Apparatus for releasably gripping the tube of a yarn package of a textile machine

An apparatus for selectively gripping the tube of a yarn package, comprising:

• a support frame;
• a tube engaging assembly including a pair of gripping members, at least one gripping member being movable between a gripping position in which it cooperates with the other gripping member to compressively grip the tube of a yarn package therebetween and a non-gripping position in which said at least one movable gripping member and the other gripping member are out of gripping engagement with the tube of a yarn package, and means for movably supporting said at least one gripping member for movement between its gripping and non-gripping positions;
• an extendable member selectively extendable into an extended position in which it maintains said at least one gripping member in its gripping position;
• means for mounting said extendable member to said support frame for extending movement of said extendable member into its extended position;
• and
• means for releasably mounting a selected portion of said tube engaging assembly to said support frame in a mounted position, said releasably mounting means being operable to non-destructively release said selected portion of said tube engaging assembly from said mounted position for movement of said selected portion out of interference with said extendable member to a release position in response to the application of a predetermined force against said selected portion of said tube engaging assembly, whereby the energy of said predetermined force is substantially converted into movement of said selected portion from said mounted position to said release position so as to avoid the undesired transmission to said extendable member of said predetermined force which may tend to displace said extendable member from its extended position.