US1484812A - Weft-replenishing loom - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 26 1924. l,484,2

l R. CROMPTON ET AL WEFT REPLENISHING LOOM Filed July 7* 1922 6 Sheets-,Sheet l 104C 9a Q0 72 zfen'ors:

morne? L Feb. 26 1924. A Lz R. CROMPTON ET Ai. Y

` WEFT REPLENISHING LOOM Filed July '7, 1.922 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ind/e7? '507295 Ecm-dol 72 Umm 'tara Geo'gerowzyo iig?? Feb., 26 1924. L484,2

` R. CROMPTQN ET Ai.

WEFT REPLENISHING LOOM Filed July 7l 1.922 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 25256712 tow.: Randolph UPomp-ovz George rompz'on )frz 1922 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 ITINIIIIIIl .t .QH

Feb. 26 1924.

R. CROMPTON ET AL WEET REPLENISHING LOOM Filed July 7y Feb. 26, 1924. 3,484,812 R. CROMPTON ET AL WEFT REPLENISHING LOOM Filed July '7, 1922 G'Sheets-Sheet 6 Ni s OLPH CROMPTON AND EORGECROMPTON. JB., OF WQBCESTEB, UHUSETTS.

WEET-REPLENISHING LOOM.

Application iled July 7, 1922. Serial No. Y573,357.

To aZZ whom t may conceKrn:

Be it known that we, RANDoLrH CnoMr-- 'roN and GEORGE CRoMr'roN, .l r., both of Worcester, in the county of lVorcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, both citizens of the United Stateshave invented a new and useful Improvement in a Weft- Replenishing Loom, of which the followlng, together with the accompanying drawings, is a-speciiication.

Our invention relates to automatic weft replenishing looms, particularlyof the type employing shifting shuttle boxes for supplying different kinds of filling.

The object of our invention is to provide a loom employing multiple shifting shuttle boxes at each end thereof, and a magazine containing plenished with the proper .kind of filling.

In so far as we are aware there is no automatic weftreplenish-ing loom on the market at the present time employing multiple shifting shuttle boxes at each Vend thereof, al-l though automatic looms have been constructed which are provided with multiple shifting shuttle boxes at one end, and with a single shuttle box only, at the other end, where the change of filling takes place. loom of this general type is shown in U. S. Patent No. 600,053, issued March 1, 1898, to -Wyman and Crompton. While a loom constructed in accordance with vthe abbve mentioned patent is capable of weaving many classes of fabrics, such as ginghams, coloredA it is necessary to use what is known as apick-and-pick loom, that is, a loom having multiple shuttle boxesV at each lend of the lay. At the present time however, there is no automatic loom of this type available.

On September 22, 1903, there was issued di'erent kinds of illing from' which any shuttle may be automatically reto Randolph Crompton, Patent No. 739,651, which disclosed an` automatic weft replenishing .loom of the pick-and-pick type, in which the shuttles are shown as being o erated on their sides, whereby the spent li ling carriers are ejected and fresh filling carriers are inserted in a substantially horizon- While the above mentioned tal direction. Patent No. 739,651 shows an automatic weft replenishing pick-and-pick loom, which appears operative on its face, yet it is a significant fact that there are now no looms of that class running, to the best of our knowledge. It was found by experience that the defect in the mechanism described in Patent No. 7 39,651 resides in the fact that the shuttle has to run on its side as it travels across the lay, so that the thread has a tendency to catch beneath the shuttle and break.

By our present invention We propose to overcome the practical difficulties encountered in building and operating a loom in accordance with the disclosure of Patent No. 739,651, and to this end we have provided a loom employing 'shifting shuttle boxes at each end thereof, and means for automatically ejecting and inserting filling carriers in a shuttle in one' of the boxes, in a vertical plane, whereby the shuttle may run in the normal manner. By our invention therefore, we propose to provide a loom which is both automatic and universal, in that it is weft replenishing and is adapted to weaveany class of goods whatsoever. Our invention further contemplates a loom employing a magazine provided with compartments for a number of kinds of filling equal to the maximum number of shuttles that can be employed in both sets of shuttle boxes. The above, and other advantageous features of our invention will hereinafter more fully appear, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of a loom embodying our invention.

Fig. 2 is a view in end elevation, looking at the battery side of the loom.

Fig. 3 is a view showing a portion of the parts of Fig. 1, on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 4 is a view showing a portion of the parts-of Fig. 2, on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of a portion cams removed from the loom.`

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the shuttle boxes at the ma azine end of the loom, on an enlarged sca e.

Fig. 11 is a side view of the parts shown in Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary View showing the protective mechanism for the shuttle boxes.

Fig. 13 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the various functions of the starting rod.

Fig'. 14 is a diagrammatic View illustrating the operation of the loom.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the diderent gures.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the loom enerally comprisesa frame 1 uponv Whic is pivotally supported a lay 2 by means of lay swords 3. A plurality of shuttle boxes 4 are mounted at the left hand end of the lay 2, and are adapted to be moved vertically in unison by means of 'a box rod, 5; The boxes 4 are adapted to be raised and lowered in response to a suitable pattern, by mechanism shown in Patent No. 837, 284, to which further reference will be made.' A picker stick 6 is pivotally mounted on the lay 2 for c0- operation with the boxes 4 and is adapted to be driven in unison with a picker stick 7 mounted at the right hand end of the lay by means of an operating mechanism, best shown in Patent No. 340,823, which will be hereinafter referred to.

A plurality of shuttle boxes 8, preferably formed in one piece, are carried at the right hand end of the lay 2 and are adapted to be shifted in ak substantially horizontal plane.

. As best shown in Fig. 6, the shuttle box casting 9 is provided with lugs 10 and 11 on opposite sides thereof, to which are secured flexible connections 12 and 13 which extend downwardly over pulleys 12 and 13a and are connected to the shuttle box operating mechanism which is shown in the above mentioned Patent No. 837,284, and Will be hereinafter referred to. Asbest shown in Figs. 10 and 11, the shuttle box casting 9 is adapted to move back and forth on guide members 14 and 15, carried by the lay 2, the guide member 15k being supported by a bifurcated bracket 16, between the arms of which the picker stick 7 is adapted to move. The guide members 14 andl 15 are provided with grooves 14a and 15, respectively, within which are received tongues 17 and 18 provided on opposite sides of the shuttle iaeaeia box casting 9, whereby the casting is sliolably supported for movement in a substantially horizontal plane.

As best shown in Fig. 4, a magazine 19 consists of a plurality of cells 2O arranged vertically in side-by-side relation, the number of cells being determined b the maxilnumy number of shuttles Which can be handled by the loom. For purposes vof illustration they cells 20 are here shown as being seven in number, seven being the maximum lnumber of shuttles which it is `possible to employ when operating the loom with four shifting shuttle boxes at each end thereof, for obviously, one`of the shuttle boxes 8 must be ,kept open to receive an active shuttle. For this reason, the maximum number of cells 20 which are permissible in the mag azine 19, is always one less than the total number of shifting shuttle boxes.

The magazine 19 is similar in general construction to the magazine shown and described in Patent No. 941,179, and each cell.

20 is provided at its lower end with a device to be hereinafter described, for supporting the filling carriers or bobbins 21 therein until av carrier having the proper kind of filling thereon is released for insertion into the shuttle by a transferer 22. rlhe movement of the transferer 22 is adapted to be controlled by the filling. feeler mechanism of the loom through a suitable starting rod 23 extending across the loom in back of the breast beam 24, as best shown in Fig. 1.

The filling feeler mechanism which we choose to employ forms no part of our present invention, but is fully shown and described in Patent No. 87 6,418. For this reason it is not believed necessary to show the details of the filling feeler mechanism herein, and for the sake of clearness We have shown only the operating member or starting rod 23 which is adapted to have imparted thereto a longitudinal movement upon the detection of substantial exhaustion of the lling in a shuttle Which is about to bedriven across the loom from one of the boxes 4, by means of the picker stick 6. Itis obvious that other suitable filling feeler mechanisms can be employed in the same manner as that disclosed in the above mentioned Patent No. 876,418, for the purpose of imparting movement to the starting rod 23, for our invention contemplates the utilization of the movement of the starting rod 23 to accomplish a number of different operations which will be described in the order of their occurrence.

As best shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 5, a shaft 25 is rotatably mounted on the frame 1 with an arm 26 extending in the direction of the magazine 19. A lplurality of lifting levers 27, corresponding in number to the number of cells 20, in the magazine 19, are each pivotally mounted on a rod 28 adapted for vertical movement in guides 29. Each lever ampia 27 terminates in a spear shaped head 30, the wei ht of which tends to overbalance the lever 27 and normally maintain it in engagement with a sto arm 31 at a slight angle from the vertica Each arm 31 forms a portion of a bell crank levermounted on a shaft 32, the other arm 33 of which- 1s provided with a curved portion 34 resting on rollers 35 of a pattern chain 36. The pattern chain 36 is driven from a shaft 37 extending across the end of the loom, the cham 36 being so related to the boxl motion of the loom that the arms 33, each of which corresponds to a given cell 20, will be operated in accordance with the kind of filling which is in the active shuttle, as will hereinafterv more fully appear. Each rod 28 is connected through a crank arm 38 to a shaft 39, which extends to one of the cells 20 of. the magazine 1 9. A two armedlever 40is mounted on the shaft 39 and is provided at its respective ends with stop pins 41 and 42 which extend into the magazine. ln. their normal position the lower stop in 42 is disposed beneath the lowermost bo bin 21 of its particular compartment, while the upper stop pin 41 is in osition to be moved under the bobbin imme iately above the lowermost bobbin, as best shown in Fig. 4. The particular construction of the devicesfor controlling movement of the bobbins in the magazine forms no part of the present invention, and is more fully shown and described in the above mentioned Patent No. 941,179. Sunce it to say that in the present mechanism shown, the stop pins 41 and 42 are so arranged that an upward movement of any one of the rods 28 will cause a turning movement of the shaft 39, and thereby cause the lower lstop nin 42 to release the lowerlnost bobbin in the corresponding compartment while the upper stop pin 41 will hold the bobbin next above until the lower stoppin 42 has returned to its normal position upon downward movement of the rod 28.

The movement of the pattern chain 36 is -adapted to selectively lower the arms 33 in accordance with the arrangement of the rollers 35, and thereby cause the corresponding stop arms 31 to engage the levers 27 and move them in the direction of the arm 26 on the shaft 25, as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 5. When so moved, any particular lever 27, together with its rod 28, is in position-to be'raised by Vthe arm 26 upon turning movement of the shaft 25. The shaft 25 is adapted to be turned through shafting 43 and bevel gearing 44 from an operating shaft 45, which isadapted to have rotative movement imparted thereto upon movement of the starting rod'23, by means of an actuating device, best shown in 7 and 8. l

The shaft 45 is rotatably mounted on a 48 normally rests against t e end of a. inclined position.

plunger 51 in a slvhtl The plunger 51 is slida l supported in a bearing 52 carried by the racket 46, and is connected at its end to a flexible member 53 passing around pulleys 538, to a lug 54 extending downwardly from the starting rod 23, see Fig. 1. In the normal position of the starting rod 23, that is, between the times that the rod is moved upon detection of filling absence, the flexible member 53 tends to hold the plunger 51 in a retracted position against the action of a spring 55, surround ing the plunger 51 between the bearing 52 and a collar 56. Consequently the member 48 remains in position against the plunger 51 so long as t e starting rod 23 is not actuated.

As best shown in Fig. 8, a rocker arm 57, pivotally mounted at 58, is provided with an upwardly extending projection 59 carrying a roller 60 which runs in a.` groove 61, provided on a cam 62, carried on the bottom shaft 63 of the loom. The other end of the arm 57 is provided with a reduced portion 64 having a knife edge 65 extending substantially parallel to a groove 66 provided on the member 48 below the weighted portion 49. Rotation of the bottom shaft 63 is adapted to impart an oscillatory movement to the rocker arm 57, so that the knife ed e 65 moves up and down in a substantial vertical plane, just out of engagement wit the tripp-ing member-48. Theparts remain in the position shown so long as the flexible member 53 holds the plunger 51 retracted, but upon the detection of filling absence and the resulting movement of the starting rod 23, the plunger 51 is released and the 'spring 55 causes the plunger 51 tomove to the right and turn the member 48 in 'a clockwise direction about its pivot pin 50. As the member 48 falls forward, the knife edge 65 engages inv the grooveY 66 and raises the member 48 together with the arm 47, therebv turning the shaft 45, and with it the shaft 25. Upon this turning movement of the shaft 25 the arm 26 engages the spear head 30 of whichever lever 27 happens to be in its line of movement at that particular time, due to the movement of the corresponding arm 33 by pattern chain. Upward movement of the corresponding rod 28 causes its shaft 39 to be turned, thereby moving the stop pins 4l and 42 and releasing the lowermost bobbin in the cell 20 con'- taining bobbins provided with filling of the same kind that is in the active shuttle. In other words, movement of the starting rod 23, upon detection of any filling absence, is

adapted to immediately release a bobbin having filling corresponding 'to the kind of filling in the exhausted shuttle that is next driven across to the right hand side of the loom following detection'of illing absence. The bobbin is then in position to be acted 'u on by the transferrer 22, as will be hereina ter described. l l

As best shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the shaft 37 which drives the pattern chain 36, ex-

. tends across the end of f the loom. and is provided with a ratchetnwheel 67, the teeth of which are adapted to be engaged by a pawl member 68. The pawl member 68 is pivotally mounted at one end of a bell crank lever 69 mounted at 70, the other end of the lever 69 being connected by a rod 71 to a crank pin 72 carried on a gear 73 driven from the crank shaft 7 4 of the loom, through a gear 75, see Fig. 2. The turning of the gear 73 is adapted to impart an oscillatory movement to the bell .n crank 69, which in turn is adapted to impart afsteg-by-step ro- CFL .of filling tative movement to the sha by the `engagemnt of the pawl member 68 with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 67. The p-awl member 68 is connected by means of a fiexible member 76 passing over pulleys 77 to a lug 78 on the starting` rod 23, so that when the latter is moved, following the detection absence, the pawl member 68 will be lifte out of engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 67 and thereby arrest movement of the pattern .chain shaft 37 The flexible member 76 is so connected to the starting rod 23, that the interruption in the turning of the patternchain shaft 37 occurs upon the dropping of a fillingcarrier in the magazine 19, as vpreviously described, so that a new shed cannot be formed, nor can the shuttle boxes be shifted, following the dropping of a filling carrier into position thereto at intervals by means, not shown herein, but fully shown and described in United States Letters Patent No. 805,109. rlhe sleeve 80 extends upwardlyand is connected to a pivotally mounted arm 82 by means 0f a pin 83 working in a slot 8a. rlhey arm 82 extends downwardly and 'is pivotally connected to a lever 85 by means of a pin 86 acting in a slot 87. The lever 85 is provided with a projection 88, which l naat-Leia to. turn the latch 89 in a clockwise direction about its pivot pin 90. This occurs each time that the la during the operation o the loom, butwhen the starting rod 2 3 is moved to the right, following the detection of filling absence, the projecting end of the rod enters the opening 79 in the sleeve 80 and thereby prevents downward movement of the sleeve. Consequently the latch 89 is notturned and remains in the position shown in Fig. 4, so that, on the next forward movement of the lay 2, the bunter 92 engages the latch and turns the transferrer 22 about its pivot pin 93. This movement of the transferrer 22 causes it to engage the bobbin which has been previously dropped by operation of the' magazine mechanism, as previously set forth, and a fresh bobbin, with the proper kind of filling thereon is inserted into the proper shuttle box. While the latch 89 is adapted to be locked upon the first movement of the starting rod 23, the operation of the transferrer 22 does not occur until the next forward movement of the lay, after the box and harness motions have been thrown ofi", as previously described; The movement of the starting rod 23 is also adapted to interrupt the operation of the picking mechanism following the arrival of a shuttle with an exhausted bobbin at the righthand side of the loom and the transfer of a fresh shuttle thereto, as will nowbe described.

As shown in Fig. 1, the starting rod 23 is also provided with a lug 94 which is connected, by means of a exible member 95 passing around pulleys 96, to the plunger 97 of a second actuating'device similar in construction to the actuating device for the bobbin dropping mechanism. The fiexible member 95 is so connected to the starting rod 23 that in the normal position of the latter, that is, except when it is moved upon the detection of filling absence, the plunger 97 is held retracted against the action of a spring 97. A shaft 98 is also mounted on the bracket carrying the plunger 97, and is adapted to control the mechanism Jfor operating the picker sticks 6 and 7 which mechanism is fully shown and described in the above mentionedPatent No. @0,823 As best shown 'in Fig. 13, the

2 moves forward ies rae

v l shaftV 98 in -a counter clockwise direction is adapted to shift the rod 99 and thereby in,

terrupt the movement of the picker sticks 6 and 7, all as fully shown and described in the above mentioned patent.

An arm 100 is mounted on the shaft 98 to turn therewith, and has'pivotally mounted thereon a tripping member 101, which normally rests against the end of the plunger 97 in a slightly inclined position. A rocker arm 102 carries a roller, which travels in the groove 103a of a cam 103 mounted on the bottom shaft l63 of the loom, and formed as shown in Fig. 9. The end of the arm 102 is provided with a bevelled knife edge 102% The parts remain in the position shown so long as the flexible member 95 holds the plunger 97 retracted, but upon the detection of filling absence, and the resulting movement of thev starting rod 23, the plunger 97 is released and the spring 97 causes the plunger to move to the right and turn the member 101 in a clockwise direction. As the member 101 falls forward, the knife edge 102a engages and raises the member 101 together with the arm 100, thereby turning the shaft 98 in a counter clockwise direction, and interrupting the operation of the picker stick actuating mechanism. Upon the downward movement of the knife edge 102a the member 101 is released and returns to its normal position by reason of itsA unbalanced weight, and the picker operating mechanismv is resumed by 4the turning of the shaft 98 in a clockwise direction. A

A flexible connection 104 is attached to the shaft 98 and runs over pulleys to a pawl 105 which, as best shown in Fig. 2, controls the rotative movement of the take-up "roll 106. rlurning of the shaft 98 in a counter clockwise direction, asdescribed above, causes the pawl 105 to be lifted, and thereby interrupt the movement of the take-up l roll 106.

a iexible connection 107, and 'a second flexible connection 108ir is connected to the sleeve through levers 109. The connections 107 and 108 p-ass around lulleys 110 and across the loom toan equa izing lever 111. The lever 111 is adapted to have imparted there- -to an oscillatory movement through a mechanism which is fully shown 'and deirst to Fig. 1, the box rod 5 isv scribed in the above mentioned Patent No.

837 ,284, and the connections 107 and 108 are connected to the upper and lower ends, respectlvely, of the lever 111, so that when the lever is operated under the control of the pattern chain, the connection 107 is adapted to raise thebox rod 5, while the connection 108 is adapted to lower it, the box motion being entirely positive in its action, as set forth in the above mentioned atent.

The connection 12, which 1s attached to motion of the second lever 112 being similar.

to that of the tlrst lever 111,'it is .obvious adapted'to shift the horizontal shuttle boxes 8 in opposite directions under the control of the pattern chain. rlhis pattern chain is mounted on the shaft 37, so that when the pawl 68 is raised to interrupt the ro- 'that the flexi'ble connections 12 and 13 are tation of the shaft 37, the box motion will be arrested, as previously described.

ln order to insure that the shuttle boxes.'

8 willI always properly line up with the shuttle raceway, after being shifted, as just described, we have provided an automatic alining mechanism, best shown in Figs. 10 and .11. rl`he bottom of the shuttle box casting 9 is provided with 'a plurality of downwardly extending lugs 114 which are on the back 'walls of the several shuttle boxes. 8. A rod 115 is slidably mounted in bearings 116 on the back side of the lay, and is provided at its end with an alining member 117 which extends upwardly in the direction of the shuttle box casting 9. rlhe member 117 is provided with a pair of' prongs 118 which are bevelled in the direction of the lugs 114, so that they are spaced apart at their ends by 'a distance somewhat greater than the thickness of a lug 114. Except at their ends, the distance between them is substantially e ual to the thickness of a lug 114. A shi ing arm 119, pivotally mounted on the lay at 120, is provided at its upper end with a forked portion 121 which embraces a pin 122 projecting from the rod 115. The lower end of the arm 119 is reduced, as indicated at 123, and is received ina slot 124 provided in an arm 125v projecting from the breast beam 24.

As the lay moves back and forth. the arm. 119 has imparted thereto an oscillatory moyement by re'a-son of its connection to the arm. 125, which movement is translated into a reciprocatory movement vof the rod 115. The movement of the rod 115 is so timed that the alining member 117 moves to its right hand position just after the time for movent of the boxes, and just before the time for lpicking of a shuttle. Conversely the alining member moves to the left just after the time for receiving a shuttle, and just before movement of the boxes is to commence. ln this way the shuttle boxes 8 are brought into exact al'inementefor reception or rejection of a shuttle.

The outer guide member 15 .is provided with a pair of hinge lugs 126, between which is pivotally miounted a )5U-shaped binder 127 having a slot 128. A. spring 129 bears upon the free end of the binder 127 to give the necessary binding action on the shuttles as they enter and leave the boxes. 1t will be noted that the binder 127 is hinged to the bracket member 15 'and does not move sidewise with the shuttle boxes 8. The particular form of the binder 127 forms no part of the present invention, but is fully set forth and described in Patent No.

I v739,651 to Randolph Crompton.

As best shown in Fig. 12, a diagrammatic view, a protector finger 130 is adapted to cooperate with an extension 131 provided on the binder 127, so th'at when a shuttlel is driven home in one of the boxes 8, the movement of the binder 127 will cause the finger 130-to -be turned in a counter clocklin order to m'ake clear the sequence of operation of the several mechanisms previously described, andtheir relation to each other in the operation of the loom, there is shown in Fig. 13 a diagrammatic view of the starting rod 23'removed from 'the loom, with `the several flexible members 53, 76 and 95 attached thereto and leading to the devices which they 'are adapted to respectively actuate. With the general view of a loom shown in Fig. 1, and the diagrammatic view of Fig. 13 in mind, it is believed that the operation .of the loom will be readily understood therefrom and will now-be described.

Let it be first assumed that the loom is operating with a number of shuttles equal to the total number of vertical and horizontal shuttle boxes, less one, and that the magazine is provided with filling carriers having a number of different kinds of filling therein corresponding to the number of different kinds of iling carried in the shuttles. As the iocm operates, the filling feeler mechanism cooperating with the vertical set of shuttle boxes 4f, functions in the same manner as described in Patent No.. 876,418, previously referred to. inasmuch as the operation of this feeler mechanism is meeste fully set forth in the above mentioned patent, it is not believed necessary to burden the present ap lica'tion with a detailed description of t is operation. Suffice it to say, for the purpose of the present inven-l tion,\ the filling feeler mechanism will not operate to shift the starting rod 23 until a s uttle in which the fillino lis practically exhausted is readyto be piclied to the right hand side of the loom on the backward movement of the lay. i

Upon the movement of the starting rod 23, following the detection of filling absence, as described above, let it be borne in mind that a shuttle with` a substantially exhausted filling is simultaneously moving from the left hand to the right hand side of the loom. Consequently, when the shuttle arrives in one of the horizontal'boxes 8, the movement of the starting rod 23 has already locked the sleeve 80 of the transfer 4 mechanism in position, so that the latch 89 will betripped and the transferrer 22 operated on the next forward beat of the lay. `Before the transferrer 22 is operated however, the movement of the starting rod 23 has released the flexible member 53 and allowed the plunger 51 to set in motion the actuating device which imparts rotative movement to the shaft 45. This rotative movement is in turn transmitted to the.

shaft 25, thereb causing a bobbin to be dropped from t e cell 20 containing bobbins, of the same kind as that which 1s contained in the detected' shuttle just received in the horizontal lshuttle boxes 8. rllhe movement of the starting rod23 also serves to exert a pull on the flexible member 76,

`thereby lifting the pawl 68 and throwing off the box and harness motion.

It may be here stated that the motion of the bell crank lever 69 is so timed that it is not adapted to move the pattern chain until after the time that the starting rod is adapted to be moved, in other words, the pattern chain is only moved when a shuttle is running and the boxes and harnesses are stationary, which arrangement is most desirable in this type of loom.

Following this occurrence, the bunter 92 on the lay engages the latch 89, thereby operating the transferrer 22 and causing the fresh bobbin which has just been dropped invthe magazine, 'to be transferred to the exhausted shuttle. At this pointithe pick is thrown off by the turning of the shaft 98 rthrough the actuating device which is set motions may again he resumed by the release of the pawl 68 upon the return movement of the starting rod 23 to its normal osition. The picking will then be resumed by the return ofthe member 101 to its normal position, and the corresponding clockwise movement of the shaft 98. The. loom then resumes normal operation until the feeler mechanism again detects filling exv t throw upon the movement of the starting rod and moves down quickly right after the picking balls have ceased engagement with the shoes, so that it catches the member 101 before the starting rod returns to its normal position.

ln order to make clear the cyle of operations just described, With reference to the occurrence of the various operations during one complete revolution of the loom shaft, reference will now be hadto the diagram of Fig., 14:. The movement of the lay during one complete revolution of the loom shaft is graphically represented by the full line curve, the horizontal ordinates of the curve representing increments of time, and the vertical ordinates representing increments of movement of the lay'between its extreme positions, so that the curve reaches each extreme position once during a complete revolution of the crank shaft. In considering the curve of Fig. 14, it is to be assumed that the loom has been operating normally up to the point A, when the filling feeler mechanism operates just before the lay reaches the center of its travel and tlie exhausted shuttle is picked from left to right. The start-ing rod 23 is therefore moved at the point A. and sets in operation the several instrumentalities which bring about the results previously described, namely, the transfer latch 89Xy is held fast, a fresh bobbin is dropped in the magazine, the pawl 68 is lifted, and the plunger 97 is retracted. At B the shuttle, with practically exhausted filling, is picked to the right, and during the'interval represented by C the box and harness motions cease to function as the pau-1 68 has been lifted. At D the transferrer 22 is operated `as the lay reaches the limit of its forward movement, thereby inserting a fresh bobbin in the shuttle. At E the picking mechanism is thrown off by the turning of the shaft 98, and during the interval represented by F the box and harness4 motions are resumed. At G the` picking mechanism is again set in operation and the loom resumes normaloperation.

From the foregoing then, it is apparent that by our invention we have provided a ickand-pick loom employing multiple shi ting boxes at each end thereof, and a magazine.

containing different kinds of :filling from which any shuttle may be automatically relenislied with the proper kind of filling.

y our invention We have further provided a loom employing a magazine provided with compartments for a number of different kinds of filling equal to the number of shuttles employed in both sets of shifting shuttle boxes. By our invention then, we have provided a loom which is adapted to Weave with as large a' number olf active shuttles as has ever been employed, any or all of these shuttles being adapted to be automatically replenished with filling of individual chan' acter, so that our loom does not have to be stopped on account of exhaustion of the filling in any active shuttle.

lt is obvious that we may employ any suitable oi` usual form of warp stop motion in our loom, although many automatic filling replenishing looms have been operated without Warp stopy motions. ln addition we can also apply to the transferring mechanism shown, any suitable or usual form of shuttle feeler, particularly as the latch member of the transferring mechanism shown, is held in operative position by spring means, and consequently a shuttle feeler could be employed to withdraw the latch.

`lt is also obvious that we can employ suitable thread cutters cooperating with tlie y loom temple and shuttle feeler, as shown and described in theco-pending application, George Crompton, Jn, Serial No. 629,890, filed April 4, 1923.' n

While we have chosen to illustrate our invention as being carried out by the use of certain specific devices, it is obvious that our invention is not limited to the use of such instrumentalities, but is susceptible of various modifications, and we desire therefore that only such'limitations be imposed thereon as may come within the scope o-f th-e appended claims which are to be so construed as to cover all means of weaving with shuttles operated rightside up in shifting shuttle boxes or with cells cooperating with a filling replenishing mechanism of any desired type.

Weclaim, Y 1. In a loom, a lay provided with sets of shiftable shuttle boxes at opposite; ends` thereof, one set of boxes being movable on the lay in substantially the same direction that thelay moves, and automatic means to cause replenishment, of filling in a jshuttle in substantially a vertical lane in lany one cell of the last named set o boxes. Y,

2. In a pick-and-pickloom, a lay provided with sets of shiftinglshuttle boxes vat opw path that the lay travels, and automatic means to cause replenishment of filling in a shuttle in a substantially verticalplane in any one cell of the last named set of boxes.

3. ln a loom,'a lay carrying sets of shifting shuttle boxes at opposite ends thereof,

.movable in planes substantially at right angles to each other, the planeof movement of one set of boxes being tangent to the arc of movement of the lay, and automatic means to cause replenishment of filling in substantiallya vertical plane in a shuttle in any one box of the last named set of boxes.

Lhln a loom, a lay .carrying sets of shifting shuttle boxes at opposite ends thereof, and weft replenisliing mechanism cooperating with a set of boxes movable in a substantially horizontal direction to cause a transfer in a direction lsubstantially at right angles to the movement of the said boxes.

5. lin a loom, a lay carrying sets of movable shuttle boxes at opposite ends thereof,

one set ofl said boxes being movable backf wardly and forwardly and coincidently in an upwardly and downwardly direction, 'and weft replenishing mechanism cooperating with the ilatter set of boxesto cause a transfer in substantially a vertical plane.

6. In a loom, a lay carrying a set of substantially horizontally movable shuttle boxes, and weft replenishing mechanism cooperating with said shuttle boxes to bring about a transfer in a substantially vertical plane.

7. In a loom, a lay carrying a set of shiftbox4 shifting mechanism adapted to move said boxes on the lay in substantially a horizontal arcuate path, a filling magazine mounted above said'lay adjacent said boxes and means fon transferring fresh-.filling carriers from said magazine to a shuttle in any one of said boxes while the lay is moving and the boxes are at rest, and means to cause they weft to be threaded in the running shuttle when the latter is picked from lthe transferring end of said lay.

8. In a loom, a lay carrying at one end a set of shuttle boxes shiftable in a vertical plane and carrying at the other end a set of shuttle boxes shiftable in a substantially horizontal plane, and a weft replenisliing mechanism cooperating with the horizontally movable boxes to bring about a transfer in a vertical plane.

9. ln a loom, a lay carrying shifting shuttle boxes at each end thereof, one set of said boxes being movable in a substantially horizontal plane, and a filling changing` mechanism cooperating with lsaid horizontally movable set of boxes tol eect a change of lling by movement in a vertical plane on messia the practical e any of said shuttles.

'y 'auction of the l filling in 10. ln aloom, a lay carrying shifting shuttle boxes at each and thereof, a gravity `operated magazine adjacent the shuttle boxes at one end of said lay, and. a transferer adapted by a 'vertical' movement to insert a supply of filling from said maga-- zine in a shuttle in any* of the boxes below,

said transferer. l

11. ln a loom, a lay carrying shifting `shuttle boxes at each end thereof, means for raising or lowering the shuttle boxes at one end of said-lay, means for moving the shuttle boxes at the Vother end of said lay back and forth on the lay, and filling changin mechanismcooperating with the last name set of boxes to cause a transfer in a vertical direction into any one cell.

12. ln a loom, a lay carryin shuttle boxes at each end thereoa magazineabove the shuttle boxes at one end of said lay, and operating means ada ted b a vertical'movement toinsert a supp y of filling from said magazine in a shuttle in any of the boxes below said magazine.

13. In a loom, the combination with a lay carrying shifting shuttle boxes'at each end thereof, mechanism for shifting one set of boxes on the lay in substantiallytlie same for automatically interrupting the functionable shuttle boxes at lone end thereof, a

ing of said b'ox shifting mechanism prior to the accomplishment of a change of'filling.

14; In a loom, the combination with a lay carrying shifting shuttle boxes at each end thereof, a filling magazine above the shuttle boxes at one end of the lay, means for vertically moving a filling carrier to any one f the boxes below the magazine -and lmeans for releasinga filling carrier in said ing magazine holding carriers of different` cliaracterffilling indicator means, a separate auxiliary lpattern chain cooperating with said filling indicator means for controlling the operation of said magazine, whereby the filling on the carrier released by said magazine is of the same character as the lling in the running shuttle which shuttle caused the .indicatie shiningV 16. In an automatic pick and pick loom a. lay, a set of multiple celled shuttle boxes at each end thereof, at least one set of said boxes being of a non-gravity type operable 5 in an arcuate path, a multiple colored magazine mounted above said boxes, means to transfer a filling carrier from said magazine into said boxes, said boxes having a slightly rising action as said la moves forward, said action being imparte and in part by said box motion.

RANDOLPH CROMPTON. GEORGE CROMPTON, JR.

in part by said lay 10-

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