US3083640A

US3083640A - Apparatus for irregularly dyeing yarn and the like

Info

Publication number: US3083640A
Application number: US119637A
Authority: US
Inventors: Milner Cobb
Original assignee: ELMORE CORP
Current assignee: ELMORE CORP
Priority date: 1961-06-26
Filing date: 1961-06-26
Publication date: 1963-04-02
Anticipated expiration: 1980-04-02

Description

A ril 2, 1963 c. MILNER 3,083,640

APPARATUS FOR IRREGULARLY DYEING YARN AND THE LIKE Filed June 26, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 COBB M I LN ER F ZNVENTOR.

BY 46W,

ATTORNEYS April 2, 1963 c. MILNER 3,083,640

APPARATUS FOR IRREGULARLY DYEING YARN AND THE LIKE Filed June 26, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3M) 52 B ssd c 54 b 55 ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,083,640 APFARATUS F612 BREGULARLY DYEING YARN AND TEE LEE Cobb Milner, Rntherfordton, N.C., assignor to The Elmore Corporation, Spindale, N.C., a corporation of North Carolina Filed .Iune 25, 1961, Ser. No. 119,637 14 Claims. (Ci. 101172) This invention relates to an improved apparatus for printing or dyeing yarns and other textile strands, and more especially to apparatus for dyeing variegated irregularly spaced portions of irregular or equal length along the strands.

Various method and apparatuses have been employed heretofore for printing or dyeing yarns with a plurality of colors. One such prior method has included inserting perforated hollow needles in various portions of a wound package of yarn and injecting different colored dyes through the needles so that the dyes would penetrate adjacent portions of the yarn. Yarns have also been dyed by splashing or spattering dye thereon. Such methods have been economically impractical and the resultant dyed areas of the yarn were not clearly defined on the yum.

In another method of printing irregularly spaced variegated portions along the length of the yarn, a series of printing rolls has been employed wherein each of the printing rolls included a large number of radially movable printing bars with a complicated mechanism for irregularly shifting or actuating the bars so that certain bars would engage the moving textile strands to press corresponding portions of the strands against dye transferring rolls, the frequency of actuation of the various printing bars serving to determine the irregularity of the spaced dyed marks on the strands.

The latter apparatus has included a large number of complicated parts which could easily become worn and out of adjustment and has also been prohibitively expensive to manufacture and maintain.

Still another type of prior apparatus has included a series of printing drums of uniform diameter, all of the drums being driven at the same speed, and wherein each drum has a segmental printing bar fixed thereon. In this apparatus the printing bars engage and press the moving textile strands against the peripheries of corresponding dye transferring rolls. However, since the printing drums are of uniform diameter and are driven at the same speeds, this type apparatus prints a repeating pattern of equally spaced dyed marks along the strands.

It is therefore an important object of this invention to provide an improved, eflicient and relatively inexpensive apparatus for irregularly dyeing moving strands with a non-repeating pattern of clearly defined different colors along the strands.

It is another more specific object of this invention to provide an apparatus of the character described which generally includes a series of printing rolls, drums or shafts each having radially extending printing bars thereon forming respective segmental printing surfaces. The printing surfaces on each of certain of the printing rolls are of greater or lesser radius than those on at least one other of the rolls and the printing rolls are so driven that all the printing surfaces rotate at substantially the same surface speed so the printing surfaces may engage corresponding portions of synchronously moving strands and press such portions against respective synchronously driven dye transferring rolls to which different colors of a suitable liquid or other type of dye are supplied to print precise, non-smeared, irregularly spaced areas and non-repeating patterns of different colors on the strands. It is apparent that the extent of the varying radii of Patented Apr. 2, 1963 the printing surfaces of the different printing rolls correspondingly varies the frequency at which different colored dyes are applied to the strands, and the number of printing surfaces on each printing roll determines the frequency at which dye of a given color is applied to the strands.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the improved dyeing apparatus of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation looking up at the bottom of FIGURE 1, with the lower portion of the frame thereof broken away;

FIGURE 3 is a schematic longitudinal vertical sectional View through the improved dyeing apparatus;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along line 4 4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURES 5, 6 and 7 are views of various types of printing rolls which may be used with the present apparatus;

FIGURE 8 is a somewhat schematic view illustrating the irregularity of the variegated dyed portions of one of the yarns or textile strands as processed with the present apparatus.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, it will be observed in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 that the machine comprises a series of printing or dyeing units, there being five such units best shown in FIGURE 3, and each of which includes a dye feeding or transferring roll partially immersed in a supply of dye and a printing roll spaced thereabove. The dye transfer rolls are indicated at 11 through 15 and the printing rolls are indicated at 21 through 25, reading from left to right in FIGURE 3. The dye pans or reservoirs are indicated at 31 through 35 and contain supplies of liquid dyes A through E of different colors or shades.

The printing rolls 2i25 are preferably of hollow or drum-like construction and have closed opposite ends which are mounted on shafts 40. The shafts 40 are journaled in bearing blocks 41 which are mounted for vertical adjustment on opposed

upright side frames

42, 42 of a main frame broadly designated at '43.

Each

side frame

42, 42 includes a plurality of spaced upright bars 44 provided with longitudinally or vertically extending slots 45, 46, 47 therein. Slots 45, 46 are provided for receiving bolts 48 which secure bearing blocks 41 to the corresponding side frame and which facilitate vertical adjustment of the shafts 40 on which the corresponding printing rolls 2125 are mounted. The shafts 49 loosely extend through the slots 47 provided in the bars 44 of the side frames 42, 42'. Each of the dye transferring rolls 11-15 is also mounted on a shaft 50 whose opposed ends are journaled in bearing blocks 51 adjustably secured to the upright side frames 42, 42'. The shafts 5t} loosely extend through the slots '47 in the corresponding bars 4-4 of frame 43, and the bearing blocks 51 are secured to the bars 44 by bolts 52 which extend through the corresponding adjustment slots 45, 46.

It is important to note that the printing rolls 21-25 are of various diameters, the printing roll 24 being of relatively small diameter and the

printing rolls

23, 22, 25 and 21 being of progressively increasing diameter. Accordingly, the shafts 40 corresponding to the respective rolls 21-25 have respective V-pulleys 55-59 fixed thereon whose diameters are proportional to the diameters of the respective printing rolls 21-25. Each of the pulleys 55 59 is engaged by an endless belt 62 which is crossed and engages a corresponding pulley 63 (FIG- URE 4), there being one of the pulleys 63 mounted on each of the shafts 59. Although all the pulleys 63 may be of the same diameter, it will be apparent that the ratio of the diameters of the pulleys 55-59 to the diam- 21-25 to the radii of the respective dye transferring 7 rolls 11-15.

It will be observed FIGURES 2 and 3 that a sheet of parallel yarns or other textile strands S is directed into the machine between 'a pair of upper and lower feed-rolls 64, 65, which maybe fixed'or, if desired may be oscillating, the upper. surface of the'lower feed roll 65 being disposed above the level of the dye transferring rolls 11-15. In order to further insure that the strands S do. notnormally contact the upper surfaces of the dye transferring. rolls 11-15, a pair of strand supporting or

lift rolls

66, 67 is positioned astraddle the dye transfer. roll- 13, and another supporting roll or lift ro1l'70' (FIGURE 3') is spaced forwardly of the foremost dye transfer roll 15. The upper surfaces of the

rolls

66, 67,70 are disposed above the level of the upper-surfaces of the dye transferring. rolls 11-15 so that all the rolls 65, '66, 67 and 70 normally maintain the strands S in spaced relation slightly 'above the upper surfaces of the dye transfer rolls 1-1-15. The roll 70 represents any suitable take-up means and generally serves to direct thestrand-s to a conventional drying apparatus, such as driven dry cans, not shown. The sheetof strands S may 'be drawn from any suitable supply source, such as a creel, by the feed rolls 64, 65.

The feed rolls 6'4, 65 are mounted on respective shafts 71, 72. Opposed endsof shafts 72 are journaled in standards 73, 7'3" (FIGURES 2 and 3') carried by respective angle brackets 74 suitably secured to the main frame 43. Thezshaft 71 of upper feed roll 64 is journaledin a pair of crank arms 75, 75' pivotally mounted on the upper portions of

standards

73, 73.

The free end of each

arm

75, 75 has'the upper end of which loosely penetrates a corresponding Weight lever 77 pivotally mounted-on the corresponding standard. It will be observed in FIGURE. 2 that the free end of lever 77 has a suitable weight member 80 suspended thereon for applying downward pressure to upper feed roll 64 so the strands S are *pressed' between feed rolls The

lift rolls

66, 67 are each mounted on a corresponding shaft82, opposed ends of which are 'journaled in vertically adjustable bearing blocks '83, 83 (FIGURE 1). Each end of each shaft 82 loosely extends through the slot 47 formed in thecorresponding upright'bar, such as bars 44 of FIGURE 2, and each of the

bearing blocks

83, 83 is secured to the corresponding upright bar by means of bolts 85 which extend through the corresponding adjustment slots-45, 46; 7

Corresponding ends of each of the shafts 50 and 82 are each provided with a pair of

sprocket wheels

86, 87 fixed thereon, which are engaged by respective

endless sprocket chains

90, 91 andwhich interconnect the shafts 50, 82 indriving relationship. All the sprocket wheels '86; 87' should be of the samefldiametenyso that all the dye transferring rolls 11-15 are driven to rotate at the same surface speed as the speed. of the strands S.

' The foremost of the sprocket chains 90 is mounted on' only .one of the sprocket wheels 86 andengages a sprocketwheel 93 fixedon a jack shaft 94 journaledin bearing blocks 95 carried by the side frames 42, 42' of main frame 43. Shaft 94 also has a pulley 96 fixed thereon which is engaged by an endless belt 97. Endless belt 97 also engages a pulley 100 fixed on theshaft of anelectric motor 101.- Electric motor 101 is mounted on a bracket 102 suitably secured to the rear portion of main? frame 43; The rearmost sprocket chain 91 (FIG- URE 1) is mounted on only one of the sprocket wheels 87 and engages a sprocket wheel 99 fixed on the shaft 72 of the feed roll 65.

a Each of the-printing rolls 21-25 has one or more e of thecorresponding printing rolls.

segmental radially projecting printing elements or bars thereon, the number, and configuration or shape of which may vary; In the embodiment of FIGURES 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, each printing bar is shown as being straight and extending parallel to theaxis of the corresponding printing roll or drum. In this instance, printing roll 21includes two circularly spaced. printing :

bars

21a, 21b; printing roll 22 includes two circularly spaced printing bars 22a, 22b; printing roll 23 includes two circularly spaced

printing bars

23a, 23b; printing roll 24 includes a single printing bar 24a; and printing roll 25 includes three circularly spaced

printing bars

25a, 25b, 25c. The drive mechanism heretofore described (FIGURES l and 2) rotates the dye transferring rolls 11-15 and printing rolls 2'1-25 so that the surface speeds of the dye transferring rolls 1-1-15 and the printing bars carried: by the respective printing rolls 21-25 are all the same and correspond to the rate at which the. strands S move between the dye transferring rolls 11-15 andthe printing rolls 21-25.

The printing rolls 21-25 are spaced various distances above the corresponding dye transferring rolls 11-15, according to the various diameters thereof, so that the printing bars carried thereby will engage and lightly press the corresponding portions of the yarns or strands S against the peripheries of the respective dye transferring rolls 11-15.

Thus, each of the

printing bars

21a, 21b, 22a, 22!), 23a, 23b, 24a, 25a, 25b, 25c forms a colored area in the strands S corresponding to the width of the corresponding printing bar as it moves into engagement with 22a, 225, due to the diameter of printing roll 21 being substantially greater than the diameter of printing roll 22. Thus, the different diameters of the -printing rolls 21-25 (and the consequent different radii of the printing surfaces thereon) determines the varying relative frequency at which dyes of difierent colors are applied to the moving strand-s S. It is apparent that a greater number of printing bars may be: circularly arranged in spacedrelationship on those printing rolls oflarge diameter as compared to those printing rolls of the smaller diameter, if desired, so as toincrease the frequency at which dye of any given color is applied to the strands S.

From 'astandpoint of cost, it'is apparent that itis desirable that all the printing bars carried bythe printing rolls be of the same height; that is,.it is-desirable that all of them project the same distance fromthe peripheries However, by varying the height of the printing-bars, v it is apparent thatthe printing rolls 2'1-25 may all be of the same diameter, provided that the diiferent radii or' effective radii of the peripheral or printing surfaces of the printing lbars'correspond substantially to the distances from the upper 'surfaces of the dye transferring rolls 11-15 to the centers of the corresponding shafts 40-thereabove.

It is therefore apparent that the differences in effective radii of the printing surfaces or printing bars isthe most important feature for avoiding 'short pattern repeats. Wherever the term eifectiveradii is used herein in conjunction with printing rolls or printing bars, the same shall beconstrued to-meanthe distance between the printing surfaces thereon and the axis of rotation thereof.

, The dye pans 31-35 may be supported in any suitable manner to facilitate removing the same from the machines for cleaning the sme and replenishing the supply of liquid dye therein, a desired. In this instance, the dye pans 31-35 are mounted on a platform 1G3 spaced beneath the dye transferring rolls 1145 and being suitably mounted for vertical adjustment between side frames 42, 42, such as by means of screws 1% penetrating corresponding adjustment slots 45, 46.

Each dye transferring roll 11-15 is preferably lightly engaged by a doctor blade 105 carried by posts 106 suitably attached to the side frames 42, 42, as by screws 107. The doctor blades 1&5 function in a conventional manner to level and smooth out the liquid dye as it is picked up by the corresponding dye transferring rolls.

The particular printing roll shown in FIGURE 5 is the roll '23 of FIGURE 3 provided with the two one-piece, circularly spaced,

straight bars

23a, 23b which are shown as being positioned in substantially right-angular relationship to each other. In FIGURE 6, another printing roll 23 is shown, which may correspond to any one of the printing rolls 21-25 of FIGURE 3. However, the printing roll 23' of FIGURE 6 differs from the first embodiment of the printing rolls shown in FIGURES 3 and 5 in that, instead of a single printing bar extending throughout the length of the corresponding printing roll 23, the printing roll 23' has a plurality of relatively short segmental printing bars thereon, there being four such printing bars 108111 shown in staggered relationship along the length of the roll 23'. The short printing bars Hid-111 may be of the same or varying Width and/or length, and other rows of staggered relatively short printing bars may also be secured to the periphery of printing roll 23' and may be of the same or different lengths from those indicated at 1G3111 in FIGURE 6.

In FIGURE 7, a third embodiment of the printing rolls is shown wherein the printing roll is indicated at 23". Printing roll 23" difiers from those previously described in that a printing bar 112 is spirally formed about the periphery of the roll 23 with adjacent coils thereof being spaced substantially apart. It is apparent that the dye marks formed on certain adjacent strands S will be staggered relative to each other in accordance with the staggered arrangement of the short printing bars 108111 when printing roll 23 is used, and that the printed portions of the yarns will be disposed in angular relationship widthwise of the sheet of strands S when the spirally formed printing bar 112 and roll 23 are used for printing the various portions of the strands S. The arrangements of the printing bars in FIGURES 5, 6 and 7 are exemplary and it is to be understood that many other printing bar arrangements may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The segmental printing surfaces of the various printing bars disclosed herein may be covered with felt, cloth, rubber or other resilient material, or the printing bars may be formed of Wood, plastic, glass or metal such as copper or steel, or they may be chrome plated, so as to define a clear line of demarcation between adjacent variegated areas and to also prevent the segmental printing surfaces from absorbing excess dye from the dye transferring rolls 11-15.

It is thus seen that I have provided an apparatus for dyeing moving strands at irregularly spaced areas and in a non-repeating pattern. Although the dyed yarns formed by the present apparatus have been described as having a non-repeating pattern, it is realized that eventually a repeat will be formed. However, a repeat in the pattern will be effected only after a great length of the strands S has passed through the machine, depending upon the variation of the diameters of the printing bars on the printing rolls at each printing unit. This is in contrast to the repeating patterns printed by prior art types of yarn printing machines which employ printing rolls which are all the same diameter. In this prior art type machine the pattern is repeated each time all the printing rolls revolve one revolution and therefore the pattern is repeated each time a length of yarn passes through the machine which is substantially equal to the circumference of each of the printing rolls.

However, in the instant invention, the diameters or effective radii of the rolls vary with respect to each other in a relationship such that each roll revolves a plurality of revolutions before a repeat of the pattern is formed. When all the rolls are being rotated at the same peripheral speed, as is the case here, plural revolutions of all of the rolls for forming a given repeat of the pattern may be achieved only, as applicant has done, by having a fractional relationship, as opposed to a whole number relationship, between the diameter or effective radius of the largest roll and the diameter or effective radius of at least one other roll in the series, i.e., the quotient obtained by dividing the diameter or effective radius of the largest roll by the diameter or effective radiu of at least one other roll of the series is a fractional number as opposed to a whole number.

An irregularly dyed yarn is formed in the present instance by providing a dyeing apparatus which includes a series of printing units, each of which has a printing roll provided with segmental printing surfaces that print corre :sponding colors at different intervals along the length of the yarn. This is accomplished in the present instance by the simple expedient of varying the effective radii of the printing bars, i.e., the distances of the printing surfaces from the axes of rotation of the corresponding printing rolls at the different printing units. Thus, the printing surfaces at any given one of the printing units do not engage the yarns in the same timed relationship as the printing surfaces at the other printing units.

In FIGURE 8, one of the strands S is shown with a plurality of variegated irregularly arranged areas A' thereon corresponding to the different colored dyes A-E of FIGURE 3, such areas exemplifying many different patterns which may be provided on the strands processed through the present apparatus.

In the drawings and specification, there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. A yarn printing machine for dyeing irregularly spaced portions of a moving sheet of yarns comprising a series of spaced printing rolls of varying diameters, a dye transferring roll spaced beneath each printing roll and above which said sheet moves in normally spaced relation thereto, means for supplying different colors of liquid dye to the peripheries of successive transferring rolls, at least one segmental printing bar fixed to the periphery of each printing roll and being adapted to press said sheet against the respective transferring roll therebeneath during each revolution of the respective printing roll, and means for driving said printing rolls and said transferring rolls at such speeds that the peripheries of the transferring rolls and the outer surfaces of all the printing bars move at the same speed and in the same direction as the moving sheet of yarns, the diameters of said printing rolls varying with respect to each other in a relationship necessitating a plurality of revolutions of each roll to form a pattern repeat and wherein the quotient obtained by dividing the diameter of the largest printing roll by the diameter of at least one other printing roll is a fractional number.

2. A yarn printing machine comprising a series of printing units, each unit including a dye transferring roll and a printing roll spaced above each transferring roll, means for supporting and moving a sheet of yarn between the dye transferring rolls and the printing rolls :and in spaced relation above the transferring rolls, means for supplying dye of different colors to said transferring rolls, at least one printing bar carried by and extending radially from each printing roll, the effective radii of the printing bars varying with respect to eachother in a relationship necesother efiective radiiis a fractional number, and means to rotate the'printing :bars and the transferring roll-s about their respective axes at surface speeds substantially equalto the speed of movement of'the sheetof yarn whereby the printing bars engage and press the yarn against the respective transferring. rolls for applying different colored dyes to the moving sheet of yarns.

' 3'. A'struct-ure according to claim 2, including at least one additional printing bar carried by at least one of said printing rolls and being circularly spaced with respect to the first-mentioned printing bar thereon.

4; A structure according to claim 2, wherein at least one of said printing bars isstraight and extends substantially parallel to the axis of the corresponding printing roll.

5. A structure according toclaim 2, in which at least oneof the printing bars is formed in relatively short'sections staggered lengthwise of'the corresponding printing roll.

tive'r adiiof the printing bars varying with respect to eachother in a" relationship necessitating a plurality :ofrevolutions of each printing roll to form a pattern repeat and wherein the quotient obtained by dividing the largest of said eifective radii by one of the other eifective radii is afractional number, and meansfor rotating the transferring,

rolls-and theprinting roll bars about their respective axes at substantially equal surface speeds. V 8; A-st'ru'cture accordingto claim 7, wherein at ing roll. v V 7 9. A structureacoording t'o-cla-im7, in which saidprinting. bars are of varying widths.

'10. A structure according to claim 7, in which at least one of the printing barsis formed in' relatively short pieces staggered generally lengthwise of the corresponding printing'roll.

11. A structure according to claim 7, in which at least one of the printing bars extends spirally around the periphery of the corresponding printing roll.

12'. A printing machine for dyeing irregularly spaced portionsof a moving sheet of yarns or the like passing therethrough comprising a series of spaced apart rotatable members, at least one radially projecting printing bar car- 6. A structure according to'claim 2, in which at least least some ofsaid printing barsare of one-piece construction and extend parallel to the axis of the corresponding print-' ried-by each of said rotatable members and'being adapted to engage the sheet of yarnsfor applying color thereto, the effective radii of the printing bars'va'rying with respect to each other in a relationship necessitating a plurality ofrevolutions of each rotatable member to form a pattern repeat and wherein the quotient obtained by dividing the largest of said elfective radii by one of the other effective radii is a fractional number, and means for drivingly rotating said members about their respective axes at 'such' speeds as to impart a common peripheral speed to all the printing bars carried thereby.

13. A printing machine for dyeing irregularly spaced portions of a moving sheet of yarns or the likecomprisingmeans for passing a sheet of yarns through the machine at a predetermined speed, a series of spaced apart rotatable members positioned along oneside the path of travel of the sheet of yarns; at least oneradially projecting printing element carried by each of said rotatable members and being adapted to engage the sheet of ya'rns for applying color thereto, the etfective radii of the printing elements varying with respect to each other in a relationship necessitating a plurality of revolutions of each rotatable member to form a pattern repeat a'ndwh-erein the quotient obtained by dividing the largest of said effective radii by one of the other effective radii is a fractional number, and means for drivingly rotating said members about their respectiveaxes at such speeds as to impart acommon peripheral speed to all the printing elements'oarried thereby which is equal to said speed of travel of the-sheet of yarns.

14. A printing machine tor dyeing irregularly spaced portions of a moving sheet of yarnsor the like passing therethrou'gh comprising a series-of spaced apart rotatable members positioned adjacent one side of the sheet of yarns passing thereth-rough, a series of spaced apart dye transferring' rolls corresponding in number to said rotatable members and being" positioned adjacent thereto'but' on the opposite side of the sheet of yarns passing therethrough, atleast one radially projecting printing bar carried by each of said rotatable members-and bein adapted .to engagethe sheet of yarns and press the yarns against said dye transferring rolls' for applying color thereto, the effective radii of the printing bars varying with respect to each other in a relationship necessitating a plurality of revolutions of each rotatable member to form a pattern repeat and wherein the quotient obtained 'by dividing the largest of said effective radii by one of the other effective radii is a fractional number, and means for drivingly'rotat'ing' said rotatable members about their respective axes at such speeds as to impart a common peripheral speed to all theprinting bars carried thereby.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS