The invention relates to a heddle, comprising

• an inserted heddle eyelet which is provided with
  • a passage opening for a warp yarn, and
  • an outer circumference having an edge zone along the edge lines, said edge lines being located alongside the inserted heddle eyelet when seen in the longitudinal direction of the inserted heddle eyelet, and
• a metal carrier part provided for attachment of the inserted heddle eyelet, wherein, in the attached state of the inserted heddle eyelet, this carrier part consists of a part in which the inserted heddle eyelet is inserted and at least one part that extends beyond this inserted heddle eyelet,

• it protrudes beyond the edge zone, and
• the outer circumference of the inserted heddle eyelet is at least partially visible.

During weaving, heddles are used to position warp yarns during shed formation by imposing a movement on the heddle. For this purpose, the heddle is provided with a heddle eyelet through which a warp yarn extends.

The movement imposed on the heddle can be achieved by an individual control of the heddle. For example, a heddle can be a jacquard heddle. Therewith, this is mostly connected at one end to a harness cord, and at the other end connected to a return spring, wherein the harness cord can take up a number of positions by the movement of one or more hooks of a jacquard device, and wherein a blade set takes along with it the hooks, and hence also the heddle and the harness cord, wherein in an upward movement, while return springs pull the hook, heddle and harness cord down again together with the downward movement of the blade, and wherein the return spring is connected at the other end to the base or frame of the weaving machine.

The movement imposed on the heddle can also be realised by moving a plurality of heddles up and down at the same time. For example, a plurality of heddles can each be connected by a respective harness cord to the same hook or to the same set of hooks of a jacquard device, or a plurality of heddles can be installed in a weaving frame, wherein the weaving frame is moved by a drive and selection device between 2 or more positions in height direction in order to form a desired pattern in a fabric or fabric structure. This latter method is commonly used for controlling warp yarns in ground threads of pile fabrics or for controlling pile warp yarns in pile fabrics or of warp yarns in flat fabrics in combination with a cam disc machine or a dobby device when a limited patterning is required.

During the weaving of both flat fabrics and pile fabrics, there is a steady trend towards fabrics with an increasing density. Herewith the number of warp yarns extending next to one another in weft direction increases.

A trend is also to be observed towards bringing more colours into the fabrics. Particularly during double-face pile weaving, this means a continuing increase in the number of warp yanrs extending next to one another in weft direction. In double-face pile weaving, namely, all types of pile warp yarns that can be colour or pattern forming in the fabric are generally provided in each warp system, wherein the colour or pattern forming pile warp yarn extending between the upper and lower fabric and binding in each of these fabrics over a weft yarn, while the non-colour or pattern forming pile warp yarns are concealed as dead pile in the ground fabric of one of both fabrics.

This means in concrete terms that when, for example, a double-face carpet is woven with a reed density of 500 dents per metre with 8 colours with 2 binding warp yarns and 1 tight warp yarn per ground fabric, 7000 warp yarns per metre weaving width are involved in the shed formation, of which 4000 pile warp yarns (8 colours x 500 reed dents per metre), and 3000 ground warp yarns (3 ground warp yarns per fabric x 2 fabrics x 500 reed dents per metre). During the formation of the shed, these warp yarns change their position in the vertical direction by means of heddles which are controlled in a manner as above indicated as example.

In double-face pile weaving, furthermore also lancets are deployed in many cases in the shed formation zone, either as spacers or as carriers of loop weft yarns. These lancets in turn take their place in weft direction in the available space per warp system. The warp yarns and heddles can thus also collide with these lancets during shed formation.

Finally there is a trend towards increasing the weaving speed in order to produce economically.

It is consequently clear that with increasing densities, increasing numbers of colours and increasing weaving speed, the load to which the heddles are exposed during shed formation increases due to the interaction with other yarns, with other heddles and with lancets, so that it becomes more critical to satisfy the imposed requirements, namely:

• to achieve the vertical positioning of the warp yarn,
• not to obstruct the movement of the controlled warp yarn in warp direction (avoidance of collision, damage, breakage),
• to hinder the movement of neighbouring heddles and warp yarns as little as possible (collision, damage, breakage),
• to minimise the interference with lancets,
• to show good wear resistance against the movement of the warp yarn through the heddle eyelet,
• to show good wear resistance against contact with neighbouring heddles, warp yarns and lancets.

In the known state of the art, the evolutions described below have been observed in order to meet the imposed requirements.

Initially heddles were manufactured from wire material, wherein generally 2 wires were deployed next to one another and with a heddle eyelet being formed in the middle zone of the heddle. A warp yarn then extends through this heddle eyelet. The 2 wires are connected to one another at a number of places outside the heddle eyelet.

This embodiment has the advantage that the heddle can be produced inexpensively, and that due to the limited dimensions of the wire material there is adequate free space for neighbouring warp yarns and lancets outside the heddle eyelet. When the formed heddle eyelet is distorted as a result of a collision with the neighbouring warp yarn package, the parts outside the heddle eyelet still allow sufficient passage for the neighbouring warp yarns and any lancet present.

This embodiment however has the disadvantage that the wire in the heddle eyelet is not particularly suitable for withstanding the wear caused by the warp yarn passing through it. The thickness of the heddle eyelet is also limited to the thickness of the wire. Also the joints of the 2 wires outside the heddle eyelet are not always resistant to the effect of the warp yarns and to the action of lancets moving along the heddle.

A change has therefore taken place towards embodiments with a wear-resistant inserted eyelet that is inserted into a space formed in the 2 wires and that is normally connected to these wires by means of a soldering process. As a result, the resistance to wear of the heddle eyelet to the warp yarn has increased significantly. However, the nearby warp yarns, the adjacent heddles and the neighbouring lancets collide with this connection and the inserted eyelet comes loose from the heddle.

Another variant consists of manufacturing heddles from strip material. This strip material is generally commercially available steel with a limited thickness and with a width sufficient to allow the application of an opening as heddle eyelet. Sometimes material is taken away above and below the heddle eyelet in order to limit the weight and to create more space for the nearby yarns, heddles and any lancets present. The removal of this material, however, is an expensive production step that has the further disadvantage that after removal of the material above and below the heddle eyelet, a great deal of refinishing is necessary in order to give the machined sides smooth transitions so that the warp yarns moving along these sides are not hindered in their movement or are not damaged.

Therefore, also a variant exists wherein heddles are manufactured from commercially available strip material in which in the middle openings are provided as heddle eyelet. Therefore, no additional finishing is necessary to realise smooth transitions because these have been realised during the production process of the commercially available material and are retained. The necessary width of the strip material, however, is quite considerable, the eyelet thickness is limited, offering limited resistance to wear against the action of the yarn that moves through the heddle eyelet.

In another variant, the width of the deployed strip material can be limited again by carrying out additional machining at the opening made for the heddle eyelet in order to realise the heddle eyelet and to adapt the form of the heddle (by, for example, twisting the strip material) so that the movement of the neighbouring warp yarns and lancets from above the heddle eyelet to below the heddle eyelet or vice versa can take place more quickly. Such solutions are described, inter alia, in US 5,348,055 and GB 448 723.

These solutions, however, still are starting from a thin base material so that the wear resistance in the heddle eyelet is limited, due to the limited thickness of the base material as well as to the compromise that has to be made within this one type of material between resistance to wear, the machinability of the heddle eyelet, the connection of the heddle in the weaving device and the raw material costs.

Furthermore, the twisting of the strip material has to take place at quite a large distance from the heddle eyelet in order not to distort the eyelet. As a result, the heddle eyelet part is fairly large.

Another type of heddle made from one starting material with modified forms is described in EP 1 739 215.

Here again, however, the one starting material involves a compromise with respect to the wear resistance in the eyelet part, and the whole heddle is quite large with a significant weight as a result.

In EP 947 620 a heddle made from flat steel strip material is described, wherein, after a number of machinings, an inserted eyelet is mounted in this heddle having a thickness which is smaller than the thickness of the flat steel strip material in order to avoid interference.

Also this embodiment results in a heddle eyelet with a more limited thickness and hence a limited resistance to wear.

In US 6,283,163 a two-wire heddle is described wherein an inserted eyelet is inserted between the 2 wires in the heddle eyelet part, with the inserted eyelet and the wires are connected by gluing. In the heddles shown in the figures, the wire is thinner than the heddle eyelet and the glue connection lies in the zone where the neighbouring yarns, heddles and lancets during their vertical movement meet the heddle, which can result in rapid wear of the connection and the inserted eyelet coming loose.

In this patent document, also an embodiment is further described wherein the thickness of the heddle eyelet is smaller than the thickness of the wire. This again has the consequence that in order to achieve a good resistance to wear of the heddle eyelet, the eyelet has to have a significant thickness so that, if the wire has to extend outside the heddle eyelet, the thickness of the wire has to be quite significant. This pushes up both the cost price and the weight of the heddle. The thick wire also leads to the fact that the free space for positioning a package of heddles with the corresponding warp yarns and lancets is limited.

EP 1 908 863 then again presents a heddle that is manufactured from a fibre-reinforced polymer material as carrier wherein a heddle eyelet is inserted into a hard material and is glued to the reinforcing fibres with a synthetic resin. Here all the neighbouring heddles, warp yarns and lancets are passed along the heddle eyelet as much as possible. The fibre package within the polymer material is distributed over 4 corners of the heddle eyelet in grooves in the heddle eyelet.

This solution has a disadvantage that the fibres in the grooves of the heddle eyelet are difficult to access for the application and hardening of the synthetic resin. At the surface of the groove, these are contacted by the neighbouring warp yarns, heddles and lancets so that they can again be quickly damaged. Furthermore, the processing of such fibre-reinforced polymer materials in heddles is a very expensive solution.

In DE 93 811 C a wire-shaped heddle is described wherein an inserted heddle eyelet is deployed. The inserted heddle eyelet is constrained in a wire part. For this the inserted heddle eyelet has a notch at its upper and lower end in which the wire parts come to rest when they are twisted together. The wire part is laid against the front and rear side of the inserted heddle eyelet. The resulting heddle is immersed in a tin bath in order to connect the wire part to the inserted heddle eyelet.

The disadvantage of such a heddle is that machining is necessary to fix the inserted heddle eyelet to the wire part that extends at the point of this inserted heddle eyelet. Furthermore, such a tinned joint is not resistant to wear. The inserted heddle eyelet is also not sufficiently protected so that it is more susceptible to wear from neighbouring elements such as heddles, warp yarns and lancets.

The object of the invention is consequently to provide a heddle that does not exhibit the said disadvantages of the prior art, that also offers sufficient resistance to the action of neighbouring warp yarns, heddles, and lancets, wherein the weight of the heddle remains limited and the volume taken up by the heddle parts outside the heddle eyelet, namely between the heddle eyelet and the connection of the heddle to the rest of the weaving loom, remains limited, wherein furthermore the heddle eyelet offers good resistance to wear against the action of the threaded warp yarn, and wherein operations are not necessary to connect the wire part at the inserted heddle eyelet with this inserted heddle eyelet.

This object of the invention is achieved by providing a heddle, comprising

• an inserted heddle eyelet which is provided with
  • a passage opening for a warp yarn, and
  • an outer circumference provided with an edge zone along the edge lines, said edge lines being located alongside the inserted heddle eyelet when seen in the longitudinal direction of the inserted heddle eyelet, and
• a metal carrier part provided for attachment of the inserted heddle eyelet, wherein in the attached state of the inserted heddle eyelet, this carrier part consists of a part in which the heddle eyelet is inserted and at least one part that extends outside this inserted heddle eyelet,

• it protrudes beyond the edge zone, and
• the outer circumference of the inserted heddle eyelet is at least partially visibible

In order to clarify the terminology used in the further text of this patent application, a further clarification is given below.

When a heddle is considered with an inserted heddle eyelet wherein the opening for the passage of warp yarn is viewed from the front (or in other words viewed towards the front surface of the inserted heddle eyelet), and wherein the longitudinal direction of the inserted heddle eyelet extends vertically, then the inserted heddle eyelet exhibits on the left and right (or on the left and right side of the inserted heddle eyelet) an "edge line", each being a line extending essentially vertically that follows the form of the inserted heddle eyelet at the front side of the inserted heddle eyelet and at the same time borders the outer circumference of the inserted heddle eyelet. In the same way the inserted heddle eyelet then also has such an "edge line" on its rear side on both the left and right.

With the "outer circumference" of the inserted heddle eyelet is meant the side surfaces of the inserted heddle eyelet, being the surfaces located on the left and right side of the inserted heddle eyelet, or the surfaces best visible in a side view of the inserted heddle eyelet when the longitudinal direction of the same extends vertically.

In other words the said edge lines can be regarded as the parting line between the outer circumference and the front side or rear side of the inserted heddle eyelet respectively, so that these edge lines then belong to both this outer circumference and to this front side or rear side respectively.

With the term "edge zone" a zone is meant that is located on the front and/or rear side of the inserted heddle eyelet, that has a limited width, and which follows an edge line mentioned above (see also figure 15 as described in more detail below). The magnitude of this limited width has to be interpreted as, for example, the width of the inserted heddle eyelet on the front and/or rear side at the transition from the part of the carrier part that is in connection with the outer circumference of the inserted heddle eyelet (being the part of the carrier part in which the inserted heddle eyelet is inserted) and the carrier part that extends outside the inserted heddle eyelet when the inserted heddle eyelet is installed in the heddle. With for example wire material or strip material the magnitude of this limited width can also be interpreted as the thickness of the carrier material. Consequently for a heddle according to the invention, at least one cross section can be defined perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of this heddle, wherein the carrier part protrudes beyond the edge zone of the heddle in the thickness direction of the heddle.

In the same cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the inserted heddle eyelet, the inserted heddle eyelet can protrude in thickness direction of the inserted heddle eyelet towards the outside of the inserted heddle eyelet with respect to the carrier part with a part of its front side and/or rear side that is located between the edge zone and the opening for the passage of the warp yarn, as is the case in the second and seventh embodiment that are described in more detail below. When in such embodiments the inserted heddle eyelet has "gentle" (= smooth) transitions in the increase in thickness from the edge zone towards the passage opening, the shock and force exerted by the neighbouring elements of the weaving loom (a.o. heddles, warp yarns and lancets) during their vertical movement during the operation of the weaving loom on contact between these elements and the inserted heddle eyelet, are more limited than the embodiments known from the prior art due to the gradual form of this transition. Furthermore, the wear will also be limited due to these transitions due to the fact that at these transitions where the neighbouring elements contact the inserted heddle eyelet, they do not contact the connecting material that connects the inserted heddle eyelet with the corresponding carrier part. The wear on the connection between the two parts is thus limited.

A heddle according to the invention has a longer lifespan compared with the heddles known from the prior art. The positive effect on the lifespan is greater, the more the transition from the part of the carrier material that extends outside the inserted heddle eyelet towards the part of the carrier material in which the inserted heddle eyelet is inserted is smoother, and also the more the connection between the carrier part and the inserted heddle eyelet lies outside the area of the said neighbouring elements of the weaving machine.

If in the side view the inserted heddle eyelet does not protrude at all with the respect to the carrier part, as shown for example in figures 2a to 2f that are described in more detail below, the inserted heddle eyelet extends completely in a cross section in width direction of the inserted heddle eyelet within the carrier part, both at the part in which the inserted heddle eyelet is inserted and of the part that extends outside the inserted heddle eyelet. In this way the contact of the inserted heddle eyelet with neighbouring elements of the weaving loom such as, amongst others, heddles, warp yarns and lancets is completely avoided.

A heddle according to the invention furthermore exhibits the following advantages with respect to the heddles known from the prior art:

• the use of an inserted heddle eyelet allows it to be manufactured from a wear-resistant material or from a material that can be made wear-resistant by an inexpensive treatment in order to offer good resistance to wear against the action of the warp yarn passing through it,
• a carrier part made of metal provides good resistance to wear of this carrier part. All metals with good resistance to wear can be used for this, such as stainless steel, hardened steel or coated metals.

The fact that the outer circumference of the inserted heddle eyelet is at least partially visible when the heddle according to the invention with the inserted heddle eyelet in attached state is viewed from the side indicates that the carrier material does not or practically does not extend over the whole width of the inserted heddle eyelet. This allows the carrier part to be limited in dimensions (volume). This has the additional positive consequence that in the at least one part that extends outside the inserted heddle eyelet, the carrier material takes on these limited dimensions. This allows a lighter heddle to be manufactured, even in combination with a relatively wide inserted heddle eyelet. The expression "practically does not" indicates that when, in the embodiment wherein the wire part at the outer circumference of the inserted heddle eyelet consists in thickness direction of 2 wire parts lying behind one another, these 2 wire parts that in the thickness direction of the heddle lie apart from one another can also rest substantially against one another. Resting against one another means in practice that limited air gaps always occur between the two wire parts, while these 2 wire parts resting practically against one another have all the advantages of the invention in relation to the prior art.

In an advantageous embodiment of a heddle according to the invention, the carrier part protrudes over the full height of the inserted heddle eyelet at least at one of the said edge lines beyond the said edge zone when the heddle with the inserted heddle eyelet in the attached state is viewed from the side.

In a preferred embodiment of a heddle according to the invention, the carrier part protrudes at both said edge lines beyond the said edge zone when the heddle with the inserted heddle eyelet in the attached state is viewed from the side.

In a particular embodiment of a heddle according to the invention, the inserted heddle eyelet can at one or more zones of the carrier part in which the inserted heddle eyelet is inserted at least partially be provided with at least one groove with a form corresponding to the form of the carrier part.

In an advantageous embodiment of a heddle according to the invention there is space for the application of a connecting agent between the outer circumference of the inserted heddle eyelet and the carrier part at the transition from the part of the carrier part where the inserted heddle eyelet is inserted towards the part where the carrier part extends outside the inserted heddle eyelet. This connecting agent can be glue, resin, solder, plastic or another known connecting agent.

The heddle according to the invention can have an inserted heddle eyelet with constant thickness. The advantage thereof is that the production of the inserted heddle eyelet is simplified.

The heddle according to the invention can also have an inserted heddle eyelet with a decreasing thickness from the middle zone of the inserted heddle eyelet where the passage opening for warp yarn is located towards at least a part of the edge zone of the inserted heddle eyelet.

In a particular embodiment of a heddle according to the invention the inserted heddle eyelet is carried out such that at the said middle zone it protrudes beyond the carrier part.

In an advantageous embodiment of a heddle according to the invention, the inserted heddle eyelet has a thickness at the outer circumference thereof that increases from the lower and/or upper side of the inserted heddle eyelet towards the said middle zone.

The advantage of an increasing thickness towards the middle zone of the inserted heddle eyelet is that on the one hand the same thickness of the inserted heddle eyelet can be achieved at the passage opening (and hence the same resistance to wear attained) with a less wide (and hence less hindering) inserted heddle eyelet, while on the other hand if the increase in thickness is very gradual, the changes in direction of the carrier part can also be very gradual so that the impact of this change of direction on neighbouring heddles, warp yarns and lancets that come into contact with it during their movement is more limited.

The carrier part can first be constructed from 2 or more metal wires.

In a preferred embodiment of a heddle according to the invention, the carrier material can therewith consist of 2 metal wires that

• meet one another in two parts of the carrier part that extend outside the inserted heddle eyelet and in these parts are completely or partially connected to one another,
• are spread apart at the transition from a said part of the carrier part that extends outside the inserted heddle eyelet towards the part of the carrier part in which the inserted heddle eyelet is inserted, and
• extend in the following way at the place where the inserted heddle eyelet is inserted:
  • the first wire first extends downwards along the left-hand side or right-hand side of the inserted heddle eyelet, then extends around the lower side of the inserted heddle eyelet, then along the right-hand side or left-hand side respectively of the inserted heddle eyelet, then along the upper side of the inserted heddle eyelet, before finally extending downwards again along the left-hand side or right-hand side respectively of the inserted heddle eyelet, and
  • the second wire extends in the same way as the first wire around the inserted heddle eyelet.

In this way a heddle is obtained that in the parts of the wire part that extend above and below the inserted heddle eyelet consists of 2 metal wires, and that at the part of the carrier part that is in connection with the inserted heddle eyelet has an inserted heddle eyelet that is wrapped around by 4 wires, wherein in a cross section in the width direction of the inserted heddle eyelet, each of these 4 wires is positioned at a corner of the outer circumference of the inserted heddle eyelet so that the inserted heddle eyelet is surrounded and held in position.

In an advantageous embodiment of a heddle according to the invention, the carrier part therewith consists of 2 metal wires that

• meet one another in two parts of the carrier part that extend outside the inserted heddle eyelet and in these parts are completely or partially connected to one another,
• are spread apart at the transition from a said part of the carrier part that extend outside the inserted heddle eyelet towards the part of the carrier part in which the inserted heddle eyelet is inserted, and
• extend in the following way around the outer circumference of the inserted heddle eyelet at the point at which the inserted heddle eyelet is inserted:
  • the first wire extends above the passage opening in the inserted heddle eyelet along the rear side of the inserted heddle eyelet, and extends below the said passage opening along the front side of the inserted heddle eyelet, and
  • the second wire extends above the said passage opening along the front side of the inserted heddle eyelet, and extends below the said passage opening along the rear side of the inserted heddle eyelet.

This embodiment has the advantage that with only 2 metal wires that do not each have to extend along the complete thickness of the inserted heddle eyelet, a heddle can be manufactured that is light and allows a limited material consumption even with inserted heddle eyelets with a greater thickness, and wherein the resistance to the effect of the neighbouring elements of the weaving loom, such as heddles, warp yarns and lancets, is significantly increased compared with the embodiments known from the prior art. Furthermore, when using two-wire material in the same thickness as for heddles according to the prior art, this embodiment allows an inserted heddle eyelet with a greater thickness to be used, thus increasing the resistance to wear from the passage of the warp yarn.

In a further possible embodiment of a heddle according to the invention, the carrier part consists of 2 wires that

• meet one another in two parts of the carrier part that extend outside the inserted heddle eyelet and in these parts are completely or partially connected to one another,
• are spread apart at the transition from a said part of the carrier part that extend outside the inserted heddle eyelet towards the part of the carrier part in which the inserted heddle eyelet is inserted, and
• extend in the following way around the outer circumference of the inserted heddle eyelet at the inserted heddle eyelet: the two ends of the first wire both extend - seen in the longitudinal direction of the heddle - along the same side above or below the inserted heddle eyelet outside the inserted heddle eyelet, while the two ends of the second wire both extend - seen in the longitudinal direction of the heddle - along the same opposite side above or below the inserted heddle eyelet outside this inserted heddle eyelet, wherein
  • the first wire first extends downwards along the front side of the inserted heddle eyelet, then extends around the lower side of the inserted heddle eyelet, before finally extending upwards again along the rear side of the inserted heddle eyelet, and
  • the second wire first extends downwards along the rear side of the inserted heddle eyelet, then extends around the upper side of the inserted heddle eyelet, before finally extending downwards again along the front side of the inserted heddle eyelet.

In a particular embodiment of a heddle according to the invention, the carrier material consists of 4 metal wires that meet one another in the carrier parts extending outside the inserted heddle eyelet, and in these parts are completely or partly connected to one another, and that each pair of 2 wires is spread apart at the transition from a said part of the carrier part that extends outside the inserted heddle eyelet towards the part of the carrier part in which the inserted heddle eyelet is inserted, wherein each pair of 2 wires extends along the left-hand side or right-hand side of the inserted heddle eyelet, and wherein in each pair of 2 wires one wire extends along the front side of the inserted heddle eyelet and one wire extends along the rear side of the inserted heddle eyelet.

This means that in a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the inserted heddle eyelet, the inserted heddle eyelet in the attached state in the heddle has carrier material at each of its corners that in the thickness direction of the heddle protrudes beyond the edge zone of the inserted heddle eyelet, and wherein the carrier material also protrudes beyond the outer circumference in the width direction of the heddle when the heddle with the attached inserted heddle eyelet is viewed from the front. As a result, all neighbouring warp yarns and lancets, with even greater certaintly, only come into contact with the carrier material, and not with the inserted heddle eyelet or with the joints between the inserted heddle eyelet and the carrier material, so that the service life of the inserted heddle eyelet and of its connection with the carrier material increases.

It is therewith possible that the metal wires of a pair of the 2 wires that extend along the left-hand side or right-hand side of the inserted heddle eyelet rest substantially against one another in the thickness direction of the heddle.

Such an embodiment of a heddle with 4 metal wires has a major advantage with relation to embodiments of a heddle according to the prior art that comprise an inserted heddle eyelet and 2 wires - wherein these wires are connected to one another completely or partly above the inserted heddle eyelet, spread apart at the inserted heddle eyelet and extend around this inserted heddle eyelet, and after the inserted heddle eyelet come together again and are connected to one another completely or partly, wherein each wire protrudes on opposite sides beyond the inserted heddle eyelet - that in this heddle according to the invention the wires have significantly less volume and weight, since when d is the diameter of the wires according to the prior art, the cross section of the carrier part above and below the inserted heddle eyelet of such an embodiment is 2 x π x d²/4 or thus π x d²/2, whereas in an embodiment of a heddle according to the invention with 4 wires these wires have a diameter of d/2, so that the cross section of the carrier part above and below the inserted heddle eyelet is 4 x π x (d/2)²/4 or thus π x d²/4. This means that above and below the inserted heddle eyelet, the same inserted heddle eyelet can be inserted with half the material of the carrier part and half the space that this carrier part takes up, or that vice versa an inserted heddle eyelet with twice the thickness can be inserted with the same quantity and volume of material of the carrier part. This same advantage is retained when the wires of a pair of 2 wires that extend along the left-hand side or right-hand side are not joined together over the whole length and exhibit air gaps between these wires.

It is furthermore also possible that in the four-wire embodiment according to the invention, each pair of 2 wires extends along the left-hand side or right-hand side of the inserted heddle eyelet, and wherein per pair of wires, one wire extends along the front side of the heddle eyelet and one wire extends along the rear side of the inserted heddle eyelet with a pronounced intermediate space between the two, the intermediate space being the part of the outer circumference that is visible between the 2 wires extending along the left-hand side or right-hand side of the inserted heddle eyelet.

In a further embodiment of a heddle according to the invention, the wires of a pair within the part of the carrier part in which the inserted heddle eyelet is inserted can extend back towards one another over a part of the height of the inserted heddle eyelet until they touch one another again before then being spread apart once more.

It is therewith possible that at the zone(s) where these wires extend back towards one another, the wires are connected to one another by means of a connection agent, wherein this connection agent is located completely inside the envelope of these 4 wires.

The carrier material can furthermore be made of two or more strip profiles that rest against one another in one or more parts extending outside the inserted heddle eyelet where they are completely or partly connected together, and between which an inserted heddle eyelet is inserted.

In a heddle according to the invention which comprises a carrier part made from strip profiles, neighbouring elements of the weaving machine move in a smooth motion along this flat steel carrier material and do not contact the inserted heddle eyelet or the connection between the inserted heddle eyelet and the material of the carrier part when it is installed between the at least 2 strip profiles. In this way the thickness of the carrier material of the carrier part is minimised due to the fact that the thickness of the strip profile employed for this is normally limited in thickness, for example between 0.2 and 0.5 mm.

In a particular embodiment of a heddle according to the invention, the carrier part therewith consists of 2 strip profiles that are flat steel profiles and which:

• are completely or partly connected to one another in the parts that extend outside the inserted heddle eyelet,
• are separated from one another at the transition from the part of the carrier part that extends outside the inserted heddle eyelet towards the part of the carrier part in which the inserted heddle eyelet is inserted, and
• are arranged with respect to the inserted heddle eyelet in the part of the carrier part in which the inserted heddle eyelet is inserted in such a way that the one flat steel profile extends along the front side of the inserted heddle eyelet, and the other strip profile extends along the rear side of the inserted heddle eyelet in such a way that the outer circumference of the inserted heddle eyelet is located at least partly between these 2 flat steel profiles.

In a possible embodiment of a heddle according to the invention, the outer circumference of the inserted heddle eyelet is located completely between the strip profiles.

In another possible embodiment of a heddle according to the invention, the outer circumference of the inserted heddle eyelet is located partly between the strip profiles and the inserted heddle eyelet is no longer completely surrounded by the carrier part and is flanked by it, for example, on only one side.

This embodiment does, however, still offer a solution to the problems described above of the heddles as known from the prior art due to the fact that the side that is not flanked by the carrier part is practically hidden in the connecting line between the parts of the carrier part extending in longitudinal direction and on that side there are no risky transitions between the carrier part and the inserted heddle eyelet that could result in wear of the inserted heddle eyelet and collision with neighbouring elements of the weaving loom. These risky transitions are hidden here between the carrier parts.

In a further particular embodiment of the invention, the part of the carrier part in which the inserted heddle eyelet is inserted extends around the left-hand side or right-hand side of the inserted heddle eyelet.

In this embodiment, too, there are no sudden and risky transitions between the carrier material and the inserted heddle eyelet because the parts on the inserted heddle eyelet that could give cause for this are located between the 2 carrier parts.

In an advantageous embodiment of an inventive heddle, one or more of the strip profiles have an opening at the said middle zone of the inserted heddle eyelet that adjoins the passage opening of the inserted heddle eyelet.

In a more particular embodiment of an inventive heddle, the at least 2 strip profiles can thereby each have a profile on one or more opposite sides extending in the length direction of the strip profile in such a way that each pair has a corresponding form so that they can fit into one another and can thus be connected to one another.

In an even more particular embodiment of a heddle according to the invention, the inserted heddle eyelet can thereby have grooves on its outer circumference that have a form corresponding to the said profiles such that one groove fits into a corresponding profile of the said sides and can thus be connected to one another.

Such a combination of profile forms and grooves can greatly enhance the securing of the inserted heddle eyelet in the carrier part.

In an advantageous embodiment of a heddle according to the invention, the strip profiles can have a slot such that the legs created as a result of the slot are forced apart until after plastic deformation they form an opening that is larger than the said passage opening.

In this way, even more material is saved as when a narrower flat steel strip profile is used there is less material in the parts of the carrier part that extend above and below the inserted heddle eyelet.

It is furthermore possible that the flat steel strip profiles

• have a width that is larger than the width of the inserted heddle eyelet,
• have an opening in the said middle zone of the inserted heddle eyelet at the passage opening that adjoins the passage opening, and
• have parts that extend outside the inserted heddle eyelet where material of the strip profiles has been removed.

Material is also saved in this way, since here again there is less material in the parts of the carrier part that extend outside the inserted heddle eyelet.

The invention is now explained by reference to the following detailed description of some embodiments of a heddle according to this invention. The object of this description is only to give an explanatory example and can therefore in no way be interpreted as a limitation of the field of application of the invention or of the patent rights claimed in the claims.

In this description, reference is made by means of reference numbers to the attached figures, wherein

• figures 1a - 1c show an embodiment of a heddle with carrier material and inserted heddle eyelet according to the prior art, wherein
  • figure 1a shows a front view of the heddle,
  • figure 1b shows a cross section in direction B - B as indicated in Figure 1a,
  • figure 1c shows a cross section in direction A - A as indicated in Figure 1a,
• figures 2a - 2f show a first embodiment of a heddle according to the invention wherein the carrier material comprises a 4-wire system and the inserted heddle eyelet has a constant thickness, and wherein
  • figure 2a shows a front view of a part of this heddle,
  • figure 2b shows a top view of the cross section in direction A - A as indicated in Figure 2a,
  • figure 2c shows a top view of the cross section in direction B - B as indicated in Figure 2a,
  • figure 2d shows an exploded view of figure 2c,
  • figure 2e shows a top view of the cross section in direction C - C as indicated in figure 2a,
  • figure 2f shows a perspective view of an inserted heddle eyelet for such a heddle,
• figures 3a - 3c show a second embodiment of a heddle according to the invention wherein the carrier material comprises a 4-wire system and the inserted heddle eyelet exhibits an increasing thickness towards the middle, and wherein
  • figure 3a shows a top view of the cross section of a side view,
  • figure 3b shows a top view of the cross section in direction B - B as indicated in figure 3a,
  • figure 3c shows a top view of the cross section in direction D - D as indicated in figure 2a,
• figures 4a - 4b show a third embodiment of a heddle according to the invention wherein the carrier material comprises a 4-wire system and the inserted heddle eyelet exhibits an increasing thickness towards the middle, and wherein
  • figure 4a shows a top view of a cross section at the middle of the heddle eyelet,
  • figure 4b shows a top view of a cross section above the middle of the heddle eyelet,
• figures 5a - 5c show a fourth embodiment of a heddle according to the invention wherein the carrier material comprises a 2-wire system, and in which
  • figure 5a shows a side view of the form of the carrier part (the inserted heddle eyelet is not illustrated here)
  • figure 5b shows a top view of the cross section in direction B - B as indicated in figure 5a,
  • figure 5c shows a perspective view of an inserted heddle eyelet for such a heddle,
• figures 6a - 6c show a fifth embodiment of a heddle according to the invention wherein the carrier material comprises a 2-wire system wherein the 2 wires are drawn through an opening between the 2 wires at their end and surround an inserted heddle eyelet, and wherein
  • figure 6a shows a top view of a cross section in direction B - B as indicated in figure 6c,
  • figure 6b shows a top view of a cross section in direction C - C as indicated in figure 6c,
  • figure 6c shows a side view of such a heddle,
• figures 7a - 7f show a sixth embodiment of an inventive heddle in which the carrier material comprises 2 flat steel strip profiles, and in which
  • figure 7a shows a front view of such a heddle,
  • figure 7b shows a top view of a cross section in direction A - A as indicated in figure 7a,
  • figure 7c shows a top view of a cross section in direction B - B as indicated in figure 7a,
  • figure 7d shows a top view of a cross section in direction C - C as indicated in figure 7a,
  • figure 7e shows a top view of a cross section in direction E - E as indicated in figure 7a,
  • figure 7f shows an exploded view of figure 7c,
• figures 8a and 8b show a seventh embodiment of a heddle according to the invention wherein the carrier material comprises 2 flat steel strip profiles with an opening into which an inserted heddle eyelet is inserted, said inserted heddle eyelet protruding beyond the carrier material at the passage opening, and wherein
  • figure 8a shows a top view of a cross section in direction B - B as indicated in Figure 8b,
  • figure 8b shows a top view of a cross section of this heddle in side view,
• figure 9a shows an eighth embodiment of a heddle according to the invention wherein the carrier material comprises 4 profiled wires that each have a form such that they fit into one another in pairs,
• figures 10a and 10b show a ninth embodiment of a heddle according to the invention wherein the carrier material comprises a 4-wire system as illustrated in figure 2 and in which the 2 wires practically touch one another on the same side of the inserted heddle eyelet, and in which
  • Figure 10a shows a top view of a cross section in direction B - B as indicated in Figure 10b,
  • Figure 10b shows a top view of a cross section of this heddle in side view,
• figures 11a - 11d show a tenth embodiment of a heddle according to the invention wherein the carrier material comprises a 2-wire material wherein each wire extends in height direction from a different side, moves around the inserted heddle eyelet and extends back in the same direction, and wherein
  • figure 11a shows a front view of a part of this heddle,
  • figure 11b shows a top view of a cross section in direction A - A as indicated in figure 11a,
  • figure 11c shows a top view of a cross section in direction C - C as indicated in figure 11a,
  • figure 11d shows a top view of a cross section in direction B - B as indicated in figure 11a,
• figures 12a - 12d show an eleventh embodiment of a heddle according to the invention wherein the carrier material extends on one side of the inserted heddle eyelet, and wherein
  • figure 12a shows a front view of such a heddle,
  • figure 12b shows a top view of a cross section in direction A - A as indicated in figure 12a,
  • figure 12c shows a top view of a cross section in direction B - B as indicated in figure 12a,
  • figure 12d shows a top view of a cross section in direction C - C as indicated in figure 12a,
• figures 13a - 13c show a twelfth embodiment of a heddle according to the invention wherein the carrier material extends on one side of the inserted heddle eyelet, and wherein
  • figure 13a shows a front view of such a heddle,
  • figure 13b shows a top view of a cross section in direction B - B as indicated in figure 13a,
  • figure 13c shows a top view of a cross section in direction C - C as indicated in figure 13a,
• figure 14 shows a side view of a thirteenth embodiment of a heddle according to the invention;
• figure 15 shows a front view of the second and seventh embodiment of a heddle according to the invention wherein the edge zone of the inserted heddle eyelet is indicated.

A heddle (100) according to the prior art, such as illustrated in figures 1a to 1c, comprises an inserted heddle eyelet (102) with a passage opening (104) for a warp yarn, and a carrier part (103).

In the attached state of the inserted heddle eyelet (102), the carrier part (103) comprises a part (103a) that is in connection with the outer circumference of this inserted heddle eyelet (2) and 2 parts (103b) that extend outside this inserted heddle eyelet (2). The carrier part (103) comprises furthermore 2 wires (131, 132) that are connected above the inserted heddle eyelet (102), and that are spread apart at the transitions from the part (103a) that is in contact with the outer circumference of this inserted heddle eyelet (2) and the 2 parts (103b) that extend outside this inserted heddle eyelet (2) to surround the inserted heddle eyelet (102). These 2 wires (131, 132) thereby completely surround the inserted heddle eyelet (102).

A heddle (1) according to the invention comprises an inserted heddle eyelet (2) with a passage opening (4) for a warp yarn, and a metal carrier part (3) provided to hold this inserted heddle eyelet (2). Additional securing means can be employed to secure the inserted heddle eyelet (2) in the carrier part (3). This metal carrier part (3) can thereby consist of both metal wires (31, 32, 33, 34) and strip profiles (35, 36), for example flat steel strips.

In the attached state of the inserted heddle eyelet (2), the carrier part (3) comprises a part (3a) that is in connection with the outer circumference (5) of this inserted heddle eyelet (2) and 2 parts (3b) that extend outside this inserted heddle eyelet (2). However, the invention relates equally to heddles (1) that have only one part (3b) that extends outside the inserted heddle eyelet (2). Furthermore, the outer circumference (5) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2) has one or more middle zones (2b) at the said passage opening (4), and zones (2a, 2c) located above and below the passage opening (4) respectively. The designations above and below (2) the passage opening (4) therewith apply when the inserted heddle eyelet (2) is installed in the heddle (1) and the heddle (1) is installed in the weaving machine.

As already given above, a further clarification of the used terminology with a reference to the figures follows hereafter.

When a heddle (1) is considered with an inserted heddle eyelet (2) wherein the passage opening (4) for the passage of warp yarn is viewed from the front (or in other words, viewed towards the front surface (III) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2)), and wherein the longitudinal direction of the inserted heddle eyelet (2) extends vertically, then the inserted heddle eyelet (2) exhibits on the left and right an edge line, each being a line extending essentially vertically that follows the form of the inserted heddle eyelet (2) on the front side (III) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2) and at the same time borders the outer circumference of the inserted heddle eyelet (2). In the same way the inserted heddle eyelet (2) then also has such an edge line on its rear side (IV) on both left and right.

The outer circumference (5) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2) then means the side surfaces of the inserted heddle eyelet (2), being the surfaces located on the sides (I, II) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2), or the surfaces best visible in a side view of the inserted heddle eyelet (2) when the longitudinal direction of the same extends vertically.

In other words the said edge lines (501) can be regarded as the parting line between the outer circumference (5) and the front side (III) or rear side (IV) respectively of the inserted heddle eyelet (2), so that these sides (I, II) then belong to both this outer circumference (5) and to this front side (III) or rear side (IV) respectively.

As illustrated in figure 15, the term "edge zone" (50) is used to refer to a zone located on the front and/or rear side (III, IV) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2) that has a limited width and which follows a side (I, II) mentioned above (see also figure 15 as described in more detail below). The magnitude of this limited width should be interpreted as the width of the inserted heddle eyelet (2) on the front and/or rear side (III, IV) at the transition from the part of the carrier part (3) that is in connection with the outer circumference (5) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2) and a part that protrudes beyond the inserted heddle eyelet (2) when the inserted heddle eyelet (2) is mounted in the heddle (1) (see, for example, the width at the point indicated with reference number 51 in figure 2f). With wire material or strip material, for example, the magnitude of this limited width can also be interpreted as the thickness of the carrier material (3). Consequently, for a heddle (1) according to the invention, at least one cross section can be defined perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of this heddle (1) wherein the carrier part (3) protrudes in the thickness direction of the heddle (1) with respect to the edge zone (50) of the heddle (1), such as is the case for example in figures 3a and 3c and in figures 8a and 8b.

When the heddle (1) according to the invention with the inserted heddle eyelet (2) in the attached state is viewed from the side, the carrier part (3) can protrude over the full height of the inserted heddle eyelet (2), beyond the edge zone (50) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2). This is the case in particular when the inserted heddle eyelet (2) such as illustrated in figures 2a to 2f has a constant thickness and the carrier part (3) maintains its position in vertical direction relative to the inserted heddle eyelet (2) outside the transitions from the part (3a) where the connection at the outer circumference (5) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2) to the part (3b) outside the inserted heddle eyelet (2) is made.

It is also possible that when the heddle (1) according to the invention with the inserted heddle eyelet (2) in attached state is viewed from the side, the carrier part (3) may or may not protrude over the full height of the inserted heddle eyelet (2), beyond the edge zone (50) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2) at the two said sides (I, II).

One or more zones of the outer circumference (5) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2) that are in contact with the carrier part (3) can have one or more grooves (6) with a form corresponding to the form of the carrier part (3), so that the carrier part (3) engages well with the inserted heddle eyelet (2) at this point. This can for instance be seen in figures 2a to 2f, figure 5c, figures 7c to 7f, figures 8a and 8b, figures 10a and 10b figures 11c and 11d, figures 12c and 12d, and figures 13b and 13c.

The inserted heddle eyelet (2) can be connected to the carrier part (3) by applying connection agent to the outer circumference (5) and/or to the edge zone (50) in such a way that the connection agent does not protrude beyond the heddle (1) outside the carrier part (3) either in front view or in side view. Glue, polymer, resin, solder or other joining agents known from the prior art can be used as joining agents.

The inserted heddle eyelet (2) can have either a constant thickness (as is the case in the first, fourth and seventh embodiment), or a thickness that decreases from the middle zone (2b) where the passage opening (4) is located towards the upper and lower side (2a, 2c) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2).

The carrier part (3) can consist of wires (31, 32, 33, 34) with a round, oval, rectangular or any other cross section. Furthermore, this carrier part (3) can also consist of strip profiles (35, 36), for example flat steel strip material.

In a first embodiment of a heddle (1) according to the invention, such as illustrated in Figures 2a to 2f, the carrier material (3) consists of 4 wires (31, 32, 33, 34) that in the parts (3b) that are not in contact with the inserted heddle eyelet (2) are connected together over their whole length or a part of their length, and that at the part (3a) that is in contact with the inserted heddle eyelet (2) split in pairs to a respective side (I, II) of the outer circumference (5) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2) that when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the inserted heddle eyelet (2) is located on the side of the inserted heddle eyelet (2). Per pair of 2 wires, one wire (31, 32) extends herewith along the front side of the heddle and the inserted heddle eyelet (2), and one wire (33, 34) extends along the rear side of the heddle and the inserted heddle eyelet (2).

In this first embodiment, the inserted heddle eyelet (2) has a constant thickness.

The outer circumference (5) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2) thereby has 4 grooves (6) whose form corresponds to the form of each of the 4 wires (31, 32, 33, 34) that extend into each of these grooves (6). These grooves (6) are thereby located such that in each cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the inserted heddle eyelet (2), each of these wires (31, 32, 33, 34) protrudes beyond the edge zone (50) when the heddle (1) with the inserted heddle eyelet (2) in attached state is viewed both from the side and from the front. As already mentioned above, this means that the inserted heddle eyelet (2) has carrier material (3) at each of its corners in each cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the inserted heddle eyelet (1) that protrudes beyond the edge zone (50) and beyond the outer circumference (5) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2) when the heddle (1) with the inserted heddle eyelet (2) in attached state is viewed both from the front and from the side.

A second embodiment of a heddle (1) according to the invention such as illustrated in figures 3a to 3c differs from the first embodiment in the following points:

• the inserted heddle eyelet (2) has a thickness that decreases from the zone (2b) where the passage opening (4) is located towards the upper and lower side (2a, 2c) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2), in other words towards the edge zone (50) at the upper and lower side (2a, 2c) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2). It is hereby also possible that the thickness also decreases from the passage opening (4) towards the edge zone (50) in the middle zone (2b) over the width direction of the inserted heddle eyelet (2);
• the 4 wires (31, 32, 33, 34) protrude beyond the edge zone (50) in such a way that in a cross section perpendicular to the transverse direction of the inserted heddle eyelet (2) (as illustrated in figures 3b and 3c), a part of the inserted heddle eyelet (2) between the edge zone (50) and the passage opening (4) for the warp yarn protrudes beyond the carrier part (3) in a side view.

In this embodiment, the front side (III) and the rear side (IV) respectively of the inserted heddle eyelet (2) extend against the part of the incline of the inserted heddle eyelet (2) against which the wire part (3) rests.

A third embodiment of a heddle (1) according to the invention such as illustrated in Figures 4a and 4b differs from the first embodiment as follows: the inserted heddle eyelet (2) has a thickness that decreases from the zone (2a) where the passage opening (4) is located towards the upper and lower side (2a, 2c) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2).

A fourth embodiment of a heddle (1) according to the invention such as illustrated in figures 5a to 5c consists of an inserted heddle eyelet (2) that at the outer circumference (5) of which over the whole height of the inserted heddle eyelet (2) has a first groove (6a) that on one side, here the right-hand side (II), of the inserted heddle eyelet (2) extends first from the upper side (2a) towards the middle (2b) of the front side (III) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2), that extends in this middle (2b) towards the rear side (IV) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2) before finally extending from this middle (2b) towards the lower side (2c) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2) on the rear side (IV) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2), and furthermore on the other side, here the left-hand side (I), has a second groove (not visible in the figures) that extends first from the upper side (2a) towards the middle (2b) of the rear side (IV) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2), that extends in the middle (2b) towards the front side (III) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2) before finally extending from this middle (2b) towards the lower side (2c) on the front side (III) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2).

The carrier part (3) thereby consists of 2 wires (31, 32) that consequently

• are connected to one another completely (can also be partly) above and below the inserted heddle eyelet (2),
• are spread apart at the transition from the part (3b) of the carrier part (3) that extends above the inserted heddle eyelet (2) towards the part (3a) of the carrier part (3) that is in contact with the outer circumference (5) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2), and
• extend around the outer circumference (5) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2) at the inserted heddle eyelet (2) in the following way:
  • the first wire (31) extends above the passage opening (4) in the inserted heddle eyelet (2) along the rear side (IV) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2), and extends under the passage opening (4) in the inserted heddle eyelet (2) along the front side (III) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2), and
  • the second wire (32) extends above the passage opening (4) in the inserted heddle eyelet (2) along the front side (III) of inserted heddle eyelet (2), and extends below the passage opening (4) in the inserted heddle eyelet (2) along the rear side (IV) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2).

In a fifth embodiment of a heddle (1) according to the invention such as illustrated in figures 6a to 6c, the carrier part (3) consists of 2 wires (31, 32) that

• are connected to one another completely (can also be partly) above and below the inserted heddle eyelet (2),
• are spread apart at the transition from the part (3b) of the carrier part (3) that extends above the inserted heddle eyelet (2) towards the part (3a) of the carrier part (3) that is in contact with the outer circumference (5) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2), and
• extend around the outer circumference (5) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2) at the inserted heddle eyelet (2) in the following way:
  • the first wire (31) extends first downwards along the right-hand side (II) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2), then extends around the lower side (not illustrated in the figure) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2), then along the left-hand side (I) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2), then along the upper side of the inserted heddle eyelet (2), before finally extending downwards again along the right-hand side (II) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2), and
  • the second wire (32) also extends in this way around the inserted heddle eyelet (2).

As can be seen in figure 6c, the ends of the wires (31, 32) lie in the projection of one another above and below the inserted heddle eyelet (2).

As can be seen in figure 6b, two ends (31 a, 32a) are drawn through an opening between the two wires (31, 32). In this way the inserted heddle eyelet (2) is clamped.

The outer circumference (5) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2) thereby has 4 grooves (6) on the one side (I) and 2 grooves (6) on the other side (II) which have a form corresponding to the form of each of the 2 wires (31, 32) that each extend into half of these grooves (6). These grooves (6) are therewith located such that with a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the inserted heddle eyelet (2), each of these wires (31, 32) protrudes beyond the edge zone (50) when the heddle (1) with the inserted heddle eyelet (2) in the attached state is viewed both from the side and from the front. In this embodiment the inserted heddle eyelet (2) can have both a constant thickness and a thickness that decreases from the zone in which the passage opening (4) for warp yarn is located towards the upper and lower side (2a, 2c) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2).

In a sixth embodiment of a heddle (1) according to the invention the carrier part (3) consists of 2 flat steel strip profiles (35, 36) that in the parts (3b) extending outside the inserted heddle eyelet (2) rest against one another with their flat side and are completely or partly connected to one another, and are spread apart at the transition from the part (3b) of the carrier part (3) that extends above the inserted heddle eyelet (2) towards the part (3a) of the carrier part (3) that is in contact with the inserted heddle eyelet (2). In the part (3a) of the carrier part (3) that is in contact with the inserted heddle eyelet (2), the one flat steel strip profile (35) therewith extends at the front side (III) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2), while the other flat steel strip profile (36) extends at the rear side (IV) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2) in such a way that the outer circumference (5) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2) is located between these 2 flat steel strip profiles (35, 36). Each of these 2 flat steel strip profiles (35, 36) thereby has an opening (41) provided to adjoin the passage opening (4) for warp yarn provided in the inserted heddle eyelet (2).

In this embodiment the inserted heddle eyelet (2) has a constant thickness.

A heddle (1) according to the invention can also have an inserted heddle eyelet (2) with an outer circumference (5) that is located only partly between the 2 flat steel strip profiles (35, 36). The connections between the carrier material (3) and the inserted heddle eyelet (2) can therewith be made between the flat steel strip profiles (35, 36) and in this way protected from the actions of neighbouring elements and the contact of these neighbouring elements with the inserted heddle eyelet part of which the outer circumference (5) protrudes beyond the flat steel strip profiles (35, 36) and can have a sufficiently smooth form to minimise the negative effects of this action.

As illustrated in figure 7f, the transition from the edge zone (50) towards the outer circumference (5) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2) has 4 grooves (6) whose form corresponds to the form of the profile (351, 352, 361, 362) of each of the flat steel strip profiles (35, 36) that extend into each of these grooves (6).

A seventh embodiment of a heddle (1) according to the invention, such as illustrated in figures 8a and 8b, is identical with the sixth embodiment, but with the difference that at the said middle zone (2b), the inserted heddle eyelet (2) protrudes beyond the flat steel strip profiles (35, 36) and that the inserted heddle eyelet (2) has a thickness that decreases from the zone where the passage opening (4) is located towards the edge zone (50) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2).

The flat steel strip profiles (35, 36) hereby protrude beyond the edge zone (50) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2) in such a way that with a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the inserted heddle eyelet (2)

• these do not protrude beyond the outer circumference (5) at the passage opening (4) (in direction B - B as illustrated in figure 8a), whether the heddle (1) with inserted heddle eyelet (2) in attached state is viewed from the front or the side, and
• these protrude beyond the outer circumference (5) at the lower side (2c) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2) that is still in contact with the carrier part (3) (not illustrated in the figures), whether the heddle (1) with inserted heddle eyelet (2) in the attached state is viewed from the front or the side.

An eighth embodiment of a heddle (1) according to the invention such as illustrated in figure 9a is identical with the sixth embodiment, but with the difference that the strip profiles (35, 36) are not flat steel, but each has a profile (9a, 9b) on one side (351, 352, 361, 362) wherein at least 2 profiles (9a, 9b) exist that have a corresponding form such that these fit into one another and can thus be secured in one another or be joined to one another.

Furthermore, the inserted heddle eyelet (2) thereby has grooves (6a, 6b) on its outer circumference (5) having a form corresponding to the form of the above-mentioned profiles (9a, 9b) (and consequently also have a corresponding form) so that the profile sides of the strip profile (35, 36) fit into these grooves (6a, 6b) and can thus be secured in one another or be connected to one another.

The connection of the different profiles (6a, 6b, 9a, 9b) can thereby be made by means of clamps or by means of any other connection technique described below.

In this embodiment it is consequently such that the outer circumference (5) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2) is provided such that each of the strip profiles (35, 36) protrudes beyond the edge zone (50).

A ninth embodiment of a heddle (1) according to the invention such as illustrated in Figures 10a and 10b is identical with the first embodiment, but with the difference that the wires (31, 33, 32, 34) extend per pair around the outer circumference (5) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2) at the part (3a) where the inserted heddle eyelet (2) is inserted and on one side (I, II) of the outer circumference (5) lie behind one another and thereby practically in contact with one another. In practice there is always a minimal air gap here between these 2 wires (31, 33, 32, 34), so that the outer circumference of the inserted heddle eyelet (2) is just visible at this point as illustrated in Figure 10a.

In this heddle (1) according to the invention, the wires (31, 32, 33, 34) have significantly less volume and weight since, when d is the diameter of the wires according to the prior art, the cross section of the carrier part (3) above and below the inserted heddle eyelet (2) of such an embodiment is 2 x π x d²/4 or thus π x d²/2, while with an embodiment of a heddle (1) according to the invention with 4 wires (31, 32, 33, 34), these wires (31, 32, 33, 34) have a diameter of d/2, so that the cross section of the carrier part (3) above and below the inserted heddle eyelet (2) is 4 x π x (d/2)²/4 or thus π x d²/4. This means therefore that above and below the inserted heddle eyelet (2), the same inserted heddle eyelet (2) can be inserted with half the material of the carrier part (3) and half the space that this carrier part (3) takes up, or that vice versa an inserted heddle eyelet (2) with twice the thickness can be inserted with the same quantity and volume of material of the carrier part (3).

In a tenth embodiment of a heddle (1) according to the invention such as illustrated in figures 11a to 11d, the carrier part (3) consists of 2 wires (31, 32) that

• are completely or partly connected to one another above and below the inserted heddle eyelet (2),
• are spread apart at the transition from the part (3b) of the carrier part (3) that extends above the inserted heddle eyelet (2) towards the part (3a) of the carrier part (3) in which the inserted heddle eyelet (2) is inserted, and
• at the inserted heddle eyelet (2) extend around the outer circumference (5) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2) in the following way: the two ends (311, 312) of the first wire (31) both extend into the uppermost of the parts (3b) of the carrier part (3) that extend outside the inserted heddle eyelet (2), while the two ends (321, 322) of the second wire (32) both extend into the lowermost of these parts (3b). The first wire (31) thereby extends on its route around the outer circumference first along the front side (III) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2), then extends around the lower side (2c) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2), and finally extends back upwards along the rear side (IV) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2). The second wire (32), on the other hand, extends first along the rear side (IV) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2), then extends around the upper side (2b) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2), and finally extends back downwards along the front side (III) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2).

The inserted heddle eyelet (2) as here illustrated has an elongated oval form with a round upper and lower side (2a, 2c) and has a constant thickness.

Furthermore, the edge zone (50) of the outer circumference (5) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2) thereby has 4 grooves (6) with a form corresponding to the form of each of the 2 wires (31, 32), each of which extends into half of these grooves (6). These grooves (6) are thereby such that with a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the inserted heddle eyelet (2), each of these wires (31, 32) protrudes beyond the said sides (I, II) when the heddle (1) with the inserted heddle eyelet (2) in attached state is viewed both from the side and from the front.

In an eleventh embodiment of a heddle (1) according to the invention such as illustrated in figures 12a to 12d, the carrier part (3) extends only on one side (I or II) of the outer circumference (5) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2). This carrier part (3) consists here of 2 flat steel strip profiles (35, 36), wherein the one strip profile (35) extends on the front side (III) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2) and the other strip profile (36) extends on the rear side (IV) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2). In the illustrated embodiment, the flat steel strip profile (35, 36) follows the course of the side edge and of the edge zone (50) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2) at the passage opening (4) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2) so that it does not lie in front of the passage opening (4) for warp yarns.

In the shown embodiment, the inserted heddle eyelet (2) illustrated here has a constant thickness, but can also be designed with a variable thickness.

Furthermore, in the illustrated embodiment the outer circumference (5) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2) on the side (I or II) along which the carrier part (3) extends thereby has 2 grooves (6) with a form corresponding to the form of the flat steel strip profiles (35, 36) that extend into each of these grooves (6). These grooves (6) are thereby such that, in a cross section in the thickness direction of the inserted heddle eyelet (2), each of these flat steel strip profiles (35, 36) protrudes beyond the said side (I, II) of the outer circumference (5), this when the heddle (1) with the inserted heddle eyelet (2) in attached state is viewed both from the side and from the front.

A twelfth embodiment of a heddle (1) according to the invention such as illustrated in figures 13a to 13c is identical with the eleventh embodiment, but with the difference that in the twelfth embodiment a straight, flat steel strip profile is employed that is cheaper.

Also here, the outer circumference (5) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2) on the side (I or II) along which the carrier part (3) extends thereby has 2 grooves (6) with a form corresponding to the form of the flat steel strip profiles (35, 36) that extend into each of these grooves (6). These grooves (6) are thereby such that, in a cross section in the thickness direction of the inserted heddle eyelet (2), each of these flat steel strip profiles (35, 36) protrudes beyond the said sides (I, II) of the outer circumference (5), this when the heddle (1) with the inserted heddle eyelet (2) in attached state is viewed both from the side and from the front.

A thirteenth embodiment of a heddle (1) according to the invention such as illustrated in figure 14 is identical with the first embodiment, but with the difference that the wires (31, 32, 33, 34) of a pair are connected to one another over a part (20) of the height of the inserted heddle eyelet (2). The connection agent may thereby not protrude beyond the outermost edge of the wires (31, 32, 33, 34) when the heddle (1) with the inserted heddle eyelet (2) in attached state is viewed in a cross section in the width direction of the heddle (1) (in the direction E - E as illustrated in figure 14).

Instead of wires (31, 32, 33, 34), flat steel strip profiles (35, 36) can also be employed in the embodiment according to figure 14. In the part (20) of the height of the inserted heddle eyelet (2), the two flat steel strip profiles (35, 36) can be connected to one another by welding, for example by resistance welding. The parts (3b) of the strip profiles (35, 36) that extend outside the inserted heddle eyelet (2) can hereby also be connected to one another by welding, or more particularly by resistance welding.

When flat steel strip profiles (35, 36) are employed, it is possible to provide a slot (not illustrated in the figures) in the flat steel strip profiles (35, 36) at the middle zone (2b) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2), wherein the legs created in this way can be forced apart until after plastic deformation they form an opening that is larger than the passage opening (4) for warp yarn in the inserted heddle eyelet (2).

Furthermore, a flat steel strip profile (35, 36) can have a width that is larger than the width of the inserted heddle eyelet (2), and in the middle zone (2b) of the inserted heddle eyelet (2) has an opening at the passage opening (4) for warp yarn, but wherein material is removed in the parts (3b) that extend outside the inserted heddle eyelet (2).

In the zones of the different embodiments described above where the metal wires (31, 32, 33, 34) or the flat steel strip profiles (35, 36) are connected to one another, this connection is effected by means of overmoulding, gluing, welding including spot welding, resistance welding, laser welding, etc., soldering or by means of any other known connection technique. If the wire part (3) consists of metal wires (31, 32, 33, 34), it is also possible to twist these wires together around an axial line coinciding with the longitudinal direction of the heddle (1).