Automatic knot-tying machine

A knot-tying machine, comprising:

• (a) a stationary yarn package support for holding a package having a supply of textile yarn wound thereon with an exposed free end residing on an outer surface of the package;
• (b) a stationary yarn gripper for releasably gripping and holding a length of the yarn adjacent the exposed free end of the yarn;
• (c) a loop-forming swing arm for forming a loop in the length of the yarn adjacent the exposed free end of the yarn and intermediate the gripper and the package, said loop-forming swing arm mounted for rotation about an axis parallel to a longitudinal axis of the package in spaced-apart relation to the outer surface of the package and intermediate the surface of the package and the yarn gripper for separating a length of yarn from the surface of the package;
• (d) said loop-forming swing arm including thereon an elongate member mounted on said loop-forming swing arm for twisting the length of yarn separated from the surface of the package and held by the gripper about an axis perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the loop-forming swing arm for forming a secondary loop therein;
• (e) a knot-forming assembly carried by said elongate member for capturing a second length of the yarn separated from the surface of the package and pulling the second length of yarn through the secondary loop and thus forming a slip-knot in the loop of the strand formed by the loop-forming assembly adjacent the free end thereof, the slip-knot being adapted to be subsequently removed when desired by pulling on the free end of the strand.

A method of tying a knot in a strand carried on a package;

• comprising the steps of:
• (a) mounting a package on a package support, said package having a supply of a strand material with an exposed free end wound onto an outer surface of the package;
• (b) gripping and holding a length of the strand adjacent the exposed free end of the strand;
• (c) forming a loop in the length of the strand adjacent the exposed free end of the strand and intermediate the gripper and the package by relative rotational movement of the package and a loop-forming assembly;
• (d) forming a slip-knot in the loop of the strand formed in the strand of a type adapted to be subsequently removed when desired by pulling on the free end of the strand.

A method of tying a knot in a strand carried on a package;

• comprising the steps of:
• (a) holding in a stationary position a package having a supply of textile yarn wound thereon with an exposed free end residing on an outer surface of the package;
• (b) releasably gripping and holding a length of the yarn adjacent the exposed free end of the yarn;
• (c) forming a loop in the length of the yarn adjacent the exposed free end of the yarn and intermediate the gripper and the package by rotation of a loop-forming swing arm about an axis parallel to a longitudinal axis of the package in spaced-apart relation to the outer surface of the package and intermediate the surface of the package and the gripped yarn;
• (d) separating a length of yarn from the surface of the package;
• (e) twisting the length of yarn separated from the surface of the package about an axis perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the loop-forming swing arm for forming a secondary loop therein;
• (f) capturing a second length of the yarn separated from the surface of the package and pulling the second length of yarn through the secondary loop and thus forming a slip-knot in the loop of the strand formed by the loop-forming assembly adjacent the free end thereof, the slip-knot being adapted to be subsequently removed when desired by pulling on the free end of the strand.