US2531177A - Thread holder for weft replenishing looms - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 21, 1950 I R. s. TURNER 2,531,177

THREAD HOLDER FOR WEFT REPLENISHING LOOMS Filed May 17, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FlG.l

lNYENTOR. RICHARD e. TURNER ATTORNEY Nov. 21', 1950 R. G. TURNER THREAD HOLDER FOR WEFT REPLENISHING LOOMS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 17, 1949 ATTORNEY Nov. 21, 1950 G. TURNER THREAD HOLDER FOR WEFT REPLENISHING LOOMS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 17, 1949 FIG.6

FIG.8

INVENTOR RICHARD G. TURNER ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 21, 1950 THREAD HOLDER FOR WEFT REPLENISHING LOOMSv Richard G. Turner, Worcester, Mass., assignor to Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application May 17, 1919, Serial No. 93,793 18 Claims. (01. 139-257) This invention relates to improvements in threadcontrols for weft replenishing looms and it is the general object of the invention to provide means by which the thread of the incoming bobbin can be properly placed for shuttle threading on the pick immediately following replenishment and then moved to draw the thread under the fork of the center filling stop motion.

In weft replenishing looms the reserve bobbins are generally stored in a magazine so positioned that bobbin transfer is effected when th lay is at front center. The weft ends of the reserve bobbins extend to some form of thread holder which serves as an anchorage to enable the thread of the transferred bobbin to be at least partly threaded in the eye of the shuttle during the first pick following replenishment. Because of the fact that this thread is not drawn from the selvage as is the case when the shuttle is running on non-replenishing beats of the loom the thread holder must be so placed that the thread can get under the tines of the center filling stop motion fork. It is found however that if a thread holder is in a position favorable for threading of the shuttle it is in a position unfavorable for placing the thread of the freshly transferred bobbin under the filling fork.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide means mounting the thread holder so that it can occupy two different positions one of which is most favorable for shuttle threadin and the other of which is most favorable for placement of the thread of the freshly transferred bobbin under the filling fork. Either of these two positions can be the normal position of the holder and mechanism can be provided to move the holder temporarily to the other position, but herein the form of the invention illustrated has the thread holder normally in the position most favorable for placement of the thread under the filling fork and the holder is temporarily moved to a position favorable for shuttle threading.

When the invention is applied to a form of pneumatic thread holder which has gone into general use it is desirable that the length of thread from the bobbins in the magazine through the thread holder receiving mouth to a mass of yarn in a thread collector remain substantially of the same length when the thread holder moves from one of its positions to the other position thereof. This result can be accomplished either by moving the holder and collector together, or the thread holder can be moved independently of the thread collector, in which event it is desirable to provide a form of connection between the thread holder and thread collector which will not materially change the path traversed by the threads from the holder to the collector when the holder moves.

With these and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts. hereinafter described and set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein two forms of the invention are shown,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of part of a weft relenishing loom of well known type with the preferred form of the invention applied thereto, the shuttle box and lay being shown in cross section and the thread holder being shown in a position most favorable for placing the thread of a freshly transferred bobbin under the center filling fork.

Fig. 2 is a plan view looking in the direction of arrow 2, Fig. 1, showing the thread holder and thread collector in two different positions.

Fig.3 is an enlarged front elevation of part of the structure looking in the direction of arrow 3, Fig. 2, the holder for the thread collector being shown in section,

Fig. 4 is a detailed vertical section on line 44, Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a detailed end elevation looking in the direction of arrow 5, Fig. 3, the support arm for the thread collector being shown in section, V

Fig. 6 is a view similar to the upper part of Fig. 1 but showing the modified form of the invention wherein therthread holder moves and the thread collector is stationary.

Fig. 7 is a plan view looking in the direction of arrow 1, Fig. 6,

Fig. 8 is a detailed vertical section on line 88. Fig. 6,

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view showing the manner of operation of the modified form of the invention, and

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic plan showing the relation of the thread holder and filling stop motion in two positions of the lay and holder.

The invention as illustrated is applied to a form of two color weft replenishing loom employing pneumatic thread controls heretofore proposed by me, but the invention is not limited to this type of loom nor is it essential that the previously mentioned thread collector be used in order to attain the advantages of the invention.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, the loom frame I 0 supports a magazine M having front and back stacks of reserve bobbins H and i2. A transfer arm l3 forming part of a magazine is depressed on weft replenishing beats of the loom by a latch l4 and lay carried hunter [5 to place the lowest bobbin in one or the other of the stacks into a shuttle in a shuttle .box It mounted on a lay ll. The latter is reciprocated by power derived from'the top of crank shaft 18 and is. ordinarily in front center position when bobbin transfer occurs. As the lay moves rearwardly picking mechanism, designated generally at 19, picks the freshly replenished shuttle out of the box to the opposite side of the loom and the shuttle will complete its travel generally at a time shortly after the lay has passed its bottom center position.

The weft ends W of the bobbins in the magazine extend to a thread holder designated herein 3 generally at H which: in the preferred formaof. the invention is rigid with a base carrying a hollow thread collector C the upper part of which is connected by means of a flexible hose 2! to an air pump 22 operated by a connector 23 and lever 24 by power derived from the lay. This pump ordinarily creates a partial vacuum in the collector C and thread holder H as the lay moves rearwardly. The weft ends extend through the holder and into the collector and are entangled with a mass of yarn Y in' the collector which serves as an anchorage for the reserve bobbin'weft. ends.

The bottom shaft 25 of theloom, completing a rotation every second beat of the loom, has secured thereto a cam 26 which rocksv an actuator lever 21in two pick time during loom operation. This lever has. a dog. 28, which normally clears-a lifting lug 29,0n a second normally. stationary lever.- 3EJ,. but when weft replenishment. is to occur controlmechanism 3i directsthe dog under the lug 29 to lift the forward or left end of lever 30.

The rear endof lever 3fl.has anoperating pin secured thereto which is normally in raised position but isdepressed when lever 30 is rocked preparatory totransfer andwill either engage a hook 36 or miss the latter, depending upon the location of a. positioning-lever- 31 controlledby a flexible connector 38 extending to the opposite side of the-loom and connected to the shifting shuttle boxesof the loom. When. one of the two shuttles of the loom is. active the book 36- will be under pin 35, but when the other shuttle is active the hook will be spaced rearwardly from andout ofthe path of pin 35.

Secured to the loom frame isa stand 40 on which is rockably mounted a small shaft 4| the outer end of which has secured thereto'an .arm .21 attached withthe upper end'of a rod;43 connected to the hook 35. Another arm 44 secured to the shaft-His attachedby arod or connector 45- to themagazine M. for the purpose ofrocking the latter about its pivot 46 when suchirocking isnecessary. The magazine will ordinarily be at restanddf the shuttle corresponding to one of the stacksof. reserve bobbins is active and depleted the magazine.- remains at--rest,.the hook 3 ,6- under these conditions beingout of the. path:

ofpin 35, but if the others shuttleis active; it will. then be necessary to rock. the magazine.- to

place the. lowest bobbin of the other stack under; thetransfer arm. I3:- andunder theserconditionshook 35 will be depressed by pinv35t.

Lever 38 rises on a pick of the loom when-a v depleted shuttle. is approaching. the. magazine end andthe lay. is moving. forwardly, and. raises: the latch. ldby a latch-lifter 50 connected-tetheforward end of lever 30. Since thetransferrerarm will be. in down. position when the lay. is. in frontcenter position on. replenishing. beats it is necessaryto hold the magazine in-its abnormal position untilafter the transferrer arm rises to itsnormal position, whereupon themagazine can rock back. toits normal position Inorder toeffectthis control;of the magazinethe lever 30. is held with. its. pin. 35 in down. positionfor an interval after the lay has-passed front. center, after whichthelever 2'1 willrock to permit coun-z-- ter-clockwise movement oflever 3Baroundr its pivot-5l subsequent to completionof.a=replenishe ing operation; A spring 52 interposed betweenlever 30 and a stationary part on the-loom frame normally tends tojhold lever-3min: the: normal idle. positionshown inJ-Eig. landassists-returmof;

. attached asat- 65v to a. link 61 extending to. an-

Arm thisthe lever: to: that position.subsequent" to replenishment.

Except as noted hereinafter the matter thus far described. of itself forms no part of the present invention and may be made as set forth in my prior patents, Nos. 2,128,974 and 2,199,353.

In carrying the preferred form of the invention into effect the base 20 which supports the thread holder and collector is secured to a movable support arm mounted for pivotable movement about a: vertical stud 6| carried by a small stand 62 bolted to the loom side ID. A spring 63 interposed betweenarm fifi-gandia stand64 fixed tothe loom normally maintainsv the support arm. 60. in-thepositionshown-in full lines in.Fig. 2.so. that the-thread. collector and holder will be. in forward-position, such asshown in.Fig. 1 and in full lines in Fig. 2. The base 20 is pivotedtothesupport 60- at 65. for a purpose to. be setforth hereinafter.

In order to operate the arm- 63 the latterv is arm 6:8 freely rotatableon shaft. preferably. integralwith-asecond arm l8 theforward-end ofwhichis connected-to a descending rod H. connected to.a normally closed tension springl'ithe lower end of which is connected by a; second rod.l-3 to'the rear arm 16- of lever 30;.

see Fig. 1.

In order to provide means'for limiting the rocking ofsupportarmfiuabout itspivot pin 6| front.

' screw. 76' it. is possible to adjust the. front or forward position of the threadholderunder actionof spring. 5.3.and byvarying the-rear. stop screw 11 the. back. or: rearward. position of the thread holder. can .bedetermined.v This backstop.

screw. will ordinarily be set to limit backward motion of the armfifl before arm of lever 30, hascompleted its downward motion, thereby. ex.-

panding thenormally closed tension spring, 12.

As setforth hereinthe. normal position of. the:

thread holder. and thread collector willbe for.-

ward, and when areplenishing operationis-about. to occur rocking of lever 36, acting. through rods H andl3, will rock levers 68 and'min a.counter.-

clockwise, direction as viewed inFig. .L and exert.

apull throughlink- Bl to movethe supportarm 68 rearwardly, see Fig.2, thereby moving the col.- lector and holder from their normalforward DOS- ition I rearwardly to the dotted line position.II.

Since the forward end oflever 30. will be held. in raised position by dog 28 from a time prior. to-

transfer. until a point in-the loom cycle. after completion of the upper. movement of' transfer arm !3; the threadholder and collector will\be..

held. in position IIthroughout the bobbin. trans.- ferring andsubsequent picking operations. The weft end of. the transferredbobbin will therefore be aligned with the shuttleat the time of pick-- ing. andbe in a positionfavorable for threading of the shuttle. This is shownin Fig. 2,.wherein the shuttle S. is shown in fulllines with. the lay. on front center and isshown in dotted lines with the, lay approximately attop-center when.

picking occurs.

Shortly. after. picking. dog 28 will start to-descendand will permit upwardmovement of.link

13-11mm springi'z recovers its normal form, after which continued upward motion-of'therear end:

Thus,. by. manipulating forward.

H of lever 39 will permit spring 63 to return the carrier arm 80, collector C, and holder H to their forward full line positions shown in Fig. 2. The thread holder will, therefore, return to its forward normal position I at a time occurring not long after the start of the pick, but the precise point at which this return occurs in the loom cycle is not important so long as the thread holder returns to its forward position while the shuttle is still in flight.

By referring to Fig. the reason for this forward motion of the thread holder will be understood. As shown in that figure the shuttle and lay are represented in picking position in full lines and the fork of the filling stop motion is designated as at F. As the lay continues to move rearwardly after picking and the shuttle moves to the opposite side of the loom the lay and shuttle will assume such position as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 10. The weft thread WT which has been freshly transferred will therefore have that end of it connected to the thread holder moved forwardly from the full line to the dotted line position, Fig. 10, at the same time the lay moves in the opposite or rearward direction. This forward motion enables the weft thread WT to pass under the fork F and the loom can therefore continue to operate. If the thread holder had remained in position II there would be danger that the thread WT would not be able to get under the fork F and the loom would be stopped even though bobbin change and other operations incident to a weft replenishing operation had been perfectly performed.

The previously described pivotal connection 65 comprises a stud 89 extending upwardly through a hub 81 on the base 23 and having a head 82 on the base 29 extending over the hub. A nut 83 fastens the stud to the support 69 as shown for instance in Fig. 3.

The base 26* has an arm 85 extending to the right therefrom as viewed in Fig. 2 and connected to a rod 86 pivoted as at 81 to the bracket 64. The purpose of the link 89 is to cause the thread collector C and the holder H to move in such manner as to require little or no change in the length of the weft threads from the bobbins in the magazine through the holder to the mass of yarn in the collector when the holder moves from position I to position II. This will be apparent from the dotted line position in Fig. 2 where it will be noted that the holder is in about the same position lengthwise of the lay when in positions I and II.

In the modified form of the invention the thread collector is kept stationary and the thread holder only is moved. As shown more particularly in Fig. '7, the bracket 49 has a bearing member 99 secured thereto as at 9| provided with a rock shaft 92 to which is secured an arm 93 connected to the aforesaid rod. H. A second arm 94 secured to the other end of the rock shaft 92 has a pin-and slot connection 95 with a sliding carrier 95 on which the holder HI is mounted. The carrier 96, see Fig. 8, is held in position by a guide cap 91 secured as at 98 to the base 20. A flexible hollow thread conductor 99 connects holder HI to the collector C. The weft ends from the reserve bobbins pass through the holder, flexible connector 99, and into the collector to be entangled with the mass of yarn Ytherein.

Under normal conditions the thread holder will be in the full line position III shown in Fig. 9, but when a weft replenishing operation occurs downward motion of rod 1| willrock shaft 92 toicause arm 94 to swing to the right, or to the dotted line position, thereby moving the holder to position IV. As the holder moves from one of these positions to the other the flexible yarn conductor 99 will bend on itself to some such shape as indicated in Fig. 9.

The holder of the modified form of the invention moves in substantially the same time as do the holder and collector in the preferred form, i. e., the holder will be in the dotted line position. IV; Fig. 9, during a transferring operation and will remain in that position until the shuttle ispicked, after which the holder will return to the full line position III for the purpose of assisting the thread of the freshly transferred bobbin to move under the filling fork F, Fig. 10. The guide ing and in the other of which it-assists the thread I of the freshly transferred bobbin to move under the filling fork F. In both the preferred and modified forms of the invention the thread holder is so controlled in its movements as to preserve without substantial change the length of the paths traversed by the weft ends of the reserve bobbins from the magazine to the thread collector. In the preferred form of the invention the collector'and the holder move bodily, while in the modified form the collector is maintained stationary and the thread holder only moves. The spring 12 between rods H and 13 is extended during the latter part of 'the downward motion of arm 74 of lever 39 so that the holder can be maintained in its rearward position sufllciently long to assist in threading the shuttle. The holder is preferably so controlled that it returns to its forward position during the flight of the shuttle so that the combined motion of the shut- Having thus described the invention it will e seen that changes and modifications of the foregoing specific disclosure may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is: i

1. In a weft replenishing loom having a reserve bobbin magazine from which weft ends extend and having a backwardly and forwardly reciprocating lay provided with a center filling fork, a thread holder for said weft ends, means mounting the thread holder for movement backwardly and forwardly in the loom, and means cooperating with the mounting means effecting backward motion of the thread holder to a position to facilitate threading of a shuttle during the first pick thereof subsequent to replenishment thereof with a bobbin from the magazine and thereafter effecting forward motion of the thread holder to a position to facilitate movement of the thread of the shuttle under said filling fork.

2. In a weft replenishing loom having a lay provided with a center filling fork which moves gamma,

detecting: position:v to;- detectpresence: of: weft: in"; the warp; shed during forward, movement-of: the: W, e; l om? having aireserveabobbin magazine: fmm whichiwefteendssextendstotathreadzholder; means-mountingthethread holder. for-location in; one position favorable for shuttle. threading rand; location-in another :position favorablet'forrmovementunder: the tfilling fork; offa'aweft en'd.extendi ing; from the holderto; a;- freshly: replenished'zi shuttle 'subsequentgto pickingcoffthe shuttle; and. means :efiective; incidentztoca replenishing opera-=- tion of" the loom cooperatingzwith said mounting; means :to effectflocation; ofzthe' threadrliolder"in": said. one. position prior: to picking-off the shuttle:- and eifect'locationlof'. saidgthreadiholder saidf 15 other-position thereofiprior toomovementof the filling; fork to the detecting-"position: thereof dun-- ing; the; next forward movement .ofith'e lay.

3:; In a; weft: replenishings loom; provided. with weft;-replenishing;mechanism including :a reserve s' bobbi-nrmagazine fromwhich weft-ends extendyi. the loom having a backwardly and forwardlycreje ciprocating: lay provided with a center. filling forks a -thread holder for the weft' ends imonntedx for: movement to :eitherja rearwardor' a forward position; a1shuttle 'replenishedrby a bobbini: from the? magazine:- by the: replenishing I n'iec-hanis'm when-thelay is Jon-front 'centerc-being :picked dur ing. a; rearward movement: of the lay fOIIOWiIIgE; replenishment of the.- shuttle, and means: 1 controlled :by I the replenishingmechanism effecting location: of the thread. holder? insaid rearward: position; thereof during; the rearward motion of the-lay-;when thereplenished shuttleis-pickedeto facilitate threading of the shuttle: and there after; effect location 10f'thewthreadholdenin -said Efor-.- ward.- position:- thereof. to facilitate-movement of. the :threadof-Fthe shuttle: under; said' fi-lling-rfork:

4-: In a.-weft replenishing loomahavingna back-.- wardly: and forwardly reciprocating lay provided with; a center, filling-i fork" which periodically-- moves to detecting positionto detect presence ofweft in- .thei-warpgshed, the loom having :areserve bobbin magazine. from which; weft end-s: extend,

a. threadholder: for. the weftends movably. mounted forloca-tionrin either; arearward: or: av forward. position; a shuttle replenished 'byaebobbinirom the; magazine when the. lay ison from; center, being. picked, duringrearward movementr of the lay. immediately following replenishment. 5H and control means for the thread holder causing: the,-latter-.-to. be in .said ;rearward., position. thereof during rearward motion .ofthe layim-mediately. following a weft replenishing.operationtto. facilitatethreading of the shuttle and ,thereafter;caus- 5:

ing'th'e thread 'holder'to be in said forward position thereof to facilitate movement of thelthrea'd" of the shuttle under thefillingfork prior to movement of "the latter to-the detecting position thereof next followingweft'replenishment of the shuttle.

5; In a weft replenishing'loom h'aving afreshly' replenished shuttle from which a weft end extends to a thread holder and wherein the shuttle is picked during arearwardmotion of a-substan- 05 tially; horizontally reciprocating lay provided with a filling fork which movesto detecting position to-dtect the presence of-weft in" the warp shed during forward movement of the lay, means mounting the thread holderfor motion relatively to the loom to eithera forwardora rearward position; and means'cooperating-with said mount ing means causing the thread holder-tobe-in the rearward position thereof during the rearward motionof the lay when the shuttle is picked and 7 subsequently: causing the: thread holder: to: be 4 in onitheeforwardimovementiofithe; lay next followingrpicking' of:.the. replenishedshuttle;

6Z.In' axweft" replenishing: loom' having; a rea servetbobbin magazineifrom; which weft. ends zexe tend. and: having; at backwardly. andi forwardly reciprocating: lay provided: with a center'filhng: fork, a thread holder for saidi'weftaendsy a-thread. collector containing a massofyarn, the'weftiends extending from themagazine'through the thread holder. into thecollector tosaid mass=of,yarn;.a

mounting for said thread holderfandthreadcolzlectorim'ovable to locate-the threadiholder in backward or forward. position in the-loom and sorconstructed that the length of' the weft ends from. the. reserve bobbinsv to. said mass:of' yarn remains substantially the same" whether. the

threa'di'holder. is in xthezbackwardor forward positionwthcreof; and means cooperating withzsaid;

mounting-moving the thread holder to theback- Ward position thereof favorable. for 'threadin a;-

shuttlereplenishedeby a bobbin fromthe magazine and. thereafter: moving. thethread" holder to'.

the'fcrward position thereof favorable formovement ofcthe-thread' extending fromthe thread holder to :the shuttle under said filling fork;

7. In a'weft replenishing loom having a: backwardly and forwardly reciprocating lay provided witha center filling fork, theloom havingareservebobbin magazinefrom which weftends extend, astationary thread collector having a mass of yarn therein, a thread holder intermediate the.

the thread holder be in the forward or rearward position thereof, and means cooperating with the mounting meanscausing the thread holder to be in said rear positionfavorablefor threading a shuttle replenished'b'y a bobbin from the magazine andthereaftei"causing the thread holder to be in said forward position favorable for movement of the weft end extending from the holder to-the shuttle under said filling fork.

8% Ina-weft replenishing loom having-a back weirdly-and forwardly reciprocating lay provided' with a-center filling fork, the loom 'having a reservebobbin'magazine from which weft ends extend; a pneumatic -thread"holder'into which the" wet-tends extend pneumatically tensioning the weft ends; means mounting the th'readholder for" movement to rearward and forward positions, and means" cooperating with the mounting means causing thethread holder'to be inrearward 'posi tion to'facilitate threading of a shuttle replen ished lo'y a' bobbin' from the-magazine and there-' after causing said thread holder to be in forwardposition; the threadholder due to theforward positionthereof and said 1 pneumatic tensioning tending to draw the thread'extending from the' threadholdrto the shuttle under the filling fork.

9? In a weft replenishing loom having aback wardlyand' forwardly reciprocating layprovided;

with a center filling fork, the loom having a reserve bobbin magazine from which weft ends extend, a thread holder for the weft ends, means normally supporting the thread holder in forward position but capable of movement to locate the thread holder in a rearward position, and means cooperating with said mounting means causing the thread holder to be in said rearward position to facilitate threading of a freshly replenished shuttle and thereafter effecting return of the thread holder to the normal position thereof to facilitate movement of the thread extending from the thread holder to the shuttle under the filling fork.

10. In a weft replenishing loom having a backwardly and forwardly reciprocating lay provided with a center filling fork, the loom having a reserve bobbin magazine from which weft ends extend, a thread holder for said weft ends, means mounting said thread holder for location in either a forward or a rearward position in the loom, means normally holding the mounting means in position to locate the thread holder in the forward position thereof, a normally stationary lever having an operative movement incident to a weft replenishing operation of the loom, and connections between said lever and said mounting means effective due to movement of the lever incident to a weft replenishing operation of the loom to effect movement of the thread holder to the rearward position thereof to facilitate threading of a freshly replenished shuttle when the latter is picked and thereafter cooperating with said second named means to effect return of the thread holder to the normal forward position thereof to facilitate movement of the thread extending from the thread holder to the shuttle under said filling fork.

11. In a weft replenishing loom having a reserve bobbin magazine from which weft ends extend and having a backwardly and forwardly reciprocating lay provided with a center filling fork, a thread holder for said weft ends, means mounting the thread holder for movement backwardly and forwardly in the loom, and means cooperating with the mounting means effecting backward motion of the thread holder to a position to facilitate threading of a shuttle freshly replenished by a bobbin from the magazine when said shuttle is picked and thereafter effecting forward motion of the thread holder to a position to facilitate movement of the thread extending from the thread holder to the shuttle under the filling fork while the shuttle is in flight.

12. In thread control means for a weft replenishing loom having a backwardly and forwardly reciprocating lay provided with a filling stop motion and wherein a thread extends to a shuttle on the lay subsequent to a weft replenishing operation and the shuttle is picked during backward motion of the lay, means engaging the thread movable to determine the position of the thread with respect to the lay, and control mechanism for the means causing the latter to position the thread in a relatively rearward position favorable for threading of the shuttle at the time of picking and subsequent to picking causing the means to position the thread in a relatively forward position favorable to cooperation of the thread with the filling stop motion.

13. The method of controlling the thread of the incoming bobbin in a weft replenishing loom operating with a center filling fork and having a lay which swings between front and back center positions, the method consisting in the following 10 steps: holding an end of the thread at a point above but intermediate the front and back center positions of the lay, picking the shuttle when the lay is at approximately said point to effect threading of the shuttle, moving the held end of the thread forwardly, and thereafter lowering the filling fork to detect presence of weft in the warp shed after the shuttle has passed the fork.

14. The method of controlling the thread of the incoming bobbin in a weft replenishing loom operating with a center filling fork and having a lay which swings between front and back center positions, the method consisting in the following steps: holding an end of the thread above the lay at approximately the point between the back and front center positions of the lay which the latter occupies when the shuttle is picked, picking the shuttle to effect threading of the shuttle, moving the held end of the thread forwardly, and thereafter dropping the filling fork to detect the presence of weft in the warp shed.

15. The method of controlling the thread of the incoming bobbin in a weft replenishing loom operating with a center filling fork and having a lay which swings between front and back center positions, the method consisting in the following steps: holding an end of the thread at a point corresponding to the position the lay occupies when the shuttle is picked, picking the shuttle to effect threading thereof, thereafter moving said held end of the thread frontwardly, and thereafter dropping the filling fork to detect presence of weft in the warp shed while the shuttle is still in flight.

16. The method of controlling the thread of the Incoming bobbin in a weft replenishing loom operating with a center filling fork and having a lay which swings between front and back center positions, the method consisting in the following steps: holding an end of the thread above the lay at a point which the latter occu-.

pies when the shuttle is picked, picking the shuttle to effect threading thereof, moving said held end of the thread in a direction to move the thread toward the filling fork while the shuttle is in flight, and thereafter drop the filling fork to detect the presence of weft in the warp shed after the shuttle has passed the filling fork.

17. In a pneumatic thread holder and collector unit for a weft replenishing loom, a stand adapted for attachment to the loom frame, a support arm pivoted to the stand, a pneumatic thread holder, a pneumatic thread collector pneumatically connected to the holder, a base supporting the holder and collector, a pivotal connection between the base and the support arm, and a link having one end thereof pivoted to the base at one side of said pivotal connection and having the other end thereof adaptedfor pivotal movement about a point fixed with respect to the stand.

18. The method of controlling the thread of a bobbin freshly inserted into a shuttle in a weft replenishing loom operating with a filling fork on a lay, the method consisting in the following steps: locating the thread favorably for threading of the shuttle when the latter is picked, picking the shuttle, effecting movement of the thread forwardly to a position favorable for cooperation with the filling fork, and thereafter causing the fork to detect the presence of the thread in the warp shed after the shuttle has passed the fork.

RICHARD G. TURNER.

No references cited.

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