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;
• said 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 for reciprocating movement along an axis parallel to, and spaced from, said parallel-spaced axes;
• said traverse mechanism comprising:
• an indexer means including a crank arm rotatable about a pivot;
• a connecting rod connected to said crank arm at a second pivot point;
• a traverse guide connected to said connecting rod at a third pivot point located on the center line of said traverse guide and said traverse guide reciprocating within a support with rotation of said crank arm;
• said pivot point is positioned at a point on said center line spaced from said third pivot point;
• said connecting rod forming a given angle with said center line;
• said indexer means rotating said rotatable crank arm to displace said traverse guide along said center line within said support;
• means for independently rotating each of said first and second spindles;
• means for moving said 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 said first and second mandrel each having FM wound thereon to at least one of said 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, said 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 transferred for winding FM onto an empty mandrel.

High speed traversing method for winding FM onto a mandrel in a winding apparatus, comprising:

• an indexer means including a crank arm rotatable about a pivot;
• a connecting rod connected to said crank arm at a second pivot point;
• a traverse guide connected to said connecting rod at a third pivot point located on the center line of said traverse guide and said traverse guide reciprocating within a support with rotation of said crank arm;
• said pivot point is positioned at a point on said center line spaced from said third pivot point;
• said connecting rod forming a given angle with said center line;
• said method comprising the steps of:
• rotating said rotatable crank arm by movement of said indexer means to displace said traverse guide along said center line within said support;
• and
• controlling said indexer means to wind said FM onto said mandrel.

A winding method for consecutively winding FM on respective first and second mandrels in a winding apparatus, 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;
• said 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 for reciprocating movement along an axis parallel to, and spaced from, said parallel-spaced axes;
• said traverse mechanism comprising:
• an indexer means including a crank arm rotatable about a pivot;
• a connecting rod connected to said crank arm at a second pivot point;
• a traverse guide connected to said connecting rod at a third pivot point located on the center line of said traverse guide and said traverse guide reciprocating within a support with rotation of said crank arm;
• said pivot point is positioned at a point on said center line spaced from said third pivot point;
• said connecting rod forming a given angle with said center line;
• said method comprising the steps of:
• rotating said rotatable crank arm by movement of said indexer means to displace said traverse guide along said center line within said support;
• independently rotating each of said first and second spindles;
• moving said traverse guide in cooperation with said means for independently rotating to consecutively wind FM on said first and second mandrels;
• and said winding apparatus further comprising:
• 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 said method of winding further comprising the steps of:
• controlling said means for independently rotating, said 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 transferred for winding onto an empty mandrel .