US3139243A

US3139243A - Tension compensating control device

Info

Publication number: US3139243A
Application number: US229789A
Authority: US
Inventors: Warwick John; Erwin L Herbert
Original assignee: Compensating Tension Controls Inc
Current assignee: Compensating Tension Controls Inc
Priority date: 1962-10-11
Filing date: 1962-10-11
Publication date: 1964-06-30
Anticipated expiration: 1981-06-30

Description

June 30, 1964 J,WARW1CK ETAL 3,139,243

TENSION COMPENSATING CONTROL DEVICE Filed Oct. 11, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet l lNVENTORs nu WARWICK ERT TTORNEY June 30, 1964 J. WARWICK ETAL TENSION COMPENSATING CONTROL DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 11, 1962 m M K Y O E 4 E .ll li 2 mm M Q N u m MIH L lmy T EM .il 4 m ..\-Fs l l United States Patent 3,139,243 TENION C(BMPENSATING CONTRQL DEVICE John Warwick, Livingston, and Erwin L. Herbert, Elizabeth, 'N.J., assignors to (Icmpensation Tension Controls, Inc., Livingston, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Oct. 11, 1962, Ser.'No. 229,789 8 Claims. (Cl. 242-1562) The present invention relates to an improved tension compensating control deviceparticularly adapted for use in conjunction with machines for winding yarn and the like.

At present, various structures such as pipes and receptacles are produced by winding resin impregnated yarn such as fiber glass on a form and curing the winding to provide a high strength for weight ratio laminate. Such windings generally are applied to the form under heavy tension measured in pounds. It has been found that such tension should be of a known constant and uniform value throughout the winding of such structures or for any given period of a winding program.

While in the past, presently available devices have been developed for accurately maintaining yarns under light tension measured in grams during the winding of the yarn, such devices are incapable of applying heavy tension by reason of the nature of their construction'and arrangement. Thus at present, no satisfactory devices for accurately maintaining the desired heavy tension in yarn being Wound heretofore have been available.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a tension compensating control deviceffor supplying yam from a yarn package at a substantially uniform tension of a value measured in pounds.

Another object is to provide such a device which will supply yarn at such substantially uniform tension even if the input tension of the yarn varies over a wide range.

Another object is to provide such a device wherein the yarn is delivered'from the package and is suppliedby the device in a manner to minimize variations in input tension whereby hunting of the device is minimized.

Another object is to provide such a device which. can handle yarn varying in cross-section over a wide range.

Another object is to provide such a device which can be accurately adjusted over its operating range of tensions.

Another object is to provide such a device which will not be damaged by the yarn or will damage the yarn.

A further objectis to'accomplish the foregoing in a simple, practical and economical manner.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has be n chosen for purposes of illustration and description, and is shown in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of the specification, wherein: V v

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a device in accordance with the present-inventionincluding a brake, section and a control section.

FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken through the brake section. t

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken through the control section.

Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings in detail, there A is shown a tension compensation control device which generally comprises a base 10, a brake section 11 on the base and a control section 12 on the base adjacent the brake section.

As shown in FIG. 2, the brake section 11 includes a 3,139,243 Patented June 36, 1964 shaft or spindle 14 journalled for rotation on the base at its inner end by ball bearings (not shown), means 15 on the spindle for removably mounting a yarn package YP (FIG. 1), a brake drum 16'mounted on the spindle near its inner end and secured thereto for rotation therewith, a brake band 17 on the brake drum, and a spring and lever system 18 for operating the brake band about to be described.

The spring and lever system 18 comprises an extendable spring 19 which has a first end 20 mounted on the base in the manner described hereinafter and has a second end 21 secured to one end of the brake band 17, and lever means 22 pivotally mounted on the base at 24 and including a lever 25 having its free end secured to the other end of the brake band at 26 and a pulley 27 secured to the lever 25 for rocking the same andhaving a control cable 28 wrapped thereon with one end of the cable secured thereto. The cable 28 is controlled by the control having a first arm 31 to which the end 20 of spring is connected and having a second arm 32 provided with a pin 34, a spring 35 somewhat stronger than the spring 19 having one end fixed to the base at 36 and having its other end connected to the pin 34, and a stop 37 on the base adapted to be engaged by the pin 34 under the in- V fluence of the spring 35. In this manner when'a sudden pull is exerted on the brake band, the spring 19 yields but also exerts a force on the lever 29 to rock it in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in opposition to the spring 35 which now yields to establish a predetermined maxiwhich remains unimpaired.

mum force tending to pull the brake hand against the brake drum.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the control section 12 includes a diamondashaped control member 38 mounted for rotation on the base about an axis "parallel to the axis of the spindle 14, capstan means 39 on the control member at the center thereof forwinding up the cable 28 thereon upon rotation of the control member in one direction and to let off the cable upon rotation of the control member in the opposite direction, a pair of diametrically opposite yarn guide means 49 on the major axis of equidistantly therefrom for rotatably mounting yarn guide members thereon such as elongate rollers 44 having a length about equal to the length of the yarn package YP on the spindle 14. Such rollers enable the yarn Y to ride up and down thereon and follow the point on the surface of the yarn package where the yarn is being taken off at any particularmoment.

Also, by reason of the fact that the yarn runs along the length of these rollers, the yarn does not erode the surface of therollers in the manner in which guide eyes are eroded by constant contact of running yarn at. a small area thereof. the yarn because they have a smooth curved surface Furthermore, such rollers can accommodate yarn or bundles of yarn varying in cross-section over a wide range without introducing factors which affect the accuracy of the device.

In order to reduce friction or drag on the yarn as it Likewise," the rollers 44 do not damage 3 runs through the control section, the rollers 44 are mounted on the spindle means 42 by bearings 45 and the yarn is arranged in a Z-like path so that it engages each roller 44 for only about one third of the periphery thereof whereby the control member readily and uniformly responds to the demand for yarn.

The spring 41 has one end connected to the control member at 45 and has its other end connected to a casing 47 at 48 which is adapted to be turned with respect to the base to adjust the force of the spring 41 and is held in its adjusted position by releasable means 49 secured to the base.

Preferably, the control member 38 is secured to one end of a shaft 50 rotatably mounted in a bearing 51 on the base, and a damper 52 is connected to the other end of the shaft 50 for preventing oscillation and hunting of the control member. As shown in FIG. 3, the damper comprises a plate 54 rotatably disposed in a conventional damping medium.

In order to limit rotative movement of the control member 38 under the influence of the spring 41, a bumper 55 adapted to be engaged by the control member is mounted on the base between the control section and the brake section. Preferably, the control member is arranged to turn back and forth through an arc of about ninety degrees while regulating the brake.

In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the device is constructed and arranged to supply yarn at a uniform tension in the range of about to pounds. This is accomplished by a brake drum 16 having a diameter of 7 inches, a control member 38 with the axes of rotation of the rollers 44 eight inches apart and the rollers having a two inch diameter, a spring 41 for applying a force of between about A and 5 pounds, and a pulley 27 and capstan means 39 having equal diameters.

The spring 35 exerts a force of about 9.5 pounds on the arm 32 of the lever 29 while its pin 34 engages the stop 37. When the brake band 17 pulls the spring 19 to extend the same about A inch, a force of about 9.5 pounds is exerted on the arm 31 of the lever 29. Should the latter force tend to exceed 9.5 pounds the spring 35 will now yield. When the spring 35 is extended about inch a maximum pulling force of only about 9.75 is exerted on the brake band 17 by the spring 35 through the lever 29 and the spring 19.

The term yarn is used herein in a broad sense and is intended to include strands, filaments, wires, threads, roving or the like formed of vegetable, animal, metalliferous or synthetic materials or a mixture thereof.

While the present invention has been described in connection with a device for tensioning yarn, such a device can also be utilized for tensioning strips or webs of material such as paper or cloth and the like.

In view of the foregoing description, it will be seen that the present invention provides an improved device for the purpose indicated herein which is simple, practical and economical in construction, reliable and accurate in operation, and can withstand such rough usage to which it may normally be subjected.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts herein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in any limiting sense.

We claim:

1. In a tension compensating control device, the combination of a spindle for a package having material wound thereon and being mounted for rotation, a brake drum mounted on said spindle and secured thereto for rotation therewith, a first extendable spring having a first end and a second end, a brake band on said brake drum having one end secured to the second end of said spring, a pivotally mounted lever having a first and second arm, said first end of said spring being connected to said first arm, a second extendable spring having a fixed end and a second end connected to said second arm of said lever, whereby an excessive pull exerted by said brake band on said first spring causes said lever to pivot in a direction to efiect yielding of said second spring and to establish a predetermined maximum force applied by said brake band on said brake drum, a stop for limiting pivotal movement of said lever in the opposite direction, lever means pivotally mounted adjacent said brake drum and having the other end of said brake band secured thereto for varying the braking action of said band on said drum, a control member mounted for rotation about an axis parallel to the axis of said spindle, capstan means mounted for rotation with said control member at the center thereof, a cable having one end secured to said lever means and having its other end secured to and arranged'on said capstan means to be wound up thereon upon rotation of said control member in one direction, guide means for the material on said control member engaged by the material and arranged to effect rotation of said control member in a direction to unwind said cable upon downstream pulling of the material and thereby allow said lever means to pivot in a direction to lessen the braking action of said band on said drum, and spring means connected to said control member for urging said control member to rotate in the direction to cause said cable to be wound up on said capstan means whereby the braking action of said band on said drum is increased.

2. In a device according to claim 1, including means for adjusting said spring means.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein said guide means are elongate members parallel to the axis of rotation of said control member having a length about equal to the package on said spindle.

4. In a device according to claim 1, including a pair of diametrically opposite spindle means on said control member parallel to the axis of rotation of said control member and equidistantly spaced from said capstan means for rotatably mounting said guide means.

5. A device according to claim 4, wherein said guide means are elongate rollers having a length about equal to the package on said spindle.

6. In a device according to claim 1, including damping means for said control member.

7. In a device according to claim 1, including a bumperv adapted to be engaged by said control member to limit 1rotation thereof in the direction urged by said spring means to thereby limit the winding up of said cable and the braking action of said brake band on said brake drum. 8. A device according to claim 1, wherein said second spring is effective to apply a greater force than said first mentioned spring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,380,837 Replogle June 7, 1921 2,685,417 Bartelson Aug. 3, 1954 2,715,505 Atkins Aug. 16, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 7 230,593 Australia Oct. 6, 1960 787,357 France July 1, 1935 407,937 Great Britain Mar. 26, 1934

Claims

1. IN A TENSION COMPENSATING CONTROL DEVICE, THE COMBINATION OF A SPINDLE FOR A PACKAGE HAVING MATERIAL WOUND THEREON AND BEING MOUNTED FOR ROTATION, A BRAKE DRUM MOUNTED ON SAID SPINDLE AND SECURED THERETO FOR ROTATION THEREWITH, A FIRST EXTENDABLE SPRING HAVING A FIRST END AND A SECOND END, A BRAKE BAND ON SAID BRAKE DRUM HAVING ONE END SECURED TO THE SECOND END OF SAID SPRING, A PIVOTALLY MOUNTED LEVER HAVING A FIRST AND SECOND ARM, SAID FIRST END OF SAID SPRING BEING CONNECTED TO SAID FIRST ARM, A SECOND EXTENDABLE SPRING HAVING A FIXED END AND A SECOND END CONNECTED TO SAID SECOND ARM OF SAID LEVER, WHEREBY AN EXCESSIVE PULL EXERTED BY SAID BRAKE BAND ON SAID FIRST SPRING CAUSES SAID LEVER TO PIVOT IN A DIRECTION TO EFFECT YIELDING OF SAID SECOND SPRING AND TO ESTABLISH A PREDETERMINED MAXIMUM FORCE APPLIED BY SAID BRAKE BAND ON SAID BRAKE DRUM, A STOP FOR LIMITING PIVOTAL MOVEMENT OF SAID LEVER IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, LEVER MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ADJACENT SAID BRAKE DRUM AND HAVING THE OTHER END OF SAID BRAKE BAND SECURED THERETO FOR VARYING THE BRAKING ACTION OF SAID BAND ON SAID DRUM, A CONTROL MEMBER MOUNTED FOR ROTATION ABOUT AN AXIS PARALLEL TO THE AXIS OF SAID SPINDLE, CAPSTAN MEANS MOUNTED FOR ROTATION WITH SAID CONTROL MEMBER AT THE CENTER THEREOF, A CABLE HAVING ONE END SECURED TO SAID LEVER MEANS AND HAVING ITS OTHER END SECURED TO AND ARRANGED ON SAID CAPSTAN MEANS TO BE WOUND UP THEREON UPON ROTATION OF SAID CONTROL MEMBER IN ONE DIRECTION, GUIDE MEANS FOR THE MATERIAL ON SAID CONTROL MEMBER ENGAGED BY THE MATERIAL AND ARRANGED TO EFFECT ROTATION OF SAID CONTROL MEMBER IN A DIRECTION TO UNWIND SAID CABLE UPON DOWNSTREAM PULLING OF THE MATERIAL AND THEREBY ALLOW SAID LEVER MEANS TO PIVOT IN A DIRECTION TO LESSEN THE BRAKING ACTION OF SAID BAND ON SAID DRUM, AND SPRING MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID CONTROL MEMBER FOR URGING SAID CONTROL MEMBER TO ROTATE IN THE DIRECTION TO CAUSE SAID CABLE TO BE WOUND UP ON SAID CAPSTAN MEANS WHEREBY THE BRAKING ACTION OF SAID BAND ON SAID DRUM IS INCREASED.