Patent GB-128460-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Automatic Weft Replenishing Mechanism for Looms for Weaving.
Inventor: HOLLINGWORTH EDWARD
IPC: D03D45/20
Filed: 1918-08-22
Abstract: 128,460. Hollingworth, E., (Crompton & Knowles Loom Works). Aug. 22, 1918. Shuttles, changing bobbins &c. in, automatically.-In automatic weft-replenishing looms, the transferrer is actuated positively by means independent of the lay to give a positive transferring movement at predetermined regular intervals, or on every alternate beat of the lay. The weft-detecting mechanism is preferably mounted on the transferrer, and means are provided for stopping the loom whenever the shuttle cannot be moved by a shuttle placer into correct position for transfer. Improved means are also described for controlling the release of weft carriers from a magazine resembling that described in Specification 22996/10, and having two or more vertical compartments, each provided with a pivoted cradle at its lower end, a cradle being rocked in one direction to permit the lowermost weft carrier to drop into it, and in the other direction to allow the weft carrier to advance to transferring position. As shown, the transferrer 22, Fig. 3, is actuated to give a transferring movement on every alternate beat of the lay by a rod 24 constantly reciprocated by a cam on the cam-shaft. Upon indication of weft-failure, a stud 49 on the transferrer, controlled by the weft-detecting mechanism described below, is projected on its upward motion to engage a cam-face 48 on an actuator 47 pivoted at 43 and having a rack arm 42 adapted to rotate a pinion 41 loose on a slidable and rotatable shaft 32. The pinion is integral with a notched arm 39 engaging a depending web 37 of a yoke 35 mounted on the shaft 32, which is reciprocated longitudinally by a bell-crank lever 52 controlled from the change-box mechanism. The yoke has two horizontal extensions, one of which is always in position for engaging a pair of projections 54 on one or other of the vertical bars 31 by which the maga. zine cradles are rocked. When the stud 49 engages tne cam-face 48, the yoke 35 is thus rotated in one direction, and a bar 31<a> is raised to allow a corresponding weft-carrier to drop on to the cradle controlled by this bar. After engagement with the actuator 47, the transferrer dwells in its upward motion, and as the shuttle returns to the magazine end of the lay the transferrer rises further so that it engages a stop-screw 50 on an extension 47<a> of the actuator, which is thus rocked to cause rotation of the shaft 32 in the opposite direction. If no change of shuttle has taken place, the horizontal extension of the yoke 35 will still be in position to act on the rod 31<a>, which will thus be depressed and will cause the curresponding cradle to be rocked to release the weft-carrier to transferring positions. Prior to transference, the weft-carrier is yieldingly supported between a fixed flange and a yielding flange 71 pivoted at 72 to an arm 73 pivoted to the magazine. The arm 73 is urged to the right against a stop by a spring, and has a stop 78 normally held in engagement with the flange 71 by a spring 77. Normally, the flange 71 turns about the pivot 74 of the arm 73, but, if the weft carrier is caught in the shuttle, and engages the end of the flange when the lay moves backwards, the flange escapes injury by turning about the pivots 72 and 74 The weft-detecting mechanism by which the stud 49 is controlled is mounted on the transferrer and comprises a weft detector 60, Fig. 6, pivoted to a spring-controled arm 62 pivoted to the transferrer 22. The stud 49 is normally held in the position shown by a weak spring 67. When weft is present on the weft carrier, the feeler 60 engaging the weft causes the arm 62 to turn about its pivot, but when the weft is substantially exhausted the feeler slides on the weft carrier and moves the stud 49 to the left into position for engagement with the actuator. In a modification, the weft feeler is made in two parts, one part 91, Fig. 20, being pivoted at 101 to a link 100 and having an arm pivoted at 91<a> to the spring-controlled arm 92, and the other part 98 being adjustably pivoted to the link, which has a stop 102 engaging the arm 92. The bottom of the part 98 is adjusted to below the part 91. When weft is present, both parts of the detector turn about the pivot 93 of the arm 92 against the action of the spring 96. When the weft is substantially exhausted, the lower end of the part 91 of the detector moves to the left and moves the stud 97 to the left into position for engagement with the actuator. The shuttle placer comprises a slide 80, Fig. 14, yieldingly mounted on the breast beam 82 and having a spring-controlled shuttle-engaging head 83. If the shuttle is incorrectly placed, it engages a notch in the head which is thereby turned to the right and moves the shuttle with it. If, however, the shuttle is so far misplaced that the placer cannot correct its position, the side of the shuttle engages the head 83 and moves the slide 80 to engage a spring-controlled stud 85 on a knook-off lever 86, and thus release the shipper handle 87. Further movement causes the stud 85 to be moved to the left of the slide so that the shipper handle may be latched before the return of the slide to its normal position.