US2057127A - Threading eye for shuttles - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 13, 1 936. WOQDRUFF 1 2,057,127

THREADING EYE SHUTTL'ES Filed March so, 193:5

Patented Oct. 13, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE THREADING EYE FOR SHUTTLES Application March 30, 1933, Serial No. 663,533

5 Claims.

This invention relates to the threading eye for a shuttle such as is customarily used in an automatic loom. The invention relates more particularly to an improved and simplified device for 5 tensioning the thread as it passes through the shuttle eye. It is an object of the invention to provide a device which is simple, durable, and effective in applying a light frictional tension on the thread'passing through the shuttle eye. A- 10 cording to the invention, a shuttle eye having a longitudinal channel for thread, with a guide post at the .side of the channel near the forward end, is provided with a tensioning element of light weight material loosely mounted in a transverse .15 slot in the shuttle eye so that it presents a side edge for engagement with the guiding post, the

arrangement of the parts being .such that the thread passing through the channel is required to pass between the post and the tensioning ele- 20 ment. A light leaf spring is mounted on theside 30 ities in the tensioning effect of the element which might arise from frictional engagement of its bottom edge on asupporting surface. According tothe invention, the tensioning element may consistof a slab of light weight material such as '35 a phenolic condensation product, with or without a suitable filler such as powdered cellulose, or socalled vulcanized fiber, or any one of a number of equivalent materials which are sufficiently durable to withstand excessive wear from the 40 thread passing between its edge and the guiding post, and which is also of low specific gravity so that it has little mechanical inertia as compared,

for example, with a metal slab of equal dimen- I sions. The use of light weight material renders 45 the use of a small leaf spring feasible and also avoids wear'and tear on the eye member itself when the shuttle is violently accelerated and decelerated in the course of its ordinary use in the loom.

- 50 Fora more complete understanding of the invention reference may be made to the description thereof which follows and to the-illustration ofan embodiment thereof on the drawing of which,

Figure 1 is a perspective fragmentary view of the forward end of ashuttle in which is mounted a self-threading eye with a tensioning device embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the threading eye.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 2. Figure 5 is a perspective view of the movable tensioning element used in the device shown in,

Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary plan view of a shuttle having a threading eye and a separate tensioning device. 7

Tensioning elements embodying the invention may be employed with, or. as a part of, any shuttle eye. Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a self-threading eye in which the tensioning device is built into the eye. The eye is shown in Figure 1 in position in an ordinary shuttle 10 adapted for use in an automatic loom. This shuttle, as usual, includes a central longitudinal opening extending therethrough for the reception of the bobbin on which the'thread or yarn is wound. The thread is led forwardly through a threading eye l5 which is countersunk in the forward end portion of the shuttle. The thread which passes through the eye l5 leaves the shuttle through an opening in the side thereofrbelow a lateral slot l6 and communicating therewith. The threading eye is illustrated in Figures 2, 3, and 4 and may be a casting of a suitable metal such as bronze, formed with a number of guiding elements l1, l8, H! to assist in threading the eye, and projecting lugs 2| and 22 to anchor the eye firmly in the shuttle against longitudinal looseness when the shuttle is thrown back and forth in the shed. The eye is longitudinally bored from end to end to furnish a channel for the thread. While one such bore may be sufiicient, an upper bore 23 and a lower bore 24 have been illustrated, these bores being connected laterally as by a slot 25. The upper bore 23 is open as at 26 upwardly through its entire length so as to admit thread from above when the eye is being threaded. At one side of the lower bore 24, near the forward end thereof is mounted a guide post 30 which may be of vitreous material such as glass or porcelain, or may be of 'metal or any other suitable durable material. This post is permanently set in the eye. 0 member so that the thread which passes through the channel 24 passes around the post 30 and then proceeds to a suitable opening (not shown) in the side of the shuttle below the slot It. In order to provide suitable tension for the thread 40 which also contains the guidepost '30, so that passing through the eye, a tensioning element 35 is loosely mounted in a transverse slot 34 in the body member 20 of the eye, this tensioning element being so arranged as to present a side edge 36 to the guide post 30 for contact therewith so that the thread passing through the channel 24 must pass between the post 30 and the edge 36 of the element 35. A light pressure for this element may be provided by a leaf spring 40 which, as shown, may be secured at one end to the eye member 20 as by a screw 4|. The leaf spring is generally longitudinal direction. The forward portion of the groove is made deep enough to receive the forward portion of the spring well within the plane of the side face of the eye casting, the rearward end of the groove being preferably shallow to avoid unnecessary weakening of the casting. The free end 43 of the spring 40 is adapted to bear against the side edge 44 of the element 35 so as to press this element lightly against the post 30. This side edge 44 is preferably notched as at 45 to receive the spring 40 so that the spring thus provides vertical support for the element 35 as well as present the element against the post 30. This leaves the bottom edge of the element 35 free of contact with any portion of the eye or shuttleso that there is no frictional drag thereon'to disturb the functioning of the element 35, the pressure of this element against the 'post 30 thus being entirely controlled by the spring 40. The element 35, as shown in Figure 5, may consist of a small slab of suitable material adaptedto move transversely with respect to the there is a line contact between the edge 36 of fthe slab and theladjacent side of the post 30.

The tensioning member 35 is preferably made of a light weight material which is sufficiently dus rable to withstand excessive wear from the thread passing by its edge 36. This material may be a phenolic condensation product, so-called vulcanized fiber, specially prepared fiberboard, or any other equivalent material having'these desired characteristics. For usewith some kinds of yarns it may be desirable to employ harder materials such as glass, porcelain or the like, but a low specific gravity is an' important and highly desirable characteristic owing to the tendency on the part of the tensioning element toimpinge on the walls of the slot in which it is mounted, when the shuttle is'suddenly started and stopped in the ordinary operation of a loom. The sudden starting and stopping tends to result in a sort of hammering action by the element on thewalls of its slot, tending to widen the, slot and permit increasing looseness of the element therein. If the density, and hence the mechanical inertia, of the element is small, it will yield more quickly and easily to slubs or bunches in the yarn than will a heavier element, so that the deviceis com- 'paratively sensitive and maintains a uniform tension, thus'reducing thread breakage to a very considerable degree. The shuttle eye is transversely bored as at 50 to receivea bolt by which it is secured in the bobbin, and may also be supplied witha felt pad at the rear. end of the channel 24 to wipe the thread entering the eye.,

Instead of building the tensioning device in as a part of the threading eye, I may mount the device and the eye in a shuttleas separate but ported by a spring 40, as hereinbefore described. preferably located in a groove 42 in the side of the eye member 20, this groove running ina- An embodiment of the invention having thus been described, it should be evident that various modifications and changes may be made therein without departing'from the spirit or scope thereof as defined by the following claims.

in said slot and having a substantially straight side edge adapted to bear against said post, said element having a notch in its opposite side edge, and a' leaf spring mounted on the side of said housing and engaging in said notch to support. said element and to press it yieldingly against said post. I

2. A threading eye for a shuttle comprising a member having a longitudinal thread channel therethrough, a transverse slot extending from. one side of said member to the forward portion ofsaid channel, and a lateral groove in the same side of said member intersecting'said slot, a guide post mounted in said member in the plane of and across the thread channel from said slot, at

friction element of durable, light-weight material 340 loosely fitted within said slot, said element having a side edge presented for engagement with located in said groove and secured at one end to said member, the free end portion of said spring engaging in said notch to support the element with its bottom clear and to press the element against the post. 3. In a shuttle eye having a thread channel and a guide post fixed at one side of said channel, means cooperating with said post to tension the thread passing through the eye, said means comprising a slab of durable, light-weight ma-.., terial having a side edge adapted for engage ment with said post, said slab having a notch in its opposite side edge, and a leaf spring engaging said slab in its notch to support the slab and to press it against said post.

4. In a shuttle having a bobbin-receiving space and a threadpassage leading forward from said space and turning to open out at a side of the shuttle, a guide post mounted at the turn of said passage, a slab of light weight material in a plane; containing said post and transverse to the long axis of the shuttle, said slab being movable in its plane toward and from said post, and a leaf spring supporting said slab with its bottom edge free and pressing a side edge thereof against said'70 of intersecting said passage, a guide post at one side or said passage opposite said slot, a slab of light weight, durable material loosely mounted in said slot and arranged to present a side edge thereof for contact with said post, and a leaf spring extending lengthwise of the block along the side of the block remote from said post, said spring being secured at its rear end to said block and arranged with its forward end portion extending across said slot for engagement with an edge or said slab to press said slab yieldingly against said post.

SAMUEL WOODRUFB'.

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