SPINNING MACHINE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a spinning machine, and in particular, to a spinning machine such as a fine spinning machine adapted to apply twists to a fiber bundle to produce a spun yarn and wind the produced spun yarn to form a package.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional spinning machine includes a plurality of spinning units, a plurality of unit frames for collectively supporting the plurality of spinning units, and a service unit for yarn joining operation capable of moving along the plurality of spinning units (see e.g., Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2010-77577). Each of the plurality of spinning units applies twists to a fiber bundle to produce a spun yarn, and winds the produced spun yarn to form a package. The plurality of spinning units are arranged in line in a first direction. A suction duct for sucking fiber wastes or the like that generate during the yarn joining operation is arranged on the unit frame. The suction duct is arranged along a first direction of the plurality of spinning units. The suction duct for the service unit is arranged at a position behind the service unit.
In the conventional spinning machine, since the suction duct is arranged behind the service unit, a length in a depth direction becomes longer. Accordingly, there is a problem that the depth direction of the entire spinning machine becomes longer.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to make a length in a depth direction of a spinning machine as short as possible.
A spinning machine includes a plurality of spinning units arranged in a first direction, each spinning unit adapted to produce
a spun yarn from a fiber bundle, a yarn joining cart arranged capable of travelling along the first direction and adapted to perform a yarn joining operation to the spinning units, and a first suction duct adapted to suck and transport fiber wastes that generate when the yarn joining cart performs the yarn joining operation, wherein at least a portion of the first suction duct is arranged along the first direction and at least at a position located higher than an upper surface of the yarn joining cart or lower than a lower surface of the yarn joining cart in a height direction of the spinning units.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a front view illustrating an overall configuration of a fine spinning machine according to one embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the fine spinning machine;
FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the fine spinning machine;
FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of the fine spinning machine; and
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the fine spinning machine of an alternative embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, a fine spinning machine (spinning machine) according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Herein, "upstream" and "downstream" respectively refer to upstream and downstream in a travelling direction of a yarn at the time of spinning.
A fine spinning machine 1 as a spinning machine illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a plurality of spinning units 2 arranged in line. The fine spinning machine 1 includes a yarn joining cart 3, a doffing cart 4, a blower box 80, a motor box 5, a unit frame 6, and a bar-like member 16. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the fine spinning machine 1 further includes a first suction duct 17, a second suction duct
18, and a third suction duct 19.
The plurality of spinning units 2 are arranged on the unit frame 6 in line in a first direction, which is a longitudinal direction (a left and right direction in FIG. 1) of the fine spinning machine 1. Each spinning unit 2 forms a package 4 5 around which a spun yarn 10 of a predetermined length is wound. For example, eight spinning units 2 can be attached to one unit frame 6. The number of spinning units 2 that can be attached to one unit frame
6 is not particularly limited. One fine spinning machine 1 includes
one or a plurality of unit frames 6.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, each spinning unit 2 includes a draft section 7, a spinning section 9, a yarn slack eliminating section 12, and a winding section 13 as the main components arranged in this order from the upstream to the downstream. The draft section
7 is arranged in proximity to an upper end of the unit frame 6 of
the fine spinning machine 1. The draft section 7 drafts a sliver
15 to obtain a fiber bundle 8. The spinning section 9 performs
air-jet spinning by using whirling airflow to apply twists to the
fiber bundle 8 fed from the draft section 7, thus producing the
spun yarn 10. After the spun yarn 10 fed from the spinning section
9 passes through a yarn clearer 52, the spun yarn 10 is fed to the
yarn slack eliminating section 12, and is wound by the winding
section 13, thereby forming the package 45. A yarn path LP (FIG.
2) is thus formed in a vertical direction of the spinning unit 2
from the spinning section 9 to the winding section 13 of each
spinning unit 2. The yarn clearer 52 detects thickness abnormality
of the spun yarn 10 and/or the presence or absence of foreign
materials contained in the spun yarn 10.
The yarn slack eliminating section 12 has a function of applying a predetermined tension to the spun yarn 10 and retrieving the spun yarn 10 from the spinning section 9, and a function of accumulating the spun yarn 10 fed from the spinning section 9 at the time of yarn joining by the yarn joining cart 3 and eliminating slackening of the spun yarn 10. The yarn slack eliminating section
12 also has a buffer function of preventing a fluctuation of tension on the winding section 13 side from being transmitted to the spinning section 9 side.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, the winding section 13 includes a cradle arm 71 supported in a freely oscillating manner about a supporting shaft 70, and a winding drum 72. The cradle arm 71 rotatably supports a bobbin 4 8 to wind the spun yarn 10. The winding drum 72 is arranged at a front side of the unit frame 6, and rotatably drives the bobbin 48 or the package 45 at a predetermined winding speed by making contact with an outer peripheral surface thereof.
The yarn joining cart 3 can travel along the first direction on a first travelling rail 81 arranged on the unit frame 6. After cutting of a yarn, the yarn joining cart 3 travels to a position of the spinning unit 2 in which yarn joining is necessary and joins an upper yarn from the spinning section 9 and a lower yarn from the winding section 13. Only one yarn joining cart 3 is illustrated in FIG. 1, but a plurality of yarn joining carts 3 are arranged in the entire fine spinning machine 1. As illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, each yarn joining cart 3 includes a cart section 41, a yarn joining device (one example of a yarn joining section) 43 attached to the cart section 41, a suction pipe (one example of a first guiding section) 44, a suction mouth (one example of a second guiding section) 46, and a suction air supply pipe 47 (FIG. 2).
The cart section 41 has a front surface 41a facing the yarn path LP, a rear surface 41b arranged opposite to the front surface 41a, and an upper surface 41c and a lower surface 41d that respectively connect an upper portion and a lower portion of the front surface 41a and the rear surface 41b. A projection area in a depth direction (left and right direction in FIG. 2) of the front surface 41a and the rear surface 41b is the same. The projection area in a vertical direction of the upper surface 41c and the lower surface 41d is also the same.
The cart section 41 has two travelling wheels 41e arranged with an interval therebetween in a travelling direction at both
ends in the first direction. A pair of guide rollers 41f are respectively arranged on an upper portion and a lower portion of the cart section 41. The upper guide roller 41f is guided by a guide rail 41g. The suction pipe 44 swings around a horizontal axis to catch an upper yarn end at the spinning section 9 and guides the upper yarn end to the yarn joining device 43. The suction mouth 46 swings around a horizontal axis to catch a lower yarn end at the winding section 13 and guides the lower yarn end to the yarn joining device 43. The yarn joining device 43 joins the upper yarn end and the lower yarn end.
The suction air supply pipe 47 supplies suction airflow from the first suction duct 17 to the yarn joining cart 3. The suction air supply pipe 47 is arranged on the upper surface 41c of the cart section 41. A secondary suction duct 17b, to be described later, is branched from the first suction duct 17. A shutter 95 is arranged at a position on the secondary suction duct 17b corresponding to each spinning unit 2. The suction air supply pipe 47 opens and closes the shutter 95. The suction airflow is thus supplied from the secondary suction duct 17b to the yarn joining device 43, the suction pipe 44, and the suction mouth 46.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 3, the doffing cart 4 is arranged capable of travelling along the first direction at a front side of the spinning units 2. After the package 45 is fully wound at the spinning unit 2, the doffing cart 4 travels to the relevant spinning unit 2 on a second travelling rail 82 and stops thereat. As illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the doffing cart 4 includes a cart casing 85. The cart casing 85 accommodates a suction pipe 88, an empty bobbin supplying member 89, and a cradle operating arm 90.
The cart casing 85 has two travelling wheels 85a arranged at both ends in the first direction. The travelling wheels 85a are arranged on the lower surface of the cart casing 85 and at the side located away from the spinning unit 2. Therefore, the doffing cart 4 is guided on the second travelling rail 82 at the side located
away from the spinning unit 2. A height of the cart casing 85 is lower than a height of the spinning unit 2 . Specifically, the height of the cart casing 85 is slightly lower than a position of the yarn slack eliminating section 12 of the spinning unit 2.
The cart casing 85 is formed to cover from above a package placing section 21, to be described later, arranged on the unit frame 6. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the doffing cart 4 is arranged at an outermost side of the fine spinning machine 1. The cart casing 85 has a passage recess section recessed to a C-shaped cross-section through which the bar-like member 16 can pass. The passage recess section is formed on the surface facing the spinning unit 2, and has a size enabling a supporting member 96 supporting the bar-like member 16 to also pass through in addition to the bar-like member 16.
The suction pipe 88 is provided capable of stretching and oscillating in the cart casing 85. The suction pipe 88 moves to the spinning section 9 and sucks and catches the upper yarn end of the spun yarn 10 fed from the spinning section 9. Then, the suction pipe 88 oscillates while retrieving from the spinning section 9 to guide the caught spun yarn 10 to the bobbin 48 set in the winding section 13. A range GL of a guiding movement of the suction pipe 88 is a range illustrated with a chain double dashed line in FIG. 2. The empty bobbin supplying member 8 9 is provided in the cart casing 85 in a freely swinging manner to supply the empty bobbin 48 to the winding section 13. The cradle operating arm 90 is attached in a freely oscillating manner to the cart casing 85, and oscillates the cradle arm 71 of the winding section 13 to remove the package 45.
The first suction duct 17, the second suction duct 18, and the third suction duct 19 are connected to the blower box 80. The blower box 80 includes a blower (not illustrated) for generating suction airflow in the first suction duct 17, the second suction duct 18, and the third suction duct 19.
The unit frame 6 is a frame-shaped member for attaching eight
spinning units 2, for example. The unit frame 6 includes a main frame 20 for attaching the spinning units 2, and the package placing section 21, a step 22, and a tiptoe accommodating section 23 which are arranged at a front side of the main frame 20.
The main frame 2 0 is a member formed by assembling a steel material. As illustrated in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, an inclined supporting section 20a for supporting the draft section 7 and the spinning section 9 of the spinning unit 2 is formed at an upper portion of the front side of the main frame 20. An inclination angle a of the supporting section 20a is in an angular range of greater than or equal to 50 degrees and smaller than or equal to 70 degrees. The draft section 7 and the spinning section 9 are thus arranged in an upright manner than the conventional fine spinning machine. As a result, a distance from an operator passage to the draft section 7 and the spinning section 9 becomes shorter, and an operator can more easily carry out maintenance operation on the draft section 7 and the spinning section 9.
A travelling space 20c through which the yarn joining cart 3 travels is formed in a recessed manner in a central part at the front side of the main frame 20. A first travelling rail 81 for the yarn joining cart 3 is attached along the first direction at a lower portion of the travelling space 20c.
As illustrated with a chain double dashed line in FIG. 4, an opening section 2 0b is formed in a rear surface of the main frame 20. The opening section 20b is formed leading to the rear surface 41b of the yarn joining cart 3, and has a size in which the yarn joining cart 3 can be removed from the rear side of the main frame 20. Specifically, the opening section 20b is larger than the rear surface 41b of the cart section 41 of the yarn joining cart 3. More specifically, the opening section 20b is larger than the projection area in the depth direction of the front surface 41a and the rear surface 41b.
A pair of a rib member 2 0d and a beam member 20e for reinforcement is arranged on both sides of the opening section 20b
in the first direction. The rib member 20d couples the upper portion and a lower portion of the main frame 20, and a length of the rib member 20d from the end in the first direction is longer at the lower portion than at the upper portion. The beam member 2 0e is diagonally arranged from the upper portion of the main frame 2 0 towards the end in the first direction of the lower portion. The opening section 2 0b is formed between the pairs of the rib member 2 0d and the beam member 2 0e. The rib member 20d and the beam member 20e are arranged to prevent the strength of the main frame 20 from lowering as a result of formation of the opening section 20b.
A unit power box 31 is arranged at the side of the opening section 20b on the rear side of the main frame 20. A unit power duct 32 is arranged above the opening section 20b. The unit power box and the unit power duct are conventionally arranged behind the yarn joining cart 3.
A rear step 20f used as a stepstool of an operator is formed at the lower portion on the rear side of the main frame 20. The rear step 20f is used when the operator operates from a rear side of the fine spinning machine 1. The rear step 20f is slightly higher than the step 22 at a front side of the fine spinning machine 1.
As illustrated in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the package placing section 21 is for placing the package 45 fully wound in the winding section 13. The package placing section 21 is formed in a polygonal concave shape in cross-sectional view for preventing rolling of the package 45, which has a circular truncated cone shape with the head cut off. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the package placing section 21 is arranged along the first direction over the entire length of the fine spinning machine 1. For example, the package placing section 21 includes a package transporting section in the form of a belt conveyor. The package transporting section transports the placed package 45 to one end side (e.g., blower box 80 side) or the other end side in the first direction.
A package guiding section 28 is arranged between the package placing section 21 and the winding section 13. The package guiding
section 28 is used when the doffing cart 4 doffs the package 45. The package guiding section 28 guides the package 45 wound with the spun yarn 10 to the package placing section 21. The package guiding section 28 has a slope surface 28a slanted downwards from the winding section 13 towards the package placing section 21.
By arranging the package guiding section 28 having such an inclined surface 28a between the winding section 13 and the package placing section 21, the package 45 being wound and the package 45 arranged at the package placing section 21 do not interfere. Therefore, the winding section 13 can perform the winding operation of the package 45 regardless of a situation of the package 45 placed on the package placing section 21. Accordingly, spinning efficiency of the fine spinning machine 1 is improved.
The step 22 is arranged at the operator passage side (left side surface in FIG. 2) of the package placing section 21. The step
22 is used as a stepstool when the operator performs maintenance
of the spinning unit 2. The step 22 is formed by a flat surface.
The second travelling rail 82, on which the doffing cart 4 travels,
is arranged on an upper surface of the step 22. The second
travelling rail 82 is a metal plate-shaped member having a minimal
thickness. A cableveyor 26 for passing wirings and a pneumatic
piping hose for supplying power, carrying out communication of
various types of signals, and supplying compressed air to the
doffing cart 4 is arranged inside the step 22. An outer side of
the step 22 located away from the spinning unit 2 is the operator
passage.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, the tiptoe accommodating section
23 has a space capable of accommodating a tiptoe portion of a shoe
of the operator. The tiptoe accommodating section 23 is formed to
enter below the package placing section 21. By providing such a
tiptoe accommodating section 23, the operator on the step 22 can
further approach the spinning unit 2. Workability can thus be
improved when the operator carries out a maintenance operation or
the like on the fine spinning machine 1.
The bar-like member 16 has a function as a handrail and a function as a guiding section of the doffing cart 4. For example, the bar-like member 16 is a pipe member made of stainless steel, and is arranged at a position located away from the spinning unit 2. Thus, when carrying out a maintenance operation or the like on the spinning unit 2, the operator can carry out the maintenance operation with the hand placed on the bar-like member 16 or leaning the body against the bar-like member 16 . The operator can thus carry out the maintenance operation in a stable posture even when carrying out the operation while facing the spinning unit 2 . As illustrated in FIG. 2, guide rollers 85c of the doffing cart 4 make contact with both ends of the bar-like member 16 in the longitudinal direction. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the bar-like member 16 is arranged along the first direction. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the bar-like member 16 is arranged at the side located away from the spinning unit 2 than the range GL of the guiding movement of the suction pipe 88 of the doffing cart 4. The bar-like member 16 is arranged between the yarn path LP and the step 22. Accordingly, the doffing cart 4 is guided by the second travelling rail 82 and the bar-like member 16. Position accuracy of the doffing cart 4 with respect to the spinning unit 2 becomes higher by guiding an upper portion of the doffing cart 4 with the bar-like member 16 and guiding the lower portion of the doffing cart 4 with the second travelling rail 82. The doffing cart 4 can thus accurately perform a doffing operation from a doffing position.
The bar-like member 16 is supported by a plurality of supporting members 96 arranged with an interval in the first direction. The supporting member 96 is arranged for every four spinning units 2, for example. The supporting member 96 is fixed to the front side of the main frame 20. The supporting member 96 is a thick plate-shaped member, and includes a suction passage (not illustrated) connected to the second suction duct 18. A suction cap 96a serving as a suction portion is attached to a distal end of the suction passage in a manner that the suction cap 96a can
be swung between an opened position and a closed position. If the suction cap 96a is swung to the opened position, the suction passage is opened and the fiber wastes or the like can be sucked. Accordingly, wastes such as fiber wastes collected by the operator during the maintenance operation or the like can be discarded from the suction cap 96a.
As illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, a stop operation section 29 is arranged along the bar-like member 16 below the bar-like member 16. A through-hole 96a, through which the stop operation section 29 can pass, is formed at a lower portion of a distal end of the supporting member 96 . The stop operation section 2 9 is a rope member of which one end is connected to an emergency stop button 30. The stop operation section 2 9 is configured such that when the stop operation section 2 9 is pulled in a direction away from the supporting member 96, an emergency stop operation is carried out on the fine spinning machine 1 similarly as when the emergency stop button 30 is pushed. The operator can thus promptly perform the emergency stop operation of the fine spinning machine 1 at any position at the front side of the fine spinning machine 1. Since the stop operation section 29 is arranged below the bar-like member 16, the operator is less likely to operate the stop operation section 29 by mistake.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, FIG. 3, and FIG. 4, the first suction duct 17 collects the fiber wastes that generate when the yarn joining cart 3 performs the yarn joining operation and transports the fiber wastes to the blower box 80. The second suction duct 18 collects the fiber wastes that generate before and after the yarn joining operation due to cutting of the spun yarn 10 and transports the fiber wastes to the blower box 80. A yarn trap 35 is connected to the second suction duct 18. The yarn trap 35 has a distal end that opens above the yarn slack eliminating section 12 and a base end that is connected to the second suction duct 18. The yarn trap 35 functions as a suction port that sucks the fiber wastes that generate accompanying cutting of the spun yarn 10. The third suction duct
19 collects dusts and floating fibers that generate during drafting by the draft section 7 as well as dusts and fiber wastes that generate during spinning by the spinning section 9, and transports the same to the blower box 80.
Conventionally, the first suction duct and the second suction duct are located behind the yarn joining cart 3. Thus, the operator cannot perform operation to the rear surface 41b of the yarn joining cart 3. In the present embodiment, the first suction duct 17 is arranged in the main frame 20 so as to be arranged at a position located lower than the lower surface 41d of the yarn joining cart 3 in a height direction of the spinning unit 2. The second suction duct 18 is arranged in the main frame 20 so as to be arranged at a position located higher than the upper surface 41c of the yarn joining cart 3. The third suction duct 19 is arranged in the main frame 20 so as to be arranged at a position behind the draft section 7 and the spinning section 9. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the operator can perform the operation to the rear surface 41b of the yarn joining cart 3.
The first suction duct 17, the second suction duct 18, and the third suction duct 19 are continuously arranged on each main frame 20 of the fine spinning machine 1, respectively. The secondary suction duct 17b is connected to the first suction duct 17 via a connecting duct 17c. The secondary suction duct 17b is arranged with both ends closed on each main frame 20 . The connecting duct 17c couples the first suction duct 17 and the secondary suction duct 17b. The secondary suction duct 17b is arranged below the second suction duct 18, and at a position higher than the upper surface 41c of the yarn joining cart 3. The secondary suction duct 17b is arranged for each prescribed number of spinning units 2, and in the present embodiment, the secondary suction duct 17b is dividedly arranged for every eight spinning units 2, that is, for each unit frame 6. Both ends of the secondary suction duct 17b are closed. For example, one connecting duct 17c is arranged for each unit frame 6. The shutter 95 is respectively arranged at a position
that corresponds to each spinning unit 2 on a lower surface of the secondary suction duct 17b. The shutter 95 opens and closes according to the travelling of the yarn joining cart 3. Suction airflow is thus supplied to the yarn joining cart 3 stopped at the spinning unit 2.
The first suction duct 17 and the -second suction duct 18 respectively have a circular cross-section. The first suction duct 17 and the second suction duct 18 are fixed to the main frame 20, but are not directly coupled to the main frame 20. Therefore, the first suction duct 17 and the second suction duct 18 do not function as constructional members of the main frame 20. The third suction duct 19 has a deformed pentagonal cross-section formed by cutting off one corner of a rectangular cross-section. The third suction duct 19 is coupled to the main frame 20, and functions as a constructional member of the main frame 20. Therefore, the third suction duct 19 is also used to enhance the strength of the main frame 20.
In the fine spinning machine 1 configured as described above, when carrying out the maintenance operation on the yarn joining cart 3, the yarn joining cart 3 is stopped at a position facing the opening section 20b of the main frame 20 of the closest unit frame 6. In this state, the yarn joining cart 3 can be removed through the opening section 20b. In this case, the yarn joining cart 3 is removed from the rear side of the main frame 20, and hence the spinning operation of the spinning unit 2 is not inhibited. Therefore, after the removal operation of the yarn joining cart 3 is completed, the spinning operation can be continuously carried out even during the maintenance operation.
When carrying out the maintenance operation on the spinning unit 2, the operator stands on the step 22 . When the operator stands on the step 22, the toes of the shoes can be arranged in the tiptoe accommodating section 23. Since the tiptoe accommodating section 23 is located below the package placing section 21, the operator can approach the spinning unit 2 as much as possible. Therefore,
the operation efficiency of the operator can be improved. Furthermore, the bar-like member 16 is arranged along the first direction facing the front side of the spinning unit 2 . The operator can thus carry out the maintenance operation while placing the hand on the bar-like member 16 or leaning the body against the bar-like member 16. Accordingly, the operation efficiency of the operator can be further improved.
In the present embodiment, the secondary suction duct 17b arranged on each unit frame 6 is connected to the first suction duct 17 formed over the entire length of the fine spinning machine 1 via the connecting duct 17c. The first suction duct 17 and the secondary suction duct 17b are arranged at a position located lower than the lower surface 41d of the yarn joining cart 3 and higher than the upper surface 41c of the yarn joining cart 3 in the height direction of the spinning unit 2. In the following description, only a configuration different from the above embodiment will be described.
As illustrated in FIG. 5, in an alternative embodiment, a lower surface 141d of a cart section 141 of a yarn joining cart 103 is configured by a flat plane without a difference in level. A first suction duct 117 is arranged at a position located lower than a lower surface 141d of the cart section 141, specifically, at a position located lower than the travelling wheels 41e. A suction air supply pipe 147 is arranged on the lower surface 141d of the cart section 141. The first suction duct 117 has, for example, a pipe shape of a rectangular cross-section. Unlike the above embodiment, the first suction duct 117 directly supplies suction airflow to the yarn joining cart 103. A shutter 195 is respectively arranged at a position that corresponds to each spinning unit 2 on an upper surface of the first suction duct 117. The shutter 195 opens and closes according to the travelling of the yarn joining cart 103. Suction airflow is directly supplied from the first suction duct 117 to the yarn joining cart 3 stopped in the spinning unit 2. As a result, the fiber wastes that generate when the yarn
joining cart 103 performs the yarn joining operation are directly-sucked and transported by the first suction duct 117. In this configuration as well, since the first suction duct 117 is arranged at a position located lower than the lower surface 141d of the yarn joining cart 103, a length in the depth direction of the entire fine spinning machine 1 can be made as short as possible.
The above embodiment can be represented as follows.
The fine spinning machine 1 as a spinning machine includes a plurality of spinning units 2, the yarn joining cart 3, and the first suction duct 17. The plurality of spinning units 2 are arranged in the first direction. Each spinning unit 2 is adapted to produce the spun yarn 10 from the fiber bundle 8 . The yarn j oining cart 3 is arranged capable of travelling along the first direction, and is adapted to perform the yarn joining operation to the spinning units 2. At least a portion of the first suction duct 17 is arranged along the first direction and at least at a position located higher than the upper surface 41c of the yarn joining cart 3 or lower than the lower surface 41d of the yarn joining cart 3 in the height direction of the spinning units 2. The first suction duct 17 is adapted to suck and transport fiber wastes that generate when the yarn joining cart 3 performs the yarn joining operation. In the fine spinning machine 1, at least a portion of the first suction duct 17 (or 117) is arranged along the first direction and at least at a position located higher than the upper surface 41c (or 141c) of the yarn joining cart 3 or lower than the lower surface 41d (or 141d) of the yarn joining cart 3 in the height direction of the spinning units 2. The first suction duct 17 (or 117) is not thus arranged in a space on the rear surface 41b (or 141d) side of the yarn joining cart 3. As a result, a length in the depth direction of the fine spinning machine 1 can be made as short as possible.
The fine spinning machine 1 further includes a plurality of secondary suction ducts 17b, and a plurality of connecting ducts 17c. The secondary suction ducts 17c are arranged along the first direction for each prescribed number of spinning units 2 among the
plurality of spinning units 2 and at a position located opposite to a side where the first suction duct 17 is provided with respect to the yarn joining cart 3. The plurality of connecting ducts 17c are adapted to respectively connect the first suction duct 17 and the plurality of secondary suction ducts 17b. The fiber wastes that generate when the yarn joining cart 3 performs the yarn joining operation are transported via the secondary suction ducts 17b and the connecting ducts 17c to the first suction duct 17 . Accordingly, the first suction duct 17 is arranged at a position located higher than the upper surface 41c of the yarn joining cart 3 (or a position located lower than the lower surface 41d) , and each of the secondary suction ducts 17b is arranged at a position located lower than the lower surface 41d of the yarn joining cart 3 (or a position located higher than the upper surface 41c) . That is, the first suction duct 17 and the secondary suction duct 17b are arranged opposite to each other with the yarn joining cart 3 therebetween. As a result, a length in the depth direction of the fine spinning machine 1 can be made as short as possible, and the fine spinning machine 1 can efficiently suck and transport the fiber wastes that generate during the yarn joining operation by the yarn joining cart 3.
The first suction duct 117 is arranged lower than the lower surface 41d of the yarn joining cart 103, and suction airflow is directly supplied to the yarn joining cart 103 from the first suction duct 117. Thus, a distance between the first suction duct 117 and the yarn joining cart 3 becomes shorter, a pressure loss of the suction airflow in the fine spinning machine 1 is reduced, and the fine spinning machine 1 can efficiently suck the fiber wastes.
The fine spinning machine 1 further includes the second suction duct 18 arranged along the first direction and at a position higher than the upper surface 41c of the yarn joining cart 3 in the height direction of the spinning units 2. The second suction duct 18 is adapted to suck fiber wastes that generate when the spun yarn 10 is cut at a position in proximity to where the fiber wastes generate and to transport the fiber wastes. Accordingly, the fine
spinning machine 1 can suck the fiber wastes that generate when the spun yarn 10 is cut at a position in proximity to where the fiber wastes generate. As a result, a length in the depth direction of the fine spinning machine 1 can be made as short as possible, and the fine spinning machine 1 can efficiently suck and transport the fiber wastes that generate when the spun yarn 10 is cut.
The fine spinning machine 1 further includes the second suction duct 18 arranged along the first direction and at a position located opposite to a side where the first suction duct 17 is provided with respect to the yarn joining cart 3 in the height direction of the spinning units 2. The second suction duct 18 is adapted to suck and transport fiber wastes that generate when the spun yarn 10 is cut. Thus, when the first suction duct 17 (or 117) is arranged below the yarn joining cart 3 (or 103), the second suction duct 18 is arranged above the yarn joining cart 3 (or 103) . When the first suction duct 17 (or 117) is arranged above the yarn joining cart 3 (or 103) , the second suction duct is arranged below the yarn joining cart 3 (or 103) . Therefore, even when the second suction duct 18 is arranged, since the first suction duct 17 (or 117) and the second suction duct 18 are arranged in the vertical direction with the yarn joining cart 3 therebetween, a depth dimension of the fine spinning machine 1 can be further made as short as possible.
Each of the plurality of spinning units 2 has the draft section 7, and the spinning section 9. The draft section 7 is adapted to draft the fiber bundle 8. The spinning section 9 is adapted to use whirling airflow to twist the fiber bundle drafted by the draft section 7 and produce the spun yarn 10. The draft section 7 and the spinning section 9 are arranged in an upper portion of the spinning units 2 . The fine spinning machine 1 further includes the third suction duct 19 arranged along the first direction and in an upper portion of the plurality of spinning units 2. The third suction duct 19 is adapted to suck and transport fiber wastes that generate at the draft section 7 and the spinning section 9.
The third suction duct 19 can thus be arranged at a position in proximity to a generation position of the fiber wastes that generate at the draft section 7 and the spinning section 9. Therefore, the fiber wastes that generate at the draft section 7 and the spinning section 9 can be efficiently sucked and transported by the third suction duct 19.
The fine spinning machine 1 further includes the unit frame 6 adapted to support the spinning units 2 and the yarn joining cart 3 (or 103). The third suction duct 19 is adapted to also function as a constructional member of the unit frame 6. Thus, even in the unit frame 6 that has a compact dimension in the depth direction, the third suction duct 19 can also function as the constructional member. Therefore, even the fine spinning machine 1 that has a compact dimension in the depth direction can maintain the unit frame 6 to a desired strength.
The fine spinning machine 1 further includes the rib member 20d and the beam member 20e as reinforcing members adapted to reinforce the unit frame 6 in a vertical direction. Thus, even the fine spinning machine 1 that has a compact dimension in the depth direction can maintain the unit frame 6 to a desired strength by the rib member 20d and the beam member 2 0e.
Each of the spinning units 2 further includes the winding section 13 adapted to wind the spun yarn 10 produced by the spinning section 9 to form the package 45. The yarn joining cart 3 (103) has the front surface 41a (or 141a) facing the yarn path LP formed by the spinning section 9 and the winding section 13, and the rear surface 41b (141b) arranged opposite to the front surface 41a (or 141a) . The unit frame 6 has the opening section 20b leading to the rear surface 41b (or 141b) of the yarn joining cart 3 (or 103). Thus, maintenance can be carried out on the rear surface 41b (or 141b) of the yarn joining cart 3 (or 103) from the opening section 20b, and the yarn joining cart 3 (or 103) can be removed from the opening section 20b. Therefore, time during which the entire fine spinning machine 1 is stopped for the maintenance of the yarn joining
cart 3 (or 103) becomes shorter, and the operation efficiency of the fine spinning machine 1 can be improved.
The yarn joining cart 3 (or 103) includes the suction pipe 44, the suction mouth 46, and the yarn joining device 43. The suction pipe 44 is adapted to suck and guide a yarn end of the spun yarn 10 fed from the spinning section 9 when the spun yarn 10 is cut. The suction mouth 4 6 is adapted to suck and guide a yarn end of the spun yarn 10 from the winding section 13 when the spun yarn 10 is cut. The yarn joining device 43 is adapted to join two yarn ends of the spun yarn 10 guided by the suction pipe 44 and the suction mouth 46. Thus, in the fine spinning machine 1 including the yarn joining cart 3 (or 103) adapted to use suction airflow to guide the spun yarn 10 and perform yarn joining by the yarn joining device 43, since the first suction duct 17 is arranged as described above, a length in the depth direction of the fine spinning machine 1 can be made as short as possible.
Embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications may be made within a scope not deviating from the gist of the invention. In particular, the plurality of embodiments and alternative embodiments described herein may be arbitrarily combined, as needed.
In the embodiment and the alternative embodiment described above, the yarn path is formed from the upper side to the lower side of the fine spinning machine 1, but the present invention can also be applied to a spinning machine in which the yarn path is formed from the lower side to the upper side.
In the embodiment and the alternative embodiment described above, the second suction duct 18 is arranged above the yarn joining cart 3 (or 103) and the first suction duct 17 is arranged below the yarn joining cart 3 (or 103) . In place of this, the first suction duct 17 may be arranged above the yarn joining cart 3 (or 103) and the second suction duct 18 may be arranged below the yarn joining cart 3 (or 103) . In this case, a suction tube may be arranged with
respect to each of the plurality of spinning sections 9 from the second suction duct 18.
In the embodiment and the alternative embodiment described above, the third suction duct 19 also functions as a constructional member of the unit frame 6, but at least one of the first suction duct 17 and the second suction duct 18 may function as the constructional member. If the unit frame 6 can maintain a predetermined strength, all the first suction duct 17, the second suction duct 18, and the third suction duct 19 may not function as the constructional member.
In the embodiment and the alternative embodiment described above, the spun yarn 10 is pulled out from the spinning section 9 by the yarn slack eliminating section 12, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, in place of the yarn slack eliminating section 12, a known delivery roller and a known nip roller may be arranged, the spun yarn 10 may be nipped by the two rotating rollers, and the spun yarn 10 may be pulled out from the spinning section 9. In this case as well, the yarn slack eliminating section 12 may be arranged downstream of the delivery roller and the nip roller to eliminate the slackening of the spun yarn 10 that occurs during the winding operation.
In the above embodiments and the alternative embodiments described above, the first suction duct 17 (or 117) is arranged below the yarn joining cart 3 (or 103). The present invention is not limited thereto, and when the second suction duct 18 is arranged below the yarn joining cart 3, the first suction duct 17 may be arranged above the yarn joining cart 3 (or 103).
In the above embodiments and the alternative embodiments described above, the entire first suction duct 17 (or 117) is arranged below the yarn joining cart 3 (or 103) . The present invention is not limited thereto, and a portion of the first suction duct 17 may be provided detachable or retreatable from the unit frame 6 so that the portion of the first suction duct 17 is arranged on the rear surface 41b side of the yarn joining cart 3. In this
case, a portion of the first suction duct 17 arranged on the rear surface 41b side of the yarn joining cart 3 is detached or retreated from the unit frame 6, and the entire surface of the rear surface 41b of the yarn joining cart 3 can be seen. Thus, maintenance can be performed on the rear surface 41b of the yarn joining cart 3 from the opening section 20b, and the yarn joining cart 3 can be removed from the opening section 20b.
The present invention can be widely applied to a spinning machine having the suction duct.
Hereinafter, a plurality of embodiments will be described as means for solving the problems. These embodiments can be arbitrarily combined, as needed. A spinning machine according to one aspect of the present invention includes a plurality of spinning units, a yarn joining cart, and a first suction duct. The plurality of spinning units are arranged in a first direction. Each spinning unit is adapted to produce a spun yarn from a fiber bundle. The yarn joining cart is capable of travelling along the first direction, and is adapted to perform the yarn joining operation to the spinning units. At least a portion of the first suction duct is arranged along the first direction and at least at a position located higher than an upper surface of the yarn joining cart or lower than a lower surface of the yarn joining cart in a height direction of the spinning units. The first suction duct is adapted to suck and transport fiber wastes that generate when the yarn joining cart performs the yarn joining operation. In this spinning machine, at least a portion of the first suction duct is arranged along the first direction and at least at a position located higher than the upper surface of the yarn joining cart or lower than the lower surface of the yarn joining cart in the height direction of the spinning units. The first suction duct is not thus arranged in a space on the rear surface side of the yarn joining cart. As a result, a length in the depth direction of the spinning machine can be made as short as possible.
The above spinning machine may further include a plurality
of secondary suction ducts, and a plurality of connecting ducts. The secondary suction ducts are arranged along the first direction for each prescribed number of spinning units among the plurality of spinning units and at a position located opposite to a side where the first suction duct is provided with respect to the yarn joining cart. The plurality of connecting ducts are adapted to respectively connect the first suction duct and the plurality of secondary suction ducts. The fiber wastes that generate when the yarn joining cart performs the yarn joining operation are transported via the secondary suction ducts and the connecting ducts to the first suction duct. Thus, the first suction duct is arranged at a position located higher than the upper surface (or a position located lower than the lower surface) of the yarn joining cart, and each of the secondary suction ducts is arranged at a position located lower than the lower surface (or a position located higher than the upper surface) of the yarn joining cart. That is, the first suction duct and the secondary suction duct are arranged opposite to each other with the yarn joining cart therebetween. As a result, a length in the depth direction of the spinning machine can be made as short as possible, and the fiber wastes that generate in the yarn joining operation by the yarn joining cart can be efficiently sucked and transported.
The first suction duct may be arranged below the lower surface of the yarn joining cart, and suction airflow may be directly supplied to the yarn joining cart from the first suction duct. Thus, a distance between the first suction duct and the yarn joining cart becomes shorter, a pressure loss of the suction airflow in the spinning machine is reduced, and the spinning machine can efficiently suck the fiber wastes.
The above spinning machine may further include the second suction duct arranged along the first direction and at a position higher than the upper surface of the yarn joining cart in the height direction of the spinning units . The second suction duct is adapted to suck fiber wastes of the spun yarn at a position in proximity
to where the fiber wastes generate and to transport the fiber wastes. Accordingly, the fiber wastes that generate when the spun yarn is cut can be sucked at a position in proximity to where the fiber wastes generate. As a result, a length in the depth direction of the spinning machine can be made as short as possible, and the spinning machine can efficiently suck and transport the fiber wastes that generate when the spun yarn is cut.
The above spinning machine may further include the second suction duct arranged along the first direction and at a position located opposite to a side where the first suction duct is provided with respect to the yarn joining cart in the height direction of the spinning units . The second suction duct is adapted to suck and transport fiber wastes that generate when the spun yarn is cut. Accordingly, when the first suction duct is arranged below the yarn joining cart, the second suction duct is arranged above the yarn joining cart, and in the opposite case, the second suction duct is arranged below the yarn joining cart. Therefore, even when the second suction duct is arranged, since the first suction duct and the second suction duct are arranged in a vertical direction with the yarn joining cart therebetween, a depth dimension of the spinning machine can be made as short as possible.
Each of the plurality of spinning units may include a draft section, and an air-jet spinning section. The draft section is adapted to draft the fiber bundle. The air-jet spinning section is adapted to use whirling airflow to twist the fiber bundle drafted by the draft section and produce the spun yarn. The draft section and the air-jet spinning section are arranged in an upper portion of the spinning units. The above spinning machine further includes the third suction duct arranged along the first direction and in an upper portion of the plurality of the spinning units. The third suction duct is adapted to suck and transport fiber wastes that generate at the draft section and the air-jet spinning section.
Thus, the third suction duct can thus be arranged at a position in proximity to where the fiber wastes generate at the draft section
and the air-jet spinning section. Therefore, the fiber wastes that generate at the draft section and the air-jet spinning section can be efficiently sucked and transported by the third suction duct.
The above spinning machine may further include a unit frame adapted to support the spinning units and the yarn joining cart. The third suction duct is adapted to also function as a constructional member of the unit frame. Accordingly, even in the unit frame that has a compact dimension in the depth direction, the third suction duct can also function as the constructional member. Therefore, even the spinning machine that is compact in the depth direction can maintain the unit frame to a desired strength.
The above spinning machine may further include a reinforcing member adapted to reinforce the unit frame in a vertical direction. Accordingly, even the spinning machine that is compact in the depth direction can maintain the unit frame to a desired strength by the reinforcing member.
Each of the spinning units may further include a winding section adapted to wind the spun yarn produced by the air-jet spinning section to form a package. The yarn joining cart has a first surface facing a yarn path formed by the air-jet spinning section and the winding section, and a second surface arranged opposite to a side where the first surface is provided. The unit frame has an opening section leading to the second surface of the yarn joining cart. Accordingly, maintenance can be carried out on the second surface of the yarn joining cart from the opening section, and the yarn joining cart can be removed from the opening section. Therefore, time during which the entire spinning machine is stopped for the maintenance of the yarn joining cart becomes shorter, and the operation efficiency of the spinning machine can be improved.
The yarn joining cart may include a first guiding section, a second guiding section, and a yarn joining section. The first guiding section is adapted to suck and guide a yarn end of the spun yarn fed from the air-jet spinning section when the spun yarn is
cut. The second guiding section is adapted to suck and guide a yarn end of the spun yarn from the winding section when the spun yarn is cut. The yarn joining section is adapted to join two yarn ends of the spun yarns guided by the first guiding section and the second guiding section. Thus, in the spinning machine including the yarn joining cart adapted to use suction airflow to guide the spun yarn and perform yarn joining by the yarn joining device, since the suction ducts are arranged as described above, a length in the depth direction of the spinning machine can be made as short as possible. According to the present invention, the suction ducts are not arranged in the space on the rear surface side of the yarn joining cart. As a result, a length in the depth direction of the spinning machine can be made as short as possible.

WE CLAIM
1. A spinning machine comprising:
a plurality of spinning units arranged in a first direction, each spinning unit adapted to produce a spun yarn from a fiber bundle;
a yarn joining cart arranged capable of travelling along the first direction and adapted to perform a yarn joining operation to the spinning units; and
a first suction duct adapted to suck and transport fiber wastes that generate when the yarn joining cart performs the yarn joining operation, wherein at least a portion of the first suction duct is arranged along the first direction and at least at a position located higher than an upper surface of the yarn joining cart or lower than a lower surface of the yarn joining cart in a height direction of the spinning units.
2. The spinning machine according to claim 1, further
comprising:
a plurality of secondary suction ducts arranged along the first direction for each prescribed number of spinning units among the plurality of the spinning units and at a position located opposite to a side where the first suction duct is provided with respect to the yarn joining cart; and
a plurality of connecting ducts adapted to respectively connect the first suction duct and the plurality of the secondary suction ducts,
wherein the fiber wastes that generate when the yarn joining cart performs the yarn joining operation are transported via the secondary suction ducts and the connecting ducts to the first suction duct.
3. The spinning machine according to claim 1, wherein the
first suction duct is arranged lower than the lower surface of the
yarn joining cart, and suction airflow is directly supplied to the
yarn joining cart from the first suction duct.
4 . The spinning machine according to one of claim 1 through claim 3, further comprising a second suction duct arranged along the first direction at a position higher than the upper surface of the yarn joining cart in the height direction of the spinning units, and adapted to suck fiber wastes that generate when the spun yarn is cut at a position in proximity to where the fiber wastes generate and to transport the fiber wastes.
5. The spinning machine according to one of claim 1 through claim 3, further comprising a second suction duct arranged along the first direction and at a position located opposite to a side where the first suction duct is provided with respect to the yarn joining cart in the height direction of the spinning units, and adapted to suck and transport fiber wastes that generate when the spun yarn is cut.
6. The spinning machine according to one of claim 1 through claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of the spinning units includes a draft section adapted to draft the fiber bundle, and an air-jet spinning section adapted to twist the fiber bundle drafted by the draft section and produce the spun yarn,
the draft section and the air-jet spinning section are arranged in an upper portion of the spinning units,
the spinning machine further comprising a third suction duct arranged along the first direction and in the upper portion of the plurality of the spinning units, and adapted to suck and transport fiber wastes that generate at the draft section and the spinning section.
7. The spinning machine according to claim 6, further
comprising a unit frame adapted to support the spinning units and
the yarn joining cart,
wherein the third suction duct is adapted to function as a constructional member of the unit frame.
8. The spinning machine according to claim 7, further
comprising a reinforcing member adapted to reinforce the unit frame
in a vertical direction.
9. The spinning machine according to claim 7 or claim 8,
wherein each of the spinning units includes a winding section
adapted to wind the spun yarn produced by the air-jet spinning
section to produce a package,
the yarn joining cart includes a first surface facing a yarn path formed by the air-jet spinning section and the winding section, and a second surface arranged opposite to a side where the first surface is provided, and
the unit frame includes an opening section leading to the second surface of the yarn joining cart.
10. The spinning machine according to one of claim 7 through
claim 9, wherein the yarn joining cart includes:
a first guiding section adapted to suck and guide a yarn end of the spun yarn spun from the air-jet spinning section when the spun yarn is cut,
a second guiding section adapted to suck and guide a yarn end of the spun yarn from the winding section when the spun yarn is cut, and
a yarn joining section adapted to join two yarn ends of the spun yarns guided by the first guiding section and the second guiding section.
11. A spinning machine, substantially as herein described with reference to accompanying drawings and example.