US2060380A - Winding machine - Google Patents

Description

Filed Aug. 24, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 177126725211 w k; Z W

b6 22 M 41%50 ring;

Nov. 10, 1936. A. F. PYM

WINDING MACHINE Filed Aug. 24, 1934 2 SheetsSheec 2 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WINDING MACHINE Arthur F. Pym, Beach Blufl', Mass., Sibley-Pym Corporation, Lynn,

assignor to Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application August 24, 1934, Serial No. 741,248

1 14 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for use in manufacturing wound cores for golf balls and consists in novel mechanism for severing the thread being wound or one of two threads being wound at any desired point in the winding operation. It also includes within its scope novel mechanism for mechanically presenting to the core the end of a thread which is to be included in the windings. 1

It is the practice in the manufactiire of golf ball cores, particularly those having afpore center of soft rubber or a liquid-filled center, to employ a relatively wide elastic thread or ribbon in the inner windings of the core and to employ a fine elastic thread only in the outer windings thereof. The wide threadserves to confine or bind the core center so that its surface is maintained smoothly as a true sphere without being indented or otherwise distorted, as is sometimes the case if a fine thread is wound thereon. Moreover, the wide thread builds up quickly in the winding operation, thus reducing the cost of manuiacturing the core, and if the use of the wide thread is restricted to the inner turns of the core its resiliency as a whole is not adversely affected. On the other hand, it is important to form the outer portion of the core of a relatively fine elastic thread since in this way a more resilient mass may be formed and it is the structure of the outer part of the core which is the controlling factor in determining the resiliency of the ball. From a manufacturing standpoint, it is also desirable to have the outer winding of the core composed of finer thread as this tends to improve the bond between the core and the molded shell of'the ball.

Heretofore, it has been the commercial practice to divide the winding operation into separate steps, winding the inner portion of the core up to a predetermined diameter of the wide or ribbon thread, then stopping the winding process, fastening off the end of the wide thread, and then initiating a new winding step to complete the core and bring it up to a finished size with the fine thread. It has thus been necessary to handle each core twice, to start an elastic thread at two different places upon the core, and to fasten oil both threads separately. There is also a constant danger of losing the end of the inner I have disclosed and claimed a process of wind- In my copending application Serial No. 601,964, filed March 30, 1932, now Patent No. 1,974,508, I have disclosed and claimed a process of winding resilient cores which is characterized by continuously rotating a spherical center and winding thereon as a continuous operation two dissimilar elastic threads, governing the length .of each as desired, for example, winding first a wide elastic thread alone and then a fine elastic thread alone, or overlapping the winding of the two 5 threads throughout any predetermined zone in the body of the core. Usually the inner windings are formed of the wide elastic thread alone, i or they may be formed of the wide and fine elastic threads wound simultaneously. Under these circumstances, the use of the wide elastic thread may be terminated at any desired point as the diameter of the core increases, and then the winding ,operation may be completed with fine thread alone.

With these conditions in mind, my invention in one aspect comprises cutting mechanism for a winding machine operative to sever one of two threads without interrupting the operation of winding the other upon the core. While such mechanism may be operated manually, I contemplate organizing it so that it may be operated automatically at any predetermined diameter of a the core, and in this aspect my invention may be defined as automatic cutting mechanism asso'ciated with the thread feeding mechanism of a winding machine in combination with means for tripping the cutting mechanism at any desired point.

Another important feature of my invention, which is herein shown as associated with the cutting mechanism above discussed but which is adapted to be used also independently of such cutting mechanism, comprises mechanism operative to present to the core at any desired point in the winding cycle the end of a thread which it is desired to wind upon the core. In the form illustrated, this mechanism includes a holding device arranged to position the end of the thread adjacent to the core, together with mechanism 40 controlled by the diameter of the core as wound for moving the holding device to present the end of the thread to the rotating core, or in such proximity thereto that the end is whipped into the winding action.

These and other features of the invention will be best understood and appreciated from the following description of two embodiments thereof, selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings more or less diagrammatically in connection with the winding machine of my prior application Serial No. 507,816,filed January 10, 1931, now Patent No. 2,033,356, issued March 10, 1936.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of such a machine equipped with mechanism for winding 9. core having its inner turns made up of superposed elastic threads and its outer turns of a single fine thread;

Fig. 2 is a view in perspective, on an enlarged scale, of the winding mechanism shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of the core as it is wound in the initial stage;

Fig. 4 is a similar view of the core as it is wound in the final stage;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the machine equipped for winding a core in which the inner turns are formed by a wide elastic thread only;

Fig. 6 is a view of the core as it appears shortly after the transition has been made from wide to fine thread.

Fig. 7 is a detailed view of the knife mechanism and latch therefor.

In the accompanying drawings only such parts of the machine are illustrated as may be necessary for an understanding of the winding operation. For further details of mechanical construction, reference may be had to my earlier application above identified. The core center l5 to be wound is supported upon and rotated by a yielding endless belt l6 and is yieldingly engaged by a freely rotating detector disk l8. The rim of the disk i8 is convex in cross section and engages the upper side of the core at a single predetermined point or small area with an appreciable degree of pressure. The endless belt l6 runs upon a driven roller l4 and an idle roller l2 which are mounted on shafts which project outwardly from the machine frame ID. The detector disk i8 is mounted in the free end of an arm 20 which is lifted by the action of the core upon the detector disk i8 during the winding operation and which is lowered by its own weight to engage the periphery of a new core center preliminarily to each winding operation.

The wide elastic thread 22 which is utilized in the inner windings of the core is supplied to the machine from a reel, not shown, and is directed to the rotating core center by a series of suitably located guide rolls 24, 2G, 28 and 30. By the guide roll 30 it is directed to the core center I5 at a point adjacent to its lower side, so that it passes in between the surface of the feed belt I! and the core itself. The tension of the wide elastic thread may be suitably controlled by tension mechanism, not shown.

The fine elastic thread 32 also passes to the machine from a suitable supply reel and is directed to the rotary core by being led about the roll 34 of a tension device and a guide roll 36 which directs the fine thread to the core in a position superposed symmetrically upon the wide elastic thread 22, as well shown in Figs. 2 and 3. In winding the core shown, the ends of both threads are brought together and started simultaneously and the winding of the two threads may be continued in this fashion up to any predetermined diameter of core.

As exemplifying one embodiment of my invention, a form of mechanism will now be described which is suitable for cutting the wide elastic thread without interrupting the winding operation. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the frame in of the machine is provided upon its face with a casing 40 having an inclined passage therein through which the wide elastic thread 22 is conducted in passing from the guide roll 28 to the guide roll 30. Within the casing 40 is mounted a horizontally movable plunger 42 carry at its inner end a knife 44. A compression spring 43 tends always to move the plunger 42 toward the right, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2, to a position in which the knife 44 will engage and sever the thread moving in the passage of the casing. A resetting lever 46 is pivotally mounted within the casing 40. This is in the form of a bell crank lever having one arm which extends upwardly into a position where it may be brought into engagement with the end of the plunger 42 and another arm which extends horizontally and is perforated to receive a vertically movable rod 52 which is connected at its upper end to the detector arm 20. The rod 52 carries an adjustable stop nut 55 and this is arranged to engage the resetting lever 46 when the arm 20 is lowered into initial position and to rock the resetting lever in a counterclockwise direction, forcing the plunger 42 toward the left against the compression of the spring 43. The end of the upwardly extending arm of the resetting lever 46 is forked and otherwise shaped to clear the sharp edge of the knife 44 when it is moved to retract the plunger 42 in resetting the knife. A vertically movable latch piece 48 engages a notch in the upper face of the plunger 42 and holds the plunger in inoperative position during the first portion of the winding operation. The rod 52 passes downwardly through a. perforated tripping arm 50 which is arranged to engage and lift the latch 48 at the proper time in the cycle of the machine. For this purpose the rod 52 is provided at its lower end with an adjustable stop 54. It will be apparent that as the detector arm 20 is swung upwardly as the wound core builds up in diameter, the stop 54 will be brought up into engagement with the tripping arm 50 and will swing the latter upwardly so that it lifts the latch 48, releasing the plunger 42.

It will be apparent that in carrying out the winding process by the mechanism above described, the operation is carried out smoothly and continuously without interruption from start to finish. As already explained, in initiating the winding operation the operator will arrange the ends of both threads in superposed relation ,and give them a few turns about the core center l5, at the same time placing the latter in winding position upon the belt IS with the detector disk in contact therewith and the detector arm 20 in its lowermost position. The knife 44 is latched in its inoperative position at this time. The machine is then started and the winding operation progresses with both threads located as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, that is, with the fine threads 32 located symmetrically upon the surface of the wide thread 22 and both running together to the core. The inner portion of the core is wound in this fashion and it is built up in diameter to the desired predetermined size as determined by the setting of the adjustable stop 54. At this point the plunger 42 is tripped and; the knife 44 is shot into contact with the wide thread 22, instantly severing the latter in its passage through the casing 40. However, no interruption occurs in the passage of the fine thread 32. The severed end of the wide thread is at once carried into the rotating core and is immediately wound in and fastened off by being enclosed in the turns of the fine thread 32. Fig. 4 is designed to represent this condition, the end of the wide thread 22 being shown as already covered and held by one turn of fine thread 32.

The winding operation continues with the fine thread alone until the core reaches its finished size, whereupon the machine is automatically stopped by mechanism which forms no part of the present invention but which is fully illustrated in my prior application, above identified. The completed core is then removed from the machine and the end of the fine thread fastened. It will be seen that by following the process above disclosed the operator is relieved of giving any attention to the core between the step of initiating the winding operation with the superposed threads and the step. of fastening the end of the fine thread in the completed core.

In some cases it is preferred to utilize the wide thread alone in the inner windings of the core or, in other words, to reduce to a minimum the windings in which the wide and fine threads are simultaneously wound. I have shown the same.

machine equipped for winding in this fashion in Fig. of the drawings, wherein the core is designated by reference character 5 and the mechanism for supporting and rotating the core and directing both threads thereto is similar to that already described. In this instance, however, a holder is provided for the end of the fine thread 32 in the form of an arm 60 pivoted to the machine frame I II and having a projecting pin 62 which supports the end of the fine thread 32 in a position adjacent to the core H5 and above the path of the wide thread 22 as it passes from the guide roll 30 to the core. A tension spring 64 tends normally to swing the holder so as to carry the end of the fine thread into contact with the surface of the traveling wide thread 22 and a pivoted latch 66 is provided which maintains the holder 60 in its initial position, as shown in Fig. 5. The latch 66 is perforated to receive a vertical rod 58 pivotally connected at its upper end to the detector arm 20 and having an adjustable stop III at its lower end. A resetting pin 12 extends downwardly from the detector arm 20 in position to engage and rock the holder 60 in a clockwise direction into its latched position when the detector arm 20 is lowered preparatory to-the winding operation.

In carrying out the winding process in this alternative fashion, the operation is initiated with the wide thread 22 alone and carried to the desired predetermined diameter of the core. When this is reached, the latch 66 is released by the upward movement of the stop and the holder 60 rocked so as to bring the end of the fine thread 32 into contact with or closely adjacent to the moving wide thread 22. When this occurs, the end of the fine thread 32 is at once whipped into the rotating core either by the action of the wide thread as a conveyor or by the draft which is created by the moving parts. In any case, the end of the fine thread is caught into the windings and the fine thread is utilized to complete the core. Immediately after the end of the fine thread has been picked up in the winding operation, the plunger 42 is tripped and the wide thread severed. The exact sequence of these operations may be accurately determined by setting the adjustable stops 54 and I0 and, while it is desirable that a short overlapping of the two threads should occur, in practice this may be reduced to a very few turns, if desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A machine for winding cores of elastic thread, comprising means for rotating a core, guides for directing an elastic thread thereto,

a pivoted measuring arm having a roller arranged to run on the periphery of the core as wound, a spring'actuated knife movable in a path transverse to the path of the thread, connections between said measuring arm and knife for tripping the knife while the. measuring arm is being moved in one direction and for resetting the knife while being moved in the other direction.

2. A machine for winding cores of elastic thread, comprising means for rotating a core, a movable holder for presenting the end of an elastic thread in position adjacent thereto, a measuring device movable in accordance with the diameter of the core, and connections whereby said measuring device causes the holder to move to thread delivering position when the core reaches a predetermined size.

3. A machine for winding cores of elastic thread, comprising means for rotating a core, means for leading two elastic threads thereto, along separate paths, a movable holder for retaining the end of one thread, autornatlc cutting mechanism located in the path of the other thread, and means controlled by the core diameter for causing the holder to present its thread end in winding position and the cutting mechanism to sever the other thread.

4. A machine for winding cores of elastic thread, comprising means for rotating a core, a

core measuring device, means for leading elasticthread to the core, and thread cutting and thread,

presenting mechanisms both controlled by said measuring device.

5, In a machine for winding cores of elastic thread, equipped with means for rotating a core, a core measuring device having an element arranged to be moved by the growing core, a holder movable to present a thread end in position to be wound into the core, a movable knife, and

' controlling connections between the movable element of the measuring device on the one hand and said holder and said knife on the other hand.

6. In a machine for winding cores of elastic thread, equipped with means for rotating a core, a core measuring device, a holder movable to present a thread end in position adjacent to the rotating core, a movable knife, and connections between said measuring device and said holder and knife respectively for timing their movement.

'7. In a machine for winding cores of elastic thread, equipped with means for rotating a core and means for directing two threads to the core to be wound thereon, cutting mechanism including a reciprocatory knife operative to sever one thread and located out of the path of the other thread, whereby it may act without interrupting the operation of winding said other thread upon the core.

8. In a machine for winding cores of elastic thread, equipped with means for rotating a core and means for directing two threads to the core to be wound thereon, cutting mechanism including a reciprocatory knife operating automatically to sever one thread when the core is wound to a predetermined diameter and located out of the path of the other thread.

9. In a machine for winding cores of elastic thread having means for rotating a core and guides for leading a thread thereto, a roll pressed at all times against the body of the rotating core and movably mounted for measuring the diameter of the core as wound, and knife mechanism including a knife movable for severing the thread and controlled in its operation by said measuring means roll.

10. In a machine for winding cores of elastic thread, having means for rotating a core and guides for directing an elastic thread thereto, a movable core measuring device, and automatic knife mechanism associated therewith including a spring and being arranged to be tripped and reset by the core measuring device.

11. In a machine for winding cores of elastic thread, having means for rotating a core and guides for directing an elastic thread thereto, a core measuring device including a wheel arranged to run on the periphery of the core as wound and spring actuated knife mechanism associated with said measuring device and interposed connecting mechanism for both tripping and energizing the knife mechanism controlled in its action by said measuring device.

12. A machine for winding spherical cores from thread, which includes means for rotating a core,

a thread passage leading to the core, a knife movable in a path intersecting the thread passage, means for latching the knife under spring pressure in an inoperative position, and a core measuring device movable as the core increases in size and having adjustable connecting mechanism for tripping said knife at a predetermined point in its movement.

13. A machine for winding spherical cores from thread, which includes means for rotating a core, a pivoted arm carrying a core-measuring roll, a rod connected to the arm, a resetting lever and a tripping lever arranged to be operated by movement of the rod in opposite directions and a spring actuated knife arranged to be energized and tripped respectively by movement of said resetting and tripping levers.

14. In a machine for winding cores of thread, having means for rotating a core and guides for directing a thread continuously thereto, a moveable core measuring device, and automatic knife mechanism associated with the measuring device and including a spring actuated knife which is arranged to be tripped by the core measuring device and to sever the thread, and means for resetting said knife preparatory to winding a new core.

ARTHUR F. PYM.

Images