APPARATUS FOR FEEDING A PLURALITY OF THREADS

Abstract

An apparatus feeds a plurality of threads to rotating godets of a melt spinning machine including a manual injector (e.g., a main manual injector) and a cutting device. In order to be able to selectively feed the threads individually or as a bunch, a transfer device and a second manual injector (e.g., an auxiliary manual injector) are associated with the manual injector.

Claims

1. An apparatus for feeding a plurality of threads to rotating godets of a melt spinning machine with a manual injector and a cutting device, wherein the manual injector is assigned a transfer device and a second manual injector.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transfer device has a placement recess for receiving an intake tube of the main manual injector and a run-in thread guide, the run-in thread guide (22) on the transfer device being assigned to a suction end of the intake tube of the main manual injector placed into the placement recess.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the transfer device has a run-out thread guide arranged at a distance from the run-in thread guide, the run-in thread guide and the run-out thread guide defining a thread running plane with the cutting device arranged on the transfer device.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the suction end of the intake tube on the main manual injector can be positioned close to the thread running plane between the run-in thread guide and the run-out thread guide.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the cutting device is arranged on the transfer device in a region between the suction end of the placed-in intake tube on the main manual injector and the run-out thread guide.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cutting device is provided with an actuator and a cutting means coupled to the actuator, the actuator being of an electrically controllable design.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the transfer device is assigned at least one operator control panel with a control button for activating the cutting device.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cutting means is formed by two shear halves.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transfer device is held movably between an operating position and a rest position on a frame wall supporting the godets.

10. A method for feeding a plurality of spun threads to rotating godets of a melt spinning machine, the method comprising: a. taking over a first initially spun thread by a main manual injector and guiding the thread around a plurality of rotating godets, b. threading the thread into a run-in thread guide of a transfer device and parking the main manual injector with the positioned suction tube, c. taking over a neighboring initially spun thread by an auxiliary manual injector and guiding the thread around a plurality of rotating godets, d. threading the thread into the run-in thread guide and a run-out thread guide on the transfer device, e. triggering a cutting device for severing the thread, a loose end of the thread being taken up by the main manual injector, and f. repeating steps c to e until all of the threads can be guided on the main manual injector.

Description

[0020] In the figures:

[0021] FIG. 1 schematically shows a front view of a melt spinning machine with an apparatus according to the invention

[0022] FIG. 2 schematically shows the exemplary embodiment from FIG. 1 in a side view

[0023] FIG. 3 schematically shows a number of views of a transfer device according to the exemplary embodiment from FIG. 1

[0024] FIG. 4 schematically shows the exemplary embodiment from FIG. 1 when feeding a first thread

[0025] FIG. 5 schematically shows a plan view of the apparatus according to the invention during the feeding operation

[0026] FIG. 6 schematically shows the exemplary embodiment from FIG. 1 when feeding a second thread

[0027] FIG. 7 schematically shows a plan view of the apparatus according to the invention during the feeding operation.

[0028] In FIGS. 1 and 2, an exemplary embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention for feeding a plurality of threads is represented together with a melt spinning machine in several views. FIG. 1 shows a front view of the melt spinning machine and FIG. 2 shows a side view. If no express reference is made to one of the figures, the following description applies to both figures.

[0029] The melt spinning machine is only partially represented here, with a spinning device 1, a stretching device 8 and a crimping device 11, which are arranged one behind the other to form a thread run.

[0030] Usually, after being reduced to a single thread, the threads crimped in this way undergo an aftertreatment by relaxation and intermingling. At the end, such melt spinning machines have a winding-up device, in order to wind the threads individually to form packages. The aftertreatment device and the winding-up device are not described any further at this point.

[0031] The spinning device 1 has a spinning beam 2 and three spinnerets 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3 arranged next to one another on the underside of the spinning beam 2. The spinning beam 2 is usually of a heated design and includes a melt distributor system and also one or more spinning pumps. A polymer melt supplied by a melt source is fed to the spinnerets 3.1 to 3.3 by way of a feed 4.

[0032] Provided underneath the spinning beam 2 is a cooling device 5, in order to cool down the filament strands extruded through the spinnerets 3.1 to 3.3. In this exemplary embodiment, the cooling device 5 has a blowing chamber 5.1 and a blowing wall 5.2, which is facing the filament strands.

[0033] Underneath the cooling device 5, each spinneret 3.1 to 3.3 is respectively assigned a collective thread guide 6 for bundling the filaments to form in each case a thread 7.1, 7.2 and 7.3.

[0034] Provided underneath the collective thread guide 6 is a suction cutting device 8, in order in the event of thread breakage or when starting spinning to take up the threads continuously and convey them to a waste container.

[0035] The threads 7.1, 7.2 and 7.3 are drawn off individually by a plurality of draw-off godets 9.1 to 9.3. Arranged downstream of the draw-off godet units 9.1 to 9.3 is the stretching device 8. In this exemplary embodiment, the stretching device 8 has a number of godets 10.1 to 10.4, which in each case form two pairs of godets, in order to stretch the threads 7.1, 7.2 and 7.3. For this purpose, the godets 10.1 to 10.4 usually have heated godet sleeves. The godets 10.1 to 10.2 are coupled to drives, in order in particular to be able to set a differential speed between the pairs of godets.

[0036] The stretching device 8 is followed in the thread run by the crimping device 11, which in this exemplary embodiment of the melt spinning machine is formed by a texturing unit 12 and a cooling drum 14. The texturing unit 12 preferably has a number of conveying nozzles, in order to convey the threads 7.1 to 7.3 separately into in each case a connected stuffer box. On the outlet side of the texturing unit 12, the threads are removed as thread plugs and placed on the circumference of the cooling drum 14. After cooling down of the thread plugs on the circumference of the cooling drum, they are in each case drawn off to form a crimped thread.

[0037] As emerges in particular from the representation in FIG. 2, the stretching device 8 and the crimping device 11 are arranged projecting from a frame wall 13. The frame wall 13 is assigned in front an operator aisle 32, which extends on a longitudinal side of the machine. To this extent, the stretching device 8 and the crimping device 11 are operated from the operator aisle 32.

[0038] In FIGS. 1 and 2, the melt spinning machine is represented in an operating situation in which the threads are continuously stretched, crimped and aftertreated and are also wound up. In order to be able to start the process for producing the crimped threads, it is necessary that, after starting spinning in the spinning device 1, an operator places the threads 7.1 to 7.3 against the draw-off godet units 9.1 to 9.3 and into the stretching device 8. For this purpose, the operator uses the apparatus according to the invention, which is schematically represented in FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0039] The exemplary embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention has a main manual injector 16, which is manually guided and is connected to a waste container not shown here. The main manual injector 16 is assigned a transfer device 17 and also an auxiliary manual injector 18. The auxiliary manual injector 18 can likewise be freely guided manually and is connected to a waste container not shown here. The transfer device 17 is arranged movably on the frame wall 13. For this purpose, the transfer device 17 has a thrust mount 30, which is guided displaceably on the frame wall 13.

[0040] For further explanation of the transfer device 17, reference is additionally made to FIG. 3, which shows a number of views of the transfer device 17. In FIG. 3.1, a front view is shown and in FIG. 3.2, a plan view is shown. Arranged at the free end of the thrust mount 30 is a supporting plate 29. Arranged on the supporting plate 29 are a run-in thread guide 22, on a run-in side, and a run-out thread guide 23, on a run-out side. Arranged projecting laterally on the supporting plate 29, between the run-in thread guide 22 and the run-out thread guide 23, is a placement recess 19. In the region between the placement recess 19 and the run-out thread guide 23, a cutting device 24 is held on the supporting plate 29. The cutting device 24 has a cutting means 25 and an actuator 26. The actuator 26 can be controlled by a control button 28 on an operator control panel 27. The operator control panel 27 is held on the frame wall 13.

[0041] For explanation of the apparatus according to the invention for feeding the threads, reference is made below to FIGS. 4 and 5 and also 6 and 7.

[0042] In FIG. 4, the front view of the melt spinning machine is shown, a first thread being fed to the draw-off godet unit 9 and the stretching device 8. FIG. 5 schematically shows a plan view of the apparatus according to the invention in the situation according to FIG. 4.

[0043] To be able to start a process, the operator will guide the main manual injector 16 to take over the thread 7.1 from the spinning device 1 and first place it against the draw-off godet unit 9 and also the downstream godets 10.1 to 10.4 of the stretching device. After that, the thread 7.1 is threaded into the run-in thread guide 22 of the transfer device 17 and the main manual injector 16 is placed into the placement recess 19 of the transfer device 17 for parking. This situation is represented in FIG. 5.

[0044] In FIG. 5, the transfer device 17 is shown in plan view, the thrust mount 30 with the supporting plate 29 being held in an extended position on the frame wall 13. The run-in thread guide 22 and the run-out thread guide 23 form together with the cutting device 24 lying in between a thread running plane 31. The thread running plane 31 is represented in FIG. 5 by a broken line.

[0045] In the parking situation of the main manual injector 16, an intake tube 20 of the main manual injector 16 protrudes with a suction end 21 up to the thread running plane 31. The placement recess 19 has for this purpose stops that are not shown any more specifically, in order to be able to position the intake tube 20.

[0046] In the feeding situation represented, the thread 7.1 is continuously taken up by the main manual injector 16 and carried away.

[0047] Then the operator takes the auxiliary manual injector 18, in order to take over a neighboring thread in the spinning device 1. FIG. 6 shows the melt spinning machine with the apparatus according to the invention in a front view and FIG. 7 shows the apparatus according to the invention in a plan view.

[0048] If no express reference is made to one of the figures, the following description applies to both figures.

[0049] As emerges from the representation in FIG. 6, the thread 7.2 can be placed with the aid of the auxiliary manual injector 18 against the draw-off godet unit 9.2 and the godets 10.1 to 10.4. Subsequently, the thread 7.2 is threaded into the run-in thread guide 22 and the run-out thread guide 23 of the transfer device 17. In this situation, the thread 7.2 is guided in the thread running plane 31 and continuously taken up by the auxiliary manual injector 18 and conveyed to a waste container.

[0050] Then the operator actuates the control button 28, in order to activate the cutting device 24. The thread 7.2 is severed by the cutting means 25 within the transfer device 17. The cutting means 25 is preferably formed here by two shear halves, which move oppositely toward one another in order to sever the thread 7.2.

[0051] Once the thread 7.2 is severed, the loose thread end of the thread 7.2 is sucked in by the suction force of the intake tube 20 on the main manual injector 16, and is consequently taken over by the main manual injector 16.

[0052] Then the main manual injector 18 is free to be able to feed the next thread from the spinning device 1. The previously described operation is repeated, so that after severing of the thread 7.3 in the transfer device 17 all of the threads are guided together by the main manual injector 16. The further feeding process is performed by the main manual injector 16, the threads 7.1, 7.2 and 7.3 being guided together as a bunch of threads.

[0053] The apparatus according to the invention is consequently particularly suitable for feeding the threads separately and individually with multiple wraparounds to long-projecting godets. Once the feeding operation is ended, the transfer device 17 is returned again, to stay in a retracted position.

[0054] The melt spinning machine represented in FIGS. 1 and 2 and also the number of spinnerets are only by way of example. In principle, the method according to the invention also allows more than three threads to be guided separately or together for feeding.