Textile machine producing cross-wound packages, comprising a cross-wound package transport apparatus

Abstract

A textile machine for producing cross-wound packages, the machine being equipped with a plurality of workstations arranged next to one another on both longitudinal sides of the machine and having a cross-wound package transport apparatus. The cross-wound package transport apparatus has a first transport device, arranged between the two rows of workstations for conveying cross-wound packages, and a handling apparatus for moving cross-wound packages from the first transport device to the second transport device. The handling apparatus is arranged between the end regions of the first transport device.

Claims

1. A textile machine for producing cross-wound packages, the textile machine being equipped with a plurality of workstations arranged next to one another on both longitudinal sides of the machine and having a cross-wound package transport apparatus, the cross-wound package transport apparatus having a first transport device, arranged between the two rows of workstations for conveying cross-wound packages, and a handling apparatus for moving cross-wound packages from the first transport device to a second transport device, characterised in that the handling apparatus is arranged between end regions of the first transport device and the handling apparatus is configured as a cross-wound package lifting apparatus, which takes the cross-wound packages from the first transport device and transfers the cross-wound packages to the second transport device.

2. The textile machine for producing cross-wound packages according to claim 1, characterised in that the handling apparatus is arranged in a region of the machine centre.

3. The textile machine for producing cross-wound packages according to claim 1, characterised in that the handling apparatus is movable between the end regions of the first transport device.

4. The textile machine for producing cross-wound packages according to claim 1, characterised in that the second transport device is arranged above the first transport device.

5. The textile machine for producing cross-wound packages according to claim 1, characterised in that the second transport device is positioned next to the first transport device in each case.

6. The textile machine for producing cross-wound packages according to claim 1, characterised in that a package removal apparatus is installed both at the end of the first transport device and at the end of the second transport device.

7. A textile machine for producing cross-wound packages, the textile machine being equipped with a plurality of workstations arranged next to one another on both longitudinal sides of the machine and having a cross-wound package transport apparatus, the cross-wound package transport apparatus having a first transport device, arranged between the two rows of workstations for conveying cross-wound packages, and a handling apparatus for moving cross-wound packages from the first transport device to a second transport device, characterised in that the handling apparatus is arranged between end regions of the first transport device, and the first transport device has two conveyor belts, which are arranged next to one another and are driven in a defined manner.

8. The textile machine for producing cross-wound packages according to claim 7, characterised in that each of the two conveyor belts of the first transport device is equipped with its own handling apparatus.

9. A textile machine for producing cross-wound packages, the textile machine being equipped with a plurality of workstations arranged next to one another on both longitudinal sides of the machine and having a cross-wound package transport apparatus, the cross-wound package transport apparatus having a first transport device, arranged between the two rows of workstations for conveying cross-wound packages, and a handling apparatus for moving cross-wound packages from the first transport device to a second transport device, characterised in that the handling apparatus is arranged between end regions of the first transport device, and there are a plurality of handling apparatuses and the plurality of handling apparatuses are arranged both between the end regions of the first transport device and at the end of the first transport device, and transfer finished cross-wound packages to the second transport device.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a side view of an open-end rotor spinning machine comprising two rows of workstations, a cross-wound package transport apparatus, which is arranged between the two rows of workstations and has two conveyor belts running in parallel, and a package doffer positioned in front of a workstation,

(2) FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of two adjacent open-end rotor spinning machines each equipped with a cross-wound package transport apparatus, each of which, in a first embodiment according to the invention, has a first transport device having a cross-wound package handling apparatus, which is arranged in the centre of the machine and to which a second transport device is connected, said second transport device being arranged to the side next, to the first transport device,

(3) FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an alternative embodiment of a cross-wound package transport apparatus of an open-end rotor spinning machine, the cross wound package transport apparatus having a first transport device equipped with a cross-wound package handling apparatus, which is arranged in the centre of the machine and is connected to a second transport device arranged above the first transport device,

(4) FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a further embodiment of a cross-wound package transport apparatus for open-end rotor spinning machines, comprising a first transport device equipped with one cross-wound package handling apparatus arranged in the centre of the machine and one arranged at the end of the machine, each of which is connected to a separate downstream transport device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(5) Referring to the figures, FIG. 1 is a side view of the two rows of workstations of a textile machine producing cross-wound packages, in the embodiment example of an open-end rotor spinning machine 1. As is known, open-end rotor spinning machines 1 of this kind have a plurality of identical workstations 2, which are generally arranged in two rows of workstations. In other words, a plurality of identical workstations 2 are positioned both in the region of the front of the textile machine and in the region of the rear of the textile machine.

(6) As can be seen, a cross-wound package transport apparatus 12 is arranged between the two rows of workstations, the first transport device 17 of said transport apparatus being formed, for example, by two conveyor belts 13, 14 running in parallel.

(7) As is known, the workstations 2 of such textile machine each have an open-end rotor spinning device 3 and a winding apparatus 4, among other things.

(8) By means of the open-end rotor spinning apparatus 3, a fibre band 6 stored in a spinning can 5 is spun into a thread 7, which is then wound into a cross-wound package 8 on the winding devices 4.

(9) As shown in FIG. 1, the winding devices 4 are each equipped with a package cradle 9 for rotatably mounting a cross-wound package tube and, in this embodiment example, with a winding roller 11 for the frictionless driving of the cross-wound packages 8 and the simultaneous traversing of the running thread 7. In this case, the package cradle 9 is rotatably mounted in a restricted manner, preferably about a pivot axis 15.

(10) Additionally, open-end rotor spinning machines 1 of this kind are often equipped with a cross-wound package transport apparatus 12 for conveying finished cross-wound packages 8, i.e. with a device for transporting away cross-wound packages 8 that have reached an intended diameter on the workstations 2. The cross-wound package transport apparatus 12 configured according to the invention has a first transport device 17, which has two conveyor belts 13, 14 arranged in parallel, i.e. each of the rows of workstations is equipped with its own conveyor belt 13 and 14, respectively.

(11) Automatic service units, e.g. what are known as package doffers 16, that can be moved on corresponding rails 10 or 20 are also arranged at or on the open-end rotor spinning machine 1. The package doffers 16 patrol along the workstations 2 of the open-end rotor spinning machine 1 during spinning operation and intervene automatically if action is required at any of the workstations 2. Such a need for action arises, for example, if one of the cross-wound packages 8 reaches its prescribed diameter at any of the workstations 2 and has to be exchanged for a new cross-wound package tube.

(12) In this case, the package doffer 16 positions itself in front of the relevant workstation 2 and transfers the full cross-wound package 8 from the package cradle 9 of the winding device 4 of the relevant workstation 2 onto the associated conveyor belt 13 or 14 of the cross-wound package transport apparatus 12. Next, a new cross-wound package tube is swapped into the package cradle 9 and the spinning and winding process is restarted on the relevant workstation 2.

(13) In this case, the cross-wound package transport apparatuses 12 of open-end rotor spinning machines 1 can have various embodiments.

(14) As shown in the schematic plan view of FIG. 2 on the basis of two adjacent open-end rotor spinning machines 1, in a first embodiment the open-end rotor spinning machines 1 are, for example, each equipped with a cross-wound package transport apparatus 12, which has a first transport device 17 and a second transport, device 18 arranged next to the first transport device 17.

(15) In the process, the first transport device 17 has two conveyor belts 13, 14 extending along the entire length of the machine, which are arranged next to one another and to which the conveyor belts 21, 22 of a second transport device 18 are connected by means of package handling apparatuses 23, 26, for example in the region of the machine centre 19 of the open-end rotor spinning machine 1. As can be seen from FIG. 2, the conveyor belts 21, 22 of the second transport device 18 are half the length of the machine and are each positioned to the side next to one of the conveyor belts 13, 14 of the first transport device 17.

(16) At the end of the machine, the conveyor belts 13, 14 of the first transport device 17 and the conveyor belts 21, 22 of the second transport device 18 are equipped with package removal apparatuses. The package removal apparatuses of the conveyor belts 13, 14 are denoted by reference numerals 24, 25, whereas the package removal apparatuses of the conveyor belts 21, 22 bear the reference numerals 27, 28.

(17) In the alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the open-end rotor spinning machine 1 also has a cross-wound package transport apparatus 12 which has a first transport device 17 and a second transport device 18. In this case, however, the conveyor belts 21, 22 of the second transport device 18 are positioned above the conveyor belts 13, 14 of the first transport device 17. In other words, the first transport device 17 has two conveyor belts 13, 14 extending along the entire length of the machine, which are equipped with package handling apparatuses 23, 26, for example in the region of the machine centre 19 of the open-end rotor spinning machines 1.

(18) By means of the package handling apparatuses 23, 26, the conveyor belts 13, 14 of the first transport device 17 are connected to the conveyor belts 21, 22 of the second transport device 18, which are preferably positioned significantly above the workstations 2. Similarly to the embodiment example according to FIG. 2, the conveyor belts 21, 22 are only half the length of the machine.

(19) As with the embodiment example according to FIG. 2, in this case the conveyor belts 13, 14 of the first transport device 17 and the conveyor belts 21, 22 of the second transport device 18 are equipped with package removal apparatuses arranged at the end of the machine, the package removal apparatuses of the conveyor belts 13, 14 being denoted by the reference numerals 24, 25, and the package removal apparatuses of the conveyor belts 13, 14 being denoted by the reference numerals 27, 28.

(20) The package handling apparatuses 23, 26 are preferably configured as cross-wound package lifting apparatuses, which lift cross-wound packages 8 from the conveyor belts 13, 14 of the first transport device 17 onto the conveyor belts 21, 22 of the second transport device 18 as necessary.

(21) In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the open-end rotor spinning machine 1 also has a cross-wound package transport apparatus 12, which has a first transport device 17 having two conveyor belts 13, 14 extending along the entire length of the machine. Package handling apparatuses 23, 26, 29, 30, which are configured for example as cross-wound package lifting apparatuses, are connected to the conveyor belts 13, 14 of the first transport device 17 and, as necessary, lift the finished cross-wound packages 8 delivered to the conveyor belts 13, 14 off said conveyor belts 13, 14 and onto a transport apparatus 32 arranged downstream of the first transport device 17, which transport apparatus passes the cross-wound packages 8 on to textile machines arranged downstream in the production process, such as weaving machines. The package handling apparatuses 23, 26 are, for example, arranged in the region of the machine centre 19 of the open-end rotor spinning machines 1, whereas the package handling apparatuses 29, 30 are positioned at the end of the open-end rotor spinning machine 1.

(22) The functioning of the package transport device 12 according to the invention will be briefly explained below with reference to FIG. 3:

(23) When workstations 2 arranged in the rear region of the open-end rotor spinning machine 1, i.e. positioned in the region of the open-end rotor spinning machine 1 to the right of the machine centre 19 in FIG. 3, have finished cross-wound packages 8, these are transferred by a service unit, preferably by a package doffer 16, to the associated conveyor belt 13 or 14 of the first transport device 17, which, as shown in FIG. 1, is installed downstream of the winding devices 4 of the workstations 2. By means of the first transport device 17, the cross-wound packages 8 are then conveyed to a package removal apparatus 24 or 25 arranged at the end of the machine, where they are immediately unloaded, for example by an operator 31.

(24) Cross-wound packages 8 completed on workstations 2 arranged in the front region of the open-end rotor spinning machine 1, i.e. in the region to the left of the machine centre 19, are initially transferred to one of the conveyor belts 13 or 14 of the first transport device 17 by a package doffer 16.

(25) The first transport device 17 then conveys the cross-wound packages 8 to package handling apparatuses 23 or 26 arranged in the region of the machine centre 19. The package handling apparatuses 23 or 26, which are preferably configured as cross-wound package lifting apparatuses, transfer the cross-wound packages 8 to a second transport device 18, the conveyor belts 21 and 22 of which are arranged above the conveyor belts 13, 14 of the first transport device 17.

(26) The conveyor belts 21 and 22 of the second transport device 18 also have package removal apparatuses 27 and 28, which are arranged at the end of the machine and by means of which the cross-wound package 8 can then be immediately unloaded.

(27) Any of the above-described embodiments of a cross-wound package transport apparatus 12 lead to considerable correction of the transport of finished cross-wound packages 8. In other words, the hitherto common backlog of finished cross-wound packages 8, which started in the machine-end region of the cross-wound package transport apparatus 12 of the open-end rotor spinning machines 1 and often caused the stoppage of the workstations 2 arranged in this region of the backlog, can be reliably prevented by the embodiments according to the invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(28) 1 Open-end rotor spinning machine

(29) 2 Workstation

(30) 3 Spinning device

(31) 4 Winding device

(32) 5 Spinning can

(33) 6 Fibre band

(34) 7 Thread

(35) 8 Cross-wound package

(36) 9 Package cradle

(37) 10 Rail

(38) 11 Winding roller

(39) 12 Cross-wound package transport apparatus

(40) 13 Conveyor belt

(41) 14 Conveyor belt

(42) 15 Pivot axis

(43) 16 Package doffer

(44) 17 First transport device

(45) 18 Second transport device

(46) 19 Machine centre

(47) 20 Rail

(48) 21 Conveyor belt

(49) 22 Conveyor belt

(50) 23 Package handling apparatus

(51) 24 Package removal apparatus

(52) 25 Package removal apparatus

(53) 26 Package handling apparatus

(54) 27 Package removal apparatus

(55) 28 Package removal apparatus

(56) 29 Package handling apparatus

(57) 30 Package handling apparatus

(58) 31 Operator

(59) 32 Transport means