A tube holder supports a spool of flexible line wrapped onto the outer surface of a tube. The tube holder comprises a body portion configured to support the tube thereon, such that the interior surface of the tube rests of the top surface of the body portion; and an end protector detachably secured to the distal end of the body portion via a quick-release, contact fastener. The end protector is configured to be detachably secured to the body portion, while remaining spaced away from the tube such that the tube does not interfere with connecting the end protector with the body portion.

A tube holder supports a spool of flexible line wrapped onto the outer surface of a tube. The tube holder comprises a body portion configured to support the tube thereon, such that the interior surface of the tube rests of the top surface of the body portion; and an end protector detachably secured to the distal end of the body portion via a quick-release, contact fastener. The end protector is configured to be detachably secured to the body portion, while remaining spaced away from the tube such that the tube does not interfere with connecting the end protector with the body portion.

Systems and methods for loading and delivering stalk subassemblies and yarn packages are disclosed herein. Such systems and methods can have at least one processor, at least one automated guided vehicle, at least one creel assembly, and an automated creel loading assembly. The at least one automated guided vehicle can be communicatively coupled to the at least one processor. The at least one processor can be configured to selectively direct an automated guided vehicle to engage a respective stalk subassembly. Upon engagement between the automated guided vehicle and the stalk subassembly, the processor can be configured to selectively direct the automated guided vehicle to move about and between the selected operative position within the creel assembly and a loading position proximate the automated creel loading assembly.

A textile machine for producing cross-wound packages, which has a plurality of workstations on the two longitudinal sides of the machine and is equipped with a tube magazine arranged at an end of the machine, the tube magazine having a plurality of empty-tube transport rows, driven by electric motor and loaded with empty tubes of different yarn lots. In order to avoid the fixed division of the empty-tube transport rows that hitherto was defined by the construction of the tube magazine and thus to avoid limited variations in the yarn lot management, the invention provides for the empty-tube transport rows to be equipped with electric drives, which are connected to a control unit of the textile machine, the machine control system being designed in such a way that different lot management programs are set by software.

A gripping tool, a gripping device, and a gripping method for reel-type and/or disk-type gripping objects, in particular SMD rolls. The gripping tool, which can be automatically handled and operated, has a frame having a connection, in particular a robot connection, and has a gripper having a controllable adjusting device, wherein the gripper is provided and designed for laterally guiding and for centrally gripping and supporting the gripped object.

The present invention relates to a transport vehicle for a textile mill having a driving unit which is designed to drive autonomously to a defined destination within a textile mill, a carrying unit which is arranged on the driving unit, the carrying unit having an upper carrying surface facing away from the driving unit for carrying a unit to be transported which can have a textile material loaded onto it and unloaded from it. The transport vehicle further has a loading and unloading device with a loading and unloading arm having a conveyor unit for loading the textile material onto the unit to be transported and unloading the textile material from it. In order to be able to handle textile material within a textile mill in an improved manner, there is provision for the unit to be transported to be formed by a package buffer fixed on the upper carrying surface and each having a plurality of storage points for storing at least one wound or non-wound tube body, and/or by a tube handling unit fixedly arranged on the carrying unit at least for autonomously handling the tube body which can be stored in at least one storage point arranged on the upper carrying surface. In this case, the loading and unloading device is fixed to the carrying unit, in particular to the upper carrying surface, or to the unit to be transported, in which case the storage point can be loaded and unloaded by the loading and unloading device with the tube body.

The present invention relates to a transport vehicle for a textile mill having a driving unit which is designed to drive autonomously to a defined destination within a textile mill, a carrying unit which is arranged on the driving unit, the carrying unit having an upper carrying surface facing away from the driving unit for carrying a unit to be transported which can have a textile material loaded onto it and unloaded from it. The transport vehicle further has a loading and unloading device with a loading and unloading arm having a conveyor unit for loading the textile material onto the unit to be transported and unloading the textile material from it. In order to be able to handle textile material within a textile mill in an improved manner, there is provision for the unit to be transported to be formed by a package buffer fixed on the upper carrying surface and each having a plurality of storage points for storing at least one wound or non-wound tube body, and/or by a tube handling unit fixedly arranged on the carrying unit at least for autonomously handling the tube body which can be stored in at least one storage point arranged on the upper carrying surface. In this case, the loading and unloading device is fixed to the carrying unit, in particular to the upper carrying surface, or to the unit to be transported, in which case the storage point can be loaded and unloaded by the loading and unloading device with the tube body.

The invention relates to a method for supplying cross-winding devices (4) of a spinning-mill machine (1) with sleeves (9) and a corresponding spinning-mill machine (1), whereas a multiple number of cross-winding devices (4) is arranged next to each other and on two machine sides located in the longitudinal direction of the spinning-mill machine (1). Yarn is wound on sleeves (9) at the cross-winding devices (4), whereas empty sleeves (9) are stockpiled in at least one sleeve stack (7.1 to 7.4). With a sleeve transport device (6, 6.1 bis 6.4) arranged along the cross-winding devices (4), the cross-winding devices (4) are supplied with empty sleeves (9) from the sleeve stack (7.1 to 7.4), whereas the sleeve transport device (6, 6.1 to 6.4) features a continuous entraining element, in particular a conveyor belt, which is moved along the multiple number of cross-winding devices (4). A multiple number of transport carriages (8) are provided for receiving a respective sleeve (9), whereas the transport carriages (8) are transported by means of the continuous entraining element, in order to bring the sleeves (9) to the cross-winding devices (4). Various types of sleeves (9) are stockpiled, and each cross-winding device (4) is allocated with with a predetermined type of sleeve (9). The type of sleeve (9) is detected and, together with the transport carriages (8), the sleeve (9) is supplied to the cross-winding device (4) allocated to it.

The spinning-mill machine features a multiple number of cross-winding devices (4) arranged next to each other and on two machine sides located in the longitudinal direction of the spinning-mill machine (1), each of which is provided for winding yarn on sleeves, whereas the cross-winding devices (4) are collected into a multiple number of sections (5.1 to 5.5). Multiple sleeve stacks (7.1 to 7.4) are used for the stockpiling of empty sleeves. A sleeve transport device (6.1 to 6.4) arranged along the cross-winding devices (4) is used to supply the cross-winding devices (4) with empty sleeves from the sleeve stack (7.1 to 7.4), Multiple sleeve stacks (7.1 to 7.4) are arranged on each machine side, and each sleeve stack (7.1 to 7.4) is allocated with its own stationary sleeve transport device (6.1 to 6.4).

A spinning-mill machine and associated operational method includes a plurality of cross-winding devices arranged next to each other in a longitudinal direction along each machine side of the spinning-mill machine, wherein each cross-winding device is configured to wind yarn onto a sleeve. The cross-winding devices are arranged into a multiple number of sections along each of the machine sides. A sleeve transport device is arranged along the cross-winding devices on each machine side to supply empty sleeves to cross-winding devices. A plurality of sleeve stacks are configured to stockpile the empty sleeves. A plurality of sleeve storage devices are arranged along each machine side for distributed intermediate storage of the empty sleeves, wherein each cross-winding device is allocated with a single sleeve storage device, or the plurality of the cross-winding devices in each of the sections are allocated to a single one of the sleeve storage devices.