US3883083A

US3883083A - Thread supply device for textile machines

Info

Publication number: US3883083A
Application number: US368172A
Authority: US
Inventors: Karl Isac Joel Rosen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1972-06-13
Filing date: 1973-06-08
Publication date: 1975-05-13
Anticipated expiration: 1992-05-13

Abstract

A thread supply device for a textile machine comprising a drum which can be set in rotation and upon which a thread issuing from a storage coil can be tangentially wound to form an intermediate thread storage. A thread guide element is journaled so as to be transversely movable relative to the thread unwinding from the drum and is at the same time designed as a cut-off device. A thread support element has a part which is in contact with the thread unwinding from the drum and is arranged in radially spaced relation to the drum circumference in its initial position for positive thread supply and in alignment with the drum axis in a second position for intermittent thread supply. The part of the thread support element which is in contact with the thread is designed as a thread brake.

Description

United States Patent Rosen 1 May 13, 1975 THREAD SUPPLY DEVICE FOR TEXTILE 3,720,384 3/1973 Rosen 242 4701 2,791,599 2 1974 .lacohsson.. 242/4712 MACHINES 3,802,228 4/1974 Deniega 1. 242 4701 x Filed:

Karl Isac Joel Rosen, S-52 300-Ulricehamn. S-52300-Ulricehamn, Sweden June 8, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 368,172

Related U.S. Application Data Continuationin-part of Ser. No. 312.048. Dec. 4,

1972. Pat. No. 3.820731.

Germany 2228754 U.S. Cl. 242/47.0l; 66/132 R [51] Int. Cl B6Sh 51/20 Field of Search 242/47.0147. 13;

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS l/197() Muhlhausler 242/47.01 Hatay 242/4701 Muhlhausler 242/4701 X Primary litaminer-Stanley N. Gilreath Attornev, Agent. or Firn1Woodhams, Blanchard and Flynn [57] ABSTRACT A thread supply device for a textile machine comprising a drum which can he set in rotation and upon which a thread issuing from a storage coil can he tangentially wound to form an intermediate thread storage. A thread guide element is journaled so as to he transversely movable relative to the thread unwinding from the drum and is at the same time designed as a cut-off device. A thread support element has a part which is in contact with the thread unwinding from the drum and is arranged in radially spaced relation to the drum circumference in its initial position for positive thread supply and in alignment with the drum axis in a second position for intermittent thread supply. The part of the thread support element which is in contact with the thread is designed as a thread brake.

10 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures THREAD SUPPLY DEVICE FOR TEXTILE MACHINES CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Ser. No. 312 048, filed Dec. 4. 1972 now US. Pat. No. 3,820,731.

My copending application Ser. No. 312 048 relates to a thread supply device for textile machines comprising a drum which can be set in rotation, upon which a thread issuing from a storage coil can be tangentially wound up to form an intermediate thread storage and further comprising a thread guide element which is journaled so as to be transversely movable to the thread undwinding from the drum and which is at the same time designed as a cut-off device, further comprising a thread support element which has a part which is in contact with the thread unwinding from the drum and which is arranged in radial spaced relation to the drum circumference in its initial position for positive thread supply and in alignment with the drum axis in a second position for intermittent thread supply.

Such a thread supply device may be employed as desired for positive and intermittent thread supply. The device is changed over from the one to the other mode of operation by moving the thread support element. The thread quide element forms a compensation loop by laterally deflecting the thread. This compensation loop is designed to absorb variations in tension which arise due to irregular consumption. In addition, the thread guide element also serves the function of a cutoff device which shuts down the textile machine when the thread breaks between the drum and the working location of the textile machine.

In the case of the device according to my copending application, the part of the thread support element which is contacted by the thread is designed as an eye through which the thread passes. This eye does not exert any substantial breaking action on the thread with the result that the thread unwinds from the drum in a completely tension-free state in the position for intermittent thread supply. This is not always desirable, however.

The invention is based on the object of developing and improving the thread supply device according to my copending application such that the thread unwinds from the thread supply device with a definable amount of tension at least during intermittent thread supply. This object is accomplished in accordance with the invention in that the part of the thread support element which is in contact with the thread is designed as a thread brake.

The thread passes through the thread brake in this case. By adjusting this thread brake to a specific brak ing value, the low tension which is desirable during intermittent thread supply can be set and maintained.

In the case of positive thread supply, it is not necessary to brake the thread which unwinds from the drum, since in this case only that amount of thread is released by the thread supply device as is consumed by the textile machine. In order to prevent excessive braking, a stationary brake opening element is provided in this further development of the invention which holds the thread brake in an opened position when the thread support element is in the first position.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a lateral elevation ofa thread supply device in accordance with the invention in the position for positive thread supply,

FIG. 2 is a partial lateral elevation corresponding to FIG. 1 in the position for intermittent thread supply,

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional elevation through the storage drum,

FIG. 4 is a top elevation of the device according to FIG. I, and

FIG. 5 is a detail side view of a portion of FIG. 1.

The thread supply device has a drum 1 which is rotatablyjournaled in a housing 2. The housing 2 is disposed on the outer end of a support arm 3 which is provided at the inner end with a clamping member 4 by means of which the thread supply device can be clamped onto a mounting fixture of a textile machine.

The drum 1, which is designed in the illustrated embodiment as a bar cage, forms in its upper section 1a a belt pulley with teeth 5 which is defined at the bottom by a flange 6. This is encompassed by a perforated belt (not shown) which can be set in rotation synchronously with the work cycle of the textile machine by means of a drive motor (not shown).

A pivotal arm 11 is pivotally journaled about an axle 12 in the housing 2. The axle 12 extends perpendicularly to the imaginary axis of rotation 13 of the drum 1 and is co-planar therewith. A spring which is not shown biases the pivotal arm 11 in a counterclockwise direction in FIGS. I and 2. The pivotal arm 11 supports a thread guide element 15 in the form of a thread eye at the free end. The parts I1 and 15 together form a cut-off device which interrupts the textile machine drive and thus of the drum as well when the thread breaks between the drum 1 and the textile machine. Cut-off devices of this type are known in the art. Normally, a switching cam is provided on the axle 12 which opens a switch thereby interrupting the supply of current to the drive of the textile machine or of the drum 1 when the pivotal arm 11 swings abruptly in a counterclockwise direction.

A pivotal arm 17' is pivotal about a housing axle 12a which extends transversely to the drum axis 13. In the position according to FIG. 1, it abuts on a stationary stop 7 while it is releasably locked against a stop 8 in the position according to FIG. 2. The pivotal arm 17' supports a thread brake 35 at its free end which is de signed as a normal disc brake. In accordacne with FIG. 5, the disc brake has two braking discs 35a which are disposed on a common axle 36 and are pressed together and against a stop 36a by a compression spring 37. The tension of the compression spring 37 can be adjusted by means of a knurled screw 38. In a bulged section 3612 of the axle 36 which also supports the brake disc 35a, there is provided an oblique slot 39 into which the thread can be inserted so that it runs through the center of the brake disc 35a.

A downwardly directed brake opening device 40 is clamped onto the support arm 3 and consists of a bar 40a with a sharpened, wedge-like point 40b. If the pivotal arm 17' is located in the position according to FIG. I, the wedge-like point 40b engages between the brake discs 35a and spreads these apart against the force of the compression spring 37 such that the thread brake 35 does not exert any braking effect on the thread passing therethrough.

The mode of function is explained hereinbelow:

Starting first of all with the position shown in FIG. 1 for positive thread supply, the drum 1 is tangentially supplied with a thread F from a storage coil (not shown). The thread is stocked up V on the jacket of the drum. A thread transport element 30 is provided to slide the thread supply V along the jacket of the drum. This element comprises a disc (cf. FIG. 3) which is inclined relative to the axis of rotation 13 of the drum 1 and extends outwardly with radial arms 3011 through the interstices of the bar cage forming the drum 1. The disc 30 has an inclined position which is fixed relative to the axis 13 of drum rotation and is mounted to this end on a ball bearing 31 disposed in an inclincc manner on the axis of drum rotation. The disc 30 can thus follow the rotation in the drum and executes a sort of tumbler movement in so doing, thereby causing it to push the thread windings downwardly on the drum.

In the position of the pivotal arm 17' for positive thread supply in accordance with FIG. 1, the thread is unwound substantially tangentially from the drum 1 at F, is conducted through the slot 39 in the axle 36 of the thread brake 35 and then passes through the eyeshaped thread guide element 15 to the working location of the textile machine. Since the brake disc 35a is spread apart by the brake opening device 40, the thread is not slowed down at all. The thread forms a compensation loop A downstream of the brake 35, since it is laterally deflected by the spring-biased pivotal arm 11. The thread cannot be drawn off the rotating drum 1 more rapidly than the rotation of the drum 1 allows when the pivotal arm 17 is located in the position according to FIG. 1. Thus, the textile machine can only consume a specific maximum amount of thread by virtue of the definition of positive thread supply.

If the thread breaks between the drum 1 and the textile machine for any reason, the thread guide element 15 is released so that the pivotal arm 11 can pivot in a counterclockwise direction, thereby shutting off the drive means.

If a thread supply is desired which is independent of the operational speed of the textile machine, for example, if the thread must be drawn into the machine manually due to adjustment or repair work which is supposed to be carried out on the machine which is switched off and only operable by hand, the pivotal arm 17' is moved into the position according to FIG. 2 in which it is locked against the stop 8. The thread is now drawn off the drum 1 in a vertical direction as indicated at F. The speed at which the thread is removed is now independent of the speed of the drum. In fact, the thread can also be drawn off even when the drum 1 is stationary.

The removed thread F is conducted through the disc brake 35 and a tension which is selectable by correspondingly setting the screw 38 is imparted to the thread in so doing. From the thread brake 35, the thread F" then passes through the eye-shaped thread guide element 15 of the pivotal arm 11 and then to the working location of the textile machine. The

parts

11 and 15 also function in this case as a cut-off device which discontinues the drive means when the thread F" breaks.

The invention is not limited or restricted to the illustrated embodiment. The thread brake 35 could be moved between the two positions shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 by other means as well, for example by a straight or arcuate guide slot. The axial thread transport on the drum could also be effected with other means, for example, by a conical drum section.

What I claim is:

1. In a thread supply device for a textile machine having a drum which can be set in rotation and upon which a thread issuing from a storage coil can be tangentially wound up to form an intermediate thread storage, a thread guide element for engaging the thread as unwound from said drum, means supporting the thread guide element for movememt in a direction transversely to the thread unwinding from the drum, and a thread support element having a part which is in contact with the thread unwinding from the drum and is movable between first and second positions, said part being in radially spaced relation to the drum circumference in said first position for positive thread supply and in alignment with the drum axis in said second position for intermittent thread supply, comprising the improvement wherein the part of the thread support element which is in contact with the thread is designed as a thread brake.

2. A thread supply device according to claim 1, wherein the thread brake includes means for adjusting the braking action.

3. A thread supply device according to claim 1 wherein the thread brake comprises a disc brake.

4. A thread supply device according to claim 1, wherein a stationary brake opening device is provided which holds the thread brake in an opened position when the thread support element is in the first position.

5. A thread supply device according to claim 4, wherein the thread brake includes a pair of opposed brake discs, and wherein the brake opening device is a bar with a wedge-shaped point which engages between the discs of the disc brake.

6. A thread supply device according to claim 1, wherein elongated lever means is provided for swingably supporting said thread brake for swinging movement between said first and second positions, said thread brake being mounted on said lever means adjacent one end thereof, and said lever means being supported for swinging movement adjacent the other end thereof about a pivot axis which extends substantially perpendicular to the drum axis.

7. A thread supply device according to claim 6, wherein said supporting means comprises an elongated lever hingedly mounted for swinging movement about a hinge axis located adjacent one end of said lever, said hinge axis extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the drum axis, and the thread guide element being mounted on said lever adjacent the other end thereof.

8. A thread supply device according to claim 7, wherein the pivot axis of said lever means and the hinge axis of said lever are substantially parallel and are spaced from one another, the hinge axis and the pivot axis each substantially intersecting the drum axis.

9. A thread supply device according to claim 6, wherein the thread brake comprises a pair of opposed brake discs which are resiliently urged toward one another, and wherein a stationary brake opening device is provided which engages the brake discs and holds the thread brake in an opened condition when the thread support element is in said first position.

10. A thread supply device according to claim 1, wherein the thread brake engages the thread unwinding from the drum at a location which is disposed between the drum and the thread guide element.