Controlling a yarn package at a winding station

In an apparatus for winding a strand of yarn onto a bobbin tube to form and build a yarn package, said apparatus including a driving roller, package support means for holding said tube and supporting it at a position of contact of said tube and yarn thereon with said driving roller and for moving said tube and yarn thereon to a plurality of positions spaced away from said position of contact whereat said tube and yarn thereon are not driven, restoring force means for applying to said tube and yarn thereon a force which tends to move said tube and yarn thereon toward said position of contact and then for maintaining a substantially constant pressure at said position of contact to enhance uniform driving of said tube and yarn thereon for continued winding of yarn thereabout, and retaining and releasing means for retaining said package of tube and yarn thereon at a one of said plurality of said spaced away positions against the impetus of said restoring force of said restoring force means and for releasing said package from said one of said plurality of said spaced away positions namely said retaining position and for thereby permitting said package to be moved to said contact position under the impetus of said restoring force imposed by said means therefor, an improvement comprising

• engaging means for engaging said retaining and releasing means with said package such that said retaining means retains said package at said retaining position and spaced away from said driving roller, and for disengaging said retaining means from engagement with said package upon movement of said package by a very small amount to yet another one of said plurality of said spaced away positions for thereby permitting said package to be moved to said contact position under the impetus of said restoring force imposed by said means therefor.