US3501820A

US3501820A - Slub catcher

Info

Publication number: US3501820A
Application number: US732188A
Authority: US
Inventors: Samuel L Abbott
Original assignee: Abbott Machine Co Inc
Current assignee: Abbott Machine Co Inc
Priority date: 1968-05-27
Filing date: 1968-05-27
Publication date: 1970-03-24
Anticipated expiration: 1987-03-24
Also published as: JPS4913939B1; DE1926711C3; JPS4912862B1; DE1926711B2; DE1926711A1

Description

March 24, 1970 s. L. ABBOTT SLUB CATGHER s Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 27, 1968 a an i y March 24, 1970 s. 1.. ABBOTT SLUB CATCHER Filed May 27. 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 24-, 1970 s, ABBOTT I 350K820 SLUB CATCHER Filed May 27, 1968 I 3 Shets-Sheet s United States Patent US. CI. 28-64 16 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE In a machine for winding yarn, slub catchers for the one or more winding units embodied therein, each slub catcher being characterized in that it is adjustable for yarns of different size, and means for automatically, simultaneously or successively adjusting the several slub catchers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The slub catcher herein illustrated is of the kind shown in Patent No. 3,304,016, dated Feb. 14, 1967, and Patent No. 3,254,388, dated June 7, 1966, and has a pair of confronting blocks with a portion of one block out back so as to provide a yarn passage between the two. The block containing the cut-back surface is replaceable so that by stocking blocks with different depth cut-back and by substituting one block for another the device may be adjusted for yarns of different diameter. The objects of this invention are to provide a slub catcher which can be adjusted for yarns of different size without replacement of any of its component parts; and to provide for adjustment of a plurality of slub catchers at the same time as when there are a number of winding heads on a stationary winder or successively when where are a number of Winding heads on a travelling winder. Other objects are to provide a slub catcher in which the width of the yarn passage may be maintained with a high degree of accuracy; to provide a yarn passage which is designed to retain the running yarn; and to provide means for effecting adjustment of the width of the yarn passage with a minimum amount of manipulation.

SUMMARY As herein illustrated, the slub catcher comprises members having confronting surfaces, portions of which are spaced from each other and provide a passage between them through which a yarn may be drawn, means supporting the members for relative movement in a direction substantially at right angles to the axis of the passage, and means for adjusting the spacing of the spaced portions of the members without effecting the relation of the slidably engaged portions with each other for yarns of different diameter. The members comprise fixed and movable parts having slidably engaged bearing surfaces. The fixed part has a yarn guiding surface coplanar with its bearing surface and the movable part has a yarn guiding surface offset from its bearing surface. The movable part embodies a flexible blade which carries the yarn guiding surface thereon and a screw associated with the blade at a point intermediate its ends operable by rotation to flex the blade and by such flexing to move the yarn guiding surface thereon toward and from the yarn guiding surface on the fixed part. The screw is provided with an arm by which its operation is effected and on a stationary machine where there are several such winding units a shaft is provided by means of which the several arms may be actuated simultaneously to effect adjustment of the slub catchers in unison. On a travelling winder there is an adjustable cam set in the path along which the winding units move at a position preceding 'ice the winding operation to effect automatic adjustment of the slub catcher as each head moves through said position. Optionally, instead of a shaft or cam for effecting this adjustment an electrically or hydraulically operated device may be provided including, for example, servo means.

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the slub catcher;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the slub catcher shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation;

FIG. 4 is a front elevation, to much larger scale, taken on the line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a horizontal section taken to much larger scale on the line 55 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view showing the adjustable blade in elevation;

FIG. 7 is a perspective showing several units of a travelling winder, each provided with an adjustable slub catcher and an adjustable cam device for effecting their adjustment as they move by the cam device;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view of a scale and means supporting the cam device for adjustment;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary section of a scale and of servo means for effecting adjustment of the cam;

FIG. 10 shows several winding units on a stationary winder, each provided with a slub catcher, an actuating arm and a common shaft for effecting adjustment of the several slub catchers simultaneously;

FIG. 11 shows a scaleand a servo for effecting rotation of the shaft as the indicator is moved along the scale;

FIG. 12 shows the slight toeing in of the movable yarn guiding surface relative to the fixed guiding surface by means of which the yarn passage narrows from front to back;

FIG. 13 is a section like FIG. 5 of an alternative arrangement of the parts shown to somewhat smaller scale wherein the yarn passages diverge from back to front;

FIG. 13a is a fragmentary view showing the blade recessed to increase its flexibility;

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary section similar to FIG. 13, modified to provide a yarn passage, the sides of which are substantially parallel;

FIG. 15 is a modification of the structure shown in FIG. 13, wherein the fixed assembly is extended rearwardly through the apron to provide greater support for the movable assembly; and

FIG. 16 is a fragmentary side elevation of a winding machine provided with a plurality of winding heads, only one of which is shown.

The invention to be described herein is equally useful in conjunction with winding machines in which the winding units are stationary as shown in Abbott, 2,277,574, or travelling as shown in Abbott, 2,266,726, and in particular to a winding machine provided with a Winding head of fixed or movable type embodying a spindle 1 for holding a yarn mass from which yarn is to be unwound, a spindle 2 upon which the yarn is wound to form a package 3, and between the spindles a tension device 4, a slub catcher 6, suitable guides 7 and a yarn traversing device 8. Such an arrangement is shown in Abbott, 2,623,265 and in this particular instance the heads travel continuously along a rail 9. In this machine the yarn travels upwardly from the tensioning device over an inclined apron 10 on which is mounted the slub catcher.

The slub catcher illustrated herein is mounted on the apron 10 which has a vertical portion 12 and an inclined portion 14, the former mounting the slub catcher and the latter leading upwardly therefrom to the traversing device by means of which the yarn is laid onto the package being wound.

The slub catcher is mounted on the vertical portion of the apron between vertically spaced blocks 16 and 18 (FIGS. 1, 3 and 4) and comprises a fixed assembly 20 and a movable assembly 22, the latter being movable forwardly and rearwardly with respect to the vertical portion of the apron relative to the fixed assembly 20 for the purpose of clearing the yarn passage which will be described hereinafter.

The fixed assembly 20 is in the form of a generally rectangular block 24 (FIG. 4) mounted between the

blocks

16 and 18 and contains a substantially rectangular cavity 26 which faces or confronts the movable assembly 22. In this cavity there are mounted a backing plate 28, a resilient cushion block 30 and a plurality of independently stacked blades 32 mounted one above the other in parallel contacting relation.

The movable assembly 22 comprises a block 33 (FIG. which extends rearwardly from the forward side of the vertical portion of the apron through an opening 34 to the rear side thereof and a flexible blade 36 mounted thereon with a spacer 38 between its rear end and the rear end of the block 33. The blade spacer and block are secured together by screw 'bolts 40. The blade 36 (FIG. 6) has a relatively narrow portion 36a rearwardly of the vertical portion of the apron and a wider portion 36b forwardly of the apron, to the forward extremity of which is fastened a block 42, screw bolts 44 being provided for securing it to the inner face of the blade 'in a position opposite the fixed assembly 20. The upper and lower ends of the block 42 are flared at 42a to provide entrance and exit spaces at the ends of the yarn passage 50.

The fixed and movable assemblies have slidably engaged bearing surfaces 46 and 48 (FIG. 5) which are yieldably held in engagement with each other as will appear hereinafter, and spaced yarn guiding surfaces 46a and 48a providing a yarn passage 50, these surfaces being constituted by a coplanar extension of the surface 46 and a set-back portion of the surface 48. The

surfaces

46 and 48 are carefully ground so as to maintain dimensional stability of the distance between the yarn guiding surfaces 46a, 48a and hence the width of the yarn passage. The yarn guiding surfaces 48, being constituted by the block 42 which is mounted at the forward end of the :blade 36, is movable forwardly and rearwardly relative to the yarn guiding surface 46a by flexing of the blade and this is effected in a precise manner by a spindle 52 having a reduced bearing 54 rotatably supported in a hole 56 in the blade 36 and a threaded portion 58 screwed into a threaded hole 60 in the block 33. By properly positioning the spindle 52 with respect to the opposite ends of the blade a 2 to 1 ratio of bending can be achieved and by providing the blade with a narrower portion 36a at the rear side of the apron most of the bending takes place in this portion so that the movement of the block 42 and hence the yarn guide surface 48a is on a long radius, as shown in FIG. 12. As shown the blade is designed to have a normal unflexed position parallel to the block 33 and to be moved toward the block 33 by rotation of the spindle in a direction to narrow the yarn passage. The spacer or shim 38 is approximately .035 inch thick, so that if the blade to provide a setting of .015 inch will bend the blade from .035 to .015 or about .020 inch and this in proportion to the length of the blade amounts to approximately .002 inch within the yarn passage thus narrowing the yarn passage from front to back. This narrowing of the package from front to back has the important advantage of holding the yarn against the bottom of the passage while it is running through without making the entrance thereto difficult.

Preferably the spindle 52 is centered about half the length of the blade so that the maximum range of adjustment can be obtained within an arc of about 30 of movement of the arm and is rotatably supported in a bearing block (FIG. 2) secured to the back side of the apron by screw bolts 72. The bearing bracket 70 contains a slot 74 through which the spindle 52 extends and permits the spindle to move linearly in a direction perpendicular to the apron and hence movement of the movable assembly 22 relative to the fixed assembly. A flexible arm 62 provided at one end with a hook 64 engaged with an eye 66 fixed to the blade 36 and attached at its other end to the bearing block 70, by means of a screw bolt 68, supports the movable assembly for the aforesaid movement. Rotation of the spindle 52 is provided for by an arm 76 (FIG. 3), one end of which is bifurcated to receive the end of the spindle and is adjustably clamped thereto by a screw bolt 78 threaded through the tines of the bifurcation.

The movable assembly 22 is yieldably supported against the fixed assembly 20 by spring means comprising a pair of arms 80 (FIGS. 1 and 2) bifurcated at one end for receiving a vertically mounted rod 82 and for clamping thereto by screw bolts 80a. The opposite ends of the arms 80 extend through openings (FIG. 2) in the blade 36 and have at their ends spring-pressed conical-shaped nubs 84 engaged with recesses 86 in the block 33. The rod 82 is supported by a bracket member 83 secured to the forward side of the apron, having at its upper and lower ends flanges 84 containing openings for rotatably receiving the rod 82.

FIG. 13 shows an alternate structure in which the blade 36a is fastened directly to the face of the block 33a without an intervening spacer. When constructed in this fashion the blade 36a is bent at 36c so that it diverges from the block 33a and normally holds the block 42a spaced from the fixed assembly 20b. In this form rotation of the spindle 52a moves the blade 36a toward the block 33a and since it grounds directly on the block 33a it is not possible to damage the blade 36a by turning the spindle down too hard.

To provide for greater flexibility of the blade 36a it may be desirable to grind it back as shown in FIG. 13a to provide a relatively thin flexible portion 36d between the end which is secured to the block 33 1 and the spindle 52a. Because of the bend in the blade 36a the block 42a diverges with respect to the fixed assembly in a direction from the bottom of the yarn passage toward the open mouth which is the reverse of the structure shown in FIG. 12. If desired, the block 42a may be ground on a bias to compensate for the bend in the blade as shown in FIG. 14.

With the multiplying factor mentioned above an angular movement of 30 requires a A by 32 spindle 52 to obtain the desired closing. A greater multiplying factor is possible by positioning the spindle ahead of the apron as shown in FIG. 15 and the spring means behind the apron. Advantageously this is achieved, as shown in FIG. 15, by extending the fixed assembly 20b through the apron 12b to the rear side, so that the entire movable assembly 22b has a long bearing surface on the fixed assembly 20b. A bracket and rod corresponding to the bracket 83 and rod 52, but not shown, are mounted on the rear side of the apron for supporting arms 80a corresponding to the arms 80, with their ends engaged with the movable assembly 22a yieldably to press it against the fixed assembly 20a. A bearing block corresponding to the block 70 is mounted on the front side of the apron so as to support the spindle 52a.

This arrangement, whereby there is a longer bearing surface between the movable and fixed assemblies is advantageous in that it is no longer necessary to grind back the entering and leaving portions of the movable assemblies. Originally such grinding back had to be done to prevent small nubs larger than the yarn size from encountering the fixed right-hand assembly. This, however, resulted in loss of effectiveness of the top and bottom blades 32 of the fixed assembly. It would have been better to have ground back the supporting member 24 of the fixed assembly but this lessened the length so much that the assemblies when opened for cleaning tended to tip. With the longer bearing surfaces provided as shown in these figures the support can be ground back without loss of the effect of any of the fingers.

The design of the slub catcher as thus described may be taken advantage of on stationary and travelling winding machines to effect adjustment of the slub catchers of a plurality of winding headson a stationary winding machine, enabling adjustment of all of the slub catchers at the same time and on a travelling winding machine adjustment of the slub catchers successively as the winding heads move along the machine toward the winding position.

FIG. diagrammatically shows a stationary winder with a plurality of winding heads 10a. As related above the arm 76 of each slub catcher is releasably clamped to the distal end of the spindle 52, so that the arm 76 of the several units may be rotated to a predetermined position on their rods with reference to a common shaft 90, having eccentrics 94 for engagement with the distal ends of the arms 76. An indicator arm 96 secured to one end of the shaft 90 provides mechanical means for rotating the shaft in either direction to raise or lower the arms 76 and hence to increase or decrease the width of the yarn passages 50. A suitable scale 98 may be employed in conjunction with the distal end of the indicator arm 96 to visibly indicate the adjustment desired for yarns of different diameter.

Optionally (FIG. 11), the indicator arm 98 may be connected to an electric or hydraulic follower mechanism 100, operation of which is effected by movement of the indicator along the scale to in turn effect rotation of the shaft 90.

A travelling winder is diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 7 wherein a number of winding units 10b travel along a predetermined path in the direction of the arrow a. To effect automatic adjustment the arms 76 of the severalunits are rotated rearwardly to a position to engage a cam device 102 mounted on the machine frame. The cam device comprises a slotted plate or its equivalent providing spaced parallel surfaces which forms a slot 104 corresponding in width to the thickness of the arms 76 and converging surfaces 106106 leading into the slot. The cam device is mounted on a track 108 (FIG. 8) for adjustment on the radius of the axis of the spindle 52 so as to prevent any binding between the arm and the slot 104. The converging surfaces 106106 will pick up the end of the arm as it approaches and guide it into the slot 104 from a level either below or above the slot. A suitable scale 110 mounted adjacent the track may be employed to indicate the extent of movement of the cam device necessary to make an adjustment for yarn of a given diameter. The cam device 102, shown in FIG. 8, may be grasped and moved along the scale to effect adjustment. FIG. 9 shows one component 112 of a servomotor, a gear 114 rotatable thereby and a gear sector 116 rotatable by the gear 114 about a center coinciding with the axis of the spindle 52. The other component of the servomotor (not shown) has on it an indicator 118 movable along a scale 120, movement of the indicator being operable to effect movement of the cam device.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that this invention includes all modifications and equivalents.

I claim:

1. A machine for processing yarn comprising a plurality of units, each embodying means for unwinding yarn from a mass of yarn and rewinding it to form a package, including a yarn traversing device and a slub catcher; characterized in that each slub catcher is adjustable for yarn size and there is common means operable to effect adjustment of the several slub catchers.

2. A machine according to claim 1, comprising a scale bearing indicia' representing yarn sizes, an indicator movable along said scale, and means operable thereby to effect operation of said common means.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said common means comprises a rod, a plurality of eccentrics on the rod, each slub catcher embodying an adjustable arm associated with one of the eccentrics and operable thereby to effect adjustment of the slub catcher of which it is a part, and means for effecting rotation of the rod to adjust all of said slub catchers simultaneously.

4. A machine according to claim 1, wherein the winding units are stationary and said common means comprising a cam shaft common to all of the units operable to effectadjustment of all of the slub catchers simultaneous- 1y.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the winding units are continuously travelling and said common means'comprising a cam device situated in the path of movement of the units as they travel around the machine operable, as each unit passes it, to effect its adjustment.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said common means comprises a cam device containing a slot, each slub catcher embodies an adjustable arm movable was the unit travels toward a 'winding position toward the slot, and means for guiding each arm into the slot to effect adjustment of the slub catcher as it passes said cam device.

7. In a machine for processing yarn comprising one or more units, each embodying means for unwinding yarn from a mass of yarn and rewinding it to form a package, including means for guiding the yarn through a slub catcher, a slub catcher characterized in that it comprises members providing spaced parallel yarn guiding surfaces which form a yarn passage, said members being relatively adjustable to increase or decrease the distance between said yarn guiding surfaces and hence the width of the yarn passage, and means operable prior to winding to effect relative movement of the members to provide a yarn passage corresponding in width to the size of the yarn being wound.

8. In a slub catcher, a yarn passage comprising members having spaced confronting surfaces supported for relative movement relative to each other to vary the width of the passage, and means mounting one of the members for movement of its surface relative to the other on an arc such that movement of the surfaces toward each other narrows the passage from front to back.

9. In a slub catcher, a yarn passage comprising members having spaced confronting surfaces, a flexible blade supporting one of said members for movement relative 'to the other, said blade being fixed at one end and bent intermediate its ends, and means forwardly of the bend operable to move the distal end of the blade and the mem ber supported therby relative to the other member.

10. A slub catcher according to claim 9, wherein the surafce of the blade supported member diverges from the surface of the other member forming a yarn passage which is narrower at the back than at the front.

11. A slub catcher according to claim 9, wherein the portion of the blade forwardly of the bend diverges from 'the other member and the surface of the member supported thereby is ground on a bias which is the reverse of the bias of the blade.

12. A slub catcher according to claim 9, wherein the blade is recessed at the obtuse side of the bend.

13. A- slub catcher according to claim 9, wherein the members have substantially coextensive, mutually engaged bearing surface-s yieldably supported for movement linearly with respect to each other to displace the confronting surfaces comprising the yarn passage to clear the passage.

14. A slub catcher comprising fixed and movable members having spaced confronting surfaces which form a yarn passage, said members being supported for relative movement to vary the width of the passage and means mounting one member for movement of its surface relative to the other comprising a long flexible blade supporting the movable member for movement relative to the fixed member, said blade being movable from a position parallel to the fixed member, in which position the yarn guiding surface thereon is parallel to the yarn guiding surface of the fixed member to a position in which it slopes relative to the fixed member, and in which position the yarn guiding surface also slopes relative to the yarn guiding surface on the fixed member in a direction such that the yarn passage is narrower at the front than at the back.

15. A winding machine wherein a plurality of winding units travel along a predetermined path and each unit embodies means for unwinding yarn from a mass of yarn and rewinding the yarn to form a package, said means including a yarn traversing device and a slub catcher located between the mass and the package, characterized in that the slub catcher com-prises members providing spaced parallel yarn guiding surfaces which form a yarn passage, said members being adjustable to increase or decrease the distance between the surfaces for yarns of different diameter and there is means on the winding frame situated adjacent the path of movement of the winding units operable as each winding unit moves by it to effect automatic adjustment of the slub catcher thereon.

16. Apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said means for effecting automatic adjustment of the slub catchers is located at a point in said path preceding commencement of the winding operation.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS LOUIS K. RIMRODT, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 242--36