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 each of the plurality of spinning units, and a doffing cart capable of moving along the plurality of unit frames (see e.g., Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-220484) . The plurality of spinning units apply 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. The unit frame has a guide rail adapted to guide the doffing cart in the first direction and a package receiving section for receiving the package wound with the spun yarn arranged along the first direction. In the conventional spinning machine, the package receiving section, the guide rail, and the spinning units are arranged on the unit frame in this order in a depth direction.
In the conventional spinning machine, the spinning unit is arranged away from an operation passage. Thus, the operator cannot carry out a maintenance operation or the like on the spinning unit from the operation passage. Therefore, the operator steps onto the guide rail so as to face the spinning unit to carry out the operation. When carrying out the operations by entering such place, the operator may not be able to maintain a posture and may place his or her hand on the spinning unit. If the operator places the hand on the spinning unit, this may inhibit the spinning operation of the spinning unit different from the target of maintenance.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to enable an operator to carry out an operation with a stable posture even when carrying out the operation while facing a spinning unit.
Conventionally, the doffing cart travels by four wheels arranged on both sides in a travelling direction. However, if the doffing cart is traveled with four wheels, a dimension in the depth direction of the doffing cart becomes large and a distance from the operation passage to the spinning unit increases.
Another object of the present invention is to reduce the distance from the operation passage to the spinning unit as much as possible.
A spinning machine includes a plurality of spinning units arranged in a first direction, each of the spinning units including a spinning section adapted to spin a spun yarn from a fiber bundle and a winding section adapted to wind the spun yarn spun by the spinning section to form a package, and a bar-like member arranged along the first direction at a prescribed interval from the plurality of the spinning units at a front side of the plurality of the spinning units.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front view illustrating an overall configuration
of a spinning machine according to one embodiment of the present
invention;
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the spinning machine; and FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the spinning machine.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
A fine spinning machine (spinning machine) according to one
embodiment of the present invention will be described below with
reference to the drawings. Herein, "upstream" and "downstream"
respectively refer to upstream and downstream in a travelling
direction of a spun 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 a line. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the fine spinning machine 1 further includes a yarn joining cart 3, a doffing cart 4, a blower box 80, a motor box 5, a unit frame 6, a bar-like member 16, 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 left and right direction in FIG. 1. Each spinning unit 2 forms a package 45 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. In this embodiment, the fine spinning machine 1 couples a maximum of twelve unit frames 6 and includes 96 spinning units 2.
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 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 uses whirling airflow to apply twists to the fiber bundle 8 fed from the draft section 7 and performs pneumatic spinning. 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 vertically 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 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 at the winding section 13 side from being transmitted to the spinning section 9 side.
The winding section 13 winds the package 45. 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 48 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 travel rail 81 arranged on the unit frame 6. After disconnection of the spun yarn 10, 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 three yarn joining carts 3 are arranged in the entire fine spinning machine 1, for example. As illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, each yarn joining cart 3 includes a cart section 41, a splicer 43 provided in the cart section 41, a suction pipe 44, a suction mouth 46, and a suction air supply pipe 47 (FIG. 2) for yarn joining.
Two travelling wheels 41e arranged with an interval therebetween in the travelling direction are arranged at both ends in the first direction of the lower surface of the cart section 41. 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 rollers 41f are 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 splicer 43. The suction mouth 4 6 moves vertically to catch a lower yarn end at the winding section 13, and guides the lower yarn end to the splicer 43. The splicer 43 joins the upper yarn end and the lower yarn end.
The sub-suction duct 17b, to be described later, is branched from the first suction duct 17 . A shutter is arranged at a position on the sub-suction duct 17b corresponding to each spinning unit 2. The suction air supply pipe 47 opens and closes the shutter. The suction air is thus supplied from the sub-suction duct 17b to the splicer 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 unit 2. The doffing cart 4 is a cart for transporting the package 45 from the spinning unit 2 to the package receiving section 21, to be described later. After the package 45 is fully wound at the spinning unit 2, the doffing cart 4 travels to the relevant spinning unit 2 on the second travel rail 82 and stops thereat. An index (not illustrated) is provided on a step 22 so that the doffing cart 4 can stop in front of each spinning unit 2. The doffing cart 4 thus can accurately carry out the doffing operation. 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 8 9, 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 a 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 travel rail 82 at the side located away from the spinning unit 2. Height of the cart casing 85 is lower than 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 the package
receiving 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 85b recessed to a C-shaped cross-section through which the bar-like member 16 can pass. The passage recess section 85b 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 . As illustrated in an enlarged manner in portion A of FIG. 2, the passage recess section 85b is provided with a fall preventing guide roller 85c guided by the bar-like member 16. Two guide rollers 85c are arranged to sandwich the bar-like member 16 from left and right in FIG. 2 (front and back in the depth direction of the fine spinning machine 1).
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. The suction pipe 88 oscillates while retrieving from the spinning section 9 to guide the caught spun yarn 10 to the bobbin 48 to be 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 operates 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 air flow 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, the package receiving section 21 arranged on a front side of the main frame 20, the step 22, and a tiptoe accommodating section 23.
The main frame 20 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 an angle 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 operation passage to the draft section 7 and the spinning section 9 becomes shorter, and maintenance can be more easily carried out 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 travel rail 81 for the yarn joining cart 3 is attached to a lower portion of the travelling space 20c along the first direction.
A rear step 20f used as a step of the 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 the rear side. The rear step 20f is slightly higher than the step 22 at the front side.
As illustrated in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the package receiving section 21 is for placing the package 4 5 fully wound in the winding section 13. The package receiving section 21 is formed in a polygonal concave shape in a 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 receiving section 21 is arranged along the first direction over
the entire length of the fine spinning machine 1. The package receiving section 21 is arranged on the winding section 13 side. As illustrated in an enlarged manner in portion B of FIG. 2, the package receiving section 21 includes a package transporting section 25 in the form of a belt conveyor. The package transporting section 25 transports the received package 45 to one end side (e.g., blower box 80 side) or the other end side in the first direction.
As illustrated in an enlarged manner in portion B of FIG. 2, a package protecting section 27 bent along the shape of the package 45 is attached to a side surface 21a at a second side arranged opposite to a first side where the plurality of the spinning units 2 are arranged, among side surfaces in the longitudinal direction of the package receiving section 21. The tip of the package protecting section 27 is rounded so as not to damage the package 45. With the arrangement of such a package protecting section 27, the package 45 is less likely to be contaminated by the operator even if the operator stands on the step 22 located close to the package receiving section 21. Furthermore, the package 45 is protected by the package protecting section 27 when the package 45 is placed on the package receiving section 21 and when the package 45 is transported by the package transporting section 25.
A package guiding section 28 used during a doffing operation of the doffing cart 4 is arranged between the package receiving section 21 and the winding section 13. The package guiding section 28 guides the package 45 wound with the spun yarn 10 to the package receiving section 21. The package guiding section 28 has an inclined surface 2 8a slanted downwards from the winding section 13 towards the package receiving section 21. The inclination angle of the inclined surface 28a is greater than or equal to 30 degrees and smaller than or equal to 60 degrees, and preferably greater than or equal to 30 degrees and smaller than or equal to 4 5 degrees.
By arranging the package guiding section 28 having the inclined surface 28a between the winding section 13 and the package receiving section 21, the package 45 being wound and the package
45 arranged on the package receiving section 21 do not interfere. Therefore, the winding section 13 can carry out the winding operation of the package 45 regardless of the situation of the package 45 placed on the package receiving section 21. Accordingly, the spinning efficiency of the fine spinning machine 1 is improved.
If the angle of the inclined surface 28a exceeds 60 degrees, the package 45 placed on the package receiving section 21 would be located below the package 4 5 being wound by the winding section 13. Thus, the height of the fine spinning machine 1 generally needs to be made high to avoid the interference between the packages 45. However, if the angle of the inclined surface 28a is smaller than or equal to 60 degrees as in the present embodiment, such a drawback can be avoided, and the height of the fine spinning machine 1 can be made low.
If the angle of the inclined surface 28a is smaller than 30 degrees, the package receiving section 21 is required to be located greatly away from the winding section 13 in order to avoid the interference of the package 45 being wound by the winding section 13 and the package 45 placed on the package receiving section 21. As a result, the length of the fine spinning machine 1 in the depth direction becomes long and workability of the operator lowers. However, if the angle of the inclined surface 28a is greater than or equal to 30 degrees as in the present embodiment, the dimension of the fine spinning machine 1 in the depth direction can be reduced and the workability of the operator is improved.
Since the diameter of the fully wound package 45 is normally about 310 mm at the maximum, the interference of the packages 4 5 can be prevented by having a distance between the winding center of the winding section 13 and the center position of the package 45 placed on the package receiving section 21 in the range from 320 mm to 360 mm. By setting the inclined surface 28a in the above angle range, the dimension of the fine spinning machine 1 in the depth direction can be reduced and the height can be lowered.
The step 22 is arranged along the first direction such that
the package receiving section 21 is located between the plurality of spinning units 2 and the step 22. The step 22 is arranged at a position located lower than the height of the package receiving section 21. The step 22 is used as a step when the operator performs maintenance on the spinning unit 2. The step 22 has a step surface 22a, formed by a flat surface, on which the foot of the operator can be placed. A second travel rail 82, on which the doffing cart 4 travels, is arranged on the upper surface of the step 22. The second travel rail 82 is a plate-shaped member made of metal 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 operation passage.
As illustrated in an enlarged manner in portion B of 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 vertically overlap below the package receiving section 21. By providing such a tiptoe accommodating section 23, the operator on the step 22 can further approach the spinning unit 2 . Workability thus can be improved when the operator carries out a maintenance operation or the like.
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 thus can carry out the maintenance operation in a stable posture even when carrying out the operation while facing the spinning unit 2 . As illustrated in portion A of FIG. 2, the guide rollers 85c of the doffing cart
4 make contact with an outer peripheral surface of the bar-like member 16 from both left and right sides (front and back in the depth direction of the fine spinning machine 1). 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 thus can 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 between the supporting members 96 in the first direction. The supporting members 96 fix a lower surface of the bar-like member 16 . Therefore, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the supporting members 96 are not arranged on an upper surface and left and right surfaces of the bar-like member 16. Accordingly, the guide rollers 85c can be arranged.
The supporting member 96 is arranged for every four spinning units 2, for example. The supporting member 96 is fixed to the front surface 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 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 yarn dusts or the like can be sucked. Accordingly, wastes such as yarn dusts collected by the operator during the
maintenance operation or the like can be discarded.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, 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 96b, 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 29 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 thus can promptly perform the emergency stop operation of the fine spinning machine 1 at any position at the front of the fine spinning machine 1. Furthermore, 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 and FIG. 3, the first suction duct 17 collects the yarn wastes that generate when the yarn joining cart 3 performs the yarn joining operation and transports the yarn wastes to the blower box 80. The second suction duct 18 collects the yarn wastes that generate before and after the yarn joining operation and transports the yarn wastes to the blower box 80. The third suction duct 19 collects dusts and floating fibers that generate during drafting by the draft section 7 as well as dusts and yarn wastes that generate during spinning by the spinning section 9, and transports the same to the blower box 80.
In the present embodiment, the first suction duct 17 is arranged in the main frame 20 so as to be located below the yarn joining cart 3 in a vertical position. The second suction duct 18 is arranged in the main frame 20 so as to be located above the yarn joining cart 3. The third suction duct 19 is arranged in the main frame 2 0 so as to be located behind the draft section 7 and the spinning section 9.
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 first suction duct 17 includes a main suction duct 17a which is continuously arranged on the main frame 20, a sub-suction duct 17b, and a coupling duct 17c. The sub-suction duct 17b is arranged with both ends closed on each main frame 20. The coupling duct 17c couples the main suction duct 17a and the sub-suction duct 17b. The main suction duct 17a is arranged below the yarn joining cart 3, and is arranged along the first direction of a plurality of sets of spinning units 2 with a plurality of spinning units 2 as one set. The sub-suction duct 17b is arranged below the second suction duct 18, that is, arranged above the yarn joining cart 3. The shutter (not illustrated) is arranged on a lower surface of the sub-suction duct 17b. The shutter opens and closes according to the travelling of the yarn joining cart 3. The shutter opens to supply air to the yarn joining cart 3 when the yarn joining cart 3 carries out the yarn joining operation in a certain spinning unit 2.
The second suction duct 18 and the main suction duct 17a respectively have a circular cross-section. The second suction duct 18 and the main suction duct 17a are fixed to the main frame 20, but are not directly connected to the main frame 20. Therefore, the second suction duct 18 and the main suction duct 17a do not function as structural 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 structural 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 spinning unit 2, the operator stands on the step 22. When the operator stands on the step 22, the toe of the shoes can be arranged in the tiptoe
accommodating section 23. Since the tiptoe accommodating section 23 is located below the package receiving 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 thus can 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 is further improved.
The above embodiment can be realized in the following manner.
A fine spinning machine 1 as a spinning machine includes a plurality of spinning units 2, and the bar-like member 16. The plurality of spinning units 2 are arranged in the first direction. Each of the spinning units 2 includes the spinning section 9 adapted to spin the spun yarn 10 from the fiber bundle 8 and the winding section 13 adapted to wind the spun yarn 10 spun by the spinning section 9 to form a package 45. The bar-like member 16 is arranged along the first direction at a prescribed interval from the plurality of the spinning units 2 at the front side of the plurality of the spinning units 2. In the fine spinning machine 1, the bar-like member 16 is arranged at a prescribed interval from the plurality of the spinning units 2 at the front side of the spinning units 2. Therefore, 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 thus can carry out the operation in a stable posture even when carrying out the operation while facing the spinning unit 2.
The fine spinning machine 1 further includes the doffing cart 4 adapted to doff the package formed by the winding section 13. The doffing cart 4 is arranged capable of travelling along the first direction on the front side of the plurality of the spinning units 2. The doffing cart 4 is guided in the first direction by the
bar-like member 16. The posture of the operator thus can be stabilized by the bar-like member 16 even if the doffing cart 4 is arranged. In addition, since the doffing cart 4 is guided in the first direction by the bar-like member 16, the guiding position of the doffing cart 4 can be dispersed. Accordingly, the dimension in the depth direction of the doffing cart 4 can be reduced, and the distance from the operation passage to the spinning unit 2 can be made as short as possible.
The fine spinning machine 1 further includes the second travel rail 82 adapted to guide the doffing cart at a position lower than the bar-like member 16. The second travel rail 82 is arranged in the first direction. The doffing cart 4 is guided by the second travel 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 the 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 thus can accurately perform a doffing operation from a doffing position.
The height of the doffing cart 4 is lower than height of a downstream end of the spinning section 9 of the plurality of the spinning units 2 in a yarn travelling direction. The operator thus can carry out the operation on the spinning unit 2 in which the doffing cart 4 is located at the front side.
The doffing cart 4 may include at least two travelling wheels 85a arranged along a travelling direction. As the doffing cart 4 can travel with two travelling wheels 85a, the size of the doffing cart 4, particularly the size in the depth direction, can be reduced. The operation becomes easier to perform even on the spinning unit 2 where the doffing cart 4 is located.
The doffing cart 4 includes the suction pipe 88 (one example of a guiding member) adapted to guide the spun yarn 10 spun by the spinning section 9 to the winding section at the start of spinning by the spinning section 9. The bar-like member 16 is arranged away from the spinning unit 2 than the range GL of the guiding movement
of the suction pipe 88. Accordingly, the bar-like member 16 can be arranged without inhibiting the guiding movement of the suction pipe 88.
The fine spinning machine 1 further includes the unit frame 6 adapted to support the plurality of the spinning units 2. The bar-like member 16 is arranged away from the unit frame 6 than the yarn path LP of the spun yarn 10 spun by the spinning section 9 and wound by the winding section 13. Accordingly, the bar-like member 16 can be arranged without inhibiting the spinning operation by the spinning unit 2.
The unit frame 6 includes the step 22 arranged at a side located away from the spinning units 2 and adapted to be used as a step of an operator, and the bar-like member 16 is arranged between the step 22 and the yarn path LP. Since the bar-like member 16 is arranged between the step 22, which is used by the operator during the operation, and the yarn path LP, the operator can easily use the bar-like member 16.
The fine spinning machine 1 further includes a plurality supporting members 96 arranged on the unit frame 6 and adapted to support the bar-like member 16. The plurality of the supporting members 96 are arranged at a position located away from the yarn path LP and with an interval therebetween in the first direction. Since the plurality of the supporting members 96 are arranged on the unit frame 6 with an interval between the spinning units 2, the bar-like member 16 can be installed on the unit frame 6 without inhibiting the operation of the spinning unit 2.
The supporting member 96 includes the suction cap 96a (one example of a suction section) adapted to suck yarn wastes of the spun yarn 10. The operator thus can have the yarn wastes removed in the maintenance operation or the like to be sucked with the suction cap 96a and discard the yarn wastes. Therefore, the operator is not required to take back and discard the yarn wastes, and the operation environment of the operator is improved.
The fine spinning machine 1 further includes the stop
operation section 29 arranged along the longitudinal direction of the bar-like member 16 and adapted to stop the operation of the plurality of the spinning units 2 . Since the stop operation section 29 is arranged along the bar-like member 16, the operator can easily carry out a stopping operation of the spinning unit 2 from any position in the first direction. Furthermore, since the stop operation section 29 is protected by the bar-like member 16, the operator is less likely to operate the stop operation section 29 by mistake.
The fine spinning machine 1 may further include the package receiving section 21 arranged along the first direction and between the plurality of the spinning units 2 and the second travel rail 82. The package 45 doffed by the doffing cart 4 is placed on the package receiving section 21. Since the package 45 doffed by the doffing cart 4 guided by the bar-like member 16 is placed on the package receiving section 21, the doffing operation of high position accuracy can be carried out.
One embodiment of the present invention has been described above, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, 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 described above, the bar-like member is formed by a hollow pipe member made of stainless steel, but the material and the shape of the bar-like member are not limited to the embodiment described above. For example, a solid or hollow bar-like member having a polygonal cross-section such as a solid or a hollow bar-like member having a rectangular cross-section may be adopted. A solid or hollow bar-like member having an oval cross-section such as an elliptical cross-section may be adopted.
In the embodiment described above, the doffing cart travels on the side located away from the spinning unit than the package receiving section, but the present invention is not limited thereto.
For example, the present invention can also be applied to the spinning machine in which the doffing cart is arranged on the side located closer to the spinning unit than the package receiving section.
In the embodiment described above, the doffing cart is guided with the bar-like member, but the bar-like member may be simply used as a handrail and may not guide the doffing cart. In this case, the bar-like member may not be a continuous pipe member as illustrated in FIG. 3, and may be a pipe member divided for every predetermined length.
In the embodiments and the alternative embodiments 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 nip roller may be arranged, the spun yarn 10 may be nipped with 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.
The present invention can be applied to a spinning machine including the spinning unit.
The spinning machine according to one aspect of the present invention includes a plurality of spinning units and a bar-like member. Each of the plurality of the spinning units respectively includes a spinning section adapted to spin a spun yarn from a fiber bundle and a winding section adapted to wind the spun yarn spun by the spinning section to form a package. The plurality of spinning units are arranged in a first direction. The bar-like member is arranged along the first direction at a prescribed interval from the plurality of the spinning units at a front side of the plurality of the spinning units. Therefore, the operator can carry out the operation with the hand placed on the bar-like member or leaning
the body against the bar-like member when performing the maintenance operation or the like on the spinning unit. Accordingly, the operator can carry out the operation in a stable posture even when carrying out the operation while facing the spinning unit.
The above spinning machine further includes a doffing cart adapted to doff the package formed by the winding section. The doffing cart is arranged capable of travelling along the first direction in front of the plurality of the spinning units. The doffing cart is guided in the first direction by the bar-like member. Therefore, the posture of the operator thus can be stabilized by the bar-like member even if the doffing cart is provided. In addition, since the doffing cart is guided in the first direction by the bar-like member, the guiding position of the doffing cart can be dispersed. The dimension in the depth direction of the doffing cart thus can be reduced, and the distance from the operation passage to the spinning unit can be made as short as possible.
The spinning machine may further include a travel rail adapted to guide the doffing cart at a position lower than the bar-like member. The travel rail is arranged in the first direction. The doffing cart is guided by the travel rail and the bar-like member. The doffing cart thus can be guided by the travel rail and the bar-like member. Position accuracy of the doffing cart with respect to the spinning unit becomes higher by guiding an upper portion of the doffing cart with the bar-like member and guiding a lower portion of the doffing cart with the guide rail. The doffing cart thus can accurately perform a doffing operation from a doffing position.
The height of the doffing cart may be lower than height of a downstream end of the spinning section of the plurality of the spinning units in a yarn travelling direction. The operator thus can carry out the operation even on the spinning unit where the doffing cart is located on the front side.
The doffing cart may include at least two travelling wheels arranged along a travelling direction. Since the doffing cart can
travel with two travelling wheels, the size of the doffing cart, particularly the size in the depth direction, can be reduced. Therefore, the operation becomes easier to perform even on the spinning unit where the doffing cart is located.
The doffing cart includes a guiding member adapted to guide the spun yarn spun by the spinning section to the winding section at the start of spinning by the spinning section. The bar-like member may be arranged away from the spinning unit than a range of the guiding movement of the guiding member. Accordingly, the bar-like member can be arranged without inhibiting the guiding movement of the guiding member.
The above spinning machine may further include a unit frame adapted to support the plurality of the spinning units. The bar-like member is arranged away from the unit frame than a yarn path of the spun yarn spun by the spinning section and wound by the winding section. Accordingly, the bar-like member can be arranged without inhibiting the spinning operation by the spinning unit.
The unit frame may include a step to be stepped by an operator, arranged at a side located away from the spinning units, and the bar-like member may be arranged between the step and the yarn path. Since the bar-like member is arranged between the step, which is used by the operator during the operation, and the yarn path, the operator can easily use the bar-like member.
The step may include an index of the doffing position of the doffing device with respect to each of the plurality of spinning units. Accordingly, the doffing cart can accurately perform the doffing operation on each spinning unit.
The above spinning machine may further include a plurality supporting members arranged on the unit frame and adapted to support the bar-like member. The plurality of the supporting members are arranged away from the yarn path and at a prescribed interval in the first direction. Since the plurality of the supporting members are arranged at a prescribed interval on the unit frame between
the spinning units, the bar-like member can be installed on the unit frame without inhibiting the operation of the spinning unit.
The supporting member may include a suction section adapted to suck yarn wastes of the spun yarn. The operator thus can have the yarn wastes removed during the maintenance operation or the like to be sucked with the suction section and discard the yarn wastes. Therefore, the operator is not required to take back and discard the yarn wastes, which improves the operation environment of the operator.
The above spinning machine may further include a stop operation section arranged along a longitudinal direction of the bar-like member and adapted to stop operation of the plurality of the spinning units. Since the stop operation section is arranged along the bar-like member, the operator can easily carry out the stopping operation of the spinning unit from any position in the first direction. Furthermore, since the stop operation section is protected by the bar-like member, the operator is less likely to operate the stop operation section by mistake.
The above spinning machine may further include a package receiving section arranged along the first direction and between the plurality of the spinning units and the travel rail. The package doffed by the doffing cart is placed on the package receiving section. Since the package doffed by the doffing cart guided by the bar-like member is placed on the package receiving section 21, the doffing operation of high position accuracy can be carried out.
According to the present invention, for example, when carrying out a maintenance operation or the like on the spinning unit, the operator can carry out the operation with the hand placed on the bar-like member or leaning the body against the bar-like member. The operator thus can carry out the operation in a stable posture even when carrying out the operation while facing the spinning unit. According to another embodiment of the present invention, since the doffing cart is guided in the first direction by the bar-like member, the guiding position of the doffing cart
can be dispersed. Accordingly, the dimension in the depth direction of the doffing cart can be reduced, and the distance from the operation passage to the spinning unit 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 of the spinning units including a spinning section adapted to spin a spun yarn from a fiber bundle and a winding section adapted to wind the spun yarn spun by the spinning section to form a package, and a bar-like member arranged along the first direction at a prescribed interval from the plurality of the spinning units at a front side of the plurality of the spinning units.
2. The spinning machine according to claim 1, further comprising a doffing cart arranged capable of travelling along the first direction in front of the plurality of the spinning units while being guided in the first direction by the bar-like member, and adapted to doff the package formed by the winding section.
3. The spinning machine according to claim 2, further comprising a travel rail arranged in the first direction and adapted to guide the doffing cart at a position lower than the bar-like member.

4. The spinning machine according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein height of the doffing cart is lower than height of a downstream end of the spinning section of the plurality of the spinning units in a yarn travelling direction.
5. The spinning machine according to one of claim 2 through claim 4, wherein the doffing cart includes at least two travelling wheels arranged along a travelling direction.
6. The spinning machine according to one of claim 2 through claim 5, wherein the doffing cart includes a guiding member adapted to guide the spun yarn spun by the spinning section to the winding section at start of spinning by the spinning section, and the bar-like member is arranged away from the spinning unit than a guiding movement range of the guiding member.
7. The spinning machine according to one of claim 1 through
claim 6, further comprising a unit frame adapted to support the
plurality of the spinning units,
wherein the bar-like member is arranged away from the unit frame than a yarn path of the spun yarn spun by the spinning section and wound by the winding section,
8. The spinning machine according to claim 7, wherein the unit frame includes a step arranged at a side located away from the spinning units and adapted to be used as a step of an operator, and the bark-like member is arranged between the step and the yarn path.The spinning machine according to claim 8, further comprising an index arranged on the step and adapted to be an index of a doffing position of the doffing cart with respect to each of the plurality of the spinning units.
9. The spinning unit according to one of claim 7 or through claim 9, further comprising a plurality supporting members arranged on the unit frame and adapted to support the bar-like member,
wherein the plurality of the supporting members are arranged away from the yarn path and with a prescribed interval in the first direction between each of the supporting members.
11. The spinning machine according to claim 10, wherein the supporting member includes a suction section adapted to suck wastes of the spun yarn.
12 . The spinning machine according to one of claim 1 through claim 11, further comprising an operation stopping section arranged along a longitudinal direction of the bar-like member and adapted to stop operation of the plurality of the spinning units.
13. The spinning machine according to one of claim 1 through
claim 12, further comprising a package receiving section arranged
along the first direction and between the plurality of the spinning
units and the travel rail, and adapted to receive the package doffed
by the doffing cart.
14. A spinning machine, substantially as herein described with reference to accompanying drawings and example.