<PICT:0799009/IV (a)/1> <PICT:0799009/IV (a)/2> <PICT:0799009/IV (a)/3> <PICT:0799009/IV (a)/4> <PICT:0799009/IV (a)/5> <PICT:0799009/IV (a)/6> <PICT:0799009/IV (a)/7> <PICT:0799009/IV (a)/8> Apparatus for stretching, twisting and packaging a bundle of continuous filaments of synthetic linear high polymer material, the packages being free from unstretched yarn, includes draw rolls for continuously stretching a travelling bundle of filaments immediately prior to their collection, a ring twisting and collecting spindle, a nozzle from which a jet of highly compressed gas is discharged at a high speed, and means for continuously feeding the filament bundle into the jet prior to the passage of the bundle over the draw rolls and prior to the commencement of the collecting and twisting operation, so that the bundle is subjected by entrainment in the jet to the tension required for the subsequent threading of the bundle over the draw rolls and the initiation of the collecting and twisting operation. As shown in Fig. 1, when the collecting and twisting operation is in progress a filament bundle 3, supplied from a spool (not shown), passes between the feed rolls 1, 2 and is stretched between the draw rolls 5, 7 with their associated guide rolls 4, 6. The filament bundle 3 runs in conventional manner through the eyelet 8 and the traveller 9 carried by a ring 10 to the tube 13 on which the package is formed. The ring 10 is guided by a ring carrier 11 and the tube 13 is mounted on a spindle 12 and rotates with the latter. The assembly of elements 8-13 constitutes a twisting device and the elements function in the same manner as the corresponding elements in a conventional ring spinning frame. The tube 13 rests on a shoulder 14 (Fig. 2) of a cone 15 (Figs. 1 and 2), to which a whorl 16 is secured. The spindle can be brought to rest by means of a spring-operated brake 17. The outer portion of a spindle rail 18 (Figs. 1 and 3) supports a nozzle assembly 19 into which air at about 6 atmospheres pressure is fed by a conduit 20. The expanded air flows, with its velocity not substantially reduced, through a discharge conduit of length about 20 cm. into a conduit 22 placed alongside the machine, a waste collecting container (not shown) being placed at the end of the conduit 22. The spindle brake 17 is mounted immediately below the whorl 16 between a cover sheet 28 and the spindle rail 18, brake shoes 29, 30, individually mounted on levers 31, 32 respectively (Figs. 4 to 6), being urged against the spindle by means of a spring 33. For releasing the brake a spreading lever 34 revolving a spreading block 34 is provided, the latter having three pairs of parallel surfaces 37-39. The distance between the pairs of surfaces 37, 38 is such that it causes sufficient spreading of the levers 31, 32 to release the brake shoes 29, 30. The distance between the pair of surfaces 39 is smaller and does not cause spreading of the levers 31, 32 and a disengagement of the brake. The cone 15 is provided at the cut-away portion 27 with two catches 23, 24 (Figs. 2, 2a and 3) for producing a right or left-hand twist. A cam 36 rigidly connected with the spreading lever 34 (Figs. 3 to 6) has a substantially straight cam portion extending through an angle of rotation of the cam of about 60 degrees. The nozzle assembly 19 includes an induction nozzle 40 (Figs. 1, 3, 7 and 8), an inlet element 43 (Fig. 7) for the compressed gas and a control rod 41 having a cam follower roller 42 supported at its free end. A ball valve 43, 45 loaded by the spring 55 is adapted to close the communication between the inlet element 43 and a chamber 44 communicating with the inlet conduit 20 when the cam 36 is in the position shown in Fig. 6, which is the normal operating position. When the cam 36 is in the position shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the control rod 41 is pushed to the left, lifting the ball valve 45 from its seating and allowing compressed air to enter a duct 46 in the element 43, from which duct it passes through radial bores 47 in the element 43 into the bore 48 of the body of the nozzle assembly 19. Thence, the compressed air flows into a clearance 53 (Fig. 8), between a nozzle member 50 and a widened portion 51 of a bore 52 of the induction nozzle 40. The member 50 is provided with a number of nozzle bores 54 which are inclined towards the longitudinal axis of the member and in which the flow of gas from the inlet element 43 causes a suction effect in the passage 52. The twisting operation is started by applying the brake 29-33 to bring the spindle 12 to rest by moving the lever 34 into the position shown in Fig. 4. The unstretched filament bundle 3 is threaded over the feed and drawing rollers 1-7 and through the eyelet 8, the traveller 9, one of the catches 23 or 24 of the cone 15, a slot 57 of a thread guide ring 56 and into the bore 52 of the induction nozzle 40 of the nozzle assembly 19. The filament bundle is stretched by the suction in the passage 40 and the high velocity of the gas discharged through the exhaust pipe 21, which is connected to the lower end of the member 50, the resulting tension on the filament bundle being about 50 grams. Thereafter the filament bundle is passed successively through the nip of the feed rollers 1, 2 and the drawing roll assembly 4-7 and the drawing operation thereby initiated. The brake 17 is now set in the intermediate position shown in Fig. 5, in which the brake is released but the nozzle assembly 19 is still effective because the valve 45, 43 is still being held open by the rod 41. The filament bundle is then severed between the suction nozzle 40 and the catch 23 to start the twisting operation. The filament bundle taken along by the catch 23 becomes wound several times on the tube 13 at the elevation of the traveller 9 at this moment, whereupon the normal twisting and spooling operation begins. The severed end of the filament bundle is removed through the nozzle assembly 19 and the other end of the bundle, which is hooked in the catch 23, is thrown outwardly by centrifugal force as long as the spindle rotates. This other end of the bundle is therefore free until the package is completed and is available for connecting to the upper end of the subsequently produced package. When normal twisting and winding has begun the spreading lever 34 is moved into the position shown in Fig. 6, so that the nozzle assembly is made ineffective although the spindle brake 17 remains disengaged. The apparatus ensures that the filamentary material initially wound on the bobbin is, like the remainder, in the stretched condition. Specification 359,627, [Group IX], is referred to.