US2684755A - Filamentary thread guide - Google Patents

Description

u y 1954 H. J. MCDERMOTT FILAMENTARY THREAD GUIDE Filed Feb. 26, 1952 A 21 PW /5 INVENTOR. HENR Y J. MCDERMOTT Aria/m5).

Patented July 27, 1954 FILAMENTARY THREAD GUIDE Henry J. McDermott, Collingdale, Pa., assignor to American Viscose Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Application February 26, 1952, Serial No. 273,515

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a thread guide for filamentary material and more particularly to athread guide wherein the lateral disposition of a pair of filamentary strands may be adjustably controlled.

In the continuous so-called wet spinning method of producing artificial threads, such as from solutions of cellulose and derivatives thereof, the filamentary material or yarn is commonly conducted successively in a helical fashion over a plurality of thread-advancing devices. In this way the yarn, as it helically progresses along each of the thread-advancing devices may be conveniently subjected to various successive processing operations such as washing, desulfurizing, dyeing, bleaching, and drying.

As the. demands of production continue to require of existing equipment increased quantities of yarn, it has been found expedient to helically wrap one or more additional strands of filamentary material between the adjacent helical convolutions of the originally accommodated strand of filamentary material. In this way a plurality of individual filamentary strands may be simultaneously handled on the same processing machine and its productive output may be thereby increased.

For proper processing results, however, each strand of yarn should be subjected to each treating solution for a certain minimum time interval. As this time interval is dependent upon the number of helical convolutions of each strand on the yarn handling drums, it is oftentimes necessary to place adjacent convolutions of the individual strands of yarn relatively close together. Due to lateral vibrations of the yarn strands as they approach the various thread advancing devices, the spacing between adjacent convolutions may occasionally become reduced so that the surface tension of the liquid on the treated yarn draws the adjacent strands together and allows the separate strands to become entangled or overlapped to such an extent as to render subsequent separation difficult. Although various so-called wetting agents may be employed to reduce the surface tension of the liquid on thehelix of yarn being treated, and to facilitate separation after being overlapped, it is often undesirable to use a wetting agent;

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved thread guide wherein the inherent lateral vibratory movement of the filamentary material is substantially eliminated as it approaches the filamentary handling device.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved thread guide which permits a, plurality of slightly separated filamentary strands to track separately in a helical manner about the thread advancing drum.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved thread guide which is adjustable such that the space between adjacent convolutions of a pair of individually helically wound filamentary strands may be conveniently controlled.

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 1 is a diagrammatic front view of one embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged bottom view of the improved thread guide shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a front view of the thread guide of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional detail as seen at IVIV of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view of a second embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail showing the thread guide means shown in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a sectional detail as seen at VII-VII of Figure 6; and

Figure 8 is a perspective of still another embodiment of the improved type of thread guide of the present invention.

As illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawing the filamentary strands 3 and 4 progress upwardly from their respective spinnerets 5 and 6 through the coagulating or regenerating bath 1 toward the thread guide 8 and the thread advancing or handling device 9 which is shown diagrammatically in the drawing but which may take any convenient form such as a pair of canted yarn advancing drums or a single yarn advancing reel. The thread guide means 8 may be mounted, on the frame H) which rotatably supports the device 9 by any convenient means such as by the bracket l I shown in the drawing. Strands 3 and 4 pass through the thread guide 8 in a manner which will be hereinafter more fully explained and thereafter progress helically about the device 9 from right to left as shown by the arrow in Figure 1. Thereafter each of the strands proceeds to the next processing station which is not shown onv the drawing.

In Figures 2, 3 and 4, the structure of the thread guiding mean is more clearly shown.

Essentially it comprises a body member [2, and three triangularly disposed guide pins 53, M, and i5 which extend outwardly therefrom. Pins l3 and I4 are mounted in apertures l6 and ll in the body member as shown in the drawing but may be aflixed thereto in any convenient manner. The distance between the peripheries of pins i l and l5 is less than thediameter of pin it and the line joining the centers of pins Hi and I5 is substantially transverse to the path of travel of filaments 3 and 4. One or both of the pins hi and l5 is preferably eccentrically mounted on the body member so that the spacing the-rebetween may be varied and the proximity of adjacent strands may be controlled as they approach and helically progress along the thread advancing device. Thus, as shown in=Figures 3 :and the eccentric reduced diameter portion 180i pin I5 is rotatably mounted in the body member aperture I9. The hexagonal-shaped upper portion 22 of the pin is preferably provided to facilitate an adj ustmentrthereof whilethe laterally disposed threaded aperture and its complementary set screw 2| provide a means whereby the pin 15 may be clamped'in a desired position.

Although the eccentricportion it 'of adjustable pin f5 is shownherein as being reduced-in diameter, it is'to be understood'that'its diameter may be similartoor larger than the diameter of'the strand contacting portion 'of the pin without departing from the spirit or*scope-of the present invention. Similarly, although only one of the pins F4 and "l 5 is shown inthe drawing as being adjustable, as indicated hereinbefore it is to be understood that each of the pins may be made adjustable without departing from the spirit of the invention.

As stated'hereinabovetheguide means may be mounted on the frame id of the thread advancing devicei by any convenientmeans such asby the bracket H. Preferably the body member I2 of the guide means is provided with an inwardly extending aperture it and'a set screw 2% whereby the guide may be conveniently adjustably positioned onbracket H with respect tothe device 9.

In operation the separate strands '3 and "d emerge from their respective spinnerets 5 andv in into coagulating'bath "I and progress upwardly toward the thread guide means [2. The strands pass on opposite sides of the fixed guide pin 13 and thereafter inwardly between the fixed pin I l 'andthe adjustable pin it. Thus, it is'tobe noted that each of the strands is successively "flexed slightly in opposite directions'from its norma'lthread path as it slidably contacts its pair of associated guide pins. In this way the "lateral vibratory movement of each of the strands 'is dampened and practically eliminated such that the spacing'therebet'ween may be accurately controlled as they approach and contact the thread advancing device. Pin i5 is made adjustable so that "strand 4 may be centrally positioned between successive helical convolutiens of the strand 3 about the thread advancing device. The paral- "lel strands after they emerge from the opposite end of the drum proceed toward a similar subsequent processing station which is not shown on the drawing.

A second embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in Figures 5,6, and-70f the drawing. Asshown therein, a-modifiedthread guide means is adapted to be mounted on the cylindrical shell 26 which surrounds the thread advancing device 21 and confines the liquid treating solution therein. Thus-the notch-28 is formedadjacent one end of the shell 26 to accommodate the thread guide means 25. Clamping plates 29 and 30 and the wing screw 2| therebetween provide a mounting means for the thread guide wherein plates 29 and 30 respectively engage the inner and outer surfaces of the shell adjacent the notch. Body member 32 of theguide is adjustably affixed to the clamping plate '29 by mean of the machine screw 33. In 'this'way the position of the guide may be rotatably varied depending upon the angle of approach of the filamentary material toward the treating drum. The disposition and construction of the thread contacting pins 334/35 "and g36-is similar to that of the pins [3, I' l, vandil5 shown and described hereinbefore and therefore will not be described in detail here. Therhorizontahbarrjal is preferably positioned between the bosses 3'8 and 39 which extend upwardly from the body .32 and thereby provides additional thread guiding means.

In operation the separate strands 540 and 4| emerge from their respective spinnerets 5A2 and 43 and the coagulating bath 1'4 andprogressnpwardly toward the thread guide means. strands pass over the horizontally disposediguide pin 31, r on opposite sidesof theguide .pin 534,.and between the fixed pin 35 and -.the adjustable :pin '36. They then'progress inahelicalvmannenabout the treating :drum 27, emerge therefrom :and thereafter proceed toward .a subsequent :-pr0cess ing station whichds not shownon=the=drawing.

A thirdembodiment of the improved type :of thread guide of the present invention is illustrated in Figure 8 of the drawing. vshown therein, :this modification of the :guide :includes the three generally .triangularly :disposedupins git, '51, and 52 which-extendoutwardly andpreferably transversely from the surfaceofthelplate member 53 and the pairof horizontallydisposed.guide bars 5 1 and 55 which are mounted .adjacentoppositeextremities-of theiplate member. Aseinzthe previously described embodiments of ithe invention, the pin .59 is affixed to :the :plate member .53 -in any suitable manner. The-other threadcon- *tacting pins :51 .and 52 :of this embodiment are fixedlymountedcnthe.cylindricalzturnstilemember 55 which is positioned in the complementary cylindrical bore .51 in the :plate member. The ithumb screw .58 which .threadedly engages the aperture v59 in the plate :member and :is adapted to engage andlockthe turnstilemember :in-any desired position. As shown :in the drawing :the plated? and the turnstile :55 .are preferably :suit- .ably calibrated to :facilitate predetermined ;adjustments. Though .-not shown .on the drawing .any, suitable :guide mountingzmeans asuchas those previously described herei-n could be employed.

In operationiby suitably adjusting the rotation- .al position of the .turnstile member the relative .separation or the individual filamentary strands 60 andzdl maybe readily controlled. As the previously described embodiments, the :hori- .zontally sdisposed guide .bar 523 permits apossible angular approaches of *thestrands 6i] :and "6 toward the'guide from the spinning bath or gather preceding processing station. The other guide bar '55 eliminates the vertically :disposedafiattened surface on each of the filamentary strands or bundles which may be produced as they engage theupright pins 51 and 52 and instead applies a horizontal flattening tendency in the "same they progress toward the thread advancing device. In this way the tendency for the generally =oval strands to roll a quarter zoi .a turn in .either direction from their upright position when they contact the thread advancing device is eliminated and still further improved tracking results on the same are obtained.

It has been found that the thread guides of the present invention provide a means whereby the inherent lateral vibratory movement of the filamentary material may be practically eliminated as it approaches the thread handling device. In this way the pitch of the helical windings may be considerably reduced without causing the risk of entanglement thereof and greater quantities of filamentary material may be handled.

While the invention is shown in the drawings and described below in connection with the continuous spinning and process of artificial yarns by the viscose process it is to be understood that the invention is applicable to any machine or procedure in which yarn is handled on a yarn advancing device.

While preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed, the description is intended to be illustrative only and it is 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 claims.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for handling synthetic plastic filaments, the combination which comprises means for feeding at least two filaments along a substantially parallel path, thread-advancing means terminating said path on which the filaments are wound in side-by-side helical turns, a first filament guide positioned between each filament and contacted on opposite sides thereof by each filament, a second filament guide positioned longitudinally along said path in the direction of travel of the filaments and in spaced relation to the first guide, and a third filament guide positioned longitudinally along said path in the direction of travel of the filaments and in spaced relation to both the first and second guides, the transverse spacing of the second and third guides being proportioned with respect to the diameter of the first guide so that each yarn filament is outwardly restrained by contact with the opposing faces of the second and third guides and each yarn filament is inwardly restrained by contact with opposite sides of th first guide whereby each filament is delivered to an axially constant point on the periphery of the threadadvancing means.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the second and third guides are substantially equally spaced from the first guide.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which one of the transversely spaced guides is adjustable with respect to the other.

4. Apparatus in accordanc with claim I having a mounting bracket for all three guides in Which one of the transversely spaced guides is adjustably secured.

5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 3 in which the adjustable mounting of the guide is an eccentric extension of the guide.

6. Apparatus in accordance with claim 3 in which the transversely spaced guides ar both mounted in a rotatable element, and means for locking said element in a preselected rotated position to vary the transverse spacing of the filaments as they pass between said guides.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 423,847 White Mar. 18, 1890 1,183,612 Whitin May 16, 1916 2,451,795 Barnes Oct. 19, 1948 2,579,846 Moravec Dec. 25, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 266,603 Switzerland May 1, 1950

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