GB2063324A

GB2063324A - Method and apparatus for splicing yarn ends

Info

Publication number: GB2063324A
Application number: GB8035894A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: W Reiners Verwaltungs GmbH
Current assignee: W Reiners Verwaltungs GmbH
Priority date: 1979-11-10
Filing date: 1980-11-07
Publication date: 1981-06-03
Also published as: CH651277A5; GB2063324B; IT8050107A0; IT1146992B

Abstract

In an apparatus in which two threads are spliced together in a chamber 33 by compressed air fed in through nozzle 37, the thread ends 116, which have been cut off by knives 76 and 78 after the two threads have been located by movable suction nozzles 48 and introduced into the chamber 33 by movable thread feeder 62, are held during splicing by suction nozzles 115 and 117 positioned either immediately above and below the splicing chamber or within the splicing chamber itself (Fig. 9, not shown). The nozzles 115 and 117 may be designed as swirling nozzles or they may have their inlet surfaces formed as a sieve-like grating. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Method and apparatus for splicing yarn ends The invention relates to a method and device for the connection of an upper thread to a lower thread by means of a device which comprises a splicing chamber having a longitudinal groove, which may be coverable, for the insertion and connection of the threads, in which device the threads are spliced by compressed air acting thereon from the side and are connected together in this way.

Until now, the thread ends were held by mechanically acting means in devices of this kind, which meant that thread ends of varying length and thread loopings of varying strength at the thread deflection points led to varying thread tensions during the splicing operation, or else the thread ends were left on their own after the cut, that is to say they could be displaced and there came about uneven connections or faulty spliced connections. This, in turn, impaired the quality of the spliced connection.

The present invention may increase the quality of the spliced connection and the reliability of the splicing operation and, in particular, to improve the strength and the appearance of the spliced connection and to extend the application of thread splicing to threads of greater fineness.

Advantageous developments of the new method are described in Claims 2 and 3.

In a further development of the invention, the device described in Patent Claim 4 is proposed for the performance of the new method. Further advantageous developments of the new device are described in Claims 5 to 14.

The advantages brought about by the invention consist, in particular, in improving the quality of the spliced connection in that the previously shortened thread ends are resiliently held with moderate force so that it is possible to deliver an additional length of thread into the splicing chamber, which leads altogether to an improved spliced connection. The strength and appearance of the spliced connection have been improved. If, according to the invention, the thread ends are additionally subjected to a swirling flow, surplus fibres are detached from the spliced connection and are pneumatically removed. By this means, the quality of the spliced connection is further improved with respect to the processability of the thread and the appearance of the thread connection.

The advantages of the device, which will be explained later with the aid of exemplified embodiments, consist particularly in that, at least from the moment when the individual threads are taken up, any chances and unreliabilities are eliminated. Over and above this, the entire thread connection working cycle, starting from looking for the threads on the device supplying the lower thread and on the device taking up or passing on the upper thread, is automated in an advantageous manner.

The thread ends are gently treated and can remain extremely short if the proposed suction nozzles are parts of the splicing chamber itself.

The special arrangement of the feeding elements, the clamping devices or the separating devices also advantageously promotes the formation of a good spliced connection.

The quality of the spliced connection is improved with respect to the processability of the thread and the appearance of the thread connection. Because of the gentle treatment of the thread ends, it is possible to splice thinner threads than hitherto.

All operations are co-ordinated. The point in time and the duration of each important operation can be set, and this applies in particular to the point in time and the duration of the air injection, the separation of surplus thread ends and the sucking-in of the shortened thread ends by the pneumatic devices.

The device for connecting the upper thread to the lower thread may advantageously be a device that travels from work station to work station.

For the insertion of the threads to be connected into the longitudinal groove of the splicing chamber, there may possibly suffice a single, expediently two-arm pivotable thread feeder. If the threads have to be previously located in the delivery zone or the taking-up zone, at least two pivotable thread feeders are necessary. It has proved to be particularly advantageous to provide, in the lastmentioned case, a third thread feeder which takes over the threads from the two firstmentioned thread feeders and transports them into the chamber by a lateral swing, during which process the threads can be simultaneously crossed.

Exemplified embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings. The invention will be explained and described in more detail with the aid of these exemplified embodiments. In the drawings: FIGURE 1 shows a perspective view of a first exemplified embodiment of the device according to the invention, with the splicing chamber opened, FIGURE 2 shows a perspective view of the device, with the splicing chamber closed, FIGURE 3 shows a simplified side view of the device, FIGURES 4 and 5 show a thread suction nozzle of this device in cross and longitudinal sections, FIGURE 6 shows a perspective view of a second exemplified embodiment of the device according to the invention, with the splicing chamber opened, FIGURE 7 shows a perspective view of the device, with the splicing chamber closed, FIGURE 8 shows a simplified side view of the device, FIGURE 9 shows a simplified side view of a third exemplified embodiment of the invention, and FIGURE 10 shows the third exemplified embodiment splicing chamber designed according to the invention.

One discerns in the drawings of Figs. 1 to 3 a device, which is designated 11 as a whole, for connecting an upper thread 12 to a lower thread 13. The device 11 has a machine frame 14 which carries an undercarriage 15, as shown in Fig. 3.

The undercarriage 1 5 comprises drive rollers 16 and 17, with the aid of which the device 11 is movable on a supporting tube 1 8.

The supporting tube 18 extends along a winding machine, of which only one winding station 19 is visible in the drawing of Fig. 3. The device 11 is just in action on this winding station 19. At the winding station 19, the lower thread 13 passes from a take-off bobbin 20 through a thread guide 21, a rake feeler 22, a thread brake 23 and another thread guide 24 to the device 11. The upper thread 12 passes from a take-up bobbin 25 through a thread guiding drum 27, which is provided with reversible-thread grooves 26 and rotates, also to the device 11.

In a narrower sense, the device supplying the lower thread 13 consists of the thread guide 21 and the device receiving the upper thread consists of the take-up bobbin 25. The line of the shortest possible uninfluenced and undisturbed thread course is designated 28.

The fact that the line 28 is dash-dotted is to signify that the thread course is already disturbed and that the thread itself has been divided into an upper thread and a lower thread.

The device 11 comprises two sinker jacks 29, 30 which are secured to the machine frame 14 and are connected together by a bracket 31. A splicing chamber 32 is secured to the bracket 31.

The splicing chamber 32 has a longitudinal groove 33 which can be shut by a cover 34. With the cover opened, the threads can be inserted into the longitudinal groove of the splicing chamber. The orifice edges 35,36 of the longitudinal groove 33 are rounded. A compressed-air channel 37 opens into the splicing chamber 32 interior formed by the longitudinal groove 33 and the cover 34. The compressed-air channel 37 is continued in a pipe line 38 which leads to a compressed-air metering valve 39. The compressed-air metering valve 39 is connected through a pipe line 40 to a blower 41.

A thread feeder 42 is provided with means for locating and retaining the thread end of the upper thread 12 on the take-up bobbin 25. These means consist of an arm 43, which is hollow inside and which is connected through a rotary joint 44 to a vacuum source not shown in detail, as well as of a suction slot nozzle 45. The drawing of Fig. 3 shows the thread feeder 42 in the thread delivery position. Its thread reception position is designated 42a and is shown in dash-dotted lines in the drawing of Fig. 3.

Another pivotable thread feeder 46 is provided with means for locating and retaining the thread end of the lower thread 1 3. These means consist of a curved tube 48 which is rotatable in the rotary joint 47 and is provided with a suction nozzle 49 which is shut by a clamping cover 50 by means of spring force. The thread feeder 46, too, is shown in the thread delivery position in Fig. 3. Its thread reception position is designated 46a and is shown in dash-dotted lines in Fig. 3. For picking up the thread end of the lower thread 13, the clamping cover 50 is opened by striking against a stop 51.

Now the lower thread 13, which has broken approximately above the thread brake 23, can be sucked in by the suction nozzle 49 and, as the thread feeder 46 swings back to the thread delivery position, can be clamped, retained and taken along between the clamping cover 50 and the edge of the suction nozzle 49.

The drawings of Figs. 1 to 3 also reveal two controllable thread clamping devices 52, 53. The thread clamping device 52 is provided above the splicing chamber 32 and also above the sinker jack 29, and the thread clamping device 53 is provided beneath the splicing chamber 32 and also beneath the sinker jack 30. Each of the two thread clamping devices is constructed in two parts. The thread clamping device 52 comprises a stationary shim 54 and a controllable clamp 55 which is pivotable around a rotary joint 56 and comprises a lever 57 which is controllable by means of a rod 58 through a cam disc not shown.

The thread clamping device 53 comprises a stationary shim 59 and a controllable clamp 60 which, like the clamping device 52, is controllable by a cam disc not shown. The shim 54 is connected to the sinker jack 29 by a stirrup 61.

The shim 59 is connected to the sinker jack 30.

One furthermore discerns in the drawings of Figs. 1 to 3 a pivotable two-arm thread feeder 62 consisting of a bolt 63 with arms 64, 65 secured thereto. The thread feeder 62 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 66 which connects the sinker jack 29 to the sinker jack 30. For pivoting the thread feeder 62 about the shaft 66, a rod 67 is movably connected to the bolt 63.

Spacers 68, 69 serve for centring the thread feeder 62. The thread feeder 62 can be swung from the thread reception position shown in Fig. 1 to the thread delivery position shown in Fig. 2. The swivel plane of the arm 64 is above the chamber 32 and the swivel plane of the arm 65 is beneath it. In the thread reception position, the two arms of the thread feeder 62 are located in the thread course of the threads 12, 13 which, after the thread feeders 42 and 46 have been pivoted to their thread delivery positions, lie in parallel.

Each arm of the thread feeder 62 has two adjacent thread reception slots of unequal depth.

The drawings of Figs. 1 and 2 reveal that the thread reception slot 71 of the arm 64 is deeper than the thread reception slot 70. Likewise, the thread reception slot 72 of the arm 65 is deeper than the thread reception slot 73. These thread reception slots of unequal depth are so provided that the iess deep thread reception slot of one arm lies alignedly above the deeper thread reception slot of the other arm. In the thread reception position of the thread feeder 62, the thread reception slots lie approximately in the swivel plane of the thread feeders 42 and 46.

Each arm of the thread feeder 62 has a controllable thread separating device, namely the thread separating device 74 is associated with the arm 64 and the thread separating device 75 is associated with the arm 65. Each thread separating device consists of two knives which cooperate in the manner of scissors. One knife is connected to the associated arm, and the other knife, namely the knife which is located in the direction of the chamber 32, is mounted so as to be pivotable about the shaft 66. For example, the knife 76 of the thread separating device 74 is connected to the arm 64, while the knife 77 of the same thread separating device is pivotally mounted.The knife 78 of the thread separating device 75 is connected to the arm 65, while the knife 79 of the same thread separating device is pivotally mounted. Fig. 2, in particular, reveals that the knife 77 is pressed against the knife 76 by a helical spring 80. Fig. 1 reveals that the knife 79 is also pressed against the knife 78 by a helical spring 81. The helical spring 81 is supported against a disc 82 which is secured on the shaft 66.

The helical spring 80 is supported against a swivel arm 83 which is rotatably mounted on the shaft 66 and which carries the cover 34 of the chamber 32. The cover 34 has inserts 84, 85 which consist of sealing material and which, as it is closed, are placed against the edges 86, 87 of the longitudinal groove 33 and thus prevent compressed air and individual fibres from escaping lateraliy from the chamber 32. The thread feeder 62, the thread separating devices 74, 75 and the swivel arm 83 of the cover 34 not only have a common swivel axis 66 but are also jointly pivotable. For this purpose, the swivel arm 83 carries at its rear end a lever 89 which, under the action of a coiled torsion spring 90, is placed against the bolt 63.While the two knives 76 and 78 are connected to the arms 64 and 65 respectively, the pivotable knives 77 and 79 are also taken along under the action of the helical springs 80, 81 during the pivoting of the thread feeder 62. This driving of the knives 76 and 78 is limited by adjustable stops 91,92. The adjustability is provided by clamping screws 108, 109. By this means, the point in time of the separation of the thread ends can be exactly set and can be co-ordinated with the point in time of the compressed-air introduction or the blowing time. If the thread feeder 62 is now swung as far as the position shown in Fig. 2, the thread separating devices 74 and 75 are closed, during which process the lever 106 of the knife 77 and also a similar lever 107 of the knife 79 are lifted from the bolt 63.The thread separating devices are now closed in the manner of scissors. As the thread feeder 62 swings back into the thread reception position, the bolt 63 is placed against the levers 106 and 107 which, as the swivelling continues, causes the thread separating devices to be opened again in the manner of scissors. The thread separating devices 74 and 75 are so arranged that they become active on the thread reception slots, in which the thread ends to be separated lie: this is the thread reception slot 71 in the arm 64 and the thread reception slot 72 in the arm 65. One discerns in Fig. 2 that the thread reception slots of the thread feeder 62 in the thread delivery position shown are disposed obliquely above and beneath behind the orifice edges 35, 36 of the chamber 32, the threads looping around the orifice edges.

The compressed-air metering valve 39 is controllable by means of an approach switch 93, which responds to the movement of the thread feeder 62 and is adjustable in its position on the bracket 31 by means of a clamping screw 110, and can be set and simultaneously controlled by means of a time switching means 94. For this purpose, the parts 39, 93 and 94 are connected to a control box 95, in which there is located an electric switching device. The adjustability of the approach switch 93 ensures the exact setting of the commencement of the injection of air in dependence on the position of the thread feeder 62 and, in the final analysis, thus also in dependence on the position of the thread separating devices and the point in time of the separation of the thread ends.One discerns in Fig. 1 the line 96 leading to the approach switch 93 and the line 97 leading to the compressed-air metering valve 39. The time switching means 94 comprises a switch 98 for setting the blowing time and a visual indicator 100 for indicating the set blowing time. The compressed-air metering valve 39 comprises a pressure setting device 101.

The drawings of Figs. 1 and 2 reveal that some parts of the device 11 have special thread guiding contours. This is the case, for example, with the suction slot nozzle 45, the thread clamping devices 52, 53 and the sinker jacks 29 and 30.

A short distance above the splicing chamber 32, one discerns a pneumatic device 11 5 for the reception of the shortened thread end 11 6 of the lower thread 13, and a short distance beneath the splicing chamber 32 there is a pneumatic device 11 7 for the reception of the shortened thread end 118 of the upper thread 12. Both pneumatic devices comprise similar thread suction nozzles 11 9 which are specially shown in cross and longitudinal sections in the drawings of Figs. 4 and 5. Both thread suction nozzles open into a collecting line 120. The thread suction nozzles 119 serve as thread reception elements.

The drawings of Figs. 4 and 5 reveal that the thread suction nozzle 11 9 is designed as a swirl nozzle. For this purpose, it comprises in the vicinity of its orifice swirling elements in the form of two bores 122, 123 which are directed tangentially and simultaneously in the longitudinal direction of the arrow 1 21. The air flowing in the direction of the arrow 121 simultaneously drags along the air flowing in through the bores 122 and 123, which causes a swirling flow to develop in the pneumatic device. The bores are directed towards the direction of rotation of the thread rotation. Upon a lot change with threads of different twist, the thread suction nozzles are exchanged. For this purpose, they are plugged in the bracket 31 in an easily exchangeable manner.

The collecting line 1 20 leads to a suction-air metering element in the shape of a suction-air metering valve 124, from which a line 125 passes to an exhauster 126. The suction-air metering valve 124 is also controllable by means of the approach switch 93 and can be set by means of the time switching means 94 and is simultaneously controllable thereby. One discerns in Fig. 1 the line 127 leading from the control box 95 to the suction-air metering valve 124 and on the time switching means 94 a switch 99 for setting the suction time.

The functioning of the device according to the invention will now be explained by the example of a thread joining operation and with reference to the drawings of Figs. 1 to 3.

To begin with, let it be assumed that the thread guided previously along the line 28 has broken at the winding station 19 of a winding machine. This has resulted in an upper thread 12 and a lower thread 13 being formed. The upper thread 12 was received by the take-up bobbin 25; the lower thread 13 has been retained by the thread brake 23 in conjunction with the rake feeler 22.

The thread breakage has been detected in known manner by means not shown and has been communicated to the mobile device 11. As shown in Fig. 3, the device 11 has travelled on the supporting tube 18 in front of the winding station 19. The thread feeders 42 and 46 are in the position of rest, which is identical with the thread delivery position if one imagines the threads shown in Fig. 3 not to be there. The third thread feeder 62 is in the thread reception position shown in Fig. 1. The threads shown in the drawings should initially be considered not to exist.Now the device 11 becomes active in the following manner In the machine frame 14, there is located a control gearing which is not shown in detail and which is started up in response to a signal that has been automatically brought about by the winding station 1 9 and which rotates the rotary joint 44 of the thread feeder 42 in the direction of the arrow 102 until the thread feeder has reached the thread reception position 42a. In the position, the suction slot nozzle 45 is a short distance from the surface of the take-up bobbin 25. The suction slot nozzle 45 extends over the entire width of the take-up bobbin 25. With the take-up bobbin 25 rotating slowly or coming to rest, the vacuum acting on the suction slot nozzle 45 causes the thread end of the upper thread 12 to be located, sucked in and retained.At the same time, the control gearing rotates the rotary joint 47 of the thread feeder 46 in the direction of the arrow 103 until the thread feeder 46 has reached the thread reception position 46a. Here, the clamping cover 50 travels against the stop 51 and in doing so opens. Now the vacuum acting on the suction nozzle 49 can suck in and retain the thread end of the lower thread 13.

After a fixedly set short time of action, the control gearing rotates the two rotary joints 44 and 47 back to the starting positions. During this process, the two thread feeders 42 and 46 swing simultaneously into the thread delivery positions shown in Fig. 3 in solid lines. During the swinging movement of the thread feeder 46, the clamping cover 50 closes again and in so doing keeps the thread end clamped.

As the thread feeders 42 and 46 swing back from the positions indicated in dash-dotted lines in Fig. 3 to the positions shown in solid lines, the threads pass into the thread reception slots of the thread feeder 62, as is also shown in Fig. 1. The above-mentioned thread guidance contours ensure that the upper thread 12, coming from the take-up bobbin 25, is inserted between the shim 54 and the clamp 55 of the thread clamping devices 52 and into the thread reception slots 70 and 72 of the thread feeder 62.The lower thread 13, coming via the thread guide 21 from the takeoff bobbin 20, is inserted into the rake feeler 22, the thread brake 23 and the thread guide 24 and is guided over the rear of the suction slot nozzle 45 of the thread feeder 42 and is conducted between the shim 59 and the clamp 60 of the thread clamping device 53 and is inserted into the thread reception slots 73 and 71 of the thread feeder 62. Since the two thread feeders 42 and 46 swing back simultaneously, the rounded rear of the suction slot nozzle 45 takes the lower thread 13 along and deflects it, as shown in the drawing of Fig. 1. The thread clamping devices 52 and 53 are opened during the swivel movements of the thread feeders 42 and 46.

Now a control gearing, which is not shown in the drawings, sets two cam discs, which are also not shown, in motion, which cam discs ensure that the rod 67 is pulled in the direction of the arrow 104 and the rod 58 is pulled in the direction of the arrow 105 from the positions shown in Fig. 1. During the movement of the rod 67, the two arms of the thread feeder 62 and the swivel arm 83 of the cover 34 swing to the left. Because of the thread reception slots of unequal depth, the threads are inserted into the longitudinal groove 33 of the splicing chamber 32 while crossing each other. The two thread separating devices are still opened.Shortly before the end position shown in Fig. 2 is reached, which position is equivalent to the thread delivery position for the thread feeder 62, the cover 34 with its inserts 84, 85 is placed against the edges 86 and 87 of the longitudinal groove 33 of the splicing chamber 32. At the same time, the two thread clamping devices 52, 53 are closed, while the knives 77 and 79 strike against the stops 91 and 92 respectively. At the same moment, the approach switch 93 detects the approach of the arm 65 of the thread feeder 62. The approach switch 93 causes, through the electric control device located in the control box 95, the compressed-air metering valve 39 and the suction-air metering valve 124 to be switched on for the blowing and sucking times set on the time switching means 94. During the blowing time of say 2 seconds, the two arms of the thread feeder 62 swing further to the left so that they finally reach the end position shown in Fig. 2. In the meantime, the thread separating devices come into action and the surplus thread ends are separated and sucked off or held by the clamping cover 50, while the two newly formed thread ends 116 and 118 are sucked in and retained by the pneumatic devices 115 and 117.

This also ensures a re-tensioning of the threads if the splicing operation makes this necessary.

From the end position shown in Fig. 2, the thread feeder 62 is returned without delay to its basic position and the thread clamping devices are opened in that the cam discs ensure that the rod 67 is moved back in the opposite direction to the arrow 104 and the rod 58 is moved back in the opposite direction to the arrow 105. At the commencement of these return movements, the thread separating devices initially remain closed for a limited time, namely until the bolt 63 has reached the two levers 106 and 107, only after which event the thread separating devices can be opened again. The cover 34 is also opened with a time delay, namely only as from the point in time at which the bolt 63 has reached the lever 89 of the swivel arm 83.Depending on the force exerted by the springs 80,81 and 90, the return of the thread separating devices and the complete opening of the cover 34 is only reached when the bolt 63 has been returned by the rod 67 to such an extent as shown in Fig. 1. The backs of the levers 1 06, 1 07 have been placed against stops 111, 112. The splicing point in time can be optionally put before or after the point in time of the separation of the thread ends.

The thread connected by splicing by means of compressed air at the end of the mentioned operations finally lies in the opened thread clamping device 75, the thread reception slot 73 of the arm 65, in front of the opened splicing chamber 32, the thread reception slot 70 of the arm 64 and in the opened thread clamping device 52. Until this point in time, the suction-air metering valve 124 remains open. The swirling flow prevailing in the thread suction nozzles 119 acts on the thread ends 116 and 118 during the whole time, disentangles the individual fibres and, unless they are bound into the splice, transports the disentangled individual fibres away. After the splicing operation, only short ends consisting of individual fibres are therefore left at the splice.

When the winding station 19 subsequently resumes its operation, the thread shoots from the device 11 , due to the renewed winding tension, and takes a course as shown by line 28 in Fig. 3.

The activity of the device 11 is now completed; it can move on to a different site of use. The thread is again outside the movement range of the device 11.

In the second exemplified embodiment of the invention, one discerns in the drawings of Figs. 6 to 8 a device, which is designed 211 as a whole, for connecting an upper thread 212 to a lower thread 213. In exactly the same way as in the first exemplified embodiment, the device has a machine frame 21 6 which carries an undercarriage not shown. The undercarriage comprises drive rollers, with the aid of which the device 211 is movable on a supporting tube along a textile machine, for example a winding machine.

It is assumed that the device 211 is just in action at a winding station. At the winding station, the lower thread 213 passes from a take-off bobbin 214 to the device 211. The upper thread 212 passes from a take-up bobbin 215 also to the device 211.

The device 211 comprises two sinker-jacks 217, 218 which are secured to the machine frame 216. A splicing chamber 220 is secured to an extension arm 219 of the machine frame 216. The splicing chamber 220 has a longitudinal groove 221 which can be shut by a cover 222. With the cover opened, the threads can be inserted into the longitudinal groove of the splicing chamber. The orifice edges of the longitudinal groove 221 are rounded. A compressed-air channel 223 opens into the splicing chamber 220 interior formed by the longitudinal groove 221 and the cover 222.

The compressed-air channel 223 is in communication with a compressed-air channel 224 in the extension arm 219, which channel is continued in a pipe line 225 which leads to a compressed-air metering valve not shown.

A thread pick-up 226 is provided with means for locating and retaining the thread end of the upper thread 212 on the take-up bobbin 215.

These means consist of an arm 227, which is hollow inside and which is connected through a rotary joint to a vacuum source not shown in detail, as well as of a suction slot nozzle 228. The drawings of Figs. 6 and 8 show the thread pick-up 226 in the thread delivery position.

A pivotable gripper 229 is provided with means for locating and retaining the thread end of the lower thread 213. These means consist of a curved tube 230 which is rotatable in a rotary joint and is provided with a suction nozzle 231 which can be shut by a clamping cover not shown by means of spring force, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The gripper 229 is also shown in the thread delivery position. For picking up the thread end of the lower thread 213, the tube 230 swings downwards, picks up the lower thread 213 in the vicinity of the take-off bobbin 214, sucks it in through the suction nozzle 231, swings back into the thread delivery position and retains the thread end, as shown in the drawings of Figs. 6 and 8.

The drawings of Figs. 6 to 8 also reveal two controllable clamping devices 232, 233. The clamping device 232 for the upper thread is provided above the splicing chamber 220 and also above the sinker jack 217, and the clamping device 233 for the lower thread is provided beneath the splicing chamber 220 and above the sinker jack 218. Each of the two clamping devices is constructed in two parts. The clamping device 232 for the upper thread comprises a stationary shim 236 and a controllable clamp 238 which is secured on a hollow shaft 254 and comprises a lever 241 which is controllable by means of a rod 242 by a cam disc not shown. The clamping device for the lower thread comprises a stationary shim 237 and a controllable clamp 238 which is also connected to the hollow shaft 254. The hollow shaft 254 is mounted in the sinker jacks 217,218.The shim 236 is connected to the sinker jack 217 and the shim 237 is connected to the sinker jack 218.

One furthermore discerns in the drawings of Figs. 6 to 8 a pivotable two-arm thread feeder 243 consisting of a bolt 246 with feeder elements 244,245 secured thereto. The bolt 246 is rotatably mounted in the sinker jacks 217 and 218. For pivoting the thread feeder 243, a rod 247 is movably connected to a lever 248 which is secured to the feeder element 244.

The thread feeder 243 can be swung from the thread reception position shown in Fig. 6 into the thread delivery position shown in Fig. 7.

Above the splicing chamber 220, there is provided a pneumatic device 249 for the reception of the shortened thread end 250 of the lower thread 213, and beneath the splicing chamber 220, there is provided a pneumatic device 251 for the reception of the shortened thread end 252 of the upper thread 212. Each of the two pneumatic devices comprises a suction nozzle 253 which is provided with a surface that is pierced in a sievelike manner. The surface that is pierced in the manner of a sieve is formed by a sieve-like grating made of metal. As soon as the thread ends are sucked in by the pneumatic devices, they adhere to the surfaces of the suction nozzles 253 that are perforated in a sieve-like manner without penetrating into the suction nozzles.

Above the upper feeder element 244, there is provided a controllable separating device 235 for the lower thread 213, and beneath the lower feeder element 245, there is provided a controllable separating device 234 for the upper thread 212. Each separating device consists of two knives which co-operate in the manner of scissors. One respective knife is stationary, and the other knife is connected to a shaft 240 which is rotatably mounted in the hollow shaft 254. The knife 255 of the separating device 235 is secured, for example, to the sinker jack 217, while the knife 256 of the same separating device is pivotally mounted. The knife 257 of the separating device 234 is connected to the sinker jack 218, while the knife 258 of the same separating device is pivotally mounted. A lever 266, which is connected to the knife 256, is articulatedly connected to a rod 267.The rod 267 is movable by a cam disc not shown. A shaft 259 mounted in the sinker jacks 217,218 carries a forked swivel arm 260, to which the cover 222 of the splicing chamber 220 is secured. The swivel arm 260 has at the rear end a lever 261 which is articulatedly connected to a rod 262.

The drawings of Figs. 6 and 7 reveal that some parts of the device 211 have special thread guiding contours. This is the case, for example, with the thread pick-up 226 and the sinker jacks 217 and 218 so as to ensure that the threads are so inserted into the splicing chamber as shown in Fig. 6.

The drawing of Fig. 8 reveals that the pneumatic device 249 has a suction line 263 and the pneumatic device 251 has a suction line 264.

Both suction lines open into a collecting line 265.

The collecting line 265 leads to a suction-air metering element not shown.

The functioning of this second exemplified embodiment of the device according to the invention will now be explained with reference to the drawings of Figs. 6 to 8.

To begin with, let it be assumed that the thread to be rewound has broken at the winding station taken into consideration. This has resulted in an upper thread 212 and a lower thread 213 being formed. The upper thread 212 was received by the take-up bobbin 215; the lower thread 213 has been retained in the vicinity of the take-off bobbin 214.

The thread breakage has been detected in known manner by means not shown and has been communicated to the mobile device 211. The device 211 has travelled in front of the troubled winding station of the winding machine not shown in detail. The thread feeder 243 is in the thread reception position shown in Fig. 6. The threads shown in the drawings should initially be considered not to exist. Now the device 211 becomes active in the following manner: In the device 211, there is located a control gearing which is not shown in detail and which is started up in response to a signal that has been automatically brought about by the winding station and which swivels the thread pick-up 226 in such a way that the suction slot nozzle 228 is a short distance from the surface of the take-up bobbin 215.With the take-up bobbin 215 rotating slowly or coming to rest, the vacuum acting on the suction slot nozzle 215 causes the thread end of the upper thread 212 to be located, sucked in and retained. At the same time, the control gearing also rotates the curved tube 230 of the gripper 229 until the vacuum acting on the suction nozzle 231 sucks in and retains the thread end of the lower thread 213.

After a fixedly set short time of action, the control gearing rotates the thread pick-up 226 and the gripper 229 to the thread delivery positions shown in Fig. 6.

The thread guiding contours of the sinker jacks 217 and 218 ensure that the upper thread 212, coming from the take-up bobbin 215, is inserted between the shim 236 and the clamp 238 of the clamping device 232 and into the longitudinal groove 221 of the splicing chamber 220. Coming from the take-off bobbin 214, the lower thread 213 is guided over the rear of the thread pick-up 226, is conducted between the shim 237 and the clamp 238 of the clamping device 233 and is also inserted into the longitudinal groove 221 of the splicing chamber 220.

Now the control gearing which is not shown in the drawings sets in motion two cam discs which are also not shown and which ensure that the rod 247 and the rod 262 are pulled from the positions shown in Fig. 6 in the direction of the arrow 268.

During the movement of the rod 247, the two feeder elements 244, 245 of the thread feeder 243 and the swivel arm 260 of the cover 222 swing to the left. The two separating devices 234 and 235 are still opened. Shortly before the end position shown in Fig. 7 is reached, which position is equivalent to the thread delivery position for the thread feeder 243, the cover 222 is placed against the edges of the longitudinal groove 221 of the splicing chamber 220. At the same time, the two clamping devices 232, 233 are closed due to the movement of the rod 242 in the direction of the arrow 269 by means of the control gearing, while the separating devices 234 and 235 are actuated by the movement of the rod 267 in the direction of the arrow 269 by means of the same control gearing. An electric switching device not shown switches on the blowing air.During the blowing time of say 2 seconds, the two newly formed thread ends 250 and 252 are sucked in and retained by the pneumatic devices 249 and 251.

From the end position shown in Fig. 7, the thread feeder 243 is returned without delay to its basic position after splicing, and the cover 222, the separating devices 234, 235 and the clamping devices 232, 233 are opened in that the cam discs ensure that the rods 247 and 262 are moved back in the opposite direction to the arrow 268 and the rods 242 and 267 are moved back in the opposite direction to the arrow 269. The splicing point in time can be optionally put before or after the point in time of the separation of the thread ends.

The thread connected by splicing by means of compressed air at the end of the mentioned operations finally lies in the opened splicing chamber 220. Up to this point in time the suctionair metering valve remains open.

When the winding station subsequently resumes its operation, the thread shoots from the device 211, due to the renewed winding tension.

The activity of the device 211 is now completed; it can move on to a different site of use. The thread is again outside the movement range of the device 1.

In the third exemplified embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings of Figs. 9 and 10, the suction nozzles 253' of the pneumatic devices 249', 251' are parts of the splicing chamber 220'.

The surface of the suction nozzles that is perforated in a sieve-like manner is simultaneously a portion of the surface of the longitudinal groove 221'. The surface of the suction nozzles 253 that is perforated in a sieve-like manner is formed by a wall of the bottom of the longitudinal groove 221', which wall has ports 270. Each suction nozzle 253' has five ports 270 which are positioned one above the other and are designed as bores and which open into collecting chambers 271 and 272 respectively. A suction line 263' leads from the collecting chamber 271 of the pneumatic device 249' and a suction line 264' leads from the collecting chamber 272 of the pneumatic device 251' to a suction-air metering element not shown.

The extension arm 21 9 carried an intermediate piece 273 which is provided with a bore 274 and to which the splicing chamber 220' is secured. All other parts, not specially mentioned here, of the device for connecting an upper thread to a lower thread, which device is designated 211 I as a whole, correspond to those of the device 211 of the preceding second exemplified embodiment.

The invention is not confined to the exemplified embodiments shown and described. For example, the thread feeder 62 may be dispensed with through a small constructional change. To this end, the splicing chamber 32 would have to be rotated in such a way that one looks into the longitudinal groove 33 from the front. For then it would be possible for the thread feeders 42 and 46 to insert the thread into the longitudinal groove 33. The rod 67 would then only be necessary for opening and closing the cover 34 and for actuating the thread separating devices. However, this simplified constructional form of the invention may entail difficulties with the crossing of the threads to be inserted, so that the arrangement of a third thread feeder 62 appeared to be more favourable in connection with thread separating devices.

The terms lower thread and upper thread are not restricted to the terms "upper" and "lower". In this connection, a thread coming from a thread supply station, for example a take-off bobbin, or from a thread producer is generally called the lower thread. The upper thread is the thread which leads to a thread reception station, for example a take-up bobbin or a winding frame. The direction of the thread run may be from the bottom to the top, as is the case in the exemplified embodiments. However, the thread run may be in the opposite direction or may take any desired course in space, for example a horizontal one.

Although the exemplified embodiments relate to a device for joining the threads that is capable of travelling, a device according to the invention may, of course, be provided at each individual working station. The device according to the invention can be used, for example, on spinning machines, creels, tufting machines and the like, in addition to winding machines.

In connection with the exemplified embodiments given, the threads were crossed during the preparation for splicing. However, it can be advantageous to insert the threads into the splicing chamber uncrossed.

The provision of a suction-air metering element is not absolutely necessary. If such an element is missing, the constant suction air stream may however become a source of trouble, because there are constantly sucked in from the ambient air dust particles which, together with fibres or thread ends, might clog the thread suction nozzles.

It has proved to be advantageous to shut the splicing chamber during the splicing operation, but the closing of the splicing chamber is not absolutely necessary. Due to the special design of the insertion slot and the special air guidance, splicing is successful even if the splicing chamber stays open at the insertion end. However, the invention provides better results if the splicing chamber is shut.

In a different constructional form, the airflow that is necessary according to the invention may be produced by compressed air instead of suction air, for example in such a way that an air jet is directed towards the orifices of the thread suction nozzles.

The arrangement of the sinker jacks, clamping devices and separating devices may differ from that chosen in the exemplified embodiments. For example, with specific threads it may be better to arrange the separating devices as close as possible to the pneumatic devices. Next to or behind them, in other words the other way round from the exemplified embodiments, the clamping devices could then be provided. It would also be possible to put the upper sinker jack behind the upper separating device or clamping device, in other words to move it to the top.

Claims

1. A method for connecting an upper thread to a lower thread by means of a device which comprises a splicing chamber having a longitudinal groove, which may be coverable, for the insertion and connection of the threads and in which the threads are connected together by splicing by means of compressed air which acts from the side, the insertion of the threads into the longitudinal groove of the splicing chamber being effected by means of at least one movable thread feeder which is moved from a thread reception position to a thread delivery position, and the splicing chamber being possibly closed by a cover in dependence on the position of the thread feeder, and the ends of the upper thread and the lower thread being automatically separated, and compressed air being blown into the splicing chamber, characterised in that each shorter thread end (116, 118) that is newly formed after the separation is sucked in and retained by an air stream.

2. A method as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that the thread ends (116, 118) are subjected to a swirling flow.

3. A method as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the intensity or length of action of the air stream is adapted to the strength, nature and structure of the threads to be joined.

4. A device for the performance of the method for connecting an upper thread to a lower thread as claimed in one of Claims 1 to 3, the device consisting of a splicing chamber with a longitudinal groove, which may be coverable, for the insertion and connection of the threads, a compressed-air channel which opens into the interior of the splicing chamber, at least one thread feeder for inserting the threads into the longitudinal groove of the splicing chamber, which feeder can be moved from a thread reception position to a thread delivery position, and comprising the following parts which are controllable in dependence on the position of the thread feeder a) possibly a cover for the temporary closure of the splicing chamber, b) thread separating devices for the separation of the ends of the upper thread and the lower thread, c) a controllable and adjustable compressed-air metering valve, characterised in that a pneumatic device (115) is provided above the splicing chamber (32) for the reception of the shortened thread end (116) of the lower thread (13) and a pneumatic device (117) is provided beneath the splicing chamber (32) for the reception of the shortened thread end (118) of the upper thread (12).

5. A device as claimed in Claim 4, charactensed in that the pneumatic devices (115, 117) comprise thread reception elements in the form of thread suction nozzles (11 9).

6. A device as claimed in Claim 4 or 5, characterised in that the thread reception elements (119) of the pneumatic devices (115, 117) are arranged between the splicing chamber (32) and respectively one thread separating device (74, 75).

7. A device as claimed in one of Claims 4 to 6, characterised in that the pneumatic device (249,251) comprises a suction nozzle (253) which has a surface that is perforated in the manner of a sieve.

8. A device as claimed in Claim 7, characterised in that the suction nozzle 1253') is a part of the splicing chamber (220') and in that its surface that is perforated in the manner of a sieve is a part of the surface of the longitudinal groove (221').

9. A device as claimed in Claim 7 or 8, characterised in that feeder elements (244, 245) of the thread feeder (243) are provided above and beneath the splicing chamber (220) respectively.

10. A device as claimed in Claim 9, characterised in that above the upper feeder element (244), there is provided a controllable separating device (235) for the lower thread (213) and a controllable clamping device (232) for the upper thread (212), and in that beneath the lower feeder element (245), there is provided a controllable separating device (234) for the upper thread (212) and a controllable clamping device (233) for the lower thread (213).

11. A device as claimed in one of Claims 7 to 10, characterised in that the pneumatic device (249) for the reception of the shortened thread end (250) of the lower thread (213) is arranged above the upper feeder element (244) and beneath the separating device (235) for the lower thread (213), and in that the pneumatic device (251) for the reception of the shortened thread end (252) of the upper thread (212) is arranged beneath the lower feeder element (245) and above the separating device (234) for the upper thread (212).

12. A device as claimed in one of Claims 4 to 11, characterised in that the thread reception elements (119) of the pneumatic devices (115, 11 7) are designed as swirling nozzles.

13. A device as claimed in one of Claims 4 to 12, characterised in that the pneumatic device (115, 117) comprises a controllable or adjustable suction-air metering element (124).

14. A device as claimed in Claim 13, characterised in that the suction-air metering element (124) is controllable by means of an approach switch (93), which responds to the movement of the thread feeder (62) and which is or can be fixedly set, and is adjustable and simultaneously controllable by means of a time switching means (94).

15. A device for connecting an upper thread to a lower thread substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.