Apparatus for imparting virtual twist to strand material and method of imparting same

An apparatus for imparting a virtual twist to textile strand material, the apparatus comprising:

• strand supplying means for supplying a plurality of strands of textile strand material;
• and
• virtual twisting means positioned downstream from said strand supplying means for virtually twisting the plurality of strands supplied from said strand supplying means so as to impart cohesiveness among the plurality of strands, said virtual twisting means comprising a strand guide positioned to guide the plurality of strands downstream and including a strand twist position and a strand release position and strand guide driving means connected to said strand guide for rotatingly driving said strand guide in only one direction so as to impart a twist to the plurality of strands when said strand guide is in the twist position and so as to release the twist of the plurality of strands when said strand guide is in the release position to thereby impart a virtual twist to the plurality of strands of textile strand material.

An apparatus for imparting a virtual twist to textile strand material, the apparatus comprising:

• a strand guide positioned to guide a plurality of strands downstream, said strand guide including a strand twist position and a strand release position;
• and
• strand guide driving means connected to said strand guide for rotatingly driving said strand guide in only one direction so as to impart a twist to the plurality of strands when said strand guide is in the twist position and so as to release the twist of the plurality of strands when said strand guide is in the release position to thereby impart a virtual twist to the plurality of strands of textile strand material.

An apparatus for imparting a virtual twist to textile strand material, the apparatus comprising:

• a strand guide for guiding textile strand material supplied thereto, said strand guide including an opening for extending strand material therethrough, said opening having wider portions and narrower portions;
• and
• strand guide driving means connected to said strand guide for rotatingly driving said strand guide in only one rotational direction so that strand material slidably moves between the wider and narrower portions of said opening during rotation of said strand guide to thereby impart a virtual twist to strand material.

A method of imparting a virtual twist to textile strand material, the method comprising:

• guiding a plurality of strands of textile strand material downstream through a strand guide;
• and
• rotatingly driving the strand guide in only one direction between a strand twist position and a strand release position to thereby impart a virtual twist to the plurality of strands of textile strand material.

A method of imparting a virtual twist to textile strand material, the method comprising:

• guiding textile strand material through a strand guide, the strand guide including an opening for extending strand material therethrough, the opening having wider portions and narrower portions;
• and
• rotatingly driving the strand guide in only one rotational direction so that strand material slidably moves between the wider and narrower portions of the opening during rotation of the strand guide to thereby impart a virtual twist to strand material.