Improvements in and relating to Shedding Mechanism for Looms.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Aug., 1896-Accepted, 12th Sept., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Shedding Mechanism for Looms.
I, ELMER GATES, of the corner of Connecticut Avenue and Chevy Chase
Circle, in the Town of Chevy Chase, County of Montgomery, and State of Maryland,
United States of America, Scientist, 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 :-
My invention relates generally to looms, and especially to that portion of the
loom mechanism by which the shedding of the warp threads is effected.
In the operation of the looms as heretofore commonly constructed, the lingoes,
through eyes in which the warp threads pass, have been through the intervention
of intermediate connective and supporting mechanism of a well known character,
reciprocated in planes transverse to the direction of travel of the warp threads, by
the action of the power shafts of the machines. These connective and supporting
instrumentalities, however, being weighty and somewhat cumbrous in character,
have rendered the looms costly not only in construction, but also, by reason of the
large amount of power required to drive them, in operation.
It is the object of my invention to dispense with a great portion of the mechanism
heretofore necessary, and to employ for the operation of the lingoes, electrically
operated, as opposed to mechanical,-instrumentalities, and, especially, electrically-
operated instrumentalities of the character hereinafter described in detail.
A good form of a convenient embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the
accompanying drawings and described in this specification, the particular subject-
matter claimed as novel being hereinafter definitely set forth.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the warp beams, the cloth winding and
guide rolls, the lay, and a pair of heddle frames of ordinary construction.
Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, with the exception that the heddles are
dispensed with, and extensions of the cores engaged directly with the warp threads.
Figure 3 is a view partly diagrammatic in character, of the solenoids and their
circuit connections.
Figure 4 is a view in side elevation of a set of solenoids and a core with its
associated parts, of a form which I find it of advantage to employ.
Figure 5 is a view in side elevation of a core provided with a modified form
of eye.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
In the accompanying drawings,
A is the winding roll, a, a, a, at the guide rolls, as, as the warp beams, and a the
warp threads. B is the lay, and C, C, Figure 1, are heddles.
The ordinary parts of a loom other than those with which my invention is
immediately concerned, are not illustrated or described, as such parts are well
known to those familiar with the art and therefore unnecessary to be herein
described, it is to be understood, however, that my present improvements may be
employed in connection with any preferred form of loom.
Referring now to Figures 3 and 4,-D D₁ are a pair of independent coils or
solenoids, conveniently and preferably mounted upon the respective extremities of
a hollow spool Dx, and independently connected with a source of energy so as to
be thrown alternately into and out of circuit. E is a core of suitable magnetizable

page_text: material, mounted free for reciprocation preferably within the bore of the spool,
and in the form shown, provided with a core-extension E, of brass or other
suitable non-magnetizable material, extending a convenient distance beyond the
extremity of the spool, and adapted to engage with a heddle frame, or with one of
the warp threads direct.
The lower portion of the core-extension Ex is provided with a collare" or other
device, adapted to engage one end of a spiral spring e which surrounds said
extension and engages as to its other end with the adjacent end of the spool Dx, and
thus serves to maintain the core normally in a position of balance midway between
the respective centres of the two coils or solenoids.
As will be readily understood by those familiar with the electric art, when one
of the coils or solenoids is thrown into circuit and energized, while the other
remains out of circuit, the magnetic influence of the first named coil will act upon
the core and occasion its longitudinal movement to a position in which its center
coincides with the centre of the energized solenoid, while, when the coil first
mentioned is cut out, and the other thrown into circuit, the last named coil will
act upon the core and occasion its longitudinal movement in the opposite direction
and to a position in which its centre coincides with the centre of the second named
coil.
When, then, the upper and lower coils are regularly alternately thrown into and
out of circuit, the effect will be, as is obvious, to impart regular longitudinal
movement of reciprocation to the core piece and to any devices connected with or
carried by it.
If then the cores of the two sets of solenoids shown in Figure 3, and
designated "1" and "2" respectively,-are connected respectively to the two
heddles C C of Figure 1, or to two of the warp threads as shown in Figure 2, and
the coil D of set "1" and coil D' of set "2" be thrown into circuit and the
coil D¹ of set "1" and coil D of set "2" be thrown contemporaneously out of
circuit, and rice tera, the result will be a contemporaneous mutual opposite
shifting of position by the respective cores and the corresponding contemporaneous
mutual opposite shifting of the heddle frames, or warp threads, as the case may be,
with which said cores are connected.
In Figure 3, H is a dynamo or other source of energy, and h, are the main
conductors, into and out of circuit with which the coils mentioned are to be thrown.
One of the main conductors, namely, that designated is shown as divided into
two branches terminating respectively in the terminals ¹, j.
Referring to the set of coils designated "1," is a branch of the main
conductor h, the intermediate portion of which forms or is in circuit with the
coil D, and which branch leads to a terminal i which is one of the pair of
terminals i, i, adapted to be connected by a normally open switch tongue or
spring i*.
is a branch of the main conductor , the intermediate portion of which forms
or is in circuit with the coil D' and which branch leads to a terminal ; which is
one of a pair j,j, adapted to be connected by a normally open switch tongue or
spring.
Referring now to the set of coils designated "2," k is a branch of the main
conductor, the intermediate portion of which forms or is in circuit with the
coil D, and which branch leads to the terminal j: and k¹ is a branch of the main
conductor, the intermediate portion of which forms or is in circuit with the
coil D and which branch leads to the terminal i.
As will be apparent from an examination of the circuit conductors shown in
Figure 3, when the switch tongue * is closed and the switch tongue j open, the
coil D of the set "1" and the coil D¹ of the set "2' will be in circuit, and the
other two coils or solenoids out of circuit,-while, when the switch tongue is
closed and the switch tongue i* is open, the coil D' of the set "1" and the coil D
of the set "2" will be in, and the other two out of, circuit.
While the switches may be thrown or manipulated in any desired manner, as by

page_text: hand or clockwork, I prefer to arrange or place them in such relation to a
selected moving part of the loom as to be operated by such part, and in the
embodiment of my invention illustrated, I have shown the switch tongues as
occupying positions assumed to be at the opposite sides of the loom and projecting
into the shuttle race, in which positions said tongues will be encountered and
tripped and the switches alternately closed by the shuttle L as the latter passes to
and fro in its reciprocation.
As will be understood, any desired mechanical connection between the core
extension Ex and the warp threads may be resorted to; thus in Figure 4 I have
shown the core extension provided with an eye e¹ of a character adapted to engage
a corresponding eye or hook upon the upper transverse member of a heddle
frame, while in Figure 5 I have shown said core extension as provided with a
split eye adapted to engage directly with a warp thread without the intervention
of a heddle frame. It will also be understood that to a single core extension, one
or a series of the warp threads may be operatively connected.
As will also be understood, moreover, where two heddles are to be operated, a
single set of coils, such as that designated "1" may be employed and placed in
circuit with the dynamo in the manner set forth, and its core connected with one of
the heddles, and the other heddle be connected with the heddle first named by a
pulley cord or harness so as to receive motion from and be operated by said first
named heddle, in a manner common in the harnessing of loom heddles.
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. In a loom, in combination, a pair of solenoids, an electric circuit, means for
throwing said solenoids alternately into and out of circuit, a core or magnetizable
device, a warp thread eye, and devices connective of said eye and said core,
substantially as set forth.
2. In a loom, a warp thread eye, a magnetizable core and a solenoid or
magnetic coil, one of said last mentioned devices being fixed and the other
movable, a connection between the movable device and the eye, and means, tripped
or controlled by a moving part of the loom, for varying or changing the
condition of the solenoid to occasion the movement of the warp thread eye,
substantially as set forth.
3. In a loom, in combination, a pair of solenoids having hollow bores and
disposed in axial alignment, an electric circuit, means actuated by a moving part
of the loom for throwing said solenoids alternately into and out of circuit, a core
disposed within said solenoids, a warp thread eye, and devices connective of said
eye and said core, substantially as set forth.
4. In a loom, in combination, a pair of solenoids having hollow bores and
disposed in axial alignment, an electric circuit, means actuated by a moving part
of the loom for throwing said solenoids alternately into and out of circuit, a core
disposed within said solenoids, a spring for normally maintaining the core in
balance midway between the solenoids, a warp thread eye, and devices connective
of said eye and said core, substantially as set forth.
5. In a loom, in combination, a pair of solenoids mounted in multiple circuit,
normally open switches mounted in the multiple circuits, and disposed in the path
of a moving part of the loom, a warp thread eye, a magnetizable core, and means
connective of said eye and said core, substantially as set forth.
6. In a loom, in combination, a pair of solenoids having hollow bores and
disposed in axial alignment and mounted in multiple, normally open switches
mounted in the multiple circuits, and disposed at the respective ends of the shuttle
race, a warp thread eye, and means connective of said eye and said core, substan-
tially as set forth.
7. In a loom, in combination, a series of sets of solenoids each set consisting of
two solenoids having hollow bores and disposed in axial alignment, a main circuit

page_text: connected with a dynamo or other source of supply, one division of the main
circuit having branches in circuit with the respective solenoids, the two solenoids
of each set being arranged in multiple circuit, and the several sets being mounted
in multiple circuit, conductors from different sets terminating in a common terminal,
other conductors from the different sets terminating in another common terminal,
and means for switching said terminals alternately into circuit with the main line,
magnetizable cores corresponding in number to the number of sets of solenoids, one
employed in connection with each set, eyes or similar devices for engaging the
warp thread and suitable connections between said cores and said eyes, substantially
as set forth.
8. In combination with a dynamo or source of energy, two sets of solenoids,
each set provided with a core connected to a warp thread eye, a conductor leading
from said dynamo having branches in circuit respectively with each of the
solenoids, the branch connected with the upper solenoid of the first set and the
branch connected with the lower solenoid of the second set, leading from said
solenoids to a common terminal, and the branch connected with the lower solenoid
of the first set and the branch connected with the upper solenoid of the second
set leading from said solenoids to a common terminal, a second branch conductor
leading from said dynamo, one branch of the same being provided with a terminal
in the vicinity of the first terminal mentioned with which it is adapted to be
connected by a switch, and the other branch being provided with a terminal in the
vicinity of the second terminal mentioned, with which it is adapted to be connected
by a switch, and means for automatically moving said switches, substantially as
set forth.
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.