US3602456A

US3602456A - Creel assemeby

Info

Publication number: US3602456A
Application number: US12319A
Authority: US
Inventors: William L Schmidt
Original assignee: COLMAN COCKER CO
Current assignee: REED-CHATWOOD Inc; COLMAN COCKER CO
Priority date: 1970-02-18
Filing date: 1970-02-18
Publication date: 1971-08-31
Anticipated expiration: 1988-08-31
Also published as: DE2107636A1; CH525979A; GB1292100A

Abstract

A creel assembly including an elongate main trackway and at least two branch trackways communicating with the main trackway and extending outwardly therefrom in spaced apart relation. At least two carriers, each having means for mounting at least one yarn-supply package thereon, are mounted for independent movement along the trackways between a yarn-supplying position on respective branch trackways and a package replenishing position away from the branch trackways. The two carriers cooperate when in the yarn-supplying positions for alternative supplying of yarn from yarn-supply packages mounted thereon so that yarn may be supplied from one carrier while the other carrier is being replenished with full yarn-supply packages.

Description

United States Patent Inventor William L. Schmidt Gastonia, N.C. Appl. No. 12,319 Filed Feb. 18, 1970 Patented Aug. 31, 1971 Assignee Colman-Cocker Company Gastonia, N.C.

CREE]. ASSEMBLY 9 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

U.S.Cl 242/l31.l, 28/34 Int. Cl ..B65h49/02, D03j 5/08 Field of Search 242/130, 131.1; 28/34, 32; 214/59 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 11/1951 Lambach 2,958,479 11/1960 Crawfordetal.

242/131 3,055,610 9/1962 Keyser 242/131 3,477,661 11/1969 Emerson et a1. 242/131 Fri/nary Examiner-Leonard D. Christian Attorney-Parrott, Bell, Seltzer, Park & Gibson ABSTRACT: A creel assembly including an elongate main trackway and at least two branch trackways communicating with the main trackway and extending outwardly therefrom in spaced apart relation. At least two carriers, each having means for mounting at least one yarn-supply package thereon, are

mounted for independent movement along the trackways between a yarn-supplying position on respective branch trackways and a package replenishing position away from the PATENTED M831 lsn SHEET 1 [1F 2 INVENT OR: WILUAM L. 5CHMII T ATTORNEY .5

PATENTEUMIEBI an I SHEET 2 BF 2 mvsmon: wlLuAM L. ScHmbT ATTORNEY 5 CREEL ASSEMBLY This invention relates to a creel assembly and more particularly to a creel assembly customarily used in conjunction with warpers or beamers.

In the supplying of a plurality of yarn or the like ends from a creel assembly, collecting them in warp form and winding the same in a warper or beamer, it is highly desirable that the yarn or the like be continuously supplied from the creel assembly so as to minimize the idle time of the warper or beamer and thus, increase the production of the warper.

Heretofore, various creel assemblies have been provided which allow the continuous supply of yarn or the like therefrom and are usually referred to as magazine creels. Typically, these magazine creels include a unitary, frame structure on which is provided a plurality of pairs of cooperating yarnsupply package holders, the axis of which focus into the eyelet of a conventional tension device through which the yarn is drawn. Supply packages on cooperating holders are tied leading end to trailing end so that when one of the supply packages is spent, yarn will be supplied from the supply package on the cooperating holder. Thus, it will be apparent that while yarn is being supplied from a supply package on one holder, the other holder may be replenished with a fresh supply package, so that yarn may be continuously supplied from supply packages on cooperating holders.

However, these magazine creels have not proven to be entirely satisfactory for several reasons. For instance, creels of this type require the continued attention of an operator in replenishing individual spent packages and auxiliary equipment for use by the operator in replenishing spent supply packages such as carts, trucks or the like for transporting and storing full supply packages. In addition, these type magazine creels require excessive handling of the yarn supply packages. Furthermore, the supply package holders are relatively inaccessible which presents problems of interference with the supply of yarn from an adjacent package upon replenishing spent supply packages.

Other-type magazine creels have also been provided from which a plurality of yarn or the like ends may be supplied. However, these creels likewise include many of the shortcomings of the magazine type creels briefly described above and often include complicated mechanisms such as conveyor mechanisms and the like which substantially enhance the cost of the creel without improving the operability thereof.

Thus, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved creel assembly from which a plurality of yarn or the like ends may be continuously supplied and which alleviate the shortcomings of heretofore provided magazine creel assemblies.

Briefly, the object of this invention is accomplished by providing a creel assembly comprising an elongate main trackway, and at least two branch trackways communicating with the main trackway and extending outwardly therefrom in spaced-apart relation. At least two carriers are provided and each has means thereon for mounting at least one yarn-supply package and are mounted for independent movement along the trackways between a yarn-supplying position on respective branch trackways and a supply package replenishing position away from the branch trackways. The at least two carriers cooperate when in the yarn-supplying positions for alternative supplying of yarn from yarn supply packages mounted thereon so that yarn may be supplied from one carrier while the other carrier is moved from the supplying position along the trackways to the replenishing position for replenishing thereof with full yarn supply packages and returned to the supplying position.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic top plan view of a creel assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention and positioned in cooperating relation with a warper;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and illustrating in elevation a portion of the creel assembly of FIG. 1;

. FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view with parts in section of a portion of the creel assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of the creel assembly illustrated in FIG. 2 with parts in section and illustrating the mounting of the carriers to the trackways; and

FIG: 5 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view with parts in section of the trackway of the creel assembly of FIG. 1 and further illustrating the mounting of the carriers to the trackways. Referring specifically to FIG. 1, there is shown in top plan view a creel assembly, generally indicated at C, constructed in accordance with the present invention for continuously supplying a plurality of yarn ends Y from a plurality of yarn-supply packages'P without interruption while allowing replenishment of spent supply packages P. The creel assembly 0 has associated therewith tensioning means, generally indicated at T, for applying a predetermined tension on individual yarn ends Y and a warper W for collecting the yarn ends Y in warp form and winding of the same for subsequent use-in weaving or the like. 7

The creel assembly C, as illustrated, comprises a horizontally extending elongate main trackway, preferably in the form of a monorail 21, and at least two horizontally extending elongate branch tr ackways, also preferably in the form of monorails 22, which communicate with the main monorail 21 and extend outwardly from one side thereof in spaced-apart relation. The

monorails

21 and 22 are supported by suitable means above the floor F of a building structure such as by suspension from the ceiling of the building structure by conventional monorail suspension means. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the creel assembly C may and preferably does include a plurality of branch monorails 22 extending outwardly from opposite sides of the main monorail 21 in spaced-apart relation. While the branch monorails 22 on opposite sides of the main monorail 21 are illustrated as being symmetric, it will become apparent that this arrangement is not essential upon further description of the creel assembly C.

With further reference to FIG. I, the main monorail 21 includes

opposite end portions

21a and 21b. End portion 21a is substantially linear with the branch monorails 22 being disposed from opposite sides therealong and communicating therewith along similar curvilinear paths which curve toward the other end 21b of the main monorail 21. The end portion 21b of the main monorail 21 may take on substantially any form but is illustrated in FIG. 1 as being of a loop configuration and, as will become apparent, forms a supply package replenishing position removed from yarn-supplying positions defined along respective branch monorails 22 and will be hereinafter more fully described.

The creel assembly C further includes at least two carriers 30 and preferably a carrier 30 for each of the respective branch monorails 22. With reference to FIG. 2, each of the carriers 30 includes an inverted generally L-shaped hollow frame member 31 which may be formed for instance of hollow tubing or the like by conventional forming techniques. Rollers 32 are pivotally mounted to each end of the short leg 31a of frame member 31 and are mounted in communicating

monorails

21 and 22 to vertically suspend and mount carriers 30 for independent movement along both the main monorail 21 and the branch monorails 22 between a yarn-supplying position on respective branch monorails 22 and a supply package replenishing position away from the branch monorails 22 along end portion 21b of the main monorail 21.

In addition, carriers 30 have identical vertically disposed banks of means 35 for mounting a plurality of yarn-supply packages P thereon. More particularly, each of the carriers 30 includes a plurality of identical vertically spaced means 35 for mounting pairs of yarn-supply packages P thereon. With reference to FIG. 3, each of yarn-supply package mounting means 35 includes opposed support arms 36 which extend outwardly from opposite sides ofthe frame member 31. A

spindle 37 on which a yarn-supply package P may be mounted is carried by each of the support arms 36 and, as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, mount the yarn-supply packages P at a slight inclination, such as above horizontal, FIG. 2, in symmetric diverging relation, FIGS. 1 and 3, from the frame member 31 relative to each other.

As previously described, the carriers 30 are independently movable by rollers 32 along both the main monorail 21 and branch monorails 22, as illustrated by phantom lines in FIG. 2. When the carriers 30 are positioned at the terminal ends of respective branch monorails 22, as indicated in FIGS 1, 2 and 3, they are in yarn-supplying positions. With carriers 30 in the yarn-supplying positions, it will be noted that adjacent yarnsupply packages P on adjacent carriers 30 converge toward each other. On opposite sides of the main monorail 21 and extending parallel thereto are vertically disposed tension means, generally indicated at T, and including supporting structure 40 on which is mounted a plurality of horizontally and vertically spaced tensioning devices 41 of conventional construction.

With reference to FIGS 2 and 3, a tensioning'device 41 is disposed at the focal point of the longitudinal axis of adjacent converging yarn-supply packages P carrier by adjacent carriers 30. Thus, yarn Y may be supplied from either of these adjacent yarn-supply packages P through the cooperating tensioning device 41. Accordingly, adjacent carriers 30 cooperate when in the yarn-supplying positions for the alternative supplying of yarn Y from yarn-supply packages P mounted thereon so that while yarn Y is being supplied from yarn-supply packages P on alternate carriers 30, the adjacent carriers 30 may be moved along their respective branch monorails 22 to the main monorail 21 and therealong to the end portion 21b where they may be replenished with fresh yarn-supply packages P and thereafter returned to yarn-supplying positions in respective branch monorails 22.

In order to effect the transfer of yarn supplying between adjacent carriers 30 without interruption, the leading ends of replenished yarn-supply packages P are tied to the trailing ends of the adjacent yarn-supply packages P on the adjacent carriers 30 so that when yarn-supply packages P mountedon alternate carriers 30 are spent, yarn 1 will be supplied from the carriers 30 having replenished yarn-supply packages P. It will-then be apparent that this manner of operation may be continued to continuously supply a plurality of yarn ends Y from the creel assembly C.

As previously indicated and illustrated in FIG. 1, end portion 21b of the main monorail 21 is of loop configuration and forms a supply package replenishing position removed from the supplying positions on respective branch monorails 22. The loop configuration is highly desirable in that excess carriers 30 having replenished yarn-supply package P mounted thereon may be stored for movement along the main monorail 21 to a supplying position in one of the branch monorails 22 to eliminate the need for replenishment of yarn-supply packages P on carriers 30 as they are removed from supplying positions. Furthermore, the end portion 21b of main monorail 21 may interconnect with other creel assemblies C and pass to a common station for replenishment of yarn-supply packages P, such as where the yarn-supply packages P are being prepared to eliminate excessive manual handling of the supply packages P, transportation and storage of same.

With reference to FIG. 4, each of the branch monorails 22 have an abutment member 45 carrier thereby adjacent the terminal end thereof and extending into the path of the short leg 31a of frame member 31 for entering into abutting relation with same to insure the proper positioning of carriers 30 in the yarn-supplying positions in respective branch monorails 22. When the carriers 30 are properly positioned in respective yarn-supplying positions, that is, in abutting relation with abutment members 45, means cooperate therewith to facilitate the securement of the carriers 30 in that position.

With reference to FIG. 2, there is mounted, on the F of a building structure in which the creel assembly C is to be used, means, generally indicated at 50, for securing the carriers 30 in respective yarn-supplying positions. More particularly, each of the securing means 50 includes a support block 51 suitably mounted on the floor F and having a vertically disposed generally C-shaped collar 52 positioned for receiving the frame member 31 of a carrier 30 therein. A horizontally disposed foot petal 53 is pivotally mounted to support block 51 within a slot, not shown, therein beneath collar 52 and has a vertically extending rod or pin 54 carried thereby which communicates internally of hollow frame member 31 when in the yarn-supplying position. Foot petal 53 is spring biased by means, not shown, upwardly so that by depressing foot petal 53 and positioning carrier 30 in the yarn-supplying position, release of foot petal 53 will cause pin 54 to be received in hollow frame member 31 to secure the maintenance of carrier 30 in the yarn-supplying position. When it is desired to remove the carrier 30 from the yarn-supplying position, foot petal 53 is depressed to override the spring biasing means and withdraw pin 54 from the hollow frame member 31.

In order to facilitate the guidance of rollers 32 of respective carriers 30 between the main monorail 21 and the branch monorails 22, guide means, generally indicated at 60, in FIG. 3, are operatively associated with the main monorail 21 and each of the branch monorails 22 for guiding the carriers 30 therebetween. As best illustrated in FIG. 3, a guide means 60 is positioned along the main monorail 21 adjacent the point of communication with a branch monorail 22. Each of the guide means 60 includes a guide arm 61 pivotally mounted as at 62 to the main monorail 21 adjacent the point of communication of the branch monorail 22 on the side of the main monorail 21 opposite the direction which the branch monorail 22 extends. The guide arm 61 includes a concave guide surface 61a and communicates through a slot, not shown, in the main monorail 22 to form an extension by the guide surface 61a of the branch monorail 22 to the main monorail 21 so that rollers 32 of a carrier 30 may be guided therebetween. A pin 63 is carried by the guide arm 61 and limits the inward-pivoting movement of the guide arm 61 to control the positioning thereof. Spring means, not shown, may be provided for normally biasing the guide arm 61 out of the main monorail 21 so as not to interfere with the movement of carriers 30 between other branch monorails 22 and the main monorail 21. Since the branch monorails 22 of the creel assembly C hereillustrated are symmetric on opposite sides of the main monorail 21, guide means 60 are also symmetrically disposed on opposite sides of the main monorail 21.

With reference again to FIG. 1, the plurality of yarn ends Y supplied from the creel assembly C pass through the respective tensioning devices 41 of the tension means T and suitable stop-motion mechanisms S disposed on opposite sides and at the forward end of the creel assembly C to a warper W where the yarn ends Y are collected in warp form and wound for subsequent use. In addition to the creel assembly C and warper W arrangement of FIG. 1, it will be readily apparent that creel assemblies C may be disposed in side-by-side relation with warpers W staggered therebetween so that yarn ends Y for a particular warper W may be drawn from adjacent sides of adjacent creel assemblies C to conserve floor space.

In operation, each of the carriers 30 loaded with full yarnsupply packages P are positioned in the yarn-supplying positions on respective branch monorails 22 and secured there by securing means 50. The leading end of yarn-supply packages P on alternate carriers 30 are tied to the trailing end of adjacent yarn-supply packages P on adjacent carriers 30, as illustrated in FIG, 1. The leading end of the yarn-supply packages P having their trailing ends tied to leading ends of adjacent yarnsupply packages P are threaded through appropriate tensioning devices 41, respective stop-motion mechanisms S and warper W where the plurality of yarn ends Y are collected in warp form and wound. It will be apparent that when the yarnsupply packages P on alternate carriers 30 from which yarn ends Yare first supplied are spent, yarn ends Y will be supplied from adjacent carriers 30.

During the supply of yarn ends Yfrom the latter carriers 30, the other alternate carriers 30 are inactive, that is, no yarn ends Y are being supplied therefrom. These carriers 30 are released from their securing means 50 and moved from the yarn-supplying positions in respective branch monorails 22 along same to main monorail 21 and therealong to end portion 21b where they may be replenished with full yarn-supply packages P. Thereafter, replenished carriers 30 are returned to the yarrL-supplying positions in respective branch monorails 22. Upon eturn to the yam-supply positions, the leading end of the replenished yarn-supply packages P are tied to the trailing end of adjacent yarn-supply packages P on adjacent carriers 30. v

This manner of operation may be continued to continuously supply a plurality of yarn ends Y from the creel assembly C. In many instances, rather than replenishing carriers 30 as they are removed from the yarn-supplying positions it may be desirable to have excess carriers 30, as illustrated in FIG. 1, having full yarn-supply packages P mounted thereon stored along the end portion 21b of main monorail 21, so that these carriers 30 may be placed in the yarn-supplying positions upon removal of carriers 30 from the yarn-supplying positions.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment 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.

What is claimed is:

1. A creel assembly for supplying textile yarns and the like from a plurality of supply packages and being characterized in its ability to continuously supply yarn or the like therefrom without interruption while allowing replenishment of spent supply packages, said creel assembly comprising an elongate main trackway,

at least two branch trackways communicating with said main trackway and extending outwardly therefrom in spaced-apart relation, and

at least two carriers, each of said carriers having means for mounting at least one yarn-supply package thereon and being mounted for independent movement along said.

trackways between a yarn-supplying position on respective branch trackways and a supply package replenishing position away from said branch trackways,

said at least two carriers cooperating when in said yarn-sup-' plying positions for alternative supplying of yarn from yarn supply packages mounted thereon so that yarn may be supplied from one carrier while the other carrier may be moved from said supplying position along said trackways to said replenishing position for replenishing thereof with a full yarn-supply package and returned to said supplying position.

2. A creel assembly, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said main trackway and said branch trackways are horizontally extending and said carriers are vertically extending.

3. A creel assembly, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said carriers have identical vertically disposed banks of means for mounting a plurality of yam-supply packages thereon on each of said carriers.

4. A creel assembly, as set forth in claim 2, including means cooperating with each of said carriers and each of said branch trackways for securing said carriers in said supplying positions.

5. A creel assembly, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said branch trackways are located generally along one end of said main trackway, and wherein said creel assembly includes means forming a package replenishing position located generally along the other end of said main trackway so that said carriers may be moved from said supplying positions on said branch trackways, along said main trackway, to said replenishing position.

6. A creel assembly for supplying textile yarn and the like from a plurality of supply packages and being characterized in its ability to continuously supply yarn or the like therefrom without interruption while allowing replenishment of spent supply packages, said creel assembly comprising a horizontally extending elongate main monorail,

at least two horizontally extending branch monorails communicating with said main monorail and extending outwardly therefrom in spaced-apart relation, and

at least two vertically extending carriers, each of said carriers having a plurality of identical vertically spaced means for mounting pairs of yarn-supply packages thereon and being mounted for independent movement along said monorails between a yarn-supplying position on respective branch monorails and a yarn replenishing position away from said branch monorails, alternate ones of said carrierscooperating when in said yarn-supplying position for alternative supplying of yarn from yarnsupply packages mounted thereon so that yarn may be supplied from one carrier while the other carrier may be moved from said supplying position along said monorails to said replenishing position for replenishing thereof with full yarn-supply packages and returned to said supplying position. v 7. A creel assembly, as set forth in claim 6, including guide means operatively associated with said main monorail and each of said branch monorails for guiding the carriers between said main monorailand said branch monorails.

8. A creel assembly, as set forth in claim 6, wherein said spaced pairs of yarn package mounting means are adapted for mounting yarn packages on opposite sides of said carrier at a slight inclination above horizontal and diverging relative to each other from said carrier toward adjacent carriers when in said yarn-supplying positions so that adjacent yarn-supply packages mounted on adjacent carriers converge toward each other and cooperate for the alternative supplying of yarn therefrom.

9. A creel assembly for supplying textile yarns and the like from a plurality of supply packages and being characterized in its ability to continuously supply yarn or the like therefrom without interruption while allowing replenishment of spent supply packages, said creel assembly comprising a horizontally extending elongate main monorail, at least two horizontally extending branch monorails communicating with said main monorail and extending outwardly therefrom in spaced apart relation, said branch monorails being located generally along one end of said main monorail,

at least two carriers, each of said carriers being mounted for independent movement along said monorails between a yarn-supplying position on respective branch monorails and a supply package replenishing position away from said branch monorails, each of said carriers having a plurality of identical vertically spacedpairs of means for mounting yarn-supply packages thereon and being adapted for mounting yarn-supply packages on opposite sides of each of said carriers at a slight inclination above horizontal and diverging relative to each other from said carrier toward adjacent carriers when in said yarn-supplying positions so that adjacent yarn-supply packages mounted on adjacent carriers converge toward each other and cooperate for the alternative supplying of yarn therefrom,

guide means operatively associated with said main monorail and each of said branch monorails for guiding the carriers between said main monorail and said branch monorails, and

means forming a package replenishing position located generally along the other endof said main monorail so that said carriers may be moved from said supplying positions on said branch monorails along said main monorail to said replenishing position.

' said at least two carriers cooperating when in said yarn-supplying positions for alternative supplying of yarn from yarn-supply packages mounted thereon so that yarn may be supplied from one carrier while the other carrier may be moved from said supplying position along said monorails to said replenishing position for replenishing thereof with full yarn-supply packages and returned to said supplying position.

Claims

1. A creel assembly for supplying textile yarns and the like from a plurality of supply packages and being characterized in its ability to continuously supply yarn or the like therefrom without interruption while allowing replenishment of spent supply packages, said creel assembly comprising an elongate main trackway, at least two branch trackways communicating with said main trackway and extending outwardly therefrom in spaced-apart relation, and at least two carriers, each of said carriers having means for mounting at least one yarn-supply package thereon and being mounted for independent movement along said trackways between a yarn-supplying position on respective branch trackways and a supply package replenishing position away from said branch trackways, said at least two carriers cooperating when in said yarnsupplying positions for alternative supplying of yarn from yarn supply packages mounted thereon so that yarn may be supplied from one carrier while the other carrier may be moved from said supplying position along said trackways to said replenishing position for replenishing thereof with a full yarn-supply package and returned to said supplying position.

3. A creel assembly, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said carriers have identical vertically disposed banks of means for mounting a plurality of yarn-supply packages thereon on each of said carriers.

6. A creel assembly for supplying textile yarn and the like from a plurality of supply packages and being characterized in its ability to continuously supply yarn or the like therefrom without interruption while allowing replenishment of spent supply packages, said creel assembly comprising a horizontally extending elongate main monorail, at least two horizontally extending branch monorails communicating with said main monorail and extending outwardly therefrom in spaced-apart relation, and at least two vertically extending carriers, each of said carriers having a plurality of identical vertically spaced means for mounting pairs of yarn-supply packages thereon and being mounted for independent movement along said monorails between a yarn-supplying position on respective branch monorails and a yarn replenishing position away from said branch monorails, alternate ones of said carriers cooperating when in said yarn-supplying position for alternative supplying of yarn from yarn-supply packages mounted thereon so that yarn may be supplied from one carrier while the other carrier may be moved from said supplying position along said monorails to said replenishing position for replenishing thereof with full yarn-supply packages and returned to said supplying position.

7. A creel assembly, as set forth in claim 6, including guide means operatively associated with said main monorail and each of said branch monorails for guiding the carriers between said main monorail and said branch monorails.

9. A creel assembly for supplying textile yarns and the like from a plurality of supply packages and being characterized in its ability to continuously supply yarn or the like therefrom without interruption while allowing replenishment of spent supply packages, said creel assembly comprising a horizontally extending elongate main monorail, at least two horizontally extending branch monorails communicating with said main monorail and extending outwardly therefrom in spaced apart relation, said branch monorails being located generally along one end of said main monorail, at least two carriers, each of said carriers being mounted for independent movement along said monorails between a yarn-supplying position on respective branch monorails and a supply package replenishing position away from said branch monorails, each of said carriers having a plurality of identical vertically spaced pairs of means for mounting yarn-supply packages thereon and being adapted for mounting yarn-supply packages on opposite sides of each of said carriers at a slight inclination above horizontal and diverging relative to each other from said carrier toward adjacent carriers when in said yarn-supplying positions so that adjacent yarn-supply packages mounted on adjacent carriers converge toward each other and cooperate for the alternative supplying of yarn therefrom, guide means operatively associated with said main monorail and each of said branch monorails for guiding the carriers between said main monorail and said branch monorails, and means forming a package replenishing position located generally along the other end of said main monorail so that said carriers may be moved from said supplying positions on said branch monorails along said main monorail to said replenishing position. said at least two carriers cooperating when in said yarn-supplying positions for alternative supplying of yarn from yarn-supply packages mounted thereon so that yarn may be supplied from one carrier while the other carrier may be moved from said supplying position along said monorails to said replenishing position for replenishing thereof with full yarn-supply packages and returned to said supplying position.