Sliding-Tongue Gripper Structure for Low-Wear Weaving Clamping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Grippers for Axminster weaving machines face high maintenance costs due to wear and tear in hinge joints and are less effective in aligning clamping parts compared to guiding tongues and recesses.
Innovation Solution
A gripper with two interconnected clamping parts using sliding guiding tongues and recesses, interconnected by an intermediate resilient element made of hardened and tempered spring steel, ensuring proper alignment and reduced wear, with staggered design and teeth for secure clamping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hinge joints are used to connect clamping parts, then the clamping parts can move relative to each other, but the hinge joints are subject to wear and tear resulting in high maintenance costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the hinge joint from the system entirely and replaces it with a resilient strip that provides the necessary movement and alignment functions without the wear-prone hinged connection, thereby eliminating maintenance costs associated with hinge wear
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state of the connecting element from a rigid hinged joint to a resilient strip with elastic properties, allowing the clamping parts to move relative to each other through elastic deformation rather than mechanical hinging, thus avoiding wear
2Manufacturing precision
If staggered projections are used to align clamping parts, then alignment is provided, but the projections are less suitable for aligning the clamping parts compared to guiding tongues and recesses
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using protruding projections to force alignment, the patent uses recesses in one clamping part that receive tongues from the other clamping part, inverting the traditional approach and providing superior alignment through the guiding action of tongues within recesses
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a low-maintenance gripper with improved alignment and secure clamping, reducing wear and maintenance costs while ensuring consistent performance in Axminster weaving machines.
Implementation Method 1
interconnected by means of at least one intermediate resilient element
Implementation Method 2
made of hardened and tempered spring steel
Implementation Method 3
made of hardened and tempered spring steel
Implementation Method 4
guiding recesses receive the guiding tongues for sliding movement therein
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention relates to a gripper (1) for a gripper weaving machine and a method for manufacturing such a gripper (1), the gripper (1) being made of one piece, comprising two clamping parts (2, 3) interconnected by means of an intermediate resilient element (11) and movable with respect to one another for clamping, the first clamping part (2) comprising two guiding recesses (4, 5) and the second clamping part (3) comprising corresponding guiding tongues (6, 7) protruding towards the first clamping part (2), the guiding recesses (4, 5) and guiding tongues (6, 7) being positioned such that the guiding recesses (4, 5) receive the guiding tongues (6, 7) for sliding movement therein when the clamping parts (2, 3) move with respect to one another.