Abstract: The invention concerns a braid structure comprising a plurality of braided layers of stranded material in which the layers are laid down in a single pass of a braiding machine, with at least one strand of each layer extending into a contiguous layer to form an interlock between the layers. The invention also concerns a machine and a method of making the structure by supplying groups of strands, (R, B, G, O, W), to a braid forming station, whereby each group of strands forms a braid layer. A strand (R) from one of the groups passes into or through the strands (B) of a group of an adjacent layer to form an interlock therebetween.

Abstract: A braiding machine for braiding a three-dimensional braid formed of interlocked layers includes a plurality of yarn carriers with packages of yarn, tracks defining serpentine paths and a drive mechanism for driving the carriers along the paths. The drive mechanism includes a two-dimensional array of braiding horn-gears arranged in rows. At the ends of each rows turnaround horn gears are provided for turning the carriers around. Advantageously, a small turnaround horngear is provided at one end of each row and two turnaround horngears are provided at the other end, each horngear having less number of slots than the braiding horngears.