US 5,016,677 A · Automatic cop changing device for a weaving machine

Abstract

An automatic cop changing device for a weaving machine in which a shuttle carrying a cop consisting of a bobbin around which a weft is wound is reciprocated between warps so as to weave the weft between the warps, comprising: a cop positioning unit for securing the shuttle stationary near a terminal point of its reciprocating movement when the weft of a current cop mounted on the shuttle is consumed by more than a precribed amount; a cop storage unit for storing a plurlaity of new cops; a robot arm carrying a weft gripping hand for drawing the weft from the current cop and a weft from one of the new cops stored in the cop storage unit, and crossing the two wefts, a cop engaging hand for moving the cop in the shuttle between its upright position and its retracted position, and a cop gripping hand for removing the old cop from the shuttle and carrying the new cop into the shuttle; a weft tying unit for tying the crossed part of the wefts; and a weft trimming unit for trimming an extraneous part of the tied weft. This device permits quick replacement of cops without causing undue strain on the weft. The advantageous use of a robot arm permits a compact and simple design of the entire device.

Claims16

Dependent claims

cop positioning means for keeping said shuttle stationary near a terminal point of its reciprocating movement when the weft of a current cop mounted on said shuttle is consumed by more than a prescribed amount;
cop storage means for storing a plurality of new cops;
weft pulling means for drawing the weft from said current cop and a weft from one of said new cops stored in said cop storage means, and crossing said two wefts;
weft tying means for tying said crossed part of said wefts;
weft trimming means for trimming an extraneous part of said tied weft;
and
cop replacing means for removing said current cop from said shuttle, and mounting said new cop on said shuttle;
said cop replacing means consisting of a single robot arm comprising a base rotatable around a vertical axis, an arm assembly movable both radially and vertically with respect to said base, and a hand assembly carried by a free end of said arm assembly to manipulate said shuttles.

5 more elements

cop positioning means for keeping said shuttle stationary near a terminal point of its reciprocating movement when the weft of a current cop mounted on said shuttle is consumed by more than a prescribed amount;
cop storage means for storing a plurality of new cops;
weft pulling means for drawing the weft from said current cop and a weft from one of said new cops stored in said cop storage means, and crossing said two wefts;
weft tying means for tying said crossed part of said wefts;
weft trimming means for trimming an extraneous part of said tied weft;
cop replacing means for removing said current cop from said shuttle, and mounting said new cop on said shuttle;
and
slack removing means for taking up slack from said tied weft after said new cop is mounted on said shuttle and before said shuttle is shot from terminal point of its reciprocating movement to another terminal point.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Automatic cop changing device for a weaving machine

Life of this patent

Automatic cop changing device for a weaving machine

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16