GB754595A - Improvements in or relating to apparatus for crimping filament tow or yarn - Google Patents

Abstract

754,595. Crimping fibres; roller arrangements and drives therefor in textile spinning &c. machines. SMITH Inc., A. June 17, 1954 [Aug. 6, 1953; March 1, 1954], No. 17859/54. Classes 120 (2) and 120 (3). Filamentary material in the form of tow, yarn, or sliver is crimped by feeding it between feed rolls into a member having a bore constituting a crimping chamber at the discharge end of which is a restricted passage from which crimped material is pulled under tension. The rate at which the material passes through the chamber may be regulated so that the quantity of material therein is maintained constant. The material in the chamber may be heated by electrical or fluid means to a temperature and for a time sufficient to relieve strains produced by crimping. In the apparatus shown in Figs. 3 and 6, the material 12 passes between tension discs 65 through a slot 62, across the upper edge of a retractable spring-loaded plunger 70 slidable within a guide tube 60, whereby the material is pushed into engaging contact with driven and hydraulically spring-, or self-loaded rolls 10 and 11 which feed it into the bore 36 of a saddle 35 leading to a tapered bore 13 of a tube 14, forming a crimping chamber, loosely mounted within a housing 16 provided with a wall 17 through which heating and/or setting fluid, e.g. steam, may be circulated and injected into the chamber 14 via ports 9. The material which is packed into the crimping chamber is compressed by an adjustablyloaded plunger 45 fitting within the bore 13 with sufficient clearance to permit passage therebetween of crimped material 53 which passes to take-up rolls 54 driven separately or conjointly at a speed having a predetermined ratio to the speed of the rolls 10 and 11, i.e. the rolls 54 or 10 and 11, according to which pair is to be controlled, are timed to operate at or slightly in excess of the speed required to maintain the chamber 14 filled to a constant level. When the plunger 45 rises due to excess material in the chamber 14, a pin 47 engages an arm 48 to actuate a microswitch 49 which is connected in a circuit (not shown) to control either the drive for the rolls 10 and 11 or 54, or a clutch for connecting or disconnecting either pair of rolls, and so regulate the quantity of material in the chamber. The switch 49 may be replaced by a cam adapted to control the drive to one set of rolls as a function of the position of the plunger 45. The material may be fed downwardly to the chamber 14, in which case the floating saddle and plunger are spring- loaded. In the apparatus of Fig. 10, filamentary material 82 is drawn from and twisted by a rotatably-mounted spool 146, over a spring- tension device 135, through a guide tube 131 which may be heated as by an electric unit 138, infra-red rays, or a steam jacket, and in which moisture may be applied to the material as by steam or hot water, and is delivered to a sleeve 84, forming a crimping chamber, loosely and adjustably mounted by means of screws 88 in a housing 86 carrying electrical heating units 87. The circular tapered bore 83 of the chamber 84 carries a saddle 105 having a bore 106 of square section leading to a circular bore 83, which chamber and saddle may be formed as part of the housing 86. As shown, the chamber comprises heated and cooling sections 84a and 84b in which the material is conditioned for crimping and/or the crimp is set: section 84b comprises fins 112 over which a current of air may be passed, or a water coil or jacket. The material in the chamber is compressed by a plunger 115 fitting loosely therewithin and having a hole 120 allowing egress of the crimped material 123 which passes over arms 119 and under an arm 118 carried by the plunger 115, to control-rolls 124, 125, driven separately from or conjointly with feed rolls 80, 81 and at a speed which has a predetermined ratio to the speed thereof, thence, as shown, to a constant speed or tension take-up mechanism such as a winder 129 driven by a roller 130 provided with traversing guide channels 141 and a tensioncontrol roller 142. As shown in Fig. 14, the crimped material may pass to the traveller of a ring twister. When the plunger 15-is lowered or raised by variation of the quantity of material in the crimping chamber, the arm 118 pushes the material 123 along the arms 119 towards the smaller or the larger diameter side of the roller 124 which thus decreases or increases the rate of withdrawal of the material from the chamber so that the quantity therein remains constant. In the arrangement of Fig. 14, the plunger movement directly adjusts the position of the material on the roller 124.