Stocker for wire healds

A stocker for wire healdes comprising a housing constructed and arranged such that a plurality of wire healds can be stacked on top of one another in a vertical direction and be arranged so as to longitudinally extend in a horizontal direction. The housing includes a heald refilling aperture at an upper portion and a heald drawing opening at a lower front portion. The heald drawing opening is positioned and configured such that a lowermost one of said plurality of wire healds can be discharged therethrough.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to a stocker for wire healds utilized in a 
warp passing apparatus for passing a warp through a mail of wire heald. 
2. Related Background Art 
An example of conventionally existing stockers for flat healds (which are 
also called magazines) is the one as described in the bulletin of Japanese 
Laid-open Patent Application No. 64-20359. The stocker disclosed in this 
bulletin is provided with an upright, platelike, fixed member extending 
vertically, and a pair of upper and lower magazine bars extending 
horizontally and fixed at one end to this fixed member. Then, guide holes 
of ring portions provided at the both ends of flat healds are put through 
the magazine bars, whereby the upright flat healds are stacked along the 
horizontal direction. In this way, many flat healds are stocked in the 
stocker. 
However, the above-stated technology is related to stockers used for flat 
healds, but not to stockers for wire healds. Namely, a flat heald A is 
integrally made of SUS 420 or the like having a spring property and, as 
shown in FIG. 22, has a flat, slender rod portion 1 of a rectangular cross 
section. A mail 2 is formed at the middle of this rod portion 1. Ring 
portions 3 are provided at the both ends of this rod portion 1 and a guide 
hole 4 of an elongate hole shape is formed in each ring portion 3. 
Further, this flat heald A bends easily in the direction of an arrow, has 
characteristics of being strong against torsion and being resistant to 
deformation, and is durable. However, when the flat healds A are used in a 
weaving machine, necessary flat healds A are several thousand units to 
fifteen thousand units, and a bundle of these flat healds A become very 
heavy, resulting in a drawback of being hard to handle. Further, the cost 
per flat heald A is relatively high, and heavy expenditure is required to 
purchase flat healds A necessitated in the weaving machine. 
In contrast with it, the wire healds B are made of hard drawn steel wire 
(60 carbon) and, as shown in FIG. 23, a wire heald has a slender rod 
portion 5. Amail 6 is formed at the middle of this rod portion 5. Ring 
portions 7 are provided at both ends of this rod portion 5 and a guide 
hole 8 is formed in an elongate hole shape in each ring portion 7. 
Further, this wire heald B has characteristics of being very light in 
weight, easy to handle, and inexpensive. However, the wire healds B are 
very easy to bend, and this bendability causes them to become tangled with 
each other, resulting in a drawback of being hard to handle. 
Thus, when the stocker for flat healds disclosed in the bulletin of 
Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 64-20359 is applied to the wire 
healds B. the wire healds B are kept in a suspended state, and then their 
bendability is harmful to the wire healds B so as to cause a mutually 
tangled state. Accordingly, the wire healds B are arranged in correct 
order near the ring portions 7 in which the magazine bars are inserted, 
whereas they are tangled with each other near the mails 6 to be arranged 
in irregular order. As a result, it is a present status that the wire 
healds B cannot be drawn out as being separated one by one from the tip of 
the magazine bars because of entanglement among the wire healds B and 
because they are thin wires. 
In addition, the conventional stocker for flat healds employs the magazine 
bars extending horizontally with one end being fixed to the platelike 
fixed member and with the other end being a free end. Therefore, for 
refilling flat healds A into the stocker, the refilling operation of flat 
healds A is not easy as it is hindered by a chuck mechanism for drive of 
healds disposed in front of the free ends of the magazine bars. Namely, at 
the magazine bars extending horizontally, the end for refilling of flat 
healds A results in coinciding with the end for drawing-out of flat healds 
A, which makes the refilling operation of flat healds A difficult. For 
employing such an arrangement as to perform the refilling of flat healds A 
with every magazine bars, a new arrangement for mounting and dismounting 
the magazine bars becomes necessary, which would be disadvantageous in 
terms of cost and structure. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention has been accomplished in order to solve the above 
problems, and a specific object of the present invention is to provide a 
stocker for wire healds which insures stable stocking of wire healds and 
which also facilitates the refilling operation. 
The present invention is a stocker for wire healds, which, in order to 
selectively discharge an arbitrary wire heald out of a lot of wire healds 
juxtaposed, is arranged to stock a lot of the wire healds, wherein the 
wire healds kept in a horizontal state are stacked vertically in a 
housing, a heald refilling aperture is provided at a top portion of the 
housing, and a heald drawing opening for discharging the lowermost of the 
wire healds stacked is provided at a lower front end in the housing. 
In this stocker for wire healds, the wire healds are stacked vertically in 
the housing as being maintained in a horizontal state, whereby the heald 
refilling aperture can be provided at the top portion of the housing and 
the heald drawing opening can be provided at the lower front end of the 
housing. In this way, the aperture for refilling the wire healds and the 
opening for discharging the wire healds from the housing can be provided 
separately in the housing, which, upon the refilling operation of wire 
healds, permits the refilling operation to be performed from above the 
housing as utilizing the self-weight of healds or the like, thereby 
facilitating the filling operation of wire healds. Further, provision of 
the heald refilling aperture at the top portion of the housing permits one 
to perform the refilling operation as looking into this aperture from the 
top. Also, provision of the heald drawing opening at the lower front end 
of the housing permits the guide hole of the lowermost wire heald to be 
hooked on a pin or the like, whereby the wire heald can be drawn 
horizontally. 
Also, a pair of front and rear floating rods, inserted through either guide 
hole of a pair of ring portions formed at the both ends of the wire healds 
and extending vertically, are disposed in the housing. Lower end faces of 
the floating rods are disposed in contact with a heald receiving bottom 
surface of the housing. Also, the floating rods are arranged to travel 
vertically in the housing, whereby entanglement of wire healds can be 
prevented in the stocker. 
A tapered ring lead-in portion for leading the ring portion into between 
the lower end face of the floating rod and the heald receiving bottom 
surface is preferably formed at a rear part in the lower end face of the 
floating rod. Further, a horizontally cut ring leading portion is 
preferably formed at rear and front parts in the lower end face of the 
floating rod in order to pull the ring portion to between the lower end 
face of the floating rod and the heald receiving bottom surface. In 
addition, the housing may also be provided with a heald front end 
separating portion having a pair of right and left push claws disposed 
below the front-side floating rod and arranged to engage with the ring 
portion of the wire heald in which the front-side floating rod is inserted 
and with the lower end face of the front-side floating rod to push the 
front-side ring portion and the front-side floating rod up from the 
bottom. 
Preferably, each push claw comprises a claw portion extending horizontally 
to engage with the lower end face of the floating rod and with the ring 
portion, and a support portion for supporting this claw portion and 
wherein tip portions of the claw portions located right and left are 
spaced from each other. Also, a taper surface is formed at the tip of the 
claw portion, a claw engaging recess for the tip portion of the claw 
portion to be inserted therein is formed in the lower end face of the 
floating rod, and a taper surface fitting with the taper surface of the 
claw portion is formed in an upper surface of the claw engaging recess. 
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become 
apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it 
should be understood that detailed description and specific examples, 
while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way 
of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the 
spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in 
the art from this detailed description. 
From the invention thus described, it will be obvious that the invention 
may be varied many ways. Such variation are not to be regarded as a 
departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such 
modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended 
to be included within the scope of the following claims.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
The preferred embodiments of the stocker for wire healds according to the 
present invention will be described in detail with reference to the 
drawings. 
FIG. 1 is a perspective view to show a horizontal placement type stocker 
for wire healds according to the present embodiment. The wire heald 
stocker 10 shown in the same figure has a housing 11 for keeping the wire 
healds B horizontal and layered in a vertical stack. This housing 11 is 
formed to be so slender as to match with the slender shape of wire healds 
B and comprises a flat base 12, a frame body 13 fixed as standing on this 
base 12, and a heald drawing opening 9 cut at the lower front end so as to 
be horizontally slender. This frame body 13 has ring receiving portions 14 
located at the both ends thereof for receiving the ring portions 7 of wire 
healds B. and a rod receiving portion 15 located between these ring 
receiving portions 14, 14, for receiving the rod portions of wire healds 
B. 
A bar-shaped floating rod 16 extending vertically is inserted in each ring 
receiving portion 14. The outer peripheral shape of each floating rod 16 
is nearly identical to the inner peripheral shape of ring portion 7, 
thereby enabling stable stacking of wire.about.healds B. Further, the 
floating rod 16 is light in weight, and the surface thereof is 
mirror-finished to facilitate sliding of wire healds B and is processed by 
an anti-abrasion surface treatment to be resistant to scratches by the 
wire heald B. For example, the floating rod 16 is made by subjecting a 
surface of metal (steel, aluminum, or the like) processed in a 
predetermined shape to hard chromium plating. 
As shown in FIG. 2, lower end faces 16a of the front and rear floating rods 
16 are in contact with a heald receiving bottom surface 12a formed in the 
surface of base 12, and are urged against the heald receiving bottom 
surface 12a by the self-weight of floating rod 16. Namely, this floating 
rod 16 is simply stuck into the ring receiving portion 14 from the top, so 
that it is vertically free relative to the base 12. Accordingly, the 
floating rod 16 can travel vertically (in directions of arrows) in the 
ring receiving portion 14 of housing 11. 
Use of this floating rod 16 includes such effects that the wire healds B 
can be vertically arranged in correct order by the self-weight of wire 
healds B stacked, that, at the same time, this state can be always 
maintained, and that entanglement between wire healds B can be decreased 
to be very rare. Further, since the floating rod 16 can maintain the 
ring.about.portions 7 horizontal, it makes horizontal drawing of wire 
heald B extremely easier. 
In addition, the floating rod 16 is kept in a simply contact state with the 
heald receiving bottom surface 12a of the base 12 by the self-weight 
thereof. Thus, when the lowermost wire heald B is drawn horizontally, the 
ring portion 7 of wire heald B intrudes into a tapered ring lead-in 
portion 16c (see FIG. 8) of the floating rod 16 as detailed hereinafter, 
whereby the lower end face 16a of floating rod 16 can be pushed up 
readily. As a result, only the ring portion 7 is drawn out as it is 
pinched between the lower end face 16a of floating rod 16 and the heald 
receiving bottom surface 12a. Therefore, the ring portions 7 of wire 
healds B, except for those being drawn out can be maintained in such a 
condition that the floating rod 16 is inserted therein, and the wire heald 
B being drawn out forward pushes the floating rod 16 upwardly. 
Further, as shown in FIG. 1, a ring receiving space 14a extending 
vertically is formed in the ring receiving portion 14 in order to receive 
the ring portions 7 in a stacked state. The upper part of this ring 
receiving space 14a is open for insertion of the floating rod 16 therein, 
and one side portion of the ring receiving space 14a is open is cut off in 
order to permit insertion of the rod portions 5 of wire healds B. Further, 
the ring receiving space 14a is formed so as to surround the floating rod 
16, whereby the ring portions 7 can be received surely in the ring 
receiving portion 14 with the floating rod 16 being supported by the ring 
receiving portion 14 through the ring portions 7 of wire healds B. 
As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, a slender rod receiving slit 17 for 
receiving the rod portions 5 is formed in the longitudinal direction and 
at the center of the housing 11. This rod receiving slit 17 is formed on a 
straight line connecting the ring receiving spaces 14a at the both ends. 
In other words, the rod receiving slit 17 is formed throughout the entire 
length of the rod receiving portion 15 and in parts of the ring receiving 
portions 14. Formed at the lower end of the rod receiving slit 17 is a 
ring guide hole 18 for guiding a slide of the ring portion 7 of the 
lowermost wire heald B along the heald receiving bottom surface 12a. 
This ring guide hole 18 is formed by horizontally expanding the lower end 
of the rod receiving slit 17 immediately above the heald receiving bottom 
surface 12a. The ring guide hole 18 is also slightly greater than the 
width of the ring portion 7, and has such a height as to permit only the 
lowermost ring portion 7 to pass. Further, the ring guide hole 18 is 
formed throughout the entire length of the rod receiving slit 17, whereby 
the wide ring portion 7 can be prevented from being caught in the housing 
11. In addition, even if a slightly old wire heald B with the ring portion 
7 a little twisted relative to the rod portion 5 is drawn out 
horizontally, the wire heald B can be drawn out stably in the horizontal 
direction, regardless of the twist of the ring portion 7. Further, when 
the lowermost wire heald B is drawn out, the rear ring portion 7 of the 
lowermost wire heald B is prevented from breaking into the rod portions 5 
stacked in the rod receiving slit 17. 
As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 4, the rod receiving portion 15 of the housing 
11 is divided into two front and rear parts, which are comprised of first 
rod receiving portion 15A and second rod receiving portion 15B. The rod 
receiving portion 15 is fixed on the base 12 so that the first rod 
receiving portion 15A and second rod receiving portion 15B are spaced from 
each other, whereby this space region can be utilized as a mail receiving 
space portion 19. Then, even in the case of the mails 6 being stacked in 
this mail receiving space portion 19, since the mail receiving space 
portion 19 has a space wide enough, the freedom for the mails 6 to move 
vertically and horizontally can be enhanced. Further, the heald receiving 
bottom surface 12a is provided with a heald escape recess 20 for expanding 
the lower part of the mail receiving space portion 19. Namely, the heald 
escape recess 20 opens the part below the lowermost mail 5, thereby 
further enhancing the freedom of the lowermost mail 5. 
Thus, if upper and lower mails 6 become tangled with each other so as to 
reverse the upper and lower wire healds B near the mails 6 as shown in 
FIG. 5, horizontal drawing of the lowermost wire heald B will make the 
ring portion 7 under draw collide with the mail 6 as shown in FIG. 4, 
thereby canceling entanglement between the wire healds B as escaping from 
each other. Also, the spacing .delta. (see FIG. 1) between the first rod 
receiving portion 15A and the second rod receiving portion 15B forming the 
mail receiving space portion 19 is set shorter than the length of the ring 
portion 7, whereby before the rearmost end of the ring portion 7 leaving 
the ring guide hole 18 of the second rod receiving portion 15B becomes 
completely off in the region of the mail receiving space portion 19, the 
front end of the ring portion 7 (the connecting end between the ring 
portion 7 and the rod portion 5) can be pulled into the first rod 
receiving portion 15A. As a result, the wire heald can be conveyed stably 
as keeping the ring portion 7.about.horizontal in the mail receiving space 
portion 19, and in addition, escape of the mail 6 entangled with the wire 
heald B under draw can be effected certainly. 
As shown in FIG. 1, a heald refilling aperture 21 extending horizontally is 
provided at the top portion of the frame body 13 of housing 11. This heald 
refilling aperture 21 is provided at a position different from that of a 
heald drawing opening 9 for drawing the wire heald B horizontally. 
Accordingly, upon refilling operation of wire healds B. the refilling 
operation can be performed as utilizing compressed air from the upper part 
of the housing 11, the self-weight of healds B. and so on, thus 
facilitating the refilling operation of wire healds B. Further, it permits 
one to perform the refilling operation while looking into this aperture 21 
from the top. Also, the upper part of the rod receiving slit 17 provided 
in the rod receiving portion 15 of the frame body 13 is expanded in a 
funnel shape, which facilitates insertion of the wire healds B into the 
rode receiving slit 17. 
As shown in FIG. 6, an air blow-off port 22 for supplying compressed air 
from the outside into the ring receiving space 14a is provided in each 
upper part of the front and rear ring receiving portions 14, and each air 
blow-off port 22 blows off the compressed air obliquely from above toward 
the front and rear floating rods 16. Further, an air catch recess 23 cut 
in an L-shaped cross section is formed in the upper part of the floating 
rod 16, and this air catch recess 23 is provided at a position where it 
faces the air blow-off port 22. 
Accordingly, since the compressed air blown off from the air blow-off port 
22 continues pushing the air catch recess 23 obliquely from above it, 
predetermined downward pressure can be continuously applied to the 
floating rod 16, whereby the floating rod 16 can be prevented properly 
from jumping when the lowermost wire heald B is drawn out as being pinched 
between the lower end face 16a of the floating rod 16 and the heald 
receiving bottom surface 12a. Also, a descending current occurs in the 
ring receiving space 14a and this current can continuously push the ring 
portions 7 from the top. Thus, every time the wire heald B is drawn out, 
the ring portions 7 can forcibly be moved down in order along the floating 
rod 16, which can prevent the ring portions 7 from being caught by the 
floating rod 16 and thus from stopping. 
Further, an air suction portion 24 for forcibly discharging the air in the 
ring receiving space 14a to the outside is provided in the lower part of 
the rear ring receiving portion 14, and his air suction portion 24 sucks 
the lower ring portions 7 mounted on the rear floating rod 16 backward. 
This backward suction by the air suction portion 24 is designed to cover 
several wire healds B stacked from the bottom, and a suction port 24a of 
the air suction portion 24 is expanded in a funnel shape toward the 
inside. Thus, use of the air suction portion 24 permits the air in the 
ring receiving space 14a to be evacuated continuously, whereby the several 
ring portions 7 from the bottom can continuously be drawn backward. 
Therefore, when the lowermost wire heald B is forcibly drawn out, the wire 
heald B under draw is prevented from taking the wire heald B immediately 
above it together, which enables sure and smooth drawing of wire heald B. 
Here, a heald drawing mechanism 30, for example as shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 
7, is provided as a means for drawing the flat healds A stacked in the 
stocker 10 one by one from the lowermost. This heald drawing mechanism 30 
comprises a magnetic head 31 for draw of heald arranged to move up and 
down and comprised of an iron core forming a part of an electromagnet, a 
drawing pin 32 comprised of a non-magnetic member provided at the top part 
of this magnetic head 31, a piston mechanism (not shown) for moving the 
magnetic head 31 up and down, and a translational stage (not shown) for 
moving the magnetic head 31 horizontally..about. 
Therefore, the drawing pin 32 is located immediately below the guide hole 8 
in the ring portion 7, and is inserted properly into the guide hole 8 by 
moving the magnetic head 31 up by the piston mechanism (see FIG. 6). At 
this time, the coil wound around the magnetic head 31 is energized to make 
the ring portion 7 magnetically attached to the magnetic head 31, thereby 
getting ready for drawing of wire heald B. Then, as shown in FIG. 7, the 
translational stage (not shown) draws the magnetic head 31 horizontally 
with hooking the lowermost ring portion 7 on the drawing pin 32, thereby 
achieving horizontal drawing of wire heald B. 
As shown in FIG. 8, a notch portion 16b for the drawing pin 32 to be 
inserted therein from the bottom is provided in the front portion of the 
lower end face 16a of the front floating rod 16 in order to properly 
insert the drawing pin 32 in the guide hole 8 of the lowermost ring 
portion 7. Also, a tapered ring lead-in portion 16c is formed in the rear 
part of the lower end face 16a of the floating rod 16, and by this ring 
leading portion 16c, the ring portion 7 under draw can be led easily into 
between the lower end face 16a of the floating rod 16 and the heald 
receiving bottom surface 12a. However, a floating rod 16 without a notch 
portion 16b for drawing pin may be employed as the rear floating rod 16. 
Moreover, as shown in FIG. 6, the height a of the heald drawing opening 9 
is determined so as to permit only the lowermost wire heald B hooked on 
the drawing pin 32 to pass. Therefore, even if the second and higher wire 
healds B from the bottom are taken by friction together with horizontal 
drawing of the lowermost wire heald B while hooking the lowermost ring 
portion 7 on the drawing pin 32, the front ends of the ring portions 7 of 
the second and higher wire healds B from the bottom will come to collide 
with the front wall of the front ring receiving portion 14, so that only 
the lowermost wire heald B can be drawn out of the heald drawing opening 
9. 
Next, as shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 6, and FIG. 9, the wire heald stocker 10 is 
provided with a heald front end separating portion 40 forming a heald 
pusher as a lift head in order to assure more certain drawing of the 
lowermost wire heald B. This heald front end separating portion 40 has 
push claws 41 located below the front floating rod 16, as shown in FIG. 10 
and FIG. 11. The push claws 41 are formed in an L-shape and are paired 
right and left. Each push claw 41 comprises a claw portion 42 extending 
horizontally and arranged to engage with the lowermost ring portion 7 
mounted on the front floating rod 16 and kept at that position, and a 
support portion 43 extending downward from the base end of the claw 
portion 42 in order to support this claw portion 42. 
A gap 44 is formed between the claw portions 42, 42 by spacing the tip 
portions (free end portions) of the right and left claw portions 42, 42 
from each other, and this gap 44 is formed a little larger than the 
diameter of the rod portion 5 of wire heald B. A taper surface 42a 
inclined obliquely downward toward the tip is formed at the tip portion of 
each claw portion 42. Since upon ascent of the push claws 41 the tip end 
portions of the claw portions 42 come to be inserted into claw engaging 
recesses 45 formed in the lower end face 16a of the front floating rod 16, 
a taper face 45a to match with the taper face 42a of the claw portion 42 
is formed in the top surface of each claw engaging recess 45 (see FIG. 8). 
Since the claw portions 42 need to be buried perfectly in the base 12 upon 
descent of the push claws 41, claw receiving recesses 54 are formed in the 
front-end-side top surface of the base 12, as shown in FIG. 9. In the case 
where the rear floating rod 16 is designed not to be moved vertically by 
the push claws 41, the rear floating rod 16 does not always have to be 
provided with the foregoing claw engaging recesses 45. 
Further, as shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 9, the heald front end separating 
portion 40 has a base portion 46 for fixing each L-shaped push claw 41 in 
a standing state, and this base portion 46 is located below the base 12. A 
recessed portion 47 for a spring to be seated therein is formed in a top 
surface 46a of this base portion 46, and pin inserting holes 48 vertically 
piercing the base portion 46 are formed on either side of the recessed 
portion 47 (see FIG. 10). The top surface 46a of the base portion 46 and 
the bottom surface 12b of the base 12 are connected through a compression 
spring 50 seated in the recessed portion 47, and this compression spring 
50 urges the base portion 46 in the direction to depart from the base 12. 
Then, two pins 51 project downward from the bottom surface 12a of the base 
12, the pins 51 are inserted in the pin inserting holes 48 of the base 
portion 46, and stopper portions 51a comprised of snap rings or the like 
are provided at the lower end of the pins 51 whereby the base portion 46 
can move up and down in the extending direction of the pins 51 under 
elasticity of the spring 50. A pair of upper and lower tongues 52 to be 
engaged with an actuator member 64 described hereinafter are provided in 
the base portion 46 so as to project therefrom (see FIG. 9). 
Here, a driver 60 moves the base portion 46 up and down, as shown in FIG. 
6. This driver 60 comprises an air cylinder 62 fixed to a support stage 61 
for supporting the base 12 of the housing 11, a cylinder rod 63 arranged 
to reciprocate vertically in a predetermined stroke relative to this air 
cylinder 62 and prevented from rotating, and an actuator member 64 fixed 
to the tip end of this cylinder rod 63 and engaged with the tongues 52 of 
the base portion 46 at the tip end thereof. Accordingly, the base portion 
46 can be moved up and down by a predetermined amount in accordance with 
the stroke amount of the cylinder rod 63. Since the actuator member 64 is 
given a play between the tongues 52 when the tip end of the actuator 
member 64 is inserted between the tongues 52, the stroke amount of the 
cylinder rod 63 is not equal to an ascent amount of the base portion 46. 
Next explained is the operation of the heald front end separating portion 
40. 
As shown in FIG. 12 and FIG. 13, prior to draw of the lowermost wire heald 
B. first, the drawing pin 32 is inserted into the notch portion 16b of the 
front floating rod 16 and at the same time as it, the ring portion 7 of 
the lowermost wire heald B is made to be magnetically attached to the 
magnetic head 31. Since the claw portions 42 of the push claws 41 are 
completely buried in the claw receiving recesses 54 at this time, they 
will never impede drawing of the ring portion 7. After that, the ring 
portion 7 is drawn a little by the drawing pin 32 so as to locate the rod 
portion 5 between the tips of the claw portions 42, thereby becoming ready 
for separation of wire heald B (see FIG. 11). At this time, the magnetic 
head 31 is moved horizontally until the drawing pin 32 comes to below a 
drop preventing plate 66 standing by in front of the heald drawing opening 
9, whereby cooperation of the drop preventing plate 66 with the magnetic 
head 31 prevents the ring portion 7 of the lowermost wire heald B from 
slipping out. 
After that, the air cylinder 62 is driven to move the actuator member 64 up 
as shown in FIG. 14 and FIG. 15, so that the tip of the actuator member 64 
pushes the upper tongue 52 up to lift the base portion 46 by a 
predetermined amount against spring force of the compression spring 50. 
Since at this time the rod portion 5 of the lowermost wire heald B passes 
through the gap 44 between the claw portions 42 with ascent of the push 
claws 41, the lowermost wire heald B continuously keeps its position 
without being affected by ascent of the push claws 41. Then the tip 
portions of the claw portions 42 are inserted into the claw engaging 
recesses 45 of the front floating rod 16 to make the taper faces 42a and 
45a fitting with each other and then to lift the front floating rod 16. 
Further, the ring portions 7 of the stacked wire healds B are also lifted 
utilizing the top faces 42b of the claw portions 42. This results in 
lifting the ring portions 7 in the stacked state as mounted on the 
floating rod 16 and kept at the position thereof together with the 
floating rod 16, whereby only the lowermost wire heald B can be separated 
from the other wire healds B at the place of the-front floating rod 16. 
Then cooperation of the drop preventing plate 66 with the magnetic head 31 
achieves smooth drawing of the lowermost wire heald B and hooks the 
lowermost ring portion 7 on the drawing pin 32. After the lowermost wire 
heald B is drawn out completely, the air cylinder 62 is driven to move the 
actuator member 64 down, so as to return the base portion 46 to the 
position of FIG. 13 by the spring force of the compression spring 50, thus 
preparing for the next drawing operation. 
The easy insertion of the wire healds into the stocker can be realized by 
using a cartridge 110 as shown in FIG. 24. In order to make the mount of 
the cartridge 110 on the stocker 11 easy, as shown in FIG. 6, a cruciate 
groove 98 is formed on a top of the floating rod 16 and a hole 92b is 
formed on a top of the ring receiving portion 14. They are utilized for 
positioning the cartridge to the stocker in the.about.mounting operation. 
The cartridge 110 has a top support plate 93, storing rod 91 and a side 
support plate 97. The storing rod 91 is inserted into a hole 93a provided 
on the top support plate 93 and is supported by a pin 94. Therefore the 
storing rod 91 is slightly swingable around the pin 94, but slight 
movement enables an operator to easily mount the cartridge on the stocker. 
The side support plate 97 has a projection portion 99 and the projection 
portion 99 has a through hole 95 through which the storing rod 91 passes. 
An opening of the through hole 95 is slightly larger than a figure of the 
ring portion 7 of the wire heald in which the storing rods 91 fill and 
therefore, although the storing rod 91 can slightly move in the through 
hole 95. The storing rod 91 is positioned so that a longitudinal direction 
of the storing rod 91 is kept along a vertical direction because the space 
between the storing rod 91 and an inner surface of the through hole 95 can 
be filled with the wire heald stored in the cartridge 110. The projection 
portion 99 has a spring hinge 96 for an arm 96a for supporting the wire 
heald stored in the cartridge 110 therein. The arm 96a is positioned as 
shown in a solid line of FIG. 24 normally and at the position, the arm 96a 
supports the wire heald therein Next in the insertion of the wire heald 
into the -stocker, the arm 96a is moved to a position as shown in chain 
double-dashed lines of FIG. 24 by an actuator (not shown). At this 
position, the supporting of the arm 96a is released and therefore the 
stored wire healds fall down into the stocker 11. The storing rod 91 has a 
cruciate projection 91a in the bottom thereof and the cruciate projection 
91a matches with the cruciate grooves 98 of the floating rod 16 in 
mounting of the cartridge to the stocker. Further, the side supporting 
plate 97 has a pin 92a extending downwardly from the bottom thereof and 
the pin 92a is inserted into the hole 92b of the ring receiving portion 14 
in the mounting of the cartridge 110 to the stocker 11. By the both of the 
engagement of the cruciate projection 91a and the crucite groove 98 and 
the engagement of the pin 92a and the hole 92b, the cartridge 110 is 
positioned to the stocker accurately. 
FIG. 25 shows the combination state under which the cartridge 110 is 
mounted on the stocker 11. 
Next the insertion operation of the wire healds stored in the cartridge 110 
into the stocker 11 will be explained. 
Firstly, the wire healds are inserted around the storing rod 91 from 
downside thereof, passing through the space 95 and stored therein. In this 
stage, the arm 96a is positioned as shown in the solid lines of FIG. 24 to 
support the stored wire healds around the storing rod 91. Next, the 
cartridge 110 is mounted on the stocker 11 so that the cartridge 110 is 
positioned on the stocker 11 by engaging the pin 92a with the holes 92b 
and engaging the cruciate projections 91a with the cruciate grooves 98. 
Next the arm 96a is moved by the actuator (not shown) to the position 
shown in the chain double-dashed lines of FIG. 24 so that the stored wire 
healds fall down into the stocker 11. Lastly, in the pulling out of the 
lowest wire heald from the stocker, the floating rod 16 is moved up by a 
predetermined distance and the predetermined distance should be smaller 
than the clearances 81 and 82 in FIG. 25. 
The stocker for wire healds according to the present invention is by no 
means limited to the above-stated embodiment. 
For example, as shown in FIG. 16 and FIG. 17, the wire heald stocker 10 is 
provided with a heald rear end separating portion 70 forming a heald 
pusher as a lift head in order to assure more certain drawing of the 
lowermost wire heald B. This heald rear end separating portion 70 has a 
block-shaped lift member 71 located below the rear floating rod 16 and 
extending vertically. Below the rear floating rod 16, this lift member 71 
is inserted into a rectangular aperture 72 formed in the base 12 from the 
bottom and stands on a base portion 73 located below the base 12. 
A recess 74 for a spring to be seated is formed in a top surface 73a of 
this base portion 73, and pin inserting holes 75 vertically piercing the 
base portion 73 are formed on either side of the recess 74. Also, the top 
surface 73a of the base portion 73 and the bottom surface 12b of the base 
12 are connected through a compression spring 76 seated in the recess 74, 
and this compression spring 76 urges the base portion 73 in the direction 
to depart from the base 12. Then two pins 77 are provided so as to project 
from the bottom surface 12a of the base 12, the pins 77 are inserted in 
the pin inserting holes 75 of the base portion 73, and stopper portions 
77a comprised of snap rings or the like are provided at the lower ends of 
the pins 77, whereby the base portion 73 can be moved vertically in the 
extending direction of the pins 77 under elasticity of the spring 76. 
Here, the base portion 73 is moved vertically by a driver 80 and this 
driver 80 is located immediately below the base portion 73. This driver 80 
comprises an air cylinder 81 fixed through a bracket or the like to a 
portion of a support stage 61 for supporting the base 12 of the housing 
11, and a cylinder rod 82 arranged to vertically reciprocate in a 
predetermined stroke.about.relative to this air cylinder 81. The tip of 
this cylinder rod 82 is inserted from the bottom into an aperture 83 
formed in the support stage 61 below the base portion 73, so as to face 
the bottom surface of the base portion 73. Then the cylinder rod 82 is 
made to project from the aperture 83, so that the tip of the cylinder rod 
82 pushes the base portion 73 up, thereby lifting the base portion 73 and 
lift member 71. Then the cylinder rod 82 is moved down to bury the 
cylinder rod 82 in the aperture 83, whereby the base portion 73 and lift 
member 71 arc moved down by the urging force of the spring 76. 
As shown in FIG. 17 and FIG. 18, a ring lead-in portion 84 cut horizontally 
is formed at the rear part in the lower end face 16a of the rear floating 
rod 16, and this ring lead-in portion 84 has a cut depth P a little larger 
than the height H of one ring portion 7. A protrusion 86 projecting in the 
direction of the axis is formed at the front part in the lower end face 
16a of the rear floating rod 16, and the lower end face 16a on the side of 
this protrusion 86 is connected through a taper face 85 with the lower end 
face 16a on the side of the ring lead-in portion 84. In order to surely 
insert only the lowermost ring portion 7 into the ring lead-in portion 84, 
the cut depth P is made to be smaller than the height 2H of two ring 
portions 7. 
Next explained is the operation of the heald rear end separating portion 
70. 
As shown in FIG. 12 and FIG. 13, prior to draw of the lowermost wire heald 
B. first, the drawing pin 32 is inserted into the notch portion 16b of the 
front floating rod 16 and at the same time as it, the front ring portion 7 
of the lowermost wire heald B is made to be magnetically attached to the 
magnetic head 31. Since the claw portions 42 of the push claws 41 are 
buried completely in the claw receiving recesses 54 at this time, they 
will never impede drawing of the front ring portion 7. After that, the 
front ring portion 7 is drawn out a little by the drawing pin 32 (see FIG. 
11). At this time, as shown in FIG. 19 and FIG. 20, the rear end of the 
rear ring portion 7 in the lowermost is led into the ring lead-in portion 
84 of the rear floating rod 16 as passing above the aperture 72 of the 
base 12, and thus, the ring portion 7 does not collide with the floating 
rod 16, thereby preventing the floating rod 16 from moving up. Further, 
the protrusion 86 of the rear floating rod 16 is located still in the 
lowermost ring portion 7. 
After that, as shown in FIG. 21, the air cylinder 81 is actuated to push 
the base portion 73 up by the tip of the cylinder rod 82, whereby the base 
portion 73 moves up while the lift member 71 also moves-up 
as.about.following it. As a result, as the top surface of the lift member 
71 lifts the ring portions 7 in the stacked state, having been mounted on 
the floating rod 16 and kept at that position and the lower end face 16a 
on the side of the ring lead-in portion 84 simultaneously, the protrusion 
86 inserted in the lowermost ring portion 7 is also lifted. Accordingly, 
the protrusion 86 is spaced away from the base 12, which completely 
releases engagement between the lowermost ring portion 7 and the floating 
rod 16. After that, the drawing pin 32 is further advanced, so that the 
lowermost wire heald B is drawn out smoothly without collision between the 
rear floating rod 16 and the lowermost ring portion 7. After completion of 
such drawing of wire heald B. the cylinder rod 82 is moved down to make 
the tip of the cylinder rod 82 buried in the aperture 83, thereby moving 
the base portion 73 and lift member 71 down by the urging force of the 
spring 76. 
Therefore, since the rear floating rod 16 is kept from colliding with the 
lowermost ring portion 7 upon drawing of the lowermost wire heald B. no 
abrasion occurs between the lower end face 16a of the floating rod 16 and 
the wire heald B. Also, upon drawing of wire heald B at extremely high 
speeds, repetitive collision can be avoided between the floating rod 16 
and the wire heald B. which can prevent an excessive load from being 
exerted on the wire heald B. which in turn prevents the wire heald B from 
being deformed, and which thus can lengthen the lifetime of wire heald B 
itself. 
The stocker for wire healds according to present invention can be modified 
for example as described below within the scope not departing from the 
spirit of the present invention without having to be limited to only the 
above-stated embodiment. 
(1) In the foregoing embodiment, the block-shaped lift member 71 may be 
formed in a claw shape, in a cylindrical shape, or in a hollow shape of 
the foregoing in order to reduce the weight thereof. 
(2) In the foregoing embodiment, the ring lead-in portion 84 cut 
horizontally may be applied to the front floating rod 16. In the case, the 
side view thereof is shown in FIG. 26 and the lower surface of the 
floating rod 16 is shown in FIG. 27. 
(3) In the foregoing embodiment, a plurality of frame bodies 13 may be 
arranged as juxtaposed on the base 12. In such an arrangement, the wire 
healds B may be drawn out one by one in order from the ends of plural 
frame bodies 13 juxtaposed or may be drawn one each at a time from the all 
frame bodies 13 juxtaposed. 
The stocker for wire healds according to the present invention can attain 
the following effects because it is arranged as described above. 
Namely, by the arrangement in which the wire healds kept in a horizontal 
state are stacked vertically in the housing, in which the heald refilling 
aperture is provided at the top portion of the housing, and in which the 
heald drawing opening for discharging the lowermost of the stacked wire 
healds in the horizontal direction is provided at the lower front end in 
the housing, stable stocking of wire healds in the housing can be insured. 
Further, upon the refilling operation of wire healds, the refilling 
operation can be performed from the top of the housing as utilizing the 
self-weight of healds or the like, and thus the refilling operation of 
wire healds becomes easy. Also, the refilling operation can also be 
carried out as looking into the heald refilling aperture from the top. 
Further, by the arrangement in which the heald drawing opening is provided 
at the lower front end of the housing, the wire heald can be drawn 
horizontally as maintained in the horizontal state, with hooking the guide 
hole of the lowermost wire heald on the pin or the like. Also, employment 
of the floating rods can prevent entanglement of wire healds in the 
housing. 
Further, provision of the heald front end separating portion in the stocker 
can decrease such a tendency that upon drawing of the lowermost wire heald 
the wire heald above it is also drawn together therewith by the drawing 
force of the lowermost wire heald, and can prevent the rear ring portion 
of the lowermost wire heald from vertically moving the front floating rod. 
Further, the total weight of the stacked wire healds and the weight of the 
floating rods is considerably greater than the drawing force of wire 
heald. Thus, use of the push claws upon drawing of the lowermost wire 
heald can minimize influence of the stacked wire healds and the floating 
rods, whereby the lowermost wire heald can be drawn out smoothly. 
By the arrangement in which the taper faces are formed at the tips of the 
claw portions, in which the claw engaging recesses for the tip portions of 
the claw portions to be inserted therein are formed in the lower end faces 
of the floating rod, and in which the taper faces arranged to match with 
the taper faces of the claw portions are formed in the top surface of the 
claw engaging recesses, even if the floating rod is set in such a state 
with a play as to move vertically and horizontally in the housing, 
engagement between the taper faces of the claw portions and the taper 
faces of the claw engaging recesses can assure certain lift of the 
floating rod as being positioned to the claw portions. Even if upon 
passing the rod portion of wire heald through the gap between the claw 
portions as..about.moving the claw portions up, the rod portion touches 
the claw portion upon ascent of the push claws because the position of the 
rod portion is shifted from the center of the lower end face of the 
floating rod to the edge, the rod portion can be moved along the taper 
face of the claw portion, whereby the rod portion can be surely introduced 
into the gap between the claw portions. 
Further, provision of the heald rear end separating portion in the stocker 
can decrease such a tendency that upon drawing of wire heald the drawing 
force of the lowermost wire heald pulls the wire heald above it together 
therewith. By the arrangement in which the ring lead-in portion cut 
horizontally is provided the lower end face of the floating rod, the 
floating rod can be kept from colliding with the lowermost ring portion 
upon drawing of the lowermost wire heald, which can suppress abrasion and 
deformation of the floating rod and wire heald.