Patent GB-891763-A (GB)
Title: Method of and apparatus for withdrawing a cop thread end
IPC: B65H67/08
Filed: 1958-03-31
Abstract: 891,763. Winding yarns. REINERS, W. March 31, 1958 [March 30, 1957; April 20, 1957; July 29, 1957], No. 10210/58. Classes 120(2) and 120(3) A method of withdrawing and locating in a substantially fixed position the outer thread end of a cop having the thread terminating in a reserve coil wound on the base of the cop tube, consists in directing a suction air current over the cop surface towards the base end thereof and substantially parallel to the cop axis thereby to entrain and unwind the reserve coil, and securing the thread against unwinding beyond a point in the outer thread layer. In Fig. 1 suction air in tube 3 withdraws the reserve coil 5 of thread and the outer layer F up to a point where it is secured by support member 2. The tube 3 may be increased in diameter and made to extend around the surface of the cop to increase the air current. After the thread end has been withdrawn the air current may be reversed to blow the thread end to the nose end of the cop. Cutting means may be provided to sever the thread end before blowing it to the nose end of the cop. Instead of the member 2 a hook member may engage the surface of the cop to secure the thread from further unwinding this hook member subsequently being used to transfer the thread end to knot tying means. Alternatively a clamping device may be provided in conjunction with the cutting means to hold the thread end ready for transfer to a knotting device. The invention can be applied to a thread winding machine as shown in Fig. 10, where supply cops are supplied by conveyer chains 134 to the upper end of a shoot 106 where each is supported in turn by a member 103 until it is to be transferred to the unwinding position 101d. Whilst in position 101b the base of the cop is subjected to suction air from suction tube 102 to withdraw the outer thread end up to the point of support by member 103. Cutting means 104 cuts the outer thread end and the inner thread end so exposed and the outer thread end is held in clamping means 105. When the existing supply bobbin 101d is exhausted support member 103 is retracted by suitable mechanism and the cop in position 101b passes down the shoot 106 on to pin 111. The cop is rotated by roller 136 to unwind the outer layer of thread. The thread end held at 105 is at the same time transferred by arm 122 travelling around arc 121 to knot tying apparatus 112 where it is united with the end from package 117. This embodiment includes provision for removing empty cop tubes from the unwinding position and for replacing a supply cop at said position if the end of the thread has not been successfully united to the thread end of package 117. For this purpose the shoot 106 is longitudinally slotted below roller 136 and is pivoted at 138. Below the shoot 106 is a pair of spaced apart belts 144. Empty cop tubes removed from the pin 111 pass through the slot in shoot 106 and between the belts 144 to be removed by conveyer 153. When a thread end has not been properly united the faulty supply cop is removed from pin 111 and drops on to shoot 106 which is tilted into position 139 so that the cop is fed on to the belts 144 and deposited thereby in receptacle 157. The invention may also be applied to a machine in which cops are assembled on a holder prior to transfer to a winding machine. One example is shown in Fig. 12, in which cops are fed in by chains 205 between which are secured horizontal trough members 206. In position e a suction pipe 216 is applied to the end of the cop and the outer and inner thread ends a and b respectively are withdrawn. In position f the two ends are cut and the outer end a is united to the inner end b of the preceding bobbin in position g the end b having been retained in the pipe 236. In position h each cop is aligned with one of the pins 246 on a plate 245 and the latter is moved to the right so that the pin is inserted into the cop tube. When all the pins have been supplied with cops the plate 245 is released and drops on to a truck 249 and thence conveyed to a winding machine. In a further embodiment (Fig. 15), a rotatable horizontal disc 263 carries equally spaced discs 264 themselves rotatable on disc 263. The discs 264 carry cop mounting plates 268 each having four cop mounting pins and by rotation of disc 263, cop mounting plates 268 are brought in turn from position Al where they are loaded on discs 264 to a cop supplying position A2 where cops 255 from magazine 254 are fitted on each pin in turn. Before each cop is fitted on a pin the outer end is united with the inner end of the preceding one as indicated in the previous embodiment. When each cop mounting plate has been filled at position A2 disc 263 is rotated thus moving the filled plate towards position A3 and replacing it by an empty plate from position A1. As the filled plate moves towards A3 it is lifted from the disc 264 by guide rails 277 and led to table 278. Each plate is thereafter progressively moved along the table by the following plates.