Advancing material of indeterminate length – By fluid current – Vacuum jet for strand
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-23
2001-02-06
Walsh, Donald P. (Department: 3653)
Advancing material of indeterminate length
By fluid current
Vacuum jet for strand
Reexamination Certificate
active
06182879
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
Our present invention relates to a device for moving a thread into engagement with a winding sleeve driven by a friction roller and, more particularly, to a winding sleeve of a stretch-winding machine or the like in which the thread is engaged in a thread-capturing slit of the winding sleeve. The invention relates especially to a suction device for this purpose having a tubular end piece or terminal member which sucks in the thread and can be moved while the thread is engaged thereby to deliver the thread to the thread-capture slit of the winding sleeve.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is already known to use a suction device to displace a thread, especially in stretch-winding machines in which a thread, usually comprised of a multiplicity of filaments and of a synthetic resin material, is subjected to thermal treatment and stretching and then is wound up into a yarn package or bobbin on a winding sleeve or tube, preferably in a cross-winding operation wherein the turns of one layer are oriented with an opposite inclination from the turns of another, i.e. are pitched oppositely to the winding stations. The winding stations are provided with winding units each of which can include a rotatable winding sleeve, a friction roller which bears against the outer periphery of the winding sleeve and the layers of the thread wound thereon, a cross-winding box or device for generating the different orientations of the turns of the layers and a spool holder and a spool carriage.
The full spools, following completion of a winding operation, must be replaced by winding sleeves or tubes. This replacement can be carried out automatically or manually and, in the case of manual replacement, it is necessary that the thread be engaged, usually by a suction device, for example a suction gun, and carried to the winding sleeve at which the thread is then engaged by the winding sleeve.
For effective engagement of the thread, the winding sleeve can be formed with a V-shaped thread-capture slit which can extend over part of the periphery of the winding sleeve at an end region thereof.
The application of the thread to a stretch-winding machine generally has required heretofore the following steps:
The thread which is to be picked up is removed by means of a suction device from a supply station (usually a bobbin in a creel) and fed via a thread-monitoring device or thread-separating device to a supply cylinder. From this cylinder it is passed around at least one and preferably two or three gallets (e.g. an input gallet, a preheating gallet, a fixing gallet and a feed or supply gallet) and the associated transfer rollers. Between the individual gallets, working elements, for example heating devices such as plate heaters can be provided. The thread is then supplied via the cross-winding mechanism to the V-shaped thread-capture slit of the winding sleeve as close as possible to the contact line with which the friction roller engages the winding sleeve. The thread-capture slit engages the thread and tears the latter in a controlled manner. The length thread fed by the supply or feed gallet is wound on the winding sleeve.
In practice, this system has a number of problems, especially with respect to the tearing of the thread. If the thread is a high-strength material, the tearing or rupture of the thread requires relatively high tearing force. This tearing force can have the effect of briefly reducing the speed of the winding sleeve driven by the friction roller. This in turn can loosen the thread reserve and the first few windings or turns of the thread on the winding sleeve. The result is a reduction in quality of the spool. The thread breakage is generally carried out in the region of the suction device, i.e. in the region of the suction gun.
Furthermore, the length of the thread end is not controllable. This uncontrollable length, which can be between 10 and 30 cm depending upon the type of system used to apply the thread to the winding sleeve (and in the case of a suction gun) to a meter or more as is the case with an applicator tube with a stationary injector as the suction device, gives rise to a significant quality problem. Slack loops on the winding sleeve can catch impurities and contaminants like lint and excessively long thread ends can be bound in an uncontrollable manner in the body of the bobbin or yarn package.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is the principal object of the present invention to minimize the thread end length with a suction unit for moving a thread to a winding sleeve driven by a friction roller in, for example, a stretch-winding machine.
Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the type described which is free from the drawbacks previously mentioned.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
These objects and others which will become apparent hereinafter are attained in a device for moving a thread to a winding sleeve driven by a friction roller, especially in a stretch-winding machine, which comprises:
a suction element connected to a suction source;
a terminal tubular member connected to the element and having a mouth at which a thread is drawn into the member; and
means forming at least one cutting edge in the terminal tubular member for severing a thread drawn into the device.
A device for manipulating a yarn or thread having a suction gun for manual movement of the thread is known from German patent document DE 22 20 977. This device has an air pipe connected to an air source and has an air inlet tube with an inlet opening at one end which communicates via an elbow fitting with the air-supply tube. The pipe is closed by an air reflector which is so configured that the air stream is reversed. An outlet pipe is provided which is arranged coaxially with the rear end of the nozzle tube so that between them an annular opening is formed. This arrangement, however, has not proved to be fully satisfactory and it is particularly desirable to minimize the length of the thread end and also to minimize the tearing force required for separation of the thread.
With the system of the invention, the thread is engaged within the tubular member by at least one cutting edge, preferably on a blade mounted in or as part of the member so that the length of the thread end is defined primarily by the length of the member between the cutting edge and the mouth and such that the force required to rupture the thread is held to a minimum because the thread is cut through by that edge.
According to a feature of the invention the cutting edge is formed on a blade located in the interior of the tubular member although it is also possible to provide two blades within the member at a spacing from one another.
These blades can be diagonally opposite one another and oriented diagonally in opposite directions but inclined toward the direction in which the thread travels into the member. The cutting edges can project from opposite sides toward and beyond the center line of the tubular member. The blades can be replaceable on the member and can be constituted of steel, a steel core with a ceramic coating or from ceramic.
According to a feature of the invention the suction mouth of the tubular member can have a reduced diameter, i.e. a diameter less than the internal diameter of the tubular member beyond the mouth and for that purpose a ring can be inserted into the tubular member. The ring can be composed of ceramic or another material of low friction and high wear-resistance.
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patent: 57-107372 (198
Konig Gunter
Mayer Werner
Dubno Herbert
Walsh Donald P.
Webb Collin A.
Zinser Textilmaschinen GmbH
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