US2843000A - Dropper jacquard mechanism - Google Patents

Description

July 15, 1958 F. H. HAsLAM-JcNEs 1 2,343,000

DROPPER JACQUARD MECHANISM Filed May 2, 1955 5 Shets-Sheet 1 July 15, 1958 HASLAM-JQNES 2,843,000

DROPPER JAC QUARD MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 2, 1955 mvw Invergtor K Horswt Haikam-l ones By.- WLIJAM S. SYMRM July 15, 1958 F. H. HAsLAM-JoNEs I 2,343,000

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DROPPER JACQUARD MECHANISM Jul 15, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 2, 1955 DROPPER JACQUARD MECHANISM Frauh Horsfield Hashim-Jones, West Bridgford, England, iISSiagllO! to John Jar-dine Limited, New Basford, Eng- Application May 2, 1955, Serial No. 505,424 Claims priority, application Great Britain May 7, 1954 9 Claims. (Cl. 87-14) This invention is improved dropper jacquard mechan1sm of the type in which perforated jacquard cards are presented, one after another, at each cycle of the mecharusm, to an assembly of droppers and by relative movement between the operative card and the droppers, selected droppers are caused to occupy a projected position and other selected droppers are caused to occupy a nonprojecting position, the selection being governed by the number and pattern of the perforations. Such mechanism is commonly employed in textile machines; for example in Leavers lace machines it is employed to select for movement the steel bars (or thread guide bars) which control the warp and beam threads and also to predetermine the extent to which any selected steel bar is moved.

It has been found that in many machines one of the factors limiting the machine speed is the speed at which the jacquard mechanism can be operated safely, and it has further been found that one of the factors limiting the safe speed of the jacquard mechanism is the inertia of the moving parts and the distance through which some of the parts have to travel.

An object of the present invention is to effect such improvements in dropper jacquard mechanism of the type specified as will permit such mechanism to be run at higher speeds than has hitherto been customary in Leavers lace machines.

The invention therefore provides dropper jacquard mechanism of the type specified having, in combination with means for mounting the jacquard cylinder for movement towards and away from the droppers, cylinder racking means between which and the cylinder relative movement takes place in a direction transverse to the first said movement. Thus both of these movements may be of relatively small amplitude with a consequent increase in safe operating speed.

According to an important subsidiary feature of the invention there is pivoted support means for supporting the cylinder and droppers for bodily movement to and fro about an axis parallel to the cylinder axis and for bodily movement of the cylinder towards and away from the droppers in a direction normal to the cylinder axis. The pivotal mounting of the cylinder and droppers again makes for an increase in safe operating speed and an economy in motive power.

According to a further important subsidiary feature the movement of the cylinder away from the droppers serves to bring it into position to be acted on by the racking means, and the latter comprises a series of gear teeth or their equivalent and the cylinder is provided with a pinion or its equivalent for engaging the teeth.

The foregoing and other features of the invention are incorporated in the jacquard mechanism which will now be described in detail by way of example with reference to the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an end elevation of the mechanism;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of one end thereof;

Figure 3 is an end elevation on a somewhat larger nitecl States Patent scale of some of the components shown in Figure l, and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 4 is a side elevation of a double mechanism according to this invention, in its casing (with a cover plate of the latter removed);

Figure 5 is a view looking in the direction of the arrow A in Figure 4, with a cover plate removed;

Figure 6 is a general view of a lace machine incorporating a double mechanism according to this invention.

Referring primarily to Figures 1-5 the mechanism shown in the drawings is particularly intended foruse in Leavers lace machines for selecting and moving the steel bars controlling the Warp and beam threads; it is a double mechanism in that it consists of two complete jacquard mechanisms operating alternatively.

One of these mechanisms (the right hand one in Figures l and 4) will be described in detail; like reference numerals indicate like parts in the two mechanisms but in the second mechanism these reference numerals are primed.

The mechanism comprises a hexagonal jacquard cylinder or drum Jill mounted by its spindle 11 between two levers l2 pivoted at their lower ends 13 to rock about a horizontal axis parallel to the cylinder axis. By stepby-step rotation of the cylinder 10, jacquard cards a are presented horizontally in an operative position, at which they may be offered to a series of flexible droppers M. The droppers 14 are slidably mounted in a support 15 extending between the two levers 12.

In order that the cylinder It) may be raised and lowered its spindle 11 is carried in bearing blocks 16 each of which is slidably guided in a guide slot 17 extending lengthwise of the associated lever 12. Movement of the cylinder up and down the levers 12 is produced by connecting rods 18 extending between the bearing blocks 16 and bell crank levers 1 pivoted at 20, these levers being further connected by connecting rod 21 to one arm of a truck lever 22 pivoted at 23 and having truck 24 engaging a suitably shaped cam 25 on a constantly rotating cam shaft 26.

The rocking movement of levers 12 and cylinder 10 are derived from cam shaft 27, and a counter-cam shaft 28. For this purpose the levers are pivoted at to a driving bar 31 slidable along guides 32 and connected by a link 33 to a truck lever 34 pivoted at 35 and having trucks acted on by cam and counter-cam on shafts 27, 28.

Movement of the jacquard cylinder 10 away from the droppers 14 to its lower position brings it into position to be acted on by the racking means shown as a toothed quadrant 36 pivoted at 37. As the jacquard cylinder is lowered the pinion 38 with which it is provided, engages the teeth of this quadrant; the latter is rocked at an appropriate time through link 39, truck lever th and truck 41 acted on by a cam 42 on cam shaft 26.

Associated with the quadrant 36 there is a check plate 43 co-operating with a pin wheel 44 to prevent over travel of the cylinder 10, the latter being further located in each of its six positions by means of a spring pressed plunger or ball 45 co-operating with six recesses in the face of a disc 46 on the cylinder spindle 11.

Referring to the mechanism on the right in Figure l, the cylinder 10 occupies its lower position when at the left hand extremity of its to and fro swing. In this attitude the gear 38 is meshed with quadrant 36 and the latter is rocked in the clock-wise direction, Figure l, to rack the cylinder 10 in the anti-clockwise direction and finally to carry quadrant 36 out of mesh with gear 38. During the last stages of movement of quadrant 36, driving bar 31 and levers 12 move to the right, until the latter occupy a substantially vertical attitude. As this movement takes place, the cylinder 10 starts to rise to disengage gear 38 from the moving quadrant 36 and to make a fresh selection of droppers. Driving bar 31 and levers 12 then start to move to the left and as they do so the cylinder completes its upward movement so that the heads 47 of selected droppers are positioned in front of the left hand edge of bar 31. Continued movement of bar 31 to the left (accompanied by movement of levers 12 to the left) traps the raised heads 47 of selected droppers between the bar 31 and parts 50 associated with the elements 52. Selected elements 52 are thus moved to the left, through a selected distance. After the bar 31 and levers 12 have reached the left hand extremity of travel, the cylinder 10 is lowered to free the top jacquard card from' the droppers and to engage gear 38 with quadrant 36.

It is to be explained that the droppers are arranged in ranks in the axial direction of the cylinder 10 and the droppers in the various ranks are arranged in files one behind each other in Figure 2. As a result of the selection of droppers made by cylinder 1t and the jacquard cards, in any selected file at least one dropper can be raised until its enlarged head 47 becomes level with the driving bar 31. In certain files, of course, no droppers at all may be raised.

The selected droppers are caused or permitted to descend at a time when their heads 4-7 cease to be gripped between bar 31 and parts 50.

For each file of droppers in each mechanism there is a horizontally movable member 48 known as a box and each box is connected to one of the steel bars 52 of a lace machine 53. In each file the raised dropper heads 47, 47' constitute a distance piece interposed between driving bar 31, 31' and parts 54 50 of the associated box. Therefore in movement of the driving bar to the left any given box is driven to the left (against the tension of a spring not shown) but contained in a housing 54, Figure 6, to a variable amount dependent on the aggregate thickness of the raised heads 47 or 47. During or at the end of this movement to the left the cylinder 10 descends but the descent of the droppers (under the influence of gravity or a spring device) is delayed because of the grip on the dropper heads until (during subsequent movement of the driving bar to the right) the return movement of the box is halted by engagement of its part 50 or 50' against the other driving bar or droppers positioned before the other driving bar. The grip on the droppers is then released allowing them to descend. The movement of the steel bars 48 by the driving bars 31, 31 takes place at a time when the wall of the lace machine is clear of bobbin carriages.

The second jacquard mechanism, having primed reference numbers in Figures 1 and 4, is out of phase with the other mechanism by l80". Thus while levers l2 swing to the left, levers 12 are stationary in their upright right-hand position, and While levers 12' swing to the left, levers 12 are stationary in their upright righthand position while cylinder 1% ascends, cylinder 10 is lowered; moreover, although quadrants 36 and 36 move simultaneously (being connected by a link 49) quadrant 36 makes its working stroke While quadrant 36 makes its idle return stroke.

The double jacquard mechanism is indicated generally by reference 55 in Figure 6 and the mechanisms are housed in a casing 57 equipped with various cover plates or inspection doors such as are indicated at 58 and 59. The double mechanism is driven by driving shaft 65 from the lace machine 53; shaft 60 drives cam shaft 28 through bevel gearing 61 and cam shaft 28 drives cam shaft 27 through gearing 62, 63. Shaft 28 likewise drives cam shaft 26 through gearing 62, 64, 65.

It will therefore be appreciated that for each jacquard mechanism there are cam and counter cam mechanisms for producing the swinging movement of levers 12 or 12', for moving the cylinder it? or 10 towards and away from its associated droppers 14 or 14', and for swinging the quadrant 36 or 36' to rack the associated cylinder, and that because of these cam and counter cam mechanisms these movements are performed positively in both directions, thus achieving exact timing and permitting of high speeds of operation.

I claim:

1. Dropper jacquard mechanism comprising the combination of a jacquard cylinder, jacquard cards on said cylinder, variable numbers and patterns of perforations in said cards, an assembly of droppers adjacent the cylinder, means mounting the cylinder for movement towards and away from the droppers by which movement selected droppers are caused to occupy a projected position and other selected droppers are caused to occupy a non-projected position as governed by the number and pattern of said perforations, and racking means for racking the cylinder to present the cards one after the other to the droppers by relative movement between the racking means and the cylinder in a direction transverse to the movement of the cylinder towards and away from the droppers.

2. Dropper jacquard mechanism comprising the combination of a jacquard cylinder rotatable about its axis, jacquard cards on said cylinder, variable numbers and patterns of perforations in said cards, an assembly of droppers adjacent the cylinder, pivoted support means for supporting the cylinder and droppers for bodily movement to and fro about an axis parallel to the cylinder axis and for bodily movement of the cylinder towards and away from the droppers in a direction normal to the cylinder axis by which movement selected droppers are caused to occupy a projected position and other selected droppers are caused to occupy a nonprojected position as governed by the number and pattern of said perforations, and racking means for racking the cylinder to present the cards one after another to the droppers by relative movement between the racking means and the cylinder in a direction transverse to the movement of the cylinder towards and away from the droppers.

3. Dropper jacquard mechanism comprising the combination of a jacquard cylinder, jacquard cards on the cylinder, variable numbers and patterns of perforations in the cards, an assembly of droppers adjacent the cylinder, means mounting the cylinder for movement towards and away from the droppers by which movement selected droppers are caused to occupy a projected position and other selected droppers are caused to occupy a non-projected position as governed by the number and pattern of the perforations, a pinion on the cylinder, and racking means comprising a series of gear teeth with which said pinion is caused to engage when the cylinder moves away from the droppers for racking the cylinder to present the cards one after another to the droppers by relative movement between the gear teeth and pinion in a direction transverse to the movement of the cylinder towards and away from the droppers.

4. Dropper jacquard mechanism comprising the combination of a jacquard cylinder rotatable about its axis, jacquard cards on the cylinder, variable numbers and patterns of perforations in the cards, an assembly of droppers adjacent the cylinder, pivoted support means for supporting the cylinder for bodily movement to and fro about an axis parallel to the cylinder axis, guides in the pivoted support means for bodily movement of the cylinder towards and away from the droppers in a direction normal to the cylinder axis by which movement selected droppers are caused to occupy a projected position and other selected droppers are caused to occupy a non-projected position as governed by the number and pattern of the perforations, and racking means for racking the cylinder to present the cards one after another to the droppers by relative movement between the racking means and the cylinder in a direction transverse to the movement of the cylinder as guided by said guides towards and away from the droppers.

5. Dropper jacquard mechanism comprising the combination of a jacquard cylinder, jacquard cards on said cylinder, variable numbers and patterns of perforations on said cards, an assembly of individually movable droppers adjacent the cylinder, said cylinder and droppers being bodily movable in a direction transverse to that of the individual droppers, movable selection elements, a driver for moving said elements in said transverse direction, means mounting the cylinder for movement toward and away from the droppers by which movement selected droppers are caused to occupy a projected position interposed between said elements and the driver and other selected droppers are caused to occupy a nonprojected position clear of said elements and driver as governed by the number and pattern of said perforations, and racking means for racking the cylinder to present the cards one after another to the droppers by. relative movement between the racking means and the cylinder in a direction transverse to the movement of the cylinder towards and away from the droppers.

6. Dropper jacquard mechanism comprising the combination of a jacquard cylinder, jacquard cards on said cylinder, variable numbers and patterns of perforations in said cards, an assembly of droppers adjacent the cylinder, means mounting the cylinder for movement towards and away from the droppers by which movement selected droppers are caused to occupy a nonprojected position as governed by the number and pattern of said perforations, cam and counter cams means for effecting said movement of the cylinder towards and away from the droppers, racking means for racking the cylinder to present the cards one after another to the droppers by relative movement between the racking means and the cylinder in a direction transverse to the movement of the cylinder towards and away from the droppers, and cam and counter cam means for operating the racking means.

7. Dropper jacquard mechanism comprising the combination of a jacquard cylinder rotatable about its axis, jacquard cards on said cylinder, variable numbers and patterns of perforations in said cards, an assembly of droppers adjacent the cylinder, pivoted support means for supporting the cylinder and droppers for bodily swinging movement to and fro about an axis parallel to the cylinder axis, a pinion coupled to the cylinder, means mounting the cylinder and pinion on the support means for movement towards and away from the droppers by which movement selected droppers are caused to occupy a projected position and other selected droppers are caused to occupy a non-projected position as governed by the number and pattern of the perforations, a swinging quadrant for acting on the pinion, means mounting the quadrant for engagement by and disengagement from the pin-- ion upon movement of the cylinder away from and towards the droppers, and cam and counter cam mechanisms for producing the swinging movement of the support means, also for moving the cylinder towards and away from the droppers, and further for swinging the quadrant to rack the cylinder.

8. Dropper jacquard mechanism comprising the combination of reciprocating selection elements, a reciprocating driver for operating said elements, a support arm connected to said driver and pivotally mounted on an axis transverse to the direction of reciprocation of the driver and elements, an assembly of droppers on the support arm, a jacquard cylinder slidably mounted on the support arm, jacquard cards on said cylinder, variable numbers and patterns of projections on the cards, racking means operable for racking the cylinder to present different cards to the droppers, cam and counter cam means for operating the racking means, cam and counter cam means for sliding the cylinder alternately into and out of co-operation with the racking means and respectively out of and into operative engagement with the droppers whereby selected of the droppers are projected to a position determining the reciprocatory space relationship between the driver and the elements and the remainder remain non-projected as governed by the number and pattern of said perforations, and cam and counter cam means for effecting joint oscillation of the support arm and reciprocation of the driver to present a fresh selection of droppers to the elements and driver prior to each operation of the elements by the driver.

9. Dropper jacquard mechanism of duplicate construction wherein two mechanisms each comprising the combination of reciprocating selection elements, a reciprocating driver for operating said elements, a support arm connected to said driver and pivotally mounted on an axis transverse to the direction of reciprocation of the driver and elements, an assembly of droppers on the support arm, a jacquard cylinder slidably mounted on the support arm, jacquard cards on said cylinder, variable numbers and patterns of perforations on the cards, racking means operable for racking the cylinder to present different cards to the droppers, cam and counter cam means for sliding the cylinder alternately into and out of co-operation with the racking means and respectively out of and into operative engagement with the droppers whereby selected of the droppers are projected to a position determining the reciprocatory space relationship between the driver and the elements and the remainder remain non-projected as governed by the number and pattern of said perforations, and cam and counter cam means for effecting joint oscillation of the support arm and reciprocation of the driver to present a fresh selection of droppers to the elements and driver prior to each operation of the elements by the driver, in combination with common cam and counter cam means for operating the two racking means, and the cams and counter cams for each driver being arranged to be operative in turn while the other is inoperative and a fresh selection of the droppers of the other mechanism is being made.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 379,484 Meats Mar. 13, 1888 507,575 Zimermann Oct. 31, 1893 1,214,449 Fuchs Jan. 30, 1917 1,382,558 Schuler June 21, 1921 FOREIGN PATENTS 489,882 Great Britain Aug. 5, 1938

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