Abstract: A turf reinforcement fabric and a method for producing such a fabric by weaving a plurality of filaments in a predetermined pattern to form a three-dimensional structure formed to have a loft thickness without the application of heat to heat shrink the fibers, and/or formed with one or more fibers of increased thickness at peaks and valleys of the woven structure, and/or incorporating flame retardant and/or UV stabilizing fiber additives.

Abstract: A turf reinforcement fabric and a method for producing such a fabric by weaving a plurality of filaments in a predetermined pattern to form a three-dimensional structure formed to have a loft thickness without the application of heat to heat shrink the fibers.

Abstract: A main drive shaft of a power loom reaches the rated operating rpm of the loom by the time of the first beat-up of the reed, thus avoiding start-up faults in the fabric. A flywheel mass is accelerated to a start-up rpm that is higher than the rated operating rpm before it is coupled with the main drive shaft. The start-up rpm is determined automatically and iteratively, with ever-increasing accuracy in successive starts of the loom. When the main drive shaft is coupled to the flywheel mass, the flywheel mass rpm decreases simultaneously as the main drive shaft rpm increases from standstill to the operating rpm. The actual main drive shaft rpm is measured at least at the time of the first beat-up and any deviation from the rated operating rpm is evaluated by the loom control.

Abstract: A cloth beam arrangement for tubular felts or cloths in a weaving machine brings about feed in the weaving machine of the overfelt and the underfelt. The arrangement comprises an upper first beam, an intermediate second beam and a lower third beam. The underfelt runs against the first and the third beam and the overfelt runs against the second beam. The arrangement comprises driving members for the beams. The weaving machine includes a sley which during weaving acts against a weaving edge which has been established. The driving members drive the beams in a way which prevents mutual longitudinal displacement movements between the overfelt and the underfelt. It is thus ensured during weaving that the overfelt and underfelt edges remain completely overlapping one another at the weaving edge.

Abstract: A cloth roll driving apparatus is provided adjacent to the main shaft of a weaving machine. The apparatus comprises a drive source driven in synchronism with the main shaft of the weaving machine, a slave shaft coupled to a cloth roll and a one-way clutch. Further, there are provided a first power transmission mechanism which transmits, through the one-way clutch, the rotation of the drive shaft to the slave shaft as a torque in the cloth take-up direction and at a velocity corresponding to the weaving velocity of the cloth, and a clutch mechanism which is coupled to the slave shaft while the cloth is wound around the cloth roll when the cloth roll is empty. Moreover, there is also provided a second power transmission mechanism which transmits, through the clutch mechanism, the rotation of the drive shaft to the slave shaft as a torque in the same direction as the torque transmitted by the first power transmission mechanism and at a velocity higher than the latter torque.

Abstract: A circular loom comprises weft ribbon shuttle assemblies and a control system for detecting the position of one of the shuttle assemblies at spaced points about the periphery of the loom, and then presetting warp ribbon-setting air cylinders in advance of each of the shuttle assemblies for subsequent passage of the shuttle assemblies through the resultant warp sheds without engaging the warp ribbons. Electrical brakes control warp and weft tension in a uniform manner. The shuttle assemblies are driven by a gearing from a motor mounted independently of the shuttle assemblies. In a fabric-forming position, each weft ribbon slides transversely under a fabric-forming ring with the longitudinally moving warp shed and into the plane of the formed fabric in engagement with an annular inner surface of the ring, essentially without any twist about a transverse axis of the weft.

Abstract: The warp beam and/or cloth beam of a loom is driven by a programmable stepping motor. The speed of the motor is regulated, preferably in such a way that the tension of the warp threads remains constant. Improved tension control is obtained by further programming the motor to take into account the type of weave in the fabric being produced. This is accomplished by inputting information pertaining to the distance covered by the warp threads between their intersections with neighboring weft threads.

Abstract: A warp transfer control system for a loom, includes a first actuator for varying a warp let-off speed, a second actuator for varying a fabric take-up speed to change a filling density, and a control unit which has a take-up control section for controlling the second actuator, a feedback control section for controlling the let-off speed through the first actuator when no change is required in the filling density, and a feedforward control section for changing the let-off speed so as to improve an appearance quality of a fabric when the density is changed. When a change from a first filling density to a second density is required, the feedforward section first changes the let-off speed excessively from a first let-off speed corresponding to the first density beyond a second let-off speed corresponding to the second density, and holds the let-off speed at such an excessive level for a limited duration.

Abstract: The pacing motion which is adapted to be stepped on in respect of individual wefts has a sliding wedge with a return spring. The wedge is displaceable on an output shaft into a groove of an input shaft in both directions of rotation. The motion also includes a locking lever actuatable off-load by a control signal. The lever locks and unlocks a release lever which is driven by a drive element and actuates the wedge. A transmission with a delay feature or a resilient damping insert can be used as an impact-reducing element to absorb some of the impact of the wedge in the groove. Freely actuatable electromagnets can be used both as actuating elements and as the drive element.

Abstract: Method for controlling the warp let-off on weaving machines, with the characteristic that the method consists of: detecting the variation with time of at least one of the parameters which are a function of the warp tension and speed of motion of the warp threads; taking the detected signal and removing the effects due to variations in the weave pattern; and using the resulting cleaned signal to control at least one warp drive motor.

Abstract: A pick spacing controlling device of the digital system for controlling the pick spacing of a fabric being woven on a loom having a main motor for driving the principal weaving mechanism of the loom, and a take-up motor for driving the take-up roller of the loom by controlling the output rotation amount of the take-up motor so that the output rotation amount of the take-up motor varies in direct proportion to that of the main motor or that of the principal part of the loom. The output rotation amount of the take-up motor and that of the main motor or the rotation amount of the principal part of the loom are detected by encoders. An arithmetic unit processes pulse-number modulated input signals corresponding to the output pulse signals of the encoders to obtain the difference between the pulse-number modulated input signals in the number of pulses, and then a driving actuator drives the take-up motor so that the difference is reduced to zero.

Abstract: A cam-following roller is brought by a low-power electromagnet into contact with a cam carried by a driving pulley. A second roller which is coaxial with the follower roller exerts a thrust on a disk when the follower roller travels along the profile of the cam, thus disengaging the pulley from the driving shaft of the cloth takeup regulator.

Abstract: A coupling device for coupling a loom shaft to the shaft of a weft selecting device in a weaving loom, the device comprising two opposed discs having mutually engaging teeth which automatically respond to reversal in direction of rotation of the loom shaft to introduce a desired phase shift between the loom shaft and the weft shaft, the coupling device having automatic means for locking the disc teeth after each reversal in direction of the loom to maintain the newly phase-shifted mutual orientation of the discs.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improvement in a cloth take-up motion for looms with gradual or intermittent taking-up of cloth in which a take-up roller is adapted to be driven by drive shaft means and gear system means, and wherein the drive shaft executes one revolution with each weft insertion, the improvement comprising crank means and pin means on said drive shaft means, Maltese cross means in which said pin means is adapted to engage, and reduction gear means connecting said Maltese cross means with said take-up roller.

Abstract: The cloth take-up system positively drives the deflecting roller at a transmission ratio in which the roller has a greater peripheral speed than the cloth take-up roller. A gear-type transmission is used to produce a difference of about 5% in the peripheral speeds of the deflecting roller and take-up roller.