Friday, May 24, 2013

Fly Shuttle - Four Boxes


Sally asked on Weavolution how a multiple box fly shuttle works.  Sometimes you just have to see it to understand.

When I added air assist a while ago, we also upgraded to four boxes instead of the original two.  Eventually I found the four boxes too heavy to comfortably shift by hand so I asked Doug to design and build an electronic assist.

However, I think you can still see how the mechanism would work by hand.

The boxes are stacked one on top of the other and by means of a cable at the top which runs over a pulley, the boxes can be moved from one position to the other.  The boxes are 'balanced' - in other words, when you move a box up on one side, the box 'elevator' on the other moves down.

Not all looms are configured in this manner.  In some looms when you shift the boxes they both rise or lower.  Some looms are meant to only have even colour pick repeats and there is just one box on one side of the loom with multiple boxes on the other.

Human beings are endlessly ingenious.  :)

Finished the Maitland book and will start the newest Kim Harrison today during clinic.  Two hours to just sit and read.  What's not to love?  ;)

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