US2258193A - Axminster needle motion and thread control therefor - Google Patents

Description

o. v. PAYNE 2,258,193

AXMINSTER NEEDLE MOTION AND THREAD CONTROL THEREFOR Oct. 7, 1941.

Filed Feb. 8, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOQ.

. Os cmav. PAY NE- T HTTORNE Oct. 7, 1941. o v P YN 2,258,193

' 'AXMIVNSTER NEEDLE MOTION AND THREAD CONTROL TEEEEEDR Filed Feb. 8', 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FATE : m. ATE-o9. av

0. v. PAYNE Oct. 7, 1941.

AXMINSTER NEEDLE MOTION AND THREAD OONTROL THEREFOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 8, 1941 NON MOM

XNVENTQR Oscae V. PAYNE;

ORNEY L Patented Oct. 7, 1941 .UNlTeo STATES PATENT OF E AXMINSTER NEEDLE MOTION AND THREAD CONTROL THEREFOR Oscar v- Payn Leices e a s. assi nor to C o n cn 8r KnowlesLoom W rks, Worc s er, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application February 8, 1941. sear No. 378,041

mclaims. 191-139-124) 1 Thisis a= continuation-impart of my co-pendzing application Serial No. 302,403, andrelatesto a type of needle motion for Axminster looms such asshown in my co-pending application Serial No. 363,129.

7 It is the'general object of the. present invention to provide an Axminster needle operatingmecha nism including stationary and movable sheaves and a needle driving cable trained aroundthem, and wherein provision is made for consuming more time to reverse theneedle when it is out of the shed than when it-is in the shed, thereby providing time for the beat-up and dipping. of the tube frame. 1

In the cycle of Axminster loom operations the needle must be out of the shed long enough to permit dipping of the tube frame and also beat.- up of the weft laid by the needle. Ithas been common practice heretofore to use intermittently operating needle driving mechanism whichholds theneedle stationaryv during the tube frame'dip, ping and beating up operations, but a continu.-. ously. moving needle actuator continues to move during the time that the needle is out of theshed and some provision must be made to permit this A motion without inserting. the needle into the shed. I: l 1 I a. It is an important object of my present inven tion toemploy. a continuously moving actuator for the needle connected to the latter by strain of rnechanism which includes means formoving the needle at a relatively. slow rate when: it is'out of the shed, such for instance as planetary gearing which produces a very slow reversal of the movable sheaves when the needle is fully retracted from the shed. I

Axminster looms customarily employ a selvage shuttle at the side of the loom opposite the needle operating mechanism the purpose of which is to interloop a selvage thread with the double pick ofweft laidby the needle when the latter is completely in the shed. The slow-re versal of the needle when it is out of the warp "shed iscompensated for by alquick reversal of the needle when it is in positionto cooperate with the selvage shuttle. 'It is a further object of my present invention to correlate the sel'vage operatingmechanism with the planetary gearingso that the selvage shuttle will have :an operating: weft looping stroke Whenthe planetary gearing mechanism has completed the movement of the movable sheaves whichinserts the needle into-the shed. l

.. the needle moves into the shed in theusual Axminster loomv its weft travels from the sta- Y tionary package through stationary guides to and through the needle eye. The weftis required to unwind and to move through guides atrapprox-ie mately-twice therate of the, needle motion. When a planetary gearing mechanismis employed there are times when the needle travels faster than heretofore, which would result in an increase in therateof travelof the'weft if former weft con.- trolswere used. It is a further object of my present invention to mount an additional guide eye 'for the weft on the needle near its outer end andal'e'ad the weft from the stationary package to the additional eye in such a direction that: the amount of yarn drawn from the package during a. needle insertingmotion will not be substan,- tially longer. than the length of the needle. 11i this way the rate of weft unwinding and movement through the guides is greatly reduced relatively to the needle rate and the latter can beincreased by the planetary gearing without subjecting the weft to strains proportional to the faster motion ofthe needle. This feature of my present invention is not necessarily limited to the particular type of'needle operating mechanism set forthhereinafter, but is particularly useful when planetary gearing is used to drive the needle.

1 it-risa .further object of my present invention 'so'tocontrol the weft yarn which leads from the stationary package to. the delivery eye of the needlethat part; such as half, of a double pickis unwound during the needle inserting stroke, while the remainder, or other half, is unwound as the needle :moves .out of the shed. By this arrange.- ment both J the inserting and the retracting strokes ofzthe needle'are used to unwind weft andiithe unwinding becomes substantially continuous: instead of intermittent, as heretofore. In thisc'onnection I lead the weft obliquely to the additional eyeon the needle and in such'a directionthat the slackness in the weft due to. needle motion ismQre than taken up bythe'weft which th'elneedle carries into the shed, hence there is a continuous unwinding throughout the needle mo..- .tion and the .weft is always kept taut.

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.

the accompanying drawings, wherein a con.-

.venient' embodiment of my invention is set forth, Fig. 1 shows a front elevation of my needle .inechanismarranged at the right hand side of a loom with the needle in the warp shed, if" Elgdflis a plan view in the direction of arrow 2, Fig. 1, showing not only the needle but certain Fig. is an enlarged detailed front elevation of,

part of the planetary gearing mechanism shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on linetfifi Fig. 5, M

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are diagrammatic views-showing the manner in which the weft thread is supplied in the preferred form of weft control, U Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 'l showing a modified form of weft control,

V Fig. 11 is an enlarged diagrammaticvi'ew similar to Fig. 10 showing the relationshipwhich causes'the weft to remain tautv throughout'substantially the whole needle stroke, and c Fig. 1'2.is anenlarged detail plan view in. the direction of arrow I2, Fig. 1. 1

Referring to the drawings, particularly Figs. land 2, I have shown the frame In of an Axmine ster loom having a. cloth board. ll over which the woven fabric F moves from the point of tuft formationto a. wind-up roll not shown. The binder warp threads B extend rearwardly from the cloth board through a reed R mounted on .a backwardly. and forwardly, reciprocating lay L. Harness frames H behind th layshift vertically to divide the warpthreads into topand .bottomsheds S and S, respectively; Thegweft needle N .is attache-d at its right end as seen-in Fig. 2 toaneedle carriage l2 which slides along a stationary needle rail; l3 sufficiently long .to accommodate the motion of the needle into and out of the warp shed; 1

The loom has a set of tube. frames Tthree of which-are shown in Fig. 3. These tube frames are moved. successively to a delivery point under a' pullover shaft 23, by-two transporting chains one of which is shown at. The tubeframe in delivery. position is. temporarily disconnected from the; chainsand lowered to tuftforming position by arms 25. The tuft yarns Y are pro-'- jecte'd downwardly through the warp sheds as shown in Fig. 3 to positionsbetween theucloth board and the needle. The needle then'lays .a

shot of'weft inthe shed behind thextuft'yarns andis l-retracted, after which the reed heats up to force the weft and;yarn tufts over the hooks 26' ongthecloth board 'H to a position infront of the. hooks. The tube frameisthen raised to draw offenough yarnfor the nextrow of tufts while the reed is held'forward to. prevent tuft slippage, andtheharness frames shift" to form a new shed. .The front and back knives :21 and .28, respectively, then approach eachother. during the *ensuingkbackwardmotion of the reed'and start to cutat the left end of the loom; as soon as .the'reed has. moved far enough rearwardly to clearxtheback knife. Sho'rtlythereafter the reed isback. far enough to permit entry of the needleinto the new 'shed while the knives are still cutting the yarns .Y, and the cutting ordinarilyf. continues until-theneedle is, entirely in the shed. a i i As the needle moves out of the. shed the. reed starts forward again. cutting having; been mm, pleted, and the rear. knife having moved back .far. enough to .clearlthe' advancing reed." The needle moves into and out of each warp shed and has a complete reciprocation for each backward stroke of the lay while the warp threads are spread apart to form a shed, and the harnesses form a new shed for each reciprocation of the needle.

The matter thus far described is of common construction and may be constructed and operated as is customary in Axminster looms.

The loom to which my invention is applied has extending therefrom a floor plate 30 on which is supported an end frame 3| secured to the loom frame. .Fastened to the end frame is an upright bracket 32. to which the inner end of the needle rail 13 is secured. The rail includes top and hottom bars .33 and 34, respectively, between which slides a guide shoe 3? on the needle carriage. The right end of the needle rail as seen in Figs. 1. and 2 is secured to a second bracket 38 mounted on a post 39 supported by the floor. The needle rail is thus held in fixed position with respect to the loom so that the needle may be guided along the reed. when moving into and out of the warp shed; 'Th needle rail and its mounting may be of the usual construction but is part of a frame which supports the sheaves as will be pointed outhereinafter. i

In carrying my invention into effect I provide a cable preferably in two. sections and having its ends fixed and trained around .two sets of movable. pulleys located between two sets of stationary pulleys, one of the :latter sets at each end; of the needle rail. The needle carriage' I2 is attached approximately at its mid pointto the cable and is caused to'slide along the rail when the movable pulleys. are actuated byydriving mechanism including such -mechanism as 'plane tary gearing now to be described .to move the needle. slowly when it is out of the shed.

:44 secured to the end plate 3| and extends fore Wardly to have keyedthereto a radius arm 45.

The bearing 44 has secured thereto a solar gear 46 which meshes with aplanetary gear'd'lkeyed to a stud .48 rotatablein a ballbearing 149 or the like mounted on'the radius arm 45. Fixed togthe 'stud 48 is an eccentric 50 aroundflwhich extends an eccentric strap 5| secured to a' driving arm,52. The angular positionofthe' eccen trio with respect to the stud 48 and planet gear may be varied by means of anut 53 threaded' on the stud and tightened to clamp: the eccentric agjusted positionon the'stud; as' shown in The driving. arm 52 is pivote'd'on a s'tudt55 carried by an actuating lever ,56 the upper'end of whichhas fixed thereto a transversely extending stud-51. "A horn 58 on the end plate3l is .pivotedat .59 to a depending link 60' which is also pivotedon the stud 55, and the stud 51 and ipiv- 0t 59 ar'e'preferably equi-distant from'stud :55.

By means of the bolt and slot connection indicated at 6| in Fig. 1 the loweriend of. the :actuthe shoe is pivoted as at 63 to a link '64 pivoted moved to the-right and left as viewed in Fig. 1 during the operation of the mechanism, and-stud 51 moves in a substantially horizontal line. I

As shown in the present'instanee the stud 51 has mounted thereon six sheavesor pulleys three of which, indicated at 61,- BB and 69 are in front of lever 56, while the other three indicated at I0, TI and I2 are behind said lever: A plate I5 rigid with bracket 38 is provided with two rods Iii "and 11 adjustable thereon in a direction parallel, to the needle rail and having mounted" on their left ends fixed pulleys 18 and-I9, respective- 1 A third rod 80 also secured to the plate'l5 is adjustable thereon'toward and from the center ofxthe loom, while an extension 8I- of the bracket itlijhas rotatably mounted thereon another stationary pulley 82.,

Near the inner or left end of the needle rail asviewed in Fig. 2g,-;the bracket 32 is provided with a plate 8 5 in which are adjustably mounted two "rods 86' and '81 similar to rods 16 and I1 and having mounted on their right ends stationary pulleys Biiaflnd 83,*respectively; A third-fixed pul- I fiiyis located a compression spring 93 acting a to moye the rod 9I' away from the actuatorlever 56. The operating cable already'referred to is preferably made in two sections I00 and IIJI which areattached' to :and extend to the right and the left respectively, from the needle carriage I2. The cable section It!) is fastened tothe needle carriage as at I02 and istrained successively around pulleys 82, II, 19, I0, 18,51 and then extends torod-80 and is connected thereto at I03.

The cable sectionIflI is attached to the needle carriage at I05 andis trainedisuccessively around pulleys 90., I2, 89, 69, 88, 68 and then extends to rod SI to be fastened to it at I06. The spring 83 serves to keep the cable taut and, although shown herein, is described more particularly and claimed in my co-pending application Serial No. 363,129;

In the operation of the mechanism just described shaft 140 will preferably though not necessarily rotate at a uniform rate and will cause arni to" rotate in the direction of arrow a, Figs. 1 and .5, thus moving the planet gear 41 around the solar gear 46 to cause rotation of the eccentric around the axis of stud. The effect of this rotation of the eccentric is to reciprocate connector 52 and actuator lever 56 to cause reciprocation of the movable pulleys to move the needle into and out of the warp shed. The. character of thismotion is shown diagrammatically in Fig.5, from which it will be seen that a considerableretardation is produced in the motion of lever when the latter is in that part of" its sweep which movesthe needle out of the warp shed. The "dot and dash light line b represents the circular path of stud 48 and the center of the planet gear, while the heavy dot and dash line c represents the path traversed by the center of-eccentricill and strap 5I. Since the strap andconnector- 52 are attached to thelever 56 themovement of thelatter is represented by the heavy dot and dash linesc, and from Fig. 5 it will be seen that aconsiderable amount of angular motion on the part'o f shaft 43 produces a verysmall motion of lever-p56 and the movable pulleyswhenthelatter-are to the left or inthe dotted line position shown in. Fig. 1 corresponding to the position of the needle when the latter is. out of the warp. shed. The retardation thus produced inthe motion of the needle when the latter is out oft-he shed afiords time for the operation of other parts of the loom without. interfering with the needle, such for instance, as the layandtube frame. There is necessarily a corresponding rapid motion of the lever and the needle when the movable pulleys are tothe right, as represented by the greater curvature in the righthand part of line 0, Fig. 5, and corresponding to the position of the needle when fully inserted into the shed.

The planetary gear drive described herein. is an I improvement over the mechanism shownin my co-pending applications Serial Nos. 293,184 and 363,129 to which reference may be had for further details of the mechanism set forth herein.

Th needle lays a double pick of weft and provision must be made for looping this weft'to form a selvage when the needle is fully inserted into the shed. For this purpose I'employ the selvage mechanism which may be constructed as set forth more particularly in Figs, 2 and 4. The driving shaft 40 extends across the loom and has secured thereto at the end of the loom opposite the needle operating mechanism a cam plate I 20 having three cam points I2I which cooperate with a lever I22 pivoted at I23 with respect to the loom frame." The lower part of lever I22 has an arm I24 which is held in position for periodic engagement with the cam points I2I by a spring The upper endof lever I22 is attached by means of aconnector- I26 to an arm I2I' mounted on a vertical shaft I23 journaled; for oscillation in the loom frame. A secondarm I29- secured to shaft I28 extendstoward a shuttle race I30 and has driving contact with a selvage shuttle I3I supplied with a selvage forming yarn W.

During loom operation shaft 40 makes one complete rotation every third beat of the loom, but the lever I22 is oscillated-for each beat of the loom by one or another of the points I2I and the latter are so spacedand also held in such position relatively to shaft, by means of bolts I32 as to cause levcr' I29 to move the selvage shuttle in "one direction through the loop of'weft when the needle is fully inserted into the shed, and then reverse the shuttle direction after the needle has started back, thus binding the weft loop to the selvage. Thistime relation is insured by reason of the fact that shaft 40 drivesboth the selvage shuttle actuating mechanism and the stud shaft 54 which operates the actuator lever -56 and the movable pulleys through the planetary gearing. As already explained, theretarding of the needle motion-whenthe latter is out of the shed is compensated for by a relatively quick reversal of the needle when the same is in the shed and the necessity for being able to time the selvage shuttle accurately with respect to the needle is due to the fact that the planetary gearins gives the needle a quicker reversing motion than; usual when it is in the shed.

From the matter thus far described it will be understood that the selvage shuttle operating mechanism and also the gearing used to drive the movable pulleys are both connected to the driving shaft of, the loom, and the planetary gearing is setin'such away that themovablesheaves are moved. to their extreme. right hand position to .placethe needle fully in. the shed at the same time that the selvage shuttle has its selvage looping' movement; T I i As already stated, the planetary gearing mech+ anism operates in such-a way as to cause a rela-' tivelyrapid motion of the needlewhen it is inithe shed,'and in order that the weft may not be'subjected to excessive strains 'whilethe needleiis moving rapidly in thershedl' provide a setgof thread guidesshown in Figs. 1,.and;2 and set forth diagrammaticallyin Figs. 7to 11. I g

Referring particularly to Figs. 7, 8 and 9, which show the preferred form of .weft. control, the package of weft P may be located near the right hand side of the warp andclose to the'n'eedle.

' The weft leads from the package P through a stationary guide eye 200'and thenexten'ds rearwardly through axsecond guide eye l and then forwardly to an additional or auxiliary guide eye 202 which is mounted: on the: needle :carriage and movesback and forth therewith. From the eye 202 vthe yarn extends along the needle to the usual delivery eye. 203; at the point of-the needle andthence to the adjacent selvage.

As shown in Fig. "(that partof the weft which lies between the guide 200 and; eye 203 is divided into three substantially equal lengths which form a triangle. Thelength e extendsbetween guides 200 and 2M length I extends between guides 20| and 202, while. length gextends along the needle between the'eyes 202 and 203, and becomes the first half of thedouble .pick to be laid by the needle. When the. needle moves into the shed toward the position, shown in.- Fig. 8 the length of weft 9 passes through the delivery eye203 and lies in front of" the needle and the length 1 passes through the eye 202 and extends along and behind the needle to become the second half of the double pick. The length e passes through guide 20! while a new length his unwound from thepackage and drawn through guide 200 to'lie between the latter and guide 20!. During the insertion of the needle therefore it is necessary to unwind anddrawthrough guide 200 only the length it which is substantially the length of the needle, or approximately one half a double pick. Similarly, the length of yarn drawn through any of the guides is not substantially greater than the length of one half a double pick. J

After the I selvage shuttle has operated the needle moves back out of the shed toward 'the retracted position shown in Fig. 9, and in doing so section e will passthrough themovable eye 202 and extend .along the needle to the delivery eye to become later the, first half of the next double pick, the section it will pass through the guide 20! and extend to the eye 202, while a new length 70 will be unwoundand pass through the guide. 200 toward guide 20!. Here again, half of a .doublepick is unwound by the outward stroke of the needle. From this itwill be seen that each stroke theneedle unwinds a length of weft equal substantially to one half a double pick, a complete reciprocation providing the yarn for a double pick. "."It is apparent also that the weft unwinds andtravelsthrough the guides between the package and the needle at a rate not substantially different from the rate of motion of the needle. HeretoforeQthe rate of unwinding and movement through the guides has been double the rate of the needle. -'I'he planetarygearing mechanism can therefore give an accelerated motion to the needle while it is in the shed without subjecting the weft to a correspondingly increased strain. As a matter of fact the weft in my'invention unwindsand passes throughthe ofthe needle near a receiving guide eye 2l0 and. a length ofweft -m leads from this guide to the movable eye 202 on theneedle, and a second length n extendsalong the needle to the delivery eye 203i- From the-detailed description given of the preferred form of the invention it is believed that-the. operationofhthe modified form will be apparent. l,

. In both the modified and the preferred forms of weft control it is" important to locate the guide eyes 20] and 2l0 in such a position that the yarn extending between it and the auxiliary guide eye on the. needle shall be of substantially the same lengthfas halfla .double pick. While this relationship is not absolutely necessary, I find it convenient to locate these two guide eyes 201 and 2l0 substantially as shown in the drawings, that-is, at one angle of an equilateral triangle the base of which is the distance between the eyes moving with. the needle when the latter is fully retracted from the shed.

While.I have shown the weft in Figs. '7 to 10 disposed. 'along'the sides of a substantially equilateral triangle I do. not wish necessarily to be limited. to such an arrangement, inasmuch as part of the advantage of my present invention can be attained without necessarily locating the "guides 20 I. or 210 at the vertex of an equilateral triangle. It'is desirable however that the weft .shall. approachthe guide which moves with the needle in a direction oblique with respect to the needle and at an acute angle thereto. Thus it will'be sufficient if a normal drop fromthese guides to the needle when the latter isfully out of theshed'passes between the thread delivery eye and the guide 202 on the needle carriage. This partof my invention is susceptible of considerable variation as to the location of the guides 20k and 2l0 without sacrificing the advantage of being able to draw ofi part of the double pick when the needle .is moving into the shedor drawing oif the remainder of the double pick as the needle moves out of the shed.

The weft guides shown diagrammatically in Figs. 7 to llare set forth structurally in Figs. 1, 2 andl2. The package of weft in the pre- .ferred form is carried bya support 220 mounted on the-loomiram ewhile the guide eye 200 of the preferred iorm isfsupported by an arm 22! onthe part 220. -The guides 201 and 2l0 may be supported on a small stand 222 fixed with respect to theloorn frame; while the auxiliary guide on theouterend of theneedle in actual practice comprises two guides one of which 223 extends upwardly from 'the needle carriage to apoint above the needle rail sothat the yarn may pass forwardly-over therail. The second guide eye 224 .on the needlerail extends forwardlyand is substantially in horizontal alignrnent' with the .needlewThe guide 225onthe needle rail 'as seen in Fig. 12 holds the yarn forwardlyout of entangling relationship with respect to the needle, but is not shown in the dia grammatic views since it does not materially effect the geometry of the weft feed.

Another important-feature grows out of the position of. the guides. 201 and 2l0 and is illustrated in Fig. 11. When theneedle starts into the shed from the position shown for instance in Fig. 7 the auxiliary eye 202 travels along a path which gets nearer and nearer the guide 201,

until the. needle has moved approximately half way into the shed, thereby tending to cause a slackness in the weft due to the fact that the distance between the guide 2M and the auxiliary eye is less than the length i In Fig. 11 thegarc q passing through the auxiliary eye and having the eye;20l as a center falls below the needle by distances which incre'ase until the needle is half way into the shed. It will be apparent in Fig. 11, however, that the distance between the selvage and the delivery eye after theneedle .isrnoved into the shed is greate'r than the radial distance between the auxiliary eye and the are q for the corresponding position of the auxiliary eye, and-this relation requires that more weft be provided than can be supplied by the shortening of the distance between guide ZOI and the auxiliary eye. There is aresultant unwinding of weft which tends to keep it taut, and no actual slackness occurs. After the needle passes its half way point the distance between the. are q and the needle diminishes relatively tdthe continued motion of the needle into the shed and weft must therefore continue to be unwound. Because of the location of the guides 2M and 2"! I am enabled not only to unwind but one-half of a double pick on theneedle inserting stroke and therefore lessen the rate of unwinding, but I also prevent the occurrence of any objectionable slackness in the thread.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided an Axminster needle operating mechanism including a cable trained around stationary and movable pulleys wherein the latter are operated by planetary gearing'the effect of which is to retard the movement of the needle when it is out of the shed. It will also beiseen that the planetary gearing'is connected to the same shaft which operatesthe selvage'shuttle and is so timed as to move the movable sheaves to that extreme of their stroke which corre: sponds to the full insertion of the needle into the shed and its rapid reversal when the selvage shuttle operates. It will further be seen that the weftis led to the needle in such away as to reduce the rate of feed of the weft through the delivery eye compared with previous weft control systems in Axminster looms; This'reductien in the rate at which the weft passes through the ne'edle eye is accomplished by an arrangemc'nt which unwinds part of the double pick when the needle is inserted into the shuttle and draws off the other part while the needle is beretracted from the shed. This result may conveniently be accomplished by placing anauxiliary or additional weft eye at the outer end of the needle to cause thethread to extend along the needle and the advantage is further-contributed to; by the fact thatthe eyes 2M and 210 are located so as to be positioned substantially as already described. WhileI have shown two methods of controllingthe weft-in the diagrammatic Figs, 7 to 12 I do not wish-necessa[rily'to be limited to these forms, since the eyes 20! and 210 need not necessarily be stationary nor is it necessary in all the forms of 'my invention to havehthem substantially equidistant from the eyes 202 and 203., Furthermorathere is no objectionable slackness of the weft during the needle inserting stroke. a a I; f e

Having thus described my invention it'will be seen that changes and modifications may bejrnade therein bythose skilled in the art without departing from thejspiritand scope of thelnvention and ,I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is: g

a 1'. In a weft'needle operating mechanism for a loom having a warp shed, a needle rail, a needle carriage to slide along the rail,.a pair ofspaced pulleys rotatable about fixed axes, a set of movable pulleys between the spaced pulleys, a cable attached to the carriage. and trained around the pulleys, one end of the cable leading from the carriage around one of the spacedpulleys and then around a movablepulley, and the other end of the cable leading from the carriagev around the other of the spaced pulleys and then around another 'movable phl1ey, mean.s tohold the ends of the cable remote from the needle carriage fixed with respect to each other, a continuously. "rotating. actuator, and a system of planetarygearing connectingthe actuator and the movable pulleys to cause reciprocation of the carriage along the rail and effect a slower rate of reversal in the needle carriage motion when the latter is remote from the Warp shed thanwhen said carriage is adjacent-to the warp shed. a

2. In a weft needle operating mechanism for a loom having a warp shed, a needle rail, a needle carriage to slide along the rail, a pair of spaced pulleys rotatable about fixed axes, aset of movable pulleys between the spaced pulleys, a cable attached to the carriageand trained around the pulleys, one end of thelcable leading from the carriage. around one of the spaced pulleys and then around a movable pulley, and the other. end ofthe cable leading from the carriage around the other'of the spaced pulleys and then around another movable pulley, means to hold the ends of the cable remote from the needle carriage sta tionary, a continuously rotatingjactuator, and a system of planetary gearing connecting the actuatorand the moyable pulleys to cause reciprocation fof the carriage along the rail and efiect a slower rate of reversal in theneedle carriage mo tion whenthe latter is remote from the" warp shed than when said carriageis adjacent to the warp shed. 3. In a weft needle operating mechanism for a loom having a warp shed, a needleraiLa needle carriage to slidelalong the rail, a 'pair of spaced pulleys rotatable about fixed'ax'es', a set of movable pulleys betweenthe spaced pulleys-a cable attached to the carriage and trained around the pulleys, one "end of the cable leading from the carriage around one of the spaced pulleys and then around a movable pulley, and the other end of the cableleading from the carriage around the other of the spaced pulleys and then around another movable pulley; means to hold-the ends 7 of the cable remotefrom the needle carriage fixed with respect to the movable pulleys, a continuously rotating actuator, and a system of planetary' gearing connecting the actuator and. the movable pulleysto cause reciprocation ofthe earriage ,along the rail" and efiecta slower rate of reversal in-th-e needle carriage motion when the latter is remote from the warp shed than when said'carriage is adjacent to the warp shed. 4.,'In aweft needle operating mechanism-for a l'oorn havinga warp shed, a needle rail, arieedle carriage to slide along the rail, a pair of spaced pulleys rotatablelabout'fixed axes, a set of movable'pulleys between the spaced pulleys, a cable attachedtp the carria e andtrained around. the pulleys, joneend of the cablele'ading from the carriage around one of, thespaced pulleys and then around a movable pulley, and the other end of the cable leading from the carriage around the other of the spaced pulleys and then around another movable pulley, means to ,hold the ends of the cable remote from the-needle carriage fixed with respect to each other, a continuously rotating actuator, a fixed solar gear concentric with the actuator, a planet gear meshing with a solar gear and revolved around the solar gear by the actuator, an eccentric carried by the planet gear having the axis thereof spaced from the axis of the planet gear and connections between the eccentric andthe movable pulley to reciprocate the latter at a variable rate and efiect reversal of the needle carriage at a slower rate when the latter is remote from the warp shed than when said needle carriage is adjacent to the Warp shed. '5. .In a weft needle operating mechanism for a loom having a warp shed, a needle rail, a needle carriage to slide along the rail, a pair of spaced pulleys rotatable about fixed axes, a set of movable pulleys between the spaced pulleys, a cable attached to the carriage and trained around the pulleys, one end of. the cable leading from the carriage around one of the spaced pulleys and then around a movable pulley, andthe other end of they cable leading fromithe carriage around the other 'of, the spaced pulleys and then around another movable" pulley, means to hold, the ends of the cable remote from the needle carriage fixed with respect to each other, a lever on which the movable pulleys are mounted, a continuously rotating actuator, a fixed solar gearconcentric with the actuator, a planet gear meshing with the solar gear and revolved around th latter by the actuator, an eccentric fixedwith respect to the planet gear and having the axis thereof spaced from the axis of the planet gear, and a connector from the eccentric to the lever, revolution of the planet gear and eccentric around the axis of the solar gear reciprocating the lever to cause reciprocation of the needle carriage along the rail and effect a slower rate of reversal in the motion of the needle carriage when the latter is remote from the warp shed than when said needle carriage is adjacent-to the warp shed. r I

6. In a weft needle operating mechanism for a loom having a warp shed, a needle rail, a needle earriageto slide along the rail, a pair of spaced pulleys movable about fixed axes, a set of movable pulleys between the spaced pulleys, a cable attached to the carriage and trained around the pulleys, one end of the cable leading from the carriage. around one ofthe spaced pulleys and then around a movable pulley, and the other end of the cable leading from the carriage around the other of the spaced pulleys and then around another movable pulley, mean to hold the ends of the cable remote from the needle carriage fixed with respect to each other, a continuously rotating actuator, a solar gear concentric with theactuator, a planet gear meshing with the solar gear andfrevolved around the latter bythje actuator, a lever on which the movable pulleys arejmounted, and means to connect the lever to apart fixed with respect to, the planet gear andeccentric with than when said needle carriage is adjacent to the warp shed. V

. 7. In an Axminster loom having a needle rail and a weft needle to be inserted into and retracted from a warp shed, a needle carriage attached to the needle and slidablealong the rail, a pair of spaced pulleys rotatable about fixed axes, a set of movable pulleys between the stationary pulleys, a cable attached to the carriage and having one partleading from the carriage around one of the spaced pulleys and then around a movable pulley and having another part leading from the carriage around the other of the said spaced pulleys and then around another movable pulley, means to hold the ends of the cable remote from the needle carriage fixed with respect to each other, a continuously rotating shaft, an actuator connected to and moved by the shaft, a system of'planetary gear ing connecting the actuator and the movable pulleys'to cause reciprocation of the carriage along the rail to effect a relatively slow rate of reversal of the needle and the carriage when said needle is out of the shed and effect a relat ively fast reversal of the needle and the carriage when the needle is in the shed, a selvage shuttle to cooperate with" the weft of the needle when the latter is fully inserted into the shed, and connections between the selvage shuttle and said shaft to cause an "operating motion of the selvage shuttle when said shaft, actuator, and planetary gearing complete that motion of the movable pulleys which inserts the needle into the shed.

8. In'an Axminster loom having a needle rail and a weft needle to be inserted into and retracted from the warp shed, a continuously rotating driving shaft extending across the loom, a needlecarriage connected to the needle and slidable along the needle rail, a pair of spaced pulleys rotatable about fixed axes, a set of movable pulleys'between the spaced pulleys, a cable attached'to'ithe carriage and trained around the pulleys,'0ne' end of the cable leading from the carriage around one of the spaced pulleys and then" around a movable pulley and the other end of the cable leading from the carriage around the otherof the spaced pulleys and then around another movable pulley, means to hold the ends of the cable remote from the needle carriage substantially fixed with respect to each other, a system of planetary gearing connected between the movable pulleys and the driving shaft tobe driven by the latter to move the carriage along the railand effect a relatively slow rerespect to theaxis of the planet gear, revolution versal in the'directi'on of motion of the carriage when the needle is out of the shed and efiect a relatively fast reversal in the direction of motion of the carriage when the needle is in the shed, a selvage shuttle at theside of the loom opposite the needle rail, and connections between the shaft and the selvage shuttle to give the latter anoperative movement with respect to the weft'of the needle whenthe system of planetary gearing has substantially completed that'movement of the movable pulleys which inserts the needle into the warp shed.

: 9. In an Axminster loom having a needle rail and aneedleto be inserted into and retracted from thewarp-shedra needle carriage connected tothe-needle ,andslidable along the needle rail toward and from-the warp shed, a pair of spaced pulleys rotatable about fixed axes, movable pulleys located between the spaced pulleys,a cable connected to thecarriage andhaving one part extending, fromthe carriage and trained around one of the spaced pulleys and one of the movable pulleys and having another part extending from the needle carriage and trained around the other spaced pulley and another of the movable pulleys, means to hold the ends of the cable remote from the needle carriage substantially fixed with respect to each other, a selvage shuttle at that side of the loom opposite the needle rail, a system of planetary gearing connected to the movable pulleys to reciprocate the latter, a driving shaft extending across the loom, and two actuators connected to the shaft, one of said actuators having a driving connection with respect to the selvage shuttle and the other actuator connected to the system of planetary gearing, the planetary gearing operating during rotation of the shaft to effect a relatively slow reversal in the direction of motion of the needle carriage when the needle is out of the warp shed and efiect a relatively rapid reversal in the direction of motion of the needle carriage when the needle is in the warp shed, the system of planetary gearing moving the movable pulleys in one direction to insert the needle into the shed and moving said movable pulleys in the opposite direction to retract the needle in the shed, and the actuator for the selvage shuttle being moved by the shaft to effect an operative motion of the selvage shuttle with respect to the Weft of the needle when the shaft and planetary gearing have completed a motion of the movable pulleys in the direction correspond-- ing to insertion of the needle into the warp shed.

10. In an Axminster loom having a needle to be inserted into and retracted from the warp shed, a needle rail at one side of the loom, a

needle carriage fixed to the needle and slidable along the rail, spaced pulleys rotatable about fixed axes, movable pulleys between the spaced pulleys, a cable attached to the needle carriage and having one part thereof trained around one of the spaced pulleys and around one of the movable pulleys and having another part thereof secured to the needle carriage and trained around the other of the spaced pulleys and around the movable pulleys, means to hold the ends of the cable remote from the needle carriage relatively fixed with respect to each other, a driving shaft extending across the loom, a system of planetary gearing connecting the movable pulleys to the driving shaft and effective to reciprocate the movable pulleys to complete movement of the latter in a direction to insert the needle into the warp shed at a given point in the rotation of the driving shaft, and thereafter move the movable pulleys in the opposite direction to retract the needle from the shed, said planetary gearing effecting a relatively slow reversal in the direction of motion of the needle carriage when the needle is out of the warp shed and effecting a relatively rapid reversal of motion of the needle carriage when the needle is fully inserted into the shed, a selvage shuttle at that side of the loom opposite the needle rail, and operating connections between the shaft and the selvage shuttle to give the latter an operating motion with respect to the weft of the needle at said point in the rotation of the driving shaft corresponding to completion of movement of the movable pulleys in that direction which inserts the needle into the warp shed.

OSCAR V. PAYNE.

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