US2997871A

US2997871A - Edge control device for fabric dye kettles and the like

Info

Publication number: US2997871A
Application number: US862579A
Authority: US
Inventors: William K Cutten; Mcnutt John
Original assignee: Lees & Sons Co James
Current assignee: James Lees and Sons Co
Priority date: 1959-12-29
Filing date: 1959-12-29
Publication date: 1961-08-29
Anticipated expiration: 1978-08-29

Description

Aug. 29, 1961 w. K. CUTTEN ETAL 2,997,871

EDGE CONTROL DEVICE FOR FABRIC DYE KETTLES AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 29, 1959 a Sheets-Sheet 1 m4; BY 6%! MW ATTY.

64 5 g fig 5 E 4 1 q /5 i i I l l I l I l I I 7 g i 55 I i u= l 1 L J l l i i l a i I 55 INVENTORS WILLIAM K. CUTTEN JOHN McNUTT Aug. 29, 1961 w. K. CUTTEN ETAL 2,997,871

EDGE CONTROL DEVICE FOR FABRIC DYE KETTLES AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 29, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORSZ WILLIAM K. CUTTEN 1.: 1111 mm M &

IHTIIIIIIII] JOHN MCNUTT ATTY.

1961 w. K. CUTTEN ETAL 2,997,871

EDGE CONTROL DEVICE FOR FABRIC DYE KETTLES AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 29, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS: WILLIAM K. CUTTEN JOHN McNUTT BY 59% 41W ATTY.

Un ted States Patent 2,997,871 7 EDGE CONTROL DEVICE FOR FABRIC DYE KETTLES AND THE LIKE William K. Cutten, Allentown, and John 'McNutt, Blue Bell, Pa., assignors to James Lees and Sons Company,

Bridgeport, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed'Dec. 29,1959, Ser. No. 862,579 2 Claims. (Cl. 68--177) This invention relates to textile fabric dyeing apparatus and more particularly to edge control means for use in an enclosed pile fabric dye kettle.

The problem of properly controlling a length of pile fabric in a dye kettle capable of handling fabric widths up to 18 has presented a considerable problem. The piece dyeing of tufted and some woven pile fabrics is done by introducing a roll of the fabric in the greige to the dye kettle. The fabric is then moved over a large drum or roller into and out of the dye bath. If the dye liquor is not uniformly applied to the fabric so that even dyeing is achieved from selvage to selvage, an unsaleable piece of merchandise results. It is imperative that the carpet run true on the cylinder so that it will not run off the cylinder and also so that carpet control for level dyeing is achieved. Various eXpedients for accomplishing this result have been tried but with only limited success because, for one reason, the fabric is completely enclosed in the dye kettle with its ends stitched together to provide an'endless roll. It is, therefore, impossible to control the alignment or feed of the fabric externally of the kettle.

The present invention has been found to be a very eflicient and effective solution to the problem and is entirely automatic in its operation. The control elements are located externally of-thekettle and guiding is accomplished by elevating one end-of the small roller in the kettle as the need arises.

A primary object of the invention thereforeis to provide means for raising and lowering one end of the small roller in a fabric dye kettle, said means being responsive to a pair of sensing devices in the kettle, thus accurately positioning the fabric over both the small roller and the large cylinder. 7 p

A further object of the invention is to provide in' a fabric dye kettle a pair of sensing elements defining lateral movement limits for the fabric and means responsive to displacement of said elements for raising and lowering one end of the forward fabric roller in the kettle.

Further objects will be apparent from the specification and drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a transverse section partly schematic of a dye kettle embodying the present invention,

FIG. 2. is an enlarged sectional detail showing the forward edge control roller as seen at 22r of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a view as seen at 33 of FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a detail as seen at 4-4 of FIG. 2,

FIG. 5 is a section as seen at 5-5 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional detail of one of the sensing elements,

FIG. 7 is a control diagram showing the front roller elevating mechanism and the circuits therefor, and

FIG. 8 is a wiring diagram for the complete system.

The invention comprises essentially the provision of a fluid cylinder connected to one end of the front roller in a fabric dye kettle, a fluid valve connected to either end of the cylinder for raising and lowering a piston in the cylinder, and electrical connections between a pair of sensing elements in the kettle and the fluid valve which operate to control the movement of the piston in the cylinder and consequently one end of the front roller in accordance with displacement of the sensing elements.

A conventional carpet dye kettle comprises a housing 2,997,871 Patented Aug. 29, 1961 '15 which contains a dye bath or liquor 16. The kettle is provided with a front door or closure 17 which can be elevated to permit access to the interior of the kettle. A large fabric cylinder or drum 18 is journaled near the back of the kettle and a smaller or front roller 19 is journaled near the front of the kettle adjacent the closure 17. The fabric F to be dyed is trained over both roller 19 and drum 18 and collects in aseries of folds 20 on the bottom of the kettle. It will be understood that the fabric F is in the form of an endless web which is constantly moved through the dye bath 16 by means of the driven roller 19 and cylinder -18.

With particular reference to FIGURE 2, the front roller 19 is provided with opposite helical surfaces 20 and 21 which tend to stretch the fabric laterally and thus avoid wrinkles or overlapping. However, unless the carpet remains accurately centered on roller 19, it will be apparent that a larger area will be contacted by one of the helices 20 or 21 which immediately moves the fabric laterally to an extreme position in which wrinkles occur or it will run oif of either or both the roller 19 and drum 18. In order to maintain the fabric F in a central position as shown in FIG. 2, we journal one end of the roller 19 in a self-aligning ballbearing assembly 25 having an inner-race 26 and a concave outer-race 27. The bearing 25 is supported in a bracket 28 which is in turn positioned on frame structure 29 secured to a side of the dye kettle. Roller 119' is turned through its shaft 30 to which a sprocket 31 is pinned or keyed. A suitable driving chain 32 connected to a driving sprocket, not shown, provides the rotational movement for the roller 19. The other end of the roller is also journaled in a similar self-aligning bearing assembly 35- which, however, is supported in a plate 36 vertically slideable in

ways

37 and 38 secured to angle members 39 and 40 mounted on bracket structure 41. Sliding movement of plate 36 in

ways

37 and 38 is controlled through a bracket welded to plate 36 having an ear 46 on its underside which is pivoted to a clevis 47 on piston rod 48 of fluid cylinder 49. Actuation of the piston rod 48 tends to elevate one end of roller 19" to an upper limit position shown in broken lines at 50* and opposite movement of piston rod 48 lowers oneend of roller '19 to the broken line position shown at 51. In this way the lateral positioning of the fabric F on the roller 19 can be precisely controlled and this positioning in turn results in proper alignment of the fabric on cylinder 18.

At a point approximately midway between roller 19 and cylinder 18, we suspend a pair of sensing or edge contact elements and 56, one on either side of the fabric F. The edge contact element 55 is in turn suspended from a trapeze 57 (FIG. 5) and adjustably supported thereon by means of a wing nut 58. Trapeze 57 is in turn supported at the bottom of displaceable rods 59 and 59a which actuate a small microswitch 60 shown clearly in FIG. 6. Flexing movement of the rod 59 in housing 61 opens or closes the contacts of switch 60 by means of an adjustable stop 62 secured in a boss at the side of housing 61 and retained in a desired adjusted position by means of a lock nut 63. The electrical leads 64 from switch 60 are carried upwardly and emerge from the top portion of the bar 59 as shown in FIG. 5. The sensing assembly at the righthand side of the dye kettle is an allochiral representation of the structure shown in FIG. 5 and the description thereof is not repeated in the interests of brevity.

Referring to FIGURES 7 and 8, the cylinder 49 contains a piston which is biased to a center position by means of

compression springs

71 and 72 in cylinder 49. The upper part of cylinder 49 communicates with a solenoid control valve assembly 73 by means of conduit 74 in which a metering valve 75 is located. The lower portion of cylinder 49 is also connected to control cylinder 73 by means of a conduit 76 having a metering valve 77.

Solenoids

78 and 79 are positioned to control the flow of fluid through valve 73 which is shown in normal at-rest position.

Referring now to FIGURE 8, when switch 60 is closed due to lateral travel of the fabric across roller 19, the armature 85 of relay 86 is energized through contacts 87, 88, and rods 89, 90. This in turn closes contacts 93 and 94 as well as contacts 95 and 96. Closing of contacts 93 and 94 energizes solenoid 79 through

leads

97, 98, 99, and 100. This in turn actuates the fluid valve 73 to move piston 70 in cylinder 49. Energization of armature 85 also closes contacts 95 and 96 to complete a circuit through armature 105 of relay 6 through

leads

107, 108, and 98. Actuation of relay 106 opens the circuit through contacts 87 and 88 to de-energize armature 85, thus eventually de-energizing solenoid 79. There is a predetermined time delay in this deenergization due to the sliding of the contact bar 109 on contacts 93 and 94. If the fabric continues to run to the left so that switch 60 remains closed, then the above sequence is repeated subject to a time delay interval controlled by dashpot 110. In this way the energization of solenoid 79 is repeated intermittently as long as switch 60 is closed. As soon as the fabric has been conveyed sutficiently to the right, switch 60 is opened so that closing of contacts 87 and 88 will no longer energize armature 85.

The identical circuits and relays are incorporated for the control of the righthand solenoid 78 by means of the righthand switch 114. Repetition of this circuit and its description is omitted in the interest of brevity since it is the same as previously described in conjunction with solenoid 79 sufiicient to say, however, that the closing of switch 114 by feeler 56 permits the intermittent energization of solenoid 78 through

leads

115 and 116 shown connected to the relay assembly 1 17.

Referring to FIGURE 7, it will be understood that the pressure fluid line '118'is shown in the neutral position as well as the relief fluid line 119. Upon energization of solenoid 79, pressure line 118 is connected to line 74 and relief line 119 is connected to 76. This introduces pressure to the upper part of cylinder 49 and lowers piston rod 48. The fabric then tends to slide downwardly away from its contact with feeler 55. When switch 114 is closed through contact with feeler 56, pressure line 118 is connected to line 76 and relief 119 is acteristics are achieved.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. In liquid treating apparatus for textile fabrics the combination of an enclosed chamber, a closure for said chamber, a liquid reservoir at the bottom of the chamber, side walls for the chamber, a drum rotatably mounted in the chamber, a roller in the chamber, a shaft for said roller extending through each of said side walls, a selfaligning bearing mounted outside one of said side walls and in which said shaft is journaled, driving connections for said shaft at one end thereof, a vertically slideable bracket mounted outside the other of said side walls, a self-aligning bearing mounted on said bracket and in which the opposite end of the shaft is journaled, a fluid cylinder adjacent said slideable bracket, a piston in said fluid cylinder, a piston rod connecting the piston and the bracket whereby movement of the piston in the cylinder raises and lowers one end of the shaft above and below a horizontal position, a sensing element in the chamber positioned between the drum and the roller and near each side of the chamber, a fluid valve for introducing fluid to each end of the cylinder, a pair of solenoids for operating said fluid valve, and electrical connections between the sensing elements and each of the solenoids whereby the movable end of the roller is lowered when the sensing element opposite the fixed end of the roller is contacted and the same end of the roller is elevated when the sensing element adjacent the movable end of the roller is contacted.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the electrical connections for each sensing element include a pair of time control relays.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,133,823 McClellan Oct. 18, 1938 2,513,927 Farrington July 4, 1950 2,709,588 Staege May 31, 1955 2,806,694 Penman Sept. 17, 1957