Patent GB-911353-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to automatic doffing and donning apparatus for textile spinning machines
Filed: 1961-06-30
Abstract: 911,353. Doffing and donning apparatus. ESCURSELL-PRAT, R., and HOSTENCHSERRA, J. June 30, 1961 [Jan. 30, 1960], No. 23746/61. Addition to 884,250. Class 120 (2). In apparatus as in the parent Specification in which a carriage conveys along a row of spindles a series of doffer-units each with an inclined cam-track member or members and each being rotatable between operative and inoperative positions to avoid the end-posts 21, Fig. 1, of the spindle-machine, the rotation of the units is controlled by means; e.g. cams 27<SP>1</SP>, 27, near the spaces 28<SP>1</SP>, 28 between the posts and the first and last spindles. A modified construction of carriage, means to support the released bobbins in the final stages of the doffing operation, means to control the descent of empty bobbins from a supply-shoot to the donning apparatus, and means to displace this latter apparatus to avoid the posts are also described. Construction of carriage.- The carriage 12, Fig. 10, is mounted on a wheeled trolley 11 in such manner that it does not follow the irregularities of the shop floor and so that it can be lifted for its wheels 18a, 18b to run on rails 26, Fig. 1, fixed to the machine being doffed. The trolley has upstanding bars 11c movable on guides 12a fixed to the carriage, the latter being held clear of the trolley by the engagement of brackets 12c on the carriage with supporting levers 17, 17<SP>1</SP> on the trolley. Lever 17 is fixed to a shaft 13 which has a gear-segment meshing with one carried by lever 17<SP>1</SP>. Shaft 13 is connected by worm gearing 13b with a vertical shaft splined to a telescopically-fitting hollow shaft 14 that can be operated by a wheel 15c to turn levers 17, 17b and so raise and lower the carriage so that wheels 18a, 18b come to rest on the rails. Construction and operation of doffing units.- Each unit 31, Fig. 5, comprises a U-member 33 carrying cam-track members 32 and an extension 34 having a bearing-member 35 on a shaft 30 which with stop-bars 37, 38, is mounted on the carriage and is common to all units. The track-members 32 of successive units combine to make a composite doffing-track rising to a level above the tops of the spindles and of which the leading-part is of smaller inclination than the remainder to provide increased lifting force to detach the filled bobbins. Each unit is normally urged to the operative position shown, where member 35 engages bar 37 by a spring 39 between extension 34 and bar 37, while the latter houses, for each unit, a cam-follower 37b. As a unit approaches the first post 21, its camfollower 37b is raised by a cam-face 27b and turns the unit to avoid the post to a position where member 35 engages stop-bar 38. The unit is restored to operative position when its cam-follower is allowed to fall by a second camface 27a in space 28<SP>1</SP>. The units are successively tilted to inoperative and back to operative position by cam-faces 27a, 27b at the other end of the machine. Support means for released bobbins.-As the bobbins are successively doffed, they pass by a shoot 41, Fig. 8, to the interior of the carriage, and the now completely-freed bobbins at 25<SP>1</SP>, 25<SP>11</SP> are prevented from toppling in the wrong direction by the bobbin in front at 31a. As the doffing operation nears completion, there is no bobbin at 31a and finally at 25<SP>11</SP>, and support levers 51 disposed in the two final positions are brought into supporting position through linkages by the movement of feelers 56 actuated by the rotation of successive units 31 in the end space 28. Control of empty-bobbin supply.-Empty bobbins are supplied to the donning apparatus for a magazine through a shoot 91, 95, Fig. 14, being arranged horizontally across the part 95 and controlled on entering shoot 91 by stops on levers 71, 72 and 80, 78 moving in and out of a cut-out 93a, the stops being positioned to allow for the conicity of the bobbins. The levers are interconnected and spring-urged normally to the positions shown where levers 71, 72 are in their upper positions to obstruct the leading bobbin and levers 80, 78 are retracted; when levers 71, 72 are withdrawn to free the leading bobbin, levers 80, 78 rise to prevent the descent of the following bobbins. The levers are operated by a feeler 81 acting on a block 76 connected to lever 72; the feeler is reciprocated as the carriage moves, being connected eccentrically at 83 to a disc 82 coupled to a wheel of the carriage. The other end of feeler 81 is connected to a weight 85 with a finger 86 projecting into shoot 91; if there are bobbins in this shoot the finger is forced to the right and feeler 81 moved to a position where it ceases to operate block 76 and shoot 95 remains obstructed by levers 71, 72 until 91 is emptied and feeler 81 resumes its operative position. Movement of donning-unit -This, comprising supply shoots 90, 91, Fig. 2, and the donning apparatus must also be tilted to avoid the posts 21. It is accordingly carried by an extension 62 pivoted at 63, and latched in operative position at 66. As the carriage passes a cam 27<SP>1</SP> a follower on bar 37 operates the latch and the unit pivots until extension 62 engages a stop 62b; when the follower is released, the unit is returned by gravity and the latch snaps home.