US3754530A

US3754530A - Finish applicator for filament bundles

Info

Publication number: US3754530A
Application number: US00250234A
Authority: US
Inventors: J Pierce
Original assignee: Bouligny Inc R H
Current assignee: Bouligny Inc R H; R H BOULIGNY INC US
Priority date: 1972-05-04
Filing date: 1972-05-04
Publication date: 1973-08-28
Anticipated expiration: 1990-08-28

Abstract

Apparatus for applying liquid finish to a traveling filament bundle is provided in which the filament bundle is surrounded during finish application for better control and uniformity of application, while threading of the apparatus is readily allowed as well as disassembly of the components for cleaning.

Description

Pierce FINISH APPLICATOR FOR BUNDLES [75] Inventor: John H. Pierce, Charlotte, N.C. [73] Assignee: R. H. Bouligny, lnc., Charlotte, NC.

[22] Filed: May 4, 1972 [21] App]. No.: 250,234

[52] 0.8. Ci. 118/420 [51] Int. Cl. 1305c 3/12 [58] Field of Search 118/234, 420

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,787,980 4/1957 McDermott 118/420 X QUENCH TUBE AT SPlNNERETTE [451 Aug. 28, 1973 9/1964 Aumen 118/420 X 3,485,210 12/1969 Warren.... 118/420 3,589,332 6/1971 Dinse 118/234 X Primary Examiner-Louis K. Rimrodt Attorney-Channing L. Richards, Dalbert U. Shefte et al. v

[ ABSTRACT Apparatus for applying liquid finish to a traveling filaof the components for cleaning.

6 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures FlLAMENT LINE .7

SUPPLY HEADER PUMP DRIVE GEAR GODET ROLLS BOBBIN DRIVE PACKAGE 'Pmimcnwdza Ian 3754.530

SHEEI l 0f '2 3a 42 I 2 WM '2 l v a I f X 46' 40 44 /|0 QUENCH TUBE AT SPINNERETTE 0 Q 26 Fig I f FILAMENT LINE \g SUPPLY HEADER f 52 60 PUMP DRIVE 62 GEAR FINISH APPLICATOR METERING PUMP TRAVERSE CA 20 GODET ROLLS BOBBIN DRIVE PACKAGE 3 FINISH APPLICATOR FOR FILAMENT BUNDLES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Liquid finish or lubricant is commonly applied to filament bundles as they are formed at a spinning station in order to eliminate static and render the bundle stable so that it can be managed readily during further handling. The prior art has proposed a variety of arrangements for this purpose as illustrated, for example, by US. Pat. No. 2,373,078, No. 2,413,413, No. 2,642,035, No. 2,787,980 and No. 3,1 17,888. In general, such prior art proposals have sought to apply the liquid finish effectively while avoiding excessive application or providing for recovery of any excess. The present invention improves and facilitates the finish application over prior art practice as noted further below.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly described, the finish applicator of the present invention is characterized by a body member having a recess opening at and tapering from the top face thereof and an aligned bore continuing from this recess to the bottom face of the body member, together with an insert member shaped for a sliding and turning 'fit in the body member bore and for disposition therein from a supporting seat at the base of the body member recess.

The body member is further slotted from top to bottom along one side in intersecting relation with the recess and bore therein, and the insert member hasa filament bundle passage groove formed sidewise therein throughout its length. In addition, means is provided for locating the turned position of the insert member in the body member bore with the groove in the fonner alternatively aligned with the slot intersecting the latter or facing oppositely in relation thereto, as well as means for channeling liquid finish into the body member recess and draining the same into the insert member groove when it is facing oppositely in relation to the body member slot.

Such an arrangement allows the applicator to be threaded readily by turning the insert member so that the groove therein is aligned with the body member slot; it also allows the insert member to be removed by simply lifting it out of the body member whenevereither one needs cleaning; and when the insert member groove is turned to its oppositely facing position after threading, the filament bundle is surrounded in the resulting passageway so that the finish application can be controlled with excellent uniformity as described in detail below in connection with the accompanying drawmgs.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a schematic illustration of the arrangement at a spinning station of a finish applicator embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged central vertical section of the finish applicator;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary section detail taken at the line 3-3 in FIG. 2;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The finish applicator of the presentinvention is indicated generally in FIG. 1 by the reference character 10 arranged on the filament centerline F below the quench tube 12 at the spinnerette of a spinning station.

It will be understood that a group of filaments will have issued from the spinnerette and begun to converge as they pass through the quench tube 12 so as to be gathered as a bundle at the finish applicator l0. Convergence of the filaments to form the bundle or tow strand can be effected at the entrance end of applicator 10, or a gathering guide (not shown) can be spaced just above applicator 10 for this purpose.

Below applicator 10, the emerging filament bundle with finish applied thereto is trained from the centerline under a first godet I4 and then over a second one. 16 for take-up by a winder unit including a traverse cam 18, a drive or print roll 20, and a pivoted bobbin or package roll 22 in the usual manner.

FIG. 2 details the structure of applicator 10 which is seen to comprise a body member 24 and an insert member 26. The body member 24, which is detailed further in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, is cylindrical in form and has a conical recess 28 opening at and tapering from its top face to a counterbore 30 at the base of the recess beyond which an aligned bore 32 continues to the body member bottom face.

In addition, body member 24 is slotted at 34 from top to bottom along one side in intersecting relation with the recess. 28, counterbore 30, and bore 32. The slotting at 34 tapers inwardly for most of its length from a width about equal to the diameter of bore 32 to somewhat less than this diameter (e.g., at a 5 taper), while being flared at a lower end portion 34' (see FIG. 4) that corresponds in extent with the depth of lower face counterboring that forms a peripheral ridge 36 at the body member bottom face extending from each side of the slotting 34 at the flared portion 34 and having a bottom edge notch 36 therein located diametrically opposite the slotting 34.

At this diametrically opposite side, the body member 24 is also provided adjacent its upper end with a lateral fitting 38 through which a supply channel 40 extends to intersect the top face recess 28 intermediate its depth, and from which point of intersection the recess 28 is grooved as at 42, toward its base and diametrically opposite the slotting 34 (see FIGS. 4 and 5). I

The insert member 26 of applicator 10' is shaped for a sliding and turning fit in the body member bore 32, and has an upper end flange 44 formed thereon for a similar seating fit in counterbore 30 at the base of recess 28 so as to be supported thereat when disposed in the bore 32. Additionally, insert member 26 has a filament bundle passage groove 46 formed sidewise therein and extending throughout its length, including the upper end flange 44 at the top face of which a chamfer 46' is formed (see FIGS. 2, 6 and 7) to provide a tapered entrance portion at the groove 46.

Lengthwise, the insert member 26 is proportioned to extend below body member 24 sufficiently to carry a flexible manipulating arm 48 extending laterally therefrom opposite the groove 46 and positioned for riding the body member bottom face ridge 36 in fixed condition so as to snap alternatively into the open space at the bottom end of body member slot 34 or into the diametrically opposite notch 36 in ridge 36. The manipulating arm 48 is suitably formed for this purpose of 18 gauge music wire looped to present two parallel legs for anchoring in the insert member 26 as shown. Finally, it should be noted that the lower end face of insert member 26 is slanted downwardly at 26' toward the filament bundle passage groove 46 for a purpose that will appear presently.

The foregoing arrangement is such that, when the insert member 26 is disposed within the body member bore 32 with the upper end flange 44 thereof seated in the counterbore 30 and the manipulating arm 48 turned so as to be seated in the bottom edge notch 36', the insert member groove 46 is aligned at the body member slotting 34 so that a tow strand bundle traveling along the filament line F is readily threaded in the applicator 10. Once the tow strand bundle has been passed through the body member slotting 34 and placed in the insert member groove 46, the threading is completed by simply turning the manipulating arm 48 to its opposite position at the bottom end of slotting 34 as seen in FIG. 2.

As applicator is disposed for operation so that the filament line F runs centrally through the insert member groove 46 at the FIG. 2 position, the tow strand bundle will hold the insert member 26 at this turned position even though the manipulating arm 48 will have some floating room at the bottom end of the body member slotting 34. It will be recognized that the flared portion 34' at the lower end of body member slotting 34 and the illustrated V-shaped form of the bottom edge notch 34' facilitate turning of the manipulating arm 48 between the above-noted threading and operating positions. It will also be recognized that when insert member 26 is in the FIG. 2 position it may be removed from body member 24 whenever desired'simply by lifting it out of the body member bore 32.

In operation, liquid finish is supplied to applicator 10 at the lateral fitting 38 so as to run through the channel 40 therein to the recess groove 42 in which it will drain downwardly to the upper chamfered end portion 46' of insert member groove 46 that is aligned at the FIG. 2 operating position. The cross section of insert member groove 46 is proportioned so that the tow strand bundle v to be handled will pass therethrough without appreciable drag while substantially filling the same. For example, a groove 46 about 0.070 inches wide and 0.040

- inches deep has been provided and successfully employed in handling 280 filament tow strand havinga spun denier of 1200. In the same instance, the insert member 26 was proportioned lengthwise to provide a groove 46 that was 2 inches in length from the top of the upper end flange 44, and the operation was such as to yield an even application of liquid finish at a desired w.o.f. level without producing any excess finish at the bottom of applicator 10.

In this latter connection, it should be noted that the slanted lower end face 26' of insert member 26 has an advantageous tendency to cause all applied finish to leave applicator 10 with the filament bundle. The cross section and length of insert member groove 46'to be used in any particular instance will, of course, depend on the size and character of filament bundle to be handled and the level of finish application required or desired. mounted drive A metering or gear pump, as indicated at 50 in FIG. 1, is preferably provided for supplying liquid finish to the applicator 10. The arrangement diagramed in FIG.

l is intended for use at a spinning line including a plurality of spinning stations and for which a common supply header 52 may be provided with individual lines 54 running therefrom to each metering pump 50 which is in turn connected as at 56 to supply the related applicator l0. Advantageously, each metering pump 50 is pivotally mounted so that its external driven gear 58 may be moved into engagement with a related drive gear 60 on a common drive shaft 62 comparably serving the pumps at the other spinning stations. Because operation of the supply pumps 50 requires only a relatively low speed at the drive shaft 62, any pump 50 can be readily engaged with its related drive 60 by simply pivoting it for such engagement, and can be just as readily disengaged by pivoting it away. As a result, the supply at any particular spinning station can be started and stopped easily and independently of the other stations. Use of a metering pump 50 also allows the supply rate to be set and controlled nicely for the level of finish application desired, and the manner in which the supplied finish is funneled into the insert member groove 46 at its operating position effects a much more thorough application to the tow strand bundle surrounded therein than has heretofore been possible according to prior practice.

The present invention has been described in detail above for purposes of illustration only and is not intended to be limited by this description or otherwise to exclude any variation or equivalent arrangement that would be apparent from, or reasonably suggested by, the foregoing disclosure to the skill of the art.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for applying liquid finish to a traveling filament bundle comprising a body member having a recess opening at and tapering from the top face thereof and an aligned bore continuing from said tapered recess to the bottom face of said body member, an insert member shaped for a sliding and turning fit in said body member bore and for disposition therein from a supporting seat at the base of said recess, said body member being slotted from top to bottom along one side in intersecting relation with said recess and bore, said insert member having a filament bundle passage groove formed sidewise therin and extending throughout the length thereof, means for locating the turned position of said insert member in said body member bore with the groove in the former alternatively aligned with the slot intersectng the latter or facing oppositely in relation thereto, and means for channeling liquid finish into said recess and draining the same into said insert member groove when it is facing oppositely in relation to said body member slot.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 and wherein said insert member is shaped with an upper end flange, and a corresponding counterbore is formed at the base of said body member recess to provide the supporting seat for said insert member.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim I and wherein the lower end face of said insert member is slanted downwardly toward the sidewise filament bundle passage groove therein.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 and wherein the lower end of said insert member extends below the lower end of said body member and has a flexible manipulating arm extending laterally therefrom beyond said body member, the bottom face of said body member having a peripheral ridge formed thereat from each neling liquid finish thereto and said recess is grooved from the point of conduit intersection to the insert member seat at the base thereof in alignment with the opposite facing turned position of said insert member for draining liquid finish into said insert member groove.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 and wherein a metering pump is provided for supplying liquid finish thereto.

Claims

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 and wherein the lower end face of said insert member is slanted downwardly toward the sidewise filament bundle passage groove therein.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 and wherein the lower end of said insert member extends below the lower end of said body member and has a flexible manipulating arm extending laterally therefrom beyond said body member, the bottom face of said body member having a peripheral ridge formed thereat from each side of the slot therein and said ridge being notched diametrically opposite said slot, and said manipulating arm being positioned for riding said bottom face ridge in flexed condition so as to snap alternatively into the bottom end of said slot or into said ridge notch for locating the alternative turned position of said insert member.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 and wherein a lateral conduit is provided in said body member intersecting said top face recess intermediate its depth for channeling liquid finish thereto and said recess is grooved from the point of conduit intersection to the insert member seat at the base thereof in alignment with the opposite facing turned position of said insert member for draining liquid finish into said insert member groove.