US3300960A

US3300960A - Yarn control mechanism

Info

Publication number: US3300960A
Application number: US455424A
Authority: US
Inventors: Waldo H Banks; Authier Louis Philip
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Draper Corp
Priority date: 1965-05-13
Filing date: 1965-05-13
Publication date: 1967-01-31
Anticipated expiration: 1984-01-31

Description

Jam, 31, 1%? w. H. BANKS ETAL YARN CONTROL MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 13, 1965 INVENTORS WALD!) HBANKS.

BY LOUlS PHlLlP HUTi-HER QM 61W A TTORNE Y 1967 w. H. BANKS ETAL YARN CONTROL MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 13, 1965 INVENTORS WALDO HBANKS. BY LOUIS PHILIP RUTHIER.

QM? QM? A TTORNE Y Jan. 31, 1967 w. H. BANKS ETAL YARN CONTROL MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 13, 1965 INVENTORS A TTORNE Y .Fan. 31, 1967 w. H. BANKS ETAL. 3, v

YARN CONTROL MECHANISM 1 Filed May 13, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 A TTORNE Y United States Patent 3,300,960 YARN CUNTR-QL MECHANISM Waldo H. Banks, 20 Prospect St., and Louis Philip Authier, 14 Park St, both of Hopedale, Mass. 01747 Filed May 13, 1965. Ser. No. 455,424 7 Claims. (Cl. 57-53) The present invention relates to a mechanism for removing full bobbins from spindles of spinning frames, twisters, or the like and, more particularly, to a means for cutting the ends of yarn or strand material extending from the bobbins.

It is a general object of the invention to provide a means adapted to cooperate with a bobbin dofiing mech anism to cut the ends of the strand material which extend from the package wound upon a bobbin.

A further and more specific object is to provide such a means which will cut the strand ends extending from a bobbin prior to its being acted upon by the mechanism for removing it from its respective spindle.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following more detailed disclosure.

The present invention is applicable to a doffing and donning machine which is in the form of a wheeled carriage that is adapted to be mounted by means of rollers on the rail of a spinning frame. This carriage is movable along the rail in a path parallel to the row of spindles supported by the spinning frame and by means of a dofiing unit carried by the carriage, newly wound bobbins are dofifed from their respective spindles and guided into a receptacle adapted for that purpose.

A filling or yarn package on a bobbin is wound to a predetermined size and as is well known to those familiar with the art, the final wind of yarn is carried rapidly downwardly from the upper portion of the package forming somewhat of a helix wind about the package and as it leaves the bobbin the filling thread is wrapped about the base of the spindle where it is held in preparation for the next bobbin. The length of yarn which is carried upwardly to initiate the winding of a new package forms one length of filling which must be severed and the final wind described above forms the second.

With the finer counts of yarn there is no problem in severing the ends of the yarn for as each bobbin is lifted from its respective spindle the tension to which these ends are subjected causes them to break.

When building a filling package on bobbins with what is considered a coarse count yarn, a means must be provided to sever the ends of the yarn in a positive manner.

Patent application Serial No. 444,262 filed March 31, 1965 discloses a yarn severing mechanism adapted to function in cooperation with a doffing and donning machine of the type to which the instant invention is applicable. That mechanism parts the ends of yarn extending from the bobbin package to the base of the spindle by clamping the yarn wound on the base of said spindle and at the same time causing rotation of the bobbin. This action subjects the ends of yarn to a sufiicient amount of tension to cause breakage thereof. This means of severing the ends of yarn performs its intended function satisfactorily; however, it has its limitations with respect to the coarseness of the yarn it is capable of severing. Regarding the means for rotating a bobbin on its spindle, the ends of yarn must be caused to part within a relatively short distance before the doffing unit is caused to act upon the bobbins to remove them from their spindles. If an exceptionally coarse count yarn is being wound upon the bobbins, this rotation of the bobbins is not sufficient to sever the ends of the yarn. The dofiing apparatus is adapted to perform its intended function immediately after the function of the yarn severing mechanism, and should the yarn ends remain intact, said yarn is likely to be withdrawn from the package during the dofl'ing cycle leaving a trail of yarn from the spindles to the receptacle adapted to receive the bobbins.

A dofiing and donning machine to which the present invention is applicable has been disclosed in United' states Patent No. 3,077,725 and attention is hereby drawn to this patent for a more detailed description of the construction and operation of such a machine.

The yarn control mechanism according to the instant invention provides a positive means of cutting the yarn which interconnects a bobbin with its spindle immediately prior to said bobbins engagement with the dofiing mechanism.

The invention comprises a unit mounted on a carriage which supports the dofiing mechanism and being movable therewith it is so disposed as to perform its function of cutting the ends of yarn in advance of the function of said dofiing mechanism. The unit is movable to and from operating position and includes a lifting cam which is adapted to raise the bobbins from a fixed position on the spindles to a rotatable position thereon. The unit also includes a rotating belt member and pivotably and yieldably mounted cutting blades. The rotating belt member, when in operating position, is engageable with the yarn package and is effective in causing rotation of the raised bobbin on its spindle. The cutting blades being pivotably and yieldably mounted are adapted to follow the contour of the bobbins butt portion as the carriage moves thereby and as the blades are caused to pivot they are so disposed that a first blade catches and cuts the end of the yarn leading to the final wind about the base of the spindle. That end of yarn which initiated the building of the package is then caught by the first blade and as the carriage continues to move the blade members lose contact with the bobbin butt permitting them to pivot by spring action back to their initial position. During this movement of the blades back to their initial position a second blade cuts that end of yarn which was carried upwardly from the base of the spindle to commence the building of the yarn package.

The invention will be described in further detail by reference to the specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the accompanying figures of drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a portion of a dofiing and donning machine and the yarn control mechanism according to the invention applied thereto and in operating position;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1 but showing the yarn control mechanism tilted upwardly to the nonoperating position;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the mechanism illustrated in FIG. 1 showing the means for effecting rotation of the bobbins;

FIG. 4 is a plan view and partially in section of a portion of the yarn control mechanisms driving means as seen looking in the direction of the indicating arrows 44 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the relation of the mechanisms cutting blades to the butt portion of a bobbin on their initial contact therewith;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to that of FIG. 5 but looking from the opposite side thereof showing the blade members just prior to losing contact with the bobbin and that end of filling to be cut by the second or upper blade member as the blades return to their initial position; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the relation of the yarn control mechanism to the spindles and bobbins and the means by which the ring traveler is guided away from said mechanism.

3 Referring now to the various figures of drawing, FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 show a portion of a doffing and donning machine generally indicated by numeral having a part of the supporting framework illustrated which is depicted by numeral 11. I

This machine attaches to the rail of a spinning frame (not shown) and is caused to roll therealong in a path parallel to the row of spindles supported by said frame by means of wheel-like members 12 (one only shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3). A supporting carriage 13 partially shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 forms a part of the dofling and donning apparatus and is caused to move therewith in the direction of the indicating arrows 14 shown in said figures of drawing. Although not shown, this carriage 13 supports the bobbin doffing unit which is so disposed as to perform its intended function immediately after the function of the yarn control mechanism comprising the instant invention.

This yarn control mechanism is also mounted on the carriage 13 and is depicted generally in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 by numeral 15 and includes a base portion 16. The base portion 16 is adjustably attached to the carriage 13 by means of

cap screws

17 and 18 the shank portions of which pass through slots 19 and 20 (FIG. 2) in said base portion and are anchored in aligned threaded holes (not shown) in said carriage.

This adjustable means by which the base portion 16 attaches to the carriage permits lateral adjustment of the yarn control mechanism toward and away from the bobbins and spindles with which said mechanism is adapted to cooperate. That side of the base portion 16 most remote from the spindles and bobbins, hereinafter referred to as the inner side, is provided with a pair of upwardly directed

lug members

21 and 22. These lug members are disposed in spaced relation and each is provided with an aperture (not shown) adjacent its upper end which are in alignment and are adapted to support a hinge pin 23 (FIG. 2).

A plate-like support bracket 24 overlies the base portion 16 and includes lug members 25 and 26 (FIG. 2) on the underside thereof and adjacent its inner side.

Lug members

25 and 26 are similar to

lugs

21 and 22 and include aligned apertures (not shown) through which the hinge pin 23 is adapted to pass forming a hinged assembly between the base portion 16 and the support bracket 24. Longitudinal movement of the hinge pin 23 is prevented by any suitable means such as cotter pins 27 and 28 assembled in apertures provided for that purpose adjacent each end thereof.

As shown in FIG. 2 a coil type torsion spring assembles on that portion of the hinge pin 23 which extends between

lug members

22 and 25. One end of this spring is formed to engage the forward surface of lug member 22 as at 29 and the opposite end thereof is adapted to bear against the underside of the support bracket 24 as at 30. This spring arrangement provides a biasing force for continually urging the support bracket 24 to the tilted position shown in FIG. 2 and serves to assist the means for removing the yarn control mechanism carried by the support bracket 24 from operating position.

The means by which this mechanism is moved into and away from operating position includes a bifurcated control arm 31 extending from the wheel-like member 12 with a portion of the support bracket 24 extending between the forked portion of said arm as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The wheel-like member 12 as shown in FIG. 3 has flanged sides with the surface therebetween being of lesser diameter. That portion of the control arm opposite the bifurcated end wraps about that surface of lesser diameter intermediate the flanged sides of the wheel-like member 12 forming a loop having a slightly larger inside diameter than the central diameter of said wheel. That portion of the control arm intermediate the bifurcated end and the so-called loop are joined together by any suitable means such as rivets 32. A resilient ring possessing frictional 4 qualities such as a rubber ring (not shown) encircles the peripheral extent of that portion of the wheel intermediate the fianged sides and the outer surface of said ring is in frictional contact with the inner surface of the control arms looped end.

When the wheel is caused to rotate in the direction of the indicating arrow 33 depicted in FIG. 1, the looped portion of the control arm is caused to move in a clockwise direction and the bifurcated end of said arm tilts the support bracket 24 downwardly to place the yarn control mechanism supported thereby in operating position. To limit the downward tilting movement of the support bracket 24 and to assure a definite position for operation, a vertically disposed stop screw 34 assemblies in the base portion 16 as at 35 and extending upwardly therefrom the head portion of said screw is caused to contact the underside of said support bracket to maintain the required operating position. This screw may be raised or lowered to alter the operating position of the supporting bracket 24.

When the wheel is caused to move in the direction of the indicating arrow 36 shown in FIG. 2, the frictional contact between the rubber ring and the inner surface of the control arms looped end causes said arm to move in an anti-clockwise direction which tilts the support bracket 24 upwardly and away from operating position.

The upper side of the support bracket 24 is provided with a plurality of upwardly directed stud members disposed in perpendicular relation to said support. Two of these stud members are identified by numerals 37 and 38 and extend upwardly from bosses 39 and 40, respectively, which are integrally formed with and disposed adjacent the outer or forward side of the support bracket 24. Both the stud members 37 and 38 have rotatable pulley members assembled thereon that are identified generally by numerals 41 and 42, respectively (FIGS. 1 and 2), and Which are retained thereon by any suitable means such as clips 43 and 44 (FIG. 4). The pulley member on stud member 37 includes three pulley elements which are identified by

numerals

45, 46, and 47 (FIG. 1). The pulley member on stud 38 includes two pulley elements that are depicted by

numerals

48 and 49. An endless belt member 50

interconnects pulley elements

45 and 48 and is effective in causing rotation of a bobbin in a manner to be more fully described hereinafter.

Although not shown, a second endless belt may be utilized to

intereconnect pulley elements

46 and 49 which are in contiguous relation to

pulley elements

45 and 48, respectively, and would serve as an additional means of effecting rotation of the bobbins. Pulley element 47 is disposed below and in spaced relation to

pulley elements

45 and 46 and is rotatable with the latter.

A third pulley member generally indicated by numeral 51 (FIG. 3) having a pair of pulley elements 52 and 53 (FIGS. 2 and 3) disposed in contiguous relation is rotatably mounted on an upwardly directed stud member 54 and is retained thereon by means of a clip 55.

A second endless belt 55' interconnects pulley element 47 with pulley element 53. To clear the bifurcated end of the control arm 31, belt 55', as shown in FIG. 3, is caused to extend about a rotatable sleeve 56. This sleeve 56 is centrally disposed with respect to the support bracket 24 and is maintained in a position perpendicular to said bracket by means of a bolt 57 and nut 58 (FIGS. 2 and 3). A washer 59 positioned directly beneath the head of the bolt 57 provides a flange for maintaining belt 55' in contact with the sleeve 56.

The means by which the various pulley elements and belts are caused to be driven to perform their intended function will now be described.

A horizontally disposed pulley 60 is mounted for rotary movement by any suitable means to that portion of the machines framework identified by numeral 61 in FIG. 3. An endless belt 62 interconnects pulley 60 with pulley element 53 and to clear that portion of the machines vertical framework identified in FIG. 3 by numeral 11, an idler pulley 63 is utilized as shown in FIG. 4. This idler pulley is rotata-bly supported by a bracket 64 which is attached to the rearward side of the vertical framework 11 by means of a cap screw 65.

The horizontally disposed pulley 60 is positioned in close proximity with the inner side of the wheel 12 and the outer surface of the endless belt 62 on said pulley makes frictional contact with the side of said Wheel 12.

When the machine is moved in the direction of the indicating arrow 14, wheel 12 rotates in a clockwise direction and belt 62 being in frictional contact therewith causes pulley 60 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction. This motion moves belt 62 in the direction of the indicating arrows 66 in FIG. 3 causing counterclockwise rotation of pulley member 51. Movement of pulley member 51 in a counterclockwise direction moves belt 55 in the direction of the indicating arrow 67 shown in FIG. 3 and being interconnected with pulley member 41, it transmits this rotary motion to pulley element 45 resulting in the endless belt member 50 being caused to move in the direction of the indicating arrow 68 shown in FIG. 3.

The means by which bobbins are caused to be rotated by the endless belt 54) and to have the ends of the yarn cut extending from the package wound thereon will now be described.

The underside of the support bracket 24 is provided adjacent its forward edge with and integrally formed platelike projection 69 (FIG. 2) which serves as a mounting means for a bobbin raising cam 70. Cam 70 is attached to the projection 69 by any suitable means such as cap screws 71. When the support bracket 24 is in that position shown in FIG. 1, the bobbin raising cam is adapted to move beneath and to contact the butt portion of a bobbin 72 to break the holdbetween said bobbin and its respective spindle 73.

As the machine is advanced along the rail of the spinning frame the bobbins contacted by the cam 70 are caused to ride up on said cams inclined surface 74.

A double armed lever generally indicated by numeral 75 (FIG. 2) is pivotably mounted to the underside of the support bracket 24 as at 76 with the first arm 77 thereof being directed in a generally rearward direction. The second arm of this lever is identified by numeral 78 and extends in a generally forward direction. A coil spring 79 has one end thereof attached to the tip of the first arm 77 as at 80 and the opposite end is attached to the shank portion of a bolt member 81 depending from the underside of the support bracket 24 as as 82 (FIG. 2). Spring 79 is continually urging lever 75 in a clockwise direction as seen looking at the underside of the support bracket 24 in FIG. 2. To limit the pivotal movement of this lever 75 in a clockwise direction, a generally L-shaped stop member 83 (FIG. 2) attaches to the underside of the support bracket 24 by means of a cap screw 84 and is so disposed that the second arm 78 of said lever is caused to bear against said stop member.

As shown in FIG. 2, the second arm 78 of the double armed lever 75 is provided with an arm extension 85 which is adjustably attached to said second arm by means of cap screw 86. The shank portions of these cap screws 86 pass through a slot 87 in th arm extension and provide a means of longitudinal adjustment for said arm extension. The forward or outer end portion of this arm extension 85 is reduced in width as at 88 and is adapted to contact that portion of the spindles below the bobbins and will be more fully described hereinafter.

A pair of

arcuated cutting blades

89 and 90 are disposed in overlying relation to the arm extension 85. These blades as shown in the various figures of drawing are fixedly positioned relative to each other in opposed relation with one thereof being superimposed above the other.

A generally L-shaped blade bracket 91 is slidably mounted on the arm extension 85 by means of a first leg thereof being wrapped about said arm extension. The

second leg of the blade bracket extends in an upwardly direction and serves to support the blade members 89 and by means of a bolt 91 in overlying and spaced relation to the arm extension 85. A spring 92 having one end thereof attached to the first leg of the blade bracket as at 93 (FIG. 2) and the opposite end being attached to the arm extension 85 as at 94 serves as a means for continually urging the blade members toward the forward or outer end of the arm extension.

In operation, the mechanism is in that position shown in FIG. 1 and as said mechanism is caused to move along a path parallel to the row of spindles, the bobbin raising cam 70 moves beneath the butts of the bobbins carried on said spindles to break the hold between these members.

A relatively stiff but flexible arm member 95 is attached to the lower edge of the plate-like projection 69 by means of a screw 96 and extending obliquely forward therefrom it is so disposed as to make contact with the upper surface of the spinning rings 96, as shown in FIG. 7. Should the ring traveler 97 and yarn 98 which is guided thereby be in a position to be contacted by this arm said traveler and yarn will be moved as shownin FIG. 7 to prevent any possible interference with the control mechanism as it moves thereby.

Continued movement of the mechanism forces the bobbin upwardly with the edge of the butt portion riding on the inclined surface 74 of the cam 70. When a bobbin has reached the limit of its travel on the inclined camming surface, it is then received onto the upper surface of the arm extension 85. At this time the yarn package on the bobbin makes contact with the rotating endless belt 50 and the frictional contact between these members causes said bobbin to rotate in a clockwise direction as seen looking from the top thereof.

The outer end portion of the arm extension identified by numeral 88 at this time is in contact with that portion of the spindle beneath the butt of the bobbin. As the mechanism continues to advance, the arm extension is caused to pivot away from the stop-member 83 moving the

blade members

89 and 98 therewith. The blade members are adapted to follow the contour of the bobbin butt on that surface intermediate the rings thereof and as the butt continues to rotate the tip of blade 90 which is identified in FIG. 5 by numeral 99 hooks onto that end of yarn from the final wind and severs the same. Continued rotation of the bobbin causes that end of yarn forming the initial wind to be captured between the blade members as shown in FIG. 6.

At this point, the mechanism has advanced to a position where the arm extension will lose contact with the spindle and by the retraction of spring 79 said extension will return to its initial position against the stop member 83. This return movement of the arm extension causes blade member 89 to cut that end of yarn leading to the initial wind on the bobbin.

To maintain the desired contact between the rotating belt 50 and the yarn package as the mechanism moves along the rail of the spinning frame, a backing plat 100 which is fixedly attached to the support bracket 24 by means of a bolt 101 extends upwardly between the

pulley elements

45 and 48. The upper and forward surface of this backing plate is covered with a sheet material 102 having anti-frictional qualities against which the inner surface of the belt 50 is caused to make contact. This backing plate does not permit the belt 50 to flex inwardly between the pulley element and is effective in causing said belt to maintain an even pressure on the yarn package while it is in contact therewith.

Positive cutting of the yarn ends in this manner permits the dofiing mechanism to remove the bobbins from their respective spindles without withdrawing a portion of the yarn from the package all as heretofore described.

While one embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it is to be' understood that the inventive concept 7 may be carried out in a number of Ways. This invention is, therefor, not to be limited to the precise details described, but is intended to embrace all variations and modifications thereof falling within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims.

We claim:

1. A yarn control mechanism adapted to cut the ends of strand material wound on bobbins disposed on a row of spindles supported on a machine which comprises:

(a) a carriage with means for mounting the latter on said machine to move along a path parallel to said spindles,

(b) a bobbin raising cam movable with said carriage to raise said bobbins from a fixed position on said spindles to a rotatable position thereon,

(c) a cutting means for parting the ends of said strand material, and

(d) means for effecting rotation of said bobbins in order to place said ends of strand material in said cutting means.

2. A yarn control mechanism adapted to cut the ends of strand mate-rial Wound on bobbins disposed on a row of spindles supported on a machine which comprises:

(b) a bobbin raising cam movable with said carriage to raise said bobbins from a fixed position on said spindles to a rotatable position thereon, and

(c) means for severing the ends of said strand material which includes a rotating belt member engageable with the yarn on said bobbins to effect rotation of the latter.

3. A yarn control mechanism adapted to cut the ends of strand material wound on bobbins disposed on a row of spindles supported on a machine which comprises:

(c) a rotating belt member engageable with the yarn on said bobbins to effect rotation of the latter, and

(d) means engageable with the ends of said strand material for parting the latter as said bobbins are caused to rotate during the movement of said carriage.

4. A yarn control mechanism adapted to cut the ends of strand material wound on bobbins disposed on a row of spindles supported on a machine which comprises:

(d) cutting blade members engageable with the ends of said strand material for parting the latter as said bobbins are caused to rotate during the movement of said carriage.

5. The yarn control mechanism of claim 1 wherein said cutting means comprises a pair of arcuated cutting blades pivotably and yieldably engageable with said bobbins and adapted to follow the contour of the latter as said carriage moves thereby.

6, The yarn control mechanism of claim 5 wherein said arcuated cutting blade members are fixedly positioned relative to each other in opposed relation with one thereof being superimposed above the other.

'7. The yarn control mechanism of claim 1 wherein said machine includes a means for automatically moving said mechanism into and away from operating position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,653,440 9/1953 Partington 57-53 2,886,940 5/1959 Urano et al. 57-53 3,116,587 1/1964 DuBuis et al. 57-53 3,176,458 4/1965 DuBuis et al. 5753 3,204,397 9/1965 Cugini 57-53 FRANK J. COHEN, Primary Examiner.

D. E. WATKINS, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. A YARN CONTROL MECHANISM ADAPTED TO CUT THE ENDS OF STRAND MATERIAL WOUND ON BOBBINS DISPOSED ON A ROW OF SPINDLES SUPPORTED ON A MACHINE WHICH COMPRISES: (A) A CARRIAGE WITH MEANS FOR MOUNTING THE LATTER ON SAID MACHINE TO MOVE ALONG A PATH PARALLEL TO SAID SPINDLES, (B) A BOBBIN RAISING CAM MOVABLE WITH SAID CARRIAGE TO RAISE SAID BOBBINS FROM A FIXED POSITION ON SAID SPINDLES TO A ROTATABLE POSITION THEREON,