Improvements in Printing Carpet Yarns.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 30th July, 1895-Accepted, 7th Sept., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Printing Carpet Yarns.
I, WILLIAM SHAW, residing at No. 593 Vanderbilt Avenue, Brooklyn, Kings
County, State of New York, United States of America, Machinist, 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:
My invention refers to improvements in apparatus for printing carpet yarns,
and particularly such as used in the manufacture of tapestry and velvet carpets.
In applying my improvements, relating to the color equalizing and rubbing
appliances, I prefer to make use of an apparatus of the general construction
illustrated in my Patent for Great Britain for Apparatus for printing carpet yarn,
No. 16,914 dated 8th September 1893 particularly as far as the color carriage,
the main distributing wheel and the vertically movably supports are concerned
which carry the appliances for equalizing the coloring matter, and for rubbing it
into the yarn.
In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this Specification, and wherein
like figures of reference refer to corresponding parts throughout the different
views,
Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of an apparatus embodying my
improvements;
Figure 2 shows a cross section of the track on which the color carriage is made
to travel and of my, improved appliances for shifting the center rail laterally,
which supports the color equalizing and rubbing devices; and Figure 3 a corre-
sponding section of the center rail, together with an end view of one of the end
supports of the same;
Figure 4 is a ground plan of said rails and of the apparatus for shifting the center
rail;
Figure 5 is a side elevation; and Figure 6 a longitudinal central section of my
appliances for equalizing and rubbing into the yarn the coloring matter applied
thereto by the color wheel, such appliances being. shown in their depressed,
operative positions, while Figure 7 is a ground plan of the same, and
Figure 8 a vertical cross section along line 8, 8, in Figure 6, looking towards the
left.
Fig. 9 is a side elevation and Fig. 10 a ground plan of my preferred form of
equalizing appliances;
Figures 4 to 10 inclusive, are drawn to enlarged scales.
Corresponding figures and letters of reference throughout the different views
refer to corresponding parts.
1 is the color box for feeding the main distributing wheel with liquid coloring
matter. 8, 8 and 10, 10 are wheels attached to axles 9 and 11, respectively. The
main body 12 of the color carriage engages with such axles in the usual way.
16 is the upper lid, pivoted to abutment 13 at one end and receiving yielding or
elastic upward pressure through two leaf springs 19, attached to main carriage
body 12, one on each side. Color box 1 is seated within proper openings in lid 16
and main body 12 and rests on straps 20 attached to the latter. Main distributing
wheel 23 is mounted on an axle, resting in open bearings on lid 16 so as to be
capable of revolving within color box 1 and to be removed from the color carriage
together with its axle, when the color box is lifted from the same.
24 is a grooved pulley mounted on an axle 25 which latter rests in open

page_text: bearings as 26, and is placed in line with the main axle of the distributing wheel
and normally connected therewith by a suitable sleeve coupling in the usual
inanner. 30, 30 are hooks fastened to brackets 28 on the carriage body, to which
the ends of a continuous rope are attached for the purpose of thereby drawing
the color carriage and the equalizing and spreading and rubbing devices,
supported thereby, forward and backward along rails 32, 32, and parallel with
drum 33, which latter carries the carpet yarn Y, which is to be printed, and
which is wound around said drum in a continuous uniform layer in a manner
indicated particularly in Fig. 1. Said continuous rope runs around suitable pulleys,
placed near both ends of the track, and one of said pulleys usually receives its
revolving motion from a gear wheel or pulley, driven from some main shaft, and
attached to main frame on which the drum is mounted.
While the main distributing wheel is thus being 'moved along said drum, it will
be held in contact with the yarn by the springs as 19, forcing upward lid 16, and
with it its bearings, and the friction so produced between such wheel and such yarn
will keep the former revolving while such contact and such movement of the
carriage continues, and will cause said wheel thereby to bring up from the bottom
of box 1 the coloring matter, in which it is immersed, which is to be applied to the
yarn. It is, however, necessary to provide means for revolving distributing
wheel 23 while it is travelling toward said drum, and before it comes in contact
with the yarn, so as to have that part of its periphery, which at first comes in such
contact, fully supplied with coloring matter, and this is accomplished by revolving
it by means of pulley 24, whose axle 25 is coupled together with that of the color
wheel, pulley 24 being revolved by a cord in the usual manner until the coloring
wheel comes in contact with the yarn and after it passes from under the drum.
The effect of drawing the coloring wheel along the yarn, as described, will be the
production of a "streak" of coloring matter on the yarn, about three-eighths of
an inch wide, and slightly exceeding in width the face of such wheel. Owing to the
pressure applied to the distributing wheel by spring 19, the greater part of such
coloring matter thus deposited on the yarn will be forced outward by such wheel so
as to form two ridges directly adjoining the path of such face of the wheel, while the
space between such ridges will be covered by coloring matter, but not as heavily.
Heretofore appliances substantially as described above have been employed.
The coloring wheel having travelled once along the drum, the latter was revolved
around its axis sufficiently to bring another part of the yarn, which was to receive
the same shade, in the path of such coloring wheel and after thus all the streaks of
the same color and shade required had been made, the color box and coloring
wheel were lifted off from the carriage, and a different set of them for applying a
different color, or shade of color, were applied. Finally, after the entire surface
of the yarn had thus been coated, operatives, using elastic hand scrapers would
force the coloring matter, forming the ridges above referred to, into the intervening
spaces, thus equalizing, as far as practicable, the distribution of the coloring
matter and removing any excess of the same. As this scraping of the yarn under
the circumstances, would necessarily take place some time after the application of
the coloring matter thereto, such coloring matter would, owing to capillary
attraction, have in a measure soaked into the yarn and the scraping by hand would
be only an auxiliary step towards printing the yarn in a uniform manner.
It has been the practice, heretofore, where an isolated streak of a certain color
only was applied (the streaks next adjoining being of a different shade or color) to
leave such a streak unscraped, and to depend upon the scouring process, to which
the printed yarn is always subjected after being removed from the drum, to
equalize the coloring matter therein, a single streak being so narrow as to make
any inequalities in the coloring matter applied thereto inappreciable in the finished
fabric. The hand scrapers heretofore employed have been of about double the
width of a single streak, the operator in one stroke covering the coloring matter on
two adjoining streaks, scraping first in one and then in the opposite direction,
thereby giving a rolling motion to the yarn.

page_text: With my improvements, I am enabled to likewise treat two adjoining streaks of
ordinary widths of the same color and shade at a time, while I omit to equalize by
mechanical appliances the coloring matter in single streaks throwing in the latter
case such appliances in front as well as in the rear of the distributing wheel
temporarily out of operation.
When very thin coloring matter is being applied to the yarn, there are sometimes
employed coloring wheels of twice the operative widths of ordinary wheels, and as
this kind of coloring substance does not require as thorough rubbing in as the
thicker kind, I find it possible by means of a lateral attachment to the main rubbing
devices, to cover in one operation a streak or streaks aggregating in width four
single, or two double streaks.
28, 28 are brackets having their horizontal arms fastened to the upper face of
main carriage body 12, and extending beyond the same so as to bring their vertical
arms in front in the rear of the color carriage. These vertical arms, indicated
by 60 form bearings within which posts 29 made of rectangular cross-sections are
made to slide. From the upper ends of these posts extend horizontally
platforms 34 having at their outer ends brackets 61, provided with outer
lugs 62, between which extend an axle or pivot 63 carrying a swinging
lug 64 adjoining said stationary lugs 62. To the upper surfaces of lugs 64
there is attached the rear end of a rigid platform 65, which platform is made
to extend over platform 34. 66 is an equalizer, having two longitudinal
bars 67, adapted to extend along the outer edges of a double streak as D,
Fig. 7, or of two single streaks, so as to have their operative edges terminate
where nearest to the distributing wheel, at substantially the same distances
therefrom, thus making each of said arms perform the same amount of work and
guarding such coloring matter against spreading, and conducting the same towards
the cross connection 68, which is shown to be constructed as a rubber, having a
slight depression in its upper surface wherein which coloring matter, temporarily
removed from the yarn by bars 67 may be retained until again applied thereto
by said rubber. The ends of bars 67 nearest the color wheel are connected"
by an apron 69, which extends outward therefrom laterally, and curves downward
to a considerable depth. This apron is provided for the purpose of gradually
guiding the equalizer underneath the end of the drum, and thus guarding against
its arms catching hold of the yarn there, and breaking it. 70 is a rubber
with a flat upper surface, preferably with a depression similar to that on
cross connection 68 and for a corresponding purpose. Its upper surface also
curves down gradually towards the distributing wheel. The outer upper
edges of rubber 70 correspond in their outlines approximately with the inner
upper edges of equalizer 66, and said rubber is adjusted to have a slight
play upward and downward within the opening in the equalizer, so as to bring such
upper edges of the two devices directly opposite each other and close together when
their upper surfaces are placed at the same elevation, which will be the case when
said devices are held in contact, with the yarn on the drum by the means herein-
after described. 71 is a leaf spring, supporting the rear end of equalizer 66, and
72, 72 are such springs, supporting two lugs 73, provided on apron 69, while
74 is a leaf spring, supporting the rear end of rubber 70, and 75, 75 are such
springs supporting two lugs 76 near the front end of said rubber. All said leaf
springs are secured by bolts 77 to the rear end of platform 65, and it will be'
seen that owing to the lengths of said springs, considerable play upward and down-
ward is given to equalizer and rubber. 78 are guide bolts, passing successively
through lugs 73, springs 72, lugs 76, springs 75 and platform 65, and 79 is a
guide bolt passing successively through rear end of equalizer 66, spring 71, rear
end of rubber 70, spring 74 and platform 65, the lower ends of all said bolts
being permitted to play through suitable holes in platform 65, except as far as
limited by keys 80, inserted near their ends. Or said bolts may be rigidly
connected with platform 65 and the rubber, equalizer and leaf springs may be.
allowed to play along said bolts. 81 are set screws placed underneath the front

page_text: end of lug 64 for limiting and adjusting the elevation of platform 65, while 82 are
set screws inserted underneath the "rear end of said lug. I have provided said set
screws 82, as I have found in practice that in the absence of said set screws, plat-
form 65, and with it the appliances mounted thereon, are sometimes swung backward
and upward inadvertently and left so while the color carriage passes underneath
the drum. Set screws 82 will guard against this, and against accidents arising
therefrom.
83 are screws for securing platform 65 to lug 64. They pass through slots 84
placed crosswise to said platform, and it will be seen that by said means, such plat-
form and the appliances carried by it may be displaced laterally until they occupy
proper positions with reference to the color wheel.
Assuming the double streak D, or the second one of two singie streaks aggregating
the same width, were being applied by the color wheel, the equalizer will be guided
underneath the drum by apron 69, and will be held in contact with the yarn directly
outside of said streak or streaks. Rubber 70 will immediately afterwards be forced
downward in a like manner, owing to the downward curvature of its front end,
bars 66 supplying coloring matter from the outer color ridges to rubber 70, as well
as to rear portion 68 of equalizer 66, and by these instrumentalities all the coloring
matter applied to the yarn will generally be rubbed into the yarn readily and
uniformly the depressions on the operative surfaces of rubber 70 and of the rear.
cross connection of the equalizer serving to temporarily store surplus coloring
matter therein forced inward by the longitudinal arms of the equalizer or removed
from the yarn by the rubbing devices until reapplied to the yarn by said appliances
at' points of the drum where it may be needed. To prevent, however, any slight
surplus quantities of coloring matter from lodging between, and, perhaps, gumming
together equalizer and rubber, I make the walls of said appliances where facing
each other recede from each other, as shown at 85, in Figures 5 and 6, and at 86,
in Figure 8. 87 is an opening within platform 65, through which such surplus
coloring matter may be made to drop into a suitable receptacle underneath.
Owing to the action of the leaf springs above referred to, and owing to the action
of guide bolts 78 and 79, the upper surfaces of equalizer and rubber while changing
their elevations, will still remain substantially parallel with platform 65. I have
found in practice that the best results are obtained by making the rear portion of
the equalizer which serves as a rubber, non elastic and to likewise make the
operative portion of rubber 70 non-elastic the employment of apparatus
as constructed producing more uniform results than can be obtained by
the use of portion of a leaf spring as a rubber, as is proposed in my Patent
No. 16914 of 1893, is a rubber, in the form of an arm, extending laterally from
the rear portion of equalizer 66. Its upper surface is made narrow and rounding
and of substantially the same elevation as the highest portion of the equalizer. It
extends outward sufficiently to cover an adjoining streak D', of double width, or
together with the equalizer to cover a single streak of equal aggregate width as two
double streaks. Its outer end is joined to the front end of said equalizer by
a connecting bar 89 slanting inward and downward. The function of said rubber
will be a different one under different conditions. If a color wheel, making streaks
of single or double widths be employed, rubber 88, if it should happen to glide over
other streaks previously made, would have a tendency to further rub in the coloring
matter therein, and to thus impart a certain finish to said streaks. A further
function is to act as a complement to equalizer 66 and rubber 70 in case a color
wheel, having an operative face, equal to the widths of two single streaks is
employed. In that case, while the wheel makes the first streak all the rubbing
devices will be kept out of action, but when said wheel makes the second streak,
travelling in the opposite direction, said rubber 88 in that case will pass over the
first double streak so applied to the yarn, the equalizer 66 and rubber 70 rubbing
in simultaneously the second double streak which is being applied at that time.
these extra wide color wheels are only employed when very thin coloring matter
is being used, this employment of said rubber 88 will generally give very satisfactory
As

page_text: The
*results. Where thick coloring matter is being applied by narrow color wheels,
rubber 88 when passing over streaks previously treated by equalizer 66 and
rubber 70, will produce a particularly smooth surface on the colored yarn.
upper edge of rubber 88 may be narrowed at 88°, to guard against too copious
flow of coloring matter from the equalizer outward along said edge and beyond its
outer end. I prefer for such purpose to make the two edges of said rubber 88
converge towards the point where rubber 88 joins the equalizer, thereby guiding
any surplus of coloring matter back into the path of the equalizer.
In the preferred device illustrated in Figures 9 and 10, an equalizer 66 and
a rubber 70, of the configurations previously described, are shown. The leaf
spring 711, 72, 74' and 75' however are made U-shaped, both ends of said springs
in each case being held in contact with posts 79 and 78, respectively, the upper
ends of said springs being free to slide along said posts thus allowing vertical
play to equalizer and rubber along said posts. The latter are fixedly secured
to platform 65. 111 are jam nuts for adjusting the tension of said springs
113 is a tray which will receive any surplus coloring matter removed by the equalizer
and rubber, and will discharge the same sideways.
48, 48 are pins or pivots extending outward from the lower extremities of
posts 29 to which are hinged levers 51 carrying at their lower ends rollers 49,49
journaled thereto in such a mauner, that such rollers will ride on a rail 50 placed
underneath drum 33, and that lever 51 will be compelled to assume a vertical
position underneath the support 29 which follows after the distributing wheel,
thereby bringing the appliances supported by it in operative contact with the yarn on`
the drum, as shown on the left hand side of Fig. 1, while the same left hand lever 51
when passing underneath the drum on its return trip and moving head of the
distributing wheel on rail 50 will assume the inclined position similar to that.
shown on the right hand side of Fig. 1, its inclination however being in the
opposite direction. 52 is a connecting rod hinged to the journals of both rollers, 49, 49
and made of such length that when the levers 51, 51 attached to one of the rollers are
in a vertical position, those of the other roller are forced into an inclined position and
thereby draw downward the post 29 to which they are attached, withdrawing at the
same time the equalizer and rubber supported by such post from contact with the
yarn.
The right hand lever 51 in Fig. 1 with its roller are shown to have passed down
an inclined plane which terminates rail 50. Before reaching such incline the
position of said lever while of the saine general direction will be almost level.
Such an incline is provided at each end of rail 50 and near the end of drum 33
for the purpose of thereby gradually elevating the post 29 following after the
color wheel and the appliances supported by it for the purpose of bringing the latter
in operative contact with the yarn.
The equalizer and rubbers in front and in the rear of the distributing wheel are
placed in line with each other for the same reasous which govern like locations of
spreaders and equalizers shown in Letters Patent No.
For the purpose of throwing the equalizers and rubbers in front as well as in the
rear of the distributing wheel out of action while an isolated streak or the first
streak of a series is being made, I employ the following appliances:
Rail 50 is supported by three or more sets of sectional standards 91, 91 jointed
together by bolts 92 passing through suitable slots in said standards whereby said
rail 50 may be raised and lowered and adjustment of equalizing and rubbing appliances
supported thereby may be obtained. 93 are pivots passing through suitable lugs 94
on horizontal plates 95 to which standards 91 are hinged. 96 are toe pieces so
extending from the lower extremities of standards 91 as to come to rest upon
plates 95 when the rail 50 is in its operative position wherein it supports the
rubbing and equalizing appliances, such toe pieces being employed to give stability
to said rail in such position. Lower standard 91 underneath the middle portion of
rail 50 has a flange 97 extending from its upper end with which connects a rod 98,
leading to one arm of a bell crank lever 99, the other arm communicating by means

page_text: of a rod 100 and a wire rope or chain 101 passing around part of the periphery of
a grooved pulley 102 with a treadle 103 hinged to pivot 104. Against the upper
standards 90 near the ends of rail 50 leaf springs 105 are made to rest so as to
resist the lateral displacement of said rail from its operative position, and to bring
it back into said position when the agencies which have been employed to remove
it cease to operate. When only an isolated narrow streak is being produced by
the color wheel and it is therefore desired to keep the equalizing and rubbing
appliances on both sides of said wheel from contact with the yarn, the operator can
accomplish this by depressing treadle 103 with his foot, whereby rail 50 will be
swung laterally around pivots 93 as will readily appear from Figure 4, and when
the operator withdraws his foot from the treadle, springs 105 will force said rail
back into its original position.
Rails 32 are shown here to be capable of vertical adjustment, for the purpose of
regulating the pressure of spring 19 by means of which the color wheel is forced
against the yarn. Such adjustment is accomplished by screw threaded bolts 106,
having their heads imbedded in sills 107 and provided with lock nuts 108, 108,
whereby cross beams 109 extending between rails 32, 32, and fixedly secured thereto
by iron rods 110 passing through said cross beams and with them said rails may
be raised and lowered at will.
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 construction and the employment of the improved apparatus for printing
carpet yarns, comprising a yarn drum, a distributing wheel, and an equalizer
adjusted to follow in its path having two blades extending approximately parallel
with the path of such wheel, but being made to diverge slightly and gradually
towards the distributing wheel, and a cross connection.
2. The construction and the employment of the improved apparatus for printing
carpet yarns, comprising a yarn drum, a distributing wheel, a pressure device
adjusted to follow in its path and independent springs for forcing the same against
the yarn, said springs placed at both sides of said pressure device.
3. The construction and the employment of the improved apparatus for printing
carpet yarns, comprising a yarn drum, a distributing wheel, an equalizer adjusted
to follow in its path and independent springs placed in the rear and also to both
sides of the equalizer.
4. The construction and the employment of the improved apparatus for printing
carpet yarns, comprising a yarn drum, a distributing wheel and two rubbers having
their operative portions non-elastic and adjusted to simultaneously slide in the path
of the wheel, one behind the other, and independent means for holding each of said
rubbers in contact with the yarn.
5. The construction and the employment of the improved apparatus for printing
carpet yarns, comprising a yarn drum, a distributing wheel, an equalizer constructed
as a two arm blade with proper cross connection and having its arms extending
along and outside of the path of the wheel, and a rubber inserted between said
arms and having a depression on its upper surface.
6. The construction and the employment of the improved apparatus for printing
carpet yarns, comprising a yarn drum, a distributing wheel, an equalizer consisting
of a heel and a two armed blade and provided with a slope upon its heel extending
towards the distributing wheel, and an independent rubber inserted between said
arms and provided with a depression on its upper surface.
7. The construction and the employment of the improved apparatus for printing
carpet yarns, comprising a yarn drum, a distributing wheel, and a rubber having
an elongated operative surface extending parallel with and along the drum, a plat-
form, guide bolts passing through the rubber near its forward and near its rear
end and adjusted to play in suitable holes in said platform, and springs for actuating
said rubber.

page_text: 8. The construction and the employment of the improved apparatus for printing
carpet yarns, comprising a yarn drum, a distributing wheel and a rubber having
an elongated operative surface extending along the yarn drum, independent springs
supporting the forward and the rear end of the rubber, a platform on which said
springs are mounted, and guide bolts passing through said springs and the platform
and connected with the rubber.
9. The construction and the employment of the improved apparatus for printing
carpet yarns, in combination with a yarn drum, a distributing wheel, and two
rubbers each actuated by independent springs, a platform and guide bolts adjusted
to play within suitable holes therein and serving for the rubbers jointly.
10. The construction and the employment of the improved apparatus for printing
carpet yarns, comprising a yarn drum, a distributing wheel, and an equalizer having
two longitudinal arms with the portions nearest the distributing wheel which carry
their operative edges terminating at substantially the same distances from said
wheel, and a cross connection, and a rubber extending laterally from said equalizer
and beyond the path of its broadest portion and provided with an operative surface
of substantially the same elevation as that of said cross connection.
11. The construction and the employment of the improved apparatus for printing
carpet yarns, comprising a yarn drum, a distributing wheel, and an equalizer having
two longitudinal arms and a cross connection, the portions of the arms nearest the
distributing wheel which carry their operative edges terminating at substantially
the same distances from said wheel, an arm extending laterally from said equalizer
and beyond the path of said portions of the arms and provided with a narrow,
rounding, upper edge.
12. The construction and the employment of the improved apparatus for printing
carpet yarns, comprising a yarn drum, a distributing wheel, an equalizer having two
longitudinal bars and a suitable cross connection, and provided with an apron at its
forward end and extending between said longitudinal bars, said apron curving
downward and towards the distributing wheel.
13. The construction and the employment of the improved apparatus for printing
carpet yarns, comprising a yarn drum, a distributing wheel, an equalizer having
two longitudinal arms and a cross connection, and a sliding rubber inserted between
said portions of the equalizer and having its upper outer edges correspond
substantially with the upper and inner edges of the arms and cross connection of
the equalizer, said rubber being capable of vertical displacement with reference to
the equalizer.
14. The construction and the employment of the improved apparatus for printing
carpet yarns, comprising a yarn drum, a distributing wheel, an equalizer having
two longitudinal arms and a cross connection, and an independent sliding rubber
inserted between said portions of said equalizer and having its upper outer edges
correspond substantially with the upper and inner edges of the equalizer, the
equalizer and the rubber underneath said edges being made to recede from each
other.
15. The construction and the employment of the improved apparatus for printing
carpet yarns, comprising a color carriage and its track, rubbing devices on suitable
supports, a rail on which the same travel mounted on a hinged support, bell crank
mechanism 98, 99, 100, pulley 102, rope or chain 101, and treadle 103.
Dated this 20th dow of Iul 1905
WALLACE FAIRWEATHER,
Chartered Patent Agent,
62 St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agent for the Applicant.