Method and apparatus for start-spinning a thread on open-end spinning units
The present invention relates to a method for start-spinning a thread on open-end spinning units. 
     On open-end spinning units, it is the usual practice to interrupt the sliver feed in the event of a thread break and to let the following opener roller continue to run. If the spinning rotor is also braked, the fibers reaching the spinning rotor are sucked away and removed. A similar procedure is also followed when the spinning machine is switched off: First the sliver feed is switched off and then the spinning rotor is stopped, while the opener roller continues to run for a while thereafter. The purpose of this is to ensure that a certain quantity of fibers are continued in the spinning rotor for the subsequent start-spinning operation. It is known practice to interrupt the sliver feed by opening a clutch arranged in front of a supply roller (German Disclosed Patent Application No. 2,238,610), or by trapping the sliver before it enters the supply roller (German Published Patent Application No. 1,957,014), or by swivelling the supply roller with the inlet hopper away from the opener roller (German Disclosed Patent Application No. 2,134,342). In all cases, after interruption of the feed a fiber tuft offered to the opener roller or the supply roller is combed and drawn out to a greater or lesser extent. 
     In most cases, the sliver feed is started a given period of time before the start-spinning operation by eliminating the aforementioned feed interruption. It is also known practice (German Disclosed Patent Application No. 2,118,775) to equip a travelling start-spinning unit with an auxiliary drive which acts upon the means for feeding the sliver of the corresponding spinning unit during the start-spinning operation and takes these means over during the start-spinning operation. 
     It has already been noted that the feed of the sliver during the start-spinning operation greatly influences the quality of the start-spinning point. In order to adapt the sliver feed to the speed present during the start-spinning operation, the suggestion has already been made (German Patent Application No. P 23 60 296.2) that the start-spinning operation be performed during the runup phase of the spinning rotor, which was previously stopped, and that the feed be simultaneously controlled in such a manner that the quantity of fibers fed is matched to the reduced start-spinning speed. However tests have shown that in spite of precise compliance with the conditions for reduced feed of the sliver the start-spinning points provided thereby still are of differing appearance and varying strength, with these differences occurring both in the case of repeated start-spinning on the same spinning unit and between different spinning units. 
     It is the object of the present invention to permit even more precise control of the sliver feed than previously, so that the quantity of fibers fed during the start-spinning operation can be matched to the start-spinning speed even more precisely than has previously been the case. 
     According to the present invention, this object is solved by a method for start-spinning a thread on open-end spinning units, in which an end of the thread is returned to a spinning rotor running in an under-pressure chamber, placed on a ring of fibers formed from individual fibers separated from a fed sliver and deposited in the spinning rotor, and then drawn off again, whereby in order to form a ring of fibers which is suitable for the start-spinning operation the feed of the sliver is switched on for a given period of time prior to the end of the thread being placed on the ring of fibers and the thread being drawn off again, the feed then being interrupted again and finally only switched on again for the actual start-spinning operation. 
     The present invention is based upon the realization that the sliver feed can only actually be precisely controlled if it can be assumed that the fiber tuft offered to the opener roller at the beginning of the sliver feed prior to the start-spinning operation is always the same. This was not always so in many cases. Tests have shown that the nature of the fiber tuft is greatly dependent upon the standstill period following which the sliver feed is started again. If a second start-spinning operation with controlled feed of the sliver is performed after a very brief standstill period, for example after an unsuccessful start-spinning attempt, the fiber tuft will be significantly thicker than would be the case after a long standstill period, after which the fiber tuft would have been heavily combed and become correspondingly thin. Consequently, in spite of precisely maintained uniform sliver-feed starting conditions, different quantities will be fed. According to the present invention, this possibility is eliminated in that prior to every start-spinning operation a precisely defined fiber tuft, which always recurs in the same shape, is produced by briefly switching on the sliver feed; the fiber tuft then permits precise control of the quantity of fibers fed. 
    
    
     The above discussed and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of the practical examples and the subclaims, when taken in connection with FIGS. 1 to 8 of the accompanying drawings, in which 
     FIG. 1 shows a graphic representation of the starting sequence of a spinning unit; 
     FIG. 2 shows a graphic representation of a reduced sliver feed during the starting sequence of the spinning unit with stipulation, according to the present invention, of the initial point for the feed; 
     FIG. 5 shows an apparatus for performing the method according to the present invention, containing an auxiliary drive which handles the sliver feed prior to and for the start-spinning; 
     FIGS. 4 to 6 show details of embodiments according to the present invention for controlling the sliver feed; and 
     FIGS. 7 and 8 show top views of open-end spinning machines equipped with maintenance units according to the present invention. 
    
    
     Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, FIG. 1 shows the speed n of a spinning rotor during time T, in the form of a curve 1, during a starting sequence. The spinning rotor, starting from a standstill, reaches the operating speed n B  at the moment T H . It has been found that a favourable speed range, in which the start-spinning operation can be performed most reliably, is located between speeds n 1  and n 2 , for example. Within this range, it is possible to stipulate a start-spinning point A on curve 1, which then also includes start-spinning time T A  and start-spinning speed n A , which is clearly slower than operating speed n B . 
     To perform start-spinning at point A, the end of the thread must be returned prior to start-spinning time T A , for example at time T F , indicated on the abscissa, in order for the end of the thread to reach the ring of fibers deposited in the spinning rotor at time T A , whereupon draw-off of the thread is initiated. 
     The dash-dotted curve 2 also contained in FIG. 1 represents the course of sliver feed Q through time T. As can be seen from this curve 2, after only a short time the sliver feed attains its maximum value Q L  at time T L . The period of time required therefor is considerably shorter than the period of time required for the starting sequence of the spinning rotor. 
     Curves 1 and 2 in FIG. 1 show clearly that at start-spinning time T A  the sliver feed is greater than that required by operating conditions, which must result in a change in the quality of the yarn at the start-spinning point. For this reason, measures must be taken to ensure a suitable ratio between the fiber feed at start-spinning time T A  and the reduced start-spinning speed n A  of the spinning rotor. This is possible, for example, in that the fiber feed is initiated with a delay, so that time T L , at which the operating feed quantity Q L  is attained, is after start-spinning time T A . Because of the steepness of curve 2, the switch-on and start-spinning must be performed at precisely stipulated moments, as the sliver feed conditions change very rapidly. In order to provide a longer period of time for the start-spinning operation, it is therefore advantageous to provide aids through which the steepness of curve 2 can be reduced, permitting operating feed Q L  to be attained later. 
     It would be favourable for the start-spinning operation if curve 2 were influenced in such a manner that it had the same steepness as curve 1. A curve 3 of this type is illustrated in FIG. 2, which shows feed Q over time T. In many cases, it is sufficient for curve 3 to only be approximated, for example through a curve 4, shown as a dash-dotted line in FIG. 2, which often can be realized more simply from an engineering standpoint. 
     The above still assumes that the sliver feed begins at zero. However this does not coincide, or only seldom coincides, with the actual conditions. Since the opener roller, which follows the sliver feed means, continues to run without alteration after the sliver feed is switched off, the tuft offered to it continues to be combed so that a certain quantity of fibers still reaches the spinning rotor from the opener roller thereafter. This remainder is designated Q R . If a controlled sliver feed according to curve 3 or 4 is now initiated for the start-spinning operation, these curves 3 and 4 do not begin at zero but at remainder Q R , so that the course of the sliver feed is generally parallel to and at a clearly higher level than the illustrated curves, as suggested by the dotted lines 3&#39; and 4&#39;. It follows therefrom that at start-spinning time T A  there is a start-spinning quantity Q&#39; A  which does not coincide with the theoretically calculated amount. 
     As already mentioned above, quantity Q&#39; A  depends upon how strongly the fiber tuft offered to the opener roller has been combed. How strongly the fiber tuft has been combed is a function of the period of time during which the opener roller still combs after the feed has been switched off. In this connection, combing occurs generally in accordance with an exponential function, which is illustrated in FIG. 2 as dash-dotted curve 5b. FIG. 2 thus shows quite clearly that the standstill period, i.e. the period between time T V  of stopping and the commencement of the sliver feed, is of significant influence for the actual controlling operation. The shorter the stand-still period, the higher the fiber remainder Q R . 
     In order to provide proper control of the quantity of fibers being fed, the present invention stipulates that before the actual start-spinning operation and the sliver feed occurring in the connection therewith, there is a sliver feed operation at time T u , which is then switched off again at time T V , thereby providing a precisely defined standstill period for the sliver feed, causing the same remainder Q R  to be provided in all cases, so that precise control of the start-spinning quantity Q&#39; A  is then achieved on the basis of this remainder Q R  and start-spinning quantity Q&#39; A  is the same in all cases. In this connection, it is practical for the sliver-feed switch-on time, which increases in accordance with dash-dotted curve 5a, to be maintained for a certain period of time, during which operating feed Q B  is provided with certainty, as the influence of a remainder could otherwise still be disturbingly noticed with this brief sliver feed, the so-called preliminary feed. Since the spinning rotor is braked or stopped during the preliminary sliver feed operation, the fibers supplied to it are sucked away by means of an underpressure line, thereby preventing them from being deposited in the spinning rotor. The ring of fibers on which the return end of the thread is placed is thus formed only by the fibers supplied in the controlled sliver feed operation. 
     With the embodiment according to FIG. 3, both curve 3 and 3&#39; as well as curve 4 and 4&#39; in FIG. 2 can be realized when the sliver feed is started. In addition, preliminary feed according to curves 5a and 5b is also possible. Provided in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 is a maintenance unit 6 which travels on rails 49 along an open-end spinning machine, of which only one spinning point 7 is illustrated schematically as a cross section. Rotating in an underpressure chamber 8, to which an underpressure line 8a is attached, is a spinning rotor 9, whose shaft 10 is mounted in bearings 11 in a housing located therebehind. Shaft 10 is driven by means of a tangential belt, whose bottom line 13 is pressed against the shaft by a pressure roller 14 in the operational condition, while the upper line 12 returns over pressure roller 14. In the illustrated brake condition, pressure roller 14 is lifted away from rotor shaft 10 together with the lower line 13 of the tangential belt, whereby rotor shaft 10 is braked by a brake 15. Brake 15 has an actuating rod 16, which is coupled with a lift-off mechanism 17 for pressure roller 14. Actuating rod 16 of brake 15 can be adjusted by means of a double lever 20, which is pivotally mounted about an axle 19. A tension spring 18 acts on double lever 20, said tension spring 18 pulling it into a position which releases rotor shaft 10. The free arm 21 of double lever 20 extends out of spinning unit 7 to the front. 
     Fibers are supplied to spinning rotor 9 in an opened state. To accomplish this, a sliver is caught by a supply roller 22 and advanced to an opener roller 23, from where the opened fibers reach spinning rotor 9. Supply roller 22 is connected to a toothed belt 27, extending in the longitudinal direction of the machine, by means of a shaft 24 and a gear 25. The connection between gear 25 and supply roller 22 can be interrupted by means of a solenoid clutch 26, which divides shaft 24. Clutch 26 is electrically connected with a switch 29 of a thread stop-motion 30, which switches off clutch 26 in the event of a thread break. 
     Maintenance unit 6 for start-spinning, which is only illustrated schematically, first receives the command to act upon a lever 28a by means of an actuating element illustrated in the form of a lifting magnet 28; this command is received from a control element 42, which is triggered by means of an electrical lead 64 after maintenance unit 6 is positioned at the respective spinning point 7. The above sequence causes a lever 44 connected therewith to be pressed against the free arm 21 of double lever 20 of spinning unit 7, thereby braking spinning rotor 9. And finally, control element 42 causes an auxiliary drive of maintenance unit 6 to be temporarily coupled with the sliver feed drive of spinning unit 7. In the illustrated embodiment, the auxiliary drive of maintenance unit 6 contains an electric variable-speed motor 41, whose runup is adjustable. A wound-rotor motor with appropriate rheostatic starting circuitry or a variable-speed d.c. motor with smooth starting can be provided for this purpose. Variable-speed motor 41 drives a shaft 46, which is connected with a driving wheel 48. Shaft 46 and driving wheel 48 are connected via adjusting means 40, which permit driving wheel 48 to be shifted axially. Arranged opposite driving wheel 48 is a counterwheel 50, which is rigidly connected with supply roller 22 and which is accessible from the outside. A gear or friction clutch can be arranged between driving wheel 48 and counterwheel 50. The sliver feed is then switched on for a brief preselected period of time by means of the auxiliary drive of maintenance unit 6. This set period of time is selected in such a manner as to permit the fiber tuft to attain a uniform condition. When the feed is then switched off again opener roller 23, which continues to run, can continue to comb the fiber tuft. The actual start-spinning operation then commences after a second precisely defined and preselected period of time. 
     Maintenance unit 6 picks up a thread end 33 from an unillustrated winding cone and returns it to spinning rotor 9 through a yarn removal channel 32, whereby it is placed on a fiber ring 31 in spinning rotor 9. Thread end 33 is returned by means of auxiliary draw-off rollers 34 and 35 of maintenance unit 6, of which at least roller 34 can be driven in either sense of rotation. Thread end 33 is sucked into spinning rotor 9 by means of the suction in underpressure chamber 8. The reversal of the sense of rotation of auxiliary draw-off roller 34 is controlled by means of a thread tension feeler 43 of maintenance unit 6. 
     In order to be able to start spinning at a rotor speed which is lower than the operating speed, the start-spinning operation is performed during the starting sequence of spinning rotor 9. This is accomplished by means of starting lever 44 which, as described above, rests on free arm 21 of double lever 20 of brake 15. When free arm 21 of brake 15 is released, which is the case when lifting magnet 28 retracts, starting lever 44 is actuated and, in turn, actuates a starting switch 45, which has a time-lag relay. Starting switch 45 is connected with a drive motor of auxiliary draw-off rollers 34 and 35 for performing the start-spinning operation, on the one hand, and with the auxiliary drive, on the other, through which supply roller 22 is driven in such a manner that its starting characteristic, and thus feed of the sliver, corresponds at least approximately to the starting characteristic of spinning rotor 9. The main drive of the sliver feed must remain off during this period of time, with solenoid clutch 26 remaining open. This can be controlled by means of an electrical timing element, for example, which only closes clutch 26 after a delay, even if thread stop-motion 30 has been placed in its operating position again which, in the illustrated embodiment, is performed by means of a thread trapper 47 of maintenance unit 6, which offers the thread end 33 to the opening of yarn removal channel 32. In the illustrated embodiment, it can be ensured, with the aid of additional switching means of maintenance unit 6, that clutch 26 remains open, so that here, also, the sophistication of the individual spinning units 7 remains small. For this purpose, switch 29 of thread stop-motion 30 is designed as a double switch, which can also be switched by a pusher 52 in such a manner that clutch 26 remains open. The pusher is reversed by means of a lever 53 of maintenance unit 6 associated to it, said lever 53 being switched with the aid of an electric servo element. This servo element, and thus lever 53, can be coupled electrically with thread trapper 47, so that swivelling thread stop-motion 30 into its operating position with the aid of thread trapper 47 results in actuation of pusher 52, so that clutch 26 remains open. After the start-spinning operation, clutch 26 is closed, thereby starting the main drive of the sliver feed. In order to avoid mutual damage to the auxiliary drive and the main drive, free-wheeling means 51 are installed in the auxiliary drive. This also ensures that the transition of the sliver feed from the auxiliary drive to the main drive is uniform and smooth. 
     It is also possible to actuate the servo element of lever 53 with a timing programme in such a manner as to switch the main drive of supply roller 22 on and off intermittently, which results in a starting-sequence characteristic according to curves 4 and 4&#39;, as well as curves 5a and 5b in FIG. 2. This permits the runup characteristic of the sliver feed to be adapted to the starting characteristic of the spinning rotor in the desired manner, without the employment of an auxiliary drive. 
     Shown in FIG. 4 is an embodiment in which supply roller 22 of spinning unit 7 is driven by means of a shaft, extending through the machine longitudinally, via gears 56, 55 and 54, by means of a standing shaft drive. The standing shaft is divided between gears 55 and 54, designed as helical gears, by means of a solenoid clutch 26. This solenoid clutch 26 is switched by a switch 29 of a thread stop-motion 30 in a similar manner to that in the embodiment according to FIG. 3. The standing shaft extends beyond gear 54, and its free end is connected with a driver wheel 57, whose periphery protrudes beyond the cover of spinning unit 7. Associated to this driver wheel 57 is a driving wheel 58, which belongs to an auxiliary drive, containing freewheeling means, of mobile maintenance unit 6. In this embodiment, also, the desired starting characteristic of the sliver feed can be realized by means of an auxiliary drive controlled by maintenance unit 6. It is ensured, in a manner corresponding to that of FIG. 3, that clutch 26 remains open during the start-spinning operation. Driving wheel 58 is connected with a variable-speed motor 60, and can be pivoted about an axle 61 of maintenance unit 6 together with variable-speed motor 60 and its shaft 59. 
     FIGS. 5 and 6 show apparatuses with which it is possible to attain a starting characteristic according to curve 4 or 4&#39; in FIG. 2. Controlled by control element 42, in FIG. 5 an actuating member 62, designed as a lifting magnet, can alternately switch thread stop-motion switch 29 on and off by means of a piston 63, causing the thread stop-motion to alternately assume positions 30 and 30a. The feed drive is coupled to switch 29 in the above-described manner, thereby producing intermittent feed. In FIG. 6, a trappper 69, controlled by the thread stop-motion, is pressed against the sliver and trough 67 in the event of a thread break, thereby stopping the feed. The lifting magnet 66 which actuates trapper 69 is acted upon by a further lifting magnet 65 of maintenance unit 6. Lifting magnet 65, controlled by control element 42, presses lever 72, and thus trapper 69, alternately against trough 67 and away from it against the force of lifting magnet 66, which is maintained, thereby alternately switching the feed on and off. 
     FIGS. 7 and 8 schematically illustrate the difference between two different solutions for the design of maintenance units 6. The open-end spinning machine 7a in FIG. 7 has two rows of spinning units 7. Travelling on each side of the machine is a maintenance unit 6 designed as a start-spinning unit, which performs the entire start-spinning operation. Alternatively, of course, it would also be possible for one single start-spinning unit to handle both sides of the machine or a plurality of machines 7a. In the embodiment according to FIG. 8, the start-spinning unit is divided into two partial units 6a and 6b, which service a spinning point 7 requiring maintenance one after the other, after preselected periods of time. Partial units 6a and 6b work at different spinning points 7 simultaneously. Partial unit 6a can handle the above-described preliminary feed operation, for example, while partial unit 6b can later perform the actual start-spinning operation after a precisely stipulated period of time. 
     Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It should therefore be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.