US3116887A

US3116887A - Yarn winding apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3116887A
Application number: US110788A
Authority: US
Inventors: Rehm Lothar
Original assignee: HJ Zimmer Verfahrenstechnik
Current assignee: HJ Zimmer Verfahrenstechnik
Priority date: 1960-05-19
Filing date: 1961-05-17
Publication date: 1964-01-07
Anticipated expiration: 1981-01-07
Also published as: CH388829A; GB943246A; DE1220303B

Description

Jan. 7, 1964 REHM 3,116,887

YARN WINDING APPARATUS Filed May 17, 1961 jm e/vzm' iota-A. MW

WMM

United States Patent F 3,116,887 YARN WlNDlNG APPARATUS Lothar Rehm, Ofienbach (Main), Germany, assignor to Hans J. Zimmer Veriahrenstechnik, Frankiurt am Main, Germany Filed May 17, 1961, Ser. No. 119,788 Claims priority, application Germany May 19, 1960- 7 Claims. (Cl. 242-418) The present invention relates to yarn winding.

More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus for winding yarn at a high rate onto a take-up package. The yarns which are treated with the apparatus of the invention may be either monofilaments or multifilaments made of rayon, for example, or other synthetic material, as well as yarns which are spun from fibers and which may be made from synthetic or natural raw materials.

Wherever yarn is wound in substantial quantities, the yarn is built into a package on a rotating cylindical or frustoconical core, and, as is well-known, during the building up of the package the yarn is distributed along the axis of the package by a suitable traversing mechanism which moves the yarn back and forth along the aXis of the package while the package rotates. The yarn may be pulled by the rotating package itself from a stationary supply package, or the yarn may be forwarded toward the take-up package by forwarding rolls which rotate at a constant speed.

The ideal winding of yarn onto a package will, in the first place, provide a package where the yarn has the best possible tension in the package itself, and in the second place the best possible distribution in the package which results from the proper relationship between the axial rate of distribution resulting from the operation of the traversing mechanism and the speed of rotation of the package.

At the present time there are a few isolated instances where these conditions are met, but these are only specialized situations which are not of general utility. With the great development in the manufacture of synthetic filaments there has been created an urgent need for mechanisms which will wind the yarn in the best possible manner, and the need is particularly for winding the yarn with an extremely high speed of movement of the yarn. A particular difficulty which is encountered resides in the fact that many synthetic yarns have the property of shrinking after the package is formed so as to result in defective packages which have little or no utility. Theoretically, when handling such yarns they should be wound with a negative tension, which is to say in such a loose manner that when they shrink they will form a package in which the yarn has the proper tension, but of course this is only theoretically possible and the best that can be done practically is to wind the yarn with a tension which is as close as possible to zero tension.

Yarn winding systems are known where the take-up package itself draws the yarn from a supply package with a minimum tension of 3 or 4 grams, but this tension is always taken in advance of the traversing mechanism which obviously increases the tension above this value, so that the tension measured in advance of the traversing mechanism does not accurately reflect the tension of the yarn in the take-up pack-age itself. With these known arrangements the forwarding speed of the yarn toward the take-up package is in the range of 250-300 m./ min.

3,ll6,8 87 Patented Jan. 7, 1964 Thus, the ideal is to provide an arrangement which will be capable of winding the yarn onto the take-up package with practically zero tension while the yarn is forwarded toward the take-up package with a speed which is on the order of 2,0 0O3,000 m./min., as is required by present day high-speed manufacturing techniques. With such speeds the tension in the yarn increases tremendously, and in advance of the traversing mechanism the minimum possible tension under these conditions is 6- or 7 grams, since without this minimum tension proper building up of the package cannot take place. Of course, the tension increases substantially at the traversing mechanism, and also the variations in tension have a high frequency since the traversing mechanism operates rapidly and has on the order of 600-900 double strokes per minute. In spite of these conditions, it is nevertheless desirable to wind the yarn onto the take-up package with substantially no tension.

It is accordingly a primary object of the present invention to provide an apparatus capable of operating under the above-discussed conditions of high speed and tension in advance of the take-up package while at the same time providing the yarn just before it is Wound onto the package with a substantially zero tension, so that the above-discussed ideal is very closely approached.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an exceedingly simple structure which occupies a relatively small amount of space and which at the same time guarantees winding of the yarn onto the take-up package with substantially no tension.

An additional object of the present invention is to pro vide an apparatus which is capable of operating continuously in a riurlly automatic manner to wind yarn with substantially no tension onto a take-up package.

With the above objects in view the invention includes, in the yarn winding apparatus, a driving roll and a support means which supports a take-up package in a position engaging the driving roll to be driven thereby, the apparatus of the invention further including an intermediate roll which delivers yarn to the driving roll from which the take-up package receives its yarn in accordance with the present invention, a supply means being located in advance of the intermediate roll to deliver the yarn thereto while a traversing mechanism is located between the supply means and the intermediate roll for traversing the yarn axially of the intermediate roll so that the yarn when laid onto the intermediate roll will take a helical configuration which will be kept in the yarn While it moves over the driving roll onto the take-up package. The driving roll is spaced slightly from the intermediate roll and the yarn, while it passes along the driving roll to the take-up package, has the opportunity to shrink and have all tension eliminated therefrom before reaching the take-up package.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, as to its construction, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the fol lowing description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic front elevation of an apparatus and process according to the present invention; and

FIG. 2 shows in side elevation, schematically, an arrangement similar to that of FIG. 1.

amass? Referring to FIG. 1, it will be seen that the yarn l is forwarded towards the supply means 2 in any suitable convenitonal manner not forming part of the present invention. The supply means 2 takes the form of a pair of rotating rolls which are driven at a. constant speed in any suitable Way and which turn in opposite directions so as to provide a downward movement of the yarn, as viewed in FIG. 1, and the rotation of these rolls 2 at a constant speed provides a constant forwarding speed of the yarn toward the take-up package 6 which is shown at the lower portion of FIG. 1. The supply means 2 delivers the yarn to a traversing means 3 which is conventional and may be either of the rotary or of the oscillatory type. Closely adjacent to the traversing means 3 is located an intermediate roll 4 of the invention, and in accordance with the present invention the yarn is wrapped through approximately 220 about the axis of the intermediate roll 4 around the underside thereof, as is evident from the dotted line illustration of the yarn l as it moves along the roll 4 in FIG. 1. It will be noted that the traversing means 3 cooperates with the rotating intermediate roll 4 to provide on the latter a substan tially helical configuration of the yarn so that the traversing mechanism 3 actually lays onto the roll 4 a yarn winding which closely simulates the Winding which eventually becomes located on the take-up package 6. One of the features of the present invention resides not only in the provision of the intermediate roll 4 but also in providing the roll 4 with an outer surface which has the property of causing the yarn to cling to the outer surface of the roll 4. For example, the roll 4 may be provided with a coating or outer layer made of a buna derivatives which has a Shore hardness of approximately 70. The peripheral speed of the roll 4- corresponds approximately to the speed with which the yarn is forwarded by the supply means 2, and the exact speed of rotation of the roll 4 is so chosen that there will be maintained between the rolls 2 and the roll 4 a yarn tension which is the minimum necessary for proper operation of the traversing means to provide the best possible distribution of the yarn along the package 6. Thus, too much slack in the yarn between the rolls 2 and the intermediate roll 4 is highly undesirable, and on the other hand too much tension is also undesirable, and the speed of rotation of the roll 4 together with the tacky surface with which it engages the yarn enables the roll 4- to maintain in the yarn the minimum possible tension which is necessary for ideal operation of the traversing mechanism.

Also in accordance with the present invention there is provided between the intermediate roll 4 and the package 6 a driving roll 5 which is spaced slightly from the roll 4, as is evident from FIG. 1. As is shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1 a suitable support means supports the take-up package 5 so that it is always maintained in engagement with the driving roll 5 to be rotated thereby as the package builds. Such a support means is wellknown in the art.

The yarn which leaves the intermediate roll 4 passes through the gap between the roll 4 and the driving roll 5 and over the upper side of the latter, as is evident from the solid line illustration of the yarn in FIG. 1 as it moves along the driving roll 5 to the take-up package 6. *It will be noted that the helical laying down of the yarn onto the intermediate roll 4 by the traversing means 3 is repeated in the yarn as it moves over the driving roll 5 to the take-up package 6, so that in this way proper axial distribution of the yarn on the take-up package 6 is guaranteed even though the rolls 4 and 5 are between the traversing means 3 and the take-up package 6. While the yarn passed through approximately 220 about the axis of the intermediate roll 4 around the underside thereof, in moving over the top side of the roll 5 the yarn passes through approximately 180 about the axis of the roll 5 before reaching the take-up package 6. The exterior surface of the driving roll 5 provides very little if any friction with respect to the yarn, and preferably the exterior surface of the roll 5 is made of a hard chrome which is polished. The support means which carries the take-up package 6 presses the package with a predetermined pressure against the driving roll 5 so that the take-up package will be rotated by the driving roll 5. Of course, the yarn moves from the roll 5 onto the package.

Because of the smooth surface of the roll 5 the yarn has the opportunity of shrinking and having all tension eliminated therefrom while passing over the roll 5 to the take-up package 6. In order to enhance this action wherein the tension leaves the yarn before reaching the package the roll 5 is driven, according to the process of the present invention, at a speed which is substantially less than that of the roll 4, and in this way complete relaxation of the yarn as it moves along the roll 5 to the take-up package 6 is guaranteed.

Thus, it will be seen that with the process and apparatus of the invention the intermediate roll 4 counterbalances exactly the tension in the yarn between the supply means 2 and the roll 4, this tension being required for proper distribution of the yarn by the traversing means 3, and then as a result of the smooth surface of the roll 5 as :well as the differential between the peripheral speed of the roll 5 and the peripheral speed of the roll 4 the peripheral speed of the roll 5 being of course less than that of the roll 4, the yarn can shrink and have all tension eliminated therefrom before reaching the package 6.

According to the schematic illustration shown in FIG. 2, the yarn i1 is forwarded in any known way to a supply means 12 in the form of a pair of forwarding rolls identical to the rolls 2 described above. The yarn, after moving beyond the supply means 12, reaches the traversing means 13 which in the illustrated example is of the slotted drum type, the yarn thus being moved back and forth along the intermediate roll 14 which is substantially identical to the roll 4 described above. A driving roll 15 which is substantially identical to the driving roll 5 described above receives the yarn 11 from the intermediate roll 14. it will be noted that the driving roll 15 is spaced slightly from the intermediate roll 14. A support means shown diagrammatically in FIG. 2 supports the take-up package 16 for rotary movement and presses it against the driving roll 15. As may be seen from FIG. 2 the yarn 11 passes around the underside of the intermediate roll '14 and over the top of the driving roll 15, and the yarn extends through approximately 220 about the axis of the intermediate roll 14 and through approximately 180 about the axis of the driving roll 15.

In an actual structure of the invention which was operated according to the invention, the following results were found:

A yarn composed of 70 denier nylon-6, which had previously been elongated, as is well-known in the art, and was untwisted, was delivered by the supply means 12 to the traversing means 13 at a speed of 2090 m./min. The rotary speed of the traversing means 13 provided 685 double strokes of the yarn per minute. In other Words the traversing means 13 has such a speed of operation that the yarn is moved back and forth along the intermediate roll 14 685 times per minute in this particular example. The rotary speed of the intermediate roll was such that the yarn was forwarded by the intermediate roll at a linear speed of 2055 m./min. It will be noted that this speed is slightly less than the speed with which the yarn is forwarded by the rolls 12, and this speed of 2055 m./min. was found in this particular example to be sufiicient to exactly counterbalnace the tension in the yarn between the rolls 12 and the roll 14 required for proper laying of the yarn onto the roll 14 by the traversing means 13. The rotary speed of the driving roll 15 was set to provide a linear yarn speed of 1954 m./min., so that obviously the peripheral speed of the roll 15 is substantially less than that of the roll 14. Thus, the yarn had a shrinkage of 7% before being wound onto the take-up package 16, and this shrinkage was suflicient to eliminate substantially all tension from the yarn. Of course, in this example the yarn passes under the roll 14 and over the roll 15 as is shown in FIG. 2 and the yarn passes, as is shown in FIG. 2 through approximately 220 about the axis of the roll 14 and through approximately 180 about the axis of the roll 15. The yarn as it is laid onto the

rolls

14 and 15 has the helical configuration which is clearly apparent from FIG. 1.

During carrying out of the process of the invention with the apparatus of the invention as described in the above example, photographs were made. It was found from these photographs that the yarn which left the driving roll 15 to be received in the tape-up package 16 did not join the take-up package 16 precisely at the theoretically determined point which would be exactly at the location where the take-up package 15 engages the roll 16. Thus, if a line is drawn along the roll 15 where it is engaged by the take-up package 15, the yarn should theoretically join the take-up package 16 along this line, but this was not the case according to the photographs made during the above-described operation.

It was found that as a result of centrifugal force in the yarn itself as it moved over the roll 15 the yarn raised itself a few centimeters before reaching the above theoretical line where it should pass to the take-up package 16, and thus the yarn lifted itself slightly before this line from the roll 15 and flew as a result of its own centrifugal force toward the take-up package 16. Inasmuch as the yarn due to its own extremely small weight was able to lift itself as a result of centrifugal force from the roll 15 just before passing to the take-up package 16, it follows that the tension in the yarn just before reaching the package 16 was at an absolute minimum.

Even though the yarn threw itself toward the package 16 while raising slightly away from the roll 15 as a result of centrifugal force, the construction of the package was excellent throughout as was evident from the appearance of the ends and the edges of the package. The magnitude of the tension resulting from lifting of the yarn from the driving roll just before reaching the take-up package with a linear speed of movement of the yarn on the order of 2000 m./min. was found to be 0.012 g./denier, so that the extremely small tension which the yarn possesses according to the process and apparatus of the invention is evident. Thus, with the process and apparatus of the invention it is possible to provide an extremely high speed winding of the yarn while at the same time maintaining the tension at an absolute minimum.

The drives for the above rolls and traversing mechanism can be mechanical, electrical, or a combination of both, and all that is required is the possibility of adjusting the speeds of rotation of the rolls to the values which are necessary to provide the above-discussed operation. Thus, as may be seen from FIG. 1 suitable driving motors 7 and 8 are respectively connected operatively to the rolls 5 and 4 for rotating the latter. Identical drives are connected to the

rolls

15 and 14, respectively, of FIG. 2. Also, such a driving motor may be operatively connected to the drum 13 for rotating the latter. FlG. 2 shows a motor 17 operatively connected to one of the rolls 12 to rotate the latter, the other roll 12 being driven by friction. from the roll 12 which is connected with the motor 17, and an identical drive is operatively connected to one of the rolls 2 of FIG. 1. As for the traverse 3 of FIG. 1, this traverse has a projection extending into a helical endless camming groove of a roll 9 driven through a belt an pulley transmission from a motor 10, as illustrated in FIG. 1.

Moreover, it should be noted that only one intermediate roll between the traversing means of the driving roll 15 is not essential, and a plurality of such rolls may be provided.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of yarn winding diflering from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in high speed yarn winding, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A yarn winding apparatus comprising, in combination, a rotary driving roll; first rotating means for rotating said driving roll at a predetermined constant speed so that its surface rotates also at a predetermined constant speed; support means located adjacent said driving roll for supporting a take-up package in engagement with the peripheral face of said driving roll to be driven thereby with a constant peripheral speed equal to the said predetermined constant peripheral speed of said driving roll; an intermediate rotary roll parallel to said driving roll and spaced slightly therefrom; supply means for supplying yarn at a predetermined linear speed substantially equal to said peripheral speed of said intermediate roll to pass at least in part around the latter and then in part around said driving roll and from the latter onto said take-up package; and traversing means located between said supply means and intermediate roll adjacent the latter for traversing the yarn axially with respect to said intermediate roll to provide on the latter a helical configuration of the yarn, said driving roll receiving the yarn from the intermediate roll also with a helical configuration so that the yarn traverses the take-up package while being received thereon from said driving roll, said driving roll interposed between said intermediate roll and take-up package affording the yarn an opportunity to relax itself so as to eliminate tension from the yarn prior to winding of the yarn onto the take-up package.

2. A yarn winding apparatus comprising, in combination, a rotary driving roll; first rotating means for rotating said driving roll at a predetermined constant speed so that its surface rotates also at a predetermined constant speed; support means located adjacent said driving roll for supporting a take-up package in engagement with the peripheral face of said driving roll to be driven thereby with a constant peripheral speed equal to the said predetermined constant peripheral speed of said driving roll; an intermediate rotary roll parallel to said driving roll and spaced slightly therefrom; supply means for supplying yarn at a predetermined linear speed substantially equal to said peripheral speed of said intermediate roll to pass at least in part around the latter and then in part around said driving roll and from the latter onto said take-up package; and traversing means located between said supply means and intermediate roll adjacent the latter for traversing the yarn axially with respect to said intermediate roll to provide on the latter a helical configuration of the yarn, said driving roll receiving the yarn from the intermediate roll also with a helical configuration so that the yarn traverses the take-up package while being received thereon from said driving roll, said driving roll interposed between said intermediate roll and take-up package affording the yarn an opportunity to relax itself so as to eliminate tension from the yarn prior to winding of the yarn onto the take-up package, said intermediate roll having a surface to which the yarn clings so that said intermediate roll can balance the tension in the yarn between the supply means and intermediate roll resulting from the operation of the traversing means.

3. A yarn winding apparatus comprising, in combination, a rotary driving roll; first rotating means for rotating said driving roll at a predetermined constant speed so that its surface rotates also at a predetermined constant speed; support means located adjacent said driving roll for supporting a take-up package in engagement with the peripheral face of said driving roll to be driven thereby with a constant peripheral speed equal to the said predetermined constant peripheral speed of said driving roll; an intermediate rotary roll parallel to said driving roll and spaced sli htly therefrom; supply means for supplying yarn at a predetermined linear speed substantially equal to said peripheral speed of said intermediate roll to pass at least in part around the latter and then in part around said driving roll and from the latter onto said take-up package; and traversing means located between said supply means and intermediate roll adjacent the latter for traversing the yarn axially with respect to said intermediate roll to provide on the latter a helical configuration of the yarn, said driving roll receiving the yarn from the intermediate roll also with a helical configuration so that the yarn traverses the take-up package while being received thereon from said driving roll, said driving roll interposed between said intermediate roll and take-up package affording the yarn an opportunity to relax itself so as to eliminate tension from the yarn prior to winding of the yarn onto the take-up package, said intermediate roll having a surface to which the yarn clings so that said intermediate roll can balance the tension in the yarn between the supply means and intermediate roll resulting from the operation of the traversing means, and said driving roll having a smooth surface providing a relatively small friction with respect to the yarn so that the yarn can shrink to the extent necessary to eliminate tension therefrom while the yarn is in engagement with said driving roll.

4. A yarn winding apparatus comprising, in combination, a rotary driving roll; first rotating means for rotating said driving roll at a predetermined constant speed so that its surface rotates also at a predetermined constant speed; support means located adjacent said driving roll for supporting a take-up package in engagement with the peripheral face of said driving roll to be driven thereby with a constant peripheral speed equal to the said predetermined constant peripheral speed of said driving roll; an intermediate rotary roll parallel to said driving roll and spaced slightly therefrom; supply means for supplying yarn at a predetermined linear speed substantially equal to said peripheral speed of said intermediate roll to pass at least in part around the latter and then in part around said driving roll and from the latter onto said take-up package; and traversing means located between said supply means and intermediate roll adjacent the latter for traversing the yarn axially with respect to said intermediate roll to provide on the latter a helical configuration of the yarn, said driving roll receiving the yarn from the intermediate roll also with a helical configuration so that the yarn traverses the take-up package while being received thereon from said driving roll, said driving roll interposed between said intermediate roll and take-up package affording the yarn an opportunity to relax itself so as to eliminate tension from the yarn prior to winding of the yarn onto the take-up package, said intermediate roll having a surface to which the yarn clings so that said intermediate roll can balance the tension in the yarn between the supply means and inter mediate roll resulting from the operation of the traversing means, and said driving roll having a smooth surface providing a relatively small friction with respect to the yarn so that the yarn can shrink to the extent necessary to eliminate tension therefrom while the yarn is in engagement with said driving roll, said driving roll having with respect to said intermediate roll an elevation which requires the yarn to be wrapped through approximately 220 about the axis of said intermediate roll and through approximately 180 about the axis of said driving roll before reaching said package.

5. A yarn winding apparatus comprising, in combination, supply means for supplying yarn at a predetermined constant linear speed in a predetermined direction; at least one intermediate roll supported for rotation and receiving the yarn from said supply means; means for rotating said intermediate roll at a predetermined constant peripheral speed substantially equal to the constant linear speed of the yarn supplied by said supply means; traversing means located adjacent said intermediate roll between the latter and said supply means for moving the yarn axially of said intermediate roll back and forth along the same While said intermediate roll receives the linearly moving yarn from said supply means; a take-up package spaced from said intermediate roll and receiving the yarn therefrom; roll means located between said intermediate roll and the take-up package for transferring the yarn from said intermediate roll to said take-up package; and means for driving said transfer roll means at a substantially lesser constant peripheral speed than the constant peripheral speed at which said intermediate roll is driven, said take-up package being in engagement with the peripheral face of said transfer roll means and driven with a constant peripheral speed equal to the constant peripheral speed of said transfer roll means, whereby the yarn is afforded the opportunity to shrink and relax completely so as to have all tension eliminated therefrom before reaching the take-up package so that the yarn is wound on the latter with substantially no tension.

6. A yarn Winding apparatus comprising, in combination, a rotary driving roll; first rotating means for rotating said driving roll at a predetermined constant speed so that its surface rotates also at a predetermined constant speed; support means located adjacent said driving roll for supporting a take-up package in engagement with the peripheral face of said driving roll to be driven thereby with a constant peripheral speed equal to the said predetermined constant peripheral speed of said driving roll; at least one intermediate rotary roll parallel to said driving roll nad spaced slightly therefrom; second rotating means for driving said intermediate roll at a substantially greater constant peripheral speed than the constant peripheral speed at which said rotary driving roll is driven by said first rotating means; supply means for supplying yarn at a predetermined linear speed substantially equal to said peripheral speed of said intermediate roll to pass at least in part around the latter and then in part around said driving roll and from the latter onto said take-up package; and traversing means located between said supply means and intermediate roll adjacent the latter for traversing the yarn axially with respect to said intermediate roll to provide on the latter a helical configuration of the yarn, said driving roll receiving the yarn from the intermediate roll also with a helical configuration so that the yarn traverses the take-up package While being received thereon from said driving roll, said driving roll interposed between said intermediate roll and take-up package affording the yarn on opportunity to relax itself so as to eliminate tension from the yarn prior to winding of the yarn onto the take-up package.

7. A yarn winding apparatus comprising, in combination, supply means for supplying yarn at a predetermined constant linear speed in a predetermined direction; traversing means traversing the yarn supplied by said supply means; intermediate roll means receiving the yarn traversed by said traversing means and counterbalancing the tension in the yarn in advance of said intermediate roll means; means for rotating said intermediate roll means at a predetermined constant peripheral speed substantially equal to the constant linear speed of the yarn supplied by said supply means; take-up package support means spaced from said intermediate roll means; and

drive roll means located between said intermediate roll means and said take-up package support means for driving a take-up package supported by the latter and for transferring yarn from said intermediate roll means to said take-up package; and means for driving said drive roll means at a substantially lesser constant peripheral Speed than the constant peripheral speed at Which said intermediate roll means is driven, said take-up package being in engagement with the peripheral face of said drive roll means and driven with a constant peripheral speed 10 2,647,697

equal to the constant peripheral speed of said transfer roll means, whereby the yarn is afforded an opportunity to relax completely before reaching the take-up package so as to be wound thereon with substantially no tension.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Allquist May 26, 1942 Pollock Aug. 4, 1953

Claims

1. A YARN WINDING APPARATUS COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A ROTARY DRIVING ROLL; FIRST ROTATING MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID DRIVING ROLL AT A PREDETERMINED CONSTANT SPEED SO THAT ITS SURFACE ROTATES ALSO AT A PREDETERMINED CONSTANT SPEED; SUPPORT MEANS LOCATED ADJACENT SAID DRIVING ROLL FOR SUPPORTING A TAKE-UP PACKAGE IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PERIPHERAL FACE OF SAID DRIVING ROLL TO BE DRIVEN THEREBY WITH A CONSTANT PERIPHERAL SPEED EQUAL TO THE SAID PREDETERMINED CONSTANT PERIPHERAL SPEED OF SAID DRIVING ROLL; AN INTERMEDIATE ROTARY ROLL PARALLEL TO SAID DRIVING ROLL AND SPACED SLIGHTLY THEREFROM; SUPPLY MEANS FOR SUPPLYING YARN AT A PREDETERMINED LINEAR SPEED SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO SAID PERIPHERAL SPEED OF SAID INTERMEDIATE ROLL TO PASS AT LEAST IN PART AROUND THE LATTER AND THEN IN PART AROUND SAID DRIVING ROLL AND FROM THE LATTER ONTO SAID TAKE-UP PACKAGE; AND TRAVERSING MEANS LOCATED BETWEEN SAID SUPPLY MEANS AND INTERMEDIATE ROLL ADJACENT THE LATTER FOR TRAVERSING THE YARN AXIALLY WITH RESPECT TO SAID INTERMEDIATE ROLL TO PROVIDE ON THE LATTER A HELICAL CONFIGURATION OF THE YARN, SAID DRIVING ROLL RECEIVING THE YARN FROM THE INTERMEDIATE ROLL ALSO WITH A HELICAL CONFIGURATION SO THAT THE YARN TRAVERSES THE TAKE-UP PACKAGE WHILE BEING RECEIVED THEREON FROM SAID DRIVING ROLL, SAID DRIVING ROLL INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID INTERMEDIATE ROLL AND TAKE-UP PACKAGE AFFORDING THE YARN AN OPPORTUNITY TO RELAX ITSELF SO AS TO ELIMINATE TENSION FROM THE YARN PRIOR TO WINDING OF THE YARN ONTO THE TAKE-UP PACKAGE.