US1834360A - Electrical weft detector for cam box looms - Google Patents

Description

Dec. l, 1931. w. WAKEFIELD I 1,834,360

ELECTRICAL WEFT DETECTOR FOR CAM BOX LOOMS Filed April 16, 1951 {Sheets-Sheet 1 W. H. WAKEFIELD 02? para; 1

ELECTRICAL WEFT DETECTOR FOR CAM BOX LOOMS Filed April 16, 1951 2. Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented 'Dec. 1, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WALTER H. WAKEFIELD, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO CROMPTON & KNOWLES LOOMI WORKS, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS ELECTRICAL WEFT DETECTOR FOR CAM BOX IlOOMS Application filed April 16,

Thisinvention relates to improvements in electrical weft detectors for cam box looms and it is the general object of the invention to provide simple means whereby a selection may be made as to which of the plurality of circuits shall be closable at weft exhaustion.

Certain classes of goods such as serge are woven on a so-called filling mixing loom which has two shuttle boxes at one end of the loom and a single box at the other end,

being inup position for two picks and then in down position for the other two picks of the cycle.

Weft detection ordinarily takes place at front center with the boxes moved half way between their extreme vertical positions. When an electrical detector is employed for each shuttle the contact resulting from weft exhaustion is made when the lay is in its forward position, but both detectors can indicate, although but one of the shuttles can be active on the pick immediately following indication. As a result'it is necessary to be able to determine which of the two detectors shall be in control of the loom. It is an important object of my present invention to provide a selector which shall be operated by the cam to antici ate the circuit of the shut- 1931. Serial ms. 530,598.

mate position. It is a further object of my present invention to provide a circuit closer which shall be positioned by one dwell while the lever for the boxes is just leaving the 1 With these and other objects in view which 'Will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein a'convenient embodiment of my invention is set forth,

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of a loom having my invention applied thereto,

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic showing of the circuits and cam, together with the levers which areccontrolled by the cam, and e Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of the circuits containing the loom controller and showing the manner of selection which circuit shall be operative at any given time.

In the drawings I have shown a loom frame 10 havin a lay 11 movable back and forth by means of connectors 12. A gang of shuttle boxes 13 having upper and lower cells 14 and 15, respectively, to receive shuttles S and, S, respectively, are mounted on the top of a box rod 16. The latter is connected to the forward end of a box lever 17 pivoted at 18 and having driving connection with a box cam 19. The latter is secured to a spur shaft 20 which is in turn connected by a 2 to 1 gearing to a bottom shaft 21 of the loom. The latter makes one revolution for two picks of the loom, so that the cam will require four picks for one complete revolution.

The camhas a high dwell 22 and a low dwell 23, these dwells being connected by inclines which are set forth herein as at 24 and 25. The cam .moves in the direction of arrow and as shown therein the lever 17 is in the position corresponding to front center of the lay with the boxes moved half way between bottom and top positions going up. 'In other words, the lay race R is half way between the floors of the box cells 14 and 15.,

, position to the other.

In the operation of the loom each of the cells of the gang of boxes will be in active position during the greater part of two successive picks and during the remainder of the pair of picks will be shifting from one The boxes will maintain their new position for approximately a pick and a half, and then move again to shift, so that the effect of the cam is to permit each shuttle to be in action for each of two successive picks only, the shuttles alternating to mix the filling. Y

The upper and lower detectors 30 and 31, respectively, are preferably of the electrical type, each having a pair of contact fingers 32 and 33, respectively. The detectors are mounted on a slide 34 which is guided by a fixed frame 35. The slide 34 is attached to a lifter rod 36 the lower end of which is pivotally connected as at 37 to the box lifter rod 16. As the boxes rise and fall the detectors move vertically with them so that each detector enters its box on each forward beat of the loom. It is not deemed necessary to illustrate the shuttle circuit or the form ofcircuit closure located within the shuttle, as it is sufficient for present purposes to state that when weft is absent in either shuttle the contact fingers 32 and 33 corresponding thereto will be in electrical contact with each other. The fingers are insulated from the loom frame and from each other.

It is to be understood that the detector fingers 32 and 33 will be connected electrically while the lay is in its front position and at a time when the boxes are at an intermediate position on detecting beats of the loom. Because of the fact that the detectors will close their circuitsto be described at substantially the same time in the cycle of the loom and with the boxes in approximately the same position it is necessary to provide some means for determining which of the detectors under these conditions shall be operative. This result ll achieve by means operated by the cam. I

-A lever 40 pivoted at 41 has a roll 42 to engage the various surfaces of the cam, said lever being mounted on a grounded support and having a selector end 43 which is movable from one to the other of two contact buttons 44 and 45, respectively, being in contact with but one at a time. The roll 42 is preferably placed at an angular distance rseaeeo the selector lever approximately half a pick in advance of its engagement with the box lever. In view of the fact that the inclined parts of the cams areof a length corresponding to half a pick the result is that as a shift of the boxes is about to take place the selector lever will be in engagement with the dwell moving toward and therefor determining the new position of the box lever.

Referring to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the high dwell 22 which is moving toward the box lever is already in engagement with the selector lever and has moved the same into engagement with the contact 45. Inasmuch as the box lever is raising the boxes under these conditions it is necessary to connect button 45 electrically with the detector of the bottom or lower detector 31. Under the assumed condition, it is the shuttle correspond ing to this detector whic will be active when the boxes are raised. In like manner during the second pick to follow, when the box lever is still in contact with the high dwell 22, the roll 42 will have moved down incline 25 and will be in engagement with the low dwell 23, thereby efiecting movement of the selector lever into engagement with the button 44. The latter is connected to the top detector 30.

When the parts are in the position shown diagrammatically in Fig. 2 and weft is exhausted in the bottom shuttle, current will flow through the following circuit: ground G, wire 50, selector lever 40,--arm 43, button 45, wire 51, finger 33 of the lower detector 31, the other finger 32 of said detector, Wire 52, source of electrical energy P, wire 53, electromagnetic device E, wire 54, and back to ground G. Current flowing in this device will energize device E which will act upon its armature or core actuator 55 and by at-- t'racting the latter, or producing a change in its position, will set mechanism not shown to bring about a change in the operation of the loom. It is not deemed necessary herein to show a device for effecting such a change, as these mechanisms are well-known, and itis considered sufiicient to state herein that moving part 55 due to a change in the magnetic field of device E may result in weft replenishment, or in loomstoppage.

When the parts are in the reversed position with the box lever moving down along incline 25, the selector lever will have previ-.. ously been positioned by dwell 23 and moved by spring 38 to have engagement with the button 44. If, under these conditions, Weft I should be absent in the upper shuttle, current will flow through the following circuit: ground G, wire 50, selector lever arm 43, button 44, wire 60, fingers 33 and 32 01 the upper detector, wire 52, source of electric power P, wire 53, electro-magnetic device E, and wire 54, back to ground G. Current flowing in this circuit will likewise energize electromagnetic devices E with the same result as that described in connection with the first circuit traced.

By reason of the structure set forth herein I am enabled to determine which circuit can be closed by its weft detector prior to the com- I pletion ofthe movement of the boxes, and

more particularly while the lay is in its foremost position, the time when the detector ordinarily operates. In the type of loom to which this invention more particularly relates the sequence of box movements is fixed and I am therefore able to use the cam surface or its equivalent which determines the movements of the boxes for the purpose of selecting the circuit which corresponds to the shuttle that is next going to be active.

Even though both shuttles should be exhausted at the same time there will be but one circuit closed, and that will correspond to the shuttle that is moving into action. As in usual constructions of Weft detectors, the latter will not engage the shuttles at the beginning or ending of the box lift, but will be in engagement with the. weft for a comparatively short time when the boxes are half shifted with the lay at front center, this fact together with the relation of the levers to the cam surfaces making it impossible to close a circuit on an exhausted shuttle which has just entered one of the shifting boxes and is moving out of active po'sition.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided two circuits for the electrical weft detectors of a cam box loom and determine which detector can be electrically connected to the electromagnetic deviceprior to complete movement of the boxes and whilev the detectors are in contactwith the weft.

Because of the fixed order in which the shuttles move the selector lever is always in prop er relation relatively to the shuttle which is next to become active and for this reason there is no opportunity for the magazine to replenish the. wrong shuttle. have shown electrical feelers to closecircuits internal relatively to the shuttles, yet I do not wish to be limited to. this arrangement, and certain features of my invention will operate regardless of the type of feeler used,

. so long as a circuit will be closed by the de-' tector when exhaustion of weft occurs. -Any other form of detector may be used, to close circuits at detection.

Having thus described my invention it will be seen that changes and modifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is: I

1. In weft detecting mechanism for a box loom having a pair of shifting boxes, a cam to mbve each box in active position for two successlve picks and then out of action for to move each Although I moving with the boxes as the latter shift, a

pair of 'detector electric circuits, one for each detector, an electromagnetic device common to the' circuits effective when energized to cause a change in the operation of the loom, and av selector to be electrically connected to each circuit, one at a time, to determine which detector circuit shall be operative, said selector being moved by the cam in advance of movement of the boxes.

2. In weft detecting mechanism for a box loom having a air of shifting boxes, a cam ox into active position for two successive picks and then out of action for two successive picks, a pair of electrical weft detectors, one for each box, the detectors moving with the boxes as the latter shift, a pair of detector electric circuits, one

for each-detector, an electromagnetic device common to the detector circuits effective when energized to cause a change in the operation of the loom, a selector to determine which is of the detecting circuits shall be operative, said selector movable into electrical engagement with but one detector circuit ing with the boxes as the latter shift, a pair of electric circuits, one for each detector, an

electromagnetic device common to the circuits effective when energized to cause a change'in the operation of the loom, the cam having high and low dwells separated by inclined faces which are effective to shift the boxes, and a selector to determine which of the detector circuits shall be operative, the selector being engaged by one of the dwells of the cam while the other dwell is still operatively related to the boxes.

4. In weft detecting mechanism for a box detectors, one for each box, the detectors:

moving with the boxes as the latter shift, a pair of electric circuits,'one for each detector, an electromagnetic device common to the circuits effective when energized to cause a change in the operation of the loom, the cam having high and lowdwells separated by inclined faces which are effective to shift the boxes, and a selector to determine which of the detector circuits shall be operative, the

selector being engaged by one of the dwells iso of the cam before said dwell becomes operatively related to the boxes. 1

5. In weft detecting mechanism for a box loom having a pair of shifting boxes, a cam to move each box into active position for two successive picks and then out of action for two successive picks, an electrical Weft detector for each box, the detectors moving with the boxes as the latter shift, an electric circuit for each detector, an electromagnetic device common to the circuits to cause a change in the operation of the loom, the cam having highv and low dwells separated by inclined faces which are efiective to shift the boxes, a box lever to engage the cam and transmit a force from the latter to the boxes, and a selector to have electrical engagement one circuit at a time, said selector having engagement with the cam at a point in advance of the point of engagement between the lever and the cam with respect to the direction of movement of the latter.

6. In weft detecting mechanism for a drop box loom having a pair of drop boxes, a cam to move each box 1nto active position for two success ve picks and then out of action for two successive picks, an electrical weft detector for each box, the detectors moving with the'boxes as the latter shift, an electric circuit for each detector, an electromagnetic device common to the circuits to cause a change in the operation of the loom, the cam having high and low dwells separated by inclined faces which are effective to shift the boxes, a box lever to engage the camand transmitting a force from the latter to the boxes, a selector to be electrically connected to the circuits one at a time, said selector and box lifting lever being in contact with portions of the cam of different levels when the deteeters are in detecting position, the selector being in advance of the lever with respect to the direction of movement of the cam.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto af-k fixed my signature.

WALTER H, WAKEFIELD.

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