EP0069087B1

EP0069087B1 - Method and apparatus for loading a creel and linking more than one fibre processing machines

Info

Publication number: EP0069087B1
Application number: EP82830168A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jaromir Cizek
Original assignee: Officine Savio SpA
Current assignee: Officine Savio SpA
Priority date: 1981-06-19
Filing date: 1982-06-14
Publication date: 1986-01-15
Also published as: IT8283410A0; DE3268515D1; EP0069087A1; IT1158120B

Description

This invention concerns a method and apparatus to load a creel and to link two or more textile machines automatically.
The word creel herein means an assemblage suitable to feed one or more slivers, or the like, of fibres to a processing machine such as a gillbox, drawframe, etc.
Conventional ball or can creels require that a spent sliver ball or sliver container can be replaced manually.
Piecing-up of slivers after a breakage or replacement of a can has also to be done manually and requires the sliver processing machine to be stopped at intervals.
With modern high-speed gilling and drawing machines any stoppage causes a considerable loss of production and efficiency.
Various attempts have been made to mechanize and automate sliver creels.
For instance, British patents Nos. 942,278, 910,761, 1,057,101 and 1,003,808 all disclose circular creels which strive towards continuous sliver feed into a processing machine.
It is believed that the arrangements proposed in such patents are unstable in the sense that, should their can change cycles become disturbed, for example by a variation of the ideal can load, creel operation would be interrupted.
A successful semi-automatic creel is disclosed in a copending South African patent application no. 80/4520 (EP-A-0045184).
This patent application discloses a creel which comprises a plurality of feed stations for feeding a sliver of fibres to a sliver processing machine and one or more reserve feed stations for feeding a reserve sliver to the machine upon interruption of sliver feed at any feed station, the arrangement being one wherein the reserve feed station in effect replaces the station where feed has been interrupted.
The station where feed has been interrupted is subsequently moved to a position where it assumes the function of a reserve station. With the arrangement described above, the free end of the sliver is fed manually to a reserve station, but it will be appreciated that stoppage of the processing machine is not required.
Patent DD-A-52999 discloses a method to load a creel with sliver containers and to link one or more fibre processing machines automatically. This method includes the steps of providing a station to load the sliver containers which is distanced from the creel, moving a full container towards the creel along a path comprising at least a portion of an endless path, capturing the free end of the sliver of the full container, feeding such free end of the sliver to the creel and sending back the spent containers along a portion of such endless path. Partially spent containers are sent back to the leading portion by means of a connecting path which links the leading and return portions of the endless path.
It is an object of our present invention to provide a novel creel and feeding method whereby manual intervention will be minimized.
According to one aspect of the present invention, this object can be attained by a method to load a creel and to link two or more textile machines automatically, the method comprising the steps of providing a station to load sliver reservoirs, moving such loaded reservoirs along a path including at least a portion of an endless path towards the creel, capturing the free end of the sliver of the loaded reservoir, feeding such free end of the sliver to the creel when necessary, returning emptied sliver reservoirs along a portion of such path that leads to the loading station, and re-directing partially emptied reservoirs returned from the creel to the leading portion of such path along a by-pass which links the leading portion to the return portion of the endless path (as known from DD-A-52999), the method being characterized in that the capturing of the free end of the sliver is performed by a clamp mechanism fitted to a carriage able to move along the leading portion of the path between the loading station and the creel.
The sliver reservoir could be in the nature of a spool, spindle, bobbin or the like onto which the sliver is wound, but for most applications the reservoir will be in the nature of a bin adapted to contain the sliver.
The method of the invention will in particular be suitable for use with the co-pending South African patent application No. 80/4520 (EP-A-0045184).
With such a creel the captured free end of the sliver together with the reservoir will move, when required, into a reserve station.
Thus, the free end of the sliver will be fed to a carriage which forms part of such reserve station.
Moreover, the path between the loading station and the creel is in the nature of a portion of an endless path, and the method includes a step of returning emptied reservoirs along a portion of such endless path to the loading station.
Furthermore, where a partially emptied reservoir is returned from the creel, for example, when the sliver breaks, it is re-directed to the leading portion of the path along a suitable by-pass which links the leading and return portions of the endless path.
Thus, in one embodiment the method will include the step of sensing the load state of a reservoir returning from the creel and directing it towards the leading portion of the path or towards the loading station when it is partially empty or wholly empty respectively.
Moreover, in a preferred embodiment the method includes the step of determining the position of the free end of the sliver before capturing such free end.
In one embodiment the free end of the sliver will be captured by means of suitable sensors and a clamp mechanism which is responsive to signals from the sensors.
Preferably, where the reservoir is in the nature of a bin, the free end of the sliver will overhang from the top rim of the bin and the sensors, which may be in the form of photoelectric cells, will move the clamp device into position to clamp the free end of the sliver.
In one embodiment it is arranged that the bin or the sensors and clamp device will be rotated so as to effect a relative angular movement between the latter and the sliver so as to determine the circumferential position of the sliver on the rim of the bin.
As soon as such position has been determined, a relative vertical movement between the sliver and clamp device will be effected so as to locate the free end of the sliver.
In an alternative embodiment the free end of the sliver itself may be moved or drawn into a position for being clamped by a clamp mechanism, for instance by means of an air stream.
Thus, the sliver could be drawn into a funnel or the like by means of suction and thereafter clamped.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the object stated above can be attained by an apparatus for carrying out the method disclosed hereinbefore, which comprises:- a loading station able to load sliver into a reservoir: a path which runs from the loading station to a creel and comprises a leading portion running from the loading station to the creel, a return portion extending from the creel to the loading station and a by-pass connecting the return portion to the leading portion: means for moving such sliver reservoirs from the loading station to the creel: and means for capturing the free end of the sliver so as to feed it to the creel, the apparatus being characterized in that the means for capturing the free end of the sliver are fitted to a carriage able to move along the portion of the path between the loading station and the creel.
With the above embodiment a suitable sensor, such as a photoelectric cell which is adapted to respond to reflections of the inner-base surface of the reservoir, a weighing device or a mechanical sensor to the like will be provided at the terminus of the by-pass and return portion of the path for the purpose of sensing the load condition of the reservoir.
With this embodiment it is further envisaged that a suitable pusher or puller device will be provided at the terminus for directing a reservoir along the required path, which will be either the by-pass or the path leading to the loading station.
Such a device could be in the nature of a fluid- operable cylinder, a chain device and arm device, a belt conveyor, an angled platform together with a suitable gate; etc.
The means for moving a loaded reservoir from the loading station to the creel could likewise take various forms but would preferably be in the nature of a retractable arm which is movable along a rail member.
Moreover, according to the invention the means for capturing the free end of the sliver comprise a clamp assemblage which includes a sensor and a clamp which is responsive to signals from the sensor.
In a preferred embodiment, where the reservoir is in the nature of a bin, the free end of the sliver will be caused to overhang the rim of the bin, and the clamp assemblage and the bin will be relatively angularly movable in order to align the sliver end with the clamp.
Preferably the clamp assemblage and the bin will be also relatively vertically movable in order to align the end of the sliver with the clamp.
Thus, in one embodiment a rotary platform to rotate the bin will be provided, the platform being adapted to rotate the bin until the sliver is aligned with the clamp.
Thereafter the clamp or bin may move vertically so as to be aligned with the extremity of the clamp.
Alternatively, where the clamp is in the nature of a pair of rollers defining an operable nip, vertical movement of the bin and clamp need not be effected, but the sliver could simply be clamped and the rollers be rotated in a reverse-feed direction until the end of the sliver is in close proximity to such rollers.
It is envisaged that the sensors may conveniently be photoelectric cells, while the clamp could be in the form of a closable jaw, or a pair of rollers which are closable to define a nip between them. Doubtless many other variations are possible.
For example, in an alternative embodiment the means for capturing the free end of the sliver could comprise a clamp and means for drawing or directing the sliver ifself into position for clamping.
The latter means could comprise a funnel or the like adapted to draw the sliver end thereinto by means of suction.
Preferably such means and the sliver reservoir will be movable relatively for the purpose of hunting the sliver end.
So as to illustrate the invention more clearly, some embodiments thereof are described below merely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Fig. 1 is a schematic plan view of a creel indicating the movement of sliver reservoirs;
Fig. 2 shows a detail of the means to capture the sliver which are employed in the embodiment of Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a schematic plan view of a portion of the path in Fig. 1;
Fig. 4 is a schematic elevation of the arrangement in Fig. 3;
Fig. 5 is a schematic end elevation of the arrangement in Fig. 3;
Fig. 6 is a schematic plan view of a sensor which is adapted to locate the circumferential disposition of a sliver;
Figs. 7 and 7a are a schematic plan view and an elevation respectively of a clamp adapted to capture the free end of a sliver;
Figs. 8 and 8a are a schematic plan view and an elevation respectively of a different arrangement from that shown in Fig. 7;
Figs. 9 and 10 are schematic plan views of two alternative arrangements for feeding sliver at the reserve feed station.

In Figs. 1 and 2 a method of substantially automatically transporting sliver reservoirs from a first sliver processing machine 10 to a second processing machine 12 is illustrated.
The processing machine 10 is provided with a sliver input from a creel, shown schematically at 8, which includes a plurality of sliver reservoirs 11.
The output from the machine 10 is in turn loaded into empty bin-like reservoirs 9, which are transported to a second creel 7, which feeds the machine 12 and is preferably in accordance with the creel disclosed in the co-pending South African patent application No. 80/4520 (EP-A-0045184).
Thus, the creel 7 includes a pair of reserve feed stations 13 and a plurality of active feed stations 14.
Empty containers are transported from the creel 7 to the machine 10 for re-loading, whereas partially emptied containers are transported to a position wherein they are again fed to the creel 7.
In Figs 1 and 2 loaded sliver bins are moved along a sliding track 40 by means of a shifting device 41 towards the creel 7.
A second shifting device 42 is adapted to move the bins into the creel 7.
Bins ejected by the creel 7 move from a continuously moving conveyor 43 to a sliding track 44 with empty bins being directed to the processing machine 10 for re-loading by means of a shifting device 45, whereas partially empty bins are shifted along a by-pass 47 to the sliding track 40 by means of a ram 46.
In Fig 1 a sliver capturing means 90 is mounted on a carriage 50 running on an overhead rail means 51 extending between the outlet of the processing machine 10 and the reserve stations 13 and parallel to the sliding track 40.
According to this embodiment the sliver capturing means 90 shown in Fig. 2 consists of a pair of automatically operated grippers 190 arranged at the end of an arm 290 rotatably mounted on. the carriage 50.
More specifically, the grippers 190 rotate about the axis of the arm 290, while such arm is rotatable in a vertical or substantially vertical plane about the carriage 50 as shown in Fig. 2.
According to this embodiment, when the sliver bin 9 being loaded by the machine 10 is full, the carriage 50 is brought to the vicinity of the machine outlet with the arm 290 extended in the direction of the machine 10, whereby the sliver extending from the machine to the bin is brought by suitable sliver deviator means, which may be in the nature of air suction means 390 mounted adjacent to the grippers, as shown, into the grippers 190 and is clamped thereby.
The arm 290 is then rotated to extend in the opposite direction and the carriage 50 is moved along the track 40 together with the loaded bin 9, which is then brought to a vacant reserve station 13.
The grippers 190 are then automatically opened when the bin is positioned in the reserve station 13 and hands the sliver over to the feed means of the creel 7.
The sliver deviator means 390 may consist of any suitable mechanical means such as a lever or a hook mounted on the carriage 50 or arm 290 or separately mounted in the vicinity of the outlet of the processing machine 10.
Furthermore, the carriage 50 may also either be mounted on the bin shifting device 42 or may itself act as a bin shifting device by including a shifting arm 41.
It is envisaged that at the by-pass 47 a sensor will be provided to determine the load state of bins.
Such sensor could comprise a photoelectric cell which is responsive to a reflective inner-base surface of the bin, a weighting device, a mechanical feeler, or the like.
It will be appreciated that the rams such as that shown at 28, and the shifting devices such as 41 and 45 could take on many forms and the invention is by no means restricted to the embodiments shown.
For example, the shifting device could be in the nature of a movable chain provided with laterally projecting arms or hooks, or even a long-stroke air cylinder.
In the embodiment shown in Figs. 3 and 4 the shifting device 41 comprises a fixed rail 41 a and a retractable arm 41 b which is movable along the rail 41 a.
With reference to Fig. 5 it is envisaged that the retractable arm 41b is pivotably mounted for movement between an operating position where it is substantially disposed horizontally, and a retracted position shown with broken lines (Fig. 5) where it is substantially disposed vertically.
It is envisaged that a sensor sueh as a photoelectric cell 41 c will be associated with the retractable arm 41b and that additional sensors 20, which may again be in the form of photoelectric cells, will be provided to transmit signals to an electronic logic device, which will in turn regulate movement of the shifting device 41.
The sliding track 40 could also take on various forms but will preferably include side walls 40 for guiding purposes (Fig. 5).
When a loaded bin is introduced into the creel 7 in one of its reserve stations 13, it will be necessary to feed the free end of the sliver 61 to a carriage 80 (Figs. 9 and 10) which forms part of such reserve feed stations 13.
For details of the carriage 80 and the creel 7, interested persons are referred to the specification of the cited copending South African patent application No. 80/4520.
A feature of the invention provides for the free end of the sliver 61 to be captured as the bin enters the creel 7 or before such entry and for the free end of the sliver 61 to be fed to the carriage 80.
A means for capturing the free end of the sliver 61 is shown schematically in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 and includes a pair of spaced sensors 60, such as photoelectric cells, which are associated with a clamping jaw 62 or 63, and which are adapted to align the free end of the sliver 61 with such clamping jaw.
In use, either the bin 9 or the sensors 60 and their associated jaw will be rotated until the free end of the sliver 61 is disposed between the sensor 60 (Fig. 6) and in alignment with the jaw 62 or 63.
In one example a rotary platform could be provided for the bins.
Once in such an aligned position, either the bin 9 or the jaw 62 will be moved vertically in relation to the other so as to locate the free end of the sliver 61, and for this purpose a further sensor 64, which may again be in the nature of a photoelectric cell, is provided.
As soon as such end has been located, the jaw 62 will close so as to capture the free end of the sliver.
The embodiment shown in Fig. 8 is like that in Fig. 7 but the clamping jaw 63 in Fig. 8 comprises a pair of rollers which define a nip between them when in a closed position, while the jaw 62 in Fig. 7 is in the nature of a clamp.
With the embodiment of Fig. 8, rather than cause relative vertical movement between the bin 9 and jaw 62 to locate the free end of the sliver 61, the sliver 61 could simply be clamped between the rollers 63 and these could be rotated in a reverse-feed direction until the end of the sliver is in close proximity to the rollers.
An alternative method of capturing the free end of the sliver (not shown) may comprise the steps of moving the bin 9 into a position below a funnel or the like and drawing the free end of the sliver into the funnel by means of suction and thereafter clamping such free end by means of jaws like those shown at 62 and 63.
If necessary, a relative movement in a horizontal plane between the bin 9 and funnel may be caused for the purpose of hunting the free end of the sliver.
It is envisaged that it will also be necessary to move the funnel progressively into the interior of the bin 9 during the hunting process, particularly where the bin 9 is only partially loaded, and for this purpose a progressive relative vertical movement between the bin and funnel will be caused.
As soon as the free end of the sliver 61 has been captured and the bin has been moved into a reserve station 13 on the creel 7, the jaw 62 moves the free end of the sliver into the nip of the feed rollers 81 of the carriage 80 (Fig. 9).
In the embodiment shown in Fig. 9 the jaw 62 will move the free end into the nip of the rollers 81 and an auxiliary roller 82 will drive the rollers 81 by a frictional contact, while a sensor 83 will act to halt the drive once the free end of the sliver has passed through the nip.
It is envisaged that the jaw 62 will be such that the sliver 61 can be freely drawn therethrough in a forward direction but not in a reverse direction.
Thus, where the clamping jaw 62 is in the nature of a clamp, it will preferably have a semi- positive grip, while rollers as shown at 63 will be provided with unidirectional clutches.
A different embodiment for locating the free end of the sliver 61 in the nip of the feed rollers 81 is shown in Fig. 10. In this embodiment the jaw shown at 85 is capable of separating into segments to stretch the captured end of the sliver 61 and the feed rollers 81 are separated by means of a suitable ram device 84.
The stretched portion of the sliver 61 is then located between the spaced rollers 81, which are thereafter closed to re-form their nip.
Doubtless many other variations are possible and it is envisaged that these all fall within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
For example, the embodiments illustrated in the drawings show sliver reservoirs 9 in the form of bins, but the invention is clearly also applicable to cases where the sliver reservoirs are in the form of balls of slivers wound onto spindles, bobbins or the like.

Claims

1. Method to load a creel (7) and to link two or more textile machines automatically, the method comprising the steps of providing a station (10) to load sliver reservoirs (9), moving such loaded reservoirs (9) along a path (40-43-44) including at least a portion of an endless path towards the creel (7), capturing the free end (61) of the sliver of the loaded reservoir (9), feeding such free end (61) of the sliver to the creel (7) when necessary, returning emptied sliver reservoirs (9) along a portion (44) of such a path that leads to the loading station (10), and re-directing partially emptied reservoirs returned from the creel (7) to the leading portion (40) of such path along a by- pass (47) which links the leading portion (40) to the return portion (44) of the endless path, the method being characterized in that the capturing of the free end (61) of the sliver is performed by a clamp mechanism fitted to a carriage able to move along the leading portion (40) of the path between the loading station (10) and the creel (7).

2. Method as claimed in Claim 1, in which the free end (61) of the sliver is captured by means of sensors (60-64) cooperating with such clamp mechanism (62-63-90), which is responsive to signals coming from such sensors.

3. Method as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, in which the clamp mechanism (90) is moved together with the sliver reservoir (9).

4. Method as claimed in Claim 1 and 2 or 3, in which the free end (61) of the sliver is moved or drawn into a position suitable for it to be captured by the clamp mechanism (62-63-90).

5. Method as claimed in any claim hereinbefore, in which the loading station (10) consists of a fibre processing machine.

6. Apparatus for carrying out the method according to any claim hereinbefore, which comprises:- a loading station (10) able to load sliver into a reservoir (9): a path (40) which runs from the loading station (10) to a creel (7) and comprises a leading portion running from the loading station (10) to the creel (7), a return portion (44) extending from the creel (7) to the loading station (10) and a by-pass (47) connecting the return portion (44) to the leading portion (20): means (41) for moving such sliver reservoirs (9) from the loading station (10) to the creel (7): and means (62-63-90) for capturing the free end (61) of the sliver so as to feed it to the creel (7), the apparatus being characterized in that the means (62-63-90) for capturing the free end (61) of the sliver are fitted to a carriage (50) able to move along the portion of the path (40) between the loading station (10) and the creel (7).

7. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 6, in which the loading station (10) consists of a fibre processing machine.

8. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 6 or 7, which comprises a suitable sensor located at the terminus of the by-pass portion and of the return portion (44) of the path and able to sense the load state of the sliver reservoirs (9).

9. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 8, which comprises a suitable pusher means (46) provided at such terminus to send reservoirs (9) along the required path, such path being the by-pass (47) leading to the loading station (10) or the return portion (44) leading to the loading station (10).

10. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 6 to 9, in which the means (41) for moving the sliver reservoirs (9) from the loading station (10) to the creel (7) consists preferably of a retractable arm able to move along a rail member.

11. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 6 to 10, in which the means (62-63-90) for capturing the free end (61) of the sliver consists of a clamp assemblage which includes a clamp (62-63) and possibly a sensor (60-64), the clamp (62-63) being responsive to signals coming from such sensor (60-64).

12. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 11, in which the clamp consists of a closable jaw (62).

13. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 11, in which the clamp consists of a pair of driven rollers (63) able to define a nip for closing on the free end (61) of the sliver.

14. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 6 to 10 in which the means for capturing the free end (61) of the sliver consists of a clamp (190) and a means (390) for drawing or deviating the sliver into the clamping position, such means (390) comprising a funnel or like means able to aspirate the sliver and fitted rotatably to the end of a rotatable arm (290) anchored rotatably to a carriage (50) which travels along the path (40) that takes the reservoir (9) to the creel (7).

15. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 14, in which the carriage (50) bears also the means (41) for moving the sliver reservoirs (9).

16. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 6 to 15, in which the sliver reservoir (9) and the means (62-63-90) to capture the free end (61) of the sliver move in relation to each other.