EP2444348B1 - Core gripper for a cross-wound spool exchanging system - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a tube gripper for a cheese change unit according to the preamble of claim 1.

In connection with cross-wound producing textile machines, for example automatic spooling machines, so-called cross-spool changing units have long been known.

Such cheese change units are along the workstations of the textile machines movable operator, which intervene automatically when needed at the jobs helping. Such a requirement is given, for example, if the cross-wound bobbin has reached a predetermined size at a workstation. In such a case, the cheese change unit runs to the relevant job, positions itself there and exchanges the finished cross-wound bobbin for a new empty tube.

Such cross-coil changing units, for example, in the DE 195 24 946 B4 and the DE 10 2007 036 696 A1 are described, each have a variety of handling devices that come during a change process according to a predetermined program used.

Such cross-coil changing units have, for example, a frame opener, a frame lifter, a coil guide device and a tube gripper.

With the tube gripper removes the cheese change unit in the course of the change process from a working empty empties storage an empty tube and changes them after ejecting the finished cheese in the creel of the relevant job.

In the DE 195 24 946 B4 For example, a cross-coil changing unit is described, which has a tube gripper, which has a prismatic, by means of an adjusting mechanism mechanically adjustable sleeve holder for positioning an empty tube and a pivotable by means of a pneumatic cylinder gripper fingers for fixing the empty tube on the sleeve holder.

In such a trained tube gripper, the subsequent sleeve transfer position of the empty tube is always determined by the position of the prismatic sleeve holder.

This means that in cross-wound bobbin changing units, which are equipped with such trained tube grippers, when it comes to the associated textile machine to a game change and in the course of this lot change, for example, from cheeses with cylindrical sleeves on cheeses with conical sleeves, to adapt to the new Sleeve format and the position of the sleeve holder manually be reset.

A cheese change unit with a comparable tube gripper is also in the DE 10 2007 036 696 A1 described. Again, the tube gripper consists of a arranged on a base body of the tube gripper prismatic sleeve holder and a movable by means of a pneumatic cylinder gripper fingers, which can be lowered onto an empty tube positioned in the sleeve holder.

However, this reference contains no statements as to whether or how this known tube gripper is adjustable to different sleeve formats.

The known cross-coil changing units have proven themselves in practice, but have the disadvantage that their sleeve grippers always have to be readjusted manually when changing the sleeve format. In addition, such cheese change units can always handle only one empty tube type, with the result that such cross-coil changing units can be used only in a one-part operation of a textile machine.

In other words, if a textile machine producing cross-wound bobbins is to operate in multi-batch operation, at least two cross-bobbin changing units of this type are always necessary to supply the workstations of this textile machine.

In the past, cross-coil changing units have already been proposed, which make it possible to handle different sleeve formats without costly conversion work.

Furthermore, sleeve feeders have already been developed in connection with reciprocating machines, which automatically adapt to the respective tube format when gripping an empty tube.

In the EP 0 126 352 B1 For example, a cross-coil changing unit is described in which the tube gripper is arranged on a special, pivotally mounted intermediate frame of the cross-coil changing unit.

This intermediate frame of the cheese change unit can, depending on whether cylindrical or conical empty tubes must be handled, are pivoted in a first or in a second working position.

Such cross-coil changing units are quite complex in their structural design, with the result that the production of such cheese change units is quite expensive.

Cross-coil changing units with tube grippers, which are arranged on a pivotally mounted intermediate frame, therefore could not prevail in practice.

By the EP 1 197 463 B1 a sleeve feeder is known, which is equipped with a special tube gripper.

This known tube gripper, which is also applicable to cheese change units, is designed so that he himself automatically adjusts to the diameter and the shape of an accommodated empty tube, wherein also the center longitudinal axis of the recorded empty tube, regardless of the shape or the diameter of the empty tube, during the sleeve transfer is shifted so that it in a sleeve transfer position with the axis of rotation of the coil frame of a job arranged sleeve receiving plate coincides.

However, these known sleeve feeders are very complicated in their mechanical construction and, in particular, very sensitive to the environmental conditions prevailing in winding operations, such as fiber fly.

Also, the sleeve feeder according to EP 1 197 463 B1 therefore could not prevail in practice.

Based on the aforementioned prior art, the present invention seeks to develop a tube gripper for a cheese change unit, on the one hand reliable and without additional modifications the replacement of empty tubes of different sleeve formats in the creel of jobs of a cheese-producing textile machine allows and on the other hand inexpensive to produce and insensitive against harsh environmental conditions.

This object is achieved by a tube gripper, as described in claim 1.

Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

The inventive design of a tube gripper has the particular advantage that when taking over an empty tube from a working empty empties memory immediately a reliable alignment and fixation of the axis of rotation of recorded empty tube according to the present, predetermined sleeve format.

That is, the two spaced arranged 3-point clamping devices of the tube gripper according to the invention, each formed by the sleeve holder, a movable probing lever and a movable counter-clamping lever, ensure that the axis of rotation of the recorded empty tube, immediately according to their sleeve format, the known and is deposited in a storage device of the cheese change unit, is aligned so defined that the axis of rotation of the empty tube in the region of a sleeve transfer position coincides with the axis of rotation of the sleeve receiving plate of the creel of the relevant job.

A cross-coil changing unit equipped with a tube gripper according to the invention can therefore easily handle one after the other empty tubes of different diameter and / or different sleeve shape (cylindrical or conical), that is, transfer from a working empty envelope storage in a sleeve transfer position of an associated creel of a job.

Even with a multi-part operation, in which different sleeve formats must be handled, no adjustments to the tube gripper are necessary.

The empty tube held ready by the tube gripper in the sleeve transfer position can be safely taken over by the rotatably mounted sleeve receiving plates of the coil frame when closing the coil frame.

In a preferred embodiment, the tube gripper has two probing levers pivotally mounted on a central carrier of the tube gripper via a first axis and two counter-clamping levers mounted pivotably on a second axis of the central carrier.

The two probing levers are pivotable by a pneumatic cylinder in the direction of the empty tube and each positively coupled with an associated counter-tensioning lever.

That is, a sliding and guide element arranged on the feeler lever corresponds to an associated curve contour integrated into the counter-tensioning lever.

In practice, this means that when pivoting the probing lever at the same time also the associated counter-clamping lever are pivoted with and thereby aligns the positioned on the sleeve holder empty tube defined and fixed. The two acting on the empty tube probing lever and the two counter-clamping lever form in conjunction with the sleeve holder of the tube gripper two spaced-apart 3-point clamping devices that align the empty tube both in accordance with regulations, as well as secure.

In an advantageous embodiment, the counter-clamping lever can each be acted upon by a spring element so that its curve contour always bears against the sliding and guide element of the probe lever.

In this way it is ensured that the counter-clamping lever is always in a predetermined position by the associated probing lever.

To the position of the axis of rotation of the recorded empty tube always according to their sleeve size, which, as already indicated above, known and stored in a memory of a control device of the cheese change unit, to be able to adjust exactly, the sliding and guide element of the second probe lever is designed and so Defined adjustable that when closing the tube gripper, the rotation axis of an empty tube is automatically pushed into a predetermined position.

The sliding and guiding element is preferably designed as an eccentrically mounted adjusting bolt, which, acted upon by an electric motor drive, defined in predeterminable working positions can be positioned.

That is, the center of the second 3-point clamping device and thus the position of the axis of rotation of the empty tube can be set exactly on the working position of the arranged on the second feeler sliding and guide member corresponding to the curve contour of the associated counter-clamping lever when swinging the probing lever ,

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawings.

Fig. 1

eine Vorderansicht einer Kreuzspulen herstellenden Textilmaschine, mit einem oberhalb der Arbeitsstellen der Textilmaschine verfahrbar angeordneten Kreuzspulen-wechselaggregat, das mit einem erfindungsgemäßen Hülsengreifer ausgestattet ist,

Fig. 2

in Seitenansicht eine Arbeitsstelle einer Kreuzspulen herstellenden Textilmaschine sowie ein vor der Arbeits-stelle positioniertes, mit einem erfindungsgemäßen Hülsengreifer ausgestattetes Kreuzspulenwechsel-aggregat,

Fig. 3

eine perspektivische Seitenansicht eines erfindungs-gemäßen Hülsengreifers,

Fig. 4

eine weitere perspektivische Seitenansicht eines erfindungsgemäßen Hülsengreifers,

Fig. 5

eine Ansicht auf das Gleit- und Führungselement der zweiten 3-Punkt-Spanneinrichtung des erfindungsgemäßen Hülsengreifers.

It shows:

Fig. 1

4 shows a front view of a textile machine producing cross-wound bobbins, with a cross-bobbin changing unit movably arranged above the working stations of the textile machine and equipped with a tube gripper according to the invention,

Fig. 2

in side view, a workstation of a cross-wound textile machine and a positioned before the workstation, equipped with a tube gripper invention cheese package changing unit,

Fig. 3

a perspective side view of a tube according to the invention,

Fig. 4

a further perspective side view of a tube gripper according to the invention,

Fig. 5

a view of the sliding and guiding element of the second 3-point clamping device of the tube gripper according to the invention.

In the FIG. 1 is in front view of a cheese-producing textile machine, in the embodiment, a cheese winding machine, shown and designated overall by the reference numeral 1.

Such spooling machines 1 usually have a plurality of identical, between end racks 5 and 6 arranged jobs 2. The jobs 2 are arranged side by side in a row and, if necessary, arranged by an arranged in front of the textile machine 1 operating gear from.

On these, often also referred to as winding stations 2 jobs, as known and therefore not explained in detail, spinning reels 9 rewound to large-volume cheeses 11. The spinning cops 9 are positioned during Abspulprozesses in Abspulstellungen 10, each in the area (in Fig.1 not shown) so-called transverse transport routes 26 are located.

As in the FIGS. 1 and 2 indicated, the supply and disposal of jobs 2 with template material via a bobbin and tube transport system 3. In this bobbin and tube transport system 3, from the in FIG. 1 only the sleeve return path 7 is shown, run in a vertical orientation on Hülsentransporttellern 8 spinning cops 9 or empty Kop sleeves 4.

Since the spinning cops 9 are not only rewound, but the thread during the Umspulprozesses also controlled and at If necessary, each of the workplaces 2 has a number of special thread monitoring and processing devices known per se and subsequently in connection with the Fig.2 are briefly explained.

In the Fig.1 The schematic representation of the individual workstations 2 is limited to the intimation of the end product, a so-called cross-wound bobbin 11, a cross-wound bobbin drive roller 17 and a cross-bobbin change unit 12 movably arranged above the workstations 2, with its running gear 18A, 18B running rails 21A running above the workstations 2, 21B is stored.

Each of the work stations 2 has a working empty reel storage 13 for receiving a number of empty tubes 14, which are needed to produce a cross-wound bobbin 11.

As in FIG. 1 further indicated, each workstation 2 also has a workstations computer 15, which is connected, for example via a (not shown) bus system to a central computer 16 of the textile machine.

The control device of the cheese change unit 12 is connected via a (not shown) bus line to the central information processor 16 of the textile machine 1 and thus also to the workstation computers 15 of the individual work stations 2. That is, between the individual jobs 2 and the cheese change unit 12 is given a communication, which allows a needs-based use of the cheese change unit 12.

As in Fig. 1 indicated and in the Fig. 2 shown in more detail, is the cheese change unit 12 with trolleys 18A, 18B movable on machine-length raceways 21A, 21B, which are arranged above the work stations 2, arranged. If necessary, the cross-coil changing unit 12 ensures that when a cross-wound bobbin 11 is completed on a workstation 2, the cross-wound bobbin 11 is transferred from the creel 20 to a cross-bobbin conveyor 19 and a new empty tube 14 is loaded into the creel 20 of the relevant workstation 2. The corresponding empty tube 14 removes the cheese change unit 12 with its sleeve gripper 31 according to the invention a working empty empties memory 13th

The Fig. 2 shows a side view of a job 2 of a cheese-producing textile machine. 1

As already indicated above, such textile machines have a relatively extensive bobbin and tube transport system 3, of which in Fig. 2 the machine-length Kopszuführstrecke 24, the reversing memory section 25, one of the leading to the winding units 2 transverse transport sections 26 and the sleeve return path 7 is shown.

In this coil and sleeve transport system 3, as already indicated above, standing in vertical alignment on transport plates 8, spinning cops 9, which were produced on a (not shown) ring spinning machine, as well as processed empty tubes 4 conveyed.

The delivered spinning cops 9 are rewound in a pay-off position 10 of the jobs 2 to large-volume cheeses 11. For this purpose, the individual workplaces have, as is known and therefore only indicated, various facilities which ensure the proper functioning of the workplaces 2.

In Fig. 2 is with 30 of the spinning cop 9 to the cheese 11 running thread, with 32 a suction nozzle, with 33 a gripper tube, with 34 a thread splicer, with 35 a thread tensioner device, with 36 a thread cleaner with thread trimmer and 37 indicated a paraffining device. The bobbin drive drum, which drives the cross-wound bobbin 11 by friction during the winding process, bears the reference numeral 17.

During the winding process, the cheese 11 is held in a coil frame 20 which is pivotally mounted about an axis 22.

Behind the workstations 2 runs a cross-coil transport device 19, on which the finished cross-wound bobbins 11 are discharged and subsequently conveyed to a machine-end-side (not shown) loading station. Each workstation has an empty tube storage 13, in which empty tubes 14 are held up for winding cheeses 11.

As already mentioned above, the jobs 2 are supplied by a cheese change unit 12 if necessary. The cross-bobbin changing unit 12, which is movably arranged with its running gear 18A, 18B on machine-length slide rails 21A, 21B along the workstations 2, ensures that cheeses 11 which have reached a predetermined diameter are discharged onto the cross-bobbin transport device 19 and subsequently from the empty tube store 13 Empty tube 14 is loaded in the creel 20 of the relevant job 2.

In Fig. 2 In addition, the handling elements required during the changing process cross-wound bobbin / empty tube of the cross-bobbin changing unit 12 are shown, which are: frame opener 23, frame lifter 28, coil guide device 29 and tube gripper 31.

For the sake of clarity, attention has been drawn to an illustration of the further handling elements of such cheese packages waived.

The device for creating a head reserve winding and the device for applying the thread 30 to the empty tube 14 are not shown, for example.

In Figure 3 the tube gripper 31 of the cheese change unit 12 according to the invention is shown in a perspective side view.

As can be seen, the supporting member of the tube gripper 31 is a central support 42, at the end stationary a sleeve holder 27 is fixed and to a first axis 41, the stop arms 39A and 39B and a second axis 47, the counter-clamping lever 40A and 40B are connected.

The central support 42 also forms, via a further axis 56, an abutment for the pneumatic cylinders 43A and 43B, which in turn are also respectively connected to one of the detent levers 39A and 39B.

That is, when the pneumatic cylinders 43A, 43B are pressurized, the probing levers 39A, 39B pivot down in the direction R and lay from above on a (in Figure 3 not shown) empty sleeve 14th

The detent levers 39A and 39B are each provided with a sliding and guiding element 44A and 44B corresponding to a cam contour 55A and 55B, respectively, of an associated counter-tensioning lever 40A and 40B, with the result that at the same time the counter-tensioning levers 40A and 40B respectively be pivoted and with the probe arms 39A, 39B and the sleeve holder 27 two spaced apart 3-point clamping devices 38A and 38B form.

The sliding and guide elements 44A and 44B differ, as described below with reference to Figure 5 will be explained in more detail, in a significant point from each other, namely, that the location of the sliding lever and guide installed on the detent 39B element 44b defined with respect to its working position is adjustable.

The central support 42 is connected via parallelogram 50, 51 with a rotary arm 52, which in turn, in particular from the Figure 4 can be seen, connected via a pivot shaft 53 to an electromotive pivot drive 54 of the tube gripper 31.

How out Figure 4 Furthermore, the parallelogram link 51 is also indirectly connected to an actuator 60 via a control lever 59.

The Figure 5 shows a schematic diagram of the sliding and guide element 44 B connected to the detent lever 39 B.

As can be seen, a mounting plate 57 is fixed to the stop lever 39B by means of bolts 58 or the like, which carries a defined controllable electric motor 46, preferably a stepper motor.

On the motor shaft 61 of this stepping motor, an eccentrically formed sliding and guide element 44 B is fixed to which, acted upon by a spring element 45, the cam contour 55 of the counter-clamping lever 40 B is applied.

When the pneumatic cylinder 43 B is pressurized, the probing lever 39B pivots downward in the direction R and lies down on the empty tube 14 prepositioned in the sleeve holder 27. At the same time the probing lever 39B provides the sliding and guiding element 44B, which slides along the curve contour 55 of the counter-clamping lever 40B, that the counter-clamping lever 40B is pivoted about the axis 47 upwards.

The einschwenkende probing lever 39B and the einschwenkende counter-tensioning lever 40B form in conjunction with the sleeve holder 27, the second 3-point clamping device 38B.

The exact position of this 3-point clamping device 38B and thus the position of the axis of rotation 62 of the recorded empty tube 14 can be exactly predetermined by adjusting the angular position of the sliding and guide element 44B.

The sliding and guiding element 44B is, as in FIG Figure 5 illustrated, preferably designed as a mounted on a rotation axis 48, eccentrically formed adjusting bolt.

• Wie beispielsweise in der nachveröffentlichten DE 10 2010 035 068.0 relativ ausführlich beschrieben, sind die Textilmaschinen, an denen Kreuzspulenwechselaggregate mit erfindungsgemäß ausgebildeten Hülsengreifer zum Einsatz kommen, mit Eingabe- und Steuerungsmittel zur Bestimmung der jeweils vom Format der einzuwechselnden Leerhülsen abhängigen Parameter und zum entsprechenden, definierten Ansteuern zugehöriger Antriebe der Arbeitsstellen bzw. des Kreuzspulenwechselaggregats ausgestattet. Das heißt, an den Arbeitsstellen der Textilmaschine und/oder dem Kreuzspulenwechselaggregat sind Eingabevorrichtungen vorhanden, die es dem Bedienpersonal ermöglichen, die Antriebe der Spulvorrichtungen der Arbeitsstellen sowie die Antriebe der Handhabungseinrichtungen des Kreuzspulenwechselaggregats in Abhängigkeit vom Hülsenformat der einzuwechselnden Leerhülse manuell so zu verfahren, dass die Spulenrahmen der Arbeitsstellen und der Hülsengreifer des Kreuzspulenwechselaggregats in den Hülsenübergabestellungen jeweils exakt in dem Hülsenformat entsprechenden Stellungen positioniert sind.

The mode of operation of the tube gripper according to the invention arranged on a cross-wound bobbin changing unit:

• For example, in the post-published DE 10 2010 035 068.0 described in relative detail, the textile machines, on which cross-bobbin changing units are inventively designed with tube gripper used with input and control means for determining the respective dependent on the format of the empty tubes to be inserted parameters and the corresponding, defined driving associated drives the workstations and the cheese change unit equipped , That is, at the workstations of the textile machine and / or the cheese change unit input devices are available that allow the operator to manually drive the winder of the winder of jobs and the drives of handling devices of the cheese change unit depending on the sleeve size of the empty tube to be inserted so that the Coil frames of the jobs and the tube gripper of the cheese change unit in the sleeve transfer positions are each positioned exactly in the sleeve format corresponding positions.

Furthermore, storage devices are provided in which in particular the manually traversed paths of the tube gripper are stored, which later by the control device of the cheese change unit when inserting the empty tube in the creel of a job for automatic, exact Positioning the empty tube can be used. The operator is considerably assisted in determining the parameters necessary for the exact positioning of the tube gripper, since he only has to manually control the drives and move into the positions dependent on the respective sleeve format.

It is not necessary that any parameters be numerically determined by the operator. Rather, the parameters are automatically detected by the control of the textile machine or the cheese change unit, since the manually moved paths are stored, which later allows a simple adjustment of the tube gripper to different sleeve formats.

If later during the winding process at one of the jobs 2 of the automatic winder 1 a cheese 11 has reached its predetermined size (= predetermined diameter or thread length), which is detected by the workstation 15 of the job 2, the cheese change unit 12 to the relevant workstation. 2 ordered and the workstation 2 stopped.

Of course, the cheese change unit 12 from the workstation 15 of the job 2 also be called shortly before completion of the cheese 11 to the relevant job 2.

The cross-coil changing unit 12 called to the workstation 2 positions itself at the relevant workstation 2 and grips with a corresponding thread-handling device the thread running from the spinning cop 9 to the cheese 11.

The collected thread is cut, with the thread end connected to the supply spool 9, as is known, for preparing a new cross-wound bobbin 11 is kept ready.

Almost simultaneously, the creel 20 of the job 2 is pivoted by the frame lifter 28 of the cheese change unit 12 from its winding position in a Spulenabgabeposition, opened by the Rahmenöffner 23 and the finished cheese 11 by the bobbin guide device 29 safely on a running behind the workstations 2, machine-length cross-coil Transfer device 19 passed.

Subsequently, the bobbin frame 20 is positioned in a sleeve take-up position, which, as explained above, in each case by the sleeve format, which is used on the relevant workstation, is specified.

During the transfer of the finished cheese 11 to the cheese-transporting device 19 also the tube gripper 31 of the cheese change unit 12, driven by the drives 54 and 60 according to pivoted to receive a new empty tube 14 to the working empty emptying hopper 13 and thereby the sliding and guiding element 44B of the detent lever 39B is set according to the sleeve format to be handled. The tube gripper 31 is then positioned with its sleeve holder 27 below the foremost of the empty tubes 13 stored in the empty tube storage 13.

Subsequently, by pressing the pneumatic cylinder 43A, 43B, the probing levers 39A, 39B are lowered toward the empty tube 13 in the direction R.

Since the probing levers 39A, 39B are functionally connected to the counter-clamping levers 40A, 40B via the sliding and guiding elements 44A, 44B and the cam contours 55, the counter-clamping levers 40A, 40B simultaneously pivot upward in the direction of the empty tube 13. That is, the sleeve holder 27 forms, together with the probing levers 39A, 39B and the counter-clamping levers 40A, 40B on the empty tube 13, two spaced-apart 3-point clamping devices 38A, 38B.

Since the sliding and guiding element 44B, which is responsible for the exact position of the 3-point clamping device 38B, has already been positioned before the gripping of the empty tube 13 corresponding to the sleeve format present at the relevant workstation 2, the enclosed empty tube 13 becomes when closing the tube gripper 31 with respect to its axis of rotation 62 automatically aligned properly.

That is, the recorded empty tube 13 is aligned in the sleeve transfer position in each case so that the axis of rotation 62 of the held in the tube gripper 31 empty tube 13 coincides with the rotational axis of the sleeve receiving plate of the coil frame 20 of the relevant job 2.

The empty tube 13 can be easily taken over by the sleeve receiving plate in this position when closing the creel 20 of the job 2. At the same time or subsequently, the yarn end, which is held ready in the handling device of the cross-bobbin changing unit 12 and connected to the delivery bobbin, is fastened to the empty tube 13.

The change cycle is thus finished, the relevant job 2 can be restarted.

Claims (7)

1. Tube gripper (31) for a cross-wound bobbin doffing assembly (12) with a tube holder stationarily fastened to a base construction of the tube gripper to receive and position an empty tube, and with a gripper finger movably mounted with respect to the tube holder (27) and configured as a counter-clamping lever to fix the empty tube (14) while it is being transferred from an empty tube store (13) particular to the workstation into a pivotably mounted creel (20) of a workstation of a textile machine producing cross-wound bobbins, characterised in that the tube gripper (31) has two 3-point clamping devices (38A or 38B) arranged spaced apart to fix and orient an empty tube (14), the two 3-point clamping devices (38A or 38B) in each case being formed by the tube holder (27), a movably mounted contact lever (39A or 39B) and a movably mounted counter-clamping lever (40A or 40B) and each of the contact levers (39A or 39B) being positively coupled to the associated counter-clamping lever (40A or 40B) in such a way that when the 3-point clamping devices (38A or 38B) are closed to fix an empty tube (14) received from an empty tube store (13), a defined orientation of the rotational axis (62) of the received empty tube (14) takes place in accordance with a predetermined tube format so that the rotational axis (62) of the empty tube (14) in the region of a tube transfer position coincides with the rotational axis of the tube receiving plates of the creel (20) of the associated workstation (2).
2. Tube gripper according to claim 1, characterised in that the contact levers (39A or 39B) are rotatably connected by a first axle (41) to a central carrier (42) of the tube gripper (31).
3. Tube gripper according to claim 2, characterised in that the contact levers (39A or 39B) can in each case be pivoted by a pneumatic cylinder (43A or 43B) in the direction (R) of the received empty tube (14).
4. Tube gripper according to claim 1, characterised in that the counter-clamping levers (40A or 40B) are connected by means of a second axle (47) to the central carrier (42) of the tube gripper (31) and are in each case positively connected by a curved contour (55A or 55B) to a slide and guide element (44A or 44B) arranged on the contact lever (39A or 39B).
5. Tube gripper according to claim 4, characterised in that the counter-clamping levers (40A or 40B) can in each case be loaded by a spring element (45) in such a way that the curved contour (55A or 55B) rests on the slide and guide element (44A or 44B) of the contact lever (39A or 39B).
6. Tube gripper according to claim 4, characterised in that the slide and guide element (44B) of the second contact lever (39B) is configured and can be adjusted in a defined manner in such a way that the rotational axis (62) of a received empty tube (14), when the tube gripper (31) is closed, is automatically positioned by the second 3-point clamping device (38B) in a predetermined position.
7. Tube gripper according to claim 4, characterised in that the slide and guide element (44B) is configured as an eccentrically mounted adjusting bolt, which, driven by an electric motor drive (46), can be positioned in a defined manner in predeterminable working positions.

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