US3772867A

US3772867A - Spinning machines having spindle rails movable for tube exchange

Info

Publication number: US3772867A
Application number: US00196125A
Authority: US
Inventors: H Kawakami; F Yamamoto
Original assignee: Nippon Keori KK
Current assignee: Nippon Keori KK
Priority date: 1970-11-07
Filing date: 1971-11-05
Publication date: 1973-11-20
Anticipated expiration: 1990-11-20
Also published as: GB1306899A; FR2112519B1; DE2155118A1; CH535843A; IT941083B; FR2112519A1

Abstract

A ring spinning machine has spindle rails selectively displaceable between an initial position, for the spinning operation, and a second position spaced outwardly from the initial position, in order to provide a very substantial clearance over the spindles for tube doffing and donning operations. The spindle rails can be displaced either in a horizontal plane or by being swung in an arc. Retractable locating means are provided to engage the spindle rails to releasably retain the same in the initial position. A tube exchanging apparatus is provided including a gripper, and the gripper need only be reciprocated along a straight line passing through the axis of a spindle in the second or outer position.

Description

Kawakami et al.

[ 1 Nov. 2%, 1973 SPINNING MACHINES HAVING SPINDLE RAILS MOVABLE FOR TUBE EXCHANGE Inventors: Hajime Kawalkami; Fumihiko Yamamoto, both of Kakogawa-cho, Japan The Nippon Keori Co., Ltd., Hyogo-ken, Japan Filed: Nov. 5, 1971 Appl. No.: 196,125

Assignee:

Foreign Application Priority Data Nov. 7, 1970 Japan 45/098025 Dec. 8, 1970 Japan 45/109128 US. Cl. 57/52, 57/54 Int. Cl. 1101b 9/04, DOlh 9/14 Field of Search ..57 52 54 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1950 Mansfield et a1. 57/52 X 1,090,757 3/1914 Shackleton 57/52 1,714,529 5/1929 Stell et al 57/52 2,541,503 2/1951 Crossman et al. 57/52 Primary Examiner.lohn Petrakes Attorney-John J. McGlew et al.

[ 1 A ring spinning machine has spindle rails selectively displaceable between an initial position, for the spinning operation, and a second position spaced outwardly from the initial position, in order to provide a very substantial clearance over the spindles for tube doffing and donning operations. The spindle rails can be displaced either in a horizontal plane or by being swung in an arc. Retractable locating means are provided to engage the spindle rails to releasably retain the same in the initial position. A tube exchanging apparatus is provided including a gripper, and the gripper need only be reciprocated along a straight line passing through the axis of a spindle in the second or outer position.

ABSTRACT 16 Claims, 18 Drawing Figures PATENTEDNM 20 1975 SHEET 10F 5 PAIENIEUHUYZOISB 3,772,867

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SPINNING MACHINES HAVING SPINDLE RAILS MOVABLE FOR TUBE EXCHANGE FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to ring spinning and ring twisting machines and, more particularly, to a novel and improved spinning machine in which the spindle rails are movable from an initial position, for spinning, to a second and outward position for doffing and donning operations, and to novel tube exchanging apparatus for use in the spinning machine.

BACKGROUND OF THE PRIOR ART In a conventional spinning machine in which the spindle rails are fixed, at least during the tube exchanging process, the clearance over the spindles is insufficient to allow the use of automatic tube exchanging apparatus. Attempts have been made to increase the clearance over the spindles in such a manner that the delivery rollers are spaced a greater distance from the spindles, but this results in the machine becoming too tall or high to be operated.

Yarn breakages during spinning, as is well known, occur mostly in that portion of the yarn which is adjacent to the delivery rollers. The reason for this is that the twist, given to the yarn at the spindle, does not travel upwardly at a sufficient speed to reach this portion of the yarn fast enough. Therefore, in order to reduce yarn breakages, the delivery rollers should be disposed on the machine in such a manner that the roller nip is located substantially on a line passing through the axis of the spindle, and is positioned closely adjacent the ring and traveler. The greater the distance between the rollers and the rings, for using automatic tube exchanging apparatus, the more frequently the yarn will break, which is a well known fact.

Accordingly, there is a demand for a ring spinning machine in which the delivery rollers can be disposed in a manner to reduce the yarn breakage rate in spinning, independently of tube doffing and donning operations, and in which there is provided a large clearance over the spindles for the tube exchanging procedure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the invention, a spinning means is provided with movable spindle rails, and the delivery rollers are arranged in a manner such that the roller nip is aligned with the axis of the spindle and spaced only a short distance therefrom, so as to minimize the yarn breakage rate, the spindle rail being movable outwardly to provide a large clearance over the spindles for the tube exchanging operations.

The invention is also directed to a tube exchanging apparatus for use with such a spinning machine, this apparatus having a simple construction in which the grippers need only be reciprocated 'on straight lines coincident with the axes of the spindles. Additionally, the spinning machine has a moderate height and the tube exchanging apparatus can be mounted therein without any limitation in use.

More particularly, the present invention is directed to a spinning machine for forming yarn packages wound on tubes, and comprising a fixed frame, supporting means mounted on the frame for movement between a first position, during spinning, and a second position, spaced outwardly from the first position, and a row of spindles mounted on the supporting means. The

spindles are movable with the supporting means between the first and second positions, and driving means are mounted on the fixed frame for moving the supporting means between these positions. The driving means may comprise hydraulic means, pneumatic means, or mechanical means.

Guide means guide the movement of the supporting means between the first and second positions, and a ring rail, carrying rings thereon, is movable to a predetermined location over the spindles, operating means being provided for raising the ring rail to its predetermined location. Thereby, when the supporting means is moved from the first position to the second position, after raising of the ring rail to the predetermined location, the tube exchanging procedure can be performed efficiently owing to the large clearance over the spindles in such second position.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the spindle rail is moved either parallel to a horizontal plane or is displaced angularly, between the first position and the second position. The machine includes means for locating the supporting means precisely and fixedly in the fixed frame during the spinning process, and this locating means includes at least one aperture in the spindle rail and at least one reciprocable pin selectively engageable in the aperture.

In further accordance with the invention, the machine is provided with a novel tube exchanging apparatus comprising a conveyor means, having a row of tube holders below and axially aligned with the spindles in the second or outward position. At least one transporting means is mounted on the fixed frame for transporting the tubes between the spindles and the tube holders, this transporting means including carriage means and gripper means mounted on the carriage means, the gripper means being operable to grip and release the tubes and being above and in axial alignment with the tube holders. The gripper means is reciprocable in a single direction with the carriage means, and means are provided for effecting movement of the carriage means with the gripper means. Thereby, the full tubes are auto'matically replaced by empty tubes by the novel tube exchanging apparatus in which the gripping means need be reciprocated in only a single direction in cooperation with the supporting means reciprocating between the first and second positions.

In case the supporting means is located in an additional third position, between the first and second positions, the conveyor means includes two rows of tube holders and the gripper means comprises two rows of grippers. The axes of the tube holders and grippers, in one of the two rows, are coincident with the axes of the spindles in the second position, The axes of the tube holders and grippers in the other of the two rows are coincident with the axes of the spindles in the third position. The gripper means is vertically reciprocable with the carriage means. Thereby, while the carriage means is reciprocated vertically in cooperation with the movement of the supporting means between the first, second and third positions, the full tubes are doffed from the spindles in the second position to be placed on tube holders in such one row by the grippers in such one row, and the empty tubes are taken off the two holders in the other row to be donned on spindles in the third position by the grippers in the other row.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved ring spinning machine in which the yarn breakage rate, during spinning, is substantially reduced.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved ring spinning machine in which a large clearance is provided, over the spindles, for the tube exchanging process.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a ring spinning machine having movable spindle rails and in which delivery rollers are so arranged that the roller nip is aligned with the axis of the spindle and positioned closely adjacent to the spindle to minimize the yarn breakage rate.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide such a ring spinning machine in which, when the spindle rails are moved outwardly, there is a large clearance over the spindles for the tube exchanging operations.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel tube exchanging apparatus for use with the improved ring spinning machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a tube exchanging apparatus having a simple construction and in which the grippers need be reciprocated only on a straight line coincidence with the axis of the associated spindle.

A further object of the invention is to provide such an improved ring spinning machine which has a moderate height and in which tube exchanging apparatus can be mounted without any limitation in use.

For an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference is made to the following description of typical embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the Drawing:

FIG. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic side elevation view, partly in section, of the important parts ofa ring spinning machine in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, and in which a spindle rail is displaced outwardly in a horizontal plane from a first position, for spinning, to a second position spaced outwardly a predetermined distance from the first position, by means of a hydraulic pressure actuator;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 illustrating another embodiment of the invention, in which the spindle rail is pivoted about a predetermined axis between the first and second positions by means ofa pneumatic pressure actuator;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, in which the spindle rail is swung by a mechanical means constituted by a four-bar linkage mechanism;

FIG. 4 is a somewhat diagrammatic perspective view of the essential parts of the machine, illustrating a fluid pressure system for moving and locating the spindle rails and for raising the ring rails;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the hydraulic circuits for the arrangement shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram, similar to FIG. 5, illustrating pneumatic circuits;

FIG. 7 is a front elevation view, partly in section, of a ring spinning machine provided with a tube exchanger apparatus in accordance with the present invention, known parts, not required for an understanding of the invention, being omitted for the sake of clar- "Y;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line VIII-VIII of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is an elevation view, partly in section, corresponding to FIG. 8, and illustrating the tube exchanging apparatus as mounted on a machine having angularly displaceable spindle rails; and

FIGS. 10 through 18 are diagrammatic side elevations of the tube exchanging apparatus, and in which the conveyor has a double row of tube holders and the gripper rail has a double row of grippers, these figures illustrating successive operational positions of the tube exchanging apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. 1, the ring spinning machine illustrated therein includes pairs of delivery rollers 1 rotatably mounted on roller stands 2, a roller beam 3 supported by pillars 4, a spindle rail 5 slidably mounted on fixed frame 6, and a row of spindles 7 mounted on spindle rail 5. A ring 8, a respective balloon control ring 9, and a respective yarn guide 10 are associated with each spindle 7. The rings are carried by a ring rail 11 which is supported by a cross-rail 12. Balloon control rings 9 and yarn guides 10 are carried by

respective rails

13 and 14 supported by respective cross-rails l5 and 16. Rails l2, l5 and 16 are suspended by suspending

belts

17, 18 and 19, respectively, and the spindles are rotated by a tangential belt 20 pressed against each spindle by a pressure roller 21 rotatably mounted on fixed rail 27.

Delivery rollers l are so arranged that their roller nips lie on lines coincident with the axes of the spindles 7, and the distance between each roller nip and the associated ring 10 is relatively short compared with that in conventional machines, in order to reduce the yarn breakage rate.

On each of the opposite sides of fixed frame 6, there is mounted a respective double-acting hydraulic pressure-responsive actuator 22, whose piston rod 22a is secured to a spindle rail 5 and whose fixed cylinder 22b is secured to the frame. Spindle rail 5 extends longitudinally of the machine between the opposite ends of the spindle row, and consists of at least one spindle rail element. The spindle rail elements need not be connected to form a unit, but can be arranged to be movable independently of each other.

Full tubes 23, each including a tube 24 and a yarn package 25, are located on spindles 7. During a preceding operation, yarn was drawn, twisted and then wound on an empty tube 24 on the spindle, so that a yarn package 25 was formed on the tube 24. After the machine has been stopped for the tube exchanging process, ring rail 11 is raised to a location over the full tubes. It will be noted that balloon control ring rail 13 and yarn guide rail 14 are raised conjointly with ring rail 11, as will be clear from FIG. 1.

Hydraulic pressure is applied to actuator 22 in a direction in which piston rod 22a is caused to displace spindle rail 5 outwardly from a first or initial position to a second or outward position, the latter being shown in phantom. It will be noted that tangential belt 20 is disengaged from spindle 7, to rest, with pressure rollers 21, on fixed rail 27, when the spindles are moved outwardly with the spindle rail.

There is a large clearance over the spindles in the second or outward position, so that the tube exchanging operations can be performed efficiently either by operators or by automatic apparatus. With the machine stopped, the vertical reciprocation of the ring and traveler, and the lateral movement of the spindles, can be effected without any damage to the yarn 26 extending from the delivery rollers through the travelers to the tubes. After the tube exchaning operations have been completed, spindle rail 5 is returned from the second or outward position to the initial or first position by double-acting actuator 22, which now has hydraulic pressure applied thereto in a direction to retract piston rod 22a.

FIG. 2 illustrates a spinning machine of the type having inclined spindles, and in which each spindle rail 5 is provided with at least one double-acting pneumatic pressure responsive cylinder actuator 22. Piston rod 22a of actuator 22 has its outer end pivotally connected to a bracket 30 secured to spindle rail 5, and fixed cylinder 22b of the actuator is pivotally mounted on bracket 31 secured to fixed frame 6. Spindle rail 5 is pivotal or swingable about a horizontal pivot 32 through its arm 5a, and can be swung between an initial first position and a second outward position, the latter being shown in phantom. In the second outward position, spindle rail 5 is restrained against further outward movement by stop 6b of fixed frame 6. Except for the componentsjust described, all the other components of this embodiment of the invention are either identical with those shown in FIG. 1 or similar thereto.

Referring to FIG. 3, the spindles 7 are displaced angularly, together with spindle rail 5, from an initial vertical position to an outwardly inclined position, with spindle rail 5 being angularly displaced by mechanical means comprising a well known four-bar linkage mechanism. This mechanism has a central drive shaft 33 which is reversely rotatable through at least a quarter turn and is journalled in bearings on bracket 34 secured to fixed frame 6. Rotary discs 35 are mounted on shaft 33 for rotation therewith. Spindle rail 5 has at least one arm portion 5a pivotally mounted on a horizontal shaft 32 secured to fixed frame 6. A connecting rod 37 has one end pivotally connected to disc 35 and the other end pivotally connected to bracket 30 secured to spindle rail 5. When drive shaft 33 turns in a direction to move connecting shaft 37 outwardly, spindle rail 5 is angularly displaced about the axis of shaft 32 from the initial vertical position to an outwardly inclined position, for the tube exchanging process. When shaft 33 is rotated in the opposite direction, spindle rail 5 is returned into its initial position with the spindles extending vertically. All other components of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 are either identical to or similar to those shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 illustrates a basic fluid pressure system for effecting movement and locating of a spindle rail, and for raising of the ring rail. The system, which may be used for operation of the hydraulic or pneumatic actuators shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, comprises essentially a pressure and control device 40, double-acting cylinder actuators 22, spring-biased cylinder actuators 42, a single-acting cylinder actuator 43, and

conduits

44, 45, 46 and 47 connecting the several components in the system. A pair of double-acting cylinder actuators 22 and a pair of spring-biased cylinder actuators 42 are associated with each spindle rail, with only a single-acting cylinder actuator 43 being associated with ring rail 11.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, each spring-biased cylinder actuator 42 has a taper pin 48 integral with its piston rod 421;, and includes a fixed cylinder 42b secured to fixed frame 6. Spindle rail 5 has holes 5b therein for engaging pins 48 when the spindle rail is in its initial position for the spinning process. Each pin 48 is biased into an associated hole 5b by a spring 420 in the associated cylinder 42b when no hydraulic pressure is applied to the associated actuator, whereby spindle rail 5 is located precisely and fixedly in its initial position during the spinning process. Pins 48 are retracted from holes 5b when hydraulic pressure is applied to actuators 42 to retractpiston rods 42a against the bias of spring 420, thus leaving spindle rail 5 free to be moved.

Single-acting cylinder actuator 43 has a fixed cylinder 43b secured to fixed frame 6, and a piston rod 43a having a pulley 49 rotatably mounted at its outer end. Pulley 49 faces a common belt 38 which has one end connected to a drum 39 and a generally horizontally elongated portion connected to each suspending belt 17 and extending, over guide rollers 29, longitudinally of the machine. Pulley 49 does not engage common belt 38 during the spinning process, in which ring rail 11 is reciprocated vertically and gradually raised, with vertical reciprocation and rotation of drum 39. During the tube exchanging process, when hydraulic pressure is applied to actuator 43, pulley 49 is caused to engage common belt 38 so as to raise ring rail 11 to a location above the full tubes.

Spindle rail 5 is moved outwardly from its initial position to a second position for the tube exchanging process when fluid under pressure is supplied in one direction to actuator 22 to advance piston rod 22a, connected to spindle rail 5, out of fixed cylinder 22b. The spindle rail is returned to its initial positon when the fluid under pressure is supplied in the opposite direction to actuator 22 to retract piston rod 22a into cylinder 22b. While the spindle rail is at rest in either its initial position or in its outward position, it is preferable that the hydraulic pressure be neutral.

FIGS. 5 and 6 schematically illustrate the basic hydraulic and pneumatic circuits, respectively, for the fluid pressure system shown in FIG. 4. It will be seen that the hydraulic and pneumatic circuits are equivalent to each other for effecting the operations just mentioned. In FIGS. 5 and 6, and by way of example, there are shown a pair of double-acting cylinder actuators 22, for moving the spindle rail, a pair of spring-biased lock actuators 42 for locating the spindle rail, a singleacting cylinder actuator 43 for raising the ring rail, a pressure and controldevice 40 including a pressure source 50 and two three-position four-way valves 51, 52, valve 51 being used for controlling the doubleacting cylinder actuators and valve 52 being used to control the single-acting cylinder actuator and the spring-biased cylinder actuators, and

conduits

44, 45, 46 and 47 interconnecting the components.

After the spinning machine has been stopped to permit performance of the tube exchange, valve 52 is directed into a position in which fluid pressure is supplied to actuator 43 and to actuators 42 through

conduits

46 and 47, from pressure source 50, in order to raise the ring rail and to disengage the locating pins from the holes in the spindle rail. Thereafter, valve 51 is directed to a position in which fluid under pressure is fed to the head-side chamber 42c of each actuator 22 from source 50 through conduit 44, and returned to the source from the rod-side chamber 22d through conduit 45, so that the spindle rail connected with the piston rod 22a is moved from its first or initial position to its second or outward position. When the spindle rail reaches its outward position, valve 51 is changed to a neutral position.

In order to return the spindle rail from its outward position to its initial position, valve 51 is directed to another position in which fluid under pressure is fed to the rod-side chamber of each actuator 22 from the source, and fluid is returned from the head-side chamber of each actuator 22 to the source. After the spindle rail has been reversed to its initial position, valve 51 is changed to a neutral position and then valve 52 is directed to another position in which fluid is returned from single-acting cylinder actuator 43 and the springbiased actuators 42 to the source, so that the ring rail is lowered to the location for spinning and the spindle rail is located fixedly in the initial position by engagement of the locating pins in the holes in the spindle rail 5. Finally, valve 52 having been changed to a neutral position, the machine is ready for restarting the spinning operation.

FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate a ring spinning machine similar to that shown in FIG. 1, and which is provided with the tube exchanging apparatus embodying the invention. In FIG. 7, only the spindle rail and spindle 7 on the front of the machine are illustrated, and a corresponding spindle rail and spindles are provided on the rear of the machine. While each row of spindles 7 cooperates with a tube exchanging apparatus, only the apparatus in the front of the machine is shown in FIG. 7, and it will be understood that a corresponding apparatus, embodying the invention, cooperates with the spindles at the rear of the machine. The tube exchanging apparatus simultaneously exchanges all full tubes 23, on the spindles, for empty tubes 24, which requires delivery of empty tubes and removal of full tubes longitudinally of the machine by a conveyor 71 having a row of tube holders 72 shown in phantom.

During longitudinal movement of conveyor 71 in one direction, empty tubes were placed on tube holders 72 by a tube supply device. When the direction of movement of conveyor 71 is reversed, the full tubes on the tube holders move to a receiving station, in which the full tubes are detached from the tube holders and dropped into a container by a tube take-up device. The tube supply and take-up devices are not shown, because they are of well known construction and form no part of the present invention.

The exchange of the full and empty tubes on spindle 7 is effected by the tube exchanging apparatus which includes a plurality of tube transporters 73 spaced apart along spindle rail 5 and conveyor 71. Each tube transporter 73 has a vertical screw shaft 74 which is rotated, through a bevel gear assembly 77, by a common driving shaft 80 in a casing 83 extending along the machine. A carriage 75 is mounted on screw shaft 74, and threadedly engaged therewith. Carriage 75 is reciprocable along shaft 74 in accordance with rotation thereof in opposite directions, along a guide 76 which also serves as a casing for screw shaft 74.

Each carriage 75 has left and right arm portions 75a and 75b, respectively, each supporting a respective end of longitudinally aligned gripper rails 81 whose ends face each other, except for the carriages at the extreme end, each of which supports only a single gripper rail.

Grippers 82 are mounted on rail 81 and spaced from each other the same distance as the spacing of spindles 7. All required movements of the grippers can be obtained by reversible rotation of driving shaft 80. The facing ends of adjacent gripper rails 81 are spaced from each other so that these rails can be lowered below the guide portion 6a of the fixed frame 6. The constructions of grippers 82, which automatically grip the tube ends and release the same again, is known and forms no part of the present invention.

Before the outward movement of spindle rail 5, carriages are raised above the upper ends of the full tubes 23, as seen in FIG. 7. When spindle rail 5 is moved to the outward position, each spindle, shown in phantom, the associated tube holder 72 and the associated gripper 82 are aligned axially with each other, as best seen in FIG. 8. Then the full tubes 23 are doffed or removed from the spindle 7 by the grippers 82, after which spindle rail 5 is returned to its initial position. The carriages 75 are lowered to cause the grippers 82 to place the full tubes on tube holders 72. Then conveyor 71 is moved to feed the full tubes 23 to the takeup device, and is returned with tube holders 72 carrying new empty tubes 24 received from the tube supply device.

After grippers 82 have removed empty tubes 24 from tube holders 72, and retained the empty tubes, carriages 75 are raised and spindle rail 5 is thereafter moved outwardly again. The carriages 75 are then moved to cause the grippers to don or place the empty tubes 24 on the spindles 7, now in their outward position. Thereafter, spindle rail 5 is returned to its initial position, and the carriages 75 are lowered to a rest location.

FIG. 9 illustrates a modified construction of tube transporter 73, which is used for a machine in which spindle rail 5 is angularly displaceable about a pivot from its initial position to an outward position, for tube exchanging. Transporters 73 are inclined and are parallel to a plane defined by the axes of spindles 7 when the spindles are in their angularly outward position. Each transporter has a straight line mechanism of well known construction, which consists essentially of an elongated connecting rod 91, a crank 92, and a slide block 93. Connecting rod 91 has its lower end pivoted on slide block 93, which is keyed to a driving shaft 94. The driving shaft does not rotate, but slides longitudinally of the machine. Each crank 92 has its bottom end pivoted on a bracket secured to base 6c of fixed frame 6, and its upper end is pivoted on connecting rod 91 at the center thereof. Each carriage 75 is swingably mounted on the upper end of its connecting rod 91, for supporting a gripper rail 81 in a horizontal position, grippers 82 being mounted on rail 81 at spacings corresponding to the spacings of spindles 7. As distinguished from the embodiment of FIGS. 7 and 8, the gripper rail extends through substantially the entire length of the machine.

Grippers 82, tube holders 72, and spindles 7 in the angularly outward position shown in phantom in FIG. 9, are axially aligned with each other. As driving shaft 95 reciprocates longitudinally of the machine, the upper ends of connecting rods 91 oscillate in a plane. Thus, grippers 82 are raised and lowered on a line passing through the axes of the tube holders and the spindles in their outward position.

All required movements of gripper rail 81 are derived from longitudinal reciprocation of driving shaft 94. The tube doffing and donning operations are performed automatically, by the apparatus shown in FIG. 9, in the same manner as in the embodiment of FlGS. 7 and 8 in which the grippers have only to reciprocate rectilinearly along the axes of the inclined spindles in cooperation with angular movement of the spindle rail between its initial and outward positions.

In a machine in which the spindle rail is movable to an additional position intermediate the initial and outward positions, the tube exchanging process advantageously is carried out by an apparatus in which the grippers and the tube holders are arranged in two rows on the gripper rail and the conveyor, respectively, as seen in FIGS. 10 through 18. When the spindle rail is located in the outward position, the axes of spindles 7, the outer grippers 82a and the outer tube holders 72a are aligned with each other. When the spindle rail is located in the intermediate position, the axes of spindles 7, the inner grippers 82b and the inner tube holders 72b are axially aligned with each other.

In the position shown in FIG. 10, carriages 75 and gripper rails 81 are in a rest position, in which inner grippers 82b are above inner tube holders 72b, carrying empty tubes 24, and outer grippers 82a are above outer tube holders 72a. Carriages 75 are lowered to a position shown in FIG. 11, in which inner grippers 82b take the empty tubes 24 off inner tube holders 72b. Then the carriages are raised to a position higher than the full tubes, as shown in FIG. 12.

After the spindle rail has been moved to the outward position, as shown in FIG. 13, carriages 75 are reciprocated once to cause outer grippers 82a to doff or remove full tubes 23 from spindles 7, as shown in FIG. 14. Spindle rail then is moved from the outward position to the intermediate position as shown in FIG. 15, and carriages 75 are again reciprocated to cause inner grippers 82b to don or place the empty tubes 24 on spindles 7 in the intermediate position, as shown in FIG. 16.

Thereafter, spindle rail 5 is reversed or returned to its initial position, shown in FIG. 17, in which the spindles 7 engage the tangential belt for rotation of the spindles. Finally, in FIG. 18, carriages 75 are lowered to cause outer grippers 82a to place the full tubes 23 on the outer tube holders 72a, and then the carriages and the grippers are returned to the initial rest position shown in FIG. 10. After the ring rail has been lowered to a location for spinning, the machine is ready to restart the spinning operation.

In this embodiment, the conveyor is not required to move during the tube exchanging process, so that the tube doffing and donning operations are carried out very quickly. Thus, the time in which the machine is stopped for tube exchanging is remarkably shortened as compared with the time required by any other apparatus.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

1. A spinning machine, for forming yarn packages wound on tubes, comprising, in combination, a fixed frame; supporting means mounted on said fixed frame for movement between a first position, for spinning, and a second position spaced outwardly from said first position; said supporting means being mounted on each side of said machine; a respective row of spindles mounted on each supporting means for carrying the tubes thereon, and each supporting means extending over the full length of the associated row of said spindles; drive means on said fixed frame operable to move said supporting means directly from said first position to said second position in a direction perpendicular to the common axial planes of the associated rows of spindles; said spindles being movable with said supporting means between said first and second positions in respective axial planes perpendicular to the common axial planes of the rows of spindles, and being movable from said first position to said second position without substantial rotation of said spindles; respective ring rails, carrying rings, movable to a predetermined location above the full tubes mounted on said spindles of each row; and operating means operable to raise said ring rails to said predetermined location; whereby, when said supporting means are moved from said first position to said second position, after raising of said ring rails to said predetermined location, the tube doffing and donning operations can be performed efficiently due to the large clearance above said spindles in said second position.

2. A spinning machine, as claimed in claim 1, including locating means releasably retaining said supporting means fixedly in said first position with respect to said fixed frame.

3. A spinning machine, as claimed in claim 2, including guide means guiding said supporting means between said first and second positions.

4. A spinning machine, as claimed in claim 2, in which said locating means includes at least one aperture in each supporting means; at least one pin operatably engageable in said aperture; and means mounting said pin on said fixed frame for reciprocation into and out of said aperture.

5. A spinning machine, as claimed in claim 2, in which each supporting means is translated horizontally between said first and second positions.

6. A spinning machine, as claimed in claim 2, wherein said drive means comprises hydraulic drive means.

7. A spinning machine, as claimed in claim 2, wherein said drive means comprises mechanical drive means.

8. A spinning machine, as claimed in claim 2, wherein said drive means, said locating means and said operating means form part of a common hydraulic pressure system.

9. A spinning machine, as claimed in claim 2, wherein said drive means, said locating means and said operating means comprise part of a common pneumatic pressure system.

10. A spinning machine, as claimed in claim 2, wherein each supporting means is angularly displaceable about a respective preselected pivot axis, between said first and second positions.

11. A spinning machine, as claimed in claim 10, wherein said drive means comprises mechanical drive means.

12. A spinning machine, as claimed in claim 10, wherein said drive means, said locating means and said operating means form part of a common hydraulic pressure system.

13. A spinning machine, as claimed in claim 10, wherein said drive means, said locating means and said operating means form part of a common pneumatic pressure system.

14. A spinning machine, as claimed in claim 1, in which said operating means includes belt means suspending said ring rails for vertical displacement; and pulley means operably engageable with said belt means, said pulley means being displaceable in a direction to tension said belt means to raise said ring rails to said predetermined location.

15. A spinning machine, for forming yarn packages wound on tubes, comprising, in combination, a fixed frame; supporting means mounted on said fixed frame for movement between a first position, for spinning, and a second position spaced outwardly from said first position; drive means on said fixed frame operable to move said supporting means between said first and second positions; a row of spindles mounted on said supporting means for carrying the tubes thereon, said spindles being movable with said supporting means between said first and second positions; a ring rail, carrying rings, movable to a predetermined location above the full tubes mounted on said spindles; and operating means operable to raise said ring rail to said predetermined location; whereby, when said supporting means is moved from said first position to said second position, after raising of said ring rail to said predetermined location, the tube doffing and donning operations can be performed efficiently due to the large clearance above said spindles in said second position; said spinning machine further including tube exchanging apparatus; said tube exchanging apparatus including conveyor means having a row of tube holders thereon positioned below and in axial alignment with respective spindles in said second position of said supporting means; at least one tube transporting means mounted on said fixed frame for transporting tubes between said spindles and said tube holders; carriage means and gripper means mounted on said tube transporting means; said gripper means being positioned above and in axial alighment with respective tube holders and being movable with said carriage means in the plane defined by the axes of said spindles in said second position; said gripper means being operable to grip and release the tubes; means operable to move said carriage means with said gripper means thereon; and means operable to reciprocate said carriage means vertically and rectilinearly in said plane defined by the axes of said spindles in said second position; whereby said tube exchanging apparatus is operable automatically to replace full tubes by empty tubes by vertical rectilinear reciprocation of said gripper means, in cooperation with movement of said supporting means between said first and second positions.

16. A spinning machine, as claimed in claim 15, in which said supporting means is mounted on said fixed frame for movement to a third position between said first and second positions; said conveyor means including two rows of tube holders and said gripper means comprising two rows of grippers; the axes of said tube holders in one of said two rows and of said grippers in one of said two rows being coincident with the axes of the respective spindles associated therewith, in said second position; the axes of said tube holders in the other row and said grippers in the other row being coincident with the axes of the associated spindles in said third position; whereby, when said carriage means is reciprocated vertically in cooperation with a single reciprocation of said supporting means between said first, second and third positions, the full tubes are doffed from said spindles in said second position to be placed on said tube holders in said one row by said grippers in said one row; the empty tubes being taken from said tube holders in the other row by said grippers to be donned on said spindles in said third position, by said grippers in the other row.