Patent GB-955837-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to doffing and donning devices for textile spinning machines
IPC: D01H9/10
Filed: 1960-11-28
Abstract: 955, 837. Donning and doffing apparatus. R. ESCURSELL PRAT. Oct. 27, 1961 [Nov. 28, 1960], No. 40866/60. Headings DID and D1F. A donning and doffing device for a spinning frame having a horizontal row of vertical spindles between two headstocks comprises upper and lower rails supporting a carriage bearing donning and doffing means which are retractable to avoid the headstocks, the doffing means having means for moving them into and out of retracted position and for limiting such movement; the doffing means comprises two wedge-members formed by camtracks adapted to pass on opposite sides of the spindle-rail for loosening and lifting the cops, and the donning means comprises a container for enough tubes to supply all the spindles and having a rotatable member for ejecting one tube at a time actuated, as the carriage advances, by a lever engaging the lower part of successive spindles, means being also provided for accelerating the descent of delivered tubes also actuated as the carriage moves. . The carriage 7, Fig. 21, can be moved along the shop floor by wheels 72 carried by racks 71 meshing with gear-wheels 73a, 73b secured to the carriage. When a hand wheel 79 is rotated, the wheels move on the racks to raise and lower the carriage so that grooved wheels 5, Fig. 1, also on the carriage can be brought to rest on a bar 3 carried by the machine frame. Wheels 6 on vertical shafts bear against a second bar 4 to help guide the carriage. The cam track comprises two inclined members one on each side of the row of spindles and carried by the carriage, so that as the latter moves along the row, successive bobbins are first detached from their spindles and then gradually lifted until they topple from their spindles into a collecting-shoot. The inclination of the leading part of the track is smaller than that of the rest so that a relatively large upward force is initially applied to separate the cops from their spindles. In the case of wooden cops the track is arranged to engage beneath them; with paper &c. cops the track engages the base of the winding. The track is formed by a number of track units each carried by a U-member 12, Fig. 11, mounted on the carriage by an articulated framework 10a, 10b, the height of the unit being determined, according to its position in the row, by the engagement of a stop 13 with an adjustable member 14. As successive members 12 reach the end of the row having done their work, it is necessary to move them to avoid the end headstock 17. Accordingly each member in succession engages a cam-bar which moves it to a position to the right of that shown in Fig. 11, the arms 10a, 10b rotating about rods 9a, 9b running the length of the carriage until a catch 15 is held by a detent 16 carried by rod 9b, so that, the member is locked in retracted position. When the carriage is transferred to another machine, the rod 9b is rotated manually to detach the detents, but the members 12 are held in retracted position by a bar 17a so that they avoid the headstock 17; when they reach the space 18 they are free to resume operative position under their own weight. The donning means include a container comprising inner and outer cylinders connected by a disc 23b, Fig. 13, loosely mounted on a shaft 29 and having continuous helical guide ribs 24a, 24b supporting bobbins arranged radially in layers. Between each layer of bobbins extend the vanes 26a of a pushing-element mounted to rotate with shaft 29 and thereby push the bobbins along the helical guides to expel one into a shoot 38 as a ratchetwheel 30 on the shaft is rotated one tooth at a time by a pawl on an oscillating lever 32. The foremost bobbin in the shoot is supported by a foot 45a and a member 53a, a stop 49 preventing other bobbins in the shoot following when the foremost bobbin is released. The foot 45a and stop 49 are operated as feeler arms 36, 40 engage in turn each doffed spindle 22 as the carriage moves. Arm 40 engages first and rotates a shaft 41 to move pivoted arms 45, 47 and a hammer 53; thus the foot 45a is retracted to allow the first bobbin to fall, stop 49 is inserted to prevent the other bobbins following and hammer 53 is caused to descend to drive the released bobbin on to the spindle. A spring returns the parts as 40 leaves the spindle, restoring the foot, withdrawing the stop, and raising hammer 53. Lever 36 is next operated to rotate a shaft 35 concentric with shaft 41, whereby levers 34 are reciprocated to oscillate lever 32 and operate the pushing-members 26a and feed another bobbin into the shaft. For a paper &c. tube likely to be damaged by a hammer such as 53, alternative means are provided for forcing it on to the spindle, comprising a wheel, Fig. 15, with a sponge-rubber insert 62a secured to a shaft 138 on a pivoted arm 140. Shaft 138 is rotated to rotate the wheel in the direction of the arrow by gearing from one of the wheels 5 by which the carriage moves along the machine; the sponge-rubber insert yields to allow the wheel to engage the paper tube 20 and force it on to the spindle. A part 142a can be lifted by the operator to move the arm 140 and wheel 62 to a position where the latter will avoid the headstocks 17 at the start and finish of an operation. It is also necessary to move the shoot 38 and the associated donning parts in and out of operative position to avoid the headstocks. The parts are accordingly carried by a member 141a, Fig. 20, carrying a dovetail member 59 slidable in a corresponding part 59a secured to the carriage by a rack and pinion operated by a handle 101. With the parts in inoperative position to avoid the first headstock, handle 101 is operated to slide 59 in 59a against the pull of a spring until a catch engages a flange on part 59a to move the parts to operative position; at the end of the donning and doffing operation the flange engages a stop to release the catch so that the parts return to inoperative position. Other features. Other forms, Figs. 17, 18 (not shown) of helical guide in the bobbin container are described. Means are provided to prevent the last bobbin to be doffed from toppling the wrong way, i.e. away from the disposal shoot, and fouling other parts. A member 82, Fig. 1, is provided to move aside the yarns feeding to the bobbins as the carriage advances; the member 82 has a projecting sponge-rubber part which rotates the bobbins slightly to unwind a little yarn to prevent breakage by excessive tension. Means, operated by the rotation of shaft 41 on engagement by arm 40, are provided for severing the yarn feeding to a previously-doffed bobbin.