Patent Application
20080083359
a is a cross-section of the gripper body in accordance with
Extending from its narrow side 12, the section 8 is provided with a slit 16, which forms a slider receiving space 17 for the slider 18 that is shown separately in
The slider 18 preferably consists of two parts. Said slider has a front slider part 22 and a rear slider part 23, which are connected with each other via a positive-locking clutch 24. The front slider part 22 and the rear slider part 23 are preferably flat parts that have the same thickness and consist of steel or another suitable material. They have a cross-section having a width that corresponds to the distance between the walls 19, 20, i.e., to the width of the slider receiving space 17, and having a height that is slightly less than the depth of the slit 16. Consequently, the slider 18 has two flat sides 25, 26 and two narrow sides 27, 28, each extending over almost the entire length of the slider 18. On its one end, the slider 18 may be provided with a connector 29 for an actuating element, e.g., an actuating cylinder. The connector may be configured as a cutout, a hole or the like. On its other end 30, said connector has an offset tip 31. This tip may have a double offset, in that it has a section extending, on the one hand, toward the tip 7 of the gripper body 4 and, on the other hand, being offset with respect to the center plane of the remaining slider 18. Due to the section of the slider tip 31 that extends toward the tip 7 of the gripper body 4, the narrow side 27 has a step 41. Also, the tip 7 may be offset accordingly with respect to this center plane, whereby the tip 31 and the projection 15, as shown by
In addition, this gripper 3 is associated with a closing bar 32 illustrated in
A spring, e.g., a leaf spring, may be provided in or on the projection 33 in order to support the slider 18 in the slit 18 without play. Alternatively, the slider 18, or also the slit bottom, may be provided with an appropriate spring.
As is illustrated in
As is obvious, the cutting edge insert receiving space 39 and the slider receiving space 17 are accommodated in the gripper body 4, without being in contact with each other. Rather, they are separated from each other by a strip 40 and are superimposed with respect to the vertical mounting direction. As a result of this, on the one hand, the cutting edge insert 38 may have a relatively great thickness and, on the other hand, the gripper body 4 may have a very narrow configuration. In particular when the cutting edge insert 38 consists of a relatively brittle material, such as, e.g., hard metal or ceramic, this insert may easily have the required minimum thickness of, e.g., 1.3 mm. Also, the gripper body 4 may be configured narrow enough that divisions of fewer than 1/10 Inch (2.5 mm) can be easily achieved.
The operation of the gripper and/or module 1 is as follows:
During the tufting process, the module 1 is used for grasping the loops formed under the backing. Referring to a first operating mode, one or more sliders 18 are moved into a rear position. Therefore, the loops arrive on the end 6 and ultimately move over the cutting edge 37. Following the working movement cycle, the knife 35 pushes upward and its cutting edge 36 moves past the cutting edge 37 of the cutting edge insert 38. Due to the resultant shearing effect, the loop seated on the end 6 is cut open. Cut pile is being produced. In so doing, the knife 35 only slips across the cutting edge insert 38 and thus over the material, whereby uniform wear resistance properties prevail. Preferably, said knife does slip across the material of the gripper body 4. The wear of said material remains minimal.
If loop pile is to be produced, the respective sliders 18 are moved into a forward position. The loops formed under the backing are now picked up by the tip 31 of the respective slider and again released during the return stroke of the module 1. Said loops do not enter into the cutting mechanism that consists of the knife 35 and of the cutting edge insert 38.
Different from the former gripper body 4, the gripper body 4′ comprises a recess as the slider receiving space 17, said recess being open in the direction of the flat side 9 as well as toward the narrow side 12. Consequently, the gripper body 4′ has only one wall, i.e., the wall 20, but not the wall 19. Accordingly, if required, slightly thicker sliders may be used, these being optionally covered by an L-shaped angle plate or by equal means at the time said sliders are poured in the block 2.
The new gripper design provides a gripper 3 for tufting machines, said gripper comprising a slider 18 that is supported so as to be movable in longitudinal direction. This slider is arranged in a slider receiving space 17 which, preferably, is configured as a slit. The slit extends from the lower narrow side 12 of the gripper body 4 into said gripper body. Said slit is limited by two thin walls 19, 20 or, alternatively, by only one thin wall 20. A cutting edge insert receiving space 39 is provided above the slider receiving space 17, said receiving space 39 extending from the flat side 9 and being recessed in the gripper body 4. Between the cutting edge insert receiving space 39 and the slider receiving space 17, a strip 40 is provided that preferably extends in longitudinal direction of the gripper body 4 and separates the receiving spaces 39, 17 from each other. This design is suitable for the creation of very narrow grippers 3 that permit a division of less than 1/10 Inch.
It will be appreciated that the above description of the present invention is susceptible to various modifications, changes and adaptations, and the same are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the appended claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 06 021 002.8 | Oct 2006 | EP | regional |
