US747302A - Let-off mechanism for looms. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED DEG. 15, 1903.

J. V. GUNNIPP. LET-OFF MECHANISM FOR LOOMS,

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 13, 1903.

.NO MODEL.

UNITED STATES Fatented December 15, 1903.

PATENT Enron.

JOHN V. OUNNIFF, OF NEW BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO DRAPER COMPANY, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A, CORPORA- TION OF MAINE.

LET-OFF MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 747,302, dated December 15, 1903. A

Application filed June 13, 1903. Serial No. 161,273. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN V. CUNNIFF, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New Bedford, county of Bristol, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Let-OE Mechanism for Looms, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

In positively-driven let-off mechanism for looms, such as the well-known Bartlett letoff or the Roper let-0E, shown in United States Patent No. 647 ,815, it is necessary for the weaver to nnclamp the friction-collar and turn the worm-shaft by the hand-Wheel in the Bartlett type or by the ratchet in the Roper construction whenever it is desired to turn the warp-beam backward or forward. This is necessary for various reasons as, for instance, after making a pick out.

In either form of apparatus above referred to the operation specified is slow, and in practice the weavers hands are very apt to become soiled, as so many oily parts of the mechanism have to be handled.

This invention has for its object the production of simple means whereby when desired the warp-beam can be readily and instantly released from its actuating mechanism, the release being effectedby one hand and leaving the beam free to be turned any distance. The releasing is effected so quickly and the parts to be handled are so few in number that there is little liability of soiling the hands of the weaver, it being manifest that itis very important aweaver should keep his hands clean, as otherwise he is apt to injure the cloth.

The novel features of the invention willbe described fully in the subjoined specification and particularly pointed out in the following claims.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a let-off mechanism of a loom with one form of the invention embodied therein. Fig. 2 is a partial vertical section thereof on the line 2 2, Fig. 1, looking toward the left. Fig. 3

is a detail on the line 3 3, Fig. 2, looking down, showing the transmitting means partly broken out between the Warp-beam and its actuating member; and Fig. 4 is an enlarged view, partly in longitudinal section, of the clutch or coupling interposed. between the beam and the actuating member therefor.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the warp-beam W, having an attached gear B, the upright.

the loom side A, has an elongated bearing 6 for a transmitting-shaft E rotatably mounted therein, and a worm-gear e and a pinion g are shown mounted on the shaft ll in continuous mesh with the worm d and beamgear B, respectively. The shaft E project-s some distance beyond each end of the bearing 6, and herein the pinion g on the inner end of the shaft is shown secured thereto by its hub g, while the worm-gear e is loose on the shaft. worm-gear e is herein shown as having teeth or projections e on its outer end, forming one member of a clutch or coupling, the inner end of the hub being adjacent the outer end of the bearing e, Figs. 2 and 3. Upon the outer end of the shaft E projecting beyond the hub e, is mounted the other memberfof the clutch or coupling, shown as recessed in Fig. 4 and having at its inner end teeth or projections f to engage the teeth or projections 6 The member f is splined at f, Fig. 4, to the shaft E and normally held in operative position by a spring 8X, the outer end of the latter abutting against a collar f secured to the shaft by a set-screw 3. An annular lip or enlargementj is made on the outer end of the member f to facilitate its movement manually, and by reference to Fig. 4 it will be seen that the springreceiving recess in the coupling member f is of greater diameter than the collar f The outer end of the hub e of the- Ordinarily the spring will maintain the clutch members in cooperative position, and thereby the worm-gear e will rotate with the transmitting-gear E, and the warp-beam will be rotated from the actuating shaft or member d. When, however, the weaver finds it necessary to turn the warp-beam backward or forward, all that is necessary is for him to grasp the clutch member f, which by its shape forms a convenient knob, and draw it outward on the shaft E thereby releasing the clutch, and the warp-beam can then be turned backward or forward as much as desired. The releasing of the clutch is effected easily and instantly with one hand, and it will be manifest that it is unnecessary for the weaver to take hold of any of the oily parts of the loom in order to disconnect the warp-beam and its actuating mechanism.

With the structure herein shown it will be seen that the friction device F is not disturbed in any way by the release of the beam, so that when the latter has been manipulated, as desired, by hand the parts are in condition for immediate resumption of work, the release of the clutch or coupling memberf by the weaver being followed by the automatic clutching of the parts due to the action of the spring 8 The invention is not restricted to the precise construction and arrangement herein shown, as various changes or modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In let-off mechanism for looms, a warpbeam, a positively-driven actuating member, a transmitting-shaft having a fast and a loose gear thereon, one of said gears cooperating -with. the warp-beam and the other with the actuating member, and a clutch to normally effect rotation of the loose gear with the shaft, release of the clutch permitting the warp-beam to be turned independently of the actuating member.

2. In let-off mechanism for looms, a warpbeam, an actuating member therefor, driven by a moving part of the loom, gears on the beam and driving member, a transmittingshaft' having mounted upon it gears in mesh with the beam and driving-gears, one of the gears on the shaft being fast thereon, and means to uncouple manually the other shaftgear from the shaft.

3. In let-ofi mechanism for looms, a warpbeam, an actuating member therefor, driven by a moving part of the loom, gears on the beam and driving member, a transmittingshaft having a gear fast thereon in mesh with the beam-gear, a second gear loose on the shaft and in continuous mesh with the driving-gear, and a clutch to connect the loose gear with or disconnect it from the transmiting-shaft.

' 4. In let-off mechanism for looms, a warpbeam having an attached gear, an actuatingworm driven by a moving part of the loom, a transmitting-shaft having a pinion fast thereon in mesh with the beam-gear, a fixed bearing in which the shaft is rotatably mounted, a worm-gear loose on said shaft and in continuous mesh with the worm, a clutch member on said worm-gear, a cooperating clutch member rotatable with the shaft and movable longitudinally thereon into and out of engagement with its fellow, and a spring to effect cooperation of the clutch members and thereby connect the worm gear with the shaft.

5. In let-off mechanism for looms, a warpbeam having an attached gear, an actuatingworm driven by a moving part of the loom, a transmitting-shaft havinga pinion fast thereon in mesh with the beam-gear, a fixed bearing in which the shaft is rotatably mounted, a worm-gear loose on said shaft and in continuous mesh with the worm, said pinion and worm-gear being located at opposite ends of the shaft-bearing,a clutch one member whereof rotates with the worm-gear and the other member with the shaft, the latter member being mounted on the outer end of the shaft and manually movable longitudinally thereof in one direction to render the clutch inoperative, and a spring to effect cooperation of the clutch members.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN V. OUNNIFF.

Witnesses:

E. B. J OURDAIN, WM. H. O. TAYLOR.

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