Device to automatically attach a bobbin-bearing shaft to a mandrel of a machine

Abstract: Device to automatically attach a first bobbin-bearing mandrel (11) to a second mandrel (15) of a machine, wherein the first mandrel (11) and the second mandrel (15) have substantially the same outer diameter and are suitable to be inserted selectively into the central hole of the bobbin (13), coupling means (40, 50) being provided on the first mandrel (11) to selectively couple with the second mandrel (15), to allow the coaxial transfer of the bobbin (13) from one to the other of said mandrels (11 and 15).

Description: FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention concerns a device to automatically attach a bobbin-bearing shaft member or mandrel to a mandrel or shaft member of a machine, as set forth in the main claim. More in particular, the invention refers to a device suitable to automatically couple the shaft member of an apparatus to transfer a bobbin, removed from a work or storage station, with the rotatable mandrel of a machine in which the coiled material has to be subjected to processing. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the state of the art, bobbins are moved from one side of the same machine to the other side, or from one machine to another, or from a pallet to the machine, by means of transport apparatus mounted on an upper trolley, sliding on the appropriate guides or rails which define the path which the said apparatus can follow, or on a flag-type or pantograph arm or in any case by means of some kind of manipulator. These devices are provided with an arm at the lower end of which there is a shaft or mandrel attached, which shaft is suitable to be inserted into the central tube, or nucleus, of the bobbin. The arm is usually pivoting with respect to the sliding trolley and is articulated at one or more points, so as to allow the bobbin-bearing mandrel to be oriented at will in the free space, and thus to assume the desired angle, with respect to both the horizontal plane and the vertical plane. When the apparatus reaches the predetermined destination, with the bobbin-bearing mandrel arranged substantially coaxial with the working mandrel, the bobbin is transferred manually from one mandrel to the other mandrel. It is possible to do this without serious problems only if the bobbins weigh at most a few dozen kilograms. With bobbins in the state of the art becoming larger and larger, with a weight which nowadays is in the region of hundreds of kilograms, transferring the bobbin manually from the mandrel to the working shaft is not only very difficult for those performing the operation, but also very dangerous. In fact, it could happen that, when the bobbin is axially thrust to detach it from the first mandrel and insert it into the other or working mandrel, the first mandrel, since in most cases it is mounted pivoting on the apparatus, might be axially displaced with respect to the second mandrel, with the consequent danger that, if the bobbin is not yet sufficiently inserted into the second mandrel, it might fall and consequently be damaged and cause damage in turn to persons or things. US-A-4,358,143 discloses an apparatus for lifting, maneuvering and transferring a roll of material to an independently supported shaft comprising an elongated frame the lower end of which is pivotally connected to a torque assembly that includes a center probe, which, in turn, includes a plurality of radially expanding teeth that engage the inner surface of the roll core and retain it on the center probe. WO-A-89/00971 discloses a device for doffing yarn bobbins, wherein a doffing device has a support frame in which one or more take-up mandrels are held on one side by a mandrel-holding device. A handling device to accept a full bobbin has a coupling device with which it can be coupled to the take-up mandrel. US-A-5,332,351 discloses an apparatus for unloading coiled aluminum and other metals from a storage shaft and moving the coils from the storage shaft to a pallet for further transport wherein a platform is mounted on the carriage for supporting the coil and a receiving shaft extends outwardly from the platform. US-A-4,007,882 discloses an apparatus for automatic bobbin changing on a high speed frontal bobbin winder with one winding-up station, one yarn support gripping spindle with a horizontal axis, a rotatable winding cylinder mounted for movement into and out of tangential engagement with a package forming on a yarn support on said spindle, a fixed yarn guide and a reciprocable yarn guide for distributing yarn along the yarn support. Applicant has designed and embodied this invention to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and to obtain further advantages. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention is set forth and characterised in the main claim, while the dependent claims describe other characteristics of the invention. The principal purpose of the invention is to achieve a device to automatically attach a bobbin-bearing shaft or mandrel to a second shaft or mandrel of a machine in such a manner that it is not possible that the two coaxial organs are distanced from each other during the transfer of the bobbin from the shaft to the mandrel. Another purpose of the invention is to achieve a device which will allow the automatic release of the two mandrels, once the transfer of the bobbin from one mandrel to the other mandrel has been completed. A further purpose of the invention is to achieve a device which will allow the automated transfer of the bobbin from the first mandrel to the second mandrel without there being any need of manual intervention directly on the bobbin. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other characteristics of the invention will become clear from the following description of two preferred forms of embodiment, given as non-restrictive examples with the aid of the attached drawings wherein: Fig. 1 is a side view, partly in section, of a device according to the invention in a first form of embodiment; Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail of the device in Fig. 1 in the attached position; Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail of the device in Fig. 1 in the release position; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With reference to the attached drawings, a device 10 according to the invention is shown applied to a cylindrical shaft or mandrel 11 of an apparatus 12 to transfer a bobbin 13 from a work station, which is not shown in the drawings, to a second mandrel 15 of a machine not shown in the drawing. The apparatus 12 is of a known type and is only shown here in diagram form, for the sake of simplicity; it comprises a support vertical arm 16, pivoting on a pin 17 mounted on an upper trolley 18, which can slide on fixed guides. The support arm 16 comprises an upper part 16a and a lower part 16b and is articulated in an intermediate zone 14 in such a manner that the lower part 16b can assume any angular position with respect to the upper part 16a. The joint axis 14a is inclined of 45° with respect to the vertical axis of the upper part 16a of the support arm 16. An actuator 14b is able to drive the inclination of the lower part 16b with respect to the upper part 16a. To the lower end 19 of the lower part 16b of the arm 16 the mandrel 11 is attached cantilevered; coaxial to the mandrel 11 an extraction ring 20 is arranged which is suitable to be displaced axially commanded by an actuator 21 which can be of the hydraulic or pneumatic type. The outer diameter of the mandrel 11 and the mandrel 15 are substantially equal to the inner diameter of the central tube or nucleus 22 on which the bobbin 13 is wound. The device 10 (Fig. 2) comprises a pair of longitudinal slits 30 and 31 made on diametrically opposite sides on the cantilevered terminal part of the mandrel 11. Two levers 32 and 33 are inserted into the slit 30, and are both pivoted on a transverse pin 34. The lever 32 is thrust towards the outside of the slit 30, clockwise with respect to the pin 34, by a spring 36, while the lever 33 is thrust towards the outside of the slit 30, anti-clockwise with respect to the pin 34, by a spring 37. The spring 36 is stronger than the spring 37 and exerts a greater force on the lever 32 than that exerted by the spring 37 on the lever 33. The lever 32 is provided at one end with a tooth 38 which cooperates with a corresponding tooth 39 made at one end of the lever 33, which has an abutment tooth 40 made at the other end. In an identical way, two levers 42 and 43 are inserted into the slit 31, and are both pivoted on a transverse pin 44. The lever 42 is thrust towards the outside of the slit 31, anti-clockwise with respect to the pin 44, by a spring 46, while the lever 43 is thrust towards the outside of the slit 31, clockwise with respect to the pin 44, by a spring 47. The spring 46 is stronger than the spring 47 and exerts a greater force on the lever 42 than that exerted by the spring 47 on the lever 43. The lever 42 is provided at one end with a tooth 48 which cooperates with a corresponding tooth 49 made at one end of the lever 43, which has an abutment tooth 50 made at the other end. The mandrel 15 has a terminal part 55 on which a circular throat 56 is made which defines an inner shoulder 57, on which the abutment teeth 40 and 50 of the levers 33 and respectively 43 are suitable to be attached, as will be described hereafter. The device 10 described heretofore functions as follows: In the inactive or release position shown in Fig. 3, with the mandrel 11 free and not inserted into any bobbin 13, the levers 32 and 42, thrust by the respective springs 36 and 46, protrude slightly with respect to the peripheral surface of the mandrel 11. In their turn the levers 32 and 42 hold the levers 33 and 43 against the bottom of the slits 30 and 31, overcoming the action of the springs 37 and 47 which, as we have seen, apply a lesser force than that applied by the springs 36 and 46. In this position the mandrel 11 can easily be inserted into the central tube 22 of a bobbin 13, or freely distanced from the mandrel 15. The axial insertion of the mandrel 11 inside the tube 22 of the bobbin 13 causes the protruding part of the levers 32 and 42 to retreat inside the slits 30 and 31, against the action of the springs 36 and 46, which are compressed. The levers 33 and 43, thrust by the corresponding springs 37 and 47, follow the levers 32 and 42 and are arranged substantially parallel to the central axis of the mandrel 11, in the attached position (Fig. 2). When we wish to transfer the bobbin 13, mounted on the mandrel 11 of the apparatus 12, onto the other mandrel 15, first of all we position the first mandrel 11 coaxial with the second mandrel 15 and we then displace the apparatus 12 towards the second mandrel 15 itself, until the terminal part of the first mandrel 11 is inserted into the circular throat 56 of the terminal part 55 of the second mandrel 15. This insertion causes the first mandrel 11 to be automatically attached to the second mandrel 15; the levers 33 and 43, thrust against the terminal part. 55 of the mandrel 15, first rotate towards the inside of the slits 30 and 31, against the action of the springs 37 and 47, and subsequently, they return to the attachment position due to the action of the same springs 37 and 47, with their respective abutment teeth 40 and 50 against the inner shoulder 57. The actuator 21 is then actuated; by means of the extraction ring 20, this axially displaces the bobbin 13 onto the second mandrel 15, removing it from the first mandrel 11. The latter remains attached to the second mandrel 15 and thus prevents the apparatus 12 from oscillating around the upper pin 17. When the bobbin 13, thrust by the ring 20, passes the area of the levers 32 and 42, the latter, thrust by the springs 36 and 46, return to the initial position, as do the levers 33 and 43 with them. Once the displacement of the bobbin 13 has been completed, and the extraction ring 20 has reached the position shown by a line of dashes in Fig. 3, the actuator 21 is actuated to return the ring 20 to the inactive position and the apparatus 12 can easily be displaced, as the first mandrel 11 has been detached automatically from the second mandrel 15. It is obvious that modifications and additions can be made to the devices to automatically attach a first bobbin-bearing shaft or mandrel to a second mandrel of a machine, as described heretofore, but these shall remain within the scope and field of the invention. For example, instead of the levers and springs included in the first form of embodiment described above, with reference to Figs. 1-3, it would be possible to use elastic expansion means, arranged in the terminal part of the first mandrel 11 and suitable to cooperate with an axially movable element in order to make them couple with the inner shoulder 57 of the circular throat 56 of the second mandrel 15 and thus achieve the automatic coupling of the first mandrel 11 and the second mandrel 15. Moreover, the coupling means provided on the first mandrel 11 could be made on the second mandrel 15, and, similarly, those provided on the second mandrel 15 could be made on the first mandrel 11.

Claims: A device for bearing a bobbin (13) and to attach a bobbin-bearing mandrel (11) to a second mandrel (15) of a machine, comprising a support element (16) wherein said bobbin-bearing mandrel (11) is cantilevered mounted, wherein said bobbin-bearing mandrel (11) has at least a substantially cylindrical section able to cooperate with a corresponding central hole of said bobbin (13), wherein said bobbin-bearing mandrel (11) is provided with first coupling means (40, 50) able to cooperate with second coupling means associated with said second mandrel (15) on which said bobbin (13) is able to be mounted, for allowing and helping the axial shifting of said bobbin (13) from said bobbin-bearing mandrel (11) to said second mandrel (15), characterised in that said first coupling means comprise at least an abutment element movable radially between a rest position in which said abutment element is inserted inside a corresponding aperture and an attachment position in which said abutment element emerges from said aperture, and in that said second coupling means comprise an inner shoulder (57) against which said at least one abutment element (40, 50) is thrust when it is in said attachment position, in order to attach said bobbin-bearing mandrel (11) to said second mandrel (15), means being provided to cause the movement of said at least one abutment element (40, 50) from said rest position to said attachment position and vice versa. Device according to Claim 1, characterised in that said abutment element (40, 50) is provided in correspondence with the free end of said bobbin-bearing mandrel (11) and said inner shoulder (57) is provided in correspondence of a terminal part (55) of said second mandrel (15). Device according to Claim 1, characterised in that said first coupling means comprise a first lever (33) arranged in a first longitudinal slit (30) of said bobbin-bearing mandrel (11) and having a first end provided with an abutment tooth (40) which constitutes said at least one abutment element. Device according to Claim 3, characterised in that said means for causing the movement of said at least one abutment element (40, 50) from said rest position to said attachment position and vice versa comprise a second lever (32) arranged in said first longitudinal slit (30) and cooperating with said first lever (33), elastic means (36, 37) being provided to hold said two levers (32, 33) in reciprocal cooperation. Device according to Claim 4, characterised in that said two levers (32, 33) pivot on a single pin (34) inserted transversely in said first longitudinal slit (30), said elastic means comprising a first spring (37) compressed between said bobbin-bearing mandrel (11) and said first lever (33) and a second spring (36) compressed between said bobbin-bearing mandrel (11) and said second lever (32). Device according to Claim 5, characterised in that said first coupling means also comprise a third lever (43) arranged in a second longitudinal slit (31) of said mandrel (11), and having a first end provided with an abutment tooth (50) which also constitutes said at least one abutment element and is suitable to selectively cooperate with said inner shoulder (57). Device according to Claim 6, characterised in that said first coupling means also comprise a fourth lever (42) arranged in said second longitudinal slit (31) and cooperating with the third lever (43), second elastic means (46, 47) being provided to hold said third and fourth levers (42, 43) in reciprocal cooperation. Device according to Claim 7, characterised in that said third and fourth lever (42, 43) pivot on a single pin (44) inserted transversely in said second slit (31), said second elastic means comprising a third spring (47) compressed between said bobbin-bearing mandrel (11) and said third lever (43) and a fourth spring (46) compressed between said bobbin-bearing mandrel (11) and the fourth lever (42). Device according to Claim 6, characterised in that said first and second longitudinal slits (30, 31) are arranged on diametrically opposite sides of the central axis of said bobbin-bearing mandrel (11). Device according to Claim 1, characterised in that actuation means (21) are provided to actuate a pushing element (20) for axially shifting said bobbin (13) with respect to said bobbin-bearing mandrel (11). Device according to Claim 10, characterised in that said pushing element (20) comprises a ring disposed perpendicularly to the axis of said bobbin-bearing mandrel (11). Device according to Claim 11, characterised in that said ring is coaxially mounted with respect to said bobbin-bearing mandrel (11). Device according to Claim 1, characterised in that said support element (16) comprises two parts (16a, 16b) and is articulated in an intermediate zone (14) in such a manner that the terminal part (16b) is able to assume any angular position with respect to the upper part (16a). Device according to Claim 13, characterised in that the joint axis (14a) of said intermediate zone (14) is inclined of 45° with respect to the axis of said upper part (16a) of said support element (16), actuation means (14b) being provided to drive the inclination of said terminal part (16b) with respect to said upper part (16a).

Inventors: SCAGLIA ENZO, SCAGLIA, ENZO
Applicants: SCAGLIA SPA, SCAGLIA S.P.A.
Application year: 1999
Main classification: B65H67
IPC codes: B65H67