EP0510140B1 - Machine for automatically inserting warp threads - Google Patents

Abstract

PCT No. PCT/CH91/00229 Sec. 371 Date Jul. 1, 1992 Sec. 102(e) Date Jul. 1, 1992 PCT Filed Nov. 12, 1991 PCT Pub. No. WO92/08830 PCT Pub. Date May 29, 1992.The drawing-in machine contains a drawing-in frame having a clamped warp-thread layer, a selecting member for selecting the individual warp threads of the warp-thread layer, and an apparatus for presenting the selected warp threads to a drawing-in member. The apparatus for presenting the warp threads has a transport clamp (31) of adjustable stroke for the controlled transport of the separated thread end to a position to be received by the drawing-in member, a guide element (32) for controlling the thread during the transport operation and a thread holding device (21) for controlling the thread during the drawing-in. Full control of the thread is thereby ensured, and faults are largely eliminated.

Description

The present invention relates to a machine for automatically pulling warp threads into the harness of a weaving machine from a warp thread layer, with a device having a separating element for dividing the individual warp threads of the warp thread layer, and with a device for presenting the divided warp threads to a pulling element.

In the drawing-in machine USTER DELTA (USTER - registered trademark of Zellweger Uster AG) described in US Pat. No. 3,681,825, the divided warp threads are presented by first deflecting them laterally in the plane of the warp thread layer and then by a stroke adjustable in the longitudinal direction of the warp thread , finger-like organ are pressed into a position in which the take-over takes place by the pull-in organ. The thread is held at its cut upper end by a clamp and is tensioned during the presentation between its lower end, which is held by a clamping rail of the pull-in frame, and its upper end, which is held by said clamp, and the finger-like organ presses laterally against the tensioned Thread and slide along it.

As soon as the pull-in member formed by a hook has caught the thread presented to it, the upper clamp opens and the thread falls down uncontrollably and is drawn in at the same time, the pull-in taking place as a so-called "loop pull-in".

From EP-A-0 391 612 a device for the presentation of divided warp threads to a pull-in member is known, in which the thread to be pulled in is placed around halfway around a lever at the upper end, so that the divided end over one lowerable hook of the takeover position is fed. However, the sectioned end is only guided in an indefinite manner, which only runs smoothly at low retraction speeds.

Another device for presenting the warp threads is known from EP-A-0 158 933, in which the divided end of the warp thread is clamped with a clamping device and guided into a takeover position by this. In this device, the warp thread is not guided at all except at its two ends, which can easily lead to disturbances in the movement.

This known type of thread presentation is in need of improvement for several reasons. First, the positioning of the thread in the take-over position by the finger-like organ sliding along the thread is not very gentle on the thread and can possibly lead to breakage of the thread. Then the thread falling down in an uncontrolled manner can get caught, which would also lead to a malfunction. Since, of course, several threads cannot fall down at the same time, is ultimately the drawing frequency and thus the working speed of the drawing machine is limited.

The invention now provides a device for thread presentation which treats the thread as gently as possible and ensures full control of the thread. In addition, a higher pull-in frequency should be made possible.

According to the invention, this object is achieved in that the device for presenting the warp threads has a drivable transport clamp for the controlled transport of the separated thread end to a position for the take-over by the pull-in member and has first means for checking the thread during the transport process.

In contrast to the known presentation device, the thread does not fall down freely after being cut off, but is positively transported downwards by the transport clamp. Since it is fully under control over its entire length, any disruption caused by the thread catching is excluded. The use of the transport clamp opens up the possibility of staggering several threads to the transfer position at the same time and thereby increasing the drawing frequency.

A preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention is characterized by controlled positioning means for the thread arranged at the take-over position in the region of its severed end and by second means for checking the thread during the drawing-in.

Further features of the invention are set out in claims 2-13.

Fig. 1

eine perspektivische Gesamtdarstellung einer erfindungsgemässen Einziehmaschine,

Fig. 2, 3

eine Darstellung der Fadenpräsentationseinrichtung der Einziehmaschine von Fig. 1 in zwei Ansichten; und

Fig. 4

ein Detail von Fig. 3b.

The invention is explained in more detail below using an exemplary embodiment and the drawings; it shows:

Fig. 1

an overall perspective view of a drawing machine according to the invention,

2, 3

a representation of the thread presentation device of the drawing machine of Figure 1 in two views. and

Fig. 4

a detail of Fig. 3b.

According to FIG. 1, the drawing-in machine consists of a base frame 1 and of various assemblies arranged in it, each of which represents a functional module. In front of the base frame 1, a warp beam carriage 2 with a warp beam 3 arranged on it can be seen. The warp beam carriage 2 is coupled via the warp beam 3 to a device, hereinafter referred to as a lifting device 4, for receiving and holding a pull-in frame 5, on which the warp threads KF are stretched. This clamping takes place before the actual drawing in and at a location separate from the drawing machine, the drawing frame 5 being positioned at the lower end of the lifting device 4 in the immediate vicinity of the warp beam 3. For pulling in, the warp beam carriage 2 with the warp beam 3 and lifting device 4 is moved to the so-called upgrade side of the pulling-in machine and the pull-in frame 5 is lifted up by the lifting device 4 and suspended in the base frame 1, where it then assumes the position shown. The frame 5 is suspended in a transport device (not shown) mounted on the front upper longitudinal member 6 of the base frame 1.

During the pulling-in process, the frame 5 and the lifting device 4 with the warp beam carriage 2 and the warp beam 3 are shifted from left to right in the longitudinal direction of the beam 6. With this shifting, the warp threads KF are guided past a thread separating stage FT, which is a device for dividing the warp threads and for cutting off the divided warp threads KF and a device PR for presenting the cut warp threads to a pull-in needle 7, which forms part of the so-called pull-in module. The sectioning device used in the USTER TOPMATIC warp knitting machine can be used, for example, to separate the warp threads.

In addition to the pull-in needle 7, a monitor 8 can be seen, which belongs to an operating station and is used to display machine functions and machine malfunctions and for data input. The operating station, which forms part of a so-called programming module, also contains an input stage for the manual input of certain functions, such as, for example, crawl gear, start / stop, repetition of operations, and the like. The drawing-in machine is controlled by a control module containing a control computer, which is arranged in a control box 9. In addition to the control computer, this control box contains a module computer for each so-called main module, the individual module computers being controlled and monitored by the control computer. The main modules of the drawing machine are, in addition to the modules already mentioned, drawing module, yarn module, control module and programming module, the strand, the lamella and the sheet module.

The thread separation stage FT, which presents the warp threads KF to be drawn in to the pull-in needle 7, and the path of movement of the pull-in needle 7, which runs vertically to the plane of the stretched warp threads KF, determine a plane in the region of a support 10 forming part of the base frame, which supports the already mentioned upgrade side of the so-called disassembly side of the drawing machine. The warp threads and the individual elements into which the warp threads are to be fed are fed in on the upgrade side, and the so-called dishes (strands, lamellae and sheets) with the drawn-in warp threads can be removed on the tear-down side.

When all the warp threads KF have been drawn in and the frame 5 is empty, the latter is together with the lifting device 4, the warp beam carriage 2 and the warp beam 3 on the dismantling side and can be removed from the base frame 1.

Immediately behind the level of the warp threads KF are the warp thread guard slats LA, behind them the healds LI and even further behind the reed. The lamellae LA are stacked in hand magazines, and the full hand magazines are hung in inclined feed rails 11, on which they are transported to the right, towards the pull-in needle 7. There they are separated and brought into the feed position. After pulling in, the lamellae LA arrive on lamella support rails 12 on the dismantling side.

The strands LI are lined up on rails 13 and shifted to a separating stage thereon. Then the healds LI are individually brought into their retracted position and, after they have been drawn in, distributed to the corresponding heald frames 14 on the dismantling side. The reed is also moved past the pull-in needle 7 step by step, the corresponding sheet gap being opened for the feed. After it has been drawn in, the sheet is also on the dismantling side. To the right of the heald frames 14 is a part of the reed WB. This illustration is to be understood purely for illustrative purposes, since the reed is of course located on the upgrade page in the position of the frame 5 shown.

As can be seen from the figure, a so-called crockery trolley 15 is provided on the dismantling side. This is inserted together with the slat support rails 12, heald frames 14 and a holder for the reed attached to the base frame 1 in the position shown and carries the dishes with the drawn-in warp threads KF after being drawn in. At this point in time, the lifting device 4 and the warp beam carriage 2 with the warp beam 3 are located directly in front of the dishwashing carriage 15. Now the tableware is reloaded from the dishwashing carriage 15 onto the warp beam carriage 2, which then carries the warp beam 3 and the pulled-in dishes and can be driven to the weaving machine in question or to an interim storage facility.

The individual main modules of the drawing machine are made up of sub-modules, which are each intended for specific functions. However, this modular structure is not the subject of the present invention. In this connection, reference is made to CH patent application No. 3633/89. The sub-module PR which represents the divided warp threads of the pull-in needle 7 and which forms part of the yarn module will now be described below.

The entire yarn module consists essentially of the lifting device 4, the warp beam carriage 2, the pull-in frame 5 with its transport device and the thread separation stage FT, of which the presentation device PR forms a part. This submodule is shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b in a side view, with reference to FIG. 1, seen from the left, in FIGS. 3a and 3b in a rear view, in the direction of arrow III of FIG. 2b. FIGS. 2a and 3a are closed at the bottom and FIGS. 2b and 3b at the top each with a dash-dotted line and are to be thought of as being strung together at these end lines.

As shown, the presentation device PR essentially comprises an elongated base plate 16 fastened to the base frame 1 (FIG. 1), on which first rollers 17 for guiding and driving a guide belt 18 extending from above to approximately the center of the base plate 16, second rollers 19 for Guiding and driving one over the entire length of the base plate 16 reaching transport belt 20, and a thread holding device 21 extending downstream of the guide belt 18 are arranged. In addition, a thread positioning stage is provided in the area of the lower deflection point of the transport belt 20, which is shown in FIG. 4 and symbolized in FIGS. 2b and 3b by a piece of thread F drawn with double dashes.

As can be seen in FIGS. 3a and 3b, on the side of the base plate 16 facing away from the belts 18 and 20, which are each toothed belts, a motor 22 is fastened, which drives a shaft 23 via a further belt, towards which a roller 19 or 24 is mounted on both sides of the base plate 16. The right roller 19 in FIG. 3b is the drive roller for the transport belt 20, the left roller 24 drives a toothed belt 25 which drives the lower roller 17 serving as a drive for the guide belt 18 via a roller 26 (FIG. 3a). At least the drive rollers are designed as toothed belt wheels.

The drive mechanism described ensures that the transport and guide belts 20 and 18 are driven at a constant speed ratio. Several belt guides are arranged along the path of the two belts 18 and 20. With the reference numeral 27 is a guide rail in the manner of a support and with 28 a channel-like Guide with laterally projecting edges for the guide belt 18. The reference number 29 denotes a channel-like guide and the reference number 30 also a channel-like guide rail for the transport belt 20.

The guide belt 18 is clockwise and the transport belt 20 is driven counterclockwise, so that the two belts run in the same direction from top to bottom in the region of the guide rails 27 and 30. Resilient transport clamps 31 are arranged at regular intervals along the transport belt 20, of which only three are shown in FIG. 2a. The mutual distance between the transport clamps 31 is 130 mm, and accordingly the entire length of the base plate 16 is slightly more than 1 meter. Deflection hooks 32 are arranged along the guide belt 18 with half the pitch of the transport clamps 31, that is to say at intervals of 65 mm, of which only five are shown in FIG. 2a. As can be determined by remeasuring, the transport belt 20 and the guide belt 18 always run eight transport clamps 31 or deflection hooks 32 simultaneously from top to bottom.

If a warp thread is divided, it is stretched between an upper and a lower clamping rail of the pull-in frame 5 (FIG. 1) as before dividing and is offered in this position in the region of the upper clamping rail the deflection hook 32, the path of which it crosses. The thread is in the area of upper clamping rail held by a separator, not shown, cut and placed with the upper end of the lower part over the deflection hook 32 and inserted into the open transport clamp 31; this position is shown in Fig. 2a above. The transport clamp 31 then closes and clamps the thread. At this moment both belts 18 and 20 stand still. The transport clamp 31 and the deflection hook 32 are then moved downward, the thread being tensioned from the lower clamping rail of the pull-in frame 5 (FIG. 1) over the deflection hook 32 to the transport clamp 31. So that the thread remains tensioned during its transport, the transport clamp 31 runs twice as fast as the deflection hook 32, or in other words, the transport belt 20 is driven twice as fast as the guide belt 18.

As soon as the next deflecting hook 32 detects the next divided thread, the process described is repeated, so that eight threads can always be transported simultaneously from top to bottom, staggered and intermittent. As soon as a transport clamp 31 arrives at the bottom left in the area of the drive roller 19 in FIG. 2 b, which occurs exactly at a point in time when the transport belt 20 is at a standstill, the thread is transferred to the positioning stage shown in FIG is opened. Then the pull-in needle 7 (FIG. 1) takes over the thread.

At the time of takeover by the pull-in needle 7, the thread must be released from its deflection hook 32 with certainty, since the pull-in takes place at a speed which is several times higher than the transport through the transport clamps 31. After the release by the deflection hook 32, the thread is checked by the thread holding device 21. This is the continuation of the guide rail 30 and it is designed in the manner of a guide channel or guide shaft. The front of this channel facing the viewer is covered by a strip 34 except for one slot. This strip is provided on its inside with a bristle band 35, the bristles of which extend up to a wall 36 which laterally closes off the guide channel. At the upper end of the guide channel, a bow-like thread guide 37 is provided, through which the thread is guided from the deflection hook 32 into the thread holding device 21. In this, the thread slides when it is pulled out between the wall 36 and the bristles lying against it, both of which act together as a thread brake. As a result, the thread is always tensioned in this phase and never gets out of control. In the area of the lower end of the wall 36, a window-like recess 44 is provided for monitoring the thread movement by a sensor.

Fig. 4 shows a view of the positioning stage, in which the thread for the takeover by the pull-in needle 7 (Fig. 1) is positioned. The figure is an enlarged detail of FIG. 3b, the pneumatic plunger 33 for opening the transport clamps 31 being omitted for the sake of clarity. The lower end of the base plate 16 and the shaft 23 with the rollers 24 and 19 can be seen in the figure. On the circumference of the roller 19, a clamping element 31 'is shown, by means of which the transport clamps 31 (FIG. 2a) are fastened to the transport belt 20.

At a distance from the base plate 16, a first carrier plate 39 is held via first spacer pins 38, on which a second carrier plate 41 is mounted via second spacer pins 40. The first carrier plate 39 also serves as a stop for a first pneumatic clamping plunger 42 mounted in the base plate 16, the end face of which, in the idle state, lies at the level of the right end face of the roller 19, and which, when activated, is moved to the right against the first carrier plate 39 until he is in contact with it in the active position shown. A second pneumatic clamping plunger 43 is mounted in the second carrier plate 41 and, when activated, is moved from the rest position shown to the left against the roller 19 and comes to a stop on its adjacent end face.

As a comparison of FIGS. 3b and 4 shows, the thread is in position F, in which it is offered to the position level, relatively weakly inclined and is then brought by the clamping plungers 42 and 43 into the takeover position F 'shown in FIG. 4, in which it is brought into the path of the schematically drawn pull-in needle 7 and is grasped by its hook-shaped mouth and clamped therein.

As has already been mentioned, both the opening of the transport clamps 31 for releasing the thread and their closing when the thread is taken over when the transport belt 20 is at a standstill. During the drawing in by the retracting needle 7, the next transport clamp 31 arrives at the pneumatic plunger 33 and it becomes the next one Thread taken over, and so on. Since eight threads run through the PR device at the same time, eight times the threading time is available for one thread, so that a safe thread presentation is guaranteed even at a high threading frequency.

Claims (13)

1. Machine for the automatic drawing-in of warp threads into the harness of a weaving machine from a warp-thread layer, having an apparatus for selecting the individual warp threads of the warp-thread layer, which apparatus has a separating member, and an apparatus (PR) for presenting the warp threads to a drawing-in member, characterised in that the apparatus (PR) for presenting the warp threads (KF) has a plurality of transport clamps (31) which are arranged in a circulating manner and feed the ends of a plurality of selected threads simultaneously in a staggered manner to a position where the threads are taken over by the drawing-in member and in that the apparatus (PR) also has a controlling apparatus (17, 18, 32, 21), which always keeps the threads to be drawn in under tension.
2. Machine according to Claim 1, characterised in that the controlling apparatus has a circulating guide belt (18), provided with deflection hooks, and a thread-holding device (21) having a guide shaft provided with bristles.
3. Machine according to Claim 2, characterised in that the circulating guide belt is coupled in its movement to the transport clamp (31).
4. Machine according to Claim 3, in which the warp-thread layer is vertically clamped between two clamping rails of a frame, and the separating member is arranged adjacent to the top clamping rail and the drawing-in member is arranged adjacent to the bottom clamping rail, characterised in that, when the transport clamp (31) transports a separated thread end, the deflection hook (32) lies above the transport clamp, the thread running from the bottom clamping rail to the deflection hook and from the latter to the transport clamp and being clamped by the deflection hook.
5. Machine according to Claim 4, characterised in that the deflection hook (32) and is driven at half the speed of the transport clamp (31).
6. Machine according to Claim 5, characterised in that a plurality of transport clamps (31) at a distance apart and deflection hooks (32) at a distance apart are provided, the mutual distance between the latter being half as large as that between the transport clamps.
7. Machine according to Claim 6, characterised in that the transport clamps (31) and the deflection hooks (32) are each arranged on a drive belt (20 or 18), and in that the two drive belts each have a side running along the transport path of the separated thread end.
8. Machine according to Claim 7, characterised in that the side of the drive belt (18) of the deflection hooks (32) which runs along the transport path is shorter than that of the drive belt (20) of the transport clamps (31), and in that the thread-holding device (21) for controlling the thread during the drawing-in is arranged along the transport path following the drive belt of the deflection hooks.
9. Machine according to Claim 8, characterised in that the thread-holding device (21) is shaft-like and has a thread-discharge slot covered by elastic means (35).
10. Machine according to Claim 9, characterised in that the elastic means (35) are of bristle-like design.
11. Machine according to Claim 10, characterised by a pneumatically operable member (33), arranged in the area of the bottom end of the transport path, for opening the transport clamps (31).
12. Machine according to one of Claims 2 to 11, characterised in that the positioning means (42, 43) are formed by two clamping pistons arranged at a distance apart and adjustable relative to a stop (39 or 19), in the clamping position of which clamping pistons the thread, in its end area, is presented in a defined position (F') to the drawing-in member (7).
13. Machine according to Claim 12, characterised in that the clamping pistons (42, 43) are formed by pneumatically operable plungers.

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