Device and method for handling weaving harness elements

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device and a method for handling weaving elements. The device comprises a first holding element and at least one further holding element for weaving elements. The first holding element and the at least one further holding element are configured to be moved cyclically between a supply device and a receiving device. At least the first holding element is configured such that it can perform at least part of its movement between the supply device and the receiving device while the at least one further holding element remains stationary.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for handling weaving elements such as a drawing-in machine and a method for handling weaving elements.

[0002] A threading machine is a machine for threading yarns or warp threads into weaving elements. It can be divided into various functional units and includes corresponding devices and sub-devices. These include, for example, devices for supplying heddles and lamellae into which the threads are to be drawn. In these supply devices, the weaving elements are suspended adjacent to one another on rail-like guides, as is generally the case in their distribution or in weaving. Furthermore, a device for holding a reed is required at the "input" side. As a central component, a threading machine has a threading device that guides the threads, for example, through the reed, heddle, lamella, and components of a warp thread cross.The inserted lamellae and heddles must be transported away from the vicinity of the insertion device after insertion to prevent a build-up. Within the insertion device, the heddles and lamellae are primarily transported quickly over short distances to achieve a high insertion rate. After insertion, the weaving elements must be pushed along predominantly long, rail-like guides. This removal process occurs at a generally slow speed, but the weaving elements must travel relatively long distances. These are typically 2 to 3 meters, but sometimes up to 6 meters are required. Often, the lamellae and heddles must be transported away in parallel in adjacent devices.The present invention relates to the transport of weaving elements from a supply device via the feeder device to the receiving device. Advantageously, the invention relates to a module for heddle transport, but lamellae are not excluded.

[0003] DE69008100T2 describes a threading machine that guides heddles on track-shaped rails and transports and positions them by means of various plungers or slides. A rotatable rail may be used to select the transport direction for pushing the weaving element onto a predetermined weaving shaft.

[0004] CH685203A5 discloses a drawing machine in which strands, after separation, are first transported on a rotating disk and then transferred by a gripper movable linearly in two directions to a single rod or multiple rods. The movements of the disk and gripper must be coordinated to ensure the necessary transfer of the strands and, if necessary, wait for the completion of the movement of the other element.

[0005] WO9205303A1 discloses a wire-pulling machine in which numerous holding devices for strands are mounted at regular intervals on a carrier. After separation, a strand remains on the same holding device throughout the pulling process until it is ejected. This approach is intended to increase the reliability of the wire-pulling machine and enable a modular design.

[0006] Both of the above-mentioned methods for handling the weaving elements in a drawing-in machine have inherent limitations regarding flexibility and speed, which impair the economic efficiency of these costly machines.

[0007] Based on the aforementioned prior art, the object of the present invention is to provide a device for handling weaving elements and a method for handling weaving elements with which flexible threading at high speed is possible.

[0008] The device according to the invention for handling weaving elements comprises a first holding element and at least one further holding element for weaving elements. The first holding element and the at least one further holding element are configured to be moved cyclically between a supply unit and a receiving unit. The device according to the invention is characterized in that at least the first holding element is configured such that it can perform at least part of its movement from the supply unit to the receiving unit while the at least one further holding element remains stationary. A holding element that has moved from the supply unit to the receiving unit advantageously moves again from the receiving unit to the supply unit, and the movement sequence generally begins anew.Advantageously, a holding element moves along a different path from the receiving device to the supply device than it does from the supply device to the receiving device. The path of a holding element advantageously lies in a plane. The movement of the holding elements is interrupted at the supply device and the receiving device for a handling operation. Further handling devices can be arranged between the supply device and the receiving device, at which the holding elements interrupt their cyclical movement. The holding elements transfer the weaving elements from the supply device to the receiving device.Additional handling devices, such as a feeder, can be arranged in the device such that the holding elements, in the sequence of their cyclical movements, can generally be moved from the supply device to the other handling devices and finally to the receiving device. From the receiving device, the holding elements, without any held weaving elements, can be moved back to the supply device to receive more weaving elements and move them to the other handling devices and finally to the receiving device.

[0009] Compared to the insertion machine of DE69008100T2, the speed of the device is increased because at least two weaving elements are handled simultaneously by means of at least two holding elements on handling devices. The increase in speed compared to WO9205303A1 results from the fact that each holding element only needs to remain on a handling device or on a sub-device of the respective handling device until the handling process taking place there is completed, and can then be moved – independently of other holding elements and ongoing handling processes – to the next handling device and the next handling process. The handling process with the longest handling time therefore does not determine the dwell time of all other holding elements on handling devices or on sub-devices of handling devices, where, if necessary,Faster handling processes can take place. Due to the independence from the movements of other holding elements, each holding element can be flexibly positioned or moved to at least the next available sub-unit of a handling device, thus enabling flexible handling of woven elements at handling devices, for example, picking them up or pushing them off. This allows, for example, different strands (such as those with cutouts at the front and back) to be mixed flexibly without requiring additional measures for mixing. For this purpose, the different strands can be easily provided separately for transfer to the receiving device at various sub-units, such as guide rails of the supply unit.

[0010] The device according to the invention can, in particular, be a module such as a strand module of a modularly constructed drawing machine. The module can preferably be disconnected from the drawing machine both mechanically and electrically without impairing the function of other modules. Likewise, in a preferred embodiment, the module can perform its functions when other modules are deactivated or even disassembled. The supply device of the strand module can have one or more sub-units at which the holding element can take a strand from a supply. The holding element can move a weaving element, such as a strand, to various handling devices. These can be a drawing device, a measuring device, a marking device, an ejection device, a receiving device, or others. A drawing device can serve to draw a yarn into a thread eye of a strand.Using a measuring device, strands can be classified according to their quality and, if necessary, marked accordingly (marking device) or sorted out (ejection device). Typically, strands into which a yarn has been drawn are pushed onto one of usually several individual sub-units of a receiving unit. These sub-units of a receiving unit can be support rails of weaving shafts or rail-like guides associated with such support rails. The receiving unit can be a sub-unit of a drawing machine. The receiving unit can be a sub-unit of a handling trolley. Maximum parallelization of the handling processes can be achieved if the number of holding elements is at least as large as the number of handling units. Intermediate stops of the holding elements, without a handling operation taking place, may be advantageous.

[0011] The retaining element can be pin-shaped or rod-shaped. It can be designed to engage in an end loop of a weaving element, particularly a heddle. The retaining element can have a short longitudinal extension, which is at least sufficient to securely hold a weaving element while adhering to all tolerances. The retaining element can be made of steel to prevent rapid wear from contact with the weaving elements.

[0012] A feeding device can have one or more rail-like sub-units for supplying weaving elements for feeding. The feeding device can have one or more compartment units for singulating weaving elements. The feeding device can be a sub-unit of a heddle module.

[0013] Each holding element is mounted on a support structure. A support structure can, among other things, initiate the movement of the holding element by being operatively connected to an actuator. A push-off element is also mounted on one, several, or each support structure. By mounting a push-off element on support structures, or even on each support structure, it is not necessary to assign a push-off element in the form of an actuator (e.g., electric or pneumatic) to every component of a handling device, and especially to the receiving device. This simplifies the device and thus increases its efficiency due to reduced susceptibility to malfunctions. This effect can be further enhanced by using push-off elements that are actuators formed by simple mechanical springs.These can be pre-tensioned, for example, by the movements of the carrier device relative to stationary machine components that are necessary anyway. Preferably, the ejector elements are automatically locked during pre-tensioning, for example, by a mechanical positive locking mechanism. In carrier devices that perform a rotational movement, the stationary device element preferably has a contact surface for a pre-tensioning element of the carrier device, the distance of which increases or decreases with respect to a common axis in order to deflect the pre-tensioning element radially as it moves past, thus pre-tensioning a mechanical actuator, preferably a tension spring or a compression spring. Release or unlocking, and thus ejection, of the weaving elements can be triggered by another machine component, such as a release device element, which acts on a release element of the carrier device.Preferably, when the release element is actuated, a positive locking mechanism created during pre-tensioning is released, thus unlocking and extending the push-off element. Advantageously, the release device element is effective for carrier units arranged on any sub-units of a handling device, such as the receiving device, which in turn keeps the number of components low, thereby promoting efficiency and reliability. For carrier units rotating about a common axis, this can be configured such that the release device element has an angular extension in the direction of rotation of the carrier unit, allowing the release element to engage at any possible angular position of the carrier unit. Such a release device element can extend in an arc, and in particular, in a circular arc.Such a release device element can act at a radial distance from a common axis, corresponding to the radial distance of the release element from a pivot point of the support device. The release device element preferably acts in a direction parallel to a common axis. The release device element preferably acts on the support device from the side opposite to the direction of a weaving element held on the support device.

[0014] Each support device (and each holding element) can have an associated support device with a supplementary holding element arranged at an axial distance along a common axis perpendicular to the surface in which the movement of a holding element takes place. This axial distance can be adjusted to the length of the weaving element. The holding elements can be distributed on two planes perpendicular to the axial direction along a common axis. The holding element of each associated support device, together with its respective supplementary holding element, serves to handle a weaving element near both ends in its longitudinal direction, applying longitudinal tension. This at least partially suppresses disruptive movements of the weaving element between the holding elements.At least one retaining element of two supplementary retaining elements can be movably arranged on the respective support device to hold the weaving element under tension between the two associated retaining elements. Preferably, the movable retaining element is arranged on the support device such that the weaving element is under tension when no external force is applied. Preferably, a release device element can be arranged on the device, which can subject the retaining element or a release pressure element associated with the retaining element to a displacement. The displacement preferably occurs parallel to a direction of a common axis. A retaining element movably arranged on the support device can be pivotably mounted on the support device about a bearing axis of the retaining element.The release device element, like the unlocking device element, can have an angular extension, so that a holding element on each sub-unit of the receiving device can be subjected to a displacement. An additional, co-acting release device element can also be assigned to the staging device. The direction of movement of the release device element is the same as that of the unlocking device element. In particular, the release device element and the unlocking device element can be formed integrally on the receiving device, which in turn reduces the number of parts and increases reliability. Preferably, the release device element acts before the unlocking device element.

[0015] Advantageously, the at least two holding elements can be rotatably arranged about a common axis. The at least two holding elements can advantageously be arranged independently of each other in their angular position about the common axis. Different holding elements arranged in one plane cannot be at identical angular positions. A certain minimum distance in the angular position is required to prevent the support devices from colliding. Preferably, support devices that act in a common plane, such as the support device for the first holding element and the support device for the at least one further holding element, can be arranged on interlocking shafts about a common axis. The support devices can be driven by an electric motor. Each support device can be assigned a separate electric motor.

[0016] The inventive method for handling woven elements comprises the cyclical movement of a first holding element and at least one further holding element for woven elements between a supply device and a receiving device. The inventive method is characterized in that at least the first holding element performs at least part of its cyclical movement between the supply device and the receiving device while the at least one further holding element remains stationary. This independent movement of two or more holding elements allows the device to be operated at a high cycle rate because each holding element can immediately transport a held woven element or receive a new woven element after completion of a handling operation, without having to wait for the completion of other handling operations.This allows all handling operations to be carried out in close succession as efficiently as possible. Likewise, flexible infeed with a high cycle rate is possible because the longer distances between individual handling devices resulting from a special infeed system do not necessarily slow down other handling operations or movements of carrier equipment.

[0017] On a provisioning device, a supplementary first holding element and / or at least one supplementary further holding element can be moved by a relaxation device element in a direction parallel to a common axis in order to accommodate a weaving element. Fig. 1 Figure 1 Fig. 2 shows a symbolic oblique view of essential components of the device according to the invention. Figure 2 Fig. 3 shows a symbolic representation of a support structure for a first or further retaining element in a side view. Figure 3shows a symbolic representation of a support structure for a supplementary first or supplementary further holding element in side view.

[0018] Figure 1Figure 1 shows a symbolic oblique view of essential components of the device 1 according to the invention. Along the common axis 18, two retaining elements 2 and 3 are shown in an upper region of the device 1, and two retaining elements 13 and 14 are shown in a lower region of the device 1. The retaining elements 2, 3, 13, and 14 are configured to transport weaving elements (not shown) from a supply device 4 on the left of the figure to a receiving device 5 on the right of the figure. The supply device 4 shown comprises two sub-units 41 and 42 at the top, which are shown as rails. The supply device 4 shown comprises two sub-units or rails 43 and 44 at the bottom, on which weaving elements can be laid out and received by the retaining elements 2, 3, 13, and 14. The receiving device 5 shown comprises two sub-units or rails 43 and 44 at the top.Rails 51 and 52 and, below, two rails 53 and 54 onto which the inserted weaving elements can be placed. Both the supply device 4 and the receiving device 5 can each, independently of one another, have a different number of rails or, more generally, sub-assemblies in all conceivable embodiments, the number of which can range from 1 to, for example, up to 24.

[0019] The first retaining element 2 is arranged on a support structure 6. The second retaining element 3 is arranged on the support structure 7. The additional first retaining element 13 is arranged on the support structure 15. The additional retaining element 14 is arranged on the support structure 16. The support structures 6, 7, 15, and 16 are rotatably arranged about the common axis 18. The first retaining element 2 and the additional first retaining element 13 can transport a strand, pre-tensioned at its end lugs, from the supply device 4 to the receiving device 5. Likewise, additional retaining elements 3 and the additional first retaining element 14 can transport a strand, pre-tensioned at its end lugs, from the supply device 4 to the receiving device 5. For this purpose, the retaining elements 13 and 14 are movably mounted on the support structures 15 and 16, as indicated by the bearing axes 21.To release the pre-tension of the strands, the retaining elements 13 and 14, together with the release device elements 20, can be moved upwards in the figure. The release device element 20 shown on the right in the figure is integrally formed with a release device element 12. This allows a strand to be released in a tension-free state from the push-off element 9 of the support devices 7 and 16 onto a rail 52 and 54 of the receiving device. The push-off elements 9 are shown in the extended state. The push-off elements 8 are shown in the tensioned state. In the illustrated embodiment, the support devices 7 and 16 first rotate from the rails 52 and 54 to the rails 51 and 53.Then the support devices 7 and 16 pass the stationary device elements 10, which engage with the pretensioning elements 19 and thus transfer the repulsion elements from the extended state (shown as repulsion elements 9) to the tensioned state (shown as repulsion elements 8), as is shown for the support devices 6 and 15.

[0020] The release device elements 12 interact with release elements 11 to unlock the repulsion elements 8 and thus transfer them from the tensioned state (shown as repulsion elements 8) to the extended state (shown as repulsion elements 9). For this purpose, the release device elements 12 perform a movement parallel to the common axis 18. Two release elements 11 are shown on each support structure 6, 7, 15, and 16. In other embodiments, only one release element 11 may be arranged on the support structure 6, 7, 15, and 16.

[0021] Figure 2 Figure 1 shows a symbolic representation of a support device 6 or 7 of a first or further retaining element 2 or 3 in side view. In this enlarged view, the pin-shaped design of the retaining element 2 or 3 is more clearly visible. The repulsion element 8 is shown in the tensioned state.

[0022] Figure 3Figure 1 shows a symbolic representation of a support device 15 or 16 of a supplementary first retaining element 13 or supplementary further retaining element 14 in side view. In comparison to the Figure 2 The illustrated support structure 15 or 16 includes a bearing axis 21 for the movable arrangement of the retaining elements 13 or 14. An optional pressure relief element 17 is also shown. The pressure relief device element 20 thus does not press directly on the movable retaining element. Reference symbol list 1 device 2 first retaining element 3 additional retaining element 4 Provisioning facility 5 Reception facility 6 Support device of the first retaining element 7 Support device of at least one further retaining element 8 Tensioned repulsion element 9 extended push-off element 10 fixed device element 11 unlocking element 12 unlocking device element 13 supplementary first holding element 14 additional retaining element 15 Support device of the supplementary first retaining element 16 Supporting device of the additional retaining element 17 Relaxation pressure element 18 common axis 19 Preloading element 20 Relaxation device element 21 Bearing axis of the retaining element 41 Sub-unit of the provisioning device 4 42 Sub-unit of the provisioning device 4 43 Sub-unit of the provisioning device 4 44 Sub-unit of the provisioning device 4 51 Partial assembly of the recording device 5 52 Partial assembly of the recording device 5 53 Partial assembly of the recording device 5 54 Partial assembly of the recording device 5

Claims

1. Apparatus (1) for handling harness elements, which comprises a first holding element (2) and at least one further holding element (3) for harness elements, wherein the first holding element (2) and the at least one further holding element (3) are designed to be moved cyclically between a supplying device (4) and a receiving device (5), at least the first holding element (2) is designed such that it can perform at least part of its movement between the supplying device (4) and the receiving device (5) while the at least one further holding element (3) is not moved. the first holding element (2) is arranged on a carrier device (6) for the first holding element (2) and the at least one further holding element (3) is arranged on a carrier device (7) for the at least one further holding element (3), characterized in that an ejection element (8, 9) for ejecting the harness element onto a sub-device (51, 52, 53, 54) of the receiving device (5) is additionally arranged on at least one carrier device (6, 7).

2. Apparatus (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the ejection element (8, 9) can be moved by a mechanical actuator arranged on the carrier device (6, 7) and a mechanical stress can be built up in the mechanical actuator by a stationary apparatus element (10) when the carrier device (6, 7) moves past this stationary apparatus element (10).

3. Apparatus (1) according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the carrier device (6, 7) comprises an unlocking element (11) which is designed in such a way that, when the unlocking element (11) is being displaced, the ejection element (8, 9) can perform an ejecting movement driven by the mechanical actuator.

4. Apparatus (1) according to Claim 3, characterized in that the displacement of the unlocking element (11) of the carrier device (6, 7) can be provided by an unlocking apparatus element (12), which is designed as movable perpendicularly to the movement direction of the carrier device (6, 7), and in that the unlocking apparatus element (12) is designed in such a way that the unlocking element (11) of a carrier device (6, 7) disposed on any arbitrary sub-device (51, 52, 53, 54) of the receiving device (5) can be displaced.

5. Apparatus (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an additional first holding element (13) is assigned to the first holding element (2) and an additional further holding element (14) is assigned to the at least one further holding element (3) at a distance along a common axis (18), and in that the one additional first holding element (13) is arranged movably on a carrier device (15) for the additional first holding element (13) and the at least one additional further holding element (14) is arranged movably on a carrier device (16) for the at least one additional further holding element (14), in order to be able to hold the harness element under tensile stress between the first holding element (2) and the additional first holding element (13), or between the at least one further holding element (3) and the at least one additional further holding element (14), wherein the common axis (18) is perpendicular to a plane in which the first holding element (2) performs its cyclical movement.

6. Apparatus (1) according to Claim 5, characterized in that the one additional first holding element (13) and the at least one additional further holding element (14) can be displaced by at least one tension-relieving apparatus element (20), which is designed so as to be movable perpendicular to the movement direction of the holding elements (2, 3, 13, 14), and in that the at least one tension-relieving apparatus element (20) is designed in such a way that the one additional first holding element (13) and the at least one additional further holding element (14) can be displaced to relieve the harness element of tension when the carrier device (15, 16) is disposed at any arbitrary sub-devices (41, 42, 43, 44, 51, 52, 53, 54) of the supplying device (4) or of the receiving device (5).

7. Apparatus (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first holding element (2) and the at least one further holding element (3) are arranged in a first plane and can perform their movements in this first plane.

8. Apparatus (1) according to Claim 7, characterized in that the additional first holding element (13) and the at least one additional further holding element (14) are arranged in a second plane and can perform their movements in this second plane, and in that the distance between the first and second plane can be set.

9. Apparatus (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first holding element (2) and the at least one further holding element (3) are arranged so as to be rotatable about a common axis (18).

10. Apparatus (1) according to Claim 9, characterized in that the additional first holding element (13) and the at least one additional further holding element (14) are arranged so as to be rotatable about the common axis (18).

11. Apparatus (1) according to Claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the carrier device (6) for the first holding element (2) and the carrier device (7) for the at least one further holding element (3) are arranged on shafts that are disposed around the common axis (18).

12. Method for handling harness elements, in which a first holding element (2) and at least one further holding element (3) for harness elements are moved cyclically between a supplying device (4) and a receiving device (5), at least the first holding element (2) performs at least part of its cyclical movement between the supplying device (4) and the receiving device (5) while the at least one further holding element (3) is not moved, the first holding element (2) is arranged on a carrier device (6) for the first holding element (2) and the at least one further holding element (3) is arranged on a carrier device (7) for the at least one further holding element (3), characterized in that an ejection element (8, 9) ejecting the harness element onto a sub-device (51, 52, 53, 54) of the receiving device (5) is additionally arranged on at least one carrier device (6, 7).

13. Method according to Claim 12, characterized in that an additional first holding element (13) and / or at least one additional further holding element (14) are displaced in a direction parallel to a common axis (18) at a supplying device (4) by a tension-relieving apparatus element (20), in order to be able to receive a harness element.

14. Method according to Claim 12 or 13, characterized in that an additional first holding element (13) and / or at least one additional further holding element (14) are displaced in a direction parallel to a common axis (18) at a receiving device (5) by a tension-relieving apparatus element (20) in order to be able to eject a harness element.

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