US3598337A

US3598337A - Tape winding machine

Info

Publication number: US3598337A
Application number: US772088A
Authority: US
Inventors: John Kay Pringle Mackie
Original assignee: James Mackie and Sons Ltd
Current assignee: James Mackie and Sons Ltd
Priority date: 1967-11-02
Filing date: 1968-10-31
Publication date: 1971-08-10
Anticipated expiration: 1988-08-10
Also published as: ES359799A1; BE723296A; CH492626A; GB1250153A; AT304059B; DE1806193A1; FR1587589A; BR6803445D0

Abstract

The provision winding machine for tape includes a takeup spindle on which the tape from a letoff source is wound, a reciprocating traverse guide having sidewalls for guiding the tape in passing to the takeup spindle, a tape guide bar movably positioned in the tape path leading from the letoff source, and means for altering the relative positions between the tape guide bar and the takeup spindle during winding to assist the tape to move with the traverse guide away from its natural straight line path on the outward strokes, and to retard the movement of the tape back towards the natural straight line path on the return strokes, thereby preventing the tape from being crushed against the sidewalls of the traverse guide.

Description

United States Patent [72] Inventor John Kay Irllgle Mattie Belfast, Northern Ireland [21] Appl. No. 772,088 [22] Filed Oct. 31,1968 [45] Patented Aug. 10, 1971 [73] Assignee Janet Medtle a Sons Limited lellut, Northern Ireland 32 Priority Nev.2,1967 [33] Great Britain a 11 9818/67 [54] TAPE WINDING MACHINE 7 Claims, 4 Drawing Ilge.

[52] 11.8. CI. 242/158 11, 242/67.l R [51] lot. CL 5651: 54/28 [50] I'IeldolSeareh 242/158, 158.1,158.2,158.3,158.4, 55,67.1,43,61,62, 76, BIG. 2; 139/304, 306

[56] ltelereneeecled UNITED STATES PATENTS 774.323 1 H1904 Ilene 139/306 868,268 10/ 1907 Holmes et a1 139/306 1,267,080 5/1918 .Iudelshon 242/67.1

Weiss 242/671 1,867,596 7/1932 Roseman.... 242/158.3 X

2,135,668 1 1/ 1938 .Iudelshon 242/67.l X

2,220,613 1 III 940 Parkes et al. '242/76 X 2,476,070 7/ 1949 Solliday 242/76 X 2,782,029 2/1957 Uritis........... 242/76 2,989,265 6/ 1 961 Selsted 242/76 FOREIGN PATENTS 426,449 4/ 1935 Great Britain 242/55 1 964,062 4/ 1967 Great Britain 242/55 Primary Examiner-Stanely N. Gilreath Att0mey--DovveI1& Dowell ABSTRACT: The provision winding machine for tape ineludes a takeup spindle on which the tape from a letofi source is wound, a reciprocating traverse guide having sidewalls for guiding the tape in passing to the takeup spindle, a tape guide bar movably positioned in the tape path leading from the letofl eource, and means for altering the relative positions between the tape guide bar and the takeup spindle during winding to assist the tape to move with the traverse guide away from its natural straight line path on the outward strokes, and to retard the movement of the tape back towards the natural straight line path on the return strokes, thereby preventing'the tape from being crushed against the sidewalls of the traverse guide.

PATENIEDmsiman I 3598,33?

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PATENTED AUG 1 0 an sum 3 or 4 TAPE WINDING MACHINE DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION This invention relates to textile winding machines and is particularly concerned with precision winders for tapes of for example polypropylene.

When a tape of material such as polypropylene emerges from an extruder/stretch unit or other substantially fixed letoff source it tends to move in a straight line from the source. However if the tape is to be wound directly from the letoffinto a package it must he traversed along the length of the package and it has been found that the resistance to movements of the tape away from the straight line path causes the edge of the tape to be crushed against the trailing edge of the traversing device during movement away from the letoff path to an extremity of the package. On the return movement from an end of the package to the letoff path the friction of the tape may resist the desired movement again tending to cause the tape to be crushed against the traverser even though there is a natural tendency of the tape to resume its straight line path. However the resistance to movement during the return is less than that during movement away from the straight line path.

In order to avoid, or diminish, the crushing of the tape, a precision winding machine for tape wherein the tape is laid on a takeup spindle by a reciprocating traverse guide has, in accordance with the invention, a tape guide member (or members) positioned in the tape path between the letoff source and the takeup spindle, means being provided to alter the relative position of the tape guide and takeup spindle during winding. Thus the shape of the guide and its position relative to the spindle at any instant during traverse can be arranged to provide a relatively high degree of bias on the tape in the direction to cause the tape more readily to be moved by the traverse guide from the straight line path leading from a source of supply to an end or extremity of the package being wound and a lesser degree of bias or even a negative bias to retard the movement of the tape, on its travel from an extremity to the straight line path.

Ideally the tape guide member should engage the tape prior to the traverse guide as this allows the traverse guide to be maintained close to the package but a significant decrease in crushing can be obtained with the guide positioned between the traverse guide and the takeup package. Further it is not essential that the tape guide be positioned in the preferred disposition to one side of the traverse guide in the tape path as it could be positioned above or below the traverse guide, the wings (or their equivalent) of the traverse guide being sufficiently long to act on the tape.

While it is envisaged that the tape guide could be stationary and the spindle moved it is preferable for the tape guide to be moved or adjusted during winding in time with the movement of the traverser.

An example ofa movable guide member is a bar preferably of circular cross section, shaped as a shallow or wide angled V, the apex thereof preferably being radiused so that both sides of the guide meet in a smooth curve. The bar is positioned approximately parallel with the axis of the spindle of the takeup package and at a lower level than the traverse guide so as to influence the position of the tape within the traverse guide. The bar is connected, preferably at one end, to mechanism which will automatically alter its position relative to the spindle in timed relationship with the movement of the traverse guide. When the tape is returning from one extremity of the passage, to the straight line path which is for example at the midpoint of the package, that part of the bar which the tape engages may be substantially straight or slightly sloped towards the spindle to assist the return of the tape towards the middle of the package. The other half of the bar is at a greater slope as the bias will have to be greater to prevent the tape being crushed against the side of the traverse guide when the guide is moving the tape away from the midposition opposite the letoff. Once it reaches the end of its traverse, however, the position of the bar is well nigh instantaneously altered to cause the greater sloped part of the bar to become substantially horizontal because the tape will now be returning towards the letoff path. The other part of the bar will then be at a greater slope because it has now to assist the traverse of the tape away from the letoff or straight line path.

It may be desirable in some instances, to be able to alter the position or shape of the tape guide relatively to the spindle I during winding since if for example the tape is polypropylene which is being supplied by an extruder it might otherwise be necessary to have to stop the extruder to carry out a small adjustment to the tape guide needed for example by the fact that tapes have different coefficients of friction. Such an adjustment can be allowed for by adjustably connection the two arms of the V-shaped guide at the apex and then altering the angle between the two arms. In general however a guide having an included angle of about l75 has been found to be suitable for most tapes. I

If the letoff point was positioned at one end of the package so that the straight line path was also at one end then a straight bar need only have its angle to the spindle altered once during each traverse cycle. However the more normal arrangement is to have the letoff point positioned at the midpoint of the package.

As a further alternative the guide member could comprise two wings mounted on an axis substantially parallel with that of the spindle and pivoting back and forth in a radial direction to substitute one wing for the other at the ends of the traverse movement, the wings, being shaped to give a different degree of bias during traverse from and to, the straight line path.

It is most desirable for the position of the tape guide member to be altered very quickly or else the bias provided by the member will tend to increase the tape crushing effect rather than to diminish or eliminate it. The means to cause the movement of the tape guide may for example comprise a pneumatic or hydraulic pistonand cylinder acting directly on a pivoted tape guide and controlled by limit switches actuated when the traverse guide reaches the two extremities of its travel or at any other suitable points. However any other suitable arrangement can be used.

An embodiment of a precision winder for tape, in accordance with this invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying sketch drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic front view of the main working parts of the winder;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view drawn at a slight angle to the front of the package; and

FIG. 3 is an end view of the drive gearing taken from the right-hand side of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view of the fluid circuit.

Referring to the drawings, polypropylene tape 2 -is fed in a straight line path from an extruder (not shown) forming a letoff source, to the center point of a takeup spindle 4 and between the spindle and a pressure roll 6. During its passage it passes beneath a tape guide member in the form of a bar generally indicated at 8 and between the arms of a traverse guide I0.

The spindle 4 is driven during winding at a progressively reducing speed so as to compensate for the increasing diameter of the package [2 being wound on the spindle. It is pivotally mounted on the machine by means (not shown) so as to move away from the pressure roll 6 as the package diameter increases.

The tape guide member 8 which is pivoted at 14 to a support bracket 16 forming part of the frame (and not shown in FIG. 3) comprises two arms 18 and I8 connected together to form a shallow V.

The traverse guide 10 is mounted on a rod 20 connected by a bracket 2] to a nut 22 on a rotating traverse screw 24 which causes the traverse guide to be reciprocated along the length of the takeup package 12 on the spindle 4.

The traverse screw is connected to the drive for the spindle 4 by a chain 26 (see FIG. 3) which drives a chain wheel 28 rotatably mounted on a fixed shaft 30 and integrally connected to a gearwheel 32 which meshes with a gear 34 mounted on a stub axle 36 mounted on a bracket 38. The gear 34 meshes with a further gear 40 also mounted on the bracket 38.

The bracket 38 is pivotally mounted on the shaft 30 and is rockable by a pneumatic piston and cylinder device generally shown at 42 between a lower position in which the bracket 38 engages an adjustable stop 46 and in which the gear 34 engages a gear 454 carried on the end of the traverse screw 24, the gear 40 not meshing therewith, and an upper position in which the bracket engages a stop 48 and the gear 40 meshes with the gear 44, the gear 34 being then out of mesh.

The nut 22 carries a U-bracket 50 which extends downwardly and straddles the fixed shaft 30. Each limb of the U-bracket carries a

trip valve

52, 53 in line respectively with two plates 54, 55 secured to the shaft 30. When the nut 22 and hence the traverse guide is moving from right to left as seen in the drawing, the valve 52 will contact the upper plate 54 to reverse the flow of fluid to the cylinder 42 which then acts to pivot the bracket 38 and to thus cause the gear 34 to mesh with the gear 44 reversing the drive to the gear 44 on the traverse screw 24. At the end of this traverse the valve 53 will strike the lower plate 55 again causing the piston and cylinder 42 to act to reverse the drive to the screw 24. The spacing of the plates 54, 55 thus determines the length of traverse of the guide 10.

Operation of the

trip valves

52, 53 also causes a cylinder 56 connected to the tape guide 8, to be charged or discharged and hence the guide 8 to assume its required position at the correct point in the traverse cycle. The cylinder 56 is attached to the bracket 16 by a strap 58 and its piston 60 to one side of the guide 8. Adjustable stop screws 62 are mounted on the bracket 16 one on each side of the pivot 14 to prevent the guide pivoting beyond its required positions. FIG. 4 shows a fluid circuit diagram containing the

fluid cylinders

42 and 56, also the

valves

52 and 53, and their associated stops 54 and 55, for rocking the arm 18 in the desired directions during the winding cycle.

The

trip valves

52 and 53 are connected to a valve 62 via pilot pressure lines (shown dashed). When one of the

valves

52 or 53 is operated pressure is applied via the respective pilot pressure line to the valve 62 which operates to reverse the pressure and drain connections to the

cylinders

42 and 56. The valve 62 is a directional spool valve which has two positions determined by pilot pressure from one or other of the

valves

52 and 53. The dashed lines are not shown solid since they are signal or pilot pressure lines rather than working lines.

When the tape is in the position shown in FIG. 2 it is being moved from the left-hand end of the package to the midpoint where it will lie on a straight line path from the extruder nozzle. Thus there is a tendency for the tape to move back to the midpoint and no additional bias needs to be provided by the tape guide. There is however a certain amount of frictional resistance to movement of the tape which tends to balance the natural tendency of the tape to resume its straight line path and thus the arm 18 of the guide 8 is shown in the drawings in full lines (FIG. 1) as being parallel to the spindle.

When the tape passes the midpoint and is being moved by the traverse guide towards the right-hand end ofthe package it is being deflected from its straight line path and hence tends to resist its movement and thus to be crushed against the trailing arm of the traverse guide. This is counteracted by the fact that the arm 18' of the tape guide slopes upwardly towards the spindle so as to exert a bias on the tape which passes beneath the guide bar, to keep it properly positioned in the traverse guide without crushing.

On the tape reaching the right-hand end of the package it is necessary to pivot the tape guide so that the arm 18' is parallel tothe spindle and the arm 18 extendsupwardly towards the spindle. This pivotal movement is achieved by means of the pneumatic cylinder 56 the piston 60 of which is pivotally secured to the arm 18' of the tape guide. The cylinder is pressurized by operation of the trip switch 53 and pivots the guide to the position shown in dot and dash lines in the drawings.

The tape now travels on its traverse from right to left over the arm 18' which is now parallel to the spindle and over the arm 18 which slopes towards the spindle until it reaches the left-hand end when the trip switch 52 operates to reverse the cylinder 56 and move the guide 8 to the position shown in full lines.

The winding machine can, if desired, be a multispindle machine in which case the settings of the guide member 8 for each spindle can be arranged to give a different bias from its neighbor so as to accommodate a slightly different tape delivery point from the extruder stretch unit for each tape, i.e., if there are four tapes side by side coming from the stretch unit the delivery position relative to the winding machine will vary for each spindle according to the width of the tape. Of course, the positions of the actual winding heads could be set accordingly, but it is more simple to keep these in lines on the machine and vary the position which each guide member will assume for both directions of traverse.

lclaim:

l. A precision winding machine for tape comprising a takeup spindle on which the tape from a letoff source is wound a reciprocating traverse guide having sidewalls for guiding said tape in passing to the takeup spindle; a tape guide bar movably positioned in the tape path leading from the letoff source; and means for altering the relative positions between the tape guide bar and the takeup spindle during winding to assist the tape to move with the traverse guide away from its natural straight line path on the outward strokes, and to retard the movement of the tape back towards the said straight line path on the return strokes, thereby preventing the tape from being crushed against the sidewalls of the traverse guide.

2. A tape winding machine as claimed in claim I, in which the tape guide bar is positioned to engage the tape prior to its engagement by the traverse guide.

3. A tape winding machine as claimed in claim 1 in which the tape guide bar has the shape of a wide-angled V.

4. A tape winding machine as claimed in claim 3 in which the tape guide bar is of circular cross section, and is pivoted to the machine framework adjacent the apex of the V.

5. A tape winding machine as claimed in claim A wherein the bar is arranged so that when one arm of the V is parallel to the axis of the takeup spindle the other arm slops towards the spindle.

6. A tape winding machine as claimed in claim 1 in which the traverse guide is reciprocated by a pair of gears mounted on a pivoted plate, the gears being driven in opposite directions; and means to pivot the plate to position in which the gears alternately engage a corresponding gear on a screw driving the traverse guide.

7. A tape winding machine as claimed in claim 1 in which the means to alter the relative positions of the tape guide bar and the spindle operates only when the traverse guide has reached either end of its reciprocating motion; and in which the means for altering the relative positions of the tape guide bar and takeup spindle comprises a fluid actuated piston and cylinder, and valve means associated with the drive for the traverse guide to reverse the direction of movement of the piston at each end of the traverse movement.

Claims

1. A precision winding machine for tape comprising a takeup spindle on which the tape from a letoff source is wound a reciprocating traverse guide having sidewalls for guiding said tape in passing to the takeup spindle; a tape guide bar movably positioned in the tape path leading from the letoff source; and means for altering the relative positions between the tape guide bar and the takeup spindle during winding to assist the tape to move with the traverse guide away from its natural straight line path on the outward strokes, and to retard the movement of the tape back towards the said straight line path on the return strokes, thereby preventing the tape from being crushed against the sidewalls of the traverse guide.

2. A tape winding machiNe as claimed in claim 1, in which the tape guide bar is positioned to engage the tape prior to its engagement by the traverse guide.

5. A tape winding machine as claimed in claim 4 wherein the bar is arranged so that when one arm of the V is parallel to the axis of the takeup spindle the other arm slopes towards the spindle.