US1829326A - Gripper locking and unlocking mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 27, 1931. c. c. ALVORD 1,829,326

GRIPPER LOCKING AND UNLOCKING MECHANISM Filed June 15, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Maw Oct. 27, 1931. c. c ALVQRD 1,829,326

GRIPPER LOCKING AND UNLOCKING MECHANISM Filed June 15, 1929 3 sh et -s t 2 INVENTOR MOM Oct. 27, 1931. c, c, ALVORD 1,829,326

GRIPPER LOCKING AND UNLOCKING MECHANISM Filed June 15, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Oct. 27, 1931' PATENT OFFICE CHARLES CLINTON ALVORD, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIG'NOR TO WORCES- TER LOOM WORKS, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS GRIPPER LOCKING AND UNLOCKING MECHANISM Application filed June 15,

This invention relates to tuft weaving looms and particularly to that type-of carpet loom which employs a series of .grippers to transfer the pile tufts from the source of supply to the fell of the fabric. The source of supply may be either tuft frames or jacquard controlled yarn carriers, the former method being illustrated in the patent to Clinton Alvo-rd, No. 1,436,619.

It is the object of the present invention to provide "a gripper locking and unlocking mechanism which will functionsatisfactorily I at the relatively higher speeds -:at which-carpet looms now run. I p v A second object is to provide simple and rapid means of disconnecting the motion whenever required. A further object is to provide a mechanism of great mechanical efliciency which will provide great gripping pressure for holding the tuft yarn with relative'low pressure on the working parts.

With the above and other objects in view my invention consists'in the arrangement and details of construction, disclosed in the drawings and specification and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings Fig. 1 represents aside-elevation in cross section of my improved mechanism taken on line- A-A- of Fig. 2.

ig. 2 is a front elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 shows the grippers at the pile-seizing position just as they have been locked vcastings provide bearings for the wing shaft 4 and a seat for the rectangular gripper holding bar 5. Grippers 6 are fastened to the bar as in common practice. The movable j aw 7 of each gripper terminates in a ballshaped end 8 whichre'stsin the pocket piece 9 staked into the oscillatory wing shaft 4. The wing shaft bearings on castings 3 are 1929. Serial No. 371,152.

opened up as at 10 in Fig. 1 so as to permit the shaft to oscillate sufliciently to open and close the grippers.

The motion to lock and unlock the grippers originates with cam lever 11 operated by cam 12 keyed to the main cam shaft 13 of the loom. Connector l4 fastened on a stud at the end of the cam lever extends upward to one arm 15 of a bell crank lever freely rotatable on rock shaft 16 journaled in the loomsides. The other arm 17 of the bell crank lever has fulcrumed thereon pawl 18 which is allowed to drop freely into the tooth of ratchet 19 as shown in Fig. 1. 'Ratchet 19 is keyed to shaft 16 and thus, whenever cam lever 11 is forced downwardly by cam 12, the motion will be transmitted by connector 14 to the bell crank lever and thence by the pawl 18 and ratchet 19 tothe'shaft'16. In case it is desired at any time tointerrupt these periodical movements of shaft 16 due to the rotation of the cam, I provide a flexible connection 20 fastened to pawl 18 and running over pulleys or by other suitable means not shown to some location convenient for the weaver who can, by pulling the pawl out of engagement with the ratchet tooth, quickly and easily interrupt the train of movement. Such a condition might exist when weaving headings on a rug at screw it will be seen in Fig. 1 that sufficient clearance is provided between pawl 18 and the tooth of ratchet 19 to allow the pawl to be raisedoutof, or lowered into engagement therewith whenever the cam roll of lever 11 is on the dwell of cam 12.

There is a lever 21 keyed on shaft 16 and equipped with a freely turning roll 22. Sector gear 23, freely pivoted on gripper fulcrum'shaft2, has an extended arm 24 which is contacted and moved counterclockwise by roll 22 whenever lever 21 swings upward due to a rise on cam'12. Another sector gear 25 is keyed to wing shaft 4, the teeth of the two gears being in mesh. Thus whenever the swing shaft is moved clockwise by the upward thrust of roll lever 21' the grippers will close. Collar 23a prevents endwise slippage 0 gear 23.

When the cam roll on lever 11; has been forced to its extreme down position by rise 26. on cam 12 the grippers will be fully closed and the various parts will appear as in Fig.3, 7

bearing 3 being omitted for the sake of clarity. In order to retain the'grippers-closed,

or. locked, I provide pawl lever 27 keyed to shaft'2 and equipped with a pawl 28'which" can snapinto the recess back oftooth 29 on gear 23 whenever the gearhas'been rotated by lever 21 to the position showninthe above mentioned figure. The pawl is'urged into en gagement by a spring notshownx Lever 21 may now drop back to its position n Fig. '1

but the-grippers willreinain locked dueto pawl 28 contacting'tooth'29. v

After drawing off the proper lengthof pile yarn from the source of'supply the grippers descend, to their pile releasing position' at v the shed asshown'in'Fig; 4L Anypf the wellknown mechanisms for'raising and lowering the grlppers'may be employed such as the rack-and gear motion shown in Fig. 1 of the Clinton Alvord Patent f r-1,436,619: At this point it willibe; noted that screw -:on lever '21 is'in position to'abut oifset taih 31 on pawl 28 when-the small rise '32 on cam 12"con- .tacts and opera fi th cam roll? The'continued downwardrnovement ofthe carn lever forces the screw 30 smartly aga-il'ist'the offset tail 31'thus throwing the pawl out of engage ment a trigger which, when free,rwas compelled'to slide by the bunter'as the'gri-ppers opened. The friction caused by such anarrangement' slows'down the openingo'f the grippers and results in uneven pile Conditionsvaried from day today depending upon the amount of lubricantpresent on the con:

tacting surfaces; It-will be notedinthepresent arrangement, however thatjthe'opening screw 30 is not thus incontact-with'any part of the mechanism'which isv rotated the-action of spring during the opening of the grip- 'pers. Oncethe pawl-' has'been forcedont'clear of tooth '29 there, is nof drag imposed on; the a.

3 means 'operatively oscillating -said 1 trigger rapidly rotating". parts; :The: grippers continue to open until screw 35 which 'is, threaded in an offset'on extension arm 34 contacts gear p ers are opened'orclosedi- 23 as shown clearly in Fig. 1. The use of this check screw prevents straining of the pivoted joints of the individual grippers through excessively wide opening such as occurs when no stop is provided. I

' I am aware that various changes may be made inthe construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the scope of this invention as expressed in'the claims. Ido not wish, therefore, to be limited to the scribed, but

What Ido claim and desire'to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a loom for weaving tufted fabrics, a se'riesof grippers having moveable jaws, a

construction I have herein shown and de- 7 shaft operatively contactingsaid jaws to open and close them, a quick-releasable catch to retain the jaws in closed position, a gear on said shaft and mechanism adapted to engage said'gear whereby said shaft may be-operatively oscillated, g i r a 1 i 2. Ina loom for weaving tufted fabrics, a gripper fulcrum shaft, a gripper holding bar secured thereto, a wing-shaft adapted to be operatively oscillated toopen and close a. set of grippers mounted on said bar, av sector gear on said wing shaft, a'mating gear loosely mounted on said fulcrum: shaftzand means toimove saidmating gearewhereby said grip- 3. .In a loom for weaving tufted fabrics, a

gripper fulcrum shaft, a wing shaft adapted to be op'erativelyoscillated tolopen and close aset-of grippers, a sector gear-on said wing shaft, amating gear loosely mountedon said fulcrum shaft, means tov move said mating .-'gea'r' to close the grippers, a check to retain the-grippers in closed-position and mecha- "nism' adapted to contact and release said check said mechanism beingso arranged that no" relative motion occurs at the point 'of contact while the grippers are opening whereby the spee'd'of opening is increased; 5 4.11m loom for weaving tufted fabrics, a

series of" grippers provided with movable jaws, an arm for closing the jaws, a catch to retain them in closedposition, a trigger shaft provided witha leverhaving' a roller and an adjustable knock-off screw and means to periodically oscillate said trigger shaft, said roller contacting said'arm' 'as'said shaft oscilllatesflto, close-the jaws and-saidscrew contacting saidfcatch as said shaft oscillates to "qpen thefj aws]. v j a a H 5.IIIn iafl oom for'weaving tufted fabrics, a [series of; grippers provided with "movable jaws, an arm for closing the jaws, a trigger,

a trigger shaft providedwith a lever fast thereon equipped with a roller adapted to provide rolling contact with said" arm and shaft to efiect rolling contact between said trigger being adapted to releasably lock the aws.

6. In a loom for Weaving tufted fabrics, a set of grippers, means to open and close said grippers, mechanism to actuate said means and a device interposed between said means and said mechanism comprising a single tooth ratchet and driving pawl therefor adapted to be manually moved out of contact with said ratchet whereby the means to open and close said grippers is rendered inoperative.

7. In a loom for weaving tufted fabrics, a gripper holding bar, wing shaft mechanism adapted to be actuated to close and open a set of grippers mounted on said bar, a releasable catch to retain the grippers in closed condition, and an oscillating lever provided with a roller and an adjusting bunter, the roller serving to efiect operative contact between the lever and the wing shaft mechanism to close the grippers and the adjusting bunter contacting said catch to permit the grippers to open. 7

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 13th day of June 1929.

. CHARLES C. ALVORD.

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