U.S. patent number 3,672,587 [Application Number 05/104,110] was granted by the patent office on 1972-06-27 for traverse cam and follower for winders.
This patent grant is currently assigned to R. H. Bonligny Inc.. Invention is credited to John H. Pierce.
United States Patent |
3,672,587 |
Pierce |
June 27, 1972 |
TRAVERSE CAM AND FOLLOWER FOR WINDERS
Abstract
A traverse cam and follower is provided for winding machines
that is capable of operating at high winding speeds to much better
advantage than has heretofore been possible. The traverse cam is
characterized by a reversing spiral of three grooves, and the
follower by a shoe for riding in the central groove to serve as a
crossing guide and by stud elements spaced at each side of the shoe
for riding in the outer grooves to bear the cam thrust. This
arrangement allows excellent control of the follower during
reversal at the end of each stroke, results in remarkably smooth
and quiet operation, and adapts well to use in traverse cams of
considerably smaller diameter than is usual, which lighten the
traverse mechanism substantially and lower cam surface speed so as
to lessen follower wear materially.
Inventors: |
Pierce; John H. (Charlotte,
NC) |
Assignee: |
R. H. Bonligny Inc. (Charlotte,
NC)
|
Family
ID: |
22298726 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/104,110 |
Filed: |
January 5, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
242/483.5; 74/57;
242/483.7 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65H
54/2812 (20130101); Y10T 74/18312 (20150115); B65H
2701/31 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65H
54/28 (20060101); B65h 054/30 () |
Field of
Search: |
;242/18R,18DO,27,31,43,43.1,43.2,158,158.2,158.3,158.5
;74/57,567 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Gilreath; Stanley N.
Assistant Examiner: Schroeder; Werner H.
Claims
I claim:
1. In a winder for textile strand material and the like, in which a
grooved traverse cam and follower means are employed for directing
the winding pattern, the improvement which comprises at least one
reversing spiral of at least three grooves formed in said traverse
cam, and a follower means carrying an elongated shoe for riding in
one groove of said spiral to serve as a crossing guide, together
with spaced stud elements for riding in the other grooves of said
spiral to bear the cam thrust.
2. In a winder for textile strand material and the like, the
improvement defined in claim 1 and further characterized in that
the number of grooves in said spiral equals 1 plus n, where n is an
even number, and in that said shoe is carried to ride in the
central groove.
3. In a winder for textile strand material and the like, the
improvement defined in claim 2 and further characterized in that
said follower means is guided in a linear path for reciprocation in
response to rotation of said traverse cam, in that said shoe is
pivotally carried for riding in said spiral groove, and in that
said stud elements are cylindrical and are spaced at each side of
said shoe with the cylindrical axes of said stud elements and the
pivot axis of said shoe disposed parallel to each other and in a
plane of said follower means aligned with said linear path.
4. In a winder for textile strand material and the like, the
improvement defined in claim 3 and further characterized in that
two of said follower means are disposed for riding said traverse
cam spiral at diametrically opposite positions, and said follower
means are phased to reverse simultaneously at opposite ends of said
spiral.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In winding machines of the sort employed to build packages of
textile strand material by placing successive, alternately
reversed, spiral-wound layers of the strand material on a
supporting core or bobbin, the winding pattern is commonly directed
by a strand guide that is arranged for reciprocation through
follower engagement with a cylindrical traverse cam having
intersecting, oppositely directed, spiral grooves formed therein
with connecting portions that effect reversal of the strand guide
at the ends of the traverse stroke.
The follower engagement with the traverse cam is ordinarily
provided for by fitting the strand guide with an elongated shoe (or
boat) adapted for riding in the cam grooves to produce strand guide
reciprocation from cam rotation. But as the follower shoe must be
sufficiently elongated to lead smoothly across the cam groove
intersections, it follows that the portions connecting the spiral
grooves for reversal must be specially formed to allow passage of
the shoe therethrough during reversal, and this factor renders
satisfactory control of the shoe at reversal a practical
impossibility, particularly as it is desirable to effect the
reversal as rapidly as possible.
The art has sought for some time to deal with this difficulty
because it substantially restricts practical operating speeds.
Examples of solutions heretofore proposed are found in U.S. Pat.
Nos. 3,048,054 and 3,407,262. The present invention eliminates the
difficulty to exceptionally better advantage than has previously
been possible.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention a traverse mechanism for textile
winding machines is provided in which the traverse cam is
representatively formed with a reversing spiral of three grooves,
and the strand guide follower with an elongated shoe for riding in
the central groove to serve as a crossing guide and with stud
elements spaced at each side of the shoe for riding in the outer
grooves to bear the cam thrust. The result of this arrangement is
to stabilize the follower means nicely during reversal at the ends
of the traverse stroke and thereby maintain the traverse mechanism
operating smoothly at exceptionally high speeds.
For this purpose, at least three grooves are needed in the cam
spiral in order to accommodate at least two spaced stud elements to
provide the necessary follower means stability. Also, the elongated
shoe should be arranged to ride in the central groove of the spiral
in order to allow a symmetrical follower means structure to be used
that will act comparably during reversal at the respective ends of
the spiral. More than three grooves may be used, if desired, but
when this is done the further grooves should be added in increments
of two for the same considerations of symmetry.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a textile winding machine
arrangement in which a traverse mechanism embodying the present
invention might be employed;
FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the traverse mechanism diagrammed in
FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional detail taken substantially at the
line 3--3 in FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a full side elevation of the traverse cam employed in the
FIG. 2 mechanism with a three-groove spiral diagrammed thereon;
FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of the FIG. 4
traverse cam showing the cam groove arrangement with the follower
means represented in relation thereto;
FIG. 6 is a side elevation of the follower means; and
FIGS. 7 and 8 are respective plan and right-end views corresponding
to FIG. 6.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The textile winding machine diagrammed in FIG. 1 of the drawings is
of the surface driven type employing a traverse mechanism according
to the present invention in dual traverse form at 10 for directing
two delivered strands S and S' to respective print rolls 12 and 12'
by which the winding pattern is transferred to bobbin cores C and
C' carried on chuck rolls 14 and 14' that are rotatably mounted on
biased swing arms 16 and 16'. The print rolls 12 and 12' are driven
and, as the biased swing arms 16 and 16' maintain the bobbin cores
C and C' initially, and thereafter the strands S and S' wound
thereon, in surface contact with print rolls 12 and 12', the result
is to build the strands S and S' into packages P and P' of
alternately reversed, spiral-wound layers following the winding
pattern determined by the traverse mechanism 10 and transferred by
the print rolls 12 and 12'.
FIG. 2 shows the structure of a traverse mechanism 10 embodying the
present invention suitably for use in a winder arrangement of the
foregoing sort as comprising a mounting plate 18 to which a tubular
housing 20 is secured for carrying a traverse cam 22 in bearing
units 24 and 26. The extending end of housing 20 is capped at 28
beyond the outboard bearing unit 24, while the other end extends
through mounting plate 18 to contain the inboard bearing unit 26
thereat and allow projection of a traverse cam stub shaft portion
29 for driving connection. The secured arrangement of the cam
housing 20 mounting plate 18 includes cantilever braces 30 and 31
fixed above and below housing 20 (compare FIGS. 2 and 3).
As seen best in FIG. 3, opposite sides of the cam housing 20 are
flatted and fitted with inset guide blades 32 and 32' to engage
strand guide follower means 34 and 34' at elongated slots 36 and
36' formed through the flatted sides of housing 20 to provide for
riding association of the follower means 34 and 34' with traverse
cam 22. The slots 36 and 36' have a length sufficient to
accommodate the traverse stroke and the guide blades 32 and 32'
thereat closely define a linear path for reciprocation of the
follower means 34 and 34' in response to rotation of the traverse
cam 22.
FIG. 4 shows a separate side elevation of the traverse cam 22 with
a three-groove reversing spiral 38 such as is used according to the
present invention diagrammed thereon, while FIG. 5 details a
lengthwise constant velocity portion of cam 22 with a related
representation of a follower means 34. Although traverse cams
employed in winder arrangements of the FIG. 1 type are commonly of
21/2 inches diameter, a traverse cam 22 embodying the present
invention has been used successfully at a diameter of 11/2 inches
so as to reduce substantially the cam surface speed as well as the
spiral length of the reversing spiral 38 and thereby lessen
materially the wear influences on the follower means. The 11/2
inches cam 22 just referred to was formed for a traverse stroke of
12 inches with the three grooves 40, 42 and 44 of the reversing
spiral 38 making 41/2 revolutions in each direction. For an
intermediate 1570.degree. of revolution in each direction the
grooves 40, 42 and 44 were formed with constant velocity portions
at a lead angle of 29.degree. 53', leaving 25.degree. for angular
acceleration and deceleration in effecting follower means reversal
at the respective ends of the traverse stroke.
The grooves 40, 42 and 44 were each proportioned at a width of
one-eighth inch and depth of three thirty-seconds inch, and were
separated by lands of one-eighth inch width. The follower means 34
(or 34') provided to ride in these grooves, as shown further in
FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, was formed with a body portion 46 having a width
suited for slidable disposition in the cam housing slot 36 (or 36')
and a groove 48 at one side face for slidable engagement with the
adjacent guide blade 32 (or 32'). A thread guide notch 50 was
arranged in a lip portion 52 projecting from the outer face thereof
(i.e., the top face in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8), and three recesses were
aligned at the opposite face in correspondence with the spacing of
spiral grooves 40, 42, and 44 to carry an elongated shoe 54 in the
middle recess for riding in the central groove 42 and cylindrical
stud elements 56 and 58 in the other recesses for riding in the
outer grooves 40 and 44. The elongated shoe 54 included a centrally
positioned shank portion 60 at which it was pivotally carried in
the middle recess of the follower means body portion 46, while the
stud elements 56 an 58 were press fitted in the other recesses, the
whole of follower means 34 (or 34') being formed of nylon 6
material. As thus arranged, (see FIGS. 6, 7 and 8), the cylindrical
axes of the stud elements 56 and 58 and the pivot axis of shoe 54
were disposed parallel to each other and in the same plane of the
follower means.
In operation, the elongated shoe 54 served as a crossing guide at
the intersections of the reversing spiral 38, and was suitably
proportioned in length for this purpose as indicated by the dotted
line representation that is included in FIG. 5 (90.degree. out of
phase). Because of this lengthwise extent of the shoe 54 it was, of
course, necessary to widen the central spiral groove 42
sufficiently at its 25.degree. portions of angular acceleration and
deceleration to clear the shoe adequately during reversal, but this
was easily done because control of the follower means 34 (or 34')
was provided for by the stud elements 56 and 58 so that a precise
widthwise fitting of the shoe 54 in groove 42 was not needed at any
point in its travel. On the other hand, the cylindrical stud
elements 56 and 58 were proportioned to fit the outer spiral
grooves 40 and 44 closely and carried at an alignment with both the
pivot axis of shoe 54 and the linear path of the traverse stroke,
so that the follower means 34 (or 34') was stabilized quite
effectively against cocking or other erratic action during the
traverse end reversals. It is also notable, as will be seen from a
consideration of the dotted line representation of follower means
34 in FIG. 5, that even at the spiral groove intersections one of
the stud elements 56 or 58 maintains control of the follower means
except at the gap immediately following the intersection midpoint,
so that the crossing guide function of the shoe 54 is minimal and
the cam thrust is borne entirely by the stud elements 56 and 58 for
all practical purposes.
As a result, a traverse mechanism arranged in the foregoing manner
can be operated smoothly and effectively at surprisingly high
speeds, a test speed of 6,500 r.p.m. having been attained without
pushing the mechanism to its limit. Such a speed means that
continuous spun filament, for example, may be received at a
delivery speed in the order of 4,000 meters per minute and wound
into packages at a helix angle of about 6.degree. with ease, which
is substantially beyond previous operating possibilities.
Comparable winding performance can be obtained by providing a
plurality of reversing spirals on the traverse cam at spaced
locations with follower means at each spiral for winding a group of
smaller packages, and by operating in either single or dual
traverse fashion. When a dual traverse is used, or when more than
one spiral is employed, it is desirable to phase the follower means
for balanced simultaneous reversal at opposite ends of the traverse
stroke.
The present invention has been described in detail above for
purposes of illustration only and is not intended to be limited by
this description or otherwise to exclude any variation or
equivalent arrangement that would be apparent from, or reasonably
suggested by, the foregoing disclosure to the skill of the art.
* * * * *