Improvements for Stop-motion Devices for Looms.
Year: 1892

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements for Stop-motion Devices for Looms.
I, THOMAS FRANCIS WARRINGTON, of 3232 Green Street, Germantown, in the
City of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, 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, reference being had to the accompanying drawings
:-
My invention relates to what are usually known as revolving box or circular box
looms, in which the shuttles are seated in a rotating frame or box, and the object
of my invention is to afford a means of stopping the loom in case any shuttle fails
to throw "home" into its seat.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 represents a partial side elevation of the frame of the loom indicating,
without elaboration of detail, the general relation of the rotating box and stop-
motion devices to the other parts.
Figure is a view, partly in vertical transverse section through the box, and
partly in side elevation, of the stop-motion devices adjacent thereto.
Figure 3 is a view, on a still larger scale, shewing the details of one of the levers
which are connected with the shuttle box to determine the action of the stop-
motion.
In the general view of Figure 1, the housing or frame of the loom is indicated
at A, the frog at B, the "sword or oscillating frame of the lathe at X, and the
rotating shuttle box at D. This box is constructed and actuated in the usual
manner in this class of looms, and is in the instance shown, adapted to receive seven
shuttles, as indicated at Figure 2, where the cavities or seats for the shuttles are
shown at D¹.
Within each of said cavities, and upon the rear side thereof, is a movable strip K,
which may either be hinged to the cavity or may be of thin elastic metal fastened
upon one side or end, the other being free to move outwards or away from the
shuttle d. This strip is so arranged with relation to the size of the cavity, D', and
diameter of the shuttle as that when the shuttle is home the strip will be slightly
shifted or sprung outwards thereby, resuming its normal position, however, when
the shuttle leaves the cavity.
Adjacent to each strip K, and upon the rear side thereof, I mount the devices for
communicating this outward movement of the strip to the other devices hereinafter
to be described, which constitute the stop-motion proper. Said communicating
devices consist of bell crank levers mounted in proper relation to the strips K, in
the following manner :
Intermediate between the shuttle seats D', I form in the periphery of the box D,
deep cavities, B', extending radially inward and communicating laterally with one
of the shuttle cavities D'. The bell-crank lever M, is pivotted at N, with one of
its arms extending through the opening into the cavity D', and in contact with the
outside of the strip, K; such contact being maintained by means of a spring L,
normally throwing the arm in that direction. The other arm of the bell-crank
when in the innermost position (corresponding with the normal position of the
strip K,) lies flush with the outer periphery of the box; but when said strip K, is
sprung, or turned outwards by the presence of the shuttle, said arm of the bell
crank M, is thrown out of the cavity and beyond the periphery of the box, as
indicated by the dotted lines. It is upon the motion of this lever that the action
of the stop-motion depends. The remaining parts will now be described.
Upon the front of the shuttle box frame A¹, is mounted in suitable bearings a

page_text: rock-shaft J, extending across the front of the lathe, and at each end of said rock-
shaft is rigidly attached a finger or "dagger "C, adapted to engage with a step or
shoulder S, upon the frog B. When thus engaged, the motion of the lathe towards
the breast-beam is arrested and the loom consequently stops. A slight movement
of the rock-shaft suffices, however, to turn the finger C, upwards sufficiently to
clear the shoulder S, and ride up on the top T, of the frog, thus not interfering
with the oscillation of the lathe.
At the end of the rock shaft is rigidly attached a lever arm, I, to the lower end
of which is pivotted a link G, the other end of said link being pivotted at U to the
lower lever arm E, rigidly attached to a short shaft V, whose bearing is in the
upper end of a curved arm or bracket H, mounted upon the box frame A', and
encircling a portion of the shuttle box D. A short lever arm F, rigidly attached
to said shaft V, overhangs the shuttle box with its extreme end resting upon the
periphery thereof in line with the cavities which contain the bell-crank levers, M,
so that when the arms of said bell-cranks are in their innermost position the lever-
arm F, will be raised thereby, this position corresponding to the presence of the
shuttles in their boxes.
The raising of the lever arm, F, throws the long arm E, to the left, shifting the
link G, towards the breast beam, and turning the rock shaft, J, by means of the
arm I, so as to raise the dagger C, clear of the shoulder S, as indicated by
the dotted lines in Figure 2. Hence the motion of the lathe will not be checked,
and so long as the dagger rests upon the upper surface T, of the frog, the lever F,
will not drop down upon the surface of the shuttle box, but will be supported clear
thereof throughout the remaining portion of the forward movement of the lathe.
When, however, the return of the lathe takes place and the shuttle leaves the box,
the strip K, resumes its normal position: the bell-crank thereupon turns down into
its cavity and the lever arm F, drops into close proximity to the surface of the
box, D, as indicated by the solid lines.
This position of the lever arm corresponds with. a position of the rock shaft J,
which would bring the dagger C, into range of engagement with the shoulder S, so
that as the lathe moves forward the dagger will strike the shoulder and stop the
loom. Hence it will be seen that the normal tendency of the stop-motion device
proper is to stop the loom, said condition continuing during all the time that the
shuttle is out of the box, or on its way through the shed.
It is the presence of the shuttle in its box which alone prevents the operation of
the stop-motion devices, so that any failure of the shuttle to be thrown home
necessarily results in stoppage at or before the end of the pick.
The rotation of the shuttle box is of course effected during the period when the
shuttles are home, viz. during the forward movement of the lathe and this period
corresponds to that position of the parts in which the dagger is supported upon the
top surface of the frog. This support of course relieves the shuttle box of all
pressure from the upper end, F, of the lever, so that the box is free to rotate with-
out obstruction. So far as I am aware, this feature is not found in any device of
the same general character heretofore used; for in all of them the lever was held
with more or less pressure against the surface of the box at all times. In my
improvement it is only in contact with the box, or with the bell-cranks, during that
period when the box does not rotate, and when, consequently, such pressure is
immaterial.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
The combination of the rotating shuttle-box; the bell cranks arranged within
the periphery of the shuttle box between the shuttle seats; the movable strips
arranged within the shuttle seats and in contact with one arin of said bell cranks;
the oscillating frame carrying said box; the rocking dagger mounted upon said

page_text: frame; the frog having a shoulder adapted to engage with said dagger; the stop-
motion lever having one arm arranged in proximity to the periphery of the shuttle.
box and within the range of movement of the bell cranks, and means substantially
as described, whereby the other end of said stop motion lever is connected with the
rocking dagger.
Dated this 24th do- of Mar 1909
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents.