Improvements in and relating to Means for Changing Shuttles in Looms when the Weft is Exhausted.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 7th July, 1899-Accepted, 2nd Sept., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED).
i
Improvements in and relating to Means for Changing Shuttles in
Looms when the Weft is Exhausted.
We, WILLIAM HENRY BAKER of Central Falls, in the County of Providence and
State of Rhode Island, United States of America, Electrician and FREDERIC
ELLSWORTH KIr of Montclair in the County of Essex and State of New Jersey,
United States of America, Manufacturer, 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 that class of devices employed for automatically supplying
filling or weft to a loon; and it has for its object, partly to employ electricity for
controlling and determining the supply of filled shuttles to a loom, and partly to
provide simple and efficient mechanical means for carrying out the invention, all
as will be more particularly hereinafter described.
In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an embodiment of the invention-
Figure 1 is a vertical-sectional view of a part of a loon, illustrating the invention j
the section being substantially in line a¹ in Fig. 2.
Figure 1 is a view similar to Fig.-1, but showing the parts in a different position.
Figure 2 is a plan of the parts of the loom seen in Figure 1.
Figure 3 is an end view of the loom on a smaller scale than the principal figurei
and designed to illustrate the spring art carrying the shuttle-box and the relative
position of the picker mechanism thereto; Figure 4 is a plan of the parts seen in
Figure 3, and Figure 5 is a view. seen from the right in Figure 3.
Figures 6 and 7 are enlarged views of the shuttle and bobbin, with electrical
connections, the former being a sectional, side view, and the latter a plan.
:
Figure 8 is a side view of the shuttle-box, showing the electrical connections with
the shuttle.
'
1 is the breast-beam of a loom; 2 the lay-head or beam; 3 are the uprights
carrying the lay-head; 4 is the swing-rail, or rock-shaft on, or about which the lay
swings, in its ordinary reciprocating movements in beating up, and 5 is the reed
carried by the lay. 6 is the picker, which may be operated by the usual means.
These parts are all common in looms and are constructed, in a general way, the same
in most, if not all power looms; this invention is not restricted to any special
construction of these parts.
'
The purpose of the invention is to provide a means, controlled electrically, whereby
when the thread on the bobbin in the shuttle in the loom is exhausted, or nearly
exhausted, the shuttle will be dropped from the shuttle-box on the lay and a filled
shuttle supplied from a shuttle-inmagazine. The denudation of the bobbin in the

page_text: huttle serves to close an electric circuit and this circuit controls the shifting of the
shuttles. The inechanism for effecting this purpose will now be described.
7 is the shuttle-magazine, in which the shuttles, 8, are superposed. This magazine
is just large enough to accommodate the shuttles, and it is, or may be, supported
on a bracket, 9, on the breast-beain 1.
10 is a movable portion of the shuttle-box, comprising a bottom and one side, and 10%,
is the other side of said box, mounted on the lay-head 2. The movable portion or
Fection 10 of the shuttle-box is mounted on the upper end of a spring-arm, 11,
pivotally mounted at its foot (Figures 3 and 5) on the swing-rail 4; and a
spring, 12, fixed at its lower end on one of the uprights 3, supporting the lay-
head, bears at its upper end on the back of the arg 11. This spring keeps the
section 10 of the shuttle-box pressed, normally, up into the position seen in
Figure 1. The drawings show the lay in its terminal position when "beating
up". Normally, a slide 13, backed by suitable springs, 14, or the like, and
mounted in a guideway in the bracket 9, projects under the magazine 7, and
prevents the shuttles 8 from falling down and out; but if the spring-arm 11 be
pressed or pushed over toward the breast-beain, to the position seen in Figure 1",
the section 10 will engage a lug, 13, on the slide 13, and press the latter back,
thus allowing a shattle 8 to drop into said shuttle-box section 10. The shuttle
already in the shuttle-box when this movement takes place, will drop down to the
Hoor, or into a suitable receptacle, as it will be held against following the
section 10 by a spring detent, 15, attached to the fixed portion of the shuttle-
box and extending over and across the shuttle. The outward movement of the
box-section 10 draws the bottom of the shuttle-box from under the shuttle
therein and the lay-head is cut away so as to allow the shuttle to fall out
freely.
'
The movement of the spring-arm 11 is effected by a lever, 16. (see Figures 1,1ª, 2, 3
and 4), fulcruned at y on the lay-head 2, and its longer arm so situated as to
bear on the back of the spring-arm; indeed it will be loosely coupled to said
arm, by preference. The other, or shorter arm of the lever 16, has on it a
nose, 16%, whicb, as the lay beats up, plays under the elevated end of an armature
lever, 17, fulcrumed at 2, on the breast-beain (Figures 1 and 1ª) and carrying
an armature, m, adjacent to the poles of an electro-magnet, M, carried by a
bracket, 18, on the breast-beam. When this magnet is excited and draws down
the armature and its lever against the supporting spring 19, of said lever 17, it
will put the end of said lever in the path of the nose 16* on the lever 16; and
at the next beating up movement of the lay 2, this nose 16* will impinge upon
the end of the arinature lever 17, and as the lay continues to move forward the
movement of the shorter arm of the lever 16 will be arrested, but the fulcrum y
will continue to move forward, thus causing the longer arm of the lever to press
forward the spring-arm 11, and this latter will carry the section 10 of the shuttle-
box to the position seen in Figure 1. When the lay-head 2 swings outward
again, the section 10 of the shuttle-box will close in, carrying the shuttle with
it to the position seen in Figure 1, the slide 13 again closing the bottom of
the magazine.
.7
The electrical controlling devices, whereby the electro-magnet M is excited
when the bobbin or cop in the shuttle in the loom shall have been denuded, or
nearly denuded of weft or filling, will now be described with especial reference
to Figures 6, 7 and 8.
The shuttle 8, in the form herein shown, contains a spindle, 20, binged at its
larger end in the shuttle in a known way, and on this spindle is slipped a cop,
or butt-cop. Cops and butt-cops are well known but the butt-cop, 21, herein
shown, is especially constructed in some respects, for effecting circuit connections
or closures, and these features will now be described.
On the spindle 20, is a loose metal ring, or conical annulus, 22, backed by a
spring, 23; and fixed on the spindle is a stop-collar, 24, to limit the movement
of said ring 22, when the spindle is empty. This ring 22 is connected electrically

page_text: by a conductor, 25 (Figure 7), with a piece or plate of inėtal, 26, set in the
outer face of the shuttle at its side.
It
The butt-cop 21, carrying the weft, is slipped onto the spindle as seen in
Figures 6 and 7; it has on its larger part a metal ring, 28, connected by a metal
strip or wire, 29, with a metal ferrule, 30, on the smaller part of the cop.
has, also, eet in its end a piece or ring, 31, of metal, which is pressed into
contact with the conical annulus 22, on the spindle. The piece 31 is insulated
from the ring 28, and has attached to it a metal spring, 32, which plays in a
slot in the cop and its free end takes under or within the ferrule 30 thereon at
the slot. A part, 32, of the spring 32 projects out from the slot in the butt-
cop, and this exposed portion is overwrapped by the weft-thread in winding the
cop, so as to put the contact spring 32 under a slight tension and keep its free
end pressed away from the inner face of the ferrule 30. In Figure 6 a little of
the weft, v, is shown as wrapped over the spring 32 at 32, and holding said spring
pressed in.
The ring or band 28 is adapted to form an electrical contact with a piece or rod of
inetal, 33, in the shuttle, when the hinged spindle, bearing the cop, is pressed down
into the shuttle. As here shown there is a circumferential groove in the ring or
band 28, and this is engaged by the piece 33, which is in the form of a cross-rod or
stiff wire. The contact piece 33 is electrically connected by a conductor, 34, in the
shuttle, with a piece or plate of metal, 26, set in the outer face of the shuttle at its
side and forming, with the piece or plate 26, what may be called the circuit-terminals
of the shuttle. In Figure 6, owing to the nature of the figure, the conductors 25
and 34 are represented diagrammatically. The conductor 25 may be conveniently
formed integrally with the spring 23.
'
By following the construction above described, it will be seen that the plate 26 is
connected electrically with the spring 32, through the conductor 25, spring 23, sliding
annulus 22, and ring or piece 31; and that the plate 26* is connected electrically with
the ferrule 30, through the conductor 34, the contact rod or piece 33, the ring or
band 28, and the conductor 29. Thus if the free end of the spring 32 is allowed to
come into contact with the ferrule 30, by the denudation of the cop, the electric
circuit will be completed between the plates 26 and 26*.
Referring now to Figure 8, particularly; which shows the shuttle driven into the
shuttle-box by the picker, it will be seen that in the slide 10 of the shuttle-box are
two apertures, 35 and 35', which are found opposite to the respective plates, 26 and 26',
on the shuttle in the box; and on the box-side 10%, adjacent to these apertures, are
mounted contact terminal springs, 36 and 36', which bear on the respective plates 26
and 26 of the shuttle. These contact springs form terminals of an electric circuit, w,
including any suitable generator G, and the coils of the electro-magnet M.
The weft or filling on the cop.or bobbin will, as before stated, break the electric
circuit, or hold it open, between the ferrule 30 and spring 32, until the weft is wholly,
or nearly exhausted, only a little of it remaining on the butt-cop back of the point 32*.
When the cop is thus denuded the spring 32 will spring outward and close the break
between it and the ferrule. When this is the case, and the shuttle is driven into its
box, the circuit will be completed at the plates 26 and 26, and the magnet M excited.
This will place the armature lever 17 in the path of the nose 16* on the lever 16, and
at the next beating up movement of the lay the exhausted shuttle will be discharged
and a filled one taken in from the magazine as before explained.
Referring now to Figure 1, it will be noted that a part of one side or face of the
magazine 7 is hinged like a door and held closed by a spring. This is to hold back
the upper shuttles 8 and allow the lower one to fall out freely. 7 is a part or section
of one side of the magazine, hinged to the fixed part at its upper edge and held up in
place by a spring, 7. The lower portion of this hinged section is cut away on the
inner face at 7b, to allow easement or looseness of the lower shuttle. When the slide 13
moves in to the position seen in Figure 1, its end strikes and pushes out the 'lower
end of the section 7* of the magazine a very little, thus allowing the shuttles in the
imagazine to settle down by gravity; but when the moving section 10. of the shuttle-

page_text: box drives back the slide 13, the spring 7ª causes the upper part of the section 7* to
press firmly upon and clamp the shuttle next above the bottom one and hold it and
those above it from descending, thus leaving the bottom shuttle free to fall into the
shuttle-box section 10.
Figures 3 and 4 do not show the shuttle-magazine 7; they are designed mainly to
illustrate the form of the parts 3, 11 and 12, and the construction of the parts at the
bottom of the loon.
The ends of the weft threads from the hobbins in the shuttles are led out
through a vertical slot, 7, in the side of the magazine 7, and attached at u, or at
some other convenient point. Any means of attaching the threads may, however, he
employed.
It will be understood that while we have described our invention as it is herein
illustrated we do not limit ourselves to the exact construction shown as this may be
varied to a considerable extent without departing from our invention. For example,
the spring 12 is only one form of spring that might be employed for this purpose;
there are also other known devices for holding up the shuttles in the magazine, and
we do not limit ourselves to the means herein shown. Different styles of looms, also,
will require some modification in the construction of the supply-device; and the
different forms of weft holders in the shuttles, such as bobbins, cops, etc., will make
some modification in the electrical devices necessary. The specific features of the
invention are the sectional shuttle-box, the movable section being adapted to move
under the magazine, receive a shuttle, and carry it to the lay; and the electrical
devices controlling this movement through the denudation or partial denudation of
the bobbin or cop.
In the above described construction reliance has been placed on gravity for
supplying the filled shuttles and discharging the exhausted shuttles, and this will
suffice for slow running looms; but where the mechanism is to be employed on the
faster running looms positive means may be employed to effect these objects.
We have not shown in the figures all of the various parts of the loom, but enough.
are shown to illustrate the present invention.
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. Weft-supply mechanism for looma, comprising mechanism for supplying shuttles
as required, to the shuttle-box of the loom, of an electric circuit and mechanism con-
trolling said supply mechanisin, said circuit including a generator and having
terminals at the shuttle-box, and the shuttles, each having in it an electric circuit
with terminals which contact with those on the shuttle-box when the shuttle is in
place therein, said circuit in the shuttle having in it a break which is closed by the
denudation of the weft from the weft-holder in the shuttle.
2. Weft-supply mechanism for a loom comprising a shuttle magazine, a sectional
shuttle-box, the inovable section of which reciprocates from its normal position on
the lay-hend to a position to receive a shuttle from said magazine, an electric
circuit and mechanism controlling said reciprocating movement of the shuttle-box
section, and means carried by the shuttle for closing and completing said circuit when
the supply of weft in the shuttle is exhausted.
3. The combination with a shuttle-magazine, the lay, the non-moving section of
the shuttle-box carried by the lay, the reciprocating section of the shuttle-box
mounted on a spring-arm which vibrates with the lay, a lever carried by the lay and
adapted to operate said spring-arm, an electric circuit and electrical mechanism
therein, controlling the operations of said lever, and ineans carried by the shuttle
for completing the circuit through said electrical mechanism when the weft is
exhausted from the weft-carrier in the shuttle.
4. The combination with the lay, and the fixed shuttle-magazine, of a slide which
closes the bottom of said magazine automatically, the shuttle-box, having a movable
section adapted to operate said slide, mechanism for moving said section of the

page_text: shuttle-box, an electric circuit and mechanisin controlling said mechanism which
operates the shuttle-box section, and means carried by the shuttle for completing
the circuit through said controlling mechanism when the weft is exhausted from the
welt-carrier in the shuttle.
5. The combination with the vibrating lay, the fixed shuttle-magazine, and the
movable section of the shuttle-box, of the lever 16, carried by the lay, one arm of
said lever being adapted for operating said shuttle-box section, and the other pro-
vided with a nose 16, of the magnet M, fixed with respect to the lay, the armature m
of said magnet, the lever 17 carrying said armature and normally out of the path of
the nose 16%, the controlling electric circuit including said electro-magnet and a
generator, and a partial circuit in the shuttle adapted to be closed by the denudation
of the weft-thread in the shuttle, said partial circuit having contact terminals which
are put in contact with terminals of the controlling circuit when the shuttle enters
its box, substantially as set forth.
6. In a mechanism for the purpose described, the combination with the movable
section 10, of the shuttle-box, ineans for moving said section, the lay 2, cut away to
allow the shuttle to fall from the box, and the stationary part, 10%, of said box, of the
detent 15, which prevents the shuttle from being carried out by the box-section 10,
substantially as set forth.
7. In a mechanism for the purpose described, the combination with the magazine 7,
having a hinged side backed by a spring, and the said spring, of the slide 13 for
closing the said magazine, said slide impinging upon said hinged side of the
magazine, normally, and pressing it outwardly so as to relieve its pressure on the
shuttles above the bottom one, substantially as set forth.
8. Weft-supply mechanism, comprising mechanism for supplying filled weft-carriers,
as required; to the loon, of an electric circuit and mechanism controlling said supply
mechanism, said circuit including a generator and having a break which is closed by
the entry of the shuttle into the shuttle-box, and the shuttles each having in it an
electric circuit which closes electrically with the exterior circuit when the shuttle is
in place in the shuttle-box, said circuit in the shuttle having in it a break which
closes automatically when the weft carried by the shuttle is nearly or wholly exhausted,
substantially as set forth.
9. A weft-holder for a shuttle containing metallic-parts of an electric-eirenit udup-
ted-to-come-together--automatically to close said circuit, one-of said-parts-being
like-and-in-position-to-be-overwrapped-by-the-weft-thread-on-the holder-and
thue-held-out-of-contact-with the other part until the pressure from the overwrapped
thread is removed, substantially-as-set-forth.
spring
10. A weft holder for a shuttle-having-in-it-a-hollow-containing metallic parts of
an-electric-eirenit adapted-to-come together automatically to--close-said-eireuit,-one
of said parts-being-spring-like-and-in-position-to-be-overwrapped-by-the-weft thread
on-the-helder and thus-held-out-of-contnet with-the--other-part until the pressure
from-the-overwrapped thread is removed; whereby the raid contnet devices--are
situated-wholly within the weft-holder-or-bobbin, substantially as set forth.
H-In-an-electrically controlled weft supply-mechanism-for-looms, a weft holder
for-insertion-in-the-shuttle,-earrying a--metallie--contact-part-forming part of the
eirenit controlling said supply mechanism, another, spring like contact part, alon
forming part-of-suid controlling cirenit-and-adapted-to-automatically-form-contact
with-the first named contact part, but held-normally-out-of-contact-therewith-by-the
overwrapping of the weft-thread-about-the-holder, substantially as-set-forth.
12: In-an electrically-controlled-weft-supply-mechanism-for-looms,-the-combina-
tion with a shuttle-box on-the-loom, said-box--having--on--it-terminals-of-the-mem,
outer-operating circuit, and a shuttle-having-on-it-contact--plates-which--form
terminals of that portion-of the-operating-eireuit within the shuttle, of a weft-holder
within-said shuttle and provided with a hollow-overwrapped-by-the-weft--thread
thereon, and normally-separated-metallic contacts in--aaid-hollow-and-forming parts
of-said-eirauit, said contacts being held-apart-so-as-to-break the circuit, by said over
wrapped-thread, substantially as get-forth.

page_text: '
13 As-a-new-article-of-manufacture, a weft--holder,-adapted-to-go-into-a-shuttle,
provided-with-a-part of n-metallic--electrie--eirenit;-said--partial circuit--having
terminale and having-in-it-n self-closing break held-open-by-the-weft-thread wound
about-the-weft-holder, substantially as set-forth.
14. As a new-article of manufacture, a weft-holder--for-use--in-a-shuttle, having
in-it-a-hollow-and-in-said-hollow-metallic-parts-constituting conductors-of-an-e!oetrie
eireuit, said-conductors being held out of contact with each other-by the overwrapped
weft thread-on-the-holder.
15. In a woft supply mechanism for looms, the-combination-with-a-mechanical
supply-device, controlled-electriea!!-of-a-partial-outer--electric-eirenit, including.a
generator and--operating magnet; and having terminals at the shuttle--box;--the
shuttle, a-partial-eirenit in-said--shuttle, adapted-to-be--elosed, by the entry of the
shuttle-into-the-shuttle-box,-with-the-said-partial-outer-circuit, a weft-holder, and-n
partial-eirenit-in-a-hollow-in-said-weft holder, adapted to-be-alosed, when-the-holder
is in the shuttle,--with--the-partial-eironit-in-the-latter, caid partial-eirenit in the
weft-holder having in it-a-break-which-is held open-by-the-overwrapped-weft-on the
holder,-substantially as set-forth.
16. As-a-new-article-of-manufacture;-a-holder-for-weft-to-go-into-a-shuttle,-said
holder having an automatic closer-for-an-operative-electrie-eirenit-situated-inside-of
the mass-of-weft-thread-wound-on said-holder,
said-eirenit--elesar--being-hold--opен;.
normally, by the weft wound-on-Suid-holder, whereby-the-eirenit-is-automatically
elosed when the pressure-of-the-weft-is-removed-to-a-sufficient extent from-said
eloser.
17. As-a-new-article-of manufacture, a shuttle-having-electric-eirenit terminals
on its exterior surface;-and containing a weft-holder-bearing a partial electric eirenit
connecting with said terminale, caid holder having an automatio cireuiteloser in said.
circuit which-cleser-is-situated inside of the mass of weft-thread-wound on the-holder,
suid-circuit-closer being held open,-normally, by the weft-on-the-holder, and adapted
to-close-when--the pressure-of-the-waft-thereon-is-sufficiently-p
F-Peduced
18. As-a-new article of manufacture, a shuttle for a-loom-containing a-partin!
electric-circuit, and having an automatic--circuit-closer situated wholly within the
shuttle, said-circuit eleser being held open-by-the-whorls-of-the--weft thread-on-one
of-its-elements, the partial circuit-of-the shuttle-having-terminals-on--the-exterior
surface-of-the-same, which are--adapted-to-contact-with-circuit terminals-on-the
shuttle box.
10. In a weft supplying mechanism for looms, the combination with a mechanism
for supplying-the-weft-holders to the loom,-of-the-suid--holder, having an untomatic
closer for-an-electric--controlling circnit-situated inside of the--waft-wound-on-tha
holder, said circuit-being-held--open, normally, by the weft wound on the holder,
whereby-the-operating-circuit is closed-when-the-pressure-of-the-weft is removed to
a-sufficient extent from said closer.
20. In-a weft-supplying mechanism for loome, the combination with-a-mechanism
for supplying the shuttles-to-the--loom, of-the--suid-shuttle-having-an-automatic
circuit-eloser-situated wholly within the shuttle, said circuit closer:-being-held-open
by the whorls-of-the-weft thread-on-one--of-its elements, -the--partial circuit-in-the
shuttle having terminals-on-the-external-surface of the same which-are-adapted to
contact-with-terminals-of-the exterior circuit-on-the-shuttle box.
21. As a new article-of-manufacture,--a-shuttle containing two-partial-electric
circuits, one-in-the-shuttle-proper; which has terminals at the exterior face of the
shuttle, and the other within-the-weft-holder-in-the-shuttle, this latter-closing with
that in the shuttle and having in it an--automatic-circuit-closer-held-open-by-the
weft-thread-on-the-holder.