US2197011A

US2197011A - Yarn dyeing machine

Info

Publication number: US2197011A
Application number: US137806A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles H Ross
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1937-04-19
Filing date: 1937-04-19
Publication date: 1940-04-16
Anticipated expiration: 1957-04-16

Description

April 16, 1940. c. H. Ross YARN DYEING MACHINE Filed April 19, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 16, 1940. c. H. ROSS YARN DYEING MACHINE Filed April 19, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 EMMA/I15 April 16, 1940. c. H. ROSS YARN DYEING 'MACHINE Filed April 19, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 -EMME (i/fikLiS H Ross April 16, .1940. c. H. ROSS YARN DYEING ITIACHINE Filed A ril'ie, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Apr. 16, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I YARN DYEING MACHINE Charles H. Ross, Hickory, N. 0.

Application April 19, 1937, Serial No. 137,806 17 Claims. (01.68-175) The present invention relates to apparatus for treating yarn, and more especially for the dyeing thereof.

One of the primary objects of the invention is to provide yarn dyeing apparatus which may be employed in combination with a slasher whereby yarn may be dyed while passing through the same machine which sizes the yarn, thereby saving the time and expense of dyeing the yarn by a separate operation, as heretofore practised.

Another object is to provide a machine wherein either the dyeing operation or the sizing operation may be eliminated while the yarn is passing therethrough, if such is desired,

Another object is to provide a novel and improved dyeing apparatus which enables the yarn to be fully immersed in the dye liquor as when the yarn is travelling at the usual speed, or to be partially immersed therein as when the yarn is travelling at a reduced or relatively slower speed, and which enables the yarn to be removed from contact with the dye liquor, as when the travel of the yarn is stopped.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for automatically maintaining the dye liquor at a predetermined level in the dye tank and for automatically cutting off the feed of dye liquor to the tank when the yarn is removed therefrom or when the travel of the yarn is stopped.

To these and other ends, the invention consists in certain improvements and combinations and arrangements of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the features of novelty being pointed out more particularly in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a yarn treating machine embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the machine shown in Fig. l; V

Figure 3 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a yarn dyeing apparatus embodying the present invention;

Figure 4 is a top plan view, partly in section. of the apparatus shown in Fig 3;

Figure 5 is a longitudinal vertical section of the yarn dyeing apparatus shown in Figs. 3 and 4;

Figure 6 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 8-6 in Fig. 5;

Figures 7, 8 and 9 are detail views showing the automatic feed control for the dye liquor according to the present invention;

Figure 10 is a top plan view, partly in section, of the driving gearing of the machine; and

Figure 11 is a side elevation of a portion of the driving gearing shown in Fig. 10.

Similar parts are designated by the same ref- I5 erence characters in the different figures.

Yarn dyeing apparatus according to the present invention may be used separatelyor in conjunction with other yarn. treating apparatus as may be desired, but it is preferably combined as a unit 10 with a slasher for sizing yarn, it enabling yarn to be dyed while it is passing through the slasher for sizing, and moreover such a combination enables yarn to be not onlyv dyed and sized by the same operation but it enables yarn, to be dyed 15 without being sized or to be sized without being dyed, as may be desired.

In Figs. 1 and 2, the dyeing apparatus according to the present invention is combined as a unit with a slasher of conventional construction, the slasher comprising a suitable number of section beams I mounted in a beam stand 2 for feeding the yarn to the machine, a size box 3 to contain the starch or other sizing material, the size box having a roller 4 which is submerged in the starch or other sizing material and beneath which the yarn passes, a roller 5 for guiding the yarn to said roller, and pairs of squeeze rolls 6 between which the sized yarn passes and which remove the surplus starch or other sizing material therefrom. The slasher also comprises a pair of drying cylinders .I and 8 mounted rotatably in a suitable frame 9, ti. ese cylinders being hollow and having steam pipes I0 connected thereto for heating them, the yarn being threaded around the cylinder 1 and then around the cylinder 8 and passing around the guide rollers I0 and II to a delivery roll I2. The squeeze rolls 6 of the size box and the drying cylinders 'I and 8 are driven at the proper surface speed to draw the yarn through 40 the machine by a shaft I3 which is connected by gearing I4 to the rolls 6 and by gearing I5 and I6 to the drying cylinders 1 and 8 respectively. The shaft I3 may be driven by gearing I! from the shaft of the delivery roll I2, and the latter may be connected by a gear I8 and pinion I80 to a loom beam I9 on which the treated yarn is wound. The pinion I80, as shown, drives the loom beam from a shaft I8I on which said pinion is mounted loosely, a pair of friction disks I82 being fixed to the pinion but loose on the shaft NH, and a pair of outer friction disks I83 are splined on the shaft I8I by keys I84 which engage in a key slot I85 in said shaft, the outer friction disks I83 having frictional engagement with the inner disks whereby the latter will drive the shaft |8| frictionally, and said shaft will be adjustable axially in the friction disks. The shaft |8| drives the loom beam through a face plate I86 which is fixed on the shaft |8| and has a lug l 81 projecting from its inner face, and a dog I88 which is clamped by the set screw I89 or otherwise fixed on the journal I90 of the loom beam. The lug |8'| on the face plate is arranged to engage the point of the dog and thereby drive the loom beam journal, the adjacent end of said journal being engaged removably in the end of the shaft |8| which is hollow to receive it. The opposite end of the loom journal may be engaged removably in the hollow inner end of a supporting shaft |8| The axial adjustment provided for the shaft |8| permits it to be adjusted for loom beams of different widths, and the friction drive provided for this shaft compensates for the steady delivery of the yarn from the delivery roller |2 and the increasing diameter of the beam as the yarn is wound thereon, thereby insuring an even tension on the yarn at it is wound on the loom beam. The delivery roll l2 may be driven by any of the usual or conventional driving means employed in machines of this class, as for example through gearing 20 from a conical pulley 2|, the latter being connected by a belt 22 to a reversely positioned conical pulley 23 whereby the speed of travel of the yarn through the machine may be.

adjusted as desired, and the pulley 23 may be driven for example from a belt which may engage a belt pulley 24 fixed on the shaft 25 of the pulley 23, or through a pulley 26 which is adapted to drive the machine at a reduced speed, through reduction gearing 21 connected for example to a sleeve 26 which is fixed to the pulley 26 but is revoluble on the shaft 25, the gearing 2'! connecting the pulley 26 to the shaft 25 of the pulley 23, and the operation of the machine may be stopped by shifting the belt to the pulley 28 which is loose on the sleeve 26 on which the pulley 26 is mounted. The shifting of the belt may be effected as usual by a belt shifter 29 which may be connected by a link 30 to a controlling lever 3|, it being understood that when the lever 3| is in one extreme position, as for example that shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the machine will be driven at its full or normal speed by engagement of the belt with the fixed pulley 24, that when the lever 3| occupies an intermediate position or is moved toward the right in Fig. 1, the belt will be shifted to the pulley 26 which drives the reduction gearing 22 so that the machine will be driven at a reduced speed, and that when the lever 3| is moved to'its extreme position toward the right in Fig. 1 the belt will be shifted to the loose pulley 28 and the machine will then be stopped. Although one particular form of slasher is shown, it will be understood that the invention is applicable to slashers of other well known constructions.

The dyeing apparatus according to the present invention comprises a suitable stand which supports an open topped tank 36 adapted to contain the dye liquor, the dye liquor being supplied to this tank for example by gravity from a supply tank 31 which is connected by a pipe 38' to a float controlled tank 39, the pipe 38 extending into the,

tank 39 having a valve 40 thereon controlled by a float 4| whereby the dye liquor will be maintained automatically at a predetermined level in the tank 39. The tank 33 is connected by a pipe'42 to the tank 36 and serves normally or during the usual operation of the machine to maintain the dye liquor at a predetermined level in the tank 36, the pipe 42 being provided however with a cut-ofl valve 43, the purpose and operation of which will be hereinafter described. The tank 36 contains a heating coil 44 through which steam or other heating medium may be circulated to maintain the dye liquor in this tank at a suitable temperature, and a drain pipe 45 controlled by a valve 46 is provided for withdrawing the dye liquor from the tank 36, as upon completion of a dyeing operation.

According to the present invention, means is provided for passing the yarn through the dye liquor in the tank 36 to effect the dyeing thereof, such means being capable of varying the extent of immersion of the yarn in the dye liquor when the speed of travel of the yarn through the apparatus is reduced and for removing the yarn from contact with the dye liquor when the operation of the machine is stopped or the travel of the yarn interrupted. As shown in the present instance, such means comprises an immersion frame embodying a pair of side members 50 having a series of rollers 5| mounted in a horizontal row between them, these rollers having shafts 52 which are journalled revolubly in the respective side frame members 50, these rollers being above the top of the tank 36, and a series of rollers 53 the shafts 54 of which are mounted revolubly in bearings 55 in the lower portions of the respective side frame members 50, the rollers 53 being below the rollers 5| and arranged preferably in staggered relation therewith so that the yarn :2, when threaded over the rollers 5| and under the rollers 53, as shown in Fig. 5, will travel in a zigzag path. The rollers 5| function as carrier rollers for guiding the portions of the yarn above the tank and the rollers 53 function as immersion rollers to immerse the yarn in the bath of the dye liquor contained in the tank, the yarn passing around the lower sides of these immersion rollers. A series of squeeze rollers 56 are preferably provided to cooperate with the respective carrier rollers 5|, the shafts 51 of the squeeze rollers resting in vertical slots 58 formed in the respective side frame members 50, the squeeze rollers resting on the yarn passing over the respective carrier rollers 5| and functioning to squeeze the yarn as it comes from the dye bath and thereby force the dye liquor into the yarn and remove the surplus liquor therefrom. The carrier rollers 5|, immersion rollers 53 and squeeze rollers 56 are all freely revoluble in the frame, the yarn being pulled through the dyeing apparatus by the rollers 6 in the size box and the drying cylinders I and 8 which are driven for example in the manner hereinbefore described.

The dyeing apparatus may be constructed with any desired number of carrier, immersion and squeeze rollers, and the present invention enables any desired number of immersion rollers contained in the machine to be set in operative position to vary the dyeing effectupon the yarn. As

shown in the present instance, the bearings 55 carrying the immersion rollers 53 are adjustable vertically in guiding slots 60 formed in the respective side frame members 50 so that the immersion rollers are individually adjustable vertically in the frame, and the bearings for each immersion roller are provided with screws 6| mounted vertically and rotatably in bearings 82 at the respective sides of the frame, these screws being threaded into the bearings at the ends of the respective immersion roller and' being provided at their upper ends with means for rotating them in 75 unison whereby both ends of the respective immersion roller will be evenly raised or lowered.

The means shown in the present instance for ro-' tating the screws comprises a bevel gear 63 fixed to the upper end of each screw, a cross shaft 64 extending across and rotatably mounted in the side frame members 50, and bevel gears 65 fixed on the shaft 64 and cooperating with the bevel gears 63 fixed to the screws. The outer end or ends of each shaft 64 may be of square or other suitable formation as indicated at 66 to receive a crank or wrench for rotating the shaft. By this construction, any one or more of the immersion rollers may be individually adjusted vertically in the frame. For example, if the shade is running heavy,one or more of the immersion rollersmaybe raised, by operating the respective shaft or shafts 64 to remove such immersion roller or rollers from the dye bath so that the yarn in passing around such roller or rollers will not be submerged in the dye bath or the height of one or more of the immersion rollers may be adjusted to vary the depth to which the yarn is immersed in the dye bath while passing around such immersion roller or rollers. The adjustments thus provided for the immersion rollers enable the yarn to be dyed to the desired shade without necessitating changing of the dye liquor in the tank, it being understood that by lowering theimmersion rollers in the frame the yarn will travel fora greater! distance through the dye bath and consequently will be submerged in the dye bath for a longer period of time than when the immersion rollers are set at higher levels and that adjustment of one or more of the immersion rollers to its raised or inoperative position so that the yam passing around such roller or rollers will not be submerged in the dye bath will cause the yarn to be dyed to a lighter shade since the period of time during which the yarn is submerged in the dye bath will then be reduced. The yarn may be guided into the dyeing apparatus between the rollers and 56 at one end of the immersion frame by a guide roller 61 which may be journalled to revolvefree- 'ly on a bracket 68 supported on the stand 35, the

roller 61 receiving the yarn from the section beams, and the dyed yarn is delivered from the dyeing apparatus between. the rollers 5| and 66 at the other end of the immersion frame to the guide roller 5 on the size box 3.

Means is provided for relatively adjusting the immersion frame and dye tank 36 to set these parts into and out of operative relationship for dyeing and for varying the depth of immersion of the immersion rollers in the bath of dye liquor. Preferably and as shown in the present instance, the immersion frame with its carrier, immersion and squeeze rollers, is adjustable vertically with respect to the dye tank 36. and means is provided for guiding the immersion frame and for. evenly adjusting it vertically with respect to the dye tank. Such means as shown in the present instance comprises a pair of vertical rack bars fixed in parallel relation to the outer side of each frame member 50, a pair of shafts 'I 'journailed in bearings I2 fixed on each side of the dye tank 36, and pinions I4 are fixed on the shafts H and mesh with the respective rack bars ill at opposite sides of the immersionframe, it being understood that four rack bars III are provided on the immersion frame and four pinions 14, two of which are located at each side of the immersion frame, mesh with the rack bars. Means'is provided for rotating all of the shafts 1| in unison whereby the immersion frame will be raised or lowered evenly at its ends as well as its sides, such means preferably comprising pairs of pulleys of equal size, a pair of these pulleys being fixed on the shafts H at each side of the immersion frame, and chains, cables or other flexible members I6 which are fixed to the peripheries of the respective pairs of pulleys-and are adapted to be wound thereon and unwound therefrom. The weight of the immersion frame and the various rollers thereon is preferably counterbalanced by a pair of weights l'l suspended from the chains or cables 16 at each side of the machine, these weights acting to tension the chains or cables and thereby balance the weight of the immersion frame and reduce the amount of power required to lift the immersion frame and allow it to be lifted and lowered freely. The chains or cables 16 are operated to rotate all of the shafts simultaneously to raise or lower the immersion frame evenly by a bell crank lever 18 which is 1 fixed on a shaft 19 mounted rotatably in the stand and extending across the machine, said bell crank lever having an arm 80 which is attached at 8| to the lower ends of the chains or cables 16 at one side of the machine, and the shaft '19 having a similar arm fixed to its other-end and attached at 8| to the lower ends pinions H thereon in directions to raise the immersion frame into the inoperative position shown by the dotted lines in this figure, the immersion ro1lers'53 being then removed from the bath of dye liquor in the tank.

The bell crank lever 16, according to the present invention, is operated automatically by the control lever 3| which controls the driving of the machine, the arm 82 of the bell crank lever being connected by a rod or link 83 to the lever 3| so that-when the lever 3| is set'in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 for the running of the machine at its normal or full speed by the engagement of the driving belt withthe fixed pulley 24, the bell crank lever 18 willoccupy' the full line position shown in Fig. 3 and the immersion frame will then be in its lowered operative position with the immersion rollers 53 fully immersed in the dye liquor in the tank 36. When the lever 3| is moved to an intermediate position, so that the machine will be driven at a reduced speed by engagement of the driving belt with the pulley 26, the bell crank lever will occupy a position intermediate the full line and dotted line positions shown in Fig. 3 and the immersion frame will then be partially lifted from the dye tank 36 and the immersion rollers 53 will be partially immersed therein. When the lever 3| is moved to the right in Figs. 1 and 2 so that the driving belt engages the loose pulley 28, the operation of the machine will be stopped, and the movement of the lever 3| into stopping position shifts the bell crank lever 13 to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 3, thereby lifting the immersion frame and removing the immersion rollers 53 from the bath of dye liquor in the tank 36. The automatic control thus provided between the driving mechanism of the machine and the immersion frame enables the dyeing operation to proceed in the normal manner with the immersion rollers fully immersed in the dye bath while the machine is operating at its normal full speed, and when the speed of operation of the machine is reduced for example to one-half speed, the immersion frame is automatically lifted .to a height where the immersion rollers are partly immersed in the dye liquor, thus reducingthe extent of travel of the yarn through the dye bath and hence reducing the period of time the yarn is immersed in the dye bath and consequently compensating for the reduced speed of travel of the yarn. The partial immersion of the immersing rollers in the dye liquor while the machine is operating at reduced speed avoids excessive penetration of the dye liquor into the yarn and 'thus enables the dyeing of the yarn to be continued without changing the shade, or substantially so. By automatically lifting the immersion frame and thus removing the immersing rollers completely from the bath of dye liquor when the machine is stopped, dyeing of the yarn to heavy shades is avoided.

The present invention also provides means for automatically controlling the feed of the dye liquor to the dye tank 36 whereby when the immersion frame is lifted completely out of the dye bath, as when the machine is stopped, the feed of dye liquor to said tank will be cut off. This automatic control is efi'ected by a link connection between the bell crank lever 18 and the operating arm 85 of thejeed control valve #83. The valve 43 may be of the conventional rotatable plug type having a rotatable plug member 81 provided "witha diametric port 88 extending therethrough.

the bell crank lever is swung into the dotted line position shown in Fig. 3 and the immersion frame is in its raised or inoperative position and the immersion rollers 53 are removed from the bath of dye liquor, the valve 43 will be closed as shown in Fig. 9, thereby cutting off the feed of dye liquor to the tank 36 and thus avoiding an excess supply of dye liquor thereto.

The construction and mode of operation of the different parts of the apparatus having been hereinbefore described in detail, the general operation of the apparatus is as follows: The yarn to be dyed is supplied to Qie machine from the section beams i, it being threaded between the carrier rolls 5| and squeeze rollers 56 and successively beneath the immersing rollers 53 in the manner shown in Fig. 5, after which the yarn passes beneath the immersing roller 4 in the size box 3, then between the squeeze rolls 6 to the drier, passing around the drying cylinders I and 8, thence around the guide rollers l0 and H and around the delivery roll 12 and the treated yarn being wound on the loom beam'or section beam 89 or it may be wound on quills or put up in chain warp or ball warp.

When the machine is operated at its normal full speed, the setting of the control lever 3! fordye liquor feed valve 43 is open as shown in Fig. 7 so that the float controlled valve 40 in the float tank 39 may maintain the dye liquor at a predetermined level in the dye tank 36, supplying dye liquor to replace that taken up by the yarn.

If the control lever 3i is set in a position for operation of the machine at one-half or other reduced speed, the bell crank lever it will be swung to an intermediate point in its range of movement as shown in Fig. 8, thereby lifting the immersion frame partially from the dye tank 36 and partially removing the immersing rollers 53 so that they will be only partially immersed in the bath of dye liquor, thereby reducing the period of time the yarn is submerged in the dye bath and thereby compensating for the reduced speed of travel of the yarn and enabling the dyeing of the yarn at an even shade to be continued. While the machine is thus operating at one-half or reduced speed, the dye liquor feed valve 43 will still be open as shown in Fig. 8 so that the float valve 40 may automatically maintain the dyeliquor at a predetermined or constant level in the dye tank 36, dye liquor. being fed to the dye tank to replace that taken up by the yarn.

When the control lever 3i is moved into a position to stop the operation of the machine, the bell crank lever 18 is swung into the dotted line position shown in Fig. 3, thereby lifting the immersion frame from the tank 36 and completely removing the immersing rollers 53 from the bath of dye liquor therein, thereby interrupting the dyeing operation and preventing the yarn from being dyed to an unduly dark shade during the stoppage of the machine. At the same time, the dye liquor feed valve 43 will be completely closed, thereby avoiding the supply of an excess amount of dye liquor to the tank 36, as would otherwise occur due to the lowering of the level of the dye liquor in the tank due to the withdrawal of the immersion rollers and lower portions of the immersion frame therefrom.

In order to accelerate the lowering of the level of the dye-liquor in the tank 36 when the immersion frame is raised as for slow speed or stopping of the machine, a displacement block 90 having an outwardly inclined inner face is preferably mounted in each end of said tank between and clear of the side members 50 of the immersion frame, in the region of the level of the dye liquor in the tank. These blocks may be supported in the respective ends of the tank by brackets 9! attached to them and supported on the upper edge of'the tank by thumb screws 92 so that the blocks may be adjusted vertically as desired but when adjusted they remain in fixed position. By the use of these blocks, when the immersion frame is raised in or withdrawn from the dye liquor, the level of the dye liquor By combining the dyeing apparatus with a slasher, as herein shown and described, yarn may I be dyed and sized at the same operation or during a single passage of the yarn through the one machine, thereby saving the time and expense of performing the dyeing operation separately. If it is desired to dye the yarn without sizing it, the yarn may be led directly from the dyeing apparatus to the drying cylinders, and if it is desired to size the yarn without dyeing it, the yarn can be led across the top of the dyeing apparatus directly to the size box. In either case, the yarn delivered from the machine will be in proper dried condition and when the yarn is dyed and then sized in the same machine, the drying cylinders serve to dry the dyed and sized yarn.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a machine having means for advancing yarn therethrough and. having means for operating it at different speeds, yarn dyeing apparatus adapted to contain a bath of dye liquor for travel of the yarn therethrough duringits advance, and means controlled automatically according to the speed of operation of the machine for varying the length of the path of travel of the yarn through the bath.

2. In a machine having means for advancing yarn therethrough and having means for "operating it at different speeds, yarn dyeing apparatus adapted to contain a bath of dye liquid for movement of the yarn substantially vertically therethrough while immersed therein, and means for varying the depth of immersion and thereby varying the length of the path of travel of the yarn in said bath automatically according to the speed of the machine.

3. In a machine having means for advancing yarn therethrough and having means for varying it and for stopping its operation, yarn dyeing apparatus adapted'to contain a bath of dye liquor for movement of the yarn therethrough while immersed therein, and means controlled by said driving means for automatically removing the yarn from said bath when the operation of the machine is stopped.

5. In a machine having means for advancing yarn therethrough at different speeds and for stopping its advance, dyeing apparatus to contain a bath of dye liquor through which the yarn is adapted to advance while immersed therein, and means operative automatically to vary the length of the path of travel of the yarn in said bath in accordance with variations in the speed of advance of the yarn and for removing the yarn from said bath when the operation of the machine is stopped.

6. In a machine having means for advancing yarn therethrough and for stopping its advance, dyeing apparatus to contain a bath of dye liquor through which the yarn is adapted to advance while immersed therein, dye liquor feed means for normally maintaining the dye liquor at a predetermined level in said bath, means operative automatically to remove the yarn from said bath when the operation of the machine is stopped, and means operative automatically to cut off the dye liquor feed to said bath when the operation of the machine is stopped.

7. In a machine having means for advancing yarn therethrough and means for driving the machine at different speeds and for stopping it, dyeing apparatus to contain a bath of dye liquor through which the yarn is adapted to advance while immersed therein, means for varying the extent of immersion of the yarn in said bath and for removing it therefrom, dye liquor feed means for normally maintaining the dye liquor at a predetermined level in said bath, and means controlled automatically by the driving means for varying the extent of immersion of the yarn in said bath according to the speed of advance of the yarn and for removing the yarn from the bath and cutting on the dye liquor feed when the operation of the machine is stopped.

8. Dyeing apparatus comprising a tank to contain a bath of dye liquor, driving means for advancing yarn through the apparatus at difl'erent speeds and for stopping its advance, controlling means for'said driving means for controlling the speed and the stopping of advance of the yarn, and yarn guiding means for immersing the yarn in and directing it through said bath, said tank and guiding means being relatively movable vertically under control of the controlling means for said driving means to immerse the yarn to varying extents in said bath and to remove the yarn therefrom.

9. Dyeing apparatus comprising a tank to contain a bath of dye liquor, and a frame carrying rollers for guiding the material to be dyed, said tank and frame being relatively movable vertically to immerse and remove the yarn with respect to the bath, means for feeding dye liquor to the bath, and means operative to cut of! the dye liquor feed when said tank and frame are relatively moved vertically to remove the yarn from the bath.

10. Dyeing apparatus comprising a tank to contain a bath of dye liquor, driving means for advancing the material to be dyed, a frame carrying rollers for immersing the material to be dyed,

'said frame having means for moving it vertically to carry said rollers into and out of immersing relation with a bath of dye liquor in the tank, and means common to said driving means and frame moving means for controlling the movement of said frame according to whether the driving means is placed in or out of operation.

11. Dyeing apparatus comprising a tank to contain a bath; of dye liquor, a frame carrying a series of rollers for immersing in the bath the material to be dyed, said frame being movable vertically to carry said rollers into and out of immersing relation with a bath of dye liquor in the tank, and means for individually adjusting at least one of said rollers vertically relatively to the other rollers of the series.

12. Dyeing apparatus comprising a tank to contain a bath of dye liquor, a frame carrying a substantially horizontal series of rollers for immersing the material to be dyed, mid frame being movable vertically to carry said rollers as a unit into and out of immersing relation with a bath of dye liquor in the tank, pairs of racks secured unison, and means for individually adjusting I some at least of said rollers vertically in said frame relatively to the other rollers.

13. Dyeing apparatus comprising a tank to contain a bath of dye liquor, a frame carrying rollers for immersing the material to be dyed, said frame being movable vertically to carry said rollers into and out of immersing relation with the tank, pairs of racks secured to opposite sides of said frame, shafts extending transversely of the frame and having pairs of pinions thereon meshing with said racks, pulleys connected to said shafts and. having flexible members adapted to wind thereon, a counterbalance for the frame suspended fromv said flexible members, and means connected to said flexible members for operating them to rotate said shafts.

l4. Dyeing apparatus comprising a tank to contain a bath of dye liquor, a frame carrying rollers for immersing the material to be dyed, said frame being movable vertically to carry said rollers into and out of immersing relation with the tank, dye liquor feed means connected to the tank and provided with a cut oiT valve, and means for raising and lowering said frame to carry the rollers thereon into and out of immersing relation with the bath of dye liquor in the tank, said means being connected to said cut oil valve and operative to close it when said frame is raised.

15. Dyeing apparatus comprising a tank to contain a bath of dye liquor, a frame carryinga series of rollers for immersing the material to be dyed in said bath, some at least of said rollers being individually adjustable vertically in said frame to set them in non-immersing relation with said bath while others of said rollers are in immersing relation therewith.

16. Dyeing apparatus comprising a tank to contain a bath of dye liquor, a frame carrying rollers for guiding the material to be dyed, means for relatively moving said tank and frame vertically to immerse and remove the material with respect to the bath, and means for accelerating the lowering of the level of the dye liquor in the tank when the material is removed therefrom. i

17. Yarn dyeing apparatus comprising a tank to contain a bath of dye liquor, a frame carrying rollers for guiding the yarn to be dyed, means for relatively moving said tank and frame vertically to vary the extent of immersion of the yarn in the dye liquor, and displacement means for constricting the area of the tank in the region of the level of the dye liquor therein.

CHARLES H. ROSS.