US2389120A - Textile and process of making same - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 20, 1945. c, cAsTELLAN 2,389,120

TEXTILE AND PROCESS OF MAKING SAME Filed Dec. 8, 1943 F/LLING I N VEN TOR.

Patented Nov. 20, 19 45 TEXTILE AND PROCESS OF MAKING SAME Carl A. Castellan, Wilmington, Del., asslgnor to American Viscose Corporation,

Wilmington,

Del., a corporation of Delaware Application December 8, 1943, Serial No. 513,335

18 Claims.

The invention relates in general to textiles and, in particular, to a method for stabilizing the structure and form of fabrics and to the stabilized textiles produced, and includes correlated improvements designed to enhance the characteristics and uses of such textiles.

In the conventional method of knitting and weaving fabrics, the yarns are subjected to ten-' sion. This is done to secure proper operation of the knitting and weaving machines and to secure uniformity in the finished product. The fibers and yarns constituting the fabric in its unfinished state (i. e., in greige goods) are in a condition of stress or stretch, and hence tend to shrink under any circumstances that permit or facilitate movement and contraction of the fibers or filaments.

Fabrics made in such a manner exhibit the tendency to shrink when subjected to wet treatment such as may be encountered in finishing operations. However, by the conventional methods of handling fabrics, part or all of the shrinkage so acquired may be offset or lost through mechanical strain and stretch that the fabric encounters in passing through these operations. Consequently, when the goods are again wet out,

such as in laundering, they will again exhibit the tendency to shrink more or less in both the warp direction and the filling direction, dependent on the degree of stretch present after finishing. The tendency to shrink will continue until the stretched condition of both the warp and filling threads has been relieved or until a balanced state of weaving contraction is obtained.

It has been proposed to provide a method of treatment that will shrink the fabric in both directions, in a manner analogous to the shrinkage otherwise occurring in the laundering, washing or other cleaning processes. This method is predicated upon the determination that the causes of shrinkage in a fabric subjected to full laundry treatment are mostly mechanical in effoot. The process is, therefore, adapted to mechanically rearrange the filamentsand to alter the crimp or sinuosity in the yarns of the fabric to the same extent that these filaments would rearrange themselves and the yarns would be crimped if subjected to full laundry washing.

Basically, this process comprises the steps of determining the change in dimension that will take place in the fabric when it is subjected to washing, then mechanically shrinking the fabric down to the dimensions so indicated, and finally completing the finishing operation without disturbing these dimensions. However, the prior methods of mechanical shrinking, such as the Sanforizing process, are forced to efiect in a single treatment a complete shrinkage equal to the ultimate shrinkage obtained by repeated laundering or else the fabric will show an excessive residual shrinkage. This has many disadvantages for when a lot of goods are finished and come up to warp of a moistened fabric is maintained under tension while permitting shrinkage of the other yarn system, thereby causing the yarns of the lattersystem to take a highly sinuous form under and over alternate tensioned yarns, and thereafter the yarn system previously maintained under tension is mechanically compressed or foreshortened to cause the yarns therein to take a highly sinuous or undulated form about the yarns of the other system, the compressing of the yarns in the second system to be foreshortened reduces the sinuosity of the yarns in the first system and thereby tends to nullify the intended effect of the first stage of the shrinkage treatment.

Moreover, prior methods of shrinking fabrics have never been entirely successful when the fabric has been composed in whole or in part of artificial filaments, in particular of cut staple rayon. Owing to the swelling and shrinking which artificial filaments undergo on being wetted and dried, fabrics made of'such filaments do not retain the condition produced by the preshrinking operation. However, even with fabrics made of natural fibers, such as cotton, the prior methods of preshrinking have not given results which were entirely permanent.

Furthermore, the stresses which-fabrics undergo during wear and laundering frequently produce objectionable distortions even though such fabrics have been preshrunk by prior methods.

Therefore, it is desirable to provide fabrics which are characterized by having a substantial permanent resistance to distortions of all types in order to preserve a desired structure, form and character in the textile.

On the other hand. it is frequently desired to shrinkage so that the fabric will maintain its low as about up to 95% or more of the total shape and structure during wear and laundering.

Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved stabilized textile having a predetermined structure which is permanent.

It is another object to provide an improved method for setting and fixing the dimensions of It is a further specific object to preshrink fabrics comprising artificial filaments, in particular cut staple rayon, and to render the shrunk condition substantially permanent.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

In the practice of the invention; the permanently preshrunk fabrics are made by weaving weft or filling yarns comprising potentially adhesive filaments capable of being activated to an adhesive state under certain conditions with warp yarns comprising potentially adhesive filaments of difilerent character such that yarns in one or both of the yarn systems may be activated selectively in succession or simultaneously, foreshortening or shrinking the yarn systems in succession or simultaneously as desired, and deactivating the potentially adhesive filaments in the.

- ments with fibers.

system or systems thus foreshortened in succession or simultaneously to fix the shrunk structure. The shrinkage of the fabric may be partial or complete or to any predetermined amount. The expression "shrinking is intended to include all physical or mechanical changes in fiber size, length and crimp and changes in yarn length, crimp and displacement in fabrics which produce a decrease in one or more dimensions or contraction in the fabric.

In the specification and claims the term fila-' ments is intended in the generic sense to include both continuous filaments and filaments of discontinuous nature, such as are generally referred to as fibers or "staple fibers."

The invention accordingly comprises a process having the steps and the relation of steps one to another and an article having the elements, relation of elements and the characteristics and properties all as hereinafter described and the scope of the application of which will be exemplified in the claims.

For a more complete understanding of the nature and objects of theinvention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawing in which- I Figure 1 is a cross-section elevation of a fabric before shrinkage by the process of the invention;

Figure 2 is a crosssectional elevation of the fabric of Figure 1 after controlled shrinkage in the process of the invention; and

Figure 3 is a cross-section of a fabric after complete shrinkage in accordance wtih one era-- bodiment of the invention. V

The singles yarn from which the fabrics of the present invention are made may consists entirely of potentially adhesive filaments, or they 70 may comprise a mixture of non-adhesive filaments with the potentially adhesive filaments, the proportion of the latter being selected at will, depending upon the characteristics de'siredin the fabric. The proportions used may range from as weight of the yarn. The yarns may consist solely of continuous filaments whether composed entirely of potentially adhesive filaments or comprising a mixture thereof with non-adhesive continuous filaments. The yarns may be made up "entirely of discontinuous filaments ,or fibers, or they may comprise a mixture of continuous fila- The continuous filaments or fibers used, whether they are non-adhesive or p0- tentlally adhesive, may be either of .natural or artificial origin.

For the non-adhesive textile filament there may be used any suitable natural or synthetic filaments of textile-making length, such as cotton, flax, jute,'and other vegetable fibers; wool, hair, silk, and other animal fibers and filaments; asbestos, glass, mineral wool; also artificial filaments formed of cellulose compounds, such as regenerated cellulose or cellulose hydrate of all kinds, cellulose derivatives, such as the esters, the ethers, whether soluble in water, alkali or organic solvents, mixed cellulose ethers, mixed cellulose ester-ethers, hydroxy-alkyl and carboXy-alkyl ethers of cellulose and xanthates of the cellulose ethers, cellulose filaments, thiourethanes, cellulose xanthofatty acids, and filaments formed from natural or synthetic resins of all kinds, which resinous filaments should be of the type that will not be rendered tacky under the conditions employed to render the potentially adhesive filaments tacky.

The potentially adhesive filaments may comprise any thermoplastic or solvent-plastic synthetio resinous material or cellulosic material capable of being formed into filaments which are non-tacky at room temperature and have an inherent-tackiness either upon treatment with a solvent which does not render the non-adhesive filaments tacky, or upon heating to a temperature below that at which the non-adhesive textile filaments a're damaged or rendered tacky: such as the resins formed by the polymerization of various organic compounds such as cumarone,

indene hydrocarbons, vinyl compounds, styrene,

ments formed fromsynthetic or artificial rubber such as polymerized butadiene, olefine-polysulfides, e. g. Thiokol, isobutylene polymers, chloroprene polymers and polyvinyl-halides, e. g. Koroseal filaments formed from a resin comprising the product of copolymerizing two or more resins, such, for example, as copolymers of vinyl halide and vinyl acetate, co-polymers of vinyl halide and an acrylic acid derivative, also after-chlorinated copolymers of vinyl chloride and vinyl acetate; and also filaments formed from a mixture of resins, such for example as a mixture of vinyl resins and acrylic acid resins or methacrylic acid resins, a mixture of polyolefine resins and phenol-aldehyderesins, or a mixture of two or more resins from the different classes just named. The thermoplastic resins above mentioned may be classified as:

(a) Heat-non convertible resins such as the glycol polybasic acid resins, the vinyl resins, and

the acid type phenolaldehyde resins, and the like.

(b) Heat-convertible or thermosetting resins such as a. glycerol-polybasic acid resin, polyoleiine resins, phenolaldehyde resins and the like.

(c) An element-convertible resin (which becomes infusible through the action of certain elements, such as oxygen and sulphur) such as glycerol-polybasic acid-drying oil resins and oleiine sulphur resins.

In addition to the synthetic resins, there may be employed for the potentially adhesive filament,

a filament formed from a thermoplastic cellulose derivative, such as a cellulose ester, a cellulose ether, a mixed cellulose ester-ether, a mixed cellulose ether, a hydroxy-alkyl or a carboxy-alkyl ether of cellulose, a cellulose ether xanthate, or a cellulose thiourethane. Plasticlzers may be included with the cellulose derivative in order to impart the desired thermoplasticity to the derivative. In particular, the thermoplastic cellulose derivative filament may be a filament of cellulose acetate, cellulose nitrate or an organic soluble cellulose ethyl ether, and the like; also filaments formed from a mixture of cellulose derivatives and resins such as filaments formed by extruding a mixture of cellulose nitrate and an oil soluble phenol-aldehyde resin, or a cellulose acetate and an acrylic acid resin, or an organic soluble cellulose ether and a vinyl resin; also filaments formed from polyamide resins such as those formed from polybasic acids and aliphatic diamines (nylon type) either unstretched or prestretched; and filaments formed from a natural or synthetic rubber and rubber derivatives.

For the potentially adhesive filament, it is preferred to employ a thermoplastic resin filament because the resin filaments as compared to the cellulose derivative filaments, are tougher and harder, and cool from a tacky condition to form tough or pliable products. Moreover, the resin filaments are inert to acids, alkalies and dry cleaning fluids, and are not water-swelling. This latter property prevents distortion of the adhesive bond, tends to stabilize the twist and shrinkage of the fabric, and the adhesive is more permanent so that the wet and dry tensile strength of the adhesive bond will be substantially the same. Finally, the resin filaments exhibit, particularly when plasticized, a high tensile strength and a true elasticity practically as great as that of natural silk.

The non-adhesive textile filaments and/or the potentially adhesive filaments may be prestretched filaments. By prestretched filaments" is meant such as show orientation as the result of stretching after substantial setting or coagulation of the filaments, either as a part of the procass of producing the artificial filaments, or as a separate after-stretching procedure subsequent to the filament-producing process. In such cases the shrinking treatment advantageously includes treatment with a suitable chemical reagent or heat eifect a shrinkage of the pr'estretched filaments. The resulting filament-shortening will produce yarn shrinkage and augment the decrease in fabric dimension.

The articles of the invention are fabricated I from at least two types of yarns at least some of the filaments in each type being potentially adhesive.

The mixing of dissimilar fibers in making spun yarns may be carried out in a suitable manner, such as by blending at least two types of fibers before and/or during carding, combing, drafting, but before completion of the spinning of the fibers into a singles yarn. Thus the two types of fibers may be mixed and fed together into a carding machine; or slivers are made from each type independently and the slivers combined by drafting and spinning into a yarn. Alternatively, a yarn containing the potentially adhesive fiber may be twisted or doubled with another yarn of similar type or with a yarn not containing potentially adhesive fibers.

In making continuous filament yarns, one convenient method involves extruding-two different types of filament-forming materials, through spinnerets into a suitable coagulating or setting medium and collecting the two types of continuous filaments in the form of a yarn. 'iAlternatively, continuous filaments of a potentially adhesive nature and non-adhesive continuous filaments may be simultaneously unwound from wound supply packages thereof and may be combined in any desired proportions into a unitary yarn or cord, which is then wound and/ or twisted into the desired packages for subsequent use.

The invention is particularly adapted for permanently controlling or fixing a shrunk condition in a fabric comprising two type of yams made from two diiferent blends of non-adhesive 25 and potentially adhesive fibers mixed together before the completion of the spinning and/or twisting of the yarn.

The relative proportions of the non-adhesive textile filaments and of the potentially adhesive filaments may be varied in accordance with their properties, the nature or treatment, the intended use of the finished product and the characteristics desired therein. The mixture of filaments may be spun into yarns and threads and fabricated into fabrics in a, known manner. During the weaving of the fabric, however, one type of yarn comprising potentially adhesive filaments is used in one yarn system of the fabric, such as the weft or filling, while for the other yarn system, such as the warp, thereis used another type of yarn comprisin potentially adhesive filaments which are of such different character than those in the former yam system that the potentially adhesive filaments in the yarns of the two systems 5 may be selectively activated to an adhesive condition at will,

In its broad aspects the process of the inven- 'tion is applicable for permanently fixing the structures and form of fabrics after they have 50 been modified by shrinking.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to any particular method or apparatus for carrying out the shrinking of the present process. Suitable means for carrying out the shrinking op- 55 eration involved in the present invention are shown in U. S. Patents Nos. 1,982,720, 1,988,376,

2,021,975, and 2,052,948. By way of illustration,

but not by way Of limiting the invention, the following methods may be employed for shrinking so fabrics in accordance with the present invention:-

I. Stretching a moistened fabric in one dimension while permitting or controlling the shrinkage in another dimension. In this embodiment a woven fabric is subjected to moisture and a suitable activating agent preferably for the yarns in one yarn system only, and thereafter stretched in the direction of the other of its constituent sets of yarns whether warp or weft, while leaving the activated set free from tension or under a limited tension and drying and deactivating the fabric while maintainin the tension on the other set of yarns. The stretching of the other set of yarns causes a contraction and increased crinkle or undulation of the yarns in the activated set. The shrinking is carried out while the potentially fidehesive filaments are in a tacky condition and the 1 adhesive material is rendered non-tacky while the other set of yarns is maintained under tension. The increased crinkle or shrunk structure is rendered substantially permanent by the adhesion of the filaments in the fabric. This method can be used for shrinking woven fabrics in one dimension.

II. By moistening and stretching the moist fabric in one dimension while permitting or controlling the shrinkage of the fabric in the other dimension whereby the unstretched yarns acquire additional crinkle, activating the more highly undulated yarn system under conditions having no activation effect on the other yarn system, deactivating and drying the fabric while under tension, again moistening the fabric while free of tension to cause a swelling of the yarns and a consequent shrinkage of the first stretched yarns, applying an activatin agent for the latter set of yarns having no effect upon the first activated set of yarns, and again drying and deactivating the fabric under pressure, but free of tension. In this embodiment the potentially adhesive filaments in the set of yarns first activated may be formed of a thermosetting resin in thermoplastic state, such as a urea-formaldehyde resin condensed Just beyond a water-soluble condition, containing a catalyst and activation to an adhesive state and deactivation to an infusible state thereof may be effected by steam or dry hot gases while the other set of yarns may comprise an after-chlorinated copolymer of vinyl chloride and vinyl acetate which does not soften or become tacky below a temperature of 120 C. or higher, the activation of which may be effected by heating to 120 C. or higher. Alternatively, the first activated set of yarns may comprise unplasticized cellulose triacetate filaments which are activated by acetone while the other set of yarns may comprise filaments formed of an after-chlorinated copolymer of vinyl chloride and vinyl acetate which softens at 150 C., and activation thereof may be performed at that temperature without affecting the cellulose acetate. By this method a 45 fabric can be permanently shrunk in two dimensions, and is unaffected by laundering even in boiling water.

III. By moistening and stretching the moist fabric in one dimension while permitting or controlling the shrinkaee of the fabric in the other dimension, whereby the unstretched yarns acquire additional crinkle, activating under conditions such that the potentially adhesive filaments in both sets of yarns are rendered adhesive, drying and deactivating the fabric while under tension, again moistening the fabric while free of tension to cause a swelling of the yarns and a consequent shrinkage of the first stretched yarns formed of an after-chlorinated copolymer of vinyl chloride and vinyl acetate having a softening temperature range of about 125 C., becoming tacky at 125 C. or above. The first activation may be performed at about 125 0., while the second may be performed at about 120 C. By this method, a fabric can be permanently shrunk to any desired size in two dimensions, and is unaffected by laundering even in boiling water.

IV. By moistening a fabric, mechanically compressing the moistened fabric along one dimension whereby the yarns acquire additional crinkle, and maintaining the fabric under the compressive pressure while drying the fabric. The activation of the potentially adhesive fibers may take place simultaneously in both yarn systems before, during or after the drying step, and the deactivation of the fabric may take place before or after the drying but in any event while the fabric is maintained in the pre-shrunk condition. This ordinarily accomplishes pre-shrinkage in one dimension. However, it may be applied to woven fabrics so constituted that the potentially adhesive filaments in both yarn systems, though having different susceptibilities to activation, are activatable by heat. and having one system of yarns comprising prestretched filaments, in which case the mechanical compression is exerted upon the other yarn system and activation of both yarn systems may be performed simultaneously with heat at such a temperature that shrinkage of the' prestretched yarns occurs, so that upon deactivation, the fabric is pre-shrunk in both dimensions. One embodiment of suitable means for carrying out the shrinking in this process is disclosed in U. 8. Patent No. 1,861,422.

V. By moistening a fabric while maintaining one yarn system under tension and permitting or controlling the shrinkage of the other yarn system, that -is, by permitting the other yarns to crinkle, activating the potentially adhesive filaments of the more highly crinkled yarn system, with or without simultaneously activating the other yarn system, deactivating and drying the fabric while maintaining tension on the one yarn system, thereafter mechanically compressing the yarn system previously maintained under tension 0 to shrink that system by increasing the yarn crinkle or undulation, then activating only the mechanically compressed yarn system and deactivating while the fabric is held in the com.- pressed condition. One embodiment of suitable means for carrying out the shrinking vin this process is disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 1,861,423.

VI. Moistening and stretching the moist fabric in one direction while permitting or controlling the shrinkage of the fabric in the other dimenand simultaneously applying an activating agent sion, whereby the unstretched yarns acquire infor the latter set of yarns having no effect upon the other set of yarns, and again drying and deactivating the fabric, preferably under pressure, but free of tension. In this embodiment, the potentially adhesive filaments in both sets of yarns may be thermoplastic, but those in the first stretched set of yarns may be formed of a thermoplastic material having a lower temperature of softening and becoming tacky. For example, those filaments in the first stretched set of yarns may be formed of an after-chlorinated copolymer of vinyl chloride and vinyl acetate having a softening temperature range of, and becoming tacky at, about 120 C., while the potentially adhesive filaments in the other set of yarns may be creased undulation, activating the more undulated yarn system under conditions having no activation effect on the other yarn system, deactivating and drying the fabric while under tension, again moistening the fabric and stretching the remoistened fabric in that dimension not previously stretched while permitting or controlling the shrinkage of the fabric in the dimension first stretched, whereby the unstretched yarns acquire increased undulation, activating the more highly undulated yarns without afiecting the previously activated yarns, 'andagain drying and de-activating the fabric while maintaining the last stretched set of yarns under tension.

In the mechanical shrinking-treatments described above a chemical swelling agent may be employed in place of or in addition to water and such agent may be used to facilitate rendering the potentially adhesive filaments tacky by heating when such filaments are thermoplastic.

The shrunk Structure and form given the fabric by the shrinkage treatments just described may be rendered permanent and the textile stabilized by activating the potentially adhesive filaments in one or both yarn systems in succession or simultaneously to render them tacky before, during or after shrinking the fabric, preferably squeezing the filaments together as by pressing during such activation, and deactivating the fabric while in the shrunk condition and form to efiect a substantially permanent adhesion between the filaments and to set the yarn relationships.

When the potentially adhesive filaments are of thermoplastic character they may be rendered tacky by the use of dry hot air, steam, hot water or by contact with hot surfaces, with or without the addition of a solvent or plasticizer, and with or without the use of pressure.

While the filaments are in an adhesive condition, the fabric preferably is subjected to a squeezing or compacting treatment to promote adhesion of the associated filaments at their points of contact as by passing the fabric between pressure rollers. ihe squeezing may be efiected by'the means employed for mechanically shrinking fabrics as described hereinafter.

Deactivation may be accomplished by heating to a higher temperature or for a longer period of time at the temperature or" activation, as in the case of a heat-convertible resin filament, or by cooling, as in the case of a thermoplastic resin or cellulose derivative filament.

The difierence between the potentially adhesive filaments in the two yarn systems may amount to merely the presence of a plasticizer in entirely difierent composition and type may be 50 used. In all cases, the differences in the two types of potentially adhesive filaments used in the difierent yarn systems are such that the filaments in the yarns of each system may be selectively activated, without simultaneously activat- 65 ing the filaments of the other system. As is apparent from the description hereinabove, both oi the yarn systems may be selectively activated in succession. Alternatively, one of the yarn systems may be selectively activated, and such 60 activation may precede or follow a step of simultaneous activation of both yam systems.

The efiect of the combined shrinking and setting operations of the present invention may be illustrated as to one dimension of the fabric by 65 reference to the drawing. The untreated fabric may be represented by Fig. 1, in which the weft yarns i and the warp yarns is show only a slight undulation and the yarns are relatively distant from one another giving the fabric a loose, porous 70 appearance. When the fabric isshrunk in one dimension only, for example, by stretching the weft yarns of a pre-moistened fabric, while permitting the lengthwise contraction, there is produced a product as shown in Fig.

weit yarns I! lie substantially in the same plane, while the warp yarns are given an increased crinkle and a decreased over all length. By controlling the lengthwise contraction shrinkage to any desired size may be obtained, and the warp would appear as in Fig. 2.

While the iabric is in the shrunk condition, such as that shown in Fig. 3 or in 'Fig. 2, the deactivation of the previously activated adhesive filaments causes the component filaments of the yarns in one system to adhere to each other. This adherence of the filaments renders permanent the crinkle imparted to the yarns in that The shrunk condition thus rendered permanent by the deactivation need not be the ultimate weaving contraction produced by repeated launderings, but may be a shrunk condition intermediate between that of the untreated fabric and that of the ultimate shrinkage after laundering. This efiect is not obtainable by the use of the shrinking operation alone, but only by the use of the combination of the shrinking with the setting operation of the present invention.

If the fabric shown in Fig. 3 be subjected to warpwise shrinkage by any suitable method as by mechanically compressing the warp yarns lon tudinally, the warp yarns are given an increased crinkle thus bringing the weft yarns closer to each other. As a result of the longitudinal contraction in the warp and weft yarns, the final product will have substantially the structure iilustrated in Fig. 2 in which both series of yarns have a substantial crinkle and the yarns lie relatively close together in contrast to the untreated fabric.

However, in accordance with method VI above, when both the weft and warp yarns have been selectively activated in succession and each in the configuration of Figure 3, there is a tendency in both the weft and the warp yarn systems of the final fabric (Fig. 2) to return to the more highly undulated condition shown in Fig. 3. These tendencies in each yarn system are substantially equal,

so that they work together to resist strongly any external forces or influence tending to cause the reversion of the configuration of either yam system from that of Figure 2 to that of Figure 1.

Accordingly, the present invention provides inter alia, that a fabric may be shrunk to a pro determined but not necessarily the ultimate shrunk condition, and such shrunk condition rendered permanent so that the fabric neither shrinks nor expands to any substantial extent upon laundering, dry cleaning or wearing. Thus, the present invention provides a method for setting and fixing the dimensions of fabrics in a predetermined manner and for establishing a predetermined and residual shrinkage in textiles and these results maybe obtained in fabrics made from artificial filaments, in particular, cut staple rayon, as well as in fabrics made from natural fibers.

Since certain changes in carrying out the above process, and certain modifications in the article which embody the invention may be made without departing from its scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitin sense.

I claim:

1. A process of making a fabric comprising the steps of making at least two types of activatable 3, in which the yarns comprising a mixture of potentially adhesive filaments with non-adhesive filaments, the potentially adhesive filaments of one type of said yarns being activatable under conditions which do not activate the other type, weaving a fabric comprising filling and warp yarn systems using one type of said yarns for one of the yarn systems and the other type for the other yam system, shrinking the fabric in each of the directions of its two yarn systems in succession, and stabilizing the fabric structure by rendering the potentially adhesive filaments in each of the two yarn systems tacky in succession to effect adhesion between filaments in the fabric and thereafter,

rendering the tacky filaments non-tacky.

2. A process of making a fabric comprising the steps of making at least two types of activatable yarns comprising a mixture of potentially adhesive filaments with non-adhesive filaments, the potentially adhesive filaments of one type of said yarns being activatable under conditions which do not activate the other type, weaving a fabric comprising filling and warp yarn systems using one type of said yarns for one of the yarn systems and the other type for the other yarn system, shrinking the fabric in the direction of one of its yarn systems, rendering thepotentially adhesive,

filaments only in that yarn system tacky to effect adhesion between the filaments therein, thereafter rendering said filaments non-tacky, then shrinking the fabric in the direction of its other yarn system, rendering the potentiallyadhesive filaments in only the latter yarn system tacky, and thereafter rendering said tacky filaments non-tacky.

3. A process of making a fabric comprising the steps of making at least two types of activatable yarns comprising a mixture of potentially adhesive filaments with non-adhesive filaments, the potentially adhesive filaments of one type of said yarns being activatable under conditions which do not activate the other type, weaving a, fabric comprising filling and warp yarn systems using one type of said yarns for one of the yarn systems and the other type for the other yarn system, shrinking the fabric in the direction of one of its yarn systems, rendering the potentially adhesive filaments in both yarn systems tacky to effect adhesion between the filaments therein, thereafter rendering said filaments non-tacky, than shrinking the fabric in the direction of its other yarn system, rendering the potentially adhesive filaments in only the latter yarn system tacky, and thereafter rendering said tacky filaments non-tacky.

4. A process of making a fabric comprising the steps of making at least two types of activatable yarns comprising a mixture of potentially adhesive filaments with non-adhesive filaments, the potentially adhesive filaments of one type of said yarns being activatable under condtions which do not activate the other type, weaving a fabric comprising filling and warp yarn systems using one type of said yarns for one of the yarn systems and the other type for the other yarn system, shrinking the fabric in the direction of one of its yarn systems, rendering the potentially adhesive filaments only in that yarn system tacky to effect adhesion between the filaments therein, thereafter rendering said filaments non-tacky, then shrinking the fabric in the direction of its other yarn system, rendering the potentially adhesive filaments in both yam systems tacky, and thereafter rendering said tacky filaments non-tacky.

5. The process for preshrinking a woven fabric comprising two types of activatable yarns comprising a mixture of potentially adhesive fila ments with non-adhesive filaments, the potentially adhesive filaments in one of the types of yarns being activatable to an adhesive state under conditions which do not activate the potentially adhesive filaments of the other type, the warp containing yarns of one type and the filling containing yarns of the other type, which comprises shrinking the fabric in each of the directions of its two yarn systems in succession, and stabilizing the fabric structure by rendering the potentially adhesive filaments in each of the two yarn systems tacky in succession to effect adhesion between filaments in the fabric and thereafter rendering the tacky filaments non-tacky.

6. The process for preshrinking a woven fabric comprising two types of activatable yarns comprising a mixture of potentially adhesive filaments with non-adhesive filaments, the potentially adhesive filaments in one of the types of yarns being activatable to an adhesive state under conditions which do not activate the potentially adhesive filaments of the other type,.the warp containing yarns of one type and the filling containing yarns of the other type, which comprises shrinking the fabric'in the direction of one of its yarn systems, rendering the potentially adhesive filaments only in that yarn system tacky to efl'ect adhesion between the filaments therein, thereafter rendering said filaments nontacky, then shrinking the fabric in the direction of its other yarn system, rendering the potentially adhesive filaments in only the latter yarn system tacky, and thereafter rendering said tacky filaments non tacky.

'ljThe process for preshrinking a woven fabric comprising two types of activatable yarns comprising a mixture of potentially adhesive fila-. ments with non-adhesive filaments, the potentially adhesive filaments in one of the types of yarns being activatable to an adhesive state under conditions which do not activate the potentially adhesive filaments of the other type, the warp containing yarns of one type and the filling containing yarns of the other type. which comprises shrinking the fabric in the direction of one of its yarn systems, rendering the potentially adhesive filaments in both yarn systems tacky to effect adhesion between the filaments therein, there- 50 after rendering said filaments non-tacky, then shrinking the fabric in the direction of its other yarn system, rendering the potentially adhesive filaments in only the latter yarn system tacky,

and thereafter rendering said tacky filaments 5 non-tacky.

8. The process for preshrinking a woven fabric comprising two types of activatable yarns comprising a mixture of potentially adhesive filaments with non-adhesive filaments, the poten- 60 tially adhesive filaments in one of the types of yarns being activatable to an adhesive state under conditions which do not activate the potentially adhesive filaments of the other type, the warp containing yarns of one type and the filling con- 65 taining yarns of the other type, which comprises shrinking the fabric in the direction of one of its yarn systems, rendering the potentially adhesive filaments only in that yarn system tacky to effect adhesion between the filaments therein, there- 70 after rendering said filaments'non-tacky, then shrinking the fabric in the direction of its other yam system, rendering the potentially adhesive filaments in both yarn systems tacky, and thereafter rendering said tacky filaments non-tacky. (5 9. A fabric comprising at least two yarn systhe other types of yarns, constructing a fabrictemsassociated in fabric structural relationship, the yarns in each system comprising a mixture of non-adhesive filaments and potentially adhesive filaments, and the potentially adhesive filaments in the yarns of one system being activate.- ble to an adhesive state under conditions under which those of the other system are not afiected.

10. A pre-shrunk fabric comprising at least two yarn systems associated in fabric structural relationship, the yarns in each system comprising a mixture of non-adhesive filaments and potentially adhesive filaments, and the potentially adhesive filaments in the yarns of one system being activatable to an adhesive state under conditions under which those of the other system are not afiected, the pre-shrunk structure of the fabric being rendered substantially permanent by adhesion between filaments in the yarns thereof resultlng from selectively shrinking the two systems in succession, and immediately after the shrinkage of each yarn system selectively rendering tacky some of the potentially adhesive filaments in the shrunk yarn system.

11. A woven fabric comprising filling and warp yarn systems, the yarns in each system comprising a mixture of non-adhesive filaments and potentially adhesive filaments, and the potentially adhesive filaments in the yarns of one system being activatable to an adhesive state under conditions under which those of the other system are not afiected.

l2.- A rare-shrunk woven fabric comprising filling and warp yarn systems, the yarn in each systern comprising a mixture of non-adhesive filaments and potentially adhesive filaments, and the potentially adhesive filaments in the yarns of one system being activatable to an adhesive state under conditions under which those of the other system are not affected, the pre-shrunk structure of the fabric being rendered substantially permanent by adhesion between filaments in the yarns thereof resulting from selectively shrinking the two systems in succession, and immediately after the shrinkage of each yarn system selectively rendering tacky some of the potentially adhesive filaments in the shrunk yarn system.

13. A process of making a fabric comprising at least two sets of yarns comprising the steps making at least two types of activatable yarns comprising potentially adhesive filaments, the potentially adhesive filaments of at least one type of said yarns being activatable to an adhesive state under conditions which do not activate the other types of yarns, constructing a fabric by associating in fabric structural relationship activatable yarns of one type as one yarn set and activatable yarns of another type as another yarn set, shrinking one set of yarns of the fabric, rendering the potentially adhesive filaments in the shrunk yarns tacky to efiect adhesion between filaments therein, thereafter rendering said filaments non-tacky, then shrinking the other set of yarns of the fabric, rendering the potentially adhesive filaments in the latter yarns only tacky to effect adhesion of filaments therein, and thereafter rendering the tacky filaments in the latter yarns non-tacky.

14. A. process of making a fabric comprising at least two sets off yarns comprising the steps of making at least two types of activatable yarns comprising a mixture of potentially adhesive fila- -rnents with non-adhesive textile filaments, the

potentially adhesive filaments of at least one type of said yarns being activatable to an adhesive state under conditions which do not activate by associating in fabric structural relationship activatable yarns of one type as one yarn set and activatable yarns of another type as another yarn set, shrinking one set of yarns of the fabric, ren- 15. A process of making a fabric comprising the steps of making at least two types of activatable yarns comprising potentially adhesive filaments, the potentially adhesive filaments of one type of said yarns being activatable under conditions which do not activate the other type, weaving a, fabric comprising filling and warp yarn systems using one type of said yarns for one of the yarn systems and the other type for the other yarn system, shrinking the fabric in the direction of one of its yarn systems, rendering the potentially adhesive filaments in the shrunk yarns tacky to effect adhesion between filaments therein, thereafter rendering said filaments non-tacky, then shrinking the fabric in the direction of its other yarn system, rendering the potentially adhesive filaments in the latter yarn. system only tacky to effect adhesion between filaments therein, and thereafter rendering said tacky filaments in the latter yarn system non-tacky.

16. The process of preshrinking a fabric comprising at least two sets of yarns, the yarns of each yarn set comprising potentially adhesive filaments, the potentially adhesive filaments of one yarn set being activatable to an adhesive state under conditions which do not activate the potentially adhesive filaments of the other yarn sets which comprises shrinking one set of yarns of the fabric, rendering the potentially adhesive filaments in the shrunk yarns tackyto effect adhesion between filaments therein, thereafter rendering said filaments non-tacky, then shrinking the other set of yarns of the fabric, rendering the potentially adhesive filaments in the latter yarns only tacky to effect adhesion between filaments therein, and thereafter rendering said tacky filaments non-tacky.

17. The process of preshrinking a fabric comprising at least two sets of yarns, the yarns of each yarn set comprising a mixture of potentially adhesive filaments with non-adhesixe textile filaments, the potentially adhesive filaments of one yarn set being activatable to an adhesive state under conditions which do not activate the potentially adhesive filaments of the other yarn sets which comprises shrinking one set of yarns of the fabric, rendering the potentially adhesive filaments in the shrunk yarns tacky to efiect adhesion between filaments therein, thereafter rendering said filaments non-tacky, then shrinking the other set of yarns of the fabric, rendering the potentially adhesive filaments in the latter yarns only tacky, and thereafter rendering said tacky filaments in the latter yarns non-tacky.

13. The process for preshrinking a woven fabric comprising two types of activatable yarns comprising potentially adhesive filaments, the potentially adhesive filaments in one of the yp s of yarns being activatable to an adhesive state under conditions which do not activate the potentially adhesive filaments of the other type, the

warp containing yarns of one type and the filling containing yarns of the other type. which comprises shrinking the fabric in the direction of one of its yarn systems, rendering the potentially adthen shrinking the fabric in the direction of its other yarn system, rendering the potentially adhesive filaments in the latter yarn system only tacky, and thereafter rendering said tacky filahesive filaments in the shrunk yarn system tacky 5 ments in the latter yarn system non-tacky.

to effect adhesion between filaments therein, thereafter rendering said filaments non-tacky,

CARL A. CASTELLAN.

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