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METHODS OF TEST FOR BOW AND SKEWNESS IN WOVEN

FABRIC
Published online: 07 Jan 2009.

To cite this article: (1956) METHODS OF TEST FOR BOW AND SKEWNESS IN WOVEN FABRIC, Journal of the Textile Institute
Proceedings, 47:1, P28-P31, DOI: 10.1080/19447015608665184

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19447015608665184

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 P28 Proceedings

TENTATIVE TEXTILE STANDARD No. 36, 1955

METHODS OF TEST FOR BOW AND SKEWNESS IN
WOVEN FABRIC
Foreword
With some rare exceptions, the two sets of threads in woven textile
fabrics are intended to lie straight and at right angles. If a cloth does not
meet either of these requirements, it is described as distorted. Difficulties
of making-up may then arise and the made-up article may fail to function
properly. The distortion may also detract from the appearance of cloths with
check patterns or coloured weft effects. It is, therefore, desirable to have
means of specifying and measuring the distortion in terms of bow and
skewness.
1. Scope
Methods for determining bow and skewness in woven fabrics are described.
2. Definitions
For the purposes of this standard the following definitions apply :—
Bow
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Where the warp or weft yarns do not lie straight but follow a
curved course, the cloth is said to be warp- or weft-bowed.
(Fig. 1 and 2).
Double
When weft bow is of such a nature that different parts of one
pick lie on opposite sides of the nominal pick line (Fig. 3),
it is conveniently termed ''double bow".
Skewness
When the two sets of yarns are not at right-angles, the cloth
is said to be skewed. (Fig. 4).
Note : A weft-bowed cloth is obviously bound to exhibit local skewing
and, in fact, weft bow can be regarded as a variation in skewness
across the cloth. In a warp-bowed cloth, however, every pick
may be straight and at right angles to every warp thread and
such a cloth is not skewed.

Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 3 Fig. 4

 Standardisation P29

3. Principle
Weft Bow is measured as the greatest perpendicular distance between a
straight line joining the two extremities of a pick and any point on the pick.
Warp Bow is measured as the greatest perpendicular distance between a
straight line joining two selected points on a selvedge and any point on the
selvedge.
Double Bow is measured as one side of the smallest rectangle capable
of containing the pick, the other side of the rectangle being parallel to a
line joining the two points where the pick cuts the selvedges.
Skewness is measured as the distance between one end of a pick and the
point on the same selvedge intersected by a line from the other end of the
pick at right angles to the warp, expressed as a percentage of the width of
the cloth.
Local Skewness is measured as the difference in length between two
perpendicular lines from the pick to the above straight line at right angles
to the warp, expressed as a percentage of the distance between them.
4. Apparatus
Steel rule not less than 36 inches in length and at least as long as the
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width of the cloth, and graduated in inches and tenths or centimetres and
millimetres.
Set-square, or similar device, with at least two sides at right angles, one
of the sides making the right angle being graduated in inches and tenths or
centimetres and millimetres.
5.. Conditioning and Testing Atmosphere
5.1 Conditioning. Expose the fabric to the atmosphere for testing for
at least 24 hours before making the test, and test in the same atmosphere.
5.2 Atmosphere for Testing. The atmosphere for testing, as defined in
B.S.1051, has a relative humidity of 65 ± 2 per cent and a temperature
o f 2 0 ± 2^C(68 ±
6. Test Specimens
Any part cular requirements will be laid down in the appropriate
materia specification.
7. Test Procedure
7.1 Detailed description ofthe test
7.11 Warp Bow. Lay the part of the fabric to be tested flat and without
tension. Place the steel rule so as to form a chord 10 inches long
to the curved selvedge. Slide the graduated set-square along the
steel rule and record the greatest perpendicular distance between
the selvedge and the steel rule. (Fig. 5).
Note : Where the greatest perpendicular distance between selvedge
and steel rule is too small to be measured with reasonable
accuracy, use chord lengths of 20 in., 30 in., or 40 in., as
necessary.
7.12 Weft Bow. Lay the part of the fabric to be tested flat and without
tension. Place the steel rule across the fabric so that one of its
edges cuts the selvedges where a particular pick joins them. Slide
the set-square along the steel rule and record the greatest perpen-
dicular distance between the pick and the steel rule. (Fig. 6).
 P3O Proceedings

Fig. 5 Fig. 6 Fig. 7 Fig. 8

A A

J
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K- L -»•»- L-»i

Fig. 9

7.13 Double Bow. Lay the part of the fabric to be tested flat and without
tension. Place the steel rule across the fabric, parallel to a line
joining the two points where a pick cuts the selvedges and tangential
to the bow on the nearer side of this line. Slide the graduated
set-square along the steel rule and record the greatest perpendicular
distance between the rule and the bow of the same pick on the far
side of the nominal pick line. (Fig. 7).

7.14 Skewness. Lay the part of the fabric to be tested flat and without
tension. Place the steel rule across the fabric at right angles to
the warp threads. A pick coinciding with the edge of the steel
rule at one selvedge will be some distance from the edge of the
rule at the other selvedge. Measure this distance by means of
the set-square. (Fig. 8).

7.15 Local Skewness. Set out the fabric, steel rule and set-square as
described in 7.14. Slide the graduated set-square along the steel
rule and record the perpendicular distance between the steel rule
and the pick at intervals of L. (Fig. 9).
Always state the width of the fabric to the nearest /o
 Standardisation P31

7.2 Expression of Results

7.21 Express the warp bow of a fabric as recorded in accordance with
clause 7.11 without further calculation and state the length of
warp on which it is based, e.g., 0-1 inches on 20 inches.
7.22 Express the weft bow of a fabric as recorded in accordance with
clause 7.12 without further calculation.
7.23 Express the double bow of a fabric as recorded in accordance
v/ith clause 7.13 without further calculation.
7.24 Express the skewness of a fabric as percentage skewness obtained
from the formula :—percentage skewness = 100 d/w where d is
the perpendicular distance from the steel rule to the pick measured
as described in 7.14 and w is the width of the fabric.
7.25 Express local skewness as the percentage local skewness obtained
from the formula : percentage local skewness = \QO{d^—d^jh where
dj and d2 are the successive perpendicular distances of the pick
from the steel rule, measured as described in 7.15 and L is the
distance between them.
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