Spindle Brake Gripper Arms for Ring Spinning Piecing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional spindle brake units in ring spinning machines cause spindle distortion, misalignment, wobbling, and wear due to impact loads, leading to poor yarn quality and increased costs from frequent spindle replacements, as they hinder the operation of automatic piecing units.
Innovation Solution
An improved spindle brake unit with two parallel gripper arms and gripping fingers made of polymer or elastomer materials that move sideways to grip the spindle wharve without impact, distributing the load and preventing misalignment and damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional hand actuated lever brake is used to hold the spindle wharve, then the spindle rotation can be stopped, but it forms hindrance for the automatic piecing unit to pass inside the piecing zone
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the conventional hand actuated lever brake from the spindle assembly, extracting the braking function from the spindle itself and relocating it to the automatic piecing unit. This eliminates the obstruction in the piecing zone while maintaining spindle braking capability through the piecing unit's contacting member.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a dynamic braking system where the contacting member in the automatic piecing unit can move forward and backward to apply brake force intermittently. This dynamic approach allows the spindle to be braked only when needed for piecing operations, enabling smooth passage of the piecing unit through the zone.
2Ease of operation
If a contacting member abuts on the front face of the spindle wharve to act as brake, then the spindle rotation can be stopped, but it creates impact load causing spindle distortion and deflection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the dimension of brake application from axial (front face abutment) to radial (side surface gripping). The contacting member grips the spindle wharve on its side surface rather than abutting the front face, distributing the brake force radially and eliminating the impact load that causes spindle distortion and deflection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of brake force application from concentrated axial impact to distributed radial force. By gripping the spindle wharve on its side surface, the brake force is distributed across a larger area, reducing stress concentration and preventing spindle distortion, wobbling, and bending.
3Reliability
If frequent spindle replacement is performed due to damages, then the spindle wear and tear can be managed, but it results in higher costs and reduced production efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful impact load from a concentrated axial force into a beneficial distributed radial grip. The side surface gripping mechanism provides gentle, uniform pressure that stops spindle rotation without causing damage, effectively turning a potentially harmful braking action into a protective one that extends spindle life and reduces replacement costs.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables precise and damage-free spindle braking, enhancing yarn quality and production efficiency by eliminating spindle misalignment and wear, and allowing reliable automatic piecing operations.
Implementation Method 1
gripping fingers made of polymer or elastomer materials that move sideways to grip the spindle wharve without impact, distributing the load
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a
Figure 2b
AI summary
The present invention relates to an automatic piecing unit (2) of a ring spinning machine (1). The automatic piecing unit (2) comprises a spindle brake unit (4) which includes gripper arms (6a, 6b) adapted to move sideways with respect to each other in a linear motion guideway (7). Each of the gripper arms (6a, 6b) is coupled with at least one gripping finger (8a, 8b), and each of the at least one gripping finger (8a, 8b) comprises one or more brake shoes (11) disposed at an inner end thereof. The one or more brake shoes (11) are adapted to grip a spindle wharve (10) of a spindle (3) of the ring spinning machine (1) to stop rotation of the spindle (3).