US2598185A - Spinning machine - Google Patents

Description

May 27, 1952 D. w. MAXHAM SPINNING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet Filed Dec. 5 1950 INVENTOR. DANIEL W. MAXHAM BY A ATTORNEY y 27, 1952 D. w. MAXHAM 2,598,185

SPINNING MACHINE Filed Dec. 5, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG.3

INVENTOR. DAN I EL W. MAX HAM ATTORNEY D. W. MAXHAM SPINNING MACHINE May 27, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 5, 1950 we a I 6 5 1 A O H H A r 2 3 new 2 SB ml \P 5 m I G o I I i F s 3 7 3 FIG. 4

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m mH NX EA M W W L m. N A D BY df mi ATTORNEY y 27, 1952 D. w. MAXHAM 2,598,185

SPINNING MACHINE Filed Dec. 5, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. DANIEL W. MAXHAM ATTORNEY Patented May 27, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE" 23598485 SPINNING MACHINE Daniel W. Maxham', Hogansville, Ga.

Application December 5, 1950, SerialNo. 199,169 16 Claims. (01. 57-36) 1 This invention relates to machines for spinning fibrous material into yarn or the like and more particularly to machines for twisting or drafting fibrous material.

An important object of the invention is to provide an efiicient and high speed machine this purpose.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a fibrous material twisting machine which will twist yarn or the like of continuous length.

Another major object is to provide a machine for twisting a card web into a continuous length of yarn or the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for spinning or twisting fibrous material so that the yarn or the like may go directly to the next process without handling the yarn.

A still further object is to provide a fibrous material twisting machine which will be relatively simple in constructionand sturdy in construction so that it may be kept in service for long periods of time without the necessity for repairs.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description of the invention, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,

for

forming a part of this disclosure, and in which drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the novel machine, certain bearings being broken away to better illustrate portions of the structure.

Fig. 2 is a top plan thereof.

Fig. 3 is a view, mostly in vertical section, of the new machine, illustrating a conveyor drive means, bottom rolls and associated top rolls with a support for the latter.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevation of the lefthand end of the machine as viewed in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section of the new machine, inwardly of the right-hand end as viewed in Fig. 1, showing a twist needle and associated twist belt or rotatable member, and a pair of delivery rolls in transverse section.

Fig. 6 is a view, partly in section, of the delivery rolls and bearings therefor.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view, substantially on the line 1-1 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a pair of conveyor belt rollers and bearings thereof.

Fig.9 is an end elevation thereof.

Fig. 10 is a view of the twist needle and associated twist belt or rotatable member in operation.

Fig. 11 is a view illustrating the association of twist needle, twist belt and conveyor belt.

Fig. 12 is a top plan of the top rolls assembly and support therefor.

Fig. 13 is an elevation of a roving guide.

Figs. 14 and 15 illustrate bearings for the bottom front, back, plucking and contact draft rolls of the new machine.

Fig. 16 is a modification of the showing in Fig.9.

Fig. 17 is a modification of the showing in Figs. 3 and 5.

Fig. .18 is an elevation of an adapter to synchronize the new machine with a conventional card.

Fig. 19 is a broken plan view showing, in schematic arrangement, a method of feeding fibrous material to a multiplicity of twisting needles for spinning into yarn.

Fig. 20 is an elevational view of Fig. 19.

Fig. 21 is a broken sectional view taken along line 2 |-2l of Fig. 20.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application, Serial No. 5,149, filed January 29, 1948, now abandoned, for Spinning I. Machines, and is related to my application Serial No. 614,642, filed September 6, 1945, for Spinning Machines, maturing in Patent No. 2,453,086, dated November 16, 1948. p

The machine herein disclosed comprises a frame A; main drive means B; bottom front roll drive means C, operatively connected'therewith, for the bottom front roll assembly D; bottom back roll assembly and plucking roll drive means E,-for the bottom back roll assembly F and bottom plucking roll assembly G; delivery roll drive means H for the bottom delivery roll J; conveyor drive means K for a conveyor L; twist needle drive means M for the twist needle N; twist drive means 0 for the twist means (-belt or rotatable member) P; drive means Q for the bottom con fibres Z; modification K of the conveyor drive means K; modification P of the twist means, P; modification L of the conveyor L; and means A to synchronize the novel machine herein disclosed with a conventional card B.

The frame A may comprise substantially par allel end uprights 35 and 36 joining a substantially horizontal upper support 31 and lower supuprights. This shaft may be rotatably carried 7 by bearings M and 42 fixed to the end uprights 35 and 36. Fixedly carried by the shaft 69, preferably outwardly of the end upright 35, is a pulley 43 while, preferably outwardly of the end upright 35, is a bevel gear 44 fixed to the shaft 40, and, inwardly of the end upright 35 is a sprocket wheel 45. There are also provided and fixedly mounted upon the shaft 40 a second bevel gear 46 and a third bevel gear 4'! (the latter shown iii Figs. 2 and 5).

Operatively connected with the pulley d3 of the main. drive means B, is the bottom frontroll drive means C which preferably comprises a belt 50 trained over the pulley 43 and over a second pulley5I.

The second pulley 5I is fixed to one end of the bottom front roll D which front roll extends longitudinally of the frame A, above the upper support 31, and may be rotatably carried by suitable bearings 52 and 53 (shown in Figs. 14 and both carried by the frame support 31'. These bearings 52 and 53 also rotatably support the bottom plucking roll assembly G, to be subsequently described Combined bottom back roll and plucking roll drive means E, operatively connected with the bevel gear 44 of the main drive means B is shown particularly in Figs. 1, 2 and 4 and includes a bracket or stand 55 which may be supported by the end upright 35 at the outer face of the latter and'may be provided with two spaced-apart, axially-aligned bearings 5'6 and 5? rotatably carrying a shaft 58 which, at its lower end, fixedly carries a bevel gear 59 meshing with the bevel gear 44, while the shaft 55 also fixedly carries a worm 60 adjacent its upper end, above which is a second bevel gear 65, fixed to the shaft 58 and meshing with a bevel gear 52, fixed-to the bottom plucking roll G. This drive means E also includes a worm gear 53 meshing with the worm 60, which worm gear 63 is fixedly carried by the bottom back roll F.

The bottom back roll F and the plucking roll of assembly G may be similar to the bottom back roll and the bottom plucking roll described in my patent referred to above, and these rolls F and G extend longitudinally of the frame A above the upper support 3?. The bottom back roll F is rotatably supported by spaced-apart bearings 65 and 68 (shown in Figs. 14 and 15) which also rotatably support the bottom control draft roll R, to be described, and the plucking roll G is rotatably carried by the bearings 52 and 53 mentioned.

Delivery roll drive means H is shown mainly in Fig. 1 and is operatively connected with the main drive means B by means of a sprocket chain I0 trained over the sprocket wheel which is mounted upon shaft 49. This chain I0 is also trained over a second sprocket wheel 'II which is fixedly mounted upon the shaft of the bottom delivery roll J.

The bottom delivery roll J, which is preferably relatively short, extends longitudinally of the frame A, preferably below the upper support 37 and is rotatably carried by bearings '15 and IS, which also support the top delivery roll to be subsequently described and extend downwardly from the upper support 37, to which they are secured.

The next operative connection with the main drive means B is by way of the second bevel gear 46, is designated as the conveyor drive means K, and shown mainly in Figs. 1 and 3. Meshing with the gear 46 is a bevel gear fixedly mounted upon one end portion of a substantially horizontal shaft 8| extending transversely of the frame A andfsupported by hearing 82 carried by the lower support 38. The opposite end portion of the shaft 8I fixedly carries a pulley 83 over which is trained a belt 84 extending upwardly to and over a second pulley 85, mounted upon a shaft 86 extending through a bearing 31 and fixedly supporting a drum 88 with a second bearing 89 being provided to support the other end of the shaft 35 and both bearings carried by the support-3?.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the drum 88 just mentioned, together with a conveyor belt 9i; a second drum 92 (preferably similar to the drum 98, with their axes of rotation substantially parallel and supporting a run of the belt 9|), mounted for rotation upon bearings 93 supported by the upper support 37, and a bottom roller 95, rotatably supported by bearings 95 and over which the conveyor belt 9| is trained, comprise the conveyor L. The bearings 96 depend from the upper support 31. In order to permit the conveyor belt 9i to extend to the bottom roller 95 below the upper support 31, the latter may be slotted to accommodate the belt. Above the bottom roller 95 is a top roller 97 with its periphery in frictional engagement with the belt 9i. This roller 97 is preferably rotatably supported by arms 98 pivotally carried by the bearing 96. A- cross member 99 may connect the arms 98 and its weight and that of the arms press the roller 91 in good frictional contact with the belt.

Now, referring mainly to Figs. 5 and 10, there is illustrated a twist needle drive means M, which includes a bevel gear H38 meshing with the bevelgear 41 of the main drive means B, and fixedly mounted upon a shaft 80! rotatably carried by elongated bearing I 92 mounted upon the lower support 38 and extending transversely of the frame A. There is also fixedly mounted upon the shaft IIlI, a pulley I83 over which is trained a belt I04 extending upwardly to and around a second pulley I05.

The shank portion I 95 of the twist needle N may provide a shaft upon which the pulley I95 is fixedly mounted and the shank is rotatably carried by bearings I 0! depending from the upper support 37. The twist needle N, in addition to its shank portion I55, comprises an elongated conical forward portion I88, tapering toward the rear of frame A, with the point I99 closely adjacent the bottom delivery roll J. In fact, a prolongation of the point would substantially touch the uppermost face of the bottom delivery roll, intermediate the length of that roll. In order to retain the needle N in place, a collar I I0 may be provided about the forward end of the shank portion Hi6 and abutting the face of the bearing I01.

Still referring mainly to Fig. 5, there is shown twist drive means 0- for the twist means P, which is preferably an endless belt providing a rotatable member. This means 0 comprises a bevel which extends upwardly and is also trained over asecond flanged-drum I rotatably supported by bearings I2I depending from the upper suppor,t:3I. Asmay be seen in Fig. 5, the longitudinal axis lof-the-twist needle N (which is also its axis of rotation) forms an angle other than a right angle with the longitudinal-axis'of the twist means P with the needle extending fully across the twist belt and, as shown in Fig. 11, the twist needle is very close to the twist belt.

Now referring back to the bottom back roll F and to Figs. 14and 15, it was stated that the bottom back roll was driven by the means E. The bottom back roll F is operatively connected with the drive means Q for the bottom control draft roll R, since the roll F fixedly carries a sprocket wheel I over which is trained a sprocket chain I '26 extending to and over a second sprocket wheel I21, less in diameter than the diameter-of the wheel I25 and fixedly carried by the bottom control draft roll R.

Not'only is the bottom back roll F employed dually, but the plucking roll G also has dual functions since it is operatively connected with the .placer comb T by means of the placer comb drive means S.

The placer comb drive means S comprises a bevel gear I38 fixedly carried by the bottom plucking roll G, and shown in Fig. 5. Meshing with the bevel gear I is a second bevel gear I3I fixedly carried by a shaft I32 extending transversely of the frame A and carried by bearings I33 mounted upon the upper support 31. The longitudinal axis of the shaft I32 forms an acute anglewith the upper support 3? and at its upper end it fixedly carries a bevel gear I34 meshing with a bevel gear I35 fixedly mounted on an elongated shaft I35 (shown in Fig. 1) extending longitudinally of the frame A and carried by bearings I3! and I38 supported bythe upper. support. 31. Also fixedly mounted on the shaft I35 isa second bevel gear I39 which meshes witha bevel gear H25, and a third bevel gear I4I spaced from the bevel gear I39 and meshing with a bevel gear I42. The gears I40 and I42 are substantially alike, have their axes of rotation parallel and the ratio ofrotation of the bevel gear I39 on the plucking roll G to that of the bevel gears I40 and I42 is 121:1. Each gear I40 and I42 is fixed to a separate crank shaft I43 (one being shown in Fig. 3 and both in Fig. 2). Associated with these crank shafts Hi3 are two other crank shafts I ls arranged so that one each of crank shafts 153- and I44 pivotally support one end portion of a spacer comb I while the other crank shafts I43 and its pivotally support the other end portion of this comb T. Each crank shaft hi3 and ltd is supported by bearings I45 carried by the upper support 3?.

The spacer comb T preferably comprises a plurality of spacer comb elements i259 which may be bars provided with downward-extending short, smooth teeth $55 and with the elements I arranged in parallelism, extending longitudinally of the frame A. and rigidly connected by cross elements I52.

Associated with the spacer comb T and conveyor L is a stacker U, which may be fixedly supported by the upper support 31 and is constructed .and arranged to be positioned closely adjacent one side of the conveyor belt 9I at the'fibre'deliw ery area thereof, so as to-stop the forward movement of the fibres and deposit them on the belt.

Associated with the bottom delivery roll J, is a similar roll, being the top delivery rollV, shown in Figs. 1 and 6. As stated, thisroll 1V is rotatably supported by thesame bearings 75 and I6 as employed for the roll J, but the openings for the ends of the shaft of the roll V are verticallyextending recesses or grooves so that therem'ay ports I56 having hooked ends I 5'lextending 'over sleeves I58 on the end portions of. the. shaft of the'top roll V. Rotation of roll J imparts rotation to the roll V.

fhe top roll assembly W and support X are shown mostly in Figs. 2, 3 and 12 andare, in parts, similar to, that of the top rolls assembly and support therefor disclosed in my 'copending application referred to heretofore;

The top roll assembly W comprises a top front roll I 59 for association withthe bottom front roll D, top back-roll 'I-5I "for association with the bottom back roll F, atop draft control roll I62 for association with the bottom control draft roll R, and a topplucking roll I53 for association with the bottom plucking roll G. The rolls I69 to I52 inclusive are of substantially. the same diameter as their respective associated rolls, but the roll I63 is, preferably, larger in diameter than the general diameter of the bottom plucking roll G. There are' also provided a pair of rollers I64 adapted to peripherally engage the top front roll I56. f L

The rolls its to I63 inclusive are rotatablyisupported by the support -X which includesa pair of spaced apart uprights 155 securedtothe rearward extention 39 of the upper support 31. Pivotally supported by the uprights I 65--are;'tWo spaced apart, parallel, forwardly extending'arms I55 which rotatably carry the top rolls *IG'I! to I62 inclusive as well as the rollers I65, so that they will bear against the peripheries of the respective rolls with which they are associated. They may be urged into such association by a pair of weights I61 depending from :hangers'I-QB ending in hooks carried by the shaft of the top back roll I61. w The support X also includes a pair of forwardly extending, parallel, spaced apart 'ar s I69, pivotally carriedby the uprights I 'abo the arms I66 with downwardly extending forward end'portions I70 rotatably'supporting the top plu'ckingroll I63 above the bottom plucking r011 G so that rotation of the plucking roll G will bring the projecting portion of the latter to the periphery of the top plucking roll. The arms I69 are differently supported than is the top plucking roll supporting stand described in the patent referred to above; Forming part of each arm IE9 is a rearward offset 'I'II, which may be adjusted for vertical or inclined positions by means of two set screws I12 one screwing through each offset I II and with their free endsb'earing against the upper end portions of the uprights I65. The freeend'sxof the set screws are caused to bear against the uprights by expansion coil springs I13 bearing against the uprights and offsets adjacent the lower portions of the latter and below the pivotal connection of the arms I59 and uprights I55. This-permits adjustment'oi' of spaced apart, upwardly opening slots I16 ex- I tending from its rear face to its forward face to receive the slivers or fibres Z which may be sup plied thereto by any suitable means.

The slivers or fibres Z after passing from the guide means Y between the rolls F and I6I, and R and I62 are intermittently engaged by the plucking roll as more fully set out in my patent, referred to above and, from thence, pass between the rolls D and I60. However, it should be said that the back rolls F and IBI rotate at a relatively slow speed, while the peripheral speeds of the control draft rolls R and I62 are the same (or may be higher) than that of the back rolls. The plucking rolls rotate at relatively high speeds where they contact and the speeds of the front rolls is substantially that of the top plucking roll I63. Upon reaching the path of the oscillating placer comb T, the plucked fibres are stopped by the stacker U. The movement of the a comb T is timed with the plucking roll G so that as the former descends its teeth will engage the fibres and carry them to the upper surface of the conveyor belt 9| and deposit them thereon.

It is preferred, of course, that the speed of the oscillations of the comb T be timed with the speed of the belt 9|.

From the conveyor belt BI the plucked fibres (designated as Z) are conveyed, in rows, to the twist needle N, with a large proportion of them substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the needle. It is preferred that the surface speed of the latter be substantially that of the conveyor belt 9I and of the twist belt P. The twist belt P, being disposed with reference to the twist needle N, as stated herein, the fibres Z are wound around the twist needle and also carried, in a wound condition, off the twist needle. The roller 91 of the conveyor L retains the fibres in proper positions on the conveyor belt 9|.

The functions of the delivery rolls J and V are to aid in drawing the rolled fibres off the twist needle N and in delivering them for subsequent treatment. Since portions of the fibres are substantially parallel to the needles axis, and the needle rotates with the opposite end of the fibres delivered forwardly by the delivery rolls, a predetermined amount of twist will be inserted in the rolled fibres between the twist needle and the delivery rolls.

Referring now to Figure 16, there is disclosed a modification K of a portion of the conveyor drive means shown in Fig. 9. In the modification the upper roller I80 is rotatably supported by the bearings I8I while the bottom roller I82 is rotatably supported at adjacent end of each of a pair of arms I83 pivotally connected with the bearings I8I and carrying weights I84 adjacent their other ends. The conveyor belt is adapted to extend about roller I80, and roller B2 is urged thereagainst because of the pivotal connections and the weights I84.

Referring to Fig. 17, there are shown modifications of the twist structure insofar as it involves the twist means or belt P of Fig. 5 and the conveyor means L of Fig. 3, etc. In place of the twist means or belt P, there is provided a twist means, being a roller or rotatable member, P mounted upon the shaft 1, with the periphery of the roller very close to the twist needle N (close as the surface of the twist belt P of Fig. 11) It should be noted that the twist means or roller P has the plane of its peripheral surface, facing the twist needle N, inclined (as is the surface of the twist belt P) to the longitudinal axis of the twist needle N. Otherwise the associated structure is preferably similar to that shown in Fig. 5.

The conveyor L of Fig. 17 differs from the conveyor L of Figs. 1, 2 and 3 only in the provision of two pairs of flange ended drums I85 in place of the two separate drums '98 and 92 of form L and two spaced apart conveyor belts I86 therefor in place of the conveyor belt 9I. The roll P extends between the two belts I86.

In Fig. 18 is shown means A to synchronize the novel machine herein disclosed with a conventional card B. Bearings I90 are secured to the card B to rotatably carry a shaft IBI, upon one end portion of which is mounted a bevel gear I92, meshing with a bevel gear I93 fixedly mounted upon the shaft I94 of a conventional dofier I95. At the other end portion of shaft I9I there is fixed a relatively large diameter pulley I96 constructed and arranged so it may receive a belt (not shown) which may be trained over the pulleys 43 of two of the novel machines, placed one above the other. Of course the drafting rolls, plucking rolls, comb and belt 50 are then omitted, since the fibres are therein fed to the twist needle in a web form as is well known in the art.

The machine thus far described is a duplicate of that illustrated and described in my above mentioned copending application, now abandoned, and consists briefly in mechanisms for feeding strands automatically and placing them upon an endless conveyor belt and then carried by the belt to a twisting needle where the broken strands are again twisted into a, continuous piece and fed through other pressing rolls for further processing. The subject matter added in this application consists of an arrangement supplying the machine with multiple conveyor belts having corresponding twisting needles, each belt delivering to its needle 2. continuous supply of fibrous material in any form, which is subsequently twisted into yarn by the needle and twist belt and delivered as a continuous strand for further processing. The present modification is intended to greatly increase the productivity of the machine and at the same time permit feeding the machine with fibrous material in any form. Moreover. such a system as described below could be used to receive the web directly from the tape frame assembly without sending it through the rub apron assembly.

Figs. 19, 20 and 21 will illustrate the above mentioned modification. Numeral 200 designates a multiplicity of conveyor belts corresponding to the single belt 9! illustrated in the other views of the drawing. While I have shown 5 belts in this modification, it is to be understood that as many as desired might be employed.

These several belts 280 could be driven by a drum similar to the drum 86 as shown in Fig. 3; that is, each belt would be provided with a driving drum positioned beneath its own top roll assembly W to receive the fibrous material. The belts would then extend more or less in parallelism downwardly toward their respective twisting needle mechanisms, each needle operating to spinthe fibrous material on its respective delivery belt into a continuous strand of yarn.

Still another advantage of the present invention is that it can be used directly with the tape frame-assembly of a conventional card machine to' receive the-fibrous web therefrom upon the several conveyor belts 299 to convey it' to the twisting needles. Such a system might assume the construction as shown in Figs. 19, 29 and '21. In these figures the belts 26$! could be rotatedby any controlled driving means (not shown) such as an electric motor or might even be connected by suitable pulleys and gears to the driving means onthe card machine itself.

As illustrated in Fig. 21, each belt 290 is passed over an idler drum 201 having its shaft 262 suitably journaled in bearings supported by a frame (not shown); As before described, the delivery belt passes beneath the twisting needle 254 at an oblique angle and is positioned close enough thereto as to permit the needle to pick up and twist the. fibrous material carried by the belt. A secondary belt 2&3, is used much in the same manner as that of P in Fig. 5, and has one of its faces passing in close proximity with the twisting needle 264. The. action of the needle efiects a certain amount of twisting of the web, tending to displace it from its position on top of the conveyflrbelt 283.v To prevent the needle from pull,-. a

ing the web from off the beltor otherwise dis-v placing it, I have provided a guide roll 2 I 9 placed just ahead of the needle 25M and co-acting with the-.beltfifii! to keep the web in perfect. alignment for winding upon the needle. a

This secondary belt 253' is passed over an upwper roller 285. and a lower roller 255 as shown in Fig, 2G, with the lower roller 295 beingprovided with a pulley 2M rotated by means of a belt 288. and a driving pulley 203. Itwill be noted that each of the driving'pulleys 269 inthis figure is mounted on a common shaft 210 which not only serves as a rotating means for the belts 2fi8 but also of the twisting needle 2% as will be subsequently described. It will also be noted that since the direction of rotation of the secondary belt2'03 must be opposite to that of the twisting needle 2%, the driving belt 2% must be twistedor crossed upon itself -to effect such reverse rotation.

Driven from the same shaft 2H} common with the secondary belt drive means is a series of pulleys 2H mounted to theshaft 21c and provided with belts 2 l 2 passing over the upper pulleys 21.3. and. arranged to rotate the twisting needles 204..

Since each twistingneedle is operatively associated with a pair ofdelivery rolls serving to draw the twisted yarn therefrom, I have provided a common driving means. for each pair of rolls, consisting of a shaft,2.l4 extended longitudinally along the framework and suitably journaledwhere necessary. Theshaft Zl i may berotated by. any given rotating meansor may be connected with the-lower shaft 2"] through a set of timing gears sothat desired synchronous speeds between the; two may be maintained. Along the shaft 2141 have placed worms 2 l 5 enmeshed with worm gears 216 amxed to the endof the shaft; of the bottom delivery rolls H1. The top delivery-rolls 218. are simply idlers and are driven by; the bottom. rolls and may be suitably weighted to effect desired pressures upon the strand of yarn coming Ibetween them and the bottom rolls;

As illustrated and described, the -modified machine constitutes considerable improvement over any machine now known or used inthe art of spinnin a fibrous material into yarn. The multiplicity of delivery belts and twisting needles insure multiple strand ofyarn 'prOpe'rIy. twisted and stretched and completely eliminate the step of sending the material in web form through the conventional rub aprons of a card machine.

While the drawing shows the construction more or less schematically without a general framework, it is to be understood that this has been by way of example and that the detailed structure of the frame, bearings, and the like may assume any shape or dimension without departing from the scope'of the invention as defined bythe following claims;

Iclaim:

1. In a spinning machine, an elongated twist needle; means to rotate said twist needle on its longitudinal axis; means to deliver'fibrous ma-. terial to said twist needle; and means to assist said twist needle to twist said material and ini' tially draw the twisted fibres off said needle, including a rotatable member having an, outer periphery closely adjacent the periphery of, said twist needle at all times, the axis of rotation of said twist needle being non-parallel with respect tothe axis of rotation of said rotatable member.

2. In a spinning machine, an elongated twist needle; .means to' rotate said twist needle on its longitudinal axis; means to deliver lengths oi fibrous material'tc said twist needle, 'on e;iat atime; with their longitudinal axes substantially normal to the axis of rotation of said needle; and means to assist said twist needle to twist said material and initially drawfthe twisted fibres off said needle, including a rotatable member having an outer periphery closely adjacent the periphery of said twist needle at all times, the axis of rotation of'saiditwist needle being non-parallel with respect tothe axis of rotation of said rotatable member.

3. In a spinning machine, an elongated twist needle; meansto rotate said twist needle on its 4. In a. spinning machine, an elongated twist needle; means to rotate said twist needle on its longitudinal axis; means to deliver fibrous ma: terial to said twist needle including a pair of. spaced apart conveyor belts, with their runs in substantially the same planes; and means to as-.

sistsaid twist needle to twist said material'and. initially draw the twisted fibres offsaid needle, including a roller having an outer periphery closely adjacent the periphery of said twist needle atall times, the axis of rotation of said twist needle bein non-parallel with respect to the. axis of rotation of said roller, said roller extending; into thespacebetween said pair of conveyor belts; 5. In a spinning machine, an elongated twist needle; means to rotate said twist needle on its longitudinal axis; means to deliver fibrous material to saidtwist needle; means to assist said twistneedle to. twist said material to partly draw said material on said needIeQincluding-a rotatable member having ancouter p'eriphery closely adjacent. said twist needle at all times,

asserts the axes of rotation of said twist needle and rotatable member being non-parallel, one with respect to the other; and means to finally draw the twisted fibrous material off said twist needle, comprising a pair of delivery rolls normally in peripheral contact one with the other and the juncture of their peripheries being disposed closely adjacent the point of said needle.

. 6-. In a spinning machine, an elongated twist needle; means to rotate said twist needle on its longitudinal axis; means to deliver fibrous material to said twist needle; means to assist said twist needle to twist said material to partly draw said material off said needle, including a rotatable member having an outer periphery closely adjacent said twist needle at all times, the axes of rotation of said twist needle and rotatable member being non-parallel, one with respect to the other; and means to finally draw the twisted fibrous material off said twist needle, comprising a pair of delivery rolls normally in peripheral contact one with the other and the juncture of their peripheries being disposed closely adjacent the point of said needle, with the axis of rotation of said needle substantially intersecting the line of contact of said rolls.

'7. In a spinning machine, an elongated twist needle, means to rotate said twist needle on its longitudinal axis; means to deliver fibrous material to said twist needle; means to assist said twist needle to twist said material to partly draw said material ofi said needle, including a rotatable member having an outer periphery closely adjacent said twist needle at all times, the axes of rotation of said twist needle and rotatable member being non-parallel, one with respect to the other; means to finally draw the twisted fibrous material off said needle comprising a pair of delivery rolls normally in peripheral contact one with the other and with the juncture of their peripheries closely adjacent the point of said needle; means to rotate one of said rolls; and means to urge the second roll into peripheral contact with the first roll.

8; In a spinning machine, a twist needle; conveyor means to deliver plucked fibres to said needle, including a conveyor belt and a roller over which said belt is trained, said roller being disposed closely adjacent said needle and with its axis of rotation extending substantially parallel with the axis of rotation of said needle; and means to retain the fibres upon said belt during twisting comprising a second roller, above the first roller, with its periphery in contact with said belt and with its axis of rotation substantially paralleling the axis of rotation of said first roller, the axes of rotation of said rollers being in substantially the same vertical plane.

' 9. In a spinning machine, a twist needle; conveyor means to deliver plucked fibres to said needle, including a conveyor belt and a roller over which said belt is trained, said roller being disposed closely adjacent said needle and with its axis of rotation extending substantially parallel with the axis of rotation of said needle; means to retain the fibres upon said belt during twisting comprising a second roller, above the first roller, with its periphery in contact with said belt and with its axis of rotation substantially paralleling the axis of rotation of said first roller, the axes of rotation of said rollers beingin substantially the same vertical plane, and means to 'pressthe periphery of said second roller means into line contact with said belt.

10. In a spinning machine, an elongated twist needle; means to rotate said twist needle on its longitudinal axis; means to deliver fibrous material to said twist needle; and means to assist said twist needle to twist said material and initially draw the twisted fibres ofi said needle, including a rotatable member having an outer periphery closely adjacent the periphery of said twist needle at all times and spaced from the end of said twist needle, the axis of rotation of said twist needle being non-parallel with respect to the axis of rotation of said rotatable member.

11. In a spinning machine, an elongated twist needle; means to rotate said twist needle on its longitudinal axis; means to deliver fibrous ma terial to said twist needle; and means to assist said twist needle to twist said material and initially draw the twisted fibres ofi said needle, including a twist belt having an outer periphery closely adjacent the periphery of said twist needle at all times and spaced from the end of said twist needle, the axis of rotation of said twist needle being non-parallel with respect to the axis of rotation of said twist belt.

12. In a spinning machine, an elongated twist needle having a pointed outer end; means to rotate said twist needle on its longitudinal axis; means to deliver fibrous material to said twist needle; and means to assist said twist needle to twist said material and initially draw the twisted fibres off said needle, including a rotatable member having an outer periphery closely adjacent the periphery of said twist needle at all times and with the pointed end of said twist needle extending over the edge of said rotatable member, the axis of rotation of said twist needle being nonparallel with respect to the axis of rotation of said rotatable member.

13. In a spinning machine, an elongated twist needle; means to rotate said twist needle on its longitudinal axis; means to deliver fibrous material to said twist needle; and means to assist said twist needle to twist said material and initially draw the twisted fibres off said needle, including a twist belt having an outer periphery closely adjacent the periphery of said twist needle 4 at all times and with the pointed end of said twist needle extending over the edge of said rotatable member, the axis of rotation of said twist needle being non-parallel with respect to the axis of rotation of said twist belt.

14. In a spinning machine, an elongated twist needle; means to rotate said twist needle on its longitudinal axis; means to deliver fibrous material to said twist needle; means to assist said twist needle to twist said material and initially draw the twisted fibres ofi said needle, including a rotatable member having an outer periphery closely adjacent the periphery of said twist needle at all times, the axis of rotation of said twist needle being non-parallel with respect to the axis of rotation of said rotatable member; and means to drive said twist needle and rotatable member.

15. In a spinning machine, an elongated twist needle having an inner end, a pointed outer end and an intermediate portion; means to deliver fibrous material to said twist needle; means to assist said twist needle to twist said material and initially draw the twisted fibres 01f said needle, including a rotatable member having an outer periphery closely adjacent the periphery of said twist needle at all times and spaced from the end of said twist needle, the axis of rotation of said twist needle being non-parallel with the axis of rotation of said rotatable member, whereby said twist needle extends diagonally across said rotatable member, and means to rotate both said twist needle and said rotatable member, including an elongated support for said rotatable member extending toward the intermediate portion of said needle.

16. In a spinning machine, an elongated twist needle having an inner end, a pointed outer end and an intermediate portion; means to deliver fibrous material to said twist needle; means to assist said twist needle to twist said material and initially draw the twisted fibres ofi said needle, including a twist belt having an outer periphery 10 of said needle.

DANIEL W. MAXI-1AM.

No references cited.

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