Patent GB-908507-A (GB)
Title: Automatic thread joiner for continuous ring-spinning machines
Inventor: PRAT ROBERTO ESCURSELL
IPC: D01H15/013
Filed: 1961-06-14
Abstract: 908,507. Yarn-joining apparatus for ring spinning machines. ESCURSELL-PRAT, R. June 14, 1961, No. 21528/61. Class 120 (2). Automatic yarn-joining apparatus for a ring- spinning machine, comprises a carriage adapted to move along the spindles of one or more machines and comprising: a detector which upon detecting the absence of a yarn, stops the carriage and starts the yarn-joining mechanism ; means for moving the traveller into a convenient position for re-threading ; a suction-duct for taking hold of the broken end ; means for rethreading the broken end ; means for raising the suction-tube and the end ; means for then threading the end through the usual threadguide between the spindles and the draftrollers ; and means for gripping the end raised by the tube with means for severing it and placing the severed end in engagement with the roving issuing from the draft-rollers. The carriage 5, Fig. 1 runs on rails secured to the spindle rail by runners 6, 7 and contains a motor 8 driving a fan 9 and a shaft 11. In normal operation, shaft 11 drives the runner 6 via a wheel 13 through a clutch 12, which when the detector (which may be photo-electric or a lever resting on a thread or threads) detects an absent thread, is thrown to drive through a wheel 14 a shaft 21. This operates the lever 26 of a thread-joiner 113 through a cam 25, and also drives through bevels 22, 23 a shaft 24 for rotating the following cams (a) 31 for operating a lever 33 to cause the spindle concerned to stop and be reversed for unwinding a length of yarn therefrom, (b) 89 for operating the suction-duct 84 which has a shaped nozzle 85 and is connected to fan 9 by a flexible portion 86; (c) 58 for operating traveller-positioning mechanism 60; (d) 66 for operating arms 64, 65 for re-threading the broken end; (e) 104 for raising and controlling the descent of tube 84. Yarn detector 128.-This comprises a lever 121, Fig. 3, which has an end resting on two adjacent yarns; when one fails, the lever falls and causes a member 122 to embrace the lower part of the spindle concerned to position the device, and the member shown descends into engagement with a member riding on a cam 123 so that lever 121 is moved to 121a so that it does not interfere with other parts, 122 being retracted at the same time. At each rotation of cam 123, a ratchet-wheel 124 is operated by a member 125 ; to prevent repeated operation of the lever 121 and therefore of the various parts of the apparatus when the absence of a thread is caused by a breakdown &c., a member 128 can be set to prevent cam 123 rotating after a desired number of operations of lever 121. Traveller-positioning device 60.-A member 53, Fig. 6, is reciprocated by member 60 as a lever 56, Fig. 1, is moved by cam 58. As 53 moves forward it engages pins 61 on a member 52 carrying pivoted fingers 48 which are simultaneously opened and moved to pass the ring 50 by projections 54, at the same time carrying the traveller to the left-hand side of the ring, where springs cause the fingers to assume closed positions as shown to centre the traveller as member 53 begins to retract. As 53 continues to move, it engages pins 62 to retract member 52 to starting position. Rethreading arms 64, 65.-These are pivoted each to move in a plane inclined to the vertical, in the arms of a U-member 63, Fig. 21, and are universally-jointed to levers 69, 70 having rollers 67, 68 engaged by cam 66. Arm 64 first takes the yarn to the position shown in Fig. 8 against the ring beneath the traveller 55 which has been previously positioned by fingers 48 as described above; arm 65 now moves the yarn to the right so that it lies in contact with the ring along an arc between the two fingers such that on upward movement of arm 65 the yarn is threaded through the traveller. For delicate threads, arm 65 may engage the traveller after the yarn has been positioned by arm 64. Spindle back-winding device 5.-Cam 31, Figs. 1, 5, through a roller 32 causes a lever 33 to pivot about 34 to bring a roller 35 in contact with spindle 37. Roller 35 being rubbercovered and controlled by ratchet-wheel 38, brings 37 to a stop ; thereupon a partly-toothed wheel 40 also driven by shaft 24 rotates a wheel 41 to drive the ratchet-wheel 38 and rotate spindle 37 in the unwinding direction. Yarn-joining device.-This comprises lever 26, Fig. 18 operated by cam 25 with a portion 113 having a shaped edge to guide the yarn 109 into a groove on the upper face of part 113, the yarn at the time of operation lying in the right-hand position shown from the guide 110 (in which it has been positioned by a camoperated lever 108, Fig. 1), between the spindle and the drafting-rollers 114, 115, to the suctionduct which is now located above the member 113. In this groove the yarn is gripped by a member 118. With the rotation of the cam, member 26 is moved to the right to bring member 118 into engagement with a member 119 which operates member 118 to sever the yarn between it and the suction-tube, the free length then being drawn into the suction tube. Member 26 now moves to the left into the nip of the drafting-rollers where 118 strikes roller 115 and the yarn is released to join with the roving issuing from the drafting-rollers. Positioning of traveller positioning device ; rethreading arms; and suction-duct, and raising and lowering of latter.-It is necessary to position these devices according to the build of the package. To this end the devices are mounted on platforms 45, 81 sliding on guides 29, shaft 24 having a key-way 43 to maintain driving connection with the various cams. These platforms are supported by arms 73, 92, Fig. 13, rotated about a spindle 74 according to the position of a roller 77 running along the ring- rail 78, the position of the platforms being accordingly controlled by the position of the ring-rail. Ratchet-wheels 80, 94 prevent the platforms from falling during the reciprocations of the ring-rail, but these are rendered inoperative when a joining operation is to take place or when the ring-rail falls at the completion of a set, or when the apparatus is transferred from one machine to another. When a length of yarn has been unwound by the back-winding of the spindle, it is necessary for suction-duct 84 to descend for the nozzle 85 to seize the end ; this is done by means of a guide beneath the duct which is normally supported by arm 92, but which, as the duct is moved forward towards the spindle by cam 89, slips off the arm and allows platform 81 to descend until it engages the duct itself. The platform is restored to its original position by the operation of a rack 97 by a toothed wheel 98, Figs. 1, 15, which is rotated through the gearing shown when spindle 24 rotates a quadrant 105 to rotate a wheel 107. It is now necessary for platform 81 carrying the duct to be raised by stages at each of which the duct is moved towards or away from the spindle to position the yarn for the various operations to be carried out on it or to avoid fouling parts of the apparatus ; this is done by a quadrant 102 which is rotated as cam 104 bears on a roller 103, the stages being determined by the shape of the cam. The apparatus descends, when shaft 24 is de-clutched by its own weight under the control of cam 104.