Automatic yarn inspector comprising double integrating means and electronic calibrating means

Claim 2

A detection system for inspecting strands of elongated material such as yarn, fishing line, medical sutures, cord, string, thread and the like while being advanced longitudinally individually or as a multiplicity in sheet form and for inspecting fabric and web materials comprising, circuitry having a lamp from which emanates a beam of light relative to which the material being inspected is moved transversely thereof and including photoresponsive means on which said light impinges to provide voltage signals when defects occur in the material being inspected, first circuit means connected to respond to said voltage signals for generating corresponding signals from selected ones of said voltage signals, second circuit means connected to receive said corresponding signals in a configuration responsive to said corresponding signals and including integrating circuit means for generating composite signals the amplitude of which depends on the quantity and amplitude of said corresponding signals produced in preselected periods of time, means responsive to each of said composite signals generated controlling the movement of said material, in response to at least some of said composite signals and lengthadjust means to adjust the quantity of said corresponding signals said second circuit will integrate to determine the length of the defects which are detected on said material being inspected.

Claim 3

In combination an automatic photoelectric inspector apparatus and an electronic calibrator for inspecting strands of elongated material, yarn, fishing line, medical sutures, cord, string, thread and the like while being advanced longitudinally and as a multiplicity in sheet form and for inspecting fabric and web materials comprising, a detecting head comprising a source of light, an optical system cooperative with said light source having an optical axis for projecting a substantially collimated inspection beam of light rays across the strand or sheet of strands to be inspected, means providing at least one guide surface over which said strand or sheet of strands pass when being inspected comprising means for disposing said guide surface substantially parallel to said optical axis, a photoelectric unit having means disposed for receiving the light beam rays after projection across said strand or sheet of strands and comprising pulse generating means to generate discrete pulses representative of discrete defects detected by the light beam and in response to modulated light rays causing variations of the amount of light in said beam due to said defects, control circuitry connected to said pulse generating means for establishing variable pulse amplitude effective levels representative of a variable lower limit of diameters of the defects to be detected, and actuating means responsive only to pulses within said limit of amplitudes, an electronic calibrator comprising, means for generating a pulse, a differentiating circuit connected to receive said pulse and sharpen it, a monostable vibrator triggered by said pulse connected to receive said sharpened pulse, a pulse shaping network for shaping the pulse to a preselected shape, means for applying the output of said vibrator to said shaping network, and means controllable for establishing a variable amplitude level for said pulses so that the amplitude level is indicative of a predetermined value of a physical variable.

Claim 4

In combination an automatic photoelectric inspector apparatus and an electronic calibrator for inspecting strands of elongated material, yarn, fishing line, medical sutures, cord, string, thread and the like while being advanced longitudinally and as a multiplicity in sheet form and for inspecting fabric and web materials comprising, a detecting head comprising a source of light, an optical system cooperative with said light source having an optical axis for projecting a substantially collimated inspection beam of light rays across the strand or sheet of strands to be inspected, means providing at least one guide surface over which said strand or sheet of strands pass when being inspected comprising means for disposing said guide surface substantially parallel to said optical axis, a photoelectric unit having means disposed for receiving the light beam rays after projection across said strand or sheet of strands and comprising pulse generating means to generate discrete pulses representative of discrete defects detected by the light beam and in response to modulated light rays causing variations of the amount of light in said beam due to said defects, control circuitry connected to said pulse generating means for establishing variable pulse amplitude effective levels representative of a variable lower limit of diameters of the defects to be detected, and actuating means responsive only to pulses within said limit of amplitudes, an electronic calibrator comprising, means for generating a pulse, a differentiating circuit connected to receive said pulse and sharpen it, a monostable vibrator triggered by said pulse connected to receive said sharpened pulse, a pulse shaping network for shaping the pulse to a preselected shape, means for applying the output of said vibrator to said shaping network, and means controllable for establishing a variable amplitude level for said pulses so that the amplitude level is indicative of a predetermined value of a physical variable.

Claim 5

In combination an automatic photoelectric inspector apparatus and an electronic calibrator for inspecting strands of elongated material, yarn, fishing line, medical sutures, cord, string, thread and the like while being advanced longitudinally individually and as a multiplicity in sheet form and for inspecting fabric and web materials comprising, a detecting head comprising a source of light, an optical system cooperative with said light source having an optical axis for projecting a substantially collimated inspection beam of light rays across the strand or sheet of strands to be inspected, means providing at least one guide surface over which said strand or sheet of strands pass when being inspected comprising means for disposing said guide surface substantially parallel to said optical axis, a photoelectric unit having means disposed for receiving the ligHt beam rays after projection across said strand or sheet of strands and comprising pulse generating means to generate discrete pulses representative of discrete defects detected by the light beam and in response to modulated light rays causing variations of the amount of light in said beam due to said defects, control circuitry connected to said pulse generating means for establishing variable pulse amplitude effective levels representative of a variable lower limit of diameters of the defects to be detected, and actuating means responsive only to pulses within said limit of amplitudes, said electronic calibrator comprising, means comprising an astable multivibrator for generating a negative pulse, a differentiating circuit connected to receive said negative pulse and sharpen it, a monostable vibrator triggered by said pulse connected to receive said sharpened pulse, a pulse shaping network for shaping the pulse to a preselected shape, means for applying the output of said vibrator to said shaping network, and means controllable for establishing a variable amplitude level for said pulses so that the amplitude level is indicative of the level of a physical variable.

Claim 6

In combination an automatic photoelectric inspector apparatus and an electronic calibrator for inspecting strands of elongated material, yarn, fishing line, medical sutures, cord, string, thread and the like while being advanced longitudinally individually and as a multiplicity in sheet form and for inspecting fabric and web materials comprising, a detecting head comprising a source of light, an optical system cooperative with said light source having an optical axis for projecting a substantially collimated inspection beam of light rays across the strand or sheet of strands to be inspected, means providing at least one guide surface over which said strand or sheet of strands pass when being inspected comprising means for disposing said guide surface substantially parallel to said optical axis, a photoelectric unit having means disposed for receiving the ligHt beam rays after projection across said strand or sheet of strands and comprising pulse generating means to generate discrete pulses representative of discrete defects detected by the light beam and in response to modulated light rays causing variations of the amount of light in said beam due to said defects, control circuitry connected to said pulse generating means for establishing variable pulse amplitude effective levels representative of a variable lower limit of diameters of the defects to be detected, and actuating means responsive only to pulses within said limit of amplitudes, said electronic calibrator comprising, means comprising an astable multivibrator for generating a negative pulse, a differentiating circuit connected to receive said negative pulse and sharpen it, a monostable vibrator triggered by said pulse connected to receive said sharpened pulse, a pulse shaping network for shaping the pulse to a preselected shape, means for applying the output of said vibrator to said shaping network, and means controllable for establishing a variable amplitude level for said pulses so that the amplitude level is indicative of the level of a physical variable.