Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically removing a slub from spun filament yarn and a sliver or roving of staple fibers. The sliver or roving of staple fibers are fed through a drafting apparatus to prepare a continuous bundle of staple fibers. The filament yarn is pretensioned such that a texture is temporarily substantially removed. The continuous bundle of staple fibers and the filament yarn are combined downstream of the drafting apparatus. The combined continuous bundle and the filament yarn are fed into a spinner. The spun filament yarn and staple fibers are monitored to detect imperfections of a predetermined magnitude. A first signal is generated upon detection of an imperfection of the predetermined magnitude. The feeding of the staple fibers is stopped in response to the first signal. The core yarn is clamped at a predetermined position in response to the first signal.

Abstract: A machine wraps pipe as it travels along a substantially linear path between a feeder reel from which the pipe is unwound to a take up reel onto which the pipe is rewound. A pipe wrap assembly for wrapping one or more layers of tape about the pipe is rotatably mounted on a carriage. A mechanism mounted on the carriage and engaged with the pipe drives the carriage along the pipe as the pipe travels from reel-to-reel. As the carriage is driven along the pipe, the tape is spirally applied to the pipe by the pipe wrap assembly. The carriage is supported for lateral horizontal movement in response to variation in the unwind and rewind points on the feeder and take-up reels. The carriage is also supported for longitudinal horizontal movement in response to changes in the rate of travel of the pipe relative to the rate of travel of the carriage.

Abstract: Deflection members for threads, particularly for a hollow spindle machine. The members are movable in translation by a displacement device, from a first position, during normal functioning of the machine, in which each thread (2) is no longer in contact with the corresponding deflection member, and thus with the corresponding twisting device (3), to a second position during the phases of acceleration, deceleration and stoppage of the machine, in which each thread (2) is then applied by the deflection member (1) with which it is in contact, against the corresponding twisting device (3). The thread thus receives during only these three phases, the false tension necessary to impart to it at that time constant tension and winding independent of the speed of thread travel.

Abstract: In the thread wrapping apparatus disclosed herein a binder spindle is driven by control circuit at a speed corresponding to the operating frequency of a variable oscillator. First, second and third sets of drafting rolls which draw and feed a sliver of fibers to the binder spindle are driven by respective stepper motors through control circuits which operate each of the motors at a respective speed which is an individually preselectable proportion of the speed of the spindle.

Abstract: The apparatus for producing two-component thread comprises a twisting mem to which the two components of the two-component thread are fed, and means for severing one of the components as the feed of the second component ceases, including a hollow cylinder operatively connected to a drive and having an annular slit made therein, with at least one flat knife accommodated in the internal space of the cylinder in the area adjoining the annular slit.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for adjusting the lay of a wire rope, in which a torque remaining in the wire rope is detected while the wire rope is drawn out from a reel, and the lay of the wire rope is increased or decreased in accordance with the result of the detection to remove the residual torque; further, the pitch of lay of the wire rope after increasing or decreasing of the lay is measured, then the lay is increased so that the pitch of lay becomes smaller by a predetermined amount than the measured pitch of lay, and the pitch of lay before increasing of the lay is measured continuously in this state. When the residual torque becomes zero in the above torque control, the operation shifts to the above pitch control, and when the measured pitch of lay before increasing of the lay exceeds a predetermined range in the pitch control, the operation shifts to the torque control.

Abstract: A stranding machine including a plurality of reels on which filament to be stranded is wound; a separate, rpm-controllable motor connected with each reel; rpm control devices connected to each reel motor for controlling the reel rpm with respect to the stranding speed to determine the tension of the filament running from the reel; a separate compensating roller associated with each reel; and a separate support component carrying a respective compensating roller and being displaceable in opposite first and second directions. Each support component is coupled to the respective rpm control means for controlling the rpm of the respective reel drive motor as a function of displacement of the support component. The filament, as it runs about the compensating roller, exerts a force on the support component in the first direction. A force exerting assembly is connected with each support component for exerting a force on the support component in the second direction.

Abstract: Apparatus (1) for stranding armor wires (11) about a cable core (10), the apparatus comprising a rotary plate (2) equipped with armor wire bobbins (3), a rotary distributer grid (4) driven by the plate, and a stranding die (5) for bringing together the armor wires around the cable core. The improvement lies in the apparatus including a coupling (20) situated between the plate and the distribution grid, together with a brake (40) for stopping the distribution grid. If a stranding operation is interrupted, the distribution grid is braked and stopped in time with the cable core stopping its longitudinal movement, leaving the plate to continue to rotate for a turn or more under its own inertia. Excess twist is thus prevented from crushing the cable core.

Abstract: A wrapped-yarn spinning machine having several spinning places which include each a hollow spindle connected with a drive and carrying a binding thread rotating therewith; the hollow spindle is provided with a false twist device and is arranged between a delivery device for a sliver to be wrapped by spinning and a take-off device for the wrapped yarn; a yarn detector is coordinated to the wrapped yarn which detects the yarn tension and is operable to individually shut down the respective spinning place by interrupting the sliver feed and the drive of the hollow spindle in case of a breakage of the binding thread or of the sliver; the false twist device is provided at the inlet end of the hollow spindle while the yarn detector is arranged between the hollow spindle and the take-off device.

Abstract: A wrapped yarn forming apparatus is disclosed, which is adapted to form a wrapped yarn composed of a core strand, such as a yarn sliver, and a binder strand which is spirally wrapped about the core strand. The apparatus includes a hollow spindle adapted to coaxially mount a supply package of the binder strand, yarn feed means for advancing the core strand through the spindle, and yarn take-up means for winding the resulting wrapped yarn into a package. In the event of yarn breakage, means are provided for interrupting the drives of the various components, and also for terminating the continued withdrawal of the binder strand from its supply package and the continued wind-up of such strand on the take-up package, which would normally occur where only the core strand is broken. Thus piece-up of the apparatus is facilitated by avoiding the necessity of removing the wound binder strand from the take-up package.

Abstract: A braking device with two braking members for frictional engagement with a surface and a brake release linkage, a part of which is pivotable about two positions. A feature is provided to cause pivotal movement of the part in a first sense upon application of an initial brake release load upon the linkage part to reduce and then release the braking load applied by the first braking member. The application of an additional brake release load effects pivotal movement of the linkage part in a second sense to reduce and then release the braking load by the second braking member.

Abstract: An arrangement for winding yarn (3) from a supply roll (2) by means of a flyer (4) onto a bunch of wires fed through the center hole of the supply roll for automatically transferring to the unwinding of a new supply roll (2') when the yarn on the first supply roll (2) is used up or broken. The new supply roll (2') is disposed downstream of the first supply roll (2) seen in the direction of feed of the bunch of wires and a second flyer (4') is associated with it. Downstream of the new supply roll (2') and the second flyer (4') there is a holding device (13) to loosely hold the free end of the yarn (3') on the new supply roll (2') as long as the yarn (3) on the old supply roll (2) is not used up or broken. At its free end the yarn (3') on the new supply roll (2') is formed into a sliding knot (15) carried by the holding device (13), through which sliding knot the bunch of wires (1) is freely fed.

Abstract: The invention involves a ply or wrapped yarn spinning assembly of the type having a drawing unit supplying a sliver through one or more hollow spindles, at which hollow spindles a binding thread is wrapped spirally around the sliver to form yarn. Yarn condition monitors detect the yarn condition and the supply of binding thread. In the event of a malfunction, including exhaustion of binding thread at a hollow spindle, the monitors automatically disengage the supply of sliver by pivoting open a load bearing member of the drawing unit. In preferred embodiments the monitors also actuate mechanical actuators for pivoting driving or driven rollers of the hollow spindles, yarn take-off rolls, and a yarn windup device of the spinning assembly. An auxiliary thread bobbin and associated cutter mechanisms are also provided to facilitate restarting after a malfunction and shutdown.

Abstract: A major problem in the manufacture of optical fibre cables is the strain to which the fibres are subjected, which strain could damage the fibres. To enable this strain to be monitored, and hence remedial action to be taken, one or more metallic elements are incorporated in the cable, each such element with its insulation being similar in thickness to an optical fibre with its sheath. The electrical resistance of the metallic elements varies very little with temperature, but does vary with strain, so by monitoring resistance, one monitors strain.Although mainly intended for use during manufacture, the method can be used whenever strain monitoring is needed.

Abstract: A method for continuously wrapping a tape spirally about an elongated body by passing the body longitudinally through the center of a rotating hollow circular spool while continuously feeding tape to the spool to create several wraps of the tape around the spool and then feeding the interior wrap of the tape through a slot in the spool onto the elongated body. An apparatus for carrying out the invention is also disclosed.

Abstract: Method of and apparatus for the control of composite effect (fancy) yarns with enlargements or "stitches", twisted by means of a hollow spindle. A base thread and an effective thread are combined and fed into the rotating hollow spindle where they are met with a tie thread fed from a package on the spindle. The resulting yarn is fed through pressing rollers past a small hook, through a yarn guide, and thence to a yarn coiling means. A tensiometer is disposed to engage the yarn in the span thereof between the pressing rollers and the small hook. If either the tie thread or the base thread should break, the enlargements on the effecting thread are larger than normal, whereby some of such enlargements are caught by the small hook and the winding of the finished yarn by the coiling means is interrupted. The pressing rollers continue to supply the other threads, and thus there is a reduction of the tension in the span of the thread engaged by the tensiometer.