Patent GB-493974-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to devices for producing variations of thickness at random intervals in textile yarn
IPC: D01H5/36
Filed: 1937-09-20
Abstract: 493,974. Roller driving-gear for producing irregular yarns. GOSHAWK, E. R., and FINE COTTON SPINNERS' & DOUBLERS' ASSOCIATION, Ltd. Sept. 20, 1937, No. 25518. [Class 120 (ii)] In a spinning-machine for producing yarns having variations in thickness, the variations are produced at random intervals by altering the speed of the back drawing rollers which, in addition to their normal drive through a free wheel, can also be driven through a clutch actuated from a ball carrier affording a succession of ball pockets spaced around a closed path along which relative movement takes place between the pockets and a clutch-actuating member to cause the member and each of the pockets to pass one another in turn; one or more balls in the pockets afford one or more projections extending from the pockets for engaging and actuating the clutch-actuating member and means are provided for releasing each ball from its pocket after the latter and the clutchactuating member have passed one another, a runway being also provided to receive a ball released from a pocket, which ball is caused or permitted to move in a random manner over the surface of the runway and to enter another pocket selected by the random movement of the ball. As shown, the back rollers, in addition to their normal drive, are geared through change gears 19 and a clutch 21, 22 to the front drawing roller shaft 16, the clutch being normally disengaged by a spring 23 so that the back rollers are not driven through the gears 19, 20. The clutch is actuated at intervals by a fork 26 on a shaft 27 carrying a lever 28 and a second lever 47 adjustably mounted between screws 48 in the lever 28 carries a bowl 50 adapted to be engaged by balls 51 located in pockets 46 in a carrier 45 secured to a plate 33 driven through worm and change gearing from one of the front roller shafts 16 ; a spring 52 maintains the bowl 50 in operative position. The plate 33 is inclined to the horizontal and the bowl 50 is disposed approximately midway between the highest and lowest point in the path of the pockets 46, and after a ball has actuated the clutch fork 36, it is released from its pocket by the action of gravity and moves into a runway formed by the plate 33 extending across the space between the pockets and rolls in a random manner into another pocket at the lowest portion of its circular path. The pockets are spaced at irregular intervals and the point at which the balls are released from the pockets is controlled by a baffle 59 terminating in a thin plate ; one or more balls of smaller diameter may be employed so that when engaged by a pocket it will not project sufficiently from the pocket to actuate the bowl 50 and occupies sufficient space to prevent another ball 51 from occupying an operative position in the pocket. The random movement of the balls may also be assisted by a number of coiled springs 63 depending from a plate 64 into the path of the balls in the runway ; each spring is carried by a screw 67 in the plate 64 which is supported by a pin, freely oscillatable in a tubular bearing projecting from the shaft of the plate 33, and adjustable by a wing nut 70 to adjust the springs towards or away from the plate 33, and the plate 64 may be put out of balance by a weight 69. The ball carrier may be in the form of an endless track and the path of relative movement between the clutch-actuating member and the ball pockets may be horizontal with means for causing the release of the balls from the pockets as required and an impeller for projecting released balls at random into other pockets ; the balls may be biassed. The average distance between successive enlargements can be controlled by varying the speed of the ball carrier relatively to that of the front drawing rollers, by varying the number of balls operating in the carrier, by employing plates at the end of the baffle 59 of different widths, by changing the distance of the springs 63 from the plate 33 to vary the resistance to the passage of the balls and by varying the number of inoperative balls used ; the length of an enlargement can be controlled by varying the depth of engagement between the teeth of the clutch by adjusting the screws 48, by varying the speed of the ball carrier, by varying the diameter of the bowl 50, and of an operating ball, and the thickness of an enlargement is controlled by altering the change gear 19.