Method for winding a plural number of yarns and an apparatus therefor

Claim 1

Method for winding a plural number of yarns simultaneously on a single take-up means provided with a plural number of yarn winding portions and a yarn holding means, a grooved drum having a first continuous lateral helical traverse groove terminating at an axial end face of said grooved drum in a traverse groove terminus, and at least one reverse lateral helical traverse groove, said reverse lateral helical traverse groove defining separate laterally spaced yarn winding portions between its intersection points with the first continuous lateral helical traverse groove, a plurality of fulcrum guides each positioned above one of said yarn winding portions, a bundling guide positioned horizontally slightly beyond said axial end face and vertically between said grooved drum and said fulcrum guides, said fulcrum guides, said bundling guide and said traverse groove terminus being positioned such that the path of yarns released from said bundling guide passes into said axial end face and said traverse groove terminus thereon, comprising: passing the respective yarns to be taken up on the respective winding portions through their respective fulcrum guides located above their respective winding portions; pulling said yarns together in a bundle through said bundling guide; anchoring the end portion of said bundle of yarns to said yarn holding means of said takeup means thereby placing the yarns under tension, and thereafter releasing the bundle of said yarns toward said axial end face and into said traverse groove terminus thereon.

Claim 8

An apparatus for taking up a plural number of yarns simultaneously on respective laterally spaced portions of a single take-up drum comprising: a. a take-up drum driven by a surface drive roller; b. a yarn pinching appendage at one end of said take-up drum used to anchor and apply tension to an end of a bundle of said yarns to be wound; c. a grooved drum positioned slightly above said take-up drum having a first continuous lateral helical traverse groove terminating at an axial end face of said grooved drum, and at least one reverse lateral helical traverse groove, said reverse lateral helical traverse groove defining separate laterally spaced yarn winding portions between its intersection points with the first continuous lateral helical traverse groove, said reverse lateral helical traverse groove composed of n, where n is the number of yarns to be wound simultaneously, discrete groove segments separated laterally from each other at the intersection points with the first continuous lateral helical traverse groove, by a desired spacing distance between yarn lengths wound thereon; d. a plurality of fulcrum guides situated above said grooved drum each approximately centered within a lateral position corresponding to that respective laterally spaced portion of said take-up drum on which a yarn passing through that particular fulcrum guide is to be wound; e. a bundling guide for pulling said plural number of yarns into a single bundle after they have passed through said fulcrum guides, prior to initiation of winding on said take-up drum, positioned horizontally slightly beyond the same axial end of said take-up drum on which the yarn pinching appendage is situated, and vertically between said grooved drum and said fulcrum guides; and f. a take-up drum chuck, a supporting arm, and a spring which together hold the take-up drum in contact with the surface drive roller.

Claim 9

An apparatus for taking up a plural number of yarns simultaneously on respective laterally spaced portions of a single take-up drum comprising: a. a take-up drum driven by a surface drive roller; b. a yarn pinching appendage at one end of said take-up drum used to anchor and apply tension to an end of a bundle of said yarns to be wound; c. a grooved drum positioned slightly above said take-up drum having a first continuous lateral helical traverse groove terminating at an axial end face of said grooved drum, and at least one reverse lateral helical traverse groove, said reverse lateral helical traverse groove defining separate laterally spaced yarn winding portions between its intersection points with the first continuous lateral helical traverse groove, said reverse lateral helical traverse groove composed of n, where n is the number of yarns to be wound simultaneously, discrete groove segments separated laterally from each other at the intersection points with the first continuous lateral helical traverse groove, by a desired spacing distance between yarn lengths wound thereon; d. a plurality of fulcrum guides situated above said grooved drum each approximately centered within a lateral position corresponding to that respective laterally spaced portion of said take-up drum on which a yarn passing through that particular fulcrum guide is to be wound; e. a bundling guide for pulling said plural number of yarns into a single bundle after they have passed through said fulcrum guides, prior to initiation of winding on said take-up drum, positioned horizontally slightly beyond the same axial end of said take-up drum on which the yarn pinching appendage is situated, and vertically between said grooved drum and said fulcrum guides; and f. a take-up drum chuck, a supporting arm, and a spring which together hold the take-up drum in contact with the surface drive roller.