US2245584A - Welded-selvage screen cloth loom - Google Patents

Description

June 17, 1941. N. s. HARTER WELDED-SELVAGE SCREEN CLOTH LOOM Filed June 5, 1939 11 Sheets-Sheet l June 17, 1941. N. s. HARTER 2,245,584

WELDED-SELVAGE SCREEN CLOTH LOOM Filed June 5, 1939 l1 Sheets-Sheet 2 [Mention- NOHH 6. E756,

J1me 1941- N. s. HARTER v WELDED-SELVAGE SCREEN CLOTH LOOM Fild June s, 1959 N..s. HARTER A 2,245,584

WELDED-KSELVAGE SCREEN CLOTH LOOM June 17, 1941.

11 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 5, 1939 J1me 4 N. s. HARTER 2,245,584

' WELDED'SELVAGE SCREEN CLOTH LOQM Filed June 5, 1939 11 Shets-Sheet 5 June 17,1941. s. HARTER 2,245,584

' WELDED-SELVAGE SCREEN CLOTH LOOM Filed June 5, 1939 1-1 Sheets-Sheet e F'IEB.

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ll Sheets-Sheet '7 Filed June 5, 1939 June 17, 1941. N s. HART'ER WELDED-S ELVAGE SCREEN CLOTH LOOM Filed June 5, 1959 ll Sheets-Sheet 8 ||||||||II I| l m v lmenlar:

A OA H 5. #48758 June 17, 1941.. N. s. HARTER WELDED-SELVAGE SCREEN CLOTH LOOM I ll Sheets-Sheet 9 Filed June 5, 1939 NI \w June 17, 1941. HARTER 2,245,584

WELDED-SELVAGE SCREEN CLOTH LOOM Filed June 5, 1939 11 Sheets-Sheet 10 lmeiuf'oit' NOQH 6. RTE/Q,

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- June 17, 1941.

N. S. HARTER WELDED-SELVAGE SCREEN CLOTH LOOM Filed June 5, 1959 ll Sheets-Sheet ll I: IY-

enema June 11,1941 f UNIT-ED STATE WELDED-SELVAGE SCREEN CLOTH LOOM mm s. Hatter, Waukegan. m. minor to ""ohne Fence Company, a corporationof Iili- Application June s. 1939, sum No. 211,539]

'(Cl. 140-?) v 21 Claims. The present invention is concerned with an improved method and means for the production of reticulated wire fabric.

. Certain features 'of the instant application are related to those disclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 234,853, filed October 13, 1938, entitled Hardware and screen cloth machines, and the presentapplication constitutes a continuation in part of said copending application.

In said prior application a method and means are disclosed for making rectangular mesh fabrics with a welded selvage, the weave being of relatively large mesh corresponding to that known in the art as hardware cloth; Although .the present invention, broadly speaking, is concerned with the production of any mesh size fabric, it is peculiarly well suited for the manufacture of fabrics of much smaller mesh than those produced by the machine and method of my prior application. Specifically the present invention aims to provide an improved method and machine for the production of welded selvage screening of fine mesh comparable to fly screening, it being understood, however, that the invention is not so limited.

In common with the subject matter of' my copending application, the present invention has as one of its aims the elimination of conventional bobbin and'shuttle for introduction of the weft wire into interwoven relation with the warp wires and provide in lieu thereof means for introducing appropriate length of weft wire into the shed of warp wires by transverse feed means in cooperation with a guide associated with the reed of a heater frame, whereby the weft wire is provided in relatively endless amounts. This advantageously permits the machine to operate for long periods of time without interruption and results in a superior product from the standpoint of uniformity of mesh and absence of a multiplicity of undesirable and unsightly joints in the weft wire. Such objectional joints of necessity are present at recurrent intervals in fabric not made by my invention because of the recurrent exhausting and replenishing of the bobbins on the prior art or conventional types of looms.

One object of the present invention is to provide welded selvage fabrics in a continuous manner that will be symmetrically, uniformly and economically produced in a substantially continuous manner and which will be bundled under substantially uniform tension in such form that the inner, f

outer and intermediate convolutions of the roll are approximately equally tensioned and compressed.

Another object is the provision of improved feeding means for the weft wires involving the use of novel pulling, pushing and guiding means therefor whereby quite irrespective of the small gage of the wire, positive and accurate feed is effected. It is a further object to provide novel coacting machine elements that are rendered effective to interrupt the machine the instant that improper operating conditions occur. Another object is to provide improved selvaging means effective to condition and autogenously unite the selvage ends of the weft wires to components of the fabric continuously without interrupting the advancement thereof during its formation. It is a more specific object to provide simplified yet highly effective electrical meansjfor control and operation of the selvaging means.

Other collateral objects and advantages which are inherent in the method and machine of the In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a right-hand, side-elevational view of ,a preferred embodiment of the present invention, which is complete in nearly every detail, with the exception of the warp wire supply reels, which are omitted from the righthand side of the view.

Figure 2 represents a transverse, sectionalelevational view of the machine taken at line 11-11, Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary view taken of the right-hand, side-elevation of the machine showing the selvaging device, the reed and beater frame assembly, including the operating cam for the latter, and the heddles forming the warp shed.

Figure 4 is a transverse, sectional-elevational view taken along the irregular line IV-IV in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an enlarged, sectional-elevational view taken along line V--V in Figure 4, illustrat- ,of the weft wire feed instrumentalities, as they appear at the left-hand side of the view of Figure 2.

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken at line VIII-VIII in Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken at line IX--IX in Figure 7'.

Figure 10 is an enlarged, top-plan view of the left-hand selvaging unit showing the initial welder, the trimmer, the formers, and the final welder.

Figure 11 is a sidc-elevational view of the selvaging unit disclosed in Figure 10, looking from the fabric (right-hand) side of the latter.

Figure 12 is a sectional view of the selvaging unit taken along line XlI-XII of .Figure 11,

' showing the weft trimmer and initial former.

Figure 13 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line IHIIXIII in Figure 11, illustrating the tools of the initial former, and the cooperation therebetween relative to the fabric.

Figure 14 is a further enlargement of that which is shown in Figure 13, and corresponds in view point to the latter.

' Figure 15 is a sectional view taken along line XV-XV of Figure 11, showing the final former and final welder.

Figure 16 is a top-plan view of the fabric winding or bundling mechanism, illustrating also the left-hand end of the machine as viewed in Figure 1, and showing the cooperation between the bundler and the latter.

Figure 17 is a right-hand, side-elevational view of the winding or bundling mechanism shown in Figure 16.

Figure 18 is a greatly enlarged, fragmentary, top-plan view of the right-hand selvage edge of the fabric, showing its progression as it is trimmed, formed, and welded by the selvaging unit.

Figure 19 is a plan view of a finished web of fabric, drawn approximately to full size for house screening and the like; and

Figure 20 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view of the stationary weft wire guide, sectioned as in Figure 8.

Before referring in detail to the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it is to be noted that while not strictly limited thereto, the method and mechanism disclosed is effective to produce screen fabric of the general character shown in Figures 18 and 19. This fabric constitutes a multiplicity of longitudinal components such as line or warp wires L and associated cross wires, herein sometimes referred toas weft or picket wires P. The picket wires are welded or otherwise autogenously integrated at their intersections with the outer marginal line wires, as indicated at A. The outer extremities of the picket wires are cut off in sequence so that they extend laterally a uniform distance from the outermost line wire, the point of cut off being indicated at C in Figure 18. After such cutting, the ends of the picket wires are bent at an angle so as to lie in a plane substantially perpendicular to that of the fabric in a manner hereinafter more fully set forth and as suggested pictorially in Figure 14. Thereafter the thus bent ends of the picket wires are brought into the relationship pictured at the left of Figure 18, wherein it is apparent that the outermost extremity of each picket wire overlaps an oblique portion of its neighboring picket wire. The thus overlapped picket wires are subsequently welded or otherwise autogenously integrated to complete the seivage. Reference will now be made to the general assembly and nism for forming the fabric.

General arrangement As viewed in Figure 1, warp or line wires L are introduced to the machineat the right-hand end of this view from a supply depot (not shown). and are directed, by driven feed rolls I, through an automatic tensioning device 2, stationary guides 3, and heddles l, to the reed member 5. through which they pass. At this point weft wires or pickets P are introduced in interwoven relation with the warp wires to form the web of fabric F. From here the fabric continuously advances, and is operated on by rightand lefthand selvaging units 0, which complete the fabri'c. From thence the fabric F is carried through driven feed rolls I, and is conducted on to the bundling mechanism 8.

As has already been stated, many of the structural and functional characteristics of the machine illustrated here for purposes of disclosing a preferred embodiment of the present invention, are substantially the same as those shown and described in my copending application, above identified. The means for handling and properly tensioning the warp wires, and for delivering the fabric, together with their associated drives and related controls, are set forth with great particularity in said copending application. It will be sufficient to point out for this application that the warp wires L, proceeding from the stationary guides 3, are passed through the heddles 4, whereby the shed is formed. The reed member 5 is adapted to be oscillated backwards and forwards in the zone of the warp shed, whereby it functions to place pickets into interwoven relation with the warp wires.

The reed, beater frame, and associated parts The reed of the present invention is, as will be seen by reference to Figures 4 and 6, composed of a. plurality of dents 9 formed from flat metal strips that are arranged on end in side-by-side relationship to each other on the beater frame l0 (see also Figure 3). The dents are held in place upon the beater frame by means of a clamp II, as is fully described in my copending application, and are maintained in spaced relation relative to each other by a plurality of spacer washers H, by means of which the warp wire slots l8 are formed. The assembly of dents is rendered a unitary structure by tie rods I4, upon which each of the dents is impaled, and made fast by nuts l5.

As in the reed illustrated in my copending application, a notch is provided upon the front edge of each dent at a point intermediate the ends thereof, which notches, when the dents are assembled to form the reed, register in a substantially horizontal line extending transversely of the machine to provide a weft wire guide slot i6 across the face of the reed panel 5.

The guide slot [6 is adapted to receive picket lengths from a continuous supply of weft wire by the means illustrated in Figures 2 and 7, which will be described hereinafter. In order to constrain the travel of the wire to the slot l6, as it is being pushed theretnrough, a retractable closure H (see Figure 3) is provided therefor, which likewise is similar to that previously disclosed by me in my copending application above identifled. This device comprises a slotted member arranged along the face of the reed panel 5, the slots of which are lined with the slots 13 of the reed panel in directions longitudinally of the machine and in the vertical planes of the warp fwires.

."Portions of the closure member l1 intermediate the slots therein register with the face of the 'dents 3 into which the weft wire guide slot l3 .7 is disposed. when the beater frame I. is moved to its rearmost position by its operating cam II, the weft wire guide slot it in". the reed panel 5 falls in coaxial alignment with a stationary weft wire guide. l3, illustrated in Figures 2, 4 and 7. when the parts are in this relationship, the instrumentalities illustrated in Figures 3 and 4- g a and intermittently acting feed rolls 3]. From these latter, lengths of weft wire are recurrently fed through the stationary weitwire guide ll into the weft wire guide slot ii in the reed panel I, as has already been described. 1

,Aslsdisclosed in my prior application, above referred to, the weft wire is arranged to be paid from a driven reel' which helps torelieve it of mostof its frictional drag. .Such' a reel is illusill for controlling the closure member II are in such position as to dispose the latter in overlying relationship relative to the slot l6 substantially to close the same. Thus, when a weft wire is intrated at 30 in Figure 2. It comprises a standard 33 at the top of which is mounted a radially extending arm 33, which is'ailorded bearing axially of the standard 33 by a fixed collar 4|. At the extremity of the arm 39 is a pivot shaft, upon which the reel, composed of a basket 4| and base 42, is journaled for rotation about an axis that is'ecce'ntric with the axis of the standard 33.

- Cooperating radial lugs on the arm 39 and lating rod 20 which is pivoted by means of links 2| upon the beater frame "I. From the rod 20 extends'a plurality of connecting rods 22, upon which the closure member I1 is supported. This assembly is retained against the face of the' reed panel 5 by means of clamps 23, best seen in Figure 4, and motion is imparted to the former by a connecting rod 24, which is actuated through a suitable lever by earns 26 (see Figure 2).

When the beater frame cam l3 advances the reed panel to the forward end of its movement, which position may be seen in Figures 1, 3 and 6, the cams 26 are effective to move the connecting rod 24 downwardly so as to retract the associated linkage and connecting rods a sumcient distance to dispose the closure member I! below the weft wire guide slot l6, which permits the weft wire picket confined therein to be discharged, and

to remain in the bite of the warp wires after the heddles have reversed the shed and the beater frame has withdrawn the reed panel therefrom.

As is disclosed in my above mentioned copending application, the beater frame Ill is so operated and controlled by the cam it that it holds the reed 5 stationary during. the period in which a weft wire is being charged thereinto,

after which it moves the reed rapidly forward to position the picket at the point of warp wire convergence in the shed. It is provided that the reed firmly bear upon each picket until the heddles 4 reverse the warp shed to lock the picket in place. vances continuously without interruption, the cam I8 is designed to move the beater frame and reed forward in a creeping movement during this holding interval so as to keep pace with the fabric until the picket is interwoven.

Wejt feed The feed mechanism for advancing weft wires into the reed panel guide slot it, last described, is best illustrated in Figures 2, 4 and '7, to which reference is now made.

The weft wire P is supplied in any quantity from a reel 30, from which it is withdrawn by means of a positively driven puller drum 3| through an automatic slack maintaining guide 32. The puller drum 3| delivers the wire upwardly through driven pinch rolls 33-35, into a looping guide 34, from which it is delivered in a horizontal line toward the machine beneath the pinch roll 35, through tensioning rollers 30,

However, since the fabric adion the fixed collar 40 are provided with a set screw (not shown) by means of which thearm,

and, hence, the reel carried at the other end thereof,-may be bodily moved around the axis of the standard 38-. v

The reel base is fashioned into a belt pulley 42a, which is' adapted to accommodate a driving belt 4 4, through which it is frictionally, though positively, rotated. The driving belt 44 receives its power from a pulley assembly 45, which. is positively driven through gearing 4B, shafting 41, and a clutch 48, connected to one of the power shafts of the machine proper.

As bestappears in Figure-2, it will be seen that the pulley assembly 45 comprises a variable speed pulley of the double-cone variety in which two halves 49a and 49b are mounted for rotation about a vertical stub axle 50, which is rotated through gearing 46, as has already been mentioned. The lower half 49b of the cone pulley is urged toward the upper half by a compression spring 5|, so that, normally, the complementary halves of the pulley will be maintained in contiguous relation. When the reel is adjusted as close to the machine as-is permissible without sacrificing driving tension on the belt 44, the latter engages the conesof the pulley at their greatest effective diameter, and, hence, the reel will be drivenat its greatest speed as a consequence thereof. However, when a slower speed of rotation is desired, the reel standard arm 39-..

may be turned to remove the reel pulley 42a a short distance from the pulley 45, and this will vary the effective diameter of the latter causing the speed of the revolution of the reel to be reduced. In this way, the rate at which the wire P is paid from the reel is effectively controlled to conform to the requirements of the machine.

From the reel, the wire is led upwardly to the slack-maintaining device 32, which comprises a rectangular support 52 having guide pulleys 53 and 54 at the extremities thereof for leading the wire fairly down to the puller drum 3|. Before passing from the pulley 53 to the pulley 54, the Wire is looped downwardly in figure-8 configuration, as is shown at 55 in Figure 2, so as to pass around a sheave 51 that is carried upon the free end of a movable arm 56, which arm is pivoted at its other end to the vertical leg of the rectangular frame .52. The figure-8 loop of wire 55, under proper operating conditions, maintains thearm 56 at or near the horizontal, and is aided in this function by a weak compression spring 58, which is arranged yieldingly to resist any movement of the arm above or below such positions. A pair of contacts 59 are carried upon the pivoted arm 56 so as to extend radially there- 33 and 35.

from relative to the pivotal axis thereof. Disposed between these two contacts '59 is a cooperating contact 60 mounted stationarily upon the vertical leg of the rectangular frame 52.

The operation of this device is such that, if an excessive amount of wire is drawn from the supply reel 30, as might happen should something interrupt or foul the smooth operation of the machine, the figure-8 loop of slack 55 in the weft wire will grow to thepoint where the arm 56 is no longer supported thereby, and, hence, the latter is permitted to drop against the yielding resistance 'of the compression spring 58, until one of the contacts 59 engages the stationary contact 60 to cause, through a relay circuit (not shown) the stoppage of the machine. This permits the operator to correct the trouble that originally caused the excessive slack to form. Conversely, ifthe machine takes up wire faster than it is paid out by the reel 30, the figure-8 loop 55 ofslack wire is shortened sufficiently to lift the arm 56, whereby the other contact 59 is moved into engagement with the stationary contact 60 to stop the operation of the machine. This latter eventuality usually arises when the supply of wire becomes fouled on the reel, or when the reel is being driven at a rate of speed insufficient for the machine's requirements.

The wire P is then passed at least 1 turns around a pullerdrum 3|, which pulls it from the frame is at the rearinostpoint of its cycle of movement in which position the reed 5 carried thereon aligns with the stationary weft wire "guide |9, so that a picket may be charged into supply and discharges it upwardly to pinch rolls These pinch rolls feed the wire into a loop S2within the loop guide 34, from whence the wire passes on to the feed rolls 31, which are intermittently opened and closed so as to effect a periodic cessation in the advancement of the wire. The drives for these several instrumentalities may be best understood by reference to Figures '7, 8 and 9.

It will be observed that the gearing 46, mentioned hereinbefore in connection -with the drive to the split conereel pulley, is provided with a sprocket 6|, which, through a chain 62, serves to transmit power to an intermediate sprocket 63, that is directly connected to, and drives an adjacent sprocket 64. This latter sprocket accommodates a chain 65, which is led upwardly to a sprocket 68 afiixed to the shaft of the pinch roll 33 over which it passes, and, then, downwardly beneath a tensioning pulley 61, wherefrom it extends to drive a sprocket 68 that imparts motion to the' lower roll of the intermittent feed rolls 31. The upper feed roll is driven through spur gears 68a coacting between the upper and lower shafts of these rolls. From the sprocket 68 the chain 65 extends downwardly beneath the drive sprocket 64. Thus is continuous motion imparted to all of the sprockets and rolls associated in the drive of the chain 65.

It will be noted that all of the pinch rolls in this arrangement, including the puller drum, are continuously driven, and, as such, fail to provide the necessary condition for the intermittent advancement of the weft wire to the reed panel. It will be understood that the wire may only be advanced, in this connection, when the beater the weft wire guide slot l6. During the movement of the reed panel to its forwardmost position, the advancement of the weft wire must be automatically suspended pending its return.

To effect this, provision is made to feed the prerequisite amount of wire, and, then, to interrupt such feed without requiring that any of the rolls in question be stopped. This is accomplished by the means shown in Figures '1 and 8, by raising and lowering the uppermost of the intermlttent feed rolls 31 relative to the lower roll thereof. The wire will only be advanced when the upper roll pushes it against the lower roll and holds it there to effect its movement. The opening and closing of the feed rolls is accomplished by the means illustrated in Figure 8, which comprises a movable bearing 14 in which the upper of the pair of feed rolls 31 is mounted. Intermittent motion is imparted to the bearing 14 through a shaft 15 and a controller arm '16, the lower extremity of which bears upon a cam 11. As this cam raises and lowers the arm 16, the upper feed roll is raised and lowered a corresponding amount to feed the Wire at predetermined intervals only. The cam 11 is powered from the prime mover of the machine through the shafting seen in Figure 2.

The arrangements of the several parts is such that the puller drum 3| will continuously advance wire through the bite of the pinch rolls 33 and 35, and, since these latter instrumentalities continuously rotate to effect an uninterrupted advance of the wire, a loop of slack is formed in the loop guide 34, as is indicated at S in Figures 2 and 7, during the period in which the feed rolls 31 are not advancing the wire. Upon resumption of the feed of the wire by the feed rolls 31, a sufficient loop of slack S will have accumulated to satisfy the requirements for the delivery of one picket length of weft wire, which is enough for one operating period of the feed rolls 31, Without requiring that these latter draw from the source of wire behind thepuller drum 3|. It will be appreciated that this is a very simple way in which to facilitate the starting and stopping of the wire without injury or breakage thereof. It is especially important in dealing with fine wires in the order of .010 of an inch in diameter, such as compose the ordinary grades of house screening, that some system be adopted to reduce all drag and inertia to an absolute minimum so as to preclude the wires being broken when the feed rolls 31 come together. The loop of slack S, which is periodically accumulated in the loop guide 34, provides an ideal solution to this problem.

The loop guide comprises a plate 18 on which is hinged a gate member 19 that may be opened by pivoting outwardly on the pintle hinge 80, and that may be closed and retained closed by a latch 8|. The clearance between the elements of the gate 19 and the plate 18 is no more than sufficient to accommodate one diameter of the wire being looped therein without binding or unduly crowding the latter.

The tensioning member 36, through which the wire passes last before entering the intermittent feed rolls 31, is constructed and arranged with a view toward facilitating the threading of the wire through the machine. It comprises an upper bearing block 82 and a lower bearing block 82a in which are journaled rollers for rotation on axes transverse to the long axis of the wire passing therethrough. When in operable position, the lowest peripheral points on the rollers mounted by the upper bearing block 82, and the highest peripheral points on the rollers mounted by the lower bearing block 82a, are, relative to each other, past that point, in favor of propinquity, wherein a common plane would pass tangent to each of the rollers of both bearing blocks. In other words, a serpentine passage is provided through which the wire must pass, and this serves slightly to tension the wire to insure its being fairly led through the feed rolls and associated guides.

To facilitate threading the wire, the roller bearing block 82a is slidably mounted relative to the stationary upper block 82, and is movable into operable position, as well as retractable from the latter, by means of a cam 83 that is actuated by a small hand lever 88. By manipulating the lever 84, the lower bearing block 82a is permitted to drop, thus creating a considerable space between the rollers of the upper bearing block 82 and those of the lower bearing block 82a. This permits the wire to be laid in between these two members, after which the small lever 84 is manipulated to cause the cam 83 to raise the lower bearing block 82a until the wireis forced to assame a serpentine disposition about the peripheries of the rollers.

The matter of guiding the wire to and from the intermittent feed'rolls 81 presented a problem of providing a straight guide that would be of sufficiently small intemal'dimensions to confine the wire closely without permitting it to buckle, and, yet, of suilicient length so as to reach from the intermittent feed roll to the reed panel without deviating from a substantially straight path.

. Considering that the wire may be in the neighborhood of .010 of an inch in diameter, and that the guide in question is around two feet in length, it will be appreciated that manufacturing difliculties might be encountered in the provision of such a guide.

The guide I8 is designed to solve this problem, and its construction maybe understood by reference to Figures 7, 8 and 20. The guide I9 illustrated in Figure 8 is shown in section, but this view is of insufllcient size to be very helpful from the standpoint of a clear disclosure; hence, Figure 20 has been provided to give a more accurate representation as well as a clearer idea of what the guide I9 looks like in cross section.

It will be observed that it is composed of a a when the wire is in position, since, if the lower element, 850 is laid in place with the wire disposed to the left-hand side of its shoulder 88, the

portion, or shoulder, 88 provided on each bar.

By assembling and arranging these bars as illustrated in Figure 20, it will be seen that an opening substantially square in cross section is afforded down the approximate center of the mass of the assembled blocks. This opening may, in size, be varied by enlarging the heighth of the shoulders 86, and by moving the blocks relative to each other so as to increase the lateral dimensions of the bore. This permits of a very accurate confining of the wire without binding, and assures that it travels along as nearly a perfectly straight path as it is possible to provide. It has the added advantage of permitting the removal upper block may be slid into place from the lefthand side (as viewed in Figure 20) without at any time crushing the wire and without entailing any arduous threading operations. The size of the wire being predetermined, the depth of the shoulders 88 may be machined to proper dimension in the first instance, so that it is only necessary to bring the outer edges of the blocks into flush relationship to provide an internal bore of the size required.

As is disclosed in my copending application, the inner end of this stationary weft wire guide is disposed in contiguous relation to the reed panel so that, as the latter is moved to advance a picket into position, the coaction between the guide and reed is such as to shear-the picket length carried by the reed from the weft wire remaining in'the guide. As will later appear, trimmers for both ends of the pickets are provided in the selvaging units accurately to align the wire ends.

As is viewed in Figures '7 and 8, the guide I9, described last above, is held in place by suitable brackets 81 to which clamps 88 hold the guide by means of bolts 89.

Earlier in the description of the weft wire feed mechanism, and particularly in the discussion of Figure 2, it was mentioned that the source of power to these instrumentalities was supplied from one of the driven shafts of the machine through a clutch .48. This clutch, which appears in Figures 2 and 8, is of positive variety, and includes a circular disc 88 on the driving shaft, and a retractable T-head 9| on the driven shaft, which head is provided with pins 92 that are adapted for insertion in pairs of diametrically opposite holes 88 formed in the disc 88. This arrangement provides that the T-head on the driven shaft may be withdrawn from engagement with the disc element of the clutch on the driving shaft, and turned relative thereto, until the proper relationship is had to coordinate the weft wire feeding mechanism with the other operating instrumentalities of the machine. It will be noted that the holes in the disc element 98 are sufliciently close together so as to admit of an adjustment within 20- degrees out of a possible 360 degrees relative to the predisposition of the two shafts.

In Figures 3, 4 and 5, there is illustrated a device for stopping the machinein the event an inadequate amount of weft wire is fed through the reed panel groove I6 to provide a picket of the required length. At the end of the reed remote from that at which the weft wire is introduced thereto, there is attached to the beater frame a pair of bearings I88 in which is journaled a shaft I8I that is adapted to be rocked within a short are of movement by means of a rod I82, a lever I83 having a cam follower I84 extending therefrom, and a cam I85. A compression spring I88 secured between a stationary point on the housand the assembly of the guide during the time b The inner end of the shaft I8.I is provided with an extension I90 which is adapted to lie across the end of the reed panel so as to be oscillated back and forth across the end of the weft wire slot I6 therein. Beneath the shaft IN is a contactor I9I (see Figures 4 and 5) through which a machine stop relay circuit may be shortcircuited should an extension I92 on the shaft come into engagement therewith.

The operation of the device is as follows: The cam III! is so disposed in its cycle of operation as to raise the extension I90 clear of the end of the panel slot I9 at the time a wire is being advanced therethrough, and to maintain this relationship until the time when the lead end of the weft wire should be projecting from the reed at the panel slot I0. When this condition has been reached, the cam I95 imparts a lifting motion to the rod I82, whereby the shaft I8I is revolved and the extension I90 carried thereby is caused to travel downwardly toward the reed panel slot I6. If the weft wire has been fed through successfully. the extension I90 will bear thereagainst and be restrained from further movement in that direction; the remainder of the movement afforded by the cam, rod, etc., be-- ing harmlessly dissipated in the compression spring I 80. Should, however, the weft wire fail to feed through the reed panel as it should, the motion of the cam will cause the extension I90 to pass down across the end of the panel groove I8, until the extension I92 of the shaft I8l engages the contactor I9I to short-circuit the machine stop relays (not shown) and instantly stop the machine. This permits the operator to ascertain the reason for the weft wire pickets having failed to reach the end of its intended course of movement through the reed panel, and is a positive safeguard against the placement of pickets too short in length for proper coaction with the selvaging steps that immediately follow.

Salvage formation After the pickets are interwoven with the warp wires by the various instrumentalities herein described, the fabric F is complete except for the selvaging operation that is carried out by the complementary selvaging units disposed at each side of the machine adjacent the fabric exit end thereof. Since one of these units is exactly the same as the other with the exception of the direction in which it faces, the left-hand unit has been adopted for purposes of illustration to serve for both. In Figures 10-15, inclusive, is illustrated a typical form of selvaging unit which has been generally designated at 8 in Figures 1 and 3.

vided with a bearing groove 96 that extendsthroughout its length across the machine. may be seen in Figures 3 and 11.

The units are supported on a base 91 that is mounted within the groove 96 of the table 95, and across which they may be slid into any position relative to each other for accommodating any width of fabric to be acted upon. Suitable clamps 91a are provided to anchor the base 91 at any position across the table 95.

The upper portion of the base 91 is provided with a rack, 98 that extends longitudinally ofthe machine, as may be best seen in Figures 10 and This 11. The rack on the fabric side of the base is undercut (see Figures 12 and 13) and on its side remote from the fabric is perpendicular to the plane of the base 91. The selvaging instrumentalities are each provided with a mounting 99 which has an undercut slot extending upwardly from its under-surface for cooperation with the undercut face of the rack 98. The mounting slot is made sufficiently large in lateral dimensions so as to admit of the mountings being laid into position over the undercut rack 98 without tilting, and is adapted to be drawn into position where the undercut portions of the rack and the mounting cooperate to form a tight Joint, looking the mounting and associated parts securely in place. This latter is effected by means of bolts I00, which may be seen in Figures 12 and 15, but which also appear in Figure 11.

In order that the mountings may be moved longitudinally of the rack 98 with respect to each other, so that the various instrumentalities for forming the selvages, to be described in full hereinafter, may be brought into proper registration with the picket ends, there is provided in each mounting 99 a pinion IOI, which is journaled at each of its ends within the mounting, and which extends across the rack 98 so that the teeth of the pinion are in cooperative engagement with the teeth of the latter. The outer ends of the pinions are extended through the mountings so as to afford purchase for a crank, wrench, or other adjusting tool. They may be suitably fiattened or squared in order to accommodate properly the latter.

It will be seen that by loosening the bolts I00, the mountings are free to move longitudinally of the rack, which motion may be efi'ected by turning the pinions IOI so as to slide the mount and associated devices along the rack to any desired position within the confines of the latter. Thus, the selvagers may be adjusted to any mesh size.

In the instant case, the trimming, welding, and forming instrumentalities have been simplified over those shown in my previous application in that the lightness of the wires composing the fabric to be acted upon permits of a lighter construction, and necessitates simpler mechanical movements being employed in carrying out the selvaging operation. In lieu of the cam shaft, whereby the selvagers of my copending application are actuated to perform their essential functions, electro-magnets have here been provided in conjunction with suitable timing means, whereby the selvagers are actuated at predetermined intervals necessary for their successful operation.

The first unit in the selvager battery is the welder, which, similar to my previously disclosed machine, consists of a pair of vertically aligned electrodes I05 and I05a between which the outermost warp wire is adapted to pass. These electrodes are mounted for limited oscillation upon pivoted bearings I 06, Mid, respectively, formed in a standard I01, which is directly secured to the mounting 99.' The lower electrode is caused to pivot about its axis I 09a so that its working end moves upwardly toward the upper electrode by means of a lever I08 that is fastened to the shaft I06a so as to impart movement thereto. Solenoids I09 cause the lever I08, acting as their armature, to move downagainst the tension of a spring IIO when the solenoids are energized, which spring, when the solenoids are which is aflixed to the lower shaft I06a, which crank has a pin II3 within the limits of the yoke III. This arrangement is such that rotary motion of the shaft I06a causes the crank H2 and its associated pin II3 to move through a circular path. This motion is imparted to the yoke III, which; in turn, is effective to revolve the shaft I06 in a direction opposite to that in which the shaft I06a is turned.

As will be seen in Figures 10 and 11, the turning of these shafts isineffective to move the electrodes directly, but rather, their movement is accomplished by the shafts turning, respectively, lugs H4 and la, which lugs are adapted to impart the requisite motion to the electrodes through lugs II5II5a by means of compression springs II 6. These springs are adapted to transmit the desired motion in a yielding manner so that any irregularities or variations in thickness in the material falling between the electrodes may be compensated for without causing injury to the parts. The springs II6, by maintaining a static pressure, also aiford a quick compression movement on the welding points when the wires to be welded become hot and plastic. This spring pressure on the welding points is maintained until the weld has been cooled so as to make a substantial bond.

In the interests of affording more positive movement, the solenoids I03 are preferably of the double type, as is shown in Figure 10. Also, during the welding, when the electrodes are brought to bear upon the weft wires at their points of intersection with the outermost warp wires, there is a tendency for the hot wire to bend or wilt under its own weight. This tendency is circumvented by guide members II 1 which are mounted stationarily upon the standard I01 so as closely to confine the picket ends from above and below. These guides I" have the additional salutary effect of bringing the weft ends into approximate alignment in the plane of the fabric whereas they might otherwise have a tendency to flare outwardly therefrom in directions both above and below the fabric, due to the interweaving of the outermost warp wire therewith. It will be understood that the outermost warp wire, being under tension,

has a tendency to deflect the unsupported weft ends, rather than to be itself deflected by them. This brings into consideration the matter of feeding the outermost warp wires in a manner whereby they are not unduly tensioned, and suitable means (not shown) are preferably provided for this purpose.

Leaving now the initial welders wherein the fabric is bonded together by the outermost warp wires being welded to each picket wire as it goes by, the fabric goes on to the trimming and initial forming tool, which is shown in the intermediate position of Figures and 11, and which is shown in varying degrees of enlargement and fragmentation in Figures 12, 13 and 14. Upon the mounting 99 of this tool, there is provided a standard II8 adjacent the top of which is a pair of pivot bearings II9I20, respectively.

The top of the standard H8 is provided with an outwardly extending portion I2I which overhangs the edge of the fabric being acted on. A stationary tool I2 is adiustably supported by the over-hanging portion I2I which. in the case of the trimmer, is sharpened at its lower edge for cooperation with a movable sharpened tool, about to be described, for trimming the picket ends. The movable member comprises a rotatable element I22, which is journaled in the bearing I20 of the standard H8. The sharpened tool I23 is rigidly aflixed to the rotatable element for cooperation with the downwardly depending stationary tool carried by the overhanging part I2I of the standard. The movable tool I23 has motion imparted to it through the rotatable element I22 by means of a rearwardly extending arm I24, which is provided with fixtures I25 comprising the armatures of the pair of solenoids I26. When the latter are energized, the armature is pulled down by magnetic attraction, which causes the movable tool on the far side of the pivot I20 therefrom to move upwardly so as to trim the wires falling between the lower tool I23 and the upper tool I23a.

Mounted on the same standard and accommodated in the pivot bearing H3 is another arm I21 (see Figures 11 and 13), which carries a movable tool I28 at one extremityand at the other is secured to the armature I25 of the solenoids Arranged for cooperation with the tool I28 is a stationary backing-up tool I28 supported by the over-hanging portion I2I of the standard H0. The pivot II9 of the movable element of this forming tool is sufficiently high relative to the plane of the fabric, and the movable tool I28 is so positioned with respect thereto, that, when the former is rotated, the latter is caused to move not only upwardly into the plane of the fabric but forwardly as well, incident to its arcuate travel. The stationary cooperating tool I20 is, therefore, provided with a cut-away portion I30, which may best be seen in Figure 14, that enables the movable tool I28 to engage picket wires, and push them upwardly and inwardly in the direction of the web of the fabric. Thus, as the solenoids I26 are recurrently energized, the trimmer is induced to clip the ends of the picket wires so that they are all of uniform length; while, simultaneously, the former is acting on adjacent picket wires that'have already been trimmed so as to dispose them in the position illustrated in Figure 14. In this latter connection it should be noticed that the bottom rear edge'of the stationary tool I23 is slightly relieved as at I3I so that, incident to each pickets being bent upwardly and inwardly, the second bend is imparted for reasons to become apparent hereinafter.

The final selvaging tool is that which appears at the left-hand end of the assemblies illustrated in Figures 10 and 11, and which is shown individually in Figure 15. This comprises a standard I32 carried upon the mounting 09, which standard, upon the fabric approach side thereof, is provided with two extensions I33 and I34 adapted to project inwardly beyond the edges of the fabric above and below the latter, respectively. The upper extension I33 is provided at its inner end with a flanged roller I 35, which is adapted to overlie and closely cooperate with a-stationary guide I36 carried by the lower extension I34.

The clearance between the roller I35 and the stationary guide I36 affords a passage for the preformed fabric edges, and, as the latter pass therethrough, the upwardly and inwardly extending extremities of the pickets are turned down sequentially by the roller into the position illustrated in Figure 18. They immediately pass on to the final welder which is mounted on the same standard I32, and which comprises a lower relatively stationary, rotary, electrode I31, and a movable upper electrode I38 of the pencil type, which is adapted for reciprocation in the vertical, so as to contact each picket at the point where the latter overlies the adjacent picket to which it becomes permanently welded thereby.

It will be observed that the roller I35 and cooperating guide I36 are relatively stationary, and the only element that is adapted to be moved in this particular assembly is the upper electrode I38. This motion is effected by mounting the electrode on an arm I39 that is pivoted in the standard I32 upon a bearing I40. The bearing I40 accommodates a downwardly depending arm l4l, which constitutes an armature for a solenoid I42. This arm, in turn, is rigidly secured to an upwardly extending arm I43 that is arranged in alignment with the electrode arm I39, which is independently and freely mounted on the pivot I40. A compression spring I44 is interposed between adjacent surfaces of the arms I39 and I43. This provides a relief device similar to that discussed in connection with the initial welders for positively, though yieldingly, transmitting the motion afforded by energizing the solenoid I42 to the electrode, thus to compensate for any variations in thickness of the material passed therebetween, and to provide for further compression at the welding points when the wires to be welded become hot and plastic. The solenoid, upon being energized, draws its armature and connected arm I4I towards it, which, in turn, rotates the upstanding .arm I43, as viewed in Figure 15, counter-clockwise, which tends to compress the spring I44 50 as to urge the electrode arm I39 to move around itspivot at I40; and this, in turn, brings the electrode I38 into engagement with the material that is disposed against the relatively stationary, though rotatable, lower electrode I31. This operation welds and completes the selvaging of the fabric, which then appears as is shown in the left-hand end of the view of Figure 18, and as shown to size in Figure 19.

It will be understood that the solenoids for actuating the several selvaging instrumentalities are energized simultaneously through any suitable circuit maker-and-breaker, which may advantageously take the form of fiber cam discs acting on spring contacts. These same contacts may be utilized in the distribution and timing of the welding current to the several electrodes. In any event, a separate circuit interrupter is provided in the welding circuit to open circuit after suflicient current has passed to eifect the welds so as to preclude burning the metal. This arrangement must be provided in addition to the local distributor and timer contacts operated, as by the fiber cams mentioned above, coordinately with the operating cycle of the machine, because were the machine to be stopped at a point in its cycle when the fiber cams have the welding circuit contacts in closed position, the wires being welded would be burned and destroyed before the welding current .could be shut off. Hence, an auxiliary interrupter is employed that apportions just the right amount of welding current and no more, after which it breaks the welding circuit and precludes further welding, irrespective of the position of the electrodes and local contacts. This arrangement has been employed by me on the machine of my copending application. The

interrupter may be any one of the many devices now available on the commercial markets for performing similar functions, which because they are Well known to the electrical art, has not been shown here.

As is described in my copending application hereinbefore identified, the selvaging units are mounted for collective movement in the direction of the fabrics travel during the interval in which they operate on the latter. This is to permit the selvagers to pace the fabric while acting thereon so as to preclude stopping the fabric for this purpose, which enables the delivery of the fabric to be continuous, uninterrupted and smooth. The means provided here for the attainment of this end are the same as shown and described in my copending application, but may be understood by reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3, hereof. As has already been described, the selvagers are mounted upon bases 91, which, in turn, are carried on a table 95. This table is disposed upon slide bearings 94 at each side of the machine, upon which it is adapted to be reciprocated through links and levers I93, a connecting rod or pitman I94, by an oscillating crank I95. The throw of. this crank, and its operating period with respect to that of the machine, is just enough to reciprocate the table 95 and its associated selvagers an amount equal to one-half the distance between adjacent weft wires in the fabric. When moving with the fabric the selvagers are operating, and when moving in the return direction, the selvagers are inactive and free of the fabric. The throw of the crank I95 may be varied by moving the pitman bearing thereon relative to the axis of the power rockshaft I96 upon which the crank is mounted. Thus, any size mesh may be accommodated.

Fabric winding There only remains for the fabric to be wound into a bundle, which is accomplished by a mechanism similar in most respects to that which I have already disclosed in my copending application hereinbefore referred to. It differs therefrom in the case of small mesh fabrics such as are under contemplation herein in the substitution of a relatively smooth surface friction drum for the dentelated roll, which wasprovided to' cog with the interstices of larger fabrics such as were disclosed therein; and, also, in the addition of a simple, yet effective, instrumentality for coiling the fabric under uniform tension irrespective of the diameter of the bundle at any given time, thus compensating for the ever-varying factor of the diameter of the bundle.

The bundling machine is shown at the left-' hand end of the view of Figure 1 and in Figures 16 and 17. It consists of a stationary housing I50 in which are journaled drums I5I and I52, and a bundling pole I53.

The fabric F is delivered from the machine from the lowermost of the fabric rolls I beneath the operator's platform 0 (see Figure 1) to the drum I5I beneath which it passes the lays around it for more than in a reverse bendto the drum I52. It passes beneath and around this latter in another reverse bend and is attached to the underside of the bundle pole I53 about which it is wrapped. As will be seen in Figures 1 and 16 the drums I5I and I52 are positively driven by sprockets I54 and I55, respectively, at both ends of each roll which cooperate with chains I55 that are driven from opposite sides of the machine proper by being associated with driven sprockets I51 and I60, respectively; this latter sprocket appearing infFlgure 1.

The bundling pole is driven, through a pulley I59 affixed to its shaft, and a belt I60, by a pulley I6I that is secured to the. shaft of the roll II,

which is powered by the sprockets and chains It will be appreciated that at the commencement of the winding operation, the fabric is attached to the bundling pole, which, at'su'ch time, represents a coiling core of minimum diameter, and of minimum circumferential extent.. This presupposes that the drive for the bundle pole must be of sufficient speed to wind the fabric tightly about the bundling pole at the outset, notwithstanding the fact that, asfthe bundle grows, the circumferential extent of the winding core increases, and more fabric at the same hum-' ber of revolutions per minute of the bundling pole is taken up. Inasmuch as this operation commences with the size of the bundling pole and the speed of revolution thereof presenting ideal conditions for the lineal extent of fabric being delivered thereto, the changes incident to the growing of the bundle are such as to make these factors in excess of what is needed, necessitating that they be compensated for.

This compensation is effected by allowing for a certain amount of slippage to occur between the belt I60 and the pulleys I59 and I6I, which constitute the main source of power for the bundling pole. However, the larger the bundle becomes, the greater is the mechanical advan tage afforded the incoming fabric in resisting the rotation of the bundling pole, necessitating, in the interests of winding a tight bundle, that the drive to the bundling pole be made more forceful and more positive as the winding proceeds. This means that the allowable slippage must be kept under strict control and the frictional resistance thereto progressively increased in order that the fabric may be continuously wound without difficulty until a bundle of the proper size has been produced.

This problem has been solved by employing a belt tightener that is effective in gradually tightening the belt I60 automatically, synchronously, and proportionately to the growth of the roll of fabric upon the bundling pole I53. One such arrangement is illustrated in Figure .17 in which it will be observed that, upon the drive side of the bundling pole, there is provided an upstanding member I63 from which extends an arm I64, which, at one of its ends, is pivoted as at I65 to the standard I63, and at the other of its ends is provided with suitable tension spring engaging means, such as a hook I66.

To the stationary housing of the bundling mechanism, at a point beneath one section of the belt I60, is pivoted an arm I61, to the outer end of which is secured an idle belt tensioning pulley I66. The raising and lowering of the arm tightens and loosens the belt I60.

Suitably pivoted to the standard I63, as upon a bearing I69, is a lever I10, which extends down and across the bundling pole adjacent one of its lever as it is raised and ends. mechanismis a lever- I10a'which corresponds to the lever I10, last described. Upon the outer end of each of the levers I10 and-I101: is a shaft bearing I1I in which isjournaled a roller shalt 112 by which an idle roller-I13 is supported between the levers so as to over-lie and bear upon the bundling pole I53, or any fabric that may be rolled thereon.

As will be best seen in Figure 17, a cam I 14 is associated with the 1ever 'I1 0 in such a manner as to have no movement-relativethereto. but so as to .be rotated about the pivotal axis of the bundling pole.

The cam I14 is so arranged with respect to the pivoted arm I64 that any movement, which it is made to perform bythe lever I10; is immediately transmitted thereto, for which purpose a cam follower roller I15 is provided ,on'the arm I64 intermediate its ends.

A compression spring I16 is tensioned between the outer end I66 of the arm I64 and the outer end of the belt tightener arm' I61 adjacent the pulley thereof.

A glance at Figure 17 willbe suflicient to indicate the manner in which this device functions. When the winding operation. is initiated, the roller I13 permits the levers I10I10a to assume their lowest position, at which point the associated cam I14 permits the pivoted arm. I64 to assume its lowest position. As-the bundle of fabric grows, the roll I13 is lifted a corresponding amount, which, in turn, raises the levers I10--I10a so that the cam causes the pivoted arm I64 to move upwardly. Such movement increases the tension of the spring I16 which, in turn, urges the pulley I68 upward with greater force. This is responsible for increasing the tension on the belt I60 in a progressive manner I so that the frictional drive of the belt I60 about the pulleys I59 and I6I becomes more and more positive. Finally,-when the roll is at its maximum diameter, the roller I13, and associated levers, will have caused the cam I14 to turn so that the high point in itsperiphery will have approached or attained a point beneath the arm I64 which will, in turn, have caused the belt-tightener pulley I66, through the spring I16, to exert its maximum force upon the belt I60 in tensioning the same.

It should be noted that the contour of the cam I14 is such as to amplify the movements of the several levers in a way that the tension under which the compression spring I16 is at any time working is approximately directly proportional to the thickness of the bundle (i. e., from the surface of the bundling pole to the surface of the bundle of fabric in the direction of a radius of the latter) at any iven time.

The fabric Attention is now called to Figures 14, 18, and

. 19, in which the fabric appears undergoing comtool face I3 I.

Upon the'oppositesideyof the bundling lowered relative to the

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