US2865665A - Knotting device - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 23, 1958 Ess 2,865,665

KNOTTING DEVICE Filed Jan. 8, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 D. MESSA KNOTTING DEVICE Dec. 23, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 8, 1957 United States Patent-O lice KNOTTXNG DEVICE Daniele Messa, Roe Volciano, Italy Application January 8, 1957, Serial No. 633,072 Claims priority, application Italy January 13, 1956 11 Claims. (Cl. 289-17) This invention relates generally to automatic knotting devices and more particularly, relates to a novel manually-operated knotting device for joining corded and doubled woolen yarns or threads such as are subject to breaking tension thereof in weaving looms.

In cloth weaving processes it is common to tie two threads together by means of aknot called a weavers knot. Actually, such ties are not knots since they do not have the characteristic hitches and interlacings of a knot and hence, are readily loosened and become completely undone merely by pulling sufiiciently on one of the joined threads. Characteristic of the knotting device embodying the invention is the tying thereby of a composite knot formed of two simple overhand knots arranged in inti-' mate engagement one with the other which will not become undone or loosened merely by pulling on one of the conjoined threads.

2,865,665 7L Patented 7 Dec. 1958 scribed in the specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing. It is contemplated that minor variations in the construction, arrangement, proportion and size of the various mechanical elements combined to form my knotting device may occur to the skilled artisan without departing from the scope or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

In the drawings'i I I Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the knotting device embodying the invention from which one of the side plates has been removed to show constructional details.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the plate removed in Fig. l and looking toward the inside surface thereof to show the pair of cross-over pivotal levers carried on said plate. I

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line AA of Fig. 1 and in the direction indicated.

Fig.- 4 is a fragmentary elevational view showing details l of the knotting' hooks or bills.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of one of the knotting bills and showing cut-ting shear means associated therewith;

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of one of the knotting hooks or bills. i

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatical view of the pair of overhan'd knots tied by my device and Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view showing said knots adjacent one the other in formation of said composite knot.

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatical view of the position ofknotting bills after the pair of overhand knots have been tied and showingthe tensioning lever in broken line moved to a position preparatory to forming the composite knot.

My device is constructed automatically to conjoin two threads or yarns properly placed in the device by means of such advantageous composite knot. Said device has a pairof vertically-arranged laterally spaced plates between which are supported the various operational components, which include generally a pair of cross-over pivotal levers and a pair of knotting hooks or bills having associated therewith thread cutting means in the form of shears. Means are provided on said books or bills for gripping the threads placed in the device and said bills have means for adjusting or varying the pressure exerted by the gripping means on the threads. The knotting and shearing elements of the device are operated in predetermined sequence by means of a pair of toothed pinions meshed with a second pair of pinions. Said latter pair of pinions are supported on a helical drive member or spindle which is positioned to be rotated by means of a trigger lever having a component engageable with said helical drive or spindle. Cam guide means are provided to afiect sequential operation of the knotting bills and cutting shears in formation of said pair of simple overhand knots and a combination tensioning and extractor lever pivoted at one end thereof is movable to engage between said pair of knots and pull same into a composite knot one adjacent the other. It is therefore another object of the invention to provide a manually operated automatic knotting device of the character described comprised of a combination of operational components and means for controlling operation of said components in a predetermined sequence whereby said composite knot may be achieved. 7

The foregoing and other objects of the invention, in-

- c-luding the simplicity of and fool-proof operation of of the device, will become'appa'rent from the ensuing description in which a preferred embodiment has-been de- Fig. 10 is a diagrammatical view showing the tensioning lever moved to a position to form the composite knot and the conjoined threads are withdrawn or extracted from the knotting bills.

Prior to a detailed description of the device, a brief discussion as to the manner in which the composite knot is formed will be helpful. The operational components of my device, which is designated generally by the reference character D in Fig. 1, are located between a pair of side plates arranged vertically and substantially parallel one relative the other. Pivotally mounted on one of the side plates is a pair of levers having gripping fingers or pawls located adjacent a pair of guide slots in said plate. The second side plate likewise has a pair of guide slots of which each slot is aligned substantially .opposite a guide slot of the opposite side plate. Said levers are pivotal toward and away one relative the other in a plane of movement parallel to said side plates and transverse to a plane' connecting each pair of aligned guide slots.

There is provided a pair of knotting bills or hooks each having thread cutting means operably associated therewith. Said knotting bills are arranged one opposite the other for rotation on parallel axes intermediate the side plates and normal to the projected substantially parallel planes between each pair of aligned guide slots. An extractor or tensioning lever is pivotally supported on the second side plate. The components are connected for sequential operation through the medium of a trigger lever pivotally mounted between the side plates and connected through appropriate linkages with said components. The sequence of operation after a pair of threads is placed in position each supported in a pair of aligned guide slots is generally as follows: As the trigger lever isp'ivo'ted manually, the said cross-over levers first are pivoted one toward the other and cross each other with Q 1 is seen in Fig; l and plate holding one of said threads. In full crossed position of said levers, the threads thus engaged are crossed in a resulting loop formation. After the loop formation is formed, the knotting bills rotate in a movement inserting said bills into the loop formation and continued rotation of said bills results in each of the cross-over threads being wrapped around a said bill. Upon completion of approximately one revolution of the knotting bills, each of the wrapped threads has been gripped and formed into a simple overhand knot with the knots spaced one from the other and a portion of each thread between the knots. After the knots are formed, the shears on each'knotting bill sever an end of the thread bill behind the simple overhand knot the gripping meansretaining their hold on the threads. The tensioning lever is moved between the knot into engagement with said portions of the threads between the knots in a direction applying tension against said thread portions and pulling same upwardly in a movement causing said overhand knots to slide together to 'form a single, composite knot. Upon completion of thecomposite knot, the tensioning lever functions to extract the threads engaged with the bills. All of the functions described are achieved automatically in a predetermined sequence by means of my device.

Referring now to the drawing, my device includes a pair of laterally spaced apart side plates of which plate 2 is seen in Fig. 2. They are assembled with facing surfaces as seen in Fig. 3 and the operating components are installed between said plates 1 and 2. A pair of vertically arranged support members 3 and 4 are rigidly secured spaced apart between said side plates normal to the planes of said side plates which also serve as spacers for the plates. Journalled in each of said support members adjacent the bottom end thereof IS a lower pinion or gear 5 and connected between said pinions 5 is an elongate drive member comprising a helical spindle or shaft 7 having its axis of rotation transverse to the support members. Journalled in each of j the support members spaced above pinion 5 is a second or upper pinion or gear 6, said pinions 5 and 6 being meshed at their toothed peripheries. It will be apparent that as the spindle or shaft 7 is rotated, the meshed pinions 5 and 6 likewise'will be rotated.

' Each of the pinions 6 have secured to a circumferential surface thereof a knotting hook or bill 8 which is rotatable with its pinion 6. Said bills 8 face one toward the other between said support members and rotate coaxially with its associated pinion 6. Each of said bills 8 includes a pair of grips or fingers 9 and shearing blades 11 coaxially mounted for pivotal movement on a suitable pin passed transversely therethrough and an adjustment screw 10a is provided for varying the gripping pressure of said fingers 9.

As seen in Fig. 5, the bill 8 has the fingers 9 arranged side by side and each comprising a substantially L-shaped member one end of which is connected on pin 10 which is mounted on a short stub 6a rigidly secured to pinion 6. The opposite free ends of said fingers 9 are slightly divergent giving rise to a recess 9a at the free ends of said fingers into which a thread can be engaged.

Each of said support members 3 and 4 carries a guide member 12 having a substantially circular camming surface 12' cut out therein, the center of said circular cutout being offset or eccentric relative the axis of rotation of the pinion 6 and stub 6a supporting a said knotting hook or bill 8. The shearing blades 11 each have extensions or tails 13 which extend rearwardly toward pinion 6 and into the cut-out in position to bear against said camming surface 12' when the knotting bill is revolved. As selective portions of the camming surface are engaged, the shear members 11 are selectively pivoted relative the gripping fingers 9 to function in consort therewith as will be explained subsequently.

The triggering lever of the device is designated 15,

, same being pivotally mounted between side plates 1 and 2 on shaft 15a and maintained in a normal return position by the leaf spring 17 wound at one end thereof around shaft 15a and having its second end bearing against stop 15c (in dotted lines in Fig. 1) between said side plates. As seen from Figs. 1 and 2, said lever 15 includes a pair of plate segments 31 and upstanding from the upper edge of the one segment 31 (seen in Fig. 1) is a pawl or bar 16 arranged to bear against the lateral surfaces of the helical member 7. Thus, as the trigger 15 is moved in the direction of arrow 15b to the dotted line position thereof shown in Fig. l, pawl 16 affects rotation of the spindle 7 with the accompanying rotation of the meshed pinions 5 and 6 and the hooks or bills secured to pinions 6.

Pivotally mounted on a pin 18 supported at its ends between side plates 1 and 2 is the extractor and tensioning lever 19. Said lever 19 is connected by an articulated linkage with the trigger lever 15, said linkage including the arm or link 20 extending parallel with the side plate 1. One end of the link 20 is connected to the lever 19 as indicated at 20a and the opposite end is pivotally connected as indicated at 20b to one end of the link or arm 21, the opposite end of said link 21 being pivotally attached on the side plate 1 as seen at 21a. Intermediate the pivotally connected ends of said link 21 is a pin 23 extending inwardly toward an adjacent plate segment 31, said adjacent plate 31 having a shaped guide slot 24 therein through which pin 23 is received. Thus, when the trigger lever is pivoted in direction of arrow'l5b, said pin 23 will be translated causing links 20 and zl to aifect curvilinear movement of the lever 19 between the bills 8 in an upward direction to the dotted line position 19a seen in Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. 2, as mentioned heretofore, the first step in the formation of the composite knot is cross-over of the two threads to be tied. This is accomplished by means of the substantially L-shaped levers 26 and 27. Each of said levers is pivotally mounted at its bottom end on a pin 25 attached on side plate 2. Said levers 26 and 27 are connected one to the other by means of the cross-links 26a and 27a which are pivotally conjoined together, said cross-links carrying a pin 30 which is engaged in a cam guide slot 30a formed in the second plate segment 31 of the lever 15. When the trigger is moved to the dotted line position thereof shown in Fig. 2, the pin 30 is translated to cause said levers 26 and 27 to pivot one toward the other. At the upper ends of said levers 26 and 27 are formed the grips or pawls 28 and 29 respectively facing inwardly one toward the other, said grips 28 and 29 crossing one the other in the pivotal movement of the levers 26 and 27. Thus, with a thread engaged by each of said pawls 28 and 29, upon rotation of said levers 26 and 27, the threads will be crossed forming a loop.

Each of said side plates are provided with guide slits, slits 32 and 33 of plate 1 and slits 34 and 35 of plate 2 each opening to the top edge of the plate in which provided. Further, each slit of one plate is aligned substantially opposite a slit of the second plate.

We consider now the operation of the device D. The threads 36 and 37 to be tied are laid laterally across the side plates land 2 each received in a pair of said aligned slits. Thus, thread 36 may extend between plates 1 and 2 supported in slits 32 and 35 and thread 37 may be supported in slits 33 and 34 in a like manner. As seen in Fig. l, slits 32 and 34 are outwardly bowed with respect to one another so that the threads when on the bottom of the slit are positioned each to be supported between plates 1 and 2 on a knotting bill 8 behind the fingers 9 thereof because each slit 32 and 33 is offset laterally from the fingers 9 adjacent which it is arranged, The threads 36 and 37 are sufficiently long to protrude outwardly of said side plates thereby providing portions which may be snubbed against the side plates during form. ing of the composite knot so that said threads will be prevented from being pulled out of the device inadvertently.

ment each'pass into the open loop and wrap around both of the threads. As each bill approaches a complete revolution therefor, each of the fingers 9 is open and moves to grip a thread wrapped around its bill in the portion 9a thereof. However, the thead gripped by each bill is the second thread of the pair, namely, the one not supported thereon in the original placement of the threads in said guide slits. Upon completion of a revolution, each bill forms an overhand knot 38 and the knots 38 are spaced apart as seen in Fig. 7. The thread 37 is hitched in the knot 38 on the left and the thread 36 is hitched in the knot 38 on the right. Referring to Fig. 9, after said spaced apart knots 38 have been formed, the tensioning lever 19 is moved between the bills in a curvilinear movement in direction of arrow T into engagement with the conjoined threads between said knots 38. As the lever 19 moves upwardly indicated by the dotted line position 40 thereof in Fig. 7, the knots 38 are caused to slide together on portions 42 of said threads between said knots (see Fig. 7).

Meanwhile, after the knots 38 have been formed, the shears 11 snip a thread end adjacent a said knot, however, gripping fingers 9 still retain their hold until the lever 19 has completed its uppermost movement. The final position of said lever 19 is seen in Fig. 8 where the knots 38 have been pulled together into a composite knot 44. Also, the gripping fingers 19 will have been moved apart to release the threads.

The composite knot 44 is seen in Fig. 3 on an exaggerated scale. The snipped or sheared ends 46 are also seen adjacent said knot 44, said knot 44 tying together the threads 36 and 37. The resulting knot 44 is a secure and non-slip connection between said two threads, and continuous pull on the threads 36 and 37 will only result in the knots 38 being pulled closer together.

The gripping, shearing and releasing of the threads by the bills 8 is controlled by means of the tail portions 13 on each bill which ride against the cam guide surface 12' of the guide member supported on each of the sides 1 and 2. Said guide surfaces each are substantially circular in configuration with the center of the circle offset or eccentric relative the axis of rotation of the bill 8 extending therethrough. Thus, as each bill is rotated, the first portion of the cycle has the tails 13 free of engagement with said surfaces 12. The tails become engaged with said surfaces toward the end of the revolution where first they cause movement of the shearing members to effect gripping of the thread then shearing of the thread. As the bills move past the point of a complete revolution and shearing is completed, said tails may ease away from the surfaces 12 due to the eccentricity of the circular surface 12', but still not sufiiciently to release the threads until after the composite knot 44 has been formed.

It is believed the invention has been described sufficiently to enable the skilled artisan to understand and practice the same. Minor variations are contemplated within the spirit of the invention without departing from the broad principles thereof as set forth in appended claims.

What is desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A knotting device for automatically tying a pair of threads in a composite knot comprising, a pair of laterally spaced apart side plates, a pair of knotting bills including thread holding means and thread shearing means rotatably mounted between said plates on axes substantially parallel to the planes of said plates, a pair of support members mounted transversely between said plates, said plates having guide slits in an end edge thereof for supporting said threads extended between said side plates and laterally spaced one from the other with the holding and shearing means of said bills located between said threads, a trigger lever pivotally mounted between said plates, said knotting bills and support members having cooperating cam guide means for controlling sequential operation of said holding means and thread shearing means during cyclic operation of the device, a tension lever connected to said trigger lever for reciprocal movement in a vertical plane between said knotting bills, drive means connected between said trigger lever and said knotting bills, operable to affect rotation of said bills when the trigger lever is moved, and second thread gripping means operably connected with the trigger means and arranged adjacent one of said plates in a predetermined position relative to the guide slits in said one plate whereby operation of the second thread gripping means will cross said threads, said device operative upon movement of the trigger lever to perform a sequence of operations in which the threads first are crossed by said second gripping means, thereafter said knotting bills are rotated through a cycle of revolution in which a pair of spaced apart knots are formed and ends of the threads are severed, then said tensioning lever is moved to slide said knots one toward the other to form said composite knot.

2. A device as described in claim 1 in which said holding means retain their hold on the threads after the thread ends have been severed, albeit release their hold when the compo-site knot is formed.

3. A device as described in claim 1 in which said two knots comprise simple overhand knots.

4. A device as described in claim 1 inwhich said cam guide means includes a curved cam surface in each support member and said bills each have extensions adapted to engage with and move along a said surface during cyclic rotation of the bill.

S. A device as described in claim 4 in which said support members each have a substantially arcuate cut-out thereof the curved edge of which provides said cam surface.

6. A device as described in claim 1 in which said drive means includes a helical member supported between said plates and gear means connected between said helical member and said bills, said trigger lever having a portion thereof bearing against said helical member to rotate same when the lever is moved.

7. A device as described in claim 6 in which said device has spring means connected with said trigger lever to return same to its initial position after the composite knot is formed.

8. A device as described in claim 1 in which said sec ond gripping means comprises a pair of elongate levers pivotally connected at one end thereof to said trigger lever, the opposite ends of said elongate levers having offset gripping fingers facing one the other, said elongate levers being pivotal to cross one the other prior to the time said bills first engage the threads.

9. An automatic knot tying device for tying together a pair of threads supported laterally spaced one relative the other in said device comprising, a frame supporting a plurality of operational components operated sequentially to tie said knots including, means pivotally mounted for engaging and crossing said threads, rotary knotting bill means having thread gripping means and thread shearing means, said thread gripping and thread shearing means being movable to engage said threads after same have been crossed and complete their cyclic revolution to tie a pair of knots spaced one from the other and sever ends of said threads, said knots being formed on intermediate portions of said thread between the knots and slidable one toward the other to form a composite knot tying said threads together, drive means connected with said thread zcr'ossing-means and bill means including guide means and 11'. A device as described in claim 10 in which said atrigger lever. movable to initiate and complete said deguide means comprises cam means cooperable with said scribed sequential movement of said components through knotting bills to control operation of said thread gripsaid drive means to form said composite knot. pingmeans and thread shearing means.

10. A device as described in claim 9 in which there is '5 tensioning means supported on the frame movable to en- References Cited in the file of 111115 Patent gage said intermediate portions after the pair of knots i have been formed and affect sliding of said knots to' a UNITED STATES PATENTS position one adjacent the other, said tensioning means 1,348,929 Coleman Aug. 10, 1920 being operably connected with said lever. .10 2,786,256 Axelsson Mar. 26, 1957

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