US2624075A - Universal spinning frame - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 6, 1953 w. F. BIRD EI'AL 2,624,075

UNIVERSAL SPINNING FRAME Filed Feb. 4. 1947 WHITWORTH F. BIRD PHILIP T. BODELL 74 INVENTORS as I I ATTORN EY siderable time, money,

Patented Jan. 6, .1953

2,624,075 UNIVERSAL SPINNING FRAME Whitworth F. Bird, Swarthmore, Pa., and Philip T. Bodell, Lynbrook, N. Y., assignors to Collins & Aikman Corporation, corporation of Delaware Philadelphia, Pa., a

Application February 4, 1947, Serial No. 726,416

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a novel drafting device such as a final spinning frame for use in the preparation of an exceptionally large variety of textile yarn, strands, or threads, which are simultaneously twisted and wound on bobbins after drafting in the usual manner.

More particularly, the invention is directed to a draft frame having substantially universal application insofar as fiber length is concerned. By simple adjustment. it may be used for the final spinning draft of fiber stocks such as cotton, having maximum fiber lengths of approximately A," to 1%", or fiber stocks containing wool, mohair, or other fibers of lengths commonly processed on worsted type machinery.

Fiber drafting is essentially a problem of reducing a strand or strands without damage to the fibers and under controlled conditions which insure the production of commercially uniform yarns. The textile industry has devoted conand effort to this problem, and the patent and other literature reporting its findings is voluminous.

As a result of these prior efforts, standard and modern drafting machines such as spinning frames are built for a limited range of fiber lengths. These several type machines are often identified according to their usual use such as cotton frames and worsted frames. The conventional worsted frames are not used for drafting cotton and similar short fibers because of im-E' proper and insufficient fiber control, and a cotton frame cannot draft long fibers of wool, mohair, and other fibers conventionally drafted on a typical worsted frame.

' According to the present improvements, there 1 is provided a universal spinning frame capable of producing yarns which are in every way comparable with yarns spun on any of the several type frames currently used in the processing of yarn. The result is that the present requirements for a number of specialized frames to process different type yarns may be dispensed with, the flexibility of operations greatly increased, and with a considerable reduction in invested capital for plant and equipment.

These results are obtained in a preferred embodiment of our invention by providing a single apron type drafting frame and arranging therein a series of positively driven and individually adjustable rolls in contact with the apron in such a way that any one of them may constitute a back roll of a draft stage. A top roll with an independent weighting means is adjustably mounted over the selected driven roll so that both rolls contact the apron on opposite sides.

The driven rolls have a dual function in that they may be set in any desired position with the adjustable top roll and in that those driven rolls not being used to determine the proper ratch setting will or may be used as carrier rolls for fiber control and at any desired selected position. They can be moved to perform either function in the most effective manner for the particular stock being run.

An object of our invention is to provide a final spinning frame for reducing different rovings of considerable maximum fiber length variation.

Another object is to provide a fiber drafting device in which either short fibers or long fibers may be processed by resort to simple adjustment.

Another object is to provide a single apron type spinning frame in which a relatively short tension apron may be used for the processing of either short or long textile fibers.

Another object is to provide a drafting mechanism such as may be used in the final spinning process in which an unusually long ratch setting adjustment may be provided, and wherein rolls have the alternate functions of being draft stage rollers or carrier rollers which are adjustable relatively to a selected draft stage roll.

Another object is to provide a gear type drive which is readily adjustable for the entire range of draft settings provided by the improved frame.

These and other objects of invention will be manifest from a consideration of the following description, claim and drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of a preferred embodiment of the spinning frame.

Fig. 2 is a partly exploded isometric detail assembly view of the gear drive, driven rollers, and a portion of the weighting mechanism of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail of the plate for the change gear train shown in 2.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of a modification of the improved frame in which a short apron is nip driven by two rollers positioned below the path of stock travel.

Referring to the drawings, ill on which is mounted a front driven roller II. A top pressure roller i2 is spring pressed against the roller I l by means of spring l3 pressing on slidable saddle [4. The hook member [5 on which the saddle slides is threaded as at Hi to receive cap IT by which pressure is applied through the spring to the saddle M. A retaining bracket I8 is the anchoring means for the hook member l5. Clearer rolls l9 and 20 cooperate with rolls II and I2 respectively. A

Fig. 1 shows a frame and back driven rollers 25, 26,

weight 2| pivoted at 22 presses the clearer roll l9 against roll l|. When the roller I2 is adjustably fixed against movement longitudinally of the frame, pressure may be applied as desired.

Rearwardly of the front rolls is mounted a removable nose bar 23, a like bar 24, and driven rolls 25, 26, and 21. The driven roller 21 may be fixedly mounted or adjustable. The ro1ls25.

and 26 are individually adjustable with reference to the rolls II and 21. The apron 28 is looped about the nose bar 23 and passed over bar 24, the driven rollers 25, 26, and 21 and the tensioning roll 29 which is pivoted to the frame tions. A wide idler gear 85 positioned below the path of travel of the stock is driven by gear 84 and it in turn drives gear 86 which is offset from gear 84 as shown. The gear 85 is mounted on an eccentric stud 81 which, together with slotted bracket 88, permits both horizontal and vertical adjustment of gear 85 so that it may always be positioned in engagement with both gears 84 and 86 in any of their adjusted positions. The stud 81 is shown in exploded rather than actual relationship to bracket 88.

The journal blocks 9|), 9|, and 92 are constructed so that close adjustment up to approxi- ID by means of member 30 loose on stud 3|. As

more fully explained, it is frequently unnecessary that the apron pass over all the back driven rolls 25, 26 and 21. V

The nose bar 23, bar 24, and rollers 25, 26 and 21 are suitably weighted by control rollers 32, 33, 34, 35, and top pressure roll 36. Vertically grooved journal blocks of known type 31, 38, 39 and 49 and another not shown are mounted for adjustment along arm 42 which is pivoted at 43 on frame I8, and secured into position forwardly in any convenient manner. As will be understood, the grooves in these journals are to facilitate change or removal of weight control rollers and to permit them to ride the stock. The use of vertically grooved journal blocks per 'se is common practice. The journal blocks of the weighting controlrollers of the illustrated embodiments permit the same close adjustment as provided for the series of driven rolls 25, 26, and 21. A fiber condenser or guide 44 is fixed relatively to the support for the back driven roll 21.

Adjustable journal blocks (not shown) similar to 40 positions top pressure roller 85 for efiective action within the entire ratch area. Pressure is applied by means of spring 46, saddle 41, hook 48, cap 49, notched bracket 58, member and pad 52. The member 5| extends laterally on both sides of the point of pressure to substantially cover the driven rollers of two or more drafting units in the frame. The notched bracket 50 is positioned on fixed members 53, 54 and runs longitudinally of the frame between two drafting units. The front roll II and 21 are driven by a gear drive (Fig. 2). The parts are shown somewhat exploded and with certain parts removed to facilitate description and understanding of the function of the frame and drive.

The front roll I is connected to a source of power. A gear 58 and pivotable bracket 59 are mounted on the shaft 66 for roll I I. The bracket is pivotable on the roll [I to provide for the use of change gears to vary the draft or to vary the ratch for dilferent stock runs. Gear 58 engages gear 60 and through gears 6|, 62, 63, and 64 of a gear train drives gear 65 on the shaft of back roll 21. The bracket 59 is perforated at 68 and 69 to receive the gear shafts and 12. The perforation 61 receives bottom roll shaft 66 about which bracket 59 pivots when adjusted. Slots 13 and 14 provide for adjustment of the bracket and shaft 1| A second gear on the shaft of back roll 21 is the start or driving gear for a second train of gears which drive the intermediate individually adjustable rolls 25, 29. As will be seen, a bracket 80 is slotted as at 8| for pivotal and adjustable cooperation with arm 82, on which is mounted idler gear 83. Gear 83 engages gear 84 on the shaft of roller 26 in any of its adjusted posi- .mate contact of the driven back and intermediate rolls is provided. The dimensions of the journal blocks permitting this close adjustment will bereferred to hereinafter as their width. This close adjustment of rolls enables accurate positioning of control rollers and permits the two intermediate rollers to form an apron driving nip for short aprons." Slotted supports 93 and 94 are removably'secured, and engage the bar 24 and/or 23. Bracket 95 limits the forward movement of the slotted supports.

Fig. 4 shows a modification in which a pressure nip for a short apron is formed. In this modification it is shown that the direction of rotation of an intermediate roller'(outside the apron) 'may be changed as by the use of two idler gears between it and the back roll, also that gears on the two intermediate roller shafts will drive the roller looped by the apron in the proper direction. A separate drive for'the apron looped'roller may of course'be used in which case the outside roller may be positively driven at the same speed or frictionally rotated through the apron. When a separate drive is used the speed of the intermediate rollers need not be the same as the speed of the back roll 21'.

In Fig. 4, nose bar 23 and driven roller 25' determine the length of the apron stock support and the front rolls H and I2 and roll 21' determine the length of ratch. Tensioning roll 29' being yieldably mounted permits adjustment of apron 28. Idler gears H10 and I 0| driven from a gear on the shaft of back roll 21' reverse the direction of roll '26". Rolls 25' and 26' form'a driving nip for the apron 28. Weight rollers 32', 33, 34 and top pressure roll 36 are similar to those described in the other embodiments.

While the present invention contemplates the processing of long wool or mohair up to approximately 12", the great bulk of processed fibers are of shorter length. A spinning frame, according to this invention, with a. ratch length from about 1 inch up to 8 to 9 inches will provide all the versatility desired by most producers, and the smaller frame is accordingly preferred in such cases. Likewise, cotton fibers when properly weighted may be spun with approximately a 3" ratch, and hence there is no practical reason for building the frame for long wool and short cotton fibers with a ratch'range' outside these limits. A shorter ratch may be desirable for a few special runs and a shorter ratch is contemplated as within the scope of the present improvements. To this end it will be noted that the bar 24 is removably positioned in slotted support 93 and that the support 93 may be removed bodily. Similarly, the weight roller journal blocks may slide off the end of their guide 42 when such special runs are to be made. As indicated above, ordinarily this removal of parts need not be ,resorted to. H Y, 7

It may also be noted that the dimensions of and weights depending on stock requirements.

While the present improvements have been described in preferred embodiments, they are not limited thereto. The driven rollers may be smooth or rough, or the intermediate driven roller when used as an outside nip roller may be smooth and the other driven back rollers knurled or otherwise roughened.

Having described our invention according to preferred embodiments, and wishing to claim all the inventive features thereof, we claim:

In a single apron type drafting frame for strands of textile fibers, a front drawing ofi means comprising a driven front roll and associated top roll forming a nip for fibrous strands, fiber control means positioned rearwardly of said drawing off means and comprising an apron support mounted close behind said nip, a plurality of driven rolls comprising a rearward driven roll located rearwardly of said apron support and a plurality of driven rolls intermediate said rearward roll and said apron support, said rearward roll and said intermediate rolls being individually adjustable toward and away from said apron support, and toward and away from each other, an apron looped about the apron support and said rearward driven roll, means including a rear top pressure roll located exterior of the apron loop forming a nip with the rearward driven roll, additional fiber control means including a rotatable, non-ratch forming, slip draft roll superposed to the apron rearwardly of said apron support and 4 forwardly of said rear top pressure roll for contacting and controlling fibers of strands being drafted without excessive loading of the apron, means for guiding said rear top pressure roll, weighting means having a port-ion extending lengthwise of the frame so that pressure may be applied to said rear top pressure roll for a ratch forming position of less than three inches to a ratch forming position in excess of five inches, means for driving said driven rolls in any of their adjusted positions, separate weighting means for said front top pressure roll and said rear top pressure roll and means for adjusting the position of said rear weighting means independently of said front weighting means, said adjusting means including a notched bracket extending lengthwise of the frame and positioned below the center lines of the driven rolls and a hook element in operative engagement with said notched bracket and with said rear pressure roll weighting means.

WHITWORTH F. BIRD. PHILIP T. BODELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,649,322 Perutz Nov. 15, 1927 1,783,301 Morton Dec. 2, 1930 1,804,968 Blake May 12, 1931 1,827,385 Cornibert Oct. 13, 1931 1,942,329 Gegauff Jan. 2, 1934 2,177,929 Lambert Oct. 31, 1939 2,271,191 Gossett et a1 Jan. 27, 1942 2,357,982 Thomas et al. Sept. 12, 1944 2,426,425 Zalkind Aug. 26, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 9,692 Great Britain of 1915

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