EP0468566A1

EP0468566A1 - Device for supporting reels of yarn during dyeing operations

Info

Publication number: EP0468566A1
Application number: EP91201786A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Giovanni Bellini
Original assignee: Loris Bellini & C Srl
Current assignee: Loris Bellini & C Srl
Priority date: 1990-07-27
Filing date: 1991-07-09
Publication date: 1992-01-29
Also published as: IT220063Z2; IT9021560U1; IT9021560V0

Abstract

A supporting device (14) for supporting reels (13) during dyeing operations, in particular in a dyeing autoclave (10), comprises a supporting structure composed of a base (15) from which protrudes a central shaft (16). A plurality of modules (20) each comprise a centrally perforated plate (17) which fits onto the shaft (16) and from which hollow pins (18) protrude at right angles to each receive one or more reels (13) stacked one on top of the other.

A cover (24) can be locked on to the shaft (16) to hold a plurality of modules (20), elements (19) being provided between the modules to reciprocally couple and centre them with the other modules (20).

Description

In the technique of dyeing yarns there are known machines comprising pressurized containers, or autoclaves, in which the reels of yarn are disposed on a special frame to form vertical rows of superimposed reels. The containers are then filled with a continuous flow of dyeing fluid which impregnates the reels which are then removed and centrifuged to eliminate the excess fluid.
The frame is generally composed of a base element provided with vertical rods onto which superimposed rows of reels are fitted and then locked in place by an upper element which in turn engages with the upper end of the rods. The length of the rods is the maximum height that can be received in the machine and consequently defines the loading capacity of the dyeing device.
A system of this kind is disadvantageous for flexible productions, that is to say aimed at dyeing small and variable quantities of yarn, since it is only possible to dye multiple quantities of the invariable loading capacity of the machine imposed by the fixed dimensions of the frame.
Moreover, the extensive vertical conformation of the rods holding the reels is somewhat disadvantageous for automation, for example by means of small robotized arms, of the operations of loading and unloading the reels from the frame.
Another drawback of the known technique, which is particularly serious in the case of reels of the type with a deformable central cop, consists of the weight of the numerous reels stacked on the rods, which tightly compresses the lower reels causing uneven absorption of the dye compared to the upper reels which are not so tightly compressed.
Lastly, after the dyeing operations it is necessary to eliminate the excess dye which impregnates the reels. For this purpose, in the known technique the reels are removed from the frame used for dyeing them, which does not easily withstand radial forces, and placed in a centrifugal machine so as to eliminate the excess fluid inexpensively in terms of energy, especially for small productions, and then if necessary placed in a dryer to dry them completely. These operations entail further handling of the reels, resulting in slow downs and high costs.
The general scope of this invention is to obviate the aforementioned problems by providing a device for supporting reels in dyeing autoclaves which enables automatic or manual modular loading of the reels, moreover without any considerable unevenness in compression between reels at different heights in the machine and which does away with the need for intermediate handling of the reels during the entire dyeing process.
This scope is achieved according to the invention by providing a device for supporting reels of yarn in dyeing autoclaves comprising a supporting structure composed of a base from which protrudes a central shaft, a plurality of modules each comprising a centrally perforated plate which fits onto the shaft and from which hollow pins protrude at right angles to each receive one or more reels stacked one on top of the other, a cover which can be locked on to the shaft to hold in place a plurality of modules, each module being provided with elements to reciprocally couple and centre it with the other modules.
The innovatory principles of this invention and its advantages with respect to the known technique will be more clearly evident from the following description of a possible exemplificative and non- restrictive embodiment applying such principles, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

- figure 1 shows a schematic partial cross-sectional side view of a dyeing vat with a supporting device according to this invention;
- figure 2 shows a schematic plan view of a modular supporting element of the device of figure 1;
- figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view along the line III-III of figure 2;
- figure 4 shows a partial cross-sectional side view of the supporting device disposed in a centrifugal machine.

With reference to the figures, figure 1 shows a vertical section of a dyeing machine, generically indicated by reference 10. Said device comprises a sealable cylindrical container 11 with a delivery duct 12 and a return duct 13 for the dyeing fluid. The container has an upper portion which can be opened to insert a removable device for supporting reels of yarn 13.
Up to here it is substantially known technique.
According to the innovatory principles of this invention the supporting device 14 comprises a disc-shaped base element 15 onto which is vertically secured a shaft 16 disposed to lie coaxial to the container 11.
Fitted on the shaft 16 are supporting modules each composed of a centrally perforated disc-shaped base or plate 17, with vertical hollow parallel pins 18 or cylinders disposed circumferentially at regular intervals, as shown in figure 2.
As can be more clearly seen in figure 3, which shows a single module 20, each cylinder 18 is provided from below with a Y-shaped coupling element 19 disposed partially protruding from the lower surface of the disc-shaped base 17.
The cylinders 18 advantageously couple together to form vertical ducts and have perforated lateral surfaces to deliver through the reels a stream of dyeing fluid which flows upwards from the base 15 made in the form of a cavity 25 to constitute a manifold for distribution of the fluid flowing from the duct 12.
In the case of reels with a deformable central cop for compressed reel dyeing, the cylinders 18 are shorter in height than the sum total of the heights of the reels that are fitted onto them, as for example shown in figure 3 for hollow pins each advantageously receiving two reels.
The frame 14 is assembled by fitting the respective reels on the pins of each module 20 and then fitting the modules onto the central shaft 16 so as to align them with the elements 19 of each module disposed to act as a guide for the module immediately below.
As shown by way of example in figure 1, the modules superimposed to fill the shaft 16 are three in number. To use, after having fitted the modules on the shaft 16, the upper part of the latter is fitted with a fastening element or upper lid 21 having a disc-shaped portion 22 provided underneath with guide elements 23 and coupling means 24 to couple it to the free end of the shaft 16. By simply pressing the upper element 21 downwards, thereby compressing the reels in the modules, the guide elements 23 engage with the corresponding cylinders 18, and the coupling means 24 fit into their respective seats in the end of the shaft 16.
In this condition, the height of the sum total of reels on each cylinder is equal to the length of the latter.
The coupling of each element 19 onto the corresponding cylinder of the module immediately below gives the structure good overall rigidity.
The frame can thus be inserted into the dyeing vat 11 and the dyeing process can be carried out according to the usual technique which is well known by the technician and therefore not further described.
At the end of the dyeing process the frame 14 is sufficiently rigid to enable it to be inserted together with the shaft 16 between the spindles 28, 29 of a centrifugal machine 26, as schematically shown in figure 4.
The frame is made to rotate by means of an electric geared motor 30. When the latter is operated at high speed the excess fluid is eliminated from the reels and collects on the bottom of the container 27 from where it is drained off through a duct 31.
After the fluid has been eliminated the frame 14 can be transferred to a drying machine which is substantially of known technique and therefore not shown.
It should be obvious at this point that the intended scopes are achieved by providing a modular supporting device having innumerable advantages compared to the hitherto known frames.
For example, unlike that which occurs in the known technique, it is possible to load the machine 10 with a variable number of reels so as to adapt the production according to particular requirements.
For this purpose it is possible to fit one or more empty modules onto the shaft 16, since the reels are always firmly secured by the plates 17 and the cylinders 18.
Alternatively, means can easily be imagined, in correspondence with the tops of each each individual module, for locking the upper element 21 in an intermediate position along the shaft 16, so as to be able to fit onto the shaft 16 only the number of modules required to contain the reels to be dyed and consequently still be able to securely fasten the upper element 21 on top of the last module inserted regardless of the overall number of modules.
When inserting empty modules, the holes in the pins 18 must obviously be plugged to enable the pressurized circulation of the fluid through the existing reels. For this purpose, watertight sleeves can be provided to fit over the pins which remain free or, alternatively, modules 20 with non-perforated pins.
In any case, the container 11 can be filled with dyeing fluid just enough to cover all the reels, so as to minimize the use of fluid.
A further considerable advantage of the invention consists of facilitating the automated positioning of the reels on the supports. In fact, a first robotized arm can easily fit the reels on the individual modules, of limited dimensions, and the modules thus loaded can then be fitted onto the shaft 16 either by hand or by means of a second robotized arm.
A still further advantage of the invention is that of enabling the reels of yarn to be stored already inserted in the individual modules, so as to be easily handled in groups, and then quickly fitted onto the shafts 16 when they are to be dyed.
Due to the fact that the reels placed directly one on top of the other are limited in number (advantageously two for each cylinder 18) the weight resting on the superimposed reels in the modules is practically constant from top to bottom of the frame. It is thus possible to achieve a highly even absorption of the dye through all the reels in the device.
Moreover, thanks to the sturdiness and rigidity of the support all the dyeing operations can be carried out without ever having to remove the reels from it, so that the reels are handled only when they are dry: at the beginning before dyeing to place them in the support and at the end to remove them from the support and pack them or send them on for further processing.
This eliminates all the intermediate handling phases, which are necessary in the known technique, and which, especially when the dye is not yet dry, can cause colour defects.
The foregoing description of an embodiment applying the innovatory principles of this invention is obviously given by way of example in order to illustrate such innovatory principles and should not therefore be understood as a limitation to the sphere of the invention claimed herein. For example, the maximum number of reels for each module and the maximum number of modules for each device can differ from that shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings.
It is also evident that the guiding and coupling elements 19 can be disposed at the top of each cylinder instead of at the lower end, so as to each engage the cylinder immediately above it.
In the case of reels with an internal cop of the non-deformable type, the length of the cylinders 18 will obviously be made equal to that of the sum total of the reels to be inserted into each of them.

Claims

1. Device for supporting reels of yarn during dyeing operations, in particular in dyeing autoclaves, comprising a supporting structure composed of a base from which protrudes a central shaft, a plurality of modules each comprising a centrally perforated plate which fits onto the shaft and from which hollow pins protrude at right angles to each receive one or more reels stacked one on top of the other, a cover which can be locked on to the shaft to hold in place a plurality of modules, each module being provided with elements to reciprocally couple and centre it with the other modules.

2. Device as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the fact that the hollow pins coupled together constitute ducts through which the dyeing fluid flows, the pins being radially perforated to deliver the fluid through the reels.

3. Device as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the fact that the coupling and engaging means comprise tapered projections protruding from one end of each pin which engage with the complementary ends of the pins of the coupled module.

4. Device as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the fact that the length of each pin is smaller than the overall length of the reels fitted on it so that when the cover is locked in place the reels are longitudinally compressed together with their central cops until they assume an overall length identical to that of the corresponding pins.

5. Device as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the fact that the horizontal plates of the modules are disc-shaped and the cylinders of each module are disposed at an equal distance from each other and from the edge of the plate.

6. Device as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the fact of having shaft ends which couple with complementary spindles in a centrifugal machine to eliminate the excess dyeing fluid from the reels in it.