GB2066316A

GB2066316A - Yarn splicing apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2066316A
Application number: GB8103979A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Murata Machinery Ltd
Current assignee: Murata Machinery Ltd
Priority date: 1977-12-28
Filing date: 1978-12-27
Publication date: 1981-07-08
Also published as: GB2013745B; GB2013745A; GB2066316B

Abstract

Apparatus for splicing the ends of spun yarn includes means for inserting the yarn ends into a hole (27) associated with an air jet nozzle, in which hole the ends are subjected to an air jet to join them to each other. Yarn end cutting and holding devices (2, 3) for the top yarn (YU) and the bottom yarn (YL) are disposed one at each end of the yarn inserting hole (27) of the air jet nozzle. An automatic yarn inserting device (9, 12) may be provided to introduce the yarn ends into the yarn-receiving hole (27) and into the yarn end cutting and holding devices (2, 3). <IMAGE>

Description

1 GB2066316A 1

SPECIFICATION

Yarn splicing apparatus The present invention relates to apparatus for splicing yarn using an air nozzle knotter.

Our co-pending U.K. Patent Application No. 7,850,036 from which this application has been divided describes and claims methods of splicing yarn, especially spun yarn.

Our co-pending U.K. Patent Application No. 8,103,978 also divided from the aforesaid Application No. 7,850,036 describes and claims spliced joints of spun yarns.

Two conventional methods for forming tying joints in spun yarns are firstly a method using a fisherman's knot and secondly a method using a weaver's knot and fastening the joints by using a paste. According to the method using a Fisherman's knotter, spun yarns are bent in various directions for the formation of tying joints and no consideration is paid to the change of twists in spun yarns. The joints are fastened by binding the yarns tightly to each other, and the strength of the tied joint is determined by this binding strength relative to the size of the yarn ends projeobting from the joint and the inherent strength of the yarns. Accordingly, adjustment of the strength of the tied joint is very delicate and difficult. Ordinarily, the size of the joint or knot is about 3 times the size of the spun yarn. Further, at the winding step, time is required for one rotation of a mechanical knotted bill. According to the second method, using a Weaver's knotted, spun yarns are kept parallel to each other and change of twists is not taken into account. The joints are fastened by binding yarns by using a quick-drying paste, and in this method it is important how quickly the applied paste is dried at the winding step.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided yarn splicing apparatus com- prising means defining an elongate yarn-receiving hole having a longitudinal axis, air jet means arranged to communicate with said hole to create a swirling air stream therein, and means to introduce the end of a first yarn into one end of said hole and to introduce the 115 end of a second yarn into the other end of said hole, whereby the jetting of air into contact with the yarn ends splices the yarns.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front view illustrating one embodiment of apparatus in accordance with the present invention; 60 Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along the 125 line 11-11 of Fig. 1; Figure 3 is a side view, partly in section, showing the positional relationship of respective elements of the apparatus of Fig. 1; 65 Figure 4 is a sectional view illustrating one embodiment of the air nozzle; and, Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating the basic structure of a winder usable in the apparatus of the present invention.

One apparatus for splicing yarn in accordance with the present invention will first be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 4.

Reference numeral 1 represents an air sw - irl- ing nozzle, and knotter bills 2 and 3, i.e. yarn end cutting and holding devices, are disposed above and below the nozzle 1, with yarn guide plates 4 and 5 disposed above and below the bills 2 and 3 respectively. Further yarn guide plates 6 and 7 are disposed re- spectively above and below the yarn guide plates 4 and 5. These guide plates 4, 5, 6, 7 constitute fixed guide members at each end of the nozzle. Yarn pressers ga and gb rotatably supported on a frame 10 by a shaft 8 and yarn pressers 1 2a and 1 2b rotatably supported on the frame 10 by a shaft 11 are disposed respectively between the yarn guide plates 4 and 6 and between the yarn guide plates 5 and 7. The yarn pressers 9a and 9b are rotated by a rod 13 from a knotter cam (not shown) and the yarn pressers 1 2a and 1 2b are also rotated through a rod 14 by the knotter cam. The pressers 9a, gb, 1 2a, 1 2b constitute movable guide members at each end of the nozzle.

An electronic stub catcher 15 is fixed to the lower face of the yarn guide plate 7, and a yarn guide_ plate 16 is fixed to the lower face of the electronic stub catcher 15. Reference symbols P and 32 represent a yarn package and a cop, respectively.

Since yarn pressers 9a and 9b have a similar shape and since yarn pressers 1 2a and 1 2b also have a similar shape, they are repre- sentatively indicated by 9 and 12 respectively in Fig. 2. Bill operatng levers 17 and 18 are moved vertically by rods 19 and 20 controlled by a knotter cam (not shown). The term 11 vertical- is used to denote movement in the plane of the drawing as shown in Fig. 2. The knotter bill operation will now be described in detail.

Each of the knotter bills 2 and 3 comprises a bill head 2H or 3H, a bill blade 2B or 313 and a bill spring 2S or 3S. The bill heads 2H and 3H and the bill springs 2S and 3S are fixed to each other by a screw 22 and a pin 21, The bill blades are arranged so that they can rotate with respect to the bill heads and bill springs on the pin 21.

A]-shaped recess 23 is formed in each of the bill operating levers 17 and 18, and a vane portion 24 of the bill blade is fitted in the recess 23. Accordingly, in the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 2, if the operating levers 17 and 18 are moved in the vertical direction, as illustrated in Fig. 2, the bill blades 213 and 313 rotate, with the pins 21 acting as the fulcrum. Fig. 2 illustrates the state where the knotter bills are opened.

2 When the bill blade 213 is closed, the yarn is cut between the bill blade and bill spring, and the cut yarn ends are held between the bill blade and the bill head.

The nozzle 1 is fixed to a supporting piece 26 by a bolt 25. Reference numeral 27 represents a yarn-receiving hole, and the hole 27 is associated with a V-shaped yarn-receiving guide portion 29 located on the front face through a yarn-receiving slit 28 extending in a direction tangential to the hole 27. A jet pipe 30 is connected to and opens into the hole 27 in the direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the hole 27 and tangential to the hole 27. Compressed air from an air feed pipe 31 is jetted into the hole 27 through the jet pipe 30 to form a swirling air stream in the hole 27. The direction of communication to the hole 27 from the guide portion 29 via the yarn-receiving slit 28 is orientated with respect to the direction of the swirling air stream, so that undesirable escape of the yarn from the hole 27 through the slit 28 at the time of formation of the air jet stream is prevented.

The yarn guide plates, yarn pressers and knotter bills are arranged as shown in Fig. 3. the method of using the aforesaid apparatus will now be described with reference to Fig.

3.

In the following description, a top yarn YU is derived from the package P and at the same time a bottom yarn YL is derived from the cop 32. The top and bottom yarns travel along slits formed at the apices of V.shaped guide faces defined by the guide plates 4 and 5 and guide plates 6 and 7, and are introduced into the hole 27 of the nozzle 1 and through the knotter bills 2 and 3.

(A) A relay pipe 33 sucks and holds the yarn end from the cop 32 and rotates to the position indicated by the chain-dotted line shown in Fig. 3 to insert the bottom yarn YL into the electronic slub catcher 15 and between the guide plates 6 and 7. In the actual operation, the yarn is inserted into the electronic slub catcher 15 just after the splicing operation. However, the insertion of the yarn into the slub catcher 15 is not relevant to the present invention, and therefore this insertion operation is illustrated as above for the sake of convenience in order to simplify the explanation.

(B) In the state where the knotter bill 2 is opened and the knotter bill 3 is closed, the yarn presser 12 is turned in the counterclockwise direction as shown in Fig. 2 with the shaft 11 acting at the fulcrum and is shifted to the position indicated by the broken line in Fig. 3. Accordingly, the bottom yarn YL is introduced into the opened knotter bill 2 and the hole 27 of the nozzle 1 and is bent between the nozzle 1 and the yarn guide plate 7 as indicated by the broken line in Fig. 3. At the subsequent step, the bottom yarn YL is GB 2 066 316A 2 changed over to the yarn presser 9a from the yarn presser 1 2b, and this state is illustrated in Fig. 3. At this point, however, the bottom yarn YL is bent by the yarn presser 1 2b located at the position indicated by the broken line.

(C) A suction mouth 34 sucks and holds the yarn end from the package P and rotates to the position indicated by the chain-dotted line to insert the loop yarn YU between the guide plates 6 and 7.

(D) The bill blade 213 of the knotter bill 2. is closed to cut and hold the end of the bottom yarn.

(E) In the state where the knotter bill 2 is, closed and the knotter bill 3 is opened, the yarn presser 9 is turned in the clockwise direction as shown in Fig. 2 with the shaft 8 acting as the fulcrum and is shifted to the position indicated by the solid line in Fig. 3. Accordingly, the top yarn YU is introduced into the opened knotter bill 3 and the hole 27 of the nozzle 1 and is bent between the nozzle 1 and yarn guide plate 6 as indicated by the solid line in Fig. 3.

(F) The bill blade 313 of the knotter bill 3 is closed to cut and hold the end of the top yarn.

(G) The yarn presser 12 is returned to the position shown in Fig. 2. At this point, the yarn indicated by the broken line in Fig. 3 separated from the yarn presser 1 2b and is pressed by the yarn presser 9b.

When the foregoing steps (A) to (G) are completed, one achieves a positional relationship as indicated by the solid and broken lines in Fig. 3 between the top and bottom yarns. In other words, the top yarn YU is bent by the yarn presser ga and the lower end thereof is held by the knotter bill 3, and the bottom yarn YL is bent by the yarn presser 9b and the upper end thereof is held by the knotter bill 2.

(H) In the above-mentioned state, the yarn pressers 9a and 9b are retracted slightly to the position indicated by the chain-dotted line in Fig. 3, and, simultaneously, a changeover valve (not shown) is actuated to jet compressed air into the hole 27 from the jet pipe 30 to form a swirling air stream in the hole 27. Accordingly, this swirling air stream acts on the top and bottom yarns, slightly slackened as indicated by the chain line in Fig. 3, with the result that a high quality or spliced or pieced up yarn portion is formed that cannot be obtained according to the conventional --techniques.

The above-mentioned slackening of the yarn is other than the slackening caused by elonga- tion of the yarn per se and by the term 11 slackening.' used herein is meant slackening sufficient to form a balloon by jetted air without formation of kinks in the spliced portion. In the foregoing embodiment, the swirl- ing air stream is caused to act on the top and t 3 GB2066316A 3 bottom yarns in the slackened state. It is possible to slacken the top and bottom yarns after subjecting them to the action of the swirling air stream, namely after initiation of air jetting. In short, one can slacken the top and bottom yarns under air jetting. Further, even if only one of the top and bottom yarns is slackend, one can obtain a spliced portion better than the knotted portions obtained ac cording to the conventional techniques. If the yarns are slackened so that they are shifted to the position of the jet opening 30 in the hole 27 as indicated by symbols YLl' and YL' in Fig. 4, a high power air jet issuing from the jet opening 30 impinges directly against the yarns Y11' and YL' to promote a marked entanglement of these yarns. As a result, a better spliced portion can be formed.

(1) After completion of the splicing step (H), the yarn presser 9 is returned to the position shown in Fig. 2, and the connected top and bottom yarns are wound on the package P by rotation thereof. In the ordinary state, the yarn is wound from the cop 32 on to the package P through the electronic slub catcher 15 and the yarn guide plates 7 and 6 while being traversed by a traverse device (not shown).

The above steps (A) to (1) are conducted continuously, in succession, and the yarn knotting operation is thereby effected.

Fig. 5 is a view illustrating diagrammatically the structure of an automatic winder. A yarn taken out from a cop 32 is checked as to whether or not it is a good yarn. A good yarn is wound on a package P driven by a traverse drum 35. The direction of movement of the yarn at this winding step is indicated by reference symbol W. As the winder, there is used a known winder comprising known 105 members such as a tension device, a slub catcher, a suction nozzle for taking out a yarn from a cop and a suction nozzle for taking out a yarn from a package. Since these members are irrelevant to the present invention, a de tailed description of these members is omit ted. Reference numeral 1 represents an air nozzle for knotting yarns which have been judged as having inferior portions at the wind ing step, including the slub catcher, and have thus been cut. In the air nozzle 1 an air jet pipe 30 opens into a yarn-receiving hole 27 in the tangential direction, and a swirling air stream 36 is formed in the yarn-receiving hole S 27 by air jetted from the jet pipe 30. When yarns are Z-twisted, if the package P is used at the knitting or weaving step directly as a yarn feed package, a bottom yarn YL taken out from the cop 32 and a top yarn YU taken out from the package P are doubled and inserted into the yarn-receiving hole 27 of the nozzle. The yarn ends are gripped and at least one of the yarns is slackened as hereinbefore described. Then, the swirling air stream 36 is caused to act on the doubled portion.

If a yarn is wound on a package to obtain a feed package, for a knitting or weaving step, the air nozzle 1 is so constructed that the swirling air stream is caused to act on the doubled portion in the opposite direction. Then, an air nozzle which has a reverse structure to that shown in Fig.. 5 may be used.

With the present invention, as shown in Fig, 3, when the yarns are slackened, arcs indicated by the chain-dotted line are formed in the yarns. It is believed that the formation of such arcs is one of the causes of the production of a good spliced portion.

More specifically, when such arcs are formed in the yarns, the ends of constituent fibres in the yarns readily separate and project from the yarns, and these projecting fibres have the effect of binding and entangling the ends of both the yarns tightly with each other, Moreover, because of the presence of such arcs, rotation of the yarns is allowed only in a very narrow region in close proximity to the point of action of the swirling air stream, and, therefore, a strong twisting action is imposed locally on the yarn ends and a sufficiently entangled spliced portion can be obtained. In order to form good arcs, it is preferred that the yarn catching porti ' ons of the knotter bills 2 and 3 be located at positions slightly away from the central line of the hole 27 of the nozzle 1, as shown in Fig. 3.

In a modified apparatus, at the step (H), the yarn presser 9 is set at a fixed position and the nozzle 1 is pivoted with one shaft acting as the fulcrum or moved along a guide shaft so that it is shifted in the direction of the arrow Q (Fig. 3).

In the foregoing illustration, only the yarn ends are grasped by the bills 2 and 3 and other portions are merely pressed by the yarn pressers 9a and 9b.

Air suction means may be applied to hold the cut yarn ends instead of using the yarn catching members of the knotter bills 2 and 3.

Claims

1. Yarn splicing apparatus comprising an air jet nozzle having an elongate yarn-receiv- ing hole, air jet means communicating with the hole to create a swirling air stream therein, means to introduce the end of a first yarn into one end of the hole, means to introduce the end of a second yarn into the other end of the hole, and a yarn end cutting and holding device disposed at one or both ends of the hole.

2. Yarn splicing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, including a yarninserting device comprising first and second parts with the air jet nozzle and the yarn end cutting and holding devices between them, the yarn-inserting device being arranged to introduce the respective yarn ends into the yarn- receiving hole and into yarn end. cutting and holding devices, 4 GB2066316A 4 one at each end of the hole.

3. Yarn splicing apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the air jet nozzle comprises the yarn-receiving hole, a yarn-receiving slit extending tangentially with respect to the yarn-receiving hole, a V- shaped yarn-receiving guide portion connecting with the yarn-receiving slit, and an air jet pipe connected to the yarn-receiving hole to supply compressed air in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the yarn-receiving hole and tangentially of the hole.

4. Yarn splicing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the or each yarn end cutting and holding device comprises a bill head, a bill blade and a bill spring, said bill head and said bill spring being fixed to each other and said bill blade being supported rotatably between the bill blade and the bill spring so that the yarn end is cut between the bill blade and the bill spring on the operation of opening or closing the bill blade and the cut yarn end is held between the bill head and the bill bladd.

5. Yarn splicing apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein each part of the yarn-insert ing device comprises a fixed yarn guide mem ber and a movable yarn guide member capa ble of moving towards said fixed guide mem- ber.

6. Yarn splicing apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein fixed yarn guide plates are disposed above and below the yarn end cutting and holding devices as fixed yarn guide. members of the yarn-inserting device.

7. Yarn splicing apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein said movable yarn guide member of the yarn-inserting device comprises a pair of yarn pressers disposed one to each side of the air jet nozzle respectively and each yarn presser has two arms extending one above and below the air jet nozzle and can rotate on a shaft disposed parallel to the axis of the yarn-receiving hole.

8. Yarn splicing apparatus as claimed in claims 6 and 7, wherein second fixed yarn guide plates are disposed above and below the yarn pressers as fixed yarn guide members of the yarn-inserting device, so that the ends of the top and bottom yarns which are inserted into the air jet nozzle are laterally displaced from their winding path and the tension of the top and bottom yarns is maintained constant.

9. Yarn splicing apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, which includes means to slacken at least one of said yarns.

10. Yarn splicing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, substantially as hereinbefore de- scribed with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office by Burgess & Son (Abingdon) Ltd-1 98 1. Published at The Patent Office, 25 Southampton Buildings, London, WC2A lAY, from which copies may be obtained.

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