EP2619361A2

EP2619361A2 - Shed-forming device for a weaving machine

Info

Publication number: EP2619361A2
Application number: EP11748420.4A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Dirk Sampers; Kristof Roelstraete
Original assignee: Picanol NV
Current assignee: Picanol NV
Priority date: 2010-09-24
Filing date: 2011-08-26
Publication date: 2013-07-31
Anticipated expiration: 2031-08-26
Also published as: WO2012038193A3; CN103221596B; EP2619361B1; BE1019517A3; CN103221596A; WO2012038193A2

Abstract

Shed-forming device comprising a number of drive levers (4, 33) and a number of transmission mechanisms (2, 34), wherein each transmission mechanism (2, 34) can drive a heald frame (3) and can be driven by a driving device (14) via a drive lever (4, 33), wherein the transmission mechanism (2, 34) and the drive lever (4, 33) are coupled in a specific coupling position by means of a connection (5), and wherein at least one indication (22, 23, 27, 28, 46) for a reference coupling position is provided on at least one drive lever (4, 33). Method for producing and method for setting a shed-forming device (1) for a weaving machine.

Description

Shed-forming device for a weaving machine.

[0001] The invention relates to a shed-forming device for a weaving machine comprising a number of drive levers and a number of transmission mechanisms, in which each transmission mechanism can drive a heald frame and can be driven by a driving device via a drive lever. The invention also relates to a method for producing such a shed-forming device and a method for using such a shed-forming device. [0002] In weaving machines, a shed-forming device serves to form planes of warp threads between which a shed is formed in order to allow weft threads to be introduced into the shed. A known shed-forming device usually drives at least two heald frames and comprises a transmission mechanism for each heald frame in order to move the heald frame up and down and a drive lever driven by a driving device for driving the transmission mechanism for the heald frame. A transmission mechanism is generally driven by means of a driving device, such as a dobby, a cam box, an eccenter mechanism or any other driving device.

[0003] Such a driving device as described in EP 0 742 298 A2 drives several drive levers, typically each heald frame is associated with one drive lever. For each heald frame, the transmission mechanism in this case comprises a rod which is connected to a drive lever, a first hinge lever, a horizontal rod, a second hinge lever and two vertical rods for the transmission of the to-and-fro rotary movement of an associated hinge lever to an up and down movement of the heald frame. EP 1 613 800 Bl describes a transmission mechanism having three hinge levers and three vertical rods .

[0004] The movements of all heald frames together determine the shape of the shed. The movements, in particular the amplitudes of the movements of the heald frames, are dependent on different parameters, such as, inter alia, the length of the rods and/or the hinge levers of the transmission mechanism, the course of movement of the drive levers and/or the coupling position of the transmission mechanism and the drive lever. A desired amplitude of the movement of a heald frame can be chosen depending on different parameters, such as the material of the fabric to be woven, the number of heald frames which has been used, the desired weaving pattern, the weaving speed, the type of heald frame and/or the type of transmission mechanism.

[0005] One possibility for adjusting the amplitude of the movement of a heald frame is to adjust the course of movement of the drive lever driven by the driving device. Depending on the type of driving device, methods and devices are known for changing the course of movement of the drive levers. However, in general, the course of movement cannot be changed without demounting the driving device.

[0006] Another possibility for adjusting the amplitude of the movement of a heald frame is to adjust the length of the hinge levers and/or of the rods of a transmission mechanism and/or to change the position of mutual connection points of the hinge levers and/or of the rods. In practice, the transmission mechanism is chosen during assembly of the weaving machine and is not subsequently altered any more.

[0007] In general, a transmission mechanism is coupled to a drive lever driven by the driving device by means of a connection which is set to a coupling position. A settable connection makes it possible to move the coupling position in which the transmission mechanism is coupled to the associated drive lever for an adjustment of the amplitude. If several heald frames have to be moved, the desired coupling positions can be set differently for different heald frames. In practice, once the weaving machine has been assembled, the setting of the amplitude of the movement of a heald frame of a weaving machine is only carried out by adjusting the coupling positions of the settable connections .

[0008] In practice, tables are available in which reference coupling positions are defined for the settable connections between the transmission mechanism and the drive levers for a desired setting of the shed, as a function of the type of driving device and/or of the design of the transmission mechanism. A reference coupling position can, for example, be given by giving the distance of this reference coupling position from the end of a drive lever.

[0009] In order to adjust the coupling position according to these tables, it is known to use a ruler for setting the different coupling positions to an associated reference coupling position. In addition, JP 64-22789 discloses that a scale is provided on the drive levers in order to facilitate an adjustment. However, the adjustment of the coupling positions still requires, among other things, knowledge of the type of driving device, of the design of the transmission mechanism and the use of an associated table for determining the desired coupling position.

[0010] It is an object of the invention to facilitate the setting of a coupling position in such a manner that no knowledge of the driving device, no knowledge of the design of the transmission mechanism and/or no use of a table is required. It is further an object to provide a shed-forming device in which the setting of a coupling position is facilitated. [0011] The object of the invention is achieved by a shed-forming device wherein the transmission mechanism and the drive lever are coupled in a specific coupling position by means of a connection, and wherein at least one indication for a reference coupling position is provided on the drive lever.

[0012] The invention makes it possible to provide an indication on the drive lever associated with a reference coupling position with a specific driving device, a specific transmission mechanism and a specific drive lever. The invention also makes it possible to provide a number of indications on the drive lever which are associated with a number of reference coupling positions. The at least one indication for a reference coupling position can be selected on the basis of, for example, a table for a specific weaving configuration and/or for a desired setting of the shed. Providing an indication for a reference coupling position on a drive lever which is arranged between the transmission mechanism and the driving device, can be carried out particularly advantageously during assembly of the weaving machine, so that an operator of the weaving machine in a weaving room without knowledge of the driving device and/or without knowledge of the transmission mechanism can use the indication for a reference coupling position in order to set the connection to a specific coupling position .

[0013] According to a preferred embodiment, an indication for a reference coupling position is provided on a number of predetermined drive levers on a weaving machine with a shed-forming device for a number of heald frames, each of which is driven via a transmission mechanism by a driving device. According to an advantageous embodiment, each drive lever is provided with an indication for a reference coupling position .

[0014] According to an embodiment, the driving device also comprises the drive levers, more particularly, the drive levers are integrated into the driving device. According to another embodiment, the transmission mechanism also comprises the drive levers, more particularly the drive levers are integrated into the transmission mechanism. The driving device may consist of a dobby, a cam box, an eccenter mechanism or any other driving device. EP 1 613 800 Bl describes different variant driving devices.

[0015] In general, the desired amplitude of the movement of a heald frame increases with the distance of the respective heald frame from the beat-up line, for example increases linearly. If the reference coupling positions for adjacent drive levers are identical, an indication of the position of a reference coupling position on one drive lever may suffice to adjust the coupling positions of successive heald frames. Also if the reference coupling positions for adjacent drive levers are related to each other in a simple way, for example related linearly, one indication of a reference coupling position may suffice. In the latter case, a first indication for a reference coupling position may be provided on a first drive lever, while a second indication for a reference coupling position is provided on a second drive lever, while for the drive levers which are situated between the first and second drive lever, coupling positions can be set which are linearly related to the first and second indications for a reference coupling position.

[0016] According to a preferred embodiment, at least one indication for a reference coupling position is provided on each of at least two drive levers which are arranged next to one another. This is particularly advantageous if these reference coupling positions are not related to one another.

[0017] With transmission mechanisms for moving associated heald frames, it is possible to use hinge levers which differ from one another and which impose a corresponding movement to the associated heald frames. In particular, both a first and a second hinge lever may be designed differently for the movement of the associated heald frames. Because of this, a linear relationship between the desired amplitudes of the movements of successive heald frames does not result in a linear relationship between the settings of successive coupling positions of the connections. [0018] The movements of the drive levers which are driven by the driving device can also be adjusted differently for the movement of different heald frames. For example, the amplitude of the movement, more particularly the rotary movement of a first number of drive levers which are connected to heald frames in a position closer to the beat-up line, can be set to be smaller than the movement, more particularly the rotary movement, of a subsequent number of drive levers which are connected to the heald frames in a position further from the beat-up line. This may also lead to a non^¬ linear relationship between the desired amplitudes of the movements of successive heald frames and the corresponding settings of successive coupling positions of the connection by means of which associated driving mechanisms and drive levers are connected to one another .

[0019] In particular if the relationship between the amplitudes of the movements of successive heald frames and the respective successive coupling positions is not linear, an adjustment of the coupling positions is difficult, since the operator who carries out the adjustment may not be familiar with the specifics of the transmission mechanism and/or of the driving device. In practice, one or more steps in the succession of coupling positions can often be identified, which is to say that for different groups of drive levers successive coupling positions can be distinguished, wherein the coupling positions follow one another according to a more or less similar relationship within each group of drive levers, while this does not apply to successive coupling positions associated with different groups of drive levers. This results in what is referred to as a step between these successive coupling positions of different groups of drive levers. With a step, the difference in position between successive coupling positions can be distinctly different from the difference in position between successive coupling positions where no step occurs. Incorrectly setting the connection in a coupling position at a step can therefore result in a greatly deformed shed, which may cause both weaving faults and warp thread breakages. The invention is particularly advantageous if such a step is present, as, with a step, the reference coupling positions for drive levers arranged adjacent to each other are not related to one another .

[0020] By providing indications for reference coupling positions according to the invention which are perceptible, for example visually perceptible, setting or adjusting a coupling position is facilitated and the operator who carries out the setting or adjustments will always be aware of the presence and the location of a step.

[0021] According to an embodiment, a single set of perceptible indications is provided which indicate reference coupling positions for a standard setting of the shed, that is to say a setting which is usually used with a specific weaving configuration, for example a weaving configuration which is associated with a certain type of fabric to be woven and a certain type of weaving machine, for example an air jet weaving machine or a gripper weaving machine. In another embodiment, the set of indications indicates an "average" setting for the shed, which means a setting of which deviations to a certain extent are tolerated, for example from weaving machine to weaving machine. With yet another embodiment, the set of indications indicates unusual or special settings for the shed, such as an elliptical setting for the shed.

[0022] According to another embodiment, perceptible indications for at least a first and a second reference coupling position are provided on the at least one drive lever. These at least first and second indications may indicate reference coupling positions for at least one first and one second limit position for the shed between which an operator may set the adjustable coupling position.

[0023] According to another preferred embodiment, a number of perceptible indications with different characteristics are provided on the at least one drive lever which indicate at least a first and second reference coupling position. More particularly, preferably at least a first and a second set of visually perceptible indications with different characteristics are provided on the respective drive levers. According to an embodiment, the different characteristics comprise for example different shapes and/or different colours and/or different symbols. An indication may consist of a single part, for example a line, a groove or the like. The indication may also consist of several parts, for example two or more lines, grooves or the like which are applied parallel to one another and at a small distance from one another .

[ 0024 ] According to another embodiment, the indication, the set of indications or the number of sets of indications is provided permanently on the at least one drive lever. According to preferred embodiments, the indications are printed, engraved, cut or provided on the drive levers in different manners. The indications facilitate adjustment of the coupling positions and make it readily possible to set the coupling positions correctly.

[ 0025 ] The object of the invention is also achieved by a method for producing a shed-forming device wherein the transmission mechanism and the drive lever may be coupled in a certain coupling position by means of a connection, and wherein at least one indication for a reference coupling position is applied to at least one drive lever.

[ 0026] According to an embodiment, at least one indication for at least one reference coupling position is applied to at least two drive levers. In addition, at least one indication for at least one reference coupling position may be provided on a number of drive levers or at least one indication for at least one reference coupling position may be provided on each drive lever.

[ 0027 ] According to an embodiment, permanent indications are applied to drive levers during assembly of the drive levers. According to another embodiment, indications are applied during the assembly of the weaving machine, during installation of the weaving machine in a weaving mill and/or just before weaving with a desired weaving configuration. [0028] In particular, if a desired setting of the shed is to be set which is not a standard setting, a non- permanent indication, for example using paint or adhesives, may be preferred. [0029] Also a template can be used for applying at least one perceptible indication for a reference coupling position to at least one drive lever which makes it possible to drive a transmission mechanism using a driving device for a weaving machine. The template may be used to provide permanent as well as temporary indications.

[0030] According to an embodiment, a template is used to provide at least one perceptible indication on the at least one drive lever. A template is individualized for a certain weaving configuration and for a certain setting of the shed on a certain shed-forming device. Using a template allows an operator to select, for example, a setting which is used frequently and to provide this on a weaving machine. According to an embodiment, the template serves as a guide for applying indications in writing, using paint, grooves, adhesives or other means, to the drive levers. According to another embodiment, the template is used as a temporary indication, for example if a rarely used pattern has to be set or in an assembly line for weaving machines. The template may be provided, for example, above the first drive lever while an indication is being provided at subsequent drive levers by means of the template.

[0031] The object of the invention is achieved by a method for setting a shed-forming device for a weaving machine, wherein the shed-forming device comprises a number of drive levers and a number of transmission mechanisms, wherein each transmission mechanism can drive a heald frame and can be driven by a driving device via a drive lever, wherein the transmission mechanism and the drive lever are coupled in a specific coupling position by means of a connection, and wherein the coupling position between the transmission mechanism and the drive lever is set as a function of an indication for a reference coupling position which is provided on the drive lever.

[0032] In the following, embodiments of the invention will be described in more detail with reference to the following schematic drawings, the same reference numerals being used throughout the figures to indicate identical or similar parts.

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration in perspective of a shed-forming device according to the invention,

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of a cross section, viewed in accordance with arrow A in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic illustration of a view of the drive levers from Fig. 2 in accordance with arrow B,

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic illustration, similar to

Fig. 2, of different connections,

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic illustration, similar to

Fig. 3, of the drive levers from Fig. 4 with a number of connections,

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic illustration of the drive levers from Fig. 5,

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic illustration of a variant of

Fig. 6 of drive levers provided with indications,

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic illustration of a variant of

Fig. 6 of drive levers provided with indications ,

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic illustration of a variant of

Fig. 6 of drive levers provided with indications , Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic illustration of a variant of

Fig. 6 in which a template has been placed above the drive levers,

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic illustration similar to

Fig. 3 in which a template has been placed above the drive levers,

Fig. 12 is a diagrammatic illustration of a view of a shed-forming device according to the invention, Fig. 13 is a diagrammatic illustration of a variant from Fig. 12, and

Fig. 14 is a diagrammatic illustration of drive levers in accordance with arrow C in Fig. 12.

[0033] Fig. 1 diagrammatically shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a shed-forming device 1 with a number of transmission mechanisms 2, each of which is connected to a heald frame 3. In general, weaving is carried out with at least two different heald frames 3, each of which is driven via an associated transmission mechanism 2. For the sake of clarity of the illustration, only two heald frames 3 are illustrated. The shed-forming device 1 also comprises different drive levers 4 which are coupled to a rod 6 of the transmission mechanism 2 via an settable connection 5. A transmission mechanism 2 furthermore comprises a first hinge lever 7, a horizontal rod 8, a second hinge lever 9 and vertical rods 10 and 11. The transmission mechanism serves to convert a to-and-fro movement of the coupled drive lever 4 into an up-and-down movement of the heald frame 3. In this case, the heald frame 3 can move in the guides 12 and 13 of a weaving machine, which is not illustrated. Furthermore, a driving device 14 is illustrated which drives the drive levers 4. With a number of heald frames 3 a shed 47 is formed between two planes of warp threads 48 and 49, in which case the planes of warp threads 48 and 49 blend into a fabric 51 at a beat-up line 50. [0034] In Fig. 2, the connection 5, the rod 6 and the drive lever 4 coupled thereto are illustrated in more detail. The cross section of the driving device 14 shows an embodiment for driving the drive levers 4. The driving device 14 comprises a drive shaft 15, which is driven, for example, directly or indirectly by a drive motor (not shown) , an eccenter 16 that is driven by the drive shaft 15 and a drive rod 17 which is moved to and fro by the eccenter 16. The drive rod 17 drives the drive lever 4 via a shaft 18, the drive lever 4 being arranged so as to be rotatable about a shaft 19. The driving device 14 can, of course, also be designed as a dobby, for example as a dobby as known from IPC class "D03C 1", a cam box or another known drive which can be used with a shed-forming device. In this case, the drive levers 4 are integrated into the driving device 14, more particularly in the housing of the driving device 14.

[0035] The coupling position of the connection 5 on the drive lever 4 can be shifted towards the end 20 of the drive lever 4 or shifted away from the end 20 along the drive lever 4 in order to set the amplitude of the movement of the rod 6, the connected hinge levers 7 and 9, horizontal rod 8, vertical rods 10 and 11 and the heald frame 3. The coupling position can be adjusted by means of the settable connection 5.

[0036] In practice, the distance D between the end 20 of the drive lever 4 and the adjustable connection 5 is for example indicated by the number of millimetres in order to give a coupling position for a certain weaving configuration. The adjustable connection 5 comprises a fixing element 21 by means of which the adjustable connection 5 can be fixed on the drive lever 4 in a certain coupling position. In this case, the coupling position of the adjustable connection 5 is set on the drive lever 4. [0037] Fig. 3 diagrammatically shows the drive levers 4 and the adjustable connection 5 from Fig. 2 viewed in accordance with arrow B from Fig. 2. Fig. 3 also shows a number of indications 22 which are provided on a number of drive levers 4. As can be seen, the various indications 22 are linearly related. This can be used, for example, if all drive levers 4 are of identical design and are driven in the same manner, and if all transmission mechanisms 2 are of identical design. [0038] Figs. 4 and 5 show an illustration of an embodiment, wherein a number of transmission mechanisms 2 is each driven by an associated drive lever 4. The various drive levers 4 are arranged next to one another and are each coupled to a different rod 6 of a certain transmission mechanism 2 for a heald frame 3 by means of an associated adjustable connection 5. The connections 5 are attached to an associated drive lever 4 at different coupling positions, in other words are positioned at a different distance D from the associated end 20. The drive levers 4 are divided into two groups 24 and 25. The differences in position between adjacent coupling positions within each group 24 or 25 are rather limited, while the difference in position between the adjacent coupling positions which do not belong to the same group can be relatively large .

[0039] As is illustrated in Fig. 6, an indication 22 or 23 for a reference coupling position is provided on each drive lever 4. The differences in position H between adjacent reference coupling positions within groups 24 and 25 are rather limited. However, the difference in position I between the adjacent reference coupling positions of two drive levers 4 which are arranged next to one another and which belong to a different group 24 or 25, is relatively large. The difference in position I between the reference coupling positions of adjacent drive levers 4 with indications 22 or 23 is referred to as a step.

[0040] The step can, for example, be caused as a result of the drive levers 4 of the one group 24 being driven by a drive rod 17 at the shaft 18, while the drive levers 4 of the other group 25 are driven by a similar drive rod 17 at the shaft 26. In this case, the shaft 26 is indicated in Fig. 2 and situated closer to the shaft 19 than the shaft 18, so that, at the same displacement of the drive rod 17, a drive lever 4 which is driven at the shaft 26 is moved over a larger angle than a drive lever 4 which is driven at the shaft 18. The step may, for example, also or in addition be caused by the fact that the first hinge levers 7 associated with the drive levers 4 of group 24 are driven by the rods 6 at a shaft 52 and the first hinge levers 7 which are associated with the drive levers 4 of group 25 are driven by rods 6 at a shaft 53. The shafts 52 and 53 are illustrated in Fig. 1. The vertical levers 10 and 11 may, also or in addition, be driven by the hinge levers 43 and 9 at the shafts 56 for the group 24 and at the shafts 45 for the group 25. The shafts 56 and 45 are illustrated in Fig. 13.

[0041] Figs. 5 and 6 show connections 5 and indications 22 and 23 for reference coupling positions for a so-called elliptical setting of the shed, in which the differences in positions H and I and the positions of the connections 5 are chosen in such a manner that a shed 47 assumes a rather elliptical shape. This means that the amplitude of the movements of the heald frames 3 which are situated closer to a beat-up line 50 is chosen to be greater than in the case of a conventional diamond-shaped setting of the shed and that the amplitude of the movements of the heald frames 3 which are situated further from a beat- up line 50 is chosen to be smaller than in the case of a conventional diamond-shaped setting of the shed. With a diamond-shaped setting of the shed, the amplitude of the movements of successive heald frames 3 increases linearly as a heald frame 3 is situated further away from a beat-up line 50. Due to the elliptical setting, the differences in pressure between warp threads which are moved through various heald frames 3 are kept rather limited, as a result of which a more even fabric 51, illustrated in Fig. 1, can be produced. The use of indications 22, 23 is particularly advantageous for setting an elliptical shed.

[0042] In Fig. 7, in a way similar to that of Fig. 5, the drive levers 4 are provided with indications 22 and 27. With the group 24, the indications 22 are linearly related, more specifically all differences in position J are equal, while with the group 25, the indications 27 do not show any difference in position. In this case, the difference in position K between two indications 22 and 27 of two adjacent drive levers 4 forms a step. If a setting is selected for the shed which comprises identical reference coupling positions for different adjacent connections, as is the case for the adjustable connections 27, it may be sufficient to provide an indication 27 on only one of the associated drive levers 4 for these reference coupling positions. A connection 5 may, for example, be set to a reference coupling position which is indicated by the indication 27 and subsequently the other connections can be set identically to the connection which is associated with the indication 27.

[0043] Fig. 8 shows drive levers 4 to which a visually perceptible indication 22 for a reference coupling position is applied. In this case, an indication 22 is provided on the outer drive levers 4. In addition, an indication is applied to two adjacent drive levers 4 which are situated between the outer drive levers 4. When the reference coupling positions for example are linearly related, it is sufficient to provide a limited number of indications 22, while in this embodiment also the location of the step and a difference in position of reference positions at the step is indicated.

[0044] Fig. 9 shows drive levers 4 which are provided with indications 22 which form a first set of indications, and in which, in addition to the indications 22, indications 28 are also applied to each drive lever 4 which form a second set of indications. A first set of indications 22 indicates, for example, the reference coupling positions for a standard setting of the shed 47 for the weaving machine of which the shed- forming device 1 forms part. If this setting is given in a table, the indications 22 are for example in each case placed at the distances of the ends 20 from the drive levers 4. The distances may be given in an appropriate table, similar to the distance D from Fig. 2. According to an embodiment, the second set of indications 28 can indicate two reference coupling positions for limit positions of the shed 47 between which an operator can set the coupling positions of correspondingly adjustable connections 5.

[0045] In this case, the indications 22 and the indications 28 have different optically perceptible characteristics, for example, the indications 22 are in the form of a dot and the indications 28 are in the form of a dash. The colour of the indications 22 and 28 may also differ, for example. The indications 22 and 28 can be applied to the drive levers 4 by means of notching, etching, writing, painting or by using adhesives or the like.

[0046] Figs. 10 and 11 are similar to Figs. 5 and 4, respectively, and show an embodiment of the drive levers 4 of a driving device 2, to which adjustable connections 5 are attached. A template 29 according to the invention is placed on the drive levers 4 and is formed so, for example, that inner sides 30 and 31 of the template 29 can bear against the drive levers 4 in such a way that the template 29, when repeatedly taken away and placed back on the drive levers 4, always easily can be placed back in the same position for setting the shed, preferably exclusively in one specific position for setting the shed. According to an embodiment, the template 29 is provided with a profiled section 32 which makes it possible to indicate reference coupling positions on the drive levers 4 in an unambiguous manner. According to a preferred embodiment, the profiled section 32 is also designed as a profiled edge against which the adjustable connections 5 can be shifted in such a manner that the coupling positions of the adjustable connections 5 correspond to the reference coupling positions for a specific weaving configuration. [0047] According to another embodiment, the profiled section 32 is designed as openings through the inner side 30 of the template 29 which are such that the adjustable connections 5 can only be shifted over the drive levers 4 in these openings. According to yet another embodiment, a template 29 is placed on the drive levers 4 and indications are provided, for example by following the profiled section 32 using a felt-tip pen. Thereafter, the indications can be provided in another suitable way on the drive levers 4. As a result thereof, the adjustable connections 5 can, for example, be set to the reference coupling positions as indicated by the indications.

[0048] Fig. 12 diagrammatically shows a shed-forming device 1 for a heald frame 3 having a drive lever 33 and a transmission mechanism 34. In this case, the drive lever 33 is incorporated into the transmission mechanism 34. The driving device 14 for driving the drive lever 33 comprises a drive shaft 35, an eccenter 36 provided on the drive shaft 35, a drive rod 37 driven by the eccenter 36, a lever 39 which is driven, via the shaft 38, by the drive rod 37 and which is arranged so as to be rotatable about a shaft 40, and a rod 42 which is driven by the lever 39 via a shaft 41. Via the connection 5, the rod 42 drives the drive lever 33. In this embodiment, the drive lever 33 is made in one piece with the first hinge lever 43 of the transmission mechanism 34 and is connected to the rod 42 of the driving device 14 via the connection 5. The transmission mechanism 34, comprising the first hinge lever 43, a horizontal rod 8, a second hinge lever 9, a third hinge lever 54 and three vertical rods 10, 11 and 55, transmits the movement of the drive lever 33 to the heald frame 3. According to a variant (not shown), the transmission mechanism may comprise more than three hinge levers and associated vertical rods. [0049] Fig. 13 shows a shed-forming device 1 which is similar to that from Fig. 12, but in which the dimensions of the hinge levers 43 and 9 differ from those of Fig. 12, more particularly, the distance E between a rotation point 44 of a hinge lever 43, 9 and the shaft 45 for a rod 10, 11 is greater than the distance E indicated in Fig. 12. This makes it possible for the amplitude of the movement of the heald frame 3 from Fig. 13 to be larger than the amplitude of the movement of the heald frame 3 from Fig. 12 at the same course of movement or angular rotation of a drive lever 33.

[0050] In Fig. 14 a group 24 of drive levers 33 is formed which are embodied, for example, as indicated in Fig. 12, and a group 25 of drive levers which are embodied, for example, as indicated in Fig. 13, viewed in accordance with arrow C. In order to achieve a virtually linear curve of the amplitude of movement of the successive heald frames 3, the successive reference coupling positions in this case also have a step at the location of a spot of two adjacent drive levers 33 which belong to a different group 24 or 25. The difference in transmission mechanism 34 leads to a step as can be seen with the indications 46 applied to the drive levers 33 as shown in Fig. 14.

[0051] A shed-forming device 1 according to the invention is produced by applying at least one indication 22, 23, 27, 28, 46 for a reference coupling position to a drive lever 4, 33. According to the invention, by using such an indication 22, 23, 27, 28, 46, a drive lever 4, 33 and a transmission mechanism 2, 34 can be coupled in a specific coupling position by means of a connection 5, with the coupling position being determined as a function of at least one indication 22, 23, 27, 28, 46 for a reference coupling position which is provided on the drive lever 4, 33. [0052] The shed-forming device and the methods according to the invention illustrated in the claims is not limited to the exemplary embodiments illustrated and described by way of example, but may also comprise variants and combinations of these exemplary embodiments which fall under the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A shed-forming device for a weaving machine, wherein the shed-forming device (1) comprises a number of drive levers (4, 33) and a number of transmission mechanisms (2, 34), wherein each transmission mechanism (2, 34) can drive a heald frame (3) and can be driven by a driving device (14) via a drive lever (4, 33) , and wherein the transmission mechanism (2, 34) and the drive lever (4, 33) are coupled in a specific coupling position by means of a connection (5), characterized in that at least one indication (22, 23, 27, 28, 46) for a reference coupling position is provided on at least one drive lever (4, 33) .

2. The shed-forming device according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one indication (22, 23, 27, 28, 46) for a reference coupling position is provided on a number of predetermined drive levers (4, 33) of the shed-forming device (1) .

3. The shed-forming device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at least one indication (22, 23, 27, 28, 46) for a reference coupling position is provided on each drive lever (4, 33) of the shed- forming device (1) .

4. The shed-forming device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the drive levers (4) are integrated into the driving device (14) .

5. The shed-forming device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the drive levers (33) are integrated into the transmission mechanism (34) .

6. The shed-forming device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that on at least two drive levers (4, 33) which are arranged next to one another at least one indication (22, 23, 27, 28, 46) for a reference coupling position is provided, each.

7. A method for producing a shed-forming device (1) for a weaving machine, wherein the shed-forming device (1) comprises a number of drive levers (4, 33) and a number of transmission mechanisms (2, 34), wherein each transmission mechanism (2, 34) can drive a heald frame (3) and can be driven by a driving device (14) via a drive lever (4, 33), and wherein the transmission mechanism (2, 34) and the drive lever (4, 33) are coupled in a specific coupling position by means of a connection (5), characterized in that at least one indication (22, 23, 27, 28, 46) for a reference coupling position is provided on at least one drive lever (4, 33) .

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that at least one indication (22, 23, 27, 28, 46) for a reference coupling position is provided on at least two drive levers (4, 33) which are arranged next to one another .

9. The method according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that a template (29) is used in order to provide at least one indication

(22, 23, 27, 28, 46) .

10. A method for setting a shed-forming device (1) for a weaving machine, wherein the shed-forming device (1) comprises a number of drive levers (4, 33) and a number of transmission mechanisms (2, 34), wherein each transmission mechanism (2, 34) can drive a heald frame (3) and can be driven by a driving device (14) via a drive lever (4, 33), and wherein the transmission mechanism (2, 34) and the drive lever (4, 33) are coupled in a specific coupling position by means of a connection (5), characterized in that the coupling position between the transmission mechanism (2, 34) and the drive lever (4, 33) is set based on an indication (22, 23, 27, 28, 46) for a reference coupling position which is provided on the drive lever (4, 33) .