US3220242A

US3220242A - Method and apparatus for determination of hole burning susceptibility of materials

Info

Publication number: US3220242A
Application number: US164739A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr Kenneth R Oliver; Ned D Wagner
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1962-01-08
Filing date: 1962-01-08
Publication date: 1965-11-30
Anticipated expiration: 1982-11-30

Description

N v- 30, 1965 K. R. OLIVER, JR.. ETAL 3,220,242

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINATION OF HOLE Filed Jan. 8, 1962 BURNING SUSCEPTIBILITY OF MATERIALS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS 0 KENNETH OLIVER, L/R.

mvo NED D. WAG/V R Nov. 30, 1965 K. R OLIVER, JR. ETAL 3,220,242

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINATION OF HOLE BURNING SUSCEPTIBILITY OF MATERIALS Filed Jan. 8, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS KENNETH R. OL/VER, JR MD A/ED 0. WAGNER United States Patent 3,220,242 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINA- TION 0F HOLE BURNING SUSCEPTIBILITY OF MATERIALS Kenneth R. Oliver, Jr., 10403 Warwick Blvd, Newport News, Va., and Ned D. Wagner, 44 Whittaker Ave., Hampton, Va.

Filed Jan. 8, 1962, Ser. No. 164,739 7 Claims. (Cl. 73-15) This invention relates to a method and apparatus for determination of hole burning susceptibility of materials, more particularly fabrics.

Various methods and apparatus have been proposed and utilized for measuring the relative susceptibility of fabrics to hole melting or hole burning, which methods and apparatus have generally been quite cumbersome in use. Such methods are often based upon a direct analogy to hole melting from cigarette embers, and consist of determination of the temperature to which objects of standard size must be heated, so when brought in contact with the fabric under test, they will burn a hole, or otherwise fuse through the fabric.

Testing by using cigarettes is too inconclusive. The large variations between brands due to type of tobacco, packing, moisture content, etc., prevent repeatability of results. Such variations cause different temperature and rates of burning.

The inventive concept of the present invention is characterized by a method and apparatus which features simplicity in use and repeatability of results. The apparatus of the invention provides reliable evaluation of the susceptibility of hole melting, or hole burning, of fabrics.

Briefly, the subject apparatus comprises a stylus which is heated to a given temperature and applied in a spiral path to a piece of fabric. As the relative speed between the stylus and fabric increases in one direction of movement, a burn, or scorch pattern will be developed which varies in intensity, or degree, relative to the speed of the stylus upon the fabric. Comparison of test results between a given fabric, against a given standard for such type fabric, will provide a good indication of the susceptibility of the tested fabric to hole burning, or scorching.

The main object of this invention is to provide a method and apparatus for determination of hole burning susceptibility of fabrics.

A more specific object is to provide a fabric hole burning tester which is characterized by simplicity in use and repeatability of results.

Still another object is to provide a fabric hole burning tester which affords reliable evaluation of the susceptibility of hole melting, or burning, of various fabrics.

These and further objects and features of the invention will become more apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevation view, in partial section, of apparatus illustrative of an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the same;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are illustrations of burn patterns made in sample material when using the apparatus of FIG. 1; and

FIGS. 5 and 6 are illustrations of burn patterns made by cigarettes upon sample materials.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, numeral 10 identifies apparatus embodying the principles of the invention, which includes a sample mounting turntable, or disc 12, supported for rotation in a base means 14, and a stylus assemblage 16, which is also supported for rotation in the base means.

The sample mounting table 12 is preferably formed of a metal, such as aluminum, and is covered with a thin 3,220,242 Patented Nov. 30, 1965 sheet 18 of asbestos to retard heat dissipation by other than the sample. An edge groove 20 is formed in the disc for receipt of a rubber ring 22 which holds a sample 24 in taut position upon the top of the turntable during a test run. A gear 26 is afiixed to a shaft 28 upon which the disc 12 is mounted, which gear is adapted for meshing with a gear 30 driven by a motor 32 positioned in the base means 14. A bushing 34 may be arranged in the base means for the rotary support of the shaft 28, while a bushing 36 may be likewise arranged for the support of a shaft 38 forming part of the stylus assemblage 16.

A gear 40 is affixed to a rod, or shaft member 42 of the stylus assemblage 16, which gear is adapted for meshing with a gear 44 driven by a motor 46 positioned in the base means 14. Motor 32 is preferably operated at one rev. min. while motor 46 is operated at one rev./ hr.

The stylus assemblage 16 includes a horizontally disposed arm member 48, one end of which is afiixed to the upper extremity of the shaft 42, while the other end has a clamping arrangement 50 for the support of an electrically heated element, or stylus 52. The latter may be formed of a three turn coil of 0.120" diameter No. 26 chromel wire, immersed in a refractory material such as Sauereison, a synthetic porcelain cement made by the Sauereison Cement Company, said coated wire being encased in a quartz tube, having a spherical tip for engagement with a sample 24 under test. The heatingof the stylus 52 is regulated by an 8 ampere variable autotransformer (not shown), which is set with a calibration thermocouple. Tip temperatures of the stylus may be adjusted'to conform with standards established by experimentation; in tests made by applicants, a temperature range of 500 F. to 850 F. was used.

The operation of the test apparatus 10 is very simple. A sample of material is placed upon the turntable as shown in FIG. 1. The stylus assemblage 16 is positioned upon the base means 14 so that the stylus 52 will be moved in an arcuate path to create a spiral inwardly directed path upon the material, such as the path taken by a phonograph pickup on a phonograph record. The degree of contact of the stylus is unimportant for, obviously, the heat of the stylus may be such that burning is effected. A standardized contact pressure of the stylus upon the material under test of 6.5 grams was used by applicants.

FIG. 3 illustrates the results of a test run on a piece of 100% wool fabric, with a stylus temperature of ap proximately 840 F., and a turntable speed of one rev./ min. FIG. 4 illustrates the results of a test run on a piece of Orlon (tradename of material made by the du Pont de nemours Company) fabric, under the same conditions as that used on the FIG. 3 sample. In FIG. 5 a sample is shown having burn patterns made upon 100% wool fabric after two minute exposures to a lighted cigarette, while in FIG. 6 cigarette burn patterns are shown as made upon Orlon after two minute exposures. The similarity between the type of fabric burn resistance of FIGS. 3 and 4, and FIGS. 5 and 6 respectively, will be apparent.

It will be noted that as the relative speed between the stylus tip and the sample material decreases as the stylus moves toward the center of the sample, the burn effects become progressively more pronounced. It will also be noted that the susceptibility to hole burning or scorching of wool is lower than that of the Orlon.

In such manner, comparative tests may be made between different sample fabrics made from the same type of materialsuch tests being useful in quality control operationsas well as between sample fabrics of different materials-for purposes of fabric evaluation, or selection.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the method and apparatus as above described will satisfy all of the objectives hereinbefore set forth.

The foregoing description has been given in detail without thought oflimitation since the inventive principles involved are capable of assuming other forms Without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A method for determination of hole burning susceptibility of a fabric comprising, heating a stylus so that it attains a predetermined tip temperature, arranging a piece of fabric in a given plane, rotating the fabric at a constant rate While the stylus tip is in contact with the fabric, and moving the stylus at a constant rate of speed toward the center of rotation of the fabric to form a spiral burn pattern upon the fabric.

2. Apparatus for determination of hole burning susceptibility of a fabric comprising in combination, a turntable arranged for mounting of a fabric thereupon, a stylus having a tip heated to a predetermined temperature, means for rotating the turntable at a given speed, and means for moving the stylus tip in an arcuate pattern across the fabric.

3. Apparatus for determination of hole burning susceptibility of a fabric comprising in combination, a turntable arranged for mounting of a fabric thereupon, a stylus having a tip heated to a predetermined temperature, means for rotating the turntable at a given speed, and means for moving the stylus tip in an arcuate pattern at a given speed across the fabric.

4. Apparatus for determination of hole burning susceptibility of a fabric comprising in combination, a turntable arranged for mounting of a fabric thereupon, a stylus having a tip heated to a predetermined temperature, motor means for rotating the turntable at a constant speed, support means for holding the stylus in contact with the fabric, and motor means for moving the stylus tip in an arcuate pattern at a constant speed across the fabric.

5. A method for determination of hole burning susceptibility of a material comprising, heating an element to a predetermined temperature, placing the element in contact with the material to be tested, and moving the element and the material relative to one another at a variable rate of speed with the element being moved in a plane parallel with the material to develop a burn pattern on the material.

6. A method for determination of hole burning susceptibility of a material comprising, heating a stylus to a predetermined temperature, placing the stylus in contact with the material to be tested, moving the stylus and the material relative to one another at a variable rate of speed in an arcuate path to generate a spiral burn pattern on the material.

7. Apparatus for determination of hole burning susceptibility of a fabric comprising in combination: a turntable arranged for mounting a fabric thereon, a stylus having a tip heated to a temperature capable of burning said fabric, and support means capable of moving said stylus and said turntable relative to one another at a variable rate of speed with said stylus being in a plane parallel With said turntable.

References Cited, by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,664,221 3/1928 Matthews et al. 7315 2,547,367 4/1951 Booth 7315 2,895,327 7/1959 Monego et a1. 73-15 2,958,366 11/1960 Conti 73-15 X 3,088,309 5/1963 White, Jr., et al. 7315 FOREIGN PATENTS 80,275 3/ 1920 Austria.

RICHARD C. QUEISSER, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT L. EVANS, DAVID SCHONBERG, Examiners.