US2128915A - Weft replenishing mechanism for looms - Google Patents

Description

WEFT REPLENISHING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Awevt, edeund A ttor ne);

Sept. 6, 1938. A@ CEDERLUND 2,128,915

WEFT REPLENISHING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Filed March 17, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IME' lrwentov` Awert, edexmnd btovney Sept. 6, 1938. A. CEDERLUND 2,128,915

WEFT REPLENISHNG MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Filed March 17, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet f5 lventor Mbe edevmnd,

Akorney Patented Sept. 6, 1938 UNITE STATES ears-nr WEET REPLENISHING MECHANHSMI FR LMS Albert Cederlund, Wer

cester, Mass., assigner to Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, llsilorcester,

This invention rrelates to weft replenishing mechanisms for looms and it is the general obiject of the invention to provide improvements in means for setting the transfer mechanism.

In mechanisms of the type to which my invention more particularly relates there is employed a magazine holding reserve bobbins and a transfer mechanism including a transferrer arm carrying a latch which is moved by a bunter l0 on the lay when a transfer is to occur. The latch is ordinarily held in transferring position by mechanism. which is reset at the end of the transferring str-oke of the lay, that is, at front center as set forth hereinafter. It is an important object of my present invention to provide mechanism for setting the latch and thereafter breaking the connection so thatv the latch controller can be reset independently of the setting mechanism. As shown in the drawings the breaking of the connections is effected by a movement of one of the parts of the connection as said part reaches the end of its setting motion.

It occasionally happens that a shuttle to be replenished is not completely boxed, in which case the transfer is revoked by a shuttle feeler while the lay is still a considerable distance from front center. It is another object of my present invention to provide connections for setting the latch and shuttle feeler so constructed that the connections will be interrupted after the latch and Shuttle feeler are fully set for transfer and before the time for revocation arrives in the forward beat of the lay. This result may conveniently be accomplished by causing cooperation between a part included in the connections and some other part of the loom. operative to break the connections as said part of the latter reaches the end of its setting stroke.

In the form of loom to which my invention 4,0 more particularly relates there is employed a rocking magazine which shifts its position depending upon which weaving shuttle is active. It is desirable that the magazine retain a selected position throughout a transferring operation and this is accomplished by a positioning lever or similar part which remains in its magazine setting position for an appreciable time after the lay leaves front center' to prevent breakage between the transferrer arm and the magazine. I v make use of a connection from the magazine positioning lever to set the transfer latch by means of an actuator or the like which is connected to the lever. The actuator is therefore required to remain in transfer position for a period starting some time before and continuing to a point after of Massachusetts 1937, Serial No. 131,430

the front center position of the lay. It is a furt ther object of my prevent invention to cause the actuator to move out of force transmitting relation with respect to the latch and shuttle feeler after setting the latter so that said actuator and its lever may be maintained in transfer position to hold the magazine correctly while at the same time permitting either a revocation of the transfer or resetting of the transferrer latch.

With these and other objects in view which will be apparent as thedescription proceeds, my invention resides in the combination andv arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth.

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

Fig. 1 is an end yelevation of a loom having my invention applied thereto, certain parts being in section,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged end View of the magazine taken from the center of the loom, the lay being shown in section and the magazine set for transfer,

Figs. 3, Ll, 5 and 6 are diagrammatic views showing certain parts of the invention in different positions.

Referring to Fig. l, the loom frame l0 has a top crank shaft il and a bottom shaft l2 turning at half the speed of the top shaft. Connectors it drive the lay L from the top shaft, the lay turning about the usual rocker shaft i4 and having a shuttle box B to receive a shuttle S. A bunter it on the lay is adapted for engagement with a transferrer latch it normally down as shown in Fig. l. The latch is pivoted as at il to a transferrer arm it movable about a stud i9 and having a hammer 2t toI engage a reserve bobbin in transfer position. Except for slight modification the matter thus far described may be of `the usual construction found in weft replenishing looms.

An electrical weft detector D controls a solenoid 25 mounted on a normally stationary lever 2S pivoted to a fixed stud 2l. A selector mechanism designated generally at 28 is mounted on lever 25 and is positioned by a rod 29 connected to a rocking lever 3Q. The latter moves about a stud 3l mounted on a fixed stand 32 and has the lower end thereof attached to connections 33 extending to a shuttle box or pattern mechanism not shown.

A cam S5 is secured to the bottom shaft and is connected to a regularly acting lever 36 the forward or left hand end of which as viewed in Fig. l has a rising motion every second beat of the loom. A lifting dog 31 is mounted on lever 36 and acts to lift lever 26 when a transfer is to occur.

The detector D excites the solenoid 25 through a battery P and wires 48, 4I and 42. When the detector indicates weft exhaustion current will flow through the circuit shown in Fig. 1 to energize the solenoid, the effect of which is to set the selector mechanism so that a .transfer will occur upon a subsequent arrival of the shuttle in the box B.

The forward end of lever 26 is connected to an upright rod 45 the connections of which will be described hereinafter, while the rear end of said lever 25 is adapted for engagement with a hook 46 extending upwardly to a lever 41 from which extends forwardly a link 48 connected as at 49 to a rocking magazine M. The latter rocks about a fixed axis 58 carried by a bracket 5l extending from the loom arch 52 to the breast beam 53. The magazine is provided with front and back reserve bobbin guideways 55 and 56, respectively, which direct bobbins downwardly to front and back giveway or support mechanism 51 and 58, respectively. The magazine can be rocked so that one or the other of the low bobbins in the two stacks will be under the transfer hammer 28 when the magazine is set for transfer.

The mechanism shown in the lower part of Fig. l together with the magazine may be substantially the same as that shown in co-pending application led by Turner Serial No. 129,245. Briefly, the magazine will be at rest with the lowest bobbin of the rear stack under the transfer hammer awaiting transfer and this condition of rest will continue during shifting of the shuttle boxes not shown but located on opposite sides of the loom and cooperating with a plurality of weaving shuttles any one of which may become active for any given number of picks. If the detector indicates exhaustion in a weaving shuttle corresponding to the rear stack the rod 29 will at that time be in rear position by action of connections 33 and the ensuing rocking of lever 26 in a right hand direction around stud 21 will leave the magazine in its normal position of rest because of the fact that hook 46 has been moved beyond the range of action of the rear end of lever 36. Should a transfer be called from the front stack of the magazine, however, the hook 46 will remain in the position shown in Fig. 1 and the subsequent rocking of lever 26 will depress hook 46 and the latter will act through the mechanism indicated in Fig. l to rock the magazine in a left hand direction around stud 58.

The construction of the magazine is such that it is desirable to have it maintained in its angular position either to the right or to the left throughout the transferring period. As is usual in weft replenishing mechanisms the transferrer latch will be engaged by the lay bunter some time before the lay reachers front center and will remain in contact with the bunter during backward motion of the lay until the transferrer arm has been raised to its normal elevated position. During the transferring interval, therefore, lever 26 will be held with the forward end thereof up, the interval extending into the rst part of the backward motion of the lay following transfer. Dwell 59 of the cam 35 acts to maintain the magazine at rest and rod 45 up throughout the transferring interval. A bobbin placing guide 185 assists in holding a bobbin in transfer position and would interfere with the transferrer arm during the transferring interval if the magazine should rock at that time. The dwell 59 is long enough to hold the magazine against rocking motion during the transferring interval.

My invention relates more particularly to the mechanism for setting the transfer latch and shuttle feeler to be described, and also for permitting revocation of the transfer and resetting of the latch and shuttle feeler. In carrying my invention into effect, I provide the upper end of rod 45 with a head or actuator 66 the top of which is formed with a hook 6I and a lifting shoulder 62. The hook is spaced from the shoulder to dene an opening 63, while the lower end of the actuator is formed with a cam surface 65 and a dwell surface 66 which in the raised position of the actuator is substantially concentric with stud I9. The transferrer arm has extending laterally therefrom a pin 61 for engagement with the cam and dwell surfaces. A small return lever 68 is pivoted as at 69 to the transferrer arm and is urged forwardly by a light tension spring 10 interposed between the transfer arm and said lever 68. The latter has a stud 1| for engagement with the rear substantially straight surface 12 of the actuator.

The shoulder 62 is normally positioned to have lifting engagement with a pin 15 carried by a lever 16 secured to a stub shaft 11 rockable in bracket 5l. The forward end of lever 16 has a pin 18 received by a slot 19 in a rod head 80 on the upper end of rod 8| pivoted as at 82 to the latch holder 83. The lever 16 is xed to stub shaft 11 by a set screw 84, and the inner end of the shaft 11 carries a bell crank lever 85 secured thereto by set screw 13, see Fig. 2, having a depending arm 14 connected to a rearwardly extending rod 86 connected as at 81 to a shuttle feeler 88 pivoting about a Xed stud 89. Lever 85 has a rearwardly extending arm 9D having pivoted thereto as at 9| a spring rod 92 cooperating with a compression spring 93 and tending to hold the arm 90 either against an upper stop screw 94 or a lower similar stop screw 95. These stop screws limit the lever 85 and correspondingly the lever 16, the spring 93 serving as a yielding lock to hold these levers in either of their extreme positions.

In operation, after an indication of weft exhaustion has been given as already described,

lever 26 will rock in a right hand direction as viewed in Fig. 1, and rod 45 together with its actuator 68 will be raised, the actuator starting from the full line position shown in Fig. 3 and moving upwardly until the shoulder 62 engages the pin 15, after which continued rising of the actuator will rock lever 16 in a left hand direction as viewed in Fig. 3 and cause a corresponding rocking of lever 85. During the upward motion of the actuator the time will come when the spring 93 will assume control of lever 85 and rock the same in a right hand direction as viewed in Fig. 2 to move the shuttle feeler 88 rearwardly to the position shown in that figure.

Continued upward motion of the actuator 60 will bring the cam surface 65 into engagement with pin 61 on the transferrer arm, the latter being in its normal raised position at the time and as said surface engages the pin the actuator will be moved rearwardly or to the right from the position of Fig. 4 to that of Fig. 5, the pin 61 being at the lower forward end of surface 65. The opening 63 between the hook and the lifting shoulder of the head is so placed as to permit this rearward movement of the head, the pin 15 passing through the opening as the parts move to the position shown in Fig. 5.

During the rocking of shaft 'l1 the rod 8| is depressed so that the latch I6 is raised from its normally down position as shown in full lines in Fig. 3 to the raised dotted position in Fig. 4, in which latter position the latch is maintained in the path of bunter l5 by action of the spring 93, as will be apparent from an inspection of Fig. 2. It is to be` remembered that under these conditions the shuttle feeler is in the rear detecting position shown in Fig. 2.

The latch is now set for a transferring operation` and one of two conditions can follow', either a normal transfer can take place, or the empty shuttle will fail to be properly boxed and will act on the shuttle feeler to revoke transfer. Should a normal transfer ensue the lay bunter will engage and move the latchv forwardly to lower the transferrer arm inthe usual manner, the parts moving to the position shown in Fig. 6 and the insertion of the incoming bobbin being completed when the lay reaches front center. During the latter part of the forward motion of the lay, the lower end of the shuttle feeler will engage the box back Ill and be rocked forwardly, or to the right as viewed in Fig. 2, to move lever 85 in a counter-clockwise direction, thereby rocking shaft 'il and causing the lever 85 ultimately to be positioned by stop screw 95. During this rocking of shaft 11 the lever 'l5 will be moved in a right hand direction back to its normal position or to the position of Fig. 6. This leaves pin 'l5 a considerable distance below the lifting shoulder 62, and slot 'i9 accomnodates the motion of stud '58, the latch being still raised, As already described rod 45 will be maintained in raised position during transfer and will therefore be in the high position shown in Fig. 6 when lever lt returns to its normal position.

During the following rearward movement of the lay immediately subsequent to transfer, the latch will follow the lay during the remainder of the transferring interval and after the bunter has moved away from the latch, freeing the latter so it can fall to normal position, the cam can act to lower the forward end of lever 2B, the transferrer arm being now up, as is usual in such motions, where it cannot interfere with the magazine should the latter rock. The resultant down- Ward motion of actuator 60 will move the cam surface 65 along the underside of pin 61, permitting the actuator to have a downward and forward motion to cause pin l5 to enter the space S3, thereby returning the actuator to a position where it can engage pin 'l5 when rising again. Spring assists in this placing of the actuator through action of the lever 68.

Should the shuttlev fail to be boxed, after a transfer is called, the front wall lill of the shuttle S will engage the shuttle feeler when the parts are in the full line position in Fig. 5 and will move the feeler forwardly a little earlier than normal, rocking lever 'l5 to the dotted position of Fig. 5. Under these conditions transfer is prevented and the transferrer arm therefore remains raised with the pin 6l holding the actuator 6G rearwardly to permit free motion of the pin l5 without interference on the part of the lifting shoulder 62. rIhe parts will remain in this position until the time arrives for the actuator to descend, whereupon` the normal conditions will be reestablished as already described.

The magazine set forth hereinbefore is not a part of my invention but is set forth and claimed in the aforesaid application of Turner, my invention being directed tothe parts associated with the interruption of the operative connections between the lever 26 and the transfer latch I6.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided means for setting the transfer latch so rconstructed that the chain of connections between the lever 26 and the latch can be interrupted at the head 60, the latter moving temporarily out of controlling relation with respect to pin l5. As a result of this interrupted connection it is possible to revoke a transfer or reset the magazine by rocking of lever 85 while the head is still in raised position, a condition made necessary by the fact that the magazine rocks. It will further be seen that `raising of the head @il effects the interruption of the connections, this interruption being effected upon the com pletion of the upward motion of the head indeoendently of movement of the transferrer arm. This latter condition is made possible by the dwell 66.

Having thus -described by 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:

l. In a weft replenishing loom having a lay provided with a bunter, a magazine movable to present any one of a plurality of reserve bobbins in position for transfer, a transferrer arm which in normal position is out of interfering relation with respect to the magazine but which moves into interfering relation with respect to the magazine when transferring the reserve bobbin in transfer position, a member movable at the time of transfer to move the magazine to place a reserve bobbin for transfer, a latch movable from normal position to transfer position in the path of the bunter, a shuttle feeler to assist in resetting the latch, a train of mechanism connecting the member to the shuttle feeler and latch to move the latter to transfer position and move said shuttle feeler to shuttle feeling position when said member moves the magazine, said train of mechanism including two cooperating parts normally positioned to transmit a force from the member to said latch and feeler, and means to move said parts relatively to each other out of force transmitting relationship after the latch and feeler have been set for transfer to render said shuttle feeler capable of movement independently of said train of mechanism during the time that the member is holding the magazine in position for transfer.

2. In a weft replenishing loom having a lay provided with a bunter, a magazine movable to present any one of a plurality of reserve bobbins in position for transfer and having a part movable in a given path, a transfer arm which in normal position is out of interfering relation with respect to the magazine but which moves along a path intersecting the path of the magazine when transferring the reserve bobbin in transfer position, a transfer latch connected to the transferrer arm and movable from normal position to transfer position in the path of the bunter to be engaged with the latter during portions of front and back motions of the lay, a shuttle feeler connected to the latch and capable of assisting in resetting said latch, a member connected to the magazine and movable when a transfer is called to move the magazine to place a reserve bobbin for transfer and hold said magazine in transfer position during the aforesaid portions of forward and backward motions of the lay, a train of mechanismconnecting the member to the latch and feeler to move said latch to transfer position and move the shuttle feeler to a positionv for engagement with the lay as the latter moves forwardly, said train including two members normally positioned for mutual engagement, and means operating before the lay reaches the end of its forward stroke to move said parts out of engaging relationship and render the shuttle feeler capable of movement by forward motion of the lay to assist in resetting the latch during the time that the member maintains the magazine placed for transfer and during the time that the transferrer arm moves across the given path of the magazine part.

3. In a weft replenishing loom having a lay provided with a bunter, a magazine movable to present any one of a plurality of reserve bobbins in position for transfer and having a part movable in la given path, a transferrer arm which in normal nected to said transferrer arm and movable from normal position to transfer position in the path of the bunter, a shuttle feeler connected to and controlling the latch and movable when a transfer is called into position to be engaged and moved by the lay when the latter moves forwardly to assist in resetting the latch to normal position, a train of mechanism connecting the member to the latch and shuttle feeler effective when said member moves to position the magazine for the transfer to move the latch to transfer position and move the shuttle feeler into position for engagement with the lay when the latter moves forwardly, said train including two parts normally in force transmitting position with respect to each 451; other, and means acting subsequently to movement of the latch to transfer position and movement of the shuttle feeler to lay engaging position to move said parts out of force transmitting relationship to render the shuttle feeler capable of movement by the lay when the latter moves forwardly to assist in a resetting of the latch during the time that the member maintains the magazine in transferring position.

4. In a weft replenishing loom having a lay provided with a bunter, a magazine movable to present any one of a plurality of reserve bobbins in position for transfer and having a part movable in a given path, a transferrer arm which in normal position is out of interfering relation with respect to the magazine but which moves along a path intersecting the path of the magazine when transferring the reserve bobbin in transfer position, a member movable when a transfer is called to move the magazine to place a reserve bobbin :for transfer and hold the magazine in such position during parts of consecutive forward and rearward motions of the lay, a transferrer latch connected to said transferrer arm, a positioning element connected to the latch to move the latter from normal position to transfer position in the path of the bunter, a shuttle feeler connected to and moving with the positioning element and movable when a transfer is called into position to be engaged by the lay when the latter moves forwardly, an actuator connected to the member and effective when said member moves to position the magazine for the transfer to move the positioning element and thereby cause the latch to move to transfer position and the shuttle feeler to move into position for engagement with the lay when the latter moves forwardly, and means acting subsequently to movement of the latch to transfer position and movement of the shuttle feeler to lay engaging position to move said actuator relatively to the positioning element and out of force transmitting relation with respect to the latter to render said shuttle feeler capable by forward motion when in engagement with the lay of assisting in a resetting of the positioning element independently of said member and during the time that said member is holding the magazine in transfer position.

5. In a weft replenishing loom having a lay with a bunter, a latch normally out of the path of the bunter but movable to transfer position into the path of the bunter to be operated by forward motion of the lay, a normally raised transferrer arm connected to and operated by motion of the latch, an actuator having a movement when a transfer is called, said actuator having a cam face, means on the transferrer arm to engage the cam and shift the actuator when the latter moves, a shuttle feeler to be moved toward the lay and movable by the latter before completion of a transferring operation, and setting mechanism connected to the latch and shuttle feeler and movable by the actuator preparatory to transfer to move the latch into the path of the bunter and move the shuttle feeler toward the lay, the transferrer arm being lowered as the lay advances by engagement of the latch and bunter and said means shifting the actuator out of control of the setting mechanism, whereby the shuttle feeler is movable by the lay while the bunter and latch are still in engagement.

6. In a weft replenishing loom having a lay provided with a bunter, a latch normally out of the path of the bunter but movable to transfer position in said path, a transferrer arm connected to and operated by said latch when the latter is moved by the bunter, an actuator having an operating movement When transfer is called, a shuttle feeler normally out of engagement with the lay but movable into a position for engagement with the lay preparatory to transfer, setting mechanism having an interruptable connection with the actuator, said setting mechanism connected to the latch and shuttle feeler and movable by the actuator by a force transmitted through the interruptable connection to move the latch into the path of the bunter and move the shuttle feeler into position for engagement with the lay, forward motion of the lay causing engagement of the bunter and the latch to operate the transferrer arm, and means moving with the transferrer arm when the latter operates to interrupt the connection between the setting mechanism and actuator while the latch and bunter are engaged, the shuttle feeler being thereby capable of movement by the lay independently of the actuator.

ALBERT CEDERLUND.

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