Apparatus for storing and feeding yarn to yarn using machines

Claim 1

An apparatus for storing and feeding yarn to a yarn using machine comprising; a substantially upright hollow shaft containing a bore, a substantially cylindrical drum containing an outer surface with upper and lower portions thereof, distributing means for distributing yarn as windings on the said outer surface of said drum and then through said bore of said hollow shaft, driving means for producing relative rotational movement between said distributing means and said drum, translating means for causing said yarn windings to be translated from the lower to the upper portion of said outer surface of said drum while separating said windings from one another, and variable tension controlling means for braking and providing a variable range of tension to the yarn which is leaving said apparatus and being fed to said yarn using machine, said variable tension controlling means comprising; a bell member containing a base wall and a peripheral wall, said bell member being positioned above said drum such that the base wall is spaced apart from the drum top and the peripheral wall is spaced apart from the outer surface of said drum, an annular member coaxial with said shaft and coupled to said drum, and a plurality of inwardly projecting flexible elongate fingers secured to one of said members and having free ends contacting the other member for support of the bell member on the annular member, said fingers being inclined in the direction of the yarn movement during the run off from the apparatus.

Claim 2

An apparatus for storing and feeding yarn to a yarn using machine comprising; a substantially upright hollow shaft containing a bore, a substantially cylindrical drum containing an outer surface with upper and lower portions thereof, distributing means for distributing yarn as windings on the said outer surface of said drum and then through said bore of said hollow shaft, driving means for producing relative rotational movement between said distributing means and said drum, translating means for causing said yarn windings to be translated from the lower to the upper portion of said outer surface of said drum while separating said windings from one another, and variable tension controlling means for braking and providing a variable range of tension to the yarn which is leaving said apparatus and being fed to said yarn using machine, said variable tension controlling means comprising; a bell member containing a base wall and a peripheral wall, said bell member being positioned above said drum such that the base wall is spaced apart from the drum top and the peripheral wall is spaced apart from the outer surface of said drum, an annular member coaxial with said shaft and coupled to said drum, and a plurality of inwardly projecting flexible elongate fingers secured to one of said members and having free ends contacting the other member for support of the bell member on the annular member, said fingers being inclined in the direction of the yarn movement during the run off from the apparatus.

Claim 5

An apparatus for storing yarn and for feeding the thus stored yarn to a yarn utilization machine, said apparatus comprising a substantially upright hollow shaft, a substantially cylindrical drum having an upper end secured to the upper end of said shaft and surrounding said shaft, a distributor arm including means for hooking the yarn from a spool and distributing the yarn as windings on the drum surface adjacent the lower end thereof, drive means for producing relative rotational motion between said arm and drum, said yarn windings being translated from the lower to the upper end of the drum, the yarn being run and drawn off through the hollow shaft to be supplied to the yarn utilization machine, at least one rolling bearing on said shaft, a sleeve supported on said bearing, said distributor arm being secured to said sleeve, said drive means being coupled to said sleeve to rotate the same relative to the hollow shaft, said drum being at least partially passed through by a plurality of longitudinal slits distributed all about the drum periphery, said sleeve carrying at least one rolling bearing having an axis inclined to and eccentric with the shaft, an annular body supported by said shaft, a plurality of blades projecting outwardly radially from the periphery of said annular body, said blades being annularly distributed around said annular body and distributed in groups in which the blades are superimposed on one another, one group of said blades being positioned and swingable in each separate longitudinal slit of said drum, a bell positioned above said drum and having a base wall spaced from the top of the drum, said bell having a substantially cylindrical peripheral wall spaced from the outer surface of the drum, means supporting the bell in spaced relation from the drum including an annular element coaxial with said hollow shaft and a plurality of flexible elongate thin fingers projecting from one of said bell or annular element and having free ends engaging the other of said bell or annular element for supporting the bell, said fingers being inclined in the yarn movement direction during running off from the apparatus.

Claim 6

An apparatus for storing yarn and for feeding the thus stored yarn to a yarn utilization machine, said apparatus comprising a substantially upright hollow shaft, a substantially cylindrical drum having an upper end secured to the upper end of said shaft and surrounding said shaft, a distributor arm including means for hooking the yarn from a spool and distributing the yarn as windings on the drum surface adjacent the lower end thereof, drive means for producing relative rotational motion between said arm and drum, said yarn windings being translated from the lower to the upper end of the drum, the yarn being run and drawn off through the hollow shaft to be supplied to the yarn utilization machine, at least one rolling bearing on said shaft, a sleeve supported on said bearing, said distributor arm being secured to said sleeve, said drive means being coupled to said sleeve to rotate the same relative to the hollow shaft, said drum being at least partially passed through by a plurality of longitudinal slits distributed all about the drum periphery, said sleeve carrying at least one rolling bearing having an axis inclined to and eccentric with the shaft, an annular body supported by said shaft, a plurality of blades projecting outwardly radially from the periphery of said annular body, said blades being annularly distributed around said annular body and distributed in groups in which the blades are superimposed on one another, one group of said blades being positioned and swingable in each separate longitudinal slit of said drum, a bell positioned above said drum and having a base wall spaced from the top of the drum, said bell having a substantially cylindrical peripheral wall spaced from the outer surface of the drum, means supporting the bell in spaced relation from the drum including an annular element coaxial with said hollow shaft and a plurality of flexible elongate thin fingers projecting from one of said bell or annular element and having free ends engaging the other of said bell or annular element for supporting the bell, said fingers being inclined in the yarn movement direction during running off from the apparatus.