Patent ID: 6027059
Filing Date: 2000-02-22
Classification: B65H,D06B

Abstract:
A coiler apparatus for forming flat coils of textile strands from an upstream strand supply and depositing the coils on a moving conveyor belt for transport downstream to a strand processing station, comprising:(a) a driven rotating arm for forming successive coils of a textile strand received by said rotating arm from the upstream strand supply, said arm mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis;(b) a coil-shaping template positioned in strand-receiving relation to said rotating arm and having a downstream-facing tapered annular surface for receiving the strand from said arm and forming the strand into an upright circular coil having an orientation perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said rotating arm;(c) a coil doffer, comprising:(i) a lower coil guide positioned proximate a lower extent of said template for progressively engaging and removing said upright coils from said template and applying the lower portion of each coil successively to said conveyor belt as said coils move downstream along said conveyor belt;(ii) an upper coil guide extending downstream from said template for guiding the upper portion of each coil off of said template as the lower portion of each coil is removed from the template by the lower coil guide for permitting a controlled transition of said coils from said template onto said moving conveyor belt; and(iii) doffer drive means operatively engaging said conveyor belt in driving, surface-to-surface contact for driving said lower coil guide at a predetermined rate of travel in relation to said conveyor belt.