Stop motion for drawing frames

In a drawing frame having upper and lower drafting rolls and a creel for guiding a plurality of strands of sliver from supply cans to the drafting rolls, said creel including a longitudinal frame, a plurality of creel arms extending transversely above the supply cans, and a strand guiding passageway above each supply can and carried by one of said creel arms, the combination of a stop motion supported by said creel frame between the proximate supply cans and the upper and lower drafting rolls, said stop motion including a freely rotatable tubular guide beneath which a plurality of strands are directed in their passage from the supply cans to the drafing rolls, said tubular guide being positioned in the path of said strands and functioning as a leveler bar to displace the strands downwardly from their direct path between the proximate transverse creel arm and the drafting rolls, said tubular guide being freely rotatable in response to movement of the sliver therebeneath as it moves from the supply cans to the drafting rolls, a plurality of disc guides carried by said tubular guide in spaced relation to each other and said disc guides being alternately spaced with said strands along the longitudinal axis of the tubular guide so that the disc guides space the strands from each other and prevent abrasion, means responsive to breakage of one of said strands to stop the drafting rolls, said tubular guide being journaled on a support rod depending from the creel frame and extending in perpendicular relation to the path of the strands from the supply cans to the drafting rolls, a pair of arms extending in parallel relation to each other downwardly from the ends of the support rod toward the drafting rolls, said means for stopping the drawing frame in the event of strand breakage being carried by said arms, said means for stopping the drawing frame including a pivot shaft extending between said arms, a plurality of detectors pivotally mounted on said shaft and arranged in spaced relation to each other along said shaft, there being one detector for each strand and arranged in overlying relation to its respective strand extending from between adjacent disc guides, each detector including a spoon overlying and normally resting on its respective strand during normal operation, a contact tail extending from the spoon and projecting beyond the pivot shaft in the opposite direction from the spoon and serving as a counterweight, and a control bar extending between said arms in spaced parallel relation to said pivot shaft and positioned above the pivot shaft whereby downward movement of a spoon in response to breakage of a strand causes corresponding upward movement of the contact tail to engage the control bar and complete a circuit to stop the drawing frame.