GB2340847A

GB2340847A - A yarn carrier

Info

Publication number: GB2340847A
Application number: GB9817992A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Dalton Griffith
Original assignee: Griffith Textile Machines Ltd
Current assignee: Griffith Textile Machines Ltd
Priority date: 1998-08-19
Filing date: 1998-08-19
Publication date: 2000-03-01
Anticipated expiration: 2018-08-19
Also published as: GB9817992D0; GB2340847B

Abstract

A yarn carrier (10) for use in a gripper loom, the yarn carrier having an elongate body including a first elongate portion (11) having a series of yarn openings (19) for receiving a row of pile yarns (18) and a second elongate portion (13) for controlling the longitudinal position of the first elongate portion, said first elongate portion including a pair of side members (12,14) which are spaced apart to define said series of yarn openings, said side members being formed from a plastics laminate.

Description

2340847 A YARN CARRIER The present invention relates to a yam carrier, in

particular but not exclusively, a yarn carrier for a gripper carpet loom.

In gripper Axminster carpet looms a row of pile yarns is held in a yarn carrier. A typical example is described in GB 1075082. The carriers are moved in order to position a selected yam in the row at a position for engagement by a gripper of the loom.

These carriers need to be accurate, strong and rigid in order to perform reliably in use. Accordingly heretofore convention carriers have been fabricated from steel in order to provide these characteristics.

A typical conventional steel construction is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

The carrier 10 includes a first elongate portion 11 which defines a series of yam openings 19 for receiving a row of pile yarns 18 and a second elongate portion 13 which includes latch formations (not shown) for 20 selectively holding the yam carrier at desired longitudinal positions.

The first elongate portion 11 includes a pair of elongate side members 12, 14 which are held in a spaced part relationship by a series of steel blocks 16. The side members 12, 14 are secured together by rivets 17 passi g 25 through blocks 16.

Located within each opening 19 is a yam arresting member 20 which acts to hold pile yam 18 in the associated opening 19 in readiness for being gripped and drawn by a gripper of the loom.

I Each arresting member 20 comprises a resilient finger 23 which is fixedly mounted on one block 16 and extends to resiliently abut against the facing side face 16a of an adjacent block 16 with which it defines opening 19.

At one end the side members 12, 14 are secured together via an end block 26. At the other end the side members 12, 14 are secured usually by rivets to a further elongate member 28. The further elongate member 28 is formed from a thicker steel bar and normally carries on one side a series of latch formations (not shown) which in use are utilised to locate the yarn carrier at a desired longitudinal position.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a yarn carrier of the type defined above wherein the side members are formed from a plastics laminate.

In a preferred embodiment the spacing blocks are formed from a plastics material. Preferably the blocks each comprise a plastics injected moulded body.

Preferably the yarn arresting means comprise a body made from a spring metal strip shaped so as to define a first portion which defines said resilient finger and a second portion which defines said facing side face 16a for the block to which the arresting means is secured.

Preferably the side members are extended to continuously extend along both the first and second elongate portions of the yarn carrier, one or more latch bodies being provided located inbetween the side members in the region of said second longitudinal portion.

2 Preferably the or each latch body is injection moulded from a suitable plastics material.

Preferably the or each latch body is slidably received in a guide for guiding longitudinal movement of the yarn carrier.

Various aspects of the present invention are hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 3 is a side view of a yarn carrier according to one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 is a plan view of the yarn carrier shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along line V-V in Figure 3.

is In Figures 3 to 5 parts similar to those in Figures 1 and 2 have been designated by the same reference numerals.

Yarn carrier 50 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a pair of side members 12, 14 which extend the W1 length of the yarn carrier. Each side member 12, 14 is formed from a plastics laminate, preferably an epoxy resin reinforced with woven glass.

Fabricating the side members 12, 14 from a plastics laminate enables the side members 12, 14 to be relatively rigid and dimensionally stable.

Blocks 16 are preferably formed by injection moulding from a suitable plastics material.

3 Preferably rivet heads 55 are integrally moulded with the block 16 to be received in countersunk apertures 56 formed in each side member 12, 14.

Each arresting member 20 comprises a body 120 which is preferably formed from a strip of resilient metal, such as spring steel, which is bent to form the resilient finger 23 and form a leg portion 58 which extends upwardly over the block 16 to define a wear face 9 against which resilient finger 23 of an adjacent block 16 abuts.

The body 120 also includes a lip formation 122 in its upper region which overlies an upper edge portion of the block 16. The lip formation 122 cooperates with the upper edge portion of the block 16 to resiliently retain the body 120 mounted on the block 16. Accordingly by applying sufficient force in a downwards direction, it is possible to remove the body 120 from the block 16.

This is a useful feature enabling convenient replacement of bodies 120 which might for example be necessitated by failure of the resilient finger 23 and/or wear occurring on faces in contact with the pile yarn.

Preferably latch bodies 70 are located in the second longitudinal region 13. The latch bodies 70 are preferably formed by injection moulding from a suitable plastics material. Preferably a plurality of separate bodies 70 are provided in order to reduce possible distortion due to shrinkage subsequent to the moulding process.

Preferably the latch bodies 70 each house latch formations 71 projecting upwardly from the upper edge of the side members 12, 14.

4 Preferably the latch formations 71 collectively define a guide rib 73 slidingly received in a guide channel 74 formed on the loom frame (not shown).

Preferably in addition, latch bodies 70 are spaced from the lower edge of side members 12, 14 so as to define a guide channel 76 for sliding reception of one or more guide projections 78 formed on the loom frame.

Accordingly, in the second longitudinal region 13 of the yam carrier 50, 10 the longitudinal movement of the yam carrier is positively guided.

It is envisaged that latch bodies 70 may be formed without latch formations 71.

It is also envisaged that the side members 12, 14 of the present invention may extend along the first longitudinal portion 11 only.

The yarn carrier 50 is preferably biased in one longitudinal direction by resilient means 80, preferably defined by a spring.

The yarn carrier 50 of the present invention may be oriented vertically, or due to its reduced weight, may be oriented horizontally.

Claims

1. A yarn carrier for use in a gripper loom, the yarn carrier having an elongate body including a first elongate portion having a series of yarn openings for receiving a row of pile yarns and a second elongate portion for controlling the longitudinal position of the first elongate portion, said first elongate portion including a pair of side members which are spaced apart to define said series of yarn openings, said side members being formed from a plastics laminate.

2. A yarn carrier according to Claim 1 wherein said side members are spaced apart by spacing blocks, neighbouring pairs of which together with said side members define said yarn openings.

3. A yarn carrier according to Claim 2 wherein each of said spacing blocks is formed from a plastics material.

4. A yarn carrier according to Claim 3 wherein each block comprises a plastics injected moulded body.

5. A yarn carrier according to any of Claims 2 to 4 wherein each of said spacing blocks has mounted thereon a yarn arresting member, the yarn arresting member for a given block comprising a body made from a spring metal strip shaped to define a first portion which defines a resilient finger for resiliently trapping yarn against a neighbouring spacing block located to one side of the given block and a second portion which defines an abutment face against which abuts the resilient finger of the yarn arresting member located on the neighbouring block positioned on the opposite side of said given block.

6 6. A yarn carrier according to any preceding claim wherein said side members extend continuously along both the first and second elongate portions of the yarn carrier.

7. A yarn carrier according to Claim 6 including one or more position control bodies located inbetween said side members in the region of said second elongate portion.

8. A yarn carrier according to Claim 7 wherein the or each control body is inwardly from one edge of the second elongate portion to define a guide channel.

9. A yarn carrier according to Claim 7 or 8 wherein the or each is control body includes one or more latch formations, the latch formations on the or each latch body being arranged to collectively define a guide rib.

10. A yarn carrier substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

7