Title of Invention

AN APPARATUS FOR SPOOL AND LAP CHANGING IN A ALAP PACKAGE PRODUCTION MACHINE

Abstract

The apparatus for spool and lap changing in a lap package production machine comprising spool lifter assembly provided with a spool magazine, spool indexing means and spool holder assembly, spool loading arrangement for loading empty spool from lap trolley (TR) to spool magazine and lap transfer means for transferring the lap from the lap trolley (TR) to the combing machine characterised in that the spool indexing means comprises an index arm (12) having a pair of rotatable rollers (14,15) arranged at its one end and pivoted at pivot point (11), the other end of the index arm (12) is operably connected to the spool index cylinder (10). The spool holder assembly comprising spool holder bottom (16) and spool holder top (19) connected by hinge means and spool holder top (19) is operably connected to the spool holder cylinder (17) attached to the spool changer lever (18). The spool loading arrangement attached to the lap trolley (TR) comprises a swivel tray (9) operably connected to a pinion (7) mounted on the spool holder drive shaft (8) and attached to a rack (4) loaded by compression spring (6). The spring loaded rack is slideable in a rack housing (5) and operably connected to the spool loading cylinder (2) mounted on the spool lifter assembly, a push plate assembly (3) is attached on the piston of the cylinder (2). The lap transfer means comprises a fixed beam (23) connected to the side wall of the lap trolley (TR), a swing able front beam(23a) supported by gas springs (30), supports (24,25) is fixed to the bottom of the front beam (23a), lap lock (26) one end of which is pivoted to the support (24) through the beam pin (27), lever link pin (28) is fitted to the other end of the lap lock (26) and passes through a radial slot provided on the side walls of the lap trolley (TR), the lap lock lever (29) one end of which is pivoted to the lever link pin (28) and the other end to the side wall of the lap trolley (TR), and one end of the gas springs (30) is hinged to the support (25) and the other end to the side wall of the lap trolley (TR).

Full Text

The invention relates to an apparatus for spool and lap changing in a lap package production machine. It consists of a spool indexing arrangement lap lifter assembly with gentle griping of the lap spool and a mechanism for the transfer of lap spool from lap trolley to a lap package production machine and transfer of lap from lap trolley to a comber. In the known lap package production machines the empty spools are carried from the comber by a trolley which is normally loaded to the lap package production machine by manual means. Regulating mechanism used for the regulation of empty spool is not always reliable and occasionally more than one spool is delivered from the magazine at a time, which is undesirable. Further loading the tap from the troHey to the Comber by the conventional method is not cost effective. rt is an object of the invention to provide a simple and cost effective apparatus for the automatic loading of lap spools in a lap package production machine. Another object of the Invention is to provide simple and foot-proof mechanism for the indexing of the empty lap spools and allowing them load one by one from the spool magazine. Yet another object of the invention te provide a simple and cost effective means for transfering the lap from the lap trolley to the combing heads. Accordingly the present invention provides an apparatus for spool and lap changing in a lap package production machine comprising spool lifter assembly provided with a spool magazine, spool indexing means and spool holder assembly, spool loading arrangement for loading empty spool from lap trolley to said spool magazine and lap transfer means for the transfer of the lap from the said lap trolley to the combing machine characterised in that the said spool indexing means comprises an index arm provided with a pair of rotatable rollers arranged at its one end and pivoted at pivot point, the other end of the said index arm is operably connected to the spool index cylinder, the said spool holder assembly comprising spool holder bottom and spool holder top connected by hinge means and said spool holder top is operably connected to the spool holder cylinder attached to the spool changer lever, the said spool loading arrangement attached to the lap trolley comprises a swivel tray operably connected to a pinion mounted on the spool holder drive shaft and attached to a rack loaded by compression spring, said spring loaded rack is slideable in a rack housing and operably connected to the spool loading cylinder mounted on the spool lifter assembly, a push plate assembly is attached on the piston of the said cylinder, the said lap transfer means comprises a fixed beam connected to the side wall of the said lap trolley, a swing able front beam supported by gas springs, supports is fixed to the bottom of the said front beam, lap lock one end of which is pivoted to the said support through the beam pin, lever link pin is fitted to the other end of the said lap lock and passes through a radial slot provided on the side walls of the lap trolley, the lap lock lever one end of which is pivoted to the said lever link pin and the other end to the said side wall of the lap trolley, and one end of the said gas springs is hinged to the said support and the other end to the said side wall of the lap trolley. With reference to the accompanying drawings: Figure-1 shows the spool lifter assembly comprising spool magazine and the spool indexing arrangement of the lap package production machine according to the invention. Figure-2 shows the spool loading arrangement according to the invention. Figure-3 shows the spool indexing mechanism of the lap package production machine according to the invention. Figure-4 shows the spool lifter arrangement of the lap package production machine according to the invention. Figure-5 shows lap trolley according to the invention. Embodiments of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Referring to Figure 1 and 2, the spool magazine (1) is housed in the spool lifter assembly. The spool loading arrangement comprising a pneumatically operated spool loading cylinder (2) rigidly fitted on the wall of the spool lifter assembly and a pushing plate assembly (3) is rigidly mounted on the piston of the spool loading cylinder (2) A lap trolley (TR) shown is figure 5 is employed to carry the spools as well as the laps produced by the lap package production machine. The said lap trolley (TR) carrying the spools is attached to the lap package production machine to supply the spools to the lap package production machine. Also the laps produced by the lap package production machine is deposited on the said lap trolley (TR) which is subsequently moved and attached to the Combing machine to supply the laps to the combing machine. Referring to figures 2 and 5, the spool loading arrangement is housed in the lap trolley (TR). The said lap trolley (TR) consisting of a rack (4) which slides smoothly inside a guide means provided in the rack housing (5). The rack is held under load by a compression spring (6). A pinion (7) which is rotateably mounted on a spool holder drive shaft (8). The pinion (7) is rigidly connected to a spool swivel tray (9). The above configuration is such that the spool swivel tray (9) can swing about the axis of the pinion (7) when the same is activated by the rack (4). During the doffing cycle, the spool loading cylinder (2) is actuated by electro pneumatic means and the piston along with the pushing plate assembly (3) moves forward, and pushes the rack (4). The pinion (7) rotates the swivel tray (9) in clock-wise direction to an angle sufficient to deposit empty spool (S), loaded on the swivel tray (9) on the spool magazine (1) through the opening provided. After that the piston of spool loading cylinder (2) moves backward to its home position. The pressure exerted by the spring (6) pushes the rack (4) and operates the pinion (7) such that the spool swivel tray retains its normal horizontal position and is ready to receive further empty spool. The lap lifter assembly also provided with a spool indexing means for regulating the movement of the spool from the spool magazine. Spool index cylinder (10) is operated to effect backward movement of the piston attached to it. Rollers (14, 15) attached to an index arm (12) which is pivoted at pivot point (11) assumes a position such that a lap spool (S) held between the rollers (14, 15) is allowed to drop into spool changer assembly. During this process the roller (15) assumes a position to prevent further flow of empty spool present in the spool magazine (1). When spool index cylinder (10) is operated to effect the forward movement of the piston attached to it, the rollers (14, 15) attached to the index arm (12) assumes a position such that one lap spool present in the spool magazine is allowed to travel upto the gap between rollers (14, 15) for subsequent delivery on to the spool lifter assembly during the next doffing cycle. For the purpose of gentle positioning of the lap spools (S) between the lap discs, a spool changer mechanism is used. The empty spool form the spool magazine (1) regulated by the indexing mechanism is allowed to drop on the spool holder assembly. The spool lifter assembly also provided with spool holder assembly comprises a spool holder bottom (16) and a spool holder cylinder (17) rigidly connected to a spool changer lever (18). Spool holder top (19) is connected to the spool holder bottom (16) by a hinge. Spool holder top (19) is also provided with a connecting means and fitted to the hinge head (20) attached to the piston of the spool holder cylinder (17) such that the lap spool (S) can be gripped firmly between the spool holder halves, when the spool holder cylinder (17) is pneumatically actuated. The spool lifter assembly is held swingably through hinge pins (21). The spool lifter assembly is hinged in the frame of the machine. A lever (22) is rigidly connected to the hinge pin (21). Connecting means (22a) is provided on the other side of the lever (22) and is operably connected to the spool lifting cylinder. By actuating the spool lifting cylinder by electro pneumatic means, the spool lifter assembly is lifted about the hinge pin (21) and held at a position such that the axis of the lap spool present is parallel to the axis of the lap discs. Separate means is provided for subsequent holding of the lap spool in between the lap disc for lap build up. Soon after gripping of the lap spool by the lap discs, the spool holder cylinder is actuated by electro pneumatic means and spool holder halves opens apart. And also the spool lifting cylinder is actuated by electro pneumatic means and the spool changer assembly with the spool holder halves in open condition reaches its home position and is ready to receive the next empty spool from the magazine. The invention provides a simple and cost effective means for the transfer of the lap (L) from a lap trolley (TR) to the comber. The lap holding zone of the lap trolley (TR) comprises a fixed beam (23) rigidly connected to the side walls of the lap trolley (TR), and a front beam (23a). Supports (24,25) are rigidly fitted to the bottom of the front beam (23a). One end of the lap lock (26) is pivoted to the support (24) through beam pin (27). On the other end of lap lock (26), one end of the lever link pin (28) is rigidly fitted such that, the axes of the lever lock pin and beam pin (27) are parallel to each other. Other end of the lever link pin (28) passes through the radial slot provided on the side wall of the lap trolley (TR). The dimensions of the radial slot is selected to allow the smooth radial movement of the lever link pin (28) passing through it. A lap lock lever (29) is pivotally rigidly connected to the other end of the lever link pin (28). Other end of the lap lock lever (29) is hinged to the side wall of the lap trolley (TR). One end of a gas spring (30) is hinged to the support (25) and the other end of the gas spring is hinged to the side wall of the lap trolley (TR). Similar arrangement is provided on the other side of the front beam also. The lap (L) rest partially on the fixed beam (23) and partially on the front beam (23a). The load exerted by the lap (L) on the front beam (23a) acts on the lap lock (26) and the liver link pin (28) rigidly connected to the lap lock (26) which rests on the top most position of the radial slot. At this position, the lap package is held by the front beam (23a). To effect transfer of the lap package from the lap trolley (TR) to the comber, the lap lock levers (29) are lifted simultaneously in upward direction by an actuating mechanism provided in the comber. The lap lock (26) with liver lock pin (28) resting in the radial slot provided on the side wall of the lap trolley (TR), slides to the bottom most position of the radial slot resulting in the swinging of the front beam (23a). By this means the front beam (23a) is no more holding the lap and the lap (L) is deposited to the combing heads of the comber. After the release of lap, the front beam (23a) is lifted to its home position by the pressure exerted by the gas spring (30). WE CLAIM : 1. An apparatus for spool and lap changing in a lap package production machine comprising spool lifter assembly provided with a spool magazine, spool indexing means and spool holder assembly, spool loading arrangement for loading empty spool from lap trolley (TR) to said spool magazine and lap transfer means for the transfer of the lap from the said lap trolley (TR) to the combing machine characterised in that the said spool indexing means comprises an index arm (12) provided with a pair of rotatable rollers (14,15) arranged at its one end and pivoted at pivot point (11), the other end of the said index arm (12) is operably connected to the spool index cylinder (10), the saidrspool holder assembly comprising spool holder bottom (16) and spool holder top (19) connected by hinge means and said spool holder top (19) is operably connected to the spool holder cylinder (17) attached to the spool changer lever (18ft,/the said spool loading arrangement attached to the lap trolley (TR) comprises a swivel tray (9) operably connected to a .pinion 0 (7) mounted on the spool holder drive shaft (8) and attached to a rack (4) loaded by compression spring (6), said spring loaded rack is slideable in a rack housing (5) and operably connected to the spool loading cylinder (2) mounted on the spool lifter assembly) a push plate assembly (3) is attached on the piston of the said cylinder (2), the said lap transfer means comprises a fixed beam (23) connected to the side wall of the said lap trolley (TR), a swing able front beam(23a) supported by gas springs (30), supports (24,25) is fixed to the bottom of the said front beam (23a), lap lock (26) one end of which is pivoted to the said support (24) through the beam pin (27), lever link pin (28) is fitted to the other end of the said lap lock (26) and passes through a radial slot provided on the side walls of the lap trolley (TR), the lap lock lever (29) one end of which is pivoted to the said lever link pin (28) and the other end to the said side wall of the lap trolley (TR), and one end of the said gas springs (30) is hinged to the said support (25) and the other end to the said side wall of the lap trolley (TR). 2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said spool loading cylinder is pneumatically operable and said push plate assembly is rigidly mounted on the piston of said spool loading cylinder and is actuatable electro pneumatically. 3. The apparatus as claimed in claims 1 to 3, wherein said spool holder has two halves/and is actuatable electro pneumatically for gentle gripping of the lap spool. 4. An apparatus for spool and lap changing in a lap package production machine substantially as hereinabove described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Documents:

731-mas-2001 abstract.pdf

731-mas-2001 claims duplicate.pdf

731-mas-2001 claims.pdf

731-mas-2001 correspondence others.pdf

731-mas-2001 correspondence po.pdf

731-mas-2001 description (complete) duplicate.pdf

731-mas-2001 description (complete).pdf

731-mas-2001 description (provisional).pdf

731-mas-2001 drawings duplicate.pdf

731-mas-2001 drawings.pdf

731-mas-2001 form-1.pdf

731-mas-2001 form-19.pdf

731-mas-2001 form-26.pdf

731-mas-2001 form-3.pdf

731-mas-2001 form-5.pdf

731-mas-2001 others.pdf