Abstract: A yarn conditioning apparatus and methods for removing interlace nodes from a multifilament, crimped yarn, and including a first roll assembly for accepting the multifilament, interlaced yarn from a yarn supply at a predetermined yarn feed rate and outputting the yarn, and a second yarn roll assembly having a yarn feed rate greater than the yarn feed rate of the yarn input roll assembly for accepting the output yarn from the first roll assembly and stretching the yarn to a degree sufficient to remove interlace nodes from the yarn and outputting the conditioned yarn to downstream processes.

Abstract: A yarn conditioning apparatus for removing interlace nodes from a multifilament, crimped yarn, and including a first roll assembly for accepting the multifilament, interlaced yarn from a yarn supply at a predetermined yarn feed rate and outputting the yarn, and a second yarn roll assembly having a yarn feed rate greater than the yarn feed rate of the yarn input roll assembly for accepting the output yarn from the first roll assembly and stretching the yarn to a degree sufficient to remove interlace nodes from the yarn and outputting the conditioned yarn to downstream processes.

Abstract: A knot-tying machine, including a package support for holding a package having a supply of a strand material with an exposed free end wound onto an outer surface of the package, a strand gripper for releasably gripping and holding a length of the strand adjacent the exposed free end of the strand, a loop-forming assembly for forming a loop in the length of the strand adjacent the exposed free end of the strand and intermediate the gripper and the package, the package support and the loop-forming assembly mounted for rotational movement relative to each other for forming the loop in the strand, and a knot-forming assembly for forming a slip-knot in the loop of the strand formed by the loop-forming assembly adjacent the free end thereof, the slip-knot being adapted to be subsequently removed when desired by pulling on the free end of the strand.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for space-dyeing yarns, particularly fine denier yarns, including the steps of wrapping a plurality of feed yarns with a sacrificial wrapper yarn to form a composite yarn bundle, space-dyeing the composite yarn bundle, removing the wrapper yarn from around the feed yarns, and separating the feed yarns into individual yarns for further processing. An intermediate yarn product for passing through the space-dyeing machine is disclosed, as well as the end product fine denier yarns after being separated from the bundle in which dyeing took place.

Abstract: An apparatus for inserting twist into a moving strand, including a first body including an orifice extending therethrough for permitting passage of a moving yarn. An air channel extends therethrough and communicates with the orifice. The air channel communicates with the orifice at a tangentially-offset angle to the path of the yarn through the orifice to create a cyclonic air circulation pattern in the orifice to insert a predetermined direction of twist into the yarn as the yarn passes through the orifice. The first body is adapted for being inverted relative to, and placed in overlying registration with, a second like body whereby the air channel of the first body inserts one predetermined direction of twist into the yarn and the air channel of the second body inserts another predetermined direction of twist into the yarn.

Abstract: A process of producing an assembled yarn, including the steps of providing two or more yarns moving downstream from a supply to a take-up, inserting alternating-direction zones of twist into at least one of the yarns, the at least one yarn having an area of zero twist between said alternating direction zones of twist, combining the at least two yarns to form a single, integrated yarn strand, and intermittently exposing the yarn strand to an air blast to create a zone of intermingled yarns at spaced-apart points along the length of the yarn strand to prevent torsional movement of one yarn relative to the other yarn. According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, the step of exposing the yarn strand to an air blast includes the step of intermingling the yarns at the areas of zero twist.

Abstract: A process of producing an assembled yarn, including the steps of providing two or more yarns moving downstream from a supply to a take-up, inserting alternating-direction zones of twist into at least one of the yarns, the at least one yarn having an area of zero twist between said alternating direction zones of twist, combining the at least two yarns to form a single, integrated yarn strand, and intermittently exposing the yarn strand to an air blast to create a zone of intermingled yarns at spaced-apart points along the length of the yarn strand to prevent torsional movement of one yarn relative to the other yarn. According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, the step of exposing the yarn strand to an air blast includes the step of intermingling the yarns at the areas of zero twist.

Abstract: An apparatus for inserting twist into a moving strand, including a first body including an orifice extending therethrough for permitting passage of a moving yarn. An air channel extends therethrough and communicates with the orifice. The air channel communicates with the orifice at a tangentially-offset angle to the path of the yarn through the orifice to create a cyclonic air circulation pattern in the orifice to insert a predetermined direction of twist into the yarn as the yarn passes through the orifice. The first body is adapted for being inverted relative to, and placed in overlying registration with, a second like body whereby the air channel of the first body inserts one predetermined direction of twist into the yarn and the air channel of the second body inserts another predetermined direction of twist into the yarn.

Abstract: A coiler apparatus for forming flat coils of textile strands from an upstream stand supply and depositing the coils on a moving conveyor belt for transport downstream to a strand processing station.

Abstract: A coiler apparatus for forming flat coils of textile strands from an upstream strand supply and depositing the coils on a moving conveyor belt for transport downstream to a strand processing station.

Abstract: A strand tension controller which has an elongate strand sensing lever arm having a strand guiding input end and an opposing strand guiding output end with a tension shoe positioned between the input end and the output end of the lever arm for applying tension between a range of zero and a preset maximum tension on the strand. The lever arm is pivoted adjacent the strand engaging output end pivotal movement responsive to strand tension sensed at the opposing strand engaging input end of the lever arm and for subtracting from the tension applied by the tension shoe. The tension is sensed on the strand at the input end of the lever arm. The tension shoe engages a first surface of the lever arm and the strand passes along the top surface of the lever arm from the input to the output end of the lever arm. A pressure responsive expandable fluid reservoir in the form of an air tube controls the force applied to the strand.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing yarn, comprising yarn supply packages for supplying a yarn. First and second feed rolls and a take-up roll are provided for delivering the plied yarn from the supply package onto a take-up package. An air-jet is positioned between the first and second feed rolls for inserting short, spaced-apart entangled segments into the plied yarn as the plied yarn moves past the air-jet at a predetermined speed. The air-jet comprises an enclosure having a yarn entrance and a yarn exit and a nozzle for directing a stream of pressurized air into the enclosure and against the plied yarn while the plied yarn is moving through the enclosure. The nozzle moves past the enclosure at substantially the same surface speed as the yarn is moving through the enclosure whereby the stream of pressurized air impacts a short, discrete segment of yarn while the segment of yarn is within the enclosure.

Abstract: A winding apparatus which includes a plurality of yarn supply package stations for holding a plurality of packages of multifilament yarn, a processing station for receiving yarns from the yarn supply packages and processing the yarn, and a take-up package. The improvement comprises a yarn randomizing device positioned downstream from the supply packages and upstream from the processing station for intermixing filaments within a single yarn and among the plurality of yarns in a random and irregular manner before delivery of the yarns to the processing station thereby preventing patterning in the processed yarn, such as a rotating roller having threads thereon for reciprocating the yarns from one side of the roller to the other.

Abstract: A yarn tension control apparatus comprises a first feed roll having a substantially conically tapered yarn engaging roll surface, and including means for driving the first feed roll at a predetermined r.p.m. and a second feed roll having a substantially conically tapered yarn engaging roll surface, the second feed roll positioned in spaced-apart relation with the first feed roll for receiving a yarn wrapped successively around a circumference defined collectively by nonadjacent hemicylindrical roll surfaces of the first and second rolls, and including means for driving the second feed roll at the same predetermined r.p.m. as the first feed roll.

Abstract: A pneumatically operated swift for holding skeins of yarn to be unwound vertically that includes expandable and contractable skein holding arms carried by a tubular center post, a plunger is disposed within the tubular center post for vertical movement therein, means are carried by the plunger for engaging a pressure ring on the center post, said means being a cross pin disposed through guide slots in the center post so that the pressure ring can move upwards to expand the skein holding arms and air actuated cylinder and piston means for moving said plunger upwardly. The swift further includes a yarn ring having a solid center post removably engaged within the upper end of the tubular center post and which solid center post is elevated vertically by additional plunger means so as to raise the yarn ring as the skein holding arms expand outwardly.