Patents by Inventor Dirk Lewyllie

Dirk Lewyllie has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5970996
    Abstract: A throttling valve (11) in particular for an airjet loom includes an electric drive (27) for two valve components (17, 19) subtending a throttling gap (25), the drive including motor displaceable in predetermined positions by means of a control and/or regulation unit for setting throtting gaps (25) of predetermined sizes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Picanol NV
    Inventors: Hugo Markey, Jozef Peeters, Dirk Lewyllie
  • Patent number: 5400834
    Abstract: In an apparatus for selecting and feeding wefts to an insertion device of a weaving machine, the feeders are directly connected to eccentric drives which have an excursion corresponding at least to the paths covered by the feeders between their rest and feed positions, and each feeder is associated with a guide and arranged to compensate for transverse displacements of the eccentric drives which deviate from the reciprocating motions of the feeders. The feeders have an excursion corresponding to at least the distance between the rest and feed positions of the feeder, with each feeder together with a drive motor, the eccentric drive, and the guide forming a module to simplify matching of yarn feeders to the requirements of a specific fabric and exchange of units in case of a defect. Advantageously, the modules of neighboring feeders may be mounted in mirror-symmetric manner relative to a common plane in which all of the feeders are mounted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1995
    Assignee: Picanol, N.V.
    Inventors: Dirk Lewyllie, Bernard Vancayzeele, Geert Geerardyn
  • Patent number: 5050647
    Abstract: When a weft thread is not used for weaving for a certain preset time, at least one weft length of this weft thread is automatically inserted into the shed and removed to prevent weaving errors caused because the weft thread is held too long in the insertion nozzle and consequently may be damaged. The weaving process then continues with a new length of new weft thread.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 24, 1991
    Assignee: Picanol N.V.,naamloze vennootschap
    Inventors: Robert Baeck, Dirk Lewyllie, Jose Vangheluwe
  • Patent number: 4993459
    Abstract: In a weaving machine, one of the guiding elements used to normally guide a weft thread between a thread preparation mechanism and the shed of the weaving machine is made moveable. The moveable guiding element may, for example, be an auxiliary weft insertion nozzle and can be used in place of supplemental threading and guiding mechanisms for such as purposes as retrieving a broken weft thread for automatic rethreading or extracting a defective weft thread from the shed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 19, 1991
    Assignee: Picanol N.V.
    Inventors: Henry Shaw, Dirk Lewyllie, Jose Vangheluwe
  • Patent number: 4967807
    Abstract: A method of threading a weft insertion jet nozzle so that a correct length of the leading end of the weft thread extends from the jet nozzle in the direction of the shed includes the steps of bringing a weft thread into its corresponding jet nozzle, inserting at least one weft length of said weft thread into the shed, cutting off the length of weft thread which has been inserted into the shed so that the correct length of weft thread extends from the outlet of the jet nozzle, and finally removing the cut-off length of weft thread from the shed. A weaving machine adapted for carrying out the described method includes a control unit connected to the weaving machine's prewinders, jet nozzles, a suction nozzle, a cutter, and to the drive of the sley of the weaving machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 6, 1990
    Assignee: Picanol N.V.
    Inventors: Dirk Lewyllie, Jose Vangheluwe
  • Patent number: 4898214
    Abstract: A method and apparatus to remove a defectively inserted weft thread includes preventing the severing of the weft thread from the ready supply of weft thread, releasing lengths of weft thread less than twice the width of the material from the ready supply of weft thread, blowing the released weft thread by pulsating blowing into the shed containing the defectively inserted weft thread, severing the newly inserted weft thread and the defectively inserted weft thread from the ready supply, and removing the weft thread from the shed by pulsating blowing of the weft thread.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1990
    Assignee: Picanol N. V.
    Inventors: Dirk Lewyllie, Jose Vangheluwe, Bernard Pauwels, Henry Shaw
  • Patent number: 4834145
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for cutting a weft thread are disclosed in which a completely separate, independent drive system for the weft thread cutter and clamping device enables the cutting time to be optimized without affecting the main drive system for the loom. By using its own, independent drive system, which is completely independent of the main loom drive, the cutter can be actuated at any time during the loom cycle. The cutter and clamp drive system is controlled by a computer, which may be programmed to determine the optimum cutting time as a function of the weaving parameters and the weft thread data. A device may be provided to detect an improperly inserted weft thread. Once this has been detected, the computer may deactivate the cutting device to prevent the separation of the improperly inserted weft thread from the weft thread supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 30, 1989
    Assignee: Picanol N.V.
    Inventors: Dirk Lewyllie, Jose Vangheluwe