US2777169A - Noguera - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 15, 1957 J. NOGUERA 2,777,169

DRAFTING MECHANISMS FOR TEXTILE FIBRES Filed Jan. 19, 1953 United States Patent DRAFTING MECHANISMS FOR TEXTHJE FIBRES Joseph Noguera,Salford, Manchester, England, assignor to Casablancas High Draft Company Limited, Salford, Manchester, England, a British company Application January 19, 1953, Serial No. 331,867

Claims priority, application Great Britain January 30, 1952 7 Claims. (Cl. 19-135) This invention relates to drafting mechanisms for textile fibres of the kind employing a number of drafting systems arranged side by side and each composed of consecutive roller pairs, the top rollers of adjoining systems being carried and weighted from the centre by an arm pivoted at the rear of the mechanism and incorporating a weighting saddle assembly which engages intermediate necks between the aforesaid top rollers.

With such mechanisms it is very desirable that provision be made for raising the front top roller of any particular system whilst weighting pressure is maintained on the other top rollers of the system. This is important because there is much more likelihood of the fibres lapping around the front top rollers than around the other rollers and, if the front top rollers can be raised independently, these roller laps can be removed Without disturbing the rest of the drafting mechanism and the flow of fibres through the much slower moving preceding rollers or endless bands.

One of the main objects of the present invention is to simplify the manipulation of roller weighting and carrying arms in drafting mechanisms by providing satisfactory means for raising and retaining in the raised position the front top roller of such mechanisms so that the operators task is made very much easier than hithereto. Another main object is to use the same device for retaining inside the roller weighting arm all the actual weighting mechanism while at the same time enabling it to be removed easily from the arm when this becomes necessary for purposes of repair or adjustment.

There are a number of known methods for releasing the weight on the front top rollers of drafting arrangements with conventional methods of weighting, and enabling these rollers to be removed whilst the weight on the remaining rollers is maintained. Such an arrangement is described in United States Patent No. 2,548,232 where the front saddle is pushed backwards and raised so that it comes to rest engaging in a notch on the back saddle. Another method of achieving the same object is illustrated in United States patent application No. 297,090 of 1952 in which, when the finger piece on the end of the front saddle is raised, a small pawl engages in a notch on the saddle and retains it in the raised position. By lifting the front of the saddle again slightly and depressing the front end of the pawl, the saddle can be restored to its operative position. Methods which have hitherto been suggested for use on roller weighting arms having suffered from various disadvantages, such as necessitating one hand of the operator being fully occupied in holding the roller in the raised position.

According to the present invention there is provided a drafting mechanism of the kind specified wherein the front top rollers of adjoining drafting systems are carried and weighted by a front saddle pivotally mounted on the arm in such manner that the said saddle and top rollers can be raised in relation to the arm by turning the saddle about its pivot against the weighting pressure, manually releasable catch means being provided for automatically retaining the saddle in its raised position on the arm.

Patented Jan. 15, 1957 According to a further aspect of the invention a catch member, having two separate pin engaging positions spaced one above the other, is pivoted on the saddle and is spring urged against a co-operating pin on the arm so that a part of the catch member between said engaging positions bears on the pin when the arm and saddle are in their normal working positions, the arrangement being such that, if the front saddle is lifted about its pivot from the said working position, the lower engaging position of the catch member will automatically be moved into engagement with the pin, to retain the saddle in a raised position in relation to the arm, whilst, if the arm is lifted about the arm pivot from said working position, the saddle will drop down in relation to the arm and the upper engaging position of the catch member will automatically move into engagement with the pin, to limit said downward movement of the saddle, the catch member being manually releasable from both lower and upper engaging positions, in the first case to return the front saddle to its working position and, in the second case, to remove the saddle from the arm.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect one embodiment thereof will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a cross-sectional elevation through a drafting mechanism, showing a weighting arm in the operative or weighting position and partially broken away to expose a catch means in accordance with the invention, the bottom rollers of the mechanism being indicated diagrammatically in chain-dotted lines and some conventional parts of the mechanism having no bearing on the invention being omitted.

Figure 2 shows the front part of the mechanism in accordance with Figure l, the arm being retained in its weighting or operative position but the front top rollers being shown in a raised and unweighted position, and

Figure 3 again shows the front part of the mechanism according to Figure 1 but with the arm pivoted into a raised or inoperative position in which weighting pressure is relieved from all the top rollers.

In the illustrated embodiment, the invention is applied to a weighting and carrying arm composed of spaced side plates 1 and a cover portion 2 which closes the space between the upper and end edges of the plates 1. In accordance with known practice, the rear end of the arm is pivoted between spaced parallel bracket plates 3 which form part of a bracket assembly. This assembly is clamped on a bar 4 fixed at the rear of the drafting mechanism. Appropriate catch means, not shown, are also provided respectively on the arm and bracket assembly for holding down the arm in its operative or weighting position. The forward end of the arm, i. e. the end remote from the pivotal mounting, is arranged to overlie the intermediate necks 5, 6 and 7 between the top rollers of adjoining drafting systems in the mechanism, each such system being composed of three consecutive roller pairs 5a, 6a and 7a.

Incorporated partially between the arm side plates 1 is a saddle assembly which includes a front saddle '8 and a separate rear saddle 9. The front saddle 8 is intended to Weight and carry the top rollers of the front roller pairs 5a in the adjoining systems and, to this end, the saddle 8 is arranged to engage over and grip the intermediate neck 5 between these top rollers. The saddle 8 is formed with an upper part 8a which is extended rearwardly to provide an elongated lever 10 which lies on edge between the side plates 1 of the weighting arm and substantially parallel thereto. The lever 10 has a downwardly directed slot lila at its rear extremity and opening into the under edge of the lever, this slot being arranged to receive a pivot pin 11 which is fixed between the arm side plates 1 a little behind the rear drafting roller pairs 70 and substantially parallel to the axes thereof. The pin 11 thus forms a pivot for the saddle 3 from which the saddle can be released by lifting the slot 18a in the lever clear of the pin.

The rear saddle 9 is intcnded to apply weighting pres sure to the top rollers of the middle and rear roller pairs 6a and 7a in the adjoining systems and, to this end the saddle 9 is shaped to bridge the roller necks 6 and 7 and also to engage over and grip these necks as shown. The rear saddle 9 has an upper part 9a formed with an opencnded longitudinal groove which opens into the top surfaces of the saddle upper part 90 to receive the lever 10. From the base of the groove a slot opens downwardly through the body of the saddle 9 and into the under surface of this saddle between the parts which engage respective roller necks 6 and 7. This slot is provided with a transverse pin 12 which is embraced by fingers ltlc formed on a downwardly directed extension on the under edge of the lever It), which extension projects into the aforesaid slot.

Upstanding lugs 9b are formed approximately centrally on the upper face of the saddle part 9a, one lug being located on each side of the aforesaid longitudinal groove, and a roller 13 is carried between these lugs. This roller 13 thus bridges the lever 18 and is positioned well clear of the upper edge of the lever which latter has a recessed part beneath the roller.

Arranged to bear downwardly on the periphery of the roller 13 is one end of a weight transmitting lever 14. The opposite end of this lever 14- provides a bearing for the upper ends of two coil springs 15 the lower ends of which bear downwardly on the top of the front saddle 8. Intermediate the length of the lever 14 is provided an upwardly directed slot 16 which opens into the upper edge of the lever and engages a fixed pivot 17 secured between the arm side plates 1.

It should be understood that the foregoing saddle assembly has been described only by way of example and to aid the understanding of the invention. The saddle assembly, however, forms no part of the present invention nor is it intended to limit the invention to use with such an assembly.

The front saddle 8 is provided with a forward extension or finger piece 18, which has a longitudinally extending slot 18a therein and which projects beyond the arm in a readily accessible position for purposes of manipulating the saddle. Mounted on the front saddle 8 immediately behind and above the finger-piece 18 is a hook-like catch 19. This catch 19 is arranged to pivot on a transverse pin 20 between two cheeks 8b at the leading end of the front saddle upper part 8a. The catch 19 is influenced by a spring 21 whereby a straight rear edge part 1% of the catch is held bearing against a transverse pin 22, when the arm is in its normal working position with the front rollers weighted as shown in Figure 1. The pin 22, mounted behind the catch 19, is secured between the arm side plates 1.

Projecting rearwardly from the upper end of the catch rear edge 1% is a hooked extension 19!) which overlies and is spaced above the pin 22 when the mechanism is in the aforesaid working position. The lower end of the catch. rear edge 19a is formed with a recess 190 which opens towards the pin 22 and is located below and. slightly in front of the latter in the working position of the mechanism. In practice, the distance of the hooked part 19b of the catch member above the pin is substantially equal to the distance of the recess 19c below the pin. Projecting forwardly from the lower end of the catch member 19 is a thin extension 23 which can enter the slot 18a in the saddle extension 18.

When the mechanism is operating, the catch member 19 is, as aforesaid, positioned with an intermediate part of its straight rear edge 19:: held against the pin 22 under the action of the spring 21 and, in this position of the catch member, the forward extension 23 thereof lies in a relatively inaccessible position in the slot 18a of the saddle extension 18, the upper edge of the extension 23 being then substantially flush with the upper edge of the extension 18. If now it is desired to relieve the weight on the top rollers of the front roller pairs 5a, whilst maintaining the weighting pressure on the rollers pairs 6a and 7a, all that is necessary is to pull upwards on the forward saddle extension 18 so that the saddle 8 is lifted, the saddle lever 10 being turned about its pivot 11. The arm, during this movement of the front saddle, is held down in the weighting position by suitable retaining means. The upward movement of the saddle 8 causes rear edge 19a of the catch 19 to ride up over the fixed pin 22 until the recess 19c engages the pin. This engagement is brought about by the action of the spring 21 which tends to turn the catch 19 about its pivot 20 in a clockwise direction as viewed in the drawings. Once the pin 22 has entered the recess on the catch, the saddle 8 and its associated top rollers are retained in a raised position in relation to the weighting arm, as shown in Figure 2, whilst the weighting pressure on the top rollers of the middle and rear roller pairs 6a and 7a is maintained. and the attached top rollers are hung on the arm in a raised position, the arm remaining substantially in its normal working position. With such an arrangement, the operator then has both hands available to carry out any maintenance or adjustment that may be necessary, the raising operation requiring only one hand for a very limited period.

In the raised position of the saddle 8 as aforesaid, the forward extension 23 of the catch 19 extends above the saddle projection 18 as shown. If then it is desired to return the saddle 8 and associated top rollers to the working weighted position, all that is necessary is to lift on the saddle extension 18 slightly, to relieve the weight on the pin 22, and then to depress the catch extension 23. This depression of the catch extension 23 serves to pivot the catch in an anti-clockwise direction as viewed in the drawings and moves the recess 190 out i of engagement with the pin 22. If then the saddle extension 18 is released, the saddle and top rollers are free to drop down into their normal working position.

If it is desired to raise the entire weighting arm about its rear pivot as may be necessary for various reasons, the usual means for holding the arm down in the weighting position is first released and the arm can then be lifted about its pivot without further manipulation. During this upward movement of the arm the saddles are free to drop down slightly under their own weight but are prevented from falling completely away from the arm by engagement of the hooked upper end 1% of the catch member 19 over the pin 22. This engagement is illustrated in Figure 3. By means of a single catch member, the invention thus enables the front saddle, when lifted in relation to the arm, to be automatically retained in a raised position and readily lowered therefrom, and also enables the arm to be lifted without the necessity of any manipulation of members to ensure that the saddles do not fall away in the lifted position of the arm.

It will be observed that, when the arm is in the raised position with the upper hook-like extension 1% of the catch engaging the pin 22, the upper edge of the forward catch extension 23 remains flush with the upper edge of the saddle extension 18. If then it is required to release and remove the saddle assembly altogether from the arm, all that is necessary is first to bring the parts into the relative positions shown in Figure 3, thento lift the saddle extension 18 slightly to disengage the hook part 19b of the catch from the pin 22 and finally to move the catch clear of the pin by depressing the catch extension 23 further into the slot 18:: of the saddle extension and thereby turning the catch in an anti-clockwise direction about its pivot. In view, however, of the narrowness of the slot 181:, this further depression of the In effect, the front saddle 8 a extension 23 into the slot can only be effected by an appropriate tool so that a mill-operative, who should not be in a position to remove the saddle assembly from the arm during normal operation, will be prevented or at least discouraged from so doing. Furthermore, there is little or no danger of the saddles being accidentally misplaced or removed from the arm by virtue of the fact that the catch extension 23 is shielded by the slot 18a when the arm and saddles are in the normal working position and when the saddles and arm are in the relative positions shown in Figure 3, which they must occupy before the saddles can be released.

I claim:

1. In a textile fibre drafting mechanism having consecutive top rollers carried and weighted through the intermediary of a top arm adapted to pivot about a fixed axis at the rear of said mechanism between an overlying weighting position and a raised inoperative position, the combination of a front top roller weighting and supporting saddle pivoted at the rear on said arm and adapted for angular displacement relative to said arm in the Weighting position of the latter between a lowered working position and a raised non-operative position, and cooperating manually releasable catch means adapted automatically to inter-engage in the raised nonoperative position of the saddle to retain the latter in said raised position whilst weighting pressure continues to be applied to the rearward top rollers, said catch means including a transverse retaining member secured to said arm above the saddle, an upstanding catch member pivoted on said saddle and spring means adapted to urge said catch member against said transverse retaining member, said catch member having a flat bearing surface located opposite the transverse retaining member in the normal Working position of the saddle and a recess below said surface adapted to engage over the transverse retaining member under said spring influence when the saddle is raised relatively to the arm into the aforesaid non-operative position.

2. A combination as claimed in claim 1 in which the transverse retaining member is positioned on the arm behind said catch member and said flat bearing surface is constituted by a straight rear edge of the said catch member.

3. The combination as claimed in claim 2 in which a rearwardly directed hook like extension is provided at the upper end of said rear edge of the catch member to overlie said transverse retaining member and, in cooperation With said transverse retaining member, to limit the permitted downward angular displacement of the saddle in relation to said arm when the latter is raised to its said inoperative position.

4. A combination as claimed in claim 3 in which said saddle is provided with a forwardly projecting finger piece to facilitate manipulation of the saddle.

5. A combination as claimed in claim 4 in which said catch member is provided with a forward extension whereby said catch member can be manually turned about its pivot for disengagement from said transverse retaining member.

6. A combination as claimed in claim 5 in which said forward extension on the catch member is arranged to enter a slot in said saddle finger piece from which it projects only when the transverse retaining member is engaged in the catch member recess, the arrangement being designed to facilitate manual release of the catch member from the lower engaging position Whilst manual release of the catch member from the upper engaging position can only be achieved by depressing said catch member extension within said slot.

7. In a textile fibre drafting mechanism having consecutive roller pairs and an overlying top arm which is pivotable between Working and raised positions and incorporates a saddle assembly for carrying and weighting the top rollers of said pairs, the combination of a separate front top roller saddle adapted to pivot about a rearward axis on said arm to enable said front top roller to be lifted with the saddle away from the drafting field and into a raised non-weighting position, whilst the arm is in the working position and weighting pressure continues to be applied to the preceding roller pairs, and conversely to permit said saddle to drop downwardly in relation to the arm for purposes of dismantling in the raised position of said arm, and co-operating manually releasable catch means provided respectively on said arm and saddle and adapted for automatic inter-engagement to retain the said front saddle in said raised non-weighting position and, alternatively, to limit downward displacement of the saddle in relation to the arm during raising of the latter.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,072,452 Hughes Mar. 2, 1937 2,353,338 Hess July 11, 1944 2,508,964 Naegli Mar. 23, 1950 2,688,162 Solanas Sept. 7, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 880,542 France Mar. 29, 1943

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