US1943002A - Automatic fork for looms - Google Patents

Description

1934. w. F. CLAYTON 1,943,002

AUTOMATIC FORK FOR LOOMS Filed Oct 31, 1932 2 Sheets-Shet 1 35 'VlZzYfizmz F 51572 027 Jan. 9, 1934. w. F. CLAYTON 1,943,002

AUTOMATIC FORK FOR LOOMS Filed Oct. 31, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a Z3 0 e32 26 llllll "I! 77 lHlll' p-u h a A? A? 26 pin,

IIJIIIIIIIIIIIQ 367 L'IIIIIIIIIIII /7 egg /8 mum F 515720 Patented Jan. 9, 1934 PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC FORK FOR LOOMS William F. Clayton, Huntsville, Ala., assignor of one-third to William E. James, Cullman, Ala.,

and one-third to Nephanus E.

mingham, Ala.

Application October 31, 1932.

7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in the forks commonly used in filling-replenishing looms of the type disclosed in my United States Patent No. 1,787,359, December 30, 1930.

In the operation of this type of loom, it has been found that practically all of the thin places in the cloth woven are caused, when the loom is not feeding filling, by pieces or tails of filling extending across the intermediate tine of the threetine forks now commonly used.

It is an object of the present invention to improve the fork of machines of this type so that the middle tine of the fork will engage the filling when under tension, but will clear filling not under tension, and will then swing to operate the usual filling-replenishing mechanism.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent as the detailed description thereof proceeds. 20-

In the drawings: g

Figure l is a perspective view of a fork slide and mechanism connected thereto for use in looms of the character referred to;

Figure 2 is a central vertical section through the improved fork and part of the fork slide mechanism with which this invention is intended to be used;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing the parts of the fork in a different position;

Figure 4 is an end elevation of the mechanism in the'position illustrated in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of one of the elements of the improved fork; and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of another element of said fork.

As shown in the drawings, the improved fork is designated generally by the reference character 1. This fork comprises a U-shaped loop 2 having the ends of the legs thereof suitably secured to plates 3 and 4 which are provided with apertures 5 and 6 respectively, adapted to receive a pivot pin 7, for mounting the said plates to swing between projecting ends 8 and 9 of a fork slide 10 which is mounted in the usual manner to slide on a guide 11 suitably secured to a fixed part 12 of the loom. The plates 3 and 4 are connected at their lower parts by a cross rod 13; and have the tines l4 and 15 depending from the lower edges thereof and fixed parallel to each other.

The pivot pin 7 not only passes through the apertures 5 and 6, but also passes through an aperture 16 in a head 17 which fits snugly between the inside faces of the plates 3 and 4. The head 17 is suitably bored to receive slidably James, Bir- Serial No. 640,542

the shank 18 of an intermediate tine 19. The

upper end of the shank 18 is screwthreaded to receive the lock nuts 20 and 21, respectively, by means of which the tine 19 can be adjusted and locked in adjusted position relative'to the head 17. An arm 22 projects forwardly from the head 17 and at its outer end is provided with a downwardly directed hook 23 adapted to be engaged by snake head 24 which is reciprocated on the cross head 25 of the fork slide through its pivotal connection to the upper end 26 of the usual weft hammer 27.

The arm 22 is of such length as just to clear the end of the loop 2 when it swings about the pivot '7. The lower part of the tine 19 is extended forwardly and is then bent upwardly on itself to form a weight 28 which co-operates with the weight of the arm 22 to cause the tine 19 to project beyond the tines 14 and 15 when tine 19 is not contacted with thread 29 under tension.

The arm 22 is curved and shaped relative to the tine 19 so that when the tine 19 is held in alignment with the tines 14 and 15, as for example by the pressure of a thread 29 extending along the face of all three tines, the lower edge 30 of the hook 23 will be substantially flush with the intermediate part of the loop 2. When, however, the tension of the thread 29 is relaxed and it falls by gravity from the position indicated in Figure 2 to that indicated in Figure 3, the weight of the arm 22' and the weight 28 will cause the arm 22 to swing downwardly into the position shown in Figure 3 where it will be engaged by the snake head 24 to effect a forward pull of the fork slide for the purpose of stopping the loom or of replenishing the shuttle. To operate the replenishing mechanism (not shown) the fork slide 10 is provided at its forward end with the usual upturned hook 31 engaging a cooperating hook 32 formed in the upper end of an arm 33 extending from the starting rod 34.

In the operation of the device, the tine 19 is preferably adjusted in the head 1'7 so that one of the lower notches 35 in the face thereof would normally receive the thread 29 when under tension. As soon as this tension is relaxed, the thread falls below the lower end of the tine 19 permitting the said tine to rock rearwardly so as to swing its hook 23 downwardly into the path of the shoulder on the snake head 24 thereby either stopping the loom or operating the replenishing mechanism to refill the shuttle.

The invention is not to be considered as limited to forks having any particular number of tines. There must be at least two tines and one of the tines must be shorter than the other, or others, in order to clear filling not under tension and operate the replenishing mechanism.

It is thought that the invention and numerous of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it is obvious that numerous changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement or" the several parts without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention, or sacrificing any of its attendant advantages; the form herein described being a preferred embodiment for the purpose of illustrating my invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a loom, a fork slide reciprocable thereon, a fork pivoted to one end of said slide and having tines depending therefrom, one of said tines being shorter than and swinging independently of the other tine, and means connected to the.

shorter tine for normally holding it further advanced than the other tine toward the grid of the loom.

2. In a loom, a fork slide reciprocable thereon, a fork pivoted to one end of said slide and having tines swinging on said slide independently of each other, one of said tines being shorter than the others, and means connected to the shorter tine for normally holding it further advanced than the other tines toward the grid of the loom.

3. A fork for a loom comprising a slotted head, a block pivoted in said slot, a tine adjustable lengthwise in said block, tines on opposite sides of the first named tine and fixed to said head, a hook projecting forwardly from said block and adapted to be engaged by a weft hammer latch, said tine being shorter than the other tines and weighted so as normally to project rearwardly of the other tine.

4. In a loom, a fork slide reciprocable thereon and having one end bifurcated, a rod extending between the furcations of said slide, a slotted head pivotally mounted on said rod and having tines fixed thereto and extending downwardly therefrom, a loop extending forwardly from said head, a block pivoted to said rod in the slot of said head, an arm extending forwardly from said block substantially in the plane of said loop and having its free end bent downwardly to engage the weft hammer latch of said slide, and a tine extending downwardly from said block, said tine being shorter than the other tines of the fork.

, 5. In a loom, a fork slide reciprocable thereon and having one end bifurcated, a rod extending between the furcations of said slide, a slotted head pivotally mounted on said rod and having tines fixed thereto and extending downwardly therefrom, a loop extending forwardly from said head, a block pivoted to said rod in the slot of said head, an arm extending forwardly from said block substantially in the plane of said loop and having its free end bent downwardly to engage the weft hammer latch of said slide, a tine extending downwardly from said block, said tine being shorter than the other tines of the fork, and means for adjusting the last named tine lengthwise in said block.

6. In a loom, a fork comprising a head having tines fixed to and depending therefrom, and a tine pivoted to said head to swing independently of said tines, said tine being adjustable lengthwise to vary its effective length relative to the other tines.

I 7'. In a loom, a fork comprising a pair of plates spaced apart from each other, tines fixed to and extending parallel to each other from said plates, a loop fixed to said plates and extending substantially at right angles to said tines, a block pivoted to swing between said plates, a tine adjustablelengthwise in said block, and adapted to swing freely between the other tines, and an arm extending from said block substantially at right angles to said tine, said arm having a hook at its end adapted to be engaged by a latch operated by. the weft hammer of the loom.

WILLIAM F. CLAYTON.

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