US2131723A - Method and apparatus for transferring threadlike articles - Google Patents

Description

A. H. BUR l-(HOLDER METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSFERRING THREADLIKE ARTICLES Oct. 4, 1938.

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METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSFERRING THREADLIKE ARTI LE'S A. H. BURK-HOLDER sis-sheet 2 Original Filed July 10, 1933 2 She INVENTOR BY i/aex; flw'k/m/dez' zgg gz u j Patented. at. 4, 193% anus METHOD APPARATUS FOR SFER- RING THREADIJKE ARTICLES Alden H. Burkholder, Lakewood, Ohio, assignor to Industrial Rayon Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application July. 10, 1933,.Serlal No. 679,640 Renewed April 16, 1937 I 14 Claims.

tificial silk thread from a reel and transferring it to another reel or to a packaging device or the like.

In the manufacture of artificial silk thread, particularly by the viscose process, it has been proposed to subject the thread to the various operations necessary for its completion by running the thread from the spin bath'over a plurality of reels, acting as thread store devices, on each of which some one operation,'such as washing, desulphurizing, souring, drying, etc., is performed. As described in British Patent No. 413,413 this continuous spinning process is performed while an individual thread passes over a given reel in helix form, traveling from one end of the reel to the other. After having been, in effect, stored thereon for a sufficient length of time to permit the desired operation to take place, the thread then descends to the next lower reel, placed thereunder, where it travels across the second reel in helix form but in the reverse direction. In a full-sized machine, each row of reels handles one thread through all stages from the spin bath-to the packaging device. Unit reels are preferably used; i. e., reels which carry onlyone thread, but it is also possible to employ longer reels which carry a larger number of threads.

These reels are preferably of a special construction adapted to cause the thread to travel along their surfaces in helix form during rotation thereof. For example, such a reel may consist of two inter-meshing cages made up of lat.- erally extending bars. Conveniently the cages may be both' offset and canted with respect -to each other, in which case the laterally extending bars may be formed integrally with the other parts of the cages. Such a construction is shown and describedin British Patent No. 413,414. Regardless, however, of the particular type of construction employed, it is characteristic of such reels that relative movement of the bars comprising one cage with respect to those comprising the other results in the thread being moved laterally across the periphery of the reel.

In continuous spinning machines utilizing a multiplicity of suchreels, it is obviously necessary in the initial setting up operation which puts the machine as a whole into operation to accomplish (01. 18 -8) clingto the reel bars as a result of surface tensiona As the turns of thread progress bodily along a reel, it is necessary to detach the leading end from the reel bars and conduct it to the next reel or take-up device, to accomplish which the invention provides a method and means,'operating independently of the reel bars, for positively and with certainty producing a free leading end when the thread reaches the discharge end of the reel. This it does, forexample, by breaking,

tearing or otherwise severing the thread at a point back of the actual leading end thereof to insure a free leading end, after which the newly established leading end is freed from the reel and allowed to unwind therefrom to an extent sufficient to enable it to carry or be carried over to the next succeeding reel or takeup device. The short portion of thread between the original leading end and the point of severance is discarded and thrown to waste, as will appear.

It is, accordingly, an object of the invention to provide a method of positively removing a newly formed leading end of thread or the like from a rotating surface and transferring the same to another location or surface in such manner that the running of the thread or the like is not interrupted. Another object of the invention. is to provide a mechanism for removing thread or the like from a rotating surface and transferring this to another location, such as a rotating surface. Although the invention isadapted for use in connection with any process of making thread or the like and particularly the cuprammonium, cellulose'mitrate, cellulose acetate and viscose proc-- esses of manufacturing artificial silk thread, it is especially valuable in connection with a process for the production of viscose artificial silk thread utilizing a plurality of reels and will be described more particularly in relation thereto, although no limitation is thereby implied. In fact, the method and apparatus of the present invention may be found useful wherever it 'is necessary to transfer thread or the like from one rotating surface to another, especially if the article to be transferred is wet and tends to cling to the surface from which-it is to be removed. In the drawings, which illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention, Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a portion of a continuous spinning machine with the transfer mechanism in place; Fig. 2 is a section taken along the line 2-2 of Fig.1;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of a modified form of the invention; Fig. 4 is a section taken along the line lined-4 of Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a section taken thread may run horizontally from reel to reel,"

the transfer mechanism being appropriately disposed to accord with the direction given the thread. For the purposes of the present invention, the manner of transferring a thread between two reels illustrates the manner in which this will be done for all of the reels howeverdisposed, only a multiplication of units being necessary for extensive installations.

In starting a machine of this kind involving a. plurality of reels, the reels are started rotating, after which the thread being formed is led from the nozzle or other source (not shown) through appropriate guides and is applied to the receiving end of the first reel. Succeeding helical turns of thread are now formed and caused to progress toward the reel discharge end. When they reach it, it is obviously necessary to take off a free leading end and carry it over and apply it to the receiving end of the second reel, upon which threads are formed and caused to progress with like necessity for subsequent transfer.

According to the present invention, the carry over from the discharge end of one reel to the receiving end of the next reel is accomplished as follows:-

As the leading turns of spread approach and reach the discharge end of the first reel, regardless of whether the actual leading endis washed under or bound beneath following turns there is applied to the rotating reel and to the threads thereon at a point near the discharge end of the reel some suitable device which will have the effect of cutting, breaking, tearing, shearing or otherwise severing the thread back of the actual leading end, thereby creating a new free leading end. The same act may instigate a stripping or unwinding action, or, in other words, free a part of the thread at the new leading end in such manner that the following thread tends to unwind as the result of either or both of gravity and centrifugal force. As the new leading end unwinds from the reel, it can be made to touch the following reel. If the two reels are horizontal, the thread can be carried across by mechanical meansl Where the second reel is beneath the first, the unwinding thread can descend by gravity. In any event, as soon as the thread touches or is applied to the secondreel, surface tension causes it to cling thereto, whereupon it begins to wind thereon and to progress toward the discharge end thereof.

Such results may be accomplished by any suitable means, for example, by means of a brush held in the hand. The brush is applied to the threads at the discharge end of the first reel and and the new leading end may move away with-' out being entangled with the brush bristles.

Preferably, the device is utilized, so far as possible, to assist in directing or leading the thread to or toward the second reel, either by moving said device over to and applying it to the second reel so as to cause the thread to begin winding thereon or by moving the device to a position near to but not quite touching the second reel, in which case the following thread will loop or billow out and ultimately touch the reel and begin winding thereon.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the reels I, 2 and 8 are mounted in a frame, of which one of the uprights 4 has been illustrated. Each horizontal row of reels is surrounded by a housing 5 which confines the liquid and spray showered onto the thread and reel. This liquid may be any one of the various solutions or washes applied to the thread during the process of treatment and is distributed over the reel and thread by a perforated pipe 6 mother suitable device. The liquid is collected in a trough l at the bottom of the housing and is returned to the distributing device by means of a pump diagrammatically indicated at l.

On a vertical face of the upper of two housings is mounted a guide 9 extending down to the next lower housing at an angle "to the line of centers of the two enclosed reels. The guide is attached to the lower casing by means of a bracket Ill and has a slot H in which slides a thread-contacting device comprising a brush l2 provided with a handle IS. A spring I is preferably provided and is attached to the brush at one end and to the guide 9 at the other end. This brush constitutes a means by which the thread on the reel I can be engaged and carried down to the I quarter of an inch in width, projects through a narrow slot I 6 in the'housing 5, the handle 13 being outside the housing. This slot is so cut, as shown, that the brush has a free path of travel from the upper reel down to the housing on the lower reel .where another narrow slot I1 is cut to permit contact of the transferred thread with the second reel. Thus, the casing of each reel, except the top and bottom reels in a given file, will be provided with two slots to accommodate the thread running between the reels.

It will be noted that the guide 9, while being positioned close enough to the upper reel I so that the brush l2 contacts with the surface of such reel or at least with the thread on such surface, slopes away from the lower reel 2 so that the brush does not contact with such reel.

This results in the formation of a loop of thread l8, since the thread continues to run off the reel I. after it has followed the brush along the line ill, the loop I8 forming in the space between the brush and the reel 2 until such time as the loop has swung into contact with the surface of the reel 2 and commences to be wound thereon. Thereafter the thread will follow a direct line from reel I to reel 2, being pulled free from the brush 'by the winding action of reel 2.

While there has been described above a mechanism which transfers a thread and from one rotating reel to another rotating reel by bringing It is also possible to omit the brush into actual contact with the second reel,

it may also be desired to control the transfer of the thread end at all times from the instant when the thread end leaves the first reel to the instant when it touches the second reel. A mechanism for doing this is illustrated in Figs. 3 and .4 of the drawings in which the guide 20 is positioned parallel to the line of centers of the two reels l' and 2' instead of being positioned at an angle thereto. The brush and operating spring may be of identical characteristics with those previously described but the spring is necessarily'attached at a point below or beyond the axis of the second reel, say at the point 2|.

Under the influence of the spring M, the brush normally assumes the position 22 indicated in dot ted lines. It is adapted to be raised manually to the position 23 in contact with the surface of the reel I where a slot IS in the reel housing 5 is provided to receive it. Upon release, the spring draws the brush downwardly through a slot l1 in the housing of the lower reel and into contact with the reel itself at the point 24. At this point, the thread end, whichhas been severed from reel I and carried downward by the brush, comes into contact with the surface of reel 2' while the brush l2 continues its travel a sufficient distance to clear the reelsurface. At the instant of contact,

a the thread commences to be-wound on the surface of reel 2' and is torn away'from the brush I? which remains in its lowermost position until an-' other transfer requires to be effected. 'In order to insure that the thread will not be torn or severed from the'second'reel, leaf springs 25 are provided at the lower part of; the groove ll of such strength as to slow down the movement of the brush, which is under the influence of the coil spring it, but not of sufiicient strength to prevent the brush from completing its travel and moving away from the surface of reel 2'.

Of course, this modification of the invention or the preceding modification can also be used where the thread does not run vertically from reel to reel but runs horizontally or in any other di- .rection that may be found feasible. The mechanism just described is particularly useful where it cages, as mentioned, rotating on axes 26 and 21,

both offset and -canted with respect to one an.- other, and made up of bars 28 and 29. The reels are driven through shafts 3| by means of pulleys 32 and 33 driven by belts 34,;the belts eventually leading to a power source through which the entire installation may be driven. As a result of the offset and canted relation of the cages making up the reels, the thread is advanced axially of the reels, When the thread reaches the end thereof, as observed through a window 31 in the casing, it is time to start it running on the next reel, which operates in the same manner.

This is done by bringing the brush I2 manually against the end of thereel I and engaging one or more turns of thread, depending on how far the helix of thread has advanced toward the end of the reel and on the position and width of the brush. It is only necessary to engage the thread at one point, but the action is not altered if more than one turn is engaged. Thebrush, either at the moment when it contacts-with the reel or when it is released for return to its position opposite the reel 2, tears, cuts, abrades or otherwise severs the thread on the reel l, the exact nature of the severing action being immaterial, and thus provides a free end which is carried down to the reel 2 and started winding on that reel. The action of the brush is such as to start a free end running on of the reel regardless of the. condition of the thread. 7

Whatever theposition of the actual thread end, the brush severs the thread at a point far enough back from the true end so that a free new end is formed and started running off the reel. The portionof thread between the break and the true end of the thread may adhereto the brush or to the upper reel and is not used: It is' usually of short length and eventually is collected as waste. The thread end may either be disengaged from the first reel and allowed to fall by gravity onto the next reel where this latter is properly positioned below the first reel to enable such action to take place or the thread end may be carried from one reel to the other, constituting a completely controlled transfer, either where the thread runs downwardly from one reel to another or where the thread runs horizontally and gravity cannot be utilized in effecting the transfer.

After the threadhas been transferred to the second reel, such as reel 2, it commences to wind on this reel in helix form but travels in thereverse direction, although winding in the same direction, to that of the thread winding on the first reel. When it has approached the opposite" end of this second reel, it must be again transferred to still anjotherreel, such as the reel 3; and this is done by another transfer mechanism 38 similar in all respects to that previously described but positioned adjacent the opposite end of the row of reels. The thread is transferred by this mechanism to the third reel and travels thereon. in the same direction as the thread on reel l. The transfer mechanisms and transfer method are duplicated until the thread reaches I the end of the last reel. From this point it is run off to a packaging device or is otherwise collected as finished thread.

It will be seen that the herein described'mech anism insures the formation of a thread end on a given reel even if the true end is wound under subsequent turns. It serves to detach this end in a positive manner so that the thread immediately commences to run off the reel. Often this is' all that is necessary in order that the thread will collect in another locationbut it may be further controlled through part or all of the distance to another reel or location if desired. Thus the thread may be engaged and controlled until it reaches a point closely adjacent the "reel to which it is to be transferred or is actually touched to. such reel and is there held until it makes contact with this second reel and commences winding thereon. There is no possibility of the thread refusing to leave the surface of the first reel, no matter how wet it may be. The action is prompt and certain, an important consideration, since each thread end must be transferred to several reels in series and there are a large number of such ends to be handled. 1

While a preferred mechanism for manual transfer of a thread from one point of contact to another has been disclosed herein, it will be realized that the method described may also be performed by other mechanism. Also, the brush described may be replaced by other thread-engaging devices and the guiding mechanism may be altered without departing from the scope of the invention. It is intended that the patent shall cover, by suitable expression in the appended claims, whatever features of patentable novelty resides in the -invention. I

What is claimed is:

' 1. In a thread processing machine, the combination which comprises a plurality of rotatable members on each of which the thread is successively temporarily stored for treatment and a thread take-off device positioned adjacent the periphery of each of said members for removing a thread end from one member and positively carrying it to the succeeding member.

2. In a thread processing machine, the combination which comprises a plurality of rotatable members on each of which the thread is successively continuously wound in helix form and a transfer device between each two .rotatable members for causing an advancing thread end to pass from one'rotatable member to the next.

3. Apparatus for removing a thread-like article from a rotating cylindrical surface which comprises guides positioned with one end adjacent brought mm contactwith a thread-like article on Y one of said reels, and a spring attached to said brush, a guide for said brush mounted to one side of said reels'and positioned the thickness of said brush away from said reels, and a spring attached to said brush for bringing said brush into contact with at least one of said reels. A

6. A method of transferring athread-like article from one rotating surface to a similar rotating surface which comprises interrupting the continuity of the thread-like article while it is in contact with the periphery of the first rotating surface and bringing into contact witlrthe periphery of the second rotating surface the new leading end thereby formed.

7. A method of transferring a thread-like article from one rotating surface to a similar rotating surface which comprises severing the thread-like article while it is in contact with the periphery of the first rotating surface, mechanically engaging the new. leading end thereby formed, and

bringing said new leading end into contact with the periphery of the second rotating surface.

8. Apparatus comprising a source of threadlike material: a plurality of vertically spaced thread store devices each of which is adapted to advance said thread-like material in an approximately helical path; and positively operating transfer means capable of passing the leading end of said thread-like material from one thread store device to another.

9. Apparatus comprising a source of threadlike material; a plurality of vertically spaced thread store devices each of which is adapted to advance said thread-like material in an approximately helical path; and positively operating 11. A thread processing machine comprising a plurality of functionally independent threadstorage, thread-advancing reels and, operatively associated with at least one of said thread-storage, thread-advancing reels, positively operating transfer means capable of transmitting from one of said thread-storage, thread-advancing reels to another the leading end of the thread being processed on said machine.

12. A thread processing machine comprising a" plurality of functionally independent threadstorage, thread-advancing reels and,.operatively associated with at least one of said thread-storage, thread-advancing reels, positively operating transfer means capable of mechanically engaging and transmitting from one of said threadstorage, thread-advancing reels to another the leading end of the thread being processed on said machine.

13. A thread processing machine comprising a plurality of functionally independent threadstorage, thread-advancing reels and, operatively associated with at least one of said threadstorage, thread-advancing reels, positively operating transfer means capable of mechanically engaging the leading end of the thread being processed on said machine for transferring the thread from one thread-storage, thread-advancing reel to another.

14. In a thread processing machine, the combination which comprises a plurality of rotatable members on each of which the thread is successively temporarily stored in generally helical form and a transfer device between each two- ALDEN 1r. BURKHOLDER.

of said

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