Apparatus for continuously printing yarns with splashed pattern of random pitches

Claim 1

An apparatus for continuously printing yarns with splashed pattern of random pitches, comprising: yarn running means causing the yarns to run in their longitudinal direction at a given speed; a plurality of yarn printing means provided at different positions along the running yarns, each including a dye-carrying surface for holding dye thereon and being positioned just adjacent to and a little apart from said running yarns, and also including a yarn pressing member opposing said dye carrying surface to keep the running yarns between said dye carrying surface and said yarn pressing member and being actuated toward and away from said dye carrying surface in response to a control signal applied thereto; a corresponding plurality of pattern signal generating means respectively associated with respective ones of said yarn printing means, each of said pattern signal generating means including a rotary drum rotating at a speed different from that of a rotary drum included in each other pattern signal generating means and having a plurality of spaced projecting ridges formed circumferentially thereof and defining a given pattern program, and also including a first switch means actuated by being contacted by the projecting ridges of said drum thereby delivering said control signal to be applied to said yarn pressing member; said plurality of rotary drums each having first sprocket means formed integrally therewith, said drums and said first sprocket means being mounted on a common fixed shaft for rotation relative to said fixed shaft; driving means for said drums including second sprocket means drivingly interconnected to mating first sprocket means, respectively, and provided with teeth different in number from each other to drive the respective drums at different speeds relative to each other; and said pattern signal generating means excepting the last one including additional switch means arranged adjacent the circumference of the mating drums, respectively, at positions corresponding to the positions of said yarn printing means against the running yarns with respect to the running speed thereof, and said additional switch means being connected electrically to each other and to the corresponding first switch means to prevent the first switch means from delivering a control signal when any one of said additional switch means is actuated by any one of said ridges.

Claim 2

An apparatus for continuously printing yarns with splashed pattern of random pitches, comprising: yarn running means causing the yarns to run in their longitudinal direction at a given speed; a plurality of yarn printing means provided at different positions along the running yarns, each including a dye-carrying surface for holding dye thereon and being positioned just adjacent to and a little apart from said running yarns, and also including a yarn pressing member opposing said dye carrying surface to keep the running yarns between said dye carrying surface and said yarn pressing member and being actuated toward and away from said dye carrying surface in response to a control signal applied thereto; a corresponding plurality of pattern signal generating means respectively associated with respective ones of said yarn printing means, each of said pattern signal generating means including a rotary drum rotating at a speed different from that of a rotary drum included in each other pattern signal generating means and having a plurality of spaced projecting ridges formed circumferentially thereof and defining a given pattern program, and also including a first switch means actuated by being contacted by the projecting ridges of said drum thereby delivering said control signal to be applied to said yarn pressing member; said plurality of rotary drums each having first sprocket means formed integrally therewith, said drums and said first sprocket means being mounted on a common fixed shaft for rotation relative to said fixed shaft; driving means for said drums including second sprocket means drivingly interconnected to mating first sprocket means, respectively, and provided with teeth different in number from each other to drive the respective drums at different speeds relative to each other; and said pattern signal generating means excepting the last one including additional switch means arranged adjacent the circumference of the mating drums, respectively, at positions corresponding to the positions of said yarn printing means against the running yarns with respect to the running speed thereof, and said additional switch means being connected electrically to each other and to the corresponding first switch means to prevent the first switch means from delivering a control signal when any one of said additional switch means is actuated by any one of said ridges.

Claim 3

An apparatus for continuously printing yarns with splashed pattern of random pitches, comprising: yarn running means causing the yarns to run in their longitudinal direction at a given speed; a plurality of yarn printing means provided at different positions along the running yarns, each printing means including a dye carrying surface for holding dye thereon and being positioned adjacent to and a little apart from said running yarns, each printing means also including a yarn pressing member opposing the respective dye carrying surface to keep the running yarns between said dye carrying surface and said yarn pressing member and being actuated toward and away from the respective dye carrying surface in response to a control signal applied thereto; and a corresponding plurality of pattern signal generating means respectively associated with respective ones of said yarn printing means, each of said pattern signal generating means including a rotary drum rotating at a speed different from that of the rotary drum included in each other pattern signal generating means, each drum having a plurality of spaced projecting ridges formed circumferentially thereof and defining a given pattern program, each pattern signal generating means also including switch means actuated by being contacted by the projecting ridges of the respective drum for delivering said control signal to be applied to the corresponding yarn pressing member; shaft means for supporting the drums associated with said plurality of pattern signal generating means in axial aliGnment with one another for permitting each drum to rotate at a speed different from that of the rotary drum associated with each other pattern signal generating means; drive means for rotating each drum at a speed which is different from the rotation speed of the other drums, said drive means including a plurality of driving mechanism each associated with one of said drums; and control means associated with said switch means for permitting delivery of only a single control signal even though more than one of said switch means are simultaneously actuated, whereby said control means prevents overlap in the printing of the yarns.

Claim 4

An apparatus for continuously printing yarns with splashed pattern of random pitches, comprising: yarn running means causing the yarns to run in their longitudinal direction at a given speed; a plurality of yarn printing means provided at different positions along the running yarns, each printing means including a dye carrying surface for holding dye thereon and being positioned adjacent to and a little apart from said running yarns, each printing means also including a yarn pressing member opposing the respective dye carrying surface to keep the running yarns between said dye carrying surface and said yarn pressing member and being actuated toward and away from the respective dye carrying surface in response to a control signal applied thereto; and a corresponding plurality of pattern signal generating means respectively associated with respective ones of said yarn printing means, each of said pattern signal generating means including a rotary drum rotating at a speed different from that of the rotary drum included in each other pattern signal generating means, each drum having a plurality of spaced projecting ridges formed circumferentially thereof and defining a given pattern program, each pattern signal generating means also including switch means actuated by being contacted by the projecting ridges of the respective drum for delivering said control signal to be applied to the corresponding yarn pressing member; shaft means for supporting the drums associated with said plurality of pattern signal generating means in axial aliGnment with one another for permitting each drum to rotate at a speed different from that of the rotary drum associated with each other pattern signal generating means; drive means for rotating each drum at a speed which is different from the rotation speed of the other drums, said drive means including a plurality of driving mechanism each associated with one of said drums; and control means associated with said switch means for permitting delivery of only a single control signal even though more than one of said switch means are simultaneously actuated, whereby said control means prevents overlap in the printing of the yarns.