US2077520A - Machine for mechanically working hollow thread packages - Google Patents

Description

April 20, 1937. H. F. GIBLING MACHINE FOR MECHANICALLY WORKING HOLLOW THREAD PACKAGES Filed May 23, 1934 7 Sheets-Sheet l b M wn mm mm April 1937- H. F. GIBLING 2,077,520

MACHINE FOR MECHANICALLY WORKING HOLLQW THREAD PACKAGES Filed May 23, 1934 '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 m5 Imelda] (furLjmw April 20, 1937. H. F. GIBLING MACHINE FOR MECHANICALLY WORKING HOLLOW THREAD PACKAGES Filed May 25, 1934 '7 Sheets-Sheet 3 "l l'll'lll l ll flll l lll April 20, 1937. H, F, GlBLlNG 2,77,52@

MACHINE FOR MECHANICALLY WORKING HOLLOW THREAD PACKAGES 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 23, 1934 April 20, 1937. G|BL|NG 2,077,520

MACHINE FOR MECHANICALLY WORKING HOLLOW THREAD PACKAGES Filed May 23, 1934 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 April 20, 1937. H. F. GIBLING MACHINE FOR MECHANICALLY WORKING HOLLOW THREAD PACKAGES Filed May 25, 1954 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 w@ wm om I 8 R R mm R i u Q. 0% 00) PE April 20, 1937.

H. F. GIBLING MACHINE FOR MECHANICALLY WORKING HOLLOW THREAD PACKAGES Filed May 23, 1954 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Patented Apr. 20, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE" MACHINE FOR MECHANIGALLY WORKING HOLLOW THREAD PACKAGES Application May 23, 1934, Serial No. 727,083

13 Claims.

The present invention relates to machines for mechanically working hollow thread packages,

and more specifically to a machine which has v been developed in connection with the process for the manufacture of artificial silk set forth in the application of George R. Lockhart, Serial No. 647,368, filed; December 15, 1932, and is intended primarilyfor mechanically working cakes of artificial silk fibres made in accordance with e the so-called pot spinning method, to prepare the cakes for subsequent processing operations by fluid treatment.

The cakes of artificialzsilkare producedin accordance with the potrspinningprocess referred to, by the precipitating in the-formof fine fibers of a'viscoseisolutionforced through a spinneret into acoagulating bath of dilute sulphuric'acid. These fibers are then collected and fed into a rapidly rotating pot' which gives the thread the required twist and forms the so-called cake or package of thread which is then .put aside for ageing. The cake in this form includes 'a large quantity of salts and other extraneous material whichare carried-over from the coagulating bath and are precipitated with the threads'in the pot, so that the cake as it comes from the ageing roomconstitutes a rigid, unyielding mass which is relatively imperviousto penetration by processing liquids. In accordance with the invention' set forth in the application above referred to, it is proposed by mechanical working of the cake to break down the rigid-structure so that a soft and pliable thread mass of a relatively loose consistency is produced'which may be readily permeated by the processing liquids during the subsequent operations of washing, de-sulphurizing, etc.

It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide'av machine for mechanically working a hollow thread package to break down and loosen all portions of the thread mass to condition it'for subsequent processing operations.

More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a machine which is particularly adapted for performing the operation of mechanically working a cake of artificial silk threads to break down and loosen all portions of the cake without at the same time displacing or otherwise disturbing the relative positions of the threads to interfere with the subsequent steps of processing and winding from the cake.

With these and other objects in view, as may hereinafter appear, the several features of the invention consist in the devices, combinations and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed, which together with the advantages to be obtained thereby, will be readily understood by one skilled in the artfrom the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of the machine embodying in a preferred form the-several features of the invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the machine shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is asectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 isa detail plan view; on an enlarged scale with parts broken awayto illustrate particularly the timing mechanism for controlling the rate of advance of the feed chain and cakes supported thereby; Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the control valve for the compressedair cylinder illustrated generally in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 isan enlarged detail view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is a detail plan view on an enlarged scale of the clutch mechanism illustrated in Fig. 4; Fig. 8 is an, enlarged detail plan view of'a portion of the feed chain and of the hook for imparting the required step-by-step advancing movements to the chain; Fig. 9 is a view in side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail plan view illustrating particularly the drive for rotating the cake press rollers; Fig. 11 is a=plan view of the cake breaker; Fig. 12 is an enlarged detail view in side elevation of the cooperating cake press and supporting rolls; and Fig. 13 is a, detail end view of the cake press roller and its supporting mechanism taken substantially on the line l3l3 of Fig. 12.

The machine disclosed in the drawingsfor breaking down and loosening thread packages, has been particularly constructed and arranged for the handling of cakes of artificial silkthread manufactured in accordance with the pot spinning method to prepare these cakes for the subsequent processing operations as thoroughly as possible without at the same time disarranging or snarling the threads. A considerable amount of diificulty has been encountered in the handling of these cakes due to irregularities both in consistency and shape. It has been found, for instance, that the inner portion of the cake wall is considerably softer than the outer surface and, therefore, tends to spread or mushroom outwardly when subjected to pressure or pulling strains to extend the cake laterally of the wind, with a consequent distortion in positions and probable snarling of the threads during the subsequent operation of Winding from the cake.

The difiiculty in handling is greatly increased by the peculiar shape of the cake which is substantially that of a truncated cone, so that a conical surface is presented for contact with the mechanisms for supporting, and for breaking down and loosening the cake, which tend to cause distortions in the shape of the cake during the working operation, and also make it difficult to provide a stable and dependable means of support.

In carrying out the present invention, a machine has been developed for breaking down and expanding cakes of artificial silk or similar thread packages which comprises a carrier having mounted thereon a series of supporting rolls on which the cakes are advanced successively through the machine, a series of press rollers which are arranged to cooperate successively with each of the supporting rolls to position the packages in operating position, and a beater or flattening element which is given a rapid reciprocating movement to repeatedly flatten and release each cake while held in operating position between the supporting roll of the carrier and the press roller cooperating therewith.

The press rollers are continuously rotated at on their supports so that each cake will be flat- -'tened in many different angular positions to insure the breaking down and softening of all parts of the cake. In order that the cakes may at the same time be extended laterally of the wind, each press roller is mounted to exert a yielding spring pressure on the wall of the cake engaged between the press roller and the supporting carrier roll which, combined with the flattening and rolling action above described, has a tendency to spread the cake wall.

As shown in the drawings, a frame is provided which comprises a series of uprights 29 and cross frames 22 on which are supported an upper track or guideway 24 and a lower track 28 for an endless carrier chain 28. At each end of the machine there are provided additional brackets 39 and 32 on which are mounted the bearings for sprockets 34 and 36 over which the chain 28 is arranged to pass. A series of cross shafts 38 are mounted at spaced intervals around the length of the chain 28, each of said shafts having mounted thereon two slightly tapered supporting rolls 49 for the cakes, one being carried on each side of the chain 28. The cross shafts 38 are provided adjacent each end with trunnions 42 which are arranged for engagement with guide rails 44 on the uprights 29' to provide additional support for the cross shafts 38 and supporting rolls 49 during the travel of these ele- .ments with the chain on the lower track 26 past the operating devices.

The present machine is also provided with a number of tapered press rollers 45 which are mounted in two series, one on either side of the chain 28, to cooperate with the supporting rolls 49. The press'rollers 46 are carried in a series of cross frames or brackets 59 which have formed thereon the depending arms 52 provided with guideways 54 as illustrated in Fig. 13, to receive sliding bearing blocks 56 for the roller spindles I 58. For convenience of assembly of the bearing blocks 56 in the guideways 54, a bar 69 is rigidly secured by means of screws 62 to each dependving arm 52 to form one side of the guideway 54. Each of the bearing blocks 56 is yieldingly supported on its slide by means of a compression spring 63 seated against an adjustable set sc ew 64, and arranged to bear against the under side of the block, and by means of a compression spring 66 seated in a recess in the corresponding arm 52, and arranged at its lower end to engage with the upper side of the block 56. With this construction and arrangement of the parts, the press rollers are held yieldingly in position above the supporting rolls 49 cooperating therewith to leave a space separating the two sets of rolls which is somewhat less than the thickness of a cake, so that each of the press rollers 46 will be forced with a yielding spring pressure against a cake positioned on the supporting roll 49 which has been brought into cooperative relationship thereto.

The press rollers 46 are continuously rotated at a relatively slow rate of speed as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 10 through reduction gearing from a main drive shaft 19' which extends lengthwise of the machine and is mounted within a gear box I2. A separate train of driving connections is provided for each pair of press rollers comprising a worm I4 on the drive shaft I9 which is arranged to mesh with a worm wheel I6 formed on a cross shaft I8. Two sprocket wheels 89 are mounted respectively one on each end of each cross shaft I8, and are connected through sprocket chains 82 with sprockets 84 formed on the inner ends of the two corresponding press roller spindles 58. The drive shaft I9 is continuously driven from an electric motor 86 through connections which include a sprocket 88 secured to the shaft I9, a sprocket chain 89 and a sprocket 99 secured to the driven shaft 92 of a reduction gear set of ordinary description generally indicated at 94. The driving shaft for the reduction gear set indicated at 96 carries a pulley 98 which is connected through a driving belt I99 with a pulley I92 on the armature shaft I93 of the motor 86.

During the operation of the machine, the endless chain 28 is given a step-by-step feeding movement which is equal to the distance between the adjacent press rollers 46, so that the supporting rolls 49 on that part of the chain occupying the lower level are advanced with each feeding movement to a position directly in line with and beneath the next succeeding press roller 46. To insure the correct positioning of the cross shaft 38 and supporting rolls 49 under the cooperating press rollers 48, the trunnions 42 riding on the rails are arranged with each advancing movement of the chain 28 to ride onto cup-shaped cam surfaces I96 on the rails 44 which serve to center the cross shafts 38 and rolls 49 directly beneath the cooperating press rollers 46.

The cakes are flattened repeatedly in a large number of angular positions as they are held and slowly turned in engagement between the cooperating supporting rolls 49 and press rollers 46 by means of a mechanism best shown in Figs. 2 and 3 which comprises a frame I98 having mounted thereon a series of pads I I9 arranged in two series directly underlying the press rollers 46 to engage with the under sides of the cakes being operated upon in the machine. The frame I98 is supported by means of two plungers H2 which are mounted to slide in stationary sleeves I I4, and are moved rapidly up and down in unison through connections from a constantly rotating drive shaft I I6 which comprises two cranks II8 secured respectively to each end of a drive shaft H6 and connected through the links I29 to the plungers I I2. The drive shaft I I6 is driven from an electric motor I22 by means of a belt I24 which passes over a pulley l26on. the drive. shaft andza pulley I28 on the armature shaft of the motor.

During the operations of turningand beating or, flattening the cakes, it is necessary to-maintain thecakes accurately in position on their supporting rolls, and to present them to the beater mechanism in'such a manner that there will be no distortion or disarrangement of the threads in the cake which will result in the snarling of the threads during a subsequent operation of unwinding from the cake. To this end the supporting rolls 46 are'tapered to correspond to the taper of the inside face of the cake, so that the end'faces of the cake are supported at all times in a perpendicular position in the machine as illustrated for instance at I26 in Figs. 2 and 3. The press rollers 46 are correspondingly tapered to provide a smooth rolling contact of the press rollers 46 and supporting roll 46 respectively with the outside and inside surfaces of the cake wall. It has been found as a practical matter that due to the shape of the cake, a slightly greater taper must be given to the press rollers 46 than is given to the supporting rolls 46 to insure the proper cooperation of the press rollers 46 therewith and to prevent travel of the cake axially of the supporting rolls 46 during the successive turning operations above described. Experience has shown also that the shape of the pads II6 on the beater frame I68 has an important bearing to maintain. the cakes in a desired position axially on the supporting rolls 46. A pad which has its contact surface located entirely in a plane parallel to the axis of the supporting rolls has a tendency during repeated engagement with the relatively inclined outer surface of the rotating cake to cause the cake to travel inwardly in the direction of its larger diameter. With the present construction this tendency has been corrected by building up the inner'side of each pad I I6 as best shown at I21 in Fig. 3 of the drawings to provide a contact surface inclined in a direction opposite to the direction of incline of the cake wall engaged thereby and of a sufficient steepness to exactly counteract the tendency of the cake 'to travel axially of the supporting rolls.

The drive for imparting a step-by-step feeding movement to the endless chain 28 to advance each pair of supporting rolls 46 and cakes supported thereon from an inoperative position on the upper level into operative engagement successively with'each pair of press rollers 46 in turn, comprises a compressed air operated piston I29 which is mounted to slide within a compressed air cylinder I36, and has secured thereto a shaft or plunger I3I. A bracket I32 is adjustably secured to the free end of the plunger I3I, and has pivotally secured thereto a hook member I34 which is arranged during the advancing movement of the piston I29 and plunger I31 to slideover the links of the chain, and on the return movement of the plunger to engage with and advance the chain through the required distance. In order to provide additional support for the assembly including the hook member I34 and bracket I32, the bracket I32 is mounted to slide on two parallel guide rods I35 fixedly mounted on the machine frame.

The limit of the advancing movement of the plunger I3I and hook engaging" therewith is determined by the adjustable nut on plunger I3I, and is constant at any predetermined setting. For the accurate determination of the length of the return feeding movement of theplunger I3I and"hook:l34 to-advance the carrier. andspackages supported. thereon exactly into operating relathreaded to the plunger I3I, and is arranged during the retracting or feed movement of the plunger I3I to engage with a corresponding abutment. formed on the end of the cylinder I36 to positively. limit the length of the feeding movement imparted to the carrier chain.

Compressed-air is alternatively admittedto and exhausted from-each end of the chamber I36 by means of a valve of ordinary description generally indicated at I31 in Fi'gs.4 and 5, providedwith a rotatable control stem I38, and: having connected thereto a compressed'air inlet I39, outlets I46 and I42 to each end of the cylinder, and an exhaust'outlet I44.

.The operation of the valve to impart the reouired'advancing and return movements to the plunger I3I and hook I34 to advance the chain 28, is controlled by means of a timing mechanism which is arranged to permit the elapse of any desired period of time between feeding movements to determine the amount of the working to which each cake issubjected. The connections for operating the valve stem I36 comprise a valve control lever 146 which is connected through a link I48 to a control arm I56 secured to the upper end of a vertical shaft I52. A 1

bevel gear I54 also mounted on the shaft I52 meshes with a corresponding bevel gear I56 mounted on a short drive shaft I58 which has keyed thereto a clutch sleeve I66. which is-=arrangedfor engagement with a constantly driven clutch member I62 formed on an abutting drive shaft I64. A compression spring I65 coiled about the shaft I56 between the clutch sleeve I66 and a fixed shoulder tends to engage the clutch sleeve with the clutch member I62. The shaft-I64 is driven from an electric motor I66 through a sprocket. chain. I68 which passes over asprocket on the armature shaft of the motor and over a sprocket I12 on a shaft I14 which is. in turn connected with a cross shaft I18 through a reduction gear unit of ordinary description mounted in a gear box I16. 'Axgear I66 on'the shaft I18 meshes with an idler gear I82which in turn meshes with aegear I84 on the drive shaft The clutch sleeve I66 is rendered operative at predetermined intervals to engage with the driving clutch-member I62 to cause the drive shaft I58 to be'turned through a single revolution,

and is then again disengaged so that the shaft I52 and control arm I56 will be turned with-each engagement of the clutch sleeve I66 through one-half revolution to operate the valve stem -I38 first to force the plunger I36 intone direction, and then upon the next succeeding engagement of the clutch sleeve I66 to force the piston I29 and plunger I3I to the limit of its stroke in an opposite direction. The clutch sleeve I66 is normally held out of engagement with the driving clutch member I62, and is controlledwhen rendered operative to rotate the drive shaft I58 through only a single revolution by means of a laterally disposed clutch control lever I96 which is secured to a pivot shaft I92, and has secured to its free end a wedge-shaped follower I94 which is arranged to engage with a cam surface I96 formed on the clutch sleeve 166, and acts normally to hold the sleeve I66 in .its retracted inoperative position. A tension spring I98 connected at one end to the control lever I96.

and at its other end to the machine frame, tends to maintain the follower I 94 in operative engagement with the cam surface I96. When it is desired during the operation of the machine to engage the clutch sleeve I60 with the driving clutch member I62 to actuate the control valve I31, the clutch control lever I90 is momentarily lifted, so that the raised portion of the cam I96 is permited to ride under the Wedge-shaped follower I94 to permit the engagement of the sleeve I60. During the subsequent rotation of the sleeve I60, the follower I94 is permitted to drop again into operative relationship to the cam I96, so that at the end of the complete revolution, the sleeve I60 will be retracted to its inoperative position by the engagement of the follower I94 with the high portion of the cam I96.

The drive shaft I58 is returned to a predetermined angular position at the end of each successive revolution by means of a centering device which comprises a spring-pressed arm 200 which carries a roll 202 arranged to engage in a notch 204 formed in a flange 206 on the sleeve I60. The arm 200 is provided at its lower end with an offset nib 208 which engages beneath a projection 2I0 formed on a supporting bracket 2I2, and also has secured thereto a pin 2I4 which is loosely fitted through an aperture 2I6 in the supporting bracket 2I2. The arm 200 is moved yieldingly in a direction to engage the roll 202 in the notch 204 by means of a spring connection comprising a pin 2I8 which is secured to the arm 200 intermediate its length, and is arranged to extend through an aperture 220 in the supporting bracket 2I2. A compression spring 222 coiled about the pin 2I8 between the adjustable nuts 224 and a Washer 226, acts tohold the roll 202 yieldingly in engagement with the flange 206 and notch 204.

The control lever I90 is raised at predetermined intervals of time to permit the engagement of the clutch sleeve I60 with the clutch member I 62 to impart the required feeding and return movements to the hook I34 by means of a timing mechanism comprising a cam disk 230 which is secured to a drive shaft 232 and is provided with adjustable cams 234 and 236 arranged to engage with a beveled cam follower 238 secured to the control lever I90. The cam shaft 232 and cam 230 are continuously driven from the electric motor I66 through connections which include pick-off gears 240 and 242 secured respectively to the cam shaft 232 and to a countershaft 244. A gear 246 also secured to the countershaft 244 is arranged for engagement with a gear 248 which is mounted on the output shaft 250 of a reduction gear set generally indicated at 252 in Fig. 4. The input shaft 254 of the reduction gear set 252 is continuously driven from the shaft I18 of the reduction gear set I16 by means of a sprocket chain 256 which is arranged to ride on sprockets mounted respectively on the shafts 254 and I18. With this construction and arrangement of the parts, it will readily be seen that the time during which the machine is operating on a particular cake will depend on the rate of rotation of the cam shaft 232 and cam 230, and may readily be determined by the choice of reduction gear ratio, and more particularly by the choice of the pick-off gears 240 and 242.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The cakes fresh from the ageing room, and preferably Wrapped as specifically set forth in the ap plication of Lockhart above referred to, are placed on the supporting rolls 40 in advance of the point at which they will be brought into engagement with the press rollers 46 as illustrated for instance at 260 in Fig. 2. The step-by-step feeding movement of the endless chain 28 subsequently causes the cross shaft 38 carrying the supporting rolls '40 on which the first one or pair of new cakes are mounted to be brought into position directly beneath the first pair of press rollers 46 where the cross shaft 39 is positioned by the engagement of the trunnions 42 with the cup-shaped cams I06 on the guide rails 40. At the same time the press rollers 46 mounted on the sliding bearing blocks 56 are forced upwardly by the engagement with the outer surfaces of the cakes, so that the cakes are held under pressure between the two sets of rolls. In this position the cakes are subjected to the rapid pushing action of the beater pads I I0 and are slowly rotated due to the continuous rotafry movement of the press rollers 46 so that the cakes are flattened successively in a number of angular positions. The time during which this operation is continued is determined by the operation of the timing device Which acts after a predetermined interval of time which may, for instance, amount to about seconds, to again advance the endless chain 28 and cross shafts 38 so that the leading pair of cakes is brought into a similar operating position with relation to the second pair of press rollers 46, the cakes mounted on the next succeeding pair of supporting rolls 40 being simultaneously brought into operative position with relation to the first pair of press rollers 46. In this manner, each cake is brought into operative relationship to each successive press roller 46 and is gradually rotated so that all portions of the cake are softened and loosened while, at the same time, the cake is extended laterally of the wind by the rolling action of the cooperating press rollers 46 and supporting rolls 40. As the cross shafts 38 and supporting rolls 40 pass from under the last pair of press rollers 46 with the continued step-by-step feed of the endless chain 28, and pass around the sprocket 34 to the upper level, the cakes are removed from the machine by the operator and new cakes substituted on the supporting rolls.

The invention having been described, what is claimed is:

1. A machine for mechanically working a hollow thread package having, in combination, means for supporting a package comprising rollers engaging between them the package wall, means for beating the package While engaged by said rollers, means for rotating said rollers to vary the angular position of the package with relation to-said supporting and beating means, and means acting on said rollers to exert a yielding pressure on the wall of the package.

2. A machine for mechanically working a hol- 10W thread package having, in combination, a supporting roll adapted to engage with the internal surface of the package Wall, a cooperating roller adapted for yielding engagement with the external surface of the package wall, means for rotating said rollers, and means adapted for repeated engagement with the opposite side of the package to beat the package in a plurality of angular positions.

3. A machine for mechanically working a hollow thread package having substantially the shape of a frustrated cone having, in combination, a supporting roll adapted for engagement with the inner surface of the package wall having a taper corresponding substantially to the iii angle of inner surface of the package wall with its axis, a cooperating roller adapted for engagement with the external surface of the package wall having a taper corresponding substantially to the angle of the external surface of the package wall with its axis, means for rotating said rollers, and a beating device adapted for repeated engagement with the opposite side of the package to flatten the package in a plurality of angular positions.

4. A machine for mechanically working a hollow thread package having substantially the shape of a frustrated cone having, in combination, a supporting roll adapted for engagement with the inner surface of the package wall having a taper corresponding substantially to the angle of inner surface of the package wall with its axis, a cooperating roller adapted for engagement with the external surface of the package wall having a taper corresponding substantially to the angle of the external surface of the package wall with its axis, means for rotating said rollers, and a beater device comprising a pad adapted for engagement with the opposite side of the package movable in a plane substantially normal to the axis of the package and having that portion engaging the larger end of the package built up to prevent travel of the package axially of the cooperating rollers.

5. A machine for mechanically working a hollow thread package having, in combination, a series of supporting members, each arranged for engagement within a thread package, a feeding device comprising a conveyor on which said supporting members are carried, a series of cooperating members adapted for engagement successively with each of said packages on its supporting member, and means for repeatedly beating each of said packages while engaged by each of said cooperating members in turn.

6. A machine for mechanically working a hollow thread package having, in combination, a supporting member arranged to engage within a package, means for advancing said supporting member in the machine arranged to provide a dwell in said advancing movement at spaced intervals, a series of press rollers arranged to engage said package on its supporting member for predetermined dwell positions thereof, means for rotating said rollers to turn said cake on its supporting member, and means for repeatedly beating the cake while engaged by each of said rollers.

'7. A machine for mechanically working hollow thread packages having, in combination, a series of supporting rollers extending within the packages, a conveyor on which said rollers are located, a series of press rollers spaced to cooperate simultaneously with said supporting rollers to engage between them the package walls, means for beating the packages held between said series of rollers, and means for imparting a step-by-step feeding movement to said conveyor.

8. A machine for mechanically working hollow thread packages having, in combination, a series of supporting rollers extending within the packages, a conveyor on which said rollers are located, a series of press rollers spaced to cooperate simultaneously with said supporting rollers to engage between them the package walls about the press and extend said walls laterally of the wind, means for registering each of said supporting rollers in operating position with relation to the corresponding press roller, means for rotating said rollers to pass successive portions of the cake walls therebetween, and means for advancing said conveyor to position each supporting roller successively with relation to each press roller in turn.

9. A machine for mechanically working hollow thread packages having, in combination, a series of supporting rollers extending within the packages, an endless conveyor on which said rollers are located, a series of press rollers spaced to cooperate simultaneously With said supporting rollers to engage between them the package walls, means for advancing said conveyor to register each of said supporting rollers successively with different press rollers of the series, means for turning the packages on their supporting rollers, and means for beating the packages while engaged between corresponding rollers of the two series.

10. A machine for mechanically working hollow thread packages having, in combination, a

series of supporting rollers extending within the packages, an endless conveyor on which said rollers are located, a series of press rollers spaced to cooperate simultaneously with said supporting rollers to engage between them the package walls, means for imparting a step-by-step advancing movement to said conveyor to register each of said supporting rollers successively with different press rollers of the series, a timing device adjustable to determine the length of dwell between successive steps of said advancing movement, means for turning the packages on their supporting rollers, and means for beating the packages while engaged between corresponding rollers of the two series.

11. A machine for mechanically working a hollow thread package having substantially the shape of a frustrated cone, having in combination, a supporting roller adapted for engagement with the inner surface of the package wall having a taper correspcding substantially to the angle of the inner surface of the package wall with its axis, a cooperating press roller adapted for pressing engagement with the external surface of the package wall having a taper corresponding substantially to the angle of the external surface of the package wall with its axis, and means for rotating said rollers to engage said rollers with successive portions of the cake wall to loosen and extend the cake laterally of the wind.

12. A machine for mechanically working a hollow thread package having substantially the shape of a frustrated cone, having in combination, a supporting roller adapted for engagement with the inner surface of the package wall having a taper corresponding substantially to the angle of the inner surface of the package wall with its axis, a cooperating press roller adapted for engagement with the. external surface of the package'wall having a taper corresponding substantially to the angle of the external surface of the package wall with its axis, means for rotating said rollers, and means for imparting to said rollers an engaging pressure to loosen and extend successive portions of the cake wall laterally of the wind.

13. A machine for mechanically working a hollow thread package comprising means for supporting the package, means for repeatedly beating the package, and means for varying the position of the package with relation to said supporting and beating means to beat a plurality of different portions of the package.

HAROLD F. GIBLING.

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