US3543809A

US3543809A - Loom for weaving fabric

Info

Publication number: US3543809A
Application number: US802392A
Authority: US
Inventors: Claude Laval
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Lakos Corp
Priority date: 1968-02-26
Filing date: 1969-02-26
Publication date: 1970-12-01
Anticipated expiration: 1987-12-01
Also published as: FR1563141A; DE1909439B2; CH500308A; BE728643A; DE1909439A1

Description

United States Patent Claude Laval l 1 Avenue de Lavour, Castres, Tarn, France [21 Appl. No. 802,392

[72] inventor [22] Filed Feb. 26, 1969 [45] Patented Dec. 1, 1970 [32] Priority Feb. 26, 1968 [33] France [54] LOOM FOR WEAVING FABRIC 10 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl 139/125 [51 1 Int. Cl D03d 47/24 [50] Field ofSearch 139/122.] 127 56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,152,255 3/1939 Hefti 1.39/126 3,163,184 12/1964 Cherpin 139/125 3,378,040 4/1968 Moessinger 139/125 F ORElGN PATENTS 971,273 9/1964 Great Britain 139/125 Primary ExaminerHenry S. Jaudon Attorney-Chittick, Pfund, Birch, Samuels & Gauthier ABSTRACT: Weft thread handling mechanisms cooperating to cut, hold and facilitate shuttle pickup of the weft thread. External spools supply weft thread to the shuttle which carries it through the shed to the other side of fabric. Elongated tip means and shuttle pincer hook means dislodge the leading end of the weft thread from the shuttle pincer hook. A cut and hold assembly acts on the trailing portion of the weft to cut it, to hold the end still connected to the spool and to position it for pickup by the shuttle pincer hook on the shuttles next pass.

Patented f Dec. 1, 1919 3,543,809

Sheet 2 .01 3

' INVENTOR I CLAUDE LAVAL ZW I WATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 1,1970 3,543,809

INVENTOR W was Wt WATTORNEYS LOOM FOR WEAVING FABRIC This invention relates to a loom for weaving fabric and more particularly to a loom in which the weft threads are supplied by external spools at both sides of the fabric and the shuttle has pincer hooks at each end for engaging the leading ends of the weft threads and drawing them through the shed.

An object of this invention to provide a loom which employs conventional shuttle loom mechanisms and perhaps is even somewhat simpler in that no automatic quill-feed devices are required.

Another object of this invention is to provide a loom which employs a shuttle having pincer hooks which effectively control the weft ends prior to beating up so that they do not become displaced during the beating up. Another object of this invention is to provide a loom which carefully handles the weft threads so as to prevent thread damage from occurring.

In the past, looms have been proposed which utilized suction devices on the batten beyond the selvage to grip the weft threads. These looms are relatively expensive and subject to frequent breakdown.

Other loom proposals have utilized pincer mechanisms at a various locations for gripping the weft threads during shuttle travel, prior to thread cutting and after thread cutting. All of these proposals have been somewhat unsatisfactory because the weft threads are subject to handling damage or to handling failures necessitating loom shutdown.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a loom which achieves a higher degree of operational reliability and causes less handling damage to the weft threads.

Generally speaking, the shuttle operation of this invention involves the following steps:

a. The shuttle, starting from the left shuttle box, carries the leading end of a weft thread in its left or trailing pincer hook through the shed stopping so that the pincer hook is even with the right edge ofthe fabric.

b. The shed closes while the weft thread remains tightly held in the shuttle pincer hook.

c. The batten, holding the shuttle, and the'temple move toward each other so that the temple piston opens the shuttle pincer hook to release the weft thread simultaneous with beating up.

d. The temple guide tip simultaneously contacts the preceding right to left weft thread at a point slightly to the right of the right-hand selvage. This preceding weft thread is still uncut from the external right thread spool. The guide tip carries this preceding weft thread to the cut and hold block located on the batten.

e. The cut and hold block cuts the preceding weft thread and grips the end which is attached to the spool. The gripped end becomes the leading end for the next right to left weft thread.

f. The beating up is completed, the shed opens and the shuttle is kicked to the left, snatching in its right pincer hook the leading end of the weft thread from the cut and hold block. The shuttle stops in the left shuttle box so that the right pincer hook is even with the left edge of the fabric. Steps b to e are then repeated.

The aforementioned objects and general description will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings in which: FIG. I is a top plan view showing the shuttle in the left shuttle box and the batten in beating up position;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view showing the shuttle moving to the right at the instant of pickup of the leading end of the weft thread by the left shuttle pincer hook;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view showing the shuttle in the right shuttle box prior to the batten moving to the beating up position;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view, considerably more enlarged and detailed, showing the shuttle in the right shuttle box, the batten almost at the beating up position, and the shuttle pincer hook just being opened to release the weft thread; and

FIG. 5 is a view .in perspective of the right side of the loom, looking down from above, showing the shuttle just leaving the right shuttle box, the batten having completed beating up and retracted, the shed open, the cut and hold box gripping the leading end of the weft, and the shuttle about to pick up the leading end with its rear pincer hook.

The loom in which this invention is employed is a conventional nonautomatic shuttle type. It is not shown in its entirety as its features are well known. 1

An improved shuttle 101 travels from side to side and has symmetrical ends on which are mounted left pincer hook 102 and right pincer hook 103 by means of the shown screws. Both hooks are identical so only hook 102 will be described in detail. Pincer hook 102 includes a rigid plate 104 abutting I 106 is formed in spring plate and is shaped to cause the leading edge of a weft thread to wedge between

plates

104 and 105 when the plates are together as when the shuttle picks on the fly. When

plates

104 and 105 are forced apart (see FIG. 4), the weft thread can be lifted free of the pincer hook by the temple at beating up time.

It will be understood that shuttles of different lengths can be used to weave fabrics of different widths and the same shuttle can be used for fabric widths varying by approximately 6 centimeters. Probably 1O shuttles of different lengths would cover all foreseeable needs and, since the mounting of the pincer hooks is so quick and simple, only one pair of hooks is required for a complete set of shuttles.

The shuttle 101 comes to rest at either side of the fabric in a shuttle box fixed to the batten 110 which swings in the direction of the warp threads to beat up the weft threads. Adjustably mounted on batten 110 (see FIG. 5) are cut and hold

blocks

111 and 112 on the left and right sides, respectively.

They are identical so only one need be described. The purpose of the cut and hold block is to receive the trailing portion of the weft thread after it has been carried to the other side through the shed andto hold it and cut it. The held

weft threads

203 and 204 are supplied by

external thread spools

201 and 202 and intermediate the spools and the cut and hold blocks are

adjustable braking devices

205 and 206.

Cut and hold block 112 has a horizontal shaft which extends from its inner side. On shaft 115, a movable cutting blade 114 is pivotally mounted to scissors with fixed cutting blade 113 fixed to the inner side of block 112. Also pivotally mounted on shaft 115 is rocker arm 116 which has a stop 117.

The cutting action of cut and hold block 112 is produced by link 119 which is driven at its lower end by a power source, such as a cam shaft (not shown). When link 119 is raised, the movable blade edge of blade 114 scissors against the fixed blade edge of blade 113. As this occurs, stud 118 in movable blade 114 bears against and depresses rocker arm 116 which normally is spring urged upwardly (limited by stop 117 striking the block). The holding function is carried out by the action of stud 118 catching. the weft thread and holding it against the upper surface of rocker arm 116.

Batten 110 (also called a reed) is adapted to move toward temples 131 and 14 132 during the beating up operation. Since both temples are identical, only one need be described. Right temple 132 (see FIG. 5) is mounted on bar 133 which spans the width of the loom. The temple body includes a thin guide tip 134 which has a concave end located quite near the selvage of the fabric. Two laterally extending shoulders protrude from the temple body and have apertures formed therein for slidably carrying a piston 135. A spring 138 urges ring 139 (which is fixed to the piston) against shoulder 140 which is nearer the guide tip. Piston 135 has a-slightly conical head 136 and a collar 137 adapted to bear against the other side of shoulder 140. It will be seen in FIG. 4 that piston head 136 has a diameter slightly smaller than hole107 in pincer 1), the shuttle 101 is in the left shuttle box, the leading end of the preceding right to left weft thread has been released from the shuttle pincer hook 103 and the leading end of the next weft thread 203 is gripped by the cut and hold block 111.

The shuttle is then kicked away to the right (FIG. 2) and shuttle pincer hook 102 catches the leading end of weft 203 on the fly from cut and hold block 111. The weft is carried by the shuttle through the shed until it reaches the right side of the loom and enters the right shuttle box (F IG. 3). There, it is braked so that left pincer hook 102 is approximately even with the right edge of the fabric. it will be understood that the shuttle rest position can be adjustably located by means of the shuttle length and braking devices. 7

The weft remains firmly held by pincer hook 102 until the shed closes. Slightly before beating up is fully achieved (see FIG. 4), the conical head 136 of piston 135 enters hole 107 in rigid plate 104. As batten 110 continues to move toward temple 132, spring plate 105 is spread from plate 104 by piston 135 and the end of the weft is pulled free by guide tip 134. To prevent snagging, even when batten 110 begins moving as away from temple 132, spring 138 keeps the pressure on piston head 136 against spring plate 105 to keep pincer hook 102 open.

While withdrawing the preceding left to right weft from pincer hook 102, guide tip 134 is positioning the preceding right to left weft (which remains connected to right thread spool 202) in the nip between stud 118 and rocker arm 116 of the cut and hold block 112. At the instant of beating up, the power source (not shown) drives link 119 upwardly,

blades

113 and 114 out the weft and stud 118 and arm 116 continue to grip what has now become the leading end of the next right to leftweft thread.

The batten, batten, after up, then begins retracting from the temple and weft 204 begins to be drawn taut (see FIG. 5) across the upper surface ofshuttle 101. Then, as shuttle 101 is kicked to the left, weft 204 catches ,in pincer hook 103, the leading end is pulled away from the nip between stud 118 and rocker arm 116, and the shuttle-held weft enters the shed to travel to the left shuttle box whereupon the just-described operation is repeated.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of this invention are possible in light of the foregoing description. Therefore, it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to the details described or illustrated, but rather is limited only by the scope of the appended claims. Y

For example, the cut and hold block assembly may be mounted in such a position that temple guide tip 134 could be eliminated and the preceding weft could be seized by the block just before beating up at a point in advance of reed travel. The block would then quickly retract to provide clearance for shuttle travel.

Another variation would be to brake the shuttle after passage through the shed with the rear pincer hook remaining in the shed. The pincer hook would be opened after the shed closed and the shuttle would be fully moved into the shuttle box before beating up is completed.

lclaim: p

1. In a loom having mechanisms for shedding, picking and beating up, improved means for handling the weft threads comprising:

a. thread spools for supplying weft threads to each side of the fabric; b. pincer hook opening means and guide tip means mounted adjacent each side of the fabric; c. a cut and hold assembly mounted ad acent each side of the fabric, said said assembly having cutting means for cutting the trailing portion of the'weft threads after they have been drawn through the shed and having gripping means for gripping the cut end which remains attached to the thread spool; and

d. a pincer hook mounted adjacent ,each end of the shuttle for snagging the weft, said pincer hook having means for releasing the weft upon engagement with the pincer hook opening means, whereby. during heating up, said pincer hook opening means engages one said shuttle pincer hook to allow disengagement of the inserted weft thread when the thread is engaged by said guide tip means. and said guide tip means cooperates with said out and hold assembly to position the preceding weft thread in said assembly where the'thread is gripped and cut and where the cut end is held in position to be engaged by the other shuttle pincer hook as it passes into the shed.

2. Apparatus of claim 1 wherein said out and hold assembly is mounted on the batten adjacent the beating up reed.

3. Apparatus of claim 1 wherein said cut and hold assembly has a scissors mechanism for cutting the weft and a nip forming mechanism for holding the cut end of the weft. one of the scissors blades also comprising one of the nip forming members.

4. Apparatus of claim 1 wherein said out and hold assembly is actuated by means of a camshaft.

5. Apparatus of claim 1 wherein said thread spools are located at each side of the fabric.

6. Apparatus of claim 1 wherein said guide .tip means and said pincer hook opening means are mounted on the temple adjacent each side of the fabric, which temple acts to stretch and roll the fabric.

7. Apparatus of claim 1 wherein said guide tip means has a relatively narrow horizontal cross section near its thread engaging end and has a concave vertical profile for ease in handling the weft thread.

8. Apparatus of claim 1 wherein said shuttle pincer hook includes two plates pressed together by fasteners located near one end of the plate pair and walls forming a hole in one plate adapted to permit entry of the pincer hook opening means therein to spread the plates to open the pincer hook.

9. Apparatus of claim 1 wherein said pincer hook opening means includes a piston which is shaped and positioned to engage and opensaid shuttle pincer hook.

10. Apparatus of claim 9 wherein said piston is springloaded to remain in engagement with and to keep open said shuttle-pincer hook during limited relative movement between said pincer hook opening means and said shuttle.