Abstract:
An apparatus for conveying coiler cans, includes a first conveyor track having an outlet end; a first conveying device for moving the coiler cans on and along the first conveyor track; a second conveyor track having an inlet end and being arranged at generally right angles to the first conveyor track; a second conveying device for moving the coiler cans on and along the second conveyor track; a first drive for operating the first and second conveying devices; a separate transfer device for moving a coiler can from the outlet end of the first conveyor track into the inlet end of the second conveyor track; and a second drive for operating the transfer device.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
         [0001]    This application claims the priority of German Application Nos. 196 33 823.9 filed Aug. 22, 1996 and 197 22 581.0 filed May 30, 1997, which are incorporated herein by reference.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    This invention relates to an apparatus for conveying and readying coiler cans, particularly between two consecutive drawing frames of a processing line. The apparatus is of the type which includes a first conveyor track having, for the coiler cans, a first conveying device extending along the conveyor track. A second conveyor track having a second conveying device extends perpendicularly from the first conveyor track for a transverse conveyance of the coiler cans. A can carrier element is provided for transferring the coiler cans from the first (incoming) conveyor track to the second (transverse) conveyor track.  
           [0003]    In a known apparatus as disclosed in German Offenlegungsschrift (application published without examination) 41 30 463 the second (transverse) conveyor track has a guide track having a central guide slot. Underneath the guide track a conveyor chain circulates on which coiler can carriers are mounted in fixed distances. The carriers project from the guide slot to such an extent that they are capable of engaging and pulling the coiler cans situated on the conveyor track. The upper run of the chain moves towards a drawing frame. A chain-supporting end sprocket is arranged in such a manner underneath the can delivery station that a can carrier which emerges from the guide slot at the end sprocket engages the coiler can at its lower edge and thus may pull the empty coiler can on the first conveyor track. The second conveying device of the second (transverse) conveyor track may be switched on only if the chain of the first conveying device is stationary and a coiler can is in a suitable position. The two conveying devices are operatively coordinated with one another by means of a control device in such a manner that one coiler can is always situated at the mouth of the conveying device. During the conveyance of the coiler cans the conveyor chain must always be positioned such that no coiler can carrier projects from the guiding slot at the transfer location. The second (transverse) conveying device is switched on only when an empty coiler can to be transferred comes to a halt, and then a coiler can carrier of the chain pulls the coiler can at the coiler can bottom edge from the first conveying device of the first conveyor track into the second conveying device of the second (transverse) conveyor track. It is a disadvantage of such prior art structures that the two conveying devices are necessarily coupled to one another to perform a coordinated operation, that is, they are not independent from one another. It is a further drawback that because of the fixed distances of the coiler can carriers from one another an accumulation of the coiler cans on the second (transverse) conveyor track is not possible.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    It is an object of the invention to provide an improved apparatus of the above-outlined type from which the discussed disadvantages are eliminated and which, in particular, makes possible a mutually independent motion of the first (supplying) conveying device and the second (transverse) conveying device and also makes possible an accumulation of the coiler cans.  
           [0005]    This object and others to become apparent as the specification progresses, are accomplished by the invention, according to which, briefly stated, the apparatus for conveying coiler cans includes a first conveyor track having an outlet end; a first conveying device for moving the coiler cans on and along the first conveyor track; a second conveyor track having an inlet end and being arranged at generally right angles to the first conveyor track; a second conveying device for moving the coiler cans on and along the second conveyor track; a first drive for operating the first and second conveying devices; a separate transfer device for moving a coiler can from the outlet end of the first conveyor track into the inlet end of the second conveyor track; and a second drive for operating the transfer device.  
           [0006]    By virtue of the fact that a separate transfer device is associated with the conveying devices of the two perpendicularly arranged conveyor tracks, an independent motion of the two conveying devices is possible. In this manner, a separation of functions is effected: the transfer of the coiler cans from the first conveyor track to the second conveyor track and the conveyance of the coiler cans thereon are performed by two different devices. Further, in contrast to the known apparatus, the conveying devices do not have a plurality of coiler can carriers, so that an accumulation of the coiler cans (for example, in a mutually contacting relationship) is advantageously feasible. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]    [0007]FIG. 1 is a schematic top plan view of a coiler can conveyor system according to the invention.  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 2 is an enlarged schematic top plan view of one part of the structure of FIG. 2, showing additional details.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIGS. 3 a  and  3   b  are sectional views taken along line III-III of FIG. 2 illustrating a coiler can in two different positions.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of an intake table of a drawing frame, showing coiler cans in an operational position.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating the control of the various drives and components for the conveyor system according to the invention. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0012]    Turning to FIG. 1, two drawing frames  1  and  4  of a sliver processing line are arranged in series wherein the drawing frame  1  is the upstream machine and the drawing frame  4  is the downstream machine as viewed in the order of consecutive sliver processing. The drawing frame  1  has an intake table  2 , a drawing unit  3  and a sliver depositing device  8  (having a rotary coiler head), whereas the drawing frame  4  has an intake table  5 , a drawing unit  6  and a sliver depositing device  9  (having a rotary coiler head). The drawing frame  1  and/or  4  may be an HS model manufactured by Trützschler GmbH &amp; Co. KG, Mönchengladbach, Germany.  
         [0013]    Also referring to FIG. 4, the drawing unit  6  of the downstream drawing frame  4  is supplied with sliver  10  from coiler cans  13 ′ a,    13 ′ b  and  13 ′ c  standing in a creel row  11  underneath supply rollers  18   a - 18   f  of an intake table  5 . The coiler cans are supported in the creel row  11  on a conveyor track  15 . To the sliver delivery device  8  of the upstream drawing frame  1  there extends a conveyor track (supply track)  21  from an outlet end of the creel row  11  for supplying empty cans to the sliver delivery device  8 . A conveyor track (removal track)  22  for the sliver-filled cans extends from the sliver delivery device  8 . The conveyor track  15  is arranged perpendicularly to the supply track  21  and the removal track  22 . A conveyor track  23  and the removal track  22  are connected with one another by means of a further conveyor track  25 . The conveyor tracks  15 ,  21 ,  22 ,  23  and  25  have respective conveying devices  17 ,  20 ,  19 ,  24  and  26  for moving the coiler cans along the conveyor tracks.  
         [0014]    The coiler can conveyor system  7  thus comprises essentially the conveyor track  15 , the supply conveyor track  21 , the removal conveyor track  22  and the conveyor tracks  23  and  25  which are all joined end-to-end and form a closed-circuit track assembly arranged in a rectangular pattern such that the conveyor track  15  extends parallel to the conveyor track  25  whereas the conveyor tracks  21 ,  22  and  23  are parallel to one another. The solid-line arrows A, B, C and D indicate the path of conveyance of the full cans  13 ′ whereas the outlined (empty) arrows E and F indicate the path of conveyance of the empty cans  13 ″. The empty cans  13 ″ are pushed by a rotary coiler can exchanger (turnstile)  27  which rotates in the direction G, from the supply track  21  to underneath the rotary coiler head of the sliver delivery device  8 . At that location the cans are then filled with sliver  10  ( 13 ′″ indicates a partially filled can) and thereafter they are pushed as full cans  13 ′ by the turnstile  27  onto the removal track  22 . The coiler cans  13 ′,  13 ′ which circulate in the closed coiler can system are conveyed in a forward direction as indicated by the arrows A-F. The arrangement of the coiler can conveying system shown in FIG. 1 is particularly space saving.  
         [0015]    According to FIG. 2, the conveying devices  17 ,  19 ,  20 ,  24  and  26  are arranged close to the floor. Each conveying device has two parallel running conveyor belts  17   a,    17   b;    19   a,    19   b;    20   a,    20   b;    24   a,    24   b  and  26   a,    26   b  which circulate about end rollers  17   1  to  17   4 ;  19   1  to  19   4 ;  20   1  to  20   4 ;  24   1  to  24   4  and  26   1  to  26   4 . The conveying devices may be designed, for example, as described in published German Patent Application 195 09 928.1. The end rollers of the belts of the same belt pair are, at each belt end, arranged coaxially to one another.  
         [0016]    Considering FIGS. 1 and 2 together, between two adjoining conveyor tracks  22 ,  25 ;  25 ,  23 ;  23 ,  15 ; and  15 ,  21  a respective, short circulating endless transfer belt  28 ,  29 ,  30  and  31  is provided to function as a can transfer device. In each instance the can transfer device is arranged on the receiving conveyor track of the two adjoining conveyor tracks. Thus, the transfer belt  28  is arranged on the conveyor track  25  to receive cans from the conveyor track  22 ; the transfer belt  29  is arranged on the conveyor track  23  to receive cans from the conveyor track  25 ; the transfer belt  30  is arranged on the conveyor track  15  to receive cans from the conveyor track  23 ; and the transfer belt  31  is arranged on the conveyor track  21  to receive cans from the conveyor track  15 . The transfer belts  28 ,  29 ,  30  and  31  which circulate about end rollers  28   a,    28   b;    29   a,    29   b;    30   a,    30   b;  and  31   a,    31   b  are arranged parallel to the conveyor belts  26   a,    26   b;    24   a,    24   b;    17   a,    17   b;  and  20   a,    20   b,  respectively. In each instance, the end roller at the inlet end of the transfer belt is in alignment with the end rollers at the inlet ends of the respective conveyor belts. Expediently, the outer surface of the upper run of the transfer belts  28 ,  29 ,  30  and  31  is at a slightly lower height level than that of the outer faces of the upper runs of the respective conveyor belts  26   a,    26   b;    24   a,    24   b;    17   a,    17   b;  and  20   a,    20   b,  and further, the effective length of each transfer belt  28 ,  29 ,  30  and  31  approximately corresponds to the diameter of the coiler cans. At the outer face of each transfer belt  28 ,  29 ,  30  and  31  a respective carrier element such as a pin  32 ,  33 ,  34  and  35  is arranged which, when situated on the upper run of the associated transfer belt, projects upwardly beyond the height level of the transporting surface of the respective conveyor from which transfer by the transfer belt is effected. The arrows A through F indicate the direction of motion of the upper belt run of the conveyor belts and the transfer belts associated with the respective conveyor belts.  
         [0017]    As shown in FIG. 3 a,  a can  13 ′ is situated on the conveyor belts  24   a,    24   b  at the end of the conveyor track  23 . The coiler can has a bottom  36 ′ from which extends a peripheral, downwardly oriented terminal rim  36 ″ which, together with the underface of the can bottom  36 ′, defines a depression  36 . The can  13 ′ projects laterally outwardly beyond the conveyor belts  24   a,    24   b  and thus the end roller  30   a  of the transfer belt  30  is situated underneath that region of the coiler can  13 ′ which projects laterally beyond the conveyor belt  24   b.  When the coiler can  13 ′ is in its position shown in FIG. 3 a,  on a command signal an electric motor  37  sets the transfer belt  30  in motion such that its upper and the lower runs move in the direction of the arrows I and K, respectively. As a result of this operation, the coiler can carrier  34  moves on the end roller  30   a  from below upwardly and projects into the depression  36  of the coiler can. As the transfer belt  30  continues to move, the can carrier  34  engages the inside face of the can rim  36 ″ and pulls the coiler can  13 ′ in the direction N from the conveyor belts  24   a,    24   b  of the conveyor track  23  onto the conveyor belts  17   a,    17   b  of the conveyor track  15 . As the carrier  34  reaches the end of the upper run of the transfer belt  30 , it travels downwardly out of its operational range about the end roller  30   b  and then travels in the reverse direction on the lower run of the transfer belt  30  as shown in FIG. 3 b.  At the same time, the conveyor belts  17   a,    17   b  of the conveyor track  15 , circulated by the drive motor  38  move the coiler can  13 ′ forwardly in the direction O (designated at A and E in FIG. 1). The transfer belts  28 ,  29  and  31  operate identically to the transfer belt  30  to shift coiler cans onto the respective conveyor tracks  25 ,  23  and  21 .  
         [0018]    As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, and as described earlier, the conveyor track  15  forms part of the creel row  11  where the coiler cans are positioned for feeding the drawing unit  6  of the drawing frame  4  in the direction P, through a sliver guide (sliver intake trumpet)  46 .  
         [0019]    In FIG. 5 an electronic control and regulating device  45  such as a microcomputer is shown to which there are connected the driving devices  38 - 42 , for example, drive motors for the serially arranged conveying devices  19 ,  26 ,  24 ,  17  and  20 , the drive motor  43  for the turnstile  27 , sensors  44  for the path control of the coiler cans  13 ′,  13 ″ and drive motors (such as drive motor  37 ) for the transfer devices  28 ,  29 ,  30 ,  31 . The sensors  44  may be located, for example, such that they emit a signal when a coiler can reaches the outlet end of a conveying device. Such sensors  44  are shown, for example, at the outlet end of the conveyor track  23  and at the outlet end of the conveyor track  15 . Such signal may be utilized for initiating the motion of the respective transfer belt  28 ,  29 ,  30  or  31 . The can conveying system  7  thus permits an automatic can conveyance and can replacement during operation between the drawing frames  1  and  4 .  
         [0020]    By virtue of the independently driven conveying devices of the various conveyor tracks as well as the transfer devices, the electronic control and regulating device  45 , by means of a suitable energization and deenergization of the drives, makes possible an accumulation of the coiler cans on all or selected ones of conveyor tracks. In such an accumulated state the coiler cans are situated single file, in a mutually contacting position, as shown for the conveyor tracks  15 ,  21 ,  23  and  25  in FIG. 1. To achieve such an accumulated, mutually contacting state of the coiler cans, it is necessary to prevent motion of a selected can on the conveyor track to thus allow the conveying device to bring up consecutive cans behind the arrested can. In this manner the conveying device (that is, the conveyor belts on which the coiler cans stand) will slide underneath the stopped cans and will bring consecutively additional cans to be stopped by the coiler can immediately ahead. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the conveyor tracks which join each other perpendicularly, include a lateral guide rail on each side. Thus, the conveyor track  15  has lateral guide rails  50   a,    50   b;  the conveyor track  21  has lateral side rails  51   a,    51   b;  the conveyor track  22  has lateral side rails  52   a,    52   b;  the conveyor track  23  has lateral side rails  53   a,    53   b;  and the conveyor track  25  has lateral side rails  54   a,    54   b.    
         [0021]    The lateral guide rails provide, at the outlet end of the conveyor tracks  15 ,  22 ,  23  and  24  a stop or abutment so that in case the transfer device at the inlet of the adjoining conveyor track is idle, the coiler can at the outlet of the preceding conveyor track will be immobilized, thus allowing the cans to accumulate therebehind. For example, the side rail zone  53   a′  of the side rail  53   a  will abut and stop any coiler can arriving at the outlet end of the conveyor track  25 , provided that the transfer device  29  of the conveyor track  23  is idle. Similar side rail zones serve as stops for the coiler cans arriving at the outlet end of the conveyor tracks  15 ,  22  and  23 .  
         [0022]    For abutting and stopping a coiler can at the outlet end of the conveyor track  21 , that is, within the operating range of the turnstile  27 , expediently a gate  55  is provided, having a control unit  56 , connected to the electronic control and regulating device  45  as shown in FIG. 5. The gate  55  may be in a lowered, operative position in which it acts as a stop for the leading coiler can on the conveyor track  21  whereas in its raised, inoperative position it will allow the turnstile  27  to move the coiler can away from the conveyor track  21 . It is noted that such a coiler can arresting and releasing arrangement is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/617,328 filed Mar. 28, 1996 which is hereby incorporated by reference. It will be understood that the gating device  55 ,  56 , may be arranged at any desired location of a selected conveyor track.  
         [0023]    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.