Patents by Inventor Ulrich Wirtz

Ulrich Wirtz has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5896735
    Abstract: A method of producing a spinning cop in a pot spinning machine includes depositing yarn from a yarn guide onto an upper location of an interior of a spinning pot of the pot spinning machine to form an upper yarn deposit in the upper location; further depositing yarn from the yarn guide onto an area of the interior of the spinning pot spaced from the upper location to form a spinning cake spaced from the upper yarn deposit; and rewinding the spinning cake onto a tube to form a spinning cop and rewinding the upper yarn deposit onto the tube to form a top winding. Yarn forming the upper yarn deposit has a coarser yarn size than the yarn forming the spinning cake. During yarn deposit to form the upper yarn deposit the yarn guide is moved in one direction without traversing movement, and during yarn deposit to form the spinning cake the yarn guide is moved in one direction with traversing movement. Yarn windings are placed in parallel relation in the upper yarn deposit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1999
    Assignee: W. Schlafhorst AG & Co.
    Inventor: Ulrich Wirtz
  • Patent number: 5829706
    Abstract: A yarn end preparation device for a cheese-producing textile machine includes at least one preparation nozzle having a mouth. A clamping device and a cutting device manipulate a yarn to be prepared for a subsequent operation. The cutting device is disposed in the immediate vicinity of the mouth of the at least one preparation nozzle. An additional loop former is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1998
    Assignee: W. Schlafhorst AG & Co.
    Inventors: Siegfried Schatton, Ulrich Wirtz
  • Patent number: 5794867
    Abstract: At each work station of a textile machine producing wound bobbins, the yarn package on which yarn is wound is driven by a friction roller. In contrast to the conventional driving of the roller by a gear motor flanged to the housing of the work station, which has the disadvantage of requiring space and difficulty in removing and replacing the friction roller for maintenance, the present invention simplifies the friction roller drive by configuring the housing of the work station for the direct reception of the stator windings of the drive motor for the friction roller and mounting the friction roller and the rotor of the drive motor together on a continuous shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1998
    Assignee: W. Schlafhorst AG & Co.
    Inventors: Ferdinand-Josef Hermanns, Wilhelm Zitzen, Ulrich Wirtz
  • Patent number: 5651507
    Abstract: A yarn splicing device for textile winding machines comprises a splicer mechanism for pneumatically joining yarn ends, upper and lower clamping and cutting devices, and suction-actuated yarn placement devices for placing the yarn ends to be spliced. According to the invention, one yarn placement device is a gripper tube normally parked in a zero position upstream of the yarn travel. The gripper tube has a spring-biased, pivotable gripping flap and a yarn placement hook for simultaneously placing both the lower yarn and the upper yarn to be spliced. For that purpose, one of the gripper tube and gripper tube flap carries the yarn placement hook forwardly for manipulating the upper yarn and a yarn guide disposed between the yarn placement hook and the pivot axis of the flap for placing the lower yarn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 29, 1997
    Assignee: W. Schlafhorst AG & Co.
    Inventors: Herbert Ruskens, Leo Tholen, Siegfried Schatton, Ulrich Wirtz, Gregor Ruth, Joachim Stiller
  • Patent number: 5547137
    Abstract: A bobbin winding machine includes a multiplicity of winding stations for rewinding spinning cops. Each of the winding stations has a bobbin magazine for holding the cops and a bottle-like unwinding chamber having a bearing shaft and an arbor being pivotable about the bearing shaft. The unwinding chamber surrounds a cop being fixed on the arbor during unwinding. At least a portion of the unwinding chamber is formed by a cop chute being pivotable between a cop transfer position and an unwinding position. The unwinding chamber has a shell partly encompassing a cop during unwinding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 20, 1996
    Assignee: W. Schlafhorst AG & Co.
    Inventors: Gregor Ruth, Ulrich Wirtz, Leo Tholen
  • Patent number: 5484115
    Abstract: A pallet transport system for a textile machine producing wound yarn cheeses, in particular a winding machine, includes transverse transport tracks disposed between a cop supply track and an empty bobbin return track each transverse track having transport elements which are operated by reversible individual drives. The reversible individual drives can be controlled in a defined manner by the winding head computers of the respective winding heads (I, II, . . . , X, etc.) for improved transport of pallets within the transverse transport tracks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 16, 1996
    Assignee: W. Schlafhorst AG & Co.
    Inventor: Ulrich Wirtz
  • Patent number: 5484116
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for moving individual yarn ends into a yarn disposition at a yarn end joining device in a winding station of a bobbin winding machine includes moving individual in succession a yarn end from a delivery bobbin to the yarn end joining device, and a yarn end from a take-up bobbin to the yarn end joining device by a single yarn manipulator device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 16, 1996
    Assignee: W. Schlafhorst AG & Co.
    Inventors: Dieter Horak, Uwe Fabelje, Joachim Stiller, Dietmar Engelhardt, Norbert Corres, Petra Vautz, Arnold Muck, Ulrich Wirtz
  • Patent number: 5444633
    Abstract: An automatic textile machine includes a multiplicity of work stations each having its own work station electronics for controlling progress of work done at the work station. A method for detecting a position of a cop carrier carrying a textile cop in the vicinity of a work station includes evaluating mistuning of an oscillator circuit as information with a secondary coil disposed on the cop carrier; detecting the information transmitted by the cop carrier with a sensor device; carrying the information to the work station electronics; and processing the information with the work station electronics to initiate further operations. An apparatus for detecting the position of a cop carrier carrying a textile cop in the vicinity of one of the work stations includes a secondary coil disposed on the cop carrier, and a sensor disposed in the vicinity the winding station. The sensor is connected to the winding station electronics and detects information transmitted by the cop carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 22, 1995
    Assignee: W. Schlafhorst AG & Co.
    Inventors: Norbert Coenen, Ulrich Wirtz, Ferdinand-Josef Hermanns, Jurgen Breuer
  • Patent number: 5375691
    Abstract: A peg tray type carrier for transporting textile yarn tubes has a codable, readable and erasable electronic information carrying device such as a memory chip connected to a transmitting-receiving antenna arranged in the area of the central axis of the peg tray to achieve essentially the same effective contactless transmission interval to a compatible transmitting-receiving antenna of a reading, erasing and encoding device, which may be located for example stationarily along a peg tray transport conveyor, essentially without regard to the rotational disposition of the peg tray about its axis. Inductive, capacitive or electromagnetic forms of contactless coupling are possible for information transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1994
    Assignee: W. Schlafhorst AG & Co.
    Inventor: Ulrich Wirtz
  • Patent number: 5359160
    Abstract: A peg tray type carrier for transporting textile yarn tubes has a codable, readable and erasable electronic information carrying device such as a memory chip connected to a transmitting-receiving antenna arranged in the area of the central axis of the peg tray to achieve essentially the same effective contactless transmission interval to a compatible transmitting-receiving antenna of a reading, erasing and encoding device, which may be located for example stationarily along a peg tray transport conveyor, essentially without regard to the rotational disposition of the peg tray about its axis. Inductive, capacitive or electromagnetic forms of contactless coupling are possible for information transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1994
    Assignee: W. Schlafhorst AG & Co.
    Inventor: Ulrich Wirtz
  • Patent number: 5348221
    Abstract: A textile machine apparatus for handling tubes having remaining yarn thereon includes a branch path for supporting tube support members, which individually support tubes thereon, for travel to and from the discharge assembly of a textile winding machine. The tube handling apparatus also includes a sensor disposed along the discharge transport path of the tube support members from the winding stations of the textile winding machine for discriminating among tubes having no yarn thereon and tubes having remaining yarn thereon. A guide member is operatively connected to the discriminating sensor for guiding the tube support members supporting tubes having remaining yarn thereon onto the branch path for transport therealong to a tube stripping device, which strips the tubes of the remaining yarn. The stripped tubes are then returned to the discharge transport path at a location upstream of the discriminating sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 20, 1994
    Assignee: W. Schlafhorst & Co.
    Inventors: Hans Grecksch, Ulrich Wirtz, Helmut Kohlen, Paul Surkamp, Helmuth Hensen
  • Patent number: 5341549
    Abstract: An apparatus for removing yarn remnants from a cop tube, especially a cop tube located a caddy, includes a device for removing yarn remnants from the cop tube. An elastically deformable energy storing device is disposed in the vicinity of the bottom of the cop tube. A holder for the yarn remnant removing device is movable along the cop tube and toward the energy storing device for storing potential energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1994
    Assignee: W. Schlafhorst AG & Co.
    Inventors: Ulrich Wirtz, Hans Grecksch, Wolfgang Irmen, Helmuth Hensen, Walter Bohmer
  • Patent number: 5328110
    Abstract: A multistation automatic textile machine, such as a multi-position winder or spinning machine, having a passageway formed through the machine's end frame structure for accommodating a transport conveyor or other transport path for spinning bobbins and other strand-supporting tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 12, 1994
    Assignee: W. Schlafhorst AG & Co.
    Inventors: Ulrich Wirtz, Helmuth Hensen, Helmut Kohlen, Paul Surkamp, Hans Grecksch, Dietmar Engelhardt
  • Patent number: 5323979
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating an automatic bobbin winding machine, having a cop and tube transport system with a plurality of transport loops, which method makes the transport system usable for batch changing as well. According to the invention, when a batch of cops from a spinning machine runs out, i.e. when no further new cops are being delivered to the winding machine, the unwound tubes are carried in circulation in the transport system of the winding machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1994
    Assignee: W. Schlafhorst AG & Co.
    Inventors: Hans Grecksch, Ulrich Wirtz
  • Patent number: 5323660
    Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for use in classifying yarn package carrying tubes according to the amount of yarn, if any, thereon. The classifying apparatus includes a device for detecting the presence of yarn on a tube beyond a predetermined radial spacing from the axis of the tube. A device axially moves the detecting device relative to the tube during yarn detecting operation. A signal providing device is operatively connected to the detecting device for providing a signal in response to the commencement, the cessation, or the absence of detection of yarn by the detecting device. The signal providing device can also provide a signal to indicate both the commencement and the cessation of yarn detection. A device determines the axial location of the detecting device relative to the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1994
    Assignee: W. Schlafhorst AG & Co.
    Inventors: Ulrich Wirtz, Wolfgang Irmen
  • Patent number: 5301887
    Abstract: A heat sensor which detects the heat generated from sliding frictional contact with a traveling yarn in a textile machine and generates control signals therefrom for the controlling of a yarn winding operation. A temperature-sensitive electric resistor, especially a thin-layer resistor or a film thermometer, serves as the heat sensor. The heat sensor is connected e.g. via a signal converter to control devices, e.g. to a controllable yarn brake and/or to a drive motor for yarn take-up. When the measured temperature rises above a limit value, the braking force of the yarn brake can be first lowered and then the speed of the drive motor can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 12, 1994
    Assignee: W. Schlafhorst AG & Co.
    Inventors: Ulrich Wirtz, Andreas Kruger
  • Patent number: 5288030
    Abstract: A yarn end preparing apparatus is provided for drawing off a yarn end of a textile yarn package and thereafter rewinding the drawn out yarn end onto the yarn package at a preferred location thereon. The yarn preparing apparatus includes a suction housing supported on a pair of vertical guide rods for movement parallel to the axis of a yarn package to be prepared. A pair of linkage members, each comprising a conduit, are pivotably connected to one another with their respective conduits communicated with one another for applying suction through the conduits to the suction housing to thereby effect drawing in of a yarn end through a suction slot of the suction housing. A light beam emitting member is mounted forwardly of the suction slot for emitting a light beam detected by a light beam detecting member mounted on an opposite forward side of the suction slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 22, 1994
    Assignee: W. Schlafhorst AG & Co.
    Inventors: Ulrich Wirtz, Helmuth Hensen, Wolfgang Irmen, Paul Surkamp, Helmut Kohlen, Dietmar Engelhardt, Hans Grecksch
  • Patent number: 5275274
    Abstract: An apparatus for doffing textile bobbin tubes from tube support members having posts projecting therefrom for supporting tubes thereon as the tube support members are conveyed along a transport path by a transport device with the tube support members being slidably supported on the transport device to allow stoppage of a tube support member as a tube is doffed without deactivating the transport device is disclosed. The tube doffing apparatus comprises a pair of opposed tube engaging and doffing devices having tube engaging surfaces which may be conveyor belts with guide and support rollers straddling the path of posts of support members traveling along the transport path and extending away from the transport path in the general direction of projection of the support member posts. These devices are disposed for engaging a tube on a post of a support member supported on the transport path and thereby stopping the support member while removing the tube from the post.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 4, 1994
    Assignee: W. Schlafhorst AG & Co.
    Inventors: Manfred Anderheggen, Ulrich Wirtz
  • Patent number: 5212389
    Abstract: The presence of residual yarn on textile bobbins is recognized by a device capable of optically sensing and distinguishing yarn from a supporting bobbin or tube, which device is movable lengthwise along the bobbin or tube to perform a sensing operation. The sensing device includes a light source, a transmitter lens for focusing the light rays onto the surface of the bobbin, and a photooptic detector having a receiver lens for receiving the light rays reflected off the bobbin surface. The transmitter and receiver lenses have respective optical axes which, during sensing movement, are oriented to intersect one another at the bobbin surface, are oriented relative to the bobbin such that a line bisecting the axes deviates from a line intersecting the vertex of the axes perpendicular to the bobbin surface by at least ten degrees (10.degree.), and also lie in a common plane oriented at an angle of at least about ninety degrees (90.degree.) relative to the path of movement of the sensing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1993
    Assignee: W. Schlafhorst AG & Co.
    Inventor: Ulrich Wirtz
  • Patent number: 5106027
    Abstract: An apparatus for preparing an end of a strand of textile material built into a package includes a conduit for supporting the strand end during unwinding and a device for engaging the unwound strand end to apply yieldable resistance thereto in opposition to rewinding of the strand end onto the textile package. Additionally, the strand preparing apparatus preferably includes a conduit operatively connected to a suction source and having an opening, the conduit being disposed for applying suction through the opening to the package. A rewinding guide member is selectively positionable along the conduit opening for adjusting the relative position at which the unwound strand end exits the conduit during rewinding onto the package to thereby vary the predetermined axial location on the package onto which the strand end is rewound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1992
    Assignee: W. Schlafhorst AG & Co.
    Inventors: Ulrich Wirtz, Helmuth Hensen