US3001553A - Pick and pick weft replenishing loom - Google Patents

Description

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jtlml l E L I Zmwmn. m .,v 4 .ma mam. F 1 m a l w w ww wm mfom .m i .m w .m f if WLW E .IL L T TK El Sept. 26, 1961 w. E. KIMMEL PICK AND PICK wEFT REPLENISHING LooM 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Deo. 9, 1955 INVENTOR WILLIAM E. KIMMEL @gu/ @TM ATTORNEY W2 IND.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 W. E. KIMMEL I wl El B2 i B2 TRANS. :E2:

PICK AND PICK WEFT REPLENISHING LOOM B1 TRANS.

Septyzs, 1961 Filed Dc. 9. 1955 fFlc-1.15

w1 TRANS.

United States Patent C f' This is a continuation in part of my copending applica tion Serial No. 483,304, led January 2.1, 1955, now abandoned.

In my copending applications Serial Nos. 389,548, now t abandoned, and 425,138, now Patent 2,781,792, issued February 19, 1957, there are shown looms for Weaving two colors pick and pick wherein at least one blank pick is required for each shuttle during the replenishing period. When 1 x l 2-color pick and pick only is being woven there will be one blank beat for the regularly recurring replenishing periods of each shuttle, but when the loom is used to weave 2 x 2, such as glen plaid, two successive blank beats occur for each replenishing period. As `a result of the blank picks it is not possible to obtain 100% production although by having the replenishing operations occur at sufficiently spaced intervals a production rate of over 90% can be obtained. lt is an important object of the present invention to provide means by which a theoretical 100% production rate is possible for weaving 12 X21, or for weaving of a fabric combining 1 X 1 and As shown in the aforesaid applications only two shuttles lare used so that a gang of two shuttle boxes at the replenishing end and another gang of two boxes at the opposite end of the loom will suflice. These two gangs are controlled by two rows of rolls in the control chain, and because of the blank picks it is necessaril to make provision by another row of rolls in the control chain for suspending operation of the weft stop motion and the takeup mechanism during the blank beats; and still another row of rolls in the chain determines the beats of the loom on which the weft detector can be allowed to indicate weft exhaustion. The looms shown in those applications have a still further row in the control chain to position the color selector on the reserve bobbin magazine.

As shown hereinafter the 100% production previously mentioned is obtained by the use of four shuttles forming two pairs, one pair having weft of one color and the other pair having weft of another color. To accommodate these shuttles the lay is provided with three shuttle boxes at the magazine end and four shuttle boxes at the opposite end. These additional shuttle boxes require two more rows of rolls on the control chain than are required by the looms shown in said applications. The 100% production will make unnecessary the row of rolls assigned in said aforesaid applications to the weft stop motion and the takeup, but there would still remain the necessity for the row of rolls for the weft detector control unless some provision were made by which this row could be eliminated. In looms of the 4type to which the invention relates it is necessary to prevent the weft detector from initiating a weft replenishing operation on certain beats of the loom, this result having been accomplished in the aforesaid applications by preventing the weft detector from indicating weft exhaustion.

It is another important object of the invention to` prevent the weft detector from initiating a weft replenishing operation whenever necessary by moving the color selec- -tor of the weft replenishing mechanism to a neutral position so that even though the detector indicates weft exhaustion such indication cannot initiate a replenishing operation. The movement of the color selector slide to a and cannot be shifted down to picking position.

3,00L553 Patented Sept. 26, 1961 neutral position is eifected by that row of rolls in the control chain assigned to the color slide and it istherefore possible to eliminate the row of rolls previously assigned to the weft detector. With the elimination of `the rows of rolls heretofore needed for the weft stop motion and takeup and also the weft detector there will be room in the chain, without increasing its width, for the additional rows required by the 4 x 3 lay.

The color selector already mentioned is usually in the form of a horizontal slidable member having two ngers which register one at a time with one or another of four vertical slides on the reserve bobbin magazine. As ordinarily made the selector always registers with a vertical slide so that an indication of weft exhaustion by the weft detector always initiates a weft replenishing operation. As provided herein the selector is moved to an additional or neutral nonlifting position in which it is out of register with all of the vertical slides on those beats of the loom when noninitiation of the replenishing operation is required. Two nonlifting positions are shown herein, but it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to these two positions. .1n the preferred form the color selector is moved to a mid-neutral position so that if required to move from that position to register with any of the vertical slides its `amount of motion will be minimal. In the other form the selector is given an additional endwise movement beyond its usual range of movements.

`In the previously-mentioned applications the blank pick when weaving l x 1 is necessary because there is no time in the loom cycle when operating under standard weaving conditions to shift the replenished shuttle down to picking position immediately after the shuttle has been replenished at front center.` The sequence of colors is such that a color corresponding to the replenished shuttle must next be active but since the replenished shuttle cannot be with a resultant streak in the fabric.

In the present instance the blank pick is avoided even though a freshly replenished shuttle is in high position This condition is due to the fact that there is available a second shuttlecarrying the same color of weft as the shuttle in high position either at the opposite end of the loom ready to be picked back to the magazine end in place ofthe same color shuttle which is in high position, or at the magazine end ready to be picked to the opposite end in place of lthe same color shuttle in high position. By

v reason of the two extra shuttles continuous weaving operation can be maintained. lt will also be noted that because of the extra shuttles there is a mixing or blending of the color corresponding to the replenished shuttle and this blending occurs each time a shuttle reaches the point in the box shift sequence when it can be replenished. The invention therefore not only accomplishes continuous production, but also achieves a blending of two shades of the same color at those parts of the box shift sequence near the replenishing points of the sequence.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood reference is made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate by way of example the three embodiments of the invention and in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a loom having the preferred form of the present invention applied thereto,

FIG. 2 is :an enlarged vertical section on line 2--2, FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the weft replenishing mechanism looking in the direction of arrow 3, FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a plan View partly in section showing the color side in its neutral position according to the preferred form of the invention.

FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8 are diagrammatic views similar to FIG. 4 but showing the color slide in registry with the irst, second, third and fourth of the vertical slides of the magazine, respectively,

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but showing the first modified form of the invention in which the color slide is given an additional endwise motion to move it beyond its normal range of movements and out of registry with any of the vertical slides,

FIG. 10 is a plan View of a bobbin such as may be used in the shuttles of the loom showing a reserve bunch somewhat Alarger than that `ordinarily employed in multicolor weft replenishing looms,

FIG. ll is a draft of a control chain for the preferred form of the invention when'the loom is operating automatically with respect to l X l weaving,

FIG. l2 is a diagrammatic View showing successive positions of the shuttle boxes and the four shuttles according to the preferred form of the invention for a sequence of 36 picks When weaving 1 x l and corresponding to those parts of the chain shown in FIG. ll which are assigned to the shuttle box motion,

FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIG. l2 except that it shows a second modication in which a sequence of 40 picks is used for weaving 2 x 2,

FIG. 14 is a ydiagrammatic View showing the difierently sized chain rolls used with the preferred form of invention for controlling lthe color slide,

' FIG. 15 is a view similar to FiG. 14 but shows the rolls for the first modified form of the invention,

FIG. 16 is a diagrammatic view of an electric circuit which can be used in connection with the weft detector and the controller pin which -is part of the means which causes rocking of the color slide when weft exhaustion is indicated.

Referring to FIG. 1, the loom includes the usual frame 1 and operates with a backwardly and forwardly reciprocating lay 2 the right end of which in the present instance is provided with a three-box gang RG compnising upper, -mid and lower shuttle boxes 3, 4 and 5 respectively. The opposite or left-hand end of the loom is provided with a four-box gang LG having shuttle boxes which reading down from the top are designated at 6, 7, 8 and 9 respectively. The positions of these shuttle boxes with respect to the lay is `determined by the pattern mechanism K of the well-known Knowles head type which operates in the usual manner. The gang RG can assume three vertical positions to place any one of its boxes 3 5 in active position aligned with the lay and the gang LG can assume four vertical positions with any one of its boxes 6 9 in active position. The shifting of the shuttle boxes with respect -to the lay generally occurs `when the lay is in the forward part of its reciprocating motion, the shifting period of the shuttle boxes usually beginning when the lay is near its bottom center position before it reaches front center and continuing after front center until the lay nears its top center position.

The loom is also provided with selective picking mechanism so made as to permit picking from either end of the shuttle on any beat of the loom. The shuttle picking is effected by picker sticks l@ and 11 at the righthand and left-hand ends of the loom respectively and right and left- hand cams 12 and 13 respectively are engaged by rolls 14 mounted on supports 15 rotating with ybut slidably along the bottom shaft 16 of the loom.

The position of the supports 15 relative to their respective cams 12 and 13 is determined by levers 17 rockable about stationary pivot supports l18 and under control of an upwardly extending rod `19 the position of which is determined by the pattern mechanism K. The levers 17 are joined by a rod 2t) causing them to move in unison so that when the rolls at the right-hand end of the loom `48 and controlled by the weft detector.

are out of register with the camV 12 the rolls at the opposite end of the loom will bein register with the cam13. v

Under these conditions picking can occur from the lefthand end of the loom. By a shift of rod @picking can bey made to occur from the night-hand end of the loom,

' and shifting of rod 19 can occur on-any beat of the loom outer vertical side plates 2S and 26 respectivelybetween which extend the reserve bobbius. These bobbins are arranged in four stacks which reading front to back, right to left in FIG. 3, are designated at 27, 2S, 29 and 3i), respectively. Each stack is associated with a vertical slide member on plate 25, the slide member for the stacks as previously enumerated being shown respectively at 3i, 32, 33 and 34. The lower ends of these slides cooperate with wellknown bobbin releasing cradles a part 35 of which is shown for the rear pair of slides 33 and 34. These slides are normally down and under the usual mode of operation are raised to initiate a weft replenishing operation whenever the weft detector D indicates weft exhaustion and are later depressed to deliver a bobbin from the associated stack.

The magazine is provided with a color slide 38 or weft replenishing yoperation initiator whichV selects the stack of bobbins from which a reserve bobbin is to be drawn preparatory to its transfer. Slide 3S includes a rod 39 slidable horizontally on the innerplate 25 and operatively'connected to a positioning lever 4d pivoted to a xed stud 41 and urged in a forward direction, to

Ythe right of FIG. 3, by a spring 42. The rod 39 has secured thereto a casting 43 which is provided with front and back slide lifting and depressing ingers 44 and 45 respectively and has a iin 46 for operation in known manner by a lever 47 reciprocated vertically by a rod Rod 48 is cam operated and can reciprocate either every other loom beat as usual, or every beat as set forth in the second of the aforesaid applications. Whenever the weft detector indicates weft exhaustion the color slide 38 is rocked in a counter clockwise direction, FIG. l, tolift any vertical slide which may be registered with one or the other of the fingers 44 and 45. Subsequently the color slide is rocked in the opposi-te direction to lower any previously raised slide registered with one or the other of the fingers to release a bobbin from the associated bobbin stack. The transferrer arm 49 then comes into action to transfer the released bobbin. rhe color slide can complete its rockings in opposite directions in either two beats, or one beat, of the loom, depending upon the cam used with lever 47.

It is usual to have the color slide 38 occupy one or another of four positions, such as the positions shown in FIGS. 5 to 8. In FIG. 5 iinger 44 is in register with slide 31, and in FIG. 6 the finger 44 is in register with slide 32. `In IFIG. 7 finger 45 is in register with slide 33, and in FIG. 8 finger 45 registers with a rear Vertical slide 34.

The detector D may be of the electrically indicating slide-slip type, although the invention is not limited to this kind of feeler. The detector is mounted on a block 50 which rises and falls in a stationary guide 51 actuated by a rod 52'which extends downwardly and is operatively connected to the box lifter rod S3, FIGS. l and 2, for the gang RG. The detector registers with the top shuttle box 3 and rises and falls with vertical shiftings of the gang RG relative to the lay. The detector is in front of the shuttle boxes and as the lay moves forwardly the detector can perform a detecting operation with respect to the weft in any shuttle which may be in box 3. No detecting operation occurs if box 3 is empty.

Most of the matter thus far described is of common d construction and operates in the usual manner except for the fact that the magazine is in a high enough position to permit the gang RG to attain its highest position, and also except for the extent of rise and fall of the detector and the three-cell gang RG. The rising and falling of the detector is common in filling-mixing weft replenishing looms which are equipped with two shuttle boxes under the magazine. Further reference may also be had to my previously-mentioned copending applications for a further understanding of the parts thus far described.

It will be understood that during a part at least of the time of operation of a loom of lthe type to which the invention more particularly relates a shuttle carrying one type of weft, after being active for one pick, is moved out of action and is followed by another shuttle carrying a different type of weft which will be active for one pick only. The loom set forth herein operates with four shuttles, two having weft of one type and two having weft of a different type, and each of these shuttles must occupy box 3 to `be replenished. This result is accomplished by a rotation of )the shuttles with respect to gang RG, but this rotation results in placing a shuttle in the top box 3 of gang RG at times when it cannot properly be replenished, as by the presence of another shuttle under it. A shuttle may, therefore, be in the top box 3 and be empty so that it would normally require replenishmeut and would be capable of giving weft exhaustion, but under conditions in which replenishment must be prevented.

Prevention of replenishment under the conditions just mentioned is effected by preventing the detector from initiating replenishment. This latter result is attained by moving the previously described color slide 38 to a fifth or neutral position as shown for instance in FIG. 4 which sets forth the preferred form of the invention. In FIG. 4 the color slide is so located that neither of its ngers 44 or 45 is in register with any vertical slide, and the detector can therefore indicate weft exhaustion but this indication will not be communicated to the magazine.

The means for determining the position of the color slide includes a lever 56 pivoted in the head K and extending over a row a of indicating rolls of five different sizes in chain CC, FIG. 11. The right-hand end of this lever, FIG. l, is attached to a flexible connector 57 which extends under a sheave 53 and then upwardly for operative attachment to a connector 59 which extends across the loom and around guide sheaves 60 and is then attached as at 6l to the leve-r 40. The row a of rolls under lever 56 will contain four types of rolls all of different sizes for positioning the color selector in one or another of its registering positions shown in FIGS. 5 to 8. The largest of these rolls, indicated at 62, positions `the color slide as shown in FIG. 8 and the smallest roll 63 locates slide 38 as shown in FIG. 5. Rolls 64 and 65 act to place slide as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 respectively. In addition to these four rolls row a also contains a fifth size roll N which is smaller than rolls 62 and 64 but larger than rolls 63 and 65. When a roll N is under lever 55 the color slide 38 will be in the neutral nonregistering or nonlifting position relative to the vertical slides, as shown in FIG. 4, yand the color slide cannot lift any of the vertical slides even though the detector should indicate weft exhaustion.

FIG. 16 shows a form of electric circuit which can be used with the invention. The circuit shown in that figure includes a source 70 of electric power one side of which is connected by wire 7l to one side of a solenoid 72 and the other side of which is connected by wire 73 to a weft detector D. A contact 74 normally out of engagement with the detector is connected by wire '75 to the other side of the solenoid. Within the solenoid is a core in the form of a control pin 76 which is normally held out of the path of the previously described floating lever 47 by spring 77. Lever 47 can have its reciprocating mop tions without causing rocking of the color slide 38 except `on those beats of the loom when the weft detector moves `from the full line nonindicating position to the dotted line indicating position shown in FIG. 16 to close the circuit. When the circuit is thus closed the solenoid will move the controller pin 76 from the nonindicating full line to the indicating dotted line position, FIG. 16, under one end of lever 47 to interrupt its normal idle downward motion to thereby cause rocking of the color slide which will lift its fingers 44 and 4S to initiate a replenishing operation, provided the color slide 38 is; in register with one or another of the vertical slides.

FIG. ll shows a draft of the control chain CC which can be used when the invention is emloyed for weaving 1 x 1 automatically. In FIG. 1l column a includes the previously mentioned rolls which control the longitudinal position of the color slide, columns b and c are assigned to the gang RG, and columns d and e are assigned to gang LG. The column f controls the picking mechanism and determines the vertical position of rod 19. The draft of chain shown in FIG. 11 corresponds to the thirty-six pick shuttle `box sequence shown in FIG. 12.

In FIG. 12 reference characters Bi, B2, W1 and W2 are used to represent shuttles the iirsttwo Vor pair of which may be considered as carrying black weft and the second `two or pair as carrying white weft. The arrows for ,the various positions or picks indicate the direction in which the shuttle in ight between the shuttle box gangs is being picked. 'Ihe shuttle box positions shown in FIG. 12 are those which exist when the lay is on back center and each position of the shuttle box gangs in FIG. 12 and the corresponding bar of the chain in FIG. 1l is represented by the same Roman numeral. The chute '78 for the outgoing bobbins bolted to gang RG, FIG. 2, is omitted in FIGS. l2 `and 13.

It is assumed `that the bobbins` in the reserve bobbin magazine are arranged as follows: The bobbins in stacks 2'7 and 3d correspond to the weft in the pair of shuttles B1 and B2 respectively, that is, they have black weft, and the bobbins in stacks 28 and 29 have White weft corresponding to the weft carried by the pair of shuttles W2 and W1 respectively. The longitudinal position of the color slide shown in FIG. 5 will therefore correspond to shuttle B1 and the positions of the color slide shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 will correspond respectively to shuttles W2, Wl and B2.

It is to be understood that the seq uence shown in FIG. 12 is for illustrative purposes only and is given as one example and that Ithe invention is not necessarily limited to that sequence. Furthermore, it [is assumed that the shuttles will move to positions where they can safely give indication of weft exhaustion resulting in initiation of weft replenishment in the :following order: B1 after position I; W2 after position Xl; W1 after posi- Vtion XIX, and B2 after position XXIX. On the box shifts next following these specified positions the gang RG will move to a high position and remain there for an interval of at least two successive beats of the loom with 'the respective shuttles to be replenished in the top box 3. With respect, therefore, to shuttle B1 a weft detecting operation which is permitted to initiate replenishment will occur after position I indicated in FIG. 12 at B1 Ind., and transfer of a bobbin from stack 27, if called for, will occur between positions II and III, indicated at B1 Trans. This same mode of operation will take place with respect to the other shuttles as indicated at W2 Ind. and W2 Trans., W1 Ind. and

' W1 Trans, and B2 Ind. and B2 Trans., for shuttles W2,

ing operation and this is accomplished by placing thereon, in column a, a neutral roll N so that even if the detector should indicate when the boxes are in position IlI'the color slide will have an idle nonlifting operating or rocking motion with respect to any of the vertical slide members of the magazine and a replenishing operation can therefore not be initiated.

With reference to shuttle W2' it will be seen that if depleted of weft it could cause the detector D to give indication of weft exhaustion when the boxes are in the positions shown either at IX or X, but since shuttle B2 will be in box 4 when the boxes are in position X the path for an outgoing bobbin from shuttle W2 would be blocked and such transfer must therefore be prevented. This is accomplished by having a roll N, in column a, for the chain bars IX and X. The same condition exists at other points in the sequence shown in FIG. 12 and in order to be sure that initiation of transfer cannot occur on a wrong pick all of the rolls in column a will be N except for those beats of the `loom vor positions of the shuttle boxes in which replenishment can properly follow indication of weft exhaustion. From this it will be seen that the time for determining when weft replenishment can safely occur is derived from column a merely by the addition thereto of an additional size of roll which will move the color selector to a neutral nonregistering or nonlifting position and the electric switch shown in the previously-mentioned copending applications can be eliminated and also the column in the chain assigned to it.

The arrows in FIG. l2 indicate the direction of flight of the shuttles and also the side of the loom from which the shuttle for any particular position or loom beat is picked. Column f, see FIG. 11, which controls the slide picking mechanism will have low and high rolls 80 and 81 respectively which effect picking from the left and the right-hand end of the loom respectively. Thus, in bar `I there is a low roll 3@ in column f corresponding to the position of the picking mechanism shown in FIG. 1 to cause picking of shuttle Bl from the left to the righ-t, and on the next beatshown in position II, FIG. 12, when shuttle W1 lis to be picked back to the left this result is accomplished by a high roll 81 on bar II of the chain. The control of the direction of picking throughout the remainder of the pattern repeat is determined by the high and low rolls in column f.

One feature .of the invention apparent from an inspection of FIG'. 12 is that a shuttle is in night and laying weft every beat of ythe loom throughout the sequence so that a theoretical 100% production is possible when weaving 1 x 1 automatic and there is no need for the blank or idle beats of the lloom set forth in the previously-mentioned copending applications. Furthermore, the shuttle boxes move in regular time and are operated by the usual box shifting mechanisms, and the magazine and detector D, except for their high position made necessary by the three boxes in gang RG, are all standard weaving equipment. The normal nonautomatic operation of 4 x 4 looms for pick and pick Vwork would ordinarily require the columns b-f of the chain shown in FIG. 11, and the only additional column required is that indicated at a.

It is apparent that each of the shuttles can be replenished only once for the sequence shown in FIG. 12 so that if a bobbin should be almost exhausted in a shuttle, such for instance as B1 when it is being detected at B1 Ind., the bobbin should be provided with a sufficiently large bunch to enable that shuttle to be active as many picks of the looms as will be necessary until the shuttle is again in detecting position Bl Ind. This result is accomplished by having a bunch SZ which in addition to the usual 11/2 picks of reserve weft will have a sufcient length to weave as many picks as a shuttle is active in the sequence. As an example, shuttle B1 will have a reserve bunch sufficient to Weave the picks shown in shuttle box positions V, XVII, XIX, XXVII, XXIX, XXXI, XXXV, and I. The same condition with respect to length of weft will prevail for the other shuttles. For convenience the bunch can be made uniform forall the shuttles and of such length as to take care of the maximum number of beats of the loom during which the most frequently picked shuttle is active. Thus, shuttles W1 and BZ will each be active two times more during the repeat than will shuttles B1 and W2, and to simplify Weaving operations these latter two shuttles will have reserve bunch corresponding to l0 picks although they will actually require only 8.

It frequently happens in the weaving of many fabrics that it is necessary to change the weave from l x 1 to some other character, such for instance as 2 x 2. FIG. 13 shows by way of example, and as the second modication, a sequence of 40 picks which can be employed for weaving glen plaid or its equivalent requiring two picks of one color followed by two picks of another color. Weaving according to FIG. 13 can be effected by the mechanism already described except that a different draft of the control chain will be necessary. A control chain corresponding to FIG. 13 is not shown herein since it is believed that the manner in which it will be built will be understood from the description of the chain shown in FIG. 1l. In the sequence shown in FIG. 13 there is a weft laying ight of the shuttle for every beat of the sequence and no blank picks are required as set forth in the second of the previously-mentioned copending applications. Therefore, for weaving 2 x 2 as well as 1 x l the loom set forth herein can operate at a 100% production rate.

It has previously been stated that the lever 47 can have a complete reciprocation every two picks of the loom, as is usual with a two-pick cam on the loom bo'ttom shaft, or every pick of the loom as set forth in the second of the previously-mentioned applications. When lever 47 has its completereciprocation every beat of the loom the neutral rolls N will be as shown in FIG. 11, but if a two-pick cam is used to operate lever 47 then each roll of the chain which calls the color slide into a registering position will be repeated on the next chain bar. Thus, under these conditions bar III, column a, would have a roll 6x3 and this same condition would apply for the rolls 65, 64 and 62.

It is to be understood that the shuttle box sequences shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 are examples which those skilled in the art can vary and further that these sequences are not necessarily consecutive so that one could fol-low the other. If a fabric includes both 1 x 1 and 2 x 2 weaves it may then be necessary to add further shuttle -box positions so that one weave can follow the other, in which case some adjustment may be necessary in the length `of the reserve bunch of the bobbins. Also, if a two-pick cam is used for the lever 47 it will then be necessary to have indication given on alternate picks and this condition will need to be taken into acount if additional picks are used for making l x l and 2 x 2 sequences consecutive. As shown in FIGS. l2 and 13 the indi-cation is always given after an odd-numbered -beat of the loom such for instance as after positions I and XI in FIG. l2 and III and XIII in FIG. 13. Where a single pick cam is used so that indication of exhaustion and replenishment occur within one complete beat of the loom this limitation with respect to indication does not exist, since in that case the indication can be given on either an even or an odd-numbered pick and the number of additional picks required to make the l x l and 2 x 2 consecutively need not necessarily be even.

The color slide can occupy not only the neutral position shown in FIG. 4, but also other neutral positions one of which is shown as a modification in FIG. 9. In this instance roll N is replaced yby a roll S5, FIG. 15,

ticularly as described hereinbefore.

which is larger than roll 62 and can therefore effect movement of the color slide rearwardly to one position beyond its usual range of movements with fingers 44 and 45 out of register with any of the vertical slides of the magazine. When `this modified for-m of the invention is used roll 85 replaces roll N in the chain shown in FIG. ll. y

- From the foregoing it will be seen that the invention sets forth a simple means for effecting 100% production in the automatic weaving of 2color pick and pick fabrics, this result being accomplished by the use of four shuttles, two assigned to each of two colors, and the weft replenishing features of the loom being so controlled that a weft replenishing operation cannotbe initiated with respect to anyl shuttle `except on those beats of the loom when replenishment can safely occur. As shown herein this result is accomplished by permitting the detector to indicate on any beat of the loom when it can give indication of weft exhaustion but controlling the color slide or initiator so that it will be moved to a neutral position to prevent initiation of a replenishing operation except on certain selected picks. The mode of opera- `tion set forth hereinbefore can be effected by a control or pattern chain no wider than that which has heretofore been used for the automatic weaving of 2-color pick and pick fabrics in which blank picks are necessary and in which 100% production cannot be attained. In the preferred form of the invention the color slide moves to a neutral position intermediate the range of registering positions for the color slide fingers as shown in FIG. 4, whereas in the modified form the color slide is moved to an extreme neutral position with `the lingers beyond their range of registering positions. The invention, however, is not limited to these two neutral positions. The chain shown diagrammatically in FIG. 11 yas set forth herein is an example of pattern control means which can be used with the invention. There are, however, other known kinds of pattern mechanisms capable of giving the indications shown in FIG.v l1 land the invention is not to be limited necessarily to la chain made par- A pair of similar shuttles is assigned to each of the two colors, and after one of a pair has moved to highposition, as in position `II in FIG. l2 and cannot get down to picking position in time, the other shuttle of the pair is available vfor picking, such as shuttle B2 in position III when shuttle B1 is in high position II. Also, the two shuttles of -a pair are always active to cause a blend of color on those beats of the loom which are close to any beat when one of the pair is in transfer position. Furthermore, it will be seen that each of four shuttles in a pick and pick loom can be detected yand replenished by a control exercised by the pattern chain.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, what is claimed is:

l. In a pick `and pick weft replenishing loom having `shifting shuttle boxes at each end thereof and operating with shuttles carrying `diverse wefts, a weft detector, the shuttle boxes throughout a sequence of consecutive beats of the loom moving each shuttle more than once to a detecting position in which the weft `detector can detect the weft thereof and indicate exhaustion thereof, provided the -Weft of the shuttle being detected is depleted, weft replenishing mechanism including groups of reserve bobbins corresponding to said diverse wefts, an initiator yfor the weft replenishing mechanism capable of assuming a registering position with each of said groups, one by one, and .also capable of moving to a nonregistering position in which it is out of register with all of the groups, means causing the detector when indicating weft exhaustion to effect a movement of the initiatorwhether the latter be in a registering or nonregistering position, and control means for the initiator moving the latter to said nonregistering position for all beats in said sequence except one `for each shuttle when the latter is in detecting position, the initiator when vhaving said movement and in a registering position corresponding to the shuttle being detected causing the replenishing mechanism to replenish the shuttle, and the initiator when having said movement and in nonregistering positionbeing incapable of causing the replenishing mechanism to have a replenishing operation.

2. In a weft replenishing loom operating with a plurality of shuttles each of which during a sequence of beats of the loom moves more than once to a detecting position in which its weft can be detected, a weft detector to detect the wefts in said shuttles whenever the latter are in detecting position, a `weft replenishing mechanism having a group of reserve -bobbins for each shuttle, an initiator capable of being in a registering position relative to each of said groups and also capable of moving to a nonregistering position in which it is out of register with all of the groups, means causing the detector whenever indicating weft exhaustion in any shuttle to effect an operative movement of the initiator, `and control means for said initiator causing the latter to be in registering position once only in said'sequence with a group corresponding to a shuttle which is in detecting position and effective to move said initiator to said nonregistering position thereof for all other beats of the loom on which the detector can indicate weft exhaustion, the initiator when in a registering position and having said operative movement causing the replenishing mechanism to replenish the weft of the shuttle being detected, and the initiator being ineffective to cause operation of the replenishing mechanism when having said operative movement while in said nonregistering position.

3. In a weft replenishing loom operating with a plurality of shuttles and having a group of reserve bobbins corresponding to each shuttle, a bobbin release controlling member for each group, a color slide rockable in a given direction Whenever indication of weft exhaustion is given by any shuttle, and control means for the color slide by which the latter can be caused to move to a registering position with any one of said sliding members and also be caused to move to a nonregistering position out of register with all of the slides, said color slide when rocking in said given direction and in `a registering position moving the member registered therewith to initiate a weft replenishing operation with respect to the corresponding shuttle Vand said color slide when rocking in said given direction when in said nonregistering position being incapableof moving any of said members or initiating a weft replenishing operation.

4. The structure set forth in claim 3 wherein said control means is an endless chain having a plurality of indicators of different sizes, one size for each registering position of the color slide with respect to said members, and having also additional indicators of a size other than saiddierent sizes efectiveto move the color slide to said nonregistering position.

5. The structure set forth in claim 3 wherein said members are vertical slides arranged side by side and the color slide has lifter ngers for the slides which have a range of movements to occupy registering positions and the control means when moving the color slide to said nonregistering position locates said lingers in an intermediate position in said range.

6. The structure set forth in claim 3 wherein said members are vertical slides arranged side by side and the color slide has lifting fingers for the slides which have a range of movements to be in registering positions and the control means when moving the color slide to said nonregistering position moves the fingers beyond said range.

7. In a weft replenishing loom operating with a plurality of shuttles each of `which during a given sequence T1 of successive beats of the loom has the weft thereof detected more than once, a weft replenishing mechanism having a stack of reserve bobbins for each shuttle, an

initiator having a rocking movement whenever a shuttle being detected indicates weft exhaustion, control means effective to cause the initiator to be in registering position with each stack once only during said sequence of beats and causingsaid initiator to be in nonregistering position with respect to all the stacks for ail other beats of said sequence in which weft exhaustion of a shuttle can be indicated, said controlmeans when causing the initiator to be in a registering position causing the initiator to be registered with a stack corresponding to the shuttle in position to be detected and the initiator if having a rocking movement thereupon initiating replenishment of the shuttle in detecting position by a bobbin from the corresponding stack, the initiator if having said rocking movement when out of register with all the stacks being inefectve to initiate a replenishing operation.

8. In a Weft replenishing loom for weaving pick and pick with a plurality of shuttles each carrying weft and laying weft on any flight thereof, a weft replenishing mechanism at one end of the loom having a group of reserve bobbins corresponding to each shuttle, picking means to pick one or another of said shuttles every beat of a sequence of successive beats of the loom, weft detector mechanism at said one end of the loom, shifting shuttle boxes at said one end of the loom effective at least once during said sequence to move each of said shuttles to inactive position for a period of at least two successive beats of the sequence beginning on any predetermined beat of the sequence, a cam operatively connected to the weftrreplenishing mechanism and to the detector mechanism enabling the latter to initiate a replenishing operation ofthe weft replenishing mechanism on the rst of said two successive beats of the sequence and causing the replenishing mechanism on the second 'of said two successive beats to replenish the shuttle detected with a bobbin from the corresponding group, said picking means effecting picking of one or another of the remainder of said shuttles other than the shuttle in said inactive position on the rst of said two successive beats and effecting picking of still another of said remainder of shuttles on the second of said two successive beats, control means preventing the detector mechanism from initiating a replenishing operation on all beats of the sequence except on the predetermined beats, said control means including a color slide to be in registering and nonregistering positions relative to the groups of reserve bobbins, and a reserve weft bunch on each shuttle long enough to enable any shuttle to lay weft for as many beats as it is active from the time it is in said inactive position for said two successive beats in the sequence until the same time is reached in the next sequence.

9. A weft replenishing loom as set forth in claim 8 wherein a chain operatively connected to the color slide determines when the color slide is to be in registering and when in nonregistering position.

10. In a weft replenishing loom operating with a plurality of shuttles to be received by a gang of four shifting shuttle boxes on one end of the loom and by a second gang of three shifting shuttle boxes on the other end of the loom, a weft replenishing mechanism at said other end of the loom having a group of bobbins corresponding to each of the shuttles, a selector color slide for the weft replenishing mechanism, picking mechanism controllable to have a picking operation at one or the other of said ends of the loom each beat of the loom, and control means for the gang of shuttle boxes and the selector and the picking mechanism controlling the `shiftings of said gangs and causing the latter to cooperate with the picking mechanism to elect picking of a shuttle every beat of the loom and also causing theselector to register with one or another of said groups on celtain beats of the loom and causing said selector to move to nonregistering position relative to all of said groups on other beats of the loom, said selector when registering with one or another of said groups' being capable of initiating a weft replenishing operation, provided a shuttle in replenishing position in said gang of the shuttle boxes is depleted, and said selector being incapable of initiating a replenishing operation if out of register with all of said groups.

11. A weft replenishing loom set, forth in claim 10 wherein said control means includes a pattern chain which has a pair of rows of indicators for each of said gangs, has a row of indicators for the picking mechanism, and also has a row of indicators for said selector color slide.

12. A weft replenishing loom set forth in claim 11 wherein the row of indicators for the selector color slide includes a distinctive indicator for each group of the replenishing mechanism and includes also an additional indicator different from the other indicators corresponding to the nonregistering position of said selector color slide.

13. The method of operating a two-color pick and pick weft replenishing loom having a gang of at least three shifting shuttle boxes at each end thereof and wherein replenishment can occur in the top shuttle box of one of the gangs only if Vthe shuttle boxes under said top shuttle box are unoccupied by shuttles, said method consisting in the following steps: providing kfour shuttles two of which form a pair each shuttle of which has weft of one or the other of the two colors and the other two of which form a second pair similar to the rst pair, picking one or another of the four shuttles each beat of the loom, moving a shuttle of one pair when in said top box to replenishing position for two successive beats of the loom, replenishing the shuttle in said -top box provided the weft thereof is depleted, picking the shuttle of the second pair corresponding to the shuttle in said top box during the second of said two successive beats of the loom, and providing each shuttle with a bunch of reserve weft of suicient length -to enable the shuttle to continue weaving from the time it is in said top shuttle box with no shuttles in the boxes below it until the shuttle is again in said top box with no shuttle in the boxes below it.

14. In an automatic bobbin changing loom including a lay movable between forward and rear positions, first and second shiftable shuttle boxes disposed at opposite ends of said lay and movable therewith, said first shuttle box having four vertically stacked shuttle receiving cells and said second shuttle box having three vertically stacked shuttle receiving cells in vertical communication with each other to permit the vertical passage of a bobbin through said three cells, a multistack magazine located above said second shuttle box when in forward position, means for sensing a depleted bobbin in the topmost cell of said second shuttle box when in its forward position, means responsive to said sensing means for releasing a bobbin from a preselected bobbin stack upon the lower two cells of said second shuttle box being empty during the next successive forward position of said lay, and means for replacing said depleted lbobbin by said released bobbin whereby said depleted bobbin falls through said cells of said second shuttle box.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,803,181 Gordon Apr. 28, 1931 2,777,473 Litcheld Ian. 15, 1957 2,777,474 Litchlield a Ian. 15, 1957

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