US2729051A - Method of and apparatus for forming precision wound yarn packages - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 3, 1956 R. J. CLARKSON 2,729,051

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING PRECISION WOUND YARN PACKAGES ll Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 20, 1952 1/7 w w 6 my /7 +P /Z7 M m w M w //7 w m #0 M7 INVENTOR.

fflAZ/F/e/(l/f/VJM BY 5?;5: l 1,. mam

' ATTORNEY Jan. 3, 1956 R. J. CLARKSON 2,729,051

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING PRECISION WOUND YARN PACKAGES Filed June 20, 1952 ll Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Jan. 3, 1956 R, J. CLARKSON 2,729,051

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING PRECISION WOUND YARN PACKAGES Filed June 20, 1952 ll Sheets-Sheet 4 4/ 7' 4 0 ATTORNEY Jan. 3, 1956 R. J. CLARKSON METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING PRECISION WOUND YARN PACKAGES ll Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 20, 1952 ATTORNEY Jan. 3, 1956 R. J. CLARKSON 2,729,051

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING PRECISION WOUND YARN PACKAGES Filed June 20, 1952 ll Sheets-Sheet 6 PM (a. I- M ATTORNEY Jan. 3, 1956 R. J. CLARKSON 2,729,051

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR F0 NG PRECISION WOUND YARN PACKAGE Filed June 20, 1.952 11 Sheets-Sheet 7 6M '9: (VIM/H14 ATTORNEY Jan. 3, 1956 R. J. CLARKSON METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING PRECISION WOUND YARN PACKAGES ll Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed June 20, 1952 M! llllllllll" INVENTOR. X05617 KZJAAJ /V um WM .A T TORNB Y Jan. 3, 1956 R. J. CLARKSON 2,729,051

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING PRECISION WOUND YARN PACKAGES Filed June 20, 1952 ll Sheets-Sheet 9 Egi 2.3

INVENTOR. #0661"? J (ll/176M 82AM? Mada A TIZ'OBNEY Jan. 3, 1956 R. J. CLARKSON 2,729,051

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING PRECISION WOUND YARN PACKAGES Filed June 20, 1952 ll Sheets-Sheet 10 w 77 Z Z 2; 24/

IN V EN TOR. #0567? 7' 1/ 6' 1/4/51 J04 um e2 a h A1 TORNEY 11 Sheets-Sheet 11 Jan. 3, 1956 R. J. CLARKSON METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING PRECISION WOUND YARN PACKAGES Filed June 20, 1952 United States Patent METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING PRECISION WOUND YARN PACKAGES Robert J. Clarkson,.Winnsboro, S. C., assignor to United States Rubber Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application June 20, 1952, Serial No. 294,675

23 Claims. (Cl. 57-583) The present invention relates to a method of and apparatus for producing a compact, uniform precision wound package, that is preferably cylindrical in shape and is wound on a cylindrical tube. Such a package packs well for shipment in containers and provides a maximum amount of yarn in a package of a given size. The precision winder of the present invention may be employed to wind various sizes and types of thread, yarn, cord and similar strand materials, hereinafter usually referred to as yarn into a package.

The term precision winder is herein applied to apparatus employed to wind yarn or cord packages in which the yarn or cord is laid side by side uniformly to a high degree and without appreciable variation in the spacing of the yarns as the package increases in size. In this respect they are very different from what are known as random winders in which the spacing of the yarns disposed side by side varies greatly as the package increases in size. In the precision winder of the present invention, and in those employed heretofore, the lay is slightly closer for the small package than for the large package.

Precision winders as constructed heretofore have been iade to draw the strand to be wound from a let-off package so that it will unwind therefrom at the speed at which it is pulled forward by the precision winding takeup package. Such prior precision winders are not adapted to wind strands that are supplied to the precision winder at a constant delivery speed. Furthermore such prior precision winders usually took the form of a small complete machine adapted to wind only one precision package per machine, with the result that such winders were expensive to purchase and operate, on the basis of cost per package wound, and took up considerable floor space.

The present invention contemplates a precision winder which is so designed that a single winding machine may be constructed to wind 48 or more packages simultaneously. Furthermore the precision winder of the present invention is adapted to wind strands supplied thereto under constant delivery speed, and to this end is provided with automatic mechanism controlled by the tension of a running yarn to correlate the speed of the precision winders to the speed at which one yarn is being supplied from some other cooperating textile equipment. As a result of these features this new precision winder will serve to reduce the cost of forming precision wound packages, and it is capable of eliminating certain textile operations in producing yarns or cords, in that the present precision winder may be employed to wind a ply-yarn or cord, as produced, into a precision package.

Since the precision winder of the present invention is adapted to wind a number of precision packages simultaneously, it will take up less floor space and is less expensive to purchase and operate than would be single precision winders when employed in sutficient numbers to have the same daily output as the present multiple precision winder. Furthermore the present precision winder may, as above stated, he used in combination with some other textile equipment andoperate to wind the yarn or cord supplied thereto at the particular speed it is supplied by the preceding textile equipment that is performing some operation on the yarn supplied to the precision winder.

The precision winder of the present invention, in a modified form, may also be employed as re-Winding textile equipment having a number of cooperating precision winding spindles each of which draws the strand it is Winding forward from a let-oft package, to thereby form precision wound packages of any desired size.

In any precision winder it appears necessary to maintain a definite and constant ratio between the rotation of the package supporting spindle for the precision package and the traverse mechanism for laying the yarn on such package, so that the number of spiral windings produced by the traverse mechanism as it travels back or forth lengthwise of the package will remain the same as the package grows in size. In such a construction, if the package spindle rotates at a constant speed throughout the winding operation, the strand will be wound faster and faster on the package as it increases in diameter. Therefore if a precision winder is to receive the strand it is winding at a constant delivery rate, as contemplated by the present invention, it is necessary to provide means whereby the spindle speed will decrease as the package grows in size, and this must be done without changing the ratio between the spindle speed and traverse mechanism.

Precision winders as constructed heretofore have been provided with various types of control means for reducing the package spindle speed as the package increased in size, but these prior precision winders were constructed to wind only one package per machine, and as a result these precision winders were expensive.

An important feature of the present invention resides in a precision winding machine which is adapted to wind a large number of packages simultaneously and to employ one traverse cam for operating the traverse guide for all packages, to thereby greatly reduce the cost of the precision winder per winding package.

Another feature of the present invention resides in mechanism for accurately controlling the yarn winding speed at which the yarn is wound on the precision package, from the start to the finish of the winding operation. This accurate control of the winding speed makes it possible to vary the surface speed of the winding package at any predetermined rate as the package grows in size. It also makes it possible to keep this winding speed constant when desired, so that it will Wind up the yarn at the exact speed at which it is supplied from a yarn plying or other textile machine. It also makes it possible to gradually increase the speed at which the yarn is wound on the package as the package increases in size. This control of the speed at which the yarn is wound on the precision package may be secured, in accordance with the present invention, by utilizing the tension of the yarn as it approaches the precision Winder to thereby control the surface speed of the package which is being wound, or if desired the growth in the size of the package maybe employed to control the speed at which the yarn is woun thereupon.

The speed at which the yarn is wound on the precision package is preferably controlled, in accordance with the present invention, by power driving the package supporting spindle and operating the traverse mechanism at a definite fixed ratio to this spindle speed. The spindle and traverse preferably are geared together at a carefully predetermined ratio, When the package supporting spindle is power driven at a uniform speed, it will Wind yarn on the package at an increasing speed as the package increases in diameter. In order to adapt the present machine to precision Wind yarn supplied thereto at a constant delivery rate, it is necessary to provide means whereby the spindle speed may decrease as the package grows in size, and also to provide means for controlling this decrease in winding speed.

This control of winding speed for the precision package is secured, in accordance with an important feature of the present invention, by power driving the winding spindle through a slip clutch that tends to drive the package at a speed slightly in excess of the constant delivery speed of the yarn supplied thereto, and the driving of the package through its spindle is slowed down and con trolled by employing a governing drum that is in frictional contact with the surface of the package. This governing drum is driven at a controlled speed to thereby control the rate at which the yarn is wound on the precision package. Such controlled speed may be governed by the gradual increase in size of the package, or it may be governed by the tension of the running yarn supplied to a single precision package. The present invention contemplates that all precision packages of the machine of the present invention will operate at the same speed throughout the winding operation, and that the initial winding of all packages will start simultaneously, and the finishing winding of all packages of a machine will terminate simultaneously. This makes possible the control of the Winding speed for all precision packages of a machine from a single running yarn or from the gradual increase in size of a single precision package, and the dofiing of all packages during one stoppage of the machine.

In order that the winding speed of each precision package may be controlled by its governing roll, an adjustable slip clutch is provided between the driving spindle for the precision packages and the main source of power, and this slip clutch should be so adjusted that while it tends to overdrive the packages, very little slippage will occur between the surface of the governing drum and the surface of the package it engages.

Another important feature of the present invention resides in the construction whereby a number of package supporting tubes are mounted in axial alignment and are driven one tube from the other through a single driving shaft. In order to employ this axial alignment of the packages, and to doff any one of the axial aligned tubes, without disturbing the winding position of the other aligned tubes, there are employed aligned stub shafts located between the packages and which have a telescopic construction, whereby the length of such a stub shaft may be retracted sufficiently to disengage its end from driving engagement with an adjacent package supporting tube. Such stub shaft preferably has a square or other non-circular tapered end that can be forced into the hollow tube so that such stub shaft will support the adjacent ends of two package tubes and drive one tube from the other. Each such stub shaft is provided with a manually operable lever adapted to retract and extend one end of the telescopic stub shaft to thereby engage and disengage its tapered end with a package tube.

The precision winding machine contemplated by the present invention may be employed for many purposes but it is particularly well adapted for winding simultaneously a large number of heavy yarns such as are commonly called tire cords, or other heavy yarns used in industrial fields, and to wind such yarn into large precision packages that may weigh 20 pounds or more for shipment to the point of use. The precision winding apparatus of the present invention was designed more particularly for operation in combination with machines of the type disclosed in my Patent No. 2,503,242 for producing highly uniform, heavy two-ply yarn employed as tire cord. When the precision winder of the present invention is associated with a yarn or cord former such as disclosed in said patent, the tension of one-ply yarn being supplied by the cord former is or may be utilized to control the winding speed of all of the precision packages of a machine.

The above and other features of the present invention and method of carrying out the invention will be further understood from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings; wherein Fig. l is a side elevation of a four unit machine constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the machine of Fig. 1 looking at the left hand end of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4, on a larger scale, is a sectional view of a telescopic stub shaft adapted to support the ends of adjacent yarn tubes and to drive one tube from the other;

Fig. 5 is an end view of parts shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6, on a larger scale, is a vertical sectional view through one of the ply-yarn forming spindles and associated parts shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the apparatus for supporting the inner package of a ply-yarn forming unit;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a side view with parts in section of traverse mechanism for guiding the ply-yarn from a forming unit to a precision package;

Fig. 11 is a side view with parts in section of the outer of the two packages that supply yarn to the ply-yarn forming spindle;

Fig. 12 is a front view of parts shown in Fig. 10;

Figs. 13, 14, 15 and 16 are detailed views showing features of the traverse mechanism illustrated in Fig. 10;

Fig. 17 is a side elevation of pawl and ratchet mechanism that controls the variable speed drive which governs the speed of rotation of the precision packages;

Fig. 18 is a top plan view with parts in section of the pawl and ratchet shown in Fig. 17;

Fig. 19 is a horizontal sectional view through an adjustable friction driving clutch;

Fig. 20 is a vertical side view with parts in section of apparatus for automatically controlling the size of the ballooning outer yarn;

Fig. 21 is a horizontal view with parts in section showing the disposition of a driving motor and the driving belts for operating four ply-yarn forming units;

Fig. 22 is a top plan view of a precision wound pack age showing the yarn guiding bullet of the traverse mechanism associated therewith;

Fig. 23 is a more or less diagrammatic view of the precision wound package illustrating how the helical winding angle decreases as the package increases in size;

Fig. 24 is a side view with parts broken away of a modified machine, having free turning let-off packages for supplying yarn to the precision packages; this view is a view of the right side of Fig. 25; and

Fig. 25 is an end view with parts broken away and is a view of the left hand end of Fig. 24.

Figs. 1 to 23 inclusive are directed to the precision winder of the present invention as employed in combinationwith a constant delivery ply-yarn forming machine, of the type disclosed in my above cited patent. This combination machine is shown as having only four plyyarn forming units, two disposed at one side of the machine and two at the other side, and below these units are provided four precision winders for winding the plyyarn from each unit into a large precision package. It is desired to point out however that in factory use the machine shown in Fig. l of the drawing would preferably be many times the length here shown, and might be provided with twenty, thirty or more ply-yarn forming units at each side of the machine.

Figs. 24 and 25 disclose a modification of the present invention, and show the precision winder in the form of a multiple rewinding machine adapted to draw yarns forward from a number of independently supported let-off packages to wind such yarns into separate precision packages.

Now referring more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings wherein there is shown apparatus disclosed at the upper portion of the machine for plying together two singles yarns supplied from two separate packages, these singles yarns are united to form a finished ply-yarn that is wound into a precision package by the mechanism disposed at the lower portion of such machine. The machine shown in Figs. 1 and 2 has the end frames and 11. These end frames are connected by the longitudinally extending beams, bars and rods 12, 13 and 14 respectively. The upper portion of the machine supported by the beams 12 has extending upwardly therefrom the vertical post 15 adapted to support yarn guiding means to be described. The mechanism forming the four units disposed at the upper portion of the machine operates to form four separate ply-yarns. This mechanism is driven by the upper electric motor 16. All of the mechanism for forming the precision wound packages is driven by the lower motor 17.

The four ply-yarn forming units are substantially identical in construction and operation, so that a description of one will suti'lce for all four. Furthermore the construction and operation of each ot'these units is fundamentally similar to that shown, described and claimed in my patent above cited. Each ply yarn forming unit, as shown, has an upper yarn supply package A which is called the inner package, and the lower yarn supply package B which is called the outer package. The yarns supplied by these two packages are united to form the ply-yarn c, and they are plied together by revolving the yarn b from the outer package B in the form of a balloon about the inner package A. The manner in which these two yarns are united to form a ply-yarn c is best shown in Fig. 6 of the drawing. In order to produce the plyyarn c it is necessary tosupport the inner package A so that the yarn b from the outer package can be revolved as a balloon about the package A. To accomplish this it is necessary to support the package A by a hollow rotating spindle which serves to form the balloon b and wrap the yarns a and b together to form the ply-yarn c.

In order to make the ply-yarn c so that it is highly uniform as to strength and twists per inch, it is important that equal lengths of the single yarns a and b shall lie in any selected length of the ply-yarn c, and to secure this result it is highly important to provide means for positively delivering equal lengths of the yarns a and b to the yarn plying point. This is accomplished as herein shown, and as stressed in the above mentioned patent, by employing means for positively feeding forward equal lengths of the strands a and b to the juncture where they are plied together. This is done by employing positively driven rolls that are operated in time relation with the rotation of the hollow ply-yarn forming spindle, to thereby meter or advance equal lengths of the yarns a and b to the plyforming point. Means for accomplishing this will now be described.

Inner package The package A which may be called the upper or inner package may be formed of a coarse low twist or zero twist yarn that is wound upon a supporting tube 18 which fits tightly upon a tapered supporting member 19, best shown in Fig. 6. This member 19 is rotatably mounted on the upright spindle 20. The lower end of this spindle 26) is rigidly secured in a supporting bracket 21. The package supporting member 19 has rigidly secured thereto by screws 22 the horizontally extending disk 23 and resting thereupon is the cushioning material 24, so that when a yarn package A is in its operating position it will rest upon this cushion 24 as shown in Fig. 6. The arrangement is such that as the yarn a is drawn off the package A this package and its support 19 can rotate relatively to the supporting shaft 20, but the rate at which such package rotates can be retarded as desired by employing anon-rotating brake ring 25, the upper face of which engages, with varying pressure, a ring 26 secured by screws it is unwound therefrom, it is found desirable to provide around such package a squirrel-cage like guard comprising the upright posts 29 supported by a horizontal disk 30 that is rigidly secured to a hollow casing 31 that supports the bracket 21. The upper ends of the posts 29 are secured to a curved member 32. The arrangement is such that as the yarn a is unwound from its package it passes around several bars 29 and then passes part way around a pulley 33 supported by a bracket 34. The yarn a upon leaving the guide pulley 33 passes downwardly about a floating pulley 35, (see Fig. 6) supported by a rocking lever 36 that is pivotally secured to the casing 31 by a pivot pin 37. The opposite end of this lever 36 is positioned to press upwardly against the lower end of the brake-applying pin 23 slida'oly supported by the casing 31. The yarn a passes from the floating pulley 35 upwardly and around a grooved pulley 38 rotatably supported from the disk 34 This lever 36 is continuously urged towards the brake-applying position by an adjustable coiled spring 39. The yarn a upon leaving pulley 38 passes to positive feed means comprising the laterally spaced feed rolls 40 and 41 (see Figs. 1, 2 and 7) disposed at one side of the hollow casing 31. The roll 40 is rotatably supported by its shaft 42 which is positively driven by a gear 43. The other roll 41 which is an idler roll is supported by a horizontally extending shaft 42. These rolls 40 and 41 are disposed at a slight angle to each other as shown in Fig. 7. The purpose of this is to cause the successive windings of the yarn a passing around these laterally spaced rolls 4t] and 41 to spread out from each other as shown. The function of these two rolls is to positively pull the yarn a forward from its source of supply at a rate that bears a definite ratio to the speed of rotation of the yarn plying spindle to be described. In order to decrease any tendency of the yarn a to slip about the rolls 40 and 41 a spring pressed idler roll 44 is preferably provided to press against the roll 40. The yarn a after passing several times around the laterally spaced rolls 40, 41, passes around a pulley 45 (see Fig. 7) supported by a bracket 46 secured to the casing 31. This yarn then passes inwardly through a hole 47 formed in the casing 31 to the central axis of this casing, to pass around a grooved roller 48 rotatably supported in the bracket 21 by a pin 49. The yarn a then passes downwardly at the center of a rotating hollow spindle, to be described.

The hollow casing 31 and parts carried thereby, are so supported that the ballooning outer yarn b can revolve rapidly about the package A and the means for supporting this package. Therefore the casing 31 is mounted by means of spaced bearings 50 and 51 upon a hollow power driven spindle 52 so that this spindle can rotate without rotating the casing 31. The lower portion of this spindle is journaled in a fixed bearing casing 53 which is rigidly supported by the structure 12 of the machine frame. The lower end of the hollow spindle 52 extends downwardly through this casing 53 to receive a driving pulley 54 (see Fig. 8) adapted to be driven by a belt 55 from the above mentioned motor 16. The hollow spindle -52 has rigidly secured to the upper portion thereof a worm sleeve 56 with which the worm gear 43 meshes, and in order to keep these gears lubricated, an idler gear 57 is preferably provided, that rotates in an oil bath in the lower portion of the casing 31. As a result of the con struction just described the hollow spindle 52 can be rapidly rotated in the casing 31 without causing this casing to rotate, and the rotation of this spindle and the worm and gears, just mentioned, drive the roll to positively pull the yarn a forward from its source of supply, so that it can pass downwardly within the hollow spindle 52 to a forming die 58 which determines the point at which the yarns a and b are united and wound together to form the ply-yarn 0.

Outer package Having described the path of the inner yarn a from its supply package A to the forming die 58, the path of the outer yarn b will now be described.

The yarn package B wound on the cone 59 is shown in Fig. 11 as supported by a fixed bracket 66 that extends outwardly in an inclined direction from a bar 13 of the machine, and this bracket rotatably supports a spindle 61 on which the package B is mounted. The location of this spindle 61 is such that it is easy to place the package B thereon. The spindle 61 is similar to the package supporting member 19 above described and is rotatably supported by the bracket 69 so that the package B may rotate as the yarn b is unwound therefrom. The package B is partly surrounded by a squirrel cage comprising a supporting member 62 rigidly attached to the bracket and having extending at right angles therefrom the spaced bars 63, the opposite ends of which are attached to the curved member 64. The arrangement is such that as the yarn b unwinds from the package B it passes around several of the bars 63 and then to a guide pulley 65 supported by a bar 63. This yarn then passes to braking means comprising a lever 66 that is pivotally supported at 67 upon the bracket 60. The outer end of this lever 66 is provided with a grooved roller about which the yarn b is looped. It then passes around a pulley 62' supported from the member 62, and then passes to power driven take up means, to be described. The action of the brake-applying lever 66 is rather similar to that of the brake-applying lever 36 above described, the arrangement being such that if the yarn b tends to become slack the brake lever 66 will press upon the base of the spindle 61 to retard the rotation of the package B, and as the tension upon the yarn b increases this braking action will be reduced.

The yarn b is unwound from the package B at the same rate at which the yarn a is unwound from the package A. This is accomplished by causing the yarn b as it leaves the pulley 63 to pass several times around the yarn advancing rolls 69 and 79 which are well shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 1].. These two rolls are supported at a slight inclination to each other to cause the yarn runs to spread out from each other as they pass repeatedly around these rolls, and in order to reduce any tendency of the yarn to slip upon these rolls it is desirable to provide an auxiliary roller 7 supported by a spring actuated arm 72, so that this roller continually presses against the yarn runs passing around the roll 76. As will be seen from Fig. 9 the upper roll 70 is rigidly secured to a shaft 73 journaled in fixed brackets 74 and 75 of the machine frame, and the opposite end of this shaft is provided with a sprocket '76 that is driven by the sprocket chain '77. The lower roll 69 may be similarly driven by a sprocket '78. After the yarn b is positively pulled forward from its supply package 3 by the rolls 70 it passes around the pulley '79 (Fig. 8), and then upwardly around a second pulley 30 supported by a horizontally extending arm 81 secured to the upper end of the post 15. The yarn passes from the pulley 30 about a third pulley 82 disposed above the central axis of the package A to pass downwardly from this pulley, through balloon controlling means, to be described, to form a balloon that clears the squirrel cage surrounding the package A.

The yarn b is revolved as a balloon rapidly around the package A to wrap the yarns a and b together. This which is free running and is is accomplished by rigidly securing to the rotating hollow spindle 52 the annular bracket 83 which carries a non-metallic disc 84 that is provided with a thread guiding eyelet 85 adjacent its outer periphery. The yarn b passes through this eyelet in a downward direction as best shown in Fig. 6. This yarn extends from the eyelet 85 through an inclinedhole 86 in the bracket 83 and spindle 52, to meet the downwardly extending yarn a at a point directly above the forming die 58. The arrangement is such that as the shaft 52 is rapidly rotated it causes the yarn b to balloon as shown and wrap around the downwardly passing yarn a. Since the yarns a and b are positively pulled forward from their sources of supply at the same speed, these two yarns will be wrapped together adjacent the forming die as shown in Fig. 6 to produce the highly uniform ply-yarn c.

it will be understood from the foregoing that neither package A nor B rotates in the operation of the present machine, more than is necessary to unwind the yarns a and b from their respective packages. The package A and associated parts are supported, as above stated, by the rapidly rotating spindle 52. In order to prevent this rotating spindle from turning the casing 31 and other parts which support the package A, magnets are preferably provided above and below the rapidly rotating nonmetallic disc 84 so that the magnetic pull of one magnet on the other will prevent the casing 31 from rotating, and this is accomplished without interfering with the revolving ballooning yarn b. The hollow casing 31 is provided with outwardly extending portions 87 adapted to support the permanent upper magnets 88 (see Fig. 1) and below the revolving disc 84 are provided the lower magnets 89. The arrangement is such that the magnetic pull between the upper and lower magnets prevents the upper structure supported by the casing 31 and spindle 52 from turning under normal operation. If, however, due to excessive friction or other abnormal operation, the upper magnets 88 should turn appreciably relative to the lower magnets 89 so as to reduce the magnetic pull therebetween, one of the lower magnets which is pivotally supported as shown at the right, side of the drawing in Fig. 1 will drop and operate an electric switch within the box 90 to stop the entire machine. The yarn ad.- vancing rolls 40 and 41 for the yarn a and yarn advancing rolls 69 and 70 for the yarn b operate to advance equal lengths of these two yarns towards the plying point.

Ply yam take-up mechanism Having described the mechanism for supplying measured lengths of the yarns a and b to the forming die 58 within the hollow rotating shaft 52, means for pulling the ply-yarn c produced in this hollow shaft downwardly under controlled tension will now be described. The plyyarn c does not rotate as it leaves the spindle 52.

The ply-yarn c passes downwardly centrally within the hollow shaft 52 to a pulley 91, see Fig. 10, mounted on a bracket 92 attached to the supporting frame 13. After passing around this pulley it then loops around a pulley 93 mounted on an arm 94 of a rocking lever that is pivotally supported at 95 on the bracket 92, and this rocking lever has the relatively long upwardly extending arm 96 which carries at its upper end two slightly spaced pins adapted to receive the ply-yarn c between them. The purpose of the arm 96 is to move the yarn c lengthwise of tapered pull rolls, shown in Fig. 10, to increase or decrease the speed at which this plyyarn is pulled forward and thereby control its tension. To accomplish this the rocking lever 94, 96 is continuously urged in one direction by a coiled spring 97, the tension of which may be adjusted by the wing nut 93. This spring continuously tends to pull the arm 94 that carries the pulley 93 in an upward direction. The tension of the yarn 0 tends to pull this arm 94 in a downward direction, to cause the lever 96 to move the yarn being wound about the tapered rolls shown in Fig. 10 towards the smaller end of these rolls and 9 thus reduce the take-up speed. If the tension of the yarn decreases the spring 97 will move the arm 96 towards the large ends of the take-up rolls to take the yarn up faster. This rocking lever accurately controls the rate at which the ply-yarn c is pulled forward as produced so as to maintain the tension upon this yarn uniform.

The tapered rolls just referred to are well shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10, and comprise an upper tapered roll 99 and a lower tapered roll 100 about which the yarn c is wound in a number of runs. The upper roll 99 is supported and rotated by a shaft 101 which has secured to its opposite end the sprocket wheel 102 that is driven by the chain 77 above mentioned. The lowered tapered roll 100 may be similarly driven by the sprocket wheel 103. Power is imparted to this chain 77 by a worm gear 104 which meshes with a worm 105 that is rigidly secured to the hollow central spindle 52 (see Figs. 8 and 9). This gear 104 is mounted upon and rigidly secured to a transversely extending shaft 106 which has secured at one end asprocket wheel 107 and to its other end a roller 108. Adjacent the sprocket 107 is supported an idler sprocket 109. The chain 77 through the mechanism just described serves to positively rotate the rolls 69, '70, 99, 100 and it is driven from the rotating hollow spindle 52. In order to reduce any tendency of the ply-yarn c to slip around the rolls 99, 100, a free running gravity roll 110 supported by a swinging arm 111 is preferably provided, and the yarn 0 upon leaving the roll 99 passes around this roll 110 and then downwardly between it and the roll 108. 7 Should the control lever 96 swing through an abnormally large arc in either direction, projections 112 earned by the arm 94, see Fig. 12, will contact an electric switch 113 and stop the entire machine.

Various means may employed for driving each of the ply-yarn producing units constructed as above described. In the construction shown the four units are driven from the upper electric motor 16 as will be apparent from Fig. 2 when considered in connection with Fig. 21. The rotating shaft of this motor extends downwardly from the lower end of the motor casing and has secured thereto two pulleys 114 and 114 adapted to drive belts 55 and 55'. One of these belts drives the two hollow spindles 52 at one side of the machine and the other belt 55' drives the two spindles 52 at the other side of the machine as will be apparent from Fig. 21.

The mechanism so far described by reference numerals produces a ply-yarn c formed of the two single low twist or zero twist yarns a and b. The four units shown, or any other number of such units, built into a single machine are preferably all driven at the same speed, so that each unit will produce a ply-yarn c at a uniform rate corresponding to the rate of delivery of the other ply-yarns being produced by such machine. The yarn c as produced is wound into a package, which preferably is a precision wound package, and as above stated an important feature of the present invention relates to precision winding mechanism which is adapted to receive yarn supplied at a constant speed from a number of units and to wind the yarn from each unit of the machine into a precision wound package. Such precision winding equipment constructed in accordance with the present invention will now be described.

Precision winding mechanism The power driven delivery rolls 99 and 100 pull the ply-yarns 0 forward from the ply forming spindle 52 under a substantial and uniform tension as above described. This yarn 0 passes downwardly from the power driven roller 108 to a grooved guiding pulley 13 supported from the bracket 13 of the machine frame, as shown in Fig. 10. It then passes to traverse mechanism, to be described, and is then wound into a precision package P formed by winding the yarn 0 onto a tube or core 115 which is preferably a cylinder tube formed of heavy' paper in a well known manner, although the pre- 10 cision winder of the present invention can be employed to wind yarn on a conical shaped tube. Four yarn packages P are provided to receive the ply-yarn c from the four above mentioned yarn producing units. These packages are shown as mounted at the lower portion of the machine where such relatively large packages can be conveniently removed by a workman. The disposition of these packages P is well shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, wherein it will be seen that two packages are positioned at one side of the machine and two at the other side. It will also be seen from Fig. 3 that the packages P at each side of the machine are disposed in axial alignment, so that the aligned packages are driven from a shaft designated by 116 at one side of the machine and by 116' at the other side of the machine.

In order to support the packages P in axial alignment and drive them all from the same central shaft as herein contemplated, the yarn receiving tubes are employed to drive one from the other. The driving shaft 116 and the yarn packages P which it supports are so mounted that this shaft and packages may move upwardly in the arc of a'circle as the packages increase in size. This upward movement is due to the fact that each package rests upon a power driven drum, to be described, which operates to control the package winding speed. The shaft 116 comprises a plurality of axial aligned shaft sections which have a telescopic construction so that a section can be contracted and extended longitudinally to facilitate the insertion of a paper tube 115 in its winding position and its removal therefrom. The shaft 116' is similarly constructed. The various sections of the shaft 116 are journaled in bearing brackets 117 disposed at the outer end of the relatively long arms 118 which are pivotally mounted on a fixed central shaft 119 for rocking movement. This pivotal mounting permits the shafts 116 and 116 to move upwardly in an arcuate path as the packages increase in size, and arcuate slots 118 and 118 are cut in the end frame 10 of the machine to permit the shafts 116 and 116 'to move in this manner. All of this precision winding mechanism is driven by the above mentioned electric motor 17. This motor, through connections to be described, drives a sprocket 120 (see Fig. 3) that rotates on a stub shaft 121 secured to the machine frame 10, and this sprocket drives a second sprocket 122 and a third sprocket 123 secured together. The sprocket 123 drives a chain 124 which rotates the shaft 116', and the sprocket 122 drives a chain 125 which drives a gear 126. This gear drives a reversing gear 127 secured to the shaft 116, the reversing gear 127 is employed to drive the shaft 116 in the proper direction.

Each shaft 116 and 116' is provided at its inner end near the supporting brackets 117 with a tapered four sided plug adapted to be forced into an end of a paper tube 115 so as to support and drive this tube. The shafts 116 and 116 are, as above stated, formed of aligned sections indicated by 128 and the construction of which is well illustrated in Fig. 4. This shaft section' 128 is mounted to turn in a bearing bracket 117 and has a longitudinally movable sleeve 129 adapted to be slid from its full line position of Fig. 4 to the dotted line position of this figure. This longitudinal movement is manually imparted to the sleeve 129 by securing thereto the laterally extending operating rod 130, which extends outwardly from such sleeve through a curved slot 130' formed in the bearing bracket 117. The arrangement is such that if the lever 130 is shifted from its full line position of Fig. 5 to its dotted line position it will impart a telescopic movement to the sleeve 129, to engage or disengage the squared end 131, disposed at the left in Fig. 4, with the tube 115. This squared end is rigidly secured to a hollow shaft 132 journaled in the sleeve 129 and having the thrust bearing 133. The construction is such that when a paper tube 115 is rotated by the shaft 116, this tube in turn will rotate a hollow shaft 132 which is journaled in a sleeve 129 and has a squared end 131 forced into a tube 115. The hollow shaft 132 has a square or other non-circular hole formed centrally therethrough to slidably receive a shaft 134 that is journaled in a bearing 135 mounted at the right hand end of the bracket 117, and a squared plug 136 similar to the plug 131 is rigidly secured to the other end of this shaft 134. The arrangement is such that when the hollow sleeve 132 is driven from a tube the shaft 134 will be driven so that it will drive the paper tube 115 engaged by its squared end 136. As a result of this tube supporting and driving construction, any tube can be moved to or from its operating position in alignment with other tubes by operating the rod to move a squared plug 131 into or out of firm gripping engagement with an end of such paper tube.

The means just described for driving the packages P will drive all aligned packages together, and tends to drive all these packages at a constant speed, but since the packages increase in diameter as the yarn is wound thereupon, the yarn willl be wound on the packages faster and faster as they increase in size. This however can not be permitted in the pressure construction since the ply-yarn c is supplied to such packages at a uniform delivery speed. In order to control the speed at which the packages P are rotated so that the yarn c will be wound thereon at the uniform speed at which the ply-yarn is delivered to such take-up package, a slip drive is provided for driving the sprocket 120. This permits the axial speed at which the shafts 116 and 116' are rotated with their packages to be reduced as the packages increase in size.

This slip drive is secured in the construction shown by providing the operating motor 17 with a sprocket 137 (see Fig. 2) that drives a chain 138 adapted to drive a sprocket 139 rotatably mounted on a stub shaft 140 attached to the machine frame 10, as best shown in Fig. 19. Mounted on this stub shaft 140 is the sleeve 141, and on this sleeve is mounted the sprocket 139 which has secured to one face thereof a friction driving disc 142, and also mounted on this sleeve 141 is a rotating member comprising the integral sprockets 143 and 144 and the face plate 145. Threaded on the outer end of the sleeve 141 is the manually adjustable nut 146 adapted to compress a spring 147 to thereby vaiy the friction drive between the positively driven sprocket 139 and the associated sprockets 143 and 144. The desired amount of friction drive is obtained by adjusting the nut 146. Sprocket 144 drive chain 148 that drives sprockets 120, 122 and 123 above described. Sprocket 143 drives chain 149 that drives a sprocket 150 provided to operate traverse mechanism to be described. The purpose in providing sprockets 143 and 144 as an integral construction is to make sure that a definite ratio of operation will be maintained at all times between the package driving shafts 116 and 11.6 mechanism driven by the gear 150 throughout the precision winding of the machine.

The precision wind, in order to form a firm package, directs the yarn on to a package with a pronounced helical angle, as shown in Figs. 1, 3, 22 and 23 of the drawings, and as will be apparent from Fig. 23 this helical angle decreases as the package increases in diameter, but the number of complete helical windings around the package throughout its length remains the same during the winding operation. in starting to wind the ply-yarn c on the paper tubes 115, it is desirable to wind a few revolutions on the package with very slight traverse to anchor this leading end of the yarn to the package. This is readily done by temporarily reducing the traverse movement so as to lay the coils close together. As soon as this is done the traverse mechanism is restored to its high traverse precision wind position. To provide for this initial closely placed winding the change gear mechanism shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings is provided. This mechanism is housed in the gear casing 151 and comprises manually shiftable change and the traverse gears of well known construction. The sprocket 150 drives a shaft 152 to which are secured a large gear and a small gear adapted to be engaged by one or the other of a pair of connected shiftable gears 153 mounted on the shaft 154. These shiftable gears are adapted to drive the shaft 154 at a slow or a high speed depending upon the position to which the gears 153 are shifted by the manually operable lever 155. To the upper end of the shaft 154 is rigidly secured a large traversing cam 156 adapted to operate the traversing mechanism for all of the packages P being wound.

Precision traversing mechanism The traversing cam 156, as will be seen from Fig. 3 is a slotted cam having the cam slot 157. In this slot projects a pin 158. Since the packages P may be a foot or more in length, a long traverse movement is required. This long traverse is secured in the construction shown by employing connecting links arranged to impart a long straight-line travel to a traversing frame to be described. These links, which are best shown in Fig. 3, comprise the links 159 and 161 each of which has an end pivotally secured at 161 to a rigid projection extending outwardly from the machine frame 10. The outer end of link 159 is connected at 162 to an end of the long traversing lever 163, and the outer end of link is connected at 164 to a link 165, the outer end of which is connected at 166 to an intermediate portion of the long lever 163. As a result of this link construction rotation of the cam 156 at a uniform speed will traverse the outer end of the lever 163 back and forth at a uniform rate similar to that produced by the ordinary heart cam.

The fixed shaft 119 has slidably connected thereto a bridge bar 167 and the outer end of lever 163 is connected to this bridge bar at 168 by a long link 169. The outer ends of the bridge bar 167 are provided with the clamping members 170 which are clamped about the long metal sleeves 171 that are slidably mounted on the rods 14 of the main frame. The arrangement is such that rotation of the cam 156 will slide these sleeves 171 back and forth at a uniform rate of speed to operate traverse mechanism associated with each package P. As a result of this construction only one operating cam is required to operate the traverse for a number of packages.

The present traverse mechanism is constructed to accommodate the increase in diameter of the packages throughout the winding operation, and also to move back and forth the full length of the package without producing a change in the tension of the yarn being wound. This is accomplished in accordance with the present invention by employing the mechanism which is well shown in Fig. 10 and also in Figs. 13 to 16 inclusive. Each traverse mecha nism comprises a long traversing lever that extends downwardly from a supporting bracket 172. Such lever is formed of the arms 173 and 174- pivotally connected at 175. This lever formed of the connected arms 173 and 174 is pivoted to the bracket 172 by the pivot pin 176 which is disposed relatively close to the yarn guiding pulley 13'. The lower end of each traverse lever 173, 174 is pivotally connected at 177 to a bracket 178 which is tightly clamped to a sliding tube 171 above mentioned. This bracket 178 has pivotally attached thereto at 179 a short traverse arm 189. This arm is continuously urged towards the package P by a spring 181, and the outer end of this arm 13% is provided with a specially constructed guide 182 the opposite ends of which are shaped like the outer end of a bullet. The central portion of this guide 182 is provided with an annular groove as best shown in Fig. 14. The manner in which the bullet-like guide 182 cooperates with a package P to guide the yarn c on to the rotating package throughout its length is best shown in Fig. 22 of the drawing, wherein it will be seen that the construction is such that the guide 182 may be traversed sufiiciently to bring the yarn to either end of the package, as shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 22, while this guide 13 continues to rest firmly against the outer cylindrical por tion of the yarn package.

In order to maintain uniform tension on the yarn traveling along the traverse lever it is considered desirable to provide a yielding take-up in the form of the grooved roller 183 that is pivotally mounted at the outer curved end of a lever 18% which is pivoted at 185 to the arm 173. This lever 184 is continuously urged in the yarn tightening direction by a spring 185', and the angle through which the lever 184 may swing can be controlled as desired by adjusting the stop screws 186 that cooperate with the fixed pin 186, as shown in Fig. 15.

The foregoing makes clear how a number of yarn takeup packages P may be mounted in axial alignment so that one can be driven from another, and also discloses how the traverse mechanism for these packages is operated in timed relation with the rotation of packages, so that a predetermined number of helical windings of the yarn will be laid on the package as the traverse mechanism travels from one end of the package to the other. This number of windings does not change as the package increases in size. If this precision winding mechanism is to receive yarn at the constant delivery rate at which it is supplied by the ply-yarn producing spindles 52, it is necessary to correlate the winding speed of the precision winder to that at which the ply-yarn is formed. The mechanism contemplated by the present invention to accomplish this will now be described.

Package governing drums The various packages P are supported, as above stated, so that they normally rest upon power driven drums, and so that the supporting shafts 116 and 116 for these packages may swing upwardly through an arc as the packages increase in size. The function of these governing drums, herein designated by 187 and 187 and upon which the take-up packages P rest, is not to drive the packages, as in prior practice, since each package is driven by a shaft 116 or 116, but the purpose of these power driven drums 187 and 187 is to control or govern the speed of rotation of the take-up packages P. In practice it is deemed advisable to slightly overdrive the packages P by the shafts 116 or 116 and to use the frictional engagement of the outer periphery of the packages P with the drums 187 and 187' to retard the speed of rotation of the take-up packages, in accordance with the tension of the yarn c being supplied to the packages, or if desired in accordance with the increase in size of the packages.

In the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 to 23 inclusive the rate at which the yarn c is wound on to the various packages P is controlled by the tension of one of the yarns 0. Such control means is shown at the left hand side of the machine illustrated in Fig. 1, and in the end view of Fig. 2, it is also shown in Figs. 17 and 18. In Fig. 2 there is shown the variable speed gear casing 188 and the gears in this casing are driven from the motor 17 by a chain 189 and sprocket 190. The power output from this casing is from the sprocket 191 which drives a chain 192. This chain drives a sprocket 193 at one side of the machine and 194 at the other side of the machine. These two sprockets drive long shafts 195' at each side of the machine and on which shafts are provided the drums 187 and 187'. These drums are preferably made of a non-slip material such as stainless steel or a rubber-resin composition that will provide a good driving surface that engages the yarn packages P resting thereon. The drums 187 are driven by sprocket 193 and drums 187 are driven by sprocket 194. The chain 192 travels in the direction indicated by the arrow and engages a sprocket 196 to operate pawls that are best shown in Fig. 17. The chain then passes around an idler and then travels to the left a substantial distance to pass around an idler sprocket 197. The return run of this chain passes under the sprocket 194 187' in the right directions.

As long as the control for the variable speed mechanism within the casing 188 is not changed the drums 187 and 187 will rotate at a constant speed and through their surface contact with the yarn packages P will cause these packages to rotate at the same surface speed. The adjustable friction driving means for the shafts 116 and 116 make this control possible as it permits the speed of rotation of the shafts 116 and 116' to decrease as the packages increase in size.

If a change in the winding speed is desired, this can be secured by changing the setting of the variable speed mechanism in the casing 188 and which is controlled by a shaft 198 projecting outwardly from the variable speed casing. To this control shaft is rigidly secured a ratchet wheel 199, which is well illustrated in Figs. 17 and 18 of the drawing. This ratchet wheel is under the control of a pair of pawls 200 which are actuated by eccentrics secured to the shaft 201. These pawls are reciprocated relative to the ratchet teeth by the eccentrics just mentioned to slowly rotate the ratchet wheel 199. As long as these pawls are held in an elevated position so that they do not engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel, the setting of the change gears will not be changed, but if the pawls are allowed to drop under the influence of gravity into engagement with the ratchet wheel they will rotate the same. In the construction shown in the drawings these pawls are normally held in an elevated inactive position by a relatively long vertical rod 202 shown in Fig. 1 and which is under the control of the tension of a ply-yarn c that is being produced by a spindle 52. This control rod 202 has its upper end portion bent horizontally to support a grooved pulley 203 about which a loop of the yarn c extends in a left hand direction from the guide rolls 204 (see Fig. 1). As long as the yarn 0 remains under considerable tension it will hold the rod 202 in the full line position of Fig. l, and when the rod is in this position a laterally bent lower end portion 205 of this rod will hold both pawls 200 in their elevated inactive position. If the tension of the yarn 0 decreases then this rod 202 will move to the left to the dot and dash line position of Fig. 1 and this will move the lower end 205 of this rod out of engagement with the pawls so that they can engage and rotate the ratchet 199, and adjust the speed changing mechanism in a direction to increase the speed of the governing rolls 187 and 187. This rod 202 is continuously urged toward the dot and dash line position by a bent blade spring 206, so that the pawls will become active if slackness occurs in the yarn 0.

Since the sprocket 14-4 which drives all of the packages P and the sprocket 143 which drives the traverse cam 156 are integrally connected, a constant ratio is maintained between the rotation of the packages and the travel of the traverse mechanism. This ratio should be mathematically determined for the size of yarn being wound, so that the yarns will be laid side by side in contact with each other to produce a package of maximum yardage for its size. Due to this fixed ratio between the rotation of the packages and the traverse mechanism, the yarn will be wound on the core with a long traverse as indicated by x when the package is small (see Fig. 23) and the angle of this traverse will decrease as indicated by x as the package increases in size. As a result of this change in angle as the package grows the amount of yarn wound on the packaeg for a complete rotation of the governing drum 187 will decrease as this angle decreases. Therefore, in order that the traverse mechanism of the present invention may wind up the yarn c at a uniform delivery speed, irrespective of the size of the package P, it is necessary to provide means for gradually increasing the speed at which the drums 187 and 187' rotate as the package grows in size. This gradual increase in speed is controlled by the tension of the yarn c which acts upon the rod 202 as above described to control the operation of the pawls 200, so that when the tension of the yarn 0 decreases the pawls will engage and rotate the ratchet wheel 199. This 15 will operate the variable speed mechanism within the casing 188 to increase the speed of the sprocket 191 and chain 192 to drive the governing drums'187 and 187' faster.

The rate at which the yarn c winds upon a package P as the package grows and the transverse angle changes, can be illustrated by a right angle triangle having a long side, a short side, and a hypothenuse; let the length of the long side equal the circumference of the governing drum 137, and let 1 equal the angle the helical winding forms with an end of the package at any selected size of the package. Then if the angle which the hypothenuse forms with the long side of the triangle equal z, the length of the hypothenuse will equal the length of yarn wound on the package P for one complete rotation of the drum 187, assuming there is no surface slippage. From this triangle it will be seen that as the package increases in size and the angle 2 grows smaller, the amount of yarn wound on the package for each rotation of the governing drum 137, will decrease slightly as the package increases in size, this is why it is necessary to speed up these drums as the packages grow.

The machine of the present invention is designed to build up large packages P which may weigh 20 pounds or more, and since these packages rest by gravity on the governing drums 187, 187' to maintain frictional driving relation therebetween, the pressure of the package P against a drum will greatly increase as the package grows in size, unless means is provided to modify this action. In order to secure an approximate uniform pressure of the packages P upon the governing drums throughout the winding operation, spring means are provided for modifying the gravity pressure of the packages upon such drums as the packages increase in size. To this end each rocking arm 118 which is pivotally mounted upon the shaft 119 is provided at its outer end with a bearing bracket 117 that supports a shaft 116 or 115, and each arm 118 is provided with a coiled spring 207 (see Figs. 1, 2 and 3). These springs are enclosed'in the U-shaped brackets 268 secured to the shaft 119, and the lower end of each coiled spring acts upon a plunger 209 the lower end of which seats in a recess formed in the upper end of a short arm 21% that projects laterally in an upward direction from its swinging arm 118. The arrangement is such that when an arm 113 swings upwardly as the package increases in size, the short arm 210 (see Fig. 2) will gradually move from one side to the other of the dead center position determined by the shaft 119. As a result when a package P is small, the spring 207 will increase the downward pressure on the arms 118, and as v the package increases in size the spring will shift from one side of the dead center position to the other, to exert a lifting pressure upon the arms 11% and thereby absorb part of the weight of each package as it builds up in size.

The precision winding mechanism herein described perates in a highly satisfactory manner to produce a firm, well shaped precision package P, and due to the mechanism herein described whereby the tension of one of the ply-yarns c controls the winding rate for all of the precision packages, the precision winding mechanism can be controlled to wind yarns supplied thereto at a constant delivery rate, or at any other desired rate. It is highly desirable that the motor 16 that drives the ply-yarn forming units and the motor 17 which operates all the precision winders be constant speed motors that rotate at a definite speed ratio one to the other. during the winding operation ply-yarn 0 should become excessively slack or excessively tight, the swinging arm 95 which moves such yarn along the tapered take-up rolls will operate an electric switch within the box 113 to stop the entire machine. Also if the cooperating electric magnets 88 and 89 should fail to prevent the supporting structure for the package A from rotating appreciably, the lower magnet 89 will drop and actuate the switch 9t) to stop the entire machine.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated the upper motor 16 drives the two-yarn plying spindles 56 disposed at one side of the machine through a belt 55, and the other two spindles 56 at the other side of the machine are driven through a belt as above pointed out. It is important that all the yarn plying spindles 56 be driven at the same speed and no slippage occur between the belts and the driving and driven pulleys. It is therefore desirable to provide the automatic belt tightening mechanism shown in Fig. 2]. Each of these belts has associated therewith a free running belt tightening pulley 211 supported by a bell-crank lever 212 that is pivoted upon the machine frame at 213. Each of these bell-crank levers has a laterally extending arm 214 which carries a roller at its outer end. Such roller is engaged by the inclined surface upon a member 215 which is slidably supported by its shaft 215 that slides in a fixed bracket 217. The arrangement is such that the member 215 is continuously urged in the belt tightening direction by a coil spring 218, and the tapered surface, just mentioned, under the action of this spring continually presses the belt tightening roller in the belt tightening direction and prevents it from receding from the belt tightening position.

The entire machine of the present invention is designed to operate at relatively high speeds, and as a result the yarn b will tend to balloon outwardly to a large degree under its high rotating speed. The size of this balloon is controlled to a large degree by the tension maintained thereon by the variable speed take-up mechanism for the yarn 0, comprising the tapered power driven rolls above described and associated swinging arm 96. The action of this arm can be adjusted to increase or decrease the tension upon the yarn c by adjusting the wing nut 98 to vary the pull of the spring 97 upon the lever 94. It is desirable however further to control the size of the balloon of the yarn b. This is accomplished in accordance with the present invention by employing the mechanism best shown in Fig. 20 and which is provided with a bell-shaped member 219 that is rigidly secured to the lower end of a long hollow shaft 220 that is externally threaded throughout its length. This shaft is threadedly received in a sleeve 221 that is locked, by a set screw 222, in a hole formed in the above described supporting arm 81. The lower portion of the threaded shaft 220 is surrounded by a coil spring 223 and one end of this spring is anchored to the arm 81 and the other is attached to the lower end of the shaft 220. The arrangement is such that if the ballooning yarn b brushes against the inner lower edge of the bell-shaped member 219, as shown in full lines in Fig. 20, this will rotate the shaft 220 in one direction to tension the spring 223, so that this spring will turn the shaft 220 in the opposite direction when the balloon ceases to brush against the member 219. This causes the threaded shaft 220 to move up or down and thereby vary the height of the eyelet 224 at the lower end of this shaft and which forms the apex for the balloon. This control is sensitive and a slight movement, usually much less than the bell movement indicated in Fig. 20, is suthcient to control the size of the balloon and adjust for changes in the balloon size caused by slight changes in the weight of the running yarn b. The spring 223 operates to raise the apex 224 when the yarn ceases to brush against the bell 219, and when the yarn drags against the bell this will rotate the shaft 220 to lower the apex.

In operating the machine of the present invention, whether it has four yarn forming units such as shown in the drawings or a much larger number of units, it is desirable to have the motor or motors 16 for driving the yarn plying units controlled by a single switch so that all of these motors can be started or stopped simultaneously. As above stated all of the precision winding units irrespective of the number can be driven from a single motor such as 17, which motor may be controlled by its own switch. It is found desirable however to place this motor 17 under the control of the tension of the plytension of the running strand s.

yarn c which controls the position of the rod 202. This is readily done by mounting on theleft hand end of the machine shown in Fig. I an electric switchbox 225 having a push button 226 adapted to control the motor 17. This button is spring operated and will start the motor when released and stop the motor when pushed inward. It is controlled by the rod 202 and will stop the motor when the tension of the yarn moves this rod from the dotted line position to the full line position of Fig.1. The operation of this button 226 is such that the yarn take-up motor 17 will continue to run after the power to the motor 16 has been cut off, to thereby take up any slack produced in the ply-yarns while the rapidly rotating spindles 56 coast to rest. As a result of this construction the motor 17 will continue to run until the tension of the yarn c pulls the lever 202 to the full line position, whereupon it will operate the button 226 to stop the motor 17. When the motor 16 is started to produce the plyyarns c, the motor 17 will start as soon as sufiicient slack occurs in the controlling yarn c to allow the rod 202 to move to the left in Fig. 1 and thereby allow the switch button 226 to move outwardly and start the motor 17 to Wind up the yarns c.

Since the machine of the present invention is designed to wind large precision packages P, it is found highly desirable to slightly over-drive these packages through the shafts 116 and 116 so as to wind the yarn c on the packages under considerable tension, and to provide the governing drums 187 and 187' to govern the speed at which the packages rotate to conform to the speed at which the yarns c are provided by the spindles 56. The speed at which the shafts 116 and 116' rotatewill decrease as the packages increase in size but the slip drive shown in Fig. 19 permits this.

Modified precision winding machine The machine of Figs. 24 and 25 has a suitable supporting frame comprising the end frames 227 and 228 which are connected by the horizontally extending rails 229 and 230. This machine is shown as having only four precision winding units, two at one side of machine and two at the other side. It will be understood, however, that a much longer machine having many winding units may be similarly constructed.

The yarns or strands s to be rewound are conveniently supplied by the relatively large packages or spools 231 supported at each side of the machine. Each spool fits tightly on an incline supporting shaft 232 that is rotatably mounted in a bearing box 233, and this box is supported by a bracket 234 mounted upon the portion 230 of the machine frame. Each shaft 232 has rigidly secured thereto a braking collar 235, and this collar is engaged by a braking lever 236 that is pivoted to the frame 234 at 237. The opposite end of the lever 236 has a spring 238 connected thereto and adapted to press the, brake portion of the lever 236 against the brake collar 235. The purpose of this brake mechanism is to prevent the strand s from unwinding too freely from the spool 231. This strand upon leaving the spool passes downwardly to form a loop in which the free running pulley 239 rests.

'This pulley is provided at the outer end of a slack-take-up lever 240. The other end of this lever is pivoted to the main frame. The lower end of the spring 238 is attached to an intermediate portion of this lever 240 as shown. The arrangement is such that as the lever swings downwardly under the influence of gravity it will tension the spring 238 and apply the brake to retard the rotation of the spool 231, then as the tension of the running strand s increases, this increase in tension will lift the lever 240 and reduce the brake action. In this manner the floating lever 240, gives fairly accurate control. of the The strand s passes upwardly from the floating pulley 239 to a pulley 241, supported by an upper rail 241 of the machine frame.

The running strand s passes from the pulley 241 inwardly to a take-up package which is designated by.

242 at the right side of the machine shown in Fig. 25, and by 242' at the left side of this machine. Each package 242 rests upon a governing drum 243, and each package 242 rests upon a governing drum 243, similar to the manner in which the packages P, above described, rest upon the governing drums E87 and 187. The packages 242 and 242 are wound on-heavy paper tubes, similar to the tubes above described. These tubes are supported in alignment with each other and are driven by shafts 244 and 244" which are power driven, in a manner to be described, from a central shaft 245. Each shaft 244, 244 is mounted for swinging movement in an upward direction by swinging arms 246, 246' that operate in a similar manner to the arms 118 of the previously described machine. These arms 246, 246 are pivotally mounted upon a longitudinally extending central shaft 247. Each swinging arm 246, 246' is provided at its outer end with a bearing bracket 249, and in such bearing bracket is mounted a telescopic stub shaft that is similar in construction and operation to the tube supporting stub shafts above described. This stub shaft may be moved into and out of supporting and driving engagement with a paper tube by shifting the rod 250, which operates in an inclined slot 251 formed in the bracket 249 similarly to the operation of the rod or lever above described. The rotating central shaft 245 has secured thereto a gear 252 which meshes with a larger gear 253 keyed to a shaft 254. This shaft 254 has one end journaled in the end frame 227 and has rigidly secured thereto the large traversing cam 255 that operates traversing mechanism to be described. This gear drive between the traversing cam 255 and the package driving shaft 245 maintains a constant fixed relation therebetween so that the number of helical winds per revolution of the package will remain the same throughout the winding of each package 242 and 242. The cam 255 operates to slide back and forth the traversing rod 256 atone side of the machine and a similar traversing rod 256' at the other side of the machine. Traversing movement is imparted to the rod 256 by a sliding block 257, disposed at one side of the machine to slide back and forth in the guiding bracket 258. This block is rigidly secured to the rod 256 and has a round inner end 259 that projects into the cam slot 260 of the cam 255. The traversing rod 256' at the opposite side of the machine is similarly operated by a sliding block 257'. The arrangement is such that as the cam 255 rotates it will slide the rods 256 and 256' back and forth to lay the yarns or strands s with a precision wind on the packages 242, 242. The cam shifts the rods in opposite direction, that is one moves to the right while the other moves to the left.

The traversing arms that guide the strands onto the packages are more simple in construction in this modified machine of Figs. 24 and 25 than in the main machine, In this modified machine each traversing rod 256 or 256' has rigidly secured thereto and extending upwardly therefrom short arms 261, and at the upper ends of these arms are pivotally secured the links 262 which carry the strand guides 263, that are similar in construction and operation to the strand guides 182, above described. The links 262 are continuously urged in a direction to hold the guide 263 against a package, by spring means, not shown. The running yarn s passes upwardly about the pulley 241, and then inwardly through a thread tensioning eye 264, attached to the outer end of a coiled spring 265, it then passes upwardly around a groove in the yarn guide 263 where it is wound onto the rotating package 242 or 242. The package 242, as above stated, rests upon the governing rolls 243, and the packages 242 rest upon the similar governing rolls 243'. The arrangement is such that these packages may move upwardly as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 25 as they increase in size. The governing drums 243 at one side of the machine are secured to and driven bythe long shaft 266, and the governing drums 243 are

Images