US1596575A - Intermittent-feeler mechanism for looms - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 17 1926. 1,596,575

| H. BROWN El AL INTERMITTENT FEEL-ER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Filed March 30, 1926 I5 Sheets-Sheet 1 lNVE N TOR A r-roR/v Ey H. BROWN ETAL INTERMITTENT FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Filed March 30, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I ATTORNEY Aug. 17 1926 L. H. BROWN ET AL INTERMITTENT mama MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Filed March 30, 1926 3 S heets-Sheet .5

Patented Aug. 17, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LARKIN H. BROWN, OF BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA, AND GEORGE E. BEPASS, OI

KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNORS DRAPER CORPORATION, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

INTERMITTENT-FEELEB imcmmrsm r03 Looms.

Application filed March 30, 1926. Serial No. 98,518.

This invention relates to feeler mechanisms for looms, and more particularly to feeler mechanisms of the intermittent type wherein the feeler is held in an inopera- 5' tive position for periods of time and is released at intervals to the performance of its feeling function.

Owing to the recurring contacts ,of the feeler with the filling on detecting beats where the feeler is mounted .to engage the filling throughout the loom operation, much injury to the filling is liable to result. To avoid this condition, feeler mechanisms of the intermittent type have recently come into use, so that the feeler is normally held in 'a frontward inoperative position for periods of time and is released-at intervals to permit it to move to feeling position, and should it detect a working supply of filling in the 2 shuttle duringits period of activity, it is again returned to a. frontward inoperative osition until, on a detecting beat, the feeler detects an approach to substantial exhaustion, whereupon it remains active and upon substantial exhaustion of the filling, calls for replenishment.

The feeler mechanism of the present invention is of this general type, but differs from previous intermittent feeler mechanisms in various features of structure and operation, as will later more fully appear.

In a prior a plication by the present applicants, Seria No. 45,349, filed July 22, 1925, a feeler mechanism is disclosed wherein the feeler is contained within an enclosing case with relation to which it has movements towards and from the front of the loom and also in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle. The feeler mechanism of the prior application has proven in practice to be sensitive both to the presence and absence of filling in the shuttle, and to act effectively in calling the change when the filling in the V shuttle has become substantially exhausted.

The present invention is one aspect thereof includes such a feeler combined with means for controlling its periods of activity and inactivity, and-one of the. objects of the present invention, therefore, is to prbvide anin- -ing the relation 0 t by the late ing operation. The intermittent control or HOPEDALE,

mechanism is of novel construction and includes as part thereof a feeler'catch for engaging the feeler when it is moved frontwardly on a detecting beat by a working supply of filling, and a feeler latch for moving'the feeler frontwardly beyond the reach of the filling, and inasmuch as the parts are contained in casings, a differential deviceis employed for controlling the action of the latch and the trip which acts through 'the catch; v

The invention, new combination of parts and novel features thereof will best be made clear from the following description and the accompanying drawings of one good form thereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is'a perspective view of some of the loom parts at the feeler side 'thereof, provided with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a. plan view-with the top casing of the intermittent control mechanism re-- moved;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line of F Fig. 4: is a side elevation of the feeler mechanism with arts broken away, showf lthe elements thereof when the feeler is moved frontwardlygby a working supply of filling on a detectingbeat;

5 1s a view similar 'to that of Fig. 4 showing the feeler as having been mov frontwardlg Fig. is a plan view of the-intermittent beyond the reach of the filling v separated relation of I the parts constituting portions of the feeler control mechanism;

Fig. 9 is a plan view showing more particularly the feeler. and relation of parts when it detects substantial exhaustion of the filling in the shuttle; and

Fig. 10 is an enlarged perspective yiew showing the rearend of the feeler.

The mechanism of the present invention is herein shown as associated with a train of devices for effecting replenishment of filling whenthe filling in the shuttle as been substantially exhausted, but since the details of the replenishing mechanism form no essential part of the present invention,'they are not herein shown and described.

The loom frame 1 may struction and as indicated in Fig. 1 an arm 2 rises fromthe transverse or usual'rock shaft at the front of the loom and has pivoted thereto at 3 an actuator 4, the rear end portion ofwhich is provided with a housing 5 containing an opening 6 into which may extend at times an operating member 7, herein shown as a part connected to the cam follower 8. Pivotally mounted .on the lugs 9 extending from the housing 5 is a lever 10 having an arm 11 which, under the control of the feeler .to be hereinafter described, may

be placed in the path of the operating member 7: to initiate replenishment of filling. Extending from the levr 10 in operative relation therewith is a transmitter 12 which may be engaged and moved by the feeler when the latter 'partakes of its. side swipe movement.

The lay the reception of the has the usual shuttle box 13 for shuttle 14:, and the front wall of the shuttlebox has an opening 15 adapted to register with a similar openlng 16 in thevfront wall of the shuttle when the latter is J-properly boxed, the construction being such that the feeler may enter the shuttle on detecting. beats and detect the condition of the fill1ng therein. The arts so far described with respect to the eeler mechanism may be substantially the same as those more fully shown and described in the prior applrcation above mentioned.

Extending from the shipper stand 1 is an arm 18 to which may e adjustably connected the bracket 19 for supporting the intermittent feeler mechanism.

As more clearly indicated in Fig. 9, the feeler 20 is mounted for movement towards and from the front of the loom and longitudina.lly 'of the shuttle on the feeler stand 21 which is perferably formed as a casing havmentioned. As indicated in Fig. 10,

be of usual conu ing a top plate 22 (Fig. 1) for enclosing the main portions of the feeler. ,The feeler enclosing casing is provided with trayckways 23 (Fig. 9) on which the feeler may slide and tilt, and extending laterally from the feeler is an arm 24:, the toe portion 25 of which is adapted to engage a stop or projec tion 26 when the feeler is in its rearward feeling position, and about the projection 26 the feeler may swing laterally when it is freed to its side slipping movement. spring 27 is connected at one end tothe laterally extending arm 24 at 28 and the rear end portion of the spring is engaged with a fixed portion. 29 on the feeler stand. The construction thus far described may be substantially the same as that more fully shown and described in the application hereinbefofie t e feeler 20 has the toothed end portion 30, the teeth of which are formed on the rounded end of the feeler to engage the filling, and when a workin supply is present in' the shuttle to efiectnely prevent side slipping movement of the feeler on a detecting heat, but permit such side slipping movement when (as indicated in Fig. 9) the filling carrier or bobbin is ,substantially'exhausted of filling.

- Pivotally supported at 31 in an opening 32 formed in the cover plate 22 is the feeler catch 33 having a shoulder 34, and the feelercatch 33 is normally under the influence of means, presently to be described, for holding the feeler catch in its feeler engaging position, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4.

Associatedwith the feeler catch 33 is the feeler latch 35 ivoted on a stud 36 mounted on the cover ate 22. The feeler latch 35 extends over tli catch and has a downwardly- 38 in close proximity to the s the feeler catch. The feeler oulder 34' of latch 35 is mounted not only for pivotal movement about its support 36 but is also ca under the influence of the catch 33 .whenv the latter is moved to its feeler freein position (as indicated in Fig. 7). The notion of the feeler CatOhlS to en age the feeler when it is moved frontw'ardly by a working supply. of filling in the shuttle on a detectin beat, and hold it for the engagei -ment of t e latch therewith, and, as

presently appear, the latch is thereupon e tail portion 37 of the feeler rojecting lug.

swung about its pivotal support to withdraw the feeler' frontwardly beyond the reach of the filling under the dictates of the intermittent control mechanism.

As he'reinbefore explained, the feeler is under the influence of a spring at. one side of its longitudinal axis to move the feeler into its rearward feeling position, and consequently the shoulder of the feeler catch and the lug on the feeler latch'are positioned to engage the laterally extending arm 24 of the feeler beyond the spring 27 at a point adjacent the toe of the lateral projection, the result being that the feeler when held in its frontward inoperative position will be maintained in parallelism with its normal feeling position. This relation of the feeler catch and feelerlatch with the laterally extending arm 24 of the 'feeler is important because should the catch and latch engage the feeler betweenthe spring and the longitu'dinal axis of the feeler, the tendency of the spring would be to turn the feeler laterally out of its true eeling position.

Extending upwar 1y from the cover plate 22 is a pin or bolt 40 which supports the intermittent control mechanism, and such pin or bolt 40 is utilized to maintain the cover plate 41 which encloses the intermittent control mechanism, and to this end the upperbnd of the bolt is threaded and pro v1 ed with anut 42.

Rotatably mounted upon the bolt or pin- 40 is a toothed wheel 43, two of the teeth of which (as at 44) are deeper than the remaining teeth. Also mountedcon the pin or bolt 40 below the toothed wheel 43 for rotation on the bolt or pin is the toothed wheel 45, the teeth of which are spaced apart similarly to the teeth of the wheel 43, and separating the two toothed wheels is the plate 46 which may be held from rotative movement by an arm 47 secured to the cover plate 22 by a pin 48.

The lower toothed wheel 45 has associated with it a tripto act upon the feeler catch at intervals, and also has a feeler latch withdrawing cam. These parts are probably best shown by Fig. 8' wherein the toothed wheel 45 has secured to it the plate 49 from which extends a tri lug 50, and below the plate 49 the toothed wheel 45 has likewise secured to the cam 51 for controlling the frontward "and rearward position of the feeler latch. In accordance with the present invention, the intermittent control mechanism is to be actuated step-by-step, first, to move the feeler latch frontwardly to withdraw the feeler with a quick movement beyond the reach of thefilling, and, second, to move the trip more slowlyto permit longer periods of inactivity of the feeler before the trip acts upon the catch to free the feeler from the latch.

1n the present instance of the invention, a

plunger operated pawl is employed to effect the desired movements of the feeler control mechanism, andthe active endof the pawl is of sulficient width to act upon the teeth of both wheels at times, and to act only on the topwheel at other times, as will presently appear. I

Mounted in bearings 52 risingfrom the cover late 22 is a .bunter 53 normally under the in uence of a spring 54 tending to move the hunter rearwarclly, and pivotally sup ported upon the hunter at 55 is the pawl 56 having a light spring 57 for normally moving the active end of the pawl into engagement with the toothed-wheels. The bunter 53 has a sleeve portion 58 (Fig. 3) in which is mounted the yielding end. 59 of the bunter,

normally under the influence of a spring 60, the construction being such that when the end portion 61 of the sleeve meets the rear bearing 52 of the bunter, the yielding tip portion 59 of the hunter will yield frontwardly to accommodate the lay movement .the same time engaging the teeth of the lower wheel 45, until a deep tooth 44 of the upper wheel comes opposite the pawl, whereupon the pawl will act upon both wheels and impart the step movement, and since there are only two deep teeth on the upper wheel, the lower wheel will be given a step movement to actuate the trip 50 only twice during a. full rotation of the upper toothed.

wheel, the effect being that the trip 50 will be moved more slowly than is the upper toothed wheel and finally act upon the rear end portion of the catch 33, depress it, and disengage the catch and the latch from the feeler that the latter may move to full feeling position.

Assuming now that the feeler is in its full feeling position (as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3) and is moved frontwardly by a workingsupply of filling on a detecting beat (as indicated in Fig. 4),the shoulder 34 of the catch (which is now in the position indicated by Figs. 2, 3 and 4) will engage the laterally extending arm 24 of the feeler be yondlthe spring, and will hold it, and the feeler latch will thereupon be operated to swing it frontwardly and cause its down- .wardly extending lug 38 to withdraw the feeler frontwardly beyond the reach of the filling. To this end the feeler latch 35 has a projection 62 which rides upon the broken cam 51 and when the feeler has been released to its feelin v function by the trip 50 (as indicated in hig. 2) the projection 62 will enter the broken portion or recess 63 of the cam 51 and the feeler latch will assume its rearward position. When the feeler is to be withdrawn frontwardly by the latch, it is desirable that its frontward movement be imparted quickly, and to this-end the teeth on the lowertoothed wheel substantially opposite the trically arranged relative to the teeth of the lower wheel diametrically opposite, with the result that when the feeler has been moved. frontwardly by a working supply of filling and has been engaged by the catch, a quickv frontwardly to withdraw the feeler into a frontward inoperative position, and the projection 62 of the latch occupies the recess 63 of the lower wheel, the eccentric-a1 teeth on the lower wheel which 'are then opposite the pawl, will be engaged by the pawl and the lower wheel be given a quick step-by-stcp movement for part of a revolution to effect such quick withdrawal movement of the latch. v

It will be noted that the latch overlies the tail end portion 37 of the catch, the result being that when the catch 33 is actuated by the trip 50, both it and the latch are raised to tree the feeler.

From the construction described itwill be apparent that the present invention provides a'compact intermittentfeeler mechanism, all or the parts of which are protected from the accumulation of "lint-which might interfere with the accurate operation of the fieeler, and provision is made in the compact arrangement for prolongeddwells of thefeeler during its inactive period, and the feeler itself when held in its frontward inoperative position is parallelto the position the feeler takes when in full feeling position,

A spring'fi l' may be interposed between the cover plate 41 and the intermittent control-mechanism. to maintain them in opera-.

tive relation and prevent overthrow t nder the action of the pawl.

i seen that when the feeler is moved front- From the construction described it will be wardly by a working supply of filling on a detecting beat, the laterallyprojecting anm 24 will he engaged by the feeler catch and be held by it in the position to which it has been moved by the workingsup-ply of filling.

recess 63 of the cam are eccening means for at intervals,

teasers Simultaneously the laterally projecting arm will be engaged by the feeler latch, and when partially denuded-filling carrier for the feeler catch to engage the laterally extending arm 24 of the feeler and the feeler will consequently remain in feeling position and upon substantial exhaustion "of filling it will move and actuate filling replenishment or loom stoppage, as the case may be.

What is claimed is:-

1. In an intermittent feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler, a feeler catch to catch and hold the feeler when it is moved frontward by a working supply of filling, a feeler latch and operatwithdrawing the feeler frontwardly away from the catch, step-by-step mechanism for moving the catch at intervals, interengaging parts between the catch and the latch for freeing the feeler from the latch when the catch is actuated by the step-by-step' mechanism.

2. In an' intermittent feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler, means for withdrawing the feeler frontwardlybeyond the reach' of the filling, a trip for freeing thefeeler from said means and a trip controller com rising two independently rotatable whee s, a hunter actuated pawl operative on one of said wheels on, each active stroke of the pawl, means carried by said operated wheel for controlling the action of the pawl on the other wheel, and connections between the said other wheel and trip for releasing the feeler when the pawl has moved said other wheel apredetermined amount.

3. In an intermittent -feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler, a

.ing said toothed wheel, and means for ren longitudinally along the filling carrier dering the pawl active upon said toothed wheel at irregular intervals during the regular hunter actuation of said pawl.

4."In an intermittent feeler. mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler, a feeler latch for holdingthe feeler in a frontward inoperative position, a toothed wheel having a trip for freeing the feeler from the latch, a bunteractuatedpawlforturning the toothed wheel, and a second wheel ing the pawlactive and inactive at intervals on the said toothed'wheel.

'5. In an intermittent feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler, a

feeler latch for holding the feeler in a front- Ward inoperative position, a trip for freeing the feeler at intervals, a. toothed wheel carrying said trip, a step-by-step pawl for actuating said toothed wheel, and a pawl controller operated'by the pawl for rendering the pawl operative at intervals on the Said toothed wheel.

6. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler, a latch for retracting and holding the feeler in a frontward inoperative position, astep-by-step device having-a track for retracting the latch .and atrip for freeing the feeler at intervals, a pawl for operating said device, and a pawl controller for rendering the pawl operative on said device during some of its active,

strokes and inoperative on said device dur- ..ing others of its active strokes. 25

I. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler, a latch .for withdrawing and holding the feeler in a frontward inoperative position, a toothed wheel having a track for Withdrawing the'latch and a trip for freeing the feeler, a second toothed wheel having teeth of different depths, a bunter having a pawl to act upon both toothed wheels and controlled in its operative relation With the first toothed wheel by the variation in-depths of the teeth on the second toothed wheel.

8. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler stand, a floating side-slipping nonpivoted feeler mounted di-' vrectly on'the stand for movement towards and from the front of the loom and in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle, a spring acting upon the floating feeler to move it to rearward feeling position, a latch for holding the floating feeler in a frontward' inoperative positlon, and means for tripping the latch at intervals that the floating feeler may have periods of activity and .inactivity during weaving with the same supply of filling in the shuttle.

9. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the. combination of a feeler stand, a floatin side-slipping, non-pivoted feeler mounte directly on the stand for movement towards and from the front of the loom and in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle, an arm extended laterally from the floating feeler, a spring acting to move the feeler to its rearward feeling position, a latch adapted to engage the laterally extended arm to hold the floating feeler in a frontward inoperative position, and means for freein the feeler from the latch at intervals t at the floating feeler may have periods of activity and inactivity during weaving with the same supply of filling side-slipping and non-pivoted feeler directly mounted on the stand for movement towards and from the loom and in a dircction longitudinally of the shuttle, a lateral projection extending a substantial distance from the feeler, a spring acting upon the lateral projection atone side of the longitudinal axis of the feeler to move it rearwardly into feeling position, a latch for engaging the lateral projection to hold the feeler in a frontward inoperative position parallel to its rearward feeling position, means for moving. the latch frontwardly when engaged with the lateral projection to withdraw the feeler beyond the reach of the filling, and' a trip to disengage the latch at intervals that the feeler may move to feeling position.

11. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler having periods of activity andinactivity during weaving with the same supply of filling in the shuttle, a feeler control mechanism comprising a catch for engaging the feeler when it is moved frontwardly by a working supply of filling, a latch for withdrawing the feeler frontwardly away from the catch, a trip for freeing the feeler at intervals, and an enclosing case for protecting the feeler control mechanism from accumulation of lint and foreign substances.

12. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler stand comprising an enclosing case, a floating side slipping non-pivoted feeler mounted directly within the enclosing case for movement towards- 13. In a'feeler mechanism for looms, the

combination of a feeler having a laterally extending arm, a sprin acting upon sa1d armto normally move t e feeler rearwardly, an enclosing case for said parts, means mounted above the case and projecting into the case for engaging the laterally extending arm of the feeler to hold it in frontward inoperative position, and intermittent control mechanism mounted above the case for controlling said means.

' 14. In afeeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler having a laterally extending arm a sprin acting upon said arm to normally move t e feeler rearwardly, an enclosing case for said parts, means mounted above the case and projecting into the case for engaging the laterally extending arm of the feeler to hold it in frontward inoperative position, intermittent controlmechanism mounted abovethe case for controlling said means, case for protecting said mechanism.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification.

'LARKIN H. BROWN.

GEORGEE. REPASS}.

and an enclosing means and control

Images