US2887279A - Winding apparatus - Google Patents

Description

May 19, 1959 W. BAKKER 2,887,279

WINDING APPARATUS Filed Juiy 1v, 1956 v s sheets-sheet 1 10 y i j' A l INVENTOR ATTORNEY May 19, 1959 Filed July 17, 1956 W. BAKKER WINDING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY May 19, 1959 w. BAKKER l WINDING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 17, 1956 INVENTIOR Willemalcker BY 22d 79.7%@

ATTORNEY United States ,Patent O WINDING APPARATUS Willem Bakker, Arnhem, Netherlands, assigner to American Enka Corporation, Erika, N.C., a corporation of Delaware This invention relates to winding apparatus, and more particularly to improvements in winding apparatus of the type in which the surface of the package being wound frictionally engages and is driven by a rotating surface in order that a constant winding speed can be maintained despite changes in the diameter of the package incident to the winding on. l In prior art machines of this general type, the `spool on which the thread is wound has coaxial projecting ends which ride in a slot, the slot being provided to compensate for the shift of the position of the bobbin axis due to growth of the yarn body on the spool. While these devices have been used for many years and are satisfactory, they suffer from the disadvantage of requiring accurate machining of the end faces of the spools and accurate location of the spool shafts in order to provide a machine capable of winding a smooth, even, right cylindrical package, free of defects.

It is the object of the present invention to improve upon the prior art and to provide an arrangement whereby spool holders of only rough accuracy may be used in the winding of packagesof excellent characteristics as to shape, surface and density.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide arrangements in which the support of the spool is satisfactory for either loose, low density or tight, high density winding.

It is proposed according to the present invention to resiliently support the spool holder from its periphery rather than from its axis and automatically to maintain perfect alignment between the surface of the spool and the driving drum therefor, whereby packages of excellent quality can be produced irrespective of the over-al1 accuracy of the spool.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of several embodiments thereof in conjunction with the annexed drawings, wherein:

.Figure l is a top plan view of a winding spool mounting arrangement according to the present invention;

`Figure 2 is a view in cross section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view `in section and to an enlarged scale, taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a top plan view of a modified type of spool supporting arrangement according to the present invention;

Figure 5 is a view in transverse section taken on the line 5--5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a view in section and to an enlarged scale taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5; and

Figure 7 is a view in section and to an enlarged scale taken on the line 7--7 of Figure 5.

` Referring now to Figures l-3, inclusive, in greater detail,` the machine illustrated is a portion of a twosided winding machine of the type having winding stations opposite one another to be served fromparallel Y, 2,887,279 Patented Mayr 19, 1959,

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chine, the numerals 10 and 11 represent spools on which convolutions of thread or yarn are wound. The right hand spool 11 has convolutions of yarn or thread 12 thereon, while the left hand spool 10 is depicted in Figures l and 2 as being empty. It can be seen that the spools 10 and 11 are simply hollow cylinders. These cylinders and the convolutions of yarn which are laid up thereon are driven by surface contact with rollers 13 and 14, respectively. These rollers are driven from a lsource not shown and impart rotation to the spools 10 and 11 through surface contact as can be seen in the left hand corner of Figure 2. A suitable traverse mechanism, not shown, distributes the yarn lengthwise of the spool for an -axial distance somewhat less than the length of the spool itself. See the right hand side of Figure l.

The foregoing description is applicable to any type of surface driven winding machine. The present invention is directed to the mounting of the spools by which superior winding results are achieved. To this end there are provided two forked members, the tines 15 and 16 of which embrace respectively the ends of spools 10 and 11. The forked members 15 and 16 are mounted for rotation about a shaft 17 which is supported in a pair of spaced chine frame 22 by an interconnecting central member 23 held `against the machine frame at two spaced points by bolts 24. i j For reasons of strength and rigidity, the arms of the fork 15 are interconnected by bars 15a annd 15b and the arms 16 of that forked member are similarly connected by bars 16a and 16b. It will be noted that the bars 15b and 16b lie on the opposite side of the pivot 17; lfrom the respective spool. It can be seen that the coa'ction between the bar 15b and the` U member 21 limits the clockwise rotation of the arms 15 about the pivot 17. It is likewise seen that the bar 15 and the U member 20 similarly function to limit the counterclockwise rotation of the arm 16 about the pivot 17. On top of the bar 15b there is a projection 25 in which there is anchored one end of a spring 26, the other end of which is anchored to a part of the U member 201. This spring extends between its anchorage points in tension and `exerts suflicient force to counteract the effect of gravity and thereby lift the arm 15 or to hold it in a clockwise direction as far as it will go when it is empty, i.e., when there is no spool held therein. A similar projection 22 on the bar 16b anchors a spring 28, the other end of which is anchored in the U member 21. This spring runs in tension between its anchorage points and serves to bias the fork 16 in a counterclockwise direction as far as it can go, holding it in that position when there is no spool therebetween. l

It can now be seen that the arms 15 and 16 are pivotal ly mounted and are normally biased to their uppermost or lraised position. These `arms are equipped with pairs of bearing rollers 29 and 30, one of which is shown in `full detail in Figure 3. These rollers are provided with bearing surfaces that support the spools from their edges or peripherally in a manner that can be best appreciated by concurrent study of Figures 13, inclusive. The details of each roller will be described in conjunction with the enlarged roller 29 shown in Figure 3 with the understanding that the structural features thereof are common to all of the rollers 29 and 30. The roller 29 has a flat face at 31 extending in a `plane normal 'to `the axis of the shaft 17 and two sloping faces 32 and 33, spaced by l, an axially extending ystapt-)er1 face 34.l This face 34 in effect provides a short cylinder with a base flange which is the face 33. The surface or face 34 bears against the outer periphery of the end of the spool 11 as can be seen in vthe drawings. The whole of the 'roller 29 'is mounted on anti-friction bearings 35 which are suitably mounted ina socket at the end of the arm 16.

If how, reference is again made to Figures l and 2, it will be 'seen that the arms 15 and 16 are provided with pins 36. These 'pins are 'spring-pressed to extend into the interior of vthe respective S-pOOlS, but vtheyy 'are manually retractable against the spring which projects them in order that the spool, such fas the spool lf), can be moved past them into the position which it occupies in the drawing from an original position somewhat like that shown in conjunction with spool 11 in Figures 1 and 2.

` To begin a .winding operation, the resiliently projecting pins 36 are depressed, and an empty spool, such as 16, is put inthe position which the spool llo occupies as it is shown in Figure 2. In this position, itis peripherally guided by two rollers 29 and two rollers 3o. Its weight is sufiicient vto overcome the bias of spring 26 so 'that n the spool rests lightly but firmly in driving engagement with the roller 13. As winding progresses, the coils of yarn will lift the spool 10 off of the surface of the roller 13, but in doing so, will 'relieve the Weight borne byrolle'rs 29 and 30 to such an extent that the spring will forthwith restore the rollers 29 and 3@ to their former relationship to the spool. This will continue until a package of adequate size has been wound. If then, the operator desires to disconnect the package from driving relation with its respective roller 13 or 14, he merely depresses the pins 36 and lifts the spool to a position illustrated by the position of the spool 11 at the right of Figure l.

-It can be seen lfrom Figures 1-3, inclusive, that the arrangement for supporting the spools Ilo and 11 is one of peripheral suspension, the spool being suspended at four points in axially spaced pairs, the points at each end being le'ss -than the diameter of the spool in the sense Vof being separated by a chordwise distance smaller than the diameter.

In Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7, there is sho-wn a modification of the invention in which the supporting rollers are arranged above, rather than below, the horizontal diameter of the spool. While this arrangement is quite similar to that shown in Figure '1, there are enough ditferences to warrant separate numbers to identify the parts. In Figures 5-7, inclusive, the spools bear numerals 37 and 38, being driven respectively by rollers 39 and 40. The Spool 37 is depicted as empty, while spool 38 is shown as having a package of yarn 41 wound thereon. The driving of the spools and the traverse mechanisms are not yillustrated but are conventional as described in conjunction with Figure l. The spool 37 is glided in driven relation to the roller 39 by a fork having arms 42. A similar fork having arms 43 guides the spool 38. The arms 42 and 43 are mounted about a common pivot 44 which is supported from the frame of the machine 45 in the same manner as the shaft 17. Bars 42a and 42b interconnect the arms 42 on opposite sides of the pivot 44. Similar arms 43a and 43b interconnect the arms 43 on opposite sides of the pivot 44. The spring 46 extends between the bar 42a and the channel member 47. A similar :spring 48 extends between the bar 43a and the channel member 49. These springs, unlike springs 26 and 28, are mounted in such a way as to supplement the Veffect of gravity and thereby lower the respective arms rather than raise them. In other words, the spring `46 functions 'to bias the arm 42 vfor counterclockwise movement about the axis 44 while lthe spring 4S acts to bias the arm 43 to clockwise movement about that axis. As in the case of the embodiment of Figures 1 3, inclusive, rollers 50 and 51 function to bear peripherally on 'the edge of the spools to hold and guide them in 4contact with asevera the respective driving rollers. In the case of Figure 6, the vroller -50 has an external surface just like the roller 29. This is likewise true of the external configuration of the roller 51 in Figure 7. A pin 52 extending through the arm 42 supports a ball bearing 53 which in turn supports the roller 5t) for free rotation. In the case of the roller 51, one of the arms 43 supports a hollow sleeve 54 which contains an internal spring 55 which biases ball bearing assembly 56, and With it roller 51, 'away from that air-m43 and toward the opposite arm 43 to accommodate a spool of less than normal length. The spring 55 is guided by a pin 57 which is coaxial with the bearing 56 and a pin 58 which projects from a cylindrical piece S9 that is held by a tapered pin 60. The cylinder 54 is slotted at 61 to allow for limited axial shifting of the roller 51 as may be required.

It will be appreciated that the spring pressed guide roller, such as the roller 51 shown in Figure 7, finds its principal utility in preventing axial shifting of a spool of improper length, such axial shifting having a bad effect upon the quality of the winding. If two spring pressed guide rollers, such as 5l, were used at opposite ends of the spool, the advantage might not be achieved. It is therefore intended, according to the present inven tion, so to pair the rollers 59 and 51 that the spring pressed roller is at one end of the spool and the aligned roller at the opposite end is not spring pressed but may, for example, have the .appearance of the roller 5`0 of Figure '6. yIn other Wo-rds, two rollers 5t) and two rollers 51 will conform to the Figure 7 appearance, while two rollers 50 and two rollers 51 will correspond to the Figure 6 appearance, the spring pressed and the axially xed rollers being arranged in pairs at opposite ends of the spool.

As was the case with Figures 143, inclusive, the embodiment of Figures 4-7., inclusive, involves an arrangement for holding the spool above its driving cylinder when it is full. This is depicted to the right of Figure 5 where the spool 38 is shown as suspended from pins 62 mounted on projections 63 extending from the ends of the arms 43. See Figure 7. A notch is cut out at 64 in order that the spool .may be accommodated in that notch while it is slipped over the pin 62 which extends from the opposite arm. A quite similar arrangement is shown in conjunction with the arms 42.

In describing the apparatus of Figures 1-3, inclusive, it was pointed out that the weight of the spool retains it in contact with its driving roller. Actually, a part of the weight is borne by the spring 26 or 28 as the case may be. Accordingly, the arrangement of Figures 1-3, inclusive, Ais intended primarily for a loose winding operation. On the other hand, the arrangement of Figures 4 and`5 is one lin which the springs 46 and 48 function additively to supplement the Weight of the spools, rather than subtractively to counteract this weight. Accordingly, a much more dense wind is possible with that arrangement. The arrangements have features in common, however, in that they both guide the spool by contacting its periphery at spaced points which are arranged in axially aligned pairs at opposite ends of the spool and both arrangements utilize a resilient biasing means separate from but operating in conjunction with the normal effect of gravity on the aligned rollers and supporting means therefor, inone instance counteracting and 'in the other instance supplementing this gravitational effect, as explained hereinabove.

It 'can be seen that the shape of the bars 15b and 16b and the shape of the U members 20 and 21 is such ythat a stop is provided limiting the arcuate movement of the respective forks .in both directions. The same is also true of the corresponding k'structural parts of AFigure :5. Thus, when the spool is supported by the pins 36, `:as at `the right hand of Figure 2, `or on the pins 62, as at the rig-ht hand of Figure 5, the fork lever will not fall beyond the limited position.

What is claimed is:`

l. In a winding machine, means presenting a spool driving surface, a spool on which thread is to be wound, freely rotatable rollers peripherally guiding the spool for rotation with the yarn body thereon in tangential relation to said driving surface, means supporting said rollers in axially aligned pairs circumferentially spaced around the surface of the spool with the rollers of each pair engaging the periphery of the spool adjacent its opposite ends, means mounting said roller supporting means for guided movement toward and away from said spool driving surface and resilient means separate from but operating in conjunction with gravity anchored to said roller supporting means for biasing said rollers into contact with said spool.

2. In a winding machine, means presenting a spool driving surface, a spool on which thread is to be wound, freely rotatable rollers peripherally guiding the spool for rotation with the yarn body thereon in tangential relaltion to said driving surface, means supporting said rollers in axially aligned pairs circumferentially spaced around the surface of the spool above the horizontal diameter thereof with the rollers of each pair engaging the periphery of the spool adjacent its opposite ends, means mounting said roller supporting means for guided movement toward and away from said spool driving surface and means separate from but operating in conjunction with gravity for resiliently biasing said roller supporting means toward said spool driving surface.

3. In a winding machine, means presenting a spool driving surface, a spool on which thread is to be wound, freely rotatable rollers peripherally guiding the spool for rotation with the yarn body thereon in tangential relation to said driving surface, means supporting said rollers in axially aligned pairs circumferentially spaced around the surface of the spool below the horizontal diameter thereof with the rollers of each pair engaging the periphery of the spool adjacent its opposite ends, means mounting said roller supporting means for guided movement toward and away from said spool driving surface and means separate from but operating in conjunction with gravity for resiliently biasing said roller supporting means away from said spool driving surface, the bias being insuicient to overcome the weight of an empty spool.

4. In a winding machine, means presenting a spool driving surface, a spool on which thread is to be wound, two pairs of freely rotatable rollers peripherally guiding the spool for rotation with the yarn body thereon in tangential relation to said driving surface, a fork having tines supporting said rollers in axially aligned pairs circumferentiallyspaced around the surface of the spool with the rollers of each pair engaging the periphery of the spool adjacent its opposite ends, a shaft mounting said fork for arcuate movement of the rollers toward and away from the spool driving surface and resilient means separate from but operating in conjunction with gravity anchored to said fork for biasing said rollers into contact with said spool.

5. In a winding machine, means presenting a spool driving surface, a spool on which thread is to be wound, freely rotatable rollers peripherally guiding the spool for rotation with Ithe yarn body thereon in tangential relation to said driving surface, a fork having tines supporting said rollers in axially aligned pairs` circumferentially spaced around the surface of the spool with the rollers of each pair engaging the periphery of the spool adjacent its opposite ends, a shaft mounting said fork for arcuate movement of the rollers toward and away from the spool driving surface, means to limit the arcuate movement of the fork and resilient means separate from but opera-ting in conjunction with gravity anchored to said fork for biasing 4said rollers into contact with said spool.

6. ln a winding machine, means presenting a spool driving surface, a spool on which thread is to be wound, freely rotatable rollers peripherally guiding the spool for rotation with the yarn body thereon in tangential relation to said driving surface, means supporting said rollers in axially aligned pairs circumferentially spaced around the surface of the spool with the rollers: of each pair engaging the periphery of the spool adjacent its opposite ends, means resiliently biasing one roller of each pair toward the other roller of that pair and means mounting said roller supporting means for guided movement toward and away from said spool driving surface.

7. In a winding machine, means presenting a spool driving surface, a spool on which thread is to be wound, freely rotatable rollers peripherally guiding the spool for rotation with the yarn body thereon in tangential relation to said driving surface, a fork having tines supporting said rollers in axially aligned pairs circumferentially spaced around the surface of the spool with the rollers of each pair engaging the periphery of the spool adjacent its opposite ends, a shaft mounting said fork for arcuate movement of the rollers toward and away from the spool driving surface, means to limit the arcuate movement of the fork, resilient means anchored to said fork for biasing said rollers into contact with said spool, and axially aligned means carried on opposite tines of said forks for supporting a spool out of contact with the spool driving surface when the fork is in its position adjacent the spool driving surface.

8. A winding machine as set forth in claim 7 wherein said axially aligned means comprises facing, spring pressed pins, said pins being retractable to permit the passage of a spool between the tines of said fork.

9. A winding machine as set forth in claim 7 wherein said axially aligned means comprises fixed pins, and wherein one of said tines has a slot formed therein to permit passage of the spool over the pin projecting from the opposite tine in order that the spool may be raised to a pin-supported position.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,996,366 Crooks Apr. 2, 1935

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