US2303274A - Manufacture of thread or the like - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 24, 1942. c. E. HERRsTRoM ETAL 2,303,274

MANUFACTURE OF THREAD OR THE LIKE Y. Y

Filed oct. e, 1938 4 sheets-sheet 1 r 55 Y Z n 53 42 56 /5 I 156 f3 *54 7M 1 f6 /5 /6 mi@ Nov. 24, 1942. c.jE'. HERRSTROM ETAL 2,303,274

MANUFATURE OF THREAD OR THE` LIKE A l r Filed oct. e, 1938 4 sheets-sheet 2 :inventors CHARLES E. HERRsTRoM FRED J. SAMERD'YKE WALTER 5. BARLow Y Mm LI ttorneg NOV- 24, 1942- c. E. HERRSTROMETAL 2,303,274

MANUFACTURE OF THREAD OR THE LIKE Filed oct. 6, 195s E 4 sheets-sheet 3 A :inventors CHARLES E. HERRsTRoM FRED J. SAMERDYKE e WAI. ER 5. BARLow Gttorneg Patented Nov. 24, 1942 UNiTEo lSTATES l MANUFAGTURE Charles E. Herrstrom,

dyke, Rocky River, and-Walter S.

F THREAD OR'THE LIKE i Lakewood, Fred J. Samet- Barlow, Lakewood, Ohio, assignors to Industrial Rayon Cor- ,-poration, Delaware Cleveland,

Ohio, a corporation of Application October 6, 1938, Serial No. 233,608

Claims.

This invention'rela'tes to methods of processing and packaging Athread or the like, .particularly articial silk thread. As hereinafter used, the is employed to cover thread-like articles generally; i. e., laments, threads, tapes, ribbons, foils, etc., whether of natural or synthetic origin. As applied to the manufacture of thread of synthetic origin, the invention may. be employed to equal advantage with thread produced according'to pot-spinning, spool-spinning, and continuous processing systems, wholly without regard to whether the thread has been vmanufactured according to the viscose, cellulose acetate, cuprammonium cellulose or casein process.

For the sake of convenience, the invention will be described hereinafter as applied to the production of multiple iilament viscose artificial si1k thread. n

In the potand spool-spinning systems of manufacturing multiple filament viscose artificial silk thread, the thread is extruded from a spinneret, coagulated by conventional methods, and collected in a rotating pot in the pot-spinning system or wound with the aid of a reciprocating guide upon a spool in the spool-spinningfsystem. According to usual practice, the pot-spun cake or spool package is subjected to further `processing' treatment, either in the original package or in skeins into which the thread is Wound on skein reeling machines. In either case, many disadvantages reside in the long sequenceof operations incident to the processing of the thread and its subsequent collection in the form of a precisionwoundcone package, among which is the necessity of repeatedly handling the Wet thread, with A consequent likelihood of damage, at a time when its tensile strength is comparatively low.,

In the manufacture of continuously processed thread, most of the processing steps; i. e., desulphurizing, bleaching, etc., are performed in sequence immediately following the coagulation of the thread. However, because of limitations of space, it isnot ordinarily possible to include in the sequence certain treatments which it may be desired Vto perform upon the thread; for example, dyeing, sizing, and other processing operations intended to be followed by collection in the form of a precision-wound cone package. The method of the present invention has 4the advantage that, -n addition to being adapted to the after-treatment of potor spool-spun thread, it is equally useful in the case of continuously processed thread such, forexample, as that produced by the processand apparatus of Knebusch'et al.- Patent 2,225,642. Y

(Cl. 18-54) Y 4 Among other things, the present invention contemplates the processingof-the threadlbyan im'- proved method pursuant 4toV which thread from a suitable supply source is advanced in Vhelical form upon the periphery oi' at least one threadadvancing thread store device onrwhich it is subjected to any desired processing treatment or/ treatments. One of the objects ofthe invention is to provide a method of processing, drying, and precision-winding thread, which method is 'sim- Vple Yin operation,Y dispenses'with certainoffthe f stepsheretofore necessary, and eliminates'costly Y manual operations. Still another object is to produce in self-sustaining package form a thread With anv extremely high degree of uniformityin its physical and physico-chemical properties. Y Further objects ofthe in ention will appear more in detail hereinafter. Y l

In the accompanying drawingsin which corresponding parts bear corresponding reference. characters, Figure l represents a' front elevation of apparatusrfor after-treating thread originally collected in untwisted'codition upon aspin spool, such apparatus comprising twisting means, a plui rality of thread-advancing thread store devices, and a coning device for forming the thread into a precision-wound conepackage. Figure 2 is a sectional elevation along line' 2 2 of Figure 1. Figure 3 isa rear elevation Aof 4'the apparatus of Figure 2. Figure 4` is a front elevation of an apparatus generally similar to that of Figure 1 which is adapted to withdraw the thread.` from the spin spool package, process the Vuntwisted thread, and form it into a precision-Wound cone package.' Figure 5 is a sectional elevation along the line 5-5 of Figure 4. f f

Figure 6` represents apartial sectional elevation similar to Figure 5 of apparatus for the processing, drying and coning of thread produced by the pot-spinning system. Figure 7 is a front elevation of apparatus for processing, drying and coning pretwisted thread originally collected upon a cap twister bobbin. Figure 8 is a sectional elevation along the line 8-8 of Figure 7. Figure 9 is an enlarged sectional elevation of oneform' of thread-advancingy thread store device particularly well adapted to the practice of the invention; viz., a thread-advancing reel of cantilever form. Figure 10 is an end elevation of the reel of Figure 9.. Figure 11 is an end elevation of V`one form of apparatus adapted'` to produce the thread, completely process it, and collect it in precision-wound package form. Y L in the apparatus uiustrated inrigures 1 and 2, which is adapted to the twisting, processing and ier than the me or Ais generally of thetypev shown,

it is subjected to one or reel other than the rstis thread-discharge portion 2 coningv of thread originally collected in a spoolspun package, the thread Il is withdrawn from the package formed upon a spool I2 and passed through the guides Il and I4 to the first of a plurality of reels I5, I6, I1, I6, and I9.: A predetermined amount of twist is introduced in the thread II as it is withdrawn from the spool I2 by reason of the fact that said spool is rotatably mounted upon the twister apparatus 2| yso that thread I I is caused to be unwound at a rate greattake-up of said thread upon the first reel I5. As the thread traverses the periphery of each of the reels I5, I6, I1,.and I6,

more processing treatments after which it is dried upon the tapered drying reel Il and passes to the coningdevice 22 to be collected in the form o f a'precision-wound cone package 23.

The reels I5, I6, I1, Il. and I! are preferably of the type illustrated in Figures 9 and 10.. Reels of this type are advantageously employed in the apparatus ofthe present invention because their construction is such as to permit of their being supported from one end only thereof,v leaving their other ends unsupported and unobstructed by anything impeding the discharge of the thread. In addition to the fact that all of the unsupported ends of the reels are presented to a common front, the reels are arranged in what may be termed vertically stepped relation in a manner such thatthe thread-receiving portion of each directly below the of the precedingreel. The typical reel illustrated in Figures 9 and 10 described and claimed in Knebusch Patent 2,210,914. The reel comprises two rigid, generally cylindrical m'em- Vlongitudinally extending kder on drive shaft bers 24 and- 25, of which member 24,*which is referred to as the concentric member, is mounted concentricallyupon and for rotation with drive shaft 26."` Member.; 25, whichis known as the eccentric member..is rotatably mounted with .its

axis slightly offset from and inclined to that' of the concentric member 24. The periphery of the concentric member 24l includes a .plurality of bar members 21 which Drive shaft 26 may as-'shown be journalled in the frame member 31. A .flexible sealing means f 36 may be provided for the purpose of preventing centric reel member 25 is rotated by contact beobstruction, thus making tween the bar members 21 and 26 of concentric 'Y member 24 and eccentric member 25, respec- As the reel rotates, the offset relation of the bar members 21 and 26 causes the thread to be supported first by the bar members of one of the cage members and then by the bar memy bers of the other. The inclined relation between the two cage members causes the thread to advance longitudinally of the reel from the sup` ported tothe unsupported end thereof in a large number of closely spaced, generally helical turns.

All' of the reels shown in the apparatus of the various illustrated embodiments of the invention operate in the same manner and are of the same'generalA type as that disclosed in 'Figures 9 and l0. Preferably they are mounted in the manner shown lin Figure 2with their axes extending very nearly horizontally; i. e., substantially perpendicularly to a vertical plane parallel vto the operating faceofthe machine. However,

in the apparatus 'of Figures l to 8, inclusive, the reels are not, strictly speaking, horizontally mounted,.since they are tiltedupward at a slight angle to obtain countercurrent now of therespective processing liquids, as will be explained in detail hereinafter. I

Since the Treels of Figures 9 and 10 are of cantilever form, theymay be supported at one endl only, leaving the-otherend free from any it a relatively simple matter to thread up or start the thread upon each' reel. As indicated in Figure 2, the thread first comes into contact with reel I5 atvits supported end and progresses in the manner preyviously explained toward the unsupported end thereof, at winch end it is discharged from said alternate with an equal number of similar bar f 24 may be made to rotate with the shaft 26 by means of a pin 32 inserted through said shaft and seating in a slot in the hub of the concentric member 24. Thusconcentric member 24 consists essentially of a rigid cage member ilxedly mounted upon shaft 26.

Eccentric reel member 25 may conveniently take the form ofa rigid cage member, being preferably made up of bar members 28 provided at their. outer ends with an internal annular reinforcing ring 34 and at their inner or driving ends with an external annularreinforcing ring 35 by means of which the eccentric member 25 is concentrically mounted upon an annular supporting member I6. Said annular supporting member 36 is rotatably mounted upon frame -member 31 with its axis in spaced and inclined member 24.

ofthe machine.

illustrated in Figure 2, each such unit comprises4 reel. 'Ihe thread comes into contact with the thread-receiving yportion of the next reel I6 at thev supported end thereof. as also upon all subsequent reels.

It is obvious that various other dispositions of the reels with respect to each other, including variations of vertical and horizontalarrangements, may be employed, if desired, together witha larger or smaller number of reels than .here shown.

The illustratedembodiment of the present invention contemplates a plurality of thread-processing u nits which may be disposed longitudinally Asvshown in the embodiment.

an appropriate thread supply source; a plurality of reels such, for example, as reelsA I5 to I9, inclusive; a suitable apparatus such as the coning devicel 22 for forming a precision-Wound package; and, if desired, means such as the twister apparatus 2I for twisting an untwisted thread or for introducing additional twist vinto a previouslytwisted thread. Apparatus including a plurality of such thread-processing units is illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3.

Such a machine comprises two vertical frame members 39 and 4I which serve to support the longitudinally extending frame members 42 and 43 to whichl are secured the inclined members 44. Crossmember 45 and longitudinal members 46 support a plurality of twisters 2 I The twister apparatus includes a gear box 41 which through lection package is secured by means of the cap 5 5I. A clutch mechanism operated by the lever 52 permits the disengagement of the gears contained in the gear box driving the spindle 49 to permit the replacement of empty spools with filled ones. l

To the inclined members 44 are secured the processing reels I5, I6, I1, and I8 and thedrying reel I 9. Associated with the liquid processing reels I to I8, inclusive, lare troughs 53 which extend lengthwise of the machine and serve a plurality of reels on the saine horizontallevel. The troughs 53 are so constructed as to incorporate therein a supply conduit 54 and drain channel 55. The appropriate processing liquid is carried in said supply conduit 54 and is show- 20 ered upon the reels at points nearestthe free ends thereof by means of distributors 56.' As previously explained, the free ends of said reels are tilted slightly above the supported ends and thus cause a countercurrent iiow of liquid reagents from the unsupported end o1' the reel toward the supported end. The liquid reagent drips off the reels, is caught in the drain channel 55 of the trough 53, and is carried away by means of a suitable piping shown) to the sewer in the event that it is impracticable to re-use the liquor or, alternatively, to.suitable make-up means. Since itv has been found desirable to re-use certain of Vthereagents,` suitable pumps shown) may be provided to recirculate the same back to the propersupply conduits 54. K 'I'he processing reels I5, I6, I1, and I8 and drying reel I9 are driven by the inclined shafts 51 through the gearing 58. The shaft59 extending 40 lengthwise of the machine rotated by a power source (not shown) `actuates, a plurality of inclined shafts 51 through gearing 6I. The inclined shafts and gearing Vare fully enclosed by housings 62 shown in Figures Zand 3 which serve to protect the thread II and prevent the leakage of lubricant. Although the thread II may be dried by any suitable means, drying is preferably accomplished upon the tapered drying reel I9. Electricity, live steam, hot air or hot water may be employed toheatthe reel elements. In the apparatus of the presentinvention, hot water is used as the lheating medium and longitudinally extending conduits 63 and 64 serve to supply and to remove the hot water from all of the drying reels I9. Each reel I9 is enclosed by a housing 65 provided with a door 66 to facilitate inspection and vmanipulation of the thread.' Thread II passes from theprocessing reels I5 to I8, inclusive, -to the drying reel I9 and thence 6 through a suitable tensioning device 61 and guide 68 to apparatus for the forming of a vprecisionwound cone package capable oi immediate commercial use in knitting and weaving operations. It is desirable that the apparatus be adapted to 6 take up the thread at a substantially constant linear speed and form therefrom a self-sustaining package of suitable form. One type of coning device adapted to accomplish this is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which it lis designated generally by reference character 22;

Each coning device 22, of whichv one is provided for each descending series of reels, is mounted upon the longitudinal beams 1I supported by the frame member 39. It comprisesy a package sup-.'75

arrangement (not and piping arrangements" (not port 12, a friction roller 13, a traverse guide 14 operated by cam 15. and a form of clutch mechanlsm manually controlled by a lever 16. A paper cone is placed upon the Support 12 which is mounted in such manner as to permit free pivotal movement. The support 12 permits the cone and the package 23A to rest upon the friction roller shown). Thread II is formed into a precisionwound` cone package by the traverse guide 14, which is reciprocated lengthwise of the package.

` Cams 15'are mounted upon shaft 19, which is actuated by 'a suitablepower source (not shown).

A conventional combination oi' springsand levers incorporated in the coning device and operated by the guide 68 cooperates with the package support'to move the packag automatically out of driving contact with the friction roller 13 in the event ofthread breakage.

` The device may be manually disengaged for the purpose of removing a completed package by tion of the'clutch lever 16. The device, ii.' automaticallytripped, may be reset by operating theA clutch lever 16. This mechanism makes possible the operation of a plurality 'of such coning devices from one power source and obviates the necessity of shutting down the entire machine in the event of breakageof but a single thread.

'I'he apparatus of Figures 1, 2 and 3 is adapted to operate upon any form of untwisted; to introduce a twist into said thread; to subjectit as desired to a plurality ing treatments which may include desulphurizing, bleaching, washing, sizing, dyeing,` loiling..

drying, etc.; and to`collect it in a precisionwound truste-conical package. The machine illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 is to that of Figures 1, 2, and 3. u subject to similar liquid processing treatments,

to dry, and to cone an untwisted thread produced according to the cventional spool-spinning process.

With a view to its use in certain types of fab-v rics in which an untwisted thread may be employed to ment, and coned. To that end, the twisterv apparatus 2I of the machine of .Figure 2 is entirely eliminated in the apparatus of Figures 4 and 5. Thread.y IIa is withdrawn from the spin spoolV 8| mounted upon a channel 82 extending 'lengthwise of the machine andv supported from the Q machine frame members `39byend brackets 83( Guides 84 and 85 serve to direct the thread to the thread-receiving end of the uppermost a processing series including reels I5 to I8, in-

clusive. Thread IIa is subjected to any )desired treatment or treatments as it progresses along the reels in the series, after which it is c thread IIb is withdrawn from a pot-spun cake I 86 produced according to the conventional potspinning process. Channel 81 extending lengthwise of the machine supported from the machine frame by the transverse beam 88 and angles 89 'serves to carry a plurality of thread packages 86. K Since the pot-spun thread II b is pretwisted,

the manipula- 1 thread, twistedY or of processlgenerally similar It is adaptedto advantage, the untwisted thread IIa, (Figures .4 and 5) may be unwound directly from the spin spool, subjected to processingtreat-HV reel ,I5 in a without in anyway departing from a spinning means Y Vand associated auxiliary thread producing ap- Iiigure 1l of froml the spinneret 395 into se. Thread twisting apparatus of the type 'diseased in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in'Figures 1 to.3, inclusive, may be omitted unlessof course, it is desired to produce a highly twisted or crepe thread. Y Y

In Figures 'I .and 8 is illustrated a. machine dif- 'fering from that of Figures 4 and 5 only in that it is adapted to process, dry and cone a twisted thread ||c such as that produced according to a continuous process upon apparatus of the type A plurality of thread packages 9| are supported in an inclined position, as shown in Figure 8, l

by spindles 92 secured to the longitudinally cxtending member 93. The member 93 is supported from the frame of the machine by the beam Sl ateither end of said machine. Theapparatus of Figures 7 and 8 may, if desired, as indicated in the description of the other embodiments of the invention, be' equipped with a twister device such as that illustrated in Figure 2 to uptwist the pretwisted threadl I lc. d

`Numerous other modifications may be made the scope or spirit of the invention. d

example,..infadapting the method of the present invention to the production andy treatment of artificial silk it is readily possibleto add such as a spin bath, spinnerets paratus to the upper end of the machine, so that .Y the thread may be produced, processed, dried and f coned all upon one mayconveniently take the 'form of the modified machine. .Such-a machine continuous .processing apparatus of the kind described in detail in Patent -referred to. Such a" machine is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The multiple :filament thread ||d is extruded a suitable spin bath the longitudinally extending trough ||d is directed by suitable guides to the reel 91 from which'it passes'in succession to the reelsf`98 to |05, inclusive, generally-of the type hereinbefore described' (Figures thence to the coning device |01.

tioned reels may be fashion.

contained in The aforementhey 'are arranged here in a manner ysimilar to that shown in the embodiments of Figures 1 and 2, previously described in detail. Upon each of the reels '98 to |09, inclusive, one or more processing Vstepsl may be performed. Atypical continuous processing machine of the type illustrated comprises a plurality of thread processing series each ofwhich For convenience may produce a single multiple filament threadand includes a spinneret 95 together with its associated apparatus, reels 91 to |06, and coning device |01.

The machine as a whole may advantageously be arranged with a similar series of processing units extendinglongitudinally along either side )i the center linekof such a'machine. The frame if the machine includes the vertical columns |08 ind inclined beams |09 and Upper and ower platforms ||2 and ||3, respectively, may be rovided for the convenience of operators. Iross members III and lli/respectively, com- 2,225,642 llereir'ibefflrev arranged in any suitable,

' clined shafts |22 preferably enclosed as indicated by the casing ||6. The gearing for the inclined bank of reels may likewise be enclosed by casing I1.

A suitable power source (not shown)Y at one end of the machine actuates a suitable speed-reducing device ||8 which in turn rotates the horizontal cross shaft ||9. Shaft ||9 gears |20 and |2|, respectively,v drives the inon either side of the machine.

|22 are provided at intervals with take-off drives for the reels 98 to |96. inclusive,at various levels and the driving connectionsto the several reels include the gear boxes |28 and any suitable form of change speed mechanism comprising the gearing |23.r 'I'hrough suitable driving connections and the reduction gearing |24 the spin pumps supplying liquid viscose to the spinnerets for all of the several units are drivenfrom the inclined shafts |22. In like manner power is transmitted from the inclined shafts |22 through the chain |25 and gearing |26 to the reels- 91'supported upon the upper frame member |21.

The processing reels 90to |05, inclusive, are driven by the gear boxes |29 actuated by the gearing |23. as previously explained. The several reels 90 to |05 driven by gear boxes |28 may be stopped by disengaging These inclined shafts suitable clutch mechanisms operated by the lever V|29. The liquid reagents are showered upon the thread as it traverses the reels by the distributors |3| supplied by the longitudinally extending conduits |32. The distributors |3| may be of `the ducts |34. Thread any :suitable type but 'preferably' take the form of the device shown,

to Walter F. Knebusch et al. The liquid is then caught in the' troughs |33 disposed below said reels and isV carried away by suitable piping to be either discarded or recirculated, as may be desired. 1

The' dryingreel |06 may be of any suitable type, but is preferably tapered, as shown. The thread wound thereon maybe dried by heating the elements of said reel by electrical means, live steam, hot Water or hot air, the latter being used in the illustrated embodiment of the invention. Heated airis forced to the inner chamber of the drying reels from a suitable air heater through dried upon the tapered drying reel |06 isnext passed through a suitable tensioning device |35 to the coning device |01. The coning device |01 is similar to that previously explained Ain the foregoing description of apparatus illustrated in the accompanying Y drawings maybe'modied to include any desired number of processing` reels. Four such processing reels have been shown in certain of the foregoing embodiments. Many other changes in the methods and apparatusV hereinbefore disclosed will occur, to those skilled in the art; such changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is intended that the patent shall cover, by suitable expression in the-appended claims, whatever features of patentable novelty reside in the invention.

What is claimed is:` 1. In the manufacture of multiple filament thread, the4 continuously performed steps of un- Winding incompletely processed thread from a collecting package, meanwhile twisting thev thread; subjecting the thread to one or more A lete the frame. The base of the machine is 75 processing operations including atleast one liqthrough the e Y described,fand claimed in f Patent No. 2,054,087, dated September l5, 1936,

uid processing treatment while advancing the thread in a large number of generally helical turns along one or more thread-advancing thread store devices; drying the thread; and collecting the thread at a substantially constant linear speed in the form of a self-sustaining precision-wound cone package.

2. In the manufacture of spool-spun articial silk thread or the like, the continuously performed steps of unwinding incompletely processed thread or the` like from the spool on which it Was collected during the spinning operation; subjecting the thread or the like to one or more processing operations including at least one liquid processing treatment while advancing the thread or the like in a large number of generally helical turns along one or more thread-advancing thread store devices; drying the thread or the like; andcollecting the thread or the like at a substantially constant linear speed in the form of a self-sustaining precision-wound package.

3. In the manufacture of spool-spun artificial silk thread or the like, the continuously performed steps of unwinding incompletely processed thread or the like from the spool on which it was collected during the spinning operation, meanwhile twisting the thread or the like; subjecting the thread or the like to one or more processing operations including at least one liquid processing treatment while advancing the thread or the like in a large number of generally helical turns along one or more threadadvancing thread store devices; drying the thread or the like; and collecting the threadY or the like at a substantially constant linear speed in the form of a self-sustaining precision-wound package.

4. In the manufacture of pot-spun articial silk lthread or the like. the continuously performed steps of unwiuding incompletely processed thread or the like` from the pot-spun cake in which it was collected during the spinning operation; subjecting the thread or the like to one or more processing operations including at least one liquid processing treatment while advancing the thread or the like in a large number of generally helical turns along one or more threadadvancing thread store devices; drying the thread or the like; and collecting the thread or the like at a substantially constant linear speed inthe form of a self-sustaining precision-wound package.

5. In the manufacture of articial silk thread or the like, the steps of extruding, coagulating,c

and, while it is still incompletely processed, packaging the thread or the like; unwinding the thread or the like from the package in which it isl collected during the packaging operation, meanwhile twisting the thread or the like; subjecting `the thread or the like to one or more processing operations including a liquid processing treatment while advancing it in a large number of generally helical turns along one or more threadadvancing thread store devices; drying the thread or the like; and collecting the thread or the like at a substantially constant linear speed in the form of a self-sustaining precision-Wound package.

CHARLES E. HERRSTROM.

FRED. J. SAMERDYKE.

WALTER S. BARLOW.

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