US3428266A

US3428266A - Yarn winding apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3428266A
Application number: US633511A
Authority: US
Inventors: Michael Burgin Emery
Original assignee: EI Du Pont de Nemours and Co
Current assignee: EIDP Inc
Priority date: 1967-04-25
Filing date: 1967-04-25
Publication date: 1969-02-18
Anticipated expiration: 1986-02-18

Description

Filed Apfil 25, 1967 l of 5 Sheet INVENTOR MICHAEL BURGIN EMERY ATTORNEY YARN WI ND I N G APPARATUS FIG.3

Filed April 25, 1967 Shget of5 INVENTOR MICHAEL BURGIN EMERY ATTORNEY Feb. 18,1969 M. B. EMERY 3,428,266

YARN WIND ING APPARATUS INVENTOR MICHAEL BURGIN E MERY ATTORNEY Feb. 18, 1969 M. B. EMERY YARN WIND ING APPARATUS Sheet Filed April 25, 1967 v I NVEN'IOR M ICHAEL B URG I N EMERY BY W Add ATTORNEY Feb. 18, 1969 M. B. EMERY YARN WINDING APPARATUS F I G 8 Filed April 25, 1967 INVENTOR MICHAEL BURGIN EM ERY Y Nada/ 4 ATTORNEY United States Patent 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE ilar windups.

Background of the invention This invention relates generally to the packaging of synthetic yarns and, more particularly, to the equipment with which yarn advancing continuously from a source is wound on successive packages.

Windups which include a print or drive roll to which yarn advances from a reciprocating traverse guide and from which the yarn is deposited on a surface driven package are in wide use. To avoid waste during a doffing cycle, such windups have been modified by the provision of two rotatable package supports alternately movable into surface driven engagement with the drive roll and of auxiliary equipment for accomplishing transfer of the yarn from a full package to a driven empty support. Such auxiliary equipment is permanently installed at each winding position, requiring a yarn transfer mechanism for each windup. This necessitates a considerable investment in equipment at plant locations where a large number of windups are used. A windup of this type is disclosed in my copending US. application Ser. No. 406,522, filed Oct. 26, 1964, and now US. Patent No. 3,310,247.

Summary of the invention This invention has as its most important objective the provision of a portable yarn transfer mechanism which can be used sequentially with a plurality of windups of the type described to transfer yarn automatically from a full to an empty support. Another object of the invention is to provide for positive control of the yarn during a transfer cycle. A further object of the invention is to provide for the direct transfer of the yarn from a full package to an empty support without waste. A corollary object of this invention is to provide for the winding of a transfer tail at the beginning of each package.

These and other objects are achieved in a windup which includes a drive roll, a pair of rotatable chucks, a package support on each chuck, each chuck and associated support being alternately movable into surface driven engagement with the drive roll, a reciprocating traverse guide through which yarn normally advances around the drive roll to a driven package support and a portable device for transferring the yarn from a full package to a driven empty package support. The transfer device includes a mobile support and an extensible frame mounted on the support for movement into position adjacent an empty package support on the driven chuck. The frame has an elongated surface adapted on one side for engagement with a reference surface on the windup and carries a cross slide which has a stroke, lengthwise of the package support, that terminates beyond the limit of the traverse guide stroke. Each chuck has 3,428,266 Patented Feb. 18, 1969 a groove with snaring elements located beyond the limit of the traverse guide stroke for snagging the yarn to initiate a package. A- plurality of guides are provided on the cross slide to sweep the yarn out of the windup traverse guide, retain the yarn within the limits of the drive roll, bring the yarn into alignment and proximity with the snagging device on the driven chuck and form a transfer tail during package initiation. Control means are also provided to continuously actuate the windup and the yarn transfer device in preselected sequence following completion of a package.

Brief description of the drawings FIGURE 1 is a schematic side view of the windup with the yarn transfer device in a retracted position.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary front view of the windup.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 with the yarn transfer device extended and in operative engagement with the windup.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the supporting and extending mechanism.

FIG. 5 is a side View of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a partially sectioned isometric view of the principal elements of the windup and the yarn transfer device showing the yarn transfer device operatively engaged with the windup.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view showing the pivotal mounting and biasing of the transfer tail forming rod on the transfer device.

FIG. 8 is a schematic representation of the control features of the windup and the transfer device.

Detailed description of the preferred embodiment Referring to FIG. 1, it will be seen that the windup chosen for purposes of illustration includes generally, as components thereof, an equipment frame 10, a pair of articulated

swing arms

12, 14 mounted for relative rotation about a common pivot 16,

rotatable chucks

18, 20 on stub shafts at the extremities of

arms

12, 14, a drive roll 22, a reciprocating traverse guide 24 through which yarn 26 advances from guide 23 under drive roll 22 to a package 28 on chuck 20, and a transfer device TD.

Just prior to the completion of package 28 a piston and cylinder assembly 40 is actuated to pivot a latch 42 clockwise, thereby releasing arm 12 from its ready position to one in which an empty support 44 on chuck 18 is in surface driven engagement with drive roll 22.

At the timed completion of package 28, a piston and a cylinder assembly 32 and coupled linkages are actuated to release a pawl 34 and to prepare the illustrated cams for descent of arm 14 to a point where the stub shaft rests on a cradle 36. Chuck 20 will continue to rotate and take up yarn when it reaches the dotted line position shown at 20".

As described more fully hereinafter, the descent of package 28 initiates extensible and pivotal movement of transfer device TD to a position (FIG. 3) beneath drive roll 22 and the then drive but empty package support 44 on chuck 18. When yarn 26 has been transferred to and is winding on that support, transfer device TD is returned to the retracted position shown in FIG. 1. Then a braking means, not shown, engages with chuck 20'. This leaves package 28 ready for doffing, which is accomplished after arm 14 has been swung to a position where it is held in a notch 48 on latch 42. After replacement of the full package with an empty tube 44, arm 14 is unlatched at 48 and swung further to the ready position, i.e., to the position shown for arm 12 in FIG. 1. In the meantime, a package is being built on chuck 18.

In FIG. 2 the stub shaft on which chuck 20 is rotatably mounted has been shown at 50. It is the illustrated length of shaft 50 which engages cradle 36 when the chuck is in position 20'. Chuck 20 has a groove 52 cut in its surface adjacent the location of support tube 44. Chuck 18 is similarly equipped. Within each groove 52, there are several V-shaped snaring elements 54 and angularly disposed severing elements 55 which function to snare and sever yarn 26 at the initiation of a package. A transfer tail of one or more helical wraps is wound when yarn 26 is released by transfer device TD.

In general, yarn transfer device TD includes two main components, a transporting mechanism and a yarn transferring mechanism. In the illustrated embodiment, the transporting mechanism includes a guide block 68 suspended from monorail 62 through monorail trolley 64 and beam 66. This allows the yarn transfer device to be manually moved into position for operation at any one of a plurality of windups. In FIGS. 4, and 6, guide block 68 carries a pair of parallel slideable rods 70 fixedly interconnected at their one end by rod 72 which is journaled in frame 58. As shown in FIG. 4, secured to block 68 is a double acting hydraulic cylinder 74, the piston rod 76 of which is attached to rod 72, thus providing for reciprocable movement of the frame when fluid is admitted to

supply lines

78 and 80 on cylinder 74. Secured to frame 58 (e.g. by welding) is a crank plate 59 in which are two

pivots

56, 57; the plate 59 in conjunction with rod 72 provides a three-point pivot suspension for frame 58. At the opposite end of one guide rod 70, there is a pivot 82 which carries a bell crank 83 that in turn carries two

pivots

84 and 85. Link 86 with cam track 88 attached to it connects pivot 56 to pivot 85, and an equal length link 87 connects pivot 57 to pivot 84. Cam track 88 is engaged by cam follower 89 which is fixed with respect to block 68 so that when rod 76 is extended or retracted,

links

86, 87 are shifted by the combination of cam track 88 and cam follower 89 causing the frame 58 to pivot about rod 72 (approximately 45 In the yarn transferring mechanism, as best shown in FIG. 6, centrally mounted on top of frame 58 is a fluid operated rotary actuator 90, e.g., Rotac manufactured by Ex-Cello Corp., Greenville, Ohio. Actuator 90 receives fluid power through

lines

213, 215 in a manner to be described later. Shaft 94 of actuator 90 carries a forked arm 96 which engages pin 98 fastened to one side of cross slide 100 which is carried by rods 106 on frame 58. On the other side of cross slide 100 is a pivotal mounting 104 for an elongated rod 102 which extends beyond yarn 26 as the yarn descends to traverse guide 24. As shown in FIG. 7, pivot 104 which supports rod 102 is carried in a hole in the underside of cross-slide 100 and is secured for rotational movement by snap ring 111. Wrapped loosely about piv-ot 104 is a helical spring 107, one end of which is engaged in a hole in slide 100 while the other end is connected to pivot 104 by pin 105. A tapered cam surface 103 is provided at the end of rod 102, the purpose of which will be described hereinafter. The effect of spring 107 is to bias rod 102 counterclockwise about the axis of pivot 104 (FIG. 6) to an angle of about 30 degrees with respect to a plane at right angles to the drive roll axis. At opposite limits of travel of cross-slide 100 on rods 106, rod 102 is engaged above pivot 104 by stop 118 and below pivot 104 by stop 119, both of which are fixed to frame 58. This engagement in each instance overcomes the bias of spring 107 and disposes rod 102 parallel to a plane perpendicular to the axis of drive roll 22. Extending forwardly and downwardly from the lower edge of crossslide 100 (FIGS. 3 and 6) is an L-shaped arm 108 with a hook 109 formed on one end. Fastened to frame 58 is a bar 110 located near the plane of one end of the drive roll 22 to prevent the yarn from falling off the one end of the roll after its removal from traverse guide 24 during a yarn transfer operation.

Referring again to FIGS. 1, 3 and 6, an extension member 112 is provided on one side of frame 58. The member extends below rod 72 and has a flanged lip 114 (FIG. 6)

formed at its lower end to serve as a yarn guide, as will be more fully described here below. Frame extension member 112 is adapted to abut either the planar surface 15 of the pivot of articulated swing arm 12 or the same surface 15 of swing arm 14, depending on which swing arm is carrying the empty support to accommodate package initiation. Frame 58 is slidea-ble on rod 72 and is urged toward surface 15 by spring 116 disposed between rod 70 and frame 58, as best shown in FIGS. 4 and 6. When the transfer mechanism is moved from its retracted position (FIG. 1) to its engaged position (FIGS. 3 and 6), frame extension member 112 first engages chamfered surface 13 then surface 15 as frame 58 is moved to the engaged position, thus camming frame 58 into a preselected dimensional relationship with the windup assembly, in which relationship the left side of the elongated bar 102 and the left side of the L-shaped arm 108 can sweep the yarn 26 into a plane in alignment with the groove 52 when the cross-slide reaches its terminal position at the left.

The condition of various related control components while a package is being wound on chuck 20 has been shown schematically in FIG. 8. Completion of the package is determined by a timer 120 which closes a switch 122 to connect

solenoids

124, 126 to power source 121. With the energization of solenoid 124 a coupled valve plug 130 is rotated to admit fluid to cylinder 40 which actuates latch 42, releasing arm 12 from its ready position. Energization of solenoid 126 rotates a coupled valve plug 134 to the position which exhausts the lower end of cylinder 32 to atmosphere. Resulting movement of associated linkages causes clockwise rotation of pawl 34, permitting descent of arm 14. In its movement, pawl 34 also reverses the position of switch 136, thereby deenergizing solenoid 126 and energizing solenoid 138. Deenergization of solenoid 126 permits clockwise return of valve plug 134. With both ends of cylinder 32 again pressurized, the piston therein exhausts the lower end of cylinder 32 to atmosphere. Resulting movement of associated linkages causes clockwise rotation of pawl 34, permitting descent of arm 14. In its movement, pawl 34 also reverses the position of switch 136, thereby de-energizing solenoid 126 and energizing solenoid 138. De-energization piston therein returns to its initial position. In the meantime, the transfer device TD has been manually moved along rail 62 to this windup and the descent of package 28 permits arm 14 to close switch 46 which energizes solenoid 201 which in turn rotates a coupled valve plug 200 admitting oil through line 78 to the upper end of cylinder 74 thereby moving the transfer device TD into engagement with the windup. As piston rod 76 reaches the extent of its travel, lug 204 on rod 76 closes a normally open switch 207 which in turn energizes solenoid 203. Energization of solenoid 203 rotates a coupled valve plug 202 admitting pressurized oil through line 213 to rotary actuator 90. This rotates arm 96 clockwise, thus moving cross-slide 100 leftward. At the end of the leftward stroke of slide 100, lug 211, on slide 100, opens normally closed switch 209, de-energizing solenoid 201. Valve plug 200 returns to its former position (as shown) admitting pressurized oil through line 80 to the lower end and allowing oil to exhaust from the upper end of cylinder 74 thereby causing withdrawal of the transfer device. Upward movement of piston rod 76 allows switch 207 to open; however, under the restraint of its dashpot, switch 207 remains closed for several seconds delaying the de-energization of solenoid 203. This delay persists during the first increment of upward motion of the transfer device to retain the yarn in a position of alignment with the severing elements on the chuck 20 to allow hook 109 to bring the yarn into engagement with these elements as the transfer device is moved away from the windup. Additionally rod 102, being held against stop 118, remains in proximal alignment with the end of support 44 on chuck 18 and initiates a transfer tail on support 44 as the transfer device is withdrawn. De-energization of solenoid 203 permits valve plug 202 to return to its normal position, admitting oil through line 215 to actuator 90 thereby returning slide 100 to the right to its starting position. Movement of slide 100 to the right allows a delayed closing of switch 209 by virtue of its dashpot. This delay is to maintain switch 209 in the open position until after timer 120 runs out de-energizing all circuits thereby eliminating premature downward operation of cylinder 74.

In operation, with extension 112 of frame 58 in the engaged position, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the rotary actuator 90 is operated as previously described, causing arm 96 to swing clockwise carrying cross-slide 100 beyond one limit of the traverse stroke. The L-shaped arm 108 attached to cross-slide 100 carries that portion of yarn 26 below the drive roll 22 to the plane of groove 52 in chuck 18. At the same time, elongated 'bar 102 also carried by cross-slide 100 deflects yarn 26 removing it from traverse guide 24 and carries the portion of the yarn above the drive roll 22 to the plane of groove 52. During its lateral sweep and after leaving stop 119, bar 102 is allowed to rotate counterclockwise about 30 as controlled by the torsion spring (FIG. 7) associated with pivot 104. This position of bar 102 allows the bar to deflect the yarn outwardly from the traverse guide. When bar 102 reaches the limit of its stroke, it strikes stop 118 which deflects bar 102, keeping yarn 26 carried by the bar in the plane of the groove 52. Except for flanged lip 114 which extends into the area of the traverse stroke, the yarn would be deflected from package 28 to the rotating chuck 20 and would be entangled thereon limiting effective snaring and severing.

When cross-slide 100 is in the position described to bring the yarn into the plane of the yarn snaring and severing device, the frame 58 is retracted. As arm 108 is withdrawn, hook 109 engages yarn 26 carrying it into proximity of the snaring and severing device in groove 52. When snared, severed and winding on support 44, the yarn is still temporarily restrained by bar 102 from engaging traverse guide 24 until 'bar 102 is sufficiently withdrawn to allow the yarn to escape over its end. At the instant rod 102 ceases to engage yarn 26, the yarn under the control of fixed guide 23 swings to the right to support 44 forming a transfer tail and is then engaged by traverse guide 24. In order to control the length of the transfer tail, a cam surface 103 is provided at the end of rod 102. With this feature and upon the withdrawal of rod 102, the yarn will simultaneously progress along surface 103 and move laterally in a transfer tail of one or more helical wraps on support 44. The length of the transfer tail may be controlled by changing the angle or shape of cam surface 103 or by varying the rate of withdrawal of the transfer device. As the frame 58 is retracted, cross-slide 100 is returned to its starting position and the transfer device is moved to the next windup position to repeat its cycle.

While the arrangement of this invention shows the transfer device transported by means of a monorail, this means is subject to variation. The transfer device could be floor mounted, for example, on wheels or carried by an endless belt to visit successively a plurality of windup positions. Furthermore, as an alternate to the camming means for dimensionally locating the transfer device with respect to the windup, locating surfaces could be provided on the transporting means as, for example, on the monorail.

Although the description has been directed to: an elongated rod 102 as a yarn deflecting member, it is obvious that various other structural forms would be suitable substitutes for this member as for example a plate or a plate or bar with a guide attached thereto.

It is apparent that many changes and modifications of the disclosed transfer mechanism may be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention, which is accordingly intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a winding apparatus including a drive roll, a pair of rotatable chucks alternately movable into surface driven engagement with the drive roll, each chuck carrying a package support and having yarn snaring and severing elements adjacent the support thereon, and a traverse guide through which yarn normally advances around the drive roll to the driven support, a yarn transfer mechanism comprising:

(a) a frame (b) means mounting the frame for reciprocable movement toward and away from a position adjacent both the drive roll and an empty driven support;

(c) a yarn deflecting member mounted on said frame for lateral movement to a location of alignment with said elements, said member being above the roll and projecting beyond the normal yarn path of advance to the traverse guide; and

(d) motive means coupled to said member for laterally moving it to and from said location, said member being adapted to sweep the yarn from the traverse guide toward said location during said lateral movement and to release the yarn to the empty driven support as the frame is moved away from said position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein is provided means for pivotally biasing said member toward said location.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein is provided an elongated arm mounted on said frame: for concurrent lateral movement with said member to and from said location, said arm projecting beyond the yarn path below said roll and being provided with a hook adapted to bring the yarn into engagement with said elements as said frame moves away from said position.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 including means coupled to said mounting means for imparting said reciprocable movement.

5. In a winding apparatus having a plurality of windups, each windup including a drive roll, a pair of rotatable chucks alternately movable into surface driven engagement with the drive roll, each chuck carrying a package support and having yarn snaring and severing elements adjacent the support thereon and a traverse guide through which yarn normally advances around the drive roll to the driven package support, a device for transferring yarn from a full package to an empty driven support and winding a transfer tail thereon, said device comprising:

(a) a mobile support block mounted. for movement into a position adjacent each of the windups;

(b) a frame;

(c) means connecting said block and said frame for reciporcating said frame toward and away from a position of engagement with a windup adjacent both the drive roll and an empty driven support;

(d) a yarn deflecting member mounted on said frame for lateral movement to a location of alignment with said elements, said member being above the roll and projecting beyond the normal yarn path of advance to the traverse guide when said frame is in engagement with the windup;

(e) a hook mounted on said frame for concurrent lateral movement with said member, said hook projecting beyond the yarn path below said roll; and

(f) motive means coupled to said member and said hook for moving them laterally of the driven support to said location thereby moving the yarn to said location, said hook and said member being adapted to respectively bring the yarn into engagement with said elements to sever the yarn and form a transfer tail on the empty driven support as said frame moves away from said position of engagement with the windup.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said yarn deflecting member is an elongated rod, said rod being provided with a tapered cam surface adapted to control the length of 3,428,266 7 8 the transfer tail Wound on the empty driven support as References Cited the frame moves away from said position of engagement.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein is provided means UNITED STATES PATENTS for pivotally biasing said rod toward said location of align- 2 789 774 4/ 1957 P ter en et a1, 24218 ment with said elements during said lateral movement. 3 076,614 2/1963 Ba er,

8. The apparatus of claim 7 including stop means on 3,149,795 9/1964 Rheim 242-48 said frame for overcoming said bias at opposite limits of said lateral movement. NATHAN L. MINTZ, Primary Examiner.