US2716781A - Sliver controlled stop motion actuating device - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 6, 1955 J. M. ELLIO'I T ET AL 2,716,781

SLIVER CONTROLLED STOP MOTION ACTUATING DEVICE Filed March 2, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l A H INVENTORS:

JAMES M. [uwrr PICK 2 6265.

BY 'xrw- M ATTORNEY5.

Sept. 6, 1955 J. M. ELLIOTT ET AL 2,716,781

SLIVER CONTROLLED STOP MOTION ACTUATING DEVICE Filed March 2, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS'Z M40155 M. [L/OTT D/cK R. Gzzav.

film-M ATTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 6, 1955 SLIV ER CONTROLLED STOP MOTION ACTUATIN G DEVICE James M. Elliott and Dick R. Green, Raeford, N. C. Application March 2, 1954, Serial No. 413,587

10 Claims. (Cl. 19-165) This invention relates to apparatus for automatically stopping textile machinery in response to abnormal variations in the tension or size of a moving strand or sliver of textile material. The present stop motion actuating device is particularly devised for use with pin drafting machines of a type such as is manufactured by The Warner & Swasey Company, Cleveland 3, Ohio. However, the improved stop motion actuating device may be used with many other types of machines, such as carding machines, drawing frames and the like.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a sensitive mechanism for stopping a textile machine when the material being processed thereby is either above or below a predetermined standard of weight per given length.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved stop motion actuating device for textile sliver processing machines wherein the sliver passes through a trumpet and having means whereby, upon parting of the sliver or the weight of the sliver becoming below a predetermined standard of weight per unit length, the trumpet will complete a circuit to the stop motion of the textile machine for stopping the same and, moreover, upon the sliver being delivered into the trumpet at a faster than normal rate such as to choke the trumpet, as would be the case when the material being delivered is above the predetermined standard of weight per unit length, the trumpet will then also close a circuit to the stop motion of the machine for stopping the same.

Many textile machines, particularly pin drafting machines, each process several strands of sliver simultaneously in the course of which each of the strands of sliver is delivered into a separate coiler or taken up on a separate roll. In such machines, it quite often happens that the processing mechanism for a particular strand of sliver is not used while other sets of such processing devices are used on a particular machine and it is, therefore, another object of this invention to provide means for rendering the improved stop motion actuating device ineifective, when desired, so that it will not stop the machine when a particular strand of sliver is not being passed therethrough and so that another or others of similar stop motion actuating devices may be effective for stopping the machine upon the strand of sliver passing therethrough becoming parted or varying either above or below a predetermined standard of weight per unit length.

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 schematic elevation showing the preferred form of improved stop motion actuating device interposed between a set of delivery rolls and a take-up mechanism with a strand of textile material passing therebetween;

Figure 2 is an enlarged front or discharge end elevation of the improved stop motion actuating device removed from the textile machine showing the parts thereof in the normal position occupied during which a strand of sliver of proper weight is passing through the trumpet thereof and looking at the left-hand side of the device in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view looking at the left-hand side of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the stop motion actuating device recoved from the textile machine;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 55 in Figure 2;

Figure 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially along line 66 in Figure 2, showing the trumpet in elevation and in the position occupied thereby during normal operation of the machine;

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view similar to Figure 6, but showing the trumpet in section and in the position occupied thereby upon the strand of sliver being parted or unduly slackened and in which position the trumpet causes actuation of the conventional stop motion of the textile machine;

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 7, but wherein the trumpet is shown in the position occupied thereby when the strand of sliver is fed into the trumpet at a faster than normal rate or, in other words, when the weight of the strand of sliver per unit length is above the predetermined standard;

Figure 9 is a sectional plan view taken substantially along line 9-9 in Figure 6 showing, in particular, the means for urging the trumpet rearwardly or away from the direction of travel of the strand of sliver under prede termined pressure.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, there is shown schematically in Figure 1 a textile machine of a type for processing textile strands or ropes of textile material or slivers, only one of which is shown and which is generally designated at S. The improved stop motion actuating device is broadly designated at 10 and is fixed on a transverse frame member 11 grounded at 9. Spaced rearwardly from the stop motion actuating device 10 is a pair of feed rolls 12 and 13 which are driven in opposite directions for advancing or delivering each strand S into and through each corresponding stop motion actuating device 10.

The strand S then passes downwardly at an angle through a suitable guide 14 and passes between a pair of suitably driven take- up rolls 15, 16 and, in this instance, the strand of sliver S is then taken up on a suitable take-up roll 17. The rolls 15 and 16 are also in the equivalent of a coiler mechanism of usual construction which, if used, may feed the sliver S into the usual can.

The textile machine is provided with a conventional electrically operable stop motion which is shown schematically in Figure l in the form of a normally deenergized solenoid coil 20 which surrounds a core 21 pivotally connected to an arm 22 having suitable connections thereon, not shown, for stopping the textile machine upon energization of the coil 20. One end of solenoid coil 20 has a wire or conductor 24 extending therefrom whose other end is connected to the improved stop motion actuating device in a manner to be later described. The outer end of the coil 20 has a wire or conductor 25 extending therefrom to one side of a secondary coil of a transformer 26 which secondary coi is grounded at 27.

The primary coil of the transformer 26 has opposite ends of lead wires or conductors 30, 31 connected thereto whose other ends are connected to opposite sides of a plug 32 adapted to be connected to a suitable source of alternating current, not shown. The stop motion heretofore described is merely exemplary of many different types of electrically operated stop motions and is shown by way of illustration only. The textile machine as thus far described is of the general nature of a pin drafting machine such as is manufactured by The Warner & Swasey Company, Cleveland 3, Ohio, but, of course, the improved stop motion actuating device may be used in association with many other types of machines or any type of machine wherein one or more strands are fed through the machine and taken up as they leave the machine and wherein it is desired that the stop motion is actuated in the event of the weight per unit length of the sliver S varying above or below a predetermined amount.

The improved stop motion actuating device 10 com prises a fixed member, block or housing which is preferably provided with a flange 41 on its lower portion adapted to rest upon and be secured to the frame member 11 as shown in Figure 1. The flange 41 preferably has holes 42 therein (Figures 4 and 9) for the reception of screws 43 for securing the housing 40 to the frame member 11. The housing 40 has a longitudinally extending or substantially horizontally disposed relatively large bore or hole 44 therethrough (Figures 2, 6, 7, 8 and 9) in which the stem or shank, designated broadly at 45, of a trumpet broadly designated at 46 is loosely mounted.

It should be noted that the external diameter of the shank 45 of the trumpet 46 is substantially less than the internal diameter of the bore 44 so the shank 45 may float in bore 44. The rear or ingress end of the trumpet 46 has an enlarged head portion or flange 47 integral therewith which normally engages a pair of laterally spaced or substantially diametrically opposed detents or spring-pressed pins 50, 51 mounted for forward and rearward movement in the block 40. The detents 50, 51 are preferably disposed slightly above the horizontal plane of the axis of said trumpet 46 or on the opposite side of the plane of the axis of the trumpet relative to the direction at which the sliver is diverted as it is drawn from the discharge end of the trumpet.

Each of the detents 50, 51 has an enlarged head portion 52 thereon mounted for longitudinal movement in a corresponding bore 53 provided in the block or housing 40. Also disposed in each bore 53 is a compression spring 54, one end of which engages the corresponding head portion 52 and the other end of which is engaged by an adjustment screw 55 threadably mounted in the block or housing 40 The medial portion of the shank 45 of the trumpet, 46 is provided with a pair of spaced peripheral grooves, or notches 56, 57 which define an enlarged annular portion or ridge 60 therebetween. The peripheral groove or notch 57 is spaced from the front or discharge end of the stem or shank 45 and thereby defines an enlarged annular portion 61 on the front end of the shank 45. The trumpet 46 has a longitudinally extending tapered bore 62 therethrough whose large end may also be termed as the rear or ingress end and whose small end may also be termed as the discharge, egress or front end of the tapered bore 62.

When the detents 50, 51 are not abnormally depressed, it is preferable that the front or egress end of the shank 45 of the trumpet 46 is substantially flush with the corresponding end surface of the block or housing 40. When the sliver or strand S is under proper tension and is of proper weight or density per unit length as it passes through the trumpet 46, the shank 45 rests upon the bottom of the bore 44, the enlarged portion 61 being held against the bottom of the bore 44, as shown in Figure 6, due to the downward movement of the strand S as it leaves the discharge end of the tapered bore 62 under proper tension.

It should be noted, therefore, that it is preferable that the strand or sliver S is diverted from a straight path as it leaves the small or discharge end of the tapered bore 62 in the trumpet 46 so that the strand or sliver S will normally depress a detent or plunger 64 (Figures 6, 7 and 8) and maintain the enlarged portion 61 of the shank 45 against the bottom of the bore 44. The spring plunger or detent 64 is mounted for vertical sliding movement in the housing 40 and has an enlarged lower or inner end portion 65 thereon which is mounted for radial sliding movement relative to the bore 44 in a bore 66 provided in the housing 40. The enlarged portion 65 of the plunger 64 engages one end of a compression spring 67 disposed in the bore 66 whose other end engages a set screw or adjustment screw 70 threadably embedded in the lower portion of the housing or block 40 as shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8.

Upon the strand or sliver S becoming unduly slack or the weight per unit length thereof dropping below a predetermined standard or upon the strand or sliver S being parted, the detent or plunger 64 then urges the enlarged portion 61 of the shank 45 into engagement with a contact element such as a bar, electrode or rod 71 which is partially disposed in the bore 44 and is normally spaced from the enlarged portion 61 of the shank 45 of the trumpet 46.

The inner portion of the electrode or contact element 71 is loosely disposed in a bore 72 provided therefor in the housing 40 thereby providing an air insulator between the electrode 71 and housing 40, since the housing 40 is preferably made from cast iron, aluminum alloy, steel or some other electrically conductive material. The electrode or contact element 71 extends from right to left in Figure 2 and passes through a substantially rectangular cavity or recess provided in one side of the block or housing 40, and the outer end of the electrode, contact pin or contact element 71 is fixed in an insulation block or plate 74 carried by the block 40.

In this instance, the insulation block or plate 74 is fitted in a suitable recess 75 in one side of the block or housing 4-0 and this insulation block or plate 74 is fixed to the block 40 by any suitable means, such as screws 76. It will be observed in Figures 2, 3, 5 and 9 that the contact pin or electrode 71 also penetrates a stationary bus bar or contact strip 77 adhesively or otherwise secured to the inner surface of the insulation plate 74. The bus bar or contact strip 77 extends downwardly at an angle in Figure 5 and is also penetrated by a second contact element, electrode, contact bar or pin 80 fixed in the insulation plate 74. It should be noted that the first pin or electrode 72 is partially disposed in the bore 44 and is disposed substantially tangent relative to the periphery of the enlarged portion 61 of the shank 45. The second electrode or contact pin 80 is disposed substantially radially of the axis of the shank 45 of the trumpet 46.

The second contact pin or electrode 80 extends inwardly through the cavity or recess 73 and loosely extends through an opening or bore 81 provided in the block or housing 40 and the inner end of the second electrode 80 terminates in closely spaced relation to the periphery of the annular groove, recess or notch 57 in the shank 45 of the trumpet 46.

Also, it will best be observed in Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9 that the enlarged intermediate portion 60 of the shank 45 of the trumpet 46 is normally spaced to one side of the inner end of the second contact pin or electrode 81. The second contact pin or electrode 81 is provided for actuating the stop motion, including the solenoid coil 20 (Figure 1) in the event of the strand or sliver S choking the tapered bore 62 or bunching therein as shown in Figure 8 and as will be more clearly described later in this context.

Referring again to Figures 2, 3, 5 and 9, it will be observed that the bus bar 77 has an off-set rigid portion 82 on one end thereof which is spaced inwardly from the insulation plate 74 and is adapted to, at times, be engaged by one end of a leaf spring contact arm, switch arm or bar 83 which end is disposed between the off-set portion 82 of the bus bar 77 and the insulation plate 74. The end of the leaf spring switch arm or bar 83 is fixed to a terminal or pin 84 which pin 84 holds the switch arm 83 against the insulation plate 74. The pin 84, which is necessarily of electrically conductive material, is suitably fixed in the insulation block 74 and the end of the wire 24 remote from the solenoid coil (Figure l) is connected to the terminal or pin 84 by any suitable means such as a screw 86 threadably embedded in the terminal 84.

The outer surface of the leaf spring switch arm 83, that is, the surface adjacent the insulation block 74 and opposite from the extension 82 of the bus bar 77, is engaged by one end of an adjustment screw 87 which threada ably penetrates the insulation block 74. Thus, by turning the adjustment screw 87 in either direction, the corresponding end of the left spring switch arm 83 may be moved into and out of engagement with the extension 82 on the bus bar 77 to make or break contact between the wire 24 and the bus bar 77.

Now, it is to be understood that the discharge or egress end of the tapered bore 62 in the trumpet 46 is of a predetermined size such as to permit a sliver of a predeter-- mined weight per unit length topass therethrough. Thus, as heretofore stated, upon the sliver S being parted or becoming unduly slack so the weight or density per unit length thereof drops below a predetermined standard (Figure 7), the plunger 64 urges the portion 61 of the trumpet shank 45 against electrode 71 to energize the stop motion (Figure 1). The detents 50, 51 also assist the plunger 64 in rocking the trumpet v 46 to cause the stem 45 to engage electrode 71 upon undue slackness or parting of the sliver S.

In the event of the sliver S being fed into. the large ingress end of the tapered bore 62 at a faster than normal rate, which would cause the weight of the sliver per unit length to be above a predetermined standard, the sliver then forms into a bunch or chokes the tapered bore 62 in the trumpet 46 as shown in Figure 8. Of course, this exerts forward pressure on the wall of the tapered bore 62 and tends to move the trumpet 46 forwardly to depress the detents 50, 51 against the compression springs 54.

Now, the relative positions of the second contact pin or electrode 81 and the shoulder formed at the juncture of the enlarged portion 60 and the annular groove 57 are such that only very slight inward or forward movement of the trumpet 46 moves the enlarged annular portion 60 into engagement with the contact pin or electrode 81. Since both of the electrodes 71, 81 are connected to the bus bar 77, and the block or housing is grounded to the machine frame, it follows, that the circuit will then be completed to the solenoid coil 20 to thereby actuate the conventional stop motion of the machine.

It quite often happens that the increase in the weight of the sliver S per unit length may occur only momentarily or at frequent intervals and the operator of the textile machine may then assume that the textile machine has stopped for some other reason than that of the increase in weight per unit length of the sliver S. As a result, it may happen that the machine will have been restarted several times before the, operator will have detected that the actual cause of the machine stoppage was the result of enlarged places in the sliver S or an increase in the weight per unit length of the sliver S.

Therefore, in order to maintain the enlarged annular portion 60 of the shank of the trumpet 46 in engagement with the second contact pin or electrode 81, once moved to this position by an enlarged or thick place in the strand or sliver S, the shoulder at the juncture of the enlarged portion and the annular groove 56 in the shank 45 of the trumpet 46 is engaged by a spring-pressed locking pin 90 as shown in Figure 8. The inner end of pin 90 normally bears against the periphery of the enlarged portion 60 and is urged into the peripheral notch or groove 56 in the shank 45 of the trumpet 46 by a compression spring 91 which is disposed in a cavity or bore 92 in the block or housing 40.

The compression spring 91 also surrounds the medial portion of the locking pin and one end thereof bears against an abutment 93 fixed to the pin 90. The other or upper end of the compression spring 91 (Figures 6, 7 and 8) bears against the lower surface of a screw or externally threaded bushing 94 threadably mounted in the upper end of the cavity 92, which screw is slidably penetrated by the locking pin 90. The upper end of the locking pin 90 has an enlarged portion or head thereon which is preferably knurled to enable an operator to grasp the head 95 of the locking pin 90 for releasing the locking pin 90 from engagement with the shoulder at the juncture of the enlarged portion 60 and the peripheral groove 56 of the shank 45.

As heretofore stated, upon an abnormal amount of the sliver entering the tapered bore 62 in the trumpet 46, suflicient to cause the trumpet 46 to depress the detents 50, 51, the annular portion 60 on the shank 45 moves into engagement with the second contact pin or electrode 81 to close the circuit to the solenoid coil 20 (Figure 1). As the enlarged portion 60 moves into engagement with the second contact pin or electrode 81, the lower'end of the locking pin 90 is so spaced from the second contact pin or electrode 81 that it will drop into the notch or peripheral groove 56 in the shank 45 to thereby maintain the enlarged portion 60 in engagement with the contact pin 81 until the operator again raises the locking pin 90 in order to permit the detents 50 and 51 to again move the trumpet 46 outwardly to operative position.

Thus, the locking pin 90 insures that the machine cannot be started when the enlarged portion 60 has once moved into engagement with the second contact pin or electrode 81. It is apparent that it is unnecessary to provide means for locking the enlarged front end portion 61 of the shank 45 in engagement with the first contact pin or electrode 71, since the shank 45. is urged against the first electrode or pin 71 by the plunger 64 While, on the other hand, the detents 50 and 51 urge the enlarged portion 60 away from the second contact pin or electrode 81 imme diately upon a thickened place in the sliver S having passed through the trumpet 46 and, of course, this is prevented by the locking pin 90 thereby insuring that the condition of the strand or sliver S is corrected before the machine can again be started.

Most drafting machines, pin drafting machines in particular, process several strands simultaneously and one of the improved stop motion actuating devices would be used for each strand. In this instance, the wire 24 from the terminal 84 of each stop motion actuating device is connected with the coil 20 so that, upon any one or more of the strands varying above or below the standard of weight per unit length for which the discharge end of the corresponding tapered bore 62 is designed, the machine is stopped. If, for any reason, one or more of a series of such stop motion actuating devices is not being used, as may often be the case, the operator merely turns the screw 87 on the corresponding stop motion actuating device or devices so the contact arm 83 is moved out of contact with the extension 82 on the contact strip or bus bar 77.

Although the two electrodes 71, 81 contemplated, within the scope of this invention, to so position a single electrode that it will normally be spaced from said trumpet, but will be engaged by the shank 45 upon the weight of the sliver either greater or less than the predetermined standard established by the size of the egress end of the tapered bore 62 and the resilient pressure exerted on the trumpet 46 by the detents or plungers 50, 51 and 64.

To this end, the electrode 71 can extend into a peripheral groove in the stank 45 sufliciently proximate to the periphery of said groove to be engaged thereby upon the sliver S being parted or becoming unduly slackened, and one Wall of the latter groove could be so disposed as'to engage the electrode upon moving forwardly as a result are shown, it is per unit length being 7 of the sliver choking the tapered bore 62. Since the two electrodes 71, 81 cooperate in essentially the manner last described, a detailed illustration and description thereof is deemed unnecessary.

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.

We claim:

1. An improved textile-sliver-controlled circuit maker and breaker comprising a trumpet having a substantially axial tapered bore therethrough through which the silver passes and wherein the sliver is withdrawn from the small end of said bore in a direction substantially radially of said bore, a fixed element having a cavity therein of sub stantially greater dimensions than the trumpet and in which said trumpet is at least partially disposed whereby the trumpet is normally maintained in engagement with one surface of said fixed element by the radial pull of said sliver against the corresponding surface of said tapered bore, an electrode carried by and insulated from said fixed element and projecting into the cavity, said electrode and said trumpet being adapted to be interposed in an electrical circuit, and means urging said trumpet toward said electrode whereby, upon said sliver becoming unduly slackened, the trumpet is moved into contact with said electrode to close the circuit.

2. An improved textile-sliver-controlled circuit maker and breaker comprising a trumpet having a substantially axial tapered bore therethrough through which the sliver passes and wherein the sliver is withdrawn from the small end of said bore in a direction substantially radially of said bore, a fixed element having a cavity therein of substantially greater dimensions than the trumpet and in which said trumpet is at least partially disposed whereby the trumpet is normally maintained in engagement with one surface of said fixed element by the radial pull of said sliver against the corresponding surface of said tapered bore, an electrode carried by and insulated from said fixed element and projecting into the cavity, said electrode and said trumpet being adapted to be interposed in an electrical circuit, means urging said trumpet toward said electrode whereby, upon said sliver becoming unduly slackened, the trumpet is moved into contact with said electrode to close the circuit, and manually operable means interposed in one side of said circuit for rendering said trumpet ineffective in closing said circuit when it contacts said electrode.

3. An improved textile-sliver-controlled circuit maker and breaker for a machine having means for feeding and withdrawing said sliver comprising a trumpet having a substantially axial tapered bore therethrough through which the sliver passes in its course between the feeding and withdrawing means, a fixed element having a cavity therein in which said trumpet is at least partially loosely disposed, an electrode carried by and insulated from said fixed element and projecting into the cavity, said electrode and said trumpet being adapted to be interposed in an electrical circuit, means urging said trumpet away from said electrode toward the feeding means whereby, upon said sliver becoming unduly enlarged and thereby choking said tapered bore, the trumpet is moved into contact with said electrode to close the circuit, and manually operablemeans interposed in one side of said circuit for rendering said trumpet ineffective in closing said circuit when it contacts said electrode.

4. An improved textile-sliver-controlled circuit maker and breaker for a machine having means for feeding and withdrawing said sliver comprising a trumpet having a substantially axial tapered bore therethrough through which the sliver passes in its course between the feeding and withdrawing means, a fiXd element haying a cavity therein in which said trumpet is at least partially loosely disposed, an electrode carried by and insulated from said fixed element and projecting into the cavity, said electrode and said trumpet being adapted to be interposed in an electrical circuit, means urging said trumpet away from said electrode toward the feeding means whereby, upon said sliver becoming unduly enlarged and thereby choking said tapered bore, the trumpet is moved into contact with said electrode to close the circuit, and manually releasable means for maintaining the trumpet in contact with said electrode upon such contact initially being established.

5. An improved textile-sliver-controlled circuit maker and breaker for a machine having means for feeding and withdrawing said sliver comprising a trumpet having a substantially axial tapered bore therethrough through which the sliver passes in its course between said feeding and withdrawing means and wherein the sliver is withdrawn from the small end of said bore in a direction substantially radially of said bore, a fixed element having a cavity therein of substantially greater dimensions than the trumpet and in which said trumpet is at least partially disposed whereby the trumpet is normally maintained in engagement with one surface of said fixed element by the radial pull of said sliver against the corresponding surface of said tapered bore, electrical contact means carried by and insulated from said fixed element and projecting into the cavity, said electrical contact means and said trumpet being adapted to be interposed in an electrical circuit, first resilient means urging the end of said trumpet adjacent the withdrawing means toward said contact means under predetermined pressure, second resilient means urging the trumpet toward the feeding means under predetermined pressure whereby, upon said sliver becoming unduly slackened, the trumpet is moved into engagement with said contact means to close the circuit, and said contact means being so arranged as to be engaged by said trumpet upon said sliver becoming enlarged and thereby choking the trumpet to cause the trumpet to move away from the feeding means against said second resilient means.

6. An improved textile-sliver-controlled circuit maker and breaker for a machine having means for feeding and withdrawing said sliver comprising a trumpet having a substantially axial tapered bore therethrough through which the sliver passes in its course between said feeding and withdrawing means and wherein the sliver is withdrawn from the small end of said bore in a direction substantially radially of said bore, a fixed element having a cavity therein of substantially greater dimensions than the trumpet and in which said trumpet is at least partially disposed whereby the trumpet is normally maintained in engagement with one surface of said fixed element by the radial pull of said sliver against the corresponding surface of said tapered bore, electrical contact means carried by and insulated from said fixed element and projecting into the cavity, said electrical contact means and said trumpet being adapted to be interposed in an electrical circuit, first resilient means urging the end of said trumpet adjacent the withdrawing means toward said contact means under predetermined pressure, second resilient means urging the trumpet toward the feeding means under predetermined pressure whereby, upon said sliver becoming unduly slackened, the trumpet is moved into engagement with said contact means to close the circuit, said contact means being so arranged as to be engaged by said trumpet upon said sliver becoming enlarged and thereby choking the trumpet to cause the trumpet to move away from the feeding means against said second resilient means, and manually operable means interposed in one side of said circuit for rendering said trumpet ineffective in closing said circuit when it engages said contact means.

7. An improved textile-sliver-controlled circuit maker and breaker for a machine having means for feeding and withdrawing said sliver comprising a trumpet having a substantially axial tapered bore therethrough through which the sliver passes in its course between said feeding and withdrawing means and wherein the sliver is withdrawn from the small end of said bore in a direction substantially radially of said bore, a fixed element having a cavity therein of substantially greater dimensions than the trumpet and in which said trumpet is at least partially disposed whereby the trumpet is normally maintained in engagement with one surface of said fixed element by the radial pull of said sliver against the corresponding surface of said tapered bore, electrical contact means carried by and insulated from said fixed element and projecting into the cavity, said electrical contact means and said trumpet being adapted to be interposed in an electrical circuit, first resilient means urging the end of said trumpet adjacent the withdrawing means toward said contact means under predetermined pressure, second resilient means urging the trumpet toward the feeding meansunder predetermined pressure whereby, upon said sliver becoming unduly slackened, the trumpet is moved into engagement with said contact means to close the circuit, said contact means being so arranged as to be engaged by said trumpet upon said sliver becoming enlarged and thereby choking the trumpet to cause the trumpet to move away from the feeding means against said second resilient means, and manually releasable means for maintaining said trumpet in engagement with said contact means upon said such engagement being initially established by said movement of the trumpet against the second resilient means away from said feeding means.

8. An improved stop motion actuating device for a P machine having means for feeding and withdrawing a strand of fibrous material, said device comprising a housing having a longitudinal extending bore therethrough, a trumpet having a shank of substantially less diameter than said bore disposed within said bore, said trumpet having a tapered longitudinally extending bore therethrough and into the large end of which said strand of fibrous material is fed and wherein said strand is withdrawn from the small end of said tapered bore in the trumpet at an angle relative to the axis of said tapered bore, resilient means urging the end of said trumpet adjacent the small end of said tapered bore away from the direction in which strand is diverted as it leaves the small end of said tapered bore, second resilient means normally urging said trumpet toward the feeding means, electrical contact means carried by said housing, said contact means being disposed adjacent the periphery of the shank and substantially diametrically opposite said first resilient means, said shank having at least one enlarged intermediate portion normally spaced toward said feeding means relative to said electrical contact means, whereby a strand of uniform size passing through the tapered bore in the trumpet normally maintains the trumpet out of engagement with said contact means and, upon the size of the strand dropping below a predetermined minimum, the first resilient means will move the periphery of the shank into engagement with the contact means and, upon the size of the strand increasing above a predetermined maximum, the enlarged portion on the shank will move into engagement with the contact means.

9. An improved stop motion actuating device comprising a housing having a longitudinally extending bore therethrough, a trumpet having a shank of substantially less diameter than said bore disposed within said bore, said trumpet having av tapered longitudinally extending bore therethrough and into the large end of which a strand of fibrous material is adapted to pass and wherein said strand is withdrawn from the small end of said tapered bore in the trumpet at an angle relative to the axis of said tapered bore, resilient means urging the end of said trumpet adjacent the small end of said tapered bore away from the direction in which strand is diverted as it leaves the small end of said tapered bore, second resilient means normally urging said trumpet toward the direction from whence the strand is moving as it enters said tapered bore in the trumpet, a first and a second electrode, said first electrode being disposed adjacent the periphery of the shank and substantially diametrically opposite said first resilient means, said shank having at least one peripheral groove intermediate its ends defining an enlarged intermediate portion normally spaced adjacent one end of said second electrode and toward the large end of said tapered bore, whereby a strand of uniform size passing through the tapered bore in the trumpet normally maintains the trumpet out of engagement with either of said electrodes and, upon the size of the strand dropping below a predetermined minimum, the first resilient means will move the periphery of the shank into engagement with the first electrode and, upon the size of the strand increasing above a predetermined maximum, the enlarged portion on the shank will move into engagement with the second electrode.

10. In a structure according to claim 9, an insulation plate fixed to said housing and to which said electrodes are secured, a metallic bus bar connected to said electrodes, a terminal spaced from said bus bar and said electrodes and fixed in said plate and having means for securing a conductor thereto, a leaf spring contact member fixed to said terminal and normally biased away from said bus bar, and a hand screw threadably mounted in said plate for moving said leaf spring contact member into and out of engagement with said bus bar.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 876,349 Hathaway Jan. 14, 1908 1,117,489 Hathaway Nov. 17, 1914 2,636,223 De Santis et al Apr. 28, 1953 2,645,822 Cabana July 21, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 5,125 Great Britain of 1903

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