GB2039306A

GB2039306A - Method of forming pleated textile material

Info

Publication number: GB2039306A
Application number: GB7849625A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1978-12-21
Filing date: 1978-12-21
Publication date: 1980-08-06

Abstract

A method of forming pleated textile material, which includes pleating the material 10 together with a backing paper 12 in such a manner that some portions 14 of the pleats overlie other portions 16 and 18 of the pleats when the pleats are pressed flat, and applying dye, e.g. by brushing or spraying, to the exposed surfaces of the reverse side of the material whilst the pleats are pressed flat. The dye is selected so that it penetrates the portions 14 of material to which it is applied, thereby to colour the front surface of those portions, whilst not penetrating the material overlain by those portions, to give a decorative effect. In a modification, Figure 3 (not shown), a small gap is left between the folded edges of adjacent portions 14 so that a decorative stripe is formed on each portion 16. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Method of forming pleated textile material This invention relates to a method of forming pleated textile material.

The invention is more particularly concerned with a method of forming pleated textile material of the kind in which some portions of the pleats overlie other portions when the pleats are pressed flat. An example of such material is box-pleated material.

In United Kingdom patent specification 1 400 968 there is described a method of transfer printing onto the surfaces of such pleated material which is exposed when the pleats are pressed flat, so that dye is applied only to those surfaces and not to the surfaces which are overlain by portions of the pleats during the transfer printing, in order to give a decorative finish to the fabric. This method has the limitations that dye cannot be applied to the surfaces which are overlain when the pleats are pressed flat.

This invention consists in a method of forming pleated textile material, which includes pleating the material together with a backing paper in such a manner that some portions of the pleats overlie other portions of the pleats when the pleats are pressed flat, and applying dye to the exposed surfaces of the reverse side of the material whilst the pleats are pressed flat, the dye being such that it penetrates the portions of material to which it is applied, thereby to colour the front surface of those portions, whilst not penetrating the material overlain by those portions.

By "reverse side" of the material is meant the face of the material opposite the face intended to be visible when the material is made up into a finished article such as a garment.

Since the dye penetrates the material, those portions of the front surface of the material which are normally overlain by portions of the pleats can be coloured, whilst the overlying portions remain free from dye. The backing paper folded into the pleats assists in preventing penetration of the dye into those overlying portions.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which; Figure 1 is a cross-section through a pleated fabric and backing paper during one stage of the method of the invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of fabric formed by the method of the invention, and Figures 3 and 4 are views similar to Figures 1 and 2 but illustrating a second embodiment of the invention.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, textile fabric 10 is formed together with a sheet of backing paper 12 is formed with box pleats. The pleating can be carried out by conventional methods, for example using a pleating machine such as that described in the above-mentioned patent specification 1 400 968. The front surface, or "right side" of the fabric is in contact with the backing paper.

Before the fabric 10 is removed from the backing paper 12, dye is applied to the reverse side of the pleated fabric. The dye may be applied in various ways, such as by brush or by spraying. Owing to the way in which the fabric is folded, the dye is applied only to spaced portions 14 of the fabric which in the finished fabric form as it were the inner walls of the box pleats. The portions 16 of the fabric which are outermost in the finished fabric are overlain by the portions 14 during the dying process, as are the intermediate portions 18 which join togetheradja- cent portions 14 and 16, and so do not receive any dye. The backing paper 12 folded between the portions 14 and 18 also prevents dye which pene trades the portions 14 from contacting the intermediate portions 18.

The dye employed is a spirit-based dye which will penetrate the fabric so that the front surfaces of portions 14 are dyed. Thus when the fabric is removed from the backing paper it presents an appearance as shown in Figure 2, with the outermost portions 16 of the pleats undyed and the innermost portions 16 dyed, giving an attractive decorative effect.

For some materials it is necessary to sandwich the material between the backing paper and a sheet of tissue paper during the pleating process. In that case the tissue is removed before the dye is applied.

In the embodiment of Figure 2, the fabric is pleated in such a manner that a small gap is left between the folded edges 20 of adjacentbortions 14 of the fabric, so that when dye is applied to the portions 14 some of the dye passes through the gaps onto the portions 16. The dye penetrates the material of portions 16, to give a decorative line of colour 22 on each portion 16, as shown in Figure 4.

It will be appreciated that various dyes may be used, provided they have the necessary property of penetration into the fabric. To ensure penetration of the dye, the fabric should preferably be a light fabric of fairly loose construction, of yarn having sufficient absorbency, so that sufficient penetration of the fabric, of say 80 - 90% is achieved.

It will be appreciated also that by using various forms of pleating, by varying the dimensions of the pleats, and/or by varying the penetration of the dye, various different decorative effects could be produced by the method of the invention.

In the described embodiments, the front surfaces of the undyed outer portions 16 of the pleats could, if desired, have dye applied or printed onto them after the rear portions 14 have been dyed and the fabric has been removed from the backing paper.

1. A method of forming pleated textile material, which includes pleating the material together with a backing paper in such a manner that some portions of the pleats overlie other portions of the pleats when the pleats are pressed flat, and applying dye to the exposed surfaces of the reverse side of the material whilst the pleats are pressed flat, the dye being such that it penetrates the portions of material to which it is applied, thereby to colour the front surface of those portions, whilst not penetrating the

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Method of forming pleated textile material This invention relates to a method of forming pleated textile material. The invention is more particularly concerned with a method of forming pleated textile material of the kind in which some portions of the pleats overlie other portions when the pleats are pressed flat. An example of such material is box-pleated material. In United Kingdom patent specification 1 400 968 there is described a method of transfer printing onto the surfaces of such pleated material which is exposed when the pleats are pressed flat, so that dye is applied only to those surfaces and not to the surfaces which are overlain by portions of the pleats during the transfer printing, in order to give a decorative finish to the fabric. This method has the limitations that dye cannot be applied to the surfaces which are overlain when the pleats are pressed flat. This invention consists in a method of forming pleated textile material, which includes pleating the material together with a backing paper in such a manner that some portions of the pleats overlie other portions of the pleats when the pleats are pressed flat, and applying dye to the exposed surfaces of the reverse side of the material whilst the pleats are pressed flat, the dye being such that it penetrates the portions of material to which it is applied, thereby to colour the front surface of those portions, whilst not penetrating the material overlain by those portions. By "reverse side" of the material is meant the face of the material opposite the face intended to be visible when the material is made up into a finished article such as a garment. Since the dye penetrates the material, those portions of the front surface of the material which are normally overlain by portions of the pleats can be coloured, whilst the overlying portions remain free from dye. The backing paper folded into the pleats assists in preventing penetration of the dye into those overlying portions. The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which; Figure 1 is a cross-section through a pleated fabric and backing paper during one stage of the method of the invention. Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of fabric formed by the method of the invention, and Figures 3 and 4 are views similar to Figures 1 and 2 but illustrating a second embodiment of the invention. Referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, textile fabric 10 is formed together with a sheet of backing paper 12 is formed with box pleats. The pleating can be carried out by conventional methods, for example using a pleating machine such as that described in the above-mentioned patent specification 1 400 968. The front surface, or "right side" of the fabric is in contact with the backing paper. Before the fabric 10 is removed from the backing paper 12, dye is applied to the reverse side of the pleated fabric. The dye may be applied in various ways, such as by brush or by spraying. Owing to the way in which the fabric is folded, the dye is applied only to spaced portions 14 of the fabric which in the finished fabric form as it were the inner walls of the box pleats. The portions 16 of the fabric which are outermost in the finished fabric are overlain by the portions 14 during the dying process, as are the intermediate portions 18 which join togetheradja- cent portions 14 and 16, and so do not receive any dye. The backing paper 12 folded between the portions 14 and 18 also prevents dye which pene trades the portions 14 from contacting the intermediate portions 18. The dye employed is a spirit-based dye which will penetrate the fabric so that the front surfaces of portions 14 are dyed. Thus when the fabric is removed from the backing paper it presents an appearance as shown in Figure 2, with the outermost portions 16 of the pleats undyed and the innermost portions 16 dyed, giving an attractive decorative effect. For some materials it is necessary to sandwich the material between the backing paper and a sheet of tissue paper during the pleating process. In that case the tissue is removed before the dye is applied. In the embodiment of Figure 2, the fabric is pleated in such a manner that a small gap is left between the folded edges 20 of adjacentbortions 14 of the fabric, so that when dye is applied to the portions 14 some of the dye passes through the gaps onto the portions 16. The dye penetrates the material of portions 16, to give a decorative line of colour 22 on each portion 16, as shown in Figure 4. It will be appreciated that various dyes may be used, provided they have the necessary property of penetration into the fabric. To ensure penetration of the dye, the fabric should preferably be a light fabric of fairly loose construction, of yarn having sufficient absorbency, so that sufficient penetration of the fabric, of say 80 - 90% is achieved. It will be appreciated also that by using various forms of pleating, by varying the dimensions of the pleats, and/or by varying the penetration of the dye, various different decorative effects could be produced by the method of the invention. In the described embodiments, the front surfaces of the undyed outer portions 16 of the pleats could, if desired, have dye applied or printed onto them after the rear portions 14 have been dyed and the fabric has been removed from the backing paper. CLAIMS

1. A method of forming pleated textile material, which includes pleating the material together with a backing paper in such a manner that some portions of the pleats overlie other portions of the pleats when the pleats are pressed flat, and applying dye to the exposed surfaces of the reverse side of the material whilst the pleats are pressed flat, the dye being such that it penetrates the portions of material to which it is applied, thereby to colour the front surface of those portions, whilst not penetrating the material overlain by those portions.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, including folding the material to form box pleats, in which, when the pleats are pressed flat, the portions of material bounded by adjacent folds on the reverse side of the material are contiguous so as to completely overlie the remaining portions of the material.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, including folding the material to form box pleats, in which, when the pleats are pressed flat, the portions of material bounded by adjacent folds on the reverse side of the material are spaced from one another so that on each portion of material bounded by adjacent folds on the front side of the material a band of material is left exposed so as to receive dye applied to the exposed surfaces of the reverse side of the material.

4. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, including pleating the material between the backing paper and a sheet of tissue paper, and removing the tissue paper before applying the dye.

5. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, including the additional step of applying dye to the exposed surfaces of the front side of the material afterthe backing paper has been removed from the fabric.

6. A method of forming pleated textile material, substantially as described with reference to Figures 1 or 2 or Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.

7. Pleated textile material formed by the method claimed in any preceding claim.