DRAFT DEVICE AND SPINNING MACHINE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a draft device 5 and
a spinning machine.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is known a draft device including a plurality
10 of pairs of rollers each having a bottom roller and a top
roller, a plurality of cleaning modules arranged to be able
to make contact with and separate from each of the plurality
of top rollers, and a plurality of cams adapted to control
contacting and separating timing of each of the plurality
15 of cleaning modules (see e.g., JP H0731858(U)). According
to such a draft device, fiber pieces (so-called fluffs,
including fiber pieces such as cotton, other natural fibers,
synthetic fibers, or the like; the same applies
hereinafter) attached to the top roller can be removed.
20 In the above-described draft device, all cams are
configured to separate the cleaning module from the top
roller within an angle of, for example, less than 10 around
a rotation shaft of the top roller. Thus, in the top roller
having a high rotation speed, the time at which the cleaning
25 module separates from the top roller becomes short, and
fiber pieces may be accumulated between the top roller and
the cleaning module.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
30 It is therefore an object of the present invention
to provide a draft device capable of preventing fiber pieces
3
from being accumulated between a top roller and a cleaning
module, and a spinning machine equipped with such a draft
device.
A draft device of the present invention includes a
plurality of pairs of rollers each including a bottom 5 roller
and a top roller; a cleaning module arranged to make contact
with and separate from at least one of the top rollers; and
a control member arranged on a rotation shaft of at least
one of the top rollers and adapted to control contacting
10 and separating timing of the cleaning module, wherein the
control member is adapted to separate the cleaning module
from the top roller within a first angle around the rotation
shaft, and to bring the cleaning module into contact with
the top roller within a second angle around the rotation
15 shaft, the second angle obtained by subtracting the first
angle from 360 , characterized in that the first angle is
selected from a range of 50 or more and 300 or less.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
20 FIG. 1 is a front view of a spinning machine according
to one embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a side view of a spinning unit of the spinning
machine of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a side view of a draft device of the spinning
25 unit of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a side view of a plurality of cleaning
devices when a cleaning module is in a contact state;
FIG. 5 is a side view of the plurality of cleaning
devices when the cleaning module is in a separated state;
30 FIG. 6 is a plan view of the plurality of cleaning
devices of FIG. 4; and
4
FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the cleaning
device.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
An embodiment of the present invention will 5 be
hereinafter described in detail with reference to the
accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals are
denoted on the same or corresponding portions throughout
the drawings, and redundant description will be omitted.
10 As illustrated in FIG. 1, a spinning machine 1
includes a plurality of spinning units 2, a yarn joining
cart 3, a doffing cart (not illustrated), a first end frame
4, and a second end frame 5. The plurality of the spinning
units 2 are arranged in a row. Each of the spinning units
15 2 is adapted to produce a yarn Y and to wind the yarn Y around
a package P. The yarn joining cart 3 is adapted to perform
a yarn joining operation in a spinning unit 2 after the yarn
Y is cut, or is broken for some reason in such a spinning
unit 2. The doffing cart is adapted to doff the package
20 P and to supply a new bobbin B to the spinning unit 2 when
the package P is fully-wound in a spinning unit 2.
The first end frame 4 accommodates, for example, a
collecting device adapted to collect fiber waste, yarn
waste, and the like generated in the spinning units 2. The
25 second end frame 5 accommodates an air supplying section
adapted to adjust air pressure of air (compressed air) to
be supplied to the spinning machine 1 and to supply the air
to each section of the spinning machine 1, a drive motor
adapted to supply power to each section of the spinning unit
30 2, and the like. The second end frame 5 is provided with
a machine control device 41, a display screen 42, and an
5
input key 43. The machine control device 41 is adapted to
intensively manage and control each section of the spinning
machine 1. The display screen 42 is capable of displaying
information relating to set contents and/or status, or the
like of the spinning units 2. An operator can perform 5 orm a
setting operation of the spinning units 2 by performing an
appropriate operation with the input key 43.
As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, each spinning unit
2 includes a draft device 6, a pneumatic spinning device
10 7, a yarn monitoring device 8, a tension sensor 9, a yarn
storage device 11, a waxing device 12, and a winding device
13 in this order from upstream in a travelling direction
of the yarn Y. A unit controller 10 is provided for every
predetermined number of the spinning units 2 and is adapted
15 to control operations of the spinning units 2.
The draft device 6 is adapted to draft a sliver (fiber
bundle) S. The draft device 6 includes a pair of back
rollers 14, a pair of third rollers 15, a pair of middle
rollers 16, and a pair of front rollers 17 in this order
20 from upstream in a travelling direction of the sliver S.
Each pair of rollers 14, 15, 16, and 17 includes a bottom
roller and a top roller. The bottom roller is rotationally
driven by the drive motor provided in the second end frame
5 or by a drive motor provided in each spinning unit 2. An
25 apron belt 18a is provided with respect to the bottom roller
of the pair of middle rollers 16. An apron belt 18b is
provided with respect to the top roller of the pair of middle
rollers 16.
The pneumatic spinning device 7 is adapted to produce
30 the yarn Y by twisting a fiber bundle F, which has been
drafted by the draft device 6, with whirling airflow. More
6
specifically (however, not illustrated), the pneumatic
spinning device 7 includes a spinning chamber, a fiber
guiding section, a whirling airflow generating nozzle and
a hollow guide shaft body. The fiber guiding section is
adapted to guide into the spinning chamber, the fiber 5 bundle
F supplied from the upstream draft device 6. The whirling
airflow generating nozzle is arranged at a periphery of a
travelling path of the fiber bundle F, and is adapted to
generate a whirling airflow in the spinning chamber. With
10 the whirling airflow, each fiber end of a plurality of
fibers that form the fiber bundle F is reversed and whirled.
The hollow guide shaft body is adapted to guide the yarn
Y from the spinning chamber to an outside of the pneumatic
spinning device 7.
15 The yarn monitoring device 8 is adapted to monitor
information on the travelling yarn Y between the pneumatic
spinning device 7 and the yarn storage device 11, and to
detect presence or absence of a yarn defect based on the
information acquired by the monitoring. When detecting
20 the yarn defect, the yarn monitoring device 8 transmits a
yarn defect detection signal to the unit controller 10. The
yarn monitoring device 8 detects a thickness abnormality
of the yarn Y and/or a foreign substance included in the
yarn Y, for example, as the yarn defect. The yarn
25 monitoring device 8 also detects a yarn breakage or the like.
The tension sensor 9 is adapted to measure tension of the
travelling yarn Y between the pneumatic spinning device 7
and the yarn storage device 11, and to transmit a tension
measurement signal to the unit controller 10. When the unit
30 controller 10 determines presence of an abnormality based
on a detection result of the yarn monitoring device 8 and/or
7
the tension sensor 9, the yarn Y is cut in the spinning unit
2. Specifically, by stopping air supply to the pneumatic
spinning device 7 to interrupt the production of the yarn
Y, the yarn Y is cut. Alternatively, the yarn Y may be cut
5 with a separately provided cutter.
The waxing device 12 is adapted to apply wax to the
yarn Y between the yarn storage device 11 and the winding
device 13.
The yarn storage device 11 is adapted to eliminate
10 a slack of the yarn Y between the pneumatic spinning device
7 and the winding device 13. The yarn storage device 11
has a function of stably pulling out the yarn Y from the
pneumatic spinning device 7, a function of preventing the
yarn Y from slackening by accumulating the yarn Y fed from
15 the pneumatic spinning device 7 at the time of the yarn
joining operation or the like by the yarn joining cart 3,
and a function of preventing variation in the tension of
the yarn Y at downstream of the yarn storage device 11 from
being propagated to the pneumatic spinning device 7.
20 The winding device 13 is adapted to wind the yarn Y
around a bobbin B to form a package P. The winding device
13 includes a cradle arm 21, a winding drum 22, and a traverse
guide 23. The cradle arm 21 is adapted to rotatably support
the bobbin B. The cradle arm 21 is swingably supported by
25 a support shaft 24 and is adapted to bring a surface of the
bobbin B or a surface of the package P into contact with
a surface of the winding drum 22 under appropriate pressure.
A drive motor (not illustrated) provided in the second end
frame 5 is adapted to simultaneously drive the winding drums
30 22 each provided in the plurality of the spinning units 2.
Accordingly, in each spinning unit 2, the bobbin B or the
8
package P is rotated in a winding direction. The traverse
guide 23 of each spinning unit 2 is provided on a shaft 25
shared by the plurality of the spinning units 2. By the
drive motor in the second end frame 5 driving the shaft 25
to reciprocate in a direction of a rotational axis of 5 the
winding drum 22, the traverse guide 23 traverses the yarn
Y in a predetermined width with respect to the rotating
bobbin B or package P.
After the yarn Y is cut, or the yarn Y is broken for
10 some reason in a spinning unit 2, the yarn joining cart 3
travels to such a spinning unit 2 to perform the yarn joining
operation. The yarn joining cart 3 includes a yarn joining
device 26, a suction pipe 27, and a suction mouth 28. The
suction pipe 27 is swingably supported by a support shaft
15 31, and is adapted to catch the yarn Y from the pneumatic
spinning device 7 and to guide the caught yarn Y to the yarn
joining device 26. The suction mouth 28 is swingably
supported by a support shaft 32, and is adapted to catch
the yarn Y from the winding device 13 and to guide the caught
20 yarn Y to the yarn joining device 26. The yarn joining
device 26 is adapted to join the guided yarns Y together.
The yarn joining device 26 is a splicer using the compressed
air, a piecer using a seed yarn, a knotter adapted to join
the yarns Y together in a mechanical manner, or the like.
25 When the yarn joining cart 3 performs the yarn joining
operation, the package P is rotated in an unwinding
direction (reversely rotated). At this time, the cradle
arm 21 is moved by an air cylinder (not illustrated) such
that the package P is located away from the winding drum
30 22, and the package P is reversely rotated by a
reversely-rotating roller (not illustrated) provided in
9
the yarn joining cart 3.
The above-described draft device 6 will be more
specifically described. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the pair
of back rollers 14 includes a back bottom roller 14a and
a back top roller 14b facing each other with a 5 travelling
path of the sliver S therebetween. The pair of third
rollers 15 includes a third bottom roller 15a and a third
top roller 15b facing each other with a travelling path of
the sliver S therebetween. The pair of middle rollers 16
10 includes a middle bottom roller 16a and a middle top roller
16b facing each other with a travelling path of the sliver
S therebetween. An apron belt 18a is provided with respect
to the middle bottom roller 16a. An apron belt 18b is
provided with respect to the middle top roller 16b. The
15 pair of front rollers 17 includes a front bottom roller 17a
and a front top roller 17b facing each other with a
travelling path of the sliver S therebetween.
Each of the pairs of rollers 14, 15, 16, and 17 causes
the sliver S supplied from a can (not illustrated) to travel
20 from the upstream towards the downstream while drafting,
and supplies the fiber bundle F (drafted sliver S) to the
pneumatic spinning device 7. Hereinafter, the direction
along the travelling path of the sliver S is referred to
as “draft direction”. The upstream side in the draft
25 direction is simply referred to as “upstream side” and the
downstream side in the draft direction is simply referred
to as “downstream side”.
Each of the bottom rollers 14a, 15a, 16a, and 17a is
rotatably supported by a base 51. Each of the bottom
30 rollers 14a, 15a, 16a, and 17a is driven and rotated at a
rotation speed different from one another so that the
10
rotation speed becomes faster toward the downstream side.
Each of the top rollers 14b, 15b, 16b, and 17b is rotatably
supported by a cradle (second supporting section) 52. Each
of the top rollers 14b, 15b, 16b, and 17b is driven and
rotated by being brought into contact with each of 5 the
bottom rollers 14a, 15a, 16a, and 17a at a predetermined
pressure. Note that the cradle 52 rotatably supports each
of the top rollers 14b, 15b, 16b, and 17b of the draft device
6 arranged in each of the pair of adjacent spinning units
10 2.
In the base 51, the positions of the back bottom roller
14a and the third bottom roller 15a can be adjusted along
the draft direction. In the cradle 52, the positions of
the back top roller 14b and the third top roller 15b can
15 be adjusted along the draft direction. Thus, the distance
between the adjacent pair of rollers 14, 15 and the distance
between the adjacent pair of rollers 15, 16 can be adjusted
according to the fiber length of the fiber bundle F to be
drafted.
20 A swing shaft 53 is provided at the upstream end of
the cradle 52. The swing shaft 53 swingably supports the
cradle 52 between a contact position where each of the top
rollers 14b, 15b, 16b, and 17b makes contact with each of
the bottom rollers 14a, 15a, 16a, and 17a, and a separated
25 position where each of the top rollers 14b, 15b, 16b, and
17b is separated from each of the bottom rollers 14a, 15a,
16a, and 17a. A handle 54 used when the operator carries
out the swinging operation of the cradle 52 is provided at
the downstream end of the cradle 52. When the cradle 52
30 is swung to the contact position, a hook 55 provided at the
lower end of the handle 54 engages with a fixed roller 56
11
provided at the downstream end of the base 51, and a state
where each of the top rollers 14b, 15b, 16b, and 17b is
brought into contact with each of the bottom rollers 14a,
15a, 16a, and 17a at a predetermined pressure is maintained.
The draft device 6 includes a plurality of 5 cleaning
devices 60A, 60B, and 60C. As illustrated in FIGS. 4, 5,
and 6, each of the cleaning devices 60A, 60B, and 60C
includes a supporting mechanism (first supporting section)
61 and a cleaning module 64. Each supporting mechanism 61
10 is attached to the cradle 52. Each cleaning module 64 is
swingably supported by the supporting mechanism 61 at one
end thereof.
The cleaning devices 60A, 60B, and 60C have a similar
configuration with respect to one another, and thus the
15 configuration of the cleaning device 60A will be described
below, and the description on the configuration of the
cleaning devices 60B and 60C will be omitted.
As illustrated in FIG. 7, the supporting mechanism
61 includes a mechanism main body 66 and a swing shaft 62.
20 The mechanism main body 66 swingably supports the swing
shaft 62. As illustrated in FIG. 6, an attachment member
65 having a long hole 65a extending in the draft direction
is fixed to an attachment surface 52a of the cradle 52. As
illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the mechanism main body 66
25 is arranged on a side on which the back top roller 14b is
arranged with respect to the attachment member 65. A resin
washer 68 and a plate spring 69 are arranged on a side
opposite to the side on which the back top roller 14b is
arranged with respect to the attachment member 65. As
30 illustrated in FIG. 7, in such a state, a pin 67 is inserted
to a through hole 66a of the mechanism main body 66, the
12
long hole 65a of the attachment member 65, and the resin
washer 68 from the side on which the back top roller 14b
is arranged, and a distal end portion 67a of the pin 67 is
engaged to an engagement hole 69a of the plate spring 69.
As illustrated in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6, a cover 76 adapted 5 ed to
cover the distal end portion 67a of the pin 67, the resin
washer 68, and the plate spring 69 in each of the cleaning
device 60A, 60B, and 60C is attached to the attachment
member 65.
10 The supporting mechanism 61 is attached to the
attachment member 65 with the rotation shaft of the back
top roller 14b arranged in a positioning recess 66b provided
in the mechanism main body 66 (see FIG. 7). The position
of the supporting mechanism 61 can be adjusted to the
15 upstream side and the downstream side in the draft direction
along the long hole 65a of the attachment member 65 while
being subjected to a predetermined friction resistance by
the urging force of the plate spring 69. That is, the
supporting mechanism 61 is supported so as to be able to
20 adjust its position to the upstream side and the downstream
side in the draft direction by the cradle 52. The resin
washer 68 has a function of preventing deformation of the
plate spring 69.
As illustrated in FIG. 7, the cleaning module 64
25 includes a module main body 71, a cam follower 72, a
supporting member 73, and a cleaner pad 74. The module main
body 71 is integrally formed with the cam follower 72, and
is swingably supported by the swing shaft 62. The
supporting member 73 is a plate-shaped member, and is fixed
30 to the module main body 71 by a bolt 75. The cleaner pad
74 is made of rubber or resin. The cleaner pad 74 is
13
attached to the supporting member 73 by fitting a plurality
of protrusions 74a formed on the cleaner pad 74 into a
plurality of engagement holes 73a formed in the supporting
member 73. The cleaner pad 74 is swingably supported by
the supporting mechanism 61 via the supporting member 5 er 73
and the like. A swing shaft 62 is passed through the inner
side of a coil spring 63. The coil spring 63 is arranged
to urge the cleaner pad 74 in a direction of approaching
the back top roller 14b (see FIG. 4) between the mechanism
10 main body 66 and the module main body 71.
As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, a first cam (control
member) 57 is attached to the rotation shaft of the back
top roller 14b by press fitting. By way of example, a
projection formed on the inner side surface of the first
15 cam 57 is press fitted into the recess formed on the end
face of the rotation shaft of the back top roller 14b to
attach the first cam 57 to the rotation shaft of the back
top roller 14b. The first cam 57 controls the contacting
and separating timing of the cleaning module 64 (i.e.,
20 cleaning module 64 of cleaning device 60A) arranged so as
to be able to make contact with and separate from the back
top roller 14b.
The first cam 57 includes a first control surface 57a
that separates the cleaner pad 74 from the back top roller
25 14b by the following of the cam follower 72. The first
control surface 57a separates the cleaner pad 74 from the
back top roller 14b within an angle  of 5 or more and 10
or less around the rotation shaft of the back top roller
14b. A region 57b other than the first control surface 57a
30 of the outer peripheral surface of the first cam 57 is formed
to be spaced apart from the cam follower 72, and causes the
14
cleaner pad 74 to make contact with the back top roller 14b.
When the first cam 57 is rotated with the back top
roller 14b, the cleaning module 64 is swung around the swing
shaft 62, and the contact (see FIG. 4) and the separation
(see FIG. 5) of the cleaner pad 74 with respect to the 5 back
top roller 14b are repeated. The fiber pieces attached to
the back top roller 14b attach to the cleaner pad 74 when
the cleaner pad 74 is brought into contact with the back
top roller 14b. The fiber pieces attached to the cleaner
10 pad 74, for example, drop by its own weight when the cleaner
pad 74 is separated from the back top roller 14b. The
cleaning device 60A removes the fiber pieces from the back
top roller 14b in such a manner.
The first cam 57 is also fixed to the rotation shaft
15 of the third top roller 15b by press fitting. The first
cam 57 controls the contact and separating timing of the
cleaning module 64 (i.e., the cleaning module 64 of the
cleaning device 60B) arranged to be able to make contact
with and separate from the third top roller 15b. The
20 cleaning device 60B removes the fiber pieces from the third
top roller 15b in such a manner.
A second cam (control member) 58 is attached to the
rotation shaft of the middle top roller 16b with a bolt 59
(i.e., by screwing). The second cam 58 controls the
25 contacting and separating timing of the cleaning module 64
(i.e., the cleaning module 64 of the cleaning device 60C)
arranged to be able to make contact with and separate from
the apron belt 18b of the middle top roller 16b.
The second cam 58 includes a second control surface
30 (control surface) 58a that separates the cleaner pad 74 from
the apron belt 18b of the middle top roller 16b by the
15
following of the cam follower 72. The second control
surface 58a separates the cleaner pad 74 from the apron belt
18b of the middle top roller 16b within an angle (first
angle)  of about 180 around the rotation shaft of the
middle top roller 16b. A region 58b other than 5 the second
control surface 58a of the outer peripheral surface of the
second cam 58 is formed to be spaced apart from the cam
follower 72, and causes the cleaner pad 74 to make contact
with the apron belt 18b of the middle top roller 16b. The
10 region 58b causes the cleaner pad 74 to make contact with
the apron belt 18b of the middle top roller 16b within an
angle (second angle) of about 180 around the rotation shaft
of the middle top roller 16b.
The second cam 58 has a fan shape when seen from a
15 direction in which the rotation shaft of the middle top
roller 16b extends. The second control surface 58a of the
second cam 58 is located on the outer side of the outer
peripheral surface of the roller main body of the middle
top roller 16b by an amount corresponding to the thickness
20 of the apron belt 18b, for example, when seen from the
direction in which the rotation shaft of the middle top
roller 16b extends.
When the second cam 58 is rotated with the middle top
roller 16b, the cleaning module 64 is swung around the swing
25 shaft 62, and the contact (see FIG. 4) and the separation
(see FIG. 5) of the cleaner pad 74 with respect to the apron
belt 18b are repeated. The fiber pieces attached to the
apron belt 18b attach to the cleaner pad 74 when the cleaner
pad 74 is brought into contact with the apron belt 18b. The
30 fiber pieces attached to the cleaner pad 74, for example,
drops by its own weight when the cleaner pad 74 is separated
16
from the apron belt 18b. The cleaning device 60C removes
the fiber pieces from the apron belt 18b in such a manner.
Comparing the first cam 57 and the second cam 58, the
shape of the first cam 57 and the shape of the second cam
58 are different from each other when seen from 5 m the
direction in which the rotation shaft of each of the top
rollers 14b, 15b, and 16b extends. The contacting and
separating timing controlled by the first cam 57, and the
contacting and separating timing controlled by the second
10 cam 58 are different from each other. The angle  (fourth
angle around the rotation shaft of the middle top roller
16b) at which the second cam 58 separates the cleaner pad
74 from the apron belt 18b is greater than the angle  (third
angle around the respective rotation shaft of the back top
15 roller 14b and the third top roller 15b) at which the first
cam 57 separates the cleaner pad 74 from the back top roller
14b and the third top roller 15b.
As described above, in the draft device 6, the
cleaning module 64 is separated from the apron belt 18b
20 within the angle of about 180 around the rotation shaft
of the middle top roller 16b. Thus, even if the rotation
speed of the middle top roller 16b is high, the time during
which the cleaning module 64 separates from the apron belt
18b can be ensured, and the fiber pieces can be dropped
25 between the apron belt 18b and the cleaning module 64.
Therefore, according to the draft device 6, the fiber pieces
can be prevented from being accumulated between the apron
belt 18b and the cleaning module 64.
In the draft device 6, the second cam 58 has a fan
30 shape when seen from a direction in which the rotation shaft
of the middle top roller 16b extends. Thus, even if the
17
rotation speed of the middle top roller 16b is high, the
time during which the cleaning module 64 separates from the
apron belt 18b can be reliably ensured.
In the draft device 6, the angle  at which the second
cam 58 separates the cleaner pad 74 from the apron belt 5 18b
is greater than the angle  at which the first cam 57
separates the cleaner pad 74 from the back top roller 14b
and the third top roller 15b. Thus, even in the middle top
roller 16b, which rotation speed is higher than the back
10 top roller 14b and the third top roller 15b, the time during
which the cleaning module 64 separates from the apron belt
18b can be ensured, and the fiber pieces can be dropped
between the apron belt 18b and the cleaning module 64.
In the draft device 6, the shape of the first cam 57
15 and the shape of the second cam 58 are different from each
other when seen from the direction in which the rotation
shaft of each of the top rollers 14b, 15b, and 16b extends.
Thus, the time during which the cleaning module 64 separates
from each of the top rollers 14b, 15b, and 16b can be reliably
20 ensured.
In the draft device 6, the second control surface 58a
of the second cam 58 is located on the outer side of the
outer peripheral surface of the roller main body of the
middle top roller 16b when seen from the direction in which
25 the rotation shaft of the middle top roller 16b extends.
The cleaning module 64 is thereby greatly spaced apart from
the apron belt 18b, so that even if the fiber pieces are
in a lump, such fiber pieces can be dropped between the apron
belt 18b and the cleaning module 64.
30 In the draft device 6, the second cam 58 is attached
to the rotation shaft of the middle top roller 16b by
18
screwing, and the first cam 57 is attached to the respective
rotation shat of the back top roller 14b and the third top
roller 15b by press fitting. The number of components can
be reduced by using press fitting to attach the first cam
57 to each of the back top roller 14b and the third top 5 roller
15b having a low rotation speed. The second cam 58 can be
reliably attached to the middle top roller 16b by using
screwing to attach the second cam 58 to the middle top roller
16b having a high rotation speed. However, the first cam
10 57 may also be attached to at least one of the back top roller
14b or the third top roller 15b by screwing.
In the draft device 6, the cleaning module 64 is
swingably supported by the supporting mechanism 61 at one
end thereof. Thus, the cleaning module 64 that can be
15 brought into contact with or separated from each of the top
rollers 14b, 15b, and 16b can be realized with a simple
configuration. In the draft device 6, the cleaner pad 74
of the cleaning module 64 is attached to the plate-shaped
supporting member 73, so that the cleaner pad 74 can be
20 stably brought into contact with each of the top rollers
14b, 15b, and the apron belt 18b.
In the draft device 6, the position of the supporting
mechanism 61 can be adjusted to the upstream side and the
downstream side in the draft direction by the cradle 52.
25 Thus, for example, when adjusting the distance between the
adjacent pairs of rollers 14, 15 and the distance between
the adjacent pairs of rollers 15, 16 according to the fiber
length of the fiber bundle F to be drafted, the cleaning
module 64 corresponding to each of the top rollers 14b, 15b
30 can be moved with the back top roller 14b and the third top
roller 15b.
19
One embodiment of the present invention has been
described above, but the present invention is not limited
to the above-described embodiment.
The cleaning module of the present invention can be
arranged to be able to make contact with and separate 5 te from
at least one top roller (including apron belt). When
arranging the cleaning module so as to be able to make
contact with and separate from each of at least two top
rollers, the configuration (e.g., shape of cam, etc.)
10 related to the contacting and separating timing merely
needs to differ at least for the control member located on
the most upstream side and the control member located on
the most downstream side in the plurality of control members
adapted to control the contacting and separating timing of
15 the cleaning module. Therefore, in all of the plurality
of control members, the configuration (e.g., shape of cam,
etc.) related to the contacting and separating timing may
be different.
In the above-described embodiment, the second cam 58
20 has been configured to separate the cleaning module 64 from
the apron belt 18b within the angle  of about 180 around
the rotation shaft of the middle top roller 16b, and to bring
the cleaning module 64 into contact with the apron belt 18b
within the angle of about 180 around the rotation shaft
25 of the middle top roller 16b, but the control member of the
present invention corresponding to the second cam 58 may
be configured as below. In other words, the control member
of the present invention may be configured to separate the
cleaning module from the top roller within the first angle
30 of 50 or more and 300 or less around the rotation shaft
of the top roller, and to bring the cleaning module into
20
contact with the top roller within the second angle obtained
by subtracting the first angle from 360 around the relevant
rotation shaft. The first angle is preferably selected
from a range of 100 or more and 250 or less, and more
preferably selected from a range of 150 or more and 2005 
or less.
In the above-described embodiment, the second
control surface 58a of the second cam 58 is located on the
outer side of the outer peripheral surface of the roller
10 main body of the middle top roller 16b when seen from the
direction in which the rotation shaft of the middle top
roller 16b extends, but the second control surface 58a of
the second cam 58 may be located on the outer peripheral
surface of the roller main body of the middle top roller
15 16b or on the inner side of such outer peripheral surface.
In the above-described embodiment, the cleaner pad
74 is attached to the supporting member 73 by fitting each
protrusion 74a of the cleaner pad 74 into each engagement
hole 73a of the supporting member 73, but the cleaner pad
20 74 may be attached to the supporting member 73 by other means
such as adhesion. In the above-described embodiment, the
width of the cleaner pad 74 is illustrated to have
substantially the same width as the width of each top roller
(including apron belt). However, the width of the cleaner
25 pad 74 merely needs to be greater than the width of the sliver
S to be drafted at each top roller (including apron belt),
and the width of the downstream cleaner pad 74 may be smaller
than the width of the upstream cleaner pad 74.
The pneumatic spinning device 7 may further include
30 a needle held by a fiber guiding section and arranged so
as to protrude into a spinning chamber to prevent twists
21
of the fiber bundle F from being propagated to the upstream
of the pneumatic spinning device 7. Alternatively,
instead of such a needle, the pneumatic spinning device 7
may prevent the twists of the fiber bundle F from being
propagated to the upstream of the pneumatic spinning 5 device
7 by a downstream end portion of the fiber guiding section.
Furthermore, instead of the above-described configuration,
the pneumatic spinning device 7 may include a pair of
air-jet nozzles respectively adapted to twist the fiber
10 bundle F in directions opposite from each other.
In the spinning unit 2, the yarn storage device 11
has a function of pulling out the yarn Y from the pneumatic
spinning device 7, but the yarn Y may be pulled out from
the pneumatic spinning device 7 with a delivery roller and
15 a nip roller. In a case of pulling out the yarn Y from the
pneumatic spinning device 7 with the delivery roller and
the nip roller, a slack tube adapted to absorb the slack
of the yarn Y with suction airflow, a mechanic compensator,
or the like may be provided instead of the yarn storage
20 device 11.
In the spinning unit 2, each device is arranged such
that the yarn Y supplied on the upper side is wound on the
lower side in the machine height direction, but each device
may be arranged such that the yarn Y supplied on the lower
25 side is wound on the upper side.
In the draft device 6, the swing shaft 53 is arranged
on the side of the pair of back rollers 14 (i.e., upstream),
but the swing shaft 53 may be arranged on the side of the
pair of front rollers 17 (i.e., downstream).
30 Furthermore, in the spinning machine 1, at least one
of the bottom rollers of the draft device 6 and the traverse
22
guide 23 are driven by the power from the second end frame
5 (i.e., commonly driven for the plurality of spinning units
2). However, each device of the spinning unit 2 (e.g., the
draft device 6, the pneumatic spinning device 7, the winding
device 13, or the like) may be independently driven for 5 each
spinning unit 2.
In the travelling direction of the yarn Y, the tension
sensor 9 may be arranged upstream of the yarn monitoring
device 8. The unit controller 10 may be provided for every
10 spinning unit 2. In the spinning unit 2, the waxing device
12, the tension sensor 9, and the yarn monitoring device
8 may be omitted.
FIG. 1 illustrates that the spinning machine 1 winds
a cheese package P, but the spinning machine 1 can also wind
15 a conical package P. In a case of the conical package P,
a slack of the yarn Y occurs by traversing the yarn Y, but
the slack can be absorbed with the yarn storage device 11.
A material and a shape of each component are not limited
to the above-mentioned material and shape, and various
20 materials and shapes can be adopted.
A draft device of the present invention includes a
plurality of pairs of rollers each including a bottom roller
and a top roller; a cleaning module arranged to make contact
with and separate from at least one of the top rollers; and
25 a control member arranged on a rotation shaft of at least
one of the top rollers and adapted to control contacting
and separating timing of the cleaning module, wherein the
control member is adapted to separate the cleaning module
from the top roller within a first angle around the rotation
30 shaft, and to bring the cleaning module into contact with
the top roller within a second angle around the rotation
23
shaft, the second angle obtained by subtracting the first
angle from 360 , characterized in that the first angle is
selected from a range of 50 or more and 300 or less.
In such a draft device, the cleaning module is
separated from the top roller within the first angle of 505 
or more and 300 or less around the rotation shaft of the
top roller. Thus, even if the rotation speed of the top
roller is high, the time during which the cleaning module
separates from the top roller can be ensured, and the fiber
10 pieces can be dropped between the top roller and the
cleaning module. Therefore, according to the draft device,
the fiber pieces can be prevented from being accumulated
between the top roller and the cleaning module. The
above-described control member is preferably arranged on
15 the rotation shaft of the top roller including the apron
belt.
In the draft device of the present invention, the
control member may be a cam having a fan shape when seen
from a direction in which the rotation shaft extends. Thus,
20 even if the rotation speed of the top roller is high, the
time during which the cleaning module separates from the
top roller can be reliably ensured.
A draft device of the present invention includes a
plurality of pairs of rollers each including a bottom roller
25 and a top roller; a plurality of cleaning modules arranged
to make contact with and separate from at least two of the
top rollers; and a plurality of control members arranged
on a rotation shaft of each of the at least two top rollers,
the plurality of control members being adapted to control
30 contacting and separating timing of each of a plurality of
cleaning modules, wherein the control member located most
24
upstream in a draft direction is adapted to separate the
cleaning module from the top roller within a third angle
around the rotation shaft, and the control member located
most downstream in the draft direction is adapted to
separate the cleaning module from the top roller within 5 thin a
fourth angle around the rotation shaft, characterized in
that the fourth angle is greater than the third angle.
In the draft device, even in the downstream top roller
having a rotation speed higher than that of the upstream
10 top roller, the time during which the cleaning module
separates from the top roller can be ensured, and the fiber
pieces can be dropped between the top roller and the
cleaning module. Therefore, according to the draft device,
the fiber pieces can be prevented from being accumulated
15 between the top roller and the cleaning module. The fourth
angle is preferably selected from a range of 50 or more
and 300 or less around the rotation shaft. The third angle
may be selected from a range of 50 or more and 300 or less
around the rotation shaft.
20 In the draft device of the present invention, the
control member located most upstream in the draft direction
and the control member located most downstream in the draft
direction may be cams having different shapes from each
other when seen from a direction in which the rotation shaft
25 extends. Thus, the time during which the cleaning module
separates from the top roller can be ensured. The
above-described control member located most downstream in
the draft direction is preferably arranged on the rotation
shaft of the top roller including the apron belt.
30 In the draft device of the present invention, the
control member may be a cam having a control surface adapted
25
to separate the cleaning module from the top roller, and
the control surface may be located on an outer side of an
outer peripheral surface of a roller main body of the top
roller when seen from a direction in which the rotation
shaft extends. The cleaning module is thereby 5 greatly
spaced apart from the top roller, and hence even if the fiber
pieces are in a lump, for example, such fiber pieces can
be dropped between the top roller and the cleaning module.
In the draft device of the present invention, the
10 cleaning module may be arranged to make contact with and
separate from each of the at least two top rollers, the
control member may be arranged on the rotation shaft of each
of the at least two top rollers, the control member located
most downstream in the draft direction may be attached to
15 the rotation shaft by screwing, and the control member
located most upstream in the draft direction may be attached
to the rotation shaft by press fitting. The number of
components can be reduced by using press fitting to attach
the control member to the upstream top roller having a low
20 rotation speed. The control member can be reliably
attached to the top roller by using screwing to attach the
control member to the downstream top roller having a high
rotation speed.
The draft device of the present invention may further
25 include a first supporting section adapted to support the
cleaning module, wherein the cleaning module may include
a cleaner pad made of rubber or resin, and wherein the first
supporting section may swingably support the cleaner pad.
Thus, the cleaner pad that can be brought into contact with
30 or separated from each of the top rollers can be realized
with a simple configuration.
26
The draft device of the present invention may further
include a second supporting section adapted to support the
top roller, wherein the first supporting section may be
supported so that a position of the first supporting section
is adjusted toward upstream and downstream in the 5 draft
direction by the second supporting section. Thus, for
example, when the distance between the adjacent top rollers
is changed, the cleaning module can be moved together with
the top roller.
10 The draft device of the present invention is
preferably applied to a configuration in which the draft
device includes a pair of back rollers, a pair of third
rollers, and pair of middle rollers, and a pair of front
rollers as the plurality of pairs of rollers in order from
15 upstream in a draft direction, wherein the cleaning module
is arranged with respect to each of top rollers of the pair
of back rollers, the pair of third rollers, and the pair
of middle rollers, and wherein the control member is
arranged on a rotation shaft of each of the top rollers on
20 which the cleaning module is arranged.
A spinning machine of the present invention includes
the above-described draft device, a pneumatic spinning
device adapted to produce a yarn by applying twists to the
fiber bundle drafted by the draft device, and a winding
25 device adapted to wind the yarn produced by the pneumatic
spinning device to form a package.
In such a spinning machine, the fiber pieces can be
prevented from being accumulated between the top roller and
the cleaning module by the draft device.
30 According to the present invention, a draft device
capable of preventing the fiber pieces from being
27
accumulated between the top roller and the cleaning module,
and a spinning machine equipped with such a draft device
can be provided.
28
We claim:
1. A draft device comprising:
a plurality of pairs of rollers each including a
bottom roller and a top roller;
a cleaning module arranged to make contact with 5 and
separate from at least one of the top rollers; and
a control member arranged on a rotation shaft of at
least one of the top rollers and adapted to control
contacting and separating timing of the cleaning module,
10 wherein the control member is adapted to separate the
cleaning module from the top roller within a first angle
around the rotation shaft, and to bring the cleaning module
into contact with the top roller within a second angle
around the rotation shaft, the second angle obtained by
15 subtracting the first angle from 360,
characterized in that
the first angle is selected from a range of 50 or
more and 300 or less.
20 2. The draft device according to claim 1, wherein
the control member is arranged on the rotation shaft of the
top roller including an apron belt.
3. The draft device according to claim 1 or 2,
25 wherein the control member is a cam having a fan shape when
seen from a direction in which the rotation shaft extends.
4. The draft device according to claim 1,
comprising:
30 a plurality of cleaning modules arranged to make
contact with and separate from at least two of the top
29
rollers; and
a plurality of control members arranged on a rotation
shaft of each of the at least two top rollers, the plurality
of control members being adapted to control contacting and
separating timing of each of a plurality of cle5 aning
modules,
wherein the first angle around the rotation shaft
within which the control member located most upstream in
a draft direction separates the cleaning module from the
10 top roller is smaller than the first angle around the
rotation shaft within which the control member located most
downstream in the draft direction separates the cleaning
module from the top roller.
15 5. A draft device comprising:
a plurality of pairs of rollers each including a
bottom roller and a top roller;
a plurality of cleaning modules arranged to make
contact with and separate from at least two of the top
20 rollers; and
a plurality of control members arranged on a rotation
shaft of each of the at least two top rollers, the plurality
of control members being adapted to control contacting and
separating timing of each of a plurality of cleaning
25 modules,
wherein the control member located most upstream in
a draft direction is adapted to separate the cleaning module
from the top roller within a third angle around the rotation
shaft, and
30 the control member located most downstream in the
draft direction is adapted to separate the cleaning module
30
from the top roller within a fourth angle around the
rotation shaft,
characterized in that
the fourth angle is greater than the third angle.
5
6. The draft device according to claim 5, wherein
the control member located most upstream in the draft
direction and the control member located most downstream
in the draft direction are cams having different shapes from
10 each other when seen from a direction in which the rotation
shaft extends.
7. The draft device according to claim 5 or 6,
wherein
15 the cleaning module is arranged to make contact with
and separate from each of the at least two top rollers,
the control member is arranged on the rotation shaft
of each of the at least two top rollers,
the control member located most downstream in the
20 draft direction is attached to the rotation shaft by
screwing, and
the control member located most upstream in the draft
direction is attached to the rotation shaft by press
fitting.
25
8. The draft device according to any one of claims
5 to 7, wherein the control member located most downstream
in the draft direction is arranged on the rotation shaft
of the top roller including an apron belt.
30
9. The draft device according to any one of claims
31
5 to 8, wherein the fourth angle is selected from a range
of 50 or more and 300 or less around the rotation shaft.
10. The draft device according to any one of claims
1 to 9, 5 , wherein
the control member is a cam having a control surface
adapted to separate the cleaning module from the top roller,
and
the control surface is located on an outer side of
10 an outer peripheral surface of a roller main body of the
top roller when seen from a direction in which the rotation
shaft extends.
11. The draft device according to any one of claims
15 1 to 10, further comprising a first supporting section
adapted to support the cleaning module,
wherein the cleaning module includes a cleaner pad
made of rubber or resin, and
wherein the first supporting section swingably
20 supports the cleaner pad.
12. The draft device according to claim 11, further
comprising a second supporting section adapted to support
the top roller,
25 wherein the first supporting section is supported so
that a position of first supporting section is adjusted
toward upstream and downstream in the draft direction by
the second supporting section.
30 13. The draft device according to any one of claims
1 to 12, comprising a pair of back rollers, a pair of third
32
rollers, a pair of middle rollers, and a pair of front
rollers as the plurality of pairs of rollers in order from
upstream in a draft direction,
wherein the cleaning module is arranged with respect
to each of top rollers of the pair of back rollers, the 5 e pair
of third rollers, and the pair of middle rollers, and
wherein the control member is arranged on a rotation
shaft of each of the top rollers on which the cleaning module
is arranged.
10
14. A spinning machine comprising:
the draft device according to any one of claims 1 to
13;
a pneumatic spinning device adapted to produce a yarn
15 by applying twists to a fiber bundle drafted by the draft
device; and
a winding device adapted to wind the yarn produced
by the pneumatic spinning device to form a package.