US2234597A - Shuttle check for looms - Google Patents

Description

March 11, 1941.

E. R; HOLMES 2,234,597 SHUTTLE CHECK FOR LOOMS Filed April 19, 1940 "0 RU n m l B 86 6 W 15 8 I EP-E -E I 3- .2? l 122 8 ilLfm, 52 I 0 Z0 2. f l 58 I 4 a8 m,

26 5 25 a1 IO 54 INVEN TOR ELaRuoa: R. HOLMES awwxwr .ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 11, 1941 PATENT OFFICE SHUTTLE CHECK FOR LOOMS Elbridge R. Holmes, Worcester, Mass, assignor to Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application April 19, 1940, Serial No. 330,549

9 Claims.

shuttle checks for looms and it is the general object of the invention to provide an improved shuttle check which employs an inclosed volume of air which is progressively compressed as the shuttle is boxed.

It is desirable to retard the speed of a shuttle as it nears the ends of its flight in such a way as to avoid abrupt changes in the shuttle speed to prevent unwinding of the yarn from the bobbin. It is also desirable to apply the retarding force uniformly so that the work done in bringing the shuttle to rest may be distributed evenly over the time of checking and also the frictional surfaces which retard the shuttle. It is an important object of my present invention to accomplish these results by the use of a normally closed elastic tube, such as rubber, containing a volume of air the pressure of which is increased progressively by the shuttle as it moves into the shuttle box.

It is also desirable to give indication to the protectormechanism of the loom as early as possible and this result I accomplish by means of a small arm or lever to engage the shuttle not only for the purpose of giving indication to the protector mechanism, but also to serve as a snubber and shuttle director to guide the shuttle into the shuttle box for correct engagement with a flexible body associated with the rubber tube. This body may prefer-ably be a leather strap which is interposed between the shuttle and the rubber tube to prevent the latter from having direct rubbing contact with the shuttle.

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 forms of my invention are set forth,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a portion of the loom having the preferred form of my invention applied thereto with the shuttle in the shuttle box,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view in the direction of arrow 2, Fig. 1 showing the shuttle completely boxed,

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is an end elevation on an enlarged scale in the direction of arrow 4, Fig. 1, v

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic View showing amodified form of my invention with the shuttle approaching the shuttle box, and

This invention relates to improvements in.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but with the shuttle in the process of being checked.

Referring to the drawing, the loom includes a frame I0, breast beam II, and lay L having the usual reed R. The lay is supported on lay swords 12 one of which is shown in Fig. 1. The lay is extended beyond the loomside and has mounted thereon a shuttle box B as seen for instance in Figs. 1 and 2. The rear part of the shuttle box is defined by a box back or wall I3 secured to the lay, while the front part is defined by structure to be described hereinafter and forming 'more particularly the subject matter of my pres.-

ent invention. For present purposes this front wall of the box may be designated at M. The lay is provided with a picker spindle 15 along which slides a picker l6 propelled by a picker stick ll to move the picker and shuttle to the left as viewed in Fig. 2. The lay may be provided with the usual picker back stop I 8.

The lay has mounted thereon a protector rod surrounded by a torsion spring Zl, the effect of which is to move rearwardly an upright protector'finger 22 secured to the protector rod. Except as indicated hereinafter the protector rod and its finger may be of the usual construction and operates in the customary manner to stop the loom if the shuttle fails to enter the shuttle box B at the proper time during the forward beat of the lay.

Depending from the outer end of the lay is a bearing 25 in which is journaled a shaft 26 the inner end of which turns in a-bearing 21 mounted on the lay sword l2. Secured to the shaft is a rearwardly extending arm 28 having a finger 29 which extends between the top and bottom rods 30 of-a lay connector. These rods are connected to a cross head 3| which is pivoted as at 32 to the lay sword. The connector rods 30 are attached 1 to the crank of a shaft not shown which has a complete rotation for each beat of the loom and during loom operation the rods 30 will rise and fall as indicated inthe full and dotted lines in Fig. 4 due to the rotation of the crank. In this way shaft 26 is caused to rock in a clockwise direction as indicated by arrow at in Fig. 4 when the connector rods 30 rise during forward motion Of the lay. 50

A pressure arm 35 is pivoted as at 36 for free rotation on the shaft 26 between the bearing 25 and the hub 31 of a power arm 38 secured to the shaft 26 as by set screw 39. A relatively heavy compression spring 40 is located between the power arm 38 and pressure arm 35, as indicated in Fig. 4.

During loom operation the rods will be down when the lay is on bottom center and advancing, thereby holding lever and arm 38 rearwardly to offer considerable resistance to forward motion of box front or binder I 4 at a time when the shuttle is entering the shuttle box. As the lay moves forwardly, the rods rise and move the arm 33 forwardly and. as the lay starts rearwardly the rods continue to rise to cause still further movement of the arm 38. When the lay reaches top center and the shuttle is picked, most if not all of the rearwardly acting force has been relieved, permitting the shuttle to be picked easily.

The matter thus far described may be of wellknown construction and of itself forms no part of my present invention. The arm 28 and parts controlled thereby may be as shown in patent to Santon No. 2,045,967, to which reference may be had for a further understanding of the variable pressure exerted on binder l4.

My present invention relates to means to arrest the motion of the shuttle as it enters the shuttle box by means of an air cushion and two forms of the invention are set forth in the drawing, the preferred form employing an air valve by which the initial pressure of air within the closed rubber cell can be altered, while the modified form shows a closed cell containing air under a predetermined initial pressure and wherein variations in the pressure are obtained by mechanical adjustments of the parts associated with the cell.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 2 and 3, the previously described binder I4 moves about a pivot on the lay. A sheet steel strap 5| is secured to the opposite end of the binder and receives the rearward pressure of an adjusting screw 52 on arm 35. The outer end of the strap 5| has passing therethrough a bolt 53 held to a fixed part 54 of the lay by lock nut 55. An adjustable rear stop nut 55 on bolt 53 limits rearward motion of the strap 5| and therefore of the adjacent part of the binder l4, while a forward stop nut 5! adjustable on the bolt limits frontward motion of the strap 5| and the binder.

.Secured as at 6D to the front part of the inner end of the binder I4 is a leather strap 6| which follows the general contour shown in Fig. 2 and is attached as at 52 to the forward part of the opposite end of the binder. This strap 6| is spaced from the rear vertical face 55 of the binder Hi to define a spacein which is located an elastic rubber tube 10. This tube or cell is provided with a valve H by means of which pressure.

the pressure of the air within the cell can be varied. The valve may be form-ed after the manner customary in tires and includes a stem 12 held by a nut 13 and washer 14 to the front vertical'wall of the cell 10. The stem 12 extends forwardly through the binder l4 and is held in position by a lock nut 15. The binder l4 may be made of wood and acts with strap 6| as suggested in Fig. 3 to hold the cell 70 in position.

In the modified form of the invention the parts are as already described with the exception that the valve is omitted and the front wall of the modified cell designated at in Fig. 5 may be secured to the binder 8|, similar to binder M, in any approved manner, as by cement.

The cell 80 will be made under conditions whichpermit the trapping therein of air under any desired I'have found that ten pounds air-pressure within the cells will give satisfactory operation.

In both forms of the invention it is desirable to make provision for operating the protector rod 28. In carrying this part of my invention into effect I provide a small lever pivoted to the lay at 86 and formed with a rearwardly curved surface 81 which normally projects into the path of the shuttle, as suggested in Fig. 5. Lever 85 has a forwardly projected lug 88 positioned for engagement with the arm 22 secured to the protector rod. The lever 85 may be the same for both forms of the invention and is located near the mouth of the shuttle box so that it will be rocked on its pivot by the advancing nose of the shuttle when the latter first enters the shuttle box. The protector rod spring 2| resists forward motion of the lever 85 and as a result of this resistance the shuttle will be moved toward the back of the shuttle box should it by any circumstance approach the shuttle box out of contact with the box back l3.-

The operation of both formsof the invention is essentially the same. When the shuttle is out of the box the natural tendency for the cells '10 and 80 to become circular in cross section will bow the leather strap rearwardly as indicated for instance in Fig. 5, where the strap projects into the path of the shuttle. As the shuttle approaches the box it engages the protector actuating snubbe'r '85 and moves it forwardly to rock the protector rod 20 to permit continued running of the loom. As the shuttle continues into the shuttle box it will engage the leather strap and deform it as well as the adjacent part of the rubber cell, as indicated for instance in Fig. 6. This deformation of the rubber cell increases the pressure of'the air within the rubber tube, and as the shuttle continues to move into the box the rubber tube suffers more and more deformation with corresponding increases in the pressure of the confined air.

Throughout the boxing operation of the shuttle the arm 35 is held rearwardly so that the right end of the binder I l as viewed for instance in Fig. 2 is prevented from moving forwardly. The gradual increase of pressure within the rubber cell is due to the fixed position of the binder I4 relatively to the lay and acts to bring the shuttle to rest gradually and with smooth deceleration. After the lay has reached front center posiamend starts backwardly, the pressure on arm 35 will be relieved as already described and the metallic strap 5! will move forwardly to the dotted line position because of the pressure of the air within the rubber cell. The pressure on the shuttle is thereby reduced and it may be picked out of the shuttle box against a resistance very much lower than that which was offered to its entrance into the shuttle box.

In the preferred'form of the invention variations in the shuttle checking effect of the rubber cell can be effected by changing the pressure of the air within the cell by use of the valve 'H and a suitable air pump not shown. In the modified form of the invention, however, the valve is omitted and Variations in the pressure are obtained by adjusting a pressure screw 52with respect to the arm 35, screw 52 being moved rearwardly when it is desired toincrease the pressure and forwardly when the pressure is to be 'reduced. In both forms of the invention, ' nuts 56 and 51 limit the rear and front positions, respectively, of the binder [4. a

The leather strap 6l s'erves 'as a protection to prevent rubbing contact between the shuttle and the rubber cell, and the fact that increases in the pressure of the confined air are communicated throughout the interior of the cell causes those parts of the leather strap 6| which engage the shuttle during the latter part of its boxing to offer greater resistance to the shuttle than exists during initial stages of shuttle boxing. A desirable feature observed in the operation of my invention is the comparative silence of the shuttle check during loomoperation.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a simple and eifective shuttle check including as an active checking agent a rubber tube or cell in which is confined air the pressure of which is increased as the shuttle is boxed to offer increasing resistance to shuttle motion. It will also be seen that the leather strap 6| interposed between the rubber cell and the shuttle prevents sliding contact between the shuttle and the cell which would wear the latter. It will further be seen that provision is made for varying the pressure of the air within the rubber cell during the shuttle checking operation, this variation being efiected in the preferred form by means of a valve H, and in the modified form by adjustment of the pressure screw 52. Furthermore, the snubber lever absorbs some of the energy of the shuttle and assists in directing the shuttle against the shuttle box back.

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 shuttle checking mechanism for a loom having a lay and a shuttle box thereon to receive a shuttle which travels along the lay toward and enters the shuttle box, a binder mounted on the lay and forming one side of the shuttle box, and a closed soft and flexible rubber tube mounted on the binder and inclosing a volume of air and projecting into the path of the shuttle as the latter enters the shuttle box, the shuttle deforming the tube as said shuttle enters the box to increase the pressure of the air inclosed within the tube to cause the latter to offer resistance to movement of the shuttle into the shuttle box.

2. In shuttle checking mechanism for a loom having a lay and shuttle box thereon to receive a shuttle which travels along the lay toward and enters the shuttle box, a binder on the lay forming part of the shuttle box, a closed soft and flexible rubber tube carried by the binder and projecting into the shuttle box and into the path of the shuttle entering the shuttle box, said rubber tube being engaged by and deformed by the shuttle as the latter enters the shuttle box to subject the air inclosed within the tube to increasing pressure to ofier increasing resistance to the shuttle as the same moves into the shuttle box.

3. In shuttle checking mechanism for a loom having a lay and shuttle box thereon to receive a shuttle which travels along the lay toward and enters the shuttle box, a binder mounted on the lay and forming one side of the shuttle box, a flexible leather strap secured to the binder and extending along and projecting into the shuttle box, and a closed soft and flexible rubber tube between the leather strap and the binder inclosing a volume of air, the shuttle when entering the shuttle box deforming the leather and the tube to place the air within said tube under increased pressure to resist movement of the shu'ttle'into the shuttle box.

4. In shuttle checkingmechanism for a loom having a lay and shuttle box thereon to receive a shuttle which travels along the lay toward and enters the shuttle box, a binder carried by the lay and forming a part of the shuttle box, a flexible strap extending along and projecting into the shuttle box and spaced from the binder, and a flexible rubber .tube confining a volume of air located between the flexible strap and the binder, said strap projecting into the path of the shuttle and the shuttle deforming said strap and rubber tube to subject the inclosed air within the tube to increased pressure to thereby ofier increased resistance to movement of the shuttle into the shuttle box.

5. In shuttle checking mechanism for a loom having a lay and shuttle box thereon to receive a shuttle which travels along the lay toward and enters the shuttle box, a binder mounted on the lay and forming part of the shuttle box, a closed soft and flexible rubber tube extending along the binder between the latter and the center of the shuttle box and projecting into the path of the shuttle, and an air valve for the rubber tube, the latter containing a volume of air which may be varied by reason of the air valve and the shuttle when entering the shuttle box deforming the rubber tube to subject the air inclosed therein to 'increased pressure to resist movement of the shuttle into the shuttle box.

6. In shuttle checking mechanism for a loom having a lay and shuttle box thereon to receive a shuttle which travels along the lay toward and enters the shuttle box, a binder mounted on the lay and extending along and forming part of the shuttle box, a flexible rubber tube extending along the binder between the latter and the center of the shuttle box, and an air valve for the rubber tube extending through and supported by the binder, the rubber tube being deformed by the shuttle as the latter enters the box to increase the pressure of the air within the tube and thereby resist movement of the shuttle into the shuttle box, the valve affording means for varying the initial pressure of the air within the rubber tube.

7. In shuttle checking mechanism for a loom having a lay and shuttle box thereon to receive a shuttle which travels along the lay toward and enters the shuttle box, a binder mounted on the lay and extending along and forming part of the shuttle box, means to vary the lateral position of the binder relatively to the lay to alter the width of the shuttle box, and a closed elastic rubber tube confining a volume of air between the binder and the center of the shuttle box, said tube projecting into the path of the shuttle and being deformed by the latter as the same enters the shuttle box to increase the pressure of the air inclosed within the tube, the pressure of the air within the tube being due in part to the location of the binder as determined by said means.

8. In shuttle checking mechanism for a loom shuttle 'box and projecting into the path of the shuttle as the latter enters the shuttle box, and means moving toward said path when the lay is moving toward front center position to move the rubber tube into said path and to cause the shuttle to deform the rubber tube and increase the pressure of air contained therein to resist movement of the shuttle into the shuttle box, said means subsequently moving away from the said path to lessen the pressure of air within said rubber tube as the lay moves away from front center position preparatory to picking of the shuttle out of the shuttle box.

9.' In a shuttle checking mechanism for a loom havin'ga lay and a shuttle box thereon to receive a shuttle which travels along the lay toward and enters the shuttle box, a binder mounted on the lay and forming one side of the shuttle box, and a closed soft and elastic tube substantially impenetrable by air mounted on the binder and inclosing a volume of air and projecting into the path of the shuttle as the latter enters the shuttle box, the shuttle deforming the tube as said shuttle enters the box to increase the pressure of the air inclosed within the tube to cause the latter to offer resistance to movement of the shuttle into the shuttle box.

ELBRIDGE R. HOLMES.

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