Patent GB-190421220-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in the Automatic Weft Replenishing Mechanisms of Looms.
Inventor: RANSFORD ROBERT BOLTON
Filed: 1904-10-03
Granted: 1905-09-07
Abstract: 21,220. Ransford, R. B., [Northrop Loom Co.]. Oct. 3. Loom shuttles, changing bobbins and the like in, automaticatly.-Relates to the automatic weft-replenishing mechanism described in Specifications Nos. 10,633 and 10,635, A.D. 1891, and Nos. 18,611 and 22,939, A.D. 1894. The bobbins or other weftcarriers are carried in several separate stacks E, Fig. 21, in a pivoted magazine provided with downwardly and outwardly extending teeth i or each stack. The front or active stack is open, so that the bobbins &c. are fed by gravity to a guide-shoot I, J, Figs. 5, 6, and 21, consisting of a guideway I for the butts of the weft -carriers and a guideway J for their tips. The bobbins are there normally supported by a stop and fingers g, h. When weft-changing is required to take place, the bottom bobbin is depressed by the action of the butt c of a pivoted transferrer A, as described in the Specifications referred to above, and forced into the shuttle. The reserve stacks of bobbins &c. are supported by two fixed supports G, H for the butts and tips respectively, and the magazine is normally prevented from swinging forward, so as to free the remaining stacks from their supports, by a detent m coming in contact with the first tooth i. The detent is at the rear end of a feeler K spring-connected to the transferrer A. When the transferrer moves downwards to push out a bobbin from the shoot, it tends to depress the feeler, which, if not prevented by a bobbin beneath it, moves down and allows the magazine to swing forward by gravity and bring the tooth i against the stop n on the feeler. When the latter is again raised, this tooth is freed from the stop n and the magazine swings forward still further till the second tooth i engages with the detent m, the second stack of bobbins &c. being then in position to be fed down the shoot I. The transferrer is provided with fingers d &c., Fig. 6, to co-operate with the butts and tips of the bobbins, and also with a retainer which supports the carrier butts during the action of the transferrer. A spring retainer is also provided for the bobbin tips. It has a head u which is normally raised by the finger d so that its lower end is out of the path of the bobbin tips in the guideway J. When the transferrer descends to insert the lowest bobbin, the finger d allows the tip retainer to be depressed by its spring to obstruct the guideway and thus retain all the bobbins except the lowest one during the transferring operation. The channels E of the magazine are provided with guide-surfaces N, Fig. 9, for the bobbin butts, projecting retaining-ribs P so that the spaces between the latter are less than the diameters of the usual rings on the butts, and reversed or curved guide-walls Q which enable the bobbins to move freely and take up any inclination, guideplates 0 guiding their bodies, and their tips being entirely free. All the weft ends from one stack are introduced through one of a series of closed thread-guides x, Fig. 5. on a fixed front threadguide X, bolted to a shelf W secured to a thread platform V, bolted &c. to a stand C. The weft threads are also introduced through one of a series of open guides w on the shelf W. Each guide w, x corresponds to its own stack E. The ends of each series of threads are secured in the spring arms of weighted, slotted, weft-holders Z, Fig. 7, which are freely suspended below the outer edge of the shelf W by the weft ends. The magazine is journalled in an open-mouthed bearing so that it can be readily removed and filled away from the loom, a hinged cover normally shut by a removable pin being provided so that the full magazine can be carried about readily, after it has been reversed in position. If desired, the magazine may be filled while in the loom. A detachable spring is provided to aid the forward swing of the magazine.