Improvements in Yarn Twisting or Winding Machines.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Feb., 1897-Accepted, 13th Mar., 1897
.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Yarn Twisting or Winding Machines.
I, WILLIAM CLARK, of Newark, Essex County, and State of New Jersey, in the
United States of America, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
In yarn twisting or winding machines for the manufacture of sewing thread or
cotton, the twisting frame usually employs several hundred spindles arranged closely
together side by side, lengthwise of the frame. On each spindle is mounted a
receiving bobbin to take the twisted thread as it comes from the twisting devices,
which feed or draw off the untwisted yarn from the supply-bobbins. When the yarn
has been entirely unwound from a bobbin, or when a break in the yarn occurs during
the twisting operation, the end of the yarn after leaving the drawing-off rollers passes
almost instantly to the ring-and-traveler of its associated spindle, and owing to the
high speed of the spindle the broken end or the final end of the yarn, as the case may
be, is revolved with great rapidity, something like five thousand turns per minute,
and in these revolutions the end of the yarn gathers up the oil and dirt always present
at the ring-and-traveler (since the traveler is lubricated for easy movement) and this
oil and dirt are communicated or applied not only to the cotton upon the winding or
spindle-bobbin upon which the thread is winding, but also to the thread of the spindle-
bobbin on each side thereof, and on many occasions the loose or flapping end of the
thread causes a breakage of the threads on adjacent spindle-bobbins. As the ring-
and-traveler are moving either up or down when the end of the supply-bobbin is
reached or when the break may occur, the thread previously wound on the spindle-
bobbin is in consequence soiled for a considerable part of its length. As a result of
the soiling of the thread it is customary always to stop the spindle at which the break
has occurred, or at which the supply has given out, and unwind or remove several
layers of the previously wound thread on the spindle-bobbin, in order to eliminate the
portion which has thus been soiled. Not only is this necessary, but it is also required
that the spindle on either side of the one just referred to shall also be stopped and like
portions of the thread at their bobbins also removed or drawn off and cut out. The
stoppage of the three spindles and the removal of the soiled thread and the consequent
tying of knots in the thread involves considerable loss of time on the part of the
machinery and operatives, besides entailing a great waste of thread, and causes a
deterioration of the quality-of the thread by reason of the extra number of knots which
must be put into it.
My invention has for one of its objects to provide means whereby, when a supply-
bobbin has become exhausted or when a break in the yarn has occurred, the end of the
yarn or thread shall be prevented from coming into contact with any of the thread on
adjacent winding or spindle-bobbins, and hence confine the soiling or spoiling of the
thread, which is inevitable to a certain extent, to the particular bobbin at which the
break has occurred or at which the supply has become exhausted.
In carrying out the first part of my invention I have employed in practice between
each pair of spindle-bobbins (or at each spindle-bobbin) a continuous pin which
projects above and below the ring-and-traveler. This pin is preferably supported
vertically in a hole drilled in the ring-plate or bolder, and is arranged as close to the
traveler as practicable. The pin projects on each side of the ring-plate for a distance
of about one inch, but its length or projection may be more or less according to the
desire of the manufacturer.

page_text: In operation when the broken or the final end of the yarn passes the drawing-off
rollers and reaches the ring-and-traveler, the pins on opposite sides thereof operate to
protect the thread on adjacent spindle-bobbins, since they act as barriers and confine
the loose and soiled end within the space between the pins. The flapping of the loose
end against the pins at the same time causes a wiping and drying of the end of the
thread, so that even if the movement of the ring-and-traveler should carry the pins
past the plane of revolution of the loose end and the latter should contact with
adjacent threads, such adjacent threads would not be soiled thereby. The 'loose end
strikes or lashes each pin about five thousand times before the pins. can pass away
from the end of the thread. In practice the ring-and-traveler move either up or down
a distance of about one inch during five thousand revolutions of the spindle, and hence
with a pin one inch long the thread would strike each pin five thousand times during
such movement of the ring-and-traveler and pins, the pins being attached to the ring-
plate and moving up and down therewith. Of course if the pins were longer the
wiping would be longer continued, but I have found in practice that pins of the
length mentioned are all sufficient. While this is so, it will be understood of course,
that pins the entire length of the spindle-bobbin may be employed and may be fixed
to the spindle rail, and the ring-plates formed with perforations to enable them to
slide up and down over the fixed pins thus extending upwardly from the spindle rail,
These pins may be otherwise applied and of course instead of being made in the form
of round wire pins such as I prefer, the protecting means may be made in the form
of flat or sheet metal devices, or of any other suitable form or material, so long as
they perform the function of preventing the broken or final ends of the yarn or thread
from communicating the greasy, oily, or other like matter to the threads of adjacent
spindle-bobbins.
In twisting machines as heretofore made, so far as I am aware, no means have been
provided to prevent the yarn, during the twisting operation, from creeping sidewise
or working off the periphery of the upper drawing-off roller of the pair of rollers
employed, and in consequence much time is lost and trouble experienced on the part
of the operator or attendant. When the yarn thus works off the roller the attendant
is obliged to stop the spindle and cut out the portion of the yarn which has run off the
roller and on to the bearings, because such portion of the yarn, by reason of its
contact with the bearings or frame-work, takes on a quantity of rust which would be
disclosed. in the finished thread, and which of course is objectionable. One girl
usually attends to a large number of spindles, and heretofore considerable of her time
has been employed in watching the feed or drawing-off of the yarn and in replacing
it on the rollers after its escape therefrom after removing the damaged portion, which
latter is usually done by stopping the spindle and cutting out the soiled portion and
then tying together the ends of the yarn.
+
The second part of my invention has for one of its objects to avoid all of this, trouble
and loss of time by providing means whereby it is impossible for the yarn to become
detached from the roller while the twist is being done or while the machine is being
stopped.
My invention consists in the various features of construction and combinations of
devices hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended
claims.
In the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a portion of a yarn twisting or winding machine
and showing my present invention..
Figure 2 is a side sectional elevation thereof..
Figure 3 is a front elevation of a part of said machine, but showing my improve
ments carried out in another form.
Figure 4 is a top plan view thereof, omitting the spindle and bobbin.
.1, 1, 1, represent the supply-bobbins, which as shown are mounted upon revoluble
skewers 2, 2, 2, suitably supported; 3 and 4 the drawing-off rollers; 5, 5, 5, the
winding spindles; and 6, 6, 6, the spindle-bobbins, all of the usual construction,
arrangement and mode of operation. 7 designates the usual ring-plate secured upon

page_text: a cross rail 8, and provided at near its front end with a ring 9 and traveler 10, through
which latter the thread or yarn 11 passes, and by which it is guided on to the bobbin 6
as the bobbin is rotated and the ring-plate or holder is moved alternately up and
down. There is one ring-plate and ring-and-traveler for each spindle-bobbin.
Referring more particularly to Figures 1 and 2, it will be seen that each ring-plate
is provided on one side and in proximity to the ring 9, with a vertically-arranged
pin 12 which projects both above and below the said ring and its traveler.
This pin may be secured by solder or other suitable means, and while I prefer to
make it of one continuous piece, it may be formed of two separate pieces so secured
as that one piece shall project upwardly and the other downwardly from the ring-plate,
and the projection of said pin from each side of the ring-plate is preferably about
one inch in extent, as herein before explained. For all practical purposes one pin at
each ring-and-traveler is sufficient, but if desired two pins may be employed thereat,
one on each side of the ring-and-traveler. With the single pin arrangement shown at
Figure 1, it will be seen that the thread on adjacent bobbins is fully protected. If
for instance the thread or yarn which is being wound upon the middle spindle-bobbin
should break or should run off the supply-bobbin, it will be seen that the broken
or final end thereof will strike the pin of the middle bobbin and also the pin of
the left-hand bobbin, and thereby prevent the soiling of the thread on both the
right-hand bobbin and the left-hand bobbin, the whirling soiled end of the thread
being prevented from reaching the thread of the right-hand bobbin by the pin of the
middle bobbin, and from reaching the thread of the left-hand bobbin by the pin at the
left-hand bobbin. Hence it is necessary in this instance to arrest only the middle
spindle and unwind and remove the thread which may have become soiled upon its
bobbin. It will be understood, of course, that if the thread feeding to the right-hand
bobbin should become broken, the pin at the bobbin on the left (or the pin of the
middle bobbin) will protect the thread on the left-hand bobbin, and the pin at the
right-hand bobbin will protect the thread on the bobbin next adjacent to it on
the right, but not shown.
2
By having the pins, bars, or obstructions 12 projecting upwardly and downwardly,
the adjacent threads are protected whether the ring-and-traveler be moving either
upwardly or downwardly, the lower obstructing device acting during the upward
movement of the ring-and-traveler, and the upper device operating during the
downward movement of the ring-and-traveler.
Referring now to Figures 3 and 4, it will be observed that the pin, bar, or
obstructing device 12ª is secured to the spindle rail 13 at its lower end and passes
through a slot or hole 14 in the ring-plate 7" containing a ring 9ª and traveler 10³.
In this example the obstructing device 12ª instead of being made of a round wire or
pin-like as in Figures 1 and 2, is shown as made of flat wire or of sheet metal and as
rectangular in cross section. The thread obstructing device 12ª being fixed is made
of such a length or height as to afford the required protection to adjacent bobbins,
whatever may be the position or location of the ring-and-traveler at the time the break
occurs or when the end of the supply-bobbin is reached, and for this reason the free or
upper erid of said obstructing device 12" extends up to substantially the upper end of
the spindle-bobbin. Various other changes in detail construction and arrangement
of the obstructing device may be made without departing from the spirit of my
invention.
Referring now particularly to the second part of my invention, 15 is a cross-bar
which supports the skewers 2, and to this cross-bar is attached an arm 16 which is
curved upwardly and forwardly and supports at its free end a transverse bar or
rod 17 over which the yarn passes as it leaves the bobbin. Beneath said bar or rod
is the wetting and drawing-off apparatus, comprising essentially a tank or vessel 18
for holding water and the drawing-rolls 3 and 4. The tank or vessel is secured to or
mounted in a suitable casting or frame 19 which is supported on a rod 20 about which
it may be adjusted by means of a set screw 21. The roller 4 extends the entire length
of the machine and is supported at its ends by arms 22 which are mounted on the
rod or shaft 20.

page_text: At each bobbin and spindle is one short cylindrical roller 3 which runs in peripheral
contact with the long roller 4. Each said short roller 3 is provided with lateral
pivots 23 which turn in slotted bearings in a bracket 24 extending rigidly forward
from the frame or casting 25.
Running parallel with the bar or shaft 2) is a hollow casting 26 which is provided
with a square filling of wood 27, and fastened by a screw 28 to the wooden strip 27,
opposite each roller 3, is an arm or bracket 29 which at its free end is provided at one
side with a guiding device 30 provided with a circular groove 31 and secured to the
arm or bracket 29 by a screw. The device 30 is made preferably of porcelain and
is adapted to be turned by hand from time to time as its surface is worn or cut by
the passage of the yarn, so as to present as needed new or fresh wearing surfaces.
The groove 31 is arranged in a vertical plane passing through the middle of the
roller 3.
At about the center of the arm or bracket and on one side thereof is an eye 32 for
guiding the yarn to the roller 4.
At the front of the casting 16 is mounted a glass roller 33 over which the yarn
runs in its passage to the spindle 5 and ring-and-traveler by which the yarn is
twisted.
As will be seen from Figure 2, the yarn passes from the bobbin 2 out over the bar
or rod 17, down through the eye 32 to the roller 4, through the water in the
vessel 18; thence upwardly around the roller 4 and under the roller 3; thence up
over the guide 30; and thence tangentially downwardly over the rollers 3 and 33 and
down to the ring-and-traveler.
It will be seen that by the employment of the guide 30 the yarn is held substantially
in the middle of the roller 3 during the twisting operation, and hence the objections
beretofore existing and previously pointed out are entirely overcome by the use of
this device. Of course various forms of guides may be employed to keep the yarn
from creeping off the roller 3 during the twisting operation without departing from
the spirit of my invention, although I prefer the construction and arrangement herein
shown and described.
While I have shown and described the machine in connection with the twisting of
a single strand of yarn only, it will of course be understood that it is equally useful
in connection with the twisting of several strands of yarn in the manufacture of
thread or spool cotton.
By the term "twisting operation" I include the time the machine being stopped,
as well as that during which the actual work of twisting is done, for during the
stoppage of the machine there is likewise a tendency for the thread to creep or work
off the roller.
By placing the guide 30 in the elevated position shown back of the roller 3, the
yarn or thread is maintained in a straight line, which enables a better or more perfect
twist to be made; and by arranging the guide centrally of the roller 3, undue wear
of the rollers is prevented. If the yarn or thread does pass between the rollers
substantially midway of the roller 3, one end of the latter rests upon the roller 4,
thereby taking a part of the weight off the yarn or thread, and the edge of the small
roller cuts and wears into the large roller. The yarn or thread should keep the
rollers apart to prevent wear of the rollers and this may be readily accomplished
if the guide 30, be so placed as to direct the yarn or thread centrally of the smaller
roller.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. In a yarn twisting or winding machine baving a series of supply-bobbins and a
series of spindle-bobbins, the combination with the rings-and-travelers, of a series of
vertically-disposed pins, bars, or the like arranged between adjacent spindle-bobbins
and projecting above and below the rings-and-travelers during their up and down
movements and operating to prevent the broken or the final end of the yarn or thread

page_text: of one spindle-bobbin from contacting with and soiling the thread on adjacent spindle-
bobbins in all positions of the rings-and-travelers.
2. In a yarn twisting or winding machine, the combination with the series of
supply-bobbins and the series of spindle or receiving bobbins, of a series of ring-
plates having each a ring-and-traveler, and also a protecting pin or pins projecting
upwardly and downwardly from said ring-plates.
3. In a yarn twisting or winding machine, the combination with the drawing-off
rollers 3 and 4 and the twisting devices, of a guide mounted and arranged in a
vertical plane passing substantially through the middle of the roller 3 and in proximity
to said roller to prevent the yarn from creeping off the said roller during either the
twisting or the stopping action.
4. In a yarn twisting or winding machine, the combination with the drawing-off
rollers 3 and 4 and the twisting devices, of the grooved guide arranged substantially
centrally of the length of the roller 3 and above and in rear of the axis thereof.
5. In a yarn twisting or winding machine, the combination with the drawing-off
rollers 3 and 4, of the cross-bar 27, the bracket 29 having the eye 32, and the central
adjustable grooved guide 30.
1
стя
1000
FELL & JAMES,
Agents for the Applicant.