Method of weaving and apparatus therefor

In a method of weaving wherein sheds are formed from warp members by shed-forming means operative to successively separate the warp members into different planes and weft members are inserted into said sheds by weft-inserting means and beat-up into the fell of the woven product, the improvement which comprises:

• (a) continuously retaining, by means independent of said shed-forming means, one or more open sheds, each having a completely open weft-wise passageway for the continuous insertion of at least one weft member into each of said open sheds.

A shed-retaining member for use in connection with the loom weaving of warp and weft threads into cloth of the type wherein said loom has a shed-forming means for elevating some of said warp threads and depressing others of said warp threads in accordance with a predetermined pattern, which comprises

• (a) a retainer member readily insertable between adjacent warp threads into one of said sheds defined by said elevated warp threads and said depressed warp threads,
• (1) said retainer member having an upper surface which in one rotational position is engageable with an elevated warp thread and said retainer member having a lower surface engageable with a depressed warp thread in the same rotational position,
• (2) said retainer member being rotatable to a second position where neither the elevated warp thread nor the depressed warp thread is retained on the respective upper and lower surfaces of said retainer member.

In a loom for weaving warp and weft threads into cloth of the type wherein sheds are formed from warp threads by shed-forming means operative to successively separate the warp threads into different planes and weft threads are inserted into said sheds by weft-laying means and beat up into the fell of the cloth, the improvment comprising:

• (a) conveyor means for transporting a plurality of series of shed-retaining members arranged to travel during at least a portion of said travel in a direction substantially parallel to said warp threads, and
• (b) said conveyor means extending substantially in a straight line from said shed-forming means to a location adjacent the fell of the cloth and having a length of travel sufficiently long to permit the retention of one or more sheds and the operation of one or more weft thread-inserting members.

A weft thread-inserting apparatus for a loom wherein sheds are successively formed from warp members by shed-forming means, which comprises:

• (a) a shed-retaining conveyor having means thereon for retaining a series of said successive sheds and for causing said sheds to travel along said warp members toward the fell of a fabric,
• (b) a first shuttle box conveyor driven in synchronism with said shed-retaining conveyor mounted on one side of said shed-retaining conveyor and a second shuttle box conveyor driven in synchronism with said shed-retaining conveyor mounted on the opposite side of said shed-retaining conveyor, and
• (c) means for firing shuttles from said first and second shuttle box conveyors for the insertion of weft threads into said traveling sheds.

In a weaving loom utilizing a plurality of moving warp sheds formed by shed-forming means for separating warp threads into different planes, wherein the sheds move in the direction of the warp threads, and wherein the sheds have an open weft-wise passageway, the method of supplying and laying weft threads in each of said moving sheds, comprising the steps of:

• continuously retaining, by means independent of said shed-forming means, one or more open sheds for the continuous insertion of at least one weft thread into each of said open sheds, and
• moving weft-laying means with weft thread through one of said moving and open warp sheds, said weft-laying means being unconnected to said loom during its traversal through said one of said moving warp sheds,
• whereby weft thread is laid in said one of said moving warp sheds during the entire time said weft-laying means traverses said moving warp shed.

In a weaving loom utilizing a plurality of moving warp sheds formed by shed-forming means for separating warp threads into different planes, wherein the sheds move in the direction of the warp threads, and wherein the sheds have an open weft-wise passageway, the method of supplying and laying weft threads in each of said moving sheds, comprising the steps of:

• continuously retaining, by means independent of said shed-forming means, one or more open sheds for the continuous insertion of at least one weft thread into each of said open sheds, and
• firing a shuttle with weft thread through one of said moving and open warp sheds, said shuttle being unconnected to said loom during its traversal through said one of said moving warp sheds,
• whereby weft thread is laid in said one of said moving warp sheds during the entire time said shuttle traverses said moving warp shed.

A weft-thread inserting apparatus for a loom wherein sheds are successively formed from warp members by shed-forming means, which comprises:

• (a) a shed-retaining conveyor having means thereon for retaining a series of said successive sheds and for causing said shed-retaining means and said sheds to travel in a direction substantially parallel to said warp members toward the fell of a fabric,
• (b) a shuttle box conveyor driven in synchronism with said shed-retaining conveyor, and
• (c) means for firing shuttles from said shuttle box conveyor for the insertion of weft threads into said traveling sheds.