US3831005A

US3831005A - Textile machine

Info

Publication number: US3831005A
Application number: US00230906A
Authority: US
Inventors: G Martens; H Schippers; K Frolich; K Bauer
Original assignee: Barmag Barmer Maschinenfabrik AG
Current assignee: Oerlikon Barmag AG
Priority date: 1971-03-04
Filing date: 1972-03-01
Publication date: 1974-08-20
Anticipated expiration: 1991-08-20
Also published as: BR7201010D0; DD95522A5; GB1370199A; DE2110348A1; FR2162803A5; DE2110348B2; ES398543A1; DE2110376A1; IT949739B; DE2110348C3; GB1370200A

Abstract

A textile machine with switchable multistage gearing for the adjustment of the turning speed ratio between rotating parts of the textile machine, such as drives, spindles, delivery members, stretching members, and the like, having a control system for switching the respective couplings of the multistage gearing upon a command from a decimal feed-in means having the capability of storing the desired fed in turning speed ratio. The decimal input is converted into a binary coded signal independent of time and compared in a comparison stage with pre-programmed signals representative of settable turning speed ratios.

Description

Unite States Patent [191 Schippers et al.

C in] 3,831,005 Aug. 20, 1974 TEXTILE MACHINE [75] Inventors: Heinz Schippers; Karl H. Bauer;

Gerhard Martens, all of Remscheid; Karl-Werner Frolich, Wuppertal-Langerfeld, all of Germany [73] Assignee: Barmag Barmer Maschinenfabrik Aktiengesellschaft, Wuppertal, Germany 22 Filed: Mar. 1, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 230,906

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Mar. 4, 1971 Germany 2110348 [52] US. Cl 235/616 R, 57/93, 242/DIG. 1 [51] Int. Cl D0lh 13/00 [58] Field of Search 74/335;

l39/317-319; 57/9398, 55.5; 242/DIG. 1; 340/1725; 235/61.6 R, 61.6 F, 61.6 G

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,948,471 8/1960 Laboissiere 235/92 C 3,094,609 6/1963 Weiss 340/ 1 72.5

Primary Examiner-Paul J. Henon Assistant Examiner-Joseph M. Thesz, Jr.

Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Johnston, Keil Thompson & Shurtleff [57] ABSTRACT A textile machine with switchable multistage gearing for the adjustment of the turning speed ratio between rotating parts of the textile machine, such as drives, spindles, delivery members, stretching members, and the like, having a control system for switching the respective couplings of the multistage gearing upon a command from a decimal feed-in means having the capability of storing the desired fed in turning speed ratio. The decimal input is converted into a binary coded signal independent of time and compared in a comparison stage with pre-programmed signals representative of settable turning speed ratios.

4 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures TEXTILE MACHINE Some textile-technical properties of threads and yarns, such as, for example, the twisting and stretching, are achieved by means wherein the material is conducted over or onto rotating machine parts which turn at a certain rate of rotation and/or in a certain turning speed ratio. Thus, for example, in a stretching apparatus, the turning rate of the delivery members, among others, is determined by the admissible staying time of the textile material on the heating device situated in the stretching zone and the turning speed ratio between the draw-off member and the delivery member is determined by the desired stretching. The twist or false twist applied to a thread or a yarn is dependent on the speed ratio between the spindle bringing about the twisting of the yarn or assemblies of similar type used for the purpose and the rolls, roller, godets and the like which determine the running speed of the thread. To adjust the turning rates and turning speed ratios there are used preferably multistage wheel or gear drives which have infinitely adjustable gears for an exact maintenance of the desired turning speed ratio.

conventionally, in the case of such multistage gears in textile machines such as twisting or stretching machines, it is the practice to frequently change gears. The change of gears has many disadvantages. In particular, it requires specialized personnel and a considerable expenditure in time. It leads easily to damage to the gear fittings and teeth as well as to faulty settings. It is also disadvantageous for a textile operation that the work in the gear box during gear change can lead to an oil fouling. These drawbacks can in part be avoided by using multistage gears which are shifted by operation of mechanisms for the shifting of gears, for the engaging and disengaging of gears or for engaging or disengaging of closed-linkage couplings. In the following, such arrangements, by means of which gear wheels are conventionally switched into the influence of a multistage gear, are designated as couplings.

For the adjustment of a certain textile-technical property of the threador yarn (for example, twisting or stretching) in use of a multistage gear switchable over couplings, the following process of machine tending has to be followed:

1. There has to be established by calculation and/or with the aid of a table what calculated speed ratio corresponds to the prescribed value of the textiletechnical property (for example, stretch, twist). Since the speed ratios of the drive of the textile machine are graduated, there has to be allocated to the calculated speed ratio a certain speed ratio drive of the machine.

By means of a further table there then has to be ascertained what couplings or combinations of couplings are to be switched in for the achievement of this turning rate ratio. The couplings selected in this manner must then be engaged by individual demands for each individual textile machine. If and insofar as a reciprocal locking of the couplings within the machine is not provided, the rest of the couplings have to be disengaged. This process is complicated, time-comsuming, affected with a certain error rate and requires trained, reliable operating personnel. The supervision of the personnel and of the machine adjustment is, moreover, very different, because in the checking of the desired turning speed ratio virtually the entire process has to be gone through again. It is an object of the invention to remedy the disadvantages enumerated and to simplify the machine operation, that is, the switching of the multistage gear in such a way that the identical steps of the machine setting have to be carried out only once. Another object is to provide a textile machine with multistage gearing with a control system in which only the desired textile-technical value (stretch, twist) of the thread or yarn or the appropriate speed ratio of the multistage gears has to be set and in which thereupon the appropriate combination of couplings of the multistage gearing is set in automatically.

THE INVENTION The invention provides a control system outside the machine for the bringing about of coupling switch commands, which contains storage arrangements for the storage of the couplings switch commands, and suitable connecting arrangements, over which it is possible to connect the textile machine with the control system simultaneously or sequentially with a number of similar textile machines for a brief time or continuously.

The operation of such a textile machine can take place from a central place of the machine room or plant simultaneously or in alternating sequence with several similar textile machines. The connection between the control system and the textile machine can be established by electrical means and, namely, over cables, group and individual switches, relays, throw switches and the like.

According to a preferred embodiment, the textile machine has a control system which is movable. The connection of the control system with the textile machine is then accomplished by cable connectors.

In one embodiment of the invention the control sys tem has an input system constructed preferably as a keyboard, over which it is possible to feed into the storage arrangements the coupling switch commands required for the setting of a certain turning speed ratio. As storage arrangements there can be used bistable switches, relays, transistors and the like. A textile machine with such a control system is technically simple and cheap. It has the advantage that for a certain program-a specialized machine operation has to take place only once and at a central point. The process already described for the determination of a prescribed combination of coupling switch commands from a prescribed textile-technical property (stretch, twist) of the program cannot, however, be preserved with such a textile machine. A simplification of this process takes place ifas proposed in further development of the inventionthe control system contains an input and scan ning arrangement for the manual input of punch cards on which there are visually readable markings for each turning speed ratio signal or commard segment which bring about a corresponding combination of coupling switch commands.

A further simplification of the machine tending occurs if the control system contains an endlessly circulating data carrier positionable and advanceable by hand, on which there are provided for the usually read able markings of speed ratios corresponding markings for the bringing about of coupling switch commands.

In regard to the two last-mentioned embodiments of the textile machine according to the invention, the punch cards or endlessly circulating data carriers can also have visually readable markings of textiletechnical properties (twist, stretch). Likewise, it can be expedient to mark on the data carrier not only the visually readable values for the turning speed ratios and/or textile-technical properties, but also the ranges of desired values allocated as the variable, adjustable value. Thereby the entire process of allocating to a desired textile-technical property (twist, stretch) a certain combination of coupling switch commands can be anticipated and automated for the machine operation. In order further to simplify the allocation of the desired values to the switchable values, the conveyor arrangement of the data carrier may snap in automatically over an uninterrupted row of prismatic depressions and a prong engaging in these depressions by a pressure spring to change the selected position of a nonadjustable speed ratio into the position of an adjacent, switchable turning speed ratio. As endlessly circulating data carriers, punch hole strips, magnetic tapes, rotatable cylinders or disks and the like may be used.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the control arrangement contains an endlessly circulating data carrier with scanning devices on which to machine-readable markings of the turning speed ratios are allocated to corresponding turning speed ratios switchable by means of the multistage gear for the bringing about of coupling switch commands. As data carriers there again come in consideration endless punch strips, magnetic tapes, rotating cylinders or disks. Instead of the switchable turning speed ratios, the corresponding values of textile-technical properties (twist, stretch) can be stored on the data carrier.

For the operation of the textile machine, the control system has expediently an input device, for example, a ten-digit keyboard and a coding switch with storer, over which the desired turning speed ratio is supplied and converted into binary signals independent of time.

In order to automate the allocation of the prescribed textile technical property (twist, stretch) to a certain computational speed ratio and to the nearest-situated switchable turning speed ratio, the scanning device and the input device or coding circuit with storer likewise may be connected with digital comparison stages, in themselves known, over which the allocated input turning speed ratio to the markings of a switchable identical or adjacent turning speed ratio and an output signal is producible for the take-over of corresponding coupling switch commands from the data carrier. In place of the fed-in or the swtichable translation or turning speed ratios there can be used the corresponding values of the textile-technical properties (twist, stretch).

With the use of the data carriers there exists the further problem of keeping the storage space required for storing the required data, for example the coupling switch commands, small. For this the markings of the data carrier for the switching of the couplings situated on a shaft can be arranged in such a way that they form the binary coding of a continuous series of numbers. Through this type of coding, the couplings situated on a shaft cannot be activated simultaneously.

For such a textile machine with control system there are available the most diverse possibilities for the construction of the control system, of the data carrier and of the other systems.

In an especially simple and economical execution the textile machine is characterized in that the data carrier is a punch card insertable by hand. For each machine there is a card file of punch cards. The selection of a certain punch card is made by hand on the basis of the reading from a visually readable marking of the value of a certain speed ratio or of a corresponding textile technical property (stretch, twist).

In order to make unnecessary the manipulation of a card file it is proposed that the data carrier can be the aforesaid data carriers circulating endlessly, advanceable and positionable by hand, on which the speed ratios switchable by means of the multistage gear are arranged, allocated visually readable, and assigned to markings for the bringing about of the corresponding combination of coupling switch commands. With use of such a data carrier there falls upon the operating personnel only the decision as to the switchable speed ratio or to which adjustable textile technical property (twist, stretch), the desired value is to be allocated. In this decision as a rule the slightest error arising can be decisive. In order to eliminate even this decision it is proposed that the conveying system of the data carrier snap in place automatically over the aforedescribed continuous row of prismatic depressions and a prong pressed by a pressure spring and engaged therein to change an unsettable translation ratio automatically into the position of an adjoining, switchable translation ratio.

As an especially favorable form easily adapted to an automation of the machine operation the data carrier is a constantly circulating endless data carrier, preferably a centrally located steadily rotating punch disk. In this case of automated machine operation an input device, known per se, for decimal numbers is provided for the input of desired speed ratios and a coding circuit, known per se, connected at its output side. The latter is provided with storers for the conversion of decimal numbers into binary coded signals independent of time. Over such arrangements fed-in values of a turning speed ratio can be allocated to the identical values stored on the data carrier and through this allocation there can be brought about the take-over of coupling switch commands from the data carrier. Since a multistage gear, however, permits only the setting of discrete turning speed ratios prescribed from the construction, which do not always correspond to the values of the desired textile-technical properties (stretch, twist), it has provided advantageous to allocate the values of textiletechnical properties of speed ratios to which no certain combination of coupling switch commands corresponds exactly to the combination of coupling switch commands coming closest. Such an allocation can be made, for example, through an electronic counting mechanism which alters the fed-in value upward and downward with equal speed and on identity of one of the modified values with a value stored on the data carrier to bring about an output signal which, in turn, brings about the take-over of the allocated coupling switch commands from the data carrier. As preferred and advantageous there are produced digital comparison stages known in themselves, whose inputs are connected with the input device or coding system with storers on the one hand and the scanning device on the other hand, over which the fed-in turning speed ratio is to be allocated to a turning speed ratio stored in the data carrier, and an output signal is executable for the take-over of coupling switch commands from the data carrier.

For the arrangement of the information on the data carrier it is proposed that the adjustable turning speed ratios and the appertaining combinations of coupling switch commands be stored alternately and in the numerical sequence of the turning speed ratios in a column each arranged perpendicular to the direction of movement of the data carrier.

Further, there is provided a scanning device steadily scanning the data carrier. In order to assure a clear separation of the types of information (turning speed ratios, coupling switch commands) stored on the data carrier and a clear allocation of an input value of a turning speed ratio or of a textile-technical property to the appropriate combination of coupling switch commands, there may be used markings allocated to each column of the data carrier for the triggering of counting pulses as well as a bistable flip-flop stage operated by these. The latter, on the one hand, is connected with the beat input of the digital comparison stages and, on the other hand, in common with its output, over an AND-gate, with a switch-through device for the taking over of coupling switch commands from the data carrier. Further, for the clear allocation of the output stages of the bistable flip-flop stage to the different information types stored in the data carrier, one or more adjoining columns of the data carrier have markings which indicate the beginning of a revolution (circulation) of the data carrier. The zero input of the bistable flip-flop stage is connected with the reading device in such a way that the bistable flip-flop stage is brought into zero position by the pulses coming from these markings. It is expedient that the data carrier has in one column only positive markings and in the adjoining column only negative markings. By scanning these markings it is possible not only to bring about the zero setting of the flip-flop stage, but simultaneously to ascer- 'tain the complete capability of the scanning system for functioning. It is also true here, as in other embodiments, that instead of the speed ratios the corresponding value in each case of a textile-technical property can be marked on the data carrier or set in by means of the feed-in device.

THE DRAWINGS The invention will be further understood and appreciated from the specific embodiments illustrated in the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a textile machine and the control system allocated to it;

FIGS. 2 to 5 illustrate embodiments of the control system for the textile machine;

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a multistage gear switchable by means of couplings;

FIG. 7 is a schematic representation of the storage of coupling switch commands on a data carrier; and

FIG. 8 illustrates circuitry and data carrier details for the control system of the textile machine.

In FIG. 1 the textile machine 1 is connected by an electric cable or other electrical connection 3 with a control system 2. The connection 3 is established by means of plugs 28. A branch-off electrical connection 3' may connect one or more other textile machines to the control system 2.

The textile machine 3 contains a multistage gear 29 by which, by means of the electro-mechanical couplings Kl to KS, 18 different turning speed ratios can be switched between the rotating drive and driven shafts 30' and 30 rotating at n rpm and n1 through n18 rpm, respectively.

The electric circuit diagram of the control system 2 has a keyboard with keys E1 to E8. Each of the keys E1 to E8 is allocated to a coupling K1 to K8. On operation, for example, of the key E3, the relay R3 engages and closes a switch as well as the self-holding circuit SS3. The lockings V3,5 and V3,4 are opened, so that the couplings K4 and K5, which are seated on a shaft with the coupling K3, cannot be operated. As a result of the operation of the relay R3, on establishment of the connection 3 between textile machine 1 and control system 2, the auxiliary relay HR3 in the textile machine is operated. This closes the auxiliary switch H53 and thereby thecurrent circuit in which the coupling relay KR3 is situated. The coupling relay KR3 closes, for one thing, the textile machine self-holding circuit TS3 and, further, the circuit for the operation of the electromechanical couplings K3. Over the self-holding circuit TS3 the circuit for the coupling relay KR3 remains closed even if the connection 3 is uncoupled. The coupling relay KR3 is deenergized and the coupling K3 is disengaged only if the key A of the textile machine is pressed or, by operation of the coupling relay KR4, KRS the locking switch V4,5 is released. The control system 2 preferably is portable. The keys E1 to E8 are operated in the coupling combination determined for the prescribed textile-technical property (such as, for example, twist, stretch) at a central point. The control system can then be moved up by an assistant to each individual machine and connected briefly by means of a plug. Thereby the fed-in and stored combination of coupling switch commands is transferred into the textile machine.

FIG. 3 shows a control system 2 in which the storage of the coupling switch commands takes place by means of a punch card 4. Under position 8 there is presented a range of turning speed ratios (240 to 260) and under this speed ratio (250) settable by means of the multistage gear, to which the 240-260 range is allocated. Likewise it is possible just as well to use in place of these values the values of certain textile-technical properties such as, for example, twist or stretch. In setting up a certain textile technical properties or of a certain turning speed ratio the punch card is selected in whose range this desired value lies. In the row 17 of the punch card there are represented the engageable couplings Kl to K16 of a multistage gear. At 9 there are designated holes, notches, or other markings, by which a switch or the like is operated. Thereby there is applied to certain conductors in the output 26 of the control system an electrical voltage which through connection of the control system 2 with the textile machine 1 is used for the operation of couplings Kl-Kl6. The circuit plan of the textile machine 1 can correspond to the circuit plan illustrated in FIG. 2 of the textile machine 1, with the single distinction that the multistage gear of the textile machine represented in FIG. 3 contains twice the number of couplings.

The control system according to FIG. 4 shows an endless punch strip or band 5, which can be moved and positioned by hand by means of two rollers 7.1 and 7.2. The punch strip contains in each column 19 a certain combination of machine-readable markings 9 (for example holes) for bringing about coupling switch commands. These markings are scanned in the scanning device 6. Thereby output signals, such as, for example, electrical voltages, are impressed upon various conductors and transferred over the connection 3 to one or more textile machines. The circuit diagram of the textile machines can, again, correspond to the circuit diagram represented in FIG. 2. On the punch strip or one of the conveyor rollers 7.1 or 7.2 there are represented visually readable values 8 of textiletechnical properties (stretch, twist) or the corresponding speed ratios and preferably also a range of these values. With the aid of these values the data carrier is positioned. It is expedient to provide between the manual adjusting wheel in FIG. 4 and the actual conveyor roller 7.1 a translation gear to make possible a readily readable representation of the values 8 and a greater data density on the data carrier 5. Since by means of the multistage gear only certain values are settable, the conveyor system 7.1 has prismatic depressions 10 into which the prong 12 pressed by the spring 11 snaps in place. On adjustment of the conveyance distance 7.1 onto an unswitchable value, the conveying device moves under the force of the spring 11 and of the prong 12 into the position of an adjacent switchable value. The depressions 10 are allocated to the columns 19 in such a way that there is always set the value lying closest to the desired value.

FIG. 5 shows a control system with a punch hole disk 13 as data carrier. The punch disk is centrally borne rotatably and is steadily driven by a motor. The punch disk contains in the column 13.4 the coded value of a textile-technical property or of the corresponding speed ratio and in column 13.5 a combination of markings for bringing about the corresponding coupling switch commands. The following columns 13.6 and 13.7 contain alternately each a further value of a textile-technical property or of a speed ratio and the allocated combination of coupling switch commands. The values of the textile-technical properties or speed ratios follow one another in turning direction in numerical sequence. To each column there is allocated a punch 13.1 which brings about a counting pulse. A column 13.2 contains only positive punch holes. A further column 13.3 contains no punches. The columns 13.2 and 13.3 serve to mark the beginning of a revolution of the punch disk 13.

The scanning device 6 is constantly in operation. An input device 14 provides the supplying of the prescribed value of a certain textile-technical property (twist, stretch) or of the corresponding speed ratio. It is a ten-digit keyboard. Engaged in series with the tendigit keyboard is a coding circuit, known per se, with storers 15, through which the fed-in values are transformed into binary coded signals independent of time. These signals serve to call off certain coupling switch commands from the circulating punch disk 13. The signals of the coding circuit or storer 15 as well as the pulses emanating from the scanning device 6 are fed to digital comparators 17 (digital comparison stages). Such digital comparison stages are arranged in such a way and in this example switched in such a way that an output signal 17.1 is brought about when the value fed in over the coding circuit or storer 15 is identical to or greater than the value fed in over the reading device 6. The digital comparators are controlled by a clock or timing input from a bistable flip-flop stage 24 and thereby set in operation. The bistable flip-flop stage on its part is driven by the counting pulses generated by means of the markings 13.1 and brought into zero position over its zero input 24.2 by means of pulses emanating from the columns 13.2 and 13.3. This assures that the positive output signal 24.1 of the bistable flip-flop stage 24 is present only then and correspondingly, digital comparison stages 17 are in operation only when by means of the scanning device 6 a column is scanned in which there is stored the value of a textile-technical property (twist, stretch) or of a corresponding translation ratio, for example, in column 13.4. The negative output signal 24.1 of the bistable flip-flop is applied in common with the output signal 17.1 of the digital comparison stages 17 to AND-gate 25, whose output signal brings about the issuing of the coupling switch commands over a switch-through device 23. The circuit of the textile machine can, again, correspond to the circuit represented in FIG. 2.

Over a line 27 the signals coming from the coding circuit with storers 15 or from the input device 14 can be transmitted directly to an indicating device, which is mounted on the control system or the textile machine and serves to make visible the fed-in value.

The multistage gearing of FIG. 6 is a switchable multistage gear by which on provision of a constant turning rate It through switching different combinations of couplings K10 to K although 18 different turning rates n l-l8 can be set in. The switching of the couplings takes place, for example, electromagnetically. The couplings situated on a shaft have to be locked with respect to one another mechanically or electrically, since the simultaneous switching on of two or more couplings situated on a shaft can cause damage to the couplings, gear wheels or other gear parts.

In order to bring about this locking and simultaneous to save storage space for the coupling switch commands on the data carrier, the coupling switch commands are coded in the manner shown in FIG. 7. In the column 17a there are presented the switchable couplings. There are 16 couplings under consideration in FIG. 6.

Of these 16 couplings (Km-K160) the couplings which are represented in a field, thus, for example, the couplings Kl0/K20 or K30/K40/K50 are arranged on respective shafts. As represented in column 9a, to each of the couplings situated on one shaft there is allocated a binary number in progressive numerical sequence. These binary numbers are stored on tracks 18a and columns 19'a of the data carrier 16a. Each binary number needs for its representation on the data storer as many tracks as it has positions. This means that, for example, for the representation of the couplings K110, K120, K130, K only two tracks are required. The data carrier 16 in FIG. 7 contains in the represented column 19a markings 9a, for example, holes, through which coupling switch commands are brought about. In the column 19"a the couplings are enumerated whose switching commands are stored in column l9a.

FIG. 8 shows the control system of the textile machine with a punch card insertable by hand. It should be mentioned that instead of the punch card there can be used also notched cards or cards with similar markings. Each punch card 4 carries an imprint which desig' nates a certain value or value range of a textiletechnical property or of a corresponding turning speed ratio. This imprint serves for the hand selection of the punch card from a card file. In the row 8a there are represented the 16 switchable couplings of the multistage gear of the textile machine. Two tracks 18a of markings, for example, holes, bring about the switching of relays K to K160 (only K10 to K70 are illustrated in FIG. 8).

The coupling switch commands-as described above in reference to FIG. 7-are coded. By means of the punch card represented in FIG. 3, therefore, the couplings K20, K50, K70, K120, K130, K160 are switchable. By the means of AND-gates the auxiliary relays HR2, HRS, HR7, HR12, I-IR13, I-IR16 are actuated. The corresponding combination of self-holding circuits (S1 to S16) as well as the reciprocal combination of locking switches (V1 to V16), being closed, respectively are opened. The switched-in couplings do not unlock again until the switch A is operated.

The endless band or strip control system units of FIG. 4 may be used in lieu of the punch card 40 in the control system of FIGS. 6-8. Also, the punch disk control system may be substituted for the punch card control system of these same figures.

The advantage of the invention lies in that there are saved specialized and auxiliary personnel for the machine operation, the operation is simplified, the tending time shortened, a central operation made possible and the increased danger of false performances existing in the case of constant repetition of the same working steps is reduced. The invention makes possible, further, an extensive automation of working processes which hitherto had to be carried out by calculations and manual adjustments. The allocation of prescribed textile technical properties (twist, stretch) to the corresponding machine commandshere coupling switch commands-which comprises several working steps as well as the carrying out of these switching commands, is simplified and automated. The requirement in personnel skill as well as the error rate in the machine tending is lowered and the monitoring of the machine facilitated. The use of a data carrier for the allocation of desired values and machine switching commands permits, with the great density of data storage possible today and the good possibilities of resolution of the mechanical, electronic, magnetic, pneumatic or other scanning devices, a very small, light construction of the entire control system. It makes it possible to make the control system portable, to integrate it into the machine, or to allocate to a central control board.

It is through that the invention and its numerous attendant advantages will be fully understood from the foregoing description, and it is obvious that numerous changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, or sacrificing any of its attendant advantages, the forms herein disclosed being preferred embodiments for the purpose of illustrating the invention.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A textile machine for processing yarns or threads which comprises a drive shaft, at least one drive shaft coupled to said drive shaft by switchable multistage gearing composed of multiple drive gears capable of being coupled in various gear combinations for the adjustment of the rotation rate ratio between said drive and driven shafts, each driven shaft rotatably driving a plurality of respective spindles, delivery members, draw off members, stretching devices or the like mounted in common on each driven shaft, and an electronic control system for switching the respective couplings of the multistage gears, said system containing feed-in means for decimal numbers for the feeding in of desired rotation rate ratios and a coding circuit with storer means on the output side of the feed-in means for the conversion of decimal numbers into binarycoded signals independent of time, a storage means with scanning means, the storage means generating signals, corresponding to rotation rate ratios settable by means of the multistage gears for the bringing about of the gear combination desired in each case, of coupling switch commands allocated for the gear combination providing the appropriate rate of rotation of said driven shafts to attain the desired technical properties for the particular yarn or thread, and digital comparison stages whose inputs are connected with either said feed-in means or said coding circuit with said storer means, as well as to the scanning means, said digital comparison stages producing an output signal which triggers the issuing of one of said coupling switch commands by said storage means when the input rate of rotation ratio of said feed-in means or said coding circuit corresponds to a rate of rotation ratio stored in said storage means.

2. A textile machine according to claim 1, said scanning means including means for steadily scanning said storage means.

3. A textile machine according to claim 1, means in said storage means for the triggering of counting pulses as well as a bistable flip-flop stage operated by the pulses, the bistable flip-flop stage being connected with the operation input of the digital comparison stages and also in common with the output of the digital comparison stages via an AND-gate, and a switch-through means for the issuing of coupling switch commands from the storage means.

4. A textile machine according to claim 1, and keyboard means in said control system for the setting of

Claims

1. A textile machine for processing yarns or threads which comprises a drive shaft, at least one drive shaft coupled to said drive shaft by switchable multistage gearing composed of multiple drive gears capable of being coupled in various gear combinations for the adjustment of the rotation rate ratio between said drive and driven shafts, each driven shaft rotatably driving a plurality of respective spindles, delivery members, draw off members, stretching devices or the like mounted in common on each driven shaft, and an electronic control system for switching the respective couplings of the multistage gears, said system containing feed-in means for decimal numbers for the feeding in of desired rotation rate ratios and a coding circuit with storer means on the output side of the feed-in means for the conversion of decimal numbers into binary-coded signals independent of time, a storage means with scanning means, the storage means generating signals, corresponding to rotation rate ratios settable by means of the multistage gears for the bringing about of the gear combination desired in each case, of coupling switch commands allocated for the gear combination providing the appropriate rate of rotation of said driven shafts to attain the desired technical properties for the particular yarn or thread, and digital comparison stages whose inputs are connected with either said feed-in means or said coding circuit with said storer means, as well as to the scanning means, said digital comparison stages producing an output signal which triggers the issuing of one of said coupling switch commands by said storage means when the input rate of rotation ratio of said feed-in means or said coding circuit corresponds to a rate of rotation ratio stored in said storage means.

4. A textile machine according to claim 1, and keyboard means in said control system for the setting of each rotation rate ratio.