Title of Invention	SERVICE ASSEMBLY
Abstract	ABSTRACT The invention relates to a service assembly for automatically supplying a textile machine producing cross-wound bobbins, which has a large number of workstations, which are each equipped with numerous thread handling devices, comprising a mechanism for mechanically latching the service assembly to a workstation requiring service. According to the invention it is provided that the latching mechanism (19) has two movably arranged latching elements (43A, 43B), which are arranged and activatable in such a way that they slide one after the other into a latching opening (20), which is arranged in each case in the region of the workstation (2), and in the process position and lock the service assembly (23) at the workstation (2) requiring service precisely in a latching position.

Title of Invention

SERVICE ASSEMBLY

Abstract

ABSTRACT The invention relates to a service assembly for automatically supplying a textile machine producing cross-wound bobbins, which has a large number of workstations, which are each equipped with numerous thread handling devices, comprising a mechanism for mechanically latching the service assembly to a workstation requiring service. According to the invention it is provided that the latching mechanism (19) has two movably arranged latching elements (43A, 43B), which are arranged and activatable in such a way that they slide one after the other into a latching opening (20), which is arranged in each case in the region of the workstation (2), and in the process position and lock the service assembly (23) at the workstation (2) requiring service precisely in a latching position.

Full Text	FORM 2 THE PATENT ACT 197 0 (39 of 1970) The Patents Rules, 2003 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION 'See Section 10, and rule 13 TITLE OF INVENTION SERVICE ASSEMBLY APPLICANT(S) a) Name b) Nationality c) Address OERLIKON TEXTILE GMBH & CO. GERMAN Company LEVERKUSER STRASSE 65, D-42897 REMSCHEID, GERMANY KG 3. PREAMBLE TO THE DESCRIPTION The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed : - The invention relates to a service assembly for automatically supplying a textile machine providing cross-wound bobbins according to the preamble of claim 1. Service assemblies, which automatically serve the workstations of a textile machine producing cross-wound bobbins or a similar textile machine and have a mechanism for mechanically latching the service assembly to a workstation requiring service, are known and described in detail in numerous patent applications and at various other literature references. Movable maintenance devices, which patrol along the spinning stations of ring spinning machines and have a latching mechanism, the mechanical positioning member of which can be activated in a targeted manner by an activatable switching cam are known, for example, from DE 21 17 585 A. In this known latching mechanism, according to a first embodiment, a pivotably mounted positioning roller is provided, which can be pivoted into a latching slot open toward the bottom of a guide rail. According to a further embodiment, instead of the pivotably mounted positioning roller, a displaceably mounted positioning wedge is installed, which is inserted into a latching gap, which is let into the guide rail. The disadvantage in this type of positioning means is, however, that to insert the positioning wedge or to pivot in the positioning roller, the maintenance mechanism firstly has to be positioned very precisely as the insertion of the positioning wedge or the pivoting in of the positioning roller is hardly possible when the maintenance is still travelling or is wrongly positioned. Service assemblies, especially cross-wound bobbin doffers are also known in conjunction with automatic cross-winding machines and are equipped with similar latching mechanisms. Cross-wound bobbin doffers of this type ensure in automatic cross-winding machines, for example, that a cross-wound bobbin, which has achieved a predetermined diameter, is removed from the creel of the relevant workstation and a new empty tube is placed as a replacement into the creel of the workstation. The mode of operation of cross-wound bobbin doffers of this type has -2- been known per se for a long time and is described in detail, for example, in the manual "AUTOCONER 238" from Schlafhorst. Pages 17.3 and 1.7.3 (2) of this manual, in this case, also describe the structure and the mode of operation of the latching mechanism of cross-wound bobbin doffers of this type. The latching mechanisms of these known service assemblies have the disadvantage that latching of a service assembly which is not properly positioned or has not yet been completely braked at a workstation requiring service is often very difficult. In other words, in particular when a service assembly is still travelling, it occasionally occurs that during the mechanical latching of the pivotably mounted latching rail provided with a latching recess onto a latching bolt arranged on a guide rail, the latter cannot be grasped, with the result that the service assembly initially passes over the relevant workstation and then has to start a new locking attempt. Proceeding from service assemblies of the type described above, the invention is based on the object of providing a service assembly with a latching mechanism, which even in difficult conditions, ensures a secure and precise latching of a service assembly at a workstation requiring service of a textile machine producing cross-wound bobbins. This object is achieved according to the invention by a service assembly as described in claim 1. Advantageous configurations of the invention are the subject of the sub¬claims. The configuration according to the invention of a service assembly, in particular the special configuration of the latching mechanism with at least two movably arranged latching elements, which are arranged in such a way that, while the service assembly is braked to a standstill, they slide one after the other into a latching opening, which is arranged in each case in the region of the workstations in a guide rail, does not only have the advantage that the positioning of the service assembly at the relevant workstation requiring service takes place in a relatively gentle manner, but also that -3- the service assembly is always immediately locked at the workstation, positioned securely and precisely. As described in claim 2, it is provided in an advantageous embodiment that the two latching elements are configured as pawls arranged in a mirror-inverted manner and pivotably mounted about an axle in each case and in that connected between the two pawls is a spring element which loads the pawls in the direction of the latching opening. An embodiment of this type is economical to produce and reliably ensures, in a simple manner, that the pawls, if necessary, are placed on the guide rail by the spring element preferably configured as a tension spring or are pivoted into the provided latching openings. As also shown in claim 3, in the latching position, at least one of the latching edges arranged on the insides of the pawls, in each case, corresponds with an associated latching face of a latching opening arranged in the guide rail. The spring element reliably holds the latched-in pawls, in this case, in the respective latching opening, which, because of the only relatively small play between the latching edges and the latching faces, produces a secure locking and exact positioning of the service assembly at the relevant workstation. In a preferred embodiment it is therefore provided that the spacing of the two latching faces of a latching opening is only slightly greater than the spacing of the latching edges of the latched-in pawls in the unlatched state (claim 4). A configuration of this type, in conjunction with the spring element, which reliably holds the pawls in their pivoted-in state, is a simple and robust construction which ensures that the service assembly, when the pawls are pivoted in, is always precisely positioned at the relevant workstation and also remains there until the actuation of an associated locking and actuating means. The locking and actuating means described in claims 5 and 6, which can be activated in a defined manner, prevents the pawls of the latching mechanism being able to drag along the guide rail during the travelling operation of the service assembly or unintentionally being able to run into one of the latching openings. Moreover, the -4- latching and actuating means, which is preferably configured as a pneumatic thrust piston gearing, allows, in a simple and reliable manner, a defined pivoting of the latching elements out of the latching opening, preferably at the end of a service cycle carried out successfully by the service assembly. In other words, by activating a corresponding valve connected in the supply line of the locking and actuating means, the locking and actuating means can be activated in a targeted manner and this leads to an immediate pivoting back of the pawls from the latching opening. The service assembly is then free again and can start off to a new service event at a different workstation. The invention will be described below with the aid of an embodiment shown in the drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows a front view of an automatic cross-winding machine with a service assembly supported on guide rails, in the embodiment shown, a cross-wound bobbin doffer, which is equipped with a latching mechanism according to the invention, Fig. 2 shows a side view of an automatic cross-winding machine with a cross-wound bobbin doffer approaching a workstation requiring service, which doffer is equipped with a latching mechanism according to the invention, according to section II-II of Fig-1, Fig. 3A to 3F shows the functioning sequence of the latching mechanism according to the invention, in individual steps. Fig. 1 schematically shows a front view of a textile machine producing cross-wound bobbins, in the present embodiment, an automatic cross-winding machine 1. Automatic cross-winding machines 1 of this type generally have, between their end frames 35, 36, a large number of similar workstations 2, on which spinning cops 9, which have been produced on a ring spinning machine (not shown) connected -5- upstream in the production process, are rewound to form large-volume cross-wound bobbins 11. The finished cross-wound bobbins 11 are the transferred by means of an automatically operating service assembly 23, preferably by means of a so-called cross-wound bobbin doffer, to a cross-wound bobbin transporting mechanism 21 particular to the textile machine and then conveyed to a bobbin loading station (not shown) or the like arranged at the end of the machine. Automatic cross-winding machines 1 of this type generally also have a logistics mechanism in the form of a bobbin and tube transporting system 3, in which the spinning cops or empty spinning cop tubes 34 circulate on transporting plates 8. Of this bobbin and tube transporting system 3, Fig. 2 shows the spinning cop supply section 4 along the length of the machine, the reversibly driven storage section 5 running behind the workstations 2, one of the transverse transporting sections 6 leading to the workstations 2 and the empty tube return section 7. The spinning cops 9 having relatively small yarn volumes are positioned in the unwinding positions 10, which are located in the region of the transverse transporting sections 6 and then rewound to form large-volume cross-wound bobbins 11. Furthermore, automatic cross-winding machines 1 of this type have a central control unit 37 which, for example by means of a machine bus 40, is connected to the workstation computers 39 of the individual workstations 2, also called winding heads, and to the control mechanism 38 of the cross-wound bobbin doffer 23 serving the workstations 2. The cross-wound bobbin doffer 23 is displaceably mounted with its chassis 24, 25 on tracks 26, 27 along the length of the machine, which are arranged above the workstations 2. The drive rollers, for example of the chassis 25 are connected to individual drives and can be activated in a defined manner by means of the control mechanism 38 of the cross-wound bobbin doffer 23. As already indicated above, the cross-wound bobbin doffer 23 automatically ensures that a finished cross-wound bobbin 11 is transferred to the cross-wound bobbin transporting mechanism 21 and then a cross-wound bobbin empty tube 28 is placed as a replacement into the creel 18 of the relevant workstation 2. The corresponding cross-wound bobbin empty -6- tube 28 is preferably removed, in this case, by the service assembly 23 from an empty tube magazine 22 particular to the workstation, which is arranged above the workstation 2 in each case. The individual winding heads 2 of the automatic cross-winding machine 1, as known and therefore only indicated, have various thread handling mechanisms, which in each case ensure proper operation of workstations of this type. Fig. 2 shows a side view of a workstation 2 of an automatic cross-winding machine 1 and a cross-wound bobbin doffer 23, which is equipped with a latching mechanism 19 according to the invention, the mode of operation of which will be described in detail below with the aid of Figs. 3A to 3F. The workstation 2 shown in Fig. 2 shows a spinning cop 9, the thread of which running to the cross-wound bobbin 11 is characterised by the reference numeral 30. Moreover, the workstation 2, as usual, has a suction nozzle 12 particular to the workstation, a gripper tube 42, a splicing mechanism 13, a thread tensioning mechanism 14, a thread clearer with a thread cutting mechanism 15 as well as a waxing mechanism 16. Workstations 2 of this type furthermore have a winding drum 17 which is driven by an electric motor individual drive and drives the cross-wound bobbin 11, which is rotatably held during the winding process in a creel 18, by means of frictional engagement. The cross-wound bobbin doffer 23, apart from a large number of known handling mechanisms, not shown in more detail for reasons of improved clarity, has a latching mechanism 19 according to the invention, which corresponds with latching openings 20, which are arranged in the region oi a guide rail 45 of the track 27, in each case, for example, at the level of the centre of the individual workstations. As can be seen from Figs. 3A to 3F, in particular, the latching mechanism 19 according to the invention has two latching elements 43A, 43B arranged in a mirror-inverted manner. The latching elements 43A, 43B are configured as pawls 31A or -7- 31B, which are mounted so as to be rotatable to a limited extent on pivot axles 29A or 29B. The L-shaped pawls 31A, 31B in each case have a locking arm 50 and a power arm 33. The locking arms 40 in each case end in a ramp-like locking head 41A or 41B with latching edges 32A or 32B pointing in the direction of the pivot axles 29A or 29B. A spring element 53 which is configured as a tension spring and which exerts a torque directed in the direction of the guide rail 45 on the locking heads 41A and 41B, engages on the power arms 33A or 33B arranged orthogonally to the locking arms 50A or 50B. A locking and actuating means 46 which can be activated in a defined manner is furthermore connected between the power arms 33A or 33B. The locking and actuating means 46, which is preferably configured as a pneumatic thrust piston gearing, can be activated in a targeted manner by means of a pneumatic line 47, in which a valve 48, for example an electromagnetic direction control valve, is connected. The direction control valve 48 is connected for this purpose to the control line 38 of the cross-wound bobbin doffer 23 by means of a control line 49. Also arranged in the region of the latching mechanism 19 is a sensor mechanism, which, for example, has two proximity switches 51A and 51B, which are preferably in each case positioned laterally next to the latching elements 43A, 43B and connected by means of signal lines 52A, 52B to the control mechanism 38 of the cross-wound bobbin doffer 23. Functioning of the locking mechanism according to the invention: As soon as a cross-wound bobbin 11 has reached its predetermined diameter at one of the workstations 2, a length or diameter stopping device goes into operation and switches off the relevant workstation 2. At the same time, an automatically operating service assembly 23 is requested by the workstation computer 39 of the workstation 2 by means of the machine bus 40; in other words, the relevant workstation 2 reports that there is a requirement for service. -8- If the cross-wound bobbin doffer 23 is free at this instant it immediately runs at a relatively high speed to the corresponding workstation 2 requiring service. While the cross-wound bobbin doffer 23 runs to the new workstation 2 requiring service, the latching mechanism 19 according to the invention is in the rest position shown in Fig. 3A, in which the pawls 31A and 31B of the latching elements 43A and 43B are positioned slightly spaced apart with respect to the guide rail 45. In other words, the electromagnetic valve 48 is activated in such a way that the thrust piston gearing 46 is acted upon by compressed air and therefore the piston rod is extended. The extended thrust piston gearing 46 prevents the pawls 31A and 31B being able to be pressed against the guide rail 45 under the influence of the spring element 53 and drag along said rail. As soon as the service assembly 23 has travelled into the region of the workstation 2 requiring service, the control mechanism 38 throttles the travelling speed of the service assembly 23 and the locking and actuating member 46 is switched so as to be without pressure by actuating the valve 48. The spring element 53 then places the pawls 31A and 31B on the guide rail 45, as shown in Fig. 3B. In other words, the locking heads 41A and 41B, pawls 31A and 31B drag along the guide rail 45 until the locking head 41A located in the front in the direction of travel, of the pawl 31A reaches the latching opening 20 and slowly starts to enter the latter, as is shown in Figs. 3C and 3D. As shown in Fig. 3E, the travelling movement of the service assembly 23 is ended when the latching edge 32A of the locking head 41A comes into contact with the latching face 54A of the latching opening 20. At this moment, the locking head 41B of the pawl 31B is also pivoted into the latching opening 20 by the spring element 53, the latching head 32B being positioned slightly spaced apart with respect to the latching face 54B of the latching opening 20. In this position, the service assembly 23 is locked securely and in the precise position at the relevant workstation 2 and can carry out a change of cross-wound bobbin/empty tube properly. -9- On ending this work, by means of the control mechanism 38 of the service assembly 23, the valve 48 is activated again and the locking and actuating member 46 is again loaded with compressed air. The locking and actuating member 46 then pivots the pawls 31A and 31B back into their rest position (Fig. 3F) and thus releases the service assembly 23 for processing a new service event at another workstation 2. -10- WE CLAIM: 1. Service assembly for automatically supplying a textile machine producing cross-wound bobbins, which has a large number of similar workstations, which are each equipped with numerous thread handling devices, comprising a mechanism for mechanically latching the service assembly to a wo.! station requiring service, characterised in that the latching mechanism (19) has two movably arranged latching elements (43A, 43B), which are arranged and activatable in such a way that they slide one after the other into a latching opening (20), which is arranged in each case in the region of the workstation (2), and in the process position and lock the service assembly (23) at the workstation (2) requiring service precisely in a latching position. 2. Service assembly according to claim 1, characterised in that the two latching elements (43A, 43B) are configured as pawls (31A or 31B) arranged in a mirror-inverted manner and pivotably mounted in each case about an axle (29A or 29B), which pawls are loaded by a spring element (52) in the direction of the latching opening (20). 3. Service assembly according to claim 2, characterised in that the pawls (31A, 31B) in each case have a latching edge (32A or 32B), which corresponds with a latching face (54A or 54B) of the latching opening (20) when the pawl (31A or 31B) is latched in. 4. Service assembly according to claim 3, characterised in that the spacing (A) between the two latching faces (54A and 54B) of the latching opening (20) is only slightly greater than the spacing (a) between the latching edges (32A and 32B) of the pawls (31A and 31B) in the unlatched state. -11- 5 Service assembly according to claim 1, characterised in that a locking and actuating means (46) which can be activated in a defined manner is associated with the latching elements (43 A, 43B). 6. Service assembly according to claim 5, characterised in that the locking and actuating means (46) is configured as a pneumatic thrust piston gearing. Dated this 10th day of October, 2008 HIRAL CHANDRAKANT JOSHI AGENT FOR OERLIKON TEXTILE GMBH & CO. KG -12-

Full Text

FORM 2
THE PATENT ACT 197 0 (39 of 1970)
The Patents Rules, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION 'See Section 10, and rule 13
TITLE OF INVENTION SERVICE ASSEMBLY

APPLICANT(S)
a) Name
b) Nationality
c) Address

OERLIKON TEXTILE GMBH & CO. GERMAN Company LEVERKUSER STRASSE 65, D-42897 REMSCHEID, GERMANY

KG

3. PREAMBLE TO THE DESCRIPTION
The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed : -

The invention relates to a service assembly for automatically supplying a textile machine providing cross-wound bobbins according to the preamble of claim 1.
Service assemblies, which automatically serve the workstations of a textile machine producing cross-wound bobbins or a similar textile machine and have a mechanism for mechanically latching the service assembly to a workstation requiring service, are known and described in detail in numerous patent applications and at various other literature references.
Movable maintenance devices, which patrol along the spinning stations of ring spinning machines and have a latching mechanism, the mechanical positioning member of which can be activated in a targeted manner by an activatable switching cam are known, for example, from DE 21 17 585 A. In this known latching mechanism, according to a first embodiment, a pivotably mounted positioning roller is provided, which can be pivoted into a latching slot open toward the bottom of a guide rail. According to a further embodiment, instead of the pivotably mounted positioning roller, a displaceably mounted positioning wedge is installed, which is inserted into a latching gap, which is let into the guide rail. The disadvantage in this type of positioning means is, however, that to insert the positioning wedge or to pivot in the positioning roller, the maintenance mechanism firstly has to be positioned very precisely as the insertion of the positioning wedge or the pivoting in of the positioning roller is hardly possible when the maintenance is still travelling or is wrongly positioned.
Service assemblies, especially cross-wound bobbin doffers are also known in conjunction with automatic cross-winding machines and are equipped with similar latching mechanisms. Cross-wound bobbin doffers of this type ensure in automatic cross-winding machines, for example, that a cross-wound bobbin, which has achieved a predetermined diameter, is removed from the creel of the relevant workstation and a new empty tube is placed as a replacement into the creel of the workstation. The mode of operation of cross-wound bobbin doffers of this type has
-2-

been known per se for a long time and is described in detail, for example, in the manual "AUTOCONER 238" from Schlafhorst. Pages 17.3 and 1.7.3 (2) of this manual, in this case, also describe the structure and the mode of operation of the latching mechanism of cross-wound bobbin doffers of this type.
The latching mechanisms of these known service assemblies have the disadvantage that latching of a service assembly which is not properly positioned or has not yet been completely braked at a workstation requiring service is often very difficult. In other words, in particular when a service assembly is still travelling, it occasionally occurs that during the mechanical latching of the pivotably mounted latching rail provided with a latching recess onto a latching bolt arranged on a guide rail, the latter cannot be grasped, with the result that the service assembly initially passes over the relevant workstation and then has to start a new locking attempt.
Proceeding from service assemblies of the type described above, the invention is based on the object of providing a service assembly with a latching mechanism, which even in difficult conditions, ensures a secure and precise latching of a service assembly at a workstation requiring service of a textile machine producing cross-wound bobbins.
This object is achieved according to the invention by a service assembly as described in claim 1. Advantageous configurations of the invention are the subject of the sub¬claims.
The configuration according to the invention of a service assembly, in particular the special configuration of the latching mechanism with at least two movably arranged latching elements, which are arranged in such a way that, while the service assembly is braked to a standstill, they slide one after the other into a latching opening, which is arranged in each case in the region of the workstations in a guide rail, does not only have the advantage that the positioning of the service assembly at the relevant workstation requiring service takes place in a relatively gentle manner, but also that
-3-

the service assembly is always immediately locked at the workstation, positioned securely and precisely.
As described in claim 2, it is provided in an advantageous embodiment that the two latching elements are configured as pawls arranged in a mirror-inverted manner and pivotably mounted about an axle in each case and in that connected between the two pawls is a spring element which loads the pawls in the direction of the latching opening. An embodiment of this type is economical to produce and reliably ensures, in a simple manner, that the pawls, if necessary, are placed on the guide rail by the spring element preferably configured as a tension spring or are pivoted into the provided latching openings.
As also shown in claim 3, in the latching position, at least one of the latching edges arranged on the insides of the pawls, in each case, corresponds with an associated latching face of a latching opening arranged in the guide rail. The spring element reliably holds the latched-in pawls, in this case, in the respective latching opening, which, because of the only relatively small play between the latching edges and the latching faces, produces a secure locking and exact positioning of the service assembly at the relevant workstation. In a preferred embodiment it is therefore provided that the spacing of the two latching faces of a latching opening is only slightly greater than the spacing of the latching edges of the latched-in pawls in the unlatched state (claim 4). A configuration of this type, in conjunction with the spring element, which reliably holds the pawls in their pivoted-in state, is a simple and robust construction which ensures that the service assembly, when the pawls are pivoted in, is always precisely positioned at the relevant workstation and also remains there until the actuation of an associated locking and actuating means.
The locking and actuating means described in claims 5 and 6, which can be activated in a defined manner, prevents the pawls of the latching mechanism being able to drag along the guide rail during the travelling operation of the service assembly or unintentionally being able to run into one of the latching openings. Moreover, the
-4-

latching and actuating means, which is preferably configured as a pneumatic thrust piston gearing, allows, in a simple and reliable manner, a defined pivoting of the latching elements out of the latching opening, preferably at the end of a service cycle carried out successfully by the service assembly. In other words, by activating a corresponding valve connected in the supply line of the locking and actuating means, the locking and actuating means can be activated in a targeted manner and this leads to an immediate pivoting back of the pawls from the latching opening. The service assembly is then free again and can start off to a new service event at a different workstation.
The invention will be described below with the aid of an embodiment shown in the drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 shows a front view of an automatic cross-winding machine with a service assembly supported on guide rails, in the embodiment shown, a cross-wound bobbin doffer, which is equipped with a latching mechanism according to the invention,
Fig. 2 shows a side view of an automatic cross-winding machine with a cross-wound bobbin doffer approaching a workstation requiring service, which doffer is equipped with a latching mechanism according to the invention, according to section II-II of Fig-1,
Fig. 3A to 3F shows the functioning sequence of the latching mechanism according to the invention, in individual steps.
Fig. 1 schematically shows a front view of a textile machine producing cross-wound bobbins, in the present embodiment, an automatic cross-winding machine 1. Automatic cross-winding machines 1 of this type generally have, between their end frames 35, 36, a large number of similar workstations 2, on which spinning cops 9, which have been produced on a ring spinning machine (not shown) connected
-5-

upstream in the production process, are rewound to form large-volume cross-wound bobbins 11. The finished cross-wound bobbins 11 are the transferred by means of an automatically operating service assembly 23, preferably by means of a so-called cross-wound bobbin doffer, to a cross-wound bobbin transporting mechanism 21 particular to the textile machine and then conveyed to a bobbin loading station (not shown) or the like arranged at the end of the machine.
Automatic cross-winding machines 1 of this type generally also have a logistics mechanism in the form of a bobbin and tube transporting system 3, in which the spinning cops or empty spinning cop tubes 34 circulate on transporting plates 8. Of this bobbin and tube transporting system 3, Fig. 2 shows the spinning cop supply section 4 along the length of the machine, the reversibly driven storage section 5 running behind the workstations 2, one of the transverse transporting sections 6 leading to the workstations 2 and the empty tube return section 7. The spinning cops 9 having relatively small yarn volumes are positioned in the unwinding positions 10, which are located in the region of the transverse transporting sections 6 and then rewound to form large-volume cross-wound bobbins 11.
Furthermore, automatic cross-winding machines 1 of this type have a central control unit 37 which, for example by means of a machine bus 40, is connected to the workstation computers 39 of the individual workstations 2, also called winding heads, and to the control mechanism 38 of the cross-wound bobbin doffer 23 serving the workstations 2. The cross-wound bobbin doffer 23 is displaceably mounted with its chassis 24, 25 on tracks 26, 27 along the length of the machine, which are arranged above the workstations 2. The drive rollers, for example of the chassis 25 are connected to individual drives and can be activated in a defined manner by means of the control mechanism 38 of the cross-wound bobbin doffer 23. As already indicated above, the cross-wound bobbin doffer 23 automatically ensures that a finished cross-wound bobbin 11 is transferred to the cross-wound bobbin transporting mechanism 21 and then a cross-wound bobbin empty tube 28 is placed as a replacement into the creel 18 of the relevant workstation 2. The corresponding cross-wound bobbin empty
-6-

tube 28 is preferably removed, in this case, by the service assembly 23 from an empty tube magazine 22 particular to the workstation, which is arranged above the workstation 2 in each case. The individual winding heads 2 of the automatic cross-winding machine 1, as known and therefore only indicated, have various thread handling mechanisms, which in each case ensure proper operation of workstations of this type.
Fig. 2 shows a side view of a workstation 2 of an automatic cross-winding machine 1 and a cross-wound bobbin doffer 23, which is equipped with a latching mechanism 19 according to the invention, the mode of operation of which will be described in detail below with the aid of Figs. 3A to 3F.
The workstation 2 shown in Fig. 2 shows a spinning cop 9, the thread of which running to the cross-wound bobbin 11 is characterised by the reference numeral 30. Moreover, the workstation 2, as usual, has a suction nozzle 12 particular to the workstation, a gripper tube 42, a splicing mechanism 13, a thread tensioning mechanism 14, a thread clearer with a thread cutting mechanism 15 as well as a waxing mechanism 16. Workstations 2 of this type furthermore have a winding drum 17 which is driven by an electric motor individual drive and drives the cross-wound bobbin 11, which is rotatably held during the winding process in a creel 18, by means of frictional engagement.
The cross-wound bobbin doffer 23, apart from a large number of known handling mechanisms, not shown in more detail for reasons of improved clarity, has a latching mechanism 19 according to the invention, which corresponds with latching openings 20, which are arranged in the region oi a guide rail 45 of the track 27, in each case, for example, at the level of the centre of the individual workstations.
As can be seen from Figs. 3A to 3F, in particular, the latching mechanism 19 according to the invention has two latching elements 43A, 43B arranged in a mirror-inverted manner. The latching elements 43A, 43B are configured as pawls 31A or
-7-

31B, which are mounted so as to be rotatable to a limited extent on pivot axles 29A or 29B. The L-shaped pawls 31A, 31B in each case have a locking arm 50 and a power arm 33. The locking arms 40 in each case end in a ramp-like locking head 41A or 41B with latching edges 32A or 32B pointing in the direction of the pivot axles 29A or 29B. A spring element 53 which is configured as a tension spring and which exerts a torque directed in the direction of the guide rail 45 on the locking heads 41A and 41B, engages on the power arms 33A or 33B arranged orthogonally to the locking arms 50A or 50B. A locking and actuating means 46 which can be activated in a defined manner is furthermore connected between the power arms 33A or 33B. The locking and actuating means 46, which is preferably configured as a pneumatic thrust piston gearing, can be activated in a targeted manner by means of a pneumatic line 47, in which a valve 48, for example an electromagnetic direction control valve, is connected. The direction control valve 48 is connected for this purpose to the control line 38 of the cross-wound bobbin doffer 23 by means of a control line 49.
Also arranged in the region of the latching mechanism 19 is a sensor mechanism, which, for example, has two proximity switches 51A and 51B, which are preferably in each case positioned laterally next to the latching elements 43A, 43B and connected by means of signal lines 52A, 52B to the control mechanism 38 of the cross-wound bobbin doffer 23.
Functioning of the locking mechanism according to the invention:
As soon as a cross-wound bobbin 11 has reached its predetermined diameter at one of the workstations 2, a length or diameter stopping device goes into operation and switches off the relevant workstation 2. At the same time, an automatically operating service assembly 23 is requested by the workstation computer 39 of the workstation 2 by means of the machine bus 40; in other words, the relevant workstation 2 reports that there is a requirement for service.
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If the cross-wound bobbin doffer 23 is free at this instant it immediately runs at a relatively high speed to the corresponding workstation 2 requiring service. While the cross-wound bobbin doffer 23 runs to the new workstation 2 requiring service, the latching mechanism 19 according to the invention is in the rest position shown in Fig. 3A, in which the pawls 31A and 31B of the latching elements 43A and 43B are positioned slightly spaced apart with respect to the guide rail 45. In other words, the electromagnetic valve 48 is activated in such a way that the thrust piston gearing 46 is acted upon by compressed air and therefore the piston rod is extended. The extended thrust piston gearing 46 prevents the pawls 31A and 31B being able to be pressed against the guide rail 45 under the influence of the spring element 53 and drag along said rail.
As soon as the service assembly 23 has travelled into the region of the workstation 2 requiring service, the control mechanism 38 throttles the travelling speed of the service assembly 23 and the locking and actuating member 46 is switched so as to be without pressure by actuating the valve 48. The spring element 53 then places the pawls 31A and 31B on the guide rail 45, as shown in Fig. 3B. In other words, the locking heads 41A and 41B, pawls 31A and 31B drag along the guide rail 45 until the locking head 41A located in the front in the direction of travel, of the pawl 31A reaches the latching opening 20 and slowly starts to enter the latter, as is shown in Figs. 3C and 3D. As shown in Fig. 3E, the travelling movement of the service assembly 23 is ended when the latching edge 32A of the locking head 41A comes into contact with the latching face 54A of the latching opening 20. At this moment, the locking head 41B of the pawl 31B is also pivoted into the latching opening 20 by the spring element 53, the latching head 32B being positioned slightly spaced apart with respect to the latching face 54B of the latching opening 20. In this position, the service assembly 23 is locked securely and in the precise position at the relevant workstation 2 and can carry out a change of cross-wound bobbin/empty tube properly.
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On ending this work, by means of the control mechanism 38 of the service assembly 23, the valve 48 is activated again and the locking and actuating member 46 is again loaded with compressed air. The locking and actuating member 46 then pivots the pawls 31A and 31B back into their rest position (Fig. 3F) and thus releases the service assembly 23 for processing a new service event at another workstation 2.
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WE CLAIM:
1. Service assembly for automatically supplying a textile machine producing cross-wound bobbins, which has a large number of similar workstations, which are each equipped with numerous thread handling devices, comprising a mechanism for mechanically latching the service assembly to a wo.! station requiring service, characterised in that the latching mechanism (19) has two movably arranged latching elements (43A, 43B), which are arranged and activatable in such a way that they slide one after the other into a latching opening (20), which is arranged in each case in the region of the workstation (2), and in the process position and lock the service assembly (23) at the workstation (2) requiring service precisely in a latching position.
2. Service assembly according to claim 1, characterised in that the two latching elements (43A, 43B) are configured as pawls (31A or 31B) arranged in a mirror-inverted manner and pivotably mounted in each case about an axle (29A or 29B), which pawls are loaded by a spring element (52) in the direction of the latching opening (20).
3. Service assembly according to claim 2, characterised in that the pawls (31A, 31B) in each case have a latching edge (32A or 32B), which corresponds with a latching face (54A or 54B) of the latching opening (20) when the pawl (31A or 31B) is latched in.
4. Service assembly according to claim 3, characterised in that the spacing (A) between the two latching faces (54A and 54B) of the latching opening (20) is only slightly greater than the spacing (a) between the latching edges (32A and 32B) of the pawls (31A and 31B) in the unlatched state.
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5 Service assembly according to claim 1, characterised in that a locking and
actuating means (46) which can be activated in a defined manner is associated with the latching elements (43 A, 43B).
6. Service assembly according to claim 5, characterised in that the locking and actuating means (46) is configured as a pneumatic thrust piston gearing.
Dated this 10th day of October, 2008

HIRAL CHANDRAKANT JOSHI AGENT FOR OERLIKON TEXTILE GMBH & CO. KG
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SERVICE ASSEMBLY

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