A filament winder of the automatic exchange type in which chucks are brought successively into winding positions relative to a friction drive roller and thread is transferred from a package on an outgoing chuck to a bobbin on an incomming chuck. Each chuck moves along its own predetermined path towards and away from the friction drive roller. A free thread length is created between the friction drive roller and the outgoing chuck and this free thread length is intercepted by thread catching means on the incoming chuck.
