US3701491A - Methods of and apparatus for continuously reeling strand material - Google Patents

Abstract

A pair of transversely aligned arbors are rotatably cantilevered at opposite ends of a vertically disposed rotatable turret. Each arbor is provided with a plurality of internally floating, camoperated mechanisms for locking a take-up reel thereon. Independent drive mechanisms drive the reels separately at varying speeds. A snagger device is cantedly mounted on the cantilevered end of each arbor for rotation therewith and extends a radial distance slightly greater than the adjacent flange of the reel thereon to oscillate between two points coplanar with respect to the inner and outer surfaces of the flange, respectively. A distributor adjacent to one of the reels actively taking up the strand is provided with a reversible drive screw for driving a traversable strand guide controlled alternately by a stationary limit switch adjacent to the reel flange associated with the snagger and a rectilinearly movable limit switch mounted on a second drive screw and normally positioned adjacent to the opposite reel flange. Prior to cutover from a full reel to an empty reel, when a footage counter indicates that a length of strand approximating one layer of convolutions thereof remains to be taken up: (a) the turret is rotated 180* to position an empty reel between the distributor and the nearly full reel; and the second drive screw is actuated to move the movable limit switch toward the stationary limit switch at the traverse speed of the strand guide. The limit switches continue to control the reversal of the first drive screw. When the remaining length of strand is taken up and the advancing strand is traveling close to the inside flange of the empty reel, the snagger associated therewith is thrust into the path of the strand to grip and sever its connection to the full reel and to commence winding thereof upon the empty reel. The full reel is replaced by an empty reel to await the next cutover operation.

Description

United States Patent Brown I [151 3,701,491 Oct. 31, 1972 [22] Filed:

[54] METHODS OF AND APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSLY REELING STRAND MATERIAL [72] Inventor: William Brownloe Brown, Pasadena,

[73] Assignee: Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, NY.

June 7, 1971 211 Appl. No.: 150,283

[52] US. Cl. ..242/25 A, 242/464, 242/158.4 R

Primary Examiner-Stanley N. Gilreath Assistant ExaminerMilton S. Gerstein Attorney-W. M. Kain, J. B. Hoofnagle, Jr. and A. C. Schwarz, Jr.

57] 1 ABSTRACT 1 A pair of transversely aligned arbors are rotatably cantilevered at opposite ends of a vertically disposed rotatable turret. Each arbor is provided with a plurality of internally floating, cam-operated mechanisms for locking a take-up reel thereon. Independent drive mechanisms drive the reels separately at varying speeds. A snagger device is cantedly mounted on the cantileveredend of each arbor for rotation therewith and extends a radial distance slightly greater than the adjacent flange of .the reel thereon to oscillate between two points coplanar with respect to theinner and outer surfaces of the flange, respectively. A'dis- 'tributor adjacent to one of the reels actively taking up the strand is provided with a reversible drive screw for driving a traversable strand guide controlled alternately by a stationary limit switch adjacent to the reel flange associated with the snagger and a rectilinearly movable limit switch mounted on a second drive screw and normally positioned adjacent to the opposite reel flange. Prior to cutover from a full reel to an empty reel, when a footage counter indicates that a length of strand approximating one layer of convolutions thereof remains to be taken up: (a) the turret is rotated 180.to position an empty reel between the distributor and the nearly full reel; and the'second drive screw is actuated to move the movable limit switch toward the stationary limit switch at the traverse speed of the strand guide. The limit switches continue to control the reversal of the first drive screw. When the remaining length of strand is taken up and the advancing strand is traveling close to the insider flange of the empty reel, the snagger associated therewith is thrust into the path of the stand to grip and sever its connection to the full reel and to commence winding thereof upon the empty reel. The full reelis replaced by an empty reel to await the next cutover operation.

I 18 Claims, 27Drawing Figures PATENIEDucm um SHEET 0111f 12 ATTORNEY PATENTEDms: m2

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sum USUF 12 SHEET 10UF 12 DIS'I'. MOTOR 342 mm In 344 v m XI IMR FILTER 339 RESERVOIR I AIR 50 SUPPLY f3 I22 27/ m/ mnl- DISTRIBUTOR REEL LOCK TURRET ROTATE TURRET LOCK FIG. 24

SHEET 12UF12 //8 CLUTCH J H l I l I l I I l H CLUTCH RELEASE RE EL UNLOCK FIG. 26'

FIG. 25'

FIG. 26 I METHODS or AND APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSLY REELING STRAND MATERIAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to methods of and apparatus for continuously reeling strand material and more particularly to methods of and apparatus for taking up a continuously advancing strand automatically onto a pair of take-up reels releasably secured to a pair of transversely aligned arbors rotatably mounted in cantilever fashion on a centrally pivotable turret.

2. Description of the Prior- Art In the manufacture of strand material, for example, plastic insulated conductor wire, a finished insulated wire is directed continuously from an extruding process at a substantially constant linear speed. In order that the extrusion process may continue without interruption, it is common practice to take up the finished wire onto successive or alternate reels of a strand-reeling ap paratus.

When a predetermined length of insulated wirehas been wound upon one of take-up reels, the advancing wire is transferred to an empty take-up reel without interrupting the advancement of the wire emerging from the extruding apparatus. When the reels are aligned transversely, i.e., for rotation about spaced, parallel axes, a snagger device may be mounted for rotation adjacent to a flange of each reel. To accomplish transfer of the wire from a full reel to an empty reel or cutover, as it is called, relative movement must occur between the snagger associated with the empty reel and the insulated wire for the former to intercept, sever and capture the latter for subsequent take-up on the empty reel. During this cutover operation it is desirable to avoid a sudden diversion of the path of the wire into the snagger since the stress produced in the wire, especially if it is being advanced at high speed, may be sufficient to cause the wire to break before snagging occurs. For the same reason it is desirable'to avoid subsequent contact between a later advanced section of the wire and the snagger after cutover to the empty reel has occurred. In this connection the relative movement between the advancing insulated wire and the snagger must be kept to a minimum. It follows, therefore, that cutover should occur when the wire is closest to the flange of the empty reel adjacent to the snagger. This has been considered the most favorable position for transfer of the wire.

One method of assuring that a wire will be in a favorable position for transfer is to cause the distributor to remain in a fixed position adjacent to the flange of the reel associated with the snagger when the reel taking up the wire is almost full. The use of this method, however, involves the risk of wire tangling and breakage due to the occurrence of wire pile-up at the flange.

Another method of assuring that a wire will be in a favorable position'for transfer is to cause the stroke of the wire distributor to be shortened to a path lying towards the flange adjacent to the snagger at a time immediately prior to cutover. The use of this method, however, does not carry an assurance that transfer of the wire will take place when the distance between the wire and the flange adjacent to the snagger is at a minimum.

It is also desirable to design a take-up apparatus to be compatible with various types of automatic loading and unloading facilities which may be utilized to minimize handling of .the reels or the apparatus by an operator and thus avoid the risk of injury to the operator or damage to the reels, the wire or the apparatus.

Finally, it is desirable to provide automatic means for positively locking the rotatable reels in place during the operation of the apparatus and for unlocking the reels to permit easy removal thereof as they are filled.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One object of the present invention is to provide new and improved methods of'and apparatus for reeling strand material. I I

Another object of the present invention is to provide new and improved methods of and apparatus for taking up a continuously advancing strand onto transversely aligned, rotatable take-up reels.

Another object of the present invention is to provide new and improved methods of and apparatus for distributing strand material onto a take-up reel..

7 Another object of the present invention is to provide new and improved methods of and apparatus for distributing and winding strand material, such as, for example, insulated conductor wire, on successive reels without stopping the distributing and winding of the material.

Another object of the present invention is to provide new and improved methods of and apparatus for controlling the distribution of strand material onto a takeup reel just prior to and during the time in which the strand is transferred from a full reel to an empty reel.

Another object of the present invention is to provide new and improved methods of and apparatus for distributing a predetermined amount 'of advancing strand in superimposed layers of convolutions between first and second axial limits on the winding surface of a take-up reel. I

Another object of the present invention is to provide new and improved methods of and apparatus for distributing a length of strand substantially equal to one final layer of convolutions thereof between first and second boundaries on the winding surface of a rotating take-up reel. v

Another object of the present invention is to provide new and improved methods of and apparatus for gripping an advancing strand.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved snagging device for a continuous take-up unit.

Another object of the present invention is to provide new and improved methods of and apparatus for snagging an advancing strand guided past a take-up element and in proximity to the periphery thereof.

Another object of the present invention is to provide new and improved methods of and apparatus for effecting the transfer of a moving strand from a first driven reel to a second driven reel aligned transversely with the first reel.

Another objectof the present invention is to provide new and improved methods of and apparatus for snagging an advancing strand being distributed onto a take-up reel when a predetermined amount of strand has been taken up on the reel and for winding the snagged strand onto an empty reel without subsequent risk of breaking-the wire.

Another object of the present invention is to provide new and improved apparatus for supporting a hollow cylindrical article. v

Another object of the present invention is to provide new and improved apparatus for releasably'supporting a reel.

A method of taking up a continuously advancing strand onto first and second transversely aligned takeup reels mounted for rotation about spaced, parallel axes, embodying certain features of the invention, may include driving the first reel, distributing the advancing strand onto the first reel by guiding the strand back and forth across the-winding surface of the first reel to wind successive layersof convolutions thereon, driving the second reel, interchanging the positions of the reels to position thesecond reel along the path'of the strand being distributed onto the first reel, altering the distribution of strand onto the first reel in a predetermined sequence wherein'the equivalent of the final layer of convolutions of strand is guided onto a part of the winding surface of the first reel, the end of the sequence occurring whenthe strand is beingguided past a predetermined end of the second-reel, andtransferringthe distributed strand fromthe first reel to the second reel at a time coincident with the end of the sequence.

An apparatus for taking up a continuously advancing strand onto first and second transversely aligned takeup reels mounted for rotation about spaced, parallel axes, embodying certain features of the invention, may include means for driving the first reel, means for distributing the advancing strand onto the first reel by guiding the strand back and forth across the winding surface of the first reel to wind successive layers of convolutions thereon, means for driving the second reel, means for interchanging the positions of the reels to position the second reel along the path of the strand being distributed'onto the first reel,,means for altering rotating take-up reel reversibly between first and second longitudinally spaced limits, embodying certain features of the invention, may include means for moving the second limit linearly toward the first limit at a speed substantially equal to the speed of traverse of the advancing strand, means for reversing the direction of traverse of the advancing strand when it reaches the moving second limit, and means for terminating the advancement of the strand onto the reel at a time subsequent to thereversal of the strand at the moving second limit when the strand is next adjacent to the first limit. 7

A method of gripping an advancing strand embodying certain features of the invention may include the distribution of the strandonto the first reel in ya predetermined sequence wherein the equivalent of the final layer of convolutions of strand is guided onto a part of the winding surface of the first reel, the end of the sequence occurring when the strand is being guided past a predetermined end of the second reel, and means for transferring the distributed strand from the first reel to the second reel at a time coincident with the end of the sequence.

A method of controlling the distribution of a predetermined length of continuously advancing strand onto and traversing the winding surface of a rotating take-up reel reversibly between first and second longitudinally spaced limits, embodying certain features of the invention, may include moving the second limit linearly toward the first limit at a speed substantially equal to the speed of traverse of the. strand, reversing the direction of traverse of the strand when it reaches the moving second limit, and terminating the advancement of the strand onto the reel at a time subsequent to the reversal .of the strand at the moving second limit when the strand is next adjacent to thefirst limit.

An apparatus for controlling the distribution of a predetermined amount of continuously advancing strand onto and traversing the winding surface of a revolving a snagger about a first axis in an annular path having an axis intersecting the first axis at an angle to oscillate the snagger between a pair of spaced planes perpendicular to the-first axis, and imparting relative movement between the advancing strand and the snagger to position the strand ina path between the spaced planes intersecting the path of the revolving snagger to cause the snagger to intercept and grip the strand.

- An apparatus for gripping an advancing'strand, embodying certain featuresof the invention, may include a snagger mounted for revolution about a first axis in an annular path having an axis intersecting the first'axis at an angle, means driving the snagger for oscillating the snagger between a pair of spaced parallel planes per- X cle, a member having a transverse projection formed on a longitudinal body, the member being loosely disposed longitudinally within the hub and confined for limitedlongitudinal and lateral movement therein with the projection thereon adjacent to the aperture, resilient means associated with the elongated member for urging the member pivotally toward the axis of the hub to urge the projection thereon away from the aperture aligned therewith, an actuator disposed within the hub for axial movement, and means for rendering the actuator operable to move "axially within the hub into engagement with the member to pivot'th'e' member against the effect of the resilient means away from the axis of the hub to cause the projection to protrude through the aperture to engage a section of an opposite annular edge on the articlefrictionally to secure the article onto the hub.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevational view' of a strand take-up apparatus embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, side elevational view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of part of the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and2, showing an advancing strand being guided by a distributor and wound upon one of a pair of take-up reels mounted on a pair of arbors supported on a rotational turret;

FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration ofv the closest and remotest points at which an orbiting snagger, retracted into a rotating snagger support, is proximate to a flange on a take-up reel adjacent to and rotating with the snaggerv support;

FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration similar to FIG. 4, illustrating theproximity of the orbiting snagger to the flange on the take-up reel after the snagger is moved from a retracted position within the support to an extended position partially without the support;

FIG. 6 is a front elevational schematic illustration of the relative positions of the turret, the take-up reels and a pair of snagger devices during the normal take-up operation;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the turret, the take-up reels and the snagger devices taken along-lines 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a front elevational schematic illustration of the relative positions of the turret, the take-up reels and the snagger devices at a time-just prior to cutover from a full reel to an empty reel when the turret has been rotated 180 from the position shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the turret, the take-up reels and the snagger devices, taken along the lines 9- 9 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a front elevational schematic illustration of the take-up reels and snagger devices at the instant of cutover;

FIG. 11 is a front elevational schematic illustration of the take-up reels and snagger devices at a time immediately subsequent to cutover;

FIG. 12 is a plan view, partly in section, of the distributor shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, illustrating the manner in which a strand'is controlled to assure cutover of the apparatus at the proper time;

FIG. 13 is a sectional view of a first one-way clutch, taken along the lines 13-13 of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a sectional view of a second one-way clutch, taken along the lines 14-14 of FIG. 12;

FIG. 15 is a sectional view of a supporting arrangement of the turret and a rotatable reel mounting arbor of the apparatus of FIG. 1, taken along lines 15-15 of FIG. 2; a

FIG. 16 is an exploded perspective view of a snagger associated with the take-up apparatus;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the snagger of FIG. 14 in an assembled condition illustrating the manner in which a strand may be gripped thereby or removed therefrom;

FIG. 18 is a sectional view of one of the rotatable snagger devices illustrating a portion of a mechanism for actuating a snagger;

FIG. 19 is a sectional view of the remainder of the snagger actuating mechanism taken along the lines 19-19 ofFlG. 18;

FIG. 20 is a sectional view of three mechanisms for locking a reel onto an arbor taken along the lines 20- 20 of FIG. 15

FIG. 21 is a sectional view of an arbor illustrating the manner in which one of the locking mechanisms isactuated for releasing a reel from an arbor;

FIG. 22 is a perspective view of the drive system for the distributor, the turret and the arbors associated with the take-up apparatus of the invention;

FIG. 23 is a schematic representation of a hydraulic control system for a strand-reeling apparatus in accordance with the principles of the invention;

FIG. 24 is a schematic representation of a pneumatic system for a strand-reeling apparatus in accordance.

with the principles of the invention;

FIGS. 25 and 26, taken together, represent a schematic representation of an electrical control system for a strand-reeling apparatus in accordance with the principles of the invention, and

FIG. 27 illustrates the manner in which FIGS. 25 and 26 are to be combined.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 1 1. General Description of the Take-up Operation I Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, there is shown a take-up apparatus, generally indicated at 30 for taking up an advancing strand 31 continuously. The strand 31 may be, for example, an insulated wire, advanced at a substantially constant relatively high speed from an insulation extruder (not shown) by a conventional motor drive (not shown).

The apparatus 30 includes a flat, rigid baseplate 32 for supporting a frame 33 upon which is mounted a wire distributor 36 and a centrally pivotable support arm or turret 37. The turret 37 is journaled in a sleeve bearing 38 mounted in a hub 41 secured to the frame 33, for rotation about a central axis C. A pair of transversely aligned, reel-supporting spindles or'arbors 42- 42 are mounted in cantilever fashion on turret 37 for rotation about spaced axes which are parallel to the axis C of the turret 37.

A pair of identical take-up reels 43-43, each comprising a cylindrical winding surface or drum 46 and a pair of flanges 47-47 secured fixedly at opposite ends of the drum 46, are mounted on arbors 42-42 and are rotatable therewith. As will become more apparent from the following description, locking means associated with each arbor 42 releasably secure each reel 43 thereon.

The distributor 36 includes a traversible strand guide 48 which is reciprocated horizontally to guide the advancing insulated wire 31 across the drum 46 of the reel 43 in the upper position on the turret 37 adjacent to the distributor 36 to distribute successively advanced sections of insulated wire 31 in superimposed layers of convolutions on the upper reel 43.

Triggerable snagger device 51 is mounted at the supported end of each arbor 42 and is rotatable therewith. Each snagger device 51 includes a snagger clamp or snagger 52 normally maintained in a retracted position within a snagger support 53 which rotates with its associated arbor. Each snagger support 53 is mounted at a predetermined angle with respect to the axis of each arbor 42 (see FIGS. 4 and 5) to orbit each snagger 52 about an axis of revolution which intersects the axis of the arbor 42 but is not axially coincident therewith. The snagger 52 is positioned at a slightly greater radial distance from the axis of arbor 42 than theperipheral edge of the flange 47 on the reel 43 adjacent thereto.

As seen from FIG. 4, during its orbital movement the retracted snagger 52 traverses from a point in a plane 56 approximately flush with the outside face of flange 47 to a point in a plane 57 approximately flush with the inside face of the flange 47. Similarly, as seen from FIG. 5, the snagger 52 may be triggered to move out of the support 53 from its retracted position therein into an extended position, to traverse, while it orbits, from a point in a plane 58 approximately flush with the inside face of reel flange 47 to a point in a plane 61 spaced from theinside face of flange 47.

FIGS, 6 to 11, inclusive, illustrate schematically a series of steps in an exemplarycutover operation wherein the advancing insulated wire 31 is transferred from a full reel to an empty reel to continue taking up wire 31. During normal operation (FIGS; 6 and 7) one reel 43 is in an active condition on the upper part of turret 37, taking up wire 31. When the active reel 43 is nearly full, e.g., when an amount of accumulated strand equal to a predetermined amount of wire less than the amount desired to constitute a full reel is detected by a footage counting system, turret 37 is rotated 180 to revolve the active reel 43 to a lower loading and unloading position (FIGS. 8 and 9) 180 away from its former position. At the same time a passive or empty reel 43 is revolved from the lower loading and unloading position'into the upper position formerly occupied by the active reel 43. At this time the active reel 43 continues to rotate in the lower position on turret 37 to continue taking up insulated wire 31, now" passing across drum 46 of the empty reel 43,'which is acceleratedly driven to ultimate take-up speed.

, As set forth in detail in the followingdescription,

when a predetermined amount of wire 31, representative of a full reel, has been taken up on the active reel 43 a footage counter detects this condition and triggers the snagger 52 associated with the empty reel 43 to extend the snagger 52 outwardly into the path of the wire 31 passing in proximity to the reel flange 47 adjacent to the snagger device 51 to intercept, grip and break the connection of the wire 31 to the full reel 43 at a point between the reels 43-43 (FIGS. and 11).

The distributor 36 is operated to alter the movement of the strand guide 48 to position the path of travel of the wire 31 near the flange 47 of the empty reel 43 adjacent to the snagger 52 just prior to the time that the latter is triggered to insure that cutover occurs at the moment when the predetermined amount of wire 31 is taken up on the full reel 43.

After cutover takes place, subsequently advanced sections of wire 31 are wound onto the-newly activated formerly empty reel 43 in the upper position on turret 37. Since the wire 31 only approaches the newly activated reel 43 from a side thereof opposite the side on which the snagger 52 caught the wire 31, i.e., from the side of the reel nearest to the distributor 36, and since the snagger 52 is traversed away from adjacent flange 47 when it is orbited to that side of the reel, there is no need to retract the snagger 52 after it is triggered to prevent it from re-snagging the oncoming wire. The full reel 43 in the lower position on turret 37 is then stopped from rotating and removed from the arbor 42' and a new empty reel is loaded thereon to await the next cutover cycle. Since the loading and unloading of the reels 43-43 on arbors 4242 takes place in the lower position on turret 37, the arrangement may be used with various types of automatic reelloading and unloading facilities.

.aiitqmqis Talesfinentzatatus A; Distributor Assembly Referring now to FIG. 12, the distributor 36 includes a reversible fluid-operated motor 62 secured to a left end support63 of a housing 66. The motor 62 is coupled to a drive shaft 67 through sleeve couplings 68 and 71. The drive shaft 67 is rotatably supported in suitable bearings mounted in a pair of cross braces 72,and 73 and is coupled to one end of a first drive screw 76 3 rotatably supported at its other end in a suitable bearing mounted in a right end support 77 of housing 66. The strand guide 48 includes a roller support plate 78 secured to a movable supportarm181 fastened to a threaded sleeve 82, threadedly mountedfor reciprocating movement along drive screw 76. A roller 83 on arm 81 engages the underside of a side brace 86 on housing 66. A pair of spaced guide rollers 8787 are rotatably mounted on the support plate 78 for guiding the advancing insulated wire 31 therebetween and reciprocally onto the winding drum 46 of a rotating take-up reel 43.

A pair of spaced, gear-driven first and second one way clutches, generally indicated at 88 and 89 respectively, are mounted adjacent to'one another on drive shaft 67 Clutches 88 and 89 are operatively coupled to a second drive shaft 91 rotatably supported at one end in suitable bearings in cross brace 72 and coupled at the other end through a selectively actuable third clutch 92 to a second drive screw 93, rotatably mounted in suitable hearings in cross brace 73 and the right end support 77 of housing 66. The one-way clutches 88 and 89 function to convert the reversible rotary movement of the shaft 67. by themotor 62 to substantially continuous, unidirectional, rotary movement of the shaft 91 such that the shaft 91 always rotates in the same direction, regardless of the direction of rotation of shaft 67. v v

The conversion of the reversible movement of the shaft 67 into unidirectional movement of the shaft 91 is accomplished by arranging each of the one-way clutches 88 and 89 to slip when shaft 67 is rotated in a first direction and to rotate shaft 91 counterclockwise when shaft 67 is rotated in a second opposite direction. As illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14, a gear 96 of clutch 88 is arranged to slip in response to clockwise rotation of shaft 67 and to couple shaft 67 t0 shaft 91 through gears 97 and 98 to rotate shaft 91 counterclockwise in response to counterclockwise rotation of shaft 67 Conversely, a gear 101 of clutch 89 is arranged to slip in response to counterclockwise rotation of shaft 67 and to.couple shaft 67 to shaft 91 through a gear 102 to rotate shaft 91 counterclockwise in response to clockwise rotation of shaft 67. Thus clutches 88 and 89 function to rotate shaft 91 counterclockwise in response to any rotational movement of shaft 67 A first control limit switch 103 is mounted on an arm 106 secured to a threaded sleeve 107 threadedly mounted for movement along the drive screw 93.

Threaded sleeve 107 and drive screw 93 are formed with the same pitch or lead per revolution as threaded sleeve 82 and drive screw 76, respectively. Arm 106,

Limit switch 103 is normally positioned adjacent to the right end support 77 of housing 66 at a spaced distance from a second control limit switch 1 12 fixedly mounted on the cross brace 73. During normal operation of the distributor 36, the support arm 81 is driven along and by the drive screw 76 until either of two switch actuators 113 or 116 fastened on opposite sides of arm 81 actuates control limit switch 103 or 112, respectively aligned therewith, alternately to reverse the direction of distributor motor 62 and thus reverse drive screw 76 to impart conventional reciprocating movement to the strand guide 48 to guide an advancing wire 31 through guide rollers 87-87 to distribute wire 31 evenly onto the winding drum 46 of a take-up reel 43 between flanges 47-47 thereof.

The third clutch 92 is normally disengaged to maintain the drive screw 93 in a nondriven condition to maintain the limit switch 103 in a nonmoving position adjacent to the right end support 77 As mentioned previously, in order to initiate the snagging operation, the insulated wire 31 must be in a position immediately adjacent to the leftmost flange 47 of the take-up reel 43 adjacent to the snagger device 51. To insure the timely occurrence of this condition, a footage counting system or counter 117 (FIG. is actuated when a predetermined length of wire representing one final layer of convolutions thereof remains to be taken up by the reel 43 in the upper active position on turret 37. The counter 117 continuously monitors the length in feet of the wire 31 wound upon the active takeup reel 43. At a time when the count on the counter 117 indicates that a predetermined amount of insulated wire 31 remains to be taken up to make a full reel, a first preset signal is generated on an output P1 of the counter 117 which alters the operation of the distributor 36 toinsure that the wire 31 is in a position near to the reel flange 47 associated with the snagger device 51 at the time the snagging operation is to occur.

To illustrate the operation of the distributor 36, it is assumed that the strand guide 48 is being reciprocated normally in reverse directions along a rectilinear path having a length Y equal to the width of a reel 43 between flanges 47-47, if lead angles are neglected, when counter 117 generates a signal on output P1. At this. time the support arm 78 can be traveling either to the right or to the left in FIG. 12 and the turret 37 is rotated 180 to position the almost full reel below the empty reel. Y

For the purpose of this illustration it is assumed that 1000 feet of wire remains to be taken up when the counter 117 generates a signal on output P1 and that one complete layer of convolutions of wire 31 in substantially the last full layer thereof is substantially equal to 1000 feet. It is desired to complete the take-up of this final 1000 feet of wire 31 at the leftmost flange 47 of the empty reel 43. Since the reels 43-43 are transversely aligned, passage of wire 31 near the left flange of either reel occurs at the same time. The advancing 10 wire 31 therefore, and thus the strand guide 48, must be traversed a distance Y across the reel 43 and end up at the leftmost flange 47.

If strand guide 48 is traveling to the right when the counting system 117 indicates that an additional 1000 feet of wire is needed to complete the almost full reel 43, a signal on output P1 of counter 117 energizes a solenoid 118 (FIG. 26) to actuate the clutch 92 to drive the second drive screw 93 through driven shaft 67, clutch 88 and shaft 91 to move the limit switch 103 toward the limit switch 112. Since the relationship between drive screw 93 and sleeve 107 is identical to the relationship between drive screw 76 and sleeve 82, the arm 106 is driven by drive screw 93 at the same rate of speed with which the arm 81 is driven by drive screw 76. If, as shown, the distance between the guide rollers 87-87 on the support plate 78 to the left flange 47 of reel 43 is X, the strand guide 48 will continue to be moved to the right until it has traveled a distance when the actuator 113 on arm 81 engages the moving limit switch 103 to reverse drive screw 76. The strand guide 48 is then moved to the left through a distance to a position immediately adjacent to the left flange 47 At this time the strand guide 48 has traveled a total distance of which is equal to Yfrom the time the clutch 92 was actuated by the counter 117, representing substantially one complete layer of convolutions of wire 31 on the reel 43. Since this layer of convolutions is assumed to equal 1000 feet, the occurrence of a completed reel takes place precisely adjacent to the leftmost reel flange 47. At this time the counter 117 generates a signal on a second preset output P2 thereof to initiate the snagging operation, described in detail below.

When the actuator 113 on the support arm 81 engages the moving limit switch 103, the clutch 92 is deactuated to cease coupling the shaft 91 to the second drive screw 93 and a pneumatic cylinder 121, having a movable piston 122 in engagement with the limit switch 103 is actuated to return the limit switch 103 to its normal position adjacent to the end support 77. Since clutch 92 is disengaged, the actuating screw 93 is free to be rotated clockwise by the return movement of the movable limit switch 103 under the control of cylinder 121.

As will become more apparent from the description below with respect to FIGS. 24, 25 and 26, cylinder 121 is actuated by a spring-return solenoid-operated control valve 123 under the control of a solenoid 124 energized each time limit switch 103 is actuated by switch actuator 113. The actuation of cylinder 121, however, is effective to move switch 103 only at those times when switch 103 is away from end support 77 If the first preset signal output P1 is energized when i the strand guide 48 is moving to the left, with the guide rollers 87-87 at a distance X from the left reel flange 47, the clutch 92 is actuated to rotate the second drive screw 93 and move arm 106 and the limit switch 103 The strand guide 48, thereafter, is caused to move to the right through a distance when the actuator 113 engages the moving limit switch 103 to cause the drive screw 76 to be reversed to reverse the direction of the strand guide 48 which then is driven to the left. As previously mentioned, the actuation of the moving limit switch 103 causes the clutch 92 to be deactuated to cease driving the'second drive screw 93 and the cylinder 121 is actuated to return the limit switch 103 to its normal position adjacent to the end support 77. The-strand guide 48 continues moving to theleft, until the wire 31 is in a position immediately adjacent to the leftmost flange 47 of reel 43, traveling through a distance the total distance thus traveled by the strand guide 48 which is equal to Y, representing substantially one.

complete layer of convolutions of wire 31 on the reel 43. In this case, as in the one previously mentioned, the occurrence of the completed reel occurs when the path of the wire 31 is precisely adjacent to the leftmost flanges 47-47 of reels 43-43. At this time a signal is generated on the second preset counter output P2 to initiate the operation of the snagger device 51.

, Thus it is seen that the distributor 36 may be controlled to insure that the path of the wire 31 being taken up is adjacent to the left flange 47 of the reel 43 adjacent to the snagger device 51 at the time of cutover.

B. Turret and Arbor Assembly Referring to FIG. 15, each arbor 42 includes a hub 126 secured to a hollow shaft 127 mounted for rotation in bearings 128-128 in a hub 129 and bearings 131 mounted in a sleeve 132, both aligned with one another and formed in turret 37. A reel 43 may be mounted on hub 126 with a bevelled interior face 133 of drum 46 in frictional engagement with a chamfered edge 136 of a flange 137 formed on the hollow shaft 127.

A central hub 138 formed in the turret 37 is journaledin the sleeve bearing 38 disposed in the hub 41 on the frame 33. Each end of the turret 37 is provided with a rollerbearing 139 fastened to a plate 141 secured to each end of the turret 37. Each bearing 139 is designed to perform one of two functions, dependent upon the position of the turret end associated therewith. The bearing 139 at the end of the turret 37 in the upper position engages a microswitch 142 when the turret is 12 vertically aligned as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. Microswitch 142 controls a solenoid 143 (FIGS. 24 and 25) which selectively operates a valve 146 to actuate a pneumatic cylinder 147 which causes a turret lock 148 (FIGS. 22 and 24) to lock turret 37 from rotational movement and to disengage the driving means therefor. The bearing 139 in the lower position on vertically aligned turret 37 is received in a slot 151 on a support 152 secured to base plate 32 to prevent lateral movement or cambering of turret 37.

. A hollow shaft 153-is journaled in a set of bearings 156 mounted in central hub 138. A pulley 157 keyed to hollow shaft 153 is drivably connected to a pulley 158 keyed to hollow shaft 127 through a timing belt 161.

Rotational movement of shaft 153 is imparted to arbor 42 through pulley 157, pulley 158 and shaft 127.

A solid shaft 162, coaxial with shaft 153, is joumaled in bearings 164 mounted in hollow shaft 153. A pulley 163 keyed to solid shaft 162 is drivably connected to a pulley 166 (FIG. 22), similar to pulley 158 and keyed to the shaft 127 associated with the oppositely aligned arbor 42, through a timing belt 167. Rotational movement of shaft 162 is imparted to arbor 42 through pulley 163, pulley 166 and shaft 127.

C. Snagger Assembly FIG. 15 shows a snagger support gear 171, having circumferentially spaced teeth 172-172, and mounted for rotation on bearings 173-173 on hub 129 of turret 37. Gear 171 is formed with an eccentric peripheral bearing seat 176 having a circumferential surface canted with respect to the circumferential surface defined by the-spaced teeth 172-172. More specifically, the centerline or central axis of the bearing seat 176 on gear 171 intersects the central axis of the teeth 172-172 thereof at an approximate angle of 1 counterclockwise from horizontal reference in FIG. 15. One gear 171 is associated with each arbor 42 but is not drivably connected thereto. Though each gear 171 is rotatable about an axis through its associated arbor 42, and the central axis of bearing seat 176 on gear 171 generates a right circular conical locus about an axis through arbor 42, the rotation of gear 171 is independent of the rotational movement of arbor 42.

Snagger support 53 is rotatably mounted on bearings 177-177 mounted-on the eccentric bearing seat 176 of gear 171. Snagger support 53 therefore assumes a canted orientation with respect to a plane normal to the central axis of arbor 42 and the central axis of turret 37. More specifically, the principal plane of snagger support 53 is tilted counterclockwise at an angle of approximately 1 from a vertical reference in FIG. 15.

One end of snagger support 53 is formed with an opening 178 for receiving the snagger 52. An opposite end of snagger support 53 is formed with a slot 181 for receiving a weight 182 fastened therein to counterbalance the snagger 52. A roller 183 rotatably mounted on a peripheral section of the flange 137 on shaft 127 extends into an aperture 186 formed in snagger support 53. Rotation of hollow shaft 127 causes roller 183 to bear against an adjacent edge of the aperture 186 to rotate snagger support 53 with the arbor 42. As previously mentioned, the snagger support 53 rotates with arbor 42 and at an angle with respect to the axis thereof to oscillate the snagger 52 toward the reel 43 on arbor 42 when snagger 52 is below a horizontal plane through the axis of arbor 42 and away from reel 43 when the snagger 52 is above a horizontal plane through the axis of arbor 42. I

In order to maintain the canted orientation of the snagger device 51, the central axis of the bearing seat 176 on gear 171 mustbemaintained at a constant angle to a horizontal reference plane; otherwise a 180 rotation of the turret 37 will position the gear 171 in an inverted position from that shown in FIG. 15 with the result that the orbiting snagger 52 will oscillate toward the reel 43 on arbor 42 when the snagger 52 is in a position above a horizontal plane through the axis of arbor 42. The occurrence of the foregoing condition would create the risk of interference with or re-snagging of the wire 31 being distributed onto the reel 43 at a time subsequent to cutover. To prevent the foregoing condition from occurring, the apparatus must be arranged such that for each increment of rotation of the turret 37, gear 171 must be rotated an equal increment in the opposite direction to compensate for the rotation of turret 37. Stated otherwise, each gear 171 must be arranged for resultant translation movement with respect to the remainder of the apparatus. The compensation for each gear 171 is accomplished by connecting a sun gear 187 (FIGS. 15 and 22), fixedly secured to frame 33, to each gear 171 through a planetary gear 188 and a connecting gear 191 mounted on a shaft 192 extending through and journaled in the sides of turret 37. The gears 187, 188, 191 and 171 are arranged to provide a 1:1 ratio between gears 187 and 171.

As seen most clearly in FIG. 22, any rotary movement of turret 37 about central axis C will cause planetary gears l88-188 to undergo epicycloidal movement with respect to sun gear 187, thus rotating connecting gears 191-191 and the snagger support gears 171-171 connected thereto. Thus for every increment of rotation of turret 37 about central axis C, there is a corresponding increment of rotation in the opposite direction of gears 171-171 to keep the snagger devices 5151 properly canted with respect to arbors 4242 and reels 4343 thereon.

The structure of each snagger52 is illustrated in FIGS. 16 and 17. The snagger 52 includes a block 193 and a clamp 196, pivotally secured to the block 193 by a partially threaded shoulder screw 197 fastened in a threaded aperture 198 formed in a bevelled surface 201 formed on block 193. The block 193 is formed on its underside with a pair of spaced retaining members 202202 each formed with an aperture 203 therethrough for receiving a pivot pin 206 which supports a pivot element 207. The pivot element 207 is normally biased clockwise by a torsion spring 208 with one end of the element 207 in abutting engagement with the underside of block 193. As shown in FIG. 18, block 193 is also formed with a bore 211 for receiving a compression spring 212 and a threaded counterbore 213 for receiving a removable stop 216 threaded therein and engaging spring 212. A slot 217 is formed in the underside of the block 193 communicating with the bore 211 for receiving a pin 218 press-fitted therein. 7

Referring once again to FIGS. 16 and 17, one end of the block 193 is formed with a laterally projecting, semiarcuate gripping jaw 221 having a series of serrations 222 formed on the arcuate portion thereof. The

clamp 196 is formed with a corresponding semiarcuate gripping jaw 223 having a relatively smooth arcuate surface. When the snagger 52 is not being revolved, the clamp 196 assumes an offset, pivoted position clockwise about the axis of screw 197 in the direction of arrow 226 shown in FIG. 17. When the snagger 52 is being revolved due to rotation of the snagger support 53, centrifugal force causes the clamp 196 to pivot counterclockwise in the direction of arrow 227 until a pin 228 mounted therein engages an arcuate notch 231 in the block 193 to prevent further pivoting. At this time the jaws 221 and 223 are aligned to form a strandreceiving opening 232.

The snagger 52 is constructed to be moved into the path of the wire 31 to receive it in opening 232 to grip the wire 31 securely between the jaws 221 and 223. When it is desired to remove the wire 31 from the snagger 52, it ismerely necessary to remove the reel 43 upon which the wire is wound by sliding the reel off of the arbor 42 supporting the reel. Removal of the reel will cause a force to be exerted on the wire 31, as shown in phantom in FIG. 17, to separate the jaws 221 and 223 to pull the wire 31 free from the opening 232 between the jaws and around the smooth arcuate surface of the jaw 223. Thus the snagger 52 is provided with a self-cleaning capability which automatically releases the gripped section of the wire 31 without operator assistance in the release operation.

Referring to FIG. 18, each snagger 52 is slidably disposed in bearings 233-233 mounted in the opening 178 formed in the snagger support 53. The snagger 52 is normally biased into a retracted position within the support 53 by the action of the spring 121 against pin 218 which has a shank portion 236 disposed in a bore 237 formed in support 53. The pivot element 207, aided by torsion spring 208, normally abuts a steel roll 238 to lock the snagger 52 in its retracted position.

An arcuate cam lever 241 (FIGS. 18 and 19) is one of a pair thereof, pivotally mounted at each end of the turret 37 by a pivot pin 242. The opposite end of the lever 241 is formed with bifurcations 243-243 for receiving a revolvable eccentric disc 246. As shown in FIG. 19, the disc 246 is secured eccentrically to a shaft 247 coupled to a linkage member 248 connected to a movable armature 251 of a solenoid 252 by a connecting rod 253. The solenoid 253 may be secured to the inside wall of turret 37. A tension spring 254 disposed between the solenoid 252 and a stop 255 on rod 253 normally acts to bias the rod 253 upward and to the left (FIG. 19) to pivot linkage member. The solenoid 252, associated with each snagger device 51, may be energized selectively to rotate shaft 247 partially about its axis to rotate eccentric disc 246, to pivot the lever 241 about pin 242. When the solenoid 252 is de-energized the lever 241 is automatically returned to its normal unpivoted position by the action of spring 254.

During normal operation when the snagger support 53 is rotated, it passes, for a portion of its path, adjacent to the cam lever 241. As shown in FIGS. 18 and 19, a detent member 256, having a flanged end 257, is rotatably supported in the snagger support 53. The lower part of the flanged end 257 is spaced from the arcuate surface of lever 241 when the snagger support 53 passes adjacent to lever 241. When the counting system 117 generates a signal on output P2 thereof indicating

Claims (18)

1. A method of taking up a continuously advancing strand onto first and second transversely aligned take-up reels having winding surfaces defined between the ends thereof and mounted for rotation about spaced, parallel axes, which comprises the steps of: driving the first reel; distributing the advancing strand onto the first reel by guiding the strand back and fourth across the defined winding surface thereof to wind successive layers of convolutions of strand thereon; driving the second reel; interchanging the positions of the reels to position the second reel along the path of the strand being distributed onto the first reel; altering the distribution of strand onto the first reel in a predetermined sequence by guiding a predetermined length of the advancing strand, representative of a final layer of convolutions of strand on the first reel back and forth onto a part of the winding surface of the first reel, less than the defined winding surface, the end of said sequence occurring when the path of the strand is adjacent to a predetermined end of the second reel, and transferring the distributed strand from the first reel to the second reel at a time coincident with the end of said sequence.

2. A method of taking up a continuously advancing strand as set forth in claim 1, including the additional step of: revolving an actuable snagger adjacent to one end of the second take-up reel about the axis of said second reel in a planar path at an angle with plane normal to the axes of the reels, and wherein the predetermined sequence of distribution of strand and the transfer thereof from the first reel to the second reel includes: detecting a first predetermined amount of strand distributed onto the first reel; altering the path of the distributed strand to position the path of the strand adjacent to the ends of the reels and near the snagger; detecting a second predetermined amount of strand on the first reel, and actuating the snagger when the second predetermined amount of strand is detected to grip and sever a section of strand in the path between the reels to wind the strand onto the second reel.

3. A method of reeling strand material continuously onto successive take-up reels in accordance with claim 2, which includes the additional step of: maintaining the angle of the planar path of the snagger when the positions of the take-up reels are interchanged.

4. In an apparatus for reeling strand continuously onto successive take-up reels, an arm rotatable about a central axis; a pair of cantilevered arbors, each supported at one end of said arm and rotatable about an axis parallel to said central axis, for rotatably supporting a pair of take-up reels; means for rotating said arm selectively about said central axis; driving means for rotating each of said arbors independently of one another; a pair of snagger devices, each mounted adjacent to the supported end of one of said arbors and rotatable therewith, for snagging an advancing strand; means for orienting each of said snagger devices to position its principal plane at a predetermined angle with respect to a plane normal to the axes of said arbors, and means for maintaining the principal planes of said snagger devices at said predetermined angle with respect to said normal plane when said arm is rotated.

5. An appAratus for taking up a continuously advancing strand onto first and second transversely aligned take-up reels having winding surfaces defined between the ends thereof and mounted for rotation about spaced, parallel axes, comprising: means for driving the first reel; means for distributing the advancing strand onto the first reel by guiding the strand back and forth across the defined winding surface thereof to wind successive layers of convolutions of strand thereon; means for driving the second reel; means for interchanging the positions of the reels to position the second reel along the path of the strand being distributed onto the first reel; means for altering the distribution of the strand onto the first reel in a predetermined sequence by guiding a predetermined length of the advancing strand, representative of a final layer of convolutions of strand on the first reel back and forth onto a part of the winding surface of the first reel, less than the defined winding surface, the end of said sequence occurring when the path of the strand is adjacent to a predetermined end of the second reel, and means for transferring the distributed strand from the first reel to the second reel at a time coincident with the end of said sequence.

6. An apparatus for continuously reeling strand material onto first and second rotatable reeling elements, which comprises: a vertically disposed turret mounted for rotation about horizontal central axis; first and second transversely aligned arbors, rotatably cantilevered at opposite ends of said turret for rotation about spaced horizontal axes for receiving the first and second reeling elements; first and second rotatable snagger supports; means mounting said snagger supports at a canted angle at the cantilevered ends of said arbors to position the principle planes of said supports at an angle with respect to a vertical plane; a pair of snaggers; means slidably mounted each of said snaggers in said snagger supports for movement from a retracted position within said supports to an extended position partially without said supports and extending radially outward of the ends of the reeling elements adjacent to said turret; resilient means associated with each of said snaggers for urging said snaggers into said retracted positions within said supports; releasable means for locking each of said snaggers into said retracted positions; distributing means transversely aligned with said arbors and the reeling elements thereon and being vertically spaced from said turret adjacent to said first arbor for guiding an advancing strand back and forth across the winding surface of the first reeling element; means for driving said distributing means to guide an advancing strand back and forth across the winding surface of the first reeling element; means for driving said first arbor and a first of said snagger supports thereon in synchronism therewith to rotate the first reeling element to take up the distributed strand and to rotate said support to revolve said first retracted snagger therein about the axis of said first arbor in an annular path to oscillate said first snagger toward and away from the adjacent end of said first reeling element for alternate halves of the orbiting cycle of said first snagger; means for detecting first and second accumulations of strand on said first reeling element; first means responsive to the detection of said first accumulation of strand on said first reeling element for driving said turret to rotate said turret 180* to interchange the positions of said arbors and the reeling elements thereon to interpose the second reeling element between said distributing means and the first reeling element along the path of the strand to the first reeling element; second means responsive to the detection of said first accumulation of strand for driving said second arbor and said snagger support thereon in synchronism therewith to roTate the second reeling element and said support to revolve said second retracted snagger therein about the axis of said second arbor in an annular path to oscillate said second snagger toward and away from the adjacent end of the second reeling element for alternate halves of the orbiting cycle of said second snagger; third means responsive to the detection of said first accumulation of strand for altering the operation of said distributing means to distribute a length of strand equivalent to the difference between said first and second accumulations thereof in a predetermined sequence onto part of the winding surface of the first reeling element wherein the end of said sequence occurs when the strand is adjacent to the ends of the reeling elements adjacent to said orbiting snaggers, and means responsive to the detection of said second accumulation of strand on the first reeling element for releasing said releasable means to unlock said revolving second snagger to permit centrifugal force to thrust said second snagger partially without said second snagger support against the urging of said resilient means associated therewith to grip and sever the strand adjacent to the end of the second reeling element associated with said second snagger to wind the strand onto the second reeling element.

7. An apparatus for continuously reeling strand material as set forth in claim 6, wherein the difference between said first and second accumulations of strand is equal to the length of strand in the final layer of convolutions thereof on the first reeling element.

8. A method of gripping an advancing strand, comprising the steps of: revolving a snagger about a first axis in an annular path having an axis intersecting said first axis at an angle to oscillate the snagger between a pair of spaced planes perpendicular to said first axis, and imparting relative movement between the advancing strand and said snagger to position said strand in a path between said spaced planes intersecting the path of the revolving snagger whereby the snagger intercepts and grips the strand.

9. A method of gripping an advancing strand as set forth in claim 8, wherein the imparting of the relative movement between the strand and said snagger includes the steps of: guiding the advancing strand in a path past said revolving snagger, and imparting translational movement to the revolving snagger selectively to intersect the path of the advancing strand to cause the snagger to intercept and grip the strand.

10. A method of snagging an advancing strand guided in a path past a take-up element and in proximity to the periphery thereof, which comprises the steps of: revolving a snagger about a longitudinal axis through the take-up element in a first annular path having an axis canted with respect to the axis of the take-up element to oscillate the snagger between first and second spaced planes perpendicular to the axis of the take-up element and adjacent to an end thereof; directing the guided strand transversely of the take-up element until it is adjacent to said planes, and imparting translational movement selectively to the revolving snagger to move the snagger into a second annular path parallel to said first path intersecting the path of the strand to cause the snagger to intercept, grip and sever the strand to initiate the winding of the strand onto the take-up element.

11. A method of snagging an advancing strand in accordance with claim 10, including the additional step of: maintaining the snagger in the second annular path while it continues to revolve.

12. A method of effecting the transfer of a moving strand from a first driven reel to a second driven reel aligned transversely with said first reel, comprising the steps of: guiding the strand onto the first reel past the second reel along a predetermined straight path generally tangent to the periphery of the second reel; traversing the guided strand back and forth along the perIphery of said reels between first and second planar limits normal to the axes thereof; driving a revolvable snagger about the axis of the second reel in a circular path adjacent to and at an angle with the first planar limit, and translating the circular path of the snagger selectively to intersect the first planar limit between said reels to catch, sever and grip the strand when it is adjacent to the first planar limit to wind the strand around the second reel.

13. Apparatus for gripping an advancing strand, comprising: a snagger mounted for revolution about a first axis in an annular path having an axis intersecting said first axis at an angle; means driving said snagger for oscillating said snagger between a pair of spaced parallel planes perpendicular to said first axis, and means for imparting relative movement between the advancing strand and said snagger to position the strand in a path between said spaced planes intersecting the path of the revolving snagger whereby said snagger intercepts and grips the strand.

14. Apparatus for gripping an advancing strand as set forth in claim 13, wherein said relative movement imparting means includes: means for guiding the advancing strand in a path past said revolving snagger, and selectively operable means for imparting translational movement to said revolving snagger to cause said snagger to intersect the path of said advancing strand and to intercept and grip said strand.

15. An apparatus for snagging an advancing strand guided in a path past a take-up element and in proximity to the periphery thereof, which comprises: a snagger mounted for revolution about a longitudinal axis through the take-up element in a first annular path having an axis canted with respect to the axis of the take-up element; means for driving said snagger to oscillate said snagger between first and second spaced planes perpendicular to the axis of the take-up element and adjacent to an end thereof; means for directing the guided strand transversely of the take-up element until it is adjacent to said planes, and means for imparting translational movement selectively to said revolving snagger to move said snagger into a second annular path, parallel to said first path, to intersect the path of the strand to intercept, grip, sever and retain the strand therein to initiate the winding of the strand onto the take-up element.

16. A snagging device for a continuous take-up unit wherein a continuously advancing strand is distributed in superimposed layers of convolutions onto the winding surface of a take-up reel rotating about an axis, which comprises: a support member adjacent to the take-up reel and rotatable about an axis intersecting an axis spaced from and parallel to the axis of said reel at an angle; a snagger clamp slidably mounted in said support member and having a body formed with a gripping surface and a block loosely mounted on said body; resilient means urging said clamp into said support in a nonwire intercepting position; releasable means for holding said clamp in said nonintercepting position, and means responsive to a predetermined amount of strand material accumulated on said take-up reel for releasing said releasable means to permit said clamp to slide out of said support under the influence of centrifugal force into a wire-intercepting position.

17. An apparatus for transferring a moving strand being taken up by a first driven reel from the first reel to a second driven reel aligned transversely with the first reel, which comprises: means for guiding the strand onto the first reel past the second reel along a predetermined straight path generally tangent to the periphery of the second reel; means for traversing the guided strand back and forth along the periphery of the reels between first and second planar limits normal to the axes thereof; a snagger mounted for revolution about the axis of the second reel adjacent to the First planar limit; means for driving said snagger to revolve said snagger in a circular path adjacent to and at an angle with the first planar limit, and means for translating the circular path of said snagger selectively to intersect the first planar limit between the reels to catch, sever and grip the strand when it is adjacent to the first planar limit to wind the strand around the second reel.

18. A device for snagging an advancing strand, which comprises: a block formed with an arcuate wire-gripping jaw having coarse serrations formed thereon; a clamp formed with an arcuate wire-gripping jaw; means for securing said clamp loosely to said block with said jaws spaced apart and said clamp pivoted to an offset position with respect to said block; a support rotatable about an axis; means slidably mounting said block within said support; means resiliently urging said block into a retracted position within said support; locking means mounted on said support for holding said block in said retracted position; detent means mounted in said support, coupled to said locking means and being resiliently movable from a first position to a second position for unlocking said locking means; a lever pivotally mounted adjacent to said support and said detent means during a portion of the rotary movement of said support, and means actuable to pivot said lever for engaging and moving said detent means to unlock said locking means to permit said block to be extended from said retracted position by centrifugal force against the urging of said resilient means, centrifugal force acting also to pivot said clamp from its offset position to align said gripping jaws for snagging engagement with the advancing strand.

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