Textiles: weaving – Warp manipulation – Shedding
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-11
2001-05-15
Calvert, John J. (Department: 3741)
Textiles: weaving
Warp manipulation
Shedding
C139S093000, C139S094000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06230756
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to heddles and to heddle slide bars onto which heddles are lined up. The heddle slide bars are either stationary or detachably connected to the heddle frames and are in this respect a component of the heddle frame. Their shape or their cross-sectional dimensions must correspond functionally to the shape of the end eyes of the heddles; therefore, the heddles together with slide bars form a system
Up to now, three systems have succeeded and are still in use:
heddles with O-shaped end eyes (
FIG. 1
)
heddles with J-shaped end eyes (
FIG. 2
)
heddles with C-shaped end eyes (FIG.
3
).
In these conventional systems there is a heddle slide bar, which is adjusted to the heddle and which is a component of the system. All three systems have certain advantages and disadvantages, depending on the type of use. They have in common that the heddle has a lot of play in the longitudinal direction of the heddles because of the size of the end eye relative to the heddle slide bar. This has the advantage that in the production of the heddle slide bar and the heddles, a relative large tolerance can be allowed, which decreases the cost of manufacturing. In addition, easy sliding of the heddle on the heddle slide bar is ensured as a matter of fact. This is above all of significance when the heddles are automatically line up on the heddle slide bars with the aid of machines. In weaving, the large play between heddles and the heddle slide bar allows also a significant deformation of the heddle frame to which the heddle slide bars are fastened—without tearing the heddles apart.
This play starts to become a disadvantage in the currently usual (high) speed of newly installed mechanical looms. It is especially the wear of the end eyes of the heddles which can weaken said end eyes within a few months to such a degree that they break apart and cause interruptions during weaving. In most cases, prior wear of the metal by friction represents already trouble. It may cause a considerable and damaging soiling of the woven fabric. An additional problem is the slanting of the heddle during weaving, which is enhanced by the large play between heddle and heddle slide bar. This slanting, which may also appear as swaying, results in breaking of the warp thread.
To eliminate swaying, it was suggested in DE 195 48 176 to design a heddle end eye “lay-free” relative to the heddle slide bar. Without doubt, this solves certain wear problems or prevents uncontrolled slanting of the heddle. However, this solution is unusable since the heddles have to be moved by sliding on the heddle slide bar to be lined up. Especially important is the ability to slide during the use of an automatic feeding machine.
Limitation—but not complete elimination—of the play in the heddle relative to the heddle slide bar comes considerably closer to a solution. A beginning to that is indicated in DE 40 23 572.
As solution to the wear problem it is now suggested, according to the invention, to provide the heddles with various end eyes according to the text in claim
1
and according to an embodiment version and in combination with different heddle slide bars, if necessary.
Preferred embodiments of such a system of heddle and heddle slide bar is described in the dependent claims.
A significant characteristic of the novel heddle is the fact that the limitation of the play of the end eye occurs in longitudinal direction of the heddles, relative to the heddle slide bar, only on the one end eye that is disposed within the mechanical loom above the warp threads. The play is limited at this location, for example, to 0.4 mm as a minimum and approximately 1.2 mm as a maximum, with a preferred value of approximately 0.8 mm whereby a certain tolerance of ±0.2 nm must be accepted for manufacturing reasons. Since a considerable change has been created relative to the currently common 4.5 or more millimeter of play, it is advantageous according to the invention that the heddle slide bar has adjusted dimensions. The size is adjusted to the play conditions and optimized in view of the weight, which means the size is reduced. Possible embodiments are illustrated in the following described FIG.
4
through FIG.
6
. The upper heddle slide bar is preferably made in the dimensions of 1.5×14 mm instead of the currently usual 1.7×22 mm, as illustrated in the following described
FIG. 3
In contrast to the upper end eye, the lower end eye is made larger and it is designed with having a play of 1.5-5 mm relative to the heddle slide bar. It is proposed, according to the invention, to adjust the play in increments of 1 mm to correspond to the characteristic features of the heddle frame. The more rigidly the heddle frame is designed, the less play can be selected since it only serves to compensate or absorb the not-so-exact constant distance between the heddle slide bars that are attached at the upper and lower side of the heddle frame, without tearing the heddle apart. The lower heddle slide bar is made purposely with larger dimensions that the upper one. The reason for this is the fact that at very large play, the relative movement between heddle and heddle frame results in wear on the heddle slide bar and the heddle. While the heddle is inexpensive and replacement may be performed in a simple manner, the heddle slide bar is relatively costly and replacement is often times impossible. Therefore, at least the lower support bar of the heddle frame and the heddle slide bar have to be replaced. A corresponding enlargement of the heddle slide bar allows more wear before a functional breakdown occurs. Enlargement of the lower heddle slide bar is therefore of advantage based on the unavoidable wear thereof
A heddle designed according to the invention has still sufficient freedom of movement between the upper end eye and the upper heddle slide bar to be able to be moved during feeding without binding and to be able to easily follow the irregularities in the warp thread flow during weaving. However, the play is small enough so that vibrations of the heddle frame result only in a very small relative movements between heddle and heddle slide bar. Thereby, wear between heddle and heddle slide bar is reduced to such an extent that no detrimental fabric soiling may develop. In addition, the operational life of the heddle and the heddle slide bar will be extended considerably. Traversing tilting motions in the way of swaying or slanting of the heddle are certainly also prevented without a “play-free” guide being necessary for the heddle. Just the same, the large play of the lower end eye relative to the lower heddle slide bar allows that traditional less bending-resistant heddle frame constructions may be utilized with this system. Any developing dust by friction falls downward out off the heddle frame and does not interfere in this respect. Occasional replacement because of wear is limited to the heddles and occasionally to the lower heddle slide bars, however, at much lower intervals. Nevertheless, the manufactured fabric may be used as “first quality” since the soiling caused by friction at the upper heddle slide bar is minute and almost not noticeable. With the choice of a bending-resistant, modern frame construction, the innovative heddle system prevents the disadvantages caused by friction at the lower heddle slide bar since one can operate the lower heddle slide bar with less play and thereby with less wear.
For the time being there is one configuration enough according to the following described
FIG. 8
or
FIG. 9
to be employed with already existing heddle frames and their heddle slide bars. Admittedly, premature wear of heddle and heddle slide bars cannot be avoided; however, the smaller play between the upper end eye of the heddle and the upper heddle slide bar reduces the occurrence of uncontrolled vibrations to a great extent. Thereby, wear at the lower end eye is already considerably reduced. The most important advantage is thereby already realized, namely the prevention of substantial wear between the upper end eye of the h
Baumann Hans
Mettler Franz
Calvert John J.
Dykema Gossett PLLC
Grob Horgen AG
Muromoto, Jr. Robert
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