US3913853A

US3913853A - Automatic winding machine

Info

Publication number: US3913853A
Application number: US373081A
Authority: US
Inventors: Hans Raasch
Original assignee: W Schlafhorst AG and Co
Current assignee: Oerlikon Textile GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 1972-06-23
Filing date: 1973-06-25
Publication date: 1975-10-21
Anticipated expiration: 1992-10-21
Also published as: GB1429227A; FR2190106A5; DE2230801A1; CH556791A; BE801346A; IT986197B

Abstract

Automatic winding machine for large-volume supply coils that are delivered by a transporting device to respective winding stations of the machine whereat respective means for unwinding the supply coils are located includes a coil loading carriage drivable past the winding stations. The coil loading carriage has both conveyor means for transferring supply coils from the transporting device to the coil unwinding means of the respective winding stations, as well as make-ready means for readying incompletely unwound supply coils to immediately continue the unwinding operation.

Description

United States Patent Raasch 1 Oct. 21, 1975 [54] AUTOMATIC WINDING MACHINE 3,421,705 1/1969 Benedict 242/355 R 3,480,128 11/1969 Brouwer et al. 242/355 R X [75] Raasd" Rheydli Germany 3,774,859 11/1973 Brouwer et al. 242/355 R [73] Assignee: W. Schlafhorst & Co.,

Maschinentabrik, Primary ExaminerStanley N. Gilreath M fl efl-G fl ermany Attorney, Agent, or FirmHerbert L. Lerner [22] Filed: June 25, 1973 1211 Appl. No.: 373,081 [571 ABSTRACT Automatic winding machine for large-volume supply [30] Foreign Appficafion Priority Data coils that are delivered by a transporting device to re- June 23 1972 German 223080 spective winding stations of the machine whereat rey spective means for unwinding the supply coils are 10- [52] U 8 Cl 242/35 5 242/35 5 A cated includes a coil loading carriage drivable past the [5H "k 54722 winding stations. The coil loading carriage has both B65H 67/02 conveyor means for transferring supply coils from the [58] Field of Search 242/35 5 R 35 5 A 35 6 R transporting device to the coil unwinding means of the respective winding stations, as well as make-ready [56] References Cited means for readying incompletely unwound supply UNITED STATES PATENTS coils to immediately continue the unwinding operation. 3,279,710 10/1966 Raasch 242/355 R 3,358,940 12/1967 Beckwith, Jr. et a1. 242/355 R 9 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 3,368,766 2/1968 Livingston 242/355 R U.S. Patent 0a. 21, 1975 Sheet 2 of5 3,913,853

FIG. 2

US. Patent Oct. 21, 1975 Sheet 3 of5 3,913,853

US. Patent Oct. 21, 1975 Sheet 4 015 3,913,853

FIG!

141 I 120 121 142 121 123- i 137 136 124 139 138 .U 32 9 108 AUTOMATIC WINDING MACHINE The invention relates to an automatic winding machine for large-volume supply coils that are to be unwound, and more particularly to such a machine wherein the supply coils are delivered by a transporting device to respective winding stations of the machine and are handled by a loading carriage that travels past the winding stations.

Machines of the foregoing general type have as their function the rewinding of large-volume supply coils, such as, for example, cross-wound coils or cheeses of OE spinning machines, colored coils or the like, so that they may be processed further. The supplying of the individual winding stations with supply coils should be automatic to unburden the servicing personnel and to minimize the down time during the coil supplying and loading operation.

In the German published, non-prosecuted patent application DOS No. 2,050,039 there has been disclosed a method and device, the use of which permits the load ing of automatic winding machines of the type wherein a multiplicity of winding spindles are driven past a stationary readying, loading and knotting device. The method described in the aforementioned German published application and the device for carrying out the method are not applicable, however, for automatic winding machines wherein the winding stations are stationary.

Furthermore, in the German published, nonprosecuted patent application DOS No. 2 019 370, there has been disclosed a device for loading spindles of textile machines wherein, by means of grippers or clamps, empty coil cores are removed, and largevolume coils are taken from a supply located above the machine and stuck onto the spindles. This heretofore known device is specially suited, however, for loading spindles of double twist-spinning machines and takes care of one spindle after the other, in succession, much like heretofore known types of doffers. Such a device is not suited for automatic winding machines because the individual winding station of automatic winding machines operate fully independently of one another, and their unwinding device require new supply coils at the most different times.

[t is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an automatic winding machine with improved means for loading the supply coil unwinding positioning device thereof with large-volume supply coils while using a loading carriage that travels along the machine so as to significantly increase the production of the automatic winding machine.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, there is provided in accordance with the invention an automatic winding machine for large-volume supply coils that are delivered by a transporting device to respective winding stations of the machine whereat respective means for unwinding the supply coils are located, a coil loading carriage drivable past the winding stations, the coil loading carriage comprising both conveyor means for transferring supply coils from the transporting device to the coil unwinding means of the respective winding stations, as well as make-ready means for readying incompletely unwound supply coils to immediately continue the unwinding operation. In accordance with other features of the invention, the conveyor means comprises a receiving member, such as a sliding trough, for example, for directly receiving the supply coils from the transporting device.

The loading carriage is capable of traveling past a multiplicity of winding stations and represents the connecting link between the supply coils driven past by the transporting device above the winding stations, and the supply coil unwinding positioning device of an automatic winding machine that are provided with coil holders on which the supply coils are received. Every time that the supply coil unwinding positioning device has advanced an incompletely unwound supply coil or an empty coil core out of the unwinding position thereof and into the ejection position, a signal is emitted that causes the loading carriage to halt as it passes the respective winding station and to become actuated. Since the removal and transporting away of cores that are still wound present difficulties because of the great differences in diameter that have to be overcome and are, furthermore, uneconomical, it is desirable to leave an incompletely unwound supply coil in the respective supply coil unwinding positioning device to re-knot it and to further unwind it until it has been completely unwound.

In order to feed anew such a remainder coil to the winding process, in accordance with a further feature of the invention, the make-ready means is constructed for operating upon a supply coil located in a predetermined position in the coil unwinding means of the respective winding stations. In accordance with an especially advantageous feature of the invention, when the coil unwinding means of the respective winding stations have means for holding in ejection position a supply coil that has been at least partially unwound by the coil unwinding means, the loading carriage is provided with remainder sensing means for determining the winding condition of i.e., the amount of wound thread still remaining on, the supply coil in the ejection position of the respective coil unwinding means. By means of the remainder sensor, the loading carriage determines if an empty core or an incompletely unwound supply coil is located in the ejection position. If the remainder sensor determines the core is still wound, this wound core is swung into made-ready position and, thereafter, the broken thread end is searched for and then laid out at the winding station. In accordance with an additional feature of the invention, the loading carriage is provided with suction nozzle means for seeking the starting end of the thread carried by the supply coil that is located in the made-ready position of the respective coil unwinding means. In accordance with yet another feature of the invention, the loading carriage includes thread lifting means for laying out the thread starting end of the supply coil in the made-ready position so that it can be tied to the thread end of the take-up coil at the respective winding station. It is believed to be clear in view of the foregoing that a supply coil thus is always made ready for the unwinding operation within a winding station and not within the traveling loading carriage, and that the costly components of the readying device does not have to be at each winding station but rather only at one place, on the loading carriage.

[f the remainder sensor has established, however, that the signal which causes the loading carriage to stop is attributed to a supply coil that has been emptied of its winding, the clamping members of the coil holder of the respective supply coil unwinding positioning device will then be released and the empty coil core removed.

Therefore. in accordance with a concomitant feature of the invention, the loading carriage is provided with pressure lever means mounted thereon for actuating the coil holder means to eject empty coil cores remaining after the respective supply coils have been unwound.

As mentioned hereinbefore, the conveyor means on the loading carriage for transferring the supply coils to winding stations comprise a receiving member that may be constructed as a sliding trough. In accordance with yet another feature of the invention, the sliding trough is horizontally and vertically displaceable. Since the loading carriage and the transporting device are movable in the same as well as opposite direction, care must be taken that the loading carriage always finds a new supply coil, when required. This is achievable in accordance with another feature of the invention wherein the loading carriage is provided with photo electric means for determining the presence of a supply coil to be transferred by the loading carriage from the transporting device to the coil unwinding means of the respective winding station. Further in accordance with the invention, the transporting devive is provided with registry means for the presence ofa supply coil. Instead of a photo electric means, obviously also mechanical sensing devices can be used.

Since the unwinding time of large-volume supply coils is correspondingly long, while the time for the individual activities of the loading carriage is very short. however, relative thereto, a very large number of winding stations can be associated with one loading carriage. With automatic winding machines having stationary winding stations, frequently fifty winding stations may be assembled in one machine. The loading carriage is therefore definitely in a position to service many of such machines with, for example, a total of 100 to 200 or even more winding stations. It is accordingly advantageous if the path of the loading carriage along the winding machines is laid out so that, after traveling past all of the machines, a predetermined departure point is reached.

In the case where a pivoting or swiveling operation of the supply coil unwinding positioning device is released by a respective winding station before the loading carriage or even a member of the servicing personnel has brought a supply coil into the madeready position, the supply coil unwinding positioning device can be provided with a latching or bolting device which blocks the pivoting operation until the loading carriage or the servicing personnel release the latching or bolting device by laying out the thread starting end in readiness.

Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.

Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in automatic winding machine, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.

The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. I is a diagrammatic sectional view of an automatic winding machine with an unwinding device and empty core conveyor belt wherein one supply coil is shown in unwinding position and another in madeready position;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of the automatic winding machine with a carriage for loading coils therein that are to be unwound, one of the supply coils being shown in unwinding position and an empty coil core or spool shown in ejection position;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the loading carriage as seen from the rear of the winding machine i.e., in a direction from the left-hand to the right-hand side of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the loading carriage i.e., a view from the opposite side of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a diagram of the movements of various components of the loading carriage.

Referring now to the drawing and first, particularly, to FIG. I thereof, there is shown therein an automatic winding machine having a lateral wall 1 with a mounting tube 2 on which a multiplicity of winding stations 3 are threadedly secured. A traveling knotting device 5 is mounted for reciprocating movement in a conventional manner on a support tube 4 also extending from the lateral wall 1. A support frame 6 is also provided on the lateral wall 1 and carries a transport device 7 that is constructed as a circular or endless conveyer such as a chain conveyor, and can also be installed for use with several machines. Guides 47 in the conveyer device 7 are assembled with the runways 8 of a conventional blow-off device 9 and bus bars or live rails 10 for a coil loading carriage 70, to be described hereinafter with respect to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, together with the support frame 6 thereof. Supply coils l 1 that are to be unwound are stuck on hooks 12 that are displaced in the guides 47 along the winding machine. By means of the aforedescribed construction, monitoring of and possibly necessary engagement with the wind-up coil 14 as well as with the coil core magazine 13 is not hampered. A supply coil unwinding positioning device 16 located in the vicinity of the base of the machine corresponds to a device heretofore disclosed in application Ser. No. 244,445 of .l. Rohner et al, filed Apr. 17, 1972 and assigned to the same assignee as that of the instant application, and, in the view of FIG. 1, has a supply coil 11' in suitable unwinding position 17 and another supply coil II" in made-ready position 22 for subsequent movement to the unwinding position 17. Before a supply coil 11" has been stuck onto the coil holder 20 by the coil supply carriage 70, the coil holder 20 assumes the ejection position 24 shown in pattern after having been in the unwinding position 17. The coil holder 20 is, respectively, brought, into the ejection position 24 with an empty coil core 25 when, in an exchange ope ration, a supply coil 11" is swung from the made-ready position 22 thereof into the unwinding position 17. In the ejection position 24, an empty core 25 is able to be removed especially easily because it slides downwardly when the clamping elements of the coil holder 20 are loosened. Such a coil holder can be of the type desclosed in application Ser. No. 361,461, filed May I8, 1973, of which applicant is one of the coinventors. In such a construction of the coil holder, by applying pres sure in direction of the arrow 26 on the pin 27, the

.clamping elements are loosened. The supply coil unwinding positioning device 16 shown in FIG. 1 differs from the previously disclosed device of the aforementioned copending application Ser. No. 244,445 solely by the fact that the lay-out member 19 is doublearmed. Each coil holder 20 can thus occupy the unwinding position 17 and two further positions, namely the ejection position 24 and the made-ready position 22, the ejection position 24, also at the exchange of a not yet fully unwound supply coil 1 1 from the unwinding postion 17, succeeding to the made-ready position 22.

The coil holders 20 are articulatingly connected through coil arms 49 at the centers of rotation 21 to the lay-out arms 19. Thread guiding members 23 are also pivotally mounted at the centers of rotation 21. The thread guiding members 23 and the coil holder 20 are pivotable relative to one another, while the lay-out arms 19 are turned through their bifurcated spacing i.e., 180, about the shaft 18. This is necessary so that the components always assume the most advantageous position with respect to the neighboring machine parts, and the supply coil 11' can adopt the position thereof optimal to a thread braking device 51. The relative displacement of the coil arm 49 is effected by the movement of a cam lever 28 rotatably mounted in the layout arm 19, the cam lever 28 being operatively connected through a toothed segment 29 and an intermediate gear 30 with the coil arm 49. The pivoting of the coil arm 49 is controlled by the stationary cam discs 33 and 35 between which a roller 34 of the cam lever 28 is passed and, in this manner, the path of movement established by the cam discs 33 and 35 is transferred to the coil arm 49. The thread guiding member 23 assumes an angle of about 90 to the lay-out arm 19 about the shaft 18 during the greatest part of the rotary movement of the lay-out arm 19, and, in fact, under the action of a non-illustrated bending spring. Shortly before the supply coil 11 assumes the position thereof shown in FIG. 1, a lever 52 connected to the thread guiding member 23 runs up against a pin 53 that is fixed to the lateral wall 1. The thread guiding member 23 is thereby pivoted so that it assumes an optimal position relative to the thread braking device 51 and simultaneously attains the required spacing from the supply coil 11' so that a desired ballooning of the thread is achieved. As mentioned hereinbefore, the coil holder 20, during the exchange into the made-ready position 22, initially assumes the ejection position 24 shown in phantom. The position 24 is indeed advantageous for removing the empty coil core 25, but not, however, for sticking a new supply coil onto the coil holder 22. In order to facilitate the sticking of a new supply coil onto the coil holder 22, therefore, the coil holder 20 is swung into the made-ready position 22 and accordingly disposed horizontally.

in the ejection position 24, the roller 34 of the cam lever 28 engages the inner cam disc 33. A iever 54, which engages the roller 34, is seated adjacent the cam disc 33. Through the push rod 55, the lever 54 can be turned by pivoting of the lever 50 so that the lever 54 lifts the roller 34. The coil holder 20 is thereby pivoted so that it is oriented horizontally. A pin 27, that is connected to the coil holder 20, is then held fast by a pawl or catch 56. When a new supply coil 11 is stuck. onto the coil holder 22 and an exchange operation occurs, the pin 27, which has a square-off ends, runs therewith along the length of a guide 57, whereby the coil arm 49 swings back again so far that the roller 34 engages the cam. disc 33.

At the absence of a thread in the thread braking device 51, the travling knotting device 5 is caused to stop at the respective winding station and to start the exchange operation for the supply coil 11'. A cam disc 58 in the traveling knotter 5 is set in rotary motion and pivots the cam lever 59 counterclockwise, as viewed in FIG. 1. Consequently, a push rod 37 is forced downwardly, and a bell-crank 38 is turned counterclockwise, as viewed in FIG. 1. Due to this pivoting movement, through a rod 39, a pivoting fishplate 40, a further rod 41 as well as a pawl lever 42 are actuated, the latter thereby freeing a blocking disc 43 so that it can rotate to the next stop position.

With the pivoting of the fishplate 40, a pin 60 firmly connected thereto engages the pawl or latch 61 and turns it counterclockwise, as viewed in FIG. 1. Accordingly, the nose of the pawl or latch 61 frees a control lever 62 which is pivotable clockwise through the biasing action of a non-illustrated torsion spring. Due to this movement, a control lever 63 is caused to slide toward the right-hand side of FIG. 1. The end of the control lever 63 then projects somewhat out of the contour of the lateral wall 1 so that the coil loading carriage 70, whenpassing by, receives the signal to become operational at the respective winding station. With the pivoting movement of the control lever 62, a blocking lever 65 is turned so far clockwise, as a result of the operative connection of a rod 64 with the control lever 62, that the nose of the blocking lever 65 slides over the contour of the pivoting fishplate 40. Movement of the pivoting fishplate 40 in clockwise direction is thereby blocked. A renewed demand of the traveling knotter 5 will not lead to an introduction of the exchange operation because the blocking lever 65 blocks the movement of the pivoting fishplate 40, and the movement of the cam lever 59 can be absorbed by the compression spring 66. Finally, the pivoting movement of the control lever 62, through the operative connection thereof with a rod 67, has brought the bell-crank 68 also into engagement with a valve plate 69 that is subjected to a flow of suction air or vacuum. [t a starting end 15 of the thread of a supply coil 11" that is to be unwound, which is located in the made-ready position 22, is laid out at the valve plate 69 by the coil loading carriage 70 or by one of the montioring personnel, while the valve plate 69 is pivoted and the thread starting end 15 is surrendered to an air flow, the bell-crank 68 is thus also simultaneously pivoted counterclockwise. Accordingly, the control leverl 62 again pivots so far counterclockwise that the pawl or latch 61 can firmly retain the control lever 62. Through the turning of the control lever] 62, the blocking lever 65 is swung into its starting position so that a new exchange operation at the supply coil unwinding positioning device 16 can now take place. In this manner, assurance is provided that the traveling knotter 5 will introduce a further exchange operation only if the thread starting end 15 of a supply coil 11" held ready in the made-ready postion is laid out at the valve plate 69. On the other hand, the signal for placing the coil loading carriage 70 in demand is again reset if the thread staring end 15 is laid out in readiness by the monitoring personnel.

From P10. 2 it is apparent how the coil loading carriage 70 can travel past the winding stations 3. The loading carriage 70 runs with two guide rollers 71 on a support rail 72 that is fastened to the lateral wall 1. A slide rail 73 is secured to the electrically charged rail 10, the coil loading carriage 70 being guided by two additional guide rollers 74 along the slide rail 73. The coil loading carriage 70 is formed of various members which perform the following functions: A control vane or wing 44, at start-up, is swung so far against the projecting end of the control rod 63 that a control disc 75 connected to the control vane 44 actuates a switch 76. A bolt lever 77, through its operative connection with a pull magnet 78, can be povited clockwise, as viewed in FIG. 2, so that the point of the bolt lever 77 clicks into a notch formed in the guide rail 73, the coil loading carriage 70 thereby being positioned at the respective winding station 3. A remainder sensor 79 described a circular arc tangent to the outer diameter of the core 25 about a center of rotation 80. A thrust magnet 81 pivots the remainder sensor 70. 1f the armature 82 of the thrust magent 81 can carry out a complete stroke, a strap 83 secured to the armature 82 actuates a switch 84. This is a signal that the coil core 25 is unwound and must be exchanged. 1f the thrust magent 81, on the other band, should not be able to effect its complete stroke because the remainder sensor 79 is held fast by a thread winding on the core 25, the switch 84 is then not actuated. A pressure leverl 85 is applied to the pin 27 of the coil holder 20 when the pressure lever 85 is pivoted counterclockwise, as viewed in FIG. 2. As the pressure leverl 85 is further pivoted, the pin 27 is displaced axially arid the clamping action of the coil holder 20 is terminated. The core 25 can then slip off the coil holder 20. The pressure leverl 85 is actuated through a rod 86 which is articuiatingly connected to a cam lever 87 that is controlled by a cam disc 89 through a cam roller 88, the cam disc 89 being, in turn, secured on a shaft 90.

All of the control cams required for controlling the supply coil exchange operation are mounted on the shaft 90. This control group is referred to hereinafter as Automatic Means B. The control of those members that are necessary for pivoting the coil holder 20 into the made-ready position 22 and for seeking and laying out in readiness the thread starting end is effected by a control group referred to hereinafter as Automatic Means A. This subdivision is necessary so that two different control programs can be carried out, as the case may be, if a new supply coil 11 must be made ready for an empty core 25 or if only the coil holder must be pivoted when an incompletely unwound supply coil has been brought into the ejection position 24 and only the thread starting end 15 must be newly laid out in readiness.

The coil loading carriage 70 is provided with a conveyer system formed essentially of an elevator 91 which functions to remove a supply coil 11 from the book 12 of the transport or conveyor device 7 and lower it to the level of the horizontally disposed coil holder 20, at which the supply coil 11 can be slipped onto the coil holder 20.

As shown in FIG. 3, two chain members 92 travel over reversing

rollers

93 and 94. A console 95 is fastened to a respective run of each of the chain members 92, the console 95 in turn carrying a conventional telescopic guide 96 such as is used, for example, in office furniture, such as file cabinets, in order to be able to pull out drawers as far as possible. A receiving member formed of a sliding trough 100, which receives a supply coil 11, is connected to the telescopic guide 96. Terminal switches 97, 98 and 99 are actuated by a cam fastened to the console 95 just as the cam 95' passes by the

respective switches

97, 98 and 99. In FIGS. 2 and 3, the elevator 91 is shown in a position which guarantees a predetermined level for the sliding trough 100 when the terminal switch 98 is switched off, and which permits the shifting thereof toward the left-hand side of FIG. 2 without striking a supply coil 11 that is being carried past by the transport or conveyer device 7. The shifting movement is effected by a push rod 101 clearly shown in FIG. 2. As the elevator 91 travels upwardly, an eye 102 secured to the sliding trough 100 slips over the bent part of the push rod 101 and forms a connection therewith. The push rod 101 is controlled by a cam lever 101' through a cam roller 103 ofa cam disc 104. The cam disc 104 is mounted on the shaft 90 and forms part of the Automatic means B. A conventional photo electric means then gives a signal when a supply coil 11 is located precisely above the driven-out sliding trough 100. In order for this signal to be produced, the hooks 12 of the transport or conveyer device 7 have tiltable reflection platelets 106 at the ends thereof, which refleet the light emitted from the light box only when a supply coil 11 is stuck onto the hooks 12. If the signal occurs, the sliding trough 100 can be be driven upwardly until the terminal switch 97 is switched on. The supply coil 11 is then received by the sliding trough 100 and can thereafter be removed from the hook 12 by a longitudinal movement of the push rod 101. The elevator 91 then drives the sliding trough 100 down so far that the switch 99 is actuated. The sliding trough 100 holds the supply coil 11 then so that the middle point thereof coincides with the longitudinal axis of the coil holder 20. As the sliding trough 100 has traveled downwardly, the eye 102 has slipped over the hook of the push rod 107. By means of the push rod 107, and due to the action of the cam disc 108, the cam roller 109 and the cam lever 110, the sliding trough 100 is displaced toward the left-hand side of FIG. 2 and the supply coil 11 is stuck onto the coil holder 20. The previously described coil holder 20 is, moreover, made so that a supply coil through central pressure is able to be slipped onto the coil holder 20 without having to release the clamping. When a supply coil has been fully slid onto the coil holder 20, the clamping is again effective, and the sliding trough 100 can be withdrawn by means of the push rod 107 without also taking the supply coil back therewith.

Before a supply coil 11 is stuck onto a coil holder 20, the latter must be brought into horizontal position. As described hereinbefore, this is effected through pivoting the lever 50 counterclockwise. The bullet-shaped end of the push rod 111 engages, for this purpose, in a collet of the lever 50. Shifting of the push rod 111 toward the left-hand side, as viewed in FIG. 2 is effected by the action of the cam disc 112 through the cam roller 113 and the cam lever 114. The cam disc 112 is secured on the shaft 115 and forms part of the Automatic Means A. The division of all of the cam discs into both Automatic Means A and B is especially clearly apparent in FIG. 4.

The thread starting end 15 of a made-ready supply coil 11 is sought out by placing the supply coil 11" in rotation and a suction nozzle 116 is slid so close to the periphery of the supply coil 11" that the suction air flow seizes the thread end. It is recognizable in FIG. 3

that the suction nozzle 116, in an advantageous manner, is assemblable together with a drive roller 117, a drive motor 118 and an intermediate transmission 119 into a readying device 48. The suction nozzle 116 can be swung so far downwardly about the axis 120 thereof until the drive roller 117 engages the periphery of a supply coil 11".

[t is clear from FIG. 4 that a lever 121 is connected to the suction nozzle axis 120. The cam disc 125 can control the lowering and lifting of the suction nozzle 116 through the rod 122, the cam lever 123 and the cam roller 124. The cam disc 125 is securely mounted on the shaft 115 and forms part of the Automatic Means A.

One can tell from FIGS. 2 and 4 that the required suction air is produced by a blower or fan 132 which is driven by a motor 133 through a drive belt 134. Dust and thread remainders are collected in a filter box 135. At a suitable location between the suction nozzle mouth 116' and the suction nozzle axis 120, the suction nozzle 116 is provided with a conventional nonillustrated photo electric means which emits a signal when the thread to which suction has been applied has been sufficiently unwound and sucked in. The moment this condition is reached, the driving movement for the suply coil can be turned off. The thread starting end of a supply coil 11" that is seized by the suction nozzle 116 is drawn or pulled from a thread lifter 126 to the valve plate 69. As shown in FIG. 2, the thread lifter 126 is rotatably mounted in a bearing bracket 127. The thread lifter 126 is controlled by a cam disc 131 through a push rod 128, a cam lever 129 and a cam roller. The cam disc 131 is connected to the shaft 115. The center of rotation of the thread lifter 126 in the bearing bracket 127 is selected so that the circular arc described by the thread lifter 126 is tangent to the surface of the valve plate 69 and intersects the pin 36 thereon. Thereby, the valve plate 69 is pivoted away, a suction opening for the thread is exposed and also the bell crank 68 is pivoted. On its path to the valve plate 69, the thread lifter 126 seizes the thread running from the supply coil 11" to the suction nozzle mouth 116' and draws it as a loop to the valve plate 69. Inasmuch as only a specific thread length is sucked into the suction nozzle 116, the end of the thread is free when the thread lifter 126 opens the valve plate 69, and then be readily subjected to suction.

It is furthermore apparent from FIG. 4, that an electromagnetic clutch or coupling 136 is securely mounted on the shaft 115 of the Automatic Means A, and an electromagnetic clutch or coupling 137 is securely mounted on the shaft 90 of the Automatic Means B. Chain wheels or

sprockets

138 and 139 are threadedly secured to the two electromagnetic clutches or

couplings

136 and 137 and, through a drive chain 32, are connected to one another. The drive chain 32 is driven by the transmission motor 140. By means of both

electromagnetic clutches

136 and 137, the Automatic Means A or B can be switched on, depending upon the respective course of programming. The cam disc 141 on the shaft 115 actuates the shut-off switch 142 which switches off the Automatic Means A at specific instants of time. Furthermore, the

cam discs

143, 144 and 145, which actuate the

switches

146, 147 and 148 are securely mounted on the shaft 90. The switch 146 shuts off the Automatic Means B at specific instants of time. The switch 147 switches on the elevator 91, and the switch 148 switches on the Automatic Means A. The transmission motor 149 drives the elevator 91 through the chain sprockets 31 and the chain 45. The transmission 150 serves to drive the travel mecha nism of the coil supply carriage 70.

If an empty coil core 25 is stuck onto the coil holder 20 in the ejection position, as is seen in the displacement diagram of FIG. 5, the course of movement or displacement at the coil loading carriage is as folows: The instant the coil loading carriage 70 has reached a respective winding station, the switch vane or wing 44 is pivoted when brought into engagement with the switch rod 63, and the switch 76 is actuated. Consequently, the transmission 150 for the travel mechanism of the loading carriage 70 is switched off and the transmission motor 140 for the drive of the Automatic Means A and B as well as the motor 133 for the blower or fan 132 is switched on. Simultaneously, the pull magnet 78 is electrically energized so that the latch or bolt lever 77 is receivable in a notch formed in the guide rail 73. Wlth slight delay, the push magnet 81 is also electrically energized so that the remainder sensor 79 is pivoted. Since the core 25 on the coil holder 20 is empty, the push magnet 81 can then perform the complete stroke thereof and actuates the switch 84. The electromagnetic clutch 137 of the Automatic Means B is thereby switched on, and the shaft starts to run. Then, the pressure lever 85 for loosening the clamping action of the coil holder 20 pivots, and the empty coil core 25 falls onto a conveyor belt 46. Simultaneously, the push rod 101 pushes the sliding trough so far that it is located beneath the conveyor or transport device 7. Thereafter, the Automatic Means B is again switched off by the switch 146. A waiting period for the Automatic Means B then occurs until a signal is emitted from the photo electric means which indicates that a supply coil 11 is located exactly above the sliding trough 100. With this signal, the elevator 91 is also switched on and therewith travels so high that the terminal switch 97 can be actuated. Moreover, the Automatic Means B again starts to run so that then the push rod 101 can withdraw the sliding trough 100 with the supply coil 11 received therein. Simultaneously, the pressure lever 85 is swung back. In the interim, the switch 148 has become actuated so that the electromagnetic clutch 136 has also been electrically energized and the Automatic Means A starts to run. The push rod 11 then presses against the lever 50 so that the coil arm 49 is pivoted and the coil holder 20 is brought into horizontal position. After the push rod 101 has completely withdrawn the sliding trough 100, the elevator 91 is switched on and the sliding trough 100 is lowered such a distance that it actuates the terminal switch 98. Meanwhile, the Automatic Means A is switched off for a predetermined waiting period by the shut-off switch 142. The lowered sliding trough 100 becomes couples with the push rod 107 and is pushed by the latter against the coil holder 20. When the supply coil 11 is stuck onto the coil holder 20, the Automatic Means A is again switched on through the switch 148. The push rod 111 is withdrawn and, simultaneously, the suction nozzle 116 is lowered. The withdrawal of the sliding trough 100 through the Automatic Means B is superimposed timewise on the just-mentioned movements of the Automatic Means A. [f the push rod 111 has reached its end position, the Automatic Means A is switched off anew for a waiting period by the shut-off switch 142. This switching-off pulse is employed for switching on the drive motor Us for the drive roller 117 at the suction nozzle 116. The supply coil 11" that has been stuck onto the coil holder 20 then turns, and the thread starting end is then subjected to suction. In the interim, the switch 147 is actuated by the Automatic Means B, and the elevator 91 again runs upwardly until the terminal switch 97 is switched on. The cam disc packet of the Automatic Means B performs the remainder of the total rotation and is then finally switched off by the swtich 146. When the suction nozzle 116 has sucked in the thread starting end far enough, a photo electric means emits a signal, as mentioned hereinbefore. The rotary motion for the supply coil that had been carried out by the motor 118 is thereby shut off, and the Automatic Means A again starts to run. Thereafter, the suction nozzle 116 lifted off or withdrawn, and the thread lifter 126 swings by beneath the suction nozzle mouth 116', seizes the sucked-in thread and draws it as a loop toward the valve plate 69. At the end of its swing, the thread lifter 126 strikes against the pin 36 of the valve plate 69 and opens the latter. The thread is then completely withdrawn from the suction nozzle 116 and is seized by the suction air flow at the valve plate 69 and sucked in through the swing of the valve plate 69, the bell crank 68 is pivoted with the control lever 62 counterclockwise, and the control rod 63 is withdrawn. The thread lifter 126 then also swings back, and the Automatic Means A is finally switched off. Also, the blower or fan 132 as well as the transmission motor 140 are switched off. On the other hand, the transmission 150 is switched on so that the coil loading carriage 70 can resume its travel past the individual winding stations.

[fa partially wound coil core 25 is located on the coil holder in the ejection position 24, the following course of movements occur: Initially, the operations are the same as for an empty core 25. When the push magnet 81 is electrically energized, it cannot completely swing the remainder sensor 79, however, because the point of the remainder sensor 79 strikes the thread winding. The switch 84 is thereby also not actuated. The condition is evaluated or analyzed in the electrical circuit so that the electromagnetic clutch 136 of the Automatic Means A is subjected to a voltage i.e., electrically energized, and the shaft 115 is engaged or coupled by the clutch. The push rod 1 l l pushes against the lever 50 so that the coil arm 49 pivots, and the coil holder 20 is again disposed horizontally. The first waiting period of the Automatic Means A as shown in the displacement or motion diagram of FIG. 5 then occurs, the push rod 111 is immediately withdrawn and the suction nozzle 116 lowered. Thereafter, the motions with respect to the Automatic Means A run their course as herein aforedescribed. When the suction nozzle 116 has been lowered, the Automatic Means A is switched off and the drive for the supply coil 11 is switched on. If the thread has been sucked in far enough, the signal of the aforedescribed photoelectric means again switches off the drive of the supply coil and again switches on the Automatic Means A. The suction nozzle 116 then lifts up, and the thread lifter 126 draws the thread to the valve plate 69. The control rod 63 is then withdrawn and the thread is subjected to suction. When the thread lifter 126 is again swung back, the Automatic Means A, the blower or fan 132 and the transmission motor 140 are switched off, and

the transmission [50 for the travel mechanism of the loading carriage is again switched on.

It is apparent from the displacement or motion diagram of FIG. 5 that seeking and laying-out or readying a thread starting end of a supply coil that has been swung into made-ready position, only two-thirds of the time required for exchanging an empty core with a new full supply coil is necessary. This advantage permits a multiplicity of winding stations to be serviceable by a single coil loading carriage 70.

Obviously, under specific operating conditions, it can be sensible to control the loading carriage so that it only carries out a program exchange empty cores with full supply coils. If, in such a case, a supply coil that has not been completely unwound is found in ejection position, then the loading carriage, after having sensed this partially wound coil, will continue traveling without doing anything further. Thereafter, monitoring personnel can manually swing the partially wound supply coil upwardly and lay out the thread starting end 15 at the valve plate 69.

I claim:

1. In an automatic winding machine for large-volume supply coils having a plurality of winding stations, each of said stations having means for unwinding the supply coils, a transporting device located a distance away from said unwinding means and positioned relative to said winding stations to deliever said coils to respective winding stations of the machine, a coil loading carriage drivable past the unwinding means, said coil loading carriage comprising conveyor means movable alternatively into respective positions adjacent said unwinding means and said transporting device and transferring the coils to the coil unwinding means of the respective stations, said coil unwinding means having make-ready means for readying supply coils to immediately continue the unwinding operation.

2. Automatic winding machine according to claim 1 wherein said conveyor means comprise a receiving member for directly receiving the supply coils from the transporting device.

3. Automatic winding machine according to claim 2 wherein said receiving member is a sliding trough.

4. Automatic winding machine according to claim I wherein said make-ready means has means for operating upon a supply coil located in a predetermined position in the coil unwinding means of the respective winding stations.

5. Automatic winding machine according to claim 1 wherein the coil unwinding means of the respective winding stations have means for holding in ejection position a supply coil that has been at .least partially unwound by the coil unwinding means, said loading carriage having remainder sensing means for determining the winding condition of the supply coil in the ejection position of the respective coil unwinding means.

6. Automatic winding machine according to claim 1 wherein the coil unwinding means of the respective winding stations has means for holding in made-ready position a supply coil that is ready to be unwound by the coil unwinding means, said loading carriage having suction nozzle means for seeking the starting end of the thread carried by the supply coil that is located in the made-ready position of the respective coil unwinding means.

7. Automatic winding machine according to claim 6 each said winding station including means for mounting ating said coil holder means to eject empty coil cores remaining after the respective supply coils have been unwound.

9. Automatic winding machine according to claim 1 wherein said loading carriage has photo electric means for determining the presence of a supply coil to be transferred by the loading carriage from the transporting device to the coil unwinding means of the respective winding station.

Claims

4. Automatic winding machine according to claim 1 wherein said make-ready means has means for operating upon a supply coil located in a predetermined position in the coil unwinding means of the respective winding stations.

5. Automatic winding machine according to claim 1 wherein the coil unwinding means of the respective winding stations have means for holding in ejection position a supply coil that has been at least partially unwound by the coil unwinding means, said loading carriage having remainder sensing means for determining the winding condition of the supply coil in the ejection position of the respective coil unwinding means.

7. Automatic winding machine according to claim 6 each said winding station including means for mounting a take-up coil whereon thread unwound from the supply coils is wound, said loading carriage including thread lifting means for laying out the thread starting end of the supply coil in the made-ready position so that the thread starting end of the supply coil can be tied to the thread end of the take-up coil.

8. Automatic winding machine according to claim 1 wherein the coil unwinding means of the respective winding stations have coil holder means for receiving respective supply coils thereon, said loading carriage having pressure lever means mounted thereon for actuating said coil holder means to eject empty coil cores remaining after the respective supply coils have been unwound.