US2765904A

US2765904A - Transfer apparatus for threadadvancing reels

Info

Publication number: US2765904A
Application number: US342407A
Authority: US
Inventors: William H Furness
Original assignee: American Viscose Corp
Current assignee: Akzo Nobel UK PLC
Priority date: 1953-03-16
Filing date: 1953-03-16
Publication date: 1956-10-09
Anticipated expiration: 1973-10-09

Description

Oct. 9, 1956 w. H. FURNESS 2,765,904

TRANSFER APPARATUS FOR THREAD-ADVANCING REELS Filed March l6, 195s INVENTOR. WILLIAM H. FUR/V558 A rro/v/v I TRANSFER APPARATU F OR THREAD- ADVAN CIN G REELS William H. Furness, Haddonfield, N. 3., assignor to American Viscose Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa, a corporation of Delaware Application March 16, 1953, Serial No. 342,407 9 Claims. (Cl. 203-200) This invention relates to an apparatus for transferring reel segments to and from oppositely traveling composite reels such as used in the treatment of filamentary material. More particularly, the invention is intended to be used in conjunction with the apparatus described in my copending application, Serial No. 238,851.

In my above-mentioned copending application, there is shown a pair of thread-advancing reels which turn about their individual axes and which also move in an axial direction so that turns of thread or yarn wound onto the reels have constant axial spacing therebetween. Due to the fact that each composite reel moves axially, reels are formed of small telescoping or interlocking segments which are disengaged from one end of each reel assembly and then installed on the adjacent end of a cooperating reel assembly which moves in the opposite axial direction. It will thus be seen that the reels desirably are grouped in pairs to obviate the necessity for transferring the segments from one end to the other of the same reel.

The present invention is directed to apparatus which automatically and mechanically engages a segment of one of a pair of thread-advancing reels, removes it from said reel and then installs it on the end of an adjacent threadadvancing reel.

A primary object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a movable carrier positioned at the termini of a pair of thread-advancing reels and means for moving the carrier in a direction parallel to the axis of the reels so that the carrier fits over and around one of the reel segments, whereupon the carrier is moved in an opposite direction to remove the reel segment, and then pivoted to align the segment with an adjacent reel, and finally moved axially in the pivoted position to connect the segment in the carrier with the second reel assembly.

A further object of the invention is to provide in an apparatus of the type disclosed herein, means for mounting and guiding the reel segment carrier.

A still further object of the invention is to provide in an apparatus of the type disclosed herein, means on the carrier for clamping the reel segment therein.

Further objects will be apparent from the specification and drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side view showing adjacent ends of two cooperating reel assemblies and my reel segment transfer device;

Figure 2 is an end view of the reel segment carrier or transfer device of Figure l with one of the reel segments positioned in the carrier; and

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional detail as seen at IlI-III of Figure 2.

The invention comprises essentially the provision of an annular collar or sleeve having an inside diameter larger than the outside diameter of the individual reel segments. This collar is provided with a plurality of radially movable rollers which are pivotally mounted in the collar so that they may be moved in a radial direction to grasp the periphery of a reel segment and support the segment so Patented Get. 9, 1956 be carried by the collar when the collar is an axial direction. The collar is supported on an arm or bracket which is slidable on a pivoting shaft both the sliding and pivoting movements being controlled by suitable actuating mechanism such as fluidpressure cylinders.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, Figure i iilustrates an upper composite thread-advancing reel assembly 5 having a plurality of identical reel segments S, S, and S1 having a telescopic connection with each other. This connection between the reel segments is preferably a sliding fit tight enough to permit the various segments to act as a unitary self-supporting shaft or bar capable of being rotated by turning force applied to one of the terminal reel segments. It will be understood that any suitable connection or coupling between the segments may be utilized with the present invention provided the uncoupling means for separating the segments from each other is accomplished through substantial axial movement.

As shown in Figure 1, the composite reel 5 turns on its own axis but is caused to advance to the right as indicated by the arrows. The cooperating reel assembly 6 turns in the same direction as reel 5 but moves axially in the opposite direction, or from right to left. A thread, yarn, or filamentary material 7 is wrapped around the lower reel assembly 6 after passing through a thread guide Due to the direction in which reel 6 turns, thread '7 is wound from front to back, over the top of reel 6 and is taken off the front of this reel, and then is wound on reel 5 likewise from front to back.

The reel assemblies 5 and 6 are supported at each end in suitable brackets or posts 9 which carry flanged

pulleys

10, 10 journaled on stub shafts 11, 11 mounted in

pillow blocks

12, 12. Endless belts i3, 13 pass around he reels 5 and 6 and are guided by means of the pulleys 10, iii. Axial movement of the reels 5 and 6 is effected by imparting a bias to the shafts 11, 11 with respect to the centerline of the reel segments. hen the shafts are biased or tilted as shown in conjunction with reel 5, axial movement of the reel assembly is from left to right whereas when the pulleys or shafts are tilted in the opposite direction as shown on reel 6, the movement is from right to left. Rotation of the reels is effected by driving the

belts

13, 13 with suitable apparatus not shown herein but disclosed more fully in my copending application mentioned above. As the upper reel assembly 5 moves slowly to the right, the endmost section S1 will advance completely beyond the supporting structure 9 and belt 13. It is then ready to be disengaged from its adjoining reel segment and transferred to telescopically fit the last segment S2 on the reel 6.

The carrier assembly 1'5 comprises a sleeve or collar 16 capable of being slipped over the various reel segments S, S. Actual contact with a segment is provided through a plurality of small rollers 17, 17 (Figure 3) which are journaled in

pivoting brackets

18, 18. These brackets are spring-loaded by means of torsion springs 19, d9 in such a manner that the brackets 18 are urged about the

pins

20, 20 in a clockwise direction as seen in Figure 2. A control ring 21 is turnable on the outer periphery of sleeve 16 and retained thereon by means of an annular flange 22. Ring 21 is provided with a plurality of

slots

23, 23 which are not concentric with the ring so that when ring 21 is turned by means of handle 24 with respect to the collar 16, the

pins

25, 25 on each bracket is cause the brackets to pivot on pins 20 thus moving the

rollers

17, 17 inwardly to securely engage the periphery of the segment to be transferred. T he ring 21 is split at 26 and 27 for purposes of assembly on collar 1'6. Since the reels 5 and 6 turn continuously on their own axes, rollers 17 will not interfere with this turning movement that it will actuated in not only because the segment engaged by the carrier is free at all times to turn in the carrier on the rollers.

The .collar 16 with its associated structure described above is supported and may be formed integrally with a bracket or lever having an internally splined hub 31. The hub '31 is sli-dably 'but not-rotatably mounted on shaft 32 and the hub extends laterally to one side of the lever 60 where it is engaged by a split collar 33 rotatably retained on the hub in a groove or undercut 34. The collar 33 is secured by means of

bolts

35, 35 in order to facilitate assembly on the hub. An arm 36 connected to the collar 33 is in turn connected to the piston or .piston rod 37 of a fluid-pressure cylinder 38 so that upon movement of the piston rod 37 in the cylinder 38, the entire carrier assembly 15 slides axially on shaft "32.

Pivotal movement of the carrier is effected by means of a lever arm 40 rigidly connected to shaft 32 by means of a set screw 41. The arm or bracket 49 is in turn actuated by fluid-pressure cylinder 42. through its associated piston or piston rod 43. The cylinder 42 is swingably mounted at 44 to compensate for lateral displacement of the connecting pin 45 between piston rod 43 and bracket 4% Movement of the rod '43 turns both the carrier 15 and the shaft 32 in

bearings

46, 46, so that the carrier may be shifted from an upper position in line with reel '5 to a lower position in line with reel 6. Suitable fluid inlet and

outlet passages

47, 47 are connected to both cylinders 38 and '42 so that the cylinders may be energized either automatically or manually to transfer segments S from the reel 5 to the reel 6.

In operation, it may be assumed that reel 5 has advanced axially to the position shown in Figure 1 in which the endmost segment Si is ready to be transferred to reel 6. In this case, the carrier 15 is pivoted upwardly to the position shown in Figure l in which it is substantially in line with the reel 5. The operator then grasps handle 24 and turns it in a counterclockwise direction as shown in Figure 2 thus retracting the

rollers

17, 17. Cylinder 38 is then energized to slide the carrier assembly axially on shaft 32 until the carrier 15 is substantially centered on segment S1. The operator then releases handle 24 which permits the

rollers

17, 17 to contact the periphery of segment S due to the action of

springs

19, 19. With the segment thus securely engaged and supported in the carrier, cylinder 38 is energized to move piston 37 in the opposite direction thus disengaging segment S from the reel 5. As soon as the carrier and segment S have been moved to the right suificiently far to clear the end of the succeeding segment, cylinder 42. is energized to pivot the carrier and shaft 32 to a position in which the segment S1 is in alignment with the end of the reel 6. The carrier in this same pivoted position is then moved axially by energization of cylinder 38 so that the hub 31 slides along the splined shaft 32 until the segment S1 carried by the

roller

17, 17 is fitted firmly in telescopic relationship with the endmost segment S2 on reel 6. As soon as this transfer is completed, the operator releases the rollers 17 from the periphery of the segment by moving handle 24, whereupon piston 37 is reversed to retract the carrier. Depending upon the rate of advance of the reels 5 and 6, a dwell in the operational cycle may be instituted at this point or if the next succeeding segment on reel 5 is ready for transfer, cylinder 42 is energized to pivot the carrier to the position shown in Figure 1 whereupon the sequence of operations is repeated.

In order to insure accurate alignment of the carrier in both the raised and lowered positions, suitable adjustable stops or guides 50, 50 are provided so that the segments can be removed from the reels and especially so that they can be properly fitted onto the receding reel without difficulty.

In the above described operation and structure, it is to be noted that the reels 5 and 6 are vertically disposed with respect to each other. It will be understood, howditions, there may be increments of fast or ever, that the same results can be achieved if the reels are horizontally disposed or, for that matter, in any other spaced relation. Furthermore, the operation at only one end of a pair of reels has been described. The identical apparatus is, of course, present at the opposite end of the reels, the only difference being that the segments are transferred from reel 6 to reel 5 instead of vice versa.

The apparatus provides a completely continuous transfer for composite or segmented thread-advancing reels which are used generally in conjunction with liquid treatment of the yarn wound thereabout. The actuation of the transfer mechanism including the movement of the rollers 17 17 may be made completely automatic through suitable sequential timing mechanism or operation may be manual in that the operator manipulates proper levers or valves for actuating the fiuid cylinders as well as the ring 21.

It is to be understood that the present invention pro vides a very simple and effective means for transferring the reel segments from the end of one reel assembly to the end of another. The timing of the pivotal movement of the carrier as well as the axial movement thereof can be regulated in accordance with the axial movement of the various reel assemblies. Desirably, under some conslow sliding movements as well as a dwell or delay in certain stages of the operation. The present device operates to transfer the segments without turning them from end to end so that it cooperates with reel assemblies moving in opposite axial directions. Otherwise it would be necessary to transfer the segments from one end of each reel to the opposite end thereof.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A transfer mechanism for segmental thread-advancing reels comprising an annular carrier, a horizontal support for said carrier, means for moving said carrier linearly on said support, means for pivoting the carrier to positions in alignment with a plurality of segmental reel assemblies and means mounted on the carrier for selectively engaging and supporting a reel segment comprising a plurality of rollers journaled to permit rotation of the reel segment in the carrier.

2. A reel segment transfer mechanism for handling segments of composite reels comprising-a horizontal shaft journaled with its centerline substantially parallel to the centerlines of a pair of parallel composite reels, a carrier assembly non-rotatably mounted on said shaft, means for effecting non-rotatable axial movement of the carrier assembly with respect to the shaft, means for turning the shaft and the carrier assembly to pivot the shaft to positions substantially in line with thesegmental reel assemblies, and releasable means on the carrier for engaging the periphery of a reel segment during transfer of the segment from one reel assembly to the other.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 2 in which the shaft is splined to the carrier assembly.

4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 2 having a first fluid-pressure cylinder operatively connected to the shaft for turning the shaft and the carrier, and a second fluidpressure cylinder operatively connected to the carrier for sliding the carrier axially on the shaft.

5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 4 in which the means for supporting the segments comprises a plurality of spring-loaded roller brackets mounted in the carrier, and means for pivoting said roller brackets radially in the carrier.

6. Apparatus in accordance with claim 5, having means for limiting the pivotal movement of the carrier.

7. In thread-advancing apparatus, the combination which comprises a first thread-advancing reel assembly comprising a plurality of interlocked segments, a support at one end of said reel, means for rotating said reel on its axis and simultaneously moving the reel as a unit in an axial direction, a second thread-advancing reel assembly comprising a plurality of interlocked segments, a support at one end of said second reel, means for rotating said reel on its axis and simultaneously moving the reel as a unit in an opposite axial direction to that of the first reel assembly, a reel segment carrier mounted adjacent the ends of said reel assembly, means for sliding said carrier axially to enclose the endmost reel segment of the reel assembly traveling towards the carrier, means for grasping said endmost reel segment in the carrier, and means for pivoting the carrier to a position in alignment with the other of the reel assemblies.

8. Apparatus in accordance with claim 7 in which the means for grasping the segment to be transferred comprises a plurality of spring-loaded rollers mounted in the carrier.

9. Apparatus in accordance with claim 7 in which the carrier is slidably mounted on a splined shaft having an axis substantially parallel to the axis of the reels.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,713,426 Drew July 19, 1955