Apparatus and method for forming a wrapped yarn

A yarn forming apparatus adapted to form a wrapped yarn composed of a core strand having a binder strand spirally wrapped thereabout, and comprising

• a frame,
• a spindle assembly including a hollow spindle rotatably mounted to said frame, with said spindle being adapted to coaxially mount a supply package of the binder strand and so that the supply package rotates with the hollow spindle,
• yarn feed means mounted to said frame for advancing the core strand through the hollow spindle,
• yarn take-up means mounted to said frame downstream of said spindle for winding an advancing yarn into a yarn take-up package,
• drive means for rotating said hollow spindle and operatively driving said yarn feed means and said yarn take-up means, and such that the binder strand may be withdrawn from the rotating supply package and guided through the rotating hollow spindle so as to be spirally wrapped about the advancing core strand to form a wrapped yarn which is then wound onto the yarn take-up package,
• monitoring means for detecting a break in at least said core strand, and
• control means responsive to said monitoring means detecting a break in the core strand for terminating operation of said drive means and including means for positively terminating the withdrawal of the binder strand from the supply package, and so as to avoid undue winding of the binder strand onto the take-up package.

A method of forming a wrapped yarn composed of a core strand having a binder strand spirally wrapped thereabout, and comprising the steps of

• advancing a core strand along a path of travel and to a rotating take-up package,
• withdrawing a binder strand from a supply package and spirally wrapping the same about the advancing core strand to form a wrapped yarn,
• monitoring the advancing wrapped yarn to detect breakage of at least the core strand, and
• terminating the advance of the core strand and positively terminating the withdrawal of the binder strand from its supply package upon detection of the breakage of at least the core strand, so as to avoid undue winding of the binder strand on the take-up package upon a break occuring in the core strand.