US1456074A - Yarn-tension device - Google Patents

Description

, May 22,1923. 1,456,074

A, M. PIGEON YARN TENSION DEVICE Filed Sept. 27. 1921 WITNESSESZ iNVENTOR:

. H1501? ,M. Pi eon,

. 8W7 ra? ATTORNEYS Patented May 22, 1923.

rra @STATES ALBERT MI. IPIIG'IEON, OF NQRRISTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

YARN-TENSION nnvrcn.

Application filed September 27, 1921; Serial No. 503,484.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT M. PIGEON, a citizen of the United States, residing in Norristown, in the county of'Montgomery and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Yarn-Tension Devices, whereof the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to yarn tension devices useful generally in connection with textile machinery, but more especially with knitting machines in maintaining the am under constant tension in the course of eedlan attempts have heretofore been made, especia ly in the case of knitting machines, to maintain at all times, uniform tension upon the yarn with a view toward preventing lll'egil afities in the length of work produced. he devices employed to this end, while capable of overcoming this difficulty to a certain extent, were however not wholly eflicient in attaining the real or desired obj ective. This inefficiency I have found to be due to their incapacity to compensate pro 4 erly for variations or fluctuations in t e drag-or resistance of the yarn as it is drawn from supply bobbins. Such drag or resistance may vary for many reasons, amongst which the following may, by way of example, be mentioned z'difl'erences in the quality or character of the yarn; contributory effects of atmospheric conditions or changes; differences in the method or style of winding the cops or bobbins; or irregularities in the tness of the winding. L he paramount object of my invention is to overcome the difliculty above pointed out, and this I accomplish by controlling the degree of a tension separately. induced in the yarn compensatively in accordance with the magnitude of the drag or resistance offered in unwinding from the supply co-p or bobbin in such a manner that a constant resultant working tension is assured.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from the detailed description which follows:

In the drawings, Fig. I is a front elevation of a yarn tension device conveniently illustrating my invention; and

Fig. II is for the most part a side elevation of the same as viewed from the right of Fi I, except for the cooperative tension dis's which have been shown in axial section so that their functioning may} be more readily understood.

The several moving parts of the organization herein shown are carried or supported by an L shaped bracket 1, which may be attached, in any convenient manner, to the machine whereto yarn is to be fed. In the present instance, I have illustrated the bracket 1 as being suspended from the end of a horizontal arm 2, of a yarn guide tree, (not shown), such as ordinarily employed in connection with stocking knitters, and

secured by means of a screw 3 which passes through an appropriate opening in the end of the arm 2, and engages with the laterally turned top portion 4 of the bracket. The vertical arm 5 of the bracket has at a point somewhat above the horizontal arm 6 an outstanding'boss 7 which is axially bored for anchorage of a fixed stem 8. On this stem are mounted, with capacity for free rotation, a pair of opposed tension disks 9 and 10, which as best seem in Fig. II, are dished in cross'section and y'ieldingly maintained in pressure contact with each other and the end of the boss 7, by means of a helical spring 11 which encircles the stem 8. Coordinated with the tension disks 9 and 10 is a yarn guide eye 12, which is secured in the horizontal arm 6 of the bracket 1 below the said disks and a s ool-shaped reguide element. 13 located a ve said disks and. secured to the vertical arm 5 of the bracket, preferably near the top of the latter. From Fig. I, it will be observed that the tension disks, the guide eye 12" and the reguide element 13 are disposed in vertical alignment and also.m'ore especially from Fig. II that the surface of the member 13 is co-ncaved with the centre of the curvature lying in the lane of abutment of the disks 9 and 10, so t at the yarn indicated at Y in the course of being reversed in the direction of its travel, as will be hereinafter more fully explained, is automatically maintained properly centered with respect to the disks.

In' order that the pressure between the disks may be 'compensatively varied in accordance with the drag or resistance induced in the yarn in being unwound from the sup ly cop or bobbin, so that a constant resu tant' working tension may be secured under all conditions of feeding, I have provided for-cooperation with said disks, automatically operative regulating means which I will now proceed to describe. This regu- 1. Projecting perpendicularly from one side of the element 15 1s a comparatively short lug 18, which serves as a mounting for a yarn eye 19. From Fig. I, it will be observed that the element 15 is offset with respect to the bracket 1 to permit registry of the movable yarn eye 19 with the stationary guideeye 12 previously referred to. The element 15 is held from displacement upon its fulcrum shaft 16, in the position shown by a collar 20 adjacent its inner side, and a cotter pin 21 which engages with the protrud ing end of the shaft 16. Integrally formed with the collar 20 is an arm 22, whose outer end is bifurcated to afford stops 23 and 24, which are adapted, by cooperation with the lug 18, in limiting the extent of free oscillation of the element 15.

The movements of the regulator element 15 are communicated to the spring 11 through the instrumentality of the down turned, flattened end of a finger 25 which plays within a slot 26 at the outer extremity of the mounting stem 8, and engages with the corresponding end of said spring. Operative in opposition to the pull of the yarn as it passes through the yarn eye 19, is a counterweight in the form of an integral lug 27 of the element 15. Said lug, it will be noted, projects from the outer face of the element adjacent the periphery of the latter, and is disposed on the side of the fulcrum shaft 16 opposite to that of the yarn eye 19 in an angular position, and at a point above the level of the fulcrum so that its leverage, and consequently its effectiveness increases gradually as the element is rotated clockwise and vice versa when the element is moved in the counterdirection. By this construction the counterweight serves to gradually augment the action of the spring as additional tension is needed, and thus precludes the possibility at any time. of the spring becoming retro-active upon the same.

Adjustment of the counterweight of the element 15 may be had by shifting of a collar 28 along a rod 29 extending in a direction diametrically of the element from the lug 27 clearly shown in Fig. II, as a result of which the pull on the eye 19 is counterbalanced to a greater or lesser extent. By this provision, the regulating-means may be set to maintain any desired resultant working tension in the yarn in satisfying demands of practice.

In operation, the yarn Y as it isdrawn from the supply cop or bobbin (not shown) is guided by the stationary eye 12 to pass tangentially between the tension disks 9 'yarn continue and 10 at one side of the mounting stem 8. After emergin from between the disks, the

5 in its upward travel and passes about the member 13, by which it is reguided to move downwardly and reeve tangentially between the tension disks 9 and 10 at the opposite side of the stem 8. Following the course of the yarn still further,

it will be observed to pass again through the stationary guide eye 12 and is thereafter diverted from a vertical path to pass horizontally through the movable eye 19 carried by the regulator element 15, from whence it is directly led to the needles of the knitting machine. By reason of the several abrupt changes in the direction of the travel of the yarn and the uniform pressure exerted by the disks by the spring 11 under the normal functioning of the regulator, the yarn will be maintained at a constant even tension in the course of being fed to the consuming machine. If, for any reason, the drag or resistance of the yarnin unwinding from the cop or bobbin should become heavier, the added pull will, through the instrumentality of the movable eye 19, cause the regulator elem t 15 to beshifted counterclockwise with the res'ult that the finger 25 will be correspondingly moved to relieve the spring 11 in accordance with the magnitude of the added pull.

sultant or working tension of the yarn as it is fed to the knitting machine will be the same as under normal operation. Again, let it be assumed that the drag of the yarn in unwinding from thesupply cop or bobbin should for any reason become lighter, such relaxation in the, pull will allow the regulator element 15 to shift in a clockwise all needed regulation of the tension of the spring may be controlled within the limit of free osclllation of the disk 15 imposed by the stops 23 and 24. In normal operation, the lug 18 floats at a point approximately midway between said stops.

By controlling the tension of the yarn in accordance with my invention, I am enabled to produce .work which is absolutely uniform as to stitch length regardless of the character of the knittin thus not only obviating losses due to irregu arities such as hereinbe- Such action will obviously cause diminution of the pressure between the disks 9 and 10, so that the refore pointed out, but, in addition, efi'ecting considerable saving in the yarn.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A yarn tension device compris ng, means for applying tension to yarn while feeding the same to textile machines, means responsive to variations in drag impressed upon the yarn controlling the tensioning means to compensatively vary the tension, and means to restrain said responsive means against spasmodic actuation.

2. A yarn tension device comprising, means for applying tension to am while feeding the same to textile machmes, means responsive to variations in drag impressed upon the yarn controlling the tension means to compensatively vary the tension, and a relatively heavy movable member ada ted by virtue of its inertia to restrain sai responsive means against spasmodic actuation.

3. A yarn tension device comprising a pair of opposed tension discs; between which yarn is passed enroute from a supply cop or bobbin to the machine being fed; a spring for maintaining yielding pressure between said discs; in combination with regulating means adapted to respond to variations or fluctuations in the resistance or drag of the yarn in unwinding from the supply cop or bobbin, including, a freely fulcrumed element sufiiciently: heavy to be proof against spasmodic impulses; an attached eye through which the yarn is passed; an adjustable counterweight operative in opposition to the pull upon said eye; and a finger whereby movements of said element are communicated to the aforesaid spring for the purpose of compensatively increasing or decreasing the pressure between the tension discs to insure a constant resultant working tension during feeding'of the yarn.

4:. A yarn tension device comprising a pair of opposed tension discs between which yarn 1s passed enroute from a supply cop or bob- I bin to the machine being fed; a spring for maintaining yielding pressure between said discs; in combination with regulating means adapted to respond to variations or fluctuations in the resistance or drag of the am in unwinding from the supply cop or bo bin including, a circular element capable of freely oscillating about its own axis, and sufliciently heavy to be proof against spasmodic impulses; stops for limiting the extent of free oscillation of said element; a guide eye for the yarn attached to the element at one side of its fulcrum; a counterweight, adapted to be operative in opposition to said guide eye, attached to the element at the opposite side of its fulcrum and disposed in an angular osition above the level of the fulcrum; and a finger whereby the movements of the element are communicated to the aforesaid spring for the purpose of compensatively increasing or decreasing the pressure between the tension disc so as to insure a constant resultant working tension during the feeding of the yarn.

5. A yarn tension device comprising a pair of opposed tension discs; means located beyond said discs whereby the yarn, after having passed tangentially between the discs at one side, is reversed in the direction of its travel and reguided to repass in a like manner between the discs at the opposite side; in combination with resilient means or maintaining yielding pressure between said discs; and regulating means coordinated with the aforesaid resilient means for varying the pressure between said discs compensatively in accordance with variations or fluctuations in the resistance or drag offered in unwinding from the su ply cop or bobbin to insure a constant resultant working tension during feeding of the yarn.

6. A yarn tension device comprising a pair of opposed tension discs between which the yarn is passed, said discs being mounted for free rotation upon a fixed supporting stem; a stationary guide eye located to one .side of said discs in the plane of abutment of the latter; a reguide element located at a point at the opposite side of said tension discs whereby the yarn, after having been guided through the aforesaid stationary guide eye and between the discs at one side is reguided to pass in a like manner between the discs at the opposite side and then again through the stationary guide eye; and a spring for maintaining yielding pressure between said tension discs; in combination with regulating means coordinated with the aforesaid spring for varying pressure between said discs compensatively in accordance with the varia tions or fluctuations in the resistance or dragoffered in unwinding from, a supply cop or bobbin, to insure constant resultant working tensionduring feeding of the yarn.

7. A yarn tension device comprising an L shaped supporting bracket; a pair of opposed discs between which yarn is passed, said discs being mounted for free rotation upon a stem projecting horizontallyfrom the vertical arm of said bracket; a stationary guide eye secured in the horizontal arm of the bracket below said discs in the plane of abutment of the latter; a reguide element secured to the vertical arm of said bracket at a point above said ten'sion discs, whereby the yarn, after having been guided through the aforesaid stationary guide eye and between the discs at one side, is reguided to repass in a like manner between'the discs at the opposite side and then again through said stationary guide eye; a spring for maintaining yielding pressure between said tension discs; in combination with a regulator element adapted to respond to variations or fluctuations in the resistance or drag of the yarn in unwinding from a supply cop or bobbin including: a circular element adapted to oscillate freely abouta'horizontal axle shaft extending laterally from the end of the horizontal arm of theaforesaid bracket, said element being sufficiently heavy to be proof against spasmodic impulses; an auxiliary guide eye attached to the element at one side of its fulcrum, and through which the yarn is passed enroute from the stationary guide eye .to the machine being fed; a counterweight adapted to be operative in opposition to the pull upon the auxiliary guide eye, said counterweight being carried by the element at the oppo site side of its fulcrum and disposed in an angular position above the level of the ful- 0mm; and a finger whereby movements of the disc are communicated to the aforesaid spring for the purpose of compensatively increasing or decreasing the pressure between the tension discs to insure a constant,

means for applying tension to yarn While feeding the same to textile machines, means responsive to variations in drag impressed upon the yarn controlling the tensioning means to compensatively vary the tension, and means operable by inertia to restrain said responsivev means against spasmodicactuation.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this 15th day of September, 1921.

ALBERT M. PIGEON.

Witnesses JAMES H. BELL, E. L. FULLERTON.

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