Hand loom

Abstract

A loom that includes a first elongated beam having upper and lower surfaces; a second elongated beam having upper and lower surfaces parallel to and spaced from the first beam; a first transverse roller having a first longitudinal axis rotatably mounted on and extending between the first and second beams; a second transverse roller having a second longitudinal axis parallel to and spaced from the first transverse roller rotatably mounted on and extending between the first and second beams; each transverse roller having a peripheral surface formed with a plurality of equally sized and spaced annular grooves, each groove lying in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of its associated roller; and a disk-shaped thumb wheel having a textured peripheral edge surface fixed to each roller with a center aligned with the longitudinal axis of the roller.

Description

RELATED CASES[0001]Priority for this application is hereby claimed under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to commonly owned and co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 881,003 which was filed on Jan. 18, 2007 which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.TECHNICAL FIELD[0002]The present invention relates in general to a loom of simplified design which can be operated by a user in a small setting, for example, on a table or on the user's lap.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]The prior art shows a number of loom constructions. Examples are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,166,415 to Lervad; 4,103,715 to Harris and 6,453,951 to Kuwabara. Many of the past looms are rather complicated in construction and are thus difficult to operate. Other looms are limited in the size of the fabric that can be woven. Still others require a constant re-positioning of the user in order to continue with the weaving process. Still further looms do not provide an easy way to manipulate the loom action, ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010]the warp on the loom forms a continuous loop of elongate material (that is, yarn, string, thread, and the like) allowing a longer fabric item to be produced, that is, as long as two lengths of the loom rather than merely the length of the loom, as can be achieved conventionally;

[0012]operation of the loom does not impose friction on the elongate material (warp or weft) resulting in a high quality fabric end product;

[0023]rotation of the thumb wheel for the first roller effecting movement of the woven fabric in the direction of the first roller to retain the point of entry of each successive weft thread substantially intermediate the first and second rollers and enabling the woven fabric, as it is produced, to proceed over the first roller to a lower plane of the loom generally aligned with the lower surfaces of the first and second beams.

Problems solved by technology

Many of the past looms are rather complicated in construction and are thus difficult to operate.

Other looms are limited in the size of the fabric that can be woven.

Still further looms do not provide an easy way to manipulate the loom action, nor a ready way to maintain warp thread spacing.

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