Description [0001 ] The invention relates to a supporting system for supporting a woven fabric on a weaving machine, in particular on an air-jet weaving machine with a reed. The invention further relates to a weaving machine with a supporting system. [0002] It is known from the prior art to provide supporting systems for supporting and/or holding a woven fabric on a weaving machine upstream of a temple.

[0003] For example, US 5,070,912 shows a supporting system comprising at least a deflection element configured as an expander element and a support table, wherein the support table surrounds a temple in a trough and has an extension pointing toward the center of a weft thread insertion channel, so that an upper surface of the extension forms a woven fabric supporting surface of the support table. The at least one expander element is located in the support table in a transition region between an edge of the trough of the support table and the extension. The at least one expander element is provided with a right-hand screw thread at a right end and a left-hand screw thread at a left end. In one embodiment, a rotating expander element is provided, which is supported in bearings mounted near the ends of the support table. According to US 5,070,912 it is important that in the example of a right-hand screw thread, as appropriate for the right side, the drive of the expander element is directed, so that the spreading effect is in the direction towards the woven fabric edge. The spreading effect thus obtained depends on the difference between the transport velocity of the woven fabric and the velocity of the driven expander element.

[0004] US 7,770,605 B2 shows a supporting system for a weaving machine comprising a profiled section forming a continuous guidance surface for supporting a woven fabric, wherein the guidance surface comprises an elongated profiled section made as one single piece extending at least across the width of the woven fabric or by a number of profiled sections extending together at least across the width of the woven fabric. The profiled section or the number of profiled sections being supported by a number of supporting elements. [0005] It is an object of the invention to provide a supporting system for supporting a moving woven fabric on a weaving machine, wherein delicate woven fabrics can be processed and a contraction of the woven fabric is avoided. It is further an object of the invention to provide a weaving machine with a supporting system.

[0006] In order to achieve this object, a supporting system for supporting a moving woven fabric on a weaving machine, wherein the woven fabric moves in a moving direction of the woven fabric, comprises at least two guide parts arranged at opposite ends of the supporting system transversely with respect to the moving direction of the woven fabric for supporting the woven fabric at opposite edges of the woven fabric, wherein each guide part comprises a guiding element with a contact surface for contacting the woven fabric at one of the opposite edges of the woven fabric and a holder supporting the guiding element, wherein the guiding elements are individually supported by the holders, and wherein each guiding element is moveably mounted to the respective holder and is configured to move in contact with the woven fabric without relative sliding, in other words sliding along, of the woven fabric over the contact surface in a moving direction of the woven fabric.

[0007] In other words, the guiding elements are configured to be driven by the moving woven fabric, wherein at the contact surface a contact with the woven fabric is maintained. In the context of the application a "moving direction of the woven fabric" is defined as a direction parallel to the direction of the warp threads or a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction.

[0008] At least two guiding elements are provided which are arranged next to each other and/or at a distance from one another transversely with respect to the moving direction of the woven fabric. The length of each guiding element, in preferred embodiments, is chosen sufficiently small in order to avoid a bending of the guiding element under the load of the woven fabric.

[0009] The guiding elements are individually supported. Therefore, each bearing device for an individual guiding element only has to absorb or balance the forces acting on this guiding element. This allows for a smaller design of each bearing device compared to bearing devices provided for balancing forces acting on a guiding element that extends over the entire width of a woven fabric. [0010] In accordance with the invention, a sliding of the woven fabric along the contact surface in the moving direction of the woven fabric is avoided. When a woven fabric is sliding over a contact surface, a direction of the dynamic friction force is always opposite to the moving direction, in other words oriented according to the direction of movement but in opposite sense. Without any sliding, a static friction force is acting between the contact surface and the woven fabric. The static friction force also prevents a contraction of the woven fabric in the direction of the weft threads or width of the woven fabric. Even in case the woven fabric tends to be moved in the weft thread direction, a dynamic friction force is acting against the movement of the woven fabric in the width direction. As a relative movement in the moving direction of the woven fabric is prevented, this dynamic friction force is acting in the direction of the width of the woven fabric and the force in the width direction is not reduced by force components resulting from a sliding effect of the woven fabric over the contact surface in the moving direction of the woven fabric. Therefore, a contraction of the woven fabric is avoided or at least reduced. When avoiding a contraction of the woven fabric, a stretching of the woven fabric as known from the prior art is not necessary.

[001 1 ] The supporting system can be used at any region of a weaving machine at which a guiding of the woven fabric is required. In preferred embodiments, the supporting system is arranged at a woven fabric support of an air-jet weaving machine, wherein in one embodiment the woven fabric support comprises a support table that can enter an insertion channel of the reed. [0012] As expected lateral forces on the woven fabric, also named contraction forces, are largest near the edges of the woven fabric, guide parts comprising a moveably mounted guiding element with a contact surface are arranged at least at the opposite ends of the supporting system transversely with respect to the moving direction of the woven fabric for supporting the woven fabric at opposite edges of the woven fabric. [0013] The guiding element is moveably mounted to the respective holder, this means translationally and/or rotatably displaceable with respect to the holder. The guiding element is suitable chosen depending among others on an available space.

[0014] In preferred embodiments, the guiding elements are rotatably mounted to the holders and are configured to be driven by the woven fabric to rotate about an axis parallel to an insertion direction without relative sliding of the woven fabric in the moving direction of the woven fabric over the lateral surfaces of the guiding elements. The lateral surfaces of the guiding elements can also be referred as the circumferential walls of the guiding elements. In preferred embodiments, all guiding elements are mounted to rotate about a common axis. [0015] In one embodiment, endless belts are provided as guiding elements. In preferred embodiments, rollers are provided as guiding elements.

[0016] In preferred embodiments, the guiding elements, in particular the rollers are mounted to the holders so as to rotate freely about an axis parallel to an insertion direction. In the context of the application, the term "rotate freely" means that the rollers are mounted without or at least with minimized friction. In order to ensure that the rollers will rotate freely, suitable bearings are provided, for eliminating or at least minimizing frictional effects.

[0017] In one embodiment, a bearing shell is provided at the holder for supporting the rollers. In preferred embodiments, the rollers are mounted to the holders by at least one bearing pin. In one embodiment, the bearing pins are manufactured separately and mounted to the holder so as to form a bearing axis for the roller. Hence, the bearing pins and the holders may be manufactured from different material. The rollers preferably are provided with holes and/or hollow rollers are provided, wherein the bearing pin enters the roller and forms a bearing axis for the roller. As the length of individual rollers is chosen smaller than the width of the woven fabric, loads applied to the rollers by the woven fabric that may result in a misalignment of the rollers with respect to the axis of rotation are kept small. In addition or as alternative, surface properties of the bearing pins and of the inside walls of the roller contacting the bearing pins are chosen in order to minimize friction. In preferred embodiments, a material with low friction coefficient is used for the bearing pins, for example steel. In one embodiment, the rollers are made of brass, as this allows for a low friction in contact with the bearing pins made of steel. In other embodiments, a coating is provided at the bearing pins and/or at an inside wall of the rollers to reduce a friction coefficient. In other embodiments bearing bushes are arranged between bearing pins and rollers.

[0018] On the other hand, the contact surfaces of the guiding elements, in particular the lateral surfaces of the rollers, shall keep contact with the moving woven fabric. Therefore, in preferred embodiments, the contact surfaces of the guiding elements, in particular the lateral surfaces of the rollers, have a large friction coefficient with respect to the woven fabric. In order to achieve a large friction coefficient with respect to the woven fabric at a lateral wall of the roller and a low friction coefficient with respect to the bearing pin at an inside wall of the roller, in one embodiment the lateral surface and/or the inside wall is subjected to a surface treatment.

[0019] In one embodiment, the contact surfaces of the guiding elements, in particular the lateral surfaces of the rollers are provided with a surface treatment, in particular a knurl and/or a coating, for increasing a friction with respect to the woven fabric. To this end, in one embodiment the surfaces are sandblasted or subjected to any other surface treatment to increase a roughness of the surface. In other embodiments, a rough coating is arranged on the rollers. In preferred embodiments, the surface is knurled, wherein a diamond-shaped or crisscross pattern is cut or rolled into the surface to improve a grip of the surface and to increase a friction with respect to the woven fabric. In another embodiment the lateral surface consists of rubber, polyurethane or another material having large friction coefficient with respect to the woven fabric. [0020] In accordance with the prior art, in particular US 5,070,912, a stretching of the woven fabric to the woven fabric edge is intended. To the contrary, in preferred embodiments, in accordance with the invention, the contact surfaces of the guiding elements, in particular the lateral surfaces of the rollers, are profiled to avoid a movement of the woven fabric transversely with respect to the moving direction of the woven fabric. This is achieved for example by providing a knurled surface and/or other means for increasing a friction with respect to the woven fabric. [0021 ] In one embodiment, the holders each are provided with at least one supporting arm for supporting the guiding element at an end of the guiding element. At least some of the holders in preferred embodiments are provided with two supporting arms, between which the roller is mounted. In one embodiment, the supporting arms are each provided with an upper surface for forming a guidance surface with the contact surfaces of the guiding elements, in particular with the lateral surfaces of the rollers.

[0022] In another embodiment, the guiding elements, in particular the rollers are mounted so that extremes of the contact surfaces of the guiding elements, in particular of the lateral surfaces of the rollers, protrude from an upper surface of the respective holder, in particular the upper surface of a supporting arm of the holder. Due to this arrangement, the force exerted by the woven fabric on the guidance surface is acting on the lateral surfaces of the rollers, rather than on the upper surface of the fixedly arranged holders. The displacement of the extremes of the contact surface with respect to the upper surface is chosen sufficiently small to avoid that stripes are formed in the woven fabric in the transition region between the contact surfaces of the guiding elements and the upper surfaces.

[0023] In one embodiment, at least one guiding element supporting one of the two edges of the woven fabric is provided with a free end. In the context of the application, an end of a guiding element not limited by the holder, in particular not supported by a supporting arm is referred to as a free end. When providing a free end it is ensured that the edge of the woven fabric is supported by the guiding element and not making any contact with a fixedly mounted upper surface of the holder. In another embodiment, guiding elements supported at each end by a supporting arm are provided, wherein the guiding elements are arranged with respect to the woven fabric in a suitable manner to ensure that the edge of the woven fabric is supported by the guiding element and does not make any contact with a fixedly mounted upper surface of the holder.

[0024] In one embodiment, the supporting system comprises a number of guide parts arranged next to each other for forming a continuous guidance surface for supporting the woven fabric bridging at least a part of the width of the woven fabric. In one embodiment, guide parts of different lengths are provided in order to adapt the supporting system to the length of the woven fabric. When providing a number of guide parts, the length of each guide part, in particular the guiding elements may be chosen small in order to avoid large bearing forces for supporting the guiding elements. In addition, the guide parts can be arranged in order to avoid that the guide parts and/or the guide elements disturb other elements of the weaving machine such as a reed, relay nozzles, weft detectors and other weaving machine elements. Further, a length of the rollers that is significantly smaller than the nominal width of the weaving machine is advantageous. The forces to balance at the bearings depend inter alia on the length of the rollers. When providing rollers of a reduced length, each bearing only needs to balance a reduced force. Further, an undesired bending of the rollers due to forces acting thereon is avoided. [0025] In a preferred embodiment, between at least two adjacent guide parts a free space is provided underneath the guidance surface for supporting the woven fabric allowing an element moving in respect to the supporting system to enter between the guide parts. In particular, the free space is provided allowing for relay nozzles to enter in the free space.

[0026] The supporting system according to the invention can be used for any supporting system for woven fabric on a weaving machine. However, in preferred embodiments it is used with a woven fabric support having a support table that enters the insertion channel of a reed. In preferred embodiments, the support table comprises support table sections projecting in a direction opposite to the moving direction of the woven fabric, wherein supporting surfaces of the support table sections continue in the contact surfaces of the guiding elements, in particular in the lateral surfaces of the rollers. In preferred embodiments, the support table sections form a support table of a woven fabric support configured to enter the insertion channel of an air-jet weaving machine. [0027] In one embodiment, a number of guide parts are provided for bridging the entire width of the woven fabric. In another embodiment between the at least two guide parts arranged at opposite ends of the supporting system at least one stationary guiding element, preferably a number of stationary guiding elements, having a stationary contact surface for supporting the woven fabric in a region between the opposite edges of the woven fabric is provided. In the context of the application, the term "stationary" means fixedly mounted with respect to the frame of the weaving machine. As described above, expected lateral forces on the woven fabric are largest near the edges of the woven fabric. Therefore, at each end at least one guide part comprising a moveably mounted guiding element with a contact surface is arranged for supporting the woven fabric at opposite edges of the woven fabric. Between these guide parts, in one embodiment at least one stationary guiding element without roller, for example a guiding element as described in US 7,770,605 is arranged. [0028] According to a second aspect a weaving machine is provided, in particular an air-jet weaving machine, comprising at least one supporting system. The supporting system may be arranged at any region of a weaving machine at which a support and/or a deflection of the woven fabric is required. In preferred embodiments, the supporting system is provided between an insertion channel of the reed and a temple, this means at least one supporting system is arranged upstream of the temple.

[0029] In one embodiment, a ring temple or a roller temple holding the woven fabric at the woven fabric edges only, is provided. In other embodiments, a full-width temple that extends along the width of the weaving machine to keep the whole woven fabric width is provided.

[0030] Further features and advantages of the invention will emerge from the following description of the embodiments schematically illustrated in the drawings, wherein is a perspective view of a part of a weaving machine with a supporting system for supporting a woven fabric on a weaving machine; is a schematic perspective view of a guide part of the supporting system of Fig. 1 with a woven fabric; is a sectional view of a part of the supporting system comprising a number of guide parts; is a perspective view from behind of a holder of a guide part of Fig. 3; is a perspective view from below of the holder of Fig. 4; is a detail of a roller for a guide part of the supporting system of Fig. 1 ; is a side view of the part of a weaving machine of Fig. 1 with the supporting system for supporting the woven fabric and a temple supported by an upper support element; is a side view of the part of a weaving machine of Fig. 1 with the supporting system for supporting the woven fabric and a full-width temple; is a perspective view of the parts of the weaving machine of Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is an enlarged view of a part of a variant of Fig. 8; Fig. 1 1 is perspective view of a part of a weaving machine with a supporting system similar to Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 12 is a side view of the weaving machine of Fig. 1 1 similar to

Fig. 7;

Fig. 13 is a perspective view from behind of a guide part of Fig. 1 1 ;

and Fig. 14 is a perspective view from behind of a holder of the guide part of Fig. 13.

[0031 ] In the following, embodiments of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Throughout the drawings, the same elements will be denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0032] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a part of a weaving machine 1 provided with a supporting system 2 for supporting a woven fabric on the weaving machine 1. The supporting system 2 for supporting the woven fabric comprises a number of guide parts 5, 6. Each guide part 5, 6 comprises a holder 50, 60 and a roller 51 , 61 . Fig. 2 shows in a perspective view a detail of the guide part 5 of the supporting system 2 of Fig. 1 with a woven fabric 32. Figs. 3 shows a sectional view of a part of the supporting system 2 comprising a number of guide parts 5, 6 mounted to a machine frame profile 10. Fig. 4 shows a perspective view from behind of one of the holders 60 of a guide part 6. Fig. 5 shows a perspective view from below of the holder 60.

[0033] When weaving, a weft thread (not-shown) is inserted in a shed 30 formed by selectively raising and lowering warp threads 3. The weft thread is inserted amongst others by relay nozzles 7 (shown in Figs. 1 and 5) and guided in an insertion channel 41 of a reed 4. The reed 4 comprises several teeth 40, wherein only one tooth is shown in Fig. 1 . The warp threads 3 come together in the region of the insertion channel 41 and at the beat-up line 31 or interlacing point form the woven fabric 32 (see Fig. 2).

[0034] The guide parts 5, 6 are mounted by the holders 50, 60 on a machine frame profile 10. The rollers 51 , 61 are supported by the holders 50, 60 so as to rotate freely about an axis A parallel to the insertion direction. In the embodiment shown, all rollers 51 , 61 are mounted so as to rotate about a common axis A. The rollers 51 , 61 are configured to be driven by the woven fabric 32 to rotate about the axis A without relative sliding of the woven fabric 32 in the moving direction V of the woven fabric over the lateral surfaces of the rollers 51 , 61 . As will be understood, the larger the friction coefficient between the lateral surfaces of the rollers 51 , 61 and the woven fabric 32, the better the woven fabric 32 keeps contact with the rollers 51 , 61 .

[0035] As schematically shown in Fig. 2, due to the contact between the woven fabric 32 and the rollers 51 , 61 , the woven fabric 32 drives the rollers 51 , 61 in a moving direction V of the woven fabric. In accordance with the invention, a static or dynamic friction force F is acting against a potential contraction of the woven fabric 32 in the width direction x and a contracting of the woven fabric 32 is prevented.

[0036] The holders 50, 60 shown in Figs. 1 to 5 are provided with support table sections 52, 62 projecting towards the reed 4, which are arranged next to each other for forming a support table 33 for the woven fabric 32. The support table sections 52, 62 enter into the insertion channel 41 of the reed 4 during beat-up as shown in Fig. 1. Supporting surfaces of the support table sections 52, 62 continue in the lateral surfaces of the rollers 51 , 61. [0037] Each holder 50, 60 comprises at least one supporting arm 53, 63 at which the respective roller 51 , 61 is mounted. In the embodiment shown, the holders 50 arranged at the opposite ends of the supporting system 2 are provided with only one supporting arm 53, wherein a free end of the roller 51 extends outwards to support a woven fabric edge. The free end of the roller 51 is not supported by a supporting arm. The holders 60 of the guide parts 6 arranged as intermediate parts are provided with two supporting arms 63, between which the respective roller 61 is held.

[0038] As shown in more detail in Figs. 3 to 5, the supporting arms 53, 63 are provided with upper surfaces 54, 64, which merge into the respective support table sections 52, 62. Side wings 55, 65 projecting from the supporting arms 53, 63 are provided for the upper surfaces 54, 64 allowing adjacent upper surfaces 54, 64 to abut each other for providing a continuous guidance surface in the width direction comprising the rollers 51 , 61 and the upper surfaces 54, 64. The rollers 51 , 61 are driven by the woven fabric 32. Hence, the woven fabric 32 is moved without sliding with the moving lateral surfaces of the rollers 51 , 61 and slides over the upper surfaces 54, 64.

[0039] The roller 51 provided at an end of the supporting system 2 acts on the edge of the woven fabric 32. In this region, maximum contraction forces are acting on the woven fabric 32. Therefore, the guidance surface needs to exert enough friction against the contraction. For this purpose, a moveable lateral surface moving with the woven fabric 32 is provided at the edge of the woven fabric 32. [0040] The guide parts 5, 6 are arranged next to each other, wherein the support table sections 52, 62 and upper surfaces 54, 64 of adjacent guide parts 5, 6 abut each other to form a continuous guidance surface. Underneath the guidance surface, in particular below the side wings 55, 65, between the supporting arms 53, 63 of the adjacent guide parts 5, 6, a free space is provided, wherein during beat-up the relay nozzles 7 may enter into this free space as schematically shown in Fig. 1 and 5. The length of the holders 50, 60 is chosen depending on the distance between relay nozzles 7 on a weaving machine 1. In known weaving machines, for example the distance between relay nozzles 7 is between 37 mm and 74 mm. For a distance between relay nozzles of 74 mm, the length of the rollers 61 in one embodiment is chosen to 55 mm, allowing for sufficiently thick supporting arms 63 and a sufficient free space for the relay nozzles 7 to enter between the supporting arms 63.

[0041 ] In one embodiment, a number of guide parts 5, 6 are arranged for bridging the entire width of a woven fabric. The woven fabric is subjected to larger contraction forces at its edges. Therefore, in one embodiment, the supporting system 2 comprises one guide part 5, 6 or a number of guide parts 5, 6 arranged at each end of the machine frame profile 10 for supporting edges of a woven fabric, wherein between these arrangements a guiding element without a roller, for example a guiding element as described in US 7,770,605 is provided. For example, at a weaving machine with a nominal width of approximately 2000 mm, a supporting system 2 with a number of guide parts 5, 6 with a combined length of approximately 600 mm from the right edge and a number of guide parts 5, 6 with a combined length of approximately 600 mm from the left edge is provided, whereas in the middle between the two arrangements stationary guiding elements are provided. [0042] As mentioned above, the rollers 51 , 61 are mounted to the holders 50, 60 so as to rotate freely about the axis A shown in Fig. 1 . The rollers 51 of the guide parts 5 arranged at the ends of the supporting system 2 are mounted with one bearing pin 56, that is for example part of a bolt. Between the bearing pin 56 and the roller 51 , for example, a bearing bush 57 is provided. The rollers 61 of the guide parts 6 arranged as intermediate parts of the supporting system 2 are mounted with two opposing bearing pins 66. The surfaces of the rollers 51 , 61 and the surfaces of the supporting arms 53, 63 coming into mutual contact are configured to avoid or at least to minimize frictional forces. An outer diameter of the rollers 51 , 61 is chosen so that a bearing pin with a sufficient strength may be received by the rollers 51 , 61 . In one embodiment, the rollers 51 , 61 have an outer diameter between 7 mm and 8 mm. Other outer diameters may be chosen depending on boundary conditions, such as a distance to be bridged by the roller, a material of the roller, etc. [0043] In the embodiment shown, the rollers 51 , 61 are arranged in a manner that the lateral surfaces of the rollers 51 , 61 are not flush with the upper surfaces 54, 64. Rather, the extremes of the lateral surfaces of the rollers 51 , 61 protrude, in this embodiment from the upper surfaces 54, 64 so that the moving woven fabric 32 exerts higher forces on the rollers 51 , 61 than on the upper surfaces 54, 64. In order to avoid stripes on the woven fabric, a displacement of the extremes of the lateral surfaces with respect to the upper surfaces 54, 64, also referred to difference in the height, is kept small. [0044] The guide parts 5, 6 are aligned to each other to coaxially arrange all rollers 51 , 61 . Means for aligning the guide parts 5, 6, such as oblique edges and/or set pins are known. Fig. 5 schematically shows a stop surface 67 provided at the holder 6. [0045] Fig. 6 shows a detail of an embodiment of a roller 51 , 61 for a guide part 5, 6 of the supporting system 2 (see Fig. 2). The lateral surface of the roller 51 , 61 is provided with a knurl, for increasing a friction with respect to the woven fabric 32. The knurl hinders a sliding of the woven fabric 32 over the lateral surface in the moving direction of the woven fabric, this means in the circumferential direction of the roller 51 , 61 . The knurl also avoids a movement of the woven fabric 32 transversely with respect to the moving direction of the woven fabric, this means in the axial direction of the roller 51 , 61.

[0046] Fig. 7 is a side view of the part of a weaving machine 1 with the supporting system 2 for supporting the woven fabric 32 and a temple 8 comprising temple rollers 80 supported by an upper holding element 81 . The temple 8 shown in Fig. 7 is configured as a roller temple that holds the woven fabric 32 in the zones of the edges only. As a contraction of the width of the woven fabric 32 upstream of the temple 8 is avoided, the temple 8 does not necessarily have to stretch the woven fabric 32 substantially outwards. As shown in Fig. 7, during beat-up of the reed 4, the support table sections 52 enter the insertion channel 41 and the relay nozzles 7 are moved in the region of the roller 51 , 61. Therefore, a free space is provided between adjacent rollers 51 , 61 as shown in Fig. 1 and 3 to avoid a collision with the relay nozzles 7. Other elements, such as a weft cutter and/or a main nozzle may also move past the supporting system 2.

[0047] Figs. 8 and 9 show a side view and a perspective view of a part of a weaving machine 1 with the supporting system 2 of Fig. 1 for supporting the woven fabric 32 and a full-width temple 9. The full-width temple 9 comprises a spindle 90, wherein the woven fabric 32 is wrapped around the spindle 90. In this embodiment, the spindle 90 of the full-width temple 9 is arranged in contact with the rollers 51 , 61 . To this end, the rollers 51 , 61 are arranged so that the region of the lateral surface of the rollers 51 , 61 touching the spindle 90 is at a distance with respect to the upper surfaces 54, 64 (see Fig. 3). [0048] As the woven fabric 32 moves with the rollers 51 , 61 upstream of the spindle 90, the first element to restrict or act against a movement of the woven fabric in the moving direction of the woven fabric is the spindle 90 of the full-width temple 9. Hence, between the beat-up line 31 and the spindle 90 an at least substantially unhindered or free movement of the woven fabric 32 is possible. This distance, in which a free movement of the woven fabric 32 is possible, is longer than in known devices, leading also to an improvement of a woven fabric quality.

[0049] As shown in Fig. 8 and 9, next to a first supporting system 2, a second supporting system 2a is provided at the top of the cover 83 of the full-width temple 9 comprising a number of guide parts 6a with rollers 61 a that are rotatably mounted to holders 60a. The rollers 61 a are configured to be driven by the woven fabric 32 to rotate about an axis B parallel to the insertion direction without relative sliding of the woven fabric 32 over the lateral surfaces of the rollers 61 a in the moving direction of the woven fabric. The rollers 61 a are mounted to the holders 60a so as to rotate freely about the axis B and so as to guide the woven fabric 32 thereby avoiding a contraction. In order to ensure that the woven fabric 32 makes contact with the rollers 61 a rather than with the holders 60a, in an embodiment, each roller 61 a is mounted to the respective holder 60a, so that a lateral surface of the rollers 61 a protrudes from the outer surface of the holders 60a, for example a few tenth of a millimeter. In other embodiments, the second supporting system 2a is used without the first supporting system 2.

[0050] As shown in Fig. 10, under the influence of forces exerted by the woven fabric 32, the spindle 90 of the full-width temple 9 is held into contact with rollers 61 that are arranged freely rotatable in holders 60 and with rollers 61 a that are arranged freely rotatable in holders 60a. Due to this the spindle 90 is also arranged freely rotatable, so that the spindle 90 can rotate at the beat-up of a weft thread. This is in particular advantageous for avoiding starting stripes after a stop of the weaving machine, as in this case the spindle 90 is not clamped at the full-width temple 9. Hereby, for example, there is no difference in height between the outer surface of the holders 60a and the rollers 61 a, which is also advantageous to avoid stripes in the woven fabric 32. Near the spindle 90 there is provided a notch 69 to the holders 60a to avoid that the holders 60a make contact with the spindle 90. The notch 69 can be a few tenth of a millimeter and, for sake of clarity, is shown enlarged in Fig. 10.

[0051] In Fig. 10 it is also shown that there is almost no difference in height between the rollers 61 and the support table sections 62, which is advantageous for avoiding stripes in the woven fabric 32. Nevertheless, in this case, there is a difference in height between the rollers 61 and the holders 60 near the spindle 90, so that the woven fabric 32 can be clamped with certainty between the rollers 61 and the spindle 90 without making contact with the holders 60. The difference in height between the rollers 61 and the holders 60 near the spindle 90 can of course be only a few tenth of a millimeter too and, for sake of clarity, is shown enlarged in Fig. 10.

[0052] Fig. 1 1 and 12 show a supporting system 2b according to a third embodiment for a gripper weaving machine comprising a number of guide parts 6 mounted to a weaving machine frame profile 10 and arranged between the reed 4 and a temple 8 with temple rollers 80 and holding element 81 (see Fig. 12). The supporting system 2b is similar to the supporting system 2 shown in Fig. 1 and for the same or similar elements, the same reference numbers are used. A detailed description of elements already described is omitted. [0053] Similar to the embodiment of Fig. 1 , each of the guide parts 6 of the supporting system 2b comprises a holder 60 and a guiding element in the form of a roller 61 rotatably mounted to the holder 60 by means of supporting arms 63. In contrast to the embodiment of Fig. 1 , the guiding elements, this means the rollers 61 , provided at opposite ends of the supporting system 2 are not provided with a free end, but supported by two supporting arms 63. As shown in Fig. 1 1 , the reed 4 ends at a center position of the roller 61 that is supported by two supporting arms 63, so that an edge of the woven fabric is supported by the roller 61 rather than making contact with a fixedly mounted upper surface 64 of the support arm 63.

[0054] In contrast to Fig. 1 , the supporting system 2b of Figs. 1 1 and 12 is configured to be used with a gripper weaving machine, hence, the guide parts 6 are not provided with support table sections 62 (see Fig. 1 ). In order to shield the woven fabric a guide plate 68 is provided at each holder 60. In a moving direction of the woven fabric downstream of the temple rollers 80 also a guide plate 84 is arranged to guide the woven fabric. The guide plate 84 is fixed to the machine frame profile 10 via the holders 60.

[0055] As shown in Fig. 13 and 14, the roller 61 is mounted by bearing pins 66 so as to rotate freely. The extremes of the lateral surfaces of the rollers 61 protrude, for example, from the upper surfaces 64 of the supporting arms 63, so that the moving woven fabric 32 rather contacts the rollers 61 than the upper surfaces 64 and exerts higher forces on the rollers 61 than on the upper surfaces 64.

[0056] It is clear that only rollers 61 according to the invention can be provided near the beat-up line 31 and that the cover of the full-width temple 9 can consist of a cover according to the prior art. In the embodiment shown the rollers 51 , 61 , 61 a are configured in one piece, however, nothing prevents to form such rollers by a number of elements that are arranged next to each other. Also such rollers can be formed by a support on which a rubber or rubber coating is arranged. [0057] Several known elements shown in Fig. 1 , 7, 8, 9, 10, 1 1 and 12 are not described in more detail in this application, in particular elements for mounting the guide parts 5, 6 to the machine frame profile 10. Such known elements are amongst others described in WO 2007/147541 , the content of which is herewith incorporated by reference.

[0058] The supporting system and the weaving machine according to the invention are not limited to the exemplary embodiments described by way of example and illustrated in the drawings. The supporting system and the weaving machine can also be configured within the claims according to variant embodiments, shapes and dimensions. Combinations of the illustrated embodiments that fall under the claims are also possible.