US1926382A - Loose reed for looms - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 12, 1933. E. .R. HOLMES LOOSE REED FOR LOOMS Filed June 11. 1931 I =9nxfentor' (ilbridge R. Holmes Qttp neqs Patented Sept. 12, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OF-FIKIE LOOSE REED FOR LOOMS Application June 11, 1931. Serial No. 543,624

7 Claims.

' This invention relates to improvements in loose reeds for looms and it is the general object of the invention to provide an improved structure of this kind wherein the beat of the reed may be conveniently and accurately determined.

In the manufacture of certain fabrics such as light silk it is desirable to have a reed which will give a very light beat to the weft so that marks in the cloth willnot appear due to any unevenness which may exist in the feeding of the warp from the let-ofi motion. It has been proposed heretofore to employ loose reeds but they have ordinarily been acted upon either by fixed parts which cannot easily be changed or the manner of their adjustment has not permitted a wide range in the force of the blow of beat-up. Furthermore, in existing loose reeds of certain types it is necessary to provide some form of lock for the reed while the shuttle is in flight. It is an important object of my present invention to provide a reed structure which is so mounted that the part of the reed wires which engage the weftduring beatup is normally acted upon by a force tending to move it rearwardly from the fell. This may be accomplished by having a reed structure the top part of which is overbalanced and acts by its inertia to move the bottom of the reed backwardly as the lay comes to rest momentarily in its forward motion when beating up 'the weft. With such a reed the momentum of the upper part of the movable structure tends during the backward stroke of the lay to hold the reed in forward position, thereby bracing the shuttle.

It is a further object of my invention to couple with the over-balanced reed structure additional means which can be made to oppose a variable yielding force to the reed so that the tendency for the reed to move rearwardly at the time of beat-up may be altered. The variable feature of a yieldable force is desirable because of the fact that the reeds are not all of the same weight nor do they necessarily occupy the same position with respect to the axis around which the reed structure oscillates. .Certain grades of cloth require a reed having'a relatively large number of reed wires to the inch and the requisite strength is obtained by increasing the depth of the reed wires, whereas in other instances the cloth being woven calls for a rather coarse reed the weight of which is substantially less than that of the other type mentioned. Furthermore, a loom is ordinarily built so that it may take reeds produced by different manufacturers so that ordinarily if a reed structure is designed for a given reed there is no assurance that the same conditions will necessarily exist when other reeds are used. By having an easily altered yielding mechanism positioned to resist the tendency of the reed to 'move rearwardly at beat up it is possible to compensate for these variations arising from the different types of reed. t

It is to be noted that during the'backward mo tion of the lay these yielding devices exert their energy in direction to hold the reed in proper shuttle guiding position. During beat-up, therefore, the reed is acted upon by the difference of two separate and independent forces, while during shuttle flight these forces are added to brace the reed. This desirable result is accomplished by the motion of the lay together with lay carried. yielding devices, and there is no necessity for contact with a stationary part.

It is another object of my present invention to provide a pivoted reed structure the center of gravity of which is not only above but also in front of the pivot so that the weight of the superstructure above the reed as well as its momentum will'act to move the fell engaging part of the reed rearwardly.

It isanother object of my'present invention to v8V0 though not necessarily being combined with '35 means for varying the previously mentioned resistance which is offered to the rearward movement of the reed. This relation is desirable because when the reed is raised or lowered in the reed structure the condition of non-balance is changed and it is desirable that some means be provided for its restoration.

Another object of the invention relates to the irregular feeding of the silk warp. The latter is I usually wound on paper and not confined between limiting flanges or heads, with the result that the warp is not necessarily wrapped one layer directly over the other. The lateral position of the warp in the loom may vary enough to cause undesirable wearing on the reed if the latter be fixed. One feature of my invention contemplates the provision of a sliding mounting for the reed structure, preferably at the pivotal. mounting, to compensate for the lateral shift of the warp.

With these and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth venient embodiment of my invention is set forth,

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through a lay having my improved form of reed applied thereto,

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of one end of the lay and the reed looking in the direction of arrow 2, Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view similar to a portion of Fig. 1, but on a reduced scale, showing the action of the reed at the time of beat-up,

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but with the lay moving in a rearward direction, and

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic rear elevation showing the mounting for the reed structure whereby the latter is movable laterally relatively to the lay.

Referring to the drawing, I have shown a lay v10 mounted on a lay sword 11 and having a lay end 12. The lay has a race plate 13 and there may extend from the front to rear of the lay a plurality of stop screws 14. one of which is shown in Fig. 1. The position of each screw is determined by a lock nut 15, and the screws serve 'to position a stop plate 16 which is located in a rabbet' 17 cut in the rear part of the lay beam. The stop has a horizontal extension 18 through whichextendsa series of holding bolts 19 one of which is shown in Fig. 1. A vertical rear surface 20 on the stop may be moved backwardly or forwardly by means of the screws already described.

Each lay end has bolted thereto a stand car- ,ryinga pivotpin or stud 31 which passes through a hub 32 of a pivot arm 33. The top of the latter extends over and is bolted to the horizontal cross head 34 of a T-shaped angle iron 35 having a front substantially vertical surface 36. A holder 37 is held to the angle iron or steel by a series of bolts 38, one of which is shown in Fig. 1. The vertical part of the holder is spaced from the surface 36by the thickness of the top rib 39 of the reed. The lower rib 40 engages the rear surface 20 of the stop 16. As shown in Fig. 5 the hub 32 is slidable as well as angularly movable with respect to the studs 31.

In order tohold the lower rail against the stop 16 I provide a yielding lever pivoted as at 51 to a stand 52 projecting downwardly from and secured to the under sideof the lay. This lever is provided with a perforated finger 53 through vwhich extendsa bolt 54. The head of thelatter is in engagement with the back of the finger 53 and. saidbolt is surrounded by a compression spring 55 located between a washer 56 on the front of the bolt and an ear 57 formed; on the stand 52. The effect of the spring is to move the arm .50 and therefore they backstay 58 rigid therewith toward the front of the loom. The backstay thus acts to hold the lower rib 40 against the stop 16, and it is to be noted that by altering the nuts 59 on the bolt 54 the pressure of thespring 55 and therefore the force exerted on thebottom rib 40 can be changed. I

.There is another adjustment which is possible in connection with lever 50 and it is accomplished by making the stand 52 in two separate parts as suggested in Fig. 2 and securing them together by means of bolts 60. Slots 61 in one of the parts of the stand permit a vertical adjustment of the pivot pin 51. It is to be noted that the ear 57 moves with the pin 51 during theseadjustments so that alignment of said ear with the bolt 54 may be preserved.

The vertical adjustment of' the lever 50 just described is rendered desirablefro ntime to time when .moving the reed R vertically with, respect tothe lay. This movement can be effected by -.loosen s the bolt 3 e dfi i s rai in 9 low ing the top rib 39, after which a corresponding adjustment can be made for the stud 51 and therefore the lever 50.

A second means for changing the vertical position of the reed is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and consists of slots 65 in the upwardly extending part of the sword 12 through which bolts 66 pass. Nuts 6'7hold the bolts in place and the heads of the bolts clamp the foot 68 of the bearing 30 in adjusted position on the lay. This mode of adjustment for the reed does not change the center of gravity of the reed structure relatively to the axis 31.

An inspection of Fig. 1 will show that the greater part of the weight of the reed cap and hand rail 70 secured thereto lies above the axis '31, and as set forth herein also in front of said axis, although this latter relation is not essential. The top rib 39 is clamped tightly between the surface 36 and the holder 3'7 so that the reed is held rigidly with respect to the T-shaped member 3%. During the forward movement of the lay the structure movable about axis 31 will attain a certain momentum and will tend to move forwardly after, the lay comes momentarily to rest at the time of beat-up. The lay approaches its" temporary condition of rest by a rather quick retardation of its movement, but the center of gravity of the reed structure, being above the axis 31, tends to move forwardly more quickly than the lay, so that there is an increasing tendency for the bottom of the reed to move rearwardly or to the right to assume the position shown in Fig. 3. 1 This is due to the fact that the center of gravity of the reed structure and the fell of the cloth lie on opposite sides of the axis 31. There is therefore a tendency for the reed to lag behind the lay and give the weft W a blow the force of which is less than what it would be if the reed were fastened rigidly to the lay or were so mounted as to move at the same rate as does the lay.

By means of the lever 50 and parts associated therewith the tendency of the reed to lag behind the lay can be lessened depending upon the pressure exerted by springs 55 on the finger 53. If a considerable amount of lag on the part of the reed behind the lay is desired the nuts 59 will be moved forwardly so that the spring 55 will exert a weak force on the backstay.

58, but if, on the other hand, it is desired to have the reed move almost at the same ratebf motion as the lay, then the nuts 59 can be moved rearwardly on the bolt, thereby tighteningthe spring and increasing the force which it exerts in opposition to the lagging tendency of the reed.

If the reed R be adjusted vertically as'suggested hereinbefore the spring 55 can be adjusted to compensate for the change in the center of gravity of the reed structure. It is to be understood that the position of the reed determines to some extent the center of gravity of the whole structure movable about axis 31, and when the reed is raised the center is also raised, so that the effective vertical distance from axis 31 is inency of the reed to move relatively to the lay and this can be che'cked by a variation in the upper part of the reed structure tends to move rearwardly to hold the reed in relative forward position as shown in Fig. 4. During this part of the loom cycle the springs 55 aid the momentum of the reed structure so that the shuttle S is positioned by the combined effort of momentum and spring pressure, and there is no need for additional controls from stationary parts of the loom or the like. The parts carried by the lay act of themselves on the front stroke to position the reed so it will respond to slight variations in the position of the weft being beaten in, and on the back stroke these same parts hold the reed tightly in place to guide the moving shuttle.

In Fig. 5 the reed structure is shown as located centrally between the lay ends 12, with a space between each hub 32 and its corresponding stand 30. It is possible for the reed to move to the right to the position shown in light dotted lines in Fig. 5 if the warp should lie to the right, or, if the warp should unwind so as to shift to the left, the reed can move to the position indicated in heavy dotted'lines. The pins or studs 31 therefore act not only as pivotal mountings for the reed, but also to permit the latter to slide transversely of the loom. 7

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a lay structure which is so constructed and mounted as to give the fell engaging part of the reed a normal rearward movement at the time of beat-up. It will further be seen that the extent to which this rearward tendency to move can affect the reed may be varied by the yieldable connection between lever 50 and the lay.

Also, it will be seen. that by loosening the cap 37 the reed may be given several vertical settings so that when Worn in one place by the constant beating-up of the weft the reed may be moved vertically to present a new unworn surface to the fell of the cloth. Furthermore, the inertia of the reed structure braces the reed during the rearward movement of the lay to support the shuttle, and the reed is free to slide laterally on the pivot pins 31 to accommodate changing positions of the warp.

Having thus described my invention it will be seen that changes and modifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

1. In a loom having a lay movable toward the fell of the cloth, a reed mounted for movement relatively to the lay, and weighted means independent of the fell effective by reason of the momentum thereof during movement of the lay toward the fell to move that part of the reed opposite the fell relatively to the lay in a direction away from the fell.

2. In a loom having a laymovable forwardly toward the fell of the cloth, a reed on the lay movable relatively thereto, and weighted means carried by and operative through momentum derived from the forward movement of the lay to move the reed rearwardly relatively to the lay as the latter approaches the fell.

3. In a loom having a lay movable forwardly toward the fell of the cloth, a reed on the lay movable relatively thereto, and means comprising a suspended mass independent of the fell and operative by reason of and during the forward movement of the lay to cause that part of the reed opposite the fell to retard its forward movement at a rate greater than that at which the lay movement retards.

4. In a loom having a lay movable forwardly toward the fell of the cloth, a reed on the lay movable relatively thereto, means independent of the fell and operative during the forward movement of the lay to cause that part of the reed opposite the fell to retard its forward movement, at a rate greater than that at which the lay movement retards, and a yielding device opera tively connected to the reed to oppose rearward relative movement of the reed with respect to the lay at the time of beat-up.

In a loom having a lay movable toward and from the fell of the cloth and along which a shuttlo moves, 'a reed movable relatively to the lay, and means operatively connected to the reed and moving with and movable with respect to the lay and acting through movement of the lay to move the reed relatively to the lay away from the fell when the lay approaches the fell and is adjacent thereto and toward the fell when the lay moves away from the fell and is remote therefrom to cause the reed to-support the shuttle.

6. In a loom having a lay movable between two extreme positions one adjacent and the other remote from the fell of the cloth and along which a shuttle moves, a reed mounted on and movable relatively to the lay, and a weighted mass operatively connected to the reed and movable relatively to the lay and acting during forward movement of the lay when the latter is adjacent the fell to move the reed relatively to the lay away from the fell, and acting when the lay is remote from the fell to move the reed relatively to the lay toward the fell to cause the reed to support the shuttle.

'7. In a loom having a lay movable back and forth therein, a reed supported by and movable with respect to the lay, and means to exert opposed yielding forces to the reed at the time of beat-up, the net effect of the forces being to move the reed rearwardly with respect to the lay.

. ELBRIDGE R. HOLMES.

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