EP0088708A2 - Apparatus for centering and supporting a yarn collection tube during the package build-up - Google Patents

Abstract

This apparatus comprises a centring element comprising a locking element which can be flattened against the internal periphery of the collection tube. The locking element is constituted by a ring (11), which is flexible and open, which partially surrounds the periphery of the centring device and which may slide on this periphery between two limit positions in such a way that the free end of the said ring tends to move away from the surface of the centring device under the action of the stresses exerted by the yarn collection tube on starting and stopping. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to an improved device for positioning and maintaining a wire support tube during a winding operation during which said support (tube) is rotated by a driving cylinder against which it is in tangential support.

This winding technique has been known for a very long time and the devices used to implement it essentially comprise a pivoting stirrup formed by two parallel arms, the ends of said arms being provided with gripping flanges consisting essentially of a centralizing element intended to be introduced. at the end of the tubular support, these centering elements being mounted to rotate freely on an axis carried by the arm.

The present invention relates more particularly to a new type of centering element which not only ensures the positioning and the maintenance of the wire support tube but eliminates any angular displacement of said support during the winding operation and very particularly during the starting and stop.

In fact, the risks of angular displacement of a wire support during a winding operation are more and more frequent taking into account current production speeds and the increase in the weight of the wire wound on the support.

A solution used in particular on the spinning machines to immobilize the support tube consists in placing inside said support a ring which can expand radially. Such a solution is described in particular in United States patent No. 3,695,561.

Furthermore, in French Patent No. 2,451,879, it has been proposed to use this technique for the winding proper, that is to say in the case where the wire support is driven by tangential contact with a driving cylinder. The practical embodiment described in this document however has a certain number of drawbacks, in particular by the fact that it is of relatively complex design, therefore delicate to produce and difficult to dismantle.

However, an improved centering device has been found which overcomes these drawbacks, is simple to manufacture and has great efficiency.

• - un élément centreur monté libre en rotation à l'extrémité des bras d'un étrier pivotant permettant de maintenir le tube support en contact tangentiel avec un cylindre moteur,
• - un élément de blocage susceptible de venir plaquer contre la périphérie interne du tube support, cet élément étant disposé coaxialement à l'élément centreur,
  et il se caractérise par le fait que ledit élément de blocage est constitué par un anneau flexible, ouvert, qui entoure partiellement la périphérie du centreur et qui peut glisser sur celle-ci entre deux positions limites de telle sorte que l'extrémité libre dudit anneau ait tendance à s'écarter de la surface du centreur sous l'action des contraintes exercées par le tube support de fil lors de la mise en route ou de l'arrêt.

In general, the invention therefore relates to a device allowing the positioning and the maintenance of a wire support tube during a winding operation, device comprising:

• - a centering element mounted free to rotate at the end of the arms of a pivoting stirrup enabling the support tube to be maintained in tangential contact with a driving cylinder,
• a blocking element capable of pressing against the internal periphery of the support tube, this element being arranged coaxially with the centering element,
  and it is characterized by the fact that said blocking element is constituted by a flexible, open ring, which partially surrounds the periphery of the centralizer and which can slide thereon between two limit positions so that the free end of said ring tends to move away from the surface of the centering device under the action of the stresses exerted by the wire support tube when starting or stopping.

The centering element according to the invention comprises, in known manner, a crown intended to come inside the tube and a support flange at the end of the tube, possibly having notches allowing the thread to be grasped during the launch to constitute a connecting tail. Optionally, the centering element is associated with braking means making it possible to immobilize it for removing a coil finished and the installation of an empty support tube.

The blocking element associated with the centering device can take various forms, all of which are part of the present invention.

This blocking element can be constituted by an open metal rod, this rod being disposed inside a groove formed at the periphery of the crown. This groove, the depth of which corresponds substantially to the thickness of the rod, is practiced only over a part of the periphery over a length slightly greater than that of the said rod, so as to be able to form a stop against which the end of the rods.

Alternatively, the rod may have ends curved inward, ends intended to come into recesses separated from each other by a raised part also forming a stop for said ends.

The flexible ring can also be constituted by a split ring, made of plastic or metal, also held in a groove provided at the periphery of the crown, this ring also being able to slide on the crown between two limit positions. According to another embodiment in accordance with the invention, the flexible ring also consists of a rod and this rod is arranged in a groove provided under the surface of the crown, this surface having recesses allowing the passage of curved parts radially of the rod, parts directed towards the inside of the tube and intended not only to ensure its blocking but also to facilitate the positioning of the centering device inside the tube.

• - la figure 1 est une vue d'ensemble en perspective d'une position de bobinage équipée d'un dispositif conforme à l'invention,
• - la figure 2 est une vue en pespective, schématique, d'un élément centreur conforme à l'invention,
• - la figure 3 est une demi-vue en coupe selon l'axe AA de la figure 2,
• - les figures 4 et 5 sont des vues schématiques en coupe transversale montrant le fonctionnement d'un élément centreur conforme à l'invention, la figure 4 illustrant la position des différents éléments les uns par rapport aux autres lors du fonctionnement normal et la figure 5 illustrant la phase de blocage, notamment lors de l'arrêt du bobinage,
• - la figure 6 est une vue en perspective, éclatée, illustrant les principaux dispositifs conformes à l'invention,
• - la figure 7 illustre également en perspective le dispositif centreur après mise en place de l'élément de blocage ainsi que l'amorce d'un tube de renvidage destiné à être monté sur ce centreur.

The invention and the advantages which it brings will however be better understood thanks to the exemplary embodiments given below by way of indication but not limitation and which are illustrated by the appended diagrams in which:

• FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of a winding position equipped with a device according to the invention,
• FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a centering element according to the invention,
• FIG. 3 is a half-view in section along the axis AA of FIG. 2,
• - Figures 4 and 5 are schematic cross-sectional views showing the operation of a centering element according to the invention, Figure 4 illustrating the position of the various elements relative to each other during normal operation and Figure 5 illustrating the blocking phase, in particular when winding stops,
• FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the main devices according to the invention,
• - Figure 7 also illustrates in perspective the centering device after installation of the locking element as well as the initiation of a winding tube intended to be mounted on this centering.

Figure 1 illustrates in perspective a winding position equipped with a centering device according to the invention.

If we refer to this figure 1, the winding device consists essentially of a stirrup pivoting about a fixed axis (1) during the formation of the winding; this bracket consists essentially of two parallel arms (2-3) on which are mounted, free in rotation, elements (4) for positioning and holding the wire support tube (5) against the drive cylinder (6) . In the following description, these positioning and holding elements will be designated by the expression "centering".

One of the arms (in this case arm 3) can be moved laterally (position shown in dotted in Figure 1) to facilitate the establishment of an empty support and removal of the winding finished.

Figures 2,3, 4 and 5 illustrate the structure and operation of a centering device (4) produced in accordance with the invention.

If we refer to Figures 2 and 3, the centralizer according to the invention comprises a ring (7) intended to be inserted inside the support tube (8) (shown only in Figures 4 and 5) as well as 'A flange (9) preferably comprising peripheral notches (10) facilitating the taking of the wire and the formation of the reserve.

Such a centering element is mounted on the arm (3) (or 2) by means of bearings (not shown) and can be associated with braking means facilitating its immobilization when the winding stops.

₁ According to the invention, a blocking element (11) capable of coming to press against the internal periphery of the support tube (8) is provided around the crown (7).

According to the invention, this locking element (11) consists of a flexible, open ring, which partially surrounds the periphery of the crown (7). This flexible ring (11) is positioned inside a groove (12) formed in the crown (7). The groove (12) (or groove) has a depth such that the flexible ring (11) projects slightly beyond the surface of said crown (7). Furthermore, the length of the groove (12) is slightly greater than the length of the ring (11).

This ring can be based on any conventional material, such as plastic, metal and possibly has ridges (13) on its surface, ridges which promote adhesion with the interior of the tube (8). Maintaining the flexible ring (11) inside the groove (12) can, if necessary, be ensured by full parts.

The operation of such a centralizer is as follows. In normal operation (see Figure 4), the blocking element constituted by the flexible ring (11) assumes a position of equilibrium inside the groove (12), the ends (15-16) of the ring (11) being or not in contact with the edges (17-18) of the groove (12). If the tube (8) slips, for example when the winding operation is stopped, the end (15) of the flexible ring (11) comes to rest between the flange (18) of the groove (12), this rim (18) forming a stop (14). By baking, the end (17) of the flexible ring tends to move away from the bottom of the groove (12) and to come to press between the internal wall (19) of the tube, the force exerted being all the more important that the sliding stresses are high. We thus obtain in this way a perfect immobilization of the support tube (8) relative to the centralizing element itself.

As said previously, the flexible open ring which ensures the blocking of the support tube (8) relative to the centralizer, can be in different forms. Thus, it could be constituted by a simple metal rod of circular section, this rod being able to have ends (15-16) curved inwards and guided in grooves, spaced from one another, and forming a stop for limit the sliding of the rod relative to the centering device and thus allow the free end to be moved towards the support tube.

Figures 6 and 7 illustrate another embodiment of a centering element according to the invention.

In this embodiment, the actual centering element (4) comprises, as before, a crown (7) and a flange (9). The diameter of the crown (7) corresponds substantially to the internal diameter of the tube (8) on which the wire is to be wound.

In this embodiment, the blocking element preventing the support tube (8) from sliding relative to the centralizer, is constituted by a flexible, open ring. This flexible ring is constituted by a metal rod which has at its periphery curved parts (20) arranged radially which, also, can be striated on the surface in order to improve the adhesion with the interior of the tube. This ring is arranged inside the crown (7) and the curved parts (20) are introduced into slots (21), three in number in the example illustrated in Figures 6 and 7. The internal part of the centralizer also includes a stop (not visible in Figures 6 and 7) against which can bear the ends (22-23) of the flexible open ring. The operation of such a device is similar to that illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the flexible ring also sliding when the stresses are exerted by the support tube so that one of these ends (22) or (23 ) come to bear against the internal stop, the free end then having a tendency to move away from the surface of the crown (7) and, consequently, coming to press against the internal surface of the support tube (8 ).

Such a device not only ensures effective blocking of the support tube but also promotes the establishment of this tube by the presence of returns (20) which serve as guide elements.

Compared with prior devices, the invention has a very large number of advantages. First of all, such a device is very simple, is easily mounted and dismountable and is therefore very economical to produce. In addition, it makes it possible to compensate for variations in surface area and / or in diameter presented by the wire support tubes. Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but it also covers all of them. variants made in the same spirit. Thus, such a device can be used not only in the case of a winding for tangential drive, but also in all cases where there is a risk of sliding of a tube driven in rotation and whose maintenance is ensured by means a centralizer.

Claims (6)

1 / Device for positioning and maintaining a wire support tube (8) during a winding operation, device comprising: a centralizing element (4) mounted to rotate freely at the end of the arms (2-3) of a pivoting stirrup making it possible to maintain the support tube in tangential contact with a driving cylinder (6), a blocking element capable of pressing against the internal periphery of the support tube (8), this element being arranged coaxially with the centering element (4),
characterized by the fact that said blocking element is constituted by a flexible, open ring (11) which partially surrounds the periphery of the centering device and which can slide thereon between two limit positions so that the free end of said ring tends to move away from the surface of the centering device under the action of the stresses exerted by the wire support tube when starting or stopping. 2 / Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the centering device comprises a crown (7) intended to be introduced inside the support tube as well as a flange (9), characterized in that the element blocking (11) associated with said centering device consists of a flexible, open ring, which partially surrounds the periphery of the crown (7), this flexible ring (11) being positioned inside a groove (12) whose length is slightly greater than the length of said ring (11). 3 / Device according to claim 2 characterized in that the flexible ring (11) consists of a metal rod of circular section. 4 / device according to claim 3 characterized in that the rod has ends (15-16) curved inward, ends guided in grooves, spaced from one another, and forming a stop for limit the sliding of said rod relative to the centering device and allow the free end to be moved apart in the direction of the support tube. 5 / Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the blocking element is constituted by a flexible ring (rod) which has at its periphery curved parts (20), arranged radially, this ring being disposed inside of the centering device and the curved parts (20) being introduced into slots (21), said ends (22-23) of said open flexible ring being able to bear against an internal stop of the sliding of the support tube relative to the centering element . 6 / Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the surface of the locking element comprises ridges (13) promoting adhesion with the interior of the tube (8).

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