EP1731650B1

EP1731650B1 - Doffing apparatus of a high-speed high-stand fabric take-up device

Info

Publication number: EP1731650B1
Application number: EP05104852A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Shih-Chi Chen
Original assignee: Pai Lung Machinery Mill Co Ltd
Current assignee: Pai Lung Machinery Mill Co Ltd
Priority date: 2005-06-03
Filing date: 2005-06-03
Publication date: 2012-08-15
Anticipated expiration: 2025-06-03
Also published as: PL1731650T3; EP1731650A1

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a doffing apparatus of a fabric take-up device, particularly to a doffing apparatus of a high-speed high-stand fabric take-up device, which can promote the safety of fabric-winding and fabric-doffing operations.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

At present, the fabric completed by a knitting machine is wound up onto a roll by means of a fabric take-up device. However, the roll of fabric wound up by a small-size fabric take-up device has a diameter of only about 20 inches, and owing to its small fabric-storage volume, it is gradually obsolete. In order to meet the demand for higher fabric-storage volume, the industry has developed a high-speed high-stand fabric take-up device; as the roll of fabric wound up thereby can reach a diameter of up to about 46 inches, it is now widely applied in the industry.
A general high-speed high-stand fabric take-up device is usually formed of two side-frame casings sitting opposite to each other, a fabric-conveying apparatus, a fabric-winding apparatus used for taking up fabric, and a fabric-doffing apparatus used for unloading fabric. The fabric-conveying apparatus is primarily composed of several rollers, which are rotatably installed above two side-frame casings and convey fabric to the fabric-winding apparatus. The fabric-winding apparatus is primarily composed of two drive wheels and a fabric-winding rod, wherein two drive wheels are separately installed on the middle portions of two side-frame casings, and one face of the drive wheel has a rabbet extending to the perimeter of the drive wheel. From each end of the fabric-winding rod there protrudes a rod shaft. The fabric-winding rod is coupled to the drive wheels via engaging the rod shafts into the rabbets, and the drive wheels can drive the fabric-winding rod to rotate in order to undertake a fabric take-up operation. The fabric-doffing apparatus is primarily formed of a rod and two support brackets, wherein the rod is rotatably installed between the portions near the bottoms of the side-frame casings; one end of each support bracket is coupled to the rod, and the other end of each support bracket is used to support the fabric-winding rod to span between two support brackets; via the rotation of the rod, the support brackets bring the fabric-winding rod to descend.
However, such a conventional high-speed high-stand fabric take-up device has the following disadvantages:

1. As the rod shaft of the fabric-winding rod is coupled to the drive wheels via engaging the rod shafts into the rabbets of the drive wheels, the coupling effect is inferior, and it is likely that the fabric-winding rod decouples from the drive wheels when the rotation speed of the fabric rod increases.
2. Currently, the fabric-doffing operation is performed by an operator. As the weight of the fabric on the fabric-winding rod is appreciable now, it is a certain risk that an operator be contused by a fastly descending fabric roll. Therefore, a lifter is usually used to unload the fabric rolls. The lifter can solve the problem of personnel contusion; however, it has an appreciable volume, and a special aisle needs to be reserved for the lifter, which will decrease the number of the fabric take-up devices installed inside the factory and reduce the overall productivity.

GB 2 205 332 A

claim

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to further improve a system comprising a doffing apparatus and a fabric take-up device according to the preamble of claim 1 such that not only the safety of fabric-winding operation can be improved but also the safety of fabric-doffing operation can be further enhanced when removing the take-up roll for replacement.
This problem is solved by a doffing apparatus and a high-speed high-stand fabric take-up device according to claim 1. Further advantageous embodiments are the subject-matter of the dependent claims.
According to the present invention the safety of fabric-winding operation is improved by enhancing the connection between the drive wheels and the fabric-winding rods. Furthermore, according to the present invention also the safety of the fabric-doffing operation is improved by more efficiently decelerating the rotation speed of the support brackets that sustain the fabric-winding rod.
A doffing apparatus of a fabric take-up device of the present invention comprises: a couple of control handles, a couple of safety pins, a rod, a couple of support brackets, and a couple of hydraulic cylinders. The couple of control handles are separately installed on two side-frame casings sitting opposite to each other. Each control handle has a fixed end and a movable end. The fixed end is fixed to the interior of the side-frame casing, and the movable end projects through an opening of the side-frame casing to the exterior of the side-frame casing. Each safety pin penetrates the corresponding drive wheel. One end of a respective safety pin is fixed to the associated control handle, and the connection and disconnection between the other end of the safety pin and the rod shaft of the fabric-winding rod can be implemented by shifting the movable end of the control handle. The rod is rotatably installed between two side-frame casings. One end of support bracket is fixed to the rod, and the other end of the support bracket has a longitudinal notch, which is used to rotatably support the fabric-winding rod to span between two support brackets. The couple of hydraulic cylinders are separately disposed in the two side-frame casings. One end of a respective hydraulic cylinder is pivotably installed to a respective side-frame casing, and the other end of a respective hydraulic cylinder has a cylinder shaft, which can move back and forth along the hydraulic cylinder, wherein the external end of the cylinder shaft is pivotably installed to the support bracket. The hydraulic cylinders can provide a buffer force to better decelerate the rotation of the support bracket.
The preferred embodiments and the technical contents of the present invention are to be described below in cooperation with the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig.1: is a perspective assembly diagram showing that the doffing apparatus of the present invention is assembled to a high-speed high-stand fabric take-up device.
Fig.2: is a perspective assembly diagram from the identical viewing angle of Fig.1, wherein the coupling relationship between the drive wheel and the doffing apparatus inside the side-frame casing is particularly illustrated.
Fig.3: is an exploded view showing a portion of elements of the doffing apparatus of the present invention.
Fig.4A: to Fig.4C show the procedures of the fabric-doffing operation via the doffing apparatus of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PERFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The doffing apparatus of a high-speed high-stand fabric take-up device 100 as shown in Fig. 1 to 3 is applicable to a fabric take-up device having a higher fabric-storage volume. In the current embodiment, the fabric take-up device 100 at least comprises: two side-frame casings 110 disposed opposite to each other, a fabric-winding rod 120, and two drive wheels 130. Two hollow rod shafts 121 separately project the ends of the fabric-winding rod 120. One side of the drive wheel 130 has a rabbet 131, and one end of the rabbet 131 extends to the perimeter of the respective drive wheel 130. The shape of the rod shaft 121 mates with the contour of the rabbet 131, and the shape of the rod shaft 121 is preferably rectangular. The rod shaft 121 can be engaged to the drive wheel 130 via the rabbet 131. The drive wheels 130 are linked to a transmission mechanism (not shown in the drawings) and drive the fabric-winding rod 120 to rotate between two side-frame casings 110 and wind fabric up.
The doffing apparatus comprises: a couple of control handles 140, a couple of safety pins 150, a rod 160, a couple of support brackets 170, and a couple of hydraulic cylinders 180. The couple of control handles 140 are separately installed on the two side-frame casings 110. Each control handle 140 has a fixed end 141 and a movable end 142. The fixed end 141 is fixed to the interior of the associated side-frame casing 110, and the respective movable end 142 projects through an opening 111 of the associated side-frame casing 110 to the exterior of the side-frame casing 110. Each safety pin 150 penetrates the corresponding drive wheel 130. One end of the safety pin 150 is fixed to the control handle 140, and the other end of the safety pin 150 is normally inserted through the hollow rod shaft 121 and coupled to the fabric-winding rod 120. The rod 160 is rotatably installed between two side-frame casings 110 and near the bottom of two side-frame casings 110. Each support bracket 170 is installed between the fabric-winding rod 120 and the rod 160. One end of the support bracket 170 is fixed to the rod 160, and the other end of the support bracket 170 has a longitudinal notch 171, which is used to support the fabric-winding rod 120 to span between two support brackets 170. The couple of hydraulic cylinders 180 are separately disposed in two side-frame casings 110. One end of the hydraulic cylinder 180 is pivotably installed to the side-frame casing 110, and the other end of the hydraulic cylinder 180 has a cylinder shaft 181, which can move back and forth along the hydraulic cylinder 180, and the external end of the cylinder shaft 181 is pivotably installed to the support bracket 170. As the safety pin 150 is normally inserted through the hollow rod shaft 121 of the fabric-winding rod 120, the connection between the drive wheel 130 and the rod shaft 121 of the fabric-winding rod 120 is thus enhanced. In other words, in addition to the engagement between the drive wheel 130 the rod shaft 121 via the rabbet 131, the design of the safety pins 150 further promotes the safety of fabric-winding operation by preventing that the fabric-winding rod 120 separates from the drive wheel 130.
As shown in Fig. 3, a movable positioning bolt 112 is installed on either of the side-frame casings 110 and near the drive wheel 130, and the drive wheel 130 has a positioning hole 132 on its perimeter. When a fabric-doffing operation is to be performed, the positioning bolt 112 is inserted into the positioning hole 132 lest the drive wheel 130 rotate once more, and the rabbet 131 of the drive wheel 130 can also be oriented to a transverse direction so that the rod shaft 121 of the fabric-winding rod 120 can be easily disengaged from the rabbet 131.
The fabric-doffing process is to be described below in detail with reference to Fig. 4A to Fig. 4C. As shown in Fig. 4A, when the fabric-doffing operation is to be performed, firstly, the positioning bolt 112 is inserted into the positioning hole 132 lest the drive wheel 130 rotate again and so that the rabbet 131 of the drive wheel 130 can also be oriented to a transverse direction. Next, the movable end 142 of the control handle 140 is shifted to draw the safety pin 150 away from the rod shaft 121 of the fabric-winding rod 120, also as shown in Fig. 4A. And next, the fabric-winding rod 120 is moved to enable the rod shafts 121 of the fabric-winding rod 120 to disengage from the rabbets 131 of the drive wheels 130. And then, the fabric-winding rod 120 sustained by the support brackets 170 moves downward along an arc path until it reaches an appropriate position where the fabric together with the fabric-winding rod 120 is doffed from the support brackets 170, as shown in Fig. 4B and Fig. 4C.
It is to be noted that when the support brackets 170 moves downward along the aforementioned arc path, the cylinder shafts 181 of the hydraulic cylinders 180 will gradually stretch out to buffer the descending speed of the support brackets 170 lest the fabric 10 together with the fabric-winding rod 120, whose weight is great, descend too fast and harm operators. Obviously, according to the spirit of the invention disclosed herein, a person skilled in the art can modify the buffer force of the hydraulic cylinders 180 according to the weight of the fabric roll so that the descending speed of the support brackets 170 can be appropriately adjusted and the safety and convenience of fabric-doffing operation can be promoted.
In the current embodiment, as the descending speed of the support brackets 170 is buffered by the hydraulic cylinders 180, the fabric together with the fabric-winding rod 120 can be doffed by an operator without usage of a lifter. Thus, a special aisle for the lifter as required in a conventional doffing apparatus is no more needed in the factory, and the number of the fabric take-up devices 100 can be increased to thereby further enhance productivity.
As shown in Fig. 2, a first limit switch 113 can be installed inside one of the side-frame casings 110. When the fabric-winding operation is being performed, the first limit switch 113 keeps contacting the control handle 140. When the fabric-doffing operation is to be performed, the control handle 140 is separated from the limit switch 113 by shifting the movable end 142, which can automatically switch off the power of the fabric take-up device 100 lest the drive wheel 130 rotate mistakenly, so that the safety of the fabric-doffing operation is improved.
As shown in Fig. 2, a second limit switch 114 can also be installed inside one of the side-frame casings 110. When the fabric-winding operation is being performed, the second limit switch 114 keeps contacting one of the support brackets 170. When the fabric-doffing operation is to be performed, the support bracket 170 is separated from the limit switch 114 by moving the fabric-winding rod 120, which can automatically switch off the power of the fabric take-up device 100, so that the safety of the fabric-doffing operation is improved.
In summary, because the safety pins further enhance the connection between the drive wheel and the rod shaft of the fabric-winding rod, the doffing apparatus of a high-speed high-stand fabric take-up device of the present invention can promote the safety of the fabric-doffing operation. Further, the connection and disconnection between the safety pins and the rod shafts of the fabric-winding rod is implemented just by shifting the control handle, so that the operation thereof is thus simple and quick. Furthermore, because according to the present invention the hydraulic cylinders provide the buffer force to enable the support brackets to gradually rotate, the descending speed of the support brackets can be reduced, so that the safety of the fabric-doffing operation is improved.
Those embodiments disclosed above are only to clarify the present invention but not to limit the scope of the present invention. Any equivalent modification and variation made by the persons skilled in the art is to be included within the scope of the present invention, and the scope of the present invention is to be dependent on the claims attached below.

Claims

A system comprising a doffing apparatus and a high-speed high-stand fabric take-up device (100),wherein said high-speed high-stand fabric take-up device (100) comprises at least:
two side-frame casings (110) sitting opposite to each other, a fabric-winding rod (120), two drive wheels (130) and a rod (160) rotatably installed between said side-frame casings (110); wherein

a rod shaft (121) protrudes at each end of said fabric-winding rod (120); and

said drive wheels (130) drive said fabric-winding rod to rotate between two said side-frame casings and roll fabric up; and wherein said doffing apparatus comprises:
a couple of control handles (140), separately installed on said two side-frame casings (110);

a couple of safety pins (150), separately penetrating its associated drive wheel (130), wherein one end of said safety pins (150) is fixed to its associated control handle, the relative position of said safety pins (150) being changeable via shifting a movable end of said control handles (140);

a couple of support brackets (170), wherein one end of said support brackets is fixed to the rod (160) and the other end of said support brackets has a longitudinal notch (171), which is used to support said fabric-winding rod (120) to span between said two support brackets (170); and

a couple of hydraulic cylinders (180), wherein one end of said hydraulic cylinders (180) is pivotably installed and the other end of said hydraulic cylinders (180) has a cylinder shaft (181), which can move back and forth along said hydraulic cylinder (180) and the external end of said cylinder shaft (181) is pivotably installed to said associated support bracket (170); and
wherein insertion of said safety pins (150) through said rod shaft (121) enhances the connection between said drive wheels (130) and said rod shaft (121) of said fabric-winding rod (120); and
said hydraulic cylinders (180) provide a buffer force to decelerate the rotation speed of said support brackets (170); characterized in that said hydraulic cylinders (180) are separately disposed in said two side-frame casings (110) and that each said control handle (140) has a fixed end (141) and a movable end (142), wherein said fixed ends (141) are fixed to the interior of said side-frame casings (110) and each of said movable ends (142) projects through an opening (111) of a respective side-frame casing (110) to the exterior of said side-frame casing, wherein said one end of said hydraulic cylinders (180) is pivotably installed to its associated side-frame casing (110) and a rabbet (131) is provided on a face of said drive wheels (130), said rabbet extending to the perimeter of a respective drive wheel (130) so that said rod shafts (121) of said fabric-winding rod (120) can be engaged to said drive wheels (130) via said rabbets (131).
The system according to claim 1, wherein the doffing apparatus further comprises a positioning bolt (112) movably installed to a respective one of said side-frame casings (110), wherein said drive wheels (130) have a positioning hole (132) and, when a fabric-doffing operation is to be undertaken, via inserting said positioning bolts (112) into a respective one of said positioning holes (132), said rabbets (131) of said drive wheels (130) are oriented to a transverse direction lest said drive wheels (130) rotate again and so that said rod shaft (121) of said fabric-winding rod (120) can be easily disengaged from said rabbet (131).
The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the doffing apparatus further comprises a first limit switch (113) disposed inside either said side-frame casing (110), wherein, when a fabric-winding operation is being undertaken, said first limit switch (113) keeps contacting said control handle (140), when a fabric-doffing operation is to be undertaken, via shifting said movable end (142) of said control handle (140), said control handle (140) is separated from said first limit switch (113), and the power is automatically switched off thereby so that the safety of said fabric-doffing operation can be promoted.
The system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the doffing apparatus further comprises a second limit switch (114) disposed inside either said side-frame casing (110), wherein when a fabric-winding operation is being undertaken, said second limit switch (114) keeps contacting one of said support brackets (170), when a fabric-doffing operation is to be undertaken, via moving said fabric-winding rod (120), said fabric-winding rod (120) is separated from said second limit switch (114), and the power is automatically switched off so that the safety of said fabric-doffing operation can be promoted.