Improved Apparatus for Cleaning or Removing Knots and the like from Yarn or Thread.
Year: 1893

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by THE KERR THREAD COMPANY, of Fall River,
Ma sachusetts, United States of America, a corporation organized under the
laws of the State of New Jersey, United States of America.]
Improved Apparatus for Cleaning or Removing Knots and the like
from Yarn or Thread.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45 Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex, 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 :-
This invention has relation to that class of devices which are employed by yarn
or thread makers to remove burls or unevenness from their products and make
sure that the same do not contain knots, slugs, or fluffy points or places.
The means heretofore most commonly employed for the purpose mentioned have
consisted of a fork or pair of blades set nearly touching, so as to remove unevenness
from yarn passing between them. The difficulty with these means has been that
with some yarns where the unevenness was soft or of a fluffy character it was
liable to flatten and pass through without removal or detection; and even when the
knots or unevenness was hard, if flat in form, and not thicker than the width of the
slot it would likewise pass without being arrested.
It is the purpose of this invention to provide such improvements, as will render
certain the removal of burls, slugs, fluffy bunches, knots or other unevenness from
the thread or yarn, or arrest the progress of the latter, whatever might be the
form of such unevenness.
To these ends the invention consists of a yarn-clearer and knot-catcher
comprising in its construction a pulley or wheel provided in its periphery with an
angular groove in or through which the thread or yarn may run, and an adjustable
catching or clearing pin or device opposite the bottom of the said groove, the
whole being so constructed and arranged that as long as the thread is of normal
size it will run in or pass through the said groove out of contact with the catching
or clearing device, but when a burl, bunch. or knot occurs in the yarn, the said
unevenness will, as it were, raise the thread out of the groove, by bearing upon its
sides or bottom into contact with the said catching or clearing device removing the
burl or bunch or catching the knot or unevenness, and stopping the passage of the
thread, all as I will now proceed to describe and claim.
Reference is to be had to the annexed drawing and to the letters marked thereon,
forming a part of this Specification, the same letters designating the same parts or
features, as the case may be, wherever they occur.
Of the drawings-
Figure 1, is a perspective view of the invention, supported on a suitable base, a
thread being represented as running through the device.
Fig. 2, is a sectional detail view taken centrally through the grooved pulley or
wheel, across the axis of the same, showing the position of the thread with respect
to the wheel, and the clearing or catching device, when the said thread is free from
unevenness and without knots.
Fig. 3, is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the position of the thread when
a knot or bunch occurs therein.
Figs. 4 and 5 are transverse sectional diagrams corresponding to Figs. 2 and 3.
In the drawings a designates a rod adjustably supported upon which is a
bracket which bracket, in turn, supports a journal stud c, upon which is
arranged a wheel or pulley d, provided in its periphery with a V-shaped or angular
groove e.

page_text: In an arm projecting up from the bracket and extending over the grooved
wheel d, there is arranged a vertically adjustable pin g, the lower end of which
may be pointed, made sharp, or otherwise constructed to suit it to perform the
functions required of it, as hereinafter explained. In the present instance, the
shank of the pin 9 is constructed as a screw tapped through the inner end of
the arm f.
hare guide eyes arranged at a plane below or out of line with the wheel d, so
that the passing thread i may be held down in the bottom or as near the bottom of
the groove e, as may be.
jis a guard to prevent the thread from being accidentally, or with the purpose of
mischief, readily thrown out of the groove of the wheel.
In use a thread or yarn i will be placed in position in the groove e of the wheel d,
and the catching or clearing device g will be adjusted so as that the thread will run
in close proximity thereto yet not touch the same, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. So
long as the thread is of normal structure and size, it will run through the device
without trouble, and without friction or abrasion, since any appreciable friction will
serve to turn the wheel or pulley d.
In case, however, of a knot k, or a burl, slug, fluffy bunch or unevenness of any
kind occuring in the thread, it will raise the same from its normal position in the
groove, into contact with the catching or clearing device g, and be stopped with
certainty thereby, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5.
It is to be noted that with this device there is no liability of an unevenness in
the yarn passing, by the flattening of the same, nor can a flat bunch or knot pass
the catching or clearing device. Furthermore, the catching device can be adjusted
fully out of contact with the thread, when of normal size so as not to abrade the
same, nor is the thread liable of abrasion by friction, since the pulley or wheel d
is free to turn upon its axis when any appreciable force is applied to its periphery.
It is to be observed, also, that the construction of the invention is such as to
make the application thereto of a stop-motion ready of accomplishment.
For example, the arm might be pivotally supported so that undue force exerted
upon the arm by the knot burl or slug would turn said arm, move a catch, and
cause the winding device to knock-off.
It is not essential, however, that the wheel or guide d should be made to turn
when the thread is passing through the angular guide-groove e. Indeed, in practice,
with smooth yarn or thread it does not turn excepting when undue friction or power
is exerted thereon.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is-
1. A knot-catching and thread-clearing device comprising in its construction a
guide or base provided with a V-shaped or angular groove, through which the
thread is led; and a clearing or catching device arranged above or opposite the
bottom or angle of the said guide-groove, as set forth.
2. A knot-catching and thread-clearing device comprising in its construction a
wheel or pulley provided in its periphery with a V-shaped or angular groove, and
a knot-catching and thread-clearing device adjustable opposite the bottom of the said
groove as set forth.
Dated this 16th day of Mao 1902
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.