US3580293A

US3580293A - Weaving machine

Info

Publication number: US3580293A
Application number: US756973A
Authority: US
Inventors: Theodorus Fransen
Original assignee: Strake Maschf Nv
Current assignee: Machinefabriek L te Strake NV
Priority date: 1967-09-15
Filing date: 1968-09-03
Publication date: 1971-05-25
Anticipated expiration: 1988-05-25
Also published as: NL6712677A

Abstract

A suction nozzle is movably mounted at one side of the shed of the loom, and is provided with mechanism for displacing the suction nozzle, in synchronism with a beating movement of the reed, from an active position for receiving the free end of a weft to an end position. A locking device is provided for retaining the suction nozzle in such end position during the succeeding reverse movement of the reed, and apparatus is provided for releasing the locking device at the beginning of a succeeding reverse movement of the reed to permit the suction nozzle to return to its active position.

Description

United States Patent Theodorus Fransen Deurne, Netherlands Sept. 3, 1968 May 25, 1971 N. V. Machinefabriek L. Te Strake Deurne, Netherlands Sept. 1 5, 1967 Netherlands Inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee Priority WEAVING MACHINE 5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,225,794 12/1965 Juillard 139/266 3,258,038 6/1966 Ancet et al. 139/302 3,376,903 4/1968 Golobart 139/302 Primary Examiner-Henry S. J audon Attorney-Marshall and Yeasting ABSTRACT: A suction nozzle is movably mounted at one side of the shed of the loom, and is provided with mechanism for displacing the suction noule, in synchronism with a beating movement of the reed, from an active position for receiving the free end of a weft to an end position. A locking device is provided for retaining the suction nozzle in such end position during the succeeding reverse movement of the reed, and apparatus is provided for releasing the locking device at the beginning of a succeeding reverse movement of the reed to permit the suction nozzle to return to its active position.

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Patented May 25, 1971 4 3,580,293

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented May 25, 1971 3,580,293

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a weaving machine in which wefts are drawn from stationary thread packages and in which a suction noale is situated at at least one side of the shed between the reed and the cloth beam, for taking up the free ends of the wefts projecting outside of the shed and the cloth.

In weaving machines in which wefts are drawn from stationary thread packages the weft insertion in mostly performed by means of a gripper or by means of jet action of a fluid. When now the weft just inserted in the shed is to be beaten against the bank of fabric by means of the reed the weft must have a tensioned condition. At that side of the shed from which the weft has been inserted the weft is still in connection with the thread package, and the holding of the weft at this place does not give any problems because in order to keep a tension on the weft it can be clamped at this side of the shed. At the opposite side of the shed, however, the leading end of the weft is entirely free and this end must also be held in some way in order to keep the weft under tension.

Suction nozzles have been mostly provided for this purpose, which suction nozzles mostly have been fastened on supports connected to the lay swords of the reed and as a result the suction nozzles are subjected to the beating movement of the reed. The leading end of the weft just inserted into the shed enters the suction nozzle and the weft which was clamped at the opposite side of the shed will be tensioned by the suction action of the suction nozzle.

When an inserted weft has been beaten up into the fabric and the shed has been changed, the weft is held between the warp threads, and the suction nozzle has fulfilled its function so that the nozzle can move back together with the reed in order to be prepared for taking up the leading end of the next weft which is to be inserted into the shed.

Such suction nozzles are very suitable when the weft is to be inserted into the shed only from one side of this shed. In such a case a launching device for the weft has been positioned at one side of the shed whereas the suction nozzle which will be operative during each weft insertion has been arranged at the opposite side of the shed.

When however wefts are to be inserted from both sides of the shed, i.e., a first weft is to be inserted into the shed from one side and the next weft is to be inserted from the other side of the shed a suction nozzle has to be situated at both sides of the shed. This means that a suction nozzle would be in the path of theweft at that side from which the weft is to be inserted. For this reason the suction nozzle must be displaced independently of the beating stroke of the reed, (second occurrence) is to say, that each suction nozzle must have a reciprocal and periodical movement which is just half of the number of beating strokes of the reed in order to bring the suction nozzle out of the path of the weft to be inserted at the side of the shed from which the weft will be launched. For this reason a stationary arrangement of the suction nozzle is not desired. On the other hand it is advisable that the suction nozzle move together with the reed during its beating stroke in order to keep the weft tensioned.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the invention is to provide a weaving machine in which a suction noule can be displaced by the reed, which suction nozzle will not remain in the path of the weft to be inserted in the shed at that side of the shed where the weft is to be launched.

According to the invention this is attained in a weaving machine which is characterized in that a suction noule is movably mounted with respect to the reed, which suction nozzle can be held in an end position by means of a locking device, and which suction nozzle cooperates with a striking device and a driver which can be activated in such a manner that the suction nozzle moves together with the beating movement of the reed and is locked in its end position whereas the driver frees the suction nozzle from its locked end position and moves the suction nozzle back at a subsequent reversal stroke of the reed.

Now the suction noule can be displaced by the reed during its beating stroke, whereas the suction nozzle does not immediately return at the reversal stroke of the reed but remains out of the path of the weft to be inserted into the shed when at that particular side of the shed a weft is to be launched. As a fixed situation of the suction nozzle on the reed is not used, it is possible to vary the width of the fabric at a given length of the reed. In such a case no warp thread is inserted between the blades of the reed at the end thereof when the fabric should have less width. It is however recommended to position the suction noule near the outer warp thread and this will be possible in a weaving machine according to the invention, because the suction nozzle can be slidable in a guide and has the shape of a block provided with suction openings, and an arm of a resilient supporting device is connected to the block, whereas the guide together with an arm of the supporting device is mounted in such a manner that they can be adjusted in a direction parallel to the weft.

According to the invention the suction nozzle can be used for fixation of the free ends of the weft after the wefts have been beaten up into the fabric in order to cut the free ends from the fabric because the suction noule can be locked in its end position near the fabric. In order to perform this the weaving machine according to the invention is adapted in such a manner that the suction nozzle has the shape of a slidable block provided with a slot-shaped suction opening at that side of the block which is directed towards the fabric which suction opening cooperates with a notch situated in the guide for the block, in which notch a cutter known per se has been situated for cutting the free ends of the wefts.

A practical embodiment of a weaving machine according to the invention is characterized in that the slidable block is provided with a suction opening at one end, which suction opening merges into a slot at the side of the block which is directed towards the fabric, whereas the suction opening at the end of the block can be closed by means of a shutter mounted on the reed. Further, the weaving machine according to the invention is adapted in such a manner that the arm of the support for the block projects through a slot of an actuating member which can be moved parallel to the direction of the warp, whereas the slot runs parallel to the direction of the wefts, and said actuating member cooperates with a strike member mounted on an arm of the reed, whereas a controllable driving member can be controlled by a control device known per se or a member cooperating with said control device for launching a weft.

An especial advantage of a weaving machine provided with suction nozzles as described above is the screening of the launching device for the weft which is inoperative at one side of the shed when the suction nozzle has been placed in its operative position, owing to which a weft which has been inserted from the other side of the shed cannot be entered into the inoperative launching device. This advantage results when launching devices have been arranged, at both sides of the shed which launching devices can be alternately actuated for operation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagrammatical perspective view of a suction nozzle according to the invention situated beside the temple and one end of the reed of a weaving machine;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic top view of that part of the weaving machine which has been shown in FIG. 1, with the suction nozzle in section;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic side view of a cutting device to be used in conjunction with the suction nozzle, seen from the side of the suction nozzle;

FIG. 4 is a cross section of the suction nozzle according to FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. is a side view of the suction nozzle according to FIG. 2 seen from the side of the fabric, and

FIG. 6 is a side view of the suction nozzle, seen from the side averted from the fabric.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. I the reed 1 is visible with its reed cap 2 and its lay beam 3. The ends of the visible reed cap 2 and the lay beam 3 are fastened to lay swords 4, only one of which is shown in the drawing. The lay swords are mounted on a 5 shaft which runs across the entire width of the loom and is pivotally mounted in each side frame thereof. The shaft 5 will be reciprocally rotated over a small angle in a manner generally known, owing to which the lay swords 4 and the reed I perform the beating stroke and thereupon the reversing stroke. The end of the shed 6a and 6b the selvage 6c of the fabric have been indicated by dot-and-dash-lines. A temple is situated near the side of the fabric indicated by the dot-and-dash-line 6c which temple is formed by three temple rollers 7, cooperating with a temple frame 11, which presses the fabric 12 just woven onto the temple shown only in FIG. 2 rollers.

A mounting plate 9, carrying a slide track 10, supports a bracket 8 (FIG. 2) which carries the temple rollers and the temple frame.

The mounting plate 9 is supported on the breast 13 beam (shown in FIG. 2 but omitted from FIG. 1 for the sake of clarity) and is adjustable in a direction parallel to the wefts. The position of the mounting plate 9 can be adjusted by means of bolts 14 which slidably fit into slots in the breast beam 13, which bolts when fastened keep the mounting plate 9 in its correct position.

The mounting plate 9 carries an arm 15 (FIG. 1) provided with a pin 16, and a spring 17, situated around the pin 16, has been inserted at one of its ends into a hole in the pin 16, owing to which the spring has been secured against turning around the pin 16. The spring 17 possesses an arm 17a and the end of that arm has been inserted into a recess 18 of a sliding block 19. The spring 17 together with its arm 170 forms a resilient support for the sliding block 19 to hold the sliding block 19 in slidable engagement with the slide 10. The shape of the recess 18 has been indicated in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, whereas FIG. 6 shows in which manner the end of the arm 17a fits in the recess 18. By the spring action of the spring 17 a supple guiding of the sliding block 19 has been obtained and a considerable play in the driving of the sliding block is possible because the sliding block is pressed always in one direction by the action of the spring 17. The sliding block 19 which can shift in the slide 10 has been indicated in cross section in FIGS. 2 and 4. The sliding block 19 is hollow and a number of openings have been provided in the walls of the block as appears from FIGS. 2 and 4. An opening 20 has been provided in the end wall 19a of the sliding block. The opening 20 forms a suction opening for the leading end of a weft which has just been inserted into the shed, which weft has been launched from the left in FIGS. 1 and 2. The fresh weft which has just been launched has been indicated by the reference numeral 23 in FIG. 2. The suction opening 20 in the endwall 190 extends into the sidewall 19b of the sliding block and merges into a slot-shaped opening 20a. The sidewall 19b is that wall of the sliding block which is directed towards the fabric. The sidewall 19c averted from the fabric is provided with an opening 21, which merges into a slot-shaped opening 21a.

The opening 21 is in connection with a suction line 22 connected to. the slide 10. When the sliding block 19 is in an operative position, thus that position in which the suction nozzle is operative during the weft insertion, the entire area of the passage of suction air from the suction opening 20 and the slot-shaped opening 20a through the interior of the block 19 to the suction line 22 is obtained. The leading end of a weft 23 just inserted can now be drawn into the suction opening 20 as appears from FIG. 2. A part of the sidewall 190 is positioned in front of the weft inserting device which is inoperative when the sliding block 19 is in its operative position as indicated in FIGS. 1 and 2. A part of this weft inserting device, e.g., in the shape of a jet nozzle, has been indicated with the reference numeral 24 in FIG. 2. When the wall covers the front of the jet nozzle 24 the leading end of a weft 23 cannot enter the weft inserting device 24. As mentioned above the leading end of the weft 23 just inserted into the shed will be drawn into the suction opening 20 and into the hollow internal space of the sliding block 19. Thus the weft 23 will be tensioned by the suction action and when the reed 1 starts its beating movement the weft 23 will be beaten up in a tensioned condition into the fabric 12. An actuator 25 which is formed integrally with the lay sword 4 of the reed pushes against a control member in the shape of a pivotable arm 26 during the beating stroke of the reed. The control member 26 is pivotably mounted at 27 to a part 28 of the frame of the weaving machine. As a result of the beating stroke of the reed 1 with the lay sword 4 the control member 26 will move along the fabric and parallel to the warp.

The control member 26 has been provided with a slot 29 and the support arm 17a for the sliding block projects through this slot 29. When now during the beating stroke of the reed the control member is moved by means of the actuator 25 the sliding block 19 will be moved by the supporting arm 17a which projects through the slot 29. When the reed 1 arrives in its beating position and the sliding block 19 comes by the action of the control member 26 in its end position a catch 30 of a resilient locking member 31 enters into a notch 32 in the upper wall of the sliding block 19.

When now the reed 1 with its lay swords 4 and the actuating member 25 start the return stroke the actuator 25 comes free from the control member 26. The sliding block 19, however, will remain in its end position by the action of the lock 31, as a result of which the sliding block will not follow the return stroke of the reed. As a result of this the weft inserting device 24 is free and a weft can be inserted into the shed from the right side in the FIG.

As the free end of the weft 23, which was inserted previously, still remains in the interior of the sliding block 19 when the sliding block has a position in which the catch 30 of the sliding block has a position in which the catch 30 of the lock 31 rests in the notch 32, the suction action can be less than before, however, a suction action is still necessary. In this position of the sliding block the slot-shaped opening 21a is in front of the mouth of the suction tube 22 and the free end 23 of the weft remains in the slot-shaped suction opening 20a. The free ends of the previous wefts have been indicated by the reference numeral 33 in FIG. 2. The reduction of the suction action is desirable in order that a maximum suction action of the suction nozzle at the opposite side of the shed may be obtained with a relatively small capacity of the suction device. When the tube 22 in the embodiment shown and the suction tube of the suction nozzle at the opposite side of the shed (not shown are connected to the same suction device.

When the free 'ends 33 of the wefts remain in the slotshaped suction opening 20a these ends enter a notch 34 of the mounting plate 9 when the fabric 12 is further wound up on the cloth beam. Further the wefts come above a first temple roller 7 and around the supporting shaft of this temple roller a knife has been rotatably mounted. This knife cooperates with the notch 34 in the mounting plate 9. The knife in the shape of a disc 35 possesses a notch 36 coinciding with the notch 34 and with one of the edges thereof which is adapted as a knife edge. The knife 35 has been diagrammatically shown in FIG. 3. By means of a spring 37 the disc 35 is maintained in such a position that the notch 36 with the notch 34. The free ends 33 of the wefts which come into the notch 34 will also come into the notch 36. When now during the beating of the reed a cam 38 which has been fastened to the lay sword 4 of the reed pushes against an arm 39 of the disc 35 the disc will rotate against the action of the spring 37 and the notch 36 will be displaced with regard to the notch 34, as a result of which a knife edge of the notch 36 will pass the knife edge of the notch 34 and a cutting action is performed. Thus, the projecting free ends 33 of the wefts are cut and the ends which come free are removed to the tube 22. The arrangement of the cutting device at the first temple roller 7 has the advantage that the free ends 33 can be cut very accurately at the end of the fabric.

When a weft has been inserted into the shed by the weft inserting device 24 the sliding block has to be moved towards the reed in order to catch the next weft 23 inserted into the shed from the opposite side of the shed. To perform this an ac tivator has been provided which draws the sliding block free from the lock 31 and the activator has the shape of a pin 40 which can be displaced in an axial direction. Said pin can touch against a cam 41 of the control member 26. The pin 40 has been mounted in a guide 42 mounted on the shaft 5 of the reed. The pin 40 is a part of a control device for controlling the weft insertion. In the embodiment shown the pin 40 forms a part of a pushing rod for controlling blowing nozzles which have been situated on the lay beam 3 of the reed. Depending on the direction in which a weft is to be inserted into the shed the pin 40 will have a retracted position or a position in which it can strike against the cam 41 to actuate the control member 26 for moving the sliding block 19 in the direction towards the reed. When jet nozzles have been mounted on the lay beam of the reed the operation of the actuating member in the form of the pin 40 is entirely automatic during the controlling of these jet nozzles. When however a weaving machine operates without any jet nozzles on the lay beam of the reed and the weft insertion is performed only from the sides of the shed no pushing rod is present on the shaft 5 of the reed. [n such a case a control member is to be arranged on a part 28 of the frame of the weaving machine which control member in this case can cooperate with the control member 26 in the same manner as described above. The controlling by means of the controlling device for the weft inserting device results always in an automatic control of the sliding block.

It is advantageous to provide a cover 43 which is mounted on the lay sword 4, which cover can close the suction opening at the end of the sliding block when the actuator engages the control member 26, owing to which the suction opening 200 the sidewall of the block will be more effective.

I claim:

1. A weft end suction device for a shuttleless loom having a reciprocable reed, comprising a suction nozzle movably mounted at one side of the shed of the loom, mechanism for displacing the suction noule, in synchronism with a beating movement of the reed, from an active position for receiving the free end of a weft to an end position, a locking device for retaining the suction nozzle in such end position during the succeeding reverse movement of the reed, and apparatus for releasing the locking device at the beginning of a subsequent reverse movement of the reed to permit the suction nozzle to return to its active position.

2. A weft end suction device according to claim 1 wherein the suction nozzle is in the form of a block which is provided with suction openings and with a resilient supporting device and is slidably mounted in'a guide, and wherein the guide and resilient supporting device are adjustable in a direction parallel to the weft.

3. A weft end suction device according to claim 2 wherein an actuating member, movable parallel to the warp, is driven by a strike member mounted on a lay sword of the reed, and is provided with a slot extending parallel to the weft through which an arm of the resilient supporting device extends.

4. A weft end suction device according to claim 1 wherein the suction noule is in the form of a block which is provided with a slot-shaped suction opening in the side of the block that is directed toward the fabric, and is slidably mounted in a guide that is provided with a notch in alignment with the slotshaped suction opening and with a cutter for cutting free weft ends which enter the notch.

5. A weft end suction device according to claim 1 wherein the suction nozzle is in the form of a block which is provided with a suction opening in one end merging into a slot-shaped suction opening in the side of the block that is directed toward the fabric, and wherein a shutter is mounted on the reed for closing the suction opening in the end of the block while the block is being displaced in synchronism with a beating movement of the reed.

Claims

1. A weft end suction device for a shuttleless loom having a reciprocable reed, comprising a suction nozzle movably mounted at one side of the shed of the loom, mechanism for displacing the suction nozzle, in synchronism with a beating movement of the reed, from an active position for receiving the free end of a weft to an end position, a locking device for retaining the suction nozzle in such end position during the succeeding reverse movement of the reed, and apparatus for releasing the locking device at the beginning of a subsequent reverse movement of the reed to permit the suction nozzle to return to its active position.

2. A weft end suction device according to claim 1 wherein the suction nozzle is in the form of a block which is provided with suction openings and with a resilient supporting device and is slidably mounted in a guide, and wherein the guide and resilient supporting device are adjustable in a direction parallel to the weft.

4. A weft end suction device according to claim 1 wherein the suction nozzle is in the form of a block which is provided with a slot-shaped suction opening in the side of the block that is directed toward the fabric, and is slidably mounted in a guide that is provided with a notch in alignment with the slot-shaped suction opening and with a cutter for cutting free weft ends which enter the notch.