The present invention relates to a device for processing threads or yarns of textile fibers and, in particular, for controlling and optimizing the processes of working threads or yarns of textile fibers, as well as a device for weighing at least one feeder spool of a thread or of a yarn.

In the textile industry, various types of devices are known and widely used for processing and/or treating threads or yarns.

A major problem common to all devices for processing threads or yarns, such as straight or circular knitting machines, is the problem of correctly identifying the amount by weight of threads or yarns of the various different types necessary, i.e. used, for the production of a certain quantity of textile products (be they socks, sheets, sweaters etc.).

Nowadays, to perform the estimate of the amount by weight of threads or yarns necessary for the mass production of a certain number of textile products, a "sampling" is carried out.

Firstly a weighing scales is used to weigh the weight of all the spools of the yarns necessary to weave such products.

Then the spools are positioned on the corresponding supports, the threads of each spool are connected to the straight frame or to the circular machine, and a preset number of products are produced (for example one hundred).

At this point, after stopping the machine, the spools are weighed again, after cutting the threads and tying the ends of the thread remaining in the machine to a retaining area.

In this manner, it can be more or less correctly estimated how much thread from each spool has been used to make such preset number of products.

From the foregoing, it clearly emerges how laborious such method is, even if no problems arise while carrying out the sampling operations. However, it is found that very often, during the sampling operations, the threads can break or defects can be present in the finished products.

This means it is necessary to carry out the entire estimation process again.

However, very often, in order to save time the operation is simply resumed, making the machine complete the number of products envisaged.

This inevitably results in an approximation of the estimate with consequent errors, which may be considerable, in the evaluation and purchase of the amount of yarns necessary for the mass production.

Furthermore, during production it is also extremely important to be able to verify, in real time, whether the thread used up for each product corresponds to the expectations arrived at in the estimation phase, not least in order to have control over the amount of thread or yarn purchased and consumed.

The aim of the present invention is to make available a device for processing threads or yarns of textile fibers that is capable of reducing, or at least drastically limiting, the above mentioned drawbacks.

Within this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide a device for processing threads or yarns of textile fibers that makes it possible to estimate and control extremely reliably the amount by weight of yarns necessary for the mass production of a textile product.

Another object of the present invention is to make available a device for processing threads or yarn and/or a device for weighing feeder spools that makes it possible to check, continually and continuously, the actual consumption of thread or of yarn during the mass production of textile products.

Another object of the present invention is to devise a device for processing threads or yarns of textile fibers that has a low production cost so as to make its use advantageous from an economic viewpoint as well.

This aim and these and other objects which will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a device for processing threads or yarns of textile fibers according to claim 1.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the description of some preferred but not exclusive embodiments of a device for processing threads or yarns of textile fibers which are illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a textile machine;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a weighing device associated with a feeder spool;

Figure 3 is another perspective view, from another viewpoint, of the weighing device associated with a feeder spool;

Figures 4 and 5 are side views of the weighing device associated with a feeder spool; while

Figure 6 is a partially cross-sectional side view of a variation of embodiment of the weighing device.

In the exemplary embodiments illustrated below, individual characteristics shown in relation to specific examples may in reality be interchanged with other, different characteristics, existing in other exemplary embodiments.

With reference to the figures, the present invention relates to a device, generally designated with the reference numeral 1 , for processing threads or yarns 10 of textile fibers.

In particular, the device 1 is provided with means of controlling and optimizing the processes of working threads or yarns of textile fibers.

The device 1 for processing threads or yarns 10 comprises, specifically, a supporting structure 2 for at least one feeder spool 3 of a thread or of a yarn 10 of textile fibers.

The device 1 for processing threads or yarns 10 comprises, further, at least one textile machine 20 associated with a control panel 5, which uses the thread or the yarn 10 unwound from the or from each feeder spool 3.

The device 1 is further provided with a control and actuation device 7.

The supporting structure 2 comprises, or more generally is associated with, a device 6 for weighing the feeder spool or spools 3.

Advantageously, the weighing device 6 is functionally connected to the control and actuation device 7.

The control and actuation device 7 is preferably interfaced with the control panel 5.

It is likewise possible to have the control and actuation device 7 integrated inside the control panel 5 of the textile machine 20.

The connection between the weighing device 6 and the control and actuation device 7 is achieved by way of a connection cable connected to each weighing device 6 or by way of a wireless interface card.

Obviously there is no reason why other connection means between the weighing devices 6 and the control and actuation device 7 cannot be used.

According to a preferred embodiment, the textile machine 20 can be constituted by a straight knitting machine or frame, by a circular knitting machine or frame, etc..

Specifically, the command panel 5 is adapted to actuate the textile machine 20 in order to produce textile products.

The textile machine 20 can be used both to carry out "sampling" operations and for production.

If the textile machine 20 is used to carry out sampling operations, then the weighing device 6 is adapted to measure the corresponding change in weight of the at least one feeder spool 3 as a consequence of the production, by the textile machine 20, of the preset number of textile products.

Preferably, the device 1 for processing threads or yarns 10 comprises a supporting structure for a plurality of feeder spools 3a, 3b, 3c, ... and each feeder spool 3a, 3b, 3c, ... is associated with a respective weighing device 6.

Advantageously, the control and actuation device 7 is capable of acquiring, and optionally processing, the information from the, or from each, weighing device 6 so as to permit an extremely precise measuring of the amount by weight of yarns used to produce the preset quantity of textile products.

Advantageously, the weighing device 6 is adapted to send a signal to the control and actuation device 7, which is optionally interfaced with the control panel 5, if the amount of thread or yarn 10 wound on the respective feeder spool 3 is lower than a preset reference value.

According to the present invention, the weighing device 6 is associated with protection means that are adapted to avoid excessive stresses of that weighing device 6 during the operations for loading and/or unloading the respective feeder spool 3 onto and/or from the supporting structure 2.

According to a possible first embodiment, shown in Figures 2 to 5, the weighing device 6 comprises at least one load cell 6a.

The load cell 6a comprises a cell body 16 that can move along a movement path as the weight of the respective feeder spool 3 varies in contrast with elastic means associated with the cell body 16.

The load cell can be of various types, for example flexural, entrainment, compression, etc..

The protection means, in this case, comprise a mechanical stop device 17 that is adapted to limit the movement of the cell body 16 along the movement path.

Advantageously the load cell 6a comprises a flexural load cell: in this case the elastic means comprise the cell body.

The presence of the mechanical stop device 17 makes it possible to safeguard the integrity of the load cell 6a even if the feeder spools 3 are loaded abruptly onto the supporting structure 2. Preferably, the mechanical stop device 17 is adjustable on command.

Practically speaking, the mechanical stop device 17 can comprise a block that has an abutment portion that can move on command along an adjustment direction that is generally substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the cell body 16.

In particular, it is possible for the mechanical stop device 17 to be associated with means of automatic activation/deactivation that are functionally connected to the control and actuation device 7.

In this regard, the means of activation/deactivation can comprise drive means, for example pneumatically or electrically actuated, which, under determined conditions, for example when the feeder spools 3 are being changed, bring the abutment portion to a position closer to the cell body 16.

According to a possible variation of embodiment shown in Figure 6, the weighing device 6 comprises at least one accelerometer 18.

In this case the protection means comprise a supporting body 19 for the feeder spool 3, on which an engagement portion 19a for the accelerometer 18 is defined.

In providing for such a shape structure of the weighing device 6, it should be noted that any stresses, even considerable in extent, owing to the loading and/or unloading of the feeder spool 3 will not affect the accelerometer 18 directly but rather the supporting body 19.

In particular, the accelerometer 18 is adapted to detect the weight of the feeder spool 3 that is associated with the supporting body 19.

Preferably, the supporting body 19 has an elongated shape along a main direction and is associated, at the other end with respect to the engagement portion 19a, with an exciter 19b, for example of the mechanical type or of the magnetic type, which is capable of making the measurement of the change in weight by the accelerometer 18 more precise.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, the device 1 is associated with at least one temperature detection sensor 21. In particular, the temperature detection sensor 21 is arranged substantially at the weighing device 6.

Conveniently, the device 1 comprises at least one humidity detection sensor 22 which is functionally associated with the control and actuation device.

In particular, the humidity detection sensor 22 is arranged substantially at the weighing device 6.

The temperature sensor 21 and/or the humidity detection sensor 22 are functionally connected to the control and actuation device 7, so as to store the environmental conditions.

This makes it possible to correct the consumption data of the thread or of the yarn 10 as a function of any changes in the environmental conditions.

This aspect is particularly useful for natural threads or yarns 10.

According to a further aspect, the present invention relates to a device 6 for weighing at least one feeder spool 3 of thread or of yarn.

The feeder spool 3 can be associated with a supporting structure 2 of a device 1 for processing threads or yarns 10.

The weighing device 6 is functionally connected to a control and actuation device 7 of the device 1.

The weighing device 6 is associated with protection means that are adapted to avoid excessive stresses of that weighing device 6 during the operations for loading and/or unloading the respective feeder spool 3 onto and/or from the supporting structure 2.

In particular, the weighing device 6 comprises at least one load cell 6a which comprises a cell body that can move along a movement path as the weight of the respective feeder spool 3 varies in contrast with elastic means associated with the cell body.

The weighing device 6 is further provided with a mechanical stop device that is adapted to limit the movement of the cell body along the movement path. According to a possible variation of embodiment shown in Figure 6, the weighing device 6 comprises at least one accelerometer 18.

In this case the protection means comprise a supporting body 19 for the feeder spool 3, on which an engagement portion 19a for the accelerometer 18 is defined.

In providing for such a shape structure of the weighing device 6, it should be noted that any stresses, even considerable in extent, owing to the loading and/or unloading of the feeder spool 3 will not affect the accelerometer 18 directly but rather the supporting body 19.

In particular, the accelerometer 18 is adapted to detect the weight of the feeder spool 3 that is associated with the supporting body 19.

Preferably, the supporting body 19 has an elongated shape along a main direction and is associated, at the other end with respect to the engagement portion 19a, with an exciter 19b, for example of the mechanical type or of the magnetic type, which is capable of making the measurement of the change in weight by the accelerometer 18 more precise.

In particular, the weighing device 6 is associated with the temperature detection sensor 21.

Conveniently, the weighing device 6 is associated with at least one humidity detection sensor 22 which is functionally associated with the control and actuation device.

The temperature sensor 21 and/or the humidity detection sensor 22 are functionally connected to the control and actuation device 7, so as to store the environmental conditions.

The use of a device 1 for processing threads or yarns of textile fibers according to the present invention is evident from the foregoing description.

At the time of performing a sampling to estimate how much thread or yarn 10 of the various different types is necessary for the mass production, the weighing devices 6 are reset directly or by way of control and command devices 7 associated with the or with each feeder spool 3a, 3b, 3c, etc.. Typically by way of the control panel 5, the user sets the number of textile products that the textile machine 20 is to produce and, at the end of the production, the user checks, by virtue of the presence of the weighing devices 6, how much thread or yarn 10 of each feeder spool 3a, 3b, 3c has been used.

In practice it has been found that in all the embodiments the invention has achieved the intended aim and objects.

In practice the materials employed, as well as the dimensions and the contingent shapes, may be any according to requirements.

Moreover, all the details may be substituted by other, technically equivalent elements.

The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. 102016000075876 (UA2016A005324) from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.

Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.