US3851678A

US3851678A - Filling thread transfer and clamping device

Info

Publication number: US3851678A
Application number: US00387722A
Authority: US
Inventors: W Filter
Original assignee: Voestalpine AG; Wanderfield and Co
Current assignee: Voestalpine AG; Wanderfield and Co
Priority date: 1972-08-18
Filing date: 1973-08-13
Publication date: 1974-12-03
Anticipated expiration: 1991-12-03
Also published as: FR2196412B1; CH555428A; CA985987A; DD105268A5; JPS49132363A; BE803503A; DE2337102A1; FR2196412A1; GB1394528A; AT316456B

Abstract

A loom comprises a shuttle race. A shuttle body having a fell side is carried by the shuttle race and movable along the latter. A jaw clamp protrudes laterally from the fell side and is springbiased to a closed position. An expanding member is carried by said shuttle body and operable to cause said clamp to be opened against and closed by its spring bias. Stops are carried by said structure adjacent to said shuttle race and engageable by said expanding member to operate the same so as to cause said clamp to be opened and closed as said shuttle body moves along said shuttle race. Two filling thread feed nozzles are spaced apart along said race and have each an outlet end having an axis which lies in the parting plane of the clamp and extends transversely to the longitudinal direction of said race. The nozzles are adapted to discharge a tubular air stream directed toward said race and adapted to hole a filling thread portion protruding from said outlet end in a centered position, in which said thread portion is arranged to be received by said clamp when the same moves in an open position past said tube.

Description

United States Patent Filter Dec. 3, 1974 FILLING THREAD TRANSFER AND CLAMPING DEVICE [75] Inventor: Walther Filter, Langenhagen,

Germany [73] Assignees: Vereinigle Osterreichische Eisen-Und Stahlwerke-Alpine Montan Aktiengesellschaft, Vienna, Austria; Etablissement Wanderfield & (10., Schaan, Liechtenstein [22] Filed: Aug. 13, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 387,722

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Aug. 18, 1972 Austria 7141/72 [52] U.S. Cl. 139/126 [51] Int. Cl D0311 47/24 [58] Field of Search 139/122 R, 125, 126

[56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 2,413,155 12/1946 Rickelmann 139/126 2,876,802 3/1959 Frentzel 139/126 3,416,572 12/1968 Giavini 139/126 France 139/125 Primary Examiner-Henry S. Jaudon Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Kurt Kelman 5 7] ABSTRACT A loom comprises a shuttle race. A shuttle body having a fell side is carried by the shuttle race and movable along the latter. A jaw clamp protrudes laterally from the fell side and is spring-biased to a closed position. An expanding member is carried by said shuttle body and operable to cause said clamp to be opened against and closed by its spring bias. Stops are carried by said structure adjacent to said shuttle race and engageable by said expanding member to operate the same so as to cause said clamp to be opened and closed as said shuttle body moves along said shuttle race. Two filling thread feed nozzles are spaced apart along said race and have each an outlet end having an axis which lies in the parting plane of the clamp and extends transversely to the longitudinal direction of said race. The nozzles are adapted to discharge a tubular air stream directed toward said race and adapted to hole a filling thread portion protruding from said outlet end in a centered position, in which said thread portion is arranged to be received by said clamp when the same moves in an open position past said tube.

4 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures FILLING THREAD TRANSFER AND CLAMPING DEVICE This invention relates to a filling thread transfer and clamping device for gripper shuttles for looms, in which the filling thread is moved through a feed tube and at its end to be clamped is held in a transfer position by means of an air stream.

In a known device of this kind (U.S. Pat. No. 2,770,261 the shuttle is provided at each end with an opening for receiving the filling thread, and a clamping slider is provided which is slidable in the longitudinal direction of the shuttle body and which may be positioned to hold the filling thread in the opening at one end or the other ofthe shuttle. In this arrangement, the feed tubes for the filling thread extend in the direction of the pick. An air stream is passed through the feed tubes and holds the end of the filling thread approximately in the direction of the axis of the openings at the ends of the shuttle. To enable a clamping of the end of the filling thread in the associated opening of the shuttle body, the clamping slider must be gripped and displaced relative to the shuttle body by a separate, rela tively complicated device, which is controlled by a rotatable c'am. Besides, this operation requires that the shuttle is at rest exactly in a predetermined position for the transfer.

In another known device for transferring the filling thread to the gripper shuttle (German Pat. No. 813,379), the filling thread coming from the filling bobbin is moved through an air nozzle extending transversely to the shuttle race and is moved by the air stream to the clamping device in the shuttle. In this case, the transfer of the filling thread from the feed nozzle-to the clamping device is not reliable and there is also the disadvantage that the shuttle must be at rest exactly in a predetermined position for receiving the thread.

In another known device for transferring and clamping the filling thread (Printed German application No. 1,023,423), slits for clamping the filling thread are formed in the shuttle body on its longitudinal side which faces the fell. The clamping slits can be expanded by means of a cam bar provided in the shuttle box and a corresponding lever provided on the shuttle itself so that the filling thread which has been caught advances as far as to a knife edge in the shuttle and is cut off there. Whereas in this arrangement the filling thread is received by the shuttle when the latter is moving, a relatively complicated mechanical feeder is required adjacent to each shuttle box to hold part of the filling thread transversely to the direction of movement of the shuttle so that the filling thread is caught in the clamping slit of the shuttle.

Another known clamping device for use in gripper shuttles protrudes toward the fell (British Pat. specification No. 1,167,698) and consists of a rocker which cooperates with two stationary jaws and is pivoted on an axis that is transverse to the direction of the pick. This clamping device is operated by a roller which is mounted on an arm and engaged by the shuttle when the same is advanced together with the sley transversely to the direction of the pick so that the roller applies pressure to the open jaw end of the rocker, the clamp formed by the jaws is closed and the clamp on the other side of the rocker is opened. The known clamping device has the disadvantage that it cannot clamp the filling thread as the shuttle moves into the shed and that the filling thread must be mechanically transferred.

In another known gripper shuttle (Published German application No. 1,535,832), the clamping device consists of a clamp disposed in the shuttle body rather than of a jaw clamp protruding like a beak from the shuttle body. The filling thread must be introduced from above by a mechanical thread feeder into a longitudinal groove in the movable clamping jaw in order to ensure that the thread will be gripped. The jaw is operated by a fixed stop acting on an engaging ledge on the jaw so that the same disadvantages occur which have been described hereinbefore.

Finally, a false shuttle has been disclosed (French Pat. application No. 1,383,420), whose clamping jaws are operable as the shuttle engages stops provided along the shuttle race. Again, the filling thread must be mechanically transferred to the clamping jaw. This involves a high structural expenditure and a relatively low shuttle speed.

It is an object of the invention to eliminate these disadvantages and to provide a device which is of the kind described first hereinbefore and in which a reliable gripping of the end of the filling thread during a fast movement of the shuttle is ensured, regardless of the thickness of the thread, so that no time will be lost by a stoppage and positioning of the shuttle. Besides, the device should be structurally simple and reliable in operation.

This object is accomplished according to the inven tion in that the shuttle comprises a jaw clamp which laterally protrudes from the shuttle body toward the fell, and which is adapted to be opened against spring force by means of an expanding member which is operable in known manner by engaging stops arranged adjacent v to the shuttle race. A feed tube is provided with a tubular nozzle for guiding the air stream, which nozzle is fitted on the outlet end of the feed tube and has an axis which lies substantially in the parting plane defined by the jaw clamp when closed and extends transversely to the shuttle race. In accordance with the invention, the air stream does not advance the filling thread but merely serves to hold said thread in a centered position in the axis of the tubular air stream; A tubular air stream will ensure a much better centering than an air stream which flows through the feed tube itself. The end of the filling thread protrudes freely from the feed tube and need not be introduced into a bore or the like of the shuttle but is reliably gripped by the jaw clamp as the latter moves past the filling thread. It will be sufficient to close the jaw clamp at the proper time. This time can easily be selected by means of the stops. During the movement of the shuttle, the jaw clamp protruding toward the fell pulls the filling thread through the shed to the other side and then opens to release the filling thread. The jaw clamp is then reversed and subsequently takes over the filling thread which is presented on this side. The beaklike shape of the clamp affords the advantage that the filling thread is inserted close to the fell even if the shuttle body itself is relatively larger in cross-section. The structure is simple and does not require a highly accurate positioning of the shuttle as it receives the filling thread because the jaw clamp may be so wide that a reliable gripping of the end of the filling thread along a relatively large distance is ensured. The air nozzle ensures that the end of the filling thread extends exactly into the opening of the clamp.

In a preferred of the invention, the expanding member consists of a spreading rod which is rotatably mounted in the shuttle and extends between the jaws of the clamp and is co-rotationally connected to two axially spaced cross-rods, which are spaced 90 apart from each other and cooperate with the stops provided at the shuttle race. The jaw clamp consists preferably of a U shaped, bent spring strip and is closed or opened, depending on the angular position of the spreading rod. The spreading rod is simply rotated by the cross-rods, which during the movement of the shuttle engage the stops and in response thereto are pivotally moved accordingly. Because there are two cross-rods, which are axially spaced and are spaced 90 apart and cooperate with corresponding laterally spaced stops, the opening and closing of the jaw clamp during the movement of the shuttle in both directions is ensured. This results also in a simple structure without need for particularly small tolerances.

To ensure a reliable gripping and clamping of the end of the filling thread, the free ends of the clamp jaws are provided on the inside in known manner with transverse beads which mesh like teeth.

According to the invention, the clamp jaws have air passage openings which prevent the formation of a disturbing air cushion between the jaws of the open clamp. Such air cushion could deflect the freely protruding thread end which is centered by the air nozzle and could thus endanger the reliable entrance of that thread end into the jaw clamp.

It has been found that it will be particularly suitable if the tubular nozzle fitted on the feed tube consists of a sleeve, which is formed with a plurality of air passages, which are uniformly angularly spaced and extend parallel to the axis and are open to the internal bore and can be closed there by the wall of the feed tube. Such nozzle will produce an air stream which flows along the outside of the feed tube and forms the narrowest possible envelope for guiding the freely protruding end of the filling thread.

The feed tube together with the nozzle may be movable out of the path of movement of the jaw clamp to prevent damage to the end of the thread during the return movement of the shuttle.

To enable an adaptation to different cloth widths and to avoid an excessive amount of thread waste in case of a reduced cloth width, the stops and the feed tube as well as the nozzle may be displacable along the shuttle race.

An embodiment of the invention is shown diagrammatically and by way of example on the accompanying drawings, in which FIGS. I and 2 are, respectively, a partly transverse sectional view and a top plan view showing a device according to the invention for transferring and clamping the filling thread,

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing the clamp in open position,

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line IV--IV in FIG. 3 through the clamp,

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on line V-V in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a front elevation showing on a larger scale the air nozzle according to the invention, and

FIG. 7 is a top plan view similar to that of FIG. 2, showing two feed tubes.

A gripper shuttle l is provided with rollers 2 moving on a shuttle race 3 and is also provided with a jaw clamp 4 which protrudes laterally toward the fell and is adapted to be opened by a spreading rod 6 operable by stops 5 provided on the shuttle race. The spreading rod 6 extends between the

jaws

7 and 8 of the clamp, which consists of a U-shaped bent spring strip. The spreading rod 6 is rotatably mounted in the body 9 and is provided with two axially spaced cross-rods l0 and 11 angularly spaced apart and cooperating with the stops 9 which are spaced apart like the cross-rods. As the cross-rods move past the stops and in engagement therewith, the cross-rods turn the spreading rod through 90 so that the jaw clamp is closed and opened in alternation whenever the spreading bar is turned.

To ensure that the gripper shuttle 1 remains exactly in its path during the operation of the spreading rod 6 by the stops 5, the race is formed with profiled guide rails 12, disposed on the side opposite to the jaw clamp and in engagement with a suitably shaped guide member 13 or the like of the gripper shuttle.

The filling thread is moved through a feed tube 14, the outlet end 15 of which has an axis which lies approximately in the parting plane defined by the clamp 4 and which extends transversely to the shuttle race 3. The outlet end 15 of the feed tube carries a tubular nozzle 16 which consists of a sleeve 17, fitted on the tube end 15. The sleeve is formed with a plurality of uniformly angularly spaced air passages 18 which are parallel to the axis and open to the internal bore and closed there by the wall of the feed tube 14. The nozzle 16 communicates with an air supply conduit .19 so that the end of the filling thread protruding from the outlet opening 15 of the feed tube 14 is held by the tubular air stream which emerges from the angularly arranged air passages 18 of the nozzle 16 in a centered position for the transfer to the gripper shuttle.

The jaw clamp 4 is opened by the spreading rod and one stop 5 as the jaw clamp enters the shuttle box. When leaving the shuttle box, the jaw clamp 4 is closed because the spreading rod 6 is rotated by the other stop, spaced from the first-mentioned stop, as mentioned above. This closing of the jaw clamp 4 takes place when the latter is disposed adjacent to the presented end of the filling thread. To ensure that the presented end of the filling thread cannot be deflected by air cushions, which might be formed by the movement of the jaw clamp, the two

jaws

7 and 8 of the jaw clamp 4 are formed with air passage openings 20. The clamping of the end of the filling thread is improved because the

jaws

7 and 8 are formed with transverse beads 21 which mesh like teeth.

When the end of the filling thread has been clamped on the shuttle, the filling thread is inserted into the shed. Before moving into the opposite shuttle box, the shuttle moves over the two stops 5. That stop which is nearer to the fell and serves to close the clamp is not engaged at this time because the jaw clamp is closed. The second stop 5 strikes on the associated cross-red 11 so that the speading rod 6 is turned through 90 to open the jaws and turn the second cross-rod 10 into the path of the associated stop. When moving out of the shuttle box, the shuttle moves over the stop which serves to open the jaw clamp but does not engage the same because the clamp is open. As the clamp moves past the end of the filling thread presented on the other side of the loom, the correspondingly adjusted second stop rotates the spreading rod so that the jaw clamp closes owing to the resiliency of the jaws and the end of the new filling thread is then clamped and pulled along.

It will be understood that, after the insertion of each filling thread, the latter must be severed by shears disposed on the sides of the loom. It will be desirable to provide an operative connection between the feed tube 14, which carries the nozzle 16, and the movable blade of the shears so that the feed tube and nozzle are moved out of the path of the jaw clamp and thus to prevent damage to the end of the thread during the return movement of the shuttle.

What is claimed is:

1. In a loom, the combination comprising 1. a carrying structure defining a shuttle race extending in a longitudinal direction,

2. a shuttle body carried by the structure on the shuttle race and movable therealong in the longitudinal direction,

a. the shuttle body having a fell side,

3. a jaw clamp carried by the shuttle body and protruding laterally from the fell side thereof in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the shuttle race,

a. the jaw clamp being spring-biased to a closed position,

4. an expanding member carried by the shuttle body and operable to cause the jaw clamp to be opened about a parting plane against the spring bias of the jaw clamp,

a. the jaw clamp opening and closing in respect of the parting plane about an axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the shuttle race,

5. stops carried by the structure adjacent the shuttle race and engageable by the expanding member to operate the expanding member so as to cause the jaw clamp to be opened as the shuttle member moves along the shuttle race, and

6. two filling thread feed tubes spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the shuttle race and laterally adjacent thereto on the fell side of the shuttle body, each feed tube having a. an outlet end with an axis extending in the parting plane of the jaw clamp and extending transversely to the longitudinal direction of the shuttle race, and

b. a tubular nozzle fitted on the outlet end and adapted to discharge a tubular air stream about the axis of the feed tube outlet end in a direction transverse to, and towards, the shuttle race, the tubular air stream being adapted to hold a filling thread portion protruding from the outlet end in a centered position in alignment with the parting plane of the jaw clamp when the same moves in an open position past the outlet end whereby the protruding filling thread portion is received in the open jaw clamp.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein the jaw clamp comprises two jaws arranged on a respective side of the parting plane, each of the jaws having a plurality of air passage openings.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1, in which said jaw clamp comprises two jaws adapted to be opened and closed and said expanding member comprises a spreading rod rotatably mounted in said shuttle body, and two cross-rods corotationally connected to said spreading rod and spaced apart in the axial direction of said spreading rod and angularly spaced apart, each cross-rod protruding from opposite sides of said spreading rod, and

said cross-rods are engageable with said stops to operate said expanding member.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1, in which each of said tubular nozzles consists of a sleeve formed with a main longitudinal bore receiving said feed tube and with a plurality of uniformly angularly spaced air passages which are disposed radially outwardly of said bore and extend parallel to the axis of the sleeve and are radially inwardly open to said bore and closed there by said outlet end.

Claims

1. In a loom, the combination comprising 1. a carrying structure defining a shuttle race extending in a longitudinal direction, 2. a shuttle body carried by the structure on the shuttle race and movable therealong in the longitudinal direction, a. the shuttle body having a fell side, 3. a jaw clamp carried by the shuttle body and protruding laterally from the fell side thereof in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the shuttle race, a. the jaw clamp being spring-biased to a closed position, 4. an expanding member carried by the shuttle body and operable to cause the jaw clamp to be opened about a parting plane against the spring bias of the jaw clamp, a. the jaw clamp opening and closing in respect of the parting plane about an axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the shuttle race, 5. stops carried by the structure adjacent the shuttle race and engageable by the expanding member to operate the expanding member so as to cause the jaw clamp to be opened as the shuttle member moves along the shuttle race, and 6. two filling thread feed tubes spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the shuttle race and laterally adjacent thereto on the fell side of the shuttle body, each feed tube having a. an outlet end with an axis extending in the parting plane of the jaw clamp and extending transversely to the longitudinal direction of the shuttle race, and b. a tubular nozzle fitted on the outlet end and adapted to discharge a tubular air stream about the axis of the feed tube outlet end in a direction transverse to, and towards, the shuttle race, the tubular air stream being adapted to hold a filling thread portion protruding from the outlet end in a centered position in alignment with the parting plane of the jaw clamp when the same moves in an open position past the outlet end whereby the protruding filling thread portion is received in the open jaw clamp.

2. a shuttle body carried by the structure on the shuttle race and movable therealong in the longitudinal direction, a. the shuttle body having a fell side,

3. a jaw clamp carried by the shuttle body and protruding laterally from the fell side thereof in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the shuttle race, a. the jaw clamp being spring-biased to a closed position,

3. The combination set forth in claim 1, in which said jaw clamp comprises two jaws adapted to be opened and closed and said expanding member comprises a spreading rod rotatably mounted in said shuttle body, and two cross-rods corotationally connected to said spreading rod and spaced apart in the axial direction of said spreading rod and angularly spaced 90* apart, each cross-rod protruding from opposite sides of said spreading rod, and said cross-rods are engageable with said stops to operate said expanding member.

4. an expanding member carried by the shuttle body and operable to cause the jaw clamp to be opened about a parting plane against the spring bias of the jaw clamp, a. the jaw clamp opening and closing in respect of the parting plane about an axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the shuttle race,

6. two filling thread feed tubes spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the shuttle race and laterally adjacent thereto on the fell side of the shuttle body, each feed tube having a. an outlet end with an axis extending in the parting plane of the jaw clamp and extending transversely to the longitudinal direction of the shuttle race, and b. a tubular nozzle fitted on the outlet end and adapted to discharge a tubular air stream about the axis of the feed tube outlet end in a direction transverse to, and towards, the shuttle race, the tubular air stream being adapted to hold a filling thread portion protruding from the outlet end in a centered position in alignment with the parting plane of the jaw clamp when the same moves in an open position past the outlet end whereby the protruding filling thread portion is received in the open jaw clamp.