US3523415A

US3523415A - Apparatus for reporting ends down on textile yarn forming machines

Info

Publication number: US3523415A
Application number: US762870A
Authority: US
Inventors: Teijiro Suzuki
Original assignee: Parks Cramer Co
Current assignee: Parks Cramer Co
Priority date: 1968-09-26
Filing date: 1968-09-26
Publication date: 1970-08-11
Anticipated expiration: 1987-08-11

Description

g- 1970 TEIJIRO SUZUKI APPARATUS FOR REPORTING ENDS DOWN ON TEXTILE YARN FORMING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 26, 1968 INVENTOR. UZU K I ATTORNEYS B tmko S 3,523,415 ON TEXTILE Aug. 11, 1970 TEIJIRO SUZUKI APPARATUS FOR REPORTING ENDS DOWN YARN FORMING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 26. 1968 INVENTOR.' Tsszrnzo 5uzum ATTORNEYS 11, 1970 TEIJIRO SUZUKI 3,523,415

APPARATUS FOR REPORTING ENDS DOWN 0N TEXTILE YARN FORMING MACHINES Filed Sept. 26, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 25 I28 l ZZJ 22! :21 252 I 38 25g 32K 25 Q26 26 2b Z6 Z9 29 9 M inf o 2 2 2s 2 25 21 25 21 2\ V 5;) a L @i .2 26 26 26 2e 26 29 29 {29 29 $29 a 30 v INVENTOR. Jig-7 FE-\JIRO Suzum Byfiwwwgwfldmm ATTORNEYS United States Patent 015cc 3,523,415 Patented Aug. 11, 1970 Int. Cl. D01h 13/16 US. Cl. 57--81 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE In order to make possible greater efiiciency in the tending of textile yarn forming machines such as spinning and twisting machines, the apparatus of the present invention includes detector operable in response to ends down on the machines for signaling the presence of ends down, a discriminator for receiving end down signals and for distinguishing the signaling of a predetermined number of ends down on particular machine sides, which number is selected as indicative of an inefficient operating condition for a machine side, and a warning annunciator device operatively connected to the discriminator for directing a machine operator to the particular machine side most needing attention.

Yarn forming machines such as spinning frames and the like are typically fairly narrow in width and relatively long, with a plurality of spindles being mounted on each side thereof. In modern mills, a plurality of such spinning frames are arranged in a mill room with two or more spinning frames aligned end to end and extending longitudinally to form a row and a plurality of such rows arranged side by side to form transverse lines of machines. The aisles formed between the rows are usually relatively narrow, just sufficient to provide access to the sides of the spinning frame by the machine operators, commonly known as spinners, and necessary equipment. Access to the operators work aisles is provided from each end by one or more alleys adjacent the ends of the spinning frames, extending transversely to or at the ends of the longitudinal rows, such as between the transverse lines of machines or between the end of a machine and an adjacent wall.

*Customarily, the spinners, who have the responsibility of detecting yarn ends down on the machines and piecing up such ends down, patrol a plurality of sides of machines by Walking a more or less predetermined path back and forth in the longitudinal work aisles. The number of machine sides, or the total number of spindles, allocated to an individual spinner is usually based upon the minutes the spinner will work during each hour of machine operation, the time required for the spinner to walk the length of a frame, the time required to put up the number of ends of yarn which are likely to be down on a side during each hour, and the time required to perform any other tasks assigned to the spinner. The resulting allocation results in the spinner spending a substantial portion of time walking along the length of the frames searching for ends down, much of which could otherwise be more effectively spent in correcting ends down by piecing up the yarn.

Recognizing that the efiiciency of utilization of operators hours in the tending of spinning frames or the like may be substantially increased if the allocation of work time between walking and piecing up may be changed, it is an object of this invention to provide apparatus which when used in combination with a plurality of machines such as spinning and twisting machines, directs the spinner to the particular machine sides which most need attention. This permits the spinner to reduce the amount of time walking or patrolling the sides of the machines,

and permits a greater portion of time to be spent in piecing up, resulting in higher efiiciency and permitting a spinner to handle a larger number of machine sides or spindles.

Thus, it is an object of this invention to provide means for detecting individual ends down on a textile yarn forming machine, and means for informing the spinner when a predetermined ends down condition, such as an excessive number of ends down, exists on a given machine side, whereby the spinner may proceed directly to such machine side without unnecessary walking.

It is recognized that merely detecting and counting ends down is not suflicient, because a yarn forming machine may be run with a small number of ends down, such as three to six ends, before the operating condition of the machine becomes so inefficient and uneconomical as to require piecing up of the ends. It is therefore an important object of this invention to provide discriminator means, in combination with means for detecting ends down, which discriminator means can be set to actuate a warning or signal annunciator means upon a predetermined number of ends down occurring on a machine side. The annunciator means is positioned for ready observation by the spinner, for example at the ends of the frames easily visible to a spinner in the cross alleys, whereby the spinner may be promptly informed of an unsatisfactory operating condition on a particular machine side and move directly to such machine side without unnecessary walking.

Thus, in realizing the objects of the present invention, apparatus is provided which includes detector means responsive to each end and operable to detect an end down and create a signal in response thereto. Signals of each end down are delivered to a discriminator means which is capable of distinguishing signals representative of a predetermined number of ends down on a machine side in accordance with a management decision as to what number is indicative of an inefficient operating condition and requires the spinners attention. The discriminator means is connected with an annunciator warning or signaling device, which is actuated in response to the predetermined number of ends down on a particular machine side or sides, for warning the spinner of the machine condition and thereby directing the attention of the spinner to those machine sides most requiring piecing up.

Some of the obects and advantages of the invention having been stated, others will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the combination of the present invention as installed with a plurality of spinning frames arranged in a textile mill;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of certain of the operating elements of one of the spinning frames of FIG. 1, illustrating certain important features of the apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a plan view, partly broken away, of a detector means in accordance with the present invention as incorporated into the apparatus and combination of FIGS. 2 and 1; FIG. 4 is a sectional view through a portion of the detector means of FIG. 3, taken generally along the line 4-4 in FIG. 3 and illustrating the cooperation of the detector means with an end of yarn, in a mannr similar to the illustration of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a side view, in partial section, through a modified form of the detector means of FIGS. 3 and 4;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the arrangement within a mill room of a plurality of spinning machines incorporated in the combination of the persent invention; and

FIG. 7 is a schematic wiring diagram of the electrical circuitry of elements of the combination of the present invention.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the apparatus of the present invention is there illustrated in combination with the plurality of spinning machines (FIG. 1). Each of the spinning machines, as generally known, passes roving from packages R hung in a creel area of the frame through drafting zones typically defined between spaced apart pairs of drafting rollers. Attenuated roving is delivered by the front set of drafting rolls 11, 12, known as the delivery rolls, to be taken up on a bobbin B driven in high-speed rotation by a spindle on which the bobbin is mounted. Between the delivery rolls 11, 12 and the bobbin B, the yarn is threaded through a pigtail 14 and a traveler mounted for free movement about a ring supported on a ring rail 15. Inasmuch as the bobbin B is driven in rotation at relatively high speeds, twist is inserted into the attentuated roving between the delivery rolls 11, 12 and the bobbin, causing the attentuated roving to be formed into a yarn Y. Each yarn Y is generally referred to as an end during its process of formation, and interruption of the formation of an end results in the condition known as an -end down and in the absence of the yarn Y between the delivery rolls and the bobbin.

In order to detect the presence of each end of yarn Y being formed by the spinning frames 10, in accordance with the present invention, detector means generally in dicated at are provided for sensing the ends of yarn being formed by the machines 10 and are mounted in predetermined operative association with each side of each of the spinning frames. In the illustrated embodiments, the detector means 20 includes a plurality of pivotally mounted wand members 21, corresponding in number to the number of yarn Y being formed on and by spinning frames 10. Each Wand 21 is mounted for pivotal movement about a horizontally extending axis, defined by a pivot pin 22, and is positioned so as to be engaged by the corresponding end of yarn Y intermediate the front delivery rolls 11, 12 and the pigtail 14 (FIG. 2). Preferably, each of the wands 21 has an outline configuration generally similar to an M or W, and is mounted for engagement with the corresponding end of yarn Y within the bifurcated portion of the outline configuration. Frictional engagement between the end of yarn Y, upon passage of the same from the delivery rolls 11, 12 to the bobbin B, and the corresponding wand 21 pivots the wand downwardly about the axis defined by the pivot pin 22 (to the solid line position of FIG. 4).

In order to provide for the mounting of a plurality of the wands 21, the corresponding pivot pins 22 preferably are supported upon an elongate housing member 24, which is in turn secured to a support beam 18 of a spinning frame 10 (FIG. 2). The housing 24 additionally functions to enclose electrical circuit elements operatively associated with each of the wands 21, including a moving contact member 25 and a cooperating fixed contact 26 which is engaged by the moving contact 25 under certain operating conditions. The moving contact 25 is mounted upon a pivoting arm 28, which is connectable to the corresponding wand 21 for movement therewith about the axis defined by the common pivot pin 22 about which the arm and wand both move. The connection of a wand 21 with a corresponding pivoting arm 28 is such that downward movement of the wand 21 during engagement thereof with the corresponding end of yarn Y draws the pivoting arm 28 upwardly (to the solid line position of FIG. 4), raising the moving contact 25 from the stationary contact 26. However, upward movement of the wand 21 beyond a releasing position (the lowermost of the two phantom line positions of the wand 21 in FIG. 4) frees the wand from engagement with the pivoting arm 28, to permit raising of the wand 21 to a generally vertically extending position (the uppermost phantom line position of FIG. 4) while the pivoting arm 28 drops the moving contact 25 into engagement with the stationary contact 26. The weight of the moving contact 25 and pivoting arm 28, as compared with the weight of the corresponding wand 21, is chosen to be such that a small gravitational bias acts to raise the wand 21 against the downward force frictionally imposed thereon by the yarn Y. The gravitational bias assures prompt movement of the moving contact 25 into engagament with the stationary contact 26 upon the corresponding end of the yarn Y going down.

Each stationary contact 26 has electrically connected thereto a corresponding resistor 29, having a preselected value, and the resistors 29 for each of the wands 21 mounted on the housing 24 are electrically connected by a common conductor 30 extending through the housing 24. By electrical connection of the pivoting arms 28 to the housing 24, the housing 24 serves as a common electrical connection to all of the moving contacts 25 operated by the wands 21 mounted thereon. Thus, as ends go down along the length of a frame 10, resistors 29 are brought into a parallel circuit arrangement one to another.

With the detector means 20 thus functioning to signal the presence of an ends down on the spinning frames 10, by electrically connecting one or more of the resistors 29 between the common conductor 30 and the housing 24, the apparatus of the present invention further includes a discriminator means generally indicated at 31 (FIGS. 1 and 7) and operatively connected to the detector means 20 for receiving such ends down signals. The function of the discriminator means 31 is to distinguish the signaling of a predetermined number of ends down on machine sides, by responding to the ends down signals originated by the detector means 20. In the illustrated embodiments, the signals originating with the detector means 20 are variations in resistance levels resulting from the connection of a plurality of resistors 29 in parallel between the common conductor 30 and the housing 24. Thus, the discriminator means 31 must respond by distinguishing between the various resistance levels which may be present between those electrically conducting elements. Preferably, and in accordance with the present invention, the response level of the discriminator means 31 is setable, in order to permit the management of the mill in which the spinning frames 10 are operating to select that number of ends down which are considered to represent an inefiicient operating condition of a machine side, which condition requires the attention of the spinner to correct the ends down on that side by piecing up. Upon recognition by the discriminator means 31 that the predetermined number of ends have gone down on an associated machine side, a warning device is actuated to draw the attention of the spinner to that particular machine side. In the illustrated embodiments, the warning device is an electric lamp annunciator means 32, preferably mounted on the end of the associated one of the frames 10 and adjacent an alley for catching the attention of a spinner moving in the alley and directing the spinner to the frame aisle requiring attention. If desired, lamps 32 may be connected for indicating specific machine sides requiring attention and may be positioned at both ends of the corresponding machine side to direct a spinner to that specific machine side from either adjacent alley. A similar display is employed in conjunction with detectors specifically disclosed as moving along the length of a spinning frame in application Ser. No. 794,880, filed J an. 29, 1969 and entitled Apparatus and Method for Detecting and Reporting Ends Down on Textile Machines and in U.S. Pat. 3,486,319, both owned in common with this application.

The following discussion of the operational arrangement and detailed function of the discriminator means 31 and annunciator means 32 proceeds most clearly by reference to the schematic circuit diagram of FIG. 7, wherein a multiple position function switch 34 may be seen to control the input connection of a resistance responsive electrical switching circuit in the form of an amplifier, generally indicated at 35, having a winding of a current responsive relay 36 connected in the output circuit thereof. In accordance with known electronic techniques, the flow of current through the winding of the relay 36 controls the position of a switching armature of the relay, to thereby vary the conductive state of an associated contact set 38. The contact set 38 is wired, through conductors 39 and 40, to control the application of electrical current to the electric lamp annunciator means 32.

In order to vary the current flow in the output circuit of the amplifier 35 in accordance with the number of ends down of the machine side, the function switch 34 permits selective electrical connection of the collectorbase circuit of an amplifier transistor 41 to the housing 24 and common conductor 30 of the detector means 20 or to

predetermined resistances

43, 44, 45, 46 and 47. The resistances 43 through 47 are chosen to have predetermined values, corresponding to the resistance values obtained when a predetermined number of the resistors 29 included in the detector means 20 are electrically connected in parallel. Thus, each of the resistances 43-47 may be considered representative of a predetermined number of ends down on that portion of a machine or machines sensed by the detector means 20 to which the discriminator means 31 is electrically connected. In order to permit setting the current flow through the emitter circuit of the amplifier transistor 41 to levels such that the pull-in current for the winding of the relay 36 is present under predetermined ends-down conditions, a variable resistance 49 is additionally included in the circuitry of the amplifier 35.

In operation, the function switch 34 is positioned to connect into the connector-base circuit of the transistor 41 of the amplifier 35 a selected one of the predetermined resistances 43 through 47, which resistance is selected as indicative of a predetermined number of ends down, such as five ends down. The biasing current on the transistor 41 is then adjusted by means of the variable resistance 49 until the current flowing through the winding of the relay 36 is sufiicient to close the contact set 38 and apply electrical energy to the electric lamp annunciator means 32. Proper setting of biasing values is then checked by moving the function switch 34 to the next adjacent lower value one of the resistance 43 through 47, to determine Whether or not the electric lamp annunciator means 32 is extinguished 'by opening of the contact set 38 in response to insertion of a resistance value corresponding to a lesser number of ends down. In the event that the contact set 38 does not open, the variable resistance 49 is adjusted until the contact set does open and the electric lamp annunciator means 32 is extinguished. Adjustment proceeds until such time as movement of the function switch between the two adjacent resistors consistently results in the lamp alternately being energized and being extinguished. Then, with adjustment completed, the function switch 34 is moved to electrically connect the housing 24 and the common conductor 30 of the detector means 20 into the biasing circuit for the transistor 41 of the amplifier 35.

At this point, with normal formation of the ends of yarn on the sides of a spinning frame or frames being monitored by the corresponding detector means 20, the biasing applied to the transistor 41 is such that the current flowing in the emitter circuit is not sufficient to render the contact set 38 conductive and the electric lamp annunciator means 32 is thus not energized. As end go down, the bias on the transistor 41 is varied until the current flow ing in the emitter circuit is sufficient to change the conductive state of the contact set 38, energizing the electric lamp annunciator means 32, and informing a spinner that attention is required.

In order to direct the attention of a spinner only to those machine sides requiring correction of a selected, predetermined number of ends down, it is preferred in accordance with the present invention to so construct the detector means 20 as to extend along the full length of a side of a spinning frame 10. Thus, the wands 21 mounted on the housing 24 of the detector means sense the presence of ends of yarn along the full length of the frame side.

It is further contemplated that the discriminator means 31 and annunciator means 32 may be constructed in such a manner as to give a two-stage Warning to the spinner. In achieving this result, the discriminator means is constructed to incorporate two resistance responsive switching circuit amplifiers such as the amplifier 35 of FIG. 7, with each of the amplifiers controlling a corresponding relay and each relay governing the electrical energization of a corresponding warning device. The two amplifiers within such a single discriminator means are provided with separate gain control variable resistors, to permit individual setting of the resistance values at which the current flowing in the output circuit of the amplifiers is suflicient to cause closure of the associated relay contacts. Mill management may then set one of the amplifiers to energize the associated annunciator means at a first predetermined number of ends down, such as five ends down, while setting the other of the amplifiers to energize its corresponding annunciator means at a second and higher predetermined number of ends down, such as eight ends down. In the operation of the combination incorporating such a two-stage discriminator and annunciator means, the attention of the spinner will be directed to a machine side location upon the occurrence of the first predetermined number of ends down, such as five ends down. Thereafter, should the spinner fail to correct the ends down condition of the machine side and an additional predetermined number of ends go down, such as three additional ends, the second warning annunciator will be energized, to inform the spinner and mill management that the ends down condition of the spinning frame is worsening. Such a two-stage warning has an additional advantage in that mill management, on quickly surveying the spinning room of a textile mill, may judge from the appearance of the second warning signals whether or not the spinners are performing properly in responding to the information that machine sides require piecing up of the ends down.

While the detector means 20 as disclosed to this point has been found acceptable in operating embodiments, it is contemplated that other variations for the switching structure involved in the detector means 20 may be adapted if found desirable. More particularly, it is contemplated that an enclosed and lint protected switch structure may be adopted for use where the accumulation of lint within the housing 24 is found to be a problem and in order to decrease the probability that electrical contact will not be completed between the moving and

stationary contacts

25, 26. In adopting an enclosed lint protected switch, the switch structure may be similar or identical to that disclosed in US. Pat. No. 2,882,374, granted on Apr. 14, 1959 to E. H. Granberry. Such a switch structure has additional and further advantages, in that the enclosures thereof are constructed for slip mounting onto a continuous trackway outlet, thereby facilitating installation of the switch devices onto a spinning frame such as the frames 10.

It is further contemplated that the detector means 20 may be combined with the yarn guiding pigtails 14, by replacing the wands 21 of H or W outline configuration with a wand 21' (FIG. 5) having a pigtail or snailwire configuration. While the combining of the wand and the pigtail into a single structure reduces the number of machine elements interposed between the delivery rolls 11 and 12 and the bobbin B on which yarn Y is wound, the choice between location for the yarn engaging

sensing devices

21 and 21 may be made in order to accommodate the combination of this invention to the particular design of the spinning frames 10, the desires of the mill management in which the equipment is to be installed, or other such factors.

In view of the capability of the combination of the present invention to accommodate electrical interconnection of the detector means 20 on more than one frame side with a single discriminator means 31, it is contem plated that each of the discriminator means 31 may be electrically connected with the detector means 20 mounted on the facing or opposing sides of a pair of spinning frames 10. As discussed briefly above, each pair of sideby-side spinning frames defines, between the opposing machine sides thereof, an operators aisle for access by the spinner to the spindles and other machine elements. It is contemplated that a spinner, upon being directed to a machine side for the correction of ends down conditions, will enter into the operators aisle and piece up all ends down on both of the facing machine sides which define the operators aisle. In view of this contemplated work operation by the spinner, it is preferred that the annunciator means 32 be correlated to a particular operators aisle, rather than to a specific machine side. Thus, the spinner is informed of an improper operating condition as to the pair of facing, opposed, machine sides, is directed to the operators aisle defined therebetween, and is expected to piece up on both of the machine sides. The distribution of ends down between the two machine sides thus being reported to a single discriminator means may be in any random manner, varying between no ends being down on one frame with the predetermined number being down on the other, and the reverse condition. Electrical connections of this type are indicated in the schematic diagram of FIG. 7, and a satisfactory mounting for the discriminator means 31 and annunciator 32 on the head end of the frames is illustrated in FIG. 1.

The influence of the combination of the present invention upon the patrolling patterns of a spinner may best be described with reference to a plan view of a spinning room in a textile mill (FIG. 6). Such a view makes clear the relative length of the operators aisles 50 defined between facing machine sides and the alleys 51 defined between the line of spinning frames 10. As discussed briefly above, the operators aisles are quite long and narrow, typically running to approximately fifty feet in length and having a width of only approximately two and one-half feet. The alleys 51 extending perpendicular to the operators aisles, are much wider, having widths such as six feet, and extend adjacent the head and foot ends of the spinning frames 10. Thus, mounting of the annunciator means 32 at the head and foot ends of the frames 10 permits a spinner to stand in an alley 51 and view the annunciator lamps of a plurality of the spinning frames 10. As annunciator means are energized to inform the spinner of an inefficient operating condition within a particular operators aisle St the operator may move in the alley 51 to the indicated operators aisle 50, enter the aisle, and put up ends on the tWo machine sides which together define the operators aisle. A work pattern of this type differs markedly from a work pattern wherein the spinner is directed to patrol the operators aisles 50 in a serpentine manner and along a predetermined path, searching for ends down on the frames 10 and piecing up such ends down as they are found. It has been found that the reallocation of the spinners working time between walking and piecing up which is made possible by this change in patrolling patterns will permit a major increase in the operating efficiency of the spinner.

In the drawings and specification, there have been set forth preferred embodiments of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination, with a predetermined number of textile yarn forming machines such as spinning and twisting machines in a textile mill, of apparatus for reducing the operator-hours required to tend the machines by directing an operator to those machine sides most needing attention and comprising detector means for sensing the ends of yarn formed by said machines and operable in response to ends down thereon for signaling the presence and machine side location of ends down, discriminator means operatively connected to said detector means for receiving ends down signals therefrom and for distinguishing the signaling of a predetermined number of ends down at a machine side location, the predetermined number being selected as indicative of an inefficient operating condition of a machine side, and annunciator means mounted adjacent respective machine side locations and operatively connected to said discriminator means and operable in response thereto for informing an operator that the number of ends down on a machine side exceeds the predetermined number, so that the attention of the operator is directed to those machine sides requiring correction of excessive ends down.

2. The combination, with a predetermined number of textile yarn forming machines such a spinning and twisting machines in a textile mill, of apparatus for reducing the operator-hours required to tend the machines by directing an operator to those machine sides most needing attention and comprising detector means including yarn end sensing means mounted on each side of each of said machines and operable 'in response to ends down thereon for signaling the presence and machine side location of ends down, discriminator means operatively connected to said detector means for receiving ends down signals therefrom and for distinguishing the signaling of a predetermined number of'ends down at a machine side location, the predetermined number being selected as indicative of an inefficient operating condition of a machine side, and annunciator means'mounted adjacent respective machine side locations and operatively connected to said discriminator means and operable in response thereto for informing an operator that the number of ends down on a machine side exceeds the predetermined number, so that the attention of the operator is directed to those machine sides requiring correction of excessive ends down.

3. The combination according to claim 2 wherein said yarn forming machines are arranged in the mill with opposing machine sides defining operators aisles therebetween extending perpendicular to an alley, and further wherein said annunciator means comprises a number of Warning devices at least corresponding in number to the number of operators aisles, each of said warning devices being mounted adjacent a corresponding one of said operators aisles and being operatively connected to said detector and discriminator means for advising an operator of the ends down condition of the machine sides defining said corresponding one operator aisle.

4. The combination according to claim 2 wherein said yarn end sensing means includes a plurality of yarn sensing wands corresponding in number to the number of ends of yarn formed on the respective one of said machine sides and mounted on said yarn forming machines in predetermined relation to the paths of movement of ends of yarn formed thereby, each of said wands sensing the presence of a corresponding one end.

'5. The combination according to claim 4 wherein said detector means further includes a plurality of electrical resistance devices corresponding in number to the number of said yarn sensing wands and being electrically connectable one to another in response to the sensing of an end down by the corresponding wands so as to vary the total electrical resistance imposed thereby in response to the number of ends down on a machine side and further wherein said discriminator means is sensitive to variations in electrical resistance for distinguishng the number of ends down.

6. The combination according to claim 2 wherein each of said yarn forming machines has operating instrumentalities including for each of said machine sides delivery rolls from which ends of yarn issue along predetermined paths of travel to a ring rail and wherein said yarn end sensing means of said detector means is positioned to sense the presence of each end of yarn at a location along the corresponding path of yarn travel between the delivery rolls and the ring rail.

7. The combination according to claim 6 wherein said yarn end sensing means includes a number of yarn sensing wands corresponding to the number of ends of yarn formed on the respective one of said machine sides and positioned between said delivery rolls and said ring rail for guiding ends of yarn along said paths of yarn travel while sensing the presence thereof.

8. The combination according to claim 6 wherein the operating instrumentalities of said yarn forming machines further include yarn guiding pigtails for each of said machine sides interposed between said delivery rolls and said ring rail for guiding ends of yarn along said paths of yarn travel and wherein said location of yarn end sensing is between said delivery rolls and said yarn guiding pigtails.

9. The combination, with a predetermined number of textile yarn forming machines such as spinning frames arranged in a textile mill in side-by-side longitudinal rows with at least one alley between lateral lines of machines, of apparatus for reducing the operator-hours required to tend the machines by directing an operator to those machine sides most needing attention and comprising:

detector means for signaling the presence and machine side location of ends down and including a number of yarn end sensing electrical switch devices corresponding to the number of ends of yarn formed by said machines and a number of electrical resistance devices corresponding to the number of said switch devices and electrically connectable one to another in response to actuation thereof, each of said switch devices being mounted on one of said machines for actuation by the presence of a corresponding one end of yarn so that the presence of ends down on said machines is signaled by a variation in total resistance of said detector means,

discriminator means operatively connected to said detector means for distinguishing the signaling of a predetermined number of ends down at a machine side location and including a number of resistance responsive electrical switching circuits at least corresponding to the number of pairs of facing, opposed, machine sides, each of said electrical switching circuits being electrically connected to corresponding ones of said switch and resistance devices for responding to resistance variations indicative of the number of ends down on the corresponding facing, opposed, machine sides by a change in conductive state, and

annunicator means operatively connected to said discriminator means for informing an operator that the number of ends down at a machine side location exceeds the predetermined number and including a number of electrically energizable warning devices at least corresponding to the number of said electrical switching circuits, each of said warning devices being operable in response to a change in conductive state of a corresponding one of said electrical switching circuits and being positioned adjacent the corresponding pair of machine sides, so as to direct the attention of the operator to those machine sides upon an excessive number of the ends thereon going down.

10. The combination according to claim 9 wherein the electrical connection of said yarn end sensing electrical switch devices and said electrical resistance devices of said detector means is so arranged as to connect said resistance devices in parallel upon the sensing of ends down and further wherein each of said resistance responsive electrical switching circuits of said discriminator means includes an electrical amplifier having said correspondthereof for varying the output current therefrom and a current actuated relay device responsive to said output current.

11. Apparatus for reducing the operator-hours required to tend a predetermined number of textile yarn forming machines such as spinning and twisting machines in a textile mill, by directing an operator to those machine sides most needing attention and comprising detector means including yarn end sensing means Operable in response to ends down for signaling the presence and machine side location of ends down, discriminator means operatively connected to said detector means for receiving ends down signals therefrom and for distinguishing the signaling of a predetermined number of ends down at a machine side location, the predetermined number being selected as indicative of an inefficient operating condition of a machine side, and annunciator means mounted adjacent respective machine side locations and operatively connected to said discriminator means and operable in response thereto for informing an operator that the number of ends down on a machine side exceeds the predetermined number.

12. Apparatus for reducing the operator-hours required to tend a predetermined number of textile yarn forming machines such as spinning frames in a textile mill, by directing an operator to those machine sides most needing attention and comprising:

detector means for signalling the presence and machine side location of ends down and including a number of yarn end sensing electrical switch devices corresponding to the number of ends of yarn formed by said machines and a number of electrical resistance devices corresponding to the number of said switch devices and electrically connectable one to another in response to actuation thereof, each of said switch devices being actuable by the presence of a corresponding one end of yarn so that the presence of ends down on said machines is signaled by a variation in total resistance of said detector means,

annunciator means operatively connected to said discriminator means for informing an operator that the number of ends down at a machine side location exceeds the predetermined number and including a number of electrically energizable warning devices at least corresponding to the number of said electrical switching circuits, each of said warning devices being operable in response to a change in conductive state of a corresponding one of said electrical switching circuits.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS DONALD E. WATKINS, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R.

ing resistance devices connectable into a biasing circuit 242-37