Method for mounting a new harness on a seam weaving machine, apparatus for making a flat woven fabric endless and harness carriage

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a method for mounting a harness on a seam weaving machine, an apparatus for making a flat woven fabric endless by means of a woven seam joining together opposite ends of the fabric and a harness carriage for use in the harness mounting method. Forming fabrics used in the wet end section of papermaking machines have to be made endless by a woven seam. The weave pattern is continued exactly in the woven seam so that the joining does not cause markings in the paper.

2. Related Prior Art

U.S. Pat. No. 4,581,794 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,557,025 disclose an automatic seaming machine for forming a seam in a length of woven fabric for joining opposite ends of the fabric together thereby to form an endless woven fabric belt. When using that machine, a strip of woven material, cut from one of the ends of the fabric, the so-called seam strip, is supported between the opposite ends of the fabric. The seam strip is clamped at one end and weights or springs are attached to the opposite end of this seam strip so that it is pulled taut. The warp threads are removed from the seam strip located between the opposite ends of the fabric leaving only the weft threads. The weft threads of the seam strip are drawn in through a shedding mechanism and are controlled by means of a Jacquard machine to form a shed opening. The opposite ends of the fabric each include a fringe formed by removing a majority of the weft threads within an end portion of approx. 20 cm. A few weft threads are left at the edge of the fringe to form a narrow lease functioning to maintain the warp threads of the fringe in the proper position and sequence and to maintain proper relative alignment of the warp threads with respect to each other. The woven seam is formed by separating a first one of the warp threads of the lease and drawing it through the shed opening formed by the weft threads of the seam strip. The shed is then changed and a warp thread drawn out of the lease at the opposite end of the strip is separated and woven into the weft threads of the seam strip. This cycle is repeated until a seam has been woven along the entire width of the fabric. The warp thread fringes and seam strip weft threads reproduce within the woven seam exactly the weave pattern of the fabric because the fabric has been thermoset after weaving so that the warp and weft threads of the fabric, which are synthetic monofilaments, are permanently crimped. The warp thread fringes and the seam strip weft threads will be forced by their thermoset crimp knuckles to cross each other exactly as in the fabric.

The automatic seam weaving machine comprises a Jacquard machine carriage which supports the Jacquard machine and the shedding mechanism including the heddling assembly and the spring box. A plurality of eyeletted heddles are mounted between the springs of the spring box and the vertically reciprocal hooks of the Jacquard machine. The heddles are designed such that they can be slidably placed over the weft threads so that the individual weft threads do not have to be threaded through the heddles. The heddling assembly is fixedly mounted on the Jacquard machine.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,854 discloses a seam weaving machine wherein the Jacquard machine is arranged slightly offset underneath the shedding mechanism, a plurality of harness cords extending vertically downward from the jacquard machine and being deflected by 180° prior to passage through the shedding mechanism to return springs secured in the machine above the shedding mechanism.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,862,566 discloses an auxiliary device for a seam weaving machine. The auxiliary device couples each seam strip weft thread drawn in through one of the heddles to a tensioning string of a tensioning device. Said auxiliary device simplifies the drawing in of the seam strip weft threads through the heddles of the shedding mechanism.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,382 discloses a separable collar or coupling for the harness of the Jacquard machine. The separable collar enables a simple and quick connection and disconnection of a twine to one or several harness cords which in turn are fastened to the eyeletted heddles.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,636,663 discloses a harness system for weaving looms wherein all twines are releasably connected to one or several harness cords by means of couplings. The harness cords pass through openings in a plate which is reciprocally moveable so as to connect or disconnect all of the couplings simultaneously. In this way, the Jacquard machine can be disconnected from and reconnected to the shedding mechanism without the need to disconnect and connect each twine individually from the harness cords. A similar device for disconnecting and connecting a plurality of twines to harness cords collectively and simultaneously is disclosed in German Patent DE 42 13 958.

The width of the heddling assembly and the number of heddles or eyelets are fixed so that only small variations in the width of a woven seam and the density of the weft threads are possible with a specific heddling assembly. Each seam weaving machine can, therefore, be used only for fabrics within a narrow range of weave parameters. If a rather coarse fabric has to be made endless following a fine fabric on the same machine, the shedding mechanism has to be disconnected from the Jacquard machine and replaced by a shedding mechanism adapted to the coarser fabric. Such conversion of a seam weaving machine requires several days because each twine has to be disconnected from the harness cords of the previous shedding mechanism and reconnected to the harness cords of the new shedding mechanism separately.

Even if a fabric having the same parameters as the previous one has to be made endless, a standstill of several hours occurs because a new harness has to be drawn in, i.e. a new set of the seam strip weft threads has to be drawn in, through the eyeletted heddles or the eyelets. A Jacquard machine as used for a seam weaving machine includes, for example, 896 cords. Depending on the complexity of the weave pattern, it takes about 2 to 8 hours to draw in a new harness. A typical forming fabric for use in the wet end section of a papermaking machine has an average width of 7 meters. The opposite ends of such a fabric can be made endless by means of a seam weaving machine within about 10 to 15 hours. A standstill of several hours is, therefore, a considerable economic factor.

The weft threads of the seam strip cut from the fabric are arranged to form a shed opening so that they are used as or function as the warp thread in the seam weaving machine. Similarly, the warp thread fringes are drawn in through the shed opening so that they are used as or function as the weft threads in the seam weaving machine. The designations “weft threads” and “warp threads” are used here in accordance with the arrangement the threads had in the fabric rather than in accordance with their function in the seam weaving machine.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a technique for adapting the design of a seam weaving machine quickly and without extended standstill periods of the seam weaving machine to the weave pattern and parameters of different fabrics. The improvement includes preparing the harness for a fabric having parameters differing from those of the previous fabric while the shedding mechanism is removed from the seam weaving machine and mounting the prepared shedding mechanism on the seam weaving machine, the twines and harness cords being coupled collectively.

Thus, in one aspect, the present invention provides a method for mounting a new harness on a seam weaving machine for making endless a flat woven fabric formed by interwoven warp and weft threads by means of a woven seam joining together opposite ends of the fabric, the opposite ends of the fabric each including a fringe of warp threads, the warp threads of the fringe being supported such that they can be interwoven with weft threads taken out of the fabric and drawn in through a shedding mechanism controlled by a Jacquard machine by means of twines and harness cords so that the weft threads drawn in form a shed opening, each of the harness cords being passed through one of a number of openings in a first plate, the harness cords being connected to the twines by means of couplings, each of the twines passing through one of a number of openings in a second plate, each coupling comprising a first and a second coupling element, each of the first coupling elements being fastened to a number of the harness cords and each of the second coupling elements being fastened to a twine, the first and second coupling elements being connectable by movement to a first position relative to each other and are disconnectable by movement to a second position relative to each other; the method comprising the steps of:

providing a harness carriage including first means for releasably supporting the shedding mechanism and second means for releasably supporting the first plate;

installing the shedding mechanism on the first supporting means;

installing the first plate on the second supporting means;

transferring the first plate from the second supporting means to the seam weaving machine and moving the first plate to the second plate so that all couplings will be moved together into the first positions so that the harness cords extending from the shedding mechanism are connected to the twines extending from the Jacquard machine; and

releasing the shedding mechanism from the first supporting means of the harness carriage and fastening the shedding mechanism to the seam weaving machine.

Preferably, the seam strip weft threads are to be drawn in through the shedding mechanism while the shedding mechanism is detached from the seam weaving machine and is attached to the harness carriage. Another shedding mechanism can be mounted on the seam weaving machine in order to make a fabric endless in the meantime.

In another aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for making endless a flat woven fabric formed by interwoven warp and weft threads by means of a woven seam joining together opposite ends of the fabric. The apparatus comprises:

a shedding mechanism suitable for the weft threads taken out of the fabric being drawn in through the shedding mechanism, the shedding mechanism being controllable by harness cords to form a shed opening with the drawn in weft threads, into which shed opening the warp threads of the fringe can be drawn through for interweaving with the weft threads;

a Jacquard machine for controlling the shedding mechanism by means of twines connectable to the harness cords;

separable couplings for selectively connecting and disconnecting the twines to the harness cords, each coupling comprising a first and a second coupling element, the first coupling element being fastened to at least one of the harness cords and the second coupling element being fastened to one of the twines, the first and second coupling elements being connectable by their relative movement up to a first position so that the harness cords are connected to the twines of the Jacquard machine and are disconnectable by further movement up to a second position so that the harness cords are disconnected from the twines of the Jacquard machine;

a first plate having a number of openings, each of the harness cords being able to be passed through one of the openings;

a second plate having a number of openings, each of the twines being able to be passed through one of the openings;

the first plate and the second plate being movable relative to each other so that all separable couplings can be moved together into the first and the second position; and

the shedding mechanism, including the harness cords and the first coupling elements fastened thereto, and the first plate being disconnectable from the seam weaving machine.

Preferably, the movement by which the first and second coupling elements are connectable and disconnectable is a movement in axial direction of the first and second coupling elements.

Preferably, the first plate is a deflector plate and the second plate is a counterpressure plate, which are movable on guiding rods extending on a carriage carrying the Jacquard machine, the deflector plate being transferable onto similar guiding rods mounted on the harness carriage.

In still another aspect, the invention provides a harness carriage including means for holding the shedding mechanism, including the harness cords connected thereto and the first coupling elements fastened thereto, and the deflector plate in the same relative position as when they are connected with the seam weaving machine so that they are transferable from the seam weaving machine to the harness carriage.

Preferably, the harness carriage further includes a support for the shedding mechanism, the support including means for lowering and raising the shedding mechanism so that the harness cords can be tensioned and slackened.

Preferably, the harness carriage includes a support for storing the weft threads to be drawn in through the shedding mechanism and a support for a tensioning device for tensioning the drawn-in weft threads, the weft thread support being releasably attached to the harness carriage and the tensioning device being transferable from the seam weaving machine to the harness carriage.

New weft threads can be drawn in through the eyeletted heddles or eyelets of the shedding mechanism while the shedding mechanism is supported by the harness carriage. Another harness can in the meantime be mounted on the seam weaving machine so that the operation of the seam weaving machine does not have to be interrupted or stopped while new weft threads are drawn in.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1

is a top view of a seam weaving machine for making flat woven fabric endless by means of a woven seam, the fabric being shown dotted;

FIG. 2

is a schematic cross-section view along II—II of

FIG. 1

;

FIG. 3

is a top view of the seam weaving machine with the fabric having been taken out and the seam weaving machine being ready for mounting a new harness, a harness carriage with the new harness being shown spaced from the seam weaving machine;

FIG. 4

is a schematic cross-section view along IV—IV of

FIG. 3

;

FIGS. 5

to

8

are schematic cross-sections similar to

FIG. 4

showing the sequential steps carried out for mounting the new harness on the seam weaving machine;

FIG. 9

shows in axial section the first and the second coupling elements separated from each other with the first coupling element being seated in the bore of the counterpressure plate and the second coupling element being seated in the bore of the deflector plate;

FIG. 10

shows the means for forcing the deflector plate towards the counterpressure plate for connecting first coupling elements to and disconnecting them from the second coupling elements;

FIG. 11

is a top view of the harness carriage holding the seam strip bobbin, the fastening plate, the deflector plate, the lower harness frame and the tensioning device, part of the weft threads being drawn in through the eyelets and being drawn taut by the tensioning device;

FIG. 12

is an isometric view of the harness carriage holding the deflector plate, the heddling device the seam strip bobbin and the tensioning device, all of the weft threads being drawn in through the eyelets and being drawn taut by the tensioning device and the fastening plate being removed;

FIG. 13

is an exploded view of a bushing for the second coupling element; and

FIG. 14

shows a bushing inserted in the bore of the counterpressure plate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1 and 2

show a seam weaving machine

10

for joining opposite ends

17

of a fabric

18

by means of a woven seam

19

. The seam weaving machine

10

comprises two elongated support elements

12

extending between forward and rearward standards

14

and

16

at a spacing of somewhat more than the width of the woven seam

19

, typically 13 m. Tightening straps or belts are used as the two elongated support elements

12

. The opposite ends

17

of the fabric

18

which are to be joined are clamped to the elongated support elements

12

.

A Jacquard machine

20

and a shedding mechanism

22

are mounted on a Jacquard machine carriage

24

. As shown in

FIG. 2

, the shedding mechanism

22

is held by a support beam

23

between the two elongated support elements

12

and the Jacquard machine

20

is held on the Jacquard machine carriage

24

below and beside the elongated support elements

12

. The Jacquard machine carriage

24

will be guided parallel to the elongated support elements

12

by an induction rail

26

. The opposite ends

17

of the fabric

18

to be made endless are clamped to the elongated support elements

12

and the fabric is passed underneath the Jacquard machine carriage

24

. Protection belts

25

are laid on the fabric

18

so that it will not be damaged by the rolls of the Jacquard machine carriage

24

. As is known, the fabric

18

can also be guided above the Jacquard machine carriage

24

.

The drawings are not drawn at scale. The distance between the standards is e.g. 13 m while the Jacquard machine has a length of approx. 1.5 m.

A seam strip

28

extends between the forward standard

14

and the rearward standard

16

. The seam strip

28

has been cut from one end of the fabric

18

and the warp threads have been removed from the seam strip

28

leaving only the weft threads

29

. A few warp threads have been left at the one end of the seam strip

28

to hold the weft threads of the seam strip

28

together and maintain the order and relative alignment of weft threads in the seam strip

28

. That end of the seam strip

28

is fastened to a fastening plate

30

at the forward standard

14

. A tensioning device

32

is clamped by clamping jaws

33

to the elongated support elements

12

so that it is positioned between the elongated support elements

12

near the rearward standard

16

. The seam strip weft threads

29

extend from the fastening plate

30

through the shedding mechanism

22

and then to the tensioning device

32

where the free ends of the seam strip weft threads

29

are fastened to coil springs

34

by means of weft thread couplings

118

so that the seam strip weft threads

29

are pulled taut.

The Jacquard machine

20

controls the shedding mechanism

22

by means of twines

38

coupled to harness cords

40

which in turn are connected to eyelets

42

of the shedding mechanism

22

.

The opposite ends

17

of the fabric

18

each include a fringe

43

formed by removing a majority of the weft threads within an end portion of approx. 20 cm. The weft threads of two weave pattern repeats are left at the edge of the fringe

43

to form a narrow lease

45

functioning to maintain the warp threads of the fringe

43

in the proper position and sequence and to maintain proper relative alignment of the warp threads with respect to each other. The woven seam

19

is formed by separating a first one of the warp threads out of one of the leases

45

and drawing it through the shed opening formed by the seam strip weft threads

29

. The shed is then changed and a warp thread drawn out of the lease

45

at the opposite end of the fabric

18

is separated and interwoven with the seam strip weft threads

29

. This cycle is repeated until the seam

19

has been woven along the entire width of the fabric

18

.

Thus far, the seam weaving machine

10

is conventional.

In accordance with the invention, the shedding mechanism

22

is designed such that it can be detached from the Jacquard machine carriage

24

and replaced by another shedding mechanism

22

. The harness cords

40

remain connected to the shedding mechanism

22

and will be disconnected from the twines

38

for such a replacement. That construction enables conversion of a seam weaving machine

10

quickly for making endless by a woven seam a fabric having a completely different weave pattern.

The shedding mechanism

22

comprises a lower harness frame

60

and an upper harness frame

62

. The lower harness frame

60

comprises a vertical opening for each of the harness cords

40

. The harness cords

40

pass through the openings in the lower harness frame

60

and are fastened to the eyelets

42

which in turn are fastened to return springs

68

suspended from the upper harness frame

62

.

The Jacquard machine

20

is arranged such that the twines

38

exit in horizontal direction from the Jacquard machine

20

. The Jacquard machine

20

is the type LX61 of Stäubli Faverges SCA, F-74210 Faverges, France. It has CX modules for each group of eight hooks. This type of Jacquard machine is particularly suited for being mounted such that the twines

38

exit in horizontal direction from the Jacquard machine.

The twines

38

are guided horizontally through openings

44

in a counterpressure plate

46

and are connected by means of couplings

36

to the harness cords

40

. The harness cords

40

are passed through openings

47

in a deflector plate

48

. The counterpressure plate

46

and the deflector plate

48

are guided on guiding rods

50

extending horizontally and parallel to the twines

38

from the Jacquard machine

20

. The counterpressure plate

46

can be moved on the four horizontal guiding rods

50

from a home position (

FIG. 2

) near the Jacquard machine

20

to a change position (

FIGS. 4

to

7

) in which the counterpressure plate

46

engages the couplings

36

. The counterpressure plate

46

abuts first stops

53

in the change position. The deflector plate

48

is moveable on the four horizontal guiding rods

50

from a home position (

FIG. 2

) at the free end of the guiding rods

50

to a change position (FIG.

6

), in which the deflector plate

48

abuts second stops

55

. The distance between the stops

53

,

55

is chosen such that the couplings

36

are in their second position and will be disconnected, when both plates

46

,

48

abut the stops

53

,

55

. The counterpressure plate

46

and the deflector plate

48

can be tightened to the guiding rods

50

by suitable locking screws not shown in the drawings. The deflector plate

48

comprises a forward plate

52

which is proximal to the Jacquard machine

20

and a rearward plate

54

. The harness cords

40

are deflected after the deflector plate

48

from the horizontal direction at an angle of approximately 60° upwards to the shedding mechanism

27

forming the weaving shed. The guiding rods

50

have a length sufficient to move the deflector plate

48

in such position underneath the shedding mechanism

22

.

The couplings

36

(

FIG. 9

) for selectively connecting and disconnecting the twines

38

and the harness cords

40

are collars as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,382. Those couplings

36

comprise a first or socket element

76

and a second or male element

78

. Each socket element

76

is fastened to at least a harness cord

40

and each male element

78

is fastened to a twine

38

. The openings

44

through the counterpressure plate

46

are conical with the greater diameter facing to the deflector plate

48

so that conical ends of the male elements

78

can be held in the openings

44

of the counterpressure plate. The openings

47

in the forward plate

52

of the deflector plate

48

are counterbored, the enlarged opening facing the counterpressure plate

46

so that the cylindrical ends of the socket elements

76

can be held frictionally in the counterbored openings

47

. A socket element

76

and a male element

78

are connected by inserting the male element

78

in axial direction up to a first position into the socket element

76

. They are disconnected by continuing the axial insertion movement up to a second position, after which the male element

78

can be withdrawn completely out of the socket element

76

.

A plurality of socket elements

76

can be connected at the same time with the corresponding male elements

78

by first moving the counterpressure plate

46

and the deflector plate

48

along the guiding rods

50

to each other from their home positions into their change positions so that the socket elements

76

are seated in the counterbored openings

47

and the male elements

78

are seated in the conical openings

44

. Further axial movement of the counterpressure plate

46

and the deflector plate

48

will bring the couplings into their first position so that all couplings

36

are connected simultaneously. In the event that the couplings

36

are to be disconnected, the counterpressure plate

46

and the deflector

48

have to be moved closer to each other so that the couplings

36

are brought into their second position after which they can be disconnected from each other by return movement of the counterpressure plate

46

and/or the deflector plate

48

. As shown in

FIG. 10

, the counterpressure plate

46

and the deflector plate

48

can be moved relative to each other by means of threaded rods

56

passing through openings

57

in the margin area of those plates

46

,

48

. A head

58

at the one end of the threaded rod

56

pushes against the counterpressure plate

46

and a star handle

59

is screwed onto the other end of the threaded rod

86

in order to move the plates

46

,

48

towards each other.

As shown in

FIGS. 13 and 14

, the conical openings

44

in the counterpressure plate

46

are formed by synthetic resin bushings

80

having a radial slit

82

. The bushings

80

are inserted into bores

84

of the counterpressure plate

46

. Each bushing

80

has a cylindrical body

86

and an enlarged diameter collar

88

at its forward end. That collar

88

rests against the side of the counterpressure plate

46

facing the deflector plate

48

. The diameters of the bores

84

and the outer diameters of the bushing main bodies

86

are slightly greater than the diameters of the male elements

78

so that the counterpressure plate

46

can be detached from the Jacquard machine

20

by pushing the bushings

80

out of the bores

84

and then drawing the male elements

78

through the bores

84

. The bushings

80

can be detached from the twines

38

via the radial slit

82

.

The harness carriage

90

comprises a middle section

92

, a right-hand side section

94

and a left-hand side section

96

(as seen in FIGS.

3

and

11

). The right-hand side section

94

and the left-hand side section

96

will be neglected for the time being since they are of importance solely for a preferred embodiment of the invention described later on. The middle section

92

encompasses a vertical wall

98

, two support beams

100

extending horizontally at the bottom end of wall

98

, four guiding rods

102

and a lifting mechanism

104

for lifting and lowering the shedding mechanism

22

or at least the upper harness frame

62

. A roll

106

is provided at each end of each support beam

100

so that the harness carriage

90

can be pushed or pulled in each direction. The four guiding rods

102

extending horizontally from the vertical wall

98

have the same height above the floor and the same distance between each other as the guiding rods

50

extending from the Jacquard machine

20

so that they can be brought into alignment with those guiding rods

50

by proper positioning of the harness carriage

24

. The points of the Jacquard machine carriage guiding rods

50

and the points of the harness carriage guiding rods

102

can be provided with mutual engagement means like a conical point and a conical recess so that they form a continuous guiding rod when the harness carriage

90

docks onto the Jacquard machine carriage

24

.

The transfer of a new harness will now be described. The shedding mechanism

22

comprising the new harness is mounted on the harness carriage

90

, as shown in

FIGS. 3 and 4

, and is to be transferred to the seam weaving machine

10

. It will be assumed that the fabric last made endless has been taken out of the seam weaving machine

10

and that the support element

12

proximal to the harness carriage

90

has been removed, so that the seam weaving machine

10

is “empty”. The terms “upward movement stage” and “downward movement stage” of the Jacquard machine

20

refer to the up and, respectively, down position of the eyelets

42

rather than to the position of the hooks of the Jacquard machine

20

. The various parts of the seam weaving machine

10

and the new shedding mechanism

22

have to be in the following positions and the following steps have to be carried out for mounting the new harness on the seam weaving machine

10

:

1. The Jacquard machine

20

is in the upward movement stage.

2. The counterpressure plate

46

is forward (change position) so that the coupling male elements

78

are seated in the conical openings

44

of the counterpressure plate

46

(

FIGS. 4

,

9

and

14

).

3. Coupling socket elements

76

are centered in the deflector plate

48

which is located on the harness carriage guiding rods

102

(FIG.

4

).

4. Approaching with new harness on harness carriage

90

so that the harness carriage guiding rods

102

come into engagement with the Jacquard machine carriage guiding rods

50

(FIG.

5

).

5. Relieving harness tension by lowering the shedding mechanism

22

(FIG.

5

).

6. Moving the deflector plate

48

from the harness carriage guiding rods

102

onto Jacquard machine carriage guiding rods

50

(FIG.

5

).

7. Disengaging the harness carriage guiding rods

102

from the Jacquard machine carriage guiding rods

50

and withdrawing the harness carriage

90

approx. 2 cm.

8. Screwing holding screws onto the ends of all four Jacquard machine carriage guiding rods

50

in order to avoid the deflector plate

48

sliding from guiding rods

50

.

9. Moving the deflector plate

48

holding the socket elements

76

forward as far as to a distance of approx. 7 cm to the second stops

55

so that the socket elements

76

slightly engage the male elements

78

.

10. Mounting the star handles

59

and moving the deflector plate

48

forward by turning the star handles

59

(FIG.

6

).

11. Continuing to turn the star handles

59

until all of the couplings

36

are locked in their first position (recognizable clicking noise) (FIG.

6

).

12. Removing the star handles

59

(FIG.

7

). (They are stored on a hook at the backside of the wall

98

.)

13. Moving the deflector plate

48

to its home position at the end of the Jacquard machine carriage guiding rods

50

and firmly fixing it by locking screws (FIG.

7

).

14. Moving the counterpressure plate

46

to its home position (FIG.

8

).

15. Tensioning the harness by raising the shedding mechanism

22

by means of the lifting mechanism

104

(FIG.

8

).

16. Fastening the shedding mechanism

22

to the support beam

23

of the weaving machine

10

and detaching it from the harness carriage

90

.

17. Moving the harness carriage

90

away from the seam weaving machine

10

.

After that, the second support element

12

has to be reinstalled and the seam strip weft threads

29

have to be drawn in in conventional manner. A fabric

18

can then be laid into the seam weaving machine

10

and the opposite ends

17

of the fabric

18

can be clamped to the support elements

12

for the fabric

18

being made endless by a woven seam

19

.

When the woven seam

19

has been finished, the support elements

12

will be removed and the fabric made endless will be taken out of the seam weaving machine

10

.

If the following fabric largely has the same thread density and weave pattern as the previous one, the shedding mechanism

22

will be left in the seam weaving machine

10

and new seam strip weft threads

29

will be drawn in through the shedding mechanism

22

. If the following fabric has a thread density and/or weave pattern rather different from those of the previous one, the shedding mechanism

22

will be replaced. The various parts of the seam weaving machine

10

and the new shedding mechanism

22

have to be in the following positions and the following steps have to be carried out for removing the shedding mechanism

22

from the seam weaving machine

10

:

1. The Jacquard machine

20

is in the upward movement stage.

2. Approaching with the empty harness carriage

90

.

3. Fastening the shedding mechanism

22

at the harness carriage

90

and detaching it from the support beam

23

of seam weaving machine

10

.

4. Relieving the harness tension the shedding mechanism

22

by means of the lifting mechanism

104

.

5. Releasing the deflector plate

48

from the home position and moving it towards the couplings

36

(change position) a distance of approx. 6 cm.

6. Engaging the harness carriage guiding rods

102

with the Jacquard machine carriage guiding rods

50

.

7. Removing the holding screws from the ends of the Jacquard machine carriage guiding rods

50

.

8. Programming the Jacquard machine

20

for the downward movement stage.

9. Moving the counterpressure plate

46

from the home position forward into the change position and tightening it slightly so that it moves on the guiding rods

50

when a force is exerted on it.

10. Rotating the main shaft of the Jacquard machine

20

(manually) up to the end position of the downward movement stage being reached.

11. Programming the Jacquard machine

20

for the upward movement stage.

12. Rotating the main shaft of the Jacquard machine

20

and moving counterpressure plate

46

holding the male elements

78

as far as to the first stops

53

(change position). Tightening the counterpressure plate

78

.

13. Firmly tightening the counterpressure plate

46

.

14. Moving the deflector plate

48

forward to the change position as far as to the couplings

36

.

15. Mounting the star handles

59

and moving the deflector plate

48

forward by turning the star handles

59

.

16. Continuing until the complete deflector plate

48

is resting against the second stops

55

so that the couplings

36

come into their second position and are unlocked.

17. Removing the star handles

59

.

18. Releasing the deflector plate

48

, moving it away from the second stops

55

(approx. 5 cm) and tightening it slightly on the guiding rods

50

.

19. Tensioning the harness by lifting shedding mechanism

22

until the couplings

36

are disconnected.

20. Programming the Jacquard machine

20

for the downward movement stage.

21. Slightly tightening the counterpressure plate

46

.

22. Moving the counterpressure plate

46

including the male elements

78

to the downward movement stage end position.

23. Programming the Jacquard machine

20

for the upward movement stage, rotating the main shaft of the Jacquard machine

20

and moving counterpressure plate

46

holding the male elements

78

as far as to the first stops

53

to retain the male elements

78

in the conical openings

44

. (This step prepares the seam weaving machine

10

for the mounting of a new harness.)

24. Relieving harness tension.

25. Pushing the deflector plate

48

onto the harness carriage guiding rods

102

.

26. Disengaging the harness carriage guiding rods

102

from the Jacquard machine carriage guiding rods

50

.

27. Removing the harness carriage

90

from the seam weaving machine

10

.

The transfer of the shedding mechanism

22

from the seam weaving machine

10

to the harness carriage

90

is now concluded and another shedding mechanism

22

can be mounted on the seam weaving machine

10

.

For the sake of simplicity it has been assumed in the above enumeration of steps that the upper and the lower harness frames

60

,

62

form a one-piece element of the shedding mechanism

22

, so that they are together attached to and detached from the harness carriage

90

and the Jacquard machine carriage

24

. In practice, the upper harness frame

62

and the lower harness frame

60

are usually separate elements and solely the upper harness frame

62

is attached to the lifting mechanism

104

while the lower harness frame

60

is attached direct to the wall

98

of the harness carriage middle section

92

. The lower harness frame

60

is usually transferred prior to the upper harness frame

62

from the harness carriage

90

to the Jacquard machine carriage

24

.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated by

FIGS. 3

,

11

and

12

, the tensioning device

32

in addition to the shedding mechanism

22

is designed such that it can be detached from the seam weaving machine

10

and transferred to the harness carriage

90

and vice versa. Such construction enables preparation of the shedding mechanism

22

while it is detached from the seam weaving machine

10

and mounted on the harness carriage

90

. It enables in particular drawing in the seam strip weft threads

29

through the shedding mechanism

22

while it is mounted on the harness carriage

90

so that the seam weaving machine

10

does not have to be stopped while a new harness is being drawn in for the next fabric.

To this end, the harness carriage

90

comprises the right-hand and left-hand side sections

94

,

96

cantilevered from opposite sides of the middle section

92

of the harness carriage

90

.

The tensioning device

32

can be mounted on the left-hand side section

96

of the harness carriage

90

and comprises a base plate

110

and a storage plate

112

mounted parallel on a support plate

114

which in turn is mounted on the left-hand side section

96

of the harness carriage

90

. The plurality of coil springs

34

are fastened to the base plate

110

, the fastening points being arranged in rows and columns. The forward end of the coil springs

34

is connected by short strings to the weft thread couplings

118

. A plurality of counterbored holes is provided in the storage plate

112

. The counterbored holes are arranged in rows and columns so that each of the holes is in registry with one of the coil spring fastening points on the base plate

110

. As long as the weft thread couplings

118

are not connected with the seam strip weft threads

29

they will be drawn by the coil springs

34

half-way through the counterbored holes in the storage plate

112

so that an enlarged diameter portion of the weft thread couplings

118

abuts to the shoulder in the counterbored holes (position X in FIG.

11

). When the weft thread couplings

118

are connected to seam strip weft threads

29

, the coil springs

34

will be extended so that the weft thread couplings

118

are in a position in front of the storage plate

112

(position Y in FIG.

11

). The construction of the tensioning device

32

is conventional so that it is not shown in detail in the drawings.

A bobbin

120

, on which the seam strip weft threads

29

can be wound, is mounted on a bobbin support

122

on the right-hand side section

94

of the harness carriage

90

. A clamping plate

128

is provided for between the shedding mechanism

22

on the middle section and the bobbin

120

and somewhat offset away from the wall

98

in FIG.

3

. The forward end of the seam strip

28

can be held by this clamping plate

128

.

All operations necessary for drawing in the weft threads

29

through the shedding mechanism

22

can be carried out on the harness carriage

90

separated from the seam weaving machine

10

. The harness carriage

90

is moved to a special drawing-in site for threading in the weft threads

29

through the shedding mechanism

22

. The drawing-in site comprises a wall from which four guiding rods extend horizontally like the Jacquard machine carriage guiding rods

50

so that the harness carriage

90

can be docked onto that drawing-in site by means of the guiding rods. The purpose of that docking on is to be able to move the deflector plate

48

somewhat away from its position beneath the shedding mechanism

22

held on the harness carriage

90

so that the harness cords

40

are stretched taut, which facilitates threading the weft threads

29

through the eyelets

42

in the shedding mechanism

22

. It would be difficult and cumbersome to thread the weft threads

29

if the harness cords

40

were to be slack and got entangled.

A transverse ribbon is cut from one of the ends of the fabric to form the seam strip

28

. That seam strip

28

has a width of, for example, 10 cm. The warp threads are removed from the ribbon with the exception of within the end portions so that full length weft threads

29

are obtained which are held together at their ends by the interwoven warp threads. The first end portion is fixed to the bobbin

120

and the seam strip weft threads

29

are wound on the bobbin

120

. If necessary, a paper layer can be wound together with the weft threads

29

so that the wound layers of the weft threads

29

are separated by the paper layer. The second end portion

126

of the seam strip

28

is then drawn away from the bobbin

120

up to the tensioning device

32

so that the bobbin

120

is partially unwound and there is a distance of about 30 cm between the end of the weft threads held in the second end portion

126

and the storage plate

112

of the tensioning device

32

when the weft threads

29

are straight. The second end portion

126

is then fastened on a clamping plate

128

which is provided for between the shedding mechanism

22

and the bobbin

120

and somewhat offset away from the wall

98

. The weft thread

29

nearest to the wall

98

is drawn out of the second end portion

126

held by the clamping plate

128

, drawn through the corresponding eyelet

42

of the shedding mechanism

22

and fastened to the corresponding weft thread coupling

118

. The weft thread coupling

118

is connected to the coil spring

34

which in turn is fastened to the base plate

110

of the tensioning device

32

so that the weft thread

29

is tensioned. All further weft threads

29

in the second end portion

126

are, one after the other, separated from the second end portion

126

held by the clamping plate

128

, drawn in through the corresponding eyelet

42

and fastened to the corresponding weft thread coupling

118

.

When all of the weft threads

29

are drawn in through the shedding mechanism

22

and fastened to the weft thread couplings

118

, the new harness is completed so that it can be mounted to the seam weaving machine

10

. The clamping plate

128

will be removed at this juncture because it would otherwise interfere with the Jacquard machine

10

when the harness carriage

90

is moved to the seam weaving machine

10

so that the points of the harness carriage guiding rods engage the points of the Jacquard machine carriage guiding rods.

FIG. 12

shows the harness carriage

90

with the new harness and all the weft threads

29

drawn in through the eyelets

42

. For the sake of clarity, only three weft threads

29

are shown in FIG.

12

. In reality, some hundreds of weft threads are drawn in.

It will be assumed that the fabric last made endless has been taken from the seam weaving machine

10

so that the seam weaving machine

10

is “empty” and that at least the support element

12

proximal to the harness carriage

90

has been removed, as shown in

FIGS. 3 and 4

. The various parts of the seam weaving machine

10

and the new harness have to be in the positions, and the steps have to be carried out, as described above for the embodiment in which the shedding mechanism without the seam strip weft threads has been transferred.

The tensioning device

32

can be transferred from the harness carriage

90

to the seam weaving machine

10

before or after the transfer of the shedding mechanism

22

and the deflector plate

48

. In each case, the tensioning device

32

is clamped by the clamping jaws

13

only to the single support element

12

installed at this juncture (

FIG. 3

) in the seam weaving machine

10

. The tensioning device

32

is provided with an extendable leg or is supported in any other manner so that it is held in its final position and does not hang down from the single support element

12

. Likewise, the seam strip weft threads

29

can be unwound from the bobbin

120

and the first end portion of the seam strip

28

can be fastened to the fastening plate

30

attached to the forward standard

14

before or after the transfer of the shedding mechanism

22

and the deflector plate

48

.

When the first end portion of the seam strip

28

has been attached to the fastening plate

30

, the tensioning device

32

, the deflector plate

48

and the shedding mechanism

22

have been transferred and the couplings

36

have been connected, the harness carriage

90

is empty and can be removed. After removal of the empty harness carriage

90

from the seam weaving machine

10

, the second elongate support element

12

can be installed, the tensioning device can also be clamped by the clamping jaws

13

to the second elongate support element

12

, a new fabric can be laid into the seam weaving machine

10

, the opposite ends

17

of a fabric

18

can be clamped to the support elements

12

and, finally, the fabric

18

can be made endless by a woven seam

19

.

Number	Name	Date	Kind
4557025	Eglin	Dec 1985	A
4581794	Oldroyd et al.	Apr 1986	A
4862566	Hacker	Sep 1989	A
5027483	Anderson	Jul 1991	A
5117542	Krenkel et al.	Jun 1992	A
5355911	Kuster et al.	Oct 1994	A
5386854	Hacker	Feb 1995	A
5394596	Lindenmuller et al.	Mar 1995	A
5636663	Lacroix	Jun 1997	A
5791382	Froment et al.	Aug 1998	A

Method for mounting a new harness on a seam weaving machine, apparatus for making a flat woven fabric endless and harness carriage

Information

Patent Number

Date Filed

Date Issued

Inventors

Original Assignees

Examiners

Agents

CPC

US Classifications

Field of Search

US

International Classifications

Abstract

Description

Claims

US Referenced Citations (10)

Foreign Referenced Citations (1)