US3807156A

US3807156A - Double twist spindle

Info

Publication number: US3807156A
Application number: US00356799A
Authority: US
Inventors: M Gre
Original assignee: SODETAL
Current assignee: SODETAL; Sodetal Soc Pour Le Development Du Fil Metallique Sa fr
Priority date: 1972-05-04
Filing date: 1973-05-03
Publication date: 1974-04-30
Anticipated expiration: 1991-04-30
Also published as: NL7304390A; CH567149A5; LU67540A1; FR2183429A5; IT980072B; BE799051A; DE2320577A1; GB1414268A; JPS4954641A

Abstract

The present invention related to a double twist spindle for the twisting and assembling of textile filaments. The spindle assembly comprises a stator, a rotor, several layers of feed bobbins mounted on the stator, with each layer of bobbins regularly distributed around the spindle axis, with the vertical planes defined by the axis of a plurality of bobbins of two successive layers arranged in the same vertical plane being circumferentially staggered by 180*/n, wherein n is the number of bobbins in each layer. The double twist spindle of the present invention is useful for the twisting and assembling of all textile filaments and particularly the stranding of metallic fibers.

Description

United States Patent 1191 Gre [ Apr. 30, 1974 [54] DOUBLE TWIST SPINDLE FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [75] Inventor: Michel Jean Baf-lfi-Duc, 1,318,879 1/l963 France 57/ss.s2 France 348,345 9/1960 Switzerland. 57/58.52 [73] Assignee: Sodetal Societe Pour Le Development Du Fil Metanique SA Przmary ExammerDonald E. Watkins Paris France Attorney, Agent, or FirmCushman, Darby & 22 Filed: May 3, 1973 Cushma [21] Appl. N0.2 356,799 57 ABSTRACT The present invention related to a double twist spindle Foreign Appllcallon Priority Dam for the twisting and assembling of textile filaments.

May 4, 1972 France 72.16922 The spindle assembly comprises a stator, a rotor, several layers of feed bobbins mounted on the stator, with [52] US. Cl. 57/58.52 each layer of bobbins regularly distributed around the [51] Int. Cl. DOlh 1/10, DOlh 7/86 spindle axis, with the vertical planes defined by the [58] Field of Search 57/34 R, 3, 13, 58.49, axis of a plurality of bobbins of two successive layers 57/58.52, 58.54, 58.55, 58.83 arranged in the same vertical plane being circumferentially staggered by 180/n, wherein n is the number of ['56] References Cited bobbins in each layer.

UNITED STATES PATENTS The double twist spindle of the present invention is 2,546,977 4/1951 Clary etal. 57/58.55 useful the twisting and assembling Of all twile 2,353,104 7/1944 Winslow 57/58.52 filaments and particularly the stranding of metallic 1,263,405 4/1918 Grondahl 57/58.52 fibers. 2,464,860 3/1949 Green 57/58.52 3,119,224 l/l964 Kocks 57/58:52 9 Chums, 3 Drawing Flgllres w 2 I 20+ 22 I /.9 I 25a:

DOUBLE TWIST SPINDLE BACKGROUND or THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a double twist spindle for the twisting and assembling of filaments into strands. Such double twist spindles, at times also called strand-making spindles, are particularly used for the manufacture of certain industrial fiber assemblies such as, for example, in the manufacture of pneumatic cables with a base oforganic textile fibers, metallic fibers or glass fibers.

A conventional double twist strand-making spindle generally comprises a rotor having an axial conduit and at least radial conduit having an axis located essentially perpendicular to the axis of the spindle, a stator mounted above the rotor and mounted by appropriate means such as magnets so that the stator does not inter: fere with rotor rotation, and means for mounting bobbins of filaments on the stator.

In operation, the filaments contained on the bobbins are unrolled from the bobbins and penetrate theaxial conduit of the spindle after passing over a converging guide located on the top of the spindle. After a first return of about90, the filaments are passed through the rotor radial conduit, wherein the filaments undergo a first twisting. Upon exit from the radial conduit, the filaments undergo a second return of about 90 and thereafter pass on an essentially unrestricted path, while undergoing a second twisting, toward a strand guide, such as a pigtail guide, located axially above the spindle. The double twist strand so formed can be passed to any appropriate rewinding apparatus.

Because of spindle rotation, a balloon of filaments is formed around the spindle-bobbin assembly during the unrestrained travel ofthe filaments between the radial conduit exit and the strand guide located above the spindle. A j

The number of feed bobbins mounted on the stator varies depending upon the type of strand production, and a major problem of these conventional double twist spindles is in the housing of the bobbins in the balloon filament interior. In order to reduce the number of bobbin changes (which require-a machine stop) it is advantageous to locate bobbins of as large as possible individual capacity in the filamentballoon. interior. Thus, in theory, it would be desirable to use a filament balloon of as large a volume as is possible.

For a spindle of given size, the volume of the filament balloon is related to the speed of rotation, and theoretically, increases with the spindle speed of rotation.

However, the mechanical stress to which the spindle assembly is subjected, increases rapidly with the speed of rotation, and the same effect is noted for the tension upon the filaments in the balloon. Furthermore, the filaments in the balloon are subject in the ambient atmosphere to an aerodynamic braking in proportion to the volume thereof.

For the above reasons, it is generally necessary to fix a spindle rotation speed limit, so as to assure that the spindle is operated with the required degree of confidence. This fixed spindle rotation speed limit determines a given filament balloon volume in which the feed bobbins must be located.

Another problem of the prior double twist spindle is encountered when the spindle is started or stopped. During those periods of acceleration or deceleration, which must be of a duration such as to avoid unduly high tensions in the filaments and sudden jerks in the mechanical assembly, the filament balloon is of a volume which is lower than its normal operating volume or regular volume. Therefore, it is important to insure that the filaments do not catch upon the feed bobbins or the feed bobbin mounting means located on the stator.

On most of the double twist spindles used by the prior art, the bobbins are disposed on the same level or plane around the axis of the spindle. In an alternative em-. bodiment described in French Pat. No. 762,556, the axis of the bobbins is parallel to the axis of the spindle around which the bobbins are regularly distributed. These devices give generally satisfactory industrial results for strands comprising up to three filaments (or three ends). However, in the production of fourfilament strands (or strands of four ends),-the filament bobbin dimension must be considerably reduced in size in order to fit within the balloon, and thus the capacity of each filament bobbin is reduced, with the result that frequent stops of the machine are required for bobbin changes, and it will be readily appreciated that such frequent stops are highly undesirable for profitable industrial production.

US. Pat. No. 2,546,977 discloses a double twist spindle for a stranding machine wherein the filament bobbins are arranged in a single layer, with the bobbin axes being non-perpendicular to the spindle axis.

Swiss Pat. No. 348,345 (which is generally similar to French Pat. No. 762,556 discussed above) concerns a double twist spindle wherein the bobbins are regularly arranged around the spindle in one ortwo layers, with the axes of the bobbins being parallel to the spindle axis. US. Pat. No. 1,480,207 discloses a vertical twisting spindle for a stranding machine wherein the bobbin axes are perpendicular to the spindle axis, with the bobbins arranged in two layers without any angular shifting of bobbins. British Pat. No. 1,085,133 discloses a horizontal stranding machine including a reel carrier having a stationary horizontal beam around which filament bobbins are arranged in several layers or stages, the bobbin axes being perpendicular to the beam. The bobbins of two consecutive stages are shifted by about 90 (note FIGQ S).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a substantially vertical double twist spindle for the twisting and assembling of the textile filaments. The spindle includesa rotor and a stator, with filament bobbins mounted on the stator, with the filaments bobbins regularly distributed around the stator in a plurality of vertical planes and in a plurality of layers. Each bobbin layer contains n bobbins, wherein n is at least two, with the bobbins in the same vertical plane describing a set of substantially vertically aligned bobbins. The vertical planes of any two adjacent bobbin sets are circumferentially staggered by l/n.

In a preferred embodiment, the double twist spindle includes a filament balloon spacer mounted on or near the top of the spindle. The filament balloon spacer,

' which can be a ring mounted around the spindle axis,

serves to prevent the filaments which form the balloon from catching on the filament bobbins or filament bobbin mounting means during starting and stopping of the spindle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a double twist spindle which obviates the disadvantages of the prior art double twist spindles described above.

The present invention relates to a double twist spindle having substantially vertical axis. The spindle includes a rotor, stator, and integral mounting brackets on the stator for the mounting of feed bobbins. The arrangement of the bobbins on the stator is most important to the successful operation of the double twist spindle. The bobbins are regularly distributed around the stator in several layers, at least one layer containing n bobbins, wherein n is at least two. The individual bobbins of the different layers are mounted in vertical relationship. The axes of each bobbin forms a substantially vertical plane which is circumferentially staggered aroundthe stator from the vertical plane of the bobbin of adjacent layer by 180/n. Preferably, the axis of each.

I prior art for the production of three-filament strands (or three-end strands) are used, with two bobbin layers and two bobbins per layer according to the process of the present invention, four-filament strands may be readily produced. If, on-the' other hand, three bobbin layers are utilized, fiveor six-filament strands may be readily manufactured. The number of bobbins may vary somewhat from one layer to another, but at least one layer will contain n bobbins, wherein n is at least two. Also, n represents-the maximum number of bobbins in any of the layers.

The present invention also relates to a double twist spindle which includes means for spacing the filament balloon from the spindle. This filament balloon spacer keeps the balloon open during the time of starting and stopping the spindle, when the prior art balloons generally have a significantly smaller volume than the normal operational volume. The filament balloon spacer maintains the filaments away from the bobbins and bobbin holders and thereby permits an increase of the available volume of the bobbins, by increasing the minimum volume of the balloon.

In one preferred embodiment, the spindle carries two layers of bobbins and the: filament balloon spacer is formed by a ring mounted above the spindle axis. This ring is conveniently mounted on an extension of the rotor. The ringmay be stationary or may be rotatable, and may turn in an free manner. When the spindle is rotating at normal speeds, the diameter of the balloon at the height of the ring filament balloon spacer is greater than the diameter of the ring, and there is no contact between the ring and the filaments. However, during at least part of the periods of starting and stopping the spindle, the filaments rub'on the ring filament balloon spacer. The diameter of the ring is of a predetermined size in order to permit the filament balloon to maintain asufficient volume so that the strand does not contact the bobbins or the bobbin holders during periods of starting and stopping the spindle. In one particularly advantageous form of this embodiment, the spindle carries two layers of bobbins and the filament bal-' DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The present invention will be more readily understood with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a side partial elevation view of a double twist spindle carrying two bobbins layers, with two bobbins per layer;

FIG. 2 is an overheadelevational view of the double twist spindle of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view of the double twist spindle of FIG. 1.

The double twist spindle of the accompanying drawings includes a rotor 1, having an essentially circular plate 2 and a spindle 3; Rotor l is mounted on fixed support 5 by way of ball bearings 4. Rotor l is rotated by conventional means (not shown), for instance, by drive gears. Rotor 1 is provided with axial conduit 6 in spindle 3, with axial conduit 6 communicating with two radial conduits 7, 7 located in plate 2 at a circumferential difference from one another of 180. (In operation, only radial conduit 7 is used, with conduit7' provided only. for balancing rotor LObviously, other means of balancing rotor 1 may be used, if desired). Two circular recesses 8 are provided at the intersection of axial conduit 6 and radial conduits 7'for the housing of rotating guides 9. An additional set of rotating guides. 10 are provided at the periphery of plate 2 and tangential to the exit of radial conduits 7.

Rotor 1 supports, by means of bearings 11, 11a, a stator 12 which includes circular plate l3and hub 14. The stator 12 is restrained from rotation by magnets 15, lS'a fixed on the underside of plate 13, near its outer periphery and magnets 15, 15a on the upper side of fixed support 5. i

Stator 12 includes feed bobbin mounting means,such as spindles l6, 16' mounted on hub 14.

Bobbins

25, 25 are rotatably mounted on spindles l6, 16'. Preferably, spindles 16, 16' includes magnetic braking means (not shown) which are individually adjustable in order to maintain relative constant tension upon the filaments during the unwinding of the bobbins. The other bobbins.25a, 25a are mounted on similar spindles. The axes of the same layer of bobbins, 25, 25 and 25a, 25'a are located in the same vertical plane, with the axes of

bobbins

25, 25 being located in a vertical plane which is circumferentially staggered by (180l2) in relation to the vertical plane of bobbins 25a, 25a. Each spindle (and associated bobbin) is inclined by 12 in relation to the horizontal, and the distance between the two layers of bobbins is mm. An axial tube 17 is screwed to the top of hub 14. The upper end of axial tube 17 carries a guide 26, and the lower end of axial tube 17 is located in a recess in the top of spindle 3. The axial tube 17 serves toadmit and converge the filaments into axial conduit 6. Crosspiece 18 is mounted on the upper end of stator 12 and support guides 19 which serve to guide the filaments from the bobbins 25 to the axial tube 17. Crosspiece 18 also supports the lower end of shaft 20, located along the axis of the spindle, which serves as an axis of rotation for balloon separator 21. Balloon separator 21 comprises a rotatable metallic ring connected by a framework such as spokes to a central hub which is mounted on shaft 20 by means of ball bearings 22.

The double twist spindle preferably includes a balloon screen 23 in the form of a cylindrical skirt mounted on fixed support 5. Pigtail guide 24 is mounted above the double twist spindle on the spindle axis.

In operation, the four'filaments are passed from their respective bobbins 25 over guides 19 and through the axial tube 17 to axial conduit 6. After passing through axial conduit 6 the filaments are subjected to a 90 turn around guide 9 and then pass through radial conduit 7 wherein the filaments receive a first twisting. After a second 90 turn around guide 10, the filaments are passed in a unrestrained path toward pigtail guide 24, forming a balloon around the spindle due to rotation of rotor 1. During passage between guide 10 and pigtail guide 24, the filaments receive a second twisting. The

strand thereby obtained from the double twist spindle may be collected on any appropriate winding device.

When metallic filaments are treated on the double twist spindle of the present invention, it is preferred to impart an extra temporary twisting, by way of 'a false twist spindle, of the strand before the strand is wound on the windingdevice.

During starting and stopping of the spindle, that is, during those periods of time when the filament balloon does not have its maximum'volume, the filaments are prevented from catching on bobbins 25 by balloon separator 21. The path of the filaments during the period of minimum filament balloon volume is shown by a dotted line in FIGS. 1 and 3.

The double twist spindle of the present invention is particularly advantageous for the manufacture of fourply strands (that is, strands having four ends) from steel fibers having a diameter of 0.220 mm. into S- configurations twisted strand having 105 turns/m. The spindles can carry four bobbins of an individual capacity of 13 kg of filaments with the usable spindle charge thus being 52 kg of filaments.

The double twist spindle ofthe present invention is capable of making all of the conventional twisting operations, with the amount of twisting varying, for instance, from about 30 to about 400 turns/m by appropriate changes in the rotor driving gears or other driving mechanisms. The double twist spindle is capable of stranding together, two, three, four or more filaments, for instance, filaments having a diameter between about 0.10 mm and 0.30 mm. The filaments which form strands on the double twist spindle of the present invention, may be of any material, including natural and synthetic textile filaments, metallic filaments and glass filaments.

It will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that the double twist spindle of the present invention is not restricted to the spindle shown on the accompanying drawings. Within the bounds of the present invention, numerous variations of the spindle may be utilized, including the number of bobbin layers, the number of bobbins per layer, the method of mounting the bobbins on the rotor, the method of braking the bobbins, the method of drivingthe rotor, the method -of forming the balloon separator, and the like.

What is claimed is:

1. A double twist spindle for the twisting and assembling of textile filaments, said spindle mounted with a substantially vertical axis, said spindle comprising rotor means, stator means mounted above and on substantially the same axis as said rotor means and cooperating with said rotor means to permit rotor means rotation, bobbin feed means mounted on said stator means for mounting a plurality of filament feed bobbins regularly distributed around the stator means in a plurality of substantially vertical planes and a plurality of substantially horizontal layers, at least one layer containing n bobbins, wherein n is at least two, each vertical plane being circumferentially staggered by about /n from the adjacent vertical plane.

2. A spindle according to claim 1, wherein each layer of filament feed bobbins contains two bobbins.

3. A spindle according to claim 2, wherein the bobbins in a layer are in the same substantially vertical plane.

4. A spindle according to claim 3, wherein the filament feed bobbins are mounted in two layers.

5. A spindle according to claim 1, wherein the axes of the bobbins are inclined to the horizontal.

6. A spindle according to claim 5, wherein the angle of inclination is from about 10 to about 18.

7. A spindle according to claim 1, including balloon spacer means mounted at or near the upper end of the spindle to keep the textile filaments from contacting the filament feed bobbins during starting and stopping of the spindle.

8. A spindle according to claim 7, wherein the balloon spacer means includes a ring mounted around the axis of the spindle.

9. A spindle according to claim 8 wherein said ring is rotatably mounted around said axis.

1 a: k a:

Claims

1. A double twist spindle for the twisting and assembling of textile filaments, said spindle mounted with a substantially vertical axis, said spindle comprising rotor means, stator means mounted above and on substantially the same axis as said rotor means and cooperating with said rotor means to permit rotor means rotation, bobbin feed means mounted on said stator means for mounting a plurality of filament feed bobbins regularly distributed around the stator means in a plurality of substantially vertical planes and a plurality of substantially horizontal layers, at least one layer containing n bobbins, wherein n is at least two, each vertical plane being circumferentially staggered by about 180*/n from the adjacent vertical plane.

6. A spindle according to claim 5, wherein the angle of inclination is from about 10* to about 18*.