Patent Publication Number: US-6336315-B2

Title: Spinning machine having a plurality of spinning stations and method of making same

Description:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This application claims the priority of German Patent Document 100 20 694.8, filed in Germany, Apr. 27, 2001, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein. 
     The present invention relates to a spinning machine having a plurality of spinning stations, each of which comprise a drafting unit and a stopping device for fiber material fed to the drafting unit, as well as devices movable along the spinning stations for monitoring end breaks and for activating the stopping device of a spinning station needing maintenance. 
     The spinning stations of a spinning machine have to be monitored for end breaks so that in the case of a spinning station needing maintenance, normal spinning operation can be resumed. Practical experience has shown that in the case of a plurality of spinning stations, it is not always necessary to monitor all spinning stations continuously. Rather more, intermittent scanning at set intervals is frequently permissible, whereby only a fraction of the cost is required for practically the same level of effectiveness. 
     A spinning machine of the above mentioned type having intermittent end break monitoring is prior art in German published patent application 44 12 670. The means for establishing an end break and for activating a stop device at a spinning station needing maintenance are arranged on one carriage, so that after an end break has been established, the fiber material being fed can be quickly stopped. Because the stop device is located on the one hand in the area of entry of the fiber material in the drafting unit, the thread monitored by the sensor however is located downstream of the drafting unit, the carriage is of relatively large dimensions, for which there is not always the necessary room available on the spinning machine. 
     It is known from the non-generic German published patent application 27 31 019 (corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 4,122,657) that a sensor for establishing an end break is arranged on a carriage, which is pulled along by a metal, electroconductive traction belt. The electric signals generated by the sensor are transmitted via the traction belt to a stationary plotting station. 
     It is an object of the present invention, to significantly simplify the spinning machine of the above mentioned type with regard to the above mentioned apparatus. 
     This object has been achieved in accordance with the present invention in that a first carriage with at least one sensor for monitoring an end break and a second carriage having an actuator for activating the stopping device of a spinning station needing maintenance are provided. 
     Because the above mentioned apparatus are divided over two carriages, each carriage can be traversely moved to that point where it can carry out its function best. The spatial distance between the stopping device at the drafting unit of a spinning station and the spun thread is no longer of importance. As each carriage only comprises those elements necessary for a particular function, they can be designed to be sufficiently small. Hereby, with regard to the latter mentioned prior art, an electric coupling of the two carriages presents no problems. A purely mechanical coupling in the headstock of the spinning machine is, however, a possible alternative. 
     Both carriages can, in an embodiment of the present invention, each be pulled backwards and forwards by means of suitable traction means along a running rail. It can be provided that each carriage is arranged at at least one drive motor of its own, located for example in the headstock of the spinning machine, which drive motor activates the traction means. In the case of a flexible traction means, a belt or a wire can be involved. 
     When, as is generally known, the traction means is electrocondutive, the end break signals can be transmitted via the traction means from the sensor of the first carriage to the actuator of the second carriage. In the case of such electric couplings, the spinning stations in need of maintenance are identified at first by electronic means and this information is subsequently transmitted further. 
     In the case of such an electric coupling it is purposeful to pull both carriages in the same direction through the machine, whereby the second carriage follows the first carriage at a short distance behind. Thus short time intervals can be observed between the establishing of an end break and the stopping of the fiber material feed at the relevant spinning station. 
     In the case of certain preferred embodiments of the present invention, a joint drive motor comprising an intermediate gear can be arranged at the traction means of both carriages. The drive motor and the intermediate gear can be located in the headstock of the spinning machine. What is involved here is a purely mechanical coupling without electronic means or electronic spinning station counters. 
     Also in the latter case, the second carriage can follow the first carriage at a constant distance, in that it, for example, travels behind at a distance of three quarters the distance between two spinning stations. In the latter case it is of course necessary that both carriages can travel beyond all the spinning stations at each machine end. 
     It is generally known from the latter mentioned prior art that, in the case of a ring spinning machine, the movements of the ring travellers are scanned. The individual ring travellers are moved namely by the thread to be wound up, so that always then, when such a movement of a ring traveller does not occur, it is assumed that an end break is the reason. By taking advantage of this fact, it can further be provided that the first carriage can be guided on a ring rail arranged at the spinning machine. Additionally a sensor for identifying a spinning station can be arranged to the sensor for detecting a broken thread, so that between two spinning stations, where there is no thread present, an end break is not indicated. The identification of a spinning station can, for example, take place via respective bore holes in the ring rail. Over each bore hole, a measuring window could then be opened by a sensor for identifying the ring traveller movements. 
     These and further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description thereof when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a cross section of a very simplified ring spinning machine constructed according to preferred embodiments of the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a greatly enlarged partial view of FIG. 1 in the area of the first carriage having devices for detecting an end break; 
     FIG. 3 is a greatly enlarged partial view from FIG. 1 in the area of a stopping device for fiber material feed arranged to a drafting unit; and 
     FIGS. 4 and 5 are a greatly reduced and schematic longitudinal view of two variations for driving and coupling the first and second carriages. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The cross section of FIG. 1 shows a very simplified spinning machine  1 , namely a ring spinning machine, which is symmetrically formed with respect to a dot-dash shown middle longitudinal plane  2 , whereby only the machine side  3  located left of the central longitudinal plane  2  can be seen. On each machine side  3 , a plurality of identical spinning stations  4  are arranged adjacently to one another. 
     Important components of each spinning station  4  are a drafting unit  5  as well as a ring spindle  6 . 
     The drafting unit  5  comprises in the known way a plurality of roller pairs  7 ,  8  and  9  arranged one behind the other in transport direction A, of which the so-called front bottom roller  10  plays an important role in the present invention, and which is described below in more detail. Fiber material  11  to be drafted, for example a sliver or roving, is fed to the drafting unit  5  in a known way, and drafted there to the desired degree of fineness. Directly downstream of the drafting unit  5 , the forming thread  12  receives its spinning twist. 
     The thread  12  travels via a balloon thread guide  13 , also known as a “pig&#39;s tail”, while forming a thread balloon  14  to a bobbin  14 , in the present case a rotating spinning cop, onto which the thread is wound. The bobbin  15  is placed on top of a rotating spindle upper part  16  of the ring spindle  6 . The bearing housing  17  comprising the rotating parts of the ring spindle  6  is attached to a spindle rail  18  which extends in machine longitudinal direction. 
     Each ring spindle  6  is driven by a belt drive  19 , which receives its drive via a drive shaft  20  which extends in machine longitudinal direction. 
     A ring rail  21  serves to wind the thread  12  onto the bobbin  15 , which ring rail  21  also extends in machine longitudinal direction and is movable up and down according to the traverse motion directions B and C. The ring rail  21  comprises at each spinning station  4  a spinning ring  22 , on which a ring traveller (not shown in FIG. 1) rotates in a known way during operation. 
     When a thread  12  breaks at a spinning station  4 , the feed of fiber material  11  to the drafting unit  5  must be stopped after a relatively short time, so that no blockage occurs at the spinning station  4  in need of maintenance. The monitoring of threads  12  with regard to end breaks need not, however, be continuous, but rather can be carried out intermittently, as described above. 
     As can be seen in FIG. 1, one first carriage  23  per machine side travels on the ring rail  21 , which carriage  23  can be on wheels or guided in sliding motion and which comprises a sensor  24  for detecting a broken thread  12 . This is described in more detail below with the aid of FIG.  2 . The first carriage  23  is pulled along by means of a flexible traction means  25 , for example an electroconductive wire. 
     In the area of the entry bottom rollers  10  of the drafting units  5 , a second carriage  26  is movable on each machine side in machine longitudinal direction, also here by means of a flexible traction means  27 . The second carriage  26  is movable on the upper side of a suction channel  28  extending in machine longitudinal direction. The second carriage  26  comprises an actuator  29  for activating an activating lever  30  of a stopping device arranged to the drafting unit  5  (stopping device not shown in FIG. 1) for fed fiber material  11 . This is described below in more detail with the aid of FIG.  3 . 
     The carriages  23  and  26  can be electrically coupled via their electrocondutive flexible traction means  25  and  27 , as described below with the aid of FIG. 4. A mechanical coupling in the headstock of the spinning machine  1  can also be provided, as described below. 
     Shown in the enlarged partial view in FIG. 2 are the ring rail  21  with a spinning ring  22 , a bobbin  15 , the first carriage  23  having a flexible traction means  25  and a sensor  24  for detecting a broken thread  12 , as well as a winding tube  31  supporting the bobbin  15 , which winding tube  31  is placed on a rotating spindle shaft  65  of the spindle upper part  16  with the aid of a coupling means (not shown). 
     A ring traveller  66  rotates in a known way during operation on the spinning ring  22 , which ring traveller  66  is scanned by the sensor  24  for monitoring end breaks. As long as the ring traveller  66  rotates, the sensor  24  does not indicate an end break. As the ring traveller  66  is movable up and down with the traverse motion ring rail  21 , it is convenient to guide the first carriage  23  comprising the sensor  24  on the ring rail  21  in a sliding motion. A travel rail  67  is thus additionally still arranged at the ring rail  21  which travel rail  67  fixes the first carriage  23 . 
     In order that the sensor  24  does not indicate an end break between two spinning stations  4 , where there is neither a thread  12  nor a ring traveller  66 , a further sensor  68  for identifying a spinning station  4  is arranged at the sensor  24 . Only then when the sensor  68  registers a spinning station  4  is the sensor  24  for detecting an end break activated. A spinning station  4  can be easily recognized in that the ring rail  21  comprises a bore hole  69  at each spinning station  4 . When the sensor  68  recognizes a bore hole  69 , it can open a measure window for the sensor  24 . 
     In the enlarged representation in FIG. 3, the entry bottom roller  10 , the activating lever  30  already mentioned, the carriage  26  comprising flexible traction means  27  and its actuator  29  as well as a part of the suction channel  28 , on which the second carriage  26  is secured by means of an additional sliding rail  55 , are shown. 
     As can be seen in FIG. 3, a stopping device  32  for stopping the feed of fiber material  11  is arranged to the entry bottom roller  10 . The design of such a stopping device  32  is optional, so that the following description is just an advantageous embodiment. 
     In the case of the stopping device  32  shown, a drive shaft  33  of the entry bottom roller  10 , extending continuously in machine longitudinal direction, is provided with a connectable tube  34 , which can be individually stopped via coupling means. While the drive shaft  33  is driven in the known way from the headstock of the spinning machine  1  and rotates continuously during operation, the tube  34  of each respective drafting unit  5  has a width which is adapted to the fiber material  11  to be drafted. In the area of a front side of the tube  34 , a locking device  35  is applied in the drive shaft  33 , which locking device  35  has only a relatively small width and which is covered by the tube  34 . The locking device  35  takes the form of an all-round toothed device. 
     The locking device  35  serves to connect the tube  34  to the drive shaft  33  during operation so that they are interlocked, and in the case of a malfunction, to individually shut down the tube  34  despite the drive shaft  33  continuing to run. A gear  36  of the tube  34  is therefore arranged to the locking device  35 , which gear  36  can engage in the locking device  35  and which is located on a swiveling lever  37 , whose swivel axle  38  is arranged on the tube  34 . The swivel axle  38  is hereby in the form of a linch pin, which extends parallel to the drive shaft  33  and which is inserted into the tube  34  with press fit. The swivel lever  37  is supported on this linch pin with clearance. 
     The swivel lever  37 , whose width corresponds to the width of the locking device  35 , takes the form of a two-armed lever. One lever arm  39  bears the gear  36 , the second lever arm  40  is loaded with a pressure spring  41 , which loads the end of the lever arm  40  via a pin  42  and thus tries to turn the swivel lever  37  in such a way that the gear  36  engages in the locking device  35 . The pressure spring  41  thus strives to connect the tube  34  to the drive shaft  33 . 
     As can be seen, the pressure spring  41  and the pin  42  are arranged in the inside of the tube  34 , so that from the outside only the swivel lever  37  is visible. It covers the locking device  35  from the outside. 
     With an extension  43 , the swivel lever  37  projects, on the side of the lever arm  39  which bears the gear  36 , out of the tube  34  towards the outside. Thus an engaging surface  44  for a releasing lever  45  is created, which is integral with the activating lever  30  already mentioned. 
     The releasing lever  45  is supported in the area of the entry bottom cylinder  10  on a stationary swivel axle  46 . This swivel axle  46  has a cam  47  which is located during normal spinning operation at a short distance above the above mentioned engaging surface  44  of the swivel axle  37 . The cam  47  is held in this lightly released position by means of a leaf spring  48 , which is clamped onto a fixing element  49  and which is disposed with a bend  50  against a surface  51  of the releasing lever  45  arranged thereto. The bend  50  thus serves as a locking device. 
     In order to activate the stopping device  32 , the releasing lever  45  can be swivelled by depressing the resilient bend  50  into a position  52  shown by a dot-dash line, in which position  52  the bend  50  of the leaf spring  48  is then disposed on another surface  53  of the releasing lever  45 . Thus the position  52 , shown by a dot-dash line, of the releasing lever  45  is also secured, namely then when the cam  47  of the activated stopping device  32  presses against the engaging surface  44  of the swivel axle  37  and by means thereof presses the swivel axle  37  in a position  54  shown also by a dot-dash line, in which the gear  36  of the swivel lever  37  is disengaged from the locking device  35  of the drive s haft  33 . The drive between the drive shaft  33  and the tube  34  is then interrupted, so that no further fiber material  11  is fed to the drafting unit  5 . 
     When the first carriage  23  travels over the defect spinning station  4 , that is when the sensor  24  of the first carriage  23  has indicated an end break, the actuator  29  of the second carriage  26  can activate the activating lever  30  and thus the swivel axle  37 . The stopping device  32  is released, which prevents further feeding of fiber material  11 . 
     electric coupling is schematically shown in FIG. 4 between the first carriage  23  and the second carriage  26 . The two flexible, electrocondutive traction means  25  and  27  can be seen as well as the two travel rails, namely the ring rail  21  as well as the upper edge of the suction channel  28 . The individual spinning stations  4  are denoted only by dot-dash lines. 
     As shown in FIG. 4, each carriage  23  and  26  has its own drive motor  56  or  57 . Each of these drive motors  56 , 57  thus activates the respective flexible traction means  25  or  27  arranged thereto. At the other end of the machine, the traction means  25 , 27  are guided by respective guiding discs  58  and  59 . 
     Because both traction means  25  and  27  are electroconductive, end breaks detected by the sensor  24  can be transmitted via electric signals to a computer  60  located in the headstock of the spinning machine  1 . This computer  60  transmits the signals of the first carriage  23  to the second carriage  26  and thus to the actuator  29 . It is hereby practical when—as shown by one travel direction D or E of the traversing carriages  23  and  26 —the second carriage  26  follows behind the first carriage  23  at a certain, though not too great a distance. Thus end breaks can be eliminated directly after their detection. 
     In the schematic representation shown in FIG. 5, a mechanical coupling takes place in the headstock of the spinning machine  1 , so that a complicated electronic system and electronic spinning station counters can be omitted. 
     According to FIG. 5, a joint drive motor  61  is arranged to the traction means  25  and  27  of both carriages  23  and  26 . The second carriage  26  can hereby follow the first carriage  23  at a constant distance, for example at three quarters the distance between two spinning stations  4 . In the present case, only guiding discs  63  and  64  are arranged on the drive side to the traction means  25  and  27 . 
     The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.