Automatic yarn piecing apparatus for a continuous ringless spinning machine and method of using same

Claim 2

An automatic yarn piecing process in a continuous ringless spinning machine in which fibers are fed into a spinning chamber and withdrawn as a yarn to be wound onto a package which comprises the steps of detecting the breakage of yarn; finding the end portion of the yarn wound on the package at a predetermined position; drawing the yarn end from the package by means of suction; guiding said yarn to the neighborhood of the spinning chamber of the spinning unit invOlved in yarn breakage; cutting off the yarn with a predetermined length thereof left out on the side connected to the package; introducing said yarn end connected to the package into the spinning unit involved in yarn breakage through said spinning chamber; joining said yarn end with fibers delivered to said spinning chamber and continuously discharging a spun yarn from the spinning chamber.

Claim 3

An automatic yarn piecing process in accordance with claim 1 which further comprises the step of carrying out the removal of the remaining fiber by generating sucking air stream into the spinning chamber after having detected the yarn breakage.

Claim 4

The automatic yarn piecing method according to claim 2, wherein the steps of removing the remaining fiber from said spinning chamber and discharging the yarn end from said package are simultaneously carried out.

Claim 5

An automatic yarn piecing device in a continuous ringless spinning machine having a spinning chamber and a yarn winding package comprising yarn breakage detector means, suction means (64, 75, 76) for catching the end portion of the yarn wound on the package and for locating the yarn end at a predetermined position; means (85, 86) for guiding said yarn end to the neighborhood of the spinning chamber of the spinning unit involved in yarn breakage by engaging said yarn; means for cutting the yarn end to leave a predetermined length thereof on the side connected to the package, means (70, 65) for introducing said yarn end connected to the package into the spinning unit involved in yarn breakage through the spinning chamber to join said yarn end with fibers delivered to said spinning chamber while unwinding said yarn end from said package, means for thereafter continuously discharging a spun yarn from said spinning chamber, and means (E, T2) for controlling said yarn end from the spinning chamber continuously in synchronous relation to the start of the spinning operation after said yarn end has arrived at the spinning chamber (4).

Claim 6

An automatic yarn piecing device in a continuous ringless spinning machine having a spinning chamber and a yarn winding package comprising yarn breakage detector means, suction means (64, 75, 76) for catching the end portion of the yarn wound on the package and for locating the yarn end at a predetermined position; means (85, 86) for guiding said yarn end to the neighborhood of the spinning chamber of the spinning unit involved in yarn breakage by engaging said yarn; means for cutting the yarn end to leave a predetermined length thereof on the side connected to the package, means (70, 65) for introducing said yarn end connected to the package into the spinning unit involved in yarn breakage through the spinning chamber to join said yarn end with fibers delivered to said spinning chamber while unwinding said yarn end from said package, means for thereafter continuously discharging a spun yarn from said spinning chamber, and means (E, T2) for controlling said yarn end from the spinning chamber continuously in synchronous relation to the start of the spinning operation after said yarn end has arrived at the spinning chamber (4).

Claim 7

An automatic yarn piecing device in a continuous ringless spinning machine having a spinning chamber and a yarn winding package comprising yarn breakage detector means, suction means (54) for removing remaining fiber by generating a sucking air stream into the spinning chamber after having detected the yarn breakage, means for catching and withdrawing the end portion of the yarn wound on the package at least as soon as the remaining fiber has been removed, means for drawing the yarn, means for locating the yarn at the predetermined position, means for engaging and guiding said yarn end to the neighborhood of the spinning chamber of the spinning unit involved in yarn breakage, means for cutting off the yarn end by leaving a predetermined length thereof on the side connected to the package, means for passing said cut yarn end through said spinning chamber while rewinding the same from said package, means for introducing the yarn end connected to the package into the spinning unit involved in yarn breakage, and thereafter for continuously drawing said yarn end, and means for controlling said yarn end after said yarn end has arrived at the spinning chamber whereby said yarn end can be continuously drawn out from the spinning chamber in synchronous relation to the start of spinning operation.

Claim 8

An automatic yarn piecing device in a continuous ringless spinning machine having a spinning chamber and a yarn winding package comprising yarn breakage detector means, suction means (54) for removing remaining fiber by generating a sucking air stream into the spinning chamber after having detected the yarn breakage, means for catching and withdrawing the end portion of the yarn wound on the package at least as soon as the remaining fiber has been removed, means for drawing the yarn, means for locating the yarn at the predetermined position, means for engaging and guiding said yarn end to the neighborhood of the spinning chamber of the spinning unit involved in yarn breakage, means for cutting off the yarn end by leaving a predetermined length thereof on the side connected to the package, means for passing said cut yarn end through said spinning chamber while rewinding the same from said package, means for introducing the yarn end connected to the package into the spinning unit involved in yarn breakage, and thereafter for continuously drawing said yarn end, and means for controlling said yarn end after said yarn end has arrived at the spinning chamber whereby said yarn end can be continuously drawn out from the spinning chamber in synchronous relation to the start of spinning operation.

Claim 9

The automatic yarn piecing device according to claim 4, wherein the means for locating said yarn end is comprised of means (65) for rotating the package in the rewinding direction, and suction retaining means (64, 75, 76) adapted to be positioned against the outer peripheral surface of the package for spinning the caught yarn end at the predetermined position by drawing the caught yarn end from the package.

Claim 10

The automatic yarn piecing device according to claim 6, wherein said suction retaining means comprises a yarn discharging nozzle (64) the lower portion of which is bent and which further includes a continuous slit (75) from the end thereof to the lower portion of the bent portion whereby the sUcked yarn end can be passed through the yarn end discharging nozzle.

Claim 11

The automatic yarn piecing device according to claim 7, wherein the end portion of said yarn end discharging nozzle is open and extends in the axial direction of said package.

Claim 12

The automatic yarn piecing machine according to claim 6 wherein said means for rotating the package comprises a rewinding roller (65) rotating the package in the rewinding direction, and wherein said suction retaining means (64) is adapted to be rotated whereby the end portion thereof can be positioned against the outer peripheral surface of said package, the rewinding roller (65) being adapted to be pressed against the package which has stopped the operation for taking up the spinning yarn by the displacement of said suction retaining means to the working position.

Claim 13

The automatic yarn piecing machine according to claim 9 which further comprises a take-up drum, engaging means (95, 62) for separating the package from the take-up drum (10) and for turning back to the original position, said rewinding roller (65) being connected to said suction retaining means (64) for rotating the package in the rewinding direction, whereby said package is pressed against the rewinding roller (65) which is thereby displaced to the working position.

Claim 14

The automatic yarn piecing machine according to claim 10, wherein said engaging means (95, 62) are comprised of a push lever (95) for engaging the package with the engaging portion at the end thereof and a solenoid mechanism (62) for rotating said push lever.

Claim 15

The automatic yarn piecing machine according to claim 11, wherein a pair of guide rollers are provided parallel with the inlet portion (81) which is open in the path of moving yarn, the side of said guide rollers which is adjacent said inlet portion being formed in a tapered shape.

Claim 16

The automatic yarn piecing machine according to claim 4 which further comprises a guide member (78) for connecting the yarn end drawn from the package and cutting members (85, 86) for cutting the yarn end at said predetermined position by transmitting the yarn end which is engaged against said guide position to the neighborhood of the spinning chamber (7) of the spinning unit involved in the yarn breakage.

Claim 17

The automatic yarn piecing machine according to claim 13, wherein said guide member is provided between the discharging nozzle and spinning unit involved in yarn breakage, and reciprocates therebetween, said guide member having a V-shaped guide portion (79) and a guiding surface (96) for guiding the yarn end coming out from the discharging nozzle into the moving trace of said guide portion, said cutting member having a movable edge (85) and a fixed edge (86) disposed on the V-shaped portion of said guide portion.

Claim 18

The automatic yarn piecing device according to claim 4, wherein said means for introducing said cut yarn end into the spinning unit involved in yarn breakage and for continuously drawing said yarn end, is comprised of a pair of guide rollers (70) and reversing means for said guide rollers (70), said guide rollers (70) being placed on the running trace of the finished yarn by the movement thereof, and said reversing means being arranged to rotate said guide roller in the normal direction so that the yarn can be unwound from the package and, in the reverse direction, so as to discharge yarn from the spinning chamber.

Claim 19

The automatic yarn piecing device according to claim 4, wherein the means for introducing the said cut yarn end into the spinning unit involved in yarn breakage and for continuously drawing out the yarn end, is comprised of means (70, 65) for leading said cut yarn end into the spinning unit involved in yarn breakage through the spinning chamber while winding said cut yarn end from the package, and means (72) for transmitting rotation at such a speed as to be synchronous with the driving speed of the spinning machine.

Claim 20

The automatic yarn piecing device according to claim 16 which comprises means for pressing the rewinding roller (65) against the package, means for passing the press-roller (72) against the discharge roller (8) of the spinning machine by the displacement of the suction nozzle to the working position, whereby the rotation of the press-roller is transmitted to the unwinding roller and said guide roller, and clutch means (e) for reversing the rotation of the guide roller at a predetermined time.

Claim 21

The automatic yarn piecing machine according to claim 17, whrein the press-roller is adapted to be continuously pressed against the discharge roller (8) of the spinning machine till the finished yarn is released from said guide roller when the guide roller is turned back to the original position.

Claim 22

The automatic yarn piecing machine according to claim 4 which further comprises an unwinding roller, means for driving said unwinding roller for rotating the package in the unwinding direction by contacting the same against said package, a discharge nozzle, said unwinding roller being connected to the upper portion of said discharging nozzle, the discharging nozzle having a slit continued in the length wise direction, a cam for rotating said discharging nozzle on the outer peripheral surface of the package when said nozzle detects the yarn breakage, a guide member (85) connected to said discharging nozzle for guiding the yarn end from said discharging nozzle to the neighborhood of the spinning chamber of the spinning unit involved in yarn breakage by engaging the yarn end from the discharging nozzle, a pair of guide rollers for nipping the yarn end guided by said guide member, means for unwinding and discharging yarn from the spinning chamber, a clutch for reversing said rotation into the transmission system by transmitting the rotation to said unwinding roller and guide roller and a press-roller for pressing against the discharge roller of the spinning machine.

Claim 23

The automatic yarn piecing machine according to claim 19, wherein said press-roller includes a rotary lever that is pressed against the discharge roller of the spinning machine by means of the rotation of the discharging nozzle, the position thereof being retained by the engagement of a ratchet wheel (91) and a pawl (92), and after having pieced the broken yarn, said engagement being released by the effect of a solenoid (93) so that the press roller can be separated from the discharge roller.

Claim 24

The automatic yarn piecing machine according to claim 5, wherein the means for removing the remaining fiber is comprised of means (38) for opening the spinning chamber by engaging the spinning unit involved in yarn breakage, and fiber treating means (54) for sucking the remaining fiber by moving the end thereof into the spinning chamber.

Claim 25

The automatic yarn piecing machine according to claim 21, wherein said fiber treating means is comprised of means (59) for peeling the remaining fiber by jetting compressed air against the internal wall of the spinning chamber, and means (58) for sucking the peeled remaining fiber.

Claim 26

The automatic yarn piecing machine according to claim 22, wherein said fiber treating means is comprised of a suction tube (58) and a blow out tube (59), wherein said blow out tube is provided with at least one blow out hole (60) in the direction of the reverse rotation of the spinning chamber.

Claim 27

The automatic yarn piecing machine according to claim 21, wherein said fiber treating means is comprised of a suction tube and a peeling member (61), mounted on the collecting surface of the spinning chamber at the end of said suction tube.

Claim 28

An automatic yarn piecing machine, according to claim 4, wherein said suction means, said means for introducing the cut yarn and said means for controlling the yarn end are disposed on a wagon (21) capable of running on a track extending along said ringless spinning machine, said wagon being provided with means for sensing the occurrance of yarn breakage and stopping means responsive to said sensing means to stop said machIne in front of a spinning unit in which yarn breakage has occurred.

Claim 29

An automatic yarn piecing machine, according to claim 25, wherein said sensing means is an alarm lamp and a light senser (30) to sense the light of the alarm lamp (20) energized upon the occurrence of a yarn breakage.