US2728528A - Winding apparatus with automatic bobbin-change - Google Patents

Description

1955 w. SIEGENTHALER 2,723,528

WINDING APPARATUS WITH AUTOMATIC BOBBIN-CHANGE Filed July 21, i953 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VE N TOR 5 W41 72-79 J /t' 6271 7 6441 5/? Dec. 27, 1955 w. SIEGENTHALER 2,728,523

WINDING APPARATUS WITH AUTOMATIC BOBBIN-CHANGE Filed July 21, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 27, 1955 w. SIEGENTHALER 2,728,528

WINDING APPARATUS wrra AUTOMATIC BOBBIN-CHANGE Filed July 21, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG.5

IN VEN TOR IWG APPARATUS WITH AUTOMATIC BOBBlN-CHANGE Waiter Siegenthaler, Erlenbach, Switzerland, assignor to Maschinenfabriit Scllarer, Erlenbach, Switzerland This invention relates to winding apparatus with automatic bobbin-change and conveyer arrangement delivering full bobbins to a removable bobbin magazine. According to the invention the winding apparatus is associated with an individual conveyer arrangement including a slide member automatically moving according to the operating rhythm of the apparatus and carrying a tilting bobbin catcher, the working stroke of the slide member and bobbin catcher being determined in cooperation with tr e bottom or the bobbin content of the individual magazine associated with the winding apparatus, for delivering the bobbin owing to tilting movement of the bobbin catcher so that the bobbin rolls oil in transverse direction from the bobbin catcher which latter subsequently is returned by said slide member into its initial bobbin receiving position.

The arrangement according to the invention permits a neat, regular stacking of Weft bobbins in any number of superposed rows in bobbin magazines, and in such manner, that the bobbins in the respective magazine automatically become aligned with respect to the base of the bobbin, and Without any danger of damaging the package as a result of the bobbins falling down freely at some point of the conveying path, as is the case in convention al bobbin delivering devices, which danger naturally increases with increased fineness of the yarn wound on the bobbin. Thus, when several winding apparatus are combined in a machine, each apparatus may operate with material individual with respect to its quality, be it with respect to the number of the yarn or to the color of it or to both; accordingly the individual bobbin magazine is supplied only with bobbins carrying yarn of the same quality. This fact, as well as the mentioned regular stacking of the bobbins in aligned superposed rows in each individual magazine constitutes a corresponding simplification of the subsequent handling of the bobbins before and upon their insertion into the weft shuttles, making superfluous any preceding manual work of assorting the bobbins.

The movement of the slide may be elfected from a starting or bobbin receiving position and back to same by means of an endless conveyer member serving for temporarily supporting the slide, which member is temporarily and automatically connected in timed relation with a drive element.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a fragmentary side elevation of a winding apparatus according to the invention, partly shown in section, the associated conveyer arrangement being drawn in position of rest,

Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig. l, but after the bobbin catcher has received a bobbin and the conveyer has been set in motion,

Fig. 3 shows the conveyer arrangement drawn to a larger scale and in the position of rest,

Figs. 4 and show the conveyer arrangement in two different positions of operation,

nite States Patent Patented Dec. 27, 1955 Fig. 6 shows in elevation and partly in section a group of winding apparatus arranged in line upon a common frame, there being represented four dilferent positions of operation of the apparatus.

According to Figs. 1 and 2, the Winding apparatus A has a circular rotary body vll, which is supported by means of a central shaft 2 on the casing of the apparatus and carries three circumferentially and uniformly spaced, Winding spindles 3, each of which being destined to receive a winding bobbin B, .for which purpose the spindles are .formed with a bobbin retaining base 3a. The rotary body 1 is turned by means of an intermittently operating driving device (not shown) known per se, to bring one bobbin B after the other to a working station where the respective winding spindle 3 is automatically coupled in conventional manner with a drive spindle (not shown), which for this reason is axially movable in the casing of the apparatus. At the working station, a package is formed on the winding spindle B. A guide 4 secured to the casing .of the apparatus carries an ejector 5, which in known manner is automatically reciprocated with a predetermined stroke along .said guide 4 according to the operating rhythm of the winding apparatus. The top part .of the ejector .5 is formed as laterally projecting bobbin holder 5a, which as shown in Fig. 1 may be pushed with circumferential clearance over a full bobbin B1, upon being shifted in the direction towards the case of the apparatus, which bobbin, owing to a turning movement of the rotary bodyl, has been brought into corresponding bobbin change position. When being subsequently shifted in a direction opposite to that before mentioned, the ejector 5 lifts the bobbin B1 off the spindle in a known manner, in order to release it at the end of the stroke, whereupon the bobbin B1 drops down into an oblong bobbin catcher or catching cradle 6. The cradle 6 (Fig. 6) is mounted with one longitudinal edge thereof for tilting movement on a rod '7 having a front plate 8, which at its end opposite the rod 7 is formed with a transversely directed abutmentSa ('Fig. 6), against which the cradle 6 normally bears. At the underside of the cradle 6 a triangular feeler 9 is suspended in the manner of a pendulum from an angle piece 10 by means of a fastening hook; in normal position of the feeler 9, one triangular side thereof is situated below.

11 designates an upstanding box of square cross section, having its wall 12 remote from the casing of the apparatus provided with a vertical slot 12a (Fig. 6). A guide rod 13 disposed in the 'box 11 faces the slot 12a; the removably arranged box wall 12'is omitted in Figs. 3-5. A slide 14' is arranged on the guide rod 13 and the slot 12a assists in guiding the slide 14, since the latter projects through this slot 12a out of the box wall 12. The slide 14 has an outer bent-off arm 14a, from which extends an upwardly protruding arm 14b carrying on the top an extension formed by the rod 7 and the front plate 8 (Fig. l and Fig. 6). The arm 14a of the slide 14 carries an abutment roll 15 for coaction with a control armio. This control arm 16 is mounted on an axle 17 carried by a bearing sleeve 18 of the box 11 (Fig. 6); a link 19 is mounted on the portion of the axle '17 extending into the box 11; this link 19, together with the mentioned control arm 16 thus forms a bell crank control lever. The upwardly directed arm 16 of the control lever 16, 17, 19 is connected by means of a chain 20 and a tension spring 21 with the bobbin ejector 5. The link 19 of the control lever carries a lateral abutment roll 22 (Fig. 5) coacting with a locking lever '23 having two locking notches 23a and 23b. The locking lever 23 is journalled on a bolt 24 fixed to the box 11 and loaded by a tension spring 25, which holds the locking lever 23 in engagement. with the abutment roll 22 of the control arm 19. According to Figs. 1 and 3 this abutment roll 22 is in engagement with the lower notch 23a of the locking lever 23, whereby the control lever 16, 17, 19 is maintained in the position of rest. 26 is an endless chain, which travels over lower and upper sprocket wheels 28, each journalled on a bolt 27. The upperbearing bolt 27 is rigidly secured to the box 11, while the lower bolt 27 is carried by the locking lever 23 and, moreover, supports a gear wheel 30 rigidly connected with the lower sprocket wheel 28. The latter is destined for temporary cooperation with a drive wheel 32 mounted on a shaft 31. The shaft 31 is journalled on a bracket of frame 33, to which the box 11 is attached.

Upon operation of the winding apparatus the drive wheel 30 is continuously rotated by the driving mechanism of the apparatus, including a chain drive 34 (see arrow in Figs. 1, 2). By means of a pivoting movement of the locking lever 23 about its journal bolt 24, the gear wheel 30 journalled on the lever can be brought into or out of engagement with the drive wheel 32 (see Figs. 2 and 4, or 1 and 3) for the purpose of temporarily driving the endless chain 26, serving as conveyer member for the slide 14; in reality, when the gear wheel 30 is disengaged, the side of the conveyer chain 26, located at the left with reference to Figs. 1 and 3 is loose, in order to enable the gear wheel 30 (see arrow in Fig. 3) to be swung into mesh with gear wheel 32 by means of the locking lever 23. A retaining pawl 30a journalled on the lever 23 is in engagement with the gear wheel 30, which pawl prevents a backward rotation of the wheel 39, so that the conveyer chain 26 can be moved only in the direction indicated by arrows. The conveyer chain 26 carries a laterally projecting abutment bolt 35 which serves for cooperation with the slide 14.

The frame 33 has secured thereto a supporting board 36 which according to Fig. 6 extends over the length of four winding apparatus A I to IV arranged along the same longitudinal side of the frame 33 and having a common motor drive, so that a single winding machine having a plurality of winding apparatus as described is formed. The supporting board 36 serves for the reception of as many bobbin magazines 37 as winders A are provided; a magazine 37 is arranged on the supporting board 36 in proximity of each winder A, to which magazine the full bobbins from the corresponding winding apparatus A are to be individually delivered by means of the described conveyer arrangement. The magazines 37 of uniform construction are open towards the top and also at the side facing the casing of the apparatus. Since the winders are associated each with its own magazine, just as many yarns, diifering with respect to quality from each other, may be simultaneously wound on the machine, each kind of yarn being delivered to its particular magazine by means of which the weft bobbins ready for use are kept in storage or, when required, are brought to the weaving loom. By reason of the fact that the magazine 37 is open at one side adjacent one end of the collected bobbins, the space requirement of the magazine 37 can be reduced to a minimum, while on the other hand the delivery of the bobbins is facilitated and also the removal of same for use.

Upon operation of the machine, the bobbin B1, removed by the ejector from a single winding apparatus A, is deposited on the corresponding cradle 6. The cradle 6, normally resting with one end upon the abutment wall 8a of the associated extension 7, 8 and being somewhat upwardly curved at its other end, bears by the intermediary of the slide 14 against the abutment bolt 35 provided on the conveyer chain 26 and located slightly below the vertex of the upper sprocket wheel 28; as seen in Figs. 1 and 3, the cradle 6 is then situated on a level close to the bobbin holder 5a of the ejector 5. The bobbin B1, dropping from the bobbin holder 5a, thus falls only for a short distance in order to arrive at the cradle 6 of arc-shaped cross section; the position 'of the bobbin B1 in the cradle 6 is in so far predetermined as the base of the bobbin,

. 4 formed for locating the bobbin in the weaving shuttle, will be received in the cap-shaped upwardly arched end portion of the cradle 6. The gear wheel 30 of the locking lever 33 first is out of engagement with the stationary drive wheel 32, so that the conveyer chain 26 carrying the abutment bolt 35 for the slide 11 is at rest; the roll 22 of link 19, according to Figs. 1 and 3, is then engaged in the lower notch 23a of the locking lever 23. When shifting of the ejector 5 in the direction away from the casing of the apparatus is effected for depositing the bobbin Br into the cradle 6, the, connecting chain 20 attached to this ejector 5, is tensioned whereby the control lever 16, 17, 19 according to Figs. 1 and 3 is turned in its bearing sleeve 18 in clockwise direction, and the spring 21 is stretched. The abutment roll 22 of the link 19 then engages the upper notch 23b of the locking lever 23, thus producing a pivoting movement of the locking lever 23 on its bearing bolt 24, whereby the gear wheel 30 carried by the locking lever 23 is brought into mesh with the drive wheel 32 and consequently the conveyer chain 26 is driven in the direction of the indicated arrow. The abutment bolt 35 of the conveyer chain 26 supporting the slide 14 is raised while passing over the upper guiding wheel 28 of the conveyer chain 26, and then moves downwardly; accordingly, after a short raising of the slide 14 together with the extension 7, 8 carrying the cradle 6, these parts move downwardly. When during this lowering movement the freely suspended feeler 9 situated lower than the extension 7, 8, hits a sufficiently solid resistance, be it the bottom of the magazine 37 or (as indicated by dot and dash-lines in Fig. 2) at least one bobbin B2 previously placed into the magazine 37, then the tilting movement of the cradle 6 about the rod 7 is initiated, as it is assumed in Fig. 6 for the magazine 37 of the winding apparatus A III; an abutment may be provided for limiting the tilting movement of the cradle 6. During this movement of the cradle 6, the bobbin B1 carried by it, rolls down in transverse direction over the path offered to it by the cradle bottom, in order to assume in the shortest way its place in the magazine 37, as will be readily understood; the bobbins placed in the magazine 37, as already mentioned, are designated by B2.

As it follows without other than the preceding description, the delivered bobbins B2 will automatically be placed in the magazine 37 side by side and one upon another, so that neatly stacked layers of bobbins are produced, all bobbins facing with their base (provided in known mannor with metal rings) toward the open side of the magazine 37, as Figs. 1 and 2 demonstrate. Along the described conveying path for the individual bobbin led to the cellector 37, there is no opportunity for the bobbin winding to come in contact with metal parts.

When the cradle 6 has been tilted out of its normal position, the extension 7, 8 carrying the cradle 6, while the slide 14 continues its downward movement, also will strike against solid resistance ofiered in the magazine 37, as it will be readily understood from the preceding explanations. Then the extension 7, 8 and the cradle 6 cannot be lowered any further, so that the slide 14 is stopped in its downward movement; on the other hand the abutment bolt 35 provided for the slide 14 travels further with the conveying chain 26, in order to move upwardly after having terminated its descending stroke, and having passed around the lower guiding wheel 28 of the conveyor chain 26. Upon its upward stroke the abutment bolt 35 of the conveyer chain 26 strikes from below against the slide 14, which is then taken along and thus moved upwardly again. During this upward movement, the abutment roll 15 of the slide 14, as results from Fig. 5, strikes against the upper arm 16 of the control lever 16, 17, 19 which consequently is swung back into its position of rest (Figs. 1, 3); in the meantime the bobbin-ejector 5 has been automatically moved into its end position, adjacent to the casing of the apparatus in order to receive again a full bobbin B1 having been brought by the rotary member 1 into a position to be engaged by the ejector. During the mentioned backward swinging of the control lever 16, 17, 19 the abutment roll 22 of its lower arm 19 again engages the notch 23:: of the locking lever 23 and returns this lever into a position 16 shown in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 3. Owing to this swinging movement of the lever 23 the gear wheel journalled thereon is brought out of mesh with the drive wheel 32, whereby movement of the conveyer chain 26 is stopped. At this moment the abutment bolt attached to the conveyer chain 26 and carrying the slide 14 has reached again its starting position and the entire conveyer arrangement occupies its initial position of rest according to Figs. 1 and 3. With the beginning of the next following automatic shifting of the bobbin-ejector 5 in the direction away from the casing of the apparatus, the described operation is repeated.

As it is readily understood, the bobbin conveyor arrangement, with respect to details, may also be constructed diiferently than shown in the drawings.

Various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and it is intended that such obvious changes and modifications be embraced by the annexed claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. In winding apparatus with automatic bobbin change; a bobbin magazine, a conveyer arrangement for delivering full bobbins to said bobbin magazine, said conveyer arrangement including a slide member adapted to automatically move in accordance with the operating rhythm of the apparatus, a bobbin catcher tiltably carried by said slide member, means for determining the working stroke of said slide member and bobbin catcher in cooperation with the bobbin content of said bobbin magazine, means for producing a tilting movement of said bobbin catcher at the end of the working stroke of the slide member to cause a bobbin carried by said bobbin catcher to transversely roll off therefrom into the magazine, and means for subsequently returning the bobbin catcher with said slide member to its initial bobbin receiving position.

2. In winding apparatus with automatic bobbin change; a bobbin magazine, a conveyor arrangement for delivering full bobbins to said bobbin magazine, said conveyer arrangement including an endless conveyer member, driving means for said conveyer member, means for temporarily coupling said driving means to the conveyer member, a slide member connected to said endless conveyer member for temporary movement therewith, a bobbin catcher tiltably carried by said slide member, means for determining the working stroke of said slide member and bobbin catcher in cooperation with the bobbin content of said magazine, means for producing a tilting movement of said bobbin catcher when said slide member is approaching the end of its working stroke to cause a bobbin carried by the bobbin catcher to transversely roll off therefrom into the magazine, and means for subsequently returning the bobbin catcher with said slide member to its initial bobbin receiving position.

3. Winding apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said endless conveyer member is provided with a laterally projecting abutment adapted to support said slide member and to temporarily move said slide member along with the conveyer member.

4. Winding apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said conveyer arrangement includes upper and lower guide wheels for said endless conveyer member, said conveyer member being provided with a laterally projecting abutment adapted to support said slide member and to move said slide member along with the conveyer member, said abutment being situated below the top of said upper guide wheel when said bobbin catcher is at rest in its initial bobbin receiving position.

5. Winding apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said conveyer arrangement includes upper and lower guide wheels for said endless conveyer member, a pivotally mounted locking lever, a transmission wheel journalled on said lever for transmitting driving movement to said lower guide wheel, a stationary drive wheel, a control lever coacting with said locking lever to move said transmission wheel in and out of engagement with said drive wheel, said slide member cooperating with the control lever to bring said lever into a position causing the locking lever to move said transmisson wheel out of engagement with said drive wheel and to render the conveyer arrangement inoperative.

6. Winding apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said bobbin catcher is in the form of a cradle arcuate in cross section, said cradle having a feeler member suspended therefrom in the manner of a pendulum, said feeler member being operative to initiate the tilting movement of the cradle and being normally situated below said slide member.

7. Winding apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said bobbin magazine is open at one side thereof situated adjacent one end of the bobbins collected in the magazine.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,247,718 Truckmann July 1, 1941 2,445,998 Drake July 27, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS 431,144 Italy Feb. 25, 1948 831,664 Germany Feb. 14, 1952 857,774 Germany Dec. 1, 1952

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