Apparatus and method for clearing a warp yarn break in a loom
AssigneeSulzer Brothers Limited
InventorAngelo Stacher
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A carriage which is movable into a position over a loom carries a manipulator for drawing a replacement yarn through a reed. A tracing element moves across the width of the warp yarns at a point downstream of the reed to detect a gap in the warp yarns corresponding to the position of a broken yarn. The manipulator moves into alignment with the gap and a guide on the manipulator pivots through the reed to receive an end of the replacement warp yarn. Return pivoting of the guide pulls the replacement warp yarn through the reed and a yarn clamp is activated to faciliatate tieing in of the warp yarn during subsequent operation of the loom.
Claims17
An apparatus for clearing a warp yarn break in a loom, said apparatus comprising
- a tracing element for moving across the width of a plurality of warp yarns downstream of a reed in the loom to detect an absence of a warp yarn, said tracing element having a transmitter for emitting a beam towards the warp yarns of the loom and a receiver for receiving a reflected beam from the warp yarns, said receiver emitting a signal in response to reception of the reflected beam to indicate the presence of a warp yarn;
- a manipulator for moving across the width of the warp yarns to a position aligned with a detected gap in the warp yarns corresponding to an absent warp yarn;
- and
- a guide pivotally mounted on said manipulator for moving between a first position in said gap to receive a replacement warp yarn and a second position to draw the replacement warp yarn through said gap.
In combination,
- a loom having a plurality of shafts for passage of a plurality of warp yarns therethrough to define a shed and a reciprocally mounted reed for beating a weft yarn in said shed into an apex of said shed to form a cloth with the warp yarns;
- a tracing element for moving across the width of said shed between said reed and said apex to detect a gap in said shed corresponding to a missing warp yarn;
- a manipulator for moving across the width of said shed into alignment with said detected gap;
- and
- a guide pivotally mounted on said manipulator for movement between a first position extending through said reed to receive a replacement warp yarn and a second position spaced from said reed to draw the replacement warp yarn through said reed.
A method of clearing a warp yarn break in a loom comprising the steps of
- moving a tracing element across a shed of warp yarns between a reed and a cloth formed of the warp yarns to detect a gap in the shed corresponding to a broken yarn in the shed;
- engaging and removing the broken warp yarn from said shed;
- introducing a replacement warp yarn into the gap in the shed;
- and
- drawing the replacement warp yarn through the reed in the shed in a position corresponding to the detected gap.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.