Abstract: A driving coupling includes two pawls which are supported pivotally on an eccentric ring and which in a patternlike manner engage a longitudinal groove in the drive shaft. Each of two plates of a toggle-lever joint engages an arm extension of a respective pawl, the swivel axle of the toggle-lever joint being guided in a control groove of a swinging switching arm. When the pawls are engaged with a drive shaft groove, the toggle-lever joint is in an extended position which locks the pawls in position. For unlocking the pawls, the switching arm moves the toggle-lever joint into a catch opening between two guide rails. The pawls swing out and the drive shaft rotates without carrying along the pawls and the eccentric ring.

Abstract: An eccentric ring is rotatably supported between a drive shaft and a connecting rod. Two coupling keys are independently radially movably supported on the eccentric ring. The first key, during a coupling operation, is radially moved by an inner cam and is held in engagement with a groove in the shaft during a 180.degree. rotation thereof. The second key can move radially between positions respectively engaging the groove and an outer cam on an indexing ring and, for a holding-still phase, is moved outwardly by an edge of the shaft groove into an enlargement in the outer cam. Through the second key being in the enlargement and through a cam on the indexing ring which engages a gap between two noses on the eccentric ring, the eccentric ring is held against rotation. When the first key is moved inwardly, an edge of the groove engages it and thus rotates the eccentric ring and the second key, which slides on a ramp of the enlargement and is moved into the shaft groove.

Abstract: A rotary switch is provided in a dobby with a rotation drive and has for controlling the coupling part an annular collar. During rotation of the drive shaft, the coupling part is guided actively by the rotary switch, the position of which during this time is releasably secured by a lock. For this purpose, a differential lever is arranged on the dobby, the position of which varies based on feedback through a rocking lever and a rail which indicates the position of the heddle frame. The reading of a point on the pattern card results automatically in the correct engaging or disengaging movement of the coupling part, independent of its position.

Abstract: A normal position of a shifting wedge of a lifting unit for a rotational dobby is achieved by a movable arrangement of the recess in a locking block which receives the wedge and has rigid side flanks. The entire locking block is, against the urging of a spring, supported for movement translatorically and/or swingably within certain limits, wherein the center axis of the recess moves only insignificantly out of its normal radial orientation.

Abstract: A dobby includes a needle mechanism having a reading needle, the head of which, during reading of a nonperforated location on a pattern card, engages a pawl and, during reading of a hole in the card, releases the pawl to permit the pawl, under the force of a spring, to tilt about an axle and in this manner to have a surface thereof disposed in front of an edge of a key-shifting gate. During the operating movement of the axle, the pawl pushes the key-shifting gate, which slides in rectilinear guides, wherein a key is carried along by a cam which encircles the opening for the shaft 1. The key is radially movably supported on the eccentric ring and engages one of two openings on the connecting rod, which results in a standstill of the heddle frame, or engages one of two grooves in the drive shaft. In the latter case, the drive shaft carries the key and the eccentric ring along as it rotates and moves the connecting rod, which triggers a movement of the heddle frame.

Abstract: A weaving machine is operationally connected to a shed-forming machine which includes a drive shaft and a braking mechanism. The latter includes a braking disk which is axially slidably supported on the drive shaft of the shed-forming machine. The braking disk can, during movement thereof, come into frictional engagement with a stationary counterpart. In an alternative embodiment, a modified pick-finding device is used as a brake. In the case of a halt of the weaving machine which is to be carried out quickly, for example during a thread break, the braking mechanism of the shed-forming machine is actuated to relieve the braking mechanism of the weaving machine, and thus no great braking action need be transmitted through the drive for the shed-forming machine.

Abstract: Two rotation heddle frame units pivotally engage the respective ends of a differential lever, which units move the center of the differential lever in a patternlike manner between three different positions. The movement of the center of the differential lever is transmitted, through a rocking lever, onto a plate which, in spite of the three different lever positions, moves an angle lever and thus the heddle frame into only two positions, namely, the upper and lower shed positions. The heddle frame moves without any intermediate stop between its two end positions. Since each lifting unit stands still during the operating movement of the other unit, this standstill time, together with the duration of a possible shed standstill of the weaving machine, is available for actuating the lifting unit, and a higher weaving speed is thus possible.

Abstract: In a pick finder, a gear which is driven by a motor sits on a sleeve, which has thereon a tooth of a single-tooth coupling. For tensioning the return spring which effects engagement of the coupling, the gear has on the front side an annular control cam surface with recesses and cams, and rigid rollers can be brought into contact therewith through axial movement thereof with respect to the shaft. Based on the size and the placement of the respective rollers, engagement thereof with the cam surface on the gear rotated by the drive motor of the pick finder will move the sleeve into a position for pick finding or for slow-speed run of the weaving machine with the shed-forming machine. At the same time, the return spring is tensioned by the force of the motor.

Abstract: A pick-finding mechanism is arranged between a weaving machine and a shed-forming machine. A sleeve of a gear sits rotatably on a shaft, which gear is driven by the weaving machine. A single-tooth coupling can transmit forces from the gear to a sliding sleeve which is secured by a key to the shaft and can be moved axially of the shaft by a switch lever. The shaft can be driven through a multiple-tooth coupling by a motor and a drive gear. The switch lever serves to couple and uncouple the couplings.To find the pick, the single-tooth coupling is disengaged and the multi-tooth coupling is engaged. The weaving machine and dobby can be driven together in phase and in both directions by the motor at slow speed, by simultaneously engaging both couplings. This slow or creeping speed permits observation of the functioning and stopping of the machines in any desired position at any time.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for synchronizing all heddle frames of a weaving machine which are operated by a punched-card-controlled dobby. The pattern card cylinder or the reading needles are moved to positions in which during a read, all the reading needles simultaneously engage the pattern card webs between the control points or the holes of the pattern card. Through this, the heddle frames are moved to the lower shed position by further operation of the dobby.In a preferred embodiment, the card cylinder is stopped in the center of the indexing movement effected by the driving projection of the drive shaft. The driving projection is laterally uncoupled from a ratchet gear by a hand lever and, simultaneously, further movement of the ratchet gear is prevented by the engagement of a locking member in a tooth space of the ratchet gear.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling a dobby in which reading needles read a punch card and each needle influences the movement of a respective heddle frame. Two outer disks having annular toothed portions arranged on the axial facing sides thereof which face one another are secured on the shaft of a punch card drive cylinder. The teeth of the toothed portions are angularly offset by one-half the tooth pitch. Between the two outer disks, and freely rotatably supported on the shaft is a central disk with annular toothed portions on the axially facing sides thereof which are also offset by one-half the tooth pitch. A movable guide member for the reading needles is secured on and driven reciprocally by the central disk. Upon indexing the pattern card for one pick, the toothed portion of one outer disk moves the central disk toward the second outer disk and effects engagement of the facing toothed portions on the central disk and the second outer disk.

Abstract: To move pile heddle frames between three or rather four shed positions, a four-position rocking lever is arranged between two adjacent heddle frame lifting units and the rocking lever controlling the heddle frame. The free end of the first lifting unit rocking lever is a hinge point for the four-position rocking lever and the free end of the second lifting unit rocking lever is a hinge point for a connecting bar extending to the four-position rocking lever. To reduce wild movements of the heddle frame, no loaded shafts are provided in the power-transmitting path from the lifting unit to the heddle frame, aside from shafts supporting the lifting units and the rocker arm of the heddle frame.

Abstract: A reading and lifting device has a force amplifying bar which can be reciprocated vertically and is driven positively, and a reading needle is slidably supported therein. A pattern card with nonperforated and perforated points is provided below the force amplifying bar. When the needle hits a nonperforated point, the needle is moved back into the force amplifying bar. In one embodiment, the needle slides with its head on a surface which effects a swivelling of a lock member. Through this, an end of the lock member comes to lie in front of an offset portion of a control arm. The force amplifying bar during its downward movement then carries the control arm along against the force of a spring. The device facilitates the sensitive reading of a pattern card and the forceful passing on of the control information read.

Abstract: In an attempt to form a compact arrangement of a control unit for a weaving machine, according to U.S. Pat. No. 3,759,298, undesired distortions result in the sequence of movement of the heddle frame due to the installation of a short connecting rod. To prevent this, the heddle frame actuating mechanism has one double arm lever pivotally supported on an arm of a further double arm lever, a connecting rod hingedly connected at its one end to a still further double arm lever. The arm of the further double arm lever and the arm of the one double arm lever are in alignment rectilinearly in the center-shed position and are together equal in length to the length of a first arm of the still further double arm lever, so that these two arms, the connecting rod and a connecting line extending between the fixedly arranged pivot axles for the further double arm lever and the still further double arm lever form a parallelogram.

Abstract: A reading needle is slidingly supported in a force amplifying bar which is automatically moved up and down and the reading needle reads nonperforated and perforated points of a pattern card. In the case of a perforated point, a pivotal lock member biassed by a spring remains in a first position and pushes a draw arm of a correcting element downwardly unless this draw arm is already in a downward position. When the reading needle reads a nonperforated point, it is moved within the force amplifying bar by the pattern card during forward movement of the force amplifying bar. A sloped surface of a slot in the lock member slides over the head of the reading needle and swings the two-arm lock member to a second position in which one lock member arm reaches within the active range of an offset portion of a second draw arm and tilts the correcting element, whereby a cam surface of a draw hook is supported on an arm of the correcting element.

Abstract: A rotational dobby for use with weaving machines having plural heddle frames. The dobby has an eccentric disk for each heddle frame arranged side-by-side on a drive shaft with a coupling wedge movably installed therein, which coupling wedge effects a coupling and uncoupling of the eccentric disk relative to two recesses which are diametrically arranged on the shaft. A connecting rod is provided on the outer circumference of the eccentric disk and is coupled directly or through a rocking lever to an operating rod connected in turn to the heddle frame. A control mechanism is provided with pressure fingers which are movable in response to an information pattern on a pattern card.

Abstract: A connecting rod having two clamping rails between which are clamped plates extending in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the clamping rails. The clamping is accomplished by screws. The plates have pivot joints which can be moved into one another at their ends. The connecting rod is adjustable in length.

Abstract: A draw hook having a bearing end, the outside circumference of which projects beyond the end of the baulk and serves simultaneously as stop against the recoil or repulsion knife and the stop rail. The drawing force for the movement of the heddle frame occurs from the draw hook directly through the bolt onto the baulk. The reaction and the holding force act directly onto the bearing end of the draw hook.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for connecting harness cords to the heddles which are eventually to be used in a weaving machine. A harness cord is threaded through an upper eyelet of the heddle and is turned back on itself with the connection being fixed by a shrink hose which is shrunk over the eyelet, thereby clamping the harness cord to the upper eyelet. An apparatus is movably mounted on an assembly frame between the various harness assemblages. At each location on the frame, the apparatus holds the free end of the harness cord after it has been threaded through the eyelet on the heddle. A friction brake is utilized to hold the free end of the harness cord while the apparatus effects a tightening of the harness cord and a drawing of the eyelet into the unshrunk shrink hose. A cutting mechanism is provided to sever the harness cord between the eyelet and the friction brake.

Abstract: The invention relates to a weaving machine having plural heddle frames, into which heddles are threaded with a free floating characteristic or operational clearance onto thread rails. The heddles are arranged on the thread rails with the least possibility of movement and without a free floating capability during a portion of the heddle frame movement and with a free floating characteristic during the rest of the movement of the heddle frame to facilitate a self-alignment of the heddles with the warp threads. The free floating characteristic is initiated by periodically reducing the distance between the two thread rails.