US3640057A

US3640057A - Yarn-covering apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3640057A
Application number: US6393A
Authority: US
Inventors: Tony R Branson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1970-01-28
Filing date: 1970-01-28
Publication date: 1972-02-08
Anticipated expiration: 1989-02-08

Abstract

A spindle unit for wrapping a covering yarn about a core yarn being drawn therethrough includes a spindle shaft supported by bearings within a hollow casing. The shaft includes a portion of substantially uniform cross section extending from the casing having a spindle whorl secured thereto. Pin members directed axially of the shaft and O-rings provided within grooves on the portion of the shaft having a uniform cross section drivingly engage yarn covering packages mounted thereon.

Description

[ 5] Feb. 8, 1972 Unite States @atet Branson [54] YARN-COVERING APPARATUS 3,302,384 2/1967 Smitheta1......................... 3,403,502 10/1968 Caminada...............................

[22] Filed:

Primary Examiner-Donald E. Watkins Attorney-David Rabin ABSTRACT A spindle unit for wrapping a covering yarn about a core yarn being drawn therethrough includes a spindle shaft supported by bearings within a hollow casing. The shaft includes a portion of substantially uniform cross section extending from the .1 7 5 .1 00 32 1 791 22 M114 54 5 w 63 um 0% 8 U0 /7 3 7 21 un 1. 2o M 53 D3011, 2,131 13 ,9 Jw D. mu "m b7 WW M M- 5 1 m d Ld mm .1] oo 55 [i [56] References Cited casing having a spindle whorl secured thereto. Pin members directed axially of the shaft and O-rings provided within UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,341,479 5/1920 Proulx 2,179,334 11/1939 grooves on the portion of the shaft having a uniform cross section drivin en a e am coverin ack es mounted ....242/129.7 thereon g] y g g y g p ag ....57/ 18 .242/ 129.7 8 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures Keyes..... 2,365,980 12/1944 PATENTED FEB 8 I972 FIG] INVENTOR TONY R. BRANSON 1 YARN-COVERHNG APPARATUS BRIEF SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an improved mechanism for uniting a plurality of yarns, and more particularly to spindle assemblies for wrapping one or more inelastic yams about a core yarn which is highly elastic.

The spindle assembly of the present invention has been designed for use in manufacturing composite yarns by combining a reversibly extensible strand, being drawn through the spindle assembly, with an irreversibly extensible strand mounted for rotation on the spindle assembly. The spindle blade is supported within vertically spaced antifriction bearings embraced by vibration damping collars and seated within the hollow casing. A core yarn is drawn through an axial bore extending through the shaft and combined with yarn being delivered from a package driven by the spindle blade. The package is received on the spindle blade and seated upon the whorl assembly. The whorl assembly is provided with pins for coupling the spindle with a covering yarn package. Upon high speed rotation of the spindle, O-rings, vertically spaced above the whorl assembly on the spindle blade, tend to expand in such a manner as to grip and support internal portions of the covering yarn package to reduce vibrations of the spindle assembly.

One of the principal objects of the invention is the provision of a spindle assembly having novel arrangement of elements for producing a composite yarn by combining a core yarn with a cover yarn.

Another object of the invention is an improved high-speed spindle assembly which is simple in construction and highly reliable in operation.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a spindle assembly having apparatus for damping vibrations of the spindle blade and cover yarn package.

Still another object of the invention is a spindle assembly provided with an improved drive connection between the spindle shaft and a package mounted thereon.

Other objects and advantages will be readily apparent to those skilled in the an during the course of the following description of one embodiment of the present invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES FIG. 1 is'a side elevational view of a portion of a machine for producing composite yarn showing the relationships of the DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to the drawing in detail, FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional up twister machine for winding covering

yarns

12, 14 about a core yarn 16. The core yam 16 is supplied from a package 18 which may be a stationary cone, wherein the yarn is drawn off from the end of the package, or from a freely rotatable or positively driven spool or bobbin package. The core yarn 16 which may or may not be in a twisted state of the package 18 extends through

spindle assemblies

20 and 22, around

rolls

24, 26 and is wound upon a takeup spool or bobbin 28 resting upon

drive rolls

30, 32. Guide 34, carried by a traversing guide bar 36, moves back and forth in a conventional manner to lead the covered core yarn evenly from end to end of the takeup spool 28.

The spindle assemblies 20 and 22, substantially identical in form, have

spools

37, 39 positioned thereon for supplying

covering yarns

12, 14 that are to be wrapped on the core yarn 16. Each of the spindle assemblies includes a casing or housing 36 consisting of

semicircular castings

38, 40 releasably secured together about

bearing assemblies

42, 44 by screws 46 and a collar member 48. The screws 46 extend through lockwashers 54 and openings 52 drilled in the lower portions of casting 38 and are threadably received within apertures 54 provided in the casting 40. The external

upper portions

56, 58 of the castings are threaded for receiving the threaded collar 48, as shown by FIG. 2. The collar 48 is locked in position on the housing 36 by a set screw 60 which may be tightened to bear against the

upper portions

56, 58 of housing 36.

Each of the

castings

38, 40 is provided with

cavities

62, 64 for receiving bearing assemblies 42,-'44 respectively, and with

cavities

66, 68 for receiving the tubular spindle shaft 70 which has an axial bore 72 therethrough. The

bearing assemblies

42, 44 are of a prelubricated type having the inner race rings 74 secured to the spindle shaft 70 as by press fitting or equivalent operations. The outer race members 76 receive an elastic vibration damping collar 78 which is of uniform cross section having a web portion 80 and flanged portions 82 for snugly gripping the outer race 76 radially and axially. When properly positioned on the race 76 the outer cylindrical surface of the vibration damping collar 78 fits snugly within the interior surfaces of the

cavities

62, 64 provided in the

castings

38, 40 of the housing 36.

A whorl assembly 84, positioned above the collar 48, is secured to the shaft 70 for rotating the spindle shaft and the

yarn covering spool

37 or 39. The whorl assembly 84 includes vertically spaced

flanges

86, 88 interconnected by an arched or crowned running surface 90 for receiving a driving belt 92. Diametrically opposed, axially extending drive pins 94 are secured to the upper flange 88 for driving engagement with a yarn covering package.

The enlarged upper and intermediate portions of the spindle 70 are provided with circumferentially extending radial grooves 96 having O-rings 98 therein. The radial grooves 96 and O-rings 98 are sized such that the outennost portion of the O-rings are flush with the outer circumference of the spindle 70 adjacent thereto. Upon high-speed rotation of the spindle 70 and the spool drivingly coupled thereto, the O-rings expand radially within the grooves 96 frictionally gripping the inner surfaces of the spool to reduce vibration of the spool and to provide a frictional driving engagement between the shaft and the spool.

Each of the yarn covering

supply spools

37, 39 includes a tubular core or barrel member 100 having

flanges

102, 104 at each end thereof. A plurality of openings 106, preferably four in number, are drilled into the barrel member at each end of the

flanges

102, 104 for receiving the drive pins 94 secured to the whorl assembly flange 88. Bushings 108, within the barrel member 100, extend axially from each of the

spool flanges

102, 104 sufficiently so as to be frictionally engaged by the 0- rings 98 upon high-speed rotation of the spindle and spool.

The spindle assemblies 20 and 22 are supported upon vertically spaced rails mounted upon the frame of the machine 10. Each rail 110 is provided with an opening, not clearly shown, for receiving the housing 36. Each housing 36 is rigidly secured to the rail by means of nuts 112, spaced on opposite sides of the rail and threadably received on the threaded central portion 114 of housing 36. Shock absorbers 116, which may be of rubber or other suitable material, are fitted between the frame 110 and the nuts 112 to insure smooth and vibration-free rotation of the spindle.

A guide member 118 is vertically positioned above each spindle assembly to restrict the balloon of the covering yarns created by the rotation of the spindles.

The core yarn 16 which may be of twisted or untwisted rubber, spandex or other yarns capable of elongation to several times its relaxed length, is stretched as it runs through the hollow spindle 70 by various means well known in the art. For example, the relative speeds of the supply package 18 and takeup package 28 may be controlled to stretch the yarn 16, or tension discs or feed rollers may be provided to tension the core yarn to a desired degree.

Inelastic cover yarns

12 and 14 are wrapped about the core yarn 16 in its stretched condition and wound upon a package 28.

While the spindle assemblies, yarn supply means and takeup mechanisms for producing one composite yarn have been described, it is to be understood that the machine normally comprises banks of such assemblies on both sides of the machine.

lclaim:

1. In a machine for helically wrapping covering yarn about a core yarn, a textile spindle unit comprising: a stationary hollow casing for mounting on a machine frame member, bearing means positioned within said hollow casing, a spindle shaft rotatably supported by said bearing means within said hollow casing, said spindle shaft including a first portion of substantially uniform cross section extending from said hollow casing, said spindle shaft defining a bore extending axially therein adapted to have a core yarn drawn therethrough, means secured to first spindle portion for rotating said spindle shaft, and means on said first portion for supporting and drivingly engaging a yarn-covering package.

2. A spindle unit as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for supporting and drivingly engaging a yarn covering package includes a support plate extending radially of said first portion and drive pins extending axially of said first portion.

3. A spindle unit as defined in claim 2, wherein means for supporting and drivingly engaging a yarn covering package further includes expansible means on said first portion axially spaced from said drive pins.

4. A spindle unit as defined in claim 3, wherein said expansible means includes an O-ring positioned within a radially opening groove provided on said first portion.

5. A spindle unit as defined in claim 1, wherein said spindle means comprise antifriction bearing means secured to said spindle shaft.

6. A spindle unit as defined in claim 5, further including vibration damping means attached to said bearing means and positioned intermediate said bearing means and said stationary casing.

7. A spindle unit as defined in claim 1, said means for supporting and drivingly engaging a yarn covering package including means spaced axially of said first portions displaceable into frictional engagement with a yarn package.

8. A spindle unit as defined in claim 7, said displaceable means comprising O-rings disposed in radial grooves provided in said spindle shaft first portion.

Claims

1. In a machine for helically wrapping covering yarn about a core yarn, a textile spindle unit comprising: a stationary hollow casing for mounting on a machine frame member, bearing means positioned within said hollow casing, a spindle shaft rotatably supported by said bearing means within said hollow casing, said spindle shaft including a first portion of substantially uniform cross section extending from said hollow casing, said spindle shaft defining a bore extending axially therein adapted to have a core yarn drawn therethrough, means secured to said first spindle portion for rotating said spindle shaft, and means on said first portion for supporting and drivingly engaging a yarn-covering package.