Abstract: A rapier tape gripper loom having inserter rapier tapes driving inserter and taker gripper heads has the warp threads only provide gripper head support over at least part of the insertion path. The insertion path occupies a width of the shed defined by the path of insertion and retraction of the gripper heads. It is the warp threads of the lower shed which act exclusively as direct support to the gripper heads over the part of the insertion path. During the insertion of the weft yarn, at least one bearer member supports the warp threads alongside of but not in the insertion path. This support effected by the at least one bearer member is outside the insertion path over which the gripper heads travel, leaving the warp threads as adjacently supported by the bearer member as the sole supporting members for the gripper heads.

Abstract: A mechanism controls the motion of the weft insertion member in shuttleless looms. This mechanism comprises a double-threaded variable pitch cylindrical cam and a slider having two pairs of frustoconical rollers. Each pair of frustoconical rollers is mounted on a thread of the variable pitch cylindrical cam. In operation, the cylindrical cam is able to rotate in a reciprocating manner by moving the slider in a rectilinear reciprocating manner. The mechanism is characterized in that the semi-conical angle of each frustoconical roller is formed such that the profile of the two threads of the variable pitch cam screw is easy to design and manufacture.

Abstract: In detention of abrasion on a rapier band controlled in reciprocation by a rapier guide, the principal of detection is closely related to the critical abrasion (.alpha.) of the rapier band and the system calls for no substantial modification in construction of the rapier band in production. In a first embodiment, a longitudinal channel of a depth greater then the critical abrasion is formed in the guide face of the rapier guide so that an abrasion sensor attached to the rapier guide detects the dimension of a non-abraded region on the rapier guide projecting into the channel. In a second embodiment, a photoelectric sensor is attached to the rapier guide so that its detection beam passes through the rapier band at a distance of .beta. from the guide face, .beta. being equal to a sum of the critical abrasion (.alpha.) and the initial gap between the rapier band and the guide face of the rapier guide. The critical abrasion (.alpha.

Abstract: A gripper head travelling through a shed in a weaving loom, has a longitudinal lateral guide surface (14A, 17A) along its gripper head body which is temporarily contacted by guide lever fingers in those positions of the head where its proper guidance is most critical, e.g. at the time of the weft transfer. The guide lever fingers are so driven by a drive mechanism that these fingers are withdrawn from the loom shed just as soon as the weft transfer is completed.

Abstract: The picking device in projectile looms has guide teeth (1) having narrowing zones (20, 20') adapted to receive lubricant transferred from the projectiles (100) to the guide teeth. Because of these narrowing zones and given appropriate shaping no lubricant reaches the guide teeth side surfaces which contact the warp yarns. Soiling of the cloth by lubricant can therefore be obviated. Also, adequate lubrication can be provided so that there is no soiling due to material released by abrasion between the projectile and the guide teeth.

Abstract: A rapier loom has a picking mechanism in which one rapier (a giver rapier) transfers a weft yarn to another rapier (a taker rapier) in mid-shed. Each rapier is oscillated toward and away from one another by a drive and includes a yarn clamp which is actuated by a clamp opener to provide reliable yarn transfer from one rapier to the other. The rapier drives and/or clamp openers are driven by programmed servomotors. In this way, the velocities of the rapiers and/or the interval in which the clamp openers are opened can be adjusted according to the properties of the particular weft yarns used to ensure reliable transfer without damaging the yarn.

Abstract: The rapier guide of a gripper weaving machine includes at least two series of guide elements for guiding the rapiers in the shed. The two series are presented in the shed at the backmost position of the sley to guide the rapiers on both sides thereof. In the series of guide elements which is situated closest to the reed, those guide elements situated nearest the ends of the shed are arranged to also be situated, in all positions of the sley, essentially underneath the plane formed by the undersides of the rapiers.

Abstract: Gripper guide for double-gripper weaving machines, comprising two bearing arms (5) and (5') running above one another and adjustable individually in the warp direction. An L-shaped guide strip (7), (7') is fixed to each bearing arm (5), (5') so that it is adjustable in height. In front of each guide strip (7), (7') there is a straight guide strip (8), (8') which forms a U-shaped channel for the gripper bars (4), (4') together with each of the first mentioned guide strip (7), (7'), so that the gripper bars do not swing. The straight guide strips (8), (8') are adjustable both in the warp direction and in height and are easily and quickly removable from their guide position, for example, through a hinged connection to the respective bearing arms (5), (5'), which permits the upper guide strip (8) to flap up and the lower guide strip to flap down.

Abstract: The gripper loom has picking tapes and rapier heads whose centers of gravity are disposed above the top of the tape. Between the tape wheels and the shed, tape guides are provided to impart to the picking tapes an inclined direction of movement towards the shed. Due to these inclined tape guides, disengagement of the rapier heads from the raceway in the shed can be obviated, with a consequent reduction in the frequency of warp yarn breakages.

Abstract: The rapier loom employs a runner on the underside of a picking tape at the rapier head in order to space the picking tape from the guide teeth used to form a slideway for the rapier within a shed of warp yarns. The runner may have a convex shape while the guide teeth have a curvilinear shape to slidingly support the runner. Alternatively, the runner may have a longitudinal groove to receive the guide teeth. A guide bar may also be disposed outside the shed to form a slideway for the runner while also being spaced from the picking tape.

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.

Abstract: A gripper rod for shuttleless looms has a toothed rack made of fiber reinforced composite material. The prepregs are stacked in such a way that the fiber orientation in one layer crosses the fiber orientation of at least one neighboring layer. A sufficient number of layers are preferably stacked relative to a central plane of symmetry. The so prepared stack is then placed into a pressing die to form the toothed rack configuration. Due to the pressing, the initial fiber orientation changes so that the fibers after the pressing extend approximately in parallel to the surfaces of the toothed rack, especially at the tooth flank forming surfaces and along the edges, whereby the strength of the toothed rack and the wear and tear resistance, especially of the tooth flanks is improved. The angular orientation of the fiber directions relative to a longitudinal edge of a prepreg may be within the range of about 15.degree. to about 25.degree.

Abstract: A tape drive system for the weft gripper of a shuttleless loom which uses a plastically undeformable tape formed of composite laminate layers containing rigid fibers. The tape is driven by a sprocket engaging perforations provided along the tape and the engagement is being ensured by two shoulder blocks. Additionally the tape is provided with a permanent magnet at that end carrying said weft gripper cooperating with a metal plate extending along the whole or at least part of a tape travel track.

Abstract: A gripper loom with at least one filling thread insertion device, including a perforated flexible insertion band, which carries a gripper head at one end and which is advanced into and again retracted from a shed by an alternatingly driven drive wheel. The drive wheel has teeth distributed across the circumference which engage into perforations of the insertion band. Furthermore, a guide member is assigned to the drive wheel near the gripper head so as to prevent the insertion band from lifting off the circumference of the drive wheel, and an end of the band facing away from the gripper head is fastened at a rotary guidance apparatus arranged with respect to the drive wheel so that the band end describes an at least approximate circular guide path during an entire reciprocating motion, the radius of the path being larger than the radius of the drive wheel.

Abstract: A gripper loom is equipped along its reed or slay beam with a plurality of compartments formed by separation walls extending in parallel to each other and in parallel to the lower shed forming warp threads which pass through these compartments. The upper edges of the separation walls are aligned with each other and with a guide surface of the gripper rods so that the upper edges form extension guide surfaces for the gripper rods. Thus, the lower shed forming warp threads do not interfere with the proper motion of the gripper rods.

Abstract: A picking mechanism comprises a flexible picking belt for securing to a belt wheel and made of plastics reinforced by a number of stranded and/or bunched groups of fibers. The fiber groups are disposed in an insert extending over the entire length of the picking belt and surrounded by a layer of plastics constituting the picking belt and free from the fiber in the fiber groups. The picking belt has an end portion remaining outside the winding area of the belt wheel and formed with a web-like raised part. The easily-manufactured, low-weight picking belt prevents exposure of fiber in the fiber group during a long period of operation.

Abstract: Device for guiding the rapier rods in a rapier loom, comprising several rapier guides. The first rapier guide supports the rapier rod heads and consists of guide tables which are adjustably mounted on an adjustable bracket, which in turn is adjustably mounted on an adjustable carrier structure. The carrier structure is adjustably mounted on a suspension bar and the suspension bar is adjustably mounted on the rapier guide housing. The second rapier guide consists of a number of rollers which guide the back of the rapier rods and position the raoier rods relative to the vertical shaft of the drive gear wheels. These rollers are provided in a roller frame, and these rollers can be set and fixed in a vertical and horizontal direction perpendicular to the rapier rods. The roller frame is adjustably mounted to the rapier guide housing. The third rapier guide consists of profile guides which are accommodated so that they are adjustable in height in a U-section.

Abstract: A gripper bar drive for weaving machines with a cycloid gearbox implemented with a crank arm (3) and an articulated lever (6), has been configured in such a way, that the effective lengths (LK and LH) of the crank arm (3) and of the articulated lever (6), may be modified. This creates the possibility of modifying the stroke of the gripper bars (9) from one value to another, without having to replace the crank arm (3) and the articulated lever (6). Among other things, the implementation can be effected in such a way, that the fastening devices (10) are provided with an eccentric center (M), and the crank arm (3) and the articulated lever (6) may be provided with openings (13, 16) for the fastening devices (10).

Abstract: A strap controlling the motion of weft yarn grippers in shuttleless looms, allowing to detect its state of wear, is provided with layers or inserts distributed according to the thickness and positioned along the length of the strap, adapted to supply optic, electric or magnetic signals indicating the wear of the strap.

Abstract: A guide for the motion of a pair of weft grippers inside the shed of a shuttleless loom, in which two control straps each carrying one of the grippers move on a substantially horizontal plane under the action of two gearwheels with reciprocating motion. A plurality of elements guide the straps in this motion, these guide elements being aligned on a sley facing a reed of the loom and positioned perpendicularly thereto, the straps having a substantially rectangular section of greater width than thickness and a shaped recess extending along each longitudinal side edge. The guide elements are substantially horizontal tooth projection, shaped like and engaged in those recesses. The projections are wedge-shaped, the apices of the wedges being substantially half way along the thickness of the straps. The straps are wider and thicker adjacent the grippers than remote from the grippers.

Abstract: An operating system for the flexible gripper tapes in shuttleless looms in which the backing plate that limits upward motion of the tape is located in the region where the unwound tape is not engaged by the drive wheel, and which plate is provided with suitably disposed holes fed with compress air. The compressed air guides the tape and helps prevent undesirable buckling.

Abstract: A weft thread inserting gripper for a loom is equipped with a guide element attached to a side wall of the gripper. In order to enable the guide element to properly contact the reed when the gripper moves in the loom shed, the guide element and gripper combination is so constructed that at least the guide element can tilt about a journal axis extending in parallel to the direction of gripper movement. This tilting ability can be achieved by mounting the guide element itself to a gripper side wall for pivoting about the journal axis. The same tilting effect can be achieved by mounting the entire gripper side wall carrying the guide element on such a journal axis. Both possibilities assure an optimal surface contact between the guide element and the respective surface in the loom to provide a quiet and smooth gripper motion.

Abstract: A gripper transportation system for a shuttleless loom, in which in the guide for the flexible tape, in a position in close proximity to the control sprocket, there is provided a transverse slot through which a solid stick of porous synthetic material impregnated with lubricating grease and/or oil passes and is urged against said tape by a spring of adjustable tension.

Abstract: The wheel body of a tape wheel possesses two outer half shells which are fastened to the wheel hub. The two outer half shells are arranged in conically inclined relationship to one another with respect to a connecting plane and form a wheel rim by means of annular wall parts. Within the wheel body there may be located an inner stiffening shell which diagonally extends toward the exterior from one flange of the wheel hub to a free end of the other outer half shell. The inner stiffening shell abuts against the annular wall parts by means of an annular shell portion. The transverse or axial stiffness or rigidity of the wheel body and thus of the entire tape wheel is increased in a particularly advantageous manner.

Abstract: A gripper tape drive device for a shuttleless loom, in which a circular disc is mounted coaxial but not perpendicular to the main loom shaft, its outer circular edge rotatably engaging a circular collar, of which two opposing pins spaced 180.degree. apart cooperate with the ends of a fork rigid with the control shaft of the gripper tape sprocket. Adjustment means are also provided for varying the amplitude of the oscillatory motion of said control shaft.

Abstract: A guide for the to-and-fro motion of a pair of weft carrying grippers inside the shed of weaving looms with continuous weft feed, of the type comprising two control straps movable in a substantially horizontal plane thanks to the action of two gearwheels with reciprocating motion, and a plurality of guide elements for the straps, aligned on the sley facing the reed and positioned perpendicularly thereto. The strps have at least one undercut groove and the guide elements are open and form pairs of bilateral guides for the straps, of which they engage the undercut groove. The guide elements are suitably hook elements, open towards the reed, and the straps project out of these elements towards the reed, the pairs of bilateral guides each operating according to at least two orthogonal planes.

Abstract: A guide mechanism for a weft thread inserting gripper rod in shuttleless looms, has upwardly open U-rail mounted in a gripper rod housing for guiding at least a portion of the reciprocating gripper rod in the housing. Additionally, guide rollers position adjustably mounted in a bracket are located in an operating position for guiding the gripper rod outside the gripper rod housing. The bracket is either tiltably or removably mounted to the loom frame for bringing the guide rollers into an inoperative position in which the gripper rod is easily accessible for disengagement from its drive sprocket and removal out of the gripper rod housing. The guiding by the U-rail and by the guide rollers effectively prevents gripper rod vibrations, yet permits an easy access to the gripper rod.

Abstract: Improved structure for guiding the weft-carrying grippers and their control straps through the shed of gripper looms comprises a single plurality of guide elements (3) aligned on the sley (1), each element (3) being provided with at least two distinct seats (4, 5) for housing respectively the strap (6) and the gripper (8), the seat (5) housing the gripper (8) being apt to prevent--either by itself or in cooperation with the seat (4) for the strap (6)--any lateral or upward movements of said gripper (8).

Abstract: The apparatus contains a ribbon wheel driven in alternating direction of rotation with a flexible insertion ribbon being wound and unwound in a first looping region of the ribbon wheel and lappable over more than 360.degree. of the circumference. A ribbon type guide element loops the portion of the insertion ribbon present on the ribbon wheel. The insertion ribbon and the guide element are each fastened at one end in a trough-like depression of the ribbon wheel by a recessed clamp which has a support surface adapted to the adjacent surface portions to be lapped and ascending in a circumferential direction in a continuous arc. The other end of the guide element is fastened by a second clamp disposed in the same or another depression.

Abstract: A gear drive for a shuttleless loom having a coupling train between a power input shaft and a power output member for reciprocating a weft thread gripper device into and out of a loom shed. The coupling train has a gear lever journalled for an oscillating motion which transports the weft thread gripper device. The coupling train also includes a piston rod type coupling link between the power input shaft and the gear lever. One end of the piston rod is journalled by a crank pin to the power input shaft. The other end of the piston rod is connected to a fork of the gear lever by a journal bolt having wedge type teeth and grooves in its facing ends which cooperate with respective teeth and grooves in the fork for an adjustment of the coupling point between the piston rod and the gear lever along elongated guide slots in the fork of the gear lever.

Abstract: An exchangeable member is secured to a carrier in a shuttleless loom by an elastically yielding mounting element having a head, a shank, and a neck between the head and the shank. The exchangeable member has a bore aligned with a bore in the carrier. The mounting element is pulled through the bores so that the neck snaps into place in the bores under tension while the head and shank bear against outer surfaces to hold the member and carrier together. The mounting element has a nail type shape with a long shaft that is threaded through the aligned bores and pulled for tensioning the neck. The exchangeable member is, for example, a member that is subject to wear and tear that must be exchanged frequently such as the guide body of a gripper head which forms the carrier for the guide body.

Abstract: A gripper rod for a shuttleless loom has a toothed rack section made of fiber reinforced synthetic composite, preferably thermoplastic, material. The toothed rack is made of a stack of belts of such material with rectangular perforations increasing in size from the inside out or from the bottom up. By compressing and simultaneously heating the stack the matrix material is cured, whereby the belts are bonded to one another. The gaps between the teeth may extend entirely through the rod or the rod may have a base also made of such belts but not having any perforations.

Abstract: The guide for a picking element is provided with five plane guide surfaces which are peripherally disposed about the picking tunnel. These five guide surfaces are disposed on each of the single guide tooth or are distributed between a separately constructed guide hook and an adjacent separately constructed guide support. Any two adjacent guide surfaces are disposed to define an angle of at least 90 degrees in order to reduce the friction forces operating between the guide surfaces and the picking element.

Abstract: A needle-ribbon weaving machine having a main drive shaft (2) to which are connected a weft needle drive (4), a reed or weaving blade drive (6), a knitting needle drive (8) and a shedding or yarn forming drive (10). A crank pin (22) connected to the main drive shaft (2) is connected by a connecting rod (24) to a rocking lever (28) of the reed or weaving blade drive (6). The weft needle drive (4) is not directly connected to the main drive shaft (2) but, in order to reduce noise and to improve the efficiency, it is articulated by a coupling rod (40) to a rocking rod (38) connected to the rocking lever (28) through a shaft (30).

Abstract: The guide is used for parts moved as if by a shear force of a weaving machine, particularly a projectile weaving machine. The guide has a body which is reciprocably mounted relative to at least one guideway. In addition, at least one guide element is associated with the body and is movable transversely of the guideway during imposition of an eccentric loading on the body which causes the body to turn within the guideway about the axis of the guideway.

Abstract: A guide for the gripper carrying straps inside the shed of weaving looms is formed as a nonsymmetrically shaped plate, the upper side of which is broken off to form two lateral slanting beaks delimiting the seat for the strap, the beak close to the reed being higher than the other. The seat has equal opposed ends of semicircular or wedge shape and a central undercut area on its side opposite to the beaks.

Abstract: The picking band wheel is made of a hub and two wheel discs. Each disc is provided with pocket-like spoke parts which have transverse walls at the bottom which abut the transverse walls of the other disc on a common connecting plane disposed substantially perpendicularly to the axis of rotation of the wheel. The front disc has a conical end wall in which the pocket-like spoke parts are formed so that an alternating spoke pattern is formed. The back disc has a flat end wall.

Abstract: In a mechanism to control the movements of the weft carrying grippers in shuttleless weaving looms--of the type wherein a gearwheel controlling the grippers carrying strap is caused to rotate forward and backward by a variable pitch cam screw, passing longitudinally through a slider which moves forward and backward along a forced rectilinear path--the slider carries structure engaging the threading of said screw and adapted to cause the rotation thereof, comprising opposed pairs of oscillating sliding blocks.

Abstract: The tape restraining shoe for a shuttleless loom includes an arcuately shaped body member having a replaceable polymeric wear strip in the sole portion thereof. The tape restraining shoe is adjustably mounted to maintain the wear strip at a prescribed distance from the underlying rapier or flexible inserting tape. The shoe is mounted on the stationary plate of the oscillating wheel by means of bolts extending through a pair of elongated slots in the upper portion of the body of the tape restraining shoe, which slots extend perpendicular to the sole portion.

Abstract: Weft gripper drive for looms of the type consisting of a flexible perforated tape at one end of which a gripper is fixed and of an oscillating gear-wheel that enmeshes with the tape along part of its circumference, whereby guiding devices are provided where the tape leaves the wheel, characterized thereby that the tooth height of the wheel is smaller than the thickness of the tape and that the form and dimensions of the teeth and of the perforations barely allow a mutual enmeshment, whereby the side of the tape directed towards the wheel, in the enmeshment zone, is tangent to the root circle of the gearing of the wheel.

Abstract: This system is intended for relieving the drives of weaving machine components alternatingly rocking between two end positions, for instance a first rocking member forming a gripper rod drive and a second rocking member forming a reed drive. A common energy storing device, for instance a spring, is connected with the two separate drive units, so that each end of the spring is connected to one of the two separate rocking members. The rocking motions of the two rocking drive members do not overlap in time.

Abstract: Actuating device for the reciprocating movement of the belts carrying the weft thread insertion grippers in shuttleless looms. Each belt is provided with a lengthwise series of slots and with the slots of one series a respective gear wheel is in mesh engagement. An oscillating gear sector drives the gear wheel. The gear sector has along a radial line thereof a slotted link coupling including a runner. The coupling provides articulation both with the big end of a connecting rod in a crank mechanism, which is driven by a cyclic shaft of the shuttleless loom, and with the pin of a rocker arm following the oscillations of the gear sector. The law of motion determined by the cooperation of the slotted link coupling and the runner causes variation of the transmitted speed, acceleration and stroke, particularly near the two dead points of oscillation of the sector thereby improving the operations of the grippers to which such motion is transmitted.

Abstract: In the rapier or gripper weaving machine a rapier or gripper rod is moved to-and-fro by a drive gear or wheel. An oil lubricating device is provided whose spray nozzle opens in the vicinity of the drive gear or wheel. This spray nozzle is connected to a pressure conduit located at the exit or outlet side of a mixing chamber. In the mixing chamber, a predeterminable quantity of oil taken from an oil reservoir can be admixed with a continuously transmitted flow of compressed air. A timer serves for the periodic activation of an oil dosing and injecting device located upstream or forwardly of the mixing chamber. The dosing action controlled by the timer periodically mixes a predetermined volume of oil into the continuous flow of compressed air being supplied to the spray nozzle. The spray nozzle is a molecular atomizing nozzle.

Abstract: In a gear unit for generating a non-uniform power take-off from a uniform drive, such as for the shedding mechanism of a weaving machine useful in a ribbon weaving machine, a driving member in the form of a driving cage is rotatably mounted on a power take-off shaft. A crankshaft is supported between two side walls of the driving cage and is connected to a planet pinion which is in meshed engagement with a stationary sun gear concentrically arranged around the power take-off shaft. A swing arm is secured on the power take-off shaft and a connecting element is hinged to the crankshaft and is connected by a bolt to the swing arm. The bolt is supported on both sides extending from the connecting element.

Abstract: In a device for driving the weft-inserting needles of a shuttleless loom in a rectilinear reciprocating movement, each needle is connected to the needle-actuating system by means of a flexible connecting member or so-called flector and is guided within a rail by means of a block of antifriction material attached to the end of the needle. By means of the device, vibrations of the driving mechanism are not transmitted to the weft-inserting needle at high operating speeds of the loom.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a weft insertion device for use on a band-gripper weaving machine. The device has a driven, rotationally oscillating band wheel having a flexible insertion band including a gripper head. The band executes an oscillating movement transversely to the warp shed as the band unwinds from the winds onto the circumference of the band wheel. The circumference of the band wheel is smaller than the maximum excursion of the gripper head. The insertion band is wound around the circumference of the band wheel to the extent of more than 360.degree. when the gripper head is in the position in which the head is fully and maximally withdrawn from the warp shed. In this way, the diameter of the band wheel can be kept small. This small diameter permits operation at high rotational speeds and also renders the band wheel less expensive. This is particularly advantageous when the machine is wide.

Abstract: The invention relates to shuttleless looms in which weft is carried through the warp shed by means of at least one weft carrier which is reciprocated into and out from the shed to cause the weft to be carried through the shed. In order to vary the speed of the weft carrier during its passage through the warp shed, a mechanism is provided including both a drive member connected to the weft carrier and a guide member, the drive member being connected to a reciprocating drive which also engages the guide member, the arrangement being such that during each loom cycle the guide member acts to cause the point of connection of the drive to the drive member to be altered so as to vary the speed of the drive transmitted to the weft carrier.

Abstract: An actuation device for a drive element, such as the drive gear of a gripper needle encompasses a box which can be attached to the sley of a shuttlesess loom. Accommodated in this box is a traction means-transmission or drive containing a toothed belt of a drive pulley or disc which is operationally connected with the drive gear and a tensioning pulley or disc. The run of the toothed belt extends essentially parallel to a slide guide for a slide which is fixedly connected with the aforementioned belt run. The slide or carriage is moved to-and-fro by means of a lengthwise adjustable intermediate rod through the action of a crank drive. The adjustable spacing between the reversal points of the slide constitutes a measure for the insertion depth of the weft thread carrier into the shed. This enables a simple and robust as well as adaptable conception by means of which there can be obtained an extremely precise and unchanging insertion depth of the weft thread carrier into the weaving shed.

Abstract: A flexible type rapier loom having a loom body in which a shed is formed in warp threads, a wheel rotatably mounted on the loom body and oscillatedly driven back and forth, a flexible tape of a magnetic and elastic material attached at one end thereof to a circumference of the wheel and carrying a weft holder at the other end thereof, and a plurality of magnetic attracting mechanisms provided on the outer circumference of the wheel to attract the flexible tape to the outer circumference of the wheel by strong magnetic forces, thereby inserting the flexible tape into the shed and withdrawing the flexible tape from the shed to insert a weft into the shed in an assured manner even at a high speed operation of the loom.

Abstract: Actuating device for the reciprocating movement of the belts carrying the weft thread insertion grippers in shuttleless looms. Each belt is provided with a lengthwise series of slots and with the slots of one series a respective gear wheel is in mesh engagement. An oscillating gear sector drives the gear wheel. The gear sector has along the bisecting line thereof a slotted link coupling including a slider. The coupling provides articulation both with the big end of a connecting rod in a crank mechanism, which is driven by a cyclic shaft of the shuttleless loom, and with the pin of a rocker arm following the oscillations of the gear sector.The law of motion determined by the cooperation of the slotted link coupling and the slider causes variation of the transmitted speed, acceleration and stroke, particularly near the two dead points of oscillation of the sector thereby improving the operations of the grippers to which such motion is transmitted.