GB1578628A

GB1578628A - Apparatus for inserting a weft in a shed of a loom by means of a flowing fluid

Info

Publication number: GB1578628A
Application number: GB2937479A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1976-09-04
Filing date: 1977-02-28
Publication date: 1980-11-05
Also published as: DE2639998A1; DE2639998C3; DE2639998B2

Description

(54) APPARATUS FOR INSERTING A WEFT IN A SHED OF A LOOM BY MEANS OF A FLOWING FLUID (71) I, WALTER SCHEFFEL, of 8832 Weissenburg, Hopfenstrasse 14, Germany, (Fed. Rep.) of German nationality, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The invention relates to apparatus for inserting a weft in a shed of a loom by means of a flowing fluid.

The invention provides apparatus for inserting a weft in a shed of a loom by means of a flowing fluid, comprising a plurality of fluid outlets spaced from each other in a weft picking direction for introducing a fluid into a weft passage of the loom, at least one source of fluid, fluid feed means for feeding fluid under pressure from said source to each fluid outlet at a selected moment in time relative to the operation of the loom and means for varying the timing of the fluid feed means.

Preferably, said fluid feed means includes a plurality of fluid feed devices, each fluid feed device being connected to one or a group of said fluid outlets.

Preferably, the means for varying the timing of the fluid feed means comprises means for varying the timing of the fluid feed devices individually.

Preferably, the means for varying the timing of the fluid feed means comprises means for varying the timing of all fluid feed devices together.

Thus, it is possible to provide apparatus wherein the timing of pressure pulses from all fluid feed devices, which may be in the form of diaphragm pumps, may be varied together in a simple manner during operation, or wherein the timing of pressure pulses of each fluid feed device may be varied independently of the other devices according to requirements when interweaving a specific material.

The invention will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a side view of one embodiment of apparatus for inserting a weft in a shed of a weaving loom, according to the invention, Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan view showing a detail of Figure 1, and Figures 3 and 4 are schematic plan views illustrating two different arrangements of pressurised fluid supply means of the apparatus shown in Figure 1.

The apparatus shown in the drawings is used to feed a weft in a shed of a weaving loom, such as a loom as described in my copending British Patent Application No.

8327/77 Serial No. 1578627. The latter application describes a loom comprising a reed and a plurality of confusors supported in spaced relationship from each other in a weft picking direction, each confusor having a recess defined between lower and upper confusor arms, each recess being open on the reed side and narrowing away from the reed towards a closed end, the recesses defining a weft passage having a major axis adjacent to the closed ends of the recesses, some only of the confusors having fluid outlets for introducing a fluid into the weft passage, the fluid outlets being disposed in said lower confusor arms adjacent the open end of the recesses and being orientated so as to introduce fluid into the weft passage along a fluid introduction axis which is inclined away from said reed and towards said major axis in a weft picking direction, each paid of adjacent fluid outlet bearing confusors having interposed therebetween one or more confusors without fluid outlets and the recesses being dimensioned so that successive portions of the weft passage narrow in a weft picking direction starting at a confusor succeeding a fluid outlet bearing confusor and terminating at the next fluid outlet bearing confusor such that the fluid introduction axis does not intersect said lower arms of downstream confusors.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is shown therein a loom having a plurality of fluid outlets for inserting a weft in a shed of the loom. The outlets are spaced from each other in a weft picking direction over the cloth width. A plurality of fluid feed devices, in the form of pumps 1, are connected to the fluid outlets through feed ducts with each pump 1 delivering fluid to an associated fluid outlet or group of fluid outlets in synchronism with the picking motion of the weft. The pumps 1 are mounted in series axially on a rotatable shaft 2 and are arranged in a loom having a slay 3, fabric take-off 4, a cross beam 5, heddles 6, and a warp beam 7. The pumps 1 are each independently pivotable about the shaft 2. Thus, the pressure pulses of each individual pump can be separately timed by adjustment in a clamping slot 8.The drive of the pumps 1 from the shaft 2 is effected by a loom shaft 9, for example by means of a toothed belt or a chain 11, 12. The toothed belt or chain 11, 12 passes over two tensioning pulleys supported respectively by arms 15, 16 which are in turn mounted on the loom shaft 9 and which are urged apart by compression spring 13. The tensioning pulleys 10 are angularly adjustable about the shaft 9 by means of a screwthreaded spindle 14 whereby the length of the two limbs of the belt or chain extending between the shaft 9 and the shaft 2 can be varied. Thus, the timing can be varied of all of the pumps 1 driven by the shaft 2 during operation of the loom and this is advantageous, inter alia, when a change of loom speed is effected.

The pumps 1 are spaced axially along the shaft 2 and each has an associated operating cam 16a secured to the shaft 2 for rotation therewith. The cam surfaces of the cams 16a are angularly staggered with respect to each other in accordance with the required flow characteristics from the fluid outlets spaced across the loom in a weft picking direction.

Referring to Figure 2, each pump 1 has a support 17, diaphragm 18, pressure casing 19 and a pump operating lever 20 which is pivotably connected to the support 17 at 21.

The support 17 is pivotably adjustable about the shaft 2 along the slot 8, a clamping screw 23 connected to the loom frame permitting a selected angular position of the support 17 to be releasably secured. The pump operating lever 20 has a roller 24 which is urged against an outer edge of the cam surface of the cam 16a by a spring 25 bearing against the pump operating lever 20. The loading of the spring 25 can be adjusted in accordance with the amount of fluid pressure required.

This adjustment is achieved by a screw loading device 26 which is adjustable in the support 17. The screw loading device 26 is provided with a hole to admit a threaded bolt 27 which carries a diaphragm 18 or a piston. Mounted on this threaded bolt 27 and two nuts 28 which, with a damping flexible body 29 interposed, limit the lift of the pump operating lever 20 together with the diaphragm 18. The possibility of reducing the fluid volume delivered for certain types of fabric will have the result of saving energy. Delivery lines 30 are mounted on the pressure casing 19 for supplying fluid under pressure to the aforesaid fluid outlets.

Each pump 1 also has a check valve 32 to which is connected a common pipe 33 through which fluid drawn into the pump enters.

Figures 3 and 4 are schematic views illustrating several pumps 1 arranged in a space saving manner. Each pump can supply one or a group of fluid outlets 31 through flexible feed ducts 30 in order to obtain a desired flow characteristic across the width of the loom.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. Apparatus for inserting a weft in a shed of a loom by means of a flowing fluid, comprising a plurality of fluid outlets spaced from each other in a weft picking direction for introducing a fluid into a weft passage of the loom, at least one source of fluid, fluid feed means for feeding fluid under pressure from said source to each fluid outlet at a selected moment in time relative to the operation of the loom and means for varying the timing of the fluid feed means.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fluid feed means includes a plurality of fluid feed devices, each fluid feed device being connected to one or a group of said fluid outlets.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the means for varying the timing of the fluid feed means comprises means for varying the timing of the fluid feed devices individually.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the means for varying the timing of the fluid feed means comprises means for varying the timing of all fluid feed devices -together.

5. Apparatus as claimed in anyone of claims 2-4 wherein each fluid feed device is operated by a respective cam having a quick return and staggered relative to the other cams with which it is drivable in unison with the loom.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a rotatable shaft on which the cams are mounted, a positive drive for connecting the rotatable shaft to a loom shaft, and means for varying the phase relationship of the rotatable shaft with respect to the loom shaft.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 or 6,

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. introduction axis does not intersect said lower arms of downstream confusors. Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is shown therein a loom having a plurality of fluid outlets for inserting a weft in a shed of the loom. The outlets are spaced from each other in a weft picking direction over the cloth width. A plurality of fluid feed devices, in the form of pumps 1, are connected to the fluid outlets through feed ducts with each pump 1 delivering fluid to an associated fluid outlet or group of fluid outlets in synchronism with the picking motion of the weft. The pumps 1 are mounted in series axially on a rotatable shaft 2 and are arranged in a loom having a slay 3, fabric take-off 4, a cross beam 5, heddles 6, and a warp beam 7. The pumps 1 are each independently pivotable about the shaft 2. Thus, the pressure pulses of each individual pump can be separately timed by adjustment in a clamping slot 8.The drive of the pumps 1 from the shaft 2 is effected by a loom shaft 9, for example by means of a toothed belt or a chain 11, 12. The toothed belt or chain 11, 12 passes over two tensioning pulleys supported respectively by arms 15, 16 which are in turn mounted on the loom shaft 9 and which are urged apart by compression spring 13. The tensioning pulleys 10 are angularly adjustable about the shaft 9 by means of a screwthreaded spindle 14 whereby the length of the two limbs of the belt or chain extending between the shaft 9 and the shaft 2 can be varied. Thus, the timing can be varied of all of the pumps 1 driven by the shaft 2 during operation of the loom and this is advantageous, inter alia, when a change of loom speed is effected. The pumps 1 are spaced axially along the shaft 2 and each has an associated operating cam 16a secured to the shaft 2 for rotation therewith. The cam surfaces of the cams 16a are angularly staggered with respect to each other in accordance with the required flow characteristics from the fluid outlets spaced across the loom in a weft picking direction. Referring to Figure 2, each pump 1 has a support 17, diaphragm 18, pressure casing 19 and a pump operating lever 20 which is pivotably connected to the support 17 at 21. The support 17 is pivotably adjustable about the shaft 2 along the slot 8, a clamping screw 23 connected to the loom frame permitting a selected angular position of the support 17 to be releasably secured. The pump operating lever 20 has a roller 24 which is urged against an outer edge of the cam surface of the cam 16a by a spring 25 bearing against the pump operating lever 20. The loading of the spring 25 can be adjusted in accordance with the amount of fluid pressure required. This adjustment is achieved by a screw loading device 26 which is adjustable in the support 17. The screw loading device 26 is provided with a hole to admit a threaded bolt 27 which carries a diaphragm 18 or a piston. Mounted on this threaded bolt 27 and two nuts 28 which, with a damping flexible body 29 interposed, limit the lift of the pump operating lever 20 together with the diaphragm 18. The possibility of reducing the fluid volume delivered for certain types of fabric will have the result of saving energy. Delivery lines 30 are mounted on the pressure casing 19 for supplying fluid under pressure to the aforesaid fluid outlets. Each pump 1 also has a check valve 32 to which is connected a common pipe 33 through which fluid drawn into the pump enters. Figures 3 and 4 are schematic views illustrating several pumps 1 arranged in a space saving manner. Each pump can supply one or a group of fluid outlets 31 through flexible feed ducts 30 in order to obtain a desired flow characteristic across the width of the loom. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. Apparatus for inserting a weft in a shed of a loom by means of a flowing fluid, comprising a plurality of fluid outlets spaced from each other in a weft picking direction for introducing a fluid into a weft passage of the loom, at least one source of fluid, fluid feed means for feeding fluid under pressure from said source to each fluid outlet at a selected moment in time relative to the operation of the loom and means for varying the timing of the fluid feed means.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 or 6,

wherein each fluid feed device is spring loaded in a discharge direction and is cam actuated in a return direction.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein means are provided for adjusting the spring load on each fluid feed device.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 or 8, wherein means are provided for limiting the discharge stroke of each fluid feed device.

10. Apparatus as claimed in anyone of claims 2-9, wherein the fluid feed devices are movably supported independently of the others thereof.

11. Apparatus as claimed in anyone of claims 2-10, wherein each fluid feed device is in the form of a diaphragm pump.

12. Apparatus for inserting a weft in a shed of a loom by means of a flowing fluid, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawing.