Weaving machine with lubricating systems.
The invention concerns a weaving machine comprising a first
lubricating system, wherein the first lubricating system supplies a
first lubricating fluid to elements of a first machine device. The
invention also concerns a method for lubricating such a weaving
machine.
A known lubricating system for a weaving machine comprises
an oil pump and oil ducts to guide lubricating oil along elements in
order to lubricate these elements. By guiding lubricating oil along
the elements, the elements are lubricated and heat is exchanged
between the elements and the lubricating oil.
A lubricating system is described in EP 1 613 799 Bl, wherein
lubricating oil is guided by means of an oil pump to elements of the
shed forming device to be lubricated. Herein this lubricating system
serves to lubricate the drive mechanism for the weaving frames and
serves to lubricate a transmission mechanism that is formed by
levers, which transmission mechanism is arranged between the drive
mechanism and the weaving frames. The lubricating oil of the
lubricating system is also used for cooling the drive motor of the
shed forming device.
A lubricating system for a weaving machine is described in
US 4,444,292, wherein a heat exchanger is provided to cool the
lubricating oil. A lubricating oil has a certain viscosity and provides a
most efficient lubrication at a certain temperature. At excessive
temperatures of the lubricating oil, the live time and the lubricating
properties of the lubricating oil decrease considerably. The
lubricating system also comprises filters and valves.
A lubricating system for a weaving machine is described in
JP 10-251943 A, wherein an oil reservoir and an oil pump for
lubricating oil are provided. The oil pump is used to supply the
lubricating oil from the oil reservoir via a distribution tube to a drive
of a shed forming device, a drive of the weaving machine as well as
a drive of a sley. A similar lubricating system for a weaving machine
is described in JP 2004-100095 A, wherein an oil reservoir for
lubricating oil is cooled.
It is an object of the invention to improve in a weaving
machine the lubricating of elements and the exchange of heat
between these elements and a lubricating fluid .
The object of the invention is solved by providing a second
lubricating system for supplying a second lubricating fluid to
elements of a second machine device, and a device arranged to
exchange heat between the first lubricating fluid and the second
lubricating fluid.
The invention is based on the consideration that elements of
different machine devices of a weaving machine, more particularly
elements of a shed forming device and elements of a beat-up device
dissipate energy in a different way, for example due to friction
losses, resulting in different temperatures of the accompanying
lubricating fluid. According to the invention, at least two distinct
lubricating systems are provided. According to the invention, distinct
lubricating systems are defined as lubricating systems with own
open or closed circulation circuits for lubricating fluid, wherein a flow
of the lubricating fluid in a first circulation circuit is different of the
flow of the lubricating fluid in a second circulation circuit. I n
preferred embodiments, a heat transfer between lubricating fluids of
the lubricating systems does not include a mass transfer of
lubricating fluid between the lubricating systems.
I n an embodiment, different types of lubricating fluids, more
particularly lubricating oils, are used as first and second lubricating
fluid, wherein each lubricating fluid is chosen according to the
prevailing conditions of the respective lubricating system. I n other
embodiments, the same type of lubricating fluid is used in both
lubricating systems. When providing two lubricating systems, the
temperature of the lubricating fluid of the first lubricating system
that lubricates in one embodiment elements of the shed forming
device is normally different from the temperature of the lubricating
fluid of the second lubricating system that lubricates in one
embodiment elements of the beat-up device. Usually, the
temperature of the lubricating fluid of the first lubricating system is
dependent from the binding that is woven and is, for example,
between 80°C and 100°C, while the temperature of the lubricating
fluid of the second lubricating system is, for example, about 50°C.
Due to this difference in temperature, in some embodiments
different types of lubricating fluids are used for the first lubricating
system and the second lubricating system. I n order to avoid that the
temperature in the lubricating fluid for the shed forming device
becomes too high, it is known to limit the rotational speed of the
weaving machine, this means the number of beaten up weft threads
per time unit is limited. The invention offers the advantage that the
temperature of the lubricating fluid of the first lubricating system
can be decreased by transferring heat to the lubricating fluid of the
second lubricating system. Therefore, in comparison with known
weaving machines, the invention allows for a certain binding that is
woven to increase the rotational speed of the weaving machine.
According to the invention, the temperature of the lubricating fluid of
the first lubricating system can be, for example, between 60°C and
70°C dependent on the binding that is woven, while the temperature
of the lubricating fluid of the second lubricating system can be, for
example, about 55°C. Due to the more even temperatures, in some
embodiments, the same type of lubricating fluid is used in both
lubricating systems.
According to an embodiment, the first machine device and/or
the second machine device are selected from a group comprising a
shed forming device, a beat-up device, a warp beam device, a cloth
beam device and/or a selvage tucking-in device. I n an embodiment,
the weaving machine comprises more than two lubricating systems.
I n other embodiments, several machine devices are arranged in a
common lubricating system. I n an embodiment, a first lubricating
system is provided for elements of a shed forming device and a
second lubricating system is provided for elements of at least a
beat-up device. I n an embodiment a second lubricating system is
provided for elements of at least two machine devices from a group
comprising a beat-up device, a warp beam device, a cloth beam
device and/or a selvage tucking-in device.
According to a preferred embodiment, the device arranged to
exchange heat between the lubricating fluid of the first lubricating
system and the lubricating fluid of the second lubricating system
comprises a heat exchanger with a partition that is arranged
between the lubricating fluid of the first lubricating system and the
lubricating fluid of the second lubricating system. Due to the
partition, heat can be exchanged between the lubricating fluid of the
first lubricating system and the lubricating fluid of the second
lubricating system, while the lubricating fluid of the first lubricating
system and the lubricating fluid of the second lubricating system
remain separated from each other. This allows to use two different
types of lubricating fluids, more particularly lubricating oils. The
different lubricating fluids, for example, can not only differ in
viscosity and composition, but can also differ in purity, more
particularly concerning the presence of an amount of impurities in
the lubricating oil, for example the presence of weaving dust.
According to an embodiment, the heat exchanger comprises a
first inlet and a first outlet for the first lubricating fluid of the first
lubricating system, a second inlet and a second outlet for the second
lubricating fluid of the second lubricating system, and a partition
that is arranged between the first lubricating fluid of the first
lubricating system and the second lubricating fluid of the second
lubricating system. According to an embodiment, the heat exchanger
is used as a so called counter-flow heat exchanger.
According to an embodiment, the weaving machine also
comprises a cooling system that is arranged to cool the lubricating
fluid of at least one of the first and the second lubricating system.
The cooling system can comprise a cooling fluid, for example water
to cool the lubricating fluid. Preferably, the cooling system is
arranged to cool the lubricating fluid of the first lubricating system.
This allows further cooling of the lubricating fluid if the exchange of
heat between the lubricating fluid of the first lubricating system and
the lubricating fluid of the second lubricating system is insufficient to
limit the temperature of the lubricating fluid of at least one of the
lubricating systems.
According to an embodiment, the weaving machine also
comprises a heat source that allows to heat lubricating fluid of at
least one of the first and the second lubricating system, for example
the lubricating fluid of the second lubricating system. This allows to
obtain in short time a desired operating temperature of the
lubricating fluid after a start of the weaving machine.
According to an embodiment, the device arranged to exchange
heat between a first lubricating fluid and a second lubricating fluid is
further arranged to supply at least partly a first lubricating fluid of
the first lubricating system to the second lubricating system and/or
to at least partly supply the second lubricating fluid of the second
lubricating system to the first lubricating system. I n this
embodiment, the same type of lubricating fluid is used in both
lubricating systems.
According to an embodiment the first lubricating system
comprises a first pump for lubricating fluid and the second
lubricating system comprises a second pump for lubricating fluid,
wherein the first pump and the second pump are driven by a same
drive motor. According to an embodiment, the drive motor is a
controllable drive motor, for example a drive motor the speed of
which can be controlled by a control unit. This allows a compact
construction of the lubricating systems.
The object of the invention is also solved by a method using a
weaving machine having at least two lubricating systems, wherein
the method comprises exchanging heat between a lubricating fluid of
a first lubricating system and a lubricating fluid of a second
lubricating system.
I n what follows, embodiments of the invention are explained in
more detail using following schematic drawings, wherein through
these drawings the same or similar parts are indicated with the
same reference numbers.
Fig . 1 shows schematically a perspective drawing of a weaving
machine according to the invention.
Fig . 2 shows a weaving machine according to Fig. 1 wherein a
shed forming device, a beat-up device and lubricating
systems are schematically represented .
Fig . 3 shows a variant of Fig. 2.
Fig . 4 shows another variant of Fig . 2.
Fig . 5 shows another variant of Fig . 2.
Fig. 1 and 2 show schematically a weaving machine with a
shed forming device 1, a beat-up device 2, a warp beam device 3, a
cloth beam device 4 and selvage tucking-in devices 5. The weaving
machine comprises a first lubricating system 6 that supplies a first
lubricating fluid 7 to elements 44 of a first machine device 8 that
comprises the shed forming device 1. The weaving machine also
comprises a second lubricating system 9 that supplies a second
lubricating fluid 10 to elements 45 of a second machine device 11
that comprises the beat-up device 2, the warp beam device 3, the
cloth beam device 4 and the selvage tucking-in devices 5. The shed
forming device 1 can be a dobby, a cam box, an eccentric system as
well as a jacquard device. As lubricating fluid 7, 10 a lubricating oil
having a suitable viscosity is used .
The first lubricating system 6 comprises a pump 12 for the
lubricating fluid 7, ducts 13 to guide lubricating fluid 7 to and from
the machine device 8, a reservoir 14 for lubricating fluid 7, a filter
15 for the lubricating fluid 7, a valve 16 to be able to guide
lubricating fluid 7 to the elements 44 of the machine device 8 to be
lubricated at certain moments and a sensor 17 to measure the
temperature of the lubricating fluid 7.
The second lubricating system 9 comprises a pump 18 for the
lubricating fluid 10, ducts 19 to guide lubricating fluid 10 to and from
the machine device 11, a reservoir 20 for lubricating fluid 10, a filter
21 for lubricating fluid 10, valves 22 to be able to guide lubricating
fluid 10 to the elements 45 of the machine device 11 to be lubricated
at certain moments and a sensor 23 to measure the temperature of
the lubricating fluid 10.
According to the invention the weaving machine comprises a
device 24 arranged to exchange heat between the first lubricating
fluid 7 and the second lubricating fluid 10. With heat is meant in the
context of the description of the invention energy in the form of
heat. The device 24 comprises a heat exchanger 25 with a partition
26 that is arranged between the lubricating fluid 7 of the first
lubricating system 6 and the lubricating fluid 10 of the second
lubricating system 9. At the heat exchanger 25 ducts 13 are
connected to guide lubricating fluid 7 through the heat exchanger 25
and ducts 19 to guide lubricating fluid 9 through the heat exchanger
25. The heat exchanger 25 comprises a first inlet 27 and a first
outlet 28 for the lubricating fluid 7 and a second inlet 29 and a
second outlet 30 for the lubricating fluid 10.
I n the embodiment shown the pump 12 and the pump 18 are
driven by a same drive motor 31. The drive motor 31 is a
controllable drive motor. A pump 12, 18 can according to a variant
not shown be driven by a drive of the weaving machine. The shed
forming device 1 is driven by a drive motor 32, while the beat-up
device 2 is driven by a drive motor 33.
As can be seen in Fig. 2 there is arranged a cooling system 34
for cooling the first lubricating fluid 7 of the first lubricating system
6. The cooling system 34 can make use of a cooling fluid, for
example water. According to a variant not shown the cooling system
34 can cool the second lubricating fluid 10 of the second lubricating
system 9 in addition or instead of the first lubricating fluid 7.
As can be seen in Fig. 2 there is arranged a heat source 35 to
heat the second lubricating fluid 10 of the second lubricating system
9. According to a variant not shown the heat source 35 can heat the
first lubricating fluid 7 of the first lubricating system 6 in addition or
instead of the second lubricating fluid 10.
I n the embodiment of Fig. 2 the lubricating fluid 7 of the first
lubricating system 6 and the lubricating fluid 10 of the first
lubricating system 9 are completely separated from one another.
The lubricating fluid 7 flows through a closed circulation circuit 36 of
the first lubricating system 6 that comprises the pump 12, ducts 13,
the reservoir 14, the filter 15 and a valve 16. The circulation circuit
36 provides in the lubrication of the elements 44 of the first machine
device 8 that in this embodiment comprises the shed forming device
1. The lubricating fluid 10 flows through a closed circulation circuit
37 of the second lubricating system 9 that comprises the pump 18,
ducts 19, the reservoir 20, the filter 21 and valves 22. The
circulation circuit 37 provides in the lubrication of the second
machine device 11 that comprises in this embodiment at least the
beat-up device 2 and more particularly in addition to the beat-up
device 2 also a warp beam device 3, a cloth beam device 4 and/or a
selvage tucking-in device 5. I n this embodiment the flow of
lubricating fluid 7 in the first circulation circuit 36 is separate from
the flow of lubricating fluid 10 in the second circulation circuit 37. At
the heat exchanger 25 heat can be exchanged by means of the heat
exchanger 25 between the first lubricating fluid 7 and the second
lubricating fluid 10. I n this embodiment heat can be exchanged at
the partition 26 of the heat exchanger 25.
The sensor 17 is used to measure the temperature of the first
lubricating fluid 7. Based on this temperature the drive motor 31 of
the pump 12 can be controlled. The sensor 23 is used to measure
the temperature of the second lubricating fluid 10. Based on that
temperature the drive motor 31 of the pump 18 can be controlled. I n
the embodiment shown both pumps 12 and 18 are driven by a same
drive motor 31. However due to the presence of two pumps 12 and
18 the flow of lubricating fluid 7 in the first circulation circuit 36 is
separate from the flow of the lubricating fluid 10 in the second
circulation circuit 37. The pumps 12 and 18 can whether or not be
executed differently, more particularly whether or not deliver a
different flow rate at a certain rotational speed of the drive motor
31. The pump 12 for the first lubricating system 6 can be controlled
as a function of the binding that is woven, the number of heald
frames that is used, the movement course of the heald frames, the
weight of the heald frames and/or other weaving parameters.
Depending on the binding, this means the successive pattern at
which warp threads move up and down, the force and the power
that the shed forming device 1 has to deliver will change, so that for
certain bindings much force and power is necessary, while for other
bindings little force and power is necessary. This will result in an
accompanying temperature of the lubricating fluid 7 of the first
lubricating system 6. The temperature that is measured with the
corresponding sensor 17, 23 is also dependent of the rotational
speed of the weaving machine, so that it is recommended to cool or
to limit the rotational speed of the weaving machine if the
temperature in one of the lubricating systems 7, 10 becomes too
high.
As shown in the embodiment of Fig. 2 a bypass 38 is provided
at the heat exchanger 25, which bypass 38 comprises a controllable
valve 39. The bypass 38 allows in a cold weaving machine or in a too
hot weaving machine that lubricating fluid 7 does exchange less heat
with the lubricating fluid 10. I n a cold weaving machine this allows
to heat the lubricating fluid 10 for the beat-up device 2 with a heat
source 35, so that less heat of the heat source 35 is used in order to
heat the lubricating fluid 7. I n order to prevent that lubricating fluid
7 flows through the heat exchanger 25 a shut off valve 46 can be
provided. For example, the shut off valve 46 shuts off the flow of
lubricating fluid 7 after the valve 39 allows the flow of lubricating
fluid 7 to pass along the bypass 38. This also excludes in a too hot
weaving machine a further heating of the lubricating fluid 10 of the
beat-up device 2 via the heat exchanger 25.
I n Fig. 3 an embodiment is shown wherein the heat exchanger
25 does not comprise a partition 26 so that in addition to exchange
of heat also exchange of mass between lubricating fluid 7 of the first
drive system 6 and lubricating fluid 10 of the second lubricating
system 9 takes place. I n this case the first lubricating system 6 and
the second lubricating system 9 respectively each comprise an open
circulation circuit 36 or 37. I n this case also the flow of the
lubricating fluid 7 in a first circulation circuit 36 is different from the
flow of the lubricating fluid 10 in a second circulation circuit 37. I n
this case it is possible that the first lubricating fluid 7 of the first
lubricating system 6 at least is supplied partly to the second
lubricating system 9 and/or that the second lubricating fluid 10 of
the second lubricating system 9 is supplied at least partly to the first
lubricating system 6. I n the embodiment of Fig. 3 the pump 12 is
driven by a drive motor 4 1 while the pump 18 is driven by a drive
motor 42. I n this case the flow of the first lubrication fluid 7 is
different and independent from the flow of the second lubrication
fluid 10.
I t is clear that the lubricating fluid 7, 10 of a lubricating
system 6, 9 can also be used for cooling a drive motor 32 or 33. As
can be seen in Fig. 3 lubricating fluid 10 of the second lubricating
system 9 can also be used for cooling the main drive motor 33 of the
beat-up device 2 of the weaving machine, more particularly the
drive motor 33 for the beat-up device 2 that drives the sley of the
weaving machine. I n case the shed forming device 1 is driven by an
own drive motor 32, as is known from WO 2004/092467, the drive
motor 32 for the shed forming device 1 can also be cooled by the
lubricating fluid 10 of the second lubricating system 9, as the
temperature of the lubricating fluid 10 of the second lubricating
system 9 usually is lower than the temperature of the lubricating
fluid 7 of the first lubricating system 6 . This is also advantageous in
order to limit the temperature of the first lubricating system 6.
According to a variant not shown the lubricating fluid 7 of the first
lubricating system 6 is used for the cooling the drive motor 32.
I n the embodiment of Fig. 4 the shed forming device 1 is
driven via a mechanical transmission 40 by the drive motor 33 that
drives the beat-up device 2. I n the embodiments shown in Fig. 1 to
4 a control unit 43 is provided that is able to control a drive motor
31, 41, 42 for a pump 12 or 18. The control unit 43 can also control
the valves 16, 22, 39 and the drive motors 32 and 33. The control
unit 43 is shown in Fig. 4 .
The control unit 43 can also control the cooling system 34 and
the heat source 35. The device 24 with the heat exchanger 25 is
intended to carry out the necessary heat exchange during normal
operation of the weaving machine. The cooling system 34 and the
heat source 35 are only intended to be used at the start of the
operation of the weaving machine and/or in exceptional
circumstances. During normal operation of the weaving machine the
cooling system 34 and the heat source 35 are not in operation. The
device 24 according to the invention is also intended to limit the
energy supplied to the weaving machine. The device 24 allows that
for cooling the shed forming device 1 during normal operation of the
weaving machine no additional cooling system 34 has to be
activated. The device 24 also allows that the lubricating fluid 10 for
the beat-up device 2 will have a sufficient temperature without the
need of an additional heat source 35, so that friction in the beat-up
device 2 will also be limited.
The elements 44 of the shed forming device 1 are for example
cams, bearings, axles and other mechanical parts of the shed
forming device 1. The elements 45 of the beat-up device 2 are for
example cams, bearings, axles, transmissions and other mechanical
parts of the beat-up device 2.
I n the embodiment of Fig. 5 a cooling system 47 and a cooling
system 48 are provided at the heat exchanger 25. The cooling
system 47, for example, consists of a heat pump, while the cooling
system 48, for example, comprises a pump 49, a cooling device 50
and ducts 51 for a cooling liquid . According to a variant, not shown,
only one cooling system 47 or 48 is provided. The arranging of at
least one cooling system 47, 48 at the heat exchanger 25 for the
lubricating fluid 7, 10 is advantageous because in this case as well
the heat exchanger 25 as the at least one cooling system 47, 48 can
be executed compactly.
I t is clear that the weaving machine in addition to the first
lubricating system 6 and the second lubricating system 9 also can
comprise a third lubricating system with an own circulation circuit,
for example a lubricating system for elements of a warp beam
device, a lubricating system for elements of a cloth beam device, a
lubricating system for elements of a selvage tucking-in device and/or
lubricating systems for elements of other weaving machine parts. I n
weaving machines usually most of the weaving machine parts are
lubricated by means of the second lubricating system 9 that
lubricates the beat-up device 2.
The invention offers the advantage that the temperature of the
lubricating fluid can be kept more as desired and that the weaving
machine can also be brought to temperature in a short time, so that
lubricating fluid can be used with an optimal viscosity for lubricating
weaving machine parts. Furthermore this allows more freedom to
choose a suitable lubricating fluid, more particularly a suitable
lubricating oil. This is also advantageous to limit the energy
consumption of the weaving machine. Because too hot lubricating
fluid is avoided and the lubricating fluid comes to temperature in a
short time, the lubricating fluid can also lubricate sufficiently at any
time, which is advantageous for the lubrication of elements of the
shed forming device as well as for the lubrication of the elements of
the beat-up device. Due to the invention it is in principle possible to
use the same type of lubricating fluid for both lubricating systems.
The lubricating system and the method according to the
invention shown in the claims are not limited to the embodiments
shown and described as example, but can also comprise variants
and combinations of these embodiments that fall under the claims.
Claims.
1. Weaving machine comprising a first lubricating system (6),
wherein the first lubricating system (6) supplies a first lubricating
fluid (7) to elements (44) of a first machine device (8), characterised
in that the weaving machine comprises at least one second
lubricating system (9), wherein the at least one second lubricating
system (9) supplies a second lubricating fluid (10) to elements (45)
of a second machine device (11), and comprises a device (24)
arranged to exchange heat between the first lubricating fluid (7) and
the second lubricating fluid (10).
2. Weaving machine according to claim 1, characterised in that
the first machine device (8) and/or the second machine device (11)
are selected from a group comprising a shed forming device (1), a
beat-up device (2), a warp beam device (3), a cloth beam device (4)
and/or a selvage tucking-in device (5).
3. Weaving machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in
that the device (24) arranged to exchange heat between the
lubricating fluid (7) of the first lubricating system (6) and the
lubricating fluid (10) of the second lubricating system (9) comprises
a heat exchanger (25).
4 . Weaving machine according to claim 3, characterised in that
the heat exchanger (25) comprises a partition (26) that is arranged
between the lubricating fluid (7) of the first lubricating system (6)
and the lubricating fluid (10) of the second lubricating system (9).
5. Weaving machine according to claim 4, characterised in that
the heat exchanger (25) comprises a first inlet (27) and a first outlet
(28) for the lubricating fluid (7) of the first lubricating system (6)
and a second inlet (29) and a second outlet (30) for the lubricating
fluid (10) of the second lubricating system (9).
6. Weaving machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in
that the weaving machine comprises a cooling system (34, 47, 48)
arranged to cool the lubricating fluid (7, 10) of at least one of the
first and the second lubricating system (6, 9) .
7. Weaving machine according to claim 6, characterised in that
the cooling system (34, 47) is arranged to cool the first lubricating
fluid (7) of the first lubricating system (6).
8. Weaving machine according claim 1 or 2, characterised in that
the weaving machine comprises a heat source (35) arranged to heat
the lubricating fluid (7, 10) of at least one of the first or second
lubricating system (6, 9).
9. Weaving machine according to claim 8, characterised in that
the heat source (35) is arranged to heat the second lubricating fluid
(10) of the second lubricating system (9).
10. Weaving machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in
that the device (24) arranged to exchange heat between the first
lubricating fluid (7) and the second lubricating fluid (10) is further
arranged to supply at least partly a first lubricating fluid (7) of the
first lubricating system (6) to the second lubricating system (9)
and/or to supply at least partly the second lubricating fluid (10) of
the second lubricating system (9) to the first lubricating system (6).
11. Weaving machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in
that the first lubricating system (6) comprises a first pump (12) for
lubricating fluid (7) and the second lubricating system (9) comprises
a second pump (18) for lubricating fluid (10).
12. Weaving machine according to claim 11, characterised in that
the first pump (12) for lubricating fluid (7) and the second pump
(18) for lubricating fluid (10) are driven by a same drive motor (31).
13. Weaving machine according to claim 12, characterised in that
drive motor (31) is a controllable drive motor.
14. Method for lubricating a weaving machine, that comprises a
first lubricating system (6) and a second lubricating system (9),
wherein the first lubricating system (6) supplies a first lubricating
fluid (7) to elements (44) of a first machine device (8) and the
second lubricating system (9) supplies a second lubricating fluid (10)
to elements (45) of a second machine device ( 11) , characterised in
that the method comprises the exchanging of heat between the first
lubricating fluid (7) and the second lubricating fluid (10) .
15. Method according to claim 14, characterised in that the first
machine device (8) and/or the second machine device ( 11) are
selected from a group comprising a shed forming device (1), a beatup
device (2), a warp beam device (3), a cloth beam device (4)
and/or a selvage tucking-in device (5).