Methods of and apparatus for continuously reeling strand material

Claim 1

A method of taking up a continuously advancing strand onto first and second transversely aligned take-up reels having winding surfaces defined between the ends thereof and mounted for rotation about spaced, parallel axes, which comprises the steps of: driving the first reel; distributing the advancing strand onto the first reel by guiding the strand back and fourth across the defined winding surface thereof to wind successive layers of convolutions of strand thereon; driving the second reel; interchanging the positions of the reels to position the second reel along the path of the strand being distributed onto the first reel; altering the distribution of strand onto the first reel in a predetermined sequence by guiding a predetermined length of the advancing strand, representative of a final layer of convolutions of strand on the first reel back and forth onto a part of the winding surface of the first reel, less than the defined winding surface, the end of said sequence occurring when the path of the strand is adjacent to a predetermined end of the second reel, and transferring the distributed strand from the first reel to the second reel at a time coincident with the end of said sequence.

Claim 2

A method of taking up a continuously advancing strand onto first and second transversely aligned take-up reels having winding surfaces defined between the ends thereof and mounted for rotation about spaced, parallel axes, which comprises the steps of: driving the first reel; distributing the advancing strand onto the first reel by guiding the strand back and fourth across the defined winding surface thereof to wind successive layers of convolutions of strand thereon; driving the second reel; interchanging the positions of the reels to position the second reel along the path of the strand being distributed onto the first reel; altering the distribution of strand onto the first reel in a predetermined sequence by guiding a predetermined length of the advancing strand, representative of a final layer of convolutions of strand on the first reel back and forth onto a part of the winding surface of the first reel, less than the defined winding surface, the end of said sequence occurring when the path of the strand is adjacent to a predetermined end of the second reel, and transferring the distributed strand from the first reel to the second reel at a time coincident with the end of said sequence.

Claim 7

An appAratus for taking up a continuously advancing strand onto first and second transversely aligned take-up reels having winding surfaces defined between the ends thereof and mounted for rotation about spaced, parallel axes, comprising: means for driving the first reel; means for distributing the advancing strand onto the first reel by guiding the strand back and forth across the defined winding surface thereof to wind successive layers of convolutions of strand thereon; means for driving the second reel; means for interchanging the positions of the reels to position the second reel along the path of the strand being distributed onto the first reel; means for altering the distribution of the strand onto the first reel in a predetermined sequence by guiding a predetermined length of the advancing strand, representative of a final layer of convolutions of strand on the first reel back and forth onto a part of the winding surface of the first reel, less than the defined winding surface, the end of said sequence occurring when the path of the strand is adjacent to a predetermined end of the second reel, and means for transferring the distributed strand from the first reel to the second reel at a time coincident with the end of said sequence.

Claim 8

An appAratus for taking up a continuously advancing strand onto first and second transversely aligned take-up reels having winding surfaces defined between the ends thereof and mounted for rotation about spaced, parallel axes, comprising: means for driving the first reel; means for distributing the advancing strand onto the first reel by guiding the strand back and forth across the defined winding surface thereof to wind successive layers of convolutions of strand thereon; means for driving the second reel; means for interchanging the positions of the reels to position the second reel along the path of the strand being distributed onto the first reel; means for altering the distribution of the strand onto the first reel in a predetermined sequence by guiding a predetermined length of the advancing strand, representative of a final layer of convolutions of strand on the first reel back and forth onto a part of the winding surface of the first reel, less than the defined winding surface, the end of said sequence occurring when the path of the strand is adjacent to a predetermined end of the second reel, and means for transferring the distributed strand from the first reel to the second reel at a time coincident with the end of said sequence.

Claim 9

An apparatus for continuously reeling strand material onto first and second rotatable reeling elements, which comprises: a vertically disposed turret mounted for rotation about horizontal central axis; first and second transversely aligned arbors, rotatably cantilevered at opposite ends of said turret for rotation about spaced horizontal axes for receiving the first and second reeling elements; first and second rotatable snagger supports; means mounting said snagger supports at a canted angle at the cantilevered ends of said arbors to position the principle planes of said supports at an angle with respect to a vertical plane; a pair of snaggers; means slidably mounted each of said snaggers in said snagger supports for movement from a retracted position within said supports to an extended position partially without said supports and extending radially outward of the ends of the reeling elements adjacent to said turret; resilient means associated with each of said snaggers for urging said snaggers into said retracted positions within said supports; releasable means for locking each of said snaggers into said retracted positions; distributing means transversely aligned with said arbors and the reeling elements thereon and being vertically spaced from said turret adjacent to said first arbor for guiding an advancing strand back and forth across the winding surface of the first reeling element; means for driving said distributing means to guide an advancing strand back and forth across the winding surface of the first reeling element; means for driving said first arbor and a first of said snagger supports thereon in synchronism therewith to rotate the first reeling element to take up the distributed strand and to rotate said support to revolve said first retracted snagger therein about the axis of said first arbor in an annular path to oscillate said first snagger toward and away from the adjacent end of said first reeling element for alternate halves of the orbiting cycle of said first snagger; means for detecting first and second accumulations of strand on said first reeling element; first means responsive to the detection of said first accumulation of strand on said first reeling element for driving said turret to rotate said turret 180* to interchange the positions of said arbors and the reeling elements thereon to interpose the second reeling element between said distributing means and the first reeling element along the path of the strand to the first reeling element; second means responsive to the detection of said first accumulation of strand for driving said second arbor and said snagger support thereon in synchronism therewith to roTate the second reeling element and said support to revolve said second retracted snagger therein about the axis of said second arbor in an annular path to oscillate said second snagger toward and away from the adjacent end of the second reeling element for alternate halves of the orbiting cycle of said second snagger; third means responsive to the detection of said first accumulation of strand for altering the operation of said distributing means to distribute a length of strand equivalent to the difference between said first and second accumulations thereof in a predetermined sequence onto part of the winding surface of the first reeling element wherein the end of said sequence occurs when the strand is adjacent to the ends of the reeling elements adjacent to said orbiting snaggers, and means responsive to the detection of said second accumulation of strand on the first reeling element for releasing said releasable means to unlock said revolving second snagger to permit centrifugal force to thrust said second snagger partially without said second snagger support against the urging of said resilient means associated therewith to grip and sever the strand adjacent to the end of the second reeling element associated with said second snagger to wind the strand onto the second reeling element.

Claim 10

An apparatus for continuously reeling strand material onto first and second rotatable reeling elements, which comprises: a vertically disposed turret mounted for rotation about horizontal central axis; first and second transversely aligned arbors, rotatably cantilevered at opposite ends of said turret for rotation about spaced horizontal axes for receiving the first and second reeling elements; first and second rotatable snagger supports; means mounting said snagger supports at a canted angle at the cantilevered ends of said arbors to position the principle planes of said supports at an angle with respect to a vertical plane; a pair of snaggers; means slidably mounted each of said snaggers in said snagger supports for movement from a retracted position within said supports to an extended position partially without said supports and extending radially outward of the ends of the reeling elements adjacent to said turret; resilient means associated with each of said snaggers for urging said snaggers into said retracted positions within said supports; releasable means for locking each of said snaggers into said retracted positions; distributing means transversely aligned with said arbors and the reeling elements thereon and being vertically spaced from said turret adjacent to said first arbor for guiding an advancing strand back and forth across the winding surface of the first reeling element; means for driving said distributing means to guide an advancing strand back and forth across the winding surface of the first reeling element; means for driving said first arbor and a first of said snagger supports thereon in synchronism therewith to rotate the first reeling element to take up the distributed strand and to rotate said support to revolve said first retracted snagger therein about the axis of said first arbor in an annular path to oscillate said first snagger toward and away from the adjacent end of said first reeling element for alternate halves of the orbiting cycle of said first snagger; means for detecting first and second accumulations of strand on said first reeling element; first means responsive to the detection of said first accumulation of strand on said first reeling element for driving said turret to rotate said turret 180* to interchange the positions of said arbors and the reeling elements thereon to interpose the second reeling element between said distributing means and the first reeling element along the path of the strand to the first reeling element; second means responsive to the detection of said first accumulation of strand for driving said second arbor and said snagger support thereon in synchronism therewith to roTate the second reeling element and said support to revolve said second retracted snagger therein about the axis of said second arbor in an annular path to oscillate said second snagger toward and away from the adjacent end of the second reeling element for alternate halves of the orbiting cycle of said second snagger; third means responsive to the detection of said first accumulation of strand for altering the operation of said distributing means to distribute a length of strand equivalent to the difference between said first and second accumulations thereof in a predetermined sequence onto part of the winding surface of the first reeling element wherein the end of said sequence occurs when the strand is adjacent to the ends of the reeling elements adjacent to said orbiting snaggers, and means responsive to the detection of said second accumulation of strand on the first reeling element for releasing said releasable means to unlock said revolving second snagger to permit centrifugal force to thrust said second snagger partially without said second snagger support against the urging of said resilient means associated therewith to grip and sever the strand adjacent to the end of the second reeling element associated with said second snagger to wind the strand onto the second reeling element.

Claim 12

A method of gripping an advancing strand, comprising the steps of: revolving a snagger about a first axis in an annular path having an axis intersecting said first axis at an angle to oscillate the snagger between a pair of spaced planes perpendicular to said first axis, and imparting relative movement between the advancing strand and said snagger to position said strand in a path between said spaced planes intersecting the path of the revolving snagger whereby the snagger intercepts and grips the strand.

Claim 13

A method of gripping an advancing strand, comprising the steps of: revolving a snagger about a first axis in an annular path having an axis intersecting said first axis at an angle to oscillate the snagger between a pair of spaced planes perpendicular to said first axis, and imparting relative movement between the advancing strand and said snagger to position said strand in a path between said spaced planes intersecting the path of the revolving snagger whereby the snagger intercepts and grips the strand.

Claim 15

A method of snagging an advancing strand guided in a path past a take-up element and in proximity to the periphery thereof, which comprises the steps of: revolving a snagger about a longitudinal axis through the take-up element in a first annular path having an axis canted with respect to the axis of the take-up element to oscillate the snagger between first and second spaced planes perpendicular to the axis of the take-up element and adjacent to an end thereof; directing the guided strand transversely of the take-up element until it is adjacent to said planes, and imparting translational movement selectively to the revolving snagger to move the snagger into a second annular path parallel to said first path intersecting the path of the strand to cause the snagger to intercept, grip and sever the strand to initiate the winding of the strand onto the take-up element.

Claim 16

A method of snagging an advancing strand guided in a path past a take-up element and in proximity to the periphery thereof, which comprises the steps of: revolving a snagger about a longitudinal axis through the take-up element in a first annular path having an axis canted with respect to the axis of the take-up element to oscillate the snagger between first and second spaced planes perpendicular to the axis of the take-up element and adjacent to an end thereof; directing the guided strand transversely of the take-up element until it is adjacent to said planes, and imparting translational movement selectively to the revolving snagger to move the snagger into a second annular path parallel to said first path intersecting the path of the strand to cause the snagger to intercept, grip and sever the strand to initiate the winding of the strand onto the take-up element.

Claim 18

A method of effecting the transfer of a moving strand from a first driven reel to a second driven reel aligned transversely with said first reel, comprising the steps of: guiding the strand onto the first reel past the second reel along a predetermined straight path generally tangent to the periphery of the second reel; traversing the guided strand back and forth along the perIphery of said reels between first and second planar limits normal to the axes thereof; driving a revolvable snagger about the axis of the second reel in a circular path adjacent to and at an angle with the first planar limit, and translating the circular path of the snagger selectively to intersect the first planar limit between said reels to catch, sever and grip the strand when it is adjacent to the first planar limit to wind the strand around the second reel.

Claim 19

A method of effecting the transfer of a moving strand from a first driven reel to a second driven reel aligned transversely with said first reel, comprising the steps of: guiding the strand onto the first reel past the second reel along a predetermined straight path generally tangent to the periphery of the second reel; traversing the guided strand back and forth along the perIphery of said reels between first and second planar limits normal to the axes thereof; driving a revolvable snagger about the axis of the second reel in a circular path adjacent to and at an angle with the first planar limit, and translating the circular path of the snagger selectively to intersect the first planar limit between said reels to catch, sever and grip the strand when it is adjacent to the first planar limit to wind the strand around the second reel.

Claim 23

An apparatus for snagging an advancing strand guided in a path past a take-up element and in proximity to the periphery thereof, which comprises: a snagger mounted for revolution about a longitudinal axis through the take-up element in a first annular path having an axis canted with respect to the axis of the take-up element; means for driving said snagger to oscillate said snagger between first and second spaced planes perpendicular to the axis of the take-up element and adjacent to an end thereof; means for directing the guided strand transversely of the take-up element until it is adjacent to said planes, and means for imparting translational movement selectively to said revolving snagger to move said snagger into a second annular path, parallel to said first path, to intersect the path of the strand to intercept, grip, sever and retain the strand therein to initiate the winding of the strand onto the take-up element.

Claim 24

An apparatus for snagging an advancing strand guided in a path past a take-up element and in proximity to the periphery thereof, which comprises: a snagger mounted for revolution about a longitudinal axis through the take-up element in a first annular path having an axis canted with respect to the axis of the take-up element; means for driving said snagger to oscillate said snagger between first and second spaced planes perpendicular to the axis of the take-up element and adjacent to an end thereof; means for directing the guided strand transversely of the take-up element until it is adjacent to said planes, and means for imparting translational movement selectively to said revolving snagger to move said snagger into a second annular path, parallel to said first path, to intersect the path of the strand to intercept, grip, sever and retain the strand therein to initiate the winding of the strand onto the take-up element.

Claim 27

An apparatus for transferring a moving strand being taken up by a first driven reel from the first reel to a second driven reel aligned transversely with the first reel, which comprises: means for guiding the strand onto the first reel past the second reel along a predetermined straight path generally tangent to the periphery of the second reel; means for traversing the guided strand back and forth along the periphery of the reels between first and second planar limits normal to the axes thereof; a snagger mounted for revolution about the axis of the second reel adjacent to the First planar limit; means for driving said snagger to revolve said snagger in a circular path adjacent to and at an angle with the first planar limit, and means for translating the circular path of said snagger selectively to intersect the first planar limit between the reels to catch, sever and grip the strand when it is adjacent to the first planar limit to wind the strand around the second reel.

Claim 28

An apparatus for transferring a moving strand being taken up by a first driven reel from the first reel to a second driven reel aligned transversely with the first reel, which comprises: means for guiding the strand onto the first reel past the second reel along a predetermined straight path generally tangent to the periphery of the second reel; means for traversing the guided strand back and forth along the periphery of the reels between first and second planar limits normal to the axes thereof; a snagger mounted for revolution about the axis of the second reel adjacent to the First planar limit; means for driving said snagger to revolve said snagger in a circular path adjacent to and at an angle with the first planar limit, and means for translating the circular path of said snagger selectively to intersect the first planar limit between the reels to catch, sever and grip the strand when it is adjacent to the first planar limit to wind the strand around the second reel.

Claim 29

A device for snagging an advancing strand, which comprises: a block formed with an arcuate wire-gripping jaw having coarse serrations formed thereon; a clamp formed with an arcuate wire-gripping jaw; means for securing said clamp loosely to said block with said jaws spaced apart and said clamp pivoted to an offset position with respect to said block; a support rotatable about an axis; means slidably mounting said block within said support; means resiliently urging said block into a retracted position within said support; locking means mounted on said support for holding said block in said retracted position; detent means mounted in said support, coupled to said locking means and being resiliently movable from a first position to a second position for unlocking said locking means; a lever pivotally mounted adjacent to said support and said detent means during a portion of the rotary movement of said support, and means actuable to pivot said lever for engaging and moving said detent means to unlock said locking means to permit said block to be extended from said retracted position by centrifugal force against the urging of said resilient means, centrifugal force acting also to pivot said clamp from its offset position to align said gripping jaws for snagging engagement with the advancing strand.

Claim 30

A device for snagging an advancing strand, which comprises: a block formed with an arcuate wire-gripping jaw having coarse serrations formed thereon; a clamp formed with an arcuate wire-gripping jaw; means for securing said clamp loosely to said block with said jaws spaced apart and said clamp pivoted to an offset position with respect to said block; a support rotatable about an axis; means slidably mounting said block within said support; means resiliently urging said block into a retracted position within said support; locking means mounted on said support for holding said block in said retracted position; detent means mounted in said support, coupled to said locking means and being resiliently movable from a first position to a second position for unlocking said locking means; a lever pivotally mounted adjacent to said support and said detent means during a portion of the rotary movement of said support, and means actuable to pivot said lever for engaging and moving said detent means to unlock said locking means to permit said block to be extended from said retracted position by centrifugal force against the urging of said resilient means, centrifugal force acting also to pivot said clamp from its offset position to align said gripping jaws for snagging engagement with the advancing strand.