Method and apparatus for splicing spun yarns

Abstract

Method and apparatus for splicing the ends of spun yarn includes means for inserting the yarn ends into a hole associated with a splicing nozzle having one or more air jet pipes, in which hole the ends are subjected to an air jet to join them each other. Yarn end control nozzles for the yarn on the package side and the yarn on the bobbin side are disposed at each end of the splicing nozzle to suck the yarn ends in the corresponding yarn end control nozzles, respectively and to keep the yarn ends free therein.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for splicing spun yarns in an automatic winder by inserting yarn ends into a yarn splicing nozzle and being subjected to an air jet to splice them in the yarn splicing nozzle, characterized in that splicing is performed by subjecting a yarn on the package side and a yarn on the bobbin side to an action of air stream jetted from the splicing nozzle, while both the yarn ends on the package and bobbin sides are kept free under an action of suction stream in independent yarn control nozzles for the yarn end on the package side and the yarn end on the bobbin side, respectively. 
     
     
       2. A method for splicing spun yarns as set forth in claim 1, wherein the yarns are cut on the bobbin side and on the package side and the yarn splicing is performed after cutting the yarns on the bobbin side and on the package side and scattering away fibers of the cut yarn ends by means of jetted air stream in the each yarn end control nozzle. 
     
     
       3. A method for splicing spun yarns as set forth in claim 2, wherein an untwisting-cutting process in which the yarn is untwisted by the jetted air to cause yarn breakage is subjected to the yarn ends as a substitute for the process of cutting of the yarn ends and scattering away of fibers at the cut yarn ends. 
     
     
       4. A method for splicing spun yarns as set forth in claim 1, wherein the yarn ends on the package side and the yarn on the bobbin side are clamped by a clamping member before the yarns on the package side and on the bobbin side are subjected to the action of air streams jetted from said splicing nozzle, and this clamping is released after the yarns on the package side and on the bobbin side are subjected to the action of air streams jetted from said splicing nozzle. 
     
     
       5. An apparatus for splicing spun yarns in an automatic winder comprising a splicing nozzle disposed at a position apart from an ordinary yarn passage of the automatic winder, two movable yarn guide suction arms mounted to guide a yarn connected to a package and a yarn connected to a bobbin to said splicing nozzle, respectively, yarn end control nozzles disposed on both the sides of said splicing nozzle to insert both the yarn ends on the package side and on the bobbin side into the splicing nozzle when both the yarn ends are guided by said movable arms, yarn guide levers mounted in the vicinity of openings of said yarn end control nozzles and cutting means for cutting the yarns on both the package and bobbin sides between said yarn guide levers and said movable arms when said yarn guide levers are operated, wherein the yarn ends cut by said cutting means are sucked by the corresponding yarn end control nozzles, respectively and are exposed to an action of suction streams while the yarn ends are kept free and the yarn end of the package side and the yarn end on the bobbin side are spliced together under the action of said splicing nozzles. 
     
     
       6. An apparatus for splicing spun yarns as set forth in claim 5, wherein the yarn end control nozzle comprises a nozzle hole where a suction force is applied to, and a jetting hole which is opened on the nozzle hole and is inclined in the direction along which the suction force acts. 
     
     
       7. An apparatus for splicing spun yarns as set forth in claim 5, wherein a clamping member for guiding yarn is disposed at least on one side of the splicing nozzle to co-operate with the yarn guide lever. 
     
     
       8. A method for splicing spun yarns in an automatic winder by inserting yarn ends into a yarn splicing nozzle and being subjected to an air jet to splice them in the yarn splicing nozzle, characterized in that splicing is performed by a combination of steps comprising guiding yarn ends by yarn guide suction arms, inserting the yarn ends into the yarn splicing nozzle by yarn guide lever, cutting yarn ends, sucking and holding the yarn ends in yarn end control nozzles at the both sides of the yarn splicing nozzle respectively, and splicing the yarn ends by an action of the swirling air stream in the yarn splicing nozzle while drawing out the yarn ends which are kept free under an action of suction stream in the yarn end control nozzles. .Iadd. 9. A device for splicing together a first end of yarn and a second end of yarn, each of said ends including several entangled strands of fiber, said device comprising: disentangling means for separating said entangled strands of fiber of each of the ends and aligning them, and for removing detached strands of fiber from said yarn ends;   positioning means for aligning said first and second yarn ends adjacent each other, in an overlapping manner, and facing in essentially opposite directions;   compressed fluid splicing means for entangling the separated strands of fiber from said first yarn end with the separated strands of fiber from said second yarn end to thereby splice said first and second yarn ends together. .Iaddend..Iadd. 10. A device for splicing together a first end of yarn and a second end of yarn, each of said ends including several entangled strands of fiber, said device comprising:   disentangling means for separating said entangled strands of fiber of each of the ends and aligning them, wherein said disentangling means includes at least one vacuum control nozzle having an opening into which said yarn ends are directed, said nozzle creating a suction force which disentangles and aligns said entangled strands of fiber;   positioning means for aligning said first and second yarn ends adjacent each other, in an overlapping manner, and facing in essentially opposite directions;   compressed fluid splicing means for entangling the separated strands of fiber from said first yarn end with the separated strands of fiber from said second yarn end to thereby splice said first and second yarn ends together. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 11. A device as in claim 10 wherein said control nozzle includes at least one jetting hole for supplying compressed fluid to the interior of the control nozzle in a direction away from the opening to thereby create a swirling force in the control nozzle. .Iaddend..Iadd. 12. A device as in claim 11 wherein the strands of the yarn ends are twisted in a predetermined direction and the position of said jetting hole with respect to said control nozzle is adjustable so that a stream of compressed fluid from said jetting hole creats a swirling force upon said yarn end in a direction opposite to the twisting direction of said yarn end, thereby increasing the disentangling action of the control nozzle. .Iaddend..Iadd. 13. A device as in claim 9 wherein said splicing means further comprises:   a splicing nozzle including an essentially cylindrical interior space into which the yarn ends are inserted and at least one nozzle hole for directing compressed fluid into the interior space in a direction essentially tangential to the interior space whereby compressed fluid forced through said nozzle hole creates a swirling fluid stream by which said strands of fiber of said yarn ends are entangled. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 14. A device as in claim 13 wherein said splicing nozzle includes a slit, running along the length of the interior space, through which said yarn ends may be introduced into the interior space and through which said spliced yarn ends may be removed. .Iaddend..Iadd. 15. A device for splicing together a first end of yarn and a second end of yarn, each of said ends including several entangled strands of fiber, said device comprising:   disentangling means for separating said entangled strands of fiber of each of the ends and aligning them;   positioning means for aligning said first and second yarn ends adjacent each other, in an overlapping manner, and facing in essentially opposite directions, wherein said positioning means further comprises means for adjusting the length of said yarn ends to be inserted into said disentangling means;   compressed fluid splicing means for entangling the separated strands of fiber from said first yarn end with the separated strands of fiber from said second yarn end to thereby splice said first and second yarn ends together. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 16. A device for splicing together a first end of yarn and a second end of yarn, each of said ends including several entangled strands of fiber, said device comprising:   disentangling means for separating said entangled strands of fiber of each of the ends and aligning them;   positioning means for aligning said first and second yarn ends adjacent each other, in an overlapping manner, and facing in essentially opposite directions;   compressed fluid splicing means for entangling the separated strands of fiber from said first yarn end with the separated strands of fiber from said second yarn end to thereby splice said first and second yarn ends together wherein said positioning means further comprises movable yarn guides for directing said yarn ends from said disentangling means to said splicing means. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 17. A device for splicing together a first end of yarn and a second end of yarn, each of said ends including several entangled strands of fiber, said device comprising:   disentangling means for separating said entangled strands of fiber of each of the ends and aligning them;   positioning means for aligning said first and second yarn ends adjacent each other, in an overlapping manner, and facing in essentially opposite directions, wherein said positioning means further comprises clamping means, adjacent the disentangling means, for preventing the unravelling of at least one of said yarn ends beyond a predetermined point;   compressed fluid splicing means for entangling the separated strands of fiber from said first yarn end with the separated strands of fiber from said second yarn end to thereby splice said first and second yarn ends together. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 18. A device for splicing together a first end of yarn and a second end of yarn, each of said ends including several entangled strands of fiber, said device comprising:   disentangling means for separating said entangled strands of fiber of each of the ends and aligning them;   positioning means for aligning said first and second yarn ends adjacent each other, in an overlapping manner, and facing in essentially opposite directions;   compressed fluid splicing means for entangling the separated strands of fiber from said first yarn end with the separated strands of fiber from said second yarn end to thereby splice said first and second yarn ends together wherein said positioning means further comprises a means for adjusting the length of said yarn ends to be inserted into said splicing means. .Iaddend..Iadd. 19. A method for joining together a first end of spun yarn and a second end of spun yarn, each end of said spun yarn being composed of several entangled strands of fiber, said method comprising the steps of:   disentangling said entangled strands of said yarn ends, wherein said disentangling step further comprises the step of removing detached strands of fiber from said yarn ends;   aligning said disentangled strands of said yarn ends;   positioning said yarn ends adjacent each other, in an overlapping manner, facing in essentially opposite directions; and   splicing said yarn ends together. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 20. A method for joining together a first end of spun yarn and a second end of spun yarn, each end of said spun yarn being composed of several entangled strands of fiber, said method comprising the steps of:   disentangling said entangled strands of said yarn ends;   aligning said disentangled strands of said yarn ends;   positioning said yarn ends adjacent each other, in an overlapping manner, facing in essentially opposite directions; and   splicing said yarn ends together, wherein said splicing step comprises the steps of: adjusting the length of said yarn ends to be spliced;   inserting the yarn ends into a splicing chamber;   directing compressed fluid at the yarn ends within said splicing chamber, whereby the yarn ends are intermeshed and twisted together; and   removing the twisted together yarn ends from said splicing chamber. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 21. A method for joining together a first end of spun yarn and a second end of spun yarn, each end of said spun yarn being composed of several entangled strands of fiber, said method comprising the steps of:     disentangling said entangled strands of said yarn ends;   aligning said disentangled strands of said yarn ends;   positioning said yarn ends adjacent each other, in an overlapping manner, facing in essentially opposite directions; and   splicing said yarn ends together wherein said disentangling and aligning steps occur simultaneously. .Iaddend..Iadd. 22. A method as in claim 21 wherein said disentangling and aligning steps further comprise the steps of:   adjusting the length of said yarn ends to be disentangled and aligned;   inserting the yarn ends into at least one control nozzle;   subjecting the yarn ends to a suction force created by compressed fluid flowing through said control nozzle, whereby said entangled strands of said yarn ends are separated and disentangled; and   removing the yarn ends from said at least one control nozzle. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 23. A method as in claim 22 wherein said step of subjecting said yarn ends to a suction force further comprises the step of directing a stream of compressed fluid at said yarn ends in a manner such that said stream impinges upon said yarn ends in a direction opposite to the twisting direction of said yarn ends. .Iaddend..Iadd. 24. A method as in claim 20 wherein said splicing step further comprises the step of securing at least one of the yarn ends at a position adjacent the disentangled portions to prevent the twisting action of the compressed fluid from unravelling the remainder of the yarn. .Iaddend..Iadd. 25. A method as in claim 20 or 23 further including the steps of controlling the pressure and timing of said compressed fluid as a function of said yarn end characteristics. .Iaddend..Iadd. 26. A method as in claim 22 further comprising the steps of subjecting the end fibers of said yarn ends to the suction force of said control nozzle simultaneously with said splicing step, whereby a tension corresponding to the suction force of said control nozzle is imposed on said yarn ends. .Iaddend..Iadd. 27. A device as in claim 10 wherein said disentangling means includes two vacuum control nozzles, one disposed on either side of said splicing means and adjacent to said splicing means. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 28. A device for splicing together a first end of yarn and a second end of yarn, each of said ends including several entangled strands of fiber, said device comprising:   suction stream means;   disentangling means for separating said entangled strands of fiber of each of the ends and aligning them while said yarn ends are kept free by said suction stream means;   positioning means for aligning said first and second yarn ends adjacent each other, in an overlapping manner, and facing in essentially opposite directions;   compressed fluid splicing means for entangling the separated strands of fiber from said first yarn end with the separated strands of fiber from said second yarn end to thereby splice said first and second yarn ends together. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 29. A method for joining together a first end of spun yarn and a second end of spun yarn, each end of said spun yarn being composed of several entangled strands of fiber, said method comprising the steps of:   holding each of said yarn ends at a point near the end thereof;   keeping the extreme ends of said yarn ends free under the action of a suction stream;   disentangling said entangled strands of said yarn ends;   aligning said disentangled strands of said yarn ends;   positioning said yarn ends adjacent each other, in an overlapping manner, facing in essentially opposite directions; and   splicing said yarn ends together.