EP1918432B1 - Method of treating yarns by knitting - unknitting - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves knitting individual threads (2) on a multichute knitting machine (1) and realizing thermal or chemical treatment in an enclosure (7). A deknitting is carried out on a knitted thread in a deknitting unit (4) with traction. The deknitted thread is reeled and beamed individually. Processing operation and fabrication operation are carried out on the individual threads with intermediate accumulation of the threads. An independent claim is also included for a processing line of threads implementing thread processing method.

Description

The present invention relates to the field of the textile industry, in particular the treatment of yarns, in particular texturing by knitting - unraveling and relates to a method of processing yarns by knitting - unraveling.

The subject of the invention is also a son treatment line for carrying out the process

The process of knitting - unraveling is known per se and is intended for producing textured yarns available on bobbins or on beams for later use.

For this purpose, it is known more particularly by US-A-3,720,984 a knitting - unknitting process in which several yarns are knitted and unraveled together. These yarns are delivered by fixed rolls to a single-threaded multi-filament knitting machine by means of a single thread guide and the needles of said knitting machine each take up all of the threads to knit them into a fixed knit. that is, to knit a bundle of threads into a fixed tube or knit. Then, this fixed knit is subjected to a heat-setting or other treatment and, at the end of this treatment, it is unraveled and the various constituent son textured after heat treatment or otherwise are wound separately on individual coils.

This method, however, has the disadvantage of making a multi-wire mesh, that is to say having several son in a single mesh and a single row. Moreover, it also has the disadvantage of not allowing a knitting of large threads, because of the limitation imposed, on the one hand, by the diameter of the single wire guide and, on the other hand, by the dimensions of the needles. . Finally, the very fact of knitting a set of threads in the form of multi-threaded stitches entails a risk, during unraveling, of a difficulty in undoing the stitches by pulling on the threads, one or more threads which may offer more tensile strength. important during said unraveling, so that it can occur entanglement of the individual son causing their breakage.

US-A-6,321,427 discloses a method of knitting a single large yarn by means of a tubular knitting machine, wherein the yarn rotates above the needles of the knitting machine. In this process, the sock or knit obtained is stored in a pot and then undergoes treatment, then is unraveled. The method according to this document has the disadvantage of treating only one wire at a time and being discontinuous, that is to say that it requires a recovery of the knitting for the unraveling.

The object of the present invention is to overcome the drawbacks of the methods known to date by proposing a method of treating yarns by knitting - unraveling, allowing a simultaneous treatment of several yarns without limitation due to their thickness and easy unraveling, without risk of entangling of drawn threads.

According to the invention, this process is characterized in that it consists in knitting several individual threads on a multi-knitting knitting machine, then in carrying out one or more thermal, chemical or other treatments, then performing a trimming with traction on the first knitted yarn and winding or individually kneading the unraveled son or to perform on these individual son another processing operation or a manufacturing operation, optionally with an intermediate accumulation of said son.

The subject of the invention is also a yarn processing line for carrying out this method, characterized in that it comprises a multi-feed knitting machine fed with yarns by means of coils, a garbage-cutting unit which feeds a machine. winder, with the interposition of an accumulator, one or more heat treatment chambers, chemical or otherwise being provided between the knitting machine and the uncoupling unit.

• la figure 1 est une vue de dessus schématique d'une ligne de traitement mettant en oeuvre le procédé selon la présente invention ;
• la figure 2 est une vue partielle en perspective d'un tricot réalisé sur machine à tricoter multichutes ;
• la figure 3 et une vue analogue à celle de la figure 2 montrant un détricotage d'un tricot réalisé sur machine à tricoter multichutes;
• la figure 4 est une vue partielle en perspective représentant la zone de traitement entre le tricotage et le détricotage ;
• la figure 5 est une vue analogue à celle de la figure 4 représentant une zone de détricotage ;
• la figure 6 est une vue analogue à celle de la figure 1, d'une variante de réalisation de la ligne de traitement ;
• la figure 7 est une vue partielle en perspective de la zone de détricotage de la ligne de traitement suivant la figure 6 ;
• la figure 8 est une vue en perspective du moyen de traction et de remise en forme du tricot suivant la figure 7, et
• la figure 9 est une vue en coupe longitudinale du moyen de traction suivant la figure 8.

The invention will be better understood, thanks to the following description, which refers to preferred embodiments, given by way of non-limiting examples, and explained with reference to the appended diagrammatic drawings, in which:

• the figure 1 is a schematic top view of a processing line embodying the method according to the present invention;
• the figure 2 is a partial perspective view of a knit made on knitting machine multichutes;
• the figure 3 and a view similar to that of the figure 2 showing a muttering knit fabric knit fabric;
• the figure 4 is a partial perspective view showing the treatment zone between knitting and unraveling;
• the figure 5 is a view similar to that of the figure 4 representing a clearing area;
• the figure 6 is a view similar to that of the figure 1 , an alternative embodiment of the treatment line;
• the figure 7 is a partial perspective view of the trimming zone of the treatment line following the figure 6 ;
• the figure 8 is a perspective view of the means of traction and fitness of the knit according to the figure 7 , and
• the figure 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of the traction means according to the figure 8 .

The figures 1 and 6 appended drawings schematically show a son processing line comprising a knitting machine multihutes 1 supplied son 2 through coils 3, a unit of uncoupling 4 which feeds a winder 5, with the interposition of a battery 6, a or several enclosures 7, 7 'of heat treatment, chemical or other being provided between the knitting machine 1 and the uncoupling unit 4 ( figure 1 ).

According to the invention, these son treatment lines implement a method which consists in knitting several individual threads 2 on the multi-knitting knitting machine 1, then in carrying out one or more heat, chemical or other treatments in one or more enclosures 7, 7 '. At the exit of the latter or of the latter is then carried out a trimming with traction on the first knitted yarn and the unraveled son are then wound on the winder 5, or individually coupled. It is also possible to perform on these unraveled son another processing operation or directly a manufacturing operation, after their intermediate accumulation.

According to one characteristic of the invention, each yarn 1 is guided in an individual yarn guide and is knitted individually with the other yarns on the multi-knitting knitting machine 1 to produce a multi-thread knit with superposed single-threaded stitches. Such a multi-thread knit is shown at figure 2 of the accompanying drawings and has monolayers superimposed in spirals, which are made in several rows of several stitches of individual son 2.

In the embodiment described above, the knit obtained is directly transported through the treatment chamber 7, then is unraveled for the individual winding of the son on the winder 5. In such a case, as the knitting is performed on a knitting machine multichutes, that is to say on a machine, the device for supplying individual son is fixed and whose knitting needles are mounted on a rotating shaft, the knitting coming out of the knitting machine 1 is driven in a rotational movement tending to twist, so that the subsequent continuous treatment would not be possible.

To obviate this drawback, it is provided, according to another characteristic of the invention, to guide and drive the knit in rotation and displacement along its longitudinal axis, between the output of the knitting machine 1 and the unit. of uncoupling 4 by means of a driving device 8, rotating about its longitudinal axis ( figures 4 and 5 ). Thus, the rotation of the knit at the output of the multi-knitting knitting machine 1 is entirely compensated by the driving device 8, so that any kinking of the knit is avoided, both during its passage in the treatment chamber 7, 7 It follows that at the exit of the training device 8, the end of the knitting fabric in the process of unraveling can exactly follow the course of the threads which are unraveled, avoiding that They become entangled and may be broken, which would prevent continuous operation. The positioning of the driving device 8 is indicated in the figure 1 by the two arrows represented between, on the one hand, the knitting machine 1 and the treatment chamber 7, 7 'and, on the other hand, between said said chamber 7, 7' and the uncoupling unit 4.

Preferably, the driving device 8 is in the form of two pairs of traction rollers 8 ', extending perpendicularly to the direction of progression and to the longitudinal axis of the knit coming out of the knitting machine multihutes 1 and mounted each in a bearing 9 rotating about the longitudinal axis of the knit, the bearing bearings 9 of the traction rollers 8 'being synchronized in rotation with each other and with the shaft of the knitting machine multichutes 1.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the knit obtained is subjected to an accumulation before unraveling, in the treatment chamber 7, 7 '.

Such an accumulation is not represented in the embodiment according to the figures 1 , 4 and 5 but can be realized by means of an accumulation device comprising, for example, superposed mesh gratings for receiving and driving the knitting fabric at a variable linear speed, but at most equal to the linear speed of knitting, these belts being mounted on a common frame rotated about its longitudinal axis, in synchronism with the drive device 8 and disposed between the traction cylinders 8 'of said drive device 8, in the treatment chamber 7, 7'.

It is also possible, according to another alternative embodiment of the invention, not shown in the accompanying drawings, to implement a return roller accumulation device arranged between the traction rollers 8 'of the driving device 8, in the treatment chamber 7, 7 'and mounted on a frame rotated in synchronism with said drive device 8. The accumulation of knit in the chamber 7, 7' optimizes the treatment of the latter as well as to avoid excessive tension on the latter, a tension which could result in an unwanted permanent deformation of the threads after unraveling.

In the embodiment of the treatment line according to the figures 1 , 4 and 5 said line extends horizontally and all the operations are carried out in a horizontal progression. However, it is also possible to perform all processing operations along a vertical axis. According to one characteristic of the invention, the knit driven by the traction cylinder 8 'of the driving device 8, at the output of the knitting machine multihutes 1, is then accumulated in the treatment chamber 7', by gravity .

For this purpose, according to an alternative embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. figure 6 In the accompanying drawings, the treatment line is arranged vertically and the treatment chamber 7 'is vertical and simultaneously forms a gravity accumulation means fed by the traction cylinder 8' of the drive device 8, the uncoupling 4 being directly connected to the lower part of the treatment chamber 7 '.

Because of the continuous processing of the knit, the trimmings by traction on the yarns are carried out directly on said yarns exactly in the same order of succession as that of the knitting, that is to say that the first knitted yarn becomes the first wire unraveled, so that, as shown by the figures 3 , 5 and 6 the son 1 can be unraveled ideally without the risk that the thread of the lower layer passes under the wire of the upper layer and hampers the unraveling, the knitting being, moreover, continuously rotated in the direction indicated to maintain a parallel path of the son after the uncoupling.

At the exit of the uncollecting unit 4, the son 2 are individually wound on the winder 5 or undergo complementary treatment, chemical, thermal or other or enters a transformer station, possibly after passing through a battery 6 ( figure 1 ).

According to a first embodiment of the invention, represented more particularly in the figure 5 In the accompanying drawings, the uncoupling unit 4 comprises a comb or a plate with holes 11 for individually guiding the wires and a means 12 for pulling the wires. Thus, the unraveling son 2 can be performed virtually identical to their knitting. The son 2 are wound on the winder 5 virtually without tension, the winder 5 being advantageously equipped, in a known manner, a voltage regulating means.

In this embodiment, the disentanglement unit 4 advantageously has a means 12 for pulling the threads comprising a plurality of pairs of rollers 12 'for individually driving each thread 2, each pair of rollers 12' being regulated individually by means of an optical, mechanical or other detection device 13 controlling any variation in the tension of the wires 2. Thus, a variation in the length of the wire between the means 12 and the inlet of the winder 5 will result in a slack or a more tension or less strong wire and the device 13 will automatically deliver a corresponding correction signal on the pair of rollers 12 'traction of this wire.

According to another variant embodiment of the invention, and as shown by the figures 6 and 7 appended drawings, the uncoupling unit 4 may be constituted by a means 14 for pulling and reshaping the knit according to its approximate initial section and by individual eyelets disentangling 15 arranged upstream of the means 12 for pulling the son. Such means 14 is intended to directly take up the knit at the outlet of the treatment chamber 7, 7 ', without the interposition of a traction cylinder 8' of the driving device 8.

For this purpose, the means 14 for pulling and reshaping the knit according to its approximate initial section is constituted by an even number of trainers 14 'in the form of conical screws, arranged in the form of a truncated cone on a rotary support 14 "and half driven by a differential drive 16 ( figures 8 and 9 ). The conical screws forming the drivers 14 'have a lower zone, close to the rotatable support 14 ", smooth and are alternately provided with a step to the right and a step to the left, two screws with opposite steps being interconnected by a pair of gears 17 and one of the screws forming a driver 14 'of a pair of drivers 14' being in drive relation with a drive gear 18 of the differential drive 16, via 19. The pairwise drive of the conical screw-shaped drivers 14 'makes it possible to ensure that the knit which is picked up by the means 14 is well driven toward the end of the latter and towards the individual uncoupling eyelets 15 and their smooth lower zone avoids any risk of unraveling and promotes unraveling.

This means 14 is shown in combination with a vertical processing chamber 7 'of a vertical processing line provided with gravity accumulation means. However, it is also possible to implement this means 14 with a horizontal treatment line, such as that according to the figure 1 , with a treatment chamber 7.

Such an embodiment of the means 14 for pulling and reshaping the knit according to its approximate initial section makes it possible, on the one hand, to facilitate the recovery of the knitted fabric at the outlet of the enclosure 7 and, on the other hand, an expansion of the the latter to a section close to that of knitting, so that the unraveling is facilitated.

The means 14 for pulling and reshaping the knit according to its approximate initial section is rotated at the knitting rotation speed, in synchronism with the multi-knitting machine 1, by means of a pinion (not shown ) rotatably connected to the rotary support 14 "and the coaches 14 'in the form of conical screws mesh with the drive pinion 18 of the differential drive 16. The driving of the drive pinion 18 at a speed different from that of driving the rotary support 14 "makes it possible to influence the rotational speed of the coaches 14 'and thus, by increasing or decreasing it, to pull more or less rapidly the end of the knit to be unraveled towards the support 14 "and therefore to position the latter in relation to the uncontrolling eyelets 15.

In addition, according to another characteristic of the invention, not shown in the accompanying drawings, the means 14 may be provided with at least one position sensor of the end of the knitting fabric being unraveled, as well as decelerating position sensors, which are respectively connected to an electronic means for controlling the differential drive 16 and the means 12 for pulling the wires. These sensors are intended, respectively, the first to detect an optimal position of the end of the knitting in the process of unraveling, and the others, to detect an optimal position of each wire to unravel with respect to the corresponding wringing eyelet 15. The operation of such position sensors and the electronic control circuits to which they are connected is known to those skilled in the art and does not require a complementary description.

The position sensors may, preferably, be of the zone detection type, making it possible to detect the end of the knifing knit or a thread being unraveled, for example by checking a positioning at a predetermined location of the zone and provide signals for acceleration or deceleration of the rotational speed of the differential drive 16 and / or pairs of rollers 12 'for individual drive of each wire 2 of the means 12 for pulling the wires.

Thus, it is possible to continuously position the end of the knit to unravel optimally during the whole operation of unraveling.

According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, not shown in the accompanying drawings, the son processing method may also be interrupted by providing for an intermediate storage step. In such a case, the process is carried out by means of a stationary knitting machine, in which the yarns are individually rotated above the machine by rotation of the bobbins with their support, and then the knit made by the fixed machine. is driven at the exit of the latter by guide cylinders and transported in one or more heat treatment chambers, chemical or other, the knit being deposited at the outlet of this or these speakers in a pot or on a coil and cut after filling the pot or spool, then stored.

After storage, the knit is taken up in the pot or on the spool for unraveling from the last knitted yarn, the pot being rotatably mounted on a support about its vertical axis or the spool being mounted on a spool support rotating around an axis perpendicular to the axis of the coil, the unraveled son being then wound or coupled or subjected to another treatment operation or transformation. This unraveling can, of course, be performed by means of a unit comparable to the unraveling unit 4 described above.

In this embodiment, the knit can be treated in a closed enclosure, for example for heat-setting under pressure.

Thanks to the invention, it is possible to perform a texturing of a large number of threads by knitting - unraveling and heat, chemical or other treatments of these son. This texturing being performed continuously or almost continuously, the invention allows a very strong increase in production while ensuring operational safety, particularly during the operation of unraveling.

Claims (18)

1. Method for treating threads by knitting-unravelling, characterised in that it consists of knitting several individual threads (2) in a multi-feed knitting machine (1), then performing one or more heat, chemical or other treatments, in one or more chambers (7, 7'), then submitting the knitted fabric obtained to accumulation prior to unravelling, then carrying out the unravelling in an unravelling unit (4) by pulling on the first knitted thread and winding or beaming the unravelled threads (2) individually or carrying out a different treatment operation or manufacturing operation on these individual threads , optionally with the intermediate accumulation of said threads.
2. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that each thread (1) is guided in an individual thread guide and is knitted individually with the other threads on the multi-feed knitting machine (1) to obtain a multi-thread knitted fabric with single-thread meshes that are superposed in spirals, which are produced in several rows of several meshes of individual threads (2).
3. Method according to either of claims 1 or 2, characterised in that the knitted fabric is guided and driven in rotation and in movement along its longitudinal axis, between the outlet of the knitting machine (1) and the unravelling unit (4) by using a drive device (8) that rotates about its longitudinal axis.
4. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the knitted fabric obtained at the outlet of the multi-feed knitting machine (1) is accumulated in the treatment chamber (7') by gravity.
5. Thread treatment line for implementing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that it comprises a multi-feed knitting machine (1) that is supplied with thread (2) by means of spools (3), an accumulation device prior to unravelling, an unravelling unit (4) that supplies a winder (5), optionally with the interposition of an accumulator (6), wherein one or more heat, chemical or other treatment chambers (7, 7') are provided between the knitting machine (1) and the unravelling unit (4), the accumulation device prior to unravelling being provided in the treatment chamber (7, 7').
6. Treatment line according to claim 5, characterised in that the accumulation device comprises superimposed meshed belts for accommodating and driving the knitted fabric at a linear speed that is variable but at most equal to the linear knitting speed, whereby said belts are mounted on a common chassis that is driven in rotation around its longitudinal axis, in sync with the drive device (8) and arranged between the traction cylinders (8') of said drive device (8) in the treatment chamber (7, 7').
7. Treatment line according to claim 5, characterised in that the accumulation device is an accumulation device with return rollers that are arranged between the traction cylinders (8') of the drive device (8) in the treatment chamber (7, 7') and mounted on a chassis that is driven in rotation in sync with said drive device (8).
8. Treatment line according to claim 5, characterised in that it is arranged vertically and the treatment chamber (7') is vertical and simultaneously forms a means of accumulation by gravity that is supplied by the traction cylinder (8') of the drive device (8), whereby the unravelling unit (4) is directly connected to the lower part of the treatment chamber (7').
9. Treatment line according to claim 5, characterised in that it also comprises a device (8) for driving the knitted fabric in rotation and in movement along its longitudinal axis, between the outlet of the knitting machine (1) and the unravelling unit (4).
10. Treatment line according to claim 9, characterised in that the drive device (8) rotates around its longitudinal axis and is in the form of two pairs of traction cylinders (8'), extending perpendicular to the direction of forward motion and to the longitudinal axis of the knitted fabric that exits from the multi-feed knitting machine (1) and each being mounted on a rotary bearing (9) around the longitudinal axis of the knitted fabric, wherein the support bearings (9) of the traction cylinders (8') are synchronised in rotation relative to one another and with the drum of the multi-feed knitting machine (1).
11. Treatment line, according to claim 5, characterised in that the unravelling unit (4) comprises a comb or a plate with holes (11) for individually guiding the threads and a thread pulling means (12).
12. Treatment line according to claim 11, characterised in that the unravelling unit (4) has a means (12) for pulling threads comprising a large number of pairs of individual drive rollers (12') for each thread (2), whereby each pair of rollers (12') is regulated individually by means of an optical, mechanical or other detection device (13) that monitors any tension variation of the threads (2).
13. Treatment line according to claim 5, characterised in that the unravelling unit (4) consists of a means (14) for pulling and shaping the knitted fabric along its approximate initial section and individual unravelling eyelets (15) that are arranged upstream of the thread pulling means (12).
14. Treatment line according to claim 13, characterised in that the means (14) for pulling and reshaping the knitted fabric along its approximate initial section consists of an even number of trainers (14') in the form of conical screws, arranged in the shape of a truncated cone on a rotary support (14") and half driven by a differential drive (16).
15. Treatment line according to claim 14, characterised in that the conical screws that form the trainers (14') have a smooth lower zone, close to the rotary support (14"), and are alternately equipped with right-handed threading and left-handed threading, whereby two screws with opposite threads are connected to one another by a pair of drive gears (17), and one of the screws forms a trainer (14') with a pair of trainers (14') being in drive connection with a drive gear (18) of the differential drive (16), by means of a drive gear (19).
16. Treatment line according to any one of claims 13 to 15, characterised in that the means (14) for pulling and reshaping the knitted fabric along its approximate initial section is driven in rotation at the speed of rotation of the knitting, in sync with the multi-feed knitting machine (1), by means of a drive gear that is integral in rotation with the rotary support (14"), and the trainers (14') in the form of conical screws engage with the drive gear (18) of the differential drive (16).
17. Treatment line according to any one of claims 13 to 16, characterised in that the means (14) for pulling and reshaping the knitted fabric along its approximate initial section is equipped with at least one position sensor of the end of the knitted fabric during unravelling, as well as unravelling position sensors, which are connected respectively to an electronic control means of the differential drive (16) and to the thread pulling means (12).
18. Treatment line according to claim 17, characterised in that the position sensors are of the detection-by-zone type, making it possible to detect the end of the knitted fabric to be unravelled or a thread during unravelling, for example by verification of a positioning at a predetermined location of the zone, and they deliver signals for the acceleration or deceleration of the speed of rotation of the differential drive (16) and/or of the pairs of individual drive rollers (12') for each thread (2) by thread pulling means (12).

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