Improvements in Apparatus for Operating the Shuttle Boxes of Looms.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Oct., 1893-Accepted, 2nd Dec., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION..
Improvements in Apparatus for Operating the Shuttle Boxes
of Looms.
I, FEDERICO HOFMANN of Tessitura di Collegno Turin in the Kingdom of
Italy Cotton Mill Manager, 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for operating the shuttle
boxes of looms for the purpose of producing the required changes of the shuttles.
The invention will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings
in which
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of same and of such portion of a loom as is necessary to
illustrate it, part however of the lower portion of the figure having been removed
for the purpose of clearness of illustration.
the omitted part added.
Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the apparatus including a portion of a loom.
Fig. 4 is an elevation of the part omitted from Figs. 1 and 2.
Fig. 5 is a plan of same.
Figs. 6 to 12 each show respectively a front and end elevation of seven different
forms of levers by means of which the changes of the shuttle boxes may be
produced.
Figs. 13 to 16 show the four different positions given to the shuttle box opérating
lever illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 each position bringing one of the boxes into line
with the shuttle race while Figs. 13 to 16 show respectively the corresponding
positions of the locking device the operation of which will be hereafter explained.
The
a is a lever one end of which is an open frame while the other end is reduced and
is pivotally connected to a rigid rod b which carries the shuttle boxes c.
lever a is supported by the eccentrics de carried loosely by studs affixed to the
framework of the loom. The eccentric d works in a block d' which slides in
the open portion of the lever a while the eccentric e works in the end of the lever
itself. Attached to the eccentrics de are the short shafts fg these being placed in
line with the studs supporting the eccentrics, and to these shafts f, 9 are secured
projecting blocks hi each block carrying a handle for the purpose of operating it
by hand or foot if required. The parts are solid with the eccentric d and the
parts g, i, are solid with the eccentric e. A plate L is carried by the studs which
support the eccentrics and this plate is provided with studs which carry springs y y
the other ends of which are attached to the blocks hi respectively. The plate is
provided with angular recesses in which the blocks can seat and be held. On one
side of the shaft and in line with each other are secured studs m m¹ and similarly
to shaft g are secured studs m¹¹ m111
1
To the stud m is attached a chain f¹ which passes under the shaft f and up on
the other side while to the stud m¹ is attached a chain which passes directly
upward. To the stud m" is attached a chain g¹ which passes under the shaft g and
to the stud mis attached a chain g² which passes directly upwards. The upper
ends of these chains are attached respectively to the rods n'n' n n (the latter
not being shown) the heads of which are hooked. The attachment of the chains or
it might be belts, ropes or the like to the rods is effected by means of the nuts and
screwed rods shown, the object being to enable an adjustment of the chains to be
easily effected.
The weight of the lever a as well as the weight of the boxes c and rod b is
counterbalanced by the spring p, a rod connected to one end of which is attached

page_text: to some part of the frame while to the other end of the spring is attached a strap q
the end of which is secured to the edge of an eccentric o a second eccentric o' on
the same shaft or stud having a second strap g' secured to same, the other end
of said strap being attached to the lever a.
2
The lever which is pivoted upon a stud fixed to the framework has an extension
arm attached thereto the end of such arm being acted on by an eccentric s
carried by a shaft which is suitably operated. The end of the arm is attached to
the bottom of a rod t the upper part of which carries knife edges for engaging with
the hooks of the rods n n' &c. The lower part of the rod t carries an adjusting
boss X by means of which the length of the rod can be varied. This boss X is
connected to the pivoted knuckle joint jaws X, X", the loose jaw X" being kept
pressed upon a stud carried by the end of the lever r by means of a flat spring
secured at its upper end to the fixed jaw X' by means of a stud 21. In this way a
yielding connection is provided which will open to release the stud and prevent
the rod t, the rod b, and other parts from being broken or bent in case of impediment
to the movement of the boxes or other parts. The shaft carrying the eccentric s
also carries an eccentric u, a rod v connected to which passes through a projection o¹
carried by the shaft of eccentrics o, o', said rod having its end hooked, such end
acting on counterbalanced lever W, to which: pivoted the rocking arms W', W",
operating in connection with the usual mechanism for providing the change of
drawings of the loom.
In the operation of the apparatus it will be understood that the rod t has an up
and down movement imparted to it through the levers, and eccentrics and that
the knife edges of the rod in their upward movement engage with the hooks of the
rods, n nnn, the order in which these are lifted being determined through the
pattern mechanism which is operated by the arms W, W", lever W, rod v and
eccentric u. The rods n n¹ &c. operate the chains f f g¹g" which in turn shift
the eccentrics de so as to raise and lower the end of the lever a and consequently
the rod band shuttle boxes c, the arrangement shewn enabling the lever to be put
into the four different positions shown in Figures 13 to 16, the blocks hi which are
carried by the eccentrics being brought into the positions in the recesses of the
plate L illustrated in the corresponding Figures 13 to 164 the springs y y¹ serving
to hold them firmly in the positions when attained and also serving to accelerate
their movement into such positions.
In Figure 6 the open lever a is reversed the slide being at the other end. In
Figures 7, 8, 9 and 11 in place of the open lever, a lever having a guide is
employed on which guide slides the block d' which in the case of Figures 7 and 9
embraces the guide and in Figures 8 and 11 works in a dovetail groove in same.
In Figures 10 and 12 the shape of the open lever a is varied a reverse arrangement
being shown in Figure 10 to that shown in Figure 12.
The advantages of my improved apparatus are that it is direct acting and so
does away with a number of intermediate parts, it is light and the motion of the
shuttle boxes is smoother and surer than in other arrangements at present
employed, wherein the boxes are caused to descend by their own weight instead of
being directly operated. The apparatus is also very easily adjusted and though
requiring less power is capable of working at a higher rate of speed than can be
obtained with the apparatus at present employed.
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 :-
1. For operating the shuttle boxes of a loom a lever directly connected to a rod
carrying same, eccentrics for operating the lever and means for shifting the
eccentric substantially as described.
2. The combination with the lever, rod and eccentrics referred to in the
preceding claim, of a counterbalancing spring, eccentrics and flexible connections
attached to the lever substantially as and for the purpose described.

page_text: 3. The combination with the lever rod and eccentrics referred to in Claim 1 of
the plate L carried by the studs of the eccentrics blocks hi secured to the latter
and springs y y attached to the plate and to the blocks substantially as and for the
purpose described.
4. For operating the shuttle boxes of a loom and in combination a lever a rod
attached to same supporting the boxes, eccentrics mounted on studs for operating
the lever and means for counterbalancing the latter, chains or flexible connections
for shifting the eccentrics adjustable rods connected to the chains means for
operating the rods a plate carried by the studs of the eccentrics blocks carried by
the eccentrics, and springs attached to the blocks and to the plate substantially as
described.
5. The improvements in apparatus for operating the shuttle boxes of looms
substantially as described and illustrated.
Cou1002
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
Chartered Patent Agent, London,
For the Applicant.