Apparatus for stripping yarn ends from spindles

In a textile-machine cleaning device adapted to travel along the length of a textile machine having a series of yarn-handling stations which comprise a rotary spindle adapted to releasably mount a bobbin, a yarn-handling device having a guide element adapted to orbit the bobbin and to traverse the length of the bobbin to effect winding of yarn on the bobbin as the bobbin is rotated by the spindle, said spindle having a whirl in the form of a circumferential surface adjacent one end of the bobbin and adapted to receive turns of the yarns at the conclusion of the winding of the yarn on a full bobbin and before initiating the winding of the yarn on an empty bobbin;

• said cleaning device comprising
• track means extending along the entire length of the textile machine,
• a carriage mounted for travel along said track means, said carriage including drive means for causing said carriage to traval along the length of the textile machine, suction/exhaust means to generate an outward flow of cleaning air and an inward flow of vacuum air, and filter means to entrap and collect any particulate material from the inward flow of vacuum air, exhaust and vacuum tubes carried by said carriage, said exhaust tubes having exhaust ports directing exhaust air toward the machine in spaces requiring a flow of cleaning air, and said vacuum tubes having inlet ports to draw air and particulate matter from spaces adjacent the machine where particulate matter may accumulate,
• a central power supply for said drive means and suction/exhaust means having a junction box positioned adjacent said track means, and a flexible energy chain interconnecting said junction box with said carriage, said energy chain having power conduits therein to provide power connections between said junction box and said drive means and said suction/exhaust means in said carriage throughout the travel of said carriage along the length of the track means,
• the improvement comprising means to strip the turns of yarn from the whirl of each of said spindles, said means comprising
• whirl cleaner blades corresponding in number to said stations, each blade being movably mounted on the textile machine adjacent one of the spindles and having a free end adapted to be displaced into engagement with the whirl off the associated spindle, the free end being designed and constructed to engage the whirl so as to strip the turns of yarn from around said whirl,
• means to effect said displacement of said blade ends comprising a nozzle supported on said carriage for travel along the length of the textile machine, said nozzle being positioned to sequentially register with each blade and discharge a jet of air against each blade in a direction to effect said displacement of said blade end into engagement with the whirl as the carriage travels along the length of the textile machine, a conduit means connecting said nozzle to said junction box through said carriage and said energy chain, means in said junction box to supply compressed air for causing a flow of compressed air from said junction box through said conduit and said nozzle, and control means for said air flow effective to enable air flow through said nozzle for a desired time period while said nozzle passes into and out of registry with said blades in the course of the travel of the nozzle along the length of the machine.