US3060975A - Method and means for scanning a pattern card of a dobby - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 30, 1962 E. PFARRWALLER 3,050,975

METHOD AND MEANS FOR SCANNING A PATTERN CARD OF A DOBBY 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 21, 1961 a RM 5 4 49A 4/ 1/, .1... A. Jwwmm A W m w 2 A, AA F J K i 6 .m 4 1W7?- F A. 4 w.

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Oct. 30, 1962 E. PFARRWALLER 3,060,975

. METHOD AND MEANS FOR SCANNING A PATTERN CARD OF A DOBBY Flled Aprll 21 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 l Ti b1 b2 b3 b b5 65 67 1512" time" Jnvenlar: E1? wuv PF'H e2 WHLLEQ.

Oct. 30, 1962 E. PFARRWALLER 3,060,975 METHOD AND MEANS FOR SCANNING A PATTERN CARD OF A DOBBY Filed April 21, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 *x 69 6198 j 72 104 57 101 I 7 7 -z Q 44. g 105 Jnvenfor: EEWlNPFflE/EWALLE/Z.

A ida/we 3,660,975 METHOD AND MEANS FOR SCANNWG A PATTERN CARD OF A BOBBY Erwin Pfarrwaller, Winterthur, Switzerland, assignor to Sulzer Freres, S.A., Winterthur, Switzerland, :1 corporation of Switzerland Filed Apr. 21, 1961, Ser. No. 104,673 Claims priority, application Switzerland Apr. 26, 1960 8 Claims. (Cl. 139-317) The present invention relates to a method and means for scanning a periodically advanced pattern card of a card controlled shedding mechanism of a loom for weaving.

The present application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Serial No. 86,487, filed February 1, 1961.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a method and apparatus for scanning the holes in a pattern card of a card controlled dobby for actuating the heddle frames in a loom for weaving whereby the spacing of the hole rows which are at a right angle to the direction of movement of the pattern card and which must be scanned at every pick of a weft thread through a shed formed by warp threads can be much smaller than in conventional methods and apparatus.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a method and apparatus for scanning the holes in a pattern card of a card controlled dobby for actuating the heddle frames in a loom for weaving whereby the pattern card can be provided with first holes forming rows across the pattern card and also forming rows parallel to the direction of advance movement of the pattern card and the pattern card can be provided with additional rows of holes parallel to and between the rows formed by said first holes so that the spacing of the hole rows across the pattern card is substantially reduced because the holes of successive rows are placed in staggered relation.

These objects are achieved by advancing the pattern card relatively to scanning means formed by pegs supported by a peg guide or holder only after a plurality of successive weft thread picks and by moving the scanning means relatively to the pattern card in the direction longitudinally of and also at an angle to the longitudinal extension of the pattern card for scanning the transverse hole rows of the pattern card which must be scanned for the weft thread picks between the picks at which the pattern card is advanced.

The novel features which are considered characteristic of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, and additional objects and advantages thereof will best be understood from the following description of embodiments thereof when read in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic part-sectional elevation of a portion of a weaving machine and of a pattern card controlled dobby for controlling the movement of the heddle frames connected thereto.

FIG. 2 is a large scale part-sectional elevation of the pattern card responsive mechanism of the dobby.

FIG. 3 is a part-sectional elevation of the scanning mechanism.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 shows a portion of the pattern card.

FIG. 6 is a part-sectional elevation of a mechanism for advancing the pattern card and for positioning the guide bar for the scanning pegs.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 6 in rolled out representation, the section being made along line VIIVI I of FIG. 6.

3,060,975 Patented Oct. 30, 1962 FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the movements of the heddle frames, of the mechanism for actuating the heddle frames, and of the mechanism for advancing the pattern card and positioning the scanning pegs.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 1 of the drawing, numeral 10 designates a weaving machine having a heddle frame 11 supported by an element 12 which is reciprocatingly movable in a vertical guide 15 and actuated by an angle lever 13 to which it is connected by a link 14. The lever 13 is connected by a linkage 16 to an actuating lever 17 forming part of a dobby 18 and connected by a link 19 to a rocking lever 2.1. The solid lines show the heddle frame actuating mechanism in lower shed position. The broken line representation of the lever 17 shows this part in position corresponding to the upper shed position of the heddle frame.

Numeral 22 designates a shaft which is driven by the main shaft of the weaving machine 10 at the same speed as the main shaft of the loom. A shaft 24 is connected to the shaft 22 by means of a chain 23 and is driven at half the speed of the shaft 22. The shaft 24 drives a lifting mechanism, usually comprising reciprocating lifter rails with which lifting blades are selectively engaged by a control mechanism, which will be described later, in response to the apertures in a pattern card. The lifting blades actuate the rocking levers 21 either directly or indirectly. A suitable heddle frame lifting mechanism is disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 86,492, filed February 1, 1961. A rocking lever 21 is provided for each heddle frame of the weaving machine.

A sprocket wheel mounted on the shaft 24 drives a sprocket wheel 26 which actuates a mechanism for rotat-ing and for lifting and lowering a pattern card cylinder 27.

The pattern car-d reading device shown in FIG. 2 comprises the card cylinder 27 and reading pegs 28 which are vertically movable in a guide bar 29 for scanning the apertures in a pattern card 32 (FIG. 5). The card cylinder may be rotated for advancing the pattern card when the cylinder is in the lower position shown by a broken line 0. FIG. 2 shows the card cylinder 27 in an intermediate position between an extreme low position c and an extreme upper position a. FIG. 2 shows a peg 28 resting on an unperforated portion of the pattern card. When the card cylinder is in the position b the pattern card is adjacent to the lower ends 33 of the pegs 28 when the latter have dropped to their lowermost position.

The upper end of each peg 28 is provided with a head 34 on which rests the end of a control rod 35. The latter are adapted to be selectively engaged and reciprocatingly moved by control rails 36, 37 for swinging a control lever 38 on a stationary fulcrum 39 to its end positions. The lever is connected by links 40a and 40b to lifting blades, not shown, in the manner shown in my copending application Serial No. 86,492. Depending on whether the lever 38 is in the right extreme'position shown in FIG. 2 or in the left extreme position, the lifting blade connected to the link 40a or the lifting blade connected to the link 40b is engaged by a lifter rail (not shown).

If a peg 28 meets with a hole in the pattern card 32 the peg drops in the guide bar 29 until the head 34 of the peg rests on the guide whereby the control rod 35 assumes its lowermost position d and is engaged by the actuating rail 36. if the peg end 33 is opposite an unperforated portion of the pattern card and the card cylinder is lifted from the position 6 to the position a, the peg 28 is lifted in the guide bar 29 whereby the control rod 35 resting on the head 34 of the peg is moved to the upper position e wherein it can be engaged by the actuating rail 37. The rails 36 and 37 are shown in their middle positions in FIG. 2. They are reciprocatingly moved in opposite direction by a mechanism, not shown, and dis closed in my copending application Serial No. 86,492. The rails 36 and 37 move in opposite directions in the sequence shown by arrows in FIG. 2. I

As seen in FIGS; 3 and 4, the guide bar 29 for the pegs 28 is suspended at each end'by a pin 30, the pins being mounted on arms 41a and 4112 which are rockable on pins 42 mounted on the frame 31 and afford movement of the guide bar parallel to its longitudinal axis. FIG. 4 shows the guide bar in full lines in position A. It can be swung to the position B indicated by dash-dot lines for movement of the pegs 28 from positions 28:1 and 28:1 to positions 28b and 28b respectively. When the guide bar 29' is in position A, the pegs scan the rows of holes a a etc., of the card 32 (FIG. and when the guide bar is in the position B the pegs scan the rows of holes b b etc.

The ends of the control rods 35 resting on the heads 34 of the scanning pegs 28 are wide enough to be engaged by the pegs 28 in the positions 28a as well as 28!). Since the guide bar moves longitudinally of as well as at an angle to the longitudinal extension of the pattern card, the holes of consecutive transverse hole rows can be placed in staggered relation so that efficient use can be made of the space available on the card. The mechanism shown in FIG. 6 for rotating the card cylinder 27 comprises a shaft 47 which is rotatably mounted in the frame 31 of the dobby 18 and to which a wheel '48 carrying a pin 49 is rigidly connected. The sprocket wheel 26 is rotatable and axially movable on the shaft 47. The pin 49 is adapted to be received in gaps 51 between teeth of a wheel 52 which is rotatable on a shaft 53 mounted on the frame 31. A gear 54 engaging a gear 55 is rigidly connected to the gear 52.

The gear 55 is rotatable on a shaft 56 oscillatably "mounted on the frame 31. Two arms 57 are fast on the shaft 56. The free ends of the arms 57 carry a rod 53 supporting the card cylinder 27. A gear 59 driven by the gear 55 through gears 61 rotatably mounted on at least one of the arms 57 is coaxially connected to the card cylinder.

A point 62 at the lower end of a locking pin 63 guided for vertical movement by a guide 64 mounted to the frame 31 and urged to move downward by a spring 65 fits into the gaps between the teeth of the gear 59.

A gear 66 is made fast on the shaft 47 and drives a gear 68 through a gear 67 in the direction indicated by an arrow in FIG. 6. The gear 68 is provided with a groove 69 receiving a roller 71 mounted on a rod 72. The latter is guided for substantially vertical movement by a guide 73 mounted to or forming part of the frame of the dobby. The upper end of the rod 72 is pivotally connected at 74 to one of the arms 57.

The gear '68 drives a gear 100 on a shaft 101 which issupported by a bearing 102 connected to the frame 31. A disc 103 provided with a cam groove 104 is rigid- 1y connected to the shaft 101.

The cam groove 104 is followed by a roller 46 at the end of a two-arm lever 44 which is rockable on a statiohary fulcrum 45 mounted on the frame 31. The upper arm of the lever 44 is pivotally connected to one end of a rod 43, the second end of the rod being pivotally connected to the arm 41b for rocking the peg guide bar 29.

The shaft 47 is driven at the same speed as the shaft 24. Therefore, the gear 66 rotates at half the speed of the main drive shaft, i.e., it makes one revolution during the time two consecutive weft threads are inserted. The gears 68 and 100 rotate at the same speed as the gear 66 and the card cylinder 27 advances the card 32 by one hole row L per two shuttle picks. During the time the card 32 stands still the guide 29 is moved from the position A to the position B, as shown in FIG. 4. Since the cam disc 103 rotates at one half of the speed of the weaving machine, the follower roller 46 is at one pick in the left position shown in FIG. 6 and the guide bar is in the position A, and at the subsequent pick the roller is at right and diametrically opposed to the position in which it is shown in FIG. 6 and the guide bar 29 is in the position B.

When the guide bar 29 is moved and the card cylinder is not rotated, the latter must be lowered to release the pegs 28. For this reason the groove 69 is so shaped as to place the roller 71 twice into an upper position and twice into a lower position during one revolution of the gear 68 so that the card cylinder is lowered and lifted at each shuttle pick.

A locking lever 76 swingable on the shaft 56 has an arm whose end carries a locking roller 75 adapted to engage the gaps 51 between the teeth of the gear 52. The lever 76 is urged to swing clockwise by means of a spring 77 interposed between the end of a second arm of the lever '76 which second arm is placed at an angle to the first arm, and an abutment 78 mounted on the arm 57.

FIG. 7 shows a section of the mechanism shown in FIG. 6 in rolled out representation showing the lateral relative position of the aforedescribed elements. A clutch is interposed between the sprocket wheel 26 and the wheel 43. The wheel 26 is freely rotatable on the shaft 47 to the right end of which a hand wheel '81 is mounted. A spring so interposed between the hand wheel 81 and the sprocket wheel 26 presses the latter against pins 82 mounted on the wheel 48 and having conical heads fitting into conical cavities 83 in the sprocket wheel 26.

Operation of the device is now explained with reference to the diagram FIG. 8.

The abscissa in the diagram FIG. 8 represents the angular positions of the main shaft of the weaving machine 10. The ordinates represent the strokes of individual elements of the system. Lines A and B represent the movements of two heddle frames. Since a weft thread is inserted in the shed formed by warp threads during each revolution of the main loom shaft, certain heddle frames are in the upper shed position during one revolution and are in the lower shed position during another revolution of the loom shaft, depending on the weave pattern. The drive shaft 24 of the dobby rotates at one half of the speed ofthe loom shaft and the lifter rails actuating the heddle frames make one stroke in one di* rection and one stroke in the opposite direction during two revolutions of the drive shaft of the weaving machine. Since there are two lifter rails, if the rails move in the same direction, and since there are two lifting blades for each heddle frame, the lifting blades may be so moved to be engaged by the lifter rails that each beddle frame may be moved according to the line A or ac cording to the line B, whether the lifter rails move in one direction or in the opposite direction.

The pattern card 32 is provided with a row of holes L L to L L for each shuttle pick and is advanced from one row of holes to the next row of holes. Since the sprocket wheel 26 has the same number of teeth as the sprocket wheel 25 (FIG. 1), the shaft 47 and the wheel 48 rotate at one half of the speed of the main loom shaft. The changeover from scanning the rows L to scanning the rows L of the holes in the pattern card is effected exclusively by the movement of the guide bar 29. The pattern card is moved onlyat the rows L i.e., at every second pick. The gear 52 is advanced by one tooth and the card 32 is advanced by one hole row L at every revolution of the pin wheel 48. Since the tooth pitch of the gear 52 is greater than the pitch of the hole rows and the diameter of the tooth pitch circle of the gear 52 is greater than the diameter of the card cylinder 27, a corresponding step-down is required for the gears 54 and 55.

Scanning of a row of holes of the pattern card 32 takes place upon lifting of the card cylinder from the position c to the position a (FIG. 2). This is illustrated by line F in FIG. 8. At point P the roller 71 in FIG. 6 is in the position f Each peg 28 which is in lowermost position (FIG. 2.) with the head 34 resting on the guide 29 must have left the respective hole in the pattern card 32 before the card can be advanced at point G of the line G in FIG. 8 which represents the movement of the pattern card. Thereupon the pin 49 enters the gap 51a of the gear 52 which is advanced by one tooth pitch and fixed in that position by the locking roller 75 which has entered a new tooth gap. The new position is illustrated by point G in FIG. 8. In the meantime the card cylinder 27 has reached its lowermost position c at F and has already been lifted before the pattern card has reached the new position G The card cylinder 27 must not reach position b in FIG. 2 before the pattern card has reached the positions G G shown in FIG. 8. When the card cylinder continues to move upward from the position b the pegs 28 enter holes in the pattern card and the advance of the latter must be completed before this happens.

Line H in FIG. 8 shows the movement of the peg guide bar 29. Between the positions F and F of the card cylinder whose movement corresponds to the line F in FIG. 8, the guide bar 29 is moved from position H to position H i.e., from position B to position A shown in FIG. 4. During this time the pattern card 32 has been moved by one hole row from position G to position G in FIG. 8.

After completion of one revolution of the main loom shaft the card cylinder 27 is lowered between the positions F and F shown in FIG. 8. The card 32, however, is not advanced and the bar 29 is moved from position A to position B between H and H of the line H in FIG. -8 so that the hole row L can be scanned.

The same happens when the card cylinder is between the positions F and F as has happened when the cylinder was between the positions F and F The line H shows the transition from H to H and the line G -G shows the advance of the card 32 by one hole row.

Since the locking lever 76 stops the gear 52, the gear 55 cannot move relatively to the frame 31 of the dobby 18. The shaft 56 supporting the gear 55 forms the fulcrum of the arms 57 supporting the card cylinder.

When the gear 55 does not move, the adjacent gear 61 rolls on the gear 55 upon continued swinging of the arms 57 from the position b to the position a in FIG. 6. Therefore, the gear 59 and the card cylinder 27 make a translatory movement during the rocking of the lever 57 from position b to position a, i.e., the hole row to be scanned moves through the same are as the rod 58 which supports the card cylinder, i.e. the radial plane of the card cylinder on which the hole row is located, remains in a vertical position.

With the apparatus according to the invention a pattern card 32 whose hole rows a are widely spaced, for example, because of space requirements of the heddle frames, can be more efiiciently used. Since the guide bar 29 affords provision of hole rows b between the hole rows a and the hole rows b can be scanned without advancing the pattern card,'the length of the card can be reduced.

If the hole rows a are widely spaced longitudinally of the pattern card, two or more rows b can be associated with each row a. This, of course, necessitates movement of the bar 29' from the base position A into a plurality of subpositions and a corresponding shaping of the cam grooves 104 and 69. In this case the rotational speed of the shaft 47 would have to be still less so that the pattern card 32 is advanced by one step per three, four, etc., picks, depending on the number of subpositions of the guide bar.

I claim: v

-1. A method for controlling a dobby forming part of a weaving machine wherein weft threads are picked through a shed formed by warp threads, the dobby including a pattern card and scanning means for scanning the pattern card and controlling the operation of the dobby, the method including the steps of periodically longitudinally advancing the pattern card relatively to the scanning means for scanning predetermined parts of the pattern card at predetermined moments, and of periodically moving the scanning means relatively to the pattern card for scanning portions of the pattern card located between said parts.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein each advance of the pattern card and each movement of the scanning means is coordinated to a pick of a weft thread through the shed formed by warp threads.

3. In a loom for weaving having heddle frames, a dobby for actuating the heddle frames, a pattern card, means for scanning said pattern card, said scanning means being operatively connected to said dobby for controlling operation thereof, and means for periodically longitudinally advancing said pattern card relatively to said scanning means for scanning predetermined parts of the pattern card at predetermined moments: means operatively connected to said advancing means and to said scanning means for periodically moving said scanning means relatively to said pattern card for scanning portions of the pattern card located between said predetermined parts.

4. In a loom for weaving as defined in claim 3 and wherein said scanning means is movable in a direction longitudinally of and at an angle to the longitudinal extension of said pattern card.

5. In a loom for weaving as defined in claim 3 and wherein said scanning means includes a plurality of pegs and said pattern card has holes for selectively receiving said pegs, said means for moving said scanning means including a guide bar axially movably supporting said pegs and extending at a right angle to the direction of the advance movement of and parallel to said pattern card, and a lever swingable on a stationary fulcrum at each end of said guide bar, one of said levers being operatively connected to said advancing means for actuation thereby, the free ends of said levers being pivotally connected to the ends of said guide bar, said levers and said guide bar forming a parallelogram for moving said guide bar parallel to itself upon swinging of one of said levers.

6. In a loom for weaving having drive means, means actuated by said drive means for picking weft threads through a shed formed by warp threads, heddle frames, a dobby actuated by said drive means for actuating the heddle frames, a pattern card, means for scanning the pattern card, said scanning means being operatively connected to said dobby for controlling operation thereof, a card cylinder for said pattern card, and a mechanism operatively connected to and driven by said drive means for periodically actuating said card cylinder for periodically longitudinally advancing said pattern card relatively to said scanning means for scanning predetermined parts of said pattern card at predetermined moments: means operatively connected to said mechanism and to said scanning means for periodically moving said scanning means relatively to said pattern card for scanning portions of said pattern card located between said predetermined parts, said mechanism including means for moving said card cylinder and said pattern card away from said scanning means upon every advance movement of said pattern card and upon every movement of said scanning means.

7. In a loom for weaving as defined in claim 6 and wherein said mechanism includes a cam means and a cam follower means associated therewith for effecting movement of said card cylinder, and a cam means and a cam follower means associated therewith for effecting movement of said scanning means, said cam means making one revolution per two weft thread picks.

8. In a loom for Weaving as defined in claim 6 and wherein said mechanism includes a cam means and a cam follower means associated therewith for effecting movement of said card cylinder, and a cam means and a cam follower means associated therewith for effecting movement of said scanning means to a plurality of posi- 8 tions for scanning a plurality of portions of the pattern card between two parts of the pattern card scanned upon advance movement of the pattern card, said cam means making one revolution per a number of weft thread picks which number is equal to the number of scanning positions of said scanning means.

No references cited.

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