Textile & Fashion World

Brake: A brake is a device by means of which artificial frictional resistance is applied to moving body in order to stop the motion of a loom.

Loom Brake

Types of Brake:
Through there are many types of brakes, the following are commonly used in looms:

i) Shoe brake
ii) Band brake

Band Brake:
The brake stops the loom immediately whenever required. The weaver uses it to stop the loom to repair broken ends and picks.

A band brake consists of a flexible band of leather, or steel lined with friction material, which embraces a part of the circumference of the dram shown in figure. One end is fixed at the point and other is fixed with a spring loaded collar. When force is applied to the lever hence the brake is applied. The friction between the band on the drum and the drum provides the braking force as lateral movement of leaver creates a pressure on the brake band. 

Read more: http://textilelearner.blogspot.com/2012/09/loom-brake-system-types-of-loom-brake.html#ixzz2OCVVcYw4

Experiment name: Study on beating-up mechanism .

Objects:
1.To know about the construction of the mechanism.
2.To know about the drive of the beating-up mechanism.

Introduction:
The beating-up is the third primary motion of weaving. It consists in driving the last pick of weft to the fell of the cloth. This is accomplished with the help of a reed fixed in the sley. The sley is given a sudden and quick movement towards the fell of the cloth by the cranks in the crankshaft. The sleywood runs from one shuttle box to another, and when at its backward movement, the shuttle travels over its race.

Main parts:
1.Crankshaft 
2.Crank 
3.Crank arm 
4.Reed cap   
5.Reed
6.Sley race
7.Sley

8.Sleysword

Description:
The crankshaft gets drive from motor via motor pulley and m/c pulley. The crankshaft has two cranks. These cranks transform the rotary motion into swinging motion. The reed cap is connected by crank arm to crank of the crankshaft. Again the reed is connected between reed cap and sley. There is sleysword under the sley that is bolted to the rocking shaft. There is also shuttle box on the sley. Now the crank gives the swinging motion to the sley by crank arm. When the sley is moving towards the healdshaft at certain position the shuttle passes through warp shed. Again when the sley is coming towards the front rest at last position the reed pushes the last pick to the previous pick of cloth. This is the beating-up motion and the cloth increases in lengthwise in this way.

Conclusion:
To make a woven fabric interlacement of warp and weft yarns is the main condition. That’s why beating-up mechanism is a very essential motion for weaving. Proper setting and adjustment should be taken for this motion. This practical helps me to know about beating-up motion. I think this will help me in my future career. 

 

http://textilelearner.blogspot.com/2012/02/beat-up-mechanism-study-on-beating-up.html#ixzz2OCSEPklJ

Experiment name: Study on over picking mechanism.

Introduction:
Picking is the second primary motion in weaving. The action of inserting weft yarn through the warp yarns is called picking. 

The functions of picking mechanism are:
1.To deliver the shuttle along the correct flight length.
2.To throw the shuttle at a predetermined speed.

Main Parts: 
 

Over picking

Features of Over Picking Mechanism:
1.Picking arm is over shuttle.
2.Suitable for narrow loom.
3.Higher picks per minute.
4.Less power required.
5.Works more smoothly.
6.Shortening the picking strap and changing the shape of the cam can increase picking force.

Mechanism of Over Picking:
Over picking mechanism is used on cotton and jute loom. It is robust and easy to adjust and maintain. The spindle is situated over the shuttle box and is essential to guide the shuttle along the correct path. It is normally set slightly up and slightly towards the front of the loom and its inner end.

The back end of the shuttle will thus receive a similar lift at the end of the stroke, so that its leading end will receive correct delivery down and into the shed. A flexible leather-picking strap is used to control the picker, which has tendency to stretched slowly in use, and vary with regard to its elastic property.

The cone over pick motion consists a vertical shaft placed either inside or outside the loom framing. The shaft serves as fulcrum of the picking arm, it is held against the loom frame. There is a spiral spring at the picking shaft, which causes the picking arm and picker to move back after the delivery of the pick.

At the two end of the bottom shaft, two picking cams are fixed. In revolving its nose the tappet strikes the cone shaped ant frictional roller strut, positively rotates the shaft and causes the pick to move inward with sufficient velocity to drive the shuttle across the loom. The timing of the picker begins to move can be attend by turning the picking tappet on its boss.

How to Increase PPM:
1.By increasing motor speed.
2.By setting the cone stud nearer to the picking tappet.
3.By decreasing the picking strap.
4.By altering the position of picking arm towards the centre of the loom.
5.By decreasing the length of the stroke of picking tappet.

Uses:
This is used for narrow and fast running looms, weaving light and medium weight fabrics and for many narrow and wide looms for weaving heavy fabrics.

Conclusion:
The over picking motion is negative one; the exact amount of power is required to drive a shuttle. By this experiment we learned about the over picking mechanism and how it works. This experience will help us in our future practical life.

http://textilelearner.blogspot.com/2012/02/picking-over-picking-mechanism-how-to.html#ixzz2OCRlMxEd

The method or process of interlacing two yarns of similar materials so that they cross each other at right angles to produce woven fabric. The warp yarns, or ends, run lengthwise in the fabric, and the filling threads (weft), or picks, run from side to side. Weaving can be done on a power or hand loom or by several hand methods.

Knitting:

A method of constructing fabric by interlocking series of loops of one or more yarns. The two major classes of knitting are warp knitting and weft knitting.

Sizing is the process of applying protective adhesive coating on the yarn surface. This is the most important segment of weaving preparatory process. Because sizing has direct influence on the weaving efficiency. Better the quality of sizing higher the weaving efficiency & vice versa. In fact without sizing, in most of the cases it is almost impossible to run the weaving process. Moreover in case of towel manufacturing rotor (open end) & low twisted yarns are mostly used. There fore sizing should be done very precisely for towel manufacturing.

Flow Chart For Sizing:

 Size Cooking
↓
Creeling
↓
Yarn Feeding
↓
Sizing (in show box)
↓
Drying
↓
Leasing
↓
Denting
↓
Empty Beam Feeding & M/C Running
↓
Ends Cutting
↓
Doffing

High Speed Warping:

High speed warping also called Beam warping/Direct warping. In high speed warping the yarn is wound parallel on the warping beam. All the yarns are wound at once and simple flanged beam is used. It is a very high speed process and is used for making fabric of single colour.

Flow Chart of High Speed Warping

Features of High Speed Warping

1. It is used to make common fabrics in large quantities
2. It is used to produce weavers beam from single yarn
3. The production is high
4. Large amount of yarn is required to produce a weavers beam
5. Sizing is done
6. Simple flanged beam is used and drums are not required 

Sectional Warping

In sectional warping equal length of yarn is first wound in small sections or sheets on a drum. Then from the drum it is transferred to the beam. By this process we directly get the weavers beam. This is a two stage method and is used for making fancy fabrics.

Flow Chart of Sectional Warping:

 Working Principle of Sectional Warping:

1. Sectional warping is used for short runs especially for fancy pattern fabrics.
2. In this case sections of the warp which may contain up to 1000 ends are first wound onto a drum tapered with a given cone angle.
3. So cross wound sections are combined on the drum & thus each layer of warp contains the same number of ends on the drum.
4. Then the warp threads altogether are transferred onto a weavers beam by unwinding the drum.
5. In this method the warp threads are not necessarily processed in sizing.

Features of Sectional Warping

1. This is suitable for making checked, stripped or other fancy fabric.
2. We directly obtain weaver’s beam from this process
3. As sizing is not done, so multi-ply yarns or yarns which do not require sizing are used
4. Small amount of yarn is required to produce the weaver’s beam
5. Sectional warping is used to produce a warp beam with a greater member if ends
6. The production is less in sectional warping
7. The yarn tension is less uniform
8. It is less efficient than high speed warping

Differences Between Sectional and High Speed Warping

High Speed Warping	Sectional Warping
1. Beam warping is used for long runs of grey fabrics & simple pattern.	1. Sectional warping is used for short runs especially for fancy pattern fabrics.
2. The amount of colored yarn is less than 15% of the total.	2. Greater amount of colored yarn is used.
3. High production.	3. Low production.
4. Large amount of yarn required.	4. Small amount of yarn required.
5. Single yarn is used.	5. Twisted yarn is used.
6. Less expensive.	6. More expensive.
7. It is most widely used for cotton, linen, woolen & worsted yarn.	7. It is most widely used for silk & synthetic yarn.
8. Uniform tension of yarn.	8. Less uniform tension of yarn.
9. Weavers beam is produced after sizing.	9. Weavers beam is produced after warping.
10. Creel capacity is more.	10. Creel capacity is less.
11. Beam warping is more widely used.	11. Sectional warping is not widely used.

http://textilelearner.blogspot.com/2012/03/parameters-affecting-performance-of.html#ixzz2OCfFeuyM

The plain weave is variously known as “calico” or “tabby” weave. It is the simplest of all weaves having a repeat size of 2. The range of application of this weave is wide.

Plain weave

Characteristics of Plain Weave
The plain weave has the following characteristics :

1. It has the maximum number of binding points
2. The threads interlace on alternate order of 1 up and 1 down.
3. The thread density is limited
4. Cloth thickness and mass per unit area are limited. 
5. It produces a relatively stronger fabric that is obtained by any other simple combination of threads, excepting that of “gauze”or “cross weaving”.

Principle of Plain Weave:
The principle involved in the construction of plain cloth is the interlacement of any two continuous threads either warp or weft in an exactly contrary manner to each other, with every thread in each series passing alternately under and over consecutive threads of other series interlaces uniformly throughout the fabric. By this plan of interlacement, every thread in each series interlaces with every thread in the other series to the maximum extent, thereby producing a comparatively firm and strong texture of cloth. A complete unit of the plain weave occupies only two warp threads and two picks of weft , which is the design for that weave?

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Underslashed Warps:
Causes:

• Due to insufficient size concentration
• Improper size feed to the size box
• Variable size level
• Dilution of size
• Strong squeezing of warp

Overslashed Warps:
Causes:

• Due to insufficient splitting of starch at size preparation
• Weak squeezing
• Too deep immersion of the warp into the size box

Sticky Warps:
Causes:

• High sizing speed
• Low drying temperature

Over Dried Warps:
Causes:

• Low sizing speed
• Long stoppage of machine during sizing
• Very high temperature in the drying section

Gum Spots and Smears:
Causes:

• Splashes of size get on the squeezed warp
• Bad stirring of starch at preparation
• Improper coating of felts on the squeezing rollers

Non Uniform Size Regains:
Causes:

• Irregular heating of the size in the box
• Dilution of the size with live steam
• Non uniform pressure of squeezing rollers

Crossed and Lost Ends:
Causes:

• Lease rods are set too far apart
• Broken ends are improperly pieced up
• Bad warping

Improper Build of Beam:
Causes:

• Incorrect spreading of yarn ends in the reed dents

Incorrect Warp Length:
Causes:

• Disarrangement of the measuring and marking mechanism
• Improper adjustment of measuring and marking mechanism

Dirt Stains in Warp:
Causes:

• The size boxes and machine metal parts are dirty
• The size is cooked in non-galvanized iron kettles.

Shinnery:
Causes:

• Due to the friction between the yarn and drying cylinder

Sandy Warp:
Causes:

• Due to not crushed or grind the size material

Hard Sizing:
Causes:

• Excessive application of size material

Size Dropping:
Causes:

• Due to not optimum viscosity of the size solution

Uneven Sizing:
Causes:

• Due to over and under sizing 

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Warp Preparation

Drawing-In
Provides each warp yam with its drop wire, heddle, and reed dent.

Tying- In
When mass producing the same fabric by simply typing each end of a new beam to its corresponding end of the old beam

Necessity of Warp Yarn Preparation 
We need to prepare the warp yarn because of:

1. Imperfection of yarn.
2. Requirement to transfer the spun yarns in a conventional package.
3. Extra treatment to make the yarn ready for weaving.
4. Warp yarn must be able to withstand destructive forces to which it is subjected during the weaving process.
5. Yarn hairiness must be decreases.
6. Yarn must be aligned properly.
7. Yarn elongation & flexibility must be sustained.

Weft Preparation
On conventional loom the filling yarn is inserted by means of a shuttle carrying a bobbin. This bobbin should be tapered at the end so that the yarn may be pulled without interruption through the eye of the shuttle as the shuttle travels from one side of the loom to the other.

Necessity of Weft Yarn Preparation

1. Removal of slubs & weak places during processing which otherwise would impair the running of the loom.
2. The production of the tighter packages having more yards per pirn. This reduces the number of pirn changes in the loom. This, in turn, reduces the possibilities of flaws & wastage.
3. Greater uniformity of pirns used on the loom. This improves the uniformity of the fabric.
4. The easy handling of small lots. 

 

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Warping
Warping is the parallel winding of yarn from cone or cheese package on to a warp beam.The operation of winding warp yarns onto a beam usually in preparation for slashing, weaving, or warp knitting. Also called warping.

Requirements of Sizing
In order to ensure good technological properties of sized warps, the following requirements should be met in size:
1. Sized warp must be sufficiently strong, smooth & elastic.
2. The sizing process must ensure the application of the required amount of size on the yarn or the required size regain.
3. The tension of the warp yarns at sizing must be regular & constant during all the time of warp unwinding from the warping beams.
4. Yarn stretch & loss in elongation should be within admitted limits.
5. The package, i.e the weavers beam produced must have a cylindrical shape, the necessary winding density & the yarn length.
6. The sizing process must be efficient, economical & must ensure the production of high quality sized warp.

Factors Considered Before the Selection of Size Ingredients
Before selecting the size ingredients the following factors must be considered:
1. It must be Non-degrading to the yarn.
2. It must be compatibility with equipment.
3. It must be easily removal, if necessary.
4. Provides good fabric characteristics if not removed.
5. Least amount of dusting-off during weaving.
6. Cost of the size ingredients must be less.
7. It should not modify the tone of colored warps.
8. No skimming tendency.
9. Easily prepared.
10.Lack of odor.
11.No beam blocking.
12.Compatible with other ingredients.
13.Neutral pH.
14.Insensitive to high heat.
15.Rapid drying.

Name of Some Natural & Synthetic Sizing Agents 

Natural sizing agents:

Synthetic sizing agents:

Drying is a mass transfer process consisting of the removal of water or another solvent by evaporation from a solid, semi-solid or liquid. This process is often used as a final production step before selling or packaging products. In sizing, drying is necessary to bring the sized material hard.

a) Two Cylinder Drying:

1. In this drying process, two copper cylinder are used in which one cylinder is large diameter & other is small comparatively.  
2. Firstly warp sheet is passed below the small cylinder & then over the bigger one.  
3. The yarn is dried while traveling through the circumstances of the cylinder.

Two Cylinder Drying

Advantages:
1. Simple process & cheap.
2. Less risky.
3. Temp. uniform.
4. Almost uniform drying.

Disadvantages:
1. Slow process.
2. Drying efficiency is low.
3. Irregular drying.
4. Due to sticky property of cylinder uneven drying.

(b) Multi Cylinder Drying:

1. In this type of m/c, the drying unit consists of 5 to 7 or 11 cylinders having same diameter are used.
2. All cylinders may be steel cylinders or first two cylinders are teflon coated & rest of aresteel cylinder.
3. The cylinders are heated by passing steam.
4. Heat in initial cylinder is low & gradually increases when moved towards finalcylinder.
5. If large amount of heat is given to the initial, the sized may be backed.
6. If finer yarn is used, then no need to use excess cylinder.

Multi Cylinder Drying

Advantages:
1. High speed process.
2. Uniform drying.
3. Non- sticky so smooth drying.
4. Drying efficiency high.
5. Less time required.

Disadvantages:
1. For high viscosity, stick properly may observed.
2. For friction, yarn hairiness.
3. Shinning effect.
4. Yarn shape may hamper.
5. Possibility of yarn flaten.

2. Hot Air Drying:

• In this m/c, the drying unit is a closed chamber containing a number of guide rollersthrough warp yarn.
• Hot air blown into the chamber causing the moisture in the yarn toevaporate.
• Exhaustion should be used to throw away the moisture.
• If moisture remains inside the chamber it may condense & again fallon the yarn.
• Hot air should be continuously passed through the chamber, so theprocess becomes somewhat costly.

Hot Air Drying

Advantages:
1. Regular drying.
2. Not shinning effect.
3. Non-sticky property.
4. High speed drying.

Disadvantages:
1. Costly process.
2. For closed chamber, reqd more time.
3. Less suitable for fine yarn.
4. Difficult to maintain temperature.

3. Infrared Drying:

• In this machine, the heating chamber consists of a plate which is constantly heated by gas flame.
• The warp sheet is passed over the plate & dried in the process.
• When gas flames are not used, then electronic plate may be used.
• Arrangement should be made to through out the moisture removed from the yarn. This m/c is not used signally.

Advantages:
1. No shining effect.
2. Drying efficiency high.

Disadvantages:
1. Yarn may burn.
2. Higher cost.
3. Difficult to maintain uniform heating.
4. Risk of accident.

• In this type of m/c, preheating is done as cylinder drying method.
• And final drying is done by hot air drying method or infrared drying method.

Infrared Drying

Advantages:
1. Regular drying.
2. Drying efficiency high.
3. Speedy process.

Disadvantages:
1. Shinning effect.
2. High cost. 

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1. Warp Winding: The main functions of warp winding are to rewind the yarns from the spinning frame or texturing machine in a long continuous length to suit later processes. This is a process to wind the yarns into a suitable package size and shape, and also to take out imperfections such as slubs, weak places, leaves, neps and dirt, which are always present in yarn as delivered from the spinning frame. The winding machines for warp preparation can be classified as follows:

A. Drum winder: The yarn package (cheese or cone) is frictionally driven by using a driving drum or roll. Either a cam traverse or a grooved roller makes the yarn traverse motion. Due to the surface driving of the yarn package, the yarn speed is always constant, independent of the package diameter.

B. Precision winder: This is a precise-traverse winder using a yarn guide, which is controlled by means of a traverse cam or a grooved roller. The yarn package is driven positively by using a spindle. Therefore, the yarn speed is increased according to the package diameter if the spindle speed is constant. This type of winder is used for continuous filament yarns that are unsuitable for frictional winding methods like the drum winder.

2. Warping (Beaming): The purpose of warping is to arrange threads in long length, parallel to one another as preparatory to further processing. The primary operation of warp-making in which ends withdrawn from a warping creel, evenly spaced in sheet form, are wounded onto a beam (known as warper’s beam) to substantial length. There are two warping methods, i.e. direct beaming and sectional warping.

A. Direct warping/beaming: This is the winding of total number of warp ends in full width in a single operation from creeled bobbin. Direct beaming /warping is used for long runs of greige fabric and simple patterns where the amount of coloured yarn involved is less than about 15 percent of the total.

B. Sectional warping: This is a method of preparing a warp beam consisting in i) winding a warp in sections on a reel/drum and ii) beaming-off the complete warp from the reel onto a warp beam. Sectional warping is used to produce warp beam for Yarn dyed fabric.

3. Sizing/Slashing: Sizing means the operation of applying a special solution (known as size solution) to warp yarns to strengthen, smoothen and lubricate them. In machine sizing a warp is transferred from a warp beam to a loom beam. The procedure is as follows:

• Warp in sheet form is withdrawn form a warp beam is passed through a sow-box and the squeezing rollers of a sizing machine. Application of size solution by immersion or by contact with a partially immersed roller, and penetration of the yarn by the size solution occur at this stage. The sizing agents generally used are PVA (Polyvinyl alcohol), Starch, Acrylic esters, CMC (Carboxymethyl cellulose), Wax etc.
• The warp is dried by hot air or by contact with steam-heated cylinders en route to the loom beam.

4. Looming: Looming covers the processes involved in warp preparation after sizing upto setting them to loom. During slashing, the exact number of warp yarns required in fabric is wound onto the loom (or weaver's) beam. The warp ends are then passed through the drop wires of the warp stop motion, the heddles of the harness frames and the dents at the reed. This can be achieved by drawing -in or tying-in, the choice depending upon whether or not the new warp is different from the warp already on the loom. The processes are as follows:

Drawing-in: The process of drawing every warp end through its drop wire, heddle eye and reed dent can be performed manually or by means of automatic machines. In both case, a length of warp yarn, just enough to reach to the other side of the frame, is unwound. Leasing (i.e. selecting warp) of the warp at this stage simplifies the separation of the yarns. Then they are threaded through drop-wires, heddle eyes and reed dents. The automatic drawing machine can handle the leasing-in and drawing-in process in single operation.

Tying-in: When fabric of a particular type is being mass-produced, the new warp beams will be identical with the exhausted beams on the looms. Therefore, if every end on the new beam is tied to its corresponding end on the old beam, the drawing-in process can be omitted. Tying-in may be done by means of a small portable machine on the loom or as a separate operation away from the loom. 

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A loom in which the weft yarn is propelled through the shed by means of a jet of air.
OR .
A shuttleless loom capable of very high speeds that uses an air jet to propel the filling yarn through the shed.
OR .
A loom using a jet of air to carry the yarn through the shed.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,606,152 illustrates a method and apparatus for grinding or buffing a metal reed of an air jet loom by manually moving a buffer along the tunnel while the reed is positioned on the loom.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,640,316 illustrates another apparatus for treating an air jet loom reed while on the loom wherein air measuring apparatus is manually moved in sliding motion along the top of the loom reed.

Heretofore there was no method or apparatus available which would uniformly and consistently permit measurements of air flow and at the same time provide a means to make indicated adjustments to the loom reed to meet requirements as to air flow performance. Accordingly, objects of this invention include analysis and regulation of air flow for different types of filling with reduction in air consumption of the loom.

Another object of the invention is to permit the correction of problems associated with filling insertion and to assist in speeding up the loom while providing higher quality of cloth with fewer loom stops.

It has been found that a method and apparatus may be provided for optimizing air flow characteristics of an air jet loom by removing the reed from the loom and positioning same in a frame where a carriage is provided for rolling contact according to a predetermined path for measuring the air flow characteristics and for altering the physical nature of the air tunnel to accommodate improved air flow.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a frame for positioning a loom reed in inverted position remote from the loom together with a driving apparatus for moving the carriage;

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line 2--2 in FIG. 1 with a carriage illustrated as being positioned upon the loom reed;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the carriage taken on the line 3--3 in FIG. 2; and 

FIG. 4 is a plan view illustrating an apparatus for positioning a buffer for altering the loom reed in accordance with the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The drawings illustrate a method and apparatus for enhancing air flow characteristics in an air jet loom reed broadly designated at 10. The reed 10 has a tunnel 11 and a bottom channel 12. The air jet loom reed is first removed from an air jet loom (not shown). The air jet loom reed is then positioned in a mounting frame A in a fixed preferably inverted at least partially upright position. In inverted position the bottom channel 12 is at the top, with a top channel 13 on a lower guide rail 14 of the frame A. The rail 14 of the frame A is opposite an upper frame rail formed by a channel 15.

A carriage B driven by a pulley C is illustrated for driving a buffing device D and an air measuring device E at a predetermined speed along the reed. The carriage is illustrated as being suitably supported as by a wheel F which rolls on the bottom channel 12 of the loom reed. Thus, the path of the buffing device relative to the tunnel of the air jet loom reed is located with respect to an upper portion of the loom reed when fixed in the inverted position.

The frame A is carried by a tubular base support 16 and the lower guide rail 14 is supported by a bracket 17 while the channel 15 is carried by posts 18. A bar magnet 19 is provided to hold the reed 10 in position upon the frame A. Rolling contact of the carriage is maintained by the rollers G (FIG. 2) with the respective reed channels 12 and 13. A roller 15a is provided for positioning the carriage in respect to the channel 15.

Thus, FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a universal mounting frame A which can be used for all known air jet reeds of a tunnel variety of varying lengths, heights and locations of air jet tunnel relative to top or bottom channel of the reed. The reed is held in place in the frame by the lower guide or alignment rail 14 and the magnetic bar holder 19 together with the gravity effect of the weight of the reed.

The drive pulley C together with a nylon coated cable 20 provide uniform or other predetermined motion to the carriage along the reed. The pulley is driven by a motor 21. It is important to note in the drawings that the top channel 13 of the reed 10 (as mounted in the loom) is located along the bottom of the frame and the bottom channel 12 of the reed 10 (as mounted in the loom) is located exposed at the top of the frame (e.g. This is the reverse of the arrangement in the air jet loom).

This is important because it exposes the bottom of the reed channel for exact and uniform rolling motion of the carriage along any type of reed. All types of loom reeds have critical reed dimensions which are referenced from the bottom of the bottom channel and from the front of the bottom channel to the sides of the tunnel and to the bottom of the tunnel. Dimensions to and from the top channel of the reed are considerably less critical and in fact can vary from one reed to another within limits without effecting the function of the reed in the weaving process.

Universal adjustment of the air measuring device E, illustrated as a Pitot tube within the air jet tunnel 11, is provided by the mounting which also provides universal adjustment of the buffing or grinding wheel D in and around any and all sections of the air jet tunnel. Various types of buffing or grinding wheels designed for different buffing purposes may be utilized. Any such device or operation for altering the surface as configuration of the tunnel is referred to herein as a buffer or buffing. A universal mounting 23 (FIG. 3) for an air jet nozzle as illustrated at 24 is provided at any desired location relative to the tunnel and at a variable distance from the Pitot tube. The carriage B may be variable in width to permit extensive changes of the distance of the Pitot tube from the nozzle and also permit use of multiple nozzles if this is desirable. This feature is useful because at present the location of the nozzles on the loom relative to the tunnel are fixed. This is true in the case of each type of loom. This capability provides for a means to determine the optimum nozzle location for different types of filling materials depending on count, denier, twist, etc.

An air cylinder 25 and a potentiometer 26 are illustrated in FIG. 4 connected in relationship to the buffing mechanism universal mounting 22. The buffing mechanism having the wheel D is located by moving it in or out of the desired position. A desired pressure of the buffing wheel may be applied to any selected part of the tunnel. Further, by means of the potentionmeter the speed of the wheel D is regulated providing for a constant surface speed during its motion across the air jet reed and accommodating any wear in the buffing wheel. Since the Pitot tube E also has a universal mounting capability both up and down and in and around of the air jet reed tunnel air flow, i.e. pressure drop, measurements may be made in any locations in the profile of the air jet tunnel.

A nozzle 27 of vacuum system is located in the carriage. It is moved into position automatically when buffing is performed, and out of the way when measuring is performed. Its purpose is to clean the reed and constantly remove any particles created during the buffing process. Thus, apparatus has been provided for measuring air flow for all types of air jet reeds for all known air jet looms.

The measuring of air flow by pressure drop from a known pressure can be performed anywhere in the cross section of the tunnel and at any distance from the Pitot tube to the nozzle. A variety of nozzles can be used and the nozzle location is variable relative to the tunnel and the Pitot tube. The number of nozzles is also variable.

Air pressure to the nozzles can be set at variable pressures. Once air flow measurements are taken with potentially a variety of methods, the air flow can be recorded in any suitable way. Adjustments in air flow throughout the cross section of the air jet reed tunnel and over the full length of the air jet reed tunnel are possible. Variations in air flow can be produced in both cross sections and over the length of the air jet reed to accommodate optimum filling stop arrangements, different fillings, air consumption and resulting power conservation, loom speed as measured in picks per minute, and cloth quality. These adjustments are accomplished by removing or creating slight burrs on the metal profile dents, varying the surface finish of the metal profile dents, modifying the shape of the metal profile dent to increase or decrease air flow and to increase or decrease turbulence, varying nozzle location relative to air jet tunnel, and changing nozzle design.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described using specific terms, such description is for illustrative purposes only, and it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the following claims.

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