US3866278A

US3866278A - Method and apparatus for the concurrent stripping of bobbins

Info

Publication number: US3866278A
Application number: US409582A
Authority: US
Inventors: Gunter G Golm; Thomas Edgar Pitts
Original assignee: Leesona Corp
Current assignee: Leesona Corp
Priority date: 1973-10-25
Filing date: 1973-10-25
Publication date: 1975-02-18
Anticipated expiration: 1992-02-18
Also published as: GB1443499A; JPS5129543A

Abstract

The instant invention is directed to an apparatus to enable the stripping of two or more bobbins at once. The mechanism provides for the tilting of a downstream bobbin by means of guides back towards an upstream bobbin so that a strand may be unwound from each bobbin without incurring breakage of a strand as the lead bobbin proceeds away from the stripping unit.

Description

United States Patent [191 Golm et a1.

1 1 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE CONCURRENT STRIPPING OF BOBBINS [75] Inventors: Gunter G. Golm, Providence;

Thomas Edgar Pitts, Cranston, both of R1 [73] Assignee: Leesona Corporation, Warnick, R.l.

[22] Filed: Oct. 25, 1973 21 Appl. No.: 409,582

[52} US. Cl. 28/19 [51] Int. Cl D03d 45/58 [58] Field of Search 28/19, 20

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,132,344 10/1938 Kleeb, Jr 28/19 2,267,679 12/1941 Terrell ct a1 1451 Feb. 18, 1975 2,761,194 9/1956 Terrell et al. 28/20 2,865,081 12/1958 Moos 28/19 3,528,150 9/1970 Schmid 28/19 Primary ExaminerMervin Stein Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Albert P. Davis; Burnett W. Norton [57] ABSTRACT The instant invention is directed to an apparatus to enable the stripping of two or more bobbins at once. The mechanism provides for the tilting of a downstream bobbin by means of guides back towards an upstream bobbin so that a strand may be unwound from each bobbin without incurring breakage of a strand as the lead bobbin proceeds away from the stripping unit.

10 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures APATENTEDFEBIBIQYS 3.866278 SHEET 10F 2 FIG.1

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE CONCURRENT STRIPPING OF BOBBINS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Mechanisms for stripping of residual yarn remaining upon processed bobbins are well known in the art and are employed in order to provide a clean surface for rewinding of yarn thereon for subsequent operations. In the stripping operation, however, bobbins are stripped singly, i.e. one at a time, which is disadvantageous with, for example, winding machines associated with looms utilizing a plurality of shuttles for the weaving of multicolored fabric. This is necessarily so since such looms require a continuing supply of bobbins having varying color of yarn wound thereon available to the shuttles when called for. This therefore necessitates the rapid stripping of resiudal yarn from the already used bobbins to ready the bobbins for rewinding in order to meet the demand of the loom. It is therefore highly desirable that an apparatus and method be provided capable of stripping a plurality of bobbins at once following usage of the wound bobbins, by, for example, a loom wherein multicolor yarns from individual bobbins are employed in weaving.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The instant invention is directed to an apparatus for enabling the stripping of at least two bobbins at once. In one embodiment the apparatus includes a front guide having a horizontal and inclined portion and a pair of opposing rear guides which are resiliently urged into position by suitable means. These guides act to tip a downstream bobbin, which enters between the guides in a vertical position with the butt end down, in an upstream direction towards an adjacent bobbin. In an alternative embodiment opposing guides are employed with one of the guides having horizontal and inclined portions and configured to the diameter of a bobbin to engage and tip a downstream bobbin towards an upstream bobbin to provide for the aforementioned concurrent stripping.

The instant invention also relates to a method of stripping yarn from two or more bobbins at once including tilting of a downstream bobbin, which is initially in a vertical position with the butt end down, towards an adjacent upstream bobbin in order to aim the tip of the bobbin toward thestripper cone and allow continued stripping without incurring premature breakage of the yarn.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide an apparatus to enable stripping of yarn from two or more bobbins at once in, for example, association with a loom employing a plurality of shuttles for the weaving of multi-colored cloth.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a method for stripping of two or more bobbins at once in association with, for example, a loom employing a plurality of shuttles for the weaving of multicolored cloth.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevational view showing the instant invention in association with a stripping mechanism and showing a downstream bobbin tilted in an upstream direction towards an adjacent bobbin.

FIG. 2 is a detailed front elevational view of the instant invention showing the guides to tip a bobbin towards an upstream adjacent bobbin.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the instant invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional taken along line 44 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a rear elevational view of the instant invention.

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of an alternative embodiment of the instant invention showing the configuration of a guide associated therewith.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view of guides of the present invention associated with the guide of FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring firstly to FIG. I a rotatable brush 10 is shown positioned beneath a guide chute II to engage the end of strands 12 upon bobbins B and unwind the ends therefrom, with the brush l0 suitably connected to means to rotate the brush, not shown. A stripper cone 13 is suitably positioned and connected to means to rotate the cone, also not shown,v to intercept the strands 12 when they have been engaged by the brush l0 and after the bobbins have fallen to a base support 14 through the guide chute 11, with the butt end down, and have been urged to the apparatus of the present invention, shown generally by the arrow 16, by means, not shown. This means is such as to urge a bobbin forward along the base support 14, after it has fallen thereto, a distance 'at least approximating, initially, the diameter of the butt end of the bobbin. Thereafter, in the zone of the apparatus of the instant invention, the bobbin is advanced only a distance approximating the diameter of the butt end of a bobbin, the reason for which will later become clear.

Reference is now made to FIG. 2 which shows the detailed structure of the apparatus of the present invention. As is shown bobbins B are shown positioned upon the base support 14 which defines a common path of travel. A mounting bracket 22 is fastened to the base support by means of

bolts

24 and 26 extending through elongated slots, now shown, of the bracket 22 and carries thereon an outwardly extending lip 28, more clearly shown in FIG. 3. A guide 30 is fastened to the lip 28 by means of

bolts

40 and 42 and includes an inclined portion 44 and a generally horizontal portion 46, with respect to the base support 14, with the leading edges having a groove 47 running along the entire length thereof to slideably engage a ring R of a bobbin, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Opposing the guide 30 are opposing

guides

48 and 50 pivotally mounted about a support shaft 52, in a fashion which will later become clear with reference to F I68. 3 and S. The shaft 52 extends through

tabs

54 and 56 of a second mounting bracket, as indicated by the arrow 58 and also shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, and is secured thereto by means of

retainer rings

60 and 70, respectively. Each of the

guides

48 and 50 include

grooves

72 and 74, respectively, for engagement of a ring of a bobbin to guide the bobbin and tip the bobbin in the upstream direction in cooperation with the guide 30. The groove 72 extends entirely across the face of the guide 48 and is inclined with respect to the base support 14. The groove 74, which also commences at the downstream end of the guide 50, is horizontal with respect to the base support 14 and terminates in a lip 76 at the upstream portion of the guide 50 which the ring of a bobbin overrides when urged into position.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 5 it is seen that the guide 48 includes

tabs

77 and 78 pivotally journalled about the support shaft 52, and that the guide 50 includes two

similar tabs

79 and 80 likewise pivotally journalled about the support shaft 52 for support of these guides. Referring still to FIGS. 3 and 5 it is also seen that the second mounting bracket 58 is generally "U shaped in form and is fastened to the base support 14 by means of

bolts

82 and 84. The bracket 58 includes upper and

lower support members

86 and 88 re spectively, with the upper member 86 including the previously mentioned

tabs

54 and 56. As is also readily seen the

guides

48 and 50 include outwardly extending

horizontal tabs

92 and 94 respectively. Springs 96 and 98 interconnect the

tabs

92 and 94, respectively and the lower support member 88 so that these tabs are urged in a downward direction and therefore the

grooves

72 and 74 towards the guide 30. To counteract this tendancy and therefore provide a means of adjustment to regulate the distance, as required, between the

grooves

72 and 74 and the guide 30,

wing bolts

99 and 100 are provided and extend through and are secured to the

tabs

92 and 94 by means of

nuts

102 and 110 and abut against the lower support member 88. Thus, as the wing bolts are tightened or loosened against the support member 88 the distance is correspondingly increased or decreased between the

grooves

72 and 74 and the guide 30, as previously indicated, to provide the proper gripping of the bobbin and to accomodate for varying bobbin diameters.

An alternative embodiment of the guides of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7which is new and useful wherein bobbins do not carry rings thereon.

As shown in FIG. 6 a guide 112 is secured to a mounting bracket 22' by means of bolts 24 and 26' extending through elongated slots, not shown, of the mounting bracket 22..The guide 112 includes a generally inclined portion with respect to the base support and a horizontal portion, corresponding to

portions

44 and 46 as shown in FIG. 2. The, guide 112 is further configured to correspond to the shape of a bobbin, i.e., a lip 114 having two arcuate shaped .

portions

116 and 118, with the portion 118 being inclined and the portion 116 being horizontal, are provided to secure the shank portion of a bobbin and correspondingly the recessed slots thereby formed are configured to conform to the contour of the butt end portion of a bobbin.

In this embodiment the

opposing guides

48 and 50 shown in FIG. 7, carry thereon

lips

132 and 134 which abut against a bobbin and force the bobbin into each of the aforementioned slots and the arcuate shaped

portions

116 and 118 of the lip 114.

In operation therefore a bobbin is, for example, initially dropped onto the base support 14 through the chute 11. During this time the end of a strand of yarn, which may remain upon the bobbin, is picked up by the rotating brush to cause the strand to be engaged and unwound by the stripper cone 13. The bobbin is concurrently urged bythe means, not shown, along the base support 14 to the guides of the instant invention and initially positioned between the guide 30 and the opposing guide 50 whereat the stripping operation commences. The bobbin is next urged to a position between the guide 30 and the opposing guide 48 and tilted back in an upstream direction for continued stripping of the bobbin following which the bobbin proceeds to downstream apparatus, not shown. The various guides of the instant invention are adjustable to define the width of the path of travel of a bobbin due to the slots provided, as previously mentioned, in the mounting brackets, i.e., the mounting brackets and therefore the

guides

30 and 112 may move towards and away from the opposing guides to define the path of travel.

It should be apparent that the present invention'may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, all of which are intended to be encompassed by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A stripping apparatus for the concurrent stripping of bobbins comprising, means defining a common path, means associated with said common path to urge bobbins therealong, means positioned relative to said common path' to strip a first bobbin in said common path, and means positioned in said common path to tilt a second downstream bobbin in said common path adjacent said first bobbin in an upstream direction towards said first bobbin and relative to said stripping means to enable the concurrent stripping of said first and said second bobbins by said stripping means.

2. Apparatus according .to claim 1 wherein said means for tilting comprises spaced apart guides having horizontal slots in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said bobbins and inclined slots with respect to a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said bobbins downstream from said horizontal slots to engage rings about said bobbin and guide and tilt the bobbin.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 including means associated with said guides to adjust said guides so as to define the path of travel of said bobbin.

4. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said spaced apart guides comprise a first guide and a pair of second opposing guides, each of the pair of second opposing guides having resilient means to urge each of the guides into gripping engagement with said bobbin.

5. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 including guide means to guide said bobbins onto said common path, wherein said means to urge said bobbins along said common path is adapted to urge said bobbins a distance of about the diameter of the butt end of said bobbins, and wherein said stripping means comprises a rotatable brush operable to engage the end of a remaining strand on a bobbin and thereby strip said strand from said bobbin. 6. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for tilting comprises a first guide, and a second guide spaced apart from said first guide, said first guide having a horizontal arcuate shaped slot in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said bobbins and an inclined arcuate shaped slot with respect to a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said bobbins downstream from said horizontal slot, and resilient means to urge said first guide and said slots and said second guide toward a grippingrelationship with said bobbins, said arcuate shaped slots being configured to accomodate the butt end portions of an individual ones of said bobbins.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said resilient means is associated with said second guide to urge 9. A method to enable the concurrent stripping of bobbins comprising, moving bobbins along a common path of travel, tilting a downstream bobbin in said common path towards the upstream direction and an upstream bobbin said common path and, concurrently stripping yarn from said bobbins.

10. A method according to claim 9 including resiliently guiding said bobbins in said common path of travel.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 528669278 Dated February 975 Inventor(s) Gunter G. GOlIIl et a1.

It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 6, line 5, after- "bobbin" the Word in should be inserted.

Signed and sealed this 27th day of May 1975.

(SEAL) Attest: Q

C. MARSHALL DANN RUTH C. MASON Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer and Trademarks USCOMM-DC 6C376-F69 U.S. GOVERNMENY PRINYING OFFICE. 869- 93 0 FORM Po-wso (10-69)

Claims

1. A stripping apparatus for the concurrent stripping of bobbins comprising, means defining a common path, means associated with said common path to urge bobbins therealong, means positioned relative to said common path to strip a first bobbin in said common path, and means positioned in said common path to tilt a second downstream bobbin in said common path adjacent said first bobbin in an upstream direction towards said first bobbin and relative to said sTripping means to enable the concurrent stripping of said first and said second bobbins by said stripping means.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for tilting comprises spaced apart guides having horizontal slots in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said bobbins and inclined slots with respect to a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said bobbins downstream from said horizontal slots to engage rings about said bobbin and guide and tilt the bobbin.

5. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 including guide means to guide said bobbins onto said common path, wherein said means to urge said bobbins along said common path is adapted to urge said bobbins a distance of about the diameter of the butt end of said bobbins, and wherein said stripping means comprises a rotatable brush operable to engage the end of a remaining strand on a bobbin and thereby strip said strand from said bobbin.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for tilting comprises a first guide, and a second guide spaced apart from said first guide, said first guide having a horizontal arcuate shaped slot in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said bobbins and an inclined arcuate shaped slot with respect to a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said bobbins downstream from said horizontal slot, and resilient means to urge said first guide and said slots and said second guide toward a gripping relationship with said bobbins, said arcuate shaped slots being configured to accomodate the butt end portions of an individual ones of said bobbins.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said resilient means is associated with said second guide to urge said second guide towards said first guide and thereby said individual bobbins into a gripping relationship with said arcuate shaped slots in said first guide.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said second guide comprises a pair of individual guide members, one of said guide members being positioned to cooperate with said horizontal arcuate shaped slot and the other of said guide members being positioned to cooperate with said inclined arcuate shaped slot to urge said individual bobbins to a gripping relationship in said arcuate shaped slots.

9. A method to enable the concurrent stripping of bobbins comprising, moving bobbins along a common path of travel, tilting a downstream bobbin in said common path towards the upstream direction and an upstream bobbin said common path and, concurrently stripping yarn from said bobbins.