EP0113258A1 - Beating device for moquette and other carpets - Google Patents

Abstract

1. A method of manufacture of moquette and of carpet, of the type comprising a first stage consisting of implanting a plurality of threads or bunches of fibres (12) on the right side of a support cloth (14), followed by a stage of coating and of vulcanisation, characterised in that, after the stage of implantation and before the stage of coating and of vulcanisation, regular impacts are made exclusively on the back of the support cloth (14), and throughout its width, by means of a beating device (18) which is provided with beating members (24) and which is placed directly upstream of a thermal stabilisation chamber (20) within which the support cloth is submitted to a phenomenon of vibrations introduced by the shock waves engendered by the beating.

Description

The present invention relates to a threshing device which aims to improve the appearance and quality of carpets and rugs. Such a device proves to be particularly effective when it is used, for example, during carpet and carpet production operations by a manufacturing process known under the name "tufting". The implementation of such a manufacturing process can thus be considerably improved.

The present invention aims to increase the covering power of threads forcing all of the fibers used to participate in this covering power, which results in a significant saving of materials.

The second object of the invention is to eliminate the strands of parasitic fibers, poorly anchored in the support, and which accelerate the felting, therefore the degradation of appearance and the premature wear of the carpet.

The prior elimination of the parasitic fibers has the further consequence of a marked regression of the unpleasant phenomenon of fluffing or "peeling" of the carpet.

It was observed that the results described above were obtained in a completely rustic manner, which consisted simply in vigorously shaking the carpets by hand. It was therefore necessary to develop a material capable of reproducing this action, in a continuous manner which could in particular be included industrially in the cycle of manufacture of the carpet.

The threshing device according to the invention makes it possible to obtain the desired shaking effect by applying repeated impacts, both flexible and powerful, in the manner of the underside of the moderately stretched carpet and over its entire width. a very short whip.

In accordance with the present invention, the threshing device on the back of a support ply, the place of which is equipped with a plurality of threads, or on the back of a carpet, in particular during its process of manufacturing, is characterized in that it comprises threshing members whose movement is controlled so as to impart regular impacts over the entire width of the mat or of the support ply.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the threshing members are constituted by a plurality of rods which are mounted in the vicinity of one of their ends on a support shaft parallel to the direction of travel of the belt, and which are animated a circular reciprocating movement of limited amplitude.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the threshing members consist of at least one shaft driven by a continuous rotational movement and the outer surface of which is equipped with a plurality of threshing belts.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the threshing members are constituted by a plurality of flexible or semi-rigid belts, mounted on the outer surface of said shaft with possible interposition of elastic support blades avoiding the winding of the belts around the rotating shaft.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the flexible or semi-rigid belts are mounted on the shaft in an aligned manner along two opposite generatrices and with mutual spacing.

According to another characteristic of the invention, said belts are arranged offset from one generator to another.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the threshing device is placed directly upstream of a thermal stabilization chamber advantageously comprising means for suction and evacuation of the loose parasitic fibers.

The presence of significant friction which may result from the use of the threshing device according to the invention could produce a partial tearing of the velvet tufts. To avoid any assault on the threshing members on the back of the support ply, it is necessary to advantageously interpose a protective fabric between the threshing members and said support ply.

• - la figure 1 représente une vue schématique à plus grande échelle des fils du velours tels qu'ils apparaissent après pliage ou enroulage de la nappe support avant les opérations d'enduction et de vulcanisation ;
• - la figure 2 représente les mêmes fils de velours tels qu'ils apparaissent après une opération de battage selon l'invention ;
• - la figure 3 représente schématiquement un poste de battage associé à une chambre de stabilisation thermique équipée d'un dispositif d'aspiration et d'évacuation ;
• - la figure 4 représente une vue à plus grande échelle d'un type particulier de faisceaux de fibres frisées permettant de conférer un excellent pouvoir couvrant ;
• - la figure 5 illustre la modification des fils du velours à la suite de l'opération de tondage ;
• - les figures 6 et 7 représentent chacune une vue schématique d'un mode de réalisation particulier d'un dispositif de battage selon l'invention.

Other characteristics and advantages of the subject of the present invention will appear on reading the detailed description given below in particular with reference to the appended drawings in which:

• - Figure 1 shows a schematic view on a larger scale of the pile threads as they appear after folding or winding of the support ply before the coating and vulcanization operations;
• - Figure 2 shows the same velvet yarns as they appear after a threshing operation according to the invention;
• - Figure 3 shows schematically a threshing station associated with a thermal stabilization chamber equipped with a suction and evacuation device;
• - Figure 4 shows an enlarged view of a particular type of bundles of crimped fibers to provide excellent hiding power;
• - Figure 5 illustrates the modification of the velvet yarns following the mowing operation;
• - Figures 6 and 7 each show a schematic view of a particular embodiment of a threshing device according to the invention.

In the various appended figures, the corresponding elements will be designated by identical references. ,

The threshing device according to the invention can in particular be advantageously used in the context of a carpet manufacturing process comprising a first step during which a plurality of pile threads or bundles of fibers is implanted and anchored according to a conventional technique in a support ply usually consisting of a woven or non-woven material. This installation is carried out with the necessary density of threads to obtain the final appearance and quality desired for the carpet.

Following such an operation, the support ply is necessarily folded or rolled up to be handled or stored pending the following manufacturing steps. During this storage and reserve phase, the threads of the velvet 12 are at least partially coated, crushed and intertwined, as shown in FIG. 1.

The use of the threshing device according to the invention in this phase of the carpet manufacturing process thus makes it possible to generate a separation of the different fibers which constitute the pile yarns, and therefore makes it possible to lead to a notable improvement in power. covering velvet. In fact, under the action of the tremors and vibrations resulting from threshing on the back, there is a release of the wires 12 at the location of the support ply 14. The neutral fibers 16, that is to say the Unbound excess fibers, as well as various other possible impurities are thus also removed during this threshing. As a result, the wires 12 are regularly reorganized as illustrated for example in FIG. 2.

This essential first step of threshing upside down thus reduces not only the fluff caused by the usual presence of unbound neutral fibers, but also the felting of the carpet which results from the establishment of parasitic bonds on the ends of the pile of velvet which are also favored by the presence of neutral fibers. It is therefore particularly advantageous to carry out this first threshing operation before any other coating and vulcanization operation.

The threshing operation on the back of the support ply 14 also leads to a phenomenon of expansion of the pile of velvet leading to a development of the velvet fibers.

It has indeed appeared that the free end of a tuft of fibers has a strong tendency to become ruffled in particular by oxidation on contact with air. In addition, such swelling is greatly favored by a rise in temperature.

To this end, in accordance with an additional characteristic of the present invention, the threshing operation is advantageously immediately followed by an operation of thermal stabilization of the reorganized yarns during threshing, this thermal stabilization however preceding the coating operations and vulcanization. A true thermofixation of the tufts of ruffled fibers is thus produced, which gives them better swelling, by association of the threshing device with a thermal stabilization chamber 20.

The temperature of this thermal stabilization operation naturally depends on the particular nature of the fibers chosen. It is clear that when thermoplastic fibers are used, it is necessary to choose a stabilization temperature which remains lower than the thermoplasticity temperature of said material constituting the fibers.

In practice, a satisfactory and durable thermofixing is obtained for the vast majority of the fibers used, when operating in a range of temperatures between approximately 105 and 100 ° C.

Figure 3 appended schematically illustrates the association of a threshing device 18 with a thermal stabilization chamber 20. The support ply 14 having wires in the state illustrated in Figure 1 arrives at the threshing device 18 .

Such a device which will be described below in more detail is intended, using its threshing members, to print regular impacts on any the width of the support ply 14.

In order to protect the back of the support ply 14, subjected to the threshing operation, a protective device is advantageously interposed between the support 14 and the threshing members.

In the particular embodiment shown diagrammatically in FIG. 3, the interposed protection device is, for example, produced in the form of a protective sheet which will thus prevent the tufts of carpet from being pulled up from behind. This protective sheet can be economically constituted by a tuft support ply, and preferably a nonwoven ply which in practice proves to be more resistant to the impacts of the threshing members. ;

In a particular embodiment of such a protection device, it may also be advantageous to mount such a protection sheet between an unwinding cylinder and a rewinding cylinder whose rotational speeds are controlled. It is clear that such a device ensures automatic renewal of the protective sheet interposed between the back of the ply 14 and the threshing members.

Immediately after the threshing device 1-8 is disposed a thermal stabilization chamber 20 into which the sheet 14 comprising the reorganized fibers penetrates. It can be seen that the propagation of the shock waves of the threshing induces a vibration of the support ply 14 within the thermal stabilization chamber 20. This agitation of the support ply 14 in a current of hot air promotes expansion. velvet threads.

It is clear that due to this threshing and vibration operation when passing through the thermal stabilization, it is necessary to provide a suction, an evacuation and a filtering of all the neutral fibers 16 which have been thus detached. As has been shown diagrammatically in FIG. 3, the neutral fibers 16 are mainly detached in an area 25 located in the immediate vicinity of the inlet orifice of the support ply in the stabilization chamber 20. It is precisely in this area 25 that it will therefore be necessary to set up a suction hood of sufficient power to suck up all of the loose neutral fibers. The circulation of hot air is shown in Figure-3 by arrows which show that part of the hot air is evacuated upwards in the vicinity of zone 25. This also promotes training and elimination of the detached neutral fibers 16. To ensure the heat treatment, the stabilization chamber 20 is equipped with one or more inlets and outlets of hot air, the temperature of which is advantageously permanently controlled.

In conclusion, the purpose of this first application of the threshing device of the present invention is to make the velvet yarn flourish, but also to rid it of excess cut fibers because if these remained on the surface of the carpet, there is no would never get a clean look from velvet. It is also known that these free fibers are very largely responsible for the felting of the carpet during its use. This first phase of threshing and thermal stabilization is all the more important when one wishes to obtain a relatively high pile.

It will also be noted that to obtain better covering power of the pile, it is possible to use special very fine fibers of the crimped type, as illustrated in FIG. 4. It will however be noted that the presence of such crimps is extremely fragile to thermal attack. This is the reason why throughout the production chain, very rigorously control the different temperatures applied.

To ensure the implementation of the reverse threshing operation according to the present invention, it is possible to use a number of devices comprising various threshing members whose movement is controlled so as to impart regular impacts on the entire width of the mat or support sheet. These threshing devices may consist of a plurality of rods mounted in the vicinity of one of their ends on a support shaft, in a direction parallel to the direction of travel of the belt. These rods are driven by a circular reciprocating movement of limited amplitude to ensure the threshing function.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the threshing device according to the present invention, the threshing members are constituted by at least one shaft 22 driven in a continuous rotational movement and whose outer surface is equipped with a plurality of belts threshing 24. The threshing belts 24 can be made of different flexible or semi-rigid natural or synthetic materials. However, preferably a material with a density high enough to ensure a good threshing function will be chosen. In practice, leather straps lead to a perfectly satisfactory result. It is very clear that the shaft 22 supporting the threshing strips 24 extends perpendicular to the direction of travel of the belt over the entire width of the latter.

The particular mode of attachment of the threshing belts 24 to the outer surface of the shaft 22 can be very diverse. In the particular case where relatively flexible belts are used, it is however advantageous to interpose between these belts and the outer surface of the shaft elastic support blades which will prevent the belts from wrapping around the shaft during its rotation .

In the particular embodiment of Figure 7, the shaft was chosen with a quadrangular section which allows for example to secure the various belts 24 using a retaining strip 26 applied to two opposite sides from the tree 22.

As shown in particular in Figure 6, the belts 24 are mounted on the shaft 22 preferably in alignment along two opposite generatrices, and providing mutual spacing between them. It will also be observed that these belts are arranged offset from one generator to another. In the particular embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7, the belts 24 have only been shown on one side of the shaft 22. It is however very clear that opposite belts will be fixed on an opposite generator and so shifted.

It is desirable to place the threshing device according to the invention so that it operates continuously, just before the latexing operations. Thus, during the flourishing operation of the velvet, we will neutralize the bad effects caused by the windings, handling and storage that preceded.

Then, the velvet will be presented to the thermal shocks of latexing (preliminary coating + vulcanization) while it will have been transformed and installed in the best conditions of presentation of the fibers.

The passage through the vulcanization oven will definitively stabilize this improvement of the yarn by thermofixing.

It is recommended to place a beater acting on the velvet side, in the direction of straightening the pile, placed between the oar just before introduction into the vulcanization oven, to raise the wire which has been coated by the inevitable tie-ups located between this place and the stabilization chamber.

• . en ayant chassé les fibres parasites, opération qui est habituellement effectuée par les brosses de raseuse avec une agression dégradante sur les tapis de fibres fines,
• . en parallélisant toutes les fibres bien orientées pour être présentées aux couteaux de raseuse qui vont ainsi effectuer un travail parfait, sans négliger une partie des fibres, qui sans cette intervention, resteraient dans le fond.

This intervention very effectively prepares the shaving operation:

• . by having removed the parasitic fibers, an operation which is usually carried out by shaving brushes with a degrading attack on the fine fiber mats,
• . by parallelizing all the fibers well oriented to be presented to the shaving knives which will thus do a perfect job, without neglecting some of the fibers, which without this intervention, would remain in the background.

• - préparation à l'opération de rasage des tapis ;
• - défeutrage, régénération, déplissage ;
• - opérations applicables à tous tissus épais : couvertures, peluches, velours, etc. pour lesquels la recherche de volume et d'épanouissement est souhaitable ;
• - l'intervention de cette machine est applicable et recommandée pour améliorer l'aspect du velours sur les moquettes, tapis et tissus d'ameublement dans le cas de teinture en pièces.

This velvet regenerating machine which constitutes the invention can be used for other purposes and outside the circuit specified above. For example, it can be used for the following applications:

• - preparation for the carpet shaving operation;
• - dethatching, regeneration, unfolding;
• - operations applicable to all thick fabrics: blankets, plush, velvet, etc. for which the search for volume and fulfillment is desirable;
• - the intervention of this machine is applicable and recommended to improve the appearance of velvet on carpets, rugs and upholstery in the case of dyeing in pieces.

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the modes of implementation and to the particular embodiments described, but it is perfectly possible without departing from the scope of the present invention to imagine a number of variants thereof. execution.

Claims (8)

1 / Method for manufacturing carpets and rugs, of the type comprising a first step consisting in implanting a plurality of threads or bundles of fibers (12) on the place of a support ply (14), followed by a step d coating and vulcanization, characterized in that, after the implantation step and before the coating and vulcanization step, regular impacts are printed over the entire width of the back of the support ply (14) by means of a threshing device (18) which is provided with threshing members (24) and which is placed directly upstream of a thermal stabilization chamber (20). 2 / A method according to claim 1, characterized in that said thermal stabilization chamber (20) comprises means for suction and evacuation of loose parasitic fibers (16). 3 / Threshing device on the back of a support ply (14) the place of which is equipped with a plurality of son or bundles of fibers (12), intended for the implementation of the method according to one of Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that it comprises threshing members (24) whose movement is controlled so as to impart regular impacts over the entire width of the support ply (14). 4 / Device-according to claim 3, characterized in that the threshing members (24) consist of a plurality of rods which are mounted in the vicinity of one of their ends on a support shaft parallel to the direction of travel of the support ply (14), and which are driven by a circular reciprocating movement of limited amplitude. 5 / Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the threshing members are constituted by at least one shaft (22) which is perpendicular to the direction of movement of the support ply (14), which is driven by a continuous rotational movement and whose outer surface is equipped with a plurality of threshing belts (24). 6 / Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the threshing members are constituted by a plurality of belts (24) flexible or semi-rigid, mounted on the outer surface of said shaft (22) with possible interposition of elastic support blades preventing the belts from wrapping around the rotating shaft. 7 / Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the flexible or semi-rigid belts (24) are mounted on the shaft (22) in an aligned manner along two opposite generatrices and with mutual spacing. 8 / Device according to claim 7, characterized in that said belts (24) are arranged offset from one generator to another (Figure 6).

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