Tooth-set carrier and opening cylinder with quick-locking mechanism

1. An opening cylinder for an open-end spinning machine, comprising:

a cylindrical core piece fixable to a distal end of a drive shaft, the core piece comprising a circumferential wall having an outer surface having a front end and a rear end, a frontward facing annular face disposed adjacent to and radially projecting from the rear end of the outer surface defining a friction surface, a radially-extending projection disposed adjacent to the front end of the outer surface having a circumferentially-facing surface defining a first contact surface;

a cylindrical tooth-set carrier detachably connected to the core piece such that the tooth-set carrier and the core piece rotate relative to a common rotational axis, the tooth-set carrier comprising a circumferential wall concentrically received on the circumferential wall of the core piece and having an inner surface having a front end and a rear end, at least one connecting element radially-inwardly extending from the inner surface adjacent to the front end, the rear end having an annular face defining a friction surface complementary to the friction surface of the core piece, the connecting element comprising a shoulder formed in a first flank of the connecting element having a circumferentially-facing surface defining a first contact surface complementary to the contact surface of the core piece; and

an annular spring element concentrically disposed on the front end of the outer surface of the core piece, the spring element comprising at least one radially-outwardly extending spring-loaded leg having a free end configured to engage a respective connecting element on the tooth-set carrier, when the core piece is concentrically received within the tooth-set carrier, upon relative rotation between the tooth-set carrier and the core piece, wherein rotational engagement of the spring element and the connecting element draws the core piece and the tooth-set carrier axially towards each other to axially and circumferentially lock the tooth-set carrier to the core piece;

the friction surfaces of the core piece and the tooth-set carrier being drawn against one another in an axial direction by engagement of the spring-loaded leg and the connecting element to form a force-fitting connection in an operational rotational direction of the opening cylinder that transmits torque to the tooth set carrier; and

the first contact surfaces of tooth-set carrier and the core piece being drawn against one another in the operational rotational direction by the rotational engagement of spring element and the connecting element to form a positive locking connection in the circumferential direction between the tooth-set carrier and the core piece against relative rotation in a direction opposite to the operational rotational direction.

2. The opening cylinder as in claim 1 , wherein in a connected state of the tooth-set carrier on the core piece, a form-fitting frictional connection is defined in the axial and circumferential directions between the tooth-set carrier and the core piece by an annular groove.

3. The opening cylinder as in claim 1 , further comprising second opposing contact surfaces defined on the connecting element and the spring element respectively in an axial direction.

4. The opening cylinder as in claim 1 , further comprising a snap-on shoulder defined at the free end of the spring-loaded leg that engages with a snap-on edge defined on the connecting element by a second flank of the connecting element.

5. The opening cylinder as in claim 4 , further comprising a plurality of the connecting elements circumferentially spaced around the tooth-set carrier, and a plurality of the spring-loaded legs circumferentially spaced around the core piece.

6. The opening cylinder as in claim 5 , wherein the spring-loaded legs are individual components disconnected from each other and individually retained on the core piece.

7. The opening cylinder as in claim 1 , wherein the at least one connecting elements are hook-shaped.

8. The opening cylinder as in claim 7 , wherein the connecting element comprises a first opening oriented in the circumferential direction and a second opening oriented in the radial direction for engagement with the spring-loaded leg.

9. The opening cylinder as in claim 8 , wherein the connecting element further comprises a spring contact surface configured to press against the spring-loaded leg.

10. The opening cylinder as in claim 7 , wherein the connecting element comprises a snap-on edge defined by the first flank that is configured to engage with a snap-on shoulder defined at the free end of the spring-loaded leg of a spring element on the core piece.

11. The opening cylinder as in claim 7 , comprising a plurality of the connecting elements circumferentially spaced around the tooth-set carrier for engagement with a plurality of the spring-loaded legs circumferentially spaced around the core piece.

12. The opening cylinder as in claim 1 , comprising a radial depression defined in the rear end of the tooth-set carrier, the radial depression configured for engagement with a radial elevation disposed on the flange of the core piece to define a form-fitting circumferentially extending connection between the tooth-set carrier and the core piece.

13. The opening cylinder as in claim 12 , wherein the radial depression extends in the circumferential direction over an angular range that corresponds to a twisting angle of the tooth set carrier relative to the core piece when connecting the tooth set carrier to the core piece.

14. The opening cylinder as in claim 1 , wherein the tooth set carrier comprises a tooth set holder.

15. The opening cylinder as in claim 14 , wherein the at least one connecting elements are hook-shaped.