US2096152A - Textile containing mixed fibers and method of making same - Google Patents

Description

Patented Oct. 19, 1937 PATENT OFFICE TEXTILE CONTAINING MIXED FIBERS AND METHOD or MAKING SAME Leon W. Weinberg, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to CelaneseCorporation of America, a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Application October 17, 1934, Serial No. 748,663

2 Claims.

This invention relates to the production of fab rics, woven, knitted, netted, etc., from yarns, some of which contain a mixture of animal fibers and artificial fibers, or artificial fibers and natural 5 fibers, and more particularly to warping and weaving yarns containing a. mixture of cellulose acetate fibers and wool fibers.

An object of the invention is the economic and expeditious production of textile materials such as a fabric employing yarns containing artificial fibers and natural fibers. Another object of the invention is the production of a fabric from mixed yarns that is strong and retains its shape. Other objects of the invention will appear from the following detailed description;

In the manufacture of fabric from yarns containing mixed fibers, the differences in the sur-; faces, the elasticity and, in general, the texture of the component types of fibers require vary-' ing degrees of drawing and twisting in the forme ing of the yarns, and the subsequent treatment in the forming of the fabric, to produce the strongest possible fabric with'the desired hand and like properties. Thus, in forming yarns containing more than fifty per cent of artificial fibers mixed with animal fibers, the yarns are given a] lower than normal degree of twist and are drawn to a lesser extent than in forming the same weight of yarn made of all wool fibers or, if de-i sired, the amount of twist may be increased to al higher than normal degree and the extent of the draw still further reduced. The yarns in such a case depend somewhat on the set of the twist to lend strengththereto, as there is not thesame degree of interlocking of fibers, by surface scales; as there is in an all wool yarn. This set in the twist, as well as the conditioning of the animal fiber, may be accomplished, by this invention,- by treating the yarn with steam. This treatment of the yarn also eliminates snarling of, yarns in the subsequent processing operations.

By employing this invention, yarns containing large proportions of artificial fibers, such as those formed of organic derivatives of cellulose, are

made more strong at the same time that the! yarns are conditioned for weaving, etc. into a fabric. The resulting fabric is stronger and more free from slipping than fabrics made of the same yarn without employing this invention. A furthe:- advantage of this invention is the improved hand and feel of the fabric produced.

By employing this invention, a much softer, but more springy and stronger fabric may be produced than was heretofore possible from the same fibers. As a part of the strength of the! yarn is derived from the twist imparted thereto, and since by this invention that twist is partially, at least, set in the yarn, yarns less highly twisted having the strength of more highly twisted yarns are formed. 5 Furthermore, if animal fibers are mixed with the artificial fibers, they are conditioned for, weaving and like operations. Thus the yarns are made temporarily more pliable.

In accordance with my invention I treat and condition yarns for textile operations by steaming the yarns preferably just prior to their use in the textile operation when said yams contain} of staple length. Thus by the woolen, worsted or French method of spinning, yarns may be 25 formed that contain from 10 to per cent of, artificial fibers, such as the organic derivatives,

of cellulose, and the remaining per cent of ani-@ mal fibers such as wool, camels hair, mohair, etc. Further, such yarns may be doubled or twisted with yarns containing substantially continuous, filaments of an organic derivative of cellulose) or such filaments may be broken and twisted to, form an imitation spun yarn. Yarns or threa may be formed by doubling a wool yarn with a 35 yarn or thread of staple fiber or continuous filaments of an organic derivative of cellulose.

Any suitable artificial fiber or filament may be employed with the natural fiber, such as those: containing regenerated or reconstituted cellu-. lose, and more preferably those containing or-' ganic derivatives of cellulose that morereadily lend. themselves to the treatment with steam. Examples of organic derivatives of cellulose are the organic esters of cellulose such as cellulose acetate, cellulose formate, cellulose propionate and cellulose butyrate, and the cellulose ethers such as methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose and ben zyl cellulose. The filaments of the organic de-i rivatives of cellulose may be formed by either 50 the wet or dry method of spinning. They may. contain besides the organic derivatives of eel-I lulose suitable effect materials such as'dyes, lakes," de-electrifiers, pigments, lubricants, filling materials, plasticizers and sizes that may be applied] 55 to the filaments as a coating, with or without the presence of a swelling agent for the organic derivative of cellulose, or they may be incorporated with the filaments by adding the same to the solution from which the filaments are formed.

The filaments may be cut or broken into staple length and the same spun to a yarn to be doubled with -ayarn containing natural fibers, or the staple fiber may be mixed with natural fibers and the mixture spun to a'yarn. The filaments may also be grouped and the individual filaments cut or broken and twisted together to form an imitation spun yarn or staplized yarn that may, be doubled with yarn containing natural fibers. Othermethods may be employed for forming yarns or threads containing both natural and artificial fibers. K

The natural fibers may be cotton, flax, silk, or they may be fibers with which the process of this invention is of particular advantage, namely, animal fibers such as wool. These fibers may be mixed with artificial fibers and the same carded and mule spun or otherwise spun to yarns. In mule spinning and like spinning operations wherein there is a drawing action as well as twisting action the drawing action is preferably decreased in direct proportion to the percentage of artificial fiber present in the roving.

The yarns containing the mixed textile materials may be formed into packages such as cones for warping and bobbins for weaving, or in cones, cheeses, spools, etc. for knitting or into any other suitable package. These packages are then placed in a chamber and the chamber filled with steam. Thelength of treatment will depend upon the type of package, temperature and dryness of the steam and other circumstances. The length of treatment is such that the steam penetrates somewhat equally throughout the package and imparts a moist, warm feel to the yarn. The yarn preferably has this feel when it reaches the fabricating operation. The steam employed may be wet or dry steam and applied under atmospheric. pressure or under increased, pressure. Other methods may be employed for applying the steam such as forcing the steam or sucking the steam through the package or similar suitable methods. Although the steaming of the yarn is preferably done just prior to processing the same into a fabric, the steaming operation may Example Yarn containing about 70% cellulose acetate fibers and 30% wool fibers spun to 1/22 Galashiels count is spooled and subjected to wet steam at atmospheric pressure for 20 minutes and then warped. A similar yarn wound on bobbins or pins is steamed 10 minutes and woven into the I warp as a weft. In both cases the wool fraction, as well as the yarn as a whole. is made more pliable and conditioned such that an even fabric is produced. The steam also tends to set the twist in the yarn making it stronger and more easily handled while the weave or stitch shape is more permanent. I Yarns of mixed fibers may also be knitted or netted into fabrics with the some general advantages. In weaving, warp knitting, etc. only a part of the yarns may be steamed, for example in weaving, the weft yarns only may be steamed.

It is to be understood that the foregoing detailed description is merely given by way of illustration and many alterations may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A method of producing fabrics by weaving, knitting or by similar processes from yarns consisting of substantially 30% of animal fibers and substantially 70% of fibers containing organic derivatives of cellulose which comprises steaming said yarns and promptly thereafter incorporating the yarns into a fabric.

2. A method of producing fabrics by weaving, from yarns consisting of substantially 30% of animal fibers and substantially 70% of fibers containing cellulose acetate which comprises steaming said yarns and weaving the yarns while in a warm moist condition into a fabric.

, LEON W. WEINBERG.