Methods and apparatuses for producing a braided dual-sided compression packing seal and methods of using the same

An apparatus for producing a dual-sided compression packing seal comprising a first material and a second material, the apparatus comprising:

• a first row of horn gears for moving the first and second materials;
• a second row of horn gears for moving the first and second materials;
• a third row of horn gears for moving the first and second materials, wherein the second row of horn gears is disposed between and immediately adjacent the first row of horn gears and the third row of horn gears, wherein
• the horn gears of the first row of horn gears and the horn gears of the third row of horn gears have the same diameter and are larger than the diameter of the horn gears of the second row of horn gears;
• and
• one or more carriers for transferring the first material or the second material from a first horn gear to a second horn gear in the same row, or from the first horn gear to a second horn gear in an adjacent row.

An apparatus for producing a dual-sided compression packing seal comprising a first material and a second material, the apparatus comprising:

• a first row of horn gears for moving the first and second materials;
• a second row of horn gears for moving the first and second materials;
• a third row of horn gears for moving the first and second materials, wherein
• tracks defined by the first row of horn gears and tracks defined by the third row of horn gears are circular, and
• tracks defined by the second row of horn gears are oval;
• and
• one or more carriers for transferring the first material or the second material from a first horn gear to a second horn gear in the same row, or from the first horn gear to a second horn gear in an adjacent row, wherein the horn gears of the first, second, and third row of horn gears are sized and shaped to prevent collisions between the carriers.

An apparatus for producing a dual-sided compression packing seal comprising a first material and a second material, the apparatus comprising:

• a first row of horn gears for moving the first and second materials;
• a second row of horn gears for moving the first and second materials;
• a third row of horn gears for moving the first and second materials;
• wherein the second row of horn gears is disposed between and immediately adjacent the first row of horn gears and the third row of horn gears, and wherein the horn gears of the first row and the third row have the same diameter and is larger than the diameter of the horn gears in the second row, and
• one or more carriers for transferring the first material or the second material from a first horn gear to a second horn gear in the same row, or from the first horn gear to a second horn gear in an adjacent row, wherein
• the first, second, and third row of horn gears interconnect to form at least four material paths along one or more material grooves, the material paths comprising:
• a first material path that is triangular in shape,
• a second material path and a third material path that are square in shape, and
• a fourth material path that is triangular in shape.

An method for producing a dual-sided compression packing seal comprising a first material and a second material, the method comprising:

• providing an arrangement of horn gears having a first column of horn gears, a second column of horn gears, a third column of horn gears, and a fourth column of horn gears,
• moving only the first material with the first column of horn gears;
• moving the first and second materials with the second column of horn gears;
• moving the first and second materials with the third column of horn gears;
• moving only the second material with the fourth column of horn gears;
• and
• transferring with one or more carriers the first material or the second material from a first horn gear to a second horn gear in a different column, wherein
• the first material is not present in the fourth column, and
• the second material is not present in the first column.