Electronically controlled thread feed device

• Main Authors: F. WEBER, E. LEINS, H. SCHMODDE
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 27.02.2002
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: BRAIDING; KNITTING; LACE-MAKING; NON-WOVEN FABRICS; TEXTILES; TRIMMINGS

PCT No. PCT/DE96/01751 Sec. 371 Date Apr. 2, 1998 Sec. 102(e) Date Apr. 2, 1998 PCT Filed Sep. 17, 1996 PCT Pub. No. WO97/13906 PCT Pub. Date Apr. 17, 1997For supplying yarns, a yarn supply apparatus is contemplated that is designed particularly for knitting machines whose yarn demand fluctuates greatly over time. The yarn supply apparatus has a rotor-driven yarn wheel, which in the ideal case furnishes yarn directly to the knitting machine or its yarn guides without the interposition of yarn storage devices. The yarn tension is monitored by means of a yarn tension sensor, which provides measured value detection for a closed-loop controller that controls the supply by the yarn wheel. The controller is also embodied such that it can process signals that contain information about the future yarn demand. Thus in the event of imminent drastic changes in demand, of the kind that in flatbed knitting machines periodically occur at the edges of the knitted goods (turning points of the yarn guide), the controller can react by presupplying yarn or by ceasing to supply yarn. Yarn tension spikes and overly steep yarn tension drops can thus be compensated for. The controller may be designed such that it functions as a closed-loop status controller and intermittently as an open-loop controller. Other provisions, such as disturbance variable compensation, parameter adaptation, or the like, are possible.