Apparatus for producing a staple fiber yarn

Abstract

In the case of an arrangement for producing staple fiber yarn that is first prespun on an air spinning machine and that subsequently is finish-spun on a simplified ring spinning machine, it is provided that the air spinning machine and the ring spinning machine, by means of a conveying device for the spools receiving the prespun yarn, are connected to form a machine system, the ring spinning machine of which and the air spinning machine of which each have a number of spinning points that are coordinated with one another.

Description

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a compound machine for producing a staple fiber yarn, including an air spinning machine for prespinning the yarn. The spinning points of this air spinning machine each contain a drafting frame, a pneumatic false-twisting nozzle, a withdrawal device and a wind-up device for winding up a spool with prespun yarn. The yarn is subsequently finish-spun on further devices of the combination machine, the spinning points of which further devices each contain at least one spool receiving device and a ring spindle.

It is known from Japanese Patent (JP-PS) No. 60-15 729B to pneumatically prespin a yarn by means of an air spinning machine to which the fiber material is fed in roving bobbins and then to wind the yarn onto spools that are subsequently fed to a simplified ring spinning machine and are finish-spun there. The ring spinning machine is simplified to such an extent that, instead of drafting frames for the spinning points, in each case, only spool receiving devices are provided. It is possible, by means of this type of yarn production, to increase production speed since, on the one hand, in the area of the air spinning machine, work can take place at very high speeds. On the other hand, it is possible, by means of the ring spinning machine, to also operate at significantly higher speeds since the α-value or so-called twist coefficient, in comparison to ring yarn spun in the conventional way, can be reduced by 30% to 50%.

In the case of a known arrangement of European Patent Application (EP-A) No. 38 143, on a first machine, two drawn and prestrengthened slivers are wound onto a feed spool as a double yarn. Neither the prestrengthened slivers, nor the double yarn can be used as a yarn in this form because their strength is insufficient. The individual yarn components, particularly by means of pneumatic false-twisting, are prestrengthened only to such an extent that they withstand the strains occurring during the winding-up of the double yarn on the feed spool. In this case, individual marginal fibers are wound around the essentially untwisted yarn core. The actual strength of the yarn structure is generated only in a subsequent twisting process that takes place on a machine used for twisting to which the feed spools with the double yarn are fed. The efficiency of this process is mainly based on the fact that the two prestrengthened yarn components do not receive a permanent spinning twist, so that consequently this spinning twist does not have to be undone in the subsequent twisting process. As a result, the production performances can be increased of the machine for the generating of the feed spool as well as of the machine used for twisting. If the whole operational sequence were carried out in one machine, i.e., if the two prestrengthened yarn components, instead of being wound onto a feed spool, were fed to a twisting device, the efficiency would be impaired because the speeds of the two operating steps are not in harmony with one another.

An objective of the invention is to provide an arrangement of the initially mentioned type that utilizes the advantages of both types of machines in a way that is as economical as possible.

This objective is achieved by connecting an air spinning machine and ring spinning machine, by means of a conveying device for the spools receiving the prespun yarn, to form a combination machine system or compound machine, the ring spinning machine portion and the air spinning machine portion of this machine system each having a mutually coordinated number of spinning points.

A machine system or compound machine of this type permits an economical method of operation because the spinning points of the faster air spinning machine portion, with respect to their number, are coordinated with the slower spinning points of the simplified ring spinning machine portion. However, each of the two machine portions can be utilized fully and therefore operate economically.

A machine system or compound machine of this type may be generally compared approximately with the combination of a flyer and a ring spinning machine that is customary in the base of the classical ring spinning method, according to certain aspects of the inventive compound machine. In this case, the air spinning machine portion takes over a function like the flyer, already at this point containing the drafting frames of the classical ring spinning machine. The air spinning machine portion can operate at very high speeds, one spinning point taking over the drafting frame work of about 20 spinning points of the current ring spinning machine. By means of the reduction of the number of drafting frames, the servicing and the cleaning of high-performance drafting frames of this type can be simplified, because the surfaces to be cleaned are reduced considerably. The manufacturing of the simplified ring spinning machine, because of the absence of the drafting frame, is about 35% less expensive than that of a classical ring spinning machine. In addition, as a result of the increase of the operating speeds, the number of the required spinning points is clearly reduced, resulting in a further reduction of cost.

Furthermore, the simplified ring spinning machine portion of the present invention leads to higher efficiency because the number of yarn breakages is reduced. Since the prespun yarn has an increased strength compared to a normal sliver, yarn breakages are relatively infrequent in the simplified ring spinning machine. Also in the air spinning machine portion, the danger of yarn breakages is relatively low because no balloon of yarn is required in its area, the effect of which goes back to the delivery cylinders of the drafting frame. In addition, the servicing can be simplified because one operator, who is still required even for an automatic operation, can take care jointly of both connected machine portions, having to cover only very short distances. In addition because of the high performance of the inventive compound machine, relatively short overall machines are obtained so that the space requirement is reduced fort given volume of yarn production.

The economic advantage in comparison to the combination of a flyer and a ring spinning machine can also be clearly demonstrated by means of a numerical example. If a yarn of a count of Nm50 is to be spun at 1,000 spinning points of a conventional ring spinning machine, about 30 operating points of a flyer are assigned to them. In the case of the same production and the same yarn count, the machine system or compound machine of the invention requires only 73 spinning points for the air spinning machine portion and about 700 spinning points for the simplified ring spinning machine portion. The resulting advantage becomes even clearer if finer yarn counts are to be spun. In the case of the machine system according to the invention, the air consumption becomes continuously less in the case of finer yarn counts, while, nevertheless, also in the case of fine yarn counts, the work in the area of the air spinning machine can take place at very high delivery speeds, because no balloon of yarn exists there that strains the yarn.

In especially preferred embodiment of the invention, the designing of the compound machine system for the practical operation takes place in such a way that the number of spinning points of the air spinning machine portion and of the ring spinning machine portion is determined for the finest yarn count that is contemplated to be processed in this special operation. When coarser yarn counts are spun, if necessary, spinning points of the simplified ring spinning machine portion will then not be used. If two prestrengthened yarn components at each spinning point are fed to the machine portion for the finish-spinning, which, as a rule, is a simplified ring spinning machine, a twisted-yarn-type staple fiber yarn is produced. In this case, it is contemplated in certain preferred embodiments to feed the yarn component of two spools, or to carry out the feeding from only one feeding spool on which two yarns are wound as a double yarn. In this case, the machine portion for the finish-spinning may be a double-twist frame.

Other objects advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 schematically shows a compound machine system comprising a first machine portion for producing a feed spool and a second machine portion for carrying out a twisting operation, constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention; FIG. 1A schematically depicts a second embodiment which is similar to the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 except that double-twist spinning frame units DT are used in place of the ring spinning units for this subsequent twisting machine segment.

Although the present invention has been described and illustrated in detail, it is to be clearly understood that the same is by way of illustration and example only, and is not to be taken by way of limitation. The spirit and scope of the present invention are to be limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A compound machine arrangement for producing a staple fiber yarn that is prespun on an air spinning machine segment, the spinning units of which air spinning machine segment each containing a drafting frame, a pneumatic false-twisting nozzle, a withdrawal device and a wind-up device for winding up a spool with prespun yarn, said prespun yarn being subsequently finish-spun on a finish spinning machine segment having spinning units of which each contains at least one spool receiving device and a ring spindle, wherein the air spinning machine segment and the ring spinning machine segment are connected via a conveying device for spools receiving the prespun yarn to form a compound machine system, wherein the ring spinning machine segment and the air spinning segment each have a different number of spinning units (a,b) that are operatively coordinated with one another to produce the staple fiber yarn.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the ring spinning machine segment has at least twice the number of spinning units (b) as does the machine for producing the feed spools.

3. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the machine segments are arranged in parallel to one another, and wherein a joint conveying device for the feed spools is provided that moves along both machine segments.

4. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the ring spinning machine segment has a number of spinning units (b) on each of opposite sides of the ring spinning machine segment.

5. An arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the conveying device extends in the center between rows of spinning units (b) of the ring spinning machine segment.

6. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the conveying device is designed as a continuously or step-by-step circulating intermediate storage device that intermediately stores the feed spools behind the air spinning machine segments which produces the feed spools.

7. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein feed spool transfer devices are provided for automatically transferring feed spools from the air spinning machine segment to the conveying device.

8. An arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the feed spool transfer devices are developed as a travelling unit that can be moved along the air spinning machine segment.

9. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein spool removal devices are provided for the automatic removal of the feed spools from the conveying device and for the automatic transfer to the ring spinning machine segment for finish-spinning.

10. An arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the spool removal devices are developed as one or several travelling units that can be moved along the ring spinning machine segment.

11. An arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising a rewinding machine segment for the rewinding of the staples fiber yarn, and a finish yarn conveying device for ring spun yarn spools, said rewinding machine segment being connected with the ring spinning machine segment via the finish yarn conveying device for the ring spun yarn spools to form an integral production unit together with the air spinning and ring spinning units.

12. An arrangement according to claim 11, wherein finish yarn transfer devices are provided for the automatic transfer of the ring spun yarn spools to the finish yarn conveying device.

13. An arrangement according to claim 12, wherein the finish yarn transfer devices are developed as travelling units that can be moved along the ring spinning machine segment.

14. An arrangement according to claim 11, wherein devices are provided for the automatic removal of the ring spun yarn spools and for the automatic transfer to the rewinding machine segment for the rewinding.

15. An arrangement according to claim 11, wherein a device is provided for returning empty tubes from the rewinding machine segment to the ring spinning machine segment for the finish-spinning.

16. An arrangement according to one of claim 1, wherein a device is provided for returning empty spool tubes from the ring spinning machine segment for finish-spinning to the air spinning machine segment for producing the feed spools.

17. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a simplified air spinning machine with a can creel is provided as the air spinning machine segment.

18. A compound machine arrangement for producing a staple fiber yarn that is prespun on an air spinning machine segment, the spinning units of which air spinning machine segment each containing a drafting frame, a pneumatic false-twisting nozzle, a withdrawal device and a wind-up device for winding up a spool with prespun yarn, said prespun yarn being subsequently twisted on a subsequent twisting machine segment having units which each contains at least one spool receiving device and a spindle, wherein the air spinning machine segment and the subsequent twisting machine segment are connected via a conveying device for spools receiving the prespun yarn to form a compound machine system, wherein the subsequent twisting machine segment and the air spinning segment each have a different number of units (a,b) that are operatively coordinated with one another to produce the staple fiber yarn. 19. An arrangement according to claim 18, wherein the subsequent twisting machine segment has at least twice the number of units (b) as does the machine for producing the feed spools. 20. An arrangement according to claim 19, wherein said air spinning units each include means for producing a pair of prespun yarn components which are wound up side-by-side as double yarn on the spool with prespun yarn. 21. An arrangement according to claim 20, wherein the units of the subsequent twisting machine segments include double twist frame units for twisting the double yarn. 22. An arrangement according to claim 18, wherein the machine segments are arranged in parallel to one another, and wherein a joint conveying device for the feed spools is provided that moves along both machine segments. 23. An arrangement according to claim 18, wherein the subsequent twisting machine segment has a number of units (b) on each of opposite sides of the subsequent twisting machine segment.

4. An arrangement according to claim 23, wherein the conveying device extends in the center between rows of units (b) of the subsequent twisting machine segment. 25. An arrangement according to claim 18, wherein the conveying device is designed as a continuously or step-by-step circulating intermediate storage device that intermediately stores the feed spools behind the air spinning machine segments which produces the feed spools. 26. An arrangement according to claim 18, wherein feed spool transfer devices are provided for automatically transferring feed spools from the air spinning machine segment to the conveying device. 27. An arrangement according to claim 26, wherein the feed spool transfer devices are developed as a travelling unit that can be moved along the air spinning machine segment. 28. An arrangement according to claim 18, wherein spool removal devices are provided for the automatic removal of the feed spools from the conveying device and for the automatic transfer to the subsequent twisting machine segment for subsequent twisting. 29. An arrangement according to claim 28, wherein the spool removal devices are developed as one or several travelling units that can be moved along the subsequent twisting machine segment. 30. An arrangement according to claim 18, further comprising a rewinding machine segment for the rewinding of the subsequently twisted yarn, and a finish yarn conveying device for subsequently twisted yarn spools, said rewinding machine segment being connected with the subsequent twisting machine segment via the finish yarn conveying device for the subsequently twisted yarn spools to form an integral production unit together with the air spinning and subsequent twisting units. 31. An arrangement according to claim 30, wherein finish yarn transfer devices are provided for the automatic transfer of the subsequently twisted yarn spools to the finish yarn conveying device. 32. An arrangement according to claim 31, wherein the finish yarn transfer devices are developed as travelling units that can be moved along the subsequent twisting machine segment. 33. An arrangement according to claim 30, wherein devices are provided for the automatic removal of the subsequently twisted yarn spools and for the automatic transfer to the rewinding machine segment for the rewinding. 34. An arrangement according to claim 30, wherein a device is provided for returning empty tubes from the rewinding machine segment to the subsequent twisting machine segment for the subsequent twisting. 35. An arrangement according to claim 18, wherein a device is provided for returning empty spool tubes from the subsequent twisting machine segment to the air spinning machine segment for producing the feed spools. 36. An arrangement according to claim 18, wherein a simplified air spinning machine with a can creel is provided as the air

spinning machine segment. 37. An arrangement according to claim 18, wherein said air spinning units each include means for producing a pair of prespun yarn components which are wound up side-by-side as double yarn on the spool with prespun yarn. 38. An arrangement according to claim 37, wherein the units of the subsequent twisting machine segments include double twist frame units for twisting the double yarn. 39. An arrangement according to claim 38, wherein feed spool transfer devices are provided for automatically transferring feed spools from the air spinning machine segment to the conveying device. 40. An arrangement according to claim 18, wherein feed spool transfer devices are provided for automatically transferring feed spools from the air spinning machine segment to the

conveying device. 41. A compound machine arrangement for producing a staple fiber yarn that is prespun on a first spinning machine segment, the spinning units of which first spinning machine segment each containing first twisting means, a withdrawal device and a wind-up device for winding up a feed spool package with prespun yarn, said prespun yarn being subsequently twisted on a subsequent twisting machine segment having units which each contain at least one feed spool package receiving device and a spindle, wherein the first spinning machine segment and the subsequent twisting machine segment are connected via a conveying device for the feed spool packages to form a compound machine system, wherein the subsequent twisting machine segment and the first spinning machine segment each have a different number of units (a,b) that are operatively coordinated with one another to produce the staple fiber yarn, and

wherein the subsequent twisting machine segment has at least twice the number of units (b) as does the first twisting machine segment for producing the feed spool packages. 42. An arrangement according to claim 41, wherein the machine segments are arranged in parallel to one another, and wherein a joint conveying device for the feed spool packages is provided that moves along both machine segments. 43. An arrangement according to claim 41, wherein the subsequent twisting machine segment has a number of units (b) on each of opposite sides of the subsequent twisting machine segment. 44. An arrangement according to claim 41, wherein the first spinning machine segment is an air spinning machine segment which produces the feed spool packages, wherein the conveying device is designed as a continuously or step-by-step circulating intermediate storage device that intermediately stores the feed spool packages behind the air spinning machine segment which produces the feed spool packages.

An arrangement according to claim 41, wherein feed spool package transfer devices are provided for automatically transferring feed spool packages from the first spinning machine segment to the conveying device. 46. An arrangement according to claim 45, wherein the feed spool package transfer devices are developed as a travelling unit that can be moved along the first spinning machine segment. 47. An arrangement according to claim 41, wherein feed spool package removal devices are provided for the automatic removal of the feed spool packages from the conveying device and for the automatic transfer to the subsequent twisting machine segment for subsequent twisting. 48. An arrangement according to claim 47, wherein the feed spool package removal devices are developed as one or several travelling units that can be moved along the subsequent twisting machine segment. 49. An arrangement according to claim 41, wherein a device is provided for returning empty spool tubes from the subsequent twisting machine segment to the first spinning machine segment for producing the feed spool packages. 50. An arrangement according to claim 41, wherein said spinning units of the first spinning machine segment each include means for producing a pair of prespun yarn components which are wound up side-by-side as double yarn on the feed spool packages with

prespun yarn. 51. An arrangement according to claim 50, wherein the units of the subsequent twisting machine segment include double twist frame units for twisting the double yarn. 52. An arrangement according to claim 41, wherein feed spool package transfer devices are provided for automatically transferring feed spool packages from the first spinning machine segment to the conveying device. 53. A compound machine arrangement for producing a staple fiber yarn that is prespun on a first spinning machine segment, the spinning units of which first spinning machine segment each containing first twisting means, a withdrawal device and a wind-up device for winding up a feed spool package with prespun yarn, said prespun yarn being subsequently twisted on a subsequent twisting machine segment having units which each contain at least one feed spool package receiving device and a spindle, wherein the first spinning machine segment and the subsequent twisting machine segment are connected via a conveying device for the feed spool packages to form a compound machine system, wherein the subsequent twisting machine segment and the first spinning machine segment each have a different number of units (a,b) that are operatively coordinated with one another to produce the staple fiber yarn,

wherein the subsequent twisting machine segment has a number of units (b) on each of opposite sides of the subsequent twisting machine segment, and

wherein the conveying device extends in the center between rows of units

(b) of the subsequent twisting machine segment. 54. A compound machine arrangement for producing a staple fiber yarn that is prespun on a first spinning machine segment, the spinning units of which first spinning machine segment each containing first twisting means, a withdrawal device and a wind-up device for winding up a feed spool package with prespun yarn, said prespun yarn being subsequently twisted on a subsequent twisting machine segment having units which each contain at least one feed spool package receiving device and a spindle, wherein the first spinning machine segment and the subsequent twisting machine segment are connected via a conveying device for the feed spool packages to form a compound machine system, wherein the subsequent twisting machine segment and the first spinning machine segment each have a different number of units (a,b) that are operatively coordinated with one another to produce the staple fiber yarn,

further comprising a rewinding machine segment for the rewinding of the subsequently twisted yarn, and a finish yarn conveying device for subsequently twisted yarn spools, said rewinding machine segment being connected with the subsequent twisting machine segment via the finish yarn conveying device for the subsequently twisted yarn spools to form an integral production unit together with the first spinning machine segment

and subsequent twisting machine segment. 55. An arrangement according to claim 54, wherein finish yarn transfer devices are provided for the automatic transfer of the subsequently twisted yarn spools to the finish yarn conveying device. 56. An arrangement according to claim 55, wherein the finish yarn transfer devices are developed as travelling units that can be moved along the subsequent twisting machine segment. 57. An arrangement according to claim 54, wherein devices are provided for the automatic removal of the subsequently twisted yarn spools and for the automatic transfer to the rewinding machine segment for the rewinding. 58. An arrangement according to claim 54, wherein a device is provided for returning empty tubes from the rewinding machine segment to the subsequent twisting machine segment for the subsequent twisting. 59. A compound machine arrangement for producing a staple fiber yarn that is prespun on a first spinning machine segment, the spinning units of which first spinning machine segment each containing first twisting means, a withdrawal device and a wind-up device for winding up a feed spool package with prespun yarn, said prespun yarn being subsequently twisted on a subsequent twisting machine segment having units which each contain at least one feed spool package receiving device and a spindle, wherein the first spinning machine segment and the subsequent twisting machine segment are connected via a conveying device for the feed spool packages to form a compound machine system, wherein the subsequent twisting machine segment and the first spinning machine segment each have a different number of units (a,b) that are operatively coordinated with one another to produce the staple fiber yarn, and

wherein said spinning units of the first spinning machine segment each include means for producing a pair of prespun yarn components which are wound up side-by-side as double yarn on the feed spool package with prespun yarn. 60. An arrangement according to claim 59, wherein the units of the subsequent twisting machine segment include double twist frame units for twisting the double yarn. 61. An arrangement according to claim 60, wherein feed spool transfer devices are provided for automatically transferring feed spool packages from the first spinning machine segment to the conveying device.