US3882658A

US3882658A - Apparatus for wrapping and cutting material of indeterminate length

Info

Publication number: US3882658A
Application number: US342177A
Authority: US
Inventors: William B Cleary
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1973-03-16
Filing date: 1973-03-16
Publication date: 1975-05-13
Anticipated expiration: 1992-05-13

Abstract

Apparatus for cutting and wrapping lengths of string or fiberlike material such as, for example, tinsel garland from a supply source of indeterminate length. The tinsel garland is fed between a pair of cooperating rollers, one roller being driven by a timer controlled clutch, to feed a predetermined length of garland to a wrapping apparatus where it is automatically wound upon a combination wrapping and display board. After a predetermined time interval the clutch is disengaged to terminate the feeding of the tinsel garland. A second pair of cooperating rollers spaced from the aforementioned pair operates to maintain the tinsel garland in tension whereupon a cutting apparatus severs the tinsel garland. This operation is repeated for each length of garland to be cut. The tinsel garland is fed to a board mounted between a pair of arms of a rotating winder assembly, a plurality of which are mounted at spaced intervals about a rotatable turntable. The free end of the tinsel garland dispensed from the measuring and cutting apparatus falls into an opening provided in the combined wrapping and display board rotated by the winding member which automatically causes the tinsel garland to be wound about the board member. A predetermined time interval after the cutting operation of the tinsel garland is performed, the turntable is indexed to position the next wrapping mechanism immediately beneath the free end of the tinsel garland being dispensed for wrapping. The wrapped garland may then be removed from each winding device and replaced by a new board at a location removed from the winding device presently being operated.

Description

United States Patent Cleary [451 May 13, 1975 1 APPARATUS FOR WRAPPING AND CUTTING MATERIAL OF lNDETERMlNATE LENGTH William B. Cleary, Philadelphia, Pa.

[73] Assignee: Abraham S. Kinderman,

Philadelphia, Pa,

22 Filed: Mar. 16, 1973 21 Appl, No.: 342,177

[75] Inventor:

[52] US. Cl. 53/116; 53/117; 53/123; 83/168; 83/171; 83/175; 242/50; 242/61 [51] Int. Cl... B65b 63/04; B6511 54/14; B65h 54/24 Primary ExaminerTravis S. McGehee Assistant Examiner-Horace M. Culver Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Ostrolenk, Faber, Gerb & Soffen [57] ABSTRACT Apparatus for cutting and wrapping lengths of string or fiber-like material such as, for example, tinsel garland from a supply source of indeterminate length. The tinsel garland is fed between a pair of cooperating rollers, one roller being driven by a timer controlled clutch, to feed a predetermined length of garland to a wrapping apparatus where it is automatically wound upon a combination wrapping and display board. After a predetermined time interval the clutch is disengaged to terminate the feeding of the tinsel garland. A second pair of cooperating rollers spaced from the aforementioned pair operates to maintain the tinsel garland in tension whereupon a cutting apparatus severs the tinsel garland. This operation is repeated for each length of garland to be cut.

The tinsel garland is fed to a board mounted between a pair of arms of a rotating winder assembly, a plurality of which are mounted at spaced intervals about a rotatable turntable. The free end of the tinsel garland dispensed from the measuring and cutting apparatus falls into an opening provided in the combined wrapping and display board rotated by the winding member which automatically causes the tinsel garland to be wound about the board member, A predetermined time interval after the cutting operation of the tinsel garland is performed, the turntable is indexed to position the next wrapping mechanism immediately beneath the free end of the tinsel garland being dispensed for wrapping. The wrapped garland may then be removed from each winding device and replaced by a new board at a location removed from the winding device presently being operated.

13 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENIED HAY I 31875 SHEET 3 BF 3 IEZd- 1 APPARATUS FOR WRAPPING AND CUTTING MATERIAL OF INDETERMINATE LENGTH The present invention relates to feeding, cutting and wrapping a length of elongated material from a supply of indeterminate length and more particularly to novel apparatus for feeding, accurately measuring, cutting and wrapping tinsel garland and the like about combined wrapping and display boards.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION There exist a wide variety of applications wherein it is desirable to wrap a strip of elongated material of a predetermined length about a support member for subsequent storage, dispensing and/or display purposes. As one example, tinsel garland, which is typically employed for decorative purposes is conventionally made by twisting a plurality of strands in helical fashion with tinsel strips arranged transverse to the twisted strands being entwined within the strands so as to form a decorative garland. The tinsel garland is manufactured in a substantially continuous process whereby the garland is produced in extremely long lengths and is typically wound about a takeup roll usually having a capacity for receiving an extremely large amount of the garland.

The take-up roll is then typically removed to a remote location and due to the face that it is somewhat fragile it is unwound from the supply reel, by hand, and wrapped about stiff members, such as, for example, cardboard inserts, until a suitable amount of the tinsel garland its wound about the cardboard insert at which point the tinsel garland is severed or cut and the cardboard insert with the wrapped tinsel garland wound about it is inserted into a box or other package. Such manual operations are both tedious and time consuming and add quite significantly to the cost of such tinsel garland to the consumer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION AND OBJECTS The present invention is characterized by providing an automatic apparatus for measuring and cutting tinsel garland and the like from a supply roll or other source, and for winding and wrapping the tinsel garland as it is being measured and cut so as to quite significantly reduce the amount of manual activity presently being employed in such operations.

The present invention is comprised of an automatic feeding, measuring and cutting apparatus for feeding the tinsel garland to a winding and wrapping station, measuring the tinsel and automatically cutting the tinsel to the desired length.

The free end of the tinsel garland is fed downwardly from the feeding, measuring and cutting apparatus to one winding apparatus of which a plurality are provided on an indexable turntable. Each winding apparatus is mounted in a free-wheeling fashion at discrete intervals about the truntable and is provided with a pair of arms, each arm, in turn, being comprised of a pair of fingers of a springy metallic material adapted to receive a cardboard insert therebetween. The center of the cardboard insert provided with a large opening enabling the free end of the tinsel garland being fed to pass therebetween. Upon receipt of an appropriate signal, the winding device positioned beneath the feed end of the feeding device is caused to rotate whereupon the center of the tinsel garland passes through the opening in the cardboard insert and is automatically caused to be wound about the cardboard insert. After a predetermined time interval the tinsel garland is held substantially taut between two pairs of rollers maintained at spaced intervals above the aforementioned turntable whereupon the garland is severed by a cutting apparatus. A predetermined short time delay thereafter, the winding apparatus is decoupled from the source of rotation and the turntable is indexed to remove the winding apparatus having tinsel garland wrapped therearound away from the feed point of the tinsel garland and moving a second winding apparatus into the winding location. Each cardboard insert wrapped with tinsel garland may then be removed at a location which does not interfere with the next winding operation and replaced with a new cardboard insert thus significantly reducing the number of manual operations required for the feeding, measuring, cutting and winding operations. The tinsel garland wound on the cardboard inserts may then be inserted into a combined storage and display box or any other suitable package either as the tinsel garland has been wrapped about the cardboard inserts or at a second station remote from the aforementioned apparatus.

It is therefore one object of the present invention to provide a novel apparatus for automatically feeding, measuring, cutting and wrapping tinsel garland and the like.

BRIEF DESCRIPTTON OF THE FIGURES The above as well as other objects of the present invention will become apparent when reading the accompanying description and drawing in which:

FIGS. 1a and lb are side and front elevational views of the automatic feeding, measuring and cutting apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing the electrical controls for the apparatus.

FIG. 2a is a top view of the automatic winding and wrapping table which cooperates with the automatic feeding, measuring and cutting apparatus of FIGS. 10 and 1b.

FIGS. 2b and 2c are side and end views, respectively, of the automatic wrapping table of FIG. 2a looking in the direction of arrows 2b2b and 2c2c, respectively.

FIG. 2d is a perspective view showing a portion of one of the winding arm assemblies of FIGS. 2a-2c in greater detail.

FIG. 2e is a perspective view showing the cardboard insert mounted within a display box.

FIG. 3 shows an alternative arrangement for the cutting device of FIGS. 10 and lb.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES FIGS. 1a and 1b show the automatic feeding, measuring and cutting mechanism 10 of the present invention which is comprised of an apparatus framework including a pair of rearwardly mounted uprights 11a and 11b secured to one another at their bottom ends by a lower bracing member 12. A similar pair of uprights is provided at spaced parallel fashion relative to uprights 11a and 11b, one such upright 13 being shown in FIG. 1a. A third pair of spaced parallel uprights only one of which is shown in FIG. la and designated by numeral 14, is positioned in spaced parallel fashion relative to the pair of uprights adjacent thereto and represented j) by upright 13 (its companion upright being hidden from view in FIG. 1a). The

uprights

11a, 13 and 14 are secured near their bottom ends by a bracing member 15. It should be understood that the uprights on the opposite side of the framework are secured by a similar brace located at 15a, shown best in FIG. 1b. It should be further understood that a bracing member located at 12a and similar to the bracing member 12 shown in 4 urge roller 41 against roller 42 provide adequate driv ing force for feeding the tinsel garland 3l'passing be

tween rollers

41 and 42. Alternatively, the weight of the arms 38a and 38b and

rollers

41 and 36 may be suf-i ficient to provide adequate driving force for the tinsel garland 31 in the region between

rollers

41 and 42.

A pairof arms 49 and 50 (note especially FIG. 1b)

I extend outwardly from uprights 14. The free endsof FIG. id is provided at the forward or left-hand end of i to provide a suitable platform 17 for positioning and supporting drive motor 20. Drive motor 20 is provided with an output shaft 21 upon which is mounted a pulley 22 and a clutch mechanism 23 which joins drive shaft 21 to driven shaft 21a which is mounted within two

free wheeling bearings

24 and 25, and has its left-hand end coupled to clutch 23 and has a pulley 26 mounted near its right-hand end.

The rear or right-hand end of the feeding, measuring and cutting apparatus 10 (relative to FIG. 1a) isprovided with a pair of outwardly extending arms 27a and 27b secured to a cross-arm'28 extending between arms 11a and 11b. The free ends of arms 27a and 27b re ceive the ends of a shaft 29 upon which is mounted a free-wheeling guide roller 30 having rims 30a and 36b extending beyond, i.e., of greater diameter than the central portion of roller 30. Guide roller 30 serves as the means for guiding tinsel garland 31 into the feeding, measuring and cutting apparatus 16, which tinsel garland may be taken from a supply reel 32, preferably mounted in free-wheeling fashion upon a pair of support arms 33 freewheeling receiving and rotatably supporting a shaft 34 upon which the supplyreel 32 is mounted. Guide roller 30 is mounted in a free-wheeling fashion.

Whereas the tinsel garland 31 is shown as being taken from a supply reel 32, it should be understood that the tinsel garland may be derived from any other source such as directly from a tinsel forming apparatus enabling the apparatus of the present invention to be used directly at the output of such tinsel forming machinery if desired.

The tinsel garland 31 is fed in the direction shown by arrow 35 (by means to be more fully described) whereupon the tinsel garland is entrained or draped over a free-wheeling guide roller 36 mounted upon a shaft 37 secured between the arms 38a and 3817 whose righthand ends (relative to FIG 1a) are pivotally secured in any suitable fashion to a cross-arm 39 secured to arm 13 and its companion arm not shown in FIGS. 1a and 112 for purposes of simplicity.

The tinsel garland 31 passes between roller 36 and a

arms

49 and 50 are fitted with bearingsSl and 52, re-' spectively, which free-Wheelingly mount a shaft 53 having a roller 54 secured thereto. Also providedon. shaft 53 and to the left of roller 54 is. a pulley 55. A belt 56* is entrained'about pulley and the pulley 22 mounted 1 upon the outputshaft 21 of motor 20.

Another pair of

arms

57 and 58 extend outwardly Q from upright 14 (and its cooperating upright notshown 1 in the figures for the purpose of simplicity) upon. which 1 are mounted near the left-hand ends thereof a pair of 1 downwardly depending arms 59 and 60 which support A a shaft 61 or 62 mounted thereon. The tinsel garland,

31 passes between

rollers

54 and 62. Roller 54, being" driven by motor 20 through shaft21, pulley 22, belt 56, pulley 55 and shaft 53, rotates in a direction shown by arrow 64 to urge the tinsel garland downwardly, as shown by the arrow 35

adjacent rollers

54 and 62. I

Also mountediupon arms 57 and58 is an elongated member 66 at the center of which is mounted a backing block 67 which cooperates with a cutter blade68. The cutter blade is mounted at thefreeend of a piston 69 reciprocally operated by an air cylinder70. The air pressure fed to air cylinder 70hasa portion thereof fed I through tube 71 whose free end is positioned adjacent I the aluminum block 67 (soias to be free of the'recipro-,

eating movement of blade68) for thepurpose of blowing air upon the surface of the aluminum block {67 to,

clean itprior to and during each cutting operation.

The operation of the feeding, measuring and cutting mechanism 10 of FIGS. laand lb is as follows:

second roller 41 arranged a spaced distance from roller I An adjustable timer 74 is coupled across a source of 7 electrical power (see FIG. 10) and has its output cou-.

pled to electromagnetic clutch23. Switch 75' may be selectively operated to energize motor 20. Assuming the closure of switch 74, motor20 is energized and.

timer 74 is energized to engageclutch 23. The energization of motor 20 and the engagement of clutch '23 drives roller 42 into rotation causing the tinsel garland tinsel garland to be driven downwardly (toward the winding and wrapping stationas will become evident from the ensuing description). Upon timeout of timer 74, clutch 23 becomes, disengaged to stop the rotation it of

rollers

40 and 42. This abruptly terminates the feeding of tinsel garland between rollers 41 and 42.How-

ever, since pulley 22 is positioned to the left of clutch I 23 (note FIG. 1b) roller 54 continues torotatecausing the tinsel garland extending between rollers 41-42 and 5462 to be maintained under tension. The time-out of timer 74 further provides a signal to valve 72 shown in FIG. 1c which opens to couple the pressuresource through valve 72 to air cylinder so 'as to simultaneously' drive cutter blade 68 against aluminum block 67 thereby serving the tinsel garland at this pointand L further to provide a jet of air under pressure against the I aluminum block immediately prior to and subsequent to cutting for keeping the cutting block surfaceclean.

Timer 74 automatically resets itself and repeats the same operation set forth hereinabove so as to continually feed, measure and cut a predetermined length of tinsel garland. Experimentation has shown that any garland length from as little as feet to lengths of as great as 100 feet may be accurately cut by adjusting the time interval for timeout of timer 74. Whereas the description set forth hereinabove indicates the advantageous use of the apparatus for tinsel garland, it should be understood that any other material of similar characteristics may be fed, measured and cut with equal success.

FIG. 3 shows an alternative cutting arrangement which may be substituted for that shown in FIG. 121 wherein like elements as between FIGS. la and 3 are designated by like numerals.

Upright 18a is provided with a cutoff backing plate 66 having a pair of outwardly extending projections 66a and 66b forming a groove or indent 66c therebetween. The downwardly moving garland is designated by numeral 31. A slow acting cylinder 70 is provided with a piston rod 69 having its free end mounted to a pin 91 which is adapted to fit within an elongated slot 92a provided in a pivotally mounted arm 92 whose lower end is pivoted to upright 18 by pivot pin 93. Pin 91 which rides an elongated slot 92a is held within the slot 92a by an end fastening means 94. Obviously, another such fastening member will be provided at the opposite end of arm 92.

The free end of arm 92 is provided with a face 92b having two upwardly extending projections 95 with a hot wire 96 coupled thereto. Although not shown for purposes of simplicity, the hot wire 96 is coupled to a suitable electrical source to heat wire 96. The timer 74 of FIG. 10 operates in the same manner as was previously described in connection with the description of FIG. 1c so as to activate the slow acting piston cylinder 70 urging piston rod 69' in the direction of arrow A and causing the heated wire 96 to move into the indentation 66c capturing the tinsel garland 31 therebetween and cutting the tinsel garland by a heating operation. If desired, the air blast nozzle may be utilized in the embodiment of FIG. 3 to clear any material which may adhere to the indentation 660.

Turning now to a consideration of FIGS. 2a-2c, there is shown therein the automatic winding and wrapping apparatus 100 comprised of a table framework having four upright legs l0la-101d secured at their upper ends by horizontally aligned bracing members such as the members 103 and lshown in FIGS. 2b and 26, respectively, it being understood that similar members are provided along the opposite parallel sides thereof. Similar bracing members are provided such as, for example, those designated as 104, 105, 106 and 107, to provide a firm support for the turntable and wrapping mechanisms to be more fully described.

Secured to the top of the table framework is an air table mechanism comprised of a base portion 108 having an upwardly extending shaft 109 rotatably supporting a turntable member 1 10. The air talbe base member 104 is coupled to an air line 111 and air control valve 112 and an adjustable air pressure control device 113 to an air line (not shown for purposes of simplicity). The turntable member 110 which can best be seen in FIG. 2a is a disc-shaped member having four winding and wrapping assemblies 114a-114d rotatably mounted thereto. Since each of these structures are substantially identical to one another in both design and operation, the description of one such assembly will be given herein for purposes of simplicity. As shown best in FIG. 2a, the winding and wrapping assembly 114a is comprised of an elongated shaft 115a free-wheelingly journalled within

bearings

116a and 117a, respectively. The left-hand end of shaft 115a (relative to FIGS. 2a) has secured thereto an arm 118a which positions and supports at its free end springly arm pairs 119a and 120a, respectively, a more detailed description thereof being set forth hereinbelow in connection with FIG. 2d. Each of the shafts 115a-115d are further provided with roller members 121a-121d which are rigidly locked to their associated shafts 115a-l 15d for imparting rotational movement to the winding and wrapping assemblies 1 14a-1l4d in a manner to be more fully described.

The table framework of FIGS. 2a-2c is further provided with a supporting arm 122 upon which is mounted an air cylinder 123 having a reciprocating piston member 124 whose free end has pivotally mounted thereto a pulley member 125 shown best in FIG. 20. Mounted to one side of the table framework is a motor 126 whose output shaft 127 has a pulley 128 mounted thereto. Entrained around pulleys 125 and 129 is a pulley belt 129. When one of the rotatable assemblies is indexed into position, for example, as shown in FIG. 2b, its roller member 121a is positioned adjacent to, but spaced from pulley belt 129 as shown best in FIG. 2c. By energization of air control valve 112, air under pressure a-passed through air line 131 to air cylinder 123 causing the piston 124 to move in a direction shown by arrow 133 in FIG. 2c, thereby urging the belt 129 against the surface of roller 121a to drive the winding and wrapping apparatus into rotation. The structure of one such winding apparatus is shown best in the perspective view of FIG. 2d wherein arm 1 18a is shown as being fitted with two pairs of springy

metallic arms

119a and 120a, each being comprised of the individual arm members 119a-1 and l 19a-2 and 120a-1 and 120a-2, respectively. These arms are in engagement along substantially their entire lengths except for their free ends which are bent outwardly as shown to permit the insertion of a cardboard or other stiff insert member 136 having a large central opening 137. The left and right-hand ends of insert 136 are provided with sawtooth like edges 138a and l38b to facilitate the wrapping operation, as will be more fully described. The insert is mounted to the winding and wrapping assembly simply by aligning the right-hand edge 136a thereof with the outwardly turned ends of the arm pairs 119a and 120a and urging the cardboard insert in the direction shown by arrow 139 until edge 136a abuts against the adjacent surface of arm 118a.

The winding operation is performed in the following manner:

A timer 80 shown in FIG. 10 which operates substantially in cooperation with timer 70, has its output coupled to .the air control valve 112 whereby air under pressure is fed through the two conduits 111 and 131. Air under pressure flowing through conduit 111 causes the turntable 110 to be indexed (i.e. rotated through an angle of 90) to position the next winding and wrapping assembly 114a immediately beneath the tinsel garland 31 being fed downwardly (note especially FIGS. 2a and 2b). Timer 90 couples the air line source to conduit 122 a predetermined time after the turntable has been appropriately indexed to operate air cylinder 123 and thereby urge pulley belt 129 into engagement with roli ler 121a.

The tinsel garland begins to feed in the downward vertical direction and passes through the opening 137 provided in the cardboard insert mounted within the arms of the winding and wrapping assembly. Once the free (i.e. bottom) end of the tinsel garland passes through opening 137 it then begins to automatically wind about the cardboard insert 136 and continues to do so until the tinsel garland is cut to the proper length in the manner previously described. Thereafter the timing of timer 90 causes disengagement of pulley belt 129 from roller 121a after completion of the cutting and feeding operation, but prior to the performance of the indexing operation as was previously described. The operation set forth hereinabove continues in an auto matic fashion with the completed cardboard inserts wrapped with tinsel garland being easily removable at the position occupied by winding and wrapping apparatus 11% whereby replacement cardboard inserts may be inserted upon removal of each of the cardboard inserts which have been wrapped. The length of the cardboard inserts 136 is made greater than the distance between the

arms

119a and 120a so as to facilitate removal of the wrapped tinsel garland and to thereby prevent the tinsel garland from being wrapped about the arm pairs 119a and 120a. To further facilitate removal of the cardboard inserts 136 and the wrapped tinsel garland, the edges are cut in a sawtooth fashion so as to prevent the tinsel garland from slipping off of the cardboard insert.

It should further be noted that the angle of orientation of the winding assembly is immaterial insofar as the automatic winding and wrapping operation is concerned. For example, if the cardboard insert is oriented at or in the horizontal plane, the tinsel garland is free to pass through the central opening 137. Any deviation from this amgle will also permit the tinsel garland to pass freely through the central opening 137. The worst possible orientation would be that in which the cardboard insert is at or in the vertical plane. However, as soon as rotation begins the free end of the tinsel garland will be caused to pass through the central opening 137 and the automatic winding and wrapping will immediately occur as the free end of the tinsel garland falls through the central opening.

it can be seen from the foregoing description that the present invention provides a device for automatically feeding, measuring, cutting, winding and wrapping tinsel garland and the like at an efficiency and at speeds not heretofore possible through conventional techniques. It should further be noted that the cardboard insert 136 wrapped with tinsel garland may be directly employed in display boxes such as that shown in FIG. 2e. The box 150 is provided with an oblong opening 151 and has a flap 152 which may be opened for insertion of the cardboard insert 136 (shown in dotted fashion) with the tinsel garland whereby the oblong opening 151 exposes the tinsel garland so as toenable the tinsel garland 31 to form an effective part of the actual display. The oblong window 151 may be completely opened or may be sealed with a clear plastic sheet, if desired. 7

Although there has been described a preferred embodiment of this novel invention, many variations and I modifications will now be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, this invention is to be limited, not by a i the specific disclosure herein, but only by the'appending claims.

I claim 1. Apparatus for wrapping lengths of mentary material from a source of indeterminate upon a stiff insert comprising:

first roller means comprising first and secondrollers for feeding said filamentary material therebetween whereby the filamentary material fed therebetween extends downwardly from said first rollermeans;

cutting means positioned beneath said first rolle means for cutting said material;

means for rotating said first roller means;

control means for abruptly halting said; rotating" means and for activating said cutting means at preset time intervals selected in accordance with the length of material. desired;

a turntable positioned below said cutting means; a plurality of rotatable winding assemblies mounted upon said turntable and adapted to be sequentially f positioned beneath said cutting means, each of said winding assemblies comprising two pairs of arm's adapted to removably receive a stiffthiri insert therebetween, saidinsert being substantially flat and having a large central opening for receiving the Y free endof said filamentary material;

said control means further comprising means for initiating rotation of said rotating means after said cutting means is actuated; and

means for rotating said winding assembly during the feeding of said material for automatically initiating the winding of said material on said insert.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising sec- 0nd roller means comprised of a second pair of rollers positioned beneath said cutting means for receiving said material therebetween and being constantly .ro-

one end of said shaft extending beyond the-end of said turntable;

said pairs of arms being secured to a cross arm having 7 its intermediate portion secured to said one end of said shaft; g I a roller being secured to said shaft a spaced distance inward from said one end;

rotatable drive means;

means for linearly moving said drive means into enh gagement with the roller of the winding assembly positioned beneath said cuttingmeans to initiate the winding and wrapping operation.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 furthercomprising motor.

means having a first output shaft; I

a second shaft for driving said first roller means;

said control means comprising clutch means coupled between said first and second shaft and timing means for alternately activating and deactivating said clutch means; I

sec-l 6. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising a 0nd pair of roller means positioned beneath said cutelongated fila-. 7

length a shaft rotatably ting means for receiving said material therebetween and being constantly rotated to maintain said material uner tension when rotation of said first roller means is halted, to facilitate the cutting operation.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising means directly coupling said first shaft to said second roller means for constantly operating said second roller means.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said cutting means comprises a heated wire.

9. Apparatus for winding elongated filamentary material of indeterminate length comprising:

means for selectively dispensing said material in a downward direction;

a thin flat rectangular shaped insert having a large central opening;

means for slidably receiving said insert near opposite parallel ends of said insert;

means for rotating said receiving means, thereby rotating said insert;

said receiving means being positioned beneath said dispensing means enabling the free end of said material to pass through said opening as said receiving means is rotated to automatically wrap said material about said insert.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the aforesaid opposite parallel ends extend beyond said receiving means to cause the material wrapped about said insert to remain wrapped about said insert when the insert is slidably removed from the receiving means.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said opposite parallel ends each have saw-tooth peripheries to facilitate retention of the material wrapped about said insert when the insert is removed from said receiving means.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said receiving means comprises first and second pairs of resilient arms arranged in spaced fashion for slidably receiving an insert therebetween.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising means for deactivating said dispensing means at predetermined intervals and means for severing said material when said dispensing means is deactivated.

Claims

1. Apparatus for wrapping lengths of elongated filamentary material from a source of indeterminate length upon a stiff insert comprising: first roller means comprising first and second rollers for feeding said filamentary material therebetween whereby the filamentary material fed therebetween extends downwardly from said first roller means; cutting means positioned beneath said first roller means for cutting said material; means for rotating said first roller means; control means for abruptly halting said rotating means and for activating said cutting means at preset time intervals selected in accordance with the length of material desired; a turntable positioned below said cutting means; a plurality of rotatable winding assemblies mounted upon said turntable aNd adapted to be sequentially positioned beneath said cutting means, each of said winding assemblies comprising two pairs of arms adapted to removably receive a stiff thin insert therebetween, said insert being substantially flat and having a large central opening for receiving the free end of said filamentary material; said control means further comprising means for initiating rotation of said rotating means after said cutting means is actuated; and means for rotating said winding assembly during the feeding of said material for automatically initiating the winding of said material on said insert.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising second roller means comprised of a second pair of rollers positioned beneath said cutting means for receiving said material therebetween and being constantly rotated to maintain said material under tension when rotation of said first roller means is halted, to facilitate the cutting operation.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for directing a jet of air upon said cutting means to clean said cutting means during and after each cutting operation.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said winding assemblies comprises a shaft rotatably mounted upon said turntable; one end of said shaft extending beyond the end of said turntable; said pairs of arms being secured to a cross arm having its intermediate portion secured to said one end of said shaft; a roller being secured to said shaft a spaced distance inward from said one end; rotatable drive means; means for linearly moving said drive means into engagement with the roller of the winding assembly positioned beneath said cutting means to initiate the winding and wrapping operation.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising motor means having a first output shaft; a second shaft for driving said first roller means; said control means comprising clutch means coupled between said first and second shaft and timing means for alternately activating and deactivating said clutch means;

6. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising a second pair of roller means positioned beneath said cutting means for receiving said material therebetween and being constantly rotated to maintain said material uner tension when rotation of said first roller means is halted, to facilitate the cutting operation.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said cutting means comprises a heated wire.

9. Apparatus for winding elongated filamentary material of indeterminate length comprising: means for selectively dispensing said material in a downward direction; a thin flat rectangular shaped insert having a large central opening; means for slidably receiving said insert near opposite parallel ends of said insert; means for rotating said receiving means, thereby rotating said insert; said receiving means being positioned beneath said dispensing means enabling the free end of said material to pass through said opening as said receiving means is rotated to automatically wrap said material about said insert.