A method and associated system are provided for splicing a reserve nose wire to a running nose wire in a facemask production line, wherein the running nose wire is supplied continuously from a supply roll. Prior to depletion of the running nose wire, the supply roll is moved from an operating location to an intermediate location that is further from the production line while continuing to supply the running nose wire from the supply roll. The supply roll is then moved from the intermediate location back towards the production line while decelerating the supply roll to a stop, thereby creating an accumulation of the running wire functionally between the supply roll and the production line. With the supply roll at a stop, the running nose wire is continuously supplied from the accumulation and a leading end of a reserve roll of nose wire is spliced to the running nose wire at a location upstream of the accumulation where the running nose wire is at a standstill. The running nose wire is then cut at a location upstream of the splice such that the reserve nose wire and reserve roll become a new running nose wire and new supply roll in the production line.

A method and associated system are provided for splicing a reserve nose wire to a running nose wire in a facemask production line, wherein the running nose wire is supplied continuously from a supply roll. Prior to depletion of the running nose wire, the supply roll is moved from an operating location to an intermediate location that is further from the production line while continuing to supply the running nose wire from the supply roll. The supply roll is then moved from the intermediate location back towards the production line while decelerating the supply roll to a stop, thereby creating an accumulation of the running wire functionally between the supply roll and the production line. With the supply roll at a stop, the running nose wire is continuously supplied from the accumulation and a leading end of a reserve roll of nose wire is spliced to the running nose wire at a location upstream of the accumulation where the running nose wire is at a standstill. The running nose wire is then cut at a location upstream of the splice such that the reserve nose wire and reserve roll become a new running nose wire and new supply roll in the production line.

A footwear lacing apparatus can comprise a housing structure, a modular spool and a drive mechanism. The housing structure can comprising a first inlet, a second inlet, and a lacing channel extending between the first and second inlets. The modular spool can be disposed in the lacing channel and can comprise a lower plate including a shaft extending from the lower plate, and an upper plate including a drum portion. The upper plate can be releasably connected to the lower plate at a connection interface. The drive mechanism can couple with the modular spool and can be adapted to rotate the modular spool to wind or unwind a lace cable extending through the lacing channel and between the upper and lower plates of the modular spool.

Systems and apparatus related to automated tightening of a footwear platform including a lacing engine drive apparatus are discussed. In an example, a drive apparatus to rotate a lace spool of a motorized lacing engine within a footwear platform can include a gear motor, a gear box, a worm drive, and a worm gear. The gear box can be mechanically coupled to the gear motor, and the gear box can include a drive shaft extending opposite the gear motor. The worm drive can be slidably keyed to the drive shaft to control rotation of the worm drive in response to gear motor activation. The worm gear can rotate the lace spool upon rotation of the worm drive to tighten or loosen a lace cable on the footwear platform.

Systems and apparatus related to automated tightening of a footwear platform including a lacing engine drive apparatus are discussed. In an example, a drive apparatus to rotate a lace spool of a motorized lacing engine within a footwear platform can include a gear motor, a gear box, a worm drive, and a worm gear. The gear box can be mechanically coupled to the gear motor, and the gear box can include a drive shaft extending opposite the gear motor. The worm drive can be slidably keyed to the drive shaft to control rotation of the worm drive in response to gear motor activation. The worm gear can rotate the lace spool upon rotation of the worm drive to tighten or loosen a lace cable on the footwear platform.

A hand-held rope tie is operable to releasably hold one or more portions of a rope. Pivotally connected arm members accommodate and hold the rope portions with a selected clamping pressure. The rope tie is adjustable to tightly grip and clamp onto the rope without slippage of the rope through the arms when desired.

A hand-held rope tie is operable to releasably hold one or more portions of a rope. Pivotally connected arm members accommodate and hold the rope portions with a selected clamping pressure. The rope tie is adjustable to tightly grip and clamp onto the rope without slippage of the rope through the arms when desired.

A tensioning system for articles of footwear and articles of apparel is disclosed. The tensioning system includes a tensioning member that is tightened or loosened using a motorized tensioning device for winding and unwinding the tensioning member on a spool. The tensioning system may be used with various sensors to determine how the motorized tensioning device should be controlled.

A tensioning system for articles of footwear and articles of apparel is disclosed. The tensioning system includes a tensioning member that is tightened or loosened using a motorized tensioning device for winding and unwinding the tensioning member on a spool. The tensioning system may be used with various sensors to determine how the motorized tensioning device should be controlled.

The present disclosure provides a method for knotting glass fibers and a spliced glass fiber bundle. The method for knotting glass fibers comprises the following steps of: equally dividing a glass fiber bundle A and a glass fiber bundle B that are to be connected by knotting into n strands, respectively, and marking the strands as A1-An and B1-Bn, respectively, wherein n is a natural number greater than or equal to 2; and, successively knotting and splicing the glass fiber strands A1-An and the glass fiber strands B1-Bn in one-to-one correspondence to form n spliced knots. The method for knotting glass fibers in the present disclosure is simple, easy to operate and applied to the knotting and splicing of various fiber bundles, and can effectively reduce the size of knots formed by knotting fiber bundles. Accordingly, the blockage, entanglement, stoppage and other phenomena during the production can be prevented, the smooth production is ensured, and it is advantageous for continuous production and quality of subsequent products.