Patent Description:
As a known art related to a fastener of a weaving machine and a fixing device for a support of the weaving machine, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication <CIT> discloses a fastener. The fastener disclosed in the Publication includes a shank and a T-shaped head formed at one end of the shank. The T-shaped head is formed in a parallelogram. The parallelogram T-shaped head has short sides and long sides. The short sides each have a length that allows the head to be inserted into a front opening of a T-shaped groove (i.e., support groove) of a sley. The long sides each have a length that regulates the rotation of the head in the support groove to prevent the head from rotating more than predetermined degrees and from falling out of the front opening. For fixing the support to the sley, the operator temporarily fixes the fastener to the support first. The operator then inserts the T-shaped head of the fastener temporarily fixed to the support into the support groove, and rotates the support. The rotated support is fitted into a positioning groove of the sley so that the upper short side and the lower short side of the T-shaped head respectively contact an upper wall and a lower wall of the T-shaped support groove, so that the rotation of the T-shaped head is regulated.

For sake of an operation, the operator may insert only the fastener into the support groove, and may fix the support to the fastener that has been already inserted in the support groove. In this case, the fastener disclosed in the Publication rotates when the operator releases the fastener, so that the fastener cannot maintain the upper short side and the lower short side of the T-shaped head respectively in contact with the upper wall and the lower wall of the T-shaped support groove (cannot keep regulation of the rotation of the head). If the fastener rotates, the T-shaped head may fall out of the support groove. Accordingly, the operator has to hold the fastener with his/her hand while fixing the support to the fastener. This decreases operator's workability for operation for fixing the support.

<CIT> discloses a combination of a screw and a structure having a T-groove.

<CIT> discloses a combination of a screw and a channel rail having a T-groove.

<CIT> discloses another combination of a screw and a structure having a T-groove.

<CIT> discloses a base body with a shank. The shank is inserted into a hole of a hinge member, whereupon a nut is screwed on the shank.

<CIT> discloses also a combination of a screw and a structure having a T-groove.

The present invention has been made in light of the above-mentioned problem. It is the object of the present invention to provide a fixing device for a support of a weaving machine, which facilitates an operation for fixing the support to the fastener inserted in a support groove of a sley.

The above object is solved by a fixing device for a support of a weaving machine having the features of claim <NUM>.

Further developments are stated in the dependent claims.

Other aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the present disclosure.

The present invention together with objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description of the embodiments together with the accompanying drawings in which:.

The following will describe a fastener of a weaving machine and a fixing device for a support of the weaving machine according to an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this embodiment, an air jet loom serves as the weaving machine of the present invention. For sake of explanation, in this embodiment, the front side and the rear side of the air jet loom are respectively defined by the right side and the left side of <FIG>, and the upper side and the lower side of the air jet loom are respectively defined by the upper side and the lower side of <FIG>.

The air jet loom extends in the width direction of a frame (not illustrated), and includes a sley <NUM> configured to swing back and forth, a plurality of reeds <NUM> arranged in the longitudinal direction of the sley <NUM>, a plurality of supports <NUM> supported by the sley <NUM>, and a plurality of sub-nozzles <NUM> supported by the plurality of supports <NUM>, as illustrated in <FIG>. As illustrated in <FIG>, the sley <NUM> has a groove <NUM> for fixing the reeds <NUM> via a wedge member <NUM>, an inclined surface <NUM> that is formed on the front portion of the sley <NUM>, and a support groove <NUM> that is recessed in the inclined surface <NUM>. Each of the reeds <NUM>, which is fixed to the sley <NUM> via the wedge member <NUM>, has a weft yarn guide passage <NUM> that guides a travelling weft yarn (not illustrated). The inclined surface <NUM> extends obliquely upward in the front portion of the sley <NUM>, and also extends in the longitudinal direction of the sley <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the support groove <NUM> has an upper wall surface <NUM>, a first lower wall surface 22A, a second lower wall surface 22B, an upper front wall surface <NUM>, a lower front wall surface <NUM>, and a rear wall surface <NUM> that cooperate to define a groove space <NUM>, and a front opening <NUM> that is opened on the inclined surface <NUM> and in communication with the groove space <NUM>. The upper wall surface <NUM> is located above the groove space <NUM>. The upper wall surface <NUM> is inclined rearward and downward from the front side, and extends perpendicularly to the inclined surface <NUM>. The rear wall surface <NUM> extends downward from a lower end of the upper wall surface <NUM>. The upper front wall surface <NUM> extends frontward and downward from an upper end of the upper wall surface <NUM>. The second lower wall surface 22B extends frontward from a lower end of the rear wall surface <NUM>. The first lower wall surface 22A extends frontward and upward from a front end of the second lower wall surface 22B. The lower front wall surface <NUM> extends rearward and upward from a front end of the first lower wall surface 22A.

The front opening <NUM> is perpendicular to the inclined surface <NUM>, and defined by an upper opening surface <NUM> and a lower opening surface <NUM> that face each other. The upper opening surface <NUM> is perpendicularly connected to the upper front wall surface <NUM>. The lower opening surface <NUM> is perpendicularly connected to the lower front wall surface <NUM>. The support groove <NUM> has a groove width H that is defined by a distance between the upper wall surface <NUM> and the first lower wall surface 22A, as illustrated in <FIG>. The support groove <NUM> further has an opening width h that is defined by a distance between the upper opening surface <NUM> and the lower opening surface <NUM>. The upper front wall surface <NUM> and the lower front wall surface <NUM> are in the same plane. Accordingly, the support groove <NUM> has an approximately T-shaped cross-section. The support groove <NUM> extends in the longitudinal direction of the sley <NUM>. The inclined surface <NUM> has a positioning groove <NUM> for positioning the supports <NUM>, and the positioning groove <NUM> extends in the longitudinal direction of the sley <NUM>. The lower opening surface <NUM> has a front lower edge 28A that is located at the boundary of the lower opening surface <NUM> and the positioning groove <NUM>. The upper opening surface <NUM> has a front upper edge 28B that is located at the boundary of the upper opening surface <NUM> and the positioning groove <NUM>. The front lower edge 28A and the front upper edge 28B are provided in a pair. As illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, the sley <NUM> has a hollow <NUM> under the support groove <NUM>. The hollow <NUM> extends in the longitudinal direction of the sley <NUM>.

The following will describe the supports <NUM> that are supported by the sley <NUM>. As illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, each of the supports <NUM> is formed in an approximately parallelepiped, and has a first surface <NUM>, a second surface <NUM> parallel to the first surface <NUM>, a third surface <NUM> perpendicular to the second surface <NUM>, a fourth surface <NUM> parallel to the third surface <NUM>, a fifth surface <NUM> perpendicular to the first surface <NUM> and the third surface <NUM>, and a sixth surface <NUM> parallel to the fifth surface <NUM>. The support <NUM> has a sub-nozzle insertion hole <NUM> that is formed through the first surface <NUM> and the second surface <NUM>, and a fastener insertion hole <NUM> that is formed through the third surface <NUM> and the fourth surface <NUM> and serves as a through hole of the present invention. The fastener insertion hole <NUM> has an elongated shape. The support <NUM> has a bolt hole <NUM> that is formed through the third surface <NUM> and connected to the sub-nozzle insertion hole <NUM>.

Each sub-nozzle <NUM> is inserted through the sub-nozzle insertion hole <NUM> of the support <NUM>, and fixed to the support <NUM> by a fixing bolt <NUM> screwed into the bolt hole <NUM> of the support <NUM>. A fastener <NUM>, which will be described later, is inserted through the fastener insertion hole <NUM> of the support <NUM>.

In this embodiment, the airjet loom includes a fixing device <NUM> for fixing the corresponding support <NUM> (hereinafter, simply referred to as a fixing device <NUM>). The fixing device <NUM> is a device for fixing the support <NUM>, which supports the sub-nozzle <NUM>, to the sley <NUM>. The fixing device <NUM> includes the fastener <NUM> and a nut <NUM> mounted to the fastener <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, <FIG>, the fastener <NUM> includes a shank <NUM> that has a solid cylindrical shape having an axis P, and a head <NUM> that is formed in an approximately rectangular parallelepiped and connected to a proximal end of the shank <NUM>. An outer peripheral surface of the shank <NUM> has an external-thread portion <NUM> at a distal end of the shank <NUM> that is disposed on the opposite side of the proximal end of the shank <NUM>. The distal end of the shank <NUM> has an end face in which a slot <NUM> is formed, wherein the slot <NUM> extends in a radial direction of the shank <NUM>. The slot <NUM> is parallel to the longitudinal direction (long side) of the head <NUM>. The shank <NUM> has a pair of projections <NUM> on a part of the outer peripheral surface of the shank <NUM> on which the external-thread portion <NUM> is not formed, and each of the projections <NUM> extends outward in the radial direction of the shank <NUM>. The projections <NUM> are <NUM> degrees apart from each other in a circumferential direction of the shank <NUM>. The projections <NUM> of the shank <NUM> are each disposed at a position corresponding to the fastener insertion hole <NUM> of the support <NUM> in an axial direction of the shank <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the head <NUM> has a first end face <NUM>, a second end face <NUM>, and a side surface <NUM>. The first end face <NUM> is connected to the proximal end of the shank <NUM> and has an approximately quadrilateral shape. The second end face <NUM> is located opposite to the first end face <NUM> and has an approximately quadrilateral shape. The side surface <NUM> is bounded by the outer edge of the first end face <NUM> and the outer edge of the second end face <NUM>. As illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, the first end face <NUM> and the second end face <NUM> of the head <NUM> has the same shape when viewed from the direction of the axis P.

The first end face <NUM> has an approximately rectangular shape. As illustrated in <FIG>, the outer edge of the first end face <NUM> has a first long side <NUM>, a second long side <NUM>, a first short side <NUM>, and a second short side <NUM>. The first long side <NUM> and the second long side <NUM> serve as a pair of long sides of the present invention. The first short side <NUM> and the second short side <NUM> serve as a pair of short sides of the present invention. The first long side <NUM> and the second long side <NUM> face and parallel to each other. The first short side <NUM> and the second short side <NUM> face and parallel to each other. A corner of the first long side <NUM> and the first short side <NUM> is chamfered. A corner of the second long side <NUM> and the second short side <NUM> is chamfered.

A chamfered first cutout <NUM> is formed at a corner of the first short side <NUM> and the second long side <NUM>. The first short side <NUM> has a first straight portion <NUM> that extends from the first long side <NUM>, and a first cutout line <NUM> that forms the first cutout <NUM>. The first cutout <NUM>, the first straight portion <NUM>, and the first cutout line <NUM> serve as a cutout, a straight portion, and a cutout line of the present invention, respectively. The first cutout line <NUM> is curved and partly arc-shaped with a predetermined curvature, wherein the axis P serves as the center of the curvature. One end and the other end of the first cutout line <NUM> are respectively connected to one end of the first straight portion <NUM> and one end of the second long side <NUM>.

A chamfered second cutout <NUM> is formed at a corner of the second short side <NUM> and the first long side <NUM>. The second short side <NUM> has a second straight portion <NUM> that extends from the second long side <NUM>, and a second cutout line <NUM> that forms the second cutout <NUM>. The second cutout <NUM>, the second straight portion <NUM>, and the second cutout line <NUM> serve as a cutout, a straight portion, and a cutout line of the present invention, respectively. The second cutout line <NUM> is curved and partly arc-shaped with a predetermined curvature, wherein the axis P serves as the center of the curvature. One end and the other end of the second cutout line <NUM> are respectively connected to one end of the second straight portion <NUM> and one end of the first long side <NUM>. Accordingly, the second short side <NUM> and the first short side <NUM> are symmetric with respect to the axis P.

Next, the second end face <NUM> has an approximately rectangular shape. As illustrated in <FIG>, the outer edge of the second end face <NUM> has a first long side <NUM>, a second long side <NUM>, a first short side <NUM>, and a second short side <NUM>. The first long side <NUM> and the second long side <NUM> serve as a pair of long sides of the present invention. The first short side <NUM> and the second short side <NUM> serve as a pair of short sides of the present invention. The first long side <NUM> and the second long side <NUM> face and parallel to each other. The first short side <NUM> and the second short side <NUM> face and parallel to each other. A corner of the first long side <NUM> and the first short side <NUM> is chamfered. A corner of the second long side <NUM> and the second short side <NUM> is chamfered.

A chamfered first cutout <NUM> is formed at a corner of the first short side <NUM> and the second long side <NUM>. The first short side <NUM> has a first straight portion <NUM> that extends from the first long side <NUM>, and a first cutout line <NUM> that forms the first cutout <NUM>. The first cutout <NUM>, the first straight portion <NUM>, and the first cutout line <NUM> serve as a cutout, a straight portion, and a cutout line of the present invention, respectively. The first cutout line <NUM> is curved and partly arc-shaped with a predetermined curvature, wherein the axis P serves as the center of the curvature. One end and the other end of the first cutout line <NUM> are respectively connected to one end of the first straight portion <NUM> and one end of the second long side <NUM>. Accordingly, the second short side <NUM> and the first short side <NUM> are symmetric with respect to the axis P.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the side surface <NUM> has a pair of long-side flat surfaces <NUM>, a pair of short-side flat surfaces <NUM>, and a pair of curved surfaces <NUM>. One of the long-side flat surfaces <NUM> is bounded by the first long side <NUM> of the first end face <NUM> and the first long side <NUM> of the second end face <NUM>. The other of the long-side flat surfaces <NUM> is bounded by the second long side <NUM> of the first end face <NUM> and the second long side <NUM> of the second end face <NUM>. One of the short-side flat surfaces <NUM> is bounded by the first straight portion <NUM> of the first end face <NUM> and the first straight portion <NUM> of the second end face <NUM>. The other of the short-side flat surfaces <NUM> is bounded by the second straight portion <NUM> of the first end face <NUM> and the second straight portion <NUM> of the second end face <NUM>. One of the curved surfaces <NUM> is bounded by the first cutout line <NUM> of the first end face <NUM> and the first cutout line <NUM> of the second end face <NUM>. The other of the curved surfaces <NUM> is bounded by the second cutout line <NUM> of the first end face <NUM> and the second cutout line <NUM> of the second end face <NUM>. One of the short-side flat surfaces <NUM> and one of the curved surfaces <NUM> cooperate to form a continuous gentle surface. The other of the short-side flat surfaces <NUM> and the other of the curved surfaces <NUM> cooperate to form a continuous gentle surface.

The head <NUM> has a size that allows the head <NUM> to be inserted into the support groove <NUM> from the front opening <NUM> and to rotate to a predetermined position in the support groove <NUM>. Specifically, as illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, the first long side <NUM> and the second long side <NUM> of the first end face <NUM>, and the first long side <NUM> and the second long side <NUM> of the second end face <NUM> are shorter than the groove width H and longer than the opening width h. The first short side <NUM> and the second short side <NUM> of the first end face <NUM> and the first short side <NUM> and the second short side <NUM> of the second end face <NUM> are shorter than the opening width h. A straight-line distance between the corner of the first long side <NUM> and the first short side <NUM> and the corner of the second long side <NUM> and the second short side <NUM> serves as a first maximum length L1. A straight-line distance between the corner of the first long side <NUM> and the first short side <NUM> and the corner of the second long side <NUM> and the second short side <NUM> serves as a second maximum length L2. The first maximum length L1 is a maximum length that can be obtained on the first end face <NUM>. The second maximum length L2 is a maximum length that can be obtained on the second end face <NUM>. The first maximum length L1 and the second maximum length L2 have the same length that is longer than the groove width H. As illustrated in <FIG>, the first end face <NUM> has a minimum distance, which serves as a first distance M1, between the axis P and one end of the first short side <NUM> located at the corner of the first long side <NUM> and the first short side <NUM>. The first end face <NUM> further has a minimum distance, which serves as a second distance M2, between the axis P and the other end of the first short side <NUM> located at the corner of the second long side <NUM> and the first short side <NUM>. The first cutout <NUM> of the first end face <NUM> is formed at the other end of the first short side <NUM>. The first distance M1 is longer than the second distance M2. The proximal end of the shank <NUM>, which does not have the external-thread portion <NUM>, is connected to the first end face <NUM> such that the head <NUM> rotates around the axis P. The first straight portion <NUM> of the first end face <NUM> intersects an imaginary orthogonal line Q. The imaginary orthogonal line Q is a straight line that passes through the axis P and intersects the first straight portion <NUM> at a right angle. The length of the head <NUM> between the short-side flat surfaces <NUM> is shorter than the groove width H and longer than the opening width h. The shank <NUM> has a solid cylindrical shape that extends in the direction of the axis P and has a constant diameter smaller than the opening width h. A gravity center g of the head <NUM> is located at the axis P. A gravity center G of the fastener <NUM> is at least located at the axis P.

The following will describe the advantageous effects of the embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG>, for mounting the fastener <NUM> to the sley <NUM>, the operator first inserts the head <NUM> into the groove space <NUM> from the front opening <NUM>. While the head <NUM> is inserted from the front opening <NUM>, one and the other of the long-side flat surfaces <NUM> respectively face the lower opening surface <NUM> and the upper opening surface <NUM>. When the head <NUM> is located in the groove space <NUM> after passing through the front opening <NUM>, one and the other of the long-side flat surfaces <NUM> respectively face the first lower wall surface 22A and the upper wall surface <NUM>. Further, the first end face <NUM> is located in the groove space <NUM> and faces the front opening <NUM> (see the fastener <NUM> indicated by the two-dotted line in <FIG>). The shank <NUM> protrudes out of the front opening <NUM> with the head <NUM> placed in the support groove <NUM>. When the head <NUM> of the fastener <NUM> is being inserted into the groove space <NUM>, the longitudinal direction of the slot <NUM> in the distal end face of the shank <NUM> is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the sley <NUM>.

Next, the head <NUM> is rotated around the axis P of the shank <NUM> with rotation of the shank <NUM> so that the head <NUM> is held in the support groove <NUM>. Specifically, the operator inserts the head <NUM> as indicated by the two-dotted line in <FIG>, and rotates the fastener <NUM> around the axis P in one rotational direction (in the clockwise direction in <FIG>) while bringing the shank <NUM> into contact with the front lower edge 28A of the lower opening surface <NUM>. Accordingly, one and the other of the short-side flat surfaces <NUM> respectively face the upper wall surface <NUM> and the first lower wall surface 22A. When the operator further rotates the fastener <NUM>, as illustrated in <FIG>, one and the other of the short-side flat surfaces <NUM> partly contact the upper wall surface <NUM> and the first lower wall surface 22A, respectively (that is, for example, a part of one short-side flat surface <NUM> adjacent to one end of the first short side <NUM> contacts the upper wall surface <NUM>). The shank <NUM> is located away from the lower opening surface <NUM> and the upper opening surface <NUM> of the front opening <NUM>. The gravity center G of the fastener <NUM> is located at the axis P of the shank <NUM> and outside the front opening <NUM> of the support groove <NUM>.

The head <NUM> is inclined upward with respect to a shank contact point 48A as a fulcrum (see <FIG>) due to a gravitational force acting on the shank <NUM> when the operator releases the fastener <NUM>. Accordingly, when the operator releases the fastener <NUM>, the first straight portion <NUM> of the fastener <NUM> contacts the upper front wall surface <NUM> (see <FIG>). The head <NUM> of the fastener <NUM> receives a distributed reaction force T1, which is a downward reaction force, from the upper front wall surface <NUM>. The distributed reaction force T1 is a distributed load which is applied by the upper front wall surface <NUM> to the whole of the first straight portion <NUM> of the head <NUM> as illustrated in <FIG>. The fastener <NUM> receives an upward shank reaction force F1 from the front lower edge 28A since the shank <NUM> contacts the front lower edge 28A at the shank contact point 48A. The distributed reaction force T1 has a head reaction force t1 that is a reaction component. A line Q' is a straight line passing through the axis P in the vertical direction. The head reaction force t1 overlaps the line Q' in the direction of the axis P. The shank reaction force F1 overlaps the line Q' in the direction of the axis P. The first straight portion <NUM> contacts the upper front wall surface <NUM> at a head contact point 66A that serves as a starting point of the head reaction force t1. The head contact point 66A is the intersection of the first straight portion <NUM> and the line Q' in the direction of the axis P. The head reaction force t1 and the shank reaction force F1 overlap the line Q', and face each other in the direction of the axis P. Accordingly, the head reaction force t1 faces the shank reaction force F1 on the line Q' at least in the direction of the axis P, so that the fastener <NUM> is held and fixed between the upper front wall surface <NUM> and the front lower edge 28A. This regulates the rotation of the head <NUM> in the support groove <NUM>. <FIG> illustrates that the head <NUM> is positioned such that the imaginary orthogonal line Q overlaps the line Q' in the direction of the axis P. However, <FIG> merely and schematically illustrates a relationship between forces acting on the fastener <NUM>, and the actual position of the head <NUM> may be different from the position of the head <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>. The head <NUM> may be positioned such that the imaginary orthogonal line Q is rotated from the line Q' around the axis P in one rotational direction (in the clockwise direction in <FIG>).

The following will describe a comparative example. As illustrated in <FIG>, a fastener <NUM> according to the comparative example includes a shank <NUM> that has a solid cylindrical shape having an axis P, and a head <NUM> that is formed in an approximately rectangular parallelepiped and connected to a proximal end of the shank <NUM>. A first end face of the head <NUM> is formed in an approximately parallelogram. The outer edge of the first end face has a first long side <NUM>, a second long side <NUM>, a first short side <NUM>, and a second short side <NUM>. The first long side <NUM> and the second long side <NUM> each include a straight portion. For mounting the fastener <NUM> to the sley <NUM>, the operator first inserts the head <NUM> into the front opening <NUM>. The operator then rotates the fastener <NUM> around the axis P in one rotational direction (in the clockwise direction in <FIG>) while bringing the shank <NUM> into contact with the front lower edge 28A of the lower opening surface <NUM>. When the operator releases the fastener <NUM> after rotating the fastener <NUM> to a predetermined position, a straight portion of the first short side <NUM> and the shank <NUM> of the fastener <NUM> respectively contact the upper front wall surface <NUM> and the front lower edge 28A. The head <NUM> of the fastener <NUM> receives a distributed reaction force T2, which is a downward reaction force, from the upper front wall surface <NUM>. The distributed reaction force T2 is a distributed load that is applied by the upper front wall surface <NUM> to the whole of the straight portion of the head <NUM>. The fastener <NUM> receives an upward shank reaction force F2 from the front lower edge 28A since the shank <NUM> contacts the front lower edge 28A at a shank contact point 101A. The distributed reaction force T2 has a head reaction force t2 that is a reaction component. The first short side <NUM> is located on the other rotational direction side (in <FIG>, the counterclockwise direction side) with respect to the line Q' when the first short side <NUM> is viewed from the front opening <NUM> of the support groove <NUM>. The shank contact point 101A is located on the line Q' when viewed from the direction of the axis P of the shank <NUM>, but a head contact point 105A is not located on the line Q' when viewed from the direction of the axis P. Accordingly, the shank <NUM> receives the shank reaction force F2 that is upwardly applied at the shank contact point 101A along the line Q', but the head <NUM> receives the head reaction force t2 that is downwardly applied at the head contact point 105A not along the line Q'. This causes a force that rotates the fastener <NUM> around the shank contact point 101A in the other rotational direction (in <FIG>, in the counterclockwise direction). This configuration therefore does not regulate the rotation of the head <NUM> of the fastener <NUM> in the support groove <NUM>.

Next, the following will describe an example where the support <NUM> is mounted to the fastener <NUM>, wherein the rotation of the head <NUM> in the support groove <NUM> of the sley <NUM> is regulated. First, the operator moves the support <NUM> so that the fourth surface <NUM> of the support <NUM> faces the front opening <NUM> of the support groove <NUM>. The operator then inserts the fastener <NUM>, which is held in the support groove <NUM>, through the fastener insertion hole <NUM> of the support <NUM> to fit the support <NUM> in the positioning groove <NUM> of the sley <NUM>. Each projection <NUM> on the outer peripheral surface of the shank <NUM> contacts the hole wall of the fastener insertion hole <NUM> to regulate the rotation of the fastener <NUM> in the other rotational direction (in <FIG>, in the counterclockwise direction).

The operator then mounts the nut <NUM> to the external-thread portion <NUM> protruding out of the fastener insertion hole <NUM> of the support <NUM>. The rotation of the nut <NUM> rotates the head <NUM> in one rotational direction (in <FIG>, in the clockwise direction), so that the short-side flat surface <NUM> adjacent to the first short side <NUM> and the short-side flat surface <NUM> adjacent to the second short side <NUM> respectively contact the upper wall surface <NUM> and the first lower wall surface 22A. The corners, which cooperate to provide the first maximum length L1, respectively contact the upper wall surface <NUM> and the first lower wall surface 22A, and the another corners, which cooperate to provide the second maximum length L2, respectively contact the upper wall surface <NUM> and the first lower wall surface 22A. This regulates the rotation of the head <NUM> of the fastener <NUM> in the support groove <NUM>, so that the support <NUM> is fixed to the sley <NUM> by the fastener <NUM> and the nut <NUM>. The corresponding sub-nozzle <NUM> is inserted through the sub-nozzle insertion hole <NUM> of the support <NUM>, and fixed to the support <NUM> by the fixing bolt <NUM> screwed into the bolt hole <NUM> of the support <NUM>.

The embodiment of the present invention provides advantageous effects as below.

Claim 1:
A fixing device (<NUM>) for a support (<NUM>) of a weaving machine, the fixing device (<NUM>) comprising:
a fastener (<NUM>) comprising
a head (<NUM>) insertable into a support groove (<NUM>) that is recessed in an inclined surface (<NUM>) formed on a front portion of a sley (<NUM>) of the weaving machine from a front opening (<NUM>) of the support groove (<NUM>);
a shank (<NUM>) connected to the head (<NUM>) and having a pair of projections (<NUM>), each of the projections (<NUM>) extending outward in a radial direction of the shank (<NUM>); and
an external-thread portion (<NUM>) formed on the shank (<NUM>), wherein
the shank (<NUM>) protrudes out of the front opening (<NUM>) with the head (<NUM>) placed in the support groove (<NUM>), and
the head (<NUM>) is rotated around an axis (P) of the shank (<NUM>) with rotation of the shank (<NUM>) so that the head (<NUM>) is held in the support groove (<NUM>);
and
a nut (<NUM>) mounted to the external-thread portion (<NUM>);
wherein the shank (<NUM>) is insertable through an insertion hole (<NUM>) formed in the support (<NUM>) so that each projection (<NUM>) can contact a hole wall of the insertion hole (<NUM>) to regulate a rotation of the fastener (<NUM>), wherein
the head (<NUM>) has an approximately quadrilateral shape that has a pair of long sides (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) and a pair of short sides (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>),
at least one of the short sides (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) has a straight portion (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>), and a distance (M1) between one end of the at least one short side (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) and the axis (P) is longer than a distance (M2) between the other end of the at least one short side (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) and the axis (P), and
the straight portion (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) intersects at a right angle an imaginary orthogonal line (Q) that passes through the axis (P).