Apparatus and method for winding yarn to form a package

An apparatus for winding yarn from a supply into a yarn package, comprising:

• (a) spindle means for rotatably supporting a package core for winding yarn thereon to form said yarn package,
• (b) yarn trasversing means for effecting traversing movement of said yarn along said yarn package, said traversing means including belt means movable oppositely along two traversal spans extending longitudinally of said yarn package in crossing relation from respectively opposite yarn engaging locations generally closely adjacent the periphery of said yarn package at opposite ends thereof angularly outwardly from said yarn package toward respectively opposite yarn disengaging locations spaced from the periphery of said yarn package at the respective other ends thereof, said belt means having yarn guides thereon for movement along said two traversal spans and engagable with said yarn to guide it alternately along said traversal spans from said yarn engaging locations to said yarn disengaging locations, and
• (c) reversal means adjacent each end of said package for transferring said yarn from a yarn guide at the disengaging location of one span to a yarn guide at the engaging location of the other span,
• whereby during each transferring of yarn between said two traversal spans said yarn guide to which said yarn is transferred is closely adjacent said package and more closely adjacent said package than said yarn guide from which said yarn is disengaged so as to effect a quick and precise reversing of the direction of traversing movement of said yarn for symmetrical, controlled package building.

An apparatus for winding yarn from a supply into a yarn package comprising:

• (a) spindle means for rotatably supporting a package core for winding yarn thereon from said supply to form said yarn package, said spindle means including variable spindle drive means for rotating said package at varying rotational speeds to control the surface speed of said package in relation to a selected yarn characteristic or yarn feeding condition to thereby control said selected yarn characteristic or yarn feeding condition,
• (b) yarn traversing means for effecting traversing movement of said yarn generally longitudinally along said package, said yarn traversing means including traverse drive means for causing said yarn traversing means to move said yarn generally longitudinally along said package, said traverse drive means being variable for varying the longitudinal speed of traversing movement of said yarn for regulation of the relationship thereof with the rotational speed of said package to thereby control the angle with respect to the axis of said package at which said yarn is wound onto said package,
• (c) spindle sensing means for detecting at least periodically the speed of rotation of said package during building thereof,
• (d) traverse sensing means for detecting at least periodically the speed of traversing movement of said yarn, and
• (e) control means operatively associated with both said spindle sensing means and said traverse sensing means for monitoring the respective values detected thereby and for comparing said respective values to discern the ratio therebetween, and operatively associated with said traverse drive means for varying the speed of traversing movement of said yarn in response to said comparison to control said ratio, said control means being provided with a plurality of predetermined ratio values and being programmed to operate said traverse drive means so as to maintain said ratio at each said predetermined ratio value for a respective preselected interval in a predetermined order of said ratio values to maintain said yarn winding angle within a predetermined acceptable range throughout the yarn winding operation for symmetrical building of large yarn packages.

A method of winding yarn into a yarn package comprising the steps of:

• (a) continuously rotating a package core, while
• (b) delivering said yarn to said package core along a yarn feed path and applying said yarn thereto, while
• (c) traversing said yarn in said yarn feed path generally longitudinally along said package by continuously repeating the steps of engaging said yarn at one end of said package adjacent the periphery thereof, guiding said yarn longitudinally of said package along a traversal span toward the opposite end of said package, engaging said yarn at said opposite end of said package adjacent the periphery thereof as said yarn is guided thereto, and guiding said yarn longitudinally of said package along another traversal span toward said one end of said package, and
• (d) at each end of said package, reversing the direction of traversing movement of said yarn by positively engaging said yarn with a disengaging means intersecting said yarn feed path in the traversal span along which said yarn has been guided and positively moving said disengaging means relative to the traversal spans to positively move said yarn initially generally in the direction in which it has been guided to complete said traversing movement and thereafter transversely of the traversal spans to positively move said yarn away from said traversal span and into position for said engaging of said yarn adjacent the periphery of said package in the other travesal span.

A method of winding yarn to produce a symmetrical yarn package of large diameter, comprising the steps of:

• (a) continuously rotating a package core while delivering and applying said yarn to said package core and traversing said yarn generally longitudinally along said package,
• (b) controlling a selected yarn characteristic or yarn feeding condition by controlling the surface speed of said package during winding in relation to said yarn characteristic or feeding condition,
• (c) at least periodically detecting the rotational speed of said package and the speed of traversing movement of said yarn longitudinally along said package,
• (d) comparing the rotational speed of said package and the speed of traversing movement of said yarn and discerning therefrom a ratio therebetween, and
• (e) maintaining said ratio at each of a plurality of predetermined ratio values for respective predetermined intervals of package size in a predetermined order of said ratio values by, during each predetermined interval, varying the longitudinal speed of traversing travel of said yarn in response to said comparing to maintain said ratio at the respective predetermined ratio value associated with the interval, and, at the expiration of each said interval, varying the longitudinal speed of traversing travel of said yarn to change said ratio to the next predetermined ratio value in said order of ratio values.