Traveling textile machine tending unit

Claim 3

A method according to claim 1 wherein the traveling of the carriage while inducing a flow of air through the tubes comprise mounting the carriage on a track extending over the machine and driving the carriage back and forth along the track between locations overlying the end portions of the machine.

Claim 4

A method according to claim 2 wherein the driving of the carriage along the track is interrupted during the reinstituting of yarn production and during the rotating and swinging of the housing, tubes and yarn piecing apparatus.

Claim 5

A method according to claim 1 further comprising sensing the presence of the carriage at at least one predetermined position overlying an end portion of the machine and further wherein the rotating of the housing, tubes and yarn piecing apparatus proceeds in response to the sensed presence of the carriage at the one end portion overlying position.

Claim 6

A method according to claim 4 wherein the sensing and rotating proceed upon the carriage moving to either of the two locations overlying the two end portions of the textile machine whereby the tubes and yarn piecing apparatus swing successively around first one end and then the other end of the textile machine.

Claim 7

A traveling tending apparatus for moving along a track extending longitudinally of and above an elongate textile machine such as a spinning frame and comprising: carriage means mounted on the track for movement back and forth therealong between opposite end portions of the machine, tending means supported from said carriage means for alternately tending first one side and then the other side of the machine, said tending means including housing means mounted on said carriage means for rotation about a vertical axis relative to said carriage means, the track and the machine, tube means depending from the housing to a position in an aisle space to one side of the machine, and yarn piecing apparatus mounted from said tube means for passing adjacent yarn forming locations along the sides of the machine, means operatively connected with said housing means and said tube means for inducing cleaning flows of air therethrough for tending the sides of the machine by pneumatically cleaning the machine, and control means operatively connected with said carriage means and said tending means for rotating said housing means about said vertical axis when said carriage means approaches an end portion of the machine from one direction and for swinging said tube means and said yarn piecing apparatus around the end of the machine to a position in an aisle space to the other side of the machine and for initiating movement of said carriage means in the other direction.

Claim 8

A traveling tending apparatus for moving along a track extending longitudinally of and above an elongate textile machine such as a spinning frame and comprising: carriage means mounted on the track for movement back and forth therealong between opposite end portions of the machine, tending means supported from said carriage means for alternately tending first one side and then the other side of the machine, said tending means including housing means mounted on said carriage means for rotation about a vertical axis relative to said carriage means, the track and the machine, tube means depending from the housing to a position in an aisle space to one side of the machine, and yarn piecing apparatus mounted from said tube means for passing adjacent yarn forming locations along the sides of the machine, means operatively connected with said housing means and said tube means for inducing cleaning flows of air therethrough for tending the sides of the machine by pneumatically cleaning the machine, and control means operatively connected with said carriage means and said tending means for rotating said housing means about said vertical axis when said carriage means approaches an end portion of the machine from one direction and for swinging said tube means and said yarn piecing apparatus around the end of the machine to a position in an aisle space to the other side of the machine and for initiating movement of said carriage means in the other direction.

Claim 9

Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said carriage means further includes reversible tractor drive means for driving said carriage means in movement along the track between locations overlying the end portions of the machine.

Claim 10

Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said tractor drive means is operatively connected with said control means for interruption of driving of said carriage means during the reinstitution of yarn production and during the rotating and swinging of said housing means, tube means and yarn piecing apparatus.

Claim 11

Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said control means comprises rotation driving means operatively connected to said housing means for driving said housing means in rotation about said vertical axis and thereby rotating and swinging said tube meanS.

Claim 12

Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said control means further comprises means for sensing the presence of said carriage means at at least one predetermind position overlying an end portion of the machine, said sensing means being operatively connected with said rotation driving means for actuating said rotation driving means in response to the sensed presence of said carriage means at said at least one predetermined position.

Claim 13

Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said sensing means comprises actuating cam means at two predetermined locations overlying the opposite end portions of the traversed textile machine and cam actuated means for cooperating with said cam means for swinging said tube means and yarn piecing apparatus successively around first one end of the traversed textile machine and then the other.

Claim 16

The combination with an elongate textile machine such as a spinning frame and a track extending longitudinally above the machine of apparatus for successively tending first one side and then the other of the machine and comprising: carriage means mounted on the track for movement back and forth therealong and including reversible tractor drive means for driving said carriage means between locations overlieing opposite end portions of the machine, tending means supported from said carriage means for alternately tending first one side and then the other side of the machine, said tending means including housing means mounted on said carriage means for rotation about a vertical axis relative to said carriage means, the track and the machine, tube means depending from the housing to a position in an aisle space to one side of the machine, and yarn piecing apparatus for passing adjacent yarn forming locations along the sides of the machine, fan means mounted within said housing means and operatively communicating with said tube means for inducing cleaning flows of air therethrough for direction against the machine and for tending the sides of the machine by pneumatically cleaning the machine, and control means for sensing the presence of said carriage means at at least one predetermined position overlying an end portion of the machine and operatively connected with said tractor drive means and said tending means for interrupting driving of said carriage means when said carriage means approaches an end portion of the machine from one direction and for rotating said housing means about said vertical axis for swinging said Tube means and said yarn piecing apparatus around the end of the machine to a position in an aisle space to the other side of the machine, said control means initiating driving of said carriage means in the other direction along the track upon completion of rotating and swinging of said tube means and said yarn piecing apparatus.

Claim 17

The combination with an elongate textile machine such as a spinning frame and a track extending longitudinally above the machine of apparatus for successively tending first one side and then the other of the machine and comprising: carriage means mounted on the track for movement back and forth therealong and including reversible tractor drive means for driving said carriage means between locations overlieing opposite end portions of the machine, tending means supported from said carriage means for alternately tending first one side and then the other side of the machine, said tending means including housing means mounted on said carriage means for rotation about a vertical axis relative to said carriage means, the track and the machine, tube means depending from the housing to a position in an aisle space to one side of the machine, and yarn piecing apparatus for passing adjacent yarn forming locations along the sides of the machine, fan means mounted within said housing means and operatively communicating with said tube means for inducing cleaning flows of air therethrough for direction against the machine and for tending the sides of the machine by pneumatically cleaning the machine, and control means for sensing the presence of said carriage means at at least one predetermined position overlying an end portion of the machine and operatively connected with said tractor drive means and said tending means for interrupting driving of said carriage means when said carriage means approaches an end portion of the machine from one direction and for rotating said housing means about said vertical axis for swinging said Tube means and said yarn piecing apparatus around the end of the machine to a position in an aisle space to the other side of the machine, said control means initiating driving of said carriage means in the other direction along the track upon completion of rotating and swinging of said tube means and said yarn piecing apparatus.