CA1061761A

CA1061761A - Automatic winding machine for wire-like object

Info

Publication number: CA1061761A
Application number: CA264,624A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Yoshio Ikegami; Yoshihumi Mukai; Hidehumi Satoh; Koichi Kondo
Original assignee: Kobe Steel USA Inc
Current assignee: Kobe Steel USA Inc
Priority date: 1975-10-30
Filing date: 1976-10-29
Publication date: 1979-09-04
Also published as: DE2649029B2; FR2329574A1; GB1564142A; DE2649029A1; FR2329574B1; AU1917376A; DE2649029C3

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

An automatic winding machine for winding a wire-like object such as an electric wire on a drum portion of a bobbin in multiple, close pack layers. This automatic winding machine comprises: a wire-like-object-position detecting means pro-vided with a first synchronizing mechanism for moving in synchronism with a traverser means, and hold-down contacting element or elements which are positioned above a drum portion of a bobbin and reciprocate in parallel with the axis of the bobbin on a first traverse shaft extending in parallel with the axis of the bobbin, the aforesaid contacting elements being so designed as to hold down the wire-like object against the sur-face of the drum portion of the bobbin in the position of the wire-like object which is about to be wound on the drum portion of the bobbin; traverser means reciprocating, being driven by a second traverse shaft extending in parallel with the axis of the bobbin, and provided with a second synchronizing mechanism for moving in synchronism with the aforesaid position detecting means; and lifting means for ascending and descending the aforesaid position detecting means and traverser means in the vertical direction, which is perpendicular to the axis of the bobbin.

Description

1 BACKGRoUND OF THE INVENTION
. . _ . . . _ Field of the Invention _ This invention relates to an automatic winding machine for a wire-like object, such as an electric wire, on a bobbin automatically.
Descr ~ of the Prior Art A wire winding machine is known, in which a con-tinuous wire-like object such as an electric wire is wound in multiple layers around a drum portion of a bobbin having flanges. The prior art wire winding machines however suffer from a shortcoming in that there is provided only a phase difference e between the center of a wire-like object which is about to be wound on a bobbin and the position of a traverser means serving as a guide means for the wire-like object, with the result that, upon reversing a traversing stroke of a - -traverser body, there may not be achieved accurate control for the aforesaid reversing operation of the traverser means, thus presenting a possibility of a lap wind-up layer.
Meanwhile, the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. SH049-112182 teaches a wire-winding machine, in which a traverser body is integral with a guide member, and there is provided a cylinder extending in parallel with the axis of a bobbin and adapted to urge a wire-like object through the medium of guide member in the direction parallel with the axis of a bobbin but against the direction of the wire-like -object which is being wound. ~his winding machine however possesses a problem that, when the guide member approaches to one flange end of a bobbin, the guide member is so designed as to turn through an angle of 180, while the traverser body does not move to the direction of a wire-like object being wound 1 but remains still in its turning position, with the result th~t when a wire-like object is wound up to a flange end of a bobbin, the wire-like object is wound on a bobbin at an angle to the line normal to the axis of the bobbin, thereby failing to achieve desired close pack layers of a wire-like object, in case the object has an irregular cross sectional configuration, such as that of a self-supporting cable. In addition, the guide member applies no force to a wire-like material at its winding po~ition on a peripheral surface of a drum portion of a bobbin, nor a force to urge the wire-like object against the surface of a drum portion of the bobbin. This is considered to be responsible for the aforesaid failure in achieving close pack layers of wire~like object over the entire width of the drum portion of a bobbin.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
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It is the first object of the present invention to provide an automatic winding machine for a wire-like object such as an electric wire t which may avoid the aforesaid shortcomings confronted by the prior art winding machines, and which enables automatic, accurate winding of a wire-like material on a drum portion of a bobbin in close pack layers.
It is the second object of the present invention to provide an automatic winding machine for a wire-like object which may completely prevent lap-winding or loose winding of a wire-like object around the drum portion of a bobbin.
It is the third object of the present invention to provide an automatic winding machine for a wire-like object, which may be used for a wire-like object having an irregular cross sectional configuration, such as that of a self-supporting cable.

~ti,1'7~1 1 According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an automatic winding machine for a wire like object, which comprises: a wire-like-object-position detecting means provided with a first synchronizing mechanism for moving in synchronism with a traverser means, and hold-down contacting element or elements which are positioned above a drum portion of a bobbin and reciprocate in parallel with the axis of the bobbin on a first traverse shaft extending in parallel with the axis of the bobbin, the aforesaid con-taatin~ elements being so designed as to hold down the wire-like ob;ect against the surface of the drum portion cf the bobbin in the position of the wire-like object which is about to be wound on the drum portion of the bobbin; traverser means re-ciprocating, being driven by a second traverse shaft extendlng in parallel with the axis of the bobbin, and provided with a second synchronizing mechanism for moving in synchronism with the aforesaid position detecting means; and lifting means for ascending and descending the aforesaid position detecting means and traverser means in the vertical direction, which is ~0 perpendicular to the axis of the bobbin.
According to the second aspect of the present -invention, there is provided an automatic winding machine equipped with a r.p.m. detecting means for detecting the r.p.m. of a bobbin.
According to the third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an automatic winding machine of the type described, wherein a hold-down contacting element is pivoted to a lifting member adapted to ascend and descend the hold-down contacting element, and the hold-down contacting element has an end which is of a 'L' shape or 'T' shape suited for its con-tacting engagement with a wire-like object.

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1 According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an automatic winding machine as set forth in the first aspect of the invention, wherein a pair of hold-down contacting elements are adapted to reciprocate, commensurate with the reciprocating movements of a position detecting means detecting the position of a wire-like object.
According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an automatic winding machine as set forth in the first aspect of the invention, wherein there are pro-vided detecting members comprising limit switches or photo-switches for detecting the arrival of a hold-down contacting element to the flange end of a bobbin.
According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an automatic winding machine as set forth in the first aspect of the invention, wherein a pair of flange-to-flange distance detecting members are provided in a manner to contact and to be detached from the inner surfaces of the opposite flanges of a bobbin.

2~ According to the seventh aspect of the present in-vention, there is provided an automatic winding machine as set forth in the first aspect of the invention, wherein there is provided a resistance producing mechanism, such as a torque motor, for use with the aforesaid position detecting means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the first embodiment of the winding machine according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a front view of an essential part of a position detecting means;

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1 Fig. 3 is a side view of position detecting means, and a traverser means, and a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the essential part thereof.
Figs. 4 to 12 are views illustrative of the sequence of a winding operation of a winding machine according to the invention;
Figs. 13, 14 are views illustrative of a contacting element and a member for detecting an increased wind-up diameter of a coil; and Fig. 15 is a view showing one embodiment of a flange-to-flange distance detecting member for a bobbin, as measured from the inner surface of one flange to that of another.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

These and other objects and features of the present ~ -invention will be apparent from a reading of the ensuring part of the specification which indicate embodiments of the ~----invention. Fig. 1 is a plan view of the entire automatic winding machine for a wire-like object according to the invention.
Fig. 2 is a front view of a wire-like-object position detecting means, and Fig. 3 is a side view of the position detecting means and a traverser means. Shown at 1 is a bobbin, which -is ~ormed with flanges la, la at the opposite ends thereof. -The bobbin 1 is removably fitted on a bobbin shaft 23 which is supported in a frame in a rotatable manner by means of a bobbin drive motor 10. A r.p.m. detecting means 14 is provided at one end of the bobbin shaft 23. Shown at 2 is a wire-like object such as an electric wire, which is to be -:
wound around the peripheral surface of a drum portion of the bobbin in multiple, close pack layers. Shown at 3 is a winding position detecting means for detecting the position of the wire :
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i17~1 1 like object 2 which is about to be wound around the peripheral surface of a drum portion of the bobbin 1. The winding position detecting means 3 is provided with a lifti~g means 18 such as an air cylinder, so as to move up and down relative to the peripheral surface of the drum portion. A body 3a of position detecting means 3 has a pair of hold down contacting elements 20 in depending relation thereto and is threadedly fitted on a threaded shaft 5 (A first traverse shaft. This shaft 5 has a considerably large pitch and is a kind of an idle shaft, although this is not completely an idle shaft for the reason to be described later.) which are supported on a pair of left-hand right-hand supporting frames 3b, 3b.
Extending between the supporting frames 3b, 3b and the body 3a are linearly-guiding guide shafts 5a, 5a which extends in parallel with the threaded shaft 5. As a result, the body 3a may reciprocate along the drum portion of the bobbin 1, as the wire-like object is being wound around the peripheral surface of the drum portion. The threaded shaft 5 is provided with a torque motor 11 serving as resistance-producing means. A
potentio-meter 8 is provided as a synchronizing mechanism for `
the traverser means 4 to be described hereinafter. As best shown in Fig. 2, a pair of supporting frames 3b, 3b are threadedly fitted on threaded shafts 17, 17 for lifting means 21, 21 by means of threaded holes provided in the frames 3b, 3b, ~
while the threaded shafts 17, 17 are rotated through the -medium of bevel gears 25, 25 by means of a drive shaft 24lwhich is driven by a motor 16. The rotation of the threaded shafts 17, 17 cause the supporting frames 3b, 3b to ascend. When the ` hold-down contacting element 20 comes close to one of the 30 flanges la, la of the bobbin 1, the contacting element 20 is ~

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1 lifted a distance corresponding to the diameter of a wire-like object, thus providing for the subsequent winding of a wire-like object for the next upper layer. ~s shown in Fiq. 1, there are provided limit switches LSl, LSl for detecting that the position detecting means 3 approaches to the bobbin flange la. Also as shown in Fig. 2, limit switches LS2, LS2 for detecting the upper and lower limit positions of the body 3a are provided within one of the frames of the lifting means 21.
Shown at 4 is a traverser means according to the present invention. As best shown in Figs. 1, 3, a body proper 4a of the traverser means 4 is threadedly fitted on a threaded shaft 6 supported on the frames of a winding machine by means of threaded holes provided in the body proper 4a, and loosely fitted on a linearly-guiding guide shafts 6a, 6a supported by the supporting frames 3b, 3b and extending in parallel with the threaded shaft 6. This shaft 6 is a drive shaft. As a result, the body proper 4a may reciprocate, being driven by the threaded shaft 6 therealong for traversing the wire-like object 2, the ~0 threaded shaft 6 being rotated in the normal and reverse directions through the medium of a stepless speed change gear 12 by a traversing motor 13. A potentio-meter 9 is provided at the other end of the threaded shaft 6 as a synchronizing member to maintain the shaft 6 in synchronism with the position detecting means 3.
The reason why the torque motor 11 is used as a drive motor for the threaded shaft 5 for the position detecting means 3 is that,upon the traversing of the means 3, with the wire-like object 2 being wound, hunting due to deflection 30 of the wire-like object 2 may be prevented, and that a ~;

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1 resistance or force is imparted to the wire-like object ~ in the direction against that of the object 2 which is being wound, so as to bring a winding of wire-like object into close contact with the preceding winding of the wire-like object. In addition, the reason why potentio-meters 8, 9 are provided at each end of the threaded shafts 5, 6 for bring-ing the position detecting means 3 in synchronism with the traverser means 4 is that the position detecting means 3 traverses in response to the movement of the wire-like object, as the wire-like object is being wound on the bobbin 1, so that the threaded shaft 5 is rotated due to the movement of the position detecting means 3, and thus the position of the wire-like object being wound on the bobbin 1 may be detected, because the threaded shaft 5 is coupled to the potentio-meter 8. On the other hand, the traverser means 4 moves along the threaded shaft 6, being driven thereby, and then the potentio-meter 9 is actuated. Thus both the potentio-meters 8, 9 detect the positions of the means 3, 4, respectively. When there results a difference therebetween, then the movement of the -:
traverser means 4 is compensated for by means of stepless speed chan~e gear, thereby bringing the movements of both.~the~means 3, 4 into synchronism with each other. . .:
Furthermore, the reason why the hold-down contacting element 20 is so designed as to ascend and descend by means of the lifting means 18 such as an air cylinder is that the wire-like object 2 may positively engage the surface of a drum portion of a bobbin under a given pressure. A shape of the contacting element 20 is of a 'L' shape, as shown in Fig. 2, so as to press the wire-like object from above and aside..
Alternatively,however, the shape of an end of the contacting -" 1()~1'7~.

1 element 20 may be of a 'T' shape. In either case, the height of such a wall of the element 20 which engages the side of the wire-like object material 2 should be slightly smaller in dimension than the diameter of a wire-like object, so as to prevent a bottom end of the element 2 from contacting the wire-like object in the under-lying layer. In the case of the 'T' shaped contacting element, it is preferable that a horizontal portion 15 of the 'T' shaped element may be retracted, when the contacting element 20 approaches to a flange of a bobbin. For lowering the contacting element 20 onto the wire-like object 2 for holding same down, the element 20 is first lowered some distance above a wire-like object by means of the threaded shaft 17 in the lifting means 21, and then the lowering of the element 20 for evenb~ contact with the wire-like object 2 is carried out by means of the lifting means 18 such as an air cylinder. Under the above condition, *he position detecting means 3 (member 3a) traverses on the threaded shaft 5, as the winding of a wire-like object proceeds. In this respect, it should be noted that the position detecting 20 means 3 is moved by means of the wire-like object 2 which is -being wound around a drum portion of a bobbin. For this reason, for prevention of hunting, and for the winding of the wire-like object 2 in a close pack layer, it is mandatory that a resistance or force be imparted to a wire-like object in the direction against the direction of the wire-like object which is being wound, by means of the torque motor 11. Shown at LS3, LS3 in Fig. 1 are limit switches for detecting the opposite limits for a traversing stroke of the traverser means 4 and the positions of the means 4 to be turned round or to reverse the course.
_ g _ 1 As shown in Fig. 3, as an alternative, a hold-down contacting element 20a providing for the rightward winding of the wire-like object 2 and a lifting means 18a such as an air cylinder for ascending and descending the contacting element 20a may be provided on one hand, while another hold-down contacting element 20b providing for the leftward winding of a wire-like object 2, and a lifting member 18b for ascending and descending the contacting element 20b are provided on the other, thereby providing a pair of hold-down contacting elements whose operations are independent of each other for the left-ward and rightward winding of the wire-like object 2. Still alternatively, as shown in Fig. 13, a single contacting element may be formed with a 'T' shaped end, or a contacting element having a 'L' shaped end may be so designed as to turn through an angle of 180.
In this case, the contacting element 20 contacts a wire-like object all the times, so that a roller should pre- -ferably be provided for the contacting element 20 so as to eliminate a frictional resistance on a contacting surface ~O between the end of the element 2 and the wire-like object.
According to the winding machine of the invention, there is provided an increased-wind-up-diameter-detecting member is provided, which detects the arrival of the contacting elemènt 20 to the flange of a bobbin, thereby preventing the increased wind-up diameter portion of the wire-like object in -the vicinity of the flange portion of a bobbin.
The aforesaid increased wind-up diameter detecting member may be provided in the form of a photo-switch such as ~
a photoelectric tube as shown in Figs. 13 and 14, in place `
of the aforesaid limit switch LS. However, in the case of the .- , . ., . ~ . . -1 aforesaid photo-switch, as best shown in Figs. 13 ana 14, there are provided a photo-switch 28 and another photoswitch 29 at the opposite ends of the hold-down contacting element 20 as viewed in the traversing direction of the position detecting means 3, while the aforesaid photo-switch 28 has front and rear photo-electric-tube-light-emitting portions 28a, 28b, and the aforesaid photo-switch 29 has front and rear photoelectric-tube-light-emitting portions 29a, 29b, respectively, although the functions of the photo-switches are similar to those of the aforesaid limit switches.
For determining the traversing strokes of the position detecting means and traverser means for achieving the winding of a wire-like object in close pack layers over the entire width of a drum portion of a bobbin, it is mandatory that the tra-versing strokes be brought into coincidence with the width of the drum portion of a bobbin accurately. Meanwhile, it has been a common practice in determining the aforesaid traversing strokes that a wire-like object is wound around the drum portion of a -~
bobbin by paying visual attention to the winding of a wire-like 20 ` object so as to provide close pack layers, because of the varying conditions of a bobbin installed, and manufacturing errors of the bobbin itself, although rough setting of the strokes of the position detecting means and the traverser means is made in the prior art winding machine.
To cope with this, the winding machine according to ;
the present invention provides a pair of drum width detecting members which may contact or may be detached from the-inner surfaces of the opposite flanges of a bobbin, for detecting an inner width of the bobbin ~a distance from the inner surface of one flange to that of another) accurately, thereby enabling uniform winding of a wire-like object, irrespective of bobbins used.

1 As shown in Fig. 15, there are provided a pair of detecting means 7, 7' which may be moved or stopped in the direction in parallel with the axis of the bobbin 1, on which a wire-like object is to be wound; contacting ele~ents 19, 19' which are provided for the detecting members 7, 7', res-pectively, and which may contact the inner surfaces of flanges la of the bobbin 1 and may be kept away from the flanges la outwardly thereof; and limit switches LS3 for defining the traversing widths or the strokes of the traverser body 4a and 0 a body proper 3a of the position detecting means 3, the afore-said limit switches LS3 being positioned on the detecting members 7, 7', respectively.
The operational procedure of the detecting members 7, 7' is such that, before the commencement of winding of a wire-like object on a bobbin, the detecting members 7, 7' are first moved through the medium of the threaded shaft 27 by motors 22, 26 until the contacting elements 19, 19' contact the inner surfaces of the flanges la, after which the con-tacting elements are kept away from the flanges la. In this -20 ~anner, limit switches LS3 are accurately located in conformity with the width of the bobbin 1, thereby enabling the accurate determination of traversing strokes of the traverser means 4a.
The winding procedure of the wire-like object 2 around -a drum portion of the bobbin 1 in multiple layers is carried out in the order shown in Figs. 4 to 12.
In other words, as shown in Fig. 4, the inner width of ~-the bobbin is detected by means of the bobbin-width-detecting members in a manner described earlier; one end of the wire-like object 2 is secured to the flange la or the like of the bobbin 1;
30 and the bobbin 1 is rotated through 18 to 18 turns in which .

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1 the wire-like object 2 is also urged by a slide guide member 30 in the direction of the wire-like object 2 being wound, while the r.p.m. of the bobbin 1 is detected by the r.p.m. detecting means 14 provided a~ the end of the bobhin shaft 23.
After the completion of the detection of r.p.m. of the bobbin 1, the position detecting means 3 is lowered due to the rotation of the threaded shaft 17 in the lifting means 21, so that the wire-like object 2 may be pressed by the contacting element 20 thereunder. In this respect, the position 0 detecting means 3 is first lowered a some distance above the wire-like object 2, and then one member 18A of a pair of the lifting members 18A, 18B is fed with pressurized air so as to allow the contacting element 20 to press the wire-like object under a given pressure. When a starting end of the wire-like object 2 is wound around a drum portion of a bobbin, the traverser means 4 positioned in the rear thereof begins traversing to the right as viewed in the drawing, due to the rotation of the threaded shaft 6. (This condition is shown in Fig. 5.) As shown in Fig. 6, as the traverser means 4 traverses, the bobbin 1 is rotated, and the wire-like object 2 is wound around the peripheral surface of a drum portion of a bobbin.
As the winding of the wire-like object 2 proceeds, the position detecting means 3 as well moves along the threaded shaft S in the same direction as that of the traverser means 4 by the medium of the hold-down contacting element 20 which engages the wire like object 2. Stated differently, the means 3 traverses by being urged by the wire-like object 2 being wouna.
As a result, there is no possibility of hunting due to de-flection or waving motion of the wire-like object 2. In addition, . . .

1 a resistance or force in the direction against the traversing direction is imparted to the wire-like object 2 so as to enable the winding of the wire-like object 2 in close pack layers.
The positions of the means 3, 4 are detected and stored by the potentio-meters 8, 9 during their movement. Thus, if there is a difference therebetween, the movement of the traverser means 4 may be compensated for through the medium of the PIV 12 and the like, thereby bringing both the means 3 and 4 in synchronism with each other.
In this manner, winding of the first layer of a wire-like object is carried out from the left to the right as viewed in the drawing. When the position detecting means 3 approaches to the inner surface of the righthand flange la of the bobbin `
1, then preparatory operations as shown in Figs. 7 and 8 will be on their way.
Firstly, the position detecting means 3 abuts the `
detecting member LSl, i.e., a limit switch on the side of the flange la, to which the position detecting means 3 makes approach, thereby detecting the Wire-like object making 20 approach to the flange la, whereby the threaded shafts 17, 17 ~-are rotated so as to lift'the means 3 by the medium of the supporting frames 3b, 3b a distance or height corresponding to a diameter (one pitch) of the wire-like object 2 to be wound in the second layer, with the result that the hold-down contacting element 20 as well is lifted from the wire- `
like object 2 from the position shown in Fig. 7 to the position of Fig. 8 by means of the lifting member 18a. The detecting member LSl is positioned a distance before the inner surface of the flange la of a bobbin, which distance is equal ~ `
to the diameter of a wire-like object wound in the first layer.
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1 ~hen the wire-like object in the first layer eventually con-tacts the inner side of the flange la of a bobbin, then the traverser means 4 abuts the detecting member LS3, i.e., a limit switch located in this position before-hand to stop its movement directed to the right, whereupon the bobbin 1 is rotated by 7/8 to 6/8 turn, so that the r.p.m. detecting means 14 detects the aforesaid r.p.m. of the bobbin 1. The detecting member such as a limit switch LS3 or photoelectric tube serves to prevent the wire-like object 2 from riding on the flange la of the bobbin 1.
The winding of a wire-like object in the first layer is completed with the rotation of the bobbin rotating by 7/8 to 6/8 turn. After the detection of the r.p.m. detecting means 14 of the above r.p.m. of the bobbin 1, the bobbin is rotated by 178 to 186 turns while the wire-like object 2 is also urged by the slide guide member 30 in the direction of the wire-like object 2 being wound so as to prevent the second wound object 2 from overlapping the first wound object 2 in the vicinity of the flange la as shown in Fig. 11, so that the first and second windings of the wire-like object 2 in the second layer is formed on the last winding of the wire-like object in the first layer. The r.p.m. detecting means 14 detects the above r.p.m. of the bobbin 1, after which another member 18B of the lifting members 18A, 18B, i.e., a pair of air cylinders is operated so as to cause another hold-down con-tacting element 20 for the member 18B to hold-down the wire-like object in the second layer, as shown. As can be seen from Fig. 9, there are provided a pair of contacting elements 20, 20 and a pair of lifting members 18A, 18B. The hold-down con- -tacting members 20, 20 have 'L' shaped ends whose open sides are ', ~()tj1'7t~1 1 positioned in opposing relation to each other. Thus, in case the wire-like object is wound from the left to the right, the open side of the 'L' shaped end of the contacting member 20 on the side of the member 18A is directed towards the righthand flange la. On the other hand, in case a wire-like object is wound from the right to the left, the open side of the 'L' shaped end of the contacting element 20 on the side of the member 18B is directed to the lefthand flange la. In this -manner, the hold-down contacting elements 20, 20 are used alternately, depending on the varying directions of the wire-like object being wound.
When the hold-down contacting element 20 holds down the wire-like object 2 in the second layer, the winding of the wire-like object leftwards is ready.
Fig. 12 shows the~winding condition of a wire-like object in the second layer on the first layer of the wire-like object 2. As the traverser means 4 traverses to the left, the wire-like object 2 is wound around a drum portion of a bobbin to the left. In response thereto, the hold-down contacting element is moved to the left, and so moves the position detecting means 3. In this case, as in the preceding case, the means 3, 4 are moved in synchronism with each other by means of the potentio-meters 8, 9. When the wire-like object 2 in the second layer approaches to the righthand flange la of the bobbin at a distance corresponding to the diameter of a wire-like object~ then detecting members LSl, and LS3 positioned on the left side are actuated, so that traversing and winding of the wire-like object in the opposite direction will begin automatically. In this case, it is not to mention that the threaded shaft 5 which engages the position detecting means

3 is rotated in the normal and reverse directions by means of the : :~.

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1 torque motor ll which varies the direction of its rotation, depending on the rightward and leftward winding of the wire-like object, thereby imparting a resistance or force to a wire-like object being wound, in the direction against the traversing direction.
As is apparent from the foregoing description of the winding machine according to the present invention, a wire-like object such as an electric wire may be automatically wound around a drum portion of a bobbin in close pack layers, accurately.
More particularly, according to the present invention, there are separately provided the position detecting means 3 for automatically detecting the position of a wire-like object which is about to be wound around a drum portion of a bobbin, and the traverser means 4 for thè wire-like object, while both the means 3, 4 may operate in synchronism with each other, with the result that the winding of the wire-like object around a drum portion of a bobbin may be achieved extremely accurately over the entire width of the drum portion, with the freedom of :
a danger of lap or irregular winding. In addition to this, the position detecting means 3 is provided with a hold-down contacting elements which are adapted to hold down the wire-like object being wound and may be lifted a distance from the wire-like object, upon completion of the traversing of the traverser means in one direction according to the accurate detection of the detecting members, thus insuring automatic traversing movements of the traverser means, with the accompany-ing freedom of a danger of the contacting elements being disengaged from the wire-like object inadvertently. In addition, :
the position detecting means is lifted a distance from the wire-3~

1 like object, which distance is equal to the diameter of the wire-like object, due to the detecting members such as limit switches or the like, when the position detecting means approach to a flange of a bobbin. As a result, the winding of the wire-like object for the next upper layer may be accomplished smoothly. Still furthermore, the provision of the r.p.m. detecting member insures accurate control for a timing of the traverser means to reverse the traversing stroke, and enables the accuate automatic winding of a wire-like object.
While the present invention has been described herein with reference to certain exemplary embodiments thereof, it should be understood that various changes, modifications, and alterations may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, as defined in the appended claims.

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Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An automatic winding machine for winding a wire like-object such as an electric wire around a drum portion of a bobbin in multiple close pack layers, comprising:
a wire-like-object-position detecting means provided with a synchronizing mechanism for moving in synchronism with a transverser means and contacting means which are positioned above a drum portion of said bobbin, and reciprocate in parallel with the axis of said bobbin on a first traverse shaft extending in parallel with the axis of said bobbin, said contacting means adapted to hold the wire-like object against the surface of said drum portion of said bobbin in the position of the wire-like object which is about to be wound around said drum portion;
traverser means reciprocating, driven by a second traverse shaft extending in parallel with the axis of said bobbin, and provided with a second synchronizing mechanism for moving in synchronism with said wire-like object position detecting means; and lifting means for ascending and descending said wire-like object position detecting means and said traverser means in the vertical direction which is perpendicular to the axis of said bobbin.

2. An automatic winding machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein said machine further comprises a r.p.m. detecting means for detecting the r.p.m. of said bobbin.

3. An automatic winding machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein said machine further comprises lifting members for

Claim 3 continued:

ascending and descending said contacting means in the vertical direction which is perpendicular to the axis of said bobbin, and said contacting means are pivotally supported by said lifting members.

4. An automatic winding machine as set forth in claim 3, wherein each end of said contacting element is of a 'L' shaped in cross section.

5. An automatic winding machine as set forth in claim 3, wherein each end of the contacting means is 'T'-shaped in in cross section.

6. An automatic winding machine as set forth in claim 5, wherein a portion of each end of said contacting means is movable in the vertical direction, which is perpendicular to the axis of said bobbin, said portion projecting towards the drum portion of said bobbin.

7. An automatic winding machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein said machine further comprises a pair of hold-down members providing for leftward and rightward traversing strokes, respectively, commensurate with the reciprocating movements of said position detecting means.

8. An automatic winding machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein said machine further comprises a detecting means for detecting the arrival of said hold-down member to the flange of said bobbin, thereby preventing an increased wind-up diameter portion of a coil at the flange end of said bobbin.

9. An automatic winding machine as set forth in claim 8, wherein said detecting members are limit switches.

10. An automatic winding machine as set forth in claim 8, wherein said detecting members are photo-switches.

11. An automatic winding machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein said machine further comprises a pair of distance detecting members which are capable of contacting or being detached from the inner surfaces of the opposite flanges of said bobbin for detecting the distance between the inner surfaces of said flanges.

12. An automatic winding machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein said machine further comprises a resistance pro-ducing mechanism for applying a resistance or force to said wire-like object in the direction against the direction in which said wire-like object is being wound.

13. An automatic winding machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein said machine further comprises a slide guide member for urging the wire-like object in the direction of the wire-like object being wound.