US3035314A - Spinning frames - Google Patents

Description

May 22, 1962 L. M. COTCHETT SPINNING FRAMES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 30, 1959 May 22, 1962 COTCHETT 3,035,314

SPINNING FRAMES Filed March so, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,035,314 SPINNKNG FRAMES Louis M. Cotchett, deceased, late of Whitman, Mass, by

Marjorie H. Cotchett, executrix, Whitman, Mass., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Machinecraft, lino, Whitman, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Mar. 30, 1959, Ser. No. 803,032 ldClaims. (Cl. 19-294) This invention relates to spinning :and roving frames, and more particularly to the construction and mounting of the bottom drawing rolls which extend the full length of the frame and with their co-engaging top rolls are used in the drafting of the yarns being spun.

In order to grip and draw out the fibers, the top rolls are weighted to bear with very considerable pressure against their corresponding bottom rolls; at the front or delivery rolls, the burden which the front bottom rolls must bear often amounts to around 30 lbs. of weighting applied by each of the 120 or so front top rolls, with about half this weight additionally applied by each middle and back top roll to the corresponding middle and back bottom rolls, on cotton, and double this weighting through out on other fibers. Hence the friction arising in their bearings is a factor of great importance in the power load and economy of 4a yarn mill.

One important object of the invention is to provide antifriotion bearings for the bottom rolls which will save power, eliminate the oiling nuisance, and make the bearings capable of taking heavy weighting without early failure. In the case of the hitherto standard construction using plain bearings for the bottom rolls, such weighting compels the application of lubricating oil, which must be used with the utmost forbearance to prevent it leaking and creeping from the bearings onto the bosses of the bottom rolls and thence onto the stock being drawn, the aprons, and cots of the top rolls with extremely harmful effect. The presence of the oil even when applied with the greatest restraint results in the collection of lint and fly in the bearings, which wastes power, and checks the steady rotation of the rolls with resulting impairment of the yarn quality.

Hence it is necessary to scour the bottom rolls periodically, to clean the lint and gummed and oxidized oil out of the bearings. To do this, the bottom rolls must be removed from the roll stands, entailing much labor and a prolonged shut-down of the frame, with attendant loss of production.

Again, when a bottom apron breaks, in a long-draft spinning frame, it cannot be replaced without pulling out the middle bottom roll shaft involved, to slip the endless apnon on via the end of the roll shaft. As a temporary repair, to serve until a scouring time is reached, a piecedup apron is put around the bottom roll, which expedient does not equal the quality of the work done by the original endless apron.

The cumulative friction drag on the prior type bottom rolls in plain bearings causes whip or uneven rotation at the end of the rolls 30 to 40 feet from the head end of the frame where the drive is applied. This uneven roll speed makes bad yarn. The friction also leads to back bottom roll and draft gear chatter at slow speeds under heavy weighting, likewise making bad yarn.

Anti-friction bearings have been tried heretofore for the support of the bottom rolls, but have been unsatisfactory and impracticable because they failed prematurely, mainly through failure to allow the bottom rolls to find their own centers of rotation. The bearings could not stand the unfair strains incident to misalignment, when added to their working loads of up to two tons total, for the front roll, for example. The bottom rolls were in effect rig-id shafts as long 'as the frame, and the manner of setting up the roll stands on the spinning frame, by stretching a wire along the frame and setting the individual roll stands thereto by sight alone, through the laborious process of filing and fitting and shimming the roll stands, failed to attain the alignment of the several roll bearings of each bottom roll as accurately as the bearings required for proper running. Continuous charges in the level of the floor supporting the frames and caused by changing humidity and the weights imposed on'the floors further made alignment impossible.

In the present invention, to do away with the need for perfect alignment, as was required in prior anti-friction bottom roll mounting arrangements, all three lines of bottom rolls are interrupted and divided up into many separate short lengths, each one roll section along (the distance between two roll stands, usually about 2 feet), herein serving six spindles, with the respective lengths of each roll connected by driving devices acting as universal joints so as to be rotated in unison, while permitting the sections to be out of line or angularly disposed to each other.

To allow for slight movement incident to such jointed mounting, the bearing blocks in which the bottom rolls are mounted are made of nylon, and thus are inherently resilient. This material has a special virtue, in that it damps out the vibration of the bottom roll shafts and their bearing parts, such vibration among other objections being the source of an appreciable part of the unpleasant noise made by spinning frames.

Double bearings are provided in each bearing block and respectively accommodate each of the two ends of adjacent sections of the bottom rolls which meet and are coupled together within the bearing block. All bearings are :of spherical type or otherwise contrived to be selfaligning so as to allow for departures from coaxial relation of the adjacent sections. The term self-aligning defines a bearing in which an inner element thereof coaxial with the roll is free to vary the angle of its axis with respect to an encircling non-rotating outer element which supports it. These better bearings permit higher roll speeds and heavier weighting, for greater production.

The flexible driving connection between the successive lengths of the now interrupted bottom rolls is simply and easily effected by intervening couplings bearing tongues standing at right angles on their respective opposite faces and engaging with corresponding grooves in the meeting ends of the roll sections and acting as universal joints.

The present novel construction makes one or both ends of all the individual bottom roll sections quickly and easily separable for the replacement of broken bottom aprons by regular continuous aprons, with no need for temporary ones of inferior performance. The use of oil for beating lubrication is replaced by grease applied through grease gun fittings and the ire-lubrication cycle is extended to months or years instead of being a weekly task. Bottom roll replacement because of wear at their bearings is eliminated, and important reductions in replacement of these and other bearings, roll stands, gear studs, and gears are attained. Periodic re-alignment of the bottom rolls is not needed. Lint-picking'cycles are also extended, through absence of oil to collect lint. Since each individual roll section revolves accurately on its own axis, the bosses thereon rotate about their exact axes, giving uniform surface speed and better drawing of the strand. Scouring of the bottom rolls is eliminated, except for cleaning the flutes of the bosses, with great saving of shut-down time and labor cost.

An additional benefit is that the new-flexible jointing of the rolls at the end of each roll section makes possible the use of much lighter roll stands, cheaper and easier to make.

The whole new construction is quicker and easier to install in either new or old spinning frames, particularly because it reduces the necessity for the accurate alignment of all roll stands by use of wires and filing and fitting as compelled when the prior rigid bottom rolls are used.

Other objects of the invention, and the manner of their attainment, are as set forth hereinafter.

Illustrative embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a vertical transverse section through the roller beam and bottom rolls of a spinning frame, showing the improved bearings in section also.

FIG. 2 is a vertical section on line 22 of FIG. 1, with the top rolls also indicated.

FIG. 3 is a vertical section on line 33 of FIG. 1, with the top rolls also indicated.

FIG. 4 is a vertical section on line 44 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of the bearing for the back bottom roll.

FIG. 6 is a section on line 66 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the universal joint coupling.

The bottom rolls are each made up of a plurality of lengths each no longer than a roll section. The end of each length 31, 33, of the from bottom roll is received in a bearing fixed on a roll stand 17 bolted at 13 through its foot 11 to the roller beam 15, and as shown in FIG. 7 is slotted transversely at 26 to receive a transversely extending tongue 27 formed on each side of a circular key or dog 29 interposed between the meeting ends of the two lengths 3 1, 33, of the bottom roll. The tongues 27 of each dog are 90 apart about the axis of the dog, which acts as a universal joint driving one section 31 from the other section 33 while permitting both lateral and angular disalignment of the axes of the two lengths of roll throughout 360 of rotation. Thus the bearings are spared the destructive strains arising from running a continuous or rigid shaft through bearings that are out of line.

Each of the three bottom rolls is carried in its proper bearing applied to and fixed on each roll stand 17. Thus, the adjacent ends of roll lengths 3'1 and 33 are each received within a spherical and hence self-aligning antifriction bearing composed of a double set of bearing balls 39 rolling between cones 41 on the end of each roll length and complementary part-spherical cups 43, symmetrically disposed, held in a semi-circular seat 45, FIG. 1, formed therefor in a bearing block 47 made of nylon, preferably by molding. A semi-circular cap 49 stamped from metal retains both double bearings in the block 47. The cap may also be made of nylon if preferred.

To exclude lint and dust from the bearing balls, as well as to prevent the escape of grease from the bearing, and keep out air which oxidizes the lubricant, each side of the bearing is sealed by an annular nylon washer 51 retained within the flanges 53 of cap 49 and corresponding flanges 55 on the bearing block 47. The internal diameter of each washer 51 is less than the diameter of the roll ends lying within the bearings. A low bead 56 and a rounded groove 57 are formed on the roll lengths 31, 33 just outside the bearing. The washer bears against the bead and extends down into the groove. The flexibility and elasticity of the component nylon permit the washer to be sprung over the end of each roll length to seat in the groove 57. The natural contraction and resilience of the nylon forming the washer keep it thereafter in close sealing contact with the wall of the groove 57. The tendency of the fibers of lint and fly to wrap themselves around the smallest available diameter of a rotating part causes them to seek the bottom of groove 57 and stay away from the washer.

The pair of cups 43 of each double spherical bearing is held apart from its companion pair and pressed against its respective washer 51, by means of a ring 59 of neoprene or other suitable resilient material serving as a spacer spring. In this manner the two cups 43 of each spherical bearing are yieldingly held together and the inward cone 41 is kept from harmful engagement with the dog 29 which connects the meeting ends of each pair of roll lengths 3'1, 33, carried by the respective roll stands. By the same means the outward cone 41 of each bearing is held against bead 56 adjacent it.

The nylon bearing block or body 47 for the front bottom roll is bolted to the bed 1 of roll stand 17 by a cap screw 61 threaded into the body, and whose washer 63 takes bearing against the under sides of a slot 65 in the bed 1. The sides of this slot 65 are turned up as shown in FIG. 3 to form flanges 67, and appropriate slots to receive these flanges are formed in the bottom of bearing body 47. An apron 69 on the front end of body 47 normally abuts against the ends of side flanges 3 of the bed 1, and is formed with a pair of transversely spaced bosses 71 for the reception of screws 73 which go through lugs on cap 49 to hold the latter in place. The construction admits of adjustment of the entire bearing and thus of the front bottom roll forwardly by manipulation of clamping screw 61 along slot 65.

The middle and back bottom drawing rolls 35, 37, are similarly contrived in separate lengths each one roll section long, keyed together by dogs 29 in the manner already described, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 7. The two ends 75, 77, FIG. 3, of the middle roll thus joined at mid-width of each roll stand 1 are supported rotatably in bearing liners 79 having semi-cylindrical interiors extending half-way around the end portions 75, 77, and in supporting engagement therewith, and having part-spherical exterior surfaces of a radius equalling the distance from their exterior surfaces to the axis of the part 75 or 77, received in correspondingly shaped grooves 81 in the body 83 of the bearing member. The spherical self-aligning type of bearing thus contrived for each of the adjacent ends permits disalignment of the axes of the two adjacent roll lengths without undue strain on the bearings. Both the bearing liners 79 and the bearing body 83 are preferably made of nylon or equivalent plastic, as by molding, and on account of the low coefiicient of friction of this material the bearing surfaces of both require little or no applied lubricant.

Middle bearing block 83 is fixed in its working position by a cap screw 85 put through slot 65 in the bed 1 and threaded into the block and supplied with a washer 87 bridging the slot. Suitable rabbets 89 receive the flanges 67 at the sides of slot 65 so that these flanges serve as guides for holding the bearing true as it is adjusted along the slot of bed 1 in varying the roll setting to meet the requirements of diflerent staples of fibers being drawn. As in the case of the front bearing block 47, the lateral portions of the bearing block fit closely upon the shoulders at the lateral edges of the bed 1.

The middle roll hearing has a metal cap 90 attached by screws 91 fixing its two lugs to bosses 93 on the base, and nylon lint seals 95 like those shown at 51 on the front roll bearing are provided to exclude lint and dirt from the bearing surfaces. These seals bear against the outer surfaces of integral beads 97 which like the beads 56 of the front roll are about greater in diameter than the bearing surfaces 75, 77, and bear on the sides of grooves 99 formed between the beads and the knurled bosses 101 of the rolls.

The double hearing which at each roll stand supports the flexibly coupled meeting ends of the successive roll lengths, each one roll section long, forming the back bottom roll 37, FIG. 1, is substantially similar in all respects to the middle bottom roll bearing just described, and shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. The differences are that the bearing block 103, fixed in place by cap screw 105 passing through slot 65, has the two bosses 107 receiving the retaining screws 109 for cap 110 located on its front surface. Also, a bracket 111 is formed on its rear surface to define a slot 113 in which the traverse bar (not shown) reciprocates. The same type of nylon bearing liners 115 is provided as is shown in FIG. 3. In adjusting the back roll rearwardly, movement of bearing block 103 is not limited by the length of flanges'67, but only by the shank of screw 105 bringing up against the end of slot 65.

It is also contemplated to use angular contact ball bearings at all three lines of bottom rolls, instead of the spherical types of ball bearings or nylon bearing liners, in cases where greater weighting or roll speeds make it desirable, as in drafting some synthetic fibers.

An example of such arrangement is shown in FIGS. and 6, where it is applied to the back bottom roll. This arrangement differs from that of FIGS. 1 and 2 in that the pairs of symmetrically arranged ball bearings 131, 133, FIG. 6, applied to the meeting ends of adjacent back bottom roll sections 135, 137, respectively, are of angular instead of spherical type. To provide for axial disaligninent between the two sections, the radius of the ball tracks of the inside and outside ball races of each bearing is made greater than the radius of the balls rolling therein, and the four races on the end of each roll length are yieldably held in bearing block 139 and cap 141 thereof, by resilient washers 143- of neoprene or other synthetic rubber, which provide for some small amount of movement of the ball races axially of the bottom rolls to accommodate changes of angle of the axis of each roll with respect to its bearing block and hence of the roll sections with respect to each other. The outer washers push the outside ball races axially toward each other, while the cones are held apart by a metal spacer 144, and thus establish the bearing tension. A lint sealing gasket 145 of nylon bears against one side of a bead 147 on each roll, being pressed thereagainst and against the lip 149 formed on the bearing block 139 and continued in cap 141, to retain grease and shut out lint and fly.

The back of bearing block 139 is provided with an extension 151 defining a slot 153 in which the traverse rail 155 slides transversely to move its trumpet 157 back and forth along the bosses of the drawing rolls.

Any roll section can be removed with its bearings and parts in place, by merely removing the bearing caps at its ends. Thus new aprons are quickly applicable to the middle roll in long-draft systems.

The usual back bar 117, FIGS. 1 and 4, for guiding the roving into the rolls is provided, but instead of being continuous throughout a plurality of roll sections it is cut up into lengths one roll section long, like the bottom rolls. The two ends which thus confront or meet each other on the median longitudinal plane of each roll stand bed 1 are each mounted in a comformably shaped hollow in the ends of the arms of a U-shaped bracket 119 by means of cap screws 121 extending through longitudinal slots 123, FIG. 1, in the rear end of bed 1. These screws also pass through the web of the U-shaped bracket K119 and are threaded partway through the end portions or" the two back bars 117, thus affixing the latter in spaced relation to the roll stands.

The foregoing novel construction attains the leading aim of the invention of providing anti-friction bearings for the bottom rolls which are capable of carrying the heaviest roll Weighting. They require little or no applied lubricant. Very material saving in the power required to drive the frame is effected, especially when ball bearing top rolls are used. The improved structure also liberates the ball bearings from the unfair burden and consequent rapid destruction resulting from inherent disalignment of the bearings with respect to the heretofore rigid bottom rolls. It provides for quick replacement of broken aprons. Finally, the structure devised for these purposes is simple, inexpensive, stronger, easy to adjust for different roll settings, more positive in holding the settings, quicker to install, and versatile in that it is adapted to be easily modified to suit different existing makes and types of spinning frames, in modernizing them and converting them to longdraft for increased production.

Because the bearings are relieved of strains, the roll stands can be made of flat stock and sheet metal of standard commercial dimensions, lighter and less costly, with greatly reduced need for accuracy in their formation, as well as in installation. Such a stand is shown in FIG. 1.

While there are illustrated and described certain forms in which the invention may be embodied, it is possible that many modifications may bemade therein by any person skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore, it is not desired to be limited to the particular forms shown or to the details of construction thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, roll stands, bottom roll lengths extending just from one roll stand to the next, ball bearings of self-aligning type surrounding the outside of the roll lengths at each end thereof and mounted on the roll stands, and driving means coupling one end of each bottom roll length to its adjacent bottom roll length and compelling rotation in unison while permitting axial disalignment thereof, and means yieldingly urging apart the bearings at the coupled ends and into spaced relation to the driving means.

2. The combination according to claim 1 in which the bearings are mounted in nylon bearing blocks fixed on the roll stands.

3. The combination according to claim 1 in which the bearings are of spherical type each supporting one of the adjacent ends of two separate lengths of a bottom roll.

4. In combination, bottom rolls, roll stands comprising base portions and bearing supporting surfaces, bottom roll bearing blocks on the latter made of resilient plastic and serving all bottom rolls, ball bearings supporting the front bottom roll in its bearing blocks, and plastic bearing liners having part-spherical exterior surfaces and of low coefiicient of friction supporting the remaining bottom rolls in their respective bearing blocks and relatively movable therein.

5. In a spinning or roving frame, in combination, roll stands, bottom drawing rolls composed of lengths each one roll section long and meeting at the roll stands, universal joint means connecting adjacent lengths to turn in unison and with their axes disaligned, and angular contact ball bearings having their ball races resiliently mounted on the roll stands and supporting the respective meeting ends of such lengths.

6. The combination according to claim 5 in which the ball races are mounted on the adjacent ends of the roll lengths between axially spaced resilient elements.

7. In a spinning or roving frame, in combination, bottom drawing rolls composed of lengths each one roll section long, universal joint means connecting adjacent lengths to turn in unison and with their axes disaligned, roll stands, nylon bearing blocks fixed on the roll stands, and ball bearings in the blocks supporting the proximate ends of adjacent lengths.

8. In spinning and roving frames, in combination, roll stands, bearing blocks fixed thereon, bottom drawing rolls made in sections extending from one roll stand to another and terminating within the bearing blocks, universal joint driving connections between the bottom roll sections, and ball bearings resiliently mounted in the bearing blocks for the ends of the sections.

9. The combination according to claim 8 in which the bearing blocks are made of resilient material and the bearings are resiliently mounted in the blocks with capacity for movement with respect to the latter.

10. In a spinning or roving frame, in combination, roll stands, bottom drawing rolls composed of lengths each one roll section long and meeting at the roll stands, universal joint means connecting adjacent lengths to turn in unison and with their axes disaligned, and a pair of symmetrically disposed angular contact ball bearings sup porting the respective meeting ends of such lengths, the ball races of such bearings being resiliently mounted on the roll stands, and resilient washers pressing axially against such ball races and permitting relative displacement from coaxial relation of the inner and outer races thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Hanson Sept. 11, 1923 Pearson Sept. 11, 1923 Cooper Sept. 9, 1924 Cotchett Mar. 12, 194-0 Northway Mar. 4, 1941 8 Austin June 17, 1941 Tarr Aug. 12, 1941 Cotchett Sept. 15, 1942 Stott Jan. 18, 1949 Potter Feb. 5, 1952 McGhee Apr. 15, 1952 Davis Aug. 2, 1955 Cotchett Oct. 28, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany June 24, 1954

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