Winding tube changing mechanisms

Claim 1

An apparatus for feeding empty winding tubes to bobbin holders of textile machines having on the front thereof bobbin holders with centering plates and adapted to pivot about horizontal axes extending longitudinally of the machine, each bobbin holder having a bobbin lever which can be swung out laterally against the force of a spring, which apparatus comprises means to move said apparatus longitudinally along the front of the textile machine, at least one bobbin holder opening device, movement means operable by drive means to move said device into and out of engagement with a bobbin holder and pivot it upwardly about its horizontal axis into a first, prescribed position and also swing said bobbin lever laterally outwardly, at least one winding tube loading device, and said loading device including means to grip an empty tube externally on its circumference, and means to move said last-mentioned means with the gripped empty tube into position between the centering plates of the bobbin holder when the latter is swung upwardly into the first, prescribed position and opened by the opening device, said opening device having a member for deflecting the bobbin lever upwards and another member for deflecting the bobbin lever laterally and outwards, each opening device having associated therewith a discharge chute for the discharge of a wound bobbin which drops out of an opened bobbin holder, and conveyor means at the discharge end of said chute for deliverying the wound bobbin to a collection member, said drive means embodying a horizontal pivot shaft and the pivoting drive therefor, the support for said shaft and said drive being structurally combined with the discharge chute which is mounted on a carriage adjustably movable transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the machine, and said movement means embodying fluid-operated piston cylinders for pivoting said loading device into and out of engagement with the machine.

Claim 2

An apparatus for feeding empty winding tubes to bobbin holders of textile machines having on the front thereof bobbin holders with centering plates and adapted to pivot about horizontal axes extending longitudinally of the machine, each bobbin holder having a bobbin lever which can be swung out laterally against the force of a spring, which apparatus comprises means to move said apparatus longitudinally along the front of the textile machine, at least one bobbin holder opening device, movement means operable by drive means to move said device into and out of engagement with a bobbin holder and pivot it upwardly about its horizontal axis into a first, prescribed position and also swing said bobbin lever laterally outwardly, at least one winding tube loading device, and said loading device including means to grip an empty tube externally on its circumference, and means to move said last-mentioned means with the gripped empty tube into position between the centering plates of the bobbin holder when the latter is swung upwardly into the first, prescribed position and opened by the opening device, said opening device having a member for deflecting the bobbin lever upwards and another member for deflecting the bobbin lever laterally and outwards, each opening device having associated therewith a discharge chute for the discharge of a wound bobbin which drops out of an opened bobbin holder, and conveyor means at the discharge end of said chute for deliverying the wound bobbin to a collection member, said drive means embodying a horizontal pivot shaft and the pivoting drive therefor, the support for said shaft and said drive being structurally combined with the discharge chute which is mounted on a carriage adjustably movable transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the machine, and said movement means embodying fluid-operated piston cylinders for pivoting said loading device into and out of engagement with the machine.

Claim 8

An apparatus for feeding empty winding tubes to bobbin holders of textile machines having on the front thereof bobbin holders with centering plates and adapted to pivot about horizontal axes extending longitudinally of the machine, each bobbin holder having a bobbin lever which can be swung out laterally against the force of a spring, which apparatus comprises means to move said apparatus longitudinally along the front of the textile machine, at least one bobbin holder opening device, movement means to move said device into and out of engagement with a bobbin holder and pivot it upwardly about its horizontal axis into a first, prescribed position and also swing said bobbin lever laterally outwardly, at least one winding tube loading device, and said loading device including means to grip an empty tube externally on its circumference, and means to move said last-mentioned means with the gripped empty tube into position between the centering plates of the bobbin holder when the latter is swung upwardly into the first, prescribed position and opened by the opening device, means mounting said opening device and said loading device pivotally about a vertical axis on a carriage of said first-mentioned means, a common drive for pivoting said opening and loading devices together between said first position remote from said machine and a second position near said machine, in which second position each of said opening devices engage their respective bobbin holders and said loading devices carrying an empty tube move into the region of the upwardly swung and opened bobbin holders, and means to feed automatically an empty tube to said loading device when the latter is in said first position, and said loading device embodying coacting gripper members which grip an empty tube, one of said gripper members having associated therewith means which, with the travel of the loading device into its first position remote from the machine, causes outlet means of an empty winding tube magazine to open and permit an empty winding tube to drop through the outlet into the gripper members.

Claim 9

An apparatus for feeding empty winding tubes to bobbin holders of textile machines having on the front thereof bobbin holders with centering plates and adapted to pivot about horizontal axes extending longitudinally of the machine, each bobbin holder having a bobbin lever which can be swung out laterally against the force of a spring, which apparatus comprises means to move said apparatus longitudinally along the front of the textile machine, at least one bobbin holder opening device, movement means to move said device into and out of engagement with a bobbin holder and pivot it upwardly about its horizontal axis into a first, prescribed position and also swing said bobbin lever laterally outwardly, at least one winding tube loading device, and said loading device including means to grip an empty tube externally on its circumference, and means to move said last-mentioned means with the gripped empty tube into position between the centering plates of the bobbin holder when the latter is swung upwardly into the first, prescribed position and opened by the opening device, means mounting said opening device and said loading device pivotally about a vertical axis on a carriage of said first-mentioned means, a common drive for pivoting said opening and loading devices together between said first position remote from said machine and a second position near said machine, in which second position each of said opening devices engage their respective bobbin holders and said loading devices carrying an empty tube move into the region of the upwardly swung and opened bobbin holders, and means to feed automatically an empty tube to said loading device when the latter is in said first position, and said loading device embodying coacting gripper members which grip an empty tube, one of said gripper members having associated therewith means which, with the travel of the loading device into its first position remote from the machine, causes outlet means of an empty winding tube magazine to open and permit an empty winding tube to drop through the outlet into the gripper members.

Claim 10

An apparatus for feeding empty winding tubes to bobbin holders of textile machines having on the front thereof bobbin holders with centering plates and adapted to pivot about horizontal axes extending longitudinally of the machine, each bobbin holder having a bobbin lever which can be swung out laterally against the force of a spring, which apparatus comprises means to move said apparatus longitudinally along the front of the textile machine, at least one bobbin holder opening device, movement means to move said device into and out of engagement with a bobbin holder and pivot it upwardly about its horizontal axis into a first, prescribed position and also swing said bobbin lever laterally outwardly, at least one winding tube loading device, and said loading device including means to grip an empty tube externally on its circumference, and means to move said last-mentioned means with the gripped empty tube into position between the centering plates of the bobbin holder when the latter is swung upwardly into the first, prescribed position and opened by the opening device, said bobbin holders each having a centering plate rigidly connected to an arm which cannot be swung out laterally, and said loading device embodying yieldably mounted tube grippers with two centering stirrups to contact the centering plate above and below as the gripper is moved into the tube-loading position.

Claim 11

An apparatus for feeding empty winding tubes to bobbin holders of textile machines having on the front thereof bobbin holders with centering plates and adapted to pivot about horizontal axes extending longitudinally of the machine, each bobbin holder having a bobbin lever which can be swung out laterally against the force of a spring, which apparatus comprises means to move said apparatus longitudinally along the front of the textile machine, at least one bobbin holder opening device, movement means to move said device into and out of engagement with a bobbin holder and pivot it upwardly about its horizontal axis into a first, prescribed position and also swing said bobbin lever laterally outwardly, at least one winding tube loading device, and said loading device including means to grip an empty tube externally on its circumference, and means to move said last-mentioned means with the gripped empty tube into position between the centering plates of the bobbin holder when the latter is swung upwardly into the first, prescribed position and opened by the opening device, said bobbin holders each having a centering plate rigidly connected to an arm which cannot be swung out laterally, and said loading device embodying yieldably mounted tube grippers with two centering stirrups to contact the centering plate above and below as the gripper is moved into the tube-loading position.

Claim 13

An apparatus for feeding empty winding tubes to bobbin holders of textile machines having on the front thereof bobbin holders with centering plates and adapted to pivot about horizontal axes extending longitudinally of the machine, each bobbin holder having a bobbin lever which can be swung out laterally against the force of a spring, which apparatus comprises means to move said apparatus longitudinally along the front of the textile machine, at least one bobbin holder opening device, movement means to move said device into and out of engagement with a bobbin holder and pivot it upwardly about its horizontal axis into a first, prescribed position and also swing said bobbin lever laterally outwardly, at least one winding tube loading device, and said loading device including means to grip an empty tube externally on its circumference, and means to move said last-mentioned means with the gripped empty tube into position between the centering plates of the bobbin holder when the latter is swung upwardly into the first, prescribed position and opened by the opening device, each opening device having associated therewith a discharge chute for the discharge of a wound bobbin which drops out of an opened bobbin holder, and conveyor means at the discharge end of said chute for delivering the wound bobbin to a collection member, means for adjustably setting the height of each opening device and each loading device independently of their respective working movements toward and away from said machine, and said conveyor means embodying a horizontal conveyor which delivers the wound bobbins to a vertical conveyor whereby the horizontal conveyor can be raised and lowered together with said devices.

Claim 14

An apparatus for feeding empty winding tubes to bobbin holders of textile machines having on the front thereof bobbin holders with centering plates and adapted to pivot about horizontal axes extending longitudinally of the machine, each bobbin holder having a bobbin lever which can be swung out laterally against the force of a spring, which apparatus comprises means to move said apparatus longitudinally along the front of the textile machine, at least one bobbin holder opening device, movement means to move said device into and out of engagement with a bobbin holder and pivot it upwardly about its horizontal axis into a first, prescribed position and also swing said bobbin lever laterally outwardly, at least one winding tube loading device, and said loading device including means to grip an empty tube externally on its circumference, and means to move said last-mentioned means with the gripped empty tube into position between the centering plates of the bobbin holder when the latter is swung upwardly into the first, prescribed position and opened by the opening device, each opening device having associated therewith a discharge chute for the discharge of a wound bobbin which drops out of an opened bobbin holder, and conveyor means at the discharge end of said chute for delivering the wound bobbin to a collection member, means for adjustably setting the height of each opening device and each loading device independently of their respective working movements toward and away from said machine, and said conveyor means embodying a horizontal conveyor which delivers the wound bobbins to a vertical conveyor whereby the horizontal conveyor can be raised and lowered together with said devices.