Winding a package of tape

Abstract

Tape is wound into a package by traversing the winding position along a cylindrical core such that the winding position is intermittently and repeatedly halted at a plurality of positions arranged axially of the core so that at each position the tape is wound spirally following which the winding position is traversed to the next adjacent position. The spirals comprise at least one turn and more of the winding time is spent in forming spirals than in traversing between spirals. The spacing between the positions is such that the spirals do not overlap and such that the gap between the spirals is less than the width of the tape. The number of spirals wound at each position is insufficient to cause a step which interferes with traverse back to the position. Control of the traverse movement can be achieved either electronically by a pulse counter connected to the package support shaft or electro-magnetically by a control drum driven from the package support shaft.

I claim: .[.1. In a method of building a package of tape wound on a core comprising forwarding the tape from a supply thereof, guiding the tape to a winding position on the core, rotating the core to wrap the tape around the core and traversing the winding position across the core to form a package, the improvement wherein the winding position is intermittently traversed to visit repeatedly during the package build each in turn of a plurality of separate positions arranged axially of the core, and at each position is maintained stationary for a period of time to wrap tape spirally of the core in at least one full turn thereof..]. .[.2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the positions are spaced such that the spiral of tape at each position does not overlap the spiral of tape at the next adjacent position..]. .[.3. A method according to claim 1 wherein a first of the positions is arranged at one end of the package and a second of the positions is arranged at the other end of the package..]. .[.4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the period of time at each position is greater than the period of time of traverse of the winding position between each position and the next adjacent position..]. .[.5. A method according to claim 1 wherein the positions are spaced such that the spiral of tape at each position is spaced from the spiral of tape at the next adjacent position by a distance less than the width of the tape..]. .[.6. A method according to claim 3 wherein more turns of tape are wrapped at the end positions than at positions intermediate thereto..]. .[.7. A method according to claim 1 wherein the period of time at each position is increased in dependence upon the package diameter so as to maintain constant the number of turns of tape wrapped spirally at each positions at 
     
        each visit thereto..]. 8. .[.In an.]. .Iadd.An .Iaddend.apparatus for building a package of tape wound on a .Iadd.circular cylindrical .Iaddend.core, comprising support means .[.for the.]. .Iadd.arranged to support a circular cylindrical .Iaddend.core, drive means for rotating the core to wrap tape therearound, guide means for guiding the tape on to .Iadd.a winding surface on .Iaddend.the core at a winding position, .[.and.]. traverse means for reciprocating one of the guide means and support means relative to the other to traverse the winding position axially of the core to build a package, .[.the improvement wherein there are provided.]. .Iadd.and .Iaddend.traverse control means including means arranged to intermittently advance the traverse means such that the winding position visits each of a plurality of separate positions arranged axially of the core in turn repeatedly during the package build and means for halting the traverse means for a period of time such that the winding position remains at each said position in turn to wrap tape spirally of the core at the position for at least one full turn thereof, .Iadd.said guide means comprising roller means having a peripheral surface contacting said winding surface at said winding position and means for directing said 
     
     
        tape around said peripheral surface to said winding position..Iaddend.9. Appartus according to claim 8, wherein the traverse control means includes means for adjusting the distance of advance of the traverse means between each position and the next adjacent position so as 
     
     
        to adjust the spacing between the positions. 10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the adjusting means is set such that the positions are spaced whereby the spiral of tape at each position does not overlap the 
     
     
        spiral of tape at the next adjacent position. 11. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the adjusting means is set such that the positions are spaced whereby the spiral of tape at each position is spaced from the spiral of tape at the next adjacent position by a distance less than the 
     
     
        width of the tape. 12. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the traverse control means includes means responsive to the speed of rotation of said drive means and for controlling the period of time in dependence 
     
     
        thereon. 13. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the speed responsive means is arranged whereby the period of time of traverse of the winding position between each position and the next adjacent position is less than 
     
     
        the period of time at each position. 14. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the traverse control means includes a drum including a plurality of dogs adjustably positioned thereon, means for rotating the drum in dependence upon the speed of the drive means and switching means responsive to contact thereof by respective ones of the dogs for advancing 
     
     
        and halting the traverse means. 15. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the traverse advance means comprises a lead screw and nut and a 
     
     
        stepping motor arranged to rotate the lead screw. 16. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the traverse means is arranged such that a first of the positions is at one end of the package and a second of the positions is at 
     
     
        the other end of the package. 17. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said roller means has a width greater than the width of the tape. .Iadd.18. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said roller means has a width at least equal to a width of the package so as to contact the package across its full width..Iaddend. .Iadd.19. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said drive means is arranged to provide a driving rotation to said roller means such that said peripheral surface of said roller means in contact with said winding surface acts to drive said package..Iaddend. .Iadd.20. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said traverse control means is arranged such that the winding position visits each of a pair of separate end positions of the package, and said halting means is arranged such that the winding position remains at said end positions for a period of time sufficient to wrap tape spirally of the core to form a step having at least two turns and of a radial height which is increased relative to another position on the package, and said traverse means is arranged such that the winding position can traverse from said step, to said another position to form a helical traverse portion of the tape which descends from said step to said another position without interfering with the traverse of the tape and such that said helical traverse portions are angularly offset from the next adjacent underlying traverse portion..Iaddend. .Iadd.21. A method of building a package of tape wound on a core comprising forming a right circular cylindrical winding surface having tape wound around an axis thereof while traversing axially relative to said package repeatedly to form a pair of separate axially spaced end positions on the package resulting from repeatedly winding said tape spirally to form a plurality of separate windings of at least two full turns, forming a helical traverse disposed between each separate spiral winding to connect the spiral winding to another position on said package such that each spiral winding forms a right circular cylindrical step at a respective one of the end positions of increased radial height relative to the radial height of said another position which has not been increased, and wrapping further wraps of tape at said another position to build the radial height thereof up to said step, wherein each helical traverse from said end position to said another position is arranged such that it is angularly spaced from the preceding underlying helical traverse from said end positions to said another position and the height of each step being such that substantial deformation of the tape and interference with said traverse are avoided as the tape descends from said step and such that the helical traverses are sufficiently frequent to interlock said end position with said another position at spaced locations throughout its radial and angular dimension to provide the package with stability and resistance to telescoping or collapse..Iaddend. .Iadd.22. A method according to claim 21 wherein said helical traverse includes one full turn..Iaddend. .Iadd.23. A method according to claim 21 wherein the number of turns in each spiral winding lies in the range 2 to 10..Iaddend. .Iadd.24. A method according to claim 21 wherein the number of turns in each end position between each helical traverse section and the preceding underlying helical traverse section is different from an integral number of turns whereby said each helical traverse section is angularly spaced from said preceding underlying helical traverse section..Iaddend. .Iadd.25. A method of building a package of tape wound on a core comprising forming a right circular cylindrical winding surface in which the tape is wound around an axis thereof while traversing axially relative to said package repeatedly to form a pair of separate axially spaced end positions on the package of tape by repeatedly winding said tape to form a plurality of separate spiral windings having a number of turns lying between at least 2 and about 10, forming a helical traverse in between each spiral winding of said tape to connect the spiral winding to another position on said package such that each spiral winding forms a circular cylindrical step at a respective one of the end positions of increased radial height relative to the radial height of said another position which has not been increased, wherein each said helical traverse from each said end position to said another position is angularly spaced from the preceding underlying helical traverse from said end position to said another position whereby said helical traverses interlock each said end position with said another position throughout its radial and angular dimension to provide the package with stability and resistance to collapse..Iaddend. .Iadd.26. A method according to claim 25 wherein each helical traverse section from said end position to said another position is arranged such that it includes one full turn..Iaddend. .Iadd.27. A method according to claim 25 wherein the number of turns in each end position between each helical traverse section and the preceding underlying helical traverse section is different from an integral number of turns whereby said each helical traverse section is angularly spaced from said preceding underlying helical traverse section..Iaddend. .Iadd.28. A method of building a package of tape comprising forming a package body defining a right circular cylindrical winding surface substantially from a plurality of axially spaced right circular cylindrical body portions, each portion being coaxial and including a plurality of turns of said tape which are spirally wrapped so that the edges of the turns of tape of the portion lie in the same pair of radial planes spaced axially on said package body, interconnecting each portion to another of said portions at repeated positions throughout a radial dimension of said portion by helically wrapped traverse sections of tape which axially traverse said package from said portion to another said portion in such a manner that, as the tape traverses from said portion to said another portion, it descends from a radial location on said portion to a radial location on said another portion of reduced radial height, adding at said another portion further wraps of tape to build a step formed from said tape to a radial height substantially equal to said radial location on said portion, the number of turns of spirally wrapped tape in said step lying in the range of at least 1 to about 5 and angularly spacing each helically wrapped traverse section from said portion to said another portion from the preceding underlying helically wrapped traverse section from said portion to said another portion whereby the portions are interlocked by said traverse sections..Iaddend. .Iadd.29. A method according to claim 28 wherein each helical traverse section includes one full turn..Iaddend. .Iadd.30. A method according to claim 28 wherein two of said portions are end portions arranged at respective ends of said package and wherein the number of turns in each end portion between each helical traverse section and the next adjacent underlying helical traverse section is different from an integral number of turns whereby said each helical traverse section is angularly spaced from said next adjacent underyling helical traverse section..Iaddend. .Iadd.31. A method of building a package of tape comprising forming a package body defining a right circular cylindrical winding surface substantially from a plurality of axially spaced right circular cylindrical body portions, each portion being coaxial and including a plurality of turns of said tape which are spirally wrapped so that the edges of the turns of tape of the portion lie in the same pair of radial planes spaced axially on said package body, interconnecting each portion to another of said portions at repeated positions throughout a radial dimension of said portion by helically wrapped traverse sections of tape which axially traverse said package from said portion to another said portion so that each portion is divided by said helically wrapped traverse sections into a plurality of concentric steps of spirally wrapped tape, whereby as said tape traverses from said portion to another portion, it descends by the height of one step, arranging each helically wrapped traverse section from each said portion to said another portion such that it is angularly spaced from the preceding underlying helically wrapped traverse section from said portion to said another portion and arranging the number of turns of spirally wrapped tape in said step to avoid interfering with the traverse of tape and deformation of the tape and such that the helically wrapped traverse sections are sufficiently frequent to interlock each said portion with said another portion throughout its radial and angular dimension to provide a package resistant to telescoping and collapse..Iaddend. .Iadd.32. A method according to claim 31 wherein the number of turns of spirally wrapped tape in each step lies in the range of at least one to about five..Iaddend. .Iadd.33. A method according to claim 31 wherein each helical traverse section includes one full turn of tape whereby the portions are interlocked throughout their radial dimensions by said traverse sections..Iaddend. .Iadd.34. A method according to claim 31 wherein two of said portions are end portions arranged at respective ends of said package and wherein the number of turns in each end portion between each helical traverse section and the next adjacent underlying helical traverse section is different from an integral number of turns whereby said each helical traverse section is angularly spaced from said next adjacent underlying helical traverse section..Iaddend. .Iadd.35. A method of building a package of tape comprising forming a right circular cylindrical winding surface by wrapping the tape around an axis thereof while traversing axially relative to the package repeatedly to form a pair of separate axially spaced end positions of the package of tape by repeatedly winding said tape spirally to form a plurality of separate spiral windings of a least two full turns, and disposing a helical traverse between each separate spiral winding to connect the spiral winding to another position on said package so that each spiral winding forms a right circular cylindrical step at a respective one of the end positions of increased radial height relative to the radial height of said another position which has not been increased, adding at said another position further wraps of tape to build the radial height thereof up to that of the step, angularly dispersing said helical traverses from each said end position to said another position around the angular dimension of the end position and arranging the height of each step together with the position and angle of the helical traverse so as to avoid kinks in the tape as it descends in said helical traverse from the step whereby to provide the package with stability and resistance to telescoping or collapse..Iaddend. .Iadd.36. A method of building a package of tape comprising forming a body of tape defining a circular cylindrical inner surface arranged for support by a core and a circular cylindrical winding surface substantially from a plurality of circular cylindrical axially spaced body portions, each portion being coaxial and including a plurality of turns of tape which are spirally wrapped so that the edges of the turns of tape of the portion lie in the same pair of radial planes spaced axially of the package, and interlocking each portion to another of said portions at repeated positions throughout a radial dimension of said portion by helically wrapped sections of tape which traverse axially the package from said portion to said another portion whereby said package is interlocked to provide stability..Iaddend. .Iadd.37. A method of building a package of tape comprising forming a body of tape defining a circular cylindrical inner surface arranged for support by a core and a circular cylindrical winding surface substantially from a plurality of circular cylindrical axially spaced body portions, each portion being coaxial and including a plurality of turns of tape which are spirally wrapped so that the edges of the turns of tape of the portion lie in the same pair of radial planes spaced axially of the package, interlocking each portion to another of said portions at repeated positions throughout a radial dimension of said portion by helically wrapped sections of tape which traverse axially of the package from said portion to said another portion, and angularly dispersing said helical traverse sections from said portion to said another portion around the angular dimension of said portion whereby said package is interlocked in its radial and angular dimensions to provide stability..Iaddend.