US3176483A

US3176483A - Cascade squeeze rolls

Info

Publication number: US3176483A
Application number: US338891A
Authority: US
Inventors: Bernard D Marsello
Original assignee: Monsanto Co
Current assignee: Monsanto Co
Priority date: 1964-01-20
Filing date: 1964-01-20
Publication date: 1965-04-06
Anticipated expiration: 1982-04-06

Description

April 1965 B. D. MARSELLO CASCADE SQUEEZE ROLLS Filed Jan. 20, 1964 FIGS.

INVENTOR. BERNARD D. MARSELLO W Z ,4

I A T TOR/Vi;

FIGZ.

United States Patent 3,176,433 CASCADE SQUEEZE ROLLS Bernard D. Marseiio, Decatur, Ala, assignor to Monsanto Company, a corporation of Eelaware Filed Jan. 2%, 1964, Ser. No. 33%,891 5 Claims. (Ci. 68-43) This invention relates to the washing of synthetic fibers and more particularly to the squeezing and stripping of a tow comprised of synthetic fibers as it passes along and up a washer cascade.

In the wet spinning process of making synthetic fibers, a dope which consists of a polymer or co-polymer and a solvent is extruded through spinnerettes into a coagulation bath thereby forming filaments, the aggregation of which comprise the tow. The tow is then drawn up a cascade by any suitable means where hot water which travels down the cascade washes the filaments relatively free of solvent. A current problem in the washing of filamentary tows is that the solvent in the fiber is not reduced to an acceptable level. T ows having a non-uniform, high residual solvent exhibit poor textile processing characteristics. The industry has experienced difficulty in removing the solvent for the tow as it travels up the cascade carries therewith an amount of wash water which forms a boundary layer around each filament. This boundary layer impedes the rinsing process for the wash water cannot eifectively circulate around the fibers due to the aflinity of the fibers for the water. The boundary layer of wash water can be removed with varying degrees of success by a stripping process, the stripping can be done either by sharply bending the tow or by nipping the tow. Since the tow is generally drawn up the cascade along a straight path, it is impractical to bend it, thereforesome method of nipping is generally employed. The prior art teaches stripper bars and the like which help remove the boundary layer of wash water but such devices create an amount of friction between the bars and the tow which tends to degrade the quality of the fiber. Another disadvantage is that where tows of large denier are being washed, the fibers located in the middle of the tow are not stripped for the stripper bar does not contact-the inner fibers. The boundary layer of water surrounding the inner fibers may be removed if the weight of the stripper bars is increased but in doing so the friction between the outer fibers and thebar becomes too great thereby breaking some of those fibers and damaging the rest. In view of the above where tows of large denier are being washed, the solvent is not uniformly removed from the tow. This non-uniformity creates handling problems for the fibers having a high residual solvent are not of the same quality as the remainder and cannot be packaged and sold in the same batch. Therefore, a primary object of this invention is to provide a cascade with a stripper which will effectively remove the boundary layer of wash water from all of the filaments which comprise the tow and which will permit fresh wash water to rinse the tow and remove the undesirable solvent.

Another object of this'invention is to provide a cascade with a stripper-which is stationarily mounted on the eascade and is in rolling engagement with the tow.

A further object of this invention is to provide a cascade with a stripper which forms a weir.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a cascade with a stripper which can exert different quantities of pressure against the 'tow as the tow varies in denier.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a cascade with a stripper which removes the boundary layer of water from the tow and also guides and aligns the tow.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent when the following detailed description is read in conjunction with the appended drawings, speci- Patented Apr. 6, 1965 fications and claims. Preferred embodiments of this invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. A

FIGURE 1 is a pictorial, sectional view showing the stripper in rolling engagement with the moving tow.

FIGURE 2 is an elevational, sectional view of the apparatus showing the various elements of the invention.

FIGURE 3 is a pictorial view of the base plate showing the aligning fins-thereon.

One embodiment of the present invention contemplates using a rotatably mounted cylinder to force the tow against a near frictionless plate which is mounted in the bottom of the cascade. The cylinder and the frictionless plate act to wring the tow free of wash water thereby removin the boundary layer of wash water. The tow after breaking contact with the cylinder is again washed by relatively fresh wash water as it is drawn up the cascade.

The sides of the cascade are grooved and are adapted to receive a set of bearings, the bearing preferably being made of nylon. The bearings serve to receive a hollow shaft and to position a cylinder in the middle of the cascade. The shaft is secured to the cylinder and turns therewith. In order to increase or decrease the weight of the cylinder, water or some other suitable liquid is introduced therein by a plurality of ports which connect the interior of the cylinder with the hollow portion of the shaft. If a tow having a large denier is being stripped, the weight of the cylinder can easily be adjusted to compensate for it by injecting a fluid therein.

The cascade is provided with a base plate having ja super hardened surface which resists wear and abrasion. The surface which receives the tow in a sliding engagement is polished to a mirror finish thereby reducing friction. On the front and rear portions of the plate, this are erected to guide and align the tow for the tow h'as a tendency to spread when being squeezed by the cylinder. The

a surface of the plate is raised a fraction of an inch from the surface of the cascade so as to prevent the tow from rubbing against the bottom of the cascade and the edges thereof which meet the'cascade are rounded thereby feeling to the hand as if the cascade has a smooth hump thereon.

'The' invention is illustrated in connection with the accompanying drawings in which the figures are illustrative of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

A cascade it which is trough-shaped in design for car rying a washing fluid, such as water 11', has cut-out portions 12 for receiving bearings 13. 'The cut-out portions 12 engage the be'ar'ings 13 so as topreventany movement therein and to provide for the easy removal thereof. The bearings 13 have an arm portion ldwhic'h extend down the sides'of cascade it? and'align cylinder 15. Each bearing has a slot 16 which're'ceives'on endof a rotating.

hollow shaft 17 and allows it to" move in a plane perpendicular to the plane in which the cascade resides.

Hollow shaft 17 which is journalled in slot 16 rigidly receives a cylinderlS, the cylinder 15 and the shaft 17 turn in unison. Shaft 17 having a passageway 19 therein is provided with apertures 18 inthe surface thereof for introducing a weighting fluid 36 into cylinder 15. By add ing or withdrawing fluid 3d, the weight of the cylinder 15 can be varied to'meet the current needs.

Cylinder 15 comprises an arcuated surface 20 and

walls

21 and 22.

Walls

21 and 22 are rigidly secured.

to the arcuated surface Zil by any suitable means and have located in the center thereof

openings

23 and 24,

respectively, which receive the shaft 17. The exterior of arcuated surface 20 has coated thereon a thin film of chrome 25 which reduces friction between the cylin more thoroughly rinsing the tow 30, the length of the arcuated surface 20 is selected to be slightly less than the width of the cascade .10 thereby raising the dammed water to a desired level and permitting the surplus to freely flow around the cylinder.

On the floor 32 of cascade 10, a base plate 33 is located which is in a working association with the cylinder 15. Placed on the corners of base plate 33 are fins 34 which act to guide and align the tow 30. The fins 34 are located only at the ends of the base plate 33 so as not to interfere with the rotating of the cylinder 15 for had the fins 34 extended from front to back, the cylinder would not engage the tow 30. The function of the base plate 33 is to provide a near frictionless surface for the traversing tow 30 and to keep the tow' 30 from wearing the floor 32 of the cascade 15. The base plate may be made from any super-hardened material which will resist wear and which can be polished to a mirror finish, such as, titanium dioxide, brass coated with pilliiromium dioxide, brass coated with porcelain or the In order to facilitate the removal of the apparatus from the cascade, a handle 35 is rigidly mounted on bearings 13. The handle 35 which can be of any suitable design serves also to spacially position the bearings 13 in cascade 10.

In operation, the tow'30 as it is being pulled up the cascade passes between the base plate 33 and the cylinder 15. The cylinder may be weighted by a fluid 36. As the tow 30passes between the cylinder 15 and the base plate 33, the peripheral speed of the cylinder 15 is nearly equal to the speed of the tow 30 thereby .reducing the friction therebetween to a minimum. The cylinder 15 rides on the tow 30 since its shaft is allowed a vertical play presses the tow 30 against the base plate 33. This action squeezes or wrings the wash water from the tow 30 thereby effectively removing the boundary layer of wash water from the fibers and providing for a more thorough rinse.

Many different embodiments of this invention may be made without departing from the scope and spirit thereof. Therefore, it is to be made understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiment shown and described herein, except as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for continuously stripping and squeeezing a filamentary tow comprising:

(a) a cascade containing a fluid,

(b) a base plate being mounted in said cascade, said base plate having a polished surface for receiving said tow, said polished surface being spaced above the floor of said cascade thereby raising said tow to a position away from said floor of said cascade, and

(c) a cylinder rotatably mounted on said cascade and peripherally engaging said tow in a rolling relationship, said cylinder having a cavity therein for receiving a weighty fluid, said cylinder pressing said tow against .said base plate thereby temporarily removing said fluid therefrom.

2. An apparatus for continuously stripping and squeezing a filamentary tow comprising:

(a) a'cascade containing a fluid,

(b) a base plate being mounted in said cascade, said base plate having a polished surface for receiving sa d tow, said polished surface being spaced above the floor of said cascade thereby raising said tow to a position away from said fioor of said cascade,

(c) a set of bearings seated in said cascade,

(d) a shaft journalled in said bearings, and

(e) a cylinder secured to said shaft and peripherally engaging said tow in a rolling relationship, said cylinder pressing said tow against said base plate thereby temporarily removing said fluid therefrom.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the base plate is provided. with fins at the corners thereof for guiding and aligning the tow.

4. An apparatus for continuously stripping and squeezing a filamentary tow comprising:

(a) a cascade containing a flowing fluid,

(b) a base plate being mounted in said cascade, said base plate having a polished surface for receiving said tow, said polished surface being spaced above the floor of said cascade thereby raising said tow to a position away from said floor of said cascade,

(c) a set of bearings seated in said cascade,

(d) a hollow shaft journalled in said bearings, said shaft having apertures spaced along the length thereof, and

(e) a cylinder mounted on said shaft and peripherally engaging said tow in a rolling relationship, said cylinder pressing said tow against said base plate thereby temporarily removing said fluid therefrom, said cylinder having a cavity therein for receiving a weighting liquid,.said weighting liquid being introduced into said cylinder through said hollow shaft.

5. An apparatus for continuously stripping and squeezing a filamentary tow comprising:

(a) a cascade containing a flowing fluid,

(b) a base plate being mounted in said cascade, said base plate having a polished surface for receiving said tow, said polished surface being spaced above the floor of said cascade thereby raising said tow to a position away from said floor of said cascade, said base plate being provided with fins at the corners thereof for guiding and aligning said tow,

(c) a set of bearings seated in said cascade, each of said bearings being provided with an elongated slot,

(d) a hollow shaft journalled in said elongated slots and being adapted to move in a plane perpendicular to the floor of said cascade, said hollow shaft having apertures spaced along the length thereof, and

(e) a cylinder mounted on said shaft and peripherally engaging said tow in a rolling relationship, said cylinder pressing said tow against said base plate thereby temporaily removing said fluid therefrom, said cylinder having a cavity therein for receiving a weighting fluid, said weighting fluid being introduced into said cylinder through said hollow shaft.

References. Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner.

I. BUNEVICH, Examiner.

Claims

1. AN APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSLY STRIPPING AND SQUEEZING A FILAMENTARY TOW COMPRISING: (A) A CASCADE CONTAINING A FLUID, (B) A BASE PLATE BEING MOUNTED IN SAID CASCADE, SAID BASE PLATE HAVING A POLISHED SURFACE FOR RECEIVING SAID TOW, SAID POLISHED SURFACE BEING SPACED ABOVE THE FLOOR OF SAID CASCADE THEREBY RAISING SAID TOW TO A POSITION AWAY FROM SAID FLOOR OF SAID CASCADE, AND (C) A CYLINDER ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID CASCADE AND PERIPHERALLY ENGAGING SAID TOW IN A ROLLING RELATIONSHIP, SAID CYLINDER HAVING A CAVITY THEREIN FOR RECEIVING A WEIGHTY FLUID, SAID CYLINDER PRESSING SAID TOW AGAINST SAID BASE PLATE THEREBY TEMPORARILY REMOVING SAID FLUID THEREFROM.