An apparatus and method for integral fill yarn insertion and beatup are disclosed. A modified rapier contains a channel for holding fill yarn. The channel is covered with a flexible and inflatable boot, and an inflating apparatus for this boot is also attached. Fill yarn is inserted into the channel, and the rapier is extended into a shed formed by warp yarn. Next, the rapier is pushed into the fell of the fabric, and the flexible and inflatable cover inflated, which both pushes the yarn into the fell of the fabric and performs beatup. The rapier is withdrawn and the shed closed to complete one step of the weaving process

Farley, Gary L.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

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US005188153A 
United States Patent t191 [I 11 Patent Number: 5,188,153 
Farley [45] Date of Patent: Feb. 23, 1993 
FILL YARN INSERTION AND BEATUP 
USING INFLATABLE MEMBRANE 
Inventor: Gary L. Farley, Yorktown, Va. 
Assignee: The United States of America as 
represented by the Administration of 
the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration, Washington, D.C. 
Appl. No.: 766,597 
Filed: Sep. 26,1991 
Int. C l . 5  ............................................. W3D 47/14 
U.S. Cl. ............................... 139/11; 139/DIG. 1; 
139/429; 139/436 
Field of Search ................. 139/11, 429, 443, 456, 
139A96.1, 436, 429, DIG. 1 
References Cited 
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 
3,881,523 5/1975 Paton et al. ..................... 139/456 X 
4,143,685 3/1979 Temple et al. . 
Primaly Examiner-Andrew M. Falik 
Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Kevin B. Osborne 
[571 ABSTRAm 
An apparatus and method for integral fill yarn insertion 
and beatup is provided. A modified rapier contains a 
channel for holding fdl yam. The channel is covered 
with a flexible and inflatable boot, and an inflating appa- 
ratus for this boot is also attached. Fill yam is inserted 
into the channel, and the rapier is extended into a shed 
formed by warp yam. Next, the rapier is pushed into the 
fell of the fabric, and the flexible and inflatable cover 
inflated, which both pushes the yam into the fell of the 
fabric and performs beatup. The rapier is withdrawn 
and the shed closed to complete one step of the weaving 
process. 
17 Claims, 6 Drawing Sheets 
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FILL YARN INSERTION AND BEATUP USING 
INFLATABLE MEMBRANE 
ORIGIN O F  THE INVENTION 
The invention described herein was made by an em- 
ployee of the United States Government and may be 
manufactured and used by or for the Government for 
governmental purposes without the payment of any 
royalties thereon of therefor. 
CROSS-REFERENCE 
The present application relates to concurrently filed 
application Ser. No. 07/766,609, filed Sep. 6, 1991, 
NASA Case No. LAR 14048-1, entitled “Woven Angle 
Ply Fabric and Apparatus and Method for Producing 
such Fabrics”, the specification of which is hereby in- 
corporated by reference. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
I. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to method for inserting 
fill yams and performing yarn beatup, and more partic- 
ularly to a method for performing those two tasks as a 
single process, thus eliminating the use of the reed 
beatup method. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
There are numerous methods of fill yam insertion 
that range from the simple shuttles used in the eigh- 
teenth century to modem water jets. However, the 
method of fill yam beatup has changed little in this same 
time period. A reed is still extensively used to beatup 
the fill yarns in a fabric. 
In conventional weaving of fabrics, yams are ori- 
ented in orthogonal warp and welt, or fill, directions. 
The warp direction is along the length of the fabric and 
the fill direction is transverse to the length of the fabric. 
The process of inserting the fill yam includes forming a 
shed the warp yams, pulling a fill yam across the warp 
yams in the shed, closing the shed, and a “beatup” of 
the fill yams into the fell of the fabric with the reed. 
This process is essentially the same regardless of the 
degree of automation incorporated in the loom. How- 
ever, the conventional reed used to beatup the fill yam 
in a fabric cannot be utilized in structural performs that 
have yams oriented along the bias of the fabric because 
the elements of the reed would hit the bias warp yam. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
An object of the present invention is to provide a 
method and apparatus for integral fill yam insertion and 
beatup. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide 
a method of fill yarn insertion and beatup that can be 
utilized in producing structural preforms that have 
yarns oriented along the bias of the fabrics. 
Other objects and advantages of this invention will 
become apparent hereinafter in the specification and 
drawings which follow. 
According to the present invention, the forgoing and 
additional objects are attained by providing an appara- 
tus in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the 
invention which generally comprises: a rapier with a 
a channel with a flexible and inflatable cover or boot. 
Fill yam is inserted into the channel and the rapier is 
extended into a shed in the warp yams. Actuators then 
push the rapier into the fell of the fabric. At this point, 
5 the cover over the channel is inflated to both insert the 
yarn into the fell and perform beatup. Finally, the rapier 
is withdrawn, the shed closed, and the process repeated 
as desired. 
10 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of the apparatus according 
FIG. 2 is a pictorial view of the edge of the rapier of 
FIG. 3 is a pictorial view of the rapier and boot guide 
FIGS. 4(u) and (b) are cross-sectional views along 
FIG. 5 is a top view of the apparatus with the rapier 
FIG. 6 is an overview of the apparatus with the rapier 
to the present invention; 
FIG. 1; 
of FIG. 1; 
line A-A’ of FIG. 1 of the rapier; 
2o removed from the warp yarns; and 
l5 
at the fell of the fabric. 
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED 
25 EMBODIMENT 
Referring now to the drawings, and more particu- 
larly to FIG. 1, a pictorial view of the apparatus of the 
present invention is shown. In the illustrated embodi- 
3o ment, a rapier 14, defining a fill yarn channel 16 which 
is covered with flexible and inflatable boot 6 and holds 
fill yam 12, is placed so as to be able to slide freely in a 
transverse direction between rapier insert mechanism 
10 and rapier receiver 2 by passing through rapier insert 
35 channel 28 into rapier receiving channel 26. In order to 
allow transverse movement of rapier 14 through rapier 
insert channel 28 and rapier receiver 2, rapier 14 is 
attached to an actuator 17 which can be hydraulic, 
pneumatic or electromechanical. Rapier 14 is used 
throughout the present application to refer to the long 
bar that extends across warp yams 32 to insert fill yam 
12, as shown in FIG. 5. In order to allow longitudinal 
movement of rapier 14, rapier insert mechanism 10 and 
rapier receiver 2 are attached to respective actuators 4, 
45 which can be hydraulic, pneumatic, or electromechani- 
cal. 
Referring now to FIG. 2, a pictorial view of the edge 
of rapier 14 is shown. As rapier 14 is moved by actuator 
17 in a transverse direction toward rapier receiver 2 
50 (FIG. l), fill yam clip 22, or another mechanism of 
similar function, holds the end of fill yam 12 as rapier 14 
is being extended and while fill yam 12 is being inserted 
into fill yam channel 16. 
Referring now to FIG. 3, a pictorial view of rapier 14 
55 and boot guide 8 is shown. As rapier 14 moves in a 
transverse direction away from rapier receiver 2 (FIG. 
l), boot guide 8 shapes and guide flexible and inflatable 
boot 6 back into fill yam channel 16. 
Referring now to FIGS. 4(a) and (b), a cross-section 
60 along line A-A’ of FIG. 1 of rapier 14 is pictured. 
These figures demonstrate how fill yarn 12 is pushed 
out of fill yarn channel 16 and into shed 30 by the infla- 
tion of flexible and inflatable boot 6 through air inflating 
means for holdingyam; a-flexibie and inflatable means 
for covering the means for holding yam; and a means 65 shown). 
for inflating the flexible and inflatable means. The appa- 
ratus is used in the integral insertion and beatup process. 
In one embodiment of the invention, the rapier contains 
slot 24 connected to a conventional air supply (not 
Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, top views of the 
apparatus are shown. In FIG. 5, the apparatus is shown 
withdrawn from warp yams 32. In FIG. 6, the appara- 
5,188,153 
tus is in position to deliver fill yarn 12 into fell 34. In 
order to perform integral fill yam insertion and beatup, 
certain steps must be followed. First, fill yam 12 is 
inserted into fill yam clip 22 (FIGS. 2 and 5) while 
rapier 14 is completely removed from longitudinal warp 
yarns 32. A shed is then formed with warp yams 32. 
Rapier 14 is extended transversely by actuator 17 
through rapier insert channel 28 and the shed of warp 
yams 32 until it reaches rapier receiving channel 26 in 
rapier receiver 2. As the rapier 14 passes through rapier 
insert channel 28, fill yarn 12 is inserted in fill yam 
channel 16 (FIG. 1). Tensile forces are exerted on fill 
yarn 12 by way of tension rollers 1 during the insertion 
process to ensure that fill yam 12 is straight. After ra- 
pier 14 has been received by rapier receiver 2, actuators 
4 are energized and rapier 14 is pushed into fell 34 of the 
fabric (FIG. qa) ,  4(b) and 6). Next, fill yam 12 is cut at 
a point between warp yarns 32 and rapier insert mecha- 
nism 10 and at a point between warp yams 32 and the 
rapier receiver 2. The flexible and inflatable boot 6 is 
inflated through air inflation slot 24, releasing yam 12 
from clip 22 and pushing fill yam 12 out of fill yam 
channel 16 and into shed 30, accomplishing both inser- 
tion of fill yarn into the fabric and beatup. Actuators 4 
are de-energized and longitudinally reversed, removing 
rapier 14 from fell 34. Rapier 14 is transversely re- 
tracted from warp yams 32 by actuator 17 and shed 30 
is closed. Boot 6 is deflated at some point after insertion 
of the yarn and beatup and prior to the next weave 
sequence, and preferably is deflated substantially con- 
currently with the retraction of the rapier 14. As actua- 
tor 17 causes rapier 14 to pass through rapier insert 
channel 28, boot guide 8 pushes flexible and inflatable 
boot 6 back into fill yam channel 16 (FIG. 3). This fill 
yarn insertion and beatup process is repeated until all of 
the fill yams are inserted and the fabric is advanced. 
Many modifications, improvements and substitutions 
will be apparent to the skilled artisan without departing 
from the spirit and scope of the present invention as 
described herein and defined in the following claims. 
What is claimed is: 
1. An apparatus for inserting fill yams and perform- 
5 
10 
15 
20 
25 
30 
35 
40 
ing yam beatup as a single process, comprising: 45 
(a) a rapier with means for holding a strand of yarn; 
(b) a flexible and inflatable means to cover the means 
(c) means for inflating the flexible and inflatable 
2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means 
for affixing and releasing the yam to and from the hold- 
ing means of said rapier. 
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the means for 
for holding a strand of yam; and 
means. 50 
affixing and releasing the yam is a fill yam clip. 55 
4 
4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a 
means for guiding yarn into means for holding a strand 
of yarn. 
5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a fill 
yam clip. 
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for 
holding a strand of yam is a U-shaped channel defined 
in the rapier. 
7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a 
means for guiding yam into the U-shaped channel. 
8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the means for 
guiding yam consists of a guide having a U-shape con- 
forming to the interior of the U-shaped channel of the 
rapier. 
9. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a fill 
yam clip. 
10. The apparatus according to claim 1, further com- 
prising means for translating said rapier relative to a 
fabric. 
11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said 
rapier further comprises a means for conforming said 
flexible and inflatable cover means to said means for 
holding a strand of yam. 
12. The apparatus according to claim 1, further com- 
prising means for feeding the strand of yam to said 
means for holding a strand of yam. 
13. A method of inserting fill yams and performing 
fill yam beatup comprising the steps of: 
(a) forming a shed from warp yams; 
(b) inserting yam in a means for holding a strand of 
yarn on a rapier as the rapier is extended to center 
across the shed; 
(c) cutting the yam at the edges of the warp yams; 
(d) pushing the rapier into the fell of the fabric; 
(e) pushing the yam out the means for holding a 
strand of yam by inflating a flexible and inflatable 
means covering the means for holding a strand of 
Yarn; 
(f) pulling back the rapier, leaving the yam in the fell 
of the fabric; 
(9) retracting the rapier from the shed; and 
(h) closing the shed. 
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the yam is held 
straight with tensile forces while it is inserted into the 
means for holding a strand of yam. 
15. The method of claim 13, wherein hydraulic, pneu- 
matic, or electromechanical actuators are used to push 
the rapier into the fell of the fabric and pull it away from 
the fell. 
16. The method of claim 13, further comprising de- 
flating the flexible and inflatable cover means. 
17. The method of claim 16, wherein said deflating 
step occurs substantially concurrently with said step of 
retracting the rapier from the shed. * * * * *  
65 


Integral fill yarn insertion and beatup method using inflatable membrane

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