US3380677A - Method and apparatus for increasing the efficiency of automatic winding machines - Google Patents

Description

April 30, 1968 J. STAPFER 3,380,677

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INCREASING THE EFFICIENCY OF AUTOMATIC WINDING MACHINES Filed Aug. 24, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR TnKob Sta-p m WIS/QM AT TORN EYS J. STAPFER METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INCREASING THE EFFICIENCY OF April 30, 1968 3,380,677

AUTOMATIC WINDING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 24. 1964 \NVENTOIZ, In K05 Qzur$0r BY QM ATTORNEYS Apnl 30, 1968 J. STAPFER 3,380,677

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INCREASING THE EFFICIENCY OF AUTOMATIC WINDING MACHINES Filed Aug. 24, 1964 s Sheets-Sheet 3 \NVENTOR I T 0L ATTORNEYS WWW" ite '1 States 3,380,677 METHOD AND APPARATU FQR lNCREASiNG THE EFFICIENCY 8F AUTUMATKC WENDENG MACHINES Jakob Stapler, Adiiswii, Zurich, Switzerland, assignor to Schweiter Engineering Works Ltd, Horgen, Switzerland, a corporation of Switzerland Filed Aug. 24, 1964, Ser. No. 391,516 Ciaims priority, appiication Switzerland, Aug. 39, 1963, 19,787/63 15 Claims. (Cl. 242- 55) The present invention has reference to an improved method for increasing the efiiciency of automatic winding machines as well as to an improved control mechanism for the performance of the aforesaid method.

With automatic winding machines having a number of winding stations it is necessary upon interruption of the winding operation at a given winding station' brought about by yarn rupture or depletion of the delivery cop or bobbin for instancethat the winding station which is standing idle be brought into operable association with an automatic i.e. a yarn tending or servicing apparatus which undertakes knotting of the yarn ends of the delivery bobbin and the wind-up bobbin, or, insofar as necessary, prior to knotting carries out exchange of the empty delivery bobbin or cop for a full one. This is achieved, by way of example, in that the winding stations are arranged upon a revolving table or turret and thereby arc succes- 'sively guided past the automatic or tending apparatus which is stationary. The revolving table is then brought to standstill when a winding station possessing such an aforementioned disturbance or faulty yarn condition is located in front of this tending apparatus or automatic.

Since the standstill time of a switched-out winding station in the relative position assumed with respect to the tending apparatus or automatic for removing yarn rupture and for exchanging the delivery bobbin is unproductive, the time necessary for again bringing the winding station into operation should be held as small as possible. This becomes of even greater importance if there is considered the possibility that at the same time more than one winding location or station can be standing idle.

A short standstill time or reduction of the same is achieved in that, on the one hand, the bringing of the yarn to the 'knotter takes place with as large a speed as possible in dependence upon the yarn quality and, on the other hand, for an eventual required delivery bobbin-exchange a new delivery bobbin is always located in its preparatory or ready position.

Furthermore, a long waiting or idle time can also be prevented in that the determination for a standing idle winding station whether only yarn rupture must be remedied or, however, a delivery bobbin-exchange is to be undertaken, is already undertaken before such winding location is situated opposite the yarn rupture removal and delivery bobbin-exchange apparatus. Such an apparatus is disclosed in the commonly assigned, co-pending United States patent application Ser. No. 360,226, filed Apr. 16, 1964, now United States Patent 3,304,015 gran-ted Feb. -14, 1967, invented by Rudolf Jenny and entitled, Method and Apparatus for the Processing of Undesired Yarn Conditions Appearing at an Automatic Winding Machine. The therein disclosed apparatus is constructed such that feelers monitor or supervise the yarn travel at a winding station as well as also the available quantity or volume of yarn at the delivery cop. Upon interruption of the yarn travel at a given winding station the feelers respond and influence appropriate signal storage elements, such as impact means, through the intermediary of a lever system for instance, with such impact means being associated with the winding station. Upon proper operable positioning of the associated Winding station with respect to the tending apparatus or automatic for removing the disturbance or undesired yarn condition these elements are scanned, whereby immediately the appropriate work cycle is initiated in accordance with the encountered condition.

With a control mechanism of this type the storage element containing a signal automatically brings about stoppage of the rotatable table, irrespective whether only yarn rupture is to be remedied or whether a delivery copexchange is also necessary. However, this can result in a reduction in the efiiciency of the winding machine, particularly then, if, for any given reason, no new delivery cop is ready for the exchange operation and the winding station located in front of the tending apparatus or automatic rfor removing its undesired yarn condition requires such a new delivery cop. The standstill time of the table is then at least as long as is necessary for the apparatus to determine at a report-back or feedback path for example, that this disturbance is not capable of being corected and, as the case may be, has delivered a signal allowing for continuation of the rotation of the table. The other winding stations which in the meantime pos- *sibly exhibit an undesired yarn condition must, therefore, wait for a relatively long time for the removal of thei disturbance i.e. undesired yarn condition which, for example, is only manifested by yarn rupture which can be remedied.

ccordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved method and control apparatus which in the previously explained situation also prevents unnecessary standstill times.

Another very important object of the present invention relates to the provision of an improved method and apparatus for increasing the efficiency of automatic winding machines.

Still a further important object of the present invention relates to an improved control apparatus for winding machines which enables blocking of the stopping mechanism for the rotatable table in its ineil'ectual position for those winding stations which require a new delivery co'p for removing their undesired yarn condition as soon as appropriate scanning or testing mem ers have determined that no new delivery cops are available in the supply magazine, in order that the remaining winding stations which still have suiiicient yarn upon their delive y cop and only require a xnotting operation can be unobstructively serviced without any delay in time by the automatic provided for removing undesired yarn conditions.

Generally speaking, the inventive control mechanism is characterized by the features that monitor means are associated with supply magazine for delivery bobbins in order to determine the availability of a delivery cop or bobbin in the delivery position thereof. Additionally, switch means for the control mechanism are operatively associated with the monitor means in order to prevent interruption of the relative movement between the relevant Winding station and automatic in the predetermined relative position in spite of exhaustion of the delivery cop of the associated winding station when the monitor means has not ascertained that there is a new delivery cop in the delivery or infeed position.

This control apparatus thereby serves to lock or render inoperable the table stop mechanism in the event there are not present any new delivery cops and renders it possible that the tending apparatus or automatic for rectifying yarn rupture only still has servicing requirements placed upon it from such winding locations in which the availabie yarn package upon the deiivery cop permits of a knotting operation, or such is justifiable.

he inventive method for continually supervising a number of winding stations by means of a monitor or supervising mechanism which scans such winding stations is characterized by the features that, when a delivery bobbin or cop is not available in a predetermined supply position a signal is removed and is evaluated as significant information to cause continuation of the scanning of other winding locations or stations in the event that the undesired yarn condition appearin at a given winding sta ion and which is to be remedied requires a new delivery cop.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that a number of advantages are obtained with the inventive method and control apparatus for increasing the efficiency of automatic winding machines For instance, should the changof the supply magazine with full delivery cops be interrupted for any given reason, then the automatic can still process all of the delivery bobbins still located upon the other winding stations, for example can perform a knotting operation, without any loss in time with senseless attempts at removing faulty yarn conditions at windlog stations having a depleted delivery cop. This condition is favorable for normal winding processes in that the automatic, in spite of faulty after-feed of full delivery cops, still performs with the greatest possible cfiicicncy under the given circumstances. A particularly great advantage is obtained during change-over to a different winding material in that, the automatic or tending apparatus automatically and within the shortest possible time, processes all of the dclivery cops or bobbins.

Other features, objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent by reference to the following detailed description and drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used throughout the various figures for the same or analogous elements and, in which:

FZGURE 1 is a perspective view of an automatic wind-- ing machine;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the bobbin magazine and the indexing or switching mechanism;

FIGURE 3 schematically illustrates a portion of the winding machine;

FIGURE 4 is a front view, somewhat on an enlarged scale, of a detail of the winding machine depicted in FEGURE 3; and

FIGURE 5 is an electric circuit diagram of the control mechanism.

First of all, it should be appreciated that in describing the invention only enough of the details of the automatic winding machine will be given in order to enable one skilled in the art to fully appreciate the underlying principles thereof. Thus, initially directing attention to FIG- URE 1, wherein an automatic winding machine is schematically illustrated, it will be seen that such generally comprises, in its essential components, a stationary machine base A, a plurality of winding stations or locations B arranged at a rotating or revolving circular table or turret D, and a machine component defining an automatic or tending apparatus C arranged directly outside of the substantially circular path of travel of the aforesaid winding stations B. This automatic C incorporates the mechanical and electric switching components necessary for removal of the faulty yarn condition or disturbance as well as the actual physical elements for removing such disturbance. Generally speaking, this automatic unit or tending mechanism C, upon yarn rupture or depletion is switched-in so as to either remedy such yarn rupture or to conduct a new full delivery cop or bobbin 2 from a supply magazine 1 to the relevant winding location B and to then knot the yarn ends. Automatic mechanisms C of the aforenoted type and suitable for implementing such operations are well known to the art. However, since the invention is not specifically related to details thereof, particularly the knotting operation, only enough of its structure and operation will be considered in the description to follow in order to make the general principles of this invention clearly understandable.

Considering further physical structure of FIGURE 1,

it will be seen that the yarn F travels from a delivery bobbin or cop 2a through a balloon breaker 5:; simultaneously equipped with a teeter element (not shown) for determining the presence of the yarn P, such fceler element for instance corresponding to that of the aforementioned C o-pending United States application, Ser. No. 360,- 226. This feeler element is operatively associated in any suitable manner with an electromagnet 13b such that when the yarn is missing the armature 18a thereof moves as a stop into the operating zone of a switch 38. Additionally, the yarn F travels through a yarn rupturc feeler 51 which, when yarn rupture occurs, permits movement of the armature 19a of the electromagnet 191) into the operating zone of a switch 19, in that the electromagnet 1% has current applied thereto. Since the exact manner in which the feeler of the balloon breaker 50 and the yarn rupture feeler 51 are operably associated with the c "trornagnets 18b and 191'), respectively, are not consilercd important for understanding the invention and since such can be performed in any number of possible ways which will suggest themselves to those versed in the art, no further details are here given. By Way of completeness, however, reference may be made to the previously referred to co-pending United States application, disclosing such operable association of these feelers with electrorurtherrnore, the yarn F is guided in known manner via stabilizing and guide plates, and through the agency of the grooved drum 52 is delivered to an associated windup bobbin 53. It will be appreciated that the revolving table D is provi' ed with a throughpassing index bolt 57, pushed into a suitable bore 5% (FlGURE 5) of the revolving table D by means of a spring 53. This index bolt 57, as will be further explained hereinafter with respect to the control circuit of FIGURE 5, serves to arrest the table D in properly aligned position in front of the automatic C. However, before considering the control circuit of FIG- DRE 5 reference will first be made to the physical structure shown in FIGURES 2 to 4, depicting details of further components of the winding machine of FIG- UTRE 1.

Now, in FIGURE 2 there is illustrated in simplified manner the switching or indexing mechanism for performing a step-by-step indexing of the bobbin supply magazine 1 having the delivery bobbins or cops 2 located in individual boxes or compartments 2b. An indexing or switching dog or lever 3 and a cam piece 4 are secured to a bolt or shaft 5 which, in turn, is rotatably mounted at an arm 6. This arm d has imparted to it a reciprocating movement via a cam plate 9 through the agency of a cooperating rod 7, with the number of strokes per revolution corresponding to the number of cam surfaces 8 located upon this cam plate 9. Moreover, such number of strokes per unit time is also determined by the rotational speed of a drive motor 18 operatively connected with a shaft 27 carrying the cam disk 9. If, it is assumed for the moment, no new delivery bobbin or cop 2 is needed in the preparatory or ready position 11 of FIGURE 3, then the lever arm 12 via the cam piece 4 and the bolt 5 prevents a tension spring i from bringing the indexing dog or lever 3 into the zone of an indexing bolt 13 secured to the bobbin supply magazine 1. The lever arm 12 provided with the roller 12:: is, in turn, prevented from performing a rotational movement via a shaft 15' and an arm 16 bearing against an impact surface or stop means 17.

If, now, there is determined by the feelers 5'8, 51 supervising yarn travel that the yarn F is not present in consequence of an empty delivery cop 2a then the various stop means or armatures Ida and 19a are deflected by the yarn feelers 5t), 51 which act upon the switches 18 and 19, the effect of which will be more fully explained during discussion of the control circuit of PlGURE 5. It will then be noted during discussion of FIGURE 5 that actuation of the switch 13 causes the coupling 25 lying in this current circuit to be engaged, resulting in entrainment of the control shaft 28 by virtue of the continuously revolving shaft 27. Due to the cam disk 29 connected to the control shaft 28 a pivotably arranged cop receiver or holder 36 is brought via the rod or linkage means 31 from a rest position I into a working position 11, as best determined by reference to FIGURE 3. By means of any suitable non-illustrated release mechanism it is possible to insert the delivery cop onto the retaining spindle 32.

As best seen by inspecting FIGURE 4, a further supervising or monitoring element, here in the form of a fioor flap or trap door 33, is rockably mounted upon a bolt 34%- at the delivery cop receiver or bin 39. Moreover, a pin 35 is secured to the aforesaid floor flap 33 which is downwardly pressed by means of a torsion spring 35 located in a recess 37 of a lever or pawl 38, and thereby holds the floor flap 33 in its closed position, shown in full lines in FIGURE 4 (position III). Upon returning the delivery bobbin or cop receiver 3% into the rest position I the lever or pawl 38 and thereby also the floor flap 33 are again rocked upwardly by means of a stirrup or bracket 39 as well as being secured due to engagement of a pawl 4t in a ratchet or locking means 42, A cam portion 44 of the floor flap 33 which is then located in the empty position III displaces a lever ll and thus actuates the switch 43 and thereby the electromagnet 45. The electromagnet 45 rocks the lever 4-6 and thereby frees the arm 16 from the stop means 17, whereby the rotating shaft 27 of the automatic together with the cam 47 via the rod 48 rotates the arm 16, the shaft and the lever arm 12 with its roller 12a and thereby frees the switching lever or pawl 3. The switching lever 3 then indexes the bobbin magazine 1 for such length of time until a delivery cop 2 falls into the chute 49 and due to the weight of the cop brings the floor flap or trap door 33 from the empty position III into the full position IV, corresponding to the displacement path of the pin in the recess 37. The cam portion 44 now releases the lever 41, whereby the switch 43 interrupts the electromagnet 45. As a result, the lever or pawl 3 is again disengaged and brought out of the zone of the indexing bolt 13 for the bobbin magazine I.

The circuit arrangement of FIGURE 5 is designed to control three different possibilities for removal of a disturbance or faulty yarn condition, namely:

(a) Removal of yarn rupture without exchange of the delivery bobbin or cop,

(b) Removal of yarn rupture with exchange of the delivery cop,

(c) Placing out of operation a winding location after the appearance of yarn rupture, insofar as such winding location requires an exchange of the delivery cop, and in the supply magazine and in the supply channel no full cop is available however, because in this case the disturbance cannot be removed.

These three control possibilities are individually described in greater detail hereinafter. In order to more clearly understand the operation, elements having the same or similar function are grouped together into Groups IV and denoted by the associated phantom line blocks of FIGURE 5.

Group I-Switches, the position of which (open or closed) are determined by the supervising or monitoring elements, that is from the side of the winding machine.

Group IIMagnetic coils of the protective control (relays).

Group III-The switches (relay contacts) associated with the magnetic coils (Group II), whereby the contacts inclined to the left correspond to the switched-out relays and those inclined to the right to the switched-in relays i.e. relay or magnetic coil 23 and contacts 2311-2361.

Group 1VAnalogous to Group III, however incorporates relay or magnetic coil 54 and contacts 54a to 540, whereby such relay 54 is provided with a timedelay device 54.

Group VSchematically depicts results obtained via the control.

(at) There will first be considered removal of yarn rupture without exchange of the delivery cop or bobbin: The yarn rupture feeler 51, which can be either mechanical or electrical for example, initiates application of current to the electromagnet 1%, whereby the armature 1911 thereof springs as a stop into the operating zone of the switch 1? and closes such (Group I). The switch 19 is mounted ahead of the disturbance removal automatic C if considered with respect to the revolving motion of the winding location B, so that the winding location at which the disturbance is to be removed can be stopped with respect to the automatic C. The closed switch 19 applies current to the coil of the relay 23 (Group 11), whereby the associated contacts (Group III) move to the right. In so doing, the contact 23a is opened, the relay or magnetic switch 55 of the drive motor M for the table D without current and thereby this drive motor M brought to standstill. Likewise, the contact 2312 opens and shuts-off the electromagnet 56. As a result, the index bolt 57 is pushed via the spring 58 into the bore 59 of the revolving table D, whereby the exact arresting position of the winding location B in front of the automatic or tending mechanism C is guaranteed. A switch 60 is arranged above the bore 59 which is closed by the index bolt 57 piercingly extending through the bore 59. (The relay or magnetic switch 55 could also switch over the motor M to a slow operating speed, whereafter the stopping would be effected by means of a contact of the switch 69.) The closing of the contact 6d (Group I) switches-in an electromagnetic coupling 61 which operatively connects a shaft e2 with the continuously revolving shaft 27 driven by the drive motor 16. The coupling 61 is constructed such that the shaft 62 only executes a complete rev0lu tion through 360. Upon the shaft 62 there are seated the non-illustrated cam disks which actuate the elements for removing yarn rupture in known manner. Additionally, a cam disk 63 (Group I) is seated upon the shaft 62 which, after completion of the knotting operation, opens the switch 64 and thereby deenergizes the relay 23. As a result, the contacts of Group III move to the left, the magnetic switch 55 again switches-in the drive motor M, the energized electromagnet 56 pulls the index bolt 57 out of the bore 59 and thereby opens the switch 60. Consequently, the starting position, that is, the normal winding operation position is again provided. (The contact 23c serves as a self-holding contact of the relay 23.)

(b) There will now be considered the possibility of removing yarn rupture with exchange of the delivery cop: The exchange of a delivery cop is naturally always associated with a yarn rupture or depletion of the yarn. Consequently, the series of operations described under item (a) above are repeated. Additionally, the electromagnet 13b is furnished with current by means of the feeler element at the balloon breaker 5d and thereby its armature 18a is brought as a stop means into the operating zone of the switch 1%. This switch 18 is arranged shortly in front of the switch 19 if considered with respect to the direction of revolving of the winding location B, that is, at least through the response time of the relay 54 and places the magnet coil of the relay 54 under current with a time delay determined by time-delay device 54. As a result, the associated contacts of Group IV deflect to the right. (The contacts of Group III in consequence of the yarn rupture are inclined to the right.) The switch (contact) 54-]; serves as a self-holding contact for the relay 54, the contact 54c switches-in the magnetic coupling 25 and connects the shaft 28 with the shaft 2'7 in such a manner that the shaft 27 only executes a complete revolution through 360. The cam disk 29 is seated upon the shaft 28 which carries out the exchange of the delivery cop as depicted in FIGURES 2 and 3 already previously explained. The return to the normal winding operation takes place as explained under section (a) by means of the cam disk 63 and the switch 64. It is to be understood that if yarn rupture occurs beneath the balloon breaker such condition will be treated as an exhausted delivery cop since the knottcr cannot operate in this zone and, thus, a bobbin-exchange will be initiated.

Finally, there will now be considered the placing out of operation of a winding location which requires a delivery cop-exchange because a cop does not appear in the preparatory position of the bobbin channel 3t As described in FIGURES 3 and 4 the switch 23 is in the rest position insofar as a cop 2 lies in the bobbin or cop channel 3t) and against its floor flap 33. Such corresponds to the position depicted in FIGJRE 5 where the switch d3 bears against the contact it no cop is available in the bobbin. or cop channel 3 6 then the lever 4-1 presses against the switch 43 (FIGURE 3). As a result, the Contact 43a is opened and the contact is closed, the magnet 45 subject to current and the bobbin magazine 1 indexed in stepwise manner as explained in conjunction with FIGURES 2 to 4, until a full cop 2 falls out of the magazine 1 into the bobbin channel 3:? and onto its fioor flap 33. In order to prevent that an empty bobbin magazine 1 will be continuously indexed, a timeswitch out relay (not shown) can be arranged in the current circuit of the electromagnet 45 which, for example, after a revolution of the magazine switches out the indexing mechanism for the bobbin Suppl magazine 1 (FIGURE 1). If, now, the switch 43 bears against the contact 43!: in consequence of the absence of a cop in tr e bobbin channel 3% (empty position) and if a delivery cop-exchange is requested by the switch 18, that is, the relay 54 is energized, then its contact 5 5:: is open and thereby the yarn rupture-current circuit to the relay 23 interrupted. The contacts of Group ill remain in their position inclined to the left, the magnetic switch 55 and the electromagnet 56 remain under current and thereby also the drive motor M for the table The relevant winding station B is not stopped, rather passes the disturbance removal automatic C, that is, this winding station E is automatically placed out of operation.

Consequently, the subsequent winding locations can be scanned without unnecessary delay as to their condition, and insofar as there is determined yarn rupture with sumcient yarn supply at the associated delivery cop then such can be remedied.

While there is shown and described present preferred embodiments of the invention it is to be distinctly under stood that the invention is not limited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied and practised within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

Method for the continuous supervision of a number of winding stations by means of a monitoring mechanism for scanning such winding stations, wherein each said winding station carries out a relative movement with respect to a tending apparatus at which any given winding station could normally stop in order to correct a faulty yarn condition which may appear at said given winding station, comprising the steps of: testing for the presence of a delivery cop in a predetermined common supply position for said number of winding stations, deriving a signal when a delivery cop is not present at said common predetermined supply position, and employing said derived signal to cause any given winding station at which a faulty yarn condition has occurred which would require replacement of its delivery cop to fail to halt at said tending apparatus inasmuch as no delivery cop is available at said predetermined supply position which could be used for replacement purposes.

2. Method for increasing the efficiency of automatic winding machines having a number or rotating winding stations which move past a tending apparatus at which any given winding station could normally stop in order to corrcct for a faulty yarn condition which may occur at said given winding station, and monitoring means for scanning the individual winding stations in order to determine the presence of a faulty yarn condition which may occur at any given winding station, such as yarn rupture or the requirement for a new delivery cop, comprising the steps oi: scanning the individual rotating winding stations in order to determine the presence of a faulty yarn condition which might appear at any given winding station, upon the appearance of a faulty yarn condition at a given winding station detern'riuing whether such is yarn rupture or the requirement for a new delivery cop, testing for the presence of a new delivery cop in a predetermined common supply position for all of said winding stations, deriving a signal when a delivery cop is not present at said predet rmined common supply position, and employing said derived signal to prevent stopping of a given winding station at said tending apparatus if it is determined that the faulty yarn condition at said given winding station is one requiring a new delivery cop.

3. Method for increasing the etliciency of automatic winding machines according to claim 2 including the step or arresting said given winding station at said tending apparatus if it is determined that the faulty yarn condition is yarn rupture which can be corrected by a knotting operation.

4. Control device for increasing the ehlciency of automatic winding machines having a number of winding sta ions comprising a supply magazine for new delivery cops, means defining a preparatory delivery position for receiving a new delivery cop from said supply magazine which can be delivered to any one of said number of winding stations, supervising means for determining the presence of a new delivery cop in said delivery position, control circuit means operably coupled with said supervising means, said control circuit means including means responsive to said supervising means for preventing stoppage of a given winding station at which there has been determined the necessity for a new delivery cop when said supervising means has determined that no new delivery cop is present at said delivery position.

5. Control device for increasing the etliciency of auto matic Winding machines having a number of winding stations comprising a supply magazine for new delivery cops, means defining a preparatory common delivery position for receiving a new delivery cop from said supply magazine which can be delivered to any one of said number of winding stations, supervising means for determining the presence of a new delivery cop in said delivery position, control circuit means operably coupled with said supervising means, said control circuit means including means for stopping a given winding station when it is determined that a knotting operation is required thereat and means for stopping a given winding station when it is determined that a new delivery cop is required thcrcat and a new delivery cop is in said common delivery position, said control circuit means further including means responsive to said supervising means for preventing stoppage of a given winding station at which there has been determined the necessity for a new delivery cop when said supervising means has determined that no new delivery cop is present at said common delivery position.

6. Control device for increasing the efficiency of automatic winding machines as defined in claim 5 wherein said supervising means incorporates a pivotably mounted flap.

7. Control device for increasing the efficiency of automatic winding machines as defined in claim 6 wherein said common delivery position defining means comprises a common delivery cop guide channel for all of said winding stations, said flap being pivotably mounted at the lower end of said common guide channel.

8. Control device for increasing the eiiiciency of automatic winding machines as defined in claim 7, said control circuit means including switch means responsive to the position of said flap.

Control device for increasing the efiiciency of automatic winding machines as defined in claim 5 including an indexing mechanism for indexing said supply magazine until a new delivery cop appears in said common delivery position.

10. Control device for increasing the efficiency of automatic winding machines as defined in claim 9 further including means for rendering ineffective said indexing mechanism when a new delivery cop appears at said common delivery position.

11. Control device for increasing the efiiciency of automatic winding machines as defined in claim it? wherein said means for rendering ineffective said indexing mechanism includes a blocking lever system.

12. Control device for increasing the eificiency of automatic Winding machines as defined in claim 11 including an electromagnet cooperating with said blocking lever system for releasing the latter when a new delivery cop does not appear in said delivery position.

13. in combination, an automatic winding machine having a number of winding stations, an automatic unit for removing faulty yarn conditions at the winding stations, such as yarn rupture or the requirement for a new delivery cop, said automatic unit and said winding stations being relatively movable, at least one supply magazine for new delivery cops, means providing a preparatory common delivery position for receiving a new delivery cop from said supply magazine, which may be delivered to any one of said winding stations, supervising means for determining the presence of a new delivery cop in said common delivery position, control circuit means operably coupled with said supervising means, said control circuit means including means for interrupting the relative movement at a given winding station when it is determined that a knotting operation is required thereat and means for interrupting the relative movement at a given winding station when it is determined that a new delivery cop is required thereat and a new delivery cop is in said common delivery position, said control circuit eans further including means responsive to said supervising means for preventing interruption of said relative movement at a given winding station at which there has been determined the necessity for a new delivery cop when said supervising means has determined that no new delivery cop is present at said common delivery position.

14. The combination according to claim 13 further including yarn feeler means provided at each winding station and cooperating with said control circuit means.

15. In combination, an automatic winding machine having a number of winding stations, an automatic unit for removing faulty yarn conditions at the winding stations, such as yarn rupture or the requirement for a new delivery cop, said automatic unit and said winding stations being relatively movable, at least one supply magazine for new delivery cops, means providing a preparatory common delivery position for receiving a new delivery cop from said supply magazine which may be delivered to any one of said winding stations, supervising means for determining the presence of a new delivery cop in said common delivery position, control circuit means operably coupled with said supervising means, said control circuit means including means for interrupting the relative movement at a given winding station when it is determined that a knotting operation is required thereat and means for interrupting the relative movement at a given winding station when it is determined that a new delivery cop is required thereat and 'a new delivery cop is in said common delivery position, said control circuit means further including means responsive to said supervising means for preventing interruption of said relative movement at a given Winding station at which there has been determined the necessity for a new delivery cop when said supervising means has determined that no new delivery cop is present at said common delively position, all of said winding stations continuing their winding operation even if no delivery bobbin is available at said common delivery position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,030,040 4/ 1962 Reiners 242-356 3,077,311 2/1963 Furst 242-355 3,111,280 11/1963 Reiners et al 24235.5 3,160,358 12/1964 Furst 242.-35.5 3,182,922 5/1965 Mullers 242-35.5

WILLIAM S. BURDEN, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. 4. CONTROL DEVICE FOR INCREASING THE EFFICIENCY OF AUTOMATIC WINDING MACHINES HAVING A NUMBER OF WINDING STATIONS COMPRISING A SUPPLY MAGAZINE FOR NEW DELIVERY COPS, MEANS DEFINING A PREPARATORY DELIVERY POSITION FOR RECEIVING A NEW DELIVERY COP FROM SAID SUPPLY MAGAZINE WHICH CAN BE DELIVERED TO ANY ONE OF SAID NUMBER OF WINDING STATIONS, SUPERVISING MEANS FOR DETERMINING THE PRESENCE OF A NEW DELIVERY COP IN SAID DELIVERY POSITION, CONTROL CIRCUIT MEANS OPERABLY COUPLED WITH SAID SUPER-

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