Yarn folding machinery

181

Two-for-one yarn folding

Despite the yarn tensions involved this method is suitable for a wide range of yarn counts. It operates at spindle speeds up to about 14 000 rev/mm for fine counts on 500 gramme. Supply packages or tip to about 9000 rev/mm for thicker counts on larger supply packages up to about 3 kg, but the twist insertion rate is twice the spindle speed because each revolution inserts two turns or twist. The general principle of this method is shown in Figure 26.1. The most commonly used method of preventing rotation of the assembly-wound supply package is magnetic, although gravitational and epicyclic systems are also used. The threads, indicated by the broken line, are withdrawn from the stationary supply package via a yarn guide mounted on the freely-rotating arm. The yarn passes through the hollow rotating spindle and through an outlet hole near the bottom to form a balloon between the balloon separators. The yarn then passes through a guide and is taken upwards to a winding head as shown in Plate 32; in the event of an end-break or if a supply package runs out, the spindle and take-up package are both stopped. twist into the yarn passing down inside it, and Provision is made to control the yarn tension in at the same time rotates the balloon through the balloon and at the winding head; successful processing one revolution thereby inserting twist in the depends on correct tensioning of the yarn in order to balloon. The two turns simultaneously inserted obtain a uniform twist distribution. are in the same direction, and therefore are Each revolution of the spindle inserts one turn of additive.

Plate 32. Two-for-one yarn folding. This particular machine can be used to fold yarns from R28 tex/2 to R84 tex/2 at spindle speeds up to 11000 rev/min giving 22000 turns of twist per minute; other models are available for other count ranges. On this model the yarn is supplied from two separate single yarn packages mounted one above the other on the Spindle; the two

threads can be seen best passing to the spindle top on the spindle marked X. At the same position the folded yarn can be seen passing from outside the cylindrical

container to the yarn guide mounted vertically shove the spindle. Courtesy Volkrnann GMBH & Co.

182 Because the spindle pitch is wide usually about 250 mm or more the machines may be made with an upper and a lower deck of spindles. The two decks have independent control of spindle speed and direction of rotation, and each side of each deck can insert different amounts of twist. Because this method of twist insertion does not involve high speed rotation of either the supply or delivery package, it has a relatively low power consumption; large supply packages of up to 3 kg depending on yarn count mean that labour requirements are low, and re-winding may not be necessary. The system is eminently suitable for making ST yarns into STT yams because assembly-winding is not necessary; it cannot be used for the wet-folding of cotton yarns. A further development of this system eliminates the need for producing an assemblywound supply package. Instead, two smaller packages are mounted one above the other as shown in Figure 16.2. With this arrangement it is not possible to have a freely rotating yarn guide, and so the unwinding yarn drags up the sides of the supply packages as shown by the broken lines in Figure 16.2, and the top of the spindle has a smoothly curved profile to minimize yarn tension. Nevertheless, because of the greater tension, this method cannot be used for some fine or weak yams which can be processed on machines of the type represented in Figure 16.1. Two-for-one machines may now incorporate a waxing or lubricating device, or yarn overfeed for soft packages for dyeing so that re-winding can be omitted under suitable circumstances.

Yarn folding

makes of machine included both spinning the Watson-Lister machine and the Saco-Lowell machine

The axifugal system

This system involves both spinning and folding in the same operation; it has already been described on p 172.

Spin-folding
This system was described on p 171 because it involves both spinning and yarn folding in one operation.

Further reading
DAKIN, G., J.Text.Insi. 48, T293 (1957) COULSON, A.W.F. and DAKIN, 0. J.Text.insi.,

Dual up/down folding

Machines of this type have combined uptwisting and down-twisting by rotating the supply package at a high speed while withdrawing the yarn over-end and then passing it down on to a conventional ring spindle. This type of machine was widely used for the production of fine-count crepe yarns, and

48, T207 (1957) COULSON,A.W.F. and DAIUN, G. J.Text.Inst, 48, 1233 (1957) COULS0N, A.W.F. and DAKIN, 0. J.Text.Inst., 48, 1258 (1957)