US3304753A

US3304753A - Yarn treatment device

Info

Publication number: US3304753A
Application number: US388854A
Authority: US
Inventors: Hendrikus J Leijser
Original assignee: American Enka Corp
Current assignee: Akzona Inc
Priority date: 1963-08-13
Filing date: 1964-08-11
Publication date: 1967-02-21
Anticipated expiration: 1984-02-21
Also published as: AT245158B; BE651465A; ES303067A1; NL296627A

Description

Feb, 21, 1967 LEUSER 3,304,753

v YARN TREATMENT DEVICE I Filed Aug. 11, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 21, 1967 v J L USER I 3,304,753

YARN TREATMENT DEVI CE Filed Aug. 11, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 5 Claims. (c1. 68-498) This invention relates to the production of rayon by the pot spinning method. More particularly, it concerns a new perforated insert for use in rayon cakes produced. by the pot spinning method. In the production of rayon by potspinning, the solidified thread is collected in the shape of a ring within a receiving cylinder or pot directly after recovery from the spin bath. When the yarn thus collected has reached the desired size, it is removed from the collecting pot in the shape of an annular yarn package. This yarn package is commonly referred to as a cake. The cake is then subjected to subsequent liquid treatment while still in this annular form. Removal of the cake from the pot is facilitated by a slight tapering of the pot walls which consequently produces a frusto-conical annular cake.

Subsequent liquid treatment of the cake, such as washing, is accomplished by clamping a series of such cakes between stacked metal trays or plates. The wash trays have openings which communicate with the central openings in the cake so that wash liquid may be directed through the interior of the cake and circumferentially out of the yarn package. The washing device is capable of simultaneously treating several vertical stacks of individual cakes, and liquid is usually directed upwardly through the communicating central openings in the several cakes of a stack.

To protect the inside of the cakes while liquids are being forced through them, inserts are placed inside the cake to give added strength and protection for the filaments which comprise the interior walls of the cake. Since the cake is compressed in an axial direction by the clam-ping trays, it is preferred to use an insert the height of which is smaller than the height of the cake before it is compressed. Ideally, the height of the insert should be the height of the cake in its compressed condition. In this way the entire inside surface area of the cake is covered by the insert and adequately protected thereby.

Yarn packages, however, in actual practice, are not uniform in their height, and, therefore, are not compressed to the same extent by the clamping trays. If a cake is not compressed to a height equal to or less than the height of the insert, then the top inside rim of the cake is not protected from liquids being directed through the yarn package. Similarly, if the height of the insert exceeds the height of the yarn cake, the insert will be deformed when the packages are clamped between the trays' This deformation results in undue damage to the inside filaments of the yarn package due to displacement of the protective inserts into the yarn filaments.

Because of the high fluid pressures during washing of the cakes, highly flexible inserts have been found to be impractical nad a heavier, less resilient insert is required to provide the strength necessary to support the inside of the cake against such pressures. These heavier type inserts tend to deform throughout their entire surface area when subjected to excessive clamping pressures as when their height exceeds the height of the yarn cake.

An object of this invention is to provide an insert which will overcome the above-mentioned difficulties.

An additional object of this invention is to provide 3,304,753 Patented Feb. 21, 1967 a flexible, perforated insert for protecting yarn cakes during liquid treatment.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide an insert having a locally deformable edge portion to compensate for yarn packages of varying heights.

Another object of this invention is to provide a protective insert capable of maintaining coverage throughout the complete height of the yarn cake.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.

According to the invention a perforated elastic plateshaped insert for protecting the inside of a yarn package during liquid treatment is provided with indentations forming tabs or projections along at least one of the horizontal edges of the insert. This configuration of tabs along a horizontal edge allows localized deformation of the insert to compensate for varying yarn package heights. In this manner inserts having the necessary rigidity to provide adequate protection can be used effectively with yarn packages of varying heights.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIGURE 1 shows an un'rolled view of the perforated insert used in this invention.

FIGURE 2 shows several perforated inserts in use in a yarn package washing apparatus.

Referring to FIGURE 1, the insert of this invention comprises a flat perforated plate having curved top and bottom sides 1 and 2. The top edge 1 of the insert shows a series of indentations 3, as a result of which tabs or projections 4 are formed. The perforations are designated by the numeral 5. Side edges 6 are rolled so as to overlap each other to form an expandable cylinder when the insert is placed in the thread cake. The bottom edge 2 of the insert is not provided with in dentations. According to the invention, however, either or both edges may be provided with indentations. The bottom edge 2 as well as the top edge 1 is shown to be curved because it is intended for use in cakes having frusto-conical axial openings. Inserts may also be used in cylindrical cakes and consequently would have straight top and bottom sides. The total height of the insert shown by distance a is preferably equal to or slightly higher than the height of a yarn package. The indentation height shown by distance b is preferably equal to or slightly shorter than the clamped or compressed height of the yarn package.

Although the height a of the insert may be somewhat greater or smaller than that of the yarn package, if the eight is considerably greater than the height of the yarn package, there is a chance that when the yarn package is compressed by the clamping trays the projections 4 will not bend inwards, but will deform outwardly and damage the yarn package. Similarly, if the height a of the insert is considerably smaller than the height of the yarn package, then the upper rim of the compressed package may not be covered by the insert, resulting in damage to the yarn filaments at the top of the. package.

For the same reasons, distance 12 from the bottom of the indentations to the lower edge 2 of the insert is preferably smaller than or equal to the compressed height of the yarn package, otherwise the clamping plates or trays would press on the base of the indentations 3 and the entire insert would be deformed.

FIGURE 2 shows the insert of this invention in its operative position in a typical cake washing device. The washing device is composed of a series of superimposed wash trays 9 supporting a number of columns of individual cakes 8. The trays are hinged to a support means 14 to allow manipulation of the individual trays during loading and unloading of the cakes. When the trays are loaded, wash liquid is directed through inlet 11 and rises '1 {I through openings in the trays to completely fill the void space within the columns of cakes. The liquid is forced under pressure through the cake walls and overflows onto the trays 9 outside the cake. The trays drain by gravity to waste conduit 12. Inlet bafile 13 is provided to protect the cakes from the direct force of the incoming liquid.

The side edges of the insert are overlapped to form a frusto-conical tube 7, and the tube is inserted into the opening of the yarn package 8. Because of the resiliency of the insert, the insert exerts a radial pressure against the inner walls of the cake, thereby preventing displacement or tangling of the inner filaments during subsequent washing and draining of the columns. After the cakes containing the inserts are loaded onto the bottom tray, the tray next above is lowered onto the top of the cakes, effectively sealing the interior'of the cake and deflecting the projections 4 on the insert. Spacing bars 15 are shorter than the cake heights to allow proper sealing of the cakes. In like manner the remaining trays are loaded, with the final imperforate tray sealing the tops of the cake columns thus formed. The cakes are effectively sealed by the weight of the trays 9. However, additional clamping means (not shown) may be provided if so desired.

When the cakes are clamped between the trays, projections 4 will bend inwardly as the yarn package is compressed, as shown by FIGURE 2. In this way the entire inside of the cake will at all times be protected by the insert when liquid is being forced through the package or when the columns of cakes are being drained at the completion of the wash cycle. The insents may be used eifectively with other types of washing devices than that shown in FIGURE 2. For example, individual trays need not be hinged but may be unconnected, and compressed by their own weight or by an overhead screwtype C-clamp.

The inserts should be made of a flexible and elastic material such as rubber. However, synthetic polymeric materials such as polyethylene 'or poly-propylene are also suitable. The inserts must not be so flexible as to be deformed by the pressure of the treating liquid but must be capable of enough flexibility to allow them to be easily placed within the central opening of the yarn cake.

What is claimed is:

1. A perforated elastic plate having curved top and bottom edges and side edges capable of overlapping to form a frusto-conical insert for yarn packages, at least one of said top and bottom edges having notches spaced along its length capable of displacement under compression stresses along the axis of said insert.

2. The plate of claim 1 characterized in that it is made of rubber.

3. The plate of claim 1 characterized in that it is made of polyethylene.

4. The plate of claim 1 in which the height of the insert is equal to the height of the yarn package.

5. In an overlapping frusto-conical, hollow and perforated yarn supporting insert for protecting a yarn package when being subjected to clamping pressures during liquid treatment thereof; the improvement comprising providing the insert with deformable tabs whereby compression stresses imposed on said inserts by a clamping tray support will cause said tabs to bend and compensate for the yarn package height.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,086,100 7/1937 Steiger -2 68-198 2,155,312 4/1939 Houtzaager 68198 X 2,746,280 5/1956 Russell 68198 2,936,964 5/1960 Tigges 68-198 X 3,157,039 11/1964 Brandwood 68198 FOREIGN PATENTS 62,411 1/ 1949 Netherlands.

IRVING BUNEVICH, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. A PERFORATED ELASTIC PLATE HAVING CURVED TOP AND BOTTOM EDGES AND SIDE EDGES CAPABLE OF OVERLAPPING TO FORM A FRUSTO-CONICAL INSERT FOR YARN PACKAGES, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID TOP AND BOTTOM EDGES HAVING NOTCHESD SPACED ALONG ITS LENGTH CAPABLE OF DISPLACVEMENT UMDER COMPRESSION STRESSES ALONG THE AXIS OF SAID INSERT.