Apparatus and method for controlling textile winder package drive motors and traverse device motors

In a textile strand winder having package drive motors and traverse device motors, apparatus for jointly controlling the motors and comprising:

• first inverter means for supplying variable frequency alternating current electrical power to at least one package drive motor;
• second inverter means for supplying variable frequency alternating current electrical power to at least one traverse device motor;
• modulating means coupled to said second inverter means for recurrently increasing and decreasing the frequency of the current supplied by said second inverter means to the traverse device motor and for thereby accelerating and decelerating the traverse device motor in accordance with a predetermined pattern;
• and
• direct current supply means interconnecting said first and second inverter means for delivering direct current to both said inverter means and for feeding back to the package drive motor through said first inverter at least a portion of the electrical power generated by the traverse device motor during said recurrent deceleration.

A method of operating a textile strand winder while jointly controlling package drive motors and traverse device motors thereof and comprising:

• coupling a set of package drive motors to one of two interconnected sources of variable frequency alternating current electrical power;
• and
• coupling a set of traverse device motors to the other of the two interconnected sources of variable frequency alternating current electrical power;
• while
• increasing and decreasing the frequency of the alternating current supplied to the set of traverse device motors by the other source for thereby alternately accelerating and dynamically braking the traverse device motors;
• and
• delivering through the one source to the set of package drive motors at least a portion of the power generated by the set of traverse device motors during recurrent braking thereof whereby the total power drawn by the winder is reduced and the efficiency thereof is improved.

A method of operating a textile strand winder while controlling both package drive and traverse device motors thereof and comprising:

• supplying variable frequency alternating current electrical power to at least one package drive motor from a first source thereof;
• while
• supplying variable frequency alternating current electrical power to at least one traverse device motor from a second source thereof;
• while
• increasing and decreasing the frequency of the current supplied to the traverse device motor from said second source for thereby alternately accelerating and decelerating the traverse device motor;
• and
• supplying at least a portion of the power available from the traverse device motor during recurrent deceleration to the package drive motor.

A method for jointly controlling package drive motors and traverse device motors of a textile strand winder comprising:

• supplying direct current electrical power from a single source to both a first variable frequency inverter and a second variable frequency inverter;
• while
• coupling the first inverter to a set of package drive motors;
• and
• coupling the second inverter to a set of traverse device motors;
• then
• varying the frequency of the current supplied to the set of traverse device motors by the second inverter by supplying to the second inverter a signal effective to modulate the frequency of said current for thereby accelerating and decelerating the traverse device motors;
• while
• delivering to the set of package drive motors at least a portion of power generated by the set of traverse device motors during recurrent deceleration;
• and
• adjusting the frequency and amplitude of said modulating signal for pattern breaking on the bobbin.