US2375712A - Thread control system for weft replenishing looms - Google Patents

Description

. y 1945- w. H. WAKEFIELD 2,375,712

THREAD CONTROL SYSTEM FOR WEFT REPLENISHING LOOMS Filed Sept. 2, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l May 8, 1945.

w. H. WAKEFIELD THREAD CONTROL SYSTEM 'FORWEF'I REPLENISHINGLOOMS Filed Sept. 2, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inn. if

'lqrroRMsv I Patented May 8,1945

OFFICE REPLEN ISHIN G LO OMS Walter H. Wakefield, Worcester, Mass.,' assignor to Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Mass, a corporation ofMassachusetts Application September 2, 1944,Serial No. 552,461

21 Claims. (Cl.139247) This invention relates to improvements in thread control systems for weft replenishing looms and it is the general object of the inven- I tion to provide a collector or accumulator located in the magazine to receive the threads of the outgoing and incoming bobbins incident to a weft replenishing operation.

In a weft replenishing loom the outgoing bobbin leaves, a thread extending from the shuttle box to the selvage and the incoming bobbin leaves a thread extending fromthe thread holder to the selvage; It has been proposed heretofore to out both of these threads and collect them pneumatically in a common receiver or accumulator so that they may be removed from the path of the shuttle and not. be drawn into the warp shed. In a certain type of reserve bobbin magazine the bobbins are arranged in two horizontally spaced stacks and fed downwardly by gravity toward transfer positions. The magazine is so made that there is a considerable'distance between the stacks of bobbins and it is an important object of my present invention to locate the thread collector within the magazine so that provision need not be made for its support elsewhere on the loom.

Reserve bobbin magazines customarily derive theirsupport from a stationary bracket or the like and it isanother object of my invention to make the magazine support hollow and include it in a pneumatic thread removing system pro- I I vided with a: thread collector which is mounted on the support and in pneumatic communication with it. I

In a more specific form of my invention the collector is used in connection with a magazine which rocks about an axis so that the lowest bobbin in either of the two stacks may be moved to transfer position. It is another object of my present invention to construct and mount the thread collector so that it does not interfere with the rocking of the magazine.

In weft replenishing looms it is necessary to make some provision for holding the weft ends of the reserve bobbins in the magazine, and it is another object of my present invention to provide a pneumatic thread holdersupported by the thread collectorin the magazine. The thread holder and the thread collector are thereby both supported by the hollow support for the magazine. i i I Itis necessary from time to time to remove the accumulated threads in the collector and it a is a still further object of my invention to provide .a collector within the magazine so constructed that it can be emptied through a door or the like spaced from the plane in which the outer part of the magazine rocks so that there ,will be no danger of injury to the operator when removing the collected threads shouldthe magazine rock. i

It is still another object of my invention to provide a reserve bobbin magazine and :a pneumatic waste thread collector built as a unit having a commonmounting which is hollow and connected to the pneumatic thread removing systern.

With theseand 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. n I

In the accompanying drawings, wherein a convenient embodiment of my invention is set forth,

Fig. l is aside elevation of part of aweft replenishing loom having my invention applied thereto, the lay, shuttle and the shuttle box being in vertical section,

Fig. 2 isa front elevation looking in the direc tion of arrow 2, Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation looking in the direction of arrow 3, Fig. 2, and showing the magazine in a position intermediate its two working positions,

Fig. 4 is a front elevation looking in the direc-' Referrin gparticularly to Figs. 1 and 2, I have shown a loom frame l0 having a lay ll driven by the usual connectors 12 operatedby the top or crank shaft I3. The lay is provided with a shuttle box M to receive a shuttle S which may be one of two shuttles with which theloom operates. The loom frame is provided with a stand or bracket. I5 on which is mounted a magazine M having front and rear stacks B and B of reserve bobbins. These bobbin stacks have eX tending therefrom, respectively, weft end-s W and W, Rocking mechanism designated generally at 16 causes angular movement of the magazine at certain times in the operation of the loom. Normallythe magazine is in the working position shown in Fig. 1 with the lowest bobbin in the front stack in transfer position over the shuttle S, but the magazine can be rocked in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1 through the mechanism E6 to a second working position so that the bottom bobbin of the rear stack B is in transfer position over the shuttle box, [4.

The loom is provided with an air pump 20 which may be secured in any approved manner to the loom frame l and has a piston 2i which is operated by a lever 22 pivoted as at 23 to some stationary part of the loom. A connector 24 between the lay and the lever '22 rocks the latter so that the piston moves rearwardly when the lay is receding and moves forwardly when the lay is advancing. Extending forwardly from the air pump is a conduit 25 connected to parts to be described hereinafter. The pump operates in such manner that it creates subatmospheric pressures within the conduit 25 during rearward movement of the lay when the piston 24 is moving backwardly.

The loom is provided with a pneumatic thread remover designated generally at R mounted on a lever 30 movable about the axis 3! of the trans-- ferrer arm 52. The remover is connected to a flexible conduit or pipe 33 and has a lower intake mouth 34 which receives the weft end of the outgoing bobbin during the backward movement of the lay occurring immediately after bobbin transfer. The remover R is normally in raised position but is depressed on transferring beats of the loom so that the mouth 34 will be behind the thread '1 which leads from the shuttle in box 14 to the fabric F.

The magazine is made with inner and outer bobbin guiding plates 35 and 36, respectively, and the inner plate 35 is provided with a hub 31 by means of which it is supported. The outer plate 36 is formed substantially as shown in Fig. 3 so that the weft ends W extend forwardly and around a forward guide 38 on plate 36 while the weft ends W extend rearwardly and then around a rear guide 39'on plate 35. By this construction the weft ends are led outwardly from the center of the magazine and the space between the two stacks of bobbins B and B is substantially clear except as will be described hereinafter.

The matter thus far described of itself forms A thread collector, designated generally at C. is mounted on the right end of the tube 46 as shown particularly. in Fig. '7. The collector is provided with a vertical wall 50 and an outwardly extending horizontal floor 5| fixed thereto. The

tube l6 extends through the wall 50 and may con-- veniently be secured thereto as by Welding or brazing so that the wall 50, floor 5| and tube 46 become in effect an integrated unit. This is not an essential feature of the construction but is convenient. The tube 46 communicates with the interior of the thread collector through a screen 52 secured to wall 5B and serving to prevent threads from passing from the thread collector through the tube 46 and conduit 25 to the pump 20. Secured to the bottom or floor 5| and extending upwardly from the opposite sides thereof is a sheet of transparent material designated at 55 and constituting the side walls and top of the thread collector, This sheet of material is secured in any approved manner to the wall 50 and floor 5|, as at 55, and is sealed to prevent air leakage.

The thread holder as shown more particularly in Figs. 4, 5 and '7 comprises a preferably rigid tube 60 the upper end of which is provided with a flange 6| secured as at 62 to the floor 5|. The interior of the thread holder tube 60 communicates with the interior of the thread collector,

and has a downwardly facing intake mouth 65.

which receives the weft ends W and W extending from the magazine. These weft ends are in two spaced groups as indicated in Fig. 5 and the thread holder projects outwardly from the collector between these groups of threads.

The previously described conduit or pipe 33 extends upwardly as indicated in Fig. 6 and then horizontally through magazine plate to be attached by coupling El to the upper part of wall 50. The interior of the pipe 333 communicates with the interior of the collector C, wall 50 being provided with an opening 68 for this purpose.

no part of my present invention and operates in the usual manner, During each backward movement of the laythe pump creates subatmospheric pressures which are'communicated to the thread remover R in a manner to be set forth hereinafter and the remover R is effective to act on the thread T of the outgoing bobbin and take it out of the path of the shuttle. The magazine M will remain stationary incident to some of the replenishing operations of the loom when the shuttle supplied from stack B is exhausted but will rock when the other shuttle supplied from stack B is exhausted. Reference may be had to Patents Nos. 2,199,353; 2,199,354; 2,199,296 and 2,219,768 for a further understanding of the foregoing.

The bracket 15 is provided with a hub 45 through which extends a hollow or tubular sup port 46 secured at 41 in fixed position in the hub 15. The support passes through and provides the pivotal support for the hub 37 of the magazine. The left end of tube 46 as indicated in Fig. '7 is connected to the previously described conduit within the support 46.

The outer end of the collector 0 passes through Outer magazine plate 36 and is provided with a door 10 which may be hinged as at H to the floor 5i. A hand hold 12 is provided on the upper partof the door and the latter is normally held closed by suction within the collector but can be moved to the right from the position shown in Fig. 4 to afford access to the interior of the collector for removal of waste threads therefrom- A brace 73, see Figs. 3,4 and 5, is secured to the floor 5| at M and extends around the sheet 50 to hold the latter in proper shape so that door 10 can have a tight fit with the end of the collector.

In operation, the subatmospheric pressures created within the collector by the pump 20 are communicated through thefloor 5! to the thread holder 65 and through the wall 50 to the thread remover tube 33. The door 10, being normally closed, permits the pump to create subatmospheric pressures in the intake mouths 34 and 65 of the thread remover and thread holder, respectively, during backward movement of the lay. When the thread of the outgoing bobbin is free to enter the intake mouth 34, therefore. it follows along the interior of tube 33 to the collector but is stopped from moving to the pump by the screen 52. In similar manner, the weft ends W and W will bedrawn into the tube 60 either for the pur pose of tensioning or removing them after they are out at the selvage.

These threads likewise 4 are held in the collector by the screen 52.

15 1 2 shown in Fig. 1 to the position indieated inFig. 6

without interference between the bobbin stacks andl magazine and the collector. The door Ill maybe open for removal of the weft ends without risk of injury due to rocking of the magazine because of the fact that the outerlend of the collector C extends beyond theouter plate 36 aiidis outside the magazine, as indicated clearly in Fig. 4. The thread holder tube 60 and the collector c are so formedthatthey lie within. the angle defined by thelthreads W and W as suggested in Fig. and therefore do not interfere in any way with the proper ten'sioning of these threads nor their downward movement. The material of which the sheet 55 is made may be transparent so that the operator canjlook through it to determine the number of bobbins in the back stackif desired, but this is not essential inasmuch as a space can be left betweenwall and plate 35, as indicated in Fig. 4, through which the number of bobbins in the backstack can be determined.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a thread collector mounted in the magazine of aweit replenishing loom and connected pneumatically to a thread remover and a thread holder. It will also be seen that the collector is ishing operation, a magazine holding spaced tacks of reserve bobbins, a hollow sup ort for the. magazine and within which subatmos heric pressures exist during loom operation, a hollow thread collector between said stacks of bobbins plenishing operation, pneumatic means receiving.

said waste threads, areserve bobbin magazine, hollow mounting means for said magazine within which subatmospheric pressures exist during loom operation, and a hollow thread collector deriving its support from said hollow mounting connected to the pump 2%] through thehollow -support 46 for the magazine and derives its support from the latter. The collector lies between the front and backstacks B and B of reserve bobbins in the magazine and its outer end is located between the angle defined by the threads. W and W, see Fig. 5. The thread holder is supported by the floor 5| of the thread collector and through the latter derives its support from the magazine support, The tube 33 for the thread remover is connected tothe top of thecollector and is bent as indicated in Fig. 6 to accommodate;

the vertical movement of the remover incident to removal of a thread of the outgoing bobbin. Furthermore, there is provided a reserve bobbin magazine and waste thread collecting unit'hav means and pneumatically connected to said pneug matic. receiving means and having the interior thereof in pneumatic communication with the interior of the mounting.

4. In a weftreplenishing loom having waste threads to be collected incident to a weftreplenishing operation, pneumatic means receivme; said waste threads, a reserve bobbin magazine, .a hollow mountingffor said magazine within whichsubatmospheric pressures exist during loomjoperation, and a hollow thread collector f pneumatically connected to said penumatic receiving means and having the interior thereof in pneumatic communication with the interior of said hollowmountingsaid collector having apart thereof located within the magazine.

54111 a weft replenishing loom having a magazine' having two spaced stacks of reserve bobbins from which extend two groups of weft ends, pneumatic means receiving said weft ends, and a ing a common support. Also, the thread collector is so shaped and located that it does not inter fere with the making of the magazine, and furthermore the end of the collector extends through magazine plate 36 and beyond the end of the magazine so that rocking of the magazine will I not endanger the operator when wastethreads are being-removed from the interior of the colhollow thread collector within which subatmospheric pressures exist during loom operation and located between said stacks of bobbins and said groups of weft ends and pneumatically communicating with said pneumatic means.

'6, In a weft: replenishing loom having waste threads to be collected incident to a weft replenishing operation, a reserve bobbin magazine, a

lector through door 10. The door is 80 located that it can be opened sufficiently to aiTord access to the interior of the collector without disturbsin the weft ends W and W aswill beapparent from Figs. 3 and 5.

,H'aving thus described my invention it will be hollow thread collector for said waste threads, and a hollow common support for said magazine and thread collector, the interior of saidsupport being in pneumatic communication with theinterior of the thread collector, and means to create subatmospheric pressures within saidcommon support during loom operation.

7, In a weft. replenishing loom having pneumatic removing means for waste threads which occur incident to replenishing operations of the loom, a reserve bobbin magazine, a hollow thread 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 del tails herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

1. In a weft replenishing loom having waste threads to be collected incident to. a weft replenishing operation, a magazine holding reserve bobbins; a hollow support for the magazine and ing loom operation, a. hollow thread collector pneumatically connected to the interior of said support and mounted on the latter, and pneumaticmeans communicating with the interior of said collector for the reception of said waste threads.

threads to be collected incident to aiweft replenwithin which subatmospheric pressures existjduri 2. In'a weft replenishing loom having waste collector pneumatically connected to said removing means, and a liollow support common to said magazine and collector and within which subatmospheric pressures exist during loom operation, the interior of said support being pneumatically connected to the interior of the thread collector. m

o 8. Areserve bobbin holding aiid waste thread collectingunit for a loom havingpneumatic removing means for the waste threads, said unit comprising a reserve bobbin magazine, a hollow thread collector for the waste threads pneumatically, connected to. said pneumatic removing means, and a hollow support for said magazine and collector within which subatmospheric pres- .sures exist during loom operation, the interior of the support being pneumatically connected to the interior of' theycollector.

for the reception of said 'municating with the interior of said collector.

10. In a weft replenishing loom having amagazine holding reserve bobbins from which weft ends extend, hollow mounting means for the magazine, a thread collector extending into the magazine and deriving its support from said mounting means, said collector being hollow and having the interior thereof communicating pneumatically with the interior of the mounting means, and a thread holder having a hollow passage receiving said weft ends and pneumatically communicating with the interior of the collector. 11. In a weft replenishing loom having a magazine holding reserve bobbins from which weft ends extend, hollow mounting means for the magazine within which subatmospheric pressures exist during loom operation, a hollow thread collector located partly within the magazine and fixed with respect to said mounting'and having the interior thereof in pneumatic communication with the interior of the mounting, and a pneumatic thread holder receiving said weft ends and communicating pneumatically with the interior of said collector.

12. In a weft replenishing loom having a reserve bobbin magazine holding two spaced stacks of reserve bobbins from which weft ends extend, hollow mounting means for the magazine and within which subatmospheric, pressures exist during loom operation, a hollow thread collector located between said stacks of bobbins and having the interior thereof in pneumatic communication with the interior of the mounting, and a pneumatic thread holder receiving said weft ends and communicating pneumatically with the interior of the collector.

13. In a pneumatic thread control system for a weft replenishing loom having a magazine provided with stacks of reserve bobbins from which weft ends extend in two groups, a hollow thread collector within which subatmospheric pressures exist during loom operation, said collector located between said stacks of bobbins, and a pneumatic thread holder extending between said groups of threads and receiving the latter and pneumatically communicating with the interior of said collector. 7

14. In a pneumatic thread control system for a weft replenishing loom having a magazine carrying spaced stacks of reserve bobbins from which extend groups of weft ends, a hollow thread collector in which subatmospheric pressures exist during loom operation, said collector located between said stacks of bobbins, a floor forming part of said collector, and a hollow thread holder extending from said floor between said groups of weft ends and. receiving the latter and being in pneumatic communication through said floor with the interior of said collector.

15. In a pneumatic thread control system for a loom having a magazine provided with an outer plate to guide the tips of bobbins arranged in stacks and from which weft ends extend, a hollow pneumatic thread collector extending between said stacks and through said end plate and in which subatmospheric pressures exist during loom operation, and a hollow thread holder supported by said collector and communicating pneumatically with the interior thereof and having an intake mouth receiving said weft ends.

16. In a thread control system for a loom having a magazine provided with inner and outer plates for the guidance of stacks of reserve bobbins fromwhich weft ends extend, a hollow thread collector extending from a point adjacent to the inner plate through and beyond the outer plate, subatmospheric pressures existing within said collector during loom operation, and a hol low thread holder supported by said collector and communicating pneumatically therewith and receiving said weft ends.

17. In a pneumatic thread control system for a weft replenishing loom provided. with pneumatic means for removing waste threads which occur incident to replenishing operations of the loom, a magazine provided with reserve bobbins, a hollow thread collector within which subatmospheric pressures exist during loom operation, said collector being pneumatically connected to said pneumatic remover means to receive said waste threads and having a part located within the magazine and having another part located outside the magazine, and a door on that 'part of thecollector located outside the magazine for the removal of waste threads within the collector.

v18. In a Weft replenishing loom having pneumatic removing means for waste threads which occur incident to replenishing operations of the loom, means constituting a hollow pivot, a reserve bobbin magazine rockably mounted on said pivot, a hollow thread collector fixed with respect to said pivot and having the interior thereof pneumatically connected to the interior of-the pivot means, said collector having portions thereof located in the magazine out of engagement with the latter when the magazine rocks about .said pivot, and means to create subatmospheric pressures within said hollow pivot during loom operation.

19. In a weft replenishing loom having pneumatic removing means for waste threads which occur incident to replenishing operations of the loom, a hollowpivot, a magazine having spaced stacks of reserve bobbins and mounted on said pivot and movable to two operative positions relatively thereto, a hollow thread collector pneumatically connected with said removing means, and to said hollow pivot and located between said stacks of bobbins out of engagement with the latter when the magazine is in either of said two positions, and means to create subatmospheric pressures within said hollow pivot.

20. In a weft replenishing loom having pneumatic removing means for waste threads which occur incident to replenishing operations of the loom, a hollow pivot within which subatmospheric pressures exist during loom operation, a magazine having spaced stacks of bobbins and rotatably mounted on said pivot to assume twooperating positions, a hollow thread collector the interior of which is pneumatically connected to the interior of the pivot and also pneumatically connected to said removing means, and means to mount said collector in fixed position between said stacks of bobbins, said collector being so formed as to be out of engagement with said stacks when the magazine moves from either saidoperating position to the other operating position thereof.

21. In a pneumatic thread system for a weft replenishing loom having a reserve bobbin magazine which rocks about'an axis, a hollow thread collector receiving said waste threads and within which subatmospheric pressures exist during loom operation, means holding the thread 001- lector in stationary position with one part thereof in the magazine and another part thereof outside of the magazine, and a door on that part of the collector outside of the magazine capable of beingopened for removal of waste threads with:

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