US3132466A - Device for indicating thread breakage particularly in spinning machines - Google Patents

Description

May 12, 1964 G. PREISSER 3,132,466 DEVICE FOR INDICATING THREAD BREAKAGE PARTICULARLY IN SPINNING MACHINES Filed June 20, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 G. PREISSER May 12, 1964 DEVICE FOR INDICATING THREAD BREAKAGE PARTICULARLY IN SPINNING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sneet 2 Filed June 20, 1960 May 12, 1 G. PREISSER 3,132,465

DEVICE FOR INDICATING THREAD BREAKAGE PARTICULARLY IN SPINNING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 20, 1960 N 58/ 2e 5e i 33 64 United States Patent 3,132,466 DEVICE FQR INDICATING THREAD BREAKAGE PARTICULARLY IN SPINNING MACHINES Giinther Preisser, 102 Bismarckstrasse, Monchen-Gladbach, Germany Filed June 20, 196i), Ser. No. 37,189 Claims priority, application Germany June 29, 1959 8 Claims. (Cl. 57-81) It is known to provide weaving and knitting looms as well as twisters with thread breakage indicators to indicate the breakage of a thread.

Whereas a thread or yarn used in such textile machines has a relatively high strength, which enables the exercise on the thread of those forces, in addition to the thread tension, which are inevitably involved in the scanning of the thread by the feeler of the thread breakage indicator, diiierent conditions are encountered in spinning machines and preclude the use of thread breakage indicators of the usual kind. In this case it is not a thread in the usual sense which breaks but the material to be spun, which emerges from the feed rollers and consists of weak and very weak individual hairs and hairlets, which must be twisted by the spindle in order to be converted into a thread.

The thread breakage indicator proposed to solve this problem is characterized according to the invention in that a thread eye member associated as a thread guide with a spindle has at least one part which participates in the formation of the eye and which is movably arranged and directly engaged by the tensioned thread and positively held thereby in one of its two limiting positions, whereas in the other of said positions a thread breakage indicating means is operated, the hearing or guide for the movable part lying in the space which is defined by two successive spindle axes. This is the space between two parallel imaginary planes, each of which contains a spindle axis and which are at right angles to an imaginary plane containing both spindle axes.

In order to ensure in a simple manner that the bearing or guide of the movable part of the thread breakage indicator lies in the space defined by the spindle axes in order to provide long lever arms which result in the required contact pressures owing to the above-mentioned, adequate torque in spite of small forces acting on the movable eye part or on the eye member, a housing in which the levers are mounted and in which contact pieces are accommodated is arranged in said space. This has the advantage that the housing can be designed as a dusttight case, which encloses the bearings for the levers and the contact pieces. Since there is a strong formation of dust in the spinning rooms so that insulating layers which would disturb a perfect indication may form on the contact pieces, the shielding against dust is of special importance. The housing may also be provided with the visual means for indicating thread breakage, e.g., in the form of an incandescent bulb arranged on an end wall.

Whereas the new thread breakage indicator has been hereinafter described as being used with spinning machines because the said special conditions are encountered here, this does not mean, of course, that the device which has been provided can be used only in conjunction with spinning machines. With other textile machines it is also desirable to avoid an undue increase in the load on the thread by the breakage indicators so that the proposed thread breakage indicator can be used with particularly good results also with weaving and knitting looms and with twisters.

The drawing shows illustrative embodiments of thread breakage indicators according to the invention.

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line I-I of FIG. 2 and showing a housing with the base housing adjoining the same. I

FIG. 2 is a horizontal longitudinal sectional view taken on line II-II of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on line III-III of FIG. 1 and FIG. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on line IVIV of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the upwardly swung housing and FIG. 6 is a top position.

FIG. 7 shows the relation of a thread breakage indicator constructed according to the FIGS. 1 to 6 to the associated spindle.

FIG. 8 shows the same relation for a machine, in which the strand being spun lies in the spindle axis.

FIG. 9 shows a modification of the eye member shown in FIG. 10.

FIG. 10 shows the arrangement and construction of the thread breakage indicator under the conditions illustrated in FIG. 8 with an eye member which is movable in its entirety.

FIG. 11 shows a thread breakage indicator according to FIGS. 1 to 6 in swung-up position.

FIG. 12 shows the arrangement of a number of thread breakage indicators disposed one beside the other.

The construction of the thread breakage indicator according to FIGS. 1 to 6 will be described first.

FIGS. 2 to 6 indicate first the combined guide and feeler means or thread eye member 1, which is associated as a thread guide with a spindle, and in which a part 2, which participates in forming the eye, is movably arranged by forming an arcuate portion of the elongated lever 3, which is suspended for oscillation about the pivot 4. The other. arcuate member 5 participating in the formation of the eye is formed by the stationary lever 6, which is stronger than the lever 3 and, as is particularly indicated in FIG. 3, lies below the movable lever 3 to protect the same against upwardly directed shocks or impacts which may be due to the need for a relatively rapid replacement of the bobbins disposed below the device shown so that uncontrolled movements result, which might have a detrimental infiuence on the levers 3.

For a dust-tight accommodation of the contact parts connected to the movable lever 3 and of the other contact parts, as is desired according to the invention, the following means are provided.

A first component housing 7 obtained by a division of the overall housing accommodates the contact parts to be specified hereinafter as well as part of the bearing means for the pivot 4 of the movable eye-forming lever 3. A second component housing is provided at 8 and closes the bottom in the component housing 7. As is particularly indicated in FIG. 4 the component housing 8 accommodates the slot 9 through which the levers 3 and 6 extend into the chamber of housing 8. These slots can hardly be sealed, particularly because consideration must be given not only to the pivotal movement of the lever 3 but also to adjustments required for matching the thread breakage indicator to the space conditions present in each case. For this reason the lever 6 is not rigidly secured in the component housing 8 but is held therein by means of the clamping screw 10. The lever 6 is supported by an abutment formed by the lower end wall 11 of the first component housing 7. The clamp joint 10, 12 enables a fixation of the lever 6 with any desired angularity with respect to the longitudinal direction of the housing. For the same reason the end of the lever 3 is aflixed in the clamping plan view of the housing in operative yoke 13, which can be pulled against the pivot 4 with the aidof the headless screw 14 so that the end of the lever 3 can be given any desired angularity with respect to the pivot 4. With this arrangement the lower end wall of the component housing '7 can be designed with bores so that only the rotary parts 4, 149 must pass therethrough. For instance, simple round seals are sufiicient to effect a dust-tight seal of the interior of the component housing 7 towards the outside. The lock nut 16 associated with the clamp screw 10 has a similar efiect. The pivot 4 is mounted on the bearing ball 17, which is accommodated in the bridge 18 of the cheek 19, which together with the opposite cheek 20 forms the lateral boundaries of the component housing 8. The cheeks 19, 20 have grooves 21, in which the flexible tongue 22 is guided, which seals the component housing 8 at the bottom to form a chamber therein. The pivot 4 has a reduced portion 23, which carries the pin 24.

If the pivot 4 is rotated in the counterclockwise sense as viewed in FIG. 2, the pin 24 can deform a biasing means or contact spring 25, the end of which is firmly connected to the component housing 7 at 26, so that the contact tip 27 is lifted from the contact plate 28. This will open a circuit including the incandescent bulb 29, which is disposed on the free end face of the housing part 7 and held at 30. The upper and lower walls of the housing 7 terminate in rail projections (unnumbered in FIGS. 1 and 2) which cover the incandescent bulb 29 in the vertical direction on opposed surfaces. This position of the pin 24 and of the pivot 4 connected thereto corresponds tothe operating position of the movable lever 3 with the eye-forming arcuate portion 2, in which position the thread guided in the eye 1 exerts on the arcuate part 2 a force which is directed to the right as viewed in FIG. 2

and which produces a torque which owing to the leverage resulting from the different lengths of the parts 3, 24 is sufficient to reliably lift the contact tip 27 from the contact plate 28 and to hold it lifted. A contact strip 31 ensures the energization of the breakage indicating means or incandescent bulb when this circuit is closed. The socket of the incandescent bulb 29 provides the second terminal, which is connected to system ground, to which the negative potential is applied. The contact spring 25 is connected through the bulb 29, as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 2 by the broken lines which represent wire conductors or the like, to additional current-carrying parts 32, which carry the terminal contact plate 33. In accordance therewith the contact plate 28 engages currentcarrying parts 34, which are connected to the contact plate 35. As is indicated in FIGS. 1 and 2, contact tongues 36, 37 having contact tips 38, 39 are disposed opposite to the contact plates 33, 35. When the housing 7, 8 is swung upwardly as shown in FIG. 5, the contact plates 33, will disengage the contact tips 38, 39 to interrupt the circuit described hereinbefore irrespective of the engagement of the contact tip 27 with the contact plate 28, as is shown in FIG. 2, or the disengagement of said tip from said plate. In the position shown in the drawing the tip will be in engagement because in FIG. 2 the lever 3 is in a position which results from the breakage of the thread passed through the eye member I. In this case the force action described hereinbefore, which is exerted by the pin 24 on the contact spring 25, is discontinued and the spring 25 expands in accordance with its resiliency so that the parts 27, 28 engage and said circuit is closed. Thus, the incandescent bulb 29 is illuminated. In accordance therewith the contact spring 25 produces the returning forces which in the case of a thread breakage ensure the return movement of the lever 3 from its operative position into the position shown in FIG. 2. The housing 7 forms a stop 40 for the pin 24, which stop limits the rotation of the lever 3 in the counterclockwise sense as viewed in FIG. 2 beyond the position in which the eye is formed. If the housing 7, '8 is swung up in this condition about the hinge axis 41 (see FIGS. 5 and 6), the incandescent bulb 29 will be extinguished after having performed its function to indicate the thread breakage. When the thread has again been threaded through the eye member 1, causing the contact tip 27 to disengage the contact plate 28 the swinging-down of the housing will not affect the opening of the circuit 27, 28. The device has only been moved to its operative condition. In order to enable a most convenient energization of thread breakage indicators arranged one beside the other, the contact tongue ea extends to the metal bushing 42 (see FIGS. 1 and 2.), which serves to receive the contact screw 43. Being pointed at 44, the latter can penetrate the insulation of a lead -45 containing the electric conductor 46, which is connected to the positive terminal of the source of current, not shown, or of the electric supply system. The negative terminal is connected to system ground, i.e., to the machine frame and the contact parts connected thereto. The lead v 45 extends in the direction of the thread breakage indicators arranged one beside the other so that the latter are connected to the electric supply in the simple manner shown.

FIGS. 3 and 4 indicate that each of the component housings 7 and 8 is longitudinally divided. The parting line is indicated at 47. The component housings are held together by hollow rivets 48. If importance is attached to the easy accessibility of the interior of the housing, the hollow rivets 48 may be replaced by screws. The same figures indicate that the component housing 7 is formed like the ridge of a roof at 49 so that any dust tending to deposit will be deflected. For the same reason, dust-deflecting housing wall projections 50, 51 are provided above and below the passage slots 9 for the levers 3, 6. These housing wall projections are formed like eaves so that the dust cannot deposit at this point.

The contact tongues 36, 37 and the contact parts connected to them are accommodated in the base housing 52 which is stationary and affixed, e.g., to a continuous rail, which forms a part of the rear wall or" the machine unless this rear wall itself is used as a support for the base housing 52.

FIG. 7 shows the arrangement of the thread breakage indicator in relation to the spindle, with which the eye member of the thread breakage indicator is associated as a thread guide. This eye 2, 5 is carried in the manner indicated in FIGS. 1 to 6 by the housing 7, 8, which is connected by the hinge 41 to the base housing 52. The rear wall 53 of the machine is shown and has the base housing 52 secured thereto. The thread, sliver or strand 55 is supplied by feed rollers 57 and passes through the eye formed. by parts 2 and 5. The balloon formed by the thread is indicated at 56. The thread travels downwardly and is deflected in the eye 2, 5 as shown.

FIG. 8 shows the same relations when the feed rollers 58 are disposed in the axis of the spindle 54. As has already been explained with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6, the thread balloon 56 formed during spinning exerts a force action on the arcuate portion 2 (see FIG. 2) of the movable lever 3 so that the latter is lifted from the contact plate 28 in the operating position of the contact tip 27 and the incandescent bulb 29 is not illuminated in the operating position of the contact tip 27. If a balloon 56 is not formed because the thread has broken, there will be no thread balloon action on the arcuate part 2 and the parts will assume the position shown in FIG. 2, in which the thread breakage is indicated by the illumination of the incandescent bulb 29.

Whereas the thread moves downwardly also in FIG. 8, this direction will be inverted where two-for-one twisting spindles are employed and the thread is wound on a crosswound bobbin whereas the bend in the path of the thread shown in FIG. 7 will not be changed.

FIG. 9 shows a somewhat modified construction of the thread breakage indicator. The movable lever 59 forms now an arcuate part 60, which is open towards the same side as the arcuate part 5 of the stationary lever 6 whereas the formation of the eye 1 is not changed.

FIG. 10 shows a thread breakage indicator in which only a single movable lever 61 is provided, which is formed like the lever 3 of FIG. 2 and has an arcuate part 62 twisted through 360 whereas the formation of the eye 1 is not changed.

FIG. 11 is a diagrammatic representation of what has already been shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 12 shows finally how several thread breakage indicators are longitudinally aligned on the common rear Wall 53 of the machine.

Since the housings 7, 8 are disposed in the space 63 between two parallel planes 64, which contain the axes of the spindles 54 (see FIGS. 7 and 8), the movable lever 61 has a relatively large length so that relatively large torques about the pivot 4 (see FIG. 1) result in spite of the fact that only small forces are exerted on the movable eye member 62 or the movable eye part 2 participating in forming the eye (see FIG. 2). These torques are transmitted to the pin 24, which reliably lifts the contact spring 25, which is strongly dimensioned to ensure a good current transfer at 27, 28. Thus, this operating position can be assumed without difliculty. On the other hand, the contact spring 25 exerts strong returning forces on the parts 24, 4, 3, 2 in the case of a thread breakage so that the contacts 27, 28 reliably engage each other and cause the illumination of the incandescent bulb 29.

What is claimed is:

1. In textile machines such as spinning machines, twisters, or the like, having rotary spindles, a plurality of devices each comprising, in combination a thread eye member associated with one of said spindles, at least a part of said thread eye member being movable and adapted to guide the thread, which is to be controlled as to breakage, relative to said spindle, said thread eye member constituting the sole means for guiding the thread, an energy storage means adapted to act on said movable part, said thread engaging said movable part and urging it during winding of the thread on the spindle against the action of said energy storage means into a first limiting position in which the thread tension and the counteraction of the energy storage means balance each other, thread breakage indicating means, said movable part consisting of a lever, the center line of said lever extending approximately at right angles to the axis of the appertaining spindle, said movable part adapted to move under the action of the energy storage means into a second limiting position opposite to said first limiting position, in which the thread breakage indicating means is operated, in response to breakage of the thread whereby said movable part acts as a thread breakage feeler, said textile machines comprising a part which extends throughout the length of the machine, said part being adapted to carry jointly the devices associated with the spindles of said textile machines, means adapted to vary the distance of said levers from said part of the textile machine or its angularity with respect to said part of the textile machine and to adjust said distance or angularity to predetermined values.

2. In textile machines such as spinning machines,

twisters, or the like, having rotary spindles, a device comprising, in combination a thread eye member associated with one of said spindles, at least a part of said thread eye member being movable and adapted to guide the thread, which is to be controlled as to breakage, relative to said spindle, said thread eye member constituting the sole means for guiding the thread, an energy storage means adapted to act on said movable part, said thread engaging said movable part and urging it during winding of the thread on the spindle against the action of said energy storage means into a limiting position in which the thread tension and the counteraction of the energy storage means balance each other, thread breakage indicating means actuated by said movable part upon breakage of the guided thread whereby said movable part acts as a thread breakage feeler, said textile machines comprising a part which extends throughout the length of the machine, said part being adapted to carry jointly the devices associated with the spindles of said textile machines, a housing adapted to accommodate parts of the device, said housing comprising a stationary housing part connected to said part of the textile machine and a movable housing part connected to and movable with respect to said stationary housing part out of and into the range required for replacing the spindles.

3. A device as set forth in claim 2, said device further comprising a first group of contact pieces, connecting means between one of said first group of contact pieces and said movable part, circuits which in addition to said first group of contact pieces include a source of current and said thread breakage indicating means, said circuits including a second group of contact pieces, a first part of said second group of contact pieces being carried by the movable housing part and a second part of said second group of contact pieces being carried by the stationary housing part, said second group of contact pieces being adapted to open and close said circuits in dependence on the position of the movable housing part.

4. In textile machines, such as spinning machines, twisters, or the like, having rotary spindles, a device comprising, in combination a thread eye member associated with one of said spindles, at least a part of said thread eye rember being movable and adapted to guide the thread, which is to be controlled as to breakage, relative to said spindle, an energy storage means adapted to act on said movable part, said thread engaging said movable part and urging it during winding of the thread on the spindle against the action of said energy storage means into a limiting position in which the thread tension and the counteraction of the energy storage means balance each other, thread breakage indicating means, said thread eye member comprising a stationary part in addition to said movable part, said device further comprising contact pieces, connecting means between one of said contact pieces and said movable part, circuits which in addition to said contact pieces include a source of current and said thread breakage indicating means, said parts consisting of levers, said levers being arcuately formed at least in a part of their length, said arcs surrounding said thread in the form of an eye, said movable lever being rotatable, a pivot carrying said movable lever, a bearing for said pivot, a housing adapted to accommodate parts of the device, a chamber provided in said housing being adapted to receive the bearing for said pivot and said movable lever itself, a wall being disposed between said chamber and said contact piece, said wall having a bore, said bore being adapted to receive said pivot.

5. A device as set forth in claim 4, a holder for said stationary lever, said wall having an additional bore adapted to receive said holder.

6. A device as set forth in claim 4, said housing having slotlike apertures adapted to receive said movable and stationary levers, the housing parts adjoining said apertures being enlarged in the form of projections, said projectionsbeing adapted to deflect dust from entering the slot-like apertures.

7. In textile machines such as spinning machines, twisters, or the like, having rotary spindles, a device cornprising, in combination a thread eye member associated with one of said spindles, at least a part of said thread eye member being movable and adapted to guide the thread, which is to be controlled as to breakage, relative to said spindle, an energy storage means adapted to act on said movable part, said thread engaging said movable part and urging it during winding of the thread on the spindle against the action of said energy storage means into a limiting position in which the thread tension and the counteraction of the energy storage means balance each other, thread breakage indicating means, said thread eye member comprising a stationary part in addition to said movable part, said parts consisting of movable and stationary levers, said levers being arcuately formed at least in a part of their length, said are surrounding said thread in the form of an eye, said movable lever being rotatable, a pivot carrying said lever, a bearing for said pivot, a

housing adapted to accommodate parts of the device, a chamber provided in said housing being adapted to receive the bearing for said pivot and said movable lever itself, a slot extending through an outside boundary surface of the housing into said chamber, opposing housing walls defining said chamber being formed With grooves, a flexible strip member adapted to be inserted with its edges into said grooves and to be held therein, said strip memher being further adapted to provide a dust-tight seal for parts of the device disposed in said chamber towards the outside and to expose them quickly when the strip is pulled out of the grooves.

8. In textile machines such as spinning machines,

twisters, or the like, having rotary spindles, a device com-.

prising in combination a thread eye member associated With one of said spindles, at least a part of said thread eye member being movable and adapted to guide the thread, which is to be controlled as to breakage, relative to said spindle, an energy storage means adapted to act on said movable part, said thread engaging said movable part and urging it during winding of the thread on the spindle against the action of said energy storage means into a limiting position in which the thread tension and the counteraction of the energy storage means balance each other, thread breakage indicating means, said thread eye member comprising a stationary part in addition to said movable part, said parts consisting of levers, said levers being arcuately formed at least in a part of their length, said arcs surrounding said thread in the form of an eye, said movable lever being rotatable, a pivot carrying said movable lever, a bearing for said pivot, a housing adapted to accommodate parts of the device, a chamber provided in said housing being adapted to receive the bearing for said pivot and said movable lever itself, a slot extending through an outside boundary surface of the housing into said chamber, opposing Walls defining said chamber, a bridge connecting said opposed housing walls, said bridge being constructed as a support for the bearing part for the pivot of said rotatable lever.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Turner ec. 18, 1951 2,904,872 Kingsbury Sept. 22, 1959

Claims (1)

1. 7. IN TEXTILE MACHINES SUCH AS SPINNING MACHINES, TWISTERS, OR THE LIKE, HAVING ROTARY SPINDLES, A DEVICE COM, PRISING, IN COMBINATION A THREAD EYE MEMBER ASSOCIATED WITH ONE OF SAID SPINDLES, AT LEAST A PART OF SAID THREAD EYE MEMBER BEING MOVABLE AND ADAPTED TO GUIDE THE THREAD, WHICH IS TO BE CONTROLLED AS TO BREAKAGE, RELATIVE TO SAID SPINDLE, AN ENERGY STORAGE MEANS ADAPTED TO ACT ON SAID MOVABLE PART, SAID THREAD ENGAGING SAID MOVABLE PART AND URGING IT DURING WINDING OF THE THREAD ON THE SPINDLE AGAINST THE ACTION OF SAID ENERGY STORAGE MEANS INTO A LIMITING POSITION IN WHICH THE THREAD TENSION AND THE COUNTERACTION OF THE ENERGY STORAGE MEANS BALANCE EACH OTHER, THREAD BREAKAGE INDICATING MEANS, SAID THREAD EYE MEMBER COMPRISING A STATIONARY PART IN ADDITION TO SAID MOVABLE PART, SAID PARTS CONSISTING OF MOVABLE AND STATIONARY LEVERS, SAID LEVERS BEING ARCUATELY FORMED AT LEAST IN A PART OF THEIR LENGTH, SAID ARC SURROUNDING SAID THREAD IN THE FORM OF AN EYE, SAID MOVABLE LEVER BEING ROTATABLE, A PIVOT CARRYING SAID LEVER, A BEARING FOR SAID PIVOT, A HOUSING ADAPTED TO ACCOMMODATE PARTS OF THE DEVICE, A CHAMBER PROVIDED IN SAID HOUSING BEING ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE BEARING FOR SAID PIVOT AND SAID MOVABLE LEVER ITSELF, A SLOT EXTENDING THROUGH AN OUTSIDE BOUNDARY SURFACE OF THE HOUSING INTO SAID CHAMBER, OPPOSING HOUSING WALLS DEFINING SAID CHAMBER BEING FORMED WITH GROOVES, A FLEXIBLE STRIP MEMBER ADAPTED TO BE INSERTED WITH ITS EDGES INTO SAID GROOVES AND TO BE HELD THEREIN, SAID STRIP MEMBER BEING FURTHER ADAPTED TO PROVIDE A DUST-TIGHT SEAL FOR PARTS OF THE DEVICE DISPOSED IN SAID CHAMBER TOWARDS THE OUTSIDE AND TO EXPOSE THEM QUICKLY WHEN THE STRIP IS PULLED OUT OF THE GROOVES.

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