US2718363A - Tension control device - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 20, 1955 s. ROBERTS TENSION CONTROL DEVICE Filed Jan. 17, 1952 INVENTOR. INGHAM 8. R05 [RT-S ATTORNE United States a fiint o 7 2,718,363 TENSION CONTROL DEVICE Ingham S. Roberts, Ridley Park, Pa., assignor to American Viscose Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Application January 17, 1952,-Serial No. 266,885 3 Claims; (Cl. 242--149) This invention relates to filamentary twisting apparatus wherein a rotating spindle is adapted to impart two or more twists in the filamentary material for each revolution of the spindle, which apparatus may be simply referred to as a multiple-twist type of twister. More particularly this invention relates to a multiple twist type of twister which includes novel and improved filamentary material tension control means.

In twisting apparatus of this nature, the spindle and the flyer mounted thereon revolve but the package fromv which the thread or yarn is drawn remains substantially stationary. The yarn is withdrawn from the stationary package and passes downwardly through the hollow rotating spindle. It then proceeds outwardly along a transverse aperture in the flyer, emerges therefrom and passes several times about a storage drum which forms the base of the flyer. Thereafter it passes outwardly and upwardly in a helical manner and in a spaced relation about the yarn package to form its so-called balloon. The yarn then passes through the various guide rings and over various rollers to a suitable take-up device.

In order to control the uniformity of the twist applied to the filamentary material it is necessary to interpose a suitable braking or tensioning means along the path of yarn between the supply package and the flyer device. This tensioning means is ordinarily located adjacent the upper end of the spindle where the yarn enters on its downward travel therethrough. In this way the initial application of twist is confined between the tensioning means and the flyer device and the yarn which still has not been withdrawn from the supply package is prevented from absorbing a variable amount of twist.

Oftentimes it is desirable to withdraw a plurality of individual filamentary materials from their respective supply packages and to simultaneously apply twist'to each during the same twisting operation. The tensioning means which have been employed in the past have been found unable to operate in a satisfactory manner when it is desired to accommodate a plurality of filaments.

Tension control between the flyer and the take-up means is likewise an important'aspect of the twisting operation. It has been found that when undue tension is present it is difficult to properly wind the filamentary material upon its take-up means. Thus it is desirable to mitigate the tension in the filamentary material adjacent the take-up means.

It has also been found that at high twister speeds the tension in the balloon may reach a value which impairs the quality of the yarn. Thus it is also desirable to mitigate the tension in the balloon. I

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide novel and improved tension control means for a multiple twist type of twis er apparatus. I

Itis a further object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved tension device for a multiple twist type of twisting machine which will simultaneously ac com'modate a pair of a plurality of individual filamentary materials.

Itis a further object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved balloon control means which materially reduces the tension in the filamentary material adjacent its take-up means.

' tioning the annulus thereon.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description.

In the drawing which is illustrative of the invention,

Figure l is an elevational view in section of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side view of the improved balloon controlling ring means of the present invention;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view in section of the magnetically-controlled, spindle-braking switch means;

Figure 4 is a side elevational view in section of a modified tension control means;

Figure 5 is a side elevational view in section of another modified tension control means.

As shown more particularly in Figure 1 of the drawing wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is disclosed, the twisting machine includes a base plate 3 and a spindle driving means such as the motor 3a mounted thereon. Spindle 3b is operatively connected to the motor and extends upwardly therefrom. Its upper portion 3c is hollowed to accommodate the passage of filamentary material as will be hereafter more fully described. The fiyer device 4 which includes a flat annular rim portion 4a, an intermediate frusto-conical portion 4b and a cylindrical drum base 4c is secured by its hub 40. to the spindle between the shoulder 5 and the retainer ring 6 by any convenient means such as by the key 7 shown in the drawing. The bearing members 8 and 9 are respectively seated on the shoulders 10 and 11 adjacent the upper extremity of the spindle 3b and rotatably support the hub member 12 which accommodates the yarn supply package 13 as hereinafterdescribed more fully. Hub apron 14 extends outwardly and upwardly from the hub member 12 and with the cylindrical shell member 15 which is adapted to engage an outer stepped flanged portion 14a of the apron provides a covering container for the supply package. One or more annular depressions 14b and are preferably formed in the base of the apron to increase its rigidity.

An annular resilient pad 14d is preferably inserted in the depression 14b to engage one end of the supply package core 16 when the supply package 13 is mounted on the hub member. The other end of the core 16 is adapted to receive the frusto-conical cap member 17 and tensioning device 29. The tubular sleeve 18 surrounds an aperture in the top of the cap member 17 and extends downwardly therefrom toward and in alinement with the hollow portion 30 of the spindle. The annular polished washer 17a is preferably inserted in a depression 17b on the upper surface of the cap to provide an improved thread-contacting wear surface.

Tension device 29 as shown in Figure l of the drawing includes an annulus 20 and a weighted insert 21. A sleeve portion 19 preferably extends downwardly from the inner periphery of the annulus and loosely engages the apertured cap member to provide a means for posiproperly positioned, its lower surface is contiguous with the upper surface of the polished washer and a first pair of opposed yarn tensioning surfaces is provided. The weighted insert 21 preferably includes a stem portion 21a which extends downwardly and loosely engages the sleeve portion of the annulus thereby providing a means forpositioning the insert thereon. In this way the lower surface of the-insert is contiguous with the upper surface of the annulus and a second pair of opposed yarn tensioning surfaces is provided. The loose engagement between the sleeve 19 of the annulus and the apertured cap member 17 and between the sleeve of the annulus and the stem 21a of the insert causes individual mutational movements of the weighted insert and the annulus as the strands unwrap from the supply package and ap- Thus when the annulus is proach their respective opposed contiguous surfaces throughout an arc of 360.

The balloon controlling means of the present invention comprises a helical ring 28 which extends around the cylindrical package container and which may be mounted on the frame of the machine in any convenient manner as by the means shown on the drawing including the adjustable supporting rods 28 which extend upwardly from the base plate 3. The pitch of the helix angle of the controlling ring is made greater than the pitch of the helix followed by a point of the yarn as it balloons upwardly so that the ring tends to positively feed the yarn upwardly as well as control the size of the balloon.' In this way the ring tends to increase the tension in the yarn between fiyer 4 and the ring and to decrease the tension between the ring and the take-up device 22. -I -Iowever, since an increase in yarn tension between the fiyer and the ring is compensated by an unwrapping of yarn from the storage portion 40 of the fiyer, the net effect of the ring 28 produces a substantial reduction in yarn tension between the ring and the take-up device and a smaller reduction in yarn tension between the fiyer and the ring.

Preferably the means provided in the present invention for preventing rotation of the supply package comprises a plurality of magnetic elements 23 of alternate polarity that are radially positioned about the lower surface of the annular bracket 2311 which extends downwardly from the apron 14. A similar pattern of alternately poled magnetic elements 24 are positioned on the machine frame and extend upwardly toward the magnetic elements 23. In this way when the corresponding magnetic elements on the apron and frame are alined and oppositely poled, the supply package is magnetically held in a given position. If the package should rotate from that position, the repelling force of similarly poled magnetic elements in addition to the force of gravity cause the magnetic elements 24 to pivot at 24a downwardly and actuate the switch device and stop the motor 3a.

In operation the individual filamentary strands and 31 shown in Figure l are conducted upwardly from the respective portions 32 and 33 of the supply package 13 toward the tensioning device. The strand 30 passes between the upper surface of the washer 17a and the lower surface of the annulus 20 and then downwardly between the sleeves '18 and 19. The strand 31 passes between the upper surface of the annulus 20 and the lower surface of the weighted insert 21 and then downwardly between the sleeve 19 and the stem 21a. Each of the strands 30 and 31 then proceeds downwardly together through the sleeve 18 and the alined hollow portion 30 of the spindle and outwardly through the aperture 26 therein and the notch 27 in the rim of the fiyer drum. The strands then automatically wrap about a portion of the fiyer drum and balloon upwardly in a helical manner about the supply package container. The strands are then led through the helical controlling ring 28 where.- in they experience an increased upward impetus. Thereafter the strands pass through a guide ring 34, about the rollers and 36, and are finally collected on the takeup device 22.

Although the separate strands of filamentary material 30 and 31 in the drawing are shown as originating from a single supply package, it is to be understood that an individual supply package for each filamentary strand could be mounted on the hub 12 without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

A further embodiment of the present invention is disclosed in Figure 4 of the drawing wherein a modified tension device 29' is employed. The tension device 29 includes a cap member 17', a polished annular insert 17a, an annulus 20', an additional annulus and a weighted insert 21'. In this embodiment of the present invention the additional annulus 40 provides another pair of op posed contiguous surfaces such that twisting apparatus may be used to simultaneously impart a desired twist in three individual filamentary strands. The weight of the insert 21 or 21 in Figures 1 and 4 respectively is preferably chosen to produce the desired tension in the yarn. The weight of the annuli 2 0,, 2,0,, and 40 is preferably made negligible so that the tension on each of the strands is substantially the same. However, if desired, when but a single strand is to be twist ed, the annuli could alsobe weighted to provide an additional variation in the application of tension. O I v i i y it is to be emphasized that although the tension control means of the present invention is illustrated in Figures l and 4 of the drawing in connection with twisting apparatus for handling two and three filamentary strands respectively, any greater or lesser number of strands could be handled by providing more or fewer sleeved annuli without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

In Figure 5 of the drawing still another'modification' It is to be also understood that such a tension device could be still further modified by employing a plurality of funneleshaped members to accommodate additional filamentary strands without departing from the spirit or 9919 of t r sent i vent o While preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed, the description is intended to be illustrative only and it to be understood that changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended la ms I claim;

1. A yarn tension device mounted to receive a strand passing from a revolving path comprising a lower le v k mem ha in n pwa dly acin l r surface and a central yertical passageway terminating at said annular surface, a weighting element positioned above and in alignment with the annular surface, and a floating annular element between the weighting elementand the annular surface to separate and compress a plurality of yarn strands, at least one of said strands travel: ing between the weighting element and the floating element and another of said strands traveling between the floating element and the annular surface.

2 Ap ara i scqr s zs it claim 1 in. which h floatingielernent comprises a centralsleeve and an integral radially extending fiat flange. V I

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 2 in which the fiat flange on the floating element comprises an annular I ti ly th ck Pe iphera s r e- References Cited in the file of this patent UNIIEP ATES PATE S 44,720 Gritz ner Oct. 18, 1864 1,398,877 Matson a Nov. 29, 1921 1,409,824 Brownell Mar. 14, 1922 1,422,240 Taylor et a1. July 11, 1922 1,884,943 Williams et a l. a Oct. 25, 1932 1,995,533 Bochmann et a1, Mar. 26, 1935 2,246,980 Sparkes June 24, 1941 2,346,358 Busse Apr. 11, 1 944 2,473,52! Gwaltney June 21, 1949 2,492,778 Agresti Dec. 27, 1949 2,571,109 Oct. 16, 1951 2,597,015 May 20, 1952 2,613,886 Oct. 14, 1952 2,650,779 7:; Sept,v 1, 1933

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