Spindle cleaning apparatus

In combination with a spinning frame having a spinning rail from which a plurality of rotating spindles extend upwardly therefrom along parallel axes and having a vertically reciprocating ring rail means for building yarn packages on bobbins carried on said spindles, the improvement comprising yarn wrap removal apparatus including:

• (a) a plurality of spindle cleaning means;
• (b) mounting means independently connecting each said spindle cleaning means to said spindle rail for movement between a first position at which each said spindle cleaning means engages at least one of said spindles to clean yarn wraps therefrom and a second position at which each said spindle cleaning means is clear of said ring rail means during said reciprocating movement thereof;
• and
• (c) operating means connecting each said spindle cleaning means to said ring rail means, said operating means acting to move each said spindle cleaning means from said first position thereof to said second position thereof during a predetermined portion of movement of said ring rail means in a downward direction and acting to move each said spindle cleaning means from said second position thereof to said first position thereof during a predetermined portion of movement of said ring rail means in an upward direction.

Apparatus for cleaning underwound yarn wraps from a spindle mounted on the spindle rail of a spinning frame having a ring rail reciprocably movable along the axes of said spindle to build a yarn package on a bobbin carried by said spindle, said apparatus including:

• (a) a supporting frame,
• (b) at least one cleaning element mounted on said supporting frame to extend therefrom for selective cleaning engagement with said spindle;
• (c) mounting means associated with said supporting frame and adapted to connect said supporting frame to said spinning frame for pivotal movement between a first position at which said cleaning element engages said spindle for cleaning thereof and a second position at which said supporting frame and said cleaning element are disposed beneath the lowest point of movement of said ring rail;
• and
• (d) operating means which includes switch means located in the path of movement of said ring rail for actuation thereby when said ring rail reaches a predetermined position, motor means connected to said supporting frame and selectively energized by said actuation of said switch means to move said supporting frame from said second position thereof to said first position thereof and to maintain said supporting frame at said first position thereof for a predetermined period of time, and biasing means connected to said supporting frame to move said supporting frame from said first position thereof to said second position thereof at the end of said predetermined period of time.