Stuffer crimper with driven choke members for pressure control in the crimping zone

Claim 2

Yarn crimping apparatus comprising: a stuffer crimper having a yarn core confining chamber defining crimping, heating and cooling zones disposed successively along the length of said chamber; yarn feed rolls mounted at the inlet to said chamber to feed yarn into said crimping zone to produce a core of crimped yarn within said chamber; roller means mounted to rotate parallel to the axes of said feed rolls and disposed at the juncture of said crimping and heating zones to independently control the pressure on the core within said crimping zone relative to the pressure on the core in said heating and cooling zones of said chamber, said roller means having core gripping surfacing which projects into said chamber at said juncture; and means for positively rotatably driving said roller means independently of the pressure exerted thereon by the core within said crimping zone, said driving means being operable to drive said roller means at a speed related to the yarn feed speed as determined by the speed of said feed rolls.

Claim 3

Yarn crimping apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said roller means comprises a pair of rollers with the core gripping surfacing of said rollers projecting inwardly from opposite sides of said chamber at said juncture.

Claim 4

Yarn crimping apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said core gripping surfacing consists of gear-like teeth on said roller means.

Claim 5

Yarn crimping apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said roller means and said feed rolls are driven by a single source at speeds proportional to one another.

Claim 6

Yarn crimping apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said roller means comprises a pair of rollers disposed on opposite sides of said chamber at said juncture of said crimping and heating zones with the core gripping surfacing of each roller projecting inwardly of said chamber, and said pair of rollers are driven at the same speed.

Claim 7

Yarn crimping apparatus as recited in claim 5 wherein said pair of rollers are connected by gearing externally of said chamber to rotate simultaneously.

Claim 8

Yarn crimping apparatus as recited in claim 5 wherein each of said pair of rollers has gear-like teeth on the exterior thereof to provide said core gripping surfacing.

Claim 9

Yarn crimping apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein core retarding means is provided to engage the yarn core within said chamber in said cooling zone to control the pressure on the core within said heating and cooling zones of said chamber but beyond the position of said roller means.

Claim 10

Yarn crimping apparatus as recited in claim 8 wherein the cooling zone of said chamber is formed by a parallel bar cage confining the yarn core therewithin, said core retarding means comprises spaced tines extending inwardly of the bars of said cage to engage the yarn core, and said tines are adjustably biased against the core to control the pressure on the core in the heating and cooling zones Of said chamber.

Claim 11

Yarn crimping apparatus comprising: a stuffer crimper having a yarn core confining chamber defining crimping, heating and cooling zones disposed successively along the length of said chamber; yarn feed rolls mounted at the inlet to said chamber to feed yarn into said crimping zone to produce a core of crimped yarn within said chamber; wall means forming the crimping zone of said chamber; a cage having a set of spaced parallel inwardly projecting rail means disposed around the periphery of said chamber with the inner surfaces of said rail means forming a continuation of said wall means of the crimping zone, said rail means extending throughout the length of the heating and cooling zones of said chamber for confining and guiding the yarn core therethrough; roller means mounted to rotate parallel to the axes of said feed rolls and disposed at the juncture of said crimping and heating zones to independently control the pressure on the core within said crimping zones relative to the pressure on the core in said heating and cooling zones of said chamber, said roller means having core gripping surfacing which projects into said chamber at said juncture; and means for positively rotatably driving said roller means independently of the pressure exerted thereon by the core within said crimping zone, said driving means being operable to drive said roller means at a speed related to the yarn feed speed as determined by the speed of said feed rolls.

Claim 12

Yarn crimping apparatus comprising: a stuffer crimper having a yarn core confining chamber defining crimping, heating and cooling zones disposed successively along the length of said chamber; yarn feed rolls mounted at the inlet to said chamber to feed yarn into said crimping zone to produce a core of crimped yarn within said chamber; wall means forming the crimping zone of said chamber; a cage having a set of spaced parallel inwardly projecting rail means disposed around the periphery of said chamber with the inner surfaces of said rail means forming a continuation of said wall means of the crimping zone, said rail means extending throughout the length of the heating and cooling zones of said chamber for confining and guiding the yarn core therethrough; roller means mounted to rotate parallel to the axes of said feed rolls and disposed at the juncture of said crimping and heating zones to independently control the pressure on the core within said crimping zones relative to the pressure on the core in said heating and cooling zones of said chamber, said roller means having core gripping surfacing which projects into said chamber at said juncture; and means for positively rotatably driving said roller means independently of the pressure exerted thereon by the core within said crimping zone, said driving means being operable to drive said roller means at a speed related to the yarn feed speed as determined by the speed of said feed rolls.

Claim 13

Yarn crimping apparatus as recited in claim 10 wherein said wall means forming the crimping zone of said chamber have the side walls diverging from the bite of said feed rolls to the mounting position of said roller means.