US3315047A

US3315047A - Filament break detector

Info

Publication number: US3315047A
Application number: US513865A
Authority: US
Inventors: Pesek Vladimir; Elias Jiri; Holub Jan; Celerin Pavel; Rehurek Oldrich
Original assignee: Vyzkumny Ustav Bavlnarsky AS
Current assignee: Vyzkumny Ustav Bavlnarsky AS
Priority date: 1964-12-15
Filing date: 1965-12-14
Publication date: 1967-04-18
Anticipated expiration: 1984-04-18
Also published as: GB1079126A; AT252077B

Description

April 18, 1967 PESEK ETAL FILAMENT BREAK DETECTOR Filed Dec.

SPINNING H N J C A BER L United States Patent Office 3,315,047 Patented Apr. 18, 1967 FILAMENT BREAK DETECTOR Vladimir Pesek, Zamberk, Jiri Elias, Brandys, nad Orlici, Jan Holub, Zamel, Pavel Celerin, Usti, nad Orlici, and Oldrich Reliureln Nachod, Czechoslovakia, assignors to "yzknmny Ustav Bavlnarsky, Usti, Czechoslovakia Filed Dec. 14, 1965, Ser. No. 513,865 Claims priority, application Czechoslovakia,

Dec. 15, 1964, 7,085/64 14 Claims. (Cl. ZOO-61.18)

The present invention relates to a textile machine. More specifically, the invention relates to a control device in a textile machine. Still more specifically, the present invention relates to a control device used in a textile machine for detecting and acting upon falling of the tension of a tensioned filament below a predetermined minimum level.

Filaments being processed in textile machines pass through the machines at relatively great speed and under tension from one processing station to another. If the progress of such a filament is delayed or interrupted at any point in its path through the textile machine, then parts of the machine, or even the entire machine, will cease to function properly. To eliminate this problem it is necessary to assure that falling of the filament tension below-a predetermined minimum level, as would for example be the case upon breakage of the filament, cause an immediate response such as shut-down or activation of various processing stations or auxiliary devices, designed to prevent malfunctioning of the machine.

Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide, in a textile machine, a control device which is capable of operating as set forth above.

A more specific. object of the present invention is to provide a control device of the type discussed above which is highly sensitive and will react immediately to falling of the filament tension below a minimum predetermined level.

Another object of the invention is to provide a control device of the type mentionedearlier which is particularly suitable for a spinning machine with rotating spinning chamber.

In accordance vw'th one feature of the present invention we provide, in a textile machine, a control device comprising tubular detector means which is movable between a first position and a second position. Biasing means is provided which tends to move the tubular detector means from the first into the secondtposition.thereof, and means is arranged for advancing a filament under tension and lengthwise alonga straight predetermined path extending through the tubular detector means with the filament contacting the tubular detector means in such a manner as to tend to retain the tubular detector means in the first position thereof against action of the biasing means when the filament is under a predetermined minimum tension. The tubular detector means is moved by the biasing means into the second position thereof when the tension of the filament decreases under the predetermined tension and the filament thereby deviates from the. predetermined path thereof. We have further provided signal generating means and actuating means which is operatively connected with the tubular detector means and with the signal generating means for actuating the latter when the tubular detector means moves into the second position thereof.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will bev best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional elevational view of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, and illustrates a slight modification; and

FIG. 3 is also a partial sectional view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, and illustrates a further modification.

Discussing now the drawing in detail, and firstly FIG. 1 thereof, it will be seen that the novel control device comprises a base plate 1 to which there are secured at right angles two lateral walls 2, 3 so that the plate 1 and the walls 2 3 together constitute a support means of substantially U-shaped cross section. The walls 2, 3 are provided with adjusting means, such as screws 4, 5 which extend from the exterior of the Walls therethrough and have front portions projecting into the free space between the walls 2, 3. The front portions of screws 4, 5 may be inserted into the free space between the walls 2, 3 to a greater or lesser degree by turning of the respective screw and serve as motion-limiters as will become clear presently. Base plate 1 is provided with a bore 6 which in the present embodiment is threaded, so that the plate 1 may be secured to an outlet of another element, such as a rotating spinning chamber shown in dashed lines in FIG. 1 Without reference numeral, by threading a corresponding portion of the outlet into the bore 6.

A tubular portion or coupling tube 8 is provided on the inner surface of the base plate. 1 concentric with the bore 6. A tubular detector means, such as an elongated tube 7, is arranged coaxially with the coupling tube 8 in such a manner that one end of the tube 7 is located adjacent to but slightly axially spaced from the coupling tube 8. The tubes 7 and 8 are secured together by means of a flexible sleeve 9, which in the embodiment of FIG. 1 is of a elastomeric material and is preferably air-tight, and which surrounds the adjacent end portions of the tubes 7 and 8, holding them slightly apart in axial direction so that the tube 7 is capable of tilting transversely with reference to the axis of coupling tube 8. In other words, the tube 7 will tilt with respect to the coupling tube 8 about that one of its end portions which is located adjacent to the coupling tube 8. The wall 3 carries a forked bracket 19 Which so limits the tube 7 that it can move only in one plane, which in the embodiment of FIG. 1 will be seen to extend between the left and righthand side of the drawing. The adjustable screws 4, 5 assure that the maximum movement of the tube 7 in either direction can be precisely adjusted which is accom plished by having their front ends extend into the free space between the walls 2, 3 to a greater or lesser degree, where, they serve as limit stops against which the tube 7 abuts during its movements if the latter exceed their predetermined range. An elongated slot 16 is provided in the Wall 3 so arranged as to be axially parallel with the tube 7, and a set screw 15 extends through the slot 16 and its inner end disposed between the latter and the tube 7, a carrier member which supports a biasing means and a signal generating means, both of which are movable in axial direction of the tube 7 by shifting the set screw 15 Within the elongated slot 16. -The biasing means comprises a springy member, in this case of substantially U- shaped configuration, having an elongated arm 13 which presses with an end portion 13' thereof against the tube 7 in a direction tending to tilt the tube towards the left in FIG. 1. A signal generating means, such as a microswitch 18, is arranged in conjunction with the biasing means in such a manner that, when the tube 7 is tilted towards the left in FIG. 1 under the influence of the biasing means, the contacts of the microswitch 18 are closed and a circuit is completed whereby the microswitch may generate visual or audio signals to attract the attention of the machine operator, or signals which may shut down or actuate various processing stations and auxiliary portions of the machine employing the novel control device. Of course, it will be understood that the contacts of swtich 18 could also be normally closed so that tilting of tube 7 towards the left under the influence of the biasing means would interrupt a circuit instead of completing it. A trip or actuating member 17 is carried by the arm 13 of the biasing member and may be shiftable in the longitudinal direction thereof so as to permit varying its distance from the contact members of the switch 18. This will then determine to what extent the tube 7 can tilt before the member 17 interrupts the circuit switch 18.

A filament P, which is supplied from another part of the textile machine, for instance from a rotary spinning chamber, passes through the bore 6 in the base plate 1 along the length of tube 7, and through the free end of tube 7 from where it may then travel to another processing station and ultimately to a take-up means, none of which is shown. The essential point is that the path of the filament F must be so selected that the filament will engage the inner surface of the circumferential wall of tube 7 in such a manner as to bias the tube 7 towards the right (as seen in FIG. 1) in opposition to the biasing action of the springy arm 13 of the biasing means. Thus, the signal generating means, that is the switch 18, will not generate any signal while the tube 7 is biased towards the right as seen in FIG. 1. Only if the tension of the filament F which maintains the tube 7 in right-hand deflection against the opposition of the biasing means, falls below a predetermined level, for example as a result of breakage of the filament F in the spinning chamber, will the biasing means be able to move the tube 7 towards the left and to thereby actuate the switch 18. It will be evident that during operation of a textile machine employing he novel control device, fluctuations in the tension of the filament F are bound to occur. Such fluctuations may cause variations in the tension of the filament so that the tension may fluctuate between 6 and 20 grams. However, the novel control device will be so adjusted that such fluctuations will cause only minor movements of the tube 7, and such movements are not suflicient to actuate the signal generating means 18. If the filament F should break, then of course the biasing means will tilt the tube 7 towards the left in FIG. t1, whereby the microswitch 18 will be actuated and the required operations be thereby carried out, such as actuation of auxiliary processing devices in the textile machine.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 2 is essentially the same as that shown in FIG. 1. The difference resides in the different manner in which the tube 7 is tiltably supported. As is clearly evident from FIG. 2, an end portion of the tube 7 is again arranged coaxially with the coupling tube 8, and both end portions of the tubes 7 and 8 are surrounded by a sleeve 10 of a yieldable material, such as plastic whose ability to yield is improved by circumferential corrugations provided on it. Unlike FIG. 1, however, where the sleeve 9 constituted the only support for the tube 7, it will be seen in FIG. 2 that there are arranged bearing supports 12 on either side of tube 7 adjacent the connected end portion thereof, and that the tube 7 or the sleeve 10 carries needle bearings 11 which are supported by the supports 12 so that the tube 7 can tilt about these needle bearings 11.

A further modification is shown in FIG. 3; however, this concerns not the manner in which the tube 7 is positioned for tilting, but rather the biasing means. As will be seen, the embodiment of FIG. 3 is again rather similar to that of FIG. 1, except for the fact that the biasing means, or more specifically the arm 13 thereof, is not in itself capable of providing a biasing action towards the left in FIG. 3 against the tube 7. This is accomplished in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 by means of a pneumatic device 20, such as a pneumatic spring, which is operatively connected to the free end portion 13 of the arm 13 and which serves to bias the arm 13 towards the left in FIG. 3. Such pneumatic springs are well known in the art and it is not believed to be necessary to describe the same in detail. Care must of course be taken that the biasing force of the device 20 is less than the biasing force of filament P, so that the tube 7 will be deflected to the left only if the biasing forcei.e. the tension-of filament F falls below a predetermined minimum level.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of control devices differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a control device, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a textile machine, a control device comprising a support; tubular detector means mounted on said support and movable between a first position and a second position; biasing means urging said tubular detector means from said first into said second position thereof; means for advancing a filament under tension and lengthwise along a predetermined path extending lengthwise through said tubular detector means When the same is in said first position thereof with said filament contacting said tubular detector means in such a manner as to tend to retain said tubular detector means in said first position thereof against the action of said biasing means when said filament is under a predetermined minimum tension, said tubular detector means being moved by said biasing means into said second position thereof when the tension of said filament decreases below said predetermined tension and said filament thereby deviates from said predetermined path thereof; signal generating means for generating a signal in response to movement of said tubular detector means from one to the other position thereof; and actuating means comprising an operative connection with said tubular detector means and with said signal generating means for actuating the latter when said tubular detector means moves into said second position thereof.

2. A structure as defined in claim 1; wherein said support means includes a pair of spaced parallel side walls and an end wall extending between said side walls connecting the same and provided with a bore coaxial with said tubular detector means, said filament extending through said bore.

3. A structure as defined in claim 2, wherein said signal generating means is a switch means movable between open and closed positions and normally assuming one of said positions, said switch means assuming the other position upon actuation by said actuating means to generate a signal.

4. A structure as defined in claim 3, wherein said actuating means comprises trip switch activating means carried by said biasing means and maintaining said switch means in said one position While said filament is under said predetermined minimum tension.

5. A structure as defined in claim 4; and further comprising adjusting means for adjusting the position of said trip means relative to said biasing means and said tubular detector means, so that said control device may respond to different degrees of minimum tension of said filament.

6. A structure as defined in claim 5, wherein said biasing means comprises a leaf spring secured to said support means and having an engaging portion engaging said tubular detector means in biasing relationship.

7. A structure as defined in claim 5, wherein said biasing means comprises an arm secured to said support means and having a portion adapted to engage said tubular detector means so as to bias the same from said first to said second position thereof, and a pneumatic spring operatively connected with said arm and urging the same into biasing engagement of said portion thereof with said tubular detector means.

8. A structure as defined in claim 5, wherein said end wall is provided with a tubular projection surrounding said bore intermediate said side Walls and rigid with said end wall, said tubular detector means being axially aligned with said projection and having an end portion facing the same; and further comprising connecting means connecting said end portion of said detector means and said projection to one another in axially spaced relationship, whereby said tubular detector means is free to tilt with reference to said projection.

9. A structure as defined in claim 8, wherein said con necting means comprises a sleeve of elastomeric material surrounding said projection and said end portion of said detector means.

10. A structure as defined in claim 9, wherein said sleeve surrounds said projection and said end portion of the detector means in fiuidtight relationship.

11. A structure as defined in claim 10; and further comprising pin-bearing means connected to said end portion of said detector means, said pin-bearing means supporting said detector means for titling movement transversely of the axis thereof.

12. A structure as defined in claim 8; and further comprising means for limiting direction and degree of tilting of said tubular detector means.

13. A structure as defined in claim 2; and further comprising rotary spinning chamber means having a stationary housing having an outlet, said control device being secured to said housing with said bore of said end Wall being coaxial with said outlet so that said filament can extend through said outlet and said bore into said tubular detector means.

14. A structure as defined in claim 1; and further comprising means for varying the position of said signal generating means relative to said tubular detector means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,128,476 8/1938 Runton 200--61.18 2,419,518 4/1947 Eichinger 20061.18 2,542,708 2/1951 Rogow ZOO-61.18 3,120,587 2/1964 Rudd ZOO-61.18

BERNARD A. GILHEANY, Primary Examiner. H. E. SPRINGBORN, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. IN A TEXTILE MACHINE, A CONTROL DEVICE COMPRISING A SUPPORT; TUBULAR DETECTOR MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT AND MOVABLE BETWEEN A FIRST POSITION AND A SECOND POSITION; BIASING MEANS URGING SAID TUBULAR DETECTOR MEANS FROM SAID FIRST INTO SAID SECOND POSITION THEREOF; MEANS FOR ADVANCING A FILAMENT UNDER TENSION AND LENGTHWISE ALONG A PREDETERMINED PATH EXTENDING LENGTHWISE THROUGH SAID TUBULAR DETECTOR MEANS WHEN THE SAME IS IN SAID FIRST POSITION THEREOF WITH SAID FILAMENT CONTACTING SAID TUBULAR DETECTOR MEANS IN SUCH A MANNER AS TO TEND TO RETAIN SAID TUBULAR DETECTOR MEANS IN SAID FIRST POSITION THEREOF AGAINST THE ACTION OF SAID BIASING MEANS WHEN SAID FILAMENT IS UNDER A PREDETERMINED MINIMUM TENSION, SAID TUBULAR DETECTOR MEANS BEING MOVED BY SAID BIASING MEANS INTO SAID SECOND POSITION THEREOF WHEN THE TENSION OF SAID FILAMENT DECREASES BELOW SAID PREDETERMINED TENSION AND SAID FILAMENT THEREBY DEVIATES FROM SAID PREDETERMINED PATH THEREOF; SIGNAL GENERATING MEANS FOR GENERATING A SIGNAL IN RESPONSE TO MOVEMENT OF SAID TUBULAR DETECTOR MEANS FROM ONE TO THE OTHER POSITION THEREOF; AND ACTUATING MEANS COMPRISING AN OPERATIVE CONNECTION WITH SAID TUBULAR DETECTOR MEANS AND WITH SAID SIGNAL GENERTING MEANS FOR ACTUATING THE LATTER WHEN SAID TUBULAR DETECTOR MEANS MOVES INTO SAID SECOND POSITION THEREOF.