US2022025A

US2022025A - Composite tinsel strand

Info

Publication number: US2022025A
Application number: US699808A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr Edward S Bradford
Original assignee: Springfield Wire & Tinsel Co
Current assignee: Springfield Wire & Tinsel Co
Priority date: 1933-11-27
Filing date: 1933-11-27
Publication date: 1935-11-26
Anticipated expiration: 1952-11-26

Description

Nov. 26, 1935. s, BRADFORD, JR 2,022,025

COMPOSITE TINSEL I STRAND Filed Nov. 2'7, 1933 INVENTOR ZbwA/w dffimwfofio J5. BY I TTORNEYS Patented Nov. 26, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFI -CI-E signor to Springfield Wire &'Tinsel'Co.', West Springfield, Mass.,- a corporation of- Massa-- chuS'ettS Application November 2'7, 1933, Serial No. 699 ,808.

(Cli 117-52) 9Glaims.

Thisinvention consists in an improved species of composite all-metal-strand/made of tinsel-wire. The particular species-herein described has certain advantages over otherforms of composite strands whenused-for tinsel decorative purposes, for scouring utensilsand other commercial purposes, aswill'be pointed out.

The improvedstrand can be made economical- 1y on an ordinary tinsel covering: machine well known inthe tinselart, by a-simple addition to such machine. For an-understandingof a the invention reference may behadto the accompanying drawing.

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view, partly insection, through'a tinsel covering machine, showing a well: known type'of machine except for the addition of a curling edge operable on the core wire and to which reference will be made;

and r Fig. 2 -is a view of the composite strand made on the machine of Fig. 1 but releasediromall tension.

Inmaking myproduct, the covering: machine operates as follows Flattened tinsel wire-l (which is the core wire)- is drawn fromsupply spoolc through tension fingers b, over thestationary curling edge (small wire or knife blade) c;-where it is given-a tendency to spring intoa helical coilwhen released fromtension. But it-iskept under tension in the machine asit-passes through the hollowspindle d to the-rotating capstan e. The latter actsto maintain the tension, and draw the core wire from the'supply spoolthroughthe machine. As thewire I passes beyond-the spindle d the rotating flyer 1' serves a second fiat tenedtinsel wire Z-aboutthe wire I This second-wire is applied in the shape ofloose-coils, whichisa well understood'operating step; The composite strand-consisting of tensioned core- I cove-redwith'closely'spaced but loosely-riding or suspended coils 3 '(the diameter of 'whichis greater than any cross-dimension ofthe core) is passed once or twice around rotating 'capstan-e and then to spool g which is the'wind-up spool.

The latter winds up the strand'with a'windup tension in the ordinary-way. Such tension is sufiicient to keep the tensionon the core wire from-being released enough to-permit coils in' the core.

The opera-tion-of'the covering machine is'just the same as ordinarily carried on in'the tinsel business except for the action of the curling edge on the core wire; Such action-on a flattened wire (but not on .a-core' wire as a preparation step for applying covering coils) is-wellknown and fully described forexample in the; patent to Wolle No. 1,689,093,0ctober 23-, 1928.. It is to give the wire an inherent tendency to spring-into a-helical coil'when'releasedvfrom tensions But in combining this operation in my covering machine, I spool the composite strand-so; that such spring actionin forming coils does-nottakeplace until the spooling tension is-released.

When the spooling tensionis released and the core leftfree oftension the composite'strand takes the generalform of: Fig. -2.- I-t-w-ill be noted that in this figurethe-core forms ahelicalcoil of larger diameter than the coil loosely; wound or suspended on the core. Each helical coil of the corehas-suspendedalong its length a plurality of coils of the loose coveringwire: Thelatter are arrangedon the core that'is coiled,.somewhat diiierently than they would be on the same core if not coiled. The covering. coils are loose on their core but not looseenough-to-escape taking the coiled form of the core. That-is-tosay the loosecovering filament has-two forms ofcoil. One series ofcoils: about the core-as a covering materialand thecoveringa material as a coiled strand is again coiled on alongerpitch aboutthe imaginary axis of the core coils. This f act' is particularly useful when, l as here, the covering coils areloosepbecausebeing loose their interaction-with the core isrsuch as to throw their scraping edges out in'a greater varietyof positions than is customary with a composite strand having anuncoiled-core and this variety gives-"a better abrasive effect;-

In my use of the productI-"find' it an advantage in manufacture to takethe'composite strand in-spooled- (core tensionedform) to machines for making up scouring utensils. For example, the spool is used to feed a-skeinwinding-mm chine. Handfuls ofthe material are wound-from the spool in skein 'formp Then the strand is-released and the skein takes a-"'pufiy; springy, tangled form in-which both the core" and the coils of the covering wire help to retain the utensil forrrr-when pulledout and releasedin use. Withthe particular species herein described having=a definite helical curl-in'the compcsi-te strand'over each inch of its length, the

material is mucheasier to handle without too much 'tangling, since such curls bring the strand machine, They have been made of coils with textilecores, and I have before made them of coils with metal core threads.

The particular species herein described has the advantage of a long pitch in the core and a rela tively short pitch in the loose covering wire so that many coils of the latter are carried by each single coil of the core. It is desirable to distinguish between a core that is coiled merely for Winding into skein form, for example, and one that is coiled for my purpose of making this species of coiled composite strand. My strand has an inherent tendency to lie in helically coiled form due to the character of the core, regardless of whether it is wound in skein form or merely jumbled together and the loosely suspended coils are thus carried or have the tendency to be carried by the core into an arrangement that follows the core in its helical form. The composite strand has a definite curl of helical form in each of its length. Such material has a better tendency to return to its, original form after stretching and use than other forms which may tangle too much and not maintain enough composite strand spring in the uses to which they are put.

In determining the pitch of the core coils there are the following factors to consider in the manufacture: the angle a (see Fig. 1) at which the core wire is drawn over the curling edge in part determines the pitch (the sharper the angle the smaller the pitch), the degree of tension (the more tension the smaller the pitch); the character and thickness of the metal used are also factors. These things being known, it is easy to get a setting for angle a that will give the pitch desired forthe core. 7

In the species of composite strand I have described, the pitch of the core strand should be long enough for carrying in each turn of the core many covering turns of the loosely wound covering coils.

The composite tinsel strand of this invention is usually used in making up bunches, for example such as shown in my previous Patent 1,864,579, dated June 28, 1932. In such use it will be apparent that the tinsel material of the composite strand cannot maintain the shape as shown in Fig. 2. But the functions planned in making the composite strand in such shape originally are to a very substantial extent retained in the bunched form of the article. It is true that the tinsel material will be distorted when the strands are bunched in the article, but the inherent tendency to the original form of composite strand will still be there acting to give the puffy, springy resiliency to the bunch to a marked degree. The long curls in the composite strand when bunched may be pushed into wavy form rather than true helical form. This wavy form of the composite strand will give the effect in the bunch. In other words, the form of the composite strand curled as I have described, and then placed in bunched or skeined form as a final product, will keep the ball puffed out and resilient for the use of the tinsel in an improved manner. The curls of the strand in the bunch are more nearly in helical form on account of their original condition and tendency to spring back to such condition than in any other form that can be readily understood. The description of the strand in its original form is intended to include the same strand as distorted in bunched condition as equivalents. Of course my composite strand when used for drap ing and decorative purposes will not be distorted to the same extent as when bunched. And the strand claimed is used both as shown in Fig. 2 and in the bunched condition that I have described in connection with my scouring utensil patent. And it can be used in other advanta- 5 geous Ways with improved results where a puffy, curly, tinsel strand is wanted for the functions I have pointed out.

I claim:

1. A composite all-metal strand of tinsel material comprising a flattened tinsel wire made with many small coils per inch of length, a core filament of springy metal lying inside said coils and having an inherent tendency to assume a helically coiled form when free of tension, the diameter of said helical form being too large to lie inside the diameter of the core covering coils but being small enough to impose a distinct helical curl in each inch of length for the composite wire. p A V 2. A composite all-metal strand of tinsel mai terial comprising in combination a core wire and a covering wire wound loosely around the core, the composite strand as a whole having a tendency to curl into helical form Whenever released from tension, the diameter and pitch of said helical form each being small enough to impose a curly nature to the composite strand as a whole over each inch or two of its length.

3. A composite all-metal strand of tinsel wire comprising in combination a core wire and a covering wire wrapped in loose formation about the core, said core being of springy metal and arranged in helically coiled form of considerably larger diameter than its wrapping but of short enough pitch to make distinct curls in the whole composite strand over each short distance of its length.

4. A composite strand made up of a spring metal core filament, a loose wrapping of flattened 4O tinsel serving as an openwork covering for the core, said wrapping and core in composite strand form being arranged with substantial curls in said form throughout its length, said curls being close enough together to insure a substantial recoiling action for each inch of the composite strand in its use. 7

5. A composite tinsel strand arranged as a whole in curls throughout its length, said curls being close enough together to give a substantial stretching and recoiling action in each inch of the length, said strand comprising a spring metal filament core and a flattened wire tinsel wrapping about the core of much less diameter than the curls of the composite strand, said wrapping being mounted so loosely on the core that its successive and adjacent turns may present a great variety in the arrangement of fiat tinsel curls suspended on the core, whereby the core gives the functions of strength, stretching and recoiling actions to the composite strand and the loose wrapping gives the functions of flattened tinsel curls to the composite strand when used in the ways described.

6. A composite metallic material, comprising a carrier member of springy metal adapted to form a plurality of comparatively large, irregular, and elastically connected convolute loops, a strand of comparatively inelastic metallic material helically gimped about and along the'carrler member loops, the helices of said gimped material being relatively small, whereby a multiplicity thereof extend along the circuit of and cover each comparatively large convolute loop of said carrier member.

7. A composite metallic material, comprising a carrier member of springy metal adapted to form a plurality of comparatively large, irregular and elastically connected convolute loops, and a strand of flat ribbon-like'relatively soft metallic wire helically gimped about and along the carrier member loops, the helices of saidegimped ribbon-like Wire being relatively small, whereby a multiplicity thereof extend along the circuit of and cover each comparatively large convolute loop of said carrier member.

8. A composite metallic material, comprising a carrier member of springy metal adapted to form a mass of comparatively large convolute loops contracted by their inherent elasticity into a coherent mass of more or less interlaced and compacted convolutio-ns, and a strand of comparatively inelastic metallic material helically wound about and along the carrier member loops, the helices of said gimped material being relatively very small as compared with said carrier member loops, whereby a multiplicity of the former extend along the circuits of and cover the latter.

9. A composite metallic material as defined in claim 8, wherein the inelastic metallic material comprises fiat ribbon-like comparatively soft copper wire.

EDWARD S. BRADFORD, JR.