Automatic splicing apparatus

Claim 2

An automatic splicing apparatus for wrapping filament around yarn comprising a housing, drive means mounted in said housing, said drive means operating a filament wrapping wheel, said filament wrapping wheel having a filament supply mounted thereon, clamping and cutting means secured to said housing to hold and cut said yarn being wrapped, a filament holder means mounted to said housing, said filament holder means retaining an end of said filament during a wrapping cycle and said filament holder means having means for cutting said filament at the end of said cycle, and tensioning means carried by said filament wrapping wheel for maintaining a tension on filament being drawn from said supply.

Claim 3

An automatic splicing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said drive means includes an auxiliary drive means having cam means to provide for vertical oscillation of said clamping and cutting means.

Claim 4

An automatic splicing apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said auxiliary drive means comprises a drive shaft, said drive shaft being mounted in a plurality of roller bearing means, said roller bearing means being secured to a housing, means to rotate said drive shaft, a worm secured to said auxiliary drive shaft, said worm engaging a worm gear to rotate said worm gear, said worm gear being secured to a shaft, said shaft being mounted in a plurality of roller bearing means positioned in said housing, a drive gear secured to said shaft, said drive gear cooperating with a cam plate assembly to turn said cam plate assembly.

Claim 5

An automatic splicing apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein said cam plate assembly comprises a cam gear secured to a cam shaft, a cam huB mounted on said shaft, a plurality of cam plates mounted on said cam hub, said cam plates being separated by a plurality of cam spacers, and means to secure said plurality of cam plates and cam hub to said cam gear.

Claim 6

An automatic splicing apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said cam shaft has separate cam means secured thereto.

Claim 7

An automatic splicing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said clamping and cutting means to hold and cut said yarn being wrapped comprises a plurality of cut finger assemblies and a plurality of clamp finger assemblies.

Claim 8

An automatic splicing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said wrapping wheel assembly comprises a drive body assembly having an insert plate assembly removably mounted thereto, said insert plate assembly having a filament supply means mounted thereon.

Claim 9

An automatic splicing apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said drive body assembly is substantially C-shaped and the outer surface of the drive body assembly has gear means.

Claim 10

An automatic splicing apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein said gear means are removable gear sections.

Claim 11

An automatic splicing apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said insert plate assembly has a substantially pie-shaped section removed.

Claim 12

An automatic splicing apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said filament supply means comprises a mount secured to said insert plate assembly, said mount having a support arm extending therefrom, a bobbin mounted on said support arm, and adjustable tension means to provide tension on a filament coming from the bobbin.

Claim 13

An automatic splicing apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein said bobbin has a protective casing mounted thereon.

Claim 14

An automatic splicing apparatus for wrapping yarn with filament comprising a housing, drive means mounted in said housing, said drive means being positioned to rotate a wrapping wheel assembly, said wrapping wheel assembly having a filament supply mounted thereto, a filament holder assembly mounted in said housing, said filament holder assembly being provided with means to retain the filament under tension during a splicing cycle and means to cut the filament at the end of the splicing cycle, means to hold and cut said yarn being wrapped with filament, and means to automatically operate said wrapping wheel assembly, filament holder assembly and holding and cutting means during a splicing cycle.

Claim 15

An automatic splicing apparatus for wrapping yarn with filament comprising a housing, drive means mounted in said housing, said drive means being positioned to rotate a wrapping wheel assembly, said wrapping wheel assembly having a filament supply mounted thereto, a filament holder assembly mounted in said housing, said filament holder assembly being provided with means to retain the filament under tension during a splicing cycle and means to cut the filament at the end of the splicing cycle, means to hold and cut said yarn being wrapped with filament, and means to automatically operate said wrapping wheel assembly, filament holder assembly and holding and cutting means during a splicing cycle.

Claim 16

An automatic splicing apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein said drive means comprises a drive shaft, means to turn said drive shaft, a gear secured to said drive shaft, said gear engaging a second gear when said drive shaft is rotated, said second gear being secured to an output shaft, said output shaft having a drive wheel gear secured thereon, said drive wheel gear engaging a plurality of pinion gears, said plurality of pinion gears engaging and driving said wrapping wheel assembly.

Claim 17

An automatic splicing apparatus as claimed in claim 14 wherein said first gear and said second gear are miter gears.

Claim 18

An automatic splicing apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein said gear means comprises a positioning pinion gear mounted on an output shaft, said positioning pinion gear having roller clutch means allowing said pinion gear to rotate freely around said output shaft in one direction and to engage and turn said output shaft in the other direction causing a wheel drive gear secured to said output shaft to rotate.

Claim 19

An automatic splicing apparatus as claimed in claim 16 wherein said wheel drive gear has a protruding pin positioned to strike a latch when said wheel drive gear is rotated by said positioning pinion gear, said latch closing switch means indicating the wrapping wheel assembly is positioned correctly.

Claim 20

An automatic splicing apparatus as claimed in claim 14 wherein said gears are secured to said drive shaft and output shaft by key means.

Claim 21

An automatic splicing apparatus as claimed in claim 14 wherein said wheel drive gear has a pin projEcting therefrom.

Claim 22

An automatic splicing apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein said drive means has a wrapping wheel assembly positioning means, said wrapping wheel assembly positioning means positioning said wrapping wheel assembly in substantially the same position at the start of each splicing cycle.

Claim 23

An automatic splicing apparatus as claimed in claim 20 wherein said wrapping wheel assembly positioning means comprises a fluid cylinder secured to said housing, a piston slidably mounted in said fluid cylinder, a toothed rack carried by said piston, said toothed rack engaging gear means to turn said wrapping wheel assembly to a predetermined position.

Claim 24

An automatic splicing apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein said means to hold and cut said yarn being wrapped with filament comprises a plurality of cut finger assemblies and a plurality of clamp finger assemblies.

Claim 25

An automatic splicing apparatus as claimed in claim 22 wherein each of said cut finger assemblies comprises a plurality of fluid cylinders, each of said fluid cylinders having a piston slidably mounted therein, linkage secured to each said piston, said linkage connecting each of said pistons to cutting and clamping means.

Claim 26

An automatic splicing apparatus as claimed in claim 23 wherein one of said pistons activates a clamping means and another of said pistons activates a cutting means.

Claim 27

An automatic splicing apparatus as claimed in claim 22 wherein at least one of said finger assemblies is an upper cut finger assembly, said upper cut finger assembly comprising a plurality of fluid cylinders, each of said fluid cylinders having a piston slidably mounted therein, one of said pistons being secured to link arm, the other of said pistons being connected to a shaft by a plurality of links, said shaft extending through one of said plurality of links, said link arm and a stationary thread holder secured to a housing, said shaft being able to be rotated by the action of the other of said pistons moving said plurality of links to turn a blade secured to said shaft and bordering said stationary thread holder.

Claim 28

An automatic splicing apparatus as claimed in claim 22 wherein at least one of said cut finger assemblies is a lower cut finger assembly, said lower cut finger assembly comprising a plurality of fluid cylinders, each of said fluid cylinders having a piston slidably mounted therein, one of said pistons being secured to a link arm having an aperture therethrough, the other of said pistons being connected to a plurality of links, one of said links having an aperture therethrough, a shaft extending through said link aperture, said link arm aperture and a stationary thread holder secured to a housing, said shaft being able to be rotated by the action of the other of said pistons moving said plurality of links to turn a blade secured thereto and bordering said stationary thread holder.

Claim 29

An automatic splicing apparatus as claimed in claim 22 wherein each of said clamp finger assemblies cooperates with a cut finger assembly to hold yarn to be spliced, each of said clamp finger assemblies comprising a fluid cylinder, a piston slidably mounted in said fluid cylinder, and linkage secured to said piston, the other end of said linkage being secured to clamp means.

Claim 30

An automatic splicing apparatus as claimed in claim 27 wherein said clamp means comprises a stationary thread holder having an aperture therethrough, said stationary thread holder being secured to a clamp finger housing, a link arm having at least one aperture therein, a shaft inserted through one of said link arm apertures and said stationary thread holder aperture, said shaft having a clamp plate secured thereto, means to prevent said shaft from rotating inside said link arm and spring means surrounding a portion of said shaft and contacting said link arm.

Claim 31

An automatic splicing apparatus as claimed in claim 28 wherein said means to prevent said shaft from rotating inside said link arm is a pin inSerted into said link arm aperture and a coaxially aligned shaft aperture.

Claim 32

An automatic splicing apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein said filament holder assembly comprises a stationary inner shaft, a rotatably outer shaft surrounding said inner shaft, spring means secured to said outer shaft to urge said outer shaft into a set position, cam means mounted on said outer shaft, said cam means acting in cooperation with a cam plate to rotate said outer shaft and cutting means mounted on said outer shaft.

Claim 33

An automatic splicing apparatus as claimed in claim 30 wherein said cutting means comprises a stationary scissor blade secured to said inner shaft, a stationary clamp mounted on said outer shaft, said stationary clamp being secured to said stationary scissor blade and a movable scissor blade mounted on said outer shaft and positioned between said stationary clamp and said stationary scissor blade.

Claim 34

An automatic thread splicing apparatus for wrapping filament around yarn comprising a housing, drive means mounted in said housing, said drive means being positioned to rotate a wrapping wheel assembly, said wrapping wheel assembly having a filament supply mounted thereto, a filament holder means secured to said housing, said filament holder means retaining said filament during a splicing cycle and cutting said filament at the end of the splicing cycle, a plurality of cut finger assemblies and clamp finger assemblies mounted on said housing to hold and cut said yarn being wrapped; and circuit means for controlling said cut finger assemblies and clamp finger assemblies during a splicing cycle.

Claim 35

An automatic thread splicing apparatus for wrapping filament around yarn comprising a housing, drive means mounted in said housing, said drive means being positioned to rotate a wrapping wheel assembly, said wrapping wheel assembly having a filament supply mounted thereto, a filament holder means secured to said housing, said filament holder means retaining said filament during a splicing cycle and cutting said filament at the end of the splicing cycle, a plurality of cut finger assemblies and clamp finger assemblies mounted on said housing to hold and cut said yarn being wrapped; and circuit means for controlling said cut finger assemblies and clamp finger assemblies during a splicing cycle.

Claim 36

An apparatus a claimed in claim 32 wherein said yarn includes a first piece having a first severed end and a second non-severed end and a second piece having a first severed end and a second non-severed end, wherein said clamp finger assemblies include a first assembly for holding said first piece adjacent said second end and a second assembly for holding said second piece adjacent said second end, wherein said cut finger assemblies include a first assembly for holding said first piece adjacent its severed end and adjacent the non-severed end of said second piece and for cutting the severed end of said first piece and a second assembly for holding said second piece adjacent its severed end and adjacent the non-severed end of said first piece and for cutting the severed end of said second piece, a source of fluid above atmospheric pressure and control means operatively associated with said circuit means for controlling the application of fluid pressure from said source to said first and second assemblies, whereby wherein said first and second assemblies of said clamp finger assemblies and said first and second assemblies of said cut finger assemblies operate to hold and to cut respectively when connected to said a source of fluid at a pressure above atmospheric pressure, and wherein said circuit means includes means for applying said source to said assemblies.

Claim 37

An apparatus as in claim 33 wherein said circuit means includes a first relay which, when activated connects said source to said first and second assemblies of said clamp finger assemblies and to said first and second assemblies of said cut finger assemblies to hold said first and second pieces, a second relay which, when activated, connects said source to said first assembly of said cut finger assemblies for cutting the non-severed end of said first piece and a third relay which, when activated, connects said source to said second assembly of said cut finger assemblies for cutting the non-severed end of said second piece.

Claim 38

An automatic splicing apparatus for wrapping filament around yarn ends held in an overlapping relationship comprising: wrapping means for wrapping filament around said yarn ends so as to form a filament wrap around the yarn ends which extends for a distance along the overlapped ends to retain the yarn ends together, clamping means for receiving and holding said yaRn ends in an overlapping relationship during the wrapping, filament supply means mounted in an enclosed housing on said wrapping means for supplying filament, adjustable tension means positioned adjacent said filament supply means for applying a uniform tension on the filament during the wrapping, drive means operatively associated with said wrapping means for rotating said filament supply means around said overlapped yarn ends so that filament is drawn from said filament supply means through said tension means thereby producing a tensioned splice, yarn cutting means operatively associated with said wrapping means for cutting said yarn ends back so that the cut ends can be overwrapped with said filament, and filament cutting means for cutting said filament after the wrapping has been completed so that the portion of filament used in producing the splice is separated from said filament supply means.

Claim 39

An automatic splicing apparatus for wrapping filament around yarn ends held in an overlapping relationship comprising: wrapping means for wrapping filament around said yarn ends so as to form a filament wrap around the yarn ends which extends for a distance along the overlapped ends to retain the yarn ends together, clamping means for receiving and holding said yaRn ends in an overlapping relationship during the wrapping, filament supply means mounted in an enclosed housing on said wrapping means for supplying filament, adjustable tension means positioned adjacent said filament supply means for applying a uniform tension on the filament during the wrapping, drive means operatively associated with said wrapping means for rotating said filament supply means around said overlapped yarn ends so that filament is drawn from said filament supply means through said tension means thereby producing a tensioned splice, yarn cutting means operatively associated with said wrapping means for cutting said yarn ends back so that the cut ends can be overwrapped with said filament, and filament cutting means for cutting said filament after the wrapping has been completed so that the portion of filament used in producing the splice is separated from said filament supply means.