Strand handling system and method therefor

Improved apparatus for cooling and collecting heat treated yarns on individual yarn strand packages with minimum tensioning and tangling of the yarns during cooling and collection;

• comprising yarn heating means including means defining a yarn path for heating a yarn moving therealong, means for conveying a yarn strand along said path defining means from entrance to exit end thereof in a stream of air;
• an elongate tubular member movably attached to and communicating with said exit end of said path defining means for continuously receiving the yarn strand therefrom and directing the strand therethrough under influence of said air conveying means;
• a moving conveyor having a generally flat horizontally disposed surface positioned immediately adjacent and below the exit end of said tubular member for receiving yarn therefrom;
• means for reciprocating said tubular member in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of said conveyor to continuously discharge the yarn strand from the exit end of said tubular member onto the conveyor surface in a generally sinuous path and under substantially tensionless conditions to permit the yarn to cool thereon;
• yarn guide means disposed adjacent the surface of said conveyor for removing the yarn strand from the surface of the conveyor in a direction generally parallel to the surface and generally axially with respect to movement of the accumulated yarn thereon to minimize tangling of the yarn during its removal from the conveyor surface;
• yarn detangling means downstream of said guide means for directing a cooling stream of air in a direction opposite the direction of movement of said yarn strand to further cool and detangle the strand;
• and yarn take up means downstream of said yarn detangling means for forming the yarn strand into a package.

An improved process for handling heat treated yarn strands comprising the steps of:

• (a) continuously passing a yarn strand from heat treating means under generally tensionless conditions to a yarn directing means;
• (b) oscillating said yarn directing means over a continuously moving yarn support surface to deposit the yarn strand under generally tensionless conditions thereon;
• (c) accumulating the yarn on the moving surface while permitting the yarn to cool under substantially tensionless conditions;
• (d) withdrawing the yarn strand from the accumulated yarn on the surface in a direction substantially parallel to the surface and to the direction of movement of the accumulated yarn thereon to reduce tendency of the strand to tangle during removal from said surface;
• (e) subjecting the moving yarn strand in a confined area to an oppositely directed flow of air under pressure to detangle the same;
• and
• (f) taking up the yarn strand on a package at a speed that is controlled by the amount of yarn on said moving surface.