US3854178A - Stuffer crimper yarn guide means - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus for texturizing multi-filament yarn utilizing the stuffer box principal in which thermoplastic yarn is fed from a source into a texturizing zone. The apparatus comprises cooperating feed members for conveying yarn into a yarn guide means that delivers the yarn into means defining a texturizing zone. The yarn guide means has an inner wall defining an axial opening that extends through the guide means and which opening is of increasingly larger cross-sectional area in the direction toward the means defining the texturizing zone.

Description

United States Patent 1191 Schartel Dec. 17, 1974' STUFFER CRIMPER YARN GUIDE MEANS 3,466,716 9/1969 Hancock ct a1 28/].6

3.512.231 5/1970 Stanley 28/l.(w [75] lnvemol- Ronald Readmg 3,626,557 12/1971 Chudgar et al. zx/rsx [73] Assignee: Rockwell International Corporation,

Pittsburgh, Pa. Primary ExaminerLouis K. Rimrodt [22] Filed: May 25, 1973 121 Appl. No.: 363,920 [57] ABSTRACT An apparatus for texturizing multi-filament yarn utilizing the stuffer box principal in which thermoplastic [3%] yarn is fed from a Source into a texturizing zone The d 1 apparatus comprises cooperating feed members for 1 o earc f conveying yarn into a yarn guide means that delivers the yarn into means defining a texturizing zone. The [5 6] References and yarn guide means has an inner, wall defining an axial UNITED STATES PATENTS opening that extends through the guide means and 3,044,l45 7/1962- Tager et al 28/l.6 which opening is of increasingly larger cross-sectional 3,046,633 7/1962 Ohashi et al 28/].6 area in the direction toward the means defining the 3,058,167 10/1962 I Rainard t 8i. 28/i.6 texturizing zone 3,065,519 ll/l962 Starkie 28/72.l4 3,431,609 3/l969 Satterwhite 28/ 1.6 1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures 'STUFFER CRIMPER YARN GUIDE MEANS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an apparatus for texturizing man-made'multi-filament thermoplastic yarn such as, i.e., polymedic yarns including nylon, Orlon and Dacron, synthetic resin yarns such as phenolic and acrylic resin yarns, polypropylene yarns and yarns composed of organic derivatives of cellulose. Multi-filament yarns have been treated in various ways to convert them into what is known in the art as texturized yarns and these texturized yarns, as distinguished from the original yarns, have greatly improved absorbence and hand and depending upon the particular conversion method employed have bulk and/or stretch characteristics.

The known methods of producing textured yarn include the false twist method in which the yarn is twisted, heat set and then untwisted, the so-called edge crimping method in which the yarn is drawn at a sharp angle around an edged member under tension, the stuffer box method in which the yarn is compacted into a confined zone and then heat set, the knit deknit method in which the yarn is first knitted into a fabric, then heat set and thereafter the fabric unraveled or deknit, and variations of these previous methods. The present invention has shown for its principal objective the provision of improved apparatus for texturizing thermoplastic yarn. The method being somewhat analogous to the stufi'er bot method mentioned earlier. More specifically, this invention has as an objective to improve upon the apparatus described and claimed in US. Pat. No. 3,626,557 issued Dec. 14, 1971 and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention a thermoplastic multhfiliment yarn of any of the types referred to above is drawn from a supply by a pair of cooperating feed members and delivered into a yarn guide means that directs the yarn into a means defining a texturizing zone where the yarn is subjected to heating and cooling cycles to effect texturization. In the present case the means defining the texturizing zone comprises a pair of counter-rotated opposed endless belts that are carried on suitable guide rolls. The yarn guide means has an inlet end adjacent the outlet side of the feed members and exit end immediately adjacent the nip where the belts come into cooperating and opposed relationship. The yarn guide means has an axial opening through which the yarn travels and within which the yarn is compacted in the manner analogous to a stuffer box, due to the fact that the speed of the feed members is significantly greater than the speed of the opposed belts. The longitudinal opening in the yarn guide means increases in cross-sectional area in the direction away from the inlet and toward the outlet end.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a portion of the texturiz- FIG. 3 is a vertical section through the improved yarn guide means of this invention;

' 4-4 of FIG. 3; and

ing apparatus of this invention showing the manner in which yarn is fed from the source to the compacting FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1, the apparatus for texturizing yarn comprises a frame member 10, only part of which has been shown, since the particular type of support used is not especially germane to this invention. Mounted on frame member 10 are a pair of cooperating feed members 11 that are here shown as wheels or discs that are joumaled on axles 12 for rotation by a drive belt 13. Drive belt 13 is connectedto one of the feed members 11 and to a suitable source of power, not shown. The two feed members 11 are operatively connected by means of mating gear teeth 15 that are mounted co-axially with the wheels 11. Thus, when drive belt 13 is driven by the driving source (not shown) it will effect rotation of one feed member 11 which will then in turn effect rotation of its cooperating feed member 1] fed by means of teeth 15. Since members 11 are geared together, rotation of these members will obviously be in opposite directions. Thus by rotating the left hand member 11 (as seen in FIG. 1) in a clockwise direction, the left hand member 1 1 will rotate in a counter direction and the yarn 16 will be drawn from a suitable source of supply, not shown. The right hand member 11 is held in contact with the left'hand member by means of any suitable biasing means which is here illustrated as a spring 17 that is mounted in the frame extension 18 on one end and acts against the plate 19 on the other. Plate 19 is free to pivot about the axis 20 that is also secured to frame 11.

As the yarn 16 is drawn downwardly by cooperating feed members 11 it enters into yarn guide means 21 which extends from the outlet side of feed members 11 into the inlet side of the means defining the yarn texturizing zone. The means which defines the yarn texturizing zone are a pair of opposed cooperating belts 22 that are constructed of a material capable of withstanding elevated temperature. The yarn is fed into the nip formed between the rolls- 23 around which belts 22 move. Since the yarn is being fed into the nip between rolls 23 at a high rate of speed, the rolls in effect create a back pressure that causes accumulation in yarn guide means 21 with its resultant compaction. At this point the compacted yarn moves along with belt 22 in a compressed condition and is subsequently subjected to heat to effect plastic deformation of the yarn and then subsequently to a cooling operation so that the deformation becomes permanent. For a more detailed explanation of the process for heating and cooling multifilament yarn in this fashion, reference is again made to US. Pat. No. 3,626,557. It is important, however, to note that the yarn is fully compacted at a location separate from those where it is subsequently heated and cooled. For some reason not completely understood, their sequence of steps delivers a yam of significant] superior hand and dying characteristics.

The present invention is particularly concerned with the yarn guide means 21 since it affords more dependable and improved operation than do those guide means that have been used in the past. The yarn guide means 21 shown comprises an element of substantially cylindrical cross-section, although cross-sections other than circular could as well be used within the scope and spirit of this invention. As best shown in FIG. 3 the upper end of the yarn guide 21 is constructed so that it has a pair'of tabs 25 that extend slightly beyond the horizontal diameter line of members 11 on each side thereof. The purpose is to provide total confinement of the yarn and to insure that proper feeding and compaction thereof is effected.

The guide means 21 includes an inner well 26 that defines an axial opening 27 that extends from the upper inlet end to the lower outlet end. As can be seen in FIG.

. modifications may be made all falling within the scope 3 the opening 27 includes a cross-sectional area that increases in the direction of yarn flow, or in other words from the upper inlet to the lower outlet end. In the configuration illustrated, this opening takes the form of frustum of a cone. Here again the inlet surface need not necessarilybe smooth and the diameter of the opening need not change uniformly since other or slightly modified configurations might as well be used. The important feature of this yarn guide means is that it increases in size in the direction of yarn flow so that as yarn is fed into the upper end thereof at a rate faster than that at which it is being withdrawn no binding of the yarn will occur. This is, this geometry permits compaction or stuffing of the yarn into the confined volume while still permitting unrestricted flow of the yarn from the inlet to the outlet end of the yarn guide means 20.

Having thus described the invention in rather complete detail, it willbe understood that these details need not be strictly adhered to and that various changes and and purview of this invention.

I claim:

1. An improved yarn guide means of a type which receives multi-filament thermoplastic yarn being fed at a high rate from a source by a pair of cooperating feed members and discharging into a nip formed between a pair of rolls driving a pair of opposed cooperating belts which operate at a slower speed than said feed members and which define a texturizing zone where said yarn is held in a compacted condition while it is heated and subsequently cooled to effect texturizing, wherein the improvement comprises:

a tubular body having an axial opening therethrough;

said tubular body having a first end which includes a pair of extended tab portions adapted to closely receive said pair of cooperating feed members therebetween;

said tubular body having a second end which is tapered to closely extend into said nip; and

said axial opening being defined by a smooth, continuous inner wall of said tubular body in the form of a fustrum of a cone with its larger cross-sectional area adjacent said nip; whereby said tabs and said taper of said second end of said tubular body insure that said-yam is retained within said axial opening as it is being compacted and the shape of said axial opening and the continuity of said inner wall permits unrestricted flow of said yarn in said compacted condition to'said' texturizing zone.

Claims (1)

1. An improved yarn guide means of a type which receives multifilament thermoplastic yarn being fed at a high rate from a source by a pair of cooperating feed members and discharging into a nip formed between a pair of rolls driving a pair of opposed cooperating belts which operate at a slower speed than said feed members and which define a texturizing zone where said yarn is held in a compacted condition while it is heated and subsequently cooled to effect texturizing, wherein the improvement comprises: a tubular body having an axial opening therethrough; said tubular body having a first end which includes a pair of extended tab portions adapted to closely receive said pair of cooperating feed members therebetween; said tubular body having a second end which is tapered to closely extend into said nip; and said axial opening being defined by a smooth, continuous inner wall of said tubular body in the form of a fustrum of a cone with its larger cross-sectional area adjacent said nip; whereby said tabs and said taper of said second end of said tubular body insure that said yarn is retained within said axial opening as it is being compacted and the shape of said axial opening and the continuity of said inner wall permits unrestricted flow of said yarn in said compacted condition to said texturizing zone.

Images