Patent Description:
Various types of fiber bundle condensing devices have been proposed for condensing fiber bundles, which are drafted by a draft device prior to twisting, to improve yarn quality, for example, by reducing fluff, adjusting yarn strength, and the like.

Such fiber bundle condensing devices include a countershaft for rotating a rotary shaft on which a delivery bottom roller delivering fiber bundles is mounted. A rotational force of the countershaft is transmitted to the rotary shaft with a drive gear mounted on the countershaft engaged with a driven gear mounted on the rotary shaft.

<CIT> discloses a relationship between a rotary shaft on which a delivery bottom roller is mounted and a countershaft transmitting a rotating force to the rotary shaft in a fiber bundle condensing device.

In a spinning machine, a plurality of fiber bundle condensing devices are arranged in parallel to each other to form a unit, and a plurality of units of the fiber bundle condensing devices are arranged in parallel to each other. The spinning machine includes a plurality of countershafts each having a drive gear connected in a series so as to correspond to the plurality of the units of fiber bundle condensing devices.

The drive gears mounted on the countershafts need to be replaced temporarily or periodically due to damage or wear caused by catching foreign objects, or the like, during operation.

There is a method of replacing a drive gear in which replacing the drive gear after a series of the plurality of countershafts for the plurality of units of the fiber bundle condensing devices are pulled out from the spinning machine. In this case, the series of the countershafts are pulled out from the spinning machine, and the countershafts need to be placed back after the drive gear is replaced. This requires a significant amount of time to replace the drive gear. As a result, the productivity of the spinning machine is reduced due to an increase of the downtime of the spinning machine.

There is another method of replacing a drive gear in which the drive gear dividable into two parts are used and the drive gear to be replaced is removed by dividing it into two. In this case, using the drive gear dividable into two parts increases the cost of the drive gear, it becomes difficult to balance the rotation of the drive gear, and the reliability of the drive gear decreases due to loosening of the fastening screws.

The device disclosed in the above-cited Publication lacks consideration for the replacement of the drive gears. Therefore, there is a demand for replacing the drive gears mounted on the countershafts quickly without reducing the productivity of the spinning machine and without using special parts.

The present invention is directed to providing a fiber bundle condensing device for a spinning machine in which a drive gear, which is mounted on a countershaft driving to rotate a rotary shaft of a delivery bottom roller that transports fiber bundles, can be replaced quickly without using special parts and without reducing productivity of the spinning machine.

In accordance with present invention, there is provided a fiber bundle condensing device for a spinning machine including a condensing device configured to condense a fiber bundle which has been drafted, the condensing device including a delivery bottom roller that is mounted on a rotary shaft and transports the fiber bundle, a suction portion that exerts suction acting on the fiber bundle, an air-permeable apron that rotates along the suction portion, and a delivery top roller that is pressed against and in contact with the delivery bottom roller with the air-permeable apron interposed between the delivery top roller and the delivery bottom roller and rotates together with the delivery bottom roller, a countershaft configured to drive the rotary shaft, a driven gear mounted on the rotary shaft and configured to receive a driving force from the countershaft, and a drive gear mounted on the countershaft and configured to be engaged with the driven gear. The fiber bundle condensing device includes a plurality of the countershafts corresponding to a plurality of the condensing devices, the plurality of the countershafts being connected by a coupling. A conditional expression W > d ≥ (<NUM>/<NUM>) x W is satisfied, where W represents a width of the drive gear and d represents a distance between ends of the plurality of countershafts connected by the coupling.

Other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the invention.

The invention, together with objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description of the embodiments together with the accompanying drawings in which:.

The following will describe a fiber bundle condensing device for a spinning machine according to an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is noted that same reference numerals are used for the same components in the drawings.

Firstly, a basic configuration of a fiber bundle condensing device of a spinning machine according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to <FIG> illustrates a fiber bundle condensing device <NUM>, and <FIG> illustrates a countershaft <NUM> of the fiber bundle condensing device <NUM>.

The fiber bundle condensing device <NUM> is disposed downstream of a draft device (not illustrated), and is configured to condense fiber bundles drafted by the draft device for reducing fluff or the like prior to twisting. The draft device is disposed on a rear of the fiber bundle condensing device <NUM> of the illustration of <FIG>. The fiber bundles are processed by the fiber bundle condensing device <NUM>, and delivered to a lower front of the fiber bundle condensing device <NUM> in the illustration of <FIG>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the fiber bundle condensing device <NUM> includes a plurality of condensing devices <NUM>, a plurality of support plates <NUM>, and the countershaft <NUM> as main components.

The condensing devices <NUM> cooperate to include a rotary shaft <NUM>, a plurality of delivery bottom rollers <NUM>, a plurality of suction portions <NUM>, a plurality of air-permeable aprons <NUM>, a plurality of delivery top rollers <NUM>, and end plugs <NUM>.

The plurality of the delivery bottom rollers <NUM> and a driven gear <NUM> are mounted on the rotary shaft <NUM>. A drive gear <NUM> is mounted on the countershaft <NUM>. The drive gear <NUM> mounted on the countershaft <NUM> drive to rotate the driven gear <NUM> of the rotary shaft <NUM>. In other words, the driven gear <NUM> that is configured to receive a driving force from the countershaft <NUM> is mounted on the rotary shaft <NUM>. With rotation of the driven gear <NUM>, the delivery bottom rollers <NUM> rotate together with the rotary shaft <NUM>, which rotates the air-permeable aprons <NUM> and transports fiber bundles F.

Each of the suction portion <NUM> includes a plurality of suction holes. The suction portions <NUM> exert suction acting on the fiber bundles F transported from the delivery bottom rollers <NUM> through the air-permeable aprons <NUM>. The air-permeable aprons <NUM> are made of air-permeable woven cloth having no ends. The air-permeable aprons <NUM> are wound on their associated delivery bottom rollers <NUM>, the suction portions <NUM>, and guide portions (not illustrated). Each of the delivery top rollers <NUM> is pressed against and in contact with its associated one of the delivery bottom roller <NUM> with the air-permeable apron <NUM> interposed therebetween. The delivery top rollers <NUM> rotate together with the delivery bottom rollers <NUM>, thereby transporting the fiber bundles F.

The condensing devices <NUM> for eight spindles are arranged between the support plates <NUM>. A group of the condensing devices <NUM> for the eight spindles (i.e., a condensing device group) serves as a unit. A plurality of the units formed of the condensing device group are disposed along a longitudinal direction of the spinning machine. The rotary shaft <NUM> has a predetermined length corresponding to the condensing device group for the eight spindles. The end plugs <NUM> are disposed on opposite ends of the rotary shaft <NUM>. The end plugs <NUM> allow the rotary shaft <NUM> to be supported rotatably by the pair of support plates <NUM>. The support plates <NUM> are fixed to a roller stand (not illustrated).

The countershaft <NUM> has a predetermined length corresponding to the condensing device group for the eight spindles. The countershafts <NUM> is supported by the roller stand (not illustrated) via a bearing <NUM>. The drive gear <NUM> to be engaged with the driven gear <NUM> of the rotary shaft <NUM> is mounted on the countershaft <NUM>. The countershafts <NUM> drives the rotary shaft <NUM> through the drive gear <NUM> and the driven gear <NUM>. A plurality of the countershafts <NUM> corresponding to the units of the condensing device group are connected to each other by couplings <NUM> in the longitudinal direction of the spinning machine.

The fiber bundles F are transported while being held between the delivery bottom rollers <NUM> and the delivery top rollers <NUM>, which rotate with rotation of the rotary shaft <NUM> driven by the associated countershaft <NUM>, and being drawn by suction of the suction portions <NUM> through the air-permeable aprons <NUM>.

A reaction force of the drive gear <NUM> may increase depending on the spinning condition. Therefore, a position of the drive gear <NUM> to be mounted on the countershaft <NUM> needs to be set at a position between the first spindle and the second spindle from the roller stand or the support plate <NUM>. In this case, the coupling <NUM> may be disposed at a position between the second spindle and the third spindle from the roller stand or the support plate <NUM>. In the countershaft <NUM>, selecting the position of the coupling <NUM> or the position of the drive gear <NUM> and the position of the coupling <NUM> as described above reduces unbalanced rotation and bending of the countershaft <NUM>, which minimizes influences on the yarn quality.

In the embodiment, reference characters W and d in <FIG> represent a width of the drive gear <NUM>, and a distance between the ends of the countershafts <NUM> connected to each other by the coupling <NUM>, respectively. By fastening and unfastening bolts or the like, the coupling <NUM> connects and disconnects the countershafts <NUM> disposed adjacently to each other.

In the embodiment, the fiber bundle condensing device <NUM> is configured to satisfy a conditional expression W > d ≥ (<NUM>/n). In a case where n representing the number of couplings <NUM> to be removed from the countershafts <NUM> is <NUM>, the fiber bundle condensing device <NUM> satisfies W > d ≥ (<NUM>/<NUM>) x W4. Preferably, the fiber bundle condensing device <NUM> is configured to satisfy a conditional expression W > d ≥ (<NUM>/<NUM>) x W, in a case where the number of the couplings <NUM> to be removed from the countershafts <NUM> is <NUM>. More preferably, the fiber bundle condensing device <NUM> is configured to satisfy the conditional expression W > d ≥ (<NUM>/<NUM>) x W, in a case where the number of the couplings <NUM> to be removed from the countershafts <NUM> is <NUM>.

The following will describe the replacement of the drive gear <NUM> mounted on the countershaft <NUM> with reference to <FIG> are views for describing the replacement of the drive gear <NUM> mounted on the countershaft <NUM> in the fiber bundle condensing device <NUM> for the spinning machine according to the embodiment.

<FIG>, illustrates a state where three countershafts 130a, 130b, 130c are connected by couplings 150a, 150b. A drive gear 132a is mounted on the countershaft 130a.

The following will describe a specific example of the replacement of the drive gear 132a when the number n of the couplings <NUM> to be removed from the countershafts <NUM> in the conditional expression is <NUM>. In this example, the drive gear 132a to be replaced is removed at a position where the coupling 150a is positioned, and two of the couplings 150a, 150b are subjected to unfastening.

<FIG> illustrates a state where the three countershafts 130a , 130b, 130c are disconnected by unfastening the couplings 150a, 150b. Broken lines in <FIG> indicate a state where the couplings 150a, 50b are removed from the three countershafts 130a, 130b, 130c.

In <FIG>, the countershaft 130b is disconnected by unfastening the two couplings 150a and 150b. The position of the disconnected countershaft 130b is moved in an axial direction of the countershaft 130b toward a side opposite to the drive gear 132a to be replaced. In other words, the position of the countershaft 130b is moved in the axial direction so as to decrease the distance d in an area where the coupling 150b has been positioned.

As a result, the distance d existed in the area where the coupling 150b has been positioned is added to the distance d in an area where the coupling 150a is positioned. In other words, an extended distance 2d (d + d = 2d) is provided between the countershafts 130a and 130b.

Now, the conditional expression W > d ≥ (<NUM>/<NUM>) x W may be resolved into W > d and W ≤ 2d.

In other words, a dimension of the width W of the drive gear 132a is greater than a dimension of the distance d between the ends of the countershafts 130a and 130b connected to each other by the coupling 150a. Therefore, the drive gear 132a cannot pass a gap formed of the distance d when only the coupling 150a is removed, so that the drive gear 132a cannot be removed.

On the other hand, when the distance between the countershafts 130a and 130b is extended to the extended distance 2d, as illustrated in <FIG>, the width W is equal to or greater than the distance 2d (W ≤ 2d). Thus, the drive gear 132a having the width W can pass the gap formed of the distance 2d between the countershafts 130a and 130b, which has been extended.

As specific values for the width W and the distance d in this case, the width W is <NUM> and the distance d is <NUM>, for example. The drive gear 132a having the width of <NUM> can pass the gap formed of the distance 2d of <NUM>, which is doubled.

Accordingly, when the couplings 150a and 150b are unfastened and the position of the countershaft 130b is moved in the axial direction, only the drive gear 132a may be removed through the gap of the extended distance 2d after the drive gear 132a is moved in a direction toward the countershaft 130b, as illustrated in <FIG>.

A new drive gear 132a may be mounted on the countershaft 130a at the position where the previous drive gear 132a is mounted by performing the above procedure in a reversed order such as in order of <FIG>, so that the fiber bundle condensing device <NUM> for the spinning machine may return to an operable state quickly. Accordingly, only a minimum of two couplings <NUM> need be removed and mounted for the replacement of the drive gear, which offers excellent workability.

That is, in the countershaft <NUM> configured to drive to rotate the rotary shaft <NUM> of the delivery bottom rollers <NUM> transporting the fiber bundles F, the drive gear may be replaced quickly by removing only the drive gear 132a without using special parts, such as a dividable drive gear, without pulling out all the connected plurality of the countershafts <NUM> from the spinning machine, and without reducing the productivity of the spinning machine.

In the above-described example, the conditional expression W > d ≥ (<NUM>/<NUM>) x W in which the number of couplings to be removed is the minimum of <NUM> has been described. In addition to that, the number of couplings to be removed may be <NUM> with the conditional expression W > d ≥ (<NUM>/<NUM>) x W, or the number of the couplings to be removed may be <NUM> with the conditional expression W > d ≥ (<NUM>/<NUM>) x W.

The following will describe a case where the conditional expression is W > d ≥ (<NUM>/<NUM>) x W. In this case, three couplings <NUM> connected to two countershafts <NUM> are unfastened. Then, positions of the two countershafts <NUM> disconnected by unfastening the three couplings <NUM> are moved in the axial direction so as to extend an area where the drive gear <NUM> to be replaced is removed.

As a result, a dimension of the distance 2d provided by moving the positions of the two countershafts <NUM> is added to a dimension of the distance d in an area adjacent to the drive gear <NUM> to be removed. In other words, a gap formed of a distance 3d is formed in the area where the drive gear <NUM> to be replaced is removed.

When the distance between the countershafts <NUM> is extended to the distance 3d, the width W is equal to or greater than the distance 3d (W ≤ 3d). Thus, the drive gear 132a having the width W can pass the gap of the distance 3d between the countershafts 130a and 130b.

As specific values for the width W and the distance d in this case, the width W is <NUM> and the distance d is <NUM>, for example. The drive gear <NUM> having the width of <NUM> cannot pass the originally provided gap of <NUM>, but can pass the gap of the distance 3d of <NUM>, which is tripled.

Although the detailed description is omitted, in a case where the conditional expression W > d ≥ (<NUM>/<NUM>) x W in which the number n of couplings <NUM> to be unfastened is <NUM>, the drive gear <NUM> can be easily replaced similarly. As specific values for the width W and the distance d in this case, the width W is <NUM> and the distance d is <NUM>, for example. Therefore, it is effective for a configuration in which a difference in dimension between the width W and the distance d is great, a configuration in which the dimension of the distance d is small, or the like. The drive gear <NUM> having the width of <NUM> cannot pass the originally provided gap of <NUM>, but can pass the gap of the distance 4d of <NUM>, which is quadrupled.

By determining values or coefficient so as to satisfy one of the above conditional expressions W > d ≥ (<NUM>/<NUM>) x W, W > d ≥ (<NUM>/<NUM>) x W, and W > d ≥ (<NUM>/<NUM>) x W, the drive gear <NUM> can be replaced quickly, without using special parts and without reducing the productivity, in the fiber bundle condensing device <NUM> having the countershafts <NUM> driving the rotary shaft <NUM> rotatably on which the delivery bottom rollers <NUM> transporting the fiber bundles F are mounted.

In other words, the drive gear <NUM> may be replaced only by removing two to four couplings <NUM> and moving one to three countershafts <NUM>, which hardly affects areas other than the area where these parts are positioned.

Therefore, the drive gears <NUM> may be replaced only by removing four couplings <NUM> at most and moving positions of the countershafts <NUM> in the axial direction, which significantly improves workability, as compared to a case where a series of the countershafts <NUM> for a plurality of the units of the condensing device group is pulled out from the spinning machine.

The coupling <NUM> may have unbalanced rotation characteristics due to its structural features. Such unbalanced rotation characteristics of the coupling <NUM> may cause unbalanced rotation of the countershafts <NUM>. Therefore, it is desirable to dispose the coupling <NUM> near the bearing <NUM> that supports the countershafts <NUM>. On the other hand, a yarn path corresponding to a passage of the fiber bundle F is positioned about ±<NUM> from the roller stand to which the bearings <NUM> are fixed due to the restriction on the layout of the spinning machine. Thus, the coupling <NUM> need be arranged at a position avoiding the position of the yarn path. The coupling <NUM> may be positioned between the first spindle and the second spindle when the unbalance rotating force of the couplings <NUM> is greater than the reaction force of the drive gear <NUM>.

The above-described embodiment offers the following effects.

The fiber bundle condensing device <NUM> for the spinning machine according to the present embodiment includes the plurality of condensing devices <NUM> and the plurality of countershafts <NUM>. Each of the condensing device <NUM> includes the delivery bottom roller <NUM> that is mounted on the rotary shaft <NUM> and transports the fiber bundle F, the suction portion <NUM> that exerts suction acting on the fiber bundle F, and the air-permeable apron <NUM> that rotates along the suction portion <NUM>. The condensing device <NUM> is configured to condense the fiber bundle F which has been drafted. The countershaft <NUM> is configured to drive the corresponding rotary shaft <NUM>. The driven gear <NUM> to receive the driving force from the countershaft <NUM> is mounted on the rotary shaft <NUM>. The drive gear <NUM> to be engaged with the driven gear <NUM> is mounted on the countershaft <NUM>. The countershafts <NUM> are connected to each other by the couplings <NUM>. The plurality of countershafts <NUM> correspond to the plurality of the condensing devices <NUM>. The fiber bundle condensing device <NUM> is configured to satisfy the conditional expression W > d ≥ (<NUM>/<NUM>) x W, where W represents the width of the drive gear <NUM> and d represents the distance between the ends of the countershafts <NUM> adjacent to each other connected via the coupling <NUM>.

As a result, in the countershaft <NUM> configured to drive to rotate the rotary shaft <NUM> of the delivery bottom rollers <NUM> transporting the fiber bundles F, the drive gear may be replaced quickly by removing only the drive gear 132a without using special parts and without reducing the productivity. Since the drive gears <NUM> may be replaced only by removing four couplings <NUM> at most and moving positions of the countershafts <NUM> in the axial direction, which significantly improves workability, as compared to a case where a series of the countershafts <NUM> for a plurality of units of the condensing device group is pulled out from the spinning machine.

Claim 1:
A fiber bundle condensing device (<NUM>) for a spinning machine, the fiber bundle condensing device (<NUM>) comprising:
a condensing device (<NUM>) configured to condense a fiber bundle (F) which has been drafted, the condensing device (<NUM>) including a delivery bottom roller (<NUM>) that is mounted on a rotary shaft (<NUM>) and transports the fiber bundle (F), a suction portion (<NUM>) that exerts suction acting on the fiber bundle (F), an air-permeable apron (<NUM>) that rotates along the suction portion (<NUM>), and a delivery top roller (<NUM>) that is pressed against and in contact with the delivery bottom roller (<NUM>) with the air-permeable apron (<NUM>) interposed between the delivery top roller (<NUM>) and the delivery bottom roller (<NUM>) and rotates together with the delivery bottom roller (<NUM>);
a countershaft (<NUM>) configured to drive the rotary shaft (<NUM>);
a driven gear (<NUM>) mounted on the rotary shaft (<NUM>) and configured to receive a driving force from the countershaft (<NUM>); and
a drive gear (<NUM>) mounted on the countershaft (<NUM>) and configured to be engaged with the driven gear (<NUM>),
characterized in that
the fiber bundle condensing device (<NUM>) includes a plurality of the countershafts (<NUM>) corresponding to a plurality of the condensing devices (<NUM>), the plurality of the countershafts (<NUM>) being connected by a coupling (<NUM>), and
a conditional expression W > d ≥ (<NUM>/<NUM>) x W is satisfied, where W represents a width of the drive gear (<NUM>) and d represents a distance between ends of the plurality of countershafts (<NUM>) connected to each other by the coupling (<NUM>).