Process to provide narrow yarn width of transfer tails of multifilament yarn
United States Patent Peckinpaugh et al.  
 PROCESS TO PROVIDE NARROW YARN WIDTH OF TRANSFER TAILS OF MULTIFILAMENT YARN Inventors: Frank Lee Peckinpaugh, Colonial Heights; Joseph John Bellemore, Chester, both of Va.  
 Allied Chemical Corporation, Morristown, NJ.  
 Filed: Nov. 21, 1972 Appl. No.1 308,360  
 Assignee:  
 US. Cl. 28/72.l2, 242/18 PW Int. Cl. DOZg 1/16 Field of Search 28/72.]2; 242/18 PW References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS Eldridge ct al. 28/72.]2 X  
 [ Apr. 1, 1975 Pabis 242/18 PW Porter 242/18 PW Cobb et al. 28/7212 X Le Noir 28/7212 X Wuest 242/18 PW Primary Examiner L0uis K. Rimrodt Attorney, Agent, or FirmRichard A. Anderson ABSTRACT To prevent splaying of multifilament yarn transfer tails formed at the beginning of winding a yarn package during automatic wasteless transfer of yarn from bobbin to bobbin, a commingling jet is employed to provide a burst of commingling air only during transfer or tail formation.  
 5 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure PROCESS TO PROVIDE NARROW YARN WIDTH ()F TRANSFER TAILS OF MULTIFILAMENT YARN BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION When winding yarn onto a package, it is desirable to form a transfer tail. A transfer tail is a length of yarn which, at the very beginning of package formation, is wrapped about the very end of the bobbin, cone, core (or whatever the yarn is being wound upon), so that it is easily accessible and not caught under the layers of subsequently wound yarn. The transfer tail is necessary in the creel of the operation where such yarn packages are subsequently processed. This transfer tail is used to tie to the next package of yarn to be used.  
  Various winder mechanisms for forming transfer tails are well known. However, with some yarn, particularly uncommingled, textured. multifilament yarn, the tails are unsatisfactory because they splay or become much wider than is acceptable for processing. That is, the yarn becomes a wide ribbon on the package. This is particularly true when yarn does not run through the traverse guide of the winder during transfer of the running length of yarn from one package to the next. The traverse guide causes a roping effect and reduces splaying. (ommingling jets are commonly used to provide coherency in yarn, but have not been previously used to provide improved transfer tail properties during winding of uncommingled yarn.  
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A commingling means is actuated during formation of the transfer tail in the process of winding uncommingled yarn to impart coherency and prevent splaying or unacceptably wide yarn in the transfer tail. Commingling means are well known in the art of yarn processing. For this invention. the preferred means is a commingling air jet such as disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3.577.615, US. Pat. No. 3,75l,775, These commingling jet disclosures are hereby incorporated by reference. The commingling means is situated prior to the winder. preferably just prior. The commingling means may be actuated for varying periods. just so long as the yarn which forms the transfer tail is commingled. For example, the commingling means could be actuated so that yarn is commingled for the percent of the yarn package length prior to transfer of the running length of yarn to the next package (during which a transfer tail would be formed) and continuing to commingle yarn for another 10 percent of the new package length. Thus. the first 10 percent and the last 10 percent of each package would be commingled to ensure the yarn which forms the transfer tail is commingled. For efficient. economical operation, the commingling means is actuated only during formation of the transfer tail, preferably for about 2 to about 60 seconds and even more preferably for about 2 to about 10 seconds each time the transfer tail is formed. This burst of commingling air provides sufficient coherency of the yarn to prevent splaying of the transfer tail, i.e., prevents forming a wide ribbon. If the commingling means is far upstream of the winder, the period of actuation of com- LII mingling must be timed so the commingled yarn arrives at the winder as the transfer tail is being formed. A typical and preferred use of the process of this invention is during winding of textured, uncommingled nylon 6 yarn for end use in twisted, plied, shag carpet constructions. It is particularly beneficial for use with automatic wasteless transfer winders. The process has also been found beneficial to improve the appearance of the first few layers of yarn wound on a package, so it does not splay into a wide ribbon. This is particularly noticeable when the winder is strung up by hand either on nonautomatic winders or before the automatic mode begins with automatic winders.  
 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The figure is a schematic showing the preferred apparatus used for the method of this invention. Yarn 6 comes off the last roll 1 of a processing panel, not shown, and through the commingling means 2, such as an air jet. Yam 6 then passes through guides 3, 4 and 5 to winder l0. Commingling means 2 is actuated by known means such as opening a solenoid value 7 in an air line 8 when winder 10 is forming a transfer tail. Actuation is by known means such as a timer 9 synchronized with operation of winder l0.  
 EXAMPLE The commingling jet disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,751,755, was used on a texturing panel just prior to wind-up on an automatic wasteless transfer winder. The yarn was a textured uncommingled 1300 denier nylon 6. The air was turned on to the jet only during transfer from package to package. Air pressure of psig provided transfer tails having 29 entanglements per meter by a modified hook drop test. Transfer tail formation was very good with 97.5 percent good tails formed. That is, only 2.5 percent of the tails splayed or had a width of over 1 inch.  
 We claim:  
  1. In a method of winding uncommingled, multifilament yarn onto a package to form a transfer tail at the beginning of a package, the improvement comprising providing jet means to commingle said yarn prior to said winder, and  
 commingling said yarn during formation of said transfer tail by actuating said commingling means only during tail formation, whereby said tails have narrow yarn width without splaying.  
  2. The process of claim 1 wherein said commingling means is actuated for about two to about 60 seconds each time said transfer tail is formed.  
  3. The process of claim 2 wherein said commingling means is actuated for about 2 to about 10 seconds.  
  4. The process of claim 1 wherein said commingling means is an air jet means.  
  5. The process of claim 1 wherein said commingling means remains actuated during the winding of the first few layers of yarn onto the package.