Apparatus for arranging cross-wound packages on an auxiliary transport belt

An apparatus for removing cross-wound packages having a predetermined bobbin length from a spinning machine, and comprising:

• a main transport belt extending substantially lengthwise of the spinning machine for receiving cross-wound packages therefrom and serving to deliver said cross-wound packages to one end of a transport path defined by said main transport belt;
• each of said cross-wound packages having a lengthwise axis extending substantially parallel to their direction of movement during transport upon said main transport belt;
• an auxiliary transport belt positioned substantially in alignment with said main transport belt and defining a transport path having a starting end adjoining said one end of said transport path of said main transport belt;
• means for limiting to an acceptable minimum, during the removal of said cross-wound packages from said spinning machine, any relative sliding movement between said auxiliary transport belt and said cross-wound packages;
• said limiting means comprising detector means for controlling the movement of said auxiliary transport belt;
• said detector means being arranged at a region where said transport path of said auxiliary transport belt neighbors said transport path of said main transport belt;
• said detector means being activated by said cross-wound packages on said transport belts in order to initiate movement of said auxiliary transport belt whenever one of said cross-wound packages passes said detector means;
• said limiting means further comprising stopping means for stopping said auxiliary transport belt after movement of the same through a distance at least approximately equal to the bobbin length of said cross-wound packages such that a successive arrangement of a closely spaced predetermined number of said cross-wound packages can be formed on said auxiliary transport belt;
• and
• said limiting means still further comprising removal means for removing in substantially frictionless manner at least one of said cross-wound packages from said auxiliary transport belt.