Abstract:
An apparatus for transporting a coiler can from a sliver-producing fiber processing machine to a sliver-using fiber processing machine includes a transport carriage provided with wheels; a motor for propelling the transport carriage along a path of travel; and ground-supported rails for positively guiding the transport carriage along its path of travel.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the priority of German Application No. P 40 15 377.0 filed May 14, 1990, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a conveyor apparatus for transporting coiler cans between a sliver-producing fiber processing machine, such as a card and a sliver-using fiber processing machine, such as a drafting frame. The conveyor apparatus has at least one driven transport carriage as well as devices which load and unload the coiler cans. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     In a known apparatus of the above-outlined type a plurality of transport carriages is hitched together to form a train, drawn by an engine. The carriages are loaded and unloaded by means of a plurality of pusher devices which are mounted stationarily externally of the carriages. It is a disadvantage of such a prior art apparatus that its construction is complex and further, the motion of the train depends on the particular handling of the engine. Further, the requirement for the travel area of the train is substantial. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the invention to provide an improved apparatus of the above-outlined type from which the noted disadvantages are eliminated and which thus is structurally simpler, needs less space and is operationally more reliable than conventional apparatus. 
     This object and others to become apparent as the specification progresses, are accomplished by the invention, according to which, briefly stated, the apparatus for transporting a coiler can from a sliver-producing fiber processing machine to a sliver-using fiber processing machine includes a transport carriage; a motor for propelling the transport carriage along a path of travel; and a positive guidance arrangement for positively guiding the transport carriage along its path of travel. 
     By means of the positive guidance of the transport carriage between the fiber processing machines, particularly by using at least one rail or similar component, a structurally simple apparatus for the conveyance of cans is achieved between the fiber processing machines. The apparatus is advantageously of space-saving construction and the conveying carriages are moved in a reliable and precise manner to and between the fiber processing machines. 
     The invention further has additional advantageous features as follows: 
     The positive guidance device is a rail which may be arranged overhead or may be secured to the ground in a blower room of the spinning preparation plant. The transport carriage is provided with rollers, wheels and the like which engage the rails. Two parallel rails may be provided which serve as guide rails and which are disposed laterally on either side of the transport carriage, and the wheels are situated underneath the transport carriage. The driving device for the transport carriage is an electromotor which is connected with an electric energy source by appropriate conductors, such as travelling cables or the like. The electromotor is expediently mounted on the transport carriage and the energy supply occurs via the guiding rails. A charging and discharging device is provided on the transport carriage which loads and unloads the transport carriage. Expediently, the transport carriage has a base which is formed of a roller assembly. Between the transport carriage and the rail there is provided an elastic or rotatable coupling. The sliver-producing fiber processing machines, such as carding machines, are arranged in at least one row along the rail for the transport carriage and there is further provided a transversely arranged rail which passes by one end of the first-named rail and along which sliver-using fiber processing machines, such as drafting frames are arranged in at least one row. At least an additional transport carriage is provided which runs on the transverse rail. An additional transport carriage (transverse can changer) is supported by a bridge and is displaceable thereon. The charging and discharging devices for moving the coiler cans onto and from the transport carriage may be one and the same structure or they may be different structures and perform loading and unloading operations simultaneously. The carding machines are arranged in two rows such that coiler can changers of the different rows are in a face-to-face arrangement. Expediently, the transport carriage may be charged and discharged from either side thereof. The driving devices such as an electromotor for the transport carriages, the cards, the coiler can changers at the card and the drafting frames are connected to a common electronic control device. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic top plan view of a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 2a is a schematic side elevational view of some of the components of the construction illustrated in FIG. 1. 
     FIG. 2b is a front elevational view of some of the components of the construction illustrated in FIG. 1. 
     FIG. 2c is a top plan view of the components of FIGS. 2a and 2b. 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic top plan view of further components of the preferred embodiment. 
     FIG. 3a is a schematic side elevational view of some of the components of FIG. 3. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Turning to FIG. 1, there is schematically illustrated therein a spinning preparation system which includes forty-eight carding machines 1, each producing sliver. The carding machines may be, for example, EXACTACARD DK 740 models, manufactured by Trutzschler GmbH &amp; Co. KG, Monchengladbach, Germany. The system further includes ten drafting frames 15 into which the sliver is introduced after it has been delivered thereto by the coiler can transporting apparatus designed according to the invention. 
     With each carding machine 1 there is associated a coiler can changer 2, for example, a rotary coiler can changer. The cards 1 are arranged in six rows I-VI and are set up in adjoining rows I, II; III, IV; and V, VI in such a manner that the respective coiler can changers 2 are oriented towards one another. Between the card rows that form a card row pair there is disposed a respective rail track 3, 4 and 5 each composed of two rails 3a, 3b; 4a, 4b; and 5a, 5b. On each rail track 3, 4 and 5 there is arranged a respective transport carriage 6, 7 and 8 for travel in the direction of arrows A and B. The transport carriages support coiler cans 9 which may be moved in the direction of arrow C from the respective carriage towards the can changer 2 and the coiler cans 9 may also be displaced in the direction of the arrow D, from the coiler can changer 2 towards the respective carriage. In FIG. 1 all coiler cans are illustrated with small circles; fully cross-hatched circles designate fully filled cans, half-cross-hatched circles indicate partially filled cans while circles with no cross-hatching indicate empty coiler cans. 
     A terminal zone of each guide track 3, 4 and 5 projects beyond the respective card rows I-VI; on each side parallel to each terminal zone there is arranged a respective coiler can storing device 10a, 10b; 11a, 11b; and 12a, 12b. The three terminal zones of the guide tracks 3, 4 and 5 end at a guide track 13 which extends perpendicularly to the rail tracks 3, 4 and 5 and on which a carriage 14 may be moved back and forth in the direction of the arrows E and F. A coiler can 9 may be moved in the direction of the arrow H, for example, from the coiler can storing device 10a towards the adjoining transport carriage 6 and, in the direction of the arrow I, for example, from the transport carriage 8 towards the adjoining can storing device 12b. Further, the can 9 may move in the direction of the arrow K from the can storing device 12b towards the carriage 14 and in the direction of the arrow L from the carriage 14 into the can storing device 11a. 
     The drafting frames 15 are arranged in a single column. A drafting frame lane 16 is situated in front of each drafting frame 15 over length a and has a pair of side-by-side arranged can rows 16a, 16b. Each drafting frame lane 16 is preceded by a buffer lane 17, each having two can rows 17a, 17b along a length b. The cans 9 are moved in the direction of the arrow M in the buffer lane 17 and the drafting frame lane 16. 
     End zones of each drafting frame lane 16 terminate at a transversely extending track 18 on which empty cans 9 are moved towards an empty can storing device 19 in the direction of the arrow N which is situated between the tracks 13 and 18. The empty cans 9 are moved in the direction of the arrow O to be received by the carriage 14 moving on track 13. 
     FIGS. 2a, 2b and 2c illustrate the rail track 3 and a transport carriage 6 guided thereon. The rails 3a, 3b of the rail track 3 are stationary and may be affixed to a ceiling 20 as shown in FIG. 2b. At the end of the rails 3a, 3b reversing rollers 21a, 21b are provided for a chain, cable or similar traction element 22. The reversing roller 21a which may rotate in the direction indicated by the arrows P and Q is driven by an electromotor 24. The ends 22a, 22b of the chain 22 are secured to transverse heads 23a, 23b of the carriage 6 which is displaceable in the direction indicated by the arrows R, S. The transverse heads 23a, 23b carry holding elements 24a, 24b for transverse shafts 25a, 25b of the wheels 26a, 26b which engage the rails 3a and 3b, respectively. Underneath and transversely to the transverse heads 23a, 23b there are arranged two rails 27a, 27b which, at their ends, carry reversing rollers 28a, 28b for a drive chain 29. The reversing roller 28a is rotatable in the direction indicated by the arrows V and W and is driven by an electromotor 30. In this manner, the transport carriage 6 is movable in the direction of the arrows T and U transversely to the longitudinal travelling direction R, S. The rails 27a, 27b engage the rollers 32a, 32b which are mounted to the carriage 6 by holding elements 31a, 31b. In this manner, the carriage 6 may be moved in the direction of the coiler can changer 2a or 2b of the side-by-side oriented card rows I and II, respectively. 
     Two grippers 33a, 33b are provided for the can 9; the grippers may each be driven by a respective electromotor 34 and 35. The grippers 33a, 33b move the can 9 in the direction of the arrows T&#39;, U&#39;. The bottom of the carriage 6 is formed as a roller track 36 wherein the roller axes are oriented in the direction of the arrows R, S. Between the underside of the carriage 6 and the blow room floor 37 a clearance is provided to ensure that the carriage 6 is in suspension. 
     Turning to FIGS. 3 and 3a, there is illustrated therein a coiler changer 2 at which the transport carriage 6 has stopped with two cans 9a, 9b. By virtue of a non-illustrated rotary arm of the rotary can changer 2 (which is of conventional construction) the empty can 9a is moved in the direction of arrow C into the can changer 2 while the can 9b which is filled with sliver is moved out of the can changer 2 in the direction of the arrow D. The carriage 6 is moved in the direction of the arrow T to be closely juxtapositioned to the can changer 2. Below the carriage 6 parallel rails 3c and 3d extend which are supported on the floor (ground) 37 and which are engaged by wheels 38 rotatably mounted on a lower part of the carriage 6. 
     It will be understood that the above description of the present invention is susceptible to various modifications, changes and adaptations, and the same are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the appended claims.