Workstation of a two-for-one twisting or cabling machine

Abstract

A workstation (1) of a two-for-one twisting or cabling machine which comprises a rotatably mounted spindle (2) and a balloon-yarn-guide-eye (9) height-adjustable by means of a drive (18, 29) coupled to a control device (20) which controls the drive (18, 29) in such a manner that it displaces the balloon-yarn-guide-eye (9) between operating positions (AP.sub.1, AP.sub.2) dependent upon production parameters and a resting position (RS) advantageous in the case of production interruptions and transient operating phases associated with the latter. A device (21, 23, 24, 25) is present for detecting a measured value (i), which is made available to the control device (20) and which causes the control of the drive (18, 29) to change the position of the balloon-yarn-guide-eye (9).

Claims

1. An individual workstation of a two-for-one twisting or cabling machine which comprises a rotatably mounted spindle and a balloon-yarn-guide-eye height-adjustable by a drive, characterized in that, the drive is coupled to a control device, which controls the drive in such a manner that it displaces the balloon-yarn-guide-eye between operating positions dependent upon production parameters and a resting position advantageous in the case of production interruptions and transient operating phases associated with the latter, and that a device for detecting a measured value (i) is present, which is made available to the control device and causes the control of the drive to change the position of the balloon-yarn-guide-eye, wherein the balloon-yarn-guide-eye is separately controlled by the individual workstation.

2. The workstation of a two-for-one twisting or cabling machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the device for detecting a measured value (i) is a measuring device, which monitors the energy consumption of the spindle drive during the operation of the workstation.

3. The workstation of a two-for-one twisting or cabling machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the device for detecting a measured value (i) is a time-measuring device.

4. The workstation of a two-for-one twisting or cabling machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, as the device for detecting a measured value (i), a sensor device is used, which detects the size of the yarn balloon (B) circulating around the spindle during the operation of the workstation.

5. The workstation of a two-for-one twisting or cabling machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the device for detecting a measured value (i) is a yarn-tension sensor.

6. The workstation of a two-for-one twisting or cabling machine according to claim 1, characterized in that a controllable yarn-tension influencing device is installed in the region of the yarn pathway of a balloon yarn.

7. The workstation of a two-for-one twisting or cabling machine according to claim 6, characterized in that the yarn-tension influencing device is constituted as a yarn-supply unit.

8. The workstation of a two-for-one twisting or cabling machine according to claim 6, characterized in that the yarn-tension influencing device is constituted as a yarn brake, with which the yarn tension of the balloon yarn is adjustable.

9. The workstation of a two-for-one twisting or cabling machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the control device is constituted in such a manner that signals which are related to a given event in the relevant workstation are used for a defined control of the drive of the balloon-yarn-guide-eye and its positioning in an associated operating position or a resting position.

10. The workstation of a two-for-one twisting or cabling machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the control device is constituted in such a manner that, during the operation of the workstation, it ensures that, in order to reduce the energy consumption of the spindle drive, the balloon-yarn-guide-eye is displaced from a first operating position into a second operating position.

11. The workstation of a two-for-one twisting or cabling machine according to claim 1, characterized in that a second operating position of the balloon-yarn-guide-eye is arranged between a first operating position and the resting position of the balloon-yarn-guide-eye.

12. The workstation of a two-for-one twisting or cabling machine according to claim 9, wherein the given event is a spindle start, yarn breakage, end of running period, or batch change.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further details of the invention are described in the following with reference to exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings which show:

(2) FIG. 1 schematically depicts, in lateral view, a workstation of a cabling machine, with a balloon-yarn-guide-eye according to the invention, height-adjustable by means of a drive, positioned in a resting position, wherein a control device is connected to the drive of the balloon-yarn-guide-eye, which is connected to a time-measuring device; the workstation is disposed at a standstill;

(3) FIG. 2 depicts the workstation according to FIG. 1 during operation, wherein the balloon-yarn-guide-eye has been lowered from a resting position into an operating position;

(4) FIG. 3 depicts a second embodiment of a workstation of a cabling machine with a control device connected to the drive of the balloon-yarn-guide-eye and a device which monitors the energy consumption of the spindle drive during the operation of the workstation;

(5) FIG. 4 depicts a further embodiment of a workstation of a cabling machine with a control device connected to the drive of the balloon-yarn-guide-eye and a sensor device constituted as a light barrier, which monitors the diameter of a circulating yarn balloon during the operation of the workstation;

(6) FIG. 5 a third embodiment of a workstation of a cabling machine with a control device connected to the drive of the balloon-yarn-guide-eye and a yarn-tension sensor for monitoring the yarn tension, for example, of a corded yarn;

(7) FIG. 6 a workstation of a cabling machine with a control device connected to the drive of the balloon-yarn-guide-eye, with devices for the provision of measured values which the control device processes in order to position the balloon-yarn-guide-eye and with a yarn-supply unit for the outer yarn connected to the control device;

(8) FIG. 7 a workstation with a control device which allows a defined displacement of the balloon-yarn-guide-eye from a first into a second operating position;

(9) FIG. 8 schematically, in lateral view, a workstation of a two-for-one twisting machine with a balloon-yarn-guide-eye height-adjustable by means of a drive, wherein the drive is connected to a control device, to which a yarn-tension sensor and a yarn-supply unit are further connected.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(10) FIG. 1 shows schematically, in lateral view a workstation 1 of a cabling machine with a balloon-yarn-guide-eye 9 which can be height adjusted by a drive 18. The drive 18 is connected to a control device 20. The workstation 1 is disposed at a standstill, that is, the spindle drive 3 is switched off; the spindle 2 does not rotate.

(11) As suggested in FIG. 1, a bobbin rack 4 (not illustrated in greater detail), which generally serves to accommodate a plurality of feed bobbins 7, is positioned above or behind the workstation 1.

(12) A so-called outer yarn 5 is withdrawn from at least one of these feed bobbins 7 referred to in the following as a first feed bobbin 7.

(13) As is evident, the outer yarn 5 withdrawn from the first feed bobbin 7 is deflected several times before it enters the hollow rotary axle of the spindle drive 3 in the region of a rotational axis 35 of the spindle 2.

(14) The outer yarn 5 leaves the hollow rotary axle of the spindle drive 3 through a so-called yarn discharge borehole facing radially outwards, arranged somewhat below a protective pot 19 and reaches the external region of a yarn-deflection device 8.

(15) In the region of the yarn-deflection device 8, the outer yarn 5 is deflected upwards and reaches a balloon-yarn-guide-eye 9 where it meets an inner yarn 16.

(16) In the case of a standstill of the spindle, the outer yarn 5 is disposed, as illustrated in FIG. 1, against the outer wall of the protective pot 19.

(17) As already suggested above, the workstation 1 comprises a rotatably mounted spindle 2 and a yarn-deflection device 8, which rotates around a rotational axis 35.

(18) A protective pot 19, which comprises a hood 6 with a yarn brake 10, is arranged on the yarn-deflection device 8. A second feed bobbin 15 is mounted in the protective pot 19, from which the so-called inner yarn 16 is withdrawn overhead, which extends via the yarn brake 10 to the balloon-yarn-guide-eye 9 arranged above the spindle 2, where it contacts the outer yarn 5.

(19) The protective pot 19 which accommodates the second feed bobbin 15 and which is mounted on the rotatable yarn-deflection device 8 is protected against rotation, preferably by a magnetic device (not illustrated). The rotatably mounted yarn-deflection device 8 of the spindle 2 is charged with drive. That is, either a direct drive in the form of a spindle drive 3, as in the present exemplary embodiment, or an indirect drive device, as illustrated for example in FIG. 8, is provided.

(20) The yarns (outer yarn 5 and inner yarn 16) meeting in the balloon-yarn-guide-eye 9 arrive, via a yarn-conveying device 11, at a spooling and winding device 12, where they are wound onto a take-up bobbin 14.

(21) That is, the yarns 5 and 16 cabled in a running operating process in the region of the balloon-yarn-guide-eye 9, for example, to form a corded yarn 13, are wound on the spooling and winding device 12 to form a take-up bobbin 14, which is constituted, for example, as a cross-wound bobbin. In this context, twisted, cabled or high-twist yarns are understood as corded yarns.

(22) For this purpose, the spooling and winding device 12 provides, inter alia, a drive roller 17, which drives the take-up bobbin 14 during the operating process via friction drive.

(23) As shown schematically in FIG. 1, the balloon-yarn-guide-eye 9 is mounted in a vertically displaceable manner and connected to a drive 18, which, for its part, is connected to a control device 20, which is connected to a time-measuring device 23. The control device 20 ensures that, when the workstation 1 is at a standstill, the drive 18 positions the balloon-yarn-guide-eye 9 in a resting position RS in which the balloon-yarn-guide-eye 9 is somewhat raised. That is, the balloon-yarn-guide-eye 9 is positioned in such a manner that a relatively large distance is given between the balloon-yarn-guide-eye 9 and the hood 6 of the protective pot 19, which has a positive influence on the accessibility of the spindle 2 or respectively of the protective pot 19.

(24) FIG. 2 shows the workstation 1 described above during operation, that is, for example, while a corded yarn 13 is cabled on the workstation.

(25) As already explained in connection with FIG. 1, an outer yarn 5 which is deflected several times, is withdrawn from a first feed bobbin 7 arranged in a bobbin rack 4, which enters the hollow rotary axle of the spindle drive 3 in the region of the rotational axis 35 of the spindle 2.

(26) As already known, the outer yarn 5 leaves the hollow rotary axle of the spindle drive 3 through a so-called yarn discharge borehole facing radially outwards, arranged somewhat below a protective pot 19, which is a component of a rotating yarn-deflection device 8.

(27) On leaving the yarn-deflection device 8, the running outer yarn 5 is deflected upwards and extends, with the formation of a yarn balloon B, of which the shape and size is predetermined, inter alia, by the position of the balloon-yarn-guide-eye 9, and which circulates around a protective pot 19 up to the balloon-yarn-guide-eye 9, where it meets the inner yarn 16, which is simultaneously withdrawn overhead from a second feed bobbin 15, which is mounted in a protective pot 19 of the spindle 2. In the region of the balloon-yarn-guide-eye 9, the outer yarn 5 and the inner yarn 16 are cabled to form a corded yarn 13, which is transported by the yarn-conveying device 11 to the spooling and winding device 12 and wound there to form a take-up bobbin 14.

(28) At the start of the operating process, the balloon-yarn-guide-eye 9, vertically adjustable by means of a drive 18, is initially positioned in a resting position RS. The yarn balloon B1 then comprises a relatively large height and a relatively large diameter D1. In terms of atmospheric friction, such an embodiment is very unfavourable and leads to a relatively high energy demand of the spindle drive 3.

(29) A control device 20 connected to the drive 18 of the balloon-yarn-guide-eye 9, which is connected to a time-measuring device 23, accordingly ensures that the balloon-yarn-guide-eye 9 is lowered, as soon as the spindle 2 has reached its operating speed or before the spindle 2 reaches its operating speed, to an operating position AP in which the yarn balloon B2 comprises a significantly reduced height and also a significantly smaller diameter D2. In this manner, it is possible to reduce the energy demand of the spindle drive 3 of the workstation 1 significantly.

(30) The time required by the spindle 2 to reach its operating speed is monitored by means of the time-measuring device 23. This means that the time-measuring device 23 makes available to the control circuit 20 a measured value i which the latter uses for controlling the drive 18. However, the time-measuring device 23 can also operate with a rigidly fixed value, after the expiry of which it makes a measured value i available to the control circuit 20.

(31) The embodiment of a workstation 1 of a cabling machine illustrated in FIG. 3 differs in its constructive embodiment only slightly from the embodiment described above with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. The following description of FIG. 3 is therefore substantially restricted to a brief explanation of the differences.

(32) With the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the drive 18 is coupled, for the positioning of the balloon-yarn-guide-eye 9, to a control device 20, which, for its part, is connected to a device for detecting a measured value, which is a measuring device 21 in the illustrated embodiment, which monitors the energy consumption of the spindle drive 3 during the operation of the workstation 1.

(33) This means that the measuring device 21 makes available to the control device 20 a measured value i, which the control device 20 uses for controlling the drive 18 when the spindle 2 has reached its operating speed and, correspondingly, the energy consumption of the spindle drive 3 has reached a given level.

(34) For example, the drive 18 is controlled in such a manner that it displaces the balloon-yarn-guide-eye 9 out of its resting position RS into its operating position AP, in which the yarn balloon B2 comprises a significantly lower height and also a significantly reduced diameter D2. In this manner, it is possible to reduce the energy demand of the spindle drive 3 of the workstation 1 significantly.

(35) The embodiments of a workstation 1 of a cabling machine illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 differ from the workstation shown in FIG. 3 only with regard to the constitution of their devices for detecting a measured value i.

(36) In the case of the embodiment according to FIG. 4, the device for detecting a measured value i is a sensor device 25, which is constituted as a light barrier, that is, comprises a light source 26 and a light receiver 27.

(37) Such optically operating light barriers were shaded by the circulating yarn of the yarn balloon B, in the exemplary embodiment, the outer yarn 5 originating from the first feed bobbin 7, intermittently shades a light beam 28 with every circulation of the yarn balloon B, which allows inferences regarding the momentary rotational speed of the spindle 2 and regarding the size of the yarn balloon B.

(38) With such a sensor device 25 formed as a light barrier connected to the control device 20, not only can the diameter of the yarn balloon B therefore be determined, but the rotational speed of the spindle 2 can also be monitored relatively simply, and a measured value i can be communicated to the control device 20 when the operating speed has been reached. The control device 20 then ensures that the drive 18 is optimized the balloon-yarn-guide-eye 9 with regard to its position, that is, the drive 18 transfers the balloon-yarn-guide-eye 9 out of its resting position RS into the operating position AP.

(39) In the case of the embodiment according to FIG. 5, the device for detecting a measured value i is a yarn-tension sensor 24, which is arranged in the yarn course of a corded yarn 13 shortly before the spooling and winding device 12.

(40) With such a yarn-tension sensor 24, the yarn tension of the corded yarn 13 is monitored, and a measured value i is generated when the yarn tension reaches a specified threshold value.

(41) When it receives such a measured value i, the control device 20 then ensures, as is conventional, that the drive 18 transfers the balloon-yarn-guide-eye 9 into the operating position AP, which leads to a smaller yarn balloon and accordingly to a reduction of the yarn tension.

(42) FIG. 6 shows a workstation 1 of a cabling machine which comprises a control device 20 connected to the drive 18 for the balloon-yarn-guide-eye 9, various devices for detecting a measured value i and a yarn-tension influencing device 22 connected in the yarn pathway of the outer yarn 5.

(43) By preference, one of the devices for detecting a measured value i connected to the control device 20 is a measuring device 21, which, as already explained with reference to FIG. 3, monitors the energy consumption of the spindle drive 3 during the operation of the workstation 1. In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 6, a yarn-tension sensor 24, which scans the corded yarn 13 and is installed, for example, just below a yarn-conveying device 11, is also used as a further device for detecting a measured value i.

(44) In this context, the yarn-tension influencing device 22 connected in the yarn pathway of the outer yarn 5 is, for example, a controllable yarn-supply unit or a controllable yarn brake.

(45) An embodiment of a workstation 1 as described above guarantees that the control device 20 always ensures that the drive 18 positions the balloon-yarn-guide-eye 9 advantageously at all times and also ensures that the yarn-tension influencing device 22 keeps the yarn tension of the yarn balloon B2 at an optimal value dependent upon the measured values i of the devices 21 and/or 24.

(46) FIG. 7 shows a workstation 1 of a cabling machine in a somewhat larger scale.

(47) As is evident, with this workstation 1, the balloon-yarn-guide-eye 9 can be displaced between a resting position RS, advantageous in the case of interruptions in production, and first or respectively second operating positions AP.sub.1, AP.sub.2 dependent upon spinning parameters, and associated transient operating phases.

(48) That is, the control device 20 is constituted in such a manner that, dependent upon a measured value i provided, for example, by a measuring device 21, the drive 18 for the balloon-yarn-guide-eye 9 is controlled in such a manner that the balloon-yarn-guide-eye 9 is initially displaced out of its resting position RS into an advantageous operating position AP.sub.1. Later, the balloon-yarn-guide-eye is transferred into an optimal operating position AP.sub.2, wherein at almost the same time, by means of the yarn-tension influencing device 22, for example, a yarn-supply unit, the yarn tension of the outer yarn 5 is increased somewhat, and accordingly, a yarn balloon B3 with an optimal diameter D3 is created.

(49) During the course of the adjustment operations for the optimisation of the yarn balloon B, a plurality of operating positions relative to the operating positions of the balloon-yarn-guide-eye 9, which are disposed between the first operating position AP.sub.1 and the second operating position AP.sub.2, are, of course, also obtained.

(50) FIG. 8 shows schematically in a lateral view a workstation 1 of a two-for-one twisting machine. The workstation 1 comprises, inter alia, a spindle 2 constituted as a yarn-twisting spindle with a protective pot 19 for the accommodation of at least one feed bobbin 15, a rotatably mounted yarn-deflection device 8 and a vertically adjustable balloon-yarn-guide-eye 9.

(51) In this context, the balloon-yarn-guide-eye 9 can be positioned by a drive device 29, which is connected to a control device 20, optionally in a resting position RS or in one of the operating positions AP.sub.1 and AP.sub.2 or respectively intermediate positions.

(52) As is evident, a yarn-tension sensor 24, a yarn-supply unit 31 and a drive device 30 for the spindle 2 or respectively its yarn-deflection device 8 are also connected to the control device 20.

(53) A yarn 28 withdrawn from a feed bobbin 15 is introduced from above into a hollow rotary axle of the yarn-deflection device 8 arranged in the region of a rotational axis 35 of the spindle 2 and passes through the yarn-supply unit 31.

(54) The yarn 28 leaves the hollow rotary axle through a so-called yarn discharge borehole facing radially outwards, arranged somewhat below a protective pot 19, and reaches the outer region of the yarn-deflection device 8.

(55) The yarn 28 is deflected upwards, as conventionally, at the yarn-deflection unit 8 and, forming a yarn balloon B1, arrives at the balloon-yarn-guide-eye 9, which, at this time, that is, when the spindle 2 has reached operating speed or also before, is positioned in the resting position RS.

(56) The yarn to 28, which is constituted as a double yarn, travels via a yarn-conveying device 11 to a spooling and winding device 12, where the twisted yarn is wound onto a take-up bobbin 14.

(57) In the present exemplary embodiment, the spindle 2 comprises an indirect drive device 30. That is, the yarn-deflection device 8 comprises a pulley 32 which is charged by a drive belt 33, which also runs over a drive pulley 34 of, for example, a machine-length drive shaft 36. The drive shaft 36 is connected, for example, via a belt drive 37 to a drive 38.

(58) As soon as a measuring device 21 connected to the drive 38, which monitors, for example, the energy consumption of the drive 38, registers, for example, that the spindle 2 is running at the operating speed, a measured value i is sent to the control device 20, which then ensures that the drive device 29 transfers the balloon-yarn-guide-eye 9 out of the resting position RS into an operating position AP.sub.1.

(59) In order further to increase the profitability of the two-for-one twisting machine, following the displacement of the balloon-yarn-guide-eye 9 into the operating position AP.sub.1 by means of the yarn-supply unit 31, the yarn tension of the folded yarn 28 circulating as the yarn balloon B2 is increased and, at the same time, the balloon-yarn-guide-eye 9 is transferred into an optimal operating position AP.sub.2, wherein a yarn balloon B3 with an optimal diameter D3 is created.

(60) During the course of the transfer of the balloon-yarn-guide-eye 9 out of the operating position AP.sub.1 into the operating position AP.sub.2, a plurality of other operating positions which are disposed between the operating position AP.sub.1 and the operating position AP.sub.2 are, of course, also obtained.

(61) It will therefore be readily understood by those persons skilled in the art that the present invention is susceptible of a broad utility and application. Many embodiments and adaptations of the present invention other than those herein described, as well as many variations, modifications and equivalent arrangements will be apparent from or reasonably suggested by the present invention and the foregoing description thereof, without departing from the substance or scope of the present invention. Accordingly, while the present invention has been described herein in detail in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that this disclosure is only illustrative and exemplary of the present invention and is made merely for purposes of providing a full and enabling disclosure of the invention. The foregoing disclosure is not intended or to be construed to limit the present invention or otherwise to exclude any such other embodiment, adaptations, variations, modifications and equivalent arrangements, the present invention being limited only by the claims appended hereto and the equivalents thereof.