US2927417A - Method of producing slub yarns - Google Patents

Description

March 8, 1960 w s 2,927,417

METHOD OF PRODUCING SLUB YARNS Filed Feb. 28, 1958 INVENTOR #971587"? J. Woods MW-F ATTORNEYS METHOD or pnonucmo SLUB YARNS Herbert J. Woods, Greensboro, N.C., assignor to Burlington Industries, Inc., Greensboro, N.C., a corporation of Delaware Application February 28, 1958, Serial No. 718,195

8 Claims. (Cl. 57-156) This invention relates to the production of yarn and more particularly to an improved method of producing novelty yarn, such as yarn having slubs of random length at random intervals therein.

Random slub yarn is well-known and is presently pro duced on spinning frames provided with mechanical means, controlled either mechanically or electrically, which cause speed changes in one or more of the drafting rolls of the spinning frame to thereby induce or cause to be produced slubs, of irregular length and spaced as irregularly as possible, in the yarn. While the present spinning frame machinery spaces the slubs in the yarn as irregularly as such mechanical means will permit, such means inherently tends to produce a slub pattern in the yarn which is periodically repeated. That is, present slub yarn producing equipment being necessarily actuated by mechanical or electrical means is inherently cyclical in operation. For example, a rotatable member such as a wheel cylinder, endless belt or endless chain with irregularly spaced links or pins for actuating clutches to interrupt the drive to the drafting rolls, must necessarily make one revolution and start again from the beginning point of the cycle.

Slub yarns in which the slub pattern is periodically repeated have the disadvantage that when the yarn is woven into fabric, the slubs align themselves into geometric patterns which are repeated throughout the fabric. Thus, the desired random textured effect in the fabric is detrimentally effected.

There have been many proposals for producing a slub yarn in which the slubs are infinitely random, however none of these proposals have proven entirely satisfactory. For example, some devices now in use employ two rotatable members with irregularly disposed pins on each and mechanical or electrical means is provided to actuate the clutch alternately from one to the other to thereby break up the cyclic aspect of operation. While this arrangement tends to extend the total cycle, nevertheless it .is not truly non-cyclic and the resulting fabric does show .to some extent a repeating pattern.

Another proposal is the utilization of multi-shuttle or mixed motion weaving with slub yarns having cyclic .slub patterns therein which, to some extent, breaks up the cyclic effects of the fabric produced. This arrangement is quite cumbersome and renders the weaving opera- :t'ion considerably more expensive and difficult.

It has also been proposed to actuate the drafting roll clutches by a naturally occurring random phenomenon. For example, cosmic rays or radio waves which produce truly infinite random pulses which can be utilized to ultimately effect the operation of the clutches in response to the pulses. This proposal has the disadvantage that the equipment necessary is considerably expensive and is quite delicate in operation.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a simple procedure for producing novelty yarn having slubs therein of random length and at random intervals which overcomes the disadvantages noted above. In

ning frame.

927,417 Patented Mar. 8, 1960 general, it has been found that these disadvantages can be overcome by initially producing the slubs in a plurality of rovings which are subsequently used to make up the yarn rather than in the yarn itself on the spin- The plurality of slubbed rovings are subsequently drafted and spun together with the result that the yarn has slubs which are of random length and disposed at random intervals throughout.

With this procedure, repeating slub patterns, which may be present in theslubs of the individual rovings, are broken up during the drafting and spinning of the two slubbed rovings together. For example, two slubs in two rovings may arrive between the drafting rolls coterminally, that is, end to end in parallel relationship, or conjunctively, that is, end to end one following the other or they may arrive separately with an interval of time ensuing. They may also arrive overlapped to any degree from percent which would be co-terminal or zero percent which would be conjunctive. In this manner, infinite variation is accomplished by chance and not by predetermined course, and there is not and can not be a return to the point of beginning. This lack of periodicity is further complicated by the fact that two or more rovings, due to the differences in tension and small inch to inch variations in their diameter, do not enter the drafting zone with precisely the same linear speed.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of producing slub yarn in which the slubs are of random length and at random intervals throughout and are devoid of any cyclic pattern so that the resulting fabric woven therefrom will not contain slub patterns therein.

The present method readily lends itself to many interesting and desirable variations which make possible the production of novel yarn which can be utilized to produce varied effects in the fabric woven therefrom. For example, one roving can have long, thin slubs and the other or others short, thick slubs thus resulting in widely varying effects in the final yarn and resulting fabrics. Moreover, the rovings may be of different material, for example, one may be of viscose and the other or others of acetate which would result in a varying effect in the final yarn and fabric. Furthermore, one or more of the rovings may be predyed or solution-dyed a different color from the other or others with random effects being thus obtained. For example, if two rovings are utilized and one is dyed black and the other white, the final yarn will have white slubs, gray slubs, and black slubs irregularly disposed in the yarn and in the resulting fabric.

Accordingly, another object of the present invention is the provision of a method of producing slub yarn of the type described which readily lends itself to simple variations so that the resulting yarn and fabric are provided with interesting and novel effects.

These and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent during the course of the following detailedvdescription and appended claims.

The invention may best be understood with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein an illustrative embodiment is shown.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a schematic view illustrating the manner in which the fiber stock is drafted and twisted to form a slubbed roving; and

Figure 2 is a schematic view illustrating the manner in which two slubbed rovings produced as illustrated in Figure 1 are drafted and spun togetherto produce the random slubbed yarn.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 1 of the drawings, a fiber stock such as slivers or a roving 10 wound about a bobbin or the like is passed between three pairs of spaced drafting rolls 12, 14 and 16. The drafting rolls are of conventional construction and preferably are of the type normally utilized on a conventional roving frame. Any conventional means for varying the rotative speed of the pairs of drafting rolls relative to one another may be provided. Such arrangements utilized on a conventional spinning frame are well-known and usually embody clutches and irregular cams arranged to actuate the clutches at predetermined intervals throughout a cycle of operation. From the drafting rolls where slubs are formed in the stock, the latter is fed to a conventional twister head 18 Where the slubbed stock is given a slight twist in accordance with usual practice and finally wound around a bobbin 20. i v m The slubbed roving contained on the bobbin 29 and produced as indicated above has slubs formed therein which have a periodically repeated pattern. iAs noted above, the present invention contemplates the snbsei uent drafting and spinning together of two or more of such slubbed rovings to produce the final yarn. Q i

Referring now more particularly to Figure 2, two bobbins of slubbed roving 22 and 24 are suitably mounted so that the rovings are led therefrom and passed between three pairs of spaced cooperating drafting rolls 26, 28 and 30. Preferably, the drafting rolls 26, 28 and 30 are of the type normally provided on a conventional spinning frame and each pair of cooperating drafting rolls is maintained at a constant rate of rotative speed. The two slubbed rovings pass through the drafting rolls and are directed to a conventional ring spinner 32, as by a pigtail guide 34 or the like, where the drafted rovings are spun together to form yarn and wound around a bobbin 36. I

As illustrated in Figure 2 the rovings 22 and 24 which are passed together through the drafting rolls 26, 28 and 30 are each formed in the manner shown in Figure 1. Thus, each roving has slubs formed therein which have a periodically repeating pattern. However, since they are drafted together between the rolls 26, 28 and 30 the periodicity of each of the rovings is broken up. For example, it will be noted that two slubs in the rovings may arrive between the drafting rolls 26 co-terminally, in ofiset overlapping relation, conjunctively, or in spaced relation. In this manner infinite variation in the resulting yarn is accomplished by chance and not by predetermined course so that there is not and can not be a return to a beginning point. This lack of a repeating pattern is further complicated or enhanced by the fact that tumor more rovings, due to differences in tension and small inch by inch variations in their diameters, do not enter the drafting zone with precisely the same linear speed.

While the-two rovings shown in Figure 2 are disclosed as being produced on the same roving frame and thus have similar cyclically repeated slub patterns, it is possible to utilize more than two such rovings and to vary the slub pattern of the rovin gs utilized. Extremely wide variation in the size of the slubs in the final yarn will result depending upon the size of the slubs in the rovings 22 and 24' and their arrangement in the roving whether regular or irregular. Thus, one roving can have long, thin slubs and the other or others short, thick slubs resulting in widely varying effects in the final. yarn and resulting fabrics.

Another effect possible with the present method is that the stock used to make the two or more rovings can be of different material so that the resulting yarn drafted and spun from the rovings of different material will likewise produce an interesting and novel effect. For example, one roving may be of viscose and the other or others of acetate. This particular arrangement is significant since the two materials dye differently, such as black and white, so that the resulting yarn will have white slubs, gray slubs, and black slubs irregularly disposed therein. In this regard any one of the rovings or all may be predyed or solution dyed a different color fromkthe other or others with interesting and novel effects obtained in the resulting fabrics.

From the above, it can be seen that the present method is effective toproduce a yarn having slubs therein which are truly of random length and disposed at true random intervals without a repeating pattern or the like. The production of an infinitely random slubbed yarn is quite important since the resulting fabric woven therefrom presents a desirable random appearance rather than one in which the slubs formgeometric patterns therein which are repeated along the length of the fabric. Thus, the present invention eliminates the necessity of weaving with multi-shuttles or mixed motion such as is the current practice in order to break up to some degree the cyclic effects in slub yarns which are not infinitely random. Moreover, because the slubs which are ultimately formed in the yarn are produced on the roving frame rather ha e innin rame a a see ers the Practice,

' ma mum sp nin s ed? .caa' l t l s be underuse tha Where h s e 9 ied-ra i r011S in a spinning frame are periodically varied it becomes neces sary to reduce the frame speedin order to allow for the inertia or torque of the actuating clutches and in some cases slower speeds are necessary due to the possibility of clutch tooth failure.

It thus will be seen that the objects of this invention have been fully and effectively accomplished. It will be realized, however, that the foregoing specific embodiment has been shown and described only for the purpose of illustrating the principles of this invention and is subject to extensive change without departure from such principles. Therefore, this invention includes all modifications encompassed within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A method of producing yarn having slubs of random length at random intervals which comprises the steps of producing a plurality of rovings each having slubs formed therein and then drafting and spinning the plurality of slubbed rovings together to produce a slubbed yarn.

2. A method of producing yarnhaving slubs of random length at random intervals which comprises the steps of drafting a first fiber stock between spaced rolls while varying the roll speed to produce slubs and forming therefrom a first slubbed roving, drafting a second fiber stock between spaced rolls while varying the roll speed to produce slubs and forming therefrom a second slubbed in nd then draf in and singin th first and Second lubbed ro n t th r- 3. A method as defined in claim 2 wherein the first n wn fibe $1 9 2 a ra di e ma e a 4. A method as defined in claim wherein the first and second slubbed rovings are .dyed different colors prior to their drafting and spinning'together.

5. A method of producing yarn having slubs of random length at random intervals which comprises the steps of passing a first fiber stock between spaced pairs of drafting rolls, periodically varying the speed of the drafting rolls to form slubs in the first fiber stock, forming the slubbed first stock into afirst slubbed roving, passing a second fiber stock between spaced pairs of drafting rolls, periodically varying the speed of the drafting rolls to form .slubs in the second fiber stock, forming the slubbed second stock into a second slubbed roving, passing the first and second slubbed rovings together be tween spaced pairs of drafting rolls while maintaining the speed of the rolls constant, and then spinning the drafted together first and second slubbedrovings together to form a slubbed yarn.

6. A method as defined in claim, 5 wherein the periodical varying of the speed of the drafting rolls to form slubs in the first fiber stock is different from the periodical i g f a sp f th su ing @11 1 ism slubs 5 V in the second fiber stock whereby the slab size and interval of each slubbed roving is difierent.

7. A method as defined in claim 5 wherein the first and second slubbed rovings are dyed different colors prior to their passage together between the drafting rolls.

8.- A method as defined in claim 5 wherein the first and second fiber stocks are of different material.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Young Oct. 28, 1913 Nigrin et a1 July 23, 1929 Homer Feb. 2, 1937 Byers June 7, 1949

Images