Analogue To Digital Converters

Abstract

Apparatus and method for monitoring a condition of a textile machine including switch means mounted adjacent the machine having an open and closed position and means mounted on the textile machine for causing the switch means to alternately change status while the machine is in operation, the frequency of the status changes being a function of the condition being monitored. In the specific embodiment disclosed, a reed switch is mounted adjacent one of the dials on a hank counter which carries a portion of magnetic material within it so that the reed switch is periodically closed as the hank counter dial rotates to indicate the production of a given amount of material. The reed switch is attached to appropriate electrical circuitry so that a first electrical condition results when the switch is closed, and a second condition when the switch is open and the electrical conditions are periodically polled at a frequency greater than the frequency at which the switch condition changes so that all changes of status are detected and so that each change represents a specific quantity of output material produced.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR

ART AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an apparatus and method for monitoring a condition of a textile machine and for conveying an indication of that condition to a recorder or computer.

In any factory with a number of independently operating machines and particularly in a textile mill, it is desirable to be constantly aware of which machines are in operation as well as which machines are not. These machines may be looms, spinning frame, knitting machine or, indeed, any type of textile machine. Moreover, it is desirable to know the exact quantities of finished products being produced by each machine at all times in order that intelligent managerial decisions relating to the raw materials required for each machine and the types and quantities of finished goods being produced at any given time can be made.

In addition, since the pay of the workers operating these machines is often related to the amount of material produced, information on output quantities and running times can be used to determine payroll schedules and amounts. Indeed, by feeding production information gathered from all machines in a mill or factory into a computer or other similar device, the computer can correlate and work the information in a variety of ways to indicate the individual and overall productions, to indicate which machines are not functioning and which are malfunctioning to indicate the causes of such failures and malfunctions, to prepare detailed reports on raw materials and the routing thereof, to prepare and distribute accurate payroll checks reflecting the amount of finished goods produced by each worker and the amount of time spent by each worker in producing those goods and to prepare many other valuable reports and computations.

Pick counters mounted on each machine have been used in the past, particularly with looms, to record the number of running cycles, of a rotating textile machine part and thus record a number which is a function of the production of that machine and which can be related to that production. Similarly, hank counters mounted on the roll feeding material to a textile machine have been used to record production indirectly by monitoring the input of raw materials. However, such devices provide an output which must be periodically and manually read, and simply do not produce a suitable signal for input into a digital computer, or similar device nor information which can be used to supply an immediate evaluation of a variety of machine and mill conditions.

Also, in the prior art, both optical and electrical means have been utilized in an attempt to determine which of the machines in a mill are in operation. Most of the optical systems employ a beam of light which is interrupted while the machine is operating, and the electrical systems a switch which is closed while the machine is operating, and open during nonoperating times or vice versa, as in the Long et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,340,537. However, such optical and electrical systems have been unsatisfactory, in part because of the ease with which they can be circumvented by workers, who after all have a monetary interest in an indication that the machines are operating, and in part because they do not supply an indication of the quantity of finished products being produced.

In contrast, the present invention relates to a system with a simple device which can be associated with each textile machine to produce a series of electrical bilevel, output signals which not only indicate whether that textile machine is operating or not, but also continuously indicates the quantity of finished goods being produced by that textile machine. Moreover, the specific embodiment set forth below, which is particularly difficult to circumvent, employs a simple reed or similar switch, having a closed and an open position, and mounted adjacent one of the printed dials of a conventional hank counter, which is widely used to provide a visual indication of output in the form of a mechanically produced count which can be read manually and interpreted. One or more pieces of magnetic material are carried by this dial so that each time the rotation of the dial brings a piece of magnetic material into close relation with the reed switch, the contacts of the switch are closed, and as the rotation carries the piece away from the switch, the contacts open or vice versa. Such devices have been employed before in connection with monitoring the removal of gasoline as in the Romanowski U.S. Pat. No. 3,360,094, but not in connection with a hank counter on a textile machine.

The number of openings and closings within a given time is thus directly related to the rate of rotation of the dial and thus the production of the machine with which the hank counter is associated. The reed switch is attached to a suitable electrical circuit, and is connected to the computer or other recorder so that a first voltage signal indicating a first reed switch condition, such as open, and a second level indicating a second position, such as closed, is produced. The computer then polls each of the reed switches associated with each of the machines in the system at a frequency greater than the rate at which the reed switches change status, so that each change of status of a switch is detected and represents a specific quantity of material produced which the computer can then add to the cumulative total of material produced by that machine to produce a figure representing the overall production of that machine and then of the entire plant. In addition, the computer can recognize the absence of a change in status for a given time as a machine stop and can react to this top in any manner desired, for example, by dispatching a repairman, by rerouting materials or by shifting production schedules.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent after reading the following detailed description of the invention as set forth below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a cutaway view of a reed switch and a hank counter dial with four magnets disposed therein.

FIG. 2 shows a graph of the changes in a switch position, and the time of polling of the switch.

FIG. 3 shows a connection to a computer of a number of switches associated with a number of textile machines.

FIG. 4 shows a reed switch mounted adjacent a dial having a number of magnets disposed therein.

FIG. 5 shows a hank counter with the reed switch mounted adjacent one of the rotating dials.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Reference is now made to FIG. 1 which shows a mercury switch 20 mounted adjacent a rotating member 22 which is associated with or mounted on a textile machine. The member 22 is rotated by means of a shaft 24, upon which it is mounted, and which in turn may be the driving shaft part of a hank clock which serves to produce a count of the total number of rotations of a given rotating part of a textile machine from which a determination of the total production of that machine can be made. The member 22 and the switch 20 are mounted within a suitable housing 26 which is shown in cross section. Ordinarily, the shaft 24 rotates at a reduced speed, which is much less than the actual rotational velocity of any part of the loom or textile machine with which it is associated.

A suitable magnet 28 which may be composed of any suitable magnetized material, such as ALNICO-V, is mounted on the dial 22 for rotation therewith. The switch 20 and the dial 22 are mounted so that the mercury switch 20 alternately closes and opens as the magnet 28 is driven toward and away from the switch 20. Suitable electrical circuitry and a digital computer or recorder can then be connected to the switch 20 as described below to produce electrical signals which can be used to determine the amount of material produced by the machine associated with switch 20.

Reference is now made to FIG. 2 which shows a graph illustrating the times at which a typical switch opens and closes the frequency of polling thereof to ascertain status changes. As is apparent from FIG. 2, the time intervals between successive polls is substantially less than the time intervals between alternate openings and closings of the switch. This time differential, of course, is necessary so that each change of status will be properly detected and none missed. In FIG. 2, the switch 20 is initially closed when the first polling is made and has opened by the time that the second polling takes place. Accordingly, a single unit of production is noted. Due to a malfunction or other cause of machine stoppage, the switch 20 then does not reclose until the seventh polling interval at which time a second unit of produced material is recorded. Similarly, at the eighth polling period the switch is once again open and a third production unit is noted. No change is detected at the end of the ninth polling interval, but on the tenth, the switch 20 has once again closed and another production unit is noted. Of course, the computer, recorder or human operator is aware of the amount of finished material which is equivalent to one unit for any given machine producing any given product, and hence each unit recorded can be interpreted as a definite amount of finished goods and the five units recorded during the 12 polling cycles shown in FIG. 2 will be interpreted as a given and known amount which the textile machine is being polled has produced.

Reference is now made to FIG. 3 which shows the connection of a number of switches each associated with a different textile machine to a computer or recorder. These switches, such as the switch 20 in FIG. 1, are combined to make up a system of monitoring a number of textile machines in which the computer sequentially polls each of the switches and their attendant electrical circuitry at discrete and separated polling intervals, such as set forth in FIG. 2. The time between pollings, as mentioned above, of course, must be greater than and hence is dependent upon the frequency with which changes of switch status occur. Further, this change of status rate is dependent both upon the angular velocity of rotating member which carries the magnet or magnets and the number of magnets earned by that rotating member.

To poll one of the switches shown in FIG. 3, the computer 30 ordinarily supplies a test voltage of, for example, 18 volts to the line connecting the computer 30 to the switch which is associated with the textile machine chosen for polling. If switch SW3 were to be polled, the test voltage would be applied to line 34. If the switch SW3 is closed, then the test voltage is shorted to ground via the capacitor 36 so that a pulse of current passes downline 34 and the computer is immediately aware of a closed switch. If the switch SW3 is open, of course no current passes through the switch SW3 to ground and the computer 30 then, of course, realizes that the switch SW3 is open. In most applications it is desirable that polling take place at about intervals of 1 minute. Thus the switch can be associated with the machine so that changes of status occur at intervals slightly greater than one minute.

Reference is now made to FIG. 4, which shows a reed switch 37 having two contacts 38 and 40 which are forced into electrical connection when a suitable magnetized piece of material is brought into close relation with the two contacts 38 and 40. Two wires 42 and 44 lead from the contacts 38 and 40 to the computer or recorder, for example, in the same manner as described above in connection with FIG. 3. The rotating dial 46 which carries five magnets 48, 50, 52, 54 and 56 may simply be one of the dials of a hank counter as shown in FIG. 5, or it may be simply a rotating member mounted on or in mechanical connection with any other suitable rotating part on a textile machine.

The dial 46 is mounted upon a shaft 58 which rotates with the textile machine at a rate proportional to the amount of raw material used by that machine or finished goods produced. Of course, it is not necessary that the shaft 58 rotate at the same speed as the part of the textile machine with which it is associated and indeed it may be desirable for the shaft 58 to rotate at a speed which is much less than the actual speed of any part of the textile machine itself. This reduction in speed can, of course, be accomplished by means of conventional gear trains or by other suitable mechanical structures. Each time one of the magnets 48, 50, 52, 54 or 56 comes into close adjunction with the contacts 38 and 40, these contacts are forced into electrical connection for a short interval. As the magnet moves away, the contacts separate and the open and closed positions resulting from such alternate change of status can be detected as described above to provide both a continuous indication of whether the machine is operating properly and of the amount of material being produced at any given time. For maximum efficiency, it is desirable to position the switch 37 and magnets 48, 50, 52, 54 and 56 so that the time that the switch contacts 38 and 40 are closed is roughly equal to the time that they are open.

Reference is now made to FIG. 5, which shows a hank counter 60 which provides especially convenient rotating members in its dials for carrying the magnetic material which causes the reed or other switch 62 to be alternately opened and closed. In this embodiment, the dial 64 on the hank counter 60 carries pieces of magnetized material in the same way as shown in FIG. 4. Similarly, the reed switch 62 mounted adjacent dial 64 alternately opens and closes as these pieces of magnetized material rotate with the dial 64 to and away from switch 62. Electrical wires 68 and 70 are connected to a recorder or computer in the same manner as described, for example, in FIG. 3, so that the polling of the switch 62 to determine whether it is in an open or closed position can be easily accomplished.

Similarly, the dial 64 rotates at a geared down speed which is much less than the speed of the textile part with which it is associated. Ordinarily, the hank counter clock 60 is mechanically connected to the roll which feeds raw material to the textile machine, and since such a roll usually rotates at about 190 r.p.m. and the dial 64 usually rotates at a geared down speed ratio of about 850-1, the dial 64 makes a complete rotation about every 41/2 minutes. Thus by employing five magnets, a change in status takes place about every 0.9 minute and the switch must be polled at intervals of less than 0.9 minute.

The above-discussed embodiments represent only examples of the invention and are not intended to exhaust the possible modifications and changes which can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of this invention is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for sensing a condition of a textile machine comprising:

a hank counter,

switch means mounted in association with said textile machine including a switch having two contacts which contact when magnetic material is placed within a given distance of said contacts and separate after said material is removed from within said given distance,

means mounted on said textile machine for causing said switch means to alternately change from said first to second position and from said second to said first position while said machine is in operation so that the frequency of said changing varies with said condition including a dial of said hank counter which rotates at a speed which is a function of a given machine condition and at least a single piece of magnetic material mounted on said dial so that said piece approaches within said given distance and is subsequently removed from said given distance at separated intervals of time, and

means for checking the position of said switch means at a frequency greater than said frequency of said changing and for using the number of changes of said position to determine said condition.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1 including means connected to said switch means for producing a first electrical signal when said switch is in an open position and producing a second electrical signal when said switch is in a closed position.

3. Apparatus as in claim 2 including means connected to said producing means for receiving said first and second signals and employing said signals to determine said condition.

4. Apparatus as in claim 1 including a plurality of pieces of magnetic material.

5. Apparatus as in claim 1 including a plurality of switch means and a plurality of causing means associated with a plurality of textile machines.

6. Apparatus as in claim 5 including computer means for processing information derived from said frequency of opening and closing.

7. Apparatus for determining the production of a textile machine comprising:

a hank counter mounted on said machine,

switch means having a first and a second condition, said switch means being changed from first to said second condition when magnetic material is moved within a given distance of said switch means, and changed from said second to said first condition when magnetic material is removed from within said given distance, and

magnetic material mounted within a wheel of said counter which moves at a rate varying with said production so that said material is alternately moved within said distance and removed from within said distance to cause said switch means to alternatively assume said first and second condition so that said production is proportional to the time intervals between said switch means changing from said first to said second and from said second to said first conditions.

8. A method for determining the production of a textile machine comprising the steps of:

mounting switch means, which responds to the presence of magnetic material within a given distance of itself by closing two contacts and which responds to the absence of magnetic material from within said given distance by opening said contacts, adjacent a hank counter which rotates during operation at a rate which is a function of the production of said machine,

mounting magnetic material within a wheel of said hank counter so that said material alternately is moved within and removed from said given distance, when said machine is operating, and

employing the time intervals between the opening and closing of said contacts to determine said production.

9. A method as in claim 8 including the additional step of producing an electrical signal having a first characteristic when said switch means is closed and a second characteristic when said switch means is open.

10. Apparatus for sensing a condition of textile machine comprising:

a hank clock having at least a single dial mounted on said machine,

switch means mounted in association with said textile machine and having a first and second position,

at least a single magnetic member mounted on said dial for causing said switch means to be in said first position when said dial is in a first position and said switch means to be in said second position when said dial is in a second position, so that the frequency of said changing varies with said condition.

11. Apparatus for sensing a condition of a textile machine comprising:

a hank clock mounted on said machine

switch means mounted in association with said textile machine and having two contacts, a first position in which said contacts contact, when magnetic material is placed within a given distance of said contacts and a second position in which said contacts are separated when said material is removed from within said given distance

means mounted on said textile machine for causing said switch means to alternately change from said first to second position and from said second to said first position while said machine is in operation so that the frequency of said changing varies with said condition, including a wheel of said hank counter mounted on a part of said textile machine which rotates at a speed which is a function of a given condition and at least a single piece of magnetic material mounted within said wheel so that said piece approaches within said given distance and is subsequently removed from said given distance at separated intervals of time.

12. Apparatus for sensing a condition of a textile machine comprising:

a hank clock mounted on said machine

switch means mounted in association with said textile machine and having two contacts, a first position in which said contacts contact, when magnetic material is placed within a given distance of said contacts and a second position in which said contacts are separated when said material is removed from within said given distance

means mounted on said textile machine for causing said switch means to alternately change from said first to second position and from said second to said first position while said machine is in operation so that the frequency of said changing varies with said condition, including a dial of said hank counter mounted on a part of said textile machine which rotates at a speed which is a function of a given condition and at least a single piece of magnetic material mounted within said dial so that said piece approaches within said given distance and is subsequently removed from said given distance at separated intervals of time.