Improvements in Stop-motions for Looms.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Nov., 1899-Accepted, 23rd Dec., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Stop-motions for Looms.
We, JOSEPH COLDWELL, Designer, of 435, Beach Street, Fall River, in the
County of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, and CHRISTOPHER GILES GILDARD,
Master Mechanic, of 271, Kilburn Street, in said City, all in the United States
of America, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement: -
Our invention relates to improvements in stop-motions for looms, and to that
particular class thereof wherein an electrical current is employed for setting
the stop-motion which current is established by the breaking of one or more
warp-threads.
In the drawings:-
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a loom-frame having our invention applied.
Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the head of the same.
Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the said head.
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of the frame illustrating the belt-
shifter and its accompanying mechanism.
Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views of parts hereinafter referred to.
Figs. 7 and 8 are front and side elevations of the form of drop-bars preferably
employed.
In illustrating our invention we have shown so much of an ordinary loom-
frame as is deemed necessary to illustrate the application thereof, it being under-
stood that otherwise the loom consists of any usual well-known construction.
Between the side-frames a, of the loom, we locate a pair of angular brackets b,
which have slots ', in their lower ends to receive adjusting-bolts; b, whereby
the said brackets are adjustably supported between the side-frames. One of
the bolts 62, may be centrally bored at 63. At their middles the brackets, b may
be longitudinally slotted at 64, and by adjusting-bolts 6, passed therethrough,
a pair of L-shaped bearing-brackets c, may be supported. These bearing-
brackets receive the axial ends or trunnions of a loose tubular contact-roll
of metal (preferably of copper). The trunnions may be made of wood or any
other electrical non-conducting material, and each comprises a cylindrical body-
portion d, that plugs and accurately fits the end of the contact-roll; an annular
intermediate boss 2, that abuts against the end of the said contact-roll; and,
beyond the said boss a reduced cylindrical bearing or journal d³, that rests
loosely in the bracket c, whereby the contact-roll as a whole is capable of being
rotated by hand.
Screws c¹, are passed upwardly through the lower horizontal ends of the bear
ing-brackets c, and adjustably supported thereby is a horizontally disposed wiper-
bar e, which has its face concaved to conform to the contact-roll, and provided
with a textile surface e¹, whereby a rotation of said contact-roll will. serve to
remove any deposits of lint or other foreign matter.
Each of the two brackets b, terminate above the contact-roll in a pair of in-

page_text: wardly horizontally disposed attaching-lugs 66, to which are secured the opposite
ends of a pair of parallel circuit-rods f, which form guides for and support the
series of drop-bars g, hereinafter described, in proper relative position to the
contact-roll.
To the upper angular ends of the brackets b, is adjustably secured by bolts h,
a pair of inverted L-shaped brackets h¹, the lower ends of which are slotted at h²,
to receive the bolts. The inner horizontal ends of these brackets may be
T-shaped, and each is provided with a pair of round-ended studs h³, cast integral
therewith, and which take into, approximately fit, and support a pair of hori-
zontally disposed tubular metallic lease-rods i, which are preferably formed of
enameled bicycle-tubing, whereby they are adapted to successfully resist the
wear from the warp-threads running thereover, and also rust. The lease-rods
are located above and just outside of the vertical planes of the circuit-rods f,
and over and under said lease-rods the threads are alternately passed, as is usual.
The warp-threads being in position, each has suspended thereon a drop-bar
or detector g, of any desired design, the said drop-bar or detector in the present
instance being sprung over the adjacent circuit-rod. It will be obvious that the
engagement of the circuit-rods will prevent the drop-bars or detectors from
being dragged by the threads from a proper relative position as regards the
contact-roll and that they will be suspended from contact with said roll by said
warp-threads.
designates the usual shipper; k the notched plate by which it is locked and
guided; and, the operating-lever to be moved by the shipper.
A bracket m supports a magnet-box or case m³, in the front upper corner
of which latter is pivoted the armature-lever m². Rising from bracket m, is a
stud m³, having a contact-spring m, in electrical contact with the shipper j,
when in engagement with the aforesaid notch of the plate k. When in this
position it be possible for the drop-bar or detector g, to complete the
circuit by contacting with the metallic contact-roll d, but when the shipper is
at the inner end of the slot in plate k, such contact is impossible to effect the
circuit.
On the stud m³, is a binding-post m³, and from it leads to the pole of the
magnet m6, a circuit-wire m n, designates the knock-off; 1, the gravity-
latch and n², the notch or shoulder formed therein. n³ is a wire-rod connect-
ing the latch to the armature-lever m², so that there is a unity of motion between
the two. It will be obvious that if the magnet attracts the armature, as when
the circuit is completed through one of the drop-bars, the armature-lever will
raise at its outer end and will elevate the latch n¹, into the path of the lay (not
shown) by which it is struck, and together with the knock-off is forced forward,
the latter striking the shipper j, and disengaging the same from the notch in
the guide-platek, permitting the shipper to spring inward and operate the belt-
shifter to stop the loom, all as is usual, and to break contact with the contact-
spring m¹.
The battery o, or other source of electrical-supply is in the present instance,
located below the floor and from one of its poles leads the insulated circuit-
wire and from the other the insulated circuit-wire p The wire g, passes to
the magnet, and the wire p, passes through the tubular bolt 62. From the inner
end of the bolt the wire p, passes upwardly through a perforation r, in the
bracket b, and from thence through the longitudinal bore d, formed in the adja-
cent axial plug or trunnion d, of the contact-roll, and into the latter, where
it is finally secured to or terminates in a suitable contact s, mounted loosely or
slidably in the contact-roll.
Said contacts, comprises a coiled-wire s¹, the coils of which may or may not
gradually increase in diameter from point of joining wire p, until the final coils
embrace the interior wall of said contact-roll, by which arrangement there is
always a sufficient expansion to maintain a close and uninterrupted contact
between the roll and the contact-device. In setting up or wiring the machine,

page_text: an extra amount of wire is passed through the bore d', of the plug d¹, at one
end of the contact-roll, so that the contact-device or coil will be located at the
opposite end of the contact-roll. In case the circuit-wire should become broken
at any point between the point of electrical supply and the contact-roll, instead
of being obliged, as heretofore, to rewire the entire loom, in order to get a
sufficient length to unite the two disconnected ends, recourse is had to the sur-
plusage of circuit-wire within the contact-roll. From this surplus of wire
sufficient is withdrawn to enable one to connect the broken terminals.
The drop-bars or detectors g, may be of any form or design. We prefer,
however, to stamp them from thin resilient metal. The same in the present
instance has a central passage or throat g', enlarged at its upper end at g², the
opposite terminals g³, being cut away at their lower ends at g'. This enables
each drop-bar or detector to be readily dropped over a warp-thread and the
adjacent circuit-bar f, from which latter they may be removed by giving them
a slight twist previous to an upward withdrawal.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. In a loom, the combination with an electrical stop-motion, comprising a
hollow contact-roll and a conducting-wire, said conducting-wire extending into
the said roll from one end sufficiently far to constitute a surplus of wire capable
of being withdrawn therefrom for mending purposes, as specified, said wire
having sliding contact with said roll at its inner end, and drop-bars or detectors
having contact externally with the said roll.
2. The combination in a loom, of opposite supports, overhanging brackets
adjustably secured to said supports, the inner horizontal ends of said brackets
being of approximately T-shape, inwardly disposed integral studs carried by
said T-shaped ends, and tubular lease-rods receiving at their ends the said studs.
3. In a loom, the combination with opposite supports, bearing-brackets carried
thereby, a tubular contact-roll, plugs for the ends of the same provided inter-
mediate their ends with annular bosses and having their outer ends reduced to
form journals fitting the brackets, one of said plugs having a bore, a circuit-
wire passing through said bore, a coiled-spring connected to said circuit-wire,
the coils of the former gradually increasing in diameter until they engage the
inner surface of said contact-roll, superimposed lease-rods, and drop-bars or
detectors in electrical circuit with the support and supported above the contact-
roll.
4. In a loom, the combination with a hollow contact-roll terminating in
journals or trunnions, one of which is bored, and an electrical contact-device co-
operating therewith, of an electrical circuit-wire passed loosely through the
former, and a coiled wire connected to said circuit-wire, the coils of the former
gradually increasing in diameter until they engage the inner walls of said roller.
5. As an article of manufacture, a drop-bar or detector, formed of flexible
metal and provided with a longitudinal slot terminating at its upper end in
an enlarged eye and at its lower end in a flared entrance.
6. An electrically operated stop-motion for looms, comprising longitudinally
arranged circuit-rods, and a lower intermediate electrical conductor, opposite
series of drop-bars loosing embracing said circuit-rods and adapted to be nor-
mally supported out of contact with the aforesaid electrical conductor by the
warp-threads of the loom, said circuit-rods serving to guide said drop-bars in
their movements toward the conductor.
7. In an electrically operated stop-motion for looms, the combination with
a pair of flat electrical parallel circuit-rods, a lower rotatable roller also in circuit,
and opposite series of drop-bars having parallel arms straddling their respective
circuit-rods and normally supported out of contact with the aforesaid roller by
the warp threads of the loom.