Patent Publication Number: US-2010107383-A1

Title: Device and method for treatment of a warp thread sheet

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) of German Patent Application Nos. 10 2008 053 763.2 filed Oct. 29, 2008 and 10 2009 023 265.6 filed May 29, 2009, the disclosures of which are expressly incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a device for treatment of a warp thread sheet with a take-off frame in which at least one warp beam is arranged, a treatment device arranged after the take-off frame, and a warp thread pick-up device. 
     The invention also relates to a take-off frame for a device of this type. 
     Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for treatment of a warp thread sheet, in which at least one warp beam is arranged in a take-off frame, the warp thread sheet is drawn off from the warp beam and acted on with a treatment device. 
     2. Discussion of Background Information 
     Warp threads are generally used in the production of textile cloth lengths. These warp threads are often pretreated, for example, dyed, before the production of the textile cloth length. The invention is described below based on the example of dyeing, but without being restricted thereto. 
     There are two different approaches for dyeing warp threads: the threads can be arranged next to one another in a thread sheet and guided through dye baths. All threads are hereby acted on with dye virtually in the same manner and uniformly. The threads are then dried and wound up again. An approach of this type is also referred to by the term full-width dyeing method or slasher dyeing or sheet dyeing. 
     Another approach, which is referred to as “rope dyeing,” guides the threads in the form of a rope through the dye bath. Approximately 300 to 700 threads are hereby combined to form a warp thread rope, and 12 to 42 ropes are guided through a dyeing range and subsequently deposited in cans. Later the ropes are unraveled and the threads are wound next to one another on a warp beam. 
     Both approaches are described in BASF Technical Information “Continuous dyeing with indigo,” September 1995, page 4. 
     The decision about which of these methods is used is determined by the desired product, i.e., the subsequent appearance of the textile cloth length. 
     A manufacturer who wants to supply the market must accordingly have a device for sheet dyeing as well as a device for rope dyeing. This requires a relatively large space and also causes high costs. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The embodiments of invention cost-effectively produce warp thread sheets. 
     Accordingly, embodiments are directed to a device of the type mentioned at the outset that includes a take-off frame having a first outlet at which the threads drawn off from the warp beam are arranged next to one another transversely to their longitudinal direction, and a second outlet at which the threads drawn off from the warp beam are present in the form of a rope. 
     Sheet dyeing as well as rope dyeing can be carried out with a device of this type, although generally not simultaneously. If the former method, that is, sheet dyeing, is to be carried out, the threads drawn off from the warp beam are guided next to one another in the width direction up to the first outlet and can then be treated, for example, dyed in the spread-out form. If a rope dyeing is desired, however, the threads are issued in the form of a rope. The rope can thereby come from the same source as the warp threads in sheet dyeing. Accordingly, only one take-off frame is necessary for both approaches. This saves space because only the floor area for a single take-off frame is required. Costs are also saved, because a second take-off frame is not necessary. The change from the one dyeing method to the other dyeing method can be carried out relatively quickly thereby. Accordingly, there is more time available for production, which in turn helps to keep production costs low. 
     Preferably, a rope-forming device is arranged between the pick-up for the warp beam and the second outlet. An economic approach can thus be realized in the rope dyeing method. The rope is not produced until the take-off frame. Accordingly, a conventional warp beam can be used as the source for the warp threads, which later are to be present in the rope. While a conventional rope can be wound up into a so-called “ball” on a so-called “ball-warper” only at a speed in the order of magnitude of 300 to 500 m/min, and the warp threads are thereby subjected to a considerable mechanical strain, a warp beam can be produced at a speed in the order of magnitude of 1000 to 1500 m/min. The threads are thereby strained much less. When the rope is not produced until the take-off frame, no additional production time is necessary. The treatment device arranged downstream of the take-off frame generally runs at a much lower speed anyway than a warping mill or a machine for winding up a rope into a ball. At this lower speed the threads are strained much less, so that the risk of thread breakage is lower. This also increases the productivity of the device and thus keeps the costs low. 
     Preferably, the thread sheet is present in a free draw between the warp beam and the rope-forming device in which the thread sheet is only deflected. Accordingly, virtually no lateral stresses result on the threads in the free draw. This also keeps the risk of thread breakage low so that the productivity remains high. 
     It is also advantageous if the rope is present in a free draw between the rope-forming device and the second outlet in which it is only deflected. In particular the so-called “trumpet” is missing here through which a rope is usually guided in order to condense it before the winding up to form a ball. This also keeps the strain on the warp threads low. 
     Preferably, the pick-up has a warp beam brake. The warp beam can be braked with the warp beam brake such that it introduces a defined tension into the warp threads. This applies when the warp threads are present in the form of a thread sheet spread out in the width direction as well as when the warp threads are combined to form a rope. The tension can be regulated by the warp beam brake relatively precisely. It is thus possible to avoid excessive strain of the warp threads. 
     Preferably, a first thread sheet web runs to one of the outlets at least in part below the warp beam and a second thread sheet web runs to the other of the outlets at least in part above the warp beam. The two thread sheet webs can then be spatially separated from one another so that the web sheets can also be guided in a completely different manner without greater mechanical expense. Accordingly, it is possible to take the characteristics of the guidance with a spread-out thread sheet on the one hand and with a thread sheet assembled to form a rope on the other hand. 
     It is preferred hereby that the rope-forming device is arranged above the warp beam. Sufficient space is available here. In particular the rope-forming device can be arranged at a distance from the warp beam which is sufficient for combining the thread sheet drawn off from the warp beam in the width direction. 
     Advantageously, the warp thread pick-up device has a loom beam and a can arrangement. If the warp threads are guided through the treatment device in the form of a spread-out thread sheet, they will be expediently wound up on a loom beam in the warp thread pickup device. If several warp beams are provided in the take-off frame, the warp threads unwound or drawn off from the warp beams can be combined on the loom beam. If the warp threads are combined to form a rope, it can be expedient to deposit them in cans after they have run through the treatment device, wherein one can is expediently provided for each rope here. 
     The invention also relates to a take-off frame for a device of this type. 
     Accordingly, embodiments are directed to a method of the type mentioned at the outset in that, after being drawn off from the warp beam, the warp threads are either arranged transversely to their direction of feed next to one another in a thread sheet and are wound on a loom beam after impingement by a treatment agent in the treating device, or they are arranged in the form of a rope and are deposited in a can arrangement after impingement by the treating agent in the treating device. 
     The same device can thus be used for both treatment methods, that is, the treatment of a spread-out thread sheet or the treatment of a thread sheet combined to form a rope. This makes it possible to manage with a smaller space and less structure in terms of equipment, so that costs are saved. Nevertheless, both treatment types can be realized. 
     Preferably, the warp threads are combined to form a rope after being drawn off from the warp beam. A normal warp beam can thus be used in which the warp threads lying next to one another have been wound up. A warp beam of this type can be produced with a relatively high production speed, which lies in the range of 1000 to 1500 m/min. The strain on the warp threads during the production of a warp beam is usually much lower than the strain on the warp threads during the production of a ball, in which ropes are wound up. The ball is wound in the manner of a cross winding, in which there are relatively high tensions in the warp threads at least at the reverse points at the two axial ends of the ball, which tensions have a negative effect on the further treatment. This does not apply when the warp threads are not combined to form a rope until after being drawn off from the warp beam. Lateral draws are namely then no longer necessary. 
     It is preferred hereby that the speed of the formation of the rope is adapted to the speed of the impingement, i.e., through the treating device. During the impingement with a treatment agent, the warp threads can only run relatively slowly anyway, for example, at a speed in the range of 30 to 60 m/min. When they are combined to form a rope at this low speed, the strains on the threads are kept low. Furthermore, no additional production time is necessary for combining the threads to form a rope. Since the formation of a warp beam takes place much more quickly than the formation of a ball on which the ropes are wound up, the production time is reduced hereby. This also helps to make the method very economical. 
     Alternatively to combining the warp threads to form a rope after being unwound from the warp beam, it can also be provided that a rope is unwound from the warp beam. A warp beam with side disks is therefore used to wind up a rope. This procedure also makes it possible to produce the warp beam at a high production speed. Lateral strains on the warp threads are kept lower than with the production of a ball, because the rope does not have to be produced in the manner of a cross winding in order to prevent the rope falling off the end surfaces of the warp beam. However, otherwise a rope that is wound off a warp beam can be treated in the same way as a rope that is produced in the take-off frame. 
     Preferably, the warp beam is braked in order to produce a defined tension in the rope or in the thread sheet. A braking torque that acts on the warp beam can be adjusted and regulated relatively precisely, so that on the one hand an overstressing of the warp threads can be avoided, on the other hand, however, a certain density of the rope can be produced in order to obtain the desired treatment result, for example, the dyeing result. 
     Preferably, the rope is only deflected after the combining or after the unwinding and is otherwise guided freely up to impingement with the treatment agent. The rope is therefore at most deflected in order to produce a predetermined rope course. A lateral stress is omitted. In particular, the guidance of the rope through the so-called “trumpet”, which entails substantial mechanical stress for the warp threads, is omitted. 
     Embodiments of the invention are directed to a device for treatment of a warp thread sheet. The device includes a take-off frame including at least one warp beam and first and second outlets, a treatment device arranged after the take-off frame, and a warp thread pick-up device. Threads drawn off from the warp beam that are arranged next to one another transversely to their longitudinal direction are guided to the first outlet, and threads drawn off from the warp beam combined to form of a rope are guided to the second outlet. 
     According to features of embodiments of the instant invention, the device can further include a rope-forming device arranged between the pick-up for the warp beam and the second outlet. The device can also include at least one deflection device, in which the thread sheet is guided in a free draw between the warp beam and the rope-forming device in which the thread sheet is only deflected by the at least one deflection device. The device can also include at least one deflection device, in which the rope is present in a free draw between the rope-forming device and the second outlet in which the rope is only deflected by the at least one deflection device. 
     In accordance with features of the embodiments, the pick-up can have a warp beam brake. 
     Moreover, a first thread sheet web can run to one of the first and second outlets at least in part below the warp beam and a second thread sheet web may run to the other of the first and second outlets at least in part above the warp beam. The rope-forming device may be arranged above the warp beam. 
     According to other features of the embodiments, the warp thread pick-up device can have a loom beam and a can arrangement. 
     Embodiments of the invention can be directed to a take-off frame for a device of the type described above. 
     Embodiments of the invention are directed to a method for treatment of a warp thread sheet in which at least one warp beam is arranged in a take-off frame. The method includes drawing off warp threads as a warp thread sheet from the warp beam, arranging the drawn off warp threads one of: in a thread sheet in which the warp threads arranged transversely to their direction of feed next to one another or as a rope, and treating the arranged drawn off warp threads in a treatment device. When arranged as a thread sheet, the treated warp threads are wound on a loom, and when arranged as a rope, the treated warp threads are deposited in a can arrangement. 
     According to features of the embodiments, the drawn off warp threads can be combined to form a rope. 
     In accordance with other features of the embodiments of the invention, a speed of forming the rope can be adapted to the speed of the rope in the treatment device. 
     Moreover, a rope can be unwound from the warp beam. Further, the method can include braking the warp beam to produce a defined tension in one of the rope or the thread sheet. The method can also include deflecting the rope after the arranging or after the unwinding from the warp beam. Further, the method may include freely guiding the rope to the treatment device. 
     Embodiments of the invention can be directed to a take-off frame of a device for treatment of a warp thread sheet. The take-off frame includes at least one warp beam, a warp thread sheet outlet structured and arranged to output a warp thread sheet formed by threads drawn off from the warp beam that are arranged next to one another transversely to their longitudinal direction, and a rope outlet structured and arranged to output a rope formed by threads drawn off from the warp beam combined to form of a rope. 
     According to features of the embodiments, the warp thread sheet may be formed at least in part below the warp beam. 
     In accordance with still yet other features of the embodiments of the present invention, a warp thread sheet from which the rope will be formed can be formed at least in part above the warp beam. 
     Other exemplary embodiments and advantages of the present invention may be ascertained by reviewing the present disclosure and the accompanying drawing. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention is further described in the detailed description which follows, in reference to the noted plurality of drawings by way of non-limiting examples of exemplary embodiments of the present invention, in which like reference numerals represent similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  diagrammatically illustrates of a device for treating warp threads; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates an enlarged view of a take-off frame; 
         FIG. 3  diagrammatically illustrates a rope-forming device; and 
         FIG. 4  illustrates another view of the rope-forming device. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     The particulars shown herein are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the embodiments of the present invention only and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the present invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the present invention in more detail than is necessary for the fundamental understanding of the present invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the present invention may be embodied in practice. 
       FIG. 1  shows diagrammatically a device  1  for treating a warp thread sheet with a take-off frame  2 , in which several warp beams  3  are arranged. In the present case twelve warp beams  3  are arranged in take-off frame  2 . However, more or fewer warp beams can be provided, as a rule up to twenty-four warp beams  3 . 
     A treatment device  4 , for example, a dyeing device, is arranged downstream of take-off frame  2 . Dyeing device  4  has several baths  5 , through which warp threads  6  are guided. A retention installation  7  follows dyeing device  4 . A first dryer device  8  and a second dryer device  9  are arranged downstream of retention installation  7 . A loom beam  10  is arranged after second dryer device  9 . A can arrangement  11  with several cans  12 ,  13 , is likewise arranged after second dryer device  9 . 
     Warp threads  6  can be dyed with a treatment device  1  of this type. There are two possibilities for this. Warp threads  6  can be guided next to one another in the width direction in a thread sheet  14  ( FIG. 2 ) through treatment device  1  and then wound up on loom beam  10 . However, the thread sheet can also be combined to form ropes  15  to be treated in this rope form in treatment device  1 , and they can then be deposited in cans  12 ,  13 . 
     In the first case, the warp threads are all treated identically so that thread sheet  14  is given a very uniform appearance. In the second case, the threads are treated in a non-uniform manner. For example, warp threads that are located in the interior of rope  15  as a rule are given a lower dye application than the threads in the area of the circumference of rope  15 . 
     In order to be able to use both possibilities, i.e., a sheet dyeing method as well as a rope dyeing method, take-off frame  2  shown in more detail in  FIG. 2  is provided. Twelve warp beams  3  are arranged in the take-off frame  2 , as mentioned above. They are pivoted and respectively provided with a braking device  16 , which can also be referred to as a “warp beam brake.” For clarity and ease of explanation only one braking device  16  is shown, but is it understood that a braking device  16  is present for each warp beam  3 . 
     The threads drawn off from warp beams  3  can be present in a thread sheet  14 , in which they are arranged next to one another in the width direction and form a fabric, as it were. For thread sheet  14  there is hereby a first thread sheet web  17 - 21 , which is arranged with sections  17 ,  19 ,  21  below warp beams  3 . Thread sheet  14  leaves take-off frame  2  at a first outlet  22 . 
     A second thread sheet web  23 - 25  for warp threads  28  or rope  15  formed therefrom is arranged essentially above warp beams  3 . Rope  15  leaves take-off frame  2  at a second outlet  26 . As a rule, several ropes  15  are formed, one from each warp beam  3 . 
     A rope-forming device  27  is arranged in second thread sheet web  23 - 25  in the exemplary embodiment shown, which rope-forming device is shown in more detail in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . In rope-forming device  27 , the threads that are drawn off from a warp beam  3  are combined to form respectively one rope  15 . Several ropes  15  are then guided parallel to one another through the rest of device  1  and deposited in cans  12 ,  13  of can arrangement  11 . 
       FIGS. 3 and 4  show how a thread sheet  28  is drawn off warp beam  3  and fed to rope-forming device  27 . Rope-forming device  27  has a diversion roller  29  with side disks  30 ,  31 . The spacing between side disks  30 ,  31  has an impact on the later width of rope  15 . A first constriction  32  is arranged upstream of diversion roller  29 , in order to combine the threads of thread sheet  28 . A second constriction  33  is arranged downstream of diversion roller  29  in order to ultimately form rope  15 . 
     Thread sheet  28  runs to rope-forming device  27  and is thereafter guided only by diversion rollers  34  and rods arranged in a fan-shaped manner for separating the rope. However, it is combined laterally only in rope-forming device  27 . Further devices, which could insert lateral tensions into thread sheet  28 , can be omitted. Also, in sections  24 ,  25  of the second thread web, rope  15  is at most deflected via diversion rollers  35 ,  36 , but no longer impinged laterally. In this manner, it is possible to keep the lateral tensions low in the threads of thread sheet  28  or the threads of rope  15 . 
     The formation of rope  15  can be carried out at a comparatively low speed. This speed is determined by the speed of following units  4 ,  8 ,  9 , and this speed is, for example, in the order of magnitude of 30 to 60 m/min. Accordingly, during the formation of rope  15  only low forces are also exerted on the threads involved of thread sheet  28 , so that there is no risk of excessive stress of the threads. 
     The tension in rope  15  can be regulated by braking device  16 , so that the desired density of rope  15  can be produced and thus an influence exerted on the dyeing result. 
     With the device shown. a manufacturer is very flexible in the production of warp threads that are dyed or treated in another manner. The warp threads can be presented at the outlet  22  or  26  of take-off frame  2  either as a thread sheet  14  with spread-out warp threads or as a rope  15  with combined warp threads, respectively. Conversion measures between these two methods can be omitted. It is necessary only to guide the threads along different thread sheet paths. 
     In an alternative approach, finished ropes  15  can also be wound on warp beams  3  and then unwound from warp beams  3  before they run through device  1 . A warp beam  3  wound with a rope  15  differs considerably from a ball otherwise used for the supply of a rope  15 , which ball is produced by a ball warping. In the case of a ball, a rope  15  is wound up in the manner of a cross-bobbin winding, i.e., it is loaded with considerable tensile stresses in the axial direction of the ball. In particular in the area of a change in direction, considerable dynamic forces occur at the two axial ends of the ball, which forces under unfavorable circumstances often lead to a mechanical overloading of the warp threads. This result can be avoided if ropes  15  are wound up on a warp beam  3  with side disks. 
     It is noted that the foregoing examples have been provided merely for the purpose of explanation and are in no way to be construed as limiting of the present invention. While the present invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment, it is understood that the words which have been used herein are words of description and illustration, rather than words of limitation. Changes may be made, within the purview of the appended claims, as presently stated and as amended, without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention in its aspects. Although the present invention has been described herein with reference to particular means, materials and embodiments, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the particulars disclosed herein; rather, the present invention extends to all functionally equivalent structures, methods and uses, such as are within the scope of the appended claims.