Patent GB-1454042-A (GB)
Title: Automatic thread winding apparatus
IPC: B65H54/18
Filed: 1974-01-23
Abstract: 1454042 Automatic winding apparatus for flanged bobbins; supplying and removing flanged bobbins MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO Ltd 23 Jan 1974 [26 Jan 1973 (2) 15 June 1973 (2) 20 Dec 1973] 03158/74 Headings D1F and D1J A thread winding apparatus has:- (a) means for arbitrarily receiving double-flanged bobbins and supplying them in a row to a station adjacent-(b) winding means comprising axially aligned first and second holding means for firmly holding an empty bobbin therebetween; (c) means for transferring the bobbins one at a time from said station to the winding means; (d) means for positioning the thread between the holding means and the bobbin; (e) first means for rotating one of the holding means; (f) second means for axially moving one of the holding means, so as to clamp the bobbin and the thread between the holding means; (g) means for detecting when the bobbin has been fully wound and for then interrupting the means (e); and (h) means for doffing the filled bobbin onto thread severing means. In Fig. 1 the flanged bobbins 1 rest on a dish 3 that rotates within a fixed wall 9. The bobbins are expelled outwardly by centrifugal force and can slide down a chute 8 to bobbin transfer means 16, Fig. 2, in the form of a pivoted lever. In a modified construction, Fig. 4, the rotating dish 3 is bevel-shaped and the bobbins 1 slide down the dish 3 onto a guide rod 7 that leads the bobbins 1 into the chute 8. The flanged bobbins that slide down the chute 8, Fig. 2, are fed to a transfer segment 16a that collects the bobbins and moves them, one at a time, into a space between a pair of axially aligned shafts 49, 61, Fig. 1. Shaft 49 carries a tailstock 18, Fig. 6 and shaft 61 carries a headstock 17. The shaft 61 is driven by means 19, 20 and is fixed axially. The shaft 49 is axially slidable in a fixed bearing Al by means of a rockable lever 21, the arrangement being such that the tail stock 18 can be moved towards the headstock 17 to clamp a bobbin, and a thread to be wound, therebetween. Above the shafts 49, 61 is a wire 30 bent to the form of a rectangle 30a, the wire 30 being reciprocatable in a direction parallel with the shafts 49, 61. The thread 31 to be wound hangs down through the rectangle 30a. At the start of a winding operation the rectangle 30a moves to the left in Fig. 6 so as to position the thread 31 between the tail stock 18 and a flange of the bobbin 1a. As the tailstock 18 moves to the right it clamps the thread against the bobbin flange and presses the bobbin against the headstock 17. The transfer segment 16a then retracts and winding commences since the headstock is being rotated by the means 19, 20. The wire 30 is then moved to the right to displace the thread 31 to a position between the flanges 1b of the bobbin 1a. Interrupting the winding operation when the bobbin has been wound. A feeler 23a, Fig. 2, on a detecting lever 23, presses against the winding on the bobbin being wound to test its size. An intermediate lever 26 has a pin 27 that normally rests in a detent notch 23b in the lever 23. When the thread winding reaches its desired diameter the lever 23 has reached a setting in which the pin 27 rides up out of the notch 23b and the lever 26 can then swing to a setting in which it operates a switch 41, Fig: 1. This causes the switch 41 to stop a motor 40 that turns the headstock 17, and start up a motor 43 that turns a shaft 42 on which are mounted the various cams that are used to cause the mechanisms of the winding device to operate in correct sequence. In practice the motor 40 continues to operate even though the supply through the switch 41 is interrupted. This is possible because, at the same time as the switch assembly is so operated, a first timing cam 58 actuates a switch 59 to operate the motor 40. The motor 40 can be brought into an inoperative position upon completion of a subsequent winding operation. Doffing. When a bobbin is fully wound the spindle 49 and tail stock 18 move to the left, Figs. 2 and 6, and the bobbin 1a falls under gravity onto a thread severing unit beneath a platform A, Fig. 1. Thread severing unit. The fully wound bobbin drops into a chute 34, Fig. 8, leading to a storage receptacle 2, Fig. 1. The doffed bobbin is temporarily stored in the chute 34 by means of a stop member 35. The thread from the supply package 75, Fig. 1, passes through a tension control means 32 and thence to the bobbin has been fully wound and is resting on the stop member 35. A cam disc is then rotated to cause a presser member 36a, Fig. 7, to press the thread extending from the doffed bobbin against an abutment 37 and to thus grip the thread at this point. The thread extending between the tension control means 32 and the abutment 37 is then under tension and is cut by a cutter 39 on the bobbin transfer means 16. The stop member 35 is then retracted and the bobbin drops into the storage receptacle 2. Modified embodiment to avoid loose leading end.  In Fig. 10 (not shown) the aforementioned fixed bearing Al carries an axially movable tail stock part 18a<SP>1</SP>, Figs. 11 (a) to 11(c), through which extends a spindle 85. Fig. 11(a) shows how the spindle 85 first passes through the bobbin 1 so that a projection 85a on the spindle enters a groove 17a in the rotatable headstock 17, the thread 31 hanging between the bobbin 1 and the tailstock part 18a<SP>1</SP>. Fig. 11(b) shows how the tailstock part 18a<SP>1</SP> is then pressed against the bobbin flange to grip the thread therebetween. The headstock 17 is then rotated to wind up the thread and after a few turns have been wound the tailstock part 18a<SP>1</SP> is moved away from the bobbin 1, Fig. 11(c), so that the leading end of the thread is free to become entangled in subsequently formed layers of thread on the bobbin. The finished bobbin then has no thread exposed outside the bobbin except for the trailing end thereof. To secure the bobbin 1 to the spindle 85 during the winding operation, a substantially V- shaped leaf spring (97), Fig. 10 (not shown) is housed within the spindle 85 and partially exposed on the outside of the spindle to grip the bore of the bobbin. In a further embodiment, Fig. 16 (not shown) the tailstock 18 is biassed towards the bobbin 1 but has no projection that is capable of extending into the bobbin. In this embodiment the headstock (164a) not only rotates but is axially displaceable so that V-shaped leaf spring carried by the headstock (164a) can enter and grip the bore of the bobbin 1. When the bobbin is fully wound the headstock retracts and the wound bobbin abuts against a fixed Y-shaped member (166) to stop the bobbin from moving axially whilst the V-shaped leaf spring is withdrawn. Burning off of thread end. In Figs. 12 and 13 (not shown) a resiliently tensioned wire (101) is electrically heated and moved against the thread extending between the fully wound bobbin and the tension control means 32 to cut the thread. Modified doffing means. In Fig. 14 when the fully wound bobbin is released from the headstock 17 it drops down into a bucket 98. The thread is then cut or burned to separate it from the supply. The cam 63<SP>1</SP> is then rotated to rock the lever 99 clockwise such that the bucket 98 strikes against a rod 109. This causes the bucket 98 to rock about a pivot 110 and discharge the wound bobbin down a chute 34.