US2530134A - Cloth cutter - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 14, 1950 R. B. TAYLOR, SR., EI'AL 2,530,134

CLOTH CUTTER Filed April 1, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 uvwzzvroxs RHLF'H IEI. THYLEIR, 5R. ROBERT WHEWE LL..JR.

n'TTuRNEy 1950 R. B. TAYLOR, sR., EI'AL 2,530,134

CLOTH CUTTER 2 Sheets-Shet 2 Filed April 1, 1948 INVENTORS R'FILPH IB.TFIYLEIR.5R'.

BY ROBER WHEWELLMR.

76% Y ll nfi HTTDRNE 5 Patented Nov. 14, 1950 CLOTH CUTTER Ralph B. Taylor, Sr., East Cleveland, Ohio, and

Robert Whewell, Jr., New Bedford, Mass., assignors to The Warner &' Swasey Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application April 1, 1948, Serial No. 18,468

. This invention relates to weaving and concerns particularly improvements in cloth trimming and cutting.

It is an object of the invention to enable selvage tobe trimmed and cloth to be slit longitudinally as the cloth is being woven and to carry out the operation accurately without improperly cutting, tearing, or otherwise damaging the cloth, regardlessof unevenness in the edges of the cloth or in the warp threads.

' An, object is to cuta cloth edge with short weft thread portions projecting, and with said projecting weft thread portions of equal length. I A furtherobject of the invention is to provide long life for a cloth-cutting blade Without necessity for frequent resharpening.

f Still another object of the invention is to enable the cloth-cutting blade to follow the irregularities in the edge or in the direction of warp threads of cloth as it is being wound on the cloth beam.

Other and further objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

In carrying out the invention in accordance with a preferred form thereof, in connection with a loom forming twisted selvages or pairs of binding threads suitably spaced, a blade guide is woven into the cloth in the space between the binding threads. in elongated form with a slot for receiving the cloth-cutting blade. The pairs of binding threads are sufiiciently'close together so that the knifeguide fits snugly and is retained close to the binding threads whichwill form the selvage of; the finished cloth. The blade guide is held substantially fixed in position longitudinally by meansof a guiding cord secured thereto at one end also woven into the cloth and tied down at a point behind the heddle harness of the loom, so' 't'hat the cloth as it moves slips over the guiding cord and the blade guide. It'will be under: s toodfthat the cloth beam is at the front of the Ipomand the warp beam at the rear.

, A better understanding of the invention will be afforded by the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which 1' Fig. '1 is a schematic diagram representing a plan view of a portion of a loom illustrating the manner of carrying out the method of the invent'ionin conjunctionwith such a loom;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a mechanically driven cloth-cutter which may be employed in carrying out the invention according to one em- 5' The blade guide is arranged 15 Claims. (01.139-54) 2 bodiment thereof, and showing a longitudinal section of the cloth from which selvage is being trimmed; Fig. 3 is a top view of the apparatus of Fig.2; Fig. 4 is a View corresponding to Fig. 2 illus-' trating an electromagnetically driven cloth-cut t 1 I. Fig. 5 is a rear view of the apparatus'of Fig. 4 Fig. 6 is a top view of the apparatus of Fig.4; and Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a loom showing al' ternative locations for cloth cutters of the type shown in Figs. 2 and 4.

Like reference characters are utilizedthro'ugh out the drawing to designate like parts. Referring to Fig. 1, there'is shown a conven-i tional breast beam ll overwhich there is being drawn a cloth consisting of weft threads 12; spacing between'which is exaggerated for clarity in the drawing, and warp threads l3..only afew of which are shown, also being shown" with exaggerated spacing, for simplicity in: the drawing. There is a conventional reedldfschematic ally represented, including dents l5ionly some of which are indicated to simplify the drawing and there is a conventional heddle harness; including a plurality of heddle frames lfitwo of which are schematically indicated. It will be understood that warp'threads I3 are drawn from a warp beam not shown.

The heddle frames I6 include conventional heddle wires or cords I! each carrying a heddle eye I8 through which one of the warp threads. I3 is passed.

In weaving looms of thegripper shuttle type having stationary bobbins, it is customary to cut off the weft thread after each beat-up stroke of the lay and to provide a false selvage by turning in the cut-off ends of the length of weft thread, or a twisted selvage consisting of one ormore pairs of twisted warp or binding threads may be formed at the edges of the cloth to hold the ends of the'weft threads. I I, h

Pairs of binding threads may be workedinto the cloth by the use of conventional selva e, twisting disks [9 and 2. The disk 19 is arranged to twist a pair of binding threads 2| and 22 and is located to be adjacent thesidemost of the or.- dinary warp threads I3. The disk 20 is arranged to twist a second pair of binding threads 23 and 24 spaced from the pair of binding threads 2| and 2 .2,. As shown, the binding threads pass through openingsin the disks l9 and 20 I The twisting disks l9 and 20 may be arranged o rotate continuousl for twisting the-binding threads, or' to rotate a predetermined number of revolutions in one direction and a predetermined number of revolutions in the opposite direction, in accordance with conventional practice. One means of mounting such twisting disks is illustrated in Patent #2389309 to Moessinger.

Where a twisted selvage is provided, or binding threads parallel to the warp threads are used, the protruding ends of the weft threads are made unduly long for a finished cloth, in order that the weaving and selvage forming operations may be carried out reliably. In order to cut off the excess length of the weft thread after thecloth has been woven, the cloth may be woven with a pair of spaced parallel sets of binding threads or twisted selvages, one of which is at the edge of the closely woven cloth and the other of which is to be trimmed away. In types of cloth where raveling is not a consideration, the pair of binding threads nearer the closely woven cloth may be omitted. The trimming knifeis then run between the-two sets'of binding threadsclose to the inner one, or between the outer binding threads andthe rest of the cloth, so producing a cloth witha neat, close-cut edge. Likewise, when twoor more narrow fabrics-are to be woven simultaneously on a wide loom, pairs of spaced binding threads-without intermediate ordinary warp threads maybeprovided-between what are eventually intended to be separate widths of cloth gand-a slitting knife or blade may be run between the pairs of binding threads, in order to separate the woven material into independent widths-of cloth.

The ordinary weaving processes may produce cloth with .some lateral deviation-of the warp threadsoreirregularities therein instead of perfectly;str-aight warpthreads. Likewise, the bindin'gthreadsor twisted .selvage threads do not al- Waysarunevenly, and, especially at the edges of the-.clothgthere may be irregularities rendering it difiicultforan operator to run a slitting knife close to the binding. threadsor between pairs of binding threads without inadvertently cutting into the -binding threads or otherwise injuring someof-the fibersrand-damaging the-cloth. Furthermore, the protruding weft thread ends cannot bemade of equal length by the conventional method of employing a slitting knife, nor by means of scissors if hand cutting isresorted to.

.In accordance with the present invention the difiiculty in causing the selvage-trimming or cloth-slittingknife-to travel betweenthe pairs of binding threads 2|, 22 and 23, 24, regardless of irregularities in the motion thereof, is-overcome by weavingablade guide into the cloth as it is beingformed. One of the heddle frames I is provided with an auxiliary heddle wire -or cord 25 havinga heddle eye 26; and a guiding cord 21 is passedthrough the heddle eye 26 in such a manner that the cord 21- isgactually woven into the .cloth-,|2 as if it were a warp thread. The guiding cord 21 is raised and lowered by'thecustomary motion of the :heddleframelB, sothat weft threads pass underandover the guide cord 27 as they would under and over an ordinary warp thread. Ablade guide His-provided, which is. in elongated form, having an eye 30 to which the .rear .end .(i. e., the=end away from the cloth beam ofthe loom). is tied, so that the blade guide 23' in effect forms a continuation of the guide cordl'l'andvis also woven into thecloth with alternate weft threads or groups of weft threads passing aboveand below the blade guide 28.

The front end of the blade guide 28 vi s 4 provided with a slot 29 of sufficient width and length to receive a cloth-cutting blade 3| and to permit the cloth-cutting blade 3| to be reciprocated back and forth parallel to the direction of the warp threads |3 for severing the weft threads l2, as each weft thread in succession is brought into contact with the cutting edge 32 of the blade 3|. If preferred, the eye3fl maytbe a'continuation of the slot 29, or the blade guide 28 may be in the form of a narrow forked member to which the cord 21 is tied, and between the forks of which the blade 3| passes.

Preferably, the-selvage-twisting discs are close enough together to cause the pairs of binding threads 2|, 22 and 23, 24 to be close enough together to avoid excessiv clearance for the blade guide 28. Accordingly, the blade guide fits snugly between the pairs of binding threads, or between apair of binding threads and the closely woven part of the cloth so that the blade guide remains at-theconstant distance from the sidemost-regular warp thread or the edge-0f .theclosely woven portion of the cloth.

It .is to be understood that in normal loom-operation the cloth beam is rotated a predeterminedangle with each beat-up motion of the lay carrying the reed 14, thus successive weft threads are carried towardthe blade edge 32. It will be understood that the heddle eye 26 is so mounted in the heddle frame l6 that it occupies. the position between the pair ofv binding threads 2| and Z2 and the pair ofbinding threads 23-and24. In order to-prevent the blade guide 28 from being carried along with the cloth and wrapped into the cloth beam the guide cord 21 is securedat its rear end to a suitable stationary or fixed point on the loom apparatus. It may, for example, be tied to one of the bars 33:customarily provided in a loom for supporting the drop ins which form a part .of a warp stop motion. The point of support is, as shown, behind the lay including the reed |4 andbehind the heddle frame It carrying the heddle eye 26 whichcarries-theguidingtcord 21 and is preferably behind all of the heddle frames.-

The guide cord 2! is composed of a suitable, relatively high tensile strength, durable and fine material, such as nylon e. g., and the blade guide ZSiscomposed of suitable material such as :steel of thetype used in piano wire for example, which is-inherentlyresilient and adapted'to be laterally compressed slightly in passing between closely spaced'pairs of binding threads.

The cloth-cutting blade 3| may be reciprocated so as to provide some shearing action and not depend upon the motion of the cloth beam H in bringing successive warp threads against the edge 32, although my invention is not limited to a reciprocating or a shearing blade. This reciproeating motion may be accomplished mechanically, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, by providing an arm 34 to which the blade 3| is secured, supporting the arm 34 on a shaft 35 in such a manner that it may slide sidewise, and securing asec- 0nd arm 36 to the arm 34 or to .the shaft .35 in such a manner that the arm 36 extends across a continuously rotating shaft 31 which may be the mainloom drive shaft or anauxiliary shaft rotating'therewith. A cam disk .38 is mounted on the shaft .31 having cams or lugs 39 mounted thereon in such a position as to engage the lower end 4| of the arm 36. 7

Suitable means .may be provided such as a returnspring 40., shown as a .torsion spring,,for-

holding the cam-follower arm against the lugs 39. To prevent binding and assure easy axial slidability of the arm 34 on the shaft 35, the arm 34-is provided with a collar 42 of ample axial length and adequately loose fit on the shaft 35. Likewise, a keyway 43 formed in the shaft to engage a key 44 in the collar 42 is so cut as to provide ample clearance for permitting easy axial slidability. The spring 40 is secured at one end to the shaft 35 and at the other to a suitable stationary portion of the apparatus. The arrangement is such that the spring 40 rocks the blade arm 34 in one direction and the lugs 39, acting upon the arm 36, rocks it in the opposite direction. lln the arrangement illustrated, the spring 40 produces the cutting stroke but my invention is not limited to this arrangement, as the parts may also be reversed so that the cam produces the cutting stroke. The blade arm 34 may be supported above or below the cloth, but the supporting shaft 35 is represented as underneath the cloth in the arrangement of Figs. 1 to 3 and '7. It will be understood also that the cutter blade may be supported in any position along the cloth between the lay and thetake-up roll 65.

As the cloth is woven, the cloth beam rotates in response to rotation of the loom driving shaft 31. The arm 36 will be actuated intermittently by the lugs 39 and the spring 40 causing the blade 3| to travel back and forth with a slight shearing action and a component of motion parallel to the warp threads I3. Owing to the shearing action the wear on the blade edge 32 will be distributed along the length thereof and the blade 3| will operate satisfactorily for long periods of time without resharpenmg.

The blade guide 28 is confined to the space between the binding threads 2|, 22 and.23, 24 so that even though there may be irregularities in the cloth or the binding threads move back and forth laterally, the blade guide 28 will be moved to one side or the other to correspond to such lateral movements of the binding threads. The blade, in turn, will be caused to slide from side to side on the shaft 34, remaining always between the pairs of binding threads 2|, 22 and 23,24.

The arrangement illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 has the merit of requiring no additional driving mechanism for reciprocating the cutter blade 3|, since the loom drive shaft 31 is already a portion of the standard loom. However, the invention is not limited to such an arrangement as illustrated and includes other arrangements, such as electromagnetically driven cutting knives, for example.

For instance, as illustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, an electromagnetic cutter or Vibro tool of a conventional construction may be utilized having a body 5| with a reciprocating member 52 carrying a blade 53 having a cutting edge 54 corresponding to the cutting edge 32 of Figs. 1, 2 and 3. Figs. 4, 5 and 6 illustrate also the al ternative of supporting the cutter above the cloth instead of underneath. The electromagnetic cutter in itself does not constitute a part of my present invention and the internal construction thereof need not, therefore, be illustrated. A suitable form of such tool is sold under the name Burgess Vibro Tool and it will be understood that such device includes a, solenoid winding or coil. adapted to be connected to a source of alternating current through a pair of leads 55 acting upon a plunger or armature 56 to which the blade 53 is secured.

In order to provide the requisite lateral freedom of motion of the blade 53 within the knife: guideslot 29 in response to a possible lateral motion of the selvages and the blade guide 28,

tool having sockets 62 formed therein adapted to receive pivot points 63 secured in the ends of the yoke 58. In this manner the body 5| is free to rack around the axis of the pivot points 63, as represented by the arrow 64 in Fig. 5, thus providing the blade 53 with lateral freedom of motion to follow a lateral motion of the blade guiding slot 23. In the arrangement of Figs. 4, 5 and 6, as in the arrangement of Figs. 2 and 3, the shearing action of the blade 53 distributes the wear along the edge 54 so that clear, sharp cuts are obtained for a long period of time without necessitating resharpening or replacement of the blade 53. As in the arrangement of Figs. 2 and 3, the blade 53 follows irregularities in the cloth and a clean, uniform, undamaged trim is provided for the cloth.

Certain embodiments of the invention and' certain methods of operation embraced therein have been shown and particularly described for the purpose of explaining the principle of operation of the invention and showing its application, but it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many modifications and variations are possible, and it is intended, therefore, to cover all such modifications and variations as fall within the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a weaving loom of the type having a cloth beam and a heddle harness with heddle eyes for ordinary warp threads and in which spaced binding threads are wound on the weft threads, a cloth-cutter comprising in combination with a heddle eye located in a position between the position of the spaced binding threads, a weft-cutting blade having mechanism for reciprocating it, a blade guide in the form of an elongated member having an eye at one end anda slot at the other end receiving said blade, and a guiding cord secured at one end to the eye in the blade guide and at the other end to a point in back of the heddle harness, and threaded through said heddle eye whereby the cord and the blade guide are woven into the cloth but remain stationary as the cloth advances and is wound on the cloth beam, and the reciprocating blade is guided between the binding threads to sever the cloth therebetween unaffected by unevenness in the weaving or in the cloth edges. 7

2. 'In a weaving loom of the type having a cloth beam and a heddle harness with heddle eyes for ordinary warp threads and in which spaced binding threads are wound on the weft threads, a cloth-cutter comprising in combination with a heddle eye located in a position between the position of the spaced binding threads, a weft-cutting blade, a blade guide in the form of an elongated member receiving said blade, and a guiding cord secured at one end to the blade guide and at the other end to a point in back of the heddle harness, and threaded through said heddle eye whereby,

the cord and the blade guide are woven into the cloth, but remain stationary as the cloth advances and is wound .on'the cloth beam, and the reciprocating blade is guided between the binding threads .to sever the cloth therebetween unaffected by unevenness in the weaving or in the clothedges.

3. In aweaving loom of the type having a cloth beam and a heddle harness with heddle eyes for ordinary warp threads and in which spaced binding threads are wound on the weft threads parallel to the ordinary warp threads, a clothcutter comprising in combination a weft-cutting blade adapted to be reciprocated, a blade guide inthe form of an elongated-member having a slot receiving said blade, and a guiding cord secured at one end to the blade guide and at the other end toa point in back of the heddle harness with means for weaving'the guiding cord through .the weft threads, whereby the cord and the blade guide remain stationary as the cloth advances andis wound on the cloth beam and the blade is guided between the binding threads tosever the cloth therebetween unaifected by unevenness in the weaving orin the cloth edges.

4. In a weaving loom of the type having a cloth beam and a heddle harness with heddle eyes for ordinary warp threads and in which spaced binding threads are wound on the weft threads parallel to the ordinary warp threads, a cloth-cuttereomprising in combination with a heddle eye located in a position-between the positions of the spaced binding threads, a weftcutting blade mounted movable laterally transverse to the warp threads, a blade guide having a slot receiving said blade, and a guiding cord secured at one end to the blade guide and at the other end to a point in back of the heddle harness, and threaded through said heddle eye whereby the cord and the blade guide are woven into the cloth but remain stationary as the cloth advances and is wound on the cloth beam and the blade is guided between the binding threads to sever the weft threads therebetween.

5. In a weaving loom of the type having a cloth beam and a heddle harness with heddle eyes for ordinary warp threads in which spaced binding threads are wound on the weft threads parallel to the ordinary warp threads, the method of severing the weft threads between the binding threads which comprises weaving a slotted elongated. blade guide into the cloth between the said binding threads, holding the guide relatively stationary with respect to longitudinal movement as theielothis wound on the cloth beam, and passing a reciprocated blade through said knife guide to sever successive warp threads as they reach the blade guide prior to winding of the advancing cloth onto the cloth beam.

6. Ina weaving loom of the type in which spaced binding threads are wound on the weft threads parallel to the ordinary warp threads, a cloth cutter comprising a weft-cutting blade, a blade guide in the form of an elongated member having a slot receiving said blade, said member being of such width as to fill the space between said binding threads, and means for weaving the blade'guide through the weft threads while substantially preventing longitudinal movement thereof, whereby the blade is guided between the binding threads to sever'the cloth therebetween with uniform lengths of protruding weft threads.

7. In a weaving loom of the type in which bind ing-threads are wound on the weft threads paralielto the ordinary warp threads and spaced from .the ordinary warp threads, a cloth cutter comprising in combination. a weft-cutting-blade, a blade guide having a slot receiving said'blade', and means for weaving the blade guide through the weft threads while substantially preventing. longitudinal movement thereof, whereby the blade: is guided between the binding threads and the edge warp thread to sever the cloth therebetween.

8. In a weaving loom a cloth cutter compris-- ing incombination a weft-cutting blade, a blade. guide having a slot receiving said blade, and means for weaving the blade guide through the. weft threads in close proximity to an adjacent warp thread while substantially preventing longitudinal movement of the blade guide, whereby the blade is guided a, uniform distance from said warp thread to sever the cloth with uniform lengths of protruding weft threads.

-9. In a weaving loom of the type in which binding threads are wound on the weft threads parallel to the ordinary warp threads and spaced from the edge warp thread, a cloth cutter comprising in combination a. weft-cutting blade-hav. ing a mountin providin freedom of movement thereof transverse to the'warp threads, a blade guide having a slot receiving said blade, and mechanism for passing the blade guide through the weft threads in the manner of a warp thread, whereby the blade is guided between theedge warp thread and the binding threads to. sever the cloth therebetween. 7' 7 10. In a weaving-loom a cloth cutter compris-. in in combination a weft-cuttin blade, a blade guide having a slot receiving said blade, and a mechanism for causing said blade guide to. pass through the weft threads between warp threads in the manner of a warp thread, whereby'the blade is guided between warp threads to sever the cloth therebetween.

11. The method of evenly trimming woven cloth which comprises the steps of twisting'selvage threads around weft threads along aline spaced from the warp threads at the edge of the cloth, weaving a guide into the weft threads between the'edge warp thread andthe twisted'selvage as the shed is opened and closed to insert the weft threads, maintaining the guide in close. proximity to the said edge warp thread, preventing the guide from moving with the advancing. cloth as, the cloth is wound on the cloth beam, and passing'a blade through said guide with the blade edge away from the direction of motion of the cloth as it is wound on the cloth beam, whereby the weft threads are cut a fixed distance from the said warp thread and the said twisted selvage is severed from'the cloth.

12. The method of evenly trimming wovencloth which comprises the steps of weaving a guide into the weft threads along a warp thread'as the shed is opened and closed to insert the weft threads, preventing the guidefrom moving with the advancing cloth as the cloth-is wound on the cloth beam, and passing a blade through said guide'whereby the weft threads are cut a fixed distance from the said warp thread.

13. The method of longitudinally slitting woven cloth which comprises the steps of interweaving weft threads and warp threads with spacing between a pair of warpthreads, and simultaneously weaving a guide into the weftthreads-between the said warp threads, preventing the guide from moving with the advancing cloth as the cloth is wound on the cloth beam, and passin a blade through said guide to cut the weft threads.

l4. Themethod of evenly trimming woven cloth which comprises the steps of twisting selvage threads around weft threads along a, line spaced from the warp threads at the edge of the cloth, passing a slotted guide between said warp threads and said twisted selvage threads, passing a blade through said guide and advancing the cloth for cutting the weft threads.

15. In a weaving loom supplying narrowly spaced longitudinal threads between which the cloth is to be severed and weaving weft threads transverse to the longitudinal threads, a'cloth cutter comprising in combination a weft-cutting blade, a resilient blade guide compressible in width, receiving said blade, and means for weaving the blade guide through the weft threads between the longitudinal threads, whereby the guide is slightly compressed and retains close contact with said longitudinal threads to sever the cloth with uniform length of protruding weft threads.

RALPH B. TAYLOR, SR. ROBERT WHEWELL, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

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