8446.30.10.10 - Rapier type

This HTS classification, 8446.30.10.10, specifically covers power looms designed for weaving fabrics with a width exceeding 4.9 meters, employing a "rapier type" shuttleless mechanism. Rapier looms utilize rigid or flexible carriers, often called "rapiers," which directly insert the filling yarn across the warp shed. This method is distinguished from other shuttleless technologies by the absence of a traditional shuttle and the unique insertion mechanism of the filling yarn.

Within the broader category of power looms for weaving fabrics wider than 4.9 meters, this subheading is distinct from the "jet type" (8446.30.10.20) and "other" (8446.30.10.30) classifications. Jet looms, in contrast, use either air or water jets to propel the filling yarn, while the "other" category encompasses any remaining shuttleless mechanisms not specifically defined as rapier or jet. Therefore, the defining characteristic for this subcategory is the rapier insertion system.

As this is a leaf node in the HTS classification, there are no further subcategories. The classification is fully defined by the characteristics of the loom: its function as a power-operated weaving machine, its capacity to produce fabrics wider than 4.9 meters, and its specific shuttleless insertion mechanism being of the rapier type. This level of detail ensures precise identification for customs purposes.