US2038789A - Thread winding and treating machine - Google Patents

Description

April 28, 1936. J. E. HIGGINS 2,038,789

THREAD WINDING AND TREATING MACHINE I Filed Aug. 5, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 mum 7 $1 /4-,INVENTQ R ATT g April 28, 1936.

J. E. HIGGINS THREAD WINDING AND TREATING MACHINE Filed Aug. 5, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 NVENTOR ATTORNEY I April 28, 1936. J 2,038,789

THREAD WINDING AND TREATING MACHINE Filed Aug. 5, 1955 s Sheets-Sheet 3 /N\/ENTOR i ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 28, Q 1936 4 UNITED STATES THREAD WINDING AND TREATING MACHINE James E. Higgins, Buffalo, N. Y., assignor to Du Pont Rayon Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application August 5, 1933, Serial'No. 683,745

22 Claims.

This invention relates to a device for applying a liquid to a textile thread while the thread is being wound into a package such as a'cone, cop or the like. The invention is particularly applicable to the treatment of threads of rayon or the like with a suitable dressing, such as oil or other lubricant, to facilitate the bending orlooping of the thread during fabrication.

In winding machines, the cores upon which the thread is wound are commonly driven at a constant speed during the winding operation: Hence, .the linear speed of the thread increases with the diameter of the layers of thread on the-core, the increase in speed of the thread from, start to finish amounting in some cases to 400% or more.

In order to produce a uniformly wound and treated package on such machines, it is necessary to control the rate of liquid supply in accordance with the linear speed of the thread and to maintain the thread under substantially constant tension throughout the winding operation, or at least to prevent any appreciable increase in tension as the package becomes larger. The oil or other dressing should preferably be applied continuously, at a controlled rate, and in such a manner as not to materially affect the tension of the thread. A continuous and uniform application of oil is particularly important in the case of oilresistant yarn, such as yarn containing pigmentlike particles, which retardthe equalization of the oil within the yarn itself.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an improved means for regulating the quantity of liquid applied to the thread during the winding operation.

Another object is to provide for continuously applying a regulated quantity of liquid to the thread.

Another object is to provide an oiling device capable of a wide variation in the rate of oiling without materially affecting thetension of the moving thread.

A further object is to provide a device for winding thread onto a package while maintaining a substantially constant tension and for applying a uniform quantity of dressing liquid to the thread.

A still further object is to provide a winding apparatus in which the rate of oiling may be varied to suit the capillarity, denier, etg. of the thread.

Still another object is to provide an eflicient and dependable device of the type above indicated.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the thread is caused to wipe over a continuously rotating cylinder or wiper roll which dips in a bath of liquid dressing, such as oil or other lubricant. Means is.v provided for varying both the extent of the arc of contact and the angle between the arc and the axis of rotation of the 5 roll. As the size of the package, and consequently the linear speed of the thread, increases, the thread is caused to wipe over a greater are of the roll and simultaneously to wipe across the surface of the roll at a decreasing angle to the axis of rotation of the roll. The quantity of oil applied v to the thread is accordingly dependent upon the length of the arc of contact and upon the total area of the roll which is wiped by .the thread. Means is provided for making suitable adjust- 5 l ment of the relationship between the variation in the path of travel of the thread and the linear speed thereof, so that the device may be satisfactorily operated with various types of thread and with various types of liquid dressing. Guide means are also provided for controlling the path of travel of the thread in such manner that the thread is maintained at substantially constant tension throughout-the winding operation.

The invention also consists in certain new and original features of-construction and combinations 'of parts hereinafter set forth dplaimed.

Although the novel features which. are believedto be characteristic of this invention 'will be pointed out more particularly in the claims appended'hereto, the invention itself, as to its objects and advantages and the manner in which it may-be carried out, will be better understood by referring to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a winding machine embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 1 of Figure 1, showing the position of the thread 40 with respect to the wiper roll near the beginning of the winding operation; I

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of Figure 1, showing the position of the thread near the end of the winding operation;

Figure 4 is a detail view of the supporting bar for the movable thread guide;

Figure 5 is a detail view of the wiper roll and thread illustrating the area of the roll wiped by the thread in the position shown in Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a partial front elevation of a winding machine showing a modified form of thread guide: and

Figure 7 is a section taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 6.

Like reference numerals denote like parts in the various figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings more in detail,- the invention is shown as embodied in a'machine adapted to receive threads Hi from suitable sources I I, such as spools, cakes or the like, which threads are to be treated with a liquid dressing through stationary thread guides lla' and |2,

overa wiper roll l4, and through a movable guide |5 which is adapted to control the path of travel of the thread over the wiper roll H in the manner to be described. The wiper roll |4 dips in a bath l6 of liquid dressing held in a trough which may be supported from the main frame 20 of the machine in any convenient manner, v

After passing through the movable guide IS, the thread I0 passes through a guide 2|, a tension device 22 of well-known form, and a guide 23, thence through a traversing thread guide 24 by which it is directedon to a core or cone 25 which is mounted on a rotating spindle 26. The various spindles 26 are rotatably mounted on the frame 20 of the machine and are adapted to be rotated in unison and at constant speed by suitable driving means (not shown) The traversing thread guide 24 is adapted to move longitudinally of said spindle during the winding operation for causing the thread to be wound thereon in helical courses and is mounted on a support 30 which is pivoted to the frame 20, as by a pivot 3|. A counterweight 32, carried by the support 30, holds the guide 24in operative position with respect to the cone 25- and permits the support 30 to swing about the pivot 3| as the diameter of the massof thread on the cone 25 increases.

The stationary thread guide I 2 may be mounted on the trough preferably in front of and below the axis of the roll l4. The movable thread guide I5 is mounted in a block 33 which is adapted to slide on a bar 34. Thisbar .34 extends longitudinally of the roll .l4 and is adjustably mounted in an inclined position by spin-,

dies 35 extendingv through elongated slots 36 (Figure 4) in the ends of said bar. Suitable adjustment may be made by thumb nuts 31 which iare threaded on the spindles 35 and engage the bar 34. The ends of the bar 34 may be provided with points 40 which cooperate with indices 4| carried on index plates 42 to facilitate adjustment of the .bar. 7 The spindles 35 and the index plates 42 may be mounted on a longitudinal bar 43 which may be supported from the trough IT by bolts 44 carrying spacing sleeves 45 which seat in suitable recesses in the bar 43.

For controlling the position of the block 33 on the bar 34, there is provided a rod 50, pivoted at one end-to said block and at the other end to a link bar-5|, as by a pivot 52. The link bar 5| is adjustably secured to the support 30 by alink53andapin 54. Thelink53issecured to the pivot 3| of the support. Both the rod and the link bar 5| may be provided with a plurality of holes to permit adjustment of the pivot 52 and of the pin 54, so as to obtain any '.desired relationship between the sliding movement of theblock 33 and the swinging movement of the Support-30. Y

The tension device 22 may be mounted on a suitable bracket 55 carried by the frame 20 and may comprise, for example, a pair of comb members 56 .between which the thread passes and which are adapted to exert pressure on said thread for applying the necessary tension thereto. Suitable means, 'well known in the art, may be provided for varying the relative position of the comb members 56 so as to maintain the ter.

sion of thethread substantially constant as the speed of travel thereof increases during the winding operation.

The wiper roll I4 is mounted on a shaft 60 which may be supported in split bearings formed partly in arms GI and partly in blocks 62 secured thereto by screws 63. The shaft 60 may extend along the trough l1, and may carry a plurality of such rolls l4 which are driven in unison, as by a belt (not shown) cooperating with pulleys 54carried by said shaft. The arms 6| maybe provided at one end with shoulders 65 seating on the trough H and secured thereto by screws 66, and at the other end with shoulders 10 seating against the bar 43 to which they are secured by bolts II In the operation of the. above-described device, rotation of the spindle 26 causes thread from the spool II to pass through the guides a, 2 and I5, over the wiper roll l4, through the tension which it is directed onto the core 25.

The wiperroll I4 is preferably rotated-in such. I

a direction that at the point of contact with the thread ID, the surface of the roll and the thread travel in opposite directions. As the roll rotates, the surface thereof picks up liquid l6 from the trough l1 and carries the same to the thread Ill.

The quantity of liquid applied to the thread as the thread wipes over the roll depends upon the viscosity of the liquid, the speed of the roll, the arc of contact between the roll and the thread, the area of the roll wiped by the thread, and the characteristics of the thread.

As the diameter of the layers of thread on the core 25 increasesthe support 30 swings about its pivot and, by the rod 50, causes the block 33 ,to-

slide along the bar 34. The relative position of the guides l2 and I5 is such that at the beginning of the winding operation the thread passes over the roll M at a tangent extending in the trans- I verse planeof the roll. As the guide l5 moves, due to the movement of thesupport 3B, the thread is caused to cross the roll M at an increasing angle to the transverse plane of the roll and to contact with the surface of the roll in progressively longer arcs. The angularity is determined by the rate of movement, of the guide I5 longitudinally of the roll, and the extent of the arc oflcoritact is determined by the inclination of the bar 34 to the axis of the roll l4. The difference in angularity between the start and finish of the winding operation is illustrated by the winding mechanisms shown at the right and left,

respectively, of Figure 1. The difierence in extent of the .arc of contact is best shown in Figures 2 and 3, respectively. I

When the thread engages the roll at a tangent,

it contacts with the roll at only a single point and the minimum amount of liquid is applied to the thread. However, as the arc of contact of the thread with the roll increases, liquid is applied more rapidly to compensate for the increase in speed of the thread. When, in addition to increasing its arc of contact, the angularity of the thread increases, the thread receives liquid from a greater surface area of the roll. For example, if the thread engages the roll between points A and B in Figure 5, it will wipe an area between the dotted lines 12. This area is determined by'the sine of the angle between the thread and the transverse section of the roll and by the length of the arc of contact of the thread with-the roll.

It is evident from the above that the amount of liquid applied to the thread may be varied from .that which is picked up by a portion of the surface of the roll equal in length to the diameter of the thread, to the amount of liquid which is picked up by the entire surface of the roll between the lines 12, in-Figure 5.- The rate of application of the liquid may accordingly be varied to compensate for the change in speed of the thread so as to maintain a uniform effect throughout. Furthermore, this variation is obtained without materially affecting the tension of the thread because, first, the arc of contact is not greatly increased compared to the increase oiling effect and, second, the change indirection at the various guiding means remains substantially constant.

Referring to Figures 2'and 3, it is evident that the angular deviation of the thread at the guiding means l2 and I5 is practically the same in the two extreme positions of the guilding means l5. Furthermore, when the position of the guide I5 is such that a minimum contact is obtained between the thread and the roll, for example as shown at the right of Figure l, a maximum change in direction occurs at the guides 2| and 23.

Hence, as the friction at the roll increases, the friction at the guides 2| and 23 decreases, thereby partly compensating for the increase in pull of the roll.

It is to be noted that the rate of change of the lubricating effect may be varied by adjusting the speed of the roll, the effective length of the rod 50,

the eflective length of the link bar 5], or the position of the bar 34 on its spindles 35. The bar 34 may be curved if a non-linear change is desired. The initial position of the thread with respect to the roll may be varied as required within the range above described. The particular adjusting means may also be varied as will be apparent to a person skilled in the art.

In the modification shown in Figures 6 and '7, the parts similar to those above described have been given similar reference numerals. In this form, an arm 80, having'a flange 8| carrying a movable thread guide 82, is pivotally mounted on an extension 83 of the bracket 55,-as by a pin 84, which engages one of a set of apertures 85 in said extension. The arm is preferably mounted at the rear and at one end of the roll l4, whereby the guide 82 travels longitudinally of the roll in an inclined path which is arcuate but is otherwise similar to the path of the movable guide l5 shown in Figures 1 to 3.

For actuating the arm 80 a'link 86 is provided which is pivotally connected between one of .a

set of apertures 81 in the arm 80 and one of a set of apertures 88 in a bar 89, which may be secured to the support 38 in any convenient manner. The sets of apertures 85', 81 and. 88 permit suitable adjustment to be made of the arm 80 and of its path of movement. This form of the invention operates in a similar manner mit.

to the form shown in Figures 1 to.3. When the support 30 swings in a clockwise direction (Figure 6), due to an increase in the thickness of the thread on the core 25, the arm 8|] is caused to pivot about the pin 84 and the guide 82 is moved in a descending path, which causes the thread III to cross the roll M at an increasing angle and to contact with the surface of the roll over an increasing arc.

It is obvious that both the direction and extent of movement of the guide 82 may be adjusted by any suitable means, such as by changing the position of the link 86 or by changing the position of thepin 84. 1

In accordance with the present invention, the uniform and continuous application of dressing causes all parts of the thread to exert substantially the same friction on the guides and the tension device and eliminates the wide fluctua tions in tension that would be caused by uneven or intermittent distribution of the dressing. The wide variation in liquid supply obtained by the above device permits proper regulation over a wide range of linear speeds, such as those encountered in winding large packages of thread. Furthermore, the uniform tension reduces the breaks to a minimum and produces a higher quality package.

While certain parts are referred to herein by specific terms for convenience, they are intended to be interpreted as broadly as the art will pet- The invention is only to be limited in accordance with the following claims when interpreted in view of the prior art.

I claim:

1. In a winding machine, in combination,

means to feed a thread, a continuously rotating member adapted to wipe against said thread,

and means to vary automatically the relative position of the thread and the rotating member so as to change both the extent and direction of the arc of contact of the thread with said member.

2. In a winding machine, in combination, means to feed a thread, a continuously rotating member having a surface adapted to dip in a bath of liquid and to wipe against the thread for applying said liquid thereto, and means to vary automatically the path of the thread over said member so as to change both the extent and direction of the arc of contact of the thread with said surface, whereby to vary therate =01 application of the liquid to said thread.

In a winding machine, in combination,

means to feed a thread, a continuously rotating member having a surface adapted to dip in a bath of liquid and to wipe against the thread for applying said liquid thereto, said thread contacting with the surface of said member over dip in a bath of liquid and to wipe against the thread, means to guide the thread over said =member on its way to said support, and means to change automatically both the direction. of-

travel pf the thread over said member andthe extent of the arc of contact therewith; whereby area of the',member wiped bythe to vary the rate of application or the liquid to the thread.

5. In a winding machine, in combination, a rotary support adapted to have a thread wound thereon in successive layers of increasing diameters, a continuously rotating member adapted to dip in a bath of liquid and to wipe against the the thread, means to guide the thread over said member on its way to said support, and means controlledby the diameter of the mass of thread on the support to change automatically the direction of travel of the thread over said member and the extent of the arc of contact therewith,

whereby to vary the rate of application of the.

liquid to the thread.

6. In a winding machine, in combination, a rotary support adapted to have a. thread wound thereon in successive layers of increasing diameters, a traversing guide for guiding the thread on to said support, said guide being pivoted for movement in response to changes in diameter of the mass of thread on said support, a c'ontinuously rotating member adapted to wipe against the thread on its way to said guide, and means controlled by the position of said guide for automatically varying both the direction and the extent of the arc of contact of the thread with said member. I

7. In a winding machine, in combination, a rotary support adapted to have a thread wound thereon in successive layers of increasing diameters, a traversing guide for guiding the thread on said support, said guide being pivoted for move- 'ment in response to changes in diameter of the mass of thread onto said support, a continuously rotating member adapted todip in a bath of liquid and to wipe against the thread on its way to said guide, and means controlled by the position of said guide for automatically varying both the direction and the extent of the arc of contact --of the thread with said member, whereby to vary the rate of application of the liquid to the thread in accordance with the change in linear speed thereof as the diameter of the mass of thread on said rotary support increases.

8. In a winding machine, in combination, a pair of thread guides,,a rotating member adapted to wipe against the thread between said guides, and means to move automatically oneof said guides longitudinally. of the axis of rotation of said member in a path non-parallel to said axis so as to change both the direction and extent of the arc of contact of the thread with said member.

9.In a winding machine, in combination, a pair of thread guides, a rotating cylinder adapt- 4 ed to wipe against the thread between said guides,

means to move automatically one ofsaid guides longitudinally of the axis of rotation of said cylinder in a path non-parallel to said axis so as to rotation of said cylinder and non-parallel to said' axis, one of said guides being adaptedto slide on said support so as to change both the direction and extent of the arc of contact of the thread with said cylinder. r

11. In a winding machine, in combination, a pair of thread guides, a rotating cylinder adapted pair of thread guides, a rotating cylinder adapted to wipe against the thread between said guides,

a rod extending'longitudinally of the axis of rotation' of said cylinder and non-parallel to said axis, means adjustably mounting said rod, index 15 means to indicate the adjustment thereof, and means to slide one of said guides along said rod so as to change both the direction and extent of the arc of contact of the thread with said cylin der.

13. In a winding machine, in combination, a rotary support adapted to have a thread wound thereon in successive layers of increasing diameters, a traversing guide for guidingthe thread onto said support, said guide being pivoted for movement in response to changes in diameter of the mass of thread on said support, a pair of thread guides adapted to guide the thread on its way to said traversing guide, a continuously rotating member adapted to wipe against the thread between said pair of guides, and means controlled by the position of said traversing guide to move one of said pair of guides longitudinally of the axis of rotation of said member and in a path non-parallel to said axis for changing both the direction and extent of the arc of contact of the thread with said member. I

v 14. In a winding machine, in combination, a rotarysupport adapted to have a thread wound thereon in successive layers of increasing diam- 4o eters, a traversing guide for guiding the thread onto said support, said guide being pivoted for movement in response to changes in diameter of the mass of thread on said support, a rotating member adapted to dip into a bath of liquid and to wipe against the thread on its way to said traversing guide, a movable thread guide adapted to direct the thread over said member, and a rod extending longitudinally of said member and at an angle to. the axis of rotation thereof, said second guide being adapted to slide on said rod in response to variations in position of said trav-- ersing guide.

15. In a winding machine, in combination, a rotary support adapted to have a thread wound thereon in successive layers of increasing diameters, a traversing guide for guiding the thread onto said support, said guide being pivoted for movement in response to changes in diameter of the mass of thread on said support, a rotating member adapted to dip into a bath of liquid and towipe against the thread on its way to said traversing guide, a movable thread guide adapted to direct the thread over said member, a rod extending longitudinally of said' member and at an angle to the axis of rotation thereof, said second guide. being adapted to slide on said rod in response to variations in position of said trav- -ersing guide, and means to adjust the relative movement of said second guide and of said traversing guide to control the rate of liquid supply in accordance with increase in thread speed as the diameter of the mass of thread on the. support becomes larger,

16. In a winding machine, in combination, a

12. In a winding machine, in combination, a 10 continuously rotating member adapted to have a thread wound thereon in successive layers of increasing diameters, a continuously rotating cylinder adapted to dip in a bath of liquid and to wipe against the thread on its way to said rotating member, a traversing guide adapted to guide the thread on to said rotating member, said guide being pivoted for movement in response to changes in diameter of the mass of thread on said member, means to guide said thread over said cylinder comprising a movable guide member adapted to move longitudinally of said cylinder in a path non-parallel to the axis thereof, and means controlled by the position of said travers ing guide for varying the position of said movable guide so as to cause the thread to wipe the surface of said cylinder over an increasing arc extending at an increasing angle to the transverse section of said cylinder as the diameter of the mass of thread on said rotating support increases.

17. In a winding machine, in combination, a continuously rotating member adapted to have a thread wound thereon in successive layers of increasing diameters, a rotating cylinder adapted to dip in a bath of liquid and to wipe against the thread on its way'to said rotating member, a traversing guide adapted to guide the thread on to said rotating member, said guide being piv-t oted for movement in response to changes in diameter of the mass of thread on said member, means to guide said thread over said cylinder comprising a rod extending longitudinally of said cylinder and non-parallel to the-axis thereof, a movable guide member adapted to slide on .said rod, and adjustable link means connecting said movable guide and said traversing guide for varying the position of said movable guide so as to said rotating member; said guide being pivoted for movement in response to changes in diameter of the mass of thread on said member, 1

means to guide said thread over said cylinder comprising a rod extending longitudinally of said cylinder and non-parallel to the axis thereof, a movable guide member adapted to slide on said rod, adjustable link means connecting said movable guide and said traversing guide for varying the position of said movable guide so as to cause the thread to wipe the surface of said cylinder over an increasing are extending at an increasing angle to the transverse section of said cylinder as the diameternf the mass of thread on said rotating support increases, and means to adjust the position of said rod for changing I the rate of increase of said are and the angular variation of the thread to obtain the desired liquid distribution.

19. In a winding machine, in combination, means to feed a thread, a continuously rotating cylinder adapted to wipe against said thread, a pair of guides for guiding said thread to and from said cylinder, means to move automatically one of said guides longitudinally of said cylinder in a path non-parallel to the axis thereof for adjusting the path of travel of the thread over said cylinder, each of said, guides causing a substantial change in direction of said thread, the change in direction being substantially constant regard less of the position of said movable guide.

20. In a winding machine, in combination; a rotary support adapted to have a thread wound thereon in successive layers of increasing diameters, a traversing guide for guiding the thread on to said support, said guide being pivoted for movement in response to changes in diameter of the mass of thread onsaid support, a continuously rotating member adapted to wipe against the thread on its way to said guide, means controlled by the position of said guide for varying the direction and-extent of the arc of contact of the thread with said member, and means to maintain the tension of said thread substantially constant-as the extent and direction of the arc of contact with said member changes.

21. In a winding machine, in combination, a

rotary support adapted to have a thread wound thereon in successivelayers of increasing diameters, a traversing guide for guiding the thread on to said support, said guide being pivoted for movement in response to changes in diameter of the mass of thread on said support, a continuously rotating member adapted to dip into a bath of liquid and to wipe against the thread on its way to said traversing guide, a movable thread guide adapted to direct the thread over said member, a pivoted member carrying said movable guide, said pivoted member being adapted to cause said guide to move man are extending longitudinally of said rotating member and generally inclined to the axis thereof, and means interconnecting said pivoted member and said traversing guide, whereby movement of said traversing guide in response to an increase in diameter of the thread on said-support causes movement of said movable guide adapted to increase the arc'of contact andthe angle of contact of the thread with the rotating member.

22. In a winding machine, in combination, a pair of thread guides, a continuously rotating cylinder adapted to wipe against the thread between said guides, an arm pivoted to swing in'a plane extending longitudinally of saidcylinder.

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