Energy storer, for reducing drive torque and improving power consumption in a weaving machine
AssigneeSulzer Rueti AG
InventorsStefan Ammann, Lorant Gacsay, Alfred Stirnemann
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In the method, a reed (3) for a weaving machine is continuously driven from a drive means (2) and the kinetic energy of the reed is stored in order to reduce the drive energy. The apparatus comprises an energy storer (1) and a drive means (2) in order to move the reed (3) back and forth. The matched oscillatable system formed by the energy storer and the reed reduces the drive torque at the uniformly rotating drive means whereby a reduction of the power consumption results.
Claims11
Apparatus for pivotally reciprocating a member about an axis while reducing energy requirements, the apparatus comprising the member;
- means pivotally mounting the member on a support;
- a torsion spring operatively coupled with the member and the support so that pivotal movements of the member causes the torsion spring to alternatingly store and release energy as the member pivotally reciprocates;
- and drive means operatively coupled with the member for pivotally reciprocating the member, said drive means being configured to reciprocate the member independent of a force exerted by the torsion spring on the member.
An energy conserving drive for a reed of a weaving machine, the drive comprising a reed tube pivotally mounted on a frame of the weaving machine;
- means for securing the reed to the reed tube so that the reed pivotally moves with the tube;
- a drive shaft including means for rotating the shaft;
- connector means coupled with the drive shaft and the reed tube for converting rotational drive shaft motion into pivotal reed tube movements;
- and a torsion spring having a first portion rotationally fixed relative to the frame and a second portion rotationally fixed relative to the reed tube so that energy is stored in and released from the spring during a pivotal cycle of the reed tube caused by the rotating drive shaft.
A weaving machine comprising a frame;
- a sley including a reed mounted thereon, the sley including a sley tube pivotally mounted on the frame;
- a torsion spring having a first portion fixed with respect to the frame and a second portion fixed with respect to the sley tube so that reciprocating pivotal movements of the sley tube torsionally deflect the torsion spring and cause the spring to store and release energy when the sley tube pivots relative to the frame;
- and a drive for pivotally reciprocating the sley tube and therewith the reed during weaving, the drive forming a substantially play-free drive connection between the drive shaft and the reed tube so that an extent and a frequency of pivotal movements of the sley tube are solely determined by the rotating drive shaft;
- whereby, during a pivotal movement cycle of the reed tube, the torsion spring stores and releases energy to thereby reduce energy requirements of the weaving machine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.