Shedding device having piston-cylinder system

A shedding device for looms comprising:

• a plurality of healds, each of the healds having a first end and a second end;
• a piston-cylinder system operatively connected to the healds for guiding warps in the healds by moving the healds alternatingly between a top shed position and a lower shed position, the piston cylinder system being configured to act upon each heald and comprising:
• a plurality of pistons, each of the pistons being connected at one end thereof to the second end of a corresponding one of the healds;
• and
• a plurality of cylinders, each of the pistons being reciprocatingly disposed in a corresponding one of the cylinders;
• a system block, the cylinders defining bores in the system block;
• a guide block disposed at a distance from the system block and defining guide bores therein, the first end of each of the healds being guided in the guide bores of the guide block;
• a regulating pressure means operatively connected to the system block for actuating the pistons within the cylinders alternatingly between the top shed position and the lower shed position, the regulating pressure means including a means for producing a return force on the pistons thereby bringing respective ones of the healds to their lower shed position, the means for producing including:
• a first feed line connecting the pressure medium source to the cylinders on an upper side of the pistons;
• and
• a first valve means disposed in the first feed line;
• a pressure medium source;
• a guide bore cleaning system for periodically cleaning the guide bores with pressure medium, the cleaning system including:
• a second feed line connecting the pressure medium source to the guide bores;
• and
• a second valve means disposed in the common feed line.