Apparatus for processing textile yarns

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR THERMALLY PROCESSING THERMOPLASTIC YARN COMPRISING A SUPPORT FOR A SUPPLY OF YARN, WIND-UP MEANS FOR THE PROCESSED YARN SPACED FROM SAID SUPPORT AND OPERABLE TO DRAW THE YARN CONTINUOUSLY AT A SELECTED LINEAR SPEED FROM THE SUPPLY TO SAID WIND-UP MEANS, AN ELECTRICALLY ENERGIZED HEATING DEVICE DEFINING A RESTRICTED THERMALLY ISOLATED HEATED ZONE FOR PASSAGE OF THE YARN THERETHROUGH TO HEAT THE YARN TO A PRESCRIBED TEMPERATURE, MEANS OPERABLE TO TWIST THE YARN BEFORE PASSAGE THEREOF THROUGH SAID HEATED ZONE, CONTROL MEANS OPERABLE AUTOMATICALLY TO REGULATE THE SUPPLY OF HEAT ENERGY TO SAID ZONE COMPENSATIVELY ACCORDING TO THE RATE OF TRANSFER OF HEAT TO THE YARN TO MAINTAIN SAID ZONE UNIFORMLY AT THE TEMPERATURE REQUIRED TO HEAT THE YARN TO SAID PRESCRIBED TEMPERATURE , TENSION MEANS OPERABLE TO MAINTAIN THE YARN AT A UNIFORM TENSION DURING PASSAGE THEREOF THROUGH SAID HEATING DEVICE AD TO THE WIND-UP MEANS, AND MEANS TO REGULATE THE TENSION MEANS TO CONTROL THE TENSION OF THE YARN IN CORRELATION TO THE PRESCRIBED TEMPERATURE AND LINEAR SPEED OF TRAVEL OF THE YARN TO MAINTAIN THE LATTER AT A SELECTED UNIFORM TENSION RELATIVE TO THE CONTRACTILE FORCE AND THERMAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE YARN.