Patent Description:
For example, PTL <NUM> discloses a selvage yarn shedding apparatus of a loom as described above. In the selvage yarn shedding apparatus disclosed in PTL <NUM>, an upper frame and a lower frame as the carrier rods are attached to both end portions of a slide body as the slide guide, and a plurality of heddles into which selvage yarns are inserted is supported by the upper and lower carrier rods. Note that, an assembly of the slide guide and the carrier rods is provided as one set of two in the selvage yarn shedding apparatus, and each assembly corresponds to the support body described above. PTL <NUM> provides an opening device suitable for widening a stationary range. The output shaft of an electric motor is rotated in one direction, and the rotation of the output shaft in one direction is converted to a reciprocating rotational motion with a three-dimensional crank mechanism and transmitted to a driving gear. The reciprocating rotation of the driving gear causes the reciprocating rotation of a supporting shaft in a direction revers to the rotation of the driving gear to effect the reciprocating rotation of a reciprocating lever around the supporting shaft. The reciprocating rotation is transmitted through transmission links, brackets, sliders and hooking arms to the 1st selvage forming heddle and the 2nd selvage-forming heddle. PTL3 relates to a selvage device that forms a selvage on the basis of reciprocating motions of a first selvage heald frame and a second selvage heald frame in opposite direction from each other.

Further, the selvage yarn shedding apparatus includes a guide part (guide member) provided on the loom so as to extend in an upper and lower direction in a form of being supported by an attaching plate attached to the loom frame. Each support body is provided so that displacement in the upper and lower direction is guided by the guide member on the slide guide (slide body). Further, the selvage yarn shedding apparatus includes a drive motor attached to the attaching plate, and is configured so that an output shaft of the drive motor and each support body are connected via a motion conversion mechanism configured to convert rotation of the output shaft into reciprocating motion in the upper and lower direction of the support body. Therefore, in the selvage yarn shedding apparatus, the drive motor is driven in the forward and reverse rotations, so that both the support bodies are reciprocally driven so as to be displaced in opposite directions in the upper and lower direction. Each support body is reciprocally driven in this way, so that the selvage yarns inserted in the heddles supported by each support body are displaced in the upper and lower direction and the selvage yarns are caused to perform shedding motion.

In the meantime, in the selvage yarn shedding apparatus as described above, the heddle into which the selvage yarn is inserted is supported at a position spaced from the slide guide in the longitudinal direction of the carrier rod on each support body. Further, when each support body is displaced to one side in the upper and lower direction so as to cause the selvage yarn to perform the shedding motion as described above, the heddle displaces the selvage yarn in the corresponding direction. At this time, the tension of the selvage yarn becomes a resistance against the displacement, so that a load due to the tension of the selvage yarn acts on the carrier rod supporting the heddle in an opposite direction to the direction in which the support body is displaced. Thereby, a moment due to the load acts on the slide guide to which the carrier rod is attached.

Note that, the displacement in the upper and lower direction of each support body is performed in such a shape that the slide guide is guided by the guide member and the slide guide slides with respect to the guide member, as described above. However, when the above-described moment acts on the slide guide, the moment acts to press the slide guide against the guide member, so that a sliding resistance at the time when the slide guide is displaced increases.

For this reason, there are concerns that the slide guide and the guide member will be worn at an early stage and the support body and the support frame will be damaged. Further, since a large sliding resistance acts on the support body (slide guide) at the time of displacement as described above, the drive motor for reciprocally driving the support body is made to have a large capacity so as to cope with the sliding resistance, in some case. In this case, the apparatus cost increases.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a selvage yarn shedding apparatus of a loom capable of reducing a sliding resistance as much as possible, which causes the above-described problems, associated with displacement of the support body.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has a preamble of the selvage yarn shedding apparatus of a loom as described above, and is characterized in that each of the support bodies includes a connecting part including an extension portion provided above the carrier rod and extending from the slide guide in a longitudinal direction of the carrier rod toward a side where the heddle exists, where the connecting part is configured to connect the slide guide and the motion conversion mechanism each other at the extension portion. Note that, the `selvage yarn' referred to in the present invention indicates a yarn for forming a selvage portion of a woven fabric or a yarn for forming a trimmed selvage.

In addition, in the present invention, each connecting part may be connected to the motion conversion mechanism within an existence range of the heddle in the longitudinal direction. Further, each connecting part may be formed as a separate body from the slide guide and may be detachably attached to the slide guide.

According to the selvage yarn shedding apparatus of the loom according to the present invention, the connecting part configured to connect the slide guide and the motion conversion mechanism each other is formed to include the extension portion extending from the slide guide in the longitudinal direction of the carrier rod above the carrier rod. In addition, the selvage yarn shedding apparatus is configured such that the slide guide of each support body and the motion conversion mechanism are connected by the connecting part on the side where the heddle exists in the longitudinal direction. That is, the selvage yarn shedding apparatus is configured so that each slide guide and the motion conversion mechanism are connected each other at a position above the carrier rod and on the side where the heddle exists in the longitudinal direction with respect to the guide part. Thereby, the sliding resistance associated with the displacement of the support body as described above is reduced as much as possible.

More specifically, when displacing each support body to one side in the upper and lower direction, as described above, a drive force of the drive motor acts on the connecting part connecting the slide guide and the motion conversion mechanism in a direction of displacing the support body, via the motion conversion mechanism. In this case, since the slide guide and the motion conversion mechanism are connected each other at the position as described above, the drive force acts on the slide guide at a position spaced from the guide part in the longitudinal direction. Thereby, a moment due to the drive force acts on the slide guide. Note that, the drive force acts in an opposite direction to a direction in which the load due to the tension of the selvage yarn acts. Therefore, the moment due to the drive force acts on the slide guide in the opposite direction to the moment due to the load.

Thereby, the moment acting on the slide guide becomes smaller as a whole, so that the sliding resistance associated with the displacement of the support body described above is also reduced as much as possible. As a result, the slide guide and the guide member are prevented from being worn at an early stage, and the apparatus cost can be reduced by using a drive motor having a small capacity.

Further, by the configuration where the connecting part and the motion conversion mechanism are connected each other within the existence range of the heddle in the longitudinal direction, the reduction in sliding resistance described above is implemented more effectively, as compared to a case where the connecting part and the motion conversion mechanism are connected outside the existence range of the heddle in the longitudinal direction.

Further, each connecting part is configured to be detachably attached to the slide guide. Therefore, even when a weaving condition and the like are changed, the connecting part, which is connected to the motion conversion mechanism at an optimal position corresponding to the changed weaving conditions and the like, can be adopted, and the reduction in sliding resistance described above is implemented more efficiently.

Hereinafter, one embodiment (embodiment) of a selvage yarn shedding apparatus of a loom to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to <FIG>. Note that, the selvage yarn shedding apparatus is provided at both ends-side of a heddle frame for a warp shed (not shown) at a position on a front side of a loom (a winding device-side (not shown)) with respect to the heddle frame.

A selvage yarn shedding apparatus <NUM> includes two support bodies <NUM> and <NUM> configured to support a plurality of heddles <NUM> into which selvage yarns are inserted, a support frame <NUM> attached to a loom frame and configured to guide displacement of the support bodies <NUM>, a drive motor <NUM> attached to the support frame <NUM>, and a motion conversion mechanism <NUM> configured to connect each support body <NUM> and the drive motor <NUM>.

In addition, each support body <NUM> includes a carrier rod <NUM> configured to support the heddles <NUM> and a slide guide <NUM> to which the carrier rod <NUM> is attached. More specifically, the slide guide <NUM> is a plate-shaped member, and is formed in a rectangular shape where a dimension in a long side direction of an end face thereof is sufficiently longer than a dimension in a short side direction, when seen in a plate thickness direction. Further, the slide guide <NUM> has a pair of groove portions 22a and 22a formed to open to both side surfaces in the short side direction and to extend in the long side direction.

The carrier rod <NUM> is a plate-shaped member, and is formed in a substantial L-shape, when seen in a plate thickness direction. The carrier rod <NUM> is formed so that a width dimension of a portion (one end portion) 24a on one end-side with respect to the L-shaped bent portion (bent portion) is slightly smaller than the dimension in the short side direction of the slide guide <NUM>. In addition, the carrier rod <NUM> is attached at one end portion 24a to the end surface of the slide guide <NUM> by a screw member <NUM>. Further, in each support body <NUM>, the two carrier rods <NUM> and <NUM> are attached to the slide guide <NUM> with being spaced from each other in the long side direction.

In the meantime, each carrier rod <NUM> is attached in such a form that a portion (other end portion) 24b on the other end-side with respect to the bent portion of each carrier rod <NUM> extends parallel to the short side direction of the slide guide <NUM> and both carrier rods <NUM> and <NUM> are symmetrical in the long side direction. The two carrier rods <NUM> and <NUM> are attached to the slide guide <NUM> in this way, so that the other end portion 24b of each carrier rod <NUM> becomes a portion that supports the heddles <NUM>, in each support body <NUM>. Further, the respective carrier rods <NUM> are attached in such a form that a distance between the carrier rods <NUM> and <NUM> becomes a size corresponding to a length dimension of the heddle <NUM>.

Note that, the other end portion 24b of each carrier rod <NUM> is formed with a concave portion 24b1 for preventing the heddle <NUM> from coming off from the other end portion 24b. The concave portion 24b1 is formed in such a shape that, when each carrier rod <NUM> in the attached state described above is seen in the plate thickness direction, a portion on a side of the other end portion 24b, which does not face the other carrier rod <NUM>, is concave. In addition, each heddle <NUM> is supported by the carrier rods <NUM> (the other end portions 24b) in a form of being hooked in the concave portions 24b1. Thereby, each heddle <NUM> is in a state in which a position in an extension direction of the other end portion 24b (a longitudinal direction of the carrier rod <NUM>) is regulated by the concave portions 24b1. Therefore, the concave portion 24b1 is a portion that supports the heddle <NUM> at the other end portion 24b, and an existence range of the concave portion 24b1 in the extension direction of the other end portion 24b (longitudinal direction of the carrier rod <NUM>) is an existence range of the heddle <NUM> in the selvage yarn shedding apparatus <NUM>.

The support frame <NUM> includes a guide part <NUM> that is a part configured to guide displacement of the support bodies <NUM> (slide guides <NUM>), and a base part <NUM> configured to support the guide part <NUM>. The support frame <NUM> is attached at the base part <NUM> to a stay <NUM>, which is bridged between left and right side frames (not shown) of the loom frame and extends in a weaving width direction, via attaching brackets <NUM> and <NUM>. Note that, the base part <NUM> is formed as a plate-shaped member. The base part <NUM> is attached to the stay <NUM> in such a form that both end faces in a plate thickness direction of the base part <NUM> are parallel to the upper and lower direction and the weaving width direction.

In addition, the guide part <NUM> has two rail members 34b and 34b configured to guide displacement of both support bodies <NUM> and <NUM> and an attaching member 34a for attaching both the rail members 34b and 34b to the base part <NUM>. That is, in the present embodiment, the support frame <NUM> is configured to guide displacement of the two support bodies <NUM> and <NUM> by one set of a rail pair consisting of the two rail members 34b and 34b.

Note that, the attaching member 34a is formed to include a support part 34a1 to which both the rail members 34b and 34b are fixed, and an attaching part 34a2 for attaching the support part 34a1 to the base part <NUM>. In addition, the support part 34a1 is formed in a block shape having a substantially cuboid shape where both side surfaces and upper and lower surfaces form a rectangular shape. Further, the attaching part 34a2 is formed in two in a form of protruding from each of both the side surfaces of the support part 34a1 in a width direction (long side direction of the upper and lower surfaces) of the support part 34a1. However, the attaching parts 34a2 each have a plate shape, and are each provided so that a plate thickness direction coincides with a thickness direction of the support part 34a1 (short side direction of the upper and lower surfaces).

The attaching member 34a is attached to the base part <NUM> by screwing a screw member <NUM> inserted in the attaching part 34a2 into the base part <NUM>. At this time, the attaching member 34a is attached to the base part <NUM> on an end face (rear side surface) opposite to an end face (front side surface), which is the stay <NUM>-side at the time of attachment to the stay <NUM> as described above, of both the end faces of the base part <NUM>.

Each rail member 34b is a long and substantially prismatic member whose dimension in a longitudinal direction is longer than the dimension in the long side direction of the slide guide <NUM> of the support body <NUM>. Both the rail members 34b and 34b are fixed at one end portions thereof to the support part 34a1 of the attaching member 34a so as to extend parallel to the side surfaces from a lower surface of the attaching member 34a in a state of being attached to the base part <NUM>. Note that, both the rail members 34b and 34b are fixed to the support part 34a1 so that both the rail members 34b and 34b are spaced from each other in the width direction of the support part 34a1 and their positions in the thickness direction are substantially the same (face each other). Further, both the rail members 34b and 34b are connected each other at the other end portions thereof by a plate-shaped connecting member 34c so that an interval therebetween in the facing state is maintained.

Further, both the rail members 34b and 34b each have a rail 34b <NUM> on a surface (facing surface) on the facing side thereof for guiding displacement in the upper and lower direction of the support body <NUM> (slide guide <NUM>). The rail 34b <NUM> is formed to protrude from the facing surface in the width direction of the support part 34a1 and to extend in the longitudinal direction of the rail member 34b. Further, in the present embodiment, as described above, the support frame <NUM> is configured to guide displacement of the two support bodies by the two rail members 34b and 34b (one set of a rail pair). Therefore, the rail 34b <NUM> is formed in two to be spaced from each other in the thickness direction in a state where the rail members 34b are attached to the attaching member 34a (support part 34a1).

Note that, each rail 34b <NUM> is formed so that a thickness dimension thereof is slightly smaller than a groove width of the groove portion 22a of the slide guide <NUM> of the support body <NUM>. Further, both the rail members 34b and 34b are formed so that an interval between the facing rails 34b <NUM> and 34b <NUM> in the width direction is slightly larger than a dimension between bottom surfaces 22a1 and 22a1 of both the groove portions 22a and 22a in each slide guide <NUM>. Thereby, the support frame <NUM> is configured so that the slide guides <NUM> can be received between the rails 34b <NUM> and 34b <NUM> of both the rail members 34b and 34b facing each other in the width direction in the guide part <NUM>.

In the selvage yarn shedding apparatus <NUM>, both the support bodies <NUM> and <NUM> are in a state where the slide guides <NUM> and <NUM> are received between the pair of rail members 34b and 34b of the support frame <NUM>. Thereby, both the support bodies <NUM> and <NUM> are provided in such a form that displacement in the upper and lower direction is guided along the rails 34b <NUM> and 34b1. Further, the plurality of heddles <NUM> into which selvage yarns are inserted is supported on each of the pair of carrier rods <NUM> and <NUM> of each support body <NUM>.

In addition, the drive motor <NUM> is attached, by a screw member <NUM>, to the base part <NUM> of the support frame <NUM> fixed to the stay <NUM> of the loom frame as described above. Note that, the drive motor <NUM> is attached at a position spaced above the stay <NUM> on the front side surface of the base part <NUM>. In addition, the base part <NUM> is formed with a through-hole 32a that allows an output shaft <NUM> of the drive motor <NUM> to penetrate at the attaching position of the drive motor <NUM>. Thereby, in a state where the drive motor <NUM> is attached to the base part <NUM>, the output shaft <NUM> is inserted in the through-hole 32a, and a tip end portion of the output shaft <NUM> protrudes from the base part <NUM>.

Further, the motion conversion mechanism <NUM> includes a swing arm <NUM> attached to the output shaft <NUM> of the drive motor <NUM>, and a pair of connecting rods <NUM> and <NUM> connected to the swing arm <NUM> and also connected to both the support bodies <NUM> and <NUM>. The swing arm <NUM> is a lever-shaped member, and is fixed to the tip end portion of the output shaft <NUM> of the drive motor <NUM> at a central portion in a longitudinal direction thereof, so as not to be relatively rotatable.

In addition, each connecting rod <NUM> is a lever-shaped member, like the swing arm <NUM>. Each connecting rod <NUM> is connected at one end portion 54a to one of both end portions of the swing arm <NUM> as being relatively rotatable, and is connected at the other end portion 54b to the slide guide <NUM> of the corresponding support body <NUM> as being relatively rotatable. Therefore, one support body <NUM> of the two support bodies <NUM> and <NUM> is connected to one end portion of the swing arm <NUM> fixed to the output shaft <NUM> of the drive motor <NUM> by one connecting rod <NUM>, and the other support body <NUM> is connected to the other end portion of the swing arm <NUM> by the other connecting rod <NUM>. Thereby, both the support bodies <NUM> and <NUM> are connected to the output shaft <NUM> of the drive motor <NUM> via the motion conversion mechanism <NUM>.

According to the motion conversion mechanism <NUM> configured in this way, rotation of the output shaft <NUM> of the drive motor <NUM> is converted into reciprocating motion in the upper and lower direction of each support body <NUM>. Specifically, when the output shaft <NUM> of the drive motor <NUM> is reciprocally and reversely driven in forward and reverse rotation directions, both connecting points of the swing arm <NUM> and the respective connecting rods <NUM> located on both sides with the output shaft <NUM> being interposed therebetween respectively swing in opposite directions around an axis line of the output shaft <NUM>. Along with this, both the support bodies <NUM> and <NUM> connected to the respective connecting rods <NUM> reciprocally move in the upper and lower direction in a form of being guided by the guide part <NUM> of the support frame <NUM>, according to directions in which the connecting points swing. Both the support bodies <NUM> and <NUM> are displaced upward or downward in this way, so that each heddle <NUM> supported by the carrier rods <NUM> is displaced upward or downward and the selvage yarn inserted in each heddle <NUM> is caused to perform shedding motion.

In the selvage yarn shedding apparatus of the loom as described above, in the present invention, each support body <NUM> has a connecting part including an extension portion extending from the slide guide <NUM> in the longitudinal direction toward the heddle <NUM> above the carrier rod <NUM> and configured to connect the slide guide <NUM> and the motion conversion mechanism <NUM> at the extension portion. The present embodiment is an example where a connecting part <NUM> and the motion conversion mechanism <NUM> are connected each other within the existence range of the heddle <NUM> supported by the carrier rod <NUM> in the longitudinal direction. Further, the present embodiment is an example where the connecting part <NUM> is formed as a separate member from the slide guide <NUM> and the connecting part <NUM> is detachably attached to the slide guide <NUM>. The support body <NUM> of the present embodiment is described in detail, as follows.

The connecting part <NUM> is a plate-shaped member, and is formed in a substantial L-shape, when seen in a plate thickness direction. More specifically, the connecting part <NUM> is formed in such a shape that an extension direction, from an L-shaped bent portion (bent portion), of a portion (one end portion) 28a on one end-side with respect to the bent portion and an extension direction of a portion (other end portion) 28b on the other end-side from the bent portion are substantially orthogonal to each other, when seen in the plate thickness direction.

The connecting part <NUM> is attached to the slide guide <NUM> at an upper end portion of the end surface to which the pair of carrier rods <NUM> and <NUM> is attached. Note that, in each support body <NUM>, the upper carrier rod <NUM> of the pair of carrier rods <NUM> and <NUM> is attached to the slide guide <NUM> at a position spaced slightly downward from an upper end of the slide guide <NUM> with respect to the long side direction of the slide guide <NUM>. In addition, the connecting part <NUM> is attached to the upper end portion (a portion between the upper end and the position where the upper carrier rod <NUM> is attached) of the slide guide <NUM>.

Further, the connecting part <NUM> is attached in such a form that the extension direction of one end portion 28a coincides with the long side direction of the slide guide <NUM> and a direction of the other end portion 28b with respect to the slide guide <NUM> is the same as the direction of the other end portion 24b of the carrier rod <NUM>. Thereby, the connecting part <NUM> is in a state where the extension direction of the other end portion 28b is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the carrier rod <NUM> and the other end portion 28b is located above the carrier rod <NUM>. Note that, the connecting part <NUM> is attached to the slide guide <NUM> by screwing a screw member <NUM> inserted in one end portion 28a of the connecting part <NUM> into the slide guide <NUM>. The connecting part <NUM> can be detached from the slide guide <NUM> by loosening the fastening of the screw member <NUM>.

In addition, a length dimension of the other end portion 28b of the connecting part <NUM> is set so that a tip end portion of the other end portion 28b is located at a substantial center in the existence range of the heddle <NUM> in the longitudinal direction of the carrier rod <NUM>, in the attached state described above. Further, the connecting part <NUM> attached to the slide guide <NUM> of each support body <NUM> is connected at the tip end portion of the other end portion 28b to the other end portion 54b of the corresponding connecting rod <NUM> of the motion conversion mechanism <NUM> as being relatively rotatable. Therefore, each support body <NUM> is in a state of being connected to the corresponding connecting rod <NUM> of the motion conversion mechanism <NUM> on the same side as the side where the other end portion 24b of the carrier rod <NUM> exists with respect to the slide guide <NUM>. In the present embodiment, the other end portion 28b of the connecting part <NUM> corresponds to the extension portion of the connecting part referred to in the present invention.

According to the selvage yarn shedding apparatus <NUM> of the present embodiment configured as described above, when the drive motor <NUM> is rotationally driven as described above, a drive force of the drive motor <NUM> acts on each support body <NUM> via the motion conversion mechanism <NUM>. Thereby, each support body <NUM> is displaced upward or downward by the drive force. As each support body <NUM> is displaced in this way, a load due to tension of the selvage yarn inserted in each heddle <NUM> acts on the slide guide <NUM> of each support body <NUM> via the heddle <NUM> and the carrier rod <NUM>. Note that, the load acts in a direction opposite to a direction in which the support body <NUM> is to be displaced (a direction in which the drive force acts). Further, since the heddle <NUM> is supported by the carrier rod <NUM> in the above-described manner, the load acts at a position spaced from the slide guide <NUM> in the longitudinal direction. As a result, a moment due to the selvage yarn tension acts on the slide guide <NUM> as a rotating force in the direction in which the load acts.

On the other hand, since the slide guide <NUM> and the motion conversion mechanism <NUM> are connected each other via the connecting part <NUM> configured as described above, the drive force acts at a position spaced from the slide guide <NUM> in the longitudinal direction on the same side as the side where the load acts on the slide guide <NUM> in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, a moment due to the drive force also acts on the slide guide <NUM> as a rotating force in the direction in which the drive force acts.

Since the direction in which the drive force acts and the direction in which the load acts are opposite to each other, as described above, the moment due to the drive force and the moment due to the selvage yarn tension act on the slide guide <NUM> at the same time as rotating forces in opposite directions, and both the moments are canceled each other. Thereby, the moment acting on the slide guide <NUM> becomes smaller as a whole.

Therefore, according to the selvage yarn shedding apparatus <NUM>, a sliding resistance (between the slide guide <NUM> of each support body <NUM> and the rail members 34b of the guide part <NUM>) associated with the reciprocating motion of each support body <NUM> described above is also reduced as much as possible. Therefore, the slide guide <NUM> and the rail members 34b are prevented from being worn at an early stage. Further, the sliding resistance is reduced, so that it becomes possible to use the drive motor <NUM> having a small capacity, and it is possible to reduce the apparatus cost by adopting such drive motor <NUM>.

Further, in the present embodiment, a connecting position of the slide guide <NUM> and the motion conversion mechanism <NUM> (connecting rod <NUM>) is a position within the existing range of the heddle <NUM> in the longitudinal direction. Thereby, it is possible to more effectively reduce the sliding resistance associated with the reciprocating motion in the upper and lower direction of each support body <NUM>. Specifically, the load due to the tension of the selvage yarn acts in the above-described existence range of the heddle <NUM> into which the selvage yarn is inserted, with respect to the longitudinal direction of the carrier rod <NUM>. Therefore, by the configuration where the connecting part <NUM> and the connecting rod <NUM> of the motion conversion mechanism <NUM> are connected at the position within the existence range of the heddle <NUM> in the longitudinal direction, the drive force of the drive motor <NUM> can be caused to act in the vicinity of the position in the longitudinal direction where the load acts. Thereby, as compared to a selvage yarn shedding apparatus where the connection of the connecting part <NUM> and the connecting rod <NUM> are performed outside the existence range of the heddle <NUM> in the longitudinal direction, the sliding resistance associated with the reciprocating motion of the support body <NUM> can be reduced more effectively.

Further, in the present embodiment, the connecting part <NUM> is attached on the slide guide <NUM> by the screw member <NUM>, and can be attached and detached to and from the slide guide <NUM> by loosening the fastened state of the screw member <NUM>. Thereby, for example, when the number of selvage yarns to be inserted in the heddles <NUM> is changed due to a change in weaving conditions, the selvage yarn tension at the time of weaving also changes. Therefore, by adopting the connecting part that is connected to the motion conversion mechanism <NUM> at an optimal position corresponding to the selvage yarn tension, the sliding resistance associated with the reciprocating motion of the support body <NUM> can be reduced more efficiently.

In the above, one embodiment (hereinafter, referred to as 'above embodiment') of the selvage yarn shedding apparatus to which the present invention is applied has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to the configuration described in the above embodiment, and can also be implemented by other embodiments (modified embodiments) as described below.

In addition, as for the extension portion of the connecting part, in the above embodiment, the other end portion 28b of the connecting part <NUM>, which is the extension portion, is configured to be connected to the motion conversion mechanism <NUM> at the position within the existence range of the heddle <NUM> in the longitudinal direction. Specifically, the length dimension of the other end portion 28b of the connecting part <NUM> is set so that the tip end portion of the other end portion 28b is located at the position in the existence range of the heddle <NUM> in the longitudinal direction, in the state where the connecting part <NUM> is attached to the slide guide <NUM>. The connecting part <NUM> is connected to the connecting rod <NUM> at the tip end portion of the other end portion 28b.

However, in the present invention, the connecting position of the connecting part and the motion conversion mechanism <NUM> is not limited to the tip end portion of the extension portion of the connecting part, and may be a position on the extension portion spaced from the slide guide <NUM> in the longitudinal direction. That is, the connecting part may be configured to be connected to the motion conversion mechanism <NUM> at an arbitrary position on the extension portion.

Further, the connecting position may also be a position that is on the extension portion of the connecting part and does not overlap with the existence range of the heddle <NUM>. For example, the extension portion of the connecting part may be formed to have such a space that allows the connection with the motion conversion mechanism <NUM> at a portion between the existence range of the heddle <NUM> and the slide guide <NUM> in the longitudinal direction, and the connecting part may be configured to be connected to the motion conversion mechanism <NUM> at the portion. Further, the extension portion of the connecting part may be formed to have a length dimension extending to a position beyond the existence range of the heddle <NUM> in the longitudinal direction, and the connecting part may be configured to be connected to the motion conversion mechanism <NUM> at a position outside the existence range of the heddle <NUM>.

Further, the connecting part may also be configured so that the connecting position with the motion conversion mechanism <NUM> can be changed. For example, the extension portion may be formed with a plurality of through-holes for connection to the motion conversion mechanism <NUM>, and the connecting part may be configured to be connected to the motion conversion mechanism <NUM> in any one of the plurality of through-holes. Further, instead of forming such a plurality of through-holes, the extension portion may be formed with an elongated hole extending in the longitudinal direction, and the connecting part may be configured to be connected to the motion conversion mechanism <NUM> at an appropriate position within a range of the elongated hole.

Further, in the above embodiment, the connecting part <NUM> is formed as a separate body from the slide guide <NUM>, and is detachably attached on the slide guide <NUM>. However, the connecting part may also be integrally formed with the slide guide, and for example, may be integrated with the slide guide in a form of being fixed to the slide guide by welding or the like. Note that, when the connecting part is integrated with the slide guide in this way, the slide guide is configured to include the connecting part.

(<NUM>) As for the motion conversion mechanism configured to convert the rotation of the output shaft <NUM> of the drive motor <NUM> into the reciprocating motion of each support body <NUM>, the motion conversion mechanism <NUM> of the above embodiment is configured by the swing arm <NUM> attached to the output shaft <NUM> of the drive motor <NUM> and the pair of connecting rods <NUM> and <NUM> connected to the swing arm <NUM> and also connected to both the support bodies <NUM> and <NUM>. However, in the present invention, the motion conversion mechanism is not limited to such a configuration.

For example, the motion conversion mechanism may adopt a gear train instead of the swing arm. Specifically, the motion conversion mechanism is configured to have a drive gear attached to the output shaft <NUM> of the drive motor <NUM> and a pair of driven gears in mesh with the drive gear, as the gear train. In addition, the motion conversion mechanism may also be configured so that each connecting rod connected to the corresponding support body <NUM> at one end portion is connected at the other end portion to the corresponding driven gear as being relatively rotatable at a position eccentric from a center of the driven gear.

According to such motion conversion mechanism, when the drive motor <NUM> drives the drive gear in forward and reverse rotations, both the driven gears are rotated accordingly, and both connection points of the driven gears and the connecting rods swing around an axis line of the output shaft <NUM> of the drive motor <NUM>. Along with this, both the support bodies <NUM> and <NUM> connected to the respective connecting rods reciprocally move in the upper and lower direction in a form of being guided by the guide part <NUM> of the support frame <NUM>, according to directions in which the respective connecting points swing.

(<NUM>) As for the support frame including the guide part configured to guide displacement of the support body <NUM> (slide guide <NUM>), in the above embodiment, the support frame <NUM> is configured to guide displacement of the two support bodies <NUM> and <NUM> by the guide part <NUM> (one set of a rail pair) constituted by the two rail members 34b and 34b. However, in the present invention, the support frame may also be configured to guide displacement of each support body <NUM> by two sets of rail pairs each provided for each support body. That is, the support frame may be configured such that the guide part includes two sets of rail pairs and the two sets of rail pairs guide displacement of the two support bodies <NUM> and <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A loom provided with a selvage yarn shedding apparatus (<NUM>) comprising: two support bodies (<NUM> and <NUM>) each having carrier rods (<NUM>) configured to support a heddle (<NUM>) into which a selvage yarn is inserted and a slide guide (<NUM>) to which the carrier rods (<NUM>) are attached at both end portions; a drive motor (<NUM>) configured to drive in forward and reverse rotations; a support frame (<NUM>) fixed to a loom frame and comprising a guide part (<NUM>) configured to guide displacement of the slide guides (<NUM>) in an upper and lower direction, the drive motor (<NUM>) being attached to the support frame (<NUM>); and a motion conversion mechanism (<NUM>) configured to connect an output shaft (<NUM>) of the drive motor (<NUM>) and both the support bodies (<NUM> and <NUM>) each other and to convert rotation of the output shaft (<NUM>) into reciprocating motion in the upper and lower direction of each support body, wherein each of the support bodies (<NUM> and <NUM>) comprises a connecting part (<NUM>) including an extension portion (28b) provided above the carrier rod (<NUM>) and extending from the slide guide (<NUM>) in a longitudinal direction of the carrier rod (<NUM>) toward a side where the heddle (<NUM>) exists, where the connecting part (<NUM>) is configured to connect the slide guide (<NUM>) and the motion conversion mechanism (<NUM>) to each other at the extension portion (28b).