Method of controlling the operating conditions of a ring spinning machine and apparatus for implementing the method

A method of consecutively controlling the operating conditions at a plurality of spinning positions of a ring spinning machine, each spinning position having applied thereto a suction air current and having a drafting arrangement containing rolls, a yarn being formed at each spinning position of the ring spinning machine, comprising the steps of:

• detecting yarn breakages at each of the spinning positions and lap-up formations on the rolls of the drafting arrangement of each spinning position;
• upon detection of a yarn breakage at a predetermined spinning position overpowering the suction air current at such predetermined spinning position of the ring spinning machine with a more powerful suction air current;
• and
• monitoring said predetermined spinning position for the presence of a fiber stream.

A control apparatus for consecutively controlling the operating conditions at a plurality of spinning positions each having a spindle of a ring spinning machine, each spinning position containing a yarn suction device and a drafting arrangement including a pair of cooperating infeed rolls and a pair of cooperating delivery rolls for drafting fiber material which is formed into a yarn, comprising:

• said control apparatus embodying means enabling said control apparatus to travel from spinning position to spinning position along the ring spinning machine;
• a yarn detector for detecting the presence of the yarn between the delivery rolls of the drafting arrangement and a spindle of the corresponding spinning position;
• a fiber stream-deflecting device;
• said yarn detector activating said fiber stream-deflecting device in the event of yarn breakage;
• a fiber detector cooperating with said fiber stream-deflecting device;
• said fiber stream-deflecting device taking-up the fiber stream acted on by the suction air stream of the suction system and transferring it to said fiber detector.

The combination with a ring spinning machine having a plurality of spinning positions, each spinning position containing means applying at such spinning position a suction action, each spinning position including a drafting arrangement through which processed fiber material moves in a predetermined direction of travel, of a control apparatus for monitoring the operating conditions at such plurality of spinning positions by moving from spinning position to spinning position along the ring spinning machine during the monitoring of the operating conditions at each of the spinning positions, said control apparatus comprising:

• means for sensing the presence of fiber material moving at each spinning position along said predetermined direction of travel;
• a fiber stream-deflecting device;
• means for moving said fiber stream-deflecting device from an inoperable position into an operable position adjacent the path of travel of the fiber material at the monitored spinning position for acting thereon on such fiber material while overcoming the suction action at such monitored spinning position in the event of breakage of the processed fiber material;
• said sensing means being provided with structure for activating said fiber stream-deflecting device in the event of yarn breakage;
• a fiber detector cooperating with said fiber stream-deflecting device;
• said fiber stream-deflecting device acting upon the fiber material to render in-effectual the suction action upon said fiber material at the monitored spinning position and transferring the thus acted upon fiber material to said fiber detector.