US1255200A - Loom-harness. - Google Patents

Description

J. F. MATTHEWS} LO OM HARNESS.

APPLICA'HON FILED SEPT-3,1908. RENEWED APR. 30.1917.

Patented Feb. 5, 1918.

rr are airnir rnrb JAMES F. MATTHEWS, OF FALL RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 AMERICAN WARP DRAWING MACHINE COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A. CORPORA- TION OF MAINE.

LOOM-HARNESS.

Patented Feb. 5, JWILS.

Application filed September 3, 1908, Serial No. 451,534. Renewed April 30, 1917. Serial No. 165,639.

1 0 all to hem it mag concern Be it known that 1, JAMES F. lVIA'lTI-IE\VS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Fall River, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Loom-Harness, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, likeletters on the drawings representing like parts.

hly'invention relates, to 100111 harnesses, being more particularly concerned with the provision of a loom harness, the individual warp eye supports of which can be readily and accurately positioned, either in the hand manipulation of the harness, or in connection with harness eye separating and se lecting mechanism.

My invention will be best understood by reference to the following description, when taken in connection with the accompanying illustration of one specific embodiment thereof, while its scope will be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,-

Figure 1 shows in perspective a portion of a loom harness embodying one form of my invention Fig. 2 is a front elevation, on a larger scale, showing the adjacent heddle members of such a loom harness, partially broken away but with certain of the foremost heddles separated each from the other;

Fig. 3 is. a similar view, showing the adjacent heddle members of the harness shown in Figs. 1 and 2 in the relation which they have prior to the installation of the harness in the loom;

Fig. 4 is a perspective showin g a modified form of harness; and

Fig. 5 is a viewsimilar to Figs. 2 and 3 showing the previously disclosed harness while being acted upon by the harness eye separating and selecting mechanism of a.

war. drawin or war unitin machine.

Referring to the embodiment of my in vention which I have selected for illustration, and more particularlyto Figs. 1 and 2, while my invention may have useful application to other forms than the ordinary cotton l: have there showna usual loom harness comprising upper and lower harness shafts 1 and 2,'to which are secured in any suitable or usual way respectively the upper and lower strands of the warp eye supports, herein the usual heddle members, the same being assembled in the closely ad jacent relation ordinarily given to the heddle members of a loom harness.

'l/Vhile my invention is in no wise limited to the usual arrangement, nor to any other particular arrangement of heddle strands, in the present instance each heddle member comprises an eye portion 3, provided with pairs of lower supporting strands or cords 4: which, in the present construction, as in the ordinary harness construction, pass downward on the same side of the lower shaft 2, the lower strands of each successive eye, however, passing to alternate sides of the shaft, to maintain the usual lease of the harness, although such lease is in no wise es sential to my invention.

Each heddle member is also provided with pairs of upper strands whichlead upwardly from the eye to the upper shaft 1, the individual members of each pair, however, passing to opposite sides of the upper shaft, in stead of to the same side as in the case of the lower strands. At the upper and lower edges, respectively, of the upper andlower harness shafts the consecutive pairs of heddle strands are permanently connected to the back bands 5 and 6, which are fixedly secured to the shafts. As far as described, this construction is the usual harness con struction, well-known to those skilled in the art. 1

Where it is required to separate individual heddle eyes from the series, as for the purpose of drawing in the warp threads through consecutive eyes, it is the custom of the hand. operator to avail himself of the lease formed by the lower strands, and, by alternately holding back the strands on either side of the lower shaft, to release the foremost strand on the opposite side thereof and posimeans, apart from the leased condition of the'strands as described, whereby the separation of the foremost warp eye from the series will automatically and of itself separate or partly separate the next adjacent eye from the series, so that it can be readily seized by the hand or by suitable separating mechanism. It follows, therefore, that in the hand separating operation, as soon as the thread has been placed through one eye, the next eye is already in a position separated from the series and where it can be readily moved along by the hand operator, to receive the next warp thread.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, and considering specifically, for the sake of illustration, the heddle eyes designated as a, b andc, the upper strand I) of the eye I), in passing to the rear side (as seen'in Fig. 2) of the upper shaft 1, is caused to cross and interlock with the adjacent upper strand a of the heddle eye a, which stranda passes to the opposite or front side of-the shaft 1. Similarly, the strand 6 of the eye 7), which, like the strand a passes to the front side of the shaft, is caused to cross and interlock with the adj acent strand c of the eye 0 which passes to the rear side of the shaft. Similarly, the strand 0 which passes to the front of'the shaft, is

interlocked with the rear upper strand of the next adjacent eye, while the rear strand a of the eye a is crossed and interlocked with the front strand of its next adjacent eye.

The entire series of heddle members having their upper strands crossed and interlaced in the described fashion, there is provided a series of strand crossings at 7 7, whereat adjacent upper strands of adjacent eyes are so related that the separation of any one eye from the series causes its strands to so draw upon the strands of the next adjacent eye that, the latter is also drawn apart from the series. Fig. 2, where the eye 0, having been sepa-. rated and pulled to the position shown, such positioning movement causes the strand 0 to draw on the interlocked and adjacent strand 5 of the eye 5, separating the eye I;

' also from the series.

Ittherefore follows that the hand operator by merely pulling over the foremost eye, will cause the separation also of the next adjacent eye. To facilitate the manipulation of the heddle members in this fashion, there may be provided means such as the longitudinal rod 8, or other member, located between the eyes andthe crossings 7 so that by merely running the finger over the rod and sliding the overlying strands of each eye along the same, the separation can be quickly 7 effected. It will be seen that as the foreof adjacent strands. and would, therefore,

tend to interfere with the warp shed con- This is best illustrated in trolled by the remaining harness or harnesses in the loom as the harnesses undergo relative vertical reciprocation, there is preferably provided means for shifting the line of crossings 7 beyond the active limits of the heddle members, that is to say, beyond the limits of sliding contact between the heddle strands and the threads of the remaining harnesses when shed in the loom. This may be accomplished in any desired way, but in the present instance I preferably construct the harness with the upper strands slightly longer than in the ordinary harness, in order to allow for the space occupied by the crossings referred to and also provide longitudinal separating means, such as the rod 8, which for this purpose however may be a flexible wire, cord or any other device. The separating device 8, passing as it does between the individual members of each pair of strands between the eyes and the crossings 7, may be readily slid from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 to the position shown in Fig. 8, forcing the strand crossings up between the upper shaft 1 and the rod 8, as represented in Fig. 3. In this position each end of the rod 8 may be held to the shaft by tying the same as at f, or by employing a clip or other fastening. This leaves the harness from the separating rod 8 plicable to any harness and has utility in the general employment of loom harnesses where the hand separation of the heddle members is requisite, it has particular utility in connection with mechanical harness eye separating and selecting mechanisms, such as are employed upon warp drawing or warp uniting machines.

In warp drawing machines it has hercto fore been practically impossible to act upon adjacent heddle members and accurately separate and position the eyes thereof by the use of selecting devices which are intended to engage directly with the heddle strands. This is due to the crowded and closely compacted relation of the flexible strands, which renders it difficult for a mechanical separator to engage the foremost one, without at times either seizing two or more heddles or missing the foremost one entirely. In the warp drawing machine of the prior art shown in Patent No. 600,670, to M. F. Field, there is provided a helical spring, which separates adjacent heddles and with which spring a separate worm directly engages. Through the present invention a perfect mechanical separation of the heddles can be easily obtained by acting directly upon the strands thereof with a mechanical selector and without employment of any intervening member such as the spring of the Field patent.

In, Fig; 5 I'have shown a portion of a harness constructed as described, engaged by a sepa-ratlng and selecting member. Such selectingmember is shown in the form of a worm 9,;somewhat modified in shape from the worm shown in the aforesaid Field patent so that it is adapted directly tofengage I have deemed it unnecessary to show the remaining parts of the warpidrawing machine, since the worm may be, and preferably is, rotated by the worm shaft 10 in precisely the sameway as are the worm shafts 2- and y in the aforesaid Field patent, and by substantially the same mechanism, and the harness or liarnesses may be supported and combined with cooperating drawing in mechanisms, all. of substantially the same construction and assembled andv operating in the same manner as disclosed in the said Field patent.

Preferably, though not necessarily, there isprovided in cooperation with the worm 9 a longitudinal spacing member, such as the rod 11, which passes between the individual members of each upper pair of strands, but

above the crossings 7,, thereby forcing the crossings down close to the worm. It will be seen that, as the worm turns in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 5, the wedge shaped lip12 thereof is caused to enter be tween the two upper strands of one ofthe heddle eyes and advance the eye into some such position as is occupied by the eye d in Fig. 5.- In that position the drawing-in needle is allowed to pass, through the eye and the worm is given vanother turn. The advancement of the eye at to" the position shown, however, has .so separated the strands of the next adjacent eye that the lip of the worm enters therebetween positively and with certainty, causing the next eye to move in the same fashion. The interlacing of the strands, therefore, draws the strands of the heddle next to be engaged intosuch a position that they cannot fail to be properly engaged by the lip of the worm.

Preferably, as shown, the rod 11 is so positioned as to bring the line of crossings closely adjacent to the periphery of the worm, so that the lip of the worm works close to or through the line of crossings. In the case of the last described mechanism, the rod 11 is withdrawn prior to the installation of the harness in the loom and a spacing member, such as the rod 8 (Fig. 8), substituted for the worm and worm shaft. To facilitate this substitution, a swivel 13, having an eye 14, is provided on the end of the worm shaft 10. To the eye is fastened a cord 15, which is drawn through the harness in the place occupied by the worm shaft as the latter advances. When the operation tached to theend of the rod 8 and the latter drawn to the requiredposition.

The. warp drawing machine of my invention is not necessarily limited to a mechanical separator of the particular type shown or to a rotary separating and selecting de vice, but any suitable separating means may beemployed. r

I have shown only a portion of a harness in each figure of the drawing, sincethisis sufficient to illustrate the characteristics of my invention and the construction shown thereby may be extended to a harness of as great or little extent as may be desired.

I have herein described a form of harness which requires a special formation, differing from the usual harnessforrnation. Not

obtaining thesame object, but the usual or other harness formations may be; so convertt ed as to; embody the principles of my invention.

I11 Fig. 4 I have shown a small section of an ordinary harness which, however, by the addition of leasing members, is so, ar ranged as to provide adjacent interlaced strands, so that a ready separation of adj a cent heddles may be effected.

Referring to Fig. 4 and, for illustration, to the particular heddle eyes designated as a, f and (7, it will. be seen that the upper legs or strands for these'eyes would, were it not for the leasing members 16, naturally fall or hang in the usual formation, that is to say, not only with the members of each pair of strands passing to opposite sides of the shaft, but with the strands on the same side of the shaft for adjacent eyes lying in .con-

secutive order and without any interlacing connection.

To provide the interlacing formation are caused to cross and a leasing member 16 is inserted to maintain the crossing, the

leasing members being the only means by which the crossings are maintained and the harness differentiated from the usual form. By this means there are provided two sets of crossed strands, one passing to one side of the harness shaft and the other to the opposite side, each set being composed of pairs of strands crossed as described.

Referring to the drawing, for example, the eye 6 has its outer strand e crossed with the outer strand of the eye f. The inner strand 7 of the eye f is crossed with the inner strand g of the eye g. Each eye, therefore, has its outer strand linked to the outer strand of the neighboring eye on the one side and its inner strand to the inner strand of the other adjacent eye on the other side.

The leasing members 16, which may be ing machine described, but that my invention may be carried out in a variety of ways, the details and arrangement of parts may be widely varied without departing from the spiritof the invention, and the same may 7 be usefully employed in connection with any form of warp uniting or warp treating machine where the separation of the warp eyes 20 i or the separation of threads in the warp eyes is desired.

Claims:

1."As anew article of manufacture, a loom harness comprising a series of assembled eye supports so connected by the direct contacting engagement of the supports themselves that the separation of one eye from the series'tends to separate the next adjacent one. a 7

2. Asa new article of manufacture a loom harness comprising a series of assembled eye .supports so connected by the direct contacting engagement of the supports themselves as to cause the separation of one support from the series to be followed by the separation of the next adjacent support.

3. As a new article of manufacture a loom harness comprising upper and lower shafts, a plurality of heddle members each with its strands interlaced between the shafts with the strands of the next adjacent heddle member.

4. A loom harness comprising upper and lower shafts, a series of heddle members,

each with its eye and a pair of heddle strands, one member of each pair being interlaced between the shafts with a strand of the pair of the next adjacent member.

5. A loom harness comprising a series of heddle members each with its heddle eye, a harness shaft, a pair of strands passing from each eye to opposite sides of the shaft, each strand of the pair being crossed about the adjacent but oppositely extending strand of the next adjacent member.

6. A loom harness comprising upper and lower harness shafts, a series of heddle members comprising each an eye having pairs of upper and lower strands, each pair of lower strands passing to the same side of the lower shaft and adjacent pairs passing to alternate sides thereof, the individual members of each upper pair passing to opposite sides of the upper shaft and each member of the upper pair being crossed about the adjacent but oppositely extending member of the next adjacent pair.

7 A loom harness comprising a series of heddle members having each a pair of heddle strands, the adjacent strands of each pair having a mutually interlaced crossing, and means for maintaining said crossings outside of the active limits of the heddle members.

8. A harness having a series of heddle members, each provided with a pair of strands, adjacent strands of the adjacent members undergoing an interlocking crossing, and separating means between the individual members of each pair and located between the series of eyes and the series of 1 crossings.

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

JAMES F. MATTHEWS.

Witnesses:

THOMAS B. BoorH, EVERETT S. EMERY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for fiveeents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents, Washington, D. G.

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