Design and fabrication of weft end Gripper for the elimination of false Selvedge and associated yarn Wastage on rapier looms

Abstract

Shuttleless looms produce fabric at a high speed, but most of these looms incorporate a false selvedge adjacent to both the edges of the fabric. A sizable quantity of yarn is spent annually by the shuttleless weaving industry in the formation of false selvedge, which increases the manufacturing cost and selling price of the fabric. newlineA novel mechanism for the elimination of false selvedge in rapier looms was successfully designed and developed, which functions to grip the protruding weft ends after each pick insertion during the weaving process, with subsequent cutting and suction of the protruding ends. The developed mechanism was successfully installed and commissioned on an indigenous rapier loom leading to a reduction in the amount of hard waste otherwise generated, without affecting the normal functioning of the loom and the weaving process. The amount of reduction in hard waste was estimated and the quality of fabric manufactured before and after the installation was tested and analyzed. newlineThe mechanisms consists of gripping ends operated by its own shedding elements according to timing of shed formation and thus holds the weft end till beat up and till a cutter subsequently cuts it. A small suction tube sucks these cut ends and discards them in a small bin. Each weft thread is gripped by these gripping ends, held till beat up is over, and carried forward for subsequent cutting and suction. Thus the gripping action which is presently being performed by false selvedge yarns is substituted by the mechanism. The dimensions and design of components was finalized after due consideration of construction and working of the loom and the type of function that needs to be performed. newline