Method for feeding a sliver end, and spinning machine

Abstract

A spinning machine and method are provided for feeding a sliver end of a sliver deposited in a can to a spinning position of the spinning machine, wherein the spinning machine includes a plurality of adjacently arranged spinning positions and a plurality of cans arranged in at least a first row under the spinning positions. With a sliver gripper of a robot, the method includes seeking the sliver end from one of the cans in an area that includes at least one adjacent spinning position to a spinning position to be supplied. The sliver end is grasped with the sliver gripper and fed to the spinning position to be supplied.

Claims

1. A method for feeding a sliver end of a sliver deposited in a can to a spinning position of a spinning machine, wherein the spinning machine comprises a plurality of adjacently arranged spinning positions and a plurality of cans arranged in at least a first row under the spinning positions, the method comprising: positioning a robot at an adjacent spinning position to the spinning position to be supplied such that a sliver gripper of the robot is at the adjacent spinning position; with the sliver gripper of the robot at the adjacent spinning position, seeking the sliver end from one of the cans; grasping the sliver end with the sliver gripper; and feeding the sliver end to the spinning position to be supplied.

2. The method as in claim 1, comprising moving the robot along the spinning machine and positioning the robot at the spinning position to be supplied or at the adjacent spinning position.

3. The method as in claim 1, comprising moving the sliver gripper relative to the robot along the spinning machine to the area that includes the adjacent spinning position or to an area that includes a can in a second row of the cans adjacent to the first row of cans.

4. The method as in claim 3, wherein the shiver gripper is configured to grasp the sliver end from multiple possible positions at the adjacent spinning position.

5. The method as in claim 1, wherein the sliver gripper seeks the sliver end on a top side of the can or at a circumference of the can.

6. A method for feeding a sliver end of a sliver deposited in a can to a spinning position of a spinning machine, wherein the spinning machine comprises a plurality of adjacently arranged spinning positions and a plurality of cans arranged in at least a first row under the spinning positions, the method comprising: with a sliver gripper of a robot, seeking the sliver end from one of the cans in an area that includes at least one adjacent spinning position to a spinning position to be supplied; grasping the shiver end with the sliver gripper; feeding the sliver end to the spinning position to be supplied; and wherein the robot is at the adjacent spinning position when the sliver end is grasped, and further comprising moving the robot with the grasped end to the spinning position to be supplied before feeding the sliver end to the spinning position to be supplied.

7. A spinning machine configured to perform the method according to claim 1.

8. The spinning machine as in claim 7, wherein the robot is movable along the spinning machine.

9. The spinning machine as in claim 8, wherein the robot is also movable along additional spinning machines.

10. The spinning machine as in claim 7, wherein the sliver gripper is movable relative to the robot along the spinning machine to the area that includes the adjacent spinning position or to an area that includes a can in a second row of the cans adjacent to the first row of cans.

11. The spinning machine as in claim 10, wherein the sliver gripper is configured to grasp the sliver end from multiple possible positions at the adjacent spinning position.

12. The spinning machine as in claim 7, wherein the sliver gripper comprises a width so as to grasp the sliver end at at least two adjacent spinning positions relative to the spinning position to be supplied.

13. The spinning machine as in claim 7, wherein the sliver gripper comprises a suction unit for drawing in the sliver end.

14. The spinning machine as in claim 7, wherein the sliver gripper comprises a blowing unit for feeding the sliver end into the spinning position to be supplied.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further advantages of the invention are described in the following exemplary embodiments. Wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a side view of a spinning machine before a sliver end has been grasped,

(3) FIG. 2 shows the spinning machine from FIG. 1 during the feeding of a sliver end at a spinning position,

(4) FIG. 3 shows the spinning machine from FIG. 1 before a sliver end has been grasped in order to be fed at another spinning position,

(5) FIG. 4 shows the spinning machine from FIG. 1 during the feeding of a sliver end at the other spinning position,

(6) FIG. 5 shows an exemplary embodiment of a robot comprising a sliver gripper, which is movable in relation to the robot,

(7) FIG. 6 shows an exemplary embodiment of a robot comprising a wide sliver gripper,

(8) FIG. 7 shows two spinning positions comprising a stationarily arranged sliver gripper, and

(9) FIG. 8 shows a top view of multiple spinning positions including cans arranged in rows under the spinning positions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(10) 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.

(11) In the following description of the alternative exemplary embodiments represented in the figures, the same reference signs are utilized for features that are identical or at least comparable in terms of their configuration and/or mode of operation. Provided the features are not described in detail again, their design and/or mode of operation correspond/corresponds to the design and mode of operation of the above-described features.

(12) FIG. 1 shows a side view of a spinning machine 1 before a sliver end 2 has been grasped. The spinning machine 1 comprises a plurality of spinning positions 3, which are arranged next to one another. A machine frame 4 is located at each of the two ends of the spinning machine 1. Each spinning position 3 comprises a spin box 5 as well as a bobbin 6, onto which a yarn 7 is wound. The yarn 7 is spun in the spin box 5 from a sliver 8, which is fed to the spin box 5 from a can 9. The sliver 8 is actively fed to the spin box 5 with the aid of a feed drive 11, which consists of at least one driven roller. On the path between the can 9 and the spin box 5, the sliver 8 is guided through a loop-catching means 10, which is intended to prevent the formation of loops, which could result in a sliver break, in the sliver 8 during the withdrawal of the sliver 8 from the can 9.

(13) When the sliver 8 contained in the can 9 has been used up, the can 9 is exchanged for a full can 9. The sliver end 2 of the sliver 8 contained therein hangs, for example, over the upper rim of the can 9a, as represented by the can 9a. The sliver 8 is lacking at the spinning position 3a to be supplied, at which the sliver 8 is to be pieced in order for the spinning operation to be continued. The adjacent spinning position 3b continues to receive its sliver 8 from a can 9b, which is arranged, not visibly, behind the can 9a in a second row. The sliver end 2, which hangs over the rim of the can 9a, can be located either in an area Ba below the spinning position 3a to be supplied or in the area Bb below the adjacent spinning position 3b.

(14) A robot 12 is located in front of the adjacent spinning position 3b, as indicated with the aid of a center line M. The robot 12 can be moved along the spinning machine 1 as indicated by the double arrow V. When a spinning position 3 reports to a control unit that service is required, for example, a sliver 8 is lacking at a certain spinning position 3, the robot 12 is stopped at this spinning position 3, specifically in this case the spinning position 3a to be supplied or the adjacent spinning position 3b, and begins its maintenance work. In the representation of FIG. 1, the robot 12 is therefore located in front of the adjacent spinning position 3b.

(15) A sliver piecing unit 13, on which a sliver gripper 14 is located, is arranged on the robot 12. In the exemplary embodiment represented here, the sliver gripper 14 is a suction tube, which is capable of drawing in the sliver end 2. The sliver gripper 14 can be swiveled according to the double arrow S, so that it can move the drawn-in sliver end 2 in the direction of the feed drive 11 for feeding the sliver end 2 at the spinning position 3a.

(16) The sliver gripper 14 can also be designed in a way other than a pneumatically operated suction tube, of course. For example, a mechanical gripper is also possible, which grasps the sliver end 2 at the can 9a.

(17) According to the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1, the robot 12 is located in front of the adjacent spinning position 3b. The sliver gripper 14 can find and grasp the sliver end 2, which can be located in the area Ba or Bb, for example, with the aid of the swivel movement S. Due to the fact that the robot 12 is positioned at the adjacent spinning position 3b, the sliver gripper 14 can grasp the sliver end 2, in particular, in its area Bb. The sliver gripper 14 is also able to grasp this sliver end 2 when the sliver end 2 is located in the area Ba of the spinning position 3a to be supplied.

(18) FIG. 2 shows the spinning machine from FIG. 1 during the feeding of the sliver end 2 at the spinning position 3a. The robot 12 is moved, according to the arrow Va, in the direction of the spinning position 3a to be supplied and is positioned there. The sliver gripper 14 has grasped the sliver end 2 during this movement and guides the sliver end 2 to the spinning position 3a to be supplied. Due to a swivel movement S of the sliver gripper 14 in the direction toward the feed drive 11 of the spinning position 3a to be supplied, the sliver 8 or the sliver end 2 is moved toward the feed drive 11 of the spinning position 3a to be supplied and, there, can be inserted into the feed drive 11, for example, with the aid of pressure pulse from the sliver gripper 14. For the purpose of inserting the sliver 8 into the loop-catching means 10, either the sliver gripper 14 can comprise units, which thread the sliver 8 through the loop-catching means 10, or the loop-catching means 10 is designed in such a way that it can perform its function, for example, by the sliver 8 having been inserted sideways into the loop-catching means 10.

(19) When the sliver end 2 has been inserted into the feed drive 11 and the spinning process is ready for spinning yarn 7 once more or is underway again, the robot 12 leaves the spinning position 3a to be supplied and carries out further maintenance work at other spinning positions 3.

(20) As is apparent from the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, the robot 12 is therefore positioned, first of all, in the area of the adjacent spinning position 3b, seeks the sliver end 2 at least in the area Bb of the adjacent spinning position 3b but also, in this case, in the area Ba of the spinning position 3a to be supplied, and takes up the sliver end 2. Thereafter, the robot 12 moves in front of the spinning position 3a to be supplied, positions itself there, and inserts the sliver end 2 into the feed drive 11 of the spinning position 3a to be supplied.

(21) Alternatively, it could also be possible that the sliver gripper 14 is designed in such a way that it seeks and grasps the sliver end 2 in the area Bb of the adjacent spinning position 3b on the one hand, but, thereafter, inserts the sliver end 2 into the feed drive 11 of the spinning position 3a to be supplied without a further movement of the robot 12, for example, with the aid of an articulated or telescopic movement of the sliver gripper 14.

(22) FIG. 3 shows the spinning machine 1 before a sliver end 2 has been grasped in order to be fed at another spinning position 3, which is therefore referred to in this case as the spinning position 3a to be supplied. In this exemplary embodiment, the robot 12 is positioned in front of the spinning position 3a to be supplied. The sliver gripper 14 is able, with the aid of a swivel movement S, to grasp the sliver end 2, which is hanging out of the can 9a and is located in the area Bb of the adjacent spinning position 3b. As soon as the sliver end 2 has been grasped by the sliver gripper 14, the sliver gripper 14 swivels, as represented in FIG. 4, upward in the direction toward the feed drive 11 and inserts the sliver end 2 into the feed drive 11 either autonomously or with the aid of further insertion elements. As this exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4 shows, it is not necessary in this case, after the sliver end 2 has been found, for the robot 12 to be repositioned in order to feed the sliver end 2 into the feed drive 11 of the spinning position 3a.

(23) The different piecing methods with and without a movement of the robot 12 according to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, and FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, respectively, result, inter alia, from the fact that the cans 9 have a width or a diameter K, which corresponds to approximately twice the width of a spinning position 3. This means, the spinning position 3a to be supplied can be arranged either on the left side or on the right side of the can 9, which is located under the two spinning positions 3a and 3b. It can therefore be advantageous in different ways that the robot 12 is moved toward the spinning position 3a to be supplied after the sliver end 2 has been found, as represented in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, on the one hand, or a displacement of the robot 12 is not necessary, as represented in FIGS. 3 and 4, in which the spinning position 3a to be supplied is arranged on the left side of the can 9.

(24) FIG. 5 shows an exemplary embodiment of a robot 12 comprising a sliver gripper 14, which is movable in relation to the robot 12. In this exemplary embodiment, the sliver gripper 14 is moved together with the sliver piecing unit 13 in the horizontal direction RH in relation to the robot 12. It is therefore very easily possible, together with a swivel movement S of the sliver gripper 14, if necessary, that the sliver end 2 is sought and found in the area Bb of the adjacent spinning position 3b and, if necessary, additionally in the area Ba of the spinning position 3a to be supplied.

(25) As further indicated in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 5, the sliver gripper 14 is pneumatically operated. According to the arrow Ls, the sliver gripper 14 is able to draw the sliver end 2 into the sliver gripper 14. In order to feed the sliver 8 or the sliver end 2 into the feed drive 11 of the spinning position 3a, the suction flow can be switched to a stream of compressed air and, therefore, blow the sliver end 2 into the feed drive 11 according to the arrow Lb. As a result, the feeding of the sliver end 2 or the sliver 8 at the spinning position 3a to be supplied can take place in a highly reliable manner.

(26) A further exemplary embodiment of the invention is represented in FIG. 6. FIG. 6 shows an exemplary embodiment of a robot 12 comprising a wide sliver gripper 14. The sliver gripper 14 has a width b, due to which it is able to grasp a sliver end 2 in the area Ba as well as in the area Bb. In contrast to the embodiment according to FIG. 5, the air flows L are not provided at the end of the sliver gripper 14, but rather along the sliver gripper 14 and draw in the sliver 8 transversely to the sliver gripper 14. In order to be able to reliably grasp the sliver end 2, it can be advantageous that the sliver piecing unit 13 is movable, together with the sliver gripper 14, vertically in relation to the robot 12, according to the double arrow RV. In this case, it can be sufficient that the sliver gripper 14 is stationarily, i.e., not swivelably, arranged on the sliver piecing unit 13.

(27) FIG. 7 shows two spinning positions 3 comprising a stationarily arranged sliver gripper 14. The sliver gripper 14 or the sliver piecing unit 13 is fixedly attached with respect to the two spinning positions 3. Due to a swivel movement of the sliver gripper 14 according to the double arrow S, the sliver gripper 14 is able to grasp a sliver end 2 in the area Ba as well as in the area Bb (according to FIG. 1 resp. FIG. 3) and feed it to the spinning position 3a to be supplied. Depending on which spinning position 3 the sliver 8 is lacking, the sliver gripper 14 can feed the sliver end 2 either to the spinning position 3 arranged on the left side of the can 9 or to the spinning position 3 arranged on the right side of the can 9.

(28) The sliver piecing unit 13 can also be designed to be vertically as well as horizontally displaceable, of course, according to the double arrow RV and, additionally, according to the double arrow RH.

(29) FIG. 8 shows a top view of multiple spinning positions 3 including rows of cans 9 arranged underneath the spinning positions 3. The cans 9 of the first row R1 protrude from under the spinning positions 3, while the cans 9 of the second row R2 are arranged completely under the spinning positions 3. As is apparent from the sketched representation, a sliver 8 has not been placed at two spinning positions 3a. The corresponding cans 9a are located in the first row R1 as well as in the second row R2. The sliver end 2 of the can 9a represented in the second row R2 has been deposited in a chord-like manner over a top side 16 of the can 9. A sliver gripper 14 (not represented here) can take up the sliver end 2 with the aid of a swivel movement, which enables a movement of the sliver gripper 14 not in front of the spinning positions 3, but rather under the spinning positions 3, in contrast to the representation of the preceding figures. As soon as the sliver end 2 has been grasped on this top side 16, it is drawn through, together with the sliver gripper 14, under the spinning positions 3a, 3b and is pieced at the spinning position 3a.

(30) In another alternative, the sliver end 2 has been presented hanging over the rim of the can, as represented in the can 9a in the first row R1. In this case, the sliver gripper 14 can grasp the sliver end 2 on the circumference 15 of the can 9a and feed it to the spinning position 3a to be supplied, as described above with respect to the other exemplary embodiments.

(31) Of course, the sliver end 2 lying over the top side 16 can also be presented in the case of a can 9a of the first row R1 and the sliver end 2 hanging over the circumference 15 of the can 9a can also be presented in the case of a can 9a of the second row R2 to be supplied.

(32) The present invention is not limited to the represented and described exemplary embodiments. Modifications within the scope of the claims are also possible, as is a combination of the features individually or in any combination, even if they are represented and described in different exemplary embodiments.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

(33) 1 spinning machine 2 sliver end 3 spinning position 3a spinning position to be supplied 3b adjacent spinning position 4 machine frame 5 spin box 6 bobbin 7 yarn 8 sliver 9 can 9a can to be handled 9b adjacent can 10 loop-catching means 11 feed drive 12 robot 13 sliver piecing unit 14 sliver gripper 15 circumference 16 top side S swivel movement V displacement movement Va displacement movement in the direction of the spinning position to be supplied Ba area of the spinning position to be supplied Bb area of the adjacent spinning position R1 first row R2 second row RH horizontal direction RV vertical direction L air flow Ls drawn-in air Lb blown-out air b width of the sliver gripper M center line K can diameter