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Title:
MAGNETIC JACQUARD-TYPE MECHANISM CONTROL DEVICE
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/1996/016211
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
Control device for controlling the position of Jacquard mechanism control pins (25) whereby such pins can be positioned in a desired configuration. The control device comprising a plurality of active positioning members (46) locatable selectively in either a first or a second position with the active positioning members (46) in the first position acting to engage a respective said Jacquard mechanism control pin (25) and in a second position acting to provide no obstruction to movement of the respective Jacquard mechanism control pin (25), the control device further including actuating means to move the active positioning members (46) selectably between said first and second positions. Said actuating means comprising at least one magnetisable element (43) with the polarity of the magnetisable element (43) being selectably reversible to enable movement of the active positioning members (46) between the aforesaid first and second positions.

Inventors:
MODRA TIMOTHY JOHN (AU)
KIBBY VICTOR JOHN (AU)
Application Number:
PCT/AU1995/000757
Publication Date:
May 30, 1996
Filing Date:
November 14, 1995
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
MODRA TIMOTHY JOHN (AU)
KIBBY VICTOR JOHN (AU)
International Classes:
D03C3/20; (IPC1-7): D03C15/06; D03C3/20
Foreign References:
DE2809248A11979-09-06
DE2013463A11971-02-11
DE2203925A11973-08-02
CH553860A1974-09-13
CH409810A1966-03-15
GB1304683A1973-01-24
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Claims:
THE CLAIMS
1. DEFINING THE INVENTION ARF AS FOLLOWS: A Jacquard type mechanism control device comprising a plurality of active positioning members located in a predetermined array at a control plane, each said active positioning member being movable between a first position and a second position whereby, in use, in one of said positions the active positioning member is adapted to engage an associated Jacquard mechanism control member at said control plane and in the other of said positions, said active positioning member is adapted to not engage the associated Jacquard mechanism control member at said control plane and actuating means so as to locate any selected active positioning means as follows : (i) by leaving the selected active positioning member unmoved; (ii) by repositioning the selected active positioning member from said first position to said second position; and (iii) by repositioning the selected active positioning member from said second position to said first position, said actuating means including at least one magnetisable means whereby the polarity of said magnetisable means is selectably reversible to enable movement of the active positioning members between said first and second positions.
2. A Jacquard type mechanism control device according to Claim 1 , wherein the actuating means also includes at least one permanent magnet.
3. A Jacquard type mechanism control device according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein each of the active positioning members has at least a component of movement partly or wholly in a direction generally coincident with or parallel to said control plane.
4. A Jacquard type mechanism control device according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the active positioning members are each independently magnetisable so as to selectably alter the polarity of opposed ends of the active positioning member to effect desired positioning of said active positioning member via interaction with the permanently magnetised member or members at said control plane.
5. A Jacquard type mechanism control device according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein each said active positioning member comprises a said permanently magnetised member, each said active positioning member co¬ operating, in use, with one or more members adapted to be magnetised in at least two different states whereby polarity in said states is reversed.
6. A Jacquard type mechanism control device according to Claim 5, wherein said member or members adapted to be magnetised are selectably magnetised by induction with control means being provided to selectably reverse polarity of magnetisation of each said member.
7. A Jacquard type mechanism control device according to Claim 5, wherein said member or members adapted to be magnetised are selectably magnetised by electrical connection to a coil forming part of the or each said member and control means to selectably reverse polarity of said electrical connection to achieve a desired polarity of magnetisation of each said member.
8. A Jacquard type mechanism control device according to Claim 4, wherein the active positioning members are each selectably magnetised by induction with control means being provided to selectably reverse polarity of magnetisation of each said active positioning member.
9. A Jacquard type mechanism control device according to Claim 4, wherein the active positioning members are each selectably magnetised by electrical connection to a coil forming part of the or each said active positioning member and control means to selectably reverse polarity of the electrical connection to achieve a desired polarity of magnetisation of each said active positioning member.
10. A Jacquard type mechanism control device according to any one of Claims 1 to 9, wherein each said active positioning member is adapted to move in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the associated Jacquard mechanism control member with said active positioning member being located at or adjacent said control plane.
11. A Jacquard type mechanism control device according to any one of Claims 1 to 9, wherein each said active positioning member is supported at one end in a manner allowing the active positioning member to bodily pivot about said one end with the other end of said active positioning member being adapted to engage (or not engage) the associated Jacquard mechanism control member.
12. A Jacquard type mechanism control device to selectably control positioning of a plurality of Jacquard mechanism control members at a control plane with said Jacquard mechanism control members being arranged in a predetermined array at said control plane, said control device comprising a plurality of active positioning members movable between a first position and a second position whereby, in use, in one of said positions, said active positioning member is adapted to engage an associated said Jacquard mechanism control member and in the other of said positions, said active positioning member is adapted to not engage the associated Jacquard mechanism control member, movement of said active positioning member being achieved by magnetic forces operating between each said active positioning member and at least one control part, at least one of said active positioning member or said control part or parts being selectably magnetised to enable selective reversal of magnetic polarity whereby said active positioning member is selectably positioned in one of said first or second positions.
Description:
MAGNETIC JACQUARD- TYPE MECHANISM CONTROL DEVICE

The present invention relates to improvements in control apparatus for textile weaving apparatus or other machinery controlled by Jacquard cards or similar devices. The invention has been developed with the carpet production and textile industry in mind but is not limited to this application.

In the textile weaving industry and in other similar industries, Jacquard mechanisms employing cards, tapes or similar devices are used. In the textile weaving industry such devices are used to permit a particular design of colours or textures to be realised in the fabric, carpet or the like. Jacquard cards have been used for this purpose for many years and are still commonly used today. A Jacquard card in the textile weaving industry comprises a stiff card material with an array of holes located therein corresponding to the desired pattern intended to be achieved. The Jacquard mechanism includes a plurality of movable pins (or the like) which are obstructed by a solid part of the card or are permitted to pass through a hole in the card. The position of these movable pins are then used to control subsequent events to produce the desired pattern, colours or the like in the fabric, carpet or the like being produced. In practice it is usual to link a plurality of these cards together so that they are sequentially brought into an operable position to control the fabric / carpet producing machinery to achieve the desired end pattern. While these cards have operated satisfactorily in the textile weaving industry for many years, they do have certain difficulties in practice. For example, it inevitably takes considerable time to set up the machinery to produce any desired pattern. It is of course also difficult and time consuming to change patterns as may be required from time to time. While Jacquard cards create these practical difficulties in use, it remains the case that most textile weaving machinery currently in use employ Jacquard type mechanisms to control colour and other similar patterns. Similar control devices are used in other industries and the present invention is equally applicable thereto. There have been some attempts to provide a degree of mechanisation to allow Jacquard cards or their equivalent to be altered to allow differing patterns to be formed in the article being produced.

Co-pending International Patent Application No. PCT/AU93/00375 discloses a device capable of mechanising a Jacquard card so that differing patterns can be formed in the article being produced by a Jacquard mechanism simply by reconfiguring the device rather than having to replace the card (or cards) as was required in the prior art. The device disclosed in International Patent Application No. PCT/AU93/00375 provide a plate structure having an array of through bores extending from one face of the structure to the other. Each bore contains a pin member movable axially in the bore so that the pin members can adopt at least two separate positions. In a first position one end of the pin member is withdrawn from a control plane so that it will not engage a control member of the Jacquard mechanism and in a second position the pin member is moved to the control plane so as to engage a control member of the Jacquard mechanism. The pin members are moved selectably to the second position by a carriage member and suitable actuating means adapted to pass across one face of the plate structure with the control plane being located at or adjacent the other face of the plate structure. This mechanism has proven to work quite satisfactorily but does have a number of disadvantages in that it is relatively complicated mechanically and further, when it is desired to reconfigure the device, it is necessary to first reset all the pin members in the device to the first position and thereafter move the necessary pin members to second positions so as to adopt the second new desired configuration.

The objective, therefore, of the present invention is to provide improvements to devices of the foregoing type which will enable the device to be reconfigured without the need to first reset all the active positioning (pin) members to a home (or withdrawn) position and which is preferably less complicated mechanically.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a Jacquard type mechanism control device comprising a plurality of active positioning members located in a predetermined array at a control plane, each said active positioning member being movable between a first position and a second position whereby, in use, in one of said positions the active positioning member is adapted to engage an associated Jacquard mechanism control member at said control plane and in

the other of said positions, said active positioning member is adapted to not engage the associated Jacquard mechanism control member at said control plane and an actuating means so as to locate any selected active positioning members as follows :- (i) by leaving the selected active positioning member unmoved;

(ii) by repositioning the selected active positioning member from said first position to said second position; and (iii) by repositioning the selected active positioning member from said second position to said first position, said actuating means including at least one magnetisable means whereby the polarity of said magnetisable means is selectably reversible to enable movement of the active positioning members between said first and second positions. Conveniently, the actuating means may also include at least one permanent magnet. Preferably, each of the active positioning members has at least a component of movement partly or wholly in a direction generally coincident with or parallel to said control plane. In one preferred arrangement, the active positioning members are each independently magnetisable so as to selectably alter the polarity of opposed ends of the active positioning member to effect desired positioning of said active positioning member via interaction with the permanently magnetised member or members at said control plane. In an alternative preferred arrangement, each of the active positioning members comprises a said permanently magnetised member, each said active positioning member co-operating, in use, with one or more members adapted to be magnetised in at least two different states whereby polarity in said states is reversed. Conveniently, said member or members adapted to be magnetised are selectably magnetised by induction with control means being provided to selectably reverse polarity of magnetisation of each said member. Alternatively, the member or members adapted to be magnetised are selectably magnetised by electrical connection to a coil forming part of the or each said member and control means to selectably reverse polarity of said electrical connection to achieve a desired polarity of magnetisation of each said member. In further

preferred arrangements the active positioning members may be selectably magnetisable by induction with control means being provided to selectably reverse polarity of magnetisation of each said active positioning member. In still further preferred arrangements the active positioning members may be selectably magnetised by electrical connection to a coil forming part of the or each said active positioning member and control means to selectably reverse polarity of the electrical connection to achieve a desired polarity of magnetisation of each said active positioning member.

Conveniently, each said active positioning member may be adapted to move in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the associated Jacquard mechanism control member with said active positioning member being located at or adjacent said control plane. In an alternative preferred embodiment each said active positioning member is supported at one end in a manner allowing the active positioning member to bodily pivot about said one end with the other end of said active positioning member being adapted to engage (or not engage) the associated Jacquard mechanism control member.

In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a Jacquard type mechanism control device to selectably control positioning of a plurality of Jacquard mechanism control members at a control plane with said Jacquard mechanism control members being arranged in a predetermined array at said control plane, said control device comprising a plurality of active positioning members movable between a first position and a second position whereby, in use, in one of said positions, said active positioning member is adapted to engage an associated said Jacquard mechanism control member and in the other of said positions, said active positioning member is adapted to not engage the associated Jacquard mechanism control member, movement of said active positioning member being achieved by magnetic forces operating between each said active positioning member and at least one control part, at least one of said active positioning member or said control part or parts being selectably magnetised to enable selective reversal of magnetic polarity whereby said active positioning member is selectably positioned in one of said first or second positions. Conveniently, the predetermined array at said control

plane is two dimensional.

By the arrangements defined as aforesaid, it is possible to vary the position of each active positioning means as desired without the need to reset all active positioning members to a reset position. Further, the arrangement can be made mechanically less complicated without the need to utilise springs or other mechanical restoration means utilised in prior known arrangements. Further, it is possible, if desired, to avoid the use of a movable carriage positioning system.

Several preferred embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which :-

Figure 1 is a partial section view through a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a partial section view through a second preferred embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing a different configuration.

Figure 1 illustrates a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the housing structure 11 is formed from a non-magnetisable material and has an array of bores 12, each of which in use, is adapted to co¬ operate with a Jacquard pin 25. The array of bores 12 is conveniently two dimensional in that they comprise rows and columns of bores 12, each of which is adapted to co-operate with a Jacquard control member pin 25. A pair of bores 41 , 42 are formed in the upper plate of the housing structure 11 and these bores contain a magnetisable core material 43, 44 such as iron wire or the like. The bore 41 is located on an opposite side of the bore 12 relative to the bore 42 with the lower ends of same being connected by a transverse passage 45 located at the dividing surface 48 between the two housing parts. Located within the transverse passage 45, there is a slidable member 46 which is formed as a magnet such that one end is a North Pole (N) and the other end is a South Pole (S). In an alternative form of construction, the housing structure 11 might be formed from a single block with the transverse passages being formed as a single transverse bore interrupted by the core material 43, 44 inserted into the bores 41 , 42 connected to the top face 24 of the structure 11 to the transverse

bore. In this method of construction the member 46 would need to be inserted in sequence with the core material 43, 44. As is shown in Figure 1 , the member 46 can slide transversely in the passage 45 so that it is fully left adjacent the bore 41 or fully right adjacent the bore 42. In one of these positions the member 46 blocks the bore 12 and in the other of these positions the bore 12 is left open to allow a Jacquard pin to pass therethrough. It will of course be appreciated that in alternative arrangements the member 46 might be formed with an intermediate aperture so that the aperture is aligned (or not aligned) with the bore 12 in one (or other) of the limit positions of movement of the member 46 in its passage 45. It will be further appreciated that by appropriately arranging the length of the member 46 and the distances between the bores 41 , 42 and the bore 12, the member 46, in the right hand position may be supported on both sides of the bore 12. In a still further embodiment, the transverse passages (or bore) 45 might be made longer than the bore 12 so that the members 46 remain fully supported regardless of their position.

In this embodiment, the actuating mechanism 2θOomprises a plurality of actuating devices 22 in the form of solenoids 47. In alternative arrangements any device capable of causing a magnetic field on the core material members 43, 44 might be used so that the core material can form selectably a North (N) or a South (S) pole adjacent the passages (or bore) 45. The array of solenoids 47 might be fixed or a group of such solenoids might be arranged on a carriage so that as the carriage 21 traverses the top surface 24, the solenoids 47 (or alternative means) selectably magnetise the core material 43, 44 so that the end of same adjacent the member 46 is either a North or a South pole. Thus, as shown in Figure 1 , if the core material 43 in the left hand portion is magnetised so that the lower part forms a South Pole, then the member 46 is attracted and secured thereto. If at the same time, the lower section of the core material 44 forms a South Pole, the member 46 is also urged by repelling forces towards the left hand position illustrated. If then it is desired to reposition the member 46 from this position, the polarity of the members 43, 44 are reversed so that the lower portion of same forms North Poles. In this configuration, the member 46 is urged towards and held in the right hand position (as for example shown on the

right hand side of Figure 1). This appropriate positioning of the members 46 is achieved by changing the polarity of the core material 43, 44 by movement of the carriage 21 and appropriately operating the solenoids 47. An advantage achieved by this arrangement is that there is no need for physical contact between the actuating mechanism 20 and the top surface 24 of the housing structure.

Figures 2 and 3 illustrate a still further preferred embodiment. In this embodiment, the housing structure 11 comprises an upper plate 50 and a lower plate 51 , each defining an array of aligned apertures 52, 43 adapted to co- operate with a Jacquard mechanism pin 25. It will of course be appreciated that normally in practice there would be an array of apertures 52 each co-operating with an associated Jacquard control pin 25. The array is desirably a two dimensional array with the pins / apertures 25, 52 being arranged in defined rows and columns. It will of course be appreciated that Figures 2 and 3 for the sake of clarity illustrates schematically only one pair of aligned apertures 52, 53. Arranged adjacent the aperture 53 in the lower plate 50 is a second aperture 54 adapted to locate and support a pivot end 55 of reduced diameter of an active positioning member 56. It will of course be appreciated that any other form of pivot arrangement could also be used. The member 56 includes a winding 57 that is connectable to power source via connections 58, 59. In a particularly preferred arrangement, the winding 57 is tapered so that relatively more windings are located adjacent the top of the member 56 when compared to the bottom of the member 56 near its pivot end 55. Control means is provided (not illustrated) for reversing the polarity of the electrical connections 58, 59 so that the top of the member 56 may form a North (N) pole and the lower end may form a South (S) pole or vice versa. In addition, permanent magnet means forming stop elements 60, 61 are provided on either side of the aperture 52 in the upper plate 50. The stop elements 60, 61 contain movement of the upper end of the member 56 between the two limit positions shown in Figures 2 and 3 while the lower end 55 remains contained in the aperture 54. The stop elements 60, 61 conveniently have a respective North (N) or South (S) pole on opposed faces so that the upper end of the member 56 is either attracted to or repelled from one of

the stop elements. It will be appreciated that one stop element 60 or 61 might be used for two adjacent members 56 or alternatively a pair of such stop elements might be used for each member 56.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that in Figures 2 and 3, the winding 57 is mounted on the member 56 and moves with that member. In an alternative arrangement the winding 57 might be stationary generally surrounding the pivoted member 56 such that the member 56 has a rocking movement between the stops 60,61 within the stationary winding 57.

As will be apparent from Figures 2 and 3, if the member 56 is upright (as shown in Figure 2), the Jacquard pin 25 may pass through the aperture 52 and the control plane 30. If the member 56 has been moved to the position shown in Figure 3, the member 56 obstructs the Jacquard pin 25 at the control plane 30. Advantageously, the lower plate 51 might be formed as a printed circuit board with the connections 58, 59 being connected thereto to control (as desired) the relative positions of the members 56. In an alternative arrangement, the members 56 may be made as a permanent magnet and one or both of the members 60, 61 might be built as magnetisable members (including a coil) wherein the polarity of same can be reversed to effect movement of the members 56 as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3. In a still further possible embodiment, the member 56 might be pivoted part way along its length rather than at an end such as 55 in Figures 2 and 3. In such an arrangement, the Jacquard control pin 25 might approach the device from the side of the lower plate 51 with the control plane being located adjacent the lower end of the member 56. An advantage of these arrangements is that they are mechanically simpler with the members 56 being the only parts that need to move to successfully operate the device.