GB2275482A

GB2275482A - Spinning machines

Info

Publication number: GB2275482A
Application number: GB9403356A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Duncan; Albert Irvine; Sidney Philip Campbell
Original assignee: MACKIE INT Ltd
Current assignee: MACKIE INT Ltd
Priority date: 1993-02-26
Filing date: 1994-02-22
Publication date: 1994-08-31
Also published as: GB9403356D0; GB9303948D0

Abstract

A relatively simple multi-spindle textile spinning machine is upgraded by retro-fitting, i.e. by fitting thereon (a) an auxiliary control with an integral microprocessor which can interface with the existing controls and (b) yarn-sensing devices (28) which detect the presence or absence of yarns (3) passing to packages (24) being wound on the spindles of the machine, wherein the auxiliary control is programmed to calculate the yarn production of the machine over a given period as affected by the stoppages of the machine and the number of yarn breaks at the individual spindles during that period, and to provide a print-out of the information thus obtained. Breakage of a yarn actuates a clamp (32) for the associated sliver (2) located upstream of the rear draft rollers (10, 10'). <IMAGE>

Description

SPINNING MACHINES This invention relates to a method and device for modifying textile spinning machines.

It is not unknown to supply textile spinning machines with costly computerised data collection systems. While there are very many spinning machines that have been in operation for years without such systems, the cost of retro-fitting them with the known systems is prohibited because of their sophistication.

The present invention relates to a relatively inexpensive data collection system kit which is particularly suited for retro-fitting to the existing controls of machines originally supplied without such equipment. Such machines will comprise a motor drive and a start/stop control panel.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a multi-spindle textile spinning machine is modified by fitting thereon an auxiliary control panel with an integral microprocessor which can be interfaced with the existing controls of the spinning machine and with yarn-sensing devices which detect the presence or absence of the yarns passing to the packages being wound on the respective spindles and which may control mechanism for trapping the sliver from which the yarn is spun as it passes to the back feed rollers of the machine; the control is programmed so as to equate the yarn production of the machine over a given period to the stoppages of the machine and the number of yarn breaks at the individual spindles during that period and to provide a print-out of the details of such information.

In its simplest embodiment, therefore, a kit for use in the invention comprises only the auxiliary control panel and integral microprocessor, suitably programmed. It is preferred that this simple kit is used to modify an existing machine with a stop motion mechanism. Many simple spinning machines, however, will not have such a mechanism.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, a kit suitable for modifying a multi-spindle textile spinning machine comprises an auxiliary control with integral microprocessor as defined above, together with sensors and a stop motion mechanism. The sensors may be of any conventional electronic/electric type.

A stop motion mechanism comprises means adapted to clamp and/or cut the sliver. For use in the invention, preferred such means is located in the region of the back feed rollers of the drafting line so as to engage the sliver prior to its entering the nip of the feed roller and its associated pressing roller. Nore preferably, it is positioned at a distance in advance of the back feed rollers relative to the fibre length of the sliver so as to cause the end of the retained sliver to be entered into the sliver conductor (guide), so as to facilitate its being fed to the feed rollers when the broken end is pieced.

By means of the present invention, existing spinning machines can be simply and economically modified so as to provide the operator with useful information over any desired period. If desired, the information can be linked to predetermined criteria, so that operation of the machine can be adjusted accordingly, manually or electronically.

The manner in which the auxiliary control panel and microprocessor are interfaced with the existing controls of the machine is within the skill of one experienced in the art. Similarly, the introduction of a stop motion mechanism and associated sensors can be achieved by such a person. The net result is greater safety and economy, with savings of labour, cut aprons, cut cots, sliver waste and broken rollers caused by sliver laps.

The invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a schematic illustration, in side elevation, of a typical drafting head and spindle arrangement, there being usually in the region of 100 to 200+ spindles on such machines the vast majority of which have neither stop motions and only a few have Data Collection Systems. The sliver 2 passes from the sliver can or package (not illustrated) over the creel support rollers and rods (4, 6) to the back funnel conductor 8 (or forked guide arrangement) and into the nip of the back feed rollers 10, 10' to the aprons 12, 12' via a guide conductor 14 to the delivery drafting rollers 16, 16' which rotate at a higher speed than the back feed rollers 12, 12' so as to draft (attenuate) the sliver.It then passes from the delivery rollers 16, 16' to the thread guide 18 from which it passes to the traveller 20 which rotates at very high speed (depending on the spindle speed) on the traveller ring (having a support 22) to wind the yarn 3 onto the package 24 which is mounted on the spindle 26 so as to rotate with it. The sliver is twisted into yarn between the delivery rollers 16, 16' and the package on the spindle.

The spinning machine comprises a thread sensor 28 and a sliver clamping stop motion mechanism illustrated generally at 30. These components may be part of the machine before modification, although these components are illustrated in a position that is preferred for their introduction as part of the modification process.

The yarn detector/sensor 28 is, for example, piezoelectric or photo-electric. When the sensor 28 detects yarn breakage, it sends a signal to the clamping mechanism 30 to cause a clamping plate 32 to clamp the sliver against a facing plate 33. As an alternative to the illustrated independent facing plate 33, a suitably-shaped lead-in part 35 of the guide 8 may serve as the surface against which a clamping plate (32) holds the sliver. Preferably the clamp is positioned at a distance in advance of the feed rollers relative to the fibre length so that continued rotation of the feed rollers will cause the sliver to part and leave the remaining end of the sliver extending from the clamp into the mouth of the conductor or beyond so as to facilitate piecing the end for continued spinning.

The clamping stop motion may be magnetically-operated, the signal from the sensor releasing a latch that maintains the clamping plate 32 spaced from its co-operating facing plate 33. Either the sensor or the stop motion clamping mechanism may be linked to the microprocessor (not shown) so as to register the end break at a specific spindle and the duration that the end was down before re-piecing.

In a simple embodiment of the invention, the microprocessor may record the machine stoppages, e.g. for creeling when changing the type of sliver to be spun or for maintenance or repairs, and the spindle speed, ends down during a full spin, and the spindles at which the end breaks occur, as well as the frequency. These stoppages may then be correlated automatically to the delivery roller speed via an encoder and the weight of the yarn being spun, i.e. the yarn count, so as to give automatically the production of the machine during that spin, and often also the production at each spindle. Other parameters that may be measured and recorded are any or all of time delay before spinning after a doff, the number of stoppages during spinning, time delay before doffing after a spin, the time taken to doff, delay before doffing the bobbins after the yarns are cut, and the number of stoppages during doff. The auxiliary control panel/microprocessor or the existing machine controls may record any or all of the spindle speed, delivery roller speed, back/front/total draft, twist per unit length, traveller speed, production and spin efficiency.

Claims

CLAIMEI

1. A method for modifying a multi-spindle textile spinning machine including controls for its operation, which comprises fitting on the machine (a) an auxiliary control with an integral microprocessor which can interface with the said controls and (b) yarn-sensing devices which detect the presence or absence of yarns passing to packages being wound on the spindles of the machine, wherein the auxiliary control is programmed to equate the yarn production of the machine over a given period to the stoppages of the machine and the number of yarn breaks at the individual spindles during that period, and to provide a print-out of the information thus obtained.

2. A method according to claim 1, in which the yarnsensing devices control mechanism for trapping the sliver from which the yarns are spun as it passes to the feed rollers of the machine.

3. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2, which comprises modifying the machine by locating a stop motion mechanism, adapted to clamp and/or cut the sliver from which the yarns are spun, in the region of the back feed rollers, so as to engage the sliver prior to its entering the nip of the feed rollers.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the stop motion mechanism is located at a distance in advance of the back feed rollers relative to the fibre length of the sliver.

5. A method according to claim 1, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

6. The combination of an auxiliary control panel, yarnsensing devices and, optionally, a stop motion mechanism, as defined in any of claims 1 to 3.