Method of forming transfer tail and apparatus thereof

A transfer tail formation apparatus comprising:

• a weft feeding means disposed in the vicinity of a weaving machine for feeding a weft to the weaving machine and including a rotary member for supporting and rotating weft packages that are moved into supporting engagement with the rotary member;
• first catching means and second catching means for respectively catching a leading end of a weft extending from one weft package and a tail end of a weft extending from another weft package, wherein said first catching means includes an operating portion in the vicinity of a movement locus of the leading end of said one weft package when the weft package is moved into supporting engagement with said rotary member, and wherein said second catching means includes an operating portion in the vicinity of a movement locus of the tail end of the other weft package when the weft package is supported and rotated by the rotary member;
• and
• a knotter for knotting both the ends caught by said first and second catching means.

A transfer tail formation apparatus comprising:

• a weft feeding means for feeding a weft to a weaving machine and including a rotary member for supporting and rotating weft packages that are moved from a first location to be fitted to the rotary member;
• two catching means installed on said rotary member for catching a leading end and a tail end of a weft extending from a weft package, wherein said two catching means include operating portions positionable on or in the vicinity of movement loci of the leading end and the tail end as the weft package is moved to be fitted to the rotary member;
• and
• a knotter for knotting the tail end of one weft package supported and rotated by the rotary member and the leading end of another weft package supported by the rotary member, wherein both ends are caught by a different one of said two catching means.

A method of forming a transfer tail for connecting a leading end of weft of one weft package and a tail end of weft of another weft package, comprising the steps of:

• applying suction force for drawing both ends of the weft;
• catching both drawn ends;
• and
• connecting both caught ends with a knotter;
• wherein the suction force is applied until both ends are connected by said knotter, and wherein the amount of suction force applied is as follows:
• (suction force applied when drawing a weft end).gtoreq.
• (suction force applied when connecting the ends)>
• (suction force after drawing the weft end and before connecting the weft).

A transfer tail formation apparatus comprising:

• a rotary member for receiving weft packages fed to the rotary member, wherein each package has a weft leading end and a weft tail end, and wherein the tail end defines a movement locus as the weft package is fed to the rotary member, the rotary member further supporting and rotating the weft package so that the leading end defines a movement locus upon rotation of the weft package;
• first catching means installed on said rotary member and including an operating portion positionable in the vicinity of the movement locus of the tail end for catching the tail end;
• second catching means provided in the vicinity of the rotary member and including an operating portion in the vicinity of the movement locus of a leading end of the weft package and for catching the leading end;
• knotter means for knotting the caught leading end of one weft package with a caught tail end of another weft package.

A transfer tail formation apparatus comprising:

• a weft feeding means for feeding weft to a weaving machine and including a rotary member for supporting and rotating first and second weft packages that are successively fed to the rotary member, wherein each package has a weft leading end and a weft tail end, and wherein the tail end of the first package defines a first movement locus as the first package is rotated by the rotary member, and wherein the leading end of the second package defines a second movement locus as the second weft package is fed to the rotary member, and wherein the first and second movement loci substantially intersect;
• a catching means provided in the vicinity of the intersection of the loci intersection for catching the tail end of the first weft package and the leading end of the second weft package;
• and
• a knotter for knotting both ends caught by said catching means.

A transfer tail formation apparatus comprising:

• a weft feeding means for feeding weft to a weaving machine and including a rotary member for supporting and rotating first and second weft packages, wherein the tail end of the first package defines a first movement locus as the first package is rotated by the rotary member, and wherein the leading end of the second package defines a second movement locus as the second weft package is rotated by the rotary member;
• catching means provided in the vicinity of the rotary member of said weft feeding means and including operating portions located in the vicinity of the first and second loci for catching the tail end of the first weft and for catching the leading end of the second weft;
• and
• a knotter for knotting both the ends caught by the catching means.