Winding Apparatus

Abstract

A winding machine, such as a UNIFIL loom winder, manufactured by Leesona Corporation, Warwick, Rhode Island 02887, has a spindle assembly for receiving and rotating a bobbin, and a traversing assembly including a traversing member releasably threadedly secured to a traverse rod, during winding, for guiding a strand of yarn being wound onto the bobbin. Upon completion of winding, the traversing member is released from the traverse rod and the traversing member is returned to its starting point, the yarn is cut between the traversing member and the doffed, filled bobbin, and the cut yarn is engaged for winding onto an empty bobbin previously donned onto the winder. The traversing and spindle assemblies are driven by mechanism within a casing of the winder. This mechanism includes a continuously driven drive shaft connected by a clutch with a spindle shaft during winding, and disengaged at the termination of winding. A power take-off from the spindle shaft drives cams rotatably received on the spindle shaft for rotating and reciprocating the threaded traverse rod to provide the traversing member with builder and reciprocating motions. Lubrication of the rotatable cam and spindle shaft, and other portions of the mechanism within the casing, is provided by a rotating slinger which projects atomized lubricant upwardly through a duct and onto aprons of an upper duct from which the lubricant flows through channels and passages to lubricate the cam and spindle shaft. When the traversing member has been returned to its starting position, a cycling mechanism causes the clutch to again drivingly engage the drive shaft and spindle shaft whereupon the cycle is repeated.

Description

This invention relates to winding and, more particularly, to a high speed winding machine.

As used herein the term "yarn" means any type of strand material, whether textile or otherwise, and the term "bobbin" means any type of yarn package or cop wound so that it may be readily moved from place to place, or a core on which the yarn is wound.

PRIOR ART AND REFERENCE MATERIAL

The following Leesona Corporation patents and patent application are incorporated by reference: U.S. Pat. No. 2,614,771, dated Oct. 21, 1952; U.S. Pat. No. 2,638,936, dated May 19, 1953; U.S. Pat. No. 2,763,443, dated Sept. 18, 1956; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,785,704, dated Mar. 19, 1957; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 36,126, filed May 11, 1970. These patents and application pertain to the UNIFIL loom winders of which Model 790 and 791 are of particular interest.

The operation of the UNIFIL winders is well understood in the art and is described in the reference patents. The entire operation is automatic. Empty bobbins are fed from a bobbin supply hopper and are automatically donned in opposed rotatable chucks. The end of the yarn passes through a yarn guide of a traversing member and is automatically engaged for winding with the empty bobbin which is rotating during normal winding, as the traversing member is reciprocated back and forth by a threaded traverse rod to which it is releasably secured. At the end of winding, the traversing member is released from the threaded traverse rod, the filled bobbin is doffed, the supply yarn is cut, a new bobbin donned and the traversing member is returned to its starting position to repeat the cycle. Drive and control mechanism within a casing of the winder includes a drive shaft which is continuously driven by a belt drive outside the casing. A clutch connects the drive shaft with a spindle shaft which carries one of the bobbin receiving chucks. A power take-off from the spindle shaft drives cams rotatably received on the spindle shaft for reciprocating and rotating the threaded traverse rod to provide a to and fro, and a builder motion to the traversing member. At the end of winding, mechanism outside of the casing is actuated by the traversing member to rotate a track rod which initiates release of a rectangular rod to rotate and open the jaws of the traversing member. Such rotation of the track rod actuates a cycling mechanism driven by the drive shaft within the casing, and actuates mechanism for releasing the clutch between the drive shaft and the spindle shaft, and initiates bobbin doffing and donning operation. A driver rack is driven by the cycling mechanism and operates a retriever for returning the traversing member to its starting position, and operates a cutter for cutting the supply end of the yarn extending to the doffed bobbin. When the traversing member has been returned to its starting position, the driver rack actuates mechanism to release the jaw operating rod for return to its initial position, permitting the jaws to close on the traverse rod, and the cycling mechanism causes the clutch to again drivingly engage the drive shaft and spindle shaft whereupon the cycle is repeated.

The patent application is directed to a UNIFIL loom winder which may be operated at relative high winding speeds, for example 12,500 r.p.m., or more. In one embodiment, releasable jaws of the traversing member are held in fixed relationship with each other and are positively threadedly mated with threads of the traverse rod during winding of the bobbin, and a linkage mechanism is actuated by the traversing member, at the termination of winding, to rotate a non-circular bar extending between the jaws and release the jaws from the traverse rod.

As the winding speed has been increased, it has been found that the lubricant vaporized or was otherwise disapated as it was conveyed to the parts intended to be lubricated. Certain portions of the system had a tendency to scatter lubricant and to be displaced out of proper adjustment, at higher operating speeds.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a new and improved winder.

Another object is provision of a new and improved high speed automatic winder.

A further object is provision of a new and improved lubrication system for an automatic winder.

Still another object is provision of new and improved apparatus for winding a bobbin, the apparatus including a casing, a spindle assembly receiving the bobbin and including a spindle shaft for rotating the bobbin during winding thereof, provision for rotatably mounting the spindle shaft within the casing, a lubricant system including an upper duct in an upper portion of the casing, the upper duct having a portion for receiving lubricant, and extending from the receiving portion the upper duct having a portion for delivering the lubricant to the spindle shaft, another duct for conveying lubricant to the receiving portion of the upper duct and for confining the lubricant, and provision including a shielded rotary slinger and associated gears for projecting disbursed lubricant through the other duct to the receiving portion of the upper duct for passage of the lubricant from the receiving portion to parts to be lubricated.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, perspective view of apparatus illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention, the apparatus being shown during an intermediate stage while winding a bobbin, with parts omitted, or broken away and removed for clearer illustration;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, plan view of a portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, with parts omitted, or broken away and removed for clearer illustration;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, schematic view, generally in elevation, of another portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, with certain parts in other than their normal relative positions, and with parts omitted, or broken away and removed, for clearer illustration;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, schematic, fragmentary, perspective view of a portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, with parts omitted or broken away and removed, for clearer illustration;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, schematic, sectional view taken generally along the line 5--5 in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, schematic sectional view taken generally along the line 6--6 in FIG. 5.

Various parts of the winder have been omitted in the drawings and in some instances no mention will be made of such omitted parts because they are well known from the reference material and are not directly concerned with the operation of the portion of the apparatus to be described.

Referring generally to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, and as is more fully described and shown in the reference material, a winder has a rigid base 10 including a housing or casing 12, which encloses drive and control mechanism (FIG. 3) at a rear or inboard end of the base 10, and a tail stock 14 at a forward or outboard end of the base. The casing 12 and the tail stock 14 are rigidly connected by suitable structural members, as 16. Bobbin donning apparatus (not shown) receives an empty bobbin from a hopper (not shown) and positions the bobbin with its butt end 17 in an inboard or drive chuck 18 and its tip end 19 in an outboard chuck 20 of a spindle assembly 22 which, through the inboard chuck member 18, rotates the bobbin for winding a strand of yarn 24 thereon. The drive chuck 18 is connected with a spindle shaft 30 (FIG. 3) within the casing 12 and is driven by a suitable motor 32 mounted on a removable cover 34 bolted to the casing 12. The tip end 19 of the bobbin core 28 is freely rotatable with the outboard chuck 20 which is rotatably mounted on a shaft 38 mounted for axial sliding movement in the tail stock 14 and is operated by a rod (not shown) connected to mechanisms within the casing 12 for movement between positions holding the core 28 (as shown), and for releasing a filled bobbin preparatory to receiving another empty bobbin core. A spring linkage (not shown) urges the outboard chuck 20 toward the drive chuck 18 to clamp the core 28 in winding position.

As the strand of yarn 24 is wound onto a rotating bobbin, the yarn passes from a suitable source of supply (not shown) and through a yarn guide eye 40 of a traversing member 42 to build a body of yarn 44 on the core.

The traversing member 42 is mounted on a track rod 46 journaled at its opposite ends in the casing 12 and in the tail stock 14. Also, the traversing member 42 is releasably secured, by means of upper and lower threaded jaws 48 and 50 (FIG. 2), respectively, to a threaded traverse rod 52 (FIG. 2) which is generally parallel to the track rod 46, and is telescopically journaled in the casing 12 and in the tail stock 14 for rotation and reciprocation by the mechanisms, to be described, within the casing 12. The guide eye 40 is in an arm 54 carried by the upper jaw 48.

Rotation of the traverse rod 52 during building of the body of yarn 44 on the bobbin core 28 provides a builder motion by progressively threadedly moving the traversing member 42 from its starting point at the butt end 17 of the bobbin to a predetermined point proximate the tip end 36 of the bobbin. Reciprocating motion of the traverse rod 52 provides a back and forth traversing motion.

As is more fully described in the reference patent application, the predetermined position at which building of the body of yarn 44 on the bobbin core 28 is terminated, is determined by an adjustable actuating mechanism 56 for initiating release of the traversing member jaws 48 and 50 from operative threaded engagement with the traverse rod 52, and for initiating operation of a cycling mechanism (not shown) within the casing 12. The actuating mechanism 56 includes an actuating unit 58 received on a fixed rod 60 for sliding movement as limited by a first abutment unit 62 adjustably mounted on the rod 60, and a second abutment unit 64 (FIG. 2) adjustably mounted on the track rod 46. The actuating unit 58 is resiliently urged toward the first abutment unit 62 by a spring 66.

As the traversing member 42 moves to the predetermined position at which winding is to be terminated, it repeatedly engages the actuating unit 58 and causes it to move toward the tail stock 14. During such movement, the actuating mechanism releases the track rod 46 which then rotates to actuate the cycling mechanism (not shown) as a fixed abutment pin 68 on the track rod 46 releases a latch mechanism 70 which in turn causes the traversing member jaws 48 and 50 to be released from the traverse rod 52. Concurrently, the actuating unit 58 ceases driven engagement with the traversing member 42 which continues to move toward the tail stock 14 as the actuating unit is stopped by the block 64.

The latch mechanism 70 includes a latch arm 72, fixed to and extending transversely from the end of a non-circular bar 74 (FIG. 2) and is urged upwardly by a tension spring 76 secured to the arm and to a fixed bracket 78 on the winder base 10. The arm 72 is releasably maintained in a latched position by a detent 80 pivoted on a bracket 82 fixed to the base 10 and urged into a latched position by a tension spring 84 connected to the detent 80 and to the bracket 82. The detent 80 has a nose 86 releasably latched with a cooperating nose 88 on the latch arm 72 during winding of the bobbin. An abutment 90 on the detent 80 is engaged by the abutment pin 68 on the track rod 46 to release the latched engagement of the detent 80 and the latch arm 72 so that the non-circular bar 74 is rotated to cam open the traversing member jaws 48 and 50 and to release them from threaded engagement with the traverse rod 52.

Resetting of the latch mechanism 70 is accomplished as a driver rack 92, mounted on rollers 94 (FIG. 1, only one visible) and driven through a pin and rod 96 by the cycling mechanism (not shown) in the casing 12, moves outwardly in a direction past the tail stock 14 and engages a roller 98 on a crank 100 fixed on a shaft 102 journaled in the tail stock 14. A second crank 104 is also fixed on the shaft 102 and a link 106 is pivoted to the second crank 104 and to the latch arm 72 on the non-circular rod 74. Thus, the latch arm 72 and the non-circular rod 74 are rotated and the detent 80 moves into latched engagement with the latch arm 72.

With reference to FIG. 2, to return the traversing member 42 to its starting position proximate the casing 12, a retriever 108 moves between the opened jaws 48 and 50 of the traversing member 42. The retriever 108 is on a retriever carrier rack (not shown) mounted in suitable guides (not shown) and is driven through a gear train including a pinion 110 (FIG. 1) mated with the driver rack 92 to move the retriever from the tail stock 14 to the casing 12, whereupon the retriever is cammed from between the traversing member jaws 48 and 50 which then threadedly engage the traverse rod 52. Concurrently, the filled bobbin is doffed, and the yarn 24 is severed between the traversing member guide eye 40 and the bobbin by a cutter 112 which is mounted on a suitably mounted rack (not shown) and driven through a gear train including a pinion 114 (FIG. 1) mated with the driver rack 92 to move the cutter 112 from proximate the casing 12 toward the tail stock 14. A scissor 116 on the leading end of the cutter 112 is cammed closed and severs the yarn. An empty bobbin core 28 is automatically donned and rotation of the drive chuck 22 is thereby started as the driver chuck 18 is telescoped inwardly of the casing 12 and the yarn is automatically engaged with the butt end of the bobbin core 28 to start the yarn winding onto the bobbin core.

Outward movement of the driver rack 92 is now reversed and it is moved toward the casing 12 by the cycling mechanism, thus causing the retriever 108 to be moved toward the tail stock 14 and the cutter 112 to be moved toward the casing 12 as the scissor is opened.

With reference to FIG. 3, the operating mechanism within the casing 12 includes the drive shaft 118 which extends through a rear end wall 120 of the casing 12 and carries a belt pulley 121 which is drivingly connected by a belt 122 with a similar pulley (not shown) on the shaft of the motor 32 (FIG. 1). The drive shaft 118 is journaled in rotary ball bearings including a rearward bearing 126 seated in a bearing sleeve 128 of a bearing flange 129 secured to the end wall of the casing by bolts 130, and an inner bearing 132 seated in a pedestal mount 134 fixed to and extending upwardly from a bottom wall 138 of the casing 12. As will be more fully described later, the spindle shaft 30 of the spindle assembly 22 is axially slidably journaled at a forward end wall 140 of the casing 12 and is similarly journaled, within a clutch 142, on the drive shaft 118. The clutch 142 connects the drive shaft 118 and the spindle shaft 30 and this clutch is engaged by inward movement of the spindle shaft 30 responsive to operation of the cycling mechanism which in turn is operated by the track rod 46, as previously noted, and causes the outboard chuck 20 to move the bobbin and spindle shaft 30 rearwardly. With the clutch 142 engaged during winding of a bobbin, a worm 144 mounted for rotation with the spindle shaft 30 mates with a gear 146 to drive a change gear type of variable speed drive (not shown) which in turn drives an intermediate gear 150. The gear 150 drives a spiral gear 152 operatively fixed to a first cam 153 rotatable on the spindle shaft 30 and having a continuous helical slot 154. In FIG. 3 the following structure is displaced from its normal position relative to the spindle shaft 30 and cam 153 for clearer illustration, and is actually, generally behind the spindle shaft and cam. A follower 155 is received in the slot 154 and is on a block 156 suitably mounted for reciprocation generally in the direction of the axis of the traverse rod 52. The block 156 has a bore which rotatably receives the traverse rod between fixed shoulders 158 thereon for reciprocating the rod and providing the to and fro motion to the traversing member 42 (FIGS. 1 and 2). As will be more fully described later, an oil slinger 160, which is partially submerged in a sump 162 in the bottom wall 138 of the casing 12, is driven by the gear 146 for lubricating portions of the mechanism. A second cam 164 is operatively fixed to the first cam 153, and receives roller 165 on a first end of a follower lever 166 which is pivoted intermediate its ends by means of a pin 168, to a bracket 167 fixed to the casing 12 to drive a one way clutch 170 having a housing 172 suitably fixed by structural members (not shown) to the casing 12. The one way clutch has an actuating arm 174 with an elongated slot (not shown) receiving a pin 178, fixed to a second end of the follower lever 166, so that as the clutch oscillates, a gear 180, suitably connected with the arm 174, is rotated in only one direction. The gear 180 is mated with a gear 182 having a hub 184 formed with a flat telescopically receiving a complementary flat 186 on the end of the traverse rod 52, to thereby rotate the rod and provide the previously noted builder motion. The cycling mechanism is driven, during doffing and donning operation, by a gear train including a gear 188 meshed with a worm 189 fixed to the drive shaft 118.

With reference to FIGS. 4-6, in order to lubricate various portions of the mechanism within the casing 12, and particularly a spindle shaft and cam bearing 190 journaled in a member 191 seated in the forward end wall 140 of the casing, and thereby the running surfaces of the cam 153 and the spindle shaft 30, the worm 144 and gear 152, and a bearing 191A in the clutch 142, the slinger 160 is provided and includes two coaxial, gear-like wheels 192 (FIG. 6) spaced apart by abutting hubs 194. The slinger wheels 192 and hubs 194 are mounted for rotation on a shaft 196 mounted in a pedestal support 198 extending upwardly from the casing bottom wall 138 and rigidly and releasably secured thereto as by a bolt 199 (FIG. 6). The slinger 160 is driven through mated engagement with the gear 146 and is enclosed by a shield 200 (FIGS. 3-6) which confines the lubricant picked-up from the sump 162 and deflects the lubricant against the rotating gears 146 and 150 and upwardly therefrom. More particularly, the shield 200 is suitably rigidly secured to the pedestal support 198 (FIG. 4) and has a straight forward portion 200A extending into the sump 162 alongside the slinger 160 with a cylindrical section 200B extending upwardly from the portion 200A and closely spaced from the gear 150. The shield 200 also has a generally cylindrical rearward quadrant 200C extending from the slinger 160 and closely spaced about the gear 146. The slinger 160, the gears 146 and 150, and the shield 200 provide handling means to receive the lubricant from a source of supply provided by the sump 162, and to disburse the lubricant into an atomized state and to sling or project the atomized lubricant upwardly through a first duct 202. The duct 202 is formed by a forward wall 202A and opposed sidewalls 202B, and is substantially open at the rear since the atomized lubricant is directed away from this area.

As the lubricant passes upwardly through the first duct 202, it passes through passageways 204 (FIG. 4) in aprons 206 which form a bottom wall of a receiving portion 208 of a second or upper duct 210. From the passageways the upward movement of the atomized lubricant is stopped by a top wall 212 of the second duct 210. The wall 212 is suitably fixedly secured to the bracket 167 and interconnects upper end portions of the sidewalls 202B which form part of the receiving portion 208. Within the second duct 210 the lubricant drops onto the aprons 206 which decline toward the forward wall 202A and toward a first channel 214 between the aprons. The channel 214 also declines toward the forward wall 202A. The aprons and channel are fixed to the top wall 212 in any suitable manner as by welding. At its lower end, the channel communicates with a discharge portion 216 extending through an opening in the forward wall. The discharge portion 216 is fixedly secured, as by welding, to the top wall 212 and overlies a delivering portion 218 (FIGS. 4 and 5) of the second duct 210 for passage of the lubricant from the first channel 214 to a second channel 220 of the delivering portion. By removing a bolt 220A extending through a hole in the bracket 167 and threaded into the top of the pedestal support 198, the first duct 202 and the receiving portion 208 of the upper duct 210 may be removed as a unit, while leaving the delivering portion 218 of the second duct intact.

The delivering portion 218 of the second duct 210 has a rigid flange 221 which is adjustably and operatively fixed to a flange 222 of a fixed, rigid bracket 224 by means of bolts 225 extending through horizontally elongated slots in the flange 221 and threaded into the flange 222. The bracket 224 is fixedly secured to the adjacent end wall 140 of the casing 12 by means of removable fasteners 228.

Lubricant delivered to the delivering portion 218 of the upper duct 210 flows into a receiver 230 which communicates with a spiral passage or groove 231 (FIG. 5) in the outer face of the bearing 190 and with a passage 232 opening into the groove and extending through the bearing 190, from which the lubricant flows along the spindle shaft 30 and through a spiral passage or groove 234 in the inner surface of the bearing 190 and into a chamber 236. From this chamber the lubricant flows through a radial passage 238 in the spindle shaft and into an axial passage 240 to lubricate the clutch bearing 191A, and from the axial passage 240 through radial passages 242 and 244 to lubricate the spiral gear 152 and the worm 144, respectively.

While this invention has been described with reference to a particular embodiment in a particular environment, various changes may be apparent to one skilled in the art and the invention is therefore not to be limited to such embodiment or environment except as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A strand winding machine comprising, a casing having upper and lower sections, a reservoir in said lower section for holding a supply of oil, a spindle including a bobbin-engaging chuck and an elongated shank connected with the chuck and extending rearwardly of said chuck, means mounting said spindle for rotation in said casing in a generally horizontal position upwardly of said reservoir, operative means supported on said shank for rotation relative to said spindle, an axial passage formed in said shank, a radial passage connecting with said axial passage and extending outwardly thereof in a position below said operative means, an enclosed spiral groove surrounding at least a portion of said shank and communicating with said radial passage, aperture means providing a passage to said spiral groove, rotary oil engaging means for moving oil from said reservoir in an upward path within said casing, first duct means proximate the upper section of said casing for receiving oil moved in said upward path and operable to convey the oil to said aperture means, second duct means defining a confined zone for directing the oil from the oil engaging means to the first duct means, and means for rotating said spindle, the oil delivered to said aperture means flowing into said spiral groove and moving therethrough in response to rotation of said spindle for distribution into said axial passage and outward movement therefrom through said radial passage to lubricate said operative means.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said oil engaging means includes a rotary oil slinger and a gear drivingly connected with said slinger and positioned for receiving the oil from said slinger, and deflector means cooperating with said slinger and said gear to project the oil from said reservoir to said duct means.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said shank is supported on the interior wall of a bearing and said groove is formed in said interior wall.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said operative means includes a plurality of members positioned along said shank for rotation relative to said shank, said axial passage extends substantially the full length of said shank, and a separate radial passage is provided in said shank for each said member, each said radial passage connecting with said axial passage and extending outwardly of said shank to a position below the member with which it is associated.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for rotating said spindle includes a drive shaft positioned substantially coaxially with said spindle, and including bearing means coupling said spindle and said drive shaft, said axial passage opening through the end of the spindle adjacent said drive shaft to permit flow of oil through said axial passage to said bearing means.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said oil engaging means includes gear means at least partially submerged in said reservoir to sling the oil in said upward path, said gears means being operated by said means for rotating said spindle.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first duct means includes a receiving duct for receiving the oil moved in said upward path and a delivering duct connected with said receiving duct and operable to deliver the oil from the receiving duct to the aperture means.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein said receiving duct includes a channel through which the oil passes to the delivering duct, and said receiving duct further includes an apron extending along a side of said channel, said apron declining toward said channel for the passage of the oil across the apron and into the channel.