(19)
(11) EP 0 431 948 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
19.02.1992 Bulletin 1992/08

(43) Date of publication A2:
12.06.1991 Bulletin 1991/24

(21) Application number: 90313282.7

(22) Date of filing: 06.12.1990
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)5: B65H 54/52
(84) Designated Contracting States:
CH DE GB IT LI

(30) Priority: 08.12.1989 GB 8927766

(71) Applicant: SPT MACHINES LTD.,
Rustington, West Sussex, BN16 3LQ (GB)

(72) Inventor:
  • Giles, Donald Beresford
    Angmering BN16 4LZ, Sussex (GB)

(74) Representative: Harrison, Philippa Dinah et al
A. A. THORNTON & CO Northumberland House 303-306 High Holborn
London WC1V 7LE
London WC1V 7LE (GB)


(56) References cited: : 
   
       


    (54) Improvements in and relating to winding apparatus


    (57) A rotatably driven mandrel (2) is mounted on a pivot arm (1). A smoothing roller (3) is provided on a further pivot arm (4), and is biassed into contact with the package to apply a force to the package periphery, and hence control the packing density of the wound thread. During winding, as the diameter and weight of the package (9) grows, the increase in diameter deflects the roller (3) downwardly. A sensor (12) detects this and, via a mechanical linkage (11), causes the motor (10) to raise the pivot arm (1) by an amount that maintains the position of the roller (3) substantially constant and maintains the force supplied by the roller (3) to the package periphery substantially constant. This allows the packing density to be kept substantially constant, independently of variations in the weight of the package (9).






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