US2572398A

US2572398A - Bobbin clutch

Info

Publication number: US2572398A
Application number: US119671A
Authority: US
Inventors: Howard A Simmons
Original assignee: JAMES READ KIMBALL
Current assignee: JAMES READ KIMBALL
Priority date: 1949-10-05
Filing date: 1949-10-05
Publication date: 1951-10-23
Anticipated expiration: 1968-10-23

Description

Oct. 23, 1951 H. A. SIMMONS BoBBIN CLUTCH Filed oct. 5, 1949 3/ 9 i a Z im 8 30 1713.3 Fig INVENTOR HOWARD J/MMo/V;

BY @MM/f l. @4% ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 23, 1951 Howard Simmons, Milford, 'Mass., lassgnor :of one-half ,to James Read Kimball, rHope'dale,

.Mass.

Applicationotober 5, 1949, .Serial No. :119,671

4 Claims. `l

This .invention .relates to :bobbin clutches, .and :more particularly to .the construction farrangement of a rotatable mechanism .providing a :resilient head for .the reception of the hollow end .of a bobbin or the like.

Mechanisms of this general :construction are commonly employe-d in the textile industry vfor supporting and driving a bobbin while .yarn or a .similar strand is being'wound thereon. Such mechanisms usually include an upright spindle over which the bobbin is placed, with the l.lower end ofthe bobbin engaging a resilient head carried by the spindle. These prior mechanisms are Asubject to .serious disadvantages. In some cases the spindle becomes badly worn after `a 2 comparatively short .period of service. Often the mechanism .is expensive to manufacture, and diflicult and costly to repair. Some prior mechanisms fail to engage the bobbin with sufficient expansive force to-ensure ,proper driving thereof.

.It-is accordingly one objec-tof the invention to provide a bobbin clutch which will -drive abobbin in the desired manner without causing any wear on the supporting spindle.

:Itis a further object of the -invention .to provide a comparatively simple, inexpensive fand eicient bobbin clutch such that all parts subject to Wear can .be readily .replaced at low cost. v

With these .and other objects in view, as will be .apparent .to .those skilled in theart, the invention resides in the combination of parts set forth in the specification .and covered by the claims appended hereto.

Referring to the drawing `illustrating fone .embodiment of the invention, `and in ywhich `like .reference numerals indicate like parts,

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through a bobbin clutch with a bobbin mounted thereon, the section being taken on the line I-I of Fig. 4;

Fig. 2 is a view similar .to a portion of Fig. .1, with the bobbin removed;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line lII-4 Vof Fig. 1;

Figa is atop plan view of a clutch body form-- ing a part of the mechanism;

Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig.

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of a ring forming a part of the mechanism;

Fig. 8 is a. section taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7; and

Fig. 9 is an elevation of a spring forming a part of the mechanism.

`The embodiment'illustrated comprises an `up right spindle IU having an upwardly tapered.up' per .portion II forming a'blade. The lower :portionfof the spindle is arranged to be l:supported in suitafble bearings (not shown) in a 4welleknown mannerso that the spindle may be rotated .at highs'peed. On the lower portion of the tapered blade 4-II there is mounted a Whirl `or .pulley I2 havingraltapered .bore I4 which engages Ithe blade 'tightly lto drive the same. The bore I4 is long enough to yprovide a rm and dependable driving twith the blade. 'The upper end of the whirl I2 is 'provided with a recess in the form of fan annular groove I5 coaxial with the blade. v

LA :clutch body I6 ismounted on the blade tI'I directly `above the whirl I2. This body I6 is formed'generally as an `upright cylinder with a diameter substantially equal to that of the recess l5.. A tapered bore I extends axially through the body I6, and a counterbore I9 is provided in the :lower end of the body. The bore I8 is so proportioned that it will engage the tapered-blade .Isl tightly, with the lower end of the body I6 extending part way into the annular recess I 5 in the upper end of the whirl I2, as shown in Figs. l and 2. The upper portion 2l! of the body is somewhat reduced in diameter as compared with the remaining portion, for a short distance .down from the top of the body, as best shown in Figs. 5 and. Four circumferentially spaced generally radial holes 22 are provided in the .portionh'20, these holes being located immediately above the larger diameter Vportion of the body. The holes 22 preferably, but not necessarily, extend through to the tapered bore I8. Four vertical grooves 273A are provided `in the outer surface of the body I6 throughout the larger diameter portion thereof, these grooves being aligned with the respective holes 22. Thus the upper end of each groove 23 is positioned directly beneath and close to the outer .end of one of the holes 22. The depth of eachgroove 23 is preferably approximately equal to the difference between the radii of the lower and upper Aportions of the body I6. Thus the lower surfaces of the grooves are substantially aligned with the outer surface of the upper portion 20.

Each of the grooves 23 is arranged toreceive a spring in the form of a vertically elongated resilient member 25. This spring may be of any desired cross section, for example circular cross section, and it may be made of steel piano wire. As shown in Fig. 9, a short portion 26 at the upper end of the spring is bent inwardly to a substantially horizontal position whereas the major por- 3 tion of the spring is bowed outwardly. When the parts are assembled, as shown in Fig. 2, the portion 26 of each spring is located within one of the radial openings 22 in the body I6, while the lower end of the spring extends into the groove l in the top of the whirl l2.

In order to hold the upper ends of the springs 25 in place, there is provided a device in the form of a cylindrical sleeve or ring 28 having a bore 29 of the proper size to t the upper portion 20 of the body I6 with a light press t. The outside Y diameter of the sleeve is substantially equal to that of the main part of the body I6. The lower end of the sleeve is beveled downwardly and outf wardly at 30 (Fig. 8), or otherwise cut away, so that it will enclose the upper ends of the springs 25 at assembly (Fig. 2) and hold the portions 26 in the openings 22. To facilitate removal of the sleeve 28, so that the springs may be replaced when worn, two diametrically opposed radial holes 3| are provided in the sleeve for the reception of a suitable tool.

The clutch mechanism as described is adapted to support and drive a bobbin 33 of any suitable and well-known construction. The bobbin illustrated is formed principally of wood, and it includes a cylindrical metal sleeve 34 which is firmly secured within the lower portion of the wooden body. The internal diameter of this sleeve 34 is such that it will t closely over the clutch body IB, the lower end of the bobbin engaging the top of the whirl l2. As the bobbin is pushed downwardly over the clutch body, the sleeve 34 will force the bowed springs 25 inwardly into the grooves 23, as shown in Figs. l and 4, andthe springs will provide an outward pressure on the inner surface of the sleeve to retain and drive the bobbin. As the bobbin is placed over the clutch body and the springs are straightened, their lower ends will move somewhat' further downwardly into the groove I5 in the whirl.

It will be noted that the portions 26 of the springs 25 do not touch the spindle blade il, and the spindle is not subjected to wear in service. The springs are very inexpensive, and they can be easily replaced if they become worn by contact with the bobbin. The construction is relatively simple to manufacture and thoroughly dependable in operation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A bobbin clutch comprising an upright spindle, a whirl mounted on the spindle and having an opening in its upper end, a clutch body mounted on the spindle above the whirl and having a longitudinally extending groove in its outer surface, the body having an opening in its upper portion which extends inwardly in a generally radial direction, the said body opening being aligned with the groove and spaced downwardly from the upper end of the body, and a vertically elongated and outwardly bowed spring located in the groove rand having an upper portion which extends inwardly into the body opening to prevent appreciable vertical movement of the upper 4 end of the spring, the lower end of the spring extending into the said whirl opening while free to move downwardly therein as the spring is straightened by the placing of a bobbin on the clutch body, the clutch body engaging both the upper and the lower portions o-f the spring to resist the inward pressure of the bobbin against the 1 Spring.

2. A bobbin clutch as set forth in claim l, in which a device is mounted on the upper portion of the clutch body above the body opening, the said device having a portion which engages the outer surface of the spring adjacent the upper end thereof'to hold the spring substantially in contact with the clutch body and thus prevent any appreciable radial movement of the spring within the said body opening.

3. A bobbin clutch comprising an upright spindle, a whirl mounted on the spindle and having a. recess in its upper end providing an internal cylindrical surface coaxial with the spindle, a generally cylindrical clutch body mounted on the spindle above the whirl and having a plurality of circumferentially spaced generally radial openings in its upper portion and somewhat below its upper end, the clutch body having longitudinal grooves extending downwardly from the respective openings, an outwardly bowed spring located in each groove and having its upper end bent inwardly and lying within the corresponding opening so that the upper portion of the spring is prevented from appreciable vertical movement, and an annular device mounted on the upper portion of the clutch body above the said openings and engaging the outer surfaces of the springs adjacent their upper ends to hold the springs substantially in contact with the clutch body and thus prevent any appreciable radial movement of the springs within the said openings, the lower ends of the springs extending into the said whirl recess while free to move downwardly therein as the springs are straightened by the placing of a bobbin on the clutch body, the clutch body engaging both the upper and the lower portions of the springs to resist the inward pressure of the bobbin against the springs.

4. A bobbin clutch as set forth in claim 3, in which the clutch body is provided with a portion of reduced diameter above the generally radial openings, and in which the annular device is in the form of a sleeve fitting closely over the said portion of reduced diameter, the lower end of the sleeve being beveled in a downward and outward direction and engaging the outer surfaces of the springs adjacent their upper ends.

HOWARD A. SIMMONS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,647,106 Burdett Oct. 25, 1927 2,471,574 Magrath May 31, 1949