Package of strand and a method of manufacturing the same

A method of manufacturing a package of strand comprising the steps of:

• attenuating filaments from a source of material;
• dividing the filaments into a first bundle and a second bundle;
• coupling said first and second bundles to each other at a plurality of coupling locations along said bundles;
• and
• directing said coupled bundles into a container.

Apparatus for coupling together at spaced intervals parallel bundles of filaments attenuated from a source of material, comprising:

• a cylindrical body mountable for rotation about a central axis and having an outer surface,
• a first helical groove formed in said outer surface;
• and
• a second helical groove formed in said surface and intersecting said first helical groove,
• said intersecting helical grooves defining coupling regions in which bundles of filaments drawn across said outer surface can be brought into coupling contact and further defining parting regions in which bundles of filaments coupled in said coupling regions can be divided into sub-bundles.

A package of strand comprising;

• an approximately planar bottom plate having a perimeter;
• a plurality of upright columnar supports disposed about, and projecting upwardly from, said perimeter of said bottom plate and defining between said supports and said plate a strand containing volume;
• and
• a self-supporting block of strand bound together by a coating of size and disposed within and substantially filling said strand containing volume.

A method of forming a self-supporting block of strand, comprising the steps of:

• disposing into an outer container having an upstanding, perforated peripheral wall and an inner container having a bottom plate with a perimeter and a plurality of upright columnar supports disposed about, and projecting upwardly from, said perimeter of said bottom plate and defining between said supports and said plate a strand containing volume;
• directing into said inner container a strand coated with an aqueous size to substantially fill said strand containing volume with strand;
• removing moisture from said strand to dry said aqueous size and thereby adhere said strand to itself to form a self-supporting block of strand;
• and
• removing said inner container and block of strand from said outer container.

A method of manufacturing a package of strand comprising the steps of:

• attenuating from a source of material a first strand section having a first end and a second end;
• directing said first end of said first strand section into a container;
• attenuating from the source of material a second strand section having a first end and a second end;
• coupling said first end of said second strand section to said second end of said first strand section;
• and
• directing said second strand section into said container.

The method of 45 wherein said coupling step includes the steps of:

• directing said second end of said first strand section outside said container;
• and
• directing said first end of said second strand section outside said container;
• andfurther comprising the step of directing said splice into said container.

Apparatus for joining two sections of strand, comprising:

• a base;
• a strand cutter coupled to said base;
• a strand splicer coupled to said base adjacent said strand cutter;
• a strand gripper movably coupled to said base for movement between a first position adjacent said strand cutter and said strand splicer and a second position spaced from said strand cutter and said strand splicer;
• a gripper drive coupled to said strand gripper to move said strand gripper between said first and second positions;
• a strand detector operative to detect the presence of a strand disposed between said first position and second positions of said strand gripper and to generate a detection signal in response thereto;
• and
• a controller operatively coupled to said strand cutter, said strand splicer, said strand gripper, said gripper drive, and strand detector, said controller including control logic which is responsive to receipt of a detection signal generated by said strand detector when a first strand is detected to cause said strand gripper to grip said first strand, to cause said gripper drive to move said first strand to said second position and into operative engagement with said strand cutter and said strand splicer, and to cause said strand cutter to cut said first strand and form a first cut end, said control logic further being responsive to receipt of a detection signal generated by said strand detector when a second strand is detected to cause said strand gripper to grip said second strand, to cause said gripper drive to move said second strand to said second position and into operative engagement with said strand cutter and said strand splicer, to cause said strand cutter to cut said second strand and form a second cut end, and to cause said strand splicer to splice said first and second cut ends together.

A method of manufacturing a package of strand comprising the steps of:

• directing into a non-metallic container a strand coated with an aqueous size;
• and
• dielectrically drying said strand to remove moisture from the size, whereby the dried size adheres the strand to itself sufficiently to form a self-supporting block of strand;
• and
• removing said block of strand from said container.

A method of attenuating a strand, comprising the steps of:

• engaging a strand attenuated a strand from a source of a material with a first attenuator;
• attenuating the strand at a first attenuation speed with the first attenuator;
• bringing the strand into operative engagement with a second attenuator;
• releasing the strand from the first attenuator;
• and
• attenuating the strand at a second attenuation speed, greater than said first attenuation speed, with the second attenuator.

A method of manufacturing a package of strand comprising the steps of:

• disposing a container at a fill position beneath an attenuator mounted for movement with respect to the fill position;
• attenuating the strand from a source of material with the attenuator;
• coating the strand with an aqueous size;
• directing the strand from the attenuator into the container;
• moving said container away from said fill position;
• drying said strand in said container to remove moisture from the strand and thereby to adhere the strand to itself with the dried size to form a self-supporting package of strand;
• and
• removing said self-supporting package of strand from said container.

A system for manufacturing a package of strand comprising:

• a source of material;
• a container for collecting the strand;
• an attenuator for attenuating the strand from said source of material, said attenuator mounted for movement relative to said container between a start up position and a fill position;
• and
• a deflector coupled to said attenuator, wherein said deflector directs the strand from said attenuator away from said container when said attenuator is in its start up position and directs the strand from said attenuator into said container when said attenuator is in its fill position.

A system for manufacturing a package of strand comprising:

• a source of material;
• a container for collecting the strand;
• an attenuator for attenuating the strand from said source of material, said attenuator mounted for movement relative to said container between a start up position and a fill position;
• and
• a vibrating mechanism, wherein said container is positioned on said vibrating mechanism, said vibrating mechanism imparts vibrations to said container, and said vibrations include a vertical acceleration component.

A system for manufacturing a package of strand comprising:

• a source of material;
• a container for collecting the strand;
• an attenuator for attenuating the strand from said source of material, said attenuator mounted for movement relative to said container between a start up position and a fill position;
• a vibrating mechanism, said container being positioned on said vibrating mechanism and said vibrating mechanism imparts vibrations to said container, said vibrating mechanism including a sensor for generating an input signal in response to presence of said container;
• a controller, said controller including control logic and a timing mechanism, said controller producing an output signal in response to said input signal;
• and
• an actuator, wherein said actuator moves said attenuator from the start up position to the fill position in response to said output signal from said controller.

A method of collecting a strand, the method comprising the steps of:

• imparting to the strand an initial velocity in a first direction;
• deflecting the strand off a surface to change the component of the strand's velocity in said first direction to a substantially non-positive value;
• and
• allowing the strand to fall in a second direction under the influence of gravity into a container, said second direction being substantially perpendicular to said first direction.