Importance

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Abstract

An apparatus is disclosed for braiding fine denier yarns to form a braided suture product which includes a frame, and a main carrier support plate supported on the frame and having a pair of undulating guide channels intersecting each other for guiding a plurality of yarn carriers. A plurality of yarn carriers are supported on the main carrier support plate, and each supports a bobbin for dispensing fine denier yarn. A guiding system is provided for directing the yarn carriers over intersecting paths corresponding to the shape of said guide channels, with a first set of the carriers being directed in a first direction and a second set of the carriers being directed in the opposite direction. A take-up system is positioned above the yarn carriers to provide reception of the yarns in a common braiding zone while the yarn carriers are directed through the intersecting paths of the guide channels to form a braided sheath from the yarns. A take-up clutch system is provided for controlling the tension of the final braided product within predetermined ranges permits formation of a braided product of predetermined appearance. A method of producing the braided product on the invention apparatus is also disclosed.

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First Claim