US3300961A - Method of and apparatus for conditioning bobbins in spinning frames - Google Patents

Description

1967' c. v. JONES, sR.. ETAL 3,300,961

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING BOBBINS IN SPINNING FRAMES Filed July 29, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS COY V JONES, SR. OTTO E. A. EDLER A TTORNE Jan. 31,1967 c. v JONES, SR. ETAL METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING BOBBINS IN SPINNING FRAMES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed y 29, 1964 ml 3 WW M .l

[NVENTORS COY v. JONES, SR. OTTO E. A. EDLER B- W United States Patent M 3,300,961 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CONDITION- ING BOBBINS IN SPINNING FRAMES Coy V. Jones, Sr., Greer, and Otto E. A. Edler, Greenville, S.C., assignors to Southern Machinery Company,

Greer, S.C., a corporation of South Carolina Filed July 29, 1964, Ser. No. 385,896 16 Claims. (CI. 57-54) This invention relates broadly to textile spinning frames and more particularly to a method and apparatus operating in conjunction with a spinning frame to condition bobbins which have been produced by the spinning frame.

When bobbins have been completely built in a spinning frame of the movable ring rail type and the tip bunches have been formed on the upper tips of the bobbins, the ring rail is lowered, either manually or automatically, to a point below the lower ends of the bobbins, preparatory to doffing. This lowering of the ring rail producesa few wraps of yarn on the exterior of the bobbins between the tip bunch and the lower end of the bobbins and the yarn is then wound upon the spindle to a certain extent. When the bobbins are removed or doifed into the doif cart container, the yarn is broken between the spindle and the bottom of the bobbin or package and a loose tail end or doif tail is produced at the bottom of the bobbin, which may be several inches long. This tail is an integral extension of the few wraps above-mentioned on the bobbin produced by ring rail lowering.

When the bobbins, with the loose doif tails, are placed in the containers, there is danger that the tails of various bobbins will become entangled and that the tip bunches will be damaged when the bobbins are transferred by hand from the container to the automatic filling magazine on the loom. The same problem exists for the bobbins in the automatic filling magazine.

When the tip bunch extractor in the loom, or winder, pulls off the tip bunch, the several wraps of yarn on the bobbin including the tail produce a drag because of sticking to the body of the bobbin package and this drag can break the yarn between the package and the tip bunch, which is obviously undesirable.

The object of this invention is to overcome the above problems incident to the free doif tail prior to the dofiing operation, by automatically winding the tail including the above-mentioned several wraps into the tip bunch so that the end of the yarn is on the tip bunch without any loose tail and without the necessity of unwinding the several external wraps of yarn normally on the bobbin between its bottom or butt and the tip bunch.

Other detailed objects and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art during the course of the following description.

Briefly stated, the invention apparatus first lifts each bobbin slightly on its spindle to free the bobbin for independent turning. Each bobbin is then caused to rotate momentarily in the direction of spin or winding to break the yarn between the wraps on the bottom of the spindle and the several wraps or tail on the bobbin package. Immediately after this, each bobbin is caused to rotate in the opposite direction or counter to the spin direction to separate the doff tail including the several wraps from the package. Following this, each bobbin is caused to rotate briefly in the winding or spin direction to wind up the now separated doff tail directly and evenly into the tip bunch, th-us completely eliminating the loose dofi tail and the several objectional yarn wraps on the package caused by ring rail lowering. The invention involves a method of conditioning bobbins on spinning frames and a particular apparatus for practicing the method.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same.

ifihfiflbl Patented Jan. 31, 1967 FIGURE 3 is an enlarged horizontal cross section taken on line 3-3 of FIGURE 2,

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary plan view, partly in section, taken on line 44 of FIGURE 2, and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line 55 of FIGURE 2.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 10 designates the horizontal stationary spindle rail of a conventional spinning machine having a movable ring rail 11 upon which is mounted the usual ring holders 12 and rings 13 having travelers, not shown. Conventional spindles 14 are rotatably mounted upon the spindle rail 10 and project thereabove vertically and carry bobbins 15 which are produced in the spinning machine by a well known mode of operation involving the rotation of the spindles during vertical traversing of the ring rail over the bobbins to gradually build them with yarn.

' When the packages or bodies of the bobbins 15 are completely built in the spinning frame, tip bunches 16 may be applied to the upper tips of the bobbins in a well known manner and the yarn constituting the tip bunches is continuous with the yarn forming the bobbins proper. Upon completion of the tip bunches 16, the ring rail 11 is lowered preparatory to doffing to approximately the position shown in FIGURE 1, and this may be done automatically or by manual foot pedal means, well known in'the art. The lowering of the ring rail 11 causes several spaced wraps 17 of yarn to be wound on the exterior of the bobbins from the tip bunches 16 down to their lower ends or butts 18. A few more wraps of yarn, are formed on the portions of the spindles 14 immediately below the butts 18 of the bobbins.

As previously explained when the bobbins 15 are doffed in the usual manner, the yarn is broken between the spindles 14 and packages and a loose tail end or doff tail results on each bobbin including the several wraps 17 with the aforementioned disadvantages.

The invention apparatus proper comprises a mounting or slide bar 19 which is somewhat L-shaped in cross section, FIGURE 5, and suitably mounted upon rigidly connected with a conventional doff cart, not shown in the drawings, which is pushed along the spinning frame and guided in any suitable manner so as to travel parallel to the spindle rail 10 and ring rail. As depicted in FIGURE 5, the inner vertical face 20 of bar 19 and a narrow horizontal face 21 thereof may have positive sliding engagement along the ring rail 11 to assure proper guiding of the invention apparatus all carried by the bar 19. As shown in FIGURE 5, the bar 19 is stepped upon its underside to clear the elements 12 and 13 as it slides along the ring rail.

At its forward side or side nearest the bobbins, the mounting bar 19 has an upturned longitudinal flange 22 including a leading inclined portion 23 constituting a wedge to slide beneath the butt 18 of each bobbin as the doif cart moves along the spinning frame. This action raises each bobbin about one-quarter inch on its spindle and thereby loosens the bobbin for free rotation independently of the spindle in a manner to be described. As shown in the drawings, the bar 19 is about as long as the space between three bobbins on the spinning machine, and once the bobbins have been elevated by the inclined portion 23 they ride up onto the horizontal portion 22 of I the bar 19, as shown in FIGURE 3, for example.

A small vertical axis reversible electric motor 24 is rigidly secured as at 25 to the outer side of mounting bar 19 and carries upon the upper end of its armature shaft a drive spool or wheel 26 having grooves 27 and 28 for a pair of belts 29 and 30.

The belt 29 which operates in a horizontal plane close to the top face of mounting bar 19 engages three spaced apart frooved wheels 31, 32 and 33, each carrying a rubber tire or driving ring 34 immediately above the belt 29. Each driving ring 34 of the aforementioned three wheels is adapted in succession to frictionally engage and drive or rotate each spindle butt 18 in a particular direction, as shown in the drawings.

The wheels 31, 32 and 33 are mounted upon vertical spindles 35 which are pressed into vertical openings in the horizontal wall of the mounting bar 19, FIGURE 5. The three spindles 35 are spaced apart equidistantly and in a row parallel to the row of bobbins on the invention apparatus. As clearly shown in FIGURE 3, the belt 29 engages the drive wheels 31, 32 and 33 so as to cause the intermediate wheel to rotate in the opposite direction from the two outer wheels and the arrangement can be reversed because the motor 24 is reversible.

The belt 30 immediately above the belt 29 engages an integral grooved pulley 36 of an upstanding rotary cylindrical brush hub 37 journaled upon the same middle spindle 35 as the wheel 32 but rotatable independently of the middle wheel 32 and in the opposite direction, as shown by the arrow in FIGURE 3. The brush hub or tube 37 has a multitude of rather stiff brush bristles 38 projecting therefrom to form a cylindrical brush spanning substantially the entire height of each bobbin 15 and adapted to engage the surface thereof in a manner to be further described. It will be understood that the motor 24 drives the brush and the three wheels 31, 32 and 33 simultaneously in the direction of the arrows shown in FIGURE 3.

Associated with the brush 38 is a fixed vertically extending comb 38 whose closely spaced horizontal teeth 40 project into the brush bristles somewhat tangentially and circumferentially as best shown in FIGURES 4 and 5. The comb 39 is substantially coextensive lengthwise or vertically with the rotary cylindrical brush and coacts therewith to separate the loose yarn end or tail 41 from the brush bristles in a manner to be described. The comb 39 is suitably anchored to one end spindle 35 by lugs 42. A top cover 43 having an inclined surface as shown in FIGURES 2 and is also mounted upon the intermediate and one end spindle 35, adjacent the top of the comb and rotary brush. This top cover includes an integral guide hook extension 44, FIGURE 2, close to the adjacent spindle 35. A small tension brush 45 having depending bristles 46 covers and surrounds the guide hook 44 as shown in FIGURES 2 and 5 for a purpose to be described. The guide book extension 44 is at the elevation of the tip bunches 16 on the bobbins. The tension brush 45 is also mounted upon the adjacent spindle 35 immediately above the top cover 43.

The apparatus also includes suitable covers 47 and 48 for the belts 29 and 30 and an upstanding curved shield 49 to enclose the exposed side of the rotary brush and associated parts. The shields and covers could be omitted, if preferred but are desirable from the standpoint of appearance and safety.

The mode of operation of the apparatus in the practice of the method is as follows:

The mounting or slide bar 19 carrying the invention apparatus moves with the dofi cart along the spinning frame. If desired, the bar 19 could be provided with an independent wheel chassis other than the doif cart, but for obvious reasons, it is preferably mounted upon the doff cart. As described, the bar 19 has sliding guided engagement with the lowered ring rail.

The inclined wedge face 23 of bar 19 moves under and vates each bobbin in succession to free the bobbins from their spindles for independent rotation. After each bobbin is freed from its spindle and held elevated by the flange 22, its butt 18 first comes into contact with the drive wheel 31 as the apparatus moves in the direction of the arrows, FIGURES l, 3 and 4. The wheel 31 turns the particular bobbin clockwise or in the spin direction, FIGURE 3, and this immediately breaks the tail 41 between the wraps on the spindle 14 and the lower end of the bobbin. The tail 41 now has a free end but continues to include the several wraps 17 adhering to the bobbin package.

Immediately thereafter, the same bobbin, FIGURE 4, is engaged by the intermediate wheel 32 driven by belt 29. At this same time and position, the yarn package proper is engaged by the rotary brush 38. Due to the arrangement of belts previously described, the particular bobbin is turned counterclockwise or against the spin direction as shown by the arrow in FIGURE 4. Simultaneously, the yarn package of this bobbin comes into contact with the counterclockwise rotating brush 38. The brush bristles grip or engage the tail end 41 which is still wrapped on the bobbin and transfer the tail end over the comb teeth during rotation of the brush. The comb teeth in effect strip or comb the tail 41 out of the brush and the tail now hangs freely over the top cover 43 and down the back of the comb as approximately illustrated in FIG- URE 2. The coaction of the comb and brush is approximately illustrated in FIGURE 5.

Finally, as the doff cart continues to move along the spinning frame, the same bobbin is engaged by drive wheel 33 which turns the bobbin again clockwise or in the spin direction or yarn wind-up direction. Such engagement is illustrated best in FIGURE 2. The loose dotf tail 41 is now caused to slide up the inclined surface of the top cover 43 and into the guide hook 44 and is maintained under some tension by the brush bristles 46 or tension brush, FIGURE 2. Since the guide hook 44 is at the same elevation as the tip bunch 16 on the particular bobbin, the rotating bobbin winds the tail 41 tightly and evenly into the tip bunch to become a part thereof. This completely eliminates the several objectionable wraps 17 and the loose doff tail extension and causes the end of the yarn to terminate at and within the tip bunch. The completely conditioned bobbins in accordance with the invention are depicted at the right hand sides of FIGURES 1 and 2. The sequence of operation is repeated from bobbin-to-bobbin as the doff cart carrying the bobbin conditioning apparatus continues to be pushed along the spinning frame.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

1. A method of conditioning bobbins in a spinning frame prior to dofiing the bobbins to eliminate loose dolf tails thereon and undesirable yarn wraps caused by ring rail lowering comprising the steps of engaging the bobbins in succession and raising them slightly to loosen them on their spindles for freed-om of rotation, engaging the raised bobbins in succession and turning them in the direction of spin to break the yarn near the bottoms of the bobbins and creating a loose tail end, again engaging the bobbins in succession and turning them in the opposite direction against the direction of spin and unwinding said yarn wraps from the bobbin packages, and then engaging and turning the bobbins in succession in the direction of spin to wind up the separated tail end into the tip bunches of the bobbins and thereby eliminating said wraps and tail ends.

2. A method of conditioning bobbins in a spinning frame comprising elevating each bobbin in succession on its spindle to free it for independent rotation, rotating each bobbin in succession in one direction for breaking the yarn end, rotating each bobbin in the opposite direction and simultaneously engaging the yarn end to unwrap the same from the body of the bobbin and cause it to hang freely, and then again rotating each bobbin in the firstnamed direction to Wind up the hanging yarn end into the bobbin tip bunch.

3. The invention as defined by claim 2, and the additional steps of engaging, supporting and guiding the unwrapped yarn end near the elevation of the tip bunch, and applying tension to the yarn end while winding it up into said tip bunch.

4. A method of conditioning a bobbin mounted upon a spindle in a spinning frame prior to doffing comprising the steps of elevating the bobbin slightly to free it from the spindle for independent rotation, turning the elevated bobbin in a first direction for breaking the yarn end on the bobbin, turning the elevated bobbin in a second direction and simultaneously engaging the bobbin with a rotary member turning the same direction to unwrap the yarn end from the body of the bobbin, supporting and guiding and tensioning the unwrapped yarn end at approximately the elevation of the bobbin tip bunch, and again turning the bobbin in said first direction to wind up the yarn end directly into the tip bunch.

5. Apparatus for coaction with a spinning frame to condition bobbins on said frame comprising a mobile support member having guided engagement along the spinning frame, means on said member engageable with the bottoms of bobbins to elevate them slightly on their spindles to free them for rotation, and rotary means on said member including spaced rotary drive elements to engage each bobbin in succession during movement of the support member along the frame to first turn each bobbin in one direction and then in a second direction and then again in said first direction to cause breaking, unwinding and rewinding into a tip bunch of the bobbin tail end.

6. The invention as defined by claim 5, and an independently rotating brush element engageable with each bobbin to aid in said unwinding of the tail end.

7. The invention as defined by claim 6, and a comb having teeth projecting into said brush element to separate the tail end from the brush element and free it for winding up into said tip bunch.

8. The invention as defined by claim 7, and additional means near the elevation of the tip bunch for supporting, guiding and tensioning said tail end during said winding up into said tip bunch.

9. A method of conditioning bobbins in spinning frames having dofi tails wrapped thereon due to ring rail lowering preparatory to dofling comprising the steps of slightly elevating each bobbin to free it from its spindle for rotation, briefly rotating each elevated bobbin in the spin direction to break the dotf tail near the bottom of the bobbin, briefly rotating the bobbin in the opposite direction and engaging the same with an adhering member to unwrap the dofi tail from the bobbin, and then again rotating the bobbin in the spin direction for winding the unwrapped doff tail on the bobbin in a plurality of closely arranged wraps at a selected elevation on the bobbin.

10. The invention as defined by claim 9, and the additional steps of supporting, guiding and lightly tensioning the unwrapped doff tail during said winding on the bo n.

11. Apparatus for conditioning bobbins in spinning frames, said bobbins having doff tails wrapped thereon due to ring rail lowering preparatory to dotting, said apparatus comprising a carriage member to move along the spinning frame in guided relation thereto, continuously rotating means on the carriage member to first engage each bobbin and briefly rotate it in the spin direction to break each doff tail between the bobbin and spindle, said means then causing each bobbin to turn in the opposited direction briefly, additional rotary means engaging each bobbin when the bobbin is rotating in said opposite direction to unwrap said doif tail therefrom so that the dotf tail is freely disposed, said continuously rotating means then re-engaging each bobbin and again briefly rotating it in the spin direction to wrap the doff tail into the tip bunch of the bobbin thereby eliminating the d-off tail.

12. Apparatus for conditioning bobbins com-prising a support member adapted to move along the ring rail of a spinning frame, a motor on said member, three spaced upstanding spindles on said member, a corresponding number of drive wheels on said spindles adapted to engage the butts of bob-bins during movement of the support member along the ring rail, belt means interconnecting the motor and drive wheels so that the two outermost drive wheels turn in one direction and the intermediate drive wheel turns in an opposite direction continuously, a rotary brush journaled on the intermediate spindle above the intermediate drive wheel, separate belt means interconnecting the motor and brush and driving the brush continuously in the direction of rotation of the two outermost wheels and oppositely to the intermediate wheel, said brush adapted to engage bobbin packages during movement of said member along the ring rail.

13. The invention as defined by claim 12, and a stationary comb device having teeth projecting into said brush so that doff tails engaged by the brush may be stripped therefrom preparatory to winding up in the tip bunches of bob-bins.

14. The invention as defined by claim 13, and a cover member at the upper ends of the brush and comb including an inclined face and a guide hook extension substantially at the elevation of the tip bunch, and a stationary brush having bristles extending over the guide book extension.

15. The invention as defined by claim 12, and a wedge part on the leading end of the support member to pass beneath the bottoms of bobbins and elevating them slightly on their spindles to loosen them for free rotation.

16. The invention as defined by claim 15, and a level flange part rearwardly of the wedge part on said member to maintain the bob-bins elevated during conditioning by said apparatus.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,653,440 9/ 1953 Partington 5753 2,886,940 5/1959 Vrano et al. 5753 3,176,458 4/1965 DuBuis et a1. 57-53 3,176,458 4/1965 DuBuis et al 5753 3,204,397 9/1965 Cugini 57-53 FRANK I. COHEN, Primary Examiner.

1?. E. WATKINS, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. 5. APPARATUS FOR COACTION WITH A SPINNING FRAME TO CONDITION BOBBINS ON SAID FRAME COMPRISING A MOBILE SUPPORT MEMBER HAVING GUIDED ENGAGEMENT ALONG THE SPINNING FRAME, MEANS ON SAID MEMBER ENGAGEABLE WITH THE BOTTOMS OF BOBBINS TO ELEVATE THEM SLIGHTLY ON THEIR SPINDLES TO FREE THEM FOR ROTATION, AND ROTARY MEANS ON SAID MEMBER INCLUDING SPACED ROTARY DRIVE ELEMENTS TO ENGAGE EACH BOBBIN IN SUCCESSION DURING MOVEMENT OF THE SUPPORT MEMBER ALONG THE FRAME TO FIRST TURN EACH BOBBIN IN ONE DIRECTION AND THEN IN A SECOND DIRECTION AND THEN AGAIN IN SAID FIRST DIRECTION TO CAUSE BREAKING, UNWINDING AND REWINDING INTO A TIP BUNCH OF THE BOBBIN TAIL END.

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