Patent Abstract:
The present invention relates to a braider ( 1 ) comprising a device for controlling the thread lever ( 10 ). Said braider is formed by a curved path ( 30 ) that is closed in a circular ring-shaped manner, a sliding block ( 31 ) appurtenant thereto and a reverse gear ( 20 ) by means of which the direction of rotation of the drive motor is reversed in such a way that the group of the upper delivery bobbins and the group of the lower delivery bobbins rotate in opposing directions. The aim of the invention is to enable such a braider ( 1 ) to have a higher ceiling speed. The sliding block ( 31 ) and the curved path ( 30 ) are situated within the surface ( 32 ) of rotation, whereby said surface is circumscribed by the course of the thread lever ( 10 ) around a central axis ( 50 ) in relation to the braider ( 1 ), and/or the reverse gear ( 20 ) is provided with an internal ring gear which is fixed to the central pipe ( 3 ) and has a great reference diameter, a pinion circulating therein and an outer ring gear that is rotatably mounted on the central pipe ( 3 ) and has a small reference diameter. The pinion is rotatably mounted on a circulating axle which is rigidly connected to the housing. Said pinion causes the positive fit between the internal ring gear and the outer ring gear.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a device for controlling the thread lever of a braiding machine comprised of the combination of a circular ring-shaped, closed curved path and correlated sliding block, wherein the thread lever has a pivot axle which is connected above the lower feed bobbins to the gear housing, which is rotatingly driven in a first rotational direction about the central pipe of the braiding machine, wherein the thread lever describes as a result of the rotational movement of the gear housing a rotational plane and, by means of the sliding block, is imparted with an oscillating pivot movement about its pivot axle in this rotational plane, and wherein the rotational movement of the gear housing is transformed into a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction via a reversing gear with intermediate wheel and is then imparted onto the bobbin carriers of the warp thread bobbins. The present invention further relates to a braiding machine with a central pipe and a housing rotatingly driven about the central pipe in a first rotational direction, on which bobbin carriers for the lower feed bobbins are seated as well as with upper bobbin carriers for the upper feed bobbins which are also rotatably supported to rotate about the central pipe, wherein between the lower feed bobbins and the upper feed bobbins a positive-locking reversing gear with intermediate wheel is provided which at the input side is loaded by the rotational direction of the housing and at the output side generates the second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction with which the upper bobbin carriers of the upper feed bobbins are loaded. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Such braiding machines are known; see, for example, the catalog of Spirka “Spirka-Schnellflechter”. These rapid braiders, according to the catalog, allow rotational speeds up to approximately 150 per minute, depending on the number of bobbin groups rotating in opposite directions, respectively. 
     The plurality of required gear couplings and kinematic parameters make it difficult to increase this rotational speed at will. 
     One of the decisive parameters of a braiding machine is the rotational speed limit. It depends on several factors, i.e., the type of control of the thread lever and/or the type of gear coupling between the drive members, the reversing gear, and the bobbin carriers. 
     The thread lever, on the one hand, must be pivotably supported above the weft thread bobbins, and, on the other hand, below the warp thread bobbins. 
     In this connection, the upper end of the thread lever must project past the warp thread bobbins to such an extent that the corresponding weft thread can be received by a thread guide which defines the movement plane of the weft thread above the warp thread. 
     Conventionally, the control of the thread lever results from a combination of a circular ring-shaped, closed curved path with corresponding sliding block. The curved path is arranged outside of the rotation plane on which the thread lever circulates during rotation of the weft thread bobbins. 
     The curved path thus encompasses the entire braiding machine. 
     However, since the thread lever has a relatively great length, relatively high moments of inertia are to be expected which must be exerted as forces by the sliding path pair—comprised of the sliding block and the curved path—in order to impart onto the thread lever its fast pivot movement. The relatively large spacing of the curved path from the center of rotation moreover effects relatively high relative speeds between the sliding block and the curved path so that relatively high surface pressures are to be expected in this connection. 
     On the other hand, the reversing gear of braiding machines with central pipes is an important component in order to impart onto the upper bobbin carriers a rotational movement about the central pipe opposite to that of the lower bobbin carriers. 
     Since these mechanical gears contribute significantly to the power requirements of a braiding machine, there is always the tendency to use gears with minimal consumption of power. 
     However, this causes the problem that, in addition to a reversal of the rotational direction between lower thread bobbins and upper thread bobbins, also a predetermined ratio of transmission must be maintained which is prescribed by the braiding process. 
     It is therefore the object of the present invention to improve the braiding machine such that higher rotational speeds are enabled. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     On the one hand, this object is solved by the invention in regard to the device for controlling the thread lever in that the sliding block and the curved path are located within the rotational plane, and, on the other hand, in regard to the braiding machine in that the reversing gear comprises an internal ring gear stationarily arranged on the central pipe with a large reference diameter, a pinion revolving therein, and an external ring gear with small reference diameter rotatably supported on the central pipe, and wherein the revolving pinion is rotatably supported on a revolving axle fixedly connected with the housing as well as provides the positive-locking connection between the internal ring gear and the external ring gear. 
     There are therefore two different measures with which the rotational speed limit of such braiding machines can be increased. 
     These measures can be realized independently from one another and also in combination with one another on a single braiding machine. 
     In the following, the inventive measures of the device for controlling the thread lever will be discussed first. 
     This part of the invention results in the advantage that for a more compact configuration of the braiding machine the weft thread bobbins and the warp thread bobbins become more easily accessible. 
     This advantage is achieved in that the previously known enclosure of the braiding machine by the stationary curved path is eliminated and replaced with an inwardly displaced curved path; this facilitates access to the weft thread bobbins and the warp thread bobbins. 
     An important factor of this part of the invention is that the sliding block and the curved path are positioned within the rotational plane which is described by the thread lever upon its rotation about the central pipe of the braiding machine. 
     On this rotational plane the thread lever additionally carries out the pivot movement which results in the braiding of the warp threads and the weft threads. 
     With this part of the invention, on the one hand, the relative speed between the sliding block and the curved path is reduced, because the engagement circle between the sliding block and the curved path is on a smaller radius in comparison to a curved path arranged outside of the rotational circle. 
     Since the law of movement of the thread lever, moreover, is defined by the curvature of the so-called thread guide, the exact geometric shape of the curved path results automatically so that the weft thread traverses up and down with constant contact on the thread guide. 
     The more the engagement circle between the curved path and the sliding block is moved toward the central axis of the braiding machine, the smaller the relative speeds, without the predetermined law of movement of the thread lever being negatively affected. In this respect, it is desirable to position the engagement circle between the sliding block and the curved path within the circle which is described by the inner end of the pivot axle. This provides the additional possibility of positioning the pivot axle of the thread lever in a bore of the gear housing where the sliding block and the curved path can be positioned in an oil bath. 
     With the permanent oil lubrication enabled in this way, relative speeds between the sliding block and the curved path which have been unattainable previously should be permissible. 
     For simplifying the configuration, the curved path can be arranged on an annular console which is connected as a separate component stationarily to the central pipe. 
     Moreover, the pivot axle can be positioned at a slant such that it is inclined with its end facing the central pipe toward the braiding point. This practically means the exit end of the material to receive the braid from the central pipe. This enables an effective pivot movement above the warp thread bobbins and below the warp thread bobbins with minimal forces. The decisive limit angle—measured relative to the normal plane of the central axis—is 45 degrees. This results in a permissible angle range of 45°&gt;alpha&gt;0°. 
     When the curved path is then inclined additionally about an angle L like the pivot axle, an excellent surface contact between the sliding block and the curved path results. 
     In order to compensate moreover tension fluctuations which result upon pivoting of the thread lever, a thread buffer roll is additionally provided which serves for a temporary thread deposition of the weft thread upon pivoting in the sense that the weft thread tension is practically maintained constant. 
     From the additional dependent claims advantageous embodiments of the invention result. The second part of the invention has the advantage that the housing for receiving the gear of the braiding machine can be configured significantly smaller and more compact so that in this way also an excellent accessibility to the weft thread bobbins and the warp thread bobbins is ensured. 
     With the compact configuration of the housing, the resonance behavior of the braiding machine is favorably affected, and the rotational speed limit can thus be increased. In principle, this part of the invention is based on the reversing effect which is caused by the pinion revolving within the internal ring gear. The internal ring gear is stationary; the pinion circulating in its interior is supported at its engagement location with the external ring gear with smaller reference diameter on the output side of the gear, and the reversal of the rotational direction is caused in this way. 
     At the same time, this planet wheel arrangement enables the adjustment of the required rotational speed ratios which are required for the braiding process. 
     However, the special advantage of this part of the invention resides also particularly in its independence from the measures in regard to the device for controlling the thread lever. 
     Even though, this part of the invention can be used in combination with the features of the device for controlling the thread lever. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the following, the invention will be explained with the aid of embodiments in more detail. It is shown in: 
     FIG. 1 a first embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 2 an embodiment of the invention with slanted pivot axle; 
     FIG. 3 a schematic illustration of the inner curved path with engaged sliding block; 
     FIG. 4 an embodiment of the invention with a special configuration of the reversing gear; 
     FIG. 5 the reversing gear according to FIG. 4 on a braiding machine with a curved path positioned outside of the rotational plane. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     If not indicated differently, the following description applies to all Figures. 
     The Figures show a braiding machine  1  in a schematic view. 
     A central pipe  3  is mounted rigidly on a machine frame  2 . 
     The central pipe  3  serves in its lower area for receiving a gear housing  5  which is arranged by means of a gear housing bearing  6  rotatably on the central pipe  3 . 
     By means of the drive  4  a rotational movement is imparted on the gear housing  5 , and the rotation is carried out also by the sliding path carrier  7  connected to the gear housing  5 . 
     In the lower area of the gear housing  5 , lower bobbin carriers  8  are arranged which support a weft thread bobbin  9 , respectively. 
     The weft thread is guided through a penetration, not illustrated in detail, in the thread lever  10  and extends from there to a deflection device  13  which is positioned on the upper end of the thread lever  10 . 
     The thread lever  10  can be pivoted about a pivot axle  11  which is movable in a pivot axle bearing  12 . 
     From the deflection device  13 , the weft thread runs toward the braiding point  14  which can be found on the outer circumference of the elongate article  15  to receive the braid. 
     While the elongate article  15  is transported only in the vertically upward direction, the weft thread bobbins carry out a rotational movement in a predetermined rotational direction about the central pipe  3 . This rotational movement is predetermined by the drive  4 . 
     It can now be envisioned that the thread lever  10  when rotating about the central axis  50  describes a rotational plane which is concentric to the central axis  50 . At the same time, the thread lever  10  carries out a pivot movement about its pivot axle  11 . The pivot axle  11  is positioned above the lower feed bobbins—the weft thread bobbins  9 —and is connected to the gear housing  5  such that the rotational movements of thread lever  10  and the gear housing  5  are synchronized. 
     Accordingly, the thread lever  10  and the gear housing  5  rotate in a first rotational direction about the central pipe  3  of the braiding machine. 
     At the same time, the thread lever  10  is automatically controlled by the positive-locking engagement between a sliding block  31  and a correlated curved path  30  such that it carries out an oscillating pivot movement  35  about its pivot axle  11  on the rotational plane  32  on which it rotates about the central axis  50 . This pivot movement is caused by the course of the curved path  30  with which it is provided on its closed path about the central axis  50 . 
     The positive-locking engagement between the sliding block  31  and the curved path  30  imparts therefore by means of a corresponding moment a movement onto the pivot axle which, depending on the configuration, is transmitted directly or indirectly onto the thread lever  10 . In order to generate with this arrangement a braid, it is required to rotate the warp thread bobbins  9  in a second rotational direction  29   b  opposite to the first rotational direction  29   a.    
     For this purpose, a reversing gear  20  is provided which is comprised of a transmission stage  23  and an intermediate wheel  21 . 
     The reversing gear has the purpose to transform the rotational movement of the gear housing  5  into a rotational direction which is opposite to the first rotational direction and to then impart this rotation onto the warp thread carriers  18  which each support a warp thread bobbin  19 . The warp thread carriers  18  move thus in a rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction  29   a  about the central axis  50  and are guided when doing so on the sliding path carriers  7  which are provided only in segments like the warp thread carriers  18 . 
     In this way, an alternating immersion and retraction movement results in the area of the sliding path carrier  7  and the warp thread carriers  18  in that the sliding path carrier  7  and the warp thread carriers  18  rotate in opposite directions to one another about the central axis  50 . 
     For this purpose, the reversing gear  20  is provided which comprises the intermediate wheel  21  as an important component. 
     The intermediate wheel  21  is connected by means of the intermediate gear shaft  22  rigidly with the sliding path carrier  7 . It is a bevel wheel which engages, on the one hand, the warp thread carrier  18  and, on the other hand, the internal ring gear  16  positive-lockingly. The internal ring gear  16  is independent of the gear housing and also rotatably supported on the central pipe  3 . The bearing for this internal ring gear thus enables rotation of the internal ring gear  16  about the central pipe  3  independent of the gear housing  5 . 
     Moreover, since the gear housing  5  and the internal ring gear  16  must have different rotational speeds, according to FIGS. 1 through 3 a transmission stage  23  is provided which is supported on an annular console  24 . 
     The annular console  24  is fixedly connected on the central pipe  3 . 
     The transmission stage  23  will be explained again in connection with a deviating embodiment with the aid of FIGS. 4 and 5. 
     In this embodiment, the transmission stage  23  is comprised of an internal ring gear  25  which is fixedly connected to the stationary annular console  24 . 
     The internal ring gear has the greatest reference diameter within the transmission stage  23 . 
     A pinion  26  revolves within the internal ring gear  25  and is rotatably supported on a revolving axle  28 . 
     The revolving axle  28  is fixedly connected with the gear housing  5 . 
     While the revolving pinion  26 , on the one hand, is in engagement with the internal ring gear  25 , the internal ring gear  16  has an external ring gear  27  with a small reference diameter with which the revolving pinion  26  also meshes. 
     The pinion  26  is thus constantly in engagement with the internal ring gear  25  having a large reference diameter as well as with the external ring gear  27  having a small reference diameter and rotates thus together with the gear housing  5  about the central axis  50  and on its revolving axle  28  because it is forced to do so by engagement of its toothing on the rigid internal ring gear  25 . 
     Therefore, the rotational movements of the internal ring gear  16  and of the gear housing  5  are oriented in the same direction. However, the rotational movement is reversed by the intermediate wheel  21  so that the warp thread carrier  18  is rotated in a rotational direction opposite to that of the sliding path carrier  7 . 
     This is indicated by the symbols for the first rotational direction  29   a  and the second rotational direction  29   b , independent of the respective rotational speeds (absolute). 
     Since the sliding block  31  during this movement in the first rotational direction  29   a  moves in the stationary curved path  30 , it is possible to impart onto the thread lever a pivot movement with a corresponding arrangement, for example, as illustrated in FIG.  3  and in FIG.  5 . 
     The pivot movement  35  is carried out between lower pivot positions  33   a  and upper pivot positions  33   b  while the thread lever  10  is rotated about the central axis  50 . 
     As illustrated additionally in FIG. 3, the sliding block  31  is seated on a guide lever  44  which has a spacing from the geometric pivot axis  45  of the pivot axle  11 . 
     Since the pivot axle  11 , in turn, is rotatably supported, by means of a correspondingly configured curved path  30  the thread lever  10  can be caused to perform a reciprocating pivot movement while it rotates about the central axis  50 . 
     In the embodiments according to FIGS. 1 through 4, the pivot axle  11  is supported in the gear housing  5 . 
     In principle, this also applies to the support of the pivot axle in the embodiment according to FIG.  5 . 
     However, in this embodiment the pivot axis is not oriented in the direction toward the central pipe  3  but away from it. 
     Accordingly, the curved path  30  is positioned in an area outside of the rotational plane  32  of the braiding machine and has on the mantle surface facing in the direction toward the central pipe  3  an engagement zone for the sliding block  31  moving in this area. 
     The curved path  30  is a component of a ring which surrounds the braiding machine and can have a relatively small diameter as a result of the configuration of the reversing gear as compact as possible in the embodiment according to FIG.  5 . 
     Moreover, the compact reversing gear in the embodiment according to FIG. 5 also favors increasing the rotational speed limit of such braiding machines because the sliding pair between the sliding block  31  and the curved path  30  operates with relatively minimal circumferential speeds. 
     The geometry of the gear housing  5  according to FIG. 5 is not to scale. The actual size of the gear housing  5  is significantly smaller and allows shrinking of the inner diameter of the ring with the curved path  30  correspondingly. 
     The respective path-time law of the thread lever movement is predetermined by the principal contour of the thread guide  34 . 
     In the embodiments according to FIGS. 1 through 4, it is decisive that the sliding block  31  as well as the curved path  30  are positioned within the rotational plane  32  which is described by the thread lever when carrying out its rotational movement about the central axis  50 . 
     The forces which are introduced onto the thread lever for its control will thus originate from an engagement circle whose radius is smaller than the rotational plane  32  described by the thread lever  10 . 
     In addition, it can be provided that the sliding block  31  and the curved path  30  are positioned within the inner end  36  of the pivot axle  11 . In this case, the engagement circle between the sliding block  31  and the curved path  30  is within the circle which is described by the inner end  36  of the pivot axle  11 . 
     Moreover, FIGS. 1 and 4 show that the pivot axle  11  is rotatably supported in a bore  37  of the gear housing  5 . 
     When it is moreover provided that the bearing of the gear housing on the central pipe as well as on the outer circumference of the internal ring gear  16  as well as the pivot support of the pivot axle  11  on the gear housing are sealed by radial seals  39   a-c , the oil level  38  within the gear housing  5  can be realized such that the sliding block  31  and curved path  30  are positioned within the oil bath. The oil-tight gear housing  5  can be optionally provided with a suitable drainage plug. 
     Since the curved path  30 , in turn, is mounted on the annular console  24 , it is thus possible to generate a wear-free and environmentally clean permanent lubrication between the sliding block  31  and the curved path  30 , in connection with the advantage of significantly higher relative speeds and thus higher rotational speeds for the braiding machine. 
     In any case, it is however fulfilled that the curved path support, in the illustrated embodiments the outer circumference of the annular console  24 , is practically positioned on an extension of the central axis  50  of the annular rotational plane  40  which is defined by the pivot axle  11 . 
     This results in a direct and effective transmission of the course of the curved path  30  onto the thread lever  10  because the force-transmitting members between the sliding block  31  and the pivot axis  11  are short and compact. 
     Additionally, the pivot axle  11  can be inclined with its end  41  oriented to the central pipe  3  in the direction to the braiding point  14 . This measure provides an effective braiding geometry and is known in the art. 
     In order to provide an effective engagement between the sliding block  31  and the curved path  30 , the curved path should be inclined with the same slant angle such that the sliding block engages with a contact surface as large as possible the walls of the curved path  30 . 
     In addition, it is also provided that a thread buffer roll  43  is correlated with the pivot axle  11  of the thread lever  10  and has a weft thread groove  46  concentrically arranged to the pivot axle  11 . 
     This measure provides for compensation of tension changes in the weft thread which can be caused by the pivot movement of the thread lever  10  between lower pivot position  33   a  and upper pivot position  33   b.    
     The geometrically optimal course of the curved path  30 , and thus the alternating movement of the sliding block  31  during its revolution, is in principle determined by the curved thread triangle which is defined between the braiding point  14  and the deflection device  13  on the thread lever  10  and is positioned above the envelope which is described by the warp threads between their warp thread bobbins  19  and the individual braiding points  14 . 
     Since these laws of movement are however sufficiently known, see, for example, catalog “Spirka-Schnellflechter”, no further explanation is provided in this connection. 
     In the embodiments according to FIGS. 4 and 5, it is also shown that the internal ring gear  25 , the revolving pinion  26 , and the external ring gear  27  are positioned in one and the same radial plane  48  relative to the central pipe  3  and mesh with one another in this radial plane. 
     This measure serves for preventing possible bending moments on the bearing of the pinion axle which rotates together with the gear housing and is therefore referred to as revolving axle  28 . 
     Moreover, with one and the same outer toothing on the revolving pinion  26  the entire gear coupling, including the transmission between the drive motor and the internal ring gear  16 , is effected. 
     This is achieved in that the pinion  26  meshes directly with the internal ring gear  25  as well as directly with the external ring gear  27 , wherein the intermediate wheel  21  is loaded by the output side of the external ring gear  27  and at the same time engages a gear which is mounted on the upper bobbin carriers  18 . 
     For this purpose, the intermediate wheel is positioned on an intermediate wheel shaft  22  which is connected fixedly with the gear housing  5  and positioned above the radial plane  48  in which the internal ring gear  25 , revolving pinion  26 , and external ring gear  27  mesh with one another. 
     List of Reference Numerals 
       1  braiding machine 
       2  machine frame 
       3  central pipe 
       4  drive 
       5  gear housing 
       6  gear housing bearing 
       7  sliding path carrier 
       8  lower bobbin carrier 
       9  weft thread bobbin 
       10  thread lever 
       11  pivot axle 
       12  pivot axle bearing 
       13  deflection device 
       14  braiding point 
       15  elongate article to receive braid 
       16  internal ring gear 
       17  internal ring gear bearing 
       18  warp thread carrier 
       19  warp thread bobbin 
       20  reversing gear 
       21  intermediate wheel 
       22  intermediate wheel shaft 
       23  transmission stage 
       24  annular console 
       25  internal ring gear 
       26  revolving pinion 
       27  external ring gear 
       28  revolving axle 
       29   a  first rotational direction 
       29   b  second rotational direction 
       30  curved path 
       31  sliding block 
       32  rotational plane 
       33   a  lower pivot position 
       33  be upper pivot position 
       34  thread guide 
       35  pivot movement 
       36  inner end of pivot axle 
       37  bore of the gear housing 
       38  oil level 
       39   a, b, c  radial seal 
       40  rotational plane of the pivot axle 
       41  end of the pivot axle pointing to the central pipe 
       42  slant angle 
       43  thread buffer roll 
       44  guide lever 
       45  geometric pivot axis 
       46  weft thread groove 
       48  radial plane 
       50  central axis

Technology Classification (CPC): 3