US1983221A - Continuous process and apparatus for making rayon - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 4, 1934. w. H. FURNESS 1,983,221

CONTINUOUS PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING RAYON Filed Jan. 15, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENZ'OR v 1 W W-r Mn? ATTORMEYS Dec. 4, 1934. w. H. FURNESS CONTINUOUS PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING RAYON 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan.

INVENTOR m ATTORNEYS Dec. 4, 1934. w. H. FURNESS Fild Jan. 15, 1931 INVENTOR 1% ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 4, .1934

CONTINUOUS PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING RAYON William H. Furness, National Park, N. J., assignor to Furness Corporation, Gloucester, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application January 15,

24 Claims.

This invention relates to the art of manufacturing rayon thread. Heretofore in this art it has been proposed to provide a continuous process -wherein the thread from the time of its precipitation goes through all of the remaining steps of the process without interruption, but insofar as I'am aware, none of these proposed continuous processes have been practical or successful, and all rayon is, at this time, manufactured by non-continuous processes.

It is the primary object of my invention to provide a continuous process which is practical.

More specifically it is an object of the invention to provide a practical continuous process which is simple and economical and by means of which conditioned rayon maybe produced much more cheaply not only with respect to plant investment required, but also with respect to power and the amount of and class of labor needed.

It is the further object to provide a process of the character described by means of which a superior quality of thread is ensured with no breaks, with the exception of the infrequent ones due to accident.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus for carrying out said process.

The invention will be better understood in connection with the following description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the preferred form of apparatus employed in carrying out the process when cupro-ammonium thread is to be made.

Fig. 2 is a partial side elevation and section through a pprtion of apparatus employed in carrying out the process.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a similar side elevation, also in more or less diagrammatic form, illustrating a modification of the invention.

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 illustrate certain details which may be employed.

The invention will be described in connection with the manufacture of cupro-ammonium silk, and reference is first made to Fig. 1 which is the preferred form of apparatus to be employed in making such silk. The reference numeral '7 indicates the pipe line leading from a source of supply of copper ammonia cellulose solution (not shown), the reference numeral 8 indicates the pump and the reference numeral 9 a suitable form of spinneret adapted to spin a multiplicity of filaments. The precipitating bath is indicated at 10, the spinneret 9 being adapted to be im- 1931, Serial No. 508,840

mersed therein. In this case the bath 10 isa caustic soda bath. The thread or bundle of filaments 11 passes over the guide 12 as it leaves the bath and over other suitable guides 13 and 14 to what, for lack of a better term, may be designated as a squirrel cage drum 15. This drum is adapted to be rotated by any suitable power means 16, and, as will hereinafter appear, when the thread is started thereon, it winds up and, as it winds, travels toward the upper end of the drum from which the thread is led over suitable guides 17, 18, to any suitable known type of twister-mechanism 19 by means of which it is laid up upon a spool 20 with twist.

The thread goes on to the drum in the form of a single layer, with the thread not contacting with itself at any point along the length of the drum, so that the thread will be effectively exposed for the various treatments which it must undergo before being finally laid up upon the spool 20 in conditioned form. It will also be seen that the thread as it is drawn from the bath by the drum continuously moves up the drum and is continuously drawn off at the upper end thereof.

In the case of cupro-ammonium silk, acid is dropped on to the rotating drum and its layer of thread by means of a pipe 21, the feed being controlled by a suitable valve 22. The point where the acid is dropped on to the thread depends upon the diameter of the drum which,-in turn, determines the length of thread on the drum from the point where the thread is first laid on the drum to the point where the acid is dropped. The acid should be dropped at a point sufficiently far removed froni the leading or lower end of the drum to secure the desired chemical changes which w further appear.

ill

Farther up along the drum water is similarly dropped upon the thread by a pipe 23 controlled by a valve 24.

Following the water pipe, the thread is dried as by means of a current of mildly warm air delivered by the pipe 25 so as to discharge against the thread. The thread as it leaves the drum is completely conditioned. and, as before stated, is

laid up upon the spool 20 with twist.

the liquids.

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It will be seen, therefore, that there is a counter-flow or counter-movement of the liquids in the thread, crosswise of the turns of the thread, this because the thread is being moved upwardly along the drum as it rotates with the drum and the liquids are flowing down the drum.

By reason of this counter-flow of the liquids with respect to the turns of thread, the following phenomena occur, assuming that the device is in operation. In the region of the acid drip the thread carries only copper hydroxide and this is acted upon by the acid to form copper sulphate some of which may be carried by the thread a certain distance beyond a point where the acid actually drips on to the thread. Because of the fact that the thread in the region of the acid drip carries only copper hydroxide substantially only the theoretical amount of acid is required. 1

Hence, the water which is dripped farther along the drum merely washes from the thread the copper sulphate, together with excess acid, should there be any. This mingles with the acid drip, forming a mixture which progressively becomes less and less acid as it moves down the drum until, finally, it is neutral. The mixture in which the copper sulphate is in solution meets caustic carried up by the oncoming thread and the caustic soda precipitates copper hydroxide with sodium sulphate as a by-product. The copper hydrate precipitate, however, remains in suspension in the mixture of liquids flowing down, which mixture also still contains the other salts. The mixture in flowing farther down dilutes and removes a large portion of the caustic soda progressively so that no caustic soda reaches the acid area which permits the use of the minimum amount of acid.

The mixture drops off the lower end of the drum and is collected in the pan 26 and carried by pipe 2'7 to a suitable tank for recovery. The ammonia which is carried up from the bath by the thread is held in solution by these liquids and does not go off, making it easy to recover.

There are, therefore, no fumes and it is unnecessary to provide any hood and exhausting apparatus for the protection of the workmen.

From the standpoint of the recovery of the copper, it will be seen that the process is an automatic one.

As the thread moves up the cylinder and is acted upon by the acid and water and the mixture thereof, it gradually becomes deflated through the removal of caustic soda, water and copper hydroxide, the deflation being about complete at the point where the water is dropped upon the drum. Deflation of the thread results in some elongation thereof which gradually and increasingly occurs as deflation proceeds to completion. This elongation of the thread would result in loosening of the thread upon the drum and the contacting of one portion of the thread with other portions. I automatically compensate for the elongating of the thread due to deflation by tapering the drum from its lower end to the point where the water is dropped on, the taper being sufiicient to take up or compensate for the elongation by gradual increase in diameter, and, therefore, circumference of the drum incident thereto. From the point where the thread becomes deflated the drum is no longer tapered but made truly cylindrical or straight.

Owing to the fact that only a single thread is acted upon, the amount of water required is very small. about one-tenth of the amount required in the customary methods of manufacture now current. For similar reasons only a small amount of air of only mild warmth is required to dry the thread.

Obviously the time required for chemical treatment of the thread is exceedingly short as compared with present practices in which the thread is treated in cake or spool form, as, for example, in washing, where the water must penetrate and pass over layer after layer of thread. Similarly the time required for drying is but a fraction of the time ordinarily consumed for this purpose.

I have found by actual experience when making cupro-ammonium thread I can accomplish all of the foregoing operations on a drum about 6 inches in diameter at one end and 7 at the other and about two and a half feet long, the time required being about 1 /2 minutes from the liquid cellulose solution to the finished, conditioned yarn, twisted on the spool. I have produced in the neighborhood of 73 yards per minute with standard twist on such a drum.

Once the apparatus is in operation it will run indefinitely, as long as the spinnerets function properly, and these frequently do not need attention for three months at a time. When a spool is fllled the machine is not stopped, but the thread is merely broken off, the new spool inserted, and the thread restarted on the new spool. I may, if desired, simultaneously slow down the speed of the drum and the pump when doffing a filled spool and inserting a new spool. This would not affect the thread, nor the conditioning operations.

It will be seen that all of the variables which, in ordinary processes, result in non-uniformity of denier are avoided, and that a thread of uniform denier from one end to the other is automatically produced. Similarly thestrains and stresses to which the thread, while in the wet state, is normally subjected in standard practice are entirely avoided which, of course, also tends to produce a superior product. Again, uniform effects of chemical treatment are obtained because only a single thread is being continuously treated by uniform application of liquids as it continuously moves.

Also, the manipulations to which the thread is normally subjected in ordinary intermittent practice are, here, entirely avoided, because the thread is touched only at an end when starting the thread on the drum and when starting the thread on the spool. Thus, breakage and injury to the thread are avoided and an indefinite amount of thread can be produced without a knot and without fuzziness, of which there is a considerable amount in ordinary practice, due to the breakage of filaments from the repeated handlings of the thread and the action of various pieces of apparatus over which it must pass.

It will be understood that the speed of the pump and of the drum and the flyer or twister are correlated, but when once properly adjusted no further attention will be needed for long periods of time, as only wear of the pump can affect uniformity.

From the foregoing it will be seen that for a given production ,per day a very small plant, a very small amount of machinery and a very small amount of power and labor will be required, as against the needs of present practice.

The construction of the drum and the manner in which the thread is caused to move therealong will now be described, reference being had particularly to Figs. 2 and 3.

The drum is composed of a plurality of longitudinally extending bars which are made hollow for purposes of lightness and are composed of Monel or other suitable resistant metal. Every alternatebar 28 is carried at one end by a disk 30 and at the other end by a similar disk 31 through the medium of pins 32 which are threaded into the disks and project radially therefrom and enter into holes provided in the bars. The bars are secured to the ends of the pins as by a wire indicated at 33, or other preferred means, providing universal motion.

The other bars 29 are carried at one end on a disk 34 and at the other end on a similar disk 35, by means of pins 32, as before.

A drive shaft composed ofthree sections 36, 37 and 38 coupled with universals 39 is provided. Bearings 40 are provided for the two end sections,

these being so arranged that the sections 36 and 38 of the drive shaft incline from the horizontal, which cants the disks 30 and 31 which rotate therewith, from the vertical as will be clearly seen on inspection of Fig. 2.

The disks 34 and 35 are mounted on ball bearings 41' eccentric and inclined to the shaft sections 36 and 38 and are oppositely canted in like amount.

When the shaft is rotated it rotates the disks 30 and 31 which carry the bars 28. These bars are adapted during rotation to abut against the bars 29 at the bottom because of the different centers of rotation of the disks 34 and 35 and 30 and 31, respectively,so that the bars 29 and disks 34 and 35 are caused to rotate, which makes the structure, as a whole, rotate in the direction of rotation of the shaft.

Since the disks 34 and 35 rotate about the center 42, eccentric to the axis of rotation of the shaft sections 36 and 38, and since the axis of rotation 42 is to the left, but in substantially the same horizontal plane as the axis of rotation of the sections 36 and 38, the bars 28 and 29, when they come to the top and the bottom, extend in substantially the same plane. However, as ro tation continues, the bars 29 progressively recede toward the center, being at their lowest point (i. e., nearest the axis of rotation of the shaft sections 36 and 38) at the horizontal plane of said axis, as shown in Fig. 3 at the right. On further movement the bars 29 gradually move outwardly until, at the top, they are in substantially .the same plane as the bars 28. From this point on, as. rotation continues, the bars 29 advance beyond the plane of the bars 28, as shown at the left of Fig. 3, and then gradually come back to the plane of the bars 28, and so on.

' It will beseen, therefore, that as the bars 29 recede they move away. and become disengaged J from the thread and that as they advance beyond the plane of the bars 28, they engage the thread, whereas the bars 28 then do not engage the thread. Atthe same time, however, the single layer of thread, considered as a whole, is substantially cylindrical.

Now, referring tothe bars 28, it will be seen that because of the canting of the disks 30 and 31 these bars have imparted to them a reciprocating movement longitudinally of the drum. Taking the top bar 28, for example, of Fig. 3, Just to the left of the vertical axis of the drum, it will be seen that as rotation takes place this bar moves longitudinally, i. e., toward the right in Fig. 2, until it arrives at the bottom of the drum when, as rotation continues, it will move longitudinally in the reverse direction, i. e., to the left in Fig. 2, and so on with every one of the bars 28.

However, on inspection of the figures it will be seen that while the bars 28 are moving to the right they are out of engagement with and do not carry the thread and the thread is carried by the bars 29, whereas, when they are moving to the left, they are in engagement with and carry the thread to the left in Fig. 2.

Owing to' the fact that while the bars 28 are moved to the left, the thread is not in engage ment with the bars 29, it is advanced along the drum to the extent of the canting of the disks 30 and 31.

At this point the thread is picked up by the bars 29, and because the disks 34 and 35 are canted in the opposite direction, the bars 29 move to the left and thread continues to advance toaccentuated in order to more clearly bring out.

the operation. This also makes the space between turns of thread much greater than is needed in practice. More bars than shown may also be employed. v

In brief, therefore, it will be seen that while the bars are in engagement with the thread, they are moving to the left, and when they are out of engagement with the thread they are moving to the right, and thus when a thread is started on the drum it will be caused to move along the drum.

The starting of the thread can be accomplished very readily. For example, one way is to pass the thread around the drum and turn under the end thereof so that the run of the thread on the drum will hold the end while the drum is running.

Another way is to loosely loop the end of the thread around one of the bars, which causes the following thread in the next succeeding turn to overlap and the ring of thread thus formed moves up the drum.

Insofar as laying up the thread in the form of a continuous and uninterrupted helix on the drum is concerned, it will be seen that the proces of winding it in this form is such that the thread does not have to move over the surfaces, the helix being obtained by engagement of the thread by surfaces moving longitudinally and in the direction of the run of the helix. On the reverse movement of these surfaces, they are out of contact with the thread. Hence, there'is neither rubbing on the thread nor any movement of the thread on the surfaces.

The arrangement of Fig. 4 is substantially the same as that of Fig. 1 and may be employed where it is desirable to separately collect fluids employed in chemical treatment. To this end the trough 26a has a plurality of compartments, each having a discharge pipe 27a. Suitable means is provided for securing the dropping off of respective fluids into the respective collecting compartments. One such means may be the provision of ribs 43 on the outer face of the bars.

The fluid running down the drum, on meeting the In some cases stretching may be found desirable and the tapered drum will stretch the thread.

By way of illustration of the saving effected in water over standard practice, I have found that only fifteen gallons of water are required per pound of thread. Since it is usually necessary to chemically purify the water, it will be seen that a very small purification plant will be required as compared to the usual practice. The fact that the water acts only on one thread and that for only a short time, avoids the accumulative effect of impurities, and hence less pure water may be employed. As giving some idea of the general saving effected by my process, I am enabled to make rayon more cheaply than ordinary cotton thread can be made.

It will be noted that the thread has no twist until that which is imparted by the fiyer 19. However, no difficulty is encountered in connection with spreading of the filaments for the reason that the thread on the drum carries liquids and is only contacted at spaced points. The surface tension of the liquid intermediate the points of contact serves to hold the filaments together.

The effectiveness of both the chemical treatment and the washing is greatly increased because of the alternate advancement and recession of the bars, against and away from the thread. In this connection it will be seen that all of the thread is thus exposed to uniform action, and, in addition, the liquid on the bars is forced into the thread at every contact.

While the liquid is flowing counter-current under the influence of gravity, it is also carried along with the thread in the direction of the movement of the thread circumferentially, therefore, subjecting the thread to very mild current action.

The blower pipe 25, for convenience of illustration, is shown at the top of Fig. 1. It is preferable to locate it at the side and to have its discharge orifice in the form of a slot extending longitudinally of the drum. When thus located some of the drying air enters into the interior of the drum and some of the air plays upon wet portions of the thread and other portions upon relatively drier parts of the thread, with the result that the air to which the thread is subjected never becomes completely dry, the drier portions being leavened by the portions which have picked up some humidity from the wet thread. The air within the cylinder, because of the inclination, flows toward the upper end thereof and thus complete drying of the air and of the thread is avoided, which eliminates the presence of static.

I claim:-

1. Apparatus for use in manufacturing thread including a, rotating drum set at an angle with respect to the horizontal and adapted to receive the thread at a point toward its lower end, means for advancing the thread along the drum in a helical path toward the upper end of the drum, and means adapted to deliver a treating liquid to the thread on the drum at a point above the point first mentioned.

2. Apparatus for manufacturing thread including a drum structure of generally cylindrical form including two sets of interleaving bars extending lengthwise of the structure to define said generally cylindrical form, and mounting means for the sets of bars providing for rotation of the bars of one set in a substantially circular path about the drum and for rotation of the bars of the other set in a similar but eccentrically disposed path, the mounting means further providing relatively angled axes of rotation for the tw sets of bars.

3. Apparatus for use in manufacturing thread including a drum structure of generally cylindrical form including two sets of interleaving.

bars extending lengthwise of the structure to define said generally cylindrical form, and mounting means for the sets of bars providing for rotation of the bars of one set in a substantially circular path about the drum and for rotation of the bars of the other set ina similar but eccentrically disposed path, the mounting means for the bars of at least one set further being arranged to provide for longitudinal reciprocating movement thereof during rotation of wise of the structure and alternately disposed.

around the drum to define said generally cylindrical form, and mounting means for the sets of bars providing for rotation of the bars of one set in a substantially circular path about the drum and for rotation of the bars of the other set in a similar but eccentrically disposed path, the mounting means further providing relatively angled axes of rotation for the two sets of bars.

5. Apparatus for use in manufacturing thread including a drum of generally cylindrical form composed of a plurality of bars disposed around the circumference of the drum and extended lengthwise thereof, the bars being arranged in a plurality of sets the bars of which interleave with each other, mounting means for the bars of one set providing for movement thereof in a rotary path, and mounting means for the bars of another set providing for movement thereof in a rotary path which is eccentric with respect to the path first mentioned and the axis of which is angled with respect to that of the path first mentioned.

6. Apparatus for use in manufacturing thread including a drum of generally cylindrical form composed of a plurality of bars disposed around the circumference of the drum and extended lengthwise thereof, the bars being arranged in a plurality of sets the bars of which interleave with each other, mounting means for the bars of'one set providing for movement thereof in a rotary path the axis of which extends at an angle to the general axis of the drum, and mounting means for the bars of another set providing for movement thereof in a rotary path the axis of which extends at an anglepto the general axis of said drum different from the angle first mentioned. I v

'7. Apparatus for use in manufacturing thread including a drum of generally cylindrical form composed of a plurality of bars disposed around the circumference of the drum and extended lengthwise thereof, the bars being arranged in a plurality of sets the bars of which interleave with each other, mounting means for the bars of one set providing for movement thereof in a rotary path the axis of which extends at an angle to the general axis of the drum, and mounting means for the bars of another set providing for movement thereof in a rotary path the axis of which also extends at an angle'to the 'gen er al axis of said drum, the several mounting means further being arranged so that said axes are angled in generally opposite directions with respect to said general drum axis.

8. Apparatus for use in manufacturing thread including a drum of generally cylindrical form composed of a plurality of bars disposed around the circumference of the drum and extended lengthwise thereof, the bars being arranged in ing'mea'ns for the bars of another set providing for movement thereof in a rotary path the axis of which also extends at an angle to the general axis of said drum but at an angle different from that of the axis first mentioned.

9. Apparatus for use in manufacturing thread including in combination with a, drive shaft, a pair of spaced hub members mounted on said shaft for rotation in planes which are angled with respect to planes perpendicular to the axis of the shaft, 9'. second and similarly arranged pair of hub members, a set of elements extended axially of said shaft mounted to rotate with the first pair of hub members, and an additional and similar set of elements mounted to rotate with the second pair of hub members, the elements of said two sets being in interleaving relation and cooperating to define a generally drum-like structure surrounding said shaft, at least one set of hub members further being eccentrically mounted with respect to the axis of said shaft and being mounted to rotate in planes at an angle with respect to the planes of the other set of hub members.

10. Apparatus for use in manufacturing, thread including in combination with a drive shaft, 9. pair of spaced hub members mounted on said shaft for rotation in planes which are angled with respect to planes perpendicular to the axis of the shaft, a second and similarly arranged pair of hub members the angularity of which is different from that of the first pair, a set of elements extended axially of said shaft mounted to rotate with the first pair of hub members, and an additional and similar set of elements mounted to rotate with the second pair of hub members, the elements of said two sets being in interleaving relation and cooperating to define a generally drum-like structure surrounding said shaft, at least one set of hub members further being eccentrically mounted with respect to the axis of said shaft.

11. Apparatus for use in manufacturing thread including in combination-with a drive shaft, a pair of spaced hub members mounted on said shaft for rotation in planes which are angled with respect to planes perpendicular to the axis of the shaft, a second and similarly arranged pair of hub members mounted to rotate in planes at an angle with respect to the planes of the other set of hub members, a set of elements extended axially of said shaft mounted to rotate with the first pair of hub members, and an additional and similar set of elements mounted to rotate with the second pair of hub members, the elements of said two sets being in interleaving relation and cooperating to define a generally drum-like structure surrounding said shaft, the pairs of hub members being eccentrically mounted in opposite directions with respect to the axis of said shaft.

12. Apparatus for use in manufacturing thread including at least two sets of elongated bars or the like arranged in interleaving relation to define a drum or cage of generally cylindrical form,

and mechanism for mounting the sets of bars providing for rotation thereof about the general axis of the drum, said mechanism further including means providing for axial reciprocatory movement of the bars of each set and for. radially inward and outward movement of the bars of each set, and means'coordinating the rotational, reciprocatory and radial movements of the bars in such manner that each bar of each set completes a cycle .of its reciprocatory and also of its radial movement during each revolution thereof, and the coordinating means further being arranged to provide for reciprocatory and radial movements of the bars of one set in directions opposite to the corresponding movements of the bars in the other set at a predetermined point in the path of rotational movement of the 1 bars about the general axis of the drum.

13. A method for manufacturing thread which includes feeding the thread through a helical path having a multiplicity of turns the axis of which is at an angle to the horizontal and in which the thread moves from thelower end of the helix to the upper end, and applying a treating liquid to the thread in an upper portion of its helical path of travel to fiow downwardly across the turns toward the lower end of the helix.

,14. A method for manufacturing thread which includes feeding the thread through a helical path having a multiplicity of turns the axis of whichis at an angle to the horizontal and in which the thread moves from the lower end-of the helix to the upper end, applying a treating liquid to the thread in. an upper portion of its helical path of travel to fiow downwardly across the turns toward the lower end of the helix, and drying the thread during its helical path of movement at a point beyond the application of the treatment liquid.

15. A method for manufacturing thread which includes spinning a cop'per-ammonia-cellulose solution into a multiplicity of filaments to form a thread, feeding the thread through a helical path having a plurality of turns the axis of which is at an angle to the horizontal and in which the thread moves from the lower end of the helix to the upper end, and applying an acid treatment liquid to the thread at a point above the lower end of the helix to flow downwardly in a direction across the turns.

16. A-method for manufacturing thread which includes spinning a copper-ammonia-cellulose solution into a multiplicity of filaments to form a thread, feeding the thread through a helical path having a plurality of turns the axis of which is at an angle to the horizontal and in which the thread moves from the lower end of the helix to the upper end, applying an acid treatment liquid to the thread at a point above the lower end of the relix to flow downwardly in a direction across the turns, and applying a liquid washing medium to the thread at a point above the point of application of the acid to flow downwardly in a direction across the turns.

17. A method formanufacturing thread which includes spinning a copper-ammonia-cellulose solution into a multiplicity of filaments to form a thread, feeding the thread through a helical path having a plurality of turns the axis of which is at anangle to the horizontal and in which the thread moves from the lower end of the helix to the upper end, applying an acid treatment liquid to the thread at a point above the lower end of the helix to flow downwardly in a direction across the turns, applying a liquid washing medium to the thread at a point above the point of application of the acid to flow downwardly in a direction across the turns, and drying the thread during its helical path of movement at a point beyond the point of application of the washing medium.

18. Apparatus for use in manufacturing thread including a plurality of substantially rigid or unyielding thread carrying elements arranged in a drum-like structure, and mechanism for mounting and actuating said elements comprising means providing movement thereof to advance thread carried thereby in a generally circular path, means providing movement thereof to advance thread carried thereby in a path generally axially of the first path, whereby to provide generally helical advancement of turns of thread carried by said elements, and mechanical means positively interrelating said movements of the thread carrying elements, said mechanism further being arranged to change the point of contact of any given element with the thread in one turn of the helical path as compared with another.

19. Apparatus for use in manufacturing thread including a plurality of elements each having a thread supporting surface arranged in a drumlike structure, and mechanism for mounting and actuating said elements comprising mechanical means positively moving said surface of each element in a generally circular path, and means moving said surface of each element in a path axially of the first path, whereby to provide generally helical advancement of turns of thread carried by said surfaces, said mechanism further being arranged to change the point of contact of the supporting surface of any given element with the thread in one turn of the helical path as compared with another.

20. Apparatus for use in manufacturing thread including a plurality of substantially rigid or unyielding thread carrying elements arranged in a drum-like structure, and mechanism for mounting and actuating said elements comprising means providing movement thereof to advance thread carried thereby in a generally circular path, means providing movement thereof to advance thread carried thereby in a path generally axially of the first path, whereby to provide generally helical advancement of turns of thread carried by said elements, mechanical means positively interrelating said movements of the thread carrying elements, said mechanism further being arranged to change the point of contact of any given element with the thread in one turn of the helical path as compared with another, and means for delivering a treating fluid to the turns of thread carried by said elements.

21. A method for manufacturing rayon thread which includes spinning a multiplicity of filaments to form a thread, advancing the thread on a drumlike structure in a generally helical path under tension of approximately uniform value throughout a major portion of the turns of the helix, applying a treating fluid to the thread during its helical path of movement in said turns, spreading the filaments of the thread at a plurality of spaced points along the length of thread in said turns, and changing the points of spreading in said length of thread in .one turn as compared with another during advancement thereof through said turns to provide spreading of substantially all portions of the thread as it passes through said turns.

22. A method for manufacturing rayon thread which includes spinning a multiplicity of filaments to form a thread, advancing the thread on a drum-like structure in a generally helical path under tension of approximately uniform value throughout a major portion of the turns of the helix, applying a treating liquid to the thread during its helical path of movement in said turns, spreading the filaments of the thread at a plurality of spaced points along the length of thread in said turns, changing the points of spreading in said length of thread in one turn as compared with another during advancement thereof through said turns to provide spreading of substantially all portions of the thread as it passes through said turns, and drying the thread as it is advanced through its helical path of travel at a point beyond the application of the treating liquid.

23. A method for manufacturing rayon thread which includes spinning a multiplicity of filaments to form a thread, advancing the thread on a drum-like structure in a generally helical path under tension of approximately uniform value throughout a major portion of the turns of the helix, applying a liquid chemical treating agent to the thread during its helical path of movement in said turns, applying a liquid washing agent to the thread beyond the point of application of the treating agent during its helical path of movement in said turns, spreading the filaments of the thread at a plurality of spaced points along the length of thread in said turns, and changing the points of spreading in said length of thread in one turn as compared with another during advancement thereof through said turns to provide spreading of substantially all portions of the thread as it passes through said turns.

24. A method for manufacturing rayon thread which includes spinning a multiplicity of filaments to form a thread, advancing the thread on a drum like structure in a generally helical path under tension of approximately uniform value throughout a major portion of the turns of the helix, applying a liquid chemical treating agent to the thread during its helical path of movement in said turns, applying a liquid washing agent to the thread beyond the point of application of the treating agentduring its helical path of movement in said turns, changing the points of spreading in said length of thread in one turn as compared with another during advancement thereof through said turns to provide spreading of substantially all portions of the thread as it passes through said turns, and drying the thread as it is advanced through its helical path of travel at a point beyond the application of the washing agent.

WILLIAM H. FURNESS.

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