Method of and apparatus for winding all-thread bobbins

All-thread bobbins for use as sources of lower thread or underthread in sewing machines are formed by winding a thread onto a slender rotary spindle which extends across a winding chamber between and into aligned openings of two end walls which flank the chamber and at least one of which is adjustable axially of the spindle to vary the length of bobbins. The rotating spindle draws thread from a spool or from another suitable source of supply. When the bobbin in the chamber is fully grown, the spindle is extracted from the opening of one of the end walls and from the chamber and the distance between the end walls is increased to permit evacuation of the fully grown bobbin, e.g., by gravity. The thread between the source and the evacuated bobbin is engaged by tongs extendable into the chamber through the opening of the one end wall, and the thus engaged portion is looped and maintained in the opening of the one end wall in a position of readiness for engagement by and for winding around the spindle after the latter is again moved across the empty chamber and into the opening of the one end wall to proceed with the making of a next-following bobbin.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The invention relates to improvements in methods of and in apparatus for 
making so-called all-thread bobbins. More particularly, the invention 
relates to improvements in methods of and in apparatus for automatically 
winding all-thread bobbins for use in sewing machines or for other 
purposes. Still more particularly, the invention relates to improvements 
in methods of and in apparatus for making all-thread bobbins of the class 
disclosed, for example, in German Pat. No. 287 111 granted Jun. 3, 1914 to 
Levy for a winding machine for the making of disc-shaped bobbins for use 
in sewing and knitting machines. 
The lower thread or underthread for the making of seams in a sewing machine 
is normally stored on a reel which is removably confined in a gripper 
housing or casing. During each of a series of stitch formations, the 
housing or casing is once surrounded by a looped portion of the upper 
thread which passes through the eye of the needle in the sewing machine. 
The space which is available in the sewing machine for the aforementioned 
housing or casing containing a supply of convoluted underthread is very 
limited, and additional space is taken up by the housing or casing as well 
as by the reel which actually stores the supply of convoluted underthread. 
The reel is normally made of a metallic or plastic material and often 
includes a central core between two disc-shaped flanges. The supply of 
convoluted underthread is wound around the core in the space between the 
two flanges. 
Another drawback of reels for supplies of underthread is that, when the 
convoluted thread is to be drawn off the reel, the reel must be 
accelerated from zero speed. The inertia to be overcome during each 
acceleration of the reel is quite pronounced, especially when the reel 
still contains a full supply or a relatively large supply of convoluted 
underthread. The result is a continuous variation of tension upon the 
thread and the making of nonuniform stitches. 
The aforementioned German Pat. No. 287 111 to Levy discloses a winding 
machine which is to turn out disc-shaped bobbins consisting entirely of 
convoluted thread or yarn. The winding operation involves the utilization 
of a large-diameter winding shaft between two flanges having axial 
passages for the axially reciprocable and rotatable winding shaft. When 
the making of a bobbin is completed, the shaft is withdrawn from the space 
between the flanges, i.e., from the center of the freshly formed bobbin, 
and leaves therein a relatively large axially extending hole. During the 
making of a bobbin between the flanges, the rotating shaft draws thread 
from a source of supply and through a thread guide. The latter is designed 
in such a way that, when a fully grown bobbin is evacuated from the space 
between the flanges upon extraction of the shaft from such space, a 
portion of the thread is placed in front of a specially configurated 
(crown-shaped) end portion of the shaft so that the shaft engages and 
begins to wind the thread as soon as it is returned to the winding 
position in which it extends across the space between the two flanges. The 
thread is thereupon severed between the shaft and the evacuated bobbin, 
and the thread guide is returned to its normal position preparatory to 
setting of the shaft in rotary motion in order to proceed with the winding 
of a fresh bobbin. 
In addition to turning out bobbins having large-diameter holes, the machine 
of Levy exhibits the drawback that the thread guide must be capable of 
positioning a portion of the thread with a very high degree of accuracy, 
namely so that the thread crosses an extension of the longitudinal axis of 
the shaft; this should ensure that the end portion of the shaft will 
properly engage the thread preparatory to winding of a fresh bobbin. This 
is possible only by employing accurately finished, mounted and predictably 
manipulated thread guides as well as by employing means for reliably 
holding a fully grown bobbin in a predetermined position. If the fully 
grown bobbin is out of such predetermined position, the thread guide 
cannot engage the thread and cannot locate the thread in a requisite 
position relative to the end portion of the shaft. The end portion of the 
shaft is to force the properly positioned portion of the thread into a 
socket of one of the flanges; this can result in damage to or in actual 
tearing of the thread. Such damage to or tearing of the thread can create 
problems in connection with proper engagement of the guided thread portion 
with the end portion of the shaft. The diameter of the shaft cannot be 
reduced at will because the front end portion of the shaft must have 
dimensions which are sufficient to ensure proper engagement of the thread. 
In other words, it is necessary to provide each disc-shaped bobbin with a 
large-diameter hole at the expense of overall quantity of convoluted 
thread. 
U.S. Pat. No. 1,598,262 (granted Aug. 21, 1926 to Ashworth for "Cop-Winding 
Machine") discloses an apparatus for converting thread into a cop which is 
merely a mass of thread and wherein the turns are held together by wax. 
The patentee is primarily concerned with a knock-off lever which is 
operable to move between two winding flanges in order to expel a completed 
cop upon extraction of the winding shaft. 
French patent application Ser. No. 2,003,133 (filed by Plutte, Koecke & Co. 
for a thread winding apparatus and a bobbin which is obtainable by 
resorting to such apparatus and published Nov. 7, 1969) proposes an 
apparatus for the making of a cylindrical all-thread bobbin with a large 
axial hole. The applicant is concerned with a device which serves to strip 
a fully grown all-thread bobbin off a rotary winding spindle. 
U.S. Pat. No. 1,688,058 (granted Oct. 16, 1928 to Reed for "Cop-winding 
Machine") discloses an apparatus for the making of flat disk-like cops 
from waxed thread. The winding shaft can be driven only when it assumes an 
operative position of engagement with a driving shaft. At such time, the 
driving shaft can turn the winding shaft by way of a torque transmitting 
clutch. 
U.S. Pat. No. 2,780,191 (granted Feb. 5, 1957 to Philips for "Sewing 
machine bobbins of either silk, cotton, nylon or other fibres or synthetic 
material, and methods of making the same") discloses all-thread bobbins 
and a method of making such bobbins. A finished all-thread bobbin is 
heated to a temperature of substantially 300.degree. F. and is 
simultaneously subjected to a pressure of approximately 1000 pounds 
applied axially and radially for time periods varying according to the 
type of material being processed. This is intended to cause coherent 
setting of thread into a substantially solid and rigid cylindrical mass. 
U.S. Pat. No. 2,815,178 (granted Dec. 3, 1957 to Cone for "Thread package 
winding apparatus") proposes to wind thread on plastic sewing machine 
bobbins. The mass of thread which is being wound upon a plastic bobbin is 
compacted by urging it into radial engagement with a winding spindle. A 
wound bobbin is doffed and the patented apparatus employs conveyor means 
for removing doffed bobbins as well as for supplying empty bobbins. The 
apparatus of Cone is designed to simultaneously wind thread onto a 
plurality of plastic bobbins. 
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
An object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved method of 
making compact all-thread bobbins, for example, to be used to supply 
underthreads in sewing machines. 
Another object of the invention is to provide a method which renders it 
possible to reliably and predictable couple a thread with a rotary winding 
spindle. 
A further object of the invention is to provide a method which renders it 
possible to make all-thread bobbins containing more thread per unit volume 
than heretofore known all-thread bobbins. 
An additional object of the invention is to provide a method which can be 
practiced by resorting to relatively simple, compact and inexpensive 
winding apparatus. 
Still another object of the invention is to provide a fully automatic 
method which can be utilized for the making of short or long series of 
identical all-thread bobbins in rapid succession. 
A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved 
all-thread bobbin which is obtained in accordance with the above outlined 
method. 
Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved 
all-thread bobbin which can be utilized in existing sewing machines and/or 
in other thread processing machines or production lines. 
An additional object of the invention is to provide an all-thread bobbin 
which is formed with a small-diameter central passage or hole. 
Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved 
winding apparatus for the practice of the above outlined method and for 
the making of the above outlined novel and improved all-thread bobbins. 
A further object of the invention is to provide the winding apparatus with 
novel and improved means for temporarily securing a portion of thread to a 
rotary winding spindle or shaft. 
Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved 
apparatus for converting selected lengths of thread into compact 
all-thread bobbins which can be utilized in sewing machines and/or for 
other purposes. 
An additional object of the invention is to provide a winding apparatus 
whose operation can be automated to a desired extent and which can be 
rapidly converted for the making of larger-diameter, smaller-diameter, 
shorter or longer all-thread bobbins. 
Still another object of the invention is to provide the apparatus with 
novel and improved means for controlling the direction of movement of 
thread from a source of supply to the winding or bobbin forming station. 
A further object of the invention is to provide the apparatus with novel 
and improved means for selecting the extent of oscillation of thread 
between the source and the winding station. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
One feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a method 
of making an all-thread bobbin on a rotary spindle between first and 
second end walls (e.g., in the form of rotary flanges or discs) at least 
one of which is adjustable axially of the spindle to define with the other 
end wall a winding chamber of selected length. The improved method 
comprises the steps of establishing a source of thread having a portion 
extending into the chamber, moving the spindle axially across the chamber 
between the end walls and into an opening of the first end wall, rotating 
the spindle to wind the portion of and thereupon additional thread around 
the spindle in the chamber with attendant formation of a growing bobbin, 
shifting the thread back and forth between the end walls intermediate the 
source and the growing bobbin so that the growing bobbin extends across 
the chamber between the end walls, arresting the spindle when the bobbin 
in the chamber is fully grown by containing a predetermined quantity of 
thread, extracting the spindle from the opening and from the bobbin in the 
chamber, moving the at least one end wall away from the other end wall to 
thus permit evacuation of the grown bobbin from the chamber, grasping a 
second portion of the thread between the evacuated bobbin and the source, 
withdrawing the thus grasped second portion of the thread into the opening 
of the first end wall, and thereupon moving the spindle across the chamber 
and back into the opening to engage the withdrawn second portion of the 
thread preparatory to renewed rotation for the winding of thread 
therearound, i.e., for the making of a next-following all-thread bobbin. 
The first and second end walls preferably have confronting substantially 
parallel and substantially plane thread-contacting surfaces, and the 
source can contain a supply of convoluted thread. 
The withdrawing step can include looping the grasped second portion of the 
thread. 
The method further comprises the step of severing the thread between the 
second portion and the evacuated fully grown bobbin. 
The grasping step can include clamping the second portion of the thread by 
tongs or by another suitable implement and pulling the thus clamped second 
portion from the chamber into the opening of the first end wall. The 
pulling step can include advancing the looped second portion of the thread 
all the way through an opening extending through the entire first end 
wall. 
The method can further comprise the step of pressing the growing bobbin in 
the chamber substantially radially inwardly toward the rotating spindle. 
Such pressing step can include biasing a rotary body, such as an idler 
roller, against the periphery of the growing bobbin, preferably with a 
variable force. 
The method can further comprise the step of rotating at least one of the 
end walls by the growing bobbin in the chamber. 
The shifting step can include guiding the thread through an eyelet at one 
end of a pendulum which is oscillated between first and second positions 
at least close to the respective end walls. The extent of shifting the 
thread back and forth can be varied, particularly in dependency on 
selected distance between the two end walls. 
Another feature of the present invention resides in the provision of an 
apparatus for winding all-thread bobbins. The improved apparatus comprises 
a support (e.g., a frame or housing), a rotary spindle which is axially 
movably mounted in the support, and first and second end walls which are 
mounted in the support and define between themselves a winding chamber. 
The end walls have aligned openings for the spindle, and the apparatus 
further comprises means for rotating the spindle to thereby wind a thread, 
which is supplied by a source of supply, and to thus form in the chamber a 
growing bobbin between the two end walls. The apparatus also comprises 
means for moving the spindle axially in one of the openings across the 
chamber into the other opening and for extracting the spindle from the 
other opening and from the chamber, and at least one of the end walls is 
adjustable relative to the other end wall to permit evacuation (upon 
extraction of the spindle from the chamber) of a fully grown bobbin 
containing a predetermined quantity of thread. The apparatus also 
comprises means for grasping a portion of the thread between the source 
and the evacuated fully grown bobbin, and such grasping means includes 
means for pulling the grasped portion of the thread into the other opening 
upon extraction of the spindle from such other opening. 
The apparatus also comprises means (e.g., in the form of a knife or shears) 
for severing the thread between the evacuated fully grown bobbin and the 
winding chamber, and means for shifting the thread back and forth between 
the end walls intermediate the source and the growing bobbin in the 
chamber to thus ensure predictable distribution of thread between the end 
walls. 
The grasping means can comprise means for looping the aforementioned 
portion of the thread in the chamber between the source and the evacuated 
fully grown bobbin as a result of pulling the portion of the thread from 
the chamber into the other opening. 
The source can contain a supply of convoluted thread and the aforementioned 
portion of the thread is preferably engaged by and is compelled to rotate 
with the spindle upon renewed movement of the spindle into the other 
opening and upon renewed rotation of the spindle whereby the thread is 
drawn from the source and is wound around the spindle to form a further 
growing bobbin in the chamber. 
The pulling means can comprise means for reciprocating the looping means 
substantially axially of the spindle through the other opening into and 
out of the chamber upon extraction of the spindle from the other opening 
and from the chamber. The looping means can comprise tongs for an 
analogous implement which is operable to clamp the thread in the chamber 
upon evacuation of the fully grown bobbin and prior to severing of the 
thread between the evacuated bobbin and the winding chamber. 
The spindle can comprise a suitably configurated and/or dimensioned end 
portion which cooperates with the end wall having the other opening to 
non-rotatably engage the spindle with the looped portion of the thread in 
the other opening upon renewed movement of the spindle into the other 
opening. 
The shifting means can comprise an oscillatable thread engaging device and 
means for oscillating the thread engaging device between the end walls. 
The thread engaging device can include a pendulum and the means for 
oscillating can comprise means for repeatedly moving the pendulum into 
actual abutment with at least one of the end walls. The shifting means can 
further comprise means for varying the extent of oscillation of the thread 
engaging device, particularly in dependency upon the adjustment of the at 
least one wall relative to the other wall, as seen in the axial direction 
of the spindle. 
The thread engaging device can be designed and mounted in such a way that 
it is oscillatable about a second axis which extends transversely of the 
axis of the spindle and is located between the planes of the two end 
walls. Such device can have a first portion or arm which engages the 
thread between the source and the growing bobbin, and a second portion or 
arm which is connected with the oscillating means. The first arm can have 
a variable length between the second axis and the engaged thread to thus 
vary the extent of oscillation of engaged thread between the two end 
walls. Alternatively or in addition to the just described mode of 
selecting the extent of oscillation of engaged thread between the two end 
walls, the adjustment can be carried out in such a way that the shifting 
means further comprises means for coupling the oscillating means with the 
second arm of the thread engaging device at any one of a plurality of 
different distances from the second axis to thereby select the extent of 
oscillation of the engaged thread between the two end walls. 
The apparatus can further comprise means for pressing the growing bobbin 
substantially radially inwardly toward the spindle in the winding chamber. 
Such pressing means can comprise a rotary body (e.g., an idler roller) and 
means (such as a fluid-operated motor) for biasing the rotary body against 
the periphery of the growing bobbin, preferably with a variable force in 
addition to, or in lieu of, the just described pressing action, the rotary 
body or an equivalent thereof can be used as a means for monitoring the 
growth of the bobbin in the winding chamber. 
The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention 
are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The improved winding 
apparatus itself, however, both as to its construction and its mode of 
operation, together with additional features and advantages thereof, will 
be best understood upon perusal of the following detailed description of 
certain presently preferred specific embodiments with reference to the 
accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
The winding apparatus 3 which is shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 comprises a 
support or frame including a base 1 and an upright carrier 5 on the base. 
The carrier 5 mounts an antifriction ball bearing 7 for an end wall 9 here 
shown as a rotary disc or flange having a central through opening or hole 
25 for a portion of a horizontal winding spindle or shaft 31. The end wall 
9 is freely rotatable in the bearing 7. An additional end wall 11 in the 
form of a rotary disc or flange with a centrally located through opening 
or hole 27 is adjacent to but spaced apart from the end wall 9, and the 
end wall 11 is rotatably mounted in a second antifriction bearing which is 
installed in a reciprocable adjusting or moving member 13. The at least 
substantially plane vertical surface 10 of the end wall 11 confronts and 
is at least substantially parallel to a similar plane surface of the end 
wall 9 and defines therewith a variable-length winding chamber 43 for the 
making of successive all-thread bobbins 49. The adjusting or moving member 
13 for the end wall 11 is reciprocable with two elongated parallel 
rod-shaped guides 15 which are reciprocably installed in a fixed upright 
carrier 17 on the base 1. The parts 1, 5 and 17 can be said to constitute 
or form part of the frame of the improved winding apparatus 3. The rear 
end portions 19 of the guides 15 extend beyond the carrier 17 and are 
connected with the piston 21 of a fluid-operated motor 23 mounted in or on 
a further carrier on the base 1. The guides 15 extend forwardly through 
the member 13 and their front end portions 24 are reciprocably guided in 
blind bores 26 provided therefor in the carrier 5 at a level beneath the 
winding chamber 43. 
The openings or holes 25, 27 of the end walls 9, 11 are aligned and serve 
to guide the winding spindle 31 which is connected to the piston rod of a 
fluid-operated motor 46 serving as a means for moving the spindle axially 
across the winding chamber 43 into the opening 27 as well as for 
extracting the spindle from the opening 27 and chamber 43 so that the 
front end portion 37 of the spindle is then located in the opening 25 of 
the end wall 9. The means for rotating the spindle 31 about its 
longitudinal axis F includes an electric motor 33 whose housing is mounted 
in a bearing 29 on a rear portion of the carrier 5. The upper side of such 
rear portion of the carrier 5 has elongated tracks 35 along which the 
motor 33 and the spindle 31 are movable forwardly (toward the carrier 17) 
or backwards in response to actuation of the motor 46. 
The dimensions of the aligned openings 25, 27 in the end walls 9, 11 are 
selected in such a way that these openings can receive portions of the 
rotary winding spindle 31 with little radial clearance or with minimal 
radial clearance. The length of the tracks 35, which determine the extent 
of axial reciprocatory movement of the spindle 31, is selected in such a 
way that the spindle can be retracted to a rear end position in which its 
front end portion 37 is confined in the opening 25, i.e., in which the end 
portion 37 does not project beyond the plane vertical surface 39 of the 
end wall 9 (and carrier 5) and into the winding chamber 43. 
The length of the winding chamber 43 can be selected and thereupon 
maintained by moving the member 13 and the end wall 11 therein along the 
guides 15, and by thereupon securing the member 13 to the guides 15 by 
suitable threaded or other fasteners 41. The selected length a (as seen in 
the axial direction of the spindle 31) of the winding chamber 43 (i.e., 
the distance of the surfaces 10, 39 from each other), thereupon remains 
unchanged as long as the person in charge desires the winding apparatus 3 
to turn out a series of all-thread bobbins 49 having identical lengths 
(a). The motor 23 is actuated to retract the member 13, the end wall 11 
and the guides 15 from the front end positions of FIG. 1 when a fully 
grown bobbin 49 is to be evacuated from the winding chamber 43. The motor 
23 is thereupon actuated again to return the member 13 and its end wall 11 
to the positions of FIG. 1 preparatory to renewed winding of thread 48 for 
the making of the next-following bobbin. The fasteners 41 are loosened to 
permit movements of the carrier 13 (with end wall 11) and guides 15 
relative to each other only when the person in charge (or an automatic 
control system) is to change the distance a, namely the length of the 
winding chamber 43 and hence the axial length of the next-following 
bobbins which are to be formed between the surfaces 10 and 39 of the end 
walls 11 and 9, respectively. 
The winding apparatus 3 further comprises means for pressing a growing 
bobbin 49 in the winding chamber 43 radially inwardly toward the axis of 
the rotating spindle 31. At such time, the spindle 31 extends across the 
chamber 43 from the opening 25 in the end wall 9 at least into or all the 
way through the opening 27 of the end wall 11, and the thread 48 is being 
wound around the spindle between the surfaces 10 and 39. The pressing 
means comprises a rotary body 45 (e.g., an idler roller) whose axis is 
parallel to the axis F of the spindle 31) and which is mounted on one or 
two supporting arms 47. Such arm or arms 47 are pivotable about a 
horizontal axis C which is or can be parallel to the axis F of the spindle 
31. The means for biasing the peripheral surface of the rotary body 45 
against the periphery of a growing bobbin 49 in the chamber 43, preferably 
with a variable force, includes a fluid-operated motor 51. As can be seen 
in FIG. 3, the arm or arms 47 serving to support the rotary body 45 can be 
installed in the support of the winding apparatus 3 in such a way that the 
body 45 is pivotable into the chamber 43 from below and bears against 
successive increments of the periphery of the growing bobbin 49 which is 
being formed in the chamber 43 as a result of rotation of the spindle 31 
under the action of the motor 33. The latter further serves to arrest the 
spindle 31 when the chamber 43 contains a fully grown bobbin 49, i.e., 
when such bobbin contains a predetermined quantity of thread 48. In 
addition to serving as an element of the aforediscussed bobbin pressing 
means, the rotary body 45 can also serve as a component of means for 
monitoring the diameter of the growing bobbin 49 in the chamber 43 and for 
arresting the motor 33 when the diameter of the bobbin reaches a value 
indicating that the bobbin contains a requisite (predetermined) quantity 
of thread. 
The motor 51 is actuated to retract the rotary body 45 from the chamber 43 
when the making of a bobbin 49 is completed; this provides room for 
automatic or other evacuation of the fully grown bobbin from the chamber 
43, for example, by gravity into a compartment 53 at a level beneath the 
chamber 43. The compartment 53 is accessible for manual, semiautomatic or 
automatic extraction of a fully grown bobbin 49 and for transfer of such 
bobbin to storage or to any other destination. 
A source 50 of supply of thread 48 can include a relatively large reel of 
convoluted thread at a level above the winding chamber 43. The manner in 
which the quantity of thread 48 in the source 50 is monitored, the manner 
in which an empty reel is replaced with a fresh reel and/or the manner in 
which empty reels are evacuated (e.g., ejected) from the station for a 
supply of thread 48 form no part of the present invention. The same holds 
true for the manner of utilizing signals generated by the rotary body 45 
to arrest the motor 33 (and hence the spindle 31) when the bobbin 49 in 
the chamber 43 contains a requisite quantity of thread 48, and for the 
manner in which the motor 51 can be adjusted to vary the bias of the 
rotary body 45 upon the periphery of a growing bobbin 49 in the chamber 
43. It is preferred to design and set up the motor 51 in such a way that 
the bias of the rotary body 45 upon the periphery of a growing bobbin 49 
in the winding chamber 43 remains at least substantially constant. It is 
presently preferred to employ a pneumatic motor 51 and to cause the piston 
rod of such motor to act upon a two-armed supporting and biasing structure 
for the rotary body 45. Thus, the latter can be mounted on at least one 
lever which is fulcrumed at C, which has a first arm articulately 
connected to the piston rod of the motor 51 and a second arm (47 in FIG. 
3) supporting a shaft for the rotary body 45. 
The aforementioned compartment 53 can be defined by a tray which is 
removably installed in the carrier 5 beneath the winding chamber 43. The 
tray defining the compartment 53 can be utilized in addition to or in lieu 
of a suitable handling element (such as a doffer) which is designed to 
grasp a fully grown bobbin 49 and to extract it from the chamber 43 
preparatory to delivery onto a suitable conveyor or preparatory to 
immediate delivery to a treating station, not shown. 
The winding apparatus 3 further comprises means (shown at 61) for shifting 
the thread 48 back and forth intermediate the end walls 9 and 11 during 
the making of a bobbin 49 in the winding chamber 43. Such shifting means 
ensures that the thread 48 forming part of a fully grown bobbin 49 is 
distributed in a desired manner axially and/or radially of that portion of 
the spindle 31 which extends across the chamber 43 between the openings 25 
and 27. The illustrated shifting means 61 is mounted on a suitable carrier 
on the base 1 behind the carrier 5 (see FIGS. 2 and 3). A composite thread 
engaging device of the shifting means 61 resembles a pendulum having a 
first portion 63 extending or extendable into the space between the 
surfaces 10 and 39 of the end walls 11, 9, respectively, and a second 
portion 73 which carries the lower portion 63 and is oscillatable about a 
vertical axis B in response to operation of an oscillating unit including 
an electric motor 69 or another suitable prime mover. The vertical axis B 
is defined by a stationary pivot member 75 and is located between 
imaginary extensions of the surfaces 39 and 10 of the respective end walls 
9 and 11. The surface 39 is preferably flush with the adjacent 
(surrounding) surface of the carrier 5, and the surface 10 is preferably 
flush with the adjacent (surrounding) surface of the member 13. The axis F 
of the spindle 31 is or can be horizontal, i.e., normal to the vertical 
axis B of the pendulum including the portions 63 and 73. 
A portion of the thread 48 coming from the source 50 and advancing into the 
winding chamber 43 is caused to pass through an eyelet 68 at the lower end 
of the portion 63 of the pendulum forming part of the shifting means 61. 
The rotary output element 71 of the motor 69 drives a connecting rod 67 
which is coupled to and serves to oscillate the second portion 73 of the 
pendulum 63, 73 about the vertical axis B. 
The stroke or throw of the connecting rod 67 receiving motion from the 
output element 71 of the motor 69 is assumed to be constant and is 
determined by the dimensions and mounting of an eccentric 74 forming part 
of the coupling between the motor 69 and the portion 73 of the pendulum. 
The shifting means 61 is preferably designed to select the extent of 
reciprocation of the eyelet 68 (and hence of the thread 48 between the 
source 50 and the growing bobbin 49 in the chamber 43) in dependency on 
the selected distance a between the end walls 9 and 11. This can be 
achieved by moving the connecting rod 67 relative to the adjacent end of 
the upper portion 73 of the pendulum 63, 73. The locus of engagement 
between the connecting rod 67 and the portion 73 of the pendulum can be 
moved substantially at right angles to the axis of the winding spindle 31. 
Even though the throw of the eccentric 74 and the mounting of the 
connecting rod 67 on the eccentric 74 remain unchanged, the extent of 
oscillation of the eyelet 68 between the surfaces 10 and 39 can be varied, 
e.g., by the simple expedient of shifting the exact locus of connection 
between the rod 67 and the portion 73 of the pendulum 63, 73. The coupling 
between the connecting rod 67 and the portion 73 includes an elongated 
slot 77 in the portion 73 and a pin-shaped projection 72 provided on the 
connecting rod 67 and extending into the slot 77. The position of the 
projection 72 in the slot 77 can be changed and the projection is 
thereupon fixed in the selected position at a greater or lesser distance 
from the axis B. 
In lieu of the just described adjusting means for the extent of oscillation 
or reciprocation of the eyelet 68 between the surfaces 10 and 39, the 
shifting means 61 can be designed in such a way that the pivot 75 
(defining the axis B) is movable in order to change the ratio of effective 
lengths of the portions 63, 73 of the pendulum. Still further, it is 
possible to employ a pendulum portion 63 whose effective length between 
the axis B and the eyelet 68 is variable to thus determine the extent of 
oscillation of the eyelet 68 between the surfaces 10 and 39. 
In order to simplify the selection of distance a between the end walls 9 
and 11, namely to ensure that such distance can be varied without changing 
the axial positions of both end walls, the elongated slot 77 in the 
pendulum portion 73 is preferably normal to the axis of the spindle 31 
when the eyelet 68 is adjacent (and preferably abuts) the surface 39 
and/or the coplanar surface of the carrier 5. This ensures that the eyelet 
68 reaches its right-hand end position (as viewed in FIG. 2) when the slot 
77 is normal to the axis of the spindle 31. This holds true irrespective 
of the selected extent of oscillation of the portion 63 of the pendulum 
63, 73 about the axis B, i.e., one end position of the eyelet 68 remains 
unchanged. This renders it possible to select the distance a by the simple 
expedient of moving the member 13 and the end wall 11 relative to the end 
wall 9 and its carrier 5. Thus, in order to change the distance a, the 
operator or an automatic adjusting system simply moves the member 13 and 
the end wall 11 toward or away from the end wall 9 (subsequent to 
loosening of the fasteners 41), and the extent of oscillation of the 
eyelet 68 is thereupon adjusted accordingly by changing the position of 
the projection 72 in the elongated slot 77 of the pendulum portion 73. 
A portion of the connecting rod 67 which is spaced apart from the 
projection 72 carries a bearing sleeve 66 surrounding an eccentrically 
mounted post 70. In order to adjust the portion 63 of the pendulum 63, 73, 
the connecting rod 67 is moved axially of the output element 71 of the 
motor 69. The means for guiding the connecting rod 67 during such movement 
includes a groove 76 which is machined into or is otherwise formed in the 
carrier for the shifting means 61. The motor 69 shares the movement of the 
connecting rod 67 along the groove 76. The means for moving the motor 69 
and the connecting rod 67 along the groove 76 comprises a rotary feed 
screw 78 which can be rotated by a crank 79. Alternatively, or in addition 
to the manually operated moving means 78, 79, the shifting means 61 can 
include a suitable prime mover (e.g., an electric motor 80 which is 
indicated in FIG. 2 by broken lines). Such prime mover can move the casing 
or housing of the motor 69, or it can be used in lieu of the crank 79 to 
rotate the feed screw 78 and to thereby move the motor 69 and the 
connecting rod 67 in the longitudinal direction of the groove 76. 
The winding apparatus 3 further comprises an arrangement 81 which can be 
operated to constitute a means for grasping the thread 48 between the 
source 50 and a fully grown bobbin 49 subsequent to evacuation of such 
bobbin from the chamber 43, e.g., into the compartment 53 beneath the end 
walls 9 and 11. The illustrated grasping arrangement 81 comprises an 
elongated holder 85 whose axis coincides with the axis F of the spindle 31 
and which is reciprocable in the carrier 17 (i.e., in the support or frame 
of the apparatus 3) by a double-acting fluid-operated linear motor 89 
(e.g., a pneumatic cylinder and piston unit) mounted on the carrier 17. 
The holder 85 is reciprocable in a top portion 83 of the carrier 17 at a 
level above the guides 15 for the member 13 and its end wall 11. The top 
portion 83 can be said to constitute a bearing for the holder 85 and can 
be a separately produced part which is thereupon affixed to the carrier 17 
or is otherwise mounted on the base 1 so as to maintain the holder 85 in 
axial alignment with the spindle 31. The forward end of the holder 85 
carries a thread looping device 87 which can be moved by the motor 89 from 
an extended position in the chamber 43 to a retracted position in or 
behind the opening 27 in the end wall 11. The thread looping device 87 can 
include or constitute one or more tongs 88 or analogous implements which 
can engage the thread 48 in the chamber 43 and thereupon entrain the 
engaged portion 150 of the thread into (or behind) the opening 27 with 
simultaneous formation of a loop (shown in FIG. 2 by dotted lines). For 
example, the device 87 can comprise two tongs 88 which can be opened and 
closed by a suitable mechanism (not specifically shown) in selected axial 
positions of the holder 85. Furthermore, the tongs 88 is or are 
dimensioned, mounted and manipulated in such a way that the device 87 is 
sufficiently collapsed or contracted prior to entering the opening 27 from 
behind or prior to being retracted from the chamber 43 into the opening 27 
so that the device 87 and its tongs 88 can advance through the opening 27 
into the chamber 43 or from the chamber 43 into and, if desired or 
necessary, behind the opening 27. 
The tongs 88 will open, preferably automatically, in response to entry into 
the chamber 43 by way of the opening 27, the tongs thereupon engage the 
thread 48 between the source 50 and the evacuated bobbin 49 (e.g., a 
bobbin in the compartment 53), and the motor 89 is thereupon started in a 
direction to withdraw the tongs 88 and the engaged portion 150 of the 
thread 48 into the opening 27. The arrangement is or can be such that a 
suitable mechanism (not shown) opens the tongs 88 upon entry into the 
chamber 43 and that the tongs 88 will close in automatic response to 
retraction into the opening 27. The tongs 88 can open to release the 
looped portion 150 of the thread 48 while still in the opening 27 or 
subsequent to retraction behind the member 13 (see FIG. 1). For example, 
the grasping arrangement 81 can be equipped with one or more 
electromagnets (not shown) which serve to open and/or close the tongs 88 
and/or to move the tongs to position(s) of readiness for advancement 
through the relatively small opening 27 in the end wall 11 and the aligned 
opening in the member 13. 
The mode of operation of the winding apparatus 3 is as follows: 
When the front end portion 37 of the spindle 31 engages the looped portion 
150 of the thread 48 in the opening 27 of the end wall 11 and the latter 
is located and fixed at a selected distance a from the end wall 9, the 
motor 33 is started so that the spindle 31 is rotated at a high speed and 
draws thread 48 from the source 50. This results in the formation of a 
growing bobbin 49 in the chamber 43 between the confronting surfaces 10, 
39 of the respective end walls 11 and 9. The motor 69 is on, e.g., in 
response to starting of the motor 33, so that the eyelet 68 at the free 
end of the portion 63 of the pendulum 63, 73 oscillates the adjacent 
portion of the thread 48 between the two end walls 9, 11 with attendant 
predetermined distribution of thread on the growing bobbin 49. The 
shifting means 61 is preferably set up in such a way that the extent of 
oscillation of the eyelet 68 at least matches (and preferably slightly 
exceeds) the selected distance a so that the eyelet 68 repeatedly contacts 
the surface 39 and/or the surface 10 at the end of the respective stroke. 
Such adjustment of the shifting means 61 might entail some wear upon the 
eyelet 68 and/or upon the end wall 9 and/or 11 (and/or upon the carrier 5 
and/or member 13, depending upon whether the eyelet 68 strikes the end 
wall 9 or 11 or the adjacent surface of the carrier 5 or member 13); 
however, it ensures the making of a short or long series of bobbins 49 
having predetermined dimensions in their axial direction (i.e., in the 
direction of the axis F while the spindle 31 is in the process of building 
or forming a bobbin 49 in the winding chamber 43). Moreover, such 
adjustment of the shifting means 61 invariably ensures that the eyelet 68 
changes the direction of its movement between the end walls 9 and 11 at 
predetermined locations (upon engagement with the surfaces 10 and 39); 
this, too, contributes to the making of bobbins 49 having desired axial 
lengths. 
When a bobbin 49 in the chamber 43 is fully grown, e.g., because the arm or 
arms 47 for the rotary body 45 reach predetermined angular positions, the 
motor 31 is arrested to thus interrupt the withdrawal of thread 48 from 
the source 50. It is equally possible to utilize a monitoring device other 
than the rotary body 45, e.g., a timer which automatically arrests the 
motor 33 after a predetermined interval of time or after a predetermined 
number of revolutions thus indicating that the bobbin 49 in the chamber 43 
contains a predetermined quantity of thread 48. The motor 69 is arrested 
simultaneously with the motor 33, i.e., the eyelet 68 ceases to oscillate 
between the end walls 9 and 11. The next step involves retraction of the 
member 13 and of the end wall 11 therein (e.g., through a distance in the 
range of one or more millimeters) in a direction away from the end wall 9. 
The motor 46 is thereupon started to retract the motor 33 and the spindle 
31 in a direction away from the carrier 17 so that the end portion 37 of 
the spindle is retracted into the opening 25 of the end wall 9 or into the 
aligned opening of the carrier 5. The end walls 9, 11 then cease to clamp 
the fully grown bobbin 49 and the latter is ready for evacuation (e.g., by 
gravity) into the compartment 53. Retraction of the spindle 31 from the 
chamber 43 can take place simultaneously with or immediately or shortly 
after retraction of the end wall 11 in a direction away from the end wall 
9. If the bobbin 49 is to be actually expelled from the chamber 43, the 
winding apparatus 3 can be equipped with the aforementioned doffer or with 
other suitable (e.g., mechanical or pneumatic) bobbin evacuating means. 
As the bobbin 49 descends from the chamber 43 into the compartment 53 below 
the end walls 9 and 11, the thread 48 continues to extend between the 
source 50 and the evacuated bobbin. Since the opening 27 is unoccupied 
(the spindle 31 has been retracted by the motor 46), the grasping 
arrangement 81 can be actuated by causing the motor 89 to move the holder 
85 in a direction to the right, as viewed in FIG. 1, so that the tongs 88 
of the looping device 87 can enter the chamber 43 to engage the thread 
portion 150. The direction of movement of the holder 85 is thereupon 
reversed whereby the portion 150 is automatically looped and drawn into 
the opening 27 of the end wall 11. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the bight of 
the looped portion 150 of the thread 48 can be withdrawn to a position all 
the way behind the member 13 and the tongs 88 is or are thereupon caused 
to release the bight. The next step involves renewed advancement of the 
spindle 31 in a direction to the left, as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2, so that 
the end portion 37 enters the opening 27 and engages the looped portion 
150 of the thread 48. As mentioned hereinbefore, the end portion 37 is 
preferably a snug fit in the opening 27 so that the spindle 31 begins to 
convolute the thread 48 around its exposed surface in the chamber 43 as 
soon as the motor 33 is restarted. 
The winding apparatus 3 further comprises scissors 80 (shown schematically 
in FIG. 3), a knife or other suitable means for preferably automatically 
severing the thread 48 between the chamber 43 and the bobbin 49 in the 
compartment 53, for example, in response to reintroduction of the end 
portion 37 of the spindle 31 into the opening 27 of the end wall 11. This 
ensures that the thread 48 is severed between the source 50 and the fully 
grown evacuated bobbin 49 in the compartment 53 at a time when the portion 
150 of the thread is already clamped by the end portion 37 of the spindle 
31. 
When the severing step is completed, the motors 33 and 69 are restarted and 
the winding apparatus 3 proceeds to make a fresh bobbin 49 which is 
monitored and otherwise manipulated in a manner as described above. 0f 
course, the member 13 and its end wall 11 are returned to their 
predetermined positions (at the selected distance a from the end wall 9) 
before the motors 33 and 69 are restarted to proceed with the building of 
a bobbin 49 in the chamber 43. 
The so-called winding ratio (namely the ratio of the rotational speed of 
the spindle 31 to the extent of reciprocation or oscillation of the eyelet 
68) can be selected in a fully automatic way, e.g., electronically by 
appropriate regulation of the RPM of the motor 33 (spindle 31) and motor 
69 (output element 71). Such ratio influences the characteristics of the 
finished bobbins 49. 
If the making of a series of relatively long or short bobbins 49 is to be 
followed by the making of a series of shorter or longer bobbins, the 
fasteners 41 are loosened and the distance a is altered. Also, the extent 
of oscillation of the eyelet 68 is altered, e.g., by the aforedescribed 
expedient of moving the motor 69 and the connecting rod 67 along the 
groove 76. 
FIG. 4 illustrates certain details of a combined heating and compacting 
unit 91 which can be put to use in order to influence certain 
characteristics of fully grown bobbins 49, e.g., the axial length and the 
diameters of cylindrical or substantially cylindrical bobbins. A bobbin 49 
which has been evacuated from the winding chamber 43 into the compartment 
53 of the winding apparatus 3 of FIGS. 1 to 3 can be removed from the 
compartment 53 (by hand or automatically) and introduced into the unit 91, 
namely into the socket of a heatable matrix 93 having an internal surface 
95 surrounding a properly inserted fully grown bobbin 49. The socket of 
the matrix 93 is aligned with a reciprocable ram 97 which is movable back 
and forth by a suitable prime mover 99 (e.g., a double-acting hydraulic or 
pneumatic motor). It is presently preferred to employ a hydraulic motor 99 
which operates with oil or with another suitable hydraulic fluid. In order 
to avoid the use of an oil pump, the pressure in the cylinder of the 
illustrated motor 99 can be raised to a desired value by a pressure 
regulating assembly including a first motor having an elongated cylinder 
for a reciprocable piston 101. The piston rod 103 of the piston 101 
extends into a receptacle 105 which is filled with oil. As the piston 101 
moves in a direction to the left (reference being had to FIG. 4), the 
pressure of oil in the receptacle 105 (and hence in the cylinder chamber 
of the motor 99) rises accordingly to ensure requisite compacting of the 
fully grown bobbin in the socket of the matrix 93. At the same time, the 
heated surface 95 of the matrix 93 maintains the properly inserted bobbin 
at a desired temperature. 
The treatment of fully grown bobbins in the unit 91 of FIG. 4 is often 
desirable if the convolutions of the thread 48 forming such bobbin are to 
slightly adhere to each other with a predetermined force and/or if each 
bobbin 49 is to assume an accurately determined size and shape prior to 
actual use, e.g., to furnish underthread in a sewing machine. Adherence of 
neighboring filaments in a fully grown bobbin 49 to each other can be 
ensured by the customary sizing or finishing preparation which has been 
applied to the thread 48 on the reel at the source 50. Alternatively, and 
if the thread 48 is a synthetic filament, heating in the socket of the 
matrix 93 can result in some softening of plastic material and hence in 
desired adherence of neighboring convolutions of the all-thread bobbin to 
each other. 
The unit 91 of FIG. 4 can be installed in or on or at the support of the 
winding machine 3. Alternatively, the unit 91 can constitute an 
independent machine or apparatus which is installed adjacent to or at a 
selected distance from the winding machine 3 of FIGS. 1 to 3. 
An important advantage of the improved method and winding apparatus 3 is 
that each of a short or long series of bobbins 49 can be imparted a 
desired size and/or shape and/or consistency with a high degree of 
accuracy and reproducibility. Moreover, the apparatus is relatively simple 
and its operation can be automated to any desired extent. In addition, a 
bobbin 49 can contain a larger quantity of thread 48 than a conventional 
bobbin having identical outer dimensions because the diameter of the axial 
passage (upon extraction of the spindle 31) is very small. This is due to 
the fact that the aforediscussed making of the loop 150 by the grasping 
means 81 suffices to ensure reliable engagement of looped portion 150 by 
the end portion 37 of the spindle 31 (when the end portion 37 is returned 
into the opening 27 of the end wall 11) so that the making of a fresh 
bobbin 49 can begin in automatic and immediate response to restarting of 
the motor 33. 
An advantage of the pressing means 45, 51 (or analogous pressing means) is 
that a growing bobbin 49 can be compacted with a selected force while its 
diameter grows as a result of withdrawal of thread 48 from the source 50 
by the rotating spindle 31. The pressing action is or can be uniform all 
the way between the end walls 9 and 11. If the pressing means 45, 51 (or 
analogous pressing means) is used jointly with the unit 91 of FIG. 4 (or 
an analogous unit), the quantity of thread 48 in a finished bobbin 49 
(which has been removed or expelled from the socket of the matrix 93) can 
exceed the quantity of thread in a conventionally produced bobbin having 
identical outer dimensions to a surprisingly large extent. For example, 
mere treatment of a bobbin 49 in the unit 91 of FIG. 4 can result in an 
increase of the quantity of thread (as compared with the quantity of 
thread in a conventionally produced bobbin having the same outer diameter 
and the same axial length) by 10-20 percent. 
The end walls 9, 11 are or can be mounted (in the carrier 5 and member 13) 
in such a way that they act not unlike idler rollers, i.e., that they are 
set in motion by the adjacent portions of a growing bobbin 49 in the 
chamber 43. This reduces the likelihood of damage to thread 48 at the 
locations where the thread contacts the end walls 9 and 11. Moreover, such 
ability of the end walls 9, 11 to be driven by and to rotate with a 
growing bobbin 49 renders it possible to drive the spindle 31 at an 
elevated speed so that the making of a bobbin 49 takes up a very short 
interval of time. 
The shifting means 61 has been found to ensure highly satisfactory 
distribution of thread 48 in successively grown bobbins 49. Moreover, such 
shifting means renders it possible to rapidly and accurately conform the 
extent of oscillation of the eyelet 68 to the selected distance a between 
the surfaces 10 and 39 of the respective end walls 11 and 9. More 
specifically, the adjustment of shifting means 61 in dependency on the 
selected distance a renders it possible to properly distribute the thread 
48 all the way between the surface 10 of the end wall 11 and the surface 
39 of the end wall 9. 
Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of 
the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, 
readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, 
from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential 
characteristics of the generic and specific aspects of our contribution to 
the art and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be 
comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the appended 
claims.