Bobbin pallets for a weaving device

A weaving frame or module for supporting warp thread bobbins for a weaving device and for changing bobbins with the weaving modules and bobbin pallets, has bobbins that can, at least partly, be changed without causing any interruption or any disturbance to the warp thread tension in the weaving zone of the weaving device. The frame or module is subdivided into a number of fixed cells for taking individual bobbin pallets each of which has supports for holding a bobbin and for guiding and breaking a thread.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to a detachable weaving frame that can be at least 
partly replaced on a continuously operating weaving machine without 
causing any interruption or any disturbance to the warp thread tension in 
the weaving zone. 
Weaving frames are especially utilized in Jacquard weaving machines whereby 
each individual warp thread has a different yarn consumption during 
weaving. These weaving frames are disposed behind Jacquard weaving 
machines and are suited for carrying a large number of cross-wound spools 
or bobbins. This number corresponds to the total number of warp threads 
that are necessary for weaving pattern designs in different colors. 
In the course of this text depth direction refers to warp direction, and 
width direction to weft direction. 
In literature on the subject weaving frames are known that consist of a 
series of doors which extend in the depth direction and of which a number 
are disposed next to each other in the width direction of the weaving 
machine. Each weaving frame door is provided on both sides in height and 
depth with horizontal supporting spindles and thread guiding spindles. The 
bobbins are usually wound on a cardboard sleeve. This sleeve is placed on 
a cylindrical plastic sleeve, which is rotatable on the supporting spindle 
of the weaving frame. The bobbins can also be wound directly onto a 
plastic sleeve, so that they can be placed on the supporting spindle 
without additional plastic sleeve. The placing or changing of the bobbins 
in a weaving frame is carried out by a bobbin loader. For that purpose a 
passage is provided between each door of a weaving frame. The doors of a 
weaving frame can also be made rotatable or moveable. 
From the bobbins that are placed in the weaving frame, the warp thread is 
pulled off (unwound) sideways and tangentially over the periphery. The 
pulled-off warp thread is first passed over a higher reversing guiding 
spindle located more toward the back and then brought back forward over 
the higher and forward lying reversing spindle of the forward lying 
bobbin. The warp threads run forward in the frame, into the throughput 
reed and the entrance grating, in order finally to come into the weaving 
zone of the weaving machine. 
In order to exert a certain tension on the warp threads a first clamp or 
trammel is hung over the warp thread loop between the rear reversing 
guiding spindle and the bobbin in order to slow down the bobbin. A second 
clamp is hung between the front reversing guiding spindle and bobbin in 
order to pull back the warp thread out of the weaving zone. These two 
clamps or trammels that are hung on the warp thread together with the 
pulled-off loop form a type of band brake over the bobbin and thus 
establish a certain tension in the warp thread and also prevent the bobbin 
from unwinding on its own. The front clamp moreover also pulls the warp 
thread back out of the weaving zone. Hence the terms warp tensioning and 
pulling-back device of the weaving frame. With the known weaving frames 
this double function is exerted on and with the bobbin. This warp 
tensioning and pulling-back device is especially important with pile 
weaving machines for obtaining a uniform pile height and in order to make 
possible the interweaving of warp threads, which can take on more than two 
positions in the weaving shed. 
When a Jacquard weaving machine has to be completely changed over to other 
weaving colors, the weaving machine is stopped in order to take all the 
bobbins out of the frame manually and in order to place new bobbins in the 
frame. This operation is labor-intensive and stopping the weaving machine 
signifies a certain production loss, with the result that the total output 
of the weaving machine will decrease the more color changes are performed. 
Bobbin changes for the maintenance of a weaving frame or for changing 
certain neighboring pile warp threads can be performed on an operating 
weaving machine. The bobbin loader must moreover still work cautiously. 
Firstly both clamps or trammels have to be hung on the respective thread 
guiding spindle. Then the almost empty bobbin is taken off and the new 
bobbin is placed on the supporting spindle. A secure knot must be tied in 
order to connect the old warp thread to the new one and the remaining ends 
of the knot have to be cut off. Finally the clamps or trammels must be 
correctly placed and the warp thread must again be brought under tension 
by a small winding-up of the bobbin by a manual rotating movement. During 
the whole of the preceding operation the tension of the warp thread should 
not become too slack in order to avoid the thread keeper from coming into 
operation and thus interrupting the weaving, process. The tension may also 
not be too great or the warp thread will no longer fall into the lower 
position of the shed in the weaving zone so that in-weaving in the fabric 
becomes impossible and a so-called tension occurs. With pile weave this 
leads to a pulling closed of the fabric and a hole develops there after 
cutting through. 
The weight of the bobbins that can be placed in a weaving frame is limited 
by the physical load capacity of the bobbin loader. In practical weaving 
this weight will not exceed 4 kg. 
A device as described in BE no. 9500426 already offers the advantage that 
clamps or trammels are no longer necessary for maintaining the warp 
threads under tension and pulling them back out of the weaving zone. This 
device makes the replacement of a bobbin easier, but during the 
tying-together the tension on the warp thread between bobbin and 
recovery/tensioning device remains uncontrolled for a time and there are 
therefore possible causes of weaving faults. The slowing-down system of 
the bobbins presented there produces a tension in the warp thread that is 
dependent on the diameter of the bobbin. Furthermore this device is not 
suitable for a complete change of the weaving frame or a bobbin change 
with an automaton because the location of the unwound thread at the top of 
the bobbin is not set correctly and putting up the sleeve on a spindle 
requires a very accurate positioning of the bobbin sleeve in relation to 
the spindle. In the warp thread guiding spindles the various warp threads 
are not separated from each other. Separation gratings are however 
provided at certain distances in the weaving frame. But between these 
separation gratings the warp threads can become entangled with each other. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The object of this invention is to provide an improved weaving frame or 
weaving frame module for a weaving device on which the warp thread bobbins 
can be changed more easily without causing any interruption or any 
disturbance to the warp thread tension in the weaving zone of a weaving 
device. 
In order to achieve this a weaving frame or weaving frame module is 
presented as described in the introductory part of the main claim attached 
hereto, in which each frame or module is subdivided into a number of fixed 
cells destined for taking individual bobbin pallets each of which 
comprises means for holding a bobbin and for guiding and braking a thread. 
According to a further characteristic of the invention the individual cells 
can be formed by the divisions which are determined in the frame or module 
by the supporting means which are provided for the bobbin pallets to be 
taken in those cells. 
Furthermore the cells are preferably provided with means for separating the 
continuous warp threads from the individual cells, such as for example a 
reed. These serve to prevent them from becoming entangled with each other. 
The bobbin is suitably inclined vertically or slight upward, almost 
horizontally disposed and the warp thread is pulled off axially 
(unthreaded). 
The weaving frame consists of a number of frameworks or doors. Each 
framework is accessible on both side and comprises supporting means for a 
number of modules. This framework is disposed independently of and behind 
the warp thread tensioning and pulling-back device. 
According to a distinctive feature of the invention this framework can be 
disposed fixed or wheeled in widthwise direction. Modules or containers 
are placed in this framework. Subdivision into modules can e.g. occur 
upward per pile warp thread in order to enable only one pile warp thread 
to be changed. Subdivision in depth will take into account the available 
space of passage behind the weaving frame. Subdivision in width can be per 
row or per two adjacent rows. Replacement of a bobbin must remain possible 
on both sides of a door. Taking out and moving a module or container can 
occur with a roller bridge or another lifting device, the weaving frame 
can also be made as a transportable unit. 
The invention furthermore also provides bobbin pallets specifically 
developed for such weaving frames and weaving frame modules foreseen for 
taking one bobbin and equipped with means for guiding and braking a 
thread, such as preferably a throughput eye and a thread brake. 
A bobbin can moreover very suitably be taken in a bobbin pallet with the 
help of means for supporting and/or means for holding a bobbin sleeve. 
According to a first embodiment of the invention the bobbin pallet can 
comprise a bottom plate in which the means for holding a bobbin sleeve are 
provided. 
This embodiment is in particular very suitable for conical cross-wound 
spools. 
Each bobbin pallet has a bottom plate in which a throughput opening is 
provided for the bobbin sleeve. 
In a particular embodiment this throughput opening comprises an elastic 
holding device for the sleeve in order to prevent the bobbin from being 
pulled against the above lying throughput eye with thread brake by the 
tractive force in the warp thread and the sleeve from being raised out of 
the bore. A mat of soft foam rubber is placed in each cell. This mat also 
has a throughput opening adapted to the diameter of the bobbin sleeve. 
This foam rubber mat takes on the form of the end curvature of the bobbin 
through which windings are prevented from reaching under the winding body 
and thus preventing the pulling-off of the warp thread. The bobbins are 
disposed vertically and the warp threads are pulled off axially 
(unthreaded). 
According to a second embodiment of the invention the bobbin pallet can be 
equipped with a slightly upwardly inclined horizontal supporting spindle. 
A sleeve is rotatably attached to this spindle. The bobbin with the 
winding sleeve is then slid onto this sleeve. When overwinds occur of the 
bobbin edges then these are pulled onto the winding sleeve and by being 
rotatable these overwinds can be further unwound without this becoming a 
tension. A slight inclination is given to the supporting spindle in order 
to prevent the spool from sliding off the spindle during transport of the 
pallet or during weaving. The warp threads in this embodiment are 
therefore pulled off (unwound) tangentially. 
This embodiment is in particular very suitable for cylindrical cross-wound 
spools. Through this embodiment possible problems are avoided which could 
occur when a cylindrical cross-wound spool body shows overwinds on the 
edges. With the first embodiment of the invention in such a situation the 
yarn could be pulled between the spool body and the bottom plate of the 
bobbin pallet through which the bobbin could finally nevertheless be 
raised out of the pallet bore. This phenomenon can also occur with conical 
cross-wound spool bobbins which may show overwinds on the spool edge with 
the largest diameter. 
In the axis of the bobbin on top in the bobbin packet a throughput eye with 
thread brake is disposed attached to the frame on the bobbin packet. Each 
cell is further provided with a reed for holding up and separating the 
continuous warp threads from other cells through which the warp threads 
are prevented from entangling with each other. 
A finished bobbin can easily be manually replaced in such a cell. The 
bobbin sleeve is raised out of its holder opening with clip device and 
taken out of the cell. The warp thread carries on running through the 
fixed throughput eye with thread brake. The warp thread that runs to the 
front of the frame to the weaving zone remains under tension and is not 
disturbed if the end that runs from the throughput eye to the bobbin is 
held slack. In this slack end the thread from the empty bobbin can be cut 
off and a new bobbin can be tied on. The new bobbin is then placed with 
the sleeve in the opening and clip device of the cell bottom. 
The advantages of such a device are obvious. A bobbin can be replaced 
without disturbance to the warp thread tension on an operating weaving 
machine in a shorter time. The warp threads will be less entangled with 
each other and therefore cause fewer tensions. With a pile weaving machine 
the pile height will therefore be more uniform. A pile warp thread can 
quickly be completely changed with an idle machine by removing a number of 
modules or pallets and replacing them with externally prepared new 
modules. Finally a complete frame can be changed with an idle weaving 
machine by replacing all modules with new externally prepared modules. The 
time necessary for a color change is greatly reduced and the total weaving 
output of the installation will increase. 
Color changes will also be able to be carried out more frequently while 
maintaining a considerable total output. The weaving mill will therefore 
be more flexible for following the demand for color changes. Furthermore 
shorter running lengths can be efficiently performed in a specific color 
combination. 
For bobbins with a length that is greater than the diameter, the vertical 
disposition of the bobbins will cause the total height of the frame to 
increase. But upward there is now sufficient space since that height is 
just available for the Jacquard device with superstructure. The bobbin 
diameter will now determine the width of a door. With an equal number of 
doors, the width of the frame will be smaller which is convenient for the 
angle of entry in width direction of the warp threads into the weaving 
machine. 
Existing weaving frames are not particularly suitable for bobbin changing 
with an automaton. In order to place a bobbin with sleeve on a horizontal 
spindle the adjustment of the bobbin in relation to the spindle must be 
rather accurate and the spindles have to be at a precise distance from 
each other. The weights in the form of clamps or trammels on the 
pulled-off warp thread are a hinderance for easy replacement of a bobbin. 
Furthermore the location of the pulled-off warp thread in function of the 
unwinding cannot be correctly determined. Because of this the gripping of 
the finished warp thread above the bobbin by an automaton is rather 
complicated. During the bobbin changing the warp thread must be able to be 
further pulled off so that the weaving process can continue undisturbed. 
This means that the bobbin cannot be gripped at the sleeve, unless a 
certain rotating movement is permitted during the manipulation. This is of 
course a complication. The new bobbin must be presented with the warp 
thread beginning which must be easily accessible for a gripper. Existing 
weaving frames offer no solution for these problems. 
A further object of the invention is to provide a weaving frame whereby 
each individual bobbin can be replaced by an automaton both on an idle and 
on an operating weaving machine. 
In order to achieve this task a number of difficulties that arise with 
existing weaving frames must be resolved. The warp thread tensioning and 
recovery device must be made free of the bobbin; the bobbin must be able 
to be placed on the weaving frame by a device whereby no mm positioning 
accuracy is required, the location of the finished warp thread must be 
well determined; while bobbin changing the warp thread from the bobbin to 
be removed must be able to be further pulled off; the beginning thread end 
of the new bobbin to be mounted must be localized in order to be able to 
grip this with an automaton. 
In order to resolve these difficulties according to the invention the warp 
thread tensioning and pulling-back device is placed independently from and 
in front of the weaving frame. The weaving frame itself consists of fixed 
or moveable frameworks or doors which are accessible on both sides. In 
this framework a number of cells are provide with fixed thread guiding 
reeds. In these cells changeable pallets are placed. These pallets are 
provide with means for clamping and wedging a bobbin. A pallet changing 
automaton is provided with means for transporting and changing the 
pallets, for bringing yarn ends together and for tying or splicing these 
together. The pallet changing automaton will be carried by a 
three-dimensional positioning robot so that each cell of the weaving frame 
and a number of cells of the loading and removal station for reception and 
removal of pallets are accessible for running with a program. 
The invention finally also relates to a method for changing warp thread 
bobbins in a weaving frame or weaving frame module of a weaving device, 
without causing any interruption or any disturbance to the warp thread 
tension in the weaving zone. 
According to this method the above described weaving frames or weaving 
frame modules and bobbin pallets are used, whereby while changing bobbins 
the warp thread of the bobbin pallet to be replaced is made to hang slack, 
is cut off and tied to the thread ends of the replacing bobbin pallets, 
after which the bobbin pallet is changed over and the replacing bobbin 
pallet is placed in the cell in question. Very suitable use can moreover 
be made of a pallet changing automaton which is provided for transporting 
and changing the interchangeable bobbin pallet, for bring the thread ends 
together and for knotting or splicing these together. The pallet changing 
automaton can moreover be very suitably carried by a positioning robot and 
be operated by a computer that regulates the changing of the bobbin 
pallets in function of the diameter of the bobbins disposed on individual 
bobbin pallets in the weaving frame or the weaving frame modules, measured 
with the assistance of a measuring system controlled by the computer, and 
in function of the pattern of the Jacquard fabric to be woven and the 
theoretical thread consumption for that purpose. 
These and other characteristics and distinctive features of the invention 
will ensue from the following description in which reference is made to 
the attached drawings which show an embodiment of a weaving frame and 
pallet according to the invention

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
In these drawings the same reference signs indicate the same or similar 
elements. 
As presented in FIGS. 1-3, each weaving frame consists of a number of doors 
1 which extend in warp direction and of which a number are disposed next 
to each other with a space in width direction. Each door is accessible on 
both sides because of the fact that these are placed at a certain distance 
from each other in width direction in order to provide passage to a pallet 
changing automaton. Each door consists of an external framework, 
consisting of horizontal frame staves 101, 102 and vertical frame staves 
103, with central supporting staves 104 for supporting means of carrying 
arms 2 which extend horizontally like "antennas" from those central 
supporting staves 104 (forward and backward in relation to FIG. 1). The 
carrying arms 2 are at a specific height and depth from each other. The 
distance between carrying arms in height and in depth determines a cell. 
Each cell is provided with a warp thread reed 3, which is placed just 
under a carrying arm so that this carrying arm forms the top of the reed. 
The bobbins are placed vertically on pallets 4 (FIGS. 7-9). Such a pallet 
is made of steel plate, aluminum, plastic or wood. Each pallet has a hole 
6 in the bottom 5 for passage of a bobbin sleeve. Means are provided in 
that opening for clamping a bobbin sleeve. These means are e.g. stop 
surfaces 7 provided with leaf springs 8 which clamp onto the inside of the 
sleeve. Because of this the bobbin is prevented from rising up through the 
tractive force in the warp thread. A foam rubber mat 9 is placed on the 
bottom of the pallet. This foam rubber mat 9 takes on the form of the end 
curvature of the bobbin. With this windings are prevented from falling 
under the winding body 18 of the bobbin and thus preventing pulling-off. 
The pallet furthermore has two pallet carrying profiles 10 on the side, 
which serve for putting it on the carrying arms 2 of the weaving frame or 
for being able to place the pallet on a roller conveyor belt. Two bulges 
21 are provided in the pallet carrying profiles 10. These bulges fit into 
bores that are applied in the carrying arms 2 of the weaving frame and in 
so doing form a stop in order to prevent the pallets from sliding off the 
carrying arms. The bottom of the pallet has a bumper 11 at the front and 
back. This bumper serves for moving the pallet onto a roller conveyor belt 
by pushing along. Each pallet has a holder 12 that is attached permanently 
or by clipping onto a side of the bottom of the pallet. 
On top the holder 12 has a vertical projection 13 and a horizontal part 14. 
The projection 13 supports a thread clip 15. The horizontal part 14 
supports a throughput eye 16 with thread brake 17. This throughput eye 16 
lies in the axis of the bobbin. The thread clip 15 consists of a leaf 
spring with bore 20 for a stop pin and a slot, for attachment of a thread 
end against the support 13 (FIGS. 7-9). The throughput eye 16 is e.g. a 
porcelain eye. On the upper surface of the eye a leaf spring with pressure 
ring 17 is installed for slowing down the warp thread. The warp thread can 
therefore be pulled off in all directions. The holder 12 has a vertically 
extending part 13 and the thread clip is attached to the top of this part. 
The horizontal part 14 of holder 12 lies under the level of the thread 
clip 15 and the other extremity has an upward bending so that the 
throughput eye 16 comes back to the level of the thread clip 15 (FIGS. 
7-9). 
The cross-wound spool or bobbin with the sleeve is put vertically through 
the opening in the foam rubber mat 9 and in the pallet bottom (FIGS. 7-9). 
The winding body 18 rests on the foam rubber mat 9 and the sleeve is held 
in the bottom clips 8. The beginning thread end 19 of the bobbin is 
brought through the throughput eye 16, under the thread brake 17 and the 
extremity of the thread 19 is pulled into the thread clip 15, so that the 
thread 19 comes to lie stretched between thread clip 15 and throughput eye 
16. In this manner the location of the beginning thread end of the bobbin 
is correctly set. 
The variant of the bobbin pallets according to a second embodiment of the 
invention shown in FIGS. 17-20 for the greater part comprises analogue 
parts which are indicated by the same reference numbers in the drawings. 
According to this second embodiment of the invention the bobbin pallet is 
equipped with a slightly upwardly inclined horizontal supporting spindle. 
A sleeve 41 is rotatably attached to this spindle 40. The bobbin 18 with 
the winding sleeve 42 is then slid onto this sleeve 41. When overwinds 
occur on the bobbin edges these are then pulled onto the winding sleeve 
and by being rotatable these overwinds can be further unwound without a 
tension occurring. A slight inclination is given to the supporting spindle 
in order to prevent the spool from sliding off the spindle during 
transport of the pallet or during weaving. 
The warp threads are therefore pulled off (unwound) tangentially. 
The pallets rest with the pallet carrying profiles 10 on the carrying arms 
2 of the weaving frame (FIG. 10). From a pallet that is in the weaving 
frame the warp thread is pulled off through the throughput eye 16 with 
thread brake over a warp thread reed 3 fixedly attached to the frame. When 
a pallet is slid out of the frame in width direction, the warp thread 
still keeps running out, from the fixed thread reed 3 up to the actual 
position of the throughput eye 16 at the top of the pallet. The location 
of the warp thread end of the finished bobbin is well-determined because 
of this. 
There is a certain play between the carrying arms 2 and the pallet carrying 
profiles 10. The positioning of the pallet in relation to the weaving 
frame therefore does not need to be so accurate in depth direction of the 
frame. In width direction the pallet must be slid sufficiently far over a 
stop. This stop must prevent the pallet from sliding out of the frame. 
In height direction the pallet has to be raised sufficiently high in order 
to be able to slide in or out over the stop. With this the problem of 
accurate positioning is completely solved. 
The system for bobbin changing with automaton comprises a pallet 
preparation system with storage of the prepared pallets in waiting ranks, 
a loading and removal station for the pallets, a transport system for 
transporting the prepared pallets, which are placed in waiting ranks, to 
the cells in the weaving frame and vice versa, a pallet changing automaton 
22 which removes the old, almost empty pallet and replaces this with a new 
one, and a tying-on automaton or splicer for connecting the old and new 
bobbin. 
In a pallet preparation system or palletizing station the bobbins are 
removed from the supply packaging and in each case placed on a pallet 
according to the invention. Here the thread beginning end 19 is sought and 
this thread end is pulled through the throughput eye 16 with thread brake 
17 up to the thread clip 15 so that the thread is stretched between thread 
clip 15 and throughput eye 16. The pallets are then placed in a waiting 
rank per color of the bobbins placed thereon. This palletization operation 
can occur manually or with an automaton. 
An x,y,z gantry robot or overhead travelling robot is for example employed 
as transport device. This robot is provided with a pallet changing 
automaton 22 with a tying-on or splicer automaton. The robot goes 
according to an operating program to get a pallet with a bobbin of a 
certain color from the waiting rank of the color in question in a loading 
station in order to take a pallet with full bobbin in the part of the 
pallet changing automaton 22 provided for that purpose. The robot brings 
this pallet changing automaton 22 to the cell in the weaving frame where a 
bobbin is to be replaced. 
As shown in FIGS. 13 and 15 the pallet changing automaton 22 consists of 
three parts: 
a part 23 with a filled pallet, 
a changing part 24 and 
a part 25 into which the almost empty pallet from the weaving frame will 
come. 
The pallet changing automaton is now brought by the robot control with the 
changing part 24 right in front of the cell of the bobbin to be replaced 
(FIG. 13a). The pallet changing automaton slides the pallet with the 
almost empty bobbin in width direction out of the weaving frame into the 
changing part (FIG. 13b). The weaving machine can hereby continue to 
operate. The warp thread can be pulled off further from the bobbin, 
because the warp thread hereby continues to run from the fixed thread reed 
3 to the throughput eye 16 with thread brake 17 up to the bobbin. 
Two moveable hooks 26 and 27 move toward each other and bring the warp 
thread still pulled off through the weaving process into a specific 
position (FIGS. 13c, 15 and 16). The pallet changing automaton now moves 
the almost empty pallet into the vacant part 25 and the full pallet 23 
into the changing part 24. This movement is performed horizontally in 
depth direction until the new full pallet comes to stand right in front of 
the cell (FIG. 13d). With this movement the warp thread of the almost 
empty bobbin is further pulled off since the warp thread still remains 
connected. The warp thread is also pulled into a third hook 28 through 
this movement. This hook 28 is fixedly connected to the pallet changing 
automaton and hooks in onto the thread end just next to the throughput eye 
in the horizontally stretched warp thread zone between throughput eye and 
thread clip device. 
The pulled-off warp thread is positioned between the hooks 26, 27 and 28 
and forms a first arm of the cross form 29 (FIG. 16). From the new pallet 
with full bobbin the thread beginning is well localized namely from the 
thread clip 15 up to the throughput eye 16 above the bobbin. This is to 
make the second arm of the cross form 29 under the insertion groove of the 
splicer 30 (FIGS. 14 and 15). The cross form 29 serves for presenting both 
warp threads to be attached in the respective groove 31 and 32 of the 
splicer 30 or tying-on apparatus (FIG. 14). 
In order to provide for a warp thread consumption during the subsequent 
tying-on operation, the robot can still perform an extra horizontal 
movement in depth direction, so that the warp thread is still pulled off a 
little more and that can be interwoven during the tying-on operation, 
whereby the robot then performs a gradual return movement. 
Two rotatable and vertically moveable hooks 33 are attached on both sides 
of the splicer 30 (FIGS. 14-16). The hooks 33 swivel under the cross of 
the warp threads and pull the cross form of both warp threads together 
upward in a vertical movement until the cross comes to lie in the 
respective grooves 31 and 32 of the splicer or the tying-on apparatus. 
This splicer or tying-on apparatus is attached at the top of the pallet 
changer (FIG. 13e). 
The splicer 30 or tying-on apparatus carries out the attachment and cuts 
off the thread of the empty bobbin and the thread of the new bobbin to the 
thread clip 15. This remaining end remains hanging in the thread clip of 
the new pallet but this does not cause any interference at all (FIG. 13f). 
The warp thread which is now interwoven runs from the fixed thread reed in 
the weaving frame to the throughput eye with thread brake of the new 
pallet. The new pallet is now slid into the frame by the pallet changing 
automaton (FIG. 13g). With this the bobbin changing is complete. 
The pallet with almost empty bobbin is now brought by the robot to a pallet 
removal station. The remaining thread will hereby not further unwind 
during the transport because the end is still in the thread brake 17 of 
the throughput eye 16. The pallet removal station will preferably be next 
to the waiting rank of the newly prepared pallets. In this manner 
positioning only has to take place once and the unloading and loading 
operation can take place at the same time. There will be a specific place 
of loading, and removal station for each color of the warp thread. 
The pallet changing automaton can also be provided with a stack for newly 
prepared pallets and a stack for empty old pallets. The stack for newly 
prepared pallets will connect to the part for a full new pallet and the 
stack for empty pallets will connect to the part for the empty pallet. 
Because of this extension the robot can work more efficiently because of 
the fact that fewer movement routes from and to the loading and removal 
station have to be made. 
In order to be able to serve both a left and right side of a passage 
between two weaving frame doors the pallet changing automaton will be 
equipped with a left and right part each with its own tying-on automaton 
or splicer. Of course only one part, either the left part of the right 
part will be operational. 
In order to determine when a bobbin needs to be changed, the robot is 
equipped with a measuring system for measuring the diameter of the bobbins 
disposed in the frame on the pallets. The robot can according to a 
determined program go and measure all rows in a specific door and these 
measurement data are stored in the memory of a weaving frame control 
computer. If a minimum diameter is measured for a bobbin then a signal is 
given for replacement of the pallet on that specific cell. The control 
computer can determine which color must be replaced from the bobbin loader 
plan that is also stored in the computer. Such a unit can therefore work 
alone. 
The controller of an electronic Jacquard machine knows the pattern to be 
woven. This controller is connected to the control computer in a network. 
The Jacquard controller periodically sends the theoretical thread 
consumption of the already woven length through to the control computer. 
The weaving frame control computer takes this into account in determining 
the measurement program for measuring the bobbin diameters and with this 
predicts when a bobbin will finish in the weaving frame. Thus bobbin 
pallets can be replaced just before finishing without causing any 
interruption in the weaving process and whereby the waste in remaining 
yarns is avoided. 
The device also fills an empty frame with newly prepared bobbin pallets in 
the case of a first start-up of an installation. For this purpose it is 
sufficient to provide a program whereby no "old" pallets need to be 
removed from the weaving frame. The threading through the reeds and the 
thread tensioning device has to be done manually. After filling up the 
whole weaving frame it is then switched over to the maintenance program of 
the weaving frame. A program also has to be provided for the systematic 
replacement of a pile warp thread or of the whole weaving frame for 
switching over to other colors. 
The advantages of such a device are clear: bobbin changing becomes less 
labor-intensive and can be performed according to thread consumption and 
bobbin measurement, standing idle for and caused by bobbin changing is 
greatly decreased, bobbin changing is carried out without causing any 
disturbance to the warp thread tension, through which fewer idle times of 
the weaving machine occur through temporarily slack warp threads. Because 
of the fact that each cell comprises a guiding reed, the warp threads will 
become less entangled and thus cause less tensions. The weaving machine 
will also stand idle for less time for a partial or full color change. By 
entrusting the weaving frame control to a computer that is linked to the 
robot with bobbin changing automaton further color variations can be 
introduced into every pile warp thread in the form of lattice colors. The 
computer now controls every bobbin pallet individually and this can also 
be controlled according to a color scheme program. In this manner the 
fabric can therefore be designed with more colors without running the 
danger that the color control becomes no longer controllable. 
This weaving frame can of course also be placed behind a beam machine in 
order to function as a beam frame. The same method for changing bobbins 
can be applied.