Improvements in Printing Carpet Yarns.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Sept., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 7th June, 1894-Accepted, 7th July, 1894
Improvements in Printing Carpet Yarns.
I, WILLIAM SHAW of 593 Vanderbilt Avenue, Brooklyn, Kings County, State
of New York, United States of America, Machinist, do hereby declare the nature
of my said invention to be as follows:-
'
My invention refers to improvements in apparatus for printing carpet yarns
such as are used more particularly in the manufacture of tapestry and velvet
carpeta.
In the accompanying drawings forming part of this Specification, I show an
apparatus embodying my improvements,
Fig. 1 representing a side elevation partly in section, Fig. 2 a ground plan and
Fig. 3 an end view of the same.
Fig. 4 shows a ground plan of a rail intended to serve as a support for the posts
carrying the equalizing or spreading appliances and of the means employed for
temporarily removing such rail from its operative position.
Fig. 5 shows a side elevation, Fig. 6 a longitudinal section and Fig. 7 a ground
plan of the equalizing and spreading appliances and their connections with the
supporting posts.
Fig. 8 shows a ground plan of a modified form of a spreading device and an
equalizer and Fig. 9 a section along line Z Z in Fig. 8.
Figs. 5 to 9 inclusive, are drawn on an enlarged scale.
Corresponding letters throughout the various views refer to corresponding
parts.
1 is the box containing the liquid coloring matter. 8, 8 are a set of wheels
fastened to an axle 9, and 10, 10 another set fastened to an axle 11. 12 is the
main body of the carriage its underneath being forked where it engages with
axles 9 and 11. An abutment 13 at the end of body 12 is provided with two
lugs 14, 14, while at the opposite end of said main body a vertical pin 15 is
provided.
16 is the lid hinged at one end to lugs 14, 14 by set-screws 17, 17 provided with
suitable lock nuts its opposite end being made to loosely surround the upper end of
pin 15. On each side of the carriage a spring as 19 is fastened to frame 12, so as
to support lid 16 and force it upward.
Metallic straps 20, 20 are suspended from frame 12 for the purpose of supporting
color box 1, which is inserted in proper openings in frame 12 and lid 16.
21 is an
axle with bearings 22, 22 on lid 16. On said axle is mounted the main distributing
wheel 23, so as to place the same within the color box, the central sections of the
walls of such box being cut out and bearings 22, 22, being made open on top, thus
permitting of lifting axle 21 and with it color wheel 23 out of such box, when
desired.
24 is a grooved pulley fastened to an axle 25 which rests in open bearings 26, 26.
Said axle is placed in line with axle 21, a sleeve coupling 27 serving to normally
connect said two axles in the usual manner when required. 31 is a catch hinged to
lid 16 so as to keep sleeve 27 in position after the coupling has been effected.
28, 28 are castings attached to carriage-body 12 and containing vertical bearings
for posts 29, 29 adjusted to slide therein. To such castings there are fastened
hooks 30, 30 to which ropes are attached, by means of which the carriage and the
printing apparatus supported by it are moved along rails 32, 32 parallel with
drum 33, upon which drum the endless thread of carpet yarn indicated by Y in
Fig. 1 is wound in a continuous uniform layer.

page_text: While the main distributing wheel is thus being moved along said drum, it will
be held in contact with the yarn by the springs 19 forcing upward lid 16 and with
it bearings 22, 22, 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 to be 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 towards 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 and axles 25 and 21 coupled together, 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 " wide and slightly exceeding in width the face
of such wheel. Owing to the pressure applied to the distributing wheel by
springs 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 final 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. My improvements contemplate the same
procedure so as to subject adjoining streaks of the same shade twice to the action
of the equalizing appliances, except the two extreme outer streaks which are
treated only once. I accomplish these results by means of the following
appliances:
34, 34 are platforms in which the upper parts of posts 29, 29 terminate,
35 and 36 are axles secured in bearings on the upper sides of such platforms. To
the inner axles 35, 35 there are attached leaf springs 37, 37 extending inward
towards the distributing wheels, each carrying near its inner and free end a suitable
spreading device. 38 is such a spreader forming substantially an extension of said
leaf spring and curved and turned upward in such a manner that when said spring
is folded downward so as to make its hinged end rest on top of platform 34, the
upper end of said extension will assume a position close to the yarn on the drum

page_text: and slightly sloping downward from said yarn towards the distributing wheel, the
upward pressure of the leaf spring being sufficient to at all times enforce contact
between the highest and outer edge of such spreader and the yarn, after the color
carriage has been pushed under the drum. Prior to this, the tendency of the
spring will be to raise said edge higher than the lowest side of the drum which
might cause such edge to catch the yarn at the end of the drum and to damage it
or to catch onto the end of the sheet of oil cloth which is generally placed between
the body of the drum and the yarn but on account of the slope given to the upper
surface of the spreader, as the latter approaches the end of the yarn drum prior to
being drawn underneath the same a more depressed and smooth part of its surface
will first engage with such yarn and as the spreader is gradually drawn entirely
under the drum such difficulties as mentioned above will be avoided.
The outer axles 36, 36 also carry leaf-springs, indicated by 39, each of which
likewise extends towards the distributing wheel and has mounted near its inner end
an equalizer 40, consisting of a thin blade, the upper edge of which is held against
the yarn by the spring in a position parallel with the drum. Such equalizer is
shown particularly in Figures 5 to 9, inclusive, to be connected with the leaf
spring by means of an angle piece 41, rivetted both to said spring and the
equalizer.
The latter consists of two arms 42, 42 running parallel with a streak on the yarn
and a heel or cross connecting piece 43, joining both such arms at substantially
right angles. The clear width of the equalizer between its arms slightly exceeds
the aggregate width of two adjoining streaks and its position is so adjusted that
when it is folded downward into its operative position, such arms will be placed
outside of and close to the outer edges of a double streak. The ends of arms 42
nearest the distributing wheel are rounded on their upper sides, so as not to catch
with the yarn or oil cloth at the end of the drum, as mentioned above with
reference to the spreaders. The width of the operative edge of spreader 38 is
slightly less than the aggregate width of two adjoining streaks and the relative
positions of a spreader and an equalizer attached to the same platform are such that
when both of them are folded downward into their operative positions the spreader
will be placed between, and equidistant from the longitudinal arms of the equalizer
a small space being left on each side between the operative surfaces or edges of the
spreader and the arms of the equalizer and a space being also left between such surface
of the spreader and the upper edge of the cross connecting piece of the equalizer.
I prefer to make the spring supporting the spreader stiffer than that supporting
the equalizer.
The operation of the spreader and equalizer while moving along the yarn is as
follows:
The upper edge of the spreader will engage with yarn extending over the inner
space of and covering nearly the full width of two adjoining streaks; in doing so
it will cover the two inner adjoining ridges ¹¹ (see Fig. 7,) of said streaks and
will extend nearly to their two outer ridges, 2. Owing to the pressure exerted
by it, it will force the coloring matter composing such inner ridges into the yarn
as well as laterally over the spaces immediately adjoining the same, producing
thereby an approximately uniform distribution of coloring matter on the surfaces
over which it passes. At the same time the arms of the equalizer will prevent
any coloring matter from being crowded laterally beyond the original width of
the two streaks and the cross connection between said arms, where it follows
directly in line with the spreader will further equalize the coloring matter which
has already been passed over by the same and will remove and drain downward
any surplus of it that may still adhere there to the yarn, while the parts of such
cross piece directly adjoining the arms will pass over the coloring matter forming
the outer ridges and will force the same into the yarn and laterally over the spaces
not covered by the spreader removing and draining downward at the same time any
excess of coloring matter in such outer streaks. It will be seen that the parts of
the heel of the equalizer nearest to and adjoining the arms, are of particular

page_text: importance, while the intermediate connection might be omitted, in case the spreader
perform its function perfectly. In order to give the cross connecting piece of the
equalizer an opportunity to act properly a space must be left between it and the
operative surface of the spreader. How large such space should be made will
depend upon attending circumstances and particularly also upon the thickness of
the coloring matter used. For the purpose of regulating such space at will I
construct the shank carrying the equalizer in sections secured together by
screws 44, 44 and provide a series of holes 45, 45 in the adjoining parts of such
sections, whereby such sections may be attached to each other so as to lengthen or
shorten the shank, and with it the distance between the spreader and the heel of
the equalizer. The spreader while moving along the yarn has a tendency to roll
or revolve the yarn around its own axis which further favors the uniform
distribution of the coloring matter; an undue movement of the yarn along the
drun which might be caused thereby is prevented owing to the simultaneous
contact with the yarn of arms 42, 42 held against it under spring pressure.
While I have found in practice that an equalizer in which a straight cross
connecting piece joins the arms substantially at right angles gives the best results,
I do not propose to confine myself to this particular form. Instead of leaf springs
actuating the spreaders and the equalizers any other suitable form of springs or
other means might be employed for the purpose of enforcing operative contact
between them and the yarn.
The edges of the equalizer should be made thin (say of 28 standard gauge) in
order to obtain the best results and to prevent the coloring matter from lodging on
snid edges.
In Figs. 8 and 9 a roller 45 is shown substituted for the sliding spreader
illustrated in Figs. 5, 6 and 7. The same is journaled in proper bearings attached
to leaf spring 37. There are also indicated in said figures, wings 46, 46 attached
to the free ends of arms 42, 42 and made flaring inwardly towards roller 45. They
are to be employed principally when a distributing wheel of double the ordinary
width and producing a streak about 1 inches wide having only two ridges along
its outer edges, is to be used and they serve to guide inwardly and into the path of
roller 45 part of the coloring matter forming such ridges.
The equalizer and the spreader travelling ahead of the distributing wheel should
be kept from contact with the yarn and for such purpose the supports 29, 29 are
adjusted to slide within bearings 28, 28 as mentioned above. 47, 47 are pins
attached to supports 29 and adjusted to move within proper slots in bearings 28, 28,
so as to prevent the turning of such supports within such bearings. 48, 48 are
joints hinged to proper lugs at the lower extremities of supports 29, 29 with
rollers 49, 49 journaled thereto in such a manner, that such rollers will ride on a
rail 50 placed underneath drum 33, and that lever 51 forming part of such joint
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 ahead of the distributing wheel on rail 50 will assume an
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 spreader and
the equalizer supported by such post from contact with the yarn.
The equalizers and spreaders in front of the wheel are placed in line with those
in the rear of the wheel, so as to cover not only the streak which is just being made
by such wheel, but also the adjoining one previously made. Assuming adjoining
streaks of the same color to be indicated in their order by A, B, C, D, &c., when
the first streak A is being applied to the yarn the equalizers and spreaders at both

page_text: ends of the wheel will be kept out of action in a manner described hereafter.
While the distributing wheel is making streak B and moving in the direction
indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1 the left hand post 29 will be elevated and its
spreader and equalizer will pass over streaks A and B jointly; when streak C is
being made on the return trip of the wheel the right hand post will be elevated and
its equalizer and spreader will pass over streaks B and C, and thus successively all
the streaks of the same series except the two outer ones will be subjected to the
action of each of the two equalizers and the two spreaders and in opposite
directions.
For the purpose of throwing both spreaders and both equalizers out of action
while an isolated streak, or the first streak of a series is being made I use the
following appliances:
Rail 50 is capable of sliding laterally within a depression in the floor. Cross
rods 53, 53 are secured to it and made to pass through rails 32, 32 which rails serve
to guide such rods. Their right hand ends are attached to a beam 54 likewise
capable of lateral movement within a depression in the floor, a bell crank lever 55
being so attached to a projection on said beam that when the operator desires to
move rail 50 from underneath both rollers 49 and to thereby cause both equalizers
and both spreaders to keep clear of the yarn on the drum, he has only to depress
with his foot the free outer end of such lever. After the distributing wheel has
made the streak, the operator only removes his foot from the lever and springs 56, 56
interposed between rail 50 and one of the rails 32 and placed around rods 53 will
force the center rail back into its normal position.
Dated this 8th day of September 1893.
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Printing Carpet Yarns.
I, WILLIAM SHAW, of 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 :-
In this Specification reference is had to the drawings accompanying my
Provisional Specification wherein
Fig. 1 represents a side elevation partly in section, Fig. 2 a ground plan and
Fig. 3 an end view of the same.
Fig. 4 shows a ground plan of a rail intended to serve as a support for the posts
carrying the equalizing or spreading appliances and of the means employed for
temporarily removing such rail from its operative position.
Fig. 5 shows a side elevation, Fig. 6 a longitudinal section, and Fig. 7 a ground
plan of the equalizing and spreading appliances and their connections with the
supporting posts.
Fig. 8 shows a ground plan of a modified form of a spreading device and an
equalizer, and Fig. 9 a section along line Z Z in Fig. 8.
Figs. 5 to 9 inclusive are drawn on an enlarged scale.
1, is the box containing the liquid coloring matter. 8, are a set of wheels
fastened to an axle 9, and 10, another set fastened to an axle 11. 12, is the main
body of the carriage, its underside being forked where it engages with axles 9,
and 11. An abutment 13, at the end of body 12, is provided with two lugs 14,
while at the opposite end of said main body a vertical pin 15, is provided.
16, is the lid hinged at one end to lugs 14, by set-screws 17;. provided with

page_text: .
suitable lock nuts, its opposite end being made to loosely surround the upper end of
pin 15. On each side of the carriage a spring as 19, is fastened to frame 12, so as
to support lid 16, and force it upward.
Metallic straps 20, are suspended from frame 12, for the purpose of supporting
color box 1, which is inserted in proper openings in frame 12, and lid 16. 21, is
an axle with bearings 22, on lid 16. On said axle is mounted the main distributing
wheel 23, so as to place the same within the color box, the central section of the
walls of such box being cut out and bearings 22, being made open on top, thus
permitting of lifting axle 21, and with it color wheel 23, out of such box, when
desired.
24, is a grooved pulley fastened to an axle 25, which rests in open bearings 26.
Said axle is placed in line with axle 21, a sleeve coupling 27, serving to normally
connect said two axles in the usual manner when required. 31, is a catch hinged
to lid 16, so as to keep sleeve 27, in position after the coupling has been
effected.
28, are castings attached to carriage-body 12, and containing vertical bearings
for posts 29, adjusted to slide therein. To such castings there are fastened
books 30, to which ropes are attached, by means of which the carriage and the
printing apparatus supported by it are moved along rails 32, parallel with drum 33,
upon which drum the endless thread of carpet yarn indicated by Y, in Fig. 1, is
wound in a continuous uniform layer.
While the main distributing wheel is thus being moved along said drum, it will
be held in contact with the yarn by the springs 19, forcing upward lid 16, and with
it bearings 22, 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 to be 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 towards 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, and axles 25, and 21, coupled together, 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 " wide and slightly exceeding in width the face
of such wheel. Owing to the pressure applied to the distributing wheel by
springs 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 circum-
stances, 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
final step towards printing the yarn in a uniform manner.
It has been the practice heretofore where an isolated streak of a certain color

page_text: 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 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. My improvements contem-
plate the same procedure so as to subject adjoining streaks of the same shade
twice to the action of the equalizing appliances, except the two extreme outer
streaks which are treated only once. I accomplish these results by means of the
following appliances:
34, are platforms in which the upper parts of posts 29, terminate. 35, and 36,
are axles secured in bearings on the upper sides of such platforms. To the inner
axles 35, there are attached leaf springs 37, extending inward towards the
distributing wheels, each carrying near its inner and free end a suitable spreading
device. 38, is such a spreader forming substantially an extension of said leaf
spring and curved and turned upward in such a manner that when said spring is
folded downward so as to make its hinged end rest on top of platform 34, the
upper end of said extension will assume a position close to the yarn on the drum
and slightly sloping downward from said yarn towards the distributing wheel, the
upward pressure of the leaf spring being sufficient to at all times enforce contact
between the highest and outer edge of such spreader and the yarn, after the color
carriage has been pushed under the drum. Prior to this, the tendency of the
spring will be to raise said edge higher than the lowest side of the drum which
might cause such edge to catch the yarn at the end of the drum and to damage it
or to catch onto the end of the sheet of oil cloth which is generally placed between
the body of the drum and the yarn but on account of the slope given to the upper
surface of the spreader, as the latter approaches the end of the yarn drum prior to
being drawn underneath the same a more depressed and smooth part of its surface
will first engage with such yarn and as the spreader is gradually drawn entirely
under the drum such difficulties as mentioned above will be avoided.
The outer axles 36, also carry leaf-springe, indicated by 39, each of which like-
wise extends towards the distributing wheel and has mounted near its inner end an
equalizer 40, consisting of a thin blade, the upper edge of which is held against
the yarn by the spring in a position parallel with the drum. Such equalizer is
shown, particularly in Figures 5, to 9, inclusive, to be connected with the leaf
spring by means of an angle piece 41, riveted both to said spring and the
equalizer.
The latter consists of two arms 42, running parallel with a streak on the yarn
and a heel or cross connecting piece 43, joining both such arms at substantially
right angles. The clear width of the equalizer between its arms slightly exceeds
the aggregate width of two adjoining streaks and its position is so adjusted that
when it is folded downward into its operative position, such arms will be placed
outside of and close to the outer edges of a double streak. The ends of arms 42,
nearest the distributing wheel are rounded on their upper sides, so as not to catch
with the yarn or oil cloth at the end of the drum, as mentioned above with
reference to the spreaders. The width of the operative edge of spreader 38, is
slightly less than the aggregate width of two adjoining streaks and the relative
positions of a spreader and an equalizer attached to the same platform are such
that when both of them are folded downward into their operative positions the
spreader will be placed between, and equidistant from the longitudinal arms of the
equalizer, a small space being left on each side between the operative surfaces or
edges of the spreader and the arms of the equalizer and a space being also left
between such surface of the spreader and the upper edge of the cross connecting
piece of the equalizer.

page_text: I prefer to make the spring supporting the spreader stiffer than that supporting
the equalizer.
The operation of the spreader and equalizer while moving along the yarn is as
follows:
The upper edge of the spreader will engage with yarn extending over the inner
space of and covering nearly the full width of two adjoining streaks; in doing so
it will cover the two inner adjoining ridges », (see Fig. 7,) of said streaks and will
extend nearly to their two outer ridges. Owing to the pressure exerted by it,
it will force the coloring matter composing such inner ridges into the yarn as well
as laterally over the spaces immediately adjoining the same, producing thereby an
approximately uniform distribution of coloring matter on the surfaces over which
it passes.
At the same time the arms of the equalizer will prevent any coloring
matter from being crowded laterally beyond the original width of the two streaks
and the cross connection between said arms, where it follows directly in line with
the spreader will further equalize the coloring matter which has already been
passed over by the same and will remove and drain downward any surplus of it
that may still adhere there to the yarn, while the parts of such cross piece directly
adjoining the arins will puss the coloring matter forming the outer ridges and will
force the same into the yarn and laterally over the spaces not covered by the
spreader removing and draining downward at the same time any excess of
coloring matter in such outer streaks. It will be seen that the parts of the heel of
the equalizer nearest to and adjoining the arms, are of particular importance, while
the intermediate connection might be omitted, in case the spreader performs its
function perfectly. In order to give the cross connecting piece of the equalizer
an opportunity to act properly, a space must be left between it and the operative
surface of the spreader. How large such space should be made will depend upon
attending circumstances and particularly also upon the thickness of the coloring
matter used. For the purpose of regulating such space at will I construct the
shank carrying the equalizer in sections secured together. by screws 44, and
provide a series of holes 45, in the adjoining parts of such sections, whereby such
sections may be attached to each other so as to lengthen or shorten the shank, and
with it the distance between the spreader and the heel of the equalizer. The
spreader while moving along the yarn has a tendency to roll or revolve the yarn
around its own axis which further favors the uniform distribution of the coloring
matter; an undue movement of the yarn along the drum which might be caused
thereby is prevented owing to the simultaneous contact with the yarn of arins 42,
held against its under spring pressure.
While I have found in practice that an equalizer in which a straight cross
connecting piece joins the arms substantially at right angles gives the best results,
I do not propose to confine myself to this particular form. Instead of leaf springs
actuating the spreaders and the equalizers any other suitable form of springs or
other means might be employed for the purpose of enforcing operative contact
between them and the yarn.
The edges of the equalizer should be made thin in order to obtain the best results
and to prevent the coloring matter from lodging on said edges.
In Figs. 8, and 9, a roller 45, is shown substituted for the sliding spreader
illustrated in Figs. 5, 6, and 7. The same is journaled in proper bearings attached
to leaf spring 37. There are also indicated in said figures wings 46, attached to
the free ends of arms 42, and made flaring inwardly towards roller 45. They are
to be employed principally when a distributing wheel of double the ordinary width
and producing a streak about 14 inches wide having only two ridges along its
outer edges, is to be. used and they serve to guide inwardly and into the path of
roller 45, part of the coloring matter forming such ridges. However, a roller of
the same width as spreader 38, might be substituted for such spreader in the device
shown in Fig. 7.
The equalizer and the spreader travelling ahead of the distributing wheel should
be kept from contact with the yarn and for such purpose the supports 29, are

page_text: adjusted to slide within bearings 28, as mentioned above. 47, are pins attached to
supports 29, and adjusted to move within proper slots in bearings 28, so as to
prevent the turning of such supports within such bearings. 48, are joints hinged
to proper lugs at the lower extremities of supports 29, with rollers 49, journalled
thereto in such a manner, that such rollers will ride on a rail 50, placed underneath
drum 33, and that lever 51, forming part of such joint 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
ahead of the distributing wheel on rail 50, will assume an 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,
and made of such length that when the levers 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 spreader and the equalizer supported by such
post from contact with the yarn.
The equalizers and spreaders in front of the wheel are placed in line with those
in the rear of the wheel, so as to cover not only the streak which is just being
made by such wheel, but also the adjoining one previously made. Assuming
adjoining streaks of the same color to be indicated in their order by A, B, C, D, &c.,
when the first streak A, is being applied to the yarn the equalizers and spreaders
at both ends of the wheel will be kept out of action in a manner described herein-
after. While the distributing wheel is making streak B, and moving in the
direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1, the left hand post 29, will be elevated
and its spreader and equalizer will pass over streaks A, and B, jointly; when
streak C, is being made on the return trip of the wheel the right hand post will be
elevated and its equalizer and spreader will pass over streaks B, and C, and thus
successively all the streaks of the same series except the two outer ones will be
subjected to the action of each of the two equalizers and the two spreaders and
in opposite directions.
For the purpose of throwing both spreaders and both equalizers out of action
while an isolated streak, or the first streak of a series is being made I use the
following appliances:
Rail 50, is capable of sliding laterally within a depression in the floor. Cross
rods 53, are secured to it and made to pass through rails 32, which rails serve to
guide such rods. Their right hand ends are attached to a beam 54, likewise
capable of lateral movement within a depression in the floor, a bell crank lever 55,
being so attached to a projection on said beam that when the operator desires to
move rail 50, from underneath both rollers 49, and to thereby cause both equalizers
and both spreaders to keep clear of the yarn on the drum, he has only to depress
with his foot the free outer end of such lever. After the distributing wheel has
made the streak, the operator only removes his foot from the lever and springs 56,
interposed between rail 50, and one of the rails 32, and placed around rod 53, will
force the center rail back into its normal position.
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 employment of the improved apparatus for applying
coloring matter to yarn and equalizing such coloring matter by an equalizer, while
disposing of surplus coloring matter by draining the same off through a substantially
vertical drainage channel between the arms of the equalizer.
2. The construction and employment of the improved apparatus for applying
coloring matter to yarn in streaks and equalizing the coloring matter by the
passage over two of the streaks simultaneously by an equalizer having its arms
B

page_text: extending along the outer edges of said streaks and having a cross-connection
between the same.
3. The construction and employment of the improved apparatus for applying
coloring matter to yarn in streaks and equalizing the coloring matter by the passage
over the streaks of an equalizer having arms extending along the outer edges of
such streaks and of a spreader located between such arms.
4. The construction and employment of the improved apparatus for applying
coloring matter to yarn in streaks and equalizing the coloring matter by the
successive passage over it of equalizers and spreaders in front and in the rear of
the color wheel and placed in line with each other so as to each cover two streaks
made during successive printing operations.
5. The construction and employment of the improved apparatus for applying
coloring matter to yarn in streaks and equalizing the same by the passage over it
of an equalizer having arms extending along the outer edges of the streaks and of
a roller inserted between such arms.
6. The construction and employment of the improved apparatus for alternately
throwing equalizers and spreaders in front and in the rear of the color wheel out
⚫ of action.
7. The construction and employment of the improved apparatus for simultaneously
throwing equalizers and spreaders in front and in the rear of the color wheel out
of action.
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.