Patent Description:
In recent years, many products using paper yarns capable of utilizing characteristics of paper have been provided. The paper yarn is obtained by slitting sheet-shaped paper into a width of about several mm and twisting, into a yarn, a paper tape formed by the slitting. Conventionally, in a case of industrially manufacturing the paper yarn, a wound body has been obtained by slitting sheet-shaped paper into widths of various sizes by a slitter, and winding each single paper tape included in the plurality of formed paper tapes by winding into a cheese shape, a cone shape, or the like. A conventional twisted yarn manufacturer has been manufacturing a compound paper yarn by selecting a wound body around which a paper tape having a required width is wound, setting the paper tape in a covering machine, and twisting the paper tape together with a long fiber made of synthetic fibers or the like or covering the paper tape with a long fiber or the like. The covering refers to a process of manufacturing a covering yarn by winding a long fiber or the like around a core yarn or the like in a coil shape. A covering yarn in which a long fiber, a spun yarn, or the like is wound around an outer periphery of a paper tape can be said to be a type of compound paper yarn.

In a case of winding a yarn, irregularities due to the yarn are formed on a surface of a portion of the yarn already wound. A portion of the yarn to be further wound fits into a recess formed between portions of the yarn already wound. Therefore, in winding the yarn, winding collapse of the yarn hardly occurs. Whereas, in a case of winding a paper tape, the paper tape has a flat tape shape, irregularities hardly occur on a surface of a portion of the paper tape already wound, and the paper tape easily slides on this surface. Therefore, in winding the paper tape into a cheese shape or a cone shape, in storing a wound body of the wound paper tape, or in unwinding the paper tape from the wound body to manufacture a compound paper yarn, winding collapse of the paper tape may occur. In particular, for a paper tape with a narrow width of a width of about <NUM> to about <NUM>, the paper tape tends to break by a slight impact when being wound, since not only winding collapse easily occurs but also breaking elongation of the paper tape having a narrow width is small. Therefore, conventionally, in a paper tape with a narrow width, there has been a lot of material loss, the quality has been unstable, and manufacturing has been difficult, since winding is not stable, handling is very difficult, and the paper tape easily break when being wound or drawn out from the wound body. In the present specification, the breaking elongation is elongation (tensile elongation) when a test sample is pulled at a speed of <NUM>/min with use of a tensile tester in accordance with ASTM-D-<NUM> or JIS-C-<NUM> and the sample is broken. When L<NUM> is a "sample length before test" and L is a "sample length at breakage", the breaking elongation is calculated by the formula "tensile elongation (%) = <NUM> × (L - L<NUM>) /L<NUM>".

Conventionally, when a compound paper yarn is manufactured by a covering machine with use of a paper tape, breakage of the paper tape frequently occurs, which destabilizes quality of the compound paper yarn and causes poor productivity. Conventionally, in order to manufacture the compound paper yarn, winding work of the paper tape and work of drawing out the wound paper tape from the cheese shape or the cone shape and setting the paper tape in each covering unit provided in the covering machine have been performed manually every time. Since such manual work is required, labor loss and time loss are large, and cost reduction of the compound paper yarn is hindered, in a conventional compound paper yarn manufacturing device and compound paper yarn manufacturing method.

Patent Document <NUM>: <CIT>
Further related art may be found in <CIT> which describes a compound paperfiber thread and a manufacturing method thereof and in <CIT> which describes a twist yarn, manufacturing method thereof and textiles using it.

Therefore, instead of once winding a paper tape formed by slitting a paper sheet with a slitter and then using the paper tape to manufacture a compound paper yarn in a conventional manner, the inventor of the present application has previously considered to process the formed paper tape directly into the compound paper yarn. However, when the paper sheet is slit with the slitter, about <NUM> to <NUM> paper tapes are made from one paper sheet. Processing all of these paper tapes one by one simultaneously into the compound paper yarn requires not only preparing a covering machine provided with about <NUM> to about <NUM> covering units, the number of which is the same number as the number of paper tapes formed by the slitting, but also an installation space and a work space for individual covering units. Further, in order to supply each paper tape included in the plurality of paper tapes directly to a single covering unit such that each single paper tape is supplied for each single covering unit after the paper sheet is slit by the slitter to form a plurality of paper tapes, it is necessary to convey each single paper tape over a distance of at least about <NUM> even if the slitter is arranged at a center where the plurality of covering units are arranged side by side. When a paper tape having a width of about <NUM> to several mm is conveyed in the air, the paper tape may break due to its own weight. In consideration of these, the inventor of the present application has previously repeated various experiments and the like, and as a result, created the invention described in Patent Document <NUM>.

Thereafter, the inventor of the present application has obtained the following knowledge in a process of further conducting experiments with a prototype for practical use. It has been found that, in a conventional covering yarn manufacturing method using a paper tape, only a slight impact has occurred on each paper tape in a process of feeding a single paper tape for each single covering unit. It has been found that a thin and narrow paper tape having small breaking elongation tends to easily break due to this slight impact, but has a certain degree of breaking strength against a static load. In the present specification, the breaking strength is a tensile load value when a test sample is pulled at a speed of <NUM>/min with use of a tensile tester in accordance with ASTM-D-<NUM> or JIS-C-<NUM> and the sample is broken. For example, in a case of a Japanese paper tape having a basis weight of <NUM>/mm<NUM> and a width of <NUM>, average breaking strength has been <NUM> gf (<NUM> N) and average breaking elongation has been <NUM>%. In a case of a Japanese paper tape having a basis weight of <NUM>/mm<NUM> and a width of <NUM>, average breaking strength has been <NUM> gf (<NUM> N) and average breaking elongation has been <NUM>%. In a case of a Japanese paper tape having a basis weight of <NUM>/mm<NUM> and a width of <NUM>, average breaking strength has been <NUM> gf (<NUM> N) and average breaking elongation has been <NUM>%. In each case, a length of the sample has been <NUM>. In these Japanese paper tapes, measured tension has been from <NUM> gf (<NUM> N) to <NUM> (<NUM> N), but breakage of the Japanese paper tape has frequently occurred, and an operation rate of a paper yarn manufacturing device has been as low as from <NUM>% to <NUM>%. The inventor of the present application has thought that a reason why the Japanese paper tape breaks at a tension of <NUM> gf to <NUM> gf although the average breaking strength of the Japanese paper tape is about <NUM> gf (about <NUM> N) is because the average breaking elongation of the Japanese paper tape is small. Therefore, as a result of observing a process from formation to supply to the covering unit for each Japanese paper tape, the inventor of the present application has found that the Japanese paper tape breaks when a slight impact is applied in a feeding direction. As a result of studying a cause of occurrence of the slight impact, the inventor of the present application has created the present invention.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel compound paper yarn manufacturing device and compound paper yarn manufacturing method each including a mechanism that does not apply a slight impact in a feeding direction, that is, a rapid change in tension to each single paper tape when each single paper tape included in a plurality of paper tapes formed by slitting a paper sheet with a slitter is continuously supplied as it is to a covering machine to be processed into a compound paper yarn.

Further, the inventor of the present application has found that a paper portion (only Japanese paper) of a compound paper yarn is less likely to break when the compound paper yarn obtained by the novel compound paper yarn manufacturing device and compound paper yarn manufacturing method is pulled and subjected to a measurement test of breaking strength. Note that, in a compound paper yarn manufactured by a conventional paper yarn manufacturing device, a long fiber portion made of synthetic fibers does not break when pulled, but a paper portion often breaks. When the compound paper yarn in which the paper portion breaks is formed into a woven fabric or a knitted fabric and commercialized, the broken paper portion may be unraveled and appear on a surface of the product. Even if the broken paper portion does not appear on the surface, the appearance of the compound paper yarn is different at the broken paper portion, and unevenness occurs in the appearance of the product. In such a case, a commodity value is impaired. In the conventional compound paper yarn manufacturing device and compound paper yarn manufacturing method, the problem that the paper portion easily breaks in the compound paper yarn has been unable to be solved. Whereas, it has been found that a compound paper yarn manufactured by the novel compound paper yarn manufacturing device and compound paper yarn manufacturing method by the inventor of the present application is less likely to break in a paper portion even when tension is applied.

The dependent claims describe optional features and distinct embodiments.

In order to solve the above problems, a compound paper yarn manufacturing device according to the present invention is a compound paper yarn manufacturing device including: a pair of feeding rollers configured to sandwich and feed out a single paper tape at a constant speed; a pair of slip rollers including a driving roller that is configured to be rotated at a surface speed of more than <NUM> times as compared with a constant speed of the pair of feeding rollers, and configured to sandwich the single paper tape and feed out the single paper tape while slipping the driving roller with respect to the single paper tape; and a covering machine provided with a single covering unit that has a false-twisting mechanism configured to perform, with a first yarn when added in use, false-twisting on the single paper tape fed out by the pair of slip rollers, and has a covering mechanism configured to cover, with a second yarn when added in use, the single paper tape and the first yarn added to the single paper tape in a twisting region or an untwisting region of the false-twisting mechanism. The first yarn is at least one piece of yarn selected from a group including a first long fiber, a first spun yarn, and a compound yarn in which a first long fiber and a first spun yarn are combined, and the second yarn is at least one piece of yarn selected from a group including a second long fiber, a second spun yarn, and a compound yarn in which a second long fiber and a second spun yarn are combined.

Alternatively, a compound paper yarn manufacturing device according to the present invention is a compound paper yarn manufacturing device including: a slitter configured to slit a paper sheet fed out from a paper roll comprised in the compound paper yarn manufacturing device when in use, to form a plurality of paper tapes having a narrow width, in a feeding direction of the paper sheet; a pair of feeding rollers configured to sandwich and feed out the plurality of paper tapes formed by the slitter, at a constant speed; a distributor having a plurality of guide paths each provided to allow a single paper tape alone to pass from the plurality of paper tapes conveyed by the pair of feeding rollers, and configured to distribute the plurality of paper tapes into each the single paper tape; a plurality of pairs of slip rollers, wherein the pair of slip rollers corresponds to each of the single paper tape distributed from the plurality of paper tapes, in which the pair of slip rollers includes a driving roller that is rotated at a surface speed of more than <NUM> times as compared with a constant speed of the pair of feeding rollers and is configured to sandwich the single paper tape distributed by the distributor and feed out the single paper tape while slipping the driving roller with respect to the single paper tape; and a covering machine provided with a plurality of single covering units such that each of the single covering units corresponds to each the single paper tape fed out by the pair of slip rollers, in which each of the single covering units has a false-twisting mechanism configured to perform, with a first yarn when added in use, false-twisting on the single paper tape fed out by the pair of slip rollers, and has a covering mechanism configured to cover, with a second yarn when added in use, the single paper tape and the first yarn added to the single paper tape in a twisting region or an untwisting region of the false-twisting mechanism. The first yarn is at least one piece of yarn selected from a group including a first long fiber, a first spun yarn, and a compound yarn in which a first long fiber and a first spun yarn are combined, and the second yarn is at least one piece of yarn selected from a group including a second long fiber, a second spun yarn, and a compound yarn in which a second long fiber and a second spun yarn are combined.

In the compound paper yarn manufacturing device according to the present invention, as compared with a feeding speed of the pair of feeding rollers, a surface speed of the driving roller in the pair of slip rollers may be <NUM> times or more and <NUM> times or less.

In the compound paper yarn manufacturing device according to the present disclosure, the pair of slip rollers includes the driving roller and a driven roller.

In the compound paper yarn manufacturing device according to the present invention, the driving roller and the driven roller may be arranged in a vertical direction in the pair of slip rollers, the driving roller may be arranged below the driven roller, and the driven roller may be arranged above the driving roller.

A compound paper yarn manufacturing method according to the present invention is a compound paper yarn manufacturing method including: a step of feeding out a single paper tape; a step of feeding out the fed single paper tape via a pair of slip rollers including a driving roller while slipping the driving roller with respect to the single paper tape; a step of performing false-twisting, with a first yarn added, on the single paper tape fed out while being slipped; and a step of covering, with a second yarn, the single paper tape and the first yarn in a twisting region or an untwisting region in the step of performing false-twisting. The first yarn is at least one piece of yarn selected from a group including a first long fiber, a first spun yarn, and a compound yarn in which a first long fiber and a first spun yarn are combined, and the second yarn is at least one piece of yarn selected from a group including a second long fiber, a second spun yarn, and a compound yarn in which a second long fiber and a second spun yarn are combined.

Alternatively, a compound paper yarn manufacturing method according to the present invention is a compound paper yarn manufacturing method including: a step of preparing a paper sheet wound in a roll shape; a step of feeding out the paper sheet in a longitudinal direction; a step of slitting the paper sheet to form a plurality of paper tapes having a narrow width in a feeding direction of the fed paper sheet; a step of distributing the formed plurality of paper tapes into each single paper tape by a distributor; a step of feeding out each the distributed single paper tape via a pair of slip rollers including a driving roller while slipping the driving roller with respect to each single paper tape; a step of performing false-twisting, with a first yarn added, on each the single paper tape fed out while being slipped; and a step of covering, with a second yarn, for each combination of the single paper tape and the first yarn in a twisting region or an untwisting region in the step of performing false-twisting. The first yarn is at least one piece of yarn selected from a group including a first long fiber, a first spun yarn, and a compound yarn in which a first long fiber and a first spun yarn are combined, and the second yarn is at least one piece of yarn selected from a group including a second long fiber, a second spun yarn, and a compound yarn in which a second long fiber and a second spun yarn are combined. The distributor in the compound paper yarn manufacturing device according to the present invention is preferably provided with a plurality of guide paths such that one of the guide paths corresponds to each single paper tape included in the plurality of paper tapes. In the compound paper yarn manufacturing device according to the present invention and the compound paper yarn manufacturing method according to the present invention, the first yarn is preferably at least one piece of the first long fiber, and more preferably one piece of the first long fiber. In the compound paper yarn manufacturing device according to the present invention and the compound paper yarn manufacturing method according to the present invention, the second yarn is preferably at least one piece of the second long fiber, and more preferably one piece of the second long fiber.

According to an example of the compound paper yarn manufacturing device and the compound paper yarn manufacturing method according to the present invention, a single paper tape is fed at a constant speed by the pair of feeding rollers, and the pair of slip rollers rotated at a surface speed higher than a speed of the single paper tape feed the single paper tape to the single covering unit while slipping the single paper tape. The driving roller of the pair of slip rollers is rotated at a surface speed of, as compared with a feeding speed (constant speed) of the feeding roller, more than <NUM> times, preferably <NUM> times or more and <NUM> times or less, and more preferably <NUM> times or more and <NUM> times or less. The feeding speed of the pair of slip rollers refers to a surface speed of the driving roller. When rotation is made at the feeding speed of the pair of slip rollers of the surface speed more than <NUM> times and preferably more than <NUM> times as compared with the feeding speed of the feeding rollers, the single paper tape is hardly to break. The single paper tape is fed out in a state of always being slipped between the pair of slip rollers, and a rapid slight impact (rapid change in tension) in a feeding direction is hardly applied to the single paper tape. Therefore, in a process of processing the single paper tape into a compound paper yarn, the single paper tape is hardly to break, the single paper tape can be smoothly supplied to the single covering unit provided in the covering machine, and the compound paper yarn is smoothly manufactured.

According to another example of the compound paper yarn manufacturing device and the compound paper yarn manufacturing method according to the present invention, a paper sheet fed out from a paper roll is slit by the slitter to form a plurality of paper tapes. The formed plurality of paper tapes are fed out at a constant speed by the pair of feeding rollers. The fed plurality of paper tapes are distributed into each single paper tape by the distributor. For each single covering unit, one distributed paper tape is supplied via the pair of slip rollers. The driving roller of the pair of slip rollers is rotated at a surface speed of, as compared with a feeding speed (constant speed) of the feeding roller, more than <NUM> times, preferably <NUM> times or more and <NUM> times or less, and more preferably <NUM> times or more and <NUM> times or less. The feeding speed of the pair of slip rollers refers to a surface speed of the driving roller. When rotation is made at the feeding speed of the pair of slip rollers of the surface speed more than <NUM> times and preferably more than <NUM> times as compared with the feeding speed of the feeding rollers, each single paper tape is hardly to break. Each single paper tape is fed out in a state of always being slipped between the pair of slip rollers, and a rapid slight impact (rapid change in tension) in a feeding direction is hardly applied to each single paper tape. Therefore, in a process of processing each single paper tape included in the plurality of paper tapes into the compound paper yarn, each single paper tape is hardly to break, the single paper tape can be smoothly supplied for each single covering unit provided in the covering machine, and the compound paper yarn is smoothly manufactured.

When rotation is made at the feeding speed of the pair of feeding rollers of a high speed of, as compared with a feeding speed of the first yarn (a feeding speed of a delivery roller), <NUM> times or more and <NUM> times or less, preferably <NUM> times or more and <NUM> times or less, more preferably <NUM> times or more and <NUM> times or less, and even more preferably <NUM> times or more and <NUM> times or less, overfeeding is likely to occur such that a length of the paper tape is <NUM> times or more and <NUM> times or less as compared with a length of the first yarn. In the compound paper yarn obtained by overfeeding in this manner, breakage of only a paper portion (paper tape) is to hardly occur when the first yarn is pulled to such an extent that the first yarn does not break. Since a constant tension is always applied to the paper tape by the pair of slip rollers to feed out, the obtained compound paper yarn is evenly false-twisted and covered.

For the reason described above, in another compound paper yarn manufacturing device and another compound paper yarn manufacturing method according to the present invention, as compared with the conventional art, a series of operations from feeding out the paper sheet to obtaining the compound paper yarn can be easily performed without interruption until the paper sheet of the paper roll is completely fed out and runs out. In this compound paper yarn manufacturing device, in principle, it is possible to continue to manufacture the compound paper yarn until the paper sheet of the paper roll runs out without temporarily stopping the compound paper yarn manufacturing device even when, for example, several paper tapes of the plurality of paper tapes break. Therefore, since there is almost no room for a worker to perform work during this series of work, labor saving can be achieved. Further, in the compound paper yarn manufacturing device and the compound paper yarn manufacturing method according to the present invention, since a plurality of paper tapes formed by slitting a paper sheet are continuously distributed into each single paper tape after formation and processed into a compound paper yarn by false-twisting and covering, time required to obtain the compound paper yarn from the paper sheet can be significantly shortened, and the manufacturing cost of the compound paper yarn can be significantly reduced, as compared with a manufacturing device and a manufacturing method in which a paper tape formed by slitting a paper sheet is once wound and then used to manufacturing of a compound paper yarn as in the conventional art.

For the reason described above, in the compound paper yarn manufacturing device and the compound paper yarn manufacturing method according to the present invention, the paper tape can always be stably supplied by the pair of slip rollers, and the single paper tape, the first yarn, and the second yarn can always be stably supplied for each single covering unit. Therefore, the paper tape and the first yarn are easily and evenly false-twisted over the longitudinal direction, and are easily and evenly covered with the second yarn over the longitudinal direction. Therefore, in the manufactured compound paper yarn according to the present invention, local unevenness is less likely to occur over the longitudinal direction.

In the compound paper yarn according to the present invention, when cut at a predetermined length, it is desirable that, as compared with a length of the first yarn included in a formed section of the compound paper yarn, a length of the single paper tape included in the section of the compound paper yarn is set to preferably <NUM> times or more and <NUM> times or less, more preferably <NUM> times or more and <NUM> times or less, even more preferably <NUM> times or more and <NUM> times or less, and further more preferably set to <NUM> times or more and <NUM> times or less. In the compound paper yarn according to the present invention manufactured as described above, when pulled, the paper tape is stretched straight by an overfeed amount within a range in which the first yarn is stretched, which almost eliminates breakage of only the paper tape. Since the compound paper yarn according to the present invention is evenly twisted over the longitudinal direction as described above, breakage of only the paper tape hardly occurs even if the compound paper yarn is locally pulled at a short distance.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of a compound paper yarn manufacturing device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Hereinafter, in the present specification, an embodiment in a case where Japanese paper is used as paper will be described, but an embodiment in a case where other paper such as Western paper is used is not excluded from the present invention.

As illustrated in <FIG>, a compound paper yarn manufacturing device <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a Japanese paper roll <NUM>, a slitter <NUM>, a pair of feeding rollers <NUM>, a distributor <NUM>, a plurality of pairs of slip rollers <NUM> (see <FIG>) not illustrated in <FIG>, and a covering machine <NUM>. The Japanese paper roll <NUM> is obtained by winding a long Japanese paper sheet <NUM> into a roll shape. The slitter <NUM> is arranged so as to slit the Japanese paper sheet <NUM> fed out from the Japanese paper roll <NUM> and form a plurality of Japanese paper tapes <NUM> in a feeding direction of the Japanese paper sheet <NUM>. The pair of feeding rollers <NUM> are arranged so as to sandwich and convey the plurality of Japanese paper tapes <NUM>. The distributor <NUM> distributes the plurality of Japanese paper tapes <NUM> fed out by the pair of feeding rollers <NUM>, into each single Japanese paper tape <NUM>. The plurality of pairs of slip rollers <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> are obtained by providing a plurality of pieces of the pair of slip rollers <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>. Each pair of slip rollers <NUM> convey the distributed each single Japanese paper tape <NUM> while sandwiching (nipping) in a slidable manner. The covering machine <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> is provided with a plurality of covering units. As illustrated in <FIG>, each covering unit <NUM> includes: a false-twisting mechanism <NUM> that performs false-twisting, with a first yarn <NUM> added, on the single Japanese paper tape <NUM> fed from the pair of slip rollers <NUM>; and a covering mechanism <NUM> that covers, with a second yarn <NUM>, the single Japanese paper tape <NUM> and the first yarn <NUM>.

The paper used in the present invention is not particularly limited to so-called Western paper, Japanese paper, or the like as long as it can be processed into a yarn shape by being slit to a narrow width and then twisted. The paper used in the present invention is preferably Japanese paper from the viewpoint of paper having a small paper thickness, a narrow width, and a large breaking strength.

Japanese paper is paper made by straining a Japanese paper raw material in a slurry form mainly containing fibers obtained by beating a raw material plant suitable for Japanese paper. Examples of the raw material plant suitable for Japanese paper include one or more plants selected from a group including kozo, paper bush, ganpi, hemp, conifers, hardwoods, bamboo grass, and the like. A basis weight of Japanese paper is preferably in a range of about <NUM>/m<NUM> or more and about <NUM>/m<NUM> or less from the viewpoint of ease of manufacturing, but one having a large basis weight exceeding this range and one having a small basis weight exceeding this range can also be used. The Japanese paper used in the present invention may contain raw material fibers derived from a material other than the Japanese paper raw material described above as long as it is <NUM> mass% or less. From the viewpoint of maintaining hygroscopicity and strength peculiar to Japanese paper, a content of fibers derived from a material other than the Japanese paper raw material is preferably suppressed to <NUM> mass% or less, in the Japanese paper used in the present invention. From the viewpoint of maintaining hygroscopicity and strength peculiar to Japanese paper, a content of fibers derived from the Japanese paper raw material is preferably <NUM> mass% or more, in the Japanese paper used in the present invention.

A width and a length of the Japanese paper sheet <NUM> used in the present invention are not particularly limited as long as they do not contradict the object of the present invention. As the Japanese paper sheet <NUM>, for example, long sheet-shaped Japanese paper having a width of about <NUM> or more and <NUM> or less and a length of about <NUM>,<NUM> or more and <NUM>,<NUM> or less can be preferably mentioned. The Japanese paper sheet <NUM> is manufactured such that a direction of the fibers of the Japanese paper raw material is oriented in a longitudinal direction as much as possible, and thus is formed to be relatively easily torn for a tensile force in a width direction, but is considerably strong and hardly torn for a tensile force in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, in the plurality of Japanese paper tapes <NUM> formed by slitting the Japanese paper sheet <NUM> in the longitudinal direction, even when each single Japanese paper tape <NUM> has a width of about <NUM> or more and about <NUM> or less, it is difficult to break with respect to a tensile force in the longitudinal direction as compared with a tape made of paper (Western paper) in which orientation directions of raw material fibers are random.

The long Japanese paper sheet <NUM> is wound around a roller <NUM> into a roll shape to form the Japanese paper roll <NUM>. The roller <NUM> is installed in a bearing (not illustrated), and the Japanese paper sheet <NUM> is smoothly fed out from the Japanese paper roll <NUM>. A configuration may be adopted in which the roller <NUM> or the bearing may be connected to a driving device (not illustrated), and the roller <NUM> may be rotated by a driving force of the driving device to allow the Japanese paper sheet <NUM> to be smoothly fed out from the Japanese paper roll <NUM>. Alternatively, a configuration may be adopted in which the Japanese paper roll <NUM> is placed on two rotation rolls parallel to each other, and the Japanese paper sheet <NUM> can be fed out from the Japanese paper roll <NUM> by rotating the two rotation rolls. Alternatively, a configuration is preferably adopted in which the Japanese paper sheet <NUM> is sandwiched (nipped) by a pair of sending rollers <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> connected to a driving device (not illustrated), and the Japanese paper sheet <NUM> can be fed out from the Japanese paper roll <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the slitter <NUM> includes: a plurality of disk-shaped rotary blades <NUM>; and a flat plate-shaped opposing member <NUM> provided to be in contact with or slightly bitten by cutting edges of the plurality of disk-shaped rotary blades <NUM>. In the plurality of Japanese paper tapes <NUM> formed by slitting the Japanese paper sheet <NUM>, for example, in a case where a width of each single Japanese paper tape <NUM> is <NUM> and the number of Japanese paper tapes <NUM> is <NUM>, <NUM> pieces of rotary blade <NUM> included in the plurality of rotary blades <NUM> are arranged at a pitch of <NUM>. Each rotary blade <NUM> has an outer periphery forming a sharp blade with a razor-shaped thin steel plate or the like. A thickness of each rotary blade <NUM> is not limited, but for example, when an interval between adjacent rotary blades <NUM> and <NUM> is a <NUM> pitch, one spacer <NUM> is interposed between the adjacent rotary blades <NUM> and <NUM> for adjustment. The plurality of rotary blades <NUM> are rotated by a driving device (not illustrated), and smoothly slit the Japanese paper sheet <NUM> conveyed between the plurality of rotary blades <NUM> and the opposing member <NUM>. A diameter of each rotary blade <NUM> is not particularly limited, but is preferably, for example, about <NUM> or more and <NUM> or less. Since at least the cutting edges of the plurality of rotary blades <NUM> are brought into contact with the opposing member <NUM>, the opposing member is preferably made of a resin material that makes it difficult to wear the cutting edges. The entire opposing member <NUM> may be made of a resin material, or only an upper portion that comes into contact with the cutting edges of the plurality of rotary blades <NUM> may be made of a resin material. A shape of the opposing member <NUM> may be a flat plate shape as illustrated in <FIG>, but is not particularly limited. For example, when the opposing member has a cylindrical shape or columnar shape, the opposing member can be configured to rotate together with the plurality of rotary blades <NUM>.

In the plurality of Japanese paper tapes <NUM> formed by slitting the Japanese paper sheet <NUM> by the slitter <NUM>, a pitch between the rotary blades <NUM> and <NUM> is set such that a width of each single Japanese paper tape <NUM> falls within a range of about <NUM> or more and about <NUM> or less. A sum of thicknesses of the plurality of rotary blades <NUM> and thicknesses of a plurality of spacers <NUM> corresponds to a width of the plurality of Japanese paper tapes <NUM>. Therefore, when changing a width of each single Japanese paper tape <NUM>, a thickness of each spacer <NUM> included in the plurality of spacers <NUM> is changed. For example, in order to obtain <NUM> pieces of Japanese paper tape <NUM> from one Japanese paper sheet <NUM>, each rotary blade <NUM> and each spacer <NUM> are alternately arranged by an amount corresponding to the <NUM> pieces of rotary blade <NUM> and the <NUM> pieces of spacers <NUM>. Each spacer <NUM> may be changed to one having an appropriate width according to a pitch between rotary blades <NUM> and <NUM>, and a spacer <NUM> having a constant width may be used.

From the viewpoint of stably slitting the Japanese paper sheet <NUM>, when the Japanese paper sheet <NUM> is slit by the slitter <NUM>, both side portions of the Japanese paper sheet <NUM> are preferably treated as two selvage portions <NUM> that are not included in the plurality of Japanese paper tapes <NUM>. From the similar viewpoint, a width of each selvage portion in the two selvage portions <NUM> is preferably about at least <NUM> or more and <NUM> or less. Both side portions of the Japanese paper sheet <NUM> are preferably collected as unnecessary two selvage portions <NUM> and reused as a raw material of new Japanese paper.

An interval at which the Japanese paper sheet <NUM> is slit by the slitter <NUM>, that is, a width of each single Japanese paper tape <NUM> included in the plurality of Japanese paper tapes <NUM> may be all constant, but is not particularly limited. For example, it is also possible to simultaneously form a Japanese paper tape having a width of <NUM> and a Japanese paper tape having a width of <NUM>. In this case, two types of compound paper yarns having different widths of the used Japanese paper tapes are simultaneously manufactured.

From the viewpoint of avoiding a problem described below, it is preferable to provide a paper dust suction device <NUM> in the vicinity of the slitter <NUM>. When the Japanese paper sheet <NUM> is slit by the slitter <NUM>, a considerable amount of fine paper dust is generated and accumulated on surfaces of peripheral frames and other members. If the paper dust is left, the Japanese paper tape <NUM> may break due to the accumulated paper dust, or other troubles may be caused in the compound Japanese paper yarn manufacturing device. The paper dust suction device <NUM> can also be used in common in a case where a broken Japanese paper tape discharging device to be described later is a suction type. The paper dust suction device <NUM> also has a function of removing a broken Japanese paper tape. That is, in a case where the Japanese paper sheet <NUM> has a hole such as a pinhole, the Japanese paper tape is broken at a location where the hole is formed, when the Japanese paper sheet <NUM> is slit by the slitter <NUM>. The paper dust suction device <NUM> suctions and removes such a broken Japanese paper tape.

It is preferable to provide a comb-shaped sensor <NUM> around a position where the plurality of Japanese paper tapes <NUM> formed by the slitter <NUM> are fed out immediately after being formed. The comb-shaped sensor <NUM> includes: a plurality of plates <NUM> that are inserted between individual single Japanese paper tapes <NUM> included in the plurality of Japanese paper tapes <NUM> and inserted between the plurality of Japanese paper tapes <NUM> and the selvage portion <NUM>. Each plate <NUM> included in the plurality of plates <NUM> preferably has a thickness of about <NUM> or more and <NUM> or less, and is rotatably attached to one shaft. On a side portion of each of the plurality of plates <NUM>, an optical sensor (not illustrated) is arranged, and the optical sensor is configured to operate when at least one plate <NUM> in the plurality of plates <NUM> is rotated to block light. While the plurality of Japanese paper tapes <NUM> are formed by slitting the Japanese paper sheet <NUM> by the slitter <NUM>, adjacent Japanese paper tapes <NUM> can be completely separated from each other by the plurality of plates <NUM> even if the adjacent Japanese paper tapes <NUM> are not completely separated from each other. When a portion that is not completely slit from the Japanese paper sheet <NUM> to the plurality of Japanese paper tapes <NUM> is generated due to wear or the like of any of the rotary blades <NUM>, the portion that is not slit hits any plate <NUM> included in the plurality of plates <NUM>, and the any hit plate <NUM> is rotated to operate the comb-shaped sensor <NUM> to stop the compound Japanese paper yarn manufacturing device. In a case of being stopped in this way, it is preferable to replace the slitter <NUM> with a new one or adjust an interval between the cutting edges of the plurality of rotary blades <NUM> and the opposing member <NUM>, and then restart the operation of the compound Japanese paper yarn manufacturing device.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the Japanese paper sheet <NUM> fed out from the Japanese paper roll <NUM> is slit by the slitter <NUM>. Each single Japanese paper tape <NUM> included in the plurality of Japanese paper tapes <NUM> formed by the slitting is fed at a constant speed by the pair of feeding rollers <NUM>. That is, the Japanese paper sheet <NUM> is drawn out from the Japanese paper roll <NUM> by the pair of feeding rollers <NUM>, and is slit by the slitter <NUM> in a process of reaching the feeding roller <NUM> from the Japanese paper roll <NUM>. The plurality of Japanese paper tapes <NUM> and the two selvage portions <NUM> (see <FIG>) formed by the slitting are sandwiched (nipped) and fed out by the pair of feeding rollers <NUM>. As illustrated in <FIG>, the pair of feeding rollers <NUM> are configured to be driven by a driving device <NUM> with a speed reducer. From the viewpoint of reliably conveying each single Japanese paper tape <NUM> included in the plurality of Japanese paper tapes <NUM>, a surface of each roller <NUM> of the pair of feeding rollers <NUM> is preferably formed of rubber, resin, or the like. From the similar viewpoint, in the pair of feeding rollers <NUM>, it is preferable that the individual rollers <NUM> are pressed by a spring or the like so as to be in close contact with each other. The two selvage portions <NUM> (see <FIG>) fed out from the pair of feeding rollers <NUM> are collected and removed.

From the viewpoint of facilitating distribution of each single Japanese paper tape included in the plurality of Japanese paper tapes <NUM> one by one later, it is preferable to divide a bundle formed of the plurality of Japanese paper tapes <NUM> fed out from the pair of feeding rollers <NUM>, for example, as illustrated in <FIG>. For example, in a case where <NUM> pieces of Japanese paper tape <NUM> are formed from the Japanese paper sheet <NUM>, it is preferable to divide the <NUM> pieces into three bundles of <NUM> pieces each. As an example of the division, it is preferable to press a bundle formed of <NUM> pieces of Japanese paper tape <NUM> by a first pressing roller <NUM> and take out <NUM> pieces from the <NUM> pieces of Japanese paper tape <NUM>, feed a bundle formed of the remaining <NUM> pieces of Japanese paper tape <NUM> and press by a second pressing roller <NUM> to take out <NUM> pieces of Japanese paper tape <NUM>, and feed a bundle formed of the remaining <NUM> pieces of Japanese paper tape <NUM> and press by a third pressing roller <NUM> to take out the <NUM> pieces. As another example of the division, the <NUM> pieces of Japanese paper tape <NUM> may be divided into four bundles of <NUM> pieces each. How to divide the plurality of Japanese paper tapes <NUM> is not particularly limited. Each of the pressing rollers (<NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM>) is for pressing an upper surface of a bundle formed of the plurality of Japanese paper tapes <NUM> to take out a bundle of a predetermined number of pieces, and is configured to be freely rotatable so as not to apply a load to the plurality of Japanese paper tapes <NUM>. On a lower surface side of the bundle formed of the plurality of Japanese paper tapes <NUM>, a roller facing each of the pressing rollers (<NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM>) may be further provided, or may not be provided. Instead of each of the pressing rollers (<NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM>), a comb-shaped member capable of dividing a bundle formed of the plurality of Japanese paper tapes <NUM> may be provided.

For example, the distributor <NUM> has a plurality of yarn path members, and <NUM> pieces of Japanese paper tape <NUM> taken out from the bundle formed of the plurality of Japanese paper tapes <NUM> are distributed one by one by one yarn path member <NUM>. For this purpose, for example, a plurality of holes (a plurality of guide paths) <NUM> are formed in a plate <NUM>, in each yarn path member <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>. For example, at least <NUM> holes (a plurality of guide paths) <NUM> are formed in the plate <NUM> of the yarn path member <NUM>. Arrangement of individual holes (individual guide paths) <NUM> in a horizontal direction is shifted by a width W in accordance with the width W of the each single Japanese paper tape <NUM>. Therefore, each single Japanese paper tape <NUM> included in the plurality of Japanese paper tapes <NUM> is inserted straight into one hole (one guide path) <NUM> without being bent in the horizontal direction. Arrangement of the individual holes (individual guide paths) <NUM> in a vertical direction is not limited, but arrangement is made such that adjacent individual single Japanese paper tapes <NUM> do not come into contact with each other. It is preferable that a protective member made of a material having a low frictional resistance with the Japanese paper tape <NUM> and being less likely to be worn by contact with the Japanese paper tape <NUM> is embedded in an inner peripheral surface of each hole (each guide path) <NUM>. Preferable examples of the material of the protective member include ceramics and a hard resin.

The single Japanese paper tape <NUM> is inserted into each hole (each guide path) <NUM> provided in the yarn path member <NUM> in the distributor <NUM>. For example, a bundle formed of <NUM> pieces of Japanese paper tape <NUM> is inserted through the individual holes (individual guide paths) <NUM> provided in the yarn path member <NUM> in order from bottom to top so as to correspond to an arrangement order of each single Japanese paper tape <NUM>. While the bundle formed of the plurality of Japanese paper tapes <NUM> is planar, it is possible to avoid breakage due to entanglement or contact between the Japanese paper tapes <NUM>, by distributing each single Japanese paper tape <NUM> included in the bundle in any one of the upper, lower, left, and right directions by each hole (each guide path) <NUM> provided in the yarn path member <NUM>. In this manner, the plurality of Japanese paper tapes <NUM> are distributed into each single Japanese paper tape <NUM> by the distributor <NUM>. The distributed each single Japanese paper tape <NUM> is fed to the single covering unit <NUM> via the pair of slip rollers <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>.

In the distributor <NUM>, the plurality of holes (the plurality of guide paths) <NUM> are preferably provided such that one hole (one guide path) <NUM> corresponds to each single Japanese paper tape <NUM> included in the plurality of Japanese paper tapes <NUM>. The distributor <NUM> is not limited to one including a plurality of yarn path members <NUM> as illustrated in <FIG>, and may also be one including one yarn path member <NUM>. The distributor <NUM> is not limited to one including the yarn path member <NUM> in which the plurality of holes (the plurality of guide paths) <NUM> are provided in the plate <NUM> as illustrated in <FIG>, and may be, for example, one in which a plurality of direction changing jigs are arranged on the plate <NUM> or comb-shaped teeth are provided on the plate <NUM>, instead of the plurality of holes (the plurality of guide paths) <NUM>. Each of the direction changing jigs is not particularly limited as long as it does not contradict the object of the present invention, and examples thereof include a snail wire.

As each pair of slip rollers <NUM> included in the plurality of pairs of slip rollers <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>, the same number of pairs are prepared so as to correspond to the number of Japanese paper tapes <NUM> included in the plurality of Japanese paper tapes <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>. As illustrated in <FIG>, each pair of slip rollers <NUM> include a driving roller <NUM> and a driven roller <NUM> arranged in a vertical direction. In each pair of slip rollers <NUM>, the driving roller <NUM> is arranged below the driven roller <NUM>, and the driven roller <NUM> is arranged above the driving roller <NUM> so as to be driven in contact with a roller surface of the driving roller <NUM>. The driving roller <NUM> is driven by a driving device (not illustrated). For example, a plurality of pairs of slip rollers may be arranged in a row so as to correspond to a plurality of covering units arranged in a row. It is preferable to provide one drive shaft <NUM> such that the individual driving rollers <NUM> included in the plurality of pairs of slip rollers are collectively driven by one driving device. The drive shaft <NUM> is attached to a bearing (not illustrated) arranged on an attachment member <NUM>, and the driving roller <NUM> is rotationally driven by the drive shaft <NUM>. The driven roller <NUM> is attached to a U-shaped bearing <NUM> formed on the attachment member <NUM> so as to be movable in a vertical direction. A shaft <NUM> of the driven roller <NUM> is configured not to abut against a U-shaped bottom of the bearing <NUM>. Therefore, the shaft <NUM> of the driven roller <NUM> is not supported by the bearing <NUM> in a vertical direction, and the driven roller <NUM> is driven by the driving roller <NUM>.

From the viewpoint of easily and efficiently slipping each single Japanese paper tape <NUM>, one or more types of rollers selected from a group including the driving roller <NUM> and the driven roller <NUM> are preferably a roller having a roller surface subjected to a smoothing process for paper, that is, a roller subjected to a process of reducing friction with paper on a roller surface to make the paper slippery on the roller surface. From the similar viewpoint, for example, one or more types of rollers selected from a group including the driving roller <NUM> and the driven roller <NUM> are more preferably a roller subjected to satin finish processing. Alternatively, from the similar viewpoint, the driving roller <NUM> is preferably chrome-plated on the roller surface, and the driven roller <NUM> is preferably satin-finished on the roller surface. A weight of the driven roller <NUM> is to be a pressing force set to such a degree that the Japanese paper tape <NUM> is not broken even if the single Japanese paper tape <NUM> sandwiched (nipped) between the driving roller <NUM> and the driven roller <NUM> slips against rotation of the driving roller <NUM>. The single Japanese paper tape <NUM> is slid with respect to the driving roller <NUM> in a state of being sandwiched between the driving roller <NUM> and the driven roller <NUM>. Tension of the single Japanese paper tape <NUM> between the yarn path member <NUM> and the pair of slip rollers <NUM> in the distributor <NUM> is measured in advance. A driven roller <NUM> having a light weight is selected in a case where the tension is high, and conversely, a driven roller <NUM> having a heavy weight is selected when the tension is low. The U-shaped bearing <NUM> is used to enable appropriate replacement with the driven roller <NUM> having a different weight.

The driving roller <NUM> of each pair of slip rollers <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> is rotated so as to feed the single Japanese paper tape <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> at a surface speed of, as compared with a feeding speed of each single Japanese paper tape <NUM> included in the plurality of paper tapes <NUM> by the pair of feeding rollers <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>, more than <NUM> times, preferably <NUM> times or more and <NUM> times or less, more preferably <NUM> times or more and <NUM> times or less, and even more preferably <NUM> times or more and <NUM> times or less. The numerical range of <NUM> times or more and <NUM> times or less mentioned here is not a theoretical numerical range, but is a numerical range in which the inventor of the present application has obtained preferable observation results described below by repeating experiments. As an observation result, when the surface speed of the driving roller <NUM> of each pair of slip rollers <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> is increased as compared with the feeding speed of the feeding roller <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>, the driving roller <NUM> is always slipped with respect to each single Japanese paper tape <NUM>, and each single Japanese paper tape <NUM> on an upstream side (the pair of feeding rollers <NUM> side) with respect to the pair of slip rollers <NUM> is not loosened all the time. As an observation result, since the driving roller <NUM> always in a state of slipping with respect to each single Japanese paper tape <NUM>, a rapid change in tension in a feeding direction has not been applied to each single Japanese paper tape <NUM>, and each single Japanese paper tape <NUM> has not broken. In each single Japanese paper tape <NUM>, it is considered that the tension fluctuates due to ballooning during false-twisting described later. However, since the fluctuation of the tension is absorbed by slipping between the driving roller <NUM> and the driven roller <NUM> provided in the pair of slip rollers <NUM>, it is considered from the observation result that each single Japanese paper tape <NUM> will substantially no longer break. The pair of slip rollers <NUM> are arranged for each single Japanese paper tape <NUM>. As illustrated in <FIG>, the pair of slip rollers <NUM> are arranged so as to supply the single Japanese paper tape <NUM> for each single covering unit <NUM>.

It is preferable that the driving roller <NUM> of the pair of slip rollers <NUM> is configured to be slipped almost constantly with respect to the single Japanese paper tape <NUM>. This slip may be performed continuously or intermittently. That is, when a ratio between a surface speed of the driving roller <NUM> and a feeding speed of the feeding roller <NUM> is set to be equal to or less than breaking elongation of the Japanese paper tape <NUM>, the single Japanese paper tape <NUM> is stretched on a surface of the driving roller <NUM>, the driving roller <NUM> is rotated in a state of not slipping, and the single Japanese paper tape <NUM> is fed out. When excessive tension is applied to the single Japanese paper tape <NUM>, a slip occurs between the single Japanese paper tape <NUM> and the surface of the driving roller <NUM>. It is assumed that the slip is intermittently performed in this manner, but such a case is also included in the present invention.

As illustrated in <FIG>, each single Japanese paper tape <NUM> is conveyed to the covering unit <NUM> after the Japanese paper sheet <NUM> is slit by the slitter <NUM> to form the plurality of Japanese paper tapes <NUM>. Each single Japanese paper tape <NUM> is preferably supported appropriately by at least one support roller <NUM> from formation to conveyance to the covering unit <NUM>. From the viewpoint of suppressing resistance applied to each single Japanese paper tape <NUM> to be small, it is preferable to suppress the number of pieces of the at least one support roller <NUM> to be small.

For example, as illustrated in <FIG>, the covering machine <NUM> is provided with a plurality of covering units such that the single covering unit <NUM> corresponds to each single Japanese paper tape <NUM> fed out from the pair of slip rollers <NUM>. From the viewpoint of cost saving and space saving, it is preferable that arrangement of the plurality of covering units provided in the covering machine <NUM> is made such that, after half of the plurality of covering units are classified into a first unit group <NUM> and the remaining half are classified into a second unit group <NUM>, the first unit group <NUM> and the second unit group <NUM> are arranged face to face or back to back along a feeding direction of each single Japanese paper tape <NUM> as illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>. By arranging in this manner, all the driving rollers included in the plurality of pairs of slip rollers <NUM> corresponding to the respective covering units <NUM> included in the first unit group <NUM> are arranged in a row, and thus can be collectively driven by one drive shaft <NUM>. Similarly, all the driving rollers included in the plurality of pairs of slip rollers <NUM> corresponding to the respective covering units <NUM> included in the second unit group <NUM> can be collectively driven by another drive shaft <NUM>. If these two drive shafts are connected by a gear, a belt, a chain, or the like and driven by one driving device, cost saving can be achieved. Further, a traveling belt <NUM> (see <FIG> and <FIG>) to be described later, which is arranged corresponding to each single Japanese paper tape <NUM> fed out from each pair of slip rollers <NUM> and is for driving each covering unit <NUM>, can also be configured by one piece, and further cost reduction can be achieved. Note that a direction changing jig <NUM> is preferably arranged such that the Japanese paper tape <NUM> distributed one by one by the plurality of holes <NUM> provided in the distributor <NUM> is guided to the pair of slip rollers <NUM> arranged corresponding to any covering unit <NUM>. An example of the direction changing jig <NUM> is a snail wire.

As illustrated in <FIG>, in each covering unit <NUM>, a covering yarn (compound paper yarn) <NUM> is manufactured from the single paper tape <NUM>, at least one core yarn (first yarn) <NUM>, and at least one secondary yarn (second yarn) <NUM>. The at least one core yarn (first yarn) <NUM> is at least one piece of yarn selected from a group including a first long fiber, a first spun yarn, and a compound yarn in which a first long fiber and a first spun yarn are combined. The at least one secondary yarn (second yarn) <NUM> is at least one piece of yarn selected from a group including a second long fiber, a second spun yarn, and a compound yarn in which a second long fiber and a second spun yarn are combined. The first long fiber is appropriately selected in accordance with a purpose of a final product in which the covering yarn (compound paper yarn) <NUM> is used, and examples thereof include a polyester filament yarn having a fineness of <NUM> denier (<NUM> dtex) or more and <NUM> denier (<NUM> dtex) or less. For the similar reason, the second long fiber is also appropriately selected in accordance with a purpose of a final product, and examples thereof include a polyester filament yarn having a fineness of <NUM> denier (<NUM> dtex) or more and <NUM> denier (<NUM> dtex) or less. A material of the first long fiber or a material of the second long fiber may be, for example, nylon, rayon, or the like. Examples of the first spun yarn or the second spun yarn include a yarn that is spun using natural fibers or synthetic fibers. Examples of the compound yarn include a twisted union yarn of a long fiber and a spun yarn, a yarn in which a spun yarn is wound around an outer periphery of a long fiber, and the like. From the viewpoint of a yarn with easy elongation and the viewpoint of easy manufacturing of the covering yarn (compound paper yarn) <NUM>, the at least one core yarn (first yarn) <NUM> is preferably at least one first long fiber, and more preferably one first long fiber. From the similar viewpoint, the at least one secondary yarn (second yarn) <NUM> is preferably at least one second long fiber, and more preferably one second long fiber.

Each covering unit <NUM> includes the covering mechanism <NUM> having: a rotational tubular body <NUM> that is supported by a bearing <NUM> fixed to a frame <NUM> and rotated by bringing a part of an outer periphery into contact with the traveling belt <NUM>; and a wound body <NUM> in which the at least one secondary yarn (second yarn) <NUM> is wound around a hollow bobbin <NUM> externally mounted on the rotational tubular body <NUM>. The at least one secondary yarn <NUM> may be one piece or a plurality of pieces. The at least one secondary yarn <NUM> may be of the same type or different types in a case of including a plurality of pieces, and a plurality of secondary yarns of the same type or different types are preferably bound and wound around the hollow bobbin <NUM> in advance. The rotational tubular body <NUM> is rotatably erected in a perpendicular direction by the bearing <NUM>. In an upper portion and a lower portion of the rotational tubular body <NUM>, openings are individually provided. Each covering unit <NUM> includes the false-twisting mechanism <NUM> in which a linear member <NUM> having a U-shape, a V-shape, a line shape, or the like is attached so as to straddle a diameter direction of a tube of the rotational tubular body <NUM> in the opening provided in the lower portion of the rotational tubular body <NUM>. A shape, an attachment structure, and the like of the linear member <NUM> are not limited. In general, false-twisting refers to a process of continuously carrying out a step of applying twists to (twisting) a yarn such as a long fiber or a spun yarn, and then releasing the twists of (untwisting) the yarn. In the rotational tubular body <NUM>, the covering mechanism <NUM> and the false-twisting mechanism <NUM> have a substantially integrated structure. The traveling belt <NUM> is an endless belt that is caused to travel by a driving device (not illustrated), and is configured such that each rotational tubular body <NUM> is simultaneously rotatable in the plurality of covering units. Above each rotational tubular body <NUM>, the pair of slip rollers <NUM> is arranged, and the single Japanese paper tape <NUM> is fed from the pair of slip rollers <NUM> into the tube of the rotational tubular body <NUM>.

In the vicinity of the pair of slip rollers <NUM>, a wound body <NUM> in which at least one core yarn (first yarn) <NUM> is wound around a roll is arranged. The core yarn <NUM> is fed through a tube <NUM> or the like arranged in the vicinity of an exit of the pair of slip rollers <NUM>, and merged with the single Japanese paper tape <NUM> fed out from the pair of slip rollers <NUM> while being slipped, to be added to the Japanese paper tape <NUM>. The at least one core yarn (first yarn) <NUM> may be one piece or a plurality of pieces, or may be one type or a plurality of types. The number of wound bodies and tubes corresponding to the number of core yarns <NUM> and the number of types thereof are arranged. When two or more types of core yarns are used, two or more types of core yarns may be bundled and wound around a roll in advance. For the reason described later, the Japanese paper tape <NUM> and the core yarn <NUM> that have merged are twisted together in a process of being fed downward from a merging position to temporarily form a twisted union yarn <NUM>. A cross-sectional outer shape of the twisted union yarn <NUM> in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction is substantially circular. Further, the secondary yarn <NUM> wound around the hollow bobbin <NUM> is unwound, and the secondary yarn <NUM> is wound around an outer periphery of the twisted union yarn <NUM>. That is, an outer periphery of the twisted union yarn <NUM> is covered with the at least one secondary yarn <NUM>. The twisted union yarn <NUM> covered with the at least one secondary yarn <NUM> travels and passes from an upper side to a lower side in the tube of the rotational tubular body <NUM>, is engaged with the linear member <NUM> so as to be rotated once around the linear member <NUM> arranged at the lower portion of the rotational tubular body <NUM>, and then is drawn out downward from the linear member <NUM>. With such a configuration, due to the reason described later, the linear member <NUM> forms a fiber bundle in which the single Japanese paper tape <NUM> and the at least one core yarn <NUM> are false-twisted, and an outer periphery of the fiber bundle is covered with the secondary yarn <NUM>. The twisted union yarn <NUM> covered with the secondary yarn <NUM> is engaged with the linear member <NUM>, then untwisted while being drawn out downward from the linear member <NUM> by a delivery roller <NUM>, and wound around a winder <NUM>.

In such a configuration, since the Japanese paper tape <NUM> and the core yarn <NUM> are wound around the linear member <NUM>, the Japanese paper tape <NUM> and the core yarn <NUM> are twisted while traveling in a section from the merging position of the Japanese paper tape <NUM> and the core yarn <NUM> to the linear member <NUM> to temporarily form the twisted union yarn <NUM>. Therefore, the section from merging of the Japanese paper tape <NUM> and the at least one core yarn <NUM> to engaging with the linear member <NUM> functions as a twisting region <NUM>. A section from engaging, with the linear member <NUM>, of the twisted union yarn <NUM> temporarily formed while being covered with the at least one secondary yarn <NUM> in the twisting region <NUM> to reaching the delivery roller <NUM> while being drawn downward and untwisted functions as an untwisting region <NUM>. Therefore, the linear member <NUM> functions as a false-twisting spindle part. The false-twisting spindle part in each covering unit <NUM> is not limited to the linear member <NUM>, and may be replaced with, for example, a known false-twisting mechanism.

More specifically, the core yarn <NUM> is drawn out from the wound body <NUM> at a feeding speed of the delivery roller <NUM>. Whereas, the single Japanese paper tape <NUM> is fed out from the pair of slip rollers <NUM> while being slipped, and is supplied to the twisting region <NUM> in a state of being overfed by the slip as compared with the core yarn (first yarn) <NUM>. The single Japanese paper tape <NUM> is twisted with the core yarn <NUM> so as to be wound around the core yarn <NUM> in the twisting region <NUM>, by a length supplied more in the overfed state as compared with a length of the core yarn <NUM> to temporarily form the twisted union yarn <NUM>. If a supply amount of the Japanese paper tape is excessively smaller than a supply amount of the core yarn, a problem that the Japanese paper tape breaks by being pulled by the core yarn. From the viewpoint of solving this problem, it is preferable to adjust a feeding speed of the pair of feeding rollers <NUM> (see <FIG>) and a feeding speed of the delivery roller <NUM>, to adjust the feeding speed of the pair of feeding rollers <NUM> (the feeding speed of the Japanese paper tape <NUM>) to <NUM> times or more and <NUM> times or less as compared with the feeding speed of the delivery roller <NUM> (the feeding speed of the core yarn <NUM>). Since the driving roller <NUM> of the pair of slip rollers <NUM> is quickly rotated so as to be slipped with respect to the Japanese paper tape <NUM>, the feeding speed (supply amount) of the Japanese paper tape <NUM> from the pair of slip rollers <NUM> is the same as the feeding speed (supply amount) of the pair of feeding rollers <NUM> (see <FIG>).

The twisted union yarn <NUM> covered with the at least one secondary yarn <NUM> in the twisting region <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> is untwisted in the untwisting region <NUM>, and wound around the winder <NUM> as the covering yarn (compound paper yarn) <NUM>. The single Japanese paper tape <NUM> and the core yarn <NUM> are temporarily twisted in the twisting region <NUM> to form the twisted union yarn <NUM> and then untwisted in the untwisting region <NUM>, that is, false-twisted. The false-twisted Japanese paper tape <NUM> is wrinkled without returning to an original flat shape even if the twist is released. As compared with the twisted union yarn <NUM> temporarily formed in the twisting region <NUM>, the Japanese paper tape <NUM> and the core yarn <NUM> obtained by untwisting the twisted union yarn <NUM> in the untwisting region <NUM> are not sufficiently twisted, but both are covered with the secondary yarn <NUM>. Therefore, a form of the covering yarn (compound paper yarn) <NUM> is held in which the cross-sectional outer shape in the direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction is substantially circular.

The rotational tubular body <NUM> is rotated at a high speed by each covering unit <NUM>, and the single Japanese paper tape <NUM> and the core yarn <NUM> that travel so as to pass through the tube of the rotational tubular body <NUM> from the upper side to the lower side are twisted via the linear member <NUM> rotating at a high speed together with the rotational tubular body <NUM>, and are twisted together in the twisting region <NUM> to temporarily form the twisted union yarn <NUM>. Similarly, twisting is applied via the linear member <NUM> rotating at a high speed, and the secondary yarn <NUM> is wound around an outer periphery of the twisted union yarn <NUM>. The number of rotations of the rotational tubular body <NUM> is determined in consideration of a thickness and a travelling speed of the Japanese paper tape <NUM> and the core yarn <NUM> when covered with the secondary yarn <NUM>, and a thickness of the secondary yarn <NUM>. The number of rotations of the rotational tubular body <NUM> is preferably set such that an angle (spiral angle) between a longitudinal direction of the covering yarn (compound paper yarn) <NUM> and a direction along a spiral of the secondary yarn <NUM> is <NUM> degrees or more and <NUM> degrees or less. Depending on a purpose of the covering yarn (compound paper yarn) <NUM>, the spiral angle may be set outside this range. In the tube of the rotational tubular body <NUM>, the single Japanese paper tape <NUM>, the core yarn <NUM>, and the secondary yarn <NUM> are applied with a centrifugal force and swung in a drum shape (ballooning) to be twisted. It is considered that pulsation (fluctuation in tension) occurs in the feeding direction of the Japanese paper tape <NUM> when the planar Japanese paper tape <NUM> is twisted such that the cross-sectional outer shape becomes substantially circular. However, since there is room for the Japanese paper tape <NUM> to be swingable along the traveling direction by the pair of slip rollers <NUM>, a slight impact due to pulsation is alleviated, the Japanese paper tape <NUM> is less likely to be pulled when the Japanese paper tape <NUM> is twisted with the core yarn <NUM>, and breakage of the Japanese paper tape <NUM> can be avoided. Further, when the Japanese paper tape <NUM> is fed to the covering unit <NUM> by the pair of slip rollers <NUM>, a speed difference is not generated even locally in the feeding direction of the Japanese paper tape <NUM>. Therefore, the Japanese paper tape <NUM> and the core yarn <NUM> are likely to be equally false-twisted over the longitudinal direction.

In a case where a feeding speed of the Japanese paper tape <NUM> (a feeding speed of the feeding roller <NUM>) is set to <NUM> times or more and <NUM> times or less as compared with a feeding speed of the core yarn <NUM> (a speed of the delivery roller <NUM>), that is, in a case of supplying the Japanese paper tape <NUM> to the twisting region <NUM> while slipping such that a length of the Japanese paper tape <NUM> is <NUM> times or more and <NUM> times or less as compared with a length of the core yarn <NUM>, there is substantially no breakage of the Japanese paper tape <NUM> portion in a low elongation range even if being pulled, in the formed twisted union yarn <NUM> and covering yarn (compound paper yarn) <NUM>. In this case, although the breaking elongation is small, the Japanese paper tape <NUM> portion in the twisted union yarn <NUM> and the covering yarn (compound paper yarn) <NUM> is extended with a margin by an amount (overfeed amount) extra wound around the core yarn <NUM> that is easy to stretch. Therefore, the twisted union yarn <NUM> or the covering yarn (compound paper yarn) <NUM> substantially does not break in the low elongation range. Further, in this case, sufficient elongation is secured in the covering yarn (compound paper yarn) <NUM> itself, and the breaking strength is increased. For this reason, the feeding speed of the Japanese paper tape <NUM> (the feeding speed of the feeding roller <NUM> (see <FIG>)) is preferably set to <NUM> times or more and <NUM> times or less as compared with the feeding speed of the core yarn <NUM> (the speed of the delivery roller <NUM>), but is more preferably <NUM> times or more and <NUM> times or less, and even more preferably <NUM> times or more and <NUM> times or less. From the viewpoint of avoiding a situation in which the twisted Japanese paper tape <NUM> portion breaks when the covering yarn (compound paper yarn) <NUM> is pulled, it is more preferable that the Japanese paper tape <NUM> is overfed so as to have a length of <NUM> times or more as compared with the core yarn <NUM>. Whereas, from the viewpoint of avoiding a situation in which the Japanese paper tape <NUM> portion protrudes from a surface of the covering yarn (compound paper yarn) <NUM>, it is preferable that excessive overfeed is avoided so that the Japanese paper tape <NUM> has a length of <NUM> times or less the length as compared with the core yarn <NUM>.

As described above, in the compound paper yarn manufacturing device <NUM> according to the embodiment of the present invention illustrated in <FIG>, the Japanese paper sheet <NUM> fed out from the Japanese paper roll <NUM> is slit by the slitter <NUM>, and a plurality of narrow Japanese paper tapes <NUM> are formed. Each Japanese paper tape <NUM> included in the plurality of Japanese paper tapes <NUM> is fed out by the pair of feeding rollers <NUM>, and is distributed in any direction one by one by the distributor <NUM>. As illustrated in <FIG>, the distributed each single Japanese paper tape <NUM> is fed to the covering unit <NUM> while being slipped by the pair of slip rollers <NUM>. As illustrated in <FIG>, the covering yarn (compound paper yarn) <NUM> is manufactured by each covering unit <NUM>. In this series of manufacturing steps, it is not necessary to substantially interpose a worker after the operation of the compound Japanese paper yarn manufacturing device <NUM> is started, so that labor saving can be achieved as compared with the conventional art. Since the covering yarn (compound paper yarn) <NUM> is continuously manufactured in each step, there is no time loss, and the covering yarn (compound paper yarn) can be quickly manufactured. Therefore, the manufacturing cost of the compound paper yarn can be greatly reduced as compared with the conventional art, and a stable and inexpensive compound paper yarn can be provided.

Further, as illustrated in <FIG>, by providing each pair of slip rollers <NUM>, and increasing a rotational speed (surface speed) of the driving roller <NUM> more than <NUM> times as compared with a feeding speed of the feeding roller <NUM> (see <FIG>), breakage of the Japanese paper tape <NUM> can be avoided when the Japanese paper tape <NUM> and the core yarn <NUM> are false-twisted. By setting a feeding speed of the Japanese paper tape <NUM> to <NUM> times or more and <NUM> times or less as compared with the feeding speed of the core yarn <NUM>, there is substantially no breakage of only the Japanese paper tape <NUM> portion as long as a stretch rate of the covering yarn (compound paper yarn) <NUM> is <NUM>% or less, even if the manufactured covering yarn (compound paper yarn) <NUM> is pulled at breaking elongation or more of the original material of the Japanese paper tape <NUM>, and there is no breakage of only the Japanese paper tape <NUM> portion even when the stretch rate is more than <NUM>% and <NUM>% or less.

From the viewpoint of omitting complicated initial setting work, in a case where the Japanese paper sheet <NUM> of the Japanese paper roll <NUM> is completely fed out and is about to run out at the time of operating the compound paper yarn manufacturing device <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>, it is preferable to temporarily stop the compound paper yarn manufacturing device <NUM> before the Japanese paper sheet <NUM> runs out and replace with a new Japanese paper roll <NUM>. From the similar viewpoint, it is preferable that a front end portion of the Japanese paper sheet <NUM> drawn out from the new Japanese paper roll <NUM> and a rear end portion of the preceding Japanese paper sheet <NUM> are joined with an adhesive or the like, and the compound paper yarn manufacturing device <NUM> is restarted. A joined portion between the Japanese paper sheets <NUM> is preferably removed later.

An embodiment of the present invention has been described above on the basis of the compound paper yarn manufacturing device <NUM>. The present invention is not limited to the form of the compound paper yarn manufacturing device <NUM>, and for example, a part of the configuration in the compound paper yarn manufacturing device <NUM> may be changed or replaced as described below.

Each covering unit provided in the covering machine <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> may be replaced with a covering unit <NUM> in a form described below with reference to <FIG>, instead of the covering unit <NUM> in the form described with reference to <FIG>. The covering unit <NUM> includes a false-twisting mechanism <NUM> and a covering mechanism <NUM>. The covering mechanism <NUM> of the covering unit <NUM> includes: a rotational tubular body <NUM> that is supported by a bearing <NUM> fixed to a frame <NUM> and rotated by bringing a part of an outer periphery into contact with a traveling belt <NUM>; and a wound body <NUM> in which at least one secondary yarn (second yarn) <NUM> is wound around a hollow bobbin <NUM> externally mounted on the rotational tubular body <NUM>. The rotational tubular body <NUM> is rotatably erected in a perpendicular direction by the bearing <NUM>. The false-twisting mechanism <NUM> is provided below the rotational tubular body <NUM>. The false-twisting mechanism <NUM> of the covering unit <NUM> is provided with a spindle <NUM> that is supported by a bearing <NUM> fixed to a frame <NUM> and is rotated by bringing a part of an outer periphery into contact with a traveling belt <NUM>. The spindle <NUM> has a tubular shape that is upright and has openings in an upper portion and a lower portion individually, and a linear member <NUM> having a U shape, a V shape, or the like is attached to the opening in the lower portion so as to straddle a diameter direction of the tube. The rotational tubular body <NUM> and the spindle <NUM> are provided coaxially. Each of the traveling belts (<NUM> and <NUM>) is an endless belt to be caused to travel by a driving device (not illustrated), and is caused to travel at any speed, and a rotational speed of the rotational tubular body <NUM> and a rotational speed of the spindle <NUM> can be appropriately set. Therefore, the number of windings of the secondary yarn (second yarn) <NUM> used for covering in a manufactured covering yarn (compound paper yarn) <NUM>, and the number of false twists of a paper tape <NUM> and a core yarn (first yarn) <NUM> in a twisting region <NUM> can be identical or different.

In the covering unit <NUM>, a section from merging of the Japanese paper tape <NUM> with at least one core yarn (first yarn) <NUM> to engaging with the linear member <NUM> of the spindle <NUM> functions as the twisting region <NUM> in which the Japanese paper tape <NUM> and the core yarn <NUM> are twisted to temporarily form a twisted union yarn <NUM>. The covering mechanism <NUM> is provided in the twisting region <NUM>, and the twisted union yarn <NUM> is covered with the secondary yarn (second yarn) in the twisting region <NUM>. A section in which the twisted union yarn <NUM> covered with the secondary yarn <NUM> is untwisted while being drawn out downward from the linear member <NUM> to reach a delivery roller <NUM> functions as an untwisting region <NUM>. Other configurations and operations in the covering unit <NUM> are the same as the configurations and operations in the covering unit <NUM> described with reference to <FIG>, and thus description thereof is omitted.

Each covering unit in the compound paper yarn manufacturing device according to the present invention may be replaced with a covering unit of a form in which a covering mechanism is arranged below a false-twisting mechanism, instead of the covering unit <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> or the covering unit <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>. In each covering unit having such a form, after the Japanese paper tape <NUM> fed out from the pair of slip rollers <NUM> while being slipped passes from an upper side to a lower side through a twisting region for forming the twisted union yarn <NUM> by being twisted with the core yarn (first yarn) <NUM> by the false-twisting mechanism, outer peripheries of the Japanese paper tape <NUM> and the core yarn <NUM> are covered with the secondary yarn (second yarn) <NUM> in an untwisting region where the twisted union yarn <NUM> is untwisted. Even in the covering unit having such a form, similar operations and effects as those of the covering unit <NUM> described with reference to <FIG> can be sufficiently obtained.

The compound paper yarn manufacturing device <NUM> described with reference to <FIG> is a form suitable for, for example, arranging the Japanese paper roll <NUM>, the slitter <NUM>, the pair of feeding rollers <NUM>, and the like on a floor of the second floor of a building, and arranging the covering machine <NUM> and the like on a floor of the first floor. The compound paper yarn manufacturing device according to the present invention is not limited to the form in which the Japanese paper roll <NUM>, the slitter <NUM>, the pair of feeding rollers <NUM>, the covering machine <NUM>, and the like are arranged over two floors in a building, and for example, may have a form in which they are arranged on one floor in a building. In another embodiment illustrated in <FIG>, in order to enable a Japanese paper tape <NUM> to be supplied to each covering unit <NUM> from above, it is preferable to cause the Japanese paper tape <NUM> to travel in a state of being lifted above the covering unit <NUM>, by providing at least one support column <NUM> and providing a direction changing jig <NUM> (for example, a snail wire) at a distal end of the support column <NUM>.

In the another embodiment illustrated in <FIG>, a configuration has been exemplified in which, assuming that about <NUM> pieces of Japanese paper tape are used as a plurality of Japanese paper tapes, a plurality of covering units are arranged side by side on the right side or the left side with respect to a feeding direction of the plurality of Japanese paper tapes. From the viewpoint of efficiently manufacturing more compound paper yarns, for example, it is preferable to be able to simultaneously manufacture <NUM> covering yarns (compound paper yarns) by arranging the plurality of covering units on each of the right side and the left side with respect to the feeding direction of the plurality of Japanese paper tapes. In the present invention, the number of Japanese paper tapes and the arrangement of the plurality of covering units described here are merely examples, and are not particularly limited.

As illustrated in <FIG>, in the present invention, as another embodiment suitable for installing the Japanese paper roll <NUM>, the slitter <NUM>, the pair of feeding rollers <NUM>, the covering machine <NUM>, and the like on one floor in a building, for example, a compound paper yarn manufacturing device <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> is preferably mentioned. The compound paper yarn manufacturing device <NUM> includes: a Japanese paper roll <NUM> in which a long Japanese paper sheet <NUM> is wound in a roll shape; a slitter <NUM> configured to slit the Japanese paper sheet <NUM> fed out from the Japanese paper roll <NUM> to form a plurality of Japanese paper tapes <NUM> having a narrow width in a feeding direction of the Japanese paper sheet <NUM>; a pair of feeding rollers <NUM> configured to sandwich (nip) and feed out each Japanese paper tape <NUM> included in the plurality of Japanese paper tapes <NUM> formed by the slitter <NUM>, at a constant speed; a distributor <NUM> configured to distribute the plurality of paper tapes <NUM> conveyed by the pair of feeding rollers <NUM> into each single Japanese paper tape <NUM>; a plurality of pairs of slip rollers (not illustrated); and a covering machine <NUM>. The plurality of pairs of slip rollers are formed by providing a plurality of pieces of a pair of slip rollers such that the pair of slip rollers (not illustrated) correspond to the single paper tape <NUM> distributed from the plurality of paper tapes <NUM>. Each pair of slip rollers sandwiches (nip) and feeds out the distributed single paper tape <NUM> while slipping. The covering machine <NUM> is provided with a plurality of covering units such that a single covering unit <NUM> corresponds to each single paper tape <NUM> fed out from the pair of slip rollers. Each covering unit <NUM> winds at least one secondary yarn (second yarn) to perform covering processing in a yarn shape, while performing false-twisting on the single paper tape <NUM> fed out by the pair of slip rollers with at least one core yarn (first yarn) added.

In the compound paper yarn manufacturing device <NUM>, the plurality of Japanese paper tapes <NUM> formed by slitting the Japanese paper sheet <NUM> by the slitter <NUM> are fed out by the pair of feeding rollers <NUM> and then pressed by a pressing roller <NUM> to have a feeding direction bent upward. Below the feeding direction that has been bent in the plurality of Japanese paper tapes <NUM>, a plurality of covering units provided in the covering machine <NUM> are linearly arranged. In a case where the number of the plurality of Japanese paper tapes <NUM> is <NUM>, <NUM> covering units are arranged in a row. In face to face or back to back with the <NUM> covering units, other <NUM> covering units are arranged in a row. Therefore, a total of <NUM> covering units are arranged in face to face or back to back by <NUM> pieces. Above these <NUM> covering units, a pair of slip rollers (not illustrated) are arranged for each single covering unit <NUM>.

While the plurality of Japanese paper tapes <NUM> with the feeding direction bent upward by the pressing roller <NUM> passes above the plurality of covering units, only one Japanese paper tape <NUM> is passed through each one hole (one guide path) by a plurality of holes (plurality of guide paths, not illustrated) provided on each yarn path member <NUM> in the distributor <NUM> Therefore, each single paper tape <NUM> is distributed so as to travel while maintaining an interval at which the paper tapes <NUM> are separated one by one so as not to interfere with each other. Among the plurality of Japanese paper tapes <NUM>, two each distributed by the yarn path member <NUM> have a feeding direction bent downward through a plurality of direction changing jigs (for example, a snail wire, not illustrated), and are fed to two covering units included in the plurality of covering units arranged in two rows through a pair of slip rollers (not illustrated) arranged below the bent portion. Each covering unit <NUM> is as already described with reference to <FIG>.

In the compound paper yarn manufacturing device <NUM>, the Japanese paper roll <NUM>, the slitter <NUM>, the pair of feeding rollers <NUM>, the covering machine <NUM>, and the like are arranged on one floor in a building, so that a work environment can be completed on one floor. Therefore, workability is improved in the compound paper yarn manufacturing device <NUM> as compared with the case of arranging on two floors.

From the viewpoint of avoiding waste of continuously operating the plurality of covering units and winding only the core yarn <NUM> and the secondary yarn <NUM> even if the Japanese paper tape <NUM> breaks, in the compound paper yarn manufacturing device (<NUM>, <NUM>), each covering unit <NUM> is preferably provided with a breakage detection device (not illustrated) configured to detect breakage of the Japanese paper tape <NUM>. The breakage detection device may be provided at any location, and may be provided at a plurality of locations without limiting to one location. It is also preferable from the viewpoint that the covering unit <NUM> corresponding to the Japanese paper tape <NUM> can be selectively set to be stoppable when breakage of the Japanese paper tape <NUM> is detected by the breakage detection device. The breakage detection device may be a known one, and is preferably a so-called non-contact type such as an optical type or a capacitance type.

Each covering unit <NUM> may be provided with a breakage detection device capable of detecting breakage of the secondary yarn <NUM> or the core yarn <NUM>. When breakage of the Japanese paper tape, the secondary yarn, the core yarn, or the like is detected by the breakage detection device, it is preferable to stop the covering unit <NUM> corresponding to the Japanese paper tape or the like whose breakage has been detected. However, without limiting to this, it is also preferable to notify the worker by blinking an alarm lamp or the like.

As in the compound paper yarn manufacturing device <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>, it is preferable to provide, at any position, a broken Japanese paper tape discharging device <NUM> to remove a broken Japanese paper tape when at least one of the plurality of Japanese paper tapes <NUM> breaks. In a case where the Japanese paper sheet <NUM> is made very thin, there may be an unexpected hole in the Japanese paper sheet <NUM>. In this case, when the Japanese paper sheet <NUM> is slit by the slitter <NUM> to form a plurality of narrow Japanese paper tapes <NUM>, at least one Japanese paper tape is likely to break at a location where the hole is formed. Therefore, the broken Japanese paper tape is preferably suctioned and removed by the paper dust suction device <NUM>. If there is a portion having a thin paper thickness in a part of the Japanese paper sheet <NUM>, the formed Japanese paper tape may break in the middle of conveyance. From the viewpoint of preventing that the broken Japanese paper tape is left and accumulated to cause other Japanese paper tapes to break, the broken Japanese paper tape is preferably removed immediately. The broken Japanese paper tape discharging device <NUM> is preferably a suction type in which a suction port is provided in the vicinity where the plurality of Japanese paper tapes <NUM> are fed out by the pair of feeding rollers <NUM>.

In the compound paper yarn manufacturing device (<NUM>, <NUM>) according to the present invention, even when some of the plurality of Japanese paper tapes <NUM> break after the start of manufacturing, the manufacturing of the compound paper yarn can be continued as it is. In this case, from the viewpoint of not hindering a series of steps until the compound paper yarn is manufactured from a Japanese paper tape that is not broken, the broken Japanese paper tape is preferably suctioned and removed by the broken Japanese paper tape discharging device <NUM> (see <FIG>) such as a suction device.

A compound paper yarn according to the present invention is a compound paper yarn formed by covering, with a secondary yarn (second yarn), a fiber bundle formed by performing false-twisting on a single paper tape and at least one core yarn (first yarn) added to the single paper tape. From the viewpoint of increasing breaking elongation of the compound paper yarn and increasing breaking strength of the compound paper yarn, when this compound paper yarn is cut at a predetermined length in its longitudinal direction, as compared with a length of the first yarn included in a formed section of the compound paper yarn, a length of the single paper tape included in the section of the compound paper yarn is, for example, <NUM> times or more and <NUM> times or less, preferably <NUM> times or more and <NUM> times or less, and more preferably <NUM> times or more and <NUM> or less. Magnification of the length mentioned here can be freely adjusted by changing a ratio between a feeding speed of the delivery roller <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> or <FIG> and a feeding speed of the pair of feeding rollers <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> or <FIG>, irrespective of characteristics such as torsional characteristics of the core yarn (first yarn). That is, if the feeding speed of the pair of feeding rollers <NUM> is made faster than the feeding speed of the delivery roller <NUM>, the magnification of the length described here can be increased.

As described above, in the compound paper yarn according to the present invention, a single Japanese paper tape having small breaking elongation is longer than the first yarn having large breaking elongation (a single paper tape is overfed than the first yarn). Therefore, the compound paper yarn according to the present invention is configured to be able to avoid a situation in which only the paper tape portion breaks when strongly pulled. When various types of garments and the like are manufactured using the compound paper yarn according to the present invention, it is possible to avoid a situation in which only the paper tape portion of the compound paper yarn breaks and the broken paper tape portion appears on a surface of clothing or the like. Therefore, the possibility of manufacturing a defective product can be reduced as compared with a case of manufacturing clothing or the like using the conventional compound paper yarn. The compound paper yarn according to the present invention can be easily manufactured by using, for example, the compound paper yarn manufacturing device <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> or the compound paper yarn manufacturing device <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>. Therefore, the compound paper yarn according to the present invention is not limited to what type of device is used to manufacture the compound paper yarn, but is preferably manufactured using the compound paper yarn manufacturing device according to the present invention.

A first long fiber in the compound paper yarn according to the present invention is appropriately selected according to a purpose of a final product in which the compound paper yarn is used, and examples thereof include a polyester filament yarn having a fineness of <NUM> denier (<NUM> dtex) or more and <NUM> denier (<NUM> dtex) or less. A second long fiber in the compound paper yarn according to the present invention is similarly appropriately selected according to a purpose of a final product, and examples thereof include a polyester filament yarn having a fineness of <NUM> denier (<NUM> dtex) or more and <NUM> denier (<NUM> dtex) or less. A material of the first long fiber or a material of the second long fiber may be, for example, nylon, rayon, or the like. A first spun yarn may be used instead of the first long fiber. A second spun yarn may be used instead of the second long fiber.

Various woven fabrics or knitted fabrics (circular knitting, weft knitting, or warp knitting) can be manufactured using the compound paper yarn according to the present invention. These woven fabrics or knitted fabrics can be widely used for clothing (garments, inner wear, lining, or the like), shoes, socks, sheets, curtains, towels, a mask or gauze used for medical care or the like, a handkerchief, or the like, interior items such as chair upholstery and wall paper, industrial materials, or the like.

Claim 1:
A compound paper yarn manufacturing device (<NUM>) comprising:
a pair of feeding rollers (<NUM>) configured to sandwich and feed out a single paper tape (<NUM>) at a constant speed;
a pair of slip rollers (<NUM>) including a driving roller (<NUM>) that is configured to be rotated at a surface speed of more than <NUM> times as compared with a constant speed of the pair of feeding rollers, the pair of slip rollers being configured to sandwich the single paper tape and feed out the single paper tape while slipping the driving roller with respect to the single paper tape; and
a covering machine (<NUM>) provided with a single covering unit (<NUM>; <NUM>) having a false-twisting mechanism (<NUM>; <NUM>) configured to perform, with a first yarn (<NUM>) when added in use, false-twisting on the single paper tape (<NUM>) fed out by the pair of slip rollers, the single covering unit having a covering mechanism (<NUM>) configured to cover, with a second yarn (<NUM>) when added in use, the single paper tape and the first yarn when added in use to the single paper tape in a twisting region (<NUM>) or an untwisting region (<NUM>) of the false-twisting mechanism, wherein
the first yarn (<NUM>) is at least one piece of yarn selected from a group including a first long fiber, a first spun yarn, and a compound yarn in which a first long fiber and a first spun yarn are combined, and
the second yarn (<NUM>) is at least one piece of yarn selected from a group including a second long fiber, a second spun yarn, and a compound yarn in which a second long fiber and a second spun yarn are combined.