Improved Means or Mechanism for Automatically Stopping Weaving and other Looms when a Break Occurs in the Chain Threads, and for Warning the Attendant of such Stoppage.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Dec., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 25th Sept., 1893-Accepted, 23rd Dec., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means or Mechanism for Automatically Stopping Weaving
and other Looms when a Break Occurs in the Chain Threads, and
for Warning the Attendant of such Stoppage.
We RUDOLF ANDRIESSEN Engineer, and FRITZ DANNERT, Chemist both of
116, Alt Moabit, Berlin, in the German Empire, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improved means or mechanism for automatically stopping
weaving and other looms when a break occurs in the chain threads and for warning
the attendant of such stoppage, and has for its object to prevent mechanical looms
from continuing to weave or operate when a chain thread or yarn is broken.
Mechanical looms operate, that is to say weave so rapidly that the attendant does
not immediately notice the tearing of a chain thread or yarn in consequence whereof
the loom continues to weave and a fault occurs in the fabric resulting from the
absence of any chain yarn.
The mechanism constructed according to this invention automatically effects the
immediate stoppage of a loom when a thread breaks, warns the operative of such
breakage by means of an electric bell or gong and establishes an electric connec-
tion between the "shed" and the chain yarn watching device. By the co-operation
of these three actions it will be henceforward no more necessary to have an
attendant to each loom, as several looms may according to the intelligence of the
attendant, be placed under the supervision of that individual, the breakage of
cither yarn or thread causing the loom to come to a standstill, and the bell to ring
thus giving the necessary warning to the minder or person in charge.
66
Several apparatus have been heretofore constructed for "watching" the chain yarn
or thread such as that for instance described in the German Specification No. 4299,
but this last apparatus had the defect that the broken chain thread or yarn had to
be drawn through an eye which was not really done while a whole frame had to
be placed above as well as below the chains, threads or yarn and impeded the
attendant or weaver. Moreover its operation was very deficient as the healds were
too light to establish a contact through the dust and fibres accumulated below the
chain yarn. On similar grounds the contrivances described in the German Patent
Specifications No. 40728, and No. 46201 have not been adopted in practice.
The defects which accompanied the yarn
watching devices hitherto con-
structed are entirely obviated by the present construction, as therein the levers
watching i.e. acting when required in the threads or yarn are placed below the
same and spring up automatically when a thread breaks thus indicating to the
weaver or attendant the place where he must look for the broken chain, while a
bell rings at the same time. By these combined actions of the ringing of the bell
and rising of the lever, no time is lost as the weaver notices immediately the cause
of the stoppage of the loom and remedies it. By the improved construction of
eyes which are applied to our levers and allow of the chain threads being pressed
in sideways, we can fix our apparatus to the machine even when the chain is drawn
through the harness and reed.
In carrying our invention into practice we provide a number of levers which are
fixed below the chain threads and across the same upon a copper rod. The number
of levers depend upon the number of chain threads; should the number of chain
threads be such that there would be no room for the levers to be placed side by
side several rows may be arranged one behind the other. The copper rods to
which these levers extend are connected at their ends by a copper strip. Somewhat

page_text: below the levers there are likewise arranged below and across the chain threads
more copper rods in such a manner that when the levers rise, they do not merely
assume a vertical position and project above the other threads but strike likewise
against the lower copper rod and thus establish an electric contact. The last
mentioned copper rods are also connected together by a copper strip. Each lever
carries at its reduced end on the right hand side an eye through which the chain
runs. This eye consists of light spring parts which are so smooth and bear so
tightly one against the other that the chain threads passing by cannot be hooked
thereon; the thread is pressed against one of these parts and passed into the eye.
These eyes are arranged at the end of the levers and are of such dimensions as to
allow sufficient room for the chain threads which are drawn through the same.
The levers follow the motions of the chain threads. When a chain thread breaks,
the lever is raised on account of the greater weight of its underpart. The levers
bear then against the one of the last mentioned copper rods and thereby establishes
a contact between two connecting rods. We further provide a toothed wheel
driving a rack rod below which moves in a slide. On the axis of the above
toothed wheel, is fixed a cord pulley over which passes a cord provided with a
weight. Upon the other side of the same toothed wheel is arranged a pin spring
or armature_carrying a projection serving as a brake for the toothed wheel
aforesaid. Upon this armature acts an electro-magnet as well as an antagonistic
spring. The rack rod is moveably connected with the belt fork of the pulleys
and with a disconnecting rod turning on a pivot. We further use an electric cell
one pole of which is connected with one of the two connecting rods aforesaid while
its other pole is connected with the electro-magnet. A plate is likewise connected
with the second pole of the electro-magnets. The two connecting rods are joined
by means of insulated wires with a pressure knob.
The first mentioned copper rods upon which the levers rest are loosely placed
on their connecting strip as well as in a strip provided in the opposite side so that
they can be removed for the purpose of fitting in a greater or lesser number of
levers according to the number of chain threads. An electric bell is placed in
any suitable part of the circuit.
Dated this 24th day of December 1892.
HUGHES, SON & Co.,
38, Chancery Lane, London, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means or Mechanism for Automatically Stopping Weaving
and other Looms when a Break Occurs in the Chain Threads, and
for Warning the Attendant of such Stoppage.
We RUDOLF ANDRIESSEN, Engineer and FRITZ DANNERT, Chemist both of
116 Alt Moabit, Berlin, Germany 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 has for its object to prevent power weaving looms from continuing
to weave as soon as a chain thread is broken. Power weaving looms work so
quickly that the attendant cannot notice at once the breaking or tearing of a chain
thread in consequence whereof the loom continues to weave and a fault occurs in
the fabric being due to the fact that the chain thread is missing.
The mechanism constructed according to this invention automatically effects the
immediate stoppage of a loom when a thread breaks warns the operator of such
breakage by means of an electric bell or gong and establishes an electric connection
between the shed and the chain yarn detecting device. By the co-operation of
these two actions it will not be necessary to have an attendant, for each loom, as
several looms will only require the attendance of one competent weaver, for as soon
as the thread breaks the looms stops the bell rings and warns the attendant.

page_text: A good many apparatus have already been devised for the purpose of detecting the
breakage of chain threads such as for instance that described in the German Patent
Specification No. 4299 but this apparatus has the defect that the broken chain
thread has to be passed through an eyelet a performance which is rather tedious
owing to the frames fixed above as well as below the chain threads hindering the
weaver's movements. This arrangement is furthermore deficient inasmuch as the
lists are too light to establish a contract through the dust (from the fibres)
accumulated below the chain threads. For similar reasons the arrangements
described in the German Patent Specifications 40728 and 46201 have not been
successful in practice. The mechanism devised according to this invention fully
remedies the defects inherent to the many detecting devices hitherto known, as
according to the same the levers d, e, f, which have for their object to watch the
chain threads are arranged below the same and spring up automatically as soon as
a thread is torn or broken thereby indicating to the weaver the place where he
must look out for the broken thread; while at the same time as the thread breaks
the bell rings. This coaction of the sounding of the bell and the raising of the
lever avoids loss of time, as the weaver seeing at once the cause of the stoppage of
the loom can attend to it. Owing to the peculiar construction of our eyelets which
are attached to the levers and allow the chain threads to be pushed sidewise towards
the centre, we can mount our thread watching mechanism on the looms when the
chain has already been drawn through the reeds and healds.
In Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawing a, b, c, show three chain threads
extending from the warp beam i, to the reed beam k g, h, are two of the healds;
between these and the warp beam are placed levers d, e, f, which are fulcrummed
across the chain threads to a copper rod I m or n below the same.
The number of
the levers will depend upon the number of chain threads; should there be so many
chain threads that there would be no room for arranging the levers side by side,
several rows would be formed behind one another, such as shown for instance
in Fig. 1 where there are three rows. The copper rods l, m, n, whereon these
levers d, e, f, are fulcrummed are connected at their ends by a copper strip or
ledge m¹. Under the levers are also arranged, across and below, three copper
rods o, p, q, in such a manner that when a lever is raised, like.the lever d, in Fig. 1,
the same does not only stand vertically so as to project above the remaining threads,
but strikes also against the lower copper rod and thus establish an electric contact.
The copper rods o, p, q, are likewise connected together by a copper strip m².
Fig. 2 shows a lever drawn at an enlarged scale carrying at its reduced end on
the right hand side an eyelet through which the chain thread passes.
Fig. 3 shows at an enlarged scale an eyelet formed of two spring cheek or side
pieces, t,, abutting one against the other, so that the passing chain thread cannot
be hooked on, in this eyelet the thread is pressed against the cheeks, and slides
through into the eyelet.
Fig. 4 shows at an enlarged scale an eyelet in which the two side pieces t, u, are
slotted at the top and fit firmly and smoothly one against the other; in this case
the thread is pressed in at the top. As already stated above, these eyelets are
attached to the ends of the levers and are of such a size as to allow a convenient
through passage for the chain threads as shown in Fig. 1, the levers following the
motion of the chain threads. When one of the latter breaks the corresponding
lever is raised, as shown at d, Fig. 1 solicited by the greater weight of its lower
part. The lever bears against the copper rod o and establishes thereby a contact
between the two terminals, u, w.
C Fig. 5 is a toothed wheel driving a rack æ under it. The rack z moves in a
sledge J. A band wheel D is mounted on the same axis as the toothed wheel C
and a weight E is raised on the former wheel by means of a cord or band e. H is
a spring, the upper end of which serves to brake the toothed wheel C. Upon this
spring H acts an electro magnet F as well as a counter spring g. The rack x is
moveably connected at n with a disconnecting belt fork and by it with the
disconnecting rod P Fig. 1. The latter turns at the same time on the top of the

page_text: bracket O, Fig. 1. L is a fixed pulley and L' a loose pulley. a is a battery cell
one pole of which is connected with the terminal while the other pole is connected
with the electro-magnet F. The terminal w is connected with the second pole of
this electro magnet F. The two terminals v, w, are connected together as well as
with a pressure knob R for stopping the loom independently by means of insulated
wires.
The copper rods 1, m, n, whereon the levers are fulcrummed are removably
connected to the ledge m', which has for its object to allow the insertion of a
greater or lesser number of levers, according to the number of chains present.
In any suitable point of the conducting wires is intercalated an electric bell.
The working of this mechanism is as follows:-
When a chain thread breaks, the corresponding lever springs up, as it ceases to
be held down by the said thread as shown in Fig. 1 with reference to the lever d.
The lever strikes against the copper rod o, thus establishing an electric contact.
The electric magnet F is excited and draws the spring H. The toothed wheel C
now drives by means of the weight E-the rack rod, thus causing the belt fork-M
and with it the belt to pass from the fast on to the loose pulley. The loom now
stops and the intercalated electric bell is sounded until the weaver has mended the
broken thread. As soon as the latter is knotted up, the lever dis depressed by it and
the electric current is broken. The weaver moves with the aid of the disconnecting
rod P the belt back on to the pulley and the loom is set in motion again. While
the weaver moves the connecting rod P he likewise imparts a motion to the rack
and thereby to the toothed wheel C. The weight E is raised and the pin B returns
to its former position.
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. The application to power looms of chain thread detector mechanism which
stops the loom by closing an electric circuit whenever a chain thread breaks and is
so arranged and constructed that the chain threads are connected through eyelets
to levers d, e, f, following by reason of their weighted lower ends the movements
of the chain threads and being raised, when such a chain breaks, in such a manner
as to come into contact with the rods o, p, q, and thereby close the electric circuit
and stop the loom, substantially as described and shown.
2. In the chain watching mecbanism above claimed, the disconnecting of the belt
by means of the toothed wheel C, the rack rod a the band wheel D with weight E
in combination with the electro-magnets F and armature spring H, substantially as
herein described and shown for the purpose set forth.
3. In power looms baving electric thread detector mechanism, the intercalation
of an alarm for signalling or warning purposes, as well as of an electric pusb knob
for stopping the loom whenever required without any threads being broken
substantially as herein described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 25th day of September 1893.
HUGHES, SON & Co.,
38, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.