Yarn tension control apparatus and method

A yarn tension control apparatus, comprising:

• (a) a first feed roll having a substantially conically tapered yarn engaging roll surface, and including means for driving said first feed roll at a predetermined r.p.m.;
• (b) a second feed roll having a substantially conically tapered yarn engaging roll surface, said second feed roll positioned in spaced-apart relation with said first feed roll for receiving a yarn wrapped successively around a circumference defined collectively by opposed surfaces of said first and second rolls from a yarn infeed position to a yarn exit position, and including means for driving said second feed roll;
• (c) said first and second feed rolls being aligned relative to each other so that the collectively defined circumstances at any point on the yarn engaging surfaces of said first and second rolls is greater than the collectively defined circumstances in one direction along the axis of rotation of the rolls, and less than the collectively defined circumstances in the other direction along the axis of rotation of the rolls;
• and
• (d) closed loop tension feedback control means for varying the rate of feed of the yarn as a function of the tension on the yarn as it exists the yarn tension control apparatus, said feedback control means comprising:
• (i) an elongate tension arm positioned between and along the length of said first and second rolls,
• (ii) a plurality of yarn guides positioned in said tension arm along the length thereof for receiving successive wraps of yarn;
• and
• (iii) mounting means for mounting said tension arm for movement of said yarn guides along the length of the rolls in response to changes in tension of the yarn to a yarn infeed position of increased roll diameter in response to an increase in tension on the yarn and to a position of decreased roll diameter in response to a decrease in tension on the yarn, said movement means having a component of movement of the yarn along the length of the rolls responsive to tension variations which increase progressively along the length of the rolls from the infeed position to the exit position for providing greater correction in response to tension variations the closer the wrap of yarn exhibiting the tension variation resides to the exit position of the yarn.

A method of controlling yarn tension, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a first feed roll having a substantially conically tapered yarn engaging roll surface for being driven at a predetermined r.p.m.;
• (b) providing a second feed roll having a substantially conically tapered yarn engaging roll surface, said second feed roll positioned in spaced-apart relation with said first feed roll and including means for driving said second feed roll at the same predetermined r.p.m. as said first feed roll;
• (c) aligning said first and second feed rolls relative to each other so that a collectively defined circumference at any point on the yarn feeding surfaces of said first and second rolls is greater than the collectively defined circumference in one direction along the axis of rotation of the rolls, and less than the collectively defined circumference in the other direction along the axis of rotation of the rolls;
• (d) wrapping a yarn successively around a circumference defined collectively by the roll surfaces of said first and second rolls;
• (e) varying the position of the wraps of yarn on the first and second rolls in proportionate response to tension variations in the yarn;
• and
• (f) varying the spacing between at least some of the wraps of yarn and thereby the percentage decrease in the roll diameter of the first and second rolls at a yarn infeed position of said first and second rolls in relation to a yarn exit position of said first and second rolls to thereby vary the percentage decrease in yarn tension between the yarn infeed and yarn exit positions.