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A Study of Weaving 'Turkish Knots' in

Handmade Carpets with an Electromechanical
System

Article in Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers Part I Journal of Systems and Control
Engineering · June 2005
DOI: 10.1243/095965105X33482

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 343

A study of weaving ‘Turkish knots’ in handmade

carpets with an electromechanical system
M Topalbekiroğlu1*, A Kirecci2, and L Canan Dülger2
1Department of Textile Engineering, University of Gaziantep, Gaziantep, Turkey
2Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Gaziantep, Gaziantep, Turkey

The manuscript was received on 26 April 2004 and was accepted after revision for publication on 27 April 2005.

DOI: 10.1243/095965105X33482

Abstract: To form a Turkish knot in a handmade carpet, a study for a computer-controlled

prototype loom and its drive system has been presented. The mechanisms involved in the
prototype are described separately and the design considerations for each mechanism are given
with the function requirements needed. The control of the knotting system is achieved with
the actuators applied. The research on the subject is still continuing at the Department of
Textile Engineering, University of Gaziantep.

Keywords: knotting system, handmade carpet, Turkish knot, knotting mechanism

1 INTRODUCTION 2 WEAVING OF TURKISH KNOTS IN HANDMADE

The texture in a machine carpet is in the form of
loops, as shown in Fig. 1(a). However, the texture
of a handmade carpet is formed from independent
knots; e.g. a Turkish knot (Gördes) and a Persian knot
(Sehna) are shown in Figs 1(b) and (c) [1–5]. Machine
carpets have a lower number of knots in each square
centimetre than handmade carpets. Knot profiles in
machine carpets are not good enough and a special
glue is used to bind the back part of the carpets.
Handmade carpets have an extraordinary knot pro-
file. Turkish knots are more difficult to produce and
have a higher resilience, which improves the quality
of these handmade carpets. Machine carpets are
produced rapidly, therefore lowering the cost and
undoubtedly the life of the carpets. Handmade
carpets offer better quality but are an expensive
choice due to their long production times.
A mechanism is required to form Turkish knots
with an electromechanical system in a computer-
controlled environment. In this study, a prototype
loom constructed in the Mechanic Workshop in the
Department of Mechanical Engineering, the University
of Gaziantep is presented.
* Corresponding author: Department of Textile Engineering,
University of Gaziantep, 27310 Sahinbey, Gaziantep, Turkey.
email: tbekir@gantep.edu.tr
CARPETS
The term ‘handmade carpet’ is traditionally used to
describe a ‘hand-knotted carpet’. A handmade carpet
consists of two parts: the first is the skeleton of the
carpet formed by vertical and horizontal threads
known as ‘warps’ and ’wefts’; the second is the pile
of the carpet made by knotting different colours of
threads.
The weaving is started from the bottom of the
loom. First the flat woven part is done at the lower
edge. A piece of wool corresponding to the pattern
is taken and a knot on two warps is formed, the
surplus wool being cut with a knife. Having com-
pleted one row of knotting, a weft thread in between
the front and back warps is passed. The weft threads
are used to strengthen the weaves of the carpet. The
surplus coloured threads are cut with a pair of adjust-
able scissors, giving a uniform level of pile thickness.
This process is continuously repeated until the whole
carpet is completed.
2.1 The working principle of the knotting system
The digital data containing the information of the
knot number and knot colour in each row and column
of the matrix is obtained from the pattern study.
The positioning of all the mechanisms during the

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344 M Topalbekiroğlu, A Kirecci, and L Canan Dülger

Fig. 1 Type of knots

knotting process is shown in Fig. 2, where the dashed
line in the figure represents the trajectory of the pile
yarn corresponding to the carpet pattern. Figure 3
shows the representative model developed here [5],
where Fig. 3(a) is the warp control mechanism,
Fig. 3(b) is the knot positioning mechanism and
Fig. 3(c) is the knotting mechanism.
The technical data of the Isparta carpet is chosen
as the reference data. The knot density of this carpet
is 26 knots in width and 33 knots in height of 100 mm.
The warp and weft are made of cotton, but the pile
is made of wool. Table 1 presents the properties of
warp and weft yarn and pile yarn used in the Isparta
carpet [1].

Fig. 2 The process of the pile weave

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 Weaving ‘Turkish knots’ in handmade carpets with an electromechanical system 345

Fig. 3 The knotting system

Table 1 Properties of warp, weft yarn, and pile yarn used in the Isparta
carpet
The standard knot number in width (number/decimetre) 26
The standard knot number in height (number/decimetre) 33
In one decimetre square, total standard knot number (number) 858
In one decimetre square, at least total standard knot number (number) 830
The pile yarn, suit TS 626 wool (wool) 2.5/2 N m
The warp yarn (cotton) 6.9 Ne
The level of pile thickness (mm) 10–14

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346 M Topalbekiroğlu, A Kirecci, and L Canan Dülger
3 DESIGN OF THE KNOTTING MECHANISM
Due to the symmetrical properties of Turkish knots,
the knotting mechanism may involve two-symmetrical
mechanisms represented by the dashed box shown
in Fig. 2. The mechanism on the left side is called
Mechanism-I and the other is Mechanism-II. The
design studies are carried out on Mechanism-I.
Mechanism-I is capable of producing forward
and backward motions, as shown in Fig. 2. In the
forward motion, the mechanism traces a trajectory
(represented by the dashed line) passing through
three precision points (P , P , and P ). It will hold
1 2 3
the end of the pile yarn at point P by means of a
1
vacuum ejector, passes through point P , and finally
2
releases the end of the pile yarn at point P . Similarly,
3
it traces the same trajectory in the backward motion.
Two alternative trajectories are considered for
the design of Mechanism-I. Figure 4 shows these
alternatives. The first alternative is given in Fig. 4(a).
The second alternative of a full trajectory is shown
in Fig. 4(b).
The requirements of the knotting mechanism are:
(a) the mechanism has to produce a path similar to
the knot shape or it has to pass at least three
precision points on this path;
(b) the knotting mechanism should be able to move
forward and backward and the driver system
must have a feature of bidirectional control.
The movement of the weaver hand is taken as a
model for controlling the warp yarns since the knots
Fig. 4 Precision points for producing Turkish knots on two warps
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are produced independently of each other. The
model is developed and presented to control warp
yarns with reference to Fig. 4(a) [5].
4 CONTROL OF THE KNOTTING SYSTEM
The mechanisms are controlled by using three differ-
ent types of actuators: stepper motors, pneumatic
pistons, and solenoids. The knotting mechanism, the
pile yarn manipulating mechanism, and the position-
ing mechanism are driven by using stepper motors.
The positioning mechanism is required to move
the knotting system forward and backward in the
width direction of the carpet by means of two lead
screw arrangements [5]. This mechanism performs
the function of coordinating the movements of the
knotting system with respect to each warp yarn.
Pneumatic actuators are used for driving the warp
control mechanism, the pile yarn manipulating
mechanism, the cutting mechanism, and the knot
positioning mechanism. Additionally, a vacuum and
a solenoid are used to prepare the pile yarn for
the knotting mechanism. Each mechanism has a
different function and the structure makes the
system difficult to control. Figure 5 shows the control
block diagram of the knotting system.
Stepper motors are provided for the knotting
mechanism, the pile yarn manipulating mechanism,
and the positioning mechanism since they respond
to digital input pulses supplying open-loop control,
making the motor simpler and costing less. Pneumatic
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 Weaving ‘Turkish knots’ in handmade carpets with an electromechanical system
Fig. 5 The control block diagram of the knotting system
actuators and solenoids are selected according to
the motion requirements of the mechanisms in the
set-up, where lighter loads are encountered and
where a fast response is required.
The knotting system together with the position-
ing mechanism includes a sequence of operations
that must be provided in a defined order for the
purpose of synchronization of all the actuators.
Positioning the mechanism, selecting the pile yarn,
and knotting operations are performed by three
stepper motors. The others are performed by four
pneumatic cylinders, one vacuum ejector, and one
solenoid. They are controlled by a pair of cam–
microswitch arrangements. These arrangements are
designed and placed on the lead screw driven by the
stepper motor [5]. There is no coordination problem
between the mechanisms, since the actuators are
controlled by the computer.
5 CONCLUSIONS
The knotting system is introduced to produce a
Turkish knot practically. The integration of actuators
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347
with the system is completely achieved. However, the
prototype loom is still under construction. Some time
is needed for complete construction of the system as
a whole. This prototype was manufactured in the
Mechanic Workshop of the Mechanical Engineering
Department, the University of Gaziantep.
REFERENCES
1 Türk Standardları Enstitüsü, Textile Floor Covering –
Handmade Carpets – Turkish Carpets, Birinci Baskı,
Ts 43/Nisan 1992, Ankara.
2 Grosicki, Z. J. Watson’s Advanced Textile Design, 1913
Newnes (London)–Butterworths (Boston), Sydney,
Wellington, Durban, Toronto.
3 Robinson, G. Carpets and Other Textile Floorcovering,
1972, Second Published Edition (Division of Bonn
Industries Inc.).
4 Crossland, A. Modern Carpet Manufacture, 1958
(Columbine Press, Manchester, London and McGraw-
Hill, New York).
5 Topalbekiroglu, M. Design, construction and control
of computer controlled knotting system, PhD Thesis,
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of
Gaziantep, Turkey, July 2002.
Proc. IMechE Vol. 219 Part I: J. Systems and Control Engineering