US1024023A - Filling-exhaustion-indicating mechanism for looms. - Google Patents

Description

A. E. RHOADES. FILLING EXHAUSTION INDIGATING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS. APPLIOATION FILED DEG.19 1911.

1,024,023, Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

uni-ED s ra rns *PA- onnron.

ALONZO E. RHOADES, OF HOPEDALE,

MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 DRAPER COM- PANY, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.-

FILLIlTG-EXHAUSTION-INDICATING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 23,1912.

Application filed December 19, 1911. Serial No. 666,737.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALONZO E. Rrro mns, a citizen of the United States, and resldent of I'lopedale, county of Worcester, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improve-- meht like ' is substantially exhausted, that is, before such filling runs out completely.

The change in the operation of the lootn may be the stoppage thereof, or it may be, and more frequently is, the replenishment of the working filling. Looms of this type are usually termed feeler looms because a member of the controlling mechanism is arranged to cooperate with or feel intermittingly the filling inthe working shuttle ancLwhen substantlal exhaustion thereof is detected by such member, or feeler, the desired change in loom operation is brought about.

Ordinarilythe feeler is arranged to cooperate wilh' the filling in the shuttle on every other pick, many forms of feeler mechanisms having been devised, but as a matter of fact the cooperation of the feeler with the filling is unnecessary until a near approach to substantial exhaustion thereof is reached, and with certain kinds of filling the continued action of the feeler in cooperating intermittingly therewith is objectlonable. i

It has becn proposed to hold the feeler inoperative in a position of rest after filling replenishment has been elfected until substantial filling exhaust-ion is approached, and thereupon the fe'eler is thrown into operative position. This arrangement is necessarily based upon the quantity of filling on a fullbobbin, and the number of picks necessary to weave off the filling down to. what may be termed the danger point, hence only full bobbins can be used if the tccler mechanism is designed to replenish filling in the Working shuttle, and care must is a specification, like be taken in the spinning operation to provide the bobbins with a substantially uniform quantity of filling. In the practical operation of filling replenishing looms, however, it is not feasible to restrict the use to full bobbins alone, for commercially bobbins having varying yarn loads must be utilized, and if the device above mentioned is set for full bobbins it is useless with practically filled bobbins, and vice versa.

In the first instance the yarn will run out before the feeler is thrown into action, and if the device is set for partially filled bobbins the feeler will be thrown into action too soon if full bobbins are used. Such device, then, is notadapted for commercial use to any extent, as will be manifest.

My presentinvention has for its object the production of filling exhaustion indicating mechanism so constructed and arranged that it is adapted for use commercially irrespective of the quantity of filling on the filling-carrier or bobbin in the working shut tle, such mechanism being thrown into and out of action alternately with respect to the filling in the active or working shuttle.

To reduce as much as possible unnecessary cotiperation of the feeler device and the filling the periods of inactivity of such device are relatively long and the periods of its activity relatively short until the danger point is reached, whereupon the feeler device coiiperates with the filling'on alternate picks until substantial exhaustion of the filling is detected.

,The means whereby the feeler device is held inactive wlth respect to the 'filling is rendered inoperative automaticallfat regu-' larly recurring intervals, and the released feeler device is at once restored to the control of such means by the action of'a moving part of the loom, by or through the filling in the shuttle, until the filling has woven ofi to such an extent that it is incapable of thus putting out of action the feeler device. .That is the danger point, and thereafter the feeler device operates in a familiar manner until it performs its ultimate function upon detection of the substantial ex haustion of the filling.

Any suitable feeler mechanism can be used in carrying out my invention and he e n I have ch sen to illustrate my inexhaustion indicating mechanism of an automatic loom of the type shown in thepat ent referred to, with one practical form of my present invention embodied therein, only so much of the loom structure being shown as is necessary to a proper understanding of the invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged left hand side elevation of a portion of the mechanism illustrated in Fi l, to show more clearly the means where y the feeler device is alternately held out of operation and released; Fig. 3 is a detail of a portion of the releasing means, to be referred to; Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail in side elevation and partial section, of the feeler proper, and the device for holding it inactive with respect to i the filling, butwith the feeler released; Fig.

5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but in this instance the holding device is in operative position maintaining the feeler at rest and inoperative. v

Referring to' Fig.1 the lay A having at the feeling end thereof a shuttle-box B, the shuttle G of a well known automatically selfthreading type, (boththe side wall of the shuttle and the front box wall being apertured for the entrance of the feeler into the shuttle) the breast-beam having the usual notched holding-plate D for the shipper, and the controlling rod or shaft E whereby the filling-replenishing mechanism is called into operation to change the filling in the working or active shuttle, may be and are all of well known construction, the shaft E being the only member of the replenishing mechanism necessary to illustrate. In practice such mechanism may be of the type shownin United States Patent No. 529,940 granted November 27, 1894 to Northrop, and herein the replenishment of the working I shuttle witha fresh supply of filling is the change in the operation of the loom which is brought about when substantial exhaustion of the filling in such shuttle is detected.

The filling exhaustion indicating mechanism herein illustrated com rises a feeler F yieldingly mounted to side back and forth in a suitable stand G mounted on the holding plate D, the shank H j of the feeler being prolonged and projecting beyond the front end of the stand, a usual projecting wring I, Fig.4, being arranged to move ihe feeler rearward, said feeler having pivotally mounted upon" it an actuating member J provided with an adjustable bunt-er K,

features of my inventhereby the link P connected with the controlling shaft E is placed in position to be engaged by. a vibrating member Q, in practics-the weft-hammer, to turn the said shaft and thereby bring about fillin replenish--- ment when the shuttle is boxe at the replenishing side of the loom, all as prov b ded or in the Wood and Northrop patent. "{1 In such patented structure the feeler F enters the shuttle and impinges against the filling therein each time the shuttle is in the box B, y

and as the lay heats up the feeler and the member J thereon are moved forward as a unit, the said member J clearing the controller L so long as there is a substantial amount of filling present. When, however,

the filling weaves oil to' the point of substa1 f- I tial exhaustion the feeler is permitted to enter the shuttleso far that the bunter K will impinge upon the shuttle wall, and thereby the member-J is rocked,'bringing its front end into engagement with the'controller'L and swinging the latter operatively as the lay heats up. 'Thereupon the transmitter N isrocked and the vibrator Q engages and moves forward the link P to turn the rock shaft E, and filling replenishment is effected. It will thus be obvious that the feeler impinges upon or coiiperates with the filling in the shuttle on every alternate pick from the time a bobbin is inserted in the shuttle until the filling is substantially exhausted, and this isthe ordinary operation of filling exhaustion indicating mechanisms. It will also be obvious that suchintermittent cotiperation of the feeler with the filling is wholly unnecessary, so far asaconcerns the ultimate function of the feeler mechanism, for the vgreater part of tlleptime during which the filling is' weaving ofi from the bobbin. When using fine, soft or delicate filling this continual cotiperation of the feeler therewith is often objectionable, tending to break, out or otherwise injure the filling.

I By my present invention I obviate-the unnecessary action of the feeler with respect to the filling by maintaining the feelerinoperative with respect to the filling for relatively long periods, and permitting the feeler to act for intervening short periods until the filling is woven off to what I may term the danger point, that is, when the filling has been woven off to nearly the point of substantial exhaustion. When such danger point is reached the feeler remains operative 1 tial exhaustion is detected, and thereupon the exhaustion indicating mechanism performs its ultimate function.

I use the term substantial exhaustion in the sense commonly accepted, meaning thereby that when the ultimate function of the exhaustion indicating mechanismis performed there will still remain a small portion of filling 0n the filling-carrier or bobbin in the shuttle.

In the present embodiment of my invention I cut away or notch the feeler shank H to leave a transverse square shoulder 1 at the front end of the notch, and preferably I bevel rearwardly the rear end of the notch, as at 2, and I provide a holding device to at times engage said shoulder and thereby maintain the feeler F in retracted position, Fig. 5. At such time the feeler is inoperative and inactive with respect to the filling in the working shuttle. That is, it will not cooperate with the filling on alternate picks. the relative positions of the shoulder 1 and the holding device being properly arranged for that purpose. Herein said device is shown as a pawl'3 having a lateral extension or lug 4, the pawl being slotted at 5 to receive a shouldered fulcrum pin 6 clamped thereonby a nut 7 The pin is mounted to rock in a transverse bearing 8 conveniently mounted on or forming part of the usual controller guard R, and at its inner end the pin has fixed upon it by a sleeve 9, Fig. 1 containing a coiled spring 10, one end of the spring being attached to the sleeve and the other end to the bearing 8. The spring is so wound as to press the tip of the pawl downward toward the feeler shank II, over which said pawl. extends. Any other suitable means for depressing-the pawl may be employed, but the construction shown is simple and convenient, and protects the spring.

By adjustment of the detent or holding pawl, by the slot 5, the device can be readily set for propel operation. and so, too, adjustment is prov ded for the final release of the feeler prior to substantial exhaustion of the filling. That is, by setting said pawl rearward with respect to it fulcrum pin (3 there will be less filling on the. bobbin when the danger point is reached thanwill be the case if the pawl. is set forward with re-' spect to its fulcrum pin. This adjustment is entirely independent of the adjustment 1 of the hunter K, it will be understood, that latter adjustment determining how much I filling'will remain on the bobbin when substantial. exhaustion is detected by the fecler device.

From the foregoing description it will be T clear that when a fresh supply of filling is 5 inserted in the shuttle the filling "will engage the projected feeler on the first feeling 5 pick after replenishment, and as the lay.

heats u the feeler F will be moved forward, and thereby the shoulder 1 will be i carried forward beyond the tip of the pawl 3, so that the latter will dropand engage i such shoulder as the lay recedes from front center. Consequently the feeler will be held in its forward position, inoperative and inactive with respect tothe filling on subsequentfeeling picks as long as the feeler is l undeir the control of the holding device .or

paw

Means for effecting periodic, release of the feeler willnow be described. The lay has attached to it a depending bracket 11 to which is pivoted at 12 a frontwardly extended link 13 jointed at 14; to a depending pawl-carrier 15, clearly shown in Fig. 2. A lateral pin 16 projects outwardly from the pawlcarrier near its upper end and is mounted to rock in a bearing 17 forming part of a bracket 18 fixed on the under side of the holding plate D. As shown in Fig. 1 the bracket extends outward beneath the feeler stand Gr, said brackethaving a frontwardly extended and upturned arm 19 which provides a bearing for a short shaft 20 having attached to its inner end a ratchet 21. Said ratchet rotates in a vertical plane adjacent the-feeler stand G, and it provided with a lateral tripping stud 22 which moves in a circular path which is intersected by the lug 4 on the detent pawl 3. Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 it will be apparent that once in every revolution of the ratchet 21 the tripping stud will more up under and raise the lug 4:, thereby lifting the pawl 3 into inoperative position above the path of the shoulder 1 on the feeler shank. Said ratchet is advanced step by step by an actuating pawl- 23 pivoted on the pawl-carrier 15 at 24, Fig. 3, and held in engagement with the ratchet teeth by a suitable spring 25 con necting the pawl-carrier and the pawl-tail mounted on the pawl-carrier at its inner side, to clear t-l e bearing 17.

Referring to Hg. 2- 1twill be seen that the beat of the lay, and feeds forward the ratchet 21 as the lay swings back. and if the l ratchet has, for example. 36 teeth and is advanced one tooth for each pick then once in every 36 picks of the loom the detent or holding pawl 3 will be rendered inoperative. so far as concerns the foelcr, and the latter is released. The period during which the pawl dug 4 and tripping pin remain in engagement manifestly measures the. time 1 during which the feeler is free to (-oiiperate with the filling in the shuttle on the feeling is weaving off. Such active periods are very short, compared to the inactive periods of the feeler. for two t four picks will usually measure the time r ng which the tripping A pin controls the dozen pawl. Let it be sup- 26. 'As shown in Figs. 1 and 3 the pawl is feed pawl 23 retracted on each forward picks, while the greaterportion of the filling "posed that the feeler has detected substantial exhaustion of filling and that in consequence a' fresh supply of filling has been in serted inthe shuttle. On the first feeling pick the feeler will coiiperate with the filling in the shuttle and as the lay beats up the feeler will bemoved forward, carrying the shoulder 1 well forward of the tip of the pawl 3, so that as the lay swings back said pawlwill drop behind the shoulder and the feeler will be held in its forward position, and on subsequent feeling icks the feeler will be held inoperative and mac tire with respect to the filling. By taking advantage of the momentum of the feeler when moved forward on the beat upthe pawl 3 can be set so that there will actually be no contact of the fecler and filling subsequently while the feeler is maintained inoperative. Even should this close adjustment bedeemed unnecessary it will be inanifest that there will be in the beginning but the lightest contact between the feeler and the filling, for the latter weaves otf rapidly and thereby steadily reduces the diameter of the yarn mass opposite the feeler. When the feeler has thus been rendered inactive by the movement of the lay, acting through the filling in the shuttle, said feeler is maintained at rest and inactive until the revolution of the ratchet 21 causes feeler release through coiiperation of the tripping pin 22 and the pawl lug l. Upon such feeler release the'feeler is permitted to eotiperate with the filling for one or two feeling picks, and each. time the feeler 1s moved forward far enough for the pawl. 3 to cooperate with the shoulder, but such cooperation is not oif ected until the pawl is released by the tion of the filling is detected.

From the foregoing description it will be clearly understood that once for a given number of picks measuring the inactive pcriods the feeler released and permitted to coopcrate with the filling. and that after each of such releases the feeler is again restored to the control of the means which maintain it inactive and at rest. until the filling has been exhausted to the danger point, and then the feeler operates in usual manner until substantial exhaustion is detected. By this alternation of short periods of activity and relatively long periods of shuttle, Consequently bobbins which have inactivity the feeler mechanismyis adapted to operate properly to detect substantial exhaustion no matter what quantity of filling is on a bobbin when it is inserted in the been more or less denuded of the filling can 4, be used just as well as completely filled bobbins, and this is very important when it'is remembered that breakage of filling requires the insertion of a new bobbin in the shuttle, for such. ejected bobbins must be used again to weave ofi thefilling remaining thereon. a

The rear end 2 of the notch in the feeler shank His beveled to act as a cam against the tip of pawl 3 when the extreme fronts ward movement of the feeler is effected, reducing the wear between said parts.

I have shown one practical and simple form of means for maintaining the feeler inoperative, and at rest, and simple means for efl'ecting periodicallrelease of the feeler from the control ,of thefirst-named means, but other forms of detaining and releasing means may be used, and a different arrangement of parts may be employed, by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as set forth in the claims hereunto annexed.

Theparticular form of exhaustion indicating mechanism shown herein is used for purposes of illustration, and does not in any way restrict my invention to use in connection therewith.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure 'by Letters Patent is:

1. In a loom, a feeler adapted to cooperate .interi'nittingly with the filling in the active shuttle and to bring about a change in the operation of the loom when substantial exhaustion of such filling is detected, a device to maintain the feeler at rest and pre: ventcooperation thereof with the filling, and means to render said device inoperativc. at predetermined intervals and thereby permit eoiiperation of the feeler and the filling at such times, combined with other means to restore automatically the feeler to the control of such device after each of such times of feeler activity occurring prior to sul. .stantial filling exhaustion.

2. In a loom, a yield-ingly sustained reciprocating feeler to coiiperate with the filling in the active shuttle and to bring about a change in the operation of the loom when substantial exhaustion of such filling is detected, a device to maintain the feeler at rest in retracted, inoperative position, means acting at regularly recurring intervals to render said device inoperative and thereby filling in the shuttle has been reached.

In a loom, a yieldingly sustained reciprocating feeler to cooperate with the filling in the active shuttle and to bring about a change in the operation of the loom when substantial exhaustion of such filling is detected, a detent pawl adapted to engage the feeler and hold it inoperative in retracted position, a device acting at regular intervals to trip said pawl and thereby release the trader, the latter when released cooperating in normal manner with the filling, and means operating automatically after each release of the teeler to restore it to the control of the detent until Substantial filling exhaustion is approached.

4. In a loom, a spring-projected, reciproeating feeler adapted to cooperate with the filling in the active shuttle and to bring about a change in the operation of the loom when substantial filling exhaustion is detected, the feelci' being retracted by contact with the filling on the beat-up, a detent to engage the fecler and maintain it retracted and inactive with respect to the filling, automaticall acting means to trip the detent at regular intervals and thereby ett'eet release of the feeler to cooperate with the filling, and a moving member of the loom acting through such cooperation upon the beat-up to retract the teeter and effect reiingagement of the detent therewith until the filling has woven off to a predetermined extent, whereupon the feeler when rele. sed will continue to cooperate with the tilting until substantial exhaustion thereof is detected.

In a loom, a yieldingly sustained feeler adapted to cooperate with the filling in the active shuttle and bring about a change in the operation of the loom upon substantial.

exhaustion of the filling, an adjustable device to maintain the feeler inactive with respect to the filling, and means to release the feeler from the control of such device at regular intervals and permit cooperation of said feeler and the filling in the shuttle, combined with means acting by and through such co'dperationto replace the feeler under the control of said device after each release until the filling has woven ofi to a predetermined extent but short of substantial exhaustion, adjustment of said device fixing the extent to which the filling shall weave ott when it ceases to restore the feeler to the control of such device.

6. In an automatic filling replenishing loom, mechanism, including a teeler adapted to cooperate intermittingly with the filling in the active shuttle, to bring about filling replenishment when the teeler detects substantial exhaustion of the tilting, a detent to cooperate with the teeter when retracted by cooperation with the filling on the beat up and hold the footer retracted,

and means operatingautomatically to render said detent inoperative at regularly recurring intervals, to release the feeler and permit it to cooperate with the filling, combined with means whereby the feeler after each release is restored to the .control of the detent by cooperation of the feeler with the filling until the latter has woven off to an 7 extent approaching substantial exhaustion 7. In an automatic filling replenishing loom, mechanism, including a feeler adapted to cooperate intermittingly with the filling in the active. shuttle, to bring about filling replenishment when the teeter detects substantial exhaustion of the filling, said feeler having a shoulderedshank, a detent pawl mounted on a stationary part of the loom and adapted to engage the shoulder of the feeler shank when the t'eeler is retracted, to restrain the teeler from operation, a revolving member having a device thereon to trip the pawl at each revolution of the said member, whereby the feeler 'is released and permitted to operate normally, and means to effect step by step rotation of said member, combined with means whereby the feelerafter each release is restored to the control of thepawl bycoiiperation with the filling on the beat up until the filling has been din'iinished'to a predetermined extent.

8. In a loom, mechanism to detect substantial exhaustion of the filling in the active shuttle and thereupon to bring about a change in the operation of the loom. and means to prevent and permit, alternately, the detecting action of such mechanism, said means comprehending a m'eventing member rendered inoperative at regularly retairring intervals, and a moving member of the loom acting by or through the "filling in the active shuttle to restore said mechanism. to the convtrol of the preventing member each time it is rendered inoperative until a predetermined and less than substantial exhaustion of the filling is reached.

9. In a loom, mechanism to detect substantial exhaustion of the filling in theworking shuttle and thereupon to bring about a change in the operation of the loom, and means to cause said mechanism to have short periods of activity and intervening longer periods of inactivity with respect to the filling prior to substantial exhaustion thereof, said means including an intermittingly operating member to control and maintain atrest the nechanism during its longer periods of inactivity, and a moving nenrber of the loom to act through the filling in the shuttle and control said mechanism during its shorter periods of activity and up to the time substantial exhaustion of filling is detected. 4

10. In an automatic filling replenishing loom, in combination, mechanism to detect substantial exhaustion of tht' filling in the prior to substantial exhaustionthereofisaid means including a member to control and maintain at rest such mechanism during the longer periods, a releasing device to render said member inoperative periodically, and a moving member of the loom acting by or through the filling in the activeshuttle to restore said mechanism to the control of the restraining member each time the latter is renderedinoperative until a predetermined and less than substantial exhaustion of filling is reached.

11. In a loom, a feeler device, means to hold it at rest out of engagement with any moving part of the loom, mechanism to render said means temporarily inoperative at regular intervals,- to thereby release the feeler device and permit it to be engaged by the filling in the shuttle and restored to the control of such means on the beat up, after each release of the feelerdevice, until the filling inthe shuttle approaches substantial exhaustion. a

12. In a loom, a feelei adapted when in operative position to engage-mtermittingly the filling. in the active shuttlb to be moved thereby until such filling is diminished to a predetermined extent, means to engage the feeler and hold it at rest in the position to which it was moved by engagement with the filling and mechanism acting at regular intervals irrespective of the quantity of filling feeler and permit operative positioning thereon combined with a moving member of the loom which causes filling-induced movement of the feeler after each release thereof to restore the feeler to the-control of the holding means until a predetermined dimi nution of the filling has been reached.

13. In a loom provided with an instru= mentality to replenish automatically the filling in the working shuttle, and with mechanism to cause the operation of such instrumentality when the filling in the shuttle is substantially exhausted, said mechanism including a member adapted to detect substantial exhaustion of the filling, in combination,

means to permit temporary operation of said member to feel the filling at regular intervals prior to substantial exhaustion thereof, and other means to maintain said member inoperative and at rest between such intervals, combined with a device to cause movement of said member into inoperative position by or through cooperation with the filling after each replenishment of the shut tle with filling.

.In testimony whereof,.l have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

, i ALONZO E. RHOADES.

. Witnesses:

ROBERT J AMresoN, E. D..Oseoon.

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