US2116660A - Formation of artificial filaments, yarns, or threads - Google Patents

Description

May 10, 1938. c, HUT I 2,116,660

FORMATION OF ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS, YARNS, OR THREADS Filed July 22, 1936 PMF INVENTOR ggnf ield Hufson 9% M W ATTORNEYS Patented May 10, 1938 UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE FORMATION OF ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS,

YARNS, OR THREADS tion of Delaware Application July 22, 1936, Serial No. 91,816

9 Claims.

This invention relates to artificial filaments, yarns or threads and their formation by the extrusion of spinning solutions through jets, nozzles or other spinning orifices into a solidifying medium.

An object of the invention is the formation. of artificial filaments or yarns having a regular or irregular change in denier. A further object of this invention is the formation of filaments or yarns which have an irregularity in denier, such as a period of small denier, then. a slub of large denier and then another period of small denier, in which the yarn in the period of small denier is of substantially uniform denier and contains no thin places. Other objects of the invention will appear from the following detailed description and drawing.

In the drawing, wherein like reference numerals refer to the same or similar elements of the respective views;

Fig. l is a front elevation of an artificial yarnspinning device with means to vary the denier of the yarn as it is formed;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a part of the device shown in Fig. l, and

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a section of yarn formed in accordance with this invention.

Artificial yarn having slubs of irregular denier therein has been formed by many types of de- 30 vices. These yarns, however, have not been entirely satisfactory as the devices heretofore used to form such yarns produced extremely thin places in that section of the yarn having the small denier. These thin places so weakened the 5 yarn that interruptions, due to breakage of the yarn, occurred during the spinning thereof or during the subsequent textile operations. These extremely thin places were also reflected in weak spots or undesirable irregularities in fabrics 40 formed from the yarns. By employing my invention, however, there may be formed artificial yarn having a substantially uniform denier in the section of small denier with or without a varying denier in the thick portion or slub. Also, by

45 employing my invention, the change from small denier to the slub or large denier may be relatively abrupt in comparison with prior methods of forming this type of yarn.

In accordance with my invention, I form fila- 50. ments or yarns of artificial silk or the like which have a substantially uniform denier over a majority of their length, but having at regular or irregular intervals a change in denier, or slub, creating a thick place in the filament or yarn 55. by drawing the yarns at a substantially uniform linear speed for a period of time in the course of their production and then interrupting the drawing action so as to stretch them uniformly at desired intervals and effecting little or no stretch at other intervals. The varying stretch imparted 5 to the filaments or yarns results in. a correspondingly varying denier, the variations occurring at any desired intervals and to any desired degree while extending any desired amount along the length of the filaments or yarns. This variation 10 of denier is accomplished by a device which draws the filaments at a substantially uniform linear, speed for a period of time, then periodically and abruptly reduces the drawing action on the filaments and then slowly lengthens the path fol- 15 lowed by the filaments from the forming jet to a winding, or twisting and winding device.

The portions of large denier or slub of the yarn may appear at regular short or regular long intervals along the length of the yarn or at regularly or irregularly varying intervals. Also, the denier of the slub or large denier portion may vary in degree or extent or both. Or, one or more groups of variations may appear in regular sequence, or in any desired order or at any desired intervals. Thus, for example, one or more short variations may alternate with one or more long variations, or groups of short or long variations may alternate with short or long variations, or with other groups of short and long variations. Or, the regularity or sequence of the large denier portion or slub may be broken up such that the periods of large denier appear at random along the length of the yarn. The latter method of spacing the slubs, or large denier portion, minimizes the possibility of the yarns producing a wood grain effect when woven into fabric. It will be understood that where yarn, or thread is formed by the association of a number of filaments, all of which have a regular or irregular change in denier and which change is similar forall the filaments at a cross-section of the yarn, there will be produced a cumulative effect in the change of denier of the yarn at that cross-section. When yarns are formed of substantially continuous filaments, there will obviously be the same number of filaments at the larger denier periods as at the smaller denier periods.

Yarns or threads, which have received changes in denieras above described, may be wound or twisted and wound, for example, by means of capspinning devices, or centrifugal boxes.

The filaments of varying denier may be formed into yarns, either alone or twisted or doubled with threads of other natural or artificial filaments or fibers. Or, they may be cut or reduced to staple lengths either continuously with their production or subsequently thereto, and spun into yarns, either alone or mixed or blended with other natural or artificial filaments or fibers, and such spun yarns may, if desired, be twisted or doubled with the same or other yarns to form any desired type of threads.

Yarns or threads with irregular denier having a substantial twist impart a novel effect to fabrics or articles wholly or partially formed from them by reason of the differential effect produced by the variation of denier and amount of twist at the various intervals of varying denier. This effect may, moreover, be enhanced when the fabrics or articles are dyed, printed or otherwise colored because of the differential of penetration of the dyestuif or other coloring matter, and of the differential in luster between tightly twisted small denier intervals and the intervals of large denier with little or no twist.

The yarns or threads of varying denier may be applied to the production of fabrics or articles either alone or in association with yarns or threads of uniform denier artificial silk or of other natural or other artificial filaments or fihers and may be utilized to give any desired design or pattern. They may be used, for example, in the warp and/ or weft in weaving operations, in knitting operations, for instance, in the production of warp knitted fabrics, in circular knitting machines, in braiding or cording operations, in net or lace-making operations, or in any other fabric-forming or textile operation.

While the invention applies particularly to filaments or threads of varying or irregular denier, produced by the dry or evaporative method, and especially to filaments or threads having a base of cellulose acetate or other cellulose derivatives, such as cellulose formate, cellulose propionate or cellulose butyrate, thiocarbamic or alkoxy-alkacyl esters of cellulose, methyl, ethyl or benzyl cellulose, or the condensation products of cellulose and glycols and other polyhydric alcohols, it applies likewise to filaments or yarns of varying or irregular denier produced by the wet or coagulation method, whether it has a base of cellulose or bases of reconstituted cellulose produced by the viscose, cuprammonium or nitrate processes.

As an aid in describing the invention, the same will be described with reference to the drawing wherein there is shown a device constructed in accordance with this invention. The device cooperates with a spinning cabinet I which may be equipped with any suitable number of spinning jets, ducts for supplying and withdrawing evaporative atmosphere, guides, and heating or cooling elements. The exact construction of the spinning cabinet or metier is not shown since it can be any one of the devices used in the formation of artificial silks and like materials. The spinning cabinet may contain any suitable number of spinning jets, each jet having any suitable number of orifices. Each spinning jet or set of spinning jets forms a yarn having a plurality of filaments, which yarn is drawn from the cabinet or metier.

In normal spinning on a device of the type shown in the drawing, the yarn 5 leaves the spinning cabinet or metier at a port 2 and passes around a drawing roll or feed roll 3 through a guide 4 and on to a take-up winding, or twisting and winding device, such as a cap-spinning device, ring twisting device or centrifugal box.

If desired, the yarn 5 may be led from the port 2 over a wick, roller or other furnishing device for coating the yarn with such material as lubricants, conditioning agents, etc., and then through a guide and on to the feed roll 3. The formation of yarn in accordance with this invention differs from the normal method of spinning yarn in that the yarn, after it leaves the spinning cabinet I passes through guide eyes 8, one of which is provided for each port 2 of the spinning metier. Each of the guide eyes 6 is fastened to the lower end of a supporting rod 1. The supporting rods 5, which are adapted to reciprocate, are guided by passing through suitable bearings 8 in an angle iron 9. The rods 1 are attached to a cross-head II which is attached to a piston rod l2 through any suitable type of bracket such as the one shown at l3. The piston rod I2 terminates in a piston I l operating in a cylinder I5. By operation of the piston, the cross-head II with the attached supporting rods and guide eyes is reciprocated in a vertical path.

Suitable means are provided for the purpose of operating the piston I 4. To this end there is provided an electric motor H5 or other suitable power device which, through a belt or chain I1, drives the drive wheel I8 of a speed-changing mechanism IS. The speed-changing mechanism may contain creeping gears, elliptical gears, or it may consist of oppositely disposed cone pulleys or other means of causing a variation in the speed produced on the drive wheel of the speed-changing mechanism. The power imparted by the motor I6 passes through the speed-changing device and rotates a wheel 2|. The Wheel 2! is provided with a plurality of recesses or openings into which may be placed pins 22. The wheel 2| is so formed that the pins 22 may be set at any intervals about the circumference of the wheel, or so that any number of pins may be employed. The pins 22 are adapted, upon rotation of the wheel 2!, to move a spring arm 23 carrying the contact point 2 against a substantially stationary post 25 having a contact point 26. The spring arm 23 and the post 25 are each connected to electric conductors 27 and 28 which form one part of an electrical circuit, the other part being through the electric conductor 29. These conductors are attached to a solenoid 3| and upon closing of the contact points 24 and 26 the solenoid 3| of the 3-way valve, 2 port valve solenoid becomes energized and raises the valve stem contained in the valve 33.

From any suitable source, hydraulic or air pressure is supplied to the line 34 and passes through a pressure-reducing or regulating device 35 to a line 36 connected to the inlet 4'! of the 3- Way valve 33. A suitable gauge 3'! may be placed on the line 36 for indicating the pressure head on the line. One of the outlet ports 38 of the 3-way valve 33 leads through a supply into a cylinder head 39 which is connected to the cylinder l5. With the upward or return stroke of piston M spent hydraulic or air pressure in cylinder I5 is forced back through cylinder head 39, to port 44 and is exhausted from outlet 38. It is to be understood that any suitable type of 3-way, solenoid operated valve may be employed, for instance, type P3DX Asco valves and related types. Suitably retained on the stationary support are shoulders 4| and 42 to which shoulders and the cross-head II are connected tension springs 43 which exert a pull on the cross-head l l in an upward direction such that upon release of the air pressure from the cylinder IS the cross- 75 head II is raised. By means of an adjustable back pressure escapement valve 44 the air or hydraulic pressure from the cylinder l5 may be regulatedin such a manner that the movement of the piston in an upward direction by the pull of the springs 43 may be regulated to any desired speed. The cylinder I5 is also provided with a valve which is placed on the side of the piston head [4 opposite to the source of applied pressure and acts as a dash-pot or means for controlling the speed of the piston in a downward direction- By regulating the valves 44 and 45, the piston may be caused, if desired, to move slowly in an upward direction and substantially instantly in a downward direction.

In operation of the device, the yarn is led from the spinning jets (not shown) through port 2 and guide eye 6, then around the constantly and uniformly rotating feed roll 3 to the take-up package. The motor l6 causes the wheel 2! to rotate, if desired, at a variable speed, which causes the pin 22 to effect an opening and closing of the switch formed by the contact points 24 and 26, thus operating the solenoid 3| which in turn operates the 3-way valve 33. The operation of the 3-way valve effects the pressure and release of pressure alternately in the cylinder head 39, causing the reciprocation of the guide eyes 6. When the guide eyes 6 are slowly raised at a uniform speed, the drawing action effected by the feed roll 3 produces a uniform pull or stretching of the filaments from the spinning jets, forming a yarn of substantially uniform denier. Upon closing of the switch formed by the contact points 24 and 26 the solenoid is energized and operates the 3-way valve, injecting an impulse of pressure into the cylinder head 39, forcing the piston head I4 in a downward direction. By regulating the valve 45 and the applied pressure, the guide eyes 6 may be caused to move in a downward direction at a very high speed. The fast movement of the guide eyes 6 in a downward direction creates a slack in the yarn between the feed roll 3 and the spinning jet, thus reducing momentarily the drawing or stretching action on the yarn, effecting a slub or heavy denier increment in the yarn. Upon release of the spring arm 23 by the pins 22 the solenoid is de-energized and operates to cause the piston to move upwardly and the springs 43 will slowly raise the guide eyes 6. By regulating the valves 44 and 45 the guide eyes may also be caused to make a fast up-stroke producing a very thin section of yarn and a slow down stroke producing normal yarn.

By employing this device, the speed of the reciprocating guide eyes 6 may be adjusted so that there is a slow, steady and uniform drawing or stretching of the yarn over that period of the yarn which is of small denier and, unlike the results obtained, by the use of prior devices, there is produced no section having extremely thin places effected by a fast pulling action after the slub on the yarn has been formed.

If desired, the device may be adjusted in such a manner that it produces a yarn having a uniform small denier section 46 and a large denier section 41 with a relatively abrupt change 48 from the small denier section to the large denier section.

The spacing of the pins 22 or the size of the contacting portion of the pins 22 may be an arrangement whereby there are produced slubs of equal length or slubs of varying length and whereby there are produced equal lengths or varying lengths of yarn in which no slubs are formed. Furthermore, the wheel 2| may be rotated by means of elliptical gears or other speedchanging mechanism such that the speed of the wheel 2| is constantly or irregularly varying. The method of driving the wheel 2| at a varying speed and having the pins 22 spaced at varying intervals on said wheel, produces slubs on the yarn at random intervals.

-Where the spinning cabinet or metier is of considerable length and equipped with a large number ofyarn-forming jets, there may be provided across the length of the spinning cabinet a plurality of solenoids, the solenoids all operat ing through the same electrical circuit, such that uniform reciprocation of the head H is produced throughout the entire machine. By regulating the speedof the wheel 2! and the feed roll 3, yarn may be produced having any desired change in denier, for instance, yarn may be formed having a ratio between thin and thick places, 1 to 1 1 to 2, l to 4, 1 to 20 or other ratios, while the intervals between slubs and the length of the slubs may beregulated by the spacing and size of pins 22 and/or the length of the stroke of the piston l4.

It is to be understood that any desired number of devices may be arranged for simultaneous operation on the filaments or threads produced by a plurality of jets or nozzles in a single metier or spinning cabinet. Thus, in a small metier or spinning cabinet the head Il may extend across the full length of the metier or spinning cabinet and be operated by a single piston, or on larger metiers the head H may extend across the full length of the cabinet and be driven by a piston operating at each end of the head II.

The foregoing apparatus may be applied to the treatment of artificial filaments produced by the dry or evaporative method as shown in the drawing or by the wet or coagulation method by obvious rearrangement of the parts.

It is to be understood that the foregoing description and the device shown in the drawing is merely given by way of illustration and many alterations or substitutions may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for the production of artificial filaments having appreciable variations in denier along the length thereof, comprising a, reciprocating member having a guide through which filaments are caused to pass and means for causing said reciprocating member to rise slowly at a substantially constant speed. and to be lowered abruptly, said means including a source of fluid pressure and means for controlling the operation of said fluid pressure.

2. Apparatus for the production of artificial filaments having appreciable variations in denier along the length thereof, comprising a reciprocating member having a guide through which filaments are caused to pass and means for causing said reciprocating member to rise slowly at a substantially constant speed and to be lowered abruptly, said means including a source of fluid pressure and a solenoid for controlling the operation of said fluid pressure.

3. Apparatus for the production of artificial filaments having appreciable variations in denier along the length thereof, comprising a reciprocating member having a guide through which filaments are caused to pass and means for causing said reciprocating member to rise slowly at a substantially constant speed and to be lowered abruptly, said means including a source of fluid pressure, a cylinder in which said fluid pressure is adapted to operate and a solenoid for controlling the entrance of said fluid pressure into said cylinder.

4. Apparatus for the production of artificial filaments having appreciable variations in denier along the length thereof, comprising a reciprocating member having a guide through which filaments are caused to pass and means for causing said reciprocating member to rise slowly at a substantially constant speed and to be lowered abruptly, said means including a source of fluid pressure, a cylinder in which said fluid pressure is adapted to operate, and a valve and a solenoid for controlling the entrance of said fluid pressure into said cylinder, said solenoid being adapted to open and close said valve.

5. Apparatus for the production of artificial filaments having appreciable variations in denier along the length thereof, comprising a reciprocating member having a guide through which filaments are caused to pass and means for causing said reciprocating member to rise slowly at a substantially constant speed and to be lowered abruptly, said means including a source of fluid pressure, a solenoid for controlling the operation of said fluid pressure and means for opening and closing the circuit of said solenoid at a predetermined rate.

6. Apparatus for the production of artificial filaments having appreciable variations in denier along the length thereof, comprising a reciprocating member having a guide through which filaments are caused to pass and means for causing said reciprocating member to rise slowly at a substantially constant speed and to be lowered abruptly, said means including a source of fluid pressure, a solenoid for controlling the operation of said fluid pressure and rotary means for opening and closing the circuit of said solenoid.

'7. Apparatus for the production of artificial filaments having appreciable variations in denier 'along the length thereof, comprising a reciprocating member having a guide through which filaments are caused to pass and means for callsing said reciprocating member to rise slowly at a substantially constant speed and to be lowered abruptly, said means including a source of fluid pressure, a solenoid for controlling the operation of said fluid pressure and means for controlling the operation of said solenoid, said solenoid controlling means comprising a spring switch and a rotary member having a projection thereon adapted to contact with said spring switch at a predetermined rate to close the solenoid circuit.

8. Apparatus for the production of artificial filaments having appreciable variations in denier along the length thereof, comprising a reciprocating member having a guide through which filaments are caused to pass and means for causing said reciprocating member to rise slowly at a substantially constant speed and to be lowered abruptly, said means including a source of fluid pressure, a cylinder in which said fluid pressure is adapted to operate, a valve attached to said cylinder, a solenoid for controlling the entrance of said fluid pressure into said cylinder through said valve, said solenoid being adapted to open and close said valve, and rotary means for making and breaking the solenoid circuit.

9. Apparatus for the production of artificial filaments having appreciable variations in denier along the length thereof, comprising a reciprocating member having a guide through which filaments are caused to pass and means for causing said reciprocating member to rise slowly at a substantially constant speed and to be lowered abruptly, said means including a source of fluid pressure, a cylinder in which said fluid pressure is adapted to operate, a piston in said cylinder attached to said reciprocating member, a valve attached to said cylinder, a solenoid for controlling the entrance of said fluid pressure into said cylinder through said valve, said solenoid being adapted to open and close said valve, and rotary means for opening and closing the solenoid circuit.

CANFIELD HUTSON.

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