Spinning machine yarn package tube exchanging device

Claim 1

A tube exchanging device for a textile machine having a spindle rail with a plurality of longitudinally spaced spindles adapted to contain tubes to be wound with yarn, comprising a conveyor having a plurality of equally spaced tube holders thereon movable parallel to the spindle rail in one direction for delivery of empty tubes to the spindles and in an opposite direction for the return of full tubes from the spindle, a transport device alongside said conveyor including a carriage, carriage mounting means for moving said carriage vertically betweEn a first position associated with said conveyor, a second position associated with the spindle rail, and a third position above said spindle rail; a gripper rail movably mounted on said carriage for horizontal back and forth movement, a plurality of evenly spaced and alternately arranged first and second grippers depending from said gripper rail, said first grippers being engageable with empty tubes which are carried on said tube holders when said carriage is moved downwardly to said first position, said carriage being movable upwardly to said third position, means for shifting said gripper rail horizontally to align said second grippers with the spindles, said carriage being movable downwardly to engage said second grippers with the full tubes to doff them from said spindles, said carriage being movable upwardly to said third position and said gripping rail being shiftable once again horizontally to align said first grippers with the tubes being carried thereby over said spindles, said carriage being movable downwardly to said second position for depositing said empty tubes on said spindles and again to said first position for depositing the full tubes onto said tube holders, said means for moving said gripper rail horizontally comprising an actuator including a fluid pressure cylinder and a piston movable in said cylinder connected to said gripper rail.