US3726072A

US3726072A - Apparatus and method for interrupting textile yarn forming operations

Info

Publication number: US3726072A
Application number: US00201303A
Authority: US
Inventors: M Ford; C Lee
Original assignee: Parks Cramer Co
Current assignee: Parks Cramer Co
Priority date: 1971-11-23
Filing date: 1971-11-23
Publication date: 1973-04-10
Anticipated expiration: 1990-04-10
Also published as: GB1414798A; AR195890A1; ES437323A1; CH550264A; IT973685B; JPS49108329A; JPS572813B2; JPS4861740A; DE2257323A1; GB1414799A; FR2160960B1; JPS5535486B2; JPS5733370B2; ES409177A1; BR7208228D0; FR2160960A1; NL7215233A; CA966622A; JPS49108330A

Abstract

Normal feeding of supply strands into drafting systems of a textile yarn forming machine, for delivery as attenuated strands, is interrupted in response to breakage of the corresponding attenuated strands. Interruption of supply strand feeding is actuated by redirection of flowing air from a traveling pneumatic cleaner to impinge upon strand interrupting members and selectively displace those members from first positions to second positions in which corresponding supply strands are engaged and restrained against movement into corresponding drafting systems.

Description

0 United States Patent 1 [1111 3,726,072 Ford et al. Apr. 3, 1973 [541 APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR 3,388,544 6/1968 Hamel ..S7/8l T R I TEXTILE R 3,486,319 12/1969 Lee, Jr. et a1. ..57/34 R B1 II 3,498,039 3/1970 Kent et a1. ..57/34 R F0 NG OPERATIONS 3,523,413 8/1970 Ford et a]. 57/34 R Inventors: Ford Fitchburg Z6918 etal Charles Dixon Lee, Jr., Charlotte,

Pnmary Examiner-John Petrakes Attorney-Daniel E. McConnell et al. [73] Assignee: Parks-Cramer Company, Fitchburg,

- Mass. [57] ABSTRACT [22] Filed: Nov. 23, 1971 Normal feeding of supply strands into drafting systems of a textile yarn forming machine, for delivery as at- [211 Appl 201303 tenuated strands, is interrupted in response to breakage of the corresponding attenuated strands. In- 52 US. Cl .57/34 R, 57/83, 57/87, tempfim of Supply Strand feeding is actuated by 57/156 redirection of flowing air from a traveling pneumatic [51] Int Cl Dom 13/16 cleaner to impinge upon strand interrupting members 58 d 4 R 78 87 and selectively displace those members from first posi- 1 1e o are tions to second positions in which corresponding 57/156 supply strands are engaged and restrained against 6 f C movement into corresponding drafting systems.

5 Re erences ited 29 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/1943 Gill ..57/86 Fan l immmrmmlmlmmmnm.

PATENTEB APR 1 01975 SHEET H []F 6 APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR INTERRUPTING TEXTILE YARN FORMING OPERATIONS The quality of an end textile product is, to a significant degree, determined by the quality of the textile yarn forming operation. For this reason, among others, effort has been expended heretofore toward optimizing the machines and methods involved in forming textile yarn. The resultant improvements, have included vacuum end collection systems for taking up attenuated strands issuing from drafting systems upon the yarn normally formed from the attenuated strand being broken, traveling pneumatic cleaners for traversing textile yarn forming machines and directing flowing air currents to clean the machines, and monitoring arrangements for responding to breakage of yarns by indicating the location of a broken yarn and thereby redirecting the efforts of operators.

Effort toward continuing improvement has encountered certain difficulties and deficiencies which have heretofore appeared to be limiting factors. These difficulties and deficiencies have included the occurrence of lap-ups subsequent to breakage of attenuated strands issuing from the drafting systems of a textile yarn forming machine, wasting of stock prepared for yarn formation by delivery of the stock into the vacuum end collection system rather than as a yarn, and degradation of the quality of yarn produced due to reworking of waste material.

It is an object of this invention to facilitate improved efficiency in the production of textile yarn and to overcome difficulties and deficiencies which have heretofore been considered as limiting upon the potential for improvement. In realizing this object of the present invention, advantage is taken of methods and apparatus which have heretofore been developed and successfully applied, so that the further improvements contemplated by this invention are achieved in a manner compatible with prior practice and currently developing procedures. More particularly, supply strands normally received by the drafting systems of a textile yarn forming machine, to be drawn and delivered as attenuated strands, are engaged and restrained upon breakage of the corresponding yarn so as to be interrupted. Through interrupting delivery of the supply strands, lap-ups are reduced,.vacuum end collection waste is reduced, and both improved quality and greater efficiency may result. In a preferred embodiment for this invention, interruption of supply strands occurs in response to impingement of air flowing from a traveling pneumatic cleaner against a strand interrupting means, whereby traveling pneumatic cleaners of generally known configurations are made of still greater utility through the apparatus and method of this invention.

It is a further object of this invention to permit the management of a textile yarn producing mill greater flexibility of choice in seeking greater efficiency. In opening this flexibility, the present invention proposes a method in which breakage of attenuated strands issuing from drafting systems of a textile yarn forming machine is accomplished in response to a detector moving with a traveling unit-such as a traveling pneumatic cleaner. Upon detection of breakage of an attenuated strand issuing from a drafting system, a flow of air is redirected toward the corresponding drafting system, pivoting a strand interrupting member from a retracted position to a position intersecting a supply strand. The supply strand then enters into a cusp defined by the pivoted member, to be trapped and restrained therein. With the supply strand being restrained between the source of the strand and the drafting system, the strand is then pulled apart by the drafting system and its passage into the drafting system is interrupted. This method reduces vacuum end collection waste, reduces the possibility of lap-up and of waste resulting therefrom and accordingly may allow extended patrol cycles for operators and reduced handling of waste materials. Alternatively, operation in accordance with the method of this invention may permit elimination of operators heretofore assigned to patrol textile yarn forming machines and reestablish yarn production such as by piecing up of ends down, through the elimination of the possibility of damage otherwise potentially resulting from lapups. It is to be noted that operation under this latter no spinner concept improves the quality of yarn produced in that the yarn is free of piece ups and defective positions otherwise producing inferior yarn are not permitted to continue such production.

Yet a further object of this invention is to facilitate improved maintenance of textile yarn forming machines by identification of portions of the machines requiring preventive maintenance. In accordance with this object of the present invention, provision is made for a counter to be actuated on each occurrence of movement of each of a plurality of strand interrupting members. By thus identifiably accumulating occurrences of movement of the members over an interval of time, those members most frequently actuated may be discovered and maintenance procedures applied to correct the improper operation which causes improperly frequent breakage of the attenuated strand issuing from the corresponding drafting system.

Some of the objects and advantages of the invention having been stated, others will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is an end,elevation view, partially in section and partially broken away, of the combination of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the apparatus of FIG. 1, taken generally as indicated by the arrow 2 in FIG. 1;

FIG; 3 is an enlarged elevation view of a portion of the apparatus of FIG. I, particularly illustrating a roving feed stop member in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged elevation view of a portion of the structure of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, showing a roving feed stop member as moved to the position indicated in phantom lines in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a pair of roving feed stop members in accordance with this invention and as incorporated in the structure of FIGS. 1 through 5;

FIG. 7 is a plan view, partially in section, taken generally along the line 7-7 in FIG.6;

FIG. 8 is an elevation view, partially in section, taken generally along the line 8--8 in FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of elements of the arrangement illustrated in FIG. 6;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of one component of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view, partially in' phantom, of a portion of the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 12 is a view from below of a portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1, taken generally along the line 12ll2 in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 13 is a plan view of a portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1, taken generally along the line 13l3 in FIG. 1.

The apparatus and method of this invention will be described hereinafter with particular reference to the above identified drawings. At the outset, however, it is to be understood that the drawings and the following description are directed to a preferred embodiment for the present invention and are not to be considered as limiting the applicability of this invention. It is contemplated that the benefits and advantages of this invention may be realized through use of apparatus and methods which may differ to greater or lesser degrees from the specific preferred embodiment disclosed herein.

In the illustrated embodiment, at least one traveling unit generally indicated at is supported for traversing the yarn forming machine generally indicated at 21. In the specific apparatus chosen for illustration in the drawings, the traveling unit is a traveling pneumatic cleaner substantially identical to the fourth embodiment disclosed in the U. S. Pat. No. 3,304,571 issued on Feb. 21, 1967. As disclosed in that patent, the traveling cleaner is supported for movement along a track 22 extending above the textile machine 21. As further disclosed in the Patent, the traveling cleaner 20 includes drive means for driving it in movement along a track so as to traverse one or more yarn forming machines 21 automaticaly and at predetermined intervals. While such an arrangement is a conventional choice for a traveling pneumatic cleaner and a manner of supporting such a cleaner for traversing textile machines, it is to be understood that this choice has been made for puposes of illustration only. The present invention contemplates that the traveling unit of this invention or the manner in which the unit is supported and arranged for traversing a textile machine may be changed in varying ways, including limitation of the path of travel of a unit to traverse a single machine only.

As disclosed in the aforementioned patent, the traveling pneumatic cleaner 20 includes a fan impeller 24 and a fan drive motor (not shown) for driving the fan impeller in rotation. The fan impeller 24 is enclosed within an air flow housing 25 which, in the preferred embodiment as illustrated, is divided into a suction air flow portion and a blowing air flow portion. The blowing air flow portion of the fan housing 25 delivers flowing air through blowing sleeves 26, for the air flow to be directed against portions of the textile machine 21 for cleaning the textile machine. In the particular form illustrated, the traveling cleaner 20 has four depending sleeves including two blowing cleaning sleeves 26 and two suction cleaning sleeves 28. As so arranged, the traveling cleaner 20 services both sides of the textile machine 21 during each traverse thereof.

In the disclosure which follows, reference will be had to one side of the textile machine 21 and to portions of the traveling cleaner 20 which traverse the corresponding one side. It is to be understood that description of this invention in this context is intended only for purposes of simplifying this disclosure, as it is contemplated that both sides of the textile machine may be serviced simultaneously in accordance of the teachings of this invention. However, it is also contemplated that this disclosure may be used in conjunction with a traveling unit which services only one side of a textile machine at a time, alternating between the two sides or otherwise servicing the two sides in some prearranged sequence.

As is generally known to persons skilled in the textile arts, the textile machine 21 includes a plurality of drafting systems arranged in series along the machine. Typically, and as illustrated, such drafting systems include arrangements of paired

rolls

30, 31, 32 through which textile material passes to be drafted or attenuated. Each of the drafting systems normally receives at least one corresponding supply strand or roving R. While this invention is illustrated in connection with single roving drafting systems, it is contemplated as being equally applicable to double or mutliple roving systems. Conventionally, packages 34 of prepared roving are suspended in a creel section of the textile machine 21 and strands are led from respective ones of the packages 34 downwardly to be passed through trumpets 35 and introduced into a nip defined between the back drafting rolls 32. On passage through the drafting systems, the textile material is delivered from the front drafting rolls 30 as an attenuated strand S. The attenuated strand has twist inserted thereinto in a generally known manner in order to form yarn. In the event of breakage of the attenuated strand issuing from the drafting systems, textile material delivered through the delivery rolls 30 will enter a vacuum end collection nozzle 36, to be drawn into a waste collection chamber (not shown) adjacent one end of the textile machine 21. Such vacuum end collection systems are generally known to persons familiar with textile yarn forming machines and have been the subject matter of previously granted patents.

Mounted on the textile machine 21 are a plurality of roving feed stop members generally indicated at 38 and corresponding in number to the number of drafting systems, with each of the stop members 38 being mounted on the textile machine 21 adjacent a corresponding one drafting system. The stop members 38 are mounted for independent pivoting movement between a first position withdrawn from the corresponding supply strand R (as shown in FIG. 1 and in the full line position of FIG. 3) and a second position intersecting the supply strand (as shown in the phantom line position of FIG. 3). The feed stop members 38 are selectively actuable between the first and second positions by impingement of flowing air thereagainst and, with such actuation, engage and restrain the corresponding supply strand so as to thereby interrupt the passage of the restrained strand into the corresponding drafting system. In the particular embodiment illustrated, each stop member 38 has roving engaging

surfaces

39, 40 converging to define a cusp 41 into which the corresponding roving strand enters on movement of the stop member to the second position. In the particular form illustrated, the roving engaging

surfaces

39, 40 define the back or rear edges of a stop member target portion 42 serving an additional function of receiving impingement of flowing air which actuates the feed stop member 38.

In the particular embodiment illustrated, pairs of feed stop members 38 serving adjacent pairs of drafting systems are mounted by means of an intermediate bracket member 44 arranged to be disposed on the weighting system or roll stand of the textile machine 21. By modification of the bracket 44, the strand interrupting means of this invention, as provided by the stop members 38, may be readily adapted to a range of differing yarn forming machines while maintaining substantial standardization of the strand interrupting assembly. The adjacent pair of stop members 38 (FIGS. 2 and 6-9) are mounted for pivotal movement about respective stub shaft portions 45 extending from the bracket 44 and each penetrated by a threaded fastener such as a bolt 46. By such a mounting arrangement, each of the stop members 38 is freely and independently pivotable between the first and second positions described hereinabove (and illustrated by full and phantom lines in FIGS. 3 and 6). In order to accommodate movement of the stop members 38 with minimal application of effort thereto, and for other and further reasons to be described hereinafter, the stop members 38 preferably include flag portions 48 remote from the target portions 42 with a bore or hole 49 disposed medially of the length of the stop member receiving the stub shaft 45 and fastener 46. Desirably, the weight and balancing of the stop members 38 are arranged to be such that the stop member normally will rest in the first position described hereinabove but may be overbalanced to move toward the second position by a relatively small force imposed on the target portion 42 by impingement of an air flow thereagainst. It is contemplated that this action of the stop members 38 may be achieved when the member is either produced from light gauge sheet metal by conventional stamping and bending processes or produced from suitable plastics by injection molding or the like.

The present invention contemplates that counter means may be mounted from the bracket 44 for cooperating with the roving feed stop members 38. Such a counter means may incorporate a numbered wheel 50 mounted for rotation about the stub shaft portion 45. By the provision of a toothed face 51 on one side of the numbered wheel 50 and a cooperating pawl 52 carried with the stop member 38, the counter wheel 50 may be moved through a predetermined increment of rotation with each actuation of the corresponding feed stop member 38. In order to govern positioning of the wheel 50 at predetermined positions and to limit the extent of such rotational motion, a detent member 54 and shield member 55 are also mounted on the stub shaft portion 45. The detent member 54 has an inwardly projecting key 56 to lock the detent member against rotation relative to the stub shaft 45 and also has protruding detent surfaces 58 arranged to enter into dimples 59 formed in the face of the counter wheel 50 opposite the toothed face 51 (FIG. The shield member 55 has a similar inwardly projecting key member 60, to preclude rotation of the shield member 55 relative to the stub shaft 45, and is of less than fully annular configuration. By being of less than fully annular configuration, the shield member 55 defines a limited window or area of arcuate movement for engagement of the pawl 52 with the toothed face of the counter wheel 50. The are of engagement is coordinated with the number of dimples 59 formed in the counter wheel 50 and with the application of numerical markings to the circumferential face thereof so as to establish a predetermined number of incremental posi trons.

In the particular form illustrated, the counter wheel 50 has 12 incremental positions, indicated by numbers from zero to 11. By cooperation of the circumferential face of the counter wheel 50 with laterally projecting

tabs

61, 62 on the bracket 44, a selected one number is exposed to the view of an operator walking an aisle adjacent to textile machine 21 (FIG. 6). Where desired, selected portions of the circumferential face of the counter wheel 50 may be given distinctive colors, such as a green color for the arcuate portion for the numerals zero to five, a white portion for the numerals six to nine and a red portion for the numerals l0 and 11. Thus, an operator glancing at a drafting system location along with textile machine 21 could receive an immediate subjective impression of the general number of times that a corresponding roving feed stop member 38 had been actuated.

In connection with operation of the counter means, it is to be noted that the toothed face 51 of the counter wheel 50 is provided with a limited arcuate portion which is planar rather than toothed. This interrupted portion of the toothed face corresponds to positioning of the highest number for view by an operator. That is, as applied in the'specific embodiment illustrated, rotation of the counter wheel 50 would be interrupted following movement of the number 11 to position to be viewed between the

tabs

61, 62. By such provision, actuation of a corresponding roving feed stop member 38 for an excessive number of times does not bring about an incorrect lower number indication.

As pointed out briefly hereinabove, each of the roving feed stop members 38 includes a flag portion 48. As illustrated in FIGS. 3 through 6, the flag portion 48 is arrangedto be disposed in a relatively retracted position while the roving feed stop member 38 is in the first position (solid lines in FIGS. 3 and 6). As retracted, the flag portion 48 is generally aligned with those portions of the textile machine 21 which impose weighting forces on the upper rolls of the drafting system roll pairs 30, 31, 32 (known generally as the weighting systems). As thus disposed, the flag portions 48 are not specifically brought into the view of an operator standing adjacent one end of the textile machine 21 and looking down the aisle between adjacent machines toward the other end of the machine. However, with movement of the stop member 38 to the second position, the flag portion of 48 is disposed in an extended position (phantom lines in FIGS. 3 and 6) so as to be readily visible to an operator passing by an end of the machine 21. Thus, the flag portions 48 of the stop members 38 function to direct an operator to a drafting system at which supply strand interruption has occurred. Where such redirection of operator labor is not desirable or is unnecessary, counter balancing of the target portion 42 of the feed stop member 38 may be accomplished by a greater concentration of weight into a smaller area, rather than by the provision of a flag portion.

The illustrated embodiment of the present invention contemplates that the strand interrupting means including the stop members 38 be selectively actuable by impingement of flowing air thereagainst and that such flowing air impingement be achieved by redirecting a portion of flowing air delivered by a traveling cleaner to flow toward a selected one strand interrupting means. In the illustrated embodiment, redirection of flow and control over actuation of the strand interrupting means are accomplished by monitoring means including detectors moving with the traveling cleaner along the series of drafting systems for detecting breakage of the attenuated strands S issuing from the drafting systems and means in responsive thereto for directing a portion of the flowing air delivered by the traveling cleaner to flow toward the selected one of the strand interrupting means so as to actuate the selected one feed stop member 38 upon detection of breakage of the attenuated strand issuing from the corresponding one of the drafting systems. More particularly, the monitoring means includes a detector head 70 depending from the traveling cleaner so as to be disposed between the blowing and suction sleeve 26, 28 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 13). Preferably, suspension of the detector head 70 is accomplished by means of a depending elongate mounting member 71. By means of suitable electrical conductors enclosed within a flexible conduit 72 passing through the depending member 71, a suitable detection device (not shown) mounted within the head 70 is operatively connected with suitable circuitry for distinguishing between the presence and absence of attenuated strands S as the monitoring means moves along with the series of drafting systems. Detail disclosure of the various available forms of detection devices and means responsive to those detection devices will not be disclosed herein in great detail. Instead, the attention of interested persons is directed to applicable prior patents including U. S. Pat. No. 3,099,829; U. S. Pat. No. 3,523,413; U. S. Pat. No. 3,486,319; and the U.S. Pat. resulting from patent application 77.101 entitled Electric Circuit Means For Textile Strand Ends Down Detecting Apparatus. To the extent that the disclosures of these prior patents may be required for the purposes of fully understanding the disclosure herein made, these prior patent disclosures are hereby incorporated by reference into this disclosure.

As indicated with dash lines in FIGS. 1 and 13, the monitoring means of the present combination has a particular predetermined field of view indicated generally at 74 within which attenuated strands S issuing from the drafting systems are viewed. During movement of the monitoring means along the series of drafting systems, the corresponding series of attenuated strands are thus monitored in succession.

In order to assure that a selected one strand interrupting means corresponding to the drafting system at which attenuated strand might be broken is actuated, the illustrated embodiment of this invention includes air flow directing means generally indicated at 75 moving with the traveling cleaner 20 and related to the monitoring means in a particular predetermined manner. In particular, the air flow directing means 75 includes a valve casing 76 in the form of a hollow enclosure. Connected with the casing 76 and communicating with the interior thereof is an outlet nozzle 78 having a vertically elongated outlet slot 79 therein directed toward the textile machine 21. Mounted within the casing 76 is a valving member 80 (FIG. 11) movable under impetus provided by a rotary solenoid 81 between a flow blocking position (solid lines in FIG. 11) and a flow permitting position (phanton lines in FIG. 11). By means of a suitable flexible conduit 82 and the depending member 71, the interior of the valve casing 76 operatively communicates with the fan housing 25 of the traveling cleaner 20 to receive air flowing under impetus provided by the fan impeller 24.

By suitable operative interconnection of the solenoid 81 with circuitry responsive to the detection means mounted within the detector head 70, the rotary solenoid is energized with a pulse action upon a determination that an attenuated strand S is broken. Such energization of the solenoid 81 may be confirmed by observing an electrical lamp 83 connected therewith and mounted in the casing 76. Upon pulse energization of the solenoid 81, the valving member 80 is momentarily moved from the flow blocking to the flow permitting position, passing through the nozzle 78 and outlet slot 79 a mass of flowing air impelled by the fan impeller 24. Due to a slight trailing relation (FIG. 13) between the direction of the air bullet thus released and the field of view of the detection means (in the direction of the movement of the traveling cleaner 20), flow of the air toward the selected one of the strand interrupting means is assured. Typically, the interval of time within which the flow must be started and stopped, to actuate only one stop member 38, is approximately 1/5 second. FIG. 13 illustrates a circumstance in which the attenuated strand would have been broken at the location just traversed by the monitoring means and air flow directing means, with the corresponding stop member having been actuated in movement toward the second position. It is to be noted that the generally vertical extension of the opening 79 through which air flows toward .the strand interrupting means assures confinement of supply of relatively clean air. Air in the mill room in- I duced to flow through the traveling cleaner has lint and the like removed therefrom, to reduce the likelihood of stoppage of the air flow passages. Second, the large flow induced by the fan impeller 24, only a portion of which is redirected, permits use of such a large volume or mass of air as the air bullet that the opening 79 through which the air flows may berelatively large and sufficient momentum to actuate the stop members 38 may be developed without requiring high velocities. Accordingly there is no need for compressors to produce high pressure air and the difficulties of maintenance and reliable operation caused by compressors are avoided.

In practicing the method of this invention using the illustrated apparatus, each drafting system is monitored for breakage of the attenuated strand issuing therefrom as the traveling cleaner 20 moves along the track 22. in

9 a typical installation, each drafting system will be scanned once in each eight to ten minutes. Upon detection of breakage of the strand issuing from a drafting system, the corresponding stop member 38 is actuated by direction of a blast of air toward the target portion 42 thereof. The member 38 then falls toward the second position and intersects the supply strand R. With continuing movement of the supply strand R, the supply strand is drawn into the cusp 41 formed by the converging

surfaces

39, 40, so the supply strand is gripped and held adjacent the trumpet 35. The pull of the drafting rolls 30, 31, 32 then separates the supply strand between the rear-most pair of rolls 32 and the trumpet 35. The supply strand R continues to be held by the stop member 38 until an operator removes the roving from the cusp 41, resets the stop member 38 in the first position and rethreads roving into the drafting system in preparation to reinstituting the production of yarn at the drafting system. As described above, the flag portion 48 of the stop member 38 comes into ready view when the stop member is moved to the second position, and thereby serves as a signal to an operator to accommodate either assignment of an operator to patrolling in cross alleys or the use of power driven carts to speed up movement of operators within the mill room. Direction of operators by reliance on the flag portions will permit increased speed of movement of an operator on foot or on a cart and thereby increase the potential area covered by the operator by relieving the operator of the tedious task of closely examining attenuated strands to discover those which are broken. The number of times the stop member 38 has been actuated is recorded by the counter wheel 50 facilitating the identification of improperly operating portions of the textile machine 21.

As a result of this method of operation, vacuum end collection waste is reduced in that the supply strand R continues to feed for only a small portion of the time that the attenuated strand S may continue to be broken. With monitoring of attenuated strands every 8 minutes on an average, the supply strand will continue feeding only four minutes on an average after the attenuated strand is broken. With such reduction of vacuum end collection waste, the labor incidental to reworking such waste and the percentage of reprocessed stock included in the textile material being worked are reduced. Additionally, the longer that an attenuated strandis permitted to run into a vacuum end collection system, the greater the likelihood of a lapup of textile material about the drafting rolls. Promptly stopping the supply strand will substantially reduce the number and severity of lap-ups and thereby facilitate reduction in non-reworkable waste and damage to components of the textile machine. By identifying locations requiring corrective maintenance, the efficiency of maintenance workers will be improved at the same time that the machine operating condition and efficiency are also improved.

Operation in accordance with this invention is compatible with three distinct approaches to mill operation; namely, the continuation of existing practices in which operators known as spinners patrol preassigned paths adjacent a number of machines, the reassignment of operators to patrol on a random basis by observing the flag portions 48 of stop members 38, and the elimination of substantial operator time through adoption of a no-spinner concept. In this latter approach,

the supply strand R would be permitted to remain inte rrupted during the interval of time from actuation of the corresponding stop member 38 until removal of formed packages from the textile machine. Thus, the normal walking time of an operator assinged to spinning patrol duties would be eliminated. Further, the quality of yarn produced would be improved in that those defective positions most likely to result in the production of inferior yarn are also most likely to result in attenuated strand breakage early in the cycle of package forming. It is expected that a position which would otherwise repeatedly interrupt will be actuated only once during a cycle of package building with the total number of strand breakages thus being less than with an operator patrolling quite frequently. Finally, yarn produced under the no-spinner concept is free of slubs and the like otherwise possibly resulting from an operators repair or piecing up of a broken strand.

In the drawings and specification, there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

That which is claimed is:

1. In combination with a textile yarn forming machine having a plurality of drafting systems arranged in a series for normally receiving a corresponding series of supply strands and normally delivering a corresponding series of attenuated strands, apparatus for interrupting feeding of a supply strand upon breakage of a corresponding attenuated strand and comprising:

means for detecting breakage of the attenuated strands issuing from the drafting systems, strand interrupting means mounted adjacent each of said drafting systems and selectively actuable by impingement of flowing air thereagainst for engaging and restraining a corresponding supply strand and thereby for interrupting passage of the restrained supply strand into the corresponding drafting system,

traveling cleaner means traversing the machine for inducing flow of air against portions thereof and for thereby cleaning the machine, and

means moving with said traveling cleaner means and responsive to said detectingmeans for redirecting a portion of the air flow induced by said traveling cleaner means toward a selected one of said strand interrupting means and thereby for actuating said selected one strand interrupting means upon detection of breakage of the attenuated strand issuing from the corresponding one of said drafting systems.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising counter means operatively connected with said strand interrupting means and responsive to actuation thereof for identifiably accumulating occurrences of supply strand interruption over an interval of time and for thereby facilitating identification of portions of the yarn forming machine requiring corrective maintenance.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said strand interrupting means comprises a plurality of members corresponding in number to the number of said drafting systems, each of said members being mounted for independent pivoting movement between a first position withdrawn from engagement with the corresponding supply strand and a second position intersecting and engaging said supply strand.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein each of said pivoted members has strand engaging surfaces converging to define a cusp into which said corresponding supply strand enters on movement of said pivoted member to said second position.

5. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein each of said pivoted members has a flag portion arranged to be disposed in a retracted position while said pivoted member is in said first position and to be disposed in an extended position upon said pivoted member moving to said second position, said flag portion when in the extended position being readily visible to an operator passing by the yarn forming machine for thereby directing the operator to a drafting system at which supply strand interruption has occurred.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said traveling cleaner means comprises fan impeller means for inducing a flow of air and fan housing means enclosing said impeller means for directing the induced flow of air and further wherein said air flow directing means comprises conduit means operatively communicating with said fan housing means for withdrawing a flow of air therefrom and valve means disposed in said conduit means and operatively communicating with said detecting means for selectively opening said conduit means and permitting air flow therethrough.

7. In combination with a textile yarn spinning machine having a plurality of drafting systems arranged in a series for normally receiving a corresponding series of roving strands and delivering a corresponding series of attenuated strands, apparatus for stopping feeding of a roving strand to a drafting system in the event of breakage of the attenuated strand issuing therefrom and for facilitating identification of drafting systems in need of maintenance, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of roving feed stop members corresponding in number to the number of said draftingsystems, each of said stop members being mounted on said spinning machine adjacent a corresponding drafting system for independent pivoting movement between a first position withdrawn from engagement with the corresponding roving strand and a second position intersecting and engaging said corresponding roving strand and further having roving engaging surfaces converging to define a cusp into which said corresponding roving strand enters on movement of said stop member to said second position,

means responsive to movement of said stop members for identifiably accummulating over an interval of time occurrences of movement of each of said stop members to said second position,

traveling unit means traversing said spinning machine for periodically passing each of said drafting systems,

detecting means moving with said traveling unit means for monitoring breakage of the attenuated strands issuing from said drafting systems, and

means responsive to said detecting means and traversing said spinning machine for periodically passing each of said drafting systems and for remotely actuating said stop members, said remote actuation means being operable in response to detection of breakage of an attenuated strand issuing from one of said drafting systems for displacing the corresponding one of said stop members from said first position to said second position.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said movement responsive means comprises a plurality of individually actuable counter means corresponding in number to the number of said stop members, each of said counter means being mounted adjacent a corresponding one of said stop members and being responsive to movement thereof for identifying an occurrence of roving strand interruption by said one stop member.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein each of said counter means comprises a counter wheel member mounted for rotation and ratchet means for rotating said counter wheel member through a predetermined arc of rotation upon each occurrence of roving strand interruption by said one stop member.

10. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein each of said counter means comprises signaling means for indicating to an operator the relative number of occurrences of roving strand interruption accumulated over said interval of time.

11. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said travleing unit means comprises a pneumatic cleaner for cleaning said spining machine and further wherein said detecting means is mounted on and moves with said traveling cleaner for periodically passing each of said drafting systems.

12. In combination with a textile yarn spinning machine having a plurality of drafting systems arranged in a series for normally receiving a corresponding series of roving strands and normally delivering a corresponding series of attenuated strands, apparatus for interrupting feeding of a roving strand upon breakage of a corresponding attenuated strand and for facilitating identification of portions of the spinning machine in need of maintenance, the apparatus comprising:

means mounted adjacent each of said drafting systems and selectively actuable by impingement of flowing air thereagainst for engaging and restraining a corresponding roving strand, for interrupting passage of the restrained roving strand into the corresponding drafting system, and for identifiably accumulating occurrences of roving strand interruption over an interval of time,

means moving with said traveling cleaner means along the series of drafting systems for detecting breakage of the attenuated strands issuing from the drafting systems and for redirecting a portion of the flowing air delivered by said traveling cleaner means toward a selected one of said first named means and thereby for actuating said selected one means upon detection of breakage of the attenuated strand issuing from the corresponding one of said drafting systems.

13. In combination with a textile yarn forming machine having a plurality of drafting systems arranged in a series for normally receiving a corresponding series of supply strands and normally delivering a corresponding series of attenuated strands, apparatus for interrupting feeding of a supply strand upon breakage of a corresponding attenuated strand and comprising:

strand interrupting means mounted adjacent each of said drafting systems and selectively actuable by impingement of flowing air thereagainst for engaging and restraining a corresponding supply strand and thereby for interrupting passage of the restrained supply strand into the corresponding drafting system,

traveling cleaner means traversing the machine for directing flowing air against portions thereof and for thereby cleaning the machine,

monitoring means for detecting breakage of the attenuated strands issuing from the drafting systems and including detector means moving with said traveling cleaner means along the series of drafting systems, and

means moving with said traveling cleaner means and responsive to said monitoring means for directing a portion of the flowing air delivered by said traveling cleaner means to flow toward a selected one of said strand interrupting means and thereby for actuating said selected one strand interrupting means upon detection of breakage of the attenuated strand issuing from the corresponding one of said drafting systems.

14. Apparatus for interrupting feeding of a supply strand normally received by one of a plurality of drafting systems arranged in a series along a textile machine upon breakage of a corresponding attenuated strand delivered from the one drafting system and comprising: means for detecting breakage of the attenuated strands issuing from the drafting systems,

a plurality of strand interrupting means each selectively actuable by impingement of flowing air thereagainst for engaging and restraining a corresponding supply strand and thereby for interrupting passage of the restrained supply strand into the corresponding drafting system,

means moving with said traveling cleaner means and responsive to said detecting means for redirecting ing from the corresponding one of' said drafting systems.

15. Apparatus according to claim 14 further comprising counter means operatively connected with said strand interrupting means and responsive to actuation thereof for identifiably accumulating occurrences of supply strand interruption over an interval of time and for thereby facilitating identification of portions of the yarn forming machine requiring corrective maintenance.

16. Apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said traveling cleaner means comprises fan impeller means for inducing a flow of air and fan housing means enclosing said impeller means for directing the induced flow of air and further wherein said air flow directing means comprises conduit means operatively communicating with said fan housing means for withdrawing a flow of air therefrom and valve means disposed in said conduit means and operatively communicating with said detecting means for selectively opening said conduit means and permitting air flow therethrough.

17. Apparatus for stopping feeding of a roving strand to a drafting system of a textile yarn spinning machine in the event of breakage of the attenuated strand issuing therefrom and for facilitating identification of drafting systems in need of maintenance, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of roving feed stop members corresponding in number to the number of drafting systems along the spinning machine, each of said stop members being mounted for independent pivoting movement between a first position withdrawn from engagement with a corresponding roving strand and a second position intersecting and engaging said corresponding roving strand and further having roving engaging surfaces converging to define a cusp into which said corresponding roving strand enters on movement of said stop member to said second position,

traveling unit means traversing the spinning machine for periodically passing each of the drafting systems,

detecting means moving with said traveling unit means for monitoring breakage of the attenuated strands issuing from the drafting systems, and

means responsive to said detecting means and traversing said spinning machine for periodically passing each of the drafting systems and for remotely actuating said stop members, said remote actuation means being operable in response to detection of breakage of an attenuated strand issuing from one of the drafting systems for displacing the corresponding one of said stop members from said first position to said second position.

18. Apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said movement responsive means comprises a plurality of cleaning the spinning machine and further wherein said detecting means is mounted on and moves with said traveling cleaner for periodically passing each of the drafting systems.

20. Apparatus for interrupting feeding of a roving strand into a corresponding one of a plurality of drafting systems arranged in a series along a textile yarn spinning machine upon breakage of a corresponding attenuated strand normally delivered from the one drafting system and for facilitating identification of portions of the spinning machine in need of maintenance, the apparatus comprising:

means mounted adjacent each of the drafting systems and selectively actuable by impingement of flowing air thereagainst for engaging and restraining a corresponding roving strand, for interrupting passage of the restrained roving strand into the corresponding drafting system, and for identifiably accumulating occurrences of roving strand interruption over an interval of time,

means moving with said traveling cleaner means along the series of drafting systems for detecting breakage of the attenuated strands issuing from the drafting systemsand for redirecting a portion of the flowing air delivered by said traveling cleaner means toward a selected one of'said first named means and thereby for actuating said selected one means upon detection of breakage of the attenuated strand issuing from the corresponding one of said drafting systems.

21. In the formation of a series of attenuated strands from a corresponding series of supply strands by passing each of the supply strands into a corresponding one of a plurality of drafting systems arranged in a series along a textile yarn forming machine, a method of interrupting a supply strand upon breakage of a corresponding attenuated strand and comprising the steps of:

moving an attenuated strand detector along the series of drafting systems while monitoring breakage of the attenuated strands issuing from the drafting systems,

inducing flow of air and traveling an induced flowing stream of air along the textile yarn forming machine while directing the flowing air thereagainst and cleaning the machine,

responding to monitored breakage of an attenuated strand issuing from a drafting system by redirecting a portion of the induced flowing stream of air toward a corresponding one of a plurality of strand interrupting members each mounted adjacent one of the drafting systems and thereby actuating the selected one strand interrupting member to engage and restrain the corresponding supply strand, and interrupting passage of the restrained supply strand into the corresponding drafting system.

22. A method according to claim 21 further comprising the step of identifiably accummulating occurrences of supply strand interruption over an interval of time so as to facilitate identification of a portion of the yarn forming machine requiring corrective maintenace.

23. A method according to claim 21 wherein the actuation of the supply strand interrupting member comprises pivoting the selected member from a first position withdrawn from engagement with the corresponding supply strand to a second position intersecting and engaging the supply strand.

24. A method according to claim 23 wherein the step of restraining the supply strand comprises entrapping the supply strand within a cusp defined by strand engaging surfaces'of the pivoted member as the member moves to said second position.

25. A method according to claim 23 further comprising directing the attention of an operator to a drafting system at which supply strand interruption has 'occurred by moving a flag portion of the pivoted member at an extended position upon said pivoted member moving to said second position.

26. A method according to claim 21 wherein the induction of a flow of air includes impelling flow through a a fan housing and further wherein the redirection 0 portion of the air flow comprises responding to detection of a broken attenuated strand by selectively withdrawing a flow of air from the fan housing.

27. A method of interrupting roving strands normally passing into a plurality of drafting systems arranged in a series along a textile yarn spinning machine upon breakage of corresponding delivered by the drafting systems, the method comprising the steps of:

monitoring breakage of the attenuated strands issuing from the drafting systems, responding to monitored breakage of an attenuated strand issuing from a drafting system by pivoting a corresponding one of a plurality of strand interrupting members from a first position withdrawn from engagement with the corresponding roving strand toward a second position intersecting and engaging the corresponding roving strand,

entrapping the roving strand within a cusp defined by strand engaging surfaces of the pivoted member as the member moves to the second position,

restraining the engaged roving strand and interrupting passage thereof into the corresponding drafting system, and

identifiably accumulating occurrences of roving strand interruption over an interval of time.

28. A method according to claim 27 wherein the identifiable accumulation comprises counting each occurrence of movement of each pivoted member from the first position to the second position.

29. A method of interrupting roving strands normally passing into a plurality of drafting systems arranged in a series along a textile yarn spinning machine upon breakage of attenuated strands delivered by the drafting systems, the method comprising the steps of:

traveling a detector along the spinning machine and successively monitoring with the detector the series of attenuated strands issuing from the drafting systems,

traveling a flowing stream of air along the spinning machine and redirecting a portion of the air flow in response to monitored breakage of an attenuated strand issuing from drafting system to pivot a corresponding one of a plurality of strand interrupting members from a first position withdrawn from engagement with the corresponding roving strand toward a second position intersecting and engaging the corresponding roving strand,

entrapping the roving strand between strand engaging surfaces of the pivoted member as the member moves to the second position, restraining the engaged roving strand and interrupting passage thereof into the corresponding drafting system, and identifiably accumulating occurrences of roving strand interruption over an interval of time.

attenuated strands

Claims

1. Mounted within the casing 76 is a valving member 80 (FIG. 11) movable under impetus provided by a rotary solenoid 81 between a flow blocking position (solid lines in FIG. 11) and a flow permitting position (phanton lines in FIG. 11). By means of a suitable flexible conduit 82 and the depending member 71, the interior of the valve casing 76 operatively communicates with the fan housing 25 of the traveling cleaner 20 to receive air flowing under impetus provided by the fan impeller 24. By suitable operative interconnection of the solenoid 81 with circuitry responsive to the detection means mounted within the detector head 70, the rotary solenoid is energized with a pulse action upon a determination that an attenuated strand S is broken. Such energization of the solenoid 81 may be confirmed by observing an electrical lamp 83 connected therewith and mounted in the casing 76. Upon pulse energization of the solenoid 81, the valving member 80 is momentarily moved from the flow blocking to the flow permitting position, passing through the nozzle 78 and outlet slot 79 a mass of flowing air impelled by the fan impeller

7. In combination with a textile yarn spinning machine having a plurality of drafting systems arranged in a series for normally receiving a corresponding series of roving strands and delivering a corresponding series of attenuated strands, apparatus for stopping feeding of a roving strand to a drafting system in the event of breakage of the attenuated strand issuing therefrom and for facilitating identification of drafting systems in need of maintenance, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of roving feed stop members corresponding in number to the number of said drafting systems, each of said stop members being mounted on said spinning machine adjacent a corresponding drafting system for independent pivoting movement between a first position withdrawn from engagement with the corresponding roving strand and a second position intersecting and engaging said corresponding roving strand and further having roving engaging surfaces converging to define a cusp into which said corresponding roving strand enters on movement of said stop member to said second position, means responsive to movement of said stop members for identifiably accummulating over an interval of time occurrences of movement of each of said stop members to said second position, traveling unit means traversing said spinning machine for periodically passing each of said drafting systems, detecting means moving with said traveling unit means for monitoring breakage of the attenuated strands issuing from said drafting systems, and means responsive to said detecting means and traversing said spinning machine for periodically passing each of said drafting systems and for remotely actuating said stop members, said remote actuation means being operable in response to detection of breakage of an attenuated strand issuing from one of said drafting systems for displacing the corresponding one of said stop members from said first position to said second position.

12. In combination with a textile yarn spinning machine having a plurality of drafting systems arranged in a series for normally receiving a corresponding series of roving strands and normally delivering a corresponding series of attenuated strands, apparatus for interrupting feeding of a roving strand upon breakage of a corresponding attenuated strand and for facilitating identification of portions of the spinning machine in need of maintenance, the apparatus comprising: means mounted adjacent each of said drafting systems and selectively actuable by impingement of flowing air thereagainst for engaging and restraining a corresponding roving strand, for interrupting passage of the restrained roving strand into the corresponding drafting system, and for identifiably accumulating occurrences of roving strand interruption over an interval of time, traveling cleaner means traversing the machine for inducing flow of air against portions thereof and for thereby cleaning the machine, and means moving with said traveling cleaner means along the series of drafting systems for detecting breakage of the attenuated strands issuing from the drafting systems and for redirecting a portion of the flowing air delivered by said traveling cleaner means toward a selected one of said first named means and thereby for actuating said selected one means upon detection of breakage of the attenuated strand issuing from the corresponding one of said drafting systems.

13. In combination with a textile yarn forming machine having a plurality of drafting systems arranged in a series for normally receiving a corresponding series of supply strands and normally delivering a corresponding series of attenuated strands, apparatus for interrupting feeding of a supply strand upon breakage of a corresponding attenuated strand and comprising: strand interrupting means mounted adjacent each of said drafting systems and selectively actuable by impingement of flowing air thereagainst for engaging and restraining a corresponding supply strand and thereby for interrupting passage of the restrained supply strand into the corresponding drafting system, traveling cleaner means traversing the machine for directing flowing air against portions thereof and for thereby cleaning the machine, monitoring means for detecting breakage of the attenuated strands issuing from the drafting systems and including detector means moving with said traveling cleaner means along the series of drafting systems, and means moving with said traveling cleaner means and responsive to said monitoring means for directing a portion of the flowing air delivered by said traveling cleaner means to flow toward a selected one of said strand interrupting means and thereby for actuating said selected one strand interrupting means upon detection of breakage of the attenuated strand issuing from the corresponding one of said drafting systems.

14. Apparatus for interrupting feeding of a supply strand normally received by one of a plurality of drafting systems arranged in a series along a textile machine upon breakage of a corresponding attenuated strand delivered from the one drafting system and comprising: means for detecting breakage of the attenuated strands issuing from the drafting systems, a plurality of strand interrupting means each selectively actuable by impingement of flowing air thereagainst for engaging and restraining a corresponding supply strand and thereby for interrupting passage of the restrained supply strand into the corresponding drafting system, traveling cleaner means traversing the machine for inducing flow of air against portions thereof and for thereby cleaning the machine, and means moving with saId traveling cleaner means and responsive to said detecting means for redirecting a portion of the air flow induced by said traveling cleaner means toward a selected one of said strand interrupting means and thereby for actuating said selected one strand interrupting means upon detection of breakage of the attenuated strand issuing from the corresponding one of said drafting systems.

17. Apparatus for stopping feeding of a roving strand to a drafting system of a textile yarn spinning machine in the event of breakage of the attenuated strand issuing therefrom and for facilitating identification of drafting systems in need of maintenance, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of roving feed stop members corresponding in number to the number of drafting systems along the spinning machine, each of saidstop members being mounted for independent pivoting movement between a first position withdrawn from engagement with a corresponding roving strand and a second position intersecting and engaging said corresponding roving strand and further having roving engaging surfaces converging to define a cusp into which saidcorresponding roving strand enters on movement of said stop member to said second position, means responsive to movement of saidstop members for identifiably accummulating over an interval of time occurrences of movement of eaCh of said stop members to said second position, traveling unit means traversing the spinning machine for periodically passing each of the drafting systems, detecting means moving with said traveling unit means for monitoring breakage of the attenuated strands issuing from the drafting systems, and means responsive to said detecting means and traversing saidspinning machine for periodically passing each of the drafting systems and for remotely actuating said stop members, said remote actuation means being attenuated strand issuing from one of the drafting systems for displacing the corresponding one of said stop members from said first position to said second position.

17. Apparatus for stopping feeding of a roving strand to a drafting system of a textile yarn spinning machine in the event of breakage of the attenuated strand issuing therefrom and for facilitating identification of drafting systems in need of maintenance, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of roving feed stop members corresponding in number to the number of drafting systems along the spinning machine, each of said stop members being mounted for independent pivoting movement between a first position withdrawn from engagement with a corresponding roving strand and a second position intersecting and engaging said corresponding roving strand and further having roving engaging surfaces converging to define a cusp into which said corresponding roving strand enters on movement of said stop member to said second position, means responsive to movement of said stop members for identifiably accummulating over an interval of time occurrences of movement of each of said stop members to said second position, traveling unit means traversing the spinning machine for periodically passing each of the drafting systems, detecting means moving with said traveling unit means for monitoring breakage of the attenuated strands issuing from the drafting systems, and means responsive to said detecting means and traversing said spinning machine for periodically passing each of the drafting systems and for remotely actuating said stop members, said remote actuation means being operable in response to detection of breakage of an attenuated strand issuing from one of the drafting systems for displacing the corresponding one of said stop members from said first position to said second position.

18. Apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said movement responsive means comprises a plurality of individually actuable counter means corresponding in number to the number of said stop members, each of said counter means being mounted adjacent a corresponding one of said stop members and being responsive to movement thereof for identifying an occurrence of roving strand interruption by said one stop member.

18. Apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said movement responsive means comprises a plurality of individually actuable counter means corresponding in number to the number of said stop members, each of said counter means being mounted adjacent a corresponding one of said stop members and being responive to movement thereof for identifying an occurrence of roving strand interruption by said one stop member.

19. Apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said traveling unit means comprises a pneumatic cleaner for cleaning the spinning machine and further wherein said detecting means is mounted on and moves with said traveling cleaner for periodically passing each of the drafting systems.

20. Apparatus for interrupting feeding of a roving strand into a corresponding one of a plurality of drafting systems arranged in a series along a textile yarn spinning machine upon breakage of a corresponding attenuated strand normally delivered from the one drafting syStem and for facilitating identification of portions of the spinning machine in need of maintenance, the apparatus comprising: means mounted adjacent each of the drafting systems and selectively actuable by impingement of flowing air thereagainst for engaging and restraining a corresponding roving strand, for interrupting passage of the restrained roving strand into the corresponding drafting system, and for identifiably accumulating occurrences of roving strand interruption over an interval of time, traveling cleaner means traversing the machine for inducing flow of air against portions thereof and for thereby cleaning the machine, and means moving with said traveling cleaner means along the series of drafting systems for detecting breakage of the attenuated strands issuing from the drafting systems and for redirecting a portion of the flowing air delivered by said traveling cleaner means toward a selected one of said first named means and thereby for actuating said selected one means upon detection of breakage of the attenuated strand issuing from the corresponding one of said drafting systems.

20. Apparatus for interrupting feeding of a roving strand into a corresponding one of a plurality of drafting systems arranged in a series along a textile yarn spinning machine upon breakage of a corresponding attenuated strand normally delivered from the one drafting system and for facilitating identification of portions of the spinning machine in needof mainenance, the apparatus comprising: s means mounted adjacent each of the drafting systems and selectively actuable by impingement of flowing air thereagainst for engaging and restraining a corresponding roving strand, for interrupting passage of the restrained roving strand into the corresponding drafting system, and for identifiably accumulating occurrences of roving strand interruption over an interval of time, traveling cleaner means traversing the machine for inducing flow of air against portions thereof and for thereby cleaning the machine, and means moving with said traveling cleaner means along the series of drafting systems for detecting breakage of the attenuated strands issuing from the drafting systems and for redirecting a portion of the flowing air delivered by said traveling cleaner means toward a selected one of said first named means and thereby for actuating said selected one means upon detection of breakage of the attenuated strand issuing from the corresponding one of saiddrafting systems.

21. In the formation of a series of attenuated strands from a corresponding series of supply strands by passing each of the supply strands into a corresponding one of a plurality of drafting systems arranged in a series along a textile yarn forming machine, a method of interrupting a supply strand upon breakage of a corresponding attenuated strand and comprising the steps of: moving an attenuated strand detector along the series of drafting systems while monitoring breakage of the attenuated strands issuing from the drafting systems, inducing flow of air and traveling an induced flowing stream of air along the textile yarn forming machine while directing the flowing air thereagainst and cleaning the machine, responding to monitored breakage of an attenuated strand issuing from a drafting system by redirecting a portion of the induced flowing stream of air toward a corresponding one of a plurality of strand interrupting members each mounted adjacent one of the drafting systems and thereby actuating the selected one strand interrupting member to engage and restrain the corresponding supply strand, and interrupting passage of the restrained supply strand into the corresponding drafting system.

22. A methoD according to claim 21 further comprising the step of identifiably accummulating occurrences of supply strand interruption over an interval of time so as to facilitate identification of a portion of the yarn forming machine requiring corrective mainenance.

24. A method according to claim 23 wherein the step of restraining the supply strand comprises entrapping the supply strand within a cusp defined by strand engaging surfaces of the pivoted member as the member moves to said second position.

24. Due to a slight trailing relation (FIG. 13) between the direction of the ''''air bullet'''' thus released and the field of view of the detection means (in the direction of the movement of the traveling cleaner 20), flow of the air toward the selected one of the strand interrupting means is assured. Typically, the interval of time within which the flow must be started and stopped, to actuate only one stop member 38, is approximately 1/5 second. FIG. 13 illustrates a circumstance in which the attenuated strand would have been broken at the location just traversed by the monitoring means and air flow directing means, with the corresponding stop member having been actuated in movement toward the second position. It is to be noted that the generally vertical extension of the opening 79 through which air flows toward the strand interrupting means assures confinement of the flow to a relatively narrow field and thereby facilitates actuation of only a selected one strand interrupting means. Further, such actuation occurs even in the event that operators or equipment such as bobbin boxes left in the aisle adjacent the textile machine 21 may cause some vertical osillatory movement of the depending valve casing 76 and detector head 70. Such redirection of air flow induced by the traveling cleaner 20 uses to advantage several characteristics of the combination of this invention. First, the traveling cleaner 20 serves as a source of a relatively unlimited supply of relatively clean air. Air in the mill rOom induced to flow through the traveling cleaner has lint and the like removed therefrom, to reduce the likelihood of stoppage of the air flow passages. Second, the large flow induced by the fan impeller 24, only a portion of which is redirected, permits use of such a large volume or mass of air as the ''''air bullet'''' that the opening 79 through which the air flows may be relatively large and sufficient momentum to actuate the stop members 38 may be developed without requiring high velocities. Accordingly there is no need for compressors to produce high pressure air and the difficulties of maintenance and reliable operation caused by compressors are avoided. In practicing the method of this invention using the illustrated apparatus, each drafting system is monitored for breakage of the attenuated strand issuing therefrom as the traveling cleaner 20 moves along the track 22. In a typical installation, each drafting system will be scanned once in each eight to ten minutes. Upon detection of breakage of the strand issuing from a drafting system, the corresponding stop member 38 is actuated by direction of a blast of air toward the target portion 42 thereof. The member 38 then falls toward the second position and intersects the supply strand R. With continuing movement of the supply strand R, the supply strand is drawn into the cusp 41 formed by the converging surfaces 39, 40, so the supply strand is gripped and held adjacent the trumpet 35. The pull of the drafting rolls 30, 31, 32 then separates the supply strand between the rear-most pair of rolls 32 and the trumpet 35. The supply strand R continues to be held by the stop member 38 until an operator removes the roving from the cusp 41, resets the stop member 38 in the first position and rethreads roving into the drafting system in preparation to reinstituting the production of yarn at the drafting system. As described above, the flag portion 48 of the stop member 38 comes into ready view when the stop member is moved to the second position, and thereby serves as a signal to an operator to accommodate either assignment of an operator to patrolling in cross alleys or the use of power driven carts to speed up movement of operators within the mill room. Direction of operators by reliance on the flag portions will permit increased speed of movement of an operator on foot or on a cart and thereby increase the potential area covered by the operator by relieving the operator of the tedious task of closely examining attenuated strands to discover those which are broken. The number of times the stop member 38 has been actuated is recorded by the counter wheel 50 facilitating the identification of improperly operating portions of the textile machine 21. As a result of this method of operation, vacuum end collection waste is reduced in that the supply strand R continues to feed for only a small portion of the time that the attenuated strand S may continue to be broken. With monitoring of attenuated strands every 8 minutes on an average, the supply strand will continue feeding only four minutes on an average after the attenuated strand is broken. With such reduction of vacuum end collection waste, the labor incidental to reworking such waste and the percentage of reprocessed stock included in the textile material being worked are reduced. Additionally, the longer that an attenuated strand is permitted to run into a vacuum end collection system, the greater the likelihood of a lapup of textile material about the drafting rolls. Promptly stopping the supply strand will substantially reduce the number and severity of lap-ups and thereby facilitate reduction in non-reworkable waste and damage to components of the textile machine. By identifying locations requiring corrective maintenance, the efficiency of maintenance workers will be improved at the same time that the machine operating condition and efficiency are also improved. Operation in accordance with this invention is compatible with three distinct approaches to mill operation; namely, the continuation of existing practices in which operators known as ''''spinners'''' patrol preassigned paths adjacent a number of machines, the reassignment of operators to patrol on a random basis by observing the flag portions 48 of stop members 38, and the elimination of substantial operator time through adoption of a ''''no-spinner'''' concept. In this latter approach, the supply strand R would be permitted to remain interrupted during the interval of time from actuation of the corresponding stop member 38 until removal of formed packages from the textile machine. Thus, the normal walking time of an operator assinged to spinning patrol duties would be eliminated. Further, the quality of yarn produced would be improved in that those defective positions most likely to result in the production of inferior yarn are also most likely to result in attenuated strand breakage early in the cycle of package forming. It is expected that a position which would otherwise repeatedly interrupt will be actuated only once during a cycle of package building with the total number of strand breakages thus being less than with an operator patrolling quite frequently. Finally, yarn produced under the ''''no-spinner'''' concept is free of slubs and the like otherwise possibly resulting from an operator''s repair or piecing up of a broken strand. In the drawings and specification, there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. rThat which is claimed is:

24. Due to a slight trailing relation (FIG. 13) between the direction of the ''''air bullet'''' thus released and the field of view of the detection means (in the direction of the movement of the traveling cleaner 20), flow of the air toward the selected one of the strand interrupting means is assured. Typically, the interval of time within which the flow must be started and stopped, to actuate only one stop member 38, is approximately 1/5 second. FIG. 13 illustrates a circumstance in which the attenuated strand would have been broken at the location just traversed by the monitoring means and air flow directing means, with the corresponding stop member having been actuated in movement toward the second position. It is to be noted that the generally vertical extension of the opening 79 through which air flows toward the strand interrupting means assures confinement of the flow to a relatively narrow field and thereby facilitates actuation of only a selected one strand interrupting means. Further, such actuation occurs even in the event that operators or equipment such as bobbin boxes left in the aisle adjacent the textile machine 21 may cause some vertical osillatory movement of the depending valve casing 76 and detector head 70. Such redirection of air flow induced by the traveling cleaner 20 uses to advantage several characteristics of the combination of this invention. First, the traveling cleaner 20 serves as a source of a relatively unlimited supply of relatively clean air. Air in the mill rOom induced to flow through the traveling cleaner has lint and the like removed therefrom, to reduce the likelihood of stoppage of the air flow passages. Second, the large flow induced by the fan impeller 24, only a portion of which is redirected, permits use of such a large volume or mass of air as the ''''air bullet'''' that the opening 79 through which the air flows may be relatively large and sufficient momentum to actuate the stop members 38 may be developed without requiring high velocities. Accordingly there is no need for compressors to produce high pressure air and the difficulties of maintenance and reliable operation caused by compressors are avoided. In practicing the method of this invention using the illustrated apparatus, each drafting system is monitored for breakage of the attenuated strand issuing therefrom as the traveling cleaner 20 moves along the track 22. In a typical installation, each drafting system will be scanned once in each eight to ten minutes. Upon detection of breakage of the strand issuing from a drafting system, the corresponding stop member 38 is actuated by direction of a blast of air toward the target portion 42 thereof. The member 38 then falls toward the second position and intersects the supply strand R. With continuing movement of the supply strand R, the supply strand is drawn into the cusp 41 formed by the converging surfaces 39, 40, so the supply strand is gripped and held adjacent the trumpet 35. The pull of the drafting rolls 30, 31, 32 then separates the supply strand between the rear-most pair of rolls 32 and the trumpet 35. The supply strand R continues to be held by the stop member 38 until an operator removes the roving from the cusp 41, resets the stop member 38 in the first position and rethreads roving into the drafting system in preparation to reinstituting the production of yarn at the drafting system. As described above, the flag portion 48 of the stop member 38 comes into ready view when the stop member is moved to the second position, and thereby serves as a signal to an operator to accommodate either assignment of an operator to patrolling in cross alleys or the use of power driven carts to speed up movement of operators within the mill room. Direction of operators by reliance on the flag portions will permit increased speed of movement of an operator on foot or on a cart and thereby increase the potential area covered by the operator by relieving the operator of the tedious task of closely examining attenuated strands to discover those which are broken. The number of times the stop member 38 has been actuated is recorded by the counter wheel 50 facilitating the identification of improperly operating portions of the textile machine 21. As a result of this method of operation, vacuum end collection waste is reduced in that the supply strand R continues to feed for only a small portion of the time that the attenuated strand S may continue to be broken. With monitoring of attenuated strands every 8 minutes on an average, the supply strand will continue feeding only four minutes on an average after the attenuated strand is broken. With such reduction of vacuum end collection waste, the labor incidental to reworking such waste and the percentage of reprocessed stock included in the textile material being worked are reduced. Additionally, the longer that an attenuated strand is permitted to run into a vacuum end collection system, the greater the likelihood of a lapup of textile material about the drafting rolls. Promptly stopping the supply strand will substantially reduce the number and severity of lap-ups and thereby facilitate reduction in non-reworkable waste and damage to components of the textile machine. By identifying locations requiring corrective maintenance, the efficiency of maintenance workers will be improved at the same time that the machine operating condition and efficiency are also improved. Operation in accordance with this invention is compatible with three distinct approaches to mill operation; namely, the continuation of existing practices in which operators known as ''''spinners'''' patrol preassigned paths adjacent a number of machines, the reassignment of operators to patrol on a random basis by observing the flag portions 48 of stop members 38, and the elimination of substantial operator time through adoption of a ''''no-spinner'''' concept. In this latter approach, the supply strand R would be permitted to remain interrupted during the interval of time from actuation of the corresponding stop member 38 until removal of formed packages from the textile machine. Thus, the normal walking time of an operator assinged to spinning patrol duties would be eliminated. Further, the quality of yarn produced would be improved in that those defective positions most likely to result in the production of inferior yarn are also most likely to result in attenuated strand breakage early in the cycle of package forming. It is expected that a position which would otherwise repeatedly interrupt will be actuated only once during a cycle of package building with the total number of strand breakages thus being less than with an operator patrolling quite frequently. Finally, yarn produced under the ''''no-spinner'''' concept is free of slubs and the like otherwise possibly resulting from an operator''s repair or piecing up of a broken strand. In the drawings and specification, there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. That which is claimed is:

25. A method according to claim 23 further comprising directing the attention of an operator to a drafting system at which supply strand interruption has occurred by moving a flag portion of the pivoted member at an extended position upon said pivoted member moving to said second position.

26. A method according to claim 21 wherein the induction of a flow of air includes impelling flow through a fan housing and further wherein the redirection of a portion of the air flow comprises responding to detection of a broken attenuated strand by selectively withdrawing a flow of air from the fan housing.

27. A method of interrupting roving strands normally passing into a plurality of drafting systems arranged in a series along a textile yarn spinning machine upon breakage of corresponding attenuated strands deliveredby the drafting systems, the method comprising the steps of: monitoring breakage of the a ttenuated strands issuing from the drafting systems, responding to monitored breakage of an attenuated strand issuing from a drafting system by pivoting a corresponding one of a plurality of strand interrupting members from a first position withdrawn from engagement with the corresponding roving strand toward a second position intersecting and engaging the corresponding roving strand, entrapping the roving strand within a cusp defined by strand engaging surfaces of the pivoted member as the member moves to the second position, restraining the engagedroving strand and interrupting passage thereof into the corresponding drafting system, and identifiably accumulating occurrences of roving strand interruption over an interval of time.

27. A method of interrupting roving strands normally passing into a plurality of drafting systems arranged in a series along a textile yarn spinning machine upon breakage of corresponding attenuated strands delivered by the drafting systems, the method comprisiNg the steps of: monitoring breakage of the attenuated strands issuing from the drafting systems, responding to monitored breakage of an attenuated strand issuing from a drafting system by pivoting a corresponding one of a plurality of strand interrupting members from a first position withdrawn from engagement with the corresponding roving strand toward a second position intersecting and engaging the corresponding roving strand, entrapping the roving strand within a cusp defined by strand engaging surfaces of the pivoted member as the member moves to the second position, restraining the engaged roving strand and interrupting passage thereof into the corresponding drafting system, and identifiably accumulating occurrences of roving strand interruption over an interval of time.

29. A method of interrupting roving strands normally passing into a plurality of drafting systems arranged in a series along a textile yarn spinning machine upon breakage of attenuated strands delivered by the drafting systems, the method comprising the steps of: traveling a detector along the spinning machine and successively monitoring with the detector the series of attenuated strands issuing from the drafting systems, traveling a flowing stream of air along the spinning machine and redirecting a portion of the air flow in response to monitored breakage of an attenuated strand issuing from drafting system to pivot a corresponding one of a plurality of strand interrupting members from a first position withdrawn from engagement with the corresponding roving strand toward a second position intersecting and engaging the corresponding roving strand, entrapping the roving strand between strand engaging surfaces of the pivoted member as the member moves to the second position, restraining the engaged roving strand and interrupting passage thereof into the corresponding drafting system, and identifiably accumulating occurrences of roving strand interruption over an interval of time. from patent application Ser. No. 77,101 entitled ''''Electric Circuit Means For Textile Strand Ends Down DetectIng Apparatus''''. To the extent that the disclosures of these prior patents may be required for the purposes of fully understanding the disclosure herein made, these prior patent disclosures are hereby are incorporated by reference into this disclosure. As indicated with dash lines in FIGS. 1 and 13, the monitoring means of the present combination has a particular predetermined field of view indicated generally at 74 within which attenuated strands S issuing from the drafting systems are viewed. During movement of the monitoring means along the series of drafting systems, the corresponding series of attenuated strands are thus monitored in succession. In order to assure that a selected one strand interrupting means corresponding to the drafting system at which attenuated strand might be broken is actuated, the illustrated embodiment of this invention includes air flow directing means generally indicated at 75 moving with the traveling cleaner 20 and related to the monitoring means in a particular predetermined manner. In particular, the air flow directing means 75 includes a valve casing 76 in the form of a hollow enclosure. Connected with the casing 76 and communicating with the interior thereof is an outlet nozzle 78 having a vertically elongated outlet slot 79 therein directed toward the textile machine 21. Mounted within the casing 76 is a valving member 80 (FIG. 11) movable under impetus provided by a rotary solenoid 81 between a flow blocking position (solid lines in FIG. 11) and a flow permitting position (phanton lines in FIG. 11). By means of a suitable flexible conduit 82 and the depending member 71, the interior of the valve casing 76 operatively communicates with the fan housing 25 of the traveling cleaner 20 to receive air flowing under impetus provided by the fan impeller 24. By suitable operative interconnection of the solenoid 81 with circuitry responsive to the detection means mounted within the detector head 70, the rotary solenoid is energized with a pulse action upon a determination that an attenuated strand S is broken. Such energization of the solenoid 81 may be confirmed by observing an electrical lamp 83 connected therewith and mounted in the casing 76. Upon pulse energization of the solenoid 81, the valving member 80 is momentarily moved from the flow blocking to the flow permitting position, passing through the nozzle 78 and outlet slot 79 a mass of flowing air impelled by the fan impeller

29. A method of interrupting roving strands normally passing into a plurality of drafting systems arranged in a series along a textile yarn spinning machine upon breakage of attenuated strands delivered by the drafting systems, the method comprising the steps of: traveling a detector along the spinning machine and successively monitoring with the detector the series of attenuated strands issuing from the drafting systems, traveling a flowing stream of air along the spinning machine and redirecting a portion of the air flow in response to monitored breakage of an attenuated strand issuing from drafting system to pivot a corresponding one of a plurality of strand interrupting members from a first position withdrawn from engagement with the corresponding roving strand toward a second position intersecting and engaging the corresponding roving strand, entrapping the roving strand between strand engaging surfaces of the pivoted member as the member moves to the second position, restraining the engaged roving strand and interrupting passage thereof into the corresponding drafting system, and identifiably accumulating occurrences of roving strand interruption over an interval of time.