Abstract: There is disclosed a method for the adjustment of an optical row of sensors which, for guiding a driverless vehicle along an optical guideway, is secured at the vehicle transversly with respect to the vehicle travel direction. Known systems attempt to accomplish a compensation of component tolerances by carrying out an adjustment between the measurement signals of the sensors. However, this leads to inaccurate measurement values. A post-adjustment of a contrast value is not contemplated with these systems. The invention eliminates these inaccuracies and affords an exact post-adjustment. On the one hand, this is attained in that the sensors are adjusted by a calibration surface and the adjustment values for controlling the sensors are stored in an adjustment table. On the other hand, it is proposed to perform the adjustment operation at the site of use of the equipment and to provide an adaptive post-adjustment of the thus set adjustment table.

Abstract: The batt or sheet to be combed is unwound by rotation of a lap roller (1) from a lap disposed thereon. The batt goes from the lap roller (1) by way of the lap feed plate (13) to a feed cylinder (10) mounted in oscillating nippers (6, 8). The feed plate (13) is connected by way of its bottom edge to the oscillating nippers (6, 8) and by way of its top edge to an element (16) which is rigidly secured to the frame and disposed near the lap roller (1). The plate (13) is made of plastics and has a reduced thickness between the two edges in a linear bend zone (18) which is parallel to the edges. The bend zone (18) extends over the whole width of the plate (13) and acts as an articulation. The plate (13) is therefore simple and economical to produce. It requires no hinge between the two edges; also, it is of reduced weight.

Abstract: A carding machine comprises a main carding cylinder and parts which are adjustable relative thereto, such as a licker-in, a stationary flat, a revolving flat and a doffing cylinder, such parts preferably having a nominal spacing relative to the main carding cylinder. For checking a spacing, namely an existing spacing or an already adjusted spacing between the main carding cylinder and the aforesaid parts arranged opposite thereto, there is provided a sensor at at least one end or end portion of the main carding cylinder, but preferably at each one of the two ends or end portions thereof, such sensor or respective sensors being connected to an electronic evaluation unit by means of a coupling device.

Abstract: Two lap slivers lying one on top of the other are continuously fed to the combing tools in a plurality of combing heads of a combing machine. The first lap sliver comes from a first lap roll carried by a rear carrier device, and runs over a front carrier device. A second lap roll is carried on this, from which the second lap sliver emanates. A detector determines when the end of the lap sliver from the first lap roll is running out in one of the combing heads. A control unit then executes a lap roll change on several combing heads simultaneously as follows: The end of the first lap sliver is severed to the same length in all the combing heads. The cut-off pieces of the lap slivers and the winding tubes of the first lap rolls are removed. The second lap rolls are rolled on to the rear carrier devices. New lap rolls are so placed on the front carrier devices that the start of the lap sliver on these new rolls is aligned with the end of the first lap sliver.

Abstract: In the event of a yarn breakage the pressing roll of the inlet roll pair of a drafting arrangement is raised by a slubbing guide element from the inlet drafting roll or cylinder while simultaneously forming a clamping location for the slubbing or other fiber material.

Abstract: A rotational bearing arrangement for high speeds of rotation comprises a casing and a shaft mounted therein at a first ball bearing and a second ball bearing. At least the first ball bearing is a radial shoulder ball bearing. The first ball bearing has a first track formed on the shaft and a first outer race and the second ball bearing has a second track formed on the shaft and a second outer race. One coacting track and one outer race in combination form the ways for the balls of each associated ball bearing. The outer races are disposed in hollow substantially cylindrical seats formed by the casing. The first outer race when secured in its assembled state is disposed in a seat which constitutes a sliding seat, the seat dimensions being such that the outer race when introduced into but not secured in the seat can be reciprocated substantially effortlessly in axial direction.

Abstract: The method and apparatus for transmitting data are used in a manufacturing machine, particularly a yarn manufacturing machine containing a plurality of production stations, a plurality of associated monitoring locations, a plurality of respective monitoring sensors, and a central control unit. The central control unit applies to the monitoring locations a modulated supply voltage via a conductor common to all of the monitoring locations. The modulated supply voltage contains a plurality of sections each of which is associated with one of the plurality of monitoring locations. The associated section is identified at the monitoring location by counting from a starting point which is marked in the modulated supply voltage. At the occurrence of a predetermined event at respective ones of the plurality of monitoring locations, respective sections of the modulated supply voltage are marked. The marked sections as well as the respective monitoring locations are identified in the central control unit.

Abstract: There are disclosed one-piece chuck structures for use in winding machines and particularly, but not exclusively, for use in high speed winding machines for the take-up of synthetic plastics filament. These one-piece chuck structures comprise a first elongated tubular portion adapted to receive one or more bobbin tubes and a second elongated tubular portion integral with the first elongated tubular portion and of reduced external diameter relative thereto. Bearings cooperate with the exterior of the second elongated tubular portion such that the first elongated tubular portion and the second elongated tubular portion are rotatable about a common longitudinal axis. Also disclosed are hollow bobbin tube-engaging elements as well as double-arm tube-positioning members which can be used with such and other chuck structures.

Abstract: In a method and an apparatus for producing a yarn by means of friction spinning drums, a fiber sliver is transformed into a body of fibers and transferred to a first perforated friction spinning drum of such friction spinning drums. At this first perforated friction spinning drum, the fibers are entrained by a suction air stream, produced by a suction passage located in the first perforated friction spinning drum, and are then fed into a converging space formed by and between the friction spinning drums. In this converging space the fibers are twisted into a spun yarn. The spun yarn is withdrawn by withdrawal rollers located near end faces of the friction spinning drums. The suction air stream required for entraining or catching the fibers is limited by walls forming the suction passage. The advantage of this apparatus is that the fibers are mechanically guided over the whole length of their travel path, i.e. from the body of fibers to the twisted yarn. As a result, the fibers never swim freely.

Abstract: The method of forming an overwound thread transfer tail entails moving a thread guide carrier which supports a thread guide in a first direction against an abutment and permitting the thread guide carrier to recoil and thereby cause a return movement of the thread guide after striking said abutment. The apparatus for performing the method comprises a thread guide and a movable member movable in a predetermined direction and connected to the thread guide. An abutment serves for limiting movement of said movable member in such predetermined direction, and structure is provided for moving the movable member against the abutment in a manner such as to cause recoil of the movable member.

Abstract: A wind-up apparatus for forming laps comprises a first winding roller, a second winding roller, a lap bobbin tube and a plurality of, for instance four, calender rolls. The calender rolls serve for consolidating a fiber layer into a windable fiber web. Each calender roll of the predetermined number of calender rolls has a predetermined rest position and an operating position. A guide structure is provided for the calender rolls to enable the calender rolls to be movable within a given mobility range defined between the rest position and the operating position. The guide structure comprises force-producing elements for moving the calender rolls into the predetermined rest position thereof.

Abstract: Winding of threads into cross-wound packages is effected by a moving traverse mechanism of a main traverse mechanism by which the thread is laid on to the package. The thread runs in a preliminary traverse mechanism between two elongated guide members which form therebetween a gap. The thread extends transverse to the guide members. The thread is additionally influenced by the preliminary traverse mechanism by means of air streams flowing in the longitudinal direction of the gap, these air streams being controlled with respect to timing. In this way, the thread is relatively uniformly tensioned, so that the operation of laying the thread into the package can be performed by the main traverse mechanism with greater precision. In the preliminary traverse mechanism, the thread practically does not come into contact with any fixed components, since no such components are required for its guidance and within the gap the thread is located in a kind of air cushion.

Abstract: In order to start or recommence spinning of a yarn in a friction spinning device, the following method steps are carried out upon start-up of a new spinning operation or upon piecing after a thread break: fibers separated by an opening device are delivered by means of a fiber transporting passage to a rotating friction spinning drum and are twisted to form a twisted fiber structure; when the twisted fiber structure has substantially reached a predeterminate diameter or size, then the twisted fiber structure is transported by an airstream delivered by a pressure duct towards and into a guide tube and is forwarded therein into a convergent space of rotating withdrawal rolls; and the twisted fiber structure is caught at production speed by these withdrawal rolls and delivered on a divergent side of the withdrawal rolls to a receiving suction device which transfers the spun yarn subsequent to the twisted fiber structure to further processing elements.

Abstract: The apparatus for interlacing a multi-filament yarn within an interlacing passage comprises a body member containing at least one substantially spherical recess for receiving a substantially spherical air jet or blow nozzle element selectively movable in predetermined directions to provide two-dimensional adjustability thereof. Due to this selective movability of the substantially spherical air jet or blow nozzle element, there exists the possibility of controllably moving the air stream issuing from the air jet or blow nozzle element so as to interlace the filaments of the multi-filament yarn. The air stream can be moved within a predetermined operating range in order to thereby optimize the interlacing of the multi-filament yarn.

Abstract: The spinning device for open-end spinning contains a withdrawal nozzle with a substantially spiral-shaped bead or ridge as well as a twist blocking element or twist trap containing beads or ridges and provided in a thread withdrawal passage. The inclinations of the substantially spiral-shaped bead or ridge and of the beads or ridges in the withdrawal nozzle and in the withdrawal passage, respectively, substantially extend in the same direction or sense as the twist of the yarn. This device permits increasing the stability of the yarn, reducing the number of thread breakages and/or increasing the production rate. The yarn characteristics are less dependent upon the fiber material and the yarn type. In particular, the production of yarns with a soft handle is rendered possible at higher rotor speeds than heretofore possible.

Abstract: The controlled magnetic bearing arrangement supports a rotatable shaft and contains an electronic control circuit. The shaft is floatingly supported in the bearing arrangement by magnets controlled by the electronic control circuit and the stiffness of the shaft is thereby adjustable. The shaft may constitute a package support shaft in a winding device of a spinning machine and has a free end for permitting the axial exchange of bobbin tubes and packages. This arrangement provides the advantages of attaining very high rotational speeds for the package support shaft and the possibility of varying the stiffness of such package support shaft and thus the critical rotational speeds. The regions of the critical rotational speeds can be passed through in a safe manner.

Abstract: The thread winding machine comprises a rotatable chuck having a thread catching device adjacent to a location for a bobbin tube upon the chuck. A thread guide engages the thread and moves it axially of the chuck into the catching device at a first speed and then onto the bobbin tube location at a second, higher speed. An overwound thread reserve or transfer tail is formed by moving the thread guide against a resilient damper, causing it to stop and rebound.

Abstract: A wind-up apparatus for forming laps comprises a first winding roller, a second winding roller, a lap bobbin tube and a plurality of, for instance four, calender rolls. Each calender roll is movably mounted at each of its opposite ends by means of a spring pair receiving the calender roll. Each spring pair is fixedly connected at one end to a bearing member of the related calender roll and at its other end by means of a carrier to side walls of the wind-up apparatus. A piston of a pneumatic cylinder moves the calender rolls from a rest position, in which there is a spacing D between the calender rolls and a spacing E between the last calender roll and the first winding roller, into a working position in which the calender rolls are pressed against one another in the absence of an intervening fiber layer. The position of the calender rolls in their rest position is maintained by the spring pairs.

Abstract: The spinning device for open-end spinning comprises a withdrawal nozzle secured to a cover of a rotor housing for a spinning rotor and a nozzle body coacting with the withdrawal nozzle. The withdrawal nozzle and the nozzle body conjointly form a withdrawal passage or channel for the thread or the like produced by the spinning rotor. The cover is provided with a receiving socket which fixes the position of the nozzle body in radial direction, the nozzle body being inserted into the receiving socket. The nozzle body is pressed against the withdrawal nozzle by means of a manually-operable elastic device. The formation of the receiving socket permits insertion and removal of the nozzle body from the front side, that is from the service side of the spinning device. This provides the advantage of ready accessibility of the nozzle body and, in turn, thus affords easy replacement thereof. Replacement can be carried out without the use of tools.

Abstract: A ribbon lap unit contains support shafts for receiving and supporting a lap, a web transport means in the form of a web drafting mechanism, a web diverter, a diverter plate arrangement and a web collecting element. A web unrolled from the lap is fed through the web drafting mechanism and around the web diverter onto the diverter plate arrangement and thereafter onto the web collecting element. By means of the web diverter it is possible to arrange the diverter plate arrangement beneath the drafting mechanism. This, in turn, enables constructing a very compact machine.