US3552666A

US3552666A - Bobbin frame on upward twisting machines

Info

Publication number: US3552666A
Application number: US670081A
Authority: US
Inventors: Heinz Stenmans; Gustav Franzen; Ulrich Lossa
Original assignee: Palitex Project Co GmbH
Current assignee: Palitex Project Co GmbH
Priority date: 1967-07-27
Filing date: 1967-09-25
Publication date: 1971-01-05
Anticipated expiration: 1988-01-05
Also published as: DE1685944B2; JPS4811294B1; DE1685944C3; DE1685944A1; ES345473A1; GB1190254A

Abstract

A bobbin frame on upward twisting machines having a machine frame and also having conveyor means arranged adjacent to the machine for receiving filled bobbins. The bobbin frame is pivotally supported by pivot means on the machine frame and comprises bobbin-sleeve-receiving means for substantially coaxially therewith supporting a bobbin sleeve held between two supporting arms and adapted to be fitted with a bobbin rotatable as thread is wound up or wound off therefrom and also includes means for selectively increasing and decreasing the distance between said pivot means and said bobbin-sleeve-receiving means to thereby selectively increase the pivoting radius of said bobbin frame for depositing the bobbin itself on the conveyor means.

Description

United States Patent [72] Inventors Heinz Stenmans Grefrath; Gustav Franzen, Neel-sen; Ulrich Lossa, Krefeld, Germany [21] Appl. No. 670,081 22] Filed Sept. 25, 1967 [45] Patented Jan. 5, 1971 [73] Assignee Palitex Project Company G.m.b.1l.

Krefeld, Germany [32] Priority July 27, 1967 [3 3 Germany [3 l No. P42687 [54] BOBBIN FRAME 0N UPWARD TWISTING MACHINES 8 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl .1 242/35.5, 242/18, 242/l29.5l [51] Int. Cl B65h 54/02, B65h 75/02 [50} Field of Search 242/18DD, 18. 35.5. 35.6, 41 36, 37. 39, 65, 66,129.51, 35.5A

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1928 Swanson Primary Examiner-Stanley N. Gilreath Attorney-Walter Becker ABSTRACT: A bobbin frame on upward twisting machines having a machine frame and also having conveyor means arranged adjacent to the machine for receiving filled bobbins. The bobbin frame is pivotally supported by pivot means on the machine frame and comprises'bobbin sleeve-receiving means for substantially coaxially therewith supporting a bobbin sleeve held between two supporting arms and adapted to be fitted with a bobbin rotatable as thread is wound up or wound off therefrom and also includes means for selectively increasing and decreasing the distance between said pivot means and said bobbin-sleeve-receiving means to thereby selectively increase the pivoting radius of said bobbin frame for depositing the bobbin itself on the conveyor means,

PATENTEU m Slam 3552mm;

SHEET 1 BF 6 PATENTED JAN 5197:

SHEET 2 OF 6 'PATENTED JAN SIB?! sum u 6 instance with spinning, spooling, and twisting machines, there exists the tendency to mechanize all operations as far as possible. By reducing the operating times, the number of operators can be reduced. Moreover, by mechanizing the textile machines, their working capacity can be used more ad vantageously.

It is an object of this invention, in-connection with upward twisting machines, to facilitate the removal of full winding-up bobbins from the bobbin holding apparatus and the depositing of said bobbins as well as the insertion. of the empty bobbins between the supporting arms of the bobbin-holder.

It is another object of this invention to effect the depositing of the winding-up bobbins on the circumference of the yarn body while eliminating formation of the mostly unavoidable connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a bobbin frame and shows the same in full lines at the startof the winding up operation while the dash or dot-dash positions show th'eqcreel in different tilting positions.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the bobbin frame according to FIG. 1 but with a difierent arresting device;

FIG. 3 is a modified bobbin frame with a depositing device arranged below the tilting'axis of the frame, said depositing device being shown in a plurality of tilting positions.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the bobbin frame according to FIG.

FIG. 5 shows the intermediate joint-of the frame according to FIG. 3, partially in section.

FIG. 6 is a front view of the bobbin holder means according to FIG. 3 with an automatic disengaging device for disengaging the winding-up bobbin from the frame. 1

FIG. 7 is an end view of a two-for-one twisting machine with spindles arranged on both sides of the central plane of the machine and with a frame according to FIG. 3.

The winding-up bobbin is axially held .by supporting arms of the bobbin frame. In order, for purposes of depositing the winding-up bobbin to disengage said bobbin from the embrace of the supporting arms, it is known to arrange one of the supporting arms so that it can pivot on the bobbin frame in axial direction of the winding-up bobbinIWith bobbin frames according to the invention, theaxial displacement of at least one supporting arm from the winding-up bobbin may in an advantageous manner be effected automatically when pivoting the bobbin supporting member or yoke on the extension arm. To this end, according to the invention,'the rear end of the pivotable supporting arm is able by means of guiding means to engage and inclined plane of the extensioniarm and during the pivoting or turning from the supporting yoke on the extension arm is adapted by means of the slant plane'to be pivoted about the joint in the direction toward the winding-up bobbin. The said supporting arm is for purposes of disengaging the winding-up bobbin adapted to be moved away from the winding-up bobbin in axial direction and is pivotable about a joint of the supporting yoke.

According to a further development of the invention, it is possible, when employing a machine-with spindles arranged on opposite sides of the central plane of the machine and provided with bobbin holders, to provide an endless conveyor belt common to both sides in the central plane of the machine.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, FIGS. 14 and 6' yoke 6 connected to said arm 4 by means of an intermediate joint 5 is journaled on the frame pivot shaft 7. The intermediate joint 5 is in conformity with FIG. 1 in its full line position of the extension arm 4 locked'byan'arresting device or latching means 8 with regard to thesupporting yoke 6. Ac-

cording to FIG. 2, the intermediate joint 5 is locked by means i of the arrestable quadruple or parallelogram joint which engagesthe supporting yoke 6 and the extension arm 4. In this position, the extension arm 4 and the an acute angle. 1 4

The bobbin sleeve 12 which is held between the two supporting arms 9a and 9b (FIG. 4)-or the bobbin-receiving members l0 and 11 of the supporting yoke 6 is according to the embodiment of FIGS, 1-3 located directly-on the driven friction roller 13.

Afterthe thread 14 has been withdrawn from the spindle (not illustrated) and has for instance been twisted or spun, the

the traversing thread guide 16, the'thread'is placed in a cross winding upon the rotating winding-up bobbin 18.

During the winding-up of the thread l4,'the bobbin frame 3 tilts continuously with the increase in diameter of the windingup bobbin 18 according to FIGS. land 2 in counterclockwise direction about the pivot shaft 7 until the frame 3 has reached the dot-dash position. For purposes of depositing the full winding-up bobbin 18, in this last mentioned position the arresting mechanism of the intermediate joint 5 is released. Thereupon the supporting yoke 6 is tilted about the intermediate joint 5 which corresponds ito an extension of the tilting radius of frame 3 about the pivot shaft,7, and by means of thefriction roller 13 the full bobbin is deposited upon the transporting device 19 arranged alongside the machine. The tilting of the supporting member or yoke 6 on the intermediate joint 5 may be effected in different ways. According to FIG. I, after unlocking the intermediate joint '5,-the full winding-up bobbin 18 is, by means of friction roller 13 rotating in clockwise direction and subsequently by means of the frame,

bent in the direction toward the friction roller placed ontothe transporting device 19. According to FIG. 2, the stretching of the bobbin frame 3 is effected by means :of a parallelogram joint, one corner of which is formed by the intermediate joint 5. This parallelogram joint comprises the two long links, namely the extension arm or lever means 4 and the rod 36, and the two short links, namelythat end of the supporting yoke 6 which faces away from the bobbin receiving member l0 and the arm 37. The arm 37, which is pivotally supported by the extension arm 4, is extended beyond the pivot point 38 and ends in a manually operable lever 39,. When the lever 39 is tilted downwardly about the pivot 38", the rod 36 is displaced upwardly parallel to the extension arm'4 whereby the bobbin frame 3 stretches out in the intermediate joint 5. By inclining the bobbin frame 3 stretched out in this way about the pivot 7, the winding-up bobbin 18 will, without further contact with the friction roller 13 and the frame of the transporting device 19, move onto the conveyor belt of the transporting device 19.

As transporting device 19, any suitable conveyor belt or the like may be employed. According tothe embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, alongside the machine there isprovided an endless conveyor belt 21 which is deviated by transporting rollers 20 having a parabolic cross section. The radius of the trough of the conveyor belt 21 corresponds approximately to the contour of the completely woundup winding-up bobbin 18. The conveyor belt 21 conveys the bobbin 18 to the end of the machine where it may be conveyed'through a chute or the like to a further processing station.-.

According to FIG. 1, the bobbin frame 3 is, together with the winding-up bobbin 18, illustrated in a tilted position in supporting yoke 6 define v I supporting arm 22 of the support 2. This tilting position may be very advantageous for knotting or connecting a broken thread. The winding-up bobbin 18 is no longer in contact with the driven friction roller 13 and furthermore can more easily be reached by the operator.

In all embodiments, as is particularly clearly evident from FIG. 4, the shaft of the intermediate joint is parallel to the base leg of the bobbin supporting member or yoke 6 arranged on the extension arm 4'of the creel 3. The supporting yoke 6 is by means of a conical bolt connected to the extension arm or lever means 4. The arresting devices or latching means 8, for arresting or locking the intermediate joint 5 in a certain angular position of the supporting yoke 6 with regard to the extension arm 4, differ in the various embodiments.

According to FIG. 1, the angular position brought about by the supporting triangle 23 of yoke 6, which engages the extension arm 4, is arrested by the bolt 24 which engages a groove 25 in the hub of the supporting yoke 6. The bolt 24 is adapted in the housing 26 to be displaced along the extension arm 4 against the thrust of a spring 27. The displacement of bolt 24 and the unlocking of the intermediate joint 5 are effected by means of a manually operable lever 28 which is linked to the extension arm 4 and which engages the bolt 24 by means of that end which is remote from the lever 28. By tilting the lever 28, Le. by longitudinally displacing the bolt 24 against the thrust of spring 27, the bolt 24 moves out of the groove 25 of the yoke 6 and thereby unlocks the intermediate joint 5.

According to the embodiment of FIG. 2, the arresting device or latching means 8 does not directly lock the intermediate joint 5 but locks the parallelogram joint by means of which the yoke 6 can be pivoted or turned on the extension arm 4. The illustrated device or latching means 8 consists in a simple manner of the hand lever 39 which is U-shaped, of an arresting elbow lever 41 which is pivotable about the joint which has an arm 42 extending beyond the extension arm 4 and having its free end provided with a cam adapted to catch behind a bolt 43 arranged on the extension arm 4. In the angular position of the bobbin frame 3, the arm 37 will for arresting the angle on the intermediate joint 5 engage the support of the shaft 7 between the yoke 6 and the extension arm 4. When arm 47 of the arresting elbow lever 41 is inserted into the U- shaped hand lever 39 against the thrust of spring 44, whereby the intermediate joint 5 is unlocked, the parallelogram joint can be pivoted by means of arm 37 on the joint 38 of the extension arm 4, and the frame 3 can be stretched.

The locking device illustrated in FIGS. 3-5 comprises a manually operable lever 29 which is longitudinally displaceable along one supporting arm 9b of the yoke 6 in housing 30 against the thrust of spring 31. The end oflever 29 which faces away from the handle 32 engages one end of the lever 33 linked to the base leg of supporting yoke 6 while the other end of lever 33 engages a groove in the hub of the extension arm 4 and thus arrests said arm 4 in a certain angular position shown in FIG. 3 together with the supporting yoke 6.

The handle 32 in addition to serving for the actuation of the arresting device 8 also serves for releasing and connecting the winding-up bobbin 18 which is held between the

bobbin receiving members

10 and 11 of the supporting arms9 a and 9 b To this end, the supporting arm 9b is by means of the conical bolt 34 pivotally connected to the leg 35 of the supporting yoke 6.

When the winding-up bobbin 18 has obtained its final diameter, the operator grasps the lever 29 at the handle 32 and displaces the same in the direction toward the intermediate joint 5 whereby the arresting elbow lever 33 unlocks the interlock between the extension arm 4 and the supporting yoke 6. Thereupon, as evident from FIG. 3, the operator pivots or turns the supporting yoke 6 on the intermediate joint 5 by means of the hand lever 29. Subsequently, the operator pivots or turns the folded frame 3 toward the transporting device 19 which is centrally arranged between the bobbin frames of the two machine sides (FIG; 7), and moves the supporting arm 9b of the bobbin yoke 6 away in the axial direction of the winding-up bobbin 18 whereby the windingup bobbin 18 drops onto the transporting device 19. The conveyor belt 21 then moves the bobbin 18 to the end of the machine.

By means of the manually operable lever 28 according to FIG. 1 or the lever 39 according toFIG. 2, the winding-up bobbin 18 is in the same manner displacedtoward thetr'ansporting device 19 only with the difference that for purposes of depositing the bobbin, the frame is stretched, whereas with the embodiment of FIG. 3 in which, contrary to the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2, the transporting device 1-9,is arranged below the frame pivot shaft 1, the turning radiuszofthe bobbin frame 3 is first reduced and then again increased. i t

With the embodiments according to FIGS. 3 and 4, the

release of the winding-up bobbin 18 from its engagement by the bobbin receiving means 10 and 11 of the yoke 6 hastobe effected by a manual axial movement of the supporting arm 9b away from the winding-up bobbin 18 after bobbin 18: has by means of frame 3 been turned above the transporting device 19. FIG. 6 shows a possibility of how this spacing of the supporting arm 9b can be effected automatically. To this end, the turnable or pivotable extension of the supporting arm 9b engages for instance by means of the ball calotte 46 the inclined plane 47 which is shown in elevation by the drawings and which is connected to the extension arm 4. When the supporting yoke 6 on the intermediate jointS is tilted by means of the manually operable lever 29 fixedly connected to the supporting arm 9b the calotte 46 is along the inclined plane 47 displaced toward the right according to FIG. 6. As a result thereof, the supporting arm 9b pivots about bolt 34 toward the left whereby the bobbin receiving member 11 moves'a'xially away from the winding-up bobbin 18 so that the latter relieved from its engagement drops onto the transporting device 19. The inclined plane has such an inclination or is so arranged on the extension arm that the bobbin-receiving member 11 will move away from the bobbin sleeve 12 only when the bobbin 18 has been moved by the creel to a position above the transporting device 19.

FIG. 7 shows two bobbin frames 3 each of which is associated with a spindle 49 on the machine frame 48 and belowthe bobbin 18. The two bobbin frames have associated therewith an endless conveyor belt 21 arranged below the. I

frame pivotable or turning shaft 7 between the friction rollers 13 and extending alongside the machine. The conveyor belt 21 returns on the straight transporting roller 50 below the transporting device 19 proper. Particularly FIG. 7 illustrates how the depositing of the completely filled bobbins 18 and the transport thereof to the end of v the machine is greatly facilitated. The heavy and large winding-up bobbins 18 do no longer have to be lifted individually off the machine by the operator which operation otherwise requires a considerable force. Instead, the operator has to carry out only two hand movements to actuate the hand levers on the bobbin frame (not shown IN FIG. 7) in order to deposite the winding-up bobbin 18 safely onto the conveying device 19 located centrally between the bobbin frames 3 of the two machine sides. The winding-up bobbin 18 is then automatically moved to the end of the machine. Subsequently, an empty bobbin sleeve can be placed between the bobbin-receiving members and by machine frame be pressed out of the holding means of thebobbin frame in the direction of a transporting device. Aside from the fact that a radial pressing out of the winding-up bob bin from its holding means in the bobbin frame is possible only when the pressure arm engages the circumferential surface of f the winding-up bobbin, whereby'pressure areas will form on the windingnup bobbin depending on the magnitude of the force exerted upon the pressure arm, such operation is possible only when the sleeve of the winding-up bobbin in the bobbin frame is automatically engageable in such a way that when the radially effective pressure is exerted, the winding-up bobbin can be pressed out of its holding means. Such holding means, however, could disengage at an undesired time and may be the cause of disturbances which require the stopping ofthe entire machine.

Starting with a bobbin frame on upward twisting machines,

which axially clamped receives the winding-up bobbin between its supporting arms, for purposes of extending the pivot radius of the bobbin frame as determined by the distance of the pivot axis of the frame and the bobbin receiving means, the bobbin receiving means is adapted to be shifted to an endless conveyor belt of any known type which extends along the machine. This shifting operation is :effected about an intermediate joint which is arrestable in a-certain angular position and is arranged to occur in a location between the pivot axis of the frame and the bobbin-receiving means.

in this way it will be assured in a simple manner that the turning radius of the bobbin frame which is linked to the machine'frame can be extended o'jr shortened, for instance by twice its length, so that after unlatching the intermediate joint, the winding-up bobbin can by means of the bobbin frame without physical exertion be moved out of the range of the friction roller and can be placed upon the conveyor belt alongside the machine. This is highly advantageous inasmuch as the winding-up bobbin, particularly with upward twisting machines, is difficult to reach and rather heavy and has a considerable diameter. in this way the surface of the winding-up bobbin does not have to be subjected to any pressure during the depositing operation, and the winding-up bobbin is safely held by the supporting arms of the bobbin frame until the bobbin is ready to be deposited onto the conveyor belt.

More specifically, the bobbin frame may be composed of a U-shaped supporting member or yoke which surrounds the winding-up bobbin as well as of .an extension arm orlever means which on one hand through the intermediate joint is linked to the base leg of the supporting yoke and on the other hand is linked to the pivot axis of the bobbin frame. Consequently, the bobbin frame, is a simplified illustration, consists of a double-joint arm which is articulated to turn in its intermediate joint during the winding-up operation or is stretched out and arrested in'this position, is turned about the pivot axis of the frame and for depositing of the winding-up bobbin stretches for purposes of changing its turning radius in the intermediate joint or for shortening the turning radius is articulated.

' With the above mentioned movements of operation, the unlatching of the intermediate joint and thepivoting of the bobbin creel for purposes of depositing the winding-up bobbin may be brought about for instance by electrically, pneumatically, or hydraulically operable devicesj When the movements are initiated by hand, it is possible to provide a manually operable lever which extends along the extension arm or the supporting yoke and is pivotable or displaceable against the thrust of a spring. The said manually operable lever may have that end thereof which is remote from the handle engage anarresting means of the intermediate joint and by a longitudinal displacement'ma'y disengage the arresting means. 1

Following the unlatching of the intermediate joint, the bobbin frame may be stretched or extendedby causing the winding-up bobbin to roll over the driving roller to the depositing device or by stretching the bobbin creel by means of a manually operable device, said bobbin creel not contacting any machine parts prior to the depositing of the bobbin. To

this end, according to the present invention, the intermediate joint may form a corner point of a quadruple joint engaging the extension arm and the supportingYyqke. The last mentioned joint is adapted to be arrested in the pivoting position of the bobbin frame about the pivotaxis of the frame and is adapted for purposes of extending the bobbin frame to pivot the supporting yoke on the extension arm. For pivoting the supporting yoke on the extension arm, a manually operable lever may advantageously, in conformity with the present invention, engage an element of the quadruple joint andmay be arrestable in a pivot position with the extension arm.

ltis, of course, to be understood that the present invention is, by no means, limited to the particular embodiments illustrated in the drawings but also'compris'es any modificationswithin the scope of the invention.

We claim: l. A bobbin-holding apparatusfor-an upward twisting machine having a machine frame and-also having conveyor said lever means and bobbin-supportingmember against relative movement as said bobbin frame pivots about said axis during winding of said bobbin, said bobbin-supporting member being movable relative to said lever means when said latch means is released so that said bobbin-receiving meanscan be moved relative to said lever means and-toward said conveyor to place said bobbin on said conveyor when said bobbin is freed from said receiving means.

2. A bobbin-holding apparatus-fonan upward twisting machine having a machine frame and also having conveyor means arranged adjacent said machine; said apparatus including a bobbin frame having a lever means pivoted at one end I about a first axis on the machine frame, a bobbin-supporting member pivotally connected to the free end of said lever means about a second axis parallel to thefirst axis and having regard to each other.

bobbin-receiving means for holding a bobbin, releasable means to hold said lever means and bobbin-supporting member against relative pivotal movement about saidsecond axis as said bobbin frame pivots about said first axis during winding of said bobbin, said bobbin-supporting member being movable about said axes when said releasable meansis actuated so that a bobbin on said supporting member can move to said conveyor for placing said bobbin on said conveyor.

3. A bobbin-holding apparatusaccording to claim 2, in which said bobbin frame comprisesz-fiistlever means having one end portion thereof pivotally supported-by said'pivot means about said first axis, second lever means forming said bobbin-supporting member having one end portion carrying said bobbin-receiving means, joint means pivotally interconnecting the other end portions of said first and second lever means for movement about said second axis, and control means forming said releasable means associated with said first and second lever means and operable to selectively interlock said first and second lever means at an angular position with regard to each other and to release said interlock for angular movement of said first and second'lever means with each other. 7

4. A bobbin holding apparatus according to claim 3, in which said second lever means comprises a U-shaped member with the free ends of said legs thereof-carrying said bobbinsleeve-receiving means.

5. A bobbin holding apparatus according to claim 3, in which said control means comprises manually operable latching means associated with one of said lever means and also includes recess means associated with the other one of said lever means for selectively receiving said latching means for selectively arresting said first and second lever means with 6. A bobbin holding apparatus according to claim 3, in

which said control means comprises'la parallelogram linkage means in which said first and second'lev'er means form parts of the said parallelogram linkage means and which additionally comprises two interlinked members respectively substantially parallel to said first and second lever means and pivotally connected thereto, to form other parts of said parallelogram linkage means and being operable to pivot said first and second lever means relative to each other and locking means respectively connected to one of said members and said first lever means and operable selectively to interlock one of said members and said first lever means for arresting said parallelogram linkage means and to unlock said first lever means from said one member to thereby permit operation of said parallelogram linkage means.

7. A bobbin holding apparatus according to claim 1, with spindles arranged on both sides of the longitudinal central plane of the machine, in which said conveyor means is endless and located in said central plane of the machine and common to both of said machine sides sharing the same.

8. A bobbin holding apparatus according to claim 4, in which at least one of said legs has that portion thereof which carries bobbin-s'leeve-receiving means pivotally connected to a portion of said second lever means to permit release of a bobbin from the bobbin-receiving means supporting such bobbin, said pivotally connected leg portion being provided with an extension extending in the direction away from said bobbin-receiving means, and means connected to said first lever means and comprising an inclined surface for sliding engagement with said extension so as to,mc ve sa id leg portion and thereby said bobbin-receiving means away from the other leg in response to the pivoting of said second lever means about said pivot means to a position in which said bobbin-receiving means, and thus a bobbin held thereby is above said conveyor means to thereby release the bobbin held by said bobbinreceiving means onto said conveyor means.

Claims

1. A bobbin-holding apparatus for an upward twisting machine having a machine frame and also having conveyor means arranged adjacent said machine, said apparatus including a bobbin frame having lever means pivoted at one end about an axis on the machine frame and a bobbin-supporting member movably connected to the free end of said lever means and having bobbin-receiving means for holding a bobbin, said bobbin-supporting member being movable relative to said lever means to vary the distance between said bobbin-receiving means and said axis, releasable latch means to hold said lever means and bobbin-supporting member against relative movement as said bobbin frame pivots about said axis during winding of said bobbin, said bobbin-supporting member being movable relative to said lever means when said latch means is released so that said bobbin-receiving means can be moved relative to said lever means and toward said conveyor to place said bobbin on said conveyor when said bobbin is freed from said receiving means.

2. A bobbin-holding apparatus for an upward twisting machine having a machine frame and also having conveyor means arranged adjacent said machine, said apparatus including a bobbin frame having a lever means pivoted at one end about a first axis on the machine frame, a bobbin-supporting member pivotally connected to the free end of said lever means about a second axis parallel to the first axis and having bobbin-receiving means for holding a bobbin, releasable means to hold said lever means and bobbin-supporting member against relative pivotal movement about said second axis as said bobbin frame pivots about said first axis during winding of said bobbin, said bobbin-supporting member being movable about said axes when said releasable means is actuated so that a bobbin on said supporting member can move to said conveyor for placing said bobbin on said conveyor.

3. A bobbin-holding apparatus according to claim 2, in which said bobbin frame comprises: first lever means having one end portion thereof pivotally supported by said pivot means about said first axis, second lever means forming said bobbin-supporting member having one end portion carrying said bobbin-receiving means, joint means pivotally interconnecting the other end portions of said first and second lever means for movement about said second axis, and control means forming said releasable means associated with said first and second lever means and operable to selectively interlock said first and second lever means at an angular position with regard to each other and to release said interlock for angular movement of said first and second lever means with each other.

4. A bobbin holding apparatus according to claim 3, in which said second lever means comprises a U-shaped member with the free ends of said legs thereof carrying said bobbin-sleeve-receiving means.

5. A bobbin holding apparatus according to claim 3, in which said control means comprises manually operable latching means associated with one of said lever means and also includes recess means associated with the other one of said lever means for selectively receiving said latching means for selectively arresting said first and second lever means with regard to each other.

6. A bobbin holding apparatus according to claim 3, in which said control means comprises a parallelogram linkage means in which said first and second lever means form parts of the said parallelogram linkage means and which additionally comprises two interlinked members respectively substantially parallel to said first and second lever means and pivotally connected thereto, to form other parts of said parallelogram linkage means and being operable to pivot said first and second lever means relative to each other and locking means respectively connected to one of said members and said first lever means and operable selectively to interlock one of said members and said first lever means for arresting said parallelogram linkage means and to unlock said first lever means from said one member to thereby permit operation of said parallelogram linkage means.

8. A bobbin holding apparatus according to claim 4, in which at least one of said legs has that portion Thereof which carries bobbin-sleeve-receiving means pivotally connected to a portion of said second lever means to permit release of a bobbin from the bobbin-receiving means supporting such bobbin, said pivotally connected leg portion being provided with an extension extending in the direction away from said bobbin-receiving means, and means connected to said first lever means and comprising an inclined surface for sliding engagement with said extension so as to move said leg portion and thereby said bobbin-receiving means away from the other leg in response to the pivoting of said second lever means about said pivot means to a position in which said bobbin-receiving means, and thus a bobbin held thereby is above said conveyor means to thereby release the bobbin held by said bobbin-receiving means onto said conveyor means.