Importance

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Abstract

A braiding machine comprises a frame, a plurality of rotors on the frame and rotatable about rotor axes arranged about a braiding axis, drive gears for rotating adjacent ones of the rotors in opposite directions, and a plurality of strand shuttles which are driven by the rotors along a sinuous path in a given direction about the braiding axis. Adjacent ones of said rotors have transfer points for sequentially transferring a shuttle from a preceding rotor to a succeeding rotor with respect to the direction of the path, and the rotors and shuttle include interengaging retaining and escapement members by which the shuttle is moved with the preceding rotor toward the transfer point and then with the succeeding rotor away from the transfer point. A shuttle cam extends about the braiding axis, and cam follower rollers on the shuttle engage the cam for controlling the angular position of the shuttle relative to the preceding and succeeding rotors as the rotors move the shuttle through the transfer point therebetween.

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First Claim