Improvements in Drying and Ageing Machines for Yarns in the Hank.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Feb., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 8th Nov., 1893-Accepted, 30th Dec., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Drying and Ageing Machines for Yarns in
the Hank.
:―
I, ROBERT CAMPBELL Ross, of Kildrum, Ballymena, County Antrim, Dyer
and Finisher, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to drying and ageing machines for yarns in the hank. The
drying is done by means of heated air.
The machine consists of, preferably, two horizontal rows of rollers, located the
one row above the other at a suitable distance apart, and so as to suit the class of
material to be aged or dried. The arrangement is such that the rollers of the upper
series are directly above the spaces left between the rollers of the lower series, and
vice-versa.
The rollers, which are mounted in a frame, are revolved by suitable gearing,
driven preferably by power.
The space occupied by the rollers is, by preference, permanently closed at the
ends by means of wood, zinc, iron or other suitable covering material, and the sides
are, preferably, closed by means of movable screens or partitions of canvas,
blanketing, wood, sheet-iron or equivalent. These screens are so arranged and
fitted that they can be moved farther from or nearer to each other according to the
width of the material being acted on in the machine.
The hot air to dry or age the material being acted on, is supplied from one or
more tubes or pipes, which is or are, preferably, fitted under the lower series of
rollers and runs or run the whole length of the machine. Branch pipes project up.
preferably, between each pair of the lower series of rollers, and these branches are
so made at their, upper ends as to deliver the heated air against the hanks of yarn,
as they pass around the rollers.
The machine is so constructed that the series or tiers of rollers can be moved
nearer to or farther from each other, in order to suit the length of the hanks. The
rollers are or may be also overhung or arranged so as to allow the hanks to be put
on at the ends. The rollers are filled or loaded with a sufficient number of hanks
and are then revolved, till the ageing or drying process is completed, when they are
taken off and replaced by a fresh supply.
The rollers may be driven from one another in any suitable manner.
Dated this 7th day of Wal 1000
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
. 70, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Drying and Ageing Machines for Yarns in
the Hank.
I, ROBERT CAMPBELL Ross, of Kildrum, Ballymena, County Antrim, Dyer
and Finisher, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
he following statement :-
This invention relates to drying and ageing machines for yarns in the hank.
The drying is done by means of heated air.
The machine consists of, preferably, two horizontal rows of rollers, located the
one row above the other at a suitable distance apart. The arrangement is such
hat the rollers of the upper series are or inay be directly above the spaces left
[Price 8d.]

page_text: between the rollers of the lower series, and vice versa. The rollers, which are
mounted in a frame, are revolved by suitable gearing driven, preferably, by power.
The hot air to dry or age the material being acted on, is supplied from one or
more tubes or pipes which is, or are, preferably, fitted under the lower series of
rollers and runs or run the whole length of the machine. Openings are made in
the pipes, between each pair of the lower series of rollers, and through these
openings the heated air is delivered against the hanks of yarn as they pass around
the rollers.
The machine is so constructed that the series or tiers of rollers can be moved
nearer to or farther from each other, in order to suit the length of the hanks. The
rollers are or may be also overhung or arranged so as to allow the hanks to be put.
on at the ends. The rollers are filled or loaded, with a sufficient number of hanks
and are then revolved, till the ageing or drying process is completed, when they are
taken off and replaced by a fresh supply.
The rollers may be driven from a shaft or from one another in any suitable
manner.
And in order that my said invention may be properly understood I have hereunto
appended two explanatory sheets of drawings, which show the bank drying or
ageing machine.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of the machine on the line x-x Fig. 2.
Fig. 2 is a plan of the machine.
Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line y-y Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a view of part of the heating pipe.
Referring to the drawings whereon the same reference letters wherever repeated
indicate the same parts.
a is the lower part of the frame of the machine which is made with recesses or
pockets into which the supports c of the upper part of the frame are fitted. A
movable frame e is carried on the upper side of the part and can be slid
backwards and forwards thereon by means of the racks and pinions g (dotted).
working in said racks. The pinions are fitted on a cross shaft carried in
bearings which can be turned by means of a weighted lever i.
The two lower sets of rollers j are carried on and turn with the cross shafts k
which latter are carried in bearings ou the frame a.
Each shaft k has a worm
wheel on it which gears with a corresponding worm m on the longitudinal driving
shaft n.
This shaft, which is driven by the power belt pulleys o, is carried in
bearings p on the frame a.
The two upper sets of rollers y run loosely on the fixed spindles which are
secured in brackets or supports s on the sliding frame e. If desired the spindles
may revolve within bearings on the frame e, and, in this case, the rollers may be
fixed to the spindles.
As will be seen the sets of rollers are not even, that is to say, looking at the
plan view Fig. 2, the roller ql at the left hand end of the machine is without a
corresponding roller at the other end of its spindle and likewise the roller q* at
the right hand end of the machine is without a corresponding roller on the other
side, in short the end spindles 1, 2, have each only one roller on them. The
spindles of the lower set have each a pair of rollers j.
t, t¹ are the hot air pipes which extend along the whole length of the machine
under the lower sets of rollers. An opening or orifice u is made in the pipes just
below or nearly below each roller. As will be seen at Fig. 4 the pipes may be
made to lead into a main or trunk pipe which is supplied with hot dry air from a
furnace or other suitable source. The air may be forced into the pipes by means
of a fan or other air propeller. When the yarn is being aged the hot air may be
humidified by low pressure or waste steam. The trunk pipe may be fitted with a
valve or damper v in its interior which is so arranged, as shown in dotted lines, as
to be capable of being turned to one side or other so as to close either the pipe t
or t' as desired.
The machine may be enclosed in a wood or other casing to which may rise to the

page_text: level of the upper rollers. This casing may be fitted with movable screens or
shutters at the sides or it may be so arranged as to be capable of being lowered
into the floor for the purpose of giving access to the rollers and allowing the hanks
to be easily put on or taken off them.
If desired partitions may be fitted between the inner ends of the rollers and the
frame for the purpose of confining the bot air currents from the pipes.
The distance between the upper and lower sets of rollers may be varied so as to
suit different lengths of hanks by raising or lowering the supports c, in the
pockets b. This is effected by means of the screws b', which, at their lower ends,
pass through tapped holes in blocks & rigidly fitted on the cross bars c of the
frame. Each screw has, at its upper end, a cylindrical head d which turns freely
in a jaw or pair of lugs d¹ cast on each support c. A hole is made in the lower
lug of each pair through which the screws pass loosely. The heads of the screws
bear against the upper lugs. With this arrangement, whenever the screws are
turned to the left or right, which may be done by means of a pin inserted in the
holes at their lower ends, the supports c and frame d, can be raised or lowered.
The supports c may be locked in position by studs f¹ passing through the
pockets b.
When the hanks are being put on the rollers at one side of the machine the
frame e should be moved and the upper set of rollers at that side, be brought
directly over the lower set so that the hanks can be easily placed in position. The
uneven arrangement of the rollers 9 enables this to be done, as, when the frame is
moved backwards or forwards, the rollers q at one side are in line with the rollersj,
at that side, whilst the rollers 9 on the other side are out of line with the
rollers on that side and vice versa. When placed on the upper rollers the
hanks hang vertically as shown at z, Fig. 1 and are free of the lower rollers.
When the machine is put in motion the lever i, is moved to either one side or
the other so as to move the racks and sliding frame with its rollers into such
a position that the upper rollers will be out of line with the lower rollers.
This movement of the upper rollers increases the distance between them and the
lower rollers and causes the hanks to assume an oblique position, such as shown
at (Fig. 1) and to bear against and be turned by the lower set of revolving
rollers.
The weight on the lever i, acting on the pinions and rack is sufficient to take
up any stretch given out by the hanks when being dried or aged and to prevent
them twisting or curling up.
The machine is so arranged as shown that when the hanks, on the sets of
rollers on one side, are at rest and in a position to be taken off those on the other
side are in motion and vice versa.
When the hanks at one side have been sufficiently dried or aged the lever i,
is reversed and they are thus brought to rest whilst those on the other side are
caused to revolve.
If desired branch delivery pipes may be used instead of the openings.
The machine may be made with only a single set of rollers at top and bottom
if so desired and with only one hot air blast.
The upper sets of rollers may also be made to revolve.
In drying the circulating current of hot air carries off the moisture very rapidly
and in ageing the constant supply of fresh air is a great advantage.
The principal advantages of the machine are economy of space, saving of labour,
prevention of yarn breakages and increased turn out and despatch.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The general arrangement or combination of parts, of the hank drying or
geing machine substantially as hereinbefore described and shown on the drawings
annexed.

page_text: 2. A drying and ageing machine consisting of an upper and lower set of rollers
on which the hanks to be operated on are placed and are caused to revolve the
hanks during their revolutions being subjected to the action of one or more hot air
blasts, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings
annexed.
Dated this 7th day of November 1893.
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.