US1239560A - Thread-splicing machine. - Google Patents

Description

A. A, BRIGHM.

THREAD Sx'JUClNG NMi'-NE.

. MPucATloN 'FILED umso. 1919.

@ Patented sew. u, mi

' SHEETS-swim 2.

A. IBRI'EAM, ROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS.

THREAD-SPLICING. MACHINE.A

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. it, 191'?.

Application filed December 30, 1915. Serial No. 69,485.

ATo all whom lima/.y concern:

Be it known that ARTHUR A. BnrGHAM, a citizen of the United States, residlng at Brookline, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts have invented certain Improvements in bread-Splicing Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts 1n the several figures.

In the winding of thread on spools, tubes, cones or into balls or other forms in which it is to be marketed, it becomes necessary, when an end is reached, to join this end to the end of the supply from which the winddown into the spliceding is to be continued, in some manner suited to the purpose for which the thread 1s to be used. If the thread is to be used in sewing machines or in any machine in which uniformity in the diameter of the threadis an important consideration, .then obviously a knot is highly objectionable; and accordingly it becomes necessary to join the thread ends by splicing in some manner that will notresult in increasing the diameter of the thread in the spliced portion to an objectionable degree.`

With a view to meetingthis `requirement it has been customary heretofore to untwist the thread ends to be joined, the threads usually being held in rotary twister heads driven by power to elect this untwisting op- Ieration; then to separate the untwisted portions into their individual strands and join together in .pairs the strands so separated, e`ach pair consisting of one strand from each thread. This temporary joining consists merely in twisting the two strands loosely together. When all the pairs of strands have been joined in this manner, the threads are removed from the twister heads; and the accumulation of twist which has backed up in the threads behind the twister heads during the untwisting operation is stripped portion by hand, thus returning to the spliced part substantially the twist that was taken out Vof it. This general method of splicing has been followed substantially as just described for a number of years.

The present invention has for its general object to devise a` machine or apparatus with which to facilitate the operation of splicing thread and'similar material. More speciically, the invention aims to reduce the timf` 'required for the thread splicingoperation;

to render the twisting and untwisting operations more uniform and more accurately adapted to different kinds of threads; and .to produce a splicesuperior to that ordi- Ilarily obtained by the methods heretofore practised.

The various features of the invention will bereadily understood from the following description of the embodiment thereof now preferredby me, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a. plan View of a machine representing this embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view, left hand twister head shown in Fig. l and Certain of the adjacent parts; and

Fig. 3 is a side elevation, partly in section of a thread holding device with which the machine is equipped.

Referring now to the drawings, 2 and 3 indicate in general two opposed twister heads mounted substantially in axial alinement with each other in bearings supported on a base plate 4f. The twister head 2 coniprises ashat 6 rotatably mounted in a bearing 8, a long pinion 10 secured fast on said shaft at one side of said bearing and a knurled sleeve 12 secured thereon at the opposite side of the bearing. A slot 14 is -ormed longitudinally through the sleeve, pinion, bearing and shaft, extending from the peripheral surfaces of these parts substantially to their axes so that the threadl can beslipped into this slot and secured therein, lyincf substane tially in the axis of rotation of the twister head. `When the thread is so positioned it is clamped at the forward end of the shaft by a set screw 16, threaded through the sleeve l2, as best indicated in F ig. 2l The twister head 3 is similarly constructed, its parts being designated, respectively, by the odd numerals next higher than those used to designate the corresponding parts of the twister head 2. j Mounted intermediate beside the twister heads are two threadedy shafts 18 and 19, respectively, which are supported in iixed'positions in bearings 20 and 2l, respectively; and mounted on these shafts are two gears 22 and 23, respectively, which mesh with their adjacent pinions 10 and 11, respec- -tivcly. Each of these gears has an internal thread that receives the external thread of the stationa1y-shaft on which it is supported, so that 1t can rotate on its shaft only showing the.

by traveling longitudinally of This longitudinal travel of eachl gear is limited by wise direction can be definitely predetermined by the proper setting or adjustment of the two sets of check nuts with which each' shaft is provided.

Suitable supports 28 and 29'are provided, respectively, for thespools, tubes or other articles on which the thread that is tobe spliced is wound. Each of these supports consists merely of two arms pivoted together and one pivoted on the plate 4, the arm not carried directly by the plate being provided with a pin on which the tube, spool or other article is rotatably supported. The two arms are clamped in adjusted position by thumb screws. Suitable .thread guides 30 are positioned both in front of and behind each twister head and substantially in axial aline- Inent therewith to aid in guiding the thread into the axis of each twister head. The thread pasfing through the twister head 2 has its end held temporarily in one or more thread holding clips 32, adjustable into any one of a series of holes 34 drilled through the plate 4; and similar clips 33, adjustable in holes 35, are provided to hold the end of the thread passing through the twister head 3. l

Mounted between the twister heads and in front of their axial line is a thread supporting plate 36 having a vertical thread supporting face in which a shallow groove is formed. as best indicated in Fig. 2. The ends of this plate are curved toward 'the twister heads 2 and 3. This plate has a wing 37 projecting from it, which is slotted to receive a clamping screw 38 that secures the plate adjustably on the upper surface y of a small rocker arm 39, which is pivoted at 40 ona bracket 41 secured to the plate 4. This construction allows the plate to be adjusted laterally toward and from the axial line of the twister heads, and also to swing about the pivot 4() toward and from said line. This swinging motion is limited by the engagement of two ears 42 and 43, projecting in front of and behind, respectively, the rocker arm 39. and arranged to engage the heads ot small adjusting screws 44 and 45, respectively, that are threaded intov the bracket 41. The plate 36 is urged away from the axial line of the twister heads by means of a spring 46 that cncircles a guide rod 47 which is piyoted to the back of the rocker, arm 39 and has a nut 48 threaded thereon against which the spring 46 bears at one end, its opposite end being backed up by an upright part of the bracket 41 through which the rod 47 slides. By adjusting, the nut 48 along the rod 47, the tensionfof the spring 46 can be varied.

Two brushes 50 and 51, respectively, are

secured in inclined positions to the front of the base plate 4, wher-e they may conveniently hold the strands of the ,threads that are to be spliced.

In using the machine, the gears 22 and 23, `which are shaped to form hand wheels, are

rotated by hand away from each other until-` they strike their respective pairs of check' nuts 24, which stop any further rotative movement in these directions. Preferably, these check nuts are so set that, when the gears 22 and 23are against them, the Aparts of each slot 14 and 15 in the two twister heads will be lined up together, as indicated in Fig. 2. so that the threads can be conveniently laid into the respective slots. As

shown in Fig. l. the thread 4Ais passed `per inch. This number is known, and the lengtlrot' the thread between either twister' head and its respective clip 32 or 33 is also known. Since the ratio between each gear and its pinion and the number Aof threads perinch on the shafts 18 and 19 are known, the check nuts 26 can readily .be set so that when the gear 22, for instance, is rotated in a direction indicated by the arrow on it in Fig. 1, it will give the twister head 2 only the required number of revolutions necessary to take the twist out of the part of the thread A between the clip 32 and the shaft 6. The rotation of the gear 23 in the direction indicated by the arrow, Fig. 1, takes the twist out of the corresponding part of the thread B. -If the number of turns in the thread were not known, it would-be merely necessary to support the threadsl in the manner described and to turn the gears 22 and 23 slowly by hand until all the twist had been taken out of the sections of thread to be spliced. The check nuts 26 could then be set to bear against the gears 22 and 23, and this setting would be correct for future splicing operations on the saine kind of thread. Ot course, the untwisting of the end portions of the threads in this manner runs b'ack a. certain amount of surplus twist into the parts of the threads lying` behind the twister heads, as indicated in Fig. 1.

The twist now being taken out of the two sections of thread that are to be spliced together, one of these sections, as for instance B, is taken out of its clip 33 and separated soy iid

Vcan readily be done now into its strands l), Fig. l, which, of course, that the thread has been untwisted. These strands h are then inserted between the bristles of the brush 5l, as-shown in Fig. l, to hold them temporarily. It has been assumed in Fig. l that there are four strands in the thread B. This ligure shows the machine at this stage in the splicing operation. The thread A, of course, has a like number of strands and this thread is next taken out of its clip 32, and its strands o are separated and secured in the brush 50 in the same way that the strands b are secured. Une ot' the strands a oi' one thread is now brought across the front face of the plate 36 with one of the strands h of the other thread, and the two strands are twisted together several times merely by rolling them between the fingers. The ends of the strands are then pulled to stretch them across the thread supporting face of the plate, leaving the twisted portion at the upper left hand end ofthe face of the plate, as shown in Fig. 2. This operation is then repeated with another pair of strands a and b, but this time the twisted part ispositioned farther to the right so that it does not overlap the twisted section of the first two strands. This operation is repeated with each of the other remaining pairs of strands until theyhave all been joined in this manner; the twisted sections being spaced along the plate 36 so that they do not overlap each other. The ends of the strands may then be cut oil' substantially as It desired, the strands a moistened by an atoinizer convenient manner and b may be or in any other before this joining operation is begun so that they will better stay twisted together.

The strands of both threads are now associated with each other in readiness to be twisted together, the plate 36 serving to support them in the condition in which they have been joined together loosely, as just described. While they lie thus against the face of the plate 86, the two gears 22 and 23 are rotated in directions opposite to the directions indicated by the arrows on them in Fig. l, causing them to travel away from each other until they strike the check nuts 24, and thus rotating the twister heads 2 and 3 in directions opposite to the directions of the first rotation. This operation causes each twister head to make the same number of revolutions that it made originally, but in the opposite direction, thus putting back into the thread the same number 'of turns that originally were taken out, and also taking out behind the first part the surplus twist in the'threads two twister heads. During the of this twisting operation, the

' several strands lying against the thread supporting face of the plate 36 roll together and tend to travel toward the middle of the shown in Fig. 2."

one pair at a time,

of this face of the plate; but as the thread shortens, due to the twisting action, it rides up over the upper edge of the plate 36, pressing this plate backwardly about the pivot 40 until it finally tips the plate back far enough to snap over the upper edge oil the plate and free itself from the plate. As the rotation of the twister head is continued, the spliced section is twisted up tightly.

lf the checknuts 24 have been set properly, as above described, the parts of the slot in each twister head will now be lined up so that the entire length of thread be tween the two balls or spools can be im mediately it being merely necessary first to loosen the set screws 16 and 17.

The plate 36 affords a very convenient support against which to perform the part oi" the splicing operation that must be done by hand; and by properly adjusting' this taken out of the twisterheads,v

twister heads will thread will be twisted up tightly when the twisting; operation-is completed. That is, the ladjustment of the plate will make the proper allowance for the slack to be taken up in theitwisting operation. This result can also be modified by the adjustment ot the posts 32 and-33. lt will be'noted that the joined sections of the strands when they lie against the plate 36 are all substantially uniform in length, so that when these strands have been twisted together to complete the splice they will all be under substantially the same tension and thus will make a stronger splice than they would if some' or' the joined sections of strandsvwere substantially looser than others.

The spliced section of thread is neXt stretched between two thread holding devices 52 and 54 positioned at the back of the base plate 4. These devices may be oi any. suitable form but in the arrangement shown the device 52 consists merely I ing a disk 53 havingaV-shaped thread holding notch formed in its periphery. The device 54 consists of a post secured in the plate 4 with a disk 56 secured thereto by a short bolt 57, but free to rotate or pivot on said bolt. A weighted arm 58 is secured to this disk, as shown in Fig. 3. The thread is passed once around the disk 53 of the iirst thread holding device, and then similarly around the disk 56 lying in' the notch 59, the arm 58 being tipped up while this opi eration takes place. As soon as the arm is released, its weight tends to swing the disk 56 'on its pivot in a. direction that tensions the length oi thread secured between the two members 52 and 54. The ends of the several pairs of strands a and 7), which have been twisted together, are now pulled up, and cut od close to the be made such that theV This spliced'section is then rubbed with I' a possibility oi making a mistake.

' wax, starch or some filling material suited to the requirements of the particular kind oli' thread being spliced to give it a smooth surface.

As soon as the check nuts 22 and 24 have been set for any particular kmd of thread .and the posts 32 and 33 have been properly spaced for this` thread, the operation then becomes exceedingly simple; it can be performed very rapidly; and there is scarcely This setti-1g, of course, is made by the foreman or overseer so that no matteil requiring any great amount of judgment or technical knowledge isleft to the operative. By making the gears 22 and 23 in the shape of hand wheels the machine may conveniently be run by the operative and the requirement for power thus is eliminated. It obviously takes no substantial amount of power to run the twister heads. It is an important advantage to be able to determine definitely the number of revolutions that the twister heads will make in either direction so that when this number is determined for any given splice, no further attention need be paid to the drivingl` mechanism until the thread is changed. I also regard the yielding movement of the thread supporting plate 36 and the construction otits face as important features of this invention.

While the thread splicing operation has been above described as performed on thread having a right hand twist, it is obvious that it is merely necessary to reverse the direction of rotation of the twister heads in performing the different steps in order to splice thread having a left hand twist.

It will be evident that there is in any given part of the spliced section of thread only one more strand than in the part of the thread that is not spliced. Accordingly,

v the splicing operation does not objectionably increase the diameter of the thread. The spliced section, when the operation is performed as above described, will be twisted slightly tighter, that is, will have more twists per inch, than the unspliced part. This, however, is not objectionable, and the amount or' this additional twist can be varied by adjusting the clips 32 and 33 toward or from their respective twister heads 2 and 3, and making the corresponding changes necessary in the number of revolutions iven to each' twister head. A comparative y little experience will enable a foreman or operativel to determine very quickly what this adjustment should be.

While the invention has been above described as embodied in a machine for splicing thread, it is obvious that it could be used for splicing other material not technt cally known as thread, but consisting of several strands of material twisted together; and accordingly it is desired that the term thread, as used herein, shall be regarded as a descriptive rather than a limiting term. It is obvious also that many changes may be made in the details of construction and inv the arrangements of par'ts without departing from the spirit or scope of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters latent of the United States is: u l. In a thread splicing machine, the com-l bination of two. opposed twister heads each Constructed to hold a thread and each rotatable in. opposite directions to twist or untwist the thread, means constructed and arranged to support the 'strands of both of said threads while said strands are associated' with each other in readiness to betwisted together and operative to maintain said strandsunder tension while the operation of twisting them together is being effected.

2. ln a thread splicing machine, the combination `of two opposed twister heads mounted substantially in alinement Awith each other, each constructed to hold a thread and each rotatable in opposite directions to.

twist or untwist a thread, and a thread supporting plate positioned between said heads but/out of axial alinement with them and mounted fo" yielding movement toward and from the axial line of said heads.

In a thread splicing machine, the com bination of two opposed twister heads each constructed to hold a thread and each rotatable in oppositedirections to twist or untwist the thread, two thread-holding devices arranged to cooperate respectively with said heads to hold the threads while the heads untwist them, said devices being mounted .for adjustment toward or from their respective heads, and means constructed and arranged,

to support the strands of both of said threads while said strands 1` are associated with each other in readiness to be twisted together and operative to maintain said strands .under tension while the operation of twisting them together is being, eleeted.

4. In a thread splicing machine, the combination of two opposed twister heads mounted substantially in alinement with ea'ch other, each constructed to hold a thread and each rotatable in opposite directions to twist or untwist a thread, means for holding the ends of the threads held by said twister heads, means for revolving said heads in either direction, adjustable means for limiting the number of revolutions that said heads but out of axial alinement with them, means supporting said plate for movement ascenso toward and, from the axial line ot said. heads, and a spring resisting the movement of said plate toward said axial line.

5. ln thread splicing machine, the combination of two opposed twister heads mounted substantially in alinement with each other, each constructed to hold a thread and each rotatable in opposite directions to twist or untwist a thread, two screw threaded shafts positioned, respectively, adjacent to Ysaid twister` heads, and driving devices for said heads mounted respectively on said threaded shafts, adjustable means for limiting the number of turns that said driving devices can make on their respective shafts, and thread supporting means between said heads.

6. in a thread splicing machine, the combination of two opposed twister heads mounted substantially in alinement with cach other, each constructed to hold a thread and each rotatable in opposite directions to twist or untwist a thread` means for limiting the number of revolutions that said heads can make in either direction, means for holding the ends of the threads held by said twister heads, a vertical thread supporting plate mounted between said heads and in Yliront ot their axial line, the ends of said plate being curved toward said respective heads, means supporting said plate for pivotal movement toward and from the axial line of said heads, and a spring tending 'to swing said plate about said pivot away from said axial line.

7. ln a thread splicing machine, the combination oi two opposed twister heads mounted substantially in alinement with each other, each constructed to hold a thread -and each rotatable in opposite directions to twist or untwist a thread, and a thread supiorting plate positioned between said heads hut out of axial alinement with them and mounted i'or yielding movement toward and Jtrom the atrial-line of said heads, said plate having a shallow groove extending longitudinally oii its thread supporting tace.

8. ln a thread splicing machine, the combination ot two opposed twister heads mounted substantially in :finement with each other, each coostrl'leted to hold a thread and each rota table in opposite directions to twist or untwist a ti'iread, and a vertical thread supporting plate positioned between said heads but in 'iront of the axial line of said heads'meaus Vtor supporting said plate for adjustment toward and trom said axial line and tor pivotal movement toward and 'from said line, means for limiting the pivotal movement of said plate, and a spring ed together and operative acting to swing said plate about its away from said line.

9. In a thread splicing machine, the coinbination of two opposed twister heads mounts" ed substantially in alinement with each othelf 'ea each constructed to hold a thread rotatable and each 1n opposite directions to twist or untwist a. thread, a thread supporting plate positioned between said twister heads and in front of their axial line.. said plate having a vertical thread supporting face and bein mounted to yield under pressure of the thread while being twisted up, means for rotatinv said heads in .either direction, adjustable means for limiting the number -of revolutions that said heads can make in either direction, and means in front of said heads for holding` the strands of untwisted threads.

l0. In' a thread splicing machine, thread supporting means comprising two thread holding devices arranged to support a thread between them sion on the thread, one of said devices having a pivoted thread holding member and means arranged to act on said member to rotate it vieldingly about its pivot in a plane parallel to the direction `of length of the thread and in a direction tending to tension the thread. Y,

11. In a thread splicing machine, the combination of two opposed twister heads each constructed to hold a thread and each rotatable in opposite directions to twist or untwist the thread, means constructed and arranged to support the strands of both of and to maintain a tensaid threads while said strands are associated with each other in readiness to be twistto maintain-said strands under tension while thevoperation of twisting them together is being effected, said means heingconstructed and arranged to enable the spliced portion of the thread to shorten during the twisting operation,v and adjustable means for limiting the extentf of said twisting and untwisting operations. i

l2. In a thread splicing machine, the combination with mechanism for untwisting and twisting the end portions of two threads to be spliced, of means constructed and arranged to support the strands of both threads while said strands are associated with each other preparatory to being twisted together by said mechanism, said supporting means being constructed and arranged to yield as thespliced portion of the thread shortens while being twisted up.

ln testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specificatio

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