Apparatus and method for properly knotting the threads being wound on a beam for forming a new warp arrangement with the corresponding threads of an exhausted warp on a textile loom

Abstract: There is disclosed an essentially electromecha­ nical apparatus,adapted to be applied to sizing machines or beam joining machines,adapted to allow for the even and odd threads wound on a collecting beam to be properly separated or sorted. This apparatus comprises a comb (1) consisting of shaped teeth and a bearing frame which supports horizontal rods (7) to be raised in a programmed way. These rods are provided in a number equal to that of the beams for supplying the threads (10) to be joined,which are arranged upstream of the bearing frame. The threads of each supplying beam slide on a corresponding rod,whilst the comb (1) is able of reciprocating in its laying plane,the comb being so designed as to be able of engaging the threads as se­ quentially raised and supported by the rods (7).

Description: The present invention relates to an apparatus for separating or sorting threads being wound on a beam for forming a new warp arrangement with corresponding threads of an exhausted warp on a textile loom, by means of knotting operations. As is known, as a warp beam loaded on a textile loom has been exhausted, the tail portions of the remaining threads are to be tied or knotted to corresponding threads of a new warp beam, in order to assure continuity to the fabric being made. The warp threads to be tied, in particular, are at first propery cut by scissor means of the knotting apparatus and then, being arranged in a substantially parallel relationship, are knotted by the knotting means proper, included in the knotting apparatus. These apparatus, on the other hand, are well known and a broadly used apparatus of this type is the Barber or Colman knotting apparatus. Also known is the fact that in fractionalwarp beams is presently practically impossible, by the above commercially available knotting apparatus, to knot the warp threads with the proper operating sequence. This impossibility causes a consequent undesired crossing and breakage of the threads, because of an impact against the textile loom blades: because of this the textile loom must be frequently shut off. The document DE-A-3 018 950 discloses an apparatus for sorting or separating threads having substantially the features of the preamble of the main claim. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the task of the present invention is to overcome the above mentioned drawbacks, by providing an apparatus, to be applied to sizing machines or fractional beam joining machines which affords the possibility of sorting the starting and end portion of the even and odd threads wound on a warp beam, independently from the diameter of the thread being sorted, by a sorting comb of an expansion type which can be easily adjusted to a broad range of thread diameters. Within the scope of the above mentioned task, a main object of the present invention is to provide such an apparatus, for supplying with continuous warp thread sizing and the like machines, which is designed for fully automatically operating. Another object of the present invention is to provide such an apparatus which is very simple construction wise and very reliable in operation. According to one aspect of the present invention, the above mentioned task and objects, as well as yet other objects, which will become more apparent hereinafter, are achieved by an apparatus for separating threads being wound on a beam for forming a new warp arrangement with corresponding threads of an exhausted warp on a textile loom having the features of the characterizing part of the main claim. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Further characteristics and advantages of the apparatus and method according to the present invention will become more apparent hereinafter from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, which is illustrated, by way of an indicative but not limitative example, in the figures of the accompanying drawings, where: Figure 1 is a schematic front view illustrating an apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is another schematic view illustrating the stand supporting the beams supplying the threads to be joined; Figure 3 illustrates the rods each of which supports the thread set supplied by one of said beams, as well as means for the translation of the rods in vertical planes; Figures 4 and 5 show the mentioned thread sets with the rods in a lowered and raised position respectively; Figure 6 shows a possible procedure for separating even threads from odd threads; and Figure 7 is a detail view illustrating the comb member for sorting the threads. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With reference to the figures of the accompanying drawings, the apparatus according to the present invention essentially comprises a comb 1, or "sorting" comb, consisting of a plurality of teeth able of smoothly translating with respect to one another, so as to define gaps fitting the diameter of the threads to be processed. More specifically, these teeth consist of corresponding reed or blade members which are helically coupled to a worm screw-having opposite thread portions and a variable pitch-and provided, at the intermediate portion thereof 2, with downwardly diverging tabs or threaded gripping means. For performing this coupling, the adjoining and parallel reed members may be each provided with a preferably centrally arranged threaded hole engaged by the helix of the mentioned worm screw. Thus as the screw is rotary driven in a direction the reed members will be displaced from one another to fit the thread therebetween, whereas, as the screw is rotary driven in the other direction, the reed members will be displaced to one another to adjustably clamp different diameter threads therebetween. The thus constructed comb is mounted on a slide 3 which is able of horizontally reciprocating as driven by a pair of hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders 4. Upstream of the comb 1 there is provided a framework 5, supporting double-acting cylinders 6 for upwardly and downwardly displacing, with a parallel relationship, corresponding horizontally extending rods 7. Upstream of the mentioned framework there is arranged a supporting stand 8 which supports a plurality of beams 9 which supply the threads to be joined, indicated generally at the reference number 10, and the number of which is equal to that of the above mentioned rods 7. In this connection it should be pointed out that the thread set unwound from each single beam are caused to pass on a corresponding rod, as is illustratively shown in Figure 3. Downstream of the mentioned expansion comb there are provided a pantograph comb member 11, a transmission cylinder 12 and a beam 13 for fractionally winding the fractional warp 14. The apparatus further comprises a central control unit including the power supply circuits and a storage processor adapted to control the raising movement sequence of the rods 7. The subject apparatus, moreover, is so designed and arranged as to hold the thread tension absolutely constant both in the warp forming step and in the beam wound step. In operation, after having thread loaded the sorting comb 1 and the front pantograph comb 11, the operating program is selected by storing, on a suitable keypad, the number of the thread supplying beams 9 provided for forming the warp by means of a fractional system. Then, upon pressing a preset push-button on the panel 15, the thread sorting operation is started which provides for the sequential raising, from upstream to downstream, of the rods 7, with a corresponding reciprocating movement of the sorting comb, which occurs after the upwardly translation of each rod. Thus, the translation movements of the sorting comb, cause the thread set of each supplying beam to be alternatively restrained by the gripping tab members 2 formed at the intermediate portion of said comb and released to slide upwardly. At the end of this operation cycle, an adhesive strip 16 or the like is introduced into the mouth portion defined by the two thread sets, so as to lock all of the threads at a lowered position. After having carried out the above mentioned step, all of the rods are caused to lower by operating another push-button. Then a new operating cycle is started in which, by reversing the movement sequence of the sorting comb, the threads which were arranged in a lowered position are brought to a raised position and vice versa. Then on the lowered threads there is applied an adhesive strip 16' so as to mutually restrain these threads, and then the rods 7 are lowered again. This method, in actual practice, affords the possibility of precisely sorting or separating the warp forming even and odd threads, thereby affording the possibility of properly knotting the end portions of the threads of the exhausted beam and the starting portions of the threads of a new beam. In particular, the very reduced operating times of this method (the raising of each rod is carried out in 6-8 seconds) afford the possibility of applying the apparatus according to the present invention to cotton sizing machines so as to greatly reduce the machine setting time, since the reed members can be easily simultaneously driven by their worm screw to fit to the diameter of the warp threads. Moreover, since the subject method is completely automatic, it does not require additional operators. As a feature of the invention, it should be also mentioned the fact that, since the sorting comb is of the expansion type, that is its blade or reed members can be moved away from one another or toward one another because of the above mentioned helical coupling to a worm screw of said blade members, the screw opposite direction thread portion and a variable pitch, it can be adjusted for a broad range of thread diameters: moreover, the provision of a single sorting comb provides the operator with an easy access capability.

Claims: An apparatus for separating threads being wound on a beam (13) for forming a new warp arrangement (14) with corresponding threads (10) of an exhausted warp on a textile loom, comprising a comb (1), consisting of a plurality of parallel vertically extending blade-like teeth and a bearing frame (5) supporting thread supporting horizontal rods (7), adapted to be raised in a programmed way to detect possible broken threads, the number of said rods (7) being equal to that of the beams (9) arranged upstream of said bearing frame (5) and supplying the threads (10) to be joined, the threads (10) of each said supplying beam (9) sliding on a corresponding said rod (7), said comb (1) being reciprocately driven and being so designed as to either restrain or not, depending on its relative position, the threads (10) are supported and raised by said rods (7), said blade like teeth including thread gripping means (2) at an intermediate portion thereof, said comb (1) being mounted on a slide (3) reciprocately driven by a pair of actuating cylinders (4), said framework (5) supporting double-acting cylinders (6) adapted to upwardly and downwardly reciprocate said horizontal rods (7), characterized in that said apparatus further comprises worm screw means helically coupled to said blade-like teeth and having opposite and variable pitch threaded portions for moving away from one another and toward one another said blade-like teeth so as to space said teeth depending on the diameters of the threads (10) being engaged therein. An apparatus according to Claim 1, including, upstream of said framework (5), a stand (8) supporting a plurality of said beams (9) supplying the threads (10) to be joined, characterized in that, downstream of said comb (1), there are provided a pantograph comb (11), a transmission cylinder (12) and a fractional warp (14) winding beam (13). An apparatus according to Claims 1 and 2, and including a central control unit including power supply circuits and a storage processor adapted to control the displacements of said horizontal rods (7), characterized in that said apparatus further comprises means for holding the tension on said threads constant both during the warp forming step and during the beam winding step.

Inventors: SOMMARUGA LUIGI, SOMMARUGA, LUIGI
Applicants: SOMMARUGA SRL, SOMMARUGA S.R.L.
Application year: 1989
Main classification: D03J1
IPC codes: D03J1