Claims:1. A detachable doffing apparatus for doffing COPS from a plurality of spindles arranged at a predetermined pitch along a longitudinal length of a spinning frame of a spinning machine when detachably connected to the said frame comprising, in combination,
a. a first section arranged with a plurality of empty bobbins and spaced at the same pitch as spindle pitch of the frame, and having a “bobbin pick-and-place member” with a plurality of bobbin grippers, adapted to receive and hold plurality of Bobbins, the said grippers spaced at a relative pitch as the spindle pitch on the frame and adapted to be presented sequentially to a matching first set of corresponding consecutive empty spindles on the spinning frame and to place the picked and gripped selected number of Bobbins from its grippers onto corresponding empty spindles on the spinning frame,
b. a second section arranged with a hollow space adapted to receive COPS from the loaded spindles on the spinning frame,
c. a third section having a bobbin lift-member with a plurality of bobbin grippers, spaced at a relative pitch as the spindle pitch on the frame and adapted to be presented sequentially to a matching second set of consecutive spindles on the frame loaded with COPS and to pick up a selected number of COPS from corresponding spindles on the frame and to drop the lifted and gripped COPS onto second section,
d. a fourth section which is a first control means operable to move the apparatus, actuating the alignment of the first and third sections with respect to the corresponding spindles on the frame,
e. a fifth section which is a second control means operable and actuated by the first control means, to actuate the bobbin pick-and-place member of the first section, to receive Bobbins onto its grippers from an external source, hold the received Bobbins in its grippers, and to place the said picked Bobbins onto the aligned corresponding empty spindles on the frame,
f. a sixth section which is a third control means which is operable and actuated by the first control means, to actuate the bobbin lift-member of third section, to pick the COPS from the aligned corresponding spindles on the frame, hold the picked COPS in its grippers and to drop the picked COPS onto the hollow second section,
g. a seventh section which is a drive means coupled operably and to the said first control means, to make available in front of a row of spindles on the frame, and in parallel with said spindles on the frame, a selected set of plurality of grippers of bobbin pick-and-place member of first section with a corresponding first set of empty spindles on the frame in cooperation with second control means, thereby enabling placing of Bobbins on the frame, and also a selected set of plurality of grippers of bobbin lift member of third section with a corresponding second set of COPS loaded spindles on the frame in cooperation with third control means, thereby enabling lifting of COPS from the frame,
h. a eighth section which is a rail means operable cooperatively with the drive means along with a fourth control means for attaching to and detaching from the frame, and
i. a ninth section which is an onboard power supply means operably associated with the drive means and all the said control means.

2. The moveable doffing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drive means in seventh section is adapted such that operably and cooperatively with first control means, the grippers of bobbin pick-and-place members of first section are movable between a first and a second vertical positions in a vertical direction and also between a first and a second horizontal positions in a horizontal direction transverse to the vertical plane so that grippers are moved between these positions picking a plurality of Bobbins arranged in the first section and placing the Bobbins on the corresponding first set of empty spindles on the frame.

3. The moveable doffing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drive means in seventh section is adapted such that operably and cooperatively with first control means, the grippers of bobbin lift-members of third section are moveable between a first and second vertical position in a vertical direction and also between a first and second horizontal position in a horizontal direction, transverse to the vertical plane, so that grippers are moved between these positions picking a plurality of COPS from the second set of COPS loaded spindles on the frame, and releasing the COPS onto the second section of the apparatus.

4. The moveable doffing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gripper members are operable by a servo motor.

5. The moveable doffing apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the servo motor is associated operably with torque control means to operate the said plurality of gripper members with a common actuator.

6. The moveable doffing apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the servomotor is adapted to operate and to actuate plurality of grippers simultaneously.

7. The moveable doffing apparatus claimed in claim 1, wherein the bobbin grippers of bobbin pick-and-place member in first section and bobbin lift member in third section are of polymer sliding module types.

8. The moveable doffing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drive means in seventh section includes a double screw synchronized linear drive means driven by a DC servomotor

9. The moveable doffing apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the drive means in seventh section further includes a ball screw drive means for selective spindle height and bobbin length selection.

10. The moveable doffing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the external source of the empty bobbins associated with loading the first section with empty bobbins is a receptacle with cartridge magazine filled with plurality of empty bobbins, and the said cartridge magazine driven by a servomotor means, indexed to the corresponding pitch of the bobbin grippers of the bobbin pick and place member arranged in first section and having corresponding holders matching the spindles on the frame.

11. The moveable doffing apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the said a bobbin receptacle is adapted to hold a plurality of said empty bobbins in predetermined plurality of rows and columns.

12. The moveable doffing apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the said receptacle is cartridge magazine may be such oriented for connecting at either end of the two sides of the apparatus.

13. The moveable doffing apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the extended source is a squirrel cage cartridge type loading magazine tray, adapted to receive an empty bobbin into its holders in a single orientation.

14. The moveable doffing apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the receptacle cartridge magazine has a top cover lock means for transportation purposes of loaded cartridges in a locked state.

15. The moveable doffing apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the receptacle cartridge magazine includes a plurality of bobbins holding pegs to secure the empty bobbins in the holder, their pitch being half to the spindle pitch of the frame.

16. The moveable doffing apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the receptacle cartridge magazine includes a plurality of bobbin holding pegs to secure the Bobbins in the holder, their pitch can be different to the spindle pitch of the frame provided each set of pegs are at equal pitch of spindles.(Viz, if Peg no 1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15… comprises of a set, then the pitch between 1 and 3, 3 and 5, 5 and 7, 7 and 9, 9 and 11, 11 and 13,13 and 14….. is equal to pitch of spindle, similarly 2,4 6,8,10,12,14,16… will have equal pitch of Spindle, whereas the pitch distance of peg between 1 and 2 can be any distance less than and equal to spindle pitch and depends mostly on the geometry of the system)

17. The moveable doffing apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the receptacle cartridge magazine includes a bobbin holding peg with an inserter end and an expandable flexible member having cylindrical holding portions with a first part of compression and second part of expanding fingers, and further the interior wall of the bobbin is tapered.

18. The moveable doffing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fourth section includes a pneumatically operating lifting means with a wheel suspension and dock/means against the frame and including an omini wheel means enabling the apparatus to spin around its own axis and move in plurality of directions.
19. The moveable doffing apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein the pneumatically operating lifting means has detachable linkages which are not linear guiding linkages.

20. The moveable doffing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the seventh section includes a servo-driven Cartesian coordinate robot to pick and place the said bobbins from the bobbin magazine receptacle from the first section onto corresponding empty spindles of the spinning frame.

21. The moveable doffing apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein the said robot may be adapted to pick alternatively the odd ones and even ones when the pitches between the pegs are half the pitch between the spindles in the spinning frame.

22. The moveable doffing apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the arrangement in the first section includes a motor and gear box both disposed within the bobbin receptacle magazine.

23. The moveable doffing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the power supply means is an intelligent battery system.
, Description:FIELD OF INVENTION:

The invention relates to an apparatus/mechanism for automatically doffing fully wounded bobbins (henceforth referred as “COPS”) simultaneously from a plurality of spindles of a spinning machine frame and subsequently donning empty bobbins (henceforth referred as “Bobbins”) onto the spindles onto the spinning machine frame.

The invention more specifically relates to a modular type of automatic doffing machine, which shall not be fixedly attached to a spinning machine frame.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION :

The first object is to replace typical Long arm articulated Retrofit Auto Doffer type bobbin changers with two runs of Motor driven Ball screw operated Long articulated beam on either side of ring frame spinning machine which are used to remove COPS and replace the same with empty bobbins, as known in prior art, wherein this type has the disadvantage that because the two runs Long articulated beam are fixed to the Ring frame and dedicated for the same Ring frame, a separate endless belt type bobbin feeder system is integrated along with the Long arm articulated Retrofit Auto Doffer which arranges and position the Bobbins near the pick position of the Long arm articulated Retrofit Auto Doffer during the spinning cycle so that the Long arm articulated Retrofit Auto Doffer can pick the Bobbins from this position and place at an intermediate rung positioned in between Spindle and Bobbin conveyor. After the spinning cycle is complete the Long arm articulated Retrofit Auto Doffer positions itself onto the array of COPS grips and unloads them to the empty conveyor of Bobbin and the same Long arm articulated Retrofit Auto Doffer mechanism positions itself to the intermediate rung where the Bobbins were placed earlier, now the Long arm articulated Retrofit Auto Doffer removes the Bobbins from intermediate rung and places into the spindle. After which the Long arm articulated Retrofit Auto Doffer mechanism goes back to home position so that the new spinning cycle starts on the fresh Bobbins thus placed.

The second object is also to eliminate use of endless-belt type Bobbin feeder and COPS removal. In the prior art each Ring frame is required to have a dedicated endless-belt type Bobbin Feeder and Cop removal system which arranges the Bobbins while the spinning cycle is on and unloads the COPS after the doffing cycle.

In another known prior art of simultaneous type doffing and donning systems, a conveyer belt is arranged in parallel below the row of spindles on the machine, pegs are fixed on the belt surface in one alignment with intervening distances equal to half the distance between neighboring spindles (spindle pitch) and Bobbins are mounted on alternate pegs. In the doffing sequence, COPS on the spindles are dismounted therefrom and transferred onto empty pegs on the conveyer belt. After completion of the doffing, the conveyer belt is moved over a distance equal to half the spindle pitch so that the positions of the Bobbins carried thereby are registered at the positions of spindles now empty. In the subsequent doffing sequence, Bobbins are dismounted from the conveyer belt and transferred onto the spindles on the machine. In the above-described sequential operations, the COPS and Bobbins must be coexistent on the conveyer belt during the period between the completion of doffing operation and the commencement of doffing operation. Such arrangement nullifies the requirement of the intermediate rung but the Long arm articulated Retrofit Auto Doffer need to do longer travel while doffing thereby increasing the doffing cycle time and loss of productivity. In this connection, the recently growing demand for large packages, especially in the case of the draw-twisters for synthetic fibers, makes this coexistence of the full cops with bare bobbins on the conveyer belt a limitation for the maximum diameter of the cops built on the bobbins.

The third object of the invention to be eliminate all of the known transport means typically extending longitudinally along the spinning machine frame and all of the known gripper means also typically extending longitudinally along the machine frame, both operating cooperatively for delivering empty bobbins for donning on the spindles and removing the fully doffed bobbins from the spindle.

It is another object of the invention to overcome issues relating to prior art, all of which prior art require cumbersome devices for carrying out the installation setting and maintenance operation and same has been eliminated or compacted in the invention.

It is another object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus for auto doffing which is of simplified construction, having less working parts than comparable known devices in prior art.

It is another object of the invention is to produce method and apparatus for auto-doffing, which has simplified modular construction.

It is another object to provide a method and apparatus for auto doffing which is modular in nature.

It is another object to provide a method and apparatus for auto doffing which is economical to manufacture, less space consuming and safer in operation.

It is another object to provide a method and apparatus for auto doffing which is adaptable to be independent of the spinning machine.

It is another object to provide a method and apparatus for auto doffing wherein it can be advantageously moved for operation between a plurality of spinning machines.

It is another object to provide a method and apparatus for auto doffing wherein the entire doffing and donning operation is performed as rapidly as possible.

It is another object to provide a method and apparatus for auto doffing wherein an automatic re-starting of the spinning machine is facilitated after an automatic doffing and donning operation, with least manual operation.

It is another object to provide a method and apparatus for auto doffing wherein Bobbin cartridge magazine filled with plurality of empty bobbin is made available off-line the filled Cartridges are used to fill receptacles with ease.

It is another object to provide a method and apparatus for auto doffing wherein coordinated means is available to load the empty bobbins into designated section of auto doff apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION :

An apparatus/mechanism for removing COPS from a plurality of spindles of a spinning machines, using a bobbin management arrangement, wherein the bobbing management arrangement is characterized in that it is not fixedly attached to the spinning machine and is moveable along the spinning machine, for effectively and simultaneously removing COPS from the spindles and replacing Bobbins thereof. It is moveable and hence can be moved from one spinning machine to another and thereby ensuring optimum utilization of the apparatus/mechanism. Hence a ‘single mechanism’ is shared between a plurality of spinning machines, which is cost saving and time saving.

According to the invention, the advantageous are:

- COPS are doffed from the loaded spindles of the spinning machine frame by gripper means arranged in a modular moveable apparatus.

- Bobbins are simultaneously donned onto empty spindles of the spinning machine frame by gripper means also arranged in the same modular moveable apparatus.

- Modular apparatus includes also the arrangement for receiving the COPS and Bobbins.

- Common control means and drive means arranged in the apparatus is sufficient to manage the control of process of auto doffing.

- It can be retrofit to any existent spinning machine with minimum modification of the spinning machine.

- It is shared amongst many spinning machines.

Part No. Part name Fig. no.
A Peg 3
B Bobbin wall 3
C O-Ring 3
D Expanding fingers 2, 3
E Mobile auto doffer 4
F Motor and rear receptacle 5
G Drive chain 6
H Propeller shaft 6
I Motor and gear box 6
J Track rollers are enclosed in a profile guided to ensure geometrical rigidity of the moving path 7
K Open condition 8
L Lock condition 8
M Ball screw 14
N Electromagnetic brake 15
O Servo motor 17
P Guide rods 17
Q Flexible jaw 18
R Ball screw drive 18
S Lowered 20
T lifted 20

Hence the invention is characterized in that the auto-doffing apparatus for the spinning frame, is so arranged that COPS from the loaded spindles of spinning frame can be transferred by the bobbin gripper (of bobbin lifter member of third section) into second section of the apparatus and followed in exchange with the Bobbins brought by the apparatus loaded onto the empty spindles of the spinning machine (by the bobbin gripper of bobbin dropper member of first section). This arrangement causes no interference into the passage of COPS from the spinning frame into the apparatus or the passage of Bobbins supplied to the spinning machine from the apparatus.

Also due to the drive means and control means arranged in the apparatus, it is possible to correct inconsistency of pitches between the pitch of bobbins in the apparatus and the spindle pitch and thus can carry out unfailing stable auto-doffing operation.

The term ‘Bobbin’ means includes any form of tubular holder for a package of yarn, which are used with ring frame spindles, and which may be paper, wooden or plastic bobbins, or any other material. The invention is not limited to those of its uses or to those embodiments of its different components which have been very specifically described, but covers all variants. The invention relates to bobbin changers and also method of using the novel bobbin changers as disclosed in the invention. The method and apparatus explained may be exploited advantageously in any other machine, which have spindle arrangement similar to spinning machine.

The description is given with the support of figures 1 to 22

Fig. 1 – Bobbin receptacle
Fig. 2 – Pegs as per invention to hold Bobbins in the receptacle.
Fig. 3 – Finger shape of the peg is illustrated.
Fig. 4 – illustrates the space between Ring Frame which is usually very narrow.
Fig. 5 – Illustrates Bobbin Receptacle within the motor and Gear Box arranged inside the receptacle.
Fig. 6 – illustrates the incorporation of a propeller shaft for synchronized transmission ensuring parallel indexing. The propeller shaft, motor, gear box and drive chain is marked for easy understanding.
Fig. 7 – Illustrates the enclosed track for rollers in a profile guide to ensure geometrical rigidity of the moving path.
Fig. 8 – illustrates the receptacles with cover
Fig. 9 – illustrates the receptacle with bobbins.
Fig. 10 – Receptacle with the parts spaced out for understanding.
Fig. 11 – Receptacle with parts spaced out for better understanding.
Fig. 12 – illustrates the compact light weight design with extensively used Aluminum parts.
Fig. 13 – Illustrates the lubrication less guides – use of polymer based bearing on Hard anodized aluminum surface can work on high dust atmosphere without lubrication.
Fig. 14 – Double ball screw drive in each axis ensures precise parallel movement without rocking.
Fig. 15 - illustrates the servomotor driven arrangement, for variable positioning, identified through RFID Tag of each ring frame spinning machine.
Fig. 16 - illustrates the servomotor driven arrangement, for variable positioning, identified through RFID Tag of each ring frame spinning machine.
Fig. 17 – Multiple component gripping arrangement is illustrated in fig. 17.
Fig. 18 – Individual jaw setting flexibility is illustrated in fig. 18.
Fig. 19 – A liftable suspension system is illustrated in fig. 19.
Fig. 20 – The liftable suspension system is illustrated in fig. 20
Fig. 21 – illustrates the self propelled automated and guided mobile auto-doff (V-doff)
Fig. 22 – illustrates the self propelled automated and guided mobile auto-doff (V-doff)
Fig 23 – Illustrates the Off-line equipment for bobbin magazine Cartridge filling (V-Fill)

Mobile Auto Doffer:
Introduction: Doffing is a process of unloading Yarn wound Bobbin (COPS) from a Ring frame spinning machine and loading empty Bobbins (Bobbins). There are various equipments available in the market. One of the common equipment is an integrated Auto doff which unloads COPS and loads Bobbin in a single cycle. Such equipments are integrated to the ring frame and are dedicated for the Ring Frame. As the Yarn Spinning cycle ranges from as low as 45 minutes to as high as 6 hours. And the Doffing cycle is only 3-5 minutes such integrated equipment remains idle most of the time and gives a very low Return on investment. A mobile doffer is a kind of equipment which does the Doffing activity attaching to the Ring frame, gets detached after the Doffing is completed and becomes available for next ring frame which is getting ready for Doffing, Due to its mobility and flexibility to attach and detach from Ring Frame a Mobile doffer can handle multiple Ring frame which makes it a cheaper option for investment.

Bobbin Receptacle (FIG1):
An integrated Auto doff or a Long arm articulated Retrofit Auto Doffer also uses a conveyorized COPS and Bobbin handling system integrated to it which again a dedicated installation for every Ring frame. Whereas the Mobile Auto Doffer carries the empty Bobbin and stores the unloaded COPS in it. As in Integrated Auto doffer the dedicated Bobbin and COPS handling system gets sufficient time ( Min 45min to max 6 hours) to evacuate the COPS and fill in Bobbin which is parallel to Spinning cycle. Contrary to this for Mobile Auto Doffer in an Ideal Mill of 24 Ring frame the Frequency of usage of mobile Auto doff is estimated to every 10 minutes. Which makes feeding of Bobbin in an oriented Manner a challenge, the Invention uses a Motorized Bobbin Receptacle housed inside the Mobile auto doffer which is pre filled with required number of Bobbins in such a way that it is oriented and arranged in a known matrix, the arrangement is such a way that the Bobbins can be picked up in required orientation and placed in Ring frame with the help of a servo driven Cartesian coordinate Robot. Unlike available Mobile auto doffer in market this invention uses positive method of sequential Movement to transfer Bobbin from Mobile Auto doff to Ring frame. The available solutions in the market uses a gravity fed chute to feed Bobbin to Ring frame spindle and the transfer of Bobbin is affected due to interference of Bobbin in chute with the ring frame spindle where the Spindle interference knocks out Bobbin from chute during the movement of Mobile auto doffer. This makes it vulnerable for spindle damage in case of any jamming or wrong practice of operator. The invention uses a pick and place method of transferring the Bobbin on ring frame and ensures the ring frame spindle is not subjected to any breakaway force. The Invention also have incorporated measures in design which will not allow wrong orientation of Bobbin or missing Bobbin in the system.

The Bobbin Receptacle uses Specially designed PEGs (FIG 2) to hold Bobbins in the receptacle and is another invention which is designed to ensure cylindrical contact with the Bobbin Internal wall which is Tapered in shape. The Finger shape of the PEG (FIG 3) is designed such a way that when the first Point of contact is pressed against the central stem the tip of fingers resting on O-ring does not allow fingers to deflect inward thus ensuring firm contact along a portion of the internal wall of bobbin. This ensures the Bobbins are firmly held in Pegs of the Bobbin Receptacle. Making it a self accommodating design to adjust for wear and tear of bobbin.

The space between Ring Frame is usually narrow and another challenge is to make the machine compact so that there is ample space for operators to cross over (Fig 4). The Bobbin Receptacle is designed to incorporate all drive and transmission compactly arranged (FIG 5). Also each row carries 16 Bobbins whereas the Pick and place robot picks 8 Bobbin at a time, alternately picking the Odd ones and even ones at a time. This ensures the pitches between the Pegs are half the pitch between the Spindles in a Ring frame spinning machine.

The Design incorporates a Propeller shaft for Synchronized transmission ensuring parallel indexing (Fig 6).

Enclosed track for rollers for geometrical rigidity of moving path (Fig 7)

Arrangement of component- Ease of assembly and maintenance, reliability of working, geometrical alignment.

Capacity of the Receptacle is multiple of 16 and can go up to 608 Bobbin given the space.

The Receptacle is filled with bobbin with the aid of a Cartridge (FIG 8 and FIG 9) which is prefilled offline, the design of the cartridge ensures no bobbin is inserted in wrong orientation and no size mix up is possible. The Cartridge has a lockable cover which ensures the bobbin do not escape when turned upside down to fill the Receptacle.

The design of the Receptacle parts are common for Left and right hand version barring three parts and the left hand and right hand version is achieved through assembly only ( FIG 10 and FIG 11).

Servo motor drive is used to achieve accurate positioning of the Receptacle so that right alignment is possible with the Pick and place robot.

Pick and place robot:

Compact lightweight design.( FIG 12) Extensibly used Aluminium parts.

Perpendicular mounting reference to absorb manufacturing error.(FIG 13 ) Support reference in X and Z direction as illustrated in FIG 13

Lubrication less guides. –Use of Polymer based bearing on Hard anodised aluminium surface can work on high dust atmosphere without lubrication.

Double ball screw drive in each axis (Fig 14) ensures precise parallel movement without rocking.
External Electromagnetic brakes for safety even if belt transmission fails (FIG 15).

Servo motor driven. For variable positioning. Indentified through RFID Tag of each ring frame spinning machine.

Gripper:

Multi component gripping arrangement (Fig 17)
Single servo drive, all available solutions in Market uses Pneumatically operated gripper for COP and bobbin gripping.
Torque based control to ensure proper grip in all gripper nullifying master and slave phenomenon due to dimension variation of components and Jaws. Jaws flex and adjusts to dimension variation and apply required gripping force on each component.
Ball screw actuated.
Individual jaw setting flexibility (Fig 18)

Lift able suspension system (Fig 19, Fig 20):

Pneumatically operated

Compact linkage based mechanism for low ground clearance for larger lift required for cross docking.
Docking is achieved by using a pneumatically operated lifting mechanism which is required to be connected to pneumatic line only at the docking position and the pneumatic connections are removed after docking is achieved. This enables the V-doff is completely self propelled without limitations in its range of operation after docking.

Omni wheel for zero turning radiuses suitable for narrow gangway of spinning mills. And easy cross docking.

Self Propelled Automated and guided Mobile auto Doff (V-doff) (Fig 21 and Fig 22)

Pick and place method of loading which is unique and first of its kind in Mobile doffing as against Gravity loading which is presently available solutions in Market for Mobile Doffing.

Receptacle based bobbin loading ensures Bobbins are oriented and arranged in specific order. Also ensures Zero missing bobbin placement.

Indexing type movement eliminates crashing on Spindle. And comes to a safe halt in case of any abnormal behaviour or error condition.

Onboard Battery operated machine eliminates running cable and wires, eliminates limitations in range of doffing as in available solutions where range is limited by the range of cable drum system.

Onboard battery operation ensures no shutting down of on-board PLC is required for system between doff. In a wired system the power supply is switched off between doff to doff.
DC-DC converter is employed to supply uninterrupted constant voltage irrespective of current requirement.

In one aspect the invention discloses a detachable doffing apparatus. Which apparatus can be used for doffing COPS from a plurality of spindles arranged at a predetermined pitch along a longitudinal length of a spinning frame of a spinning machine when detachably connected to the said frame. This arrangement will comprise of multiple section as detailed below :-
a. a first section arranged with a plurality of empty bobbins and spaced at the same pitch as spindle pitch of the frame, and having a “bobbin pick-and-place member” with a plurality of bobbin grippers, adapted to receive and hold plurality of Bobbins, the said grippers spaced at a relative pitch as the spindle pitch on the frame and adapted to be presented sequentially to a matching first set of corresponding consecutive empty spindles on the spinning frame and to place the picked and gripped selected number of Bobbins from its grippers onto corresponding empty spindles on the spinning frame,
b. a second section arranged with a hollow space adapted to receive COPS from the loaded spindles on the spinning frame,
c. a third section having a bobbin lift-member with a plurality of bobbin grippers, spaced at a relative pitch as the spindle pitch on the frame and adapted to be presented sequentially to a matching second set of consecutive spindles on the frame loaded with COPS and to pick up a selected number of COPS from corresponding spindles on the frame and to drop the lifted and gripped COPS onto second section,
d. a fourth section which is a first control means operable to move the apparatus, actuating the alignment of the first and third sections with respect to the corresponding spindles on the frame,
e. a fifth section which is a second control means operable and actuated by the first control means, to actuate the bobbin pick-and-place member of the first section, to receive Bobbins onto its grippers from an external source, hold the received Bobbins in its grippers, and to place the said picked Bobbins onto the aligned corresponding empty spindles on the frame,
f. a sixth section which is a third control means which is operable and actuated by the first control means, to actuate the bobbin lift-member of third section, to pick the COPS from the aligned corresponding spindles on the frame, hold the picked COPS in its grippers and to drop the picked COPS onto the hollow second section,
g. a seventh section which is a drive means coupled operably and to the said first control means, to make available in front of a row of spindles on the frame, and in parallel with said spindles on the frame, a selected set of plurality of grippers of bobbin pick-and-place member of first section with a corresponding first set of empty spindles on the frame in cooperation with second control means, thereby enabling placing of Bobbins on the frame, and also a selected set of plurality of grippers of bobbin lift member of third section with a corresponding second set of COPS loaded spindles on the frame in cooperation with third control means, thereby enabling lifting of COPS from the frame,
h. a eighth section which is a rail means operable cooperatively with the drive means along with a fourth control means for attaching to and detaching from the frame, and
i. a ninth section which is an onboard power supply means operably associated with the drive means and all the said control means.

In another aspect the moveable doffing apparatus arrangement includes the drive means in seventh section adapted such that operably and cooperatively with first control means, the grippers of bobbin pick-and-place members of first section are movable between a first and a second vertical positions in a vertical direction and also between a first and a second horizontal positions in a horizontal direction transverse to the vertical plane so that grippers are moved between these positions picking a plurality of Bobbins arranged in the first section and placing the Bobbins on the corresponding first set of empty spindles on the frame.

In third aspect of the arrangement the drive means in seventh section is adapted such that operably and cooperatively with first control means, the grippers of bobbin lift-members of third section are moveable between a first and second vertical position in a vertical direction and also between a first and second horizontal position in a horizontal direction, transverse to the vertical plane, so that grippers are moved between these positions picking a plurality of COPS from the second set of COPS loaded spindles on the frame, and releasing the COPS onto the second section of the apparatus.

In fourth aspect, the gripper members are preferably operable by servo motors and the said servo motor is associated operably with torque control means to operate the said plurality of gripper members with a common actuator. The servomotor is further adapted to operate and to actuate plurality of grippers simultaneously.

For sake of the material betterment, the bobbin grippers of bobbin pick-and-place member in first section and bobbin lift member in third section are of polymer sliding module types.

The drive means in seventh section includes a double screw synchronized linear drive means driven by a DC servomotor. The drive means in seventh section further includes a ball screw drive means for selective spindle height and bobbin length selection.

Further the external source of the empty bobbins associated with loading the first section with empty bobbins is a receptacle with cartridge magazine filled with plurality of empty bobbins, and the said cartridge magazine driven by a servomotor means, indexed to the corresponding pitch of the bobbin grippers of the bobbin pick and place member arranged in first section and having corresponding holders matching the spindles on the frame.

In another aspect the bobbin receptacle is adapted to hold a plurality of said empty bobbins in predetermined plurality of rows and columns and the said receptacle is cartridge magazine may be such oriented for connecting at either end of the two sides of the apparatus. The extended source is a squirrel cage cartridge type loading magazine tray, adapted to receive an empty bobbin into its holders in a single orientation. The receptacle cartridge magazine has a top cover lock means for transportation purposes of loaded cartridges in a locked state. The receptacle cartridge magazine includes a plurality of bobbins holding pegs to secure the empty bobbins in the holder, their pitch being half to the spindle pitch of the frame. The receptacle cartridge magazine includes a plurality of bobbin holding pegs to secure the Bobbins in the holder, their pitch can be different to the spindle pitch of the frame provided each set of pegs are at equal pitch of spindles.(Viz, if Peg no 1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15… comprises of a set, then the pitch between 1 and 3, 3 and 5, 5 and 7, 7 and 9, 9 and 11, 11 and 13,13 and 14….. is equal to pitch of spindle, similarly 2,4 6,8,10,12,14,16… will have equal pitch of Spindle, whereas the pitch distance of peg between 1 and 2 can be any distance less than and equal to spindle pitch and depends mostly on the geometry of the system). The receptacle cartridge magazine includes a bobbin holding peg with an inserter end and an expandable flexible member having cylindrical holding portions with a first part of compression and second part of expanding fingers, and further the interior wall of the bobbin is tapered.

In another aspect the fourth section includes a pneumatically operating lifting means with a wheel suspension and dock/means against the frame and including multiple omini wheels means enabling the apparatus to spin around its own axis and ability to move in any direction requiring minimal floor space to maneuver. The pneumatically operating lifting means has detachable linkages which are not linear guiding linkages.

In another aspect the moveable doffing apparatus is such that the fourth section includes a pneumatically operating lifting means with a wheel suspension and dock/means against the frame and including an omini wheel means enabling the apparatus to spin around its own axis and move in plurality of directions.

In another aspect the moveable doffing apparatus is such that the fourth section includes a pneumatically operating lifting system with a formation of Wheel Base using multiple OMINI wheels enabling the apparatus to spin around its own axis and move in plurality of directions and easy cross movement required for docking on Ring Frame.

In another aspect the seventh section includes a servo-driven Cartesian coordinate robot to pick and place the said bobbins from the bobbin magazine receptacle from the first section onto corresponding empty spindles of the spinning frame.

The robot in the arrangement is adapted to pick alternatively the odd ones and even ones when the pitches between the pegs are half the pitch between the spindles in the spinning frame.

In another aspect, the arrangement in the first section includes a motor and gear box both disposed within the bobbin receptacle magazine.

In another aspect the power supply means is an intelligent battery system.

In another aspect The Off-line Cartridge filling machine (Fig 23) orients and fills Ring Tubes in the pockets of the Cartridge, and is capable of supplying filled cartridge to a pair of RAIL GUIDED SELF PROPELLED MOBILE DOFFING EQUIPMENT. The Off-line Cartridge filling machine is planned to be kept at a place in the Mill which is in close vicinity of the Auto coning machines which consumes the COP’s and returns the empty Ring Tubes.

The description is given for the understanding of the invention and thereby the embodiments do not limit the scope of the invention. The variations are within the scope of the invention.