BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a simplified side view of a heddle in accordance with the invention.
FIG. 2 is a modified embodiment of the end of the heddle in accordance with FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the thread eye region of the heddle in accordance with FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view, along line IV-IV in FIG. 1, of the thread eye region of the heddle in accordance with FIG. 1.
FIG. 5 is a sectional view, along line V-V in FIG. 1, of the ramp section of the heddle in accordance with FIG. 1.
FIG. 6 is a sectional view, along line VI-VI in FIG. 1, of the leg of the heddle in accordance with FIG. 1.
FIG. 7 shows one end of a leg of the heddle in accordance with FIG. 1, in connection with an attached spring.
FIG. 8 is a sectional side view of a modified embodiment of the heddle in accordance with the invention.
FIG. 9 is a sectional view, along line IX-IX of the thread eye, of the heddle in accordance with FIG. 8.
FIG. 10 is a sectional view, along line IX-IX of the thread eye, of modified form of the weaving heddle in accordance with FIG. 8.
FIG. 11 is a sectional side view of another embodiment of the heddle in accordance with the invention.
FIG. 12 is a sectional view, along line XII-XII, of the heddle in accordance with FIG. 11.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 shows a heddle 1 for a jacquard weaving machine. The heddle 1 has a heddle body 2 with two, preferably straight, legs 3, 4, which are in alignment with each other and, between them, include a thread eye section 5 and the ramp sections 6, 7. The legs 3, 4 may have the same or different diameters and cross-sections. Preferably, they have a round cross-section, as is shown, for example, in FIG. 6 with reference to the cross-section of leg 4. The leg 4 is essentially cylindrical and has a circular cross-section with a radius R1.
The ends of the legs 3, 4 are configured for the connection with additional devices, such as, for example, harness cords or tension springs. For example, the upper end of the leg 3 is provided with a hook 8. Alternatively, it may terminate in an eyelet 9 as is shown, for example, by FIG. 2. The lower end of the leg 4 may also be configured as a hook or as an eyelet. In the preferred case, however, it has a screw thread 10, which—as indicated, for example in FIG. 7—can be screwed together with the end of a tension spring 11.
The thread eye section 5 contains a mail 12, as is obvious, for example, from FIG. 3. The mail is an annular body of a hard, wear-proof material, for example ceramic. The ceramic may be a sintered ceramic, a reactive ceramic, an oxide ceramic or the like. Furthermore, the mail 12 may consist of a cermet, a hard metal, a hardened steel ring or the like. Furthermore, the mail has a thread guide opening 13 which may be elliptical or oval. As is illustrated by FIG. 4, the opening 13 of the mail 12 is preferably rounded and free of sharp edges. Measured in longitudinal direction of the legs 3, 4, said mail preferably has a height that is greater than its width measured in a direction transverse to said height. On its outside circumference, the mail 12 defines a continuous groove, into which extends the heddle body 2.
The thread eye section 5 has an oval cross-section. It is defined by two parallel-oriented edges 14, 15 having the form of straight flat sections which are connected on their ends by circular arcs 16, 17. The circular arcs 16, 17 have a rounding radius R2, which, preferably, corresponds to the rounding radius R1.
Each of the edges 16, 17 follows a circular arc. In cross-section, they represent the lateral sides 18, 19 of the thread eye region 5 along intersection line IV-IV. The sides 18, 19, at that point, represent cutouts of the generated surface of a cylinder. The sides 18, 19 visible in FIG. 1 are oriented parallel with respect to each other.
The two ramp sections 6, 7 may be the same or, as illustrated, may be different regarding their length. Preferably, it is within a range of 10 and 30 mm, whereas the distance of the sides 18, 19 from each other is in most cases smaller than 10 mm. The ramp sections 6, 7 have a length which is greater than, preferably significantly greater than, the height of the thread guide opening 12 measured in the same direction. Preferably, the length of the ramp sections 6, 7 is, in each case, at least twice as large, optimally at least three times as large as the height of the thread opening 13.
Preferably, the ramp regions 6, 7 have a thickness that, in FIG. 1, is constant when measured perpendicular to the plane of projection, i.e., in the direction of the thread guide opening 13. In contrast, the width of the ramp region 6 or 7 to be measured in a direction transverse to the thread guide opening 13 increases from the leg 3 or 4 toward the thread eye section 5. In so doing, the ramp sections 6, 7 adjoin the legs 3, 4, as well as the thread guide section 5, in a flush manner. FIG. 5 shows a section of the ramp section 7 along the line of intersection V-V. FIGS. 5 and 6 are on the same scale. It is obvious that the ramp sections 6, 7 have a curvature R3 on their sides 20, 21, said curvature corresponding to the curvatures R1 and R2. (FIG. 4 is drawn on a different scale than FIGS. 5 and 6.)
The body 2 of the heddle 1 is a body of plastic material, which, as indicated in FIGS. 1 through 6, contains fibers 22 for reinforcement. These fibers extend essentially parallel to a longitudinal direction that is pre-specified by the legs 3, 4 and connects the eyelet 8 with the screw thread 10. In so doing, the fibers are preferably long fibers, all of which being oriented in longitudinal direction. An exception regarding the orientation exists in longitudinal direction, as shown by FIG. 3, at most in the region of the ramp sections 6, 7, as well as in the region of the thread eye section 5. The reinforcing fibers 22 extend around the mail 12 in this case. However, also in this case, the fibers are essentially oriented in longitudinal direction. At any rate, no fiber is arranged in transverse direction. The fibers 22 are embedded in the plastic material and covered by said material. For example, the plastic material is an epoxide resin or another duroplastic synthetic material. Alternatively, a thermoplastic synthetic material may be used. The mail 12 is embedded in the body of plastic material and bonded thereto in a form-closed manner. The bond is produced without additional cement in that the mail is initially set into the not fully cured plastic material, whereupon the plastic material is fully cured.
The fibers 22 may be glass fibers, mineral fibers, carbon fibers or even protein fibers, e.g., such as those of spider silk.
The small acute angle between the sides 21, 22 of preferably less than 20 degrees ensures that the occurring wear of the layer of plastic material on the sides 18, 19, 20, 21 remains relatively minimal and that the fibers are rarely exposed, even after the plastic material layer has worn off. As a result of the longitudinal orientation of all the fibers it is achieved that, even if a part of the covering layer of plastic material is worn off, the fibers 22 remain intact and continue to ensure the tensile strength of the heddle 1. In addition, due to the deliberate omission of any transverse fibers, it is ensured that the warp threads moving along the potentially exposed fibers are not damaged.
FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate a modified heddle 1a that has been optimized in view of the use of aggressive warp yarns, for example, amid fibers. This heddle, again, has the legs 3, 4, to which the description above applies analogously. Again, the ramp sections 6, 7 are clearly longer than the longitudinal extension of the thread guide opening 13 of the mail 12. However, the ramp sections 6, 7, as well as the thread eye section 5, are formed in that the mail is enlarged to create a longitudinal part. This part contains, on the one hand, the thread guide opening 13, as well as, on the other hand, extensions which form the ramp sections 6, 7. As is obvious, in particular from FIG. 9, they may be provided with the grooves 23, 24, through which extend the legs 25, 26 of the body of plastic material.
As is obvious from FIGS. 8 and 9, the legs 25, 26 connect the legs 3, 4 with each other and hold the mail 12 between them. In so doing, they represent a part of the heddle body 2. Preferably, the reinforcement fibers 22 extend from one leg 3 to the other leg 4, whereby they either extend through the leg 25 or through the leg 26. The legs 25, 26 are largely embedded in the grooves 23, 24 and thus protected by the hard material of the mail 12 against damage by the abrasive warp threads.
Referring to a modified embodiment, the corresponding grooves 22a, 23b, 24a, 24b are provided in accordance with FIG. 10, whereby strips 27, 28 of the mail 12 project between said grooves. The strips 27, 28 form ribs extending along the mail 12, said ribs representing guide or abutment surfaces for the warp threads that move past the heddles. Again, corresponding sections of the heddle body 2 are located in the grooves 23a, 23b, 24a, 24b, said grooves holding the mail 12 in a form-closed and substance-closed manner.
FIGS. 11 and 12 show a further modified embodiment of a heddle 1b. In this case, the mail 12 by itself forms the ramp sections 6, 7 and the thread eye section 5. The legs 3, 4 are attached to the mail 12. To do so, said mail has—on its narrow ends facing away from the thread eye 13—recesses with attachment openings 29. Extensions 30 of the legs 3 or 4 may extend into said latter openings, whereby the plastic material, including the fibers, may penetrate the attachment openings 29. This heddle can be manufactured, in particular, by injection moulding. The attachment openings 29 and recesses provided on the end of the mail are disposed to anchor the injection moulding material. The heddle is manufactured in that the mail is placed in the injection moulding machine and subsequently surround-sprayed.
Referring to this and to the other embodiments, it applies that the body of plastic material 2 and the legs 3, 4, respectively, can optionally also be manufactured of a plastic material which comprises—instead of the continuously extending reinforcement fibers—short fibers, so-called whiskers. The result with respect to the load-bearing capacity of the heddle is then slightly less, in which case it is sufficient for some applications.
An inventive heddle for jacquard machines essentially consists of fiber-reinforced plastic material, whereby the thread eye is formed by a mail 12. The heddle body comprises two legs 3, 4. Between the relatively wide thread eye region 5 and the legs 3, 4, ramp sections 6, 7 are provided, which sections have a length that is greater than the length of the thread eye 13. Preferably, the length is greater than twice the longitudinal extension of the thread eye. In most cases, said length is between 10 and 30 mm. As a result of this measure, the wear of the plastic material in the vicinity of the thread eye 13 is kept minimal enough that neither any damage to the stiffening fibers 22 in the body of plastic material nor any damage to the warp threads needs to be feared.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS
1. Heddle, 1a, 1b
2. Heddle body
3 Leg
4 Leg
5 Thread eye section
6 Ramp section
7 Ramp section
8 Hook
9 Eyelet
10 Screw thread
11 Tension spring
12 Mail
13 Thread guide opening
14 Edge
15 Edge
16 Circular arc
17 Circular arc
18 Side
19 Side
20 Side
21 Side
22 Fibers
23 Groove, 23a, 23b
24 Groove, 24a, 24b
25 Leg
26 Leg
27 Strip
28 Strip
29 Attachment opening
30 Extension
Patent Application
20080083471
