US2532465A - Method for spinning artificial filaments - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 5, 1950 R. w. STANLEY 2,532,465

METHOD FOR SPINNING ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS Original Filed April 22, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 WM W A T TORI KY.

Dec. 5, 1950 R. WJSTANLEY v 2,532,465

METHOD FOR SPINNING. ARTIFICIALP FILAMENTS Original Filed April 22, 1944 "3 Sheets-Sheet 2 lz )5 v 24 MZWN A TIDE/Vi)- Dec. 5, 1950 R. w. sTANL EY METHOD FOR SPINNING ARTIFICIAL EILAMENTS Original Filed AprilY22p1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig- 1a M] INVENTOR.

BY @444 m Patented Dec. 5, 1950 STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD FDR SPINNING .AR EIEIGIAL LFILAMENIS EKicharfl "W. stanley, Lakewood, Gh'io, 'ass-ignor to American Wiscose Corporation, Wilmington, lDeL, ;a :corporation of Delaware Original application .April .22, 1944, Serial No.

532,328. Divided and this apfllica'tionNovemlief-3, 194$,Serial No. 125,188

.5 :Glaims.

:1 pinventionrelates to :improved methods for continuously spinning artificial filaments "or threads. This application is :a division ao'f my copending application :Serial No. 1532328., filed 222, i944, now iRatent 1N0. 2:511615'7.

It :is :an object :of the invention to provide an improved :method iior continuously spinning, manipulating, and treating artificial threads in which the section carrying the coagulating liquids which are generally the most :corrosive .is so arranged with :respect to the liquid aftert-reating :section ..-in which less corrosive liquids are used that there is Flittleropportunity for spray from the coagulating bath and the thread handling devices associated with the [coagulating bath to :be carried over to the thread as iit v:is discharged vfrom the afteptreating liquid .section. Arranged zintermediate tthe :zcoagulatin'g bath and the after-treatment section, there .is provided :in accordance with ethe {objects of *this invention, .a

stretching zone which forms :a component part of what is hereinafter termed :the forming :section and in which the thread may :be treated with any suitable lplasticizing liquid, which in the :case of viscose may ;be hot :water or :hot dilute acid. These two distinct sections are so arranged that the discharge end of the liquid after-"treatment section -is at the part thereof farthest :from the forming section and :is beyond the reach of operators employed "along the :coagulating loath and conversely the storming section not .the machine is out of reach of operators "emp yed along the after-treatment section.

A further object is to :so arrange the sections of the process that the entire spinning or treating unit of each single --,end zthread pnoducing station will he readily and conveniently iaccessible to .the operators assigned 'to the respective working races of the machine adapted to carry cutthe process. lAiurtl-ier object is to provide :a spinning process having a compact liquid aftertreatment section. in which .alLof the after-treating liquids (excluding .the stretching hath which is herein considered to constitute .a forming liquid -.as distinguished lf-rom :an after-treating liquid) are applied I to i3 single continuous helix of the thread. The present invention also provides z-ior drying and/or collecting the aftertreated yarn :-in :a section provided at .a different floor level than that of the coagulating and after-treating sections.

Other objects and advantages-of the invention will appear from the description herein-after in which reference to the @drawing will .be made.

.Eigure 1 is an endelevation. partially .in \CI'QSS- -2 section, :of a machine adapted to carry out the process of the invention,

Figure 1a shows in "elevation an alternate way of collecting the filaments,

Figure 2 ie a plan view,

Figure .3 'is :as'side elevation showing the coagulating hath working face,

Figure '4 is a plan "view, partially in crosssection, showing the coagulating loath and 'associated parts in more detail.

"IIhe spinning :machine shown for :carrying out the process of itheinventi'onzhas the coagulating helth working face :32 ithe afterstreatnient section 3, which are iboth .on "the same floor level, :and the drying and/orcollecting section on ailower floor level :or deck. :The :forming section .comprises a deep, narrow vtrough 25:for the coagulating :hath extending the length :of the machine and the :spinnerets 5 are arranged to spin :generally vertically zupwardly to thethread-"atlvancing :devices Tl :disposed above the rear portion of the hath. Asshown, thesedevices comprise two godelts. :the upper and :larger "of which is driven and the other is an .idler. Alternatively, a thread-advancing reel or za'pair of driven godets of :the :same "size aria-vibe used. A guide 8 serves to control the thread as itgproceedsto the threadadvancing device :1 and also to remove excess coagulating :liquid drom :the thread.

A;ho1lo,w framework in the form of an intermediate longitudinal pedestal 9 supports a'housing 11 for the mechanism If! for :driving the thread-handling devices including the devices I and the threadeadvancing devices -l'r2 in the liquid after-treatment :section 'of :the machine. The housing lll :is :plOVidBd with a jacket |.-3 of corrosion resistant :material, such as lead spaced from the walls :of the housing and having openings 1M about the shafts, both drive and idler, for the ithread handling zdevices :and [2. An

'inent or non-injurious gas, :such as air, preferahly :dry, is .forced into the :space between the jacket :and the main housing walls from a suitable duct :l-lla i(see 2:) or ducts atone or both ends-of thezmach-ine. The hollow :pedestal constitutes a duct through which the foul :air in the vicinity of :the coagulating 'bath is removed, suitable openings :being provided in the pedestal all along the machine ;=a:d-jacent the top of the trough 5, :and zone or twossuitable exhaust ducts being provided, :such as at one or both ends of the machine, .and being connected :to exhaust fans. similarly a duct l6 extending the length of the [machine is provided in the .upper region of the :hood Eli! comprising suitable asash means :I la

by which the spinning stations of the machine are readily accessible to the operators. The duct it is provided with openings l8 (preferably adjustable in any conventional manner) in the base thereof facing the receptacle or receptacles IQ for the plasticizing liquid. The provision of the upper exhaust duct l6 and that in the pedestal 9 assures that the foul air will be drawn away from the operators while they are manipulating the thread in lacing up the machine or tending to it at any other time. In addition, the provision of an inert gaseous medium under elevated pressure within the jacket is about the housing for the driving mechanism protects this mechanism from any foul, corrosive atmosphere that may hover about the coagulating section of the machine.

The driving godets of the devices I are set at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the machine so that they are off-set laterally and axially from each other in staggered relationship. The reels 12 are similarly staggered so that the threads proceed at an acute angle from the upper godets through their respective troughs E9 to their respective after-treating reels l2. By this arrangement, it is possible to obtain a long immersion through the stretch baths in troughs i9 without having the receiving ends of the reels E2 beyond the reach of operators having average arm length. Preferably, the troughs H! are placed from three to five feet from the floor level. The troughs l9 may be supplied with liquid, such as hot water or hot dilute acid, by the downwardly extending branches 2d of the feed pipe 2% and. adjacent each end with the slotted partitions 22 forming overflow chambers at each end of the trough which discharge in drains 23.

The reels l2 may be provided with a surrounding deflector or guard 24 for controlling the action of the liquids upon the threads and substantially confining the several different liquids applied to their respective treating zones along the helix. This deflector or guard may be of the same construction as that shown in either of the copending applications of Stanley and Lowe, Serial No. 504,664, filed October 2, 1943; and Serial No. 523,402, filed February 22, 1944. Headers 25 having branches 26 conduct the several treating liquids to corresponding treating zones of the helix formed on the reels l2. Discharge pipes 2'! connected to the extreme limits of each treating zone lead to troughs 28 which extend the length of the machine for receiving the discharge from the corresponding zones of all the reels l2. The discharge from each of these troughs may be recirculated to the appropriate header, with or without first subjecting it to recovery, replenishment, or purification processes. The troughs 28 or any selected one or more thereof may be replaced with headers connected to pipes 2! in which case the removal of liquid from the respective treating zones may be assisted by suitable suction pumps inserted in the respective headers, especially for operating in accordance with the above-mentioned application Serial No. 523,402,

An inwardly and downwardly sloping trough 29 may be disposed beneath the several troughs 28 and preferably extends to a point beyond the discharge ends of the reels l2. A trough 3i! sloping toward one end, or from the middle toward both ends, of the machine serves to discharge any drainings from the trough 29. I

The reels I 2 are preferably removably supported at both ends, being coupled for driving at their inner ends and rotatably to a series of posts 3| which are capable of being swung outwardly on their pivots 32 for removing the reels and of being locked in reel-supporting position by the latches 33. Reels B2 are'preferably driven at higher peripheral speed than the devices 1 so that a predetermined amount of stretching occurs as the threads pass through the troughs IS.

The threads proceed substantially vertically downwardly from the discharge ends of the reels I! either to centrifugal collecting buckets 34 through the traversing funnel guides 35 as shown in Figure 1a (where alternate threads are directed by godets 35 and 31 to the opposite row of buckets) or they proceed (as illustrated in Figl) to any suitable form of drying means such as the heated casing 38 in which the respective thread is advanced in the form of a helix about two canted drums 39 and 49, at least one of which is driven, and then to a collecting device, such as the winding machine il. "If desired, the winding machine may be replaced by a cap-twisting or ring-twisting device.

As shown in the drawing, the path for coagulating the filaments or threads is preferably narrow and this is necessary in order that an operator standing at the coagulating bath working face of the machine can readily reach over the bath to pass the threads through the stretching troughs l5 and place them on the receiving ends of the reel 52. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the connections to supply the spinnerets 5 with spinning material extend through apertures 32 in the outside wall .3 of the trough 5 for the coagulating bath. A bearing M of suitable material, preferably resistant to corrosion by the coagulat ing material is secured in the aperture; such as by welding, so that its axis is inclined in a horizontal plane at a small acute angle, preferably less than 25, to the normal to the length of the machine. The rounder d5 preferably is made of a corrosion-resistant material, such as stainless steel tubing or piping, and has an approximately right angle bend at 6-6 spaced a short distance from the wall 5-3 of the coagulating bath trough. The portion of the rounder extending through the wall 43 is provided with a shoulder 41 and is clamped within a sleeve 48 (which is rotatable wthin the bearing Ml) by the nut 69 engaging a threaded portion of the rounder. A handwheel 59 positioned outside the trough 5 is fixed upon the sleeve so that it can be used to rotate the rounder and thus swing the spinneret into and out of the trough. A washer 55 of resilient material, such as soft rubber or synthetic rubber, is provided so that it is forced by hydraulic pressure against a suitable seat or face 52 formed on the bearing M, thereby sealing the joint against leakage. A hollow region 53 may be formed in the bearing member 44 and may be provided with a suitable drainage connection 530'. (Figure 1). The sleeve :8 may be provided with grooves 54 to prevent any liquid leaking from the bath from proceeding beyond the region 53 provided with suitable drainage. An L connection 55 connects the tube 56 which receives the spinning material from the pump 5? to the rounder, a ball and socket joint being provided at 58 to permit rotation of the rounder 45 relative to the L 55. A spring pressed pin 59 mounted in the bracket maintains the L 55 firmly in engagement with he rounded end of rounder 45.

The rounder 35 has a long straight portion extending from the bend 6% which merges at 45a with a portion which curves back so that the spinneret 6 at the end of the rounder directs the filaments or thread produced thereby in an upward direction. lhis curved portion is bent at 45c so that it lies in a plane approximately parallel to the wall @3 of the trough when dis posed in spinning position. It will be seen from Figure that when the rounder is swung into inoperative position, the spinneret is directed downwardly over the waste or draining trough 5! which be provided with removable waste trays 62. Preferably, the width of the inner web of the bracket is so correlated with the disposition of the spokes 53d of the handwheel that the upper and lower edges of the web 53 serve as detents to limit the rotation of the hand wheel to dispose the spinneret operating position and in inoperative position over the waste trough It will be seen from Figure 4 that the rounders are so constructed and arranged as to permit immersion of the spinneret to a great depth, swinging the spinnert to a point near bath surface for lacing up the machine and swinging the spinneret to a point over the waste trough, without interfering with each other and the walls of the trough in spite oi its narrowness and depth. In Figure the dotted line ab shows the extreme limit of movement of the rounder away from the wall of trough 5.

In starting the sp nning operation, the operator turns the handwheel until the sp'lnneret is at or near the surface of coagulating bath, threads up the thread-handling device l and as the thread is taken up thereby be lowers the spinneret to the bottom of the trough 5, and then takes the thread from the device '5 through one of the stretch oaths to the corres onding reel it. An operator on the other working face of the machine takes the thread as it is discharged from the reel E2 and drops it to the fiOOl below where another operator receives it laces up whatever collecting and/or drying devices are there. There is no necessity for the operators to carefully synchronize their activities in that each section of the machine can continue to function while waiting for the operator in the next section in advance to send the thread on its way to the next section.

A screen 66 and a plate 5; separate the bath trough 5 from the draining trough =3 l. The plate is adjustably mounted so that the depth of the coagulating bath may be controlled readily.

It is to be understood that changes and variations ma be made Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A method of producing artificial thread comprising the steps of spinning the thread generally vertically upwardly through a coagulating medium, passing the thread through a generally helical path outside the medium while permitting further coagulation by me carried thereby, then passing the thread approximately horizontally through a plasticizing medium, stretching the thread during its horizontal travel, then passing the thread through a single continuous helical path, and subjecting the thread in succeeding zones of the helix to each of a plurality of treating liquids.

2. A method of producing artificial thread comprising the steps of spinning the thread generilly vertically upwardly through a coagulating medium, passing the thread through a generally helical path outside the medium while permitting further coagulation by medium carried thereby, then passing the thread approximately horizontally through a plasticizing medium, stretching the thread during its horizontal travel, then passing the thread through a single continuous helical path, subjecting the thread in succeeding zones of the helix to of a plurality of treating liquids, completing all. liquid treatments as the thread passes through the continuous helical path, and collecting the thread.

3. A method of producing arvificial thread comprising the steps of spinning the thread gen.- erally vertically upwardly through a coagulating medium, passing the thread through a generally helical path outside the medium while permitting further coagulation by medium carried thereby, then passing the approximately horizontally through a plasticizing medium, stretch-- the thread during its horizontal travel, then passing the thread through a single continuous helical path. completing all liquid treatments the thread passes through the continuous helical path, passing the thread through a third helical path, drying it as passes therethrough,

collecting the thread.

i A method of producing artificial thread comng the steps of spinning the thread generally vertically upwardly through a coagulating medium, passing the thread through. a generally helical path outside the medium while permitting coagulation by medium carried thereby, hen passing the thread approximately horizonally through a plasticizing medium, stretching the thread during horizontal travel, then passing the thread through a single continuous helical path disposed at about the same level as the first helical path, subjecting the thread in succeeding zones of the helix to each of a plurality of treating liquids, completing ail liquid treatments as the thread passes through the continuous helical path, and collecting the thread.

Amethod of producing artificial thread comprising the steps of spinning the thread generally vertically upwardly through a coagulating medium, passing the thread through a generally helical path outside the medium while permitting further coagulation by medium carried thereby, then passing the thread approximately horizontally through a plasticizing medium, stretching the thread during its horizontal travel, then passing the thread through a single continuous helical path disposed at about the same level as the first helical path, subjecting the thread in succeeding zones of the helix to each of a plurality of treating liquids, completing all liquid treatments as the thread passes through the continuous helical path, and collecting the thread at a lower level substantially directly below the discharge end of the continuous helical path.

RICHARD W. STANLEY.

No references cited.

Claims (1)

1. A METHOD OF PRODUCING ARTIFICIAL THREAD COMPRISING THE STEPS OF SPINNING THE THREAD GENERALLY VERTICALLY UPWARDLY THROUGH A COAGULATING MEDIUM, PASSING THE THREAD THROUGH A GENERALLY HELICAL PATH OUTSIDE THE MEDIUM WHILE PERMITTNG FURTHER COAGULATION BY MEDIUM CARRIED THEREBY, THEN PASSING THE THREAD APPROXIMATLEY HORIZONTALLY THROUGH A PLASTICIZING MEDIUM, STRETCHING THE THREAD DURING ITS HORIZONTAL TRAVEL, THEN PASSING THE THREAD THROUGH A SINGLE CONTINUOUS HELICAL PATH, AND SUBJECT THE THREAD IN SUCCEEDING ZONES OF THE HELIX TO EACH OF A PLURALITY OF TREATING LIQUIDS.

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