Abstract: A shedding system having a plurality of heddles supported by and connected to top ends of piston rods of pneumatic cylinders. The heddle employed by the shedding system is elongated in one direction, and has an arcuate portion which forms an arc about a line running in the elongated direction of the heddle. A method of joining a fabric by a woven seam uses the above-mentioned system to form the shed in an array of the threads of an interweaving piece.

Abstract: A heddle for a weaving machine is in the form of an elongated strip having opposed end portions lying in a common flat plane, the strip having a thread eye portion intermediate such end portions. The thread eye portion lies in a plane rotated in the range of 10.degree. to 20.degree. about the central axis of the heddle, the eye portion comprising a pair of spaced legs defining a thread eye. The legs lie in respective planes parallel to and spaced from opposite sides of the common flat plane of the heddle.

Abstract: A heald assembly for leno weaving, the assembly including first and second heald frames each of which is adapted for slidable reception in heald guides of a weaving loom, at least one of the heald frames including a main frame and a sub-frame carrying a plurality of dents spaced in the weft direction of the one heald frame, the sub-frame being co-planar with the main frame and being movably mounted on the main frame for reciprocal movement in the weft direction.

Abstract: A heddle for use in a weaving loom has an end-loop configured at one or both ends thereof for mounting on a slide bar of a harness frame. The heddle includes a substantially flat width section which is substantially parallel to the warp threads in a weaving loom when the heddle is mounted on the slide bar of a harness frame within the loom. An eye is disposed through the width section and is defined by a first side segment and a second side segment. The side segments are oppositely laterally disposed a predetermined distance relative to the width section so that a plane through the eye forms a predetermined angle with the plane of the width section. The side segments are also formed so that a plane through each of the side segments also forms a predetermined angle with the plane of the eye. In a preferred embodiment, the side segments are formed parallel to the width section.

Abstract: In order to control the warp shedding motion, on weave looms and similar textile machines, a plurality of flexible and elastic heddles are utilized. The heddles are formed with an open eyelet (1) and are driven within support elements (3). They are vertically slidable in corresponding rigid guides (2) so as to achieve the opening or respectively the closing of the eyelet, according to the relative position of the heddle (1) with respect to the guide. A monofilament element or rod (50) is used for driving the respective heddles.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for weaving an indicia such as a trademark, symbol or design into a tubular fabric. About a selected warp yarn segment of the tubular fabric, for each warp yarn increment, two warp yarns are actually directed into the loom, one warp yarn being a base yarn while the other warp yarn is an indicia forming yarn. The loom is provided with a warp yarn selector that for each pair of base and indicia forming yarns, it selects one and only one of the pair to be interwoven with a weft yarn. The non-selected yarn is essentially positioned such that it is not woven with the weft yarn and runs in a floating or unwoven fashion along the inside wall of the tubular fabric being woven. To provide a selected indicia interwoven in the tubular fabric, the selector is controlled in such a fashion that it causes indicia forming yarns to be woven in areas calling for the indicia background and base warp yarns to be woven in areas that call for the base yarn as a background.

Abstract: A heddle shaft has only one heddle supporting member at the opposite ends of which side supports are provided to guide the heddle shaft in the weaving machine. The supporting member has a heddle slide bar and an auxiliary heddle holding element extending parallel to and spaced from the heddle slide bar. All heddles are held virtually without play at the heddle slide bar and are held with play at the auxiliary holding element, and the opposite free ends of the heddles are not firmly held.

Abstract: The end loop of a heddle has at its opening an inner edge that comes into contact with the slide bar, the inner edge having an asymmetric contour relative to the longitudinal line of symmetry passing through the opening with an arc on the side of the back part which has a greater radius of curvature and an arc on the side of the free shank of the end loop which has a smaller radius of curvature. Compared with conventional heddles with short corner arcs at the inner edge of the end loop this end loop is strengthened, particularly in the zone of the back part prone to breakage, by the provision of the arc with the larger radius of curvature on the side of the back part. A rectilinear section connecting to the two arcs prevents jamming of the heddle on the slide bar.

Abstract: A heddle is held at one single end section in a heddle frame having a single supporting member, the heddle being held by the provision of a groove-shaped opening to engage a slide bar of the supporting member with little play relative thereto. Another groove-shaped opening of the heddle at its one end section can be provided to engage an auxiliary slide bar on the supporting member with much more play relative thereto. The opposite, non-driven terminal end of the heddle is formed as a guide element to enable the automatic drawing-in of the warp threads. In addition, such guide element functions to line up the plurality of heddles present in the heddle shaft by the provision of a rod-shaped body which extends through aligned openings in the guide elements of the heddles, so as to prevent the heddles from shuttling back and forth in the weaving operation, and from mutually snagging at their terminal ends.

Abstract: A split heddle for controlling a yarn is particularly useful in automated seaming machines. The heddle is comprised of two blade like members. Each member has an aperture which is intersected on one side by a slot and on the other side by a groove. The members are superimposed with the apertures in alignment and the grooves opposite the slots. The unit is secured by laser, spot or sonic welding. After insertion of the yarn(s) in the aperture, the heddle is rotated 180.degree. with respect to the yarn(s) and the yarn(s) is/are captured in the channel formed by the opposed grooves.

Abstract: The end eyelet of a heddle comprises a back section lying opposite the hook end and having a gradually increasing width at the terminal end of the heddle for increasing the cross-section of the end eyelet at a zone of the end eyelet subjected to high stress.

Abstract: A loom-controlled leno or cross-weaving system, alone or in conjunction with tabby or ordinary weaving. The leno heddle is composed of two upright members, each connected to two flexible cross-members. Each upright member is connected to a separate, independently moving portion of the loom frame. Each cross-member has an eye in the middle for the passage of the warp thread. The upper cross-member is positioned below the lower cross-member when the warp threads pass through the eyes. Alternation of the elevation of the upright members causes the warp threads to alternate positions laterally. Leno weaving is achieved with a throw of weft for every alternation of upright member position. Tabby weaving is done using a rising loop and a falling loop, each connected to the loom frame independently. One warp thread goes through the eye of the upper cross-member and also through the rising loop. The other warp thread passes through the eye of the lower cross-member and the falling loop.

Abstract: A rod-like yarn guiding heald is made of a compact thermoplastic reinforced with industrial continuous fibers. The fiber reinforcement is in the form of a flattened braided flexible tube. An eye opening is contrived by opening up the braided fiber strands. The yarn guiding heald is of light weight and high strength. A ceramic insert may also be inserted into the opening of the yarn guiding heald for special yarns.

Abstract: In a heald frame for weaving looms, wherein the two heald slide bars consist of standard elongated sections, the lower heald slide bar is formed of an elongated section of width smaller than that of the elongated section forming the upper heald slide bar.

Abstract: A split heddle for controlling a yarn is particularly useful in automated seaming machines. The heddle is comprised of two blade like members. Each member has an aperture which is intersected on one side by a slot and on the other side by a groove. The members are superimposed with the apertures in alignment and the grooves opposite the slots. The unit is secured by laser, spot or sonic welding. After insertion of the yarn(s) in the aperture, the heddle is rotated 180.degree. with respect to the yarn(s) and the yarn(s) is/are captured in the channel formed by the opposed grooves.

Abstract: A weaving heddle comprises a strip of material of constant cross-section throughout its entire length, and has open end loops of plastic material molded in place on oposed end sections of the strip. A central section of the strip between the end sections has a centrally located thread eye. The end loops have bearing surfaces for engaging heddle carrying rods of a heddle frame, such surfaces lying along a common axis. This central section of the strip is bent and offset from such axis in the same lateral direction in which the end loops extend from their end sections.Such a bent heddle may be utilized with an unbent heddle so as to form a heddle pair having two thread eyes. This other heddle comprises a straight strip of material of constant cross-section throughout its entire length, with open end loops, corresponding in shape and size to the end loops on the bent heddle, being attached to opposed end sections.

Abstract: A weaving heddle includes an elongated heddle shaft having U-hook shaped end loops at opposite ends for holding the heddle on opposed heddle carrying rods of a heddle frame. The loops include shanks for overlapping with the rods, and the loops have inner support surfaces spaced a predetermined distance apart and extending transversely of the shaft for engagement with the rods. One of such support surfaces is resiliently biased toward the other of such surfaces for accommodating any increase in such predetermined distance.

Abstract: A heddle for a weaving machine for making triaxial fabrics has a nose portion with a rounded free end of substantially the same thickness as a major portion of the heddle. The nose postion is also provided with a warp strand guide opening therethrough and reduced thickness portions between the opening and the edges of the nose portion to minimize warp strand abrasion during weaving.

Abstract: The heddles of a weaving machine have vibration absorbing material on the end loops thereof which normally contact edges of metal rods mounted on a heddle frame for oscillating movement, the heddles effecting a lifting movement relative to the rods upon oscillation thereof. Metal-to-metal contact between the end loops and the rods is therefore avoided so as to reduce noise during operation of the machine and so as to avoid corrosion of the heddles and the rods.

Abstract: A heddle for a weaving machine for making triazial fabrics is adapted to be moved longitudinally during a warp shed forming operation and also is adapted to be shifted weftwise of the weaving machine. The heddle is characterized by having a nose portion with a warp strand guide opening extending therethrough, with means on the heddle adapted to be engaged for imparting longitudinal movement thereto, and other means thereon adapted to be engaged for shifting the heddle weftwise of the weaving machine.

Abstract: A heddle frame arrangement for a weaving machine having freely suspended heddles for a fast-running weaving machine.The upper bar and the lower bar of the frame are movable parallel to one another, so that not the entire frame must participate in the up and down movement. The heddles which are suspended on the movable bar each have, for balancing the movement, an elastic part.

Abstract: Several heddles consist of a continuous cord, which is wound looplike around the bars of the heddle frame. The heddles have a thread guide in nonelastic section and an elastic section.