US3439715A

US3439715A - Weft mixer for looms

Info

Publication number: US3439715A
Application number: US635731A
Authority: US
Inventors: Yves Juillard
Original assignee: Alsacienne de Constructions Mecaniques SA
Current assignee: Alsacienne de Constructions Mecaniques SA
Priority date: 1966-05-06
Filing date: 1967-05-03
Publication date: 1969-04-22
Anticipated expiration: 1986-04-22
Also published as: DE1710343A1; DE1710343C3; DE1710343B2; CH467367A; FR1489089A; GB1166753A; BE698024A; CS154227B2

Description

April 1969 Y. JUILLARD 3,439,715

WEFT MIXER FOR LOOMS Filed May a, 19674 Sheet of 9 P 1969 Y. JUlLLARD 3,439,715

WEFT MIXER FOR LOOMS Filed May 3, 1967 Sheet 3 of 9 wax April 1969 Y. JUILLARD WEFT MIXER FOR LOOMS Sheet 3 of9 Filed May 5, 1967 Y. JUILLARD WEFT MIXERFOR LOOMS Sheet April 22, 1969 Filed may 1967 Sheet Filed May 5, 1967 April 22, 1969 Y. JUILLARD WEFT MIXER'FOR LOOMS Sheet 6 of9 Filed May 5, 1967 April 1969 Y. JUILLARD WEFT MIXER-FOR LOOMS 7 I of 9 Sheet Filed May 5, 1967 April 22, 1969 Y. JUILLARD 3,439,715

WEFT MIXER FOR LOOMS Filed May 5, 1967 Sheet 8 of 9' April 1969 Y. JUILLARD 3,439,715

WEFT MIXER FOR LOOMS Filed May 5. 1967 Sheet 9 of 9 United States Patent 60,509 rm. 'Cl. nose 47/00, 47/28 US. Cl. 139-122 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A shuttleless loom having a weft picking means for inserting a single weft thread in the shed during the rearward stroke of the batten and a weft thread cutting and holding device mounted on the batten to cut and hold a weft thread engaged by the device prior to operation of the weft picking means. A weft thread guide member is carried by the batten and is formed so as to engage and carry a Weft thread placed in the path of rearward travel of the guide member, said weft thread cutting and holding device cooperating with the guide member to maintain the supply end of the cut thread across the path of the weft picking means. A plurality of separate weft threads are furnished by a Weft supply means and a plurality of fingers of a weft selector mechanism guide an associated particular one of the separate weft threads. Any selected finger is moved by a pattern controlled means to an operative position in which the finger places its associated weft thread in the path of travel of the guide member as the batten approaches the end of its forward stroke, and the selected finger is moved back to its inoperative position as 'soon as its associated weft thread is taken up and carried by the guide member. A batten controlled means is operative to raise the weft thread carried by the guide member above the tip thereof before a next selected finger of the selector mechanism reaches its operative position in order to permit the raised weft thread to pass over and out of the path of forward travel of the guide member.

The invention relates to Weft selector mechanisms for shuttleless looms of the type comprising weft picking means, and a reciprocable batten carrying a weft thread guide member and a weft thread cutting and holding device operative to cut a weft thread carried by the guide member and to maintain the supply end of the cut thread across the path of the weft picking means.

It has been previously proposed in the art to provide a shuttleless loom of the above-described type with. a selector mechanism having a plurality of movable selector members each carrying a particular one of different weft threads and operative upon the rearward stroke of the batten to present the selected Weft thread in such a manner to the guide member mounted on the batten that the selected weft thread is intercepted by and transferred to the guide member during the rearward movement thereof and is subsequently intercepted by and transferred back to the related selector member during the forward movement of the guide member, such double transfer of the selected weft thread being objectionable in that the substitution of a selected weft thread for the previously selected weft thread must be carried out within the short time interval during which the batten approaches the end of its forward stroke and begins its next rearward stroke.

It is the main object of the present invention to provide a Weft selector mechanism permitting substitution of a selected weft thread for the previously selected weft thread as soon as the previously selected weft thread has been engaged by the guide member during the rearward movement of the batten so that a relatively long time interval corresponding to at least a substantial portion of the entire forward stroke of the batten is available for the desired selector operation.

Accordingly, the weft mixer according to the invention comprises:

A number of perforate selector fingers through each of which a weft 'yarn extends and which a preselector device driven in synchronism with the loom batten can bring the yarn to either an inoperative or an operative position;

A moving hook so secured to the batten on the opposite side of the cutting and holding device relative to the picking means that a weft yarn portion stretched between the hook and the holding device can be engaged up by the picking means on its way to enter the shed, the position and path of each selector finger being such that any finger, when changing from its inoperative to its operative position, engages the yarn on the moving hook;

A clearing finger for clearing the weft yarn from the moving hook slightly before the forward stroke position of the batten 'when the Weft yarn has not been completely pulled out of the shed;

A stationary hook which is disposed near the selvedge and via which all the unselected Weft yarns passi.e., the Weft yarns which are still connected to the selvedge and to the supply reels via the respective selector fingers which are in the inoperative position; and

The preselector device being so devised that a selector finger moves into the operative position before the picking means enters the shed, preferably during the picking cycle of the immediately previous weft yarn, and returns to the inoperative position before the clearing finger operates.

Consequently, the weft yarn is rendered taut when offered by the selector finger as the same moves into its operative position, with the advantage that the first turn of yarn from the reel of a weft supply or bobbin is unwound to start the yarn balloon before severance of the yarn, so that the peak force required for initial unwinding does not act on a yarn which has already been severed and gripped. The weft yarns are never abandoned but remain in the loop of the corresponding selector fingers. A fresh weft yarn can be offered While the immediately previous weft yarn is still being picked, so that relatively slow and reliable movements are possible. Upon the completion of picking, the weft yarn is released from the moving hook of the batten and thus automatically places itself in relaxed state in its inoperative position. Since selection can be effected at any time after a previously selected weft thread is inserted in the shed, the moment at which selection is effected during the cycle is immaterial, so that movements can be slow and can be performed conveniently.

Advantageously, the selector fingers are pivotably mounted on a common vertical spindle mounted on the loom frame.

Since there is some freedom as regards the time during the cycle when the selection movement is made, such movement can be derived from the continuous movement of the batten. According to another feature of the invention, therefore, a transmission connected directly to the batten moves the selector fingers from their inoperative to their operative position.

In one embodiment, the transmission connecting the batten to the selector fingers comprises a carriage which is mounted for sliding movement on the loom frame in a direction parallel to the batten and which is connected thereto by a single inclined rod and which has tappets disposed at the respective levels of the selector fingers, each tappet being adapted to assume an operative position, in which the tappets engage the corresponding selector finger and an inoperative position in which they have no effect 'on the fingers, the tappets being adapted to be selectively brought into the operative position by an abutment mounted on the loom frame so as to be able to selectively assume various positions corresponding to the levels of the various tappets under the control of the preselector system.

Advantageously, the preselector system for actuating the moving abutment comprises a rod bearing resiliently on an appropriate point of a surface of a disc, on the other surface of which are the ends of three other sliding preselector rods each adapted to be moved, by a transmission connected to the loom dobby, into an advanced or a retracted position.

The invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description and of the accompanying drawing which shows by way of nonlimitative example an embodiment of a weft yarn mixer according to the invention attached to a needle loom and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side view showing the outline of the loom and the position at which the weft yarn mixer is disposed;

FIGURE 2 is a view to an enlarged scale and in perspective 'of the complete weft yarn mixer system and that part of the loom at which the mixer is disposed;

FIGURE 3 is a diagrammatic plan view of the main part of the weft yarn mixer;

FIGURE 4 is an elevation corresponding to FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a diagram of the oscillating weft selector actuator disc;

FIGURES 6 and 7 each show one 'of the two positions of one of the transmissions via which the loom dobby actuates the oscillating disc;

FIGURE 8 is a view to an enlarged scale on the section line VIII-VIII of FIGURE 1;

FIGURES 9 and 10 each show one of two different positions of the weft clearer system, looking in the direction of the arrow IX in FIGURE 1, and

FIGURES 11 to 14 are diagrammatic plan views showing four consecutive phases in the operation of the weft yarn mixer.

A weft selector mechanism 1 in FIGURE 1 is secured to the top of frame 2 of a needle loom of which only the delivery needle 3 is shown in FIGURE 2. Selector mechanism 1 is driven by loom dobby 4 by transmissions to be described hereinafter.

Referring to FIGURE 2, a lay beam or batten 5 bears a reed 6; needle 3 is reciprocated on batten 5 by an oscillating lever 7 whose top end is connected to the outer end of needle 3 by means of articulation 8. This loom is of the kind disclosed in applicants French Patent 1,290,867 'of Feb. 14, 1961.

Also visible in FIGURE 2 are a breast beam 11, a cloth beam 12 for taking up cloth 13, and a batten-controlled weft thread cutting and holding device 14 which serves to cut and hold any weft thread presented thereto and which is shown in greater detail in FIGURE 8 and which is disposed on the batten 5'.

The weft selector mechanism 1 comprises, in this particular example, six oscillating

fingers

21A, 21B, 21C, 21D, 21B and 21F, the mechanism being devised for six different weft threads although of course any desired number can be used. All these fingers are identical and each of them, for instance, the finger 21A, takes the form of a bent lever 22A to which a steel wire loop 23A is articulated. All the levers as 22A are pivotally mounted on a vertical spindle 25 rigidly secured to a mounting plate 26 attached to the top of loom frame 2; near their free ends the loops as 23A are guided between horizontal arcuate slats or the like 28 whose centers are on the vertical spindle 25. The slats 28 are spaced apart by spacers 24 and form a system which is also attached to the mounting plate 26. Each loop, as 23A, of a selector finger is therefore disposed substantially in a horizontal plane with provision for slight vertical movement along the arcuate slats 28 which are preferably closer together in the part nearest the reed 6 than elsewhere.

Weft threads

31A, 31B, 31C, 31D, 31E and 31F extend downwards through the respective loops, as 23A, of the six selector fingers. The weft threads come from

lateral bobbins

32A, 32B, 32C, 32D, 32E, 32F (shown only in FIGURE 11) and enter two guide reeds 33, 34 (FIGURE 2) rigidly secured to loom frame 2.

Apart from the selected weft thread-e.g., the thread 31A, the other five weft threads extend over a hook 37 which is disposed near the selvedge of fabric 13 and which is rigidly secured to the mounting plate 26. In the example shown, the hook 37 is formed by the end of a rod 38 engaged in a clamp 39 provided on plate 26 and rigidly secured in clamp 39 by a screw 41.

The six selector fingers, as 21A, are selectively actuated by six

tappets

45A, 45B, 45C, 45D, 45E, 45F (see also FIGURES 3 and 4) pivotally mounted on a common vertical spindle 46 secured in a carriage 47 rigidly secured to a horizontal rod 48 sliding in a block 49 secured to the plate 26. Rod 48 reciprocates lengthwise in synchronism with the batten movements and is accordingly connected to batten 5 by a rod 52 having one end articulated to a spindle 53 of a clamp 54 secured to rod 48, the other end 'of rod 52 being articulated to a spindle 55 mounted in the end of a foot 56 rigidly secured to the batten 5. Through the agency of clamping screws 58, 59 (FIG. 4) the carriage 47 and the clamp 54 respectively can have their position adjusted on the rod 48 and be immobilized thereon.

The selector fingers, as 21A, are returned resiliently to their inoperative positions, against a stationary abutment 62 (FIGURE 3) rigidly secured to the plate 26, by individual springs such as 63A, and 63F (see FIGURES 2 and 3) each having one end secured to one of the arms of the corresponding bent lever, as 22A, while the other end is secured to a vertical rod 64 secured to the plate 26. The six tappets, as 45A, are identical and each urged resiliently, against a vertical stop rod 67 rigidly secured to carriage 47, by an individual spring strip, as 68A, secured in carriage 47 by a screw 69A (FIG. 3).

The front end of each of the levers, as 22A, takes the form of a hook 72A, When any of these levers, for instance, the lever 22A, is in its inoperative position abutting the abutment 62 and the carriage 47 moves in the direction indicated by an arrow f2 (FIGURE 3) and if the corresponding tappet 45A is abutting the abutment 67, the tappet 45A is not aligned with the hook 72A and therefore leaves the corresponding selector finger 21A in the inoperative position shown in solid lines in FIGURE 3. Each tappet, as 45A, may be urged against the force of its return spring, as 68A, into alignment with the hook, as 72A, of the corresponding selector finger when such tappet advancs in the direction indicated by the arrow 2, due to the combined action of a cam surface, as 74A, rigidly secured to that surface of such tappet which is opposite the surface acted on by the corresponding return spring 68A, and of a movable abutment 75 which can be brought selectively into the path of travel of the cam surface of any of the tappets 45A to 45F in accordance with the particular pattern chosen.

Abutment 75 is rigidly secured to an arm 76 (FIG- URES 2 to 4) pivotable around spindle 77 mounted in a support 78 secured to plate 26 and takes the form of the end of a piston 131 (FIGURE 3) slidable in a casing 132 secured to the end of arm 76; piston 131 is urged outwards by a spring 133 so that, in circumstances which will be seen hereinafter, abutment 75 can be retracted by passing over the cam surface, as 74A, of a tappet. Abutment 75 can be brought to the level of any of the six selector tappets 45A to 45F by the combined operation of a spring 81 and a sliding rod 82 serving as a moving abutment. Spring 81 and rod 82 act on two

projections

83, 84 respectively rigidly secured to the arm 76. Spring 81 is disposed on a rod 87 horizontally slidable in support 78; as best known in FIG. 4, one end of spring 81 bears on a shoulder 88 of support 78 and the other end of spring 81 bears on a shoulder 89 of rod 87. Rod 82 is also slidable horizontally in support 78; one end of rod 82 is in contact with projection 84 and the other end of rod 82 bears on an oscillating disc or plate or the like formed with a central hole 93 which is engaged with some clearance a stationary horizontal rod 94 borne by block 49. A binary control system actuated by dobby 4 determines the position and inclination of disc 92 on rod 94.

The three rods 101A, 10113, 1010 clearly indicated in FIGS. 3 and 4, are mounted in block 49 for sliding in directions parallel to the directions of the rod 82. Each such rod, e.g., rod 101A, can selectively take up one or the other of two positinsan advanced position, in which an abutment 102A rigidly secured to the rod 101A is in contact with a face 103 of block 49; and a withdrawn position, in which another abutment 104A of the rod is in contact with the face 105 of block 49.

The arrangement of the three sliding rods can be as shown in FIGURE 5, where the three rods are disposed one each at the three vertices A, B, C of an equilateral triangle, the place where the rod 82 bears on the disc 92 being disposed at a point P positioned three-sevenths of the distance from vertex A along a straight line AN joining ve'rtex A to a point N disposed one-third of the way from vertex B along the triangle base BC. Consequently, according as one or two or three of the three sliding

rods

101A, 101B, 101C are in their advanced or withdrawn positions, the point P of the disc 92 can take up anyone of eight different equidistant positions along the geometric axis formed by the rod 82. In the example shown only six of these eight positions are used.

Each of the three sliding rods, e.g., 101A, is connected to a moving element 111A (FIGURES 6' and 7) of dobby 4 by a flexible transmission 112A comprising a sheath 113A bearing at one end against block 49 and at its other end against a support 114 rigidly secured to loom frame 2, and a cable 115A which is received in the sheath 113A, one end of cable 115A being secured to the corresponding end of rod 101A and the other end of cable 115A being secured to a rod 116A which is slidable in support 114 and which has a small plate or the like 117A secured to its end.

A member 121A is articulated by way of a spindle 118A to the end of dobby lever 111A; member 121A bears two

rods

122A, 123A which are parallel to rod 116A and which are freely slidable through support 114 and plate 117A. Two compression springs 125A, 126A are interposed between the

members

121A and 117A and two more compression springs 127A, 128A are interposed between plate 117A and the stationary support 114.

The travel of the member 121A and of the two

rods

122A, 123A driven by the dobby is greater than the possible travel of rod 101A for the actuation of the selector wobble disc, so that the springs are compressed at the ends of travel and rod 101A is certain to be in good contact with one or other of its two abutments and is therefore accurately located.

Referring to FIGURES 2 and 8, a hook shaped weft guide member 136 is mounted on the batten adjacent the weft thread cutting and holding device 14 and has an upwardly and rearwardly curved front surface 137. The hook 136 is extended to the rear and bears a horizontal spindle 138 on which a finger 139 (see also FIGURES 9 and can pivot, finger 139 being resiliently biased by a spring 141 against an abutment 142 rigidly secured to hook 136 so that finger 139 is below the hook 136.

As the batten 5 approaches the end of its forward stroke, the finger 139 is raised by a stationary abutment which has the general reference 144 and which is engaged by a blade or projection or the like 145 rigidly secured to finger 139. Abutment 144 is formed by a small plate 147 (FIGURES 9 and 10) and by a V-shaped spring strip 1 48 which has a substantially vertical rear surface and a front inclined surface 149 forming a cam adapted to raise the complete abutment system 144 on the top end of the projection as the batten 5 begins to move in the rearward direction. The front end of plate 147 is secured by a screw fastener 151 to the end of a rod 152 (see also FIGURE 2) secured to the stack of arcuate slats 28. Screw fastener 151 extends through a hole in the end of rod 152 and through a longitudinal slot in the plate 147, so that the position of abutment 144 can be accurately adjusted in the direction of batten movement.

The weft thread cutting and holding device 14 is preferably of the same construction as that shown in my US. Patent No. 3,157,208, issued Dec. 17, 1964, and mainly comprises a movable cutter blade 155 (FIGURE 8) disposed between a stationary blade 156 and a holding blade 157. The movable cutter blade 155 is rigidly secured to a pivot pin 158 to which a camming finger 159 is secured. When batten 5 approaches the end of its forward stroke, a camming abutment 161 secured to the breast beam 11 engages the finger 159 so as to cause blade 155 to move out of engagement with blades 156 and 157. Upon the next rear-ward stroke of batten 5, the finger 159 disengages from abutment 161 to permit blade 155 to pivot between blades 156 and 157 to thereby cut any weft thread engaged by blade 155 and clamp the supply end of the cut thread between the blades 155 and 157.

Operation is as follows:

It will be assumed that a weft thread has just been beaten up and the batten is starting its rearward movement (FIG. 11). The weft thread just engaged by hook 136 is cut and its supply end is clamped in the device 14; the weft thread supplied from bobbin 32A through hook 136, in this particular example, is the same weft thread which has been selected again. Finger 21A starts to pivot in the direction indicated by arrow f3 towards its inoperative position. The weft thread portion extending between the device 14 and the hook 136 is placed in the path of the delivery needle 3.

The batten continues its rearward movement (FIG- URE 12). Feed needle 3 has just engaged the weft thread 32A and is taking the same into the shed. The thread therefore slides through the

reeds

33, 34 through the loop of the finger 21A, which has returned to its inoperative position between the slats 28, and on the hook 136.

Upon reaching its rearward position, the batten begins its forward movement (FIGS. 13 and 2). The drawing needle (not shown) has almost completed the pick, about e.g. 5 cm. of weft thread still remaining to be drawn, whereas the delivery needle 3 is returning and is also about 5 cm. in the shed. The weft thread is raised from hook 136 by finger 139 (FIGURES l0 and 2) which engages the stationary abutment 144. The freed weft thread takes up its standby position 32A above the other yarns. The pull exerted on the weft thread by the drawing needle completely takes up any slack occurring after the thread has been raised from hook 136 and passes from position 32A to position 32A. During this time, one of the selector fingers, for instance, finger 21B, has been moved into the operative position, which produces a pull on the corresponding thread 31B thereby causing a length portion thereof to unwind from bobbin 32B, Maximum tension is applied to the thread at a time when the same is still unsevered. The batten moves towards the end of its forward stroke and the read 6 beats up the weft thread (FIGURE 14). Selected finger 21B is in its operative position with its weft thread extended from arm 40 to its raised position. As the batten reaches its forwardmost position, surface 137 cams the selected weft thread up and over the tip of hook 136 so that as the batten begins its next rearward movement the selected weft thread is engaged behind the hook 136. Such thread is therefore disposed against the extension 40 of hook 37 and the hook 136 and is ready to be gripped and severed by the device 14 as the batten begins to move rearwardly, whereafter the weft thread portion extending between the device 14 and the hook 136 is engaged by the delivery needle 3, as it is about to happen in FIGURE 11 which was the starting point to expain the cycle of operation with the weft thread 31A.

From the time When the selected weft thread is engaged by the hook 136, the selector finger, for instance, 21A, which has brought such thread to such position can start to return to its inoperative position and a next selected finger can move into the operative position while the picking of the previously selected weft thread starts, so that considerable time is available for this preselection.

Towards the end of a pick the weft thread is cleared off the hook 136 so that it finishes by being positioned in the shed without tension, thus obviating breakages at a time when the shed starts to become fairly closed, with a consequent increase in the friction on the moving weft thread. The selection movements are very slow and are performed during the pick preceding the picking of the selected weft yarn, so that there is no need for the selector fingers to move at any particular time during the cycle, thus greatly facilitating setting up, adjustment and satisfactory operating conditions for the whole system.

Each weft thread always remains in the selector finger loop assigned to it and is therefore never abandoned, so that operation of the selector mechanism is very reliable.

All the unselected weft threads stay in the standby position, as 31A (FIGURE 13), are not severed between the cloth selvedge and the corresponding supply reel, and all pass over the hook 37 near the selvedge. The arm 40 rigidly secured to hook 37 prevents any unselected weft thread from escaping hook 37.

Operation of the preselector drive system is very simple. At each shed, the three levers, as 111A (FIGURES 6, 7) of the dobby take up a particular angular position corresponding to the required program, so that the three sliding

rods

101A, 101B, 101C which the dobby levers operate respectively are placed in one or other of the two positions which they can take up. The wobble plate 92 therefore takes up a very definite position and inclination in space, so that the sliding rod 82 and pivoting arm '76 must also take up a very accurate position. Abutment 75 is then at an appropriate height for the corresponding tappet, as 45A, or any other tappet of the group of six tappets, to be urged slightly by the abutments 75 when it advances, simultaneously with the batten, and for its end to engage in the hook, as 72A, of the selector finger of the corresponding weft yarn.

The preselector device shown, comprising three sliding rods, could provide selection for eight weft yarns since the wobble plate 92 can take up eight different positions depending upon the possible combinations of the positions of the three sliding rods; however, the embodiment described uses only six of these positions for mixing six weft yarns.

Of course, any actuating and preselecting system other than those shown could be used for the selective operation of the selector fingers, as 21A.

The invention is not of course limited to the embodiment described and shown and can be varied in many ways clear to the skilled addressee according to the particular uses concerned and without departure for that reason from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A shuttleless loom comprising a shed, a reciprocable batten, weft picking means for inserting a single Weft thread in the shed during rearward stroke of said batten, a weft thread cutting and holding device mounted on said batten to cut and hold a weft thread engaged by said device prior to operation of said weft picking means, and a weft thread guide member carried by said batten and formed so as to engage and carry a weft thread placed in the path of rearward travel of said guide member, said weft thread cutting and holding device cooperating with said guide member to maintain the supply end of the cut thread across the path of said weft picking means, weft supply means for furnishing a plurality of separate weft threads of different individual characteristics, a weft selector mechanism comprising a plurality of fingers each of which guides an associated particular one of said separate weft threads and each of which is movable between an operative position in which it places its associated weft thread in the path of travel of said guide member and an inoperative position in which it places its associated Weft thread outside the path of travel of said guide member, pattern controlled means for moving any selected finger to said operative position thereof as said batten approaches the end of its forward stroke and for moving the selected finger back to said inoperative position thereof as soon as its associated weft thread is taken up and carried by said guide member, and batten controlled means operative to raise the weft thread carried by said guide member above the tip thereof before a next selected finger of said selector mechanism reaches said operative position thereof whereby to permit the raised weft thread to pass over and out of the path of forward travel of said guide member.

2. A loom as claimed in claim 1 comprising a frame, said weft selector mechanism including a vertical spindle mounted on said frame, said fingers being pivotably mounted on said spindle.

3. A loom as claimed in claim 1 comprising transmission means connected directly to the batten for changing the selector fingers from their inoperative to their operative position.

4. A loom as claimed in claim 3 comprising a frame and wherein said transmission means comprises a carriage mounted for sliding movement on said frame in a direction parallel to the batten, a single inclined rod connecting said carriage and batten, tappets on said rod at the respective levels of the selector fingers, each tappet being adapted to assume an operative position, in which the tappet engages the corresponding selector finger as it passes by, and an inoperative position in which they have no effect on the fingers, and moving abutment means on said frame for acting on said tappets to selectively advance the same to the operative position, said abutment means being coupled to said pattern controlled means so as to be able to selectively assume various positions corresponding to the levels of the various tappets under the control of the pattern controlled means.

5. A loom as claimed in claim 4 wherein said pattern controlled means for actuating the moving abutment means comprises a disc having opposite faces, a rod bearing resiliently on one face of said disc and three other sliding preselector rods each bearing on the other face of the disc and adapted to be moved into an advanced or a retracted position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,111,144 11/1963 Pfarrwaller. 3,276,482 10/ 1966 Liebchen.

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,376,747 9/ 1964 France. 1,002,093 8/ 1965 Great Britain.

HENRY S. JAUDON, Primary Examiner.