US3705606A

US3705606A - Rotating disk arrangement on a wave-type loom

Info

Publication number: US3705606A
Application number: US881747A
Authority: US
Inventors: Peter Stucki
Original assignee: Maschinenfabrik Rueti AG
Current assignee: Ruti Machinery Works Ltd; Maschinenfabrik Rueti AG
Priority date: 1969-12-03
Filing date: 1969-12-03
Publication date: 1972-12-12
Anticipated expiration: 1989-12-12

Abstract

A rotating disk arrangement on a wave-type loom wherein a plurality of shuttles, each having a drive edge and a guide edge, move simultaneously and successively along a path and serve to insert the weft threads in changing sheds formed during the weaving operation, the arrangement comprising a plurality of rotating disks arranged on an axis of rotation side by side and rotated codirectionally by a small amount along the axis of rotation according to their sequence, the rotating disks serving both for the beating up of the inserted weft threads and for propelling the shuttles along said path. Each disk comprises a drive portion which during rotation propels the shuttles by pushing against the drive edges of the shuttles, and a guide portion against which the guide edges of the shuttles rest to hold the shuttles against rotation from the drive forces applied by said drive portions.

Description

United States Patent Stucki [54] ROTATING DISK ARRANGEMENT ON A WAVE-TYPE LOOM [72] Inventor: Peter Stucki, Tann-Ruti, Zurich,

Switzerland [73] Assignee: Ruti Machinery Words Ltd., formerly Caspar Honegger, Ruti, Zu-

Italy ..l39/l88 [1 1 2795999. 451 Dec. 1 1

988,468 4/ 1965 Great Britain ..l39/188 116,965 5/ 1958 U.S.S.R. 139/1 88 147,548 8/ 1961 U.S.S.R. 139/12 157,293 10/1962 U.S.S.R. ..139/l2 208,588 3/ 1968 U.S.S.R. 139/12 Primary Examiner-James Kee Chi Attorney-Donald D. Benton 5? ABSTRACT A rotating disk arrangement on a wave-type loom wherein a plurality of shuttles, each having a drive edge and a guide edge, move simultaneously and successively along a path and serve to insert the weft threads in changing sheds formed during the weaving operation, the arrangement comprising a plurality of rotating disks arranged on an axis of rotation side by side and rotated codirectionally by a small amount along the axis of rotation according to their sequence, the rotating disks serving both for the beating up of the inserted weft threads and for propelling the shuttles along said path. Each disk comprises a drive portion which during rotation propels the shuttles by pushing against the drive edges of the shuttles, and a guide portion against which the guide edges of the shuttles rest to hold the shuttles against rotation from the drive forces applied by said drive portions.

12 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEB BEE I 2 I912 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ARRANGEMENT on A WAVE- TYPE LOOM ROTATING DISK The present invention relates to a rotating diskarrangement on a wave-type loom wherein a plurality of insertion members, each having a drive edge and a guide edge, move simultaneously and successively along a path and serve to insert the weft threads during operation of the loom the arrangement comprising rotating disks arranged on an axis of rotation side by side and rotated codirectionally by a small amount along the axis of rotation according to their sequence.

Devices with heating disks are known, which, after the respective thread insertion by the shuttle, beat up the weft thread after the passage thereof on a loom. The weft thread is then beaten up simultaneously over the entire fabric width. a 7 It is also known to use rotating disks, which are carried by a shaft arranged outside the shed of the loom, in order to bet up the weft thread continuously and successively over the fabric width, so that the weft beat executes an undular motion.

With these known devices for beating up the weft thread, the shuttle is moved by an additional drive so that separate means must be provided for the beating up of the weft thread and for the drive of the shuttle.

In another wave-type loom, pivotable blades are used for the drive of the shuttles. These blades serve also for the beating up of the weft threads. To prevent lateral flexure, these blades are guided by guide means. The blades execute pivotal movement and worm-type shaft profiles are necessary for driving of these blades.

Advantageously, it is the purpose of the rotating disk arrangement of this invention to provide, in a wavetype loom, for beating up of the weft thread as well as for the drive of the weft thread inserting member or shuttle. Thus, this arrangement is further characterized in that the rotating disks serve both for beating up the inserted weft threads and for propelling the inserting members or shuttles and in that each of said disks comprises a drive portion, which in operation propels the shuttles while striking against the drive edges of said shuttles, and a guide portion against which the guide edges of said shuttles rest in operation to hold the shuttles against rotation from the drive forces applied by the drive portions.

The invention will be described in greater detail with reference to its specific embodiments and to the accompanying drawings, in which: i

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the rotating disk arrangement of the invention in perspective;

FIG. 2 shows one of the rotating disks illustrated in FIG. 1 as seen from the side except having two prolongations or drive portions;

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the rotating disk; and

FIG. 4 shows still another embodiment of the rotating disk.

FIG. 1 shows a rotating disk arrangement for inserting of the weft thread in a wave-type loom or multiphase weaving machine. In order to simplify the understanding of FIG. 1, only a few warp threads 11 are shown. For the same reason fewer rotating disks are shown than are actually present in the arrangement, The warp threads 11 are drawn between the heddles 12 and the fabric beating edge or shed point 13. The weft thread inserting members or shuttles 14, of which one is shown in FIG. 1, each carry a weft thread 15 into one of the sheds formed by the warp threads 11. The interwoven warp and weft threads form the fabric 16. On a shaft 17 are fastened the rotating disks 20, which are held at uniform distances from each other by, spacing means 18. Shaft 17 and the disks 20 rotate during operation of the loom in the direction of arrow 19. The rotating disks 20 have each a prolongation or drive portion 21 having a front edge 22 (see in the direction of rotation 19), which extends outwardly. All rotating disks 20, which mutually have a congruent form, are staggered according to their sequence along shaft 17 relatively to each other by the same amount counter or opposite to the direction of rotation of arrow 19 and are secured on shaft 17. The drive portions 21 of the rotating disks 20 produce, as they rotate during operationof the loom in the direction of arrow 19, a helical movement which propagates from right to left according to FIG. 1. The movement ofthe heddles 12'occurs in such a way that each shuttle 14 during its movement for the purpose of weft thread insertion continuously enters an open shed, each shed changing off after each passage of the shuttle. Thewave motion of the heddles 12 or, respectively, of the sheds and the undular motion (or in one sense helical motion) formed by the drive portions 21 of the rotating disks 20 thus move at the same speed. Besides the drive portions 21, the rotating disks 20 provide the delimitations or peripheral edges 26, which are of constant radius and may be regarded as the outer delimitation or periphery of an internal guide portion of each of the rotating disks and separate from the drive portions. The shuttles 14 have an oblique rear edge 23 serving asa drive edge and a horizontal lower edge 24 serving as a guide edge.

FIG. 2 shows in a side view the warp threads 11, the heddles 12, the shaft 17, and one of the rotating disks 20 with its drive portion 21 and its zone of constant diameter presenting the delimitation or peripheral edge 26. The rear oblique or drive edge 23 are visible. The shed point or fabric beating edge is again designated by reference numeral 13 and the fabric itself by reference numeral 16. There has been included in FIG. 2, in addition, the angle-bisecting plane referred to by numeral 25 which extends through the center of the shed (formed by the warp threads 11). The delimitation or edge 22 of the drive portion 21 is of such design that it forms a right angle 27 with the median plane 25 of the shed upon rotation of the disk 20 in all its points, i.e. in all of the positions of the edge adjacent to the shuttle in the shed.

In the operation of the loom shaft 17 rotates, and the disks 20 rotate continuously with the shaft in the direction of the arrow 19. During rotation, the delimitations or edges 22 of the drive portions 21 strike against the drive edges 23 of the shuttles 14. At each disk 20 the starting point of the edge 22 extending outwardly comes in contact first with the oblique drive edge 23 of the shuttle. Upon further rotation of the disk 20 in the direction of arrow 19, the outwardly extending edge 22 slides along the shuttle drive edge 23 and pushes the shuttle 14 to the left, as shown in FIG. 1. In this manner, the shuttles 14 are moved forward for the purpose of inserting the weft threads. In order to avoid lateral forces on the shuttles 14 as much as possible, the

shape of the edge 22 is so selected that, as has just been mentioned, it forms a right angle with the median plane 25 of the shed during the rotation. Taking into account also the friction of the delimitation or edge 22 on the edge 23 of the shuttle, it results of course that to compensate for this friction the edge 22 should be only approximately perpendicular to plane 25 and that the angle 27 may, if necessary, be somewhat acute.

The above-mentioned shape of the edge 22 is obtained when the edge is designed as a circular involute. With this shape the force component for the propulsion of the shuttle 14, lying in the plane of disk 20 (as shown in FIG. 2) lies in the median plane 25 of the shed It is thereby achieved that the shuttles 14 rest uniformly against the two side of the shed formed by the warp threads 11. The involute base circle 28 is concentric with shaft 17; its radius is equal to the distance of the median shed plane 25 from the center line of shaft 17.

Upon further rotation of disk 20, the delimitation or edge 22 finally moves away from the edge 23. The outer part thereof serves in this work phase also to beat up the weft threads 15 inserted in the shed by the shuttles 14. With the beating up of the weft threads 15, the outer part of the delimitation or edge 22 displaces the weft thread against the fabric beating edge 13 and vigorously presses it against the fabric. This can best be seen from FIG. 1.

The forward movement of the shuttles 14 through the shed is effected by the pushing of the peripheral edges 22 of the disks against the drive edges 23. Due to the resulting upwardly directed force, the shuttles 14 push with their upper edges against the shed point 13. In so doing, the shuttles are held permanently on both sides by the warp threads. That is, they cannot give way or move upwardly or sideways. Due to the pushing of the edges 22, however, there results a torque, owing to which the front portion of the shuttle 14 has a tendency to move downward. This phenomenon exists also when the arrangement is such that the warp threads 11 and the fabric 16 lie in a horizontal plane. It even still exists when weaving is downward. It is therefore very essential that the disks 20 have a guide portion of constant diameter by which the shuttles 14 are held by means of their guide edge 24. This guide portion is defined by the delimitation or edge 26. This peripheral edge causes the shuttles 14 to remain in their position permanently. Thereby, moreover, a uniform drive of the shuttles is rendered possible.

According to FIGS. 1 and 2, each disk 20 has a drive portion 21. Therefore the disks execute a rotation with every passage of the shuttle. Instead, however, each disk may be provided with two or more drive portions. In this case the disks must execute half a revolution or a still smaller fraction of a revolution per shuttle passage. FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of a disk which is a variant (shown in dashed lines) in that it has a second drive portion 21' with the driving edge 22'. When a disk 20 is provided with more than one drive portion, these are arranged symmetrically with respect to the axis of rotation.

It should be readily evident from the foregoing that the rotation time of the disks 20 of FIG. 1 over an arch which corresponds to the delimitation or peripheral edge 22, is at least equal to the movement time of the oblique drive edge 23 of the shuttles 14 with respect to a fixed point of the path of the shuttles 14. Likewise it is readily understandable that the rotation time of the disks 20 over an arc length of a delimitation 26 of a guide portion is greater than the movement time of the guide edge 24 in relation to a fixed point of the path of the shuttles 14.

The rotating disks 20 are of such a form that they remain immersed or positioned in the shed continuously during their rotation. This is achieved since the distance of each point of the outer edge of disk 20 from the median line of the axis is greater than the greatest distance that the warp threads 11 can occupy from the median line of the axis during their shed movement. The greatest distance of the thread is attained at maximum shed opening.

Another embodiment of the rotating disks is shown in FIG. 3. These disks 30 also have a guide portion with a delimitation or peripheral edge portion 26 of constant radius and a drive portion with a delimitation or edge 22 of increasing radius. The drive of the disks 30 is effected by means of the shaft 17. In FIG. 3 warp threads 11, heddles 12, a shuttle 14, and the shed point 13 are also shown. To insure that the disk 30 remains permanently immersed or positioned between the warp threads, the fingers 31 are provided on the disks.

Upon rotation of the disk 30, the shuttles 14 are prevented from tilting by the edge 26 analogously to the previously shown embodiment, in that theedges 24 of the shuttle rest against the delimitations 26 of disks 30. The forward movement of the shuttles 14 is again produced by the edges 22 pushing against the rear oblique edge 23 of the shuttles 14. By this pushing, the upper, horizontal edge 32 of the shuttle 14 (see also FIG. 1) is pressed against the delimitations or edges 33 of the fingers 31, so that the edges 33 likewise participate in the guiding of the shuttles 14.

After the passage of the shuttle 14 at a certain disk 30, the edge 22 thereof displaces the'weft thread 15 against the fabric beating edge 13. The weft thread 15 is beaten up or pressed up by the top portion 34 of disk 30. The dash-dot circular line 35 shows the course of movement of the outermost point of portion 34. When weaving heavy weft threads, the outer delimitation or edge of finger 31 may extend to the circular are 35. When working fine weft threads 15, there is danger, however, that an outer delimitation of finger 31 present at the level of arch 35 and extending along the arc for an appreciable distance might cut the weft threads 15 through. To prevent this, this outer edge is set back a little from the outer circular are 35 after the beating-up portion 34, as shown in FIG. 3. With this construction, the weft threads are released after beating up and are thereby protected. Since the shuttle 14 must move through the recess created by the

edges

22, 26 and 33, the maximum height thereof must be smaller than the height of this recess, measured at the location of the median plane 25 of the shed.

In FIG. 4 is shown still another form or embodiment of the rotating disk. A rotating disk 20 drivable by the drive shaft 17 on the axis of rotation is again shown. In form this disk corresponds to the rotating disk 20 shown in FIG. 2, two drive portions 21 being provided. The warp threads 11, beating edge 13, shuttle l4, and delimitations or

edges

22, 26 are again provided.

FIG. 4 shows how the rotating disks 20 can be used additionally for shed formation. On the rotating disks 20' are fastened warp thread tappets or drivers 36. The tappet 36 and warp thread 11 shown in solid lines lie on the front, and the tappet 36 and warp thread 1 1 shown in broken lines, on the back of disk 20'. Upon rotation of disk 20', the rear warp thread 11 is lifted by the rear tappet 36 and the front warp thread 11 by the front tappet 36, whereby the shed is formed. In FIG. 4, round bolts are employed as the warp thread tappets. The tappets touch theadjacent rotating disk or may be connected with the adjacent disk to insurethat the warp threads 11 are properly taken along or lifted during shed formation.

It will be appreciated that still other embodiments arepossible for combining the rotating disks with the shed formation. As a further embodiment, let it be mentioned that the spacing means 18 (in the form of cylinders shown in FIG. 1) which are arranged between therotating disks, may be constructed to serve as shed forming means. For this purpose these spacing means are constructed to be eccentric in such a way that their outermost parts or portions extend outwardly from the axis of rotation to the location of the tappets 36 shown in FIG. 4. The warp threads are then actuated by this outermost part to effect shed formation.

What is claimed is:

1. A rotating disk arrangement on a wave-type loom wherein a plurality of shuttles, each having a drive edge and a guide edge, are moved simultaneously and successively along a path and serve to insert the weft threads in changing sheds of warp threads formed during the weaving operation, said arrangement comprising: a plurality of rotating disks arranged on an axis of rotation side by side and adapted to be rotated codirectionally according to their sequence along the axis of rotation, said rotating disks serving both for the beating up of the inserted weft threads and for propelling the shuttles along said path, each disk comprising a drive portion which during rotation propels the shuttles by pushing against the drive edges of the shuttles, and a separate guide portion adapted to have the guide edges of the shuttles rest thereagainst to hold the shuttles against rotation from the drive forces applied by said drive portions.

2. The rotating disk arrangement of claim 1 in which the smallest distance of the circumference of the rotating disks from the axis of rotation of said disks is greater than the greatest distance which the warp threads can attain from said axis of rotation in their shed movement.

3. The rotating disk arrangement of claim 1 in which the drive edges of said shuttles lie obliquely to said path, and the drive portions of the rotating disks provide an outwardly extending peripheral edge, said guide edges lie parallel to the path of the shuttles and the guide portions of the rotating disks provide a peripheral edge spaced a constant distance from said axis of rotation.

4. The rotating disk arrangement of claim 3 in which 7 the edges of the drive portions intersect the median plane extending through each of the changing sheds at an at least approximately right angle at all their points u n rotation of th rotatin disks.

. The rotating disk arran gement of claim 3 in which the disks are formed from plates, each being circular over a portion of its circumference for forming the guide portion and having at least one prolongation which extends outwardly away from the circular circumference for forming the drive portion.

6. The rotating disk arrangement of claim 3 in which the rotating time of the rotating disks over the arc length, which includes the outwardly extending edge of each of the drive portions, is at least equal to the movement time of the oblique drive edge of each of the shuttles in relation to a fixed point of the path of the shuttles.

7. The rotating disk arrangement of claim 3 in which the rotation time of the rotating disks over the arch length, which includes the edge of each of the rotating disks having constant distance from the axis of rotation, is greater than the movement time of the guide edge of each of the shuttles in relation to a fixed point of the path of the shuttles. I

8. The rotating disk arrangement of claim 3 in which each rotating disk has at least two of said outwardly extending peripheral edges which are rotation-symmetrical to each other in relation to the center of the rotating disk.

9. The rotating disk arrangement of claim 1 in which the shuttles have a second edge parallel to the guide edge, which upon passage of a shed comes to lie against the shed point of the warp threads.

10. The rotating disk arrangement of claim 5 in which the prolongation terminates at an end farthest removed from the axis of rotation in a finger-like extension that extends in a circumferential direction, the inner edge of the extension forming with the circular portion and with the drive portion on the prolongation of the rotating disk a recess whose maximum height, measured over the circular portion in the direction of the median plane of the shed, is greater than the maximum height of the shuttles.

11. The rotating disk arrangement of claim 10 in which at the point where the prolongation terminates into the finger-like extension, the distance of the outer edge of the extension from the axis of rotation is a maximum, and the distance of the remaining outer edge of the finger-like extension is smaller by a relatively small amount than this maximum and extends at a constant distance from the axis of rotation.

12. The rotating disk arrangement of claim 1 in which warp thread engaging tappets are arranged between the rotating disks and are secured to the disks at substantially opposite portions thereof for rotating therewith, said tappets serving to actuate the warp threads to cause shed formation.

Claims

4. The rotating disk arrangement of claim 3 in which the edges of the drive portions intersect the median plane extending through each of the changing sheds at an at least approximately right angle at all their points upon rotation of the rotating disks.

5. The rotating disk arrangement of claim 3 in which the disks are formed from plates, each being circular over a portion of its circumference for forming the guide portion and having at least one prolongation which extends outwardly away from the circular circumference for forming the drive portion.

7. The rotating disk arrangement of claim 3 in which the rotation time of the rotating disks over the arch length, which includes the edge of each of the rotating disks having constant distance from the axis of rotation, is greater than the movement time of the guide edge of each of the shuttles in relation to a fixed point of the path of the shuttles.