| the front thereof. At line |12, corresponding to line |650. on the face of the glove, the vwarps comprising the frontsof `all the fingers are picked up. At line |13-of the template, the remaining warps are picked up and others'are dropped at |14. The inside of the thumb is woven and controlled by part |15. The outside of the thumb is then Woven and controlled by part |16. At`line |11, all the warps are picked up and thepart |18 completes the glove by weaving to the wrist over the palm. Whenever the edges of the article are parallel to the warps, the front and back Vof the glove will not be united but may be sewed.

In weaving the helical article of Fig. 27 the template shown in Fig. 22 'may be used. As the template is moved through the loom in the direction of the arrow, the number of heddles raised, and therefore the width of the fabric, increases from the point |80 of the template until the point |8| reaches the heddle lifting pins. Thereafter warps are dropped progressively until the point |82of the template is included. A triangular sector of the fabric is now completed. A new sector is then woven in similar manner'on the same warps and dueto the individual take-ups on the warps, the new sector is woven directly against the preceding one, the warps changing direction i at the .margin of the rstfsector Weaving may be continued in similarmanner' throughout any desired length'of fabric In weaving the shoe 'upper of Fig. 25 the template of .'Fig. 21 is employed. As the template moves through the loom in the direction of 'the arrow, the toe cap segment of the sho'e'marked is woven with the warps extending lengthwise of the foot, by the part |85a of the template. Next the tongue |86 'is Woven by the part |86a of the template. The vamp segment |81 is then woven against the toe cap segment by thepart |81a of the template. The segments |88, |89, and 90 are then woven against each other in succession, by the parts |88a, |8911., |90a of the template to form a strip Whichmay be later doubled upon itself and sewed together toform a lacing wing of the shoe. The quarterv segment |9| is woven thereagainst by the part lllar o f the template. All of the warps employed'in weaving the rst lacing wing and quarter segment are then dropped and warps for forming the second lacing wing are picked up, theseoondr side of the vamp including the vamp segment |92 and thewing segments |93, |94v and |95 being woven against the toe cap segment bythe parts |92a, |930., |940., and |95a of the template. Theremaining quarter segment |93 is Woventhereagainst by the part #95a of the template.k The warpsused in constructing the second lacing wing and quarter segment'are now dropped and the tab |91 is woven on the warps extending fromthe tongue, from which the tab maybe lcut later', by the part |91@ of the template. As the'tab is completed, the warps laterally thereof extending from the quarter segments, are` picked up in succession, controlled by the part |98a of the template, and the heel segment |98l is woven against the quarter.

segments |9|, |95, thewarps extending vertically of the shoe and the Weaving terminating in a f margin which may be turned under Athe sole and concealed by the heel of the finished shoe.

Other formed articles may be woven invsimilar manner by Aproviding templatestherefor. The

templates maybe changed Without disturbing thev vadjustment of ythe loom and without appreciable The template supportingy expenditure of time. table may be fed 'in either direction andin some cases articles maybe woven by feeding atemplate in.v one direction and thenin the other direction lin succession to `produce, a single article.

Iclaim; f "Y 1. A loom comprising a plurality .of heddlesfor shedding the warps, said heddles being mounted to cross one another in scissors fashion and being.

tact of said surfaces with the wefts at the fell of the fabric. v

3. A'loom comprising a series of heddles each adapted to control a single warp, each .heddle comprising'a pivoted blade having a heddle eye mounted` to engage Yeachheddle, a pattern cam .adapted to4 vcontrol the rise of the heddles, means Aforactuating ,a group of `heddles in their y rising movement, and means controlled by said pattern ca m for bringing heddle pushersinto the .path of said actuating means.

vA loom comprising a series of heddlesdeaclh vadapted to control a single warp, each heddle Vcomprising a ,pivoted blade having a heddlegveye vin its operating tip, a plurality of heddle pushers slidably mounted one to engage each heddle, a

:pattern cam adapted ton control the rise of the heddles, means for collectively actuating a group of heddles in their rising movement by pressure applied through said heddle pushers, means actuated by said pattern cam for selectively moving individual heddle pushers into the path of said actuating means, and means for alternately causing said pattern-cam actuated means to be inoperative as to the odd and even heddles in the set during succeeding heddle raising movements.

5. A loom comprising a plurality of heddles each comprising a blade pivoted for edgewise motion and having a single heddle eye at a position remote from its pivot, adjacent blades being mounted to swing past each other in scissors fashion in their shed forming movements, and weft beating surfaces on each blade inclined to their direction of motion and'directly adjacent the heddle eye therethrough and operable at the fell of the fabric for directly engaging the lay and forcing it into proper position in the fab-ric simultaneous with the forming of the succeeding shed.

6. A loom comprising a plurality of independent warp manipulating heddles arranged in line across the loo-m and each having a warp guide for controlling warps, reciprocating actuator means for simultaneously operating a plurality of said heddles in their shed forming movements, a pattern template, means for advancing said template step by step between shedding koperations, individual contact means between each heddle and said template and controlled by the position and shape of said template to position groups of heddles in said'line for engagement by c said actuator means, and means for successively and said template and controlled by the position and shape of said template to position groups of heddles in said line for engagement by said actuator means, and means for successively disconnecting alternate heddles in said line from said contact means during successive shedding operations.

8. A loom comprising a plurality of independent Warp manipulating heddles arranged in line across the loom and each having a Warp guide for controlling warps, reciprocating actuator means for simultaneously operating a plurality of said heddles in their shed forming movements, a

pattern template, 'means for advancing said template in eitherdirection step by step between shedding operations for reversing the pattern in successive blocks of weaving, individual contact means between each heddle and said template Yand controlled by the position and shape of said template -to position groups of heddles in said line for,engagement by said actuator means, and means-forv successively disconnecting alternate heddlesuin said line from said contact means during successive shedding operations.

i, 9 A loom comprising a'pluralityjof independent Warp ymanipulating heddles arranged in line across the loom and each having a warp guide for controlling warps, reciprocating actuator means for simultaneously operating a plurality of said heddles in their shed forming movements, a pattern template, means for advancing said template step by step between shedding operations, individual contact means between each heddle and said template and controlled by the position and shape of said template to position groups of heddles in said line for engagement by said actuator means, means for intermittently advancing said template into engagement with said contact means between its step by step movements and for withdrawing it from contact dur ing such step by step movements, and means for successively disconnecting alternate heddles in said line from said contact means during successive shedding operations.

10. In a loom comprising shedding mechanism for manipulating warp threads, a needle for in` serting a loop of filler yarnl through a shed, and a looper for entwining a selvage yarn through successive loops of the weft yarn, means for rotating the looper through a complete revolution at each pick to cast the looper yarn through the loop of ller advanced by the needle, said rotating means comprising a driving pin loosely engaging a slot in the looper for driving purposes, and means to reverse the rotation of the looper at the end of its revolution a sufficient amount to provide clearance for the loop of ller to pass over said looper along said pin.

11. In a loom comprising shedding mechanism for manipulating Warp threads, a needle for inserting loops of filler yarn through successive sheds of the warp from one margin thereof, and a looper for entwining a selvage yarn through said loops, means for tensioning the filler yarn, said means comprising a uid pressure cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, a tension pulley attached to said piston and engaging a loop of the filler thread, and means for supplying pressure to said cylinder to maintain the loop of ller yarn under constant tension.

12. A loom comprising a support for a flat template, a plurality of vertically movable pusher pins adapted to be held in their upper positions by a ilat template upon said support, a plurality of heddles pivoted for operation in scissorsfashion, and a plurality of heddle pushers positionable in operative condition by said pusher `pins in the upper positions of the latter.

- 13. A loom for Weaving a formed article, said loom comprising a plurality of single eye heddles each controlling a single warp and adapted to draw the Warps about the picks without restricting the movement of the woven material beyond the shedding position, individual tensioning means for each warp, template means for controllingrmovements of the heddles in a desired program of shed forming operations, needle means for inserting a filler of successive picks in 114.fA loom for Weaving a formed article, said loom comprising individual supply means for each Warp,1individual tension means for keeping each warp vfree from slack between `itssupply means anda/shedding position, a plurality oflO heddles .each having an eye adapted to guide a.

singlewarp at the shedding position and formed #and arranged to manipulate said Warps atsuch the'V form of' loops of weft material 'each extend- -Y ingfthrough a single shed, and means for entwinfing `a-selvage thread with the successive loops of vWe'ftmaterial asthey are-laid to secure them in l place. 5

Vpositions to foim a succession of sheds for i-e-d shedding movements of individual heddles to controlthe shape of the article, and needle means for inserting loops'ofweft material between the Warps of successive sheds.

A FRANK J. MACDONALD

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