Bobbin transport apparatus and method

Abstract

A bobbin transport apparatus and method is provided which is adapted for use with a textile yarn processing machine having a plurality of yarn winding stations along at least one side thereof. The transport apparatus includes a movable carriage having a mandrel for receiving the full bobbins from the winding station of the processing machine, and quality control means for measuring a number of physical characteristics of each full bobbin received thereon. The quality control measurements may be performed concurrently with the transport of the bobbins to a remote creel, and the measurements are fed to a computer where an immediate determination is made as to whether the measured quality characteristics fall within accepted tolerance limits. The computer may also be employed to calculate additional quality control related characteristics, such as yarn denier and bobbin wind tightness, from the directly measured characteristics. The apparatus may further include a printer mounted on the carriage for printing the measured or calculated quality characteristics on a label or directly onto each bobbin.

That which is claimed is: 
     
       1. A bobbin transport apparatus .[.adapted for use .]. .Iadd.in combination .Iaddend.with a textile yarn processing machine having a plurality of yarn winding stations aligned along at least one side thereof and with the winding stations each having a bobbin mounting means, said apparatus comprising a carriage adapted for movement along the side of the textile yarn processing machine,   means mounted on said carriage for receiving and supporting a full bobbin from a bobbin mounting means of the textile yarn processing machine or the like, and   measuring means mounted on said carriage for determining the weight of each bobbin while it is supported on said carriage.   
     
     
       2. The bobbin transport apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said measuring means further includes means for determining the diameter of each bobbin while it is supported on said carriage. 
     
     
       3. The bobbin transport apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said measuring means further includes means for determining the quantity of the liquid preparation on the yarn of each bobbin. 
     
     
       4. A bobbin transport apparatus .[.adapted for use.]. .Iadd.in combination .Iaddend.with a textile yarn processing machine having a plurality of yarn winding stations aligned along at least one side thereof and with the winding stations each having a bobbin mounted means, said apparatus comprising a carriage adapted for movement along the side of the textile yarn processing machine,   means mounted on said carriage for receiving and supporting a full bobbin from a bobbin mounting means of the textile yarn processing machine or the like, and   measuring means mounted on said carriage for determining the diameter of each bobbin while it is supported on said carriage.   
     
     
       5. A bobbin transport apparatus .[.adapted for use.]. .Iadd.in combination .Iaddend.with a textile yarn processing machine having a plurality of yarn winding stations aligned along at least one side thereof and with the winding stations each having a bobbin mounting means, said apparatus comprising a carriage adapted for movement along the side of the textile yarn processing machine,   means mounted on said carriage for receiving and supporting a full bobbin from a bobbin mounting means of a textile yarn processing machine or the like, and   measuring means mounted on said carriage for determining the quantity of the liquid preparation on the yarn of each bobbin while it is supported on said carriage.   
     
     
       6. The bobbin transport apparatus as defined in any one of .[.claim.]. .Iadd.claims .Iaddend.1-5 further comprising a printing apparatus mounted on said carriage and operatively connected to said measuring means for printing the output of said measuring means. 
     
     
       7. The bobbin transport apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said printing apparatus includes means for printing the output directly on each bobbin being measured and while it is supported on said carriage. 
     
     
       8. The bobbin transport apparatus as defined in any one of claims 1-5 further comprising a data processing unit operatively connected to the output of said measuring means, said data processing unit including a memory adapted for storing a preselected value for a selected physical characteristic of the bobbin, a program for calculating the selected physical characteristic of each bobbin from the output of said measuring means and comparing the calculated result with the preselected value, and means for generating a signal upon the calculated result differing from the preselected, and moving the bobbin transport apparatus to a position adjacent a different   
     
     
        yarn winding station and repeating the above steps. 12. The method as defined in claim 11 wherein the measuring step includes determining the weight of each bobbin, and the method includes the further steps of feeding the electrical output signal representing the measured weight to a computer,   feeding the winding cycle time and winding velocity of the bobbin being measured into the computer, and   operating the computer to calculate the denier of the yarn on the bobbin   
     
     
        being measured. 13. The method as defined in claim 12 wherein the measuring step further includes determining the amount of the liquid preparation on the yarn on the full bobbin being measured, feeding an electrical output signal representative of the amount of preparation to the computer, and operating the computer to calculate the denier by a process which takes the amount of the liquid preparation on the yarn into 
     
     
        account. 14. The method as defined in claim 13 comprising the further step of feeding the weight of the empty bobbin of the full bobbin being measured into the computer, and operating the computer to calculate the denier by a process which takes the weight of the empty bobbin into 
     
     
        account. 15. The method as defined in claim 11 wherein the measuring step includes determining the weight and diameter of the full bobbin being measured, feeding the electrical output signals representative of the measured weight and diameter to a computer, and operating the computer to 
     
     
        calculate the wind tightness of the full bobbin. 16. The method as defined in claim 11 comprising the further step of generating a process control signal .[.in the computer.]. when the electrical output signal indicates a departure in any measured physical characteristic from a control value by 
     
     
        more than a predetermined tolerance range. 17. The method as defined in claim 11 comprising the further step of moving the bobbin transport apparatus to a remote location after the full bobbin has been transferred thereto, and wherein the measuring step is conducted at least in part 
     
     
        during such movement. .Iadd.18.  A movable quality control measuring apparatus in combination with a textile yarn processing machine having a plurality of yarn winding stations aligned along at least one side thereof and with the winding stations each having a bobbin mounting means, said apparatus comprising a movable carriage adapted for movement to a position adjacent each winding station,   means mounted on said carriage for receiving and supporting a bobbin, and   measuring means mounted on said carriage for determining at least one quality control related physical characteristic of a support bobbin..Iaddend. .Iadd.19. The movable quality control measuring apparatus as defined in claim 18 further comprising means mounted on said carriage for generating an electrical output signal which is representative of each   
     
     
        measured physical characteristic..Iaddend. .Iadd.20.  A bobbin changing apparatus in combination with a textile yarn processing machine having a plurality of yarn winding stations aligned along at least one side thereof and with the winding stations each having a bobbin mounting means, said apparatus comprising trackway means disposed along each side of said machine having winding stations thereon,   a carriage mounted for movement along said trackway means to a position adjacent each winding station,   means mounted on said carriage for receiving and supporting a bobbin from the bobbin mounting means of an adjacent winding station, and   measuring means mounted on said carriage for determining at least one quality control related physical characteristic of a support bobbin..Iaddend. .Iadd.21. The bobbin changing apparatus as defined in claim 20 further comprising a creel disposed adjacent said trackway means and such that said carriage may be selectively moved to a position adjacent said creel, said creel including a plurality of rows of spaced projecting pins which are each adapted to receive and retain a full bobbin thereon, and mandrel means mounted on said carriage for depositing a full bobbin onto a selected one of said pins when said carriage is positioned   
     
     
        adjacent said creel..Iaddend. .Iadd.22.  The bobbin changing apparatus as defined in claim 21 further comprising control means for selectively advancing said carriage along said trackway means to each winding station and said creel..Iaddend. .Iadd.23. A method of doffing yarn bobbins from a textile yarn processing machine having a plurality of yarn winding stations aligned along at least one side thereof and while concurrently monitoring the quality of full bobbins produced on the yarn processing machine, and comprising the steps of moving a mobile bobbin transport apparatus to a position adjacent a yarn winding station at the conclusion of the winding operation at such station,   transferring at least one full bobbin from the adjacent winding station onto said bobbin transport apparatus while said apparatus is adjacent such winding station,   measuring at least one quality control related physical characteristic of the full bobbin and generating an electrical output signal which is representative of each measured physical characteristic, while the full bobbin is positioned on said transport apparatus, then   removing each full bobbin from said transport apparatus for further handling or processing of the yarn thereon, and then   moving said transport apparatus to a position adjacent a different yarn   
     
     
        winding station and repeating the above steps..Iaddend. .Iadd.24.  The method as defined in claim 23 wherein the step of removing each full bobbin from said transport apparatus includes moving said transport apparatus to a creel positioned adjacent said yarn processing machine, and depositing each full bobbin on said creel..Iaddend. .Iadd.25. The method as defined in claim 23 or 24 wherein the measuring step includes determining the weight of each full bobbin..Iaddend. .Iadd.26. The method as defined in claim 25 wherein the measuring step further includes measuring the winding cycle time and winding velocity of each full bobbin, and calculating the denier of the yarn on the bobbin from the equation:   denier=weight/(winding cycle time×winding velocity)..Iaddend.      .Iadd.27. The method as defined in claim 25 wherein the measuring step further includes measuring the diameter of each full bobbin..Iaddend. .Iadd.28. The method as defined in claim 25 wherein the measuring step further includes measuring the quantity of the liquid preparation on the   
     
     
        yarn of each full bobbin..Iaddend. .Iadd.29.  The method as defined in claim 23 or 24 comprising the further step of printing the output of said measuring means directly on each full bobbin while it is supported on said carriage..Iaddend.