US3360837A - Torque reaction constant tension winder - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 2, 1968 BALL ET AL 3,360,837

TORQUE REACTION CONSTANT TENSION WINDER Filed Dec. 20, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 GAINES BALL Y JACK c. GASKINS ATTORNEYS Jan. 2, 1968 BALL ET Al. 3,360,837

TORQUE REACTION CONSTANT TENSION WINDER Filed Dec. 20, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 VOLTAGE SOURCE FIG. 5

INVENTORS GAINES L. BALL JACK C. GASKINS Jan. 2, 1968 BALLETA'L 3,360,837

TORQUE REACTION CONSTANT TENSION WINDER ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,360,837 TGRQUE REACTION CONSTANT TENSION WINDER Gaines L. Bail, West Point, Ga, and Jack C. Gaskins, Lanett, Aian, assignors to Batson-Cook Company, West ioint, Ga., a corporation of Georgia Filed Dec. 20, 1965, Ser. No. 515,007 9 Claims. (CI. 2836) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A torque responsive speed change control for changing the rotational speed of a driven shaft with respect to a constant speed drive shaft including a variable speed transmission connecting the drive shaft with the driven shaft, and a torque control means for selectively adjusting the variable speed transmission in response to changes in torque applied to the driven shaft.

Disclosure This invention relates generally to a tension control device for a winding or unwinding machine, and more particularly to a torque reaction tension control device wherein tension is controlled through a torque control means external of the main drive means of the winding or unwinding machine.

In the winding or unwinding of a Web of material such as warp threads for use in a loom on a loom beam, it is desirable that constant tens-ion be maintained in the web at all times during the winding or unwinding of the Web on the beam. This means that the torque applied to the beam must vary as the diameter of the wound web on the beam increases. More specifically, the torque applied to the drive spindle of the beam must increase in direct proportion to the increase in diameter of the wound web if a constant tension in the web is to be maintained.

Prior art devices have accomplished this result by driving the feed rolls over which the web passes at a constant speed of rotation and interposing between the constant speed drive and the drive spindle for the beam, a means for selectively varying the speed of rotation of the beam. This is usually eifectuated by using an infinitely variable adjustable speed transmission, the output speed of which is usually controlled by a clutch and differential control arrangement.

The clutch characteristically has clutch elements which slip with respect to each other as the diameter of the wound web increases which, in turn, manipulates the differential to adjust the output speed of the transmission to maintain constant tension in the web as it is wound. Since most of these control arrangements have had the clutch located in the main drive of the winding or unwinding machine, the control means has to transmit the entire power load to the beam upon which the web is wound. This has created extreme maintenance problems since the clutch elements deteriorate so rapidly that almost constant attention is required.

Since prior control means has been almost totally mechanically and is comprised of unreliable elements, the incidence of mechanical adjustment and failure is high. Since prior art machines must be operating before the output speed of the transmission can be changed by the control means to reset the transmission to start a new beam, this resetting of the output speed of the transmission must be done either at the beginning or end of the winding of a beam. This results in the tension maintained in the web not being constant at all times.

Often it is necessary to stop winding machines in the middle of winding a beam in order to make adjustments. Prior art machines using the clutch and differential control arrangement have not been able to maintain proper stalled tension in the web being wound on the beam while the machine is stopped. This has resulted in a section of the web being relaxed and being wound under a different tension when the machine has been stopped during the winding thereof. This frequently causes problems in a subsequent weaving operation.

The invention disclosed herein overcomes these and other problems associated with prior art devices in that a torque motor and planetary gear transmission arrangement control the output speed of a variable speed transmission so that tension in a web being wound or unwound is maintained constant. The torque mo-tor is located externally of the main drive of the winding or unwinding machine and the main drive power is transmitted through the planetary transmission. The planetary transmission acts as a reaction element which senses the need for a change in the output speed of the variable speed transmission to maintain constant tension in the web being wound and acts through the torque motor to change the output speed of the transmission so that the tension in the web is maintained constant.

Since the torque motor has substantially no wearing parts, maintenance problems are practically eleminated. Moreover, the tension maintained in the web may be easily adjusted simply by adjustments in the torque motor circuit so as to increase or decrease the torque exerted by the torque motor.

As each beam on the beam winder becomes filled, it is necessary that the transmission be reset so that proper tension will be applied to the web at the beginning of the winding of the next beam. This can be done simply by energizing the torque motor to reset the transmission for the proper output speed to maintain constant tension in the web when the next beam is placed on the drive spindle and the winding operation is begun. Therefore, it will be noted that the entire web is wound on the beam at constant tension.

When it is necessary to stop the winding machine with a partially filled beam thereon so that certain operating adjustments may be made, the torque motor drives the variable speed transmission through the planetary transmission so that the proper tension is maintained in the web being wound on the beam even though the main drive is stopped. Therefore, the web material is not relaxed and will continue to be wound at constant tension when the machine is restarted.

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more clearly understood upon consideration of the following specification and the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout and in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the torque reaction beam drive used in connection with the invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the invention taken aolng line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the invention taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1; and,

FIG. 5 is a control circuit for use with a shunt torque motor in the present invention.

These figures and the following detailed description disclose one specific embodiment of the invention; however, it is to be understood that the inventive concept disclosed herein is not limited to this specific embodiment, since the invention may be embodied in other specific forms.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, it will be seen that the apparatus of the invention comprises generally a support base 10 carrying a main drive unit 11 and a torque reaction beam drive 12 thereon. The support base 10 also carries a feed roll 14 and a beam thereon. The main drive unit 11 directly drives the feed roll 14 and indirectly drives the beam 15 through the torque reaction beam drive 12.

The support base 10 comprises a pair of upstanding sides 16 spaced apart by a plurality of I-beams 18 extending therebetween. The I-beams 18 serve as a mounting base for support plates 19 and 20 which carry the main drive unit 11 and the torque reaction beam drive 12 respectively. The upstanding sides 16 have appropriate apertures and bearing mountings therein to receive shafts and the like, as will be explained later.

The main drive unit 11 comprises a drive motor 21 fixedly carried by the support plate 19 and a transversely extending drive shaft 22. The drive shaft 22 is spaced from the motor 21 and is rotatably journaled at one end in one of the sides 16. The drive shaft 22 is journaled intermediate its ends at the bearing 24 and has its other end carried by the torque reaction beam drive 12 as will be explained hereinafter. A main drive 25 connects the output shaft of the motor and drive shaft 22 and a feed roll drive connects the end of the drive shaft 22 journaled in the side 16 to the feed roll 14. The drive motor 21 is an adjustable speed motor of conventional design and has a substantially constant speed output at each selected setting. Therefore, once an output speed of the motor 21 is selected, it will be seen that the feed roll 14 is driven at a substantially constant speed through the drive train connecting it to the motor 21.

The torque reaction beam drive 12 comprises a variable speed transmission 32 mounted on the support plate 20 as well as a reaction element 34 and a torque motor 35 also mounted on the support plate 29. The variable speed transmission 32 is of conventional type and has a housing 42 with a pair of variable pitch pulleys 36 therein which operate in conjunction with a belt or chain 38 to selectively change the speed of rotation of an output shaft 39 with respect to an input shaft 40. The input shaft 40 is driven by the output of the reaction element 34 and the output shaft 39 drives the beam 15 through a chain or belt drive 56. A slidable cup 41 which is used to change the pitch of the pulleys 36 is slidably carried in the transmission housing 42 and is positioned by a threaded rod 44 rotatably mounted in the housing 42. Therefore, by rotating the threaded rod 44, it can be seen that the output speed of the transmission will be varied with respect to the input speed to the transmission.

The reaction element 34 is a conventional planetary transmission having the usual three rotatable elements arranged so that the torque on all three elements are of a fixed ratio to one another. For the purpose of this description, however, we will be concerned primarily with a rotatable housing 45, an input shaft 52, and an output shaft 54 of the element 34. The element 34 serves to connect the input shaft 40 of the variable speed transmission 32 to the drive shaft 22 driven by the drive motor 21. It will be seen that if the housing 45 of the reaction element 34 is held stationary, the input shaft 40 will be driven at a substantially constant speed by the drive shaft 22. It will also be seen that if the housing 45 of the reaction element 34 is released, and assuming that there is a frictional drag on the input shaft 40, the housing 45 will rotate and the input shaft 40 will remain stationary. Therefore, the amount of power transmitted through the reaction element 34 will be dependent on the amount of torque exerted on the housing 45 in a rotational direction opposite to that in which the housing 45 tends to rotate.

A reaction sprocket 46 is provided around the housing 45 and has associated therewith a torque chain 48 for supplying torque to limit the rotation of the housing 45. The torque motor 35 is connected to the torque chain 48 through a sprocket 49 so that when the torque motor 35 applies a torque on the housing 45 opposite to that in which it is tending to rotate, as will be explained hereinafter, a constant power output from the reaction element 34 will be attained. An adjusting chain 50 is also connected to the torque motor 35 and is connected to a sprocket 51 associated with one extending end of threaded rod 44. Therefore, if the housing 45 of the reaction element 34 rotates, the adjusting rod 44 of the variable speed transmission also rotates. Since the power for winding the beam is supplied by the main drive motor 21 and the torque motor 35 controls the torque transmitted through the torque reaction element 34, it is apparent that a small torque motor can control the power of a relative high power transmission since a large mechanical advantage can be easily attained with this arrangement.

The feed roll 14 is of conventional design and has associated therewith a pair of freely rotatable idler rolls 58 which force the web 13 of the warp threads to conform with the feed roll 14. The beam 15 is also of conventional design and is mounted in conventional manner on the support base 10.

The torque motor 35 is a shunt type DC motor and is connected in series with a rheostat R as shown in FIG. 5 so that the torque developed by the motor 35 can be adjusted. The entire circuit is connected to a convenient source of direct current when in use. It is to be understood, however, that an alternating current motor or an air or hydraulic control system may be used for this operation.

Operation In operation it will be seen that the web 13 is wound upon the beam 15 after passage over the feed roll 14, The main drive motor 21 rotates the drive shaft 22 and the feed roll 14 through the feed roll drive shaft 29 at a substantially constant speed. The drive shaft 22 also drives the input shaft 40 of the variable speed transmission 32 through the reaction element 34. The variable speed transmission 32 drives the output shaft 39 and a beam drive spindle 55 through a chain drive 56.

If the tension in the web 13 extending between the feed roll 14 and the beam 15 is to remain constant, the rotational speed of the beam 15 must be decreased as the diameter of the Wound web 13 on the beam 15 increases. This is because the power through the torque reaction beam drive 12 must remain constant.

When the diameter of the wound web 13 on the beam 15 increases, a reaction torque is exerted on the housing 45 of the reaction element 34. Since this torque cannot be greater than that selectively exerted on the housing 45 by the torque motor 35, the housing 45 will rotate in a direction opposite to that in which the motor 35 is tending to rotate the housing 45.

As the housing 45 rotates, the adjustment chain 50 rotates the threaded rod 44. This serves to change the pitch of the pulleys 36 so that the output shaft 39 speed is reduced and the surface speed of the take-up beam 15 is synchronized with the surface speed of the feed roll 14. Since the beam 15 is increasing in diameter with every revolution, the housing 45 of the element 34, torque motor 35 and adjusting rod 44 will rotate very slowly so that the surface speed of the beam 15 is kept equal to the surface speed of the feed roll 14.

It will also be seen that the beam drive 12 will compensate for a decrease in tension in the web 13 as well as an increase in tension in the web 13 so that the tension will remain constant in all events. It will also be noted that the device may easily be adapted to an unwinding machine.

By readjusting the rheostat R, it will be seen that the tension in the Web 13 between the feed roll 14 and beam 15 will be changed in accordance therewith. Therefore, the tension in the Web 13 may be easily varied, even While the winder is in operation.

When the beam 15 has been filled with the wound web 13, the Winder is stopped and the control motor 35 turned off. The wound beam 15 is removed to be replaced by empty beam 15. While this is being done, the torque con;

trol motor 35 is turned on. Since there is no resistance at the beam drive shaft 55, the torque motor 35 will drive the transmission and the adjusting screw 44 so as to shift the variable pitch pulleys 36 to their initial or starting position.

If the drive motor 21 must be stopped so that adjustments may be made in the machine, it will be seen that the torque motor 35 is left switched on and will drive the housing 45 of the reaction element 34 so as to drive the input shaft 40 of the variable speed transmission 32 and drive the beam drive spindle 55 until proper tension is achieved in the web 13 being wound on the beam 15. It is also noted that the same mechanism may be used as an unwinder for beams, simply by reversing the rotational direction of the motor 21. Therefore, it will be seen that the reaction beam drive 12 serves to isolate that portion of the Web 13 between the feed roll 14 and the beam 15 and maintain a constant tension therein at all times.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many variations may be made in the embodiments chosen for the purpose of illustrating the present invention Without departing from the scope thereof as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed as invention is:

1. A torque responsive speed change for changing the rotational speed of a driven shaft including:

a constant speed shaft; and

torque controlled means connecting said constant speed shaft and said driven shaft, said torque controlled means being effective to transmit a substantially constant power from said constant speed shaft to said driven shaft by varying the speed of said driven shaft in accordance with the torque exerted by said driven shaft on said torque controlled means,

said torque controlled means including a variable speed transmission having an input shaft, an output shaft, 21 speed changing mechanism, and an adjusting means for manipulating said speed changing mechanism, said adjusting means being torque controlled and responsive to changes in torque applied to said driven shaft.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said torque controlled means includes a reaction element having a housing, a driven element and a driving element, said driving element positively connected to said constant speed shaft and said driven element positively connected to said input shaft of said variable speed transmission, said housing having a torque controlled torque exerted thereon and operatively connected to said adjusting means effective to manipulate said adjusting means upon movement of said housing.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, including a torque generating torque motor for exerting a torque on the housing of said reaction element.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said torque exerted by said motor is selectively adjustable.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said torque motor is a direct current shunt type motor.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said torque motor has a control circuit including a regulator for controlling the torque exerted on said housing of said reaction element by said motor.

7. In a winding device for winding a web onto a loom beam:

(a) constant speed drive means;

(b) feed roll means driven at a constant speed by said drive means;

(c) a loom beam upon which the web is to be wound;

(d) a variable speed transmission having an input shaft, an output shaft, a speed changing mechanism and adjusting means for manipulating the speed changing mechanism, said output shaft positively connected to said loom beam;

(e) a planetary transmission having a housing, an input shaft and an output shaft, said input shaft connected to the constant speed drive means and said output shaft connected to said input shaft of said variable speed transmission;

(f) electromagnetic torque generating means connected to said housing and said adjusting means, said generating means being effective to selectively supply a torque to said housing and to change said adjusting means in response to movements of said housing.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said torque generating means is effective to return said adjusting means of said variable speed transmission to a predetermined position when said web is severed and said constant speed drive means is stopped.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said torque generating means comprises an electromagnetic direct current shunt type motor.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,608,741 9/1952 Reeves 28-36 2,819,512 1/1958 Reeder 2836 3,015,871 1/1962 Noe 28-36 LOUIS K. RIMRODT, Primary Examiner.

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