GB2041991A

GB2041991A - The elimination or reduction of creasing in fabrics

Info

Publication number: GB2041991A
Application number: GB8002131A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: GOSCOTE ENG CO Ltd
Current assignee: GOSCOTE ENG CO Ltd
Priority date: 1979-02-10
Filing date: 1980-01-22
Publication date: 1980-09-17

Abstract

A tubular knitted fabric 2 composed at least in part of a thermosetting material produced on rotary cylinder knitting machine is heated before being taken down by rollers 4 and then wound onto a roll for storage. The fabric tube is flattened by rollers 4 to form folded margins 10 and creasing at these margins is eliminated or reduced by heating each region 8 of the fabric to be folded by a low wattage electric light bulb 6 and allowing the heated regions to cool thereby setting the thermosetting material before the fabric is passed between the rollers. Where the bulb 6 is disposed inside the fabric tube, power is supplied thereto by means of slip rings 12 (Fig. 4) which rotate with the needle cylinder. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Elimination or reduction of creasing in fabrics The invention relates to a method of preventing or reducing creasing in a fabric which is to be folded and which is composed at least in part of thermosetting material. The invention also relates to apparatus for carrying out the method.

Fabric knitted on a rotary knitting machine may be in the form of a closed tube or, alternatively, in the form of a tube split longitudinally along its length. Whatever the form of the fabric, the tube of fabric is flattened by its passage between the machine take-down rollers prior to storage on a roll. The flattening action of the roller causes creasing at the folded margin or margins of the flattened tube particularly where the knitted yarn is a thermosetting one or a blend including a thermosetting yarn.

It is an object of the present invention to reduce or eliminate the crease or creases in the take-down fabric.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of preventing or reducing creasing in a fabric which is to be folded and which is composed at least in part of a thermosetting material, the method including the step of heating the fabric in the or each region to be folded, permitting the heated region or regions to cool thereby to set the thermosetting material, and thereafter passing the fabric thus treated through a take-down mechanism to storage.

The invention provides in another aspect apparatus for preventing or reducing creasing in a knitted fabric which is to be folded and which is composed at least in part of thermosetting material, said apparatus comprising a knitting machine having a take-down mechanism, and one or more heat sources disposed to heat the or each region of the fabric to be folded prior to taking down by said take-down mechanism.

The or each heat source is preferably electrically powered, and may be provided by a low wattage electric light bulb, for instance one of 40 watt rating. The knitting machine is preferably of the rotary type and produces the knitted fabric as a tube. The or each heat source may be disposed outside or inside this tube. If disposed inside the tube, electrical power can be supplied to the or each heat source through contacts bearing on a pair of slip rings rotatable with a cylinder of the rotary knitting machine.

The invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic side elevational view of apparatus according to the invention shown partly cut away; Figure 2 is a schematic plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 in the direction of arrow A; Figure 3 is a schematic end view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 in the direction of arrow B, and Figure 4 is a perspective view, shown partly cut away, of a part of the apparatus according to the invention.

Fig. 1 shows a tube of knitted fabric 2 knitted at least in part from a thermosetting yarn being taken down from the knitting elements of a rotary knitting machine (not shown). The rotary machine may be a double cylinder machine, or preferably, a cylinder and dial machine. The fabric, which may be in tubular form or split longitudinally, is taken down by a pair of take-down rollers 4 before being wound into a roll. The take-down rollers are rotated in opposite directions by a drive (not shown) from the knitting machine in known manner.

A 40 watt bulb 6 is mounted on a bracket (not shown) inside the tube of fabric upstream of the take-down rollers, and disposed near the fabric so as to provide limited heat to the fabric. The bulb 6 is mounted to heat a region 8 of the tube wall which will be a folded margin 10 of the flattened tube when flattened by the take-down rollers 4.

The bulb 6 is supplied with electrical power by a sliding contact assembly shown in Fig. 4 comprising a pair of metallic rings 1 2 separated by a ring of insulating material 1 4. The rings are integral with the cylinder of the knitting machine and rotate therewith. The rings 1 2 are each connected to one polarity of an electrical supply in known manner. A pair of contacts 1 3 bear upon the rings 1 2 and each contact is wired to one terminal of a bulb 6.

Operation of the apparatus is as follows. A tubular fabric is knitted by the knitting machine and the tube passes one or more bulbs 6 which heat the fabric of the tube locally in regions where the fabric is to be folded when flattened by the take-down rollers. After heating, the thermosetting material is allowed to set prior to folding. The period required for setting is the period of time taken by the fabric to pass from the bulb or bulbs 6 to the take down rollers. The pre-set fabric thus has less tendency to take the fold permanently or semi-permanently as a crease.

1. A method of preventing or reducing creasing in a fabric which is to be folded and which is composed of at least in part of a theremosetting material, the method including the step of heating the fabric in the or each region to be folded, permitting the heated region or regions to cool thereby to set the thermosetting material, and thereafter passing the fabric thus treated through a take-down

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

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Elimination or reduction of creasing in fabrics The invention relates to a method of preventing or reducing creasing in a fabric which is to be folded and which is composed at least in part of thermosetting material. The invention also relates to apparatus for carrying out the method. Fabric knitted on a rotary knitting machine may be in the form of a closed tube or, alternatively, in the form of a tube split longitudinally along its length. Whatever the form of the fabric, the tube of fabric is flattened by its passage between the machine take-down rollers prior to storage on a roll. The flattening action of the roller causes creasing at the folded margin or margins of the flattened tube particularly where the knitted yarn is a thermosetting one or a blend including a thermosetting yarn. It is an object of the present invention to reduce or eliminate the crease or creases in the take-down fabric. According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of preventing or reducing creasing in a fabric which is to be folded and which is composed at least in part of a thermosetting material, the method including the step of heating the fabric in the or each region to be folded, permitting the heated region or regions to cool thereby to set the thermosetting material, and thereafter passing the fabric thus treated through a take-down mechanism to storage. The invention provides in another aspect apparatus for preventing or reducing creasing in a knitted fabric which is to be folded and which is composed at least in part of thermosetting material, said apparatus comprising a knitting machine having a take-down mechanism, and one or more heat sources disposed to heat the or each region of the fabric to be folded prior to taking down by said take-down mechanism. The or each heat source is preferably electrically powered, and may be provided by a low wattage electric light bulb, for instance one of 40 watt rating. The knitting machine is preferably of the rotary type and produces the knitted fabric as a tube. The or each heat source may be disposed outside or inside this tube. If disposed inside the tube, electrical power can be supplied to the or each heat source through contacts bearing on a pair of slip rings rotatable with a cylinder of the rotary knitting machine. The invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic side elevational view of apparatus according to the invention shown partly cut away; Figure 2 is a schematic plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 in the direction of arrow A; Figure 3 is a schematic end view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 in the direction of arrow B, and Figure 4 is a perspective view, shown partly cut away, of a part of the apparatus according to the invention. Fig. 1 shows a tube of knitted fabric 2 knitted at least in part from a thermosetting yarn being taken down from the knitting elements of a rotary knitting machine (not shown). The rotary machine may be a double cylinder machine, or preferably, a cylinder and dial machine. The fabric, which may be in tubular form or split longitudinally, is taken down by a pair of take-down rollers 4 before being wound into a roll. The take-down rollers are rotated in opposite directions by a drive (not shown) from the knitting machine in known manner. A 40 watt bulb 6 is mounted on a bracket (not shown) inside the tube of fabric upstream of the take-down rollers, and disposed near the fabric so as to provide limited heat to the fabric. The bulb 6 is mounted to heat a region 8 of the tube wall which will be a folded margin 10 of the flattened tube when flattened by the take-down rollers 4. The bulb 6 is supplied with electrical power by a sliding contact assembly shown in Fig. 4 comprising a pair of metallic rings 1 2 separated by a ring of insulating material 1 4. The rings are integral with the cylinder of the knitting machine and rotate therewith. The rings 1 2 are each connected to one polarity of an electrical supply in known manner. A pair of contacts 1 3 bear upon the rings 1 2 and each contact is wired to one terminal of a bulb 6. Operation of the apparatus is as follows. A tubular fabric is knitted by the knitting machine and the tube passes one or more bulbs 6 which heat the fabric of the tube locally in regions where the fabric is to be folded when flattened by the take-down rollers. After heating, the thermosetting material is allowed to set prior to folding. The period required for setting is the period of time taken by the fabric to pass from the bulb or bulbs 6 to the take down rollers. The pre-set fabric thus has less tendency to take the fold permanently or semi-permanently as a crease. CLAIMS

1. A method of preventing or reducing creasing in a fabric which is to be folded and which is composed of at least in part of a theremosetting material, the method including the step of heating the fabric in the or each region to be folded, permitting the heated region or regions to cool thereby to set the thermosetting material, and thereafter passing the fabric thus treated through a take-down mechanism to storage.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fabric is a knitted fabric produced as a closed tube or a split tube longitudinaily along its length.

3. A method of preventing or reducing creasing in a fabric, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

4. Apparatus for preventing or reducing creasing in a knitted fabric which is to be folded, and which is composed at least in part of a theremosetting material, said apparatus comprising a knitting machine having a takedown mechanism, and one or more heat sources disposed to heat the or each region of the fabric to be folded prior to taking down by said take-down mechanism.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the distance between said one or more heat sources and the take-down mechanism is arranged so that the time taken by the fabric to pass from the former to the latter is the period required for the thermosetting material to set.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 or 5, wherein the or each heat source is electrically powered.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the or each heat source is a low wattage electric light bulb.

8. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 7 wherein the knitting machine is a rotary knitting machine and produces the knitted fabric as a tube, and the or each heat source is disposed outside the tube of knitted fabric.

9. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 7 wherein the knitting machine is a roarty knitting machine and produces the knitted fabric as a tube, and the or each heat source is disposed outside the tube of knitted fabric.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the or each heat source is electrically powered and electrical power is supplied thereto through contacts bearing on a pair of slip rings rotatable with a cylinder of the rotary knitting machine.

11. Apparatus for preventing or reducing creasing in a knitted fabric, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.