US2402228A - Stretching of filaments or threads - Google Patents

Description

Jum; 18,A 1946. Y T, JACKSON fr AL 2,402,228

STRETCHING OF FILAMENTS OR THREADS Filed July 17, 1943 y T- asaenasou 82 "umm 64 132 \F 89 v v k/ Patented June 18', 1946 UNITED STATES 'PATENT OFFICE STRETCHING OF'FILAMENTS 0R. THREADS Thomas 'Jackson and Thomas Barnard Frearson,

Spondomnear Derby, England, assgnors to British Celanese Limited, London, England, a company of Great Britain Application July 17, 1943, SerialNo. 495,094 In Great Britain July 20, 1942 filaments or threads to be Vstretched is used as a softening medium -for enabling the stretch to be imparted. U. S. Patent No. 2,276,394 describes a method of initiating stretching operations of this kind by .varying the degree of stretch applied to the laments or threads inversely with and under the control of the tension in the material as the softening medium is initially applied and as the tension falls in consequence of the application of the softening medium. In the operations specifically described inithe several speciiications mentioned above, the process is applied to a number of. threads, which are collected after stretching by means of a corresponding number of Winding devices arranged in the form of a creel.

lit has been found that advantages may be obtained, particularly in respect of the initiation of the stretching operation, by taking up the threads after they have been stretched by means 13 Claims.

` after the positive control has been applied, this,

sion applied to the thread by the twisting and Winding device extends back to the softened part of the thread, so as to bringr about the stretch, but

tension reaches back only to the positive control means, at which the thread is set, so that stretching is no longer effected by the tension applied by the twisting and winding device, but only by `the positive control means.

The use of twisting and lWinding devices to collect the threads after they have been stretched .enables the threads to be handled individually from one end of the operation tothe other, and

in particular enables an end that is broken down in the course of the operation to be rie-established without disturbing other threads being treated simultaneously. For this purpose, individual chambers, one for each thread, may be provided, inwhich the softening medium is .applied to the thread and in which stretching of the thread takes place.

When,`as is preferable. the softening medium is under pressure in a chamber through which the thread passes in order to be stretched, provision may be made to prevent rapid flow of the softening mediumin adirection opposite to the direction of travel of the thread as it enters the chamber, and also to reduce leakage of the softening medium. Thus, as described in U. S. Patent l No. 2,142,909 the thread may reach the'stretchof a twisting and winding device which collects,A

the threads as fast as they are fed to it and twists them as they are so collected. This is particularly advantageous in the initiation of the stretching operation because, as the softening medium is applied to the threads and the stretching of the threads is initiated the twisting and winding devices may be arranged to take up the threads at an increasing rate as the softening and increase of stretch proceed. Indeed, the tension applied by the twisting and winding dvice may be utilised to bring about stretching to 4' a degree which increases as the softness of the threads increases during the initial application of the softeningmedium, and when the stretch has been brought, in this manner, u-p to or nearly up to the degree desired, the threads may be placed under the positive control of stretching means such as rollers, which thereafter accurately determine the degree of stretch imparted and feed the threads to the twisting and winding device by which they are then collected. Before the application of the positive control, the tening chamber through a feed chamber containing forwarding rollers for the thread and supplied with air-or water under pressure.' The air or water chambers thus provided may also be individual chambers adapted to serve single threads, and may be formed integral with the individual stretching chambers, the two together constituting a single unit. Where steam is employed as the softening medium and the' two chambers are .f

formed as a single unit, it is desirable that the partition between'the chambers should be arranged to prevent rapid conduction of heat from the steam chamber to the feed chamber preceding it. For this purposethe partition may be of substantial thickness and may be formed hollow for the passage of coolingmedium. In order to `facilitate initial threading-up through the partition, a tunnel of substantial cross-section may be provided for the passage oi' the thread, the tunnel being clcscd at one or both ends by means of a plate having only ya small oriflce therein for the passage of the thread. j

Instead of providing a feed chamber as described above, the stretching chamber may be provided, as described in U. S. application S. No.

movement of the control.

- 3 472,460, led January l5. 1943, with an injector device` for the feeding of the thread into the stretching chamber, the thread being carried into the chamber by a jet of inert fluid, e. g. water, supplied under a pressure substantially exceeding that of the softening uid in' the stretching chamber. The softening uid supplied tothe chamber may assist the action lof jet, by being introduced through an annular nozzle surrounding the injector nozzle through whichthe jet carrying the thread passes, and use may further be made of this feature for threading the thread initially through the injector. For the latter purpose',Y provision may be made to supply compressed air temporarily through the annular nozzle, so as to induce a suction in the injector nozzle to draw the end ofthe thread into the chamber. The threading-up ortho thread through the apparatus from the source of supply to the takeup packase may be completed beiore the appa- 'ratus is set in motion and before stretching begins. This is made possible by the fact that a twisting and winding device will collect the thread reaching it at a low rate or at a high rate without any adjustment of the spindle speed, the thread collected at `a low rate merely being more highly twisted than that collected at the'high rate. Thus, after threading-up has been eiected on the stationary apparatus, the input to the stretching chamber, e. g. pairs of rollers,l may be started and the take-up bobbin caused to rotate so as to collect, without stretching, the unsoftened thread supplied to it at a low rate. The supply of softening agent to the stretching chamber may be then turned on, and

as the softness of the thread within the stretching chamber increases; the tension applied by the twisting and winding device stretches the thread to an increasing degree, and the stretched thread is collected on the bobbin. Finally, when the soitness of the thread has reached a stage where the stretch imparted by the tension applied by the take-up device approaches the clesired stretch, the output control of the stretching means may be put into operation so that stretching taires place at a constant and deiinite rate. I

For the purpose of starting the rotation of the taire-up bobbin, the bobbin may be mounted on an already rotating spindle but 'prevented from rotating therewith by means of a brake. Individual clutch means may be provided in the drive to the input rollers, and the brake applied to the taire-up bobbin may be under the same control as the clutch so that rotation of the bobbin and rotation of the inputrollers may be started simultaneously. Since itis desirable to apply the softening medium, and also the huid in the chamber preceding the softening chamber, es soon as possible after feeding of the thread has started, valves for the supply of these media may also be under the same control as the input clutch and the bobbin bra-ire, and adapted to operate a little' later by a further Similarly, the output rollers or the stretching device may be underthe saine control and adapted to be brought into operation thereby later still by moving the ccntrol right home. f

Ring-twisting devices aresuitable for use as the twisting and winding .devices employed for the selection of a suitable softening agent, to the stretching of materials in the form of threads.

It is particularly applicable to the stretching ofthreads consisting of continuous laments 4of organic derivatives .of cellulose such as the cellulose esters, e. g. cellulose acetate, formate, propionate or butyrate, mixed esters, e. g. cellulose acetate-propionate and acetate-butyrate, and cellulose ethers, e. g. ethyl and benzyl cellulose.

By way of example two forms of apparatus f according to the present invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawing in which .Figure 1 is a side elevation of one form of apparatus,

Figure 2 is a sectional side elevation and Figure 3 is a front elevation of a detail of Figure 1, and

Figure 4 shows a modification of the detail shown in Figures 2 and 3. 'I'he apparatus shown in Figures 1 to 3 is in the form of a machine adapted for the stretching and collecting of several ends l, say 6 or I2, and is provided with Va corresponding number of ring-twisting spindles, of which one is shown at 2 in Figure l, arranged in line along the front of the machine, the rings 3 being mounted on a common rail` d, and the spindles 2 on a common rail in the manner usual in ring-spinning machines. The spindles 2 are driven by means of whorls t and belts l, so as to rotate the takeup bobbins 8, mounted on the spindles 2. Each spindle, however, is provided with an individual bobbin brake t, by means of which the bobbin t may be checked, and prevented from rotating with the spindle 2.

Behind and above each ring spindle 2 is disposed a stretching unit comprising an input roller it, a feed chamber ii, a stretching chamber it. and an output roller it. The feed chamber ii and `stretching chamber i2 are integral -with one another, being formed from a box BS divided longitudinally into the two sections it, it by means of a partition l5 about 2" in thickness, the length of the feed chamber H from end walll to partition being about 6" and that of the stretching chamber l2 about 10". rEhe end wall or each feed chamber is provided with disc or plate l5 having a small circular aperture for-the entry of the thread l to be stretched and -.the end wall of the stretching chamber is simithe purpose of the present invention, though larly provided with a plate il having a small hole cr the exit of the thread i. The thread l passes from the feed chamber l! to the stretching chamber l2 through a passage i8 of substantial width extending through the partition it, the end oi the passage i8 nearest the stretching chamber i2 being closed by means of a plate it having only a small hole /therein for the thread l to run through. The partition i5 is formed hollow andthrough the cavities 2@ therein cooling water can be circulated.

Steam is supplied to the stretching chamber i2 through two small orinces 2&one in each side wall, each orice 2l being in the `form of a plain vertical slot about 11g" wide and et" long. These orinces and the passages 22 supplying them are disposed in the side walls close to the partition it between the two chambers il and ll.

in each side wall close to the partition I5, the` openings 23 being in the form of vertical slots 11/2" long by 1A wide. The passages 24 in the walls of the feed chamber leading to the slots 23 are so formed as to direct the water entering the chamber II through the slots 23 towards the partition I5 between the feed chamber' II and the stretching chamber I2. The box I4 constituted by the feed chamber and stretching chamber is4 provided with a single'lid 25 covering the two chambers and secured in position by means of a quick-releasing clamping device in the form of a stirrup 26 whose ends hook over pins 21 projecting fromfthesides of the box, and a screw 2'8 passing through the top of the stirrup 26 and engaging a boss 29 on the lid.

Steam is supplied to all the stretching charnbers I 2 of the machine; and water under pressure to all the feed chambers I I, from two headers 30 and 3| respectively running-parallel to the length of the machine beneath the series of feed and stretching chambers Il, I2. The pressure in the chambers II, I2 is controlled by controlis supplied to the feed.

ling ther pressure in the two headers, the flow of steam to the steam header being under the control of the pressurein the steam header and the ilow of water to the water header 3I under the control of the pressure in the water header, for example in the manner described in U. S. Patent No.` 2,276,364. The headers 30, 3I are connected to the feed and stretching chambers by connections 22, 24, 32 and 33 of substantial cross-section so as to minimise the pressure drop in these connections, and valves 34, for the control of `the stream and water respectively are fltted in the connections.

The feed chamber II contains a pair of rollers 36, 31 between which the thread I to be stretched passes, the lower roller 36 being a mild steel roller and the upper roller 31 being a heavy rubber-covered roller carried inv a plain slot bearings and held in contact with the lower roller by spring loading. The two rollers 36, 31 are positively geared together by gears 38 and the lower roller 36, whose shaft h39 extends through the wallof the feed chamber II, carries a sprocket 40 and is driven from a sprocket 4I mounted on a, driving shaft 42 runningV the length of the machine. y

Preceding the feed chamber II, that is to say `on Athe side thereof remote from the stretching chamber I2, is the input roller I0, freely mounted on a shaft 43 parallel to the length of the machine and driven from the same sprocket 4I on thedriving shaft 42 as the roller 36, by means of a' chain 45 passing round the three sprockets 40, 4I, 44. A nip roller 46 is provided to engage with the input roller I0, being carried by an arm 41 pivoted in such a manner that the weight of the nip roller 46 normally rests on the input roller I0 but may be lifted therefrom when desired as shown in dotted lines towards the left of Figure l. The sprocket 4I driving the input roller I0 and the vroller 36 is secured` to the driving shaft 42 on which it is mounted by means of a clutch 48, which can be engaged or disengaged by an operative standing in front of the machine, in the manner hereinafter to be described. The input roller AIII and the roller 36 are of the same diameter, and the sprockets 40', 44 by which they are driven are provided with such numbers of teeth that the roller 36 rotates about 1% faster than the input roller I0. The shafts 43 and 42 on which the input roller and the sprocket 4I are mounted are common to the several units along the length of the machine.

` Thread I is supplied to the several units of the machine from bobbins 50 mounted Vin a creel 5I at the back of the machine each thread being drawn over the end of the cone or bobbin, through a tension device 52 in the form of two discs spring-pressed together, and thence over a guide roller 53 disposed at the back of the machine level with the input and output orifices I6, I1 of the feed chambers ,II and stretching cham-bers I2 of the machine.

Following the stretching chambers I2, i. e. between them and the row of ring spindles 2, is an output shaft 55 carrying the series of output rollers I3, one for each spindle 2 and stretching chamber. The output rollers I3 are fixed to the output shaft 55 and, when the machine is in operation, these rollers are constantly rotating. The thread I leaving the stretching chamber I2 passes over the corresponding output roller I3 and is pressed against it by means of a nip roller 56 carried on an arm 51 which is pivoted so that the nip roller 56 can be removed from contact with the output roller I3. The outputvroller I3 is disposed immediately above the corresponding ring spindle 2 so that the thread I passes vertically downwards 4from the output roller I3 to the balloon guide 58 of the ring spindle 2. On the arm 51 carrying the nip roller is secured a hooked guide 59 which, when the nip roller 56is in engagement with the output roller I3, lies beneath the thread I proceeding from the stretching chamber I2 to the output roller I3. When the nip roller 56 is pivoted away from the output roller I3, however, the hooked guide 59 engages the thread I and lifts it clear of the output roller I3 so that the thread I proceeds directly from the stretching chamber I2 to the hooked guide 59 and from the hooked guide 59 to the balloon guide 56 of the ring spindle 2.as shown in dotted lines on the right of Figure 1.

Control of the several parts of the device is effected in properly timed relationship by means of a common control member 6I in the form of a simple foot-operated lever below the spindle rail 5. This 4member` controls the brake 9 on the ring spindle 2, the nip roller 56 and guide 59 which co-operate with the output roller I3, the steam and water valves 34, 35 and theclutch 48 through which the input I6 is actuated. For this purpose the pedal 6I is connected by means of one rod 62 to the spindle brake 9 and the lever 51 carrying the output nip roller 56, and by another rod 63 to a shaft 64 running from front to rear of the machine and controlling the steam and air valves 34, 35 and the input clutch 48. The first rod 62 passes through a lever 65 forming an extension of the brake 9 for the bobbin 6, and a pair of springs 66 mounted on the rod 62, one above and one below the brake lever 65, are held in engagement with the brake lever by means of two collars 61 on the rod, so that the rod 62 acts upon the brake 9 through one or other of the springs 66. -The upper end of the rod 62 passes through aforked lever =68 constituting an extension of the pivoted lever 51 carrying the output the shaft 64 opposite to the crank 1I is a further cam 'I6 adapted to act on a forked lever 11 controlling the clutch 48 through which the input roller I8 is driven. Thus, depression of the footoperatedlever 6I first releases the brake 8 holding the bobbin 8 andA later brings the output nip roller 58 into operation by means of one rod connection 82, and opens the steam and water valves 34, 35 and operates the input clutch 48 by means of the other rod connection 63.

In starting up the apparatus an end of thread I is drawn from a bobbin 5 8 mounted in the supply creel 5I, is passed through the tension device 52 and over the guide roller B3 associated with the creel, and is passed between the input roller I8 and its nip roller 48, the nip roller 45 being lifted for this purpose. The threadI is then threaded through the feed chamber inlet orice I6, through the aperture I9 in the partition I5 between the feed chamber I I and stretching cham-ber I2, and out through the stretching chamber outlet orifice I1. The cover 25 is then secured in place by means of the quick-release clamp 2li-28. The thread I is then led over the output roller. I3, through the guide 58 mounted on the arm 51 carrying the output nip roller 58. down to the balloon guide 58 of the ring-spin" ning device 2 and thence through the traveller of the ring-spinning device tothe take-up bobbin 8.

During these operations the machine may be either stationary or running, and in the latter case the input roller I will be de-clutched from the driving shaft 42, the take-up bobbin 8 will be braked, and the output roller I3 will be rotat- I .ing idly with the thread I passing to the ring spindle I2 out of contact with it. To begin the stretching operation the foot-operated lever 8i is depressed and the brake 8 on the take-up bobbin 81s thereby first released, Immediately afterwards the clutch 48 driving the input roller I8 of the machine is `engaged so that the thread I is drawn from the creel 5I and fed through thefeeding and stretching chambers II, I2 to the take-up bobbin 8. At the same time the steam 8 stretched thread, a short length of distinctive yarn is fed to the bobbin 8 with the stretched thread so as to be twisted therewith and wound on the bobbin. This yarn binds the incompletelystretched thread on the bobbin so that duringl subsequent unwinding operations the incompletely-stretched thread does not unwind'and is left on thev barrel of the bobbin, so that it cannot be mixed with the fully-stretched thread. Stretching and winding of the thread then proceeds until the bobbin 8 is full. i In Figure 4 is shown a sectional side elevation of a form of stretching chamber which may be `employed instead lof that shown as a detail in Figure 2. The chamber is constituted by a hollow cylinder 88 over the left-hand end of which (the input end) is screwed a cap 8ik into which in turn are screwed two plugs 82, 83. The plug 82 comprises a nozzle portion 88 which enters an 2o aperture 85 in the closure 8I, the external shape of the nozzle 84 and the shape of the aperture being such as to form between them a converging annular space connected to a larger annular space 88 to which steam is supplied through a passage 81. The plug 83, which screws in behind the plug 82, also comprises a nozzle 88 and forms, between itself and the plug 82, an annular space 89 to which water is supplied through a passage 98. The other end of the cylinder 80 contains a plug 8l in which is formed an outlet orifice 82.

'I'he passages 8l. 98 are connected to the valves 34, 85 respectively, described with reference to Figures 1 to 3. .In addition, however, compressed air may be supplied to the passage 8l for the purpose of threading up. In order to thread up, the plug Si is removed, compressed air is supplied to the passage 8l, and the end of the thread and water supplies to the stretching chamber I2 50 and the feed chamber II are turned on through the valves 34, 35 and softening of the thread I as it runs through the stretching chamber I2 takes place;- The softening of the thread I and thetension applied to it by the rotating takeup bobbin 8 have the eiect of causing the thread I to be stretched, the degree of stretch increasing steadily as the stretching chamber I2 .becomes illled with steam. Within a very short time the degree of stretch approaches that required.

.say 10-1, and at this stage the foot-operated lever 8| is depressed further so as to bring the output nip roller 58 into contact with the output roller I3. At the same time the guide 58 on the lever I 81 allows the thread I to come into contact with the output roller I3 so that the thread is nippedv against the output roller I8 and is driven. thereby.

The degree of stretch is now accurately determined by the relative speeds of the input roller I0 and the output roller .I8 and the ring spindle 2 takes up the stretched thread I as fast as it is delivered by the output roller Il. 'At this stage. in order to distinguish the ,unstretched and partly-stretched thread wound on the bobbin 8 l at the beginning of the operation from the fullyi' is passed through the n'ozzle 88. The suction induced in thenozzie 84 by the flow of compressed air from the annular space 86 draws the thread into and through the nozzle 84 and blows it through the large aperture left by the removal-o the plug 8l. The compressed air is then turned oir, the thread is threaded through the orice 82 in the plug 8l and the plug is then screwed into place in the outlet end of the cylinder 80. The thread is then taken, as previously described, over the guide 59, and through the balloon guide 58, Iand is attached to the bobbin 8. The stretching operation is then started as previously described with reference to Figures ito 3, steam instead of compressed air being now supplied through the passage 8l'. In this arrangement the steam entering the cylinder through the aperture 85 outside the nozzle 88, and the water entering through the nozzle 84, draw the `thread from the input roller I8 and make unnecessary the provision of the rollers 88, 8l.

Having described our invention, what we desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for the stretching of threads in the presence .of a softening agent adapted to facilitate stretching, said apparatus comprising a stretching chamber to contain the softening agent, means for feedingfthe thread into said chamber, means for withdrawing the thread from said chamber at a rate faster than that at which it is fed into said chamber, a twisting and winding device adapted to collect the thread as fast as it is delivered to said device and to twist the thread as it is so collected,l and means for nullifying the action of the withdrawing means on the thread at the beginning of the stretching operation so as to permit the twisting and winding 9 device to act as withdrawing means and to initiate the stretching of the thread.,

2. Apparatus fo-r the stretching of threads in the presence of a softening agent adapted to facilitate stretching, said apparatus comprising a stretching chamber to contain the softening agent, means for feeding the thread into said chamber, a rotatable roller for withdrawing the thread from said chamber at a rate faster than that at which it is fed into said chamber, a nip roller for pressing the thread into engagement with said rotatable roller, a twisting and winding device adapted to collect the thread as fast as it is delivered to said device and to twist the thread as it is so collected, and means for raising said nip roller from said rotatable roller so as to nullify the action of the withdrawing means on the thread at the beginning of the stretching operation and to permit the twistingand winding device to act as withdrawing means and to initiate the stretching of the thread.

3. Apparatus for the stretching of threads in the presence of a softening agent adapted to facilitate` stretching, said apparatus comprising a stretching chamber to contain the softening agent, means for feeding the thread into said chamber, means for withdrawing the thread from said chamber at a rate faster than that at which it is fed into said chamber, a twisting and winding device adapted to collect the thread as fast as it is delivered to said device and to twist l'the thread as it is so collected, means, for nullifying the action of the withdrawing means on the thread at the beginning ofthe stretching operation so as to permit the twisting and winding device t`o act as withdrawing means and to initiate` the stretching of the thread, and common control means for the twisting and winding device, the

feeding means, the withdrawing means and the the various elements in timed sequence at the beginning of the stretching operation.

4. Apparatus for the stretching of threads in the presence of a softening agent adapted to facilitate stretching, said apparatus comprising a stretching chamber to contain the softening agent, means for feeding the thread into said chamber, a rotatable roller for withdrawing the thread from said chamber at a rate faster than that at which it is fed into said chamberfa nip roller for pressing the thread into engagement with said rotatable roller, a twisting and winding device adapted to collect the thread as fast as itis delivered to said device and 4to twist the thread as it is so collected, means for raising said nip roller from said rotatable roller so as to nullify the action of the withdrawing means on the thread at the beginning of the stretching operation and to permit the twisting and winding device to act as withdrawing means and to initi- 10 at a rate faster than that at which it is fed into each of said chambers, a twisting and winding device for each chamber adapted to collect the thread as fast as it is delivered .to said device and to twist the thread as it is so collected, and means for nullifying the action of the withdrawing means on the thread at the beginning of the stretching operation so as to permit the twisting and winding device to act as withdrawing means and to initiate the stretching of the thread.

6. Apparatus for the stretching of threads in the presence of moist steam under pressure, said apparatus comprising a feed chamber, a stretchingchamber to contain the moist steam, forwarding rollers within said feedchamber for feeding the thread into said stretching chamber, means for supplying uid under pressure to said feed chamber, means for withdrawing the thread from said stretching chamber at a rate faster than that at which it is fed into said stretching chamber, a twisting and winding device adapted to collect the thread as fast as it isdelivered to said device and to twist the `thread as it is so collected, and means for nullifying the action of the withdrawing means on the thread at the beginning of the stretching operation so as Vto permit the twisting and winding device to act as withdrawing means and to initiate the stretching of the thread.

7. Apparatus for the stretching of threads in the presence of a softening agent adapted to facilitate stretching, said apparatus comprising a stretching chamber to contain the softening agent, means at the inlet of said chamber for projecting a jet of iiuid into said chamber in order to carry the thread intoy said chamber, means for withdrawing the thread from said chamber at a rate faster than that at which it is fed into said chamber, a twisting and windlate the stretching of the thread, and a common control means for the twisting and winding device, the feeding means, the nip roller and the supply of softening agent to the stretching chaminto each of said chambers. means for w-ith' drawing the thread from each of said chambers ing device adapted to collect the thread as fast as it is delivered to said device and to twist the thread as it is so collected, and means for nullifying the actionlof the withdrawing means on the thread at the beginning of the stretching operation so as to permit the twisting and-winding device to act as withdrawing means and to initiate the stretching of the thread.

8. Apparatus for the stretching of threads in the presence of a softening agent adapted to facilitate stretching, said apparatus comprisinga stretching chamber to contain the softening agent, means for feeding the thread into said chamber, an annular nozzle for the introduction of softening agent into said chamber, said annular nozzle surrounding the 4inlet for the thread into said chamber, means for withdrawing the thread from said chamber at a rate faster than that at which it is fed into said chamber, a twisting and winding device adapted to collect the thread as fast as it is delivered to said device and to twist the thread as it is so collected, and means for nullifying the action of the withdrawing means on the thread at the beginning of the stretching operation so as to permit the twisting and winding device to act as withdrawing means and to initiate the stretching of the thread.

9. Apparatus for the stretching of threads in the presence of a softening agent adapted to facilitate stretching. said apparatus comprising a stretching chamber to contain the softening agent, means for feeding'the thread in'to said chamber, means for withdrawing the thread from said chamber at a rate faster than that at which it is fed into said chamber, a ring-spinning device adapted to collect the thread as fast as it packages of twisted yarn, drawing the thread,

from a source of supply and leading it to a thread support through a point on the axis of said support, rapidly rotating said support about said axis so as to wind the thread thereon as fast as it is drawn and to twist the thread by rotating .the portion thereof between said point and the support in the form of a balloon, then applying the softening medium. to the thread between the source of supply and said point so as to enable the tensionimparted to the thread by the rotationof said balloon to stretch the thread and,

when the thread is being so stretched, pressing it at a point where it has left the softening medium into engagement with a constantly rotating withdrawing roller, so as to determine accurately the degree of stretch imparted to it. Y

l1. In the process for the stretching of threads in the presence of a softening medium adapted to VfacilitateW stretching and collecting stretched threads on thread supports to form packages of Vtwisted yarn, drawing the thread from a'source of supply and leading it to a thread support through a point on the axis of said-support, rapidly rotating said support about its axis so as to wind the thread thereon as fast as it is drawn and to twist the thread by rotating the portion thereof between said point and the support in the form of a balloon,'then applying to the thread, at successive parts of the path of the thread from said source of supply to said point, an inert uid under pressure and fluid softening agent under pressure so as to enable the tension imparted to the thread byythe rotation of vsaid balloon to stretch the thread and,

whenvthe thread is being so stretched, pressing `it at a point where it has left the softening medium into engagement with a constantly ro tating' withdrawing roller, so as to determine accurately the degree of stretch imparted to ita 12, In a process for the stretching of threads v in the presence of a softening medium adapted to facilitate stretching and collecting the stretched threads on thread supports to form packages of twisted yarn, drawing the thread from a source of supply and leading it to a thread support through a point on the axis of said support, rapidly rotating said support about its axis so as to wind the. thread thereon as fast as it is drawn and to twist the thread by'rotating the portion thereof between said point and the support in the form of a balloon, then applying to the thread, at successive parts of the path of the thread from said source of supply to said point, an inert fluid under elevated pressure and fluid softening agent under a lower elevated pressure so as to produce a stream of said inert uid forwarding the thread into said softening agent and to enable the tension imparted to the thread by the rotation of said balloon to stretch the thread and, when the thread is being so stretched, pressing it at a point where it has left the softening medium into `engagement with a constantly rotating withdrawing roller, so as to determine accurately the degree of stretch imparted to it.

13. In a process for the stretching of threads in the presence of a softening medium adapted to facilitate stretching and collecting the stretched threads on thread supports to form packages of twisted yarn, drawing the thread from a sourceof supply and leading it to a thread support through a point on the axis of said support, rapidly rotating said support about its axis so as to wind the thread thereon as fast as it is drawn and to twist the thread by rotating the portion thereof between said point and the support in the form of a balloon, then apply= ing to the thread, at successive parts of the path of the thread from said source of supply to said point5 'water under elevated pressure and moist steam under a lower elevated pressure so as to produce a stream of water forwarding the thread into said moist steam and to enable the tension imparted to the thread by the rotation of said balloon to stretch the thread and, when the thread is being so sretched, pressing it at a point where it has eft the moist steam into engagement with a constantly rotating withdrawal roller, so as to determine accurately the degree of stretch imparted to it.

THOMAS JACKSON.. THOMAS BARNARD FREARSON.

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