Textiles: weaving – Warp manipulation – Shedding
Reexamination Certificate
2001-10-01
2002-06-04
Falik, Andy (Department: 3765)
Textiles: weaving
Warp manipulation
Shedding
Reexamination Certificate
active
06397897
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for hooking between a heddle frame and a lever actuated by a weave system. It also relates to a weaving loom equipped with such a device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to simply the operations of mounting and dismantling of the heddle frames on a weaving loom, it is known to use connecting devices arranged to ensure, semi-automatically, the hooking and unhooking of the frames with respect to the levers of the system. Such a device is disclosed in EP-A-0 117 826 in which an open hook is configured to cooperate with a polygonal ring, this hook being provided with two plates forming a catch for locking the ring. These plates are arranged on either side of an arm of the hook on which they are articulated. Each plate has a relatively small thickness and the arm on which they are articulated must also present a relatively small thickness with respect to the rest of the hook and with respect to the width of the ring, in order to allow these plates to align with the ring. Due to the small thickness of the plates, the contact surfaces of these plates and of the ring are relatively reduced, which, taking into account the usual vibrations in a weaving loom, leads to premature wear of the plates and/or of the ring. In addition, the pivot pin of the plates on the hooks also tends to wear out due to these vibrations. Furthermore, a traction spring is provided for exerting on the plates an effort tending to return them towards a position of locking of the ring. Such a spring tends to wear out and may break at the level of its attachments on the hook and/or on an element fast with the plates. Finally, rivets must be provided for assembling the plates together and on the hook, such rivets having to be positioned with care, which reduces productivity of a method for manufacturing such a device. These drawbacks limit the performances of a loom equipped with devices of this type.
It is a more particular object of the invention to overcome these drawbacks by proposing a hooking device which is as easy to use as that of the prior state of the art and in which the risks of premature wear are substantially reduced.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To that end, the invention relates to a device for hooking between a heddle frame and a lever actuated by a weave system, this device comprising a ring of substantially polygonal section, fast with the frame or with the lever, and an open hook, provided with bearing surfaces arranged to cooperate with the section of the ring and fast with the lever or the frame, certain of these bearing surfaces being parallel to one another and adapted to ensure, by cooperation with two surfaces of the ring likewise parallel to one another, the essential of the transmission of effort between the lever and the heddle frame, while the hook is equipped with a member for locking the ring in position engaged in the hook, the bearing zone of the locking member against the ring being located substantially between an axis of articulation of the ring on the frame or on the lever and an axis of articulation of the locking member on the hook, characterized in that the locking member is constituted by a lock forming a pivot pin received in a cavity formed in the thickness of the hook, this lock presenting a surface adapted to interact with the ring and of width substantially equal to the width of the ring.
Thanks to the invention, the lock can bear on the polygonal ring over substantially the whole width of this ring, which substantially increases the area of contact with respect to the known devices. The fact that the lock forms a pivot pin received in a cavity of the hook avoids having to use an added pin, such as a rivet, and induces an efficient transmission of effort between the lock and the hook. The fact that the bearing zone of the lock against the ring is located substantially between the axes of articulation of the ring and of the lock, means that the lock works essentially in compression, which enables it to be particularly efficient. In addition, as the essential of the efforts transmitted by the lever to the frame passes through the bearings and the parallel surfaces provided respectively on the hook and on the ring, the lock is not under permanent strain.
According to advantageous aspects of the invention, the device incorporates one or more of the following characteristics:
The lock is made of self-lubricating steel, for example a sintered steel. This makes it possible to limit the frictions at the level of the surfaces of the lock and the ring in contact and at the level of the contact surfaces of the pin and the cavity in which it is received.
The lock and the hook together define a volume for receiving a compression spring, this volume, defined in the thickness of the lock and the hook, being of variable size as a function of the relative position of the lock and of the hook. Thanks to this aspect of the invention, the spring does not present attachments likely to break and may be protected from the outside environment.
A maneuvering member is clipped on the lock and comprises a tab on which a user may exert an effort or force for controlling the pivoting of the lock with respect to the hook.
An element for containment of a volume defined between the hook and the lock comprises two cheeks disposed on either side of the hook and the lock. This containment element makes it possible to isolate the aforementioned volume and, if necessary, the spring that it contains. Reserves of grease may be provided in the cavities formed between the lock and the hook, particularly in the vicinity of the pin. It may thus be envisaged to force-feed lubricant in the zone of articulation between the lock and the pin. The containment also makes it possible to protect the zones full of grease from pollution such as flock. In that case, the containment element is advantageously constituted by the maneuvering member which is constituted by a plastic part. In addition, the maneuvering member may be provided to form a pin extending between the aforementioned cheeks and adapted to pivot in a cavity formed in the thickness of the lock.
The maneuvering member forms a beak for elastically clipping on a concave part of the lock oriented opposite that surface of the lock provided to interact with the ring. This mode of fixation of the maneuvering member on the lock allows a rapid and reliable assembly while providing a possibility of dismantling, particularly for fresh lining of grease along the internal cavities of the device.
The ring is equipped with an integrated lubricator, this ring and this lubricator being made in one piece, of plastics material. The lubricator may be mobile between two positions, oriented at 180° with respect to each other about the central axis of the ring, while the plates for connecting the ring to the frame on which it is mounted may be stamped with a setback at the level of the edge of the ring, with the result that the width of the ring may be increased without substantially increasing the overall dimensions of the device.
The ring bears an element in relief for indexing, adapted to cooperate with at least one plate of a pair of plates between which the ring is mounted, with the result that the angular clearance of the ring with respect to these plates is limited.
The invention also relates to a weaving loom equipped with a hooking device as described hereinbefore. Such a weaving loom is easier to use than those of the prior state of the art, while its maintenance is facilitated and the life of the devices that it comprises is substantially increased over that of known looms. The performances of such a loom are substantially improved with respect to those of the prior art looms.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3074438 (1963-01-01), Svaty
patent: 4365653 (1982-12-01), Freisler et al.
patent: 4369815 (1983-01-01), Gehring et al.
patent: 4541459 (1985-09-01), Palau
patent: 4715409 (1987-12-01), Graf
patent: 5518040 (1996-05-01), Rupflin
patent: 5810055 (1998-09-01), Haeussler et al
Dowell & Dowell , P.C.
Falik Andy
Staubli Faverges
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