US1208712A - Feeler-motion for looms. - Google Patents

Description

E. RIlOADESn FEELEH MOTION FOR LGOMS.

APPLICATION HLED MAR. 9. Hi6.

Patented Dec. 12, 1916.

Attorney ALONZO E. mioamlsigrsfornnaLn, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO DRAPER COMPANY,

OF HOP HIE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

FEELER-MOTION FOR LOOMS.

Specification of Letters Patent."

Patented Dec. 12, 1916.

llppli ation filed March 9, 1916. Serial No. 83,],86.

To all whom it-ma'y concern:

Be it known that 1,;ALONZO E. RnoAnns, a citizen oftheUnite'd States, residing at Hopedale, in the county of Worcester and, State of Massachusetts, have invented an,

Improvement in Feeler-Motions for Looms, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

The invention to be hereinafter described relates to feeler motions for looms, whereby when the filling in the active shuttle becomes substantially exhausted, a train of mechanism is set for effecting a change in the loom operation, such for instance, as replenishment of the filling. Devices of this character must be sensitive and for the best results, should call for filling replenishment when only sufficient filling remains upon the bobbin or carrier in the shuttle to insure a full pick being laid in the shed under proper tension upon'the last trip of the shuttle-preceding replenishment. In order that proper detection may be made by the feeler, the shuttle and filling carrier or bobbin therein should be presented to the feeler on each detecting beat in the same or sub stantially the same position. Preferably, this position should be such that the feeler may perform its function bycontacting with the filling or bobbin upon an element of the cylindrical surface of either which reaches the most frontward position on the beat-up. When the feeler acts horizontally,

' this element will of course, be in a\horizontal plane passing through the ion ti dinal axis of the bobbin. The shuttle, however, does not always occupy the same v'e'tical the shuttle-box, owing to thefact t at-the shuttle is usually somewhat less in nternal vertical height than the internal eight of the shuttle-box. In Otlle}; words, he shuttle will sometimes be high and at other times be low in the shuttle box, with the result. that .the feeler will not always engage the same element of the cylindrical surface of the filling or bobbin. This will cause inaccuracy in detection of. filling exhaustion, and replenishment is liable to be ralletlv when there still remains a working supply of filling in the shuttle.

Aii iniportant feature of the present invention, therefore, consists in providing two ing omitted, as such feeler members vertically separated a distance such that when the shuttle is high in the box, the upper fceler member will detect the condition of the filli ng and when the shuttle is low in the box, the lowe'ifeeler member will similarly act.

"Another important feature of the invention consists ina feeler guard between the upper-and lower feeler members and having a-filling engaging end projecting normally beyond the ends of the feeler members and movable from guarding position just prior to the time of or on the near approach to substantial exhaustion of filling. This feature of the invention is preferably carried into effect by a guard between the'upper and lower feeler members having an end, which, when a working. supply of filling is present in the shuttle will engage the filling mass and be held in guarding position, thereby, as the lay heats up; butwhen-the mass or filling'approaches near to substantial exhaustion and it is desired'that the upper and lowerfeeler members be permitted to perform "their detecting function, it 'will permit the guard to be moved from guarding position.

The above and other features of the invention will be hereinafter described in con nection with the accompanying drawings showing one good, practical form of the inform of the present invention, the lay and parts of the loom which coact therewith beparts are well understood by those skilled 'in' the art; Fig. 2 is a perspective -view showing the action of the feeler motion vhen a working supply of filling is present i'nthe shuttle, some of the parts being omitted and others broken away for clear'ness of illustration; Fig. 3 is a view similar to that of Fig. 2, show1ng the action of parts when the filling has )econ'ie I substantially exhan'sterlz'; Fig.4 is a sectional.

view through the end of the feeder and transversely of the filling carrier or bobbin, showing the action of the feeler when the filling carrier or bobbin is in low position in the shuttle-box; Fig. 5 is a view similari to that of Fig. 4,sliowing the action of parts when the filling-carrier or bobbin'is in high position in the shuttle-box; and Fig. (lshows the upper and lower t'eeler members detached- 'lhc fccler stand comprises a base portion 1 to which is secured by suita le neans. such as the screws 2. a cover 3 having the usual recess l to receive the shank portion of the t'eelcr slide 5. a spring i. as usual in such constructions, being employed for normally holding the t'celcr slide in rearward position. hilt yieldingfrontward on the detecting beat of the lay to permit froutward movementof the feeler slide.

Rising from the feeler slide 5 are the webs or lugs T between which. as at b. is pivotally mounted the arm 9 which. for identification. will hereinafter be known as the actuator. Extending rearward from the actuator 0 is the projection 10 beneath which is a spring 11 which normally acts to hold the actuator 10 with its bifurcated end portion 1; in lowered position substantially as indicated in Fig. :2.

Extending transversely of the t'eelcr stand is an arm 13 which. for identification. .will hereinafter be known as the controller. The controller 13 passes through the slotted end portion ll of an arm 15. generally known in the art as a transmitter. the construction being such that when the controller 13 is moved frontward it will ride over the cam portion ll) of the transmitter and depress the adjacentend portion thereof to thereby. through suitable connections well understood in the art. initiate filling replenishment or other change in the loom operation.

As hereinbefore pointed out. the shuttle and. perforce. the bobbin or lilliug carrier therein. does not always occupy the same vertical position when it is received in the box adjacent the feelcr. Sometimes it will be high and sometimes it will be low in the shuttle-box. due to the. fact that the vertical dimensions of the shuttle itsclt are smaller than the vertical dimensions of the shuttlebox. Regardless of the vertical position of the sliuttle'and perforce. the tilting carrier in .theshuttle-box. it is dtsil'abltthat the feelcr shall act upon the tilting mass or bobbin as the case may be. along an element contained in a plane passing horizontally through the axis of the bobbin. .\s a means to this call. the present invention contemplates two t'celer members arranged in separated verticalfipositiou such that when the shuttle is high in the box. the upper teeter 'mcmber \vi|l pcrforinits detecting function.

and when the shuttle is low in the box. the lower t'cclcr, mem er ,will similarl act. the result being Ihat-dctcction o'l' filling cxhaus tion will be more accuratcly and uniformly attained. and lilling replenishment be et'l'cctcd only when the lillin; has reached the desired degree of exhaustion. in carrying this 't'catai-ic ot' the invention into ractical ctl'cct in the V-LPIJUHLHI instance. the l'ccler slide has its rear end portion provided with the upper and lower impinging members 1? and 1S. These are best formed by narrowing the end portion 18 of the t'ccler slide itself and mounting thereon the platc 1& which may. for convenience. he integrally formed as part of the web T hereinlwfore described.

Extending"longitudinally of the feeler slide are the guideways in which are re ceived the. upper and lower t'eelcr members 90 and 21. which in the present instance. are shown as the penetrating members each bein provided with a penetrating end '22 adapted to sink into the filling when a working supply is present. and to be pushed for: ward by the more dense surface of the bobbin 23 itself when the filling has'becomepractically exhausted. and the lay makes its detecting ,beat. The guideways for the upper and lower feeler members 20 and 21 may be formed in any usual manner and as illustrated. the guide way for the lower feeler member is formed on the feeler slide. while. the guideway for the upper feeler member 20 is formed in the plate 1 stile stantially as indicated in Figs. 2. 3. 4 and 5. the construction being such that when a working supply of filling is present on in detecting beat. theupper or lower penetrating member 20 or :21 will engage and. sink into thefilling mass. according to the vertical position of the shuttle in the box. and fail to be moved relatively to its accompanying upper or lower impinging member 1T. 18. but when the filling has become sub stantially exhausted. the upper or li-w'er penetrating member will engage the more dense surface of the bobbin itself. according as the shuttle is in high or low position in the box. and he moved relatively to its ad jacent impinging member. and through the means to be described. thereby initiate fill ing rcplenislunent on the continued t'orward movement of the lay.

Secured to the actuator 9' is the heel Q-l having a toe portion '35 resting upon the top. surface of the feeler slide 5 when the parts are in position as indicated in Fig. 2. The lower fecler member :21 is provided with a heel-engaging portion 2t) and similarly. the upper feeler member is provided with a heel-engaging portion 27. Inasmuch as the feeler members 2'0 and 21 are separated in vertical planes appropriate to the play ot the shuttle in the shuttle-box for the pnrposes hcreinbetore de cribed. the heel-cn gaging portions of the t'ecler members are solormcd as to maintain said feeler mem- .bers in parallel relation. To this end. the the lower t'celcr member :21 has its outer end portion provided with a head '28. the Hat upper surface of which provides a seat for the end- 29 ot the upper feeler member '20 the construction being such that eitheiof said feeler members when moved relaslide, the feeler guard 30, the end portion 31 'tively. to its adjacent impinging member due to the advancing lay, the controller 13 will be movedto initiate filling replenishment.

7 It is desirable that the-detecting function of the feeler be performed only when the filling has reached a degree near to substantial exhaustion so that all danger of prematurely effecting 'fillin replenishment by improper action ofthe eeler may be eliminated. To this end, the present invention contemplates the provision of a fceler guard between the upper and lower feeler members 20 and 21, which, during the presence of a Working supply of filling, will be maintained in normal guarding position projecting beyond the ends of the feeler members; but when the filling has neared substantial exhaustion, and it is desired that the feeling function of the feelers shall be permitted, is moved from guarding position. To this end, there is pivotally mountedon the feelcr of which enters a recess or slot- 32 between the upper and lower feeler members 20, 21, said portion 31 01 the feeler guard bein provided with a series of teeth or roughened portions 33 normally projecting beyond the ends '22 of the feeler. members 20 and 21 and adaptedto be first engaged by the. mass of filling when a working supply is present. In the present instance, the feeler guard 30 is pivotally mounted in a lug 3i which may be conveniently formed as a part of the webs 7 secured to the feeler slide. The lug 3% extends laterally from-the feeler slide so that the fecler guard 30 has its pivot off set from its filling-engaging portion 33, the construction being such that upon the de tecting beatof the laywhen a working supply of filling is present, the teeth 33 of the feeler guard will engage and sink into the filling mass and be held by such filli'pg' mass from movement. about its pivotal mounting as the lay heats up, thereby acting as. aguard for the feeler-members 20 and 21 during normal loom operation; but when the filling has approached near to substantial exhaustion and only a few turns of filling remain upon the bobbin 23, the

teeth 33 of the guard will engage the more dense surface of'the bobbin 23, and on further frontward movement of the lay, the forward push of the bobbin will cause the feeler guard to turn upon its pivotal mounting and expose the upper and lower feeler members 21 and'22 to theirdetecting-func- 'tion, and-.gwhen the filling has reached the desired d'egree of exhaustion, one of said feeler meifiibers, depending upon the position of the shuttle in the box, will be moved relatively to its adjacent impinging member, thereby positioning the actuator 9 operatively with relation to the controller 13 to effect filling replenishment upon'further advancing movement of the lay and feeler slide.

When the feeler slide is moved to its rearward position after a replenishing operation due to substantial. exhaustion. of filling, it is desirable that the feeler guard. be returned to feeler-guarding position; and to this end-the feeler 30 has a laterally-projecting toe portion adapted to engage the end 36 of a rod 37 mounted in suitable bearings38 in the feeler stand and vnormally pressed rearward by a spring 39-, the con struction being su'ch that while the rod 37, which may be known as the feeler-guardresetting device, is movable frontward against the action of its spring 39, the said spring normally tends to hold the said rod 37 in its feeler-guard-resetting position as indicated in Fig. 1. The rearward position of the feeIer-gu; u-dresetting device 37 may be conveniently adjustedby means of; adjusting nuts l0 secured to the front end'lportion of 4 the feeler guard is provided witlra. toe por tion 31 which may contact with the adjacent web 7 rising from the feeler slide From the construction described, it will be seen that. the feeler guard is movable in a direction longitudinally the shuttle on a detecting beat when the vsupply of filling approaches substantial exhaustion, and such movement is madebetween' the upper and lower feeler members 20 and 21, over-movement of the feeler guard in said direction being prevented by suitable means such as the shoulder 42 which may engage the rear part of the feeler slide when the feeler guard has bee-unloved from its normal guarding position. v i

Vihile the present invention hasbeen described in connection witlra feeler of the penetrating and impinging type, it isto be understood that the invention 1s not necessarily limited thereto, although it offers special advantages in connection with such typeof feeler, and by'the use of the terms upper and lower feeler members in the claims, applicant intends to includenot only the feeler members of the penetrating. type, but feeler members of other varieties'.

lVhat is claimed is:,

1. A feeler motion for looms, comprising an upper feelcr member and a lower feeler member each adapted to enter t hc same shut- V dered etiective upon detection of substantial exhaustion of filling by either feeler member to initiate filling replenishment.

2. feeler motion for looms. conmrising an upper feeler member to enter the shuttle and detect the condition of filling therein when the filling carrier is in a relatively high position in the shuttle-box. a lower fceler member to enter the shuttle and detect the'condition ot' the filling, when the filling carrier is in a relatively low position in the shuttle-box. means adapted to be moved to etl'ect filling replenishment upon detect ion of substantial exhaustion of filling by either of said feeler members 3. A feeler motion for looms. comprising an upper and a lower feeler member each adapted to enter the shuttle on at detecting beat and feel for the filling, and a guard be tween the upper and lower feeler members having a filling engaging end extending beyond the feeler liiembers and moved f om guarding position when the filling nears substantial exhaustion.

l. A feeler motion for looms, comprising two feeler members to enter the same shuttle on a detecting beat. one of said feeler members acting to detect substantial exhaustion of filling'when the shuttle is high in the shuttle-box and the other member acting to detect substantial exhaustion of filling when the shuttle is low in the shuttle-box. and means rendered effective by detecting movement of either of said feeler members to initiate filling replenishment.

5. A feeler motion for looms. comprising two feeler members to enter the same shuttie on a detecting beat, one of said feeler members acting to detect substantial exhaustion of filling when the shuttle is high in the shuttle-box and the other member acting to detect substantial exhaustion of filling when the shuttle is low in the shuttle-box,

a guard between the said two feeler meming adapted to detect substantial exhaustion of filling when the shuttle is high in the Sl1l1ttl;b0X and the lower penetrating member being' adapted to, detect substantial exhaust-ion of filling when the shuttle. is low "in the shuttlebox, and means controlled by exhaustion indication by either of said penet-riiting members for initiating filling re-- iileaishinent.

T. In a loom. the combination of a t'eeler. comprising an impinging member and two independently movable penetrating menibcrs arranged in dill'creut horizontal planes. the upper o1 said penetrating members bciug adapted to detect substantial exhaustion of filling when the shuttle is high in the shuttle-box and the lower penetrating member being adapted to detectsubstantial exhaustion of filling when the shuttle is low in the. shuttle-box. a guard between the upper and lower penetrating members for preventing detecting action by either until the filling nears substantial exhaustion. and means controlled by exhaustion indication by either of said penetrating members for initiating, filling replenislnnentr h. In a t'celer motion for looms. the combination of a feeler comprising an impinging member upper and lower penetrating members. a guard between the upper and lower penetrating members having a filling engaging end extending beyond said t'eeler members and movable from guarding position by-the frontward push of the bobbin when thefilling nears substantial exhaustion to permit the upper or lower penetrating member of the feeler to detect the condition of thefilling according to the height of the shuttle. in the shuttle-box.

9. A feeler motion for looms. comprising a feeler slide having an impinging end. an upper and a lower penetrating member mounted for longitudinal movement on the slide and adapted to penetrate or sink into the filling when a. working supply is present on at detecting beat. said slide having upper and lower guideways for the penetrating members. an actuator independentof the upper and lower penetrating members and adapted to be moved by either upon detection of substantial exhaustion. and means for initiating filling reple-nislnnent."

10. In a feeler motion. the combination of a ,feeler slide having a filling engaging end portion. upper and lower'guideways extending longitudinally otthe. sl-ide. upper and lower feeler members movable in said gnideways. and an actuator having a heel adapted to be. engaged by the frcpit end portion of the upper and lower feeler members and movable by either into position for inltiating filling replemslnneut upon detec tion of substantial exhaustion by either fee-lei member. j i

11. In a feeler motion. the combimution of a feeler slide having afilling engagiire end portion. upper and lower guide-ways e.\-

tending longitudinally of the' slide. upper and lower feeler members movable in said guuleways. said filling engaging end portion of the. feeler slide having a recesw'lietween the upper and lower feeler members,

13. In a' feeler motion for looms, the combination of a feeler slide, an actuator carried by said slide and having a heel, upper and lower feeler members adapted toact independently to detect filling exhaustion when the shuttle is in high and low positions respectively and each of said feeler members having aheel engaging end for 'operatively positioning the actuator when either of said feeler members detects substantial exhaustion of filling.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification. ALONZO E. RHOADES.

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