US3708134A - Strand handling apparatus and method - Google Patents

Abstract

A method and apparatus for readying filled supply bobbins for receipt by a winding machine. As each bobbin is processed its unwinding end is trimmed and a jet delivers the end through a mouth of a bunch maker and into a chamber which diverges from proximate the mouth. A vortex then carries the unwinding end into the chamber and deposits the unwinding end in a circuitous pattern substantially within an annular concavity in a perforate member forming an end face of the wide portion of the chamber. The amount of yarn deposited in the chamber may be varied to vary the size of a resultant bunch. In order to more readily and uniformly discharge the unwinding end from the perforate member and carry it outwardly through the chamber to provide a compact bunch, air for discharging the bunch is substantially simultaneously passed through all of the perforations with substantially equal force. The resultant bunch is compressed as the flow of air carries it through the chamber and into a neck between the chamber and the mouth. This air passes through vents in the chamber wall upstream of the neck to keep from driving the bunch through the mouth. A ram then moves the compressed bunch through the mouth and deposits the bunch at a desired location in a hollow core of the bobbin which has been positioned at the mouth. In order to provide the previously mentioned discharging air flow through the perforations, a second chamber is provided in communication through the perforate member with the first mentioned chamber. A piston is received in the second chamber. The vortex air stream which deposits the unwinding end on the perforate member passes through the perforations and in conjunction with vacuum applied to both ends of the second chamber, the piston is positioned at the end of the second chamber opposite the perforate member. The vortex air and the vacuum is then stopped and air pressure is introduced into the second cylinder to drive the piston toward the perforate member, whereupon the piston compresses the discharging air which passes with substantially equal force through the perforations of the perforate member.

Description

United States Patent 1191 Stoppard 3,708,134 Jan. 2, 1913 METHOD William E. Stoppard, Warwick, R.I.

Leesona Corporation, Warwick, R.I.

May 25, 1970 Inventor: Assignee:

Filed:

Appl. No.:

US. Cl. ..242/l8 R, 242/35.6 R Int. Cl. ..B65h 54/02 Field of Search ..242/l8 R, 18 EW,

35.6 R, 35.6 E, 242/355 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/1970 Stoppard et al ..242/35.6 R 2/1966 Wey ..242/35.6 E 2/1971 Raasch ..242/35.6

Primary Examiner-Stanley N. Gilreath AttorneyAlbert P. Davis and Burnett W. Norton [57] ABSTRACT STRAND HANDLING APPARATUS AND in a circuitous pattern substantially within an annular concavity in a perforate member forming an end face of the wide portion of the chamber. The amount of yarn deposited in the chamber may be varied to vary the size of a resultant bunch. in order to more readily and uniformly discharge the unwinding end from the perforate member and carry it outwardly through the chamber to provide a compact bunch, air for discharging the bunch is substantially simultaneously passed through all of the perforations with substantially equal force. The resultant hunch is compressed as the flow of air carries it through the chamber and into a neck between the chamber and the mouth. This air passes through vents in the chamber wall upstream of the through the mouth and deposits the bunch ata desired location in a hollow core of the bobbin which has been positioned at the mouth.

In order to provide the previously mentioned discharging air flow through the perforations, a second chamber is provided in communication through the perforate member with the first mentioned chamber. A piston is received in the second chamber. The vortex air stream which deposits the unwinding end on the perforate member passes through the perforations and in conjunction with vacuum applied to both ends of the second chamber, the piston is positioned at the end of the second chamber opposite the perforate member. The vortex air and the vacuum is then stopped and air pressure is introduced into the second gylin er to drive the iston, toward the erfor te em er, whereupon e piston compre ses t e discharging air which passes with substantially equal force through the perforations of the perforate member.

23 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJAH 2 I973 SHEET 1 [IF 2 R O T N E V m WlLLIAM E STOPPARD fi @TTORNEYS STRAND HANDLING APPARATUS AND METHOD This invention relates to winding and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for preparing a filled supply bobbin for unwinding on a winding machine.

DEFINITIONS As used herein the term bobbin" means a wound body of yarn or an article on which a body of yarn is or may be wound,so that the yarn may be readily moved from place to place. The term filled bobbin means a bobbin whether full or partially full of yarn. The term yarn is employed in a general sense to apply to all kinds of strand material, either textile or otherwise.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention pertains to a modification of a bunch maker station No. 4 in the apparatus of either U. S. Pat. No. 3,544,018 or U. S. Pat. application Ser. No. 859,150 filed Sept. 18, 1969 the aforementioned Patent and application are of particular interest to the present invention include applying suction through a conduit to transfer the unwinding end of the body of yarn on the bobbinthrough a longitudinally extending slot in the conduit. A valve and cutter assembly, of the type, for example, disclosed in U. S. Pat. No. 3,640,160 is provided in the conduit downstream of the mouth of a bunch maker and, upon operation of the valve and cutter, the vacuum in the conduit is shut-off and the unwinding end is trimmed and is then transferred by suitable air currents through the mouth of the bunch maker and deposited on a perforate member. After the bobbin has been transferred to the mouth of the bunch maker, air flow through the perforations of the member move the bunch outward of the bunch maker and, in the apparatus of U. S. Pat. No. 3,544,018, moves it through the mouth and into a hollow core of the bobbin, and in Ser. No. 859,150, the air deposits the bunch within the mouth of the bunch maker and a ram moves the bunch in the bobbin core.

Control of the apparatus is the function of a Programmer of the type, for example, shown in U. S. Pat. No. 3,539,878. Functions of the apparatus are controlled, except as otherwise noted, by one of a plurality of cams fixed to a shaft. The shaft is rotated step by step in equal increments upon starting of a cycle of the readier. Each cam has suitable lobes for operating control valve actuators. An external signal is fed into the programmer to control the start of a new cycle. Suitable safety interlocks may be provided.

The invention is, in brief, directed to a method and apparatus for forming the unwinding end of a filled bobbin into a bunch and depositing the bunch in a ho]- low core of the bobbin. The unwinding end is transferred by fluid currents through a mouth proximate a narrow portion of an inverted generally frusto-conical chamber and is deposited in a circuitous pattern on a face of a perforate member which extends across the wide end of the chamber. A second chamber has an end face formed by an opposite face of the perforate member and a piston in this chamber is moved toward the perforate member to cause the fluid in the second chamber to flow substantially equally through all the perforations of the perforate member and move the unwinding end outwardly of the frusto-conical chamber in the form of a bunch. This fluid moves the bunch into a neck adjacent the mouth at the. narrow end of the frusto-conical chamber and the air is then vented so that the bunch does not pass through the mouth. A ram is then operated to move the bunch through the mouth and to deposit the bunch at a desired location in the hollow bobbin core.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a new and improved method and apparatus for readying a filled bobbin for subsequent use and, more particularly, for use by a winding machine.

Another object is to provide a new and improved method and apparatus for preparing the unwinding end of a strand body wound on a bobbin for subsequent retrieval and, more particularly, for forming this end into a bunch. A related object is provision for depositing the bunch in a hollow core of the bobbin.

A more specific object is provision of apparatus for forming a strand into a bunch, the apparatus including a perforated member and provision for depositing the strand on the member, with provision for passing a fluid through the perforations of the member with substantially equal force to remove the strand, in the form of a bunch, from the member. Related objects are: provision for carrying the strand in a fluid stream, at least in part in the form of a vortex, to deposit the strand on the perforate member; provision for directing the vortex toward the perforate member for depositing the strand in a generally circuitous pattern on the perforate member; provision of a continuous concavity about the center of the perforate member with the strand deposited along the concavity; provision for the discharging fluid to move the bunch from the perforate member to a neck whereupon the discharging fluid is ventedto prevent the bunch moving outwardly of the neck; provision for subsequently discharging the bunch through the neck; provision for passing the discharging fluid through the perforations with substantially the same force; provision for the discharging fluid being provided from a chamber, an end of the chamber being formed by a face of the perforate member opposite its face which receives the strand, a piston in the chamber for movement toward and away from the perforate member, and provision for moving the piston toward the member to cause the fluid in the chamber to flow through all the perforations of the member substantially equally; provision for moving the piston from proximate the perforate member toward the end of the chamber by applying a pressure differential across the piston; and provision for applying the pressure differential across piston by passing the vortex forming fluid through the perforate member and between the piston and the perforate member at a higher pressure than the pressure between the piston and the end of the chamber opposite the perforate member.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the invention, with parts broken away and removed for clearer illustration;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken generally along the line 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are fragmentary, elevational views, similar to FIG. 1, but to a reduced! scale, and showing the apparatus in progressively changed positions, with parts broken away and removed for clearer illustration;

FIG. 5 is a diagram of a pneumatic control system forming part of the overall control system of the apparatus; and

FIG. 6 is a chart indicating the operational sequence of various portions of the apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Reference is directed in particular to the previously referenced U.S. Pat. No. 3,544,018. In the present paragraph only, reference numerals refer to said U.S. Pat. No. 3,544,018, and particularly to FIG. 3 thereof. At station No. 3 a conduit 70 for cleaning the bobbin ll of extraneous matter and for handling the unwinding end 16 of the strand on the bobbin has a tower portion 71 which extends upwardly to a generally horizontal portion 72 which extends to a bunch maker station No. 4 and there communicates through an end or valve and cutter assembly 75 with a vacuum line 73. With the bobbin l1 rotated in an unwinding direction by an arbor 125 at station No. 3, the unwinding end 16 of the body of yarn 15 on the bobbin 11 is drawn by vacuum through a slot 74 in the conduit 70 and through the valve and cutter assembly 75 into the vacuum line 73, at which time a shutter valve 160 directly below the bunch maker chamber 173 is closed. The valve and cutter assembly 75 is now operated to shut off the vacuum and to trim the unwinding end. A valve 170 is opened to apply vacuum into the upper end of the bunch maker chamber 173 so that the unwinding end 16 is drawn through a mouth 174 and a neck 203 into an inverted frusto-conical lower chamber 206 of the bunch maker chamber 173 and is deposited on a perforate member 207. Movement of the unwinding end 16 into the lower chamber 206 is aided by pressurized air injected into the lower chamber 206 through ports 205 in the neck 203. The slide valve 160 is now opened and the bobbin 11 is transferred to station No. 4 whereupon an elevator 181 lifts the hollow bobbin core 12 into engagement with the mouth 174 of the bunch maker. A blast of compressed air is injected into the upper bunch maker chamber 206 above the perforate member 207 to dislodge the unwinding end 16 from the lower face of the perforate member 207 and to move the resultant bunch 220 downwardly through the frusto-conical lower chamber 206 and through the neck 203 into the hollow core 12 of the bobbin 11. Next, the elevator member 181 is lowered and the bobbin ,11 with the bunch 16 in its hollow core 12 is transferred to station No. 5.

In the accompanying drawings only the portion of the bunch maker and the horizontal portion of the conduit at station No. 4 is shown. Hereinafter, all reference numerals refer to FIGS. 1-6 herein.

Referring particularly to FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings, a conduit has a generally horizontal portion 12 with a longitudinally extending slot 14 which terminates in a shutter valve 16. The unwinding end 18 of a body of yarn 20 on a hollow core 21 of a bobbin 22 is transferred through the slot 14 and past the closed shutter valve 16, through a valve and cutter assembly 24 into a vacuum line 26. The valve and cutter assembly 24 may be of the type described in the previously mentioned US. Pat. No. 3,640,160, which is operated by a suitable pneumatic cylinder (not shown). The shutter valve 16 has a valve body 28 formed integrally with the lower portion of the horizontal portion 12 of the conduit 10 and a slidably mounted shutter valve member 29 which may be operated in any suitable manner as by a double-acting pneumatic cylinder having a piston rod 30 connected with the shutter. From the shutter valve 16 the conduit 10 curves upwardly and communicates with the valve and cutter assembly 24, as previously noted, which has a housing 32 suitably rigidly secured to the end of the conduit and to the vacuum supply line 26.

Thus, the unwinding end 18 of the yarn rides along slot 14 as it is conveyed through the conduit 10 and is drawn past the closed shutter valve 16 and through the open valve and cutter assembly 24 into the vacuum supply line 26. The valve and cutte'r assembly 24 is now operated to shut off the vacuum and therefore the air flow through the conduit 10 and to trim the unwinding end 18 of the yarn. At this point a normally closed jet shut-off valve 34 in a pressurized supply line 36 (80 psi) to an air jet nozzle 38 is opened. The valve 34 is opened when the arbor (not shown) at station No. 3 moves downwardly into the bobbin core at that station, and is closed when the arbor is retracted from the core at the end of the readier cycle (see Ser. No. 859,150). The air passes through a passage 39 extending through the body portion 28 of the shutter valve 16 and through a discharge port of the nozzle 38 which opens through a lower inner surface of the conduit 10 and is directed so as to entail the now trimmed unwinding end 18 extending from the bobbin 22, and project the end 18 upwardly and through an upwardly converging mouth 40 and a neck 42 of a bunch maker 44 and into a bunch maker chamber 46. As the jet valve 34 is opened, an air piloted vacuum shut-off valve 48 in a line 50 from a suitable source of vacuum (25 inches of water, for example) is opened to provide suction through a T-connector 52 and a line 54 having a connector 55 opening into an upper portion of the chamber 46. Thus, air is drawn through the mouth 40 and neck 42 into a first or lower chamber 56 of the bunch maker chamber 46, and through a perforate member 58 forming an end face 60 of the lower chamber 56, from which the air is exhausted from a second or upper chamber 62 of the bunch maker chamber 46 through the vacuum line 54 which opens into the upper chamber. An opposite face 64 of the perforate member 58 forms a lower end of the chamber 62.

The jet valve 34 is automatically shut-off a timed interval after the end of the readier cycle as controlled by upward movement of the arbor out of the bobbin core at station No. 3,and the unwinding end is retained in the lower chamber 56 by air flow through the mouth 40 resulting from the vacuum applied into the upper chamber 62 through the vacuum line 54. This constitutes the end of the readier cycle, as described in the previously noted U.S. Pat. No. 3,544,018 and application Ser. No. 859,150.

Still with reference to FIG. 1, at the start of the next cycle pressurized air for moving the unwinding end 18 (solid line in FIG. 1) into the lower chamber 56 passes through an air piloted valve 66 of a valve system (FIG. 5), to be described later, and through a line 68 and a connector 70 which is received in an annular flange 72 extending upwardly from the upper portion of the conduit 10. From the connector 70 the air passes into an each receiving an O-ring 79, one for each slot, to provide a seal between the annular flange 72 and the neck insert 78. The neck insert 78 is suitably secured to the annular flange 72 as by bolts 80 extending through a generally horizontal flange 82 of the neck insert 78 and threaded into the annular flange 72.

The lower chamber 56 is formed, in part, by a sidewall 84 which has a generally cylindrical portion 86 suitably secured, as by a tight sweat fit, to a cylindrical flange 88 extending upwardly on the neck insert 78. The cylindrical portion 86 of the sidewall 84 is formed integrally with an inverted frusto-conical portion 90 which diverges from the cylindrical portion 88 to the perforate member 58.

The perforate member 58 is clamped between an outwardly extending annular flange 92 at the top of the frusto-conical portion 90 and a collar 94. An annular flange 96 at a first or lower end of a sidewall 98 of the second or upper chamber 62 is fitted to the collar 94 and the assembly is secured in any suitable manner as by bolts 100 extending through the flange 96 and the collar 94 and threaded into the flange 92. At its upper or second end 102 the upper chamber 62 has an end wall 104 suitably secured to its sidewall 98 as by a tight sweat fit.

Means-is provided for depositing the strand on the perforate member 58, as follows:

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, as the pressurized air (80 psi, for example) is passed into the annular chamber 74 of the neck insert 78, this air passing through a plurality of vortex forming passages 106 (0.062 inch diameter, for example) extending between the annular chamber 74 and the neck 42, and generally tangentially of the neck 42 (which is preferably cylindrical) and in an upward direction of about 45 to the longitudinal axis of the neck. The unwinding end 18 of the body of yarn 20 which has already been deposited in the lower chamber 56, as previously discussed, is now picked up by the vortex (from the passages 106) and is caused to swirl generally proximate the upwardly diverging frusto-conical portion 90 of the lower chamber 56 and is deposited in an annular concavity 108 in the lower face 60 of the perforate member 58 to form a bunch 110, shown in phantom lines in FIG. 1. As may be noted from the drawing, the lower face 60 of the perforate member 58 has a generally convex center portion 112 and thereabout the annular concavity 108 which is adjacent the upper end of the frusto-conical portion 90 of the lower chamber 56. Perforations are preferably 0.020 inch diameter and provide about 20 percent open area.

In order to selectively adjust the size of the bunch 110 the length of yarn deposited in the lower chamber 56 may be varied. The duration of the application of the vortex and the vacuum above the perforated member 58 may be selectively adjusted as by a pneumatic control system shown in FIG. 5. In the following description various components may be of the identified models provided by Humphrey Products Division, General Gas Light Company, Box 2008, Kalamazoo, Mich. Referring to FIG. 5, the previously mentioned programmer has a rotating cam 114 which causes a normally closed valve 116 to open for supplying psi air pressure, for example, to the inlet 118 of a three-way valve 120 (Humphrey TAC 4? Air Valve). A normally open outlet 122 of the valve 120 supplies pilot air to the normally closed air piloted shut-off valve 66 (FIG. 1) (Humphrey 250 A-3l0-20) to open this valve for the passage of 40 psi air, for example, through the line 68 to the vortex forming air chamber 74 (FIGS. 1 and 2) and through the passages 106 in the neck 42 of the bunch maker. The 80 psi air from the programmer actuated valve 116 also passes through an adjustable needle valve 124 to an accumulator tank 126. When the pressure in this tank reaches 35 psi, for example, it actuates the air pilot I28 (Humphrey P-WE 34AS Air Piloted Actuator) of the three-way valve 120 which thereupon closes its normally open outlet 122 and opens a normally closed outlet to provide pilot air to any suitable air piloted vacuum shut-off valve, as previously noted the valve 48 (FIG. 1), to close this valve 48 and discontinue the application of vacuum to the upper chamber 62 at the perforate member 58 (FIG. 1.). Thus, by adjusting theneedle valve 124, the time the vortex air and the vacuum is applied to the bunch maker may be adjusted to selectively regulate the amount of yarn deposited on the perforate member 58, thereby adjusting the size of the bunch.

To provide substantially all of the perforations of the perforate member 58 with substantially the same air pressure and flow so that the unwinding end 18 is uniformly discharged from the perforate member 58 in the form of a neat bunch 110, a free floating piston 132 is in snug slidingengagement with the sidewall 98 of the upper chamber 62. The piston 132 may move freely up and down in the upper chamber 62 between the upper end wall 104 of the chamber and a snap ring 134 received in an annular groove in the lower portion of the sidewall 98 above the previously noted vacuum connector 55 into the lower portion of the upper chamber 62.

As the unwinding end 18 is deposited on the lower face 60 of the perforate member 58, the piston 132 is moved to and is retained in its upper position by a pressure differential across the piston, as follows: The previously noted vacuum valve 48 is open and applies vacuum through the line 54 and the connector 55 into the lower portion of the upper chamber 62 so that the vortex fluid which swirls the unwinding end 18 against the perforate member 58 passes through the perforations and is vented or exhausted "through the vacuum connector 55. At the, same time, vacuum is applied through the connector 52 into a line 136 communicating, through another connector 138 in the upper end wall 104 of the upper chamber 62, with the upper portion of the upper chamber 62 between the end wall 104 and the piston 132. Thus, a higher pressure is applied to the bottom side of thepiston 132 than to the top side of the piston so that the piston is moved to its upper position.

With reference to FIG. 3, the previously noted shutter valve 16 is opened and the previously mentioned elevating member (not shown) is now operated to lift the bobbin 22 so that the upper end of the bobbin core 21 seats in the bunch maker mouth 40. The vacuum through lines 54 and 136 to the upper chamber 62 is shut off by the valve 48, and the vortex forming air from the passages 106 is shut-off by the valve 66. A valve 140 is opened to pass pressurized air through a line 142 and a connector 144 through the end wall 104 of the upper chamber 62 above the piston 132, thereby forcing the piston downwardly. Such downward movement of the piston 132 compresses the air in the lower portion of the upper chamber 62 so that this air engages the upper face 64 of the perforate member 58 with substantially equal pressure throughout the face and is thus discharged with substantially equal flow downwardly through all the perforations of the perforate member. Thus, the unwinding end 18 of the strand of yarn which has been deposited on the lower face 60 of the perforate member 58 is discharged therefrom as a bunch 110 and is moved downwardly and compressed along the downwardly converginG sidewall 90 of the lower chamber 56 and passes through the generally cylindrical portion 86 of the lower chamber for receipt on a downwardly converging portion 146 of the neck insert 78, as shown in FIG. 3. In order to prevent the compressed bunch 110 from being ejected through the neck 42 and the mouth 40, vent ports 148 for the air are provided in the lower chamber 62, and as herein illustrated, in an upper part of the generally cylindrical portion 86 of the lower chamber sidewall 90.

With reference to FIG. 4, ram 150 is now operated to eject the bunch 110 from the neck insert 78 and to deposit the bunch in the hollow of the bobbin core 21. The ram 150 extends through a central aperture 152 formed by an upwardly extending annular flange 154 (FIG. 1) in the center of the perforate member 58. The ram when in its upper or retracted position (FIGS. 1 and 2) also extends through an aperture 156 (FIG. 1) in the piston 132. At its upper end the ram 150 is connected to a threaded end of piston rod 158 ofa doubleacting pneumatic cylinder 160 and is secured in place by a lock nut 162. The body 164 of the cylinder 160 has a nipple 166 about the piston rod 158 and the nipple is threaded into a bore in the end wall 104 of the upper chamber 62. When the ram operating cylinder 160 is actuated to drive the ram 150 downwardly, the lower end of the ram engages the bunch 110 at the bunch maker neck insert 78 and drives the bunch into the hollow core 21 of the bobbin 22 to any desired depth, as may be adjusted by adjusting the stroke of the piston rod 158.

The elevating member (not shown) is now operated to lower the bobbin 22 from the mouth 40 of the bunch maker whereupon the shutter valve 16 is closed and the unwinding end 18 from the next bobbin is drawn through the horizontal portion 12 of the conduit and through the valve and cutter assembly 32 and is trimmed and deposited in the lower chamber 56 of the bunch maker as the cycle ends. Upon commencement of the next cycle the previously readied bobbin is transferred away from the bunch maker station as the following bobbin is received at this station.

As shown in FIG. 6, the heavy lines indicate the period during which a particular function of parts of the apparatus is taking place. The upwardly inclined portion at the left end of each of these heavy lines extends through one incriment of movement of the programmer shaft and indicates initiation of operation.

Actually the operation may be much faster but full actuation will have taken place within the period indicated by the left hand inclined portion of the heavy line. Similarly the right hand declining portion of each heavy line indicates the particular function being terminated.

While this invention has been described with reference to a particular embodiment in a particular environment, variOus changes may be apparent to one skilled in the art and the invention is therefore not to be limited to such embodiment or environment except as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for forming a strand into a bunch, comprising strand handling means including a perforate member for receiving the strand and having perforations over a predetermined area of the member, means for depositing the strand on the member, and discharging means for passing a fluid with substantially equal pressure throughout said area and through substantially all the perforations of said member in a direction to move the strand from the member in the form of a bunch.

2. Apparatus asset forth in claim 1 in which the depositing means includes means for providing a fluid stream and carrying the strand in the stream, said stream being at least in part in the form of a vortex, at least a portion of the stream passing through said member, to deposit the strand on the member.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said handling means includes means defining a chamber and a mouth, said member having a face forming an end of said chamber, said chamber communicating with said mouth for receiving and discharging the strand, and said depositing means directing said vortex from proximate said mouth toward said member for depositing the strand in a generally circuitous pattern on the perforate member.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said handling means includes a neck between said mouth and said chamber, said face having a continuous concavity about its center, said depositing means depositing the strand generally along said concavity, said depositing means including vortex forming passage means for the fluid to form said vortex, said passage means opening through said neck.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said discharging means provides for said fluid moving the bunch proximate to said mouth, and including means for venting said fluid to prevent the fluid from moving the bunch through said mouth.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein the discharging means comprises a ram for discharging the bunch through the mouth, the venting means comprise vents opening into said chamber proximate said mouth, and said chamber diverges from proximate said mouth to proximate said perforate member.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said discharging means includes a second chamber for the fluid to remove the strand from the perforate member, said member having a second face opposite the first said face, said second face forming an end of said second chamber, a piston operatively received in said second chamber for movement toward and away from said member, and means for moving said piston toward said member to cause the fluid in said second chamber to pass through the perforations of said member.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein the piston moving means supplies fluid within a second end of said second chamber, opposite said member to move the piston toward said member.

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 8 including means for moving said piston from proximate said member toward said second end of said second chamber, the last said means including means for applyinga pressure differential to the opposite sides of said piston.

10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein the means for applying a pressure differential includes means for venting said second chamber between said member and said piston and between said second end of said chamber and said piston.

11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said handling means includes means defining a chamber, said member having a face forming an end of said chamber, said chamber communicating with a mouth for receiving and discharging the strand, and said discharging means providing for said fluid moving the bunch within the chamber to proximate said mouth and including means for venting said fluid to prevent the fluid from moving the bunch through said mouth.

12. Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein the venting means comprise vents opening into said chamber proximate said mouth.

13. Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 including a ram for discharging the bunch through the mouth.

14. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said discharging means includes a chamber for a fluid to provide said fluid flow, said member having a face forming an end of said chamber, a piston operatively received in said chamber for movement toward said member, and means for moving said piston toward said member to cause the fluid in said chamber to pass through the perforations of said member.

15. Apparatus as set forth in claim 14 wherein the piston moving means supplies fluid within a second end of said chamber opposite said member to move the piston toward said member.

16. Apparatus as set forth in claim 15 including means for moving said piston from proximate said member toward said second end of said chamber, the last said means including means for applying a pressure differential to the opposite sides of said piston.

17. Apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein the means for applying a pressure differential includes means for venting said chamber between said second end of said chamber and said piston, and means for passing a fluid through said perforate member and against the piston at a higher pressure than exists between the piston and the second end of the chamber.

18. A method of forming a strand into a bunch, comprising the steps of depositing the strand on a perforate member having perforations over a predetermined area, and discharging the strand by passing a fluid with substantially equal pressure throughout said area and through substantially all the perforations of said member in a direction to remove the strand from the member in the form of a bunch.

19. A method as set forth in claim 18 wherein the step of depositing the strand comprises carrying the strand in a fluid stream, at least in part in the form of a vortex, at least a portion of the stream passing through said member, to deposit the strand on the member.

20. A method as set forth in claim 19 wherein the perforate member is an end of a chamber, the chamber communicating with a mouth for receiving and discharging the strand, and the step of depositing the strand comprises directing said vortex from proximate said mouth toward saidmember and depositing the strand in a generally circuitous pattern on the perforate member.

21. A method as set forth in claim 20 wherein the step of discharging the strand comprises moving the resultant bunch to proximate said mouth, and venting the discharging fluid to prevent the fluid from moving the bunch through said mouth.

22. A method as set forth in claim 21 including a second chamber, the perforate member forming an end of said second chamber, a piston being operatively received in said second chamber for movement toward and away from said member, the steps of discharging the strand comprising moving said piston toward said member to cause the fluid adjacent said member in said second chamber to pass through the perforations of said member.

23. A method as set forth in claim 22 wherein the step of discharging the strand comprises passing a fluid in an end of said second chamber opposite said member to move the piston toward said member.

Claims (23)

1. Apparatus for forming a strand into a bunch, comprising strand handling means including a perforate member for receiving the strand and having perforations over a predetermined area of the member, means for depositing the strand on the member, and discharging means for passing a fluid with substantially equal pressure throughout said area and through substantially all the perforations of said member in a direction to move the strand from the member in the form of a bunch.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which the depositing means includes means for providing a fluid stream and carrying the strand in the stream, said stream being at least in part in the form of a vortex, at least a portion of the stream passing through said member, to deposit the strand on the member.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said handling means includes means defining a chamber and a mouth, said member having a face forming an end of said chamber, said chamber communicating with said mouth for receiving and discharging the strand, and said depositing means directing said vortex from proxImate said mouth toward said member for depositing the strand in a generally circuitous pattern on the perforate member.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said handling means includes a neck between said mouth and said chamber, said face having a continuous concavity about its center, said depositing means depositing the strand generally along said concavity, said depositing means including vortex forming passage means for the fluid to form said vortex, said passage means opening through said neck.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said discharging means provides for said fluid moving the bunch proximate to said mouth, and including means for venting said fluid to prevent the fluid from moving the bunch through said mouth.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein the discharging means comprises a ram for discharging the bunch through the mouth, the venting means comprise vents opening into said chamber proximate said mouth, and said chamber diverges from proximate said mouth to proximate said perforate member.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said discharging means includes a second chamber for the fluid to remove the strand from the perforate member, said member having a second face opposite the first said face, said second face forming an end of said second chamber, a piston operatively received in said second chamber for movement toward and away from said member, and means for moving said piston toward said member to cause the fluid in said second chamber to pass through the perforations of said member.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein the piston moving means supplies fluid within a second end of said second chamber opposite said member to move the piston toward said member.

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 8 including means for moving said piston from proximate said member toward said second end of said second chamber, the last said means including means for applying a pressure differential to the opposite sides of said piston.

10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein the means for applying a pressure differential includes means for venting said second chamber between said member and said piston and between said second end of said chamber and said piston.

11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said handling means includes means defining a chamber, said member having a face forming an end of said chamber, said chamber communicating with a mouth for receiving and discharging the strand, and said discharging means providing for said fluid moving the bunch within the chamber to proximate said mouth and including means for venting said fluid to prevent the fluid from moving the bunch through said mouth.

12. Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein the venting means comprise vents opening into said chamber proximate said mouth.

13. Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 including a ram for discharging the bunch through the mouth.

14. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said discharging means includes a chamber for a fluid to provide said fluid flow, said member having a face forming an end of said chamber, a piston operatively received in said chamber for movement toward said member, and means for moving said piston toward said member to cause the fluid in said chamber to pass through the perforations of said member.

15. Apparatus as set forth in claim 14 wherein the piston moving means supplies fluid within a second end of said chamber opposite said member to move the piston toward said member.

16. Apparatus as set forth in claim 15 including means for moving said piston from proximate said member toward said second end of said chamber, the last said means including means for applying a pressure differential to the opposite sides of said piston.

17. Apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein the means for applying a pressure differential includes means for venting said chamber between said second end of said chamber and said piston, and means for passing a fluid throuGh said perforate member and against the piston at a higher pressure than exists between the piston and the second end of the chamber.

18. A method of forming a strand into a bunch, comprising the steps of depositing the strand on a perforate member having perforations over a predetermined area, and discharging the strand by passing a fluid with substantially equal pressure throughout said area and through substantially all the perforations of said member in a direction to remove the strand from the member in the form of a bunch.

19. A method as set forth in claim 18 wherein the step of depositing the strand comprises carrying the strand in a fluid stream, at least in part in the form of a vortex, at least a portion of the stream passing through said member, to deposit the strand on the member.

20. A method as set forth in claim 19 wherein the perforate member is an end of a chamber, the chamber communicating with a mouth for receiving and discharging the strand, and the step of depositing the strand comprises directing said vortex from proximate said mouth toward said member and depositing the strand in a generally circuitous pattern on the perforate member.

21. A method as set forth in claim 20 wherein the step of discharging the strand comprises moving the resultant bunch to proximate said mouth, and venting the discharging fluid to prevent the fluid from moving the bunch through said mouth.

22. A method as set forth in claim 21 including a second chamber, the perforate member forming an end of said second chamber, a piston being operatively received in said second chamber for movement toward and away from said member, the steps of discharging the strand comprising moving said piston toward said member to cause the fluid adjacent said member in said second chamber to pass through the perforations of said member.

23. A method as set forth in claim 22 wherein the step of discharging the strand comprises passing a fluid in an end of said second chamber opposite said member to move the piston toward said member.

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