Improvements in Unwrapping Mechanism for Yarn Chains Employed in Dyeing or Bleaching.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Dec., 1895-Accepted, 14th Mar., 1896
Improvements in Unwrapping Mechanism for Yarn Chains
Employed in Dyeing or Bleaching.
A communication from abroad by HERMAN F. STRAW, of Manchester, County of
Hillsborough, State of New Hampshire, one of the United States of America,
Manufacturer.
I ALFRED GEORGE BROOKES of 55 and 56 Chancery Lane in the County of
London Chartered Patent Agent, 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 the following statement:-
In dyeing or bleaching yarn preparatory to its manufacture into cloth, what is
called the chain dyeing process is now most commonly employed, in which process
a number of threads of spun yarn, varying from one hundred to one thousand or
more are collected or aggregated into an untwisted, loosely condensed rope called
a chain, the length of the chain varying, according to circumstances and convenience,
from one hundred to ten thousand or more yards.
After the chain is bleached or colored and dried it must be rewound onto a beam
if it is to be used for warp, or onto quills if it is to be used for filling, and this
rewinding, called "beaming," has heretofore been one of the most expensive and
unsatisfactory steps in manufacturing, due to the fact that the treatment of the
chains in the dye house separates and tangles or snarls and often breaks the thread's
which compose them, and necessarily all such faults made in the dye-house must be
repaired during the beaming.
This damage to the chain in the process of dyeing is the most serious drawback
to the chain dyeing process.
So far as my correspondent is aware the only efficient method by which this
damage can to any extent be prevented is to coil around the chain for its whole
length, before dyeing, an extra thread or cord of suitable material and strength,
such thread or cord, by holding the component threads of the chain together,
almost entirely preventing the snarling and breaking of the thread which is
otherwise unavoidable.
In practice, with cotton yarn chains, this cord most conveniently consists of two
threads of any number of yarn from 12s to 20s, twisted together, and it is coiled
or wound around the chain with from five to eight turns to the yard by any suitable
wrapping mechanism.
It is obvious that when a wrapping cord has been coiled around the chain, it
must be removed before this separation of the threads can be accomplished.
In instances within the knowledge of my correspondent where the wrapping
cord has been heretofore used it'has been either cut or broken off from the yarn
chain in short lengths and thrown into waste, and this has sometimes been done by
the operative while performing the beaming operation, and sometimes as a separate
process.
In either case the operation is inconvenient, expensive, and involves the total loss
of the cord.
So expensive and wasteful is this removal of the cord in fact, that it has hitherto
prevented entirely any extensive use of wranned chains in dyeing or bleaching.

page_text: My correspondent has invented a new machine by the use of which the wrapping
cord can be readily and economically removed from the chain and wound upon a
spool, so that it can be used again for wrapping around another chain, or it can be
made into twine and manufactured into cloth, or utilized in any other way which
may be found desirable.
He has found by experiment that the successful and practical operation of the
unwrapping machine as hereafter shewn and described is dependent on the following
conditions and arrangements :-
The angle at which the cord as it is unwound leaves the chain inust be obtuse
enough to reduce to a minimum the liability of the cord clinging to the chain.
can
This is partially accomplished by making the unwrapper as large as
conveniently be used, but it is still more affected by the position of the point at
which the cord leaves the chain.
Now it is obvious that the position of this point is governed by the relation
between the linear speed of the chain and the rotary speed of the unwrapper.
An increase of linear speed or a decrease of retary speed tends to lower the
point; a decrease of linear speed or increase of rotary speed to raise it, and any
change in the relative speeds of the chain and rotary unwrapper causes a change in
the position of the point.
If these speeds could be exactly proportioned to the rate at which the cord to be
unwrapped is coiled around the chain, and this rate as well as these speeds could
be continuously maintained, the point at which the cord leaves the chain would
not vary.
In practice, however, so many causes combine to cause irregularities in all these
respects that this point is constantly rising or falling; if it rises too high the cord
is broken by contact with the guide above the machine, if it falls too low
the cord is broken by contact with the hollow spindle of the cord-receiver or
spool.
To obviate this difficulty means have been devised by which the ratio of the
linear speed of the chain and the rotary speed of the unwrapper can be varied at
the will of the operator, and the position of the point of the cord's leaving the
chain is thus brought under his control, and the support or guide, over which
the chain passes, has been placed by my correspondent above the unwrapping
machine, sufficiently high above the machine to allow due space and time for a
reasonable variation in the point where the cord leaves the chain, that the operator
may have all necessary opportunity for regulating the same before the cord
is broken by contact either with the guide pulley above or the machine below.
Means are also provided to stop the machine automatically and at once if the cord
breaks or slackens during the unwinding process.
This stop motion, by rendering unnecessary the continual watching on the part
of the operator, otherwise indispensable, enables him to attend to three or four
machines instead of one.
Without this stop motion, in fact, it would be difficult to economically use the
machine on dark colours and with artificial light.
In accordance therewith one part of the invention relates to the use, in an
apparatus for unwrapping yarn chains, of a cord receiver, means to instantaneously
increase or decrease the ratio between the linear speed of the chain and the rotary
speed of the unwrapping mechanism, and means to unwrap the cord and to wind it
upon the receiver.
Also, in the use in an apparatus for unwrapping yarn chains, of a cord receiver,
means to instantaneously vary the ratio between the linear speed of the chain and
the rotary speed of the unwrapping mechanism, means to wind the unwrapped cord
upon the receiver, and a stop motion controlled, by the cord, to stop the apparatus
automatically by slackening or breakage of the cord.
Also, in the use in an apparatus for unwrapping yarn chains, of means to
instantaneously increase or decrease the linear speed of the chain, an unwrapper to
unwrap the cord and to wind it upon the receiver, means to move said unwrapper

page_text: positively at a constant rotary speed, and a guide located above and at a distance
from the unwrapper to permit the variation in the point of departure of the cord as
unwrapped from the chain.
Also, in the use in an apparatus for unwrapping yarn chains, of a cord receiver
through which the chain passes as unwrapped,. thechanism to draw the chain
therethough, a positively rotated flier to wind the unwrapped cord upon the
receiver, manually operated means to vary at will the ratio between the linear
speed of the chain and the rotary speed of the flier, and a stop motion controlled
by the cord, to stop the apparatus automatically upon slackening or breakage of
the cord.
Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of one form of mechanism as arranged for unwinding
or unwrapping the cord from the yarn chain.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation on a larger scale, of the unwrapping mechanism shewn
in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is an end view thereof, looking towards the right Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a top or plan view of said mechanism.
Fig. 5 is a detail view in side elevation of one form of flier, and the stop motion
actuated thereby.
Figs. 6 and 7 are enlarged detail views of the drop wire of the flier in normal
position and in position to actuate the stop motion, respectively.
Fig. 8 is a view in elevation of another form of mechanism for unvinding or
unwrapping the cord from the yarn chain.
Fig. 9 is a sectional view thereof taken on the line 8, Fig. 8, looking towards
the left, and
Fig. 10 is a top or plan view of said mechanism.
Referring to Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawing, the main frame A of suit ible shape
to support the operating parts, has mounted thereon at opposite sides stan lards A¹.
provided with suitable bearings a for the main driving shaft A2, having usual fast
and loose pulleys B and B thereon, rotation being communicated thereto by a
suitable belt from any desired source of power not herein shewn.
The main shaft A² has fast thereon between the standards a cone A³, and a
second cone A is mounted on a shaft a' having its bearings in boxes a² longitudinally
movable in vertical slots A* in the standards, the said journal boxes having threaded
rods a secured thereto and extended through and engaged by internally threaded
collars a, rotatably mounted on the standards, but held from longitudinal
movement.
Rotation of the collars in one or the other direction will raise or lower the
journal boxes of the upper cone A+ and thereby adjust its pressure upon the lower
cone A3 by which it is driven.
A threaded shaft is mounted to rotate in the main frame A below and in front
of the main shaft A2, and a threaded collar b' is mounted on said threaded shaft, a.
trumpet or guide-eye 62 being attached to and movable with the collar and so
located that the delivery end of said trumpet is adjacent the surface of the
cone A³
The cone A³ is preferably of rubber or rubber covered, and the yarn chain after
the cord has been unwrapped therefrom, as will be described, is led through the
trumpet and between the cones, rotation of the latter drawing the chain through
the apparatus at a speed depending upon the position of the trumpet with relation
to the ends of the cones.
This position of the trumpet is adjusted by means of the threaded shaft b,
rotation thereof moving the collar b', in one or the other direction, and as the
cones are rotated at a uniform speed, the yarn chain will be drawn therethrough at
a faster or slower linear speed, according to whether said chain is passed between
the cones at their larger or at their smaller ends, and consequently the cones form
a variable speed mechanism for the chain.
One end of the shaft b is provided with a bevelled gear 63, best shewn in Fig. 4,
in mesh with a similar gear 6 on a shaft 6, rotatably mounted in bearings 6*, and

page_text: provided with a hand-wheel 6ª or other suitable means for conveniently rotating it,
the hand wheel being shewn as located at the front of the machine.
The main shaft A2 has fast thereon a gear c, in mesh with a large gear c¹ mounted.
on a short shaft or stud c², secured to a suitable bracket c* attached to the frame A,
said gear el engaging a smaller gear c³ fast on a shaft c mounted in a bearing
attached to the frame, and said shaft has fast on its inner end a bevel gear cº, in
engagement with a smaller bevel gear d, its hollow hub being reduced in diameter
and extended through a sleeve-like bearing a secured to a cross girt A of the
frame, and a flier F is secured to the upper end of and to rotate with the hub of
the gear d, so that the flier F is rotated at a constant speed by means of the train
of gears described, intermediate it and the main driving shaft.
A worm e is secured to the shaft e to engage a worm wheel e', shown in dotted
lines Figs. 2 and 3, and in full and dotted lines Fig. 4, fast on an upright shaft e²
mounted in bearings in the cross girts A and A of the main frame, said shaft
having fast thereon near its lower end, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, a worm e³, in
mesh with a worm wheel e fast on a cam shaft C supported in a bearing C¹
secured to one of the side frames A, said cam shaft having fast thereon a traverse
or heart-shaped cam C*.
A tube a is extended loosely through the hollow hub of the gear & and through
a bearing in a bracket or ear g¹, secured to the frame, and a collar 92, provided
with ears 3 to embrace a guide g, has mounted loosely upon it a roll 9 resting on
the periphery of the traverse cam C*.
Rotation of said traverse cam will reciprocate the tube g, giving it a traverse
motion in accordance with the shape of the cam.
A cord-receiver, shown herein as a spool S, is slipped over the upper end of the
traverse tube 9, which latter projects slightly above the flier F, and also beyond
the, upper head of the spool, the latter resting on an annular flange or collar ox
secured to the traverse tube, the spool resting on and in frictional contact with the
washer or support w fast on the tube g.
As shown in Fig. 1, the wrapped yarn chain L is drawn through a suitable
friction apparatus M in the direction of the arrows, Fig. 1, over a guide sheave G
located above and at a suitable distance from the top of the traverse tube g, the
yarn chain entering said tube after the cord L' has been unwrapped therefrom,
the unwrapped chain passing out of the lower end of the traverse tube around the
guide roll G¹ to the trumpet or eye 2, and through the cones A3, A4, after which
it may pass underneath a second guide roll G2 and up over a preferably triangular
guide G which may be actuated in any suitable manner, as for instance by belt 50,
shown in dotted lines Fig. 1, and connected with a pulley on the main driving
shaft.
The yarn chain is delivered from the triangular roll G³, into a suitable box N,.
in which it may be removed for the subsequent operation of beaming.
It is necessary and important to regulate the speed of the chain as it is drawn
through the unwrapping mechanism and it is also equally important to provide
means for stopping the mechanism upon the failure or breakage of the wrapping
cord, and for this purpose my correspondent has devised a stop motion controlled
in its operation by the cord as it is unwrapped.
The flier F is composed essentially of a circular rim fand supporting arms f¹
bent outwardly at their upper ends, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 5, one of the
arms being slotted as at 2, 3, Figs. 6 and 7, in both its upright and horizontal
portions, and a latch fis pivoted at in the slot, said latch having secured
thereto an eye f6 adapted to be interposed between guide eyes f7 and 8, on the
rimf, and the slotted upright respectively, the end of the wrapping cord L' which
has been detached from the yarn chain being passed through the guide eye f",
then through the eye on the latch or drop wire 4, and finally through the guide
eye, passing thence to the spool S.
When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 6, that is to say, while the
cord is being properly unwrapped from the chain, the tension of the cord will lift

page_text: the drop wire so it will be free to rotate with the flier and the unwrapping of the
yarn chain will proceed.
Should, however, the cord for any reason break or slacken so that the tension.
of the cord is insufficient to maintain the drop wire in its elevated position, the
latter will drop or fall into the position shown in Fig. 7, and in the rotation of the
flier the drop wire will be brought against the upper end of an arm h, fast on a
rock-shaft h, the said rock-shaft having secured thereto a depending finger h,.
shown in dotted lines Fig. 5, and the rock-shaft will be turned sufficiently to
withdraw the finger 2 from a notch in the latch 3, pivoted to the shipper lever /*
and movable in a bearing, secured to the frame of the apparatus.
A strong spring s normally tends to draw the outer end of the shipper lever to
the right, Fig. 3, to thereby shift the belt from the fast pulley B to the loose
pulley B
Such tendency of the spring under normal conditions is counteracted by the
engagement of the finger with the notched latch 3, so the shipper lever is
maintained positively in the position shown in Fig. 4, so long as such engagement
is maintained.
The drop wire forms a controlling device for the stop motion, governed by the
tension of the cord.
The leverage exerted by the drop wire on the arm is quite sufficient to
withdraw the locking finger 2 from the latch ³, so that the apparatus will be
instantly stopped upon either slackening or breakage of the wrapping cord.
The rapid rotation of the flier winds the cord upon the spool S as fast as it is
unwrapped from the yarn chain, and by means of the traverse motion described the
cord is traversed or laid smoothly upon the spool from end to end as it is wound
thereon, the spool rising and falling opposite the point from which the cord is.
delivered.
The speed changing mechanism and the stop motion and the shipper lever are
herein shown as controllable by the attendant at that part of the machine nearest
the entry of the yarn chain.
The main frame A10, in Figs. 8, 9 and 10, of suitable shape to support the
operating parts, has mounted thereon at one end and on the cross girt A 100.
standards A20 provided with bearings for the main driving shaft B10, having, as
shown only in Fig. 10 usual fast and loose pulleys B100 and B20 thereon.
A cylindrical roll 130 is rigidly secured to the main shaft B between the
standards, see dotted lines Fig. 8, and a second roll B10 has its journals Boo mounted
in boxes a longitudinally adjustable in vertical slots A 200 in the standards A, the
said boxes having secured thereto threaded rods a³0 engaged by threaded collars a
rotatably mounted in the standards but held from longitudinal movement.
40
Rotation of the collars in one or the other direction will, by raising or lowering
the journal boxes a, adjust the pressure of the upper roll upon the lower roll B*.
by which it is driven.
The main shaft B10 is extended beyond the roll B30 and through the standard A
to the side of the frame A10 where it is supported in a bearing ao, a cone pulley Co.
being secured to the shaft between the said bearing and the standard, connected
by a belt C200 with and to drive a reverse cone C100 fast on a worm shaft (20.
A threaded rotatable rod elo, mounted in and held from longitudinal movement
by the bearing 200 engages a belt fork c¹00, longitudinally movable on a guide 20,.
rotation of the rod moving the fork c100 and thereby shifting the belt C200 from one
to the other end of the cones, and as the speed of the shaft B10 is constant that
of the shaft Co will be varied relative thereto.
One or both of the rolls B3, B40, will preferably be of rubber or rubber
covered, and the yarn chain after the end has been unwrapped is led between said
rolls, rotation of the latter drawing the chain through the apparatus at a
substantial uniform speed.
The shaft C has fast thereon a bevel gear 30, in engagement with a smaller
bevel gear do, whose hollow hub is reduced in diameter and extended through a

page_text: sleeve-like bearing 100, see dotted lines Fig. 9, secured to a bracket A on the
frame, and a flier F10 is secured to the upper end of the hub of the gear do, to
rotate therewith, the rotative speed of the flier F10 depending on the position of
the belt C200 upon the speed cones C10, C100
A worm e fast on the shaft C20 engages a worm-wheel 100 on an upright shaft 20,
mounted in bracket-like bearings 6200, the said shaft 20 having fast thereon near its
lower end a worm eo in mesh with a worm wheel e fast on a cain shaft D10,
mounted in a bearing D100 and having secured thereto a heart-shaped or traverse
cam D200
10
I have shown a hollow spindle g⁰ extended loosely through the hub of the
gear do, and a collar 20 fast on said spindle and provided with cars 90 to embrace
guide 910, has-mounted loosely upon it a roll go resting on the periphery of the
traverse cam D200, rotation of the latter reciprocating the spindle g10, giving it a
traverse motion in accordance with the shape of the cam.
The mechanism for rotating the flier, and imparting a traverse motion to the
spindle g are substantially as described in the first part of this Specification.
A spool S or other cord receiver is slipped over the upper end of the traverse
tube or spindle 10, projecting slightly above the flier F and also beyond the
upper head of the spool, which latter rests on a washer w, held in place by a
collar 200, fast on the spindle glo.
The wrapped yarn chain L10 is drawn over a guide sheave, not shown, located
above and at a suitable distance from the top of the traverse spindle g, the chain
entering the latter after the cord L100 has been unwrapped therefrom, the
unwrapped chain passing out of the lower end of the hollow spindle around a guide
sheave Go and up through the rolls 130, 1340, in the direction of the arrow Fig. 8.
The unwrapping mechanism is provided with a stop motion controlled as to its
operation by a cord L100 as it is wrapped..
40
One of the supporting arms 10 of the flier, bent outwardly at their upper ends,
is slotted in its horizontal portion and a latch 20 is pivoted therein, provided with
an eye 30, adapted to be interposed between the guide eyes 10 and -f50 on the
slotted upright and flier rim f200 respectively, the detached end of the cord L100
being passed through the guide eye 150, eye f30 on the latch, and finally through
guide eye f, to the spool S, the tension of the cord normally lifting the latch or
drop wire to be free to rotate with the flier.
Upon breakage or slackening of the cord sufficiently to permit the drop wire f20
to fall into the position shown in Fig. 9, the rotation of the flier will bring the drop
wire against the upper end of an arm 10 pivoted at 100 to the frame A10, and
provided with a finger 20, see dotted lines, Fig. 8, the arm being rocked
sufficiently to withdraw the finger 20 from a notch in a detent 30 pivoted to
the shipper lever 10 and longitudinally movable in an opening or bearing in the
frame.
A spring so tends to draw the outer end of the shipper lever 4º to the left,
Fig. 10, to thereby shift the belt from the fast pulley B100, to the loose pulley B2,
the tendency of the spring under normal conditions being counteracted by the
engagement of the finger 20 with the notched detent 30, such engagement
maintaining positively the shipper in operative position.
The impact of the drop wire f20 upon the upper end of the arm h¹0 is quite
sufficient to disengage the finger and detent, so that the apparatus will be instantly
stopped automatically upon either slackening or breakage of the wrapping cord.
It will be readily understood that the rotation of the flier unwraps the cord from
the yarn chain and winds it upon the spool the traverse motion laying the cord
smoothly upon the spool from end to end as it is wound thereon.
The speed of the flier is regulated by the speed changing mechanism comprising
the cones and C100 and their connecting belt.
I have herein shewn and described the essential principles of the invention and a
most efficient and simple mechanism for carrying out the same, but other forms or
structures might be used without departing from the spirit and scope of my

page_text: invention so long as means are provided for varying the ratio between the linear
speed of the chain and the rotary speed of the unwrapping mechanism.
The regulation can even be accomplished to some extent by varying the tension
or friction on the chain.
The form or position of the guide above the flier is unimportant provided the
correct distance and necessary space for regulation be retained.
The form of flier and stop motion may be varied, or the flier itself be dispensed
with and other mechanism he substituted provided the stop motion controlled by
the condition of the cord is still retained.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is :--
1. The use in an apparatus for unwrapping yarn chains, of a cord receiver, means
to instantaneously increase or decrease the ratio between the linear speed of the
chain and the rotary speed of the unwrapping mechanism, and means to unwrap
the cord and to wind it upon the receiver, substantially as described.
2. The use in an apparatus for unwrapping yarn chains, of a cord receiver.
means to instantaneously vary the ratio between the linear speed of the chain and
the rotary speed of the unwrapping mechanism, means to wind the unwrapped cord
upon the receiver, and a stop motion controlled by the cord, to stop the apparatus
automatically by slackening or breakage of the cord, substantially as described.
3. The use in an apparatus for unwrapping yarn chains, of' means to instantaneously
increase or decrease the linear speed of the chain, an unwrapper to unwrap the
cord and to wind it upon the receiver, means to move said unwrapper positively at
a constant rotary speed, and a guide located above and at a distance from the
unwrapper to permit the variation in the point of departure of the cord as unwrapped
from the chain, substantially as described.
4. The use in an apparatus for unwrapping yarn chains, of a cord receiver through
which the chain passes as unwrapped, mechanism to draw the chain therethrough,
a positively rotated flier to wind the unwrapped cord upon the receiver, manually
operated means to vary at will the ratio between the linear speed of the chain and
the rotary speed of the flier, and a stop motion controlled by the cord, to stop the
apparatus automatically upon slackening or breakage of the cord, substantially as
described.
5. The use in an apparatus for unwrapping yarn chains, of a cord receiver
through which the chain passes as unwrapped, means to draw the chain there-
through, connections between said means and the flier, to actuate the latter and to
vary at will the ratio between the linear speed of the chain and the rotary speed
of the flier, a flier to wind the unwrapped cord upon the receiver, a stop motion to
stop the apparatus automatically, and a controlling device on said flier and governed
by slackening or breakage of the cord, to actuate the stop motion, substantially as
described.
6. The use in an apparatus for unwrapping yarn chains, of a cord receiver,
mechanism to move the chaini longitudinally, means to unwrap the cord and to
wind it upon the receiver, and mechanism independent of the unwrapping means
by which the speed of the latter may be increased or diminished, substantially as
described.
7. The use in an apparatus for unwrapping yarn chains, of a cord-receiver,
mechanism to move the chain longitudinally, means to wind the unwrapped cord
upon the receiver, variable speed mechanism independent of and to actuate said
means, and a stop motion controlled by the cord, to stop the apparatus automatically
by slackening or breakage of the cord, substantially as described.
8. The use in an apparatus for unwrapping yarn chains, of a cord receiver
through which the chain passes as unwrapped, a traverse motion therefor, a rotatable
flier to take the cord from the chain in advance of the receiver and at an angle to
the wrapped portion of the chain, to unwrap the cord from the chain and to wind

page_text: it upon the receiver, variable speed mechanism independent of and to positively
rotate the flier, and means to draw the chain as unwrapped through the receiver,
substantially as described.
Dated the 30th day of December 1895.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56 Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.