US3337107A - Apparatus for reorienting tubular knitted fabric - Google Patents

Description

F. CATALLO ETAL 3,337,107

APPARATUS FOR REORIE NTING TUBULAR KNITTED FABRIC 3 Filed June 22, 1965 Aug. 22, 1967 2 SheetsSheet 1 INVENTORS FRANK CATALLO SARGENT F? SNYDER .Illll.

24 WWW/W ATTORNEYS Aug. 22, 1967 F. CATALLO' ETAL 3,337,107

APPARATUS FOR REORIENTING TUBULAR KNITTED FABRIC Filed June 22, 1965 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FEG.3

ATTORNEY United States Patent Office 3,337,107 Patented Aug. 22, 1967 Gardens, N.Y., assignors to Samcoe Holding Corpora-.

tion, Woodside, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed June 22, 1965, Ser. No. 466,026

12 Claims. (Cl. 226197) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention is directed to a facility for manipulating tubular knitted fabric being handled in flat, two layer form, in a manner to relocate the edges of the flat tube form to other regions about the circumference of the fabric tube. The facility includes a reorienting guide frame over which the fabric tube is drawn and which is arranged in a plane disposed at a large angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the tube. Input and output guides direct the fabric to and away from the reorienting guide. Typically, the original edges of the flat fabric tube are relocated to the center area of the reoriented flat tube.

In the handling and processing of tubular knitted fabric, the fabric is usually handled in the form of an intact tube, typically in flat, two-layered form. As various processing operations are carried out, the flattened tube may tend to acquire definite edge creases. At certain stages of processing, it may be desirable or advantageous to reorient the flattened fabric tube, such that the original edge creases thereof are relocated in the newly formed flattened tube, typically along the center line. Certain arrangements for this purpose already are known, a particularly advantageous form of such apparatus being described and claimed in the Clarence Yost Patent No. 2,591,903. The present invention is directed to equipment of the general type illustrated in the Yost patent and is concerned with the making of specific and advantageous improvements over such prior apparatus, to the end of realizing greater precision and uniformity in the reorientation of fabric and of effecting a simplification of the equipment utilized.

One of the especially useful applications for edge-tocenter reorientation equipment is to reorient the fabric tube prior to slitting the tube longitudinally to form open width knitted fabric. It is often convenient to align theslitting and allied (e.g., gumming) facilities along the center line of the fabric tube, enabling the slit tube to be conveniently laid open to its full Width form. In such cases, it is desirable to reorient the edge crease of the fabric so that one of the creases will lie along the slitting axis so that, in the slit and opened fabric, only one of the original edge creases remains.

Particularly in connection with edge-to-center reorientation prior to slitting, but also for most other occasions when such reorientation is desired, it is important to minimize the side-to-side wander of the reoriented creases. This is particularly difficult in connection with tubular knitted fabric, for example, because of its elastic, distortable characteristics and because of its spiral construction. In addition, particularly in the case of handlingi tubular knitted fabric, it is desirable and important to avoid introducing distortions in the fabric during the manipulations involved in effecting edge-to-center reorientation.

In accordance with the present invention, a novel and:

any opportunity for fabric distortions to be introduced.

In accordance with fundamental aspects of the invention, provisions are made for guiding of the advancing fabric tube during edge-to-center reorientation in such a manner that the fabric travels through substantially a minimum theoretical distance from the time reorientation is commenced to the time it is completed. In addition, the manipulations of the fabric during reorientation are such as to reliably assure that all portions of the fabric travel through substantially identical distances, so that distortions of the fabric are effectively avoided. More specifically, the apparatus of the invention includes a flat, square fabric reorienting guide frame section, which is positioned within the fabric tube and transversely disposed with respect'to the axis of the tube. The incoming tube, maintained in flat form, has its edges aligned with a pair of diagonally opposed corners of the square frame,

and the outgoing tube, again in flat, two-layered form,.

to the plane of the input guide frame section, and an output guide frame section disposed at right angles to the reorienting frame section. The input and output guide frame sections are aligned with respective diagonally opposed corners of the square reorienting frame section. The complete frame structure is confined and supported by pairs of corner guide elements, most advantageously small diameter rollers, which are arranged to redirect the fabric through a relatively sharp right angle turn as it travels onto and 0E the fiat, square reorienting frame section.

A simplified, widely adjustable apparatus according to the invention advantageously incorporates the fourpiece frame structure, With all parts telescopically assembled to form an adjustable structure including input and output guide frame sections and an intermediate fabric reorienting guide frame section.

For a further explanation of the above and other novel and advantageous features of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description and to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an apparatus according to the invention for effecting edge-to-center reorientation of tubular knitted fabric;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the apparaus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 s an elevaional view of the apparatus of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an assembled frame structure, including input and output guide frame sections and a fabric reorienting guide frame section, as incorporated in the apparatus of FIG. 1.

Referring now to the drawing, and initially to FIG. 1 thereof, the reference numeral 10 designates a supply roll of tubular knitted fabric. The fabric typically is at an intermediate stage of processing and is in flat, twolayered form and has been set at a relatively uniform width. In the system illustrated in FIG. 1, the web 11 of flat, tubular material is directed over an input guide roll 12 and advances in a generally vertically downward direction over a fabric reorienting frame assembly generally designated by the reference numeral 13. On the output side of the machine, the reoriented Web 14, still in flat, two-layered form but having its original edges now located along the centerline of the web, is advanced by a drive roll and then passes over a dancer roll 16 and guide roll 17 and passes on to a subsequent processing apparatus.

In the illustrated arrangement, the fabric is drawn through the reorienting apparatus on a demand basis, although other speed controlling arrangements may be employed as desired. The demand feed arrangement of the illustrated equipment includes the dancer roll 16, which is raised and lowered as a function of the incoming and outgoing rates of the fabric and controls an airactuated drive motor 18 in such a way that the incoming and outgoing rates are kept in balance.

The illustrated apparatus includes a supporting stand 19, including legs 20 and a supporting platform 21. The platform 21 supports and journals upper and lower pairs of elongated, small diameter rollers 22, 23 which, for convenience of description, may be referred to as corner guide rollers. In the illustrated arrangement, the platform 21 consists of a circular frame and the upper pair of corner guide rollers -22 advantageously is disposed generally along one diameter of the platform while the lower corner guide rollers 23' are disposed generally along a second diameter related at right angles to the first. Advantageously, the corner guide rollers 22, 23 are of minimum diameter consistent with adequate rigidity, having regard to their length and the nature of the service requirements to which they are exposed. Typically, corner guide rollers of about 45 inches in length may have a diameter on the order of 3 inches, and the separation between rollers of a pair may be on the order of 2 inches or less. As illustrated, both pairs of corner guide rollers are disposed in horizontal planes, with a relatively minimum separation (e.g., about 1 inch in the abovementioned environment) between the bottoms of the upper rollers 22 and the tops of the lower rollers 23.

For reasons which will appear, the corner guide rollers 22, 23 may be driven in synchronism with the passage of the fabric through the equipment. However, in the illustrated arrangement, the rollers are journaled for free rotation.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the input guide roller 12 advantageously is supported above and with one side in alignment with the upper pair of corner guide rollers 22, as by means of frame brackets 24. Advantageously, the alignment of the guide roller 12 is such that the incoming fabric web 11 travels vertically downward into the opening between the upper pair of corner guide rollers 22.

In accordance with significant aspects of the invention, the pairs of corner guide rollers 22, 23 locate and support a fabric reorienting frame assembly, which has been generally designated by the reference numeral 13 and is shown in detail in FIG. 4. The frame assembly 13 consists essentially of an input guide frame section 25 of inverted U-sha-ped configuration, a fabric reorienting guide frame section 26 of square configuration, and an output guide frame section 27 of upright U-shaped configuration. As shown in FIG. 4, the input guide frame section 25 is disposed in a vertical plane; the fabric reorienting guide frame section 26 is disposed in a horizontal plane, at right angles to the input guide frame section; and the output guide frame section 27 is disposed in a vertical plane, at right angles to both the fabric reorienting and the input guide frame sections 26, 25. It will be understood, of course, that reference herein to horizontal and vertical dispositions is relative only, as the entire apparatus may be differently oriented such that, for example, the square reorienting frame section 26 is disposed in a vertical or other plane. The lower extremities of the input guide frame section terminate at the first pair of diagonally opposed corners of the square frame section 16, while the upper extremities of the output guide frame section terminate at the opposite pair of diagonally opposed corners of the frame section 26.

As illustrated particularly in FIG. 2, the frame assembly 13 is so incorporated in the equipment that the square reorienting frame section 26 lies in a horizontal plane between the pairs of corner guide rollers 22, 23', being supported and stabilized by such rollers. The input guide frame section projects upward between the rollers 22, and the output guide frame section 27 projects downward between the lower rollers 23. Thus, the frame assembly 13 is completely supported and fixed in position by the pairs of corner guide rollers 22, 23, there being sufficient clearance between the frame parts and the corner guide rollers to accommodate the passage of fabric over the guide frame assembly and between the rollers, as will be made apparent.

As is evident in FIGS. 1-3, the incoming fabric web 11, usually previously set to predetermined, uniform width, travels over the input guide roller 12 and then passes over and about the input guide frame section 25, which serves to align and guide the incoming fabric so that it advances without distortion between the upper corner guide rollers 22 and onto the square fabric reorienting guide frame section 26 in accurate alignment with the first diagonally opposed corners 28, 29 thereof.

With reference to FIG. 2, the opposite layers of the fabric tube, after traveling between the corner guide rollers 22 and approaching the frame section 26, travel horizontally in opposite directions (i.e., away from the corner guide rollers 22). Individual longitudinal elements of the fabric pass around and under the frame section 26 and then travel, at right angles to their original direction, toward the lower corner guide rollers 23. Ultimately, all longitudinal elements of the fabric travel over, around and between the corner guide rollers 23 and the fabric is discharged over the output guide frame section 27. The side-to-side width of the output guide frame section 27 is equal to that of the input guide frame section 25, so that the outgoing fabric is essentially identical to the incoming fabric, except that the identifiable edges of the flattened tube have been reoriented to lie along what initially was the centerline of the web.

Reorientation of the fabric tube occurs while the fabric is traveling over the square fabric reorienting guide frame section 26 and, as will be understood, all portions of the fabric travel through equal and theoretically minimum distances in traveling over the frame section 26, such that the reorientation is effected without introducing tensions and distortions into the fabric and while maintaining at an irreducible minimum the opportunity for the fabric to wander or lose its precise edge alignment. By way of example, the initial edges of the incoming fabric web 11, being initially aligned with an outer extremity (corner) of the frame section 26, travel directly inward to the plane of the out-put guide frame section 27 during reorientation, or a distance equal to M1 the circumference of the tube. At the other extreme, the portions of the fabric tube initially aligned along the centerline travel from the plane of the input guide frame section 25 along the top of the frame section 26 to the outer edges of the output frame section 27, at which point reorientation is completed; the distance involved again precisely equals A of the circumference of the fabric tube. At any point intermediate the original edge extremities of the tube and the original centerline of the tube, the total distance traveled by a longitudinal portion of the tube undergoing reorientation is the sum of its travel over the top of the frame section 26 (horizontally in FIG. 2) and its travel over the bottom of the frame section (vertically in FIG. 2), and it can be readily seen that the sum of these distances is equal at any point along the frame.

Reoriented fabric passing off the output guide frame section 27 passes over the drive roller 15, which is advantageously covered with a friction material such as felt. The roller 15 may be driven as by a chain 32 from the controllable air motor 18. The motor 18 is actuated from an air source 33, regulated by a valve 34. The valve 34 is controlled by a cam 35 carried by arms 36 which support the dancer roll 16. Where it may appear desirable or appropriate to drive the corner guide rollers 22, 23, they would be driven in synchronism with the main drive roller 15, from the output of the motor 18. In some cases, it may be advantageous to utilize the lower corner guide roller 23, either alone or along with the upper corner guide rollers 22, to perform the driving functions of the main drive roller 15, in which event the latter could be eliminated. The corner guide rollers would, in such case, be driven under the control of the dancer roll 16, and the driver guide rollers advantageously would be provided with a surface covering of a suitable friction material.

- In the illustrated apparatus, accommodation for various widths of tubular knitted fabric is made by providing for telescopic adjustment of the frame assembly 13. Thus, as shown in FIG. 4, the input guide frame section 25 comprises a pair of guide frame elements 37, 38 of inverted L-shaped configuration. The upper, horizontal legs of the frame elements 37, 38 are telescopically interfitted, as at 39, for adjustment of the width of the input guide frame section, with suitable means (not specifically shown) being provided to lock these and other telescopically assembly parts in adjusted positions.

The outer legs of the frame sections 37, 38 project downward, advantageously in parallel relation, and are joined to the diagonally opposed corners 28, 29 of the square reorienting frame section 26.

The output guide frame section 27 is similar to the input guide frame section, but consists of upright L-shaped frame sections 40, 41, the vertically disposed legs of which join the frame section 26 at the diagonally opposed corners 30, 31.

Advantageously, the square reorienting frame section 26 is made up of four L-shaped frame sections 42-45 which are disposed in a horizontal plane, and the respective apices of which form the corners 28-31. The individual horizontal L-shaped frame sections 4245 are secured, as by welding, to the vertical ends of the frame sections 37, 38 and 40, 41, and the horizontal frame sections 44, 45 are arranged to telescopically interfit with the sections 42, 43. Further, the included right angle formed by the horizontal L-shaped sections 4245 is, in each case, bisected by the plane of one or the other of the input or output guide frame sections 25, 27. The arrangement is such that the entire guide frame assembly 13 illustrated in FIG. 4 is adjustably assembled from four components.

The apparatus of the present invention, while being of a simplified, economical design and construction, represents an improvement over known arrangements for effecting edge-to-center reorientation of tubular knitted fabric, particularly with respect to the uniformity and accuracy with which the fabric edges are realigned, and also with respect to the freedom from distortions, which often influence the result of handling or treating a distortable material such as tubular knitted fabric.

One of the significant aspects of the invention resides in the fact that edge-to-center reorientation is carried out on a fiat, square frame section, under conditions such that the fabric travels through a minimum distance and all portions of the fabric travel through equal distances. This is accomplished in accordance with the present invention by guiding the fabric tube in fiat, two-layered form directly into the plane of the square fabric reorienting guide frame section, with the original edges of the fabric tube aligned with a first pair of diagonally opposed corners of the square frame. The outgoing, reoriented fabric likewise is guided away from the flat, square reorienting frame section along a plane aligned with the second pair of diagonally opposed corners of the reorienting frame.

The entire reorienting facility according to the invention comprises, in essence, a flat, square reorienting frame, fiat input and output guide frames aligned with opposed diagonal corners of the reorienting frame, and corner guide elements disposed on opposite sides of the input and output guide frames and closely adjacent to the reorienting frame, so that the incoming and outgoing fabric is guided rather abruptly from one plane to another. Most advantageously, the input and output guide frames are disposed at right angles to the plane of the square reorienting frame section 26, but theoretically at least, the planes of the input and output frames could be tilted with respect to the reorienting frame, as long as the respective planes intersected along diagonals of the reorienting frame.

The equipment of the invention is particularly advantageous for use in connection with a gumming and slitting range, for example, where the fabric tube is slit open along its centerline and then laid flat to form open width material. In such cases, it is desirable to reorient the fabric edges so that the initial edge creases lie along the centerline of the fabric, and one of the creases is then, in effect, removed by the slitting operation. For this to be effective, however, the fabric reorientation must be carried out with precision and uniformity, which is realized to the greatest practicable extent using the equipment of the invention.

It will be understood, of course, that the specific apparatus illustrated and described herein is intended to be representative only, as certain changes may be made therein without departing from the clear teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, reference should be made to the following appended claims in determining the full scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for effecting edge-to-center reorientation of tubular knitted fabric, comprising (a) a first guide frame section for receiving tubular knitted fabric in fiat, two-layer form and guiding it in a predetermined first plane by internal engagement with the edges of the tubular knitted fabric,

(b) said first guide f-rame section having a predetermined longitudinal axis,

(c) a second guide frame section disposed in a second predetermined plane arranged at right angles to the first plane and at right angles to said predetermined longitudinal axis,

(d) said second guide frame section being of square outline,

(e) the plane ofsaid first guide frame section intersecting said square outline on a diagonal between a first pair of diagonally opposed corners, and the side edge extremities of said first guide frame section intersecting with and terminating at said corners,

(f) a third guide frame section disposed in a third predetermined plane arranged at right angles to said first and second planes and having alongitudinal axis coincident with the longitudinal axis of said first guide frame section,

(g) the plane of said third guide frame section intersecting the square outline of said second guide frame section on a diagonal between a second pair of opposed corners, and the side edge extremities of said third guide frame section intersecting with and terminating at the corners of said second pair, and

(h) first and second pairs of corner guide elements disposed to lie in the corners formed by said guide frame sections, arranged to engage opposed layers of the fabric tube and redirect the fabric layers through a degree change in direction from one plane to another.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, further characterized by (a) said corner guide elements comprising small diameter rollers supported for rotation,

(b) said rollers being positioned to engage the fabric layers across the width of the fabric and to rotate in synchronism with the advance of the fabric.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, further including (a) supporting frame structure,

(b) said corner guide elements being secured to and supported by said frame structure,

(c) said guide frame sections being supported, through interposed fabric layers, by said corner guide elements.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, further including (a) a drive roller positioned adjacent the discharge side of said third guide frame section for engaging discharged, reoriented fabric across its width,

(b) said drive roller having a high friction, fabric engaging surface, and

(c) drive means for operating said drive roller to advance said fabric over said guide frame sections.

5. Apparatus for effecting edge-to-center reorientation of tubular knitted fabric, comprising (a) a fabric reorienting guide frame section of generally flat form and substantially square cross section,

(b) means supporting said fabric reorienting guide frame section in generally transverse disposition to the axis of an advancing fabric tube,

() input guide means on one side of said fabric reorienting guide frame section for aligning the original edges of the fabric tube with a first pair of diagonally opposed corners of said guide frame sec tion, and

(d) output guide means on the opposite side of said fabric reorienting guide frame section establishing new edges of the fabric tube aligned with the other pair of diagonally opposed corners of said guide frame section.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, further characterized by (a) said input and output guide means being disposed generally at right angles to the plane of said fabric reorienting guide frame section.

7. Apparatus according to claim 5, further including (a) first and second pairs of corner guide means on opposite sides of said fabric reorienting guide frame section positioned closely adjacent thereto,

(b) the first pair of corner guide means extending between a first pair of diagonally opposed corners of the fabric reorienting guide frame section, and the second pair of corner guide means extending between the second pair of corners of said guide frame section.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, further characterized by (a) said pairs of corner guide means comprising pairs of small diameter guide rollers, and

(b) said input and output guide means comprising guide frame sections extending between respective pairs of guide rollers.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, further including (a) means for advancing the tubular knitted fabric over said input and output guide means and said fabric reorienting guide frame section positioned adjacent the output guide means for engaging and advancing said fabric across its width.

10. Apparatus for effecting edge-to-center reorientation of tubular knit-ted fabric, comprising (a) input, output and fabric reorienting guide frame sections related with respect to each other at right angles,

(b) said input guide frame section comprising a first pair of telescopically related frame elements of inverted L-shape configuration adjustably joined along aligned horizontal legs to form a guide frame section of inverted U-shaped configuration,

(c) said output guide frame section comprising a second pair of telescopically related frame elements of upright L-shaped configuration adjustably joined along aligned horizontal legs to form a guide frame section of U-shaped configuration,

(d) each of the vertical leg-s of said inverted and upright L-shaped guide frame elements having secured thereto a horizontal L-shaped frame element disposed in a horizontal plane,

(e) said horizontal L-shaped frame elements being joined at their apices to the end extremities of vertical legs of said inverted and upright L-shaped frame elements, with the right angles of said horizontal L- shaped elements being bisected by the planes of said U-shaped guide frame sections,

(f) the projecting legs of said horizontal L-shaped frame elements being telescopically adjustably joined with legs of two other such frame elements to form a generally square, horizontally disposed fabric reorienting guide frame section.

11. Apparatus for effecting reorientation of the edges of tubular knitted fabric, comprising (a) a fabric reorienting guide frame section of generally flat form and of substantially closed configuration,

(b) means supporting said fabric reorienting guide frame section in a plane disposed at a large angle to the axis of the advancing tube of knitted fabric,

(c) input guide means on one side of said fabric reorienting guide frame section for aligning the original edges of the fabric tube with edge areas of said fabric reorienting guide frame,

(d) output guide means on the opposite side of said fabric reorienting guide frame section for establishing new edges of the fabric tube aligned with other edge areas of the fabric reorienting guide frame, and

(e) means for guiding the fabric substantially in the plane of the reorienting guide frame section.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11, further characterized by (a) said input and output guide means being disposed to establish said new edges substantially centrally between the original edges.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS M. HENSON WOOD, JR., Primary Examiner.

I. N. ERLICH, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING EDGE-TO-CENTER REORIENTATION OF TUBULAR KNITTED FABRIC, COMPRISING (A) A FIRST GUIDE FRAME SECTION FOR RECEIVING TUBULAR KNITTED FABRIC IN FLAT, TWO-LAYER FORM AND GUIDING IT IN A PREDETERMINED FIRST PLANE BY INTERNAL ENGAGEMENT WITH THE EDGES OF THE TUBULAR KNITTED FABRIC, (B) SAID FIRST GUIDE FRAME SECTION HAVING A PREDETERMINED LONGITUDINAL AXIS, (C) A SECOND GUIDE FRAME SECTION DISPOSED IN A SECOND PREDETERMINED PLANE ARRANGED AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE FIRST PLANE AND AT RIGHT ANGLES TO SAID PREDETERMINED LONGITUDINAL AXIS, (D) SAID SECOND GUIDE FRAME SECTION BEING OF SQUARE OUTLINE, (E) THE PLANE OF SAID FIRST GUIDE FRAME SECTION INTERSECTING SAID SQUARE OUTLINE ON A DIAGONAL BETWEEN A FIRST PAIR OF DIAGONALLY OPPOSED CORNERS, AND THE SIDE EDGE EXTREMITIES OF SAID FIRST GUIDE FRAME SECTION INTERSECTING WITH AND TERMINATING AT SAID CORNERS, (F) A THIRD GUIDE FRAME SECTION DISPOSED IN A THIRD PREDETERMINED PLANE ARRANGED AT RIGHT ANGLES TO SAID FIRST AND SECOND PLANES AND HAVING A LONGITUDINAL AXIS COINCIDENT WITH THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID FIRST GUIDE FRAME SECTION,

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