US3243142A - Differential-fill wound package - Google Patents

Description

March 29, 1966 P. D. CHASTANG DIFFERENTIAL-FILL WOUND PACKAGE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 24, 1964 INVENTOR. PELHAM D. CHASTANG ATTORY March 29, 1966 Filed NOV. 24, 1964 P. D. CHASTANG 3,243,142

DIFFERENTIAL-FILL WOUND PACKAGE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 (D LLI I 3- U E I; E 2 2- LL! 0 l O. U) 5 l CAM ANGLE 1 [KR AM A I i 1 l ,U W EI' FIG. 3.

INVENTOR. PELHAM D. CHASTANG ATTO EY Patented Mar. 29, 1966 3,243,142 DIFFERENTIAL-FILL WOUND PACKAGE Pelham Dewey Chastang, Pensacola, Fla., assignor to Monsanto Company, a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 24, 1964, Ser. No. 413,573 4 Claims. (Cl. 242-178) This is a continuation-in-part of my co-pending application S.N. 296,992, filed July 23, 1963, now abandoned.

The present invention relates to yarn winding method and apparatus for producing differential-fill wound packages having straight barrel sides and straight tapers.

In a conventional differential-fill wound (DFW) package, the yarn being wound on a bobbin is cyclically traversed axially along the bobbin at a substantially constant stroke length so that yarn is distributed over a given area on the bobbin. Superimposed on this primary traversal is a slower cyclic axial traversal movement which gradually shifts the area in which the yarn is being built up back and forth along the bobbin axis.

Ideally such a DFW package will have a straight barrel or right circular cylindrical central region, and a conical tapered region on each end tapering down from the barrel to the bobbin. Preferably, the intersections of the barrel with the conical end portions should be rounded rather than meeting in a sharp shoulder. Such a DFW package offers several advantages over other types of yarn packages. For example, the package may be readily cleaned to eliminate surface soiling by stripping off the soiled surface yarn, a procedure which cannot be employed with warp-wound or compound-fill wound packages. DFW packages may readily be made relatively free of barr effects. A further advantage, where packages are being built on multi-position winding apparatus, is that random dofiing may be employed. That is, a particular position may be defied and a new package started at any time without disturbing the other positions and without making any adjustments to the winding apparatus. This fea ture can become decidedly advantageous from an economic standpoint since it permits more effective and continuous use of all positions.

The prior art attempts to produce DFW packages have not been completely successful due to inherent disadvantages of the mechanisms employed. Typical mechanical builders were incapable of providing rapid reversal of the yarn at the end of a traverse. This permitted the yard to build up in the vicinity of the traversals, and prevented production of straight conical end portions. It has been found that severe sluffing of the yarn can occur if the angle between the conical surface and the package axis is greater than about 30, and usually this occurs if the angle is greater than 24, but that slufling is substantially eliminated if the angle is less than 24. Prior art builders which were designed to operate within this limitation on the cone angle have heretofore been unable to maintain a true conical surface. Typically the angle of the tapered surface was much larger at the outer extremity of the tapered region due to the failure to provide sufficiently rapid reversal at the traversal point.

Accordingly, a primary object of the invention is to provide winding apparatus for building differential-fill wound Packages.

A further object is to provide packages of the above character having a straight barrel central region and straight tapered end regions.

A further object is to provide packages of the above character wherein the junctions between the barrel sides and the tapered regions are in the form of rounded transitions.

A further object is to provide apparatus of the above character which is flexible and which permits ready control or adjustment.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the several steps and the relation of one or more of such steps with respect to each of the others, and the article possessing the features, properties, and the relation of elements, which are exemplified in the following detailed disclosure, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

For a more complete understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the invention,

FIGURE 2 is a graph of cam displacement vs. cam angle of the preferred cam in FIGURE 1, and

FIGURE 3 is a schematic view illustrating how the traverse pattern produced by the cam displacements of FIGURE 2 produces the desired package profile.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, yarn 20 is fed at a con stant speed from a suitable source (not illustrated) to be wound on a rotating bobbin 22. A traverse ring 24 surrounds bobbin 22, and is repeatedly traversed parallel to the axis of the bobbin by extension and retraction of piston 26 on a double-acting hydraulic cylinder 28. A traveler 30, through which yarn 20 is threaded, orbits on ring 24 to form therewith a traverse mechanism, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. The axial position along bobbin 22 where yarn 20 is placed is thus determined by the instantaneous position of ring 24.

The range of movement of piston 26, and thus of ring 24, is controlled by the illustrated preferred cam assembly. A cam shaft 32 is rotatably mounted adjacent and parallel to piston 26, and is rotated by a clock mechanism illustrated as motor 34 at a slow rate. Right circular cylindrical members 36 and 38 are rigidly mounted at axially spaced positions on shaft 32, and are concentric with shaft 32. The opposed faces ofmembers 36 and 38 are shaped to form cam surfaces 40 and 42, respectively. These cam surfaces are inclined with respect to the axis of shaft 32, and are to a first approximation defined by the intersections of parallel planes with members 36 and 38. However, as will be explained, the cam surfaces advantageously differ slightly but significantly from those which would be produced by intersection of members 36 and 38 by planes.

A cam-sensing assembly 44 controls the cyclic operation of piston 26 in accordance with the rotation of shaft 32. Assembly 44 includes a mounting plate 46 mounted for movement with ring 24. One end of a cam-sensing finger 48 is pivotally mounted on plate 46 by pivot pin 50, the opposite end 52 extending between cam surfaces 40 and 42. Micro-switches 54 and 56 are mounted on plate 46 on opposite sides of finger 48 and have their plungers facing the finger, so that rotation of finger 48 upwardly about its pivot will actuate switch 54, while rotation of finger 48 in the opposite direction will actuate switch 56. Finger 48 may be spring-loaded to the intermediate position illustrated if desired, although the plunger springs of the micro-switches may be sufiiciently strong themselves to avoid the need for a separate spring.

Switches 54 and 56 are connected through cable 58 to control the flow of hydraulic fiuid to cylinder 28 through a suitable solenoid diversion valve 60, etc., so that upon actuation of switch 54, piston 26 is driven down or retracted until switch 56 is actuated, whereupon piston 26 is driven up until switch 54 is again actuated. This basic sequence of operations is cyclically repeated so that yarn is deposited on the bobbin in the area between the limits of travel of ring 24.

As piston 26 is extended from the position illustrated, ring 24 and assembly 44 will be raised until the end 52 of cam finger 48 engages the cam surface 40, closing switch 54. The points in the stroke of piston 26 at which the piston reverses direction are thus determined by the angular position of shaft 32. By rotating shaft 32 so that one revolution occupies considerably longer than the time required for piston 26 to travel through one of its cycles, the area on bobbin 22 upon which yarn is wound is gradually shifted up and down to form the yarn package having contours similar to those illustrated. As an example, shaft 32 may be driven to rotate four times per hour, while piston 26 would complete a cycle every few seconds. This superimposes on the basic sequence noted above a cyclic shifting of the limits of travel of ring 24, so that the package contours are controlled according to the shape of the cam surfaces.

As previously mentioned, cam surfaces 40 and 42 may advantageously differ from those which would be produced by intersection of members 36 and 38 by planes. In order to produce tapered regions which closely conform to the desired conical configuration, the cam surfaces 40 and 42 are preferably somewhat modified to conform to the exemplary cam curve as given by the following table and illustrated in FIGURE 2, wherein the axial displacement of surface 42 relative to a fixed point on shaft 32 is given in inches for various angular positions of shaft 32, starting at the portion of surface 42 which is furthest from motor 34.

TABLE I Displace- Displacement, inches ment, inches Angle, degrees Angle, degrees or 360 0. 000 100 or 2G0 1. 665 or 355 0. 117 110 or 250 1. 789 or 350- 0.226 120 or 240 1. 909 or 345- 0. 334 130 or 230- 2.027 or 340. 0. 433 140 or 220- 2.140 or 330 0. 622 150 or 210- 2. 253 or 320 0. 797 160 or 200- 2. 362 or 310. 0. 958 165 or 195 2. 416 or 300.- 1.130 170 or 190 2. 473 or 290 1 262 175 or 185 2. 539 or 280 1. 398 180 or 180 2. 600 or 270 1. 536

Cam surface 40 is identical to surface 42 although oppositely disposed on shaft 32, so that the reference or zero point is the point nearest motor 34. Cam surface 42 is thus rotated 180 with respect to cam surface 40. The traversal limits are at their lowest extreme displacement when the cam-sensing assembly 44 responds to the 0 position of cam surface 42, and are at their opposite and highest extreme displacement when assembly 44 responds to the 180 position of cam surface 42. The traversal limits are thus gradually shifted back and forth between successive extreme displacements which occur at the 0 and 180 positions of cam surface 42.

FIGURE 3 illustrates the relationship between the cam profile, the traverse pattern, and the contours of the yarn package produced, showing that the contours of the tapered region are controlled by the cam profile.

The angular displacements specified in Table I correspond to a fixed length of yarn per degree so long as the yarn take-up speed and the rotational speed of shaft 32 remain proportional to one another. Ordinarily these factors will remain constant during operation. Thus at a yarn take-up speed of 300 yards per minute, each 5 increment in Table I corresponds to 62.5 yards of yarn taken up, while each 10 increment corresponds to yards of yarn taken up.

Table I may be converted to define the relationship in terms of the yarn lengths L between various particular points on the yarn and a reference point on the yarn which was wound during the occurrence of and thus corresponds to one of the outermost extreme displacements of the traversal limits. This is set forth in Table II, wherein M represents the length of of the yarn wound on the bobbin between successive extreme displacements of the traversal limits, e.g., during 180 rotation of shaft 32. Length M thus corresponds to the length of yarn wound on bobbin 22 during each 5 of rotation of shaft 32.

TABLE 11 Length L Displace- Length L Displacement, inches ment, inches 0. 000 20 or 52M 1. 665 0. 117 22 or 50M 1. 789 0. 226 1. 909 0. 33-1 2. 027 0. 433 2. 0. 622 2. 253 0. 797 2. 362 0. 958 2. 416 1. 130 2. 473 1. 282 2. 539 1. 398 2. 600 18 or 54M 1. 536

In the disclosed apparatus, it may be seen on inspection that length M is dependent solely upon the yarn takeup speed (e.g., the speed at which yarn 20 is fed to bobbin 22) and upon the rate of revolution of shaft 32, and is independent of the r.p.m. of bobbin 22 and of the speed of piston 26. In the specific embodiment noted above, M equals 62.5 yards. According to Table II, and selecting as the reference point one which was wound during an extreme downward displacement of the limits, when either M or 71M (62.5 or 4437.5, respectively) yards have been wound after the reference point, the lower limit will be 0.117 inch above its lowest point, while the upper limit will be 0061 (2600-2539) inch above its lowest point. Similarly, when either 3M or 69M (187.5 or 4312.5, respectively) yards have been wound after the reference point, the lower limit will be 0.334 inch above its lowest point, while the upper limit will be 0.184 (2.600- 2.416) inch above its lowest point. Since the upper and lower traverse limits are moved different distances for a given rotation of shaft 32, the traverse stroke length actually varies somewhat for different angular positions of the cams.

The packages produced by cams formed according to the above Table I are characterized by having conically tapered end portions and a cylindrical central region, connected by a rounded intersection region to facilitate removal of the yarn from the package.

It will be understood that the curve defined by Table I herein would be duplicated in substance if the displacements are substantially proportional to those given in the table. Thus if the displacement is, for example, 1.300 inches, the 90 displacement would be about 0.768 inch in a cam curve according to the present invention. The same considerations of course apply to Table II.

The displacements of the traversal limits according to the present invention are not linear with respect to either time -or yarn length L, since it is desired to produce true conical surfaces. It may be seen that a given length of yarn wound near an outer extremity'of a tapered end region will produce a greaterincrease in package diameter at that point thanwillthe same length of yarn wound nearer the barrel, region, since the average change in package radius produced by adding a given length of yarn is inversely proportional to the square of the average package radius on which the yarn is wound. Accordingly, linear displacement of the traversal limits will produce a convex end region rather than a conical end region. Since the permissible angle of the tapered end surfaces with the bobbin axis is limited to 24 or less, as noted above, provision of conical end regions permitsa maximum amount of yarn to be wound on a package of a given maximum diameter. This is accomplished by the present invention.

Many detail changes may be made in the specifically disclosed. apparatus without departing from the spirit of the invention. Thus, microswitches 54 and 56 could be mounted on plate 46with their plungers in line with and facing the proper cam surface, so that finger 48 could be eliminated. Likewise the carnsurfaces and 42 could be reversed so as to face away from each other if the micro-switches were suitably mounted so as to be engaged at the proper points in the stroke of piston 26.

Other means, such as photosensitive devices, can 'be used to detect the edges of the cams and thus control cylinder 26. The micro-switches may be replaced by a mechanically operated hydraulic diversion valve for controlling cylinder 28, if the diversion valve is moved with piston 26 and physically located to be actuated by contact with cam surfaces 40 and 42. While the preferred mechanism for traversing ring 24 is a hydraulic cylinder 28, other reversible linear motors may be substituted therefor. Ring 24 may be driven through a linkage such as a bell crank, rather than being directly attached to the piston of the linear motor employed.

Similarly while only a single winding position is shown, it should be understood that in normal practice several traverse rings would be driven by a single hydraulic cylinder and controlled by a single pair of cams 40 and 42.

From the above description and the accompanying drawing it may be seen that novel differential-fill wound packages having conical tapered end portions and a right circular cylindrical central region have been provided. Packages wound according to the disclosed cam configuration have rounded transistion regions between each conical end portion and the central region, thus facilitating smooth removal of the yarn from the package. The specific disclosed apparatus, including a pair of opposed cams and a cam sensing mechanism for controlling the traverse mechanism produces the desired DFW package in an efiicient manner, requiring a minimum number of auxiliary control parts since one cam and cam sensing assembly can control an entire bank of positions.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above; among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efi-lciently attained and, since certain changes may be made in carrying out the above process, in the described product, and in the constructions set forth without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A yarn package comprising in combination:

( a) a cylindrical bobbin,

(b) and yarn wound around the periphery of said bobbin to form a package, said yarn repetitively traversing along the axis of said bobbin, between:

(1) a first limit displaced substantially proportional to the .displaoementsdefined in.Table II, 5 wherein L represents the yarn lengths between specified points on said yarn and a reference point'on said yarn which corresponds to one of the outermost extreme displacements of said limit, and wherein M represents of the length second limit being shifted 36M in respect to the instantaneous displacement value of said first limit. 2. The method of distributing yarn along. the axis of a rotating bobbin comprising the steps of:

said bobbin so that said yarn is deposited in an area between given limits along the axis of said bobbin,

(b) and simultaneously:

(1) as said yarn is wound on said bobbin, displacing a first of said limits substantially proportional tothe displacement-s defined in Table II wherein L represents the yarn lengths between specified points on said yarn and a reference point on said yarn which corresponds to one of the outermost extreme displacements of said limit, and wherein M represents & of the length of the yarn wound on said bobbin between successive extreme displacements of said limit, as follows:

TABLE II Length L Displace- Length L Displacement, inches ment, inches 0. 000 20 or 52M 1. 665 0.117 22 or 50M 1.789 0.225 24 or 48M 1.909 0.334 26 or 4sM 2.027 0.433 23 or 44M 2.140 0. 022 30 or 42M 2. 253 0. 797 32 or 40M 2. 362 0. 95s 33 or 39M 2. 410 1. 130 34 or 38M. 2. 473 1. 252 35 or 37M 2.539 1.398 30 or 36M 2. 600 13 or 54M 1. 530

(2) and displacing the other of said limits substantially proportional to the displacements defined in Table II, the instantaneous displacement value of the other of said limits being shifted 36M with respect to the instantaneous displacement value of said first limit.

3. In yarn winding apparatus wherein a traverse mechanism distributes yarn along the .axis of a rotating bobbin, apparatus for controlling said traverse mechanism comprising in combination:

(a) a first cam surface having linear and angular dis- (a) repetitively traversing said yarn along the axis of i placements substantially proportional to those defined in Table I as follows:

displacements substantially proportional to those defined in Table I as follows:

TABLE I TABLE I Angle, degrees Displace- Angle, degrees Displace- Angle, degrees Displace' Angle, degrees Displacement, inches ment, inches ment, inches ment, inches 0.000 100 or 260- 1. 665 Or 360 0.000 or 260- 1. 665 0. 117 or 250. 1. 789 0. 117 110 or 250 1. 789 O. 226 120 or 240 1. 909 0. 226 120 or 240. 1. 909 0. 334 or 230 2.027 0. 334 130 or 230 2.027 0. 433 or 220 2. 140 0. 433 140 or 220- 2. 140 0. 622 or 210 2. 253 O. 622 150 or 210. 2. 253 O. 797 or 200- 2. 362 0. 797 160 or 200. 27 362 0. 958 or 195- 2. 416 0. 958 165 or 195 2. 416 1. 130 or 190- 2. 473 1. 130 170 or 190. 2. 473 1. 262 or 185- 2. 539 1. 262 175 or 185 2. 539 1.398 or 180 2. 600 1. 398 180 or 180- 2.600 1. 536 1. 536

(b) a second cam surface substantially identical to said first cam surface and having linear and angular displacements which are 180 angularly displaced from those specified in Table I,

(c) reversible drive means for driving said traverse mechanism parallel to the axis of said bobbin,

(d) cam surface sensing means attached to said traverse mechanism and positioned between said cam surfaces for reversing the direction of movement of said drive means when said cam surfaces are detected by said sensing means,

(e) and drive means for synchronously driving said cam surfaces at a low rate as compared to the traversal rate.

4. In yarn winding apparatus wherein a traverse mechanism distributes yarn along the axis of a rotating bobbin, apparatus for controlling said traverse mechanism, comprising in combination:

(a) a hydraulic cylinder having its .piston attached to said traverse mechanism whereby said traverse mechanism may be traversed axially along said bobbin,

(b) and means for so controlling said piston that said yarn is wound on said bobbin in the form of a package, said control means comprising:

(l) a first cam surface having linear and angular a second cam surface substantially identical to said first carn surface and having linear and angular displacements which are 180 angularly displaced from those specified in Table I,

cam surface sensing means attached to said traverse mechanism and positioned between said cam surfaces for reversing the direction of movement of said drive means when said cam surfaces are detected by said sensing means,

and drive means for synchronously driving said cam surfaces at a low rate as compared to the traversal rate.

References Cited by the Examiner FOREIGN PATENTS 11/1930 Great Britain.

STANLEY N. GILREATH, Primary Examiner.

MERVIN ST-EIN, Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A YARN PACKAGE COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: (A) A CYLINDRICAL BOBBIN, (B) AND YARN WOUND AROUND THE PERIPHERY OF SAID BOBBIN TO FORM A PACKAGE, SAID YARN REPETITIVELY TRAVERSING ALONG THE AXIS OF SAID BOBBIN, BETWEEN: (1) A FIRST LIMIT DISPLACED SUBSTANTIALLY PROPORTIONAL TO THE DISPLACEMENTS DEFINED IN TABLE II, WHEREIN L REPRESENTS THE YARN LENGTHS BETWEEN SPECIFIED POINTS ON SAID YARN AND A REFERENCE POINT ON SAID YARN WHICH CORRESPONDS TO ONE OF THE OUTERMOST EXTREME DISPLACEMENTS OF SAID LIMIT, AND WHEREIN M REPRESENTS 1/36 OF THE LENGTH OF THE YARN WOUND ON SAID BOBBIN BETWEEN SUCCESSIVE EXTREME DISPLACEMENTS OF SAID LIMIT, AS FOLLOWS:

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