Title of Invention

A SPINDLE FOR SPINNING OR TWISTING MACHINES HAVING CENTERING TUBE WITH FLEXIBLE PORTION PARTLY PROJECTING UNSUPPORTED INTO THE DAMPING SPIRAL

Abstract This invention relates to a spindle (1) for spinning or twisting machines comprising a spindle shaft (2) which is rotatably arranged in a spindle bearing housing (5) by means of a neck bearing (3) and a step bearing (4) which step bearing is supported by a centering tube (13) comprising an upper portion fixed to the spindle bearing housing (5) close to the neck bearing (3), a subsequent portion, which is flexible due to a helix shaped recess (15) and a lower portion which supports the step bearing (4) and which is supported on the spindle bearing housing (5) by means of a damping spiral (16), in which damping spiral lower portion of the centering tube (13) ends. The flexible portion (B) of the centering tube (13) extends into the damping spiral (16) - while leaving a radial gap - for an (unsupported) axial length (T) which measures more than half lenght of the flexible portion (B).
Full Text BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A spindle for spinning or twisting machines
The present invention relates to a spindle for spinning or twisting machines
comprising a rotating spindle shaft which is supported in a spindle bearing
housing by means of a neck bearing and a step bearing, the latter comprising
a step bearing sleeve which is arranged in a centering tube, which is clamped
in the area of the neck bearing in the spindle bearing housing and is
supported radially movable in the area of the step bearing by means of a
damping spiral on the spindle bearing housing, whereby the centering tube
comprises a flexible area between the neck bearing and the step bearing due
to a helix-shaped encircling recess, which flexible area projects unsupported
partly into the damping spiral.
A spindle of this type is prior art in the German published examined
application 11 36 918. In this publication, a safety device preventing
unintentional lifting off of the removable upper spindle part is involved. This
publication shows in the relevant drawings a standard embodiment, without a
detailed description, according to which a centering tube of the above
mentioned type is provided, which centering tube comprises a flexible zone
due to the presence of a helix-shaped encircling recess. Centering tubes of
this type are usually supported along the entire length on the damping spiral,
whereby the flexible zone lies outside of, that is, over the damping spiral. In
the case of the above mentioned publication, an embodiment is shown,
without any detailed description, in which the flexible area projects partly and
unsupported into the damping spiral. An explanation for the embodiment,
which deviates from the standard design, is not given in the publication.
In the case of spindles of the above mentioned type, the trend is towards
smaller diameters and shorter spindle shaft lengths. Thus higher operational
speeds can be realized. Because of the encircling, helix-shaped recess,
however, the centering tubes cannot keep pace to the same extent as the
spindle shafts with regard to above mentioned trend towards smaller

diameters. When the distance between the neck bearing and the
step bearing is reduced because the spindle shaft becomes
shorter, the centering tube with its flexible zone must
inevitably project deeper into the damping spiral. The flexible
area, however, should not be supported on the damping spiral, as
otherwise the flexibility inside the flexible zone is lost.
GB 636424 discloses an improved spindle bearing on spinning
and twisting machines. Two or more concentric liquid layers are
provided between the upper end (6) of the bearing bush (2), and
an annular wall (8) on the bearing casing (1) in a combined
bolster and footstep bearing fluid damping means. As shown, the
bush 2 rests at 7 on the casing 1 and an oil reservoir V its
formed between the hearing portion 6 and the casing wall 8. A
cylinder 10 is located with radial clearances between the parts
6, 8. In operation oil collecting in the radial clearance spaces
between the parts 6, 8, 10 acts to damp lateral vibrations of the
spindle. Additional sleeves 16 may be used or the sleeve 10 may
be replaced by a band or spring of spiral form.

GB 1020148 discloses an improved mounting insert for
carrying a spinning &c. spindle* which comprises a casing 1
carrying a roller &c. bearing 2 and press-fitted into a bolster,
a spring-sleeve 3 press—fitted into the casing, an inner tube 4,
the upper end of which is held in place by and within the sleeve,
carrying a foot—step bearing for the foot of the spindle, and
damping—means for the tube located between the lower end of the
holder and the tube. The casing 1 is tapered at its lower end for
fitting into the holder, the sleeve is held by thickened portions,
a, b of the casing wall; the tube 4 is held by a thickened
portion d of the sleeve—wall and by having its top splayed out at
and the footstep is held by dimples i and a ring 10 The
seeve 3 is hardened and has separate helical &c. grooves
S,S1; the damping-means comprises concentric sleeves or
a unitary spiral sleeve. The damping-means and the lower part of
the footstep are immersed in oil which reaches the spindle at h
and g, and is carried up to be thrown off centrifugally into a
space c between the sleeve and the spindle and returns via the
grooves S, S1. The space c prevents oil climbing beyond
the bearing.

GB 1015447 describes improvements in or relating to spindle
mountings. According to the invention, a roller bearing 7 of a
spinning &c spindle mounting is resiliently mounted in an axial
direction by means of a rubber or like washer 6 which is bonded
to a surface 15 of collar 3a screwably attached to a portion 3d
of a foot-step bearing housing 3, the washer also being bonded to
the downwardly-facing surface of neck bearing housing 3b which
carries the roller bearing 7, the outer circumference of the
washer being unsupported. The housing 3 is externally-threaded so
as to be attached by means of a nut 4 and collar 5, to a rail 1
and carries a shell 10 which, having a groove therein, is
attached to the housing 3 by means of a ring 11, the shell
extending downwardly in the housing 3 to support a footstep-
bearing (not shown). In modifications, the collar 5 may be
integral with the housing 3; the washer 6 may be bonded to a
flange forward on the housing 3 and an extension of the housing
3b; the shell 10 may be carried by a flange which engages a
shoulder of the housing 3b, and a foot-step hearing may be
connected to the housing 3 by a rubger washer bonded thereto, a
damping-spiral being provided to damp the foot-step bearing or
the shell 10.

It is an object of the present invention to design a spindle
of the above mentioned type specially for a spindle shaft, which
is smaller in diameter and shorter in its length than the present
standard spindle shafts, and which has, in particular, a diameter
at the neck bearing of less than 6.B mm, which is the present
standard dimension.
This object has been achieved in accordance with the present
invention in that the unsupported part of the flexible zone which
projects into the damping spiral amounts to more than half of the
flexible zone.
According to the present invention, the spindle mentioned
above and most likely shown by chance in prior art is now
provided with a rule of calculation, which is not discussed in
the above mentioned publication. In particular when the section
projecting unsupported into the damping spiral amounts to
approximately two thirds of the flexible area, a spindle arises
in which the centering tube is supported on the damping spiral
only in the area of the step bearing. It has been shown that this
is sufficient. The flexural strength of the centering tube is not
impaired by the damping spiral. Deviating from the present

standard, it is now provided that the centering tube is supported
only along approximately a third of the length of the damping
spiral.
These and further objects, features and advantages of the
present invention will become more readily apparent from the
following detailed description of an embodiment.
DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWING
The spindle 1 according to the present invention, arranged
vertically and designed as a ring spindle, comprises a spindle
shaft 2 driven to rotate, said ...

spindle shaft 2 being supported in a neck bearing 3 in the form of a roller
bearing and in a two-part step bearing 4. The neck bearing 3 and the step
bearing 4 are located in a multi-part spindle bearing housing 5.
The spindle bearing housing 5 comprises essentially a two-part sleeve 7,8
having a bottom 6 as well as a bearing head 9 which takes up the neck
bearing 3, said bearing head 9 being inserted from above into the sleeve 7,8
by means of a press fit 10. In the inside of the spindle bearing housing 5, an
oil bath is located in the area of the step bearing 4.
The step bearing 4 comprises a step bearing sleeve 11 which takes up the
radial forces, as well as a thrust plate 12 which takes up the axial forces. The
step bearing sleeve 11 is attached to a centering tube 13, which in turn is
clamped by means of a press fit 14 in the bearing head 9. The centering tube
13 comprises a helix-shaped recess 15, which makes the centering tube 13
flexible to a desired degree, so that it is radially movable in the area of the
step bearing 4.
An annular gap is located between the cylindrical inner contour of the sleeve
7,8 and the cylindrical outer contour of the centering tube 13, which annular
gap takes up a damping spiral 16 in the known way. The damping spiral 16 is
arranged entirely in the oil bath. By means of cross holes 17,18 in the
centering tube 13, the annular space containing the damping spiral 16 is
connected with the oil bath of the step bearing 4. The centering tube 13 is
supported over the damping spiral 16 on the spindle bearing housing 5. The
damping spiral 16 is supported upwards via a spacing ring 19.
The spindle 1 is affixed in the known way together with a plurality of other,
adjacently arranged spindles in a spindle bank 20 (denoted only by a dot-dash
line). A drive wharve (not shown) is further arranged to the spindle 1,
whereby all drive wharves can be driven by a continuous drive belt extending
in machine longitudinal direction.

The present invention is concerned in particular with a spindle 1, whose
spindle shaft 2 has a smaller diameter in the area of the neck bearing 3 than
is presently the standard, that is, a diameter measuring less than 6.8 mm.
Because the flexural strength of the spindle shaft 2 should not, for dynamical
reasons, be lessened when the neck bearing diameter is reduced, the
distance between the neck bearing 3 and the step bearing 4 must become
smaller. The centering tube 13, into which a 360°, helix-shaped recess 15 is
milled in order that the centering tube 13 comprises a correspondingly soft
flexible zone B, therefore projects up to the area of the damping spiral 16. In
order that the effect of flexible zone B is not impaired, the centering tube 13
should not be supported hereby in the area of the flexible zone B on the
damping spiral 16. It is therefore provided that the flexible zone B projects
with a section T in the damping spiral 16. According to the present invention,
this section T measures more than half of the flexible zone B. The section T
which projects unsupported into the damping spiral 16 preferably measures
approximately two thirds of the flexible zone B.
It has been shown that it is sufficient when the centering tube 13 is supported
on approximately only one third of the length L of the damping spiral 16. The
centering tube 13 is supported essentially only in the area of the step bearing
4 on the damping spiral 16 and is thereabove and therebelow unsupported to
a great extent. Despite the reduced length of the spindle shaft 2, the flexural
strength of the centering tube 13 is not impaired.

WE CLAIM:
1. A spindle (1) for spinning or twisting machines
comprising a spindle shaft (2) which is rotatably arranged in a
spindle bearing housing (5) by means of a neck bearing (3) and a
step bearing (4) which step bearing is supported by a centering
tube (13) comprising an upper portion fixed to the spindle
bearing housing (5) close to the neck bearing (3), a subsequent
portion, which is flexible due to a helix shaped recess (15) and
a lower portion which supports the step bearing (4) and which is
supported on the spindle bearing housing (5) by means of a
damping spiral (16), in which damping spiral lower portion of the
centering tube (13) ends, characterized in that the flexible
portion (B) of the centering tube (13) extends into the damping
spiral (16) - while leaving a radial gap - for an (unsupported)
axial length (T) which measures more than half lenght of the
flexible portion (B).
2. A spindle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the section
(f) projecting unsupported into the damping spiral (16) measures
two thirds of the flexible zone (B).

3. A spindle as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the
centering tube (13) is supported on the damping spiral (16) only
in the area of the step bearing (4).
4. A spindle as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 3,
wherein the centering tube (13) is supported on only one third of
the lenqlth (L) of the damping spiral (16).

This invention relates to a spindle (1) for spinning or
twisting machines comprising a spindle shaft (2) which is
rotatably arranged in a spindle bearing housing (5) by means of a
neck bearing (3) and a step bearing (4) which step bearing is
supported by a centering tube (13) comprising an upper portion
fixed to the spindle bearing housing (5) close to the neck
bearing (3), a subsequent portion, which is flexible due to a
helix shaped recess (15) and a lower portion which supports the
step bearing (4) and which is supported on the spindle bearing
housing (5) by means of a damping spiral (16), in which damping
spiral lower portion of the centering tube (13) ends. The
flexible portion (B) of the centering tube (13) extends into the
damping spiral (16) - while leaving a radial gap - for an
(unsupported) axial length (T) which measures more than half
lenght of the flexible portion (B).

Documents:

542-KOL-2004-(24-08-2012)-CORRESPONDENCE.pdf

542-KOL-2004-FORM-27.pdf

542-kol-2004-granted-abstract.pdf

542-kol-2004-granted-assignment.pdf

542-kol-2004-granted-claims.pdf

542-kol-2004-granted-correspondence.pdf

542-kol-2004-granted-description (complete).pdf

542-kol-2004-granted-drawings.pdf

542-kol-2004-granted-examination report.pdf

542-kol-2004-granted-form 1.pdf

542-kol-2004-granted-form 18.pdf

542-kol-2004-granted-form 2.pdf

542-kol-2004-granted-form 3.pdf

542-kol-2004-granted-form 5.pdf

542-kol-2004-granted-pa.pdf

542-kol-2004-granted-priority document.pdf

542-kol-2004-granted-reply to examination report.pdf

542-kol-2004-granted-specification.pdf

542-kol-2004-granted-translated copy of priority document.pdf


Patent Number 227282
Indian Patent Application Number 542/KOL/2004
PG Journal Number 02/2009
Publication Date 09-Jan-2009
Grant Date 05-Jan-2009
Date of Filing 08-Sep-2004
Name of Patentee NOVIBRA GMBH
Applicant Address DONZDORFER STR. 4 D-73079 SUSSAN
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 STAHLECKER, GERD AUF DER EBENE 30, D-73054 EISLINGEN/FILS
PCT International Classification Number D01H 7/04
PCT International Application Number N/A
PCT International Filing date
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 10348897.9 2003-10-15 Germany