Filling Patterning with a Replicate Color: Maximum Increase in Minimax Magazine Movement

Abstract

Spare filling patterning capacity on a loom can be utilized by replicating one or more filling colors, which can increase the filling replenishment interval. However, with the magazine-type mechanisms used on shuttle and Sulzer-type projectile machines, larger minimax magazine movements, and hence lower machine speeds, could result. The effects on minimax movement of replicating one of up to five colors are investigated for the worst case. Each combination of an initial number of colors, degree of replicate-color vertex in the color-change diagram, and sizes of minimax magazine movements with and without replication is considered. Even in this worst case, about 53% of all forms of replication do not affect the minimax movement; the others increase it by only one step. The forms of replication that increase the minimax movement are specified. The greater the number of colors adjacent to the replicate in the filling repeat, the more likely replication will increase minimax movement, other things being equal.