Collapsible yarn carrier tube

A cylindrical, hollow tube for supporting a wound package of yarn during a dyeing operation, the tube comprising:

• a plurality of rings axially spaced from one another along the length of the tube;
• and
• a plurality of continuous, longitudinally extending ribs, the ribs equidistantly spaced from one another radially around the tube,
• the rings and ribs intersecting one another to define the tube wall and having apertures between the intersections,
• each of the ribs including at least one axial deflection section within the longitudinal line of the ribs, the axial deflection sections positioned along the longitudinal length of the corresponding ribs and located between two adjacent rings, the axial deflection sections having a reduced transverse cross section as compared to other portions of the ribs, the axial deflection section being axially collapsible in response to an axially compressive load on the tube.

A dye tube in the form of an open-ended cylinder with a latticed side wall, the latticed side wall having an inner surface and an outer surface, the dye tube comprising:

• a first end ring and a second end ring, each end ring having edges formed thereon to permit the tube to mate with and be stacked on top of another similarly formed tube;
• a plurality of intermediate rings disposed between the first end ring and the second end ring, the intermediate rings centered on and sharing a common axis with the end rings,
• each intermediate ring having at least one radial reduction section, the radial reduction section being deflectable so as to reduce the overall circumference of the ring and a corresponding reduction in the diameter of the tube in the area of the ring during application of compressive hoop load;
• and
• a plurality of continuous, longitudinal, ribs extending substantially from the first end ring to the second end ring and integrally connected therewith, the ribs intersecting each of the intermediate rings to form a lattice structure with apertures therebetween,
• each rib including at least one axial deflection section extending between two adjacent intermediate rings, the axial deflection section being at least partially collapsible in response to an axially compressive load on the tube.