Improvements in Change-box Mechanism for Looms.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Feb., 1895-Accepted, 18th May, 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Change-box Mechanism for Looms.
I, REGINALD HADDAN, of the Firm of Herbert Haddan & Co., of
18 Buckingham Street, Strand, W.C. London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention a communication to me from abroad by Emilio
Peris-Torné, of 10 Rue Fontanella Barcelona, in the Kingdom of Spain, Foreman
Weaver 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 an improved mechanism for automatically effecting the
change of the shuttle-boxes in power looms, the advantages of which are
the following:-Said mechanism is extremely simple; its constituent parts are
not subject to injury; it is further extremely solid and especially economic because
of the facility of its construction. Its function is reliable and accurate and greatly
surpasses in this respect any other systems, used at present for the same purpose,
the known ones being generally complicated and their maintenance expensive,
moreover those numerous repairs resulting from the complication itself of the
systems are often difficult.
This invention is shown in the annexed drawing as applied to a four-shuttle-
loom, it can however also be applied to other looms in which the number of the
shuttles may be greater or smaller, and the mechanism will be accordingly more or
less increased or diminished.
Fig. 1 is a lateral elevation of a loom, to which the system is applied.
The Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 are detail views of parts hereinafter described; Fig. 4
being a horizontal projection of Fig. 3 and Figs. 2 and 5 plans of certain parts
represented in vertical elevation in Fig. 1.
In order not to complicate the drawing all the parts of the loom, which are not
necessary for the explanation of the present mechanism described hereinafter, are
eliminated.
In Fig. 1A A A A represent the shuttle boxes, arranged for receiving the
shuttles of the loom which are required to be mechanically lifted and lowered
with regard to the line of the shed by means of the new apparatus. The framing
of the boxes A. is mounted upon a bar B B, this bar is at its lower part provided
with teeth so as to form a rack-bar with which gears a pinion C. Upon the same
shaft on which the pinion C is keyed, another pinion C₁ (Fig. 2) is arranged, which
gears with the teeth of a rack-bar D, said teeth being arranged on the lower edge
of the horizontal bar DD' which latter is capable of sliding horizontally forward
and backward and which moves in guides d d².
The bar D D is likewise provided with teeth upon its upper edge, these teeth
have a special form and are inclined-starting from the middle of the bar-one
half in the one and the other half in the opposite direction, this is done for the
purpose that when required, the noses of the pawls or hammers EEE" E" may
be enabled to engage with said teeth of this rack bar.
The hammers or pawls mentioned, are fixed upon the extremities of levers, which
impart to said hammers or pawls, during the operation of the loom, a continuous
oscillating movement, two of said hanimers receiving an inverse movement with
regard to the two others.
The pawl E is mounted on the lever 1, which latter is connected to the
lever H H by means of the rod 2. The pawl E' is mounted on the extremity of
said lever HH.
The pawl E is mounted on the extremity of the lever 4, which latter is

page_text: connected to the lever H H by means of the bar 3 and the pawl E is mounted
on the extremity of the lever 6 which latter is likewise fixed to the lever HH by
means of the bar 5.
The arrangement being such, it will be sufficient to impart to said lever HH an
oscillating movement when the levers 1, 4 and 6 will oscillate likewise and the
pawls, which are mounted on the levers E E E and E will oscillate at the same
time. As the centre of oscillation of the lever HH lies at h, the pawls E and E'
will oscillate in one and the same sense and the pawls E" and E in one and the
same sense but E and E¹ will oscillate in a contrary sense to the two other ones.
It results from the relation of the lever-arms, that when the pawl E will have
completed its arc of oscillation, the pawl E¹ will have completed an arc of a length
double that completed by the pawl E. The same applies to pawl E" with regard
to pawl E. This will be perfectly understood on examining the distances existing
between the centre of oscillation of the lever H H and the fixing points of
bars 2, 3, 5 and of the pawl E' with said lever HH, since the distance from h
to 5¹ is twice as large as that from 1 to 2' and that from 1 to 3¹.
When the pawl E performs a movement from the left to the right owing to the
oscillation of its lever, and engages into the upper teeth of the bar DD', it will
cause the bar DD' to slide from the left toward the right, the pinion C will turn
simultaneously with the pinion C and the bar BB will rise, thus causing the
shuttle-boxes to rise to an extent equal to the height of one box, since the
dimensions and arrangements of the constituent pieces are so calculated.
If for instance, instead of the pawl E the pawl E' engages the bar DD' the
movements which theu take place, will be the same, but with a course of double
the length, thus the boxes A will rise to an extent equal to the height of two boxes.
If the pawl E" engages the rack-bar then the same movements will take place
but in the inverse sense and the boxes will then with the small course descend to
an extent equal to the height of one box. If lastly the pawl E engages the
rack, then the same movement will take place but with a double course, so that the
boxes will descend to an extent equal to the height of two boxes.
One is thus enabled to cause one or two boxes to rise and likewise one or two
boxes to fall, namely, according as the one or the other of the pawls E E' E" E¹¹
engages the rack bar D D'. To cause this engagement to operate automatically
and exactly and to permit it to be regulated at will and as required by the person
working the loom, the pawls are fixed on their respective levers so as to permit
also of each performing an oscillating movement around its axis a a' a" or all
respectively, and they are linked to the rods o o' o oll, which latter on their part
are joined on to the extremities of the two armed levers e el ell ell the other
extremities of which are likewise connected to the rods g g₁g" g, and these
latter are with their other extremities pivoted to rectangular levers II, the
oscillating axis of which latter lies at J. In Fig. 1 of the drawing only one of
these latter levers is seen, since the others are covered by the visible lever. Toward
the upper position of each of the levers I and in front of the same there are
presented the heads of an equal number of rods or needles K K K K mounted
in a supporting frame L L in such a manner as to have a free rectilinear horizontal
movement in both directions (to-and-fro) with regard to said frame L L, but these
rods or needles are always driven towards the right by action of the springs M
(Fig. 1) which act upon the upper extremity of the rectangular levers II by
pressing these latter against the needles K K¹K"K" and in this manner said
needles are always driven towards the right.
In front of the points of the four needles K K K K acts an endless chain of
small and suitably perforated cards N N. This chain is held at its upper extremity
by a hollow rotary prism and at its lower extremity by a cylinder or by
another analogous prism, which may have a certain movement in parallel direction
to the movement of the chain owing to the spring P, to which it is connected.
The prism R, which guides the endless chain at its upper part has its axis
mounted upon the rectangular lever S which latter oscillates around its pivotal

page_text: point S'.
Said prism R and the endless chain thus receive a reciprocating
movement, receding from and approaching the needles K K K K so far as to
strike them. At the moment of the impact one of the cards of the chain will strike
the needles perpendicularly. When at the moment of the impact the holes, made
in the cards, meet the needles, said holes will allow them to pass through, since
their diameter is sufficiently large for that purpose, and then the needles will
remain immovable, but if the card has only three holes provided in it, corresponding
to three needles, then the fourth will strike against said card and, overcoming the
resistance of the respective spring M, said needle will execute a horizontal move-
ment towards the left. The following effect will then take place: Supposing that
the needle set in movement be K, the lever I I will oscillate, driven by the said
needle, the rod g will rise and will cause the lever e to oscillate, the rod o will
descend and thereby cause the beak of the pawl E to likewise descend and to engage
with one of the upper teeth of the rack-bar D D¹; as this pawl has also a constant
oscillating movement during the operation of the loom, the rack D D' will slide
toward the left and thus move the pinions C and C₁ and consequently force the
bar B B and therewith the whole of the boxes A A A A to rise to the extent of
the height of one box; thus the box in operation is exchanged for that lying
immediately beneath.
It has already been stated, that the changes of the boxes are effected according
as the pawls E E' E" or E¹¹¹ engage the rack-bar D D'; these changes can thus
be effected at will by pressing back the one or the other of the needles K K'
KK and these pressures depend upon the arrangement of the orifices of the
cards N N.
It may now be explained in what manner the lever H H receives its oscillating
movement around the axis h. Upon the rotary shaft T, situated in the lower part
of all power looms, a circular excentric U with collar U¹ is provided, which carries
a fork V and this latter is at its extremity crossed by a bolt X, which latter at
the same time traverses a slot z arranged in the widened part of the lever H H.
When the fork V receives from the excentric U a horizontal reciprocating movement,
the bolt X places itself in the ends of the slot z and causes the lever H H to oscillate
in the one or the other direction and then said lever remains a moment at rest
while the bolt X passes along the slot from the one extremity thereof to the
other. This moment corresponds to the time required by the shuttle to execute its
passage.
The set-screw ¹ serves to graduate or adjust the operative length of the
slot z, since by its being more or less introduced into said slot, said bolt X will
strike the same, without arriving at the extremity of the slot. The excentric U
may be replaced by a crank. The oscillating movement of the lever S S is
obtained by means of the cam R' mounted against the cog-wheel R", which
receives its movement from the pinion R¹¹ connected with the general driving gear
of the loom.
The spring n keeps up the contact between the cam R' and the upper extremity
of the lever S. In order to effect a change of the card upon the prism R, the
cam R¹ possesses a projection (Fig. 5) which at each turn engages one of the
arms of the start (Fig. 5) which latter is firmly connected to the end of the prism,
but this special arrangement forms no part of the present invention, it being
already known, and any other appropriate arrangement may also be adopted for
obtaining the movements of the cards N N both as regards the oscillation of the
prism and the change of the cards or plates.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
In mechanism for automatically effecting change of position of the shuttle-boxes
of power looms :
.
The notion
hanin
number of samle Elllll have oscillating

page_text: movement in co-operation with a rack-bar D D¹ which by each operation sets in
movement the pinions C¹ and C, the one pinion C engaging the rack-bar BB, on
the upper extremity of which latter are mounted the shuttle-boxes, the pawls being
set in engagement each at requirement with said rack-bar D D', by gear operated
by a pattern chain, composed of perforated cards or plates or by any other equivalent
device.
2. The construction for obtaining the oscillating movement of the pawls by
fixing the latter to oscillating levers 1, 2; 3, 4; 5, 6, actuated by a lever HH
which latter is caused to oscillate by the action of a fork V with reciprocating
movement and having a bolt X which moves in a slot z arranged in the lever HH,
and thus alternately pushes and pulls said lever H H, this latter remaining at
rest during the time the bolt passes along the length of the slot z, which latter
can be adjusted by the aid of a set-screw or the like for the purpose described.
Dated this 19th day of February 1895.