Improvements in Winding Yarns and Threads, and Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Mar., 1895-Accepted, 18th May, 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Winding Yarns and Threads, and Apparatus
therefor.
I, GEORGE GATTON MELHUISH HARDINGHAM, of 191, Fleet Street, in the
City of London, Civil Engineer and Chartered Patent Ageut, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention (a communication to me from Actien-Gesellschaft
vormals Joh, Jac. Rieter & Co., of Winterthur, in the Swiss Confederation, Manu-
facturers,) and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
The cop-winding machine forming the subject of this invention, and in which
the winding rollers are arranged upon two parallel spindles or shafts, enables cops
or other coiled masses of yarn or thread to be wound crosswise, the length and
diameter thereof (when wound with varn complete) varying within somewhat wide
limits, and thus accommodating the original dimensions of a correspondingly wide
range of cops, pirns, bobbins or spools.
The "cross-cop" is produced according to this invention by winding the yarn or
thread upon narrow paper tubes which are passed over spindles of corresponding
size and are, by means of mechanism presently to be described, pressed against, and
caused to rotate by frictional contact with, revolving winding-rollers; and, as they
BO revolve with the winding-rollers, the threads to be wound upon each tube or cop
are guided by thread-guides secured to a cord which is in the meantime performing
a reciprocating movement.
A flexible cord is stretched around the whole of the machine; or, instead of such
cord, a thin steel band or a wire may be employed. This cord, band or wire, is
secured to levers swinging or oscillating at the machine-head ends; and the extent
or amplitude of the oscillatory movements thereof may be variable or adjustable.
A number of thread-guides are attached to the cord, band or wire, at distances
apart corresponding with those of the winding-rollers; and each of these thread-
guides is provided with a slot suitably bevelled on the sides to facilitate the
automatic insertion of the threads to be wound upon the cops.
As the quantity of yarn wound upon the cop, and also therefore the diameter of
such cop, increases, the distance between the point of winding on the cop and the
thread-guide constantly becomes greater, whereby provision is made for the
formation of the conical ends of the spcol or cop; and the position of the thread-
guides in relation to the winding-roller, as well as the arrangement of the forks
which carry the paper tubes to be converted into cross-cops up to the winding-
roller, is such, that the point of winding in all cases nearly coincides with the line
of contact of the cop with the winding-roller.
The said cop-bearing forks are arranged in pairs, in such a manner that a fork is
situated over each of the winding-rollers facing each other; and the forks forming
each pair are so connected with each other and jointly subjected to the pressure of
a spring, that the pressure exercised by each cop against its corresponding winding-
roller continues as far as practicable equal and uniform during the whole of the
winding operation.
Each cop-supporting fork is provided with a coupling and disengaging device,
consisting in the main of a lever adapted gradually to rise as the diameter of the
cross-cop in process of winding augments under the action of the rising cop fork,
until the moment when,, yielding suddenly to the pressure of a spring, it slides up
an incline, thus causing the cop-supporting fork, together with the cross-cop formed

page_text: thereon, to be instantaneously disengaged, or thrown out of contact with the
winding-roller; the winding operation thereupon immediately ceasing.
In order to avoid any longitudinal displacement of the paper tubes on their
spindles whilst they receive the mutually crossing or intersecting convolutions of
yarn, there is passed upon each of the said spindles a sleeve made resilient
outwardly. These sleeves preferably consist of thin sheets of metal notched or
cut away in zig-zag fashion at their head-ends. The pieces of sheet-metal are
rolled up in the shape of sleeves or tubes, and their zig-zag shaped ends or teeth
are bent somewhat inwardly in such a manner that these resilient ends or teeth are
adapted to form a support for the metal sleeve upon the cop-carrying spindle, when
such metal sleeve is passed over the spindle. The spindle may be provided with a
recess for the resilient ends or teeth of the said metal sleeve to catch or engage in ;
when such metal sleeve, by the length of its own main body will exercise an outward
spring action and thereby produce the friction necessary to secure, against
longitudinal displacement, the paper tube passed on the same spindle.
The invention will be readily understood on reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal elevation of the complete machine (although broken in
length), Fig. 2 & side elevation thereof, and Fig. 3 a plan.
Fig. 4 is a cross section of the winding mechanism and of a device for the
automatic disconnection or throwing out of gear of a cop provided with its full
supply of yarn; Fig. 5 being a plan thereof.
Figs. 6, I-III show the shape of a thread-guide fitted to a wire cord ;
Figs. 7, I-III show the form of a thread-guide fitted to a steel band;
Figs. 8, I-II show the form of a thread-guide fitted to a thin wire; and
Figs. 9, I-V illustrate an arrangement for retaining the paper tube upon the
cop-supporting spindle.
and
Figs. 1, 2 and 3 illustrate the arrangement which serves to shift the threads
backwards and forwards. From the driving shaft a, through the medium of a
strap-pulley and a strap, motion is imparted to the shaft d whereon a cam e is
mounted. The cam and driving pulley are readily changeable. The object of
making them thus is, as regards the cam, to enable cross-cops of any desired length
to be wound; and, as regards the pulley, to enable the most advantageous
intersection of the thread convolutions, successively wound upon the cop, to be
obtained. A bell-crank lever f, Figs. 2 and 3, provided with a small roller
pivoted at h, and which is, moreover, pressed against the came by a spring i,
participates in the motion of such cam. To the upper circularly enlarged portion
of the lever f, the ends of a very flexible cord k, which is carried round the whole
machine, are attached. This cord & is guided at each of the end-shields by two
rollers, in such a manner that its passage in the immediate vicinity of the cop
tubes m and winding rollers e is ensured. At suitable distances apart, there are
also provided additional guides n for the cord. Upon the cord are placed the
thread-guides o, so fixed in position as to reciprocate along with the cord.
Figs. 6, I-III represent one form of the thread-guide o. It is made of sheet-
metal and has a slot provided in its centre for the reception of the thread. At
both ends it has inclines which automatically guide the thread as it moves towards
the guiding slot.
Where a thin steel band is employed instead of the cord, such steel band is
provided with a cord or wire of corresponding length on that side which is turned
towards the driving gear of the machine.
Fige. 7, 1-111 show a thread-guide arranged for use in connection with a steel
band. In this arrangement, two small holes are made in the band *, through which
the ends of a wire o' are passed and secured by being bent against the back of the band.
The wire o' is formed into an open loop of, which bears, at its rear, against the
band. The said loop may be placed at an inclination, as shown in Fig. 7, II.
Instead of the cord, a thin metal wire, in combination with a cord or steel band,
may be employed. The shape and arrangement of the thread-guide appropriate in

page_text: this case are represented in Figs. 8, I-II, and are similar to that described with
reference to Fig. 7. 4º is a cord or wire which takes the place of the steel
baud (Fig. 7). The guide proper ', ' is formed of bont wire similarly to the
guide in Fig. 7; but the ends are passed around the cord or wire 4º, and in con-
junction with the open loop o form a spring clamp arrangement for securing the
guide to the said cord or wire.
Figs. 1 to 5 illustrate the arrangement of mechanism for imparting rotary motion
to the cop during the winding process. From the driving shaft, through the
medium of straps or belts, the spindles or shafts b, upon which the winding-
rollers are rigidly secured, are driven in the direction of the arrows. The
winding-rollers are arranged in pairs opposite one another, and over them there is
situated a pair of cop-supporting forks r, (Fig. 3), adapted to turn on a rod q
extending through the centre of the machine. To the front part of the forks r, ri
(Figs. 4 and 5), bearings are secured for the reception of the narrow shafts or
spindles, whereon the paper tubes m, m' are passed. Through the medium of
the spring, arranged upon the rod y and adapted to bear upon projections provided
for the purpose upon the forks rr, the small spindles receive the pressure
requisite for enabling them to turn against the winding-rollers e e¹.
Owing to the peculiar method of arranging the spring z and the cop-carrying
forks, in relation to each other, uniformity of pressure between the cops and
winding-rollers is ensured.
Owing to the fact that a projection, provided on the lever s, bears upon the
carrier v, the extent of downward motion of the cops is suitably limited.
Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate the arrangement for the automatic checking or stoppage
of the operation when the cop has had its full supply of yarn wound upon it.
From the forks carried by the rod g and facing each other, there are suspended
levers a s¹, the lower parts of which are pressed by a spring t into contact with
vertically adjustable guide-pieces u u'. The adjustability of the guide-pieces u u¹
enables cross-cops of any desired diameter to be wound, a certain limit having only
to be observed in the upward direction. As the cop win course of winding
increases in bulk, the fork and lever s rise. When the cop has attained the
desired diameter, the projection on the lever s slides on to the incline provided at
the top of the adjustable guide-piece u, and, by reason of the tension of the
spring, the levers and with it the fork r are maintained elevated, whereby the
full cop is lifted off the winding-roller.
When it is desired to wind a fresh cop, the thread is first wound several times
around the paper tube. The lower end of the lever s is thea withdrawn and the
fork moved to its initial position. The winding may now commence, the yarn or
thread, on being properly stretched, being conducted towards the guiding slot by
the oblique ends of the thread-guide.
The course of the yarn in the improved machine is similar to that in machines
of the ordinary construction. The yarn bobbins are placed in frames arranged
with pins or spindles to receive them, the yarn passing from these bobbins over
elevated rollers, through fixed eyelets or guides to the movable guides (Figs. 6, 7
and 8). From the latter guides it passes on to the winding-rollers o, o' and thenos
on to the paper tubes m, m³ carried by the spindles x, '; the yarn being laid or
wound crosswise thereon as specified.
Figs. 9, I-V illustrate the arrangement whereby the paper tube, no matter
what its length may be, is protected from lateral displacement during the winding
operation.
The retention of the paper tube is provided for by a steel tube or sleeve, passed
over the spindle carrying the cop to be wound. This steel sleeve is of a resilient
nature and, when free or dotached, is somewhat larger in diameter than the spindle
on which it is placed. At its ends it is notched or toothed, and the points or teeth
thus formed are bent inwardly.
For the reception of the steel sleeve, the cop-carrying spindle is correspondingly
reduced in width at its central part. The operation of this device is such that,

page_text: when the paper tube is slid over the steel tube, there is created between the two
sufficient friction to prevent either from altering its position in relation to its
companion; while the reduced portion of the cop spindle precludes either from
changing its position in relation to that spindle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I claim :-
1. In a cross cop-winding machine, wherein the winding rollers which impart
motion to the cops in course of being wound are arranged upon parallel shafts or
spindles, the employment of a cord, steel band or thin wire, stretched around the
complete machine; such cord, band or wire being adapted to receive reciprocating
motion, readily adjustable in extent, and carrying a number of thread-guides
arranged to suit the distances at which the winding-rollers are placed apart, and
formed with open guide-slots, which the thread or yarn to be wound is made
automatically to enter.
2. In a cross cop-winding machine of the kind herein referred to, disposing
the thread-guide in relation to the winding-roller and to the cop-supporting fork
substantially as described with reference to Figs. 4 and 5, whereby, notwithstanding
any variations in the distance between the point of winding and the thread-guide,
such point of winding is at all times caused to coincide as precisely as possible
with the line of contact between the cop in course of being wound and the
winding-roller.
3. In a cross cop-winding machine of the kind herein referred to, providing,
over each winding-roller, a cop-supporting fork adapted to receive the small
cop-bearing spindles, substantially as herein described and in such a manner that
the two forks which are facing each other are placed under the control of one
common spring, bearing against the ends of both, so that the pressure of the cops
against the winding-rollers remains practically constant; whilst for each fork is
provided a disengaging lever which, as the bulk or diameter of the cop increases,
is pulled upwardly by the fork as the latter gradually rises, until under the sudden
pressure of a spring, the disengaging lever slides up an adjustable incline, and for
the time being stops the winding process.
4. In a cross cop-winding machine of the kind herein referred to, constructing
the small cop-bearing spindles in such a manner that they may receive, each, in a
reduced or recessed portion of their body, a rolled-up steel sheet or resilient steel
tube, the spring action of which is exercised in the outward direction; for the
retention of the paper tube passed over the spindle and for the prevention of any
longitudinal displacement thereof during the winding process.
Dated the 4th day of March 1895.
G. G. M. HARDINGHAM.