US2716035A - Bill cutter and yarn holder for knotter - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 23, 1955 Filed Sept. 19, 1952 J. O. THORNDIKE BILL CUTTER AND YARN HOLDER FOR KNOTTER Fry. 1.

2 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 23, 1955 J. o. THORNDIKE 2,716,035

BILL CUTTER AND YARN HOLDER FOR KNOTTER Filed Sept. 19, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 sea? United States Patent Ofilice 2,7llifi Patented Aug. 23, 1955 BELL CUTTER M ll) YARN HGLDER FOR KNOTTER James O. Thorndike, Whitman, Mash, assignor to Abington Textile Machinery Works, North Ahingteu, Mass, a trust of Massachusetts Application September 19, 1952, Serial No. 310,417

5 Claims. ((12. 239-13} This invention relates to an improved bill cutter for use in a knotter. A knotter, as the name implies, is a device designed to tie a weavers knot. They are used very widely in connection with a large variety of operations in the textile industry, and especially in the preparation of warp yarn for weaving. character have been in use for many years, they have not as yet been successful in tieing knots in yarns made or" continuous filaments such as, for example, nylon and rayon.

Typical knotters of the type in question with which my invention is designed to be used are shown in detail in the patents to Higgins et al., No. 2,071,525, and White, No. 2,178,460, but it will be understood that the invention may be used in any knotter utilizing a bill, bill cutter and bill spring. Since my invention constitutes an improvement only in those elements known as the bill, bill cutter and bill spring, detailed reference to the knotter structure will not be made except in so far as it is necessary to make known the relationship of the invention to the general structure of the knotter.

As mentioned above, knotters in use at the present time have not worked well with continuous filament yarns. This is apparently due to the fact that continuous filament yarns as a general rule have a smooth, relatively slippery outer surface which renders it difiicult to hold the individual filaments in a firm gri In addition, the amount of twist in continuous filament yarns is ordinarily not great so the gripping effect between the bill and bill cutter after the yarn has been cut by the bill cutter and bill spring, is very uncertain. As a result, in the use of the prior art devices, the lateral motion of the stripper designed to draw the knot tight at the end of the knotting operation, pulls the cut end of the continuous filament yarn from its position between the bill and bill cutter before the knot has been tightened. This results in an imperfect knot or no knot at all. As a result, weavers have heretofore been compelled to knot continuous filament yarns by hand.

Accordingly, my invention serves the purpose of providing means for gripping the continuous filament yarns in such manner between the bill and bill cutter, that no single filament of the yarn can escape therefrom during the knot tieing operation after the yarn has been severed by the cutter.

The invention, while holding the cut end of the yarn securely while the knot is being pulled tight still will permit normal release of the yarn when the stripper moves far enough from the bill cutter.

The invention will become more apparent as the description proceeds with the aid of the accompanying drawings in which Fig. l is a side elevation of one type of knotter now in general use. The handle is broken away in part.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the bill screw and cutter of the type used in the knotter shown in Fig. l and as exemplified in the Higgins et al. and White patents previously referred to.

While devices of this Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the eccentric, cutting and gripping elements on the end of the bill screw.

Fig. 4 is an elevation looking from the right of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of Fig. 3.

Figs. 6, 7, 8, and 9 are enlarged cross sections all taken approximately on the line 9-9 of Fig. 3 with the elements in successive cutting and gripping positions.

Fig. 6 shows the bill cutter just prior to the cutting of the yarn.

Fig. 7 shows the position of the bill cutter just as the cut has been completed.

Fig. 8 shows the bill cutter as it moves inwardly between the bill and bill spring.

Fig. 9 shows the bill cutter in its inmost yarn gripping position.

Fig. 10 shows the three cooperating elements, the bill, the bill cutter and bill spring separately in disassembled condition.

in Fig. 1 there is shown at 2 a side elevation of a knotter of the type with which the present invention may be used. I

In Fig. 2 is shown the bill screw and related parts all of which are supported in the knotter frame for rotation and actuation as the operator actuates the handle.

The bill screw 4 has a shaft portion at the left hand 6 supported by a bearing 8 carried by the knotter frame. The bill screw is threaded at 10 and is supported at the right end by bearing 12. Extending to the right of the bill screw and integral therewith is the bill 14 and the associated bill cutter and bill spring all of which are shown in greater detail in the subsequent figures.

An eccentric 16 is shown connected to the member 12, which eccentric is stationary and causes actuation of the bill cutter as the bill screw is rotated.

Referring now to enlarged views in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 it will be seen that the bill screw 4 has an extension as at 18 terminating in the upturned bill 14. On the inside of the bill is a pivot 20 on which is positioned for oscillating rotation, the bill cutter 22. The movement of the bill cutter is controlled by its engagement with the eccentric 16 as the bill screw is revolved.

Bill cutter 22 is held in position on pivot 20 by the bill spring 24-. The bill spring as shown in Figs. 5 and 10 has a small hole 26 which fits on pivot 20 and is arched as at 28, see Figs. 4 and 5, so as to provide constant pressure against the bill cutter. The inner end of the bill spring is forked as at 30 so that when positioned in the slot 32 in the end of the bill screw, the fork will straddle a pin 34. By springing the bill spring oft pin 20 and sliding it from slot 32 and pin 34, the bill cutter 22 may easily be removed for replacement or repair.

Referring now to Figs. 6 to 9 all of which are still further enlarged sections taken substantially on the line 99 of Fig. 3, it will be seen that the bill spring 24 is beveled at its outer edge 36 so as to provide a sharp cutting edge 38. Similarly, the bill cutter 22 is beveled as at 4%) to provide a sharp cutting edge 42. The bill 14 has a smooth inner surface 44 against which the face 46 of the bill cutter slides as the bill cutter is moved between the bill and bill spring. In the Figs. 6 to 9 the yarn is indicated at 48 with the severed end in Fig. 7 being numbered 56 and the end that is attached to the knot being numbered 52 in Figs. 7, 8 and 9.

The inventive feature of the cutting and holding elements will now be described. in prior art constructions, the upstanding cutting element 54 of the bill cutter 22 as shown in Fig. 10 has been of homogeneous material, usually steel and capable of holding a cutting edge 42 which cooperates with edge 33 of the bill spring. During operation side 46 presses against side 44 of bill 14. As has been explained heretofore the slippery character of the filaments of continuous filament yarns has made it to the surface of the cutaway section.

impossible for the normally smooth surfaces 44 and 46 to holdthe individual filaments securely. Therefore, I have cut away part of the'leading edge and side of the bill cutter as at 56 producing thereby a shallow,'rectangu- .lar, rabbetedarea in which I have positioned an insert 58. This insert is made of material that is preferably somewhat flexible and having frictional characteristics capable of gripping the filaments of a continuous filament yarn with a suflicient bite to hold those filaments between the surfaces 46 and 44 as the bill cutter enters between the bill spring and bill. The material 53 must not only becapable of holding the cut filaments, but also must slide readily over the surface 44 without creeping or rolling up on itself. An insert made of rubber has been found satisfactory, but it will be understood that I do not limit the invention to rubber specifically. Other substances having the aforementioned characteristics may be used in place thereof. The insert 58 is held in place by cementing it Other securing procedures may be used if preferred. The dimensions of the inserted material are substantially those of the cutaway area so that the overall dimension of the bill cutter is not appreciably altered. I

' In the use of the invention, the following procedure occurs. Upon downward movement of the handle 60 of the knotter, see Fig. 1, the bill screw 4 will be caused bill screw to pivot on pin 20 to, move the bill cutter.

toward and away from the bill and bill spring. When in open position the bill cutter and bill spring are in the nature of a pair of smallopen scissors. While the bill and bill cutter and bill spring are in open condition and rotating, one end of the yarn to be knotted comes into position between these elements as shown in Fig. 6.

Thereafter as rotation of the bill screw continues, the cam action of the eccentric 16 on portion 62 causesthe bill cutter to approach the bill and bill spring as shown in Fig.6 with the yarn therebetween.

As the cutting edge 42 of the bill cutter approaches cutting edge 38 0f the bill spring, the yarn will be severed as indicated in Fig. 7. By the time severence is complete, however, the leading edge of insert 58 will have trapped the cut end of the yarn 64 as indicated in Fig. 7 against the inside face 44 of bill 14. At this stage of the operation, there'is not much tension on the yarn end 52 that would tend. to pull it from its position between V the bill and billcuttery As the bill cutter continues its advance as shown Fig. 8, insert 58 thencomes into full play. The-filaments of the yarn 52 are engaged by the surface 66 of the insert and, due to the frictional characteris tics of the insert, are dragged thereby along the inner surface 44 of the bill 14. All the while the bill spring 24 is applying pressure against the outer face 68 of the bill cutterand the pressure exerted. thereby is sufficient for the insert 58 to get the necessary grip on all of the individual filaments of the yarn 52. 7 As rotation of the bill screw 4 continues, the bill cutter 22 will finally reach the position shown in Fig. 9, at which time the yarn 52 will have had its end dragged the maximum amount between the bill cutter and the bill. With the yarn and bill cutter in this position, the stripper of the knotter is then actuated which brings tension to I bear on the twoends of yarn that are being knotted thus drawing the knot tight. Further movement of the stripper drags the end 52 from its previously secured position between the bill cutter and the bill;

While the insert 58 has made it possible for a knotter of the type described to tie knots .in continuous filament yains it will he understood that knotter so equipped will work in the usual manner with other types of yarns, such as cotton or wool as well as with the discontinuous types of artificial filaments, such as spun rayon, acetate, nylon,

etc. 7

it will be further understood that the invention is concerned solely with the bill, bill cutter. and the bill spring as heretofore explained, and does not in any way concern the structure of the knotter mechanism that causes the rotation of the bill screw and the movement of the cutter elements. While a conventionaliknotter has i been shown in Fig. 1, there are other styles of knotters which utilize cutting elements the same'as those disclosed herein, and with which an insert made according to my invention maybe used to the same advantage.

It is my intention to cover all changes and modifications of the example of the invention herein chosen for purposes ofthe disclosure which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

1 claim 1. For use in a knotter of the type described, a bill screw having associated therewith a bill, a bill cutter and a bill spring for pressing said bill cutter against said bili, said bill cutter having an insert on the face/that abuts theinner face of the bill of non-metallic material having frictional characteristics "capable of holding 'the' severed ends of filaments of continuous filament yarn:

between said insert and bill during the knotting procedure; 2. The device set forth'in claim 1 in which said insert is of rubber. V

a 3. The device set forth in claim 1 and in which said insert with slide with respect to the inner surface of said bill without creeping or rolling under the pressure applied thereto by said bill spring.

4-. A device for use in a knotter comprising a bill having a smooth inner surface, a bill cutter pivoted with respect to said bill,a bill spring fixed with respectto said bill and applying pressure against one side of said bill cutter to urge the latter against the inner face of said bill, cooperating cutting edges on said bill cutter and said bill spring, an insert along the leading edge of said bill cutter for cooperation with the inner surface of said bill, I '7 said insert being made of material having frictionalcharacteristics capable of holding the filaments of a continuous filamentryarn'between said bill cutter and bill under the pressure applied by said bill spring against removal ping insert on the other side, said insert being made of".

flexible non-metallic material having frictional character istics'with respect to the gripping of continuous filament '1' yarns greater than that of steel.

References [Iited in the file of this patent UNETED STATES PATENTS V 1,183,044 Shampay May 16, 1916 1,291,806 Edrnands Jan. 21, 1919 2,131,346 Fairchild Sept. 27, 1938 2,178,460

White Oct. 31, 1939

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