US3695548A

US3695548A - Tensioning device for yarn packaging machinery

Info

Publication number: US3695548A
Application number: US1423A
Authority: US
Inventors: Samuel L Abbott
Original assignee: Abbott Machine Co Inc
Current assignee: Abbott Machine Co Inc
Priority date: 1970-01-08
Filing date: 1970-01-08
Publication date: 1972-10-03
Anticipated expiration: 1989-10-03

Abstract

In a yarn packaging machine tension discs between which the yarn travels on its way to be wound to form a yarn package, one at least of the discs being supported for movement toward the other to enable varying the pressure which may be applied to the running yarn, thereby to increase or decrease the frictional resistance to movement between the discs, a lever arm connected to the movable disc adapted to support an adjustable weight by means of which the pressure of the one disc against the other may be adjusted and a second lever arm connected thereto, said second lever arm having a part situated in the path of the running yarn operable by a lateral displacement of the running yarn to increase or decrease the pressure applied by the weight.

Description

United States Patent 151 3,695,548 Abbott 1 51 Oct. 3, 1972 TENSIONING DEVICE FOR YARN 3,206,138 9/1965 Lindsey, ..242/l50 PACKAGING MACHINERY Prima Examiner-Stanlc N. Gilr th 7 1 i Y ea 2] mentor I L Abbott w N H Att0rney-R0berts, Cushman & Grover [73] Assignee: Abbott Machine Co., Inc., Wilton,

[57] ABSTRACT [22] Filed: 1970 In a yarn packaging machine tension discs between [21] Appl. No.: 1,423 which the yarn travels on its way to be wound to form a yarn package, one at least of the discs being supported for movement toward the other to enable vary- (g1 ing the pressure which may be applied to running 58] Fie'ld 47 149 45 yarn, thereby to increase or decrease the frictional resistance to movement between the discs, a lever arm connected to the movable disc adapted to support an [56] References Cited adjustable weight by means of which the pressure of UNITED STATES PATENTS the one disc against the other may be adjusted and a secondlever arm connected thereto, said second lever 1,956,945 5/1934 Easton ..242/ 150 arm having a pan Situated in the path f the running 1,965,363 7/ 1934 Abbott ..242/ l 50 yam operable by a lateral displacement of the running seller yarn to increase or decrease the pressure applied by OSSen th i ht 2,965,332 12/1960 Perry .......242/15O g 3,146,969 9/1964 Lindsey ..242/ 150 2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures TENSIONING DEVICE FOR YARN PACKAGING MACHINERY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Tension discs for applying frictional resistance to a running yarn as it is drawn from one package and wound to form another package is old in the art as illustrated, for example, in US. Pat. Nos. 1,994,455, 2,135,485 and 2,177,680, tension being applied by means of weights and/or springs operating on one or both of the discs. The tension applied in this manner may be increased or decreased by adjustment of the weights or the spring tension; however, the applied tension bears no relation to the position of the travelling yarn so that an increase or decrease in the tension of the yarn preceding or following the tensioning device may result in yarn breakage and/or a loosely wound package. It is accordingly the principal purpose of this invention to relate the tension applied by the tension discs to the condition of the travelling yarn throughout the process of winding to relieve the tension applied by the discs when the tension in the yarn becomes too great and to increase it when it becomes too slack.

SUMMARY As herein illustrated the invention resides in the combination with tension means through which yarn travels in a winding operation as it is unwound from one package and wound onto another of means operably connected to the tension means for applying a predetermined frictional resistance to movement of the yarn through it and of means operably connected to the tension means for rendering the tension means more or less effective, the latter means having a part situated adjacent the yarn operable by engagement of the yarn therewith as it changes its course to effect operation of the tension means. For example, when a yarn is running between tension discs and being wound onto a cone by a traversing device means may be disposed in the path of the fanning yarn so as to increase the tension applied by the tension discs as the yarn approaches the smaller end of the cone to take up the slack and hence to maintain uniform tension in the yarn as it is wound onto the cone. Alternatively when a yarn is running off of a yarn mass to tensioning discs and a balloon is formed which may add to the tension in the running yarn applied by the tensioning disc which might cause breakage, means may be disposed in the sphere of the balloons forma tion operable by an increase in the size of the balloon beyond a predetermined size to relieve the pressure between the tensioning discs. '1

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. I is an elevation showing the device employed in conjunction with the farming yarn as it travels through tensioning discs of a winding machine and is wound to form a conical package by means of a traversing cylinder;

FIG. 2 is an elevation showing the device employed in conjunction with the ballooning yarn of yarn as it is drawn from a yarn mass through tensioning discs of a winding machine to form a package;

FIG. 3 is an elevation corresponding to FIG. 1, showing the device employed in conjunction with the alternative form of tension applying means; and

FIG. 4 is an elevation taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

In its broadest aspect the invention concerns means for controlling the tension in a running yarn by applying pressure thereto at an angle tending to jam or stall the yarn and employing in combination therewith limit control means. Specifically, the invention comprehends the combination with tension discs between which the yarn is moved as it is unwound from one package and wound to form another, of means for applying frictional pressure to the running yarn between the discs near the stalling pressure and of employing changes in physical position of the yarn due to changes in tension in the yarn to increase or decrease the frictional pressure applied to the yarn by the tension discs.

One application of the aforesaid means is illustrated in FIG. 1, wherein yarn y is being wound onto a cone 10 by a traversing cylinder 12 containing ahelical groove 14 which carries the yarn longitudinally from end to end of the cone as it is wound thereon. In accordance with conventional practice the yarn y is drawn over the end of a package m supported on a spindle l6 successively through spaced guides 'l8-l8, a tensioning device 20, spaced guides 22-22 and spaced guides 2424 all of which are located upon and supported by an apron 26 constituting part of the frame of the machine, for example, a structure such as shown in US. Pat. Nos. 2,135,485 and 2,177,680.

As indicated in FIG. 1 the yarn; y travels along substantially a straight line from the package m upwardly through the spaced guides 18-18, through the tensioning device 20, and the spaced guide 22-22. Between the spaced guide 22-22 and the spaced guide 2424 the yarn commences to have a small amount of lateral movement fan due to the traversing action vof the traversing cylinder 12 and beyond the spaced guides 2424 the lateral movement increases substantially through a relatively wide angle A. The angle A through which the yarn travels from side to side is commonly referred to as the fan of the yarn.

The tensioning device 20 through which the yarn travels comprises confronting

discs

28 and 30 of conventional design supported however in accordance with this invention so as to enable applying a pressure, to the yarn travelling between them, corresponding substantially to jamming pressure and for controlling the application of this pressure in response to the lateral disposition of the yarn in the fan as-it moves linearly from the guides 2424 to the traversing cylinder 12. As illustrated the

discs

28 and 30 are cup shaped and have circular confronting

surfaces

28a and 30a held in opposed relation at opposite sides of the yarn for frictional engagement therewith. The disc 28 is supported in position by a spring ring 32 at one end of the spindle 34 which in turn is supported for movement longitudinally in a direction perpendicular to the surface 28a in transversely spaced blocks 36-46 projecting forwardly from a bracket plate 38 fastened to the apron 26. The opposite end of the spindle 34 is engaged by an arm 40 connected at its lower end to a shaft 42 rotatably mounted in a bearing 44 on the apron 26. The shaft 42 extends rearwardly through the apron and has on its rearwardly extending end a radially mounted arm 46 on which there is slideably mounted a weight 48 adjustably fastened thereto by a set screw 50.

Movement of the disc 28 to the left is limited, by a collar 74 pinned to the spindle 34, to a position such that its surface 28a coincides with the normal course of travel of the yarn. Displacement of the disc 28 toward the right is opposed by the position of the weight 48 on the arm 46, the full effect of which becomes effective in response to pressure of the disc 30 against the yarn which tends to exceed the jamming pressure that is pressure which would tend to stop the running yarn.

The disc 30 has at its inner side a socket 52 in which there is rotatably mounted a ball 54 provided at one end of an arm 56. The arm 56 slopes upwardly from the center of the disc 30 and is secured at its opposite end to a shaft 58 which is rotatably supported in a bearing 60 on the apron 26. The shaft 58 extends through the apron and has on its rearwardly extending portion a radially mounted arm 62 on which is slideably mounted a weight 64 adjustably fastened thereto by a set screw 66.

The rearwardly extending portion of the shaft 58 also has fixed on it a block 68 from which extends a rod 70. The rod 70 extends upwardly behind the apron and at its upper end has a portion 72 which extends forwardly over the upper edge of the apron close to the upper spaced guides 2424 and as illustrated closer to the left hand one of the guides 24 than to the right hand one in a position to be engaged by the yarn y as the latter moves to the left and to be disengaged thereby as the yarn moves toward the right.

In accordance with the invention the arm 56 by means of which the pressure is applied to the disc 30 is disposed at an angle with respect to the axis of the shaft 34 such that the pressure of the disc 30 is applied at an angle whose coefficient of friction is somewhat greater than the coefficient of friction between the yarn and the discs. Employing an angle x in the neighborhood of 17' to 22 in conjunction with the torque applied by the running yarn by way of the disc 30 to the arm there is a great multiplication of force for very little movement of the arm 56. Hence, by mounting the arm 70 with its forwardly projecting end 72 between the guides 2424 so that the lateral movement of the running yarn in the fan exerts pressure on the disc 30, which compensates for the decrease in torque which results from slack developing in the yarn as it approaches the left hand side of its lateral movement that is at the tip of the cone where the rate of takeup is less, pressure is applied to the disc 30 to increase the tension so as to take up the slack. If the tension applied by the arm 70 tends to cause jamming the disc 28 will yield thus acting as a limit to the amount of pressure which may be applied and hence the amount of tension. As the yarn moves to the right it leaves the arm 70 and hence the compensating tension is removed and the full effect of the tension discs restored.

As illustrated in FIG. 1 the tension discs acted upon by the yarn augment rather than release the pressure on the yarn travelling between them. The normal tendency of the yarn to jam is counteracted by the use of the opposite tension disc 28 which limits the pressure which may be applied. By varying the angle of the arm 56 the tension can be modified up to the limit imposed by the disc 28.

The device may also be used to relieve rather than augment the tension, for example, as illustrated in FIG. 2, wherein the yarn y is being drawn over the end of a package ma through

tension discs

28a, 30a and wound onto a core a by a traversing cylinder 12a to form a package and wherein the yarn travelling between the package ma and the

tension discs

28a, 30a forms a balloon b which add tension to the yarn and which in addition to the tension applied by the tension discs may cause breakage, the physical position of the yarn in the baloon may be employed as was the physical position of the yarn in the fan to modify the tension applied by the tension discs in this case to decrease the pressure between the discs and hence compensate for the tension applied by the ballooning. To this end the arm a is so positioned that the forwardly projecting end 720 is supported at the right side of the yarn so that the lateral displacement of the yarn as the size of the balloon increases applies a turning moment by way of the arm 72a to the shaft 58a in opposition to the weight 640' to move the disc 30a away from the disc 28a and thereby to relieve the pressure of the discs upon the yarn and hence the tension in the yarn. A decrease in the size of the balloon permits the end 72a to move toward the left to re-establish the pressure between the discs and therefore restore the pressure between the discs applied by the weight 64a.

Employing tension discs for applying tension to a running yarn up to but not quite stalling pressure and employing the physical position of the yarn resulting from changes in tension to effect a change in the tension applied by the tension discs, is further illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 in conjunction with an alternative form of tensing means wherein yarn y is being wound onto a cone by a traversing cylinder 82 containing a helical groove 84. The yarn y is drawn from a package mb supported on a spindle 86 through successively spaced guides 88-88, tensioning means 90 and spaced guides 92-92 mounted on an apron 94 forming part of the machine frame.

The tensioning means 90 comprises

discs

96 and 98 and differs from that shown in FIG. 1 in that the pressure is applied indirectly. As illustrated the tension disc 96 is supported by a spring ring 100 at one end of a spindle 102 rotatably supported in transversely spaced blocks l04-l04 projecting forwardly from the apron 94. The opposite end of the spindle 102 has a forwardly projecting arm 106 which is threaded and has mounted on it a weight 108 which applies a torque to the spindle 102 tending to rotate it about its longitudinal axis. A block 110 is mounted on the spindle 102 between the blocks 104-104 in a fixed position by means of a clamp screw 112 and has at its lower side a pin 114 on which is rotatably mounted a roller 116. A bracket 1 18 is fastened to the apron 94 between the blocks 104- 104 by a screw bolt and has extending forwardly therefrom a cam plate 122 provided with a flat cam surface 124 parallel to the axis of the roller 116 and inclined with respect to the axis of the spindle 102, sloping from left to right as illustrated in F IG. 4. As thus constructed the turning moment applied to the spindle 102 by the weight 108 forces the roller 1 16 against the flat cam surface 124 which in turn applies a force perpendicular to the disc 96 to press it against the disc 98. Thus the force applied to the disc 96 is applied indirectly through the cam surface 124 and may be varied by changing the inclination of the cam surface and the position of the weight on the arm 106.

The tension disc 98 contains at its center a socket 126 for rotatably receiving a ball 128 at one end of a spindle 130 which is mounted in blocks 132-l32 extending forwardly from the apron and is fixed against lateral displacement in a direction away from the course of the yarn by a collar 134 fastened to the spindle 130 by a set screw 136.

By adjusting the inclination of the cam surface 124 and/or the weight 108 as related above the disc 96 may be pressed against the disc 98 to apply substantially stalling tension to the yarn. As in the previously described tensioning device the torque applied by the weight 108 augmented by the torque applied by the running yarn applies pressure which approaches jamming pressure. As the yarn moves toward the left, however, the slower takeup develops slack and to compensate for the decrease in the tension applied by the discs an arm 138 is mounted on the block 110 having a lateral projection 140 which extends parallel to the axis of the spindle 102 behind the course of the yarn. As the fanning yarn moves to the left approaching the tip slack develops which allows the arm 140 to move forwardly by the weight 108 thereby increasing the cam action which in turn applies increased pressure to the disc 96 to increase the frictional pressure of the discs on the yarn. As the yarn travels toward the right, that is, toward the base of the cone the tension in the yarn increases thereby rocking the arm rearwardly in opposition to the weight which in turn lessens the cam action and releases the pressure. Should pressure exceeding stalling pressure be applied, the disc 96 will yield.

[claim:

1. In a yarn-processing machine, means for applying tension to a running yarn comprising confronting tension discs and means supporting said tension discs at opposite sides of the path of the running yarn for frictional engagement with the yarn, the means for supporting the discs comprising a first support for one of the discs movable rectilinearly in a direction perpendicular to said one disc, means operating on said first support to urge said one disc towards the yarn path, means co-operable with said first support limiting movement of said one disc towards the yarn path to the path of the yarn, and a second support for the other disc movable angularly about an axis located radially distant from the center of said other disc and in spaced parallel relation to the face thereof, said second support being movable about said axis to move said other disc toward said one disc, means operating on said second support in a direction to hold said other disc against said one disc at a predetermined pressure below the pressure required to effect displacement of said one disc, and a lever arm fixed to said second support, said lever having anend situated in the path of the running yarn beyond the discs in the direction of running operable by pressure of the yarn to change to the frictional force applied by said discs to the yarn, said one disc limiting the force that may be applied by the other disc to the yarn.

2. In a yarn-processing machine, means for applying tension to a running yarn comprising confronting discs, and means supporting theconfronting discs, comprising first means supporting one of the discs with its surface in a predetermined position at one side of the running yarn, second means supporting the other disc for movement relative to the one disc, and means for applyin a force to one of the supports to press the associate confron s, said first disc against the disc 1 means comprising a spindle supported in bearings for rectilinear movement perpendicular to the face of the one disc, to one end of which the associated disc is fixed, and the second means comprising an arm pivotally supported at one end in a bearing for angular movement about an axis spaced radially and axially from the center of the associated disc, and to the other end of which is pivotally connected the associated disc, and a lever fixed at one end to the pivoted end of the arm with the other end adjacent the course of the running yarn beyond the tension discs, said lever being disposed at an angle to said arm and being operable by pressure of the running yarn to effect movement of the arm in a direction to increase the frictional resistance between the discs and the yarn.

Claims

1. In a yarn-processing machine, means for applying tension to a running yarn comprising confronting tension discs and means supporting said tension discs at opposite sides of the path of the running yarn for frictional engagement with the yarn, the means for supporting the discs comprising a first support for one of the discs movable rectilinearly in a direction perpendicular to said one disc, means operating on said first support to urge said one disc towards the yarn path, means co-operable with said first support limiting movement of said one disc towards the yarn path to the path of the yarn, and a second support for the other disc movable angularly about an axis located radially distant from the center of said other disc and in spaced parallel relation to the face thereof, said second support being movable about said axis to move said other disc toward said one disc, means operating on said second support in a direction to hold said other disc against said one disc at a predetermined pressure below the pressure required to effect displacement of said one disc, and a lever arm fixed to said second support, said lever having an end situated in the path of the running yarn beyond the discs in the direction of running operable by pressure of the yarn to change to the frictional force applied by said discs to the yarn, said one disc limiting the force that may be applied by the other disc to the yarn.

2. In a yarn-processing machine, means for applying tension to a running yarn comprising confronting discs, and means supporting the confronting discs, comprising first means supporting one of the discs with its surface in a predetermined position at one side of the running yarn, second means supporting the other disc for movement relative to the one disc, and means for applying a force to one of the supports to press the associated disc against the disc it confronts, said first means comprising a spindle supported in bearings for rectilinear movement perpendicular to the face of the one disc, to one end of which the associated disc is fixed, and the second means comprising an arm pivotally supported at one end in a bearing for angular movement about an axis spaced radially and axially from the center of the associated disc, and to the other end of which is pivotally connected the associated disc, and a lever fixed at one end to the pivoted end of the arm with the other end adjacent the course of the running yarn beyond the tension discs, said lever being disposed at an angle to said arm and being operable by pressure of the running yarn to effect movement of the arm in a direction to increase the frictional resistance between the discs and the yarn.