Abstract: A feeding and opening device for open-end spinning units comprises a feeding roller and a feed table resiliently urged against the feeding roller for feeding a sliver to an opening roller, as well as at least one mechanical supporting element that is located at a spacing from a guide edge of the feed table, while leaving a free space that is open towards the atmosphere between the guide edge and the at least one mechanical supporting element. In accordance with preferred embodiments, the supporting element may be formed of at least one strip located essentially in parallel to an axis of rotation of the opening roller, or at least one row of needles arranged with their free ends directed towards the opening roller.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for open-end spinning in which fibers are fed to the spinning rotor in an air stream which carries the fibers along a predetermined path; at least a substantial portion of the air stream together with the fine dust particles carried thereby is removed from the predetermined path of the fibers before the fibers reach the spinning rotor.

Abstract: An opening roller unit for open-end spinning installations as a shaft supported in a bearing box and an opening roller arranged on an end of the shaft which projects from the bearing box. The opening roller extends over the bearing box in a manner forming a cavity that is sealed toward the outside with an annular sealing gap and comprises the base member and the ring detachably secured thereto which has a fitting provided on the outer periphery thereof. The detachable ring is mounted upon the base member in a manner blocking the external axis to the cavity. In accordance with one preferred embodiment, the ring of the opening roller extends over the bearing box and the cavity is defined by the ring and bearing box, while the scaling gap is provided between the ring and the bearing box in conjunction with an annular insert attached to the bearing box.

Abstract: A spinning assembly for a wrapped yarn spinning machine in which a staple sliver is guided by a delivery device into a hollow spindle which carries a co-rotating binding thread; the thread is wound around the staple sliver by the rotation of the hollow spindle. A stationary balloon limiter is provided in the vicinity of the binding thread and a screen is mounted in front of the delivery device, which screen comprises a passage for the staple sliver. This screen is constructed as a screen plate, mounted at an axial distance from the balloon limiter. This construction of the present invention has the advantage that an air stream is generated within the balloon limiter, which flows upward from below and leaves radially through the gap between the upper end of the uncovered balloon limiter and the screen plate. This air stream is directed counter to both the sliver and the binding thread entering the hollow spindle, so that no fiber fly can penetrate the interior of the hollow spindle.

Abstract: The invention involves a ply or wrapped yarn spinning assembly of the type having a drawing unit supplying a sliver through one or more hollow spindles, at which hollow spindles a binding thread is wrapped spirally around the sliver to form yarn. Yarn condition monitors detect the yarn condition and the supply of binding thread. In the event of a malfunction, including exhaustion of binding thread at a hollow spindle, the monitors automatically disengage the supply of sliver by pivoting open a load bearing member of the drawing unit. In preferred embodiments the monitors also actuate mechanical actuators for pivoting driving or driven rollers of the hollow spindles, yarn take-off rolls, and a yarn windup device of the spinning assembly. An auxiliary thread bobbin and associated cutter mechanisms are also provided to facilitate restarting after a malfunction and shutdown.

Abstract: To start-spin a thread with open-end spinning, the end of the thread is inserted into a spinning rotor against the normal direction of draw, placed on a ring there formed of fed fibres and drawn off again. The end of the thread is placed on the ring at a start-spinning speed which is lower than the operating speed of the spinning rotor. In order to avoid undesired changes in the thickness and strength, etc. of the thread at the start-spinning point, the feed of the sliver, which determines the thickness of the ring of fibres located in the spinning rotor, is reduced in a ratio to the normal operating condition which at least approximates the ratio between the start-spinning speed of the spinning rotor and its operating speed.

Abstract: An open-end spinning machine is provided which includes a plurality of commonly driven spinning units arranged in side-by-side relationship. Each of the spinning units includes a spinning rotor, an opening device for opening fibers, a fiber feed device for feeding fibers from the opening device to the spinning rotor, and vacuum producing means for generating an air current to act on the fibers to aid in the feeding through the fiber feed device. To accommodate start-up operations and restarting in the event of a shut-down spinning unit, piecing apparatus is provided which includes a thread end return device for returning a thread end into the rotor for piecing onto a fiber ring deposited inside of the rotor and for taking off the pieced thread. In preferred embodiments, the piecing apparatus is equipped with additional devices for controlling the rotor speed and the quantity of fibers fed during the piecing step.

Abstract: Servicing apparatus, such as rotor cleaning and yarn piecing apparatus, for servicing individual spinning assemblies of an open end spinning machine is provided. Operational disturbance responsive control equipment is provided for controlling the movement of the servicing apparatus to servicing positions at respective spinning assemblies where operational disturbances are detected. Step-by-step control equipment is also provided to control the servicing apparatus for sequential preventive maintenance servicing operations at the various spinning assemblies. In order to optimize preventive maintenance and disturbance response maintenance, a switch-over switch is provided for switching between the disturbance responsive control equipment and the step-by-step control equipment.

Abstract: A bearing arrangement is provided for a rotor shaft of an open-end spinning assembly which includes a ball engageable with the end of the rotor shaft opposite the spinning rotor to axially support the same. The ball is wettable by a lubricant supplied by a wick in contact therewith and is supported in a step bearing housing which includes a retainer member having a cup-shaped portion directly engaging the ball at the side thereof opposite the rotor shaft. In order to transmit operational vibrations from the spinning assembly to the ball so as to improve lubrication of the ball by moving the same, the entire step bearing housing means is supported at a component of the spinning assemby in such a manner that the component vibrations are transmitted to the bearing housing, and thence to the retaining member and ball.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for removing debris and for cleaning components of spinning assemblies of an open-end spinning machine of the type having a plurality of spinning assemblies arranged side-by-side and including shedding devices for shedding debris from the fibrous material to be spun. In order to accommodate changing configurations of collecting openings and other structure of the spinning assemblies, the component cleaning elements are provided separately exchangeable and/or adjustable with respect to the debris removing structures. Various preferred embodiments are provided, including embodiments with conveyor belts for removing debris from a plurality of collecting openings at the respective spinning assemblies, with cleaning elements being carried by the conveyor belts and being disposed so as to clean guide surfaces at the respective collecting openings. Other embodiments include movable scrapers running along a channel which accepts the debris from the collecting openings.

Abstract: A mobile piecing device is providing for an open-end spinning machine of the type which has a plurality of separate spinning assemblies each having a rotatable storage spool for storing yarn as it is spun. Preferred embodiments of the invention include an auxiliary spool driving wheel for driving the storage spool during piecing operations, as well as a pair of feeding rollers for feeding the yarn to the spinning rotor and back to the spool. In order to prevent/reduce the formation of a loop and kinking of the yarn during the acceleration phase after the initial piecing, due to the different inertia movements of the spool and the thread and feed rollers, preferred embodiments of the invention include supplemental control mechanisms for controlling the course of the yarn between the feed rollers and the spool. In certain preferred embodiments, the driving mechanism for the spool is adjusted to assure corresponding rapid acceleration of the greater inertia spool as for the feed rollers and returning thread.

Abstract: Open-end spinning machine apparatus is provided which includes a plurality of open-end spinning assemblies disposed adjacent one another and a mobile servicing device for selectively performing servicing operations at respective ones of the spinning assemblies. To accommodate precise alignment of servicing instruments of the mobile servicing device with the part or parts being operated on at the individual spinning assemblies, aligning elements are provided at and carried by the servicing instrument, which aligning elements are precisely positioned with respect to the respective servicing instruments, and are engageable with guide elements at the respective spinning assemblies to precisely locate the servicing instrument with respect to the parts being operated on.

Abstract: A mobile service device is provided for servicing spinning assemblies of an open-end spinning machine. The servicing device carries cleaning apparatus including a cleaning brush, a drive motor for rotatably driving the cleaning brush around its support shaft, and a selectively movable lever mechanism for moving the brush into and out of a penetrating position in a spinning rotor. Preferred embodiments of the invention include cleaning brushes having a diameter smaller than the open side of a spinning rotor to be cleaned, with the cleaning brush and its support shaft being carried by a crank mechanism for moving the shaft and brush in a circular motion so as to assure engagement of the brush with the yarn collecting groove in the spinning rotor being cleaned.

Abstract: An assembly is provided for detachably supporting an opener roll and supporting opener roll shaft at an open end spinning unit. The assembly includes a housing defining a cylindrical receptacle, a bearing sleeve attached to the opener roll shaft to be movable therewith as a unit, and being selectively lockable in the receptacle. To accommodate locking of the bearing sleeve in the cylindrical receptacle, a pressure piece which is movable radially into a recess in the receptacle to engage against the bearing sleeve is provided, along with an adjustable locking mechanism connected to the pressure piece for accommodating movement thereof between the respective locking and unlocking positions. In preferred embodiments, the locking mechanism includes a lever portion in the area adjacent the opener roll, which area is exposed when the opener roll is exposed, so that the locking mechanism can be easily released and the opener roll can be then easily removed along with the bearing sleeve from the receptacle.

Abstract: Bobbin exchange apparatus is provided for open-end spinning machines of the type having a plurality of spinning assemblies provided with respect to bobbin holders for holding bobbins to store thread. A depot device in the form of axially movable spring clamping jaws carried by a carrier rod extending along the length of the spinning machine is provided at each spinning assembly. To effect the ejection of a full bobbin from the bobbin holders and the insertion of an empty tube from the associated depot device, a mobile servicing device is provided which includes an empty tube engaging means for clampingly engaging an empty tube in the depot device and transferring the same to the bobbin holder with movement in a single plane.

Abstract: Open-end spinning machine apparatus is provided which includes a yarn measuring device at each of the individual spinning units for determining the transverse dimension of the running yarn produced at the spinning units. In addition, intermediate storage means are provided for electronically storing yarn measurement data at each of the individual spinning units. In order to process the yarn measurement data, a process computer is provided at a mobile servicing instrument which is selectively movable to respective servicing positions at the spinning units. The process computer and mobile servicing instrument also includes means for carrying out servicing operations at the respective spinning units in the event of detected yarn flaws or the like.

Abstract: A movable cleaning device is provided for cleaning the individual rotors on spinning assemblies of an open-end spinning machine. In order to accommodate cleaning of the rotors, with the rotor shafts being out of driving contact with their operational drives, the cleaning device is equipped with braking and/or driving means for controlling the rotational speed of the spinning rotor during cleaning operations. In this manner, cleaning elements such as rotary brushes, can be held in one position, while the relative rotational movement of the spinning rotor and the brush effects cleaning of the rotor. In certain preferred embodiments, the cleaning brush itself serves to impart rotational movement to the spinning rotor, with the drive for the brush being controllable so as to assure differential velocity of the brush and spinning rotor rotation.

Abstract: A mobile servicing device is provided for servicing spinning assemblies of an open-end spinning machine. The servicing device includes several cleaning elements carried on a drive member which is rotatably driven by a drive motor. The cleaning elements are selectively movable into and out of a penetrating position in a spinning rotor. The cleaning elements are connected to the drive member by way of spring members which accommodate radial movement of the cleaning elements during cleaning operations. In preferred embodiments, the cleaning elements are supported on leaf springs which permit movement of the cleaning elements in the radial direction in response to centrifugal forces during rotation of the drive member. Preferred embodiments also include vacuum means as well as cleaning nozzles, with the cleaning nozzles being carried by the rotatable drive member.

Abstract: Apparatus for accommodating changing of bobbins on open-end spinning machines. Spooling devices are provided for joining a thread reserve section and a starting winding to an empty spool tube which is to be inserted in place of a completed bobbin. The spooling devices are constructed to form a starting winding of sufficient length to form a plurality of one-time piecing operations at a spinning station. A spool transfer device is provided for transferring a prepared spool with starting winding and reserve thread section into a bobbin holder. In certain preferred embodiments the spooling device is carried on a movable unit which travels along the spinning stations and includes an auxiliary bobbin for supplying the reserve and starting winding thread section. In other preferred embodiments, the spooling device is provided separate from the movable unit along the spinning machine and includes apparatus for forming and storing a plurality of pre-prepared bobbins.

Abstract: Open-end spinning machine apparatus is provided which includes a spinning shaft with a spinning rotor at one end and a driving whorl at the other. A bearing assembly is provided including two sets of roller bearings spaced axially from one another and in bearing engagement with the spinning shaft. In order to accommodate replenishment of lubricant to the roller bearings during operation, an oil-feed device is provided which is responsive to the speed of the spinning shaft to supply oil thereto. In preferred embodiments, the oil-feed device includes an oil reservoir adjacent a sealing element which faces the spinning shaft, which sealing element is responsive to reduced pressure caused by rotation of the spinning shaft to supply oil thereto, with no oil being supplied with a stopped spinning shaft.