US2343299A - Apparatus for doubling and twisting thread - Google Patents

Description

March 7, 1944. HV KUNE 2,343,299

APPARATUS FOR DOUBLING AND TWISTING THREAD Filed Feb. 14, 1939' 2 Sheets-Sheet-l r Q I15; 5 Fla. 5

HAYDEN B. KLINE I I141" I" /77 Inmentor (Ittofneg March 7, 1944. B KLlNE 2,343,299

APPARATUS FQR DOUBLING AND TWISTING THREAD Filed Feb. 14, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FlG. 41

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5 HAYDEN B. KLINE By a Gttorneg- Bnnentor 'thread'or the like. the invention as shown in the drawings and as tion and maintenance;

sectional elevation along line ,on passing through individual threads A are joined to form a comv lTE A E ENT, o mct" "APPARATUS FOR, DOUBLING AND TWISTING Hayden B. Kline, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to Industrial Rayon Corpo corporation of Delaware Application February 1 The instant invention relates to anovel type of apparatus'tor the doubling and twisting of 'Although the apparatus of hereinafter described is particularly concerned with the doubling and twisting of thread,-and, in one embodiment of the invention, withthe doubling, stretching and twisting'of thread, it is obviously equally adaptable to the production of many other threadlike articles. It is therefore intended to include in the generic term thread as hereinafter employed not only thread per se, but also such threadlike articlesas filamerits, cords, bands, tapes'and the like.

Apparatus of the type contemplated by the invention is especially"advantageous in that it makes possible a high quality product at a low production-cost. Significant features of the apparatusare the incorporation therein of one or more unitary helix-forming devices for the handling of thread; its simplicity of construction,

stretched between I said reels.

which greatly facilitates its operation, inspectreating the thread immediately prior to, its-collection in package form. :'I'hese and other ad- 'vantages of the invention will appear in greater detail as the description .of the. inventionpro- Figure 1 is a front Figure 5 is anend elevation of the thread-advancing reel employed in the apparatus ofFigures l to 4, inclusive, but on a somewhatlarger scale. Figure 6 is a sectional elevation along- -line 6-6 ofjFigure 5.

Referring first to theembodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure l, the several and the opportuntiy for elevation of .one form 4 doubling and twisting machine incorporating the adiflferent arrangement threads A are withdrawnsimultaneously from the spoolsv 8 mountedon the spindles ,9 supported by the upwardly extending spindle arms 10. ,Up-

the combining guide 12, the

posite thread bundle B which is wound upon a first thread-advancing reel I3. After being adreel (Patent No. 2,210,914).

ration, Cleveland, Ohio, a

Thread'bundle B is thereafter advanced along reel ll, discharged therefrom at a uniform rate, and passed through guide 15 to the ring twister l6,'on which it is twisted and collected in package form.

The thread-advancing reels l3 and I4 may conveniently take the form of the reel illustrated in Figures5 and 6. The latter is'of substantially the same design and operates on the: same general principle as the reel shown, described and claimed in' Knebusch application Serial No. 652,089, filed January 16, 1933, for Winding Such a reel-is adapted'to accept thread-or the like at one end thereof, advance it in the formof a traveling helix made up of a number of generally helical 'turns, and discharge the same from the opposite end thereof. From the reel of said Knebusch application, the reel of Figures 5 and 6 differs principally in that it is of cantilever construction, but if desired, it may conveniently be flared from its supported-to its unsupported end to assist in stretching thread bundle B. A

The reel illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 comprises two wholly rigid members ,l8 and I9. Reel member l8 embodies a spider 2| which supports a plurality of longitudinally extending bar members 22. Reel member 19 has a similar'spider member 23 which likewise, supports a plurality of longitudinally extending bar members 24. The bar membersZZ and 24 interdigitate, being disposed alternately to form the periphery of the 'reel. Each individual reel'member is mounted for rotation about its own axis, with the axes of the two reel members disposed in parallel planes but in inclinedv relation to each other.

Reel member 18, commonly referred to. as the concentric member, is concentrically mounted upon-shaft 25 by means of hub portion 26. Set screw .21 serves to'fix said member securely to the shaft 25. The second reel member l9, known as the eccentric member, is mountedwith its axis slightly offset from and inclined with respect to the axis of shaft 25. The spider member 23 is preferably journalled upon a bearing 28 of generally tubular form carried by thelrame member 29 which serves as a means for mountin the reel. Bearing 28 is so formed as to "provide member I8 and eccentric member l9.

When shaft 25 is rotated, concentric member l8 is caused to rotate. Due to the fact that they interdigitate as above described, concentric 2 ascaaoc member l8 drives eccentric member l8 by bar-tobar contact; The inclined relationship of reel members l8 and- IQ provides for a definite spacing, between successive turns of thread or the like, while the. oifset relation between the axes of the respective reel members permits the bar members of first one of the reel members and .then. the'other to support the thread or the like 7 dicated in Figure 2, reels l3 and I4 are preferably arranged in stepped relation in such manner that-the supported end of reel is in apposition to the unsupported end of reel l3. with. such an arrangement, it is obviously desirable to operate' the reels l3 and M in such manner that the thread bundle B will be advanced from the supported towardthe unsupported ends thereof.

Frame members 32 at either end ,of the machine and at spaced intervalsalong the machine carry longitudinal members 33 and 34 which supportthe spindle arms I! upon which are mounted the spindles 8 for the winding spools Combining guides l2 are secured to the lower longitudinal member 34 on either side of the machine. In addition to the foregoing, frame members 32 support the longitudinal members 35 and 36 on which are mounted reels l3 and l4,-respectively. Reel I3 is indicated as supported in the member 35 in part by frame member 28 and in part by bearing-31, while reel I4 is supported in iznember 38 entirely from the reel frame member Longitudinal shaft 38, which serves to operate the reels of the individual series, is driven by motor 38 through a belt 48,,pulley 42, and bevel gears 43 and 44. Reel shaft 25 of the lowermost reel I4 is actuated directly by the bevel gears 45 and 46. Through a chain 41 and sprocket 48 mounted on the shaft of reel l4, sprocket 48 drives the shaft of the uppermost re'el l3. Sprocket 48 is preferably of larger diameter than sprocket 48 so that a greater angular velocity of reel l4 with respect to reel l3 results. A clutch 58 controlled by hand lever operates to disengage the gear 48 from driving contact with the reel shaft in the event that it is desired to arrest the pingthe machine as a whole.

The ring twiste designated generally by the reference character It comprises a bobbin 52 sup-' ported by the whirl 53 rotatably mounted upon the fixed longitudinal frame member 54. By means of belt 55 and pulley 58, motor 38 drives the pulley 51 which serves as the driving means for the endless belt 58. Belt 58 passes through the opening 591: in the vertical frame member 32 and extends down one side of the machine, passing alternately in andout between the rotatably mounted idler pulleys 68 and the whirls 53, thereby rotating all of the bobbins 52 on each side of the machine in the same direction-with respect to each other. Any conventional form of friction brake may be employed to stop the rotation of the individual whirls 53 in order to replace the bobbins or to thread up the same in the event of thread breakage.

At the end opposite the drive end. the belt 88 crosses to the other side of the machine, where it is employed to drive the opposite bank of bobbins: 82 in a manner similar to that previously described. After having rotated each of the bobbins. on such side oi. the machine, the belt returns at the drive end of the machine. It passes through opening 58bin the frame member 32, around anidler pulley (not shown) similar to 0, pulley 31, through a second opening 821: in the frame member 32,,about the idler pulleys 83 mounted upon frame member 32, through openin; 82a, and around drive pulley 51.

The vertical reciprocation of the ring 64 about 16 which the traveller 85 moves as the thread bundle a B is wound upon the bobbins 52 is accomplished by meansof a gear train connected to longitudinally extending shaft 38. Gear 66 upon shaft 38, acting through reduction gears 61, 68 and 88, rotates stub shaft 18 upon which is mounted heart-shapedcam 12. By means of follower l3, cam I2 imparts the desired reciprocatory motion to vertical shaft 74 supported from the frame member 32 by the bearing bracket 15. Transverse beam 1.8, secured both to shaft 14 and to the lifting rails 11 carrying the rings 84 on either side of the machine, causes the latter tomove up and down.

The apparatus of Figures 1 and 2 may be modifled in various respects to fit therequirements of any particular case for example, any suitable number of threads A may be employed to form the composite bundle 2B. In the illustrated embodiment 'of the invention the two reels l3 and 86 I4; are adapted to operate at different peripheral speeds such that stretching of the composite thread bundle therebetween is effected. In the event it is desired to eliminate the stretching operation, however. with slight alteration the reels may be operated at the same angular velocity or a singlereel may be used. Other modifications including the use of conventional pes of automatic control devices, to arrest the operation of a anyunit. or units of the machine when thread breakage occurs therein may be effected without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, winding spools 88 are disposed with their axes extending vertically. Threads A are withdrawn axially as the spools are rotated, thereby introducing a twist into the individual threads A. After passing through guides 8|, threads A are combined into a composite bundle B b combining de 02, from which the operation of any individual serieswithout stopy M composite bundle B is-led to the supported end of a reel 83. Reel 83 is preferably of the type illustrated in Figures 5 and 6. Thread bundle B is advanced along the periphery of the reel 83 0 toward the unsupported end thereof, from which 5 of identical thread-doubling series extending longitudinally of the machine, each including two or more winding spools 88, guides 8|, combining guide 82, reel 83, guide 84, and ring twister 85.

Frame members 86 are provided at either end of the machine and at spaced intervals therealong to support the longitudinal beams 81, on which reels 83 are mounted by means of members 29. The longitudinal shaft 88 is driven from the motor 89 through pulley 90 and bevel gears 7g 82 and 93. Bevelgears 84 and transmit power I from shaft 88 to reel shafts 25 of the several reels 03. Clutch means 06 controlled by hand lever 91 operates .to disengage gear 95 on reel shaft 25 from gear 94 on shaft-.08.. Longitudinal beams 8l-rserve-toearry the guides 8| andthe combining guides82.

, :Winding spools are. -moun ted side by. side lengthwise" of the machine; in such manner as to "be freely accessible, from the .workingface of the machines They are rotated. by means of whirls -98 rotatably mounted upon longitudinally extending channelmembers 99 which are supported from frame members 85. The,,several guides, (are secured to the channel members 99.. Whirls 98. are rotated by means .of an end less belt, I 00. which is interlaced between the idler pulleys. I02 and the whirls 98,,as indicated inaFigurefia .-By. -means of belt I03 and-pulleys "lb-motor 89- actuates-drive pulley I05 -for belt I00. X

- Belt I00, passes through the opening I06 in i the frame members 86, down one side of the tion, thereby imparting to the threads A the same directional twist. If it is desired to place an opposing twist in each thread A; for example, a right-hand twist in one and a left-hand twist in the other, the belt I00 driving the whirls 98 may be caused to run at the front of the first whirl; i. e., at the left in Figure 3, at the back of the second whirl, at the front of the third, etc. The twister referred to generally by the refer= ence character 85 is illustrated as of the ring twister type. It is operated in a manner substantially identical with that employed in the case of the twister of the machine of Figures 1 and 2. The bobbins I09 are supported by whirls I10 rotatably mounted upon the fixed longitudinal frame member H2 secured to frame members 88. Belt H3, driven by pulley Ilfl, rotates the drive pulley H5 by means of pulley H6.

Endless belt III passes through the frame opening Him, is interlaced between the idler pulleys H8 and the whirls IIO along one side machine, passes through frame opening IIBb, over an idler pulley (not shown), through opening I202), around idler pulleys IZI, and through frame opening I201; back to the drive pulley H5. Any conventional type of friction brake mechanism may be employed to stop the whirls H0 of the ring twister mechanism or the rotating winding spools-80 of any given thread-doubling series independently of the other units of the machine for replacing bobbins or re-threading in the event of thread breakage.

The rings I22 about which the travelers I23 ,move are mounted upon a lifting rail IZdwhich is reciprocated by means of vertical shaft I25 actuated by longitudinally extendingshaft 88 upon which is mounted gear I26. The gear I26 actuates a cam I2] mounted on stub shaft I29 through reduction gears I3I, I32 and I33. The cam follower I34 -mounted on the upper end of the shaft r25 imparts the alternating upward and downward, motion to the shaft, which is mounted in the bearing brackets I35 and I36. The transverse beam I31 secured to the reciproof the machine, returns on the other side of the eating shaft I25 is ionnected to the lifting'rails I2,4.0n either side of the machine, causing the same to move .up and downv in a definite cycle defined bythe proportionspfcam I21.

In the, operation of thaa paratus of either emjclodimentv of, the invention, the individual threads .are withdrawn from the, supply. spools and passed through the guide means which con bines the separate threads into a thread bundle. The thread, bundle so formed is wrapped oneor two times about the rotating reel, after which the reel p'roceeds to thread itself up. When the thread bundle reaches the end of, the reel, the leading end thereof .is threaded through the guide immediately I above the a twister, passed under. the traveler, and started'upon the, twister bobbin. Conventional mechanicaloontrol means, such as trip mechanisms for automatic'ally inter.- rl pting, operation, in the' event of, thread breakage,,may .e employed to assist in theoperation of the machine.

In apparatus of the sort contemplated by 'the instant invention it is sometimes desirable to introduce means for humidifying, steaming, sizing or otherwise treating the thread. To that end, a reel of the type shown, described and claimed in Patent No. 2,145,281 for Processing reel, issued January 31, 1939, to Clarence C. Walters, may be substituted for the reel or reels illustrated in the embodiments of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings. On such reels, the thread may be subjected to a fluidtreatment such, for example, as treatment by steam for the purpose of setting the twist introduced into the thread, following which it may, if desired, be dried on a similar reel. 1

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 may, if desired, incorporate certain of the features characterizing the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2. Thus the apparatus of Figures 3 and 4 may be readily modified to employ two or more reels in place of the single reel 83. A modification of this sort would permit the application of one or more intermediate processing treatments upon the thread prior to its collection in package form upon the twisting device. Such processing treatment may include such operations as stretching the thread between reels, subjecting the thread to one or more suitable fluid treatments, or any combination of similar operations.

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 apparatus for doubling and twisting thread or the like including a plurality of supply packages each of which serves as a source of thread or the like, means for combining the individual threads or the like into a thread bundle and a twisting device, the improvement in means for feeding said thread bundle to said twisting device which comprises at least two cantilever thread-advancing reels so disposed that each in turn accepts the thread bundle at its supported end and advances it toward the 4 th t bundle to said twisting device which at least two helix-forming devices of cantilever construction sodisposed-that each in turn-occepts the thread bundle at its supportedend and advances ittoward the unsupported end 5 thereof and means for rotating each succeeding device at a' greaterperipherai-speed than its predecessor. r

' 3. In apparatus for doubling. stretching and twisting thread or thelilre including a plurality 10 of supply packages each 0! which serves as a' source of thread or the like, means for combinin the individual threads or the like into a thread bundle and a twisting device. the improvement in means for-feeding said thread 15 bundle to said twisting device which comprises at least two cantilever thread-advancing reels so disposed that each in turn accepts the thread bundle at its supported end and advances it toward the unsupported end thereof and means go for rotating each succeeding reel at a greater peripheral speed than its predecessor.

' 4. In apparatus for doubling, stretching and twisting thread or the like including a plurality of supply packages each of which serves as a source of thread or the like, means for combining the individual threads or the like into a

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