US2007183A - Textile materials and the production thereof - Google Patents

Description

' y 1935. w. A, DICKlE ET AL 2,007,183

TEXTILE MATERIALS AND THE PRODUCTION THEREOF Filed Aug. 25, 1931 WILLIAM A- DICKIE ROBERT w- MONCHIEFF INVENTO HS ATTORN YS I-WISIINU AND I WINING.

Patented July 9, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TEXTILE MATERIALS AND THE PRODUCTION THEREOF Application August 25,

1931, Serial No. 559,210

In Great Britain October 2, 1930 15 Claims.

This invention relates to threads of textile ma terials such as cellulose acetate or other organic derivatives of cellulose, artificial silks of the reconstituted cellulose type, such as viscose, nitrocellulose, and cuprammonium silk, and natural filaments or fibres, such as silk, cotton, and wool. The object of the invention is to produce threads having novel characteristics.

According to the invention, threads of such materials are coated at frequent intervals along their length with a size of such a character that it can subsequently be removed from the threads.

The size may be applied to continuous filaments, and in this case may be employed to hold the filaments together without the necessity of imparting twist to the threads. Similarly, the addition of further twist to threads having but a slight degree of twist may be avoided by the intermittent coating of size. Such coatings may be formed on artificial filaments continuously with their production and enable subsequent twisting to be dispensed with both after spinning processes in which the thread is wound in untwisted form and after those in which such a slight amount of twist is imparted that further twisting is usually resorted to.

The coatings may, however, be applied to un twisted or slightly twisted threads of natural or artificial filaments in bobbin-to-bobbin 01' other winding or twisting and winding operations. Further, yarns consisting of staple fibres of cellulose derivatives or cellulosic or natural silk or of natural fibres, or of mixtures of such fibres, may be intermittently coated with size, and such staple fibre yarns, as well as the continuous filament yarns above described, may then be twisted to a high or very high degree for the manufacture of fabrics exhibiting crepe and like effects. Instead, however, of the size being applied while the threads contain little or no twist, there may be imparted a more or less substantial proportion of the high degree of twist prior to sizing threads which are to be used for this purpose. Thus, highly twisted yarns may be intermittently sized, after receiving the whole of their twist, or after receiving a moderate degree of twist which is afterwards brought up to the high degree desired.

When the threads have been made into fabric, the size is removed in any suitable manner, e. g. by the usual scouring operation employed for this purpose. In the case of fabrics containing intermittently sized, high-twist threads a crepe or cockled effect is obtained on removal of the size.

The size applied may be any which is commonly employed in sizing the particular material of which the threads consist. For example, there may be used sizes consisting of, say 5% potato starch; 15-25% feculose;1-3% tragon; gelatine; or gum arabic; with the addition if desired of one or more softening agents such as glycerine or castor oil, e. g. 1% of each; or mixture of the above sizes may be used. The size may, however, be any of those described in U. S. application Ser. No. 491,070 filed Oct. 24, 1930, corresponding to British Pat. No. 348,589, these being particularly suitable for threads which are to be highly twisted. Thus, the size may be casein, egg albumen, rubber latex, or algin, or a cellulose or cellulose derivative may be applied. The swelling treatments described above or in U. S. applications S. No. 501,461 filed December 10, 1930, corresponding to British Patent No. 352,000, and S. No. 530,728 filed April 16, 1931, corresponding to British Patent No. 356,233, may be applied to the intermittently sized threads, or to fabrics or articles containing such threads, so as to enhance the crepe or like effects obtained on scouring the fabrics.

The application of the size may take place at regular or irregular intervals of regular or irregular duration, but in the case of applications designed to avoid further twisting of the threads, it is preferred to apply the size as regularly as possible so as to reduce to a minimum the amount of size necessary to give the required cohesion to the threads.

Numerous methods may be adopted to apply the size at intervals on the threads, it being most convenient to effect the operation while the threads are travelling in a bobbin-to-bobbin, hank-to-bobbin, or other winding or twisting and winding operation, or during such operations as beaming. Thus, there may be employed the means described in U. S. Patent No. 1,909,192, for the application of liquids or pastes to travelling threads. For example, the threads may receive the size from a Wick or other absorbing material, or from rollers, rods, or like devices, intermittent application being effected either by bringing the applying means into contact with the threads or by causing the thread to be displaced into or out of contact with the applying means. These means are especially suitable for treating artificial silk threads continuously with their production. Further means suitable for this purpose are described in U. S. PatentNo. 1,907,898, according to which size is applied intermittently to threads as they are revolving round and in contact with the circular edge of a guide member, such as the cap of a cap-spinning device or the funnel guide used with a centrifugal spinning pot.

In a further method, the size is applied by means of a corrugated or fluted roller, which is supplied with the size, the thread passing over or round the roller or pressed between the roller and a plain roller, whereby the size is applied to the thread at points corresponding to the corrugations or flutings in the roller. A furnisher roller may be used to supply the corrugated or fluted roller from a trough containing sizing liquid or paste. This method is specially suitable for sizing a plurality of threads passing as a sheet over the corrugated or fluted roller in a bobbin-to-bobbin or similar winding operation.

After sizing, the threads are preferably dried relatively quickly, as for example by passing them round or over one or more heated drying drums, over a heated plate, or through a heated atmosphere, a convenient temperature for this operation being 65 C'.-85 C. Subsequently to the drying operation the threads may be collected by winding on to bobbins or the like. Twisting may be carried out simultaneously with the winding of the threads, but, when high twist is to be imparted, it is preferred to transfer the bobbins or the like to a twisting machine where the high twist is put in as a separate operation.

When the intermittent sizing takes place continuously with the production of threads of continuous filaments, e. g. continuously with the production of filaments of cellulose acetate by the dry or evaporative method, means may be provided if necessary to accelerate drying of the sized threads before winding or twisting and winding.

The treatment may also be carried out in the course of a bobbin-to-bobbin or other winding operation subsequent to .the production of the threads. A similar treatment may be used for sizing spun yarns containing staple lengths of natural fibres, such as silk or cotton, or of artificial filaments, such as fibres of cellulose acetate or other organic derivatives of cellulose or of regenerated cellulose, e. g. nitrocellulose, cuprammonium or viscose silk.

After sizing and twisting, the threads are woven into fabric which is then subjected to an aqueous or other scouring treatment for the removal of the size. In the case of high-twist threads, the scouring bath may contain, if desired, substances which cause the size to swell before being removed. Thus for example where casein or other albumen is used as size. an aqueous scouring bath will produce the desired swelling effect. Further, if desired the swelling bath may be of such a nature as to cause the body of the filaments or fibres beneath the coating of size to swell. To this end the scouring bath may include swelling agents for the filaments or fibres themselves. It will be appreciated of course that the swelling agent should be selected in any particular case according to the nature of the size used, and/or to the nature of the filaments.

It is preferred to effect the final drying of crepe and like fabrics in the absence of any substantial tension.

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawing and to one method of applying the size, but it is to be understood that this description is given by way of example only, and is in no respect limitative.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic arrangement showing of one form of apparatus for intermittently" sizing filaments.

Figure 2 is a similar showing of a modified arrangement including a twisting device for the sized filaments.

Referring to Figure 1, threads 3 containing filaments of cellulose acetate and having little or no twist are taken from the number of bobbins 4 and are led parallel to each other from a spacing reed 5 to a fluted roller 6 supplied with a suitable sizing material, such as gum, gelatine, starch or glue. The flutes may be of any desired width, e. g. ,4 wide with A" spacing. The sizing material is fed to the fluted roller 6 by means of a copper furnisher roller 1, adapted to run in contact with the fluted roller and to dip into a trough 8 containing the material. The furnisher roller may be covered with flannel or like material to hold the size, or if desired, strips of flannel may be placed round the ends of the furnisher roller, forming a resilient spacing strip between it and the fluted roller, so that a controlled amount of size is carn'ed over, as will be well understood.

After the application of the size, the threads are passed over one or more drums 9 heated to a temperature of about 70 0., whereby the threads are dried and the sizing is completed. The threads are then passed through a second spacing reed ID to a number of bobbins H and wound thereon, and are then ready for use in such textile operations as warping, pirning, and circular, flat, or warp knitting.

When the threads are to be used in the production of crepe fabrics, the bobbins are taken to a twisting machine, by means of which a high degree of twist is imparted to the threads. The degree of twist imparted to the crepe threads may be similar to that commonly employed in the case of crepe threads of natural silk in the gum, for example a twist of from 50-75 turns per inch may be utilized. A degree of twist of about 60 turns per inch has been found to give highly satisfactory results. If desired a highly twisted thread may be subsequently doubled with another thread or threads having the same or different twist in the same or in a different direction.

Referring to Figure 2, a thread I2 is twisted as it is drawn from a rotating bobbin IS, the thread ballooning as shown at M as it passes to a guide eye l5 arranged above the bobbin. A similar size applying device to that shown in Figure 1, and comprising a fluted roller 6, a. furnisher roller 1 and a trough 8 is arranged to intersect the path of the thread and apply size at desired intervals. The thread passes from the roller 6 to a guide eye 16 by means of which it is led over the surface of a heated plate I! where the size is dried. The intermittently sized thread is wound on to a bobbin l8 which is driven by means of a roller I9 so as to draw the thread from the bobbin l3 and through the apparatus at a uniform linear speed, thus giving a uniform degree of twisting.

The highly twisted crepe threads are then woven into fabrics in any suitable manner, for example the weft alone may be wholly or partially composed of such threads, or the warp also may contain them. It is found convenient in general however, to employ threads of relatively low twist in the warp, and to employ in the weft crepe threads having a left-hand twist and crepe threads having a right-hand twist. and prepared TWISTING AND TWINING.

in accordance with the invention. The threads having right-hand twist and those having lefthand twist may be incorporated in any convenient manner; for example pairs of weft threads of right-hand twist may alternate with pairs of threads of left-hand twist.

The fabrics containing the intermittently sized threads are treated in aqueous scouring baths containing soaps of a weak alkaline nature, whereby the size is removed from the threads. In the case of crepe fabrics, suitable swelling agents for the size or for the substances of the filaments of the threads may be included in the scouring bath if desired.

It is to be understood that the present invention includes within its scope intermittently sized threads, whether such threads have little or no twist or have been twisted to a medium or high degree, and also fabrics or articles made of or containing such threads, both before and after removal of the size.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Yarns of natural or artificial materials coated at frequent intervals along their length with a removable :12.

2. Yarns of continuous, natural or artificial filaments having little or no twist, and coated at frequent intervals along their length with a removable size.

3. High twist yarns of natural or artificial filaments coated at frequent intervals along their length with a removable size.

4. Bundles of continuous natural or artificial filaments coated at frequent intervals along their length with a removable size, said filaments being twisted together.

5. Bundles of continuous natural or artificial filaments coated at frequent intervals along their length with a removable size, said filaments being twisted together to at least 50 turns per inch.

6. Yarns containing spun fibres of natural or artificial filaments, said yarns being coated at frequent intervals along their length with a removable size.

7. Yarns containing filaments or fibres of an organic derivative of cellulose and containing a removable size at frequent intervals along their length.

8. Yarns containing filaments or fibres of cellulose acetate, and containing a removable size at frequent intervals along their length, said yarns being twisted to a high degree.

9. Yarns containing filaments or fibres of cellulose acetate, and containing a removable size at frequent intervals along their length, said yarns being twisted to at least 50 turns per inch.

10. Process for the treatment of yarns of natural or artificial materials comprising the steps of applying a removable sizing material to the yarns at frequent intervals along their length, and twisting said yarns.

11. Process for the production of intermittently sized yarns of organic derivatives of cellulose comprising the steps of applying a removable sizing material to the yarns at frequent intervals along their length and twisting the yarns.

12. Process for the production of intermittently sized yarns of cellulose acetate comprising the steps of applying a removable sizing material to the yarns at frequent intervals along their length and twisting the yarns.

13. Process for the production of crepe fabrics, which comprises applying a removable sizing material to yarns at frequent intervals along their length, imparting a high twist to the yarns, weaving the yarns into fabric and removing the sizing material from the fabric.

14. Process for the production of crepe fabrics containing yarns of organic derivatives of cellulose, which comprises applying a removable sizing material to the yarns at frequent intervals along 5

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