Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Apr., 1892-Accepted, 25th June, 1892
Fig. 2, is an external view of the improved cop.
Fig. 3, is a perspective view illustrating the winding of the improved cop.
Fig. 4, is a view showing the surface arrangement of the threads of the improved
cop, as flattened out to a plane.
Fig. 5, is an enlarged view of the arrangement of the threads at the edge of
the cop.
In the ordinary winding of balls or cops of yarn, thread, cord or rope, it is
common to take a spool, spindle or hollow tube 1, Fig. 1, and to wind the thread in
spirals upon the tube, substantially as shown. No attempt is made to place the
successive coils of thread in contact with each other upon the tube at the first
winding nor thereafter, nor to arrange them with any precision so as to preserve
their parallelism throughout the winding; and when the winding, as is usually the
case, is effected mechanically, the thread is carried in coils along the length of the
tube during its revolution in such manner that the number of coils to each revolu-
tion decreases as the diameter of the cop increases, as illustrated in Fig. 1, in
which the lines s, indicate the winding directly on the tube and the dotted lines s¹,
the winding upon the exterior of a cop several inches in diameter. As a consequence
the winding is irregular, the threads are not parallel in the successive coils, the cop
is open or loose and lacks firmness and solidity, the thread is not evenly laid, and,
there are other objections which will be hereinafter more fully referred to.
any
In winding the improved cop there is a tube, spindle or cylinder 1, of suitable
character, on which is wound the thread, thereon with any suitable number of
turns or coils to the length of the tube.
The thread of each coil, as it is laid at the extreme end of the cop, is carried
across and to the outside of the preceding thread upon that end and laid against
or parallel to the outer side of that thread and is then reversed in its winding
and carried towards the opposite end. Thus, as shown in Fig. 3, there are two
turns of the thread in laying it from one end to the other, 2, represents the first
coil of thread applied to the tube 1, and 4, represents the succeeding coil,

page_text: and 6 and 7 following coils. Assuming the cylinder to be turning in the direc-
tion of the arrow, that the coils 2, 4, 6, have been laid, and the thread x, is
being laid said thread before it reaches the turn y, will be laid upon the
inside of the coil 4, which holds down the loose end 5, and will then cross the
coils 2, 6, of said thread at a point back of the bend y, of the latter, and will
then be bent back at the point y', and upon the further revolution of the tube
will be laid on the outside of the thread of the coil 6, and will follow the said
thread throughout its convolutions to the opposite end of the tube and will
finally be laid on the inside of the coil 6, at the left hand, as indicated by the
dotted lines w, and will then cross the coils 4, 6, to the outside of the same
and will be bent back at y³, and laid upon the outside of the thread of the
coil 7. This is the course of each coil of thread in each layer of the cop, so
that each coil in each layer lies throughout its length parallel to coils previously
laid upon the spool.
While it is not absolutely necessary, it is preferable in many cases that each coil
of thread shall be laid in actual contact with that of one of the preceding coils, so
as to bring the windings into as close proximity as possible, and secure a cop of
minimum size and maximum density.
As a consequence of this construction the threads are laid at each edge of the
cop as illustrated in Fig. 5, in which will be seen that each thread reverses its
direction at a point y, in the plane of the side or end of the cop, and that the
succeeding coil of thread is carried over the preceding coil to such an extent as
is necessary to bring such thread to the outside of the preceding thread and to
the extreme end of the cop, and then the winding of the succeeding thread is
reversed at its point y¹, beyond the preceding point y, and so on. The threads
therefore are laid uniformly, evenly and regularly at each end or edge of the
cop and in each of the successive layers or windings upon the cop, and as each
coil starts at the edge of the cop at a point beyond that where the underlying
thread started from the said edge, it is laid along side of, and if desired in close
contact with, the preceding coil throughout the whole extent of the surface of
the cop and there is secured a regularity and uniformity of winding which is
absolutely impracticable in any of the windings heretofore adopted. At the
points where the different windings of successive layers cross each other the
thread last laid is of course carried above that previously laid so that at each
point of intersection they overlap first in one direction and then in the other,
as will be understood and as illustrated at the point t, Fig. 3.
In the first place the same amount of thread may be condensed into a much
smaller space, thus securing economy in packing, storage and transportation.
Again in consequence of the regularity of winding, the thread may be unwound
from the cop without danger of entanglement, and loss is thus prevented. In
consequence of the density and firmness of the cop it will maintain its shape
and integrity until the thread is completely wound off, and in shipping the cops
do not get crushed out of shape and the coils of thread tangled together. In
consequence of the regularity and solidity of the cop, especially such as are used
in sewing machines and other machines of like character, it is practicable to
apply the tension directly to the cop itself which cannot be done with those of
ordinary windings. In consequence of the close winding, the thread retains the
moisture, absorbed during the process of manufacture which is a matter of much
importance, as in ordinary windings the admission of air to the interstices of
the cop causes evaporation which dries and rots the thread and is otherwise
detrimental.
In the case of linen thread and fine cotton the open winding causes each thread to
have isolated supports upon the coils beneath, and any pressure tends to force these
supports into the threads above and to indent or abrade the same to a very detrimental
extent. The improved winding in which the coils are all brought close together
affords such a multiplicity and close juxtaposition of supports that no such abrading
or cutting can result and the same pressure that would mar the thread of an

page_text: ordinarily wound cop has no detrimental effect upon one wound in the improved
way.
As distinguished from ordinary cops each portion of thread extends from one end
to the other of the improved cop in each layer, and has the same number of turns in
each layer throughout the entire cop.
Ordinarily in drawing the thread from cops wound in the ordinary manner, they
are set upon transverse shafts or supports and are unwound by drawing the thread
tangentially. Very frequently, in consequence of the irregularity of the winding,
when the thread reaches the end of the cop it slips down or crosses the end of the
cop so as to either increase the friction or sometimes get entangled and break. This
will also occur with such cops when set vertically. This cannot occur with the
improved winding inasmuch as each thread the moment it reaches the edge or end
of the cop takes another direction across the face of the cop to throw it back so that
it cannot under any circumstances fall down or under and across the end of the cop
and become entangled or afford any additional friction.
The appearance of the cop is a matter which is commercially of great importance.
The ordinarily loosely wound cop is by no means attractive while it impresses the
holder with the idea of entanglement and incapacity to maintain its shape. The
cop wound in the manner above set forth presents a solid substantial appearance, is
symmetrical and artistic in its general shape and attractive commercially.
While reference has been made to the fact that in the improved cop the threads
that in each layer extends from one end to the other of the cop in that layer has
the same number of turns or coils as every other thread in the other layers, it would
be practicable to make a cop having many of the characteristics and advantages
fully hereinbefore described in which the number of turns in the successive layers
might vary to a slight extent, as for instance beginning with two coils to each
portion of thread extending from end to end upon the first layer or winding, the
number of turns or coils of each portion of thread on the last laver or winding on
the surface of the cop, might be, say one and a half turns with a very general
appearance to that formed with an absolute uniformity of winding.
In some instances where it is desired to secure absolute uniformity in the dimen-
sions of successively wound cops the same may be wound with the succeeding coils
parallel but not absolutely in contact and the cops may then be subjected to end
pressure between dies g, g', Fig. 6, whereby the separated threads of the succeeding
coils are brought together to the desired extent. By using dies of the proper form
the ends of the cop inay be made slightly convex or conical if desired. It will be
evident that as the threads of the loosely wound cop were uniformly and regularly
laid the pressure upon the ends moves the parallel coils closer together and thereby
compacts the cop by this means, and not, as when an irregularly wound cop is
compressed, by forcing one thread into another and compressing and condensing
the threads themselves, which results in crushing and breaking the fibres.
It will be seen that in order to properly dispose the thread in the cop as above
described it is necessary after the thread of each coil is brought to one end of the
cop to delay the action in returning the thread towards the opposite end, or else to
continue the revolution of the cop until the thread that is being laid is carried over
and across the previously laid thread, so that in the actual operation of winding the
cylinder not only completes the revolution or revolutions necessary to wind each
coil of thread the proper number of times between the ends, but also must have an
additional or progressive movement, or what is the equivalent, a delay in its move-
ments of an extent equal to the distance necessary to carry the thread being laid
to the outside of the thread previously laid so that the successive bends of the
successively laid coils are not one above the other, but are one beyond the other in
the periphery of the cop, as shown at y, y', y², y³, Fig. 3.
The method and means of thus winding the cop is illustrated in Figures 7 to 13,
in which-
Fig. 7, is an elevation in part section of a machine used in effecting the winding.
О

page_text: Fig. 10, is a section toward one end of the cop holder.
Fig. 11, is a section on the line t-t, Fig. 9.
Fig. 12, is an elevation illustrating a modification.
Fig. 13, is a section on the line u, Fig 12, looking in the direction of the arrow..
The frame A, of the machine is suitably constructed to support the operating
parts hereinafter described among which are a tube or cylinder X, and a guide 3,
and means for rotating said cylinder holder and imparting a reciprocating motion
to the guide in a line parallel to the axis of the cylinder holder.
These parts are so constructed that the tube X, may be applied to and supported
by a holder B, and rotated therewith and that the yarn, is supported and
carried to the eye of the guide 3, and means are employed whereby the holder
is rotated so that as the thread is brought to either end of the cop the rotation will
continue at an increased speed or such an increased or decreased movement is
otherwise imparted to the holder as will ensure that the coil last laid shall be
completed with the bend y, at a point beyond that of the previous coil, or that (if
the rotation of the holder is uniform) the change of direction of the coil of thread
being laid shall be delayed by the delaying the reversing movement of the guide
until said thread being laid has crossed the thread of the preceding coil.
Different means may be employed for causing such a relative variation of move-
ment as will affect the above described result.
Thus, in the construction shown in Figs. 7 to 10 the holders B, consists of
two discs 5, capable of being separated to receive between them the tube X,
into the open ends of which enter conical hubs 6, upon the discs each of which
turns loosely upon the end of a short shaft 7, Figs. 7 and 11, which is driven
at a uniform speed by means of a pinion 8, and gear wheel 9, driven through the
medium of gears 10 and 11 from the driving shaft 12. To the shaft 7, is secured
fixedly a cross-arm 13, Figs. 10 and 11 carrying a lever 14, to the outer end of
which is pivoted a spring pawl 15, that engages teeth upon the periphery of the
adjacent disc 5, so that as the shaft 7, revolves in the direction of its arrows,
Fig. 10, the disc will be carried by and with said shaft. At the opposite end of
the arm 13, is a rock shaft 16, carrying arms 16 and 18, the arm 16 connected by
a rod 17 with the lever 14, and the arm 18, extends over a cam 19, upon a sleeve 20
turning upon the shaft 7, and driven from the shaft 12, through the medium of
the gears 11, 10, 21 and 22.
one,
The shaft 7, and the sleeve 20 turn in the same direction but the revolution of
for instance the sleeve 20, is retarded so that periodically the end of the arm 18,
which is pressed down by a spring 23, will escape from the projecting portion r, of
the cam 19, thereby rocking the shaft 16, and throwing the arm 16, lever 14, and
pawl 15, in the direction of the arrows b, Fig. 10, so that as the further revolution
of the shaft 7, and cross bar 13 is continued the arm 18, will ride up the cam
gradually drawing back the arm 16 and lever 14 and carrying the pawl 15, in the
direction of the arrow a, Fig. 10, until the end of the arm 16, again escapes from
the projection".
The pawl therefore derives its motion from two sources first from the rotation of
the shaft and the cross arm carried by the shaft, which would give to the pawl and
to the disc the same rate of rotation as the shaft. Second from the cam which
imparts to the pawl a progressive or forward travelling movement in excess of that
derived from the shaft, so that at the completion of each revolution of the shaft, or
upon each successive reversal of the movement of the guide, the pawl and the disc
will have travelled not only the extent of a complete revolution (or a complete
fraction or multiplication of a revolution) but will also have moved an additional
extent corresponding to the movement imparted to the pawl by the cam.
As a result of this operation the reversal of the movement of the guide takes
place, not upon the completion of a rotation (or fraction or multiple of a rotation)
of the holder but after and only after the holder has reached a point in its revolu-
tion beyond that necessary to complete such movement and beyond that point

page_text: which it occupied at the time the guide was reversed upon its preceding reversal of
movement, so that the thread held by the guide is not started on its return winding
until it has been laid over onto the outer side of the thread of the coil previously
laid.
While it will be seen that the action of the cam is gradual and moves the disc
constantly during the entire revolution at a speed slightly in excess of that derived
from the shaft 7, this action might be momentary, by substituting a radial pin for
the cam which pin would lift and drop the arm 18, in a fraction of a revolution.
It will be evident that the movement imparted to the periphery of the cop by
the reciprocation of the pawl, as above described, will be less when the cop is an
inch in diameter than when the cop is four inches in diameter, and as a result if the
movement, when the cop is small in diameter is only sufficient to carry the thread
across that of the previous coil the movement when the cop is. four inches in
diameter would, if all the conditions were the same, be excessive. It is a fact,
however, that when the cop is small in diameter the threads are laid upon the same
at a more acute angle to the axis, than the angle at which they are laid upon the
larger surface of the cop as it increases, and consequently a greater length of thread
is required to cross the thread previously laid at the periphery of the full sized cop,
than is required to cross the thread laid upon the layers nearer the centre of the
It has been found in practice that this change in the angles of the threads
laid upon the successive layers in forming the cop is such as will practically coincide
with the increased throw or movement of the surface of the cop as the latter
increases in diameter, so that practically it is not necessary to make use of any
appliances for compensating for this difference in action, but that on the contrary
said difference avoids the necessity of making special provision for a greater travel
in consequence of the greater distance across the threads as their angle to the axis
increases with the increased diameter of the cop.
cop.
As the cop is clamped between the two discs the above described movements
might be imparted to one of them only, but in order to secure certainty of operation
it is preferred to drive each of the discs through the medium of the appliances
described, and also to so set the parts that both shall not change their movements
at the same instant.
To hold the thread in position upon the cop after it is laid thereon, a presser
roller 4 is made use of, carried by a frame F, consisting of a yoke piece 25, and
two parallel bars 26, 26, sliding in a yoke 27, extending from and constituting part
of the main frame A, the frame F, with its rollers being carried inward by means
of a spring 29, connected with a lever 30, and holding the latter against a pin 37,
extending through a slot from one of the bars 26. As the cop increases in diameter
the roller and the frame are forced outward. The said spring presser roller, how-
ever, may be supported with a yielding pressure against the cop in any other
suitable manner.
The guide 3 is supported and reciprocated and maintained in its relation to the
periphery of the cop as the latter increases by means of any suitable appliances.
As shown, the said guide is supported by a carrier G, a cross-bar 31, of which
slides in bearings upon the opposite side frames while a projection at the forward
end of the carrier slides in a transverse slot in a cross bar 32. The carrier is
provided with bearings for two slide rods 33, 33, upon which is a cross piece 34,
supporting the guide 3 and a.hook 35, at the back of the cross piece 34, extends
back of a cross bar 36, upon the frame F, so that as the frame F, is pushed back
by the increasing diameter of the cop the guide is carried back to the same extent
without interfering with the free travel of the guide back and forth across the
face of the cop as the reciprocating motion is imparted to the carrier.
One means of imparting the reciprocating movement to the carrier is a cylinder 2,
secured to a shaft 1, and having a cam slot 38, receiving a stud 39, projecting from
the carrier.
In order to permit the tubes X, to be inserted between the discs 5, 5, and the
cops to be withdrawn the shafts 7 are so mounted that they can slide longitudinally

page_text: in their bearings the gear wheels being of sufficient width to permit this movement
without disengagement, and means are provided whereby said shafts may be
separated to receive the tube or allow the cop to be withdrawn and brought together
to clasp the tube.
As shown in Fig. 7, a bell crank lever 40, pivoted to the frame of the machine
has at one end a stud 41, extending into a groove 42, in the hub of one of the
wheels upon the shaft at one side of the machine, while a similar bell crank
lever 40,
similarly arranged on the other side of the machine, and the horizontal
arms of both levers extend into slots in a push bar 43, sliding vertically in a cross
piece of the frame and bearing upon a spring 44, which tends to lift the push bar
and throw in the shafts and bring the discs to bear upon the tube. By pushing
down the bar the springs are compressed and both shafts are thrown outward.
desired, however, one of the shafts can revolve in its bearings without sliding, the
⚫ movement of the other in many cases being sufficient to permit the tube to be
inserted and the cop withdrawn.
If
The thread is conducted to the guide through a suitable tension device H, and
round a guide pulley 50.
As before set forth the action is the same whether the rotating cop gains suffi-
cient at each revolution to carry the thread being laid across that previously laid
at the end of the cop, or the cop rotates uniformly without gain and the guide as it
reaches each end of the cop is held for a longer time than is necessary for the cop
to complete its rotation. A means of so operating the guide is fully illustrated
in Figs. 12 and 13, in which the cam 2, is mounted loosely on the shaft 1, which
is provided with an arm 51, carrying a spring pawl 52 that engages a ratchet
wheel 53, secured to the cam 2, and a pin 54, projecting from the pawl engages
with a stationary cam 55, at one point in the revolution of the shaft 1, for a
sufficient time for the said pawl to be lifted and then drop and engage the succeeding
tooth of the ratchet 53. The cam 55, is so arranged that this lifting occurs at the
time when, under the action of the cam, the guide is at the limit of its motion
in either direction so that the said cam is momentarily held stationary until
the cop (rotating uniformly) has been carried sufficiently beyond its complete
revolution to cause the thread being laid to be carried across that previously laid
as desired.
While the movement of the holder and guide has been referred to as one in
which the holder in effect advances beyond a point it would reach upon cach
completed movement if there was no such progressive movement, substantially the
like result would be obtained if the progression was backward, that is if the holder
and guide at the moment of reversal of the latter occupied a position to lay the
thread from the outside of the preceding coil over and against the inside of such
coil.
As cop tubes or cylinders are ordinarily made they are perfectly smooth and of
equal diameter throughout and as a consequence in winding the thread directly
upon the cylinder in starting the formation of a cop, it is very apt to slip, and also
at the time when the motion is reversed, so that the first few layers that are put
upon the tube or cylinder are irregular and result in forming a cop which is more
or less irregular according to the irregularity in starting. Attempts have been
made to obviate this difficulty by dampening the tubes or cylinders so as to cause
a greater adhesion of the thread, but this is only partially successful, and is objection-
able on account of the wetting of the thread and the rotting which is apt to take
place as a consequence.
In order to overcome these objections, the tube or cylinder is constructed as
illustrated in the drawings-
Fig. 14, being a perspective view of a cop tube embodying the improvements.
Fig. 15, a longitudinal section.
Fig. 16, a part longitudinal section illustrating another method of making the
tube.
Fig. 17, is a perspective view illustrating another construction.

page_text: The tube or cylinder A, is of any suitable form, proportions and material,
generally it is in the form of a tube of paper.
Adjacent to each end of the tube is a shoulder, so that in starting the winding
of the thread upon the tube or cylinder it will catch upon this shoulder and will
take a definite position from which it will not slip, and it will then be wound
in regular and ordinary manner upon the surface of the tube or cylinder to the
opposite end and upon returning the thread over the cylinder it will catch upon the
shoulder at the opposite end and be held there in proper position instead of slipping
away as usual.
This shoulder may be formed in many various ways. For instance as shown in
Figs. 14 and 15 the tube is compressed or condensed at the ends so as to reduce
its thickness and form the annular shoulder x. Instead of this a shoulder may be
formed by pasting a strip of pasteboard or other material 2, around the tube as shown
in Fig. 16, the edge of the strip thus applied constituting the shoulder x, or a series
of projections, dotted lines Fig. 15, arranged in a circle so as to constitute practically
a shoulder r, may be used.
Ordinary cop tubes or cylinders with smooth surfaces are apt to slip out of the
cops and the thread will fall into the opening formerly occup ed by the tube or
cylinder, which cannot therefore be replaced and the attempts to do so result
in dragging down the threads from the cop and entangling them so that when
the cop is nearly unwound there remains a mass of entangled threads resulting in
considerable loss.
To obviate this the surface of the cop tube or cylinder has a series of slight
projections e. These projections may be made by cutting under the surface of the
tube as illustrated in Figs. 14 and 15, so as to turn up the slight sharp flanges
thereby presenting edges which will engage the thread in opposite directions and
prevent the cylinder from being drawn out of the cop. In the construction shown
in Fig. 16 a like result is obtained by placing a series of bands around the outside
of the cylinder. Any other means of forming the projections e, to engage the thread
and prevent the withdrawal of the tube or cylinder may be employed.
For instance the tube may be pierced by an angular cutter or chisel to turn
up pointed lips e', like those of a rasp as shown in Fig. 17. Preferably the lips
upon one end of the tube project in one .direction and then at the other end in an
opposite direction.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent and in what manner
the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is ;-
1. A cop or ball of thread consisting of successive layers in all of which the
coiled portions of thread extending from end to end of the cop have the same
number of windings and in which each coil of thread is parallel throughout its extent
to one of the preceding coils, substantially as described.
2. A cop or ball in which the coiled thread in each layer extends to the extreme
ends of the cop and is there reversed and in which the point where each thread
in each coil is reversed is beyond the point where the thread is reversed in the
preceding coil, substantially as described.
3. A cop or ball in which the thread is wound in successive layers each having
the same number of coils and in which each coil of thread of each layer extends
to the end of the cop and the winding is then reversed and in which the thread of
each coil is parallel and contiguous to that of a preceding coil substantially as
described.
4. The improvement in the art of winding cops or balls consisting in winding
the thread in successive coils laying each thread at the end of the coil across
and over that previously laid and there bending the thread back and winding
it in a course parallel with that of a previously laid coil substantially as
described.
5. In the manufacture of cops or balls winding the thread in successive coils

page_text: each coil parallel to but not in contact with the thread of a preceding coil and then
subjecting the cop to end pressure to bring the thread of the adjacent coils together
substantially as described.
6. In a cop or ball winding machine the combination with a revolving holder
for supporting the cop and with a reciprocating thread guide of actuating
mechanism substantially as described whereby to secure a progressive rotary move-
ment of the holder in respect to the movements of the guide for the purpose set
forth.
7. A machine for winding cops or balls provided with a holder for the cop
and a reciprocating guide for the thread and means for turning the holder and
for reciprocating the guide and with means for varying the relative movements of
the holder and guide to insure each reversal of the movement of the guide after
the holder has turned beyond the point of its revolution occupied at the moment
of the preceding reversal of the movement of the guide substantially as set forth.
8. The combination in a cop or ball winding machine of a reciprocating guide a
cop holder a shaft for imparting motion to said holder and means for imparting
rotation to the holder in respect to said shaft substantially as set forth.
9. The combination of the cop or ball holder rotating shaft for driving the holder
a cam operating independently of said shaft and devices between the cam and the
holder to rotate the latter independently of the shaft substantially as set forth:
10. A cop tube or cylinder having adjacent to each end a shoulder a substantially
as and for the purpose set forth.
11. A cop tube or cylinder provided with projections upon the surface arranged
to engage the thread of the cop to prevent the ready withdrawal of the tube
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
12. The improved cop and method and means of winding the same hereinbefore
set forth.
Dated this 5th day of April 1892
ALFRED J. BOULT,
Chartered Patent Agent.