US2738144A - Textile package - Google Patents

Description

March 13, 1956 F. HoNlG TEXTILE PACKAGE 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Juni 25, 1952 Zz W .F.lll lllf.

March 13, 1956 F. HoNlG TEXTILE PACKAGE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 25, 1952 March 13, 1956 F, HONIG 2,738,144

TEXTILE PACKAGE Filed June 25, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 UnitedStates Patent O ice TEXTILE PACKAGE Frank Honig, Edgewood, R. i.

Application June 25, 1952, Serial No. 295,439

6 Claims. (Cl. 242-159) used in a continuous process, `directly from the delivery f end of a filament-forming apparatus. In the manufacture of strand material, such as rayon tow or continuous filaments of other synthetic material according to certain methods, at least, the constituent filaments forming such a strand initially vary in length as measured between any two spaced points in the length of the strand; This is due to the practical difficulty of forming the larnents at exactly the same linear velocity. Thus, if such a strand be gripped at two points spaced apart, it will be found that between said points some of the filaments will be substantially straightwhile others will be slack or loose.

It is a general practicel in the prior art to make uniform the lengths of the several components of a multi-filament strand by stretching itin a straight line between two points. After such treatment the several filaments constituting the strand will be of equal length when the strand is straight. However, when such strand is wound into a package on a circular or other core, the filaments which are on the outer circumference of the yarn bunch will have to be longer when straight than the filaments at the inner circumference of the yarn bunch in order to equalize the convolutions in the wound package. This is also true at the point where the yarn bunch is reciprocated or the distribution reversedat the ends of the distributing stroke in winding a package. Vlt may be explained that, the length variation due to convolute winding may be as much as one inch or more inten feet of normally straight filament in a yarn bunch comprising fifty filaments of three hundred denier.

A similar situation exists in the prior art when a tow of substantially Vparallel filaments is twisted to form a twisted yarn. In such case some of the component filaments remain substantially straight inthe center of the twisted'yarn and act as a core, while others of the filaments of the same bunch are woundvor twisted about the straight core filaments in forming the yarn.

According to the present invention the filament length of a bunch of yarn `or tow is circumferentially equalized in situ on a supporting c ore when it is wound to form a package, or about the cor'e filaments when it is wound or twisted to form a yarn, although "it is perhaps more accurate to say that, in accordance with the present invention, the individual laments constituting a bunch are stretched to the variable length requirement of each individual filament, in a convolution in situ, with relation to its specific position within said convolution and thus the 2,738,144 Patented Mar. 13, 1956 stresses in the convolutions are equalized and the tensile strength of the yarn is increased.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide means for use in winding a self-sustaining package from strand material such as above described, thereby to insure that each individual constituent filament of the tow or strand, no matter what particular position such filament may occupy in a given convolution, will be wound with a degree of tension such that each individual filament will eectively contribute to resist the bursting action of centrifugal force when the wound package is rotated at high speed. It may be explained here that in the prior art, when a tow of uniform length filaments is twisted to forma twisted strand or when such tow or strand is wound into convoluted form on a core, such of the constituent filaments which need to be longer, due to their particular position in situ in the twisted or convoluted tow or yarn, will retain substantially their original length, while such of the constituent filaments which should be shorter, due to their particular position in situ in the twisted or convoluted tow or yarn, will crinkle or form small loops and will contribute practically nothing to the tensile strength of the twisted yarn or to the holding action of a convolution wound on a core to resist the centrifugal bursting stresses when such wound core is rotated at very high speed, and which cause entanglement of the convolutions when unwinding from the core.

Another object is to provide for the attenuating or winding, or both, of a strand comprising bunched or twisted filaments, staple fibers, or both, at any stress from zero (practically speaking) to a stress just below the breaking point of said strand, While maintaining the initial, substantially uniform twist throughout the entire length of said strand, that is, without backing up the twist in the strand towards the supply package, which, otherwise, would cause localized twist gradient or twist variation in sections of the strand.

Another object is to provide a resilient, positive, rolling gripping point for the strand or tow, and to locate said point in a neutral position with respect to the longitudinal stresses in said strand or tow, so that it willalways maintain a positive gripping action independently'of any stress variation in the strand orl ltow being operated on, that is to say, to provide a constantly shifting, positively gripping pinch zone capable of holding a filament or strand with any force from practical zero to the breaking point ofthe filament or strand Without in any way damaging, as by abrasion, distortion, or otherwise, a continuous filament, and without removing any of the fibers from a strand comprising Staple fibers as by stripping, for example:- in other words, a positive pinch zone which is neutral in its action. A furtherobject is to provide a mechanical embodiment adapted to accomplish the desired stressing independently of any particular degree of attenuation, or

to attain a desired attenuation independently of any particular degree of stressing, but, in either case, to produce an equalization of the filament length in the twisted or wound convolution as such or the maintenance of the initial distribution of twist, or both.

A further object is to provide for the winding of a self-supporting package on a tubular core, without head or fianges, in such a way that said package may be mounted on and rotated by a spindle at a rotative speed equivalent to a centrifugal disrupting force producedV by a peripheral speed of from say to 400 miles per hour, more or less, on the outside periphery of the yarn package, without exploding said package.

Another object is to prevent waste formation from yarn madeof staple fibers, as by the stripping action of the prior art tension devices, and thus retain all fibers from the shortest to the longest, and to retain the twist fully and in its original position in the yarn.

Another object is to provide means for high speed crystalline orientation of uniform degree of filatmentary materials, capable of being so oriented, by means of attenuation without in any way damaging, as by abrasion for example, the delicate filaments.

Another object is to provide for the high speed drafting of filaments, pretwisted to form a strand, while maintaining a substantially uniform twist in the drawn section throughout the entire length of said strand.

A further object is to produce equalized stresses in filaments to produce a more uniform and stronger end product at a substantially higher speed, lower cost, and with less materials than heretofore possible with prior art methods and devices.

Other objects and advantages will become clear and apparent to those experienced in the prior art as the description of certain selected embodiments of the invention proceed.

Novel apparatus, in accordance with the invention and for use in attaining same on all of the above objects, may comprise a single set of strand-controlling rolls or a plurality of such sets, according to the effect which is desired. In apparatus employing a single set of rolls the strand approaches the rolls at low and sometimes variable stresses, and is drawn away from the rolls at a substan` tially higher and at all times at a substantially more uniform stress, the amount of stress being predetermined by suitable adjustmentprovided therefor.

In apparatus employing successive sets of rolls, the

strand, as it approaches the rolls, is drawn in at low .l

stress, either variable or uniform, and is delivered by the rolls at substantially uniform and, if desired, at near zero stress.

The apparatus employing one set of rolls is usually employed when a comparatively small percentage of linear attenuation is desired, primarily to equalize any length variation in the individual filatments of which the strand Vis. comprised, such as required in a strand of continuous filaments having uniform length when straight or when it is desired to discharge or withdraw the strand at a uniform and predetermined higher stress than that at which itis received, and simultaneously to maintain substantially uniform twist throughout the entire length of the strand, without backing up the twist towards the supply end of the strand being operated on, or when it is desired to prevent waste formation of staple fiber yarns or damage, as by abrasion for example, to continuous filament.

This form of the apparatus is used, in general, in situations where the filament, tow, yarn or strand is wound up into a package at the take-up end of continuous yarn spinning apparatus, or re-wound from one type of package to another type of package used or desirable in processing such filament, tow, yarn or strand.

When prior art devices are used in such processing, the filament, tow or strand is usually provided with suitable protective size or other surfaceY additions to prevent damage to the filaments or strand, or to agglutinate the parallel filaments in a zero twist tow, these additions being subsequently removed from the yarn, as by boiling for example.

When the apparatus of the present invention is used for such processing, no size or otherV surface protecting addition or agglutination is required, and a zero twist tow or a bunch-twisted strand may be operated on at substantially higher speeds than possible with prior art devices and without the costly addition of agglutinating, sizing or other surface-protecting materials. Moreover, by the use of the present invention, a substantially stronger yarn can be produced; thus, due to the absence of damage r stripping a yarn is produced having tensile strength of from to 80% higher than that produced with the prior art devices. The higher tensile strength is further enhanced by the fact that with the use of this invention substantially-al1 the staple Alib ers are retained in the yarn and a uniform twist gradient can be maintained throughout the entire length of a twisted strand while at the same time substantially higher stresses may be used in winding a package for use in subsequent operations. rThus, it has been made possible to wind headless packages of the self-supporting type with such stresses and uniformity, without damage to the filaments in the strand or tow; that the package may be mounted on high speed spindles for twisting purposes and operated on at speeds of, for example, between 15,000 and 35,000 R. P. M., with tie outside diameter of the package of such dimensions as will produce a peripheral speed of, for instance, from 150 to 400 miles per hour, without centrifugally exploding the package,

It is also possible to equalize the length of the component filaments in a zero twist tow of continuous filaments, wind it into a headless package with such stresses as are needed to resist the centrifugal, exploding force at speeds above mentioned, and to twist the initially Zero twist tow at such high speeds in a single operation, with out surface-protecting size on the filaments, and to provide a finished yarn having higher tensile strength and greater twist uniformity than it has been possible to obtain, so far as is known, by the art of any prior art, method or device.

As above noted, the apparatus which comprises but a single pair of rolls is particularly useful in situations where only a comparatively small percentage of attenuation is desired in a limited number of the component filaments, primarily to equalize the lament length in the particular position it has in a given convolution, in situ, and where the operation is of a winding or rewinding nature in connection with winding yarn made of staple fibers of any kind where the use of the invention will eliminate or reduce fiber stripping from the yarn. it is, however, not to be confused with tension devices in general, notwithstanding the fact that it does produce certain tensional stresses in the strand-like material drawn therethrough.

it will be clear to those experienced in the related arts that a twisted strand or a core wound with such tension and in such a way as herein described will be very compact, dense or hard and contain less air space between the twisted filaments or the wound convolutions than those made according to the prior art procedure. For example, when the twisted yarn or wound core is made according to the present invention, the ratio of solid lilaments or convolutions in the net cubic content of the yarn or package will be about to 75% solids and 25% to 40% voids in case of rayon made by the viscose process and comprising from about forty to ninety filaments in the strand or tow; from about 72% to 80% solids and 18% to 20% voids for a continuous filamentyarn or tow of the kind known as Daeron and having between thirty and fifty filaments in the strand or tow; from about 75% to 86% solids and 14% to'25% voids for a continuous filament, tow or strand of nylon and having be` tween thirty and fifty filaments in the tow or strand. Other materials and filament count will have similar high density.

When a very substantial attenuation is desired, such as, for example, in orienting the crystalline structure of a filamentary material, strand or tow or in mercerization of yarn, or when the desired attenuation is on the order of, for example, from 50% to 500%, more or less, or if the speed of attenuation or crystalline orientation is high, for instance, of the order of about 2,000 to 10,000 feet per minute, the apparatus which comprises a plurality of pairs of rolls is desirable.

For example, the filamentary material known as Nylon may be orientation drawn by using the device of the present invention at speeds above, for example, 5,000 feet per minute, with more uniform size and better dyeing properties than when orientation drawn with the prior art devices' where the drawing speed is limited to below 2,000 feet per minute.

The ability of the apparatus of the present invention to retain a given twist at a given longitudinal position of a yarn, without hacking up twist into localized sections of the yarn, is particularly advantageous in the continuous mercerization of cotton yarn. Such uniformity of twist is retained in the entire length of a single component cotton fiber as well as the strand as a whole when this invention is used to produce the stresses required in mercerization.

Either form of the apparatus herein disclosed may be used interchangeably with the other, but one may be preferable to the other for specific purposes. Essentially the filament or strand, in passing through the apparatus which comprises but one pair of rolls, is withdrawn under some stress, while in the other type the filament or strand may be discharged under zero stress (practically speaking) if so desired. For winding packages to be used with high speed twisting spindles, for example, a package wound under considerable winding tension stress is desired. For winding packages to be used for dyeing purposes, for example, a package wound with almost zero stress is desired. And, as has been stated, a package may be wound, with the use of this invention, with any stress from practical zero to just below the rupture point of the filamentary material.

This present invention may be used in combination with a suitable filament, spinning or extrusion process or device of the continuous type, that is, where the filamentary material is extruded through suitable orifice, spinneret, etc. and simultaneously carried through the several desired steps or treatments, and finally the filament is wound up onto a core to form a package. In such continuous process, with the use of this invention, the component laments in a strand are equalized in length when straight, and the strand of zero twist filaments is wound on a tubular core to form a headless package of the desired size, with each individual component filament of the bunch stretched to the variable length requirement of its particular position in the convolution on the core and so equalize the stresses that such headless package, wound in conjunction with such continuous process or device, may be used directly on a high speed twisting spindle, without the need of rewinding, and subsequently twisted at the peripheral speeds above mentioned, without exploding. It will be clear to those experienced in the related arts that the first action is to stretch the filaments comprising the bunch beyond the elastic recovery range to produce permanent elongation and length uniformity of the component lilaments when straight. it will also be clear that after this action there is no recovery to the original length, and that the filaments thus elongated will remain permanently so elongated. And, as has been stated, in the second action, the bunch as a unit is stretched within its elastic limit to equalize the stresses in the convolutions in situ by elongating some of the filaments more than others as may be required by their particular position in the convolution. Since this action takes place within the recovery range of the elastic limit of the filaments there will be a length recovery to the original elongation uniformity produced in the first action at a point on the core and at the time the convolutions are taken off the core. When this second action is properly performed in accordance with this invention, such elastic length recovery can clearly be seen as the convolution is unwound from the core.

When the novel method herein disclosed is applied to a continuous extruding process, the Zero twist multifilament strand from the filament-forming apparatus is wound directly into a package (without formation of a balloon) by means of a conventional, uniform surface speed winding device to form a headless package with either square ends or taper ends, as-desired. In so doing, the individual component filaments of the strand are not damaged by abrasion and the strand of zero twist filaments is wound with the variable length requirement of the individual filaments in a convolution and thus produce the equalized stresses in the wound package so that such package may be used directly from the continuous spinning or extruding process in a high speed twisting operation without exploding such package as by centrifugal force, as will hereinafter be described.

The invention will be more fully described by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a more or less diagrammatic front elevation, showing that embodiment of the invention in which a single pair of rolls is used, the apparatus being illustrated as in use for a re-winding operation suitable for the preparation of a package subsequently for use to be mounted on a high speed twisting spindle or similar apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrative of a situation in which the present invention is of particular utility;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, side elevation of apparatus according to the present invention wherein two pairs of rolls are employed, the device being illustrated in connection with a high speed twisting spindle and adapted to produce a high percentage of attenuation, such as may be used in orienting the molecules of the filaments of the strand;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a diagram illustrating the invention as applied to a continuous process of yarn manufacture; and

Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the package.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 3 diagrammatically illustrates a condition which commonly occurs in thepreparation of synthetic filament tow. Three spinnerets E are shown as extruding the filaments I, N and L, respectively, which pass between the rolls R1 and R2 and are then wound on the winding spindle K to form the package W. Among the three filaments illustrated, the one designated J is taut between the spinneret and its point of contact with the roll R1, and in consequence this filament is wound under constant tension into the package W. Filament N is not taut between the spinneret and the roll R1, while the filament L is still more slack. Consequently, the lamentsN and L, as wound into the package W, are not under the same tension as the filament I and if, at some later time, the package W is rotated at high speed only the filament J is effective to resist centrifugal bursting forces. The apparatus illusrated in Figs. 4 and 5 is especially designed for correcting the above difficulty by stretching the filament bunch beyond the elastic limit to produce uniform filament lengths while the bunch is straight by means of permanent elongation, which uniformity remains permanent until changed by the application of another force, while the apparatus illustrated in Figs. l and 2 is especially designed to change the length uniformity of the filaments comprising such bunch temporarily and while the bunch is wound in a convoluted form on a core by stretching the bunch within its elastic limit on the core in situ to produce variable elongation in the component filaments as required by their respective positions in the convolution and thus produce a substantially uniform tension in the individual filaments comprising such bunch in the convoluted form. When all of the filaments are thus wound under substantially the same tension, they all effectively and concomitantly resist centrifugal bursting force so that the package is able to withstand high speed rotation without disintegrating.

Referring to Fig. l, the convolute tension equalizing unit Q is shown as comprising a yarn-receiving roll 10 and a yarn-discharging roll 1l. Roll 10 is provided with a resilient, yarn-contacting covering or tire i2 (Fig. 2), preferably made of some natural or synthetic rubber compound, cork or similar material, and which is fixed to the roll 10 by any conventional means.

The roll 11 is usually .made of hardened steel or `some equivalent material, and may be chromium plated on its periphery to prevent corrosion which would damage the delicate laments coming in contact therewith. Roll 11 is rotatably mounted on a double-row, anti-friction bearing 13 (Fig. 2) which has its inner stud 1.4 presstitted into one arm'lS of a balance scale beam 15a.

The roll is rotatably mounted on a double-row, anti-friction bearing 16 (Fig. 2) with its inner stud i7 press-fitted into an eccentric 1S. The eccentric 13 is rotatable in the arm 19 of balance scale beam hc arrangement is such that by rotating the eccentric 18 the axis of the roll 10 may be moved toward or from that of roll 11 so that the resilient tire 12 of roll 10 may be pressed into pinching relation with the periphery of roll 10 to provide a pinch or nip point P (Fig. l) for the yarn Y.

The balance scale beam is freely pivoted on a stationary stud 20 riveted at its forward end into a rigid housing 21 (Fig. 2). A screw 22, having threaded engagement with an 'axial bore in the rear end of stud 20, serves to fasten a cupped back cover plate 23 to the housing 21. The axes of the rolls l0 and 11 are in the same plane with the axis of stud 2t) so that the pinch point P is in a neutral position with respect to any movement or lack of movement of the scale beam 15. Variation in pinching pressure between the rolls or variation in stresses in the yarn Y, as it passes through this point, will have no effect on the movement or lack of movement of the scale beam 15.

The rolls 10 and 11 have elongate hub portions 1t)a and 11a, respectively, which pass freely through horizontally elongate slots in the housing 21.

An arm 24 (Figs. l and 2) is pivoted on stud 2t) at a point between the scale beam 15 and the housing 2l.. The free lower end of arm 24 is provided with a friction brake lining 25 (Fig. l) which may bear against the periphery of hub 1lia of roll l1, being urged toward said hub by a compression spring 26 whose lower end is supported on a fixed lug 27 projecting from the housing 21.

Compression spring 26 has a limited amount of e.- tension so that it will follow the swinging movement of scale beam 15 with decreasing, resilient pressure of the brake lining against the hub l1a (up to the end of its limited movement) when the movement of said beam is clockwise. Beyond that point the hub 11a will no longer Contact the brake lining of the arm 24. When the motion of the beam 15 is counterclockwise, the arm 24 will follow such motion with increasing resilient pressure of the brake lining against the hub 11a of roll 11. Of course any other conventional means for applying the retarding or braking action on the roll may be used, in lieu of the spring and brake lining just mentioned.

The balance beam 15 is provided with a lug 28 near its central portion (Fig. l) into which is fastened a spring 29 of at steel. The other end 29a of spring 29 projects through an opening (not shown) in the rim of the cover 23 and serves as an indicator of the pressure or load on the scale beam i5. Indicator scale graduations are formed on a part of cover 23, as indicated at 30. An adjusting thumb screw 31 is provided for applying any desired load within the capacity of the particular embodiment to the scale beam 1S, and (by reason of the retarding action of the brake lining) to the strand material passing between the rolls 10 and l1.

The housing 21 is provided with an integral lug 32 (Fig. l) which supports a freely rotating, grooved idler roll 33 adapted to guide the yarn Y away from the mechanism.

A freely rotating yarn-guiding, grooved idler roll 34 (Fig. l), carried by a conventional reciprocating distributor arm (not shown) of a winder, serves to distribute the yarn Y as it is being wound on a headless core 36 to form the desired type and size of yarn package indicated at 37. The supply package is indicated at 3 8 and it-rnay be a cone, as shown, or any other form of supply package vdesirable or convenient. Any other suitable supply may be employed. For example, the yarn may be received directly from the filament-forming apparatus.

As illustrated, the yarn is taken from a non-rotating package over-end through a conventional guide 39 fast to housing 21. Thisimparts a slight twist, one twist for each convolution taken from package 38. The yarn wraps the roll 10 with about one-halt` a turn, then passes between the rolls at the pinch point P, and then wraps roll 11 with about one-half a turn. It then passes up over the grooved guide idler 33 and distributing idler 3i, and is wound up on core 36 which is driven by any conventional winding machine mechanism (not shown). To permit rapid threading of the device, the rolls 10 and lll are provided with rounded taper front ends, as indicated at 10b and 11b (Fig. 2).

ln operation the pinch point P (Fig. l) is at a neutral or zero point, that is to Say, at the fulcrum of the beam 15. In. effect, the tangent points of the yarn with rolls 10 and 11, indicated at 10C and 11C, dene the leverage length of the scale beam 15 through which the stresses are balanced by the yarn being operated on.

By this arrangement a gradually increasing or decreasing retarding force is applied by the rolls 11 and 10. The change in the retarding force is very smooth and gradual and yet so sensitive in response to rapid stress surges that winding speeds well above 3,000 feet per minute may be employed. Very satisfactory packages may be made with as high as 10,000 feet per minute winding velocity when winding certain strand materials.

For example, assuming that the desired loading stress has been set by the screw 31, the delivery portion Ya or the yarn will be pulled through the device under that stress. Should there be, for some reason, an increase in the stress at Ya it will lift up or rock the roll assembly about pivot 20 clockwise and thus reduce the normal retarding force of the friction brake lining 25.

On the other hand, should there be a stress increase (resistance to travel) in the incoming yarn end Yb, this part of the yarn will likewise rock the roll assembly clockwise about pivot 20 and reduce the normal retarding force of the friction brake lining 25. Thus, stress uniormity may be controlled by either or both the incoming or outgoing portions of the strand material, independently of one another or jointly, as the case may be.

Since the yarn is held by the pinching action of the rollers in a rolling contact (as contrasted with a frictional pressure), located in a neutral position, any twist initial in the yarn will remain undisturbed, that is to say, it will not be backed up towards the supply package 38, as happens when a twisted strand is passed between frictional retarding elements, or an element with 360 or more degrees of wrapping thereon; thus, the initial distribution of twist isk maintained in the yarn of wound package 37.

In the arrangement shown in Figs. l and 2, the operating power is transmitted from the driven core 36 through the yarn end Ya. This arrangement is, in general, used when the attenuation of the filament is to take place for temporary circumferential length equalization purposes, or when the total attenuation is held to a low point, say about 1% to 5%, more or less, depending on the size and on the particular material which is to be equalized.

When using this arrangement, the yarn being discharged is always under some stress, depending on the adjustment. lt is thus particularly advantageous for use in re-winding the yarn from one form of package to another form of package where some stress in the package is desirable, such, for example, as when the package is to be used in subsequent twisting operations at very high speeds.

For some purposes, particularly such as package dyeing of the yarn, a vervlow or near zero tension stress in 9 winding the packages is more desirable. For such or similar purposes the orienting unit O of Figs. 4 and 5 is particularly desirable for, in this arrangement, the rolls are positively driven from some source other than the stresses in the yarn, and the yarnmay be discharged from the last of the pairs of rolls in the series, with practically zero tensional stresses if so desired.

In Fig. 4 the apparatus is shown in cooperation with a high speed twisting spindle of the kinetic type, so called, and is suitted for the molecular orientation of certain materials used for textile ,and similar purposes at high attenuation and while the strand is in pre-twisted condition, that is, where the orienting attenuation is in the proximity of, for example, from about 100% to about 500%, more or less, of the original length of the strand.

Referring to Fig. 4, pairs of stress-controlling rolls are arranged to act seriatim on the yarn, being mounted in a housing H carried by frame F. This particular embodiment, like the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, comprises a hard-surfaced drawing roll 41 and a relatively soft-surfaced pinching roll 42, with the yarn Y pinched therebetween at P. The roll 42 serves the same purpose as roll of Fig. 1, and its supporting stud is similarly transversely adjustable by means of an eccentric 181* (Fig. 4). The second pair of rolls 41au and 42L is of similar construction, these rolls pinching the yarn at a point indicated at P2. The pinch-adjusting eccentric for roll 42a is indicated as 18b and needs no further description.

Preferably the drawing rolls 41 and 41a are positively driven at the proper or desired peripheral speed. A difference in peripheral speed between these rolls produces the desired molecular orientation, by means of attenuation, in the material of the strand within a space indicated at S located between the two drawing rolls 41 and 41a. It will be noted that orientation space S is comparatively short, and thus the operation is limited to a relatively short or localized length of the filament. Such short, localized orientation length will produce a substantially more uniform drawn filament than possible with other conventional methods.

Referring to Fig. 5, the drawing roll 41 is fast on one end of shaft 43 which is mounted for rotation in antifriction bearings 44 and 45. Between these bearings a gear `46 isA fast on shaft 43 and receives driving power from a gear 47 (Fig. 4) which is slidably mounted on a spline shaft 48 which may run the length of a frame designed to support a pluralityr of identical devices 0. The spline shaft may be driven at one of its ends by any suitable means (not shown) in the direction indicated by the arrow.

The drawing roll 418L is mounted, similarly to roll 41, on a shaft 43a turning in bearings44a and 458' and is provided with a driving gear 46a which meshes with the gear 46. Gear 46a is smaller than gear 46 and thus it will rotate the roll 41a at a higher angular velocity than that of roll 41. The resultant greater surface speed of roll 41a as compared with that of roll 41 (these rolls being of equal diameter) produces the desired orienting attenuation in the strand material. By changing gears 46 and 46i any desirable orienting attenuation may be produced in the yarn being operated on within the capacity of the particular embodiment.

It will be noted that the yarn makes only a single wrap about each roll of each set at least 180, and as to rolls 41 and 41a the single wrap is very substantially in excess of 180 but less than 360. grip of each roll upon `the yarn is so pronounced that it is not necessary to apply a pinching pressure at the points P and P2 such as would appreciably flatten the yarn, notwithstanding that only a single wrap of less than 360 is made by the yarn on any of the rolls.

The drive mechanism above described is mounted in a housing H which is provided with. a cover 49` suitably fastened with screws (not shown) tothe housing H. The

Thus the frictional l chamber 50 (Fig. 5) forrned by the housing and cover is partly filled with suitable lubricating oil to permit high speed operation of the device. Packing 51, 51a or the like is provided to prevent the lubricant from escaping.

The housing is provided with a base portion 52 (Fig. 4) adapted for slidably securing it to the main frame F. The main frame F has bearings (not shown) for the shaft of a conventional surface-driving drum D, rotated as indicated by the arrow, which surface drives the takeup package 37a, thus re-winding theoriented yarn Yo onto the headless take-up core 36a. The yarn is distributed in winding by the grooved idler 34a which is reciprocated axially of the package by the usual traverse means (notshown) conventional to package wnders.

In customary prior practice in producing filamentary materials in which molecular orientation, as by attenuation, is practiced, the material is extruded or otherwise produced in the form of individual filaments which are grouped in parallel relation into a unit called tow, and the orientation drawing is made in the tow form, that is, without any bunching twist of the componentlaments prior to the orientation drawing. However, after the orientation drawing the parallel oriented filaments are twisted together with a low twist, for example, about 1 to 3 twists per linear inch to form a strand. The term low twist, as herein employed, is intended to designate any twist within the range having zero twist (parallel filaments) as one limit and 3 twists per linear inch as the other limit.

In such procedure, in the priorv art, the orientation drawing speed is limited to less than about 2,000 feet per minute for the oriented filaments, and the twisting speed to about 7500 R. l. M. for most of the presently known filaments such, for example, as the material known as Y nylon and the like.

These operations of orientation drawing of the parallel filaments and the subsequent bunch twisting of the drawn ilaments are performed seriatim, as a continuous opera` tion, in which the above-mentioned speed limitation and the excessive rupture of filaments, when drawn in a parallel relation or tow form, make for a very expensive and', The orientation drawn filaments, bunch twisted with the conventional ring and traveler, and the lubricant used in connection with such a twisting;

wasteful procedure.

ring, result in much spoiled yarn due to contamination.

A kinetic type twisting spindle, such as above-memtioned, is fully capable of handling zero twist or parallel' filaments in tow form when supplied from a package modified lengths, as described with respect tol Figs. l, 2

and 3, and then to mount such package 37 on the spindle KS (Fig. 4) which is provided with an impeller 53 and twist block 54, the latter being carried by the housing H.

The tow of parallel filaments (Fig. 4) is conducted through the twist block S4 over the idler roll 42; is pinched at P between the idler roll 42 and draw roll 41; passes through the short draw space S and is conducted over the second or high speed draw roll 412; is

' pinched between the latter and the pinch roll 42a; passes over the distributing idler 34a, and is then wound on core 36a' to form the package 37a.

A desirable usual operating speed of spindle KS, for packages of about 2 to 3 4pounds weight, is about 20,000 R. P. M., and, as the balloon B is carried about by the spindle, the parallel filaments in the tow will receive a bunching twist at the perpendicular section marked TT,

l and this bunch-twisted tow is then orientation drawn` at the space S, as has beendescribed.

By bunch twisting the parallel filaments as the first stepof the orientation drawing and drawing the bunchtwisted filaments in a continuous operation simultaneously it is possible to increase the orientation drawing speed to between 5,000 and 10,000 feet per minute, eliminating breakage of the filaments and eliminating contamination of the product and consequent waste. rfhere is an overall improvement in increased production by the use of the present invention, as compared with prior art procedure, of from about 250% to 500%; there is elimination of contaminated product; and there is a to 80% increase in tensile strength of the yarn due to the fact that yarn produced by the use of this invention comprises filaments of suitable length adjusted to the length requirement of the individual filament in relation to its specific position within the twisted bunch; it is more unlform in twist per unit length and the component filaments are not damaged as by abrasion. it should again he noted that the length adjustment of the filaments with respect to their specific positions in the twisted bunch is made A while the bunch is in a straight line while it is drawn beyond the elastic recovery range and that the subsequent winding of such twisted bunch into a package is made with stresses within the elastic recovery range of the twisted bunch. Therefore, it will be clear that the length adjustment required for the convolutions on the core is recovered on unwinding from such core while the length adjustment due to twisting is not recoverable under any condition. That is to say, when such twisted bunch is unwound from the core the twisted bunch or yarn will be substantially straight again.

In contradistinction, in the prior art, a non-recoverable length adjustment is made after the bunch has been wound on the core, usually by some form of heat treatment known as twist setting, in which case both length adjustments, one that isY required at the bunch twisting, and the one required for the convolute winding on the core, are made simultaneously but as a separate operation from twisting. Such twist-set yarn, on unwinding from the package, will be bent, coiled or kinky as will be understood by those skilled in this art.

The kinetic type spindle hereinabove referred to is capable of withdrawing the tow so as to produce l twist in l inch at the rate of 20,000 inches per minute. By making, for example, a 200% orientation attenuation between the two sets of drawing rolls, the l twist per inch is reduced to 1 twist in 3 inches, and the discharge speed of drawn and oriented filament will be at the rate of 60,000 inches per minute by the roller 41a.

In the prior art, and for the large package above mentioned, the traveler and ring limit the discharge speed to about 7500 turns per minute, and with l twist in 3 inches the production or discharge speed is 22,500 inches per minute.

With a 200% orientation draw, the production will be thus increased, by the use of the present invention, by about 266%, and with a higher orientation draw this increase will be proportionately higher.

The housing H is so constructed that it may be slid sidewise out of the way axially along spline shaft d3 when a new package is to be placed on the spindle KS, and slide back and locked in operative relation with the spindle during operation. Any suitable conventional device serving such purpose may be used for the purpose.

If desired, the embodiment shown in Fig. 4 may be used in cooperation with an extruding orifice or orifices to draw parallel filaments or tow directly from the filament-forming apparatus instead of from the twisting spindle KS as shown. However I have found that if the parallel filament tow is pre-twisted into a strand-like unit and this strand is then drawn for orientation or other purposes, a substantially better yarn can be produced at a much higher drawing speed and substantially lower cost.

Fig. 6 diagrammatically illustrates the utility of the present invention in the preparation, for example, of twoply synthetic filament tire cord. In this diagrammatic view the character M designates a zero twist strand, for example, of rayon tow coming from any suitable source of supply, for example, directly from the filament-forming apparatus, this strand being of substantially zero twist and being delivered to a unit Q such as that shown in Fig. l of the drawings, which operates to adjust the lengths due to convolute formation on the core and thus equalize the longitudinal stresses on the filaments. The strand is then wound with uniform surface speed drive to form the package 37 on a headless core; the winding of this package may be, for example, at a linear winding speed of 600 ft. per minute, and the strand is wound into the package with substantially zero twist.

Packages 37, as thus formed, may then be mounted on kinetic spindles KS, two such packages 37X and 375 being Shown, the strand from each package being delivered with a certain degree of twist, for example, 14 turns per inch, more or less, the two twisted strands being received by a traverse guide G1 which distributes the strands in parallel side-by-side relation with a self-supporting wind to form the surface-driven package i3?. Such a package may, for example, be of an external diameter of 7% inches and of a length of 14 inches and wound on a 21/2 inch diameter tube. The twisting operation, to which the strands are subjected as they are unwound from the packages 37X and 375/, may be carried out at a twisting Speed of the order of 17,500 R. P. M. without danger of bursting the packages. The package 137 of two-strand, parallel plied material may then be mounted on another kinetic spindle KS2 from which the material is delivered while twist is imparted to it to form a cabled strand, the speed of cabling twist being of the order, for example, of 10,000 R. P. M. This cabled strand is delivered to the orienting unit O which acts to set the twist by means of attenuation just beyond the elastic recovery range. The strand Yo, delivered from the orienting unit O, is then distributed by a traverse guide G2 to form a package 140 which may, for example, be of the same size as the package 137, being wound on a headless core or tube. This specific example indicates one specific field of utility of invention, and illustrates the extremely high production rate which is possible by its use.

While certain desirable embodiments have herein been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that the invention may have various embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim: l

1. A textile package comprising a core and convolutions of textile strand wound on the core, the strand being a multi-filament tow whose constituent filaments, before the strand was wound and while the strand was straight, were substantially parallel and of equal length, all of the filaments of the wound strand, wherever located within a given convolution, being under the same tension, the tensioning stress being within the elastic limit of the filamentous material.

2. A textile package comprising a core and convolutions of textile strand wound on the core, the strand being a multi-filament tow whose constituent filaments, when the strand is straight, are substantially parallel and of equal length, those filaments which are located at the outer circumference of a given convolution of the package being of greater length than those filaments which are located at the inner circumference of said convolution, all of the filaments, wherever located within a given convolution, being under the same tension, the tensioning stress being such as to elongate the strand but less than the elastic limit of any of the constituent filaments, whereby the package is capable of effectively resisting centrifugal bursting force when the package is rotating at a surface speed from to 400 miles per hour.

3. A woundV package of multi-filament strand which prior to winding and while straight is composed of filaments which are all of the same length, the strand being devoid of tendency to contract in length, all of the larnents in the wound package, whether located near the center or near the periphery of the package, being elongated as compared with their length in the strand before winding, the elongation of all of the filaments being within their elastic recovery range so that when the strand is unwound it resumes its initial length and straight condition.

4. A textile package according to claim 1, wherein the lengths of the laments which constitute a given convo lution differ according to the location of the respective filaments within the convolution, all of the filaments wherever located within a given convolution being under the same tension, the tension being below the elastic limit of each of the larnents whereby the strand when unwound from the package resumes its original length and is straight and devoid of kinks.

5. A textile package according to claim 1, wherein the strand before winding is a tow of approximately zero twist.

6. A textile package comprising a core and convolutions of textile strand wound on the core, the strand being a multi-filament tow whose constituent filaments, before the strand was wound and while the strand was straight, were substantially parallel and of equal length, the lengths 14 of the filaments which constitute a given convolution differing according to the location of the respective lament within the convolution, all of the laments wherever located within a given convolution being under the same UNITED STATES PATENTS 653,832 Tymeson et al. July 17, 1900 1,647,535 McKean Nov. 1, 1927 1,966,507 Langstreth July 17, 1934 2,289,232 Babcock July 7, 1942 2,372,627 Goggin et al Mar. 27, 1945 2,464,502 Hall et al Mar. 15, 1949 2,542,973 Abernethy Feb.` 27,1951 2,581,922 Spencer Jan. 8, 1952 2,586,123 Truitt Feb. 19, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 4,078 Great Britain, Feb. 17, 1911 371,910 Great Britain May 2, 1932 391,291 Germany Mar. 1, 1924 671,781 Germany Feb. 13, 1939

Claims (1)

1. A TEXTILE PACKAGE COMPRISING A CORE AND CONVOLUTIONS OF TEXTILE STRAND WOUND ON THE CORE, THE STRAND BEING A MULTI-FILAMENT TOW WHOSE CONSTITUENT FILAMENTS, BEFORE THE STRAND WAS WOUND AND WHILE THE STRAND WAS STRAIGHT, WERE SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL AND OF EQUAL LENGTH, ALL OF THE FILAMENTS OF THE WOUND STRAND, WHEREVER LOCATED WITHIN A GIVEN CONVOLUTION, BEING UNDER THE SAME TENSION, THE TENSIONING STRESS BEING WITHIN THE ELASTIC LIMIT OF THE FILAMENTOUS MATERIAL.

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