Doffer Device having a Double Gripper for a Spinning Machine

Abstract

A doffer device for a spinning machine includes a plurality of gripping devices, each gripping device having a rotatable gripping unit. Each gripping unit includes a bobbin gripper that grips a full bobbin and a tube gripper that grips an empty tube. Each gripping unit is rotatable between a gripping position in which the full bobbin can be gripped on the spindle and a placement position in which the empty tube can be placed on the spindle. A rotating device is configured with the gripping units to rotate the gripping units about an axis of rotation such that neighboring ones of the gripping units are rotated with a time lag relative to one another. The rotating device is driven by a toothed belt.

Claims

1-19. canceled

20. A doffer device for a spinning machine having a plurality of spinning stations, the doffer device configured to remove full bobbins from spindles on the spinning machine and place empty tubes on the spindles, the doffer device comprising: a plurality of gripping devices, each gripping device assigned to one of the spinning stations and comprising a rotatable gripping unit; each gripping unit comprising a bobbin gripper that grips the full bobbin and a tube gripper that grips the empty tube; each gripping unit rotatable between a gripping position in which the full bobbin can be gripped on the spindle and a placement position in which the empty tube can be placed on the spindle; a rotating device configured with the gripping units to rotate the gripping units about an axis of rotation such that neighboring ones of the gripping units are rotated with a time lag relative to one another; and wherein the rotating device is driven by a toothed belt.

21. The doffer device according to claim 20, wherein each gripping device comprises a base body, each gripping unit further comprising two indicators disposed so that a position of the rotating device is visible through the base body.

22. The doffer device according to claim 20, wherein each bobbin gripper comprises a bobbin receptacle that is open at the bottom and is placeable over the full bobbin from above, and each tube gripper comprises a tube receptacle that is open at the bottom and is placeable over the empty tube from above.

23. The doffer device according to claim 22, wherein the bobbin grippers and the tube grippers are cylindrical or conical and pneumatically operated.

24. The doffer device according to claim 20, wherein the rotating device comprises gear wheels connected to the gripping devices.

25. The doffer device according to claim 20, wherein each gripping device comprises means for positioning the gripping device between the gripping position and the placement position upon being rotated by the rotating device.

26. The doffer device according to claim 20, wherein the rotating device is configured with a capacity limiter device.

27. The doffer device according to claim 20, wherein each bobbin gripper comprises a bobbin gripper axis, and each tube gripper comprises a tube gripper axis, wherein the bobbin gripper axis and the tube gripper axis are at an angle to one another of between 4 and 10.

28. The doffer device according to claim 27, wherein an angle between the axis of rotation of the rotating device and the bobbin gripper axis is equal to an angle between the axis of rotation of the rotating device and the tube gripper axis.

29. The doffer device according to claim 28, wherein the axis of rotation of the rotating device is inclined relative to vertical by the angle between the bobbin gripper axis and the axis of rotation of the rotating device so that in the gripping position, the bobbin gripper axis is vertical and parallel to an axis of the spindle.

30. A method for removing full bobbins from spindles on a spinning machine and for placement of empty tubes on the spindles using a doffer device, wherein the doffer device comprises: a plurality of gripping devices, each gripping device assigned to one of the spinning stations and comprising a rotatable gripping unit; each gripping unit comprising a bobbin gripper that grips the full bobbin and a tube gripper that grips the empty tube; each gripping unit rotatable between a gripping position in which the full bobbin can be gripped on the spindle and a placement position in which the empty tube can be placed on the spindle; a rotating device configured with the gripping units to rotate the gripping units about an axis of rotation such that neighboring ones of the gripping units are rotated with a time lag relative to one another; the method further comprising: engaging the empty tube from above by placing the tube gripper over the empty tube; gripping the full bobbin from above by placing the bobbin gripper over the full tube; moving the gripping unit from the gripping position to the placement position; placing the empty tube onto the spindle from above with the tube gripper; rotating neighboring ones of the gripping units with a time offset relative to one another; and driving the rotating device with a toothed belt.

31. The method according to claim 30, wherein each gripping device comprises a base body, each gripping unit further comprising two indicators disposed so that a position of the rotating device is visible through the base body.

32. The method according to claim 30, wherein the neighboring gripping units are positioned between the gripping position and the placement position with the time lag by positioning means configured between the rotating device and each gripping unit.

33. The method according to claim 30, the tube gripper and the bobbin gripper are operated pneumatically with a membrane.

34. A gripping device configured for use on a doffer device to remove a full bobbin from a spindle on a spinning machine and to place an empty tube on the spindle, the gripping device comprising: a gripping unit rotatable about an axis of rotation (D), the gripping unit rotatable between a gripping position in which the full bobbin can be gripped on the spindle and a placement position in which the empty tube can be placed on the spindle; a rotating device configured with the gripping units to rotate the gripping units about an axis of rotation such that neighboring ones of the gripping units are rotated with a time lag relative to one another; a bobbin gripper configured on the gripping unit and comprising a bobbin receptacle that is open at the bottom for being placed over the full bobbin to grip the full bobbin, the bobbin gripper having a bobbin gripper axis; a tube gripper configured on the gripping unit and comprising a tube receptacle that is open at the bottom for being placed over the empty tube to grip the empty tube, the tube gripper having a tube gripper axis; and wherein the rotating device is drivable by a toothed belt.

35. The gripping device according to claim 34, further comprising a base body, the gripping unit further comprising two indicators disposed so that a position of the rotating device is visible through the base body.

36. The gripping device according to claim 34, further comprising means for positioning the gripping device between the gripping position and the placement position upon being rotated by the rotating device.

37. The gripping device according to claim 36, further comprising a base body, the gripping unit rotatable relative to the base body, the positioning means comprising intermeshing gear wheels configured between the base body and the gripping unit, wherein one or more of the gear wheels comprises a non-toothed or flat region.

38. The gripping device according to claim 37, further comprising a plurality of the gripping units, the positioning means configured so that neighboring ones of the gripping units are rotated with a time lag relative to one another.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0035] Additional advantages of the invention are described in the following embodiments, in which:

[0036] FIG. 1a shows a top view of a detail of a doffer device;

[0037] FIG. 1b shows a top view of the detail of the doffer device from FIG. 1a at a later point in time;

[0038] FIG. 2a shows a side view of a gripper device;

[0039] FIG. 2b shows a schematic side view of a gripping device;

[0040] FIG. 3a shows a top view of a detail of another doffer device;

[0041] FIG. 3b shows a top view of the detail of the doffer device from FIG. 3a at a later point in time;

[0042] FIG. 4a shows a top view of a detail of another doffer device;

[0043] FIG. 4b shows a frontal view of a detail of another doffer device; and

[0044] FIG. 5 shows a view of the base body with two indicators.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] Reference will now be made to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are shown in the drawings. Each embodiment is provided by way of explanation of the invention, and not as a limitation of the invention. For example features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be combined with another embodiment to yield still another embodiment. It is intended that the present invention include these and other modifications and variations to the embodiments described herein.

[0046] FIG. 1a shows a top view of a detail of a doffer device 1 for a spinning machine, in which a portion of the drive rod 2 comprising two toothed regions 3, 4, and three gripping devices 10, 11, 12 are illustrated. The gripping devices 10, 11, 12 comprise gripping units 20, 21, 22 with tube grippers 30, 31, 32 and bobbin grippers 40, 41, 42. Furthermore, first gear wheels 50, 51, 52, which are fixedly connected to the gripping units 20, 21, 22, are also provided. The gripping devices 10, 11, 12 each also have additional gear wheels 60, 61, 62, which engage in the first gear wheels 50, 51, 52. Flattened locations 70, 71, 72, 73, which function as positioning means and accurately position the gripping units 20, 21, 22 in the gripping position and in the placement position, are provided on the first gear wheel and additional gear wheels 50, 51, 52, 60, 61, 62. For the sake of simplicity, only the flattened locations 70, 71, 72, 73 for the gripping device 12 have been labeled with reference numerals.

[0047] For a doffing operating, the gripping devices 10, 11, 12 are now moved from a bar (not shown here) in such a way that the tube grippers 30, 31, 32 can grip empty tubes. Then the gripping devices 10, 11, 12 are moved over spindles on the spinning machine, so that the bobbin grippers 40, 41, 42 are able to grip full bobbins from the spindles. The full bobbins are then removed from the spindles. Next, the drive rod 2 is moved in the direction of the arrow A. In doing so, the toothed regions 3, 4 first engage in the gear wheels 60, 62 of the gripping devices 10, 12, so that the gripping units 20, 22 are rotated. The rotation of the gripping units 20, 22 is readily possible because the gripping unit 21 is not rotated, and consequently, they do not interfere with one another mutually.

[0048] FIG. 1b shows a detail of the doffer device 1 at a later point in time. The gripping units 20, 22 were already rotated into the placement position here, wherein the tube grippers 30, 32 and the bobbin grippers 40, 42 have already exchanged placed in comparison with the gripping position. The toothed region 3 now engages with the gear wheel 61, and the gripping unit 21 is rotated further in the direction of the arrow A by the movement of the drive rod 2. Due to the fact that the gripping units 20, 22 are not rotated simultaneously with the gripping unit 21, they do not interfere with the gripping unit 21 in rotation.

[0049] FIG. 2a shows a side view of the gripping device 10. This also shows the drive rod 2, the toothed region 3 and the bar 5 of the doffer device. A base body 80 of the gripping device 10 has two legs 81, 82, which affix it on the bar 5 in the fastening plane B. The first gear wheel 50, as described above, is connected to the gripping unit 20 while the additional gear wheel 60 which engages with the first gear wheel 50 and the toothed region 3, is connected to the base body 80. If the drive train 2 is moved with the toothed region, then the additional gear wheel 60 and the first gear wheel 50, and thus also the gripping unit 20, rotate. The gripping unit 20 rotates about an axis of rotation D. This shows a tube gripper axis H and a bobbin gripper axis S, wherein the angle between the tube gripper axis H and the axis of rotation D and the angle between the bobbin gripper axis S and the axis of rotation D are each 4. The angle between the tube gripper axis H and the bobbin gripper axis S is thus 8. Furthermore, the axis of rotation D about the angle between the bobbin gripper axis S and the axis of rotation D is thus 4 is inclined relative to a vertical line to the fastening plane B, so that the bobbin gripper axis S is vertical in the gripping position and is thus parallel to an axis of the spindle. After rotation of the gripper unit 20 into the placement position, the tube gripper axis H then runs vertically and therefore parallel to the axis of the spindle.

[0050] The gripping unit 20 with the tube gripper 30 and the bobbin gripper 40 are illustrated in detail in FIG. 2b. In this embodiment the tube gripper 30 is equipped with a clamping element 90, and the bobbin gripper 40 is equipped with a membrane 100. However, other combinations of the grippers and other types of grippers are also possible for the present invention.

[0051] The clamping element 90 has a gripping clamping region 91 and is mounted so it can rotate about an axis 92. A bolt 93 and a restoring spring 94 act on the clamping element 90 on the side of the axis 92 opposite the clamping region 91. The bolt 93 here is connected to a pneumatic line 95. If a tube is to be gripped, the bolt 93 is forced onto the clamp 90 via the pneumatic line 95, so that the clamping region 90 secures the tube. If the tube is then to be released again, the pressure in the pneumatic line 95 is reduced and the restoring spring 94 retracts the clamping element 90 and releases the tube.

[0052] In the case of the bobbin gripper 40, the membrane 100 is connected to a pneumatic line 101. If a bobbin is to be gripped, the membrane 100 is pumped up via the pneumatic line 101 and surrounds the bobbin. If the bobbin is then to be released again, the air pressure in the pneumatic line 101 and therefore in the membrane 100 is reduced and the bobbin is released again.

[0053] In another embodiment (not shown), the tube gripper and bobbin gripper are operated pneumatically. The tube gripper and the bobbin gripper may be conical in design (not shown). The conical design has the advantage of a better hold of the bobbin and tube, in particular when both are being operated pneumatically because the membrane conforms better to the tube and the bobbin.

[0054] FIG. 3a shows a top view of a detail of another embodiment of a doffer device 6 according to the invention. In the following description, the same reference numerals are used for features which are identical in their design and/or mechanism of action and/or at least comparable in comparison with the first embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1a and 1b. If these are not described in detail again, their design and/or mechanism of action correspond to the design and mechanism of action of the features already described above.

[0055] In this embodiment, a continuously toothed drive rod 7 is provided. It engages in additional gear wheels 63, 64, 65 connected to the base bodies of the gripping devices 10, 11, 12. These additional gear wheels 63, 64, 65 in turn engage in first gear wheels 53, 54, 55 connected to the gripping units 20, 21, 22. To achieve the time-offset rotation of neighboring gripping units 20, 21, 22 according to the invention, the additional gear wheels 63, 64, 65 are not toothed continuously but instead have toothless regions 110, 111, 112. The toothless region 111 is positioned differently in comparison with the toothed regions 110, 112.

[0056] If the drive rod 7 is now moved in the direction of the arrow A, then the toothless regions 110, 112 first pass by the first gear wheels 53, 55 on//in the gripping devices 10, 12 so that the gripping units 20, 22 are not rotated. With the gripping device 11 however, the additional gear wheel 64 engages in the first gear wheel 54 and rotates the gripping unit 21. FIG. 3b shows the doffer device during this rotation. Since the gripping units 20, 22 are not rotating, the gripping unit 21 has enough room to rotate.

[0057] The toothless region 111 of the second gear wheel 64 is designed so that it arrives at the first gear wheel 54 when the gripping unit 21 has finished rotating. Then the additional gear wheels 63, 65 also begin to engage with the first gear wheels 53, 55 and rotate the gripping devices 20, 22 while the gripping device 21 is not rotating.

[0058] FIG. 4a shows a top view of a detail of another embodiment of a doffer device 120 according to the invention. In the following description, the same references numerals are used for features which are identical and/or at least comparable in their design and/or mechanism of action in comparison with the first and/or second embodiments illustrates in FIGS. 1a and 1b and/or 3a and 3b. If these are not explained again in detail, their embodiment and/or mechanism of action correspond to the embodiment and mechanism of action of the features already described above.

[0059] In comparison with the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3a, a drive belt 121 is used here instead of the drive rod. Furthermore, another gear wheel 66 is provided, which meshes with the additional gear wheel 63 and the drive belt 121. Due to the gear ratio of the additional gear wheel 66, the tensile force to be applied by the drive belt 121//tractive force is reduced.

[0060] FIG. 4b shows a frontal view of a detail of another embodiment of a doffer device 8 according to the invention. In the following description, the same reference numerals are used for features which are identical in their embodiment and/or mechanism of action and/or at least comparable in comparison with the first, second and/or third embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1a and 1b, 3a and 3b and/or 4a. If these are not explained in detail again, their embodiment and/or mechanism of action correspond to the embodiment and mechanism of action of the features already described above.

[0061] This embodiment has two continuously toothed drive rods 7, 9. Furthermore, the second gear wheels 60, 61 are arranged on the base bodies 80, 83 of the gripping devices 10, 11 so that the second gear wheel 60 engages with the drive rod 7, and the second gear wheel 61 engages with the drive rod 9. For the sake of simplicity, this does not show the first gear wheels which engage with the respective second gear wheels 60, 61. In a doffing operation, the drive rod 7 is then moved first so that the gripping unit 20 will rotate. Since the gripping unit 21 does not rotate at the same time, the gripping unit 20 has enough space to rotate. As soon as the gripping unit 20 has finished rotating, the drive rod 7 is stopped and the drive rod 9 is moved. Then the gripping unit 21 rotates.

[0062] FIG. 5 shows a base body 80 with two indicators 130, 131 according to the invention. The indicators 130, 131 are mounted on the top side and indicate to an operator the location of the gripping unit 20. If a malfunction has occurred and the operator must reengage or equip a gripping unit, he can recognize the correct position from the outside. The two indicators 130, 131 must be set in alternation on neighboring gripping units 20, so that the gripping units can be positioned correctly and the missing gripping unit can be used correctly. In the embodiment mentioned, elevated locations 132, 133 which cooperate with the indicators 130, 131 are each arranged with an offset at a certain location on the gear wheel 50, 51, 53 (FIGS. 1a, b), 63, 64, 65 (FIGS. 3a, b).

[0063] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described and illustrated here. Modifications within the scope of the patent claims are also possible as is a combination of features, although these are illustrated and described in various embodiments.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0064] 1 Doffer device

[0065] 2 Drive rod

[0066] 3, 4 Toothed region

[0067] 5 Bar

[0068] 6 Doffer device

[0069] 7 Continuously toothed drive rod

[0070] 8 Doffer device

[0071] 9 Continuously toothed drive rod

[0072] 10-12 Gripping device

[0073] 20-22 Gripping unit

[0074] 30-32 Tube gripper

[0075] 40-42 Bobbin gripper

[0076] 50-55 First gear wheel

[0077] 60-65 Additional gear wheel

[0078] 70-73 Flattened location

[0079] 80 Base body

[0080] 81, 82 Leg

[0081] 83 Base body

[0082] 90, 91 Clamping element

[0083] 92 Axis

[0084] 93 Bolt

[0085] 94 Restoring spring

[0086] 100 Membrane

[0087] 101 Pneumatic line

[0088] 110, 111, 112 Toothless region

[0089] 120 Doffer device

[0090] 121 Drive belt

[0091] 130 Indicator

[0092] 131 Indicator

[0093] 132 Elevated location

[0094] 133 Elevated location

[0095] A Direction of movement

[0096] B Fastening plane

[0097] D Axis of rotation

[0098] H Tube gripper axis

[0099] S Bobbin gripper axis