Title of Invention

A HEDDLE FRAME ASSEMBLY FOR A WEBBING LOOM

Abstract

A HEDDLE FRA.ME ASSEMBLY FOR A WEBBING LOOM A heddle frame assembly includes a heddle frame, a bracket, and two guide arms. The heddle frame has a top rail, a bottom rail, two end rails respectively connected with the top rail and the bottom rail at their ends, and a central rod mounted at the middle portion of the top rail and the bottom rail. Two elongated holes with recessed edges are defined through the central rod. The guide arms are attached to the bracket and extend through the elongated holes in the central rod. Slots are defined around the sides of each of the guide arm. The recessed edges of the elongated holes engage the corresponding slots. Thus, the central rod can move upwards and downward along the slots to make the heddle frame move precisely and smoothly.

Full Text

HEDDLE FRAME ASSEMBLY FOR A WEBBING LOOM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is related to a webbing loom, and more particularly to a heddle frame assembly for a webbing loom. 2. Description of Related Art With reference to Fig. 5, a webbing loom includes a plurality of heddle frames (50) mounted on a loom body (57). Each of the heddle frames (50) has a top, a bottom, a top rail (51), abottom rail (52), two end rails (56) and a central rod (53). Each top rail (51), bottom rail (52) and end rail (56) has two ends, and each top rail (51) and bottom rail (52) has a middle between the two ends. Opposite ends of the top rail (51) and the bottom rail (52) are respectively connected to two end rails (56). The central rod (53) is mounted perpendicular at the middle of the top rail (11) and the bottom rail (12). The end rails (56) are movably mounted in slots (not numbered) in the loom body (57). Two elongated holes (54) are defined through the central rod (53). A linkage (55) is mounted at the bottom of the heddle frame (50). The webbing loom farther includes a brace (58) and two guide arms (60). The brace (58) is parallel to the central rod (53) and has a surface facing the central rod (53) with two disks (59) attached to the surface facing the central rod (53). Each guide arm (60) has a rear end and a front end. The rear ends of the two guide arms (60) are respectively mounted in the disks (59) so the guide arms (60) are perpendicular to the brace (58). The front ends of the guide arms (60) respectively extend through the corresponding elongated holes (54) in the cenfral rod (53) of the heddle frames (50). Multiple heddles (61) are mounted in each heddle frame (50). In operation, the heddle frames (50) are driven upwards and downwards at a high-speed. Yams through the heddles (61) can be woven to form various patterns. However, clearances between the guide arms (60) and the elongated holes (54) often cause the heddle frames to sway when the heddle frames (50) are moving at high-speed, which lowers the quality of the fabric. Furthermore, long term use of the webbing loom causes the guide arms (60) and the elongated holes (54) to gradually wear. The wear of the guide arms (60) and the elongated holes (54) further increases the clearances causing the sway of the heddle frames to become more pronounced, which further degrades the quality of the fabrics. With reference to Fig. 6, another conventional heddle frame assembly has a heddle frame (70) with a central rod (71) mounted on a loom body (72). Two guide arms (74) are secured on a brace (73) parallel to the central rod (71). Each guide arm (74) is composed of two fixture blocks (not numbered) connected to each other with bolts or screws. An opening (75) is defined through the guide arm (74) through which the central rod (71) extends. The width of the opening (75) is equal to the width of the central rod (71) so the fixture blocks tightly press against the central rod (71), and the heddle frame (70) can be accurately moved upward and downward without any sway. However, because the fixture blocks are cormected with bolts or screws, ensuring the precision of the assembling is difficult. If clearances exist between the central rod (71) and the fixture blocks, the heddle frame (70) still will sway; if the fixture blocks press against the central rod (71) too tightly, friction between the fixture blocks and the central rod (71) will make the elements wear out very quickly. Furthermore, assembling the central rod (71) in the fixture blocks is also inconvenient. Therefore, the invention provides a heddle frame assembly to mitigate and/or obviate the aforementioned problems. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The main objective of the invention is to provide a heddle frame assembly that has high precision and low friction during operation. Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a heddle frame assembly in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the heddle frame assembly in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of the heddle frame assembly in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a top view of the heddle frame assembly in Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a conventional heddle frame assembly; and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of another conventional heddle frame assembly. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With reference to Fig. 4, a webbing loom generally includes multiple heddle frames (10). With reference to Figs. 1 to 3 and for simplicity and clarity of description, only one heddle frame (10) will be described in detail. A heddle frame assembly for a webbing loom in accordance with the invention comprises a heddle frame (10), a bracket (20) and two guide arms (30). The heddle frame (10) has a top, a bottom, a top rail (11), a bottom rail (12), two end rails (17), an eccentric linkage (16) and a central rod (13). Each of the top rail (11), bottom rail (12) and two end rails (17) has two ends. Opposite ends of the top rail (11) and the bottom rail (12) are respectively connected to the two end rails (17). The eccentric linkage (16) is mounted at the bottom of the heddle frame (10) below the bottom rail (12) and is connected to a driving device (not shown). The central rod (13) is mounted perpendicular to the top rail (11) and the bottom rail (12) at the middle of the top rail (11) and the bottom rail (12). Two elongated holes (14) are defined through the central rod (13), and each of the elongated holes (14) has a width and a recessed edge (15) with a thickness smaller than that ofthe central rod (13). The bracket (20) has a brace (22) securely attached to the loom body (not shown) so the brace (22) is parallel to the central rod (13). Two charmels (24) are transversally defined in a vertical outer surface ofthe brace (22) facing the central rod (14). Each channel (24) has a top surface, a bottom surface, a vertical surface and a distance between the top and bottom surfaces. A hole (26) is defined in the vertical surface of each channel (24). Each guide arm (30) has a front end, a rear end, two flat sides (34), two convex sides (not numbered), multiple slots (32), a pin (36), a distance between the flat sides (34) and a distance between the convex sides. The pin (36) is formed on and extends from the rear end of each guide arm (30). Aguide arm (30) is mounted perpendicular to the brace (22) in each channel (24) with the pin (36) securely mounted in the hole (26). The front end ofthe guide arm (30) extends through the corresponding elongated hole (14) ofthe central rod (13). The slots (32) are transversally defined around each guide arm (30) in the flat side (34) and the convex surfaces so the recessed edge (15) ofthe elongated holes (14) can slide in the corresponding slots (32). The distance between the two flat sides (34) is shorter than the width of the elongated hole (14). During the assembly of the guide arms (30) and the central rod (13), the guide arm (30) is rotated so the flat sides (34) are parallel to vertical sides of the elongated hole (14). After the front end of the guide arm (30) is inserted through the elongated hole (14), the appropriate slot (32) is aligned with the recessed edge (15), the guide arm (30) is rotated 90°, and the recessed edge (15) slidably engages the slot (32). By this means, it is very easy to extend guide arms (30) through the elongated holes (14) of the central rod (13). The distance between the flat sides (34) of the guide arm (30) is substantially equal to a distance between the top and bottom surfaces of the channel (24) so the guide arm (30) can be tightly mounted in the channel (24). With reference to Fig. 4, the recessed edges (15) of the elongated holes (14) in the central rod (13) of the heddle frames (10) are respectively located in the slots (32) in the guide arms (30), which ensures that the movement of the heddle frames (10) is smooth and accurate. The central rod (13) moves along the slots (32) in the guide arms (30) so the heddle frame (10) can move precisely without any sway. Because of the small thickness of the recessed edges (15) located in the slots (32), friction between the central rod (13) and the guide arms (30) is low. It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape. size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention tdthe full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. I CLAIM: 1. A heddie frame assembly for a webbing loom including a heddle frame (10), a bracket (20) and a guide arm (30), wherein the improvements comprise: the heddle frame (10) having a top, a bottom, a top rail (11), a bottom rail (12), two end rails (17) respectively connected with the top rail (11) and the bottom rail (12) at their ends and a central rod (13) perpendicular to the top rail (11) and the bottom rail (12) mounted at a middle portion of the top rail (11) and the bottom rail (12), the central rod (13) having two elongated holes (14) defined through the central rod (13); a bracket (20) having a brace (22) parallel to the central rod (13); and two guide arms (30) each with a front end extending through corresponding elongated holes (14) in the central rod (13) and a rear end mounted on the brace (22), each guide arm (30) having two flat sides (34) parallel to each other, two convex sides respectively formed at two sides of the two flat sides (34), and multiple slots (32) transversally defined in the sides to engage the corresponding elongated hole (14). 2. The heddle frame assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein each elongated hole (14) has a recessed edge (15) with a thickness smaller than a thickness of the central rod (13), and the recessed edge (15) is located in the respective slot (32). 3. The heddle frame assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the brace (22) has two channels (24) transversally defined through a side facing the central rod (13), each channel (24) has a top surface, a bottom surface, a vertical surface and a distance between the top and bottom surface; and the rear ends of the guide arms (30) are respectively mounted in the channels (24). 4. The heddle frame assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of the channels (24) has a hole (26) defined in the vertical surface; and each of the guide arms (30) has a pin (36) formed on and extending from the rear end and mserted in the corresponding hole (26). 5. The heddle frame assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein a distance between the two flat sides (34) of the guide arm (30) is substantially equal to the distance between the top and the bottom surface of the charmel (24) so the guide arm (30) tightly mounts in the channel (24). 6. The heddle frame assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the distance between the two flat sides (34) of the guide arm (30) is smaller than a width of the elongated hole (14).

Documents:

0685-mas-2002 abstract duplicate.pdf

0685-mas-2002 abstract.pdf

0685-mas-2002 claims duplicate.pdf

0685-mas-2002 claims.pdf

0685-mas-2002 correspondence-others.pdf

0685-mas-2002 correspondence-po.pdf

0685-mas-2002 description (complete).pdf

0685-mas-2002 drawings duplicate.pdf

0685-mas-2002 drawings.pdf

0685-mas-2002 form-1.pdf

0685-mas-2002 form-19.pdf

0685-mas-2002 form-26.pdf

0685-mas-2002 form-3.pdf

0685-mas-2002 petition.pdf