US2296959A - Winding machine - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 29, 1942. E. R. sWANsoN 2,295,959

WINDING MACHINE l Filed Jan. lo, 1941 2 sheets-sheet 1 Sept 29, 1942- E. R. swANsoN WINDNG MACHINE "2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed Jan. 1o, 194;

Aindented sept. 29, 1942 UNITED STATESl PATENT OFFICEl WINDING MACHINE y Ernest B. Swanson. Cranston, B. I., assignor to Universal Winding Company, Boston, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application January 10, 1941, Serial No. l374,002

14 calme. (ci. zie-45) Y homer carried by the spindle; 1t is wen known This invention relates to improvements in winding machines fori winding cops, cones and other packages of yarn, tread and like strand materials. Y

By the term .yarn as used in the following specication and claims is meant any type of strand material and the term package is herein used to indicate any wound mass whatever its shape or form.

One object of the invention is to provide a winding machine of the type indicated capable of producing packages having the yarn built up with uniform density throughout the wound mass whereby to improve the form of the package and facilitate free delivery of the yarn therefrom during subsequent processing operations.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the type indicated in which the winding spindle is rotated at a gradually reduced rate of speed to maintain the linear speed of the yarn substantially constant throughout the winding of the package. i

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the type indicated in which the tension on the strand is maintained constant and V'the emulsifying of the yarn rendered uniform throughout the winding operation.

Another object of the invention is to providev Y function.

in the art that when yarn is wound on a niachine of this type the linear speed or draft of the strand delivering to the spindle is gradually increased due to the constantly increasing, di-

ameter of the package being wound. Due to this increase in the linear speed of the'strand it is caused to balloon to an increasing extent as it is unwound from the supply bobbin, causing an increase in the tension on the yarn from start to finish of the package. Moreover, as the package increases in size more resistance is offered to une passage of the yarn through the tensiondevice and as a result the yarn may be subjected to excessive tension and the yarn mass caused i tobe wound with greater density toward the vperiphery of the wound package. with packages causing hard spots and unevenness which hinder the free delivery of the yarn in unwinding it during subsequent processing operations. In addition to the above faults it has been found that when delicate yarn is wound under progressively augmented tension it is apt to be strained and broken and thus rendered unfit for use. In winding machines of this type the yarn is sometimes passed across a wetted roll which acts -to moisten or emulsify it and as its linear speed Further obiects of the improvements are set forth in the following specication which describes a preferred embodiment of theinvention, by way of example, as illustrated by the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the present improved winding machine showing the electric motor for driving the winding spindle and the means for controlling the speed of the motor; I i

lilg.v 2 is a side elevation of the same: and

Fig. ,.3 is a diagrammatic view showing the electrical circuit for the driving motor.

In a common type of winding machine embodying a rotary spindle it is the usual practice to' rotate the spindle at a constant rate of speed and increases the yarn is gradually subjected to less wetting or emulsifying by the roll.

To overcome the deciencies mentioned above various means have been employed for gradually relieving or reducing the applied tension on the `yarn as its linear speed increases whereby to maintain the tension at the package substantially constant during the entire winding operation, Various devices have also been provided for .causing' the yarn to gradually contact the emulsion roll to a greater extent as the package builds up and the linear speed of the yarnv increases whereby to' more uniformly wet or emulsify the yarn. These compensating means, besides being somewhat complicated, require considerable attention on .thepart of the operator and are not entirely eilicient in accomplishing the desired result. A

It is the purpose of the present invention to provide a winding machine capable of maintaining-the linear speed or draft of the yarn constant throughout the entire winding operation so that the use of such compensating devices is to deposit the thread or yarn on a tube or other reducing the rotative speed of the winding spindie in accordance with the progressive increase in diameter of thepackage being wound. i Referring to the drawings, a well-known type er winding mneiiine is herein illustrated es eemguide 5 mounted on a reciprocating traverse-bar 6 ladapted to slide in a guideway 1 on a swinging traverse-frame III. The traverse-frame I8 is of usual bifurcated construction having legs II pivoted on the cam-shaft 4 to adapt the threadguide 5 to move outwardly away from the winding-spindle as the cop or package l'is built up thereon.

The thread-guide 5 is reciprocated from a helical cam I2 mounted on' and rotated by the cam-shaft 4, thetraverse-bar 8 being connected to a crosshead I3 slidable in guide-ways in the traverse-frame III and carrying a roller or bowl I4 engaging a helical groove in the traversecam. As thecam I2 Vrotates the traverse-bar 5 and thread-guide 5` mounted thereon are reciprocated to traverse the yarn y back and forth on the cop-tube C in the manner indicated in Fig. 2. The traverse-frame III is provided with a dependingl arm I1 terminating in a counter- Weight I8 which tends to resist the swinging movement of the frame as the thread-guide 5 yis forced outwardly away from the winding-spindle 3 during the growth in diameter of the package.

The winding-spindle 3 projects rearwardly beyond the frame 2 and carries a pulley 28 loosely clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1, by means of a. spring, not herein shown, engages with a brake-disk 28 on the spindle 3 to arrest the rotation of the spindle. To start the rotation of the spindle 3 'the handle 25 and the rod 24 are rocked in Vclockwise direction, as 'viewed in Fig.r 1, to free the brake-shoe 21 from the disk 28 and cause the lever 2| to slide the pulley 20 to Vclutch it to the spindle. The rod 24 is releasably held in operative position by means of a lock or detent indicated at 30 in Fig. 1, such locking means being common to machines of the present type and therefore not herein described in detail.

The cam-shaft 4 is driven from the windingspindle 3 at a reduced rate of speed through A suitable gearing enclosed within a casing -or housing 33. As"herein shown, the spindle 3 carries a vpinion 34 which drives a spur 4gear 35 on the cam-shaft 4 through intermediate gears 36, 31 and 38, see Fig. 2.

In the present improved winding machine means are provided for gradually decreasing the italiaansev rotative speed of the winding package during the .entire winding operation whereby to maintain the linear speed of the feeding yarn oonstant. Through this method of winding the tension and the amount of emulsifying agent applied to the strand are maintained substantially uniform throughout the winding operation. 'I'he tension and emulsifying device are not herein shown or described since they may be of 4any suitable construction. The means for driving the spindle at a progressively reduced rate of speedis constructed and arranged as next described.

Mounted on a plate 4I carried by the bed l of the machine is an electric motor 48 having a pulley 42 at one end of its armature shaft 33 connected to drive the spindle-pulley 20 through the means of a belt 43. The electric motor 4l may be of the same type as that shown and described in;- United States Letters Patent to Royal Lee, No. 1,767,146, dated June 24, 1930, and is therefore not herein shown or described in detail. A rotary breaker-disk 45, see Fig. 2,

within the motor housingcarries a pair of opposed contacts 48 and` 41. The contact 46 is carried on the rotating disk 45 and is adapted to move radially outward to a limited extent with respect to the axis of the motor under the action of centrifugal force. When the motor is energized and the armature attains a predetermined maximum rate of speed the contact- 45 moves outwardly away from the contact 41 under the influence of centrifugal force andnsince the contacts are connected in the electrical circuit to the field coils of the motor, see Fig. 3, the -circuit is opened and the speed of the motor-armature is retarded. As the speed of the armature is reduced the centrifugal force becomes less and the Icontact 46 is caused to move into engagement with the contact 41 under the tension of a leaf-spring, \not herein shown, to close the electrical circuit through the motor windings. ture thus causes the electrical circuit to be opened and closed intermittently at a. rapid rate, the contacts 46 and 41 sometimes making and breaking as many as five hundred times per second. Were the contact 41 fixed on the disk 45 the speed of rotation of the armature would be maintained constant and the winding-spindle 3 rotated at a uniform speed., To progressively' reduce the speed of the motor shaft and winding-spindle 3 to maintain the linear speed of the yarn uniform, Ythe present invention contem-4 plates the provision of means for shifting the contact 41 radially 'inward toward the axis of the motor 40 during the winding of a package on the spindle. Due to this progressive displacement of the contact 41 thevgap betweenh the contacts is gradually extended and thus they will remain open-for increasing periods of time so that the speed of the motor will be according reduced. As in the United States patenty re' ferred to above, the contact 41 is mounted at the end of a'spring-arm 48 fastened to the rotating disk 45 with its free end connected to an arm or-lever 49 by means of a wire link 58. The lever` 49 is pivoted on a pin at the end of an arm 5I projecting laterally from the breakerdisk 45 and its lower end is provided with a convex button 55 positionedin axial alinement with the armature-shaft 39 of the motor.,

Mounted for axial sliding movement in a bearing sleeve 56 screwed into the end of the casing 44 ofthe motor 48 isa plunger-rod 5 1. The inner Rotation of the motor-armaend oi' the plunger 61 is adapted to contact with the button 66 on the lever 49 to cause it to dis-` place the lever in the manner as explained later. Pocketed within an enlarged bore 69 in the sleeve 66 and surrounding the plunger 61 is a helical spring 60 which engages a shoulder 6| on the plunger 61 to. normally urge the latter outwardly or to the left as viewed in Fig. 2. The outer end of the plunger 61 has a knurled head 6I and is formed with a threaded axial bore for receiving the threaded end of a cam-follower stud 66. At the outer end of the stud 60 is a cylindrical head having a, diametrical slot cut in its outer face. As shown in Fig. 2 the bottom of the slot is vf shaped in contour to provide a follower point 66 adapted to contact with the curved edge of a cam-plate 1I to be later described. The fol'- lower 66 of the plunger 61 is held against the either conical or cylindrical cop-tubes of conventional dimensions the index or zero point on y the cam-edge should aline with the follower conical or` cylindrical packages.

edge of the cam 10 under the action of the spring 6l and the stud 66 may be adjusted axially of the plunger 61 to provide for proper cooperation of the innerA end of the latter with the lever 40.

This adjustment is accomplished by turning the plunger-head 63 relative to'the stud 66 and after the proper length of the` plunger 61 has Vbeen obtained a check-nut 64 on the stud is set up against the head to hold the parts in adjusted relationship.

An arm 16 fastened to one leg of the traverse-frame l0 by means of screws 11 -extends laterally therefrom. Fixedly mounted at the end of the arm 16 is a U-shaped bracket 10 having threaded holes 10 in the ends of its upper and lower arms. The cam-plate 10, previously mentioned, is of arcuate contour in edge view, see Fig. l, its curvature being concentric with the axis of the cam-shaft 4- on which the traverseframe |0 pivots. The cam-plate 10 is fastened to the arms of the bracket 16 by means of screws 62 projecting through slots in the ends of the cam-platev and screwed into the holes 19 to provide for longitudinal adjustment of the cam. Referring to Fig. 2, the cam-plate 10 is formed with a curved rearward edge 90 against which the follower 66 of the plunger 51 is yieldinglyy engaged. During 'the winding operation, as the package builds up on the spindle 3 the traverseframe I0 swings outwardly to swing the camplate 10 downwardly. Engagement of the .camedge 90 with the follower I6 of the plunger" will Vtherefore slide the latter axially into the motor-casing 44 and through the lever 49 and link,50 the contact-element 41 is caused to be moved inwardly in the manner 'before explained to retard the speed of the motor and windingspindle. The cam-edge 60 is so plotted that each increment of swinging movement of the traverseframe I0 causes the plunger 51 to be slid axially a distance suillcient to displacethe contact 41 to the required extent to retard the speed oi' the motor. In other words, the sliding movement of the plunger 51 is directly responsive and proportional to the growth in diameter of the package being wound.

Spaced along the cam edge 90 are graduations 6| which represent points on the cam which or on cylindrical cop-tubes as sometimes em ployed. At the start of the winding, with the thread-guide 6 bearing against the periphery of point 66. Toeffect this relationship between the cam-edge 90 and the ffollower point 66, the screws l2 are loosened and the cam-plate 1l adjusted vertically of the bracket 10, after which the screws' are tightened to secure the cam in its adjusted position. Since the mean outside diameter of a conical tube is substantially equal to the outside diameter of a commonly used cylindrical tube, the same setting of the cam-edge 00 will usually suillce for the winding of either When cores or tubes of larger diameter are employed the proper graduation or mark on the cam-plate 16 is positioned in alinement' with the follower point 66 in a similar manner. The improved winding machine having been described in detail the method of operation thereof is explained as follows:

Assuming that a conicalv package is to be wound, a conical cop-tube C is placed on a copholder carried by the winding-spindle 3 in the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the thread or yarn u is drawn upwardly from the supply-bobbin and through a tension-device, not herein shown, and when the yarn is to be emulsied or sized; it is drawn across the wetted roll, not herein illustrated, and thence led over a bailwire 9 on the traverse-frame I0. The yarn is passed through the eye of the thread-guide '5 and its end fastened. to the copftube C in the usual.v manner. The traverse-frame I0 is then rocked' 'manually toward the spindle 3 to cause the thread-guide .to bear againstthe periphery V T he ele'ctric driving motor 40 is-energized by closing a suitable switch |00, indicated in the diagram, Fig. 3, whichcauses the current to pass through one iield coil |0| of the motor and the brushes. |02 and |03 contacting. the rotor or armature |04. Current will then ilow through the contacts 41-and 46, which are now closed, and through the second eld coil |05 tocomplete the circuit. It will be noted by reference to Fig. 3 that a resistance winding |06 and a condenser |01 are shunted across the contacts 41 and 40 and serve to prevent fusing of the contacts due to the arcing which takes place between their faces luring the rapid opening and closing of the circuit in which they are incorporated.

With the motor 40 energizedits armature shaft 39 and pulley 42 are rotated at a speed which is controlled bythe position of the contact 41 with respect to the contact 46. When the armature shaftv Il attains a predetermined speed the contact 46is moved away from the contact 41 under the -action of centrifugal force and the circuit opened. The motor circuit is immediately closed again by the return of the contact 46 as the centrifugal force is lessened and this rapid opening and closing of the circuit is continually re- 4 peated to maintain a predetermined speed of the armature-shaft and the spindle-pulley 20 which is connected for rotation therewith by means of the belt 43. l

With the pulley 20 being driven, the winding operation is started by rocking'the handle 26 to `cause the operating lever 2| to clutch the pulley to the member I9 which is fast4 on the windingbe thereby reduced to that required at the start spindle 3. Asthespindlelisrotatedtheyarnis `deposited on the cop-mbe C and traversed longifollower to gradually force the plunger 51 into i the motor casing 4I. Through means of the lever ll and link Il the contact" is gradually displaced radially inwardly away from the contact 4l towiden the gapbetween the two contacts andthusthespeedofthearmatureshaft and Vspindle l is accordingly reduced. This reduction in the speed of the spindle 3 is continuous and uniform throughout the entire winding operation, being controlled solely by the change in diameter of the package being wound. Since the speed-controlling device is not dependent upon' the yardage of thread or yarn wound into the package, threads or yarns of any size may be wound without alteration in the construction or adjustment of the elements of the device.

When the package has been fully wound a suitable sizing device, indicated generally at Il' in Fig. l, acts tore'lease the locking means Il to permit the rod 24 to be rocked. The rod `24 acting through the lever 22 will then shift the pulley 2li away from the clutch-member I9 to release the pulley from driving engagement with the spindle l. Simultaneously with the declutching of the pulley 2| the brakeshoe 21 engages the disk `Il to promptly arrest the rotation of the spindle 3. The wound package may then be doifed from the spindle 3 anda fresh cop-tube applied thereto after which the traverse-frame Ill is returned to initial position for winding another package. Return movement of the traverse-frame Il toward .the winding spindles will cause the index or zero point of the cam-edge 8l to be again positioned opposite the follower 66. The rotative speed of the armature shaft 39 and pulley 2! will of the next winding operation.

Reducing the speed of the winding package in direct proportion to its growth in diameter has the eifect-to maintain the linear speed of the yarn constant throughout the winding operation. 'I'hrough this provision the yarn draws off from the supply bobbin, through the tension-device and across the emulsion element at a uniform rate of speed and therefore the tension applied to the yarnremains constant, breakages in the yarn are eliminated and excessive ballooning'of the yarn at its source of supply is avoided. Uniform tensioning and emulsifying of` the yarn is thus accomplished without the use `of compensating devices as usually provided in machines of the present type. f

It will be observed from the foregoing that the present invention provides a winding machine capable of producing yarn-packages of improved quality. By maintaining a uniform tension on the yarn strand the package may be wound with uniform density throughout. `That is to say, each layer of yarn will be wound with the same applied tension andI therefore' the package Ais rendered more stable and its desired contour described as embodied in a preferred form of the spirit or scope of the invention.

construction it will be understood that various modifications may be made in the structure and arrangement of its parts without departing from Therefore, without limiting myself in this respect, I claim:

1. Vm s winding machine, a winding-slimme,

means for rotating the spindle to wind yarn thereon to form a package, means actuated intermittently .by the spindle-rotating means throughout the winding operation for controlling the speed of the spindle-rotating means, and

means responsive to the growth in diameter of the package being wound for varying the period of operation of the intermittently-operated means .to gradually reduce the rotative speed of the spindle whereby to maintain the linear speed of the winding yarn substantially constant.

2. In a winding machine, a winding-spindle, an electric motor for rotating the spindle to wind yarn thereonv to form a package, an electric circuit for the motor, speed-responsive means having relatively movable contacts actuated by the motor in accordance with its speed for intermittently opening and closing the circuit to control the speedof .the motor, and means responsive to the growth in vdiameter of the package being wound for adjusting the speed-responsive means to shorten the period during whichl the contacts are closed to gradually reduce the speed of the motor.

3. In a winding machine, a winding-spindle. an electric motor for rotating the spindle to wind yarn thereon to form a package, and means for maintaining the linear speed of the winding yarn substantially constant throughout the winding operation comprising an electric circuit for the Y, motor, speed-responsive means having relatively movable contacts actuated by the motor in accordance with its speed for intermittently opening and closing the circuit to control the speed of the motor, and means responsive to the increase in diameter of the package being-wmmd for adjusting the relative position of the contacts of said speed-responsive means to open the circuit for progressively longer intervals to progressively reduce the speed of the motor and spindle.

4. In a winding machine, a -winding-spindle, an electric motor for rotating the spindle to wind yarn thereomto form a package, an electric circuit for said motor, a rotary circuit-breaker in the circuit, means for rotating the circuit-breaker in timed relation to the rotation of the spindle, said circuit-breaker being responsive to its rotative speed to intermittently open and close the circuit to normally maintain the speed of the motor substantially constant, and means responsive to the increase in diameter of .the package being wound for causing the circuit-breaker to open the circuit for progressively longer intervals whereby to progressively reduce the speed of the motor and spindle to maintain the linear speed of the winding yarn substantially constant throughout the winding of the package.

5. In a 4winding machine. a winding-spindle. an electric motor for rotating the spindle to wind yarn thereon to form a package. an electric circuit for said motor, a rotary circuit-breaker in .the circuit, means for rotating the circuit-breaker in timed relation to the rotation or the spindle, said circuit-breaker being operated by centrifugal force to intermittently open the circuit, means for operating the circuit-breaker in opposition to centrifugal force for closing the circuit to `normally maintain the speed of the motor substantially constant, and vmeans responsive to the increase in diameter of the package being .wound for adjusting the circuit-breaker to v,open the circuit for progressively longer intervals whereby to gradually reduce the speed of the motor to maintain the linear speed of the winding yarn substantially constant throughout the entire winding operation.

` 6. In a winding machine, a rotary windingspindle, an electric motor for driving the spindle to wind a package thereon, an electric circuit for the motor, a rotary member driven by said motor, a circuit-breaker in the circuit for the motor, said'circuit-breaker being carried by the rotary member and adapted to be operated by centrifugal force to open the circuit, means for operating the circuit-breaker to close the circuit, means for controlling the time interval between the opening and closing of the circuit, and-means responsive to the growth in diameter of the package wound on the spindle to operate said last-named means to progressively reduce the speed of the motor throughout the winding of the package.

'7. In a winding machine, a rotary windingspindle, an electric motor for driving said spindle to wind a package thereon, a rotary circuitbreaker, said circuit-breaker being responsive to its speed of rotation for controlling the speed of the electric motor, and a cam movable by and l with the growth in diameter of the package to adjust the circuit-breaker to progressively reduce the speed of the motor throughout the winding of a package.

8. In a winding machine, a rotary windingspindle, an electric motor for driving said spindle to wind a package thereon, an electric circuit for said motor, a rotary circuit-breaker for controlling the speed of the motor, means for adjusting the circuit-breaker to vary the speed of the motor, and a cam movable by and with the growth in diameter of the package to adjustthe circuit-breaker to progressively reduce the speed of the motor throughout the winding of a package.

9. In a winding machine, a rotary windingspindle, an electric motor for driving said spindle to wind a package thereon, a circuit-breaker having a centrifugally operated contact for controlling the speed of the motor, said circuitbreaker being adjustable to vary the speed of the motor, means bearing against the winding package andmoved thereby during thegrowth in the 11. In a winding machine, a rotary winding.

spindle, an electric motor for driving the windingspindle to wind a package thereonmeans for controlling the speed of the motor, a member movable to operate the speed-controlling means, a cam for moving said last-named' member, means responsive to the growth in diameter of the package for actuating the cam to cause it to operate the speed-controlling means for the motor, and means for adjusting thev cam in accordance with the setting of the winding machine for different types of packages.

12. In a winding machine a rotary windingspindle, a traversing thread-guide for depositing yarn on the spindle to wind a package, an electric motor for driving the winding-spindle and traversing thread-guide, a pivoted traverse-frame l for 'supporting the thread-guide to adapt it to bear against the package and to move away from the winding-spindle with the growth indiameter of the winding, an arcuately-shaped-.cam plate carried by the traverse-frame in concentric relation 'to its pivot and having a cam-face thereon, a member engagingsaid cam-face of the camplate to be moved thereby during the pivotal movement of the traverse-frame, arid a rotary circuit-breaker having a centrifugaliy operated contact for controllingy the speed of the motor, said contact being adjustable by said movable member to progressively reduce the speed of the motor during the winding of a package. v

1'3. In a winding machine, a rotary` winding-- spindle, a thread-guide for guiding yarn towind a package on the spindle, means for traversing said thread-guide, an electric motor for driving the winding-spindle and traversing means, a pivoted traverse-frame carrying said threadguide, an arcuate cam-plate carried by said traverse-frame in concentric relation to its pivot,

said cam-plate having an inclined edge, a slidlil) able plunger engaging the inclined edge of the cam-face, and speed-controlling means for the.

electric motor adapted to be actuated by the slidable plunger to progressively reduce the speed of the motor throughout the winding of a package.

14. In a winding machine, a rotary windingspindle, a thread-guide for traversing yarn on said spindle to wind a package, means for reciprocating said thread-guide, an electric motor for driving the winding-spindle and guide-reciprocating means, speed-controlling means for said motor, a pivoted traverse-frame for supporting the thread-guide to adapt it to move away from the winding-spindle during the growth in the winding, an arm projecting from said traverse-frame, an arcuate cam-plate carried by said arm in concentric relation .to the pivot of the traverse-frame and adjustable longitudinally thereon, said cam-plate having acam-face thereon, and a plunger engageable with the cam-face of the cam-plate for movement thereby and connected to operate the speed-controlling means to progressively reduce the speed of the motor throughout the winding of a package.

ERNEST R. SWANSON.

Images