Textiles: fiber preparation – Working – Combing
Reexamination Certificate
2002-07-31
2003-04-22
Welch, Gary L (Department: 3765)
Textiles: fiber preparation
Working
Combing
C019S0650CR, C019S0650CR
Reexamination Certificate
active
06550105
ABSTRACT:
The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for the automatic provision and transfer of a reserve lap from a reserve position to a working position in a machine for processing wound laps and for the automatic discharge of empty tubes from the working position to the delivery position for example.
In order to avoid unnecessary standstill periods in machines which process wound laps, e.g. combing machines or ribbon lap machines, it is known to keep a reserve lap on stand-by in addition to the wound laps which are being processed. Such a device is present for example in the combing machine E715 (Rieter's brochure “Kämmerei [Combing Plant]—Impressum 1403d-0991—Printed in Switzerland”). The empty tubes are transferred by hand to a collection position for a conveying system and thereafter the individual reserve laps are manually conveyed to the respective working position. This process requires a relatively high amount of time and can lead to damage to the outer web in the case of improper handling of the reserve lap.
A device is known from JP-63-27449, whereby a reserve lap is kept on stand-by behind the working lap on a downwardly inclined roll-off surface. In order to keep the reserve lap in this stand-by position, a swivelable plate is arranged in the zone of the roll-off surface which can be transferred via an adjusting mechanism from the locking position to the release position. A swivelable receiver for the empty tube which is ejected rearwardly by means of an ejection device is disposed below the roll-off surface. Said swivelable receiver is connected with the adjusting mechanism for unlocking the swivelable plate. This means that before the reserve lap is released for rolling down to the working position, the empty tube is transferred downwardly to the receiver via a pass-through opening between the roll-off surface and the working position. This device leads to the disadvantage that the reserve position is disposed relatively far at the back at a large distance from the working position. This is necessary in this embodiment, because the rearwardly ejected tube requires a certain amount of free space for delivery to the receiver. This device therefore requires much space, particularly as seen in the width, and also blocks the accessibility for maintenance work for the units which are situated in the bottom and rear areas of the combing machine. As a result of the relatively long roll-off path which the reserve lap needs to cover to the working position, damage or deformation can occur to the outer lap layer.
It was further proposed in EP-593 391 A1 to provide a swivelable bowl for the transfer of the reserve lap to the working position. This is also achieved with this device. This apparatus is provided with a swiveling device for the bowl in which the reserve lap is disposed. Furthermore, an additional receiver is provided for the rearwardly ejected empty tube. This device is temporally independent of the conveying system via which new reserve laps are supplied and empty tubes are discharged.
As a rule, however, the conveying system of the aforementioned embodiment is not charged to capacity and still has unused time reserves.
A centrally controlled lap conveying device is known from EP-381 960, with groups of laps and empty tubes being conveyed in a controlled manner by means of a crane bridge between combing machines and lap-forming machines. The method in which the empty tubes are supplied to the grippers on standby in the rails of the combing machines is not described.
From JP-OS-4-263620 a conveying system is known, with the conveying system being provided with two grippers. One of the grippers brings a reserve lap to the combing machine and is provided with a piecing apparatus for the lap end, while the second gripper removes the empty tube from the working position. This design is relatively complex and, in addition, no deposit for reserve laps is provided in the combing machine. As a result, this system is fully dependent on the availability of reserve laps from the conveying system.
A system of several combing machines with a lap-forming machine is known from JP-OS-52-25125, with the wound laps and the empty tubes being conveyed to a group by means of a conveying system (suspended conveyor) which is provided with grippers. A reserve position for receiving reserve laps is not shown. As a result, the individual combing machine can only be equipped with new wound laps once the empty tubes have been removed from their working position in the combing machine. Nothing is mentioned therein about any automatically controlled conveying system.
EP-A2 312 503 shows a conveying device for wound laps and empty tubes with an overhead conveyor with a craneway. A double gripper is provided which is used to take up the empty tube simultaneously when delivering a new wound lap to the machine. No reserve laps are shown in the machine and the empty tubes must be disposed in a special receiver, as otherwise the simultaneous exchange of the new wound lap is not possible.
EP-PS 118 600 shows a conveying device in which an additional receiver is provided on the lap carrier in order to creel the empty tubes manually for the return transport to the lap-forming machine. No automatic and effective change of the tubes can be performed with this device. A similar device is also shown in DE-OS 24 34 898 where the empty tubes are manually creeled for return transport on an additional holder on a movable gripper.
It is an object of the invention to provide a simple and cost-effective apparatus and method to follow-up reserve laps in lap-processing machines, with the smooth discharge of empty tubes being ensured and existing capacities of a conveying system being utilized optimally.
Briefly, the invention provides an apparatus and method for the automatic transfer of wound laps from a reserve position to a working position in a lap processing machine and an automatic removal of empty tubes from the machine.
In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a lap forming machine for forming wound laps on tubes that include a control unit for operating the machine, a conveyor for receiving a plurality of wound laps from the lap forming machine and at least one combing machine having at least one working head for receiving a wound lap from the conveyor. The combing machine includes at least one transfer device for moving a wound lap from a reserve position to a working position in the working head and a control unit for operating the combing machine and for operating the transfer device;
In addition, the apparatus includes a conveying system for selectively conveying at least one wound lap from the conveyor to the combing machine and at least one empty tube from the combing machine to the conveyor. This conveying system also includes a control unit for operating system.
In accordance with the invention, a central control unit is operatively connected to each control unit for selective actuation thereof to effect movement of at least one wound lap from the lap forming machine to a reserve position in the working head, removal of an empty tube from a working position to the conveyor and movement of a wound lap from the reserve position to the working position.
The method for automatically transferring wound laps to a lap processing machine comprises the steps of actuating a conveying system to automatically place a reserve wound lap in a reserve position of the lap processing machine; thereafter monitoring the run-out of a wound lap in a working position of the lap processing machine and emitting a signal in response to the detection of an empty tube in the working position; actuating the conveying system to remove the empty tube from the working position in response to the signal; and actuating the conveying system to transfer the reserve wound lap from the reserve position to the working position.
The method further includes the step of actuating the conveying system to move a fresh wound lap into the reserve position to begin a new cycle.
In another embodiment, the conveying system is
Slavik Walter
Zollinger Thomas
Carella Byrne Bain et al.
Hand Francis C.
Maschinenfabrik Rieter AG
Welch Gary L
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