US2321726A - Method of manufacturing thread - Google Patents

Description

June 15, 194 s. w. ALDERFER METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THREAD Filed Cot. 23, 1941 v INVENTOK STERL/N W HLDERFER 3 i l 0 V m I w 1/ K/ Z l O 00 O M @v M l\ M 2 W g the operation of the invention.

knitting operations.

Patented June 15, 1943 METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THREAD Sterling W. Alderfer, Akron, Ohio, assignor of one-half to Edward D. Andrews, Akron, Ohio.

Application October 23, 1941, Serial No. 416,199

. 9 Claims. (Cl. 57-168) The present invention has. as its object a method for the manufacture of threads "or cord which may be used for a variety of purposes. Its particular object is to manufacture a thread which is elastic to a more or less predetermined degree which has a distinctive lustre or sheen resulting in a thread which, when woven or knitted, creates fabrics of unusually beautiful appearance and utility. The resultant thread is stronger and more elastic than silk and may be used with better results for stockings and other garments. In certain adaptations of the invention, it is possible to obtain a thread in which the high lights are difiused so as to create a very attractive appearance. The new thread may be knitted or woven on standard machines used for that purpose and the fabric has a softer hand than silk, rayon or other like materials which are in commercial use.

Heavier cords or threads may likewise be made and have many uses for which they are better suited than known materials.

The thread is preferably made from sheets or films of rubber hydrochloride, rubber chloride, or combinations of these two materials. and while these are the best known or preferred materials, t will be understood that other elastic or semielastic materials which may be developed and which will react similarly are not excluded from from vinyl chloride or vinyl chloride derivatives or from cellulose acetates or similar compounds may likewise be employed. It is necessary that the materials become sticky and self adhesive upon'the application of heat and that they be more or less stretchable.

The specific rubber materials named above are Sheeting made 1.

preferred because of their inherent elasticity which is utilized in securing the results set forth and also because they will soften by the application of heat and become slightly tacky so as to adhere during the twisting and rolling operations. These materials also, when treated as will be described, give a balanced thread which has no tendency to kink or twist upon itself. This is a desirable property which facilitates weaving or It is not intended that the invention be restricted to rubber materials, and when the term rubber-like materials is employed, it is not intended to exclude the larger stood that the apparatus may be modified and that exact adherence to the details of the process is not essential.

In the drawing: Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus such as may be employed for the purposes set forth, it being understood'that this view illustrates only one complete unit and that in commercial adaptations of the invention many of these units'may be mounted in a single spinning machine.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view showing the means by which the material is heated, stretched and rolled under tension prior to the twisting or spinning operation.

Fig. 3 is a modification of the device shown in Fig. 2, in which the rolling before twisting is omitted.

Fig. 4' is an enlarged view of the elements shown in Fig. 1.

In the operation of the invention, sheets of the material selected are cut into narrowstrips I.

- whereby very fine threads may be produced. The

combined operation of heating and stretching produces a softer and more pliable product than is obtained by either step singly. In the preferred process the softened. heated and elongated'strip is rolled upon itself which increases its tensile strength and produces a round strand or ply.

The strands thus formed. either with or without rolling, are twisted while still soft, warm and tacky to make the finished thread.

In the apparatus shown, the spinning frame is indicated at I in which are supported the spools, one of which is indicated at 2, on which the ribbon of material is wound. The spools may be replaced bya long beam extending over the spinning frame on which a plurality of ribbons are wound. From the spools the ribbon of material 3 passes through an eye 5 and thence in contact with the first roll 6, which is preferably a feed roll, against which the ribbon of material is held by the spring-actuated pressure roll 8. From the roll 8 the ribbon passes to the driven roll I!) of a pair of rolls which are heated and thence to the second heated driven roll l2. The roll I0 is driven at the same surface speed as the feed roll 6 and the rolls l0 and I2 are driven at diiferent surface speeds according to the degree of stretch which it may be desired to impart to the heated, tacky ribbon, and if the ribbon is to be rolled, the roll I2 is provided with a conical flange H which acts upon the edge of the ribbon to roll it upon itself to form a round strand. As shown in Fig. 2, the flanges I should be offset along the roll l2 so that the ribbon will pass in a diagonal direction to its prevailing line of travel during the rolling operation. If the ribbon is not to be rolled, the rolls l and I! are arranged as shown in Fig. 3 in which the flanges H are omitted from the roll l2.

In the preferred adaptations of the process, a

result in a fine, strong, elastic thread of approximately 100 deniers.

A ribbon or strip of rubber hydrochloride or rubber chloride approximately {Ends of an inch wide and .004 of an inch thick is elongated six times passing from the roll 10 to the roll 12. This ribbon is rolled upon itself by the flange I4 so that the strand or yarn as it leaves the roll I2 is from .004 to .005 of an inch in diameter. During the stretching and rolling operation, the

- material is heated between 125 and 250 F.

very substantial elongation is imparted to the ribbon of stock between the rolls l0 and i2, it being desirable to move the roll 12 at several times the surface speed of the roll ID. The exact extent of elongation imparted by the rolls l0 and [2 will depend upon a variety of factors, namely: the size of the original ribbon, both as to width and thickness; the size of the ultimate thread which is to be produced; and the extent of elasticity which is desired to be retained in the completed thread, for when the, finished thread is cool its elastic properties are affected by the degree of heat and stretch which is applied during the operation. During the time that I results.

\ the ribbon is acted upon by the rolls l0 and l2- s rubber will cause the convolutions of the'ribbon to adhere to one another in the strand and the product, as it leaves the rolls l2 or [2, will be suiliciently tacky to cause the material to adhere to itself during the subsequent twisting or thread-making operation. In any event, the degree of stretch should be below the breaking point of the ribbon or thread at the temperature.

of operations and for certain results should be at or slightly below the elastic limit of the material. From the roll I! (or l2), the ply or strand passes around tension rolls I15 and I6 through an eye I! and thence to the traveler 18 mounted on a ring I! on the spinning frame. material passes to the usual spool or spindle 20 which is revolved and the ring is raised and lowered in accordance with usual spinning practises. This operation imparts the desired twist to the thread, and as this operation is' performed while the strand is still warm, the finished thread retains the twist which is thus imparted to it, and as a result of the successive operations, a perfectly balanced, strong thread of high lustre is obtained.

It is noted that while the material in strip form is not clear but somewhat cloudy, the combined operation of heating and stretching removes the cloudy appearance and gives a clear thread. Within operative limits it has been found that with higher temperatures the material becomes clearer. Also it will be observed that by following the essential steps of the process, threads of high tensile strength may be obtained, and if the proper requisites are" observed as to size of the ribbon, stretch and twist, threads of any degree of fineness may be secured.

While not in any way confining the operation of the invention to the details now to be set forth, the following will indicate steps which will Then the which gives the requisite clearness and tackiness to the material so that it will adhere both in the convolutions imparted by the flange H and also in the twisting operation imparted at the spinning frame. It is then twisted upon itself by the spinning operation to any desired degree, 2 turns per inch would be a low and 30 turns per inch would be high. An average twist of 10 times per inch will give uniformly satisfactory The degree of twist is regulated by the relative speed of the spindle and linear travel which is imparted to the ribbon;

The thread produced by the process illustrated in Fig. 2 is composed of a single strand of ribbon which is first rolled upon itself and is then twisted. In commercial adaptations the thread made by either process may 'be'used' as a'single yarn or it may be combined with-like in any desirable cable construction. What is claimed is: p 1. A process of making thre'a I forming a ribbon of a'rubberqikeimatemltrolling said ribbon upon itself to fornr='a, st and}. and

twisting the strand upon itself to thread. j 2. A process of making, threa o forming a ribbon ofmaterial whi'h-will tacky upon heating, heatln'gffthe ribbo the material becomes tacky, rol while tacky upon itself'to form as ranfd, and then twisting the strand to formthe thread. 3'. A process of making thread comprising forming a ribbon of material'which will become tacky upon heating, rolling the ribbon upon itself to forma strand, twisting the strand to form the thread, and heating the material during the rolling and twisting operations so that the material is tacky and adhesive.

4. A process of making thread comprising forming a ribbon of material which will stretch and become tacky upon heating, heating the ribbon to render its surface tacky, stretching the ribbon and rolling it while under tension and stretching the ribbon and rolling it upon itself to form a strand, and then twisting the strand while warm and tacky to form the completed thread.

7. A process of making thread comprising heating a ribbon of rubber-like material until it becomes warm and tacky, simultaneously stretching the ribbon to substantially its elastic limit and rolling it upon itself to form a strand, and then twisting the previously stretched strand threads I 9. A process of making thread comprising a thread.

forming ribbons of material which will stretch and become tacky upon heating, heating the ribbons, rolling the ribbons upon themselves to form strands, stretching the material, and thereafter twisting the strands together to form STERLING W. ALDERFER.

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