Apparatus for winding ribbon material applying wrapping tape thereto

Claim 2

Apparatus for automatically winding lengths of ribbon material onto each of a succession of individual spool cores comprising means for engaging and rotating a spool core, means for successively positioning such cores on said engaging and rotating means for rotation of such cores thereby, a plurality of guide elements cooperating to define a circular cylindrical guide chamber around a core on said engaging and rotating means for guiding a leading end portion of such ribbon material around a core thereon in an inwardly spiralling convolution, and means for extending a leading end portion of such ribbon material along said guide means and for effecting frictional engagement of at least a portion of such leading end portion with the outer surface of said core as said core is rotated to snub such leading end portion on said core and to wind a length of such ribbon material thereon by continued rotation of such core, at least one of said guide elements being movable to open one side of such chamber to permit removal of such core from said engaging and rotating means in a direction lateral to the axis of rotation of said engaging and rotating means.

Claim 3

Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said extending and frictional engagement means include feed means for projecting such a leading end portion into and along said guide means, and presser means for pressing at least a portion of such leading end portion within said guide means against said core as said core is rotated.

Claim 4

Apparatus as in claim 1 including means for rotating such core at a peripheral velocity greater than the rate of extending of ribbon by said feed extending means.

Claim 5

Apparatus as in claim 1 including means responsive to the passing of ribbon to said core for metering the ribbon and operative to stop rotation of such core upon passage of a predetermined length of ribbon thereto.

Claim 6

Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein at least one of said elements is movable to a closed alignment position for aligning a core on said engaging and rotating means.

Claim 7

Apparatus as in claim 1 including means for removing a wound core from said engaging and rotating means in a direction lateral to the axis of such core through said one side means for positioning wrapping tape with one end of such tape in a first position adjacent said engaging and rotating means at one side of said removing means, a gripper element adapted to grip such tape and being movable in a path to engage such tape at said first position and to draw such tape across the path of movement of a core by said removal means for engagement by such core, means for severing such tape adjacent said first position and means for folding the ends of a length of such tape about such core.

Claim 8

Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said one of said guide elements is retractable in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of said engaging and rotating means to open said one side of such chamber to permit such removal of a core therefrom.

Claim 9

Apparatus as in claim 7 including means for moving a spool core into said ribbon guide axially of said supporting and rotating means.

Claim 10

Apparatus as in claim 1 including means for moving a wound core through said one side from a first position on said engaging and rotating means to a second position, in a direction of movement transverse to the axis of such core, means for positioning wrapping tape between said positions and in the path of movement of a core by said moving means for engagement by such core, and means for subsequently folding the ends of such tape about such core.

Claim 11

Apparatus as in claim 9 wherein said removal means includes clamping means for temporarily engaging ribbon wound on such core.

Claim 12

Apparatus as in claim 9 wherein said means for positioning said tape includes means to supply such tape with a leading end at a feed position at one side of said moving means, and a gripper element movable in a path to engage such tape at said feed position and to draw such tape across the path of movement of a core by said moving means.

Claim 13

Apparatus as in claim 9 wherein said moving means includes a pin which is extendable in said first position to engage a core for movement of such core with said moving means as said moving means is moved to said second position.

Claim 14

Apparatus as in claim 9 wherein said folding means includes a folder at each side of the path of movement of a core by said moving means, said tape positioning means being disposed to position such wrapping tape between said first position and said folders.

Claim 15

Apparatus as in claim 9 wherein said folding means includes a folder at each side of the path of movement of a core by said moving means, each of said folders being pivotally mounted for folding the ends of such tape over the trailing edge of such core.

Claim 16

Apparatus as in claim 14 wherein one of said folders is supported for movement with said moving means during a portion of its movement.

Claim 17

Apparatus as in claim 9 including an adhesive applicator and means for positioning said applicator in the path of movement of one end of such tape by said folding means.

Claim 18

Apparatus for winding ribbon material on a spool having a planar end surface, comprising means for supporting and rotating such a spool, said means including a plurality of suction gripper elements disposed around the axis of rotation of said support for gripping said planar end surface to retain and rotate said spool, each of said elements including means for engaging such surface, whereby said elements grip said surface independently of one another in an annular area around said axis of rotation, and means for securing the leading end portion of a length of ribbon on a spool on said supporting and rotating means.

Claim 19

Apparatus for winding ribbon material on a spool having a planar end surface, comprising means for supporting and rotating such a spool, said means including a plurality of suction gripper elements disposed around the axis of rotation of said support for gripping said planar end surface to retain and rotate said spool, each of said elements including means for engaging such surface, whereby said elements grip said surface independently of one another in an annular area around said axis of rotation, and means for securing the leading end portion of a length of ribbon on a spool on said supporting and rotating means.

Claim 20

Apparatus for automatically winding lengths of ribbon material onto each of a succession of individual spool cores comprising means for engaging and rotating a spool core, means for successively positioning such cores on said engaging and rotating means for rotation of such cores thereby, a ribbon supply support, means for guiding a leading end portion of such ribbon material around a core on said engaging and rotating means in an inwardly spiralling convolution, means for extending a leading end portion of such ribbon material along said guide means and for effecting frictional engagement of at least a portion of such leading end portion with the outer surface of said core as said core is rotated to snub such leading end portion on said core and to wind a length of such ribbon material thereon by continued rotation of such core, said extending means including means for withdrawing ribbon material from a supply of indeterminate length on said supply support and directing such ribbon material into said ribbon guide means, means responsive to passage of ribbon from said supply support to a core on said engaging and rotating means for metering the ribbon and operative to stop rotation of such core upon passage of a predetermined length of ribbon, severing means for severing such ribbon between said metering means and said engaging and rotating means, and means for removing a wound core from said engaging and rotating means and retaining the ribbon on such core.

Claim 21

Apparatus for automatically winding lengths of ribbon material onto each of a succession of individual spool cores comprising means for engaging and rotating a spool core, means for successively positioning such cores on said engaging and rotating means for rotation of such cores thereby, a ribbon supply support, means for guiding a leading end portion of such ribbon material around a core on said engaging and rotating means in an inwardly spiralling convolution, means for extending a leading end portion of such ribbon material along said guide means and for effecting frictional engagement of at least a portion of such leading end portion with the outer surface of said core as said core is rotated to snub such leading end portion on said core and to wind a length of such ribbon material thereon by continued rotation of such core, said extending means including means for withdrawing ribbon material from a supply of indeterminate length on said supply support and directing such ribbon material into said ribbon guide means, means responsive to passage of ribbon from said supply support to a core on said engaging and rotating means for metering the ribbon and operative to stop rotation of such core upon passage of a predetermined length of ribbon, severing means for severing such ribbon between said metering means and said engaging and rotating means, and means for removing a wound core from said engaging and rotating means and retaining the ribbon on such core.

Claim 22

A machine for winding ribbon material on spool cores comprising a pair of apparatus each for automatically winding lengths of ribbon material onto each of a succession of individual spool cores, each of said apparatus comprising means for engaging and rotating a spool core, means for guiding a leading end portion of such ribbon material around a core on said engaging and rotating means in an inwardly spiralling convolution, and means for extending a leading end portion of such ribbon material along said guide means and for effecting frictional engagement of at least a portion of such leading end portion with the outer surface of said core as said core is rotated to snub such leading end portion on said core and to wind a length of such ribbon material thereon by continued rotation of such core, said pair of apparatus being disposed in spaced, parallel relation to one another, spool core supply means between said pair of apparatus, and means for feeding cores from said supply means and successively positioning such cores on each of said engaging and rotating means for rotation of such cores thereby, a portion of said guiding means of each of said apparatus being movable to permit removal of a wound core therefrom in a direction lateral to the axis of rotation of the respective supporting and rotating means.

Claim 23

A machine for winding ribbon material on spool cores comprising a pair of apparatus each for automatically winding lengths of ribbon material onto each of a succession of individual spool cores, each of said apparatus comprising means for engaging and rotating a spool core, means for guiding a leading end portion of such ribbon material around a core on said engaging and rotating means in an inwardly spiralling convolution, and means for extending a leading end portion of such ribbon material along said guide means and for effecting frictional engagement of at least a portion of such leading end portion with the outer surface of said core as said core is rotated to snub such leading end portion on said core and to wind a length of such ribbon material thereon by continued rotation of such core, said pair of apparatus being disposed in spaced, parallel relation to one another, spool core supply means between said pair of apparatus, and means for feeding cores from said supply means and successively positioning such cores on each of said engaging and rotating means for rotation of such cores thereby, a portion of said guiding means of each of said apparatus being movable to permit removal of a wound core therefrom in a direction lateral to the axis of rotation of the respective supporting and rotating means.

Claim 24

Apparatus for automatically winding lengths of ribbon material onto each of a sucCession of individual spool cores comprising means for engaging and rotating a spool core, means for successively positioning such cores on said engaging and rotating means for rotation of such cores thereby, means for guiding a leading end portion of such ribbon material around a core on said engaging and rotating means in an inwardly spiralling convolution, said guiding means and said positioning means including a guide section which is retractable outwardly from the position of a core on said engaging and rotating means to admit a core within said guiding means, core feed means for placing successive empty cores between said section and said engaging and rotating means when said section is retracted, said guide section being movable to a closed position for aligning a core on said engaging and rotating means, and means for extending a leading end portion of such ribbon material along said guide means and for effecting frictional engagement of at least a portion of such leading end portion with the outer surface of said core as said core is rotated to snub such leading end portion on said core and to wind a length of such ribbon material thereon by continued rotation of such core.

Claim 25

Apparatus for automatically winding lengths of ribbon material onto each of a sucCession of individual spool cores comprising means for engaging and rotating a spool core, means for successively positioning such cores on said engaging and rotating means for rotation of such cores thereby, means for guiding a leading end portion of such ribbon material around a core on said engaging and rotating means in an inwardly spiralling convolution, said guiding means and said positioning means including a guide section which is retractable outwardly from the position of a core on said engaging and rotating means to admit a core within said guiding means, core feed means for placing successive empty cores between said section and said engaging and rotating means when said section is retracted, said guide section being movable to a closed position for aligning a core on said engaging and rotating means, and means for extending a leading end portion of such ribbon material along said guide means and for effecting frictional engagement of at least a portion of such leading end portion with the outer surface of said core as said core is rotated to snub such leading end portion on said core and to wind a length of such ribbon material thereon by continued rotation of such core.

Claim 26

Apparatus for automatically winding lengths of ribbon material onto each of a succession of individual spool cores comprising means for engaging and rotating a spool core, said engaging and rotating means including a rotatable support and a plurality of suction gripper elements disposed around the axis of rotation of said support, means for successively positioning such cores on said engaging and rotating means for rotation of such cores thereby, means for guiding a leading end portion of such ribbon material around a core on said engaging and rotating means in an inwardly spiralling convolution, and means for extending a leading end portion of such ribbon material along said guide means and for effecting frictional engagement of at least a portion of such leading end portion with the outer surface of said core as said core is rotated to snub such leading end portion on said core and to wind a length of such ribbon material thereon by continued rotation of such core.

Claim 27

Apparatus for automatically winding lengths of ribbon material onto each of a succession of individual spool cores comprising means for engaging and rotating a spool core, said engaging and rotating means including a rotatable support and a plurality of suction gripper elements disposed around the axis of rotation of said support, means for successively positioning such cores on said engaging and rotating means for rotation of such cores thereby, means for guiding a leading end portion of such ribbon material around a core on said engaging and rotating means in an inwardly spiralling convolution, and means for extending a leading end portion of such ribbon material along said guide means and for effecting frictional engagement of at least a portion of such leading end portion with the outer surface of said core as said core is rotated to snub such leading end portion on said core and to wind a length of such ribbon material thereon by continued rotation of such core.

Claim 28

Apparatus for winding ribbon material on a spool having a planar end surface, comprising means for supporting and rotating such a spool, said means including a support surface for supporting a spool, suction gripper means for gripping said planar end surface to retain and rotate such a spool, said suction gripper means being reciprocable between a position beneath said support surface and a gripping position above said support surface, and means for securing the leading end portion of a length of ribbon on a spool on said supporting and rotating means.

Claim 29

Apparatus for winding ribbon material on a spool having a planar end surface, comprising means for supporting and rotating such a spool, said means including a support surface for supporting a spool, suction gripper means for gripping said planar end surface to retain and rotate such a spool, said suction gripper means being reciprocable between a position beneath said support surface and a gripping position above said support surface, and means for securing the leading end portion of a length of ribbon on a spool on said supporting and rotating means.

Claim 30

Apparatus for winding ribbon material on a spool having a planar end surface, comprising a rotatable support having a support surface for supporting a spool, a plurality of suction gripper elements disposed around the axis of rotation of said support for gripping such a planar end surface to retain and rotate such a spool, an aligning pin disposed to engage a center opening in the end of such a spool, said suction gripper elements and said aligning pin being reciprocable between a retracted position beneath said surface and a spool engaging position above said surface, and means for securing the leading end portion of a length of ribbon on a spool on said supporting and rotating means.

Claim 31

Apparatus for winding ribbon material on a spool having a planar end surface, comprising a rotatable support having a support surface for supporting a spool, a plurality of suction gripper elements disposed around the axis of rotation of said support for gripping such a planar end surface to retain and rotate such a spool, an aligning pin disposed to engage a center opening in the end of such a spool, said suction gripper elements and said aligning pin being reciprocable between a retracted position beneath said surface and a spool engaging position above said surface, and means for securing the leading end portion of a length of ribbon on a spool on said supporting and rotating means.