Avl looms E-lift User manual

Installation and User Manual

E-Lift™version 3

AVL Looms

2360 Park Avenue, Chico, CA 95928-6785 U.S.A

www.avllooms.com | [email protected]

530 893-4915 (ph) | 530 893-1372 (fax)

Table of Contents

Table of Contents 2

INTRODUCTION 3

Support and Warranty 3

Safety 4

Package Contents 5

Tools 5

Definitions 2

The “Switch” 2

E-Lift Weaving Modes 2

Orientation 2

Acronyms 2

INSTALLING THE E-LIFT 7

A-Series, PDL & TDL Looms 7

SDL & V-Series Looms 13

OPERATING THE E-LIFT 19

MAINTENANCE AND REPLACEMENTS 21

INTRODUCTION

Congratulations on your purchase of the E-Lift system. The E-Lift does all the hard work of opening

and closing the shed. You just press the switch and weave! The assistance this system provides

eliminates the physically tiring action of treadling, reducing leg strain and fatigue. The E-Lift even

enables weaving where it might otherwise be too difficult for persons with mobility issues.

Version 3 of AVL’s E-Lift is the first design using closed loop operation, which simplifies both

installation and operation of the E-Lift. No more crawling on the floor to set the starting position,

just press and hold the foot switch for optimal positioning.

Support and Warranty

Your new E-Lift is designed to provide years of dependable service. It comes with a lifetime of

phone and email support and a standard AVL one year warranty for the original owner. Want to

discuss the warranty in more detail, or get support for your AVL product? Please contact AVL at

530-893-4915 or by email to [email protected]m.

BEFORE GETTING STARTED: PLEASE READ THE ENTIRE MANUAL BEFORE USING THE

LOOM.

Safety

Warnings:

EQUIPMENT SHOULD ONLY BE USED FOR TEXTILE MANUFACTURING. IF THE

EQUIPMENT IS USED IN A MANNER NOT SPECIFIED BY THE MANUFACTURER, THE

PROTECTION PROVIDED BY THE EQUIPMENT MAY BE IMPAIRED.

ELECTRICAL SHOCK HAZARD. DO NOT TAMPER WITH

ELECTRICAL WIRES OR OPERATE E-LIFT WITH SAFETY PANELS

OPENED OR REMOVED.

PINCH AND CRUSH HAZARD. DO NOT PLACE HANDS IN MOVING

MECHANISMS.

EQUIPMENT IS HEAVY. TO AVOID MUSCLE STRAIN OR INJURY,

USE PROPER LIFTING TECHNIQUES AND A HELPER.

USE OF CONDUCTIVE FIBER OR YARN ON OR AROUND THIS

EQUIPMENT WILL VOID WARRANTY AND MAY DAMAGE

EQUIPMENT.

THIS EQUIPMENT IS CLASSIFIED FOR HOME USE ONLY.

Package Contents

We strive to package our products with care to ensure that they arrive intact and undamaged. Even

with our best efforts, issues can occur during shipping. It is important for you to inspect and verify

the completeness of your order as soon as it arrives. Please inspect the outer package for

damage, take pictures and immediately report any significant concerns to AVL. Once you are

ready to open the package, please carefully remove all contents from the packaging and verify that

all parts, hardware arrived. Your package should contain:

E-Lift system (1) with attached:

○Motor lifting cable (1) with clip retainer (1)

○Motor return cables with spring (1) with clip retainer (1)

Mounting blocks (2)

Cam-cylinder assemblies (2) secured in mounting order, including:

○Lifting cam-cylinder with dobby to cylinder lifting cable (1) & clip retainer (1)

○Lowering cam-cylinder with dobby to cylinder lifting cable assembly (1) & clip retainer (1).

NOTE: The dobby to lowering cylinder assembly consists of two cables and a small

extension spring joining the cables.

○Spacers –Each configuration uses different quantity and size of spacers which are

provided in mounting order.

○Stop collars - Each configuration uses different quantity and size of stop collars which are

provided in mounting order.

○Axle bushings (4) - Older looms (ONLY) used a ½” axle and require axle bushings in each

end of the cam-cylinders to adapt from their 5/8” diameter holes.

○½” stop collar (1) - Older looms (ONLY) use axle caps on the outside ends to retain the axle

in the side frame. You will be removing the rear or right side axle cap which is destructive to

the axle cap. The stop collar replaces the axle cap. An Allen wrench for the stop collar is

provide in the hardware pack.

Foot or hand switch with cord (as ordered) (1)

Power cord (1)

Hardware pack, includes:

○Mounting hardware for E-Lift and mounting blocks

○Allen wrench for ½” ID stop collar (where applicable)

○Allen wrench for 5/8” ID stop collar (where applicable)

Tools

○7/16” & 1/2" wrenches ○7/16” & 1/2” sockets with

wrench

○Phillips head screwdriver

○Needle nose pliers

○Drill motor

○11/32”drill bit

○Tape measure

○Pencil ○Ferule crimping tool (Pre-

1988 PDL & TDL looms

only)

Definitions

The “Switch”

■An electrical switch selection is how the user communicates with the E-Lift.

■The standard configuration for the E-Lift includes a foot switch for operating the E-Lift.

There is also an option for a hand switch that is mounted to the beater top.

■Because the switches manage the same function, this document will simply refer to them

as the “switch”.

■There are two types of switch selection actions:

●Quick on/off selection (for normal weaving operation), or

●Press and hold selection (for Homing or changing Modes).

E-Lift Weaving Modes

■Double-shed Mode

●Double-shed mode is an operating mode where the ending movement is always

with an open shed, or if no harnesses are selected where the slide plate or dobby

arm are in the down position.

●Double-shed is the default Mode whenever the E-Lift is powered on.

●Double-shed is the most efficient Mode for weaving

■Single-shed Mode

●In Single-shed Mode operation, each switch selection moves the slide plate or

dobby arm to the next position.

●Single-shed can only be accessed by changing Modes.

●Single-shed is intended primarily for aiding in loom or warp diagnostics.

Orientation

For physical orientation while at the loom, all directional references are relative to the

sitting weaving position (i.e. the front of the loom).

Acronyms

FDL –Folding Dobby Loom; folding frame loom in production bet. 1981-2008

PDL –Production Dobby Loom; full frame loom in production bet. 1977-2002,

predecessor to the A-Series loom

SDL –Studio Dobby Loom; small frame loom orig. 1992, shares basic frame with the V-

Series loom

TDL –Technical Dobby Loom; full frame loom in production bet. 1988-2002,

predecessor to the A-Series Loom

INSTALLING THE E-LIFT

Each loom type may have a different details for its installation procedure. Please refer to the

loom specific notes where identified in these instructions.

A-Series, PDL & TDL Looms

Note: If you are replacing an existing E-Lift 2 or 2+ steps 1a, 1e, 2 and 3 can be skipped. The E-

Lift 3 directly replaces the E-Lift 2 & 2+ with the additional step of removing the return spring

lever and spring from the rear treadle crossmember.

1. Preparing the loom:

a. Lightly mark in pencil each treadle pulley support cross member for correct

positioning, with reference to front/back and up/down, before removing them from the

loom. Also, lightly mark the dobby arm in pencil with an “R” for which hole is used

with the cable to the cam-cylinder, and with an “L” for which hole is used with the

cable to the left treadle.

b. Disconnect the treadle cables at the treadles. Remove the treadles, treadle support

mounting blocks and axles from the loom.

c. Disconnect both cables from the slide plate or dobby arm. On older looms (pre-

1988), dobby arm cables are crimped in place and must be cut to remove them. On

newer dobby arm-equipped looms, black plastic cable retainer buttons are used in

the dobby arm to retain the cables. The buttons are removed from the opposite side

as the cable entry hole by pushing the cable further into its entry hole. Retain the

buttons for later use.

d. Remove the cam-cylinder and single pulley from the loom by removing the rear stop

collar or axle cap, sliding the axle towards the front of the loom and partially out of

the rear vertical side frame member until the cam-cylinder and single pulley are free

to be removed. Remove them now along with the cables attached to the cam-

cylinder.

e. Remove the treadle pulley support cross member assembly from the loom. Once off

the loom, disassemble it by removing the treadle pulley axles and pulleys from the

cross members.

2. Drilling the cross members: With the cross members located on a workbench or other

suitable working surface, drill the holes required, as shown in Figure & Chart 1.

Figure 1 –A-Series, PDL & TDL Treadle Pulley Support Cross Members (Front and

Rear) Holes

HOLE

NO.

CROSS

MEMBER

HOLE

SIZE

HOLE

ORIENTATION

DISTANCE FROM

EDGE

front

11/32”

vertical

12”

front

11/32”

vertical

15 1/4”

rear

11/32”

vertical

12”

rear

11/32”

vertical

15 1/4”

Chart 1 –A-Series, PDL & TDL Cross Member Hole Information

3. Reinstall the cross members, remembering to align them as before.

4. Mounting the E-Lift.

NOTE: There is some variation in mounting by loom age with the PDL.

a. Orient the E-Lift so that the power switch faces to the rear of the loom and the round

switch receptacle faces the front of the loom.

b. Position the E-Lift under the treadle pulley support cross members to align the holes

in the E-Lift mounting plate with Holes 1, 2, 3, & 4.

c. The Motor Box is heavy. It is recommended that two people lift the E-Lift into place

while a 3rd person installs the mounting blocks and hardware. Or, use 2 pieces of

2”Tx4”Wx~6-12”L placed on edge under the bottom of the E-Lift housing to elevate it

into position while getting the bolts and blocks in place.

d. All Looms, except for pre-1988 Production Dobby Looms:

i. Insert one 5/16-18” x 6 1/2” hex bolt and flat washer into the #s 1, 2, 3 & 4

holes from the top down, letting them hang with the exposed ends pointing to

the floor.

ii. Insert a mounting block onto a set of bolts in line with the cross member,

engage the bolts in the corresponding holes in the E-Lift mounting plate, and

then loosely install a flat washer, lock washer and hex nut on each hex bolt.

iii. Repeat with the other set of bolts, adding the mounting block, E-Lift and

remaining flat washers, lock washers and hex nuts.

iv. Tighten the mounting hardware.

e. Pre-1988 Production Dobby Looms:

i. The above procedure applies to the front 2 mounting holes and mounting block.

ii. Due to narrower dimensions of the cross member spacing, the rear mounting

on the E-Lift is closer to the front mounting. The rear mounting hex bolts are

screwed directly into threaded holes in the top of the E-Lift top plate.

iii. Ensure that the lock washer and flat washer are applied to the bolt head side of

the rear hex bolts.

5. Installing the cam-cylinders and coated steel cables:

a. Installing cam-cylinders –E-Lift 3 comes with two cam-cylinders, one for lifting

harnesses and one for lower harnesses.

i. Measure the diameter of your cam-cylinder axle. If it is ½” you will use 4

bushings inserted into each side of each new cam-cylinder in order to match

the axle sizing. Otherwise, omit the 4 bushings in the package.

ii. Find the configuration for your loom in the following Figure 3 images. Slide the

“lifting” cam-cylinder, “lowering” cam-cylinder, spacers and stop collars onto the

axle as indicated for your loom’s configuration. Do not tighten the stop collars.

iii. Slide the axle back into place in the rear vertical slide frame member and

secure with a stop collar.

b. Aligning the cam-cylinders –The cylinder portion of each cam-cylinder is designed

with a length to establish a direct route for its cables with as little angle as possible.

i. Before alignment, lubricating the cam-cylinder axle is recommended. Beeswax

is a long-lasting lubricant that is rubbed directly onto the axle under where the

cam-cylinders will operate. A dry, clear, spray Teflon or Silicone lubricant is

also suitable, though it provides less longevity.

ii. Align the lifting cam cable path by line of sight with the left side of the E-Lift

motor pulley. The cable should be straight on between the cam and motor

pulley with minimal angle.

iii. Align the lowering cam cable path by line of sight with the right side of the small

stand-off pulley mounted to the top of the E-Lift plate. This is the path of the

motor lifting cable and it should have minimal angle.

iv. Move the stop collars to lightly sandwich each cam-cylinder, leaving a slight

gap between the stop collars and the cam-cylinders to avoid pinching. Tighten

the set screws in the stop collars to lock them in place. NOTE: Pinching the

cam-cylinders between the stop collars can create too much resistance with the

cam-cylinder rotation and result in E-Lift motor stalls.

Fig. 2a –E-Lift Motor Double Pulley Cables (right side view)

Note: In this image the lower cable attaches to the lifting cylinder. The upper cable attaches to the

lowering cylinder.

Fig. 2b –E-Lift Cable Routing (rear view) Fig. 2c –E-Lift Cable Routing (front view)

Fig. 3-A/N –Cam-cylinders Configuration for A-Series with Negative Dobby (right side

view)

NOTE: Three possible configurations exist for the A-Series:

negative dobby-style head with the narrow “16H” back plate

negative dobby-style head with the wide “24/40H” back plate

positive dobby-style head with the wide “24H” back plate

All three configurations will have the same parts, however the cylinder on the lifting cam-

cylinder will be of different lengths for each configuration.

Fig. 3-P –Cam-cylinders Configuration for PDL (right side view)

Fig. 3-T –Cam-cylinders Configuration for TDL (right side view)

c. Attaching coated steel cables –There are 4 cables to attach. Do not unwrap the

packaging securing the cables until instructed to do so. Start with the cables

attached to the cam-cylinders.

i. Unwrap the cable from the cylinder of the “lifting” cam-cylinder, extend it up and

attach it to the slide plate or dobby arm.

1. If attaching to the slide plate the cable will end in a loop. The loop slides

over the open eye bolt at the bottom of the slide plate. If he eye bolt is

closed, then use the quick link to connect the cable to the eye bolt.

2. If attaching to a post-1988 dobby arm, the cable will end in a crimped

ferrule. The ferrule end of the cable will be inserted in the bottom “R” (as

marked in 1.a. above) hole in the dobby arm. Pop the ferrule up and out of

the top of the dobby arm, attach the black plastic cable retainer button, and

then pull the cable back down to seat it and the button in the dobby arm.

3. If attaching to a pre-1988 dobby arm, the cable end will be stripped of

sheathing. A loose ferrule will be supplied. Push the cable up through the

“R” hole and then using a crimping tool, crimp the ferrule onto the stripped

end of the cable. Note: Crimping the ferrule requires multiple squeezes to

ensure the entire ferrule is fully compressed and smooth. This ensures

optimal strength of the crimped joint. Please contact AVL for rental or

purchase of a crimping tool if you do not already have one.

ii. Unwrap the cable from the cylinder of the “lowering” cam-cylinder, extend it up

to and over the small pulley in the upper right corner of the dobby head, then

down to the slide plate or dobby arm and attach it. Note: The small pulley on

the slide plate equipped looms will have a cable retainer. The cable retainer is

adjusted by loosening the center mounting bolt in the pulley. Loosen the

retainer and slide it up to allow for installing the cable. Once the cable is

installed, lower the retainer down and as close as possible but not touching the

pulley, then tighten the center bolt to secure the retainer position.

1. If attaching to the slide plate the cable will end in a loop. The loop slides

over the open eye bolt at the bottom of the slide plate. If he eye bolt is

closed, then use the supplied quick link to connect the cable to the eye bolt.