Photoelectric weft-bobbin feeler for looms for monitoring the yarn stock on weft bobbins

Claim 2

In the process of detecting and actuating a corrective signal in response to an approximately empty situation of a bobbin member carried by a shuttle member of a loom wherein said situation is detected by a given condition of said bobbin member being present, the improvement comprising the steps of: checking to determine if a particular condition of one of said members is present; at the same time making said check for said given condition; and initiating said corrective signal only when said conditions exist simultaneously.

Claim 3

In the process of claim 1, wherein a light beam is directed towards said bobbin member; said light beam is divided into two components; one of said components being coded in a predetermined fashion if said situation is present; and said other component being coded in another fashion in response to said particular condition being present.

Claim 4

In an apparatus for detecting and initiating a corrective signal in response to an approximately empty situation of a bobbin member carried by a shuttle member of a loom wherein a first means senses a given condition of said bobbin member as indicative of said situation to produce a first output signal, the improvement comprising: second means for checking one of said members for the existence of a particular condition at each instant and for producing a second output signal when said particular condition exists on the one member; and third means connected to the first two means to initiate said corrective signals upon the simultaneous occurrence of the first and second output signals.

Claim 5

In an apparatus for detecting and initiating a corrective signal in response to an approximately empty situation of a bobbin member carried by a shuttle member of a loom wherein a first means senses a given condition of said bobbin member as indicative of said situation to produce a first output signal, the improvement comprising: second means for checking one of said members for the existence of a particular condition at each instant and for producing a second output signal when said particular condition exists on the one member; and third means connected to the first two means to initiate said corrective signals upon the simultaneous occurrence of the first and second output signals.

Claim 6

In an apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein said first and second means include a common device for producing a single light beam directed at said members and separate respective light detectors, said conditions affecting said light beam in different ways to produce two separate reflective light responses, said detectors being positioned to receive said light responses respectively.

Claim 7

In an apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein said conditions are a single identical condition which simultaneously produces said two separate reflective light responses.

Claim 8

In an apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein said single light beam is directed at said conditions at an acute angle, said given condition reflecting said light beam to the detector of the first means, said second means including a partially reflective mirror in the path of the single light beam, said particular condition including reflective means for reflecting some light from said single beam back into its direction of incidence to said mirror and the detector of the second means, said third means including an AND-gate.

Claim 9

In an apparatus As set forth in claim 6, wherein said shuttle member has an elongated aperture through which the bobbin member is viewed by said single light beam and a reflex reflector at one side of said aperture, and the portion of said bobbin member so viewed by said light beam has light-reflecting and light-absorbing rings alternating in the fore-and-aft direction thereof.

Claim 10

In an apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein the detector of the first means produces an alternating-current-type electric signal, and said first means includes an amplifier which will amplify only alternating-current-type signals.

Claim 11

In an apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein said rings are white and black varnished rings.

Claim 12

In an apparatus as set forth in claim 3 for use with a light-reflective yarn, wherein the bobbin member has a light-absorbing surface.

Claim 13

In an apparatus as set forth in claim 3 for use with a light-absorbing yarn, wherein the bobbin member has a light-reflective surface.