Semiautomatic bobbin changer

Claim 2

A bobbin changer mechanism comprising support means, bobbin drive means, an arm movable with respect to said support member, a rotatable shaft secured to said arm, a bobbin holder on said shaft including means for gripping at least first, second and third frictionally engaged bobbins, said holder being rotatable with said shaft and arranged so that said first bobbin engages said support means, switching means between said arm member and said shaft to provide dampening and sliding coupling therebetween and for rotating said shaft and holder so that said second bobbin engages said support means whereby a wound bobbin is removed from said driving means and replaced with an empty bobbin.

Claim 3

The bobbin mechanism of claim 1 wherein said bobbin holder includes two star plates fixedly connected by a flange body.

Claim 4

The bobbin mechanism of claim 2 wherein said flange body is fixed to the rotating shaft.

Claim 5

The bobbin mechanism of claim 1 wherein said bobbin holder includes bobbin gripping members supported by the inner surfaces thereof for elastically receiving and frictionally holding said bobbins.

Claim 6

The bobbin mechanism of claim 4 wherein a spring box mechanism is provided to bias said gripping members.

Claim 7

The bobbin mechanism of claim 1 wherein said switching mechanism includes outer discs cooperable with said arm and inner discs cooperable with said shaft, said outer and inner discs providing the said dampening and sliding coupling.

Claim 8

The bobbin mechanism of claim 6 wherein said outer discs are retained by a grooved coupling flange secured to said arm and said inner discs are retained by a grooved element secured to said shaft.

Claim 9

The bobbin mechanism of claim 7 wherein a tooth member is secured to said shaft by a spring means and is axially shiftable to increase sAid dampening coupling.

Claim 10

The bobbin mechanism of claim 8 wherein a switching lever is provided to rotatably actuate said tooth member.

Claim 11

The bobbin mechanism of claim 9 wherein a hub is rotatably threaded to said coupling flange.

Claim 12

A bobbin changer mechanism comprising support means, bobbin drive means, an arm movable with respect to said support member, a rotatable shaft secured to said arm, a bobbin holder including two star plates fixedly connected by a flange body and secured to said shaft and further including a plurality of bobbin-gripping members supported by said star plates for elastically receiving and frictionally holding at least first, second and third bobbins, said bobbin holder being rotatable with said shaft and arranged so that said first bobbin engages said bobbin drive means and said second bobbin engages said support means, switching means including outer discs secured with said arm and inner discs secured with said shaft for providing dampening and sliding coupling between said arm and shaft and for rotating said shaft and holder so that said second bobbin engages said driving means and said third bobbin engages said support means whereby a wound bobbin is removed from said driving means and replaced with an empty bobbin.

Claim 13

A bobbin changer mechanism comprising support means, bobbin drive means, an arm movable with respect to said support member, a rotatable shaft secured to said arm, a bobbin holder including two star plates fixedly connected by a flange body and secured to said shaft and further including a plurality of bobbin-gripping members supported by said star plates for elastically receiving and frictionally holding at least first, second and third bobbins, said bobbin holder being rotatable with said shaft and arranged so that said first bobbin engages said bobbin drive means and said second bobbin engages said support means, switching means including outer discs secured with said arm and inner discs secured with said shaft for providing dampening and sliding coupling between said arm and shaft and for rotating said shaft and holder so that said second bobbin engages said driving means and said third bobbin engages said support means whereby a wound bobbin is removed from said driving means and replaced with an empty bobbin.