WO2005040481A1

WO2005040481A1 - Device for the preparation of bobbins for introduction into a shuttle

Info

Publication number: WO2005040481A1
Application number: PCT/CH2004/000640
Authority: WO
Inventors: Franz Lässer; Hanno Nussbaumer
Original assignee: Lässer Ag
Priority date: 2003-10-23
Filing date: 2004-10-25
Publication date: 2005-05-06
Also published as: KR20060095766A; EP1675993A1; WO2005040480A1; KR20060112646A; EP1675992A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (51), for the preparation of a bobbin (11), for introduction into a shuttle of a shuttle machine, comprising a housing (53), with a bobbin seat (45) therein, with a seat axis (47) and embodied for housing the bobbin (11), parallel to the seat axis (47). At least one thread opening (55), leading out of the housing (53) from the bobbin seat (45) and a means for guiding the free bobbin thread end of a bobbin (11) on the bobbin seat (45) are further provided. At least one sensor (76) is also provided, which can determine whether a bobbin thread (23) extends through the opening (55). The device also comprises a junction (61), by means of which bobbins (11), which have a bobbin thread (23) detected, are passed on and the others, for which no bobbin thread is detected, can be picked out. On the preparation of bobbins (11) for the shuttles of a knitting machine the following steps are thus carried out: introduction of a bobbin (11) to a bobbin seat (45), search for the bobbin thread (23), extension of the bobbin thread end into a recognition zone (55), recognition of the presence of a thread (23), cutting the bobbin thread and sorting of the bobbins (11). A bobbin (11) for a shuttle on a shuttle machine is thus particularly suitable for such a process when the thread body (21) on the bobbin (11) is secured.

Description

Device for preparing bobbins for filling in a boat

Ship embroidery machines work with a two-thread system. The front thread, which is unwound from relatively large bobbins and is embroidered on the embroidery base, is looped behind the embroidery base with a rear thread. The rear thread is in relatively small bobbins in so-called boats. Since the amount of back thread is limited by the bobbin size, the shuttle must be equipped with new bobbins from time to time. This is a complex work for which machines have been repeatedly developed.

Such machines for loading boats with new bobbins rely on the fact that the bobbins are always in the same orientation and are therefore automatically inserted correctly into the boats with the same sequence of movements. Only the alignment with respect to the two bobbin ends with and without bobbin thread ends plays a role.

On the basis of the knowledge that the thread is present at one end or at the other end of a bobbin, DE-A-101 35 130 proposes a method and a device which have the purpose of orienting the bobbins in the same way and grasping the bobbin thread. The bobbin thread is deliberately not measured, since it has been found that it is extremely difficult to identify which end of the bobbin the thread lies on. This is because such threads on bobbins also tended to be partially wrapped or kinked around the bobbin, so that they fit tightly against the outer circumference of the bobbin and were difficult to measure. In the proposed method, therefore, the thread is searched for at both ends of a bobbin with two suction clamping devices and the thread found is clamped while the bobbin is held in a holding device. The bobbin is then pushed out of the holding device onto a sliding surface which is inclined downwards. The bobbin then hangs on the clamped bobbin thread and rotates accordingly with the end of the bobbin held up and the free end down. Now the bobbin thread can be released so that the bobbin can always be fed in the same orientation to a lift station and finally inserted into a boat. However, this method and the device for carrying out this method have the disadvantage that bobbins, the bobbin thread of which are not detected by the suction clamping device, are fed to the boat in any orientation without being recognized. There is therefore a need to inspect the boats that have been refilled in this way. In this case, those boats where bobbins were used whose bobbin thread was not found and therefore could not be threaded must be elirated.

It may also happen that the bobbin's abdominal thread gets into the suction clamp and therefore the abdominal thread may be threaded into the boat.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a device with which the bobbins are better prepared. When filling bobbins in boats, the proportion of boats in which the bobbin thread cannot be properly threaded should be reduced by the improved preparation of the bobbins.

The object is achieved by a device with the features of claim 1 and a method with the features of claim 15.

A device for preparing a bobbin for filling into a boat for a boat embroidery machine has a housing, therein a bobbin seat, which has a seat axis and is designed for receiving the bobbin oriented parallel to the seat axis. There is also a thread opening for receiving the bobbin thread and a means for guiding the free bobbin thread end of a bobbin present on the bobbin seat through the thread opening. There is also a means by which it can be determined whether a bobbin thread extends through the opening. Finally, the device has a switch, thanks to which those bobbins whose bobbin thread has been found can be forwarded and the others whose bobbin thread has not been found can be sorted out.

Thanks to the sorting of bobbins due to the fact that the bobbin thread has been found or not found, the proportion of boats in which the bobbin thread is not correctly threaded can be reduced. This increases the successful loading of bobbins and the throughput of a filling machine automatic filling of boats. This also protects the boats, because emptying and filling badly filled boats again unnecessarily strains them.

So that the search for the bobbin thread is easy, the receptacle for the bobbin is advantageously designed such that the bobbin axis of a bobbin present therein coincides with the seat axis and that the bobbin axis and the seat axis intersect the housing in the region of the thread opening. The thread opening is therefore axially aligned with the seat axis and the bobbin axis. Since the bobbin thread end protrudes from the bobbin at one of the two axial ends of the bobbin, this bobbin thread end is very close to the thread opening and is easy to suck through the thread opening.

The device is expediently aligned with a cutting device on the housing, with which the free bobbin thread end guided through the thread opening can be cut to a certain length. This enables the length of the bobbin thread to be standardized.

A sensor for detecting the bobbin thread is advantageously present and the switch can be controlled on the basis of the detection of the sensor. This allows the bobbins to be sorted automatically.

Since the bobbin thread must be searched for at each of the two axial ends of the bobbin, the device preferably has a thread opening on two opposite sides of the housing, a sensor for fixing the bobbin thread and a cutting device.

The sensor is advantageously arranged in the area of the thread opening and the bobbin thread is determined in the thread opening. The thread is advantageously detected by measuring the light emitted by a light source and reflected by the thread. So that the small amount of light reflected by the thread can be measured, it is extremely important that the amount of light emitted that does not hit the thread is completely swallowed. For this purpose, there is a hole in the axis of the emitted light behind the thread, which has a black surface over a length of 5 to 15 cm, preferably about 8 to 12 cm, and is then closed off with a black surface. A controller and an actuator controlled by the controller are expediently present. These serve to set the switch in a first and a second position. The control sets the switch in the first position and thereby guides a bobbin in a first direction if no bobbin thread has been detected in the bobbin. It sets the switch in a second position and thereby guides the bobbin in a second direction when a bobbin thread has been recognized.

If the bobbin could also be gripped by a gripper and could be put down again in a directed manner according to the location of the thread, it is preferred that the bobbin seat is a rotating part that is arranged rotatably about an axis of rotation perpendicular to the seat axis relative to the housing. There is a drive for rotating the rotating part relative to the housing about the axis of rotation and an output leading to the switch in the housing. The output is in two rotational positions of the rotating part axially to the seat axis. Therefore, with a control of the drive that is dependent on the location of the detection of the bobbin thread, it can be ensured that the ends of the bobbin are forwarded with the same orientation with and without the bobbin thread. This is done by turning the rotating part in one or the other direction, depending on whether the thread was detected by one or the other sensor.

For this purpose, the rotating part with the drive can advantageously be rotated in one and the other direction of rotation by approximately 90 degrees with respect to the starting position.

A movable duct piece, which can be moved from one end position to a second end position, advantageously serves as a switch. In at least one end position, the channel piece is aligned at both ends with a connecting channel.

The means for guiding the free bobbin thread end through the thread opening is preferably an air suction. Such an air suction is achieved by a vacuum medium connected to the thread opening. The air suction is expediently passed between the two blades of a pair of scissors. In this way, the thread can easily be cut when stretched. In order to be able to rotate the rotating part, a gearwheel which is in engagement with a toothed rack is advantageously arranged on the axis of rotation of the rotating part. This rack is connected to at least one compressed air cylinder, advantageously two compressed air cylinders acting on a common effective axis and acting in opposite directions. By doubling the pressure cylinder, a double drive path is achieved. The movable channel is also expediently connected to a compressed air cylinder, so that the end position of the channel is given by the position of the compressed air cylinder. Furthermore, the cutting device is advantageously a pair of scissors, at least one blade of which is connected to a compressed air cylinder, and the scissors can be actuated by actuating the compressed air cylinder. The actuation of the moving parts by means of a pressure cylinder is a proven and inexpensive solution.

A method according to the invention for processing bobbins for the shuttle of an embroidery machine has the steps set out in claim 15. After inserting a bobbin into a bobbin seat, the bobbin thread is searched for. For this purpose, the bobbin thread end is stretched into a detection area and the bobbin thread present therein is recognized in the detection area. Or no thread is recognized if there is no bobbin thread. Then the bobbin is sorted. The sorting is based on the knowledge of the bobbin thread.

After recognizing the bobbin thread in the detection area, the bobbin is advantageously fed to a channel, which channel is used for forwarding in the direction of an intermediate storage or in the direction of the shuttle. However, if the bobbin thread is not recognized, the bobbin is sorted out.

Around the bobbin always in the same orientation, e.g. With the bobbin end having the bobbin thread forward to the rear, the bobbin whose bobbin thread has been recognized is rotated in one direction or the other.

Before looking for the bobbin thread, the abdominal thread is advantageously treated. The abdominal thread can generally be secured so that it cannot unwind. The abdominal thread can be secured, for example, by: gluing with adhesive or by heating plastic-containing threads, stopping the thread, for example by means of a thread piercing the abdominal winding, shrinking on a shrink tube or Wrapping with a film. Too long a bobbin abdominal thread can be cut short. This prevents the abdominal thread from entering the detection area and being mistakenly recognized as bobbin thread.

Regardless of its further treatment, a bobbin can be prepared in such a way that the bobbin's abdominal thread is glued. An advantageous method for gluing is in particular heating the abdominal thread, e.g. by burning the abdominal filament. For this purpose, the winding of the abdominal thread can be touched with a flame or a hot surface. In the process, plastic parts of adjacent thread passages merge so that the abdominal thread can no longer come loose. This is advantageously done when winding the bobbin, but can also be carried out when preparing the bobbin for filling in a boat.

In the case of a bobbin for a boat, a small bow embroidery machine with an abdominal thread wound around the bobbin body is advantageous in that the abdominal thread is glued. Such bobbins are insensitive insofar as the abdominal thread cannot come loose during storage and further processing.

The invention also relates to a bobbin separator with which the bobbins can be lined up as gently as possible and dispensed individually. Thanks to gentle treatment of the bobbins, it can be avoided that the abdominal thread of the bobbins comes loose.

Such a bobbin separator is a device for separating a large number of bobbins which are present in a disordered manner. This device includes a bobbin container for disorderly receiving a plurality of bobbins, a conveyor for lifting bobbins from the bobbin container and discharging them one after another into a storage space, and a storage space for lining up the bobbins one after the other. The conveyor has a platform which can be moved in height and which can be repeatedly raised along an inclined side wall of the bobbin container from a lowest point of the bobbin container via a bobbin bed in the bobbin container. This platform is so narrow that a bobbin can only be conveyed on it if its longitudinal axis lies in the longitudinal direction of the platform. In order to protect the bobbins as much as possible and to avoid rubbing the bobbins against each other and on the moving platform as far as possible, the device has a baffle in an upper area of the bobbin container, which keeps the bobbins away from the conveyor in the upper area of the bobbin holder. This baffle is missing in a lower area so that the bobbins have access to the conveyor in the lower area and are driven under the baffle thanks to gravity. In this way it can be avoided that the conveyed bobbin and the platform are conveyed through the bobbins over the entire lifting height and thereby scrape and bump on all the many bobbins.

If a conveyor belt is also possible as a conveyor, a platform which is formed on a stamp is preferred. The device is equipped with a drive for repeatedly moving the stamp up and down.

The platform is expediently surrounded on three sides by the wall over the entire lifting height, so that the bobbin lying thereon cannot fall off the platform so easily and is present at a relatively precisely defined location.

The platform can advantageously be stopped at a certain lifting height. This is very easy if the platform is a stamp. At this height, a compressed air nozzle is arranged on one narrow side of the platform. On the narrow side of the platform opposite the compressed air nozzle there is an opening leading to the storage space, through which an existing bobbin on the platform can be blown out of the compressed air nozzle with the aid of compressed air. As a result, the bobbins get from this uppermost position of the platform directly in a row in the longitudinal direction of their longitudinal axis into a storage space.

The width and the length of the platform are expediently dimensioned such that there is only space for a single bobbin. This avoids that two bobbins conveyed together are jammed together during the transfer from the conveyor to the storage space. The bobbin container advantageously has a first chamber and a second chamber. The first chamber has space for a large number of bobbins and has a conveyor floor to convey the bobbins from the first to the second chamber.

The first chamber is advantageously separated from the second chamber by the baffle.

It is advantageous to have a sensor and a controller to monitor a filling level of the second chamber and to drive or stop the conveyor floor according to the filling level. This can ensure that there are always bobbins in the second chamber and that there are only a few bobbins in the second chamber. This reduces the friction between the bobbins and between the bobbins and the conveyor, thereby minimizing the damage to the bobbins during the separation process.

So that the preparation of the bobbins can take place at short intervals in the devices described above, it is desirable that the bobbins are in each case ready for a next processing step and can only be called up. For this purpose, the bobbins must be placed in the next facility as evenly and as quickly as possible. In order to feed a bobbin from a waiting position into a facility within a short time interval, the facility must be accelerated. Therefore, a means for accelerating the bobbin is provided in the above-described devices for preparing bobbins for filling into a boat. As a means of acceleration at a point at which an individual bobbin has to be accelerated, a compressed air nozzle is expediently arranged, which is arranged in such a way that the air emerging from the compressed air nozzle accelerates the bobbin in the desired direction.

The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the figures. It shows:

1 is a bobbin with belly thread and bobbin thread,

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a sorter according to the invention, in which the sorting takes place in that the abdominal thread is held firmly and the bobbin is passed on or sorted out thanks to gravity. 3 shows a view of the sorter according to FIG. 2, in which a bobbin lies in the bobbin seat, FIG. 4 shows a vertical section through the sorter with the bobbin in the bobbin seat, FIG. 5 shows a view of the sorter with the forwarded bobbin, FIG. 6 7 shows a perspective view of a second exemplary embodiment of a sorter according to the invention, in which the bobbin thread is recognized by a sensor and the bobbin is actively mechanically turned and forwarded or sorted out, FIG. 8 shows an exploded view of the sorter according to FIG 7, FIG. 9 shows a side view of the sorter according to FIGS. 7 and 8, FIG. 10 shows a section through the sorter, FIG. 11 shows a perspective view of an arrangement for preparing the bobbins for filling into a boat, FIG. 12 shows a Longitudinal section through the storage tube between the Bobbin singler and Scherler, Fig. 13 is a perspective view e 14 shows a perspective view of the bobbin separator according to FIG. 13, FIG. 15 shows a perspective view of the storage space tube with rocker and connection to the bobbin container, FIG. 16 shows a perspective bottom view below the bobbin separator.

The bobbin 11 shown in Figure 1 has a bobbin body 13 with a first end 15 and a second end 17. The bobbin body 13 is achieved by a cross winding of the thread. One end of the thread is wound like a belt 19 several times around the bobbin body 13 and is thus confirmed. This end is called abdominal thread 21. The other end usually protrudes from the axial bobbin cavity. This other end is called bobbin thread 23 and is continuously drawn off during embroidery. The bobbin thread 23 is pulled out of the inside of the bobbin body 13 at the second end 17. The designation of the first and second end is determined below based on the location at which the bobbin thread 23 is pulled out. The winding direction can be different. In such bobbins, the bobbin thread 23 must be searched so that the bobbin can be filled with the second end toward the tip of a boat into a boat and the thread can be threaded into the boat. If no bobbin thread is found in the bobbin because this thread end is hidden inside the bobbin, then the bobbin thread 23 cannot be threaded into a boat. If the bobbin 11 is turned upside down, that is to say with the second end being filled into the boat with the round end of the boat, then the bobbin thread 23 cannot be threaded either.

There is also a certain danger that instead of the bobbin thread 23, the abdominal thread 21 is grasped and held for the bobbin thread 23. This also leads to an incorrectly loaded boat. To avoid this, the abdominal thread must not be too long and must not unwind. Excess lengths of the abdominal thread can be cut back. So that the abdominal thread cannot be unwound, it is advantageously glued. This can be done by applying an adhesive. Since most of the shuttle threads are made of plastic or at least also contain a portion of plastic fibers, the abdominal thread can be glued by heating the abdominal thread 21 in the region of the belt 19. For this purpose, the abdominal thread 21 can advantageously be brought into contact with a hot surface, or it can be scorched with a flame.

The sorter 31 shown in FIGS. 2 to 6 sorts the bobbins 11, in which a bobbin thread 23 is found, with the second end 17 upwards, into a forwarding funnel 33. A switch for sorting out those bobbins in which no bobbin thread 23 is found, is achieved in that these bobbins roll away over a rolling surface 35 and do not reach the forwarding funnel 33. This sorting is done simply by holding the bobbin thread 23 and thereby rolling the bobbin. The sorter is structured as follows:

The sorter 31 has a forwarding funnel 33, the narrower opening of which is directed downwards in a functional position, and the further opening of which is directed upwards. The rolling surface 35 is arranged above the further opening. The rolling surface 35 is inclined, as a result of which a bobbin 11 lying thereon rolls over the rolling surface 35, provided that it is not retained by a barrier 37. In the rolling surface there is a slot opening 39, through which such a barrier 37 from below Rolling surface protrudes over the rolling surface 35. An actuation mechanism (compressed air cylinder 41) is arranged under the rolling surface, with which the barrier 39 can be pulled down through the slot opening and thus cleared out of the way, or pushed up again and thus placed in the way.

A bobbin 11 can reach the rolling surface 35 through a feed pipe 43 and then remain on a bobbin seat 45. The bobbin seat 45 is formed by the inclined rolling surface 35 and the barrier 37 protruding beyond the rolling surface. It is longer in the axial direction of the bobbin than the bobbin. The rolling surface 35 and the barrier 37 form an angle, the angular edge of this angle being perpendicular to a falling line of the inclined rolling surface 35. In the bobbin seat 45, the bobbin 11 lies with the bobbin axis parallel to this angular edge. The bobbin axis therefore coincides with the seat axis 47 of the bobbin seat 45. This seat axis 47 is now also an axis through two thread openings or suction holes 48 of two suction clips 49, 50. Therefore, the thread openings 48 of the suction clamps 49, 50 lie directly at the exits of the central cavity of the bobbin 11. Compressed air can also be supplied to the suction clamp via the vacuum hose connected to the suction clamps 49, 50. This compressed air causes an air blast from the thread opening 48. With such air blows, the thread present in the thread opening 48 can be blown out. The suction clamps are therefore able to suck in, clamp, let go and blow out the thread.

The rolling surface 35 is narrower than the forwarding funnel 33 underneath. If a bobbin 11 falls laterally from the rolling surface 35, it falls into the forwarding funnel 33. However, the rolling surface 35 is led beyond the edge of the forwarding funnel 33 in the falling line, so that a bobbin runs along the falling line falls alongside the forwarding funnel 33.

This sorter 31 functions as follows: A bobbin 11 reaches the bobbin seat 45, for example, through the feed pipe 43 and remains there in a directed manner. The bobbin axis essentially coincides with an axis through the two thread openings of the suction clamps 49, 50. The bobbin is held in the bobbin seat 45 by the barrier 37 protruding beyond the rolling surface 35 (see FIGS. 3 and 4). Now the two suction clamps 49.50 are put into operation. The suction clamps 49, 50 suck and blow, eg alternate first and then simultaneously suck the bobbin thread 23 and are finally closed. An end of the bobbin thread 23 protruding into the opening is clamped when the suction clamp is closed. The compressed air cylinder 41 is now actuated so that the piston in the cylinder is withdrawn and the barrier 37 is lowered through the slot opening 39 below the surface of the rolling surface 35. Therefore, the bobbin 11 is no longer held by the bobbin seat 45 and begins to roll over the rolling surface 35.

If the bobbin thread 23 is now clamped in one of the suction clamps, the bobbin is held on the bobbin thread 23 with this suction clamp (e.g. 49) and therefore pivots when unrolling around a center point at the suction hole or at the thread opening 48 of the suction clamp 49 (see FIGS. 5 and 6). The bobbin 11 passes beyond the lateral edge of the rolling surface 35 and falls into the forwarding funnel 33. Now the suction clamps 49 and 50 are opened again, so that the bobbin thread is released and the bobbin 11 falls completely into the funnel and, if necessary, towards it loading ship can leave. A prerequisite for the correct functioning of such a sorting device 31 is that the bobbin threads provide sufficient pull-out resistance. Bobbin threads that are too easy to pull out may prevent the bobbins from falling into the transfer hopper 33, even though the thread has been caught, and the bobbin threads may be pulled out too long and therefore tend to get stuck or tangled somewhere.

A completely different sorter 51 is shown in FIGS. 7 to 11. This sorter 51 actively sorts the bobbins 11 by mechanically rotating the bobbin seat 45 and the bobbin 11 located therein and also cuts the bobbin thread to an optimal length. This sorter 51 is constructed as follows:

The sorter 51 has a housing 53 and in the housing 53 a bobbin holder 54 which can be rotated relative to the housing 53. The bobbin 11 falls into this bobbin holder 54. In the reel holder 54, the reel 11 is held in a reel seat 45 in a directionally oriented manner. The longitudinal axis of the bobbin 11 therefore coincides with the seat axis 47. In a basic position of the bobbin holder 54, this is directed such that the bobbin ends 15, 17 in Neighboring to thread openings 55 formed in the housing 53. The thread openings 55 are connected to a vacuum pump 60 shown schematically in FIG. 8 and to a compressed air pump. The bobbin thread 23 can thus be sucked in under vacuum through one of the two thread openings 55.

The bobbin holder 54 can be rotated about an axis 57 (FIG. 8) perpendicular to the seat axis 47 relative to the housing 53 by 90 degrees in both directions of rotation. An ejection opening 59 (FIG. 8) is present in the housing 53 between the two thread openings 55. A switch tube 61 connects to this ejection opening 59. The switch tube 61 can be pivoted between two positions. In both positions, the switch tube 61 is aligned at one end with the ejection opening 59. In a basic position, the switch tube 61 is aligned at the other end with a reject tube 63 shown in FIG. 11. In the other position, the switch tube 61 is aligned at the other end with a second storage space or a storage space tube 65 (FIG. 11). The pivoting can be achieved by means of a compressed air cylinder 67.

Two coupled compressed air cylinders 69 actuate a toothed rack 71. This is in engagement with a toothed wheel 56 (FIG. 8) on the axis of rotation 57 of the reel holder 54. The bobbin holder 54 can therefore be rotated with the compressed air cylinders 69.

On the outside of the housing 53, suction hoods 73 are attached via the thread openings 55. In each of these suction hoods 73 there are scissors 75 at the exit of the thread opening 55. With these scissors 75, the bobbin thread 23 can be cut back to approximately the length of the thread opening 55. A sensor 76 (shown in dashed lines in FIG. 7) is arranged between the bobbin 11 or the bobbin holder 54 and the scissors 75 and detects the bobbin thread 23 located in the thread opening 55.

The sensor 76 has a light source and a light receiver and measures the amount of light reflected by the thread 23. The thread background is designed to absorb light so that as far as possible no light reflects back from the thread background. For high light absorption, a bore 78 (FIG. 8) is formed behind the thread 23 in the transmission direction of the light source of the sensor 76 and a tube 79 is arranged therein. This hole and this tube has a black inside. The tube is closed at its end 81.

The housing 53, an abutment 83 for the two coupled compressed air cylinders 69, an abutment 66 for the compressed air cylinder 67 for pivoting the switch tube 61, a bearing 85 of the switch tube 61 and an abutment 86 for a cylinder 87 actuating the scissors 75 are fixed and immovable with one another connected.

The sorter 51 operates as follows: The bobbin thread 23 is sucked through one of the thread openings 55 with negative pressure. The sensor 76 is used to check whether and in which thread opening 55 the bobbin thread 23 is present. To intensify the thread search, the vacuum can be changed and only applied on one side. To further intensify the thread search, suction can alternately be drawn in through one thread opening 55, while compressed air is blown out through the other thread opening. This blowing and sucking is alternated. As a result, in most cases the bobbin thread 23 can be found and sucked into one of the thread openings 55. As soon as the bobbin thread 23 is detected by the sensor 76, the scissors 75 are actuated. Then the bobbin holder 54 is rotated 90 degrees. The direction of rotation depends on the thread opening 55 in which the bobbin thread 23 was determined. The bobbin 11 should end with the end 15 without bobbin thread 23 in the switch tube 61. The end 17 with the bobbin thread 23 is therefore directed upward and rearward with respect to the conveying direction. To eject the bobbin 11, a compressed air nozzle 77 is arranged in the housing 53 opposite the ejection opening 59. Air is blown through this nozzle 77 as soon as the bobbin holder 54 is rotated 90 degrees with respect to the basic position.

The ejected bobbin 11 then arrives in a storage space 65 (FIG. 11). If, despite an intensive search, no thread has been found, the switch tube 61 is aligned with the reject tube 63 and the bobbin 11 passes through the reject tube 63 to a location for reject bobbins.

The sorter 51 is expediently installed in an automatic machine for filling boats with bobbins. There it is, as shown in FIG. 11, between a bobbin singler 91 with a collecting container 93 for the unordered reception of Bobbin 11 and a filling device 95 for inserting the bobbin 11 in a boat 97 arranged. The bobbin singler 91 described in more detail below has a lifting device 99 for lifting a single bobbin, which is then released into a first storage space 101. From there it arrives in a confectioner 103, in which the bobbin 11 is prepared for the sorter. The belly thread 21 of the bobbin 11 is secured and / or shortened in the assembler 103. The belly thread can be secured so that it is not unwound from the bobbin 11 when the bobbin is being processed, for example by gluing, singeing or welding. The bobbin so assembled now comes into the bobbin seat 45 of the sorter. A storage space is formed in a pitot tube 65 between the sorter and the filling device 95. The bobbins can therefore be fed individually and in the correct orientation to the filling device 95 and thus to the boat 97 at the right time.

A preferred device 51 for preparing a bobbin 11 for filling into a boat 97 for a boat embroidery machine accordingly has a housing 53, therein a bobbin seat 45, which has a seat axis 47 and is designed for receiving the bobbin 11 oriented parallel to the seat axis 47. Furthermore, in the housing 53 there is a thread opening 55 leading from the bobbin seat 45 out of the housing 53 and a means for guiding the free bobbin thread end of a bobbin 11 present on the bobbin seat 45 through the thread opening 55. There is also a sensor 76 with which it can be determined whether a bobbin thread 23 extends through the opening 55. Finally, the device has a switch 61, thanks to which those bobbins 11 whose bobbin thread 23 has been found can be forwarded and the others whose bobbin thread 23 has not been found can be sorted out.

When preparing bobbins 11 for the shuttle of an embroidery machine, the following steps are therefore carried out: inserting a bobbin 11 into a bobbin seat 45, searching for the bobbin thread 23, stretching the bobbin thread end into a detection area (present in the thread opening 55), recognizing the present bobbin thread 23, sorting the bobbin 11. For such processing, a bobbin 11 is particularly suitable for a boat of a scraper embroidery machine when the abdominal thread 21 of the bobbin 11 is secured, for example by heating the abdominal thread. The bobbin separator 91 is described in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 11 to 16. The bobbin separator 91 comprises the bobbin container 93 with the conveyor, ie the lifting device 99, and the first storage space 83.

New bobbins 11 can be poured into the bobbin container 93 in an unordered manner. The container bottom 113 is inclined. The container walls 115 converge to the lowest point of the container bottom 791. At the lowest point of the bobbin container 93, a liftable platform 117 of the lifting device 99 is formed, which offers sufficient space for a single bobbin 11, but is dimensioned so small that a second bobbin 11 must fall from the platform 117 as soon as it is in the bobbin bed in the Bobbin container 93 is raised.

The platform 117 is vertically displaceable with a compressed air cylinder 119. The platform 117 is surrounded on three sides by the container wall 115 over the entire displacement height. A short distance above an uppermost control of the platform 117 there is a compressed air nozzle 121 in the container walls on the short sides of the platform and an outlet 123 to the storage space pipe 125 of the first storage space 101 opposite it.

So that the platform 117 is in the uppermost position above the bed, even if the bobbin container 93 is overfilled, a baffle 127 is arranged in the bobbin container 93. The diving wall 127 extends below the uppermost control of the platform 117 and closes off the bobbin container 93 in the upper region opposite the lifting device 99. The diving wall 127 is missing in the lower area, so that the bobbin container 93 is open towards the lifting device 99 in the lower area.

The storage space 101 is the interior of a storage space tube 125 inclined at approximately 45 degrees. The isolated bobbins 11 are lined up one behind the other in the longitudinal direction and are held by a rocker 129. The rocker 129 has two arms, of which the upper arm is formed by a leaf spring 135 and the lower arm by a bolt 137. The rocker 129 is connected to the Scherler 133 via a lever mechanism 131 and is actuated by the latter against the force of a spring 139 lowering the bolt. If the bolt is raised by the Scherler 133 and the lever mechanism 131, the leaf spring 135 presses on the second foremost bobbin 11 in the storage space 101, and the foremost bobbin 11 can slide down past the bolt 137. To accelerate the foremost Bobine is a compressed air nozzle 141 at a distance of a bobbin length from the bolt in the storage tube 125. The foremost bobbin 11 is accelerated by an air jet from the compressed air nozzle 125 and thereby conveyed into the scherler 133.

An improved bobbin separator 91 is shown in FIGS. 13 to 16. With regard to the further transport of the bobbins, it is designed to be reversed in relation to the separator shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. This separator 91 has a bobbin container 93 with a first chamber 93 'and a second chamber 93 ". The first chamber has a conveyor floor 143. The conveyor floor is a conveyor belt, driven by an electric motor 145. In the conveying direction (Pfeü) the conveyor belt extends under one Baffle 127. This baffle 127 holds back the large amount of the bobbins present in the bobbin container. However, a gap is formed between the baffle and the conveyor belt. Bobbin passes through this gap from the first into the second chamber 93 "of the bobbin container 93. As soon as some bobbins in the second chamber 93 "Hegen, the light beam from a light barrier 147 is interrupted. This stops the feed of the conveyor floor 143. So Hegen always about 5 to 15 bobbins in the second chamber.

The second chamber 93 ″ has an inclined bottom. The bobbins slide on this to the lowest point of the bobbin container 93 and thus onto the platform 117 present there. The platform is flattened on a stamp 151. The stamp 151 is shaped like a u A lower leg of the u is attached to an actuating cylinder 119, the upper leg is the platform 117.

The stamp 151 is stiffened by a stiffening web arranged between the legs and welded onto the connecting web. This stiffening web interrupts the light beam from the light barrier 147 when the platform 117 is raised.

With the actuating cylinder 119, the platform 117 can be raised to below the opening 123 in the container wall 115. In this highest position, a bobbin that is carried along with the platform lies between this opening 123 and a compressed air nozzle 121. A compressed air blast blows the bobbin through the opening 123 and reaches the storage space 101 in the storage space tube 125. A spring 153 (FIG. 15) is provided so that even slightly sloping bobbins do not jam in the opening 123, but slip into it, which forms a kind of funnel. This spring 153 yields resiliently when the bobbin 11 on it.

By the described feeding of a few bobbins 11 into the second chamber 93 ″, the bobbins were spared, but also an increase in the conveying capacity of the ner singler 91. Therefore, the storage space 101 after the separating 91 in the second exemplary embodiment is significantly smaller than in the first embodiment.

FIG. 15 shows a detailed view of the rocker 129 on the storage tube 125. The rocker is actuated by a compressed air cylinder 149. It releases a single bobbin, which then slides into the Scherler 133.

Claims

claims

1. Device (31; 51) for preparing a bobbin (11) for insertion into a boat (97) for a scoop embroidery machine, with - a housing (33; 53), - a bobbin seat (45) in the housing (33; 53 ), which bobbin seat (45) has a seat axis (47) and is designed for receiving the bobbin (11) oriented parallel to the seat axis (47), - a thread opening (48; 55) for receiving the bobbin thread (23), - one Means (49,50; 60) for guiding the free bobbin thread end of a bobbin (11) present on the bobbin seat (45) through the thread opening (55), - a means (49,50; 76) for determining whether there is a Bobbin thread (23) extends through the thread opening (48,55), and a switch (33,35,49,50; 61) for forwarding the bobbin (11), the bobbin thread (23) of which has been fixed, and for sorting out bobbins (11), whose bobbin thread (23) has not been fixed.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the bobbin seat (45) is lined so that the bobbin axis of a bobbin (11) present therein coincides with the seat axis (47) and the housing (33; 53) in the region of the thread opening ( 48; 55) cuts.

3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, with a cutting device (75) on the housing (53) for cutting the free bobbin thread end guided through the thread opening (55) to a certain length.

4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a sensor (76) for the fixed control of the bobbin thread (23) is present, and the switch (61) can be controlled on the basis of the fixed control of the sensor (76).

5. Device according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that on two opposite sides of the housing (53) each have a thread opening (55), each a sensor (76) for fixing the bobbin thread (23) in the thread opening (55) and a cutting device (75) is provided in each case.

6. The device according to claim 5, characterized by a controller and a controlled with the control actuator (67) for controlling the switch (61) in a first and a second position, which control controls the switch (61) in the first position and thereby a bobbin (11) guides in a first direction if no bobbin thread (23) was detected in the bobbin (11) and the switch (61) steers into a second position and thereby guides the bobbin (11) in a second direction, when a bobbin thread (23) has been recognized.

7. The device according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that - the bobbin seat (45) is lined in a rotary unit (54), which rotary unit (54) about an axis of rotation (57) perpendicular to the seat axis (47) in the housing (53) is rotatably arranged, - in the housing (53) there is an outlet (59) leading to the switch (61), which outlet (59) lies in two rotational positions of the rotary part (54) which are different by 180 degrees axially to the seat axis (47), - That there is a drive (69) for rotating the rotary transmission (54) in both directions of rotation, and - that there is a control of the drive (69) which ensures that the rotation of the rotary transmission (54) is dependent on the signals of the Sensors (76) in one or the other direction, whereby the bobbin (11) is passed with respect to its ends (15, 17) with and without bobbin thread (23) in the same direction.

8. The device according to claim 7, characterized in that the rotating part (54) with the drive (69) by about 90 degrees relative to the starting position in one and the other direction of rotation is rotatable.

9. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the switch (61) is a movable channel piece which can assume two end positions, and in at least one end control the channel piece is in each case in alignment with a connecting channel (59, 65, 63) ,

10. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the means for guiding the free bobbin thread end through the thread opening (55) is an air suction which is achieved by a vacuum means (60) connected to the thread opening (55).

11. The device according to claim 10, characterized in that the air suction is passed between the two blades of the scissors (75).

12. Device according to one of the preceding claims in connection with claim 7, characterized in that on the axis of rotation (57) of the rotary part (54) a gear (56) is arranged, which is in engagement with a rack (71), which rack (71) is connected to at least one compressed air cylinder (69), advantageously two compressed air cylinders (69) which act in opposite directions.

13. The apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that the movable channel (61) of the switch is connected to a compressed air cylinder (67), so that the end control of the channel is given by the control of the compressed air cylinder.

14. Device according to one of the preceding claims in connection with claim 3, characterized in that the cutting device is a pair of scissors (75), of which at least one blade is connected to a compressed air cylinder (87), and by actuating the compressed air cylinder (87) the scissors (75) can be actuated.

15. A method for processing bobbins (11) for the shuttle (97) of an embroidery machine with the following steps: inserting a bobbin (11) into a bobbin seat (45), searching for the bobbin thread (23), stretching the bobbin thread end (23) into one Detection area (49, 50; 55), recognition of the existing bobbin thread (23), sorting of the bobbin (11).

16. The method according to claim 15, characterized by the method step of feeding the bobbin (11) after the recognition of the bobbin thread in the recognition area (49, 50; 55) to a channel (65) for forwarding, or in the absence of recognition of the bobbin thread ( 23) to sort out the bobbin (11).

17. The method according to claim 15 or 16, characterized by the evaluation step of actively rotating the bobbin (11), whose bobbin thread (23) was recognized, in one or the other direction and thereby forwarding it in the same orientation at all times.

18. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an excessively long abdominal thread (21) of the bobbin (11) is cut short before searching for the bobbin thread (23).

19. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the abdominal thread (21) is secured before searching for the bobbin thread (23), for example heated, glued, stuck in, with a covering is encased.

20. A method for preparing a bobbin (11), characterized in that the abdominal thread (21) of the bobbin (11) is secured, for example heated, glued, confirmed, with a covering.

21. Bobine (11) for a boat (97) of a boat embroidery machine, with a belly thread (21) wound around the bobbin body (13), characterized in that the belly thread (21) is secured, in particular by heating the belly thread (21) or an adhesive application is glued, is confirmed by a thread that is transversely to the abdominal winding, under which a shrink tube surrounding the bobbin or a film surrounding the bobbin is held.

22. An apparatus for separating a plurality of bobbins present in a disordered manner, comprising: a bobbin container for the disorderly reception of a plurality of bobbins, a conveyor for lifting bobbins from the bobbin container and for delivering bobbins after the other into a storage space, a storage space for lining up the bobbins one after the other, in which device the conveyor has a vertically movable platform, which platform along an inclined side wall of the bobbin container can be repeatedly raised from a deepest control of the bobbin container via a guide of the bobbin container, and which platform is so narrow that only a bobbin can be conveyed on it if its longitudinal axis lies in the longitudinal direction of the platform, characterized in that in one there is a baffle in the upper area of the bobbin container, which keeps the bobbins in the upper area of the bobbin holder away from the conveyor, which baffle is missing in a lower area, so that the bobbins in the lower area have access to the conveyor.

23. The device according to claim 22, characterized in that the platform is expanded on a stamp, and in that the device is equipped with a drive for repeated up and down movement of the stamp.

24. The device according to claim 22 or 23, characterized in that the platform is surrounded on three sides by a wall over the entire lifting height.

25. The device according to any one of claims 22 to 24, characterized in that the platform can be stopped at a certain lifting height, and that at this height a compressed air nozzle is arranged on one narrow side of the platform, and that on the narrow side opposite the compressed air nozzle There is an opening leading to the storage space, through which a bobbin on the platform with hips of compressed air can be blown out of the compressed air nozzle.

26. Device according to one of claims 22 to 25, characterized in that that the width and length of the platform is such that there is only space for a single bobbin.

27. The device according to any one of claims 22 to 26, characterized in that the bobbin container has a first chamber and a second chamber, and that the first chamber has space for a plurality of bobbins and a conveyor floor to the bobbins from the first in to promote the second chamber.

28. The device according to claim 27, characterized in that the first chamber is separated from the second chamber by the baffle.

29. The device according to claim 27 or 28, characterized in that a sensor and a controller is provided to monitor a filling level of the second chamber and to drive or stop the conveyor floor according to the filling level.

30. An apparatus for separating a plurality of disorderly present bobbins, comprising: a bobbin container for disorderly receiving a plurality of bobbins, a conveyor for lifting bobbins out of the bobbin container and for discharging one bobbin after another into a storage space, a storage space for therein the bobbins are lined up in a row, with which device the conveyor has a platform that can be moved in height, which platform can be repeatedly raised along an inclined side wall of the bobbin container from a deepest control of the bobbin container via a guide of the bobbin container, and which platform is so narrow, that only a bobbin can be conveyed on it if its longitudinal axis lies in the longitudinal direction of the platform, characterized in that that in an upper area of the bobbin container there is a baffle which keeps the bobbins in the upper area of the bobbin holder away from the conveyor, which baffle is missing in a lower area, so that the bobbins in the lower area have access to the conveyor.

31. The device according to claim 30, characterized in that the platform is expanded on a stamp and that the device is equipped with a drive for repeated up and down movement of the stamp.

32. Device according to claim 30 or 31, characterized in that the platform is surrounded on three sides by a wall over the entire lifting height.

33. Device according to one of claims 30 to 32, characterized in that the platform can be stopped at a certain lifting height, and that at this height a compressed air nozzle is arranged on one narrow side of the platform, and that on the narrow side opposite the compressed air nozzle Platform has an opening leading to the storage space, through which a bobbin present on the platform can be blown out of the compressed air nozzle with the aid of compressed air.

34. Device according to one of claims 30 to 33, characterized in that the width and length of the platform is dimensioned such that there is only space for a single bobbin.

35. Device according to one of claims 30 to 34, characterized in that the bobbin container has a first chamber and a second chamber, and that the first chamber has space for a plurality of bobbins and a conveyor floor to the bobbins from the first in to promote the second chamber.

36. Device according to claim 35, characterized in that the first chamber is separated from the second chamber by the baffle.

37. Apparatus according to claim 35 or 36, characterized in that a sensor and a controller is provided to monitor a level of the second chamber and to drive or stop the conveyor base in accordance with the level.

38. Device for preparing bobbins for filling into a boat, characterized in that on a control unit at which a single bobbin has to be accelerated, a compressed air nozzle is arranged in such a way that the bobbin is in such a way that air emerging from the compressed air nozzle accelerates the desired direction.