US3556164A

US3556164A - Process and apparatus for severing flat thermoplastic wefts in looms having a fixed weft supply

Info

Publication number: US3556164A
Application number: US759714A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ramon Balaguer Golobart
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1967-09-13
Filing date: 1968-09-13
Publication date: 1971-01-19
Anticipated expiration: 1988-01-19
Also published as: ES345382A1

Abstract

A vertically movable thermoelectric element is employed to sever thermoplastic weft filaments in a loom.

Description

United States Patent [72] Inventor Ramon Balaguer Golobart [51] Int. D030! 49/70 Calle Valls&Taberner 11, Barcelona, [50] Field 139/302, Spain 303, 122, 123, 127, 122W, 20 [2i] Appl. No. 759,714

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS [22] Filed Sept. 13,1968 [45] Patented Jan. 19, 1971 w MW 2 Bu n wfl 9 l9 3 3 l l mm m dd nn hh .nN fl CGRZ blt' M i LRSS O 6 88 6 66 9 99 1 H W 4 l 2 3 6 8 72 6 00 7 44 2 44 3 m 9 l 2 U 8 L.m 0. &SM M m n P 1]] 23 333 [ll [54] PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR SEVER Primary Examiner-Henry S. Jaudon Attorney-Christen & Sabol ING FLAT THERMOPLASTIC WEFTS IN LOOMS HAVING A FIXED WEFT SUPPLY 1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figs. [52] ment is employed to sever thermoplastic weft filaments in a lo PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR SEVERING FLAT THERMOPLASTIC WEFTS IN LOOMS HAVING A FIXED WEFT SUPPLY The present invention refers to a process and apparatus for severing flat weft filaments, particularly polyolefm filaments used in fabrics produced on looms having a fixed weft supply.

Until now, the systems used for severing this type of polyolefin weft in looms having a fixed weft supply effected the severing with knives, shears or scissors, all of them applied near the selvedge of the fabric. These systems did not usually give good results in view of the tendency of the cutting edges to become blunt and the tendency of the wefts to adhere to the knives, shears or'scisso'rs', with aresulting tendency for the wefts to tear or rip upon severing. Moreover, all of these systems are only suitable for the severing of wefts in a loom which makes a single fabric, and cannot be used in the type of looms which makes two parallel fabrics at the same time.

The apparatus which is the object of the present invention completely eliminates these disadvantages, since it does not use cutting elements which may run the risks mentioned above, and can be used either in aloom, which makes a single fabric or a loom which makes two parallel fabrics at the same time. y

The apparatus which is the object of the present invention consists in the application of a thermoelectric element which is susceptible of being heated by means of an electric resistance to a temperature higher than. the melting point of the thermoplastic material of the flat weft, said thermoelectric element being movably arranged in a vertical direction so as to move between an operative position and an inactive position, to permit the moving of the flat wefts to the lines of formation of the two parallel fabrics; this verticalmovement of the thermoelectric element being effected in synchronization with the movement of the slay comb and the movement of the inserting devices, the thermoelectric element being placed near the edges of the two parallel fabrics, between the two vertical planes formed respectively by the lines of presentation of the wefts to the inserting devices and the lines of displacement of said weft-inserting devices through the two sheds, in such a manner that when the therrnoelectric element is in operative position, the flat wefts held by the inserting devices and still joined to the two fabrics makes contact with said thermoelectric element upon thebeginning of the return movement of the inserting devices through the sheds, the wefts being severed by fusion of the thermoplastic material.

The apparatus to carry out said process, which is also a part of the present invention, comprises a thermoelectric element placed at the extremity of an elbow arm, which can slide in a vertical direction and is connected to a source of electric current, said elbow arm being guided on a stationary support affixed to a fixed portion of the loom, and actuated by a cam attached on a rotary shaft of the loom in combination with a recoil helical spring.

For better understanding of the invention, an embodiment is described hereinafter, as a nonlimiting example only, with reference to the attached drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the feeding side of a loom having a fixed weft supply and manufacturing two parallel fabrics at the same time, just prior to the grasping of the flat weft strip for each fabric by the inserting devices and prior to the severing of said wefts, with the thermoelectric element in operative position.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 after the severing of the flat weft strips has been effected and the flat weft strips are held by the slay comb, with the thermoelectric element in nonoperative position for the new positioning of the wefts for the new actuating of same.

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic plan view of the feeding side of a loom a moment after the severing of the flat weft strips corresponding to each fabric has been effected, through the contact of said wefts with the thermoelectric element.

In esefisu ssathsrmqsl s t e e emen h h is pp i from a source of electricity (not shown) by cables 2 and 3 and is connected to an elbow arm 4 which is vertically slidable in support 5 joined to the loom framing 6 by means of

screws

7 and 8. Inside of said support 5 is housed a recoil spring 9 which tends to maintain element 1 always in operative position.

At the lower extremity 10 of elbow arm 4 is rotatably mounted a roller 11 which is maintained in contact with a cam 12 attached to a shaft 13 of the loom (not shown), through the constant pressure of the helical spring 9. i

The operation is as follows During the normal operation of the loom, upon arrival of

inserting devices

14 and 15 at the pickup point of the flat weft filaments l6 and 17, the thermoelectric element 1 has effected a downward vertical movement caused by cam 12, placing said element 1 in operative position (FIG. 1), i.e., at the edges of the two parallel fabrics l8 and 19 between the two vertical planes formed respectively by the lines of presentation of

flat weft filaments

16 and 17 to the

inserting devices

14 and 15 and the lines of displacement of said

inserting devices

14 and 15 through the two sheds. 20 and 21. Upon the start of the return movement of

inserting devices

14 and 15 pulling the

filaments

16 and 17, these filaments still joined to the

fabrics

18 and 19, make contact and wrap around said thermoelectric element 1, and upon continuation of the advance of inserting

devices

14 and 15, the melting of the thermoplastic material of

flat weft filaments

16 and 17 is produced automatically, and the filaments are severed.

Upon the complete insertion of filaments l6 and 17 in their respective sheds 20 and 21, cam 12 causes the upward motion of elbow arm 4 and consequently of thermoelectric element 1, placing it. in a raised nonoperative position, so as not to obstruct the advance of filaments l6 and 17 pushed by comb 22 of slay 23 toward the

lines

24 and 25 of formation of

fabrics

18 and 19, thus permitting the continuation of the cycle of formation of these fabrics.

Having described the invention, it will be understood that various modifications and improvements may be made which come within the scope of the annexed claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for use with a shuttleless loom having at least two fixed weft supplies and reciprocatory weft inserting means for simultaneously weaving at least two parallel fabrics, comprising an arm terminating in an elongated thermoelectric element having a length greater than the distance between all of the fabrics being woven, means for mounting the arm on the frame of a loom for vertical reciprocatory movement between a plurality of operative positions and an inoperative position of the thermoelectric element, cam means for attachment to a rotating element of a loom in operative engagement with said arm to move the arm between said operative and inoperative positions, said elongated thermoelectric element being arranged on said arm in vertically extending disposition whereby when the arm is in inoperative position said element is entirely clear of the horizontal plane of the weft filaments and when the armis in any of said operative positions said element intersects the horizontal plane of all of the weft filaments being moved into the shed of the loom by the weft-inserting means, said weft filaments being partially wrapped around said thermoelectric element by continued inserting movement.

Claims

1. Apparatus for use with a shuttleless loom having at least two fixed weft supplies and reciprocatory weft inserting means for simultaneously weaving at least two parallel fabrics, comprising an arm terminating in an elongated thermoelectric element having a length greater than the distance between all of the fabrics being woven, means for mounting the arm on the frame of a loom for vertical reciprocatory movement between a plurality of operative positions and an inoperative position of the thermoelectric element, cam means for attachment to a rotating element of a loom in operative engagement with said arm to move the arm between said operative and inoperative positions, said elongated thermoelectric element being arranged on said arm in vertically extending disposition whereby when the arm is in inoperative position said element is entirely clear of the horizontal plane of the weft filaments and when the arm is in any of said operative poSitions said element intersects the horizontal plane of all of the weft filaments being moved into the shed of the loom by the weft-inserting means, said weft filaments being partially wrapped around said thermoelectric element by continued inserting movement.