US3885378A

US3885378A - False twisting apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3885378A
Application number: US460459A
Authority: US
Inventors: Friedrich Schuster
Original assignee: Kugelfischer Georg Schaefer and Co
Current assignee: IHO Holding GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 1973-04-16
Filing date: 1974-04-12
Publication date: 1975-05-27
Anticipated expiration: 1992-05-27
Also published as: DE2319153B2; IT1047030B; DE2319153A1; JPS506851A; GB1421312A; DE2319153C3; CH571590A5; FR2225554A2; FR2225554B2; JPS5440668B2

Abstract

Apparatus for false-twisting a thread by means of friction elements, comprising three rotatably mounted spindles, each provided with at least one rotationally symmetrical friction element, the spindles lying at the corners of an equilateral triangle in plan view, so that the thread passes between the friction elements in a zigzag path. The spindles can be locked or simultaneously adjusted while maintaining their triangular relationship and relative positions with relation to the path of the thread.

Description

United States Patent 1191 1111 3,885,378 Schuster May 27, 1975 [54] FALSE TWISTING APPARATUS 2,939,269 6/1960 Dobson 57/77.4 3,287,890 11/1966 McIntosh et al.... 57/77.4 [751 Invent: Flledrlch schuste" Hammelburg, 3,762,149 10/1973 Raschle 1. 57/774 Germany 3,811,258 5/1974 Batsch 57/7745 x [73] Assignee: Kugelfischer Georg Schafer & Co.,

Schweinfurt Germany Primary ExaminerDonald Watkins Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Edward R. Weingram [22 Filed: Apr. 12, 1974 21 Appl. N0.: 460,459 57 ABSTRACT Apparatus for false-twisting a thread by means of fric- [30] Foreign Application Priority Data tion elements, comprising three rotatably mounted Apr. 16 1973 Germany 2319153 Spindles each Provided with at least symmetrical friction element, the spindles lying at the 52 us. (:1 57 7745; 57/774 eemers of an equilateral triangle in P view. so that 51 Int. Cl. D02g 1/04; D02g 1/00 the thread Passes between the frietien elements in a 581 Field of Search 57/34 R, 77.4, 77.45 Zigzag P The Spindles be leeked er Simultaneously adjusted while maintaining their triangular re- [56] References Cited lationship and relative positions with relation to the UNITED STATES PATENTS Path the 2,923,121 2/l960 Tully 57/774 10 Claims, 3 Drawing gur s PATENTEDMAY 27 ms sum 0 2 UP 2 Fig. 3

FALSE TWISTING APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION l. Field of the Invention This invention relates to textile apparatus and, more particularly, to apparatus for false-twisting thread.

2. Description of the Prior Art In my copending application, application Ser. No. 441,209, filed Feb. I l, 1974, a false-twisting apparatus is described having a plurality of spindles which position serveral friction elements in overlapping arrangement to cause a thread passing through the apparatus to follow a zig-zag path.

The positioning and therefore the adjustment of the friction elements is an important factor in the operation of such a device. The overlap and spacing of the friction elements will greatly affect the stress that is applied to the thread by the machine. The overlapping arrangement of the friction elements makes it difficult to thread, i.e. operatively position new thread, in the apparatus. Further, because of the difficulty in properly threading the apparatus, high stresses can be imposed on the newly-installed thread during start up of the device which might break the thread. The spindles can be moved to an open, non-overlapping position to allow easy threading of the apparatus.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention sets forth apparatus for falsetwisting a thread by means of friction elements, which has three rotatably mounted spindles, each provided with at least one rotationally symmetrical friction element positioned at the corners of an equilateral triangle in plan view, so that the thread passes between the fric' tion elements in a zig-zag path. All the spindles are simultaneously adjustable with respect to the path of the thread and their triangular relationship in all positions of adjustment with the center of the triangle lying on the path of the thread.

Common simultaneous adjustment of the spindles is achieved through a hollow, axially movable mandrel with a head of variable outside diameter which projects between the spindles which, in turn, are urged against the head. The spindles can be moved from a threading to an operating position by an eccentric or cam means projecting between the spindles, against which each of which a respective spindle is resiliently urged.

In yet another embodiment, means is provided to effect common adjustment of the spindles, comprising a ring enclosing the spindles and rotatable on them or engaging their housings. In each case, the device can be locked for simultaneous adjustment of the spindles.

In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved false-twisting apparatus.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a false-twisting apparatus which facilitates threading of the thread or yarn between the friction elements.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a false-twisting apparatus which can be opened during the threading operation to provide a free passage for the thread, thereby preventing damage during insertion of the thread.

7 Still another object of the present invention is to provide a false-twisting apparatus which can be simply and accurately threaded.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a false-twisting apparatus in which the friction elements can be adjusted.

Additionally, it is another object of the present invention to provide a false-twisting; apparatus which simplities the spinning-on of the inserted thread.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a false-twisting apparatus which reduces breakage of the thread during the threading operation and the start of the apparatus thereafter.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a false-twisting apparatus which can be gradually moved from an open threading position to a closed operating position with imparting a minimum of stress on the thread in the apparatus.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description of serveral embodiments of the invention and the novel features will be particularly pointed out hereinafter in connection with the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a partially sectioned side view of falsetwisting apparatus in accordance with the present invention.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are cross-sections along line IIII of FIG. 1, each showing a different form of the eccentric for the simultaneous adjustment of the spindles between the open and the closed positions.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As shown in FIG. 1, the present invention comprises three drive units 1, each with a respective set 20 of friction discs.

Each complete drive unit 1 comprises a spindle 2 which is rotatably mounted in a housing 5 in rolling bearings. On the outside of the-cylindrical housing 5 a ring 11 with a conical annular surface 12 and a pivoting lever 13 are secured by means of a nut 14 which is screwed onto an external screw thread on the housing 5. A pivot pin 15 parallel to the spindle 2 is secured on the pivoting lever 13 by means of a nut 16. The spindle 2 projects at both ends from the housing 5 and on that portion which lies adjacent to the pivot pin 15, a whorl 17 is secured to drive the spindle 2.

Each drive unit 1 forms a self-contained structural unit on which a set 20 of friction discs can be mounted. In the case illustrated, this comprises three friction discs 21, each comprising a-hub and an annular flange at one end of the hub. The friction discs 21 are secured next to one another on a common locating sleeve 22.

Each set 20 of friction discs and at least one spacing ring 26 is fitted onto that portion of the spindle 2 of the associated drive unit 1 which is furthest from the whorl 17 and the set of friction discs is connected to the spindle to rotate therewith by means fo an annular disc 23 and a screw 24. That end of the set of friction discs opposite the annular disc 23 and the screw 24 abuts against an abutment ring 25 provided on the spindle 2.

The spindles 2 of the three drive units 1 extend parallel to each other and form in plan view the corners of an equilateral triangle. The friction discs 21 of the set 20 interengage one another, that is to say the discs 21 of each set 20 overlap the discs 21 of the two other sets 20.

The mutually identical sets 20 of friction discs must, therefore, be arranged on the spindles 2 of the associated drive units 1 with different axial positions of the discs 21 in each case. The different positioning is achieved by the spacing rings 26. As shown in FIG. 1, a spacing ring 26 is provided on the spindle 2 of the lefthand drive unit 1 above the set 20 of friction discs. and the same is true of the spindle 2 of the righthand drive unit 1, except that there the set 20 of friction discs is inverted. On the spindle 2 of the central drive unit 1 there are two spacing rings 26, namely a taller one below and a shorter one above the set 20 of friction discs, these discs being arranged in themselves the same way up as on the lefthand drive unit 1.

The three drive units 1 are mounted to be movable on a supporting plate 30 by the pivot pins 15, each of which is inserted in a sliding bush or bushing 31 secured in the plate 30. The three bushes 31 form the corners of an equilateral triangle with a mid-point which coincides with the mid-point of the equilateral triangle defined by the spindles 2 of the three drive units 1.

A device 32 is provided on the supporting plate 30 for the common mutual adjustment of the drive units 1 relative to the mid-point of the spindles 2 in a plane parallel to the supporting plate 30. The three drive units 1 are resiliently urged towards one another, that is to say, toward the said common mid-point, by an elastic O-ring 33 which embraces externally the three rings 11 of the drive units 1.

The drive is provided by two elastic O-

rings

34 and 35. One O-ring 34 embraces all three whorls 17 of the three drive units 1. The other O-ring 35 embraces only one whorl 17 and is driven by a motor (not shown). All three sets 20 of friction discs, therefore, run simultaneously and in the same direction of rotation. In place of O-rings, other driving elements could be employed, for example, toothed belts,

The supporting plate 30 is provided with three openings 36 through each of which a drive unit 1 projects with its whorl 17.

The device 32 for the common mutual adjustment of the drive units 1 is arranged with its axis parallel to the spindles 2 and passing through the mid-point of the equilateral triangle which they define. The device 32 comprises a hollow mandrel 37 with a conical head 38 on that end which is towards the drive units 1 and a turnbutton 39 on its other end, a guide tube 40 secured to the supporting plate 30 on that face of it which is furthest from the sets 20 of friction discs, and a lock nut 41. The mandrel 37 is mounted to be rotatable and axially displaceable in the guide tube 40. Next to the turnbutton 39 it has a portion 37' of larger outside diameter provided with an external screw thread. The lock nut 41 screws onto the portion 37' and the portion 37' is also screwed into the widened end portion 40- of the guide tube 40, the latter being provided with an appropriate internal screw thread.

The head 38 of the mandrel 37 has on it a conical annular surface 42 which diverges towards the end. This corresponds in its inclination to that of the conical annular surfaces 12 of the rings 11 on the drive units 1. By means of the elastic O-ring 33 the annular surfaces 12 and the annular surfaces 42 are urged into mutual contact.

The axial position of the mandrel 37 in the guide tube 40 thus determines the mutual radial separation of the sets 20 of friction discs in the closed position shown in FIG. 1, in which the friction discs 21 overlap. The mandrel 37 is located in the respective axial position in the guide tube 40 by tightening the lock nut 41 against the adjacent end of the guide tube 40. It also holds the three drive units I pressed against the supporting plate 30 by means of the head 38 so that the pivot pins 15 cannot jump out of their guide bushes 31.

When the mutual position of the three sets 20 of friction discs in a radial direction is to be altered then first the lock nut 41 must be slackened, that is to say, it must be screwed back on the portion 37' of the mandrel 37 away from the guide tube 40. Then the mandrel 37 can be moved axially in the guide tube 40 by means of the turn-button 39. In the one direction of rotation of the button 39, the mandrel 37 is screwed into the guide tube 40, leading to a simultaneous movement of all three sets 20 of friction discs towards one another. In the other direction of rotation, the mandrel 37 is screwed out of the guide tube 40, causing the sets 20 of friction discs to move mutually apart. When the sets 20 of friction discs have reached the desired relative radial position, the lock nut 41 is tightened again.

In this adjusting action, all three drive units 1 pivot simultaneously to the same extent, each pivot pin 15 moving in the associated bush 31 about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the respective set 20 of friction discs.

An anti-ballooning eye 43 is mounted on the free end of the turn-button 39 and a sleeve-like thread guide 44 is mounted on the free end of the head 38. Therefore, the anit-ballooning eye 43 and the thread guide 44 lie coaxial or concentric with the common mid-point of those two equilateral triangles, the corners of which are formed by the spindles 2 or by the pivot pins 15 of the drive units 1.

The device serves to false-twist a thread F. This can enter from supply means (not shown) to pass through the anti-ballooning eye 43 into the device, through the hollow mandrel 37 and emerge through the thread guide 44 and run between the three sets 20 of friction discs, to leave the device through a thread guide (not shown) above the sets 20 of friction discs to pass to a take-up device (also not shown). Alternatively, the thread F could run through the device of FIG. 3 in the opposite direction.

In the region of the three sets 20 of friction discs the thread F follows a zig-zag path with changes of direction at its points of engagement with the nine discs 21. The embracing relationships of the thread F against the friction discs 21 are ideal as the discs 21 always form an equilateral triangle and thereby locate the thread F very accurately.

The mutual adjustment of the sets 20 of friction discs by use of the device 32 generally takes place with the apparatus running, that is to say with the thread F passing through and the sets 20 of rotting friction discs.

The O-ring 34 must be elastic enough to ensure that there is reliable driving of the whorls 17 man the mutual positions of the sets 20 of friction discs, that is to say, of the sets 20 of friction discs driven via the spindles 2.

While the embodiment discussed above has adjusted the position of the spindles by moving the conical surface 42 relative to the spindle housing 5, the adjustment process could also be performed by moving the spindle housings 5 simultaneously with respect to the Conical surface. For example, an external ring could be provided to simultaneously engage the external threads of all three spindle housings, to move the housings axially in unison. relative to conical surface 42, thereby adjusting their relative position.

According to the invention. a hollow mandrel 101 is rotatably mounted on the guide tube 40 between the supporting plate and a spring ring 100 inserted in the guide tube 40, this mandrel having an actuating lever 102 and a disc-shaped eccentric 103 which cooperates with the lower end 104 of the spindle housing 5 so that angular movement of the hollow mandrel 101 by means of the lever 102 causes the sets 20 of friction discs to move apart simultaneously from the closed position shown in FIG. 1 to the open position in which the discs 21 no longer overlap but leave free a central axial threading passage so that the thread F can be inserted. After threading-up, the lever 102 is turned back to the position shown in FIG. 1 so that the drive units 1 and, therefore, the sets 20 of friction discs are moved back to the closed position shown in FIG. 1 by the O-ring 33 and/or the Oring 34. The mutual position of the friction disc sets 20, that is to say the extend of their mutual overlapping, is then determined by the adjustment of the device 32 as described above.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, in which the closed position of the eccentric 103 and the spindles 2 are each shown in full lines, and the open position in broken lines, the eccentric 103 has three cam portions 105 against each of which the end 104 of the associated housing 5 of respective one of the spindles 2 is urged.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, each cam portion 105 of the eccentric 103 is made symmetrical with respect to a radial central line 106. At the radially outermost point, each cam 105 has a recess 107 too receive the end 104 of the housing 5 of a spindle 2 in the open position. Between each adjacent pair of cams 105 there is a recess 108 to receive the end 104 of the housing 5 of a spindle 2 in the closed position.

In order to reach the open position, the eccentric 103 of FIG. 2 can be pivoted on the guide tube 40 in each direction, that is to say, both clockwise and also counter-clockwise from the closed position shown in full lines in FIG. 2. The eccentric 103 is located or held both in the closed position and also in the open position as the ends 104 of the housing lie resiliently in the

re cesses

108 or 107.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, each cam portion 105 of the eccentric 103 is made asymmetrical. On each end of ach cam portion 105 there is a respective substantially radially outwardly projecting

stop surface

109 or 110, engaged by the end 104 of the housing 5 belonging to the respective cam portion 105 in the open or closed position of the drive units 1 and of the sets 20 of friction discs. The stop surfaces 109 and 110 of two adjacent cam portions 105 are formed by the two side faces of an eccentric projection 111. Each cam portion 105 is given a substantially arcuate convex curvature over its central region, the are being eccentric with respect to the axis of rotation of the eccentric.

Also in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the eccentric 103 can be capable of snapping into the open position at least. for example, by means of a snapping device (not shown) which resiliently engages in the hollow mandrel 101. In contrast to the embodiment of FIG. 2. the eccentric l03 in FIG. 3 is only capable of pivoting in a direction from the closing position to the open position and back again.

The eccentric 103 can be mounted detachably on the hollow mandrel 101 as shown in FIG. 3. In this case, the eccentric 103 has three radial grooves 112 in its central internal bore, in which corresponding ribs 113 on the mandrel 101 engage.

It will be understood that various changes in the details, materials and arrangements of parts which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature ofthe invention may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention, as expressed in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for false-twisting threads by means of friction elements, comprising:

three spindles disposed to form the corners of an equilateral triangle in plan view;

means for rotatably mounting said spindles;

at least one rotationally symmetrical friction element on each spindle;

means for guiding thread in a path of travel past said friction elements;

said rotationally symmetrical friction elements mutually overlapping to cause thread in said path of travel to follow a zig-zag path;

means for simultaneously adjusting the position of said spindles with respect to both said path of travel of said thread and the distance between said corners of said equilateral triangle; and

means to move said mutually overlapping spindles to thereby move said friction elements into and out of mutually overlapping relationship to facilitate threading of the apparatus when said friction elements are out of mutually overlapping relationship.

2. The apparatus for false-twisting threads according to claim 1, wherein said means for moving said spindles into and out of a mutually overlapping relationship comprises:

cam means;

means to urge said sprindles to operative coaction with said cam means; and

actuating means to position said cam means to move said spindles and thereby to move said friction elements into and out of Said mutually overlapping relationship.

3. The apparatus for false-twisting threads according to claim 2 wherein:

said means for guiding thread comprise a tubular section disposed on said path of travel of said thread and adapted for the passage of thread therethrough;

said cam means are disposed on said tubular section;

and

said actuating means to position said cam means comprise means to rotate said cam means.

4. The apparatus for false-twisting threads according to claim 3, wherein said cam means comprise a plurality of cam surfaces adapted to simultaneously position said three spindles.

5. The apparatus for false-twisting threads according to claim 4, wherein said cam means is symmetrical with relation to a radially central line through said cam means.

6. The apparatus for false-twisting threads according to claim 4, wherein said carn means comprise:

a cam surface for each of said spindles;

each of said cam surfaces has at its radially outermost point a recess to operatively coact with said spindles to provide an open position; and

a recess is positioned between each of said adjacent cam surfaces to operatively coact with said spindle to produce a closed position.

7. The apparatus for false-twisting threads according to claim 4 wherein said cam means comprise radially outwardly directed stop means to coact with said spindle means.

8. The apparatus for false-twisting threads according to claim 4 wherein said means for simultaneously adjusting the position of said spindles comprise:

a variable surface associated with said means for guiding thread;

means to urge said spindles against said variable surface; and

means to change relative position of said spindles and said variable surface to thereby change the distance between said spindles.

9. The apparatus for false-twisting threads according to claim 8 wherein said means to change the relative position of said spindles and said variable surface comprise: I

.means to dispose said variable surface concentrically with said means to guide thread and to allow movement of said variable surface with respect to said means to guide thread; and

means to fix the position of said variable surface to said means to guide thread.

10. The apparatus for false-twisting threads according to claim 9 further comprising thread means to concentrically dispose said variable surface with said means to guide thread and to allow movement therebetween.

Claims

1. Apparatus for false-twisting threads by means of friction elements, comprising: three spindles disposed to form the corners of an equilateral triangle in plan view; means for rotatably mounting said spindles; at least one rotationally symmetrical friction element on each spindle; means for guiding thread in a path of travel past said friction elements; said rotationally symmetrical friction elements mutually overlapping to cause thread in said path of travel to follow a zig-zag path; means for simultaneously adjusting the position of said spindles with respect to both said path of travel of said thread and the distance between said corners of said equilateral triangle; and means to move said mutually overlapping spindles to thereby move said friction elements into and out of mutually overlapping relationship to facilitate threading of the apparatus when said friction elements are out of mutually overlapping relationship.

2. The apparatus for false-twisting threads according to claim 1, wherein said means for moving said spindles into and out of a mutually overlapping relationship comprises: cam means; means to urge said sprindles to operative coaction with said cam means; and actuating means to position said cam means to move said spindles and therEby to move said friction elements into and out of said mutually overlapping relationship.

3. The apparatus for false-twisting threads according to claim 2 wherein: said means for guiding thread comprise a tubular section disposed on said path of travel of said thread and adapted for the passage of thread therethrough; said cam means are disposed on said tubular section; and said actuating means to position said cam means comprise means to rotate said cam means.

6. The apparatus for false-twisting threads according to claim 4, wherein said cam means comprise: a cam surface for each of said spindles; each of said cam surfaces has at its radially outermost point a recess to operatively coact with said spindles to provide an open position; and a recess is positioned between each of said adjacent cam surfaces to operatively coact with said spindle to produce a closed position.

8. The apparatus for false-twisting threads according to claim 4 wherein said means for simultaneously adjusting the position of said spindles comprise: a variable surface associated with said means for guiding thread; means to urge said spindles against said variable surface; and means to change relative position of said spindles and said variable surface to thereby change the distance between said spindles.

9. The apparatus for false-twisting threads according to claim 8 wherein said means to change the relative position of said spindles and said variable surface comprise: means to dispose said variable surface concentrically with said means to guide thread and to allow movement of said variable surface with respect to said means to guide thread; and means to fix the position of said variable surface to said means to guide thread.