Transfer tail receiving structure for a yarn carrier

In a collapsible polymeric yarn carrier having at least one end flange, a transfer tail receiving structure comprises a groove formed in the end flange for receiving the windings of the transfer tail, a thin protective layer of material overlying and covering the groove, a cut or overlapping seam in the layer of material overlying the groove to allow a transfer tail winding to pass through the material and be wound in the groove, and a pair of boundary surfaces on the flange on each side of the groove and containing an annular ridge in each boundary surface to facilitate securing the layer of material in place over the groove.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to a core onto which textile yarn is wound for 
dyeing, and in particular a transfer tail receiving structure for such 
yarn carrying device. 
A core structure onto which textile yarn is wound for dyeing is known by 
several names, including, dye spring, dye tube and yarn carrier. Such 
structures are generally cylindrical in shape and can be formed of 
stainless steel or a plastic composition. The carriers commonly have an 
annular flange at each end and an intermediate structure located between 
the annular flanges comprising either a plurality of rings separated by a 
predetermined pattern of alternating collapsible and rigid axial members 
or one or more helical elements separated by a predetermined pattern of 
alternating collapsible and rigid members. Filter paper, a knitted sock or 
some other thin layer of material is commonly wrapped around the carrier 
before the yarn is wound thereon, particularly when a quality dyeing 
operation is to be achieved. 
Three examples of yarn carriers invented by the present applicant are 
disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,827,652, 4,050,646 and 4,181,274, which are 
hereby incorporated herein by reference. Referring to U.S. Pat. No. 
4,181,274, there is disclosed a transfer tail receiving groove 341 located 
at an end of a dye tube 310 for receiving a yarn transfer tail. However, 
the transfer tail may become damaged during processing of the yarn after 
winding around the tube. Such damage can render the transfer tail useless 
for its intended purpose, thereby requiring considerable human and machine 
effort to remedy the damage. Thus, it is important to maintain the 
integrity of the transfer tail until such time as it is required. 
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of the present invention to provide a yarn carrier having 
an improved transfer tail receiving structure. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a transfer tail 
receiving structure that ensures the availability of the transfer tail 
subsequent to the dyeing of the yarn wound on the yarn carrier. 
A further object of the present invention is to provide a collapsible 
polymeric dye tube having an improved transfer tail receiving structure 
that maintains the integrity of the transfer tail during processing of the 
yarn wound around the dye tube. 
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in 
part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from 
the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The 
objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by 
means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out 
in the appended claims. 
To achieve the objects and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, 
as embodied and broadly described herein, the transfer tail receiving 
structure of this invention comprises means for receiving the windings of 
the transfer tail, the receiving means being formed in an end flange of a 
yarn carrier; means for covering the receiving means; and entry means for 
allowing each winding of the transfer tail to pass through the cover means 
and be wound in the receiving means. The transfer tail receiving structure 
of the invention also can include means for securing the cover means to 
the end flange. The receiving means can comprise an annular transfer tail 
receiving groove, and the covering means can comprise a thin layer of 
material, such as a strip of filter paper or polymeric film, which 
overlies the receiving groove. The entry means can comprise a cut through 
the thin layer of material or the overlapping portion of a pair of strips 
of material which overlap in the region covering the transfer tail 
receiving groove. The securing means can comprise a portion of the 
boundary surface of the end flange and can include a pair of parallel 
annular ridges formed on the portion of the boundary surface of the end 
flange of the yarn carrier, the transfer tail receiving groove being 
located between the pair of parallel annular ridges.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Reference now will be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments 
of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying 
drawings. 
The preferred embodiments of the transfer tail receiving structure are 
shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4. A cylindrical yarn carrier is indicated 
generally by the numeral 10 in FIG. 1. Carrier 10 is preferably a 
collapsible polymeric dye tube such as shown for example in each of 
applicant's U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,827,652, 4,050,646 and 4,181,274. Carrier 10 
has an intermediate network 11 that is collapsible under an axially 
directed force of some predetermined threshold magnitude. Carrier 10 has 
an annular end flange 12 on each end of the intermediate network and is 
covered with a narrow sheet 14 of material, such as filter paper or a film 
of a polymeric nature, that is wrapped around carrier 10 in a helical 
fashion. As shown in FIG. 1, the helical wrapping results in the formation 
of a narrow overlapping seam 16 on the edges of the material. 
In accordance with the present invention, the transfer tail receiving 
structure in a yarn carrier having an end flange comprises means for 
receiving the windings of the transfer tail, said receiving means being 
formed in the end flange. As embodied herein and shown specifically in 
FIGS. 1-4 for example, the transfer tail receiving means is an annular 
groove 18 formed in annular end flange 12. As shown in FIG. 3 for example, 
groove 18 extends completely around end flange 12 and includes a bottom 
portion 20 and a pair of side wall portions 22 integrally formed with 
bottom 20. An annular boundary surface 24 is formed in end flange 12 on 
each side of groove 18. Each side wall portion 22 integrally joins with a 
respective annular boundary surface 24 of end flange 12 on each side of 
groove 18. 
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided means for 
covering the transfer tail receiving means. As embodied herein, and shown 
in FIG. 2 for example, the covering means includes a thin protective layer 
26 of material overlying groove 18 and extending to overlie at least a 
portion of boundary surfaces 24 on each side of groove 18. The protective 
layer of material can be fabricated of filter paper, plastic film, 
cellulosic based sheet material or other suitable material of a polymeric 
nature that can be formed in a thin layer on the order of a few 
thousandths of an inch, i.e., a few mils thick, and that possesses 
sufficient resilience to perform the function described below. As shown in 
FIG. 1, the portion of the sleeve of filter paper, or other such material 
that is wrapped around carrier 10, extending over end flanges 12 can be 
used as the covering means in one preferred embodiment of the present 
invention. 
In a second preferred embodiment of the invention, shown for example in 
FIG. 4, the covering means of the invention comprises a pair of thin 
overlapping annular strips 34 of material. Overlapping portions 36 of 
strips 34 overlie groove 18 generally in the central region thereof. 
Strips 34 can be fabricated of filter paper, plastic film, cellulosic 
based sheet material or other suitable material of a polymeric nature that 
can be formed in a thin strip on the order of a few mils thickness and 
that possesses sufficient resilience to perform the function described 
hereinafter. 
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided entry means for 
allowing each strand of yarn of the transfer tail to pass through the 
cover means and be wound in the receiving means. As embodied herein and 
shown for example in FIG. 2, a first preferred embodiment of the entry 
means comprises a cut 28 through the covering means that permits 
deflection of the covering means inwardly towards groove 18 as each strand 
30 of yarn of transfer tail 32 passes through cut 28 to be wound in groove 
18. Cut 28 preferably is smaller than the cross sectional diameter of each 
winding 30 of the transfer tail such that the covering means must deflect 
inwardly to allow passage of the winding past the covering means. The 
resilience of the material comprising the covering means causes the 
covering means to resume its undeflected position after passage of each 
winding 30 into groove 18. The resilience of the material comprising the 
covering means causes the covering means to resume its undeflected 
position after passage of each winding 30 into groove 18. 
A second preferred embodiment of the entry means of the present invention 
is shown in FIG. 4 for example, and comprises the overlapping portions 36 
of a pair of annular strips 34 of material which overlap in the region 
overlying groove 18. Strips 34 are free to deflect inwardly to allow 
passage of each transfer tail winding 30 as the winding is wound around 
groove 18. The resilience of the material comprising the covering means 
causes the covering means to resume its undeflected position after passage 
of each widing 30 into groove 18. 
In still further accordance with the present invention, there is provided 
means for securing the cover means to the end flange of the yarn carrier. 
As embodied herein and shown for example in FIGS. 1 and 2, a first 
embodiment of the securing means comprises a pair of parallel annular 
ridges 38 formed integrally on each end flange 12 of yarn carrier 10, and 
specifically on each boundary surface 24 thereof. Transfer tail receiving 
groove 18 is located between the pair of parallel annular ridges. 
Protective layer 26 can be secured to end flange 12 by heat-sealing layer 
26 to each ridge 38 prior to formation of cut 28. In a second preferred 
embodiment of the securing means of the present invention, as shown for 
example in FIG. 4, each strip 34 of the pair of overlapping annular strips 
of the protective layer of material can be heat-sealed to a portion 40 of 
each boundary surface 24 nearest groove 18. The edge 42 of each strip 34 
farthest from groove 18 can butt against ridge 38 formed on boundary 
surface 24 of end flange 12. 
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications 
and variations can be made in the transfer tail receiving structure of the 
present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the 
invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the 
modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within 
the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.