Weaving Machine

Abstract

A weaving machine with a shedding arrangement ( 10, 25 ) for forming loom sheds ( 3 ) between warp threads ( 1 ) drawn off from a thread supply ( 9 ), a weft insertion arrangement ( 20 ) for inserting weft threads ( 2 ) in the form of tapes into the formed loom sheds ( 3 ), and a drawing-off arrangement ( 30 ) for drawing off the woven fabric ( 4 ) formed by warp and weft threads ( 1, 2 ) after a weft thread insertion. The weaving machine encompasses a measuring arrangement ( 40 ) for detecting geometric parameters, especially the width, of a weft thread ( 2 ) before its insertion in the loom shed ( 3 ), as well as an evaluating arrangement ( 45 ) for evaluating the detected measurement results. A control arrangement ( 50 ) for controlling a motion of the woven fabric ( 4 ), including the drawing-off, based on the evaluated measurement results, is present on the weaving machine and is connected with the drawing-off arrangement ( 30 ).

1 . A weaving machine comprising:
 a shedding arrangement ( 10 ) for forming loom sheds ( 3 ) between warp threads ( 1 ) pulled off from a thread supply ( 9 ),   a weft insertion arrangement ( 20 ) for inserting weft threads ( 2 ) in the form of tapes into the formed loom sheds ( 3 ),   a drawing-off arrangement ( 30 ) for drawing-off the woven fabric ( 4 ) formed of warp and weft threads ( 1 ,  2 ) after a weft thread insertion,   a measuring arrangement ( 40 ) for detecting geometric parameters, especially the width, of a weft thread ( 2 ) before its insertion into the formed loom shed ( 3 ),   an evaluating arrangement ( 45 ) for evaluating the detected measurement results, and   a control arrangement ( 50 ) connected with the drawing-off arrangement ( 30 ) for controlling a motion of the woven fabric ( 4 ) including the drawing-off based on the evaluated measurement results.   
     
     
         2 . The weaving machine according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the measuring arrangement ( 10 ) is based on at least one of the following measuring methods:
 an optical measuring method, wherein the measuring arrangement ( 10 ) is preferably embodied in the form of an optical precision micrometer, and/or   an acoustic measuring method, especially operating by means of ultrasound, and/or   a tactile measuring method.   
     
     
         3 . The weaving machine according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the measuring arrangement ( 40 ) is embodied and configured to continuously detect the width of a weft thread ( 2 ). 
     
     
         4 . The weaving machine according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the measuring arrangement ( 40 ) is arranged in such a manner so that it is able to measure the width values of the weft thread ( 2 ) that is next to be inserted or of a weft thread ( 2 ) during its insertion, wherein the measurement can be carried out on the moving weft thread ( 2 ). 
     
     
         5 . The weaving machine according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the measuring arrangement ( 40 ) is arranged on the insertion side of the weft thread ( 2 ). 
     
     
         6 . The weaving machine according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the evaluating arrangement ( 45 ) is embodied to calculate the minimum width and/or the maximum width of a measured weft thread ( 2 ). 
     
     
         7 . The weaving machine according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the evaluating arrangement ( 45 ) is embodied to calculate a mixed value on the basis of several measured values of a weft thread ( 2 ) to be inserted or of a weft thread ( 2 ) during its insertion, especially its width average value. 
     
     
         8 . The weaving machine according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the drawing-off arrangement ( 30 ) encompasses a drivable drawing-off roll ( 32 ). 
     
     
         9 . The weaving machine according to  claim 8 , characterized in that the drawing-off arrangement ( 30 ) further encompasses an oscillatingly or swingingly drivable deflecting roll ( 34 ) that is arranged in the fabric path between the loom shed ( 3 ) and the drivable drawing-off roll ( 32 ). 
     
     
         10 . The weaving machine according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the drawing-off arrangement ( 30 ) comprises a fabric clamp ( 36 ), and in that the drawing-off arrangement ( 30 ) is actuatable in such a manner by the control arrangement ( 50 ) so that the woven fabric ( 4 ) together with the fabric clamp ( 36 ) is moved back contrary to the weaving direction by a prescribed path distance ( 38 ), which is preferably determined based on the evaluated measurement results, preferably until contacting against the previously inserted weft thread ( 2 ). 
     
     
         11 . The weaving machine according to  claim 1 , characterized in that by controlling the drawing-off arrangement ( 30 ) the woven fabric ( 4 ) can be positioned before the next weft insertion in such a manner so that the weft thread ( 2 ) is insertable according to one of the following manners:
 over its entire weft length without any gap formation with the fabric rear edge ( 5 ), or   over its entire weft length with a gap relative to the fabric rear edge ( 5 ), or   over its entire weft length while forming one or more gaps with the fabric rear edge ( 5 ), and namely with area-wise contacting on the fabric rear edge ( 5 ) and/or overlapping with the fabric rear edge ( 5 ).   
     
     
         12 . The weaving machine according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the evaluating arrangement ( 45 ) and/or the control arrangement ( 50 ) are embodied at least to stop the further weft insertion and the drawing-off arrangement ( 30 ) upon exceeding and/or falling below prescribed weft thread widths and/or to output a prescribed signal. 
     
     
         13 . The weaving machine according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the evaluating arrangement ( 45 ) is embodied to recognize faults of the weft thread ( 2 ) to be inserted, for example holes and/or splices, and to trigger a prescribed action of the weaving machine.