US1527446A - Method of and apparatus for dyeing lace - Google Patents

Description

M. SCHIESARI METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DYEING LACE File'd June 18, 1924 6 Sheets-Sheet l iMETHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DYEING LACE F'iled J une 18, 1924 6 Sheets-Sheqt 2 1,527,446 M. SCHlESARI M. SCHIESARI METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DYEING LACE Filed June 18, 1924 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 6 Sheets-Sheet 4,

M. SCHIESARI METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DYEING LACE Filed June 18, 1924 Feb. 24, 1925.

F b, 24. 1925. Y

- M.-SCHIE$ARI METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DYEING LACE Filed June 18, 1924 1,527,446 M. SCHIESARI METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DYEING LACE Filed June 18, 1924 e Sheets-She'i' s .Patented Feb. 24, 1925 UNITED STATES MARIO SGHIESARI, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DYEING- LACE.

Application filed June 18, 1924. Serial No. 720,787.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARIO SCHIESARI, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of New York, county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of and Apparatus for Dyeing Lace, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to methods of and 1 apparatus for dyeing laces and other products in strip form, the flimsy nature of which makes it imperative that the material not be subjected to stretching or to undue tension during the course of the operation.

The primary object of this invention, is to provide a method of dyeing laces, whereby an operation which is now largely performed by hand, may be successfully performed by means of suitable mechanical appliances, increasing the etliciency and lowering the cost.

Another object of this invention is to provide apparatus of novel and improved design, whereby laces and other similar materials may be properly dyed, while being meachanically handled from beginning to en Other objects and advantages of the pres ent invention will more fully appear as the description proceeds, and will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Laces are generally dyed either by the wetprocess, where a liquid dye is employed, or by the dry process, where the coloring material employed is in the form of finely divided dust, in which the lace is inserted. This invention relates to improvements in the dry process. which is now carried out entirely by hand, on account of the delicate nature of the materials handled.

The dyeing material is generally a mixture of pulverized gypsum or talc, and a suitable coloring matter in powder form. Laces are generally made from white thread, and colored afterwards, in such shades as the dictates of fashion may call for; The dry process of dyeing is most generally employed, on account of its being less expen-, sive than the wet process. The lace, which is received in wound form upon flat cartons, is removed and made into bunches, and is then inserted into a receptacle containing the dye g p wd r,

This is sufficient to cause the lace to become almost entirely impregnated with the dust; and its dyeing becomes thorough and complete when the bunch is extracted from the receptacle and is then pounded against the surface of a smooth table. The lace becomes uniformly tinted, and the excess dust is spread all over through the air in a nebulous cloud, which is removed by means of a fan.

The laces are in most cases already cut in twelve yard lengths, and three cartons, or thirty-siX yards, are packed together in one package. Most of the time consumed by the operation is taken by the unfolding of the laces, and by the re-winding after dyeing, especially by the re-winding,-be cause the pounding may often cause the lace to become tangled or tied up; so that one man attending to. the dyeing proper, must generally be assisted by twenty girls attending to the unwinding and re-winding of the ace.

These operations are generally performed by hand, because laces are apt to easily become damaged if subjected to the slightest tension or rubbing, and this makes it difficult to apply mechanical feeding operations, where a pull is generally applied on a strip material at the re-winding end. On the other hand, it is obvious that, were a continuous mechanical process employed, a considerable saving in labor would result, and a more uniform grade of work would also be produced.

I have therefore devised a method of carrying out the various steps of the operation mentioned, entirely by mechanical means, by employing a series of feeding and take-up means, all positively controlled to release or to feed the material which is to be taken up by the next appliance, with a speed calculated to insure a permanent slack in the material between two successive steps; thus avoiding all tensional stresses in the material. The method also includes means for removing the excess of coloring matter, and for insuring its uniform distribution upon the surface of the lace, to duplicate the effect of the pounding operation hereinbefore mentioned.

My improved method, and apparatus for err i smr nether! are r e will be best understood by referring to the annexed drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an end sectional view in elevation of thatpart of the apparatus where the dyeing-operation, proper, takes place;

Fig. 2 is an end view in elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is an end view in elevation of the same at the opposite end;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the same, partly sectioned;

Fig. 5 is a front view in elevation of the same;

Fig. 6 is a detailcross sectional view in elevation of a valve controlling the air suction;

Fig. 7 is a side view in elevation of the entire apparatus Fig. 8-is a fragmentary front view in elevation of the rewinding apparatus;

Fig. 9 is a plan sectional view of a detail of the same;

Fig. 10 is a side view in elevation of the same;

Fig. 11 is a view in perspective illustrating one ofthe ways of joining together the ends of adjoining lengths of lace;

Fig. 12 is a plan view illustrating a way of joining together the ends of adjoining lengths of lace when the operation is performed on a plurality of strips side by side;

Fig. 13 is a view in perspective of a clamping device which may be used in inserting the lace through the machine, when first starting the operation;

Fig. 14 is a side view in elevation of a device for guiding the strip to be rewound, and for imparting a reciprocating motion to the guiding spool;

Fig. 15 is a front view in elevation of the same 5 Fig. 16 is a plan view of the same, partly sectioned;

Fig. 17 is a. diagrammatic illustration of the method of siniultancously dyeing a plurality of separate strips;

Fig. 18 is a similar illustration of a method. of simultaneously dyeing a plurality of strips, by means of a single set of feeding appliances; and,

Fig. 19 is a similar illustration of a method of simultaneously dyeing a plurality of sets of strips, each set comprising a plurality of strips controlled by a single set of feeding appliances,

The dyeing apparatus, proper, comprises a frame, 20, having a front lower opening 21 through which is inserted the strand of lace 22. The lace passes then between two rollers 23, 24, mounted on shafts 25, 26, respectively, within the lower compartment 27, of the frame. Above the rollers is placed a funnel shaped receptacle 28, the lower slot opening 28 of which is directly in .line

der has .little chance-to escape. Upon leaving rollers 23, 24, the lace passes vertically through the funnel-shaped receptacle, be-

coming impregnated with the coloring material, and after passing through a restricted passage 32, reaches another set of rollers 33, 34, mounted on shafts 36, respectively, within an intermediate chamber or compartment 37. Some suitable packing material, such as cork or cotton, is placed at 38 underneath rollers 33, 34, and close to tubular passage 32, to prevent the dust carried up by the lace from reaching chamber 37.

From this intermediate chamber or compartment, the lace reaches an upper suction chamber or compartment 39, and passes between another set of two rollers 40, 41, mounted on shafts 42, 43, respecti j From these the lace is directed through an opening 44 at the rear, through which it leaves the chamber.

The top of compartment 27 is perforated at 45, 46, directly underneath two containers 47, 48, having perforated bottoms 49, 50. Said containers have a supply of coloring material'for replacing the material used up in 28 from time to time, and this can be done by slightly moving said contain-ers outwardly so as to cause the perforations in their bottoms to register with. the perforations in the top of compartment 27; some of the powder will then flow through the passages thus provided.

All. three sets of rollers rotate at the same speed, feeding the lace from one set to the other, so that there is .no tension produced from one set to the next; in fact, the lace is so arranged, when first inserted in position, that there is a slack between two con secutive sets of rollers, and said slack will be maintained on account of. the uniform speed of the rollers.

The roll-ers may be driven in any suitable manner, but for the sake of simplicity I prefer to drive only one of the rollers in each set by positive driving means, the other roller being driven by friction against the former.

Such an arrangement is shown in the drawings, where rollers 23, 33, 40, are shown driven by a common shaft 51, carrying worms 52, 53, 54, driving worm wheels 56, 57, mounted on shafts 25, 35, 42, respectively. The other rollers are maintained in frictional contact with the former, by means of springs such as 58, 59, 60, attached at each end between their respective shafts,

shafts 26, 36, 43 being mounted in end slots 61, 62, 63, so as to be capable of a slight transverse movement to detach their respective rollers from contact with rollers .23. 83, 40.

The surface of the rollers is preferably covered with some suitable yielding material, such s rubber, so that both tightness and. good driving contact are assured. the driving surface adapting itself to the outline of the material fed between the rollers.

To start the operation, a flat spring clamp, such as indicated at or. in Fig. 13, is inserted through slot at the top of the frame 20, and is forced downwardly between the three sets of rollers. Shafts 26, 86, 46%. are then secured in their open position by means of hooks 66, 67, 68. By removing box 31, the free end of the lace may be attached by hand to the lower end of clamp 64., and the same may then be pulled up between the three sets of rollers, by means of said clamp. After passing through the upper set of rollers, some suitable pin or hook may be used to pass the free end of the lacethrough openring 44:, after freeing it from the clamp, and releasing, if necessary, shaft 43 from. book 68.

Once this is done, hook 66 is operated to release shaft 26, and shaft 43 is again engaged by its hook 68, so that the lace becomes clamped between the lower set of rollers, but free of the other sets. By releasing a certain length of the lace by hand, the same is allowed to crumple up, providing a slack at its lower portion. The intermediate set of rollers is then closed, and an additional length of lace is released, providing a slack betweenthe intermediate and the upper set of rollers; and after this, also the upper set of rollers is set to clamp the lace in operative position.

Rotation of shaft 51 may now be started, arising uniform feeding action of the of rollers, insuring maintenance of the slack purposely provided in the material. There is no tension in the material, except as may be due to its weight, which is infinitesimal, and to the resistance in passing through the powder material contained in funnel 28, which isexceedingly small; so that the dye ing operation. is performed without any possibility of the material being damaged in any way.

Inv the upper compartment or suction chamber 39, the material is subjected to rapid oscillations caused by suction of air alternately in one and the other direction; this serving to free the material from the excess of coloring matter adhering to its surface, both due to the suction, and to the mechanical shaking of the lace which follows the inversion of the direction of suct ne This phase of the operation is performed by applying, longitudinally to compartment 39, and on each side of the lace 22, two suction pipes 69, 70, provided with perforations 71, 72. Suction is created at one end, through pipe 7 3, connected to somesuitable suction fan, not shown, and adapted to be alternately connected to pipe 69 or 70, by a rotary valve 74:. As shown in Figs. 3- and 6, said valve is driven by a pulley 7 5 mounted on shaft 36, and its rotation will cause air to be drawn alternately from one or from the other pipe. At the same time, by a pin and slot connection 76, shown in Fi g. 3, said valve operates a yoke 7 7, connect ing levers 7 8, 7 9, connected to shafts 80, 81, respectively, causing said shafts to oscillate simultaneously in one or the other direction. Inside of compartment 39, said shafts carry leaf valves 82, 83, respectively, adapted to move against or away fromthe sur faces of rollers 40, 41, respectively.

When suction is exerted through pipe 69, valve 82 abuts against the surface of roller 40, while valve 88, at the opposite side of compartment 89, is detached from roller 411. To reach pipe 69, the air fed into the com partment through the openings at the top must pass between valve 83 and roller ll, and through lace 22, deflecting said lace towards the right. Half a revolution of valve 74 will cause the closing of valve 83 and the opening of valve 82, and at the same time will cause the suction to take place through pipe 70. The air now reaches pipe by passing through the space between valve 82 and roller 40, and through the lace from right to left, so that the lace is deflected towards the left. Pulley being relatively large, valve 74 is caused to rotate rather rapidly, so that the lace is subjected to several oscillations before it finally passes through the upper set of rollers.

The suction thus created in alternate directions provokes a mechanical action which detaches from the surface of the lace the excess of powder adhering thereto; and at the same time said powder is carried away through pipes 69, 70, and. through pipe 73, so that the surrounding atmosphere remains clear and fit for breathing.

This feature represents a. decided improvement over the methods now in use. inasmuch as the air is full of particles of dust in suspension, which dwells in spite of the use of suction fans. This is very harmful to the persons working in the room, and creates conditions of permanent uncleanliness which are very objectionable from many standpoints. By means of my device, the dust is not given a chance to enter the surrounding atmosphere, and is removed directly, as stated.

Once the machine is started, the process may be rendered continuous by attaching one end or" a strand of 1 cc to the next in some suitable manner, for instance by means of an ordinary invisiliile hair pin, such as shown in 11, llhen more than one strand is passing aine through the of rollers, the various strands being side by side. a id oi the same length, the system of multiple joining); by means oi a common pin 85. shown in Fig. 12, may be adopted. The complete apparatus shown in where it is seen that the cartons to be unwound are mounted at one end, and the cartons to be w-innn are mounted at the other end. lhe cartons are mounted on a stand such as shown in i l 1 8 at 86. carrying a horizontal sh: 8?, provided with a clamp 88 at each end, adapted to receive a carton 89, secured in position by means of thumb nut 90. On said shatt is moimted conical gear 31, in mesh with near 92 mounted on vertical shatt 9?, operated by a worm wheel 94.

A motor 95 rotates a worm 96-, in mesh with a worm wheel 97 mounted on a horizontal longitudinal s ia'tt Q8.

Said shatt by means (it gear 99 causes the rotation of gear 100 mounted on vertical shait operating: the three sets oi rollers and the air valves within frame 20: and by means of worms 101, 10.2, it operates the vertical shafts of stands 36. causing the unwindingand the windin ot the lace, respectively. The cartons are usually of a standard dimension, so that by properly proportionino; the various sets of gears, it is obvious that continuous travel of the lace may be insured from end to end, without any undue tension.

Between the dveins; apparatus and the rewindinn' stand. is shown 'uidiup; device for the lace to be rewound which may be seen in detail in Fi s. 14. 15, 16. The same consists ot two stationary cross bars 103, 104-, mounted on stands 105, on which is slidablv mounted a platform 1%.

011 said platform may be adiustably set two uprights 10. 108, which may be secured in position by means oil thumb nuts 109, at the proper d stance to receive a guiding; spool 110, vertically slidable between said uprights. within vertical slots 111 with which said uprights are provided.

Said spool is extremely light, being: made o1 paper or cardboard, and rests with its weightover the lace. as shown in Fig. 7, providing; a very small tension, just enough to insure even rewindine: Furthermore, since the lace must be wound upon the can ton to cover a certain width, so as to produce a substantially reel easy to handle and to pack, by being wound upon it spirally back and forth, it is desirable to provide av reciprocating motion for said guiding spool moving the strand of lace transversely back and forth while it is being rewound.

To this end, platform 106 is connected to a pin 1.12 carried by a horizontal worm wheel 1.13 by a connection 111; so that the rotation of worm wheel 1153, obtained by means of a worm 115 mounted on shalt 98, will cause the desired reciprocating motion of the platform, and consequently of the spool carried thereby. Such a motion is not uniform, but is sullicient for the purpose of winding up laces: it a uniform transverse moven'ient ot the platform should be desired in order to produce an even spiral winding, however, this may easily be obtained by a suitable cam controlled arrangement of any well lrnown design.

ln Figs. 1?, 18. 19. l show some arrangements in diagrammatic torm, illustrating the possibility of extending the system to the simultaneous treatment ot a plurality of strands, without noticeably increasing the number oi parts in the apparatus employed.

in the arrangement of Fig. 17 it is seen how several parallel strands of lace 116, 117, 118, can be simultaneously ted to and by as many sets oi"? rolls, as described, mounted in a single common chamber 119. the bottom oi which has a ZlQ-Zdg outline to "term funnel shaped sections 120, 121, 122. in correspondence of the lower rolls. Between the intermediate and the upper sets of rolls, suction pipes arranged for alternate operation at each side of each strand are provided, as shown at 123, 124. Figs. 17, 18, 19, are diagrammatic in character. and no valves corresponding to valves 82, 83 0'1" Fig. 1 are shown; it is obvious, however, that suitable valve arrangements can be provided in each case.

In the arrangen'ient of Fig. 18. a single series oi three sets of rolls is made to serve a plurality of strands 125, 126, 127. 128, passino; through a single tunnel 129. ln this case separating rolls 130 are provided within the funnel and also within the space be tween the intermediate and the upper set of rolls, at 131: furthermore, suction pipes 132 are provided between adjoining strands, arranged, as in the previous case, for alternate operation. In this manner, a thorough impregnation and successive vibration of all the strands is assurerh in spite of the tact that only one series of rolls is used.

In Fig. 19 the two systems are combined, so as to manifold increase the capacity 01 a machine of the type shown in Fig. 17, by feeding a. plurality of strands to each one of a plurality of series of rolls arranged for simultaneous operation. In this case. like in connection with the device of Fig. 18, separating rolls 132, 133 are provided, to insure individual treatment for each strand.

The drawings are intended for illustrative purposes only, and not in a limiting sense; since it is obvious that various details may be changed to a considerable extent without departing from the scope of the present invention.

I therefore reserve myself the right to carry my invention into practice in all those ways and manners which may best answer requirements of different cases, and 'WlllCll may enter, fairly, into the scope of the appended claims. i

I claim:

l. The method of dyeing lace in strip form by means of a colored powder, which consists in causing said strip to travel through said powder withoutencrting any tension on the material itself, and in subse quently causing mechanical vibration of said strip, to separate the excess of powder carried thereby.

2. The method of dyeing lace in strip form by means of a colored powder, which consists in causing said strip to travel through a supply of said powder, without exerting any tension on the material itself, and in subsequently exposing said strip to air suction alternately on opposite sides, to cause vibration of said strip, and removal of the excess of powder carried thereby.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination, with a receptacle for coloring material in powder form, and means for drawing material in strip form through said coloring material, of means for causing a vibration of said strip upon its leaving said receptacle, to remove the excess of powder carried thereby.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination, with a receptacle for coloring material in powder form, and means: for drawing material in strip form through said coloring material, of means for causing a suction of air alternately on opposite sides of said strip, causing the same to vibrate, effecting the removal of the excess of powder carried thereby.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination, with a receptacle for coloring material in powder form, and means for drawing material in strip form through said coloring material, of means for feeding said strip towards said drawing means to avoid tension in said strip, and means for causing a vibration of said strip upon its leaving said receptacle, to remove the excess of powder carried thereby.

('3. In a device of the class described, a funnel shaped receptacle for coloring material in powder form, means for drawing material in strip form through said receptacle in a vertical direction, means feeding said strip towards said drawing means, and means for causing a suction of air alternately on opposite sides of said strip after leaving said receptacle.

7. In a device of the class described, a funnel shaped. receptacle for coloring material in powder form, a set of rolls for drawing material in strip form through said receptacle in a vertical direction, a set of rolls feeding said strip towards said drawing rolls, and means for rotating said rolls at a sub stantially uniform speed.

8. In a device of the class described, a receptacle for coloring material in powder form, a set of rolls for drawing material in strip form through said receptacle, a set of rolls feeding said strip towards said receptacle, means for rotating said sets of rolls at a substantially uniform speed, and means for creating a suction of air alternately on opposite sides of said strip after leaving said receptacle.

9. In a device of the class described, rotatable means for holding cartons on which lace in strip form is wound, rotatable means for holding cartons on which said lace is to be rewound, a dyeing apparatus interposed therebetween, said apparatus comprising feeding means, and means for driving said rotatable and feeding means so as to cause said strip to travel from one end to the other without being subjected to tension between the various steps of its travel.

10. In a device of the class described, the combination, with means for processing lace in strip form, and rotatable means for holding cartons on which said lace is to be Wound up, of guiding means for said lace interposed between said processing and said winding means, and means causing transverse reciprocating motion of said guiding means.

11. In a device of the class described, rotatable means for holding cartons on which lace in strip form is wound, rotatable means for holding cartons on which said lace is to be rewound, a dyeing apparatus interposed therebetween, said apparatus comprising feeding means for said strip, means for driving said rotatable and feeding means so as to cause said strip to travel from one end to the other without being subjected to tension between the various steps of its travel, guiding means for said lace interposed between said dyeing apparatus and said rewinding means, and means causing transverse reciprocating motion of said guiding means.

12. In a device of the class described, rotatable means for holding cartons on which lace in strip form is wound, a receptacle for coloring material in power form, means feeding said strip towards said receptacle, means drawing said strip through said receptacle, means for creating an air suction alternately on opposite sides of said strip after leaving said receptacle, rotatable means for holding cartons on which said lace is to be rewound, and means for simultaneously driving said rotatable and feeding' and drawing means at substantially the same operating speed.

13. In a device of the class described, ro-

tatable means for holding cartons on which lace in strip form is wound, a receptacle for coloring material in powder form, means feeding said strip towards said receptacle, means drawing said strip through said receptacle, means for creating an air suction 10 alternately on opposite sides of said strip MARIO SCHI E SARI.

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