US2654288A - Method and means for predetermining the appearance of fabricated articles - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 6, 1953 c. SAVADELIS 2,654,238

METHOD AND MEANS FOR FREDETERHINING THE APPEARANCE OF FABRICATED ARTICLES Filed llay 23. 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Tr 2 5 A R I:-

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METHOD AND MEANS FOR PREDETERMINING THE APPEARANCE OF FABRICATED ARTICLES Filed May 23. 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 TiqZ.

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METHOD AND MEANS FOR PREDETERMINING THE APPEARANCE OF FABRICATED ARTICLES Filed May 25, 1947 '4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Ticfi.

mlmpI /ier INIENTOR.

fi IGNATIUS c. SAVADELlS Oct; 1953 1. c. SAVADELIS 2,554,288

METHOD AND MEANS FOR PREDEJTERMINING THE APPEARANCE OF FABRICATED ARTICLES Filed May 23, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 llgPower I) Recordbg g device IGNATIUS C. SAVADELIS Patented Oct. 6, 1953 METHOD AND MEANS FOR PREDETERMIN- ING THE APPEARANCE 0F FABRICATED ARTICLES Ignatius C. Savadelis, Arlington, N. J., assignor to Deering Milliken Research Trust, New York, N. Y., a nonprofit trust of New York Application May 23, 1947, Serial No. 749,942

17 Claims. 1

The present invention relates primarily, although not exclusively, to the textile art and to that part of the art concerned in yarn manufacture and with the weaving of fabric therefrom. With reference to textiles, the invention is particularly concerned with the correlation between yarn or yarns and the appearance of a fabric woven with such yarn or yarns as the filling. The invention provides a method and a means for correlating such yarn or yarns with the fabric that does not depend upon, nor require, actual weaving of the fabric.

Heretofore, in order to determine the suitability of a particular yarn for weaving, it has always been necessary to actually weave the yarn into fabric on a loom. This involves time and material, both of which are wasted when the fabric is found to be unsatisfactory. Furthermore, little or no indication can be obtained by this method as to what changes in yarn characteristics would be advisable for improvement of the resulting fabric. It would thus be of great value to the industry to be able to know, without actually going through the'weaving process, just how the fabric would appear if it were woven, and also how its appearance would change with change in characteristics of the yarn. With this information readily available, appearance of satisfactory fabric could be proved prior to the weaving thereof, with consequent reduction, if not elimination, of production of fabric rejects or seconds.

The present invention provides a method and means for substantially obtaining this information. Pictures" substantially simulating the appearance of fabric to be woven from a particular yarn are obtained from measurements and recordings of yarn diameter variations. The method of the invention is based on the fact that banding in fabric results from periodically recurring relatively long term diameter variations in the yarn used as the filling or weft.

It is the diameter of the filling yarn, therefore, which, in accordance with the invention is continuously measured and recorded for production of the picture of the fabric that can be woven 2 width variations, on the moving surface, a substantial picture of fabric weavable from the yarn is obtained. Depending on the type of recording device used, a uniform shading, or a uniform width of line, will indicate uniform yarn diameter, whereas uneven shading or uneven width of line will indicate non-uniform yarn diameter. In the measurement of the yarn diameter, a signal for control of the recording device is obtained and this signal, if the diameter variations of the yarn are of several different periodicities, and the yarn is fed at a constant rate of speed, will contain frequencies coresponding to these periodicities. If one or more of these frequencies in the signal are suppressed or if current of one or more additional frequencies is added to the signal current, the picture produced by the recorder will be altered. In this manner, desired corrections in yarn diameter variations in order to improve or change a fabric to be produced, can be determined without actual weaving of the fabric. Furthermore, a signal current can be synthesized without reference to any actual yarn to determine the appearance of a fabric weavable from a yarn that would create such signal thus, in effect predetermining desired yarn characteristics before manufacture of the yarn or weaving of the fabric. Other uses of the invention, both with relation to the textile art and to other arts, will become apparent as the description proceeds.

For a better understanding of the invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawings of which:

Fig. 1 is a diagram of one form of apparatus utilizing a facsimile type of recording device and representing one embodiment of the invention;

Figs. 2 and 3 are diagrammatic representations of alternative types of recording devices suitable for use in the system of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a partial plan view of the type of picture obtainable by the invention.

Figs. 4a, 4b and 4c are enlarged and exaggerated partial plan views of the fabric pictures" of the types produced by the apparatus of Figs. 1, 2 and 3, respectively.

Fig. 5 is a diagram representing an apparatus adapted to give a picture of a fabric to be woven from two different filling yarns;

Fig. 5a is detail representing an alternative arrangement for part of the system of Fig. 5, and

Fig. 6 is a diagram of apparatus for synthesizing a signal current and producing a fabric picture therefrom.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 1, a picture of fabric weavable with yarn 2 as a filling is produced on a moving sheet f of electrosensitive paper. The yarn 2 is fed at a constant rate of speed, as by means of constant speed rolls 6, past a diameter measuring device and the sheet 4 is moved at a constant slow rate, as by means of a constant speed drum 8; the rate of movement of the sheet 4 corresponding to that of the warp on a loom. In the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 1, the diameter measuring device comprises a pair of balanced photocells l and I2 positioned to receive light from a suitable source [4. A light beam from source I l passes through a lens and aperture system l6 and is directed toward the photocell Ill. The yarn 2 intercepts some of the light of the beam so that the current through cell 10 will vary inversely with the diameter of the yarn. A suitable light valve 18 is positioned between the source Hi and the balancing photocell i2; cells 10 and I2 being connected in series across a center grounded battery 20. A resistor 22 is connected at one end to the lead connecting the anode of cell It] with the cathode of cell l2 and has its other end grounded. With this arrangement, if the circuit is balanced, as by adjustment of light valve I8, before yarn 2 is introduced between the source and cell [0, the presence of the yarn will cause a potential difference to appear across resistor 22 which is directly proportional to the diameter of the yarn. The potential difference across resistor 22, after amplification in an amplifier 24, is applied across a fixed conducting bar 26 and a conducting wire or ribbon 28; sheet 6 passing between bar 26 and wire 28. The wire or ribbon 28 is mounted on a cylinder 30 that is rotated at constant speed as by a motor 32. The surface of cylinder 30 has a groove therein for reception of the ribbon 28; the groove being in the form of a pair of coterminal opposite half turns of a helix of a pitch twice the length of the cylinder. The operation of the recording device comprising the sheet 4, bar 26 and ribbon 28 is similar to that of the wellknown facsimile device except that, because of the form of groove containing wire 28, both the forward and return periods are of equal duration. In accordance with the invention, the cylinder 36 is driven at a speed such that, for the particular rate of feed of yarn,2, each half revolution of the cylinder 30 will correspond to one pick of the loom upon which the yarn could be woven. Specifically, if it is desired to predetermine the appcarance of fabric 54 inches wide woven with yarn 2 as a filling, and if yarn 2 is fed at 9 feet per second, then cylinder 30 is driven so as to make one revolution per second, that is, one half revolution for each 54 inches of yarn. As in the usual facsimile device, the potential difference between the bar 26 and wire 28 causes an arc through the sheet 4 at the point of contact of the bar and wire which darkens the sheet at such point in accordance with the magnitude of the potential difference. Thus, with the above described apparatus of Fig. 1 a closely spaced zigzag line corresponding to the filling of a fabric will appear on the sheet 4 with variations in yarn diameter appearing as variations in the depth of shade of the lines. The ratio of the rate of movement of the sheet to that of the loom should be equal to the ratio of the number of half turns of cylinder 30 to the number of picks on an actual loom in the same time interval, provided the width of the lines on sheet 1 representing the yarn is substantially equal to the average diameter of the yarn. If the width of the line is, say,

4 one half of average yarn diameter, than the rate of travel of sheet 4 should be one half of that above indicated.

A satisfactory simulation of fabric filling is obtained when the sheet l is moved at a slow, uniform rate, as above described, but if desired, the sheet 4 could be moved intermittently in accordance with actual movement of the warp on a loom. In such case, instead of a closely spaced zigzag line, a series of parallel lines would be obtained on the sheet; each line being a recording made during a period when the sheet was stationary, and the spacing of the lines resulting from the movement of the chart.

In all of the above description of the system of Fig. 1, it has been assumed that the output of amplifier 24 was connected directly to the indicating device so that the fabric picture corresponded with the actual yarn. In order to alter the picture, for example, to eliminate banding indicated thereby, the output of amplifier 24 may be delivered to the recording device through an adjustable filter 34 and rectifier 36. The filter 34 should be of the type that is adjustable to suppress any desired frequency. If banding is indicated by the picture, the periodicity of the yarn can be readily estimated, as the rate of travel of the sheet 4 with reference to the rate of rotation of cylinder 30 is known, as is the length of yarn corresponding to each pick. From the periodicit of the diameter variations as thus estimated and from the known rate of feed of the yarn, the corresponding frequency in the signal from amplifier 24 may be determined. Filter 34 can be adjusted to suppress such frequency and the result upon the fabric picture noted. Further adjustment of the filter, if necessary, can be made to insure complete suppression of banding in the fabric. A switch 38 may be provided for cutting the filter 34 out of the circuit when the recording device is to be responsive to all frequencies in the signal.

If the effect upon the fabric of the addition of periodic diameter variations is to be determined, corresponding frequency components can be inserted into the signal, as by means of an oscillator 35, the frequency of which may be varied to provide the desired frequency and which may be connected to the control circuit by closure of switch 31.

If a fabric picture is desired in which the diameter variations are indicated as changes in line width rather than as changes in depth of shade, the indicating device of Fig. 2 could be substituted for the facsimile type of recorder of Fig. 1. In Fig. 2 a cathode ray tube is indicated diagrammatically at 40, its horizontal and vertical deflection plates at 42 and 44, respectively, and its screen at 46. For simplicity, the other elements of the conventional tube have been omitted from the drawing. In accordance with the invention, the horizontal deflection plates 12 are connected to a sawtooth generator 48 that creates a sawtooth voltage having equal periods of growth and decay and a frequency so correlated to the rate of feed of yarn as to cause the electron beam to sweep across the field of screen 46 once during measurement of a length of yarn equal to the width of the fabric. Thus, one complete cycle of generator 48 is equal to two picks of the loom and corresponds with one complete revolution of cylinder 30 of the facsimile type of recorder of Fig. l. The vertical deflection plates 24 are connected to a suitable vertical sweep control generator 50. the frequency of which is correlated to the rate of movement of the warp, as in the case of the feed of sheet 4 of Fig. 1. The plates 44 are connected also to a high frequency oscillator 52, the output of which is modulated in modulator 54 by the amplified signal from the yarn metering device. The screen 46 may be one having a high persistence or it may be a sensitive photographic film if permanent fabric pictures are desired. With the recording device of Fig. 2, variations of yarn diameter will amplitude modulate the output of the high frequency generator and hence cause variations in width of the bands on screen 46 corresponding to the yarn. With an oscillator of sufficiently high frequency, the high frequency oscillations on the screen 46 will not be apparent to the naked eye, but the amplitude variations will appear as variations in band width.

Another type of recording device that will give a picture wherein diameter variations appear as variations in band width rather than in depth, is indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 3. In this embodiment of the invention a light valve is controlled in response to the signal and the fabric picture is produced on a photographic film. The light valve is indicated diagrammatically as comprising a source of light 56, a pair of diaphragms 58 and 60, each having a slotted aperture therein and a condensing lens system 62. Diaphragm 60 is fixed and diaphragm 58 movable in response to the control signal so as to vary the amount of light reaching the lens system from the source by variation in the amount that the aperture of diaphragm 58 overlaps that of diaphragm 88. Diaphragm 58 is mechanically connected to a small movable coil 64 carried on the core 66 of a permanent magnet 68; the coil 64 being in the control circuit for energization in response to the control signal. The lens system 62 focuses the light beam upon a small mirror or prism which is positioned to reflect the beam on to a photographic film 12. The film 12, like sheet 4 of Fig. 1, is moved at a rate simulating the movement of the warp on a loom. Mirror 10 is mounted on a rack 13 which is reciprocated by half gears 15 to cause the beam of light to sweep back and forth across the film l2 transversely of the direction of movement of the film. The rate of reciprocation of the mirror is correlated with the rate of feed of the yarn so that each sweep of the beam corresponds to one pick of the loom. As with the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 2, the fabric picture will be one in which variations in yarn diameter appear as variations in band width. rather than as variations in depth of shade.

Irrespective of whether the recording device is of the type of Fig. 1, Fig. 2 or Fig. 3, the general appearance, particularly when seen from a distance, of the fabric picture obtained by the invention will be substantially the same for the same yarn, and this particularly true if the yarn diameter is small. Fig. 4 illustrates such a fabric picture.

From Fig. 4, it is apparent that the particular yarn from which control signals were obtained for producing the picture has long term diameter variations recurring periodically therein, as banding is evident to the eye. If the picture of Fig. 4 was obtained by a recording device of the type of Fig. l, or, for example, by a cathode ray tube in which the intensity of the beam was controlled in response to the control signal, magnification of the picture would disclose bands of the type shown in Fig. 4a. In Fig. 4a, the bands 14a represent stretches of yarn of one diameter and the bands 16a, of deeper shade, represent stretches of yarn of larger diameter. If the picture" of Fig. 4 was obtained by the indicating device of Fig. 2, magnification would disclose individual lines of the picture as closely spaced oscillations of differing amplitude as in Fig. ib, wherein, stretches of yarn of one diameter are indicated by Mb and stretches of yarn of greater diameter are indicated by llib. Similarly, magnification of a fabric picture recorded by the apparatus of Fig. 3 would appear as in Fig. 40, with bands "14c representing stretches of yarn of one diameter and wider band 760 representing stretches of yarn of greater diameter.

If a "picture of fabric woven with two different filling yarns is desired, the apparatus of Fig. 5 may be employed. In this embodiment, the recording device is shown as that of Fig. 1. As in Fig. 1, the sheet i is driven at speed corre sponding to that of the warp, and cylinder 30 is rotated in accordance with the pick of the loom, that is, one half revolution for each pick. One filling yarn 2a is fed by rolls 6a of which only one is shown in the drawing), and the other filling yarn is fed by rolls 6?). Rolls Ga and 6b are alternately driven at equal speeds. During rotation of rolls 6a, a control signal corresponding to the diameter of yarn 2a is delivered to amplifier 24 for control of the recording device, while during rotation of rolls 6b, a control signal corresponding to the diameter of yarn 2b is delivered to the amplifier 24; the relative duration of the feeds of yarns 2a and 2b depending upon the relative number of consecutive picks of each filling yarn desired in the fabric. Any suitable means for consecutively stopping and starting the feeds of yarns 2a and 222 and synchronously connecting the respective metering devices into circuit with the recording device can be employed. In the particular embodiment of th invention illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 5, a contact arm 73 is continuously rotated by any suitable means (not shown) so as to alternately engage semiannular fixed contacts 8|) and 82. Arm 18 is connected to the positive terminal of a battery 84, the negative terminal of which is grounded. Contact segment 89 is connected in parallel to winding 86a of a differential relay 8% and to winding 88a of a differential relay 88 and contact segment 32 is connected in parallel to the other windings 86b and 88b of relays 35 and 88, respectively. Relay 56 controls the position of the movable member of a switch 90 which in one position connects th metering circuit for yarn 2a to the amplifier 24 and in the other position connects the metering circuit for yarn 2b to the amplifier. Relay 88 controls the drive of the rolls 6a and 611. A stub shaft 92, which is driven at a constant rate, as by a belt 94, is shiftable longitudinally by a pivoted yoke 96 under control of relay 3B. In one position of shaft 92, it is coupled, as by means of a friction clutch 98a to a shaft lillla for driving rolls Ba through suitable pinion gears 192a, and in the other position, it is coupled through friction clutch 98?) with shaft lUDb for driving rolls 6b through pinion gears 1021). With the arrangement just described and with segments and 82 of equal length, successive equal numbers of picks of the different yarns will be pictured in the fabric on sheet l.

Instead of stopping and starting the rotation of the driven feed rolls 6a and 6b of Fig. 5, the alternative arrangement indicated diagrammatically in Fig. a could be employed. In this arrangement a feed roll I is driven continuously at a constant speed, and feed of yarn is intermittently interrupted by retraction of the idler roll la. The retraction of the idler roll may be effected through a pivoted yoke arm 95 under control of a solenoid 89, energized from the rotary switching device. It will be understood that Fig. 5a illustrates the arrangement for control of the feed of both filling yarns of Fig. 5.

The metering circuits for yarn 2a and 2b have been shown in Fig. 5 as similar to that of Fig. 1, that is, as including balancing photocells. For convenience, the light sources, lens system and light valves, have been omitted from Fig. 5.

Instead of the commutating arrangement of Fig. 5 for alternately recording the picks of each filling yarn while the sheet l is moved at constant speed, a record could first be made on sheet 4 of one yarn, with the sheet 4 so moved as to leave spaces corresponding to picks of the other yarn and then the sheet run through the recording device while the other yarn is metered to fill in the spaces left on sheet 4.

Many types of diameter metering devices, mechanical, pneumatic, and electrical are known in the art. The invention, therefore, is not to be limited to the particular type of meter utilizing photoelectric cells, illustrated in the drawings, as any device operable to create a control signal varying with the yarn diameter could be employed.

When it is desired to predetermine charac teristics, that is yarn diameter variations, that will yield a desired fabric when woven, a control signal may be synthesized without reference to preexisting yarn and, if desired, yarn spun in accordance with such synthesized signal. Such an arrangement is illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 6. In this embodiment of the invention, any number of a plurality of oscillators, O1, O2 and 03 may be connected in parallel to amplifier 24 by means of switches S1, S2 and S3. The oscillators may be constant frequency oscillators, each of a different frequency, or they may be variable frequency oscillators as desired. A suitable source of direct current, indicated by the terminals I04 is connected across a resistor I06, and a movable tap I08 on resistor I06 is connected to amplifier 25 to provide a direct current component of the signal corresponding to average yarn diameter. In the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 6, the tap I08 is shifted at intervals to increase substantially the direct current to the amplifier; the period of increased current being small compared to the intervals therebetween. This abrupt and short term increase in direct current, corresponding to the introduction of slubs into the yarn, may be effected by any suitable cam means, as for example, by the disc IID having an indentation II2 on its surface and the small roller I I4 which is carried by one arm of a pivoted bell crank lever I I6 and which rides on the surface of cam disc IIEI; contact I08 being carried on the other arm of lever I I6. Disc I I0 is driven by a motor I I8 energized from any suitable source of power. A rheostat I is included in the energizing circuit of the motor so as to permit different periods of slub injection if desired. With the above described circuit, a control signal having a wide range of frequency components, may be synthesized for application to a recording device connected to the amplifier output. One, two or all three of the oscillators may be connected to the amplifier and slub injection of any desired periodicity, or no slub injection if desired, may be incorporated. The recording device for observing the appearance of fabric that could be woven from yarn having diameter variations which would yield a control signal such as could be synthesized by the apparatus of Fig. 6 has not been included in that figure as it will be understood that the device of any one of Figs. 1 to 3 could be employed.

When the desired control signal has been synthesized as determined by reference to the fabric picture of the recording device, the control signal may be used to control the production of yarn during the spinning thereof as indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 6, or a record made of the number and frequencies of the oscillators in circuit, of the direct current input and of the rate of slub injection, if any, and the record used at a later time for synthesizing a control signal for control of the spinning operation. Control of yarn diameter during spinning may be effected by varying the draft ratio, that is the ratio of the peripheral speed of the draft rolls to that of the back or feed rolls, of a spinning mechanism. In Fig. 6, one of a pair of draft rolls of a spinning mechanism is indicated at I22, and one of a pair of feed rolls is indicated at I24. The feed rolls I2 3, which it will be understood rotate at a lower rate than the draft rolls, are conical in shape and are rotated at constant speed. A trumpet I26, which collects the roving I28 for delivery to the feed rolls, is movable longitudinally along the rolls I2 5 for varying the location at which the rovings are nipped by the rolls, and thus to vary the rate of feed of the roving in accordance with the peripheral speed at the nips. The position of the trumpet I26 is controlled by a solenoid I30 energized by the control signal when switch S4 is closed; a suitable compression spring I32 acting in opposition to the action of the solenoid. Thus, when the control signal increases, trumpet H6 is moved toward the end of rolls I2 3 of greatest diameter to increase the rate of feed of roving I28 and thereby reduce the draft ratio and correspondingly increase the diameter of the yarn I2Ila upon emergence from the draft rolls I22. Conversely, a decrease in the control signal causes an increase in draft ratio and reduction in yarn diameter.

The particular means, incorporating conical rollers, for varying draft ratio to vary yarn diameter, apart from the means of synthesizing a control current and for obtaining a fabric picture forms no part of the present invention. In a copending application, Ser. No. 735,457, filed March 18, 1947, of Donald G. C. Hare, to which reference may be had, various alternative means for varying draft ratio for the control of the diameter of yarn during the spinning operation are disclosed, each of which could be advantageously employed in the system of the present invention. The said copending application discloses also various alternative types of yarn diameter measuring devices which could likewise be advantageously employed in the present system.

If it is desired to produce fabric from continuous filament yarn and to predetermine the yarn characteristics that would produce a desired fabric pattern, the synthesized control signal of Fig. 6 could be employed to control the diameter of the continuous filament yarn during spinning nozzles, or by control of the size of orifices through which the filaments are extruded, or by control of the temperature of the bath.

The invention has now been described with reference to yarn and fabric weavable therefrom. As applied to yarns and fabrics, it is apparent that the invention provides a novel method and means for correlating yarn and fabric without requiring actual yarn or actual fabric as the arn may be determined by reference to a control signal and the fabric may be pictured from such signal. It will be apparent from the foregoing description that in each embodiment of the invention the final picture is created by the use of a recording device of the type wherein the point or locus on a record receiving sur face at which the signal receiving element of the device reproduces or records the signal shifts back and forth across the surface and either the surface is moved transversely to the path of the recording, as in the embodiments of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1, 3 and 5, or the path of the recording is shifted, as in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 2, to space equal consecutive lengths of the recorded signal. As these recording devices operate on the general principle of a facsimile recorder the term facsimile type recording device is employed for convenience in the appended claims to denote any device of the above character.

I claim:

1. The method of obtaining a visual representation simulating a fabric that could be woven with two yarns as filling which comprises measuring the diameter of one of the yarns during longitudina} travel thereof, consecutively graphically portraying the diameter measurements of successive lengths of the yarn in spaced bands each extending back and forth across a surface in closely spaced stretches with characteristics of each stretch varying from one end to the other in accordance with the measured yarn diameter variations similarlv measuring the diameter of successive lengths of the other .vam during longitudinal travel thereof and similarly graphically portraying such diameter measurements in spaced bands each extending back and forth across the surface and alternating with the bands portraying the first yarn.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the yarn diameter variations are graphically portrayed as variations in depth of shade of the stretches.

3. The method of determining the suitability of yarn for weaving which comprises continuously measuring the diameter of yarn along successive lengths thereof each equal to one pick in a loom upon which the yarn would be woven into fabric, moving a surface in simulation of the movement of warp threads on a loom and graphically portraying on the surface the diameter measurements of successive lengths of the yarn as a series of stretches of a band extending back and forth across the surface and each having characteristics varying along its length with yarn diameter variations in the corresponding length of yarn, whereby a visual representation of the filling of a fabric weavable from such yarn is obtained.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein the yarn diameter variations are graphically portrayed as variations in depth of shade of the stretches.

5. The method according to claim 3 wherein the yarn diameter variations are graphically portrayed as variations in width of the stretches.

6. The method of correlating periodicities of yarn diameter variations with the appearance of fabric weavable from the yarn which comprises continuously measuring the diameter of the yarn during unidirectional longitudinal travel thereof to obtain an electrical current varying with the diameter variations, graphically portraying said current as a succession of back and forth closely spaced stretches of a band having char acteristics varying along their lengths in accordance with the corresponding current variations to simulate the filling of a cloth weavable by the yarn, and suppressing at least one frequency component of the created current to correspondingly alter the simulation of the filling and thereby portra the effect upon a fabric filling of the suppression of the corresponding periodicity of diameter variations in the yarn.

7. The method of correlating periodicities of yarn diameter variations with the appearance of fabric weavable from the yarn which comprises continuously measuring the diameter of the yarn during unidirectional longitudinal travel thereof to obtain an electrical current varying with the diameter variations, graphically portraying said current as a succession of back and forth closely spaced stretches of a band having characteristics varying along their lengths in accordance with the corresponding current variations to simulate the filling of a cloth weavable by the yarn, and adding at least one frequency component to the created current to correspondingly alter the simulation of the filling and thereby portray the effect upon a fabric filling of the addition of the corresponding periodicity of diameter variations in the yarn.

8. Apparatus for obtaining a picture of fabric weavable from yarn comprising the combination with means for creating a control signal varying with yarn diameter, of a facsimile type recording device having a surface for reception thereon of the picture, said device including an indicating element operable to record on said surface and influenced by said control signal, means for causing the location at which the indicating element records on said surface to sweep back and forth across the surface in equal periods of time, a visible band extending across said surface and having characteristics along its length varying with yarn diameter being produced with each sweep and means for creating relative movement between said surface and the location of production of the band in a direction substan tially transverse to the direction of sweep of the location of recording to cause the band to have the appearance of a fabric filling.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said recording device is a cathode ray tube having an electronic beam forming means, two sets of sweep control means and a screen, the screen comprising the member for reception of the picture, one set of sweep control means causing the electron beam to sweep back and forth across the screen in equal time intervals and the other set of sweep control means causing the beam during its sweep to oscillate with an amplitude varying with the control signal and to cause the relative movement between the screen and the location of production of the band.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the screen of said cathode ray tube is a photographic film.

11. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said recording device is a facsimile recorder having a rotatable cylinder, a contact wire carried thereby of the form of opposite half turns of a helix of a pitch equal to twice the length of the cylinder and a fixed contact bar positioned for electrical engagement with successive points of said contact wire during rotation of the cylinder, said contact wire, contact bar and cylinder comprising the means for successively producing the visible band, and wherein the last mentioned means of said claim is adapted to move, transversely to said fixed contact bar, an electro-sensitive sheet positioned between said contact wire and bar whereby diameter variations appear as variations in depth of shade of the stretches of said band.

12. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said recording device comprises a source of light, a movable reflector for reflecting light from said source onto a photographic film and a valve positioned between said source and said reflector and controlled by said signal and wherein said last mentioned means moves the film transverse- 1y to the direction of movement of the light beam during movement of said reflector whereby diameter variations appear on said film as variations in width of the stretches of the band.

13. Apparatus according to claim 8 including means for suppressing at least one frequency component of the control signal whereby the effect of suppression of the corresponding periodicity of diameter variation in the yarn on the graphical portrayal of fabric weavable therefrom may be obtained.

14. Apparatus according to claim 8 including means for injecting at least one frequency component into the control signal whereby the effect of the superposition of diameter variations to the yarn on the graphical portrayal of fabric weavable therefrom may be determined.

15. In apparatus of the type described, the combination comprising a yarn diameter measuring device adapted to measure continuously the diameter of successive lengths of yarn for creating a control current having alternating and direct current components therein, a facsimile type recording device controlled by said current and having equal back and forth sweep periods for producing a plurality of closely spaced back and forth stretches of a visible band simulating the filling of a woven fabric and having characteristics along the lengths of the stretches varying with said control current, and means for independently varying components of the current to change the appearance of the recording produced by said device.

16. The method of determining the suitability of a filling yarn for weaving into a fabric of a given width of X inches which comprises obtaining a picture simulating the filling of a woven fabric by causing unidirectional longitudinal travel of the yarn at a rate of X inches in T seconds, continuously measuring the diameter of the yarn at a fixed location in its path of travel to create a control signal varying in intensity with the diameter of the yarn and impressing the created control signal upon the recording element of a facsimile type recording device modifled to have equal back and forth sweep periods of duration each of T seconds while moving a record receiving surface relative to the recording element and in a direction at right angles to the sweep direction at a rate corresponding to the movement of a warp in a loom.

17. In a system for predetermining the appearance of the filling of a fabric weavable with a given yarn, a facsimile type recording device, means for modifying the action of said facsimile type recording device to equalize the periods of forward and return sweeps of the recording element thereof, means for moving the record receiving surface of the device relative to the recording element at a rate corresponding to the movement of a warp in a loom, means for advancing the yarn longitudinally at a rate equivalent to one pick of a loom on which fabric would be woven from such yarn for each period of sweep of the recording element, means creating a control signal varying in intensity with the diameter of the yarn at a fixed location in its path, and means for impressing the control signal on the recording element of the recording device;

IGNATIUS C. SAVADELIS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,848,862 Young Mar. 8, 1932 1,915,204 Scheibld et a1 June 20, 1933 2,037,044 Reinartz et a1 Apr. 14, 1936 2,292,045 Burnett -1 Aug. 4, 1942 2,304,645 Keeler Dec. 8, 1942 2,403,983 Koenig, J'r July 16, 1946 2,403,986 Lacy July 16, 1946 2,403,997 Potter July 16, 1946 2,412,310 Young Dec. 10, 1946 2,520,936 Ingham, Jr. Sept. 5, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 327,880 Italy July 19, 1935

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