CA1264483A - Mop head fabric with method and apparatus for making same - Google Patents
Mop head fabric with method and apparatus for making sameInfo
- Publication number
- CA1264483A CA1264483A CA000574318A CA574318A CA1264483A CA 1264483 A CA1264483 A CA 1264483A CA 000574318 A CA000574318 A CA 000574318A CA 574318 A CA574318 A CA 574318A CA 1264483 A CA1264483 A CA 1264483A
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- strand
- cords
- lengths
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Abstract
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
There is disclosed a mop head sheet-like fabric formed of a plurality of folded and twisted cords on each side of the midline of the fabric which are in side-by-side abutting relation to one another and have looped ends, the cords being bound together by a tape on each side of the midline adjacent to and inward of the looped ends, wherein the tapes have been perforated through with a patterning of needle holes; the fabric may be in a continuous form such as is sheeting and of a prescribed width, being that of approximately twice the length of the constituent cords. The fabric is easily handleable as is sheeting. Further disclosed is a continu-ous process for forming the present fabric, employing porcupine rollers to control the twisting of the cords and their side-by-side orientation, as well as their taping. Yet further disclosed is an apparatus for carrying out the process employing the aforesaid porcupine rollers.
There is disclosed a mop head sheet-like fabric formed of a plurality of folded and twisted cords on each side of the midline of the fabric which are in side-by-side abutting relation to one another and have looped ends, the cords being bound together by a tape on each side of the midline adjacent to and inward of the looped ends, wherein the tapes have been perforated through with a patterning of needle holes; the fabric may be in a continuous form such as is sheeting and of a prescribed width, being that of approximately twice the length of the constituent cords. The fabric is easily handleable as is sheeting. Further disclosed is a continu-ous process for forming the present fabric, employing porcupine rollers to control the twisting of the cords and their side-by-side orientation, as well as their taping. Yet further disclosed is an apparatus for carrying out the process employing the aforesaid porcupine rollers.
Description
MOP HEAD FABRIC WITH MæTHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING SAME
This application is a division of Canadian Ser.ial No. 525,026, filed December 11, 1986.
Background of the Invent.ion 1. Technical Field This invention relates to a new fabric of prolonged, indefinite length, useful in making mop heads by a continuous method for making such a fabric structure or article, and to an apparatus means for car~ying out the continuous process.
More particularly, the invention relates to a mop head fabric material . formed with looped edges or ends of the mop strings or cords thereof which tend to prevent or minimuze the frittering away of yarn fibers during mop use or washing the mop head for reuse; further, this fabric is m~de in such a way and is of such a construction that the orientation of the constituent cords or strings is preserved in side-by-side ad~acency throughout their lengths during processing and as desired during shipment until time of end use; still further the article of the invention is of such a construction that the twist imparted to the constituent yarns or rovings during formation : ~is preserved until put into end use, and even during end use.
Also, the invention relates to a process for formlng such a mop head fabrlc which i.s continuous in nature, and obviates the need for :: :
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.,:,,. .:: . -~3 1 intervention by a hu~an operator, such as in orien-tation or reorientation o~ the consti~uen~ yarns; rovings, ~ords or stxings for further processing~
to provide pronounced economies and reduced labor costs per unit mop head made from such a ~abric so processed.
Yet further, the apparatus means of the invention rela~es to novel means for con~rolli~g the orlentation of ~he constituent yarns~ rovings, cords or strings during processing both relative one another and relative the constituent fibers thereof relative one another so as to maintain inserted twist within each strand eleme~t, and to maintain adjacency between succeeding strand elements throughout their respective lengths~
This application is a division of Canadian Ser.ial No. 525,026, filed December 11, 1986.
Background of the Invent.ion 1. Technical Field This invention relates to a new fabric of prolonged, indefinite length, useful in making mop heads by a continuous method for making such a fabric structure or article, and to an apparatus means for car~ying out the continuous process.
More particularly, the invention relates to a mop head fabric material . formed with looped edges or ends of the mop strings or cords thereof which tend to prevent or minimuze the frittering away of yarn fibers during mop use or washing the mop head for reuse; further, this fabric is m~de in such a way and is of such a construction that the orientation of the constituent cords or strings is preserved in side-by-side ad~acency throughout their lengths during processing and as desired during shipment until time of end use; still further the article of the invention is of such a construction that the twist imparted to the constituent yarns or rovings during formation : ~is preserved until put into end use, and even during end use.
Also, the invention relates to a process for formlng such a mop head fabrlc which i.s continuous in nature, and obviates the need for :: :
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.,:,,. .:: . -~3 1 intervention by a hu~an operator, such as in orien-tation or reorientation o~ the consti~uen~ yarns; rovings, ~ords or stxings for further processing~
to provide pronounced economies and reduced labor costs per unit mop head made from such a ~abric so processed.
Yet further, the apparatus means of the invention rela~es to novel means for con~rolli~g the orlentation of ~he constituent yarns~ rovings, cords or strings during processing both relative one another and relative the constituent fibers thereof relative one another so as to maintain inserted twist within each strand eleme~t, and to maintain adjacency between succeeding strand elements throughout their respective lengths~
2. Background Infoxmation on ~elated Art and Problems .
A mop head, by its nature, is a difficultly handleable and unruly article to make~ to package~ to unpaclcage~ to ship and to market. One must arrange or orient the plurality of mop strings or cords substantially ~15 parallel one another before binding them either at one end of the assemblage or, if one uses strin~s or cords of double the length used in the mop pro-duct, at or alon~ their midline with a blnder which may be accepted by and ~ fixed to mop handle. Such mop head pxoducts are readily seen in publications .~ of the prior art, such as for example U~ S~ Pat.s Nos. 1,625~857 (E.
~20 Jumonville); 2,035,130 (~ lawans); 2~231,272 (~ I. Klawans); 2,238,~32 (I. A. Myers); 2~300,821 (F. Weaver et al). Alternately, some constructions of mop heads use a binding or the consti~uent strings or cords at a plural~
ity of locations between the midline and the cord ends or tips, such as are . .
shown in other publications like, fox example, U~S. Pat.s NosO 3,962,743 (Theron V~ Moss); 4,08s,476 (Theron V. Moss); and 4,364,144 (Theron V. ~loss et al). Regardless of the particular construction, great care must be ~27 exercized in axranging the cords parallel one anoth0r and maintaining that =2-`::
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~IClA5 1 orientation during processing tne cords into a mop head. Usually~ one is concerne~ with problems of disxuption o~ the adjacent parallel arrange-~ent of the co~ds, producing entanglements, snarlings, knottings and the like which must bæ disentangled, unsnarled and unknot~ed by hand or the S product or its materials must be discarded as waste, a most costly ven~ure whether by discarding or rearrangement into parallel orientation. This is especially vexsome when one considers that a ~op head is formed of materials o usually very low unit value, and itself as a product is of xelatively low unit value. ~ach hand ~peration or involvement therefore s~bstantially incre~ses production costs. In this regard, i~ is interesting to note that while the art is replete with suggestions for form~ng a clearly superior mop head by repeatedly ~olding back and forth textile strand mat-erial in the manner sho~vn by Ju~onville (U.S. Pat. ~ 1,625,857), Klawans (U.S. Pat.s Nos. 2,035,130 and 2J231,272) and others to form looped tips or ends to the mop head strands and strings, which permit the mop heads ~
to be vashed clean between usages without loosing fibers and frit~ering away and being destroyed in the process, as with free or cut-ended strings or mop cords, to the best knowledge of the present applicants little comercial usage has been made of such distinct advan~age because of the extraordiDarily high costs of labor inherent in their manufacture. Mop heads with looped cord ends.~ though expensive, axe used in hospitals where one must either rewash between moppings or use new mop heads, but rarely in households ivhere cut-e~d corded ~op heads dominate the ~arket and ind favor because of cost.
It-is further interesting to note that looped-end mop heads are almost in-variably made by se~ving cloth or fabric tapes to hand-aligned,adjacent,paralle:looped coxds, such as shown and described ln V.S. Pat.s NOs. 2,035,130, 2,231,272; 2,300,821; 3,962,743; and 4,085,476 28 ~rom tl~ese observations, it is clear that the marketplace has long =3-., :.,. ~ ,.
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sought a shippable, sheet-like fabric, having a stable configuration of a plurality of substantially parallel strands of textile material extending outwardly in a prescribed width from a center line of any desired length, which later can be furt~ler processed to form, say by cutting, a superior, washable mop head of relatively low cost which is comparable to that of the cost of cut-ended corded mop heads.
Disclosure of the Invention l. Objects of the Invention Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a mop head fabric construction which one may fashion into superior, washable mop heads which are of cost comparable to that of the cut-ended corded mop heads.
A further object of the invention is to provide such a mop head construction which assures mechanical handleability and obviates or at the least munimizes the need for manual handling in its m~lufacture and subsequent processing into mop heads, and their subse~uent shipping and marketing.
A yet further object of the invention is to provide such a mop head fa~ric conatruction which obviates the need for operator intervention -to adjust, align, orient or reorient the constituent cords or stings.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a continuous process for making such a mop head fabric construction.
Still further, another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus means for carrying out the aforesaid continuous process for making such a mop head fabric construction.
These and yet other desirable objects of the invention are attained through the practise of the invention now further described and defined by the explanations and claims which follow.
- 2. Summary of the Invention A new and superior mop head fabric construction was discovered to co~prise a plurality of substantially parallel, abutting strands of textile material, such _, , . ' ~ ::' .:
`` ~2~ 33 as roving, or cords of twisted strands of yarns, having looped ends joining adjacent, abutting strands, said strands each being twisted in-wardly from said looped ends toward its midpoint, and being fixed in such orientation of abuttable and substantially parallel adjacency and twisted in-:~ 5 dividual cords or strings just inwardly of the looped joining ends thereof by a tape extending substantially non~al to the axes of the cords and adhering to the contacting surfaces of the cords sufficiently strongly to maintain the cords in their orientation of parallel, abutting adjacency to one another of s~cceeding cords and to maintain the twist withi~ each of the constituent co~ds. Optionally, it nay prove desirable for certain specific embodiments, such as fabrics having unusually long strings or cords, al50 to adhere a tape between the two end tapes inward of the looped ends, such as along the midline of the cords, to improve handleability.
Thus broadly, the invention encompasses a shippable, sheet-like fabric useful in the making of mop heads which conprises a handleable, joined sheet-like fabri~ structure of an extended length and a predetermined width having a plurality of twisted, elongate cords of textile material arrayed in side-by-side, substantially paral]el adjacency to one another and extending from the fabric width's midline outwardly on both sides of the ~, : 20 midline, wherein the outwardly extending ends of the cords are in the fon~
~ of closed loops of yarn, and the cords have twists extending inwardly from ;~ the looped ends tGward the midline, with the cords on both sides of the midline having twist in the same twist sense and being joined to the cords on the other side of the midline by the yarn. :A plurality of binding tapes ~5 extend lengthwise the fabric su~stantially parallel to the midline thereof and hdhesively bound to the cords at a surface thereof.
In a further e~bodiment, the inventive fabric also provides for the : tapes ~eing bound to the surface of the cords with an adhesive binding or delamination strength within the range of from 15 to 45 ounces of force per inch of tape width.
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The inventive continuous process for making a continuous mop head fabric ccmprises the steps of continuously feeding a strand of textile material f.rom a supply thereof, repeatedly folding the strand back and forth so as to provide a discrete and predetermined length of the strand between sequential foldings and at each folding to provide a looped end between consecutive discrete lengths of the strand, supporting the conseeutive discrete lengths of the strand at their consecutive looped ends for moving the folded and supported lengths of the strand in a direction substantially parallel to a line joining the midpoints of the consecutive lengths of the strand and so moving the strand lengths, and gripping the consecutive strand lengths along the midline thereof, and ~isting frcm each looped end of the strand lengths inwardly toward the midline a prescribed number of turns to pro~ide a twisted or cabled cord. The foregoing is followed ~y the steps of consecutively ;~ releasing the strand lengths along their midline, and continuing to move them in the direction while bringing the cords thereof into side-by-side, parallel abutting relationship on each side of the midline, gripping the twisted cords inwardly of their looped end~ and adhesively fixing a tape proximal the location~ of the gripping to a surface of the cords to fix the cords in their abutting .` relationship with one another, and releasing the support at the looped ends, 2~ and xeleasing the gripping inwardly of the looped ends.
The invention also includes an qpparatus for continuously forming a continuous fabric, suitable for later pxocessing into mop heads, which comprisesa means for continuously feeding a strand of textile material from a supply -; thereof, a means fox repeatedly folding the strand back and forth so as to - 25 provide a predetermined lensth of the strand between sequential foldings and at each folding for providing a looped end between consecutive discrete lengths of the strand, a means for supporting the consecutive discrete lengths : of the strand at their consecutive looped ends and for moving the folded and : -5a-~ .. . . ... .
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, ~i , ~264~3 supported strand lengths in a direction substantially parallel to a line joining the midpoints of the consecutive strand lengths, a means for gripping and releasing the consecutive strand lengths along the midline thereof, means for twisting the consecutive strand lengths from each looped end inwardly toward the midline thereof a pr-escribed number of turns in a single twist sense while the strand lengths æe gripped by the means therefor, for providing on each side of the midline a consecutive plurality of twisted cabled cords, a means for moving the plurality of twisted cabled cords into side-by-side abutting adjacency on each side of the midline, a means for gripping and releasing the side-by-side t~isted cords in sequence at a location on each side of the midline inward of and adjacent to the looped ends, and for moving the consecutive cords in the aforesaid direction of movement of the strand lengths, a means for removing the supporting means frGm the loopod ends of the now twisted cords, a means for adhesively applying supportive tape adjacent lS to the location on each side of the midline to a surface of the consecutive cords arranged in side-by-side abutting adjacency to one another, and a means for energizing, physically supporting, interconnecting, and controlling all elements of the apparatus.
The Draw_i gs A fuller understanding of the invention and its various aspects may be had by reference to the descriptions which follow w~len taken into con-junction with the appended drawings in which:
FIG. 1, in top plan view, shows the mop head fabric of the invention with its looped corded ends, its array of twisted, parallel and abutting adjacent cords or strings, and its end tapes;
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FIG.2 is a side elevation of the article shown in FIG. 1, which latter has been rotated counterclockwise in this view;
FIG. 3 is a botton plan view of the article of FIG. 1, which latter has been rotated counterclockwise to provide this view:
FIG. 4 shows a side elevation of the bottom end of the article of FIG.
1, showing the looped ends of the cords thereof and the tape fixed proximal those loops, in a view somewhat enlarged fram those shown in the other drawings;
FIG. 5 is a flow sheet diagram of the steps of the present process;
FIG. 6, in a somewhat diagrammatic top plan view, shows the apparatus of the invention in the process of form mg the present mop head fabric; and FIG. 7 is a side-elevational section of the tape feed and gripping means shown in FIG. 6 processing cords to form the present fabric, and taken along line 7-7 thereof.
escription of Preferred Embodiments 1. The Article of the Invention With reference to FIGS. 1 to 4, the article of the invention, a fabric 10 of textile yarns or rovings 12 and 14, twisted to fonm cords 30,32, folded at desired lengths between and to form looped ends 16 and 18, is shown to be held together by tapes 20 and 24, tape 20 positioned adjacent to and inward of looped ~ 20 ends 16, and tape 24 adjacent to and inward of looped ends 18. Preferably, ~:
tapes 20 and 24 are perforated in a patterned manner with, respectively, perforations 22 and 26. Optionally, another tape 28 is fixed between tapes 20 and 24 at the mldportion or alony the centerline of fabric 10. Tape 28 is most advantageously employed when the length of cords 30,32 is such that it is desirable to provide control of alignment of cords 30,32 along the midportion for enhanced handleability. Although tapes 20,24,28 are shown fixed to but one surface of fabric 10, it is within the purview of this invention that, although not shown in the drawings, similar tapes 20,24 and 2~ may be positioned on both sides (top and bottom) of fabric 10 if for some particular embodiment such additional holding power provided by an additional adhering tape 20 and or tape 24 and or tape 28 should prove to be particularly desirable.
Particular advantage i5 found in using a tape material for tapes 20, 24 and 28 which has a rubber base type adhesive requiring a delaminating or ; separating force in the range between 15 to 45 ounces of force per inch width (167.42 to 3 times 167.42 grams force per centimeter of tape width); this is sametimes called the "peel strength'l. In one example, a tape material was used for tapes 20,24 and 28 which had a polypropylene base or backing with a depth of 0.0034 inch (0.086 mm), a width of 0.375 inches (9.19 mm) and a rubber base adhesive having a peel strength of 28 ounces per inch of tape width (312.5 grams force per centimeter of tape width) along the line of delamination or peel. In this example, as desired the tapes delaminated fr~m the cords without disrupting either the orientation of the aligned cords or of the con-stituent fibers of the cords at the positions of adhesion and delamination.
It is believed that the most preferred range of peel strengths for tapes 20,24 and 28 where delamination may later prove to be desirable is fram 20 to 30 ounces per inch along the line of delamunation.
Although FIGS. 1 and 3 show only flfteen cords or strings 30,32, this is just for p~rposes of illustration, for indeed the present fabric as here produced - is in a sheet-like form of indefinite length, which is to say of any length which may prove desirable. For example, end product mop heads commonly are formed with 120 double length cords, joined in the middle to a mop handle or rod, producing 240 strings in all, 120 strings 30 and 120 strings 32. Thus, the fabric sheet of the invention conveniently could be cut into mop head size portions every 120 double length cords 30,32 by counting by some known art ; means the 120 cords 30,32 and then actuating some knife element to sever tape 20, tape 28 and yarns 12,14 thereat, and tape 24.
In addition -to being producible in continuous sheet-like form of in-definite lengths, the present article has other desirable attributes. The '~
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~2~ 8~i ~ClA5 1 otherlvise unruly cords 30,32 are in this invention joined securely to adjacent ones to orm the prescnt fabric article by means of tapes 22,24 yielding the axticle in a sheet~ ~ form which may be in length several hundred to several thousand yards or even more, and ~hich sheet is now mechanically handleable preserving its hundreds of thousands to millions of cords 30932 in e~act alignment and orientation. This is not possible with constructions of the prior art. The present axticle therefore may ~ be handled, and packed and shipped if desired in any knol~ manner used ;~ for ordinaxy sheeting of woven fabrics completely mechanically without the need o human, manual inter~ention or operations.
2. Th_ Pxocess and Apparatus of the Invention The basic process steps of the invention to provide the present article are set forth in the flo-v sheet dlagram of FIG. 5, while the basic elements of the pxesent apparatus employed to carry out the process are shown in ~IG.s ; 15 6 and 7, to which the attention o~ the reader is now drawn.
Step 1 - ~old Strand Back and ~orth .
The cords 30732 of the present article are formed from a roving or yarn or other elongate strand of tex*ile material 12 ~nd or 14. It is possible to form cords 30,32 from a single strand, however, as shown in FIG.s 1 to 4 ZO and 6, a plurality of str~nds is preferred~ two of which 12 and 14 are used in the embodiment shown. The elongate strands 12,14 ~ay be formed, and prefer-xably are formed, of staple rather than continuous filaments, although the ; latter may be used under circumstances indlcnting its desirability in the end use mop head product. At any event, whether one or a plurality of strands zs ~ 12,14 is used, or whether they are fo~med from staple or continuous filament ~ or both, the present process steps and apparatus for carrying them out are - substantially the same as shall now be further described. This is also so ~- if one were to use as the elongate strand a cabled strand of various yarns 9 or even a net wrapped strand such as is describæd in U.S. Pat. # 2,300,821.
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With particular reference to FIG. 6, yarns 12,14 fed fro~ some supply means such as bobbins 34 are folded back and forth to provide scmewhat parallel lengths thereof, in the following manner. Yarns 12,14 are passed through a folding means 36 therefor, means 36 receiving and moving them laterally in one direction a prescribed dis~ance, folding them over and then moving them la-terally in the op~osite direction, repeatedly. One such means 36 is in the form of a rotating flyer or swing aro 40, mounted for rotation about its central bearing 38 which bearing 38 receives yarns 12,14 fro~ bobbins 34. Yarns 12,14 then pass along the length of arn 40 and through and out from its terminal bearing 42. As arm 40 rotates a~out b~aring 38, its tenminal bearing 42 describes a circular pathway, shown in FIG. 6 as clockwise by the arrow thereabcve; the movement of yarns 12,14 follows the pathway indicated by the arrows adjacent to them.
In this e~bodiment, arm 40 is selected to be of such length so as to .exceed half of the sum of the lengths of cord 30 and cord 32 by a prescr.ibed amount. This will be further described in the explanation of what we call Step 5, belcw.
The folding of yarns 12,14 provides them with what we call looped ends 16, ~, 18~ In order to support folded yarns 12,14 for movement in a direction nonmal, or substantially so, to their direction of axial orientation produced by `~i the folding, a plural;ty of yarn-receiving hook e~.ements 44 (to the left as se n in FIG. 6) and 46 are provided. Hooks 44,46 are mounted in~bearings-like chain link members 52' and 52 respectively at the inwardly directed :~ ends of spindles 48 received in bearings 52' and 5~ respectively of a pair ~ of spaced apal-t endless chains 50',50. In this embodinent, chains 50',50 are shown vertically disposed in the form of t~o loops, the upper flights of which are substantially horizontal and parallel one another. ChaLns 50',50 are shown to straddle the circular path~ay defined by rotation of arm 40 and ` its terminal bearing 42 in such a manner that as the chains 50',50 are ; 30 moved in the directions as shown by ~djacent arrows, the hooks 44,46 , "
extend inwardly to a degree sufficient to intercept the pathway of bearing 42 and yarns 12,14 issuing ther.efron to receive by hcoking yarns 12,14 as hooks 44,46 ascend the near end of the loops of chains 50',50 to begin move-ment along the upper flight of their loops. This may be done by mounting chains 50',50 onto pulley wheels (not shown3 vertical.ly disposed at such near end for guiding and or driving chains 50',50 to effect their ascent to the upper course to be followed by the upper flight of the chains 50',50.
This ascent is indicated adjacent each near end or loop of chains 50',50 by curved arrows 54. mereafter, chains 50',50 are m~ved along the upper flight courseway in the direction of the a~ows adjacent ~hereto; at a pre-determ med point, each chain 50',50 is moved to descend to its lower flight (not seen), which, again, may be done by boing guided by pulley wheels 57',57 at such predetermined point, as shown by the arrows 56.
Step 2 - Gripping and Twisting Strands In the article of this invention, cords or strmgs 30,32 are cabled or twisted; thus, it also is necess~ry to twist yarns 12,14 about their axes ; to p~ovide cords 30,32. Further, in the present article, the twist is .inward from each looped end 16,18 toward the midportion or midline where cord 30 and cord 32 meet as yarns 12,14. In order that the twistings from the looped ends 16,18 be stable, the twistings would have to result in both cabled cords 30,32 having the same twist sense, either Z or S type, not both; for present purposes, an S type twist for both cords 30,32 is Ere err~d. Also, it is necessary to stop the inward twistings frc~ the opposite looped ends 16,18 at the midportion or along the midline of folded yarns 12,14.
Again referring to FIG. 6, mounted intermediate the extent of the upper flights of chains 50',50 and along the midline between the chains 50',50 is a porcup me xoller 58 so that it will intercept folded yarns 12,14 along their mid-line or rnidportion as they are mo~ed substantially nonmal to the.lr axes by moving .
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hooks 44, 46 borne by moving chains 50',50. Roller 58 bears an outer cylindri-cal surface outsprouted with a plurality of needle-like elernents 59, which may be in the form of card clothing or pins or needles to engage the rniddle portion of folded yarns 12,14 as they are moved under roller 58 by inter-penetrating thern. Roller 58 is used with a cooperat:ing element 60 to assure positive engag~nent of yarns 12,14 by elements S9. Element 60 rnay, for example,be in the fo~n of a guide plate set at a spacing from the closest approach of the points of elements 59 which is less than the cross-sectional width of the two strands 12,14; alternately, element 60 m~y be in the fon~ of another porcupine roller the tips of the points of which would be spaced from those of roller 58 so as to assure positive engagement of yarns 12,14 by the points yet alternately, element 60 may be in the form of another guide plate formed with a central orifice which plate is spaced fr~n roller 58 such that elements 59 may interpenetrate the central orifice causing the points thereof to interpenetrate the central portion of yarns 12,14 as they are moved over the top surface of guide plate 60. Roller 58 is of sufficient size so that its - porcupine surface w~ 1 at any one instant engage at least one, and more desir-ably a plurality of center portions of yarns 12,14 passing thereunder.
To each inward side of chains 50',S0, laterally adjacent to where noller ~,~
58 eng~ges moving yarns 12,14, twisting means are provided; in FIG. 6, such twisting means is in the form of rollers 63' and 63, each of which is positionedrespectively be~ween chains 50',50 and roller 58 seen to be inbcard of each ~; of chains 50',50 and positi~ned so as to intercept spindles 48 to contact their undersurfaces as spindles 48 are moved thereover. Usually during move--; 25 m2nt of chains 50',50 in a direction substantially normal to that of the axes of folded strands 12,14, hooks 44,46 and their spindles 4B are held in one position, which we shall call upright, relative to moving chains 50',50, ~, -- due to the tension exerted on hooks 44,46 by the folded cver, taut strands 12,14 at their looped ends 16,18. In order to twist yarns 12,14 inwardly from ,:
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each of looped ends 16,18 to form cables or strings 30 and 32, spindles 48 in turn have to be ro-tated relative their bearings 52',52 of chains 50',50.
For this, spindle-contacting twisting means 63',63 is driven to rotate in a direction which is opposite in sense to that of the arrows 61' and 61 shown adjacent to spindles 48, thus in t~n to force spindles 48 to rotate in the same directional sense as arrows 61' and 61, also in turn then rotating hooks 44 to form twisted cables or strings 30 on the lefthand side of FIG. 6, and by rotating hooks 46 to form twisted cables or strings 32 to the right. It is to be noted that in the formed article 10 cables 30 and 32 appear to be and in fact must be twisted in the same twist sense, which is to say either S or Z twist, but not both. In the present preferred embodiment, as seen best in FIGS. 1 to 3 and 6, one notes that cables 30 and 32 are of S twist. Now since the twists are inserted inwardly from the looped ends 16,18, in order to provide the same twist sense to both cables 30,32 one must r~tate hooks 44 in a rotational sense opposite to that for rotating hooks 46; this clearly is seen in FIG. 6 in that arrows 61' designating rotation of hooks 44 are in the opposite directional sense of arrows 61 which on the righthand side designate the rotational sense of hooks 46.
Thus, as yarns 12,14 folded and looped over moving hooks 44,46 on re-spective m~ving chains 50',50 are moved in t~le direction substantially normal to their axes their midline portions are received between elements 58 and 60, the pointed projections 59 of roller 58 interpenetrate yarns 12,14 and in effect engage them in a rolling snubbing action; concurrently, spindles ; 48 bearing hcDks 44,46 of those yarns 12,14, which are then engaged in the rolling snubbing action of projections 59, are drivingly rotated in the directions 61',61 to twist each half portion of yarns 12,14 extending between the respective hooks and the points of snubbing action inwardly to provide the respective cables 30,32. The rate of driving rotation of twisting rollers 63',63 is such so as to provide a minimum of one twist for every two inches ~.
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(5.08 centimeters) of length of cables 30,32, with a preferred range of one to one and a half twists per inch (per 2.54 centimeters) of cable length, as yarns 12,14 are continuously moved along by moving chains 50',50.
Step 3 - Unsnubbing and Abutting Adjacent Cables Fu~-ther move~ent of cabled yarns 12,14 moves them out from under the snubbing action of teeth 59 of smlbbing roller 58, and thereupon the inserted twist fmm each of cables 30 and 32 moves inwardly to meet at the midline portion thereof.
; Adjacent, somewhat parallel folded yarns 12,14 pairs are re~uired to be spaced from one another until this point, because of the need for enough room to ~otate adjacent hooks 44 and 46 and to keep adjacent twisting cables 30 and 32 from interfering with adjacent like cables duriny the twisting operation.me sheet-like article product, however, requires that adjacent cables 30 ; and 32 be in abutting adjacency. Although this step of m~ving adjacent cords into abut*ing adjacency with one another may be thought of and defined as :
a discrete process step, we have found that it may be most felicitously carried out mechanically in direct and dependent conjunction with the next step, ~.
which includes the operations of ~ripping the cabled stran~s 30,32 just in-war~ly of the hooked looped ends 16,18, applying end binding tapes to cabled strands 30,32 and unhooking looped ends 16,18. As indicated in the flow chart of FIG. 5, moving cabled strands 30,32 into parallel abutting adjacency must precede their gripping, taping and unhooking.
Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7, following cabling, the upper flights of moving chains 50, 50' are shown to turn downwardly following the directions indicated by adjacent arrows 56,56' over respective pulley wheels 57,57';
as they so move, the spaced out separation between adjacent spindles 48 is reduced to bring adjacent cables 30 and 32 into abutting adjacency with one another.
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~3L26~ 3 Step 4 - Gripp ng Cabled Strandi" Removing Hooks, F~Ying Tapes Although chains 50,50' are moved downward over pulley wheels 57,S7', the matriY of adjacent and abutting cables 30 and 32 continues to follow a pathway which is substantially horizontal.
Along such pathway, just as chains 50,50' begin their descent over pulleys 57,57' cabled strings 30,32 are seized by pointed teeth projections 66,66',66"
; of porcupine rollers 62,64,80,80' set in pairs 62,80' and 64,80. mese provide ; a bight at the nips therebetween to receive the matrix of cablcd cords 30 and 32, keep the matrix on a substantially horizontal pathway, thus to penmit ~ 10 the withdrawal of hooks 44,46 from the respective end loops 16,18 as chains ;~ 50',50 move out of the horizontal and into their descent to the lower flight of their moving looped pathways, and to prevent the premature contraction of cabled cords 30,32 toward their midline due to the removal of the restraining force of hooks 44,46.
Thus one sees that by locating the end of the uppex horizontal flights of chains 50,50' and the paired po¢c~p ne rolls 62,80' and 64,80 in correspond-`~ ing adjacency such that the matxix of cabled cords 30,32 may be seized just prior to full release of cords 30,32 by hooks 44,46, one now conveniently avoids ' the previously unavoidable disruption of cord orientation narnzlly due to the ;- 20 sudden or abrupt relief of the tensions created during the cord twisting step, with the concomitant chaotic and sudden snapping inwardly, each cords 30 and .
32 are out of any control. By this means one then may achieve the object ~ of permitting relief of these tensions under controlled conditions, as shall - further be described in discussing Step 5 hereunder.
-~ 25 To maintain control over cords 30,32, to preserve their orientation relative one another, and thus to provide a handleable article, four functions are performed concurrently: ta) the matrix of horizontally moving cables 30,32 : is seized as above describeid; ~b) the end loops 16,18 are disenga~ed frcn chain hooks 44,46, also as above described; (c) the matrix orientation is fixed ,.
' ' . :.
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as to any cable relative the others, as shall be further explained; and (d) the matrix now with such fixed orientation is ~oved further along its hori-~ontal pathway by the driving action of the paired porcupine rolls.
The preferred embodiment, shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, shows greatest econcmies in apparatus const~uction by employing the paired porcupine rolls 62,80' and 64,80 not only to seize the cord matxix and urge it forward along its hori-zontal pathway, but also to be used as pressure rolls to fix the presently re-quired adhesive tapes to the cabled matrix thus thereby to fix the orientation of any cable relative the others in the sheet-like article of this invention.
As shown, each pair of porcupine rolls 62,80' and 64,80 are mounted so that they are laterally between end loops 16 and the center line and between end loops 18 and the centerline, just adjacent to the end loops and spaced frcm hooks 44 and 46 as the latter pass by. In line with each paired roll set 62,80' and 64,80 is mounted a roll 68 and 70 of adhesive tape 20,24 of the type pre-;~ 15 viously described such that as tape is pulled from the roll its adhesive or -~ sticky side surface faces the opposing surface of the matrix or array of cabled strings 30 and 32, as best seen in FIG. 7. In this preferred embcdiment, tape 20 is inserted atop cables 30 as the latter enter the bight of the nip between pom upine rolls 62 and 80' and are seized by the needled projections or teeth 661 and 66". Roll 62 may be fixed relative fixed roll 80' such that the distancebetween their outer surfaces assures the application of sufficient pressure by their teeth 66' and 66" to interpenetrate the array of cables 30 passing betweenthem, to prevent the cables 30 from shifting laterally toward their center or frcm changing their side-by-side orientation abutment with one another. Alter-nately, either roll 62 or roll 80' may be on a swing anm with the other roll fixed, the swing arm r~ll being biased toward the fixed r~ll by dead weight, or springs or other known biasing means to provide sufficient force to cause the aforesaid seizing of the array of cables 30, and piercing through of tape 20 with holes 22. Although we have here described thQ requirements relative the components to the left hand side of FIG. 6 as also shown in FIG. 7, it is to be understood that such descriptions also apply to the components to the righthancl side of cabled ' ~" ,` ' ` .
~2~ 3 R~IClA5 1 array 10.
In a less preferred alternate ~rrange~ent, where ~or some xeason it proves desir~ble to provide tapes ~0,24 Jiti~out holes in the sheet-like article o~ the invention, this can be done by mount;ng tape rolls 68,70 S inboard o porcupine roll pairs 62~0' and 64,80, which i5 to Say some~hat closer to the midline than the positions shown in ~IG. 6. Also, a pair of pressure tape applicator rollers i~tould be positioned adjacent ~o and in-`ooard o~ porcupine roll pair 6~,8C' and another adjacent and inbo~rd of roll pair 64,80. ~apes 20,24 then are inserted into the bigh~ o the respec~-ive pressure applicator rollers, and as the porcupine xoll pairs grip the cables 30,32 as the latter are movet3, so too cables 30 are fixed relative one anoth~r by tape 20 and cables 32 by tape 24, the tapes then being unperforated One skilled in the are may think of many variations of the present teachings, for example using roll pairs which have porcupine projections along part of their sur~aces such as the outer half and the inner portion or other part being smooth, with the tapes being run bet~veen the smooth surfaces.
~- However, it has been ~ound that there appears to be a valuable coaction be~ween applying the tapes under pressure to the top peripheral surfaces ~ of aligned cables 30 and aligned cables 32, and also piercing through the tapes;~ith the needle p~ojections; that coaction appearing to enhance the adhesion of the tapes to the peripheral cable surfaces~ and thus providing a desirable extra degxee ~ assurance o the tapes not delaminating inadver~-: ently durlng succeeding processing, handling, shipping and the like.
Once so taped, the shee*-llke article of the invention is formed.
Step 5 - Un~ri~ping, Relaxation and ~i1dline Tapin~ of Cables As the dxiven porcupine roll pairs 62,80' and 64,80 seize cables 30 and cables 32, and pressure and puncture join tapes 20,24 to the upper sur~ace o~ the arrayed cables, looped ends 16,18 are disengaged from hooks 44,46, ;~ 29 and thereupon it i5 only the interpenetrating teeth 66,66',66" and pressure =17-,, ~
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RMClA5 1 exerted by thc paired rolls 6 ,80' and 64,80, and the adhering tapes 20,2~
l~hich provide for control over the cables to maintain them in substantially parallel abutting side-by-side relation. The taped cables are forcetl by porcupine roll pairs 6Z,~O' and 64,~0 to continue to ~ove along the aforesaid substantially hori~ontal pathway of matrix 10, and out of the nip of the constituent needled projections 66,66t,66". Immediately upon being freed, taped cables 30,32 tend to contract in an action which largely relieves tl~e stresses imposed upon ttJisting yarns 12,14 into cables, and thus causes the cables' looped ends 1~,16 to move toward the midline of article 10 to shorten them.
One slcilled in the art, ~Yith a kDowledge of the number ~f turns per inch of length of cables 30,32 to be provided and the desired length of cables 30~32 after the tension is relieved and they are shortened, can calculate the desired distance of separat;on of hooks 44 from hooks 46 which will bear the untwisted strands of folded over yarns 12,14. This then will determine the diameter o the circular path to be generated by terminal bearing 42 and the length of ar~ 40 to be used.
The shortening of cables 30,3Z is sho;vn clearly in FIG.s 6 and 7. It is this immediate and almost explosive contraction which in the past has defied attempts to provide maintenance of a stable configuration of adjacent abutting ; 20 cables, but is no-v sol~ed and used in the present invention to provide the almost endless article sheet-like matxix of the invention wherein absolute control a~d maintenance of cable orientation is obtained. The present taped structure i~ the answer long sought for in the art.
When cords 30,32 are of such a leng~h as to~make it desirable to provide addition~l control of the middle portions of article 10V one may apply a tape along the midline such as atape 28 afixed to the top midline surface of article 10 by pressure application by a press~re roll 74 cooperating witn an undergirding doffer roller 76, tape 28 being pulled rom a supply 72 thereof.
~9 Other aspects of the pre5ent apparatus are sho~a diagrammatically. For =1~=
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~L2~ 33 ~i:C11~5 1 exa~pleg all elements of the apparatus are supported by a frame, denoted at 102, including a sou~ce of power and control Illeans for enerGizing and controlling all mechani.c21 rnove)nents and the inter-actlons of all apparatus elements so that they will move and ot~.er-wise function as previously described, all of which necessary com-ponents, such as motors, controllers, electrical, pneur..atic or hydraulic switches, valves and circuits are symbolically represented by the black box marked 100. Those apparatus elements and means whic~
arP driven from power and control means 100 are shown as supported by and energized and controlled through interconnections joining such elements and means with power and control means 100 and frame 102, as seen in ~IG. 6.
I~'ore particularly, swing arm 40 and its bearin~ ~8,42 are energ-ized and controlled for rotation and rate of rotation b~ power and control means 100, and are interconnected by connecting means 138, ; . shown symbolically as a lead line connecting box 100 with bearing 38 ; ~ which means 138 i9 to be understood to comprise whatever is needed to transmit power an~ control signals and physical support to permit ~olding means 36 to perform its proper function at its proper rate to effect the folding of yarns 12,14 in cooperation with moving chair,s 50~,50 and their hooks 44,46. In this regard, one notes that pulley wheels 55',55 which drive chains 50',50 in the direction of their adjacent arrows receive their power and control signals and : physical support by connecting means 155 joining them to means 100 ~ and means 102. ~eans 100 coordinates the rates of rotation of foldin~
: means 36 vla co~mecting means 13~ and rates of movement of chair.s 50'50:and thus of their respective hooks 44,46 via pulleys 55',55 and connecting means 155 such that as bearing 42 moves it will be broueht 2~ into the necessary adjacency to a hook 44 w~en hook 44 intercepts the ~ =19-...
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1 circular path~;ay of beaJ-in~ 42 to the hoo'~-issuin~ yarns 12,1~
the ea-t; an~, in sirnilar rfianner, bearinr ~2 will be brou~ht into sin i].ar ad~acenc~ to each hook 46 as it, in turn, intercepts tbe pathway of bearin~ 42, and hoo]i-issuin~ yQrnS 12,14 thexeat, to cause the foldin~ over of such yarns alternatel~ formin~ the looped ends thereo:
in ~ccordance with the process step fo the invention.
~'urther, means 100 also coordinates and controls the rate of move~ent o~ chains 50',50 as previously described, and also the rate of rotation of twistin~ Eleans 6~,63' respectively through connectin~
means 163',163, such that as chains 50',50 and supported and folded yarns 12,1~, are Jdo~ed, twisting means 63',63 and its spindles 48 in ~;~ .. turn rotate hooks 44,46 a prescribed n~mber of turns to iDpart a precribed -t~rist to cable cords 30,32 in the same twist sense.
- Ye-t further, n~eans 100 coordinates and controls the rates of ; 15 rotation of porcupine rollers 62,64 through their underlyinG rolle;-s :
0~ ,80 SO 2S to seize cords 30,32 and move the same forward in the ~same pathway as the cords ~0,32 followed upon entering the nips be-t~/een roller pairs 62,~C' and 64,809~b~ means of respective connectin~
r.leans 180',180. In this manner, the rates of-movements of hooks 44,~.6 `~ ~Z0 ~ also are controlled so as to ca~se oords 30,32 to be sei~ed and taped prior to bein~ freed completely fro~ hooks 44,46 as the latte-r make ~-their downward turnin~ about pulley ~heels 57',57, and to permit thereafter taped fabric 10 to continue in its sa~e direction an~
to shrink toward the midline to relieve the e~.cess s~ress i.~mparted ~ 25 ~ during the twisting step.
; Still further, means 100 coordinates ana controls ~he rate of ::, rotation of` do.ffer roll 78 so that it may per~orm two functions, that 2~ ; of~contlnuing to .~ove taped fabric 10 away from the apparatus~ and =20=
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also to permit the optional taping of fabric 10 along its midline with tape 28 by cooperation with -the driven pressure applying roll 74.
One skilled in the art will readily recognize that one may use variations from the structures here described, their inter-connections and cooperations within the scope of the claims below to provide the present taped mop head fabric by a suitable process as claimed and an apparatus as claimed to pursue such a process, such variations being changes merely in contours, and componen-ts well within the knowledge of any craftsman, to provide equivalents to what here is defined.
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A mop head, by its nature, is a difficultly handleable and unruly article to make~ to package~ to unpaclcage~ to ship and to market. One must arrange or orient the plurality of mop strings or cords substantially ~15 parallel one another before binding them either at one end of the assemblage or, if one uses strin~s or cords of double the length used in the mop pro-duct, at or alon~ their midline with a blnder which may be accepted by and ~ fixed to mop handle. Such mop head pxoducts are readily seen in publications .~ of the prior art, such as for example U~ S~ Pat.s Nos. 1,625~857 (E.
~20 Jumonville); 2,035,130 (~ lawans); 2~231,272 (~ I. Klawans); 2,238,~32 (I. A. Myers); 2~300,821 (F. Weaver et al). Alternately, some constructions of mop heads use a binding or the consti~uent strings or cords at a plural~
ity of locations between the midline and the cord ends or tips, such as are . .
shown in other publications like, fox example, U~S. Pat.s NosO 3,962,743 (Theron V~ Moss); 4,08s,476 (Theron V. Moss); and 4,364,144 (Theron V. ~loss et al). Regardless of the particular construction, great care must be ~27 exercized in axranging the cords parallel one anoth0r and maintaining that =2-`::
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~IClA5 1 orientation during processing tne cords into a mop head. Usually~ one is concerne~ with problems of disxuption o~ the adjacent parallel arrange-~ent of the co~ds, producing entanglements, snarlings, knottings and the like which must bæ disentangled, unsnarled and unknot~ed by hand or the S product or its materials must be discarded as waste, a most costly ven~ure whether by discarding or rearrangement into parallel orientation. This is especially vexsome when one considers that a ~op head is formed of materials o usually very low unit value, and itself as a product is of xelatively low unit value. ~ach hand ~peration or involvement therefore s~bstantially incre~ses production costs. In this regard, i~ is interesting to note that while the art is replete with suggestions for form~ng a clearly superior mop head by repeatedly ~olding back and forth textile strand mat-erial in the manner sho~vn by Ju~onville (U.S. Pat. ~ 1,625,857), Klawans (U.S. Pat.s Nos. 2,035,130 and 2J231,272) and others to form looped tips or ends to the mop head strands and strings, which permit the mop heads ~
to be vashed clean between usages without loosing fibers and frit~ering away and being destroyed in the process, as with free or cut-ended strings or mop cords, to the best knowledge of the present applicants little comercial usage has been made of such distinct advan~age because of the extraordiDarily high costs of labor inherent in their manufacture. Mop heads with looped cord ends.~ though expensive, axe used in hospitals where one must either rewash between moppings or use new mop heads, but rarely in households ivhere cut-e~d corded ~op heads dominate the ~arket and ind favor because of cost.
It-is further interesting to note that looped-end mop heads are almost in-variably made by se~ving cloth or fabric tapes to hand-aligned,adjacent,paralle:looped coxds, such as shown and described ln V.S. Pat.s NOs. 2,035,130, 2,231,272; 2,300,821; 3,962,743; and 4,085,476 28 ~rom tl~ese observations, it is clear that the marketplace has long =3-., :.,. ~ ,.
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sought a shippable, sheet-like fabric, having a stable configuration of a plurality of substantially parallel strands of textile material extending outwardly in a prescribed width from a center line of any desired length, which later can be furt~ler processed to form, say by cutting, a superior, washable mop head of relatively low cost which is comparable to that of the cost of cut-ended corded mop heads.
Disclosure of the Invention l. Objects of the Invention Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a mop head fabric construction which one may fashion into superior, washable mop heads which are of cost comparable to that of the cut-ended corded mop heads.
A further object of the invention is to provide such a mop head construction which assures mechanical handleability and obviates or at the least munimizes the need for manual handling in its m~lufacture and subsequent processing into mop heads, and their subse~uent shipping and marketing.
A yet further object of the invention is to provide such a mop head fa~ric conatruction which obviates the need for operator intervention -to adjust, align, orient or reorient the constituent cords or stings.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a continuous process for making such a mop head fabric construction.
Still further, another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus means for carrying out the aforesaid continuous process for making such a mop head fabric construction.
These and yet other desirable objects of the invention are attained through the practise of the invention now further described and defined by the explanations and claims which follow.
- 2. Summary of the Invention A new and superior mop head fabric construction was discovered to co~prise a plurality of substantially parallel, abutting strands of textile material, such _, , . ' ~ ::' .:
`` ~2~ 33 as roving, or cords of twisted strands of yarns, having looped ends joining adjacent, abutting strands, said strands each being twisted in-wardly from said looped ends toward its midpoint, and being fixed in such orientation of abuttable and substantially parallel adjacency and twisted in-:~ 5 dividual cords or strings just inwardly of the looped joining ends thereof by a tape extending substantially non~al to the axes of the cords and adhering to the contacting surfaces of the cords sufficiently strongly to maintain the cords in their orientation of parallel, abutting adjacency to one another of s~cceeding cords and to maintain the twist withi~ each of the constituent co~ds. Optionally, it nay prove desirable for certain specific embodiments, such as fabrics having unusually long strings or cords, al50 to adhere a tape between the two end tapes inward of the looped ends, such as along the midline of the cords, to improve handleability.
Thus broadly, the invention encompasses a shippable, sheet-like fabric useful in the making of mop heads which conprises a handleable, joined sheet-like fabri~ structure of an extended length and a predetermined width having a plurality of twisted, elongate cords of textile material arrayed in side-by-side, substantially paral]el adjacency to one another and extending from the fabric width's midline outwardly on both sides of the ~, : 20 midline, wherein the outwardly extending ends of the cords are in the fon~
~ of closed loops of yarn, and the cords have twists extending inwardly from ;~ the looped ends tGward the midline, with the cords on both sides of the midline having twist in the same twist sense and being joined to the cords on the other side of the midline by the yarn. :A plurality of binding tapes ~5 extend lengthwise the fabric su~stantially parallel to the midline thereof and hdhesively bound to the cords at a surface thereof.
In a further e~bodiment, the inventive fabric also provides for the : tapes ~eing bound to the surface of the cords with an adhesive binding or delamination strength within the range of from 15 to 45 ounces of force per inch of tape width.
~`"~ ' _5_ ~' ','..
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The inventive continuous process for making a continuous mop head fabric ccmprises the steps of continuously feeding a strand of textile material f.rom a supply thereof, repeatedly folding the strand back and forth so as to provide a discrete and predetermined length of the strand between sequential foldings and at each folding to provide a looped end between consecutive discrete lengths of the strand, supporting the conseeutive discrete lengths of the strand at their consecutive looped ends for moving the folded and supported lengths of the strand in a direction substantially parallel to a line joining the midpoints of the consecutive lengths of the strand and so moving the strand lengths, and gripping the consecutive strand lengths along the midline thereof, and ~isting frcm each looped end of the strand lengths inwardly toward the midline a prescribed number of turns to pro~ide a twisted or cabled cord. The foregoing is followed ~y the steps of consecutively ;~ releasing the strand lengths along their midline, and continuing to move them in the direction while bringing the cords thereof into side-by-side, parallel abutting relationship on each side of the midline, gripping the twisted cords inwardly of their looped end~ and adhesively fixing a tape proximal the location~ of the gripping to a surface of the cords to fix the cords in their abutting .` relationship with one another, and releasing the support at the looped ends, 2~ and xeleasing the gripping inwardly of the looped ends.
The invention also includes an qpparatus for continuously forming a continuous fabric, suitable for later pxocessing into mop heads, which comprisesa means for continuously feeding a strand of textile material from a supply -; thereof, a means fox repeatedly folding the strand back and forth so as to - 25 provide a predetermined lensth of the strand between sequential foldings and at each folding for providing a looped end between consecutive discrete lengths of the strand, a means for supporting the consecutive discrete lengths : of the strand at their consecutive looped ends and for moving the folded and : -5a-~ .. . . ... .
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, ~i , ~264~3 supported strand lengths in a direction substantially parallel to a line joining the midpoints of the consecutive strand lengths, a means for gripping and releasing the consecutive strand lengths along the midline thereof, means for twisting the consecutive strand lengths from each looped end inwardly toward the midline thereof a pr-escribed number of turns in a single twist sense while the strand lengths æe gripped by the means therefor, for providing on each side of the midline a consecutive plurality of twisted cabled cords, a means for moving the plurality of twisted cabled cords into side-by-side abutting adjacency on each side of the midline, a means for gripping and releasing the side-by-side t~isted cords in sequence at a location on each side of the midline inward of and adjacent to the looped ends, and for moving the consecutive cords in the aforesaid direction of movement of the strand lengths, a means for removing the supporting means frGm the loopod ends of the now twisted cords, a means for adhesively applying supportive tape adjacent lS to the location on each side of the midline to a surface of the consecutive cords arranged in side-by-side abutting adjacency to one another, and a means for energizing, physically supporting, interconnecting, and controlling all elements of the apparatus.
The Draw_i gs A fuller understanding of the invention and its various aspects may be had by reference to the descriptions which follow w~len taken into con-junction with the appended drawings in which:
FIG. 1, in top plan view, shows the mop head fabric of the invention with its looped corded ends, its array of twisted, parallel and abutting adjacent cords or strings, and its end tapes;
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:
FIG.2 is a side elevation of the article shown in FIG. 1, which latter has been rotated counterclockwise in this view;
FIG. 3 is a botton plan view of the article of FIG. 1, which latter has been rotated counterclockwise to provide this view:
FIG. 4 shows a side elevation of the bottom end of the article of FIG.
1, showing the looped ends of the cords thereof and the tape fixed proximal those loops, in a view somewhat enlarged fram those shown in the other drawings;
FIG. 5 is a flow sheet diagram of the steps of the present process;
FIG. 6, in a somewhat diagrammatic top plan view, shows the apparatus of the invention in the process of form mg the present mop head fabric; and FIG. 7 is a side-elevational section of the tape feed and gripping means shown in FIG. 6 processing cords to form the present fabric, and taken along line 7-7 thereof.
escription of Preferred Embodiments 1. The Article of the Invention With reference to FIGS. 1 to 4, the article of the invention, a fabric 10 of textile yarns or rovings 12 and 14, twisted to fonm cords 30,32, folded at desired lengths between and to form looped ends 16 and 18, is shown to be held together by tapes 20 and 24, tape 20 positioned adjacent to and inward of looped ~ 20 ends 16, and tape 24 adjacent to and inward of looped ends 18. Preferably, ~:
tapes 20 and 24 are perforated in a patterned manner with, respectively, perforations 22 and 26. Optionally, another tape 28 is fixed between tapes 20 and 24 at the mldportion or alony the centerline of fabric 10. Tape 28 is most advantageously employed when the length of cords 30,32 is such that it is desirable to provide control of alignment of cords 30,32 along the midportion for enhanced handleability. Although tapes 20,24,28 are shown fixed to but one surface of fabric 10, it is within the purview of this invention that, although not shown in the drawings, similar tapes 20,24 and 2~ may be positioned on both sides (top and bottom) of fabric 10 if for some particular embodiment such additional holding power provided by an additional adhering tape 20 and or tape 24 and or tape 28 should prove to be particularly desirable.
Particular advantage i5 found in using a tape material for tapes 20, 24 and 28 which has a rubber base type adhesive requiring a delaminating or ; separating force in the range between 15 to 45 ounces of force per inch width (167.42 to 3 times 167.42 grams force per centimeter of tape width); this is sametimes called the "peel strength'l. In one example, a tape material was used for tapes 20,24 and 28 which had a polypropylene base or backing with a depth of 0.0034 inch (0.086 mm), a width of 0.375 inches (9.19 mm) and a rubber base adhesive having a peel strength of 28 ounces per inch of tape width (312.5 grams force per centimeter of tape width) along the line of delamination or peel. In this example, as desired the tapes delaminated fr~m the cords without disrupting either the orientation of the aligned cords or of the con-stituent fibers of the cords at the positions of adhesion and delamination.
It is believed that the most preferred range of peel strengths for tapes 20,24 and 28 where delamination may later prove to be desirable is fram 20 to 30 ounces per inch along the line of delamunation.
Although FIGS. 1 and 3 show only flfteen cords or strings 30,32, this is just for p~rposes of illustration, for indeed the present fabric as here produced - is in a sheet-like form of indefinite length, which is to say of any length which may prove desirable. For example, end product mop heads commonly are formed with 120 double length cords, joined in the middle to a mop handle or rod, producing 240 strings in all, 120 strings 30 and 120 strings 32. Thus, the fabric sheet of the invention conveniently could be cut into mop head size portions every 120 double length cords 30,32 by counting by some known art ; means the 120 cords 30,32 and then actuating some knife element to sever tape 20, tape 28 and yarns 12,14 thereat, and tape 24.
In addition -to being producible in continuous sheet-like form of in-definite lengths, the present article has other desirable attributes. The '~
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~2~ 8~i ~ClA5 1 otherlvise unruly cords 30,32 are in this invention joined securely to adjacent ones to orm the prescnt fabric article by means of tapes 22,24 yielding the axticle in a sheet~ ~ form which may be in length several hundred to several thousand yards or even more, and ~hich sheet is now mechanically handleable preserving its hundreds of thousands to millions of cords 30932 in e~act alignment and orientation. This is not possible with constructions of the prior art. The present axticle therefore may ~ be handled, and packed and shipped if desired in any knol~ manner used ;~ for ordinaxy sheeting of woven fabrics completely mechanically without the need o human, manual inter~ention or operations.
2. Th_ Pxocess and Apparatus of the Invention The basic process steps of the invention to provide the present article are set forth in the flo-v sheet dlagram of FIG. 5, while the basic elements of the pxesent apparatus employed to carry out the process are shown in ~IG.s ; 15 6 and 7, to which the attention o~ the reader is now drawn.
Step 1 - ~old Strand Back and ~orth .
The cords 30732 of the present article are formed from a roving or yarn or other elongate strand of tex*ile material 12 ~nd or 14. It is possible to form cords 30,32 from a single strand, however, as shown in FIG.s 1 to 4 ZO and 6, a plurality of str~nds is preferred~ two of which 12 and 14 are used in the embodiment shown. The elongate strands 12,14 ~ay be formed, and prefer-xably are formed, of staple rather than continuous filaments, although the ; latter may be used under circumstances indlcnting its desirability in the end use mop head product. At any event, whether one or a plurality of strands zs ~ 12,14 is used, or whether they are fo~med from staple or continuous filament ~ or both, the present process steps and apparatus for carrying them out are - substantially the same as shall now be further described. This is also so ~- if one were to use as the elongate strand a cabled strand of various yarns 9 or even a net wrapped strand such as is describæd in U.S. Pat. # 2,300,821.
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With particular reference to FIG. 6, yarns 12,14 fed fro~ some supply means such as bobbins 34 are folded back and forth to provide scmewhat parallel lengths thereof, in the following manner. Yarns 12,14 are passed through a folding means 36 therefor, means 36 receiving and moving them laterally in one direction a prescribed dis~ance, folding them over and then moving them la-terally in the op~osite direction, repeatedly. One such means 36 is in the form of a rotating flyer or swing aro 40, mounted for rotation about its central bearing 38 which bearing 38 receives yarns 12,14 fro~ bobbins 34. Yarns 12,14 then pass along the length of arn 40 and through and out from its terminal bearing 42. As arm 40 rotates a~out b~aring 38, its tenminal bearing 42 describes a circular pathway, shown in FIG. 6 as clockwise by the arrow thereabcve; the movement of yarns 12,14 follows the pathway indicated by the arrows adjacent to them.
In this e~bodiment, arm 40 is selected to be of such length so as to .exceed half of the sum of the lengths of cord 30 and cord 32 by a prescr.ibed amount. This will be further described in the explanation of what we call Step 5, belcw.
The folding of yarns 12,14 provides them with what we call looped ends 16, ~, 18~ In order to support folded yarns 12,14 for movement in a direction nonmal, or substantially so, to their direction of axial orientation produced by `~i the folding, a plural;ty of yarn-receiving hook e~.ements 44 (to the left as se n in FIG. 6) and 46 are provided. Hooks 44,46 are mounted in~bearings-like chain link members 52' and 52 respectively at the inwardly directed :~ ends of spindles 48 received in bearings 52' and 5~ respectively of a pair ~ of spaced apal-t endless chains 50',50. In this embodinent, chains 50',50 are shown vertically disposed in the form of t~o loops, the upper flights of which are substantially horizontal and parallel one another. ChaLns 50',50 are shown to straddle the circular path~ay defined by rotation of arm 40 and ` its terminal bearing 42 in such a manner that as the chains 50',50 are ; 30 moved in the directions as shown by ~djacent arrows, the hooks 44,46 , "
extend inwardly to a degree sufficient to intercept the pathway of bearing 42 and yarns 12,14 issuing ther.efron to receive by hcoking yarns 12,14 as hooks 44,46 ascend the near end of the loops of chains 50',50 to begin move-ment along the upper flight of their loops. This may be done by mounting chains 50',50 onto pulley wheels (not shown3 vertical.ly disposed at such near end for guiding and or driving chains 50',50 to effect their ascent to the upper course to be followed by the upper flight of the chains 50',50.
This ascent is indicated adjacent each near end or loop of chains 50',50 by curved arrows 54. mereafter, chains 50',50 are m~ved along the upper flight courseway in the direction of the a~ows adjacent ~hereto; at a pre-determ med point, each chain 50',50 is moved to descend to its lower flight (not seen), which, again, may be done by boing guided by pulley wheels 57',57 at such predetermined point, as shown by the arrows 56.
Step 2 - Gripping and Twisting Strands In the article of this invention, cords or strmgs 30,32 are cabled or twisted; thus, it also is necess~ry to twist yarns 12,14 about their axes ; to p~ovide cords 30,32. Further, in the present article, the twist is .inward from each looped end 16,18 toward the midportion or midline where cord 30 and cord 32 meet as yarns 12,14. In order that the twistings from the looped ends 16,18 be stable, the twistings would have to result in both cabled cords 30,32 having the same twist sense, either Z or S type, not both; for present purposes, an S type twist for both cords 30,32 is Ere err~d. Also, it is necessary to stop the inward twistings frc~ the opposite looped ends 16,18 at the midportion or along the midline of folded yarns 12,14.
Again referring to FIG. 6, mounted intermediate the extent of the upper flights of chains 50',50 and along the midline between the chains 50',50 is a porcup me xoller 58 so that it will intercept folded yarns 12,14 along their mid-line or rnidportion as they are mo~ed substantially nonmal to the.lr axes by moving .
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hooks 44, 46 borne by moving chains 50',50. Roller 58 bears an outer cylindri-cal surface outsprouted with a plurality of needle-like elernents 59, which may be in the form of card clothing or pins or needles to engage the rniddle portion of folded yarns 12,14 as they are moved under roller 58 by inter-penetrating thern. Roller 58 is used with a cooperat:ing element 60 to assure positive engag~nent of yarns 12,14 by elements S9. Element 60 rnay, for example,be in the fo~n of a guide plate set at a spacing from the closest approach of the points of elements 59 which is less than the cross-sectional width of the two strands 12,14; alternately, element 60 m~y be in the fon~ of another porcupine roller the tips of the points of which would be spaced from those of roller 58 so as to assure positive engagement of yarns 12,14 by the points yet alternately, element 60 may be in the form of another guide plate formed with a central orifice which plate is spaced fr~n roller 58 such that elements 59 may interpenetrate the central orifice causing the points thereof to interpenetrate the central portion of yarns 12,14 as they are moved over the top surface of guide plate 60. Roller 58 is of sufficient size so that its - porcupine surface w~ 1 at any one instant engage at least one, and more desir-ably a plurality of center portions of yarns 12,14 passing thereunder.
To each inward side of chains 50',S0, laterally adjacent to where noller ~,~
58 eng~ges moving yarns 12,14, twisting means are provided; in FIG. 6, such twisting means is in the form of rollers 63' and 63, each of which is positionedrespectively be~ween chains 50',50 and roller 58 seen to be inbcard of each ~; of chains 50',50 and positi~ned so as to intercept spindles 48 to contact their undersurfaces as spindles 48 are moved thereover. Usually during move--; 25 m2nt of chains 50',50 in a direction substantially normal to that of the axes of folded strands 12,14, hooks 44,46 and their spindles 4B are held in one position, which we shall call upright, relative to moving chains 50',50, ~, -- due to the tension exerted on hooks 44,46 by the folded cver, taut strands 12,14 at their looped ends 16,18. In order to twist yarns 12,14 inwardly from ,:
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each of looped ends 16,18 to form cables or strings 30 and 32, spindles 48 in turn have to be ro-tated relative their bearings 52',52 of chains 50',50.
For this, spindle-contacting twisting means 63',63 is driven to rotate in a direction which is opposite in sense to that of the arrows 61' and 61 shown adjacent to spindles 48, thus in t~n to force spindles 48 to rotate in the same directional sense as arrows 61' and 61, also in turn then rotating hooks 44 to form twisted cables or strings 30 on the lefthand side of FIG. 6, and by rotating hooks 46 to form twisted cables or strings 32 to the right. It is to be noted that in the formed article 10 cables 30 and 32 appear to be and in fact must be twisted in the same twist sense, which is to say either S or Z twist, but not both. In the present preferred embodiment, as seen best in FIGS. 1 to 3 and 6, one notes that cables 30 and 32 are of S twist. Now since the twists are inserted inwardly from the looped ends 16,18, in order to provide the same twist sense to both cables 30,32 one must r~tate hooks 44 in a rotational sense opposite to that for rotating hooks 46; this clearly is seen in FIG. 6 in that arrows 61' designating rotation of hooks 44 are in the opposite directional sense of arrows 61 which on the righthand side designate the rotational sense of hooks 46.
Thus, as yarns 12,14 folded and looped over moving hooks 44,46 on re-spective m~ving chains 50',50 are moved in t~le direction substantially normal to their axes their midline portions are received between elements 58 and 60, the pointed projections 59 of roller 58 interpenetrate yarns 12,14 and in effect engage them in a rolling snubbing action; concurrently, spindles ; 48 bearing hcDks 44,46 of those yarns 12,14, which are then engaged in the rolling snubbing action of projections 59, are drivingly rotated in the directions 61',61 to twist each half portion of yarns 12,14 extending between the respective hooks and the points of snubbing action inwardly to provide the respective cables 30,32. The rate of driving rotation of twisting rollers 63',63 is such so as to provide a minimum of one twist for every two inches ~.
' ' ' .:
(5.08 centimeters) of length of cables 30,32, with a preferred range of one to one and a half twists per inch (per 2.54 centimeters) of cable length, as yarns 12,14 are continuously moved along by moving chains 50',50.
Step 3 - Unsnubbing and Abutting Adjacent Cables Fu~-ther move~ent of cabled yarns 12,14 moves them out from under the snubbing action of teeth 59 of smlbbing roller 58, and thereupon the inserted twist fmm each of cables 30 and 32 moves inwardly to meet at the midline portion thereof.
; Adjacent, somewhat parallel folded yarns 12,14 pairs are re~uired to be spaced from one another until this point, because of the need for enough room to ~otate adjacent hooks 44 and 46 and to keep adjacent twisting cables 30 and 32 from interfering with adjacent like cables duriny the twisting operation.me sheet-like article product, however, requires that adjacent cables 30 ; and 32 be in abutting adjacency. Although this step of m~ving adjacent cords into abut*ing adjacency with one another may be thought of and defined as :
a discrete process step, we have found that it may be most felicitously carried out mechanically in direct and dependent conjunction with the next step, ~.
which includes the operations of ~ripping the cabled stran~s 30,32 just in-war~ly of the hooked looped ends 16,18, applying end binding tapes to cabled strands 30,32 and unhooking looped ends 16,18. As indicated in the flow chart of FIG. 5, moving cabled strands 30,32 into parallel abutting adjacency must precede their gripping, taping and unhooking.
Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7, following cabling, the upper flights of moving chains 50, 50' are shown to turn downwardly following the directions indicated by adjacent arrows 56,56' over respective pulley wheels 57,57';
as they so move, the spaced out separation between adjacent spindles 48 is reduced to bring adjacent cables 30 and 32 into abutting adjacency with one another.
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~3L26~ 3 Step 4 - Gripp ng Cabled Strandi" Removing Hooks, F~Ying Tapes Although chains 50,50' are moved downward over pulley wheels 57,S7', the matriY of adjacent and abutting cables 30 and 32 continues to follow a pathway which is substantially horizontal.
Along such pathway, just as chains 50,50' begin their descent over pulleys 57,57' cabled strings 30,32 are seized by pointed teeth projections 66,66',66"
; of porcupine rollers 62,64,80,80' set in pairs 62,80' and 64,80. mese provide ; a bight at the nips therebetween to receive the matrix of cablcd cords 30 and 32, keep the matrix on a substantially horizontal pathway, thus to penmit ~ 10 the withdrawal of hooks 44,46 from the respective end loops 16,18 as chains ;~ 50',50 move out of the horizontal and into their descent to the lower flight of their moving looped pathways, and to prevent the premature contraction of cabled cords 30,32 toward their midline due to the removal of the restraining force of hooks 44,46.
Thus one sees that by locating the end of the uppex horizontal flights of chains 50,50' and the paired po¢c~p ne rolls 62,80' and 64,80 in correspond-`~ ing adjacency such that the matxix of cabled cords 30,32 may be seized just prior to full release of cords 30,32 by hooks 44,46, one now conveniently avoids ' the previously unavoidable disruption of cord orientation narnzlly due to the ;- 20 sudden or abrupt relief of the tensions created during the cord twisting step, with the concomitant chaotic and sudden snapping inwardly, each cords 30 and .
32 are out of any control. By this means one then may achieve the object ~ of permitting relief of these tensions under controlled conditions, as shall - further be described in discussing Step 5 hereunder.
-~ 25 To maintain control over cords 30,32, to preserve their orientation relative one another, and thus to provide a handleable article, four functions are performed concurrently: ta) the matrix of horizontally moving cables 30,32 : is seized as above describeid; ~b) the end loops 16,18 are disenga~ed frcn chain hooks 44,46, also as above described; (c) the matrix orientation is fixed ,.
' ' . :.
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as to any cable relative the others, as shall be further explained; and (d) the matrix now with such fixed orientation is ~oved further along its hori-~ontal pathway by the driving action of the paired porcupine rolls.
The preferred embodiment, shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, shows greatest econcmies in apparatus const~uction by employing the paired porcupine rolls 62,80' and 64,80 not only to seize the cord matxix and urge it forward along its hori-zontal pathway, but also to be used as pressure rolls to fix the presently re-quired adhesive tapes to the cabled matrix thus thereby to fix the orientation of any cable relative the others in the sheet-like article of this invention.
As shown, each pair of porcupine rolls 62,80' and 64,80 are mounted so that they are laterally between end loops 16 and the center line and between end loops 18 and the centerline, just adjacent to the end loops and spaced frcm hooks 44 and 46 as the latter pass by. In line with each paired roll set 62,80' and 64,80 is mounted a roll 68 and 70 of adhesive tape 20,24 of the type pre-;~ 15 viously described such that as tape is pulled from the roll its adhesive or -~ sticky side surface faces the opposing surface of the matrix or array of cabled strings 30 and 32, as best seen in FIG. 7. In this preferred embcdiment, tape 20 is inserted atop cables 30 as the latter enter the bight of the nip between pom upine rolls 62 and 80' and are seized by the needled projections or teeth 661 and 66". Roll 62 may be fixed relative fixed roll 80' such that the distancebetween their outer surfaces assures the application of sufficient pressure by their teeth 66' and 66" to interpenetrate the array of cables 30 passing betweenthem, to prevent the cables 30 from shifting laterally toward their center or frcm changing their side-by-side orientation abutment with one another. Alter-nately, either roll 62 or roll 80' may be on a swing anm with the other roll fixed, the swing arm r~ll being biased toward the fixed r~ll by dead weight, or springs or other known biasing means to provide sufficient force to cause the aforesaid seizing of the array of cables 30, and piercing through of tape 20 with holes 22. Although we have here described thQ requirements relative the components to the left hand side of FIG. 6 as also shown in FIG. 7, it is to be understood that such descriptions also apply to the components to the righthancl side of cabled ' ~" ,` ' ` .
~2~ 3 R~IClA5 1 array 10.
In a less preferred alternate ~rrange~ent, where ~or some xeason it proves desir~ble to provide tapes ~0,24 Jiti~out holes in the sheet-like article o~ the invention, this can be done by mount;ng tape rolls 68,70 S inboard o porcupine roll pairs 62~0' and 64,80, which i5 to Say some~hat closer to the midline than the positions shown in ~IG. 6. Also, a pair of pressure tape applicator rollers i~tould be positioned adjacent ~o and in-`ooard o~ porcupine roll pair 6~,8C' and another adjacent and inbo~rd of roll pair 64,80. ~apes 20,24 then are inserted into the bigh~ o the respec~-ive pressure applicator rollers, and as the porcupine xoll pairs grip the cables 30,32 as the latter are movet3, so too cables 30 are fixed relative one anoth~r by tape 20 and cables 32 by tape 24, the tapes then being unperforated One skilled in the are may think of many variations of the present teachings, for example using roll pairs which have porcupine projections along part of their sur~aces such as the outer half and the inner portion or other part being smooth, with the tapes being run bet~veen the smooth surfaces.
~- However, it has been ~ound that there appears to be a valuable coaction be~ween applying the tapes under pressure to the top peripheral surfaces ~ of aligned cables 30 and aligned cables 32, and also piercing through the tapes;~ith the needle p~ojections; that coaction appearing to enhance the adhesion of the tapes to the peripheral cable surfaces~ and thus providing a desirable extra degxee ~ assurance o the tapes not delaminating inadver~-: ently durlng succeeding processing, handling, shipping and the like.
Once so taped, the shee*-llke article of the invention is formed.
Step 5 - Un~ri~ping, Relaxation and ~i1dline Tapin~ of Cables As the dxiven porcupine roll pairs 62,80' and 64,80 seize cables 30 and cables 32, and pressure and puncture join tapes 20,24 to the upper sur~ace o~ the arrayed cables, looped ends 16,18 are disengaged from hooks 44,46, ;~ 29 and thereupon it i5 only the interpenetrating teeth 66,66',66" and pressure =17-,, ~
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RMClA5 1 exerted by thc paired rolls 6 ,80' and 64,80, and the adhering tapes 20,2~
l~hich provide for control over the cables to maintain them in substantially parallel abutting side-by-side relation. The taped cables are forcetl by porcupine roll pairs 6Z,~O' and 64,~0 to continue to ~ove along the aforesaid substantially hori~ontal pathway of matrix 10, and out of the nip of the constituent needled projections 66,66t,66". Immediately upon being freed, taped cables 30,32 tend to contract in an action which largely relieves tl~e stresses imposed upon ttJisting yarns 12,14 into cables, and thus causes the cables' looped ends 1~,16 to move toward the midline of article 10 to shorten them.
One slcilled in the art, ~Yith a kDowledge of the number ~f turns per inch of length of cables 30,32 to be provided and the desired length of cables 30~32 after the tension is relieved and they are shortened, can calculate the desired distance of separat;on of hooks 44 from hooks 46 which will bear the untwisted strands of folded over yarns 12,14. This then will determine the diameter o the circular path to be generated by terminal bearing 42 and the length of ar~ 40 to be used.
The shortening of cables 30,3Z is sho;vn clearly in FIG.s 6 and 7. It is this immediate and almost explosive contraction which in the past has defied attempts to provide maintenance of a stable configuration of adjacent abutting ; 20 cables, but is no-v sol~ed and used in the present invention to provide the almost endless article sheet-like matxix of the invention wherein absolute control a~d maintenance of cable orientation is obtained. The present taped structure i~ the answer long sought for in the art.
When cords 30,32 are of such a leng~h as to~make it desirable to provide addition~l control of the middle portions of article 10V one may apply a tape along the midline such as atape 28 afixed to the top midline surface of article 10 by pressure application by a press~re roll 74 cooperating witn an undergirding doffer roller 76, tape 28 being pulled rom a supply 72 thereof.
~9 Other aspects of the pre5ent apparatus are sho~a diagrammatically. For =1~=
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~L2~ 33 ~i:C11~5 1 exa~pleg all elements of the apparatus are supported by a frame, denoted at 102, including a sou~ce of power and control Illeans for enerGizing and controlling all mechani.c21 rnove)nents and the inter-actlons of all apparatus elements so that they will move and ot~.er-wise function as previously described, all of which necessary com-ponents, such as motors, controllers, electrical, pneur..atic or hydraulic switches, valves and circuits are symbolically represented by the black box marked 100. Those apparatus elements and means whic~
arP driven from power and control means 100 are shown as supported by and energized and controlled through interconnections joining such elements and means with power and control means 100 and frame 102, as seen in ~IG. 6.
I~'ore particularly, swing arm 40 and its bearin~ ~8,42 are energ-ized and controlled for rotation and rate of rotation b~ power and control means 100, and are interconnected by connecting means 138, ; . shown symbolically as a lead line connecting box 100 with bearing 38 ; ~ which means 138 i9 to be understood to comprise whatever is needed to transmit power an~ control signals and physical support to permit ~olding means 36 to perform its proper function at its proper rate to effect the folding of yarns 12,14 in cooperation with moving chair,s 50~,50 and their hooks 44,46. In this regard, one notes that pulley wheels 55',55 which drive chains 50',50 in the direction of their adjacent arrows receive their power and control signals and : physical support by connecting means 155 joining them to means 100 ~ and means 102. ~eans 100 coordinates the rates of rotation of foldin~
: means 36 vla co~mecting means 13~ and rates of movement of chair.s 50'50:and thus of their respective hooks 44,46 via pulleys 55',55 and connecting means 155 such that as bearing 42 moves it will be broueht 2~ into the necessary adjacency to a hook 44 w~en hook 44 intercepts the ~ =19-...
' ' ' -' :
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1 circular path~;ay of beaJ-in~ 42 to the hoo'~-issuin~ yarns 12,1~
the ea-t; an~, in sirnilar rfianner, bearinr ~2 will be brou~ht into sin i].ar ad~acenc~ to each hook 46 as it, in turn, intercepts tbe pathway of bearin~ 42, and hoo]i-issuin~ yQrnS 12,14 thexeat, to cause the foldin~ over of such yarns alternatel~ formin~ the looped ends thereo:
in ~ccordance with the process step fo the invention.
~'urther, means 100 also coordinates and controls the rate of move~ent o~ chains 50',50 as previously described, and also the rate of rotation of twistin~ Eleans 6~,63' respectively through connectin~
means 163',163, such that as chains 50',50 and supported and folded yarns 12,1~, are Jdo~ed, twisting means 63',63 and its spindles 48 in ~;~ .. turn rotate hooks 44,46 a prescribed n~mber of turns to iDpart a precribed -t~rist to cable cords 30,32 in the same twist sense.
- Ye-t further, n~eans 100 coordinates and controls the rates of ; 15 rotation of porcupine rollers 62,64 through their underlyinG rolle;-s :
0~ ,80 SO 2S to seize cords 30,32 and move the same forward in the ~same pathway as the cords ~0,32 followed upon entering the nips be-t~/een roller pairs 62,~C' and 64,809~b~ means of respective connectin~
r.leans 180',180. In this manner, the rates of-movements of hooks 44,~.6 `~ ~Z0 ~ also are controlled so as to ca~se oords 30,32 to be sei~ed and taped prior to bein~ freed completely fro~ hooks 44,46 as the latte-r make ~-their downward turnin~ about pulley ~heels 57',57, and to permit thereafter taped fabric 10 to continue in its sa~e direction an~
to shrink toward the midline to relieve the e~.cess s~ress i.~mparted ~ 25 ~ during the twisting step.
; Still further, means 100 coordinates ana controls ~he rate of ::, rotation of` do.ffer roll 78 so that it may per~orm two functions, that 2~ ; of~contlnuing to .~ove taped fabric 10 away from the apparatus~ and =20=
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also to permit the optional taping of fabric 10 along its midline with tape 28 by cooperation with -the driven pressure applying roll 74.
One skilled in the art will readily recognize that one may use variations from the structures here described, their inter-connections and cooperations within the scope of the claims below to provide the present taped mop head fabric by a suitable process as claimed and an apparatus as claimed to pursue such a process, such variations being changes merely in contours, and componen-ts well within the knowledge of any craftsman, to provide equivalents to what here is defined.
~, , ~ ,
Claims (13)
1. A continuous process for making a continuous mop head fabric comprising the steps:
a. continuously feeding a strand of textile material from a supply thereof;
b. repeatedly folding said strand back and forth so as to provide a discrete and predetermined length of said strand between sequential foldings and at each folding to provide a looped end between consecutive discrete lengths of said strand;
c. supporting said consecutive discrete lengths of said strand at their consecutive looped ends for moving said folded and supported lengths of said strand in a direction sub-stantially parallel to a line joining the midpoints of said consecutive lengths of said strand and so moving said strand lengths;
d. gripping said consecutive strand lengths along said midline thereof, and twisting from each looped end of said strand lengths inwardly toward said midline a prescribed number of turns to provide a twisted or cabled cord;
e. consecutively releasing said strand lengths along their midline, and continuing to move them in said direction while bringing said cords thereof into side-by-side, parallel abutting relationship on each side of said midline;
f. gripping said twisted cords inwardly of their looped ends and adhesively fixing a tape proximal the location of said gripping to a surface of said cords to fix said cords in their abutting relationship with one another; and g. releasing said support at said looped ends, and releasing said gripping inwardly of said looped ends.
a. continuously feeding a strand of textile material from a supply thereof;
b. repeatedly folding said strand back and forth so as to provide a discrete and predetermined length of said strand between sequential foldings and at each folding to provide a looped end between consecutive discrete lengths of said strand;
c. supporting said consecutive discrete lengths of said strand at their consecutive looped ends for moving said folded and supported lengths of said strand in a direction sub-stantially parallel to a line joining the midpoints of said consecutive lengths of said strand and so moving said strand lengths;
d. gripping said consecutive strand lengths along said midline thereof, and twisting from each looped end of said strand lengths inwardly toward said midline a prescribed number of turns to provide a twisted or cabled cord;
e. consecutively releasing said strand lengths along their midline, and continuing to move them in said direction while bringing said cords thereof into side-by-side, parallel abutting relationship on each side of said midline;
f. gripping said twisted cords inwardly of their looped ends and adhesively fixing a tape proximal the location of said gripping to a surface of said cords to fix said cords in their abutting relationship with one another; and g. releasing said support at said looped ends, and releasing said gripping inwardly of said looped ends.
2. A process according to Claim 1, wherein, following said releasing of said support and said gripping, adhesively taping said midline of said strand material is pursued to bind into adjacency consecutive portions of said material along said midline.
3. A process according to Claim 1, wherein said grippings are effected by means of porcupine rollers.
4. A process according to Claim 1, wherein said gripping of said twisted cords and said fixing of said tape proximal said location of said gripping are done concurrently and at the same location on a surface of said cords.
5. A process according to Claim 4, wherein said gripping and fixing are performed by a pressure biased porcupine roller, the projections of which perforate said tape in so fixing.
6. An apparatus for continuously forming a continuous fabric, suitable for later processing into mop heads, comprising:
a. means for continuously feeding a strand of textile material from a supply thereof;
b. means for repeatedly folding said strand back and forth so as to provide a predetermined length of said strand between sequential foldings and at each folding for providing a looped end between consecutive discrete lengths of said strand:
c. means for supporting said consecutive discrete lengths of said strand at their consecutive looped ends and for moving said folded and supported strand lengths in a direction sub-stantially parallel to a line joining the midpoints of said consecutive strand lengths;
d. means for gripping and releasing said consecutive strand lengths along said midline thereof;
e. means for twisting said consecutive strand lengths from each looped end inwardly toward the midline thereof a prescribed number of turns in a single twist sense while said strand lengths are gripped by said means therefor, for providing on each side of said midline a consecutive plurality of twisted cabled cords;
f. means for moving said plurality of twisted cabled cords into side-by-side abutting adjacency on each side of said midline;
g. means for gripping and releasing said side-by-side twisted cords in sequence at a location on each side of said midline inward of and adjacent to said looped ends, and for moving said consecutive cords in said aforesaid direction of movement of said strand lengths;
h. means for removing said supporting means from said looped ends of said now twisted cords;
i. means for adhesively applying supportive tape adjacent to said location on each side of said midline to a surface of said consecutive cords arranged in side-by-side abutting adjacency to one another; and j. means for energizing, physically supporting, inter-connecting, and controlling all elements of said apparatus.
a. means for continuously feeding a strand of textile material from a supply thereof;
b. means for repeatedly folding said strand back and forth so as to provide a predetermined length of said strand between sequential foldings and at each folding for providing a looped end between consecutive discrete lengths of said strand:
c. means for supporting said consecutive discrete lengths of said strand at their consecutive looped ends and for moving said folded and supported strand lengths in a direction sub-stantially parallel to a line joining the midpoints of said consecutive strand lengths;
d. means for gripping and releasing said consecutive strand lengths along said midline thereof;
e. means for twisting said consecutive strand lengths from each looped end inwardly toward the midline thereof a prescribed number of turns in a single twist sense while said strand lengths are gripped by said means therefor, for providing on each side of said midline a consecutive plurality of twisted cabled cords;
f. means for moving said plurality of twisted cabled cords into side-by-side abutting adjacency on each side of said midline;
g. means for gripping and releasing said side-by-side twisted cords in sequence at a location on each side of said midline inward of and adjacent to said looped ends, and for moving said consecutive cords in said aforesaid direction of movement of said strand lengths;
h. means for removing said supporting means from said looped ends of said now twisted cords;
i. means for adhesively applying supportive tape adjacent to said location on each side of said midline to a surface of said consecutive cords arranged in side-by-side abutting adjacency to one another; and j. means for energizing, physically supporting, inter-connecting, and controlling all elements of said apparatus.
7. The apparatus according to Claim 6, wherein said means for repeatedly folding said strand and for providing a looped end between consecutive discrete lengths of said strand is in the form of a rotatable flyer arm rotatable from one end and having a bearing at said rotatable end for receiving said strand and another bearing at another end for discharging said strand.
8. The apparatus according to Claim 6, wherein said means for supporting said strand lengths at said consecutive looped ends thereof and for moving said supported strands is in the form of a support structure which is moveable along a prescribed pathway at least a portion of which is arcuate, which structure at discrete intervals thereof along said pathway bears hook-like elements for receiving, and engaging said looped ends while moving along said arcuate portion of said pathway for subsequent support of said strand lengths and their movement along said pathway.
9. The apparatus according to Claim 8, wherein said gripping and releasing means for moving consecutive strand lengths is mounted astride said pathway in such a manner as to engage said strand lengths along their midline, and is in the form of a porcupine roller.
10. The apparatus according to Claim 8, wherein said means for twisting said consecutive strand lengths from each looped end inwardly toward the midline thereof includes a mounting for each hook-like element on said support structure whereby said hook element is mounted upon a rotatable spindle in a bearing.
11. The apparatus according to Claim 9, wherein said means for twisting further includes rotating means for rotating each said spindle, its supported hook element, and looped end of said discrete lengths of said strand, said rotating means including a rotating element for abutment with said spindle as said discrete lengths of said strand are moved into and then out of the grasp of said gripping and releasing means, whereby said strand lengths are twisted into cords.
12. The apparatus according to Claim 6, wherein said means for gripping and releasing said side-by-side twisted cords includes, on each side of said midline, a porcupine roller whose spines or pointed projections engage said twisted cords and then disengage said twisted cords as the same are moved thereby, and in so doing also urge the plurality of said cords along the pathway in the same direction of movement in which the cords are received by said means for gripping and releasing.
13. The apparatus according to Claim 12, wherein said means for adhesively applying said supportive tape on each side of said midline of said cords just inward of said looped end thereof includes said same porcupine roller which is part of said gripping and releasing means for said abutting side-by-side twisted cords, whereby adhesive supportive tape is intruded between said spines and said cords and whereby said spines of said roller pierce said tape in interpenetrating said cords, and said roller bears forcefully against said tape and said cords' peripheral surface adhesively to apply said tape to said cords.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000574318A CA1264483A (en) | 1986-02-26 | 1988-08-10 | Mop head fabric with method and apparatus for making same |
Applications Claiming Priority (4)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US06/833,828 US4717616A (en) | 1986-02-26 | 1986-02-26 | Shippable, sheet like fabric useful in making mop heads |
| US833,828 | 1986-02-26 | ||
| CA000525026A CA1264404A (en) | 1986-02-26 | 1986-12-11 | Sheeting fabric with method and apparatus for making same |
| CA000574318A CA1264483A (en) | 1986-02-26 | 1988-08-10 | Mop head fabric with method and apparatus for making same |
Related Parent Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000525026A Division CA1264404A (en) | 1986-02-26 | 1986-12-11 | Sheeting fabric with method and apparatus for making same |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1264483A true CA1264483A (en) | 1990-01-16 |
Family
ID=25671175
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000574318A Expired - Fee Related CA1264483A (en) | 1986-02-26 | 1988-08-10 | Mop head fabric with method and apparatus for making same |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1264483A (en) |
-
1988
- 1988-08-10 CA CA000574318A patent/CA1264483A/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKLA | Lapsed |