GB1600995A

GB1600995A - Open-end spinning machines

Info

Publication number: GB1600995A
Application number: GB2333177A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Platt Saco Lowell Ltd
Current assignee: Platt Saco Lowell Ltd
Priority date: 1978-05-26
Filing date: 1978-05-26
Publication date: 1981-10-21

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO OPEN-END SPINNING MACHINES (71) We, PLATO SACS LOWELL LI MITED, a British Company, of Holcombe Road, Helmshore, Rossendale, BB4 4NG, Lancashire, England, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to the frame construction for textile machines which produce yarns by the open-end spinning method.

In one hitherto known open-end spinning machine frame construction as described in United States Patent No. 3 977 168 the main frame comprises a series of rigid rectangular, tubular members connected in end-toend relationship between the end housings which contain the mechanical driving and pneumatic sources for the various spinning elements. Mounted on each of the vertical sides of the main frame are several brackets provided with upper and lower beam supporting surfaces. The upper surface of the bracket supports a beam extending along the machine in which are attached a plurality of yarn winding units. The lower surface of the bracket supports a further beam extending along the machine in which are housed the rotor bearing and driving elements and to which are attached a plurality of spinning units.

A disadvantage of the aforementioned frame construction is the many components involved each of which will require a machining operation. The necessity to carry out a large number of machining operations is economically undesirable as well as providing a source for errors. Furthermore, such a frame construction does not provide the optimum conditions for machine assembly, nor is it conducive to a desirable compact arrangement of the various elements of the machine.

In British Patent No. 1 387 867 an open-end spinning machine has a frame construction comprising of a series of hollow rectangular casings extending along each side of the machine so as to support the spinning units. Interposed between the adjacent end surfaces of the casings is a bulkhead to which the casings are attached and which extends transversely of the machine so as to support the casings on each side of the machine. In order to permit passage of the components required for driving the spinning elements, the bulkheads are provided with apertures in alignment with the interior of the casings. Extending centrally along the machine between the casings is a vacuum duct which communicates with each rotor chamber so as to create a sub-atmospheric pressure therein.

Such a frame construction does not provide a compact assembly and the provision of separate casings for each side of the machine complicates manufacturing procedures by entailing excessive machining operations which detract from the economic aspect of the machine.

In British Patent No. 1 345 993, and particularly referring to Figure 5 thereof, the bearings and driving components serving the spinning elements on both sides of the - machine are housed in a common casing. The chambers for the spinning rotors are formed in housings defining the sides of the casing and which are integral with the base of the casing. This design results in a very complicated configuration for the casing which, in practice, is exceedingly diffi-cult to manufacture.

According to a first aspect of the invention a frame construction in an open-end spinning machine comprises a first spinning unit supporting member extending along one side of the machine and a second spinning unit member extending along the other side of the machine, each supporting member consisting of substantially a plate having a plurality of apertures therein for receiving spinning unit housings, a plurality of cross-members extending between the supporting members and transverse thereto so as to interconnect them at spaced positions there along.

The spinning unit supporting members each have parallel upper and lower extremities and the cross-members do not project beyond the upper and lower extremities.

Preferably each of the plates is substantially planar.

Preferably each of the plates comprises a single component.

Preferably the plates each have a flange at the upper extremity thereof for assisting location of the plate on the cross members.

According to a preferred embodiment driving elements are provided for driving the spinning elements supported by the spinning unit housing, wherein said driving elements are located between the plates and within the upper and lower extremities thereof.

Preferably the frame further includes a suction duct extending along the machine communicating with each of the spinning units, wherein said suction duct is located between the plates and within the upper and lower extremities thereof.

Preferably the suction duct communicates with each of a plurality of spinning rotor chambers provided in the spinning unit housings, wherein said frame includes a further suction duct extending along the machine and communicating with each of a plurality of trash collection chambers associated with the spinning units, wherein said further suction duct is located between the plates and within the upper and lower extremities thereof.

The invention will now more particularly be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure I is a diagrammatic front elevation of an open-end spinning machine; Figure 2 is an isometric elevation of an intermediate frame section of the machine shown in Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a cross-sectional elevation through a main frame of the machine shown in Figure 1 showing the components of a spinning station at one side only.

Referring firstly to Figure 1, in which the spinning elements have not been indicated, in order more clearly to show the frame construction, two end housings, 1,2 serve to contain the primary mechanical driving and suction sources for the various spinning elements. Extending between the end housings 1, 2 is a series of main frames 3 which support on each side thereof a plurality of spinning units 4. The main frames 3 are connected together in end-to-end relationship to form a continuous beam between the end housings, 1, 2. The ends of the main frames adjacent to the end housings 1, 2 are connected thereto by means of spacer members 5. Mounted on top of each of the main frames 3 at each side thereof is a beam 6 on which are supported components of a plurality of winding units 7 as will later be described.

The main frames 3 receive further support from legs 8 of which there is one at each connection of the main frames 3 and one at a position mid-way between the ends thereof. The rigidity of the machine is enhanced by the provision of longitudinal tie beams 9 interconnecting each of the legs 8.

Three main frames 3 have been shown in Figure 1, but it should be appreciated that only one such frame may be required, or any number thereof consistent with the practical requirements of a particular installation.

The construction of the main frames 3 can be more clearly seen by reference to Figures 2 and 3.

Each main frame 3 comprises a longitudinal spinning unit supporting plate 10 extending along each side of the machine.

The plates 10 are each formed from a single flat sheet of metal having parallel upper and lower surfaces and lie in a vertical plane and are provided with a plurality of rectangular apertures 11 at equally spaced positions therealong. At each side of each aperture 11 is an inwardly directed rib member 12 provided with a fulcrum pin 13 which serves to pivotally support a spinning unit housing 56. At the upper end of the plates 10 an upper, inwardly directed flange 14 is formed, and at the lower end is formed an inwardly directed lower flange 15 which define the parallel upper and lower extremities of the plate 10.

The plates 10 are interconnected and spaced apart by cross members 16 of which there is one at each end of the main frame 3 and one mid-way along the length thereof.

The cross-members 16 comprise an Hsection web constituted by two upright side portions 17 interconnected by a crossportion 18. At each corner of each of the cross members is an integral machined corner portion 19, which extend by a small amount on each side of the web, on which the plates are located. The upper flange 14 overlie and are fixed to the top surfaces of the corner portions 19 and the vertical inner surfaces of the plates 10 abut against and are fixed to the outwardly facing vertical surfaces of the corner portions 19. In order to permit satisfactory seating of the plates 10 on the cross-member 16 is a chamfered portion 19a is formed on the two upper corner portions 19. The lower flange 15 of each plate 10 is spaced below and underlies the lower corner portions 19. Thus the cross-members 16 do not project beyond the upper and lower extremities of the plates 10.

Provided in each of the web side portions 17 are two openings constituted by upper and lower irregular pentagonal shaped cut outs 20 which permit passage therethrough of the driving elements for the spinning components as hereinafter described.

Fixed to the inwardly facing surface of the portion 18 of the two end cross members 16 and on each side of the portion 18 of the cross-member 16 intermediate the two ends are brackets 21. Each bracket 21 has two flanges 21a extending outwardly from the cross-members 16 and to which are attached longitudinal channels 22 extending along each side of the machine. The channels 22 extend between each of the bracket 21 thus enhancing the rigidity of the main frame and serving to support some of the driving elements as hereinafter described.

Extending between the side portions 17 at an upper position thereof so as to bridge the upper recesses indicated at 23 formed in each cross-menber 16 is a top girder 24.

Suspended from each of the girders 24 so as to pass through the upper recesses 23 is a longitudinally arranged suction duct 25.

Similarly a bottom girder 26 extends between the side portions 17 at a bottom position thereof upon which is supported a trash collection suctionn duct 27 which passes through the lower recesses, indicated at 28, formed in each cross member 16.

As seen in Figure 3 the main frame 3 is supported by a pair of legs 8 each of which is fixed to a respective one of the crossmembers 16 at the lower horizontal surfaces of its corner portions 19.

The housing 56 is pivotally supported on the fulcrum pin 13 so as to be located within the aperture 11. Supported by the housing 56 at a lower part thereof and within the confines of the main frame 3 is a feed roller countershaft 29 drivingly connected to a feed roller (not shown) which rotates within the housing 56. A driven gear wheel 30 is mounted upon the countershaft 29 and is in driving connection with a driving gear wheel 31 fixed to a drive shaft 32 extending along the machine and passing through the cutouts 20 so as to provide a drive to the feed rollers at the remaining stations. Support for the drive shaft 32 is provided by a plurality of brackets 33 fixed to the inside surface of the plates 10.

Rotatably supported by the housing 56 towards the lower region thereof is an opening roller shaft 34 at the front end of which is fixed an opening roller (not shown) to rotate within the housing 56. On the rear end of shaft 34 is mounted a driving pulley 35 drivingly connected to a drive belt 36 which extends along the machine through the cut-outs 20 and serves to drive the opening rollers at the remaining spinning stations. Jockey pulleys 37, resiliently mounted in brackets 38 fixed to the channels 22, are biased so as to maintain driving contact between the drive belt 36 and the driving pulley 35 during the spinning operation.

A spinning rotor shaft 39 is rotatably mounted at an upper region of the housing 56 and has fixed on its front end a spinning rotor (not shown) for rotation within a chamber (not shown) formed in the housing 56. The rear end of the rotor shaft 39 protrudes through the rear of the housing 56 so as to be drivingly engaged by a driving belt 40 extending along the machine, through the cut-outs 20 to provide a drive to the rotors at the remaining spinning stations.

Jockey pulleys 41, resiliently mounted in brackets 42 fixed to the channels 22, are biased so as to maintain driving contact between the driving belt 40 and the rotor shaft 39 during the spinning operation.

Positioned above the rotor shaft 39 is a brake block 43 which is engaged by the shaft 39 when the housing 56 is pivoted on the fulcrum pin 13 from the operative position as shown in Figure 3 to an inoperative position in which the driving connections between the pulley 35, and driving belt 36 and between the shaft 39 and driving belt 40 are broken.

A flexible pipe 44 communicates with a trash collection chamber (not shown) provided in the housing 56 so as to convey therefrom trash ejected from the opening roller to the trash suction duct 27. A flexible pipe 45 extends between the spinning rotor chamber (not shown) provided in the housing and the suction duct 25. During the spinning operation a vacuum is created within the suction duct 25 in order to create a fibre conveying airstream between the opening roller and the spinning rotor.

The yarn Y produced in the spinning rotor is removed therefrom through a yarn doffing tube 46 by a pair of delivery rollers 47, 48 mounted below the spinning unit 4 and supported by brackets 49 fixed to the plates 10 at spaced intervals therealong. The yarn Y then travels in a upward directon to the winding unit 7 positioned above the spinning unit 4 to be distributed on on a package 50 by a reciprocating traverse guide 51. The package 50 is rotated by a package driving roller 52 extending along the machine supported by brackets 53 fixed to the plates 10 at spaced intervals therealong.

The package 50 is supported by a pair of arms 54 cantilever mounted in supports 55 fixed to the beam 6 at each spinning station.

The beams 6 are attached to the upper flanges 14 of the plates 10.

Preferably, the ends of the feed roller drive shaft 32, the delivery roller 47, the package driving roller 52 and the ends of the suction ducts 25, 27 terminate at a position co-incident with the ends of the machine frame 3. Thus it is possible to pre-assemble a frame 3 with its associated spinning units 4, winding units 7 and the driving elements therefor as a complete unit. The preassembled unit can then be delivered to the spinning mill and connected in end-to-end relationship with the other units so as to assemble the open-end spinning machine.

Since very little further assembly work is required on site, machine erection is greatly facilitated.

The frame construction as described above provides a very compact arrangement. The driving elements for the feed rollers, opening rollers, and spinning rotors along each side of the machine, together with the two suction ducts one of which is required for developing suction within the rotor spinning chamber and the other for connection to the trash removal chambers can be contained within the upper portion of the main frame 3. These items are situated between the plates 10 extending along each side of the machine and also within the upper and lower extremities of these plates i.e. between boundaries defined by the upper flange 14 and the lower flange 15.

The machine 3 is of fabricated construction and thus avoids the casting and machining of large components having complicated sections. Any machining to be carried out on the machine frame 3 is required only on relatively small items and so manufacture of the machine is conducive to mass production techniques.

Further details and an alternative method of pivotally mounting the spinning unit housings can be found in our British Patent No. 1577953 and further information on the disposition of the spinning unit, delivery rollers and yarn winding mechanisms can be found in our British Patent No. 1565949.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A frame construction in an open-end spinning machine comprises a first spinning unit supporting member extending along one side of the machine, and a second spinning unit supporting member extending along the other side of the machine, each supporting member consisting of substantially a plate having a plurality of apertures equally spaced along the length thereof, each of said apertures receiving a spinning unit housing, and a plurality of crossmembers extending between the supporting members and transverse thereto so as to interconnect the supporting members at spaced intervals along the frame.

2. A frame construction according to claim 1, in which each supporting member has parallel upper and lower extremities, wherein the cross-members do not project beyond the upper and lower extremities of the plates.

3. A frame construction according to claims 1 or 2, wherein each of the plates is vertical and substantially planar.

4. A frame construction according to claim 3, wherein each of the plates comprises a single component.

5. A frame construction according to claim 4, wherein each plate has an inwardly projecting flange at the upper extremity thereof, each of the flanges abutting the cross-members so as to locate the plates thereon.

6. A frame construction according to any of claims 2 to 5 wherein the open-end spinning machine is provided with driving elements for driving the spinning elements supported by the spinning unit housing, wherein the driving elements are located between the plates and within the upper and lower extremities thereof.

7. A frame construction according to claim 6, wherein a suction duct extends along the machine in communication with each of the spinning units, wherein the suction duct is located between the plates and within the upper and lower extremities thereof.

8. A frame construction according to claim 7, wherein the suction duct communicates with each of a plurality of spinning rotor chambers provided in the spinning unit housings and a further suction duct communicates with each of a plurality of trash collection chambers associated with the spinning units, wherein the further suction duct is located between the plates and within the upper and lower extremities thereof.

9. A frame construction according to claim 8, wherein each cross member defines an upper recess and a lower recess wherein one of the suction ducts passes through the upper recesses and the other of the suction ducts passes through the lower recesses.

10. A frame construction according to claim 8, wherein the spinning unit further includes a pair of yarn delivery rollers for delivering a spun yarn from the spinning unit housing and a package driving roller for rotating a package so as to accumulate yarn thereon delivered by the yarn delivery rollers, and wherein a plurality of brackets for supporting the delivery rollers and a plurality of brackets for supporting the package driving rollers are mounted on the plate.

11. A frame construction according to claim 10, wherein the brackets for supporting the yarn delivery rollers are located below the spinning unit housing and the brackets supporting the package driving

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. Preferably, the ends of the feed roller drive shaft 32, the delivery roller 47, the package driving roller 52 and the ends of the suction ducts 25, 27 terminate at a position co-incident with the ends of the machine frame 3. Thus it is possible to pre-assemble a frame 3 with its associated spinning units 4, winding units 7 and the driving elements therefor as a complete unit. The preassembled unit can then be delivered to the spinning mill and connected in end-to-end relationship with the other units so as to assemble the open-end spinning machine. Since very little further assembly work is required on site, machine erection is greatly facilitated. The frame construction as described above provides a very compact arrangement. The driving elements for the feed rollers, opening rollers, and spinning rotors along each side of the machine, together with the two suction ducts one of which is required for developing suction within the rotor spinning chamber and the other for connection to the trash removal chambers can be contained within the upper portion of the main frame 3. These items are situated between the plates 10 extending along each side of the machine and also within the upper and lower extremities of these plates i.e. between boundaries defined by the upper flange 14 and the lower flange 15. The machine 3 is of fabricated construction and thus avoids the casting and machining of large components having complicated sections. Any machining to be carried out on the machine frame 3 is required only on relatively small items and so manufacture of the machine is conducive to mass production techniques. Further details and an alternative method of pivotally mounting the spinning unit housings can be found in our British Patent No. 1577953 and further information on the disposition of the spinning unit, delivery rollers and yarn winding mechanisms can be found in our British Patent No. 1565949. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A frame construction in an open-end spinning machine comprises a first spinning unit supporting member extending along one side of the machine, and a second spinning unit supporting member extending along the other side of the machine, each supporting member consisting of substantially a plate having a plurality of apertures equally spaced along the length thereof, each of said apertures receiving a spinning unit housing, and a plurality of crossmembers extending between the supporting members and transverse thereto so as to interconnect the supporting members at spaced intervals along the frame.

rollers are mounted above the spinning unit housings.

12. A frame construction according to any preceding claim, wherein each crossmember is supported on a pair of legs.

13. A frame construction substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.