US1529001A - Feeler mechanism for looms - Google Patents

Description

March 10. 1925.

G. H. WILLARD FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Filed June 10, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 #Vf/VTOR JWM ATTORNEY March 10. 1925.

G. H. WILLARD FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Filed June 10, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 VE/VTOR" @LwW BY )7 ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 10, 1925.

UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE,

GEORGE E. WILLARD, OF HOPEDALE, ,MASSACEUSETTS, ASSIG-N'OR -'10 DRAPER GOR- PORATION, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A. CORPORATION OF MAINE.

FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

Application filed June 10, 1924. Serial No. 719,206.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. WILLARD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Hopedale, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in F eeler Mechanisms for Looms, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to feeler mechanisms for looms and more particularly to the intermittent type of feeler mechanism wherein the feeler is held in an inoperative position for periods of time and is released periodically to the performance of its feeling function during weaving with the same so ply of filling in the-shuttle.

n feeler mechanisms of the intermittent type it is desirable that the feeler be held retracted, during the period it remains inactive, to a sufficient degree to prevent it from engaging the filling with an appreciable force upon successive detecting beats. If the filling in the shuttle alone is relied upon to move the feele-r to the position in which it is held inoperative, the feeler in most cases will not be held entirely out of reach of the filling upon subsequent detecting beats, with the result that the feeler while held inoperative may engage the fill ing at the completion of a detecting beat with suflicient force to injure or chafe the filling to some degree;

The feeler obviously is moved frontwardly further when it engages a full bobbin than when it engages a partly depleted bobbin, and it has been proposed heretofore to provide a latch that is positioned to engage any one of several notches upon the feeler tohold the feeler retracted in the different positions to which it may be moved frontwardly by the filling upon a detectin boat, but such latch means does not ho d the feeler entirely out of reach of the filling.

One of the features of the present invention, therefore, resides inadetent device for holding the feeler retracted in a non-feeling position, and which isprovided with a cam surface or wedge that serves to impart an additional frontward movement to the feeler to hold it-either entirely out offrea/ch of the filling, or retracted sufliciently to prevent the feeler from engaging the filling with appreciable force.

feeler retracted; and

Other features of the invention and novel combination of parts will be best-understood from the following description and the accompanyin drawings of good practical forms of t e invention.

In the drawings:

-Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a-loom at the feeler side, showing a feeler mechanism contalmng the present invention;

F1 2 is an enlarged perspective view showm nonfee ing position;

Fig. 1s a perspective view showing the mechanism of the present invention applied to the side swipe type of feeler;

F1 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the detent of Fig. 2 raised and be-- ginning to move into position to hold the Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view through thpi pivotal support for the detent of Fig. 2. vention is herein shown as associated with the feeler held in its retracted or e feeler mechanism of the present inv meansfor effecting replenishment of filling 1 when that in the shuttle is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat, but the re-.

plenishi'ng mechanism is not illustrated because it may be of any usual type and is well known,- and the details thereof form no part of the present invention. The feeler shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is of a type in which the frontward movement of the feeler is limited to a straight path extending at substantiall right angles to the axis of the shuttle, whi e the feeler shown in Fig. 3 is of the inclined type that enters the shuttle at an inclination to the axis. thereof and is adapted to slide along the'filling carrier lengthwise of the shuttle to call forreplenishment of filling when the filling in theshuttle is substantially exhausted.

The loom framev 1 may be of usual con- I shaft 5- and extending upwardly therefrom is the arm 6 to which is end portion of which is adapted to be en- 7 ivotally connected at 7 a rearwardly extending arm 8, the rear p gaged at times with an operating member 9 which may be formed as part of or asv sociated with the cam follower.

' 1r all Pivotally mounted at 10 on the lug ll-rising from the loom frameis the transmitter 12, the end 13 whereof underlies the latch 8. The transmitter 12 has connected thereto the end portion 14, in which is movable the controller 15, in the present instance shown as an arm pivotall mounted at 16 and norunder the lnfluence of a spring 17, tending to move the end of the controller rearwardly in the slotted portion 14 of the transmitter. These parts are all ofusual and well known construction and operate in In the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2, one face of the frontwardly extending stem of the feeleris notched to form the shoulder 36,1while the end of the stem is provided with the inclined face '37. A detent 38 is provided to engage the shoulder 36 and hold the feelerin its retracted or non-feeling position, and the detent is shown as pivotally supported by a bracket 39 having a rearwar ly extendin arm 40 that is slidably secured "to the fee er stand 21 and may be clamped in different positions of ada well known manner to eiiect replenishment\j ustment by a bolt 41 extending through a of filling when the controller 15 is moved frontwardly upon indication of substantial exhaustion of filling, the transmitter 12 at such time being tilted by the controller 15 as the latter passes-over the inclined end, or

cam of the end portion 14 of the transmitter. Mounted on the loom "frame is a bracket .18 which may be secured adjustably to the frame by means of a bolt 19 passing through a slot 20 in the loomv frame, and the feeler stand 21 is adjustably secured to the bracket -.feeler 24. The feeler 24 may be variously constructed, and as shown, has a frontwardly extending stem'25 which is guided in the feeler stand, and the feeler is urgedrearwardly to its feeling position by a coiled spring 26 confined wit in the feeler stand.

Pivotally mounted at 27 upon the feeler 1s the actuator 28, the end portion 29 of which i is normally held raised by a spring actuated pin 30, but is adapted to be depressed toengage the controller 15'when the filling is substantially exhausted, as is well understood with this class. of feeler mechanism. The actuator 28 has connected thereto the abutment 28 which, when the filling is substantially exhausted in the shuttle, is adapted to engage the wall of the shuttle, or a part carried by the lay, to QGPIGSS the end 29 of the actuator into position for engagement with the controller 15.- as the lay'moves frontwardly.

' The lay is provided with the usual shuttle box which is'adapted to receive the shuttle 31, and the front wall 32 of the shuttle box and the wall 33 of the shuttle are slotted as usual to permit the feeler tip 34to enter the shuttle and feel the filling on a detecting beat. All of the parts so far described may be of any usual or desiredcharacter whereb when the filling is substantially exhauste replenishment may be effected without stoping the loom. Y

As stated, the present invention relates to feeler mechanism ofthe intermittent type, and means for holding the feeler 24 in an inoperative position for a period of time and then releasing it, will now be described.

slot 42. The bracket 39 is provided at one side of the stem 25 with a rearwardly xtending sleeve 43 in'which a bolt 44 is rotatably mounted, and a reduced portion of this bolt extends through a drill hole in the supporting .arm of the detent and is rigidly secured to the arm by tightening the nut 45 at the outer end of the bolt to clamp the arm between the nut 45 and the' shoulder 46. The arrangement is such that the bolt rotates with the detent. 4

The outer end of the detent is provided with an inclined face 47 that engages the inclined face 37 of the stem and rides upwardly upon the face 37 as the feeler 24 is gushed frontwardly. The outer end of the etent is also provided with the cam face 48 adapted to engage the shoulder 36 and hold the feeler retracted. In the construction shown, the detent is rocked downwardly by a coiled spring 49 that surrounds the sleeve '43, and one end of the spring is secured to the bracket 39 at 50 while the other end is secured to the head of the bolt 44 at,51. The arrangement .is suchthat the tension of the spring rotates the bolt in a direction to swing the detent downwardly, and the tension of the spring may be varied by backing off the nut 45 so that the bolt may be turned in one direction ortheother in the detent, and thenttightening the nut.

The cam face 48 of the detent should be so positioned that it will engage the shoulder 36 of the feeler and hold' the feeler retracted when it ispushed frontwardly by a substantial amount of filling in the shuttle, but will fail to engagethisshoulder when the filling has been unwound to nearly an exhausted condition so that the feeler will be free to feel the condition of the filling upon each detecting beat. To facilitate accurate adjustment of the detent the-bracket 39 is .providedwith an adjusting screw 52 that extends into a threaded hole in the .feeler stand and has a reduced portion that rotates in a notch 53 of the bracket. The bracket 39 may beadjusted either in or out by rotating the adjusting screw 52 and may be clamped in the adjusted position by tightening the nut 41.

The construction of the cam face 48 is importantbecause it serves not only to hold the feeler retracted but also to impart a further frontward movement to the feeler as the detent moves downwardly, and this is due to the fact that the cam faceiexerts a wedging or cam action upon the shoulder 36. The tension of the spring 49 me be such that it will overcome the force the spring 26 and will force the detentdownward with camming effect until the detent strikes the lug 54, or the tension of the spring to provide a stop to limit the upward move-' ment oft-he detent so that it will not be thrown too high. To'this end the bracket 39 is provided with a finger 39? that serves asa stop. y 1

After the feeler has been held inactive for a predetermined number of picks,it is de- "sirable to release the same so that it may again feel the condition of the filling in the shuttle, and if a substantial amount-of filling is still present, the feeler will again be pushed frontward by the filling far enough to be engaged and held by the detent 38.

Various means may be provided for actuating the detent periodicallyto release the feeler, and in the construction shown this is accomplished by a plunger slidably mounted the lug 54, and the plunger may be actuated from a going portion of the loom by a wire 56 enclosed within a sheath 57. The opposite end of the sheath is secured to ablock 58 mounted u on the loom frame, and the o posite end 0 the wire 56 I is secured to a p unger' extending from the block 58 into position to be actuated by the .rocking lever 59 pivoted at 60. The lever 59 has a lug 61'that engages a' projecting head 62-secured to a spoke of the gear 63, and as the head is forced against the lug by the rotating gear, it actuates the lever 59 to trip the detent 38. The gear 63 is shown as one of a chain of gears, 64, 65 and 66, which actuate the usual take-up roll.-

In applying the type of mechanism above described for holding the feeler inactive to the side swipe feeler, it-may be desirable to modify the construction somewhat to accommodate the lateral swinging movement of the feeler which occurs when the feeler calls for filling replenishment. A somewhat different construction is therefore shown as applied to the side swipe feeler of Fig. 3. This feeler is of well-known construction and consists of afeeler stand 67 provided with the inclined feeler 68 supported for sliding movement frontwardly and in a lateral direction. The feeler is urged to its feeling .the boss 79, and the position by a spring 69 and the forward portion of the feeler extends slidablv throu h .a bearing block 69*. At one side of t e feeler stand 67 is mounted a bracket 70 that may be adjusted to different positions by a screw 70" similarto the manner in which the bracket 39 is adjusted. U on the bracket 70, is-pivotally mounted a dietent 71 that extends in a frontward direction and is mounted upon a pivot pin 72 which may besimilar in construction to the pivot pin 44, v and is rotated bv a'coiled spring 73. l j

r The forward portion ofthe feeler stem provided witha block- 74 rigidly secured thereto b a set screw 75 and the block. has a lateral y extending arm 76. The detent '71 has an inclined face 77 positioned to be. en aged and elevated by the arm'7 6 as the fee or is pushed frontwardly upon a detect- 1 ing beat; The forward end. of the detent 71 is provided with a cam face 78 which cooperates with the shoulder or rear-face of the arm 76, similar to the cam face 48 above described. The laterally extendin arm 76 permits the detent to be spaced I'OIIl the feeler so that the detent will not interfere with the side swipe movement of the feeler. The detent may be tri iped to release the feeler by a plunger slida 1y mounted within filunger engages a lug 80 extending latera The plunger is actuated from a going part of the loom as described in Fig. 1. The n ward movement imparted to the detent 1 as the feeler is forced frontwardly is limited by engagement of the lug-80 with the bar 81 of the bracket 70. I

The mechanism shown in Fig. 3 for holding-a feeler in the. retracted'position may also be used in connection with the type of feeler shown in Figs. 1 and 2 which does not partake of a side swipe movement. The construction of the'cam face in both Figs. 2

and 3 is such that the force of gravity helps to move the detentin-a direction to cam or wedge the feeler frontwardly, andthe vibration of the loom will also serve to force the detent "in further wedging engagement with the shoulder of the feeler.

' In Fig, 3 the side swipe feeler 68 is shown as providedwith a tip 82 that is formed of wood, this type of feeler tip being desirable y fromthe detent.

in that it is ess likely to injure the filling Y than the metal or other types of feeler tips heretofore used. The feeler tip 82 may be secured to the feeler by means of a tongue 83 that extends into a slot formed in the end of the feeler and maybe fastened in place byanin84.

What is claimed is: v

1. In a feeler meehanism'for looms, the

combination of a feeler, a spring normally acting in a direction to move the feeler cam face for be] ing the feeler in frontward or non-feeling position and constructed to ur e the feeler frontwardly in the direction of its length, a shoulder upon the feeler positioned to en age said cam face, and a spring acting u said detent to move the cam face so t at successive portions of the cam face move against the active face of the v shoulder with a wedging action to impart -to move the cam faceso that successive por-' of its length. i r

'tions of the cam face press against the shoulder with a wedging actionwto move the feeler further frontwardly in the direction 3. ha feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler, a spring normally acting in a direction to move the feeler towards feeling position, a detent having a cam face for holding the feeler in frontward or non-feeling position, a shoulder upon the feeler positioned to be engaged by said cam face, a spring acting upon said detent to move the cam face so that successive portions of the cam face press against the shoulder with a Wedging action to move the feeler further frontwardlv in the direction of its length, and means for'imparting movement from a power actuated part of the loom to the detent to release the feeler.

4. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the

combination of a feeler, a spring normally acting in a directionto move the feeler towards feeling position, a detent mounted for movement to and from its active position and having a cam face for holding the feeler in retracted position, a shoulder upon the feeler positioned to be engaged by the tip of the cam face when the feeler is moved 'frontwardly on a detecting beat by a substantial amount of filling in the shuttle, and the cam face being constructed so that suc cessive portions thereof press against the shoulder with a wedging action to impart a further frontward movement to the feeler.

5. In a feeler mechanism for looms,'the combination of a feeler, a spring normally acting in a direction'to move the feeler towards feeling position, a detent mounted for rocking movement downwardly into active position and having a camface for holding the feeler in retracted position, a shoulder upon the feeler positioned to be engaged by the tip of the cam face when the feeler is pushed frontwardly on a det'ecting beat by a substantial amount of filling in the shuttle, and the detent being constructed to move downwardly an increasing amount upon subsequent detecting beats to bring successive portions of the cam faces into wedging action with the shoulder and cause the cam face to hold the feeler in a further frontward position should the feeler gngage the filling on a subsequent detecting eat.

6. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler, a spring normally acting in a direction to move the feeler towards feeling position, a shoulder upon the feeler, a detent positioned to engage the shoulder and hold the feeler in a retracted or non-feeling position when the feeler is pushed frontwardly on a detecting beat by a substantial amount of filling in the shuttle, a we'dging surface upon the detent that is urged in a direction to cause successive portions of such surface to press against the shoulder with wedging action to maintain the feeler in a further retracted osition should it be urged frontwardly slight- 1y fly the filling on a subsequent detecting pic 7, In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler, a spring normally acting in a direction to move the feeler towards feeling position, a shoulder upon the feeler, a detent movable to and from holding engagement with said shoulder, an

inclined surface upon the feeler for moving the detent out of the path of the shoulder so that the detent may snap into holding engagement with the shoulder when the feeler is pushed frontw'ardly on a detecting beat by a substantial amount of filling in the shuttle, a wedging surface upon the detent, and means for urging the wedging surface in a direction to impart further frontward movement to the feeler.

8. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler, a spring normally acting in a direction to move the feeler towards feeling position, a shoulder upon the feeler, a detent mounted for rocking movement to and from the shoulder, an inclined surface upon the feeler for moving the detent upwardly out of the path of the shoulder so that the detent mav drop back rig t angles to the shuttle axis. a spring normally acting in a direction to move the feeler towards feeling position, a notch formed in a side of the feeler to provide a shoulder, a detent for holding the feeler in frontward or non-feeling position when the feeler is pushed frontwardly by a substantial amount of filling in the shuttle, a cam face upon the detent, and a spring acting upon said detent to move the cam face in a direction to cause successive portions of the cam face to act upon said shoulder with Wedging efiect to move the feeler further frontwardly.

10. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler mounted to enter the shuttle in a direction substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the shuttle, an actuator constructed and arranged to be engaged and operatively positioned by a part on the lay when the filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat, a detent for holding the feeler in a retracted position beyond the reach of the filling during its periods of inactivity, and a part connected to the feeler for engagement by the detent, the detent being provided with a curved cam surface that is moved by the detent to cause successive portions of the cam surface to act upon the shoulder with Wedging action to move the feeler frontwardly in the direction of its length to an inoperative position.

11. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler mounted to enter the shuttle in a direction substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the shuttle, an actuator constructed and arranged to be engaged and operatively positioned by a part on the lay when the filling is vsubstantially exhausted on a detecting beat, a detent for holding the feeler in a retracted or non-feeling position during.

its period of inactivity, a laterally projecting shoulder upon the feeler for engagement by the detent, and a cam surface upon the detent supported so that it will exert a wedging action upon the feeler to move the same further frontward in the direction of its length as successive portions of the cam surface press against said shoulder.

12. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler, a spring normally acting in a direction to move the feeler toward feeling position, a detent having a relatively long inclined cam face for hold ing the feeler in frontward or non-feeling position, a shoulder upon the feeler positioned to be engaged by said cam face, and the cam face being supported by the detent to move automatically into wedging engagement with said shoulder when the feeler is pushed frontwardly by a substantial amount of filling and adapted to impart a further frontward movement to the feeler in the direction of its length as successive portions of the cam surface press against said shoulder with wedging action.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

GEORGE H. WILLARD.

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