US1986974A - Method of uniting threads - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 8, 1 935. w. D. KI ILLOGG I 1,986,974

METHOD OF UNITING THREADS Filed June 17, 1933 A w lNV T R ATTORNEY;

Patented Jan. 8, 1935 Q UNITED STATES 1,986,974 rm'rnon F um'rme THREADS William D. Kellogg, Amsterdam, N. Y., assignor to Mohawk Carpet Mills, Inc., Amsterdam, N. Y., a. corporation of New York Application June 1'1, 1933, Serial No. 676,285 6 Claims. (01. 28-1) This invention relates to methods of uniting tying and a new strand made up of smaller pieces united by that method. The method of the invention may be used to special advantage in the preparation and use of threads, yarns, etc. in the manufacture of textile fabrics, and the adaptation of the invention to that field will accordingly be described in detaiLfor-purposes of explanation, although it is to be understood that the utility of the method is not limited to that specific application. I

The breakage of threads and yarns occurs in all winding and spooling operations employed in the textile art and it is the usual practice to secure the ends together by tying. This operation is done either by hand or by a device known as a hand-knotter, the latter being used when the strands'are relatively small. The tying of the ends together results in the formation of an enlargement in the form of a knot in the strand and usually leaves two loose ends projecting from the knot. The presence of such knots in threads and yarns causes many difiiculties in weaving operations.

When warp threads break and are tied together, the resulting knots are frequently too large to pass through the heddle eyes of the loom and through the spaces between the reed dents of the lay. When the' knots. reach the heddle eyes or reed dents, the threads are again broken, and this necessitates stopping the loom with a consequent loss in loomefiiciency. Even if the knots in the warp threads are small enough to pass through the heddle eyes and reed dent spaces, they are likely to cause lumps and imperfections in the body of the fabric which are highly objectionable;

Knots in the pile yarn used in a carpet, rug, or similar fabric, produce seriousdefects, especially when they appear in the face yarn, and such knots must be removed by hand in a finishing operation which adds greatly to the cost of manufacture. The seriousness of the presence of knots in the pile yarn will be better appreciated when it is understood that in the weaving of a five frame Wilton rug of the 9' by 12' size, there is a possibility of obtaining five thousand knots in the pile yarn alone, the majority of which must be removed, if a satisfactory pile surface is to be obtained.

Pile yarn knots present an equally serious problem in the weaving of Axminster fabrics. In

the ordinary Axminster looms in which each individual end of pile yarn is passed through a separate tube and presented to the fabric to be looped about a weft shot, such knots ofier considerable resistance to the free passage of the yarn through the tubes, and even though the knots are carefully made, they frequently cause breakage of the pile yarns and this requires the insertion of tufts by hand. Such operations reduce the loom efliciency materially andadd l0 greatly to the cost of manufacture.

In fabrics in which the tuftsare inserted by needles, the elimination of knots in the pile'yarn is particularly important as each end of yarn must pass through a highly restricted space in 15 a hollow needle. If the knot is too large to pass through the space and a breakage of the thread results, the machine must. be stopped and the needle rethreaded with resulting loss in time and production.

The essentials of any method by which the ends of threads or yarn are united and which is to be used in replacement for knotting either by hand or by machine are that the method must be at least as fast as tying a knot, and the 5 strength of the strandat the point of union must be equal to or greater than the strength of the individual threads. The method of the present invention fulfills these requirements and,

in addition, the strand is flexible at the point of 30- union, the thickness is not increased over the original thickness of one end, and loose extremities of the strand do not extend from the point of union. The method of the present invention, therefore, offers great advantages over the meth- 35 0d of knotting or tying heretofore used and, when employed in connection with the production of fabrics, it results in increased efficiency in weaving and knitting operations and in a reduction in the cost of finishing.

The method of the present invention depends on the use of an adhesive which sets rapidly, and in practicing the invention, the ends of the strands to be united are placed in substantial alignment, preferably with a slight overlap, a quantity of adhesive is applied to the ends, and the ends are then pressed together, During the pressing operation, the mass of adhesive is shaped so that it forms a coating or sheath for the ends, this sheath being substantially r the 50 same diameter as one of the ends. The new method can be most conveniently carried out by hand, a drop of the adhesive being, applied to the forefinger, the ends then being rolled in contact with one another and with the, adhesive by means of the thumb and forefinger. The pressing and rolling operations can be performed mechanically, if desired, but manual operations are entirely satisfactory and are preferred.

The new strand made up of two or more pieces connected together in accordance with the new method has no enlargements and is flexible at the points of union. The connections are fully as strong as knots and there are no loose ends projecting from the connections.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 illustrates the first step in the new method carried out by hand;

Figure 2 illustrates the second step;

Fgure 3 illustrates the third step, and

Figures 4 and 5 are views in section and elevation, respectively, of the union of a pair of strands made by the new method.

In carrying out the new method by hand, a small quantity such as a good sized drop of the adhesive is placed on the forefinger 11, and the ends 12 and 13 of the strands to be united are then placed in substantial alignment and preferably witha slight overlap in contact with the drop of adhesive. The thumb 14 is then placed on top of the ends of strands and the thumb and forfinger moved relatively so that the ends of the strands are rolled across the adhesive.

The application of pressure by this rolling operation is continued until the adhesive sets and in the operation, the adhesive impregnates the fibres of the strands and also coats them. If the proper type of adhesive is employed, it passes completely from the finger to the ends of the strands and both impregnates and coats the fibres so that at the point of union, the ends of the strands are encased in a continuous sheath 15.

The adhesive which I have found to give the best results for the purpose is a latex from the Hevea brasiliensis tree which has been .concentrated to bring the dry rubber content to approximately 50% to 65% by weight and which has been preserved by the addition of a small amount of ammonia such as 1% to 3%. Ammonia in this amount serves to preserve the latex andretard coagulation, but when such a latex is subjected to a. slight pressure and rolling action, it coagulates readily, the ammonia being volatilized by that action. A small amount of an antioxident and an accelerator can also be added if desired but these additions are not absolutely essential in order that the latex may serve the desired purpose.

The method of concentrating the latex which I prefer is one which will leave the concentrate practically free from the non-rubber constituents of the natural latex and in a comparatively unstable and sensitive condition such that when the latex is subjected to a relatively slight pressure and rolling action, it will be converted into an irreversible coagulum.

The methods of concentration which have been found satisfactory for placing the latex in the desired condition are those in which-:the greater part of the non-rubber constituents or, the natural protective colloids are eliminated from the natural latex and in which no protective colloids are added to retard coagulation. Preferably, the methods of concentration by creaming or centrifuging are employed.

In the method of concentrating the latex by creaming, small quantities of a vegetable mucus, such as Iceland moss, are added to the natural latex and the mixture is allowed to stand for a time, heat being applied if desired to accelerate the separation. The rubber particles of the latex concentrate in a top layer which can be drawn off while ,the water and the water soluble compounds comprising the non-rubber constituents form the lower layer.

Themethod of centrifuging depends on the mechanical separation of the latex by centrifugal action into a cream and a skimmed milk. The cream contains a high percentage of rubber and the skimmed milk a low percentage of rubber together with practically all of the non-rubber constituents.

Other methods can also be employed such as filtration, these methods resulting in the removal of the water and water solubles and leaving a concentrate which contains a relatively high percentage of rubber particles and only a small percentage of the non-rubber constituents. I

In the use of any of the methods mentioned, the purpose is to concentrate the latex so that the resulting product contains a percentage of rubber particles higher than that in the natural latex and a percentage of non-rubber particles lower than that in the natural latex. I have found that the latex containing 50% to 65% dry weight of rubber particles and containing 1% to 3% of ammonia is most satisfactory in the uniting of strands in accordance with the new method. When a drop of this material is placed on the forefinger and the ends of the strands rolled together with the drop in the manner above described, rapid coagulation of the latex occurs and the operation consumes no more time than the ordinary tying of a knot. In addition, the rolling action so distributes the latex that there is no lump or enlargement at the point of union and the film or sheath of latex which secures the ends of the strand together is flexible and the union has at least the strength of a single strand.

What I claim is:

1. A method of uniting a pair of strands which comprises applying to the portions of said strands to be united, a quantity of rubber latex containing a small amount of a preservative compound, said latex being in sensitive and unstable condition and having the property of coagulating rapidly when a small quantity thereof is rolled and pressed in the air, and pressing said portions and latex together with a rolling motion continued until said latex coagulates.

2. A method of uniting a pair of strands which comprises applying to portions of said strands to be united latex containing from about 50% to about 65% by weight of dry rubber content and a small amount of a preservative compound, and pressing and rolling said portions together'until said latex coagulates.

3. A method of uniting a pair of strands which comprises applying to portions of said strands to be united concentrated latex containing an unnaturally high percentage of rubber particles;

an unnaturally small amount of non-rubber constituents, and a small amount of a preservative and pressing and rolling said portions together with the latex until coagulation of the latex occurs.

5. A method of uniting a pair of strands which comprises applying rubber latex containing a small amount of a volatile. coagulation retarder to the portions of said strands which are to be united, said latex having the property of coagulating'rapidly when a small quantity thereof is rolled. and pressed in the air and maintaining said portions in contact until said latex has coagulated.

6. A method of uniting a pair of strands which comprises applying to the portions of said strands which are to be united a concentrated rubber latex containing an unnaturally small amount of non-rubber constituents and a protective compound, said latex having the property of coagulating rapidly when rolled and pressed in the air, and applying pressure to hold said portions in contact until said latex has coagulated.

WILLIAM D. KELLOGG.

Images