Abstract: A connecting member and method of forming the connecting member in an air maintenance tire is provided. The method includes providing a tire having a sidewall formed with an annular groove. The groove receives an annular air tube having a first end with a first fitting and a second end with a second fitting. A recess is formed in the tire sidewall along the annular groove at a location where the first end of the annular air tube is adjacent the second end of the annular air tube. A mold formed with a cavity is provided and the fittings are removably secured in the cavity. The mold is positioned on a surface of the tire sidewall and an elastomer or a polymer is introduced into the mold cavity. The mold is heated to form the connecting member on the tire sidewall.

Abstract: A medical holding arm, comprising at least one joint with two joint bodies which are rotatable relative to each other about a rotational axis (D), wherein a first of the joint bodies has a plurality of locking pins and a second of the joint bodies has a plurality of locking recesses, the number of locking pins differs from the number of locking recesses, the locking pins each have an axially tapered engagement part, the locking recesses are respectively formed axially tapered to selectively receive each of the engagement parts for locking the joint, and when the joint is locked, at least one of the locking pins is received with its tapered engagement part completely in one of the tapered locking recesses, while at least one of the other locking pins is received with its tapered engagement part only partially in one of the other tapered locking recesses.

Abstract: This weft insertion system includes at least one rapier (6, 8) provided with weft yarn clamping means (622, 822) for drawing a weft yarn (202) and a reed (2) provided with dents (22) made of a magnetic material. The rapier (6,8) is equipped with magnetic means for exerting an attractive magnetic effort (E, E?) between this rapier and the dents of the reed. The reed (2) advantageously has a variable magnetic permeability along its longitudinal axis (X2). The rapier (6, 8) has a lateral face (8262) oriented towards the reed (2) and the magnetic means have a direction of polarization perpendicular to the direction of travel (X6, X8) of the rapier and secant with this surface (8262).

Abstract: A weaving machine with drive elements including two or more crankshaft parts rotatable along the width direction of the machine and a common rotational center line. The drive elements are situated in intermediate sections and include respectively a lay sword and lay sword shaft and are connected to a connecting rod belonging to the intermediate section. The machine utilizes a computerized control system for controlling the weaving process. Substantial weight and space reductions are made as large, heavy shaft mountings and gearboxes can be avoided.

Abstract: A device (1) for transferring a preferably band-shaped weft material (6) from a feed unit to an insertion element (4) of a weaving machine comprises a clamping device (5) for clamping a free end (E) of the weft material (6). The clamping device (6) is conveyable essentially in the direction (BR) of motion of the insertion element (4) between at least two different operating positions. The device (1) includes a drive (8) for conveying the clamping device (5). In a method for transferring a preferably band-shaped weft material (6) from a bobbin or a feed unit to an insertion element (4) of a weaving machine, a free end (E) of the weft material (6) is clamped in a clamping device (5), the free end (E) is transferred to the insertion element (4), and then the clamping device (5) is opened and the weft material is inserted. The clamping device (5) is conveyed by means of a drive (8) essentially in the direction of motion of the insertion element (4) between at least two different operating positions.

Abstract: The machine (1) for making fabrics comprising yarns decorated with pearls (15) comprises a yarn holder (2) for feeding a warp yam (3) to a weaving group (5) by aligning all of them onto the same plane by means of cords (7) controlling the feeding direction of the warp (3). The weaving group (5) comprises a reed (9) therethrough the warp yarns (3) pass and cooperating with a bar (11) for forming the fabric (8). The weaving cloth (5) comprises two pincers (13) suitable for inserting a weft yarn between the warp yarns (3). The bar (11) has an indentation (16) faced towards the reed (9) and placed at the passing area of the warp (14). The pincers (13) have a first jaw (18) faced towards a second jaw (19) with substantially triangular profile. The invention also relates to the fabric made with such machine.

Abstract: An insert rapier includes a weft-holding portion at a bottom portion of a rapier head. Rear and front walls are provided at a distal side of the rapier head with respect to the weft-holding portion and protruding from both sides of the bottom portion, thereby having a warp-dividing function. The insert rapier can guide a weft, which intersects with warps at a predetermined angle, to the weft-holding portion. The rapier head includes a tongue piece provided at the distal side with respect to the weft-holding portion, in a region between the weft-holding portion and the rear wall. The tongue piece has a distal tip located lower than the rear wall, and has an upper ridge gradually ascending from the distal tip toward a proximal side. The tongue piece is movable to a position above the rapier head or toward the proximal side.

Abstract: In a carrier rapier including a rapier head having a hook-shaped tip, a weft holding portion and a weft guiding portion are formed. The weft holding portion has a wedge-shaped gap formed by an opposing surface of a catch lever and a base surface at a turn-back portion of the carrier rapier. The weft guiding portion guides a weft from the exterior of the carrier rapier to the weft holding portion. In addition, a weft interfering portion is provided between the weft guiding portion and the weft holding portion. An angle ?2 formed by the base surface and the opposing surface at the weft interfering portion is less than a maximum angle ?1 formed by the base surface and the opposing surface at the weft holding portion.

Abstract: On the one hand, this invention relates to a method for manufacturing a toothed rack from an elastic material, the toothed rack being provided with teeth, the said toothed rack, in pre-stressed condition, being wrapped up in one or several layers of fiber reinforced synthetic cloth around at least part of the height of its lateral faces which are almost at right angles to the surface in which the teeth are situated and, on the other hand, a toothed rack manufactured according to this method. Furthermore, this invention relates to a rapier rod profile for a rapier weaving machine provided with a toothed rack according to the invention.

Abstract: An apparatus (1) is presented for the insertion of a weft thread (2) into a shed (10) of a rapier weaving machine. The apparatus (1) includes a rapier tape (3b) movable in the insertion direction, a rapier head (3a) at the same and at least one guide part (5) which is provided at the rapier tape or at the rapier head as well as a plurality of guide elements (6.1-6.i+1) which cooperate with the guide part to guide the rapier tape or the rapier head in the shed, wherein the start of the guidance of the guide part by the guide elements is delayed until the rapier tip ( 3) is at a distance of at least 14 cm in the shed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a needle webbing machine which comprises two weft needles (2a, 2b) which work simultaneously and in opposite directions on both ribbon sides, in addition to knitting needles (28a, 28b) which are arranged on both ribbon sides. A yarn lifter (18a, 18b) which works individually and which is used to advance a weft thread (4a, 4b) to a weft needle (2a, 2b), which is open, is provided on each side of the ribbon in order to improve the production thereof.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for forming an insertion-side fabric selvedge (35) on a gripper weaving machine, whereby: a) selectively one of several weft threads (3, 4, 43, 44) that are provided on bobbins (1, 2, 41, 42) is positioned in the running path (5) of a gripper (6), while the other weft threads (3, 4, 43, 44) are held outside of the running path, whereby: b) the weft thread positioned in the running path is grasped and inserted into a loom shed by the gripper (6), whereby: c) thereafter the inserted weft thread (3) is beat-up against a binding line (33) by means of a weaving reed (31), whereby: d) the inserted weft thread (3) is cut-off on the insertion side directly after the beat-up, and e) the bobbin-side weft thread end of a respective cut-off weft thread (3) is respectively grasped and held by a different suction chamber of a suction chamber block (10, 20).

Abstract: A needle loom is provided with a bearing structure (2), one textile-product (P) forming head (3) installed on the bearing structure (2), two heddle frames (6) capable of intercepting a plurality of warp threads (O), one sickle (9) to bring the two weft threads (T) transversely between the warp threads (O), two movable guides (11) each of which is adapted to intercept one of the weft threads (T), actuators (13) to shift the movable guides (11) and change the weft threads (T) carried by the sickle (9), one needle (18) to temporarily retain at least one of the two weft threads (T) carried by the sickle (9), and a reed (20) to compact the weft threads (T) against the already formed textile product (P). Two electric motors (21), each of which is connected to a respective guide (11) actively move the respective guide (11) in a first way (X) or in a second way (Y) along the predetermined direction (D), upon command of the respective motor (21).

Abstract: A method for the insertion of a weft thread into a shed of a rapier weaving machine is presented in which the weft thread (3) is taken up by a bringer rapier (10) and fixedly clamped in the same by means of a thread clamp; is inserted into the shed by means of the bringer rapier and is taken up by a taker rapier. In the said method the clamping force of the thread clamp in the bringer rapier is additionally controlled during the weft insertion in such a way that the clamping force (F0) during the take-up of the weft thread and/or during the transfer of the weft thread is reduced relative to the clamping force (F1) in the insertion phase lying therebetween.

Abstract: A power weaving loom includes weft thread insertion and collecting bands (6, 7). Drive units drive the bands and cause leading parts of the bands to move towards and away from one another between sides of the weaving machine and an approximately half-width position (13) of the machine. The bands include grippers (6b, 7b), which allow the weft thread to be drawn from a first side of the machine to the approximately half-width position and then to a second side of the machine. The drive units include servomotors which are coordinated to act upon the bands via motion-transmitting members with a torque that allows inward and return motions of the bands during brief shedding times, thus providing high machine picking speeds even in machines of great width.

Abstract: A needle loom comprises a supporting structure (2), at least one forming head (3) of a textile product (P) installed on the supporting structure (2), at least two heddle frames (6) capable of intercepting a plurality of warp threads (O), at least one sickle (9) to bring at least two weft threads (T) transversely between the warp threads (O), at least two movable guides (11) adapted each to intercept one of the weft threads (T), actuator means (13) to move the movable guides (11) and change the weft threads (T) carried by the sickle (9), at least one needle (18), to temporarily retain at least one of said at least two weft threads (T) carried by the sickle (9), and a reed (20) to compact the weft threads (T) against the already formed textile product. The actuator means (13) comprises at least two electric motors (21), connected each with a respective movable guide (11), to move each guide in a manner independent of the others.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a fabric and an apparatus for manufacturing a fabric that enable weaving of weak fibers including monofilaments of noble metal such as 24-carat gold.

Abstract: A device for driving and guiding a rapier of a weaving machine, comprises a rotatable drive wheel (1) provided for driving a rapier rod (14) in a back and forth movement and a guide channel formed by adjustable guide bodies (10), (11) in order to guide the said rapier rod (14) according to a guide path in co-operation with the drive wheel (1). The guide bodies (10), (11) are part of a guide unit (9) which, as a whole, is adjustable in order to modify the distance between the guide path and the rotation shaft (2) of the drive wheel (1), and where the drive wheel (1) is continuously adjustable in the longitudinal direction of its shaft (2). With this device the clearances of the rapier rod with respect to the drive wheel can be performed easily, rapidly and with great precision, so that this device is able to work with a minimum development of heat and wear.

Abstract: Weft carrying grippers (1, 2), of the type wherein the grippers are made of metal and are driven in their back-and-forth movements through the shed by carbon-fibre and/or polyester straps exclusively guided from outside the shed are both characterised by a metal shoe (3, 4) integrated in the gripper and projecting from the bottom thereof, near the tip, to which it is radiussed and in that the shoe (3, 4) has a large central recess (7, 8), designed to host the ends (12, 13) of the driving strap (10, 11), which is narrower than the rest of the strap and thinner than the recess (7, 8) of the shoe.

Abstract: A weaving machine is constructed to use a magnetic traction device to reciprocate the shuttle in moving weft threads over warp threads at a high speed without producing noise and preventing direct contact between parts.

Abstract: The invention discloses an elongate spliced member, particularly a tooth rack for a rapier loom, and a method for making same. The spliced member includes two elongate member segments joined at respective ends and having at least one through aperture positioned laterally from a respective first side to a second side adjacent the joined ends. An elongate recess is formed on opposed surfaces of the member segments, and each recess surrounds a respective aperture and communicates with the respective joined end of the segments. A carbon fiber strand is wound alternately through the aperture in each of the segments to splice the segments together end-to-end. The spliced member has the functional characteristics equivalent to an integrally formed member of the same length.

Abstract: A gripper housing, in particular a weaving-machine gripper housing, comprises edges of a sheetmetal from which the said housing is formed and that constitute guide elements (23, 25, 26, 31) which have a width larger than the sheetmetal thickness.

Abstract: This invention relates to a device for driving and guiding a rapier of a weaving machine, comprising a rotatable drive wheel (1) provided for driving a rapier rod (14) in a back and forth movement and a guide channel formed by adjustable guide bodies (10), (11) in order to guide the said rapier rod (14) according to a guide path in co-operation with the drive wheel (1), the guide bodies (10),(11) being part of a guide unit (9) which, as a whole, is adjustable in order to modify the distance between the guide path and the rotation shaft (2) of the drive wheel (1), and where the drive wheel (1) is continuously adjustable in the longitudinal direction of its shaft (2). With this device the clearances of the rapier rod with respect to the drive wheel can be performed easily, rapidly and with great precision, so that this device is able to work with a minimum development of heat and wear.

Abstract: A device for presenting weft yarns (1), (2) to two (or more) rapiers provided above one another of a weaving machine, comprising two yarn carriers (14), which are movable between a receiving position, in which each yarn carrier (14) is able to receive a respective weft yarn (1), (2) to carry along this yarn, and a presenting position in which each yarn carrier (14) is able to present a weft yarn (1), (2) carried along to a respective rapier in order to insert this yarn into a shed. The presenting arms (3), (4) are rotatable above one another in respective intersecting planes of movement. Preferably, the upper presenting arm (3) is rotatable in a horizontal plane of movement, while the lower presenting arm (4) is rotatable in a plane of movement that is inclined downwards in the direction of the presenting position. With a similar presenting device the weft yarns can be taken up very close to the fell of the fabric and cut through, waste selvedges becoming unnecessary and weft yarns can be saved.

Abstract: A weaving machine for manufacture of a fabric comprising a shed-forming device for forming a shed of warp threads, a selection device 22 comprising at least one rotatable element and a plurality of thread holders 31 for transmitting weft thread there through, the thread holders, being positioned in a row, whereby rotation of the rotatable element 25,26,27,28 causes said row to move for supply of weft thread to a desired position for manufacture of a fabric. The weaving machine of the present invention includes a weaving sley comprising a selection device 22 for supply of weft thread during manufacture of a fabric, a weft insertion mechanism operatively connected to the sley and movable relative to the selection device 22.

Abstract: A loom fitted with rapiers and including at least one rapier for one gripper, a guiding device (19, 20), guiding surface (31) associated with the top side of a guide element (17) of the gripper (7) and with the top side of a rapier (9) extending over more than one third the width of the guide element (17) and of the rapier (9). A fastener (35) of the gripper (7) is mounted to the side of the reed (6) in eccentrically offset manner to the guide element (17).

Abstract: A gripper weaving machine with a plurality of guiding devices(28) for guiding gripper carrying rapiers (1,2). The guiding devices (28) have two rows of guiding elements (35,36) with two guiding surfaces (37,38) that are associated with the bottom side of the rapiers (1,2). The guiding elements (35,36) are oriented relative to the bottom side of the rapiers (1,2) such that they form, at the side facing the reed (13), obtuse angles (B,B′,C,C′) with the bottom side of the rapiers (1,2).

Abstract: A gripper weaving machine with at least one gripper (1, 2) joined by a guide portion (21) to a rapier (3, 4) and fitted with guide units (19) arranged in a row and insertable into a formed shed (22). The guide portion (21) on its side facing away from the gripper (1) includes at least one slide rib (26) extending along the longitudinal direction of the guide portion and protects the warps (24) from making contact with the guide portion (21).

Abstract: In a rapier for a gripper loom, the rapier is made of synthetic material and includes at least one layer of reinforcing fibers. The gripper is mounted at the front end of the rapier, and the layer of reinforcing fibers begins at a distance away from said front end.

Abstract: A gripper weaving machine having at least one rapier (1) which carries a gripper (3) and is driven by a drive wheel (9) and which is guided outside a shed by guide elements (13, 15), where the guide elements are part of guidance devices and are arranged to rotate the rapier (1) about its longitudinal axis (28).

Abstract: A weaving machine includes a device for forming a shed from warp threads, a weft thread insertion unit for the insertion of a weft thread into the shed, guide elements for the weft thread insertion unit, wherein the guide elements can move into and out of the shed, and a weaving reed containing weaving reed dents for beating up an inserted weft thread at the knock-off of a woven fabric to be produced.

Abstract: A modular device for weft yarn presentation in a shuttleless loom, operated by linear electric motors which present the yarn by using rods mounted on sliders which rotate to transition the rods from raised standby positions to lowered delivery positions. The linear motors include fixed plates and pivotally mounted sliders, each carrying a rod. The fixed plates are assembled such that the plates angularly diverge from one another from adjacent the pivotal mounting between the sliders and plates and form acute angles therebetween. By using this arrangement, the delivery segment for the yarns is significantly shorter and the angle of presentation of the yarns is substantially narrower.

Abstract: A loom is equipped with a pneumatic slide bearing for guiding and supporting a weft insertion gripper carrier, which may be a rigid rapier rod or a flexible band. The pneumatic slide bearing supports and guides the weft gripper carrier in a nearly friction-free manner. The pneumatic slide bearing includes a bearing body (1) that is pivotally mounted on a bolt (3) and that extends along the lengthwise direction of the rapier rod (12) or around the circumferential direction of the flexible band (21). The bearing body (1) has an air channel (5) therein, and has a plurality of transverse holes (6) passing from the air channel out through a side wall. A bearing plate (8) with a plurality of transverse holes (9) therethrough is removably mounted along the side wall of the bearing body (1) so that the transverse holes (9) align with the transverse holes (6).

Abstract: A loom gripper band driving device includes apparatus for changing the path of motion of the gripper band. The drive device includes a band driving wheel connected to a gear that engages a gear segment pivotable about a fixed support shaft and that is connected by a coupling rod to a crank arm that pivots about a fixed crankarm supporting shaft. The coupling rod is connected at its opposite ends to the gear segment and the crankarm, respectively, with the connecting points between the coupling rod, gear segment and crankarm being variable to change the path of motion of the gear segment and the gripper drive relative to the crankarm and in particular the crankarm supporting shaft.

Abstract: A gripper loom tape head including a base, comprising a gripper support crest attached to the tape head, the tape head having a plurality of through fixing holes flared towards the base of the tape head and arranged in two longitudinal rows on one and the other side of a longitudinal axis of the tape head, which comprises two flared holes, of greater diameter than the holes, on the longitudinal axis in proximity to the longitudinal ends of the crest, characterized in that the gripper support crest is prefabricated in any desired material, is provided with a series of through fixing holes in proximity to its lower end, is arranged along the longitudinal axis of the underlying tape head perpendicular to this latter and spaced therefrom by a certain gap, and is maintained in position for all or nearly all its length by a thermoplastic injection-molding material which surrounds most of the prefabricated crest and becomes inserted into the fixing holes of this latter, into the gap between the crest and the tape he

Abstract: A gripper weaving machine has at least one gripper which is arranged at weft band and guided so as to reciprocate in a shed. The weft band is guided in the shed on both sides in guide recesses of guide pins at a distance from the warp threads. Each of the guide recesses of the guide pins adjacent a weaving reed has a lower guide surface which ends at least parallel to the plane of the weft band and an upper guide surface opening toward the weft band at an angle relative to the plane of the weft band. The edge of the weft band engaging in the guide recesses has a cross section adapted to the shape of the guide recesses. The angle of the upper surface of the guide pins adjacent to the weaving reed is dimensioned such that the upper guide surface, when exiting from the lower shed and intersecting the warp threads, forms an angle with the warp threads which is greater than or equal to 5 degrees. In addition, the weft band has a protruding portion on the underside and between the edges of the weft band.

Abstract: A weaving machine in which the weft is inserted by two grippers into a shed from opposite sides of the machine and the pick being beaten by a reed carried by a batten. The grippers and the batten are controlled by electrical motors supplied in parallel by one or more frequency converters and are linked together by a synchronizing mechanism.

Abstract: A combination of a sprocket wheel and a rapier band employed in a rapier loom is improved for extending the service life of the rapier band. Each of the female holes formed in the rapier band for receiving teeth of the sprocket wheel is formed in a frustum-like shape. The teeth of the sprocket wheel have tooth surfaces each including a non-interference portion located above an expansion/contraction-insusceptible layer of the rapier band and an interference portion located underneath the expansion/contraction-insusceptible layer. The non-interference portions do not contact the tooth surfaces, while the interference portions are brought into contact with the wall surfaces of the hole formed in the rapier band when the band is wrapped around the sprocket wheel.

Abstract: A gripper drive for a rapier loom is cooled by enclosing the gripper drive with a cooling medium flow guide housing and passing a cooling medium, such as conditioned air, through said guide housing so that a cooling medium flow must pass said gripper drive in heat exchange contact therewith. The cooling medium is either a suction medium or a pressurized medium and passes through a flow port and slots or openings in the flow guide housing.

Abstract: A gear (1) for driving a rapier of a loom and composed of a separately manufactured synthetic base body (3, 5) to which a wear-resistant band (9) forming the outside teeth (2) of the gear is bonded by an adhesive (10).

Abstract: In a loom having mechanically driven weft thread insertion members, a weaving reed and a guide element for a weft thread gripper cooperate with one another, so that the guide element guidedly runs along the reed to provide an positive guidance for the gripper while it inserts a weft thread. To achieve this, each one of the reed teeth (6) has a profile recess (6D) therein between the upper and lower reed frame members (1A, 1B). The recesses are aligned with each other to form a guide channel across the width of the weaving reed (1). A protruding extension (13A) of the guide element (13) mounted on the gripper (12) is temporarily guidingly connected or engaged with the guide groove as the weft thread insertion members reach into and out of the loom shed.

Abstract: A variable pitch lead transmission mechanism includes a slider, a screw rod having a screw thread and two opposite screw thread surfaces and mounted on the slider, a driver contacting with one of the screw thread surfaces and adapted to be translated by a power source in order to in turn rotate the screw rod, and an elastic element mounted between the screw rod and the driver for providing a buffering action therebetween. Preferably, the buffer effect of the elastic element automatically accommodates the spin angle .beta. of the driving base and the contact locations between the driver and the screw thread surface so as to avoid therebetween an adversely expanded clearance.

Abstract: A guide system for a gripper insertion tape in a shuttleless loom which includes a sley with a reed, through the dents of which pass upper and lower warp yarns forming a shed, at least one insertion tape moving with reciprocating motion between the upper and lower warp yarns of the open shed, a gripper fixed to one end of the tape to convey a weft yarn through the shed, and a plurality of guide teeth fixed spaced apart on the sley and projecting through the lower warp yarns of the shed when the shed is open. The teeth are provided with a bearing and guiding surface for the insertion tape and for the gripper. The bearing and guiding surface of the teeth includes a convex surface which extends in the direction of the warp yarns. A control mechanism is also provided making guiding of the insertion tape and the gripper more effective during travel thereof within the shed.

Abstract: A device for controlling weft carrying grippers on a continuous weft feed loom has a connecting rod-crank mechanism that controls rectilinear translation of a slide along a fixed guide. The slide has an internal nut screw that engages a worm that is mounted in idleable manner on a fixed support that is integral with the guide and fitted with a pinion for controlling the gripper strap. The nut screw is made up of at least two elements having respective worm followers. The elements are movable relative to each other along the worm axis by a cam but angularly fixed relative to the slide or to another element mounted on the slide so that the angular position of the elements is controlled by a cam as a function of the axial position of the slide.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling the motion of a weft insertion member in shuttleless looms, the apparatus includes: a triple-threaded variable pitch cylindrical cam, adapted to be secured to the weft insertion member; and a slider, which contains three roller seats to receive six frustoconical rollers, in which the six frustoconical rollers are divided into three groups, each group has two frustoconical rollers, each group of two frustoconical rollers is rotatably received by one roller seat and is located between two adjacent threads of the triple-threaded variable pitch cylindrical cam with different one of the two frustoconical rollers contacting different one of the two adjacent threads so that each thread of the triple-threaded variable pitch cylindrical cam is in mating engagement with two frustoconical rollers from two different groups of the three groups of two frustoconical rollers.

Abstract: A gripper device for a weaving loom having a drive shaft, which rotates in one direction of rotation and the other direction in an alternate manner, where the gripper device has a drive gear rotatably disposed on the drive shaft. This drive gear has a tooth system which is engageable to the tooth system of an assembly, which is non-rotatably disposed on said drive shaft. The gripper device also includes a mechanism for engaging both tooth systems to transmit the rotational movement of the drive shaft to the drive gear, thus moving and withdrawing the gripper device into and from a shed between warp threads.

Abstract: A gripper loom includes guides mounted laterally outside the shed and guides displaceable into and out of said shed. Both guides engage guide surfaces of a rapier to guide the rapier, but the set of guide surfaces engaged by the guides mounted laterally outside the shed and the set of guide surfaces engaged by the guides displaceable into and out of the shed are located at different sites on the rapier.

Abstract: In a loom, a carrier drive shaft supporting the carrier at one end horizontally, is vertically mounted on the loom frame, and the carrier drive shaft and a reed drive shaft are linked by a link via a pivotal member. With this arrangement, the carrier drive shaft will not undergo at least vertical vibration so that influence due to vibration of the reed during the inserting of the weft yarn can be reduced to a minimum, thus sharply minimizing chances that the latch needle fails to catch the weft yarn.

Abstract: An apparatus for driving a gripper belt in a rapier loom comprises a three-dimensional cam drive (1) for converting a rotational movement into a pivotal movement. The cam drive includes a rotatable cam carrier with a guide surface defining a closed curve (11), the closed curve having a generatrix (E) which is a circular arc. A pivot arm (5) engages the curved surface and pivots about an axis (3) of rotation through the center point of the generatrix. The apparatus is compact and it facilitates the adjustment of the stroke length of the gripper belt.

Abstract: A rapier loom has rapier heads which are moved by picking tapes into an open shed. Spacing elements are provided for the rapiers to ensure that when the shed is fully opened, a space is present between the tape and the bottom shed to reduce frictional contact between the warp yarns and the picking tape edges when the shed closes. The spacing elements can be in the form of slidable members which are disposed on the underside of the rapier head and/or in the form on spacing teeth which are secured to the sley and which can enter the shed between the warp yarns of a bottom shed.