US1000770A

US1000770A - Apparatus for gassing yarn or thread.

Info

Publication number: US1000770A
Application number: US54157010A
Authority: US
Inventors: John B Bolton
Original assignee: FOSTER MACHINE CO
Current assignee: FOSTER MACHINE Co
Priority date: 1910-02-02
Filing date: 1910-02-02
Publication date: 1911-08-15
Anticipated expiration: 1928-08-15

Description

J. B. BOLTON'.

APPARATUS PGB. `GASSINGY'ARN OB THREAD.

APPLICATION FILED 113.2, 1910.

` Patented Aug. 15, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. B. BOLTON.

APPARATUS Pon GAssING YARN on THREAD.

APPLICATION FILED PERB, 1010. I

Patented Aug. 15, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH CIT-.WASHINGTON D l! J. lap-BOLTON.

APPARATUS FOR GASSING YARN 0R THREAD.

.APPLICATION FILED FEB.2, 1910.

1,000,770. 0 I Patented Aug. 15,1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3f J. B. BOLTON. APPARATUS FOR GASSING YARN 0R THREAD.

APPLICATION FILED PERB, 1910.

Patented Aug. 15, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

CDLUM'BIA PLANOORAPH C0.,WASHINUTDN D c earns ai' JOHN B. BOLTON, OF METHEN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO POSTER MACHINE COMPANY, OF WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION 0F MAINE.

APPARATUS FOR GASSING- YARN OR THREAD.

nooo'rc.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 15, 1911.A

Application filed February 2, 1910. Serial N o. 541,570.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN B. BOLTON, a citizen of the Unit-ed States, and resident of Methuen, county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Apparatus for Gassing Yarn or Thread, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters 'on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to apparatus for gassing yarn or thread by means of a gas flame in order to remove therefrom fine fibers, fluff and the like. I-Ieretofore this operation has been carried out with individual threads or yarns, each one being led from a suitable bobbin or spool through guides to another spool, onto which it is wound, and in its travel from one to the other spool each yarn or thread passes through or in close proximity to a small gas flame.

Inasmuch as each yarn or thread is gassed by itself it will be manifest that great lack of uniformity in treatment must result, for on a frame sustaining` a large number of the individual gassing devices some of the yarns or threads may be over-gassed, others insufficiently gas-sed, and still others will be properly treated, very slight variations in the flame resulting in wide differences in the condition of the gassed yarn. Not only is the lack of uniformity in the product very objectionable, but the present system is slow, cumbersome and expensive, for each yarn or thread has to be unwound from one spool and wound upon another after gassing without regard to subsequent operations. The operation is slow, because each frame can treat only a relatively small number' of yarns or threads, and hence a large number of the frames must be provided wherev the quantity of yarn to be gassed is considerable, and a large amount of floor space is required to accommodate the frames.

My present invention has for its object the production of means whereby a large number of yarns or threads, several hundred, in fact, may be gassed simultaneously and with perfect uniformity, in a rapid and efficient manner and in a relatively small space. To this end the yarns 4or threads in the form of a sheet are caused to travel longitudinally at proper speed and while in motion they are subjected to the action of a flame, by means of which the individual yarns are gassed properly and uniformly. Inasmuch as the travel of the sheet of yarn or thread (hereinafter sometimes termed the lamentous sheet, for brevity) must be stopped when an end breaks I have made provision for stopping travel of the sheet automatically upon such failure of an end, or ends. When the travel of the sheet is stopped there must be an immediate interruption of the gassing action, to prevent burning of the yarns or threads, and ac- `cordingly I have provided automatic means to render inoperative the gassing instrumentality concurrently with stoppage of travel of the sheet.

I have provided means to control automatically the position ofthe gassing instrumentality in the direction of travel of the sheet, to obviate the occurrence of ungassed portions in the filamentous sheet when the apparatus is stopped and then started up. The gassing instrumentality comprehends a burner which provides for a flame, or series of flames, extended transversely of and adjacent the sheet, when operative, and when the apparatus is in motion the burner is located at a certain point.

When the apparatus is stopped the gassing instrumentality is caused to move bodily in the direction of travel of the sheet, and also far enough therefrom to stop the gassing action, as will be explained in detail hereinafter, the longitudinal movement of such instrumentality carrying it forward to such a point that it is ahead of the line of demarcation beween the ungassed and the gassed portions of the sheet. When the apparatus is started up the gassing instrumentality is moved toward the filamentous sheet to place the burner at the proper distance therefrom, and it is also moved backward, opposite to the travel of the sheet, to its normal operative position, the gassing beginning as soon as the burner arrives at the proper distance from the sheet. During the retractive movement of the gassing instrumentality the sheet is traveling ahead, but as the gassing begins substantially simultaneously with the resumption of travel of the sheet it will be clear that there cannot be any portion of the latter which is not subjected to the action of the gassi-ng flame. A previously gassed portion of the sheet will again be subjected to the action of the flame, but that is unobjectionable as the second action of the flame has practically no effect-on the gassed portion, and the elimination o f ungassed portions of the sheet is of the greatest importance in securing a uniform product- The movements of the gassing instrumentality are controlled and effected automatically in my present invention, so that a number of apparatus can be looked after by one attendant, his principal duties being confined to piecing-up broken ends, starting the apparatus, and regulating the flame of the burner whenever it may be necessary. A warper collects the ends from several 'hundred spools mounted in a creel, arranges vthe ends in sheet form and eects travel of the same through suitable reeds or combs to a beam, upon which the filamentous sheet is wound, or by means of a trumpet the yarns or filaments composing the sheet are gathered together in the form of a loose rope or chain which is wound into a socalled ball. Such warpers, which are of well known construction, are provided with "stop-motion devices which effect automatic:s stoppage in the travel of the sheet upon failure of an end, and I have in the present instance combined the gassing instrumentality with a warper, whereby as a matter of fact the warping and gassing operations are carried on simultaneously, with a great saving in time and labor and with a material economy in space.

As will appear hereinafter the gassing instrumentality as a whole is automatic in its operation, and controlled by or through the stop-motion, so that the only manual operations required are piecing-up and starting after stoppage.`

The various novel features of my invention will be fully described in the subjoined specification and particularly pointed out in the following claims. I

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a yarn gassing apparatus embodying one practical embodiment of my present invention, illustrating the gassing means in combination with a warper, whereby the warping and gassing operations are conducted simultaneously, the parts of the apparatus being shown in the position maintained while the sheet of yarn or thread is in motion; Fig. 2 is a similar view, but on an enlarged scale and centrally broken out, of the gassing instrumentality and its carriage, and the carriage-actuating means, but omitting the gas-controlling means, certain parts of the warper being shown in section on a vertical longitudinal plane between the usual side- *frames thereof; Fig. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the gassing instrumentality and Vits carriage, and showing the burner shields in normal, inoperative position; Fig. 4c is a detail in front elevation, on a large vscale,of a portion of the gassing instrumentality, and the means, omitted from Fig. 2,

for Vcontrolling automaticallytherflow of.A gas to'the burner, the view being taken on the line t-t, Fig. 1, looking toward the right; Fig. 5 is a transverse section on the line 5 5, Fig. 3, looking-toward the left and somewhat enlarged, to show the means for supporting the movable burner shields and also more clearly'illustrating the construction of the burner itself;V Fig. 6 is a top planview, enlarged, of the cam by which is effected the movement of the burner shields into operative position with relation to the burner, said cam being shown in side elevation in Fig. 2; Fig. 7 is a side elevation, enlarged, of a portion of the opposite side of the .warper shown in Fig. 1, to illustrate the means by which movement of the carriage is effected automatically in the direction of travel of the filamentous sheet; Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 7, viewing the latter from the right; Fig. 9 is a detail, to be vreferred to, of one of the standards with which the front or outer end of the carriage-track or support is pivotally connected; Fig. 10 is a detail Vof the latch-carrier and its connection with the carriage of the gassing instrumentality, the latches being shown in Figs. 2 and 5, said latches cooperating intermittingly with the carriagemoving means, as will be explained; Fig. 11 is a perspective detail of a portion of the device for returning the Vburner shields to inoperative position at the proper time.

In the present embodiment of my invention I have shown a common form of warper as the mechanism for collecting the yarns or threads to be gassed and arranging them in the form of a flat sheet, and for effecting longitudinal travel of the latter, and the gassed yarns or threads are shown. as gathered into a loose rope or chain and wound in cylindrical form technically termed a ployed for effecting longitudinal travel of Y the filamentous sheet.

Referring to Fig. 1, A represents a creelframe support-ing the spools from which the individual yarns or threads t are led to the warper, indicated as a whole at B, andV having usual combs or reeds b, b spaced apart a short distance to separate the filaments and form them into a fiat sheet T, suitable drop-wires b2, Fig. 2, cooperating with and arresting vibrators b3 when an end fails, z'. e., breaks or runs out, toV effect stoppage automatically of longitudinal travel of the iilamentousisheet T. |The drop-wires and vibrators, rock-shaft b4 having an Vattached weight b5 and a starting treadle o, the fast and loose pulleys B, B2, Figs. 7 and 8, on shaft BX, the belt--shipper B? yoperated by the arm B4 pivotally connected with the treadle b, and the intervening connections, (not shown) between the vibrators and the starting and stopping rock-shaft 54 constitute mechanism for stopping automatically and starting manually the warper, and may be of any well known or usual construction, forming no part of my invention. A, very similar structure is shown and described in United States Patent No. 624,541 granted May 9, 1399 to Rhoades, it being understood by those skilled in the art that upon arrest of a vibrator by a drop-wire the weight b5 descends, turning shaft 254 and through lateral movement of the belt-shipper B3 shifting the driving belt, (not shown) from the fast to the loose pulley, to stop the warper, the treadle Z2 at such time being elevated. By depressing the elevated treadle the parts are restored to the ruiming position herein illustrated and thereby power is shifted from the loose to the fast pulley. At some distance in front of the reed o-r comb 7), which hereinafter is termed the inner reed, I provide an outer reed 5X, the two reeds being some four or six feet apart, more or less, so that a considerable length of the filamentous sheet T lies between the reeds in a substantially horizontal plane, the base 2 of the outer reed being fixedly mounted on two upright, laterally separated standards, 3, 3 which are firmly attached to the Hoor.

As illustrated in Fig. 1 the sheetof yarns or threads passes from the outer reed to and are collected by a guide-eye or trumpet C into a loose chain or rope, indicated at TX, which is carried around a suitably sustained pulley C and thence back to the traversing guide C2 of a so-called balling machine, indicated as a whole at CX, the rope or chain being wound thereby into a ball C3, the balling instrumentality in practice being driven by suitable gearing from the warper.

A combination warper and balling machine is well known in the art, an example thereof being found in United States Patent No. 336,339 granted to Clark February 16, 1336, and as the balling machine forms no novel part of my invention further description thereof is unnecessary.

It will be manifest that the draft on the yarns or threads as the chain TX is wound up by the balling machine will effect longitudinal travel of the chain and the filamentous sheet T in the direction of arrows et, Figs. 1 and 2, and such travel is arrested when the warper stops, for the winding c evice CX stops and starts with stoppage and starting of the warper. Should it be desired to wind the sheet onto a beam the sheet of yarns or threads would pass from the outer reed 7)* to a suitably driven beam, and as it is as common practice to wind the yarns or threads from a warper upon beams as into balls no further illustration is believed to be necessary herein.

A track comprising parallel rails, as 5, is mounted below and parallel to the path of the filamentous sheet T, see Figs. 1 and 2, the outer end of each rail being pivotallv connected by an upturned swinging arm 6 with a bracket. 7, Fig. 9, on the inner side of each standard 3, a rail-stop 3 being fixed on the latter to cooperate with the adjacent rail when the track is lowered to dotted line position, indicated at the left, Fig. 2. Each rail atits inner end, which extends beneath the vibrators Z13, Fig. 2, is pivotally connected with a swinging arm 9 fulcrumed at 10 on a bracket 11, the two brackets, one fo-r each rail, being fixedly mounted on a crossrod 12 of the warper and to braces 13 bolted to the floor, the pairs of arms 6 and 9 making a species of parallel motion for the track, by which it maintains its parallelism with the sheet T while it is movable from and toward it. Slotted extensions 14 of the arms 9 are pivotally connected by links 15 with rocker-arms 16 fast on the rock-shaft 54 of the stop-motion, and the links are shown as made in two parts for ready longitudinal adjustment, the slotted extensions 111 also providing for adjustment of the links therewith toward or from the fulcra 10.

Vhen travel of the sheet T is stopped, as by the failure of one of the component yarns or threads, the rock-shaft b4 is turned to swing up the rocker-arms 16, and consequently the track will be lowered to dotted line position, Fig. 2. A. reverse movement takes place when the treadle Zia is depressed to cause the sheet T to resume its longitudinal travel, and the track is thereby returned to its normal position nearer the filamentous sheet. Such return movement of the track is assisted by weights 17 connected by flexible members 1S with the inner ends of the track rails 5 and traveling over flxedly sustained guide sheaves 19.

The gassing instrumentality is mounted upon the track and movable longitudinally thereon, such movement being limited by

suitable stops

20, 21 on the rails, the normal, operative posit-ion of such instrumentality being below and close to the filamentous sheet T and near the inner reed Z9, as shown, in Figs. 1 and 2, but before describing such instrumentality the actuating means for effecting movement thereof upon the track will be explained. Between the rails 5 a flexible endless belt or actuator 22 is mounted on suitable guide-pulleys 23 adjustably sustained by brackets 24 attached to and depending from the rails, the upper run of the actuator traveling in a path between and slightly below the tops of the rails, said actuator having attached to it oppositely faced

projections

25, 26.

The projections are shaped to present each a straight engaging face and a convex back, and as will appear hereinafter the straight faces of the projections 25 act only to effectv inward movement of the gassing instrumentality while the straight faces of the proj eetions 26 act only to effect outward movement of such instrumentality, upon the track.

The inner one of the guide-pulleys 23, as herein shown, is driven by a sprocket-chain or belt 27, Fig. 2, from a sprocket-wheel 28 fast on a transmitting shaft 29 mounted on the warper frame, the flexible member 27 being kept vtaut by a tension-sheave 30 mounted on an arm 3l fulcrumed at 32-and controlled by a spring 33, Fig. 3, the direction of movement of the actuator 22 and driving member V27 when the filamentous sheet is in motion being indicated by arrows 34. Transmitting shaft 29 is driven in any convenient manner, and herein T have shown it as driven normally from t-he hub of the fast pulley B, Figs. 7 and 8, by an open belt 35 engaging a sheave 36 which is made as the loose member of a friction clutch, the other member 37 being fixed on the shaft 29. The side of the'sheave 36 has a cam portion 38 which is engaged by a roll 39, Fig. 8, on a rocker-arm 40 to press the sheave tightly against the fast member 37, to rotate the latter and said shaft 29, whenever the treadle 6G acts through a link 4l to maintain the roll 39 in its operative position.

When travel of the filamentous sheet is arrested the rise of the treadle acts through said link to move the roll 39 off the cam part 38, and the clutch is opened, the sheave 36 ceasing to rotate when the fast pulley B stops. A second sheave 42 fast on the transmitting shaft 29 at its outer endY is connected by a crossed belt 43 with Vthe hub of the loose pulley B2 of the warper, and when the power is shifted from the fast to the loose pulley to stop the warper the pulley B2 is started up and through the crossed belt 43 reverses the direction of rotation of shaft 29, andby the described connecting means the direction of travel of the endless actuator 22 is reversed. That is, when the filamentous sheet is in motion the upper run of the actuator 22 is moving opposite to the travel of the sheet and when movement of the latter is arrested the movement of the actuator is reversed and its upper run travels opposite to the arrow 34, Fig. 2, and when travel of the sheet is resumed the movement of the actuator is again reversed, because at such time the crossed belt 43 becomes inactive and the clutch 37, 38 is closed, the open belt 35 becoming active. Such movement of the actuator, in one or the other direction, isy made effective to govern automatically the longitudinal bodily movement of the gassing instrumentality longitudinally of the filamentous sheet, for purposes to be explained.

The gassz'ng instrumentality.-Broadly speaking this instrumentality comprehends a suitable gassing burner, a carriage upon which it is mounted and which travels upon the track, and a device to shield the burner when the gassing action is to be arrested, it being understood that the component yarns or threads of the filamentous sheet are gassed simultaneously as the sheet is caused -to travel longitudinally within operative range of the gassing flame provided by the burner.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 5 the burner is shown as a series of elongated tubes or pipes 44, three beingillustrated,connected at their opposite ends by suitable headers 45 and of sumcient length `to extend horizontally from edge to edge of the sheet T and beneath the same, each tube, which is in itself a burner, having a fine longitudinal slit 46 in its top, preferably covered by a strip 47 of wire gauze held in place by parallel metal ribs or strips 48, the latter in a measure also defining and preventing spreading of the flame when the gas issuing through slit 45 is ignited, the Vgauze giving a uniform flame throughout the lengt-h of the burner.

The number of burner members, and their precise construction, may be varied or modi'- fied in different details without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, as herein but one very practical and efiicient form of burner is shown and described.

Suit-able T-couplings 49 fixed on the two outer burner tubes 44 have depending therefrom tapped plugs 50 to receive threaded legs 5l, shown as bifurcated at their lower ends, Fig. 4, to receive each a flanged truckwheel 52, the truck-wheels and their connected sustaining legs constituting a burner carriage, a pair of the wheels 52 traveling from a suitable source of supply, to be referred to hereinafter, and the normal, operative position of the gassing instrumentality is shown in Figs. l and 2, so that the naked names of the burner will act upon the sheet of yarns or threads near the inner reed b, and they will be gassed as the travel of the sheet draws the yarns or threads through the flame. Thus all of the component filaments of the sheet T will be gassed simultaneously, uniformly and rapidly, many hundred ends being gassed in a relatively small space.

lWhen travel of the filamentous sheet is arrested the track is caused to descend, as has been described, thereby moving the gassing instrumentality away from such sheet burned. To insure absolute safety I also shield the burner members and throttle or reduce the supply of gas, as will appear, so that not only is the burner dropped away from the sheet but the gassing flame is reduced and a shield device is interposed loetween the reduced flame and the sheet. The gassing instrumentality is also moved outward upon the track when travel of the filamentous sheet is arrested, and afterward moved inward when such travel is resumed, by coupling temporarily the burner carriage and the actuator 22. A depending support 54 conveniently made as a part of a T-coupling 55, Figs. 8 and l0, on the innermost one of the burner tubes la has secured to it o-pposite and preferably

adjustable arms

56, 57 which constitute a latch-carrier, extended above the upper run of t-he actuator 22, see Fig. 2. The carrier arm 57 projects inward, or toward the reed Z), is downturned at its end, at 58, and provided with a depending pivo-ted latch 59 which can swing to the left, Fig. 5, but its opposite movement is stopped by the part 58. A similar latch 60 is mounted on the outer end of the carrier arm 56, adapted to swing to the right, Fig. 5,lout stopped from opposite movement by the downturned end 61 of arm 56. In practice ythese latches hang over and clear the plane in which the upper run of the actuator' 22 travels, and the latch 59 cooperates at times with a projection 25 while at other times the latch 60 cooperates with a projection 26, to temporarily couple or connect the actuator and the burner carriage.

Viewing Figs. l and 2, suppose travel of the filamentous sheet T is arrested. The track descends immediately, lowering the gassing instrumentality, and simultaneously the travel of' the actuator 22 is reversed, so that its upper run moves oppositely to arrow 34, Fig. 2, and the straight face of the first projection 26 which engages latch 60 will cause the burner carriage to move outward on the lowered track until the stops engage the leading truck-wheels 52. Before such engagement, however, the operating projection 26 will travel down around the outer pulley 23 and releases the latch, the momentum of the carriage completing its outward movement, and as the actuator brings

other projections

25, 26 against the inner latch 59 the latter is lifted, wiping over one projection after another without hindrance. The gassing instrumentality is now at the outer end of its run, near the outer reed bx, and remains there as long as the filamentous sheet is at rest, at` a point a considerable distance forward of the ungassed part of the sheet. If an attendant is running several of the machines the burner carriage may remain at the outer end of its run for some time and to prevent any possible damage to the yarns or threads above it I have provided a guard or shield 62, loeneath the sheet T, and supported on bracket-s 63, such guard being made of asbestos or other suitable non-conductor of heat. When the treadle 5G is depressed to start up travel of the filamentous sheet, after correction of the fault which caused stoppage of suchtravel, the movement of the actuator 22 is reversed automatically, as will be remembered, so that its upper run travels in the direction of arrow 34, Fig. 2, and at the same time the automatic rise of the track replaces the gassing instrumentality in 0perat-ive position. The first projection 25 whose straight face now engages the latch 59 will cause the burner carriage to move inward upon the track, to its normal position near the inner reed ZJ, and during such inward run ofthe carriage the yarns .or threads will be subjected to the action of the gassing flame. Thus there cannot be any ungassed part of the sheet T due to stoppage of its travel, for when gassing action is resumed at or near the outer run of the burner carriage it is at a point on the sheet which has been previously gassed, and

the flame begins its effective work just as soon as the ungassed portion of the sheet is reached, The run of the burner carriage is of sufficient length. to insure such an overlapping action of the gassing flame, making all proper allowance for some slight travel of the sheet, after power is thrown oil", which may be due to the momentum of the moving parts of the sheet controlling mechanism. Release of the latch 59 and the cooperating projection 25 is effected automatically as such projection travels around the inner pulley 23, the momentum of the carriage taking it along until the inner stops 2l engage the then leading truck-wheels 52.

When the carriage is in normal position, at the inner end of its run, the latch 60 wipes over the

projections

25, 26 as they pass under it, as will be apparent. As the track moves outward when it descends the tension sheave 30, Fig. 2, permits the sprocket-chain 27 to accommodate such movement, the spring 33 acting through the said sheave to take up the slack when the track moves inward and upward to normal position. One of the headers 45 is provided at its inner end with a depending extension 64, Figs. l and 4L, to which by suitable piping is connected a mixer 65, having an air inlet at 66 controlled by a suitable adjustable cover 67. A. pipe G from a suitable source of gas supply, see Fig. l, andhaving a shut-0E valve g, is connected by a flexible conduit v68 with a valve case 69 attached to the mixer,

ering the burner carriage, the foot 71 is pressed against the stand 72 and is thereby moved upward to partly close the controlling valve, thus throttling the supply of gas for the burner, and the free end of tappet 73 is swung upward, the proper throttling of the gas supply being eifected before the foot 71 leaves the stand 72 on the out-ward run of the carriage. When the latter reaches the outer end of its run it carries the upturned end of the tappet 73 beneath an overhanging detent 76, Fig. 1, so that when the track and carriage are raised for the resumption of gassing the detent coperates with the tappet to rock it on the lower end of link 75, thereby restoring the parts to the relative position shown in Fig. 4, and downward movement of the valve-stem opening the controlling valve to turn on the working supply of gas. Thus the gas is throttled automatically when the gassing instrumentality is moved away from the filamentous sheet, and it is turned on again, automatically, when said instrumentality is restored to operative position with relation to the sheet of yarns or threads.

The means for shielding the burner members, and for governing the shielding means, will now be described, special reference being had to Figs. 2, 3 and 5, as the shields have been omitted in Fig. 1, owing to the small scale thereof. A plate 77, Fig. 5, is fixedly attached to the .lower parts of the burner tubes 44 adjacent each header 45, the plates being slotted at 78 to receive the shanks of bolts 79 which are attached to oppositely bent struts 80, the tops of the struts being riveted to light bars 81 which are thus held somewhat above the tops of the ribs 48. As shown in Fig. 3 the two bars 81 are arranged in parallelism, at right angles to the burner tubes 44, and a series of burner shields 82 are riveted securely to said bars, one for each burner member, each shield being conveniently made of. sheet metal, and slightlyl curved transversely, as shown in Fig. 5, the bars 81 being correspondingly curved to fit them. When the shields are retracted they expose the burner slits 46, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 5, so that the flame can have full access to the yarns or threads as they travel over the shields, seeFig. 2,'but when the bars 81 and the connected shields are moved to the right, Fig. 5, a distance equal to the length of slots 78 the shields will extend over the burnery slits, and be interposed between the burners and the yarns a depending linger 83 having its lower end, Y

outside one of the rails 5, bent back and then up at 84, as in Figs. 2 and 5, it being understood that one of these fingers is located atY An L shaped each side of the carriage. bracket 85, Fig. 2, is secured to the upper end of' each brace 13, the horizontal arms of said brackets extending outward parallel to and above the track rails 5, and upon the extremity of each of such arms is attached a flat, resilient blade 86, twisted at right angles to itself at 87, Fig. 6, and terminating in a depending, bent cam foot 88, having a beveled outer edge 89.

When the gassing instrumentality is in normal position each cam foot overhangs and is beyond the upturned end 84 of the linger 83, as shown in Fig. 2, and when the track descends and the burner carriage moves outward the cam foot and finger end 84 engage long enough to pull the connected 1 shields 82 into operative position over the burners, after which the cam foot yields and rides over and ofi' the said linger end. Thus the burners are shielded and the yarns or threads of the sheet T protected practically concurrently with the throttling of the gas supply and the descent of the track and carriage, and the 'shields remain operative until the carriage is raised and run inward.

To return the shields to inoperative position I attach retracting fingers 90 to the struts 80 of the shield-carrying device, one at each side of the carriage, as shown, to cooperate with latches mounted on the rails 5. Each latch comprises a shank 91, Figs. 2

and 11, bent laterally and then upturned at I its outer end, at 92, andV pivoted at 93 to the` outside face of the rail 5, a spring 94 holding the shank normally against a stop pin 95, Fig. 2, with the part 92 in the path of the corresponding finger 90 when the carriage is run out. When the finger engages the latch part 92 it presses the said part down, the latch turning on its fulcrum 93, so that the finger can wipe past and allow 'the carriage to complete its outward run, the spring 94 by an arm 96 fixedly attached to the latch, such depression of the shoe drawing down the upturned end 92 of the latch far enough to release the finger' 90, the-spring 94 resetting the parts after the truck-wheel leaves the shoe. As the inward run of the carriage cont-inues the inner vertical edges of the upturned nger-ends 84: will engage the beveled edges S9 of the cam feet 88, referred to hereinbefore, and will press the feet laterally` the resilient blades S6 being flexed to permit the lateral movement of the cam feet, and returning them to operative position shown in Fig. 2 as the finger-ends pass by.

No further detailed explanation of the operation of the apparatus will be required, as the various operations, and the structures by which such operations are effected, have been explained in the body of the specification.

rlhe apparatus herein shown and described is wholly automatic in operation, and the piecing-up of ends and the starting up of the apparatus after stoppages, are the only manual actions required, so that an attendant can run a number of the machines, each one stopping the gassing action automatically whenever the travel of the sheet of yarns or threads is arrested.

Various changes or modifications may be made by those skilled in the art in different details of construction and arrangement Without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as set forth in the claims annexed hereto.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The combination, with means to effect longitudinal movement of a series of yarns or threads in the form of a sheet, of an instrumentality to act upon and gas simultaneously the component yarns or threads of such sheet, a stop-motion for said sheet-moving means, set in operationy by or through failure of an end, to arrest automatically travel of the sheet, and means actuated by the stop-motion to render inoperative the gassing instrumentality when travel of the filamentous sheet is arrested.

2. The combination, with means to effect longitudinal movement of a series of adjacent yarns or threads arranged in sheet form, of an instrumentality to gas simultaneously the component yarns or threads of such moving sheet, a stop motion for the sheet moving means, set in operation by or through failure of an end, to arrest movement of the sheet, and means set into action by operation of the stop motion to effect a bodily movement of the gassing instrumentality in the direction of travel of the sheet to a point beyond the end of the previously gassed portion thereof.

3. The combination, with means to effect longitudinal movement of a series of adj acent yarns or threads arranged in .sheet form, of a gassing instrumentality movable longitudinally of and also toward and from such moving sheet, to gas simultaneously the component yarns or threads thereof, means controlled and set in operation by the failure of an end in the sheet to effect movement of the gassing instrumentality bodily in the direction of travel of the sheet to a point beyond the end of the previously gassed portion thereof, and means also controlled and set in operation by failure of an end to effect movement of said gassing instrumentality away from the filamentous sheet.

4f. The combination, with means to collect a series of individual yarns or threads and arrange the same in the form of a sheet, and means to effect longitudinal movement thereof, of a gassing instrumentality to act upon such traveling sheet from one to the other edge thereof, said instrumentality being movable toward and from the sheet and also in the direction of its lengtl and mechanism set in motion by failure of an end in the sheet to render said gassing instrumentality inoperative, said mechanism including an actuator to coperate intermittingly with and move said instrumentality in the direc tion of travel of the sheet, and means acting simultaneously to move said gassing instrumentality away from the sheet.

5. The combination, with a plurality of widely separated combsor reeds to coperate with a series of yarns or threads in the form of a sheet, and means to effect longitudinal travel thereof, of a gassing instrumentality normally positioned to gas the yarns or threads of the sheet at a point near one of the combs, means to stop the longitudinal movement of the filamentous sh'eet, and mechanism governed by such means to move the gassing instrumentality away from the sheet and in the direction of movement thereof toward the second comb when travel of the sheet is stopped, said mechanism acting to return the gassing instrumentality to normal position near the first comb when travel. of the sheet is resumed.

6. rfhe combination, with means to effect longitudinal travel of a sheet of yarns or threads, and a stop-motion for said means, set in operation by breakage of an end to thereby arrest travel of the sheet, of a gassing instrumentality to act upon the yarns or threads simultaneously during travel of the same, and means controlled by the stop-motion to effect relative movement of the gassing instrumentality and the filamentous sheet away from each other when travel of the sheet is stopped, said means acting to effect relative movement of the sheet and the gassing instrumentality toward each other when travel of the sheet is resumed.

7. The combination, With a Warper, and an automatic stop-motion therefor to arrest longitudinal travel of a sheet of yarns or threads upon failure of an end, of'a gassing instrumentality to-act simultaneously upon the component yarns or threads of the sheet during travel thereof, said instrumentality including a gas burner extended transversely of and adjacent the sheet, and means to throttle the gas supply automatically When travel of the sheet is arrested.

8. Mechanism to effect longitudinal travel of a series of yarns or threads arranged in the form of a sheet, and means to stop said mechanism upon failure of an end, combined With a gassing instrumentality to act upon the filamentous sheet during travel thereof and movableA bodily into and out of operative position, said instrumentality including a burner extending transversely of and adjacent the sheet, and a burner shield, means to throttle the fuel supply for the burner,

Y controlled and means to position the shield between the burner and the filamentous sheet when travel of the sheet is arrested.

9. Mechanism to effect longitudinal travel of a series of yarns or threads arranged in the form of a sheet, and means to stop said mechanism upon failure of an end, combined with a gassing instrumentality to act upon the filamentous sheet during travel thereof and movable bodily into and out of operative position, said instrumentality including' a burner extending transversely of and adjacent the sheet, a device rendered operative by or through movement of said instrumentality into inoperative position to throttle t-he fuel supply for the burner, and a device to open the fuel supply of the burner by or through movement of the gassing instrumentality to operative position.

'10. Mechanism to yeffect longitudinal travel of a series of yarns or threads arranged in the form `of a sheet, and means to stop said mechanism upon failure of an end, combined With a gassing instrumentality to act upon the filamentous sheet duringv travel thereof and mo-vable bodily into and out of operative position, said instrumentality including a burner extending transversely of and adjacent the sheet, and a burner shield, and means acting upon movement of the gassing instrumentality to inoperative positio-n to interpose the shield between the burner and the filamentous sheet When travel thereof is arrested.

` 11. Mechanism to effect longitudinal travel of a series of yarns or threads arranged in the form of a sheet, means rendered operative by or through failure of an end to stop said mechanism, and manually devices acting through said means to start said mechanism, combined With a gassing instrumentality to act upon the filamentous sheet during travel thereof, said instrumentality including a burner extended transversely of and adjacent the sheet, and a burner shield, means to position the shield between they burner and theV filamentous sheet When travel thereof is arrested, and means to uncover the burner when travel of the sheet is resumed. Y

12. Means to effect longitudinal movement of a series of yarns or threads in the form of a sheet, mechanism to govern the longitudinal movement of the sheet and operating upon breakage of an end to arrest such movement, and a manually controlled member acting through said mechanism to start longitudinal movement of the sheet, combined With an instrumentality to Asubject simultaneously the component yarns or threads of the sheet to the action of a gassing flame, and controlling devices for such instrumentality, said devices operating respectively to render the gassing flame inactive when travel of the sheet is arrested, and to restore the flame to active operation When travel of such sheet is resume Y 13. rThe combination, With mechanism to effectlongitudinal movement of a series of 4yarns or threads in the form of a sheet,

means to stop the longitudinal movement of the sheet, and a manually controlled member acting through said means to start said mechanism, of a gassing instrumentality to act upon the component yarns or threads, said instrumentality being movable longitudinally of the sheet, means, including an actuator moving in one directionV when the sheet is in mot-ion and in the opposite direction when the sheet is at rest, to move said gassing instrumentality beyond the ungassed portion of the sheet .When travel of the sheet f is arrested, and to returnV said instrumentality to normal position longitudinally of the sheet When travel thereof is resumed, and means to reverse the direction of movement of t-he actuator When'the movement of th sheet is stopped and started.

le. The combination, With mechanism to effect longitudinal movement of a series of yarns or threads arranged in the form of a sheet, means to stop t-he longitudinal movement of the sheet, and a manually controlled member acting through said means to start said mechanism, of a gassing instrumentality to act upon the component yarns or threads, said instrumentality being movable toward and from the sheet and also longitudinally thereof, means, including an actuator moving' in one direction When the sheet is in motion and in the opposite direction when the sheet is at rest, to move said gassing instrumentality longitudinally of the sheet beyond the ungassed portion When travel of the sheet is arrested and to return saidinstrumentality to normal position longitudinally of the sheet when travel thereof is resumed, means to reverse the direction of movement of the actuator when the movement of the sheet is stopped and started, and mechanismto eEect movement of the gassing instrumentality toward and from the filamentous sheet.

15. The combination, with mechanism to effect longitudinal movement of a series of yarns or threads arranged in the form of a sheet, andmeans to stop travel of the sheet by or through breakage of' an end thereof, of a movabletrac'k below and parallel to the path of such sheet, a carriage movable upon the track longitudinally of the filamentous sheet, a gassing burner mounted on the carriage and adapted to gas the component yarns or threads of the sheet, means to eect movement of the track, and the burner carriage thereon, toward and from the filamentous sheet, movement of said carriage upon its track changing the position of the gassing burner with relation to the length of the filamentous sheet, and means to move the carriage upon said track.

16. The combination, with mechanism to effect longitudinal movement of a series of yarns or threads arranged in the form of a sheet, of a gassing burner normally acting upon the yarns or threads at a certain point in the path of the sheet, means operating when travel of the sheet is arrested to move automatically the burner ahead beyond the ungassed portion of the sheet, devices brought into operation by such movement of the burner to render the latter inoperative, and devices to render operative said burner when the burner is returned to its normal position.

17. The combination, with mechanism to effect longitudinal movement of a. series of yarns or threads arranged in the form of a sheet, of a gassing burner normally acting upon the yarns or threads at a certain point in the path of the sheet and movable longit-udinally of such sheet, mechanism to govern such movement of the burner and including a member to coperate temporarily with and advance the burner beyond the ungassed portion when travel of the sheet is arrested and to coperate temporarily with and return the burner to normal position when travel of the sheet is resumed, devices acting to rendei inoperative said burner when it is advanced, and devices to render operative the burner upon its return movement to normal position.

18. The combination, with mechanism to eEect longitudinal movement of a sheet of' yarns or threads, and means to stop travel of the sheet by or through breakage of an end thereof, of a gassing burner and a carriage on which it is mounted, a track for the carriage below and parallel to the path of movement of the filamentous sheet, means to lower the track automatically when travel of the sheet is arrested and thereby render said burner inoperative, a device acting through said means to raise t-he track at will, and actuating means to effect outward movement of t-he carriage when the track is lowered, said means acting to effect return movement of the carriage after the track is raised, to obviate ungassed portions in the filamentous sheet.

19. The combination, with mechanism to effect longitudinal movement of a sheet of yarns or threads, and means to govern the operation of said mechanism, of a gassing instrumentality to gas the component yarns orthreads of the sheet, said instrumentality being movable bodily longitudinally of the sheet, actuating means to effect such bodily movement controlled by said governing means, .and including an endless actuator moved in one direction when travel of the sheet is stopped and moved in the opposite direction when travel of the sheet is resumed, and means to reverse automatically the direction of movement of the actuator when travel of the sheet is stopped or started.

20. The combination, with mechanism to effect longitudinal movement of a sheet of yarns or threads and a stop-motion therefor operated by or through failure of an end, of an instrumentality to act upon and gas the yarns or threads of the sheet, said instrumentality being movable bodily longitudinally of the sheet, actuating means to efect such bodily movement including an endless actuator moved in one direction when travel of the sheet is started, to thereby move said gassing instrumentality to abnormal position, and moved in the opposite direction when travel of the sheetis resumed, to thereby return said instrumentality to abnormal position, and means to reverse automatically the direction of movement of the actuator by or through change from running to stopping condition, or vice versa, of said stop-motion.

21. In apparatus for gassing yarn or thread, a gassing burner means to vary the distance between it and the yarns or threads to be gassed, means actuated automatically to throttle the gas supply when the distance between the burner and the yarns or threads is increased, said means being actuated reversely when such distance .is decreased, to restore the gas supply, and means, including a longitudinally movable actuator, to move the burner in the direction of travel of the yarns or threads while .the gas supply is throttled.

22. In apparatus for gassing a traveling sheet of yarns or threads, a plurality of longitudinally-slitted burner-tubes, a carriage on which they are mounted, and a track for the carriage, combined with a plurality of shields movably mounted on the carriage and adapted to cover or uncover the burnerslits, means to effect outward movement ofi the burner flames when lsaid carriage is moved outward.

24. In apparatus for gassing a traveling sheet of yarns or threads, a plurality of connected, parallel and elongated burner-pipes to provide flames adapted to extend from edge to edge of the filamentous sheet, a carriage comprising truck-wheels and their supports, adjustably connected with the burnerpipes, a track for and upon which the carriage is movable in the direction of travel of the filamentous sheet, actuating means to effect movement of said carriage upon the track, a gas-supply conduit connected with i the burner-pipes, and devices adjacent the opposite ends of the track, to throttle automatically the gas flow when the carriage is moved outward and toincrease the flow when return movement of said carriage begins, respectively.

25. In apparatus for gassing a traveling sheet of yarns or threads, a burner adjacent and extended transversely of such filamentous sheet, a carriage for the burner, a track upon which the carriage is movable in the direction of travel of the sheet, oppositely acting latches connected with the carriage, actuating means for the lat-ter, including an endless actuator having two sets of projections thereon, each set adapted to coperate temporarily with one of the latches and move the carriage upon the track, devices to move the endless actuator in one direction when the filamentous sheet is in motion, and

devices to effect a reversal in the movement of said actuator when the sheet is at rest,' combined with stops to limit travel of the;

carriage upon the track.

26. The combination, with mechanism to eect longitudinal travel of a sheet of yarns or threads, governing means therefor, in-

cluding fast and loose pulleys, and a beltshipper moved manually to starting position and moved automatically to stopping position-by or through failure of an end, of a gassing instrumentality movable toward and from the filamentous sheet and also longitudinally thereof, means controlled by said governing means to move said instrumentality away from such sheet when travel thereof is stopped, and to return it when travel of the sheet is resumed, and actuating means, to effect intermittent longitudinal movement of said gassing instrumentality, said actuating means including an endless belt, connections between it and the fast pulley to move the belt in one direction when the fast pulley is in motion, and other connections between the loose pulley and the belt to move the latter in the opposite direction when the fast pulley is at rest.

27. The combination, with mechanism to effect longitudinal travel of a sheet of yarns or threads, an automatic stop-motion therefor, and a manually operated starting member, of a gassing instrumentality, including a burner extended transversely of the filamentous Vsheet and movable bodily in the direction of travel thereof, means operative by or through action of the stop-motion to move the gassing instrumentality away from the path of travel of the sheet, actuation of the starting member operating through said same means to move the gassing instrumentality toward the filamentous sheet, an endless actuator, means to. effect travel thereof oppositel to the direction of travel of the sheet when the latter is in motion, means to reverse the direction of movement of saidactuator when travel of the filamentous sheet isstopped, and coupling devices, the one acting to temporarily connect the gassing instrumentality and said actuator upon actuation of the stop-motion, and the other acting upon actuation of the starting member, to thereby effect outward and return movement of said instrumentality, respectively.

I 28. The combination, with two separated reeds, and mechanism to effect longitudinal travel of a series of yarns or threads in the form'of a fiat sheet and a stop-motion to arrest travel of the sheet automatically upon breakage of an end, of a track below the reeds and parallel to the path of movement of the sheet, a carriagemovable on said track and provided with a burnerV to act upon and gas the yarns or threadsv at a point near the first reed, and means acting through said track to raise and lower said burner with relation to the path of movement of the sheet, at eitherend ofthe travel of the carriage upon the track, whereby the gassing point may be changed between the reeds.

29. The combination, with mechanism, including two separated reeds, to eiect longitudinal travel of a series of yarns or threads in the form of a flat sheet, of a gassing instrumentalityV bodily movable in the direction of the length of the filamentous sheet, to vary the position of the'gassing point with relation to the reeds, automati- Vcally operating means to render inoperative said instrumentality and move it-toward the outer reed when travel of the sheet is arrested, and a fixed non-conducting guard besheet when the gassing instrumentality is at rest near the said outer reed.

30. The combination, with mechanism, including two separated reeds, to effect longitudinal travel of a series or' yarns or threads in the form of a flat sheet, and a stop-motion to arrest travel of the sheet au tomatically upon breakage of an end, of a gassing instrumentality below and normally adjacent the sheet, to gas simultaneously the yarns or threads thereof, normally at a point near the inner' reed, and means to lower and means to move said instrumentality outward toward the outer reed, when travel of the sheet is stopped, to thereby stop the gassing action, subsequent starting of said mechanism acting through both of said means to reverse the operation thereof and thereby, by one means, raise said instrumentality into gassing position near the outer reed and then by the other of said means to move said instrumentality inward to normal position near the inner reed, the yarns or threads being subjected to the action of the gassing instrumentality during the inward movement thereof.

3l. The combination with mechanism, including two separated reeds, to effect longitudinal travel of a series of yarns or threads in the form of a fiat sheet, and a stop-motion to arrest travel of the sheet automatically upon breakage of an end, of a gassing instrumentality including a burner below the sheet and in continuous connection with a gas-supply, a valve to regulate the flow of gas to the burner, and a carriage on which the burner is mounted, the normal position of the carriage subjecting the component yarns or threads of the sheet to the action of a gassing flame near the inner reed, an endless actuator located below and substantially parallel to the path of movement of the filamentous sheet, and moving normally opposite to travel of the latter, means to effect reverse movement of the actuator only when the sheet is at rest, separate devices to temporarily couple the carriage and the actuator whenever direction of movement of the latter is reversed, one of said devices thereby acting to move said carriage toward the outer reed when travel of the sheet is stopped and the other of said devices acting to eiiect return movement ofv the carriage when travel of the sheet is resumed, and devices successively coperating with the gas controlling valve to partly close it when the carriage moves outward and to open said valve when the carriage moves inward.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specication, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN B. BOLTON.

Witnesses:

JOHN T. MERCER, F. M. ANDREW.

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