US2219759A - Pneumatic thread extractor for looms - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 29; 1940. A BUFFJNGTQN 2,219,759

PNEUMATIC THREAD EXTRACTOR FOR LOOMS Originalv Filed Oct. 31, 1938 Geoye J2. Bu/

Patented Oct. 29, 1940 UNITED STATES PNEUMATIC THREAD EXTRAGTOR. FOR LOOMS George A. Buffington, Worcester, Mass., assignor to Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application October 31, 1938, Serial No. 237,833 Renewed April 9, 1940 8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in thread extractors for looms and it is the chief object of theinvention to provide an improved intake mouth for the tube which receives the '5 thread. I

In co-pending application Serial No. 190,637 filed by Turner there is set forth a pneumatic thread extractor having a thread tube with an intake mouth to be depressed at the time of transfer for engagement with the thread which extends from the selvage to the outgoing bobbin. The thread which extends from the shuttle box to the extractor is drawn into the tube on transferring beats of the loom. At a subsequent beat the temple cutter severs the thread at the selvage,

whereupon the thread is completely removed from the race and may if desired be deposited into a thread accumulator.

It has been found desirable to construct the intake mouth in such a way that the air rushing into the tube can engage all sides of the thread and it is an important object of my present invention to provide a construction for the mouth which will require the thread to be disposed in 5 some intermediate part of the stream of air passing into the tube. It is a further object of my present invention to provide a mouth construction which will trap the thread to prevent its accidental removal from the tube.

In the aforesaid application there is shown a strip'of pile fabric extending below the path of the shuttle and into which the tongue of the extractor projects so that during rearward motion of the lay the thread will be supported on the pile tufts at the point above the lowest part of the tongue. In that application, however, the tongue is flat so that the thread can lie along a surface in such a position as to be entirely on one side of the column of air rushing through the tube. It

is a further object of my present invention to provide the tongue with a rib which shall be located partly at least below the top of the pile tufts during the backward stroke of the lay for the purpose of placing the thread in the stream of air and keeping away from the flat surface of the tongue.

It is another object of my invention to form the tongue as a separate part of the tube and having an upwardlyextending lug to be fastened to and extend into the lower part of the tube.

This lug or shank preferably has a concave surface facing the thread so that the inrushing draft of air can pass behind as well as in front of the thread. In this way the thread is kept 5 from extending along a fiat surface which might otherwise interfere with its movement into the tube and its response to attractive force of the draft.

The control for the tube together with its time of operation and means for creating an inrush- '6 ing draft of air may be the same as that shown in the aforesaid application and such parts only of the disclosure of that application are set forth herein as are needed to indicate the use and location of my present invention. 10

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 two 15 forms of the invention areshown,

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through part of a loom equipped with a pneumatic thread extractor provided with my present invention,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the lower 20 part of the extractor tube viewed from the center of the loom, showing the preferred form of my invention,

Fig. 3 is a front elevation looking in the direction of arrow 3, Fig. 2. 25

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan looking in the direction of arrow 4, Fig. 2, g

Fig. 5 is a vertical section on ilne 5--5 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the tongue unit which is inserted into the bottom of the extractor o tube,

, Fii. 7 is a plan view of the structure shown in Fig.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a modified form of the invention, and I Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a second modification of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, particularly Fig. 1, I have shown a loom frame I0 having a breast beam ll carrying pivot l2 for a transfer arm IS. The latter is normally raised but is depressed by mechanism not shown herein but illustrated for instance in the aforesaid application when a transfer of a full bobbin is to be made from the mediately thereafter the lay starts its backward motion in a left hand direction with respect to Fig. 1. A rod 15 pivoted to the lay as at It extends rearwardly to operate a pump not shown but similar to that set forth in the aforesaid apv surface 37.

plication for creating sub-atmospheric pressures. While my present invention may be used in connection with the device shown in that application, yet I do not wish to be limited to the use of my invention with such pump.

A flexible preferably rubber tube fits over the upper end of a hollow metallic tube 2| held by a set screw 22 in a vertically movable carrier head 23. The tube is vertically adjustable with respect to the head and is normally in a raised position so that all parts carried by the tube are above the path of the shuttle'on non-transfer- IiIlg beats of the loom. The head 23 is mounted on the forward end of a rod 24 and carries a roll 25 to be engaged by a plate 26 fastened to the transferrer arm l3. At the time of transfer the plate 26 descends with the transferrer arm to engage the roll 25 and lower the head 23 from its normally raised position to the position shown in Fig. 1. Thereafter on the backward stroke of the lay mechanismnot shown herein but fully set forth in the aforesaid application restores the head 23 to its normally raised position.

The matter thus far described of itself forms n part of my present invention and may be constructed as set forth in the Turner application already mentioned.

In carrying my present invention into effect I provide the lower end of the tube with a downwardly opening pair of notches 30 located behind the front wall of the tube so that a lip 3| of the latter extends below the top of the notches. The lower end of tube 2| supports a thread engaging unit A having a shank or bearing 32 extending into the tube and. held in place by a rivet or pin 33. The forward face :35 of the shank 32 is concave forwardly or to the right as viewed in Fig. 2.

Extending forwardly and downwardly from the shank 32"is a tongue 36 having an upper Extending preferably centrally upwardly along the surface 31 is a rib 38 which rises above surface 31 and has an upper rounded edge along which the thread slides with-a minimum of resistance. The "rib terminates in an upwardly projecting finger 40 which' is-located in front of the notches 3E]. The finger also projects upwardly behind the lip 3| and in front of a portion of the 'conc'ave'sur'face 35.

' As shown in Fig. 7 'the shank'32 is formed as slightly more than half a cylinder to facilitate its retention in the tube while the pin 33 is being placed. While this is a useful incident to the construction of "my invention I do 'notwis'h to be limited to it. The lower end of the tube'2l has projecting forwardly therefrom "a thin plate or wing having a downwardly and rearwardly 'inclinedthread guiding surface 5| which leads proportioned thatwhen the intake tube is in its lowest position the bottom of the tongue and also a portion of therib138wi1l lie below the top 65 of the pile fabric. It is to be understood that the taut thread extends along the race plate and across the slot'BU to be supported by the upperend's of the tufts of the fabric BI and it is this relation which permits the tongue and also the ribtherecn'to' be 'uisposedpartl at least below and behind the weft thread designated at W.

In operation the tube will be depressed to the position shown in Fig. 1 on a transferring beat of the loom. The forward part of the tongue and the lower part of the rib 38 being embedded in the pile fabric with the thread extending along the race plate at points somewhat in front of or to the right as viewed in Fig. 2, of the notch N. The thread is then cut in the shuttle box in any approved manner as set forth in the afores'aid application when the lay is in forward position, after which the lay starts to move rearwardly and carries the thread supported by the shuttle race toward the notch N. At the same "time a rush of air is induced into the notch N and upwardly in the tube 2 I, the air passing into the notches 30 and along a path between the lip 31 and the finger 4!]. Continued rearward motion f'the lay directs the thread upwardly along the rib 38 until the thread comes within the zone of influence of the draft of air, whereupon the thread will slide up over the finger andbehind the latter into the notches 30- and to a point in front of the rear part of the concave surface-35. It should be stated that the-rib 38 eXtends rearwardly from thefingerffll to the concave surf-ace 35so thatit is impossible at any time for the thread to fall along a flat surface because of its engagement with the rib and finger. V

This placement of the thread behind the finger 40 occursduring the first part of the rearward motion of the lay and ordinarily before the shuttle leaves the shuttle box. The thread, although out at the shuttle eye at the time of transfer, will therefore -;be held suff ciently taut to be drawn to the position described-andbe-in the zone of influence 'oftheinrushing draft of air beforethe-shuttle is picked to release the cut I end of the thread-from frictional holding between the front wall of the shuttle -and the shuttle binder not shown. When -i-n this position -it 'will be observed especially with reference to Fig. 2 thatthe thread extends along partof the -rib 38--and may ;lie against the'edges 10 which marks the forwardterminations of the concave surface-35. The column *of air passes under the thread as well as in front-of it and behind-it.

The thread is therefore suspended in the moving column of air and 'as soon-as the end'cutat'the shuttle eye is released by the picking of theshuttle saidend will be drawn into the tube and will remain there unti1- the r other end of the thread is cut att he selvage'onsome subsequent beat of the lay. 'When the latter condition occurs the whole of the thread is drawn into the 'tube'and -ma'y pass along the-rubber conveyor-'20 tosome point sufli'ciently remote from' the path'of the shuttle to prevent the latter from drawingthe thread into.- the warp she'd.

The-form of the invention thus far'described makes use of a rib extendingsubs'tantia'lly to the lower end of theto'rig' ue. I do notwi'sh' 'to'be limited to thi's dri stl 'iictioh, however, inasmuch as it is sufiicient if the unit A be so constructed that the column of'air which rushes in'to thetube 2 I can act on all sides "of the 'weft thread. This result can be achieved without the useof' t herib as set forth-in the modified form of the inven-' responding to the tongue 36 is provided 'withtwo.

s'pabe'd' air grooves of're'ce'sses' 8| between which lies a rib82. The-upper surface "may belevel "with thesurface'of'the t'ongue'80. In this rhodified formthe rib. 82 has the .lrear part: thereof curved upwardly as. at-83'to formthe fingerx40 \which will be substantially the same asjthe finger shown in the preferred ,form of the invention.

In the operation of thismodification the; air moving into the tube 2| rises from theair grooves 8| which lie under the thread and in doing so draws the thread in the tube. :Although I have shown two of the grooves .or recesses 8! .yet it is obvious that a single recess 90 shown. in Fig. 9 can be used inasmuch as such a construction would permit the. thread-to .extend across a depressed part of the tongue. Inother respects, such as theconstructiomof the shank of .the concave face and the disposition of the finger 40 and that portioniof the rib lying behind it, the con struction, shown in Fig. -8 maybe the same as that in the preferred form. 5

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided an improved. intake for a pneumatic thread extractor wherein the unit located at the bottom of the tube 2| is so constructed that air moving into the tube can rise from a point below the thread, this condition being true whether the rib 38 of the preferred form of the invention be used or whether the tongue 80 is provided with one or more air recesses 8i as in the modified form. It will also be seen that the tongue 40 is so placed with respect to the lip 3| as to provide an effective trap for the thread to prevent the latter from escaping from the notches 30. Also, the forward face of the shank 32 is made concave for the purpose of permitting a part of the column of air which rushes into the tube 2| to pass behind the notches 30 and the thread located therein. Fig. 2 shows that the rear edge 15 of the notches 30 extend below the lowest part of the rib 38 defining the bottom of the thread pocket of which the notches 30 form the upper part, and it is this construction which maintains the thread out of contact with fiat surfaces and in the path of the column of air rushing into the tube 21 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 thread extractor for a weft replenishing loom, a thread receiving tube to have sub-atmospheric pressures created therein, and a thread controlling attachment secured to the lower end of the tube, said attachment having a downwardly and forwardly extending tongue across which a weft thread can extend, and the upper part of the tongue having an air recess in pneumatic communication with the interior of the tube and under a taut thread extending across the tongue, the air in the recess rushing into the tube from points under the thread to draw the latter into the tube when a sub-atmospheric pressure is created in the tube.

2. In a thread extractor for a loom, a thread receiving vertical tube to have sub-atmospheric pressures created therein, a tongue projecting forwardly and downwardly from the tube, there being an open space above the tongue communicating with the interior of the tube, and said tongue having an opening in the upper surface thereof to provide an air space below said surface across which a taut thread will extend, air rushing into the tube inducing movement of air from the air space in the tongue upwardly from a point below the thread toward the interior of the tube tending to draw the thread into the tube when a ing intothe tube drawing the air from theair space upwardly against-the underside of the taut thread and moving toward the interior. of the tube to draw the thread into the tube when a sub-atmosphericpressure is created in said tube.

4. In a thread extractor ,-for. a loom, a weft thread receiving tube .to 'have-sub-atmospheric pressures created therein, ,a tongue projecting downwardly andfarwardly from the tube and having an air space thereabove communicating with the interior of the tube, and a rib projecting upwardly from the top surface of the tongue, said rib being separated from the forward part of the tube by an air space through which a weft thread may pass, a taut thread across the upper part of the tongue extending from the rib to an edge of the tongue and being spaced from a portion of the surface of the tongue immediately under the thread, a column of air rushing into the tube lifting the air below the thread in a direction from the upper surface of the tongue toward the interior of the tube to draw the thread into said tube when a sub-atmospheric pressure is created in the tube.

5. In a thread extractor for a loom, a tubular member to have sub-atmospheric pressures created therein and having downwardly opening thread slots at the lower end thereof, a thread guiding tongue projecting downwardly and forwardly from said slots and so placed as to provide an air space above the tongue communicating with said slots, and a finger projecting upwardly from the tongue and having the forward portion thereof in front of said slots and having the top thereof extending above the bottom of said slots, said finger being spaced from the forward part of the tube, a column of air moving into the tubular member when a sub-atmospheric pressure is created therein drawing a thread supported by the tongue upwardly into said slots and along the forward face of the finger and over the latter to a position behind the finger and in said slots.

6. In a thread extractor for a loom, a tubular member to have created therein sub-atmospheric pressures for the purpose of drawing a weft thread thereinto, the lower end of said member having spaced downwardly opening thread receiving slots, a finger supported by the member and projecting upwardly into the latter and having a forward thread engaging edge spaced from the member and in front of the front edges of the slots, said finger terminating at a point between the top and bottom of the slots, and a web extending rearwardly from the finger below the tops of the slots, induction of air into the lower end of the member by creation of a subatmospheric pressure therein drawing a thread up along the front edge of the finger and over the top-thereof into the slots to a position over the web'behind the finger.

7. In a thread extractor for a loom, a vertical thread receiving tube to have sub-atmospheric pressures created therein, an attachment for the lower end of the tube having a downwardly and forwardly extending thread :gui'ding tonguegaiib pro'j e'c'tin'g upwardly from the top surface #efthe :tongue and along 'whicma thread slides; a finger formed as part of the rib and-extendingupcurved'surface ofith'e hub.

8. In a thread -extractor for a loom, a' verti'cai thread receiving tube to have sub-atmospheric pressures created therein, an attachment for -the lowerendtof the itube having a idownwardiy and forwardlyrexten'ding"thread guiding tongue, a rib 'pro'jectingxlupwardly-from the top surface of the tongue andaalongiwhich a thread slides, a. finger formed. rasipart of' the rib and extending upweirdly to'i-aposition within the tube and spaced from 'the latter, alhub' rigid with the. tongue projectin'glintoand secured "to the bottom of the tube, the sur;face :of the hub facing the finger "being concave, .and the tube. having downwardly opening Jthread receivingvslots formed on :the bottom nfthei tubeebehind the front of the finger, inductioni'oia' draftof airiinto the tube by creation ofrasubeatmospheric pressure therein drawing a .threadiup along-the rib and over the finger into the slots, the air .acting ion the rear part of the thread 'outnf contact with said concave surface of the hub.

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