Apparatus and method for winding at least one fiber

An apparatus for winding a fiber strand onto formers, the apparatus comprising:

• means in a winding station for holding a first former and rotating it about an axis;
• supply means for continuously feeding the fiber strand in a feed direction to the first former rotating about the axis such that the fiber strand is wound up on the first former;
• a support pivotal between a use position closely juxtaposed with the strand and adjacent the former and a rest position spaced from the strand and from the former;
• a blade on the support, the blade being aligned and engageable with the strand in the use position;
• a clamp on the support and having a pair of jaws flanking the strand upstream of the blade in the use position;
• a first squeegee on the support downstream of the clamp;
• a second squeegee on the support upstream of the clamp, pivoting of the support from the rest position into the use position advancing the blade to cut the strand whereupon advance of at least one of the jaws grips the strand upstream of the blade and further pivoting of the support into the use position thereafter presses a trailing end of the strand wound on the first former against the first former with the first squeegee and after replacement of the first former with a fresh former presses a leading end of the cut strand gripped by the jaws with the second squeegee against the fresh former in the winding station, and subsequent disengagement of the jaws from the strand and pivoting of the support back into the rest position winds the strand up on the fresh former;
• and
• a buffer engaging the strand between the supply means and the axis and having at least two spaced guide rolls for the fiber stand for taking up slack in the strand during cutting and clamping of the strand, a spacing between the guide rolls being adjustable to vary how much of the strand is taken up between the rolls.