Automatic cop exchanging apparatus for shuttle loom

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an automatic exchanging apparatus for exchanging cops in a shuttle-type loom. More particularly, the invention relates to an automatic cop exchanging apparatus for exchanging an old cop received in a shuttle with weft threads for a new cop.

In general, in a conventional loom employing shuttles, opening operations for repeatedly separating the warps into upper and lower groups are repeatedly performed, while simultaneously the shuttle incorporating therein the wefts is passed between the upper and lower warps in synchronism with the opening operation. For example, as shown in Figs. 2A and 2B, the convention shuttle 1, which has generally a boat-like shape, has a recess 1a which receives an elongated cop 2 around which the threads of the warp 4 are wound. A tong is provided in a rear portion of the recess 1a mounted so as to be rotatable through about 90° so as to be movable from a horizontal position to a vertical position. The cop 2 is received in a horizontal position within the recess 1a under the condition that the tong 3 is inserted into a hole 2a formed in the bottom of the cop 2. Then, the wefts 4 are extracted to the outside through a hole 1b formed in the front portion of the shuttle 1.

With this construction, the amount of weft 4 held within the shuttle 1 decreases as the shuttle performs its reciprocating motion. When the weft has been completely consumed, it is necessary to stop the operation of the machine. Therefore, in the conventional machine, when it is observed that the remaining amount of the weft 4 is small, the operator, who, for this purpose, must stand by the machine, must manually perform the exchange of cops. That is, the weft of the old cop, which has nearly been expended, is cut and the old cop manually removed from the shuttle 1. Then, a new cop is loaded into the shuttle 1, and the new and old threads are tied together.

Generally, therefore, it is necessary that an individual operator be assigned to each loom during its operation since the cops 2 must be replaced frequently. This of course is a major factor in the total labor costs for operating the loom. Also, since looms employing high speed shuttles are inherently very noise, the operator may fatigue easily.

Thus, it is desirable to reduce the cost of operating a loom while simultaneously improving the quality of the working environment around the loom. In the prior art, however, due to the complexities of the operations involved in handling the threads, automation of the cop-replacing operation had not been attained.

From AT-B-225 638 an automatic cop exchanging apparatus is known which exchanges an empty cop for a cop full of weft in a shuttle passing between the upper and lower warps.

The automatic cop exchanging apparatus of this reference aims to overcome the disadvantage that, when the weft yarn bobbin is to be picked-up from the storing container, the bobbin would be slanted, resulting in failure to pick-up the bobbin.

According to the automatic cop exchanging apparatus of AT-B-225 638 there is known a loom weft yarn bobbin supply apparatus having an automatic weft yarn when replacing, a storing container for the bobbins and the pick-up means, said pick-up means being characterized by comprising a pair of tongs for gripping a leg portion of the bobbin, and a rotational lever for picking-up the cop for the container.

Most specifically, the apparatus of AT-B-225 638 shows the features that the weft yarn bobbin is picked-up by the pick-up means from above the storing container in which the weft yarn bobbins are received. The bobbin is delivered to a supply path of the bobbin replacing means followed with yarn bobbin. The bobbin is gripped by the clamper of the replacing means. Under this condition, when the shuttle bobbin is empty, the bobbin gripped by the clamper is pushingly inserted into the shuttle by using a horizontally inserting hammer. Also, the yarn is drawn from the bobbin by the clamper.

Accordingly, this mechanism is composed of mechanical components such levers, gears, cams, etc.

Accordingly, is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic cop exchanging apparatus in which the replaced device serves both as a pick-up means and a replacing means which has a simple construction and provides a high reliability. This object is achieved by characterizing features of claim 1.

According to the present invention, it is possible to automatically replace the weft yarn cop, which is held in the shuttle, having a small amount of weft yarn, with a new weft yarn cop which has the same kind of yarn. The cop is held during a period from the time when the cop is gripped by the replacing device into the time when the cop is loaded on the shuttle.

The sub-claims contain preferred embodiments of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

• Fig. 1 is a diagonal view of a loom and automatic cop-replacing apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention;
• Figs. 2A and 2B are sectional views of a shuttle with a cop placed therein, of which Fig. 2A shows the vertical posture of the cop at the time of its replacement while Fig. 2B shows the state of a cop accommodated inside the shuttle;
• Fig. 3 is a front view of a cop-unloading apparatus;
• Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the same cop-unloading apparatus;
• Fig. 5 shows a front view showing relations in the arrangement of the various apparatuses, including the cop-unloading apparatus and the setting apparatus, as installed on a frame pedestal, shuttle box, and thread-tying apparatus;
• Figs. 6 through 8 illustrate a hand for the cop-unloading apparatus;
• Fig. 9 is a right side view showing important parts of this equipment;
• Fig. 10 is a right side view showing important parts of a delivery apparatus located in a position for receiving a cop;
• Fig. 11 is a right side view showing the delivery apparatus in the course of operation;
• Fig. 12 is a front view of the same delivery apparatus;
• Fig. 13 is a right side view of the setting apparatus with one part thereof cut away;
• Fig. 14 is a sectional view of the apparatus of Fig. 13 taken along a cutting line a-a;
• Fig. 15 is a plane view of the secondary shaft and the rotating arm plate for the setting apparatus;
• Fig. 16 shows a sectional view of a top portion of the setting apparatus in the proximity of a third shaft and a fourth shaft;

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A description will now be given with reference to Fig. 1 and subsequent figures of an automatic cop-replacing apparatus 10 constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

The loom L in this example is capable of performing hollow weaving of thick felt for use in paper making, with two types of weft accommodated inside of the two shuttles 1, the latter being reciprocated over a shuttle race 12 while a shuttle box 11 is moved upward and downward in synchronization with the shedding motion of the warp. A detailed description of the elements is, however, omitted here since they are essentially the same as in the conventional loom.

In this embodiment, the loom is provided with an automatic cop-replacing apparatus, which is operated for automatically replacing the cop in the shuttle 1 with the aim of achieving a higher working efficiency. A detailed description of the construction and operation of each of the component parts of the inventive automatic cop replacing apparatus will now be given with reference to the general diagonal view drawing in Fig. 1 and other drawings showing individual parts.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, the frame pedestal 13 is provided on one side of the shuttle race 12. In this figure, the position of the frame pedestal 13 is shown shifted in order to clearly illustrate the construction and positional relations of the various elements. In the actual arrangement, the front side of the frame pedestal 13 in the longitudinal direction is parallel to the shuttle race 12, as shown by an arrow (a) in the figure, and the central part of the front side of the frame pedestal 13 is in a position approximately opposite to the end part of the outer side of the shuttle box 11, as illustrated also in Fig. 5.

(A) Cop-Unloading Apparatus

On the frame pedestal 13 is installed a cop-unloading apparatus (A), which takes out the cop 2 accommodated in the prescribed position and transports the same by grasping and moving its hand in directions crossing each other at right angles.

As illustrated in Figs. 3 to 5, the frame structure 14 is installed solidly on the upper surface of the frame pedestal 13 along the longer side of the frame pedestal, this side being positioned apart from the shuttle race 12. Between the pillar members 14a of the frame structure, two guide shafts 15 are set and fixed parallel with each other. At a point midway between the two guide shafts 15, a driving screw shaft 16 is installed in parallel with the guide shafts 15 in such a manner as to permit its free rotation. One end of the screw shaft 16 is connected for interlocking motion with the motor M1 installed solidly on the outer side of one pillar member 14a. On the above-mentioned guide shaft 15 is provided an X slider 17 mounted in such a manner as to permit its free sliding motion, with the screw shaft 16 meshing with the nut part 17a fixed in the center of the X slider 17. Therefore, the apparatus is constructed so that the X slider 17 moves freely in the X direction along the guide shaft 15 when the motor M1 is rotating.

Between the pillar members 14a of the frame structure 14 mentioned above, a beam member 18 is arranged fixed in the horizontal direction at a position lower than the above-mentioned guide shaft 15. This beam member 18 is made of a channel bar with the channel facing upward. In the channel is provided a cable holder 17b for protecting the cable led out of the X slider 17. In the same channel, a plural number of positioning members 19 are provided at predetermined intervals, as illustrated in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4. Also, on the lower end surface of the X slider 17, a proximity switch 20 is provided facing each positioning member 19. Thus, when the X slider 17 is to be moved, it is possible to move the X slider 17 through the prescribed length in the X direction by the use of a detection signal which the proximity switch 20 generates for each positioning member 19. Furthermore, limit switches LS1, LS2 are respectively provided on both ends of the beam member 18, these switches establishing the range of movement of the X slider 17 in the X direction.

On the above-mentioned X slider 17, two guide shafts 21 have their respective one ends set solidly in parallel to each other in the direction where they cross the above-mentioned two guide shafts 15 and the screw shaft 16 at right angles. On the other ends of the two guide shafts 21 is fixed a supporting plate 22 having a longer vertical side, and a roller 22a is set in such a way as to permit its free rolling motion on the rail member 23 provided on the frame pedestal 13 so that the roller is parallel to the frame structure 14.

At a point midway between the two guide shafts 21 mentioned above, a drive shaft 24 is provided in parallel with the guide shafts 21. The two ends of the drive shaft 24 are supported with bearings provided on the above-mentioned X slider 17 and supporting plate 22. One end of the drive shaft on the X slider 17 side projects into the area outside the X slider 17. This protruding end of the drive shaft has a pulley 25 fixed thereon, the pulley being connected with a belt 27 for interlocking motion with the output pulley 26 of the motor M2. On the above-mentioned guide shaft 21 is provided a Y-slider 28 mounted in such a way as to permit its free sliding motion. The drive shaft 24 is meshed with a nut part 28a set securely in the center of the Y slider 28. Therefore, when the drive shaft 24 is rotated by the motor M2, the Y slider 28 can move along the two guide shafts 21 in the Y direction, which crosses at right angles with the X direction, i.e., the moving direction of the X slider 17 mentioned above. As shown in Fig. 4, a connecting plate 29 is provided across and fixed between the lower end part of the supporting plate 22 and the lower end of the X slider 17 mentioned above. On the connecting plate 29 are provided a plural number of positioning members 30 at prescribed intervals. Furthermore, a proximity switch 31 is provided on the lower end surface of the Y slider 28 mounted at a point opposite the positioning members 30. It is possible to move the Y slider 28 by a prescribed length in the Y direction, using the detection signals which the proximity switch 31 generates in response to the individual positioning members 30. Also, limit switches 3LS and 4LS are provided on the ends of the connecting plate 29, these limit switches establishing the range of movement of the Y slider 28 in the Y direction.

The Y slider 28 is provided with a grasping device or the like for taking up the cop 2 and moving it upward or downward in the perpendicular direction. As shown in an enlarged view in Figs. 6 to 8, the Y slider 28 is fitted with the barrel of the cylinder CY1 set in the vertical upsidedown position by way of a mounting jig. At the top end (i.e., the lower end) of the rod of the cylinder CY1 is fixed a mounting plate 32 bent in an "L" shape in the downward direction. On the lower portion of the mounting plate 32 is provided a driving source 33, the lower end of which is fitted with a hand HA1 for gripping and holding the head part of the cop 2. This hand HA1 is provided with another hand HA2 by way of a pair of bars 34 so that the hand HA2 can grip and hold the rubber cap fixed at the top part of the cop 2 while holding the end part of the thread.

As illustrated in Figs. 3 to 5, an area on the upper area of the frame pedestal 13 between the frame structure 14 and the rail member 23 is designed so as to accept the installation of containers 35 which accommodate many pieces of the cop 2. The positions for the installation of the individual containers 35 in relation to the apparatus for taking out the cop 2 are determined by the positioning plate 13a, etc., provided on the frame pedestal 13. Many short bars are hung in a matrix state on the inside bottom area of each container 35 in such a way that the intervals thereof are equal to the intervals of the arrangement of the above-mentioned positioning members 19, 30, with respect to each of the X direction and the Y direction, each of said short bars 35a being inserted in a respective hole 2a in the bottom part of the cop 2, thereby holding each cop 2 in its prescribed position. In this embodiment, the hand HA1 provided on the Y slider 28 will be set directly above the cop 2, located in a position corresponding to the desired position mentioned above, when the X slider 17 and the Y slider 28 are set in their desired positions by means of the two positioning members 19, 30 and the proximity switches 20, 31. In this embodiment, moreover, different kinds of weft may be put respectively in the two shuttles, and the two containers 35 are designed so as to be capable of accommodating differentiated cops 2 with respectively different types of thread wound therearound.

With the cop-taking apparatus (A) arranged as described above, it is possible to move the hands HA1 and HA2 to the desired positions by moving the X and Y sliders 17, 28 by the driving of the two motors M1, M2 utilizing the signals from the two proximity switches 20, 31. Furthermore, it is possible to grasp and take up the head part of the desired cop 2 and to transport it for the subsequent process.

(B) Delivery Apparatus

This apparatus, provided in a position on the frame pedestal 13 between the cop-taking apparatus (A) described above and the cop-setting position to be described in (C), receives the cop 2 by grasping its bottom part as the cop 2 is brought to it, being transported with its head part grasped by the cop-taking apparatus (A), and then delivers the cop to the cop-setting apparatus (C) in the subsequent process.

As shown in Fig. 9, the barrel of the cylinder CY2 is fixed on the frame pedestal 13, with the top of the rod being directed towards a diagonally upper point. As illustrated in Figs. 10 to 12, the base part member 36 is fixed at the top of the rod for the cylinder CY2. A plate piece part 36a of this base part member 36 is provided with an oscillating member 38 by way of the shaft member 37, and a hand HA3 is provided at the forward end of the oscillating member 38. A plate member 38a approximately triangular in shape is provided on the side of the oscillating member 38, and the other end of the spring 39, one end of which is attached to the protrusion on the inner side of the plate member 38a, is attached to the mounting piece 36b provided on the side of the plate member 38a of the base part member 36. On the upper part of the forward end of the plate piece part 36a for the base part member 36 is provided a stopper 36c having a protrusion extending towards the side of the oscillating member 38. Consequently,in a state such as that in Fig. 11 where the rod of the cylinder CY2 remains extended, the oscillating member 38 is constructed so as to be moved upward by the force of the spring 39, coming into contact with the stopper 36c, and the hand HA3 is turned in the same direction as the rod for the cylinder CY2. Also, the upper-side mounting jig 40, securing the cylinder CY2 on the frame pedestal 13, has an arm-shaped plate body 40a fixed thereon. The forward end of the plate body is provided with a cam follower 40b, which contacts the periphery of the above-mentioned plate member 38a and which is installed in such a manner as to permit its free rotating motion. Accordingly, the plate member 38a comes into contact with the cam follower 40b as the rod of the cylinder CY2 is drawn into the cylinder, and performs a rotating movement in the direction in which it stretches the spring 39. It is constructed so that the oscillating member 38 and the hand HA3 move downward together with the plate member 38a in their rotational movement centering around the shaft member 37, the hand HA3 assuming a horizontal position as shown in Fig. 10 when the rod is completely drawn into the cylinder. Moreover, Fig. 41 shows an apparatus for holding down the end of the weft lest it should come apart when the hand grasps the cop.

With the delivery apparatus (B) having the construction as described hereinabove, it is possible to receive the cop 2 from the above-discussed cop-taking apparatus (A) in the position where the hand HA3 assumes its horizontal posture with the rod being drawn into the cylinder, as shown in Fig. 9, and to deliver the cop 2 to the setting position (C) (to be described later in detail) in the upper position to which the rod is extended (as shown by a dotted line).

(C) Cop-Setting Apparatus

As illustrated in Fig. 5, a setting apparatus for the cop 2 (C) is installed on the frame pedestal 13 adjacent the cop-taking apparatus (A) As Figs. 13 and 14 indicate, the primary driving shaft 43 (hereinafter referred to as the primary shaft 43) is held by a pair of bearings 42a in such a way as to permit its free rotational motion on the mounting frame 42 installed rigidly on the frame pedestal 13. One end of the primary shaft 43 protrudes into the outer area, penetrating through one of the bearings, i.e., bearing 42a. The motor M3 is installed on the frame pedestal 13 via another mounting frame 44 in a position adjacent that of the mounting frame 42. One end of the primary shaft 43 is connected for interlocking operation with the output shaft of the motor M3 by way of a joint. A base plate 46 rectangular in shape is solidly fixed via a bracket 45 to the primary shaft 43. The lower forward part and lower rear part of the base plate 46 are respectively provided with a stopper member 46a. Moreover, the mounting frame 42 mentioned above is provided with shock absorbers 47 arranged in such a way that they severally come into contact with the respective two stopper members 46a. Therefore, the base plate 46 and the members installed on the base plate 46 are constructed so that they can perform their oscillating motion within the prescribed angle range, moving around the primary shaft 43.

On the above-mentioned base plate 46 are fixed a pair of supporting blocks 48 each having a bearing. On the bearings of the supporting blocks 48, a second driving shaft 49 (hereinafter referred to as the second shaft 49) is installed in such a way as to permit its free rotational motion, the second shaft 49 being set so as to cross the above-mentioned primary shaft 43 at a right angle. The rear end of the second shaft 49 is connected for interlocking operation via a joint with the output shaft of the rotary actuator 50 installed solidly on the base plate 46 by way of the bracket 50a. The rear end of the rotary actuator 50 is provided with a proximity switch for detecting the rotational angle of the second shaft 49 and a stopper, etc., for setting the range of the rotational movement of the secondary shaft 49.

As shown in Fig. 9, the second shaft 49 is designed so that it has a length sufficient for it to reach the position where the cop 2 is to be replaced on the shuttle race 12 of the loom. A housing approximately in a box shape is fixed at the forward end of the secondary shaft 49. As illustrated in Fig. 16, a shaft case 52 in a cylindrical shape is fixed on the outer wall of the housing 51 in such a manner that the secondary shaft 49 and the shaft line cross each other at a right angle. In the inside of the shaft case 52 is provided a third driving shaft 53 (hereinafter referred to as the third shaft 53) mounted by way of a pair of bearings in such a way as to permit its free rotational motion and also to prevent movement of the shaft in the axial direction. The third shaft 53 is cylindrical in shape. A boss 53a with spline thread provided on its inner circumference is inserted and fixed in the opening in the upper end of the shaft. This boss has a spline shaft 54, which serves as a fourth driving shaft (hereinafter referred to as the fourth shaft 54), inserted in it in the axial direction in such a manner as to permit its free sliding motion.

As shown in Fig. 15 and Fig. 16, a revolving arm plate 55 in the shape of a windmill with three arms 55a is mounted via a bush 56, etc., at the top of the fourth shaft 54. The revolving arm plate 55 is arranged within a plane perpendicular to the axial line of the third shaft 53 and the fourth shaft 54. On the forward end of each of the arms 55a is provided a hand HA4 constructed in such a way that it is capable of grasping the cop 2 in a posture parallel to the third shaft 53 and the fourth shaft 54. The housing 51 has a servomotor 4M mounted on its lower surface on the side opposite to the shaft case 52. The output shaft of the motor M4 is connected with the third shaft 53 by way of a joint. Therefore, by rotating the third shaft 53 and the fourth shaft, which is inserted into and connected with the third shaft 53 via a spline, it is possible to rotate the rotating arm plate 55 and each hand HA4 through a desired rotating angle. A cylinder CY3 is installed solidly on the circumferential wall of the shaft case 52 in parallel with the third shaft 53 and the fourth shaft 54. On the forward end of the rod in the cylinder CY3 is mounted a working plate 57. The forward end of the working plate 57 is fitted, in such a way as to permit its free sliding motion, into the outer circumferential channel 56a of the mounting bush 56 provided at the top of the fourth shaft 54. Accordingly, by extending or retracting the rod by the action of the cylinder CY3, it is possible to slide the fourth shaft 54 and the rotating plate arm 55 having the hand HA4 along the axial line of the shaft.

The setting apparatus (C) of this embodiment is capable of handling the cop 2 with a high degree of smoothness owing to the fact that the apparatus is equipped with proximity switches, limit switches, etc., at all important points of the various driving parts thereof, with the operating range, stopping positions, etc., for the entire apparatus being thereby determined accurately.

With the cop-setting apparatus (C) having a construction as described hereinabove, it is possible to perform such tasks as receiving the cop 2 from the above-described delivery apparatus (B) in the upper position (indicated by the imaginary line in Fig. 9) and setting a new cop 2 in the shuttle 1 in the lower position (indicated by the solid line in the same figure), or grasping and taking out the old cop.

Moreover, as shown in Fig. 1, a funnel-shaped cop chute 58 is provided at a point adjacent the setting position mentioned above, constructed so that it is possible to discard the old cop 2 taken out from the inside of the shuttle 1 by means of the setting apparatus (C).

Next, a description will be given with regard to the working of the replacing apparatus 10.

First, the cop 2 is taken out of the container 35 by means of the cop-taking apparatus (A). For this purpose, the X and Y sliders 17, 28 are moved along the guide shafts 15, 21, respectively, by the driving of the two motors M1, M2, and the X slider 17 and the Y slider 28 are brought to a stop in the desired positions on the basis of the detection signals which the two proximity switches 20, 31 generate for the two positioning members 19, 30. Next, the cylinder CY1 is put into operation, and the hand HA1 is moved downward and operated so as to get hold of the head part of the cop 2 located in the desired position. Then, with the cylinder CY1 and the motors M1, M2 actuated for operation, the cop 2 is transported to the delivery apparatus (B).

The delivery apparatus (B) receives the cop 2 from the cop-taking apparatus (A) (in the position represented by a solid line in Fig. 9). When the hand HA3 of the delivery apparatus (B) in the horizontal state as represented in Fig. 10 has grasped the bottom of the cop 2, the above-mentioned cop-taking apparatus (A) first removes the rubber cap from the cop 2 using the hand HA2. Thereafter, the cylinder CY2 of the delivery apparatus (B) goes into action, extending its rod. The oscillating member 38 and the hand HA3, which are placed on the top of the rod, move upward in rotational motion centered around the shaft member 37, the hand HA3 moving upward (in a diagonally upward direction) in a rectangular posture with the cop 2 held in grip. The delivery apparatus (B) hands over the cop 2 to the hand HA4 installed on the rotating arm plate 55 of the setting apparatus (C) placed in an upper position. In this embodiment, two kinds of cops 2 can be replaced with different kinds of wefts thereon. Two out of the three hands HA4 for the setting apparatus (C) should respectively grasp different kinds of cops 2 while the remaining hand HA4 should be employed of handling the existing cop 2.

When the weft 4 remaining in the shuttle 1 has been reduced to a small amount, the loom is automatically brought to a stop at the moment when the shuttle 1 has entered the inside of the shuttle box 11 after passing the shuttle race 12. First the shuttle draw-out apparatus goes into operation and draws out the shuttle 1 from the shuttle box 11 onto the shuttle race 12. Then the cylinder CY6 operates, and thereupon the hold-down plate 68 moves downward, fixing the weft 70 located on the side of the woven fabric. Also, approximately at the same time as this operation, the thread draw-out apparatus (E) goes into action, drawing out the weft towards the side in a triangular shape by means of the thread guide (E2) and the hold-down plate 68. In order to disperse the knots as discussed above, the apparatus hands over the weft to the reel apparatus (F), making an adjustment of the weft 70 by winding the existing warp by an appropriate number of times.

Then, the cop-setting apparatus (C) goes into operation. First, the motor M3 operates and moves the primary shaft 43 downward, into the state shown in Fig. 9. Then, the rotary actuator 50 operates, rotating the secondary shaft 49. That is, the secondary shaft is rotated in such a way that the rotating arm plate 55, as seen in Fig. 9, oscillates by 90° towards the side shown in the drawing, and, after this operation, the rotating arm plate 55 will be in a state where it is rectangular with respect to the horizontal plane. In this state, the hand HA4 on which the rotating arm plate 55 is located has come to a position where it is to hold in grip the head part of the existing cop 2 laid down inside the shuttle 1 (not specifically shown in the drawings). It is possible to place the existing cop 2 inside the shuttle 1 in its upright position as shown in Fig. 2A by putting the hand HA4 into operation so that it grasps the existing cop 2, and operating the rotary actuator 50 to turn by 90° in the direction reverse to that in the earlier operation while the hand holds the existing cop 2 in grip. In this case, an attempt at raising the existing cop 2 to its upright position by oscillating the hand HA4 in the upward direction would also cause the shuttle 1 to rise from the shuttle race 12 because the existing cop 2 is placed on the tong 3 located in the rear part of the shuttle 1. Therefore, the shuttle hold-down apparatus (G) is put into operation approximately at the same time as this action and the part of the shuttle 1 in the proximity of its top is pressed down between the rod of the cylinder CY7 and the shuttle race 12 to keep the part secured there. In this regard, when the existing cop 2 is placed in an upright posture inside the shuttle 1, the existing thread 70b extends in a diagonal direction under tension between the existing cop 2 and the shuttle 1 (not illustrated in the figure).

Then, the existing thread drawing apparatus, which is a thread-processing apparatus, goes into action. First, the cylinder CY10 operates, and the two arms move downward. Then, the oscillating arm rotates, and the two arms hold the existing thread 70b in grip. With the drawing action by the cylinder CY10, the two arms move upward with the existing thread 70b held thereon, entering, together with the existing thread 70b, into the interior of the suction pipe via the notched channel. The cop guide (H1) (shown in Fig. 1) effects an opening action of the hold-down plates 91, which have been holding down the existing cop 2, and pulls the existing thread 70b in the horizontal direction by means of the thread guide 92, as illustrated in Fig. 2A. The existing thread 70b so pulled comes into contact with a heat cutter 93 and is fused and cut off thereon by heat. The end portion of the existing thread 70b, which has been cut off from the existing cop 2, is sucked into the inside of the suction pipe and held in a perpendicular state by suction.

Then, the setting apparatus (C) is again operated. As mentioned above, the setting apparatus (C) at this time assumes a posture approximately as shown by the solid line in Fig. 9, and it is also in a state where it holds in grip the head part of the existing cop 2 in a perpendicular state as mounted on the shuttle 1. The cylinder CY3 is put into operation, and the fourth shaft 54 is thereby driven in the upward direction by which the rotating arm plate 55 and the hand HA4 are moved upward in the direction indicated by the arrow (d) in Fig. 13. Since the existing cop 2, which is held in grip by the hand HA4, has been brought upward, the existing cop 2 is pulled out from the tong 3 in the shuttle 1. Next, the servomotor M4 is put into motion, by which the third shaft 53 is rotated, which shaft thus causes the rotating arm plate 55 to rotate. The direction of rotation at this stage is selected depending on the point which of the new cops 2 held in grip by the hand HA4 is to be set inside the shuttle 1. The angle of rotation is approximately 120°. Specifically, the existing cop 2 is taken away from the tong 3 on the shuttle 1 and a new cop 2 is set on top of the tong 3. Then, the cylinder CY3 retracts its rod and puts a new cop 2 onto the top 3 of the shuttle 1. The hand HA4, which has held the new cop 2 in grip, opens, and, with a small amount of rotation of the servomotor M4, the hand HA4 retreats from the vicinity of the head part of the new cop 2.

When it is detected by a sensor (not shown) that the end part of the new thread 70a has been sucked into the barrel by an appropriate length, the servomotor M4 for the setting apparatus (C) is driven to rotate the rotating arm plate 55, the hand HA4 thereby holding down the new cop 2 by the head, preventing any excessive sucking of the thread. At the same time, the cylinder CY9 for the thread handling apparatus (G2) is operated, and the thread handling rod 84 thrusts the end parts of the new and existing threads 70a, 70b in the direction of the thread-tying apparatus (J). At the same time, the cylinder 13 operates, and the entirety of the thread-tying apparatus (J) is slid downward to a point below the new thread drawing apparatus (I). The end parts of both new and existing threads 70a, 70b are led from the upper and lower inlet sections for the thread-tying apparatus (J) into the upper and lower guide channels.

Then, an operation is carried out making a "single bundle knot" of both threads, i.e., the new thread and the existing thread, with the thread-tying apparatus.

After the two threads, i.e., the new one and the existing one, are connected with each other, the setting apparatus (C) goes into operation again. The rotating arm plate 55 is rotated by approximately 90° by driving the rotary actuator 50, so that the plate becomes perpendicular to the plane. In specific terms, the new cop 2 is laid down together with the tong 3, and the new cop 2 is thereby set inside the shuttle 1.

The tied portions of both the new thread and the existing thread 70a, 70b from the top of the new cop 2 to the hole 1b in the forward part of the shuttle 1 are unnecessarily long after the thread-tying operation, and these free-play portions are liable to be caught on various structures. Therefore, approximately at the same time as the operation for laying down the new cop 2, the reel apparatus (F) is operated again, by which the weft is wound up. When the new cop 2 is set inside the shuttle 1 and the free play of the warp 70 is eliminated by the thread-winding operation with the reel apparatus (F), the cylinder CY8, operating as the cop hold-down apparatus (G1), is put into operation. Specifically, the new cop 2 is charged positively into the inside of the shuttle 1 by thrusting the head part of the new cop 2 downward by means of the top part of the rod and also the presence itself of the new cop 2 is checked by means of a reed sensor (not shown).

Next, the reel apparatus (F) is again operated. When the weft 70 is wound by the reel apparatus (F) around the circumferential channel part on the reel, the knots of the threads come into the back side of the shuttle 1, passing through the hole 1b in the shuttle 1 because the woven fabric side of the weft is fixed with the pressing plate 68. Tension in excess of what is needed may be exerted on the knot of the thread when the knot passes through the hole 1b while the loom is being operated, and it is conceivable that the thread may be broken, depending on circumstances. Therefore, it is extremely effective, for preventing the work in progress from being interrupted, to pull the knot out behind the shuttle 1 in advance by means of the reel apparatus (F), as in the above-described case. As mentioned also under (F), moreover, it is possible to disperse the positions of the knots to different points on the woven fabric by having the reel apparatus (F) take up the existing weft 70 by an adequate amount prior to the replacement of the cop 2, making it possible to eliminate inconsistencies in the properties of the woven fabric (for example, water permeability) from one point to another. Then, the motor for the reel apparatus (F) is rotated in reverse by one revolution, by which the hook part at the forward end of the hooking apparatus, set so as to permit its free rotational motion, is moved away from the outer circumference of the reel to the inner area thereof, and also the shuttle 1 is thrusted into the inside of the shuttle box 11 by means of the shuttle drawing apparatus (D). The shuttle drawing apparatus (D) is swung and moved away in the upward direction to prevent the apparatus from interfering with the shuttle 1 in its flight. Additionally, the hand HA5 for the above-mentioned thread-drawing apparatus (E) is released.

After the replacement of the existing cop with a new cop is completed in the manner described hereinabove, the loom can be put into operation again.

As described above, the system in this embodiment is capable of selectively taking out a desired kind of cop stored in a prescribed position by handling it with the cop-unloading apparatus, and charging the new cop into the inside of the shuttle by means of the setting apparatus (C), which works independently in four directions, or taking out an existing cop from the shuttle. The system is also designed in such a way that the new and existing thread drawing apparatuses (H), (I) process the two threads, i.e., the new thread and the existing one, which are slender and hard to keep in shape, and in such a way that the thread-tying apparatus (J) equipped with various claw devices operated by means of cylinders can tie together the new and existing threads. Since it is possible to disperse the knots of the weft to different points by means of the reel apparatus (F), this system offers extremely great advantages in the weaving of special-purpose textiles by the hollow weave process.

As mentioned earlier, the replacing apparatus 10 is equipped with a large number of limit switches and sensors, etc., for the purpose of setting the working ranges of various members and apparatuses and detecting the amounts of work done or the positions of the various members, apparatuses, etc. Furthermore, the replacing apparatus and the loom may be provided with many detecting devices, such as limit switches, proximity switches, and sensors, other than those explicitly mentioned in the above description, in order that operating conditions may be monitored to detect troubles and failures. The replacing apparatus and the loom are designed to utilize signals generated by theses detecting devices and to carry out the above-described operations under control and supervision performed by the controlling and supervising system, which is an essential part of this embodiment and which will be described in more detail below. Thus, the system, which is a complex arrangement of a large number of equipment groups, is capable of smoothly operating the replacing apparatus and the loom, which handle various operations as an integrated system. With the replacing apparatus 10 attached to the loom in the described manner, it is possible to accomplish automation of the cop-replacing work, which could only be done manually in the past, above all, the cop-replacing work in a hollow weaving process in which continuous wefts formed by the tying of threads are woven into fabric.