Oscillatory locking and operating means

Abstract

 Oscillatory locking and operating means in a system for individual operation between two turning positions of especially a large number or closely arranged sinkers, needles, healds or like axially mobile elements having transversely projecting abutments or projections adapted to cooperate with the locking and operating means. The locking and operating means include guiding means (A, B) movable as well longitudinally as transversely of the sinkers and actuable by an outer operating means and provided with locking elements or projections (3,, 3₂, 13, 14) also movable generally transversely relative to the guiding means, said locking sections or projections being formed and adapted in cooperation with each other and with the guiding means during a minimum transverse movement to act upon the abutments or projections (1, 1,) of sinkers or like elements (4) actuable by the locking and operating means.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to oscillatory locking and operating means in a system for individual operation between two turning positions of especially a large number of closely arranged sinkers, needles, healds or like axially mobile elements having transversely projecting abutments or projections adapted to cooperate with the locking and operating means.

[0002] Considering jacquard machines or dobbies with so- called double-lift wholly open shedding technique the patent literature describes systems permitting individual forced operation in two opposite directions of sinkers, healds, needles or like elements between two opposite turning positions (see US Patent No. 3,938,560 and Swiss Patent No. 577048).

[0003] The published Swedish Patent Application No. 7317354-4 shows various ways of solving the problem entailed with the by-passage of the two locking projections or studs of one sinker when the locking and operating means intended for this locking stud is on its way in the opposite direction relative to the direction of movement of the sinker. In all the variants for which patent has been applied for solving said problem a lateral movement of a locking bar must first be completed well before one free sinker stud can pass the locking hook of the locking plate into the locking position of the sinker operating member and, inversely, the locking bar must not move inwards towards its locking position before the entire height of the locking hook of the locking bar has been passed by the sinker stud when this moves out of the locking mechanism.

[0004] The novel feature of the invention is that such a locking and operating means for sinkers or the like includes guiding means actuable by an outer operating means and movable as well longitudinally as transversely of the sinkers, said guiding means being provided with locking elements or projections which also are movable generally transversely relative to the guiding means and adapted in cooperation with each other and with the guiding means during minimum transverse movement to act upon the abutments or projections of sinkers or like elements actuable by the locking and operating means to bring these into or out of a positive engagement with the locking and releasing phases of the locking and operating means, and that one of two abutments or projections provided on one and the same sinker and locked to one of two locking and operating means acting upon the same sinker during the simultaneously longitudinal and transverse movements of said means is laterally displaced under slight lateral bending of the sinker, while the other sinker abutment or projection is laterally displaced under opposite lateral bending to permit free passage of the abutment or projection past the locking and operating means moving in the opposite direction.

[0005] According to the present invention the locking nose or projection of the locking bar can start its locking movement immediately after the underside and the upper side respectively of the sinker stud has passed the locking nose on its way out of the locking mechanism. Inversely, the locking bar with its locking nose need not start its opening movement until the lower edge and the upper edge respectively of the sinker stud meets the locking nose. Time is saved also because the sinker stud is locked and released with transverse opening and locking movements relative to said stud.

[0006] The invention has also the advantage that the sinker consists of a single fixed piece.

[0007] In the system according to the present invention the entire operating means, the carrying means, can effect a transverse movement relative to the longitudinal movement, in addition to simultaneously having a locking, opening and longitudinally oscillating function on the driven machine element or sinker. The construction of the system is such that its transverse movement withdraws the free locking stud or bead of a sinker from the empty locking mechanism passing in the opposite direction and belonging to the same locking stud so that a free by-passage is obtained.

[0008] Moreover, the system is so constructed that it will permit the shortest possible longitudinal movements of the locking and carrying means during its locking and opening phase. The transverse movements can be made very small. The sinkers are effeciently prevented from oscillation by perfectly positive transverse movements.

[0009] The system will be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings which by way of example illustrate elementary embodiments of the sinker operating means in cooperation with sinkers.

[0010] In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows, on an enlarged scale, a first embodiment and, more exactly, a section of the locking and carrying means as seen from above;

Fig. 2 shows section A-A in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 shows section B-B through the system according to Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a top view of a section of a dividing plate and sinkers in the locking means according to Figs. 1, 2 and 3;

Fig. 5 is a top view showing, on an enlarged scale, a section of a locking and carrying means according to a second embodiment;

Fig. 6 shows the section A-A, B-B and C-C through three locking mechanisms according to Fig. 5 in locking position, and section D-D through part of a supporting and bearing bar 12 for the locking mechanisms in Fig. ₅;

Fig. 7 shows a locking mechanism (section) according to Figs. 5 and 6 open for delivering a sinker for standing still in top shed position;

Fig. 8 shews a locking mechanism (section) according to Figs. 5 and 6 open for delivery of a sinker for standing still in bottom shed position;

Figs. 9A, 9B and 9C show how a locking mechanism in a sinker operating means can be opened and closed;

Figs. 10A, 10B and 10C show on an enlarged scale various positions of movement of the locking mechanisms according to the embodiment of Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4;

Figs. 11A, 11B show in principle various positions of the sinker operating means A and B and in their cooperating locking bars A₁, A₂, B_1' B₂ according to the embodiment of Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 10A, 10B and 10C; and

Figs. 12A, 12B, 12C, 12D and 12E show schematically longitudinal and transverse movement functions of the entire sinker operating means A and B according to the embodiments of Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9A and 9B.

[0011] Fig. 1, which relates to the first embodiment, is a top view showing how eight sinker studs or bends 1 in a section of a sinker operating means A has been locked up by locking noses 3₁ on locking bars A,. (See US Patent No. 3,938,₅60 and Swiss Patent No. 577048). In total nine sinkers are shown in three rows one of which is placed with its stud 1 projecting in a free-passage position. It is seen here that the sinker stud 1 passes outside the locking nose 3₁ on a locking bar A₁. The sinker is on its way through a U-shaped aperture 5 in a sinker dividing disc or sheet 2. The two legs of the U are divided by a tongue 6. To obtain as close a sinker division as possible the sinker studs in every second sinker row has been turned through 180°. The U-shaped apertures 5 are therefore inverted in every second row. The sinkers 4 in each row are also displaced, say 15 mm. The distance between each row is e.g. 5 mm. This is apparent from Fig. 4 where only the sinker dividing plate 2 and cross-sections of six sinkers are shown. Only the two uppermost sinker rows in Fig. 1 is shown here to illustrate more clearly how the same sinker 4 as in Fig. 1 is displaced to the left so that the sinker bend 1 passes outside (on the left side of) the dividing tongue 6.

[0012] Fig. 2 shows a vertical section A-A through the sinker operating means A. The locking bars A and ^A₂ with their locking noses 3₁ and 3₂ are seen from the front. The section A-A passes across the projecting sinker 4 in the second cross row and through the dividing plate 2.

[0013] The sinker thus is situated on the outside of (in front of) the dividing tongue 6. The sinker bends 1 of the other sinkers belonging to the same pair of locking bars A₁ and A₂ are hidden by the dividing tongues 6 and they are therefore represented by broken lines.

[0014] Fig. 3 shows cross-section B-B through the locking bars A₁ and A₂ with the intermediate dividing plate 2. This section also extends right across the sinker bend 1, and the rest of the sinker 4 is seen in the background. It is also shown in broken lines how a sinker belonging to a locking bar pair lying behind is situated in the unlocked part of a U-opening. Figs. 1, 2 and 3 show clearly how the sinker stud 1 can be kept locked up in a safe grip below the positive part of a sinker operating phase at the same time as a free sinker bend 1 on a sinker 4 can pass in the opposite direction relative to a sinker operating means A₁, 2, A₂ (see the vertically oppositely directed arrows in Fig. 2). The sinkers are also safely kept apart at equal distance from each other between the locking noses 3₁ and 3₂.

[0015] Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8, which relate to the second embodiment, show a section of tubular locking mechanisms in various positions. Figs. 5 and 6 show parts of three locking tube mechanisms supported by bearing and dividing bars 12. The locking tube mechanisms consist here of two tubes 13 and 14, one inside the other, slit at even intervals. The bearing bars 12 are placed between the slits (Fig. 5). Of course it is not necessary to have a bearing bar between each slit.

[0016] Fig. 6 shows cross-sections A-A, B-B and C-C through the three locking tubes in Fig. 5, and the sections A-A and B-B show two sinkers 4 with their sinker studs 1 locked up between the locking tubes 13 and 14. In section C-C it is shown how a sinker 4 with its stud 1 is on its way downwards while the entire pack of locking tubes in the bearing bars 12 are passing upwards. The sinker bend 1 will pass outside the locking tubes 13 and 14 which are in a closed position and therefore have an opening 15 which is smaller than the height of the sinker stud 1. While sections A-A, B-B and C-C show the locking tubes 13 and 14 in locking position the section according to Fig. 7 shows how the locking tube 13 has been turned clock-wise and has opened for leaving a sinker in top shed. The locking tube 14, however, remains in its locking position. In Fig. 8 the locking tube mechanism is in its lowermost turning position. The locking tube 13 stands turned in its locking position while the locking tube 14 has been turned counter-clockwise and thus opened for the hooking of the sinker stud 1 and the sinker in bottom shed position.

[0017] Immediately after a sinker stud 1 with its lowermost and uppermost parts has passed the locking tubes 13 and 14 respectively, these locking tubes can resume locking positions whereby the positive sinker operation will become as long as possible while the spring-power dependent operation will become as short as possible.

[0018] Figs. 9A, 9B and 9C show schematically how the sinker locking mechanism according to Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 -can be brought to be opened and closed.

[0019] In the position according to Fig. 9A, i.e. in the upper turning position, a lever 19 has been struck by a stationary, vertically adjustable upper pin or stud 20. The locking tube 13 has thus been turned clockwise and opened for the sinker stud 1. The innermost locking tube 14 remains in locking position. In Fig. 9B none of the levers 19 and 21 on the locking tubes 13 and 14 respectively are actuated. The locking tubes stand in locking positions and retain the sinker stud 1. In Fig. 9C the sinker operating means has reached its lowermost turning position while the lever 21 on the inner locking tube 14 has been struck by a stationary, vertically adjustable lower pin or stud 20, whereby the inner locking tube 14 has been turned anti-clockwise and opened to allow the sinker stud 1 to stand still in bottom shed.

[0020] The designs according to the above figures eliminate wear of sinker stud and locking noses. The locking nose 3₁, 3₂ in Figs. 1-4 or locking corner 8 or 9 in Fig. 7, 8, pressing against the sinker stud, will during this part of the sinker movement stand quite still.

[0021] Systems with turnable locking corners or locking studs may of course also be designed in other fashions.

[0022] Figs. 10A, 10B and 10C show schematically various positions during the transverse movement of the uppermost locking bar A when the sinker operating mechanism A₁ - 2 - A is on its way in downward direction from its uppermost turning position. The sinker 4 has been hooked up in top shed. In Fig. 10A the mechanism A - A₂ has moved downwardly the distance "S". The locking bar A₁ is now in its left turning position and it will immediately commence its movement to the right, as indicated by the curved arrow at the top. The locking nose 3₁ is shaped like a triangle the hypotenuse is inclined at an angle of e.g. 45°. The edge of the locking nose is just to start moving inwards under the sinker stud 1. The lowermost locking bar A₂ stands still with its locking nose 3₂ in locking position in its right turning position. The dashed circles indicate how the sinker stud or bend would have been applied against the locking nose 3₂ if the sinker had not become hung up in top shed. In Fig. 10B it is seen how the locking nose 3 with its inclined top side already is on its way inwardly under the sinker stud 1 while the locking mechanism has moved a further distance downwards. (If the sinker stud had followed a sufficient locking of it would already have been obtained). In Fig. 10C the transverse movement is finished at the same time as the locking mechanism has moved the distance S₁ downwards. From this it is seen that the locking mechanism need not move more than the height = S of the sinker stud 1 before the locking of a sinker carried along has started. Already after a small part of the distance S₁, e.g. 2-3 mm, a sufficient locking of the accompanying sinker (stud) has been obtained. If the locking noses had been given a square or rectangular profile the locking mechanism would have had to move the distance S₁ before the locking bar A could start its locking movement to the right. This is clearly apparent from the broken horizontal/vertical lines in the figures. It is also clear from the figures how the dividing tongue 6, shown in section, can shut up the sinker stud 1. The dividing tongue 6 also forms a partition between the two legs of the U-shaped opening 5, as is clearly apparent from Fig. 4. The tongue 6 thus locks the sinker stud so that this, and consequentely the sinker 4, must be carried along in a transverse movement. The transverse movement with the accompanying functions is clearly apparent from Fig. 11B. Here the sinker stud 1, which alternatively may be shaped as some other type of projection, e.g. as a bead on the sinker 4, is locked up in the uppermost sinker operating mechanism A. The mechanism A has moved some millimetres to the left while the locking mechanism has moved just as far to the right. The mechanism A moves at the same time downwardly (upwardly) while the sinker is carried along.

[0023] Each sinker cooperates with two sinker operating means A and B by reciprocal movements and Figs. 11A and 11B show two sinker operating means A and B. The lowermost operating means B is on its way up in Fig. 11B and is just meeting with the lower sinker stud 1₁ of the sinker 4.

[0024] As the uppermost sinker operating means A has been pushed to the left and the lower most operating means B has been pushed to the right at said meeting it is possible for the lowermost sinker stud 1₁ to pass unim- pededly through the operating means B through the open U-ieg 16₁ in the dividing plate 2; compare the intermediate row in Figs. 1, 2 and 4.

[0025] An obliquely dashed line indicates that the sinker 4₁ is shut up in the operating means with its lower stud. This sinker is situated further away in the operating means B. Here it is the upper sinker stud that passes the upper oppositely running sinker operating means A in the same way as described above with respect to the sinker 4.

[0026] The fact that the dividing plates 2, 2₁ are equipped with U-shaped apertures permits the transverse movement of the sinkers and at the same time free passage for the stud 1₁ of the sinker 4₁ passing in the opposite direction.

[0027] Fig. 11A shows the sinker operating means A and B in their outer turning positions and also, by dashed lines, in their inner turning positions.

[0028] With reference to the embodiment of Figs. 5 - 9A, 9B and 9C, Figs. 12A and B show by dashed curved lines how the sinker operating means A and B move reciprocally longitudinally and at the same time transversely.

[0029] In Fig. 12A the operating means A and B stand in their outer turning positions and the sinker 4 in its upper turning position, i.e. in top shed position. The operating means A and B have locking mechanisms according to Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8, as shown schematically..

[0030] In the sinker operating means A the locking mechanism has opened for possible delivery of sinker (stud) for standing still in top shed and the operating means B has opened for possible delivery of sinker for standing still in bottom shed.

[0031] In Fig. 12B the operating means A has moved half the distance between its turning positions, and the sinker stud 1 with its sinker 4 is locked up in the locking mechanism which now is represented by a closed circle. The operating means has at the same time moved to the right along the dashed curve 17. This results in that the lowermost sinker stud 1₁ will go entirely clear of the operating means B movable in the opposite direction, when this has been displaced the half way between its end positions along the curve line 18 and at the same time to the left.

[0032] In Fig. 12C it is seen how the operating means A and B have taken their inner turning position and the uppermost sinker stud 1 with its sinker 4 is in its lowermost turning position = bottom shed position.

[0033] Here the sinker is hooked up by a program-controlled selection mechanism (not shown). The locking mechanism in the operating means A is open for delivery of a sinker stud 1 and consequently the sinker 4 to bottom shed. The operating mechanism in A moves again upwards while the sinker stands still in bottom shed. In Fig.12D the sinker 4 still stands in bottom shed position. The operating mechanisms A and B are the same position as in Fig. 12B but are not engaged with the sinker.

[0034] In Fig. 12E the operating mechanisms A and B have resumed their respective top shed and bottom shed turning positions. The operating means B can now - if the pattern permits - carry along the lowermost sinker stud 1₁ on the sinker 4 and carry it up to the top shed.

[0035] The invention is not restricted to that described above and shown in the drawings but it can be modified in various ways within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. Oscillatory locking and operating means in a system for individual operation between two turning positions of especially a large number of closely arranged sinkers, needles, healds or like axially mobile elements having transversely projecting abutments or projections adapted to cooperate with the locking and operating means, characterized in that such a locking and operating means for sinkers or the like includes guiding means (A, B) actuable by an outer operating means and movable as well longitudinally as transversely of the sinkers, said guiding means being provided with locking elements or projections (3₁, 3₂, 13, 14) which also are movable generally transversely relative to the guiding means, that the locking elements or projections are shaped and adapted in cooperation with each other and with the guiding means during a minimum transverse movement to act upon the abutments or projections (1, 1₁) of sinkers or like machine elements (4) actuable by the locking and operating means to bring these into or out of positive engagement with the locking and releasing moments of the locking and operating means (A₁, A₂), and that one of two abutments or projections provided on the same sinker and locked to one of two locking and operating means acting upon the same sinker is displaced laterally under slight lateral bending of the sinker (4), during the longitudinal and simultaneously transverse movements of said means, while the other sinker abutment or projection is laterally displaced under opposite lateral bending to permit free passage of the abutment or projection past the locking and operating means moving in the opposite direction.

2. A locking and operating means as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that each of the guiding means being movable transversely relative to the sinker or,towards similar longitudinally movable elements includes a plate (2) controlled by the outer operating means and having a thickness adjusted to the axial extent of the sinker projections and having a number of generally U-shaped recesses (5) corresonding to the sin- _kers or the like (4), the leg portions of said recesses having an area allowing free passage of the sinker or the like and the abutments or projections (1) thereof while the web portion of the recess only admits passage of the sinker, and that the locking elements or projections (3₁, 3₂) are situated on either side of the plate and movable substantially in parallel therewith to and from positions, while covering from one, the other or from both sides, one leg portion of the respective U-shaped recess (5) in the plate (2) to admit passage, permit the sinker projection to enter from either side into the last-mentioned leg portion of the recess and respectively permit shutting up of said portion to allow it to be carried along.

3. A locking and operating means as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the guiding means includes a plate or the like (A, B) controlled by the outer operating means and the locking elements or projections consist of tubular means, arranged one inside the other, provided with an axial slit, said means being turnable relative to the plate or the like, that a peripheral recess extends from one end of the axial slit in each tubular means, that the portion laterally defining the axial slit constitutes an element engaging the projection or abutment of a sinker or the like, while the edge of it forms a guide for the sinker while, by relative turning of the tubular means in various positions, a sinker projection or abutment (1), moving towards the tubular means, in one position is admitted free by-passage, in other positions is caught and after further relative movement is locked up in order to be released again in one or the other direction after a predetermined process.

Drawing