Installation for supplying bobbins to a textile machine

Abstract

 An apparatus for supplying a textile machine with bobbins of semifinished material comprises, for each of the machine's working fronts (15) at least two substantially parallel running tracks (17) along which at least two series of runners (11) for engaging respective bobbins (7, 8) can run; means (37, 39, 41; 47, 49) are also provided for guiding the semifinished material (S) from the respective bobbin to the working front of the machine, which means enable the semifinished material from bobbins carried either along the first, or along the second track to be fed to the respective working front. Automatic or manual drive means (81) enable runners carrying full bobbins to be introduced into said tracks and empty runners to be removed from them.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an apparatus for supplying a textile machine with bobbins of semifinished material, comprising - for each of the machine's working fronts - a running track for a series of runners carrying a plurality of bobbins.

[0002] An apparatus of this kind is described, for example, in FR-A-21 90 955. In this known apparatus, which is used to supply continuous spinning machines, the bobbins are suspended from carriages or runners which run in tracks suspended above the spinning machine and form a continuous path from a bobbin supply area to an empty tubes discharge area and back again. The carriages are moved by hand and replacing exhausted tubes with full bobbins is a long and tiring operation.

[0003] Patent EP-A-0 240 473 discloses a different installation for supplying full bobbins and removing empty tubes for a continuous spinning machine. This installation provides for a carriage which moves along the spinning machine supplying bobbins to a plurality of rotating supports arranged above the heads of the spinning machine. The carriage carries the bobbins to individual supports and takes away the empty tubes. This installation allows the complete automation of the supply stages of the spinning machine; however, it is comparatively complicated and involves heavy costs.

[0004] The object of the invention is an apparatus of the abovementioned type which, in an extremely simple and economical manner, enables bobbins of semifinished material (for example, roving coming from a bank of spindles or from a finisher) to be automatically or semiautomatically supplied to a textile machine (such as for example a continuous spinning machine or a twisting or other machine), and if necessary to take away the empty tubes from said machine.

[0005] These and other aims and advantages, which will become clear to those skilled in the art on reading the following text, are achieved with an apparatus essentially having the features that for each working front of the machine at least two substantially parallel running tracks are provided, along which at least two series of runners for engaging respective bobbins can run; that means are provided for guiding the semifinished material from the respective bobbin to the working front of the machine, which means enable the semifinished material from bobbins carried either along the first or along the second track to be fed to the respective working front; and that manual or automatic drive means enable runners carrying full bobbins to be introduced into said tracks and empty runners to be removed from them.

[0006] This arrangement enables two tracks to be filled with corresponding series of runners carrying full bobbins. The work of the textile machine, for example a continuous spinning machine, begins with the series of bobbins arranged along a first of said two tracks, while the other bobbins stand waiting. Then, once the first series of bobbins has been exhausted, an operator can by a simple joining operation, called "head-to-tail", connect the tail of the roving wound on each of the bobbins nearing exhaustion to the head of the roving wound on each corresponding full bobbin supported by the second track. In this way the spinning operation proceeds uninterruptedly, and once the rovings corresponding to all the exhausted bobbins carried along said first track have been joined up, their corresponding runners can be taken off and away and replaced with a new series of runners carrying full bobbins, while the machine is working the semifinished material of the bobbins arranged along the second track.

[0007] The drive means may advantageously comprise mechanical actuators or the like, optionally controlled by means of an electronic computer, too. However, the possibility of manual drive is not ruled out, with the runners being caused to run along the tracks by means of control handles projecting below these runners.

[0008] Further advantageous embodiments are described in the attached dependent claims.

[0009] The bobbins of semifinished material can be held with a substantially vertical axis, but it is also possible to arrange the tracks so as to hold the bobbins with a substantially horizontal or inclined axis.

[0010] The tracks associated with each front of the machine may lie side by side on a horizontal plane or be superposed and aligned vertically or slightly staggered. The track arrangement can be chosen, for example, to suit the space available in the installation to which the apparatus is to be applied.

[0011] For the supply of runners carrying full bobbins and the removal of empty runners, the apparatus according to the invention may comprise a shuttle moving transversely to the machine or to a plurality of machines next to each other; the shuttle is used to transport runners with bobbins of semifinished material, coming from a storage area or processing section upstream, to the machine or machines, and to take away empty runners from said machine or machines.

[0012] In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the shuttle carries means for loading and unloading the runners from said shuttle into the tracks and vice versa. In this way the single actuators may be arranged centrally on the shuttle and are used to feed with full bobbins even a very large number of textile machines, for example continuous spinning machines. No driving or manipulating gear need be provided along the machines themselves. In this way an apparatus is provided that is extremely slim, economical and easy to run by a computerized system.

[0013] Besides this it is also possible to provide, at at least one end of each machine, fixed manipulating means to push the runners into their respective tracks and draw them out of them. These manipulating means may be provided in addition to those of the shuttle or as an alternative thereto.

[0014] If the drive means are centralized on the shuttle or are arranged at the head of each machine, in order to be able to drive the runners the full length of the tracks, which may be some tens of meters long, provision may be made for each runner to be equipped with means of engagement with adjacent runners. In this way runners introduced onto the same track hook onto each other and form a sort of "train", so that by pulling at one end of said "train" it is possible to move all the runners on the same track.

[0015] In a modified embodiment, the means for driving the runners comprise a carriage equipped with manipulators, which grasp the runners so that the movement of the carriage draws these runners along in the tracks. In machines equipped with a blower, as for example in continuous spinning machines, the carriage may be formed by this same blower, the movement being in this case programmed to satisfy the requirements of manipulating the bobbin.

[0016] The invention also relates to a textile installation for spinning comprising a first section comprising machines which produce a semifinished material in bobbins, and a section comprising machines for further work on said semifinished material, in which installation the machines of the second section are equipped with an apparatus for feeding bobbins of the abovementioned type and a shuttle is provided which removes runners loaded with bobbins of semifinished material from the first section to load them onto the tracks of the second section.

[0017] Further embodiments of the installation according to the invention are indicated in the attached claims and the text which follows.

[0018] The invention will be understood more clearly by following the description and attached drawing, which shows a practical, nonlimiting embodiment of said invention for illustrative purposes. In the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows a layout for an installation comprising an apparatus according to the invention;

Fig. 2 diagrammatically shows a side elevation of a portion of a spinning machine and of a bank of spindles with a shuttle interposed between said two machines for the supply of bobbins;

Fig. 3 shows a side elevation similar to Fig. 2, but with a different type of shuttle; .

Figs 4 through 7 show diagrammatic cross-sections of continuous spinning machines equipped with an apparatus according to the invention in various forms of embodiment;

Fig. 8 shows a side elevation of a particular embodiment of the bobbin-feeding shuttle; and

Fig. 8A shows an enlargement of detail VIIIA of Fig. 8.

[0019] The apparatus according to the invention will henceforth be described in a combination with a spinning installation comprising a first processing section where bobbins of semifinished material (roving) are produced, and a second section for processing the roving to produce the yarn. In the example illustrated, the first section comprises a series of banks of spindles, but could in a similar way comprise a series of finishers or other textile machines, according to the type of processing (wool, cotton, continuous yarn etc.). The second section comprises, again in the example illustrated, a series of ring-type continuous spinning machines, but could comprise other kinds of machinery depending on the production cycle.

[0020] Fig. 1 shows the layout of the installation. 1 indicates generally the section of the banks of spindles 3 which take the roving from vases 5 to produce bobbins 7 of semifinished material which, by means that are known per se and not shown in detail, are suspended from tripoperated mandrels or chucks 9 (Fig. 2) supported by corresponding runners 11. Chucks of this kind are known for example from DE-A-1904835 and are not described here in greater detail. The runners 11 are in turn slidably supported in tracks 13 which run lengthwise along the banks of spindles 3. Each bank of spindles 3 is provided with two tracks 13 for the purposes described below.

[0021] Also indicated in Fig. 1 is a spinning area 2 comprising a plurality of continuous spinning machines indicated as a whole by 15, arranged parallel with each other and lined up to form a front across from the area 1 of banks of spindles. With each front of each spinning machine 15 are associated two tracks 17 lying side by side (in the example of Fig. 1) or superposed in the same way as the tracks 13 associated with the banks of spindles 3.

[0022] Arranged between the spinning machines 15 and the banks of spindles 3 is a shuttle indicated as a whole by 21, intended to move as indicated by the double arrow f21 in front of the heads or tails of the spinning machines, which lie side by side. The shuttle 21 is used to transport the runners 11 from any one of the banks of spindles 3 to any one of the spinning machines 15 and vice versa. Arranged on the shuttle 21 are lengths of track 23 side by side, similar to the tracks 13 and 17 and able to take a plurality of runners 11. Each length of track 23 takes a runner 11, so that the runners are arranged parallel with each other and side by side on the shuttle 21. In the example of Fig. 2 the shuttle 21 runs on a running track 23 level with the floor P and has a frame 25 extending upward on which a housing 27 carrying the lengths of track 23 can move in a vertical direction. In the example of Fig. 3, in contrast, the shuttle 21 runs on overhead tracks 29 and comprises a housing 31 that is vertically mobile as indicated by f31. In Fig. 3 the tracks 17 associated with the spinning machine 15 are superposed over each other rather than lying horizontally side by side as in the example of Fig. 2. The need to have a vertically mobile housing 31 is therefore obvious, in order to be able to position the runners 11 either in the upper track 17 or in that below. Vertical movement of the housing of the shuttle 21 may also be necessary in the case in which the tracks 13 of the bank of spindles are not at the same height as the tracks 17 of the spinning machines.

[0023] Figs 4 through 7 show transverse cross-sections of a ring-type continuous spinning machine 15 with various possible configurations of the tracks 17. In the example of Fig. 4, the spinning machine is equipped with a creel 33 on which two tracks 35 are arranged running longitudinally the whole length of said spinning machine, being used for moving a blower 55, of a type known per se. Four tracks 17 are fixed side by side on a horizontal plane to the creel 33. Each track 17 is used to take a plurality of runners 11, each of which carries, in the example illustrated, two rows of bobbins 7 or 8 suspended by means of the respective mandrels 9. On each flank of the spinning machine, running the whole length of the line of spindles, are roving guide means formed by three shaped bars, called "rifle barrels", indicated by 37, 39 and 41 respectively. In the view shown in Fig. 4, each working front of the spinning machine 15 has bobbins 7 arranged on it from which the roving S is unwound and fed to the spindles below. To each spindle the roving of a bobbin is fed. On the left-hand front (when viewing the figure), the roving is being unwound from bobbins suspended from the outermost track 17. The bobbins suspended from the inner track 17 (indicated by 8) are waiting. They will be used when the other bobbins next to them are exhausted. When the bobbins 7 are exhausted, an operator joins the tails of the rovings nearing exhaustion to the heads of the rovings wound on the bobbins 8 to allow the spinning operation to continue.

[0024] As is clear from Fig. 4, the guide bars 37, 39, 41 are arranged to enable the roving to be guided whether it comes from the inner bobbins or the outer bobbins.

[0025] On the right-hand side of the spinning machine bobbins 7 are suspended from the inner track 17, while the outer track 17 carries runners 11 on which empty tubes 10 are arranged. By suitable drive means, described below, the runners 11 carrying the exhausted tubes 10 will be run off the respective track 17 and replaced with runners 11 carrying full bobbins 7 from the banks of spindles. In the installation illustrated in the drawing, this operation is performed by means of the shuttle 21. The empty runners 11 are taken onto the lengths of track 23 of the shuttle 21, arranging one runner on each length of track 23. The shuttle then carries the empty runners 11 to one of the tracks 13 (temporarily empty) associated with one of the banks of spindles 3 of the section 1 of the banks of spindles. Next, the shuttle 21 places itself in line with one of the tracks 13 on which runners 11 loaded with full bobbins are arranged. This could be the other of the two tracks 13 lying next to the same bank of spindles to which the empty tubes have been surrendered. In this way the runners 11 carrying the full bobbins are transferred to the previously released lengths of track 23. Then another movement of the shuttle brings the lengths of track 23 into line with the track 17 left empty on the spinning machine, allowing the runners to be transferred.

[0026] All the operations of transferring the runners 11 from the tracks 17, respectively 13, to the track lengths 23 and vice versa take place by successively aligning each length of track 23 with the track to or from which the transfer is to take place, and by moving a single runner from the track to the track lengths 23 or vice versa. The shuttle 21 is then moved one step to perform the same operation on an adjacent length of track 23. The operations of loading and unloading the runners from the shuttle 21 may also occur in a single phase, when a sufficient number of lengths of track 23 is available.

[0027] Fig. 5 shows a slightly modified embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention. In this case, four tracks 17 are associated with the spinning machine 15, being arranged symmetrically along the two working fronts of the spinning machine 15 and superposed in pairs. 45 indicates the support creel, and 47 indicates two guide bars for the roving of the bobbins carried on the lower tracks, which bars run the whole length of the working front of the spinning machine. Once again 7 indicates the working bobbins and 8 the waiting bobbins, while 10 indicates the exhausted tubes ready to be taken away in the manner described above. The bobbins 7 and 8 shown in this figure are of a different shape to those shown in Fig. 4 and correspond to a product made by a finisher rather than by a bank of spindles.

[0028] The upper runners 11 are each equipped with portions of guide bars 49 for the roving. When the upper runners are positioned to be introduced into the upper tracks 17, an operator can prepare the rovings as shown in the figure, so that the subsequent "head-to-tail" joining is easier.

[0029] In the example illustrated in Fig. 5 a carriage 51 is also shown with a raisable platform 53 for an operator who performs the operations of joining the rovings and supervising the spinning machine. The carriage 51 helps in the operations of running the installation and may if required be equipped with means for sucking up the residual fibers off-loaded on the floor by the blowers moving along the spinning machines. In this way, in addition to facilitating the work of the operator the further job of sucking up harmful residues is performed.

[0030] Figs 6 and 7 show illustrative embodiments corresponding to that shown in Fig. 5, with different configurations of the tracks 17 which in this case are each made with two parallel rails a distance apart. Like numbers indicate parts that correspond to the embodiment of Fig. 5.

[0031] The runners 11 can be driven along the tracks 13 and/or 17 in various ways, for example by means of flexible members, such as belts or chains, running the whole length of the tracks and returned by pulleys arranged at the extremities of said tracks.

[0032] Alternatively the runners can be driven by a carriage moving along each spinning machine and equipped with manipulators (which may be for example pneumatic) which grasp the runners individually allowing them to be moved by means of the moving carriage. This type of drive can be readily achieved by associating with the blower, already present on each spinning machine, manipulating means suitable for taking the runners 11. In this way, using the same types of apparatus already provided on a traditional continuous spinning machine, the runners may be driven and the bobbins fed. This solution is illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 4, where associated with the blower 55 are four manipulators 81 in the form of cylinder-piston systems, each of the systems being used to drive the runners 11 along one of the four tracks 17 lying horizontally side by side. The movement must obviously take place step by step, as the rods of the inner manipulators 81 must be periodically retracted during the movement of the blower 55 to allow the arms of the creel 33 to pass.

[0033] If the apparatus according to the invention is equipped with a shuttle 21 as in the example illustrated, the drive means can be arranged centrally on said shuttle, so further simplifying the configuration of the installation. In Fig. 8 an illustrative embodiment is shown in which the shuttle 21 also carries, in addition to the lengths of track 23, a housing 61 with two rails 63 extending at right angles to and above the lengths of track 23. The rails 63 are used for a moving element 65 to run on, carrying a chain or other flexible member 67 running between two pulleys 69. The pulleys 69 are carried by supports 71 moving vertically under the control of a pair of actuators 73. The chain 67 has pegs or other holding members (one of which is diagrammatically indicated by 75), for engaging with a corresponding runner 11. When the runner 11 on one of the lengths of track 23 is to be unloaded from the shuttle, the moving element 65 is lined up with said runner and the chain 67 is lowered vertically to bring the holding members 75 into engagement with the runner 11 that is being unloaded. At this point the chain is set rotating by a suitable motor on the moving element 65 to cause the runner 11 to advance until it is unloaded from the length of track 23 onto a track 13 or 17. A similar operation can be performed to load a runner 11 from a track 13 or 17 to a length of track 23. For this purpose the chain 67 is long enough to project from the shuttle 21 so as to engage the runners 11 arranged on a track 13 or 17. The chain system may be replaced by a system of pneumatic cylinders.

[0034] With the arrangement described above the powered drive acts only on one runner 11. In order to fill or empty an entire track 13 or 17, the runners must be fitted with means of reciprocal engagement. In this way, the filling of a track 13 or 17 takes place by pushing the previous runner already in the track with the next runner that is to be unloaded. Contrariwise, to empty a track, it is sufficient to pull onto the shuttle 21 the outermost runner projecting from the track, and this will move all the others connected together one step along. When the runner has been loaded onto the length of track 23 on the shuttle, the shuttle itself moves one step to bring the next length of track 23 into line with the track that is to be emptied, and the manipulating means grasp the next runner 11, drawing it onto the shuttle and at the same time moving the remaining runners on the track by one step. With a number of operations of this kind in sequence, the whole track can be emptied.

[0035] Alternatively, instead of being on the shuttle 21 (or, as well as being on the shuttle 21) the drive means may also be arranged at the head of each track 17 and/or 13.

[0036] Fig. 8A shows an enlarged detail of the means for linking the runners 11 to each other. As Figs 8 and 8A show, each runner 11 is provided at one end with a U-shaped hook 83 projecting from said runner in the longitudinal direction, and at the other with an inverted U-shaped hook 85, in which the hook 83 engages. The mutual engagement and disengagement of the hooks 83, 85 takes place by simple relative translational movement of the two adjacent runners 11 in the transverse direction; thus slipping the hooks 83, 85 off each other. This translation in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal extension of each runner 11 is achieved simply by the movement of the shuttle 21. Any additional moving member is thus eliminated.

[0037] It will be understood that the drawing shows only an illustrative embodiment which is given purely as a practical demonstration of the invention, it being possible for said invention to vary as regards shapes and arrangements without thereby departing from the scope-of the concept underlying said invention. Any reference numbers appearing in the accompanying claims are intended to facilitate the reading of the claims with reference to the description and drawing, and do not limit the scope of protection represented by the claims.

Claims

1. An apparatus for supplying a textile machine with bobbins of semifinished material, comprising - for each of the machine's working fronts - a running track for a series of runners carrying a plurality of bobbins, having the features that for each working front of the machine (15) at least two substantially parallel running tracks (17) are provided, along which at least two series of runners (11) for engaging respective bobbins (7, 8) can run; that means (37, 39, 41; 47, 49) are provided for guiding the semifinished material (S) from the respective bobbin to the working front of the machine, which means enable the semifinished material from bobbins carried either along the first or along the second track to be fed to the respective working front; and that automatic or manual drive means enable runners carrying full bobbins to be introduced into said tracks and empty runners to be removed from them.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which said bobbins (7, 8) are held with their own axis substantially vertical.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, in which the tracks (17) associated with any individual working front of the machine (15) are aligned on a horizontal plane.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the tracks (17) associated with any individual working front of the machine (15) are superposed in the vertical direction.

5. The apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which each of the runners (11) carried by at least one of the tracks (17) associated with each front of the machine (15) is combined with means (49) for guiding the roving.

6. The apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, comprising a shuttle (21) moving transversely to the machine (15) or to a plurality of machines (15) next to each other, said shuttle transporting the runners (11) with bobbins (7, 8) of semifinished material (S) to the machine or machines (15) and taking away empty runners from said machine or machines.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, in which said shuttle (21) comprises a plurality of lengths of track (23) side by side for receiving the-runners (11).

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 or 7, in which said shuttle (21) comprises a vertically mobile housing (27, 31) on which the runners (11) are carried.

9. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 6 through 8, in which said shuttle (21) carries means (63-75) for loading and unloading the runners (11) from said shuttle into the tracks (17) and vice versa,

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, in which said means for loading and unloading the runners (11) comprise an element (65) moving transversely to the runners (11), on which element manipulators (69, 73, 75) for the runners (11) are arranged.

11. The apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which at at least one end of each machine (15), fixed manipulating means are arranged to push the runners into their respective tracks (17) and draw them out of them.

12. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 9 through 11, in which each runner is equipped with means (83, 85) of engagement with adjacent runners.

13. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 through 10, in which the drive means comprise a carriage (55) equipped with manipulators (81), which draw the runners (11) in the tracks (17).

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, in which the machine (15) is a spinning machine, and the carriage (55) is formed by the blower which moves longitudinally along the spinning machine.

15. The apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the runners (11) are equipped with trip-operated mandrels (9) for the engagement of bobbins wound on tubes (10).

16. A textile installation for spinning comprising a first section (1) comprising machines (3) which produce a semifinished material in bobbins (7, 8), and a section (2) comprising machines (15) for further work on said semifinished material, in which installation said machines (15) of the second section (2) are equipped with an apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 15 for the supply of bobbins, a shuttle (21) removing the runners (11) loaded with bobbins of semifinished material from the first section (1) to load them onto the tracks of the second section (2).

17. The installation as claimed in claim 16, in which each machine (3) of the first section (1) is associated with two parallel tracks (13) in which the runners (11) are positioned to be loaded with the bobbins (7, 8) of semifinished material that is to be conveyed to the second section.

18. The installation as claimed in claim 16 or 17, additionally comprising a carriage (51) which moves along the machines (15) of the second section (2) to transport an operator.

19. The installation as claimed in claim 18, in which the carriage (51) is equipped with suction means for removing textile fibers from the floor (P).

Drawing