LOOM HEALD-FRAME HEIGHT ADJUSTING APPARATUS

Abstract

 A loom heald-frame height adjusting apparatus according to the invention includes a support base (51, 61, 71), an adjusting mechanism (52, 62), and an ascending-descending member (53, 63, 63', 73). The support base (51, 61, 71) includes a setup portion (51 d, 61 d) and a guiding portion (51 a, 62a), the setup portion (51 d, 61 d) enabling the support base (51, 61, 71) to be mounted on a heald frame (10), and the guiding portion (51 a, 62a) extending upward from the setup portion (51 d, 61 d) in a state where the support base (51, 61, 71) is mounted on the heald frame (10). The adjusting mechanism (52, 62) includes an adjusting portion (52a, 62a) and a shift portion (52b, 62b). The adjusting portion (52a, 62a) is supported by the support base (51,61,71) and includes a screw portion. The shift portion (52b, 62b) is allowed to be shifted in the direction in which the guiding portion (51 a, 62a) extends and screwed on the screw portion of the adjusting portion (52a, 62a). The ascending-descending member (53, 63, 63', 73) includes a support portion and a hook portion (53a). The support portion is supported by the shift portion (52b, 62b) of the adjusting mechanism (52, 62). The hook portion (53a) is capable of hooking a downward-facing surface of the frame stave (11).

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a heald-frame height adjusting apparatus for a loom, particularly a loom that includes a shedding device including multiple heald frames, a shed driving device, and transmission mechanisms, and for adjusting the height of the heald frames before the loom is operated, the shed driving device vertically raising and lowering each heald frame, the transmission mechanisms being provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the heald frames, and the transmission mechanisms each coupling the shed driving device and the corresponding heald frame together. Each of the transmission mechanisms can change the height of the corresponding heald frame at which the heald frame is vertically supported.

2. Description of the Related Art

[0002] Fig. 8 illustrates an example of a shedding device in a loom of the above-described type. The shedding device includes multiple transmission mechanisms provided in a one-to-one correspondence with heald frames. Each transmission mechanism couples the corresponding heald frame with a swingable lever of a shed driving device. Each transmission mechanism converts a reciprocating swing motion of the swingable lever of the shed driving device into a vertical motion of the corresponding heald frame. Each transmission mechanism includes a pair of rod-shaped support members. Each transmission mechanism is coupled with the corresponding heald frame in such a manner that ends of the support members are attached to the lower end of the heald frame. Thus, each heald frame is supported by the pair of support members of the corresponding transmission mechanism and its height is determined by the length of the support members.

[0003] In accordance with, for example, a change of a fabric that is to be woven, a loom is often subjected to an operation of adjusting the height of each heald frame of the shedding device (this operation is also referred to as a "height adjusting operation", below) during an adjusting operation performed before the loom is operated so that the height of each heald frame is suitable for the changed fabric. The height of each heald frame in the above-described loom including a shedding device is adjusted by matching the length of the pair of support members, which support the heald frame, with the changed (adjusted) height of the heald frame.

[0004] Specifically, the support members of each transmission mechanism are each formed of a connecting rod, connected to the corresponding heald frame at a first end portion, and a tubular support body, into which a second end portion of the connecting rod is inserted and fitted. The length of each support member as a whole (the full length of the support member) is adjustable by changing the amount by which the connecting rod is inserted into the support body. The position of the connecting rod relative to the support body is fixed by a fixing screw screwed into the support body. Specifically, the full length of each support member (or the amount by which the connecting rod is inserted into the support body) is changeable by loosening the fixing screw and the full length of each support member is fixed by tightening the fixing screw. As described above, each support member supports the corresponding heald frame in the vertical direction. Thus, the height of the corresponding heald frame in the shedding device is adjusted in accordance with the change of the full length of each support member.

[0005] Thus, to adjust the height of each heald frame, the following operations are performed: a fixing screw is loosened so that the full length of the support members, which support a heald frame whose length is to be adjusted, is rendered changeable; in this state, the height of the heald frame is changed to the height corresponding to the subsequent weaving; and the fixing screw is then tightened to fix the height of the heald frame (full length of the support members).

[0006] As described above, each heald frame of the shedding device is supported by the support members of the corresponding transmission mechanism. In other words, the weight of each heald frame is borne by the support members of the corresponding transmission mechanism. Thus, when the height of the heald frame is to be adjusted in the above-described manner, if the fixing screws on the support members are loosened without the heald frame being vertically supported, the heald frame would lose support and fall due to its weight. Thus, the heald frame height adjusting operation has to be performed while at least the heald frame is being supported. Besides, loosening or tightening of the fixing screws, which are located at lower portions of the heald frame, requires two or more operators.

[0007] Examples of the existing technology for facilitating the heald frame height adjusting operation include a device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-107103 and a device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-293154.

[0008] The device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-107103 is usable in a device of a type different from that of the shedding device for which the present invention is designed. A mechanism for adjusting the height of a heald frame is incorporated in the device at a connection portion between a heald frame and a rod of the transmission mechanism.

[0009] In contrast to the device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-107103, the device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-293154 is not incorporated in the shedding device. The device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-293154 stands alone as a tool for a heald frame height adjusting operation. For the heald frame height adjusting operation, the device is mounted on a fixing portion of the loom. The device disclosed in the Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-293154 includes engagement means for becoming engaged with a side stay of the heald frame. When the device is mounted on the fixing portion of the loom, the device can hold the heald frame (can support the heald frame) as a result of the engagement means becoming connected with the heald frame. Concurrently, the device changes (adjusts) the height of the heald frame by vertically changing the position of the engagement means using an ascending-descending mechanism.

[0010] In the device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-107103, however, the above-described mechanism is incorporated in the shedding device corresponding to each heald frame. This configuration may cause problems such as rendering the shedding device complex and increasing the production cost. Moreover, this configuration increases the weight of the portion (including the heald frame) that vertically moves during the shedding motion. Thus, an adoption of the configuration in which the mechanism is incorporated in the shedding device can hinder the speedup of the loom.

[0011] The device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-293154, on the other hand, does not cause the problems that can occur in the above-described device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-107103 since the device is provided as a tool independent of the shedding device and is coupled with the heald frame only at the time of adjusting the height of the heald frame. As described above, the device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-293154 adjusts the height of the heald frame by vertically changing the position of the engagement means that becomes engaged with the heald frame. The configuration of the device for engaging the engagement means and the heald frame together, however, causes the following problems.

[0012] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-293154 discloses a holding mechanism (holding device) as an example of the engagement configuration, the holding mechanism holding a side stay of the heald frame in the front-rear direction (thickness direction of the heald frame). Specifically, this holding mechanism includes a body, a fastening portion, and a clamp portion. When a male screw included in the fastening portion is fastened, the body and the clamp portion hold the side stay so that the holding mechanism becomes engaged with the heald frame. The holding mechanism that holds the side stay in the front-rear direction in the above-described manner, however, fails to vertically change (raise or lower) the position of the heald frame in accordance with the positional change of the holding mechanism (engagement means) unless the holding mechanism has a holding force sufficiently strong to hold the side stay. Thus, the holding mechanism requires a considerable force to fasten the male screw for producing such a strong holding force. Thus, the device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-293154 imposes a heavy load on operators when the operators perform an operation of engaging the engagement means on the heald frame. In addition, when the loom has a large width, the heald frame has a heavy weight. Thus, an engagement resulting from the holding of the heald frame in the above-described manner may fail to reliably raise or lower the heald frame in accordance with the positional change of the engagement means.

[0013] Besides the above-described holding mechanism, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-293154 also discloses, as an example of the engagement configuration, another configuration in which an engagement pin included in the engagement means is fitted into an engagement hole formed in the side stay of the heald frame. Generally used heald frames, however, do not have such an engagement hole. Thus, to mount the device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-293154 having such a configuration on an existing loom, a hole has to be additionally formed in each heald frame. In the case where a heald frame having such an engagement hole is newly produced, the number of processes increases by the process for forming the hole and the production cost thus increases. Moreover, forming such an engagement hole in the side stay may lower the strength of the heald frame, which is vertically driven at a high speed during weaving of the loom.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0014] The present invention is made in view of the above-described problems of existing devices. An object of the present invention is to provide a heald-frame height adjusting apparatus provided as a separate tool as in the case of the above-described device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-293154, the heald-frame height adjusting apparatus being engageable with a typical heald frame without subjecting the heald frame to any additional processes and being capable of securely adjusting the height of the heald frame.

[0015] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides the loom heald-frame height adjusting apparatus as described. The loom heald-frame height adjusting apparatus includes a support base that is mounted on an upper surface of an upper frame stave of each of the heald frames, the support base including a setup portion and a guiding portion, the setup portion enabling the support base to be mounted on the heald frame, and the guiding portion extending upward from the setup portion in a state where the support base is mounted on the heald frame using the setup portion; an adjusting mechanism including an adjusting portion and a shift portion, the adjusting portion being supported by the support base and restrained from being shifted in a direction in which the guiding portion extends, the adjusting portion including a screw portion, the shift portion being allowed to be shifted in the direction in which the guiding portion extends and screwed on the screw portion of the adjusting portion, the shift portion being shifted in the direction in which the guiding portion extends in accordance with a rotation of the adjusting portion; and an ascending-descending member including a support portion and a hook portion, the support portion being supported by the shift portion of the adjusting mechanism, the hook portion being capable of hooking a downward-facing surface of the frame stave, the ascending-descending member being insertable into a space between adjacent two of the heald frames on the loom, the ascending-descending member having a length from the support portion to the hook portion that is larger than a dimension of the frame stave in the vertical direction.

[0016] A heald-frame height adjusting apparatus according to the present invention (hereinafter also referred to as a "frame height adjusting apparatus") is installed in such a manner that the setup portion of the support base of the apparatus is mounted on the upper surface of the upper frame stave of a heald frame near (for example, adjacent to) a target heald frame (hereinafter this frame is referred to as a "different heald frame"). In the installed state, the adjusting mechanism supported by the support base is positioned above the heald frame in the vertical direction. When the heald-frame height adjusting apparatus is in the installed state, the adjusting mechanism supports the ascending-descending member at its shift portion. The ascending-descending member is engaged with the upper frame stave as a result of its hook portion hooking a downward-facing surface of the upper frame stave of the target heald frame (for example, the undersurface of the upper frame stave, hereinafter referred to as a "downward-facing surface"). In that state, the shift portion of the adjusting mechanism and the target heald frame are connected together by the ascending-descending member.

[0017] Then, in the heald-frame height adjusting apparatus, when the adjusting portion of the adjusting mechanism is rotated, the shift portion of the adjusting mechanism is shifted in the vertical direction (the direction in which the guiding portion of the support base extends). Accordingly, the target heald frame connected to the shift portion with the ascending-descending member interposed therebetween is vertically shifted (raised or lowered).

[0018] When the heald-frame height adjusting apparatus according to the invention is mounted on the different heald frame at the support base as in the above-described manner, the ascending-descending member supported by the support base with the adjusting mechanism interposed therebetween hooks the downward-facing surface of the upper frame stave of the target heald frame at its hook portion. Specifically, in that state, the target heald frame is supported at its upper frame stave by the support base mounted on the different heald frame with the ascending-descending member and the adjusting mechanism interposed therebetween.

[0019] In the heald-frame height adjusting apparatus according to the invention, during the operation of adjusting the height of a heald frame, the weight of the target heald frame is borne by the heald-frame height adjusting apparatus (ascending-descending member) even when the fixing screw of the support member of the corresponding transmission mechanism of the shedding device is loosened to remove support on the target heald frame from the support member. Thus, the target heald frame is supported by the heald-frame height adjusting apparatus (more specifically, by the different heald frame with the heald-frame height adjusting apparatus interposed therebetween). Thus, during the operation of adjusting the height of the heald frame, the heald-frame height adjusting apparatus according to the invention allows an operator to loosen the fixing screw of the support member (allows an operator to vertically shift the heald frame) without the operator having to support the target heald frame. The height adjustment of the heald frame is thus enabled with fewer operators (one operator at minimum).

[0020] In the heald-frame height adjusting apparatus according to the invention, the heald-frame height adjusting apparatus and the target heald frame are connected by, more specifically, the target heald frame and the shift portion of the adjusting mechanism that is vertically shifted are connected by the hook portion of the ascending-descending member hooking the downward-facing surface of the upper frame stave of the target heald frame. Specifically, in the heald-frame height adjusting apparatus according to the invention, the target heald frame and the ascending-descending member of the heald-frame height adjusting apparatus are engaged by simply causing the hook portion of the ascending-descending member to face the downward-facing surface of the upper frame stave of the target heald frame and to come into contact with the downward-facing surface. Here, if support on the target heald frame from the support member of the transmission mechanism is removed while the hook portion is hooking the downward-facing surface, the hook portion bears the weight of the target heald frame, so that the hook portion hooks the downward-facing surface more firmly. Thus, the heald-frame height adjusting apparatus according to the invention allows an operator to easily connect the heald-frame height adjusting apparatus and the target heald frame together without imposing a heavy load on the operator. In addition, the heald-frame height adjusting apparatus according to the invention secures connection between the heald-frame height adjusting apparatus (ascending-descending member) and the target heald frame without the need for performing additional processes on the heald frames.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] 

Fig. 1 illustrates a heald-frame height adjusting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention in a side view and a front view;

Fig. 2 illustrates a heald-frame height adjusting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention during use in a side view and a front view;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of part of a heald-frame height adjusting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 4 illustrates a heald-frame height adjusting apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention during use in a side view and a front view;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a support base of a heald-frame height adjusting apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 6 illustrates an ascending-descending member of a heald-frame height adjusting apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention in a side view and a front view;

Fig. 7 illustrates a heald-frame height adjusting apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention during use in side views;

Fig. 8 is a schematic front view of an example of a shedding device for a loom for which a heald-frame height adjusting apparatus according to the present invention is used;and

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of part of a shedding device in a loom for which a heald-frame height adjusting apparatus according to the present invention is used.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] Referring now to the drawings, embodiments (or examples) of the present invention are described below.

[0023] Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate an example of a shedding device in a loom for which a heald-frame height adjusting apparatus according to the present invention (frame height adjusting apparatus) is used. The shedding device includes multiple heald frames 10, a shed driving device 30, which exerts a shedding motion on each heald frame 10 (drives the each heald frame 10 so that the heald frame 10 reciprocates vertically), and transmission mechanisms 20, which support the heald frames 10 and couple the heald frames 10 and the shed driving device 30 together, as described above. Each heald frame 10 included in the shedding device is formed of a pair of upper and lower frame staves 11 and a pair of right and left side stays 12. The shed driving device 30 includes a number of swingable levers 32 corresponding to the number of the heald frames 10 included in the shedding device. Each swingable lever 32 is swingably driven to reciprocate in accordance with weaving of the loom by a driving unit 31 including components such as a cam mechanism. The transmission mechanisms 20 are provided so as to correspond to the heald frames 10 in the shedding device so as to each couple the corresponding heald frame 10 and the corresponding swingable lever 32 of the shed driving device 30 together.

[0024] Although the configuration of each transmission mechanism 20 is publicly known, the configuration is schematically illustrated as below. Each transmission mechanism 20 includes a pair of support members 21, coupled with lower end portions of the corresponding heald frame 10, a pair of swing arms 22 provided so as to correspond to the pair of support members 21, a coupling lever 23 that couples one of the swing arms 22 and the swingable lever 32 of the shed driving device 30 together, and a link member 24 that couples both swing arms 22 together.

[0025] Each support member 21 includes a connecting rod 21a, including a connection portion at its first end portion at which the connecting rod 21 a is coupled to the corresponding heald frame 10, and a support body 21 b having a substantially cylindrical shape. In each support member 21, the connecting rod 21 a is fitted into the support body 21 b at a second end portion of the support member 21 and the position of the connecting rod 21 a relative to the support body 21 b in the axial direction is fixed by a fixing screw 21 c. The pair of support members 21 are coupled to the corresponding heald frame 10 at connection portions disposed adjacent to the first end portion with a pair of connecting members 13 interposed therebetween, the pair of connecting members 13 being attached to the lower end portions of the heald frame 10. The pair of connecting members 13 attached to the heald frame 10 are fixed to the undersurface of the lower frame stave 11 while being spaced apart from each other in the lateral direction (in the direction in which the frame stave 11 extends).

[0026] Each swing arm 22 is a plate member having a substantially bifurcated shape. Each swing arm 22 is swingably supported via a shaft member 22a at its substantially middle portion by components such as a beam disposed between frames of the loom. The pair of swing arms 22 are coupled together by the link member 24 at connection points 22b at their respective first end portions so as to swing synchronously. A second end portion of the support member 21, coupled with the corresponding heald frame 10 at its first end portion as described above, is coupled to a connection point 22c at a second end portion of the corresponding swing arm 22. The swing arms 22, the link member 24, and the support members 21 are coupled together using components such as shaft members and bearings so as to be rotatable relative to one another. In each swing arm 22, the positions of the connection points 22b and 22c with respect to the support position of the shaft member 22a are determined so that a line segment connecting the axis of the shaft member 22a and the center of the connection point 22b together is substantially perpendicular to a line segment connecting the axis of the shaft member 22a and the center of the connection point 22c together.

[0027] One of the swing arms 22 (right swing arm 22 in Fig. 8) is coupled to the swingable lever 32 of the shed driving device 30 with the coupling lever 23 interposed therebetween, the coupling lever 23 being coupled to another connection point 22c at the first end portion. Thus, the swing arm 22 is restrained from freely swinging by the swingable lever 32. The other swing arm 22 (left swing arm 22 in Fig. 8) coupled to the swing arm 22 by the link member 24 is also restrained from freely swinging by the swingable lever 32. When the swingable lever 32 is driven to swing, both swing arms 22 swing synchronously. Here, the one swing arm 22 and the coupling lever 23 are also coupled together so as to be rotatable relative to each other.

[0028] In the shedding device, the position of each heald frame 10 in the vertical direction is fixed by the pair of support members 21 of the corresponding transmission mechanism 20 since the support members 21 are coupled to and supported by the swing arms 22 at their second end portions, the swing arms 22 being restrained from swinging as described above.

[0029] The positions of each heald frame 10 in the lateral direction and the front-rear direction (or thickness direction of the heald frame 10) are restricted by heald frame guides 40 disposed on both sides of the heald frame 10 in the lateral direction. Each heald frame guide 40 has a configuration as specifically illustrated in Fig. 9. Each heald frame guide 40 is supported by a bracket 41 attached to the loom frame with a support shaft 42 interposed therebetween. Each heald frame guide 40 includes a pair of upper and lower guide portions 43. Each of the guide portions 43 of each heald frame guide 40 has a number of guide grooves corresponding to the number of heald frames 10 included in the shedding device.

[0030] Each heald frame 10 is disposed in such a manner that the side stays 12 on both sides in the lateral direction are inserted into corresponding guide grooves 43a of the guide portions 43. The position of each heald frame 10 in the lateral direction is restricted by the bottom surfaces of the corresponding guide grooves 43a and the position of each heald frame 10 in the front-rear direction is restricted by opposing inner side surfaces of the corresponding guide grooves 43a. The multiple heald frames 10 included in the shedding device are arranged in the loom in such a manner that each heald frame 10 has a gap between itself and a heald frame 10 adjacent to itself in the front-rear direction by a distance corresponding to the interval between adjacent guide grooves 43a of the heald frame guide 40. At the shedding motion during weaving, the position of each heald frame 10 in the vertical direction is changed while being guided by the corresponding guide grooves 43a of the heald frame guides 40.

[0031] Referring now to Figs. 1 to 3, an example of a heald-frame height adjusting apparatus (frame height adjusting apparatus 50) according to the invention is described. The frame height adjusting apparatus 50 is used in the shedding device in the loom as described above when the height of each heald frame 10 is adjusted before the loom is operated (before weaving is started). During the height adjusting operation, the frame height adjusting apparatus 50 according to the embodiment is used while being mounted on a heald frame 10 adjacent, in the front-rear direction, to the heald frame 10 whose height is to be adjusted. In the following description, the heald frame 10 whose height is to be adjusted among multiple heald frames 10 is referred to as a target heald frame 10a and a heald frame 10 that is adjacent to the target heald frame 10a and on which the frame height adjusting apparatus 50 is mounted as described above is referred to as a neighboring heald frame 10b.

[0032] The frame height adjusting apparatus 50 is used while being mounted on the upper frame stave 11 of one of the heald frames 10 during the height adjusting operation. The frame height adjusting apparatus 50 includes a support base 51, which is a portion mounted on the heald frame 10 and serves as a main body (Figs. 1 and 2). As illustrated in Fig. 1, the frame height adjusting apparatus 50 also includes an ascending-descending member 53 and an adjusting mechanism 52. The ascending-descending member 53 is engaged with the target heald frame 10a while in use. The adjusting mechanism 52 supports the ascending-descending member 53. The adjusting mechanism 52 includes a shift portion 52b, whose position is vertically changed to adjust the height of the target heald frame 10a. The frame height adjusting apparatus 50 is described in detail below.

[0033] In this embodiment, the support base 51 is formed of a single plate. When viewed in the thickness direction, the support base 51 is substantially rectangular. More specifically, the support base 51 includes a guiding portion 51 a, which has a thin rectangular shape when viewed in the thickness direction, and an insertion portion 51 b, which is located on a first end side of the guiding portion 51 a in the longitudinal direction. The insertion portion 51 b has a larger dimension in the width direction (direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction on the plate surface) than the guiding portion 51 a. The insertion portion 51 b is disposed so as to be continuous with an edge of the guiding portion 51 a on a first end side while having its middle in the width direction aligned with the middle of the guiding portion 51 a in the width direction. Thus, the insertion portion 51 b protrudes from both sides of the guiding portion 51 a in the width direction. In other words, the insertion portion 51 b includes portions (protrusions) on both sides that protrude beyond the guiding portion 51 a in the width direction.

[0034] The support base 51 also includes a support table 51 c on a second end side of the guiding portion 51 a (the side opposite to the first end side in the longitudinal direction). The support table 51 c extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plate surface of the guiding portion 51 a (extends in the above-described thickness direction). In this embodiment, the support table 51 c is disposed so as to be continuous with the edge of the guiding portion 51 a on the second end side.

[0035] The support base 51 also includes setup portions 51 d at a boundary between the guiding portion 51 a and the insertion portion 51 b of the support base 51, the setup portions disposed so as to extend in the thickness direction. As to the thickness direction here, the direction in which the setup portions 51 d extend from the guiding portion 51 a is opposite to the direction in which the support table 51c extends. The length of the setup portions 51 d in the thickness direction is substantially equivalent to the thickness of the heald frames 10 (frame staves 11). In this embodiment, a pair of setup portions 51 d are disposed so as to be continuous with the edges of the protrusions of the insertion portion 51 b located adjacent to the guiding portion 51 a. In other words, the support base 51 includes a pair of setup portions 51 d in this embodiment.

[0036] As described above, the support base 51 is formed of a single plate and the guiding portion 51 a, the insertion portion 51 b, the support table 51 c, and the pair of setup portions 51 d are formed as an integrated unit. More specifically, the support table 51 c is formed by bending a plate portion located on the side of the guiding portion 51 a opposite to the side on which the insertion portion 51 b is disposed. In addition, the pair of setup portions 51 d are formed by bending plate portions that protrude from the edges of the protrusions of the insertion portion 51 b on the side adjacent to the guiding portion 51 a, the protrusions of the insertion portion 51 b protruding toward both sides of the guiding portion 51 a in the width direction.

[0037] While the frame height adjusting apparatus 50 is in use, that is, during the operation of adjusting the height of the heald frame 10, the frame height adjusting apparatus 50 is installed in such a manner that the undersurfaces of the pair of setup portions 51 d of the support base 51 are mounted on the upper surface of the upper frame stave 11 of a neighboring heald frame 10b. When the frame height adjusting apparatus 50 is in the installed state, the guiding portion 51 a of the support base 51 extends upward from the setup portions 51 d. In this installation state, the insertion portion 51 b of the support base 51 is inserted into the above-described gap between the target heald frame 10a and the neighboring heald frame 10b. Thus, the thickness of the insertion portion 51 b, that is, the thickness of the plate member constituting the guiding portion 51 a and the insertion portion 51 b is determined so that the insertion portion 51 b is insertable into the gap between the heald frames 10.

[0038] The guiding portion 51 a of the support base 51 has a long hole 51 a1, which extends in the longitudinal direction and extends through the guiding portion 51 a in the thickness direction. The long hole 51a1 guides the positional change of the shift portion 52b of the adjusting mechanism 52, described below, in the direction in which the guiding portion 51 a extends (in the above-described longitudinal direction of the support base 51). The support table 51 c of the support base 51 has an insertion hole 51 c1 into which the shift portion 52b is inserted. The insertion hole 51c1 extends through the support table 51 c in the longitudinal direction of the support base 51. This support table 51 c functions as a position control portion that restricts the positions of the adjusting mechanism 52 in the width direction and the thickness direction.

[0039] The adjusting mechanism 52 includes an adjusting portion 52a and a shift portion 52b. The adjusting portion 52a is supported by the support base 51 and includes a screw portion. The shift portion 52b is supported by the support base 51 with the adjusting portion 52a interposed therebetween as a result of being screwed on the adjusting portion 52a. In this embodiment, the adjusting portion 52a is formed of a butterfly nut disposed on the support base 51. Thus, the screw portion of the adjusting portion (butterfly nut) 52a is a female thread portion 52a1, which is an internally-threaded hole formed in the butterfly nut 52a.

[0040] In this embodiment, the shift portion 52b includes a bolt member 52b1 and a support block 52b2 as main components. The bolt member 52b1 is screwed on the female thread portion 52a1 of the butterfly nut (adjusting portion) 52a and the support block 52b2 is attached to the bolt member 52b1. The bolt member 52b1 is a screw member externally threaded throughout its shank portion extending from its head portion. The shank portion has a length that is longer than the distance by which the heald frames 10 are assumed to be adjusted (shifted) at the time of adjusting the height of the heald frames 10.

[0041] The support block 52b2 is a rectangular parallelepiped block member. The support block 52b2 is attached to the tip end portion of the bolt member 52b1 (end portion located opposite to the head portion) and constitutes the shift portion 52b together with the bolt member 52b1. When the support block 52b2 is attached to the bolt member 52b1, the direction of the long sides of the side surfaces (four surfaces whose long sides are equal) is directed so as to coincide with the direction of the axis of the bolt member 52b1.

[0042] In this embodiment, the support block 52b2 has an attachment hole 52bx that is open in one of the end surfaces (two surfaces of the support block 52b2 excluding the side surfaces) and that has an internally threaded inner surface. The support block 52b2 is attached to the bolt member 52b1 in such a manner that the bolt member 52b1 is screwed into the attachment hole 52bx of the support block 52b2. Thus, the support block 52b2 is attachable to and detachable from the bolt member 52b1.

[0043] The support block 52b2 also has through holes 52by that are open in two parallel side surfaces among all the side surfaces and that extend through the support block 52b2 so as to be parallel to the remaining side surfaces. In this embodiment, these two through holes 52by are formed so as to be spaced apart from each other in the direction of the long sides of the side surfaces. Each of the through holes 52by is an internally threaded hole.

[0044] A screw member 52b3 is screwed into each of the through holes (internally-threaded hole) 52by. Specifically, two screw members 52b3 are attached to the support block 52b2 in the form of being screwed into the through holes 52by. In the attached state, the screw members 52b3 protrude from the side surfaces of the support block 52b2. In this configuration, pegs that support the ascending-descending member 53, as described below, are provided on the shift portion 52b. In other words, the shift portion 52b including the support block 52b2 includes pegs that support the ascending-descending member 53 and the screw members 52b3 attached to the support block 52b2 function as the pegs.

[0045] In the support block 52b2, the dimension of the short sides of the side surfaces parallel to the through holes 52by among all the side surfaces is substantially equivalent to (or slightly larger than) the thickness of the heald frames 10 (frame staves 11).

[0046] When the adjusting mechanism 52 having such a configuration is attached to the support base 51, first, the butterfly nut 52a is screwed on the bolt member 52b1. Then, the bolt member 52b1 on which the butterfly nut 52a is screwed is inserted, with its end ahead, into the insertion hole 51 c1 of the support table 51 c of the support base 51. Then, the support block 52b2 is attached to the bolt member 52b1 in the above-described manner. Thus, the adjusting mechanism 52 (shift portion 52b) is assembled to the support base 51 in the state where the bolt member 52b1 is inserted into the insertion hole 51 c1 of the support table 51 c. The insertion hole 51 c1 in the support table 51 c of the support base 51 is sized so as to allow the shank portion of the bolt member 52b1 to pass therethrough and to be shifted inside the insertion hole 51 c1 but not to allow the butterfly nut 52a and the support block 52b2 to pass therethrough.

[0047] In the above-described assembled state, the support block 52b2 is in the state where the side surface opposite to the side surface to which the screw member (peg) 52b3 is attached faces the plate surface of the guiding portion 51 a of the support base 51. Specifically, in the above-described assembled state, the openings of the through holes 52by in the support block 52b2 face the long hole 51a1 formed in the guiding portion 51a of the support base 51.

[0048] In the above-described assembled state, the shift portion 52b according to this embodiment is attached so that a screw member 52b4 is inserted into the long hole 51 a1 of the guiding portion 51 a of the support base 51 from the side surface of the guiding portion 51 a opposite to the side surface on which the support block 52b2 is disposed and so that the screw member 52b4 is screwed on the support block 52b2 from the side surface opposite to the side surface on which the support block 52b2 is disposed. Here, the screw member 52b4 is attached to the support block 52b2 in such a manner that a distance between the side surface of the support block 52b2 opposite to the side surface on which the support block 52b2 is disposed and the head portion of the screw member 52b4 is slightly larger than the thickness of the guiding portion 51 a of the support base 51. The dimension of the long hole 51a1 in the guiding portion 51 a in the width direction is sized so as to be slightly larger than the diameter of the shank portion of the screw member 52b4 and so as to allow the shank portion of the screw member 52b4 to be shifted inside the long hole 51a1 in the direction in which the long hole 51a1 extends.

[0049] In the assembled state, a positional change of the support block 52b2 (shift portion 52b) in the direction in which the long hole 51a1 in the support base 51 extends (that is, the longitudinal direction of the guiding portion 51 a) is guided by the long hole 51a1 and the screw member 52b4. Concurrently, the support block 52b2 is restrained from being spaced apart from the guiding portion 51 a of the support base 51 to a large degree in the thickness direction.

[0050] As described above, in the installed state of the frame height adjusting apparatus 50 during the operation of adjusting the height of the heald frame 10, the guiding portion 51 a of the support base 51 extends upward from the setup portions 51 d mounted on the neighboring heald frame 10b. In the installed state, the shift portion 52b of the adjusting mechanism 52 is supported by the support table 51 c of the support base 51 using the butterfly nut 52a screwed onto the bolt member 52b1. Specifically, in the installed state, the butterfly nut 52a of the adjusting mechanism 52 is mounted on the support table 51 c of the support base 51 while bearing the weight of the shift portion 52b or other components. When the height of the heald frames 10 is adjusted, as described below, the butterfly nut 52a also bears the weight of the target heald frame 10a with the ascending-descending member 53 being interposed therebetween.

[0051] As described above, during the operation of adjusting the height of the heald frame 10, the butterfly nut 52a of the adjusting mechanism 52 serving as an adjusting portion is mounted on the support table 51 c of the support base 51 so as to be restrained from being shifted downward by the support table 51 c and pressed against the support table 51c while bearing the weights of components such as the shift portion 52b and the heald frame 10. In other words, the butterfly nut 52a is restrained from being vertically (direction in which the guiding portion 51 a of the support base 51 extends) shifted.

[0052] In this state, when the butterfly nut 52a is rotated to change, in the axial direction of the bolt member 52b1, the portion of the bolt member 52b1 on which the butterfly nut 52a is screwed, the bolt member 52b1 is shifted in the direction in which the guiding portion 51 a extends while the butterfly nut 52a is restrained from being shifted in the direction in which the guiding portion 51 a extends (vertical direction), as described above. In other words, when the frame height adjusting apparatus 50 is in the installed state, the shift portion 52b including the bolt member 52b1 is shifted in the direction in which the guiding portion 51 a of the support base 51 extends, by rotating the butterfly nut 52a of the adjusting mechanism 52 serving as an adjusting portion.

[0053] In this embodiment, the ascending-descending member 53 is formed of a stick (a round-bar-shaped member). The stick serving as the ascending-descending member 53 has such an outside diameter that the stick is insertable into the gap between multiple heald frames 10 installed in the loom.

[0054] The ascending-descending member 53 has such a shape that end portions of the stick are bent. The ascending-descending member 53 includes a hook portion 53a at its first end portion and a support portion 53b at its second end portion (end portion opposite to the end portion on which the hook portion 53a is disposed). The hook portion 53a is a portion at which each heald frame 10 is hooked by the ascending-descending member 53. The support portion 53b is a portion at which the ascending-descending member 53 is supported by the shift portion 52b of the adjusting mechanism 52. In the ascending-descending member 53, the hook portion 53a and the support portion 53b are connected together with a rod-shaped base portion 53c.

[0055] Each portion is described in detail. The hook portion 53a is formed by bending the first end portion of the stick at two points in the same direction and forms a substantially U shape when viewed sideways. In the hook portion 53a, the angle at which the first end portion is bent at two points is substantially a right angle. When a portion located farther from the base portion 53c beyond the distal one of the two bent points of the hook portion 53a is referred to as a distal portion and a portion located closer to the base portion 53c than the proximal one of the two bent points is referred to as a proximal portion, the distal portion and the proximal portion of the hook portion 53a are substantially parallel to each other. The distance between the distal portion and the proximal portion, that is, the length of a portion between the distal portion and the proximal portion, that is, the portion (intermediate portion) extending substantially perpendicular to the base portion 53c is substantially equivalent to the thickness of each heald frame 10 (frame stave 11), so that the frame stave 11 of each heald frame 10 is receivable between the distal portion and the proximal portion.

[0056] The support portion 53b is formed by bending the second end portion of the stick in the arc shape. Here, the support portion 53b is formed so that the portion bent into the arc shape is engageable with the shank portion of the screw member 52b3 of the shift portion 52b of the adjusting mechanism 52, the screw member 52b3 serving as a peg. In other words, the support portion 53b is formed so that the inner radius of the arc portion is substantially equivalent to the radius of the shank portion of the screw member 52b3. In addition, the support portion 53b is formed so that it is bent in a direction substantially perpendicular to the intermediate portion of the hook portion 53a when viewed in the axial direction of the base portion 53c.

[0057] When the frame height adjusting apparatus 50 is in use, that is, during the operation of adjusting the height of the heald frame 10, the ascending-descending member 53 having the above-described configuration is hooked, at its support portion 53b, on one of the pegs 52b3 of the adjusting mechanism 52 (shift portion 52b) supported by the support base 51 in the installed state. In this state, the ascending-descending member 53 is supported by the shift portion 52b, and in a general sense, the ascending-descending member 53 is supported by the support base 51 with the adjusting mechanism 52 including the shift portion 52b interposed therebetween.

[0058] As described above, the direction in which the support portion 53b of the ascending-descending member 53 is bent is substantially perpendicular to the intermediate portion of the hook portion 53a when viewed in the axial direction of the base portion 53c. Thus, in the state where the ascending-descending member 53 is supported in the above-described manner, the intermediate portion of the hook portion 53a extends so as to be substantially parallel to the thickness direction of the support base 51. During the operation of adjusting the height of the heald frame 10, the ascending-descending member 53 is hooked on the peg 52b3 in the above-described manner while the intermediate portion of the hook portion 53a is so oriented as to be positioned below the support block 52b2 of the adjusting mechanism 52.

[0059] During the operation of adjusting the height of the heald frame 10, while the ascending-descending member 53 is supported in the above-described manner, the downward-facing surface of the upper frame stave 11 of the target heald frame 10a is hooked by the hook portion 53a. In this embodiment, the downward-facing surface of the upper frame stave 11 is an undersurface of the upper frame stave 11. The undersurface is hooked by the hook portion 53a as a result of the hook portion 53a receiving the upper frame stave 11, as described above. Thus, the ascending-descending member 53 is capable of receiving the upper frame stave 11 at the hook portion 53a while being supported in the above-described manner, at the support portion 53b, by the shift portion 52b of the adjusting mechanism 52 located above the upper frame stave 11. In other words, the length of the base portion 53c between the support portion 53b and the hook portion 53a is larger than the vertical dimension of the frame stave 11.

[0060] The frame height adjusting apparatus 50 having the above-described configuration is operated in the following manner by an operator during the operation of adjusting the height of the heald frame 10.

[0061] In a first step, in the state where the ascending-descending member 53 is detached from the frame height adjusting apparatus 50, the frame height adjusting apparatus 50 is installed in such a manner that the undersurfaces of the pair of setup portions 51 d of the support base 51 are mounted on the upper surface of the upper frame stave 11 of the neighboring heald frame 10b. During installation, the frame height adjusting apparatus 50 is so oriented that the insertion portion 51 b of the support base 51 is positioned between the neighboring heald frame 10b and the target heald frame 10a in the front-rear direction. Thus, in the installed state, the support table 51 c of the support base 51 of the frame height adjusting apparatus 50 and the shift portion 52b of the adjusting mechanism 52 of the frame height adjusting apparatus 50 are disposed above the target heald frame 10a (Fig. 2).

[0062] Then, in a second step, the ascending-descending member 53 is changed into a state in which the hook portion 53a receives a lower portion of the upper frame stave 11 of the target heald frame 10a while the base portion 53c is positioned on the side of the target heald frame 10a opposite to the side on which the neighboring heald frame 10b is disposed.

[0063] In this second step, if another heald frame 10 is also disposed on the side of the target heald frame 10a opposite to the side on which the neighboring heald frame 10b is disposed in the front-rear direction, as illustrated in Fig. 2, and the upper frame stave 11 of the heald frame 10 disposed on the opposite side is positioned so as to face the upper frame stave 11 of the target heald frame 10a, the second step is performed by inserting the ascending-descending member 53 into a space between the target heald frame 10a and the heald frame 10 disposed on the opposite side.

[0064] Specifically, in the second step, the ascending-descending member 53 is first inserted into the gap, with the hook portion 53a ahead, in the state where the intermediate portion of the hook portion 53a is directed in the lateral direction of the heald frame 10. Subsequently, in the state where the hook portion 53a is located below the upper frame stave 11 of the target heald frame 10a, the ascending-descending member 53 is rotated around the axis of the base portion 53c so that the intermediate portion faces the undersurface of the upper frame stave 11 of the target heald frame 10a. When the ascending-descending member 53 is raised in that state, the lower portion of the upper frame stave 11 is received by the hook portion 53a.

[0065] Then, in a third step, the ascending-descending member 53 that has received the upper frame stave 11 of the target heald frame 10a at the hook portion 53a, as described above, is supported by the adjusting mechanism 52 as a result of the support portion 53b being hooked on one peg 52b3 of the adjusting mechanism 52 (shift portion 52b). Before performing the third step, the vertical position (height) of the peg 52b3 (support block 52b2) of the adjusting mechanism 52 is adjusted in such a manner that, as described above, the height of the peg 52b3 coincides with the height of the support portion 53b of the ascending-descending member 53 in the state of receiving the upper frame stave 11 of the target heald frame 10a at the hook portion 53a.

[0066] In the frame height adjusting apparatus 50 according to this embodiment, the adjusting mechanism 52 (shift portion 52b) includes two pegs 52b3 attached to the support block 52b2 at positions vertically apart from each other in the installed state. The two pegs 52b3 are provided for allowing the operator to select one of the pegs 52b3 depending on various parameters such as the vertical dimension of the upper frame stave 11 of the target heald frame 10a. Thus, the adjusting mechanism 52 does not necessarily have to include two pegs 52b3 and may include only one peg 52b3. These pegs 52b3 are not limited to screw members such as those described above and may be other members such as pins inserted into holes formed in the support block 52b2. The same holds true for the configuration (screw members 52b4) for guiding a positional change of the shift portion 52b (support block 52b2) in the vertical direction.

[0067] After the completion of the third step described above, the upper frame stave 11 of the target heald frame 10a and the adjusting mechanism 52 of the frame height adjusting apparatus 50 are connected together by the ascending-descending member 53. Thus, the frame height adjusting apparatus 50 can adjust the height of the target heald frame 10a by performing the first to third steps described above.

[0068] To adjust the height of the target heald frame 10a, as described above, the support member 21 of the transmission mechanism 20 that supports the target heald frame 10a is first changed into a state in which the full length of the support member 21 is changeable, that is, a state in which the fixing screw 21 c, which fixes the position of the connecting rod 21 a relative to the support body 21 b, is loosened. Accordingly, the target heald frame 10a loses support from the support member 21. The target heald frame 10a, however, is received at the upper frame stave 11 by the hook portion 53a of the ascending-descending member 53 of the frame height adjusting apparatus 50, as described above. Thus, the intermediate portion of the hook portion 53a remains in contact with the undersurface of the upper frame stave 11 in the vertical direction. Thus, regardless of the loss of support from the support member 21, the undersurface of the upper frame stave 11 remains being hooked by the hook portion 53a (intermediate portion). Thus, the target heald frame 10a is in the state of being supported by the frame height adjusting apparatus 50, in other words, supported by the neighboring heald frame 10b, on which the frame height adjusting apparatus 50 is mounted, with the frame height adjusting apparatus 50 interposed therebetween.

[0069] Subsequently, the butterfly nut 52a of the adjusting mechanism 52 serving as an adjusting portion is rotated in that state. Thus, the shift portion 52b is vertically (the direction in which the guiding portion 51a extends) shifted so that the height of the target heald frame 10a connected to the shift portion 52b by the ascending-descending member 53 is changed. When the target heald frame 10a arrives at an intended height, the fixing screw 21 c of the support member 21 of the transmission mechanism 20 is fastened to fix the height. The height of the target heald frame 10a here is set with reference to, for example, the upper surface of the heald frame guide 40. The height is adjusted while the distance from the reference to the upper surface of the upper frame stave 11 is measured using a scale or other devices in accordance with the change of the height.

[0070] An embodiment of the invention has been described thus far. However, a heald-frame height adjusting apparatus according to the invention is not limited to the one described in the above-described embodiment and may be embodied in the following embodiments (modified examples).

(1) In the above-described embodiment, the adjusting mechanism includes the butterfly nut 52a, serving as an adjusting portion, the bolt member 52b1, and the support block 52b2 in combination. However, the adjusting mechanism of a heald-frame height adjusting apparatus according to the invention is not limited to a mechanism having this configuration and may have a configuration such as the one illustrated in Fig. 4. A heald-frame height adjusting apparatus 60 illustrated in Fig. 4 adopts a feed screw mechanism as an adjusting mechanism. The configuration of the heald-frame height adjusting apparatus 60 is described in detail below.

[0071] In the heald-frame height adjusting apparatus 60, a support base 61 includes a guiding portion 61 a and an insertion portion 61 b as in the case of the support base 51 of the frame height adjusting apparatus 50 according to the above-described embodiment. The support base 61 also includes setup portions 61 d at a boundary portion (first end side of the guiding portion 61 a in the longitudinal direction) between the guiding portion 61 a and the insertion portion 61 b. Each setup portion 61 d extends in the thickness direction of the guiding portion 61 a. As in the case of the support base 51 according to the above-described embodiment, the guiding portion 61 a has a long hole 61 a1 that extends in the direction in which the guiding portion 61 a extends (in the longitudinal direction).

[0072] The support base 61 also includes a receiving portion 61 c on a second end side (the side opposite to the first end side in the longitudinal direction) of the guiding portion 61 a. The receiving portion 61 c extends in the thickness direction of the guiding portion 61 a. With respect to the thickness direction of the guiding portion 61 a, the direction in which the receiving portion 61 c extends is opposite to the direction in which the support table 51c of the support base 51 according to the above-described embodiment extends. The side of the guiding portion 61 a on which the receiving portion 61c is disposed is the same as the side of the guiding portion 61 a on which the setup portions 61 d are disposed. The receiving portion 61 c has an insertion hole 61 c1 into which a feed screw 62a of an adjusting mechanism 62, described below, is insertable. As in the case of the support table 51 c of the support base 51 according to the above-described embodiment, the receiving portion 61 c functions as a position control portion that restrains the positions of the adjusting mechanism 62 in the width direction and the thickness direction.

[0073] In the heald-frame height adjusting apparatus 60, the support base 61 includes a rear wall portion 61 e. The rear wall portion 61 e extends parallel to the insertion portion 61 b from the end portion of each setup portion 61 d opposite to the end portion near the guiding portion 61 a in the thickness direction. Specifically, the support base 61 includes portions each including the corresponding setup portion 61 d and shaped in a substantially U shape (U-shaped portion) at the second end side of the guiding portion 61 a. When the heald-frame height adjusting apparatus 60 is mounted on the neighboring heald frame 10b, the setup portions 61 d are mounted on the upper frame stave 11 of the neighboring heald frame 10b while receiving an upper portion of the upper frame stave 11 of the neighboring heald frame 10b in the U-shaped portions. In contrast to the support base 51 according to the above-described embodiment, the support base 61 includes another setup portion 61 d at a middle portion of the insertion portion 61 b in the width direction besides the setup portions 61 d on both sides of the insertion portion 61 b in the width direction. Thus, the setup portion 61 d in the middle (hereinafter referred to as a "middle setup portion 61d1" to be distinguished from the setup portions 61 d on both sides) of the support base 61 faces the receiving portion 61c in the longitudinal direction.

[0074] As described above, the adjusting mechanism 62 is formed of a feed screw mechanism and includes a feed screw 62a and a nut member 62b. The feed screw 62a is assembled into the heald-frame height adjusting apparatus 60 in the state of being inserted into the insertion hole 61c1 of the receiving portion 61c of the support base 61 while having its axis oriented so as to be parallel to the longitudinal direction (the direction in which the guiding portion 61 a extends). As described above, the receiving portion 61 c and a middle setup portion 61d1 of the support base 61 face each other in the longitudinal direction. Thus, in the state where the feed screw 62a is inserted into the insertion hole 61d1 as described above, the tip end of the feed screw 62a can come into contact with the middle setup portion 61d1. In the state where the guiding portion 61a is in the installed state in which it extends vertically, the weight of the feed screw 62a or other components is received by the middle setup portion 61d1.

[0075] The nut member 62b has such a shape that two rectangular parallelepiped blocks are integrated together. The nut member 62b includes a rectangular parallelepiped screwed portion 62b1, which is screwed on the feed screw 62a, and a rectangular parallelepiped stand portion 62b2, to which pegs 62b3 on which an ascending-descending member 63 is hooked are attached. In the heald-frame height adjusting apparatus 60 according to this modified example, the ascending-descending member 63 has the same configuration as the ascending-descending member 53 of the frame height adjusting apparatus 50 according to the above-described embodiment. The pegs 62b3 have the same configurations as the pegs (screw members) 52b3 according to the above-described embodiment. The way how the pegs 62b3 are attached to the nut member 62b (stand portion 62b2) is similar to that way in which the pegs 52b3 are attached to the support block 52b2 according to the above-described embodiment.

[0076] The screwed portion 62b1 of the nut member 62b has an internally-threaded hole that extends through the nut member 62b in the long side direction of the side surfaces (four surfaces having long sides with the same length) so as to be parallel to the side surfaces. The internally-threaded hole can be screwed on the feed screw 62a. The nut member 62b is screwed on the feed screw 62a in the state where the feed screw 62a is screwed into the internally-threaded hole of the screwed portion 62b1. The stand portion 62b2 is integrated with the screwed portion 62b1 so as to protrude from one side surface of the screwed portion 62b1.

[0077] In the screwed portion 62b1 of the nut member 62b, the dimension of the short side of the side surface from which the stand portion 62b2 protrudes (protrusion side surface) is larger than the width of the long hole 61a1 formed in the guiding portion 61a of the support base 61. In the stand portion 62b2 of the nut member 62b, on the other hand, the dimension of the short side of each side surface parallel to the protrusion side surface of the screwed portion 62b1 is substantially the same as the width of the long hole 61 a1 of the guiding portion 61 a so that the stand portion 62b2 is insertable into the long hole 61a1 and slidable in the direction in which the long hole 61a1 extends.

[0078] In the heald-frame height adjusting apparatus 60, while the nut member 62b is screwed at the screwed portion 62b1 on the feed screw 62a inserted into the insertion hole 61 c1 of the receiving portion 61c, the protrusion side surface of the screwed portion 62b1 faces the guiding portion 61 a and the stand portion 62b2 is inserted into the long hole 61a1 of the guiding portion 61a.

[0079] The dimension of a portion of the stand portion 62b2 that protrudes from the screwed portion 62b1 (protrusion dimension) is larger than the thickness of the guiding portion 61 a. Thus, when the stand portion 62b2 is inserted into the long hole 61a1 of the guiding portion 61 a in the manner as described above, the stand portion 62b2 protrudes from the guiding portion 61 a toward the side opposite to the side on which the screwed portion 62b1 is disposed. The protrusion dimension of the stand portion 62b2 is set so that the amount of the stand portion 62b2 by which it protrudes from the guiding portion 61 a is substantially equivalent to the thickness of the heald frame 10 (frame stave 11). In other words, the protrusion dimension of the stand portion 62b2 is substantially equivalent to the dimension obtained by adding the thickness of the heald frame 10 (frame stave 11) to the thickness of the guiding portion 61 a.

[0080] During the operation of adjusting the height of the heald frame 10, the heald-frame height adjusting apparatus 60 is mounted on the neighboring heald frame 10b and the ascending-descending member 63 is hooked on one peg 62b3 attached to the nut member 62b of the adjusting mechanism 62 in the same manner as in the case of the above-described embodiment. The ascending-descending member 63 connects the target heald frame 10a and the nut member 62b to each other and thus supports the target heald frame 10a. In the state where the ascending-descending member 63 is supporting the target heald frame 10a in this manner, the feed screw 62a bears the weights of the target heald frame 10a and other components with the ascending-descending member 63 and the nut member 62b interposed therebetween. Thus, the feed screw 62a is pressed against the middle setup portion 61 d1. In this state, the feed screw 62a is restrained from being shifted in the vertical direction (direction in which the guiding portion 61 a extends). Here, the nut member 62b is hindered from rotating since the stand portion 62b2 is inserted into the long hole 61 a1 of the guiding portion 61 a.

[0081] When the feed screw 62a is rotated in this state, the position at which the nut member 62b is screwed on the feed screw 62a is changed and, accordingly, the nut member 62b is shifted in the direction in which the guiding portion 51 a extends (vertical direction). Thus, the target heald frame 10a connected to the nut member 62b with the ascending-descending member 63 interposed therebetween is vertically shifted, so that the height is adjusted. The positional change of the nut member 62b in the vertical direction is guided by the stand portion 62b2 sliding in the long hole 61 a1 of the guiding portion 61 a.

[0082] In the above-described configuration of the heald-frame height adjusting apparatus 60, the feed screw 62a corresponds to an adjusting portion of the adjusting mechanism 62. The male screw portion of the feed screw 62a thus corresponds to the screw portion of the adjusting portion on which the shift portion is screwed. The nut member 62b and the pegs 62b3 attached to the nut member 62b correspond to the shift portion of the adjusting mechanism 62. In relation to the configuration of the frame height adjusting apparatus 50 according to the above-described embodiment, the feed screw 62a corresponds to the butterfly nut 52a, the screwed portion 62b1 of the nut member 62b corresponds to the bolt member 52b1, and the stand portion 62b2 corresponds to the support block 52b2.

(2) In the embodiment or the modified example described above, a support base of the heald-frame height adjusting apparatus is formed of a single plate. The support base, however, is not limited to this configuration and may be formed by combining multiple plates.
In the configuration of the modified example described above, different plate members functioning as the setup portion 51 d or 61 d, the support table 51c, or the receiving portion 61 c may be bonded to the plate constituting the guiding portion 51 a or 61 a by welding or other methods. In that case, the support table 51 c or the receiving portion 61 c does not have to be positioned at the second end portion of the guiding portion 51 a or 61 a and may be positioned at a position set back toward the setup portion 51 d or 61 d from the second end portion of the plate constituting the guiding portion 51 a or 61 a (Fig. 5).
As in the case of a support base 71 illustrated in Fig. 5, the support base 71 may be formed by combining together a member (L-shaped member) including a portion corresponding to a guiding portion 71 a and a member (L-shaped member) including a portion corresponding to an insertion portion 71 b. Unlike the support base 51 according to the above-described embodiment, a setup portion 71 d of the support base 71 extends over the range over which the guiding portion 71 a extends in the width direction.

(3) In the above-described embodiment or other examples, the ascending-descending member of the heald-frame height adjusting apparatus is formed of a round-bar-shaped member. However, the configuration of the ascending-descending member is not limited to such a configuration. For example, the ascending-descending member may be formed of a plate-shaped member, as illustrated in Fig. 6. In an ascending-descending member 73 illustrated in Fig. 6, the portion denoted by the reference symbol 73a corresponds to a hook portion and the portion denoted by the reference symbol 73b corresponds to a support portion. In addition, the portion denoted by the reference symbol 73c corresponds to the base portion 53c of the ascending-descending member 53 according to the above-described embodiment.
In the above-described embodiment, the hook portion of the ascending-descending member is formed into a substantially U shape. The hook portion may, however, be formed in a substantially L shape, as illustrated in Fig. 6, since the hook portion suffices if it can hook the downward-facing surface of the upper frame stave 11 of each heald frame 10. In addition, the support portion of the ascending-descending member is not limited to the one having a hook shape as in the case of the above-described embodiment or as illustrated in Fig. 4. When, for example, the ascending-descending member is formed of a plate member as illustrated in Fig. 6, the ascending-descending member may include a support portion including a hole that extends through the plate member in the thickness direction and the ascending-descending member may be supported by the adjusting mechanism in such a manner that a peg of the adjusting mechanism is inserted into the hole formed through the plate member.
In the case where the ascending-descending member is formed of a plate member as above, an insertion of the ascending-descending member into the gap between the upper frame stave 11 of the target heald frame 10a and the upper frame stave 11 of the neighboring heald frame 10b has to be performed from below the upper frame staves 11. Thus, in terms of ease of use, it is favorable to use an ascending-descending member according to the above-described embodiment or other examples that is formed of a round-bar-shaped member and is insertable into the gap from above the upper frame staves 11.

(4) In the above-described embodiment or the example illustrated in Fig. 4, the support base 51 or 61 includes a portion (insertion portion 51 b or 61 b or a rear wall portion 61 e) that extends toward the side of the setup portion 51 d or 61 d opposite to the side on which the guiding portion 51 a or 61 a extends in the longitudinal direction. This portion, however, may be omitted since a heald-frame height adjusting apparatus according to the invention suffices if it can be mounted on the upper frame stave 11 of the heald frame 10 at the setup portion of the support base. Specifically, in contrast to the above-described embodiment or the example illustrated in Fig. 4, the support base may exclude the insertion portion 51 b or 61 b or the rear wall portion 61 e.
Here, the position at which the heald-frame height adjusting apparatus is installed and the position of the target heald frame 10a are apart from each other in the front-rear direction. Thus, during the operation of adjusting the height of the target heald frame 10a, when the heald-frame height adjusting apparatus mounted on the neighboring heald frame 10b starts supporting the target heald frame 10a, the force of bringing the heald-frame height adjusting apparatus down toward the target heald frame 10a is exerted on the frame height adjusting apparatus due to causes such as the weight of the target heald frame 10a. To address exertion of such a force, the support base preferably includes at least the insertion portion according to the above-described embodiment or other examples.

(5) In the above-described embodiment or other examples, the position at which the heald-frame height adjusting apparatus is installed during the operation of adjusting the height of the target heald frame 10a is determined to be on a heald frame 10 adjacent to the target heald frame 10a in the front-rear direction (that is, the neighboring heald frame 10b). However, the position at which the heald-frame height adjusting apparatus is installed is not limited to be on the neighboring heald frame 10b and may be on any of other heald frames 10. For example, as described in Fig. 7A, a case is assumed where the ascending-descending member 53 of the frame height adjusting apparatus 50 according to the above-described embodiment is hooked on one peg 52b3 in such a manner that the hook portion 53a is oriented in a direction opposite to the direction in which the hook portion 53a according to the above-described embodiment is oriented, that is, the hook portion 53a is oriented toward the side of the support block 52b2 opposite, in the front-rear direction, to the side on which the guiding portion 51 a of the support base 51 is disposed. In this case, the frame height adjusting apparatus 50 is installed on a heald frame 10 (hereinafter referred to as an "installation heald frame 10c") disposed across from the target heald frame 10a in the front-rear direction with respect to the neighboring heald frame 10b. In this state, the upper frame stave 11 of the target heald frame 10a can be hooked on the hook portion 53a of the ascending-descending member 53.
Alternatively, as illustrated in Fig. 7B, for example, the heald-frame height adjusting apparatus may have such a configuration in which the peg of the adjusting mechanism is spaced apart from the guiding portion of the support base in the front-rear direction to a larger extent than in the case of the configuration according to the above-described embodiment or other examples and the heald-frame height adjusting apparatus may be installed on any of other heald frames 10.
The example illustrated in Fig. 7B is a heald-frame height adjusting apparatus 60', which is an example acquired by modifying the heald-frame height adjusting apparatus 60 illustrated in Fig. 4. In the heald-frame height adjusting apparatus 60', a stand portion 62b2' of a nut member 62b' has a larger protrusion amount than in the case of the configuration illustrated in Fig. 4 (specifically, twice as large as the protrusion amount in the case of the configuration illustrated in Fig. 4). In this configuration, when the heald-frame height adjusting apparatus 60' is installed on an installation heald frame 10c in the above described manner, the side surface of the stand portion 62b2' of the nut member 62b' on which the peg 62b3' is attached is substantially aligned, in the front-rear direction, with the position of the surface of the upper frame stave 11 of the target heald frame 10a, the surface facing away from the neighboring heald frame 10b. This configuration thus allows the ascending-descending member 63' hooked on the peg 62b3' to hook the upper frame stave 11 of the target heald frame 10a in the state where the heald-frame height adjusting apparatus 60' is installed on the installation heald frame 10c.

(6) In the above-described embodiment or other examples, an undersurface of the upper frame stave 11 is used as the downward-facing surface of the upper frame stave 11 of the target heald frame 10a hooked by the hook portion of the ascending-descending member. The downward-facing surface, however, is not limited to the undersurface of the upper frame stave 11 and may be another downward-facing surface of existing heald frames 10.

[0083] In some so-called riderless heald frames, which are publically-known heald frames and in which a carrier rod that supports healds is directly attached to a lower end portion of an upper frame stave, a support portion of the carrier rod of the upper frame stave has multiple holes that extend through the support portion in the lateral direction to allow an operator to visually recognize the healds supported by the carrier rod or to perform maintenance of the healds. In the case where the heald frame has such holes, the heald frame may be hooked by the hook portion of the ascending-descending member at the inner circumferential surface of one of the holes. In that case, a portion of the inner circumferential surface of the hole facing downward serves as the above-described downward-facing surface. Also in other cases, if the heald frame includes another downward-facing surface that the hook portion can hook, the surface may be used as the above-described downward-facing surface.

[0084] To perform the operation of adjusting the height of the target heald frame 10a using heald-frame height adjusting apparatuses according to the invention, for example, two heald-frame height adjusting apparatuses are actually used. Specifically, heald-frame height adjusting apparatuses are installed on the upper frame stave 11 of the neighboring heald frame 10b or installation heald frame 10c at positions near the side stays 12 on both sides in the lateral direction so that the target heald frame 10a can be supported by the pair of heald-frame height adjusting apparatuses. Then, the full length of the pair of support members 21 of the transmission mechanism 20 that supports the target heald frame 10a is rendered changeable as described above. In that state, the height of the target heald frame 10a is adjusted.

[0085] To perform the operation of adjusting the height of the target heald frame 10a using the heald-frame height adjusting apparatuses according to the present invention, however, two heald-frame height adjusting apparatuses are not necessarily required in contrast to the above-described case. The height adjustment can be performed using only one heald-frame height adjusting apparatus. In this case, the height adjustment is firstly performed in the above-described manner on one side of the target heald frame 10a in the lateral direction and then, after the completion of the height adjustment on one side, the height adjustment is performed on the other side of the target heald frame 10a in the lateral direction.

[0086] The present invention is not limited to any of the above-described embodiments or examples and is changeable in various manners without departing from the gist of the invention.

Claims

1. A loom heald-frame height adjusting apparatus (50, 60, 60') for a shedding device including a plurality of heald frames (10), a shed driving device (30), and transmission mechanisms (20), and for adjusting a height of the heald frames (10) before a loom is operated, the shed driving device (30) vertically raising and lowering each of the heald frames (10), and the transmission mechanisms (20) being provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the heald frames (10), the transmission mechanisms (20) each coupling the shed driving device (30) and the corresponding heald frame (10) together, the transmission mechanisms (20) each being capable of changing the height of the corresponding heald frame (10) at which the heald frame (10) is vertically supported, the heald-frame height adjusting apparatus (50, 60, 60') comprising:

a support base (51, 61, 71) that is mounted on an upper surface of an upper frame stave (11) of each of the heald frames (10), the support base (51, 61, 71) including a setup portion (51 d, 61 d) and a guiding portion (51 a, 62a), the setup portion (51d, 61 d) enabling the support base (51, 61, 71) to be mounted on the heald frame (10), and the guiding portion (51a, 62a) extending upward from the setup portion (51d, 61d) in a state where the support base (51, 61, 71) is mounted on the heald frame (10) using the setup portion (51 d, 61 d);

an adjusting mechanism (52, 62) including an adjusting portion (52a, 62a) and a shift portion (52b, 62b), the adjusting portion (52a, 62a) being supported by the support base (51, 61, 71) and restrained from being shifted in a direction in which the guiding portion (51 a, 62a) extends, the adjusting portion (52a, 62a) including a screw portion, the shift portion (52b, 62b) being allowed to be shifted in the direction in which the guiding portion (51 a, 62a) extends and screwed on the screw portion of the adjusting portion (52a, 62a), the shift portion (52b, 62b) being shifted in the direction in which the guiding portion (51 a, 62a) extends as the adjusting portion (52a, 62a) rotates; and

an ascending-descending member (53, 63, 63', 73) including a support portion and a hook portion (53a), the support portion being supported by the shift portion (52b, 62b) of the adjusting mechanism (52, 62), the hook portion (53a) being capable of hooking a downward-facing surface of the frame stave (11), the ascending-descending member (53, 63, 63', 73) being insertable into a space between adjacent two of the heald frames on the loom, the ascending-descending member (53, 63, 63', 73) having a length from the support portion to the hook portion (53a) that is larger than a dimension of the frame stave (11) in the vertical direction.

Drawing