GB2053291A - Smoothing and twisting yarns - Google Patents

Abstract

A hairy yarn is rendered more sleek by wetting it, e.g. by contact with a roller 5 which dips into bath 6 or by sprays, and then simultaneously advancing it past and in contact with a surface, e.g. a groove in roller 7 and rotating it, for example by false twisting device 8, so that protruding fibres are wrapped round the yarn. The yarn is then arranged in close contact along its length, e.g. by the imposition of real twist, with another yarn, which may have been similarly treated, so that previously protruding fibres are retained in their wrapped configuration. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Yarns of reduced hairiness The invention relates to apparatus for and method of producing a folded thread of which the hairiness is less than that of the constituent yarns.

Whilst the terms "threads" and "yarns" are in general interchangeable, in this specification for the sake of clarity, the term "thread" will be used exclusively for the folded product and the term "yarn" for each of the constituent elements of the thread.

The invention particularly relates to a thread formed of a plurality of yarns which are singles yarns but may also be applicable to threads of which the component yarns are themselves folded. Again, the invention particularly but not exclusively, relates to the production of twisted threads which, though not normally as hairy as woollen yarns or threads, nevertheless do in some cases exhibit a number of protruding fibres.

Moreover, whilst the invention particularly relates to the production of twofold twisted threads, it may nevertheless be applicable also to threads comprising two or more yarns brought together on a single package by the technique known as assembly winding or alternatively formed into selftwist threads, and the term "folded" is to be construed as including all such constructions.

Research has shown that the incidence of end breakage in weaving is to some extent at least due to the hairiness of the threads constituting the warp ends. It is known to remove protruding hairs by singing the threads, but the process destroys valuable fibre and reduces the fibre content of the thread. An alternative method of overcoming the problem has been to run the thread through a light adhesive or wax so that the protruding fibres are drawn to the relatively dense body of the thread and retained there. The presence of adhesive or wax on the thread is however, in some circumstances disadvantageous for subsequent processes or use.

The present invention has as its object the production of yarns of which the hairiness is minimized without involving the drawbacks of the methods referred to above.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a method of use in producing a folded thread comprising the steps of moistening a yarn, rotating the moistened yarn about its longitudinal axis whilst advancing it in its length direction relative to and in contact with the surface of a body whereby protruding fibres are caused to wrap around the yarn, and arranging the yarn in close contact along its length with at least one other yarn so that the previously protruding fibres are retained in their wrapped configuration.

Preferably the rotation is effected by twisting the yarn at a twisting zone and permitting the twist to extend along the yarn from the twisting zone. The direction of twist may be such as to enhance the twist pre-existing in the yarn, and the twisting may be in the nature of what is commonly known as false-twisting.

Preferably the web yarn and the said other yarn or yarns are arranged in contact by the imposition of real twist. The said other yarn or each of said other yarns may be correspondingly treated before being arranged in contact with said first mentioned yarn.

According to a further aspect, the invention provides means for use in producing a folded thread comprising means for applying moisture to a singles yarn, a fibre wrapping body, means for rotating the yarn about its longitudinal axis whilst advancing it relative and in contact with a surface of said body whereby protruding fibres may be caused to wrap round the yarn, and means for arranging the yarn in close contact along its length with at least one other yarn so that the previously protruding fibres are retained in their wrapped configuration.

Preferably the rotating means comprises falsetwist means such as a false-twist tube. Preferably the said surface is the surface of a groove cut in the said body, and said body may take the form of a disc grooved about its periphery.

Corresponding moistening, wrapping, rotating and advancing means may be provided for the or each other yarn and the means for arranging the yarns in contact may comprise known twisting, assembling or self-twisting means.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Fig. 1 represents schematically an apparatus in front elevation; and Fig. 2 shows the same apparatus in side elevation.

In the Figures, a pair of singles worsted yarns 1, 2, are withdrawn respectively from cones 3, 4 and arranged to pass in contact with a portion of the periphery of a rotatable drum 5 which at its under side is immersed in water in a trough 6.

From the drum 5 the yarns pass to circumferentially grooved discs 7 in the embodiment illustrated the discs are not mounted for rotation and in another embodiment may be replaced by grooved curvilinear bodies taking a form other than that of a disc. Again, in another embodiment grooved discs may be employed which are rotatable about their axes.

In the illustrated embodiment the yarns 1, 2 converge between the supply cones anci the discs, but in other embodiments the yarns may run parallel or diverge.

From the discs 7 the yarns pass through a twist tube 8 of which the construction is not shown in detail, it being a device well known in the part of woollen yarn manufacture. In other embodiments of the invention the twist tube 8 may be replaced by other false twist means such as the circumferential edge of a rotating disc.

From the false twise tube 8 the yarns pass through the nip between delivery rollers 9 and thence, shown only in Fig. 2, to a ring twisting spindle 10 by means of which the yarns are twisted together into a folded thread and wound onto a suitable package. The spindle 10 is conventional and will not be described further.

Moreover, the ring spindle may be replaced in other embodiments by other means of assembling the constituent yarns into a folded thread, where the term "folded" is to be interpreted as including "assembled".

The false twist tube 8 is rotated in the manner known in the art and the effect is to impart false twist to each of the yarns 1, 2 so that for a portion of their length each is twisted about the other and each yarn is twisted about its longitudinal axis. It is found that the twisting of the yarns extends in the direction opposite to the direction of advance of the yarns indicated by arrows 11 so as to reach the vicinity of and even beyond the discs 7. As the yarns rotate within the groove formed in the disc 7, protruding fibres are caused to wrap around the relatively dense body of the respective yarns and, possibly by reason of the application of moisture, both fibres remain in their wrapped configuration until the yarns become twisted about one another in the region of the entry into the falst twist tube 8.

Whilst the twist imparted to the yarns by reason of the false twist tube is not real twist and may not extend as far as the nip between the delivery rollers 9, nevertheless the yarns remain in close proximity to one another as far as the nip and the previously protruding fibres are retained in their wrapped configuration. Beyond the nip in the direction of travel 11 the yarns can be considered as a folded thread and by reason of the fact that each of the component yarns has had its protruding fibres wrapped closely about itself, the thread is found to be less hairy than an experienced textile man would expect to be the result of folding the identical yarns without the use of the invention.

Variations may be introduced into the apparatus of the invention, for example the application of moisture to the yarns may be by other means for example by spraying. Grooves may be formed in a single body for the passage of the individual yarns, and the configuration of the grooves may be varied according to requirements.

For example, the grooves may be more or less wide, more or less deep and the bottom more or less curved. It has been found advantageous to have the walls of the groove inclined to the form of a steep V and the angle between the sides of the V about 270.

Whilst it has been assumed that the moistening of the yarns was by water, it is to be understood that the water may contain additives such as wetting agents or other agent commonly applied in textile processing and compatible with water.

Claims (14)

1. A method of use in producing a folded thread comprising the steps of moistening a yarn, rotating the moistened yarn about its longitudinal axis whilst advancing it in its length direction relative to and in contact with the surface of a body whereby protruding fibres are caused to wrap around the yarn, and arranging the yarn in close contact along its length with at least one other yarn so that the previously protruding fibres are retained in their wrapped configuration.

2. A method according to Claim 1 wherein the rotation is effected by twisting the yarn at a twisting zone and permitting the twist to extend along the yarn from the twisting zone.

3. A method according to Claim 2 wherein the direction of twist is such as to enhance any twist pre-existing in the yarn.

4. A method according to Claim 2 or Claim 3 wherein the twisting may be in the nature of what is commonly known as false-twisting.

5. A method according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the moistened yarn and the said other yarn or yarns are arranged in contact by the imposition of real twist.

6. A method according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein said other yarn or each of said other yarns is treated like the firstmentioned yarn before being arranged in contact with the first-mentioned yarn.

7. Apparatus for use in producing a folded thread comprising means for applying moisture to a single yarn, a fibre wrapping body, means for rotating the yarn about its longitudinal axis whilst advancing it relative and in contact with a surface of said body whereby protruding fibres may be caused to wrap round the yarn, and means for arranging the yarn in close contact along its length with at least one other yarn so that the previously protruding fibres are retained in their wrapped configuration.

8. Apparatus according to Claim 7 wherein the rotating means comprises false-twist means.

9. Apparatus according to Claim 7 or Claim 8 wherein said surface is the surface of a groove cut in the said body.

10. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 7 to 9 wherein said body takes the form of a disc grooved about its periphery.

11. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 7 to 10 wherein moistening, wrapping, rotating and advancing means are provided for the or each other yarn.

12. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 7 to 11 wherein the means for arranging the yarns in contact comprises known twisting, assembling or self-twisting means.

13. A method of use in producing a folded thread substantially as described.

14. Apparatus for use in producing a folded yarn substantially as described with reference to the drawings.