Machine for alternating tubular and flat braid sections

In a braider having a track for guiding bobbin carriers horngears, the horngears each having four horns for forming at least two paths, a method comprising the steps of:

• positioning 4N bobbin carriers on 4N horngears, where N is an integer greater than one, the bobbin carriers and horngears positioned in a tubular braiding mode with the track and horngears configured to provide two paths intersecting each other, so that there are 2N carriers on each path, and a number of empty horns between successive pairs of horns on each path having bobbin carriers thereon alternates between two and four;
• operating the braider in the tubular braiding mode, to form a tubular braid section;
• positioning the 4N bobbin carriers on the 4N horngears in a flat braiding mode, with the track and horngears configured so that there are N separate closed paths that do not intersect each other, each path having three consecutive horngears, with four bobbin carriers on each path, and two empty horns between successive pairs of horns on each path having bobbin carriers thereon;
• operating the braider in the flat braiding mode, to form a flat braid section;
• and
• switching between the tubular braiding mode and flat braiding mode while N of the 4N horngears are free of any contact with any of the 4N bobbin carriers, to form a continuous braid having at least one tubular braid section and at least one flat braid section.

A braider comprising:

• 4N horngears, where N is an integer greater than one, the horngears each having four horns capable of being arranged for forming at least two closed paths,
• 4N bobbin carriers positioned on the 4N horngears,
• a track capable of being configured in:
• a tubular braiding mode, in which there are two intersecting paths with N carriers on each path, and a number of empty horns between successive pairs of horns on each intersecting closed path having bobbin carriers thereon alternates between two and four;
• and
• a flat braiding mode in which the 4N bobbin carriers are arranged on the 4N horngears, so that there are N separate closed paths, each path having three consecutive horngears, with four bobbin carriers on each path, and two empty horns between successive pairs of horns on each path having bobbin carriers thereon;
• and
• a switch for switching the track between the tubular braiding mode and flat braiding mode while N of the 4N horngears are free of any contact with any of the 4N bobbin carriers, for forming a continuous braid having at least one tubular braid section and at least one flat braid section.