US2848165A

US2848165A - Winding station counter

Info

Publication number: US2848165A
Application number: US359756A
Authority: US
Inventors: Gerrells William Hoyt
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1953-06-05
Filing date: 1953-06-05
Publication date: 1958-08-19
Anticipated expiration: 1975-08-19

Description

Aug. 19, 1958 w. H. GERRELLS WINDING STATION COUNTER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 5, 1953 MOTOR CLUTCHL INVENTOR W HOYT GERRELLS ATTORNEY 1958 w. H. GERRELLS 2,848,165

WINDING STATION COUNTER Filed June 5, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 AREA SERVICED BY ONE TENDER FOR A TWO-TENDER OPERATED SPOOLER I AREA SERVICED av ONE TENDER FOR A THREE-TENDER OP4R4ATED SPOOLER l l lZE'CAM POSITIOPT I20 4 R AIL L /SPINDLE LINE l v x l INVENTOR W. HOVT GER/QELLS BY Zwdm ATTORNEY Aug. 19, 1958 Filed June 5, 1953 W. H. GERRELLS WINDING STATION COUNTER 3 Sheets-$heet 3 INVENTOR I4. HOVT GERRELLS BYS Q L i- M ATTORNEY nited States Patent O WINDING STATIGN COUNTER William Hoyt Gerrells, Danville, Va.

Application June 5, 1953, Serial No. 359,756

12 Claims. (Cl. 235-91) This invention relates to means for counting the number of winding stations of a multiple station automatic winder which are operating immediately after a traveling knotter moves past each winding station.

These winders are known in the trade as Barber-Coleman spoolers and are described in many United States patents, some of which are as follows:

1,175,710 Coleman 1916 1,267,977 Coleman 1918 1,268,684 Coleman 1918 1,622,607 Peterson 1927 This invention is concerned with a counter adapted to be fastened at the rear of the traveling knotter of a Barber-Coleman spooler for traveling therewith. The counter is provided with novel actuating means which cooperate with the pull-wires at each winding station of the spooler. Special means are provided for inactivating the counter at pre-determined points during its travel around the spooler and means are provided for shifting from one counter clock to another at pro-determined areas during the passage of the counter around the spooler.

Those skilled in the art will understand the operation of these Barber-Coleman spoolers. In each spooler, a frame mounts two rows of winding stations, one at each side, and a traveling knotter circles the spooler for maintaining continuous operation. It will also be understood that it is the duty of the operators of these machines to. place new supply bobbins in a proper position at each winding station regularly as the previous supply bobbins are used up. When this has been done properly, the traveling knotter will tie the supply thread to the end of the thread already on the delivery spool or cheese and restart the winding at each station. It the operator has not done the job properly at any given station, the knotter will pass that station without restarting the winding operation. Thus the measure of an employees work rate depends on whether he keeps the bobbins supplied for the knotter. It will also be understood that the knotter travels past each winding station many times during the winding of any one cheese at any one station because numerous supply bobbins are required to fill each cheese.

Heretof-ore textile mills have paid Barber-Coleman spooler tenders on an incentive pay system based on the number of spools or, more accurately, cheeses doffed by the operator. This system has been unsatisfactory because each time a standard is established for incentive pay, some operators will immediately begin dofiing cheeses before they are filled thereby unjustly enriching themselves. I

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide means for measuring the work efiiciency of Barber- Coleman spooler tenders to the end of establishing standardized incentive pay system which cannot be cheated by unscrupulous employees.

It is a further object of this invention to provide means ice for measuring the work efficiency of a plurality of spooler tenders assigned to predetermined work stations around a single spooler.

It is a further object of this invention to provide means for counting only pull wires of winding stations which are actually operating immediately after the traveling knotter passes them.

Other objects will be apparent from the complete specifications and drawings.

The objects of this invention are accomplished by a mechanical counter physically mounted on the trailing portion of an ordinary Barber-Coleman traveling knotter so that it moves past each winding station each time the knotter passes. Closely adjacent the counter and operatively connected therewith is a rotary feeler which has fingers for engaging the pull wires of operating winding stations. It will be understood that the pull wire at each winding station is that wire which is used for moving the winding cheese from an operative position to an inoperative position. Thus, if the operator has properly positioned all the reserve bobbins at the windingstations on one side of-the spooler the knotter will start each winding station to winding as it passes and the pull wires will be positioned during the winding where they will be engaged by the rotary feeler. On the other hand, if at any station the operator has not properly positioned the supply bobbin the pull wire will move the cheese to the inoperative position and the pull wire itself will accordingly be positioned out of reach of the rotary feeler. Accordingly, the rotary feeler automatically determines whether or not an operator has properly positioned the supply bobbins during the time that the knotter was on the other side of the spooler. This feeler is carefully covered so that it is inaccessible to spooler tenders while it and the knotter are passing the winding stations. Separate means are provided for rendering the feeler inoperative when it is at the end of the spooler where there are no winding stations and for inactivating it whenever the knotter stops traveling. In those instances where more than one operator is required for a single spooler, as is the usual case, a separate clock is used 'to count the number of operating winding stations in the area to which each operator is assigned. In all events a single feeler sufliices. Cam means adjacent the traveling knotter rail actuate a cam control box mounted on the top of the knotter and that actuates a counter control member which predetermines which clock will be operative.

The rotary feeler rotates about a vertical axis just outside the position occupied by each pull wire when its winding station is operating. The horizontally extending fingers of the rotary feeler are of such a length that they will engage the pull wire of every winding station that is operating when it passes but are not so long as to engage either pull wires of non-operating winding stations or any of the supporting structure. The positioning of the rotary feeler as just described is one of the most critical aspects of the present invention.

Also important to this invention are the means for shifting the counter control at pre-determined times and stages. This is accomplished by cam means positioned atop the knotter and mechanically connected to the counter control.

The shape of the feeler fingers may be as ordinary spokes or in various other forms but it has been found preferable to use a hooked finger with the hook opening forwardly for engaging the pull wires.

Any conventional counter may be used with this invention but it has been found preferable to use a one, two or three clock mechanical counter of the type sold by the Veeder-Root Company. The multiple clock counters are provided with a control member which can be positioned in one position for actuating each of the multiple clocks and in at least one additional position for inactivating all the clocks.

The mechanical connection between the feeler and the counter proper may be widely varied by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. Likewise, the mechanical connection between the cam control box and the counter control member may be varied by those skilled in the art. The flexible connections shown in the drawings have been very satisfactorily replaced by a system of links and levers without substantially changing the efliciency and adequacy of the invention. It is, of course, conceivable that one skilled in the art could remove the counter to a position remote from the actuator, connecting the two by mechanical or electrical means without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

The invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a diagrammatic representation of an end view of a Barber-Coleman spooler with the traveling knotter indicated generally in dotted lines and the counter shown generally in solid lines.

Figure 2 is an overhead diagrammatic view of a Barber-Coleman spooler showing the position of cam stations for a two-tender spooler in the solid lines with additional cam stations required for the three tender spooler shown in the dotted lines.

Figure 3 is a detailed cross-section of the elements of a Barber-Coleman spooler winding station, showing the positions of a pull wire when a winding station is operative and when it is inoperative, and showing the relationship of these spooler elements to feeler fingers of a counter mechanism constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 4 is a partly sectioned view of a counter operator taken from the left of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the counter operator taken along line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a cam control box.

Figure 7 is a purely diagrammatic view illustrating the operation of the stationary cams atop the spooler and the counter control box on the traveling knotter. It does not correspond to Figure 2.

Figure 8 is a side view of the counter control box.

Figure 9 is a front view of the counter control box; and

Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the means for holding the cammable lever in predetermined positions on the cam control box.

Referring now to these drawings, in Figure l the counter mechanism of this invention is shown positioned on a Barber-Coleman spooler which includes a frame 10, a plurality of side by side winding stations two of which are indicated generally at 16, a traveler rail 14, a traveling knotter 12 that circles the spooler, knotting the threads at each winding station, and bobbin and thread holding mechanisms indicated generally at 18. The spooler itself forms no part of this invention and accordingly will be described only in sufiicient detail to enable one skilled in the art to understand the operation of the counter which is mounted thereon.

In Figure 1 a counter operator (shown in detail in Figures 4 and 5) is indicated by a box to show where it rides on the traveling knotter in relation to the winding stations. It will be understood that the winding stations are positioned along each side of the spooler to the extent of the spindle lines. The knotter 12 is shown in dotted lines because the counter operator is at the rear of it. In actual practice, the counter control, also indicated by a box in Figure 1, is mounted atop the traveling knotter where it cannot be seen. A flexible connection indicated diagrammatically at 20 connects the counter control with the counter operator and a second flexible connection 22 connects the clutch of the traveling knotter with the counter operator. In another form of the invention, a mechanical linkage is satisfactorily used to replace these flexible connections. The motor shown in Figure l is the motor for operating the knotter and moving it around the rail.

Referring now to Figure 2 it will be understood that along each side of the spooler there are a large number of winding stations 16 arranged in close proximity to one another. In normal operation, two or three attendants are assigned to each machine, each attendant having a certain area to keep supplied with properly positioned reserve bobbins. This area may include one hundred or more winding stations. To reward good spooler tenders with proper pay requires counting and recording the number of bobbins properly positioned on the spooler each time the knotter travels past the area tended by the separate operators. In Figure 2 the areas serviced by one tender for a two tender operated spooler and a three tender operated spooler are indicated by the bracketed zones. The preferred form of the invention shown in the drawings is particularly useful for three tender spoolers where independent

tenders service areas

44, 46 and 48.

In Figure 3 a winding station is shown with a part of frame 10 supporting a winding arm 30, a drum drive 32 and a reciprocating pawl 34. The winding arm is pivoted to the frame about a pivot pin 36.. A spindle 38 at the long end of the winding arm carries a cheese of freshly wound yarn 40. The end of the other winding arm carries a U-shaped pull wire 42. Without detailing the operation of each winding station in the spooler it will be noted that whenever the end of yarn being wound is up (in proper winding position) the winding arm is in the position shown in the full lines in Figure 3. When, for any reason the end of yarn being wound is not up, the pull wire moves just slightly to the left. and into its full line position shown in Figure 3 where it is just ready to be engaged and pulled by reciprocating pawl 34. When this happens, winding arm 30 is turned about pivot 36 in the direction of the arrow and the entire assembly is shifted to the dotted line position shown in Figure 3.

One of the important aspects of this invention is perceiving that the different positions of the pull wires 42 can be used for actuating a counter only when bobbins have been properly positioned by spooler tenders.

Referring now to Figures 4 and 5, the counter operator indicated by the box in Figure 1 is shown in detail. Basically, it includes a three clock counter indicated generally at 50 and a rotatable pull wire feeler indicated generally at 52 and means for operatively connecting the two. A casing 54 surrounds the entire assembly to prevent tampering, and the assembly is fastened in a position trailing the traveling knotter 12 by means not shown. It is important that the counter operator be far enough behind the operative mechanism of the knotter to give the winding station time to reject defective bobbins and permit the pull wire to move to the inoperative position where it will not be felt. The counter has three clocks 56, 58 and 60, for counting the number of winding stations which are operating properly in each of the three areas indicated by the dotted line brackets in Figure 2 at 44, 46 and 48, respectively. A shaft 61 (which carries a gear 62) extends from the counter to a position in the counter operator where it can be engaged by suitable gearing. This counter shaft 61 receives motion, which the counter converts to numerical values.

A pivotable counter control member 64 is mounted on the counter for controlling the relationship of the counter shaft and the counter clocks and it can be positioned in any of the five positions indicated at 65a, 65b, 65c, 65d and 65a. The counter shown in this preferred form of the invention is an ordinary Veeder- Root mechanical three clock counter in which positioning of the arm 64 at 652 causes rotation of shaft 61 to register on clock 56; positioning of the member 64 at the position 650 causes rotation of the shaft 61 to register on clock 58 and positioning of the member 64 at position 65a will cause rotation of shaft 61 to register on clock 60. Positioning of member 64 at either of the

positions

65b or 65d will disconnect shaft 61 from all three clocks so that regardless of how much it is rotated, nothing will be registered on the clocks.

Pull wire feeler 52 has a vertical shaft 68, a unitary disc 70 mounted thereon and four forwardly hooked radiating arms 72 made integral with the disc 70. Suitable bearings are provided for making the feeler easily rotatable in the casing. The relationship of the pull wire feeler 52 and the pull Wire 42 can be best seen in Figure 3.

The gear means for transmitting movement of the feeler52 to the counter shaft 61 is shown best in Figure 5. A shaft 74 is geared to the feeler 52 by beveled gears 76 and the same shaft transmits motion through beveled gears 78 to the counter clutch assembly shown generally at 80. The counter clutch assembly includes a pair of parallel horizontal shafts 82 and 84 extending at right angles to the shaft 74. As shown in Figure 5, beveled gear 78 turns shaft 84 which turns shaft 82 by

gears

86 and 88. Shaft 82 turns counter shaft 61 through

bevel gears

62 and 90.

A spring 92 urges shaft 84 and gear 86 upwardly in Figure 5 (inwardly on the spooler) so that beveled gears 78 mesh properly. A clutch arm 94 connected to the clutch from the main spooler motor by flexible connection 22 is moved downwardly in Figure 5 by disengagement of the main motor clutch (by means not shown) on the traveling knotter. This motion moves gear 86 and shaft 84 downwardly in Figure 5 to disengage the beveled gears 78 so that movement of counter 52 will have no effect on counter shaft 61. It will be seen that when clutch arm 94 is returned to the position shown in Figure 5 by re-engagement of the main knotter motor clutch, spring 92 will force the gears 78 back into proper mesh. Thus, whenever the traveling knotter stops, unscrupulous spooler tenders are prevented from cheating the counter by tickling the feeler.

To shift the counter control lever 64 to the desired position 65,

stationary cams

121, 122, 123, 124 and 125 are provided on top of the spooler frame inside the traveler rail 14 and just below the bottom of the knotter. They are generally shown by the box positions in Figure 2. A cam control box 100 carries a pivotable lever 104 having cam surfaces for engaging said cams and having positions corresponding to the counter control member positions. It is 'operatively connected with the counter control member. Reference to Figure 7 very diagrammatically will show how the cams shift the cam control lever for coordinating the counter clock with the tender areas of Figure 2 although Figure 2 is a mirror image of Figure 7.

The cam control box indicated generally at 100 has a plate 102. The cam control lever 104 which is pivoted to the plate at pivot point 106 has a plurality of

positions

105a, 105b, 1050, 105a and 105e corresponding to the counter control positions 65a, b, c, d, and e, respectively. The flexible connection indicated generally at is provided with the usual hollow flexible cable 110 and a semi-rigid rod 112. The rod 112 is connected to the rear end of lever 104 and the hollow cable 20 is fastened to the rear of the plate 102 and the other end of the rod 112 is operatively connected with arm 64 previously described. The forward end of lever 104 is provided with a cam surface 114 which engages the cams hereinafter described. In Figure 10 a positioning hole 105 and a spring pressed ball connector 116 illustrate one means for holding the cam lever in predetermined positions during movement between cams.

Referring now to Figure 7, a series of

stationary bar cams

120, 121, 122, 123, 124 and 125 are shown positioned atop the spooler frame 10 just inside the rail 14 for operating a three clock counter of a three tender operated spooler. It will be seen that the cams 120 to inclusive engage the cam surface 114 of lever 104 to predetermine the position of that lever on the cam control box and thereby to control the position of control member 64 on the counter. Thus, cam 120 forces the cam lever into position 1050 which, in turn, shifts control member 64 to position 65c and connects shaft 61 with clock 58 so that when pull Wire feeler 52 is feeling pull Wires in the area 46, the number of pull wires felt will be recorded on clock 58. As the traveling knotter moves forward cam surface 114 engages cam 121 and shifts the cam lever to position 105a. In this position, through the same linkage counter clock 60 records the winding stations that are operated in the area 48, etc. At each end of the spooler where there are no winding stations cams 122 and 125 shift to a neutral position. Thus, it will be seen that the remote cams shift the counter operator control so that a single mechanism can be used for counting the properly operating winding stations in each of the separate areas tended by three separate people.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for counting ends-up on a spooler wherein a pull wire at each Winding station is positioned in one outward position when the end at that station is up and is positioned in another more inward position when the end at that station is not up, and a traveler moves around the spooler to knot the ends of properly positioned bobbins at each station, comprising means on the trailing end of said traveler for feeling pull wires in said outward positions only as the traveler moves past the Winding stations and means responsive thereto for counting the number of pull wires felt in said outward positions.

2. Apparatus for counting ends-up on a spooler wherein a pull wire at each winding station is positioned in one outward position when the end at that station is up and is positioned in another more inward position when the end at that station is not up, and a traveler moves around the spooler to knot the ends of properly positioned bobbins at each station, comprising a counter positioned on the traveler, a pull wire feeler positioned on the traveler adjacent the counter, means for operatively connecting the feeler and the counter and means for rendering the counter inoperative when the traveler motion is stopped.

3. Apparatus for counting ends-up on a spooler wherein a pull wire at each winding station is positioned in one outward position when the end at that station is up and is positioned in another more inward position when the end at that station is not up, and a traveler moves around the spooler to knot the ends of properly positioned bobbins at each station, comprising a counter positioned on the traveler, a pull Wire feeler positioned on the traveler adjacent the counter for feeling only pull wires in the outer positions, means for 'operatively connecting the feeler and the counter, and means including cams positioned atop the spooler for rendering the counter inoperative when the feeler is moved out of operative position at the ends of the spool.

4. Apparatus for counting ends-up on a spooler wherein a pull Wire at each winding station is positioned in one outward position when the end at that station is up and is positioned in another more inward position when the end at that station is not up, and a traveler moves around the spooler to knot the ends of properly positioned bobbins at each station, comprising a rnulti-clock counter positioned on the traveler, a pull wire feeler positioned on the traveler adjacent the counter for feeling only pull Wires in the outer positions, means for operatively connecting the feeler and the counter, and means including cams positioned atop the spooler for shifting the counter from operative connection with each of its clocks and to an inoperative position in a predetermined sequence,

5. Apparatus for counting ends-up on a spooler wherein a pull wire at each winding station is positioned in one outward position when the end at that station is up and is positioned in another more inward position when the end at that station is not up, and a traveler moves around the spooler to knot the ends of properly positioned bobbins at each station, comprising a counter positioned on the traveler, a rotatable pull wire feeler positioned on the traveler, said feeler having radially extending fingers of suiiicient length to engage pull wires positioned in said outward positions but not of sufficient length to engage pull wires in said more inward position and direct gear means for operatively connecting the counter with the rotatable pull wire feeler.

6. Apparatus for counting ends-up on a spooler wherein a pull wire at each winding station is positioned in one outward position when the end at that station is up and is positioned in another more inward position when the end at that station is not up, and a traveler moves around the spooler to knot the ends of properly positioned bobbins at each station, comprising a multi-clock mechanical counter mounted on the trailing portion of said traveler, said counter being provided with a rotatable shaft for receiving motion to be converted into numerical values and with a multi-position control member for shifting said shaft into operative connection with each of said clocks and out of operative connection with said clocks in accordance with its position, a rotatable pull wire feeler mounted for rotation about a vertical axis on the traveler adjacent the counter, said feeler being provided with radially extending fingers, each finger being of a length greater than the distance between the axis of the feeler and the pull wire when it is in the outward position but of a length less than the distance between the axis of the feeler and the pull wire when it is in the inward position, gear means for connecting said pull wire feeler with said counter shaft, said clutch being operatively connected with means for clutching said traveler whereby it disengages the operative connection of the feeler and shaft when the traveler is stopped, and camming means for predetermining the positioning of said counter control member, said last named means including a cammable level having positions corresponding to the posi- .tions of said control member, cams positioned atop the spooler for camming said lever to predetermined positions in a predetermined sequence, and means for operatively connecting said cammable lever and said control member whereby each counter clock records exactly the number of ends-up in a predetermined area of spooler \vindin g stations each time the traveler passes.

7. Apparatus for counting ends-up on a spooler wherein a pull wire at each winding station is positioned in one outward position when the end at that station is up and is positioned in another more inward position when the end at that station is not up and a traveler moves around the spooler to knot the ends of properly positioned bobbins at each station, comprising a multi-clock mechanical counter mounted on the trailing portion of said traveler, said counter being provided with a rotatable shaft for receiving motion to be converted into numerical values and with a multi-position control member for shifting said shaft into operative connection with each of said clocks and out of operative connection with said clocks in accordance with its position, a rotatable pull wire feeler mounted for rotation about a vertical axis on the traveler adjacent the counter, said feeler being provided with radially extending fingers, each finger being of a length greater than the distance between the axis of the feeler and the pull wire when it is in the outward position but of a length less than the distance between the axis of the feeler and the pull wire when it is in the inward position, gear means for connecting said pull wire feeler with said counter shaft, and camming means for predetermining the positioning of said counter control member, said last named means including a cammable lever having positions corresponding to the positions of said control member, cams positioned atop the spooler for camming said lever to predetermined positions in a predetermined sequence, and means for operatively connecting said cammable lever and said control member whereby each counter clock records exactly the number of ends-up in a predetermined area of spooler winding stations each time the traveler passes.

8. Apparatus for counting ends-up on a spooler wherein a pull wire at each winding station is positioned in one outward position when the end at that station is up and is positioned in another more inward position when the end at that station is not up and a traveler moves around the spooler to knot the ends of properly positioned bobbins at each station, comprising a counter, a rotatable puil wire feeler mounted for rotation about a vertical axis on the traveler, said feeler being provided with radially extending fingers, each finger being of a length greater than the distance between the axis of the feeler and the pull wire when it is in the outward position but of a length less than the distance between the axis of the feeler and the pull wire when it is in the inward position, means for operatively connecting said pull wire feeler with said counter and means for disengaging the operative connection of the feeler and the counter at predetermined times.

9. Apparatus for counting ends-up on a spooler wherein a pull wire at each winding station is positioned in one outward position when the end at that station is up and is positioned in another more inward position when the end at that station is not up and a traveler moves around the spooler to knot the ends of properly positioned bobbins at each station, comprising a multi-clock mechanical counter mounted on the trailing portion of said traveler, said counter being provided with a rotatable shaft for receiving motion to be converted into numerical values and with a multi-position control member for shifting said shaft into operative connection with each of said clocks and out of operative connection with said clocks in accordance with its position, a rotatable pull wire feeler mounted for rotation about a vertical axis on the traveler adjacent the counter, said feeler being provided with radially extending fingers, each finger being of a length greater than the distance between the axis of the feeler and the pull wire when it is in the outward position but of a length less than the distance between the axis of the feeler and the pull wire when it is in the inward position, gear means for connecting said pull wire feeler with said counter shaft, and camming means for predetermining the positioning of said counter control member.

10. Apparatus for counting ends-up on a spooler wherein a pull Wire at each winding station is positioned in one outward position when the end at that station is up and is positioned in another more inward position when the end at that station is not up and a traveler moves around the spooler to knot the ends of properly positioned bobbins at each station, comprising a multi-clock mechanical counter mounted on the trailing portion of said traveler, said counter being provided with a rotatable shaft for receiving motion to be converted into numerical values and with a multi-position control member for shifting said shaft into operative connection with each of said clocks and out of operative connection with said clocks in accordance with its position, a rotatable pull wire feeler mounted for rotation about a vertical axis on the traveler adjacent the counter, said feeler being provided with radially extending fingers, each finger being of a length greater than the distance between the axis of the feeler and the pull wire when it is in the outward position but of a length less than the distance between the axis of the feeler and the pull wire when it is in the inward position, gear means for connecting said pull wire feeler with said counter shaft, a clutch in the gear train between said feeler and said counter shaft, said clutch being operatively connected with means for clutching said traveler whereby it disengages the operative connection of the feeler and shaft when the traveler is stopped, and camming means for predetermining the positioning of said counter control member.

11. Apparatus for counting ends-up on a spooler wherein a pull wire at each winding station is positioned in one outward position when the end at that station is up and is positioned in another more inward position when the end at that station is not up and a traveler moves around the spooler to knot the ends of properly positioned bobbins at each station, comprising a counter mounted on the trailing portion of said traveler, a pull wire feeler provided with fingers, each finger being of a length greater than the distance between the axis of the feeler and the pull wire when it is in the outward position but of a length less than the distance between the axis of the feeler and the pull wire when it is in the inward position, gear means for connecting said pull wire feeler with said counter, and a clutch in the gear train between said feeler and said counter, said clutch being operatively connected with means for clutching said traveler whereby it disengages the operative connection of the feeler and counter when the traveler is stopped.

12. Apparatus for counting ends-up on a spooler wherein a pull wire at each winding station is positioned in one outward position when the end at that station is up and is positioned in another more inward position when the end at that station is not up and a traveler moves around the spooler to knot the ends of properly positioned pull wire when it is in the outward position but of a length less than the distance between the axis of the feeler and the pull wire when it is in the inward position, means for connecting said pull wire feeler with said counter, and camming means for predetermining the positioning of said counter control member, said last named means including a cammable lever having positions F corresponding to the positions of said control member,

cams positioned atop the spooler for camming said lever to predetermined positions in a predetermined sequence, and means for operatively connecting said cammable lever and said control member whereby each counter clock records exactly the number of ends-up in a predetermined area of spooler winding stations each time the traveler passes.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,270,289 Gufr'y June 25, 1918 2,040,031 Spaunberg May 5, 1936 2,352,622 Gaumer July 4, 1944 2,575,144 Swindells Nov. 13, 1951