US741717A - Filling-replenishing loom. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTEDLOGT'ZO, 1903 A. E; RHOADES. FILLING REPLENISHING 'LOOM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 18, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES;

l atent ed October 20, 1903.

PATENT; OFFICE.

ALONZO E. RHOADES, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO DRAPER COMPANY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE, AND HOPEDALE, MAS- SAGHUSETTS.

FlLLlNG-REPLENISHING LOOM.

SPECTFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 741,717, dated October 20, 1903.

Application filed May 18, 1903.

To a whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALONZO E. RHOADES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hopedale, county of Worcester, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Automatic Filling-Replenishing Looms, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates particularly to that type of filling replenishing looms usually termed feeler-looms, wherein a fresh supply of filling is provided by replenishing mechanism operated automatically upon substantial exhaustion of the filling in the running shuttle, such a loom being shown in United States Patent No. 648,986. The means for controlling the replenishing mechanism includes a member adapted to be engaged and operated by a suitable actuator, such as the weft-hammer, when through the instrumentality of a filling-feeler the said'member is operatively positioned. In certain structures of this general type a detent is withdrawn from cooperation with the member referred to by or through filling-induced movement of the feeler at every other forward beat of the lay until by substantial exhaustion of the filling in the shuttle the filling-induced movement of the feeler isinsufficient to withdraw the detent, and thereupon the actuator engages the said member and eifects the operation of the controlling means and filling replenishment is accomplished.

In my present invention I have devised a feeler which has no movement relative to the feeler-carrier until the filling in the shuttle is substantially exhausted. At such" time and while there yet remains sufficient filling in the shuttle to extend one or more times across the lay the feeler has imparted to it a movement relative to the feeler-carrier, and such feeler movement causes a detent to cooperate with and operatively position a member of the controlling means to be engaged and moved by the actuator, herein shown as the weft-hammer. Until such relative movement of the feeler the detent is not moved into cooperative relation with the said member of the controlling means, and I have so Serial No. 157,595. (No model.)

constructed the apparatus that a very slight movement of the feeler relative to its carrier will cause a much greater movement of the detent. A fine and accurate operation of the feeler mechanism is thereby insured, so that the amount of filling remaining in the shuttle at the time of filling replenishment is reduced to a minimum.

The entire apparatus is simple, compact, and direct-acting and positive in its operation.

The various novel features of my invention will be described hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the following claims:

Figure l is a plan View, centrally broken out, of an automatic filling-replenishing loom embodying one form of my invention, the parts being shown in normal running position. Fig. '2 is an enlargedsectional detail on the line 2 2, Fig. 1, looking toward the right. Fig. 3 is an enlarged section through the feeler-carrier and feeler on the line 3 3, Fig. 1, showing a device for preventing relative movement of the feeler and carrier from accidental causes; and Fig. 4 is a detail view in plan, showing the relative movement of the feeler upon substantial exhaustion of. the filling, preparatory to effecting filling replenishment.

The breast-beam A lay A filling-feeder F, controlling rock-shaft d, the shipper N its holding-plate N, and the feeler-carrier f f fulcrumed at a on a bracket a, mounted on the holding-plate may be and are substantially as in United States Patent N 0. 677,607

save that the outer end of the feeler-carrier is extended rearwardly at f, Figs. 1 and 4. An upright stud 5 on the extension serves as a fulcrum for the feelerf, having its feelingface broadened at f and with a projection 4 at its outer corner, and, referring toFig. 3, the under side of feeler is provided with two sockets or depressions 7 and 8, placed side by side. The extension f has a depending boss 1 socketed to receive an upwardly movable plunger having a rounded head f to enter one of the sockets 7 or 8, a spring s press= ing the plunger upward and into'a socket, as shown in Fig. 3. The front end of the feeler extends beyond the arm f of the feeler-carrier and is pivotally connected at 6 to a link cl, bent rearwardly at d to clear the fulcrum a and then extended toward the center of the loom. At or near its free end the carrier-arm f has an upright pin 9, which extends loosely through an elongated slot 10 in the link, said slot being diagonal to the length of the arm f, and beyond the slot the link is extended to form a detent d", projecting above ashelf 30. Normally the plunger-head f is seated in the socket 8 and the pin 9 is at the right-hand end of the slot 10, as in Fig. 1, and when the feeler f intermittingly passes through slots in the shuttle-box B and shuttle S, Fig. 1, the filling in the shuttle engages the feeler and moves it forward on the beatup, the feeler-carrier rocking on its fulcrum a against the spring 70. At first there is no relative movement of feeler and feeler-carrier; but when the filling wears off down to a preliminary bunch or winding b Fig. l, on the filling-carrier b such hunch engages the projection 4 before the end f of the feeler engages the filling-carrier, and thereby the feeler is swung on its fulcrum 5 relatively to the carrier, so that the plunger-head f slips out of the socket 8 and snaps into socket 7.

It will be seen that owing to the greater leverage between fulcrum 5 and the link connection 6 a very slight turning of the feeler will cause a very much greater longitudinal movement ofthe link to the right, and thereby the detent d will be moved across the shelf 30 and into operative position, the slot-andpin connection 10 and 9 guiding the inner end of the link at such time. This condition of affairs is shown in Fig. 4, the lay being supposed to be at front center and the parts are in readiness to elfect filling replenishment, as will now be described.

A member of the controlling means for the replenishing mechanism is shown as a latch d, pivoted at its front end on an upturned arm d fast on the controlling rock-shaft d, Fig. 2, the rear end of the latch extending beyond the breast-beam at d and a cam-face (Z is formed on the under edge of the latch. (See dotted lines, Fig. 2.) At one side of the guide m for the slide m of the weft-fork m an upturned head to is secured to the wefthammer V, said head having a notched hunter w (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2) to at times engage the end d of the latch, as in United States Patent No. 720,209. The head 20 has an upturned projection to to v travel beneath the latch end al and permit the latter to drop below the path of the hunter ta on each forward stroke of the wefthammer unless the latch is otherwise held up. The weft-hammer acts in usual manner upon detection of filling failure by the filling-fork m to release the shipper. The shelf 30 forms a part of the guide on and has an upright shoulder 32, against which the spring holds the detent d", except when the feeler-carrier is moved by filling-induced movement of the feeler. On each backward stroke of the weft-hammer the .pro-

jection w rides under the'cam-face d and lifts the end al of the latch into the position shown in Fig. 2, and said latch .is provided with a lateral shelf d, which overhangs the detent (Z when the latter is operatively positioned, as shown in Fig. 4. So long as there is no relative movement of the feeler and feeler-carrier the latch end al will drop below the path of the hunter ta on each outward stroke of the weft-hammer, the latter moving on alternate beats of the lay as usual;

but when the substantial exhaustion of the filling in the shuttle causes the feeler to turn on the carrier the detent (Z will he moved into the position shown in Fig. 4 beneath the overhanging shelf (1 Then when the wefthammer moves forward the detent acts upon the shelf d to hold the latch end (1 up in the hunter path, and the hunter engages it, moves the latch d outward, and thereby rocks the arm (1 and the rock-shaft cl in the direction of arrow 20, Fig. 2, effecting the actuation of the replenishing mechanism in well-known manner. When the fresh supply of filling is inserted in the shuttle, the first engagement thereof with the feeler turns the latter on its fulcrum 5 back into the position relative to the feeler-carrier shown in Fig. 1, withdrawing the detent d" from beneath the latch-shoulder d", and the loom runs normally until the fresh filling is woven down to substantial exhaustion. The springcontrolled plunger on the feeler-carrier keeps the feeler in proper position relatively to the carrier and prevents premature movement of the feeler from accidental causes.

By the construction shown the detent is not called into action until necessary, and unnecessary movement and wear of the parts will be prevented, and at the same time a very close feeling action is effected.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a loom provided with automatic fillingreplenishing mechanism, controlling means therefor including an operating member, an actuator to engage and move said member when operatively positioned,a movable feelercarrier, a filling-feeler movable with and relatively to said carrier, and a detent positively connected with the feeler and to effect operative positioning of the said member of the controlling means, presence of filling in the shuttle causing movement of the feeler and feeler-carrier in unison, and substantial exhaustion of the filling in the shuttle effecting a movement of the feeler relative to its carrier and thereby causing the detent to position the operating member to be engaged by the actuator.

2. In a loom provided with automatic fillingreplenishing mechanism, controlling means therefor including an operating member, an actuator to engage and move said member when operatively positioned, a swinging feeler carrier, a feeler pivotally mounted IIO thereon and moved in unison with the carrierby the presence and moved relatively thereto by the substantial exhaustion of filling in the shuttle, and a device connected with the feeler and moved thereby to operatively position the operating member of the controlling means when the feeleris moved relatively to the feeler-carrier.

3. In aloom provided with automatic fillingreplenishing mechanism, controlling means therefor including an operating member, an actuator to engage and move said member when operatively positioned, a swinging feeler carrier, a feeler pivotally mounted thereon and moved in unison with the carrier by the presence and moved relatively thereto by the substantial exhaustion of filling in the shuttle, a device to prevent accidental or premature relative movement of the feeler, and a device actuated by relative movement of the latter to operatively position the operating member of the controlling means.

4. In a loom provided with automatic fillingreplenishing mechanism, controlling means therefor including an operating member, an actuator to engage and move said member when operatively positioned, a swinging feeler carrier, a feeler pivotally mounted thereon and moved in unison with the carrier by the presence and moved relatively thereto by the substantial exhaustion of filling in the shuttle, a spring-controlled catch to prevent accidental or premature relative movement of the feeler, and a device actuated by such relative movement of the feeler to operatively position the operating member of the controlling means..

5. In a loom provided with automatic fillingreplenishing mechanism, controlling means therefor including a latch, a weft-hammer having a hunter to engage and move the latch when operatively positioned, a normally inactive detent, and a filling-feeler positively and permanently connected therewith, substantial exhaustion of the filling in the shuttle acting through the feeler to move the detent into cooperation with and thereby operatively position the latch.

6. In a loom provided with automatic filling-g replenishing mechanism, controlling means therefor including a latch,a weft-hammer having a bunter to engage and move the latch when operatively positioned, a swinging feeler-carrier, a feeler pivotally mounted thereon and moved in unison therewith by intermitting engagement with the filling in the shuttle until substantial exhaustion of the filling, a detent, and a link connecting it and the feeler, movement of the feeler relatively to the feeler-carrier upon substantial exhaustion of the filling acting through the link to slide the detent into cooperative engagrlaament with and to operatively position the atc 7. In aloom provided with automatic fillingreplenishing mechanism, controlling means therefor including a latch,-a weft-hammer having a hunter to engage and move the latch when operatively positioned, a swinging feelercarrier, a feeler pivotally mounted thereon and moved in unison therewith by intermitting engagement with the filling in the shuttle until substantial exhaustion of the filling, a spring-operated catch on the feeler-carrier to engage the feeler and prevent premature movement thereof relative to the feeler-carrier, and a detent operatively connected with the feeler, substantial exhaustion of the filling effecting relative movement of the feeler and thereby causing the detent to operatively position the latch.

8. In aloom provided with automatic fillingreplenishing mechanism, controlling means therefor includinga latch, a weft-hammer having a hunter to engage and move the latch when operatively positioned, a swinging feeler-carrier, a feeler pivoted thereon and extended forward beyond its pivot, a device to prevent premature movement of the feeler relatively to the carrier, a link connected at its outer end with the forward extension of the feeler and slidably connected at its inner end with the feeler-carrier, and a detent on the inner end of the link, presence of filling in the shuttle preventing and substantial exhaustion of the feeler causing relative movement of the feeler and the feeler-carrier, such relative movement of the feeler causing cooperation of the detent and latch and operatively positioning the latter.

9. In aloom provided with automatic fillingreplenishing mechanism, controlling means therefor including a latch, a Weft-hammer having a hunter to engage'and move the latch when operatively positioned, a swinging feeler-carrier, an elongated feeler pivoted nearer its rear end on the carrier, a link connected with the outer end of the feeler, and a detent attached to the link and slidably connected with the feeler-carrier, the contact portion of the feeler being laterally broad-' IIO ened, intermitting engagement of the feeler with the filling in the shuttle causing the feeler and feeler-carrier to move in unison Witnesses:

GEORGE O'rrs DRAPER, ERNEST W. W001).

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