WO2004108999A1

WO2004108999A1 - Binding device for a weaving machine and method for the use thereof

Info

Publication number: WO2004108999A1
Application number: PCT/BE2004/000072
Authority: WO
Inventors: Patrick Glorie; Ignace Meyns
Original assignee: Picanol N.V. Naamloze Vennootschap
Priority date: 2003-06-06
Filing date: 2004-05-14
Publication date: 2004-12-16
Also published as: CN1798886A; EP1631713A1; BE1015554A3

Abstract

Binding device for a weaving machine, whereby this binding device (1) comprises at least one or several elements (14) which can be moved up and down, including at least one thread guide element (17, 18, 19, 20, 43, 44, 45), characterised in that the binding device comprises at least an upper guiding part (15) and a lower guiding part (16) for the above-mentioned elements (14), whereby these guiding parts (15-16) are mutually connected by means of a connecting part (27); in that the above-mentioned elements (14) which can be moved up and down define a certain working area (28); and in that the above-mentioned connecting part (27), according to the warp direction (K), is mainly situated outside the distance (X) over which this working area (28) extends, but, according to the weft direction (I), is mainly situated within the distance (Y) over which working area (28) extends.

Description

Binding device for a weaving machine and method for the use thereof .

The present invention concerns a binding device for a weaving machine, as well as a method for the use thereof.

More particularly, it concerns a binding device . for a weaving machine of the type which comprises at least one or several elements which can be moved up and down, including at least one thread guide element.

Binding devices working in conjunction with binding threads, more particularly selvedge threads or catch threads, are applied among others in weaving machines to form a selvedge on a fabric or to form a waste ribbon.

Binding threads, more particularly selvedge threads or catch threads, are hereby guided through thread guide elements which impose a movement to said binding threads, such that the weft threads are bound in said binding threads according to a specific pattern.

From EP 0,519,550 is known a binding device whereby the thread guide elements are guided in side guides extending over the entire height of the thread guide elements . Such side guides have for a result that the binding device according to the weft direction at the height of the weaving shed is rather broad, such that mounting it on a weaving machine is often at the expense of the available width on the weaving machine to form the fabrics. This is particularly disadvantageous if several fabrics are woven next to each other on one and the same weaving machine, and the binding device stands between both fabrics, as in this case a relatively large distance is formed between both fabrics where no fabric can be formed. In order to reduce this distance, the warp threads and the binding threads can be bent more or less around the binding device. However, a too strong bending may have a negative effect on the quality of the fabric. Moreover, the thread guide elements, due to the presence of the side guides, are situated at a certain distance from the edge of the fabric, as a result of which the binding threads are not optimally supplied.

From BE 1,009,899 is known a binding device with thread guide elements which are guided exclusively at the top in the guiding parts, whereby these guiding parts are situated above the weaving shed. As the thread guide elements are guided exclusively at the top in guiding parts, such an embodiment is less stable and consequently not ideal when working at high weaving speeds .

A binding device of the above-mentioned type is known from German utility design DE 8814891, whereby the thread guide elements are formed of what are called leno heddles . The leno heddles are fixed to elements which can be moved up and down via laterally extending first connecting parts, whereas these elements can in turn move in guides which are connected to a fixed, vertical, tubular support via second connecting parts, situated perpendicularly to the first ones . By making use of such laterally extending connections, the binding device according to DE 8814891 is rather voluminous as a whole, as a result of which it occupies much space along the edge of a fabric, and such a device is not suitable to be mounted between two fabrics .

Also, the present invention aims a binding device which does not have the above-mentioned disadvantages and which, at least according to the weft direction, occupies little space and, as a consequence, is particularly suitable to be mounted between two fabrics on a weaving machine .

To this end the invention, according to a first aspect, concerns a binding device for a weaving machine of the above-mentioned type, characterised in that the binding device comprises at least an upper guiding part and a lower guiding part for the above-mentioned elements, whereby these guiding parts are mutually connected by means of a connecting part; in that the above-mentioned elements which can be moved up and down define a certain working area; and in that the above-mentioned connecting part, according to the warp direction, is mainly situated outside the distance over which this working area extends, but, according to the weft direction, is mainly situated within the distance over which the working area extends .

As the connecting part, according to the warp direction, is mainly situated outside the distance over which the above- mentioned working area extends, and this connecting part, according to the weft direction, is also situated mainly within the distance over which the working area extends, it is obtained that the width of the working area is not negatively affected by the presence of the connecting part . As a result, according to the weft direction, the size of the working area, and more particularly its width, can be exclusively limited to the space that is required for the passage of the above-mentioned elements that can be moved up and down, such that a minimum distance can be maintained between two fabrics on a weaving machine, whereas use can nevertheless be made of upper and lower guiding parts which are connected to each other in a stable manner by means of the connecting part. Moreover, there is a possibility now to move the thread guides up and down immediately next to the edge of the fabric, in spite of the presence of the above-mentioned connecting part:

Although the width of the part of the binding device which, when in use is situated in the extension of the weaving shed, is minimal, the upper guiding part and the lower guiding part stay connected to each other in a stable manner by means of the connecting part, as a result of which these guiding parts, when mounted on a weaving machine, will always stay automatically aligned in relation to each other, so that a quick mounting, dismounting and repositioning of the binding device is always possible.

The above-mentioned elements preferably define a working area which is made compact according to the weft direction. Such a compact working area can be obtained as the aforesaid elements which can be moved up and down can be situated close together while the binding device is in use, whereby these elements are moreover preferably embodied with a minimal thickness. The aforesaid connecting part hereby preferably does not form an obstacle to arrange the aforesaid elements close to each other according to the weft direction.

As a criterion for a 'compact working area', at least one of the following characteristics is preferably applied:

- the working area, more particularly the smallest working area which can be obtained when using the binding device, extends over a distance which is smaller than 15 mm, and better still which is smaller than 10 mm, according to the weft direction; the elements which can be moved up and down are situated practically immediately next to each other according to the weft direction, or they can at least be brought in a position whereby they are situated immediately next to each other, whereby by 'immediately next to each other' is meant that they can be brought against each other and/or that the mutual distance between elements provided next to each other is very limited, preferably up to less than 3 mm.

Further, the connecting part is preferably narrower than the guiding parts according to the weft direction. This makes it possible to make this connecting part as thin as possible in order to prevent the warp threads and binding threads from being bent far around the connecting part on the one hand, and to apply rather stable guiding parts on the other hand.

It should be noted that the binding device preferably has a central part which is designed to extend over the height of the weaving shed, and that the above-mentioned guides are situated outside, more particularly above and under the central part. This has for a result that the guiding parts in no way whatsoever form an obstacle for the passage of the warp threads and binding threads .

According to the most preferred embodiment, the connecting part has a longitudinal, slim section in between the above- mentioned guiding parts, whose longitudinal direction is situated mainly crosswise to the weft direction, which offers the advantage that a rather rigid connecting part is maintained on the one hand, but that the width of this connecting part can be reduced to a minimum according to the weft direction.

In a practical embodiment, the above-mentioned connecting part is made in the shape of a brace, as a result of which the connecting part will be automatically situated at a distance from the thread guide elements, and these thread guide elements remain easily accessible during the threading.

Further, the binding device is preferably equipped with thread guide elements in the shape of thread- or lamella- shaped heddles, which contributes to the realisation of a working area which is as compact as possible, at least according to the weft direction.

The invention is particularly useful in embodiments whereby the above-mentioned elements are moveable in the guiding parts as they are fixed to end parts being guided in the guiding parts . The use of such end parts offers the advantage that the thread guide elements and the like can be easily mounted in the binding ■ device. As the guiding parts, as mentioned above, are preferably no longer situated in the extension of the weaving shed, but above and underneath it, the guiding parts and thus also the end parts are not perforce bound to small dimensions, and they can be made rather stable; moreover, there is also the possibility to use all sorts of fixing techniques in order to fix the thread guide elements to the end parts.

According to a preferred embodiment, the above-mentioned movable elements comprise, apart from the thread guide elements, at least one reinforcement part which connects the end parts concerned to each other. If the binding device is driven by coupling one of the end parts, for example the topmost, to a drive, such a reinforcement part offers the advantage that the forces exerted on the elements extending between the end parts during the up- and down-movement can be absorbed mainly, if not entirely, by the reinforcement part, instead of by the thread guide elements. As a result, these thread guide elements are relieved among others from tensile forces and pressure forces, and thus also from buckle, and they can be made relatively thin, which is advantageous to the aim of the invention. Moreover, the thread guide elements can then be provided to the binding device in a more or less freely movable manner, as a result of which the binding threads can smoothly move through these thread guide elements during the weaving.

The invention is particularly useful in applications whereby the binding device comprises thread guide elements for forming two fabric edges, more particularly the adjacent fabric edges of two adjacent fabrics. More particularly, use will preferably be made of at least two series of elements which can be moved up and down, whereby every series comprises at least a thread guide element for a binding thread for one fabric edge, as well as at least a thread guide element for a binding thread for the other fabric edge. Preferably, the binding device is thereby provided with at least one common connecting part, although other embodiments having several connecting parts between the guiding parts are not excluded.

In order to realise similar aims as described above, the present invention, according to a second aspect, also concerns a binding device of the above-mentioned type, characterised in that the binding device has at least an upper guiding part and a lower guiding part for the above- mentioned elements, whereby these guiding parts are mutually connected by means of a connecting part, and in that, according to the weft direction, the connecting part in between the above-mentioned guiding parts is narrower than the guiding parts themselves . According to a third aspect of the invention, the above- mentioned aims can also be realised by means of a binding device of the type mentioned above, which is further characterised in that the binding device comprises at least an upper guiding part and a lower guiding part for the above-mentioned elements, whereby these guiding parts are mutually connected by means of a connecting part, and in that the connecting part between the above-mentioned guiding parts has a longitudinal, slim cross section, whose longitudinal direction extends mainly crosswise to the weft direction.

Maturally, all the above-described as well as the following additional characteristics, either or not mutually combined, can be applied with a binding device according to the first, the second or the third aspect.

Moreover, the invention also concerns a method for the use of the above-mentioned binding device, characterised in that it is used for forming fabric edges, more particularly two adjacent fabric edges of two adjacent fabrics on a weaving machine. A distance of less than 10 mm is hereby preferably maintained between the fabrics.

In order to better explain the characteristics of the invention, the following preferred embodiments are described as an example only without being limitative in any way, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :

figure 1 schematically represents a binding device according to the invention mounted in a weaving machine; figure 2 represents a section according to line II -II in figure 1 to a larger scale; figures 3 and 4 represent a front view and a rear view of the binding device from figures 1 and 2 in perspective ,- figures 5 and 6 represent the parts indicated by F5 and F6 respectively in figures 3 and 4 to a larger scale ; figure 7 represents a series of elements from the binding device in figures 1 to 6 which can be moved up and down, as disassembled; figure 8 represents a view analogous to that of figure 7, for a variant ; figure 9 represents a view similar to that of figure 6 , but for an embodiment whereby the thread guide elements are made in the shape of what are called leno heddles .

As represented in figures 1 and 2 , the invention concerns a binding device 1 for forming one or several fabric edges, in the given example two fabric edges 2-3, to adjacent fabrics 4-5 respectively.

The binding device 1, as usual, is mounted at the height of the shed-forming mechanism 6, in the given example at the height of the frames 7. By means of the frames 7, a weaving shed 10 is formed as is known with the warp threads 8, which are guided through the heddles 9 of the frames 7, such that, through the insertion of weft threads 11, and their beat-up against the fell line 12 by means of the reed 13, the above-mentioned fabrics 4-5 are created.

As represented in figures 1 to 7, the binding device 1 comprises at least one or several movable elements 14 which can be moved up and down on the one hand, as well as at least an upper guiding part 15 and a lower guiding part 16 for guiding the elements 14 during their movement. In the given example, the elements 14 consist of thread guide elements 17-18-19-20 for binding threads 21-22-23-24, as well as of reinforcement parts 25-26 which will be further described in detail .

The guiding parts 15 and 16 are connected by means of a connecting part 27.

The elements 14 which can be moved up and down define a specific working area 28 whose cross section, as indicated in figure 2, is determined as being the minimal surface which is occupied by the elements 14 as a whole in the cross section. According to a first aspect of the invention, the connecting part 27, according to the warp direction K, is situated mainly outside the distance X over which the working area 28 extends, but, according to the weft direction I, it is situated mainly within the distance

Y over which the working area 28 extends, as a result of which the advantages mentioned in the introduction are obtained.

The connecting part 27, at least at the weaving shed 10, according to the weft direction I, is narrower than the guiding parts 15 and 16, in other words the thickness D of this connecting part 27 is smaller than the width B of the thread guiding parts 15 and 16.

The elements 14 are situated closely next to each other, as represented in figure 2, as a result of which they define a compact working area 28, whose distance Y is preferably smaller than 15 mm, and better still smaller than 10 mm.

The binding device 1 has a central part 29 which is meant to extend over the height H of the weaving shed 10. The above-mentioned guiding parts 15 and 16 are situated outside, more particularly above and under said central part 29, and also outside the working area 28 of the elements 14 which can be moved up and down. The working area 28 hereby extends in the height over a distance Z which is determined by the direction of movement of the movable elements 14, and which is practically equal to the height H of the weaving shed 10.

As represented in figure 2, the connecting part 27 has a longitudinal, slim section in between the aforesaid guiding parts 15 and 16, whose longitudinal direction is mainly situated crosswise to the weft direction I. Moreover, this connecting part 27, as represented, is preferably made in the shape of a brace. By positioning the connecting part 27 on the rear side, it forms practically no obstacle when being mounted on a weaving machine. For, as is clear in figure 1, the connecting part 27 will then stick between the frames 7.

However, what precedes does not exclude that the connecting part 27 can be situated on the other side of the binding device 1, or that a connecting part 27 divided in two or several parts is applied. One part can hereby be situated for example on one side, whereas the other part can be situated for example on the opposite side. Two or several of such very narrow connecting parts 27 can hereby be arranged parallel to each other.

The elements 14 can be moved in the guiding parts 15 and 16 as they are fixed to end parts 30-31 and 32-33 being guided in these guiding parts 15 and 16.

The binding device 1 is driven for example, as illustrated in figures 3 to 6, by means of driving rods 34-35 which are coupled to the upper end parts 30 and 32, and which can be moved up and down by means of an electric motor 36 and a non-represented transmission, preferably alternating with each other. However, other drive means are not excluded.

In the example of figures 1 to 7, the thread guide elements 17-18 and 19-20 are made as lamella-shaped heddles which are suspended to heddle rods 37-38 and 39-40 in a freely moving manner.

The end parts 30 and 31 are mutually connected by means of a reinforcement part 25, whereas the end parts 32 and 33 are mutually connected by means of a reinforcement part 26, which offers the advantages mentioned in the introduction. In the given example, these reinforcement parts 25-26 are mounted between the heddle rods 37 and 38, 39 and 40 respectively, but it is clear that, according to a variant, such reinforcement parts could also be made as connections between the actual bodies of the end parts 30-31 and 32-33, or even in one piece with said bodies.

The reinforcement parts 25-26 consist of a flat profile, which contributes to the minimisation of the above- mentioned distance Y.

Every reinforcement part 25, 26 respectively, is situated between the surrounding thread guide elements 17-18, 19-20 respectively, such that the thread guide elements 17-18-19- 20 are situated on the outer edge of the working area 28, and thus immediately against the fabrics 4-5. Moreover, the connecting part 27 is situated mainly in the extension of these reinforcement parts 25-26 according to the warp direction K.

It should be noted that, in the given example, every guiding part 15-16 is provided with two separate guides 41- 42 for the end parts 30-31 and 32-33, which are U-shaped, but that such guides can also be made in other shapes . Thus, for example, it is possible to provide only one U- shaped guide per guiding part 15 or 16, in which both end parts 30-32 on the one hand, and the end parts 31-33 on the other hand, can be shifted alongside each other. Nor is it excluded to guide only one set of end parts, for example the set of end parts 30-31, directly in the guiding parts 15-16, whereas the other set of end parts 32-33 can be shifted along guides provided in the first set of end parts 30-31.

The working of the device can be easily derived from figures 1 to 7 and mainly consists in that by moving the thread guide elements 17-18 up and down, according to a specific pattern of movement, on the one hand, and the thread guide elements 19-20 on the other hand, a certain binding is realised at the fabric edges 2-3 by means of the binding threads 21-22 and 23-24.

It is clear that the invention can be optimally made use of when the binding device 1 is provided with two series of thread guides for forming two fabric edges 2-3, and is implemented between two adjacent fabrics 4-5. However, according to a variant, the binding device 1, can also be equipped with only one set of thread guide elements, 17 and 19 for example, in order to form only one fabric edge. Even then, the invention offers the advantage that the working area 28 according to the weft direction I is very narrow and, consequently, requires little mounting space. Nor is it excluded, in line with the present invention, to apply two binding devices 1 between two adjacent fabrics 2- 3 , whereby every binding device 1 binds only one fabric edge, but whereby the distance between the two fabric edges 2-3 nevertheless remains small. Figure 8 represents a variant whereby no separate reinforcement part 25-26 is used, but whereby the thread guide elements, of which only the elements 17 and 18 are represented in this case, are made more stable, as they consist of struts with a considerably thicker section than for example the lamella- shaped thread guide elements 17-18- 19-20 from the embodiment of figures 1 to 7.

The invention is not restricted to embodiments whereby the thread guide elements consist of thread-, rod- or lamella- shaped heddles. Thus, for example, such a binding device can also be realised with what are called leno heddles, for example of the type as represented in DE 8814891. It is clear that in case of an embodiment with what are called leno heddles, these leno heddles can be either or not combined with reinforcement parts 25-26.

An example of an embodiment with what are called leno heddles is given in the variant represented in figure 9. The elements 14 hereby consist of thread guide elements 43, 44 and 45 which together form what are called leno heddles. Every so-called leno heddle consists of a first thread guide element 43, a second thread guide element 44 which is controlled opposite to the first thread guide element 43, and a trouser-shaped thread guide element 45 which is provided with a thread eye 46 for a binding thread in the known manner on its top side, and which is controlled in a known manner by the first thread guide element 43 and by the second thread guide element 44. A second binding thread is guided in a known manner on the thread guide element 45 and between the thread guide elements 43 and 44. The thread guide elements 43, 44 and 45 are for example embodied in an analogous manner as the thread guide elements described in German utility design DE 8814891. In figure 9, two what are called leno heddles are provided next to each other in the binding device 1 according to the invention, designed to each form a fabric edge on two adjacent fabrics.

Although the invention can be applied most advantageously to form two adjacent fabric edges of two adjacent fabrics 4 and 5 on a weaving machine, the binding device according to the invention can also be used to form a certain binding within a fabric. Such a binding can for example differ from the binding formed by the normal shed-forming means. By normal shed-forming means are hereby meant devices controlling warp threads, such as for example the frames 7 with their drive or a jacquard device. Naturally, as mentioned above, the binding device according to the invention can also be used at a single fabric edge of a fabric .

The invention is by no means limited to the above-described embodiments given as an example and represented in the accompanying drawings; on the contrary, such a binding device and the method for using it can be made according to all sorts of variants while still remaining within the scope of the invention.

Claims

Claims .

1. Binding device for a weaving machine, whereby this binding device (1) comprises at least one or several elements (14) which can be moved up and down, including at least one thread guide element (17, 18, 19, 20, 43, 44, 45) , characterised in that the binding device comprises at least an upper guiding part (15) and a lower guiding part (16) for the above-mentioned elements (14), whereby these guiding parts (15-16) are mutually connected by means of a connecting part (27) ; in that the above-mentioned elements (14) which can be moved up and down define a certain working area (28) ; and in that the above-mentioned connecting part (27) , according to the warp direction (K) , ■ is mainly situated outside the distance (X) over which this working area (28) extends, but, according to the weft direction (I) , is mainly situated within the distance (Y) over which the working area (28) extends.

2. Binding device according to claim 1, characterised in that the connecting part (27) according to the weft direction (I) is narrower than the guiding parts (15-16) .

3. Binding device according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the above-mentioned elements (14) define a compact working area (28) .

4. Binding device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it has a central part (29) which is designed to extend over the height of the weaving shed (10) , and in that the above-mentioned guiding parts (15-16) are situated outside, more particularly above and under the central part (29) .

5. Binding device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the distance (Y) over which the above-mentioned working area (28) extends according to the weft direction (I) is smaller than 15 mm, and more particularly smaller than 10 mm.

6. Binding device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the connecting part (27) has a longitudinal, slim section in between the above-mentioned guiding parts (15-16), whose longitudinal direction is situated mainly crosswise to the weft direction (I) .

7. Binding device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the connecting part (27) is made in the shape of a brace.

8. Binding device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the binding device (1) comprises thread guide elements (17, 18, 19, 20) in the shape of thread- or lamella-shaped heddles.

9. Binding device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the movable elements (14) are moveable in the guiding parts (15-16) as they are fixed to end parts (30-31-32-33) being guided in the guiding parts

(15-16) ; and in that the movable elements (14) comprise, apart from the thread guide elements (17, 18, 19, 20, 43,

44, 45), at least one reinforcement part (25-26) which connects the end parts (30-31-32-33) concerned to each other .

10. Binding device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises thread guide elements (17, 18, 19, 20, 43, 44, 45) to form two fabric edges (2-3), more particularly the adjacent fabric edges (2-3) of two adjacent fabrics (4-5) .

11. Binding device according to claim 10 and 11, characterised in that every reinforcement part (25-26) is situated between the thread guide elements (17, 18, 19, 20, 43, 44, 45) respectively to form either fabric edge, and in that the connecting part (27) is situated mainly in the extension of the reinforcement part, the reinforcement parts (25-26) respectively, according to the warp direction (K) .

12. Binding device for a weaving machine, whereby this binding device (1) has at least one or several elements (14) which can be moved up and down, including at least one thread guide element (17, 18, 19, 20, 43, 44, 45), characterised in that the binding device (1) has at least an upper guiding part (15) and a lower guiding part (16) for the above-mentioned elements (14) , whereby these guiding parts (15-16) are mutually connected by means of a connecting part (27) , and in that, according to the weft direction (I) , the connecting part (27) in between the above-mentioned guiding parts (15-16) is narrower than the guiding parts (15-16) themselves.

13. Binding device for a weaving machine, whereby this binding device (1) has at least one or several elements (14) which can be moved up and down, including at least one thread guide element (17, 18, 19, 20, 43, 44, 45), characterised in that the binding device (1) has at least an upper guiding part (15) and a lower guiding part (16) for the above-mentioned elements (14), whereby these guiding parts (15-16) are mutually connected by means of a connecting part (27), and in that the connecting part (27) in between the above-mentioned guiding parts (15-16) has a longitudinal , slim cross section whose longitudinal direction mainly extends crosswise to the weft direction (I) -

14. Method for making use of a binding device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the binding device is used to form fabric edges (2-3) , more particularly two adjacent fabric edges of two adjacent fabrics (4-5) on a weaving machine.

15. Method according to claim 1 , characterised in that a distance of less than 10 mm is maintained between the fabric edges (2-3) .