Abstract: An automatic lacer wraps bundles of polymeric fibers with thread, before the bundles are woven into a fabric mat and placed in a housing to form a gas-separation membrane module. A fiber bundle passes through a spool which is previously wound with thread on its outer surface. The thread is attached to the fiber bundle, so that when the bundle is moved through the spool, the thread is pulled from the spool, and automatically becomes wound around the bundle. Threads from two or more spools may be wrapped around the fiber bundle simultaneously. Lacing of the fiber bundles reduces the amount of tangling in the loom feeder, and improves the quality of modules made from the fiber bundles.

Abstract: A loop for providing a ladderless woven fabric made from warp and weft threads and with a stitch-like appearance.In the loom the warp threads (3) pass into holes of thread guides which are mounted side by side on a shaft (7), rotatably drivable through approximately 180.degree. about its axis between first and second positions; the warp threads (3) initially define triangles at the center of which are provided openings (14) for the insertion therethrough of weft threads. During the forward rotating movement, the threads (3) close around the weft thread, and the latter leaves the thread guides by way of slots (15), after which, as the thread guides execute a return stroke, the triangles reform around the openings (14).