Thread storage and supply device for textile machines

Claim 2

A thread storage and supply device for a textile machine, comprising winding body means upon which a thread can be wound in a circumferential direction to form two or more layers of stored thread windings and from which the thread can be removed, a storage surface associated with said winding body means and movable relative thereto in the circumferential direction thereof, and thread guide means for conducting the thread to the storage surface, said guide means being disposed inside the space defined by the layers of stored thread windings such that the issued thread penetrates between the storage surface and the innermost layer of thread windings.

Claim 3

A device according to claim 1, wherein the winding body means includes a plurality of rollers disposed in angular spaced relationship around the circumference thereof, said rollers being rotatable about their respective axes, and said rollers having surface regions respectively externally encompassed by the thread windings, and said thread guide means being positioned within an enveloping surface which is externally tangent to the rollers.

Claim 4

A device according to claim 2, including an endless belt conducted about the rollers, the outer surface of said belt forming said storage surface, a belt guide element positioned inwardly from said rollers, said belt being conducted inwardly between two adjacent rollers and about said guide element to form a belt loop which opens outwardly, and said thread guide means being disposed in the space defined by the belt loop.

Claim 5

A device according to claim 3, including means for periodically reciprocating the thread guide means in the axial direction of the winding body means.

Claim 6

A device according to claim 3, including a monitoring device associated with the winding body means for maintaining the size of the stored amount of thread within predetermined limits, said monitoring device having a sensing member disposed in sAid belt loop and movable radially relative to the winding body means for contacting the innermost layer of thread from the inside, a winding drive associated with said winding body means for causing rotation of said rollers relative to a supporting frame, and switch means operationally activated by said sensing member for controlling said winding drive.

Claim 7

A device according to claim 5, wherein said sensing member comprises a roller disposed between said two adjacent rollers.

Claim 8

Adevice according to claim 3, wherein the guide element comprises a cylindrical roller arranged in the interior of the winding body means, and drive means connected to said guide element for rotating same, whereby said guide element drives the belt which in turn drives said plurality of rollers.

Claim 9

A device according to claim 7, wherein the rollers are rotatably journaled in a stationary frame.

Claim 10

A device according to claim 1, including means for periodically reciprocating the thread guide means in the axial direction of the winding body means.

Claim 11

A device according to claim 1, including an unwinding element associated with the winding body means and rotatable relative thereto in the same direction as the storage surface, and means for causing said unwinding element to rotate at a circumferential speed relative to the winding body means corresponding to or exceeding the circumferential speed of said storage surface.

Claim 12

A device according to claim 10, wherein the unwinding element has an annular surface journaled concentrically to the winding body and over which the thread can be removed in axial direction, and a brake ring supported on a shoulder formed on the annular surface, said brake ring elastically hindering the passage of the thread about the annular surface.

Claim 13

A device according to claim 1, further including means for supporting said winding body means for rotation in one direction at a first circumferential speed, and means coacting with said support surface for rotating same in a circumferential direction relative to said winding body means at a second circumferential speed which is substantially the same as said first circumferential speed but in the opposite direction so that the storage surface remains substantially circumferentially stationary relative to a fixed frame.

Claim 14

A thread storage and supply device for a textile machine, comprising: body means having a longitudinal axis; thread support means movably mounted on said body means for defining an axially elongated, shell-like cylindrical region in surrounding relationship to said body means, said region being substantially concentric with said axis; said thread support means having thread support surface means defining at least part of the inner boundary of said region, said surface means having at least one opening in the circumferentially extending direction thereof; thread guide means for supplying thread to said region to cause a plurality of thread windings to be wound around said support means and supported on said surface means, said guide means including a guide member positioned within the interior of said cylindrical region for supplying a thread radially outwardly through said opening into said region; and drive means for causing movement of said surface means in said circumferential direction relative to said guide member for causing the thread to be wound around said surface means.

Claim 15

A thread storage and supply device for a textile machine, comprising: body means having a longitudinal axis; thread support means movably mounted on said body means for defining an axially elongated, shell-like cylindrical region in surrounding relationship to said body means, said region being substantially concentric with said axis; said thread support means having thread support surface means defining at least part of the inner boundary of said region, said surface means having at least one opening in the circumferentially extending direction thereof; thread guide means for supplying thread to said region to cause a plurality of thread windings to be wound around said support means and supported on said surface means, said guide means including a guide member positioned within the interior of said cylindrical region for supplying a thread radially outwardly through said opening into said region; and drive means for causing movement of said surface means in said circumferential direction relative to said guide member for causing the thread to be wound around said surface means.

Claim 16

A device according to claim 13, wherein said support means includes a plurality of cylindrical rollers rotatably supported on said body means and disposed in a circular pattern in surrounding relationship to said axis, said roller means being substantially equally angularly spaced from one another, and said thread guide member having a discharge end positioned within the interior of the circular pattern defined by said plurality of rollers for discharging a thread radially outwardly between an opening defined between a pair of adjacent rollers.

Claim 17

A device according to claim 14, wherEin said body means is stationary, said drive means being drivingly interconnected to at least one of said rollers for rotating same, and said thread guide member being nonrotatable relative to said body means.

Claim 18

A device according to claim 14, wherein said body means is mounted for rotation about said axis, said drive means being drivingly interconnected to said body means for causing rotation thereof in one direction, and means coacting with said rollers for causing rotation of said rollers about their respective axes in the opposite direction in response to rotation of said body means in said one direction, and said thread guide member being mounted for rotation with said body means.

Claim 19

A device according to claim 13, wherein said surface means is defined by an endless belt extending circumferentially around said body means in substantially concentric relationship to said axis, a belt guide element positioned in the interior of said region spaced radially inwardly from said inner boundary, said belt having a loop formed therein which extends radially inwardly from said inner boundary and around said belt guide element whereby said loop opens outwardly and defines said opening, and said thread guide member having the discharge end thereof disposed in the space defined by said belt loop.

Claim 20

A device according to claim 17, wherein said support means includes a plurality of cylindrical rollers rotatably supported on said body means, said rollers being disposed within a circular pattern in surrounding relationship to said axis, said belt being supported on said rollers, and said belt loop extending radially inwardly between an adjacent pair of said rollers.

Claim 21

A device according to claim 17, wherein said body means is stationary, and wherein said drive means is drivingly connected to said belt for causing rotation thereof in the circumferential direction of said body means.

Claim 22

A device according to claim 17, wherein said drive means is drivingly connected to said body means for causing rotation thereof in one direction about said axis, and means coacting with said belt for causing rotation thereof in said circumferential direction relative to said body means in the opposite rotational direction.

Claim 23

A device according to claim 17, further including means drivingly connected to said thread guide member for causing same to reciprocate in a direction substantially parallel to said axis simultaneous with the relative rotation between said belt and said body means.

Claim 24

A device according to claim 13, further including means for causing reciprocation of said thread guide means in a direction substantially parallel to said axis simultaneous with the relative circumferential rotation between said body means and said surface means.