Textiles: weaving – Pile tufting – Portable supply
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-21
2001-04-24
Falik, Andy (Department: 3741)
Textiles: weaving
Pile tufting
Portable supply
C139S00700A, C139S453000, C066S207000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06220307
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tuft yarn selection mechanism and in particular, but not exclusively, an axminster loom incorporating such a selection mechanism.
2. Related Art
When weaving on a typical gripper axminster loom the carpet normally has three weft yarns per tuft loop (three shot carpet) whereas carpet woven on other types of loom usually have two weft yarns per tuft loop (two shot carpet).
The weft yarns are inserted in succession and so a 50% increase in carpet production can be achieved on an axminster loom if two weft yarns could be inserted without loss of insertion speed.
With a conventional axminster loom the speed of operation of the tuft yarn selection mechanism is too slow to enable correct selection of tuft yarns to be achieved for a two shot operation.
A general aim of the present invention is to provide a tuft yarn selection mechanism which operates at a sufficiently high speed to enable a twoshot carpet to be produced on gripper axminster loom without loss of insertion speed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a tuft yarn selection mechanism for a gripper axminster loom, the mechanism including a plurality of yarn carriers each of which is movable to any one of a plurality of predetermined positions, each carrier guiding a plurality of tuft yarns and being arranged to present one of said yarns to a gripper when the carrier is located at a corresponding one of said predetermined positions, and a plurality of independently controllable rotary drive motors, each drive motor being drivingly connected to an associated carrier for selectively moving the associated carrier to a selected one of said predetermined positions.
Preferably, each motor is an electric motor and is electrically controlled to move the associated carrier to said selected one of said predetermined positions.
Preferably the electric motor is a stepper motor.
Preferably each carrier has associated therewith sensing means for determining the position of the carrier and providing a signal indicative of the carrier being located at a selected one of said predetermined positions.
The sensing means may be used to determine arrival of the carrier at a selected one of said positions and thereby provide a signal to control stopping of the motor. Alternatively, electronic control means may be provided which transmit to the stepper motor a sufficient number of pulses to move the carrier from one position to the selected position, the sensor being arranged to confirm correct positioning of the carrier. In the event that the carrier is not correctly positioned (eg. it has overshot slightly), the sensor is used to provide a signal which is utilised by the electronic control means to correctively re-adjust the position of the carrier.
Preferably the yarn carriers are elongate and arranged to move longitudinally between said predetermined positions.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a mechanism for a gripper axminster loom, the mechanism including a plurality of yarn carriers each of which is movable to any one of a plurality of predetermined positions, each carrier guiding a plurality of tuft yarn and being arranged to present one of said yarns to a gripper when the carrier is located at a corresponding one of said predetermined positions, and a plurality of independently controllable drive motors, each drive motor being drivingly connected to an associated carrier for selectively moving the associated carrier to a selected one of said predetermined positions, each drive motor being removably mounted to enable the drive motor to be disconnected from said associated carrier.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a mechanism for a gripper axminster loom, the mechanism including a plurality of yarn carriers each of which is movable to any one of a plurality of predetermined positions, each carrier guiding a plurality of tuft yarn and being arranged to present one of said yarns to a gripper when the carrier is located at a corresponding one of said predetermined positions, and a plurality of independently controllable drive motors, each drive motor being drivingly connected to an associated carrier for selectively moving the associated carrier to a selected one of said predetermined positions, monitoring means for each carrier arranged to provide a signal indicative of the position of the associated carrier, and control means responsive to said signal in order to independently control the motor associated with each carrier.
Preferably the electric motors are arranged in groups, the motors of each group being mounted upon a common support.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a gripper axminster loom adapted to weave a two-shot carpet.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5400834 (1995-03-01), Lewyllie et al.
patent: 5502987 (1996-04-01), Zorini
patent: 5743306 (1998-04-01), Stewart et al.
patent: 0785301 B1 (1996-12-01), None
Falik Andy
Griffith Textile Machines Limited
Nikolai Mersereau & Dietz, P.A.
LandOfFree
Gripper axminster loom with tuft yarn selection mechanism does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Gripper axminster loom with tuft yarn selection mechanism, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Gripper axminster loom with tuft yarn selection mechanism will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2448556