Method and apparatus for winding yarns

1,204,919. Winding apparatus. MONSANTO CO. 21 Nov., 1967, No. 52829/67. Heading D1J. A winding apparatus comprises a plurality of winding positions (only two of which are shown), each position comprising a yarn guide 8, 9 and 15 a yarn transfer means 30, a traverse (19, see Fig. 1 not shown) for traversing yarn along a yarn take up means 20 or 21 and a plurality of feed rolls 2, 3 one less in number than the yarn winding positions and positioned above the yarn guides. As shown, the apparatus has a plurality of yarn winding positions such as that at which yarn A is being wound up and a spare winding station 6, 14, 20 and 26 at one end of a row of winding positions. The winding of yarn A is transferred to the spare winding station by using doff-stick 30 to loop the yarn around the spare station's guides 6 and 14, and empty bobbin 20 as shown in dotted lines. One yarn A is then looped twice around bobbin 20 which is then swung to a position where it is driven by drive roll 26. One relatively slow rotary motion of bobbin 20 breaks the yarn still being wound on bobbin 21 and starts to wind it up on bobbin 26. Bobbin 21 is then swung away from its drive roll and is then doffed. The new empty bobbin in place of bobbin 21 then acts as the spare bobbin for the next R.H.S. bobbin (not shown) which is doffed in the above manner. The sequence is repeated until the spare empty bobbin is at the extreem R.H.S. of the row, see Fig. 3 not shown. Preferably guides 15 are J-shaped as shown and guides 6, 8 and 9 are roll guides. There may be two take-up bobbins at each winding position, see Figs. 7 and 8 not shown.