Improvements in Method of and Apparatus for Coloring Yarns.
Year: 1897

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Method of and Apparatus for Coloring Yarns.
I, CHARLES LUDWIG HORACK, Civil and Mechanical Engineer, of No 50, Living-
ston Street, Brooklyn, Kings County, State of New York, 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:-
My invention refers to methods of apparatus for coloring yarns, and more
particularly yarns used in the manufacture of tapestry and velvet carpets.
My improved method is capable of being carried out wholly or partly by means
of appliances actuated directly by the hands of the operators or by mechanical
and automatic means superintended and directed in general only by the operator.
In the latter case I prefer to employ an apparatus as now commonly used in
printing such carpet-yarns, which consists of a drum around which the yarn
is wound and a color-carriage with color-wheel adapted to apply streaks of color
to the yarn side by side while travelling underneath the drum and to apply
thereto the structural improvements above referred to.
The objects of my invention are to provide a suitable method for applying.
coloring-matter to yarn and for spreading and forcing such coloring-matter along,
into, and through the yarn, and to thereby distribute such coloring-matter in
approximately uniform manner, whereby, particularly also after the yarn shall
have been subjected to the usual steaming or scouring process and after having
been woven into a fabric, portions of threads of the same shade may be made to
appear substantially uniform.
Further objects are to provide proper means for moving the spreading devices
toward the drum and for applying the same to the yarn thereon, and for moving
the same away from the drum and 1or detaching the same from the yarn, and to
connect and suitably combine said means with appliances for confining the
spreading devices out of operative contact with the yarn while travelling along
the drum in either direction.
In the coloring of tapestry-carpet yarns as practiced heretofore very generally
the yarn, having been wound around a drum in a very thin and uniform layer-
say of the thickness of one thread-had liquid coloring-matter more or less
thickened by the addition of flour, paste, or the like applied to it by the color-
wheel, which during its travel along the yarn would constantly bring up a supply

page_text: of such coloring-matter from the color-box underneath it, the color-box and color-
wheel being superseded by others whenever all the streaks of a given shade
called for by the pattern had been applied to the yarn and streaks of a different
shade were to be applied next, contact of the color-wheel with the yarn during
the printing operations being enforced by-powerful springs. These operations
would be continued until the entire outer surface of the yarn would be covered
with streaks, when generally a different set of operators would take charge of
the drum and by means-of-hand-scrapers, made usually of hard rubber, would
rub along the streaks of coloring-matter forward and backward and with great
force, rubbing the color into the yarn as far as practicable and also removing
surplus coloring-matter, which would attach itself to the scrapers. As soon as
practicable afterward the yarn would be put in a steam-room and brought in
contact with steam under, say, five pounds pressure and would be maintained
therein for about twenty minutes, being afterward exposed to the atmosphere for
about an hour and then scoured in cold water to remove the flour or paste still
adhering to it and any free surplus coloring-matter. After drying it it would
then be in proper condition for the. weaving operation. Such exposure of the
yarn to the action of steam serves not only to fix or set the color, but also to
further equalize the color on the yarn by causing color still deposited too thickly
upon or within portions of the yarn to spread over and into adjoining portions,
and it is this feature which permits of leaving single streaks or the outer streaks
of a scrics of adjoining streaks or the outer portions of such outer streaks
unrubbed. The above described manipulations are of course subject to variations
in accordance with the general nature of the coloring substances employed, the
moisture in the atmosphere, the climate, and other surrounding conditions.
In equalizing the coloring-matter by means of automatic appliances substan-
tially the same operations are generally gone through with at present except as
far as the rubbing of the yarn by hand-scrapers is concerned, the coloring sub-
stance, however generally containing a much smaller amount of thickening
substance. Adding of large amounts of flour or paste to the liquid color, while
detrimental to the prompt and thorough impregnation of the yarn, is resorted to
to prevent "bleeding" or running of the color from one streak into an adjoining
streak or into the space to be occupied by such a streak, which is apt to procced
along the threads of the yarn running at right angles to the streaks during the
interval which must necessarily elapse between the printing of the streaks by the
color-wheel and their being scraped by hand, the printing of the entire surface of
a drum of average diameter and length requiring approximately twenty minutes
and that of larger drums requiring more time in proportion before hand-scraping
is undertaken. The color having further thickened by this time, proportionately
greater pressure is required to rub the same into and through the yarn than would
have been required if done substantially simultaneously with the printing
operation by the color-wheel, and the yarn is therefore much more apt to be
injured and destroyed by the system of deferred hand-scraping, as described
above, than by scraping or rubbing applied promptly after the printing, and it is
one of the great advantages of automatic .scraping as practiced within the last
few years and as exemplified particularly in the appliances described in William
Shaw's Letters Patent for Great Britain No. 16,914 of 1893 that it has been
possible to employ in connection therewith liquid coloring substances containing
comparatively little flour or paste; but even these appliances must be applied to
the printed yarn twice under heavy spring-pressure to secure the desired results,
particularly as the condition of the yarn (it being stretched rather tightly on
the drum) favors the spreading of the color along the threads of the yarn much
more than the thorough entry of the color into its interior and to that portion of
its surface which faces the drum. In subjecting the streaks on the yarn to rub-
bing immediately after the printing operation the yarn may reach the steam-
room much quicker.
In my improved method, as exemplified more fully hereinafter, I avail myself

page_text: of the tendency of the liquid color to spread laterally beyond the streak then in
course of application, so as to moisten adjoining unprinted portions of the yarn,
and applying to the same in doing so color under proper pressure, whereby such
portions are made more receptive with reference to the color to be subsequently
applied to them by the color-wheels. I have found that this sidewise displacement
of the color under pressure carried to the extent of substantially half the width
of, a streak, in view of the constant tendency of this color to spread farther
laterally into portions of the yarn less saturated, particularly with the aid of
pressure subsequently applied thereto, and also in view of a subsequent steaming
process, can be depended upon to give very satisfactory results as far as uniformity
of shading is concerned.
1.
My, method consists in applying streaks of coloring-matter to yarn side by side
and successively and after the printing of the first streak of a series of streaks and
during the printing of the second one subjecting the first and the second streaks
to, pressure and rubbing, the former, to the extent of approximately one-half of
its, width, forcing from such second streak coloring-matter into the space to be
subsequently occupied by a third streak to the extent of approximately one-half
of the width of a streak, subjecting the color so forced over simultaneously to
pressure, and afterwards printing a streak upon the unprinted adjoining space
which has received such coloring-matter.
My improved method can be applied in manner as hereinafter described; and
the objects of my invention can be accomplished by the means hereinafter specified,
and set forth more particularly in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1
is a side elevation, partly in section, of a color-carriage and part of the yarn-
drum fitted up according to my invention, while Fig. 2 is a ground plan of
Fig. 1, the drum, however, not being shown therein. Fig. 3 is a front elevation
of a spreading device shown in operative engagement with the yarn on the drum,
and Fig. 4 a ground plan of the spreading device illustrated in Fig 3. Said
Figs. and 4, in conjunction with the following description, serve more
particularly to illustrate my method of procedure in applying the color to the
yarn and forcing it into the yarn and indicate relative positions of paths traversed
and to be traversed by the color-wheel and of spreaders which may be employed
in- carrying out my method for coloring the yarn. Figs. 3 and 4 are drawn to
an enlarged scale.
Corresponding letters and figures of reference throughout the different views
refer-to-corresponding parts.
12 is the color-carriage, mounted on wheels 8 8 and 10 10, on which color-box 1
and color-wheel 23 are supported, and which is drawn by means of a cord attached
to hooks. 30 forward and backward along rails 32, placed underneath and parallel
with drum 33, carrying the yarn Y.
28 28 are brackets attached to the main body of the carriage which forms a
bearing within which a post 29, made of rectangular cross-section, is made to
slide.
48.48 are pivots passing through the lower extremities of posts 29, to which
are hinged levers 51, carrying at their lower ends rollers 49 49, posts 29, together
with levers 51 and pivots 48, forming a toggle-jointed support for rubbing
appliances, more fully referred to hereinafter.
All these parts substantially correspond in their construction and in their
mutual relations and functions with the parts bearing corresponding letters of
reference in William Shaw's Letters Patent for Great Britain, No. 16,914 of 1893.
60 are vertical arms forming parts of brackets 28 and serving more particularly
to guide posts 29.
65 is a platform at the upper extremity of post 29. 10, 11, and 12 are
cylindrical studs screwed into said platform, and 14 14 jam-nuts for holding said
studs in position...
15 is a pan for catching and carrying off the drippings of coloring-matter from

page_text: the equalizer 66 and the rubber 70, mounted at the upper ends of said studs in
manner hereinafter described. This equalizer 66, to which may be attached an
auxiliary rubber 88, and the main rubber 70 correspond as to their functions with
the equalizers 66 and the rubbers 70 of William Shaw's Letters Patent for Great
Britain, No. 14,422 of 1895 and resemble the same also as far as their general 5
configuration is concerned. Equalizer 66 is provided near its forward end with
side lugs 1° 1' and with a rear fug 12 and rubber 70 with side lugs 110 and 111 and
with a rear lug 112 in such manner that the upper end of stud 10* freely passes.
through lugs 10 and 110, that of stud 11 through lugs 11 and 11, and that
of stud 12 through lugs 12 and 112, SO
allow the equalizer 1
and the rubber to freely play upward and downward along said
studs. 13 13 are screws entering the heads of said studs and serving by
means of washers 14 to prevent the equalizer and the rubber from leaving said
studs. S S are springs yieldingly supporting said lugs. Their lower holes are
of sufficient size to permit the same to pass over the lower screw-threaded portions
of studs 10, 11, and 12, while the perforations in the upper ends of said springs
are of sufficient size to allow of the free play up and down of these ends along the
studs.
as to
dd are shallow depressions on the upper surfaces of equalizers 66, and ď ď
such depressions on the upper surfaces of rubbers 70, said depressions in each case
being shown on the portions of such surfaces nearest to the color-wheel and to be
of such sizes and proportions as to leave at their sides and in the rear of them
U-shaped flat portions which are adapted to come in direct contact with the
yarn when the rubbing devices are being pressed upward while occupying
positions underneath the drum. Rollers 49 are adapted to travel on rail R,
placed between track-rails 32 32.
a a are rods attached to lugs bon rail R and connected to a beam C in such
manner that by moving said beam in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 2 said
rail will be withdrawn laterally from contact with rollers 49, springs o o. forcing
said rail back into its original position when the sideward thrust on beam
ceases. Any other suitable means may be substituted for those above described,
whereby rollers 49 may be temporarily deprived of their support so as to cause
the weight of the spreading devices and of their movable supports to drop to
elevations below the drum, thereby keeping the same from contact with the yarn.
Thus the passage of the rubbing appliances over the outer ridges of outer streaks
in a series of streaks of the same shade can be prevented and the forcing of color-
ing-matter into an adjoining streak of different shade can be guarded against.
For the purpose of thoroughly impregnating the yarn with coloring-matter and
for properly forcing the same into the yarn I avail myself of the method
pointed out by William Shaw in his Letters Patent for Great Britain No. 16,914
of 1893 of successively rubbing the interior streaks of a series of streaks twice
and in opposite directions, which is accomplished therein by making the spread-
ing devices of substantially double the width of the color-wheel and by placing
said spreading devices substantially in line with each other. The drum during
the printing of such a series of streaks is being revolved step by step in usual
manner. As the coloring-matter is generally forced outward and deposited in
pairs of ridges, as e¹ e² and e³ e, &c., with coloring-matter thinly spread between
such ridges of the same streak, along the paths P₁ P3, &c., of the color-wheel, the
mechanism for turning the drum is arranged in usual manner so as to leave a
space between the paths of the two color-wheels where two such ridges may be
deposited and may unite into one if the coloring substance is sufficiently liquid,
the peripheral travel of the drum at each step, therefore, being greater than the
width of the color-wheel employed. Said Patent No. 16,914 of 1893 illustrates
such positions of the spreading devices as to bring their edges on one side of the
central longitudinal planes of the color-wheel approximately in line with an
outer operative edge of the distributing-wheel, whereby the coloring-matter of
two entire successive streaks is equalized simultaneously.
I have found that very good results can be obtained by using spreading devices

page_text: of widths equal to or greater than the peripheral travel of the drum during two
successive steps and placing the same in line with each other, but in such
positions with reference to the color-wheel that such spreading and rubbing-
devices will not only cover streaks already applied to the yarn or which are in
course of being applied by the color-wheel, but will also materially extend into
the next adjoining path which the color-wheel is to take subsequently, as thereby
the spreading and rubbing devices will promptly after the deposition of the
coloring-matter by the color-wheel spread the same laterally onto the portion of
the yarn to be covered by the color-wheel during its next travel, thus imparting
to the yarn which has not yet been traversed by the color-wheel such color, thereby
moistening it and forcing color to enter into the yarn under pressure substantially
corresponding with that simultaneously applied to yarn in line with the color-
wheel and preparing it to receive and absorb additional color when the color-
wheel afterward passes over it. For such purpose I place the central portions of
the spreading device as it follows the color-wheel directly in the rear of such
wheel, as shown in Fig. 2, whereby a portion of a streak, as P¹, previously made
and all of streak P3 which is in course of being applied to the yarn and part of
the path next to be covered by the distributing-wheel can be covered
by said spreading device, while during the return travel of the
color-wheel one-half of streak P3 and all of the subsequent streak P5
are acted upon by the other spreading device in opposite directions and the yarn
which is to be covered by a neighbouring and successive streak is being moistened
under pressure and covered with color in part or in whole. I prefer to make
depressions d and d² of sufficient widths to cover the three ridges previously
made by the color-wheel over which the spreading device is passing, so as to
temporarily receive surplus coloring-matter therefrom and supply the same to
a portion of the surface of the yarn not yet traversed by the color-wheel.
It is necessary to guard against smearing the yarn by the carrying of color
from the ends of the drum not covered with yarn, and indicated by E, to the
yarn itself. For such purpose I construct the center rail R as follows: I provide
its ends with slopes f in general manner as indicated in said Letters Patent for
Great Britain, No. 16,914 of 1893, whereby as the carriage travels toward the
drum the lever 51 first approaching the drum will be tripped and, together with
the spreading appliances above it, will assume the positions illustrated in the
right-hand portion of Fig. 1, while rear lever ol will be brought into a sub-
stantially vertical position as it passes over such slope. Rubber 70 I allow to
slightly project above the equalizer. The same will therefore come in contact
with the yarn earlier than equalizer 56. The left-hand portion of Fig. 1 shows
its position at the time it first touches the yarn and the drum, its depressed
portion being placed underneath the yarn and its flat portion under the free
portion of the drum directly adjoining the yarn. In order to guard against its
striking the drum earlier with any considerable force, I provide a shoulder, as 9,
near the upper end of slope f, so that roller 49 after travelling upward along said
slope will strike said shoulder and will thereby be carried upward abruptly.
At the other end of the rail the corresponding shoulder will serve to permit of
abruptly lowering the supports of the spreading device. This is valuable and
important, as operators are generally in a great hurry to swing the drum as soon
as possible after the color-wheel has passed from underneath the same, and the
prompt detachment of the spreading devices from the yarn at this point will
guard against their pulling, displacing, and breaking the yarn. Withdrawing
the spreaders from the drum or from contact with the yarn in directions, sub-
stantially at right angles to the drum where appliances are used for continuously
confining said spreaders out of action while the carriage travels along the drum
in either direction therefore tends toward preserving the yarn and saving time in
operating the apparatus.
As the central portion of rail R is not always perfectly level and parallel with
the drum and coloring-matter is apt to lodge on it and make it slippery, it will

page_text: sometimes occur that the roller underneath the operative spreading, device, will.
roll forward beyond its post 29, thereby shortening, the toggle-joint and detaching
its spreading devices from the yarn.. Leaf-springs applied to post 29, and rest-
ing against lever 51, as shown, will tend to guard against this, these springs
being made comparatively weak, so as not to force, post 29 upward 'when the
same is intended to occupy the position shown in the right hand portion of Fig. 1.
A counterweight attached to that side of lever 51 which faces toward the color-
wheel would accomplish the same result. >
u
It will readily be seen that many modifications might be made in the construc-
tion illustrated by me. Thus any suitable form of single or compound spreaders
with or without depressions on their faces may be employed, and instead of having
spreading devices in front and in the rear of the color-wheel one such device might
be made to serve at all times in the rear of the color-wheel, no matter in which
direction the same may be travelling, by providing a proper shifting,lever which-
may upon the end of the travel of, the wheel in one direction place such spreading
device in the rear of the color-wheel.
Having now particularly described, and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
"
1. The improvement in the art of coloring carpet-yarns, which consists in
successively printing streaks of color of given widths upon the yarn side by side,
subjecting the entire width of the color-streak in course of application to a
rubbing action and simultaneously subjecting approximately one-half of the width
of the adjoining streak previously printed to such action while also spreading
color from the streak in course of application over the adjoining unprinted portion
of the yarn on its other side to the extent of substantially one-half of the width.
of a streak and there rubbing it into the yarn simultaneously, and then printing
a streak upon the adjoining unprinted portion of yarn upon which coloring-
matter has been so spread from the streak in course of application, substantially
as set forth.
2. In an apparatus for coloring carpet yarns, the combination with a drum
which carries the yarn adapted to be revolved step by step, of a spreader mounted
upon the carriage in the rear of the color-wheel, said spreader covering an
aggregate width of two streaks, whereby the entire width of the streak in process
of application is covered together with spaces on each side thereof, each such space
approximating one-half of the width of a streak.
3. In an apparatus for coloring carpet yarns, the combination with the drum
which carries the yarn, a color-carriage and a color-wheel, of spreading. devices
with suitable supports in front and in the rear of the color-wheel, means for
raising the spreading devices in substantially vertical directions as they approach
the yarn and while occupying positions underneath the drum, and mechanism
for confining such raising means out of action simultaneously, while the carriage
travels underneath the drum.
00 ..
100%
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
Chartered Patent Agents,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Method of and Apparatus for Coloring Yarns.
I, CHARLES LUDWIG HORACK, Civil and Mechanical Engineer, of No 50, Living-
ston Street, Brooklyn, Kings County, State of New York, 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:-
My invention refers to methods of apparatus for coloring yarns, and more
particularly yarns used in the manufacture of tapestry and velvet carpets.
My improved method is capable of being carried out wholly or partly by means
of appliances actuated directly by the hands of the operators or by mechanical
and automatic means superintended and directed in general only by the operator.
In the latter case I prefer to employ an apparatus as now commonly used in
printing such carpet-yarns, which consists of a drum around which the yarn
is wound and a color-carriage with color-wheel adapted to apply streaks of color
to the yarn side by side while travelling underneath the drum and to apply
thereto the structural improvements above referred to.
The objects of my invention are to provide a suitable method for applying
coloring-matter to yarn and for spreading and forcing such coloring-matter along,
into, and through the yarn, and to thereby distribute such coloring-matter in
approximately uniform manner, whereby, particularly also after the yarn shall
have been subjected to the usual steaming or scouring process and after having
been woven into a fabric, portions of threads of the same shade may be made to
appear substantially uniform.
Further objects are to provide proper means for moving the spreading devices
toward the drum and for applying the same to the yarn thereon, and for moving
the same away from the drum and tor detaching the same from the yarn, and to
connect and suitably combine said means with appliances for confining the
spreading devices out of operative contact with the yarn while travelling along
the drum in either direction.
In the coloring of tapestry-carpet yarns as practiced heretofore very generally
the yarn, having been wound around a drum in a very thin and uniform layer-
say of the thickness of one thread-had liquid coloring-matter more or less
thickened by the addition of flour, paste, or the like applied to it by the color-
wheel, which during its travel along the yarn would constantly bring up a supply

page_text: of such coloring-matter from the color-box underneath it, the color-box and color-
wheel being superseded by others whenever all the streaks of a given shade
called for by the pattern had been applied to the yarn and streaks of a different
shade were to be applied next, contact of the color-wheel with the yarn during
the printing operations being enforced by powerful springs. These operations
would be continued until the entire outer surface of the yarn would be covered
with streaks, when generally a different set of operators would take charge of
the drum and by means of hand-scrapers, made usually of hard rubber, would
rub along the streaks of coloring-matter forward and backward and with great
force, rubbing the color into the yarn. as far as practicable and also removing
surplus coloring-matter, which would attach itself to the scrapers. As soon as
practicable afterward the yarn would be put-in-a-steam-room- and brought in
contact with steam under, say, five pounds pressure and would be maintained
therein for about twenty minutes, being afterward exposed to the atmosphere for
about an hour and then scoured in cold water to remove the flour or paste still
adhering to it and any free surplus coloring-matter. After drying it it would
then be in proper condition for the weaving operation. Such exposure of the
yarn to the action of steam serves not only to fix or set the color, but also to
further equalize the color on the yarn by causing color still deposited too thickly
upon or within portions of the yarn to spread over and into adjoining portions,
and it is this feature which permits of leaving single streaks or the outer streaks
of a series of adjoining streaks or the outer portions of such outer streaks
unrubbed. The above described manipulations are of course subject to variations
in accordance with the general nature of the coloring substances employed, the
moisture in the atmosphere, the climate, and other surrounding conditions.
In equalizing the coloring-matter by means of automatic appliances substan-
tially the same operations are generally gone through with at present except as
far as the rubbing of the yarn by hand-scrapers is concerned, the coloring sub-
stance, however generally containing a much smaller amount of thickening
substance. Adding of large amounts of flour or paste to the liquid color, while
detrimental to the prompt and thorough impregnation of the yarn, is resorted to
to prevent "bleeding" or running of the color from one streak into an adjoining
streak or into the space to be occupied by such a streak, which is apt to proceed
along the threads of the yarn running at right angles to the streaks during the
interval which must necessarily clapse between the printing of the streaks by the
color-wheel and their being scraped by hand, the printing of the entire surface of
a drum of average diameter and length requiring approximately twenty minutes
and that of larger drums requiring more time in proportion before hand-scraping
is undertaken. The color having further thickened by this time, proportionately
greater pressure is required to rub the same into and through the yarn than would
have been required if done substantially simultaneously with the printing
operation by the color-wheel, and the yarn is therefore much more apt to be
injured and destroyed by the system of deferred hand-scraping, as described
above, than by scraping or rubbing applied promptly after the printing, and it is
one of the great advantages of automatic scraping as practiced within the last
few years and as exemplified particularly in the appliances described in William
Shaw's Letters Patent for Great Britain No. 16,914 of 1893 that it has been
possible to employ in connection therewith liquid coloring substances containing
comparatively little flour or paste; but even these appliances must be applied to
the printed yarn twice under heavy spring-pressure to secure the desired results,
particularly as the condition of the yarn (it being stretched rather tightly on
the drum) favors the spreading of the color along the threads of the yarn much
more than the thorough entry of the color into its interior and to that portion of
its surface which faces the drum. In subjecting the streaks on the yarn to rub-
bing immediately after the printing operation the yarn may reach the steam-
room much quicker.
In my improved method, as exemplified inore fully hereinafter, I avail myself

page_text: of the tendency of the liquid color to spread laterally beyond the streak then in
course of application, so as to moisten adjoining unprinted portions of the yarn,
and applying to the same in doing so color under proper pressure, whereby such
portions are made more receptive with reference to the color to be subsequently
applied to them by the color-wheels. I have found that this sidewise displacement
of the color under pressure carried to the extent of substantially half the width
of a streak, in view of the constant tendency of this color to spread farther
laterally into portions of the yarn less saturated, particularly with the aid of
pressure subsequently applied thereto, and also in view of a subsequent steaming
process, can be depended upon to give very satisfactory results as far as uniformity
of shading is concerned.
My method consists in applying streaks of coloring-matter to yarn side by side
and successively and after the printing of the first streak of a series of streaks and
during the printing of the second one subjecting the first and the second streaks
to pressure and rubbing, the former to the extent of approximately one-half of
its width, forcing from such second streak coloring-matter into the space to be
subsequently occupied by a third streak to the extent of approximately one-half
of the width of a streak, subjecting the color so forced over simultaneously to
pressure, and afterwards printing a streak upon the unprinted adjoining space
which has received such coloring-matter.
My improved method can be applied in manner as hereinafter described; and
the objects of my invention can be accomplished by the means hereinafter specified,
and set forth more particularly in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1
is a side elevation, partly in section, of a color-carriage and part of the yarn-
drum fitted up according to my invention, while Fig. 2 is a ground plan of
Fig. 1, the drum, however, not being shown therein. Fig. 3 is a front elevation
of a spreading device shown in operative engagement with the yarn on the drum,
and Fig. 4 a ground plan of the spreading device illustrated in Fig 3. Said
Figs. 3 and 4. in conjunction with the following description, serve nore
particularly to illustrate my method of procedure in applying the color to the
yarn and forcing it into the yarn and indicate relative positions of paths traversed
and to be traversed by the color-wheel and of spreaders which may be employed
in carrying out my method for coloring the yarn. Figs. 3 and 4 are drawn to
an enlarged scale.
Corresponding letters and figures of reference throughout the different views
refer to corresponding parts.
12 is the color-carriage, mounted on wheels 8 8 and 10 10, on which color-box 1
and color-wheel 23 are supported, and which is drawn by means of a cord attached
to hooks 30 forward and backward along rails 32, placed underneath and parallel
with drum 33, carrying the yarn Y.
28 28 are brackets attached to the main body of the carriage which forms a
hearing within which a post 29, made of rectangular cross-section, is made to
slide.
48 48 are pivots passing through the lower extremities of posts 29, to which
are hinged levers 51, carrying at their lower ends rollers 49 49, posts 29, together
with levers 51 and pivots 48, forming a toggle-jointed support for rubbing
appliances, more fully referred to hereinafter.
All these parts substantially correspond in their construction and in their
mutual relations and. functions with the parts bearing corresponding letters of
reference in William Shaw's Letters l'atent for Great Britain, No. 16,914 of 1893.
60 are vertical arms forming parts of brackets 28 and serving more particularly
to guide posts 29.
-65 is a platform at the upper extremity of post 29. 10, 11, and 12 are
cylindrical studs screwed into said platform, and 14 14 jam-nuts for holding said
studs in position.
15 is a pan for catching and carrying off the drippings of coloring-matter from

page_text: the equalizer 66 and the rubber 70, mounted at the upper ends of said studs in
manner hereinafter described. This equalizer 66, to which may be attached an
auxiliary rubber 88, and the main rubber 70 correspond as to their functions with
the equalizers 66 and the rubbers 70 of William Shaw's Letters Patent for Great
Britain, No. 14,422 of 1895 and resemble the same also as far as their general 5
configuration is concerned. Equalizer 66 is provided near its forward end with
side lugs 1° 1' and with a rear fug 12 and rubber 70 with side lugs 110 and 111 and
with a rear lug 12 in such manner that the upper end of stud 10* freely passes
through lugs 10 and 110, that of stud 11 through lugs 11 and 1", and that
of stud 12 through lugs 12 and 112, SO as to allow the equalizer 1
and the rubber to freely play upward and downward along said
studs. 13 13 are screws entering the heads of said studs and serving by
means of washers 14 to prevent the equalizer and the rubber from leaving said
studs. S S are springs yieldingly supporting said lugs. Their lower holes are
of sufficient size to permit the same to pass over the lower screw-threaded portions
of studs 10, 11, and 12, while the perforations in the upper ends of said springs
are of sufficient size to allow of the free play up and down of these ends along the
studs.
dare shallow depressions on the upper surfaces of equalizers 66, and ď ď
such depressions on the upper surfaces of rubbers 70, said depressions in each case
being shown on the portions of such surfaces nearest to the color-wheel and to be
of such sizes and proportions as to leave at their sides and in the rear of them
U-shaped flat portions which are adapted to come in direct contact with the
yarn when the rubbing devices are being pressed upward while occupying
positions underneath the drum. Rollers 49 are adapted to travel on rail R,
placed between track-rails 32 32.
a a are rods attached to lugs b on rail R and connected to a beam C in such
manner that by moving said beam in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 2 said
rail will be withdrawn laterally from contact with rollers 49, springs o o forcing
said rail back into its original position when the sideward thrust on beam C
ceases. Any other suitable means may be substituted for those above described,
whereby rollers 49 may be temporarily deprived of their support so as to cause
the weight of the spreading devices and of their movable supports to drop to
elevations below the drum, thereby keeping the same from contact with the yarn.
Thus the passage of the rubbing appliances over the outer ridges of outer streaks
in a series of streaks of the same shade can be prevented and the forcing of color-
ing-matter into an adjoining streak of different shade can be guarded against.
For the purpose of thoroughly impregnating the yarn with coloring-matter and
for properly forcing the same into the yarn I avail myself of the method
pointed out by William Shaw in his Letters Patent for Great Britain No. 16,914
of 1893 of successively rubbing the interior streaks of a series of streaks twice
and in opposite directions, which is accomplished therein by making the spread-
ing devices of substantially double the width of the color-wheel and by placing
said spreading devices substantially in line with each other. The drum during
the printing of such a series of streaks is being revolved step by step in usual
inanner. As the coloring-matter is generally forced outward and deposited in
pairs of ridges, as el e² and e³ e³, &c., with coloring-matter thinly spread between
such ridges of the same streak, along the paths P₁ P3, &c., of the color-wheel, the
mechanism for turning the drum is arranged in usual manner so as to leave a
space between the paths of the two color-wheels where two such ridges may be
deposited and may unite into one if the coloring substance is sufficiently liquid,
the peripheral travel of the drum at each step, therefore, being greater than the
width of the color-wheel employed. Said Patent No. 16,914 of 1893 illustrates
such positions of the spreading devices as to bring their edges on one side of the
central longitudinal planes of the color-wheel approximately in line with an
outer operative edge of the distributing-wheel, whereby the coloring-matter of
two entire successive streaks is equalized simultaneously.
I have found that very good results can be obtained by using spreading devices

page_text: of widths equal to or greater than the peripheral travel of the drum during two
successive steps and placing the same in line with each other, but in such
positions with reference to the color-wheel that such spreading and rubbing-
devices will not only cover streaks already applied to the yarn or which are in
course of being applied by the color-wheel, but will also materially extend into
the next adjoining path which the color-wheel is to take subsequently, as thereby
the spreading and rubbing devices will promptly after the deposition of the
coloring-matter by the color-wheel spread the same laterally onto the portion of
the yarn to be covered by the color-wheel during its next travel, thus imparting
to the yarn which has not yet been traversed by the color-wheel such color, thereby
moistening it and forcing color to enter into the yarn under pressure substantially
corresponding with that simultaneously applied to yarn in line with the color-
wheel and preparing it to receive and absorb additional color when the color-
wheel afterward passes over it. For such purpose I place the central portions of
the spreading device as it follows the color-wheel directly in the rear of such
wheel, as shown in Fig. 2, whereby a portion of a streak, as P¹, previously made
and all of streak P3 which is in course of being applied to the yarn and part of
the path next to be covered by the distributing-wheel can be covered
by said spreading device, while during the return travel of the
color-wheel one-half of streak P³ and all of the subsequent streak P5³
are acted upon by the other spreading device in opposite directions and the yarn
which is to be covered by a neighbouring and successive streak is being moistened
under pressure and covered with color in part or in whole. I prefer to make
depressions d and d² of sufficient widths to cover the three ridges previously
made by the color-wheel over which the spreading device is passing, so as to
temporarily receive surplus coloring-matter therefrom and supply the same to
a portion of the surface of the yarn not yet traversed by the color-wheel.
It is necessary to guard against smearing the yarn by the carrying of color
from the ends of the drum not covered with yarn, and indicated by E, to the
yarn itself. For such purpose I construct the center rail R as follows: I provide
its ends with slopes f in general manner as indicated in said Letters Patent for
Great Britain, No. 16,914 of 1893, whereby as the carriage travels toward the
drum the lever 51 first approaching the drum will be tripped and, together with
the spreading appliances above it, will assume the positions illustrated in the
right-hand portion of Fig. 1, while rear lever 51 will be brought into a sub-
stantially vertical position as it passes over such slope. Rubber 70 I allow to
slightly project above the equalizer. The same will therefore come in contact
with the yarn earlier than equalizer 56. The left-hand portion of Fig. 1 shows
its position at the time it first touches the yarn and the drum, its depressed
portion being placed underneath the yarn and its flat portion under the free
portion of the drum directly adjoining the yarn. In order to guard against its
striking the drum earlier with any considerable force, I provide a shoulder, as g,
near the upper end of slope f, so that roller 49 after travelling upward along said
slope will strike said shoulder and will thereby be carried upward abruptly.
At the other end of the rail the corresponding shoulder will serve to permit of
abruptly lowering the supports of the spreading device. This is valuable and
important, as operators are generally in a great hurry to swing the drum as soon
as possible after the color-wheel has passed from underneath the same, and the
prompt detachment of the spreading devices from the yarn at this point will
guard against their pulling, displacing, and breaking the yarn. Withdrawing
the spreaders from the drum or from contact with the yarn in directions sub-
stantially at right angles to the drum where appliances are used for continuously
confining said spreaders out of action while the carriage travels along the drum
in either direction therefore tends toward preserving the yarn and saving time in
operating the apparatus.
As the central portion of rail R is not always perfectly level and parallel with
the drum and coloring-matter is apt to lodge on it and make it slippery, it will

page_text: sometimes occur that the roller underneath the operative spreading device will
roll forward beyond its post 29, thereby shortening the toggle-joint and detaching
its spreading devices from. the yarn. Leaf-springs t, applied to post t-29 and rest-
ing against lever 51, as shown, will tend to guard, against this, these springs
being made comparatively weak, so as not to force post 29 upward, when the
same is intended, to occupy the position shown in the right hand portion of Fig. 1.
A counterweight attached to that side of lever 51 which faces toward the color-
wheel would accomplish the same résult.
}
i
"It will readily be seen that many modifications might be made in the construc-
tion illustrated by me. Thus any suitable form of single or compound spreaders
with or without depressions on their faces may be employed, and instead of having
spreading devices in front and in the rear of the color-wheel one such device might
be made to serve at all times in the rear of the color-wheel, no matter in which
direction the same may be travelling, by providing a proper shifting lever which
may upon the end of the travel of the wheel in one direction place such spreading
device in the rear of the color-wheel.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim.is:-.
1. The improvement in the art of coloring carpet-yarns, which consists in
successively printing streaks of color of given widths upon the yarn side by side,
subjecting the entire width of the color-streak in course of application to a
rubbing action and simultaneously subjecting approximately one-half of the width
of the adjoining streak previously printed to such action while also, spreading
color from the streak in course of application over the adjoining unprinted portion
of the yarn on its other side to the extent of substantially one-half of the width
of a streak and there rubbing it into the yarn simultaneously, and then printing
a streak upon the adjoining unprinted portion of yarn upon which coloring-
matter has been so spread from the streak in course of application, substantially
as set forth.
2. In an apparatus for coloring carpet yarns, the combination with a drum
which carries the yarn adapted to be revolved step by step, of a spreader mounted
upon the carriage in the rear of the color-wheel, said spreader covering an
aggregate width of two streaks, whereby the entire width of the streak in process
of application is covered together with spaces on each side thereof, each such space
approximating one-half of the width of a streak.
3. In an apparatus for coloring carpet yarns, the combination with the drum
which carries the yarn, a color-carriage and a color-wheel, of spreading devices
with suitable supports in front and in the rear of the color-wheel, means for
raising the spreading devices in substantially vertical directions as they approach
the yarn and while occupying positions underneath the drum, and mechanism
for confining such raising means out of action simultaneously, while the carriage
travels underneath the drum.
Dated this 22nd day of October 1891.
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
Chartered Patent Agents,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.