Improvements in Yarn Dyeing Machines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Dec., 1891-Accepted, 30th Jan., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Yarn Dyeing Machines.
I, LEONARD WELDON, of the City of Amsterdam, in the County of Mont-
gomery, in the State of New York, United States of America, Manufacturer, do
hereby declare the nature of my invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This invention consists in a novel construction of a machine by means of which
skein yarn can be dyed uniformly and perfectly at a minimum expense of manual
labor, and which machine is capable of dyeing a large quantity of yarn, compared
with the space occupied by the machine.
The invention is fully illustrated in the annexed drawing in which
Fig. 1 is a front view of a machine embodying my invention,
Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section on line x, x, Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a detached plan view of one of the stretcher frames with the skein of
yarn hung thereon, and
Fig. 4 is a section of a dipping frame or wheel embodying a modification of
my invention.
"Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
A represents the tank or vat containing the dye liquor, preferably of semi
cylindrical form internally. In the vat is arranged a rotary dipping frame or
wheel consisting chiefly of two heads B B secured to the end portions of a shaft a
which extends horizontally across the top portion of the vat and is journaled in
suitable boxes or bearings on the end walls of the vat. By means of a pulley or
suitable gear attached to the shaft a at the exterior of the vat, and connected with
a suitable motor, the aforesaid dipping frame or wheel receives rotary motion, and
is caused to revolve partly in the dye liquor in the vat A.
bb'represent the yarn supporting bars or rollers which are arranged parallel
with the shaft a and in pairs or sets and proper distances apart in each pair or set
to sustain the skeins of yarn stretched around them, as represented at c c c in the
drawings.
In order to economize in space and reduce the diameter of the dipping wheel I
arrange each set or pair of said bars or rollers in planes radial to the aforesaid
axis, and by making the outer bar or roller b of a greater diameter than the inner
bar as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing, or employing in each set two outer
rollers 6 with the single inner bar 6 as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing, the
distance between the inner and outer bars is reduced and each set or pair of bars
occupies a sector of the cylindrical space between the two heads B B.
To facilitate the application of the yarn to the bars bb and to also allow the
yarn to be shifted longitudinally on the bars during the dyeing process, I journal
each set or pair of said bars in a stretcher-frame consisting chiefly of two parallel
bars d d united by a cross bar and provided at their ends with suitable bearings
for the journals of the bars b b'. "Said stretcher-frames are inserted with their
bars dd movably longitudinally in radial guides ii on the inner sides of the
heads B B and are retained therein by suitable locking devices which are
represented in the form of pins jj passing transversely through the guides at the
outer ends of the stretcher frames. Said frames may be made adjustable in length
to accommodate them to different lengths of skeins of yarn. The bars or rollers bb₁
may be made detachable from the stretcher frame by making the journal bearings
in the latter open to the top thereof and connecting to the stretcher frame movable
plates or slides e adapted to open and close said journal bearings.
In order to maintain the skeins of yarn in their proper places on the bars b b¹ and

page_text: thus prevent them from becoming entangled. I secure to the cross bar b of the
stretcher-frame, suitable guards, preferably of the form of pius or fingers ff
attached to said cross bar and projecting therefrom at right angles to the plane of
the stretcher frame so as to pass between the skeins: of yarn.
To dye the yarn evenly,, it is essential. to move the same at regular intervals
longitudinally on the stretcher frame,, and to accomplish this automatically without
resorting to the employment of intermittently operating fixed toothed gearing,
which are liable to fail to mesh in their approach and.thus. break the goaring;
firmly attach to one or both ends of the roller a friction pulley or pulleys Band
arrange in the path of said pulley a detent or friction-block D preferably hung on
a cross beam secured to the upper ends of posts rising from the vat, as shown in
Fig. 1 of the drawing. By means of a spring or springs interposed between the
cross-beam and friction-block D, the latter is yieldingly sustained in a radial
position towards the dipping wheel and in the path of the pulleys P P which during.
the rotation of the dipping frame or wheel, come successfully in contact with the
detent or block D and are thereby caused to turn on their axis, the rollers
turning with them independent of the rotation of the dipping wheel, causes the yarn
to be shifted longitudinally on the rollers b b¹.
b
In practice I have found that there are two conditions of the detent which are
very essential to the successful operation of the machine, viz. The detent must be
yielding in its position, and its power of resistance must be adjustable, for the
following reasons, to wit:-
It frequently happens that some portions of the skein hang more loosely, than
other portions and will wrap around the bottom or inner roller, and thereby resist
the longitudinal movement of the skein. If then the detent is rigid or positive in
its action, the yarn breaks and causes numerous loose ends that confuse the winder
and makes it impossible for him to wind the skeins on the bobbins. Sometimes the
socalled ley-bands wrap around the roller. These ley-bands keep the skein. divided
into small portions and the two loose ends of the skein are tied to said ley-bands
and when the winder breaks the ley-band he takes the right end of the yarn with
it and can wind the skein off complete. Should this ley-band wrap around, the
roller and the detent fixed and positive in its operation, said ley-band and also a
number of threads break, eaving the skein with a lot of loose ends and without a
guide by which the winder can ascertain which end to draw. The result is that he
can wind perhaps half of the skein, and the remainder is a mass of tangled waste.
Consequently a very sensitive yielding detent is essential, and its detaining power
must be adapted to be regulated for different qualities and classes of yarn. For
instance, if silk No. 1 was carried on the rollers and subjected to the same strain of
the detent designed for turning the rollers carrying coarse hard twisted cotton
No. 4, the yarn would be broken and completely spoiled so that it would not wind
on the bobbins, and vice versa. If coarse yarn No. 4 was on, the. rollers and the
tension of the detent was adjusted for silk the detaining power would be insufficient
to turn the rollers with heavy saturated yarn carried thereon, and therefore the
portion of the yarn lying on the rollers would be light colored.
To obviate the aforesaid defects I not only employ the yielding detent but also
render the tension thereof adjustable, by supporting the detent by means of bolts oo,
provided with nuts n n which allow the detent to be set to a greater or less degree
in the path of the friction pulleys P and also allow the springs to, be removed
and other springs of greater or less power of resistance to be substituted.
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. In combination with the dye-liquor vat,, the yarn. dipping-wheel consisting of
the shaft a mounted on opposite ends. of the vat, and heads B B. rigidly secured to
said shaft and having radial ways ii open at their outer ends a plurality of
stretcher frames each consisting of the parallel end bars d d'united by the cross

page_text: bar and seated with their end bars longitudinally removable in the aforesaid
ways, and yarn carrying bars connected to the end bars d, d, substantially as set
forth.
2. In combination with the vat, rotary yarn dipping wheel, and yarn carrying
rollers, journaled in said wheel, pulleys fixed to said rollers, and a detent sustained
yieldingly in the path of the said pulleys and adjustable in its tension to suit
different classes of yarn as set forth.
3. In combination with the vat, rotary yarn dipping wheel and yarn carrying
rollers journaled in said wheel, friction pulleys fixed to the said rollers, posts rising
from the vat, a cross beam uniting the upper ends of the posts, a friction-block
connected vertically movable to said cross-beam and sustained in the path of the
friction pulleys, and a spring interposed between the friction block and cross-bar,
substantially as described and shown.
Dated vs 2200 way of Octob
LEONARD WELDON.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.