US2338656A - Hollow spindle yarn plying machine - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 4, 1944.

'.1. G. MONALLY ET AL HOLLOW SPINDLE YARN FLYING MACHINE Filed March 31, 1942 FIGZ.

JAMES GM 'AMLLY DONALD R.MOREY INVfi'NTORS WM BY VQ W A T! ORNE YS Patented Jan. 4, 1944 HOLLOW SPINDLE YARN PLYING MACHINE James G. McNally and Donald R. Morey, Rochester, N. Y., assignors to Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application March 31, 1942, Serial No. 436,972

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to the twisting, plying, or doubling of yarn, and more particularly to certain mechanical features utilized in wrapping two or more yarns together by the hollow spindle principle.

In wrapping or plying yarns on a hollow spindle machine, the core yarn or thread is unwound from a supply spool and is passed upwardly through a vertically rotating hollow spindle to a thread guide positioned above and in axial alignment with the spindle. The covering or Wrapping yarn or thread is drawn from a supply spool mounted on and rotated by the spindle. For best results, the tension on the two threads should be properly controlled so that the core thread remains straight and forms a true core on which the covering thread is wound in spiral relation to form the final plied yarn. In prior hollow spindle machines,v proper control of the thread tensions was difficult to achieve, with the result that an inferior non-uniform compound or plied yarn was formed.

The features forming the subject matter of the present invention are found to result in a uniformity of the plied yarn hitherto unattainable by prior construction, and to permit a positive control of the characteristics of the resulting plied, double, or compound yarn. The present invention secures these desirable features by proper control of the tensions of the various yarn components.

The present invention has, therefore, as its principal object, the provision of an arrangement for accurately and positively controlling the tensions on the various yarn components to form a compound or plied yarn.

A further object of the invention is the provision of tensioning means which may be altered to secure the desired yarn characteristics.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of separatethread tensioning mechanisms which will enable large quantities of plied yarn of unvarying uniformity to be effectively produced.

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

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front View of, a hollow-spindle yarn plying machine, showing the relation of the various parts thereof, and the devices for applying the tensions to the different yarn components;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation view of the machine shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged or magnified view of the plied yarn formed on the hollow spindle machine shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

In order to be able to alter, in the desired mannor, the double, compound or plied yarn characteristics; and, having chosen a set of characteristics desirable for a certain type of fabric, to be able to efiectively produce large quantities of yarn with unvarying uniformity, requires a study and knowledge of all the factors (such as thread tensions) which influences these things. Only after a recognition of these factors can means be applied for their control.

The most common type of double or plied yarn, used in romaine and other fabrics, consists of an end of a highly twisted crepe yarn or thread and an end of a low twist yarn or thread. These yarns are twisted together with a common twist of five to twenty turns per inch. When this doubling is performed on the ordinary down draft type of twister, an additional live to twenty turns plying twist is also imparted to both of the components, as is well known to those in the art.

In the hollow spindle process of the present invention, a highly twisted crepe core yarn or thread passes upwardly through the hollow center of a rapidly turning spindle. Mounted coaxially on and driven by the spindle is a supply spool of a low twist or raw yarn. A distinguished feature of yarn plied on this principle rather than on a usual down draft principle i that the crepe or core yarn receives no further twist as it passes from the supply spool upwardly through the hollow spindle to the point of union with the raw yarn. Rather, the crepe yarn serves as a true straight core on which the raw or low twist yarn is wrapped in spiral form, as shown in Fig. 3.

The hollow spindle ply machine is a well-known device in the textile art, and does not per se constitute a part of the present invention so that a detailed description thereof is not deemed necessary. A portion of such a machine is, however, shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and comprises broadly, a hollow spindle I I which is driven by a whorl 52 or other suitable means. A supply spool i3 is mounted on and driven by the spindle I l and carries a supply of raw low-twist yarn I4 which constitutes one component of the final plied or compound yarn. The raw yarn is withdrawn from the spool l3, and passes over a tension device, to be later described, and after moving along the balloon path l5 passes through a thread guide I6 positioned above and in axial alignment with the hollow spindle H, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. At the guide IS, the low twist raw yarn I4 meets and is wrapped in a spiral form around a highly twisted crepe core yarn I! to form the final plied or compound yarn I8 which is finally wound up on the spool or bobbin l9. This crepe core yarn I1 is carried by a supply spool 20 mounted on a shaft 2| carried by a support 22. This core yarn I! after being unwound from the spool 20 passes, without twist, through the hollow spindle II to the thread guide it, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

In adapting such a hollow spindle machine to commercial production of plied textile yarns with outstanding evenness of twist and evenness of character, it has been found that certain novel adjuncts are necessary. For example, it has been found that the control of the tension on each of the component ends of the combination or compound yarn i highly important in determining which component will appear on the surface of the compound yarn, and to what extent. Furthermore, the matter of tension application, is important, for the evenness of plying depends on the maintenance of tension with small deviation from the mean value.

It has been found that the character of the plied or compound yarn is eifected by th relative value of the tensions of the core yarn or thread and the wrapping yarn or thread at the moment of joining together. The tension in the core (crepe) yarn must be above a certain minimum value if it is to act as a true core with the raw or low twist yarn spiraling around it. If the crepe or core yarn tension is allowed to fall below thi value, the low twist yarn appears to be the straight center theread with the core yarn acting apparently as a wrapper. Actually in such a case, the core yarn has not been further twisted, but due to the high raw yarn tension, the core yarn is bent at each plying turn and is forced to lie on the surface of the composite thread. If on the other hand, the core yarn tension has been brought up to a proper value, but the raw yarn tension is too low, the raw yarn is too loosely wrapped around the crepe or cor yarn in a sort of an outside shell which will easily slip along the core. Poor methods of tension application may also produce plied yarn with irregular twisting. All of these disadvantages are overcome by the simpl yet effective arn tensioning devices of the present invention to be later described.

The appearance of the thread balloon iii depends on the final form of plied yarn being produced, and is thus connected directly with the yarn tension. If the tension of the core yarn i7 is above the minimum necessary to hold it as a true core of the final plied yarn, the point of combination of the two yarns components It and i1 is at the thread guide Iii; the raw or low twist yarn H5 passing to the guide iii throu the balloon i5, and the core yarn it" passing straight to the guide from the hollow spindle i i, as shown in full and dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2. If, however, the core yarn ll has a tension below this minimum, the junction point of the two yarns i l and I? is no longer at the guide it, but somewhere below on the balloon i5 such as at 23, the exact point of junction depending on the relative tensions of the two yarn components.

It is apparent that the raw yarn ension, as well as the crepe or core yarn tension, must be properly controlled to eifect the desired results.

Furthermore, the means of regulating these tensions must be such that not only can the characteristics of the yarn be determined, but also the manner of tension regulation must not allow deviation from the proper value.

Coming now to the actual yarn tension device of the present invention, it may be mentioned that a large number of guide systems were tried on which the core yarn made frictional contact. None of these methods were successful, possibly because of the inherent rough surfac of the highly twisted crepe yarn as compared with the low twist yarn. It is necessary to wind the core yarn on a well-centered spool or bobbin which can run smoothly on a shaft, and to apply tension to the yarn indirectly.

This tension mean of the core yarn 1? comprises in the preferred embodiment of the invention, a brake shoe 25 which is pivotally connected at 25 to the support 22 of the machine and is adapted to irictio-nally engage a flange 21 of the spool or bobbin 20, as best shown in Fig. 2. This brake shoe rides on the flange 27 and provides a drag or retarding force for the spool 28 to properly tension the crepe or cor yarn ll drawn therefrom. The brake shoe 25 is formed with an upstanding pin 28 adapted to receive removable washers 29 by which the braking or retarding eifect of the shoe 25 may be varied or adjusted, as is apparent from an inspection of Fig. 2. Other means for adjusting the pressure of the brake 25 on the flange 21', such as an adjustable spring, will readily suggest themselves to those in the art. The important thing is that the pressure of the brake shoe 25, on the flange 2'! be adjustable to secure the desired degree of tension of the crepe or core yarn ll. While th present embodiment has shown the brake shoe applied to the flange 21 of the spool 20 which pivotally rotates on a shaft 21, it is contemplated that the bobbin or spool 29 may be secured to the shaft 2! so as to rotate as a unit therewith. With such an arrangement, the brake shoe 25 may obviously be applied either to the flange 2'! or to the shaft 2!. By means of such a retarding device, the proper tension is imparted to the core yarn i "l to retain the latter in a straight line and without twist during its passing through the hollow spindle I i to the yarn guide i6 so as to provide a straight true core on which the wrapping yarn may be applied.

The tension of the low-twist yarn I4 is determined by a number of factors which are; spindle speed, yarn denier, balloon height, size of bobbin, and mode of take-01f from the bobbin or spool. A thorough study was made of the way in which proper tension may be applied to the low-twist yarn in this type of hollow spindle doubler. Traveler devices have been tried, including ballbearing travellers fitted to the top of the spindle ll. The height of the balloon has been varied, and surfaces have been used to enclose the balloon to confine it. The low-twist yarn has been variously treated to change its frictional and flexural properties. None of these methods have, however, yielded a yarn of the desired uniform twist.

It has been found, however, after extensive tests, that the desired low-twist yarn tension may be obtained by means of a thin flat flange or disk 32 secured to the top of the spindle Ii and engaging the top flange 33 of the low twist yarn or thread spool I3. As the yarn it is unwound from the spool it, it passes over a well-polished outer edge 3 of the flange 32 and thence along the balloon l to the guide I6 at which point it joins and is wrapped around the core yarn I1.

It is apparent that the diameter of the flange 32 necessary to produce a given tension will be related to spindle speed. The flange 32 functions in two ways as a guide to the low twist yarn tension; (1) regulation of the diameter of the balloon l5, and hence the centrifugal force on the low twist yarn; (2) setting up a frictional drag on the yarn M as it passes over the polished flange edge 34. It is essential that for proper results, the diameter of the flange 32 be larger than the diameter of the spool flange 33 by at least per cent, with a maximum of three times the diameter of the spool flange 33. Otherwise, when the raw yarn spool I3 is full, the eilect of any flange 32 is lost, while as the yarn I4 is removed, the top flange 33 of the spool l3 itself begins to act as a flange. This produces a variation throughout the course of the yarn. thus apparent that the same beneficial results could be obtained by using the top flange 33 of the bobbin l3 (providing it is of suflicient diameter and evenness) as a tension regulating flange on the raw yarn, and taking care not to fill the spool I3 to more than about three-quarters of the maximum diameter. Thus, by use of 1) a bobbin whose upper end or flange is of a larger diameter than the lower end and (2) an incompletely filled spool of proper head diameter, the same desirable results are obtained as with the detachable flange 32. It is preferred, however, to use the separate detachable flange 32 so as to allow the use of the ordinary supply spools as they are received by the mill. When a detachable flange 32 is used, the latter is held in place on the spindle II and against the upper flange 33 of the spool H by means of a nut 35 which threadably engages the upper end of the hollow spindle II. Various diameter flanges 32 may be used to secure the tension desired. The flange 32 and the spool l3 constitute a unitary structure so that the flange may be broadly considered as formed on or as a part of the spool l3.

It is thus apparent from the above description that the tension of the two yarn components I4 and I1 may be normally adjusted, controlled, and accurately maintained. However, if for any reason, a change of tension is desired, this change can be readily and easily secured merely by replacement of the flange 32 with another flange of the proper diameter, and/or by varying the pressure of the brake shoe 25 on the flange 21. by the addition or removal of some of the washers 29. The marked effect of variable tension in one or both of the yarn components can be put to useful application by producing novelty yarns in which the twist density is purposely varied on the com bination yarn. The adjustable tension control of the crepe yarn offers a convenient means of obtaining this result, and this efiect may be obtained by periodically altering the pressure on the brake shoe 25.

It is thus apparent from the above description that the present invention provides an arrangement for separately controlling the tensions of the yarn components. These tensions may be normally maintained constant or may be suitably varied if and when desired. The tension devices insure a yarn with a straight core component on which the other yarn is wound in a spiral form to provide a covering for the core.

While one embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it is to be understood that the inventive idea may 'be carried out in a number of ways. This application is, therefore, not to be limited to the precise details described, but is intended to cover all;variations and modifications thereof falling within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a yarn plying machine, the combination with a rotating hollow spindle, a spool carrying a core thread arranged to pass through said spindle, a supply of low twist thread mounted on and rotated by said spindle, means for uniting said threads to form a plied yarn, of an adjustable brake shoe arranged to engage said spool to tension said core thread, and means for controlling the tension of said low-twist thread comprising a flange associated with said spindle and having a diameter at least 25% gr a r than the di meter of the low-twist thread supply at its fullest size.

2. Ina yarn plying machine, the combination with a rotating hollow spindle, a spool carrying a supply of core thread arranged to pass through said spindle, a spool of low-twist thread mounted coaxially on and adapted to be rotated by said spindle, means for uniting said threads to form a plied yarn, of a brake shoe arranged to apply a retarding force to said first spool to tension said core thread, means for adjusting said brake shoe for varying the tension of said core thread, and a tension control for said low-twist thread comprising a flange carried by said spindle and over which said low-twist yarn moves to said uniting means, said flange having a. diameter at least 25% greater than the maximum diameter of the supply of said low-twist thread on said second spool.

JAMES G. McNALLY. DONALDR. MOREY.

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