Dec- 5, 1966
J. R. HODGES ETAL
3,289,265
SPUN GLASS CRIMPER
Filed June 20, 1963
5 Sheets-Sheet 1
%
INVENTORS
(7/4/75? E #00655
JOHN M‘ HALL
BY
,1
1386- 6, 1966
J. R. HODGES ETAL
3,289,265
SPUN GLASS CRIMPER
Filed June 20, 1963
5 Sheets-Sheet 2
Dec. 6, 1966
J. R. HODGES ETAL
3,289,265
SPUN GLASS CRIMPER
Filed June 20, 1963
5 Sheets-Sheet 3
@2
40
/00
INVENTORS
United States Patent tO??ce
3,289,265
Patented Dec. 6, 1966
1
2
3,289,265
embodying the invention with parts in elevation and parts
broken away for clarity;
SPUN GLASS CRlll/ll’llli
James R. Hodges, Wilmington. and John N. Hall, Newark,
Del., assignors to Joseph Bancroft 3; Sons 130., Will
mington, Del, a corporation of Delaware
Filed June 20, 1963, Ser. No. 289,274
14 Claims. (Cl. 28-1)
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for
crimping ?laments composed of glass, quartz, or ceramic
materials and more particularly to the crimping of such
?laments in a crimper of the stutfer box type.
FIG. 2 is a section taken on the line 2—~2 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 3—3 of
FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a detail section taken on the line 4—4 of
FIG. 1;
'
FIG. 5 is a detail section illustrating a further embodi
ment of the crimping tube;
FIG. 6 is a section taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 5
but on a larger scale;
FIGS. 7, 8, 9 and 10 are detail sections illustrating ad
An object of the invention is to provide a method and
ditional embodiments of the crimping and setting zones;
apparatus of the above type having novel and improved
FIG. 11 is a partial longitudinal section illustrating a
characteristics.
15 modi?cation of the apparatus of FIG. 1 adapted to pro
Another object is to provide crimping apparatus which
duce a resized core ribbon;
is particularly adapted to the crimping of ?laments of the
FIG. 12 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line
above materials and which is capable of producing a
12-12 of FIG. 11; and
permanent set to the crimp without introducing appreci
FIGS. 13, 14 and 15 are elevational views illustrating
able loss of strength.
dillerent types of product which may be produced by the
Various other objects and advantages will be apparent
apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 to 12.
as the nature of the invention is more fully disclosed.
Glass yarn has a very low (about 3%) strain at break,
Referring to the drawings more in detail the invention
is shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 as embodying an apparatus com
and when unprotected by size, may easily saw itself and
prising a base 10 carrying a pedestal 11 supporting a block
break.
25 12 carrying a pivoted arm 13 in which a feed roll 14 1s
In accordance with this invention the glass yarn is
journalled and is spring-pressed in feed position by a
crimped to improve its flexibility and the crimped yarn
spring 15.
is re-sized or coated to prevent ?lament to ?lament saw
A mating feed roll 16 is journalled in a
bracket 17 carried by the base 10. The feed rolls 14
and 16 are driven by meshing gears 20 and 21 and‘ a
action breakage, while retaining the desirable elasticity
characteristics of the glass yarn.
For this purpose the ?laments carrying the usual sizing
pulley 22 driven by a belt 23 from a motor not shown. .
A crimping chamber in the form of a metal tube 30 is
mounted to pass through a bore 31 in the block 12 and
as received from the manufacturer are preheated to a
point somewhat below the softening point of the material
and fed between feed rolls into the crimping chamber
in an insulating bushing 32 to prevent heat transfer from
the heated tube 30 to the block 12. The inlet end of the
tube 30 is disposed at the bite of the feed rolls 14 and 16
to receive the ?laments therefrom. The bore of the tube
30 is of a diameter greater than the thickness of. the
feed rolls 14 and 16 to receive the ?laments therefrom.
An inlet port 3th: may be formed in tube 30 for the pas
sage of hot air or gases into the interior of the tube 30‘.
The tube 30 carries at its discharge end a block 34 having
a bore communicating with the bore of the tube 30 and of
of a stulfer crimper wherein the ?laments are folded over
and crimped as they are fed against the mass of previously
crimped and compacted ?laments in the chamber. The
feed rolls and the crimping chamber are heated to at least
the preheating temperature so as to avoid introducing
strains into the ?laments and to maintain the ?laments
in a state to receive the crimp deformation without injury.
The crimping chamber is made relatively short so as to
reduce the back pressure on the ?laments to a point which
avoids excessive strains.
substantially larger diameter to provide a setting chamber
40 having at least twice the cross-sectional area of the
tube 30. A liner 36 having a bore 35 and having at
its inner end an annular shoulder 37 is disposed within
From the crimping chamber the crimped ?laments are
passed directly into a setting chamber which may have a
cross section considerably greater than that of the crimp
the block 34. The shoulder 37 forms an annular passage
ing chamber and which is maintained at a temperature
38. The end portion of the liner 36 is formed with lon
gitudinal slots 39 which establish communications be
of approximately the softening point of the material. In
this zone the material is annealed and the strains are
relieved so that the ?laments retain at least most of their
tween the recess 38 and the bore 35. A pipe 39a is con~
nected to supply a gas to the recess 38. ‘The block 34
original strength.
is supported from the block 12 by screws 37a.
The mass of crimped ?laments from the setting cham
ber is discharged onto a trough 42.
55
density of the mass is reduced and heat transfer through
Resizing may ‘be applied to the mass of crimped ?la
the mass is facilitated.
ments on the trough 42 by a ring 43 having jet openings
Due to the high temperature in the setting chamber and
44 and mounted on a bracket 45. The crimped yarn 46
Because of the increased cross section of the setting
chamber the ?laments open up somewhat so that the
the gas circulating within the mass all or a part of the
is extracted from the mass or core on the trough 42 by a
sizing may be burned from the ?laments.
suitable winder, not shown, and is passed over a coating
60
roll 47 dipping into a coating solution in a tank 48. The
The ?laments may be resized by applying additional
yarn 46 is pressed against the roll 47 [by a pivoted pad 49
sizing as or after they are withdrawn from the setting
which may have a low friction surface such as Teflon.
The core of crimped ?laments on the trough 42 rests upon
zone. The ?laments are then in bulked form and may
be further twisted or processed in any other known man
ner.
The nature of the invention will be better understood
by referring to the following description, taken in connec
tion with the accompanying drawings in which a speci?c
65
a feeler arm 4211 which actuates a mercury switch 421; in
a sense to control the drive motor for either the feed rolls
or the winder so as to maintain a mass of the core at this
point.
A preheating tube 50 is supported in advance of the
70 feed rolls 14 and 16 by a bracket 51 carried by an arm 52
of a support 53. The discharge end of the preheater tube
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section through an apparatus
50 is disposed adjacent the bite of the feed rolls for guid
embodiment has been set forth for purposes of illustration.
In the drawings:
3,289,265
3
ing the ?laments thereto. The tube 50 and the feed rolls
are enclosed in a housing 54 supported by the block 12
and carrying a heating coil 55.
The ?laments 60 are guided from a package 61 to the
preheater tube 50 through an eye 56 supported on an arm
58.
In operation the ?laments 60 are fed through the pre
heater tube 50 wherein they are heated to a temperature
4
of FIGS. 1 to 4 are replaced by a housing 65 having a
bore 66 at its inlet end and a bore 67 at its outlet end
joined by a curved wall 68 which provides a gradual and
smooth transition from the smaller to the larger bores.
FIG. 8 shown as embodiment similar to FIG. 7 except
glass ?laments this preheating temperature may be, for
example, of the order of 800° F.
that the larger end of the bore has a continuously enlarg
ing outwardly ?ared wall 69.
In the embodiment of FIG. 9 the tube 30 carries a plu
rality of concentric telescoping tubes 70, 71 and 72 which
are adjustable axially to form a series of stepped setting
chambers of successively increasing diameters. The tubes
7th, 71 and ‘72 may be held retracted by a tension spring
the ?laments are annealed to relieve the strains and at
the same time the sizing is burned off.
In all of these embodiments the remaining elements are
similar to those of FIGS. 1 to 4.
below the softening point of the glass, but su?iciently high
to allow the ?laments to crimp without breaking.
For
72a and may be extended by the friction of the core or
From the preheating tube 50 the ?laments are fed by
may be secured by set screws 72b.
the feed rolls 14 and 16 into the crimping tube 39 which
In the form of FIG. 10 the tube 30 and the bore 35 are
is also heated to at least the above temperature. From 15
joined by a curved Wall '73 and the exit end of the bore 35
the highly packed state of the crimped ?laments in the
is constricted by a plug 74 having a bore 75 with a ?ared
crimping chamber the ?laments pass into the setting cham
entrance end 76. The crimped yarn is extracted through
ber 40 in which they open up to reduce the strain at the
the bore '75 by a pair of delivery rolls 77. The plug 74
points of crimp and to make the mass more pervious to
air and heat. In this setting chamber the ?laments are 20 may be set in the bore 35 by set screws or may be
spring pressed by spring 74b to conform to the amount of
heated to about the softening temperature of the glass
the core in the chamber 40.
such for example as about 1200° F. At this temperature
An inert gas may be supplied through the pipe 39a to
prevent the sizing from burning in the setting chamber,
or heated air or a purging gas may be supplied through
this pipe if desired.
in the embodiment of FIGS. 11 and 12 the apparatus
is similar to that of FIG. 1 up to and including the setting
chamber 4%. In FIGS. 11 and 12 the setting chamber 40
discharges the ?lament core between a pair of rolls 80
and 81. which are adapted to ?atten the core into the
As the yarn which is discharged from the crimper has
had its protective size burned off, it is particularly suscep 30 form of a ?attened compacted web. The roll 81 is driven
to cool ‘below its setting temperature while it rests in core
by suitable means, not shown. The roll 80 is mounted on
pivoted arms 83 and rests upon the web 82. The upward
movement of the arms 83 is limited by adjustable stop
form on the trough 42. Resizing is applied to the yarn
while on the trough 42 by jets 44. This resizing may of
course be applied ‘by other means as by dripping or im
mersion and allowed to dry before packaging. It is par
ticularly desirable to have the coating or sizing applied
3%) and $1. The lower housing member 86 carries a hori
zontal table 87 on which the ribbon 82 is supported.
Upper and lower nozzles 88 and 89 are positioned to di
tible to damage. Also as it is still hot, it is susceptible to
having its crimp pulled out. Hence the yarn is allowed
screws 84. Upper and lower housing members 85 and 86,
carried by the block 34a, substantially enclose the rolls
rect a spray of resizing material onto the ribbon 82 as it
to the individual ?laments rather than to the bundle or
yarn as a whole as this aids withdrawal of the yarn from 40 feeds along the table 87. The lower nozzle 89 feeds its
the core form without breakage and contributes to the
?exibility and bulk of the crimped yarn.
It is particularly desirable to have this coating be about
individual ?laments rather than gluing the yarn together
spray through slots 90 in the table 37. The ribbon 82
core form without breakage and contributes to the ?exi
then passes over a coating roll 91 dipping in a coating solu
tion in a tank 92 thence to a winder, not shown. The
ribbon 82 is pressed on the roll 91 by a pressure pad 93
of low friction material such as Te?on.
A control switch 94 is actuated by a feeler arm 95 dis
and ?nish may be carried out on the way to the winder.
FIG. 13 illustrates a product made from continuous
as a whole, as this aids withdrawal of the yarn from the
posed in the setting chamber 49) and adapted to control
bility and bulk of the crimped yarn.
the feed so as to maintain a core of crimped material at
Conventional coating applied from a liquid vehicle
this point. The rolls 3% and 81 are connected for oper
tends to stick the ?laments together upon evaporation of
the vehicle. On the other hand if the coating is applied 50 ation in unison by ‘gears 96 ‘and 97.
FIG. 13, 14- and 15 illustrate some of the products
by a two-stage liquid treatment, the individual ?laments
which can be made in the above described crimping ap
may be effectively coated without causing them to stick
paratus. The nature of the product can be varied by
together. For this purpose the ?rst liquid may be applied
varying the back pressure, ‘the temperature in the various
to the core by the jets 44 or may be introduced in gaseous
chambers, and the time during which the ?laments are
or vapor form through passage 38 and allowed to con
subjected to the crimping and setting temperatures. The
dense on the ?laments while the second liquid is applied by
preheating temperature and the twist are other factors
the coating roll 47 after the yarn has been extracted from
which determine the nature of the product.
the core. Subsequent washing and drying and lubrication
Examples of two-part coating material are: metered 60 ?lament glass ?bers having a relatively high degree of
twist and processed in the apparatus of FIG. 1 under
sebacocyl chloride and hexamethylene diamine to form a
linear nylon polymer coating. Metered sebacocyl chloride
conditions such that the ?laments are preheated to a
and hot glycerine to form a three dimensional linear poly
mer coating. Other well known resizing, coating or ?nish
ing materials may be used.
In the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6 the crimping tube
temperature below the softening temperature of the glass
30 and the block 34 in the form of FIGS. 1 to 4 are re
placed by a tube 62 having a cylindrical bore 63 which
forms a crimping chamber and a setting chamber. The
and fed at a rate such that partial setting takes place in
the crimping chamber with ?nal setting in the setting
chamber wherein the ?laments are less highly packed
than in the crimping chamber. The ?laments ?rst coil
into the form of ‘tight helices in the crimping chamber
3%. These helices open up and separate to some extent
other elements of this form are similar to those described 70 as the ?laments expand into the setting chamber 40
from which they are discharged in the form of a com
above and have not been repeated. The core mass of
pacted core. The product is shown in FIG. 13 in the
crimped yarns is discharged from the chamber 63 onto
supporting rods 64 from which the individual yarn is
withdrawn as in the embodiment of FIG. 1.
In the embodiment of FIG. 7 the tube 30 and block 34
general form of a series of tight helices 100 separated by
lengths ltilt of less highly crimped yarn. The relative
lengths of the helices and of the connecting portions de
3,289,265
5
6
pend upon the back pressure in the setting chamber and
means feeding the ?laments through said preheating
the temperature and time constants which determine the
rate of setting.
chamber to the bite of said feed rolls, and means heat
ing the ?laments therein to a temperature below the
A yarn of similar type and treatment which has a
relatively low twist such as a producer twist may take
the form of a series of saw tooth angular bends 102
softening temperature of the material.
separated by relatively straight connecting legs 103 as
4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 in which said
feed rolls are disposed in said preheating chamber.
5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 in which a guide
shown in FIG. 14. Various intermediate forms may be
tube for said ?laments extends through said preheating
produced as will be readily understood. If a highly
chamber and is disposed to guide the ?laments to the
twisted yarn of the above type is passed through the 10 bite of said feed rolls.
straight cylindrical crimping and setting chamber 63 of
6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which said
FIG. 5 with a low ‘back pressure it remains in helical
members are mounted in a metal bracket and heat in
form and is set into the form of a somewhat loose or
sulating means is provided between said members and
open helix 105 as shown in FIG. 15. If the back pres
said bracket.
sure is increased the helix may become more compacted 15
7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which guide
and the turns more irregular.
means is provided to receive the mass of ?laments from
The ribbon 82 of FIG. 11 composed of the ?attened
said setting chamber and spray means is disposed to spray
core of crimped ?laments may be bonded by the resizing
a sizing material onto the mass of ?laments on said guide
at the points of cross-over of the ?laments so as to retain
means.
its form and may be wound in the form of a package for
3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which means
is provided to extract the ?laments from said mass on
said guide means.
9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein a ?uid
use or for further treatment.
If desired the crimped yarn may be pulled out of the
core in the heated zone before becoming completely
set so that the crimp is opened up somewhat before ?nal
passage is provided at the inlet end of said crimping
setting or a variously crimped, alternately thick and thin 25 chamber for the passage of heated .gas into said chamber.
yarn can be made by varying the tension periodically as
10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein a pas
the yarn is extracted from the setting zone.
sage is formed at the inlet end of said setting chamber
What is claimed is:
for the introduction of gases into the mass of ?bers
1. Apparatus for crimping ?laments which comprises
therein.
a member having walls forming a con?ned crimping
11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which said
chamber having inlet and discharge ends, feed rolls
crimping and setting chambers are formed in steps of
mounted at said inlet end and positioned to feed said
progressively increasing cross-sectional areas.
?laments into said chamber to be folded over and crimped
12. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which at least
against the mass of previously crimped ?laments in
the Walls joining said setting and crimping chambers
35
said chamber, a member having walls forming a setting
are ?ared to provide a smooth transition. between said
chamber communicating with the discharge end of said
chambers.
crimping chamber and having a cross sectional area
13. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, in which said
sufficiently greater than that of the crimping chamber
crimping and setting chambers are formed by a series
so as to cause the mass of packed ?laments to open up
of concentric telescoping tubes.
to reduce the strain at the points of crimp and to make 40
14. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which said
the mass more pervious to air and heat, means heating
setting chamber is provided with a restricted outlet open
the setting chamber walls to a temperature of about
ing and means is provided to extract the crimped ?la
the softening temperature of the material, said walls
ments through said opening.
being adapted to transfer heat by conduction to said 45
setting chamber for heating the ?laments therein to a
References Cited by the Examiner
somewhat lower temperature.
__
2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which said
setting chamber is formed with an open discharge end
for discharging the crimped ?laments in the form of a
core and presser rolls positioned to receive said core
‘from said setting ‘chamber and to compact the same into
the form of a web.
3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including a pre
UNITED STATES PATENTS ’
3,008,846
3,046,633
3,147,578
3,226,792
11/1961
7/1962
9/‘19‘64
Caroselli ________ __ 65-111 X
Ohashi et al _______ __ 28—72 X
Calizzano ________ __ 57-29 X
1/ 1966 Starkie et al.
DONALL H. SLYVESTER, Primary Examiner.
heating chamber disposed in advance of said feed rolls, 55 R. L. LINDSAY, Assistant Examiner.