Mechanism for transporting a yarn end in a textile machine

In a textile yarn processing machine, such as a twister, spinning frame or the like, having a plurality of side-by-side spindle assemblies for the processing of yarn and each of which includes a carrier mechanism for supporting a supply package of yarn to be withdrawn and processed and a takeup roll mechanism for the winding of the yarn after processing and being positioned above said carrier mechanism;

• the combination therewith of a mechanism for receiving an end of the continuous yarn being processed at the vicinity of said carrier mechanism, for transporting the yarn end along a predetermined desired path of travel and for positioning the yarn end at the vicinity of said take-up roll mechanism to facilitate yarn piecing or start-up of the yarn processing operation, said mechanism comprising
• an elongate tube carried by said yarn processing machine adjacent each of said spindle assemblies and extending along and conforming to the contour of the predetermined desired path of travel of the yarn end from said carrier mechanism to said take-up roll mechanism and defining a hollow interior therewithin,
• a freely displaceable piston positioned within said hollow interior of said tube for movement within said tube along the length thereof,
• selectively operable pneumatic means connected with said hollow interior of said tube for selectively moving said piston from one end to the other end thereof,
• a freely slideable, ring-like member positioned at least partially around the outside of said tube for movement on said tube along the length thereof,
• means magnetically coupling said piston and said ring-like member through said tube for movement of said ring-like member with said piston, and
• gripper means carried by said ring-like member for holding the yarn end during selective movement by said pneumatic means of said piston and said ring-like member along said tube transporting the yarn end along the predetermined desired path of travel.

In a textile yarn processing machine, such as a twister, spinning frame or the like, having a plurality of side-by-side spindle assemblies for the processing of yarn and each of which includes a carrier mechanism for supporting a supply package of yarn to be withdrawn and processed and a takeup roll mechanism for winding of the yarn after processing and being positioned above said carrier mechanism;

• the combination therewith of a mechanism for receiving an end of the continuous yarn being processed at the vicinity of said carrier mechanism, for transporting the yarn end along a predetermined desired path of travel and for positioning the yarn end at the vicinity of said take-up roll mechanism, to facilitate yarn piecing or start-up of the yarn processing operation, said mechanism comprising:
• a portable carriage mechanism mounted on said yarn processing machine for movement in generally a horizontal direction along the front of said side-by-side spindle assemblies for selective positioning in front of a desired spindle assembly;
• an elongate tube carried by said carriage mechanism and extending upwardly therefrom and conforming generally to the contour of the predetermined desired path of travel of the yarn end from said carrier mechanism to said take-up roll mechanism and defining a hollow interior therewithin;
• a freely displaceable piston positioned within said hollow interior of said tube for movement within said tube along the length thereof;
• selectively operable pneumatic means connected with said hollow interior of said tube for selectively moving said piston from one end to the other end thereof;
• a freely slideable, ring-like member positioned at least partially around the outside of said tube for movement on said tube along the length thereof;
• means magnetically coupling said piston and said ring-like member through said tube for movement of said ring-like member with said piston;
• and
• gripper means carried by said ring-like member for holding and carrying the yarn end during selective movement by said pneumatic means of said piston and said ring-like member along said tube for transporting the yarn end along the predetermined desired path of travel from said carrier mechanism to said take-up mechanism.