Patent GB-1476391-A (GB)
Title: Means for automatic end-down servicing of a spinning machine by an automatic yarn piecing apparatus
IPC: D01H15/00
Filed: 1974-09-25
Abstract: 1476391 Piecing and end catching SACOLOWELL CORP 25 Sept 1974 [23 Oct 1973] 41609/74 Heading DID [Also in Division H1] A yarn piecing apparatus for ring spinning machines having a ring rail vertically movable through reciprocatory traverses during enddown servicing of the machine, includes control means for correlating the performance of at least one step of each servicing operation with the position of the ring rail and further comprises switching means including cooperating switch 36 and switch actuating elements 38, and means mounting said elements for vertical movement during at least part of each servicing operation in unison with each other and with the ring rail whilst the ring rail is moving through the intermediate portion of a reciprocatory traverse between points of reciprocatory changing direction thereof, and for movement of one of said elements relative to the other and to the ring rail solely upon reversal of the direction of movement of the ring rail at an end of a reciprocatory traverse, the switch 36 being actuable by the relative movement between the switch actuating elements 38. As described, the initiation of the retrieval of a broken end from package 20 is performed when the ring rail 14 undergoes a reversal of movement from upwardly to downwardly and is terminated when the ring rail 14 undergoes the next reversal of movement from downwardly to upwardly. The initiation of piecing is controlled by switch 36 mounted on the servicing carriage and reciprocating vertically together with bushing 28 resting on the ring rail. The switch 36 is operated solely at the ends of the traverse by roller 44 moving over cam surface 52 due to a "lost-motion" mounting arrangement between the switch actuating element 38 and the switch supporting plate 40. The "lost-motion" arrangement comprises a slot 50 in the support plate 40 loosely engaging a bifurcated carrier for the actuating element 38. The bifurcated carrier 48 is magnetically held against and slides along magnetic strip 46 attached to the servicing carriage. At the ends of the reciprocatory movement the size of slot 50 in carrier plate 40 permits the switch 36 and its roller 44 to reverse direction whilst the switch actuating element 38 is held stationary by the carrier 48 and magnetic strip 46 until the other side of the slot 50 engages carrier 48. Between the reversals of the ring rail the switch 36 and its actuating elements 38 move vertically together. When an end breaks, a travelling servicing carriage moves along the ring spinning machine and is halted at a spindle having a broken yarn. The yarn piecing devices (shown partially in Fig. 1) descend on a splined shaft to be supported by arm 30 on the ring rail. The retrieval of the yarn end is initiated as described above and the suction head 26 and beater 24 are pivoted forward and actuated to retrieve the yarn end whilst the package 20 is rotated in an unwinding direction. The yarn end is withdrawn, assembly 22 is pivoted rearwardly and the unwinding rotation of the package 20 is halted. A traveller-threading mechanism (not shown) then engages the traveller with the retrieved yarn end, which is then extended upwardly towards the drafting rollers together with a return upward movement of the assembly 22. The retrieved yarn end is then interconnected with the roving issuing from the drafting rolls.