US2173987A - Thread cutter for bobbin changing looms - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 26, 1939. R. G. TURNER ,987

THREAD CUTTER FOR BOBBIN CHANGING LOOMS Filed March 10, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet l BE e3 11 W me 435 1x a \RD gs- Hide,

Rb mu as m Inventor Rmhard. G-.Turner zz torney Sept. 26, 1939. R. G. TURNER THREAD CUTTER FOR BOBBIN CHANGING LOOMS Filed March 10, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor Richard frl'uvnev Attorney Sept. 26, 1939. l T R 2 ,173,987

THREAD CUTTER FOR BOBBIN CHANGING LOOMS Filed March 10, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor Richard Tuvner Patented Sept. 26, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE THREAD CUTTER FOR BOBBIN CHANGING LOOMS Application March 10,

13 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in thread cutters for weft replenishing looms and it is the general object of the invention to provide a cutter for severing the thread of the outgoing bobbin in a loom, such as a pick and pick automatic loom wherein transfer occurs in a temporarily raised shuttle box.

In my prior Patent No. 2,058,113 I show a loom having two shifting shuttle boxes adjacent to the magazine and controlled to shift the boxes at the magazine end every other beat of the loom. In such a loom the boxes will be raised from one top center of the lay to the bottom center following the next top center. With this arrangement it is possible to detect the condition of weft on a front center position of the lay and transfer on the following back center.

When the top box rises the Weft end of the shuttle therein extends to the selvage along a relatively elevated path, so that detecting and transfer occur with the weft raised. It is an important object of my present invention to provide a cutter mechanismpositioned to receive the raised thread and movable to open position during the backward movement of the lay to catch and hold the thread for cutting before the lay reaches transferring position on back center.

It is necessary to effect resetting of the cutter for the next operation of the magazine which, as set forth in the aforesaid patent, cannot occur until four picks have elapsed from the first transfer, due to the shuttle sequence in a loom of the type to which my invention more particularly relates. It is a further object of my present invention to provide a connection, such as a flexible strap from the lay to the cutter, to operate and reset the cutter on the backward stroke of the lay.

The conditions of transfer are such that the lay and transfer latch remain in engagement at back center during the time that the cutter is to operate and it is a further object of my present invention to provide a sliding connection which permits the aforesaid strap from the lay to operate the cutter while the transfer mechanism is still connected to the lay.

The lay operated strap becomes taut on each back center of the lay and is therefore capable of resetting the cutter whenever the lay moves rearwardly. It is a further object of my present invention to set the cutter when the lay is forward of its back center position and rely upon the regularly actuated strap to close the cutter. This result may be obtained by connections from the transfer latch and effective when the 1937, Serial No. 130,128

latter is raised into transfer position from its normally down position to rock the cutter blade to open position. This action occurs during the first part of the setting of the transferrer latch and a slide connection is provided to accommo- 5 date the remaining motion of the transfer mechanism which occurs after the cutter is fully open.

In order that the thread may be directed along a proper path for cutting it is another object of my invention to mount on the lay a thread placer under which the thread of the elevated shuttle passes, forward motion of the lay being relied upon in conjunction with the placer to guide the thread in correct relation with respect to the cutter.

It is a more specific object of my present invention to provide a special form of cutter adapted for resharpening and having a relieved or recessed zone toward which the cutting edge extends. A stop for the thread is provided to prevent the latter from entering the recessed zone, thereby keeping the thread always within the range of the cutting edge. In this connection the stop is made so that it can ge removed rearwardly from the cutter when sharpening becomes necessary.

Many cutters as heretofore made have produced a bight in the thread around the cutting edge and the effect of this bight is to interfere with proper cutting. It is another object of my present invention to provide a guard spaced'from the cutting edge to have holding relation with the thread so that the latter will lie along a substantially straight line for an appreciable distance on each side of the cutting edge, the latter moving down in a plane substantially perpendicular to the thread and there being no bight adjacent the cutter to interfere with the action thereof.

With these and other objects in View which wil1 appear as the description proceeds, my in vention resides in the combination and 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 a diagrammatic end elevation of a loom having my invention applied thereto,

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic front elevation of part of the shifting shuttle box structure showing certain features of my invention,

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic plan taken in the direction of arrow 3, Fig. 2,

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are diagrammatic views showing the shifting shuttle boxes in different positions with respect to the shuttle path,

Fig. '7 is an enlarged detailed side elevation of the cutter shown in normal position as seen from the end of the loom, being an enlargement of a part of Fig. 1,

Fig; 8 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 7 taken in the direction of arrow 8,

Fig. 9 is a rear elevation of the cutter taken in the direction of arrow 9, Fig. '7,

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 7, but taken from the opposite side showing the parts in full lines in normal position and open for cutting in dotted lines,

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 10 but with the cutter shown open in full lines and with the strap at the beginning of a cutting operation, and

Fig. 12 is a section on line l2|2, Fig. 10.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, I have shown the invention applied to a so-called pick and pick loom having a pair of shifting shuttle boxes at each side, the right hand pair only being shown in Fig. The mode of operation of the loom is such that each of the shuttle boxes shown in Fig. 2 is in active position for two successive picks and then moved to inactive position for the next two successive picks. While certain features of my invention lend themselves particularly to this arrangement, yet I donot wish to be limited in the application of my invention to a loom operating in the particular manner set forth.

The loom frame 20 has a breast beam 2i and a lay 22 at the right end of which as shown in Fig. 2 are located upper and lower shuttle boxes 23 and 24, respectively, separated by an empty box or bobbin passage 25. The boxes are shifted by means of a lifter rod 25 under control of pattern mechanism not shown and operating preferably as described hereinbefore. A magazine M supplies reserve bobbins B which in the present instance are all of the same color, while the transferrer arm 27 is pivoted as at 28 to the back of the loom behind the lay and has pivoted thereto a transfer latch 29 and holder 30 therefor. A control rod 78 for the latch is normally up and is depressed when a transfer is to take place by mechanism not shown herein but substantially the same as that which operates rod 18 in my copending application Serial No. 103,544. The lay has a bunter 3| projecting rearwardly to have engagement with the elevated latch 29 when the lay approaches its back center position,

The reserve bobbin B in transfer position, as indicated in Fig. 2, is located to be immediately above the shuttle box 23 when the latter is in its raised inactive position. In the operation of the loom the time will come when box 23 will receive an empty shuttle from the opposite side of the loom when the lay is approximately on bottom center, or moving forwardly and midway between its extreme positions. The rod 26 will then start to raise the boxes, the latter rising while the lay' reaches its front center position and continuing to rise until just before the time for picking in the loom cycle, which ordinarily occurs approximately at top center with the lay at mid position on its backward stroke. The shuttle box 23 then remains raised for approximately a beat and a half of the loom, the lay moving to back center, bottom, frontand top centers, at which time another shuttle will be picked, will continue to move to back center and will reach bottom center the second time while box 23is still raised. In the two-pick cycle of box shiftings therefore the box 23 will be raised and at rest with respect to the lay on a front center position of the lay and also when the later reaches its back center position, and I make use of these conditions to detect the condition of weft when the lay is on front center by a detector D, shown in Fig. 3, and approximately one-half a beat later the previously described operation between the hunter 3| and the latch 29 take place. By means of mechanism omitted from the drawings in the present disclosure but set forth fully in my previously identified copending application the latch will start to rise very soon after the detector indicates weft exhaustion and while the lay is on front center.

A temple cutter T may be located adjacent the selvage of the cloth C and set preferably to act within four beats of the loom to cut the filling extending from the empty shuttle at the time of transfer. This relation permits successive transfers which can occur every fourth beat of the loom.

The matter thus far described is customarily found in so-called 2 x 2 pick and pick looms, except that boxes 23 and 24 are separated to ac-. commodate the outgoing bobbin at the time of transfer.

In carrying my present invention into effect I provide means for cutting the thread which extends from the selvage to a shuttle in box 23 when temporarily raised and out of action for two successive picks. Accordingly, I mount a stand 40 on the breast beam having rearwardly extending bearing horns 4| and 42 through which extends a shaft 43 having a collar 44 to limit longi-' tudinal motion thereof in one direction and having secured thereto for angular adjustment around the shaft a second collar 45 which receives one end of a torsion spring 46 the other end of which is received by the horn bearing 4|. The effect of the spring is to turn the shaft in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 7. An arm 4'! is secured to and extends forwardly from the shaft 43 to have pivotal connection as at 48 with the upper end of a descending rod 49 pivoted to a bell crank lever 50. A second rod 5| connects lever 59 with another bell crank lever 52 and the latter in turn is connected by rod 53 to the transferrer latch 29. The inner end of shaft 43 has secured threreto another arm 55 mounted for angular adjustment around the shaft and relatively thereto. Ordinarily the arm 55 is disposed rearwardly with the upper end thereof behind the vertical plane of shaft 43, as shown in full lines in Figs. '7 and 10.

When a transfer is called the latch 29 will be raised from the full to the dotted line position of.

Fig. 1 early in the backward stroke of the lay and while the latter is close to its front center position. The links and bell crank levers 5e and 52 will thereupon be rocked from their full to the dotted line positions shown in Fig. l to rock shaft 43 in a left hand direction as viewed in Figs. 1 and 7. The effect of this motion by rod 23 is to move the arm 55 forwardly or to the full line position shown in Fig. 11.

The arm 55 carries a stud 60, see Figs. 8 and 9, having mounted thereon inner and outer washers 6i and 62, respectively, between which extends a slide friction link 63 slotted as at 64 to permit the stud 60 to move longitudinally with respect to the link. A compression spring 65 bears against washer 6| to create friction between the link 63 and the washers. Adjusting and lock nuts 65 and 61, respectively, are provided to vary the friction between the link and washers. Spring 46 is strong enough to overcome the frictional resistance which the slide 63 and the washers offer to each other under the action of spring 65.

The rear end of link 63 is pivoted as at I to a lever II moving about a stud I2 carried by an arm I3 of a plate I4 bolted to a part of the stand 40. An adjustable stop screw I5 is carried by the lower part of lever II to engage the arm I3 and limit angular motion of lever II in a right hand direction as viewed in Fig. '7.

The parts of the cutter thus far described are supported by structure which is stationary with respect to the loom, the shaft 43 and lever II having fixed axes.

The cutter to be described is mounted for yielding motion forwardly should a shuttle fail to be boxed properly at the magazine end of the loom. Accordingly, a yielding slide 80 is carried by the plate I4 and is held in place by caps 8 I the slide moving forwardly whenever it is engaged by a misplaced shuttle. A stop screw 82 on the slide is positioned for engagement with the plate I4 to limit rearward movement of the plate under the action of a tension spring 83 interposed between the slide and one of the caps 8I.

The cutter proper includes a blade 85 secured to the rear part of slide 80 and located inwardly or toward the center of the loom with respect to said slide. A movable cutter blade 66 is pivoted as at 8! to the slide and has a forwardly and upwardly extending finger 88 located in front of a pin 89 projecting laterally from the top of lever II. A depending finger 80 of the blade is attached to a flexible strap 9| made preferably of leather and extending forwardly around a sheave 92 loose on the shaft 43. From the sheave the strap extends rearwardly to be connected as at 93 to the lay 22.

The rear part of the movable cutter blade is formed with a notch I00, see Fig. 11, which opens forwardly and has a cutting edge IOI located on the upper part of the notch. In order to facilitate sharpening, the forward end of the notch is enlarged as at I02 and a cotter pin I03 carried by the blade prevents a thread from entering the enlarged part I62. The rear part of the cutter has a shoulder I04 to engage a pin I05 carried by the slide 80. Ordinarily the cutter will not engage the pin I05, but the latter serves to prevent excess angular motion of the cutter in a right hand direction around its pivot 8'! as viewed in Fig. 1. The strap 9| is tightened by the lay as the latter moves rearwardly and is the means by which the cutter is closed or operated to cut the thread.

I have found that when a thread to be cut extends away from the cutting edge at a sharp angle, the cutter does not operate with entire satisfaction, and in order to present the thread correctly for cutting I provide means for requiring a portion thereof to extend away from the cutting edge more or less in a direction at right angles to said edge. To accomplish this result I mount a thread guard IIO on finger 90 of the pivoted cutter on that side of slide 80 toward the magazine. This guard has a forwardly opening notch III substantially in alignment with the notch I00 of the cutter, as Viewed in Fig. 7. The rear part of the notch III is defined by an edge I I2 which requires a thread to extend from the cotter pin I03 to said edge H2 in a direction more or less perpendicular to the plane of action of the movable cutter, see Fig. 12.

To assist in the proper location of the thread to be cut with respect to the cutter I provide a thread placer I20 mounted on the lay above the patch of the active shuttle. The placer has a rearwardly and downwardly facing notch I2I which is located below the inactive shuttle S in the top box 23 when the latter is fully raised to its idle position ready for transfer. This placer sustains the relation shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 to the shuttle boxes as the latter shift. When box 23 is down as shown in Fig. 4 to receive the empty shuttel S the notch I2I will be above the weft which extends from said shuttle box to the adjacent selvage. -The boxes start to rise while the lay is moving forwardly so that the weft end will extend diagonally rearwardly from the fell of the cloth. During the shift the boxes will assume the position of Fig. 5, the thread of the rising box being caught under a nose I25 on placer I20 projecting forwardly above notch I2I. The lay is at or near front center in the position of Fig. 5.

As the box shift is completed, as suggested in Figs. 2 and 6, the thread will extend from the shuttle eye E to the left along the bottom of shuttle box 23 and will bend down at a point I26 on the floor of box 23 to extend under the nose I25 of the placer, from which point the thread will extend downwardly to the adjacent selvage. At this time the lay is moving rearwardly away from the fell, and the thread moves back with the lay. During the next forward movement of the lay the thread will assume the position of Figs. 3 and 10, extending over and in front of the notch I00 of the movable cutter when the lay reaches front center. If a transfer is to occur the cutter will be opened while the thread is in front of it, and rearward motion of the lay will direct the thread into notches I00 and I I I.

Assuming that a transfer has been called and that the lay is at the beginning of its rearward stroke, latch 29 will be raised to rock shaft 43 and cause forward motion of arm 55, the effect of which is to move the friction link 63 forwardly because of the pressure of the washers induced by spring 65. This rocks lever II and moves the pin 89 against the finger 88 of the pivoted cutter. The friction between the link 63 and the washers is suflicient to cause opening of the cutter as the lever II rocks forwardly. It is to be understood that this movement of the lever occurs during the first part of the lifting of the latch 29 and while the lay is still far enough forward tocause the weft thread to lie in front of the notch I00, and asthe lay continues to move rearwardly the thread will enter the notch I06.

Continued upward movement of latch 29 to its full dotted line position shown in Fig. 1 will be accompanied by a continuing motion in a forward direction of arm II, but a stop pin I30 engages the finger 88 to limit further rocking of the cutter, see Fig. 10, whereupon the washers slide forwardly along the link '63, the stud moving away from the rear or right hand end of the slot 64 as viewed in Fi '7. When the cutter rises the thread guard I I0 is also lifted and since the thread placer is located between the elevated shuttle and the thread guard, the weft to be cut extends across the stationary cutter 85 in a direction more or less perpendicular to the cutting edge. The cutter is therefore open and the thread in notches I00 and III as the lay moves rearwardly from front center position, the parts being in the dotted line position of Fig 10.

Continued rearward motion of the lay will tighten the strap 9I and as the lay approaches back center it will act through the strap to rock the movable'cutter and move the edge IIJI down,

thereby severing the Weft, the parts moving from the full to the dotted line position of Fig. 11. At this time the transfer latch 29 is still in engagement with the hunter 3|, hence the stud 60 maintains its forward position. Operation of the cutter, however, requires rearward motion of the finger 88 and the latter during its backward motion will engage pin 89 and rock lever H back to its normal rear position. During this last motion the link 63 will slide rearwardly with respect to the washers, from the full to the dotted line position of Fig. 11. The stud 69 therefore occupies the forward or right hand part of slot 64 as viewed in Fig. 11. This leaves the adjustable stop screw 15 in the full line position of Fig. 7 and as the lay moves forwardly the latch 29 is released by the forward motion of the hunter 3| and is free to fall, after which shaft 43 is turned in a right hand direction as viewed in Fig. 1 to move arm rearwardly. This movement is induced principally by the action of spring 46 which is strong enough to overcome the friction of the washers against slide 63, but part of the motion is due also to the weight of the latch 29. During this turning of shaft 43 the washers slide along link '63 from the dotted position of Fig. 10 to the full line position of Figs. 7 and 10, the parts assuming their normal position as shown in Fig. '7 preparatory to another cutting operation.

To assist in holding the thread after cutting, I use a clamp plate I40 mounted to slide on pins I85 and 130, both on slide 80. A leaf spring I42 secured to the slide urges the clamp plate against movable cutter 86, and during cutting that part of the weft attached to the selvage is pushed between the clamp and movable cutter by movement of the latter. At a later time the temple cutter T cuts the weft end from the selvage, and at the next operation of the cutter the weft end is released.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a thread cutter to cooperate with a temporarily inactive shuttle in a pick and pick loom and operate the same in such a way as to cut the weft extending from such a shuttle to the selvage during the backward stroke of the lay by means of a cutter having a forwardly extending notch into which the weft is moved by rearward motion of the lay. It will also be seen that a thread placer is located between the idle shuttle and the cutting mechanism and serves to direct the thread downwardly into the range of the cutter, the shuttle being above that range so that a thread extending directly from the shuttle to the selvage would not otherwise be placed for entry into the notch I00. It will further be seen that I have provided a thread guard which requires the weft to extend across the cutting edges in a direction substantially perpendicular thereto. Furthermore, the cutter is opened by a force derived from the transferrer latch during the first part of the movement of the latter toward transfer position, and provision is made for closing the cutter while the latch is still held by the hunter on the lay. This last result is accomplished by means of a sliding friction mechanism which transmits enough force to open the cutter but can be overpowered by the spring 46 when the cutter is to be reset. The friction also yields to the force of the lay transmitted through the strap 9| as the lay moves rearwardly on a cutting stroke. Again, the thread placer is so proportioned as to maintain the thread extending from the idle shuttle to the selvage in proper relation with respect to the cutter throughout the back and forth sweep of the lay.

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 weft replenishing loom having a lay and operating with shifting shuttle boxes having shuttle receiving cells which are continuously raised during two successive back center positions and an intervening front center position of the lay, a thread cutter in front of the lay, a weft detector to indicate exhaustion of weft in the elevated cell when the lay is in front center position, transfer mechanism to be set for transfer by the detector and operated by the lay when the latter is in back center position, a connection between the transfer mechanism and thread cutter to open the latter when the transfer mechanism is set and prior to transferring operation of the transfer mechanism, and means operated by the lay capable of closing the cutter at each back center position of the lay.

2. In a weft replenishing loom, detector means to indicate weft exhaustion when the lay is in front center position, mechanism to replenish the weft when the lay reaches the following back center position, a latch forming part of said mechanism and movable from normal to transfer .position, a thread cutter normally closed, a connection between the latch and the cutter including a friction slide effective to open the cutter when the latch is moved to transfer position, means controlled by the detector to move the latch to transfer position, and means operative as the lay approaches back center position to close the cutter.

3. In a weft replenishing loom having a lay, a transferrer latch movable from normal to transfer position during the first part of a backward motion of the lay, a normally closed thread cutter, connections between the latch and cutter to open the cutter by movement of the latch during the first part of the movement of the latch from normal to transfer position, slide means in said connections by which the latch continues to move after the cutter is open, and means to close the cutter when the lay completes its backward motion.

4. In a loom, a lay, a shuttle box movable from active position upwardly to an inactive position above the lay, a shuttle in the box having a weft thread extending therefrom to the cloth selvage, a thread cutter located below the inactive shuttle box, and a thread guide fixed on the lay presenting a thread engaging surface below the raise box and lying in the path of the weft thread, upward motion of the shuttle box lifting the thread against the guide and the latter thereafter ho1ding a portion of said thread down in the range of action of the thread cutter.

5. In a loom, a lay, a shuttle box movable from active position upwardly to an inactive position above the lay, a shuttle inthe box having a weft thread extending therefrom to the cloth selvage, a thread cutter located below the inactive shuttle box, and a thread guide on the lay presenting a downwardly and forwardly opening notch below the shuttle box when raised and lying in the path of the weft thread to engage the latter as the box rises and hold a portion of the weft thread down in the range of action of the thread cutter.

6. In a loom, a lay, a shuttle box movable from active position upwardly to an inactive position above the lay, a shuttle in the box having a weft thread extending therefrom to the cloth selvage, a thread cutter which when open for a cutting operation has a forwardly opening mouth to receive a thread, and a thread guide on the lay having a forwardly and downwardly opening notch located below the raised shuttle box and lying in the path of the thread to engage the latter as the box rises, forward motion of the lay causing the guide to move the weft thread to a position in front of the cutter mouth and subsequent rearward motion of the lay and shuttle box causing the thread to enter the cutter mouth.

'7. In a thread cutter for a loom, a shuttle having a weft thread extending therefrom to the selvage, a support, a cutter blade fixed to said support, a second cutter blade pivoted tosaid support and movable in a given plane to cooperate with the first blade to cut a thread, said cutter :blades located between the shuttle and selvage and the thread lying across the given plane in the range of action of the cutters, and a guard spaced from the cutters and mounted on the second cutter to engage and hold a portion of the thread extending beyond said cutters with respect to the selvage along a line transverse to said given plane 8. In a weft replenishing loom having a lay, a hunter on the lay, a latch movable from normal to transfer position for engagement with the bunter during a portion of the movement of the lay, a normally closed thread cutter, connections between the latch and the cutter to open the latter during the first part of the movement of the latch toward transfer position, said connections including yielding means, and means to close the cutter while the latch is in engagementwith the bunter, said yielding means yielding topermit closing of the cutter.

9. In a loom having a lay, a hunter on the lay, a transfer latch movable from normal to transfer position and having engagement with the bunter during a portion of the motion of the lay, a normally closed thread cutter, connections between the latch and the cutter to open the latter when the latch moves toward transfer position, said connections includingv a sliding device capable of transmitting sufficient force from the latch to the cutter to open the latter, and means acting on the cutter during said porion of the motion of the lay to close said cutter while the latch engages the bunter, the last named means being capable of causing yielding of the sliding device.

10. In a loom having a lay, a bunter on the lay, a transfer latch movable from normal to transfer position for engagement with the bunter during a portion of the motion of the lay, a sliding device capable of transmitting agiven force and yielding when subjected to a greater force, connections between the sliding device and the latch, other connections between the sliding device and the cutter, the latter requiring a force not greater than said given force for the opening thereof, the latch when moving toward transfer position opening the cutter through said other connections and sliding device, and means connected to said cutter to subject said sliding device to a force greater than said given force to close the cutter during said portion of the motion of the lay while the latch is in contact with the bunter.

11. In a loom having a lay, a bunter on the lay, a transfer latch movable from normal to transfer position for engagement with the bunter dur ing a portion of the motion of the lay, a sliding device capable of transmitting a given force and yielding when subjected to a greater force, connections between the sliding device and the latch, other connections between the sliding device and the cutter, the latter requiring a force not greater than said given force for the opening thereof, the latch when moving toward transfer position opening the cutter through said other connections and sliding device, means connected to the cutter to subject said sliding device to a force greater than said given force to close the cutter during said portion of the motion of the lay while the latch is in contact with the bunter and cause sliding of said device to an abnormal position, and yielding means acting on said sliding device subsequent to said portion of the motion of the lay and exerting on said sliding devices a force greater than said given force to restore said sliding device to normal position,

12. In a loom having a lay, a transfer latch movable from normal to transfer position, control means for the transfer latch to establish operating connections between the lay and the transfer latch during a portion of the motion of the lay, a normally closed thread cutter, a force transmitting element yielding when subjected to a force greater than a given force and transmitting force without yielding when subjected to a force less than said given force, connections between said element and the control means, other connections between the element and the cutter, said other connections to open the cutter by a force derived from said control means and transmitted through said element without yielding thereof, means to close the cutter during said portion of the lay motion and move the element to abnormal position, and resetting means for said element, the cutter being opened by a force less than said given force, the second means to exert a force greater than said given force to close the cutter and cause yielding of said element, and

said resetting means exerting a force on said element greater than said given force to restore said element to normal condition after yielding thereof and subsequent to said portion of motion of the lay.

13. In a loom having a lay, a transfer latch movable from normal to transfer position, control means to establish operating connections between the lay and the transfer latch during a' portion of the motion of the lay, a normally closed thread cutter, a force transmitting element constituting relatively sliding friction devices yielding when subjected to a force greater than a given force and transmitting force without yielding when subjected to a force less than said given force, connections between said element and the control means, other connections between said element and the cutter, said other connections to open the cutter by a force derived from said control means, means to close the cutter during said portion of the lay motion and cause relative sliding of the friction devices to an abnormal position, and resetting means for said element, the cutter being opened by a force less than said given force, the second means to exert a force greater than said given force to close the cutter and cause relative sliding of the friction devices, and said resetting means connected to and exerting a force on said element greater than said given force to restore said friction devices to normal condition after yielding thereof and subsequent to said portion of motion of the lay.

RICHARD Gr. TURNER.

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