US3077311A - Method and device for servicing multistation coil winding machines - Google Patents

Description

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WHO!) AND DEVICE FOR $ERVICING MULTI-STATION CQIL WINDING MACHINES Filed April 14, 1958 5 ShBBSSbOOt 5 United States My invention relates to multi-station coil winding machines for re-winding relatively small yarn packages, such as the spinning cops as they come from the spinning machine, into larger yarn packages. In a more particular aspect, my invention relates to the sequential servicing of the winding stations by means of a servicing unit when ever it becomes necessary for that unit to eliminatestoppage conditions in a station as may be caused by yarn breakage or depletion of the yarn-supply coil.

Multi-station machines with a servicing unit common to a number of stations have previously been disclosed in my copending applications Serial No. 675,677, filed August 1, 1957, now abandoned and Serial No. 691,632, filed October 22, 1957; and the present invention also relates to improvements in machines of the type disclosed and claimed in said applications.

The automatic servicing unit of a multi station machine, capable of successively cooperating with the individual winding stations, is provided with knotting mechanisms which, in the event of yarn breakage or depletion of a supply coil, locate the two yarn ends of the takeup spool and yarn-supply coil, then pass the yarn ends to a knotter which ties them together, whereafter the winding station is again placed into operation. Since the servicing unit is rather expensive, it is important to fully utilize it to best advantage. This is possible only if the idling period during which the servicing unit travels from winding station to winding station or vice versa, and during which it'passes inactively by winding stations that do not require servicing at that time, is kept at a minimum.

It is therefore an object of my invention to improve the servicing operations from the just-mentioned viewpoint, thus providing for better utilization and increased efficiency of the servicing unit.

To this end and in accordance with a feature of my invention the traveling speed of the servicing unit is modified during operation in dependence upon the particular type of servicing operation to be performed at a time.

According to a more specific feature of the invention the,

servicing unit, when called upon to merely eliminate yarn breakage, is moved more slowly than during yarn-end searching activity, but, if desired, at a speed greater than that prevailing during coil-exchanging operation which requires not only a coil exchange but also a subsequent tying together of yarn ends.

In certain cases, particularly where yarns of good uniformity, such as those of cellulose derivations, wool, nylon, silk or the like, are to be wound, it is advantageous to have the servicing device travel in active condition only from one side toward the other of the array of winding stations, because with such operation a return of the servicing device at a certain moment, for example at the moment when a coil exchange is required in a particular winding station, can be more readily secured. For this purpose, it has previously been proposed to have the knotting or coil exchanging devices travel on an endless path about the coil winding machine, or to have the coil winding stations travel on an endless path along the knotting or coil-exchanging devices. Such machines, however, have the disadvantage that the limits of the operating speed are fixed when the machine is built, for example in dependence upon a fixed number of winding stations. Furthermore, the tolerance ranges required to permit the intent fabrication of several ditferent types of yarn must he made larger than is preferable for most economical operation.

It is therefore another object of my invention to or ii the above-mentioned limitation and disadvantage.

For this purpose, and in accordance with a further fess ture of my invention, the travel speed of the servicing unit is controlled not only in accordance with the particular type of servicing operation required at a time, but is also controlled and modified in dependence upon the traveling direction 'of the servicing unit. According to a more cific feature relating to the just-mentioned improvement, the servicing device is caused to travel in one direction, for example from the left toward the right, on an idle re turn path in which no servicing work is performed, and this return movement is given a greater speed than active forward travel of the servicing unit.

However, the invention is also applicable to advantage in coil winding machines in which the fault or stoppage removing servicing unit travels back and forth and is in active working condition in both traveling directions. Such an operation is preferable when fabricating yarns of a greater frequency of yarn breakages.

The servicing unit, in most cases, is called upon to perform different types of servicing operations successively. Accordingly, the operating or traveling speed of the unit can be made dilferent depending upon the type of servicing operation to be performed. For example, the servic ing unit, while traveling, must not only perform work required by its own traveling motion, but may be called upon to simultaneously perform a searching or feeling operation for determining at which particular winding station the servicing unit must enter into operation; and for that purpose, the traveling speed of the servicing unit is preferably slowed down if only the elimination of yarn breakage is required. However, it may also happen that the servicing unit must be completely arrested because a particular winding station calls for an exchange of yarnsupply coils which requires a subsequent yarn-end searching and knotting operation;

The various types of operation required of the servicing unit may be the following: The travel motion may have to be reversed; the travel may have to be completely stopped. The yarn ends of a broken yarn may have to be searched and must be conveyed to the knotter, then placed into the knotter prior to placing the knotter into operation; the yarn ends protruding from the knotter may have to be cut olf, the tied knot may have to be checked; the starting of the winding'operation in the winding station and the return of the-fault-responsively deflected yarn guard may have tobe initiated or effected; and ultimately the servicing unit must perform a switching operation in order to initiate its continued travel. These different types of servicing work, mentioned by way of example, may require respectively different operating speeds. For example, when checking the tied knot, the servicing device may already-start to continue its travel at slow speed, or it may run somewhat faster than during the knotting operation. This type of differentiation in the speed of the servicing unit makes it possible to have the relatively complicated and expensive servicing device operate in combination with the largest possible number of winding stations. Since the traveling speed of the servicing: unit is rated to require shortest time for each particular type of servicing operation, a particularly high degree of efficiency and best utilization of the servicing unit is attained.

According to a further feature of the invention, the servicing unit is provided with switching means which maybe located at the winding stations or at the servicing unit itself, and which are in active condition in one traveling direction of the servicing unit but are inactive in the opposite traveling direction. This is of advantage if the travel of the servicing unit is always to commence at the 3 first winding station and is to be terminated at a given other winding station. However, it is also within the scope of the invention, to provide the servicing unit with switching devices which perform their on and ofi operation in both traveling directions of the servicing unit.

The above-mentioned and more specific objects, advantages and features of my invention will be apparent from, and will be mentioned in, the following description in conjunction with the drawings showing, by way of example, several embodiments of multi-station coil winding machines designed and operating in accordance with the invention. On the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic and simplified front view, from the servicing side, of a multi-station winding machine.

FIG. 2 is a cross section through one of the winding stations according to FIG. I, with a servicing tender being located at that station, the enclosure of the machine being shown cut-off to reveal the interior.

FIG. 3 shows a detail of a supporting and suction tube which forms part of the same machine.

FIG. 4 is a schematic front view of another embodiment of a complete multi-station winding machine which is provided with a drive of a type different from that in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3.

FIG. 5 is a part-sectional cross section of a winding station in the machine of FIG. 4, the servicing tender being located at this station and the enclosure being shown cut away.

FIG. 5A is a view of an enlarged detail taken from the left of FIG. 5 and in the same direction as the view of FIG. 14.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate details of a coil exchanging mechanism on larger scale.

FIG. 8 is a sectional side view of another embodiment of a machine for winding cross-wound yarn packages.

FIGS. 9, l and ll show a lateral view, front view and top view respectively of a travel-reversing switching device that forms part of the machine shown in FIG. 8.

FIGS. 12 and 13 illustrate a top view and a lateral view respectively of. a switching device located at each individual winding station of the same machine; and

FIG. 14 is a schematic total view of a multi-station winding machine according to FIG. 8, seen from the side of its servicing tender.

FIG. 14A is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 14.

FIG. 15 represents a plan view from above onto rod 114 and related parts of FIG. 8.

The same reference characters are used in all illustrations for similar components respectively.

In the machine illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, two lateral standards 1 and 2 of the machine frame or carrier struc' ture are connected with each other by a tubular horizontal carrier 4. Mounted above the carrier 4 are a number of individual coil winding stations 3 along which a servicing tender may travel. The tender 5 carries the servicing devices required for eliminating faults and stoppages of the coil winding operation in the respective winding stations. A motor 6 drives, by means of a worm gear transmission 7, 7a, two endless chains 8 and 9 (FIG. 2). The chain 8 serves to entrain the tender 5 along the machine. The chain 9 serves for driving the servicing devices of the tender 5. Conventional reversing or limit switches can be used to reverse the motor at the travel limits of the tender. Note in this relation switch 87, 88 of FIG. 5, described below.

A blower 10 (FIG. I) communicates with the interior of the tubular carrier 4 and produces a vacuum pressure therein.

The individual winding stations are each provided with a yarn guiding drum 11 (FIG. 2) against which rests a take-up spool or winder means 13. The spool 13 is journalled in a frame 12 pivoted at 12a so that sufiicient pressure and friction is produced between spool 13 and guiding drum 11 under the weight of the spool and the frame. The yarn guiding drum 11 passes the yarn F onto the spool 13 while reciprocating the yarn in the axial direction of the spool for the purpose of producing a cross-wound yarn package. The yarn F comes from a supply coil 1 3 and passes through a yarn tensioner 16 to the yarn guiding drum 11.

In FIG. 2, the supply coil 14 is shown by dot-anchdash lines in the position occupied when the coil is being unwound. The supply coil 14 is carried by a pivotally mounted thorn 67 which can be turned about its pivot so as to be located in the end portion of a trough 15. In this position of thorn 67, a supply coil 14 arriving from above in the trough 15 is automatically speared up on the thorn. Thereafter, a spring 79 (FIG. 6) automatically returns the thorn 67 into the unwinding position. Located between the yarn tensioner 16 and the yarn guiding drum 11 is a yarn guard 17 which continuously tests the operation for presence of the yarn F and which turns clockwise in the event of yarn failure. A double- armed lever 18, 19 is fastened to the yarn guard 17 in the vicinity of the pivot axis. The fault-responsive pivoting motion of the guard 17 in the clockwise direction causes the winding station to be stopped in the known manner by lifting the take-up spool 13 off the guiding drum 11 and braking the supply coil 14. Since the mechanism required for such stopping operation is known as such it is not illustrated in order not to obscure the components essential to the invention proper. Lever arm 18 forms a switching segment, and arm 19 serves for resetting the yarn guard 17. I

The thread guard 17 is essentially a feeler which is normally spring biased into engagement with the taut portion of yarn F extending between tensioner 16 and guiding drum 11. The thread guard 17 is pivoted at 17a and is rigidly connected with an arm 19. When the yarn portion between tensioner 16 and guiding drum 11 is absent, either due to yarn breakage or to exhaustion of the supply coil 14, the guard 17 turns clockwise from the dotand-dash position to the full-line position, thus placing its arm 19 into the travelling path of the servicing unit or tender 5 which, while travelling longitudinally along a certain number of winding stations, passes by the individual station here being described. As described, the tender is provided with yarn-end finding and knotting devices which, in the event of the above-mentioned trouble, re-establish the proper operating condition of the winding station before the tender continues its travel to the next following station.

The lateral standards 1 and 2 of the machine frame structure are connected with each other not only by the tubular carrier 4 but also by a bottom rail 20 (FIGS. 1, 2), a horizontal carrier 21 for the tensioners 16, and an upper tubular rail 22 (FIG. 2). Mounted on the upper rail 22 is an arm 23 extending in a vertical plane. A supporting member 159 (FIGS. 1, 2) serves for bracing the tubular carrier 4.

The tender 5 has running wheels 24 which roll along the carrier 4. Rollers 24a joumalled on the tender 5 serve to guide the tender along the bottom rail 20. At least one of the two wheels 24 can be pulled off its shaft; and the tender 5 can then be lifted out of the assembly. For this purpose, the tender is turned about the axis of the bottom rail 20 and can then be lifted past the upper rail 22. The insertion of the tender is effected in the opposite manner. For facilitating such removal or insertion, the last location 3a (FIG. 1) on the multi-station machine may be left vacant or the individual winding station located at this point can be made removable.

Mounted on tender 5, at the servicing side thereof, in the range of thread guard 17 is a switch arm 25 (FIG. 2) which is kept in approximately vertical position by a pulling spring 26. Switch arm 25 is fastened to a shaft 27 which carries a crank 28. Rotating motion of switch arm 25 thus causes the crank 28 to entrain a linking rod 29 and a stop pawl 30 in the upward or downward direction. The motion of stop pawl 30 is also imparted to a latch 31. When latch 31 is thus moved downwardly, it can enter into the center bore of a boss 51 on carrier 4, thus arresting the tender and latching it to the tubular carrier 4. The pawl 30 and the latch 31 cooperate with a cam disc 32 which has a cam notch 34 into which the pawl 30 can enter, whereby the pawl arrests the cam disc. Cam disc 32 has a cam groove 33 and a dog 35. in a given rotational position of groove 33, a control lever 36 carrying a spur-gear segment 37 can enter into the groove. Segment 37 meshes with a pinion 38 which is connected with a suction tube 39 for conveying the yarn end to be found and seized.

Linked to the control lever 36 is a driving tappet 40 (FIG. 2) for a knotting device 41. The dog 35 of cam disc 32 cooperates with a projection 43 of a control lever 42 so that, during passage of dog 35, the lever 42 is shifted counter-clockwise about its pivot and then pushes a return tappet 45, in opposition to a pressure spring 44, against the return lever arm 18. When dog 35 passes beyond the projection 43. the control lever 42 returns to its illustrated position.

schematically shown at 46 (FIG. 2) is a conveying arm which is pivoted on the tender 5. At the startof the yarn-end finding operation, the arm 46 turns from the uppermost position, shown by a dot-and-dash line downward toward the yarn tensioner 16 in order to thereafter convey the yarn end, then located in the tensioncr 16, upwardly to the knotter 41. Such devices are known as such, and for that reason are not shown and described herein in further detail. a

The tender 5 has a suction conduit 52 whose lower end sequentially communicates with lateral openings 50 of the tubular carrier 4 as the tender travels along the carrier. Each opening 50 (FIGS. 2, 3) is normaiiy covered by a lid 49. As the tender approaches. the lid is turned away from the opening 50 so that then the suction conduit 50 becomes connected with the suctio. tern of which the carrier 4 forms part. Conversely, when the tender leaves a winding station, the lid 49 is released and then automatically closes the suction inlet opening 50. The suction conduit 52 provides vacuum pressure for the suction tube 39 of the yarn-cad fintlng device.

The endless chain 8 has one of its chain members provided with an entrainer pin 54 (FIG. 2) which projects" into a vertically elongated slot 56 in the tender structure and thereby entrains the tender to travel back and forth along the tubular carrier 4. However, since the tender 5. whenever needed, is stopped by the latch 31 in front of an individual winding station. a slip clutch 55 is interposed betwecn the driving shaft of gear '7 and the driving sprocket of the endless chain 8, so that the chain 8 is temporarily arrested as long as the tender is stopped. In contrast thereto. the endless chain 9 rotates continuously about its sprockets and, as soon as the tender 5 is stopped, actuates a step-down transmission 57 whose rotation is transmitted by a chain 58 and a spur gear 59 through a slip clutch 60 onto a shalt 61 supported on a bearing 61a and which carries a worm 62 driving the cam disc 32.

When starting the operation of the multi-station winding machine, the tender 5 first travels from station to station and, by means of its switching arm 25, feels whether the yarn guard 17 in each station has turned into the fault-responsive position shown by full lines in FIG. 2, thus signalling that a lcnotting or coil-exchanging operation is needed. The fault-responsive movement of yarn guard 17 has the effect of turning its switch arm 19 into the traveling range of the switch arm 25 on the tender so that when the tender passes by. either from the left or the right, the arm 19 turns the switch arm 25 in one or the other direction. Such turning movement of arm 25 is transmitted through shaft 27 to crani; 28 which, irrespective of the direction of rotation, turns the pawl 30 and the latch 31 downward. Now, latch 31 enters into the center bore of boss 51 and arrests the tender 5 in front of the winding station, while the operation of that station is also stopped. Now the step-down transmission 57 is placed in rotation by the continuously rotating chain 9. Transmission 57 then acts through chain 58, spur gear 59, slip clutch 60, shaft 61, and worm 62 to drive the cam disc 32 in the direction identified in FIG. 2 by an arrow. A free-wheeling mechanism in slip clutch 60 and its spur gear 59 permits rotation of cam disc 32 in the direction of the arrow during the active travel run of the tender 5, but prevents rotation in the opposite rotational direction, namely during return travel of the tender. The control lever 36 can now drop into the cam groove 33 and entrains the spur gear segment 37 counter-clockwise, thus rotating the pinion 38 clockwise. The suction tube 39 fastened to pinion 38 now turns from its lowermost (not illustrated) position upwardly. Since at this time the suction channel 48 of conduit 52 is in communication with the opening 50 of the tubular carrier 4 at the location of the winding station being served by the tender, the vacuum is effective to produce a current of suction air at the nozzle end of suction tube 39. This air current sucks the free yarn end of the take-up spool 13 into the tube 39. For this purpose, the take-up spool 13 is preferably turned slowly in the reverse direction by known means (not illustrated).

During further rotation of cam disc 32, the control lever 36 again turns back in the clockwise direction, and the suction tube 39 of the yarn-end finder device again turns downwardly, thus entraining the seized yarn end from the take-up spool 13 into the immediate vicinity of the knotter 41. At the same time the conveying arm 46 has passed from its uppermost (dot-and-dash) position to the lowermost (full-line) position 46 where it seizes the yarn end coming from the supply coil 14. During the next following return travel in the upward direction of arm 46, the latter yarn end is also placed against the l-LIlOllCl' 41 which now ties both yarn ends together.

In the meantime, the cam disc 32 has turned to the position where its dog 35 presses against the projection 43 of control lever 42 and thus pushes the return tappet 45 toward the left for a short interval of time. The tappet movement acts upon the lever arm 18 of the yarn guard 17 and resets the guard so that the winding station is ready for further operation. When the knotting operation is satisfactorily performed, the winding station now continues the winding-up of the take-up spool 13. If the knotting operation failed, then the yarn guard 17 does not remain in its lowermost position and thus initiates a repetition of the above-described servicing operation upon the next passing of the service unit.

immediately after the dog 35 has passed beyond projection 43, the stop pawl 30 enters into the notch 34 of cam 32. This releases the latch 31 from the boss 51, and the chain 8, kept under tension by the slip clutch 55, cntrains the tender 5 by means of the entrainer pin 54. The tender 5 then travels to the next following winding station where, if needed, the servicing operation is initiated and performed in the same manner as described above.

instead of completely stopping the tender 5 by means of the latch 31, the machine may be modified in such a manner as to merely slow down the traveling motion of the tender, for example with the aid of a brake, as described below, with reference to connecting element in FIG. 5. This permits operating in such a manner that the tender 5 has already passed through the range of the winding station when the knotting is completed. In other words, the traveling speed of the tender during yarn-end finding and knotting operations can be'adjusted to the most favorable conditions, so that the tender is most rapidly available for performing its servicing operations at the next winding station calling for such servicmg.

In the above-described embodiment the traveling speeds of the tender during forward and return motion are equal. However, it is also possible to drive a second traveling chain through another slip clutch and to have this second chain entrain the tender after it arrives at one of the lateral standards 1 or 2, so as to return the tender at increased speed while during return travel the switch arm 25 is turned out of the range of engagement with the switch arm 19 of the individual stations. As soon as the returning tender reaches the other lateral standard, the arm 25 is returned to normal position. With this design, the multiplicity of winding stations are felt-off by the tender for determining whether a servicing operation is needed, while the tender is traveling in only one direction.

Such a modified design is illustrated in FIGS. 4 and in conjunction with an electric drive. However, a design of the same ty pe can be applied in the same manner and to the same advantage in a machine otherwise as described above with reference to FIG. 2.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5, the tender is driven by means of two electric motors mounted on the tender and energized through a flexible cable. The cable 81 connects the machine frame structure 1 with the tender and is kept taut by means of a tubular part 82 (FIG. 5) on which is mounted a helical spring 83 carrying a tubular rod 84. The rod 84 assumes an inclined position (FIG. 4) toward one or the other side depending upon whether the tender is located toward the left or right of the machine center. In this manner the cable 81 will always be located in the free space above the winding stations. The tender 5 carries a tubular part 86 (FIG. 5) and a helical spring 85 for receiving the cable 81.

Also mounted on the tender is a reversing switch 87 whose actuating member is formed by pin 88 which abuts against the lateral standard 1 or 2 as soon as the tender approaches the standard. This switch in reversing also changes the motor speed. In this manner the switch 87 reverses the drive of the tender so that the tender automatically changes its traveling direction. Instead of having the lateral standards act upon the reversing switch, the machine may also be provided with a partition if the tender is to serve only a limited number of the totality of winding stations contained in the machine.

The servicing mechanisms of the tender are driven by an electric motor 189 which may simultaneously serve to provide for feed or traveling motion. The rcquired vacuum pressure is produced by a blower driven by an electric motor 90. The forward travel of the tender is effected by means of the chain 53 through a spur gear 100, a slip clutch 301, and friction gears 30?. which transmit their rotation onto the running wheels 24 of the tender. A clutch 60 having a friction disc 61b on shaft 61 serves to connect shaft 61 and its worm 62 to gear 100 so as to drive cam 32 in only one direction and only during the forward travel of motor 189. During the return travel of motor 189 the cam mechanism 32 and the working devices of the tender 5 are idle. Here also, as in the embodiment of FIG. 3, a freewheeling mechanism within the adjacent spur gear 59 permits entrainment of disc 61b in one direction of rotation of gear 59 by chain 58, and thus in one direction of travel of the tender. In the reverse direction of tender travel. the spur gear 59 rotates without entraining the disc 61b and thus does not rotate cam disc 32. Instead of arresting the winding station during the interval in which the station is to be placed into operative condition, the embodiment of FIG. 5 provides for slowing down the opcrating speed of the station. For this purpose a braTJe shoe 69 is fastened to the member 31 which reduces the traveling speed of the tender but does not completely stop the tender.

The machine is further provided with a device which, when the tender approaches one of the lateral standards, places the servicing mechanisms of the tender out of action but keeps the travel drive of the tender in operation in the reverse direction, and which returns the servicing mechanisms into active condition when thereafter the tender reaches the other standard.

The switch arm 25 of the tender shown in FIG. 5 is joined at 93 with the crank shaft 27. An arm 94, rigidly connected with the switch arm 25, is located opposite a latch pawl 95 biased by a spring 96. At the end of the working travel path, for example at the lateral standard 1, there is mounted a control arm 97 (FIGS. 4, 5, 5A. 14) with an inclined cam face which laterally abuts against the lever arm 94 and thus forces it in the direction toward the tender. As a result, the front portion of the arm 94 catches behind the nose of the latch pawl 95. Pawl 95- then latches the arm 94 and thus also the switch arm 25 in swung-out position where the switch arm 25 occupies the position shown by dot-anddash lines (FIG. 5). The switch arm 25 is thus kept out of the range of the switch arms 19 in the individual winding stations so that when the tender passes through its return travel and along any winding station whose yarn guard 17 is lifted in response to faulty condition, the servicing mechanisms of the tender are not placed in operation. However, when the tender 5 reaches the other standard. namely the standard 2 (FIG. 4), the latch pawl 95 abuts against another stationary control member 98 (FIGS. 4. 14. 5A) which forces the pawl 95 downward thus releasing the lever arm 94 and hence also the switch arm 25. The switch arm 25 then swings back into active position under the force of its biasing s ring 26. and the tender is again in active condition \thite commencing its forward travel along the winding stations of the machine.

FIG. 5A further explains the cooperation of parts 93 to 96 in a view taken looking from the left of FIG. 5. This view is in the same direction as in FIG. 14, but of an en arged detail.

\fhen the yarn teeter 17 is dropped down in response to yarn breakage. the lever 25, during travelling motion of the tender 5. strikes against the lever arm 19 and is thereby turned from the middle position 25' shown by dot-and-dash lines into the full-line position of FIG. 5A. Since lever arm 25 is firmly mounted on the shaft 27, the shaft 27 is thus turned and thereby initiates the entire yarn seeking and knotting operation. After the yarn i1; knotted and again taut, the yarn feeler 17 turns back into the dot-and-dash position of FIG. 5, the lever 25 is pulled back by spring 26 into the approximately vertical dot-antl-dash line positions 25 (FIG. 5A). and the tender 5 continues its travel toward the left (FIGS. 14, 5A). When the tender reaches the lateral frame structure 1, the tappet 97 engages and moves the part 94 to the right into the dot-anddash position 94. This part 94 is rotatably mounted on the shaft 27. A dog 940 arranged on part 94 displaces the lever 25 counterclockwise to the dohand-dash position 25" during rotational motion of part 94. This places the tip of the lever 25 sufiiciently low so that during the subsequent travelling of tender 5 to the right (FIGS. 14, 5A), the lever 25 will pass beneath and clear the respective dropped lever arms 19 at the various stations. During such travelling motion toward the right. the part 94 is kept is position 94' by the latching pawl 95, as shown in FIG. 5A.

When the tender 5 reaches the right-hand lateral standard 2, then the release member 98 engages and unlatches the latch member from the part 94 in opposition to the pull of spring 96. Consequently, the spring 26 (FIG. 2) can now pull the lever 25 to the position 25' (FIG. 5A) and simulizznctmsly causes the dog 940 to move the part 94 counterclockwise so that the pawl 95 is placed against the lo'-v "r left edge of the part 94. During a following motion of the tender 5 toward the left, the lever 25 can again strike against the dropped lever arm 19 of any yarn feclcr 17 that may have responded, and may thus release the yarn-seeking and knotting operations.

As mentioned above, the tender, in response to certain conditions, must discharge an empty supply coil 9 from a winding station being serviced and must substitute a full supply coil. The servicing mechanism for performing such exchanging operations in each of the abovedescribed embodiments will now be described with particular reference to FIGS. 6 and 7.

Fastened to the above-described control lever 36 (FIGS. 2, are two Bowden wires 66 and 65 which, depending upon the moving direction of the control lever 36, either push against an arm 71 (FIG. 7) of braking lever 70 or apply pulling force to a lever arm 72 (FIG. 6) respectively. The Bowden wire 65 controls the spearing-up device generally designated 64 (FIGS. 2, 5). The Bowden wire 66, provided with a hooked lower end, con trols a doffer generally designated by 63 for lifting an empty supply coil off the supporting thorn. In the event of yarn breakage, the control lever 36 is turned in the manner described above. During such displacement, the lever 36 pushes the Bowden wire 65 whose other end abuts against the arm 71 (FIG. 7). Since an exchange of the supply coil is desired only when the yarn of that coil 14 is exhausted, the empty tubular core or quill of the supply coil 14 is removed only upon depletion of the yarn on coil 14. The dotfer 63 comprises a doffer arm 104 (FIG. 7) fixedly mounted on a tubular shaft 105. Linked to shaft 105 is a feeler 106 (FIG. 7) which rests against the yarn body of the supply coil 14 under the biasing force of a spring 107. Linked to feeler 106 is a tappet 108 which enters into a groove 109 of a tubular shaft 110 only when the feeler 106 defiects about its pivot due to depletion of yarn on coil 14. The shaft 110 is coaxially located within the tubular shaft 105. Upon depletion of the yarn of the supply coil, the doffer arm 104 becomes coupled by tappct 108 with the arm 71. Consequently when the Bowden wire 65 pushes against arm 71 under the conditions already mentioned, the doffer arm 104 is entrained and turns clockwise, thus lifting the empty core of coil 14 off the thorn 67 (FIGS. 2, 5) and readying the thorn for receiving a new, full coil. However, if there is still sufiicient yarn on the supply coil speared-up on the thorn, then the tappet 108 cannot enter into the groove 109 and the movement of lever arm-71 caused by Bowden wire 65 remains idle, so that no coil exchange is effected.

The arm 72 of the spearing-up device (FIG. 6) is firmly mounted on an inner tubular shaft 73 which has a groove 74 into which an entrainer arm 75 can enter. The shaft 73 is located within another tubular shaft 76 upon which the receiving thorn 67 for the take-up coil is fastened. Both tubular shafts 76 and 73 can rotate about a common center shaft 77. Firmly connected with the tubular shaft 76 and the thorn 67 is a holder member 78 biased by a return spring 79. A feeler 80 is firmly joined with the entrainer 75.

When the supply coil 14 seated upon the thorn 67 still possesses a sutficient yarn supply on the coil foot to make a knotting of the yarn end uneconomical, then the feeler 80 retains the entrainer 75 in the position shown in FIG. 6 in which the entrainer cannot enter into the groove 74 even though it may be in registry there with. However, when the yarn supply on the coil on them 67 is too small, the feeler 80 turns clockwise under the action of its spring 79, and the entrainer 75 is now in condition to enter into groove 74. Consequently, when thereafter the arm 72 is moved by the action of Bowden wire 66, the entrainer 75 catches into groove 74 and entrains the holder member 78 and thus also the thorn 67. The thorn then turns downward in the counterclockwise direction into the range of the trough (FIGS. 2, 5) through which a new, full supply coil is placed upon the thorn.

During return motion of the Bowden wires, the spearing-up mechanism and the dotfer return into their respective original positions. The feeler 80 and the feeler 106 return back to the testing positions, and the winding operation can continue.

During dotting an empty core of a supply coil described above, the braking lever 70, connected to arm 71 of the ejecting device, causes additional braking of the tender 5 due or responsive to the additional coil-exchanging work. Any conventional braking means can be connected between lever 70 and the conduit 4, for this purpose; for instance of the same type as is shown at 31, 69 in FIG. 5. This braking can serve either to slow down or to completely arrest the servicing unit.

In machines of the type so far described, there may occur certain rare faults or defects that cannot be eliminated by the servicing devices of the traveling tender but require manual activities or the use of other auxiliary servicing devices. It may also happen that a defect occurs in the tender so that a number of winding stations cannot be serviced by that tender.

It is therefore another object of my invention to improve the machines so that the operating range of the servicing tender, as regards the number of winding stations serviced thereby, can readily be set or modified in such a manner that it will service only a limited number of the winding stations in the machine, whereas the other winding stations can be serviced manually or by some other servicing device.

A further object of my invention is to increase the servicing efiiciency of the mobile servicing tenders by having one and the same multi-station machine serviced by a plurality of mobile servicing tenders whose respective working ranges, as regards the number of-stations being serviced, can be varied in adaptation to the particular fabricating requirements.

In accordance with these objects, I assign to a mobile servicing unit a normal working range which covers only part of the total number of winding stations in the machine. The remaining number of stations can then be serviced in other ways, for example manually or by another limited-range servicing unit. Such a division of the winding stations into a normal automatic range and another, for example manual, range is particularly ad vantageous if a particular starting operation is required, such as the covering of a coil core with a few initial starter" turns of yarn. In such cases it is further of advantage to have a first servicing unit (A) perform a certain work (a), whereas another servicing unit (8) operating within a second range performs a different work (b).

The working ranges of the individual servicing units, each comprising a given part of the total number of winding stations, may be contiguous. This is particularly desirable if different types of yarn, having different breakage frequencies or different depletion periods of their supply coils, are used on one and the same winding machine. Then, by virtue of the invention, the individual servicing units can be better adapted to the respectively different fabricating conditions of the various types of yarn.

However, according to another feature of my invention, the working ranges of the individual servicing units may overlap. Then, two neighboring servicing units may become active within a limit working range common to both, whereas each unit is exclusively active in the middle portion of its own working range. In other cases, particularly when the same fabricating conditions apply to all winding stations, it is advantageous to have two adjacent servicing units supervise and service all stations within the entire working range. In this case, however, the individual servicing unit must be given a relatively long travel and must be provided with switching devices to take care that the neighboring servicing units, when meeting each other, will automatically reverse their respective traveling directions.

The above-mentioned further objects and features are 11 embodied in the machine described presently with reference to FIGS. 8 to 14.

The machine has a frame structure bordered and sup ported on both longitudinal sides by respective standards 1 and 2 (FIGS. 8, 14). Each of the serially aligned winding stations 3 (FIG. 14) comprises a take-up spool 13 (FIG. 8) journalled for rotation on a spool frame 12 pivoted at 12a. The spool 13 receives the yarn F coming from the supply coil 14 and passing over the rotating yarn-guiding drum 11 whose helical groove, closed upon itself, passes the oncoming yarn back and forth in the axial direction along the spool 13 as the yarn is being wound up, thus producing the desired cross-wound yarn package on the spool in a manner similar to the machine described above with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

Mounted on the tender in the range of the thread guard 17 is a switching lever 25 whose pivot shaft carries a crank linkedto a latch pawl 30 and operates in a manner similar to that above described with respect to FIG. 2. The switch lever 25 is retained in its normal position by a biasing spring 25a (FIG. 8) but deflects about its pivot axis whenever the lever encounters the arm 19 of a fault-responsively deflected thread guard 17. The deflection of lever 25 causes the pawl 30 to release a control cam 32 which initiates and controls the knotting operation so that the yarn end is conveyed from the take-up spool 13 to the knotter, the yarn end from the supply coil 14 is also conveyed to the knotter, and both are tied together, as already described with respect to FIGS. 1 to 3.

The tender 5 is driven to travel along the winding machine, by means of an endless chain 8 whose chain links are provided with protruding entrainer pins 101. Located opposite these entrainer pins is a slider 102 displaceable in both directions, whose groove 108 (FIG. 11), depending upon the slider position, is engaged either by the entrainer pins 101 of the upper chain run or by those of the lower run. The slider 102 can move up and down on guide bars 103 and 104 (FIGS. 8, 9, 10, ll) fastened to holding members 105, 106 of a base plate 107. The groove 108 of slider 102 has entrance openings 109, 110 at the respective groove ends.

The slider 102 of the entrainer mechanism is placed into upper or lower position by means of a control rod 111 whereby one of the respective groove openings 110, 109 is placed opposite the entrainer pins 101 of the upper or lower chain portion, thus causing the slider 102 together with the tender 5 to be entrained in one or the other traveling direction. The particular position occupied by the slider 102 is determined by one of two interconnected control levers 112, 113 which move the slider 102 to the upper or lower position through a linking rod 114 (FIG. 8), an angular lever 115, and the above-mentioned linking rod 111. A toggle spring 116, acting upon lever 115, retains lever 115 in one or the other limit position until the lever is moved to the other position by one of control levers 112, 113.

Aside from the up and down movement of slider 102 in the entrainer mechanism, the base plate 107 carrying the slider 102 can move toward the right and left. During such motion, the base plate 107 is guided by pins 117, 118 and is driven by a bifurcated, angular control lever 119 (FIGS. 9, 10, ll). The right-left stroke is just large enough that in the right-hand position (FIG. 9) the pins 117, 118 remain outside of groove 108, whereas when the base plate 107 is in the left-hand position (FIG. 9) the pins enter into the groove. The forked control lever 119 is turned about the pivot 122 by a linking rod 123 which links the arm 121 of lever 119 to an extension 120 of the above-mentioned pawl 30.

Each individual winding station is provided with a control bar 124 which is located near the control levers 112, 113 of the traveling tender but does not directly protrude into the traveling path of the levers 112, 113. Only if a block 125 (FIGS. 8, 12, 13) is mounted at the front or rear of the bar 124, can one or the other control lever 112, 113 enter into engagement with the block 125 when the tender, carrying the levers 112 and 113, passes by the block. The block 125 has a slanting position relative to the traveling direction of the tender 5 (FIG. 13). Consequently, the control lever 112 or 113 is turned about its pivot by the slanting edge of block 125 as soon as the control lever enters into engagement with, and travels along, the block. The block 125 has a bore engaged by a dowel pin 126 (FIG. 13) and rests against a stop pin 127 which is lower than the block 125 and which prevents the block from being displaced from the slanting position by the engaging lever 112 or 113. A spring 128 urges the block 125 into engagement with stop pin 127.

Due to the fact that each winding station of the machine is provided with a control bar 124 which can be made to cooperate with the lever 112 or 113 by properly inserting a block 125, each particular winding station can be chosen for determining the travel limit for the tender 5 simply by properly inserting the block 125. That is, when a winding station is provided with the block 125, then this particular winding station, after being serviced by the tender, eifects a reversal in the running direction of the tender.

It is of advantage, to make the control bar 124 so large that it can accommodate two switching blocks 125,

one for the control lever 112 located at the front, and the other block for the rear control lever 113. In this case, the multi-station winding machine can be provided with two or more servicing tenders whose respective operating ranges, each comprising a number of winding stations, overlap; the front position of switching block 125 serving to limit the working range of one tender, whereas the rear position of the switching block limits the working range of the second tender.

For example, before placing the machine in operation, a working range Ia (FIG. 14), comprising the winding stations Nos. 1 through 7, is assigned to the tender 5A. The working range IIa, comprising winding stations Nos. 6 to 12, is assigned to a second tender 5B; and the working range Ill'b, comprising the winding stations 13 to 16, is assigned to a third tender 5C. Located at the end of range Ia, on each side thereof, is a switching block 125 on control bar 124. In this case the blocks 125 are placed in rear position which is identified in FIG. 14 by showing the rear switching blocks 125 and the appertaining bars 124 fully in black. For limiting the working range IIa of tender 5B, the corresponding switching blocks 125 are mounted in forward position on bar 124, which is identified in FIG. 14 by showing block and bar by contour lines.

When the machine is put into operation, all individual winding stations commence operating. As soon as a yarn breakage occurs in any one station, the thread guard 17 of that station will turn outwardly. When now the traveling tender 5 passes by the winding station, the arm 19 of the turned-out guard 17 entrains the switching lever 25 which turns the pawl 30 downward and thereby moves a vertically reciprocable latch tappet 31 into a catch on the tubular carrier 4 along which the tender runs. At the same time, pawl 30, by means of its projection 120, actuates the linking rod 123 so that arm 121 of control lever 119 turns counter-clockwise (FIG. 8) about its pivot 122 and displaces the base plate 107 (FIGS. 8, 9) toward the right. The base plate 107 and its holders 105, 106 entrain guide rods 103, 104 and slider 102 toward the right. This moves the slider 102 out of the range of the entrainer pins 101 of the conveyor chain 8 so that the chain can continue running without further entraining the tender.

The knotting device 47 of the tender can now perform its operation. After completing the work, the control tappet 45 is pushed toward the left by dog 35 of cam disc 32 pushing against control lever 42. The tappet 45 newest i3 then returns the thread guard 17-into its original position. This has the effect of again placing the winding station into winding operation.

The tender 5 continues its travel. If no servicing is required by any of the winding stations along the further travel path, the control lever H2 or lid ultimately abuts against a switching block 125. As is particularly apparent from FIG. 13, the lever 113 or 112, depending upon the positioning of switching block 125, is deflected along the slanting surface of block 125 as indicated by an arrow in FIG. 13. The movement is transmitted through linking rod 114, angular lever 115 and linking rod 111 to the slider 102 of the entraining mechanism, thus displacing the slider upwardly. Since, when the winding station is again switched on, the latch pawl 30 and its projection 120 have turned upwardly, this upward motion, as already described, is transmitted through linking rod 123 and arm 121 onto the control lever 119 which turns the slider 102 toward the left, that is, into the range of the conveyor chain 8. The lifting of the slider 102 from its lower into its upper position also causes reversal of the traveling direction of the tender, and the tender runs in its new direction until it abuts against the next switching block 125 which then again causes reversal of the travel.

If the conditions are such that two tenders may meet each other, as is the case with overlapping operating ranges such as shown at In and 11a in FIG. 14, then it is necessary to effect a reversal in traveling motion of the two tenders also whenever such meeting occurs. For this purpose, at least one of the two tenders is provided, on its side facing the other tender, with a protruding control member 129 (FIGS. 8, l4, which acts through an angular lever 13!), pivoted at 130a, upon the linking rod 114 and reverses the travel of both tenders.

It will be realized that in a machine of the type described with reference to FIGS. 8 to 14, there is the possibility of mounting on each individual winding station a device for selectively limiting the operating range of the mobile servicing units by automatically reversing the traveling motion of the unit. As also described, it is preferable to make the limiting and travel-reversing control means readily movable from each winding station so that these means need be mounted only if and where required. That is, each winding station is preferably so designed that this particular station can be made to operate as a limit position for the traveling servicing unit merely by turning a switching lever, inserting a block or other component.

The machine according to FIGS. 8 to 14 also em bodies the feature of my invention according to which the mobile servicing unit itself is provided with a device for reversing its traveling motion. This is necessary in cases where an overlapping of working ranges is desired. If two neighboring servicing units meet each other within the overlapping range, the travel-reversing devices of the units enter into operation before the units actually hit against each other. Furthermore, the travelreversing device of the mobile unit is also capable of cooperating with the travel-reversing device of the particular winding station selected for defining the travel limit position.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art, upon a study of this disclosure, that my invention permits of various modifications and may be embodied in machines other than those particularly illustrated and described herein, without departing from the essential principles and features of my invention and within the scope of the claims annexed hereto.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for servicing a multi-station coil winding machine, comprising a servicing unit movable along the winding stations for eliminating stoppage due to yarn absence in said respective stations, said unit being provided with drive means for continually reciprocating the lid servicing unit along a series of winding stations to be serviced, said drive means comprising means for varying the time spent in performing a total run in one direction of the unit in dependence upon the amount of servicing work to be performed during one pass of said unit past said series of stations.

2. Apparatus for servicing a m-ulti-station coil winding machine, comprising a servicing unit movable along the winding stations for eliminating stoppage due to yarn absence in said respective stations, said unit being provided with drive means for continually reciprocating the servicing unit along a series of winding stations to be serviced, and means for delaying the unit in fronuof said respective stations in response to stoppage occurring in a station for a delaying interval required for the unit to eliminate the stoppage in said station.

3. The method of servicing a multi-station coil winding machine by a servicing unit movable along the winding stations for eliminating stoppage due to yarn absence in said respective stations, which comprises moving the servicing unit at relatively slow speed and in active condition forward along a series of winding stations and temporarily delaying the unit in coactive relation to each station of the series that requires servicing at a time, reversing the travel direction of the unit after it has reached the end of the series and returning it at relatively high and continuous speed and in idle condition to the beginning of the series, and continually repeating the forward and return travel of the unit.

4. A yarn-coil winding machine, comprising a multiplicity of serially located winding stations, a mobile servic ing unit having a travel path along said stations and having automatic servicing means comprising yarn-end finding. means and yarn-end knotting means and coil-exchanging means, each of said stations having sensing means responsive to yarn failure and engageable with said unit only when in responded condition to then initiate the operation of said servicing means, drive means for reciprocating said unit on said travel path, and drive control means on said unit for varying the time spent by said unit during one pass of said unit past said serially located stations in dependence upon one said respective servicing means being in operation.

5. A yarn-coil winding machine, comprising a multiplicity of serially located winding stations each having supply-coil holder means and take-up winder means and each station having sensing means responsive to absence of yarn between said holder means and said winder means for controlling said winder means to stop upon occurrence of such absence; a mobile servicing unit having a travel path along said stations and having automatic servicing means including a yarn knotting mechanism for restoring a stopped winding station to active condition, drive means for reciprocating said unit in said path, and drive control means mounted on said unit and having a control member actuable by any one of said sensing means when said sensing means is in responded condition and said unit reaches said responded sensing means during travel of said unit, said drive control means comprising travel delaying means controlled by said control member to temporarily delay said unit at the station being serviced at a time.

6. A yarn-coil winding machine, comprising a support structure, a multiplicity of winding stations mounted on said support structure, each station having a supply-coil holder and a take-up winder, a servicing tender mounted for reciprocating travel along said winding stations, said tender having servicing means for finding and tying ends of the yarn between said winder and said holder, each winding station having a yarn guard located between said winder and said holder, said guard having a normal condition and having a fault-responsive condition in response to absence of yarn, said tender having travel control means for delaying the travel of said tender, said travel control means being responsive to said yarn guard only when said guard is in said responsive condition at an individual stal tion whereby said control means delays said tender along side said station, and said tender having service control means responsive to said travel control means and coin nected with said servicing means to cause said servicing means to perform the yarn-finding and tying operations.

7. A yarn-coil winding machine, comprising a support structure, a multiplicity of winding stations mounted on the support structure, each station having a supply-coil holder and a take-up winder, a tubular horizontal mem ber extending along said stations, means for producing suction in the member, a servicing apparatus mounted for travel lengthwise of said member, drive means for reciprocating said servicing apparatus along said member, said apparatus having servicing means comprising suction nozzle means for finding and entraining the yarn ends and tying means for joining the yarn ends between said winder and said holder, said suction nozzle means communicating with said tubular member, each of said winding stations having a movable yarn guard normally in one position and displaceable to another poistion in response to yarn failure between said holder and said winder to control arresting of said winder upon occurrence of such failure, said servicing apparatus having a travel delaying device responsive to failure-responsive displacement of said yarn guard at an individual station, and said servicing apparatus having control means connecting said delaying device with said servicing means for causing performance of the yam-finding and tying operations while said apparatus is temporarily delayed alongside said individual station.

8. A yarn-coil winding machine, comprising a support structure, a plurality of winding stations mounted on the support structure, each station having a supply-coil holder and a take-up winder, a mobile servicing apparatus having a travel path along said stations, drive means for reciprocating said apparatus along said path, said apparatus having servicing means for finding and tying the yarn ends between said holder and said winder, each of said winding stations having a movable yarn guard normally in one position and displaceable to another position in response to yarn failure between said holder and said winder to control arresting of said winder upon occurrence of such failure, said servicing apparatus having a device responsive to said yarn guard at an individual station when said guard is in said other position, stop means connected with said device for arresting said apparatus alongside said station, control means connected with said device for controlling said servicing means to operate while said apparatus is arrested, and release means responsive to said control means for releasing said apparatus to continue its travel when said servicing means complete their operation.

9. A yarn-coil winding machine, comprising a support structure, a plurality of winding stations mounted on the support structure, each station having a lower pivoted supply coil holder and an upper take-up winder, a tubular horizontal member having an individual suction opening for each winding station, means for producing suction in the member, a servicing apparatus mounted for reciprocating travel to left and right lengthwise of said member, drive means to so move the servicing apparatus, the latter apparatus having servicing means for finding and tying end portions of the yarn between said winder and said holder, the yarn-finding means including a pivoted suction nozzle, suction conduit means connected to said nozzle and movable along and communicating with said tubular member through said respective suction openings, each of said winding stations having a movable yarn guard normally in one position and displaceable to another position in response to yarn failure between said holder and said winder to control arresting of said winder upon occurrence of such failure, control means carried by the servicing apparatus including a device responsive to said yarn guard when said guard is in said other position at an individual station to delay the servicing apparatus alongside said 15 station and to initiate the yarn-finding and tying operation, said control means being connected to said servicing means to pivot said suction nozzle and said supply coil holder.

10. A yarn-coil winding machine, comprising a multiplicity of serially located winding stations, a mobile servicing unit having a travel path along said stations and having automatic servicing means comprising yarn-end finding means and yarn-end knotting means and coilexchanging means, each of said stations having sensing means responsive to yarn failure and engageable with said servicing unit only when in responded condition to then initiate the operation of said servicing means, drive means for reciprocating said unit on said travel path, said drive means having high speed in one travel direction of said unit and slow speed in the other direction, said unit having control means connected with said servicing means for rendering said servicing means idle during travel in said one direction, and said unit having delaying means connected with said servicing means for delaying said unit during travel in said other direction during operation of said servicing means.

11. A yarn-coil winding machine, comprising a multiplicity of serially located winding stations, a mobile servicing unit having a travel path along said stations and having automatic servicing means comprising yarn-end finding means and yarn-end knotting means and coilexchanging means, drive means for reciprocating said unit on said travel path, said unit having a control member normally in a given position and movable to another position for controlling said servicing means to perform a cycle of operation, each of said stations having a yarnengaging guard member movable to a responsive position in dependence upon occurrence of yarn failure in said station, said guard member in any one station being engageable with said control member of said servicing unit only if said guard member is in said responsive position when said unit reaches said one station whereby said control member causes operation of said servicing means, said unit having travel control means connected with and controlled by said control member to delay said unit during said operation.

12. In a winding machine according to claim 7, said servicing apparatus having wheels running on said tubular member and having a center of gravity located approximately on the axis of said tubular member.

13. In a winding machine according to claim 4, said drive for said servicing unit comprising a motor mounted on said unit and drag cable means connected with said motor to supply power thereto.

14. In a winding machine according to claim 4, said drive for said servicing unit comprising an endless drive member extending along said travel path, and said servicing unit having entrainer means for coupling said endless member with said unit.

15. In a winding machine according to claim 4, said drive for said servicing unit comprising an endless drive member extending along said travel path and entrainer means for coupling said endless member with said sewicing unit, and a second endless drive member extending along said path, said servicing unit having transmission means connecting said second endless member with said servicing means for driving the latter.

16. A yarn-coil winding machine, comprising a multiplicity of serially located winding stations, a mobile servicing unit having a travel path along said stations and having automatic servicing means comprising yarn-end finding means and, yarn-end knotting means and coilexchanging means, each of said stations having sensing means responsive to yarn failure and engageable with said unit only when in responded condition to then initiate the operation of said servicing means, an endless drive member extending along said path, a motor, a slip clutch connecting said motor with said endless member, said servicing unit being connected with said endless member so as to be reciprocated on said travel path, and said servicing unit having arresting means responsive to said sensing means when the latter is in said responded condition, said arresting means being adapted to stop said unit and said endless member during operation of said servicing means while said slip clutch permits continued operation of said motor.

17. A yarn-coil winding machine, comprising a multiplicity of serially located winding stations, a mobile serv icing unit having a travel path along said stations and having automatic servicing means comprising yarn-end finding means and yarn-end knotting means and coil-exchanging means, a service control device disposed on said unit and having a single-revolution cam mechanism linked with said servicing means for controlling the latter to perform a single cycle of operations during one revolution of said cam mechanism, latch means normally arresting said cam mechanism and having a release control member displaceably mounted on said unit, each of said winding stations having sensing means responsive to yarn failure and engageable with said release control member of said servicing unit only when said sensing means of an individual winding station is in responded condition whereby a cycle of servicing operations is initiated as the unit reaches said individual station, drive means connected with said servicing unit for reciprocating it on said travel path, and delay control means mounted on said unit and connected with said release control member for delaying said unit alongside said individual station during said cycle of servicing operations.

18. In a winding machine according to claim 17, each of said winding stations having a supply-coil holder and a take-up winder and means defining a yarn path between said holder and said winder, said sensing means comprising a yarn guard normally in a position of engagement with the yarn on said yarn path and defiectable to another position upon yarn failure to then stop said winder, said guard being engageable with said release control member of said servicing unit only when said guard is in said other position, whereby said yarn guard returns to said normal position to re-start said winder when said servicing operations succeed in eliminating yarn failure.

19. A winding machine according of claim 17, comprising a rigid carrier structure extending along said travel path, said servicing unit having running Wheels engaging said carrier structure to run along said structure, and said delay control means comprising a stop member engageable with said carrier structure for arresting said unit during said servicing operation, and actuating means linking said stop member with said latch means for actuating said stop member when said cam mechanism is released for a cycle of servicing operations.

20. A yarn-coil winding machine, comprising a multiplicity of serially located winding stations, a mobile servicing unit having a travel path along said stations and having automatic servicing means comprising yarn-end finding and irnotting means for restoring an inactive winding station to active condition, each winding station having means responsive to yarn failure and engageable with said unit only when in responded condition to then delay the travel of said unit and initiate the operation of said servicing means, drive means for moving said unit along said path, said mobile unit having a reversing switch device for reversing its direction of travel, and stationary travel control means located at the respective ends of travel for causing said unit to reciprocate on said travel path, said travel control means having selective positions along said path for limiting the length of reciprocating travel of said unit to a desired number of said winding stations less than the total number of stations.

21. A multi-station Winding machine according to claim 20, comprising a plurality of servicing units, each unit having a range of reciprocating travel covering only part of said total number of stations.

22. A multi-station winding machine according to claim 20, comprising a plurality of servicing units, each unit having a range of reciprocating travel covering only part of said total number of stations, the respective ranges of two of said units overlapping each other, and at least one of said two units having travel control means coactive with said switch device of the other unit for reversing the travel of said other unit when said two units meet each other.

23. A multi-station winding machine according to claim 20, comprising a plurality of servicing units, each unit having a range of reciprocating travel covering only part of said total number of stations, a separate set of said stationary travel control means being provided for each of said units whereby said respective ranges are selectively adjustable.

24. In a multi-station winding machine according to claim 20, each of said winding stations having holder means for accommodating one of said. stationary travel control means whereby the travel of said unit can be reversed at any selected one of said stations.

25. A multi-station winding machine according to claim 20, comprising a plurality of servicing units, each unit having a range of reciprocating travel covering only part of said total number of stations, said stationary travel control means being mounted at said respective winding stations, and some of said stations having said travel control means selectively engagea ble with said switch device of different ones of said respective servicing units.

References Cited in the file of this patent Switzerland Feb. 16, 1939 Great Britain Dec. 15, 1954

Claims (1)

1. 2. APPARATUS FOR SERVICING A MULTI-STATION COIL WINDING MACHINE, COMPRISING A SERVICING UNIT MOVABLE ALONG THE WINDING STATIONS FOR ELIMINATING STOPPAGE DUE TO YARN ABSENCE IN SAID RESPECTIVE STATIONS, SAID UNIT BEING PROVIDED WITH DRIVE MEANS FOR CONTINUALLY RECIPROCATING THE SERVICING UNIT ALONG A SERIES OF WINDING STATIONS TO BE SERVICED, AND MEANS FOR DELAYING THE UNIT IN FRONT OF SAID RESPECTIVE STATIONS IN RESPONSE TO STOPPAGE OCCURRING IN A STATION FOR A DELAYING INTERVAL REQUIRED FOR THE UNIT TO ELIMINATE THE STOPPAGE IN SAID STATION.

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