Textiles: spinning – twisting – and twining – Apparatus and processes – Package handling
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-11
2001-08-28
Falik, Andy (Department: 3765)
Textiles: spinning, twisting, and twining
Apparatus and processes
Package handling
C019S15900A, C057S090000, C242S533800, C414S426000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06279306
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a spinning can transporter comprising a plurality of spaces for setting up a series of spinning cans on a platform. The platform is for loading or unloading the cans. These spinning cans can be full, or empty, round, or rectangular and are usually set up in a series of loading spaces in a standing position. Furthermore, the transporter comprises a standing place for the operator/driver. From this position, the driver can reach the controls for controlling this transporter.
These spinning cans are used to transport strands of fiber material that are also referred to as roving. The cans are transported to and from drawers or drawing frames, as well as flyers and spinning machines. After each can has been filled or run empty, the can has to be replaced by a new empty or, respectively, full can.
Normally, the roving is conventionally transported in so-called round cans. These round cans have a cylindrical shape and are formed in standardized sizes. However, with modern spinning machines, the roving is supplied to the machine in rectangular cans. These cans also have standardized sizes, having the shape of a square building stone. These rectangular cans are positioned in the spinning positions or on the spindles of a spinning machine with the wide sides of the rectangle facing each other.
The spinning can transporters are used to transport the spinning cans to and from the machine. At each interval, this transporter delivers to, or picks up from the spinning machine only a particular number of full or, respectively, empty cans. The transporter is limited because it must always leave an open can space on the loading platform of the transporter. This is necessary on a spinning machine because when replacing cans the transporter first has to pick up an empty can to make room for a full can for deposit in a take off position of the spinning machine. In the course of its operation, the can transporter travels in a driving lane along the machine it has to serve, for example between two rows of spinning cans. Measured transversely to the driving lane, the transporter has to be as narrow as possible and not substantially wider than the length of a rectangular can. Driven transporters of the type specified above can be freely maneuvered and inductively guided on these rails. These transporters may have their own drives or they may be towed by external means.
Spinning can transporters primarily transport full spinning cans from the drawer or drawing frame to the flyer or spinning machine, and return with empty spinning cans in the reverse or opposite direction. The cans can be pulled up to the transporter onto platforms, or pushed onto these platforms on roller or sliding guides, and removed from the transporter in the same way.
With conventional transporters, a stand, having a control panel for the operator or driver, is located at one of the longitudinal ends of the transporter vehicle. For this reason, the operator normally has to step from the operator's stand for replacing empty cans with full cans, or vice versa. Since the controls for driving and steering the vehicle are located at the operator's stand, the operator has to return to the operator's stand after completing the exchange of cans.
2. The Prior Art
This operating method is complicated and time-consuming. The distance the operator has to walk per shift amounts to about 14 kilometers. Since large numbers of spinning cans have to be exchanged, for example 80 to 500 cans per hour, in open-end spinning installations, a handling device of the type described in DE 197 21 640 A1has already been developed for spinning can transporters. This device makes it possible to exchange the cans mechanically from the operator's stand with the help of gripping devices mounted on the transporter itself. However, this “remotely controlled” can exchange takes more time than the manipulation of the cans by hand. Furthermore, the mechanical manipulator needed on each transporter is costly.
The invention is designed to provide a spinning can transporter that makes it possible for the operator to exchange the cans manually with the help of controls that are always within his reach and without having to step from or leave the operator's stand.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The transporter comprises a stand for the operator, with controls for driving and steering the transporter disposed along the stand so that they are directly reachable by hand. In this case, the transporter as viewed in its longitudinal direction, contains at least one can set-up or loading platform for cans on either side, such as in front of, and behind the standing place for the operator. In essence, this means that the standing place for the operator is located between the loading areas for picking up the cans and the spaces for depositing the cans.
This invention is designed so that the operator's position on the transporter is always so closely located to the can placement site to be served that the operator is able to reach this site or space with his hands without having to leave his position on the transporter. There are basically two main embodiments of the invention with respect to the standing place for the operator or driver. In the first embodiment, the transporter provides a standing place for the operator to migrate. In this case, the controls migrate as well in the longitudinal direction of the transporter during loading and unloading of cans. This is so the operator's standing place migrates on the loading platform of the transporter as cans are being exchanged.
In the second embodiment, the operator's standing place, including the controls, is installed fixed between two partial loading areas of the loading platform. In this case, the operator's standing place is preferably located in the center of the transporter between two equally sized front and back loading areas.
In the first embodiment, the loading platform can serve as the standing place for the operator at any point along the platform. To stand, the operator needs two places for rectangular cans or one place for round cans. Therefore, with the first variation of the invention, these places have to be kept variably free on the loading platform for the operator. As stated above, to carry out an exchange of cans on a machine that processes roving, such as a spinning machine or a flyer, there is required another piece for a can in addition to the standing place for the operator. This space for another can is unoccupied at first, and offers space for a can that has run empty on a spinning machine. According to another feature of the invention, this empty space directly borders on the migrating or standing place for the operator. When necessary, the operator can pull up an empty can into the free transporter space with optimal ease without leaving his position on the loading platform because the can space to be filled (or occupied), or to be vacated, directly borders on the standing place of the operator.
In another feature of the invention, the loading platform is designed so that there is at least one space for receiving a can on the one side of the standing place for the operator, and there is at least one space for unloading a can on the other side of said standing place. Under this precondition, the transporter can be loaded on a line with many full cans adjacent to each other so that there is only the standing place for the driver and one place for an empty can at a longitudinal end of the loading area. Therefore, to transport rectangular cans, two can loading spaces are required for the operator and one can loading space for pulling up an empty can. This latter place is hereinafter a “can receiving space,” whereas the places occupied by the full cans are hereinafter “can delivering spaces.”
During the processing of roving, with a spinning machine, the cans normally become empty individually and consequently have to be replaced by full cans individually as well. Here, the driver/operator
Collard & Roe P.C.
Falik Andy
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