GB649997A - Improvements in or relating to the continuous treatment of filamentary material - Google Patents

Abstract

Continuous lengths of artificial filamentary material are treated by lacing a filament in a zig-zag path between two lines of pegs spaced apart and projecting from one or two endless conveyers which carry the pegs and the filament through various treating zones and then to a receiver for the treated monofil. As shown, continuous nylon filament 5, Fig. 1, from the quenching bath below the spinneret passes through the guide of a traverse feeder mechanism (not shown) to the pegs 4 on the heavy conveyer chains 1 driven clockwise and anticlockwise by the sprockets 2 and 2A mounted in pairs on vertical shafts 3 so as to rotate in a horizontal plane. The filament is laced to and fro continuously between the chains from the traverse mechanism to the cutting wheels 7. The upper surfaces of the <PICT:0649997/IV (a)/1> <PICT:0649997/IV (a)/2> two chains travel in the same horizontal plane and the chains follow a path such that over a portion of their length they travel parallel and 2 feet apart, then diverge to a distance of 8 feet apart for a further portion of their length and finally continue parallel and 8 feet apart for a further portion of their length before passing round sprockets and returning to their starting point. When the chains diverge the nylon filament is drawn. To prevent the filament slipping round the pegs during this drawing operation, two rubber or rubber-tyred wheels 6, mounted on the same shafts as the sprockets 2A, press the filament into contact with the pegs over the portion of the chain length where drawing commences, as shown in Fig. 2 which is a vertical section through Fig. 1. When drawing is completed the drawn filament is carried by the chains through the conditioning chamber 8 into which steam is passed and then into a second chamber 9 where a current of hot air dries the filament. The stretched span of the filament is then conveyed from the drier to meet knives 7, rotating in parallel planes at right angles to the filament, which cut the filament into short lengths. To prevent the filament slipping after cutting, it is held as before against the pegs by means of rubber or rubber-tyred wheels 7 above the sprockets 2A. The cut lengths of straight filament fall into a tray (not shown). The length of the cut pieces may be varied by variation of the distance between the knives, and additional knives may be mounted between the two shown. In alternative forms of apparatus the paths of the pegs carrying the filament may be substantially parallel throughout the treatment. The filamentary material may be reeled before being fed to the conveyer. The filament may have regularly recurring tapered portions and the distance between the lines of pegs may be such that the portion of the filament in contact with the pegs is always the same part of the taper. When both lines of pegs are mounted on one conveyer the latter may be sufficiently broad to allow the filament to be stretched to the desired extent, the pegs being so mounted in the conveyer that they can be laterally displaced relative thereto, e.g. along slots at right angles to the general direction of movement of the conveyer, by means of fixed guides under the conveyer and simultaneously prevented from making any fore-and-aft movement relative to the conveyer. The filament may be composed of one of the highly polymerized polymethylene terephthalates described in Specifications 578,079 and 590,451.