High speed, dual head, on-line winding apparatus

Winding apparatus for consecutively winding filamentary material (FM) on respective first and second mandrels, comprising:

• first and second independently operable spindles mounted for rotation about respective parallel-spaced axes located in a horizontal plane of a winding apparatus frame;
• first and second mandrels removably mounted respectively on each of said first and second spindles;
• a traverse mechanism mounted to said apparatus frame for movement between said parallel-spaced axes and for reciprocating movement along an axis parallel to, and spaced from, said parallel-spaced axes;
• means for independently rotating each of said first and second spindles;
• means for moving a traverse guide in cooperation with said means for independently rotating to consecutively wind FM on said first and second mandrels;
• transfer means movably mounted to said apparatus frame for guiding FM from at least one of a first and second mandrel each having FM wound thereon to at least one of a second and first empty mandrel;
• and further including, for each said first and second mandrels, a transfer arm pivotable about a pivot point adjacent the respective mandrel for guiding the FM onto a respective one of said first and second mandrels during transfer of said FM from a mandrel having FM wound thereon to an empty mandrel;
• and
• means for controlling said means for independently rotating, means for reciprocating and said transfer means for moving said traverse guide adjacent at least one of said first empty and second empty mandrel in coordination with rotation of that transfer arm associated with the mandrel to which FM is to be transfered for winding onto an empty mandrel.