US3579760A

US3579760A - Texturizing apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3579760A
Application number: US833602A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ralph A Caneer; William J Anderson; Bert B Morgan; Jerry M Goodman
Original assignee: Northrop Carolina Inc
Current assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corp
Priority date: 1969-06-16
Filing date: 1969-06-16
Publication date: 1971-05-25
Anticipated expiration: 1988-05-25

Abstract

Method and apparatus useful in the textile art for maintaining the uniformity of a filament in a crimping facility in which the facility functions to continuously monitor the level of crimped material in a crimping chamber, thereby assuring a constant and predetermined level therein.

Description

United States Patent [72] Inventors Ralph A. Caneer; [50] Field ofSearch 28/l.6, 1.7,

William J. Anderson; Bert B. Morgan, 72. 14

Ash ll; M.Good

2 Jerry manswannama [56] References Cited [21] AppLNo. 833,602 UNITED STATES PATENTS Filed June 16, 1969 2,760,252 8/1956 Shattuck 28/l.7 Patented y 5, 1971 3,153,837 10/1964 Schippcrsetal..... 28/l.7 [73] Assignee Northrop Carolina, Inc. E L d SwannamaNQ Primary xammerours imro t [54] TEXTURIZING APPARATUS Attorneys-Harold L. Fox and Willard M. Graham ABSTRACT: Method and apparatus useful in the textile art for maintaining the uniformity of a filament in a crimping 4 Claims 2 Drawmg facility in which the facility functions to continuously monitor [52] US. CL; 28/l.7 the level of crimped material in a crimping chamber, thereby [5 l 1 Int. Cl. D02g l/12 assuring a constant and predetermined level therein.

. i afli /gi-iafii (r/b! er 10;

from? [kl/e ain 0 i d j f 34 Im /972v TEXTURIZING APPARATUS The present invention pertains to a method and apparatus functioning to effect a texturizing operation on threadlike fibers and more particularly to apparatus useful in the textile art in processing (crimping) thermosensitive synthetic fibers or filaments such as; nylon, polyester, rayon, acetate, etc., the apparatus functioning to maintain the quantity of material in a processing chamber substantially constant thereby providing filaments of uniform quality.

Various types of apparatus and methods have been suggested and are currently in use in the textile art for effecting an operation as outlined above. However, to the best of applicants knowledge apparatus currently in use relies on a max imum-minimum quantity or mass of filaments being present in the texturizing chamber of the apparatus, i.e., a winding or withdrawal operation is noticeably accelerated or decelerated as quantity (mass) of crimped filaments present in the processing chamber reaches a maximum or minimum. Apparatus which functions in the latter manner results in broken filaments or filaments of nonuniform quality.

In contrast the apparatus disclosed herein utilizes an induced current to continuously monitor the quantity of crimped filaments in a crimping chamber. Immediately, as the quantity of filaments begin to build up, the aforementioned current acts to increase the winding speed and accordingly the quantity of input material being processed is maintained constant or nearly so. Accordingly, uniform bulked filaments are provided and the danger of filament breakage is reduced or minimized. The operation of the apparatus will be clarified in the following description of a preferred embodiment.

It is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus and a method for performing a crimping operation in which the speed of the winding operation is continuously monitored and changed in accordance with the quantity of compacted filament present in the processing chamber.

Another object is to provide a method and apparatus for effecting a crimping operation andin which an induced current is continuously increased or decreased proportional to the quantity of filament in the processing chamber thereby controlling the speed of the winding operation in response to current induced in a control circuit.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of textile machinery including a crimping and winding facility as disclosed herein.

FIG. 2 constitutes a sectional view of FIG. 1 taken on line 2-2 of the latter FIG.

Referring to the drawings, FIG. I constitutes a view of textile machinery 11 as disclosed herein. The apparatus II includes a processing or crimping facility I2, an electrical current amplifier 14, a constant speed electric motor I6, electrical clutch I7 and drive and package rolls l8 and 19, respectively.

The crimping facility 12 is of conventional design except for the plunger member 21 shown in detail in FIG. 2, a more complete description and function of the member 21 will be forthcoming as the disclosure progresses. A thermosensitive synthetic filament 22 is supplied from a supply roll (not shown) to the facility 12 by means of cooperating rollers indicated by the numeral 23. The filament 22 is urged into a tube 24 in a compacted state and is forced upward therein in a heated zone (not shown). The tube 24 definesa chamber 26in which the compacted filament 27 is received substantially as shown in FIG. 2. The aforementioned plunger member 21 rests on the compacted filament 27 and floats thereon rising and falling in response to the quantity or level of compacted filament in the chamber 26.

The end of the crimped filament. 22 is wound on the package roll 19, the same passing through a passageway provided in the center of the member 21 as indicated by the numeral 28 in FIG. 2. The drive roll I8 functions to impart rotation to the package roll I9; a conventional traversing mechanism 25 functioning to distribute the filament on the package roll. Rotational movement is imparted to the roll 18 by the constant motor 16 driving through the aforementioned clutch 17, the motor 16 also drives the rollers 23 as shown in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 2, it will be seen that an induction coil assembly 20, including primary and

secondary windings

30, 33 and 40, have a surrounding relation with respect to the portion 32 of the member 21. The portion 32 is constructed of a permeable material insuring that a good electric current will be generated or induced in the

secondary windings

30 and 40 of the coil assembly 20 in response to linear movement of the portion 32 in the coil assembly 20. The member 32 and the coil assembly 20 functions as a transducer operating on a linear differential transformer principle.

The induced or secondary current discussed above is transmitted to the amplifier 14 through the

leads

34 and 36 and is referred to as the control current. Amplified current corresponding to the control current is transmitted to the clutch 17 via leads 37 and 38. The amplified current is utilized in conventional manner to increase or decrease the drag of the drive member on the driven member of the clutch 17. The amplified current is referred to as the amplified control current.

Accordingly it will be apparent that the speed of the drive roll 18 will be increased or decreased in accordance with the amplified control current supplied to the clutch 17. This current will be responsive to the control current and in turn responsive to the quantity of compacted filament 27 present in the chamber 26.

Various components of the apparatus 11 having been described a clearer understanding of the operation of the apparatus 11 will be forthcoming from the following discussion of its operation.

As discussed above the portion 32 and coil assembly 20 cooperate to function on a linear variable differential principle. However, it may become necessary to texturize (crimp) a thread of fine denier quality in which case an extremely light float tube may be required. In such cases a conventional resonant tank circuit may be substituted for the circuit shown and described in connection with FIG. 2.

For purposes of illustration it is assumed the armature 32 has reached the position as shown in FIG. 3 referred to as the null position of the armature 32. In this FIG. the chamber 26 has reached its capacity, that is to say the chamber 26 is filled to capacity with compacted filament 27. According the coil assembly 20 and armature 32 cooperate to reverse the flow of control current and thereby increase the speed of the package roll 18 should the chamber 26 continue to fill.

Thus it will be seen the speed of the rolls l8 and 19 will be increased or decreased with the result that the quantity of compacted filament 27 present in the chamber 26 willbe constant or practically so. The speed of the rolls I8 and 19 will be continuously monitored in response to the amplified control current which in turn will be responsive to the quantity of compacted filament in the chamber 26.

Mounted on structure on which the coil assembly 20 is mounted, is an overfill detector (not shown). The overfill detector switch functions to provide a current acting to provide an off' signal to the motor 16, should the apparatus 11 malfunction-or the level of the compacted filament'27 exceed the level shown in FIG. 2. In other words the overfill detector originates a signal functioning to terminate the operation of the apparatus '1 I. I

Thus it will be seen that textile apparatus including a crimping facility is disclosed which will insure uniformity of a filament being crimped therein. The apparatus also includes means effecting the other objects of the invention as set forth.

We claim:

' 1. In textile machinery functioning to provide a crimped fiber having uniform characteristics in a physical sense, the combination comprising:

a. a crimping facility including a member of hollow construction defining a vertically disposed chamber adapted to contain a predetermined quantity of continuous filament in a compacted state;

b. a plunger member including stem and body portions, the latter portion being constructed of a metallic material permeable to electric current and the stem portion being mounted in and having a sliding-relation with the walls of said chamber;

c. an induction coil assembly having a surrounding relation with respect to said body portion adapted to generate a control current in response to linear movement of said body portion relative to said induction coil; and

d. drive and package rolls the speed of which is responsive to said control current functioning to maintain the quantity of said compacted filament in said chamber substantially constant.

2. ln apparatus as set forth in claim 1:

a. in which said chamber, armature and stem portions are of cylindrical configuration.

3. ln apparatus as set forth in claim 2:

a. including a'constant speed electric motor;

b. an electric clutch functioning to transmit rotary motion of said electric motor to said package roll; and

c. means for transmitting said control current to said clutch whereby the speed of said package roll varies in response to the magnitude of said control voltage.

4. Texturizing apparatus adapted to provide a continuous crimped fiber having uniform physical characteristics, comprising:

a. a crimping facility including a member of hollow construction defining a vertically disposed chamber adapted to hold a predetermined quantity of a continuous filament in compacted state;

b. a plunger member including armature and stem portions the former portion being constructed of a permeable metallic material and the latter portion having a sliding relation with respect to the walls of said chamber;

c. an electrical conductive coil assembly including primary and secondary windings having a surrounding relation with respect to the armature portion of said plunger member;

d. a power source for said primary winding;

c. said secondary winding adapted to generate a control current responsive to linear movement of said armature in said coil assembly;

f. a constant speed electric motor;

g. drive and package rolls driven by said motor;

h. an electric clutch functioning to transmit rotary movement of said motor to said drive and package rolls;

i. electric leads adapted to transmit said control current to said clutch; and

j. said clutch including means functioning to increase and decrease the speeds of said drive and package rolls in response to the magnitude of said control current.

Claims

1. In textile machinery functioning to provide a crimped fiber having uniform characteristics in a physical sense, the combination comprising: a. a crimping facility including a member of hollow construction defining a vertically disposed chamber adapted to contain a predetermined quantity of continuous filament in a compacted state; b. a plunger member including stem and body portions, the latter portion being constructed of a metallic material permeable to electric current and the stem portion being mounted in and having a sliding relation with the walls of said chamber; c. an induction coil assembly having a surrounding relation with respect to said body portion adapted to generate a control current in response to linear movement of said body portion relative to said induction coil; and d. drive and package rolls the speed of which is responsive to said control current functioning to maintain the quantity of said compacted filament in said chamber substantially constant.

2. In apparatus as set forth in claim 1: a. in which said chamber, armature and stem portions are of cylindrical configuration.

3. In apparatus as set forth in claim 2: a. including a constant speed electric motor; b. an electric clutch functioning to transmit rotary motion of said electric motor to said package roll; and c. means for transmitting said control current to said clutch whereby the speed of said package roll varies in response to the magnitude of said control voltage.

4. Texturizing apparatus adapted to provide a continuous crimped fiber having uniform physical characteristics, comprising: a. a crimping facility including a member of hollow construction defining a vertically disposed chamber adapted to hold a predetermined quantity of a continuous filament in compacted state; b. a plunger member including armature and stem portions the former portion being constructed of a permeable metallic material and the latter portion having a sliding relation with respect to the walls of said chamber; c. an electrical conductive coil assembly including primary and secondary windings having a surrounding relation with respect to the armature portion of said plunger member; d. a power source for said primary winding; e. said secondary winding adapted to generate a control current responsive to linear movement of said armature in said coil assembly; f. a constant speed electric motor; g. drive and package rolls driven by said motor; h. an electric clutch functioning to transmit rotary movement of said motor to said drive and package rolls; i. electric leads adapted to transmit said control current to said clutch; and j. said clutch including means functioning to increase and decrease the speeds of said drive and package rolls in response to the magnitude of said control current.