Take-up Motion

Objective of Take-up Motion

The objective of take-up is to draw forward the woven cloth as a new pick is inserted in order to maintain the line
of fabric formation and pick spacing constant.
Classification of Take-Up
Take-up motion is classified as negative and positive take-up. Another way of classifying it is intermittent and
continuous take-up. Intermittent take-up actuates itself only after newly inserted pick is beaten-up by the sley.
On the other hand, continuous take-up operates continuously to draw the woven fabric. The presence of ratchet
and pawl arrangement in the take-up mechanism makes it intermittent type whereas the presence of worm and
worm wheel renders it a continuous one.
Negative Take-Up
Attribute ‘negative’ justifies itself in the sense that no positive or direct motion is imparted to the take-up roller
to wind up the woven fabric. In this system, shown in Figure 9.1, the motion of the rocking shaft actuates a
system of levers and a ratchet-pawl mechanism, favored by gravity aided movement of dead-weights which in
turn, transmits the rotational motion to take-up roller through a worm and worm-wheel.
Backward motion of the sley ( S) or backward swing of the rocking shaft ( R) keeps the weights raised through a
lever (L ) , thus system remains inactive while forward motion of it sets free the weight system yet motion of the
1

wheel trains remains balanced with warp tension. The impulsive blow of sley during beat-up brings the tension of
the woven cloth close to zero. Weights (W) going down with gravity forces the pawl (P ) to turn the ratchet by
1

one tooth through lever systems. Gear trains so released wind up the excess woven part of the cloth. Retaining
pawl (P ) comes into play to prevent further rotation of gear trains.
2

With little control over uniform take-up or pick spacing, this system is only suitable for very coarse fabric like
blanket.

Figure 9.1: Negative take-up motion

Positive Take-Up
In positive take-up, motion gets transmitted to take-up roller directly through gear train. The different types of
positive take-up are discussed below.
Five-wheel Take-up
Five-wheel take-up motion is depicted in Figure 9.2. The typical size of the gear is also given in the Figure. It is
a positive intermittent type take-up motion. Wheel CW denotes the change wheel which is in the driver position
for five-wheel take-up. The amount of fabric take-up and therefore the rotation required in the take-up roller
after every pick is minuscule. This is achieved by keeping the driver wheels smaller than the driven wheels. The
ratchet wheel A, having 50 teeth, is turned by one tooth for every pick.
The amount of cloth taken up for each pick which corresponds to the pick spacing can be calculated as follows.
Pick spacing = 1/50×CW/120 ×15/75 ×15 = CW/2000 inch.
Therefore, picks/inch or PPI = 2000/CW.
For example, in order to achieve 80 PPI the number of teeth in the change wheel will be CW = 2000/80 = 25.
 Figure 9.2: Five-wheel take-up motion
Seven-wheel Take-up
Seven-wheel take-up motion is shown in Figure 9.3. It is also a positive intermittent type take-up motion. Gear
train for seven-wheel take-up motion is depicted in the Figure 9.3a. Here the position of CW is in driven
position. For each pick, the ratchet wheel ( A) is turned by one teeth.
The amount of fabric taken up for each pick which corresponds to the pick spacing can be calculated as follows.
Pick spacing = 1/24× 36/CW×24/89 ×16/90 ×15.05 = 1.015/CW inch.
Picks/inch or PPI = CW/1.015
or, CW= 1.015 PPI
Therefore, the number of teeth in the change wheel is 1.5% higher than the PPI in the fabric in loom state. This
1.5% allowance is given for the length wise fabric contraction, thereby the teeth in the change wheel equals to
the PPI, when the fabric is taken off the loom.
Any faulty gear wheel or eccentricity in a gear in the train can lead to a periodic variation in pick spacing which
produces a fabric defect known as weft bar. If the wave length ( λ ) of this periodicity is ranging between 1/8 to
10 inch, the effect is readily seen in the fabric. Therefore, take-up systems are designed in such a way that the
occurrences of such periodicities can be avoided. Calculation of λ for different cases is discussed below.

(a)
 (B)

Figure 9.3: Seven-wheel take-up motion (a) Schematic (b) Mounted on loom
Shirley Take-up
It is a continuous type take-up motion as depicted in Figure 9.5. Wheel A is driven continuously by chain and
sprocket at one quarter of the loom speed i.e. picks per minute. A drives change wheel (CW) through the career
wheel B. A single worm ( D) on the same shaft of CW drives a worm wheel E on the take-up roller shaft. The use
of worm causes drastic reduction in rotational speed in one step which makes Shirley take-up system different
from five and seven-wheel take-up system. The circumference of take-up roller is 10 inch.

Figure 9.5: Shirley take-up motion

The amount of cloth taken up for each pick corresponds to the pick spacing can be calculated as:

Thus the number of teeth on the change wheel is equal to the pick per inch.
Calculation of λ for different cases for Shirley take-up is shown below:

Table 9.3 summarizes the wavelengths of various faults.

Table 9.3: Wavelength of faults in Shirley take-up motion
Periods due to eccentricity
Take-up roller or worm wheel 10 inch
Worm D or CW (1/150) × 10 inch 0.067 inch
A (60/CW) × 0.067 inch 4/CW inch
 Periods due to faulty teeth
Worm D or worm wheel E (1/150) × 10 inch 0.067 inch
CW , A or B (1/CW) × 0.067 inch 0.067/CW inch
From the above calculation it is clear that there are no periodicities of λ between 1/8 to 10 inch, so the risk of
dangerous periodicities is eliminated in Shirley take-up motion.

Objective of Let-off Motion

The objective of let-off motion is to maintain the free length of warp within specified limits and to control the
warp tension by means of feeding the warp at a correct rate to the weaving zone.
Classification
Let-off motion is classified as negative and positive let-off. In case of negative let-off, warp is pulled from the
warper’s beam against a slipping-friction system. For positive let-off system, warp beam is rotated through
driving mechanism at a controlled rate in order to maintain constant warp tension.
Negative Let-Off
The negative let-off mechanism is illustrated in the Figure 9.6. In this case, the warp is pulled off the warp
beam and warp tension is governed by the friction between chain and the beam ruffle.

Figure 9.6: Negative let-off motion

The chain makes some wrap over the ruffle. Slack side of the chain is attached with the machine frame whereas
the tight side is attached with the weight lever. The lever is fulcrumed at one end with the machine frame. The
other end carries dead weights.
Notations:
R = radius of warp on the beam

r = beam ruffle radius

T = tension in the chain on tight side (attached with the weight lever)
t 

T  = tension in the chain on slack side (attached with machine frame)       
s

W= weight

x = the distance between fulcrum point and chain on tight side

y = the distance between fulcrum point and weight (variable)

T = tension in the warp sheet (variable)

F  = frictional force at the beam ruffle

Taking moments about the beam centre we have:
T R  = F r
The frictional force F =T - T
t  s

where μ= coefficient of friction between chain and beam ruffle

and θ = angle of wrap in radian made by the chain on beam ruffle.

Now, taking moments about the fulcrum H of the lever, we have:

Equation 5 shows that the condition needed to achieve a constant warp tension is to maintain the ratio   
constant. Thus as beam radius R reduces, the distance y must be reduced by moving the weight towards the
fulcrum H in regular interval to balance the warp tension. For example, if the beam radius decreases by 25%,
the distance y must be reduced by 25% to maintain a constant warp tension.
As shown in Figures 9.7, the warp tension is maintained within a small range from full beam to empty beam by
shifting the weights at regular intervals. It is also noted that the frequency of weight shifting increases towards
the beam is getting exhausted. This is ascribed to the asymptotic relationship between warp tension and warp
radius on the beam.
Hypothetical Example
Let the initial diameter of the warper’s beam is 100 cm. The allowable increase in warp tension is 25% of
nominal level. So, when the beam diameter will be 80 cm, the warp tension will increase by 25%. The weaver
will adjust the position of the weight so that the tension will come back to nominal level. In second step, when
the beam diameter will reduce to 64 cm, the warp tension will again increase by 25%. Therefore, first weight
shifting will be done after 20 cm reduction in beam diameter whereas the second weight shifting will happen
after 16 cm reduction in beam diameter. So, as the beam weaves down the shifting of weight will be more
frequent.
 Figure 9.7: Warp tension vs. beam radius
Positive Let-off
In case of positive let-off warp, the warp tension is controlled by a mechanism which drives the warp beam at a
correct rate. In most of the positive let-off systems, the backrest is not fixed but floating. It acts as a warp
tension sensing mechanism. As the tension in the warp increases, the backrest is depressed. A Hunt positive let-
off motion is ilustrated in the Figure 9.8. There are two split pullyes made out of V-pulley. Motion from crank
shaft moves the top split pulley via a worm and worm wheel. Top pulley in turn drives the bottom pulley
through a belt. As the tension on the warp increases the back rest goes down and the L-type lever with weight
lowers the diameter of the bottom pulley and essentially increases the diameter of the top pulley through the
necessary linkages. Now the bottom pulley moves at a faster rate than it was earlier and the connecting worm
to the beam drive moves more to deliver extra warp in order to reduce the warp tension.

Figure 9.8: Hunt positive let-off motion

Determine the relationship between PPI and number of tooth on change wheel (CW) for the (Picanol) take-up
system shown in Figure 9.17. Calculate the wavelength of periodic faults which will result from the mechanical
defects of the system.
Figure 9.18: Picanol take-up system
Solution:
The wheel A moves by one tooth per pick.

So, picks/cm = CW.

The calculations for wavelengths are shown in Tables 9.2 and 9.3.
Table 9.2: Wavelength for eccentric elements

Table 9.2: Wavelength for faulty gears (all tooth worn out)

4. A loom is running with negative let of motions. The full and empty diameters of weavers beam is 60 cm and
20 cm respectively. The weaver does not want tension variation to exceed by 20% during the weaving. How
many times the weight has to be shifted during the weaving?
Solution

Here full beam diameter= R1 = 60 cm and empty beam diameter R2 = 20 cm. Let the final tension in the warp
is Tf and starting tension in the warp is T1. Tension in the warp varies inversely with the weaver’s beam
diameter.

Permissible increase in tension is 20%.

Diameters at which the weight has to be shifted to bring down the tension to T1 are as follows.

So, the weight has to be shifted six times. The last one may be avoided as the beam has become empty (20 cm).