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

page_text: Reprinted as amended in accordance with the decision of the Comptroller General,
dated the 30th day of July 1902.
Date of Application, 29th Aug., 1899-Accepted, 9th Dec., 1899
$6
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED).
Improvements in and relating to Meaus for Changing Shuttles of
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 FREDERIO
ELLSWORTH KIP 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 mechanism' connected with a loom for supplying weft
thereto automatically when needed; and the characteristic features of the invention
are a stationary shuttle-magazine on the loom frame; a rotatively mounted shuttle-
box on the lay, having in it a plurality of concentric shuttle-cells; a shuttle-placer,
which vibrates between the delivery outlet of the magazine and the said box and
supplies a filled shuttle to the latter as needed; means for imparting intermittent
rotary impulses to the shuttle-box to bring the filled cell down to the raceway, and
to discharge, simultaneously, the exhausted shuttle, and electro-magnetic means for
controlling the movements of the shuttle-placer.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a part of a loom showing our invention. Figure 2
is a sectional side elevation taken substantially at line 2 in Figure 1. Figure 3 is
a detached view, on the same scale as Figures 1 and 2, showing the latch-hook lifter.
Figure 4 is an end view (on a larger scale), of the rotary shuttle-box showing the
devices for rotating it; and
Figure 5 is a plan of the same.
Figure 5 is a cross section of the shuttle box E showing the arrangement of the
contacts
Figure 6 is a front view of the shuttle-box enlarged, showing the electrical
connections.
Figure 7 is a plan view of the shuttle, showing the bobbin in section and the
electrical features within it; and
Figure 8 is a vertical section of one end of the shuttle.
Figure 9 represents a rotary form of magazine, which is preferred.
A represents the loom frame; a the breast-beam thereof; B is the lay; b one of
the lay swords; 6' is the swing-rail, and C is one of the picker-sticks. All of these
parts may be of substantially the usual construction. On the loom-frame is mounted
a shuttle-magazine, D, to contain the shuttles, F. This magazine has its delivery
outlet. at its bottom, and on the lay is mounted a rotative shuttle-box, E. This box has
a plurality of concentrically arranged cells, e, for the shuttles-four as herein shown,-

page_text: and turns on a shaft or rod mounted in brackets, e¹, on the lay. The cell that is, for.
the time, below and adjacent to the raceway of the lay, receives the shuttle in play,
and the other are closed at their outer ends by a stationary ring-plate, e², mounted on
the lay.
G is a vibrating shuttle-placer, which is mounted on the upper arm of a lever, g,
fulcrumed at c on the loom-frame. Below the delivery of the shuttle-magazine is
situated a receiving shelf, gl, for the shuttle, which is to be delivered to the shuttle-
box. This shelf is secured to the breast-beain a conveniently, and is in the form of
a bracket; it is situated below the outlet of the magazine D a distance sufficient to
allow the lower shuttle to drop out clear of the magazine: By a vibrating movement
of the lever the placer G is caused to push the delivered shuttle ( in Fig. 2),
into the empty cell of the shuttle-box E which stands opposite to it, a plate g³, on
the placer moving under the magazine-outlet and preventing the shuttles therein
from falling down until the placer returns to its normal position under the magazine.
When the shuttle in play becomes exhausted of weft, or nearly so, an electric
circuit is closed by the entry of the exhausted shuttle into the lower cell of the
shuttle-box E at the picking-point, and a magnet, H, on the loom-frame is excited.
This magnet, which is situated adjacent to the lower arm of the lever g (Fig. 2),
attracts its arinature, h, which is carried by an armature lever, ¹, pivotally mounted
on the lower arm of the lever g, thus drawing said armature-lever down to a
substantially horizontal position. The lay B, in beating-up, causes a tappet d, on
the lay-sword, to impinge upon the end of the armature lever, and through it to
drive back the lower arm of the placer-lever g, thus causing the placer G to nove up
to, and place the shuttle F* in the cell opposite to it in the shuttle-box E. The
electrical devices connected with the shuttle and shuttle-box will be hereinafter
described.
Now, when the lay recedes after beating-up, a partial rotation of the shuttle box E
is effected, for the purpose of bringing the cell thereof which will then contain the full
shuttle Fx, down to the race way on the lay, and also to expel or throw out the exhausted
shuttle; and the mechanism for effecting this shifting of the shuttle-box will be next
described.
In one end of the shuttle-box E are set four short studs, i, one for each cell e
therein, and on the loom-fraine, and preferably on the breast-beam is hinged a
hook, I, the hooked end of which is adapted under certain conditions, to take over and
engage one of said studs i. However, normally, or when the loom is running with a
full shuttle, this hook I is held up out of engagement with the studs by a device
best illustrated in Fig. 3. This lifting device consists of an inclined cam-piece ;, on
the placer G, which, when the placer is drawn back to its normal position by the
strong retracting spring J (Fig. 2), wipes under a stud or part, i, on the hook I, and
slightly elevates it, holding it thus elevated until the placer moves inward toward the
shuttle-box, when the hook is depressed by a light spring 2, into engagement with a
stud i. As the lay moves back, the hook I turns the shuttle-box nearly to the proper
extent, when a spring device K (as seen in Fig. 1) continues the movement. This
device comprises, as herein shown, a member k, fixed to the magazine, and having
four radially-arranged, V-shaped teeth, and a like matching member, k', splined on
the fixed shaft, 4, about which the shuttle-box rotates, and backed by a spring i*.
This spring device is not in itself new, and any equivalent device for the purpose
may be employed. When the movement of the lay shall have rotated the shuttle-
box F to the proper extent, or nearly so, the hook I will be cammed off from the
stud laterally; it being made sufficiently thin and spring-like for this purpose.
The cams, e, which effect this, are on the end of the shuttle-box and so placed as to
bear on the face of the book which next the shuttle-box. As soon as the lay
recedes the placer will return to its normal position.
As. the shuttle-box is rotated, to the left as seen in Fig. 2, the cell therein con-
taining the full shuttle passes down behind a suitable curved guard, m, on the lay,
which serves to prevent said shuttle from falling out of the cell; and the cell con-
taining the exhausted shuttle is turned up and the said shuttle thrown out thereſṛom,

page_text: It may be caught in a tray or other receptacle, suitably placed to receive it; we have
not deemed it necessary to illustrate this receptacle as it is not essential to the
invention.
In Fig. 2 we have shown what is known on the looms as the protecting finger; a
common device for effecting the stoppage of the loom where the shuttle fails to enter
the shuttle-box when it should do so. This finger, n, may be used in connection
with our rotary shuttle-box, and will be merely pressed back out of the way when the
box rotates in shifting.
The electrical appliances are best illustrated in Figs. 2, 6, 7 and 8.
On the side of each cell of the shuttle-box E, are secured two spring contact-
terminals, o and ox, and on the lay B are secured two contact pieces, p and p*, which
contact with the terminals on the box-side, as seen in Figs. 5 and 6. The contact
pieces and are terminals of an outer, operating circuit formed by conductors, r
and, and including the electro-magnet H, and any generator, L.
P
The shuttle F has on its outer side (Fig. 7) two contact-plates, q and q³, which,
when it is in play and enters the cell of the shuttle-box at the raceway, come into
contact, respectively, with the spring terminals o and ox on the side of the box. The
plate q, is connected electrically by a conductor, 8, with a spring t, on the spindle, M,
and behind a loose metal ring, u, on the spindle. The bobbin, N, slips on the spindle
and carries, in a slot therein, a curved spring contact, v, which, when the bobbin is
in place, is put into electrical contact with the loose ring or washer u. When the
bobbin is in place, the weft, O, thereon presses in the spring contact, v, and holds
its free end out of contact with a metal ring or piece, w, on the bobbin, and bridging
the slot therein; but when the weft is nearly quite exhausted, the contact v springs
outward by its own resiliency and comes into contact with the ring w.
This ring
is connected by a conductor, s, with a grooved metal ring or piece, y, on the bobbin,
and this ring is electrically connected through a conductor, z, with the plate q* on
the shuttle. Thus, when the break is closed in the shuttle by the exhaustion of the
weft, the circuit will be completed through the operating circuit when the shuttle
in play enters the box E.
The preferred form of magazine, illustrated in Fig. 9, is rotary in form and will
need only a brief description.
The magazine D, is rotatively mounted within a stationary casing D'. The box is
in the forin of a drum and has a series of concentrically-arranged shuttle-cells, d*,
about its periphery. The lower cell discharges its shuttle down through a chute, d',
from which it falls to the platform or shell, gl, and the placer G takes it as in the
construction already described. At each movement of the placer back to its normal
position, a spring-latch, d², thereon rotates the magazine to the extent of one cell,
said latch engaging one of a series of pins, d³, on the end of the drum.
A spring
detent, d, steadies the drum, and holds it when set, the detent wiping over and
engaging one of said pins d³.
Preferably the placer G will he hinged on the lever g, so as to allow a little
rocking of the placer thereon. This is desirable as the placer moves in a slightly
curved path.
The spring 2, which depresses the hook I is only a precautionary device; gravity
may be relied on to depress the hook. The length of the hook I will be such that
it may wipe over and engage the proper stud i on the magazine when the lay is in
the beating-up position.
In the drawings the fixed tappet d is on the lay and the lever h¹ is on the placer-
lever g the magnet H being on the loom-frame; but it will be obvious that the
particular positions of these parts is not important so long as they perform the
functions required of thein.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the saine is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
1. In a loom, the combination with the vibrating lay, a shuttle-magazine, and a

page_text: vibrating placer for transferring a shuttle from the magazine to the rotatable
shuttle-box on the lay, 'of the said shuttle-box, provided with a plurality of shuttle-
cells, and automatic means, substantially as set forth, for imparting a rotary impulse to
said shuttle-box after the full shuttle has been placed therein.
2. In a loom, the combination with the vibrating lay, a shuttle-magazine, and a
vibrating placer for transferring a shuttle from the magazine to the rotatable shuttle-
box on the lay, of the said shuttle-box, provided with a plurality of shuttle-cells,
automatic means for rotating the shuttle-box at the proper time, and electro-magnetic
means controlling the operation of the placer and the rotation of the shuttle-box,
substantially as described.
3. In a loon, the combination with the vibrating lay, a shuttle-magazine, and a
vibrating placer for transferring a shuttle from the magazine to the rotatable
shuttle-box on the lay, of the said shuttle-box, provided with a plurality of shuttle-cells,
automatic means for rotating the shuttle-box at the proper time, and electro-magnetic
means controlling the operation of the placer and the rotation of the shuttle-box, said
means comprising an outer electric circuit including a generator and the operating
electro-magnet, and having terminals in the shuttle box cell, and a partial circuit in
the shuttle closed with the outer circuit when the shuttle is in the box, said circuit
in the shuttle having in it a break held open normally by the weft, substantially as
set forth.
4. In a loom, the combination with the vibrating lay, a rotatable shuttle-magazine,
and a vibrating placer for tranferring a shuttle from the magazine outlet to the
rotatable shuttle-box on the lay, of the said shuttle-box provided with a plurality of
shuttle-cells, automatic means for rotating said shuttle-box after a full shuttle has
heen placed in a cell therein, and automatic means for rotating the magazine after the
delivery of the shuttle therefrom to the shuttle-box.
5. In a loom, the combination with the vibrating lay, the shuttle-box thereon, and
the magazine having a delivery outlet, of the shelf to receive the shuttle from the
magazine, the placer G, the lever g, carrying the placer, the spring for retracting the
placer, mechanism, whereby the lay, in beating up, may actuate the placer, and
electro-magnetic means controlling said mechanism for actuating the placer, sub-
stantially as described.
6. In a weft-supplying mechanism for looms, the rotary shuttle-box E, on the lay
and provided with cells ee, a spring device K, to steady and hold said box against
accidental rotation, a hook I, on the loom-frame and adapted to engage a stud on the
shuttle-box, whereby the latter is rotated when the lay recedes, and means substantially
as described for holding said hook, normally out of engagement with the stud on
the box.
7. The combination with the rotary, multiple-celled shuttle-box on the lay, provided
with studs i and can on its end, of the laterally movable hook hinged on the
loom-frame and adapted to engage, when depressed, one of the studs i on the box, and
means, substantially as described for elevating said hook and holding it elevated,
normally, substantially as set forth.
8. The combination with the rotary, multiple-celled shuttle-box on the vibrating
lay, said box provided with studs i on its end, of the hook I, hinged on the loom-
frame and adapted to engage, when depressed one of the studs i on the shuttle-box
when the lay has beaten up, the vibrating placer and a cam on the placer which takes
under some part of the hook I and holds it elevated while the placer is in its normal
position substantially as set forth.
9. The combination with the rotatively mounted shuttle-box on the lay, having in
it a plurality of concentrically-arranged shuttle-cells, of a pair of spring terminals o, ox,
on the sides of the respective cells in the box, the outer electric circuit, having contact
terininals p and p, on the lay and in position to make electrical contact with the
terminals o, o, on the side of that cell of the box which is at the raceway, substantially
as set forth.
10. A weft-supply-mechanism, having a vibrating placer-hinged-to-its-operating

page_text: arm-or-lever-substantially at the point of contact of the placer with the shuttle,
substantially-ne-set-forth.
11-In-a-loom, the combination with the vibrating lay, of a weft supply mechanism
comprising-a-magazine, a vibrating shuttle placer hinged to its operating lever or
erm-neur-the-point-of-contact-with-the shuttle,-and-a-shifting-shuttle-box--on-the
la-substantially-as-set forth.
12. In a loom, the combination with the vibrating lay, of a weft cupply mechanism
comprising a-magazine, a vibrating chattle-placer hinged to its operating lever or
arm-near-the-point-of-contnet-with- the shuttle;-a-shifting shuttle-box-on-the lay,
for--controlling--the-operation-of--said-placer,--said--means
and-electrical--means
including-an-operating-eirenit-having-in--it-a-break-held-open-by
shuttle, substantially as-set forth.
the weft-in-the
13. In a loom,-the-combination with the vibrating lay, of n-weft supply mechanism
comprising a magazine,-a-vibrating chuttle-placer-hinged--to-its-operating-lever-or
Arm-near-the--point-of-contact with the shuttle,-a-rotating-shuttle-box on the lay:
having-in-it-a-plurality of--cells, and electrical-means-for controlling the operation
of said plneer, said means including an operating-circuit having in it a break-held
open-by-the-weft-in-the-shuttle,-substantially as-set-forth.
10. In a loom, the combination with the vibrating lay, of a weft-supply
mechanism comprising a shuttle-magazine a vibratable shuttle-placer which carries a
shuttle from the magazine to the shuttle-box, a rotary, celled shuttle box on the lay,
mechanism for operating the placer and shuttle-box at proper times, and an open,
electric circuit, which includes an electro-magnet and controls the operation of said
mechanism, said circuit having in it a break, the closure of which is controlled by the
weft in the shuttle, all arranged and constructed substantially as described.
1000
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool Agents for the Applicants.