Patent Publication Number: US-2018030630-A1

Title: Loading arrangement for a spin-knit machine

Description:
The invention relates to a loading arrangement for a spin-knit machine, a spin-knit machine with a loading arrangement according to the invention and also a process for loading a spin-knit machine. 
     Circular knitting machines referred to as spin-knit machines are distinguished in that the knitted product is not made from standard twisted yarns, but from a fibrous material provided in the form of sliver, flyer frame sliver or the like, which prior to stitch formation is drawn to a preselected fineness by means of a drafting arrangement known from spinning technology, and after exiting from a drafting arrangement is brought into a condition suitable for transport to a standard knitting system or the like by means of a spinning device. Sliver, flyer frame sliver or the like are arranged on roving bobbins in this case. The roving bobbins are fastened to the spin-knit machine on a hanger, which is attached to the periphery of the spin-knit machine at the level of the drafting arrangements. Each roving bobbin respectively holds approx. 2-3 kg of fibrous material ready for the knitting operation on the spin-knit machine. The roving is unwound from the bobbins and fed to the machine over a length of approx. 1 m. 
     It has been usual hitherto to store new roving bobbins in cartons next to the machine or in a storage area. They have to be taken out of the cartons manually and placed on the hanger when a bobbin has run empty or the machine has to be newly loaded. 
     The empty roving bobbins are removed from the hanger by hand and replaced by a full bobbin. Moreover, the leading end of the fibrous material (roving) must then be guided manually through guide devices and a sliver sensor and then threaded into the drafting arrangement. 
     Depending on how quick an operator is when changing the bobbins and how many roving bobbins have to be creeled or changed, this can be time-consuming and cause outages of individual knitting systems or the entire spin-knit machine. This leads to a reduction in productivity of the spin-knit machine. 
     The roving bobbins stored in cartons must be brought to the individual spin-knit machines by the operator. After they are removed from the cartons, the bobbins are placed overend onto the hanger of a spin-knit machine. The threading of the roving into the sliver sensor is also conducted overend for the operator. Both are thus inconvenient for the operator. 
     Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a possibility of operating a spin-knit machine in a more effective and user-friendly manner. 
     This object is achieved according to the invention by a loading arrangement for a spin-knit machine comprising at least one loading device, wherein the loading device is movable at least with one part along at least one preset or presettable path and is suitable for loading the spin-knit machine with full roving bobbins. In this case, a preset path can be a guide or also a virtual path, along which, for example, one end of a robot arm is movable. Such a path is also presettable, for example, by means of a control device. The loading arrangement can be configured in particular as a robot arm, which is arranged in or on the spin-knit machine. 
     Such a loading arrangement can assist an operator when changing the roving and removing flaws. A guide device can be provided and the loading device can be movable at the level of a drafting arrangement of a spin-knit machine at least along a region of the guide device. In this case, the guide device can be located close to the ground, for example, and the loading device can be brought to the correct height by means of an arm to be able to grasp the roving bobbins with a gripper, for example, in the region of the drafting arrangements. It is conceivable in this case that the loading device is vertically adjustable by means of a hoisting device. 
     Alternatively, it is conceivable that the guide device is already located at the level of a drafting arrangement and the loading device is movable along the guide device at the level of the drafting arrangements. The loading device can have a gripper. For example, the gripper can be arranged at the end of a robot arm. Advantages result if the gripper is suitable for exchanging a roving bobbin of a spin-knit machine. A change of roving or a bobbin change can thus also be carried out in an automated manner by means of the loading device. 
     Advantageously, the gripper can be suitable for feeding a roving to a sliver sensor and/or a drafting arrangement of the spin-knit machine. A gripper can thus grasp an end of the roving after a roving bobbin change and feed the sliver sensor and/or the drafting arrangement of the spin-knit machine. A roving bobbin change can be automated as a result of this. 
     Moreover, the gripper can be configured and be suitable for removing detected flaws from a roving. Manually conducted operations referred to in DE 10 2008 008 210 A1, the disclosure of which becomes content of this application, can now be conducted according to the invention by the gripper. As a result, these process steps can be conducted more quickly and also independently of an operator. 
     Particular advantages result when the loading device has a storage means for-full and/or empty roving bobbins. Thus, a loading device can hold at least one, but preferably several full roving bobbins ready and can be guided along the guide device to a location on the periphery of the spin-knit machine in order to change roving bobbins. Empty roving bobbins can also be transported so that they can be removed later, for example, by an operator. 
     According to a configuration of the invention a drive can be provided for moving the loading device or a part thereof along a preset or presettable path, in particular guide device. It is thus possible to move the loading device in an automated manner along the spin-knit machine to a location, at which intervention by the loading device is required. 
     Moreover, a control device can be provided to control the loading device. In this case, the control device can be configured to actuate both the drive of the loading device and the gripper. The control device can also be designed to control multiple loading devices. The control device can be coupled to the control device of a spin-knit machine or integrated into this. 
     According to a particularly preferred configuration of the invention a storage space for storing roving bobbins can be provided, which can be approached by the loading device or a part thereof along the preset or presettable path, in particular the guide device. Thus, empty roving bobbins can be deposited in the storage space and the loading device can be filled with provided roving bobbins in an automated manner. Alternatively, it is conceivable that the loading devices are loaded and empty roving bobbins are removed manually by an operator. However, the degree of automation can be increased if a corresponding storage space is provided. The storage space can be a bobbin creel, which holds ready at least one, but preferably several full roving bobbins. The storage space can be located directly adjacent to a spin-knit machine or an adjoining area. 
     In addition, a transport device can be provided for loading the storage space with full roving bobbins. In particular, the transport device can load the storage space with full roving bobbins and remove empty roving bobbins from the storage space. A transport belt or conveyor belt can be provided as transport device, on which the roving bobbins are suspended and transported, for example. The conveyor belt can run through the storage space in a circuit, for example. 
     The guide device can enclose at least one spin-knit machine at least in sections on the periphery. It is thus possible that a loading device is moved along the spin-knit machine to a drafting arrangement. However, the guide device preferably encloses the spin-knit machine completely, so that a loading device or multiple loading devices can travel around the spin-knit machine. 
     In particular, multiple loading devices can be provided, which are respectively associated with at least one drafting arrangement of the spin-knit machine. In particular, a loading device can be associated with only part of the drafting arrangements of a spin-knit machine. As a result, the individual drafting arrangements can be reached more quickly by a loading device. Each loading device can be assigned its own storage space. A quicker bobbin change can also be conducted as a result of this. For example, a loading unit can be responsible for half or a quarter of the bobbin hangers or drafting arrangements on the periphery of the spin-knit machine. 
     Moreover, it is conceivable that multiple spin-knit machines are enclosed by the guide device at least in sections over their periphery. Thus, multiple spin-knit machines can be loaded in an automated manner. 
     At least two loading devices can be provided and one loading device can be configured to transfer a roving bobbin to a further loading device. Thus, a roving bobbin can quickly get to where it is needed. Moreover, fewer storage spaces can be used. 
     Multiple spin-knit machines can respectively be assigned at least one guide device and the loading devices can be configured to transfer roving bobbins from one loading device of a first guide device to a loading device of a second guide device. Therefore, it is not necessary each knitting machine to be assigned its own storage space. Roving bobbins can be transferred by the loading device not only to a drafting arrangement, but also to another loading device, which can then in turn load a spin-knit machine. Empty roving bobbins can, of course, also be transferred so that they can thus be transported to a storage space. 
     Particular advantages result if a sliver sensor of the spin-knit machine is connected via signalling technology to the control device of the loading arrangement. Thus, on the one hand, a signal can be sent to a control device when a roving bobbin has run empty. In addition, a signal can be sent to the control device when a flaw has been detected and action must be taken by the loading device. Moreover, it is possible to detect via the sliver sensor when the end of a roving has been threaded in and the knitting process can be continued. An enabling signal can be sent to the control device in this case. 
     The invention also encompasses a spin-knit machine with a loading arrangement according to the invention. Such a spin-knit machine can be operated more effectively. 
     The invention further encompasses a process for loading a spin-knit machine with a roving, in which a roving end is fed by machine to a sliver sensor and/or a drafting arrangement of the spin-knit machine. After the roving end has been fed in, the spin-knit machine can be enabled for a knitting process. The roving end is preferably grasped by a gripper of the loading device and fed to the sliver sensor and/or the drafting arrangement of the spin-knit machine. 
     According to a variant of the process the sliver sensor can detect the end of a roving and emit a corresponding signal, after which a loading device or a part thereof is moved to the drafting arrangement associated with the sliver sensor in an automated manner and exchanges an empty roving bobbin for a full roving bobbin. It is, moreover, possible as a result of this process variant to conduct a roving bobbin change in an automated manner. 
     According to a further development of the process it can be provided that the loading device or part thereof that is not occupied elsewhere at the time or that can reach the drafting arrangement associated with the sliver sensor by the shortest path is the one moved to the drafting arrangement. It can thus be ensured that a roving change is conducted very quickly. Moreover, it can be provided that after a change of the roving bobbin the roving end is grasped by the gripper of the loading device and is fed to the sliver sensor and/or the drafting arrangement of the spin-knit machine. As a result of this measure the knitting process is resumed in an automated manner. The necessary interventions by an operator are reduced as far as possible. 
     The enabling action can also be automated if the drafting arrangement, on which a roving bobbin has been changed, is enabled for knitting after the bobbin change by the loading device. 
     According to a further variant of the process it can be provided that the loading device runs to a storage space, deposits empty roving bobbins and picks up full roving bobbins. 
     Further features and advantages of the invention may be seen from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, by way of the figures of the drawing, which shows essential details of the invention, as well as from the claims. The features shown there should not necessarily be understood to be to scale and are represented in such a manner that the special features of the invention can be made clearly visible. The different features can be implemented in variants of the invention either singly or in multiples in any desired combinations. 
    
    
     
       Exemplary embodiments of the invention are represented in different stages of use in the schematic drawing and explained in more detail in the following description. 
         FIG. 1  is a highly schematic representation of a part of a spin-knit machine; 
         FIG. 2  is a plan view onto a spin-knit machine, which has two associated storage spaces; 
         FIG. 3  shows a spin-knit machine, which has four associated loading units; 
         FIG. 4  shows a spin-knit machine, which has one associated storage space; 
         FIG. 5  shows two spin-knit machines, which are assigned a joint storage space; 
         FIG. 6  shows an arrangement of multiple knitting machines and storage spaces. 
     
    
    
       FIG. 1  shows a partial view of a spin-knit machine  1  with a knitting tool hold, in particular a needle cylinder  2 , in which standard knitting tools, e.g. knitting needles  3  configured as latch needles, are displaceably mounted. The knitting needles  3  have hooks  3   a , pivoting latches  3   b  and blades  3   c . They can be moved at a knitting location referred to hereafter as knitting system  4  by means of cam parts  5  (not shown in further detail) into a fibre pick-up position suitable for picking up fibrous material  6  or roving. The fibrous material  6  is fed to the spin-knit machine  1  from roving bobbins  7 . 
     Fibrous material  6 , e.g. in the form of a flyer frame sliver, can be wound up on the roving bobbins  7 . The fibrous material  6  is fed to a drafting arrangement  9  by means of a transport element (not shown) and a guide roller  8 . Each knitting system  4  is assigned its own drafting arrangement  9 , which has, for example, pairs of drafting rollers, as known per se. The exemplary embodiment concerns a three-roller drafting arrangement, wherein a feed roller pair I with a middle roller pair II configured as double-apron roller pair forms a predrafting zone and a withdrawal roller pair III forms a main drafting zone. 
     The fibrous material  6  coming from the drafting arrangement  9 , which substantially consists of undrawn staple fibres arranged parallel to one another, is preferably fed to an associated knitting system by means of a spinning or transport device  10 . The transport device  10  has a rotary member  11  and a spinning or transport tube  12  connected to this, which terminates at a thread guide  14  that is arranged just in front of the knitting tools  3  so that the fibrous material  6  exiting from the thread guide hole  14   a  is inserted into the hooks  3   a  of the knitting tools  3 , which are raised or lifted at the fibre pick-up point by the cam parts  5  into a fibre pick-up position. The fibrous material  6  is monitored by means of a sliver sensor  15 . When a flaw is detected, the stitch forming process is interrupted. The flaw is removed from the fibrous material  6  and the stitch forming process can then be continued. 
       FIG. 2  shows the spin-knit machine  1  and also a loading arrangement  100  arranged in the vicinity thereof in a highly schematic representation. The loading arrangement  100  comprises a guide device  101  drawn in as a dotted line, which in the shown exemplary embodiment inter alia is arranged around the periphery of the spin-knit machine  1 . Loading devices  102 - 104  are movable along the guide device  101 . The loading devices  102 - 104  here have grippers (not shown) that are suitable to remove (empty) roving bobbins from the knitting machine  1  as well as to load these with new (full) roving bobbins  7 . Moreover, the grippers of the loading devices  102 - 104  are suitable for grasping the end of a roving and feeding both the sliver sensor  15  and the drafting arrangement  9 . 
       FIG. 2  additionally shows two storage spaces  105 ,  106 , in which roving bobbins  7  can be stored temporarily. Empty roving bobbins  7  can be deposited here by the loading units  102 - 104 . Full roving bobbins  7  can be delivered to the storage spaces  105 ,  106  by means of transport devices  107 ,  108 . There, the loading devices  102 - 104  can take up full roving bobbins  7  into a storage means of the loading device  102 - 104  and discharge empty roving bobbins  7 , which have also been deposited into a storage means during a roving bobbin change. 
     The loading devices  102 - 104  can run around the knitting machine  1  completely along the guide device  101 . However, it is also conceivable that individual loading devices  102 - 104  are assigned to particular sections of the knitting machine  1  and therefore also to corresponding sections of the guide device  101 . 
     In the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 3  the knitting machine  1  is divided into four regions. Therefore, the guide devices  201 - 204  also only extend along a section around the periphery of the knitting machine  1 . On the other hand, the periphery of the spin-knit machine  1  is completely covered by the guide devices  201 - 204 , so that each drafting arrangement can be reached by a loading device  209 - 212 . Each guide device  201 - 204  is in turn assigned its own storage space  205 - 208  as well as a loading device  209 - 212 . 
     It is also conceivable to assign more than one loading device  209 - 212  to each guide device  201 - 204 . In particular, multiple loading devices  209 - 212  can run at least along one section around the spin-knit machine  1  simultaneously. 
     In the embodiment according to  FIG. 4  two loading devices  301 ,  302  are provided, which are movable along a guide device  303 . In addition, a storage space  304  is assigned to the knitting machine  1 . In this case, the transport device  305  is also arranged completely inside the storage space  304 . Empty roving bobbins can be manually removed from the storage space  304  here. 
       FIG. 5  shows how two knitting machines  1 ,  1 ′ can be operated with only one assigned storage space  401 . The storage space  401  is located between knitting machines  1 ,  1 ′. Loading devices  403 ,  404  can be moved by means of the guide device  402  both around the knitting machine  1 ,  1 ′ and to the storage space  401  in order to exchange empty roving bobbins for full roving bobbins there. As is also the case in the preceding and subsequent exemplary embodiments, the loading devices  403 ,  404  can have a drive, which can be actuated by a control device  20  such as shown in  FIG. 1 , for example. Furthermore, a gripper of a loading device  403 ,  404  can also be actuated by the control device  20 . The control device  20  can be a master control device, which is provided exclusively for the operation of the loading arrangement  100 . However, it is also conceivable to use a control device of a knitting machine  1 ,  1 ′ to control the loading arrangement  100 . In particular, the control device can receive signals from the sliver sensor  15  or from each sliver sensor  15  of each drafting arrangement to operate the loading arrangement  100  in dependence on the signals of the sliver sensor  15 . In this case the movement sequences and individual operations of the loading devices  403 ,  404  can be controlled by means of software, which runs in the control device  20 . The software of the loading arrangement  100  can be coupled directly to the software of a spin-knit machine  1 , 1 ′. Thus, it can be regulated which loading device  403 ,  404  must travel to which knitting point when to either change a roving bobbin  7  or to remove rough flaws from the roving. 
       FIG. 6  shows an arrangement comprising four spin-knit machines  1 ,  1 ′,  1 ″,  1 ″′ overall. A guide device  500  arranged around the knitting machines  1 ,  1 ′,  1 ″,  1 ″′ is shown. The arrangement additionally has two storage spaces  501 ,  502 . The loading devices  503 - 506  can move along the guide device  500  and run up to the drafting arrangements of the knitting machine  1 ,  1 ′,  1 ″,  1 ′″. In this case, the loading arrangement is controlled such that the loading device  503 - 506  that is not occupied elsewhere at the time and that is at the shortest distance from the drafting arrangement is the one that runs up to a drafting arrangement. The loading devices  503 - 506  can not only remove full roving bobbins from the storage spaces  501 ,  502 , but also transfer full roving bobbins to another respective loading device  503 - 506 . Empty roving bobbins can likewise be taken up.