[0001] At the basis of the present invention, the presence is placed of a yarn-tensioner
runner anchored, as an enbloc body, to the end of an arm lever which belongs, as an
operating element, to the unit suitable for guiding and depositing some windings of
reserve yarn on an area close to an end of a tube without wound yarn.
[0002] The invention can be applied, in particular, to a rotor-spinning unit during the
cycle of doffing of a full bobbin, in order to constitute a compact yarn reserve of
fine string-like character.
[0003] More particularly, the present invention makes it possible the reserve turns to be
given a high enough tension and them to be given, in their geometric arrangement of
deposit, that bond cohesion and mutual penetration, which secures a difficultly looseable
and unwindable compactness.
[0004] The tension of the yarn plays an important role in the formation of the reserve windings.
[0005] A too low tension can originate an unstable reserve string, which will tend to loosen,
originating the so-said "fallen turns" with dangling yarn lengths which, in their
turn, cause entanglements of yarns belonging to different bobbins conveyed by a same
conveyor belt, or to a same storage.
[0006] The yarns dangling from the bobbins furthermore originate undesired deposits around
the various members of the belt conveyors, or around similar elements, often hindering,
and, in extreme cases, even blocking the same conveyor units.
[0007] The reserve windings which collapse cause therefore disorders in the conveyances
and entanglements of yarns in the storages of the cheeses, of wound yarn units, and
cause as well difficulties in the downstream operations when the reserve length is
absent, or is broken, or is pulled away (on the creel, the units of wound yarn, i.e.,
the cheeses, are jointed to each other by using the yarn length obtained from the
unwinding of the reserve turns).
[0008] Awound yarn unit must be capable of maintaining the reserve turns wound around the
tube even after a considerable amount of handling, making it possible the yarn to
be quickly unwound in all of the subsequent operations, which contemplate the redrawing
of the yarn.
[0009] Said wound yarn unit can be of any geometrical shapes, and in the present specification,
and in the appended claims, it will be simply denominated as "bobbin" or "cheese",
with both above terms being used interchangeably.
[0010] The causes of an insufficiently high tensioning derive from the difference between
the speed of the extraction roll, which reaches nearly instantaneously its steady-state
value, and the collection speed, which has a less steep acceleration slope. Besides
that, one should remind that the roller-roll extraction pair is preset at a revolution
speed which is related to a helical winding mode, i.e., with a deposition speed which
is the sum of the revolution speed of the drive roller and of the translational speed
imposed by the yarn-guide element. On the contrary, the speed of deposition of the
reserve turns, which are arranged on the tube in a nearly circumferential pattern,
is approximately equal to the revolution speed of the drive roller, and is therefore
consideraly lower than said deposition speed with helical turns.
[0011] The use is already known as well of units, or of lever systems, which make it possible
a yarn reserve to be generated during the step of preparation of the cheese starting
end during the doffing cycle, so that the normal work of winding for the production
of such wound yarn units, such as bobbins orcheeses, can be subsequently started up.
[0012] According to DE-A-2 701 985 a yarn guide and a yarn brake are provided, which are
shiftable by means of a rack-pinion mechanism, but from this document no information
about the structure and/or function of said means can be deduced, nor are there disclosed
means for adjusting the braking force.
[0013] From document FR-A-2 312 445 a semiautomatic device for depositing the yarn reserve
on empty winding tubes is known, which device comprises a shaped disc fixed to one
of the tube supporting arms, on the inner side of said disc a shaped plate having
a yarn guiding slit is mounted and a spring also fixed on the inner site of disc cooperates
with plate to tension the running yarn during depositing of the yarn reserve on the
tube.
[0014] In this case the yarn tensioning means is rigidly connected with the tube supporting
arm and for depositing the yarn reserve the yarn must be inserted manually ant after
formation of the yarn reserve the yarn must be again disengaged manually. Furthermore,
no means is disclosed for adjusting the tensioning force.
[0015] The disadvantages of these devices, or lever groups, known from the prior art, become
evident, in particular, when the yarn reserve is formed, which results to be deposited
with not enough tensioned windings, which are therefore easily unwound during the
conveyance of the bobbin towards the processing bays and during the downstream manufacturing
processes.
[0016] Furthermore, not always the processes and the devices known from the prior art are
actuated by means of simple methods, i.e., they require complex lever systems, or
drive units.
[0017] The device for practicing the present invention overcome such drawbacks by means
of an original solution, which eliminates any possibilities that not enough tensioned
reserve windings may be formed, in that it exploits the action performed by a yarn-tensioning
runner, which is positioned between the extraction pair and the winding unit, for
a time necessary for the reserve to be formed.
[0018] A further advantage of the herein disclosed device, as compared to the prior art,
is its extreme structural simpleness, from which operating steps endowed with considerably
high reliability derive.
[0019] These, and still further advantages are all achieved by means of a device according
to claim 1.
[0020] An advantageous modification of the device according to claim 1 is included in claim
2.
[0021] The invention is now disclosed in detail in the following on the basis of the example
of practical embodiment schematically depicted in the figures of the hereto attached
drawing tables, which summarily illustrate the characteristics of the invention, it
being stressed that all the hereto attached drawings, as well as their description,
correspond to a preferred form of practical embodiment of the invention, in order
to make more understandable the way it is practiced.
[0022] In the drawings:
- Figure 1 shows an axonometric perspective view of the device prearranged for forming
the yarn reserve deposit wound on the empty tube taken from the tube distributor,
and inserted between the cheese-holder arms and shows as well the time point at which
the winding of the first reserve turns in the region close to the end of the tube
has already been started, while the yarn-tensioner runner performs a pressure action
on the yarn, supplying it with tension during its winding;
- Figure 2 shows a schematic, axonometric perspective view of the device prearranged
for forming the reserve yarn deposit wound on the tube inserted between the cheese-holder
arms and shows as well the time point at which the deposition of the reserve yarn
turns is already ended and the winding of the collecting turns by means of the transversal
displacement of the yarn guide has begun and while the yarn-guide runner has disabled
the pressure action on the yarn, releasing it from its tensioning;
- Figure 3 shows a schematic side view of the yarn-tensioning runner while the yarn,
shown in frontal cross-sectional view, is pressed by said runner during the necessary
time for the reserve to be formed.
[0023] In the figures, same elements are indicated by same reference numerals.
[0024] Moreover for the sake of clearness, in the figures all those parts which are not
necessary for the understanding of the invention are omitted, or they are presented
in a generic way, in that they are already known from the prior art.
[0025] In said hereto attached figures we have that:
1 are the yarn reserve windings deposited according to a fine string pattern on a
region close to the end of the tube 22;
2 is the extraction roller, which is pressed against the motor-driven extraction roll
4 extracting the yarn 11 from the rotor spinning unit 8;
3 is the actuator of the yarn-tensioning runner 9; 35 is the outlet opening for the
yarn 11 from the rotor spinning unit 8;
5 is the shaft of the extraction rolls 4;
6 is the lever of resetting of the release unit, which intervenes when the preestablished
length of wound yarn is reached, and therefore at bobbin end, or when a yarn breakage
occurs, or in order to enable or disable the extraction pair 4 and 2;
9 is the yarn-tensioning runner either enabled, or disabled, according to the arrows
3a or 3b, which indicate the displacements of the stem 36 of the actuator 3;
7 is the flat end of the arm lever 10. Said end operates as a stop plane against which
the yarn 11 is pressed by the action of the yarn-tensioning runner 9 all through the
time, which is necessary for the formation of the reserve 1;
10 is an arm lever, suitably shaped, which is associated, as an enbloc body, in its
lower portion, with the yarn-tensioning device according to the present invention.
Said arm lever is provided with a rotational movement for the insertion, or disin-
sertion, of the yarn-tensioning runner through, or away from, the path along which
the yarn runs for forming the reserve turns, which must be deposited in a compact,
fine string-like arrangement. Said arm lever 10 operatively cooperates with the lever
15, obliging the yarn to deposit on an area close to the end of the winding tube 22,
according to a well-precise arrangement, and in a well-precise position, both pre-established
for the formation of a correct reserve capable of securing that the turns which constitute
said reserve are not unwound during the subsequent handling of the bobbin full with
wound yarn;
11 is the yarn exiting the spinning unit 8 and is collected, in the direction shown
by the arrow 12, on the tube 22;
14 is a blade for shifting the path along which said yarn 11 runs, and said blade
can have an either straight, or shaped outline, already known from the prior art :
16 is a case housing the motor devices which control and drive the arms 10 and 15,
in order to insert them through the path of the yarn at the beginning of the formation
of the reserve yarn turns, and in order to disengage them at the end of the formation
of said reserve, leaving the yarn free for being picked by the yarn-guide unit 24.
[0026] Both the case and the arm levers 10 and 15 are housed on the slider carrying the
automatic units, running along the machine fronts during its patrolling action, and
schematically shown in chain 37; 19 is the arrow which indicates the revolutionary
movement of disengagement of the end of the arm 10, and therefore of the yarn-tensioning
runner 9, from the yarn 11 at the end of the formation of the reserve yarn turns 1,
deposited in a compact, fine string-like pattern;
18 are the arrows which indicate the pendulum- like movement of transversal oscillation
of the arm 15 which guides the yarn with its lower end to deposit on a limited band,
obliging the turns to tie with one another in a precise geometrical arrangement which
contributes, together with the extraction tensioning, to the formation of a compact
fine string-like reserve 1;
20 is the element of reception of the tube 22;
21 is the bobbin-carrier frame;
25 is the friction area, having the shape of an annulus of limited width, in order
that the bobbin which is being formed can be driven by the driver roll 27;
26 and 28 are fixed elements for guiding the yarn 11 which is being collected on the
tube 22;
29 is the arrow which indicates the direction of revolution of the extraction cylinder
4;
30 are the turns of yarn wound on the tube 22 by means of the yarn-guide unit 24,
moving with continuous reciprocating movements 34 by means of the control rod 23;
31 is the arrow which indicates the direction of revolution of the driver cylinder
27;
32 is the arrow which indicates the direction of revolution induced on the tube 22
by the driving action performed by the driver roll 27 by means of the friction band
25.
[0027] The following disclosure of the operating way of the machine made by referring to
the hereinabove cited figures refers, first of all, to all those elements which are
new, and, therefore, is directed to the device according to the present invention,
which carries out a process for depositing a yarn reserve consisting of a plurality
of yarn turns on a tube without wound yarn, it being understood that for the device
according to the present invention to perform its intended function, complementary
devices are known, which are not described in that they are per se already known.
[0028] It is known to associate the revolving spinning frame with a slider unit, which essentially
performs the functions of bobbin doffing when the pre-established winding length of
yarn is reached, of re-fastening the yarn after a yarn breakage, and of cleaning the
spinning units.
[0029] Said slider unit is made mobile along the spinning front(s); by means of running
ways comprising one or more rails, of any shapes, cooperating with suitable rolling
means.
[0030] During the operation of the rotor spinning frame, the slider unit is continuously
driven in front of the line of the spinning units, reciprocating in order to perform
its patrolling function. Whenever on one of the spinning units 8, the yarn reaches
the pre-established length to be collected on the tube 22, said spinning unit stops
and emits a signal by means of photo-cells.
[0031] The slider unit, when running before the spinning unit, stops also, and a member
provided on the slider unit hooks the bobbin-carrier frame 21, opening the reception
elements 20. The bobbin, full of wound yarn, is conveyed to the discharge conveyor
belt.
[0032] The tube-taking device takes a tube without wound yarn from the tube distributor,
and consigns it to the unit which will force the tube on the bobbin-carrier frame
21.
[0033] Then, the sequence (known from the prior art) of the operating steps for yarn re-fastening
starts. At a predetermined time, presettable by means of digital selectors provided
on the control panel, the resetting lever 6 of the release unit is actuated, obliging
the extraction roller 2 to approach to, and press against, the extraction roll 4,
enabling the extraction of the yarn 11 from the spinning unit 8 to take place and
therefore restoring the spinning process. The slider, by means of its operating elements,
inserts the tube 22 between the reception elements 20, which are closed, locking the
yarn 11.
[0034] At the same time, the mechanisms contained inside the carter 16 activate the arms
15 and 10 inserting them with their ends through the path along which the yarn 11
runs. At the following time point the actuator 3 is activated and pushes, by means
of the stem 36, the yarn-tensioning runner 9 in order to press the underlying yarn
11 against the flat end 7 of the arm lever 10. Said yarn 11, driven and dragged in
the running direction 12, starts winding under tension around the tube 22, on an area
close to an end thereof, with a geometrical configuration defined by the pre-arranged
transversal reciprocating motion 18 of the arm 15, which drives the yarn, clamped
by the reception element 20 and tensioned by the runner 9, to form a first wide-turn
winding 30 (see Figure 1, upper magnified detail), then driving said yarn to wind
up in the opposite direction, forming nearly circumferential turns.
[0035] These latter circumferential turns, always tensioned by the runner 9, fasten the
underlying first turn 30 and constitute a compact, fine string-like yarn reserve 1.
[0036] At the successive time point, the arm 15, reversing its reciprocating direction,
guides the yarn 11 collecting it on the tube 22 as an upper wide turn, which furthermore
ties the whole of the underlying reserve turns.
[0037] At the following time point, the yarn-tensioning runner 9 is disabled by shifting
the stem 36 upwards according to the arrow 3b, and at the same time the arm lever
10 rotates, according to the direction as indicated by the arrow 19, disengaging its
end from the yarn 11. This latter, being free to be clamped by the yarn-guide element
24 starts forming the first layer of turns of wound yarn of the bobbin under way of
formation.
[0038] Tests carried out by the present Applicant have demonstrated the perfect repeatibility
and the extremely high reliability of the above disclosed device, as developed and
disclosed in the present invention, for depositing a compact, fine string-like reserve
of yarn, which is difficult to be loosened and unwound.
[0039] In fact, the advantage of the herein proposed device, by means of an original solution,
is that the deposition of the turns in order to form the reserve of yarn takes place
always in the presence of the necessary tension for realizing a reserve of yarn arranged
in a Compact fine string-like configuration, therefore not prone to be loosened during
the successive transports, or the internal handling inside the manufacturing bays,
of the bobbin full of wound yarn.
[0040] Therefore, no possibilities exist that said reserve turns are wound in a more or
less loose arragement.