Bobbin ejecting mechanism for doffing machine

Claim 2

A doffing unit for removing bobbins from spindles of a textile machine and transferring them to a bobbin receiving box comprising a bobbin gripping unit, an ejecting unit operable to propel bobbins into the receiving box and means to move said gripping unit between a spindle and said ejecting unit and release a bobbin therein, the improvement in said ejecting unit comprising a chute adapted to receive a bobbin and having an opening adjacent said receiving box, pusher means operaBle to impact a bobbin in said chute and eject it into said receiving box and means to operate said pusher means to eject a bobbin in said chute into said receiving box responsive to the presence of a bobbin in said chute.

Claim 3

A doffing unit as set forth in claim 1 wherein said pusher means is arranged to strike the side of a bobbin with a lateral impact near the center of the bobbin.

Claim 4

A doffing unit as set forth in claim 2 wherein said chute is arranged to receive a bobbin with its axis of rotation vertically oriented.

Claim 5

A doffing unit as set forth in claim 1 wherein said last mentioned means comprises an air cylinder and an air valve for controlling the actuation of said cylinder responsive to the impact of a bobbin against a portion of said chute.

Claim 6

A doffing unit as set forth in claim 4 wherein said pusher means is a hinged plate located in a portion of said chute.

Claim 7

A doffing unit as set forth in claim 4 wherein said chute portion is a base member in the lower end of said chute.

Claim 8

A doffing unit for removing bobbins from spindles of a textile machine and transferring them to a bobbin receiving box comprising a bobbin gripping unit, an ejecting unit operable to propel bobbins into the receiving box and means to move said gripping unit between a spindle and said ejecting unit and release a bobbin therein, the improvement in said ejecting unit comprising a chute positioned in said doffing unit below said bobbin gripping unit and arranged to receive a bobbin with its axis in a substantially vertical orientation, said chute including an open side adjacent said receiving box and a side opposite said open side, pusher means located on said opposite side constructed and arranged to apply a lateral force to a bobbin in said chute to eject it out through said open side into said receiving box, said chute including a base member closing off the lower end thereof, means mounting said base member for vertical movement, means biasing said base member to an upper position, pusher actuating means arranged to actuate said pusher to apply an ejecting impact to a bobbin in said chute, and control means responsive to downward movement of said base member to operate said actuating means and thereby eject a bobbin from said chute in response to an impact from said bobbin moving said base member in a downward direction.

Claim 9

A doffing unit for removing bobbins from spindles of a textile machine and transferring them to a bobbin receiving box comprising a bobbin gripping unit, an ejecting unit operable to propel bobbins into the receiving box and means to move said gripping unit between a spindle and said ejecting unit and release a bobbin therein, the improvement in said ejecting unit comprising a chute positioned in said doffing unit below said bobbin gripping unit and arranged to receive a bobbin with its axis in a substantially vertical orientation, said chute including an open side adjacent said receiving box and a side opposite said open side, pusher means located on said opposite side constructed and arranged to apply a lateral force to a bobbin in said chute to eject it out through said open side into said receiving box, said chute including a base member closing off the lower end thereof, means mounting said base member for vertical movement, means biasing said base member to an upper position, pusher actuating means arranged to actuate said pusher to apply an ejecting impact to a bobbin in said chute, and control means responsive to downward movement of said base member to operate said actuating means and thereby eject a bobbin from said chute in response to an impact from said bobbin moving said base member in a downward direction.

Claim 10

A doffing unit as set forth in claim 7 wherein said pusher actuating means comprises a single acting spring-returned air cylinder.

Claim 11

A doffing unit as set forth in claim 8 wherein said control means comprises an air valve operable to control air flow to and from said air cylinder.

Claim 12

A doffing unit as set forth in claim 9 wherein said air valve includes spring means operable to bias said base member to an upper position whereby depression of said base member opens said air valve to energize said air cylinder.

Claim 13

A doffing unit as set forth in claim 7 wherein said pusher means includes a pusher plate pivotally mounted in said opposite side of said chute for swinging movement into said chute upon actuation of said pusher actuating means.

Claim 14

A doffing unit as set forth in claim 11 including a resilient flap member overlying said pusher member and moveable by said pusher member to contact a bobbin in said chute.