US2700880A - Warp stop motion for textile machines - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 1, 1955 K. w. HORNE 2,700,880

WARP STOP MOTION FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Filed Dec. 19, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 92,25 omzs 80 93 5Ibl03 INVENTORZ J KENNETH W. HORNE.

& B @w ATTORNEYS.

Feb. '1, 1955 K. w. HORNE WARP STOP MOTION FOR TEXTILE MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 19, 1952 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

S hm om mm e3 m2 L 222332 KENNETH W. Harem,

nww m 1955 K. w. HORNE WARP STOP MOTION FOR TEXTILE MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 19, 1952 Feb. 1, 1955 K. w. HORNE 2,700,880

WARP STOP MOTION FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Filed Dec. 19, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INSULATION 84 92 9 2A INSULATION KENNETH W. HORNE, INVENTOR.

BY gww. M

ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 1, 1955 w HORNE 2,700,880

WARP STOP MOTION FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Filed Dec. 19, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INSULATION INSULATION Kzrmam W HORNE.

INVENTOR.

ZLZMM ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent WARP TOP MOTION FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Kenneth W. Home, Wadesboro, N. C.

Application December 19, 1952, Serial No. 326,910

7 Claims. (Cl. 66163) This invention relates to textile machines wherein warp yarns are fed thereto and wherein an electrically operated stop motion is employed, and relates more especially to an attachment for use with such machines for closing the circuit of the warp stop motion, upon any of the warp yarns being parted, to stop the machine.

The present invention is particularly adapted to be associated with a tricot knitting machine, commonly termed a Kidde machine of a type produced by Kiddo Manufacturing Company, Incorporated, Bloomfield, New Jersey, under various patents, including United States Patent Number 2,427,395, dated September 16, 1947. However, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to this particular make of machine, but may be used on any tricot knitting machine as well as other types of strand processing textile machinery.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a simple and efiicient device which may be readily applied to a machine wherein Warp yarns are fed, particularly warp knitting machines, and which device will close the circuit of a conventional warp stop motion of the machine to stop the machine upon breakage of one or more warp yarns.

It is another object of this invention to provide a stop motion actuating device for textile machines wherein warp yarns are fed thereto comprising a transverse row of a plurality of pivoted gauges, drop-wires or contact members of relatively thin electrically conductive material which are pivotally supported intermediate their ends beneath the general path of travel of the warp yarns, there being one of said gauges for each warp yarn and said gauges having upturned head portions with thread guide notches therein through which the corresponding yarns pass in their course to or from the machine. Each of the gauges has a tail portion, remote from the upturned head portion which is normally held in spaced relation to a common contact bar by the yarn, under proper tension, engaging the bottoms of said notches in the head portions of the gauges. Upon any of the yarns being parted, the tail portion, being heavier than the head portion of each gauge, moves downwardly, by gravity, and engages the contact bar to close a circuit to the conventional stop motion of the machine to stop the machine.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a stop motion attachment of the character described, wherein the notch in each of the head portions is disposed substantially centrally of the corresponding head portion of the gauge and defines a pair of ears, one of which is longer than the other and wherein means are provided for manually shifting all of the gauges laterally while the head portions of the gauges are locked in spaced relation immediately below the warp yarns, and to also provide means for simultaneously releasing all of the gauges to permit the tail portions thereof to move downwardly and thereby move the head portions thereof upwardly to where the longest of said ears or projections on the head portions extend between adjacent warp yarns.

The gauges are then shifted to their normal positions in alinement with the respective Warp yarns whereupon the gauges are further released to permit the head portions thereof to move upwardly so the yarns extend through the notches or slots between the ears on each of the gauges thereby automatically threading the yarns through the notches in said gauges.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a portion of a warp knitting machine showing the improved warp stop motion actuating device mounted thereon;

Figure 2 is a warp-wise fragmentary vertical sectional view showing the upper portion of the machine and being taken substantially along the line 2-2 in Figure 1, but also showing additional parts of the machine, as compared with Figure 1, and many of the parts which are not pertinent to the present invention being omitted for purposes of clarity;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the lower portion of Figure 1, showing the improved stop motion actuating device in detail;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 55 in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a top plan view similar to Figure 3, but

showing the pivoted contact members or gauges shifted to one side of the normal planes of the corresponding warp yarns, and showing the gauges as positioned during the threading operation;

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 4, but showing one of the pivoted contact members or gauges in a slightly difierent position and being taken substantially along the line 77 in Figure 6;

Figure 8 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 8-8 in Figure 3 showing the contact bar in the position they occupy during normal operation of the machine, and showing, in broken lines, the position to which the gauge moves upon breakage of the corresponding warp yarn;

Figure 9 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of the head portion of one of the gauges or pivoted contact members, looking down substantially along the line 9--9 in Figure 8, illustrating the manner in which the yarn passes through the head portion;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary elevation, partially in section, of one end of the improved attachment looking substantially along the line 1010 in Figure 3;

Figure 11 is a schematic Wiring diagram, showing the manner in which the improved stop motion actuating device is connected to the conventional stop motion;

Figures 12 and 13 are views similar to Figure 8, but showing the pivoted contact member or gauge in two different successive positions to which it is moved in the course of threading the corresponding warp yarn therethrough;

Figure 14 is another view similar to Figure 8, showing one of the gauges or pivoted contact members in normal operative position, but showing the gauge in an alternate inactive position in broken lines.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the numerals 10 and 11 indicate the end or side frame members of a warp knitting machine which is shown as being particularly of the Kiddie type as heretofore described. The end frame members 10 and 11 are spanned by a substantially channel-shaped girt or horizontal frame member 12 and also have opposite ends of a pair of warp beam supporting shafts 13 and 14 mounted therein. The machine has the usual upper and lower rows of flanged warp beams 15 and 16, respectively, and from whence respective sheets of warp yarns 2t), 29' pass to the usual knitting instrumentalities. The knitting instrumentalities include the usual yarn guides 21, 21 through which the respggtive warp yarns 2t], pass to needles 22 and sinkers The yarn guides 21, 21 are carried by respective arms 24, 24 fixed on a conventional guide rocker shaft 25 which extends longitudinally of the machine and is oscillatably supported on suitable brackets 26, only one of which is shown in Figure 2, carried by the girt 12. The needles 22 are carried by the usual needle bar 27 supported on arms 30 fixed on a conventional needle shaft 31. The sinkers 23 are supported on arms 32, only one of which is shown, fixed on a conventional sinker shaft 33.

Disposed rearwardly of sinker shaft 33 is a press shaft 34 having a plurality of arms 35 fixed thereon, only one of which is shown, to which the usual presser bar 36 is suitably secured. The knitting instrumentalities, including the parts 21 to 36, inclusive, are conventional and cooperate in knitting fabric F which successively passes over a guide rod 37, beneath a conventional sand roll 40 and then upwardly to a take-up roll 41 which is driven in a conventional manner to take up the fabric F as it is knitted. The members 31, 33, 34, 37, 40 and 41 are suitably supported by the side frame members and 11 and are driven in the usual manner by means not shown, but being well known to those familiar with the art. Accordingly, a further description thereof is deemed unnecessary.

In their course to the knitting instrumentalities, the warp yarns 20, successively pass over respective rear guide bars 42, 42' past the improved stop motion actuating mechanism, to be later described, and between a plurality of closely spaced separator points of sley points 43, 43' respectively, between each adjacent pair of which one of the corresponding warp yarns passes. points 43 or 43' may be collectively termed as a reed. The lower ends of the sley points or separator points 43, 43' are suitably secured in respective common bars 44, 44 carried by yarn front supporting guides or sley point carrier bars 45 and 45', respectively.

The front yarn guide or sley point carrier bar 45 is most clearly shown in Figures 3, 6 and 7 and is inverted T- shaped in cross-section. Opposite ends of each bar 45, 45' are suitably secured to the proximal ends of shafts 46, 47 journaled in suitable bearings 50 (Figure 1) carried by the side or end frame members 10 and 11. One of the shafts 46 or 47 is oscillatably driven in a conventional manner at a relatively slow speed to cause the rear guide bars 42, 42' to pivot about the axes of the corresponding shafts 46, 47 as the warp yarns 20, 20 are withdrawn from the respective warp beams 15 and 16.

The rear guide bars 42, 42 are connected to the respective sley point carrier bars 44, 44 in a conventional manner and it will be observed in Figures 3 and 6, for example, that the bar 42 is connected to the bar 44 by means of a plurality of forwardly and rearwardly extending rods or frame members. The intermediate rods are indicated at 51. In their course to the knitting instrumentalities, the warp yarns 20, 26 pass from the respective front guide bars 44, 44 over suitable conventional yarn tensioning devices 55, carried by respective bars 56, 56' suitably supported by the end frame members 10 and 11.

The warp conventional warp stop motion is shown schematically in Figure 11 as a solenoid switch or circuit breaker generally designated at 66 and which includes a solenoid plunger 61 having a switch bar or bus bar 62 fixed to one end thereof which normally is biased, as by a spring 63, to complete a circuit between wires 64 and 65.

The wire 64 extends to a suitable plug 66 adapted to be connected to a suitable source of electrical energy, not shown.

The wire extends to one side of an electric motor 67 which drives the machine and to the other side of which a wire 70 is connected. The wire 70 is also connected to the side of the plug 66 remote from the side to which the wire 64 is connected and may have a suitable manually operable master switch 71 interposed therein. Since it is well known that this type of knitting machine is driven by an electric motor, a detailed illustration of the mechanical connections between the electric motor 67 and the knitting instrumentalities is deemed unnecessary.

As a matter of fact, the electric motor is merely shown by way of illustration, since it is evident that the switch or relay 60 may be employed for other purposes, such as for operating a clutch mechanism, although the motor or other driving means for the machine may continue operating when the switch bar 62 is moved to open position. The circuit breaker or relay 66 also includes a coil 74 which surrounds the plunger 61 and to opposite ends of which wires 75 and 76 are connected. The end of the wire 75 remote from the coil 74 is connected intermediate the ends of the wire 64 and the wire 76 is connected to the improved stop motion actuating device to be presently described.

The parts of the knitting machine heretofore described are conventional and, accordingly, a further detailed description thereof, is deemed unnecessary. The improved stop motion is particularly adapted to be used The sley with a machine of the type described and is positioned between the rear and front respective guide bars 42, 42' and 44, 44'. However, it is to be distinctly understood that the present invention may be used in association with any machine wherein yarn is fed thereto in the form of a warp and wherein is employed an electrically operated warp stop motion.

Having thus described the conventional parts of the knitting machine or other machine with which the present invention is adapted to be associated, a description will now be given of the improved stop motion actuating device.

The improved stop motion comprises a plurality of forwardly and rearwardly extending pivoted contact members, drop-wires or metallic gauges, each of which is indicated at 80. These metallic gauges 80 are made from a relatively thin material and, ordinarily, there is one of these gauges 80 for each of the strands of the warp yarn 20. There is one of these gauges 80 disposed between the rear and front guide bars 42 and 43 for each of the strands of Warp yarn 20. It is evident that an identical stop motion may be disposed between the bars 42' and 43' and, accordingly, only the stop motion disposed between the bars 42 and 43 will be described in detail and like reference characters shall apply to any of those parts of the stop motion which are visible in Figure 2 disposed between the yarn guide bars 42' and 43'.

Each of the gauges or pivoted contact members 80 in each group is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on a gauge or drop-wire pivot shaft 81, there being one of these pivot shafts disposed between each adjacent pair of the forwardly and rearwardly extending rods 51 and each of which has a plurality of said gauges 8i pivotally mounted thereon, as is clearly shown in Figures 1, 3 and 6. It will be noted in Figure 1 that there are rods 51a and 51b at opposite ends of the machine which are identical to the intermediate rods 51 disposed at proximal ends of adjacent warp beams 15 so that a group of the drop-wires, pivoted contact members or gauges 80 is provided for each of the warp beams 15.

Each of the drop-wires 80 includes an overbalancing weight or tail portion 82 at one side of the pivot shaft 83. which, in this instance, is the rear portion of each gauge 80. Each drop-Wire 80 also includes an upwardly curving head portion 83 provided with a substantially centrally disposed thread guide notch or slot 84 in the free upper end thereof defining first and second cars 85 and 86. In order to minimize the frictional contact of each of the yarns 20 passing through the thread guide notch 84 of the corresponding gauge or drop-Wire 8t) and to also assist in threading the yarns through these notches 84, as will be presently described, the proximal edges of the cars 85 and 86 are oppositely beveled, as at 35a and 86a, respectively (see Figure 9).

Ordinarily, there is one of these gauges 86 provided for each of the warp yarns 20 and, during normal operation of the machine, the yarns 20 pass through the thread guide notches 84, as shown in Figures 3, 4, 8, 9, 10 and 14. Since the yarns 20 are disposed in close proximity to one another, the gauges or drop-wires 86 are necessarily made from a relatively thin electrically conductive sheet metal.

It will be noted that the gauges 80 are disposed in closely spaced relation beneath the path of travel of the warp yarns 20 as said yarns pass over the yarn supporting bars 42, 44. In order to stabilize the gauges or dropwires 80 as to lateral longitudinal swinging movement on the corresponding shafts 81 and to also maintain said gauges or drop-wires in proper spaced relation to each other, a plurality of spacing collars 87 are also mounted on each of the shafts 81 between adjacent gauges or drop-wires 80.

It will be observed in Figures 8 and 12 to 14 inclusive, that the collars 87 are preferably of substantially the same diameter as the width of the tail portion 82 of the adjacent gauges or drop-wires 8i) and are preferably eccentrically mounted on the corresponding pivot shafts 31. Also, the upper edges of the gauges or drop-wires 80 are disposed in closer relation to the shafts 8i than the lower edges thereof to further assist in preventing the gauges from tilting on the shaft 81. These spacing collars 87 may be mounted on the corresponding pivot shafts 81 independently of the adjacent gauges or dropwires 80 0.1 there may be one of the collars 87 integral with or suitably secured to one side of each of the gauges or drop-wires 80, as desired.

In order to further insure that the gauges or dropwires 80 may pivot freely on the corresponding pivot shafts 81 without tilting laterally excessively, the outermost of the gauges or drop-wires 80 in each group are engaged by collars 90 which may be identical to the Collars 87 and the distal surfaces of the collars 90 associated with each group of gauges or drop-wires 80 are engaged by locknuts 91 threadably mounted on opposite threaded ends of the corresponding shafts 81. This also facilitates adjustment of the collars 87 and 90 and the gauges 80 on each of the pivot shafts 81.

Opposite ends of each of the pivot shafts 81 are suitably secured to the front portions of a corresponding pair of stop motion support blocks 92 and 93 which are preferably made from insulation material or, at least, opposite ends of the pivot shaft 81 should be insulated from the adjacent parts of the machine. Opposite ends of a wire or other conductor 94 are suitably connected to the proximal ends of adjacent shafts 81, as by nuts 95 threadably mounted on the ends of the shafts 81 and bearing against the remote surfaces of the adjacent support blocks 92 and 93.

Of course, the outermost of one of the pivot shafts 81 has a wire or conductor 96 suitably connected to its outer end, such as by a nut 97 threadably mounted on the end of the corresponding pivot shaft 81 and bearing against the inner surface of the corresponding support block 93 adjacent rod 51!) in Figure 6. It will be observed in Figure ll that the end of the wire 96 remote from the corresponding pivot shaft 81 is connected intermediate the ends of the wire 70.

The upper rear portions of the support blocks 92 and 93 associated with all of the groups of the gauges or drop-wires 80 are suitably secured to a common pivoted lateral shifting shaft 100, as by pins 101 (Figures 3, 5, 6 and 12). The lateral shifting shaft 100 may be oscillatably supported on the forwardly and rearwardly extending rods 51, 51a and 51b in any desired manner and, in this instance, the lateral shifting rod 100 rests upon the rods or bars 51. 51a and 51b and is held thereagainst by inverted U-shaped rods or staples 102 whose lower ends are suitably secured to each of the rods 51, 51a and 51b.

It will be noted in Figures 8 and 12 to 14, inclusive, that the lateral shifting rod 100 also serves as a limiting means to limit upward movement of the tail portions 82 of the gauges or drop-wires 80. Opposite ends of the lateral shifting rod or member 100 each has a suitable handle or knob 103 fixed thereon which is adapted to be grasped by an operator for moving the lateral shifting member 100 relative to the warp yarns for purposes to be later described.

The front portion of each of the blocks 92 and 93 rests upon a cam broadly designated at 105. Each of the cams 105 is symmetrical and has a high surface 106, a low surface 107, disposed in substantially diametrically opposed relation to the surface 106, and a pair of intermediate surfaces 108, 109. The surfaces 108 and 109 are preferably disposed in perpendicular relation to surfaces 106, 107 and are disposed in diametrically opposed relation to each other.

The cams 105 are fixed on a common cam shaft 112 suitably rotatably supported beneath the blocks 92 and 93. In this instance, the cam shaft is rotatably supported in hook or eye portions 113 on the lower ends of eye bolts 114 which extend upwardly and slidably penetrate the corresponding bars or rods 51, 51a and 51b and are held therein by means of corresponding pairs of locknuts 115 and 116 which engage the respective upper and lower surfaces of the rod or bars 51, 51a and 51b and are threadably mounted on each of the eye-bolts 114. Thus, the positions of the cams 105 may be vertically adjusted in order to insure that the slots 84 in the dropwires or gauges are positioned at the proper level for the yarns 20 to pass therethrough in engagement with the bottoms of the notches during normal operation of the machine. in order to prevent endwise movement of shaft 112 when the support blocks 92, 93 are moved laterally against cams 105, the cam shaft 112 has suitable cotter pins 1120 or the like therein engaging the outer surfaces of the endmost eye-bolts 114 (Figures 4 and 10).

The cams 105 are manually rotatable, for purposes to of the contact bars 125 be later described, and, in order to adjust the cams 105, opposite ends of cam shaft 112 each has a peripherally surrated friction wheel or ratchet wheel 120 thereon which is adapted to be grasped and rotated by the operator and the periphery of each of which is engaged by a leaf spring member 121 normally biased in engagement with the corresponding ratchet wheel 120 and suitably secured to the lower surface of the bar 44. Thus, the cams 105 may be adjusted to any one of the positions shown in Figures 8, 12 or 13 and will be restrained in adjusted position by the leaf spring members 121 engaging the corresponding ratchet wheels 120.

The tail portions 82 of each group of gauges or drop wires 80 are normally disposed in spaced relation above a corresponding drop-wire adjusting and contact rod or bar 125 eccentrically supported by the corresponding stop motion support blocks 92 and 93. To this end, opposite ends of each of the contact bars or rods 125 have right-angularly bent portions 126 integral therewith. The portions 126 of the contact bars 125 at the juncture of adjacent groups of the drop-wires or gauges 80 are adjustably secured to opposite ends of intermediate contact pivot shafts 127 (Figures 3 and 6) and the remote ends of the endmost of the contact bars 125 are suitably secured to relatively short second contact pivot shafts 130, there being one of these second contact pivot shafts at each end of the machine rotatably mounted in the corresponding endmost blocks 92 and 93. Of course, the intermediate pivot shafts 127 are rotatably mounted in adjacent support blocks 92 and 93, disposed on opposite sides of the intermediate rods 51, thereby serving as contact members between the proximal ends of adjacent contact bars 125.

In this instance, the right-angularly bent portions 126 are adjustably secured to the corresponding pivot shafts 127 and 130 by transversely penetrating the corresponding pivot shafts 127 and 130 and having lock nuts 132 and 133 threadably mounted thereon and engaging opposite sides of the corresponding shafts 127 and 130. Since the pivot shafts 127 and 130 serve as contact members, here again the blocks 92 and 93 should be made of insulation material or the shafts 127 and 130 should be suitably insulated from the adjacent parts of the machine.

The outer end of each of the end pivot shafts 130 has a peripherally serrated friction wheel or ratchet wheel 134 fixed thereon or integral therewith. Each of the shafts 130 also has a suitable control knob 135 fixed thereon which may be integral with the ratchet wheel 134 and is adapted to be grasped by the operator for rotating the contact bars 125 as desired, for purposes to be later described.

Referring to Figures 4, 8, l0, and 11, it will be observed that each of the ratchet wheels 134 is engaged by the free end of a leaf spring member 136, normally biased into engagement therewith. Each of the leaf spring members 136 extends outwardly and is suitably secured to a metallic block 137. The blocks 137 are suitably sc-- cured to the outer surfaces of the corresponding endmost support blocks 92 and 93. It will be observed in the right-hand portion of Figures 3, 6, 10 and 11 and in Figure 4, that one of the blocks 137 has the end of the wire 76 remote from the circuit breaker 60 suitably connected thereto. It will also be noted that the leaf spring member or pawl 136 is so formed at its end which engages the corresponding ratchet wheel 134, as to permit the contact bars 125 to be rotated in either direction, the leaf spring members or pawls 136 serving to restrain the contact bars 125 against unintentional movement w en adjusted to the desired position.

It is thus seen that the support blocks 92 and 93 may be adjusted about the axis of the laterally shifting bar or rod 100 by means of the cams 105 and all of the pivoted contact members, gauges or drop-wires 80 may be shifted laterally simultaneously relative to the warp yarns 20 and, also, the position of the gauges or drop-wires 80 may be adjusted about the axis of the pivot shafts 81 relative to the stop motion support blocks 92 and 93 simultaneously.

movable parts of the improved stop motion actuating device occupy the relative positions shown in Figure 8;

that is, the support blocks 92 and 93 are held in their highest position by the high surfaces 166 of the cams 185 engaging the lower surfaces thereof and the contact bars or rods 125 occupy an intermediate forward position reiative to the axis thereof, underlying the tail portions 82 of the drop-wires so that those yarns 28 passing through the thread guide slots or notches 84 hold the tail portions 82 in spaced relation above the contact bars or rods 125.

It might be stated that, while the yarns 20 are passing through the thread guide notches 84 in the drop-wires or gauges 8%), these drop-wires 80 cause a slight additional tension in the corresponding yarns 28 in advance of these yarns passing between the sley points or separator points 43, thereby substantially minimizing vibration of the yarns at this particular zone which, heretofore, has caused the yarns to become entangled or, at least to adhere to each other. It is evident that the spacing of the yarns, as illustrated in Figures 1, 3 and 6, is exaggerated for purposes of clarity and the yarns are normally much closer together than that illustrated. Of course, the spacing collars 87 are also substantially thinner than that illustrated and are usually substantially the same thickness as the adjacent gauges or drop-wires 80.

Upon any one or more of the warp yarns 20 being parted or broken, or the tension in any one or more of the warp yarns 21? becoming unduly slackened, the weight portions 82 of the corresponding drop-wires or gauges 80 move from the solid line to the dotted line position shown in Figure 8. This immediately completes a circuit between the corresponding pivot shaft 81 and the corresponding contact bar 125 to thereby actuate the conventional stop motion of the machine as exemplified by the circuit breaker 60 in Figure 11. In this instance, the

solenoid coil 74 is energized causing the core 61 and the switch bar 62 to move downwardly, to thereby break the circuit to the electric motor 67 to stop the machine.

Now, in order to thread all of the warp yarns 20 through the notches 84 and the corresponding drop-wires or gauges 80 simultaneously, as would be the case when the improved stop motion actuating device is initially installed or when a new warp is installed on the machine, the operator initially turns the ratchet wheels 120 to move the cam surfaces 107 into engagement with the lower surfaces of the stop motion support blocks 92 and 93 (Figure 12), thereby permitting the stop motion support blocks to move downwardly about the axis of the lateral shifting member 100, from the position shown in Figures 8 and 14 to that shown in Figure 12.

One or the other of the knobs 135 is also rotated to move the contact bars 125 upwardly to cause the upper edges of the tail portions 82 of the gauges or drop-wires 80 to engage the lower surface of the lateral adjusting rod 100. This enables the operator to move the warp yarns 2t) freely and thereby facilitates threading the warp yarns 29 between the sley points 43 and through the corresponding knitting instrumentalities.

After the warp yarns 20 have been properly threaded over the bars 42 and 44 and between the sley points 43, and are held under proper tension by the tension apparatus 55, although it is not always necessary, the gauges or drop-wires 80 may be laterally shifted to the left from the position shown in Figure 3, so the cars 85 thereof are disposed slightly to the left of the corresponding yarn 20, by moving the lateral shifting rod 109 slightly to the left in Figure 3. In so doing, all of the stop motion support blocks 92 and 93 the shafts 127, 138 and 81 and the contact bars 125 are also moved therewith.

Thereafter, the cams 105 are rotated in either direction so that one or the other of the intermediate cam surfaces 108 and 109 on each of the cams 105 engage the lower surfaces of the corresponding blocks 92 and 93, thereby elevating them to the intermediate position shown in Figure 13. it will be noted that this raises the head portions 83 of the gauges or drop-wires 86 so that the first ears 85 thereof are disposed between adjacent yarns 26 while the second ears 86 are still disposed below the normal plane of the warp yarns 20.

The operator then grasps one of the knobs 133 and shifts the drop-wires or gauges 8i) laterally to substantially the position shown in Figure 6 and, since the yarns are then under tension, they engage the adjacent sley points or separator points 43 causing the portions of the yarn engaging the ears 85 to be biased to extend at an angle from each of the cars 45 to the corresponding sley points 43 and to thereby extend across and above the corresponding thread guide notches 84.

Now, in the event that the tension of the yarns 20 against the ears 85 of the gauges or drop-wires causes the latter to tend to swing laterally excessively about the pivot shafts 81. The nuts 91 may be momentarily tightened against the collars 98 to thereby cause the dropwires or gauges St) to be tightly gripped between the corresponding spacing collars 37. However, if the nuts 91 had been previously properly adjusted, it is unlikely that it would be necessary to clamp the gauges or drop-wires St} between the gauges and collars 87 in order to thread the warp yarns 20 through the thread guide slots or notches 84 therein.

After the gauges or drop-wires 89 have been moved to substantially the position shown in Figure 6 relative to the sley points or separator points 43, the cam shaft 112 is again rotated to move the cams 195 from the position shown in Figure 13 to that shown in Figures 8 and 14 thereby causing the second cars 86 to move upwardly above the plane of the yarn 29 and, consequently, threading one of the yarns 20 through each of the thread guide slots or notches 84. After the blocks 92 and 93 have been moved upwardly to the position shown in Figure 8, to cause the yarns to extend through the notches 84 between the cars 85 and 86 on the gauges or drop-wires 80, the gauges or drop-wires 81) are again shifted to the left, from substantially the position shown in Figure 6 to the position shown in Figure 3. The contact bars are then rotated in a counterclockwise direction from substantially the position shown in Figure 13 to that shown in Figure 8.

It may sometimes happen that there are more gauges or drop-wires 80 than there are warp yarns 20. Therefore, upon initially adjusting the support blocks 92 and 93 to substantially the position shown in Figure 8, the contact bars 125 are rotated in a counterclockwise direction from the position shown in Figures 12 and 13 to that shown in Figure 14, to thereby move the same to the opposite side of the axis thereof relative to the pivot shaft 81 and in which position the contact bars 125 will be clear of the tail portions 82 of the gauges or dropwires 80. Since all of the gauges 80 are supported by the bars 125 as they are initially moved upwardly, as the blocks 92 and 93 are moved from the position shown in Figures 12 and 13 to the position shown in Figure 14, it is evident that the tail portions 82 will then cause any of the gauges or drop-wires 80 which do not have a corresponding warp yarn 20 passing through notch 84 thereof to swing about the corresponding pivot shaft 81, in a clockwise direction to the broken line position shown in Figure 14. It will be noted that the cam shaft 112 is so spaced from the pivot shafts 81 that the tail portion 82 of any of the inactive drop-wires or gauges 80 will then rest against the cam shaft 112.

The operator then again rotates the contact bars 125 in a clockwise direction, from the position shown Figure 14 to substantially the position shown in Figure 8, whereupon the master switch 71 (Figure 14) may be closed to again start the machine.

though the head portions 83 of the gauges or dropwires 80 are shown and described as extending forwardly relative to the direction of travel of the warp yarns 2%, there are instances in which it may be desirable that the improved stop motion apparatus faces in the opposite direction so the head portions 83 of the gauges or drop-wires 80 face toward the direction from whence the yarns are moving. Accordingly, the use of the terms forwardly, and rearwardly, are used merely for purposes of description and are not to be construed as limitations in the specification and claims.

It is thus seen that I have provided an improved stop motion, yarn controlled circuit breaker and maker or stop motion actuating device for textile machines wherein yarn is fed thereto in the form of a warp and wherein an electrical apparatus is provided, the actuating device including a plurality of gauges, drop-wires or pivoted contact members which are supported in an overbalanced manner so the head portions thereof tend to move upwardly and are normally held in an optimum position by the yarn passing through the notches therein and, upon breakage of any one or more of the yarns, the corresponding drop-wires will be released and the tail portions thereof will move downwardly, by gravity, to make or break a circuit.

Further, it is seen that I have provided means for quickly threading all the yarns through the gauges or drop-wires simultaneously and to also permit any of the drop-wires which do not have warp yarns passing therethrough to be moved to inactive position automatically upon the yarns being threaded through the thread guide notches in the head portions of the dropwires or gauges.

In the drawings and specifications there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine having a sheet of warp yarns passing therethrough; the combination of at least two laterally spaced support blocks, means pivotally supporting said support blocks beneath the path of travel of said warp yarns, an electrically conductive pivot shaft spaced substantially from the means for pivotally supporting said support blocks and being carried by said support blocks, a contact bar spaced substantially below the level of the means pivotally supporting the support blocks, a plurality of metallic drop-wires pivotally supported intermediate their ends on said pivot shaft, each of said drop-wires having an tip-turned head portion thereon provided with a thread guide slot in its upper end through which a corresponding warp yarn normally passes, a tail portion on each of said drop-wires normally held in spaced relation above the contact bar by said warp yarns under normal tension whereby, upon a warp yarn having less than normal tension therein, the tail portion of the corresponding drop-wire falls into engagement with the contact bar to complete an electrical circuit between the pivot shaft and the contact bar, and cam means engaging said support blocks for adjusting the position thereof about the means for pivotally supporting said support blocks to thereby vary the position of the head portions of the drop-wires, collectively, relative to said warp yarns.

2. In a machine having a sheet of warp yarns passing therethrough; the combination of a contact pivot shaft spaced beneath and extending laterally of the path of travel of said warp yarns, a plurality of drop-wires pivotally mounted intermediate their ends on said pivot shaft, each of said drop-wires having a head portion and a tail portion disposed on the opposite side of the pivot shaft from the head portion, a contact bar normally spaced beneath the tail portions of the drop-wires, each head portion having a pair of closely spaced ears thereon, namely, a first ear and a second ear, defining a thread guide notch therebetween through which a corresponding yarn normally passes whereby, upon a yarn having less than normal tension therein, the head portion is permitted to move upwardly thereby permitting the tail portion to move downwardly, by gravity, into engagement with the contact bar, said first ear extending upwardly beyond the upper edge of the second ear, means for collectively adjusting the positions of the head portions of the drop-wires relative to the warp yarns whereby the ears on the head portions may be positioned beneath the level of the warp yarns and the upper edges of the second and first ears may be successively respectively positioned immediately below the level of the warp yarns, and means for collectively shifting the drop-wires laterally relative to the warp yarns to facilitate threading the warp yarns through the thread guide notches in the head portions of the drop-wires.

3. In a structure according to claim 2, means for adjusting the position of the contact bar to where it will clear the free ends of the tail portions of the dropwires whereby, upon the absence of a warp yarn passing through any one of the thread guide notches in a dropwire, the tail portion of the corresponding drop-wire may swing downwardly below the level of the contact bar to inactive position, whereby said contact bar may then be moved to a normal position spaced below the tail portions of the then active drop-wires.

4. In a structure according to claim 3, means resiliently restraining movement of said contact bar to maintain the latter in adjusted position.

5. In a warp knitting machine having a sheet of warp yarns passing therethrough and a relay in a stop motion circuit; the combination of laterally spaced support blocks,

means pivotally supporting said support blocks beneath the path of travel of said warp yarns, an electrically conductive pivot shaft spaced substantially from the means for pivotally supporting said support blocks and being carried by said support blocks, a contact bar electrically connected with said relay and spaced substantially below the level of the means pivotally supporting the support blocks and being insulated from said pivot shaft, a plurality of electrically conductive drop-wires pivotally supported intermediate their ends on said pivot shaft, each of said drop-wires having an up-turned head portion thereon provided with a thread guide slot in its upper end through which a corresponding warp yarn normally passes, an overbalancing tail portion on each of said drop-wires normally held in spaced relation above the contact bar by said warp yarns under normal tension whereby, upon a warp yarn having less than normal tension therein, the tail portion of the corresponding drop-wire falls into engagement with the contact bar to complete an electrical circuit between the pivot shaft and the contact bar to close the circuit to said relay and stop the machine, manually movable cam means engaging said support blocks for adjusting the position thereof about the means for pivotally supporting said support blocks to thereby vary the position of the head portions of the drop wires relative to said warp yarns, and means resiliently restraining movement of said cam means to maintain the latter in adjusted position.

6. In a machine having a sheet of warp yarns passing therethrough and wherein at least a portion of said sheet moves in a substantially horizontal plane; the combination of a contact pivot shaft spaced beneath the sheet, a laterally movable and pivoted shifting rod disposed in closely spaced relation beneath the path of travel of said warp yarns, at least two laterally spaced support blocks fixed on said shifting rod, a contact bar eccentrically mounted for rotation in said blocks and spaced substantially to one side of the vertical planes of the shifting rod and the contact pivot shaft and being fixed at opposite ends thereof in said support blocks, a plurality of dropwires pivotally supported intermediate their ends on said pivot shaft, each drop-wire having a tail portion normally extending between the shifting rod and the contact bar, a head portion on each of said drop-wires disposed on the opposite side of the pivot shaft from the tail portion thereof, said head portion having first and second ears projecting upwardly therefrom and defining a thread guide notch therebetween through which the corresponding yarn normally passes, the first projection being relatively longer than the second projection on each drop-wire, manually operable cam means for varying the position of said support blocks about the axis of the shifting rod and relative to said warp yarns, said cam means being so arranged as to position the support blocks in a high, intermediate and low position wherein the drop-wires are respectively disposed in normal raised position, a position with the second projection of each drop-wire disposed immediately beneath the normal path of travel of the sheet of warp yarns and a position with the first projection disposed immediately beneath the normal path of travel of the sheet of warp yarns, means for adjustably rotating said contact bar, and the eccentricity of said contact bar being such that the contact bar may be moved clear of the free ends of the tail portions whereby said contact bar may be positioned to hold the tail portions in engagement with the shifting rod as the support blocks are moved to said low position to facilitate free manipulation of the warp yarns, then said first projections on the drop-wires may be raised with said support blocks to said intermediate position, the drop-wires along with the support blocks shifted laterally to one side of the normal path of the individual yarns, the blocks raised to the 0 high position to raise the second projections on the dropwires to where said yarns will extend through the thread guide notches and then the drop-wires may be shifted back to their normal position for normal operation of the machine as the contact bar is positioned in spaced relation beneath said tail portions and, also, whereby said contact bar may be positioned so as to permit any of the drop-wires which do not engage a warp yarn to swing to inactive position and thereafter moved to a position in spaced relation beneath the tail portions of the drop-wires to close an electrical circuit passing through the contact bar and the pivot shaft upon a warp yarn having less than normal tension therein.

7. In a machine having a sheet of warp yarns passing therethrough; the combination of a contact pivot shaft spaced beneath and extending laterally of the path of travel of said Warp yarns, a plurality of drop-wires pivotally mounted intermediate their ends on said pivot shaft, each of said drop-wires having a head portion and a tail portion disposed on the opposite side of the pivot shaft from the head portion, a contact bar normally spaced beneath the tail portions of the drop-wires, each head portion having a pair of closely spaced ears thereon, namely, a first ear and a second car, defining a thread guide notch therebetween through which a corresponding yarn normally passes whereby, upon a yarn having less than normal tension therein, the head portion is permitted to move upwardly thereby permitting the tail portion to move downwardly, by gravity, into engagement with the contact bar, said first ear extending upwardly beyond the upper edge of the second ear, means for effecting relative movement between the drop-wires and the yarns in a plane substantially perpendicular to the path of travel of the yarns whereby the head portions of the drop-wires may be positioned alternately with both ears thereof beneath the level of the warp yarns and with the first ear above the level of the warp yarns and with both ears extending above the level of the warp yarns, and means for effecting relative movement between the yarns and the drop-wires transversely of the normal path of travel of said yarns to facilitate threading the warp yarns through the thread guide notches in the head portions of said drop-wires.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 808,417 Whitney Dec. 26, 1905 1,942,524 Welch et a1. Jan. 9, 1934 20 2,010,928 Quick Aug. 13, 1935

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