Abstract: A cloth-laying machine including spaced dished side frame members connected by channel-shaped cross members and mounting four positively driven rubber-like wheels which are supported on a cloth-laying table, spaced spring-biased nonload bearing guide wheels mounted on one of the side frame members for engaging a guide track on the cloth-laying table, switches associated with the guide wheels for deactuating the machine driving motor in the event the guide wheels should leave the track, and a catcher blade actuating mechanism including rollers mounted in permanent elevated relationship to the top of a cloth-laying table and having a lost motion connection with the machine frame for actuating a catcher blade assembly. The machine also includes a supplementary brake system which is energized in the event that the primary braking system fails.

Abstract: An end catcher for a one-way cloth-laying machine having a protruding cutter box assembly, including an actuator rod adapter mounted on the cloth-laying machine, an end catcher assembly including a base secured to a cloth-laying table, first and second frame sides mounted for linear horizontal movement on the base by means of first roller assemblies secured to the base and received in horizontal slots in the frame sides, an end catcher bar mounted on second roller assemblies received in vertical slots in the first and second frame sides, and cams attached to the end catcher bar for engagement by the actuating rod so as to cause the second roller assemblies and the end catcher bar attached thereto to be lifted relative to the first and second frame sides, while the first roller assemblies in the horizontal slots permit the frame sides to move in a direction away from the machine to thereby provide clearance for the cutter box assembly on the machine.

Abstract: A brake construction for braking a roll of fabric journalled on a cloth-laying machine having first and second spaced frame portions, said brake construction including a brake band having a first end portion anchored to the first portion of the frame by a spring arrangement, and a second end portion attached to a wind-up roller mounted on the second portion of the frame, with an intermediate brake band portion therebetween lying in contiguous relationship to the surface of the fabric roll, a motor for selectively winding the wind-up roller to cause the intermediate brake band portion to press against the outer surface of the fabric roll to thereby effect braking thereof, the motor being actuated by a dancer bar actuated switch, or a reversal switch for the cloth-laying machine, or a switch which is responsive to excessive slack in the brake band, and a time delay switch for causing the motor to be energized for a predetermined time period each time it is actuated.

Abstract: A carriage assembly for automatic face up one way spreading of multiple plys of fabric or any other web-like material of a predetermined length, which is automated to operate in a continuous manner in the absence of operator manipulation at the termination of each fabric spreading cycle. The device incorporates a fabric or web-cutting assembly normally enclosing a transversely traveling severing blade and means for automatically engaging the free end of the fabric after sequenced severing so as to maintain the fabric in a fixed relation relative to the assembly during return or non-spreading carriage motion thereby preventing disturbance or change of position of the free end of the fabric as caused by carriage motion airflow, so that upon automatic recommencement of spreading, the end of the fabric will be deposited at a predetermined position on the spreading surface which will be accurately repeated for each subsequent automatically deposited ply of fabric, thereby providing maximum fabric utilization.