Yarn processing equipment

Abstract

An apparatus for converting a medium-tenacity yarn production machine to a high-tenacity yarn production machine is provided. The apparatus includes a pulley (40) adapted to be driven by a motor after a multi-disc texturing unit (11) of the medium-tenacity yarn production machine is removed from its casing (14). A bracket (30) is fixable to the casing (14), and the pulley (40) is mounted to the bracket (30) by a bearing unit (46), thereby allowing the pulley (40) to rotate relative to the bracket (30). The bracket (30) has one or more attachment points to which a pin-shaft texturing unit (20) of the high-tenacity yarn production machine can be attached. An endless drive belt (50) connects the pulley to a drive shaft (24) of the pin-shaft texturing unit (20). The diameter of the pulley (40) is larger than the diameter of the drive shaft (24), and the diameter of the drive disc (23) of the pin-shaft texturing unit (20) is larger than the diameter of the disc pin shaft (21) of the unit (20).

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a yarn processing apparatus, in particular to an apparatus for converting a medium tenacity yarn processing machine into a high tenacity yarn processing machine. [Background technology]

[0002] Filament yarns are made from one or more continuous stands, called filaments, that run the entire length of the yarn. Yarns with only one filament are called monofilament yarns, while multifilament yarns can contain a low number of filaments, such as two or three, or a high number of filaments, such as 50 or more. Yarn texturing is the process of producing large quantities of filament yarns. Texturing can introduce corrugations, coil shapes, and loops along the length of the filaments, which increases the volume of the yarn and, as a result, the yarn has good air permeability and water vapor permeability.

[0003] Filament yarns are well known, as are machines for processing the yarns. High tenacity yarns generally have high durability, high strength, and high toughness, while medium tenacity yarns generally have low durability, low strength, and low toughness. Medium tenacity yarns are typically processed by friction texturing devices, where the yarn passes through a system of overlapping friction discs that rotate and twist and bend the yarn as it passes through the discs. High tenacity yarns are typically produced in pin-shaft texturing units, where the yarn passes around transverse pins mounted on a spindle that rotates at very high speeds, typically around 1,000,000 rpm.

[0004] Traditionally, high tenacity and medium tenacity yarn machines are completely different and separate. Medium tenacity machines have a single variable speed motor per yarn processing unit, while high tenacity machines usually have many pin shaft texturing units that are lined up in a row and all run on an endless belt driven by a single high speed motor. Thus, the two types of units are essentially compatible with each other, but it is inefficient to perform maintenance or change the yarn on one pin shaft texturing unit, because this can only be achieved with the entire machine stopped due to the single endless drive belt.

[0005] Moreover, it is often not possible to produce high tenacity yarns in a friction texturing unit, because these tend to have a higher oil content, which the friction discs (usually ceramic or plastic) absorb, thereby reducing their efficiency. Naturally, it is therefore not possible to produce high and medium tenacity yarns in a single machine with multiple texturing units. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Thus, there has been a long felt need to make the two types of texturing machines more compatible with each other in manufacturing plants. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for converting a medium tenacity yarn producing machine to a high tenacity yarn producing machine, the medium tenacity machine comprising a variable speed electric motor arranged within a casing and driving a multi-disc texturing unit mounted on the casing, the high tenacity machine comprising a pin shaft texturing unit having a pin shaft adapted to be driven in rotation by a drive disc mounted on a drive shaft, the disc pin shaft also engaging an idler disc mounted on a rotatable idler shaft and held against the two discs by magnetic forces, the apparatus comprising: a pulley adapted to be driven by an electric motor after the multi-plate texturing unit is removed from the casing; a bracket adapted for fixing to the casing, the pulley being mounted to the bracket by a bearing unit such that the pulley can rotate relative to the bracket, the bracket incorporating one or more attachment points to which a pin axle texturing unit can be attached in use; and an endless drive belt for connecting the pulley to the drive shaft of the pin shaft texturing unit, the diameter of the pulley being larger than the diameter of the drive shaft and the diameter of the drive disc being larger than the diameter of the disc pin shaft.

[0008] In a preferred arrangement, the bracket is substantially L-shaped and has a lower base and a wall upstanding from the lower base. Preferably, in such an arrangement, the bearing unit is mounted on the lower base and the pulley is located above the bearing unit, with the pulley shaft mounted to the bearing unit for engagement with the output shaft of the electric motor.

[0009] Ideally, the upright walls provide mounting points for mounting a pin shaft texturing unit.

[0010] In certain arrangements, the upright wall has an opening through which the endless drive belt passes. Often a cover for the pulley and bearing unit is further provided, the cover incorporating an opening on one side through which the endless belt passes, the opening being adjacent to the opening in the upright wall, and the cover being secured to the bracket.

[0011] As a preferred feature, the cover is provided with a number of holes around its periphery, the holes being preferably in the form of spaced apart slots extending axially relative to the axis of rotation of the pulley.As another preferred feature, the pulley has axially extending teeth and the drive belt is toothed to match and mesh with the teeth.

[0012] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for converting a machine producing medium tenacity yarn to a machine producing high tenacity yarn, using the apparatus described above, comprising: removing the multi-plate texturing unit from the casing; attaching the bracket with the pulley and bearing unit to a casing; mounting the pin axle texturing unit on a bracket; and connecting an endless drive belt to the pulley and to the drive shaft of the pin shaft texturing unit.

[0013] The invention will now be explained in more detail, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, in which: [Brief description of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a side view of a friction texturing machine incorporating several friction texturing units. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an exemplary friction texturing unit. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of an exemplary pin shaft texturing unit. [Figure 4] 1 is a side view of a device according to the present invention ready for use; FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a top view of the device of FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 5 is a front view of the device of FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the device of FIG. 4. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the bracket components of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a pulley component of the present invention; [Figure 10] 1 is a cross-sectional view of components of an apparatus according to the present invention; [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the cover and mounting bar of the device of the present invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the components of FIGS. 8, 10, and 11 assembled together. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the arrangement of FIG. 12. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] 1 and 2 show a known friction texturing machine 10, in which a single multi-disk texturing unit 11 is shown. This texturing unit 11 processes a yarn 12, which may be a monofilament or multifilament yarn, fed from one or more bobbins 13 by a processing system before the yarn reaches the texturing unit 11. The constructional details of the texturing units 11 are known and will not be described in detail. Essentially, however, each texturing unit is driven by a variable speed motor provided in a motor housing 14. The motor drives a main shaft 15, which is mounted with a number of friction discs 16. The friction discs 16 may be of ceramic, plastic or other suitable material. The friction discs 16 of the main shaft 15 are associated with and engage with other friction discs 17 mounted on a second shaft 18, which rotate by frictional engagement with the directly driven discs 16. The yarn 12 passes between the discs 16 and 17, which processes the yarn by its tortuous path through the discs.

[0016] In the manufacturing machine, a number of friction texturing units 11 are provided in a line (looking into the paper, as seen in FIG. 1 ), each of the units 11 being driven by its own individual motor, typically, but not limited to, at a speed of up to 10,000 rpm.

[0017] FIG. 3 shows a known pin shaft unit 20 for processing the yarn 12. A manufacturing machine incorporating the pin shaft texturing unit 20 may have many units 20 provided in a line as well, but all of the many units 20 driven by a single endless drive belt. The pin shaft texturing unit 20 typically has a hollow spindle 21 through which the yarn 12 extends, the spindle 21 having transverse pins 22 through which the yarn 12 passes. The spindle 21 rotates about its longitudinal axis at very high speeds, typically, but not limited to, up to 1,000,000 rpm. This is achieved in some known arrangements by the spindle 21 being magnetically held between a pair of driven discs 23 on a driven shaft 24 and a pair of idler discs 25 mounted on an idler shaft 26. Again, this is known technology and will not be described in detail, but the passage of the yarn through the unit 20 and further around the pins 22 mounted on the rotating spindle 21 causes the yarn 12 to be processed.

[0018] As previously mentioned, the friction texturing unit 10 is suitable for medium tenacity yarns and the pin shaft texturing unit 20 is suitable for high tenacity yarns, but existing machines utilizing these different texturing units are not compatible with each other. For the friction texturing unit 10, maintenance and yarn changes are easily possible by turning off the individual units 10, whereas this is not possible for the conventional pin shaft texturing unit 20 because its single drive drives many units.

[0019] 4-13 show an apparatus for converting an existing friction texturing machine 10, in which a number of friction texturing units 11 are present, whereby one or more pin shaft texturing units 20 can be started in the machine 10. Typically, it will be appreciated that the rotational speed of the motor of the unit 11 will generally be inadequate to start the unit 20 in a manner that achieves its intended texturing action.

[0020] 8 shows a bracket 30 used to accommodate the present invention. The bracket 30 is generally L-shaped and has a lower base 31 with an upstanding wall 32 integrally formed therewith. The two parts may be made separately and connected together, for example by welding, but an integral component is preferred. The lower base 31 is shaped to be compatible / fit with the motor housing 14 of the texturing unit 11 and is provided with a central through hole 33 and a pair of spaced apart through holes 34. The holes 34 receive appropriate bolts for mounting the bracket 30 to corresponding bolt receiving holes 35 in the motor housing 14, such that the central hole 33 is aligned with the output shaft of the motor.

[0021] The upstanding wall 32 is provided with an elongated slot 37 which is shaped and dimensioned to receive a drive belt 50 (described below) in use. The slot 37 tapers inwardly from the side of the wall 32 adjacent the central aperture 33 to the side of the wall 32 remote from the central aperture 33.

[0022] 9 shows a pulley member 40 having a drive shaft 41 and a circular cross-section pulley 42 at one end of the drive shaft 41. In the embodiment shown, the pulley has upper and lower edges 43 between which a drive belt 50 is received during use of the device. An end of the drive shaft 41 is adapted to engage and be driven by an output shaft of a motor in the housing 14. In the embodiment shown, the motor output shaft has an internal spline connector 44 and the drive shaft has a corresponding external spline connector 45.

[0023] 10 shows a cross-sectional view of the pulley member 40 together with this spline connector 45. The drive shaft 41 of the pulley member 40 is mounted for rotation on a bearing unit 46 provided in a hub 47. The hub 47 in the embodiment shown has a series of three spaced apart threaded holes 48 (only one shown) and a lower tubular boss 49. The boss 49 receives the central hole 33 of the bracket 30 and a fixing bolt (not shown) is provided to extend through the additional hole 36 in the lower base 31 of the bracket and into the threaded hole 48, thereby fixing the hub 47 to the bracket 30.

[0024] 11 shows a cover assembly 60 comprising a top plate 62 and a generally cylindrical cover 61 having a partial cylindrical wall 63 attached thereto. The wall 63 has an opening 64 on one radial side which is sized to cooperate with the elongated slot 37 to allow the passage of the drive belt 50 during use. The cover assembly 60 is shown connected to a mounting bar 65 by which the cover assembly 60 is secured to the upstanding wall 32 of the bracket 30, although other methods of securing are readily envisioned.

[0025] Ideally, as shown, partial cylindrical wall 63 incorporates a number of openings 66 which surround pulley 42 when the devices are connected together. These openings 66 allow for ventilation, and Figure 9 shows a preferred form of openings 66 as axially extending slots. Cylindrical wall 63 also has a large slot 67 (possibly optional) opposite opening 64 which, in this embodiment, allows cover 61 to mate with a support member 70 of a yarn feed guide arm 71 of a type known in the art.

[0026] When the yarn processing machine 10 is started by the friction texturing units 11, the individual units 11 are fixed to the individual motor housings 14. Using the above-mentioned device, the individual friction texturing units 11 can be separated and removed from their associated motor housings 14, while all other units of the machine are still running. The bracket 30 (with the pulley members 40 and bearing units 46 already mounted thereon) can then be fixed to the motor housing 14 with the connectors 44, 45 mating to drive the pulley 42. The pin shaft texturing unit 20 can then be fixed to the upright wall 32 by suitable bolts, and the endless drive belt 60 extends around the pulley 42 through the elongated slots 37 in the upright wall 32 and around the drive end of the driven shaft 24 of the pin shaft texturing unit 20.

[0027] By appropriately selecting the diameters of the pulley 42, the drive end of the driven shaft 24, the driven disc 23, and the spindle 21, the motor of the friction texturing unit can produce a spindle rotation speed suitable for effecting the processing of high tenacity yarns. The diameter of the pulley 42 is larger than that of the drive end of the driven shaft 24, and typically the diameter of the drive disc 23 is larger than that of the spindle 21. In a typical arrangement, the rotation speed of the motor (and thus the pulley 40) is 0-10,000 rpm, the rotation speed of the driven shaft 24 (and thus the driven disc) is 0-50,000 rpm, and the rotation speed of the spindle 21 is 0-1,000,000 rpm. The diameter of the pulley 40 may range from 10-100 mm, the diameter of the driven shaft may range from 5-20 mm, the diameter of the driven disc may range from 20-80 mm, and the diameter of the spindle may range from 1-5 mm.

[0028] In this way, conventionally, medium tenacity yarn machines can be converted to start up pin spindle texturing units for high tenacity yarns, which is particularly advantageous since medium tenacity yarn machines can replace some selected friction texturing units of the pin spindle texturing units even at short notice, and this is particularly advantageous in limiting the run-up of high tenacity yarn production with little impact on other production.

[0029] It is recognized that modifications to the described embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In some preferred embodiments, the pulley and drive belt have corresponding mating teeth as the drive end of the driven shaft. Also, the exact shape, size, and materials of construction are important design choices and may vary depending on the actual device for which modification / reversible conversion is intended.

Claims

1. 1. Apparatus for converting a medium tenacity yarn producing machine to a high tenacity yarn producing machine, said medium tenacity yarn producing machine comprising a variable speed electric motor disposed within a casing and driving a multi-disc texturing unit mounted on said casing, said high tenacity yarn producing machine comprising a pin shaft texturing unit having a hollow spindle rotatably driven by a driven disc mounted on a driven shaft, said hollow spindle also engaging an idler disc mounted on a rotatable idler shaft and held against the two discs by magnetic forces, said apparatus comprising: a pulley driven by the electric motor after the multi-plate texturing unit is removed from the casing; a bracket fixed to said casing, said pulley being mounted to said bracket by a bearing unit such that said pulley can rotate relative to said bracket, said bracket incorporating one or more attachment points to which said pin shaft texturing unit can be attached in use; an endless drive belt for connecting the pulley to the driven shaft of the pin shaft texturing unit, the diameter of the pulley being larger than the diameter of the driven shaft and the diameter of the driven disc being larger than the diameter of the hollow spindle; An apparatus comprising:

2. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said bracket is substantially L-shaped and has a lower base and a wall upstanding from said lower base.

3. 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the bearing unit is mounted on the lower base, the pulley is disposed above the bearing unit, and the pulley shaft is mounted in the bearing unit for engagement with an output shaft of the electric motor.

4. 4. Apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the upstanding walls comprise the mounting points for mounting the pin shaft texturing units.

5. 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said upstanding wall has an opening through which said endless drive belt passes.

6. 6. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a cover for said pulley and said bearing unit, said cover incorporating an opening on one side through which said endless drive belt passes, said opening adjacent said opening in said upright wall, said cover being secured to said bracket.

7. 7. The device according to claim 6, characterized in that the cover is provided with a number of holes around its periphery, said holes preferably being in the form of spaced apart slots extending axially relative to the axis of rotation of the pulley.

8. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the pulley has axially extending teeth and the endless drive belt is toothed to match and mesh with the teeth.

9. A method for converting a medium tenacity yarn producing machine into a high tenacity yarn producing machine using a device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, comprising the steps of: removing the multi-plate texturing unit from the casing; mounting the bracket with the pulley and the bearing unit on the casing; attaching the pin shaft texturing unit to the bracket; connecting said endless drive belt to said pulley and to said driven shaft of said pin shaft texturing unit.

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