US2141653A - Tube frame for axminster looms - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 27, 1938. E R H LMES 1 2,141,653

. 'T UBE FRAME FOR AXMINSTER LO OMS Filed Feb 12, 1938 FIG! H55 an Patented Dec. 27, 1938 TUBE FOR AXMINSTER LOOMS Elbridge R.-Hohnes,'Worcester, Mass, assigncr to Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, 'Mass, a corporation of "Massachusetts ApplicationFebruary 12, 1938, Serial No. 190,256

2 Claims. (01. 139-10) This invention .relatestoAxminster tube frames andthe mechanism by which they are .attached to the transporting chain of the loom.

Axminster tube frames ordinarily comprise an elongated .bar from thelower :endoi which projecta series of narrow tuftyarn tubes to receive threads unwound from av spool supported .onithe bar. These tube frames are transported by means of a pair of chains and are placedlone at var-time in transfer position where theyareadetachedfrom the chains. Thechains are ordinarily located behind arrd abovethe loom and pass over andiunder guide sprockets or pulleysso .that the tube frames are first above and then below :the chains.

It has been customary to attachthe tube frame to the chains at points approximately aligned with the spoolaxis so that the greaterpartof the weight was disposed at one side of the chain. When passing from oneside of a sprocket .to the other, therefore, the attaching hooks are subject to considerable strain due to the fact that :the weightis not balanced. It .isian importantobject of my present invention to construct the tube frameand chain sprocketsso'thatthe connections between the tube frame .and the chain'are located at a point intermediate the longitudinal centers of .the spool and the longitudinal bar. This construction requiresa relative lowering of the chain with respect to the yarnspools and'a these weights practically balances the other.

This condition will exist when the transverse center of gravity, when produced longitudinally of the bar, passes through the'chain, or between the top and bottom points of attachment between the chain and tube frame.

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 accompanying drawing, wherein a convenient embodiment of my invention is set forth,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation partly in section of a tube frame and associated parts made according to my present invention,

Fig.2 is a detailed. vertical .section on line.2-2

55' Of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on line 33 of Fig. :1, v

Fig. 4-isan end View looking in the direction of arrow 4, Fig. l, the clutch being omitted. for the sake-of clearness,

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 4-but on a reduced scale and showing the transporting chain carrying several tube frames,

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic'view setting forth the relationbetween: the centers of gravity'of the yarn spools and the carrier bar with respect to the point of attachment of the tube frame to the transporting chain, and

Fig. is a diagrammatic view showing the arrangement of the transporting chain. and its guide sprockets.

Referring to the drawing, the tube frame It comprises a hollow metallic bar I! having top and bottom sections i2 and i3, respectively, and front-and back walls M and i5, respectively. As shown herein the carrier bar is provided with a stiffening filler 1'6 which may be made of wood and there are attached to the front wall a series of depending yarn tubes ll.

Above the bar as shown in Fig. 1 is a yarn spool S having a barrel 26 from which projects an end gudgeon 2! located on the longitudinal axis of the spool.

A clutch C is mounted on a carrier arm 22 and is rocked with respect thereto by anarm 23. The'arms 22 and 23 areoperated by well-known loom parts not set forth herein. The loom has a pull-over shaft 25 located above the fell of the cloth and having a step by step angular motion derived'from known mechanism. There are two transporting chains .26, one on each side of the loom, which extend upwardly and rearwardly in some such manner'as that illustrated for instance in patent to Wyman and Hutchins No. 677,302, and indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 7.

The matter thus far described, except as modifled hereinafter, may be constructed and operated in a manner similar to that found in previously known Axminster looms.

In carrying my present invention into effect I secure to the under side of the top section 52 an L-shaped member 36 shown best in Fig. 1. The outer end of this member is bent upwardly to form a tongue 3! to extend between the members of the double link 32 of the transporting, chain. This member may be secured to the transporting bar in any approved manner. as by means of screws 33, and there may be secured to the uppersurface thereof at a point lying between the end of the carrier bar and the tongue 3| some form of spool bearing, such as that indicated at 35. The horizontal foot of this bearing may be welded to the member while the vertical portion receives the gudgeon 2! and not only affords a bearing in which the spool may rotate but also holds the spool at a fixed distance from the carrier bar. permanently to the carrier bar but are removable by means of the screws 33 when renewal of the spool bearing and tongue 3! is necessary.

The mechanism for detachably connecting the tube frame to the transporting chain is mounted for sliding motion longitudinally of the carrier bar and comprises a U-shaped slide 43 having top and bottom sections 4| and 42, respectively, which engage the undersides of the bracket member 30 and the top surface of the bottom section [3 of the bar, respectively. A compression spring 43 is interposed between the filler l6 and the vertical wall 44 of the slide and serves to push the slide outwardly.

The upper section 4! of the slide has welded thereto a rectangular hollow block or hook element shown at 53 in Fig. 2. This hook member is extended under the section 4! as at 5! and welded thereto, while the sides 52 extend upwardly and are connected together by a bridge 53 from one edge of which projects a supporting hook 54 shown for instance in Fig. l. The outer edges 55 of the sides 52 engage the inner chain link 32 as shown in Fig. 1 to prevent the spring 43 from moving the slide out of the hollow bar. The lower section 42 is projected beyond the end of the carrier bar a considerable distance, as indicated at 56, and affords means by'which the slide can be moved against the action of the spring to tube frame releasing position. In addition to the method already describedto limit action of spring 43, I also project the tongue 3! high enough to engage hook 54, and this relation holds the slide in place when the tube frame is out of the loom.

The clutch C is formed with a vertical wall 83 from which projects a tongue 5| located a short distance above the floor 62of the clutch. The latter has side wings 33 which are for the purpose of engaging the front and back vertical walls I 4 and B5 of the bar to guide the latter and afford a control by which the tube frame may be moved angularly during the wiping-in and pulling-off operations when a row of tufts is being formed. The tongue 6! is located above the extended end 56 and the latter in turn is spaced slightly above the floor 62.

In the operation of the mechanism thus far described the chain is fed progressively with a step by step motion and comes to rest periodically in the position shown in Fig. 5 with one of the tube frames vertically under the pull-over shaft 25. At this time the spring 43 is holding the hook 54 yieldingly over the inner chain link 32 and the vertical edge 55 of the hook element is bearing against a chain link to prevent motion of the slide out of the hollow carrier bar. The tongue 3| is located between the links 32 as shown in Fig. 1 and the clutch is spaced from the slide. As soon as the transporting chain comes to rest the clutch will be moved inwardly by mechanism not shown but well understood and the tongue 3| will pass over the end 56 and the floor will en gage the bottom l3 of the carrier bar to lift the same slightly for the purpose of relieving pressure between the hook 54 and the chain link on which it rests. Further inward motion of the clutch brings the verticalwall 50 into contact with the end 56 and preferably also against the The parts just described are fastened lower parts of the edges 55 of the hook element to move the slide inwardly to the dotted position shown in Fig. '1 against the action of spring 43. Both arms 4| and 42 of the slide are therefore pressed by the clutch, and the possibility of cramping is greatly reduced. This motion is con- 7.

32. The tube frame is therefore controlled within narrow limits as to its vertical position by the clutch as the latter moves toward and from cloth forming position.

After the wiping-in and pulling-off operations of the tube frame the clutch is moved toward the chain and the tongue 3| enters between the links 32, upward motion continuing until the hook 54 is slightly above the top of adjacent link 32, whereupon the clutch will move outwardly or away from the center of the tube frame to permit spring 43 to reestablish holding connection between the chain and the hook 54.

An inspection of Fig. 1 shows that the point of attachment between the tube frame and the transporting chain is located at a point between the axis of the spool and the longitudinal axis of the carrier bar. As shown in Fig. 6 the arrow a represents the downward force due to the weight of the yarn spools'while arrow 1) indicates the direction along which the weight of the carrier bar is exerted. The line C lies intermediate the top and bottom of the links32 as viewed in Fig. l, or between the hook 54 and the lower part of the tongue 3|, for any and all positions of the tube frame as the latter moves along the loom overhead with the transporting chains. The location of line C can be so chosen as to lie substantially along the transverse center of gravity of the tube frame, the Weight of the spool substantially balancing the weight of the tube frame. I

In one particular instance the loaded spools weigh approximately nine pounds while the carrier bar weighs approximately fifteen pounds and with such weights the location of the chain can be such that the center of gravity of the tube frame 5 will pass through the chain link.

As heretofore constructed the chain has been in alignment with the spool axis and previous pull-over sprockets have been. made accordingly.

I find that by supporting the tube frame at a point intermediate the spool and carrier bar axes, more room must be allowed for the spools and the sprocket 10 is therefore of somewhat greater diameter than those heretofore employed. This sprocket may have acentral web i! with recesses 12 for the reception of tongues 3i and hooks 54. Projecting radially from the web between the recesses 12 are spaced plates '53 which receive the single links of the transporting chain. The sprocket Hi may be secured to thepull-over shaft '25 in any approved manner and is given the aforementioned step by step motion to feed the tube frames one at a time to delivery position. The chain links are made correspondingly over sprockets 83 and undersprockets 8!. When passing from one side to the other of a sprocket the tube frame shifts somewhat relatively to.

the chain, but the forces brought into play during the shift are reduced to a minimum by my invention.

From the foregoing it will be seen that my improved tube frame is so constructed that it is attached to the transporting chain at points lying between the spool axis and the longitudinal axis of the carrier bar. By this construction the weight of the spool is partly or completely balanced by the weight of the bar, depending upon the location of the hook and tongue, so that when passing along the overhead for the loom such turning strains as occur are greatly reduced It will further be seen that the hook and tongue are located close to the longitudinal axis of the bar with the result that the distances through which the strains act is comparatively small. It will also be seen that the clutch preferably engages surfaces of the slide lying on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the bar for the purpose of preventing binding or cramping of the slide as it moves inwardly to release the tube frame. It will be seen that the sprocket and the chain are proportioned to permit suspension of the tube frame at a point between the spool and bar axes.

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:

1. In a tube frame for an Axminster loom having a transporting chain, a hollow carrier bar, a hook member having parallel spaced arms slidable along interior surfaces of the bar, resilient 'means between the bar and the hook member tending to move the latter outwardly, the upper arm projecting beyond the. end of the bar and having a chain engaging hook thereon, the lower arm projecting beyond the bar in position to be engaged for inward pressing, a tongue rigid with the bar to engage the chain, and a clutch having a floor and a projection spaced from and above said floor, said clutch movable to place the floor below and the projection above the lower arm of said hook member and move the latter against the action of the resilient means to disconnect the hook from the chain.

2. In a tube frame for an Axminster loom having a transporting chain, a hollow carrier bar, a hook member slidable within the bar and having two spaced parallel parts the outer ends of which are separated from each other, a chain engaging element on one of said parts of the hook member, the other of said parts to be pressed for detachment of the hook member from the chain, resilient means between the carrier bar and the hook member tending to move the latter outwardly to hold the chain engaging element in supporting relation with respect to the chain, a tongue rigid with respect to the bar to engagethe chain, a clutch to engage the second named part to move the hook member against the action of the resilient means, and a projection on the clutch to enter the space between said parts and. lie over the second named part.

Ell-BRIDGE R. HOLMES

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