Method and apparatus for heat-setting carpet yarn using variable yarn laying mechanism

A machine for heat treating running yarn comprising:

• a yarn heat setting chamber,
• a movable yarn conveyor extending through the heat setting chamber, and
• a yarn laying device for laying running yarn onto the conveyor at a position upstream of the yarn treatment chamber,
• wherein said yarn laying device includes a yarn outlet end guide mounted for oscillating movement in directions transverse to the yarn conveyor travel direction and an end guide moving mechanism for reciprocally moving the yarn outlet guide in directions transverse to the conveyor belt travel direction to thereby control a yarn pattern carried by the conveyor in the yarn treatment chamber,
• wherein the movable yarn conveyor is an endless flat belt which in use travels in a longitudinal direction through the heat setting chamber,
• wherein the yarn laying device is a yarn supply tube having a yarn outlet opening forming the yarn outlet end guide,
• wherein said end guide moving mechanism is a variable speed tube drive for varying the oscillating speed of the yarn feed tube, and
• wherein said yarn supply tube includes a first section which extends along a travel path of yarn fed by the yarn feed rolls and a second section angularly included with respect to the first section,
• and a bearing assembly which is detachably mountable to the machine frame downstream of the yarn feed rolls, said bearing assembly pivotably bearingly supporting the first section of the yarn supply tube.

A yarn supply system for supplying running yarn to a conveyor belt of a yarn heat setting machine, comprising:

• a yarn feeder disposed upstream of the conveyor belt along a travel path of running yarn,
• a transverse yarn oscillator connected downstream of the yarn feeder and upstream of the conveyor belt along the travel path of running yarn,
• and a speed variater operatively connected to the oscillator for varying the relative speeds of the yarn feeder and the transverse yarn oscillator with respect to one another,
• wherein a pattern of yarn supplied to the conveyor belt is variable between a first pattern for processing substantially straight-set yarn and further patterns for processing textured yarn.

A machine for heat treating running yarn comprising:

• a yarn heat setting chamber,
• a movable yarn conveyor extending through the heat setting chamber, and
• a yarn supply system for supplying running yarn to the conveyor at a position upstream of the yarn treatment chamber,
• said yarn supply system including:
• a yarn feeder disposed upstream of the conveyor belt along a travel path of running yarn,
• a transverse yarn oscillator connected downstream of the yarn feeder and upstream of the conveyor along the travel path of running yarn,
• and a speed variater operatively connected to the oscillator for varying the relative speeds of the yarn feeder and the transverse yarn oscillator with respect to one another,
• wherein a pattern of yarn supplied to the conveyor ms variable between a first pattern for processing substantially straight-set yarn and further patterns for processing textured yarn.

A machine for heat treating running yarn comprising:

• a yarn heat setting chamber,
• a movable yarn conveyor extending through the heat setting chamber, and
• a yarn laying device for laying running yarn onto the conveyor at a position upstream of the yarn treatment chamber,
• wherein said yarn laying device includes a yarn outlet end guide mounted for oscillating movement in directions transverse to the yarn conveyor travel direction and an end guide moving mechanism for reciprocally moving the yarn outlet guide in directions transverse to the conveyor belt travel direction to thereby control a yarn pattern carried by the conveyor in the yarn treatment chamber,
• wherein the movable yarn conveyor is an endless flat belt which in use travels in a longitudinal direction through the heat setting chamber,
• wherein the yarn laying device is a yarn supply tube having a yarn outlet opening forming the yarn outlet end guide,
• wherein said end guide moving mechanism is a variable speed tube drive for varying the oscillating speed of the yarn feed tube, and
• wherein said yarn supply tube includes a first section which extends along a travel path of yarn fed by the yarn feed rolls and a second section angularly included with respect to the first section,
• wherein said variable speed drive assembly includes:
• a variable speed electric motor having an output shaft rotatable about an output shaft axis,
• a first drive plate fixed to the output shaft,
• a second drive plate fixed to the yarn supply tube,
• and a connecting rod assembly connecting the first and second drive plates such that rotation of the output shaft is converted to oscillating movement of the yarn supply tube.