EP0192014B1 - Cleaning apparatus for textile machines - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to an operating method for a cleaning device for weaving machines, in which the cleaning device (1) has a track-guided travel drive (5, 8) and at least one drivable functional element (3, 13) arranged thereon for actuating cleaning agents (4, 4a) , and wherein the cleaning device (1) can be steered automatically with the aid of control means (5a) to a specific weaving machine and can carry out programmed cleaning operations there.

A strong dust formation (flight formation) can be observed in weaving mills, especially when using cotton. The flight consists primarily of fibers, which can accumulate on machine parts and on the operating floor to form larger cushions. For trouble-free production, regular removal of the flight accumulations is necessary. B. cleaning devices operated by the operating personnel.

There is also known an automatic cleaning device attached to the ceiling of the room (CH-PS 419931), which moves back and forth over textile machines in a certain, always the same working cycle, producing different air flows over the textile machines on the way there and on the way back . By changing the direction of flow of the blown air, flight deposits in dead corners can be avoided. In other known cleaning devices, organs with blowing and suction openings are used at the same time. The blowing organs are swung back and forth in some versions to expand their range of action.

Such devices can reduce the pollution of textile machines, but this does not allow targeted, intensive cleaning at places that are particularly vulnerable to flight.

If the described devices are not used in a textile company, the operating personnel must carry out cleaning work from time to time. Such work requires a great deal of effort, since the cleaning devices and cleaning organs have to be guided by hand and, with the often considerable machine dimensions, wide gripping spaces have to be overcome. When the machine is running, cleaning by hand is sometimes not possible at all because of the risk of an accident.

The object of the invention is to overcome the disadvantages of known solutions described. The invention is characterized in that instructions about the cleaning operation to be carried out are received by a transmitter of the weaving machine via a sensor in the cleaning device and are implemented in the control means in movements of the travel drive and in individual cleaning operations by means of the functional elements.

The cleaning device can be used at regular intervals, for example, for cleaning parts of one or more textile machines that are particularly vulnerable to flight, with or without machine downtime. When using the cleaning device on weaving machines, for example, the flight of thread-carrying parts can be sucked off in the inlet area of the weft thread. In another mode of operation, the warp threads of weaving machines can be continuously freed of loose fibers, which would lead to warp thread breaks in larger collections. Through the continuous use of one or more cleaning devices, a higher operational efficiency can be achieved while increasing the fabric quality.

In the event of warp or article changes on weaving machines, intensive cleaning operations, for example the suctioning of large accumulations of flights inside machines, can also be carried out by a cleaning device according to the invention without the use of personnel according to the invention.

When arranging several functional organs, e.g. B. nozzles, independent cleaning processes can be carried out simultaneously on a cleaning device. Organs in the lower area of the cleaning device keep the floor of the weaving room clean while driving.

In contrast to known cleaning devices which are suspended above the machines on separate rails, no flight can fall onto the textile machines in the device according to the invention. Investment costs can be saved by eliminating separate hanging rails. The precise guidance of the nozzles close to the cleaning object means that less air flow can be used. This means that the ventilation systems can be dimensioned smaller than with conventional devices.

The invention is described in more detail below in a preferred embodiment with reference to the figures. Show it:

Fig. 2 cleaning devices on a shutdown loom, Fig. 2, 2a each a cleaning device at a disposal station, Fig. 3 a cleaning device with various auxiliary devices, Fig. 4, 5 an embodiment of a detail, in cross-section along line IV-IV and longitudinal section Line VV, partially in view, Fig. 5a, b, c explain associated details of modified embodiments on a larger scale.

In FIG. 1, two cleaning devices 1 work simultaneously on a weaving machine 2 containing a machine frame 101, a tensioning tree 102, shafts 103 and a goods take-off roller 104 during the article change (e.g. using different warp and weft material for the purpose of producing a different fabric). The warp and fabric tree are removed from the weaving machine. On each cleaning device 1, two drivable robot arms 3, 13 are arranged in the upper area as functional elements. Suction nozzles 4 or blowing nozzles 4a are attached as cleaning agents. The lower area of the cleaning device 1 is a travel drive 5. With an electrical receiver (sensor) 6 in the lower part of the cleaning device, an electri see, transmitter 7 arranged on the weaving machine, taking contactless instructions about the cleaning operations to be carried out. If the cleaning program is stored in electronic control means 5a of the cleaning device, a short sequence of signals is sufficient for transmission, whereby the cleaning program in device 1 is called up.

In the floor 5b of the weaving mill there is an induction track 8 with which the cleaning devices 1 are guided through the operation. A control center determines the route to the weaving machine.

The cleaning device on the right in Fig. Is at the connection points 9 with couplings 10 for supply z. B. connected with compressed air and electrical current via lines 86. The connection of the coupling 10 of the device 1 with the connection point 9 of the weaving machine can, for. B. are automatically produced by one of the robot arms 3, 13 (Fig.5). At the bottom of the cleaning devices 1, suction hoses 11 are attached as further functional elements, through which dust and flight in the vicinity of the weaving room floor 5b can be suctioned off. Suction openings 12 are also provided on the underside of the driving unit 5 for direct suction.

A filter kettle 71 is provided in the upper part of the cleaning device 1. This can be emptied automatically at a disposal station or replaced by an empty replacement filter kettle. If necessary, the device 1 can also be disposed of via a central emptying device within the company.

In FIG. 2 there is a cleaning device 1 above a bottom opening 21, the cover plates 22 of which are laterally displaced. The contents of the filter kettle 71 in the cleaning device can be ejected downwards.

In FIG. 2a, a cleaning device 1 is moved laterally to a suction fan 23, which empties the filter kettle 71 of the cleaning device via a suction shaft 24. In an upper part 81 of the device 1, servomotors 82 are accommodated, by means of which the movement of the arms 3a, 13a, which are equipped with support disks 52 (FIG. 5) and can be controlled in a worm-like manner, can be controlled by means of pull cables 51.

3 shows a cleaning device 1 with various auxiliary devices. Various cleaning agents, e.g. B. blowing or suction nozzles 4a, 4, or other tools to choose from. For certain cleaning tasks, mechanical means, e.g. B. rotating brushes driven by compressed air may be appropriate. With a coupling device 32, the robot arm 3 z. B. the nozzle 4a automatically from the magazine 31. The supply lines (electricity and / or compressed air) 34 are arranged in Figure 3 above the induction track 8 of the cleaning device.

The cleaning device 1 is equipped with a guide arm 36 that can be swiveled by 74 according to arrow 90 for exact positioning relative to the weaving machine 2 indicated on the right in FIG. 3, to which a guide profile 37 for the device 1 is attached. The guidance of the cleaning device next to the textile machine is then transferred from the guide track 8 to the positioning device 36, 37.

4 and 5 are a cross-sectional or longitudinal section through the robot arm 3 with the coupling device 32. In the arm 3 there is an inner hose 94. This contains stacked, plate-shaped, with an essentially oval cross-section support disks 52 which are connected by cables 51 and a central support rope 51 a are held together. The cables 51 serving as control cables for the movement of the arm 3 are in bores 76, the support cable 51a is guided in bores 77 of the support disks 52. A compressed air supply channel 44 and two air return or suction channels 78, 79 are accommodated in the hose 41. The hose 41 is, for. B. made of flexible plastic. A support wire 42 (FIG. 5a) can be inserted to maintain the inherent stability of the hose 41 (central axis 92). The hose can also be designed as a corrugated tube 43 (FIG. 5b).

The coupling device 32 at the end of the arm 3a can be supplied with compressed air through a line 53, whereupon the flexible cylinder wall 54 bulges outwards into the position 54a shown in broken lines in FIG. B. the pushed-on nozzle 4a according to Fig.3 clamps from the inside. The cylinder wall 54, like the hose 41, is made of flexible plastic.

In the embodiment variant of the coupling device according to FIG. 5c, a cylindrical perforated support jacket 55 is attached to the outside around the flexible cylinder wall 54. On this z. B. the nozzle 4a are attached. If compressed air is introduced through line 53, the flexible wall 54 lies against the nozzle 4a from the inside in the form of a corrugation 54b shown in FIG. 5c, as a result of which it is held.

To fix the cleaning agent at the end of the robot arm 3, only a single valve inside the cleaning device 1 has to be opened, which allows the compressed air supply at 53 to the coupling device 32.

The movement-related parts for the drive and the movements of the robot arms 3, 13, 11 indicated by the arrows 95 are not all shown in detail. They are known from robot technology. With the cleaning device, certain aggregates of a weaving machine can also be cleaned during operation. With the cleaning device z. B. a machine can also be cleaned at specific, selected times or according to the degree of contamination.

Claims (6)

1. A method of operating a cleaning appliance for looms, the appliance (1) having a tracked propulsive drive (5, 8) and, disposed thereon, at least one drivable function element (3,13) for actuating cleaning means (4, 4a), the cleaning appliance (1) being automatically guidable by control means to a particular loom where it can perform programmed cleaning operations, characterised in that the cleaning appliance (1) receives, from a transmitter 7, by way of a sensor (6) in it, instructions about the cleaning operations to be performed on the loom (2) and such instructions are translated in the control means (5a) into movements of the drive (5) and into individual cleaning operations by means of the function elements (3,13).

2. An appliance for performing the method according to claim 1, the appliance (1) having a tracked propulsive drive (5, 8) and, disposed thereon, at least one drivable function element (3, 13) for actuating cleaning means (4, 4a), the cleaning appliance (1) being automatically guidable by control means to a particular loom where it can perform programmed cleaning operations, characterised in that a sensor (6) is disposed in the appliance (1) and a transmitter (7) for transmitting to the sensor (6) instructions about the cleaning operations to be performed is received in a loom (2), and an operative connection exists between the sensor (6) and the control means (5a) and between the same and the drive (5) and the function elements (3,13).

3. An appliance according to claim 2, characterised by automatically operated couplings (9, 10) for connecting the appliance (1) to supply lines (86) and disposal lines (24).

4. An appliance according to claim 2, characterised in that the function elements (3, 13) have passages for the supply of compressed air (44) and for air return (78, 79) respectively and carry blowing nozzles (4a) and suction nozzles (4) respectively at their end.

5. An appliance according to claim 4, characterised by a coupling (32) at the free end of a function element (3, 13), such coupling having a cylinder (54) which can be expanded by compressed air, engages a pushed-on nozzle (4, 4a) and retains such nozzle.

6. An appliance according to claim 2, characterised by means (36, 37) which rigidly connect the appliance (1) to the loom (2) and which locate the appliance (1) accurately relatively to the loom (2).

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