US2267679A - Bobbin stripper - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 23, 1941. E. A TERRELL Em. 2,267,679

BOBBIN STRIPPER Filed De. 22, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet l itil De. 23, 1941.v E. A. TERRELL ETAL BOBBIN STRIPPER Filed Dec. 22, 193s 5 Sheets-sheet 2 Dec.'23, 1941. E. A. TERRELL ET AL 2,267,579

OBBIN STRIPPER Filed Dec'. 22, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 0 J3 du J0 EDGAR A TSRHELL CALEB P. DEAL Patented Dec. 23, 1941 BOBBIN STRIPPER Edgar A. Terrell and Caleb P. Deal, Charlotte, N. C., assignors to The Terrell Machine Company, Charlotte, N. C., a corporation of North Carolina Application December 22, 1938, SerialNo. 247,255

' 21 Claims. (Cl. ,Z8- 19) This invention relates to machines for strip-` ping waste yarn from bobbins, and has as its main object the provision of mechanism for stripping such waste from rayon or silk loom bobbins which must be stripped without roughening their smooth surfaces, or scratching lor chipping the enamelled finish thereof, as such injury would result in fracture of these delicate yarns during subsequent use of the bobbins in weaving. y

The general aim of the invention is to provide rapid and effective stripping devices, particularly adapted for rayon and silk bobbins,*which in their action shall make no abrasive or scraping contact with any surfaces on the bobbins which come in contact with the yarn. In particular, the invention includes among its objects the modication of the principles embodied in United States Letters Patent to Leonard Kleeb, Jr., No. 2,132,344, dated October 4, 1938, adapting the mechanism of such patent to use withV special types of bobbins and under special circumstances, as where compressed air is not available or too costly, or mechanical contact is need-` ed to free the ends of the particular stripped, and for other purposes.

To these ends, and in accordance With one principle of the invention, the yarn-bearing poryarns to be tions of the bobbins are subjected to the wipingl or brushing action of a wiping belt or pair of opposed wiping belts freeing the ends of Waste yarn from the wound masses of such yarns onthe barrels of thebobbins and delivering the freed ends to traveling yarn-engaging` surfaces which unwind and draw oir the remainder of the yarns forming the wound masses over the tips of the bobbins while the latter are` being propelled after the manner of the Kleeb patent by opposed driving belts laterally engaging the heads or rings of the bobbins, along spaced tracks Vwhich support the bobbins by engagement with their head ends or the rings thereon. In accordance with another principle of the invention, a single belt is provided to engage the butt ends of special types of bobbins unsuited for lateral frictional engagement with the paired 0pposed Kleeb belts, as well as for usewith the standard type of bobbins; this single belt feed is in an additional embodiment furthenmodied to provide positive feed of the bobbins along the, spaced tracks by providing bobbin-engaging projections on the belt. The invention also provides special means for both supporting and propelling the bobbins along a path in pendent relation while subjected to the action of the aforesaid 55' end-freeing and drawing-off means in the absence of the spaced tracks, for use in connection with bobbinsr which have 4no laterally projecting heads of appreciably greater diameter than the yarn-bearing portions, or on which the yarn is woundto a point so close to the butts that known means for supporting the .bobbins in pendent relation are unsuitable.

In accordance with another principle of the invention, the bobbins are rotated on their axes while being propelled along their path during the stripping, by driving. the opposed driving belts at unequal speeds, or by replacing one driving belt by a stationary surface, Where the Kleeb type of bobbin drive is used; or, in the case of the single overhead belt, `by providing parts in connection with-the bobbin heads which enter into rolling contact with stationary parts alongside the path `of the bobbins in a similar manner to the rolling `engagement of the `bobbin heads atone side with the stationary belt or surface, to rotate the bobbins on their aXes while subjected to the action of the end-freeing means.

Other objects ofthe invention, and themannerof theirattainment, areas will be made plain hereinafter.

Illustrative embodiments of the invention are shown inthe accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1is aside elevation of a machine embodying the invention and employing opposed belts to feed the bobbins, a certain portion of the central section of the machine having been omitted for convenience of illustration.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same machine, similarly shortened.

. Fig. 3v is a side elevation, also shortened, showinga machine embodying the invention and employing a single feed belt disposed in a vertical plane.

Fig. ,4 is, an elevation of the machine of Fig. 3 from its right-hand end, shown partly in section., i Y

l Fig.` 5 is an enlarged View of the spaced rails and the single feed belt of Fig. 4, with a bobbin i' being fed thereby, in sectional end elevation.

, Fig.` 6 is aplan viewin section on line |3-I3 of Fig. 4, illustrating the driving mechanism of the machine of Figs. 3 and 4.

,-Fig. ,7 is an elevation, also shortened, of the workingparts `of a modied form of the invention employing positive bobbin-engaging and driving devices on the. vertically disposed feed belt of the machine of Fig. 3.

i Fig.,8 .is a horizontal section on line 9-9 of Fig. 7, on a larger scale, showing details of the chain arrangement using clamps to support headless bobbins.

Fig. 12 is a vertical transverse section on line l2-I2 of Fig. 11, showing also the rails 'which support the chain.

In the embodiment of the invention of Figs. l

and 2, the bobbins l are fed manually into the` space between the horizontal portion of tracks` 5,v 6, at the left-hand side of the machine; so .as to i be suspended between the tracks by engagement of the latter with their heads or the Arings fixed They are slid valong the' tracksY on such heads. by vhand until they slide downl the inclined p0rtions 39 thereof under'the force of gravity into thev nip ofthe opposed and coengaging runs of belts 34, 35, such runs traveling in the same direction and ordinarilyat the sameyspeed, though in certain instances Va difference yin speed has been found advantageous. Each belt 34, 35, coma prises av backing of corded rubber belting 35 of substantially square section and a similarly shaped 'surfacing of deep -sponge rubber `3". These belts come together lonfthe line joining the centers of their'idle'pulleys-'38, just at the' foot of the inclined chute y39, thenceextend horizontallybeneat-h and along thetracksand over spaced rollers 46 at each side of the path of the bobbins, and thence obliquelydownwardY aroundk pulleys 53, still'in contact-with" each other; sepas;A rating as lthey pass' around driven pulleys 53.V

Thus, bobbins sliding down chute 39 by'gravity are fed by the pressure of succeeding bobbins por by hand into the nip of belts 34, `35,?the sponge rubber surfacing thereon enveloping the yarnbearing portions of the barrels of the bobbins just below their heads, and carrying vthe bobbins onward along the tracks until 4theheads ofthe bobbins are frictionally engagedv between the backed up by the vertical fiangeof fixed anglel iron adjustablymounted on track, and theA other courseby the pvertical flange of a similar angle iron loosely mounted on-track 6 by screws and slots and yieldinglyY pressed inwardby springs as in the Kleeb patent. This arrange.

ment makes the opposite coursesof the belts 35,`

32, grip the rings of the successive bobbins yield-- ingly and slide or carry the4 bobbins alternately along the tracks.

Feed belts 30, l3,2, are carried on'flanged' idle pulleys Y44, 4,2, respectively, 4and are driven fby flanged pulleys 45, 43, of equal diameters, VWhen the bobbin heads enter between vfeed belts 30, `32, the grip of the latterbelts upon .the head ends is so much firmer than that of the yielding-surfaced wiper belts upon the barrels of the bobbins that the feed belts assume themastery and determine the rate of progress. of the bobbins' through the machine, and are capable of causing relative motion between the bobbins and the 'wiping surfaces of the wiper belts 34, 35, if desired. Ordinarily, the opposing surfaces of wiper belts 34, 35, travel at equal speeds and so that the horizontal component of motion of these wiper belts as they travel obliquely downward to pulleys 53 equals the speed at which the bobbins are propelled along tracks 5 and 6 by feed belts 30, 32. By reason vof the diverging paths of the two pairs o1 belts, the wiper belts have a downward movement relative to the bobbins during which their sponge rubber surfaces exert a wiping action over the entire length of the bobbin from head to tip. As the sponge rubber on the two lower belts embraces practically the entire circuit of the bob- ,bin barrel, this' wiping action directed toward the tip of the bobbin acts to free the end of yarn and retains its grip thereon after the bobbin has been drawn from between the two lower belts.

To .render the end-freeing action of the lower belts 34, 35, more effective, it is preferred to rotate the bobbins on their axes in a direction tending to unwind the yarn therefrom while the bobbins are gripped between the two lower belts. This is easily efrected by driving the feed belts 30, 32, at unequal speeds, as the latter grip the bobbins tighter than the resilient-surfaced wiper belts 34, 35, even though the latter are cornmonly backed up by straight rigid guide-strips (not shown) to hold their opposing courses parallel. In fact, in certain instances, one feed belt 3U, 32, has been dispensed with entirely, as shown in Fig. 10, merely using one driving belt 32 pressing the bobbin' rings against astationary length of leather-surfaced sponge rubber 33 fixed to yieldinglymounted vertical flange 60, so that the bobbin rolls along such stationary surface and travels at half the speed of the single feed belt. A still greater increase in the efliciencyof the endstarting belts 34, 35, has been attained in certain instances by likewise driving one of these belts 34, 35, faster than the other, to increase the relative motion between the belts and the bobbin surfaces in a direction counter to the wind of the bobbins.

After the bobbin has been withdrawn axially from between the end- starting belts 34, 35, the end of the yarn clings to or is gripped between the vsponge rubber surfaces'of such belts and is carried along by one or the other thereof, as they separate, and mechanically transported and delivered Yinto engagement with one of the proximate reduced or tapered end portions of two intermeshing winding rolls 54,55, having brushclad slats extending along their exterior for any desired extent.

These winding reels have their axes disposed lengthwise of the tracks, and their peripheral surfac'esof rotation disposed in parallel relation to each other, and are of substantial length to ensure complete unwinding of the waste from all the bobbins. As the bobbins proceed along tracks 5 and 6, toward the discharge end thereof, under propulsion of belts 30, 32, the yarn is speedily drawn oir from ythe bobbin by being wund about one or other of winding reels 54, 55.

Such reels are rotated at a sufliciently greatl peripheral speed with respect to the speed of lateral-travel of the bobbins so that the helically disposed windings on the reels have a very gradual pitch, and thus the point of winding engagement of the individual yarns with the surface of one roll or the other is kept in substantially vertical alignment with the respective bobbins from which .they are being unwound, and thus the yarn will render freely from over the tips of the bobbins because the line of draft of the yarn from each bobbin is substantially vertical and thus in line with the bobbin axis. The pressure of following bobbins forces those which have been stripped along the tracks and olf the end thereof into a suitable container. This manner of mechanical transference of the yarn end to the winding reels does away with any need to employ a cutter to out the pendent ends of yarn to a uniform length at any point in the machine.

Electric motor 51 drives one reel-shaft 6| by belt 63 and suitable large and small pulleys; gear 64 xed on shaft 6| drives equal gear 65 fixed on the other reel-shaft 66. Reel-shaft 6| drives vertical shaft 61 carrying belt-driving pulley 43 through bevel gears 68, 69, and jackshaft 1i carrying spur gear 13 engaging with large gear 11 fixed on shaft 61. This gear 11 drives larger gear 14 to propel pulley 45 and its belt more slowly. Pulley 18 fixed on the foot of shaft 61 drives both pulleys 53 and thus the two oblique belts 34, 35, in unison through equal gears 16. by reason of pulley 8| and round belt 82 guided by idlers 83.

A modification is shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 6,

adapting the invention principles to the stripping of paper cops 50 having merely a metallic flanged ferrule with thin lateral edges instead of a head of sufficient depth to be engaged laterally between opposed feed belts. In this case, a two-ply belt 91 with a sponge rubber or other frictional surface and a backing of leather or rubberized textile belting engages the flanged heads of the bobbins from above as they hang between the tracks 5, 6, being pressed down into frictional propelling engagement with the bobbin ferrules by vertically adjustable presser-strip 98 mounted between the two runs of the belt on brackets 99. Belt-pulley is driven from vertical shaft 61 through bevel gears |02, |03 and shaft |04, the other belt pulley |08 rotating freely on shaft |09. Fig. 6 shows a slightly different gear drive from the preceding machine, motor ||2 driving one of the intermeshing large gears ||3 fixed on the two reel-shafts through reduction gears ||4, ||5, H6. One reel-shaft drives the end-starting belts 34 through bevel gears ||8, H9, shaft |20, gears 12|, |22, |23, |24, shaft |26 and pulley 18, thence as before described in connection with Figs. l and 2. Gear |21 meshing with |24 drives vertical shaft 61 to propel the belt 91 as already indicated.. This feed will also handle the common type of bobbins, as shown in Fig. 5.

Another modification for use where positive i means is desired for propelling the bobbins along the spaced tracks in pendent relation and for positively rotating them on their axes while so doing is shown in Figs. 7 to 9. The machine is substantially the `same as in the case of the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2, except that a link belt 84 having the positive propelling devices is disposed in a vertical plane and arranged in a manner related to belt 91 of Figs. 3 to 6. This link belt is stretched around sprockets 85 rotating on horizontal shafts 86 at opposite ends of the machine, every other link or so bearing a headed stud 81, on which swivels a small sprocket 38 carrying an axial extension 89, Fig. 9, with springs 90 to enter and engage the counterbore in the head of a bobbin when placed thereon manually and hold it snugly in place thereon until the travel of chain 84 carries the head of the bobbin under, and the barrel of the bobbin between, the recurved and overhanging ends 9| of tracks 5, 6. The tracks engage the bobbinA rings to prevent escape of the bobbins from spring-clutches 90. As the bobbins make the turn around left-hand pulley their yarnbearing barrels enter between concurrent spongerubber-surfaced belts of similar construction to 34, 35, of Figs. 1 and 2, whereupon engagement of sprockets 88 with a short section of chain 92 stretched alongside their path rotates the spindles and thereby the bobbins reversely to their wind while the bobbins are lightly embraced by the end-starting belts 34, 35. The remainder of the construction and operation of this machine is as described in connection with that of Figs. 1 and 2, except that a fixed cam 93 pulls the bobbins off from the spring-clutches at a dip 644in'the tracks, and one shaft 86 is rotated to drive sprocket 85 and chain 84 from vertical shaft 61 through bevel gears 95, 96.

To adapt the invention principles to the stripping of bobbins which have neither heads nor flanges permitting their support by spaced tracks, which includes a wide range of cone base bobbins and of types which have a cone which is larger than the actual head, a further modification shown in Figs. l1 and 12 has been found useful. The particular bobbin |29 there shown has a tapered bore for the spindle of the spinning frame and merely an annular groove for engagement by the shuttle jaws, the diameter at the butt being merely a continuation of the taper of the yarn-bearing portion. Consequently, it cannot be supported in pendent tip downward relation `in the stripping machine by spaced tracks. In this embodiment the machine is like that of Figs, 7 to 9, with the tracks 5, 6, replaced by chain-supporting rails |3| and the swiveling spindles of that form replaced by spring-jaw clamping carriers |33. `These carriers each comprise a short spindle |30 to enter the bore of the bobbin and a flange |32 on which the butt of the bobbin rests. The tang |34 of the spindle is received and held by a set-screw |36 within a bore |38 in a frame |40 attached by screw |42 to an attachment surface |44 formed integrally on special links |46 of a link belt |48 supported and driven like link belt 84 of Fig. '7. Jaws |50 are pivoted on frame |40 at |52 at opposite sides of spindle |30, and their toothed lower extremities are pressed inward toward spindle |30 by springs |54 to enter the annular groove |56 of the bobbin and thus hold it in place thereon when the bobbin is in pendent tip downward relation at thebottom run of link belt |48.

The waste-bearing bobbins to be stripped are placed on the individual spindles of the top run of link belt |48 and pressed down into engagement with the jaws |50 by hand while the link belt is traveling and the bobbin stripping operation is proceeding. As before, the link belt carries the yarn-bearing portions of the bobbins between and into contact with the opposed and coengaging surfaces of obliquely traveling wiper belts 34, 35, Fig. 1, to free the ends and deliver them to the opposed winding reels for completion of the Vunwinding, the wiper belts in this instance being disposed in a single plane obliquely disposed, as in Fig. 7, instead of traveling rst horizontally and then obliquely as in Figs. 1 to 3.

As the bobbins approach the end of the lower run of link belt |50, fixed cams |60, |62, respectively at opposite sides of the path of the bobbins engage pins |56 projecting transversely from the integral angular heels |58 of jaws |50,

each cam .simultaneously lifting one heell and thus withdrawing its respective jawfrom en-` gagement with the bobbin groove so that the stripped bobbin is permitted to drop ,01T from spindle |30 into a catcher box.

It will be noted that a spacing'collar |64; is provided about the tang |34 of spindle |30, confined between ilange |32 of the spindle and frame |40 of the supporting and propelling unit. By varying the height of this spacing collar, the jaws can be made to enter properly within the groove of bobbins having different depths of head,-

or to bring the yarn-engaging portions lof the bobbins into proper relation with' the end-freeing devices. In the present machine, the special attachment links |46 have lateral extensions which ride on horizontal rails |3| .at each Aside of the bottom run of link belt |48 to prevent the chain from sagging; thus, these bars constitute tracks supporting and guiding the units which in turn support and propel the bobbins, instead of the tracks supporting the bobbins -directly as in the other machines illustrated herein.

While we have illustrated and described certain forms in which the invention may be embodied, we are aware that many modifications may be made therein by any person skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of vthe invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore, we do not wish to be limited to the particular forms shown, Vor to the details of constr-uction thereof, but what we do claim is:

1. In a bobbin stripper. in combination, a driven endless traveling surface propelling Vthe bobbins along a path in pendent tip downward relation with their yarn-bearing surfaces and tips free, belts wiping. free the ends of the yarn wound on the bobbins wh'ile thus propelled', and rotating unwinding means extending along vsuch path, engaging and unwinding over the tips of the bobbins the ends of yarn thus freed while the points of winding engagement of the yarn travel along the rotating unwinding means in pace with the respective bobbins.

2. In a bobbin stripper, in combination, spaced tracks supporting the lbobbins by their h'eads in pendent tip downward relation, an endless `belt propelling the bobbins along the tracks in such relation, means fricticnally engaging the yarnbearing portions of each bobbin to wipe loose the end of yarn and thereafter draw oil' endwise from the bobbin a length of such yarn, and an unwinding roll taking the ends of yarn from their driven endless traveling surfaces propelling the` bobbins sidewise along la path through engagement with opposite sides of the heads of the respective bobbins, means acting on the yarn-bean,

ing portions of the bobbins to free the ends, unwinding means engaging and drawingoi the yarns thus freed, and means driving the two end,- less traveling surfaces at unequal speeds.

4. In a bobbin stripper, in combination, spaced tracks supporting th'e bobbins by their head ends in pendent tip downward relation, a xed surface at one side of the tracks, a traveling surface at the other side vof the tracks frictionally .engaging the bobbin heads and pressing them against the fixed surface, and means stripping the. bobbins while propelled along the tracks and rotated by the traveling surface.

5. In a bobbin stripper, in combination, spaced tracks supporting the Abobbins by their -head ends in pendent tip downward relation, a belt traveling in a vertical plane having a Acourse disposed lengthwise of the tracks immediately above the bobbin heads on the tracks, the belt having surfaces engaging the head ends of the bobbins and propelling the bobbins with continuous travel along the tracks, means acting on the yarn-bearing portions of the bobbins while supported by the tracks to start the ends of the yarn free, and means engaging and unwinding the yarns thus freed.

6. In a bobbin stripper, in combina-tion,- spaced tracks supporting the bobbins by their head ends in pendent tip downward relation, an endless belt running along and over the tracks having propelling devices engaging the head ends of the bobbins to slide the latter along the tracks, wiper means traveling with and simultaneously relatively to the bobbins, and means stripping the bobbins while on the tracks by engaging and unwinding the ends of yarn.

'7. In a bobbin stripper, in combination, spaced tracks supporting the bobbins by th'eir head ends in pendent tip downward relation, a driven endless traveling surface engaging the heads and sliding the bobbins along. such tracks, belts trav.

cling irst along and then obliquely away from the tracks and engaging the yarn-.bearing portions of the bobbins, and opposed windingrolls to which the ends of yarn from the bobbins are delivered by the said belts.

8. In a bobbin stripper, in combination, spaced tracks supporting the bobbins .by their head ends in pendent tip downward relation, a belt extending along and above the tracks, means pressing the belt downward into frictional contact with the head ends of the Vbobbins sunicient to exceed the frictional drag of the bobbins on the tracks, means driving the belt, and means stripping the bobbins while on the tracks.

9. In a bobbin stripper, in combination, means supporting and propelling bobbins `along a path in pendent tip downward relation, rotating means engaging and unwinding the yarn from the bobbins, and traveling means engaging the ends of yarn from the bobbins and transporting such ends into winding engagement with the rotating unwinding means.

10. In a bobbin stripper, in combination, means supporting and propelling bobbins along a path in pendent tip downward relation, a pair of rotating winding reels having their aXes extending along said path and at least one thereof having a yarn-engaging portion of reduced diameter at one end, and traveling means engaging the ends of yarn from the pendent bobbins and conducting these ends into the space betweenthe rolls adjacent the portion of reduced diameter.V y

11. In a bobbin stripper, in combination, spaced tracks supporting the bobbins for lateralrnovement in pendent tip downward relation, opposed belts engaging the yarn-,carrying portions of the bobbins beneath the tracks and acting to free the ends of yarn, and a driven endless ,traveling surface to which the bobbins are fed by the opposed belts and which thereafter propels the bobbins along the tracks.

12|. In a bobbin stripper, in combination, endfreeing and unwinding devices, and endless chain, means driving the same, opposed, spring-closed jaws on the links of the chain engaging grooves in the heads of the bobbins and carryingthe bobbins laterally in pendent tip downward relation while the waste yarn thereon is being Aengaged by the end-freeing and unwinding devices, and means opening the jaws to drop the bobbins.

13. In a bobbin stripper, in combination, spaced tracks supporting the bobbins for lateral movement in pendent tip downward relation, and opposed traveling surfaces engaging the yarn-bearing portions of the pendent bobbins beneath the tracks, propelling the bobbins along the tracks and also drawing off the yarn from the bobbins.

14. In a bobbin stripper, in combination, means engaging the bobbin heads dening a path of movement therefor, and opposed traveling surfaces engaging the yarn-carrying portions of the bobbins to propel the bobbins along the path and moving away from the heads of the bobbins to draw ofi the yarn from such portions.

15. In a bobbin stripper, in combination, means engaging the bobbin heads defining a path of movement therefor, and means moving in a direction along and away from such path, propelling the bobbins along such path and also drawing the yarn off of the bobbins.

16. In a bobbin stripper, in combination, a driven endless traveling surface propelling the bobbins along a path in pendent tip downward relation with their yarn-bearing surfaces and tips free, mechanical means physically grasping and freeing the ends of yarn fr-om the traveling pendent bobbins and carrying such ends along substantially in vertical line with the respective bobbins whence they came, and unwinding means taking the ends from the freeing means and drawing off the remaining yarn over the tips of the bobbins.

17. In a bobbin stripper, in combination, a driven endless traveling surface propelling the bobbins along a path in pendent tip downward relation with their yarn-bearing surfaces and tips free, mechanical means physically grasping and freeing the ends of yarn from the traveling pendent bobbins and carrying such ends along substantially in vertical line with the respective bobbins whence they carne, and unwinding means to which'the ends are transferred by the carrying means and unwinding the remaining yarn from the traveling pendent bobbins while keeping the line of draft of the yarn from each bobbin substantially vertical.

18. In a bobbin stripper, in combination, a driven endless traveling surface propelling the bobbins along a path in pendent tip downward relation with their yarn-bearing surfaces and tips free, mechanical means physically grasping and freeing the ends of yarn from the traveling pendent bobbins and carrying such ends along substantially in vertical line with the respective bobbins whence they came, and an unwinding roll having its axis disposed lengthwise of and below the path of the bobbins, taking the ends from the freeing means and pulling oii the yarn from the traveling bobbins in a vertical direction.

19. In a bobbin stripper, in combination, a driven endless traveling surface propelling the bobbins along a path in pendent tip downward relation with their yarn-bearing surfaces and tips free, mechanical means physically grasping and freeing the ends of yarn from the traveling pendent bobbins, and an unwinding roll taking the freed ends from the grasp of the freeing means, such roll having its axis disposed in the direction 'of travel of the bobbins and rotated fast enough to maintain the point of winding engagement of the individual yarns with the surface of the roll in substantially vertical alignment with the respective bobbins from which they are being unwound.

20. In a bobbin stripper, in combination, means engaging opposite sides of the bobbin heads or rings and rolling the bobbins between said means by reason of their relative motion with respect to each other and thus propelling the bobbins along a path in pendent tip downward relation, end-starting means acting on the yarn-bearing portions of the bobbins, and winding means receiving the freed ends and drawing off the yarn over the tips of the bobbins.

21. In a bobbin stripper, in combination, a driven endless traveling surface, clamps thereon gripping portions of the bobbin heads that are remote from and less in girth than the yarnbearing portions of the bobbins, the clamps car rying the bobbins laterally along a path in pendent 'tip downward relation with their yarn-bearing surfaces and tips free, belts wiping free the ends of the yarn wound on the bobbins while thus propelled, and rotating unwinding means extending along such path, engaging and unwinding over the tips of the bobbins the ends of yarn thus freed while the points of winding engagement of the yarn travel along the rotating unwinding means in pace with the respective bobbins.

EDGAR A. TERRELL. CALEB P. DEAL.

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