Improvements in Machines for Use in Mercerizing and Dyeing Yarns.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Oct., 1899-Accepted, 30th Dec., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Use in Mercerizing and Dyeing Yarns.
I, LEONARD WELDON, in the City of Amsterdam, County of Montgomery,
United States of America, Manufacturer, 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 relates to yarn dyeing machines and the object is to provide
yarn dyeing machines, by which yarn is dyed, in skeins and in large quantities,
with means whereby the skeins may be subjected to great tension, or a great
stretching operation, for the purpose of mercerizing cotton yarn, or, treating
cotton yarn with caustic lye, and washes, to strengthen the fibres and increase
its lustre. Mercerization being well known, it will be unnecessary to describe the
process at length. Heretofore the stretching operation, necessary in the pro-
cess, could only be applied to small quantities of yarn at a time, although
various devices have been used, all of which rendered the process expensive
thereby increasing the cost of the yarn.
To this end my invention consists in the combination with the dye-tub, of a
reel constituted by a pair of large wheels fixed on a revoluble shaft, revoluble
removable sticks between the outer rims of the wheels, a pair of smaller wheels
loosely mounted on the said shaft between the large wheels, revoluble removable
sticks between the outer rims of the small wheels, means to rotate the said
reel, gearing mounted on the large wheels and adapted to rotate the small
wheels relatively to the large wheels when the large wheels are rotated, and
suitable means to regulate or control said relative movement of the parts.
And my invention consists in certain other combinations of parts hereinafter
described and specifically set forth in the claims.
In the drawings hereto annexed and forming a part of this specification,
Figure 1 is a right-hand side elevation of my improved dyeing machine, Figure 2
is a plan view, partly in section of the machine and somewhat simplified to
more clearly show the construction and designed working of the parts, both
views having the cover of the tub removed, to exhibit the reel or skein carrying
devices, Figure 3 is a partial enlarged view of the inner sides of the right-hand
wheels showing the gearing mounted thereon, and Figure 4 is a horizontal central
transverse sectional view of portions of the opposite pairs of wheels on the
shaft with a pair of yarn sticks between them, taken on line, Fig. 3.
Referring specifically to the drawings, A is the tub, preferably made of cast
iron and having a curved lower side to correspond to the curvature of the
periphery of the wheels within; A is the shaft for the wheels journaled in
bearings, a, a, mounted on the top of the tub; B, B are the large wheels mounted
rigidly upon the shaft near the opposite sides of the tub and having each pre-
ferably a rim integral with the spokes and provided with gear teeth preferably
on segments, b, b. suitably secured upon the periphery of the rim.
The segments, b, b, etc., are in mesh with a pinion, c, on a shaft, d to the
right of Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings. When both large wheels are pro-
vided with toothed segments, the shaft, d, may have a pinion c, for each wheel.
One end of the shaft, d, is provided with a worm wheel, e, which engages a
worm f, on the end of a horizontal shaft, g, journaled in bearings on one of the
vertical sides of the tub.

page_text: A pair of driving pulleys, g¹, g', are on the shaft, g, for revolving the same
in either direction, said pulleys having the well known friction clutches and
sliding means, g, for operating the same on the shaft between the pulleys,
suitable levers and a connecting bar being shown for operating the sliding means.
Mounted loosely upon the shaft, A between but near the large wheels, are a
pair of large worm wheels, C, C, said worm wheels carrying the inner circular
series of yarn sticks, the outer series of yarn sticks, , being carried by the
large wheels, B, B. In order that both series of sticks may be of the same
length, the large wheels have each a second' rim, 'B', mounted on angular
arms, B, preferably integral with the spokes of the wheel. The bearings for
the yarn sticks are mounted and carried on the inner sides' of the rims B₁, of
the wheels. The bearings for the yarn sticks on one of the large wheels are
adapted to receive the round spindles on the ends of the sticks, ¹, and the
bearings,, on the opposite wheel are adapted to receive the square ends of the
sticks; the latter bearings are adapted to be rotated periodically as usual' and
by the usual and well known means not necessary to be described herein as this
feature forms no part of my present invention.
j, are the circular rails mounted on' the ends of arms projecting from the
inner sides of the large wheels to prevent the skeins from working into the bear-
ings of the sticks. Each of the large worm wheels, C, C, is engaged by a worm D
on the central portion of a short shaft D', journaled near its ends in bearings, k, k,
on a pair of spokes of one of the large wheels B.
Each shaft D, has a small worm wheel E on one end and said worm wheel
is in mesh with a worm F on a cross shaft F1 also journaled in bearings 1, 1,
on the large wheels. This shaft F carrying the two worms, has one end pro-
jecting through one of the outer or larger wheels, B, and is provided with a
pinion, G, on its outer end. This pinion, G, engages with a large spur gear H
loosely journaled on the shaft, A¹, outside the large wheel, B, or between the
same and the side of the tub. The spur gear has a large friction pulley I pre-
ferably cast upon its side and a heavy brake, consisting of a brake shoe, J,
pivoted at its lower end to the side of the tub and a lever, K, provided with a
cam face, m, at its lower pivoted end to engage the shoe, to bear on the friction
pulley so as to enable the operator to entirely or partially stop the spur gear
when the rest of the machine is in motion.
The operation is as follows: The skeins of yarn, y, indicated in several of the
figures of the drawings by broken lines, are placed in position as usual upon the
two series of yarn sticks and . The sticks having square ends are placed
in the bearings provided on the rims of the large or outer wheels, and the sticks
having only round ends or spindles are placed in the bearings upon the two worm
gears C C
After the series of bearings are filled with sticks, motion is imparted to the
reel or to the large wheels B, B, through the segments, b, b, pinions c, c, shaft d,
worm wheel e, worm f, shaft g and either of the pulleys g¹ depending upon the
direction it is desired to revolve the reel. When the reel is revolved in the
direction of the unfeathered arrow near it, the direction in which it is moved when
stretching the skeins, the right-hand pulley is connected by the clutch to the
shaft -
During the revolution of the reel, the brake lever, K, is pulled down and
the brake shoe thereby strongly applied to the friction pulley I. stopping the
pulley and the large spur gear H that are loosely journaled on the shaft A¹.
As soon as this spur gear is stopped or sufficiently retarded in its revolution,
the pinion, G, on the cross shaft E revolves round the spur gear, thereby driving
the two worm gears that rotate the worms, D, D, that in turn revolve the large
worm wheels C, C. carrying the inner series of yarn sticks revolving them in
the opposite direction or relatively to the revolution of the large wheels B. B.
By this operation the sticks are forced a greater distance apart thus stretching
the yarn that is upon the sticks.

page_text: After the tension is sufficiently great, alkali is entered into the tub or vat
for a few minutes, after which time it is pumped out and wash water admitted
to, wash out the alkali; then acid is admitted to completely neutralize all trace
of the alkali, after which the movement of the reel is reversed by the movement
of the clutch, and the brake again applied, to remove the strain from the skeins
and to loosen them enough to allow them to be removed from the machine.
I do not wish to be limited to the precise form of construction herein shown
and described inasmuch as the shape of the various parts and the style of gearing
may be varied without departing from my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1-The combination with the dye-tub, of a shaft, a pair of large wheels on
the shaft carrying a series of yarn-sticks, a pair of smaller wheels on the shaft
between the large wheels carrying the second series of yarn-sticks, and means
for revolving the said small wheels simultaneously in one direction and relatively
to the revolution of the large wheels, as set forth.
2- The combination with the dye-tub, of a shaft, a pair of large wheels on
the shaft carrying a series of yarn-sticks, a pair of smaller wheels on the shaft
between the large wheels carrying the second series of yarn sticks, means for
revolving the said small wheels simultaneously in one direction while the large
wheels are rotated in the opposite direction, and means to arrest the relative
movement of the wheels during the continued revolution of said wheels, as set
forth.
3 The combination with the dye-tub, of a shaft mounted to turn in bearings
on said tub, a pair of large wheels within the tub and secured to the shaft to
turn therewith, a series of yarn-sticks carried by the said wheels, a pair of
smaller wheels loosely mounted on the shaft between the large wheels, a series
of yarn-sticks carried by the small wheels, gearing to rotate the large wheels one
direction, and gearing between the large wheels and the smaller wheels for
rotating the latter wheels simultaneously and relatively to the large wheels, and
means to arrest the relative movement of the wheels during the continued revolu-
tion of said wheels in one direction, as set forth.
4 The combination with the dye-tub, of a shaft mounted to turn in bearings
on said tub, a pair of large wheels within the tub and secured to the shaft to
turn therewith, a series of yarn-sticks carried by the said wheels, a pair of
smaller wheels loosely mounted on the shaft between the large wheels, a series
of yarn-sticks carried by the small wheels, gearing to rotate the large wheels in
one direction, and gearing between the large wheels and the smaller wheels for
rotating the latter wheels simultaneously and relatively to the large wheels,
a large spur gear on the shaft in mesh with the gearing between the large and
small wheels and suitable braking devices to arrest the rotation of the said spur gear
to cause the relative movement of the large and small wheels, substantially as
and for the purpose described.
5-The combination with the dye-tub, of a reel constituted by a pair of large.
wheels fixed on a revoluble shaft mounted in bearings on the tub, revoluble
removable yarn-sticks between the outer rims of the wheels, a pair of smaller
wheels loosely mounted on the said shaft between the large wheels, revoluble
removable yarn-sticks between the outer rims of the small wheels, means to
rotate the said reel, gearing mounted on the large wheels and adapted to rotate
the small wheels relatively to the large wheels when the large wheels are
rotated, and suitable means to regulate or control said relative movement of the
wheels, substantially as described.
6-The combination with the dye-tub, of a shaft mounted to turn in bearings
on said tub, a pair of large wheels within the tub and secured to the shaft to turn

page_text: therewith, a series of yarn-sticks carried by the said wheels, a pair of smaller
wheels loosely mounted on the shaft between the large wheels, a series of yarn-
sticks carried by the small wheels, gearing to rotate the large wheels in either
and both directions, said smaller wheels having teeth on their peripheries to
engage worms, worms on shafts journaled in bearings mounted on the large
wheels, worm gears on the worm shafts, a cross shaft having worms engaging
said worm gears, said cross shaft also journaled in bearings on the large wheels,
and means to operate the gearing between the two wheels when the large wheels
are driven in either direction to cause the relative movement of the large and
small wheels, as and for the purpose described.
7-The combination with the dye-tub, of a shaft mounted to turn in bearings
on said tub, a pair of large wheels within the tub and secured to the shaft to
turn therewith, a series of yarn-sticks carried by the said wheels, a pair of
smaller wheels loosely mounted on the shaft between the large wheels, a series
of yarn-sticks carried by the small wheels, gearing to rotate the large wheels in
either and both directions, said smaller wheels having teeth on their peripheries
to engage worms, worms on shafts journaled in bearings mounted on the large
wheels, worm gears on the worm shafts, a cross shaft having worms engaging
said worm gears, said cross shaft also journaled in bearings on the large wheels,
a spur gear loosely mounted on the first mentioned shaft near one end, a friction
wheel on one side of the said spur gear, and a brake to engage the friction wheel,
substantially as and for the purpose described.
8-The combination with the dye-tub, of a shaft mounted to turn in bearings
on said tub, a pair of large wheels, within the tub and secured to the shaft to
turn therewith, a series of yarn-sticks carried by the said wheels, a pair of smaller
wheels loosely mounted on the shaft between the large wheels, a series of yarn-
sticks carried by the small wheels, gearing to rotate the large wheels in either
and both directions, said smaller wheels having teeth on their peripheries to
engage worms, worms on shafts journaled in bearings mounted on the large
wheels, worm gears on the worm shafts, a cross-shaft having worms engaging
said worm gears, said cross-shaft also journaled in bearings on the large wheels,
a spur gear loosely mounted on the first mentioned shaft near one end, a friction
wheel on one side of the said spur gear, a pivoted brake shoe to engage the
periphery of the friction wheel, and a pivoted lever having a cam-shaped surface
to engage the brake-shoe, substantially as and for the purpose described.
9 The combination with the dye-tub, of a shaft mounted to turn in bearings
on said tub, a pair of large wheels within the tub and secured to the shaft to
turn therewith, a series of yarn-sticks carried by the said wheels, a pair of
smaller wheels loosely mounted on the shaft between the large wheels, a series
of yarn-sticks carried by the small wheels, gearing to rotate the large wheels in
either and both directions, segments having gear teeth secured on the periphery
of one or both of said large wheels, and forming part of the gearing to rotate
the large wheels, said smaller wheels having teeth on their peripheries to engage
worms, worms on shafts journaled in bearings mounted on the large wheels, worm
gears on the worm shafts, a cross-shaft having worms engaging said worm gears,
said cross-shaft also journaled in bearings on the large wheels, and means to
operate the gearing between the two wheels when the large wheels are driven
in either direction to cause the relative movement of the large and small wheels,
as and for the purpose described.
Dated this 28th day of August 1900
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.