US121505A - Improvement in machines for cleaning and finishing silk and thread - Google Patents

Description

v l 4Sheets.-`-Sheet. CHRISTOPHER L.'FR|NK.

improvement in Machines. 'for` Claningvand Finishing Silk and Thred.

No. 121,505. PaientedD-emmisn.

4 Sheets--Sheet 2.. CHRISTOPHE-R L.F R|NK.

improvement in Machines. for Cleaning and Finishing'Silk and Thread.

NO. 121,505. Patented Dec.5,i87i.

I jay. 2,

#Sheets-Sheet 3.

Pate ed Dec. 5,1871.

CHRISTOPH-ER L.FH|NK.'

improvement in MachinesQfor-Cieaning and Finishing Silk and Thread.

Nif-.121,505

, Eval-4502i.-

iSheets--Sheet4.l CHRISTOPHER L. FRINK.

Improvement in Machines. for Cleaning lsind Finishing Silk and Thread.

N0. 121,505. Patented Dec. 5, 1.871.

jeter gli@ e un UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIG CHRISTOPHER L. FRINK, OF VERNON, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FDR CLEANING AND FINISHING SILK AND THREAD.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 121,505, dated December 5, 1871.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTOPHER L. FRINK, of Vernon, inthe county of Tolland and State of Gonnecticut, have invented certain Improvements in Machines for Cleaning and Finishing Silk and Thread; and I do hereby declare that the following, taken in connection with the drawing which accompanies and forms part of this specification, is a description of my invention sufficient to enable those skilled in the art to practice it.

My improvements consist in a peculiar construction of a rollfor giving a friction, stretch, and polish to the thread, and for distributing and giving uniformity to the twist therein, and avoid` ing the liability of having the thread cut through into the roll; in a novel mechanism for stopping the movement of any set of polishing-rolls when its thread breaks; iu a novel mechanism for promptly arresting the winding motion of the spools of any given head when one of its threads breaks; in a special combination of devices for giving the traverse in winding; in such arra-ngement and action of mechanism on either side, as also on opposite sides, of the frame as to equalize and neutralize the thrust and jarring; and in certain other details hereinafter stated, the machine also acting as a perfect stretcher ofthe silk or thread.

Figure 1 is an end view of my machine, one of a series of sets of the devices which operate upon the several threads being illustrated at the left of the frame, although in practice a series of similar sets of mechanism is used on the opposite side of the frame, as is seen in part in Fig. 2, which is a cross section. Fig. 3 is a front view, with the spools and first tension apparatus in part cut away. Figs. 4, 4J represent the adjustable traverse mechanism detached. Figs. 5 and 6 are details of the stop mechanism; Fig. 7, other details, and Fig. 8, plan and sectional views of my improved roller.

A is the frame of the machine; B, the main shaft, which, by means of belt b running over pulley b2 on shaft B1, imparts motion through connecting-rod C to the rocking arm D on rockshaft E, a toothed sector, F, on such shaft engaging with and giving motion to a similar sector, G, on a lower rock-shaft, H, upon which is a rocking arm, I, similar to arm D. To each end of the arms D and I is pivoted a lever-arm, J, having a notch, 1, to receive a boss or projection, 2, upon the rear of the rising-and-falling head K. Every pair of arms J in their normal position is kept in engagement with the projections 2 up on the heads by means of yielding connections 3 at the outer ends of the arms. These heads, as will be seen, are arranged to ride vertically in ways or guides 4 in the uprights 5, both on the front and rear of the frame, being actuated by the reciprocatory movements of the arms J and it will be seen, by reference to Figs. l and 2, that when the heads on one side of the frame are moving in a given direction the corresponding ones on the opposite side are moving in the opposite direction; and also those upon the one side do not rise and fall together, but that when one half ascends the other half descends, and Vice versa. This construction and arrangement cause the shocks and jarring of one half the machinery to balance and neutralize those of the other half. Each head is supplied with two or more rollers, L, for each thread, having a special and novel construction, and for a special purpose hereinafter described. M is a stationary bracket, with grooved tension-pins or rods 6 6, and located to receive the silk directly from a delivery-spool, N, and between it and the polishingrolls L. The silk from the spool passes to and fro, crossing itself several times over the pins, and thence to the lower polishing cone-rolls L, making a turn around each, and thence to the similar upper rolls L', and making a turn around each; after which it passes over the roll c or c on the rod O or 0 and thence under the loose roll d or d', on the traverse-rod e or e to the winding or receiving spool Q or Q', the spindle R of which derives positive motion from shaft S through the gears T U, the shaft S being driven from shaft V by means of a belt, 7, the shaft V being itself driven from shaft B by means of a belt running from pulley V to V. W is a springlatch supported in a bracket, w, and, in its normal position, while the mechanism is working properly, it is locked to place against the force of its spring 8 by a drop-bar, X. The inner end of this latch is of arc form, as seen, and the outer lower end of this arc has a side projection or catch, 9. Upon each of the levers J is a pin, j, which, when the latch is not locked by the dropbar X, and is consequently forced inward by the spring 8, is caused by the movements of the lever to ride upon the convex edge of the arc and thus force lever J ontof engagement with its head. The upper head, when so released, drops by gravity, and is received by the coiled spring l0 to ease the fall.

These movements take place when any one of the threads break, so that the mechanism which has been acting upon such thread shall cease to operate, but such stoppage in nowise disturbing the movements of the other mechanism operating on any of the other threads.

This unlocking of bar X upon the breakin g of the thread is effected as follows: Projecting' laterally from the bar, near its top, is a pin or arm, a', adjustable as to height, around which is loosely coiled a stop-motion wire, 11, as seen, the ends of which are bent horizontally in opposite dir-m tions. Under each of these ends a thread passes on its wa-y toward the receivingspool and keepsA it swung out and supported in an elevated position. 0n the breaking of a thread this wire drops so as to be in the path of the rising head, which, as it rises, strikes it and lifts it and with it the bar X. The lifting of bar X lifts also the outer end of the lever Y, which is supported by it, and as this outer end is just beneath a boss on the gears T U of the spindle of the receiving spools such gears are thus lifted and disengaged from the gears S', which drive them, and thus the windingspool is automatically stopped by the breaking of its thread.

A brake-lever, Z, furnished with rubber pads z-preferably inserted in holes drilled through the leveris arranged so tha-t as the spools are lifted their heads or their spindle-heads shall be brought into direct contact with the brake and stopped 5 and the companion-spool is likewise stopped and prevented from unwinding by reason of the tension of its thread. The smooth metallic under surface of the brake rests, when the machine is in operation, upon the flange or boss of the spool-spindle gear and does not act as a brake, and the rubber is at such time not operative 5 but when, upon the breaking' of the silk, the arm lifts the spool, this movement of the arm and spool brings the dan ge or hub into range with the rubber, which then acts, to prevent the spool being unwound and its silk being made slack, by the back pull, and so avoids its liability to spring back and fly oft' from the rolls on the cleaner-heads. As but one of the con'lpanionthreads may break and not the other, the stoppage of either winding-spool will cause the stoppage of the other, as they are both geared together, and similarly the prevention bythe brake of the unwindin g of one, will prevent any unwindin g of the other. lf the rubber pads are so applied as to be brought into action upon the flanges of both the companion-spools then that whose thread is not broken will (as well as the other) be thereby prevented from any further revolution.

A spring-catch, j', is connected with each of the lower heads K, and which performs no duty unless a thread breaks; in such case, after the latch 'W has sprung inward upon its release from rod X the lateral projection g comes within the range of its upward movement, permitting this catch to take hold upon the projection g and hold the head suspended and out of the way of the notch 1 of arm J, whose pin j then commences to ride on the arc 'w' before the notch could engage with the projection. To lodge the catch on the projection g on the arc w the inertia of the head in its upward rise assists to carry or throw it a little upward beyond the height which its carrier reaches before becoming disengaged from it. WVhenthe silk is pieced, and all is ready to resume, the latch W is pulled back, the rod X drops and locks it, and all the other parts take their proper places and proceed to work again.

The devices for giving the traverse motion to he silk as it is delivered to the winding-spool so as to lay its oils evenly, and for varying the traverse for different sizes of spools, are as follofwsz A heart-shaped cam, 12, is secured upon a shaft, 13, which latter' gets its motion from gear 14 on said shaft through a worm, 15, on shaft S, as seen in Figs. 1 and 3. This cam, in its revolution, bears upon the pins 16 and 17, projecting, respectively, from the vibrating upright bent bars 1S and 19. The bar 18 is pivoted at 20 to hanger 21, and the bar 19 is pivoted to bar 18, its top being also connected to it by a spring, 22, as seen in Figs. 1, 3, and 4,' the spring serving to keep the pins on the bars in contact with the edges of the heart-cam. At the upper end of the bar 1b is a slotted adjustable eXtension piece, 23, which, by means of a set-screw, 24, may be raised or lowered to vary the operative length and consequent extent of vibration of the bar 1S. sion piece 23 is pivoted one end of a bent rod, 25, the other end of which is connected to a yoke or pendant, 2G, which is rigidly secured to Jthe traverse-rod c, as seen in Figs. el and 4b.

The revolution of the cam and vibration of bar 18 actuate the bent rod 25, which thus gives reciprocating motion to the traverse-rod c. The grooved rolls 27 on the traverse-rods, and also upon the rods O, are so applied to the rods as to be free to have slight p1ay-of, say, one-eighth of an inch-lengthwise of the rod. This dispenses with the need of a constantly-variable tra-verse to wind upon spools having heads slightly conical, inasmuch as under the tension ofthe silk each last-wound layer at the end of each tra-versc shifts such grooved roll laterally enough to permit the coils to be wound closely up to the head. The play allowed for this is made sufficient for any spools adapted to be wound on the machine. A thread is cut for a short distance on each of the spindles which carry the receiving or winding-spools, and a nut thereon serves to tighten the spool. Spools of different lengths may thus be applied to the same spindle.

Heretofore, in machines for polishing silk and other threads, the rollers-around which the silk is coiled once or more times to cause it to receive a polish by friction caused by the reciprocating movements of the head-have been made with a cylindrical barrel and a ange at each end, or without a barrel between the lian ges, the flanges themselves meeting at an acute angle.

In practice the silk cuts its way directly into these rolls, in time cutting the last-described one entirely into two pieces, rand cutting' the other one into grooves at the angles formed by the barrel with its flanges. The grooves so cut destroy To the upper end of the exteninstead of improving the silk, and actually pre1 vent the proper lateral play of the coils, whereby the silk should not only abra-de aga-inst itself, but so shift its position as to roll on its axis and constantly present a new surface so that every part shall be equally and fully polished. \Vith the cylindrical barrel this rolling action also takes place to a very slight degree, if at all, as the silk, when not embedded in the groove worn at the end of the cylindrical portion, slips .or slides readily across the barrel, and, in so doing, the coils are almost ,certain to separate out of contact with each other.

.To insure the most efficient and uniform action on the silk and give it a high and even luster, I make my rolls, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, without any angle at its smallest diameter to receive the thread, and which would permit a cutting into the metal and also without a cylinder. On

I y the contrary, I make the barrel 28 of my roller of-a conical form, as seen at Fig. 8, and Iavoid any angle where the smaller diameter of the cone meets the head or ila-nge by giving a graduallycontinuous curvature, the two thus gently running into each other without any positive line of junction.

It will now be seen that any tendency of lateral play of the coils, when the heads reverse their motion, impels them up upon the cone, and its gradually-varying diameter compels a rolling of the silk thereon, whether riding up or down the cone; and that this rolling action presents ever-varyin g surfaces of contact of the silk both against itself and against the roll.

The action of these rolls also distributes and renders uniform the twist of the silk, and consequently strengthens it, as the weaker or less iirmly-twisted parts are made to receive a part of the twist which may have been unduly given to other parts in the process of its manufacture. It will also be seen that, when the coils are at the bottom of the cone, there is no liability to cut the roll nor to be cut by it, inasmuch as they lie in a curved bed; and the tendency of the movements of the silk in its wear upon the roll is to wear it only into the same curved form and thus preserve rather than-as in rolls heretofore used-destroy its shape and efliciency.

My rod is also more readily cleaned than any other known to me, of substances or thread which may accidentally wind in orupon it.

The larger end of the cone may have a flange or not, as desired; but ordinarily it will be unnecessary, as the silk is not likely (under the tension given it while being polished) to ride entirely up and off the cone. y

I ind by experience that my roll never frays or frets the silk, and will clean or nish twice the quantity of any other roll known or tried by me.

The course taken by the silk is from the delivery-spool N to and around the pins of the iirst stationary tension apparatus 5 thence to and around the polishing-rollers upon the lower head; thence to and around the polishing-rollers of the upper head 5 thence under and supporting the stop-motion wire ll and over a loose guide-roller, c or c', on rod O, next under asimilar roller, d, on the traversing rod e and nally to the spool upon which it is wound.

Each head has two pairs of (or sets comprising more than two) polishing-rollers, and acts at the same time upon two threads drawn from two spools.

The number of rolls for each head I increase at will7 according to the labor required on the silk to be cleaned, instead of increasing the speed of the heads to accomplish the same purpose.

There are also two sets of guide and traversing-rollers, one for each thread, and a separate receiving-spool for each thread, as shown in the drawing.

I claiml. rlhe thread-polishing roll L, formed with a conical-sh aped barreland a flange at its smaller end, the two meeting in a curved line, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The stop mechanism for the heads, consisting of the combination, with each set of polishing-heads, of a drop-rod, X, and its stop-wire 11, spring-latch w having a notch for such rod7 and an arc to disconnect the heads from the mechanism which actuates them, the parts operating as described.

3. The stop mechanism for each set of receiving-spools, consisting of the drop-rod X and its stop-wire ll, actuated bythe head K, lever Y, and gear-spindle R, the whole operating substantially as described.

4. In combination with the devices enumerated in the last-preceding claim, the padded brakelever Z, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. In combination with the traverse-rod and its actuating cam, the yoke-bar 18 19 having an.

Witnesses:

BENEZEK H. BILL, KATE G. BILL. (17)

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