US2928431A - Loom temple with thread parting means - Google Patents

Description

March 15, 1960 p, w, POOLE EI'AL 2,928,431

LOO" TEMPLE WITH THREAD PARTING MEANS I l i 2 19 f'z'g' .4 16 22 21 msuumou 23 INVENTORS 15 DAVID W. Poou;

i agxwz ATTORNI' Y United States Patent LOOM TEMPLE WITH THREAD PARTING MEANS David Wilson Poole and Frank lx, Jr., Charlottesville, Va.

Application February 13, 1958, Serial No. 714,996

9 Claims. (Cl. 139-266) The present invention pertains, in general, to automatic filling replenishing looms for weaving cloth from textile threads, and, more particularly, it relates to a novel thread parting means in association with a loom temple for disjoining or parting close to the cloth selvage edge the trailing ends of the ingoing and outgoing filling threads left projecting outwardly from such selvage of the cloth following each replenishment of the filling thread supply in the shuttle during normal loom operation.

Temples provided with thread cutting mechanisms commonly are employed on most all automatic textile fabric weaving looms which incorporate bobbin transfer mechanisms to replenish the filling thread supply automatically in the shuttle during the loom operation. Also, it is usual for such thread cutting mechanisms to be carried by the temple unit which is disposed adjacent the cloth selvage at which replenishment of the filling supply occurs. In most all such prior temples, the thread severing operation is effected by the cooperation of relatively fixed and movable cutter blades mounted on the temple head and arranged to cut off close to such selvage edge of the cloth the trailing ends of the filling threads which are existent from the exhausted and the fresh bobbins after transfer and replenishment of the filling thread supply in the shuttle has been effected. In practice, these previous cutting mechanisms have been principally of the continuously-operating shear type and they are caused to operate once at each beat-up movement of the loom lay so that most of the operations of the cutting blades are idle, or useless, since the formation of filling ends to be cut and left projecting from the cloth selvage is a relatively infrequent occurrence. This is because the presence or absence of filling ends is determined by the duration of the filling supply on the thread package in use before it becomes exhausted and transfer to a fresh filling package takes place.

Continuously-operating shear type temple thread cutters, however, are unsatisfactory inasmuch as the cutting blades quickly become worn to a sufficient extent to render them dull and inoperative so that the thread ends often are caught between and jam the cutter blades instead of being cut OE and then are torn away from the cloth selvage through movement of the fabric as it advances during take-up.

It is, accordingly, one object of the present invention to obviate the defects mentioned above and inherent with shear-type temple thread cutters for automatic filling replenishing looms, and further to provide an improved temple thread parter which is devoid of a shear type cutting mechanism and employs, instead, a so-called hot wire electrical resistance heater wire element mounted on the temple head and operatively disposed to disjoin or part the outwardly projecting end portions of the filling threads close to the cloth selvage by a burning operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel electrical switch means arranged to be controlled by the thread, end portion to be cut whereby the calefacient 2,928,431 Patented Mar. 15, 1960 "ice operating portion of said hot wire thread parting means normally shall remain unheated during most of the loom operating cycle, but will become activated immediately after each filling replenishment, and for a few picks after the change of filling, at which time it shall be brought to a heated state at a temperature effective to disjoin the filling threads as the result of actuation-of said electrical switch means by applied pressure from contact with the straightened and held end of a filling thread to be separated at the cloth selvage and left ex tending outwardly therefrom after a filling transfer and replenishment operation.

Further and additional objects of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the invention.

The invention now will be described in detail by reference to one specific embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying figures of drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view, as viewed from the front, of a temple head assembly incorporating a hot wire" thread parting device embodying the features of the present invention and depicting the parts disposed in operating position with respect to a woven fabric for effecting separation of the outwardly disposed trailing end of a filling thread thereof close to a selvage edge of the fabric;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional detail through the temple head, taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view, in side elevation, showing part of the forward end portion of the temple head assembly shown in Fig. 1 embodying the hot wire parting device of the present invention, and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view, in front elevation, of the temple head assembly shown in Fig. 3, taken on the line 4-4 thereof and viewed in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of one form the hot wire" may take.

The loom temple to which the present invention has been applied, for purposes of illustration only, is of a conventional design except where modified to incorporate and cooperate with the novel form of thread parting means embodying the features of the present invention.

As illustrated in the drawings, and with reference in particular to Figs. 1 and 2 thereof, the loom temple structure there shown may be of a general type, such as, for example, that illustrated in US. Patent No. 2,336,591, with or without the screw adjustment of that patent for vert cally adjusting the temple cap member, and comprises the usual temple head assembly which is generally designated by the reference numeral 10 and carried at the forward or outer end portion of the usual slide member or bar 12. The opposite end portion of the bar 12, extending rearwardly from the temple head assembly 10, is housed in the customary supporting spring stand 13 which is suitably afiixed to the usual breast beam (not shown) of a loom.

The temple head assembly 10 includes the usual laterally-extending offset lower base portion 14 with the pod element 15 which is supported by the forward end of the bar 12 and may be integral therewith, a temple top member or cap 16, and a flat-sided top end block 17. The top end block 17 is fixedly secured to the pod carrying base portion 14 by means of the usual top screw 18. The temple top member or cap 16 is attached to the top end block 17 by means of suitable cap screws 19 which have screw threaded connection to the block 17 and pass through suitable elongated openings (not shown) in an upstanding flat-sided flange 20 integral with the temple cap 16.

Housed between the temple pod and cap members 15 and 16 respectively and rotatably mounted upon the 3 usual roll pins 21 are a plurality of the customary temple rolls 22 of any preferred construction, one only being shown in Figs. 1 and 4 and having the spiral grooved type of construction.

The pod carrying base 14 of the temple head may be provided with the usual depending heel 23 by which the temple head assembly including its supporting slide member or bar 12 are reciprocated relative to the spring stand 13 and adapted to be engaged by the loom lay, in-

dicated in broken outline at 24 in Figure 2, during for-' ward movement of the lay as the filling F is heat up into the fell of the cloth C by the loom reed 25, also depicted in broken outline in Figure 2, during normal loom operation.

The loom temple structure as thus far described is of known construction and, as above-stated, has the general form of construction disclosed in the above-mentioned US. Patent No. 2,336,591, dated December 14, 1943.

The novel thread parting instrumentality of the present invention is mounted and functions on an anterior portion of the temple head assembly 10.

The thread parting means in the form which is here chosen to exemplify the present invention includes an electrical resistance heater wire or so-called hot wire" element 26, an electric switch generally designated by the reference numeral 27 having series connection electrically with the heater wire element 26, as will be presently described. As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 5, the

heater wire 26 consists of a short length of electrical resistance wire, such as, for example, a resistance alloy marketed under the name of Nichrome wire or of other standard resistance alloy used for heaters and electrical appliances, bent into a generally U-shaped body of which the terminal ends are further bent into annular loops or eyes 28 and 29 which project in opposite directions from said legs and are disposed in a common plane substantially normal to the axes of both legs of the U-loop body part.

The top end block 17 has a slot 30 extending therethrough from front to rear and coextensive with the front face of the block 17. Disposed over and covering the front entrance opening of this slot are three flat plate members 31, 32 and 33 positioned vertically one in front of the other, and each formed of a conventional electrical insulating material in sheet form. The electric heater wire 26 has its linear calefacient operating portion or base of its U-bend disposed vertically and projecting forwardly of the outer plate 31 in substantial alinement with the inside face of the top end block 17, and the heater wire element is attached to the front face of the latter by means of suitable bolts 34 and 35. The upper shank portion of the bolt 34 passes first through the terminal eye 28 of the heater wire 26 and thence through suitable alined holes in the plates 31, 32 and 33 to project well into the cavity 30 where a nut 36 threaded onto this inner end portion of said bolt fixedly secures thereon in electrical connection therewith a standard soldering lug type terminal connector 37 electrically connected with one end of an electric connector wire 38 which has its other end connected to a suitable source of electric current (not shown). Similarly, the bolt 35 has its upper shank portion passing through the lower 1 terminal eye 29 and a suitable hole in the front plate 31 to project into a cavity 39 where a nut 40 threaded onto the inner end portion of this bolt clampingly connects the latter to one end of an electrically conductive strip member 41. This strip member extends laterally of the block and is contained in a suitable groove 42 in the front face of the plate 32 thereby fixedly securing the lower end of the heater wire 26 in electrically conductive relationship therewith. The other end of the conductive strip member 41 is secured to and connected electrically by means of soldering, as indicated at 42', to the back end of a fixed button-type contact element 43 of the electric switch 27.

able with the latter to make and break the electric cir-. cuit upon appropriate flexing movement of the tip of the armature toward or from the contact element 43. The armature member 44 is of generally L-shaped formation having a short lateral arm 46 at its upper end from which depends a longer arm 47 at the lower end of which and to the rear face thereof is secured the contact element 45. The armature member 44 is afiixed to the front face of the top end block 17 by means of suitable screws 48 the shanks of which pass through suitable holes (not shown) in the lateral arm 46 and have screw threaded connection in the top end block thereby 616C.

trically connecting the armature member therewith to complete the electrical circuit with the loom frame which is appropriately grounded to the source of electric cur-.

rent supply.

The operation of the parting device is as follows: Temple action is similar to that in all conventional looms and so long as there are no ends to be cut the contact 45 remains spaced from contact 43 and wire 26, of course, remains comparatively cool. However, upon replenishment of filling there will be two ends, that left by the outgoing bobbin and that running from the battery to the selvage where the incoming filling has been introduced, which must be parted. Just as in the case where a scissors type cutter is employed, these ends do not encounter the switch blade 27 until a few picks (two to eight, for example) after transfer. These ends may and preferably do engage the wire 26 before they contact the switch, but the wire is then comparatively cool so no parting action takes place.

As soon as enough fabric has been woven after transfer, the ends advance toward the front of the loom until they depress the switch making contact to complete the circuit through wire 26 which more or less instantly glows or, at least, becomes sufficiently hot to burn or melt the threads depending upon the nature of the filling being woven. Once contact is made, the switch is held in,

Stafford cutter and to the battery may be disposed of in any desired manner.

It is to be understood that the term parted as used herein includes burning as in the case of wool or cotton, melting or otherwise reducing the thread to a liquid state as in the case of several synthetic filaments or the like.

Thus, there has been provided in accordance with the;

present invention a temple thread parter or selvage trimming device which eliminates the need for shear-type cutting blades and other moving parts which characterized the aforementioned prior temple thread cutting mechanisms and subjectto rapid wearing action, and replacement. The hot wire" heater element will be in operation only a very small part of the time the loom is functioning and only when there is a filling thread existent at the cloth selvage and in position to forcibly depress the switch armature and engage the switch contact elements to close the electric circuit through the electrical resistance wire heater element of the device. Also, it is quiet when in use.

While one embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it is to be understood that the inventive concept scribed, but is intended to embrace all variations and modifications thereof falling within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an automatic filling replenishing loom having means for weaving cloth from textile threads, and a temple disposed adjacent the cloth selvage at which replenishment of the filling thread supply occurs, the combination therewith of an electric thread parting device carried by said temple and interposed in an electrical circuit, said thread parting device comprising a thread parting member consisting of an electrical resistance heater wire, and electric switch means carried by said temple and operatively arranged to be activated by pressure applied to it by firm engagement with a filling thread to be parted for electrically energizing said heater wire to heat the latter to a temperature etfective to part a held filling thread engaged therewith.

2. In an automatic filling replenishing loom having means for weaving cloth from textile threads, and a temple disposed adjacent the cloth selvage at which replenishment of the filling thread supply occurs, the combination therewith of an electric thread parting device carried by said temple and interposed in an electrical circuit, said thread parting device comprising a thread parting member consisting of an electrical resistance heater wire having a linear calefacient operating portion disposed in a vertical plane and mounted from the temple in an'operating position in advance thereof to be effective for parting engagement close to the selvage edge of the cloth adjacent said temple of the ingoing and outgoing filling threads which are existent in the cloth from an exhausted bobbin and a fresh bobbin and left projecting from such selvage edge and held taut immediately after transfer and replenishment of the filling thread supply has been effected during normal loom operation, and electric switch means carried by said temple and operatively arranged to be activated by firm engagement with a filling thread to be parted for effecting electrical energization of said heater wire to heat the latter to a temperature effective to part a held filling thread engaged therewith.

3. A loom temple including a temple head, and thread parting means carried by said temple head comprising a thread parting member consisting of an electrical resistance heater wire, and electric switch means carried by said temple head and connected electrically to said heater wire, said switch means being operatively arranged to be activated by pressure engagement with a firmly drawn filling thread to be parted for effecting electrical energization of said heater wire to heat the operating portion of the latter to a temperature effective to part a filling thread engaged therewith.

4. A loom temple including a temple head, and thread parting means carried by said temple head comprising a thread parting member consisting of an electrical resistance heater wire having a linear calefacient operating portion disposed in a vertical plane and mounted from the temple head at an operating position in advance thereof to be effective, when said temple is in its normal operating position, for parting engagement with a firmly drawn filling thread end projecting from a cloth selvage edge to part such thread end close to such selvage edge. and electric switch means carried by said temple head and connected electrically to said heater wire, said switch means being operatively arranged to be activated by pressure engagement with a firmly drawn filling thread to be parted for efl'ecting electrical energization of said heater wire to heat the linear calefacient operating portion of the latter to a temperature effective to part a filling thread engaged therewith,

5. A loom temple structure as claimed in claim 3 in which said electric switch means comprises a stationary electrical contact element insulated from said temple head and connected electrically to one end of the said electrical resistance heater wire, and a movable armature member to be moved into electric circuit closing position when appropriately flexed by pressure engagement with an existent filling thread in which said armature member is in the form of a flexible strip of electrically conductive metal having an arm at one end fulcrumed to and connected electrically with'a frontal portion of the temple head, and an electrical contact element connected electrically with said armature strip member and atfixed thereto near its free end for movement bodily therewith, said movable contact element also being disposed in confronting relationship to said stationary contact element and to be engageable with the latter for making and breaking the electric circuit through said heater wire upon appropriate flexing movement of the tip of said armature member toward or from the stationary contact element due to the presence or absence of a filling thread in situ against said armature member, the other end of said heater wire being arranged for connection to a source of electric current.

6. A loom temple structure as claimed in claim 4 in.

which the electrical resistance heater wire is of generally U-shape formation and the base thereof constitutes the linear calefacient operating portion having disposition in a vertical plane.

7. A temple thread parting means for use with a temple having a support means and upper and lower pod members and means functioning therewith for retaining the forming fabric in laterally extended condition, which comprises a current carrying resistance member supported in position at said support means adjacent the selvage of a fabric held by said temple to be engaged by ends of filling left extending from said selvage after a replenishing cycle, and means actuable after said replenishing cycle for a relatively few picks during weaving to complete a circuit through said resistance member.

8. For an automatic loom, a temple for retaining the forming fabric in laterally extended condition and a thread parting means interposed in an electrical circuit in combination therewith which comprises an insulating support means carried by said temple outwardly of and adjacent the selvage of a fabric held by said temple, a current carrying wire member fixed on said support means adapted to be engaged by ends of filling projecting outwardly from said selvage after a replenishing cycle, and switch means in said electrical circuit operatively arranged to be actuated by pressure applied against it by filling threads to be parted.

9. For an automatic loom, the combination of a temple for retaining the forming fabric in laterally extended condition and a thread parting means interposed in an electrical circuit, said parting means comprising an insulating support means carried by said temple outward ly of and adjacent the selvage of a fabric held by said temple, a heater wire element fixed on said support means adapted to extend transversely of the path of filling ends which project outwardly from said selvage after a replenishing cycle, and switch means in said electrical circuit operatively arranged to be actuated by pressure applied against it by filling threads to be parted.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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