Patent GB-1342924-A (GB)
Title: Apparatus for automatically feeding empty yarn tubes separately or in groups
IPC: B65H67/04
Filed: 1971-05-14
Abstract: 1342924 Feeding empty tubes to textile machines BARMAG BARMER MASCHINENFABRIK AG 14 May 1971 [30 July 1970] 14890/71 Headings D1F and D1J In textile machines in which the bobbin holders 6 are pivotable about a horizontal axis 5 extending longitudinally of the machine and each have a bobbin lever 10 which can be swung laterally outwards against the force of a spring 13, empty tubes 26 are fed, separately or in groups, by means of apparatus which travels along the front of the machine and comprises at least one opening device 42 which travels into and out of engagement with the machine and by which, when moved into engagement with the machine, the bobbin holder 6 is swung upwards into a prescribed position and the bobbin lever 10 is swung laterally outwards; the apparatus also comprising at least one loading device 43 which moves into and out of engagement with the machine and which, when moved out of engagement with the machine, automatically takes up an empty tube 26 by gripping it externally on the circumference, the taken-up tube being brought into the region of the bobbin holder 6 which is swung upwardly into the prescribed position and opened by the opening device when the loading device is moved into engagement with the machine. In the preferred embodiment the apparatus simultaneously feeds two empty tubes to bobbin holders 6. At the start of the feeding operation, the opening device 42 and loading device 43, which are mounted on a bar 40, are in a position transverse of the machine, being pivoted about pivot post 25 by means of levers 27, 31 and 33 and a piston and cylinder arrangement 29. In this position, the loading device 43 is provided with its open-topped grippers 66 adjacent a tube magazine 18, empty tubes being automatically received by the grippers 66. The opening device 42 and loading device 43 are pivoted about post 25 to bring them into positions parallel to the longitudinal direction of the machine. The opening device is pivoted about shaft 58 by means of a piston and cylinder 61 such that stops 54, 55 on arms 52, 53 engage the bobbin levers 10 and lift the bobbins 7 out of engagement with the driving rollers 8. The opening device is mounted on a chute 44 and when the bobbins have been raised, the position of the chute 44 is adjusted longitudinally of the machine whereby stops 56, 57 on the arms 52, 53 swing the bobbin levers 10 outwardly to release the bobbins 7 which fall on to the chute 44 and are carried away by a conveyor 19. The loading device 43 is then advanced towards the bobbin holders 6 by means of a rack and pinion 68, 70 and the empty tubes are received on centring plates 11, 12 by a longitudinal adjustment of the chute 44 which causes the bobbin lever 10 to return to its original position. The opening device is then lowered for the empty tube to engage the driving roller 8 and to enable the opening device 42 and loading device 43 to be pivoted about post 25 ready for the next feeding operation. The opening device 42, loading device 43 and tube magazine 18 are preferably mounted on a carriage which travels on rails in front of the machine. Several such opening devices and loading devices may be provided on the carriage. In the case of a textile machine having superimposed banks of bobbin holders, the opening device and loading device can be mounted for vertical adjustment to suit the superimposed banks, or alternatively, superimposed banks of opening devices and loading devices can be provided. The full bobbins 7 discharged from the bobbin holder 6 are taken away by a conveyor 19 which cooperates with a vertical conveyor arrangement which carries the bobbins to a container. The empty tube magazine 18 is provided with a discharge opening which cooperates with the grippers of the loading device so that only one tube is discharged at a time.