EP1600542A2

EP1600542A2 - Control device for textile weaving looms

Info

Publication number: EP1600542A2
Application number: EP05104396A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Pietro Massignani; Roberto Capitanio
Original assignee: Smit SpA
Current assignee: Smit SpA
Priority date: 2004-05-25
Filing date: 2005-05-24
Publication date: 2005-11-30
Also published as: ITVI20040129A1; EP1600542A3

Abstract

A control device for textile weaving looms (23), which enables the simple and efficient connection of the axle (18) of the driving motor (1) with the main axle (3) and various secondary axles (6,26) to carry out all the typical operations of a loom; the loom control device (23) provides at least one gear (2) rigidly connected to the driving axle (18) of the control motor (1), which controls the main axle (3) and the secondary axles (6,26) through further gears (4,5). The main axle (3) supplies movement to the comb or sley (23A) of the loom (23) and to all the auxiliary groups connected to it while a second secondary axle (6) supplies movement to the accessory and shed formation devices (22).

Description

The present invention refers to a control device for textile weaving looms.
Existing control devices provide for the use of double-edged tooth joints or the use of gears with multiple axial positions.
In particular, a primary type of control device currently in use utilizes a control motor that is mechanically connected to a series of controllable loom mechanisms while a toothed wheel is mounted on the inside in a box-like structure and can be moved in different multiple axial positions so that in a first position of the above-mentioned toothed wheel, the main control motor controls the movement of the mechanisms and in a second position of said wheel the connection to the above-mentioned mechanisms is interrupted.
This solution may be obtained with a motor arranged coaxial or parallel to the main shaft and connected to it through generic transmission components.
It is obvious that the described solutions are extremely complex, further considering that a textile machine, such as a weaving loom, is composed of various elements which cooperate synchronously and with selected timing according to the operating functions in progress, such as weaving in running order, reverse motion engagement, warp search in reverse motion and so on, even allowing for operating conditions where some parts of the machine are blocked and stationary in predetermined positions and others are in movement.
Moreover, as a consequence, the complexity of the traditional manufacturing solutions determines a considerable cost for the entire equipment and limited reliability levels. Therefore, in the sphere of the above-mentioned needs, the object of the present invention is to produce a control device for textile weaving looms that enables the simple and efficient connection of the driving axle with the various axles, main and secondary, with respect to traditional manufacturing solutions. Another object of the invention is that of producing a control device for textile weaving looms where the main motor can be used to control the machine during normal operation and forward and backward movement in slow motion for warp search (in the latter case, during the movement of the shed formation machine, the loom comb or sley is kept in a blocked position).
Another object of the present invention is that of indicating a control device for textile weaving looms, which provides an economic solution for the connection between driving axle and main axle, integrating a tooth joint and a brake in one single unit controlled by at least one magnet. A further object of the invention is to indicate a control device for textile weaving looms that drastically simplifies the mechanical lay-out of the textile machine, enabling the coaxial mounting of a joint and a brake, reducing, in this way, the number of moving parts and hence the power absorption rate of the loom.
One other object of the invention is to indicate a control device for textile weaving looms that is relatively simple to produce and to use, as well as efficient, functional, inexpensive, safe and reliable.
These and other objects, according to the present invention are obtained by producing a control device for textile weaving looms according to claim 1, to which we refer for reasons of brevity.
Advantageously, the invention relates to a simple and efficient control device through which it is possible to connect the axle of the driving motor with the various axles, main and secondary, enabling the following:

the use of the driving motor to activate the machine during normal operation and during forward and backward movement in slow motion for warp search (during the movement of the shed formation machine, the loom comb or sley is kept in a blocked position);
an economic solution for connecting the driving axle to the main axle, integrating a tooth joint and brake controlled by at least one magnet in one single unit;
the mechanical simplification of the textile machine, whereby it is possible to mount the tooth joint/brake on a single axle, thus reducing the number of moving parts and therefore the power absorption rate of the loom (it is also possible to make use of a relatively more complex solution, which uses the device to connect the two coaxial and contiguous shafts);
timing of the shed formation machine with respect to the loom when the tooth joint is of the kind with multiple engagement positions. Further characteristics and advantages of a control device for textile weaving looms, according to the present invention, will be more evident from the following description, which is meant as an example and is in no way meant to be restrictive, with reference to the attached figures, where:

figure 1 shows a preliminary block diagram of the control device for textile weaving looms, according a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;
figures 2-5 refer to relative enlarged views of a portion of the block diagram in figure 1, in respective operational positions of the components;
figure 6 shows a block diagram of the control device for textile weaving looms, according to the invention, in an alternative embodiment with respect to that illustrated in figure 1.

With particular reference to the above-mentioned figure 1, which represents the lay-out of the control device of the weaving loom, in a preferred solution that is meant as an example and is in no way meant to be restrictive, it can be noted that the weaving loom control device thus conceived is simple and therefore reliable, it allows to carry out all the functions typical of looms while using a reduced number of components and it facilitates the mounting operations.
As clearly illustrated in figure 1, the loom control device is direct, without the help of brake/clutch groups and/or flywheel, and also activates movements in slow motion without the need of auxiliary groups.
In particular, gear 2 is rigidly connected to the axle 18 of the control drive 1 and controls the main axle 3 and the secondary axle 6 through the respective gears 4, 5.
Axle 3 supplies movement to the loom, indicated in general at 23, to the relative comb 23A and all the auxiliary groups connected to it, while the axle 6 supplies movement to the shed formation devices indicated in general at 22.
In another embodiment, shown in detail in figure 6, for reasons relating to the size of the machine and to providing an economic solution, an additional axle 26, integral with gear 25, may be used to control other devices, indicated in general in figure 6 at 24, which move synchronously with the shed formation devices 22; the axle or shaft 26 is always synchronized with the driving axle 6.
During the normal functioning of the loom 23 and during all the movements in slow motion, which also require the movement of the relative comb or sley 23A, the axle 3 and the gear 4 rotate integral with each other and the motor 1 in this configuration, simultaneously controls the axles 3 and 6 (figures 1-2). If, when the need arises, for example during the weft search phase, it is necessary to move only device 22 and exclude the movement of comb 23A, the gear 4 is freed with respect to axle 3, which will be blocked in a final and fixed position; in this situation, the control motor 1 only moves the axle 6 through toothed wheels or gears 2 and 5 as in fig. 1 and the axles 6 and 26, through the gears 2, 5, 4 and 25 as in fig. 6.
In the two above-mentioned different configurations the motor 1 rotates at a suitable speed established by the control drive. The free rotation of gear 4 with respect to the shaft 3 is obtained in a highly economical solution, using only shaft 3 and integrating in one single unit a tooth joint and a braking element, both elastically floating in axial direction with respect to the supporting axle; moreover, as a preferred solution, the tooth joint and the braking element may be controlled by a single magnet.
In practice, the element 9 of the tooth joint is integral with gear 4, which is mounted on gear 3, with an interposed bearing. A second element 10 of the tooth joint is integral with the shaft 3 in a circumferential sense and is also mobile in the axial direction with respect to the above-mentioned shaft 3, thanks to the presence of a deformable element 11.
During the normal operation of the loom (fig. 2), element 10 of the tooth joint, held fast by the deformable support 11, is pressed by the springs 12 against element 9 so that, by using suitable coupled toothing of the elements 9 and 10, the shaft 3 and the gear 4 act like two yoked, integral elements able to transmit the necessary torque to move the weaving loom 23.
When upon stopping of the weaving loom 23, due, for example, to the breaking of weft or warp threads, only the shed formation device 22 needs to be moved, the toothed wheel or gear 4 is freed with respect to shaft 3 disconnecting the two elements 9 and 10 by means of the action of magnet 13 driven by control unit 8 (figs. 1, 6). Before this operation, the control unit 8 memorizes the angular position of the shaft 6, detected by the measuring device 17, corresponding to the stop position of the weaving loom 23.
It is imperative to return to this position to reyoke elements 9 and 10 while keeping up the timing before the weaving loom 23 stops, so as not to dephase the weaving loom 23 with respect to the shed formation device 22.
Once the toothed wheel 4 is free to rotate around the axle 3, the driving motor can move the gear 5 and hence, the shed formation device 22, with a speed established by the drive (fig. 4).
The activation of the magnet 13, besides the disconnection of the toothed elements 9 and 10, also allows to continue to restrain the shaft 3 and hence the sley 23A of the weaving loom 23; this is possible thanks to the presence of an anchor 14, connected to the element 10 by means of an elastic element 15 (fig. 4).
The rigidity of the elastic element 15 is chosen so that, together with suitable control of the power supply of the magnet 13, it is possible to control the anchor 14 resting on the braking surface 16, which is integral with the structure of the weaving loom 23, before the disconnection of elements 9 and 10 (fig. 5).
In this way the standstill of shaft 3 and therefore that of the weaving loom 23 is guaranteed, in a programmable position that can be detected by the measuring device 17 and memorized by the control unit 8.
To restart the weaving loom 23 after a stop, elements 9 and 10 are returned to the starting configuration at which the weaving loom was stopped and the toothings of elements 9 and 10 were yoked.
At the moment of disconnection of elements 9 and 10, the toothed element 10 and the anchor 14 are kept resting on the surface 16 by the magnetic field generated by the magnet 13 and powered by a predetermined power level (position represented in figure 4).
In order to find engagement position of the joint, the element 9 is rotated by the driving motor 1, through the gear 2, until it reaches the nearest engaged position, previously memorized by unit 8, while the position is controlled by means of the measuring device 17.
Once a position close to that of engagement is reached, the power circulating in the magnet 13 is reduced to allow the second element 10 of the joint, which is pushed by the elastic element 12, to rest on element 9 and keep the anchor 14 in a brake position (position shown in detail in figure 3).
The element 9 is moved by the motor 1 through the gear 2 and slides on element 10 until it reaches the engagement position previously detected by the measuring device 17 and memorized by the unit 8.
Once this position is reached, the power supply to the magnet 13 is interrupted, making it possible for the anchor 14 to move away from the magnet 13 thanks to the force generated by the elastic element 15; the shaft 3 is, therefore, no longer blocked and may be moved by the driving motor 1 (figure 2).
With elements 9 and 10, which make up the joint, engaged and the anchor 14 not in contact with the braking surface 16, the driving motor 1 is able to freely synchronize the movement of the shed formation device 22 and the comb or sley 23A of the loom 23.
In certain cases, the shed formation device 22 may transmit a significant torque to the weaving loom 23 that can move the said weaving loom unless the said torque is not contrasted by motor 1.
To this end, in order to avoid undesired movement of the weaving loom 23, the control device described above may be integrated with one or more additional brakes, indicated by 19, 20, 21 and 27 in figures 1 and 6, to be used indifferently on one of the axles indicated respectively by 3, 18, 6 and 26 in figures 1 and 6.
This additional braking is meant to be activated when the power supply of the weaving loom 23 fails.
The above-mentioned description gives a clear picture of the characteristics and advantages of the control device for textile weaving looms subject of the present invention.
Finally, it is clear that numerous alterations may be made to the control device concerned, without departing from the principles of novelty inherent to the inventive idea, and that in putting the invention into practice, the materials, shapes and dimensions of the illustrated details may vary according to the needs and the same may be substituted with others that are technically equivalent.

Claims

Control device for textile weaving looms (23) intended to connect at least one axle (18) of a driving motor (1) with at least one main driving shaft (3) and at least one secondary axle (6, 26), where said driving motor (1) controls the movement of said main driving shaft (3) and/or of said at least one secondary axis (6, 26), through at least one toothed wheelwork (2, 4, 5, 25), which rotates integral with said main (3) and secondary (6, 26) axles, to move a series of mechanisms (22, 23A, 24) of the weaving loom (23), characterised in that said driving motor (1) is connected to said main driving shaft (3) through an interposed toothed wheelwork (2, 4) and at least one toothed engagement or joint (9, 10), yoked to at least one braking surface (16), both said tooth joint and braking surface being connected and elastically floating in the axial direction with respect to the main driving shaft (3).
Control device for textile weaving looms (23) as in claim 1, characterized in that the movement of said toothed engagement or joint and said braking surface is controlled by at least one electromagnet (13).
Control device for textile weaving looms (23) as in claim 1, characterized in that said tooth joint comprises at least one first coupling member (9), integral with a respective toothed wheelwork (4), said toothed wheelwork (4) being mounted on said main driving shaft (3).
Control device for textile weaving looms (23) as in claim 1, characterized in that said tooth joint comprises at least one second coupling member (10), integral with the main driving shaft (3) and mobile in the axial direction.
Control device for textile weaving looms (23) as in claim 4, characterized in that said second coupling member (10) of the tooth joint is connected, through the push provided by the elastic elements (12), to said first coupling member (9), so that said main driving shaft (3) and said toothed wheelwork (4) are integrally yoked and able to transmit the necessary torque to set the weaving loom (23) in motion.
Control device for textile weaving looms (23) as in claim 5, characterized in that said toothed wheelwork (4) is freed with respect to said main driving shaft (3), thanks to the disconnection between said first (9) and second (10) element of the tooth joint, which takes place through the action of at least one electromagnet driven by a control unit (8).
Control device for textile weaving looms (23) as in claim 6, characterized in that said control unit (8) memorises the angular position of at least one of said secondary axles (6, 26) and/or of said wheelwork (4), said position being detected by a suitable measuring device (17).
Control device for textile weaving looms (23) as in claim 6, characterized in that said second element (10) of the tooth joint is connected to an anchor (14), through an elastic element (15), said anchor (14) being actuatable through said electromagnet (13), which rests on said braking surface (16) integral with the structure of the weaving loom (23).
Control device for textile weaving looms (23) as in claim 1, characterized in that said driving motor (1) simultaneously controls said main driving shaft (3) and at least one of said secondary axles (6, 26) during the normal operation of the weaving loom (23) and during movement in slow motion, which requires the movement of the comb or sley (23A) of the weaving loom (23).
Control device for textile weaving looms (23) as in claim 1, characterized in that at least one first toothed wheelwork (4) is freed with respect to said main driving shaft (3), said main driving shaft (3) being blocked in a definite and fixed position and said driving motor (1) controlling the movement of at least one of said secondary axles (6, 26) through at least one toothed wheelwork (2, 5, 4, 25), if it is necessary to move only some of the mechanisms (22, 24) of the weaving loom (23), excluding the movement of the sley or comb (23A) of said weaving loom (23).
Control device for textile weaving looms (23) as in claim 1, characterized in that it includes at least one additional brake (19, 20, 21, 27), placed in contact with said axle (18) of the driving motor (1) and/or with said main driving axle (3) and/or at least one of said secondary axles (6, 26).