Abstract:
A harness system for weaving looms wherein neck cords connected to an actuating mechanism for controlling the movement of at least one heddle are releasably connected to harness cords connected to the at least one heddle by way of collars having releasably engageable male and female portions. The harness cords pass through openings in a control member which is reciprocally moveable so as to move the collars relative to guides through which the neck cords extend from the actuating mechanism.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to jacquard systems for forming the shed in weaving machines and more particularly to the harnesses which are coupled to the mobile members for actuating these systems for controlling the warp yarns. 
     HISTORY OF THE RELATED ART 
     In its conventional construction, a harness system is known to comprise a plurality of threads, in a number equal to that of the members actuating the system, each of these threads being connected to one or more harness cords which are connected to one or more eyebearing heddles. The threads and cords are connected with the aid of snaps and it will be readily appreciated that the dismantling of a harness system for repairing or replacing it and subsequently re-assembling it, involves the manual maneuvering of several thousands of snaps. The operation is consequently long and fastidious. 
     It is an object of the present invention to overcome these drawbacks by producing a harness which is arranged so that the manual or mechanized maneuvering of one member causes connection or disconnection of the whole of the harness and the members actuating the system. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     To that end, the harness system according to the invention is principally noteworthy in that it comprises a control member which is perforated for the passage of the harness cords and which is associated with an actuation mechanism adapted to impart thereto a reciprocating movement oriented parallel to the axis of the cords. Collars formed by male and female elements are adapted to fit axially to ensure connection of the cords. Neck cords are coupled to the member for actuating the system and are arranged in combination with thread guides traversed axially by the neck cords, to be locked and unlocked under the effect of the reciprocating movements of the moveable control member. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be more readily understood on reading the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a view in elevation schematically showing a weave system equipped with a harness system according to the invention. 
     FIG. 2 shows in partial axial section the two elements constituting one of the assembly collars of the harness, as well as the retaining neck cord guide which is associated therewith. 
     FIG. 3 illustrates the arrangement of the female element of the collar according to FIG. 2. 
     FIG. 4 similarly illustrates the arrangement of the neck cord guide. 
     FIG. 5 is a schematic horizontal section of the harness system on a larger scale, along plane V--V in FIG. 1. 
     FIGS. 6 to 11 are axial sections illustrating the successive phases of the process of dismantling and re-assembly of the harness system, FIGS. 6A, 7A, 8A, 8B, 9A, 9B, 9C and 10A showing, on a larger scale, the position of the parts of the collars at these phases. 
     FIG. 12 is a view similar to FIG. 1, illustrating a varied embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings, and firstly to FIG. 1, reference 1 designates a weave actuation system of the VERDOL or JACQUARD type, supported above the weaving machine by a structure 2. The lower part of the system 1 is provided with a series of neck cord guides 3, in a number equal to that of the neck cords 4 of the system. Each cord 4 traverses the corresponding guide 3 axially, to be assembled, by means of a connectable collar 5, on a harness cord 6 which traverses a control board 7 which is connected, by means of a clip such as 8, to one or more heddles 9. These latter are guided by a fixed perforated board 10 below which each of them traverses a tie board 11 and supports a thread-guiding eye 9a before being attached to a return spring 9b hooked to a bottom board 12 placed beneath the weaving machine (not shown). 
     The harness system according to the invention is composed of the elements or members referenced from 3 to 12. 
     Each collar 5 comprises two parts, namely a female element 13 (FIG. 2) secured to the corresponding harness cord 6, and a male piece 14 whose lower part cooperates with the element 13, while its upper part is adapted to be fitted in one of the guides 3. 
     As shown more particularly in FIG. 3, the female element 13 is an upwardly open, tubular cylindrical part, obtained by moulding a semi-rigid synthetic material capable of deforming elastically. Beneath its upper opening 13&#39;, part 13 is cut out longitudinally with slots 13d which define two opposite jaw elements 13a independent of each other, whose lower ends are curved to form a grip or clamp 13b of slightly concave profile. 
     The male element 14 is a cylindrical part made of rigid plastic material whose lower end has a larger diameter to form a harpoon tip 14a (FIG. 2). On the cylindrical part of smaller diameter which surmounts this projecting tip 14a, there freely slides a split ring or shuttle 14b. The upper part of element 14 decreases in diameter and has an annular recess 14c therein; this upper part is provided to be axially hollow in order to receive and retain the end of one of the neck cords 4 of the system, in the same way as the base of the female part 13 of the collar is arranged to receive and retain the end of a harness cord 6. 
     Each guide 3 is constituted by a tubular piece made of elastically deformable synthetic material which, below an upper shank 3a adapted to be fixed, for example by elastic or frictional fitting, in one of the conventional lower openings made in the floor of the system 1 for the passage of the cords 4, is split longitudinally in order to define two opposite jaw elements 3b facing upwardly. The free upper end of each of these jaw elements 3b is shaped to constitute a terminal grip or clamp 3c adapted to cooperate with the annular recess 14c of the male element 14, as will be described hereinafter. FIG. 4 clearly shows the arrangement of the clamp formed by the two jaw elements 3b, which clamp is axially traversed by one of the cords 4 of the system 1. 
     The clips 8 which ensure connection between the cords 6 and the heddles 9 are of the conventional type and will therefore not be described in detail. Each of the cords 6 is freely engaged through an opening 7a made in the control board 7, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 5. It will be noted that the openings 7a have an inner diameter slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the clips 8, as will be more readily understood hereinafter. 
     Board 7, which forms an integral part of the harness system according to the invention, is removably mounted to a moveable frame associated with a raising and lowering mechanism intended to ensure its reciprocating vertical displacement between the two levels indicated at 16 and 17 in FIG. 1. 
     In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 5, this raising and lowering mechanism comprises a small gear motor 18 which is fixed to the system 1 to effect rotation, in one direction or the other, of one of four threaded rods 19 oriented vertically and connected to one another by a chain 20 stretched between four toothed wheels 21 fitted on the rods 19. Each of these latter cooperates with a corresponding nut embedded in the frame 15 in the vicinity of each corner thereof, so that the gear motor 18 ensures vertical displacement of the control board 7. 
     It goes without saying that the raising and lowering mechanism described hereinbefore may be actuated manually with the aid of a crank in place of the gear motor 18, or may be replaced by a system of hydraulic double-action jacks. 
     When the system 1 is in operational state, each of the neck cords of the harness system according to the invention is in the position illustrated in FIG. 6. The projecting tip 14a is engaged in the female element 13 and lies in an axial position such that the lower grips 13b are disposed immediately above the tip (FIG. 6A) which is thus retained in place. The control board 7 is then located at the lower level 17 of its stroke such that each collar 5 is free to move vertically in reciprocating manner, without being hindered by a guide 3 nor by the board 7, while each neck cord 4 is solidly fastened to its harness cord 6. 
     When it is desired to dismantle the harness system, the operator actuates the raising and lowering mechanism displacing the frame 15 and the board 7 upwardly. In this ascending movement, the upper face of board 7 successively abuts against an annular shoulder 13c provided in the lower part of each of the female elements 13, and axially pushes all the collars 5 upwardly. This ascending movement continuing, the grips 13b of the jaw elements 13a slide along the cylindrical part 14d (FIG. 7A) which surmounts the end 14a, causing the ring or shuttle 14b to rise. Simultaneously, the upper end of piece 14 is engaged inside the guide 3 until the grips 3c thereof clip in the annular recess 14c and an annular shoulder 14e strikes the lower edge of this guide 3 (cf. FIG. 7). 
     All the collars 5 then lie at the same height, corresponding to the level of the board 7 which has been referenced 22 and which is the locking level. 
     Frame 15 and board 7 continue their upward displacement until level 16 of their stroke is reached. In this movement, piece 14 cannot move upwardly due to the contact of shoulder 14e against the guide 3. Under these conditions, only the female element 13 of collars 5 moves upwardly (FIG. 8); as the shuttle 14b has arrived at the end of top stroke (FIG. 8A), grips 13b, after their opening has been controlled by the bevelled lower edge of the shuttle, grip the latter which is then firmly connected axially, as shown in FIG. 8B. 
     The direction of rotation of the gear motor 18 is then reversed, which has for its effect to lower board 7. The return springs 9b associated with the heddles 9 cause the elements 13 to move downwardly following the lowering of board 7 (cf. FIG. 9), with the result that the shuttles 14b, still clamped by the grips 13b, follow the downward displacement (FIG. 9A). At a given point of the descending movement, the shuttle 14b is immobilized against the upper face of the end 14a (FIG. 9B), which enables the grips 13b to escape the hooking on the large-diameter part of the end 14a due to the fact that the height of the grips is greater than the height of the lower bevel of the shuttle and move closer to each other in the manner illustrated in FIG. 9C. 
     As pieces 14 remain locked in the upper position by the clamps of the guide 3, the fact of the downward displacement of the board 7 and the female elements 13 continuing to level 24, causes separation of elements 13 and 14, in the manner illustrated in FIG. 10. 
     At level 24, the tension of springs 9b is virtually cancelled, so that board 7 may then be disconnected from the moveable frame 15 and the assembly of the harness, except for the guides 3 and the pieces 14 immobilized in the upper position, is in a dismantled position and may be removed. 
     It will be understood that this harness system may be reassembled by imparting to board 7, from level 24, an ascending stroke followed by a descending stroke, it being observed that the ascending stroke does not exceed the level of hooking 22, the phases of the process taking place in the direction opposite that which has just been set forth for dismantling; FIG. 10A illustrates the spaced apart relationship of grips 13b at the end 14a and the rise of shuttle 14b, said grips then being locked above end 14a (FIG. 6A), in the position of FIG. 6. Once the two elements constituting the different collars 5 of the harness are locked on each other, it suffices to continue the descending movement of control board 7 to the minimum level 25 of FIG. 11. As shown, the lower face of board 7 abuts against clips 8, creating on cords 6 and pieces 14 a force which obliges jaws 3b of the thread guides 3 to open, releasing the pieces. By a very slight rise of board 7 up to level 17, the normal operational position according to FIGS. 1 and 6 is consequently resumed. 
     The invention therefore provides a harness system whose assembly and dismantling operations require only the maneuver of one raising and lowering mechanism, thus avoiding the fastidious manipulation of a plurality of coupling snaps or clips. It goes without saying that the different strokes of board 7 between the levels indicated above are determined by position detectors of conventional type. 
     It will be readily appreciated that the clamps contained in the guides 3 and the female elements 13 of the collars 5 may comprise more than two jaw elements. In addition, it will be understood that the arrangement of the elements 13 and 14 of the collars 5 may be reversed, by a suitable orientation of the jaw elements 13a. 
     It will further be noted that the harness cords 6 may advantageously be constituted, not by supple members identical to the cords 4, but by rigid rods adapted to ensure stabilization of lateral vibrations. 
     FIG. 12 illustrates a variant embodiment of the invention in which the fixed perforated board 10 according to FIG. 1 is eliminated, its role of guiding being performed by the perforated control member 7. However, this embodiment, which is obviously simpler, can suit only in the case of the return springs 9b associated with the heddles 9 exerting a sufficient axial effort to effect extraction of the collars 5 from the guides 3 at the end of the coupling operation, without intervention of the clips 8 of the embodiment described hereinabove.