US2648890A

US2648890A - Apparatus and method for combining yarns

Info

Publication number: US2648890A
Application number: US204374A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert E Mcdonald
Original assignee: EI Du Pont de Nemours and Co
Current assignee: EIDP Inc
Priority date: 1951-01-04
Filing date: 1951-01-04
Publication date: 1953-08-18
Anticipated expiration: 1970-08-18

Description

Aug. 18, 1953 R, E. MODONALD 2,648,890

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR COMBINING YARNS Filed Jan. 4, 1951 ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 18, 1953 APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR COMBINING YARNS Robert E. McDonald, Waynesboro, Va., assigner to E. 'I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Application January 4, 1951, Serial No. 204,374

(o1. .2s-71.5) I

Claims.

This invention relates to an apparatus for combining running ends of yarn to form a tow or rope of yarn, and is more particularly concerned with an apparatus for adding an end of yarn to moving yarn without interrupting the movement of the yarn` In the production of stable fiber, yarns from several creel or spinning positions may be combined into a large bundle, called a tow or rope. The tow is frequently a more convenient form in which to handle the fibers during after-treatments, including that of cutting into short lengths, called staple.

The addition of an end of yarn to moving yarn or tow is relatively easy when the yarns are wet, as the water causes the yarns to adhere. Dry hydrophilic yarns such as acetate yarn, can be combined by sponging in, i. e., the yarns are wetted to cause them to adhere. However, certain of the new synthetic fibers do not wet easily, and it is diicult to add a yarn end to running yarn or tow without interrupting movement of the yarn.

Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for adding a yarn end to running yarn or tow; particularly, an apparatus which will be effective regardless of the condition and type of yarn. Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawing and the claims.

In accordance with the present invention an apparatus is provided which comprises a slotted tube adapted to accommodate running yarn or tow and a yarn end to be added, yarn twisting means, including a tangential air inlet into the tube connected to a suitable source of air or other uid under pressure, adapted to cause a swirling motion in the tube for twisting the yarn end about the running yarn during passage through the tube, and cutting means located near the outlet of the tube and adapted to trim off excess yarn from the added end of yarn.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawing, in which,

Fig. l is a plan view of the apparatus, and

Fig. 2 is a corresponding front elevation.

The apparatus is positioned so that the completed tow will pass through the center of tube I0 and on to the next operation. A guide II is provided to keep the tow centered in the tube. Tube I0 should have an inside diameter sufficiently large to accommodate the tow Without actually contacting it, but need not exceed this minimum requirement by a great deal. An inside diameter of 5 to 20 times the diameter of the tow is suitable. The length of the tube should be at least Several times the diameter. lt may be formed of any suitable material such as metal, glass, or plastic.

The tube is provided with a lengthwise slot I2 of suicient width so that running yarns may be drawn through the slot to position them in the tube. A tangential air inlet pipe I3 is provided near the inlet end of tube I0 and arranged so that release of a blast of air through the pipe will cause air to swirl around in the tube. The pipe I3 leads to a suitable source of compressed air, the flow being controlled by valve I4.

A running yarn or tow i6 is shown passing through guide I I, tube I0 and on to the next handling means, such as draw rolls, a packaging device or the feeding device of a stable cutter. An end of yarn IB, running or stationary, to be added to yarn or tow IE is drawn through slot I2 to position it in tube I il. Ther end of yarn leaving the outlet end of the tube ,is pulled to one side and held moderately-taut. If yarn I8 is a running end, it must be pulled away from the tube at a rate sufcient to keep it taut. While this can be done manually, a more convenient method is to provide an automatic collecting device. A simple and effective device is a suction tube, the end of which is indicated at I9, which will suck the yarn end away to a suitable receptacle. The operation of this device is similar to that of a vacuum cleaner.

A cutting blade 2U is arranged near the outlet of tube I0 in position to cut oli yarn end I8 when the yarn is drawn against the blade. This may be a razor blade supported in holder ZI. The tube I0, guide II and holder 2I are held in position by any convenient means, such as being bolted to a base 22. Supports 24 and 25 are shown for holding the tube I0 at the proper distance above the base 22.

With the apparatus positioned as shown with the yarn running through it, valve I4 is opened to release a blast of air into tube I0. The blast of air causes the air in tube I0 to swirl around and twist yarn end I8 tightly about running yarn or tow I6. Thereupon yar-n end I8 is drawn against blade 20 by the movement of yarn or tow I6 and is trimmed off close to the running yarn. Valve I4 is closed and the apparatus is ready for the addition of another end of yarn to the running yarn or tow I6. The whole operation has taken only a few seconds and is simple and easy to perform with any type of yarn.

The apparatus described may be permanently mounted on other equipment in position for use when required. On the other hand, the apparatus can be made portable, by mounting on a suitable base. An operator then carries it around with him and plugs into an air hose at a station located where the apparatus is tube used; The apparatus' can1 be'- used to add an` end of: yarn directly to the main tow or rope. However, the preferred method is to secure the yarn end to; a strand of yarn of not much over. 400D .to60 0.,0, denier and then guide the strand ofyarnzinto theV main tow or rope. With this procedure the main rope does not pass through/theitubf:

While the invention has. been described' in:

terms of a preferred embodiment thereof, itisapparent that many diierentembodiments. may be made Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and it is to beunderfstood that the invention is not limited by the specific illustration except vto the extent ydefined inthe following claims;

Whatfis;l claimed is:

l. An apparatusfor addingia yarnend to run ningyarn w-hich-compi'ises'a` tubehaving a di'- ameter sufficient to accommodate running yarn and a1 yarn end to be' added, said tube being provided with. av lengthwise slot' for introducing aY yarn end, vand means including a tangential airxinlet for blowing air into saidl tube, thea-xis of saidginlet intersectinga diameter4 of said tube atta point sufciently distant from the axis of the tube to impart aswirling motion to the air in. saidftube;

2. An apparatus for adding a yarn end to running yarn which comprisesa tube having a diameter sufficient' tro-accommodate running yarn andla yarn end to be added, said-tube havinga length at least several times the diameter, said tube being prov'ided'with a lengthwise slot for introducing a yarn vend, means including a tangential air inlet for blowing air into said tube, the axis of said inlet intersecting aY diameter of' said tube at a point suiciently distant from the axis ofthetube to cause a swirling motion in said tube su'icient to twist a yarn end about the running yarn, and cutting means located adjacent to the outlet end of said tube in position to trim off excess yarn from an added end of yarn as the yarn leaves said tube.

3. An apparatus for adding a yarn end to runningyarn which comprisesfa tube adapted to accommodate-running yarn and a yarn end to be added, said tube being provided with a lengthwise slot for introducing the yarn end, a cutting .edgelocated adjacent to and directed toward the outletkend of'said tube, and means including a tangential air inlet for blowing air into said tube Withvaswirling motion adapted to cause the yarn .end to be twisted about the running yarn and be `drawn against ysaid cutting edge to trim off excessyarn-.from the yarn end.

4. A method for adding a yarn end to runningiyarn which comprises the steps of passing the running yarn and, the yarn end together through.; a restricted passageway, thereafter guiding the yarnfendi-away fromfthevrunningyarn andiin-front-,of abutting edge, and'then blowing airinto the passageway with a swirli-ng motion to cause-'the-Yyarn end to -beV twisted about-the running yarn and be drawn against the cutting edge to-triml off Yexcess yarnfrom ther yarn end.

5. AN method for adding ary-arri endto running yarn which comprises .the steps of guiding the yarn end to be added in closely parallel relationshipto the running yarn, thereafter guidingr the yarn. end away from the running yarn and in front of a cutting edge, and then blowing air with aswirling motionaround the parallelyarns to cause the yarns to be twisted together and the added yarn to be drawn against the cutting edge to trim oir excess yarnfrom the yarn end.

ROBERT E. lvloDONALD.

References Cited in the le O this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name DateA 2,302,790 Modigliani No1/221i, i942 2,412,403 Jackson.- et' al. Dec. l0, 1946 2,563,986 Bauer Aug. i4, 1951