US2995802A - Production of kinked carpet yarn - Google Patents

Description

Aug; 15, 1961 c. w. BROWN ETAL 2,995,802

PRODUCTION OF KINKED CARPET YARN Filed June 18, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 n fares C Braac/z.

ATTORNEYS,

Aug. 1961 cfw. BROWN ETAL 2,995,802

PRODUCTION OF KINKED CARPET YARN Filed June 18, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 104 Fir/1 4',

INVENTORS 4 MAB/own, I l/a/fer H, Cram 0'81 n fares, C. Broad" ATTORNEYS Aug. 15, 1961 c. w. BROWN ET AL 2,995,302

PRODUCTION OF KINKED CARPET YARN Filed June 18, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 U U m4 76 [N y 5N7 0R5, Clyde e Bro wn, BY W i f r H. Crowds! 1961 c. w. BROWN 'ETAL 2,995,802

PRODUCTION OF KINKED CARPET YARN Filed June 18, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS C/qo e l V. Brow/1 Wa/fel' H, Cram Jew Jal Zwaw, F W

ATTORNEYS 1961 c. w. BROWN ETAL 2,995,802

PRODUCTION OF KINKED CARPET YARN Filed June 18, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 v ZNVENTORS. Clyde W. Brown. A l/l/a/fel' hf Cr'bWc/el' a fares HE 066 ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,995,802 PRODUCTION OF KINKED CARPET Clyde W. Brown, Walter H. Crawler, and Eures C. Broach, Shawmut, Ala, assignors to West Point Manufacturing Company, West Point, Ga., a corporation of Georgia Filed June 18,1959, Ser. No. 821,226 9 Claims. (CI. 2872) .This invention relates to the production of carpet yarn, and in particular to the production of permanently kinked carpet yarn of synthetic fibers. A principal object of the invention is the production of highly and uniformly kinked yarn. Other objects are to provide eilicient, controllable and reproducible procedures'for the production of kinked carpet yarn of outstanding appearance and physical properties. Further objects will be in part evident and in part pointed out hereinafter;

The invention and the novel aspects thereof will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary shaker mechanism, utilized in the present invention to facilitate the relaxation and kinking of'skeins of twisted yarn;

FIGURE 2 is aside elevational view of the shaker FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the stretching mechanism of FIGURE 42, viewed from the front thereof, and showing a skein of yarn. in position to be stretched;

FIGURE 6 is a detail view illustrating the lengthened condition of the yarn skein shown in FIGURE 5, after stretching;

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of a swift useful for opening up and disentangling the stretched skeins, to facilitate winding the yarn onto bobbins;

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of the swift of FIG- URE 7, partly broken. away, illustrating the swift in collapsed condition, and

FIGURE 9' is a perspective view of the swift, on reduced scale, in open condition with a skein of kinked yarn ready for unwinding. therefrom.

In accordance with the present process, syntheticfibers may be initiallycarded and converted into roving on wool cards. By way of example, Acrilan fibers of 15' denier and 3 to 4" staple length, or nylon fibers, 6 and 15' denier and 3 to 4" staple length, may be employed. Acrilan and nylon fibers may be blended, if desired, and as will be evident, other thermoplastic synthetic fibers of similar or different properties, and blends thereof, may be employed as well. To even out bale to bale differ ences in. color and quality, several. bales are customarily blended together prior to carding. by means of. a con-- ventional opening system.

The rovingproduced by the wool cards then. goes through the usual spinning process, wherein it is drafted and twisted, and may be doubled. A suitable draft is- I.2. The single endsthus produced may be,:. for example, 2.75s yarn. with a. twist of 3.75 to 4 turns per inch (cotton count). Preferably, the ends arethen. piled into a 3-ply .92s yarn with a twist of about 7.2 turns per inch. The twist. is excessive, whereby the yarn will tend to formv kinks when the tension thereon is released.

The twisted yarn is produced on twisting frames" and woundonto wooden -bobbins,'necessarily under such: tensionthat the twisting stresses cannot relieve: themselves",

ice

to produce the desired kinking effect. To relieve the tension, accordingly, the twisted yarnis rewound from the bobbins into skeins. The yarn in skein form relaxessomewhat and formsa few-kinks, but remains substantially in the form of a wavy' bundle. It has been foundthat relaxation and kinking of the yarn at this stage of the-process-canbe greatly promoted by brief but vigorousshaking of. the skeins. Suitable mechanism for this purpose is illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawings.

Asthere shown, the shaker mechanism includes a base comprising parallel spaced members 2 adapted to rest on the floor of abuilding, joined at their ends by the angle bars 4 which may be welded or otherwise secured thereto. The flanges of the angle bars 4 may be attached tothe floor by bolts 6, and brackets 8afl'1xed to the sides of the members 2 may be secured to the floor by bolts 10'.

Adjacent an end of each base member 2, a bearing 12 is mounted thereon as by bolts 14, and an oscillating shaft 16 extends between the bearings and is journalled therein. Midway of the length of shaft '16 a post 18 extends: upwardly therefrom, the post supporting two parallel and spaced skein carrying rods 20 and 22, by

means of the horizontal link 24 extending between the end of a shaft 34 which is journalled in the bearings 36 mounted on the supports 38, which in turn rest on one of the base members 2". The other end of shaft 34 carries a pulley 40, which is engaged in driving relationship by a belt 42 to the electric motor 44'. The connecting rod 30 is provided at its ends with the bearing heads 46 and 48, hearing head 46 being rotatably mounted on a pin 50 projecting laterally from the eccentric 32, and bearing head 48 being similarly mounted on a stub shaft 52 extending between the lugs 54 extending from the post 18. As will be evident, the motor 44 is adapted to drive shaft 34, and through the eccentric 32 and connecting rod 30 impart a reciprocatory, shaking movement to the shaker frame, the extreme positions of which are illustrated in FIGURE 2.

For the shaking operation, a number of skeins 56 of twisted yarn are positioned on the rods 20' and 22, enough to loosely fill the lengths thereof between the stop pins 28. In FIGURE 1 but two skeins are shown, their loose wavy form representing the appearance of the skeins prior to shaking. Motor 44 is then energized, and the skeins subjected to violent shaking for a brief period of time. A shaking frequency of about 450 cycles per minute has proved satisfactory in practice, and a period of about 18 or 20 seconds is adequate for the purpose of the invention. The shaking operation effects marked relaxationand of the yarn, the skeins assuming the highly kin'ked and irregular appearance illustrated in FIGURE 3. In the course of this kinking the skeins draw up to about one half their length prior to shaking.

The kinks so obtained in the yarn are not permanent, and if the yarn is cut into short lengths as may occur, for example in. the manufacture of cut pile tufted carpets, the are prone to straighten out. Accordingly, the are rendered permanent at this stage of the process by heat setting. To heat set nylon yarn, approximately 200 pounds of kinked skeins are loaded into a tumbler basket, and tumbled for a period of 30' minutes, whereby complete relaxation of the yarn is attained. The tumbler basket: isthen inserted into an autoclave, and the skeins subjected to alternate cycles of vacuum and steam pressure, as follows:

(a) Vacuum5 min.28" mercury (b) Steam6 min.-245 F. 26 p.s.i.g (c) Vacuum- /z min.28 mercury (d) Steam6 min.-245 F. 26 p.s.i.g. (e) Vacuum-6 min.-28" mercury Acrilan yarn may be heat set in similar fashion, that is by initial tumbling followed by an alternating vacuumsteam pressure treatment of the nature described.

In the course of the heat setting operation, the skeins shrink together to such degree that they can be opened up for further processing only with great difliculty. In accordance with the present invention, the heat set skeins are mechanically stretched in simple and novel manner, to open up the skeins and facilitate further processing. The stretching operation, moreover, is found to improve the properties of the yarn. Mechanism suitable for the stretching operation is illustrated in FIGURES 4, 5 and 6 of the drawings.

In FIGURES 4 and 5, 76 represents a base or frame, composed of upright members 78 connected by horizontally disposed side members 80 and a front rack member 82. The uprights 78 at the back of the device extend above the upper side members 80, and mount between them a shaft 84 which extends beyond the uprights to form trunnions 86 on which bearings 88 are rotatably' mounted. The bearings 88 support a pivotal rack 90, comprising rack arms 92 extending to the front of the machine and having extensions 4 extending rearwardly of the bearings. I

The front ends of the rack arms '92 are connected by the upper rack member 100, which is provided with a plurality of appropriately spaced lugs 102 having arms 104 extending upwardly from the outer ends thereof. As clearly shown in FIGURE 5, the lower rack member 82 carries a plurality of similar lugs 102, corresponding in number and spacing to those on the upper rack memher 100, and provided with similar but downwardly extending arms 104.

The pivotal rack 90 is illustrated in FIGURE 5 in lowermost position, from which it is adapted to be elevated to the position illustrated in FIGURE 4. For this purpose, an air cylinder 106 is engaged to the pivotal rack 90, and to the frame therebelow; As shown in FIG- URE 4, the piston'rod 108 of the air cylinder 106 may be provided with a forked connection 110, which is pivotally connected by a bolt 112 men earll;4 extending from the lower side of the cross member 116, which extends between the rearward endsofthe rack arm'extensions 94. The lower end of the air cylinder 106 may be provided with a pair of spaced ears 11-8, pivotally connected by the bolt 120 to the bracket 122 appropriately mounted on the cross member 124 of the frame. Pressure air may be conducted to the air cylinder 106 in the" usual manner, by means of flexible hoses 126'and 128.

With the stretching device in the position illustrated in FIGURE 5, heat set skeins are arranged over corresponding lugs 102 of the upper and lower 'rack members, as illustrated in the figure. When the racks are filled, the

air cylinder is activated to pivot the rack' 90to the posi{ tion illustrated in FIGURE 4, whereby the skeins are severely stretched in a single,smooth continuous stroke, extended over approximately 2or'3 seconds. While the stretching may be effected stepwise, the procedure described is found to be most efiective. On returning the rack 90 to the position of FIGURES, theskeins are found to have the appearance illustrated in FIGURE 6.

The heatset skeins, so stretched, may now be opened and straightened on swifts, and then unwound therefrom onto bobbins in conventional manner. This step Icom pletes the processing of the, yarn, made ready ithereby for manufacture into carpet. Aswift particularlyadapted :to

4 facilitate the final winding operation is illustrated in FIG- URES 7, 8, and 9 of the drawings.

As best shown in FIGURES 7 and 8, the exemplary swift includes a base plate 130, supporting an upright 132 which is surmounted by a plate 143. Aligned bearings 136 on the plate 134 rotatably mount a shaft 138, which is provided at one end with a pinion 140 enclosed within housing 142. On the other side of the bearings, a collar 144 is rotatable on the shaft 138. Four plates 146 extend radially from the collar 144, these plates being angularly, spaced 90 apart as shown. 'A spaced pair of arms 148 is pivotally engaged to each plate 146 and extends outwardly therefrom, the outer ends of each-pair of arms being similarly pivotally engaged to and joined by a skein support 150, in a parallelogram arrangement. The end 152 of shaft 138 extending beyond collar 144 is threaded, and a cruciform nut 154 is carried thereby and threadedly engaged thereto. A rigid link 156 extends between the nut 154 and each adjacent arm 148, each link being pivotally connected at both ends.

A short distance below the shaft 138 a parallel stub shaft 158 extends from the upright 13-2, the stub shaft mounting a gear 160 having an operating handle 162 fixedly secured thereto. The gear 160 is freely rotatable on stub shaft 158 and relatively axially movable thereon as well, whereby the gear 158 may be readily engaged with and disengaged from the pinion 140.

In FIGURE 7 the swift is illustrated in fully opened position, wherein the nut 154 adjoins the collar 144.

To utilize the swift in the present process it must first be collapsed to the position of FIGURE 8. To accomplish this, the normally disengaged gear 160 is moved into meshing engagement with pinion 140. While restraining the arms 148 and supports 150 from turning, gear 160 is rotated in appropriate direction by means of its handle 162 to rotate the pinion 140 and shaft 138, and thereby cause the nut 154 to travel outwardly therealong, the nut being restrained from rotation by the links 7 opened by reversing the procedure just described. That is, the gear 160 is rotated in the opposite direction while restraining the arms 148' and supports from rotation, the resultant rotation of shaft 138 causing the restrained nut 154 to travel inwardly toward the collar 144, the movement of the nut pivoting the arms 148 by means of the links 156, whereby the supports 150 are spread outwardly to the position of FIGURE 9, the skein being opened thereby and disentangled. The gear may then be disengaged from the pinion 140, leaving the swift free to rotate, whereupon the yarn may be unwound therefrom and wound onto bobbins with ease and effieiency.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided by this invention a method in which the various objects hereinbefore set forth, together with many practical advantages, are successfully achieved. As various possible embodiments may be made of the novel features of the above invention, all without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth is to be interpreted as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is: a

1. A process for producing kinked synthetic carpet yarn comprising the steps of twisting yarn, skeining the twisted yarn, shaking the yarn skeins in an oscillating fashion to facilitate relaxation and kinking of the yarn, heat setting the yarn in relaxed and kinked state, stretch- 5 ing the heat set yarn, and then winding the yarn onto bobbins.

2. A process for producing kinked synthetic carpet yarn comprising the steps of twisting yarn, skeining the twisted yarn, shaking in an oscillating fashion the yarn skeins to facilitate relaxation and kinking of the yarn, heat setting the skeins in relaxed and kinked state, stretching the skeins, and then winding the yarn onto bobbins.

3. A process for producing kinked synthetic carpet yarn comprising the steps of twisting synthetic fiber yarn, skeining the twisted yarn to reduce the tension thereon and permit kinking, shaking the skeins in an oscillating fashion to facilitate further relaxation and kinking of the yarn, tumbling the skeins to complete relaxation of the yarn, heat setting the skeins in relaxed and kinked state to make the kinks permanent, stretching the heat set skeins, and then winding the skeins onto bobbins.

4. A process as defined in claim 3, wherein said yarn is multiple ply yarn.

5. A process as defined in claim 3, wherein said shaking is efiected as a frequency of about 450 cycles per second, for a period of about 18 seconds.

6. A process as defined in claim 3, wherein said skeins are tumbled for a period of about 30 minutes.

7. A process for producing kinked synthetic carpet yarn comprising the steps of twisting the yarn, skeining the twisted yarn, shaking the yarn skeins to facilitate relaxation and kinking of the yarn, heat setting the skeins in relaxed and kinked state, and then stretching the skeins in a single, smooth, continuous stroke.

8. A process for producing kinked synthetic carpet yarn comprising the steps of twisting synthetic fiber yarn, skeining the twisted yarn to reduce the tension thereon and permit kinking, shaking the skein to facilitate further relaxation and kinking of the yarn, tumbling the skeins to complete relaxation of the yarn, heat setting the skeins in a relaxed and kinked state by alternate application of vacuum and pressure steam to make the kinks permanent, and then stretching the heat set skeins.

9. A process as defined in claim 3, wherein the skeins are maintained in open, stretched condition while winding the skeined yarn onto said bobbins.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,515,556 Dreaper Nov. 11, 192.4 2,240,554 Dreyfus May 6, 1941 2,509,347 Jackson May 30, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No; 2,995 802 August 15 1961 Clyde W. Brown et al. I

It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 5, line 22 for "second" read minii te Signed and sealed this 27th day of March 1962.,

( SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER 7 DAVID L. LADD Attesting Officer Commissioner of Fate:

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