Yarn splicer

Abstract

A portable battery operated splicer for synthetic yarns which employs an actuating means controlled by one of the yarns being spliced and a cooling means to apply cooling medium to the hot yarn splice.

Description

It is an object of the invention to a portable yarn splicing apparatus which is efficient in operation and can be used easily by an operator.

Other objects of the invention will become readily apparent as the specification proceeds to describe the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the new and improved yarn splicer showing the yarn splicer disposed in a battery charger;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the new and improved yarn splicer and

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 2--2 of FIG. 2.

Looking now to the drawings, the reference numeral 10 denotes the new and improved portable yarn splicer which, as shown, in FIGS. 1 and 3 is operated by a battery 12 which can be recharged by the insertion of the plug 16 in a socket (not shown) in the battery charger 18. The battery 12 is enclosed in a suitable hollow plastic housing 20 to which is attached the upright support bars 21 and 22. Attached to the support bars 21 and 22 by suitable screws 23 is the outer cylindrical housing portion 24 on the outside of which is mounted a microswitch 26 for reasons hereinafter explained. Integrally connected to the housing 20 is an upright resistance heater support 28 on top of which is mounted a heart-shaped Teflon coated nichrome resistance heater 30 which is mounted in terminal blocks 31 and 32 that are attached to the heater to battery 12 by the wire 40. support 28 by suitable screws 34. The battery 12 is wired through the microswitch 26 to the heater 30 by suitable wires 36 and 38 and from the heater to battery 12 by the wire 40.

An air source, which in the specific embodiment is a squeeze bult 42, is mounted in the outside of the body portion 20 to supply a cooling fluid through conduits 44 and 46 to the nozzles 48 and 50, respectively, from which the cooling fluid delivered to the splicing point 52 of the heater element 30, other cooling fluids such as freon, etc. can be used, if desired.

To maintain the heater element in position, bracket 54 is mounted to the inside of housing portion 24 and has a notch therein to accomodate the heater element 30 therein. Similarly a second bracket 56 projects through slot 58 into the housing 24 and also has a slot therein to accomodate the other side of heater element 30 therein. Bracket 56 is mounted to the microswitch 26 and has a notch 60 to allow access to the push button 62 of the microswitch which controls the on-off operation of the heater element 30.

The upper edge 64 of the housing 24 is notched at 66 and 68 to allow the yarn to be spliced to be placed into the splicing point 52 of the heater element 30.

OPERATION

In the preferred form of the invention, it is preferred to splice two thermoplastic flat vinyl yarns 70 and 72 together in the yarn splicer 10. The ends of the yarns 70 and 72 are laid side by side in the groove 66 and placed at the splicing point 52 of the heater element 30. the end of yarn 70 (FIGS. 2 and 3) is then pulled down into the groove 60 in the bracket 56 against the push button 62 to depress same while the yarn 72 is pulled through the groove 68. When the push button 62 is depressed the microswitch 26 is closed thereby supplying power to the heating element 30. The heating element 30 then heats up to melt the yarns 70 and 72 at the splicing point 52 to fuse them together. When the yarns have reached the fusion point, the end of the yarn 70 held by hand will pull loose allowing the push button 62 to return to its outward position. As soon as the end of the yarn 70 pulls loose, the operator will pull off the loose end of yarn 72 and squeeze the bulb 42 to supply cooling air through the nozzles 48 and 50 to the splicing point to set the splice between the yarns 70 and 72. Then the spliced yarn 70 and 72 is removed from the yarn splicer 10.

It can readily be seen that the disclosed yarn splicer is compact, portable and easily operated to splice synthetic yarns together. It should also be noted that the use of the yarn 70 as the actuator for the battery 12 automatically compensates for variations in yarn characteristics such as melting point, denier, etc. and for variations in voltage from the battery. This is accomplished, of course, by the yarn itself when it breaks loose from the formed splice since the yarn will maintain the battery in the on position until such time that the yarn has reached the melting point.

Although the preferred embodiment of the invention has been specifically described, it is contemplated that changes may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention and it is desired that the invention to be limited only by the scope of the claims.

Claims

That which is claimed is:

1. A yarn splicing apparatus comprising: a resitance heating element having an area to accommodate at least two synthetic yarns to be spliced, a source of power, means to supply power from said source of power to said heating element and means to supply a cooling medium to said area to accommodate the synthetic yarns, said means to supply power from said source of power including a microswitch mounted on said apparatus in a position to be actuated by one of the yarns being spliced.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said source of power is a battery.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said means to supply cooling medium includes a nozzle directed to said area and a means to supply cooling medium to said nozzle.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said means to supply cooling medium to said nozzle includes a squeeze bulb.

5. An apparatus to splice synthetic yarn comprising: a hollow tubular member adopted to accommodate a battery therein, a support structure connected to and projecting above said tubular member, a heating element connected to said tubular member and located inside said support structure, a switch mounted on the outside of said support structure, means interconnecting said battery, heater element and said switch, means to supply a cooling medium mounted on said tubular member, nozzle means mounted on the inside of support structure directed toward said heater element and means connecting said means to supply a cooling medium and said nozzle means to blow cooling medium in said heater element.