Apparatus for transferring full bobbins and empty bobbins between a bobbin winding machine and a transporting mechanism

A bobbin transfer apparatus for simultaneously transferring consecutive fully wound bobbins of yarn and substantially empty bobbins of yarn between a yarn bobbin winding machine adjacent said transfer apparatus and a bobbin suspension transporting mechanism positioned over said transfer apparatus, said bobbin suspension transporting mechanism consecutively transporting full bobbins form said transfer apparatus to a yarn processing machine and returning substantially empty bobbins therefrom to said transfer apparatus, said transfer apparatus comprising:

• conveying means for consecutively conveying individual adapters for receiving said fully wound bobbins of yarn and said substantially empty bobbins of yarn, in a generally vertical position in a predetermined direction along a closed path of travel and consecutively through a plurality of work stations comprising;
• a first work station positioned adjacent the closed path of travel of said conveying means and including means for moving up and down between said conveying means and the bobbin suspension transporting mechanism and for consecutively receiving and carrying adapters with a full yarn bobbin thereon from said conveying means to the transporting mechanism during upward movement thereof and for consecutively receiving and carrying adapters with a substantially empty bobbin thereon from the transporting mechanism to said conveying means during downward movement thereof;
• a second work station positioned adjacent the closed path of travel of said conveying means and including means for consecutively receiving the adapters with the substantially empty bobbin from said first work station and for removing the substantially empty bobbin form the adapters for return to the winding machine;
• and
• a third work station positioned adjacent the closed path of travel of said conveying means and including means for consecutively receiving the empty adapters from said second work station and for mounting a fully wound bobbin of yarn from the winding machine onto the empty adapters, so that the adapters with the full bobbin thereon may be conveyed by said conveying means to said first work station for transfer to the transporting mechanism.