Title of Invention

A DEVICE FOR SEQUENTIALLY LOADING AND UNLOADING COPS IN A RING SPINING MACHINE

Abstract

This invention relates to automatic los.ding and unloading of cops durirlg spirlning operation. It consists of cop transporting means such as a peg tray provided with at least two projections longitudinally at the base plate. Multiple holes are also provided on the base plate. The cop loading and urlloading means consist of a gripping arm and ,rripper means. The swing-in and swing-out movemerlts are controlled by a bevel gear arrangement. Programmed microprocessor controls the loading and unloading operation sequentially.

Full Text

This invention relates to a device for sequentially loading and unloading cops in a ring spinning machine. In textile spinning, doffing cycle involves removal of full cops from spindles and placement of empty oops thereon for the next cycle of operation. Automatic doffing has now become common in modern textile industry. Sequence of preliminary operations required for automatic doffing are transporting the full cops removed from the spindle to the next stage of operation, bringing in the empty cops and keeping the empty oops at an intermediate location for replacement. Empty and full cylinders are conveyed to the desired stations with the help of cop transport means, cop loading and cop delivery means. Transport means consists of a peg tray running through the full length of the machine having Its ends connected together to form a closed path. A set of pegs are provided on the peg tray. During operation these pegs travel through the entire path of the tray. A set of pneumatic means provided at different points on the peg tray path enables the pegs to travel through the peg tray. These pneumatic means are controlled and synchronized by known control means. The peg tray path is provided with a cop delivery means at a point closer to the next operational stage of the spinning process to amount full cops while passing through the delivery arrangement. Cop loading means Is located In the peg tray path next to the deleivery arrangement. It consists of a chamber for storing empty cops and means for sequentially mounting empty cops on passing pegs. Empty cops are arranged on pegs provided on the peg tray. A doffing arm consisting of a plurality of gripping element equal to the number of spinning stations provided on the ring spinning machine takes out the empty cops from the pegs in the peg tray, lifts them up and places them on an intermediate location when the machine stops at the next stage of operation, the doffing arm takes out the full oop from the spindles with the help of the gripping means and mounts them on the pegs in the peg tray. The doffing arm then picks up the empty cops from their intermediate locations and places them on the appropriate spindles. The doffing arm returns to its home position as the doffing cycle ends. The above discussed conventional automatic doffing arrangement has some disadvantages. The effectiveness of the pegs travelling on the peg tray is influenced by the friction between the pegs and the tray. Fluff formed during the doffing process falls on the peg tray to congest the path and thereby hindering the travel of pegs in the tray. Yet another problem is that during the spinning session, the empty cops arranged in the pegs tend to move or fall due to the vibration of the machine. The device for sequentially loading and unloading cops in a spinning machine developed by us overcomes the above discussed drawbacks and disadvantages. The base plate of the peg tray is designed to have atleast two elevated profiles symmetrically disposed thereon. The pegs are arranged to sit on these profiles so that the contact between the peg and tray is restricted to the elevated profile area of the tray thereby reducing the friction considerably. Plurality of perforations are introduced on the base plate of the tray to prevent congestion due to accumulation of fluff thereon during operation. Accordingly, yet another embodidment, the gripper rail of the doffer is lowered such that each of the empty oops in the tray is encapsulated by the gripping means when idle or disabled. The freedom of movement of the empty cops during operation is thereby restricted within the limits of the disabled or idle gripping means thereby avoiding fall or limiting the movement of the empty cops. The surface of the peg rail may be coated with smooth electroless nickle coating upto 5 micron thickness. Yet another improvement is in providing a simple bevel gear arrangement for controlling the swing in and swing out movement of the gripper arm and gripper means of the doffing device by means of level gear arrangement and linkage. This affords smooth swing-in and swing-out operation and avoids complicated and separate devices for controlling the movement. Programmed control means are provided for defining and calculating the different position of the gripper movements such as empty gripping position intermediate empty cop dropping position, full cop gripping position, full cop dropping position, empty oops gripping position at intermediate rail, swing-in position as well as empty cops doffing position on spindles for different spindle lift sizes. Lifting and covering of the gripper arms are also controlled and synchronised by programmed control means such as micro processor. Accordingly, the present invention provides, device for sequentially loading and unloading cops in a ring spinning machine comprising a cop transport means and a cop loading and unloading means characterized in that the said cop transport means is provided with a peg tray (PT) arranged in closed path and carrying a plurality of pegs; the said cop loading and unloading means comprising a gripping means (GMl, GM2) attached to gripper arm (GAl, GA2) which are being pivoted to respective carry over lever (COL), said carryover levers (COL) being hinged to actuating link (AL) through link (L2) wherein a bottom base plate of the said peg tray (PT) is provided with multiple perforations (M) and at least two longitudinally directed projections (PI and P2); a bevel gear assembly (BGA) comprising an input shaft and an output shaft drivingly connected to each other by a pair of bevel gears, the said input shaft if the said bevel gear assembly (BGA) being connected to a piston (P) of a pneumatic cylinder (CY) by link (LI) and the said output shaft of the said bevel gear assembly(BGA) being swingably connected to said actuating lever (AL) and the operation of said pneumatic cylinder (CY) being controlled by a programmable control means. This invention will now be described with reference to the figures in the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 shows a peg which is disposable on the peg tray shown in figure 2. Peg tray is indicated by the letters PT. P1 and P2 show the projections disposed longitudinally on the base of the peg tray. Reference letter H shows multiple perforations provided on the base plate ofthe peg tray. Figure III represents a section of the peg tray to show the projections P1 and P2. Figure IV describes the swing-in and swing-out arrangement of the cop loading and unloading means. In the figure, (GMl) and (GM2) represents the gripping means mounted on gripping arms (GAl) and (GA2) respectively. (BGA) represents the bevel gear assembly. The input shaft of the said bevel gear assembly (BGA) being swingably connected to one end of the lever (LI). The other end of the said lever (LI) being connected to the piston (P) of he said pneumatic cylinder (CY). The to and pro motion of the said piston (P) of the said pneumatic cylinder (CY) swings the said lever (LI) thereby rotates a bevel gear attached to the input shaft of the said bevel gear assembly (BGA). Another bevel gear being attached to one end of the output shaft of the said bevel gear assembly (BGA) and drivingly connected to the said bevel gear attached to the said input shaft of the said bevel gear assembly (BGA). Actuating lever (AL) being swingably connected to the other end of the said output shaft of the said bevel gear assembly (BGA). Said actuating lever (AL) being ftirther hinged to a pair of carry over levers (COL) through link (L2). The said carry over levers (COL) being ftirther pivoted to the said gripping arms (GAl) and (GA2) which carries the said gripping means (GMl) and (GM2) respectively. The linear movement of the said piston (P) of the said pneumatic cylinder (CY) swings the said lever (LI), which in turn rotates the bevel gear attached to the said input shaft of the said bevel gear assembly (BGA). The rotation of the said bevel gear attached to the input shaft of the said bevel gear assembly (BGA) rotates the said bevel gear attached to the output shaft of the said bevel gear assembly (BGA). This in turn swings the said actuating lever (AL) thereby the said carry over levers (COL) are pulled up or pushed down as the case may be through the said link (L2). Pulling up of the said carry over levers (COL) "swing out" the said gripping arms (GAl) and (GA2) carrying the said gripping means (GMl, GM2) and the pushing down of the said carry over levers (COL) "swing in" the said gripping arms (GAl) and GA2) carrying the said gripping means (GMl, GM2). By this arrangement, during the doffing cycle, the linear movement of the said piston (P) of the said pneumatic cylinder (CY) being converted into the smooth "swing-in" and "swing-out" movement of the said gripping arms (GAl) and (GA2). The operation of the said pneumatic cylinder (CY) being controlled by programmed control means in known way. Though this invention has been described hereinabove with a specific embodiment, alterations and modifications known to persons skilled in the art are not excluded fi-om its scope and that of the appended claims. WE CLAIM : 1. A device for sequentially loading and unloading cops in a ring spinning machine comprising a cop transport means and a cop loading and unloading means characterized in that the said cop transport means is provided with a peg tray (PT) arranged in closed path and carrying a plurality of pegs; the said cop loading and unloading means comprising a gripping means (GMl, GM2) attached to gripper arm (GAl, GA2) which are being pivoted to respective carry over lever (COL), said carryover levers (COL) being hinged to actuating link (AL) through link (L2) wherein a bottom base plate of the said peg tray (PT) is provided with multiple perforations (M) and at least two longitudinally directed projections (PI and P2); a bevel gear assembly (BGA) comprising an input shaft and an output shaft drivingly connected to each other by a pair of bevel gears, the said input shaft if the said bevel gear assembly (BGA) being connected to a piston (P) of a pneumatic cylinder (CY) by link (LI) and the said output shaft of the said bevel gear assembly(BGA) being swingably connected to said actuating lever (AL) and the operation of said pneumatic cylinder (CY) being controlled by a programmable control means. 2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control means is a programmable microprocessor. 3. The device as claimed in claims 1 and 2, wherein the gripper arm is located at a height to enable the gripper means to encapsulate the empty cops to restrict their movement during operation. 4. The device as claimed in claims 1 to 3, wherein the peg tray has a coast of electroless nickel. 5. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said coating is of 5 micron thickness. 6. A device for sequentially loading and unloading cops in a ring spinning machine substantially as herein described.

Documents:

176-mas-1999 abstract duplicate.pdf

176-mas-1999 abstract.pdf

176-mas-1999 claims duplicate.pdf

176-mas-1999 claims.pdf

176-mas-1999 correspondence others.pdf

176-mas-1999 correspondence po.pdf

176-mas-1999 description (complete) duplicate.pdf

176-mas-1999 description (complete).pdf

176-mas-1999 drawings duplicate.pdf

176-mas-1999 drawings.pdf

176-mas-1999 form-1.pdf

176-mas-1999 form-19.pdf

176-mas-1999 form-26.pdf

176-mas-1999 form-5.pdf