Method and device for transferring fresh bobbins from a bobbin supply device to a conveyor belt of a textile machine

Abstract

In a textile machine provided with a doffing and donning apparatus utilizing a conveyor belt for temporarily supporting full size yarn packages doffed from the textile machine and carrying the yarn packages outside the textile machine and for temporarily supporting fresh bobbins supplied from a fresh bobbin supply device mounted on an outend frame of the textile machine, a method and device for transferring fresh bobbins from the bobbin supply device to the respective pegs of the conveyor belt when the conveyor belt is driven before starting the donning operation. When the conveyor belt is driven so as to pick up the fresh bobbins by the respective pegs, each peg is inserted into the bottom bore of the corresponding fresh bobbin in such a way that the head of the peg approaches the bottom bore of the fresh bobbin along a passage inclined to a plane along which the fresh bobbins are supported.

Description

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method and device for transferring fresh bobbins from a bobbin supply device mounted on an outend frame of a textile machine to a conveyer belt which is utilized for a doffing and donning apparatus mounted on the textile machine.

It is well known that, in the spinning operation, when each yarn package formed on a bobbin held by each spindle reaches a predetermined full size, the full packaged bobbins are doffed from the respective spindles and carried outside of the spinning or twisting machine and, then, fresh bobbins are mounted upon the respective empty spindles. To carry out the above-mentioned doffing and donning operation, several automatic apparatus have been introduced. One of them is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,370,411 (Schulz et al).

In this type of doffing and donning apparatus the operation is carried out simultaneously upon all spindles of a spinning or twisting machine. That is, a full packaged bobbin is doffed from each of the spindles simultaneously by a mechanical gripping means and the doffed bobbins are transferred onto respective pegs arranged upon a conveyer belt in such a way that the distance between two adjacent pegs is identical to half the distance of the spindle pitch, and; then, the conveyer belt is driven so as to carry the full size yarn packages outside the spinning machine. Thereafter, the conveyer belt is driven toward an opposite direction to the above-mentioned driving of the conveyer belt. During the above-mentioned driving of the conveyer belts toward the opposite direction, fresh bobbins are supplied from a fresh bobbin supply device to the respective pegs of the conveyer belt. When a fresh bobbin is mounted on a peg of the conveyer belt, it is necessary that each peg be inserted into the bottom bore of the respective fresh bobbin in correct engaging condition. Therefore, a key point is how to supply fresh bobbins to the respective pegs of the conveyer belt in correct engaging condition, so that the fresh bobbin supply motion from the fresh bobbin supply device can be carried out with high efficiency. It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a method and device for transferring fresh bobbins from a bobbin supply device mounted on a textile machine provided with a doffing and donning apparatus to a conveyer belt for temporarily supporting the fresh bobbins before starting the donning operation.

A typical transferring device according to the present invention, comprises a bobbin supply casing disposed between the conveyer belt and a bobbin supply chute of a bobbin supply device and a regulating device disposed at a fresh bobbin discharging outlet of the bobbin supply casing. The bobbin supply casing is a casing which is capable of receiving fresh bobbins from the bobbin supply chute of the bobbin supply device and temporarily reserving a plurality of fresh bobbins therein. The bobbin supply casing is provided with a bottom guide plate inclined downward from a rear end to a forward end thereof, and an aperture facing the outlet of the bobbin supply chute and the fresh bobbin discharging outlet formed at a forward side thereof. The bottom guide plate is provided with a cut-out portion formed at a position below the discharging outlet and the area of this cut-out portion is smaller than the thickness of the bottom end of each bobbin, but larger than the thickness of each peg mounted on the conveyer belt. Consequently, each fresh bobbin is capable of being positioned on this cut-out portion and each peg is capable of approaching the bottom bore of a fresh bobbin positioned on this cut-out portion of the bottom guide plate through this cut-out portion. When the peg of the conveyer belt comes into the cut-out portion from the rear side of the bottom guide plate, the peg is slightly inserted into the bottom bore of the fresh bobbin and, therefore, the peg urges the inside wall of the fresh bobbin outside the casing due to the driving of the conveyer belt.

The regulating device prevents free passage of the fresh bobbins from the bobbin supply casing and also corrects the relative position of the fresh bobbin to the corresponding peg whereon the fresh bobbin should be mounted. The regulating device comprises: a bottom stopper disposed at a bottom position of the discharging outlet which restricts free discharge of the bottom portion of fresh bobbins when each fresh bobbin is transferred from the bobbin supply casing to the respective pegs of the conveyer belt, and; a resilient stopper plate turnably mounted to the bobbin supply casing at a top portion of the discharging outlet thereof in such a condition that, when a fresh bobbin is mounted on a peg in an incorrect engaging condition, the head of the fresh bobbin contacts the stopper plate due to the displacement of the pegs of the conveyer belt along the spindle rail of the textile machine. Since the stopper plate is a resilient body, the above-mentioned fresh bobbin is capable of passing below the stopper plate without injuring itself, the peg or the conveyer belt. FIG. 10 is a schematic side view of a modified transferring apparatus according to the present invention.A modification of the fresh bobbin transferring device according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 10, wherein elements similar to the elements of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 3 are represented by identical reference numerals to those of the first embodiment. In this modified embodiment, the bottom guide plate 14d is provided with a forward end portion 14k, which extends forward in a horizontal condition and a cut-out portion similar to the cut-out portion 14i of the first embodiment.

In addition, the casing 14 is disposed at a position facing a terminal of the conveyer belt 2 in such a condition that the head of each second peg 6 is capable of inserting itself into the bottom bore of the fresh bobbin 7a positioned on the forward end portion 14k when the second peg 6 approaches the forward end portion 14k when moving from a curved passage of the second peg 6 to a horizontal passage of the second peg 6. When the second peg 6 is engaged into the bottom bore of the fresh bobbin 7a, the fresh bobbin 7a is urged past the bottom stopper 16 so that the fresh bobbin 7a is discharged from the casing 14, due to the displacement of the peg 6 toward a direction A in FIG. 10. Therefore, the function of the regulating device of this embodiment is quite similar to that of the first embodiment.

Claims

1. In a textile machine, a method for transferring fresh bobbins from a bobbin supply device to supporting pegs mounted on a conveyer belt, comprising positioning each fresh bobbin on a supporting plane formed adjacently above said conveyer belt, resiliently preventing free escape of said fresh bobbin from said supporting plane, moving each of said pegs to a bottom bore of said fresh bobbin positioned on said supporting plane, inserting one of said pegs into said bottom bore of said fresh bobbin positioned on said supporting plane, urging said fresh bobbin toward the outside of said supporting plane by displacement of said peg, discharging said fresh bobbin from said supporting plane while overcoming said resilient prevention of free escape of said fresh bobbin.

2. In a textile machine provided with a doffing and donning apparatus utilizing a conveyer belt for temporarily supporting full size yarn packages doffed from said textile machine and fresh bobbins thereon, and a fresh bobbin supply device disposed at an outend frame thereof, said conveyer belt provided with a plurality of first pegs for supporting said full size yarn packages doffed from said textile machine and a plurality of second pegs for supporting said fresh bobbins supplied from said fresh bobbin supply device, said fresh bobbin supply device provided with a chute for discharging said fresh bobbins toward said second pegs one by one; a fresh bobbin transferring device disposed at an intervening position between said chute of said fresh bobbin supply device and an end portion of said conveyer belt, said transferring device comprises a first means for temporarily reserving a plurality of fresh bobbins in substantially upright condition and supplying said fresh bobbins onto said second pegs one by one when said conveyer belt is driven before carrying out the donning operation, a second means for regulating motion of mounting said fresh bobbins onto said second pegs, said first means comprising a casing provided with an inlet aperture facing said chute of said bobbin supply device and a discharging outlet for permitting free passage of said fresh bobbins therefrom and a bottom guide plate inclined downward from a side of said inlet aperture to a side of said discharging outlet; said bottom guide plate provided with a forwardly extended portion for standing a fresh bobbin thereon, said forwardly extended portion provided with a cut-out portion which permits free passage of said second pegs when said second pegs approach along a passage thereof inclined to said forwardly extended portion, said regulating means disposed on said casing at a position adjacent to said forwardly extended portion.

3. A fresh bobbin transferring device according to claim 2, wherein said regulating means comprises a bottom stopper disposed on said casing at a position adjacently above said forwardly extended portion of said bottom guide plate and a resilient stopper plate turnably mounted to said casing at a top portion of said discharging outlet, said bottom stopper comprises a resilient member which prevents free passage of a bottom portion of each fresh bobbin from said discharging outlet, whereby, when a bottom bore of said fresh bobbin positioned on said forwardly extended portion of said bottom guide plate is engaged with said second peg due to the driving motion of said conveyer belt and the engagement of said second peg into said bottom bore of said fresh bobbin is incorrect, the top portion of said fresh bobbin contacts said resilient stopper plate and displaces said stopper plate so that said fresh bobbin is capable of passing below said stopper plate.

4. A fresh bobbin transferring device according to claim 3, wherein said resilient stopper plate comprises a supporting pin secured to said casing and a stopper plate turnably mounted on said supporting pin and a helical spring mounted on said supporting pin and a stop pin mounted on said casing at a position below said supporting pin, whereby said helical spring provides resilient force to turn said stopper plate toward said stop pin and said stop pin restricts further turning motion of said stopper plate thereover.

5. A fresh bobbin transferring device according to claim 3, wherein said bottom stopper comprises a bracket secured to said casing at a position adjacent to said forwardly extended portion of said bottom guide plate, said bracket is provided with an aperture, a ball is incased in said aperture, said aperture is provided with an inside circular opening which is capable of preventing free passage of said ball therethrough, an expansion spring is disposed in said aperture in such a condition that a part of said ball is always resiliently projected from said inside circular opening.

6. In a textile machine, a method for transferring fresh bobbins from a bobbin supply device to supporting pegs mounted on a conveyor belt, comprising positioning a plurality of substantially parallel fresh bobbins on an incline supporting plane and an additional fresh bobbin on a horizontal supporting plane connected to said inclined supporting plane and formed adjacently above said conveyor belt, resiliently preventing free escape of said fresh bobbin on said horizontal supporting plane from said horizontal supporting plane, moving each of said pegs to a bottom bore of said fresh bobbin along a horizontal passage to said supporting plane, inserting one of said pegs into said bottom bore of said fresh bobbin positioned on said horizontal supporting plane, urging said fresh bobbin toward the outside of said supporting plane by horizontal displacement of said peg, discharging said fresh bobbin from said supporting plane while overcoming said resilient prevention of free escape of said fresh bobbin, and thereafter moving a new fresh bobbin by gravity down said incline supporting plane to said horizontal supporting plane.

7. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein the step of resiliently preventing free escape of said fresh bobbin from said supporting plane comprises resiliently biasing said fresh bobbin at a point above the center thereof.

8. In a textile machine provided with a doffing and donning apparatus utilizing a conveyor belt for temporarily supporting full size yarn packages doffed from said textile machine and fresh bobbins thereon, and a fresh bobbin supply device disposed on an outend frame thereof, said conveyor belt provided with a plurality of first pegs for supporting said full size yarn packages doffed from said textile machine and a plurality of second pegs for supporting said fresh bobbins supplied from said fresh bobbins supply device, said fresh bobbin supply device, provided with a chute for discharging said fresh bobbins toward said second pegs one by one; a fresh bobbin transferring device disposed at an intervening position between said chute of said fresh bobbin supply device and an end portion of said conveyer belt, said transferring device comprises a first means for temporarily reserving a plurality of fresh bobbins in substantially upright condition and supplying said fresh bobbins onto said second pegs one by one when said conveyer belt is driven before carrying out the donning operation, a second means for regulating motion of mounting said fresh bobbins onto said second pegs, said first means comprising a casing provided with an inlet aperture facing said chute of said bobbin supply device and a discharging outlet for permitting free passage of said fresh bobbins therefrom and a bottom guide plate inclined downward from a side of said inlet aperture to a side of said discharging outlet, said bottom guide plate provided with a horizontally extending portion for receiving one bobbin at a time from said inclined portion and for standing a fresh bobbin thereon, said horizontally extending portion provided with a cut-out portion for permitting free passage of said second pegs when said second pegs approach along a horizontal passage thereof, said regulating means disposed on said casing at a position adjacent to said horizontally extending portion.

9. A fresh bobbin transferring device according to claim 8, wherein said regulating means comprises a resilient stopper plate turnably mounted on said casing at a top portion of said discharging outlet for biassing said fresh bobbins at a point above the center thereof.

10. A fresh bobbin transferring device according to claim 9, wherein said resilient stopper plate comprises a supporting pin secured to said casing and a stop pin mounted on said casing at a position below said supporting pin, whereby said helical spring provides resilient force to turn said stopper plate towards said stop pin and said stop pin restricts further turning motion of said stopper plate.

11. A fresh bobbin transferring device according to claim 9, further comprising a bracket secured to said casing at a position adjacent said horizontally extending portion of said bottom guide plate, said bracket being provided with an aperture, a ball encased in said aperture, said aperture being provided with an inside circular opening having a diameter more than the diameter of said ball, an expansion spring disposed in said aperture and biasing said ball to project from within said circular opening.