US2030301A - Bobbin clutch for rotatable spindles - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 11, 1936. J. F. JACKSON BOBBIN CLUTCH FOR ROTATABLE SPINDLES Filed Jan. 21, 1935 do HN FR EDERI CK JA CKSON wow/M3 Patented Feb. 11, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOBBIN CLUTCH FOR ROT'ATABLE SPINDLES Application January 21, 1935, Serial No. 2,643 4 Claims. (01. 242 46.7)

. (This invention relates to bobbin clutches and ,more particularly toa bobbin clutch for rotatable spindles of the type employed for spinning or i twisting yarns in which bobbin clutching members are provided to fit within the base of the :bobbin and to expand therein, thus to firmly hold and maintain the bobbin in operative position upon the spindle during the spinning or other operation.

. The objects of this invention are to provide a bobbin clutch which is simple and economical to manufacture and assemble, whichis efiicient and durable in use, and which is generally superior to. bobbin clutches now in use.

; With these and other objects in view, as will be apparent to one skilled in the art, my invention resides in the .combination of parts set forth in the specification and covered by the claims appended .hereto.

.;Referring to the drawing, which illustrates one embodiment of my invention, and in which like reference numerals indicate like parts:

Fig. 1 is an enlarged View in vertical elevation partly broken away of the assembled spindle -.c;lutch embodying a preferred form of the inventi n;

Fig. 2 is a plan view on an enlarged scale with .parts broken away showing the respective positions of the springs and clutch fingers of the construction shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. :3 is aside elevation of a spindle embodying this invention;

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of the sleeve forming one element of the clutch construction; Fig. 5 is a View in perspective of one of the bobbin clutching members; and

6 is a detail partly in elevation and partly broken away of the bobbin head construction shown in Fig. 1.

In accordance with my invention, I have pro vided a bobbin clutch construction for rotatable spindles which comprises essentially, first, a slottedsleeve rigidly secured to the spindle blade; secondly, a plurality of similar rigid bobbinclutching members surrounding the spindle blade, extending longitudinally thereof and fulcrumed between their ends directly upon the blade so as to rock radially thereof; third, suitable means for limiting the outward movement of the upper ends of the clutch members; and, fourth, radially yieldable means, such as a plurality of compression springs acting individually upon the exterior of each of the clutch membersyielding- 1y; to press their lower ends radially inwardly to- Ward the spindle blade.

As illustrated in the drawing, one embodiment of this invention comprises a spindle blade ill of the usual form and a driving whirl l2 rigidly secured thereto, preferably by a pressed fit, the whirl I2 having a reduced hub l3 which extends upwardly from the upper surface of the whirl and terminated at its upper end by a flange l4 projecting laterally from its upper periphery. In its upper face, which is preferably flat, the whirl flange M is formed with an annular recess or groove IS concentric with the blade 10 and is provided with a plurality of symmetrically arranged radial slots l8, which in the preferred construction are herein shown to comprise four in number, in which the adjacent slots are diametrically at right angles to each other and thus divide the upper face of the whirl into sectors. A slotted sleeve 20 is secured to or driven on the spindle blade and comprises a head portion 2| from which depends a plurality of similar symmetrically disposed circumferentially separated fingers 22 which form a series of radial slots between the adjacent fingers extending longitudinally from the bottom and throughout the major portion of the length of the sleeve. The lower ends of the fingers 22 are seated in the bottom of the recess l6 formed in the whirl flange I4. The exterior surface of the head 2i is provided with flat portions 23 which are directly above the slots between the fingers'22 and lie above the radial slots I8 in the whirl when the sleeve is seated in position thereon.

The bobbin clutching members '25 in their main portion present elongated cylindrical segments and terminate at their lower ends inthin extended portions 26. At their upper ends these segments are formed with thin lips 21. These clutching members preferably fit snugly within the slots in the sleeve 28 with the bottom end portions 26 depending into the radial slots l8 in the whirl, with the lips 21 extending upwardly into the interior of the sleeve 20 behind the flat sections 23 for limiting the radial outward movement of the upper ends of the clutch fingers, and fitting in sliding contact against the side walls of the sleeve fingers 22. -At their lower ends, the clutching members are held in position and the clutching action is exerted thereon by individual compression springs 30, located wholly in place in the slots I8 within the whirl face, and they are freely movable therein and bear radially inwardly against the exterior surface of the clutching members near their lower ends at "the extended portions 26. The springs 30 are shown as ordinary coiled compression springs made from spring steel wire. Each bobbin clutching member at its inner surface has a fulcrum engagement intermediate and preferably about midway of its ends with the spindle lade it. From this point or line of fulcrum engagement, the interior surface of the clutch member below the fulcrum is reentrant and of less thickness than the body of the member at the fulcrum point. This allows the bobbin clutching member to rock angularly in the slot in the sleeve 28.

A cap 3!, shown as formed of thin metal having an annular fiat top portion 32, extends over the top of the whirl concentric with the blade and forms a seat or rest for the bottom of the bobbin besides serving to protect the movable clutch parts within the whirl from the entrance of lint or dirt. The cap is provided with a depending annular flange 33 whereby it is secured to the upper end of the whirl flange l4, preferably by being driven on with a driving fit forming a closure for the top of the whirl and to prevent displacement of the clutch actuating springs from the whirl.

In the use of my invention, when the parts are assembled, the springs 36 individually bearing against the lower ends of the clutch members serve to maintain the clutch fingers in their radially outward position as shown in Fig. 1. At this time the springs 3B are in their normal position. When the bobbin is placed on the spindle, as it passes down over the clutch members, it forces them inwardly, rocking them about their fulcrum surface and causing their upper end 2'! to move radially inwardly toward the spindle blade. This causes the bobbin clutching members, due to the reacting resiliency of the compression springs 35 pressing on the exterior of the lower ends or" the individual clutch fingers, to rock about their fulcrum points upon the blade so as to effect outward movement of the clutch fingers and cause them to press firmly against the bore of the bobbin and hold it in operative position upon the spindle. Thus, as the spindle rotates, the centrifugal force exerted upon the clutching members during the high speed of rotation of the spindle will act to increase the clutching action of the clutching members on the bobbin.

Owing to the fact that the bobbin clutching members fit closely between the side walls of the slots in the sleeve 25] and are enclosed at their upper ends by the sleeve head 2| and at their lower ends by the bobbin rest cap 3i, it is practically impossible for lint, dust or dirt to enter to any substantial extent the interior of the sleeve 2c and to have any detrimental effect upon the operation of the bobbin clutching members or clog up the springs and lower parts of the clutch fingers. This is also further prevented by the rocking movement of the clutch members in the sleeve 28.

The individual springs 39 act to apply pressure directly to the individual clutch fingers at their lower ends, and which by the fulcrum contact of the fingers with the blade, cause an outward flare of the upper portion of the individual clutch members, thereby obtaining a more positive and practical contact with the bore of the bobbin than has heretofore been accomplished with the previous forms of bobbin clutches.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A rotatable spindle comprising a blade, a plurality of clutch members positioned symmetrically around the blade and extending longitudinally and angularly movable radially thereof,

presenting outer surfaces for engaging the.

bobbin and inner surfaces having fulcrumed engagement intermediate their ends with the blade, a sleeve concentric with the blade and secured at its upper end thereto and having a plurality of longitudinal slots fitting the bobbin clutching members and within which slots the bobbin clutching members move radially and from which they project outwardly, a whirl secured to the lade having a plurality of slots in its upper face and extending radially outward from the blade to the outer periphery of the whirl into which the lower ends of bobbin clutching members extend, and means including a spring located wholly in each of the whirl slots whereby pressure is applied radially inwardly against the outer surface of the lower ends of the respective clutch members for effecting the clutching action.

2. A rotatable spindle comprising a blade, a plurality of clutch members positioned symmetrically around the blade and extending longitudinally and angularly movable radially thereof, and presenting outer surfaces for engaging the bobbin and inner surfaces having fulcrumed engagement intermediate their ends with the blade, a sleeve concentric with the blade and secured at its upper end thereto and having a plurality of longitudinal slots fitting the bobbin clutching members and Within which slots the bobbin clutching members move radially and from which they project outwardly, a whirl secured to the blade having a plurality of slots in its upper face and extending radially outward from the blade to the outer periphery of the whirl into which the lower ends of bobbin clutching members extend, a plurality of radially disposed springs located one in each of the whirl slots, said springs being arranged wholly in said slots and pressing radially inwardly against the outer surface of the lower ends of the respective clutch members for effecting the clutching action, and a cap on the whirl closing the upper ends of the slots in its upper surface and having its exterior surface merging with the exterior surface of the whirl.

3. A rotatable spindle comprising a blade, a whirl secured to the blade having an annular recess concentric with the blade and presenting a plurality of radial slots in its upper face disposed laterally therein forming circumferentially separated sectors, a sleeve concentric with the blade and secured at its upper end thereto and hav-- ing a plurality of depending fingers, the lower ends of which are seated in said recess and the sides thereof forming a plurality of similar vertical slots, a plurality of similar rigid clutch members mounted one in each slot seated at their lower ends in said radial slots of the whirl and freely movable therein, extending at their upper ends interiorly of the sleeve and fulcrumed between their ends upon the blade to rock radially thereof in the sleeve slots, and a plurality of individual spring members located one in each of said whirl slots for yieldingly and exteriorly pressing the lower ends of the clutch fingers radially inwardly toward the spindle blade for effecting the clutching action.

4. A rotatable spindle comprising a blade, a whirl secured to the blade having an annular recess concentric with the blade and presenting a plurality of radial slots in its upper face disposed laterally therein forming circumferentially separated sectors, a sleeve concentric with the blade and secured at its upper end thereto and having a plurality of depending fingers, the lower ends of which are seated in said recess and the sides thereof forming a plurality of similar vertical slots, a plurality of similar rigid clutch members mounted one in each slot seated at their lower ends in said radial slots of the whirl and freely movable therein, extending at their upper ends interiorly of the sleeve and fulcrumed between their ends upon the blade to rock radially thereof in the sleeve slots, and a plurality of individual coiled compression springs located one in each of said whirl slots for yieldingly and exteriorly pressing the lower ends of the clutch fingers radially inwardly toward the spindle blade for efiecting the clutching action, and means on the blade for limiting the radial outward movement of the upper ends of the clutch members.

JOHN FREDERICK JACKSON.

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