US3245625A - Lap doffing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

April 12, 1966 J. QUINN LAP DOFFING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 16, 1963 INVENTOR. J OHNNY QUINN Attorney April 12, 1966 J. QUINN LAP'DOFFING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheef 2 Filed Dec. 16, 1963 INVENTOR. JOHNNY ounv/v BY Attorney April 12, 1966 J. QUINN 3,245,625

LAP DOFFING APPARATUS Filed'Dec. 16, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. JOHNN Y QUINN Attorney April 12, 1966 J. QUINN 3,245,625

LAP DOFFING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 16, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. (L) Q JOHNNY ouuwv BY Fig. 59 Attorney United States Patent 3,245,625 LAP DOFFING APPARATUS Johnny Quinn, 522 Woodland Way, Greenville, S.C. Filed Dec. 16, 1963, Ser. No. 330,770 6 Claims. (Cl. 242-551) This invention relates to a lap dofiing apparatus in which a full lap is removed in such a manner that the flap is parted through movement of the full lap without the necessity of speeding up the lap rolls or stopping the feed thereto or otherwise holding the lap.

cannot be run when using such automatic dofi'ing apparatus. The clutches and various parts ofsuch mechanisms are difiicult to maintain, resulting in high maintenance cost.

Accordingly, it is an important object of this invention to provide an improved lap doffing apparatus in which the lap is parted or severed without the formation of creases and thick and thin places characterized by former devices.

. Another object of the invention is to provide an automatic lap doffing apparatus which will be capable of operating without the use of expensive and complicated parts which are diflicult to maintain.

Another object of the present invention is to :provide a lap doffing apparatus which may be applied to existing pickers without the necessity of extensive modification. .Still anotherobject of the invention is to provide a lap dofling apparatus in which an empty lap pin is rolled into position upon the lap rolls just after dotting the full The construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described, together with other features thereof.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference 1 to the accompanying drawings'forming a ,part thereof,

wherein an example of the invention is shown and where- FIGURE 1 islaiperspective view illustrating a lap idoffing mechanism constructed in accordance with the present invention installed upon apicker,

FIGURE 2 is a schematic side elevation illustrating the finisher section of a picker,

FIGURE 3 is a schematic elevation illustrating the dotting mechanism in positionto begin a lap-dotting operation,

, FIGURE 4 is a schematic elevation illustrating the positioning of the parts during. an intermediate step in the dotting operation,

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged perspective view looking from the rear right-hand side of FIGURE 1 illustrating the parts in normal operating position,

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view illustrating the pin .stick battery mechanism for storing lap sticks preparatory to placing same within the lap pin,

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged plan view taken on the line 9-4) in FIGURE 8, I

3,245,625 Patented Apr. 12, was

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FIGURE 10 is a schematic electrical diagram illustrating the various electrical components of the device, and

FIGURE 11 is a schematic pneumatic diagram illustrating the various pneumatic devices of the present invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention is illustrated for dotting a full lap carried by a lap pin from the lap rolls of a lap producing machine. Lap ejector means A include a pair of spaced lap ejector arms, one of which is positioned to engage each end of the lap pin upon a lap doffing operation. Means are provided including an air operated cylinder for moving the arms into lap carrying engagement with each end of the lap pin when the lap is full. Such means further move the arms to result in a movement of the lap carried thereby away from the lap rolls faster than the lap is fed to the lap rolls so as to part the lap. The lap ejector means A positions the full lap in lap receiving means B which includes a carriage. The means C are provided for moving an empty lap pin into :position upon the lap rolls for starting the building of a new lap. The carriage slide means D is provided for moving the carriage B transversely of the picker placing the full lap carried thereby in position to be carried to the carding machines. Means E including a sweeper, start the lap about the empty lap pin. Upon the new lap reaching a predetermined size the lap stick feed mechanism F moves a new lap stick into the lap pin and returns the carriage B to position to receive another full lap.

The method of dolfing a full textile lap from the lap rolls of a lap producing machine in accordance with the -invention includes removing the lap from the lap rolls faster than the lap is fed to the lap rolls so as to part the lap. Then an empty lap pin is rolled into position to start a new lap immediately following removal of the full lap from the lap rolls. Then the winding of the lap is started about the empty lap pin, and the full lap is placed into lap receiving means.

The picker illustrated in the drawings has a frame 10 in the finisher section of the picker illustrated. A clutch mechanism 12 is illustrated in FIGURE 2 for disconnectingthe driven gear 11 from a gear 13 which drives the evener roll 14. The finisher section includes a beater 15 and disengagement of the clutch 12 stops all means feeding textile fibers T to the beater 15. The textile stock T is normally advanced through the screen section 16, the upper screen section being driven by the shaft 17. The

stock is then advanced between the upper roll 18 and roll 19 and thence between the lower stack rolls 20 and 21.

The fibers T then pass under the idler roll 22a, over the fluted roll 22, and onto the lap pin 23, which is carried between the fluted lap rolls 22 and 24.

Referring to FIGURE 7, it will be noted that the clutch 25 operates to disengage the pulley 26, which normally drives the screen and calender sections. The screen is driven by the gear 27, which is driven from the shaft 28 through a gear train, a portion of which is broadly designated at 29. The calender section is driven from the shaft 28, through the shaft 31) and through a gearv train, a portion of which is broadly designated at 311a. In FIGURE l the shaft 30 is illustrated as driving the gear 31, which A in turn drives a gear train, a portion of which is broadly designated at 32, for driving the calender rolls 18, 19, 2t) and 21. It will be noted that the fluted lap rolls 22 and 24 are driven through the chain drive 33 in FIGURE 1, which is driven by the calender roll 21 through a suitable drive (not shown).

The drawings also illustrate the use of the Long Pneumatic Lap Control system distributed by Livingston & Haven, Inc., Charleston, South Carolina, upon which Pet ent No. 2,871,519 has been granted. This system utilizes the application of immediate and constant equal pressure through air cylinders 34 and 35 directly to each end of the lap pin. The pressure is applied through the rods 34:: and 35a to the head blocks 36 and 37, respectively. In addition, pressure is applied to each end of the calender rolls through the pneumatic cylinders 38 and 39. In the event that a choke passes through the calender rolls, the arms 49 will be raised to actuate the stack roll limit switches 41. Normally, if the stack roll limit switches 41 are depressed, which is the normal condition upon dofling, the pressure exerted by the air cylinders 34 and 35 is released so that the head blocks 36 and 37 are raised for doffing.

During normal manual dotting and in the absence of the present device, the clutch 12 (FIGURE 2) would be disengaged so that the feeding mechanism (evener roll 14) would be disengaged. It will be observed below that during dofling when using the device constructed in accordance with the present invention that normally such feeding mechanism continues to operate.

The arms of the lap ejector means A are in the form of hell cranks which are carried by a shaft 42, which is suitably mounted in bearings (not shown) for rotation upon the attachment frame a. The shaft 42 extends transversely of the attachment frame 18a which forms an extension of the frame 10 and which carries the parts associated with the subject device. On the right-hand side of the frame a link 43 (FIGURE 6) is fixedly connected on one end to the shaft 42 and a piston rod 44 is pivotally connected as at 45 adjacent the free end of the link 43. Thus, the piston rod 44 is operated by a pneumatic cylinder 46. The bell crank portion 47 base depending arm 48 carried by the end remote from the shaft 42 and the depending arm 48 has a hooked lower portion 48a for engaging the lap pin in lap carrying engagement.

The carriage means B includes a concave carriage portion 49 (FIGURE 1) which includes downturned sides 5 49a and 49b. The carriage assembly B also includes a right-hand end portion 50 and a left-hand end portion 51. The right-hand end portion 50 includes a downwardly inclined portion 50a. The means C for positioning a new lap pin upon the fluted lap rolls 22 and 24 includes a pair of links 52 and 53 which are pivotally connected to the frame as at 52a and 53a (FIGURES l, 6 and 7). The

ends of the links 52 and 53 remote from the pivot points 52a and 53a are provided with upturned pin receiving portions, 52b and 53b. The pins 54 are mounted for vertical sliding motion within blocks 55 such as illustrated at 54 in FIGURE 6. Such blocks 55 have fixed connection with the frame 10a. It will be observed that when the arms 47 are raised, the lower portion of the pins 54 are contacted by the links'43 to raise same. The pins 54 have pivotal connection with an intermediate portion of the links 52 and 53 as at 56 (FIGURE 6) and are pivoted upwardly so as to place an empty lap pin 23 upon the inclined surfaces 57. The pin 23 then rolls into position between the fluted rolls 22 and 24.

The carriage slide mechanism D includes a trackway 58 (FIGURES 1, 6 and 7). A pneumatic cylinder 59 operates the piston rod 60 for moving the carriage 49 back and forth upon the trackway. It should be pointed out that when the full lap L is received within-the carriage 49 that the piston 60 carries the carriage to the left in FIGURE 1. The enlarged head portion 23a of the lap pin is received beneath the hook member 61 and confined therein by the operation of a pin 62, (FIGURE 6), which is raised to retain the lap pin 23. Therefore, when the. carriage 49 is moved to the left in FIGURE 1 the pin 23 will be retained with one end resting beneath the hook 61 upon the inclined surface 63. Since the lap is confined within the carriage 49 by the abutment the pin 23 will be removed from the lap L when the carriage is fully moved to the position shown in FIGURE 6. Up-

on the release of the lap pin 23 from the full lap the pin 62 is lowered. The lap pin 23 will then roll down the complementary inclined surfaces 50a and 63 into pin receiving portions 64 (FIGURE 1) positioned immediately forwardly of the inclined members 57 and rest upon the upturned portions 52b and 53b (FIGURES 6 and 7).

A sweeper mechanism E is actuated upon the removal of the full lap L from the fluted rolls 22 and 24 and replacement thereof by an empty pin 23. The sweeper mechanism E (FIGURE 1) includes a shaft 65 mounted for rotation within bearings 66. The shaft 65 is operated by the. piston 67 of the cylinder 68. The shaft 65 has a pair of depending arms 69 which carry a transverse bar 70 at the lower ends thereof. Depending leather tab portions 71 are carried by the bar 70 and operate to sweep the broken end of the lap over the empty lap pin 23 when it is placed upon the fluted lap rolls 22and 24. 3

A means F is provided for placing the lap rods or lap sticks 72 within the empty lap pin 23. It will be observed that a notched portion 73 is carried by the carriage 49 for receiving the enlarged head portion 72a of the lap stick or rod 72. A lap stick is within the full lap L as the carriage is moved to the left in FIGURE 1 to remove the lap pin 23'. This results in a lap pin 72 being retained within the full lap L. A new lap pin 72 must be made available to be received within the lap pin. When a roll of sufficient size has been built up upon the new lap pin a lap stick will be placed therein. The means F includes a battery mechanism to discharge a new lap stick 72 for this purpose. Such lap stick has a head portion 72a which is placed within a receiving portion 74 carried by an arm 75 fixed to the carriage 49.

The battery means F includes a hopper broadly designated at 76 (FIGURES 1, 8 and 9), on one end thereof having a space 77 defined between a rear plate 78 and front plate 79 to confine the heads 72a of the lap sticks '72 therein. The lap sticks 72 project through a slot 79a within the front plate 79. The lowermost one of the heads 72a is carried within a slot 80 within a movable plate 81. The arm 82 is pivotally carried at 83 and is moved to the leftin FIGURE 8 due to being struck by the carriage arm 75 to move same against the force of the spring 84. The plate 81 is thus moved to the rear causing the head 72a to be discharged through a slot 85 within the lower plate 86 (FIGURE 9). The other end of the pins 72 are held within a slot 87 defined between two plates 87a and 87b (FIGURE 7). The slot has a lower portion 870 which supports the lap sticks 72 in stacked position therein. When the. arm 82 is moved to the left in FIGURE8, the remote end of the pin 72 is caught Within the cup-like member 88. Later when the carriage means A is moved to the right in FIGURE 7 the lap stick is inserted into the lap pin portion 23b.

When such lap pin is full the movements described above will be repeated.

' Automatic operation Referring to FIGURE 10, it will be seen that the turning of the selector switch to they Auto position results in the energization of a green light G if the stack roll limit switches 41 are depressed. The solenoid valve C (FIGURES 1 and 11) operates the clutches 12 and 25 to maintain the feed. The relay R1 is also energized closing two normally open contacts. a

When the reading on yardage counter YC, suitably driven from the screen shaft17 in FIGUREI reaches a predetermined valve, the contacts YC1 iclose causing a yellow warning light Y to come on. Contacts YC2 close when the yardage counter YC reaches its final count energizing the solenoid valve H operating cylinders 34 and 35 causing the head blocks 36 and 37 to raise and starting the timer T. A

When the head blocks 36 reach the limit switch LSb (FIGUREv 3) the solenoid valve E is energized operating the cylinder 46 to raise the lap ejector arms 47. Al-

, so, the cylinder 68 is operated causing the sweeper E to move forward (FIGURE 4). The lap pin 23 of the lap L when in forward position (FIGURE 5) operates the limit switch LSd (FIGURE 6) energizing the solenoid valve L thus, operating the cylinder 59 causing the lap carriage A to move 'to the left in FIGURE 1. The limit switch LSd also energizes the solenoid valve P (FIGURE 6) operating the diaphragm B2 for raising the pin 62. As the carriage reaches its fully extended position, the projection 590 (FIGURE 7) depresses the limit switch LSe de-energizing solenoid valve P releasing the diaphragm B2 to lower the pin 62.

As empty the pin 23 rolls into position upon the lap rolls 22 and 24, it depresses the upwardly spring biased limit switch LSh energizing the solenoid valve A and the solenoid valve E. The solenoid valve A operates the cylinders 34 and 35 for lowering the lap ejector arms and cylinder 68 for moving the sweeper to the rear to start the free end around empty pin (FIGURE 5).

As the new lap builds up the pin 23 causes the limit switch LS7 (see FIGURE 7) to be engaged which energizes the solenoid valve L returning the lap carriage B to dofling position and the lap stick to the pin 23 (FIG- URE 7).

If the lap has not been removed from the carriage A, the limit switch LSg will be engaged turning on the red light Re and starting timer T2. If the lap L has not been removed by the time the timer T2 times out, the solenoid valve C will be de-energized and the clutches 12 and 25 will be disengaged.

Pushing the emergency stop button ES (see FIGURE 1) will energize a relay R2 opening its contacts and deenergizing the solenoid valve C to disengage the clutches 12 and 25.

Manual operation By turning the selector switch to the Hand position a green light G is energized if the stack roll limit switches LSa are in the depressed position and energizes the solenoid valve C causing air operated clutches 12 and 25 to engage. If the stack roll limit switches LSa are not depressed, a red light Rs comes on and the air operated clutches 12 and 25 will be disengaged by the de-energization of solenoid valve C.

When the yardage counter YC reaches a predetermined setting a set of contacts YC1 will close causing a yellow warning light Y to come on. When the final yardage count is reached a set of contacts YC2 will close energizing the solenoid valve H operating the cylinders 34 and 35 causing the head blocks 36 and 37 to raise and starting the timer T.

When the head blocks reach the limit switch LSb depressing it, the solenoid valve C is caused to be de-energized disengaging the air operated clutches 12 and 25. When the pin 23 is rolled down to engage the limit switches LSc (seeFIGURE 7) the solenoid valve A is energized operating cylinders 34 and 35 causing the head blocks to come back down.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described using specific terms, such description is for illustrative purposes only, and it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for dofiing a full l-ap carried by a lap pin from the lap rolls of a lap producing machine having means feeding said lap to said lap pin including, a pair of spaced arms one of which is positioned to engage each end of the lap pin upon a lap dofiing operation, means moving said arms into lap carrying engagement with each end of the lap pin when the lap reaches a predetermined size and further moving said arms to move the lap carried thereby away from the lap rolls faster than the lap is fed to the lap rolls so as to part the lap, said means feeding said lap continuously feeding said lap to said lap rolls during the above operation, and means moving an empty lap pin into position upon the lap rolls for starting a new lap. r

,2. An apparatusfor dofiing a full lap carried by a lap pin from the laprolls of a lap producing machine including, a frame extending transversely of the machine, a pair of spaced arms mounted for rotation on the frame, said arms being normally disposed to engage the lap pin from behind same, power operated means for rotating said arms forwardly, means actuating the power operated means when the lap reaches a predetermined size, means carried by said arms receiving said lap pin, and said power operated means moving the arms and the lap carried thereby forwardly at a speed sufficiently in excess of the speed of the lap produced by the machine to part the lap when the arms reach a forward position, said lap being produced and fed to the lap pin without diminution during the above operation.

3. The structure set forth in claim 2 including, spaced surfaces carried by the frame positioned in front of the lap rolls and inclined downwardly toward the lap rolls, and means moved by the power operated means placing an empty lap pin upon the inclined surfaces for rolling the new lap pin into position upon removal of the full lap from the lap rolls.

4. The structure set forth in claim 3 in which the lap pin carries a lap stick including, a carriage receiving the full lap from the arms, means fixing the lap pin with respect to the frame when the lap is received by the carriage, means fixing the lap stick with respect to the carriage when received thereby, a surface carried by the carriage inclined toward said means moved by the power operated means complementary to said inclined surface carried by the frame, and means moving the carriage transversely of the frame removing the pin from the lap, and means releasing the means fixing the pin, whereby the pin will roll down the surfaces inclined toward the means moved by the power operated means into position thereupon.

5. An apparatus for dofiing a full lap carried by a lap pin from the lap rolls of a lap producing machine having a frame and said lap rolls having a front roll including, a pair of spaced arms each having pivotal connection adjacent one end thereof, the pivotal connections being spaced beneath the front roll, said arms normally extending upwardly and rearwardly of said fornt roll into position behind said lap pin to receive said lap pin adjacent each end thereof when said arms are moved forwardly, support means carried by said arms receiving said lap pin in lap carrying engagement when said arms are moved forwardly, power operated means for pivoting said arms about said pivotal connections moving the arms forwardly to receive said lap pin, and means actuating the power operated means for moving the arms forwardly when the lap reaches a predetermined size, said arms raising the full lap from the lap rolls thence over the front roll.

6. The structure set forth in claim 5, wherein said support means receiving said lap pin includes, a depending arm having connection adjacent its upper end adjacent the upper end of each of said first mentioned arms, each depending arm being spaced inwardly of its respective first mentioned arm, and a hooked portion carried by a lower portion of each of said depending arms for supporting said lap pin between said hooked portions, and wherein said power operated means for pivoting said arms includes a fluid motor.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 28,256 5/1860 Cheney 24255.1 983,306 2/1911 Owe-n 242--55.l 1,939,198 12/1933 Berry 24266 (Other references on following page) 7 UNITED STATES PATENTS Ramsdell 24255.1 Stein 24255.1

Weinbrenner 24255.1 Fraser 242 54.4 5 Berry et -a1. 24266 Szaloki et -a1. 24281 X Kuenn et a1 24255 .1 Lenz 24281 Kawazur'a et a1. 242551 Aaron et a1. 24266 Hombostel 24256 Honnegger 24255.1

STANLEY N. GILREATH, Primary Examiner.

'MERVIN STEIN, Examiner.

W. S. BURDEN, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. 5. AN APPARATUS FOR DOFFING A FULL LAP CARRIED BY A LAP PIN FROM THE LAP ROLLS OF A LAP PRODUCING MACHINE HAVING A FRAME AND SAID LAP ROLLS HAVING A FRONT ROLL INCLUDING, A PAIR OF SPACED ARMS EACH HAVING PIVOTAL CONNECTION ADJACENT ONE END THEREOF, THE PIVOTAL CONNECTIONS BEING SPACED BENEATH THE FRONT ROLL, SAID ARMS NORMALLY EXTENDING UPWARDLY AND REARWARDLY OF SAID FRONT ROLL INTO POSITION BEHIND SAID LAP PIN TO RECEIVE SAID LAP PIN ADJACENT EACH END THEREOF WHEN SAID ARMS ARE MOVED FORWARDLY, SUPPORT MEANS CARRIED BY SAID ARMS RECEIVING SAID

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