Title of Invention

METHOD AND DRIVING ASSEMBLY FOR OPERATING A WEAVING MACHINE

Abstract

ABSTRACT The weaving machine encompasses a main motor, a main drive shaft of the weaving machine that is operatively connectable with the main motor via a first shiftable coupling or clutch and that is drivable by the main motor, as well as an additional inertial mass that is operatively connectable with the main motor via a second shiftable coupling or clutch and that is drivable by the main motor. For starting the weaving machine, first only the additional inertial mass is accelerated to an operating nominal rotational speed by the main motor that is operatively connected therewith. Subsequently, the operative connection between main motor and additional inertial mass is separated and the main motor is decelerated to a standstill. Thereafter, the main motor is operatively connected with the main drive shaft and the weaving machine is accelerated to the operating nominal rotational speed via the main drive shaft After the acceleration of the weaving machine, the previously accelerated additional inertial mass is operatively connected with the other drive elements.

Full Text

ACCURATE LITERAL TRANSLATION OF PCT INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PCT/DE2007/000509 AS FILED ON 21 MARCH 2 0 07 METHOD AND DRIVING ASSEMBLY FOR OPERATING A WEAVING MACHINE The invention relates to a method for operating a weaving machine with the features according to the preamble of the patent claim 1, as well as a drive arrangement for carrying out the method. In the drive of weaving machines, auxiliary or additional inertia! masses are utilized in order to maintain nominal or operating rotational speeds as constant as possible. Within a weaving cycle, the moment of inertia effective on the main drive shaft of the weaving machine varies and thereby causes changing rotational " moments or torques and by further causation changing rotational speeds. Changing rotational speeds are, however, undesirable due to weaving technological reasons, and therefore should be evened-out or compensated. Such an evening-out compensation can be achieved most effectively with mechanical inertial masses. In the starting process of a weaving machine, however, the weaving machine must be accelerated at least to an operating nominal rotational speed within a limited angular range, so that, for example, no start-up marks arise in the woven web at the first weaving reed beat-up. The acceleration of a weaving machine with inertial mass in the starting process within the prescribed angular range is, however, not realizable with an acceptable cost or complexity with a main motor. A sufficiently strong main motor, which accelerates the weaving machine with inertial mass to operating nominal rotational speed within the limited angular range, would cause too-high acquisition and energy costs and additionally require a too-large structural space. Moreover, the power peaks to be realized, among other things by the controlling power electronics, would not be tenable. Known drive arrangements of weaving machines consist, for example, of an electric main motor that is connected in a rotationally fixed manner with a rotational inertial mass, and is connected via an electromechanically switchable or shiftable coupling- or clutch-brake unit with the main drive shaft of the weaving machine. Therewith, certain operating phases, such as for example the run-up and the standstill shutdown of the weaving machine, can be advantageously carried out, in that the motor and the additional inertial masses are accelerated or decelerated with a time offset relative to the other drive elements of the weaving machine. Such a drive arrangement is, for example, described in the DE 37 33 590 Al. According to the method described therein, first the main motor with inertial mass is accelerated to a rotational speed above the operating nominal rotational speed, and thereafter, with a free-running or idling main motor, the weaving machine is coupled-in and is accelerated to operating nominal rotational speed by the inertial masses. That is to say, the starting energy for the weaving machine is applied essentially by electrically drivable inertial masses that are coupleable to the weaving machine. In the coupling processes of two structural components rotating with different rotational speed, a wear arises, which has a negative influence for example with respect to the maintenance intervals. Moreover, the large inertial mass, with its inertia, prevents a rapid braking or decelerating of the weaving machine by the drive motor within a limited angular range, which is advantageous or required in many situations, thus for example in an emergency stop. From the DE 102 25 037, there has become known a drive arrangement for weaving machines with a separately driven, additional inertial mass that can be coupled-in for holding constant an operating rotational speed of a weaving machine. With the drive arrangement described therein, it is possible to omit the relatively expensive and strongly wear-prone clutch-brake unit. The disadvantage of this invention is, however, an increased constructive and economic expense in that two separate drive motors are required. Both motors must furthermore be tuned or adapted to one another in a control technology manner. Especially the separate drive for the additional inertial mass with associated pcwer electronics increases the complexity or expenditure for this type of the drive arrangement. It is the underlying object of the present invention, to provide a method and a cost-advantageous or economical drive arrangement with inertial mass for a weaving machine, whereby both a complex or costly wear-prone clutch-brake unit as well as a separate drive for an inertial mass are omitted. The object is solved according to the invention by a method with the characteristic features according to patent claim 1 and by a drive arrangement with the characteristic features according to patent claim 7. Further developments suitable for the purpose are defined in the respective dependent claims. According to the inventive method for operating a weaving machine in the operating states of the start-up, the static or steady-state weaving operation, and the braking or deceleration, a main motor, the main drive shaft of the weaving machine, and a rotatable additional inertial mass are operatively connected with one another in different operative connections depending on the operating state. The different operative connections are established or set through different shifting states by operation of a coupling or clutch. By at least two shiftable clutches or couplings, an operation with the four following different shifting states can selectively be established or set: a) the main motor is coupled only with the additional inertial mass; b) the main motor is coupled only with the main drive shaft; c) the main motor is coupled with the additional inertial mass and simultaneously with the main drive shaft; d) the main motor, the additional inertial mass and the main drive shaft are all de-coupled from one another. Both couplings or clutches are shiftable independently from one another. Each shiftable coupling can be dimensioned corresponding to its respective loading. According to a preferred embodiment of the method, at least t*he following shifting state can additionally be established or set via a third shiftable coupling: e) the main motor is coupled only with the main drive shaft and the additional inertial mass is simultaneously coupled directly with the main drive shaft. Also the third shiftable coupling is shiftable independently from the other couplings, and can be dimensioned corresponding to its loading. Thus, for example, the changing rotational moments or torques caused by the weaving machine's transmission elements having irregular or non-uniform transmission ratios, and which torques arise in the static or steady-state weaving operation and are compensated by the additional inertial mass, are considerably higher than the torque that is necessary for the starting and shutting-down of the weaving machine. Correspondingly, for example, the third shiftable coupling is dimensioned in such a manner that it can take up the high changing torques in the static operation directly between main drive shaft and additional inertial mass. Thereby, the other shiftable couplings can be dimensioned smaller and therewith more economically. Moreover, for reasons of the mechanical failure safety it is advantageous to introduce the arising high changing torques into the main drive shaft or into the additional inertial mass while avoiding intermediate elements. According to a preferred embodiment of the method according to claim 3, during the start-up of the weaving machine, first in the shifting state a, only the additional inertial mass is accelerated by the main motor that is operatively connected therewith, to a rotational speed that at least nearly corresponds to an operating rotational speed. Thereafter, after the separating of main motor and additional inertial mass, in the shifting state d, the main motor is braked or decelerated nearly to a standstill, and the main motor is operatively connected with the main drive shaft at the shifting state b. Thereafter, the weaving machine is accelerated by the main drive shaft at least nearly to the operating rotational speed, and finally through transition to the shifting state c, the main motor is again operatively connected with the previously accelerated additional inertial mass while it simultaneously remains operatively connected with the main drive shaft. In the preferred method according to claim 4 with a third shiftable coupling, first the same start-up steps are provided as described in claim 3, but however here after the acceleration of the weaving machine by the main drive shaft, through transition into the shifting state e, the previously accelerated additional inertial mass is coupled directly with the main drive shaft, while the main drive remains operatively connected with the main drive shaft. The "start-up energy" for the weaving machine according to both previously mentioned variants of the method is thus not applied from an inertial mass, but rather from the main motor which is connected with the main drive shaft in this phase. The additional inertial mass, which is again connected with the other drive elements after the acceleration of the main drive shaft to nearly the operating nominal rotational speed, achieves a rotational speed stabilization for the compensation of changing torques in further operation. In the static operation, the main drive shaft and the additional inertial mass operating as rotational speed stabilizer are eirher operatively connected directly with one another or are operatively connected with one another via both shiftable couplings and the main motor. During the coupling process, the components to be connected rotate at least nearly with the same rotational speed. In a further preferred embodiment of the method, during the acceleration of the additional inertial mass in the shifting state a, a rotational speed is established or set therefor that lies above the operating rotational speed. During the acceleration of the main drive shaft in the shifting state b, the transition to the shifting state c, or to the shifting state e in the variant with the third shifting coupling, is already carried out before the main drive shaft has reached the operating nominal rotational speed, so that a small portion of the energy necessary for reaching the operating nominal rotational speed of the main drive shaft is derived from the additional inertial mass that is rotating with a higher rotational speed than the operating nominal rotational speed. According to a further aspect of the invention, for the deceleration and shut-down to a standstill of the weaving machine from the static operation, in which the shifting state c or e exists, first the shifting state b is brought about by decoupling the additional inertial mass, and the main drive shaft is decelerated by the main motor to at least nearly the standstill. In this manner, the main motor can decelerate or brake the weaving machine to the standstill within a considerably smaller angular range, than it is possible in arrangements in which the inertial mass that is affected or burdened with comparatively high kinetic energy is also decelerated with the weaving machine. After the deceleration or braking of the main drive shaft ne¬at least nearly the standstill, preferably the shifting state d is established or set, whereby the main drive shaft is decoupled from the main motor and is brought into operative connection with a machine-fixed component. This measure serves, on the one hand for the safety of the operators of the weaving machine, who are thereby protected against unexpected movements of the weaving machine parts during the standstill phases, and on the other hand for ensuring reproducible subsequent operation sequences in that the weaving machine is held tight at a defined rotational angle and is again started from there. The inventive method corresponds to a method with a so-called direct drive, that is operated in a mass-unloaded manner, that is to say without the decoupled inertial mass, in the starting and stopping phases, and is operated mass-loaded, that is to say with the inertial mass coupled-on, in the static operation. For carrying out the inventive method, a drive arrangement of a weaving machine is provided, that encompasses a main motor, a main drive shaft that is drivabie by the main motor and is arranged coaxially to the rotor shaft of the main motor, as well as an additional inertial mass that is drivabie by the main motor. At least one clutch or coupling means is arranged in a rotationally fixed manner on the rotor shaft of the main motor. The coupling means is connectable in a rotaoionally fixed manner with the main drive shaft via a first driving or engaging element, and is connectable similarly in a rotationally fixed manner with the additional inertial mass via a second driving or engaging element. In that regard, the coupling means can be an integral component of the rotor shaft, for example a toothed gearing or coupling claws arranged on the rotor shaft. Correspondingly, the first and/or the second driving or engaging element can be an integral component of the main drive shaft or the additional inertial mass. In this drive arrangement, the changing torques in the static weaving operation are derived or diverted from the main drive shaft indirectly to the additional inertial mass, namely via the first driving or engaging element, the coupling means and via the second driving or engaging element. A preferred embodiment of the invention provides that the main drive shaft is connectable, directly via a shiftable coupling, in a rotationally fixed manner with the additional inertial mass. With such an arrangement, it is possible to derive or redirect the high changing torques in the static weaving operation from the main drive shaft directly to the additional inertial mass, or to allow the high changing torques to be evened-out or compensated by the additional inertial mass, without loading the further drive elements. According to a different preferred embodiment of the drive arrangement, the first driving or engaging element is embodied and arranged in such a manner so that the main dri-.-e shaft is connectable in a rotationally fixed manner either -with the coupling means or -with a machine-fixed component of the weaving machine. The double function of the first driving or engaging element additionally provides a holding brake for the main drive shaft of the weaving machine. A further aspect of the present invention defines the embodiment and arrangement of the individual parts for the coupling of the drive arrangement. The coupling means is preferably a clutch or coupling disk arranged coaxiaiiy on the rotor shaft of the main motor, and the first and the second driving or engaging element are embodied as armature disks, whereby both armature disks are arranged coaxiaiiy to the coupling disk and are connectable with the coupling disk in a frictionally engaging manner. According to still a further preferred embodiment of the invention the first driving or engaging element that is embodied as an armature disk and arranged coaxiaiiy to the coupling disk is selectively connectable in a rotationally fixed manner with the coupling disk or with a machine-fixed part of the weaving machine. The rotationally fixed connection can be embodied either in a frictionally engaging manner or in a form-locking manner. In connection with form-locking connections, means for the synchronization of the rotational speeds of the coupling parts that are to be connected are also utilizable. The drive arrangement with the third coupling or clutch also makes possible an operation in a shifting state in which the main motor is coupled with the additional inertial mass and simultaneously with the main drive shaft, and the additional inertial mass is simultaneously coupled directly with the main drive shaft. The present invention moreover encompasses a weaving machine that is characterised by one of the above mentioned drive arrangements. The invention and further arising advantages are explained more closely in the following in connection with several example embodiments. In the accompanying drawings, the drive arrangements are respectively illustrated in the operating phase "static operation". It is shown by: Fig. 1 a schematic illustration of a first inventive drive arrangement with indirect torque transmission between main drive shaft and additional inertial mass ; Fig. 2 the sectional illustration of an embodiment of the first inventive drive arrangement with indirect torque transmission between main drive shaft and additional inertial mass; Fig. 3 a schematic illustration of a second inventive drive arrangement with direct torque transmission between main drive shaft and additional inertial mass; Fig. 4 the sectional illustration of an embodiment of the second inventive drive arrangement with direct torque transmission between main drive shaft and additional inertial mass. Fig. 5 the sectional illustration of a further embodiment of the second inventive drive arrangement with direct torque transmission between main drive shaft and additional inertial mass and with a spring-operated holding brake. The drive arrangement schematically illustrated in Fig. 1 shows the main motor 1 with its rotor shaft 2 and two clutch or coupling means 2.1 secured in a rotationally fixed manner on the rotor shaft. The one coupling means 2.1 is operatively connected in a shiftable manner with the first driving or engaging element 3.1, which driving cr engaging element 3.1 is connected in a rotationally fixed manner with the additional inertial mass 3. The other clutch or coupling means 2.1 is operatively connected in a shiftable manner with the second driving or engaging element 4.1, which driving or engaging element 4.1 is connected in a rotationally fixed manner with the main drive shaft 4. The main drive shaft 4 drives the individual functional groups of the weaving machine 8, such as, for example, the weft thread insertion elements, the loom shed formation means and the weaving reed. The drive arrangement illustrated in Fig. 2 shows the rotor shaft 2 of the main motor 1 which is not illustrated, and a clutch or coupling means 2 . 1 secured in a rotationally fixed manner on the rotor shaft 2. The coupling means 2.1 encompasses a coupling hub 2.11, a first coupling disk 2.12 rigidly connected therewith, and a second membrane spring 2.13 with friction lining 2.14 connected in a rotationally fixed manner with the coupling hub. In the illustrated position, the first coupling disk 2.12 is operatively connected with a first driving or engaging element 4.1 that is secured in a rotationally fixed manner on the main drive shaft 4. The first driving element 4.1 consists of a hub 4.11, of a membrane spring 4.12 and of the friction disks 4.13 and 4.14. For accelerating, operating and decelerating the main drive shaft 4 through the main motor 1, a force transmitting connection is established between the rotor shaft 2 of the main motor 1 and the main drive shaft 4. For chat purpose, a winding 6.2 arranged in a machine-fixed manner is energized with current. The winding 6.2 is arranged in such a manner so that the friction disk 4.13 of the driving element 4.1 is pressed against the force of the membrane spring 4.12 onto the coupling disk 2.12 during current energization of the 'winding 6.2, and so that due to the thusly produced frictional connection an operative connection is produced between motor shaft 2 and mean drive shaft 4. In construction and function, this clutch or coupling corresponds to a pole friction coupling that is sufficiently known to persons skilled in the art and is therefore not described in greater detail here. In the non-illustrated standstill of the drive arrangement according to Fig. 2,. the friction disk 4.14 lies in frictionally engaging contact on a machine-fixed component 6 and thus prevents unintended movements of the main drive shaft 4 and all components driven by the main drive shaft. The frictional engagement is achieved by the spring force of the membrane spring 4.12. In this manner, the function of a holding brake of the weaving machine is integrated into the inventive drive arrangement:. In the illustrated position, the rotor shaft 2 is operatively connected with the additional inertial mass 3 via the coupling hub 2.11, the second membrane spring 2.13, via the friction lining 2.14, and via a driving or engaging element 3.1. The force transmission of this frictionally engaged connection is achieved in that the machine-fixed arranged winding 6.1 is energized with current and thereby presses the friction lining 2.14 onto the driving element 3.1. The driving element 3.1 is embodied as a disk with a friction surface and is connected rigidly with the additional inertial mass 3 . The additional inertial mass 3 is supported in a freely rotating manner by means of roller bearings 3.2 on the rotor shaft 2. The schematically illustrated drive arrangement in Fig. 3 shows the arrangement of Fig. 1, which has been extended by the coupling or clutch 5 . According to the arrangement in Fig. 3, thus a direct force transmission between the main drive shaft 4 and the additional inertial mass 3 via the coupling 5 is possible. In the static operation, via this direct operative connection, the changing torques of the weaving machine acting on the main drive shaft 4 are transmitted to the additional inertial mass 3 and are compensated thereby, so that no impermissibly high rotational speed fluctuations arise. The Figures 4 and 5 each show an embodiment of the drive arrangement according to the schematic arrangement in Fig. 3, respectively in the static operation. For that purpose, the main drive shaft 4 is operatively connected both with the rotor shaft 2 and with the additional inertial mass 3 . A direct operative connection between additional inertial mass 3 and rotor shaft 2 does not exist in this operating phase. In the drive arrangement according to Fig. 4, an axially slidable coupling means 2.2 m the form of a connecting shaft is arranged between rotor shaft 2 and main drive shaft 4 that are arranged coaxially to one another. The coupling means 2.2 is radially guided by means of a machined guide surface 2.21 in the rotor shaft 2, which similarly comprises a guide surface, and is provided with a toothed gear shaft profile 2.22 arranged on the circumferential surface. Besides slot tooth profiles or involute tooth profiles, for example also splined or polygon shaft connections can be used for the shiftable shaft connection. In the illustrated position of the coupling means 2.2, the end of the coupling means 2.2 lying opposite the rotor shaft is engaged via the toothed gear shaft profile 2.22 with an internal toothed gearing 4.2 arranged in the main drive shaft. Thereby, the rotor shaft 2 is in a rotationaliy-fixed connection with the main drive shaft 4 and, for example, the drive torque is transmitted from the main motor 1 to the weaving machine 8. For releasing the operative connection between the rotor shaft 2 and the main drive shaft 4, the coupling means 2.2 is axially slidingly displaced in the direction of the rotor shaft, until the toothed shaft profile 2.22 of the coupling means 2.2 no longer is engaged with the internal toothed gearing 4.2 of the main drive shaft 4. A non-illustrated actuating arrangement is provided for the axial sliding displacement of the coupling means 2.2, whereby the actuating arrangement is operated, for example, mechanically, pneumatically, hydraulically or electrically. Furthermore, the coupling means 2.1 is arranged in a rotationally fixed manner on the rotor shaft 2. The coupling means 2.1 encompasses a coupling hub 2.11 and connected rotationally fixedly therewith a membrane spring 2.2 with friction lining 2.14. In the corresponding operating phases, for example for the acceleration of the additional inertial mass during the starting phase, the friction lining 2.14 is pulled against a coupling disk 3.3 that is connected in a rotationally fixed manner with the additional inertial mass 3, by a winding 6.1 arranged in a machine-fixed manner. Thereby, a force transmission is produced between main motor 1 and additional inertial mass 3. The additional inertial mass 3 is supported via a roller bearing 3.2 in a freely rotating manner on the main drive shaft 4. A further driving or engaging element 3.1 is arranged in a rotationallv fixed manner on the side of the additional inertial mass 3 lying opposite the driving element 3.3 in the axial direction. Via the driving element 3.1, the additional inertial mass 3 is operatively connectable with the driving element 4.1 and therewith with the main drive shaft 4. If the machine-fixedly arranged winding 6.2 is energized with current, then the friction disk 4.13 of the dr-iving element 4.1 arranged in a rotationallv fixed manner on the main drive shaft 4 is pressed against the spring force of the membrane spring 4.12 onto the driving element 3.1, and by the thusly produced frictional engagement, an operative connection is achieved between the additional inertial mass 3 and the main drive shaft 4. In the non-illustrated currentless or unenergi~ed state of the winding 6.2, the operative connection between the additional inertial mass 3 and the main drive shaft 4 is lifted or released. This is the case, for example, during the deceleration of the weaving machine 8 by the main motor 1. Also in the drive arrangement according to Fig. 5, an axially slidable coupling means 2.2 in the form of a connection shaft is arranged between the rotor shaft 2 of the main motor 1 and the main drive shaft 4 arranged coaxially thereto. The coupling means 2.2 is constructed and arranged comparably like the coupling means 2.2 described in Fig. 4, and it fulfills the same functions. In comparison to the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 4, the coupling means 2.2 in the embodiment according to Fig. 5, however, fulfills still an additional function, namely the operation of a holding brake 7 arranged in a rotationally fixed manner on the main drive shaft 4. The holding brake 7 is always opened when the rotor shaft 2 of the main motor 1 is connected in a rotationally fixed manner with the main drive shaft 4 of the weaving machine. As soon as this connection is released or lifted, then the holding brake 7 is operated by the spring force of a brake spring n. 3. This function is achieved in that the coupling means 2.2, on the side facing toward the main drive shaft 4, comprises a sloping surface 2.23, which contacts and runs up along the one end of a release or disengaging lever 7.1 of the holding brake 7 during the axial sliding displacement of the coupling means 2.2 in the direction of the main drive shaft 4, and thereby operates this release or disengaging lever 7.1. During the axial sliding displacement of the coupling means 2.2 in the direction of the main drive shaft 4, a brake disk 7.2 that is axially slidably supported on the main dri~e shaft 4 is slidingly displaced by the other end of the pivotally supported release lever 7.1. This axial sliding displacement of the brake disk 7.2 against the force of a brake spring 7.3 effectuates the releasing or disengaging of the holding brake, because thereby the friction lining 7.4 rigidly secured on the brake disk 7.2 is separated from the machine-fixed component 6. Oppositely, during the separation of the direct operative connection between rotor shaft 2 and main drive shaft 4 through axial sliding displacement of the coupling means 2.2 in the direction of the rotor shaft 2, the release lever 7.1 is again unloaded and the holding brake 7 is again actuated by the brake spring 7.3, so that the main drive shaft 4 is operatively connected in a frictionally engaging manner with the machine-fixed component 6. Patent Claims: 1. Method for operating a weaving machine in the operating states of the starting-up, the static weaving operation, and the deceleration, whereby a main motor, the main drive shaft of the weaving machine and a rotatable additional inertial mass are operatively connected with one another by different operative connections depending on the operating state, and the different operative connections are set by coupling operation through different shifting states, characterized in that via at least two shifting couplings, an operation with the four following different shifting states can selectively be set: a) the main motor (1) is coupled only with the additional inertial mass (3); b) the main motor (li is coupled only vfith the main drive shaft (4); c) the main motor (1) is coupled with the additional inertial mass (3) and simultaneously vvith the main drive shaft (4); d) the main motor (1), the additional inertial mass (3) and the main drive shaft (4) are all decoupled from one another. 2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that via a third shiftable coupling additionally at least the following shifting state can be set; e) the main motor (1) is coupled only with the main drive shaft (4) and the additional inertial mass (3) is simultaneously coupled directly with the main drive shaft (4) . 3. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that during the starting-up of the weaving machine, first in the shifting state a only the additional inertial mass (3) is accelerated by the main motor (1) operatively connected therewith to a rotational speed that corresponds at least nearly to an operating rotational speed, in that then after separation of main motor (1) and additional inertial mass (3) the main motor (1) in the shifting state d is decelerated at least nearly to a standstill, in that thereafter the main motor (1) is operatively connected with the main drive shaft (4) at the shifting state b and the weaving machine is accelerated by the main drive shaft (4) at least nearly to the operating rotational speed, and in that finally through transition into the shifting state c the main motor (1) is operatively connected with the previously accelerated additional inertial miass (3), w'hereby the main motor (1) simtultaneously remains cperatively connected with the main drive shaft (4). 4. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that during the starting-up of the weaving machine, first in the shifting state a only the additional inertial mass (3) is accelerated by the main motor (1) operatively connected therewith to a rotational speed that corresponds at least nearly to an operating rotational speed, in that then after separation of main motor (1) and additional inertial mass (3) the main motor (l) in che shifting state d is decelerated at least nearly to a standstill, in that thereafter the main motor (1) is operatively connected with the main drive shaft (4) at the shifting state b and the weaving machine is accelerated at least nearly to the operating rotational speed by the main drive shaft (4), and in that finally by transition into the shifting state e the pa-evic-usly accelerated additional inertial mass (3) is operatively connected directly with the main drive shaft (4), whereby the main motor (1) simultaneously remiains operatively connected with the main drive shaft (4). 5. Method according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that during the accelerating of rhe additional inertial mass in the shifting state a, a rotational speed for the additional inertial mass is set, which lies above the operating rotational speed, and in that during the acceleration of the rriain drive shaft (4i in the shifting state b the transition to the shifting state .c or e is already carried out before the main drive shaft (4) has reached the operating nominal rotational speed, so that a small portion of the energy necessary for reaching the operating nominal rotational speed of the main drive shaft (4) is derived from the additional inertial mass (3) that is rotating with a higher rotational speed than the operating nominal rotational speed. 6. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that for the deceler-ation and shuttrng-dc-vvn to a standstill of the weaving machine from the static operation, in vdiich the shifting state c exists, first by decoupling the additional inertial mass (3) the shifting state b is brought about and the main drive shaft (4) is decelerated by the main motor (1) to at least near the standstill. 7. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that, for the deceleration and shutting-dov\rn to a standstill of the weaving machine from the static operation, in which the shifting state e exists, first by decoupling the additional inertial mass (3) from the main drive shaft (4) the shifting state b is brought about and the main drive shaft (4) is decelerated by the main motor (1) to at least nearly the standstill. 8. Method according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that after the deceleration of the main drive shaft (4) to at least nearly the standstill, the shifting state d is set, -whereby the main drive shaft (4; is decoupled from the miain motor (1) and is brought into operative connection with a machine-fixed component. 9. Drive arrangement of a weaving machine, which drive arrangement encompasses - a machine-fixedly arranged main motor (1), - at least one coupling means (2.1) rotationally fixedly arranged on the rotor shaft (2) of the main motor (1), 1 - a main drive shaft (4) that is drivable by the main motor (1) and that is arranged coaxially to ohe rotor shaft (2) of the main motor, and - an additional inertial mass (3) that is drivable by the main motor (1), characterized in that the coupling means (2.1) is connectable in a rotationally fixed manner with the main drive shaft (4) via a first driving element (4.1), and the coupling means (2.1) is connectable in a rotaticrially fixed manner with the additional inertial mass (3) via a second driving element (3.1) . 10. Drive arrangement according to claim 9, characterized in that the main drive shaft (4) is directly connectable in a rotationally fixed marrner with the additional inertial mass (3) via a shiftable coupling (5). 11. Drive arrangement according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the first driving element (4.1) is embodied and arranged in such a manner chat che main drive shaft (4) is connectable in a rotationally fixed manner either via the coupling means (2.1j Vv-ith the main motor (1) or with a machine-fixed component (6) of the weaving machine. 12. Drive arrangement according to one of the claims 9 to 11, characterized in that the coupling means is a coupling disk arranged coaxially on the rotor shaft of the main 5045/VJFF:ks motor, and in that the first and the second driving element are embodied as armature disks, whereby both armature disks are arranged coaxially to the coupling disk and are connectable with the coupling disk in a frictionally engaged manner. 13. Drive arrangement according to one of the claims 9 to 11, characterized in that, the coupling means is a coupling disk arranged coaxially on the rotor shaft of the main motor, the second driving element is embodied as an armature disk that is arranged coaxially to the coupling disk and is connectable with the coupling disk in a frictionally engaged manner. and the first driving element is embodied as an armature disk and is arranged coaxially to the coupling disk, which armature disk is selectively connectable in a rotationally fixed manner with the coupling disk or with a machine-fixed part of the weaving machine. 14. Vfeaving machine characterized by a drive arrangement according to one of the claims 9 to 13.

Documents:

5694-CHENP-2008 AMENDED CLAIMS 31-12-2014.pdf

5694-CHENP-2008 CORRESPONDENCE OTHERS 05-03-2014.pdf

5694-CHENP-2008 EXAMINATION REPORT REPLY RECEIVED 31-12-2014.pdf

5694-CHENP-2008 FORM-1 31-12-2014.pdf

5694-CHENP-2008 FORM-3 31-12-2014.pdf

5694-CHENP-2008 POWER OF ATTORNEY 31-12-2014.pdf

5694-chenp-2008 abstract.pdf

5694-chenp-2008 claims.pdf

5694-chenp-2008 correspondence-others.pdf

5694-chenp-2008 correspondnece-others.pdf

5694-chenp-2008 description (complete).pdf

5694-chenp-2008 drawings.pdf

5694-chenp-2008 form-1.pdf

5694-chenp-2008 form-18.pdf

5694-chenp-2008 form-3.pdf

5694-chenp-2008 form-5.pdf

5694-chenp-2008 pct.pdf

5694-Chenp-2008-Pet 137 for POR.pdf

5694-Chenp-2008-Pet 137 for verification.pdf