US2585999A

US2585999A - Strand handling apparatus

Info

Publication number: US2585999A
Application number: US97831A
Authority: US
Inventors: Tillman T Bunch
Original assignee: Western Electric Co Inc
Current assignee: AT&T Corp
Priority date: 1949-06-08
Filing date: 1949-06-08
Publication date: 1952-02-19
Anticipated expiration: 1969-02-19

Description

Feb. 19, 1952 A T, T BUNCH 2,585,999

STRAND HANDLING APPARATUS Filed June 8, 1949 SHEETS-SHEET l lNl/EN TOR 7. Z BUNCH ATTORNEY Feb. 19, 1952 Filed June 8, 1949 T. T. BUNCH STRAND HANDLING APPARATUS 2 SHEETSS HEET 2 FIG. 4

M/l/ENTOR T, T. BUNCH ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 19, 1952 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE 2,585,999 STRAND HANDLING APPARATUS Tillman T. Bunch,- Ashland', Md assignor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N...Y., a corporation; of; New York.

Application June a, 1949;, serial-No. 1,331

- 1-3Claims. (opera-115) This invention relates to strand handling apparatus, and more particularly to cop tubes for holding cops used with concentric type strand serving apparatus.

In the manufacture of" various types of filamentary cores, such as insulated electrical conductors, serving machines are used to wrap textile strands drawn from a supply cop' carried on a rotatable spindle spirally aroundthe filamentary core. In concentric type serving machines the core is advanced through the center of the cop, in which case, the cop tube must be capable of being removed from the core when the cop is exhausted. In high speed concentric serving machines, it is necessary to provide a large cop on the machine in order to provide maximum operating time for the machine.

It has been the practice to wind cops for relatively slow speed concentric serving machines on split paper or fiber cop tubes so that the empty cop tubes could be removed from the core. It was found that a cop of the size required for high speed serving machines could not be wound on a paper cop tube because the increased diameter of the cop increases the, pressure on the tube to such an extent that the cop could not be removed readily from the spindle of the cop winding machine. This increased pressure on the paper cop tube also made it extremely .difiicult to slide the cop tube onto the spindle of the serving machine.

An object of the invention is to provide new and improved cop tubes used in the. braiding and serving arts.

Another object of the invention is to provide cop tubes capable of use with high speed, concentric type serving machines.

A further object of the invention is to. provide. cop tubes arranged to be keyed for rotationwith spindles of a cop winding machine and readily removable from the spindles.

Cop tubes exhibiting certain features .of the invention may be used witha winding spindle having a plurality of longitudinal grooves in the free end thereof, and comprise a tubular member designed to be positioned on the spindle and having ribs provided along the internal bore: thereof for slidably engaging the grooves of the spindle. The internal bore of the cop tube is substantially greater than the diameter of the spindle and the ribs coact with the groove to sup:

port the cop tube on the spindle so as to leave an annular clearance between the tube and the spindle, whereby textile strands may be wound on the cop tube without binding the tube on the spindle. V

A- clear understanding ofthe invention will be had from the following detailed description of a specificembodiment thereof and from the appended drawings, in which:

.- Fig: 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a winding spindle of a cop winding machine showing certain featuresof the invention;

Fig, 2 is an enlarged, vertical section taken along li-ne 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a section of a sectional cop tube embodying certain features of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section of a serving machine spindle having a completed cop assembled thereon;

Fig. 5 is a transverse section of a cop tube and spindle forming an alternate embodiment of the invention; e

Fig; 6 is atransverse section of a cop tube and spindleforming another alternate embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 7 is a transverse section of a cop tube and spindle forming another alternate-embodiment of the invention, and

Fig. 8' is a transverse section of a cop tube and spindle forming another alternate embodiment of thein'vention.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to Fig. 1, there. is shown a spindle l0 forming part of a conventional cop winding machine and arranged to be rotated by suitable driving means (not shown). The free end of the spindle I0 is provided with four longitudinal grooves l l--I I, which are spaced apart about the periphery of the spindle. The free end of the spindle is designed to slidably receive a cop tube indicated generally at [5, which consists of two identical sections [6-46 of. semi-circular cross-section. Each section [6 i provided with an internal rib ll positioned intermediately of the edges. thereof, and an internal rib 25 formed at each of the edges thereof. The ribs 20-20 have a width equal to one-half of that of the ribs l'l.l'l. The ribs ll-Il are designed to slidably engage two of the grooves [1-4 I- which are diametrically opposedto each other, and when the sections Ifij+l6 are butted'together, as shown in Fig. 2, the combined width of the ribs 2@2il is equal to that of the. ribs ll--l i, so that they slidably engage the two other grooves I I-l I.

When the sections Iii-l6 are placed together, the cop tube [5- formed thereby is designed to have an internal bore substantially larger than the diameter of the spindle IE3. The grooves |l..-| I.. provided in the spindle and'the'ribs ll--l i and Ill-21}. provided in the cop tube, coact with each other when the cop tube is assembled on the spindle to hold the cop tube concentrically on the spindle, and thereby leave a substantial annular clearance 22 between the periphery of the spindle and the internal bore of the cop tube. The depth of the grooves ll-H and the height of the internal ribs I'l-ll and 20-20 are arranged to leave a clearance 23 between the bottom of the grooves ll-ll and the adjacent surfaces of the internal ribs. The radial width of the clearance 23 is substantially equal to the radial width of the clearance 22 provided between the spindle l and the internal bore of the cop tube l5.

When the cop tube I5 is assembled on the spindle 10, the spindle is rotated to wind a plurality of strands, indicated by the numeral 25, on the cop tube 15 to form a cop 26 having a predetermined diameter. A conventional transversing apparatus indicated generally at 21, is provided on cop winding machines for distributing the strands in a predetermined pattern on the cop tube as the cop 26 is wound thereon. The strands 25 are maintained at a predetermined tension as they are wound on the cop tube l5 so as to form a tightly wound cop. Since the strands 25 are under tension as they are wound around the cop tube [5, the cop tube is subjected to substantial winding pressure.

As the diameter of the cop increases, the winding pressure built up in the cop 25 tends to collapse the cop tube I5 and to reduce the internal diameter thereof. The annular clearance 22 between the spindle l0 and the internal surface of the cop tube, and the clearance 23 between the internal ribs and the bottoms of their adjacent grooves, permit the cop tube to collapse slightly under the pressure imposed thereon by the cop 26. The arcuate portions of each section I5 between the ribs ll-l'l and 20-20 are designed to have a wall thickness which will withstand the winding pressure exerted on the tube by the cop 25 and at the same time are sufficiently flexible to allow the internal ribs to move inwardly in their respective grooves. The clearances 22 and 23 are such that the movement of the cop tube does not cause the internal bore of the cop tube to engage the periphery of the spindle I0, or the inner surface of the ribs l'I-l'l and 20-20 to engage the bottoms of their respective grooves. Consequently, the pressure of the cop on the cop tube does not cause the cop tube l5 to bind on the spindle I0 when the cop 26 is wound thereon, and the cop may be removed readily from the spindle.

The clearances provided between the cop tube and the periphery of the spindle and between the internal ribs and the bottoms of their respective grooves, and the wall thickness of the cop tube permit a cop 26 of substantial diameter to be wound on the cop tube I5 without the danger of having the cop tube bind on the spindle due to the pressure built up in the cop. In other words, the structural design of the cop tube, together with the clearances provided between the spindle and the cop tube and between the grooves and the internal ribs, provides a semi-elastic arrangement which permits the cop tube to' give under the winding pressure on the cop without having the cop tube bind on the spindle.

The cop tube 15 may be made of any suitable metallic material, such as aluminum, or of a plastic material. Satisfactory results have been obtained by the use of cop tubes the sections of which have been molded from a phenol-formaldehyde resin. The wall thickness of the cop tube with respect to the thickness on the internal ribs which engage the grooves of the spindle is critical in that the ribs must be as strong as the other portions of the tube. The width of the internal ribs ll-l'l should be at least equal to the wall thickness of the semi-circular sections Iii-l6 of the cop tube, and the internal ribs -20 are onehalf the width of the internal ribs li-ii. The wall thickness of the semi-circular sections is determined by the material from which the tube is made and the winding pressure it must withstand without abnormal distortion.

The clearances 22 and 23 are provided to prevent normal distortion of the tube due to the pressure exerted thereon by the cop from binding the tube on the spindle. The sides of the grooves Il-ll are perpendicular to the base of the grooves in order to provide maximum crosssection for the internal ribs l'l-i'i and 25-20 of the cop tube.

By providing four equally spaced grooves Il-ll in the spindle l0 and four equally spaced ribs ll-ll and 20-20 in the cop tube H3 in the manner described, the sections lfi-lt} first must be butted together as shown and then slid as a unit longitudinally on the spindle it. When the sections Iii-I6 are positioned on the spindle in, their respective ribs are so engaged by the grooves in the spindle that the sections are locked securely on the spindle against transverse movement, in which case, they cannot be separated while they are positioned on the spindle Hi.

The provision of four grooves on the spindle l0 and four internal ribs in the cop tube 15 permits the cop tube to be positioned on the shaft so that the dividing line of the sections lE-JE coincides with the vertical center line A-A (Fig. 2) or with the horizontal center line BB. However, for either position of the cop tube, the grooves and ribs coact to lock the sections [6-1 6 on the spindle in the manner described.

The purpose of making the cop tube l5 in two sections I6l6 as described, is to provide a separable cop tube which may be used on concentric serving machines. Fig. 4 shows the cop 26, which is wound on the separable cop tube I5, positioned on a spindle forming a part of a concentric serving machine (not shown). The spindle 39 is provided with a central bore 31 through which a filamentary article, such as an electrical conductor, indicated generally by the numeral 32, may be advanced and receive a textile covering formed from strands drawn from the cop 23.

The spindle 30 is provided with a plurality of grooves 34-34 provided on the free end thereof, which are of the same general character and design as those provided in the spindle ID. The grooves 34-34 are arranged about the periphery of the spindle 30 so that an even number of grooves will be provided thereon for engaging the internal ribs I'l-l'l and 20-20 of the cop tube [5. A greater number of grooves 34-34 are provided on the spindle 30 to permit the cop tube It to be slidably positioned thereon in several different positions around the periphery of the spindle, which facilitates quick assembly of the cop 26 on the spindle. The number of grooves that may be provided in the spindle 30 is determined by the diameter of the spindle and the minimum thickness of the sections of the spindle between the grooves which will withstand the strain imposed thereon as the strands are withdrawn from the cop 26 and when the spindle is stopped suddenly.

The spindle 30 shown on Fig. 4 of the drawings is provided with twelve grooves 34-34 spaced equally about the periphery of the spindle.

Since. the assembled coptube I5. has' four com; plete ribs thereon, the cop tube may be positioned on the spindle in any one. of four different positions. This factor greatly increases the ease with which the cop may. be positioned on. the spindle 3B,, and, in addition, serves to distributethe wear on the various grooves on thespindle.

When the, cop 26 wound on the cop. tube I5; is positioned on the spindle 3.0, as shown in. Fig. 4, the four internal ribs Tr-.17. and 120.720.. of: the tube are so engaged in four groovesin the spindle 30 that the sections I6..I.6 of-the tube are keyed, against transverse movement on the. spindle, Consequently, the sections Ilia-I5; cannot be separated until the tube is. slid; off the 61 d; oi; the spindle. In high speed concentric serving machines the spindle is caused to rotate atvery high speeds, in which case, the centrifugal force on the type of cop-tube describedtends, to sepa te the tube when the cop 2,6 is nearly exhausted.

Since the sections are securely; locked on the spindle, the sections of the tube cannot separate due to the centrifugal force acting thereon, in which case, substantially the entirecop maybe served on the advancingcore 32. When the cop 26 is exhausted, the cop tube I5 is disengaged from the end of the spindle 3,0 and the sections IEI6 are slid longitudinally off the spindle 30 and separated and removed from the conductor 32 in order that another cop like the cop may be positioned on the spindle 30.

Referring to Fig. 5 there is shown an. alternate embodiment of the invention, which comprises a sectional cop tube indicated generally at I I5 formed of two identical sections I IB--I I5 of semicircular cross section. Each section H6 is provided with two inwardly projecting ribs I I 'I I H which are spaced 120 apart and arranged-so that each rib is spaced from its adjacent edge of the section. The sections I I6I I6 are placed together and slidably positioned on a spindle I40 having twelve longitudinal grooves I4I-I4I spaced 30 apart about the periphery of the spindle. The ribs II'l-I I'I slidably engage four of the grooves in the spindle.

The sectional cop tube [I5 is designed to have a bore larger than that of the diameter of the spindle, in which case, the ribs and grooves support the cop tube concentrically on the spindle and leave a clearance I42 between the inner sur face of the cop tube and the periphery of the spindle and a clearance I43 between the innermost surface of the ribs and the bottom of its respective groove MI. The spindle I40 maybe considered as a windingspindle of a cop winding machine or a spindle of a serving machine. In the case of the winding spindles, the clearances MI and I42 are provided to prevent the cop tube from binding on the spindle when a cop, like the cop 26, described in the principal embodi-. ment is wound thereon. In all other respects the sectional cop tube I I5 and the spindle I40 possess the sameproperties as those described for the cop tube I5 and the spindles I 0. and 30 of the principal embodiment of the invention.

While the cop tube H5 is described as. havingtwo ribs II'I.I I1, spaced 120 apart ineach section H6 and apart between each section, it is to be understood that the four ribs II'I-I Il may be equally spaced about the inner surface of the tube, in which case, each rib would be located 45 from the edge of thetube. Such a tube would contain substantially all the features set forth for the-cop tubes I5 and II5-withthe ex-. ception thattheedges of the tube are not sum.

6 ported so firmly as. are those: of; the abovedescribed embodimentsof cop. tubes.

Fig. fiillustrates another alternate embodiment. of the invention, which consists of a sectional cop tube 2I5 consisting of two identical sections 2I62I6 of; semi-circular cross. section. Each section 2 I E is provided with six inwardly. project.- ing longitudinal ribs 2-.I 'I ZI|, spaced 30 apart. The cop; tube 215 is split. into the sections 216-2 It so that the. edge. of the first and sixth r of a h ecti n. re p ce 15,"- f om. the ad-. Jacent edges of i 3 3.19. h .010 ill- 9.8 5 pr erably is m eof a. suitable metal. su h as um n m o tt r bs. l may ha ea su st nt y ar wer c oss secti n tha tha of h i s r i d on the plas cop tube 1.5. and. A o. t e nu ber of ibs m y be ncreased subs lly r he. umb r b ainab e 1. ..the l s tubes h con ube; .5 s si ned tote l d y si on ind am h con rue: tion of which is exactly the same as that of the spindle I40 shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 shows still another alternate embodiment of the invention, which comprises an elongated, sectional cop tube indicated generally at 3 ,I 5 formed of two sections 3I6-3II5 having a semi: circular cross section. The cop tube is provided with two diametrically opposed, inwardly projecting male dovetails 3I'l-.3I'I. The tube M5 is divided into the sections 3I6-3I6 so that the dividing line passes centrally through each of the dovetails. The cop tube is designed to beslid ably positioned on a spindle 345-,having at, least two diametrically opposed longitudinal female dovetails 346-346, which are arranged to slid ablyreceive the male dovetails 3I'I.-3 Il of the tube. I

When the sections 3I6-3I6 are fitted together, the tube 3I5 has an internal bore greater than the diameter of the spindle 345, in which case, the sliding dovetail fit. between the spindle and tube, supports the tube concentrically on the spindle so as to leave an annular clearance 34'! between the inner surface of the tubeand periph. cry of the spindle and a clearance 348 between the inner surface of the malev dovetails on the tube and the bottom of their respective female dovetail grooves in the spindle. Theshape of the dovetail fit between the tube and the spindle, serves to secure the tube for rotation with the spindle and also to prevent the sections of the tube from being separated while they are positioned on the spindle. However, when a cop, like the cop 26 of the principal embodiment of the invention, is wound on the cop tube 3I5 the pressure imparted to the tube by the cop tends to move the female dovetails inwardly and produce a looser fit between the dovetail joint. There-. fore, it is necessary to make the cop 3| 5 so strong that it will withstand the cop pressure without appreciable change in the inside diameter of the tube, in order to maintain a substantially neat fit. between the dovetails while a cop is wound on the tube.

By using the dovetail type of rib and groove arrangement in the tube and thespindle, respec-,. tively, only two diametrically opposed: dovetails are required on a sectional cop tube in order to hold the section concentrically on the spindle and to prevent transverse-movement of the. sections on the spindle. It is to be understood that the coptube 3 I5 or the .spindle 345, or both, could be provided with four dovetail-shaped-ribs. and grooves. or any multiple. of four, without. depart-e ing from the spirit and scope-0t the invention,

In braiding machinesor eccentric type serving machines it is not necessary to form the cop tube from two identical semi-circular sections, since it is not necessary in these types of strand handling apparatus to remove the cop tube from the conductor or strand which is receiving a covering from the cop wound on the cop tube. Consequently, for use with such machines, all of the various cop tubes described hereinabove, may be cast or molded as a single tubular member, and still retain features of the invention, as described for the separable cop tubel5.

Fig. 8 shows as an alternate embodiment of the invention a tubular cop tube 415 which may be used with braiding machines or eccentric serving machines. The cop tube 415 is a single tubular member, which may be cast from molten metal or molded from a suitable thermosetting plastic material. Such a tube must have at least three inwardly projecting ribs d|54|5 equally spaced about the inner surface of the tube. The tube M5 is designed to be slidably positioned on a spindle 450 which may be provided with twelve equally spaced grooves 45l45i in the manner described for the spindle M shown in Fig. 5, to facilitate easy assembly of the cop tube on the spindle.

It should be noted that the cop tube may be provided with four internal ribs 4 l 64|6 equally spaced about the inner surface thereof, or four ribs spaced therein as shown in Fig. 5. The single cop tube M also may be provided with any multiple of three or four ribs arranged so that the tube may be slidably positioned on a spindle like the spindle I40 shown in Fig. 5.

While several embodiments of the invention have been described in detail, it'is to be understood that each embodiment may be modified as to the kind of material used in the cop tube. Likewise, the'relative spacings and shapes of the ribs and grooves of the cop tubes and spindles, and the number of ribs and grooves may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A cop tube for strand handling apparatus, which comprises an elongated tube consisting of two identical sections of semi-circular cross-section, said cop tube having four longitudinal ribs H projecting from the inner surface thereof, said ribs having parallel sides whereby the ribs have a uniform cross-section.

2. A cop tube for strand handling apparatus, which comprises two elongated cop tube sections of semi-circular cross-section designed to be fitted together to form a tubular cop tube, each of said sections having an inwardly projecting longitudinal rib centrally positioned between the edges thereof and an inwardly projecting longitudinal rib provided at each edge thereof, said last-mentioned ribs being of such thickness that when the two sections are fitted together they form a pair of diametrically opposed ribs whose width is equal to the width of the first-mentioned longitudinal ribs.

3. A cop tube for strand handling apparatus, which comprises two elongated sections of semicircular cross-section designed to be fitted together to form a tubular cop tube, each of said sections having an inwardly projecting longitudinal rib positioned centrally between the edges thereof and an inwardly projecting rib provided at each edge thereof, whereby when two sections are fitted together toform a cop tube four equally 8 spaced ribs having the same thickness are formed.

4. A cop tube for strand handling apparatus, which comprises an elongated tube consisting of two identical elongated sections of semi-circular cross-section each having two diametrically opposed inwardly projecting half-dovetail ribs provided at the edges thereof, whereby when the sections are assembled the half -dovetail ribs form opposed complete dovetail ribs.

5. A cop tube for use with strand handling apparatus having a spindle designed to rotatably support a strand supply cop, which comprises an elongated tubular cop tube on which a cop may be wound and designed to be slidably positioned on such a spindle, said cop tube having an internal bore larger than the diameter of the spindle, and means for securing the cop tube for rotation with the spindle and for supporting the tube concentrically on the spindle with an annular clearance therebetween.

6. Strand handling apparatus which comprises a spindle, an elongated, cylindrical tube designed to be positioned on the spindle and having an internal bore larger than the diameter of the spindle, and means for securing the tube for rotation with the spindle and for supporting the tube concentrically on the spindle so as to leave an annular clearance between the inner surface of the tube and the periphery of the spindle, whereby the tube is prevented from binding on the spindle when a strand is wound on the tube.

'7. Strand handling apparatus which comprises a spindle having a plurality of longitudinal grooves provided on the free end thereof, an elongated, cylindrical tube designed to be positioned on the free end of the spindle and having an internal bore larger than the diameter of the spindle, said tube having a plurality of inwardly projecting ribs arranged to slidably engage the longitudinal grooves provided in the spindle and to lock the tube for-rotation with the spindle, said grooves in the spindle and ribs in the tube coacting to support the tube concentrically on the spindle so as to leave a clearance between the periphery of the shaft and the internal bore of the tube and between the bottoms of the longitudinal grooves and the inner-most surface of the ribs, whereby the tube is prevented from binding on the spindle when a cop is wound on the tube.

8. Strand handling apparatus, which comprises a rotatable winding spindle, an elongated cylindrical cop tube consisting of two identical semi-circular sections designed to fit together on the free end of the spindle, said semi-circular sections when fitted together having an internal bore substantially larger than the diameter of the winding spindle, and means for securing the semi-circular sections of the cop tube for rotation with the spindle and for supporting the semicircular sections concentrically on the spindle with an annular clearance between the internal bore of the cop tube and the periphery of the spindle, whereby'when a cop is wound on such a tube the pressure imposed on the tube by the cop is prevented from binding the tube on the spindle.

9. Strand handling apparatus, which comprises a reotatable winding spindle having a plurality of longitudinal grooves provided on the free end thereon, and a tubular cop tube consisting of two elongated semi-circular sections designed to be fitted together and slidably positioned on the spindle, said cop tube having an internal bore larger than the diameter of the spindle, each of said sections having a plurality of inwardly projecting longitudinal ribs which are arranged to slidably engage the grooves in the spindle and secure the cop tube for rotation therewith, said grooves in the spindle and ribs in the cop tube coacting to hold the sections together and to support the tube concentrically on the spindle with a clearance between the periphery of the spindle and the inner surface of the tube and between the ribs and the bottoms of their respective grooves, whereby the tube is prevented from binding on the spindle when a cop is wound thereon.

10. Strand handling apparatus, which comprises a rotatable winding spindle having a plurality of longitudinal grooves provided on the free end thereof, an elongated, cylindrical cop tube which consists of two identical sections of semi-circular cross section designed to be fitted together and positioned on the free end of the spindle, said tube having an internal bore substantially larger than the diameter of the spindle and having four inwardly projecting ribs arranged to slidably engage four of the longitudinal grooves provided in the spindle so as to secure the semi-circular sections of the cop tube together for rotation with the spindle, said grooves and ribs provided in the spindle and cop tube coacting to support the cop tube concentrically on the spindle so as to leave a clearance between the periphery of the spindle and the internal bore of the cop tube and between the bottoms of the grooves and the inner-most surface of the ribs, whereby when a cop is wound on such a tube positioned on the spindle the pressure imposed on the tube by the cop is prevented from causing the tube to bind on the spindle.

11. In a cop winding machine, the improvement which comprises a rotatable winding spindle having four longitudinal grooves spaced 90 apart about the periphery of the spindle, an elongated cylindrical cop tube consisting of two sections of semi-circular cross-section designed to be fitted together and slidably positioned on the free end of the spindle, said tube having an internal bore substantially larger than the diameter of the spindle and having four inwardly projecting ribs arranged to slidably engage the longitudinal grooves provided in the spindle and secure the tube for rotation therewith, said ribs provided in the cop tube coact with the grooves provided in the spindle to support the top tube concentrically on the spindle with an annular clearance between the periphery of the spindle and the internal bore of the cop tube and with a clearance between the bottoms of the grooves and the adjacent surfaces of the internal ribs positioned therein, whereby when a cop is Wound on such a tube the pressure imposed on the tube by the cop is prevented from causing the tube to bind on the spindle.

12. In a cop winding machine, the improvement which comprises a rotatable winding spindle having a plurality of grooves equally spaced about the periphery of the free end of the spindle, said grooves being arranged on the spindle to form a predetermined number of pairs of juxtaposed grooves, an elongated cylindrical cop tube consisting of two identical semi-circular sections designed to be positioned on the free end of the spindle, said cop tube having an internal bore substantially larger than the diameter of the winding spindle, each of said semi-circular sections having an inwardly projecting rib centrally disposed between the ends thereof, and an inwardly projecting rib at each extremity thereof whose width is one-half the width of the central rib, said inwardly projecting ribs being arranged in each semi-circular section so that when two sections are butted together the ribs form juxtaposed pairs of ribs which slidably engage juxtaposed grooves provided in a spindle, said arrangement of the grooves in the spindle and the ribs on the semi-circular sections of the cop tube being designed to support the cop tube concentrically on the spindle and leave an annular clearance between the periphery of the spindle and the cop tube and a clearance between the bottom of the grooves and the ribs positioned therein, whereby when a cop is wound on the cop tube the said clearances between the cop tube and the spindle prevent the pressure exerted on the cop tube by a cop wound thereon from binding the tube on the spindle;

13. In a cop winding machine, a rotatable winding spindle having two longitudinal dovetaillike grooves provided in the free end thereof, said grooves being diametrically opposed about the periphery of the spindle, an elongated cylindrical cop tube consisting of two identical semi-circular sections designed to be fitted together over and slidably positioned over the free end of the spindle, said semi-circular sections when fitted together having an internal bore larger than the diameter of the winding spindle, Said tube having two diametrically opposed dovetail-like ribs, said tube being so divided into the said sections that an equal portion of each rib is formed on each edge of the sections, whereby when the sections are butted together the ribs slidably engage the dovetail grooves provided in the spindle, said grooves provided in the spindle coact with the inwardly projecting ribs of the cop tube sections to support it concentrically on the spindle and leave an annular clearance between the periphery of the spindle and the internal bore of the cop tube and a clearance between the bottom of the grooves and the innermost surface of the ribs positioned in the grooves, whereby when a cop is wound on a cop tube the said clearances between the cop tube and spindle prevent the pressure exerted on the cop tube by a cop wound thereon from binding the tube on the spindle.

'IILIMAN T. BUNCH.

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