US2772552A - Apparatus for aftertreatment of freshspun artificial filaments in continuous flowing liquid - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 4, 1956 P. A. NIKLES ETA APPARATUS FOR AFTERTREATMENT OF FRESH-SPUN ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS IN CONTINUOUS FLOWING LIQUID 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 4, 1950 INVENTORS: PAUL N\KLE.6 ROBERT S EIGER GulbO BACH m apxma Dec. 4, 1956 P. A. NIKLES ETAL 2,

APPARATUS FOR AFTERTREATMENT 0F FRESH-SPUN ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS IN CONTINUOUS FLOWING LIQUID Filed May 4, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORSI Paul Nwdes Robert. Stes'er- Guudo Bach BY W 1956 P. A. NIKLES ETAL 2,772,552

APPARATUS FOR AFTERTREATMENT 0F FRESH-SPUN ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS IN CONTINUOUS FLOWING LIQUID Filed May 4, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 J0 2, FIG. 8

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INVENTORS! PAUL N: KLES ROBERT STEIGER Gmoo BAcH BYWW Dec. 4, 1956 P. A. NIKLES T AL 2,772,552

APPARATUS FOR AFTERTREATMENT OF FRESH-SPUN ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS IN CONTINUOUS FLOWING LIQUID Filed May 4, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I m i F! a [1/29 5 0 p p P 6a l/VVfNTORZ'JI PAUL N mu-zs ROBERT STEIGER Gums BAcH United States Patent APPARATUS FOR AFTERTREATMENT OF FRESH- SPUN ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS IN CONTINU- OUS FLOWING LIQUID Paul Alfred N ikles, Bern, Robert Steiger, Muri, near Bern, and Guido Bach, Bern, Switzerland, assignors to ing. A. Maurer S. A., Bern, Switzerland Application May 4, 1950, Serial No. 159,892

Claims priority, application Switzerland May 5, 1949 3 Claims. (Cl. 68--181) Methods are known in the art of dyeing, bleaching, and otherwise treating fresh spun rayon or other artificial filaments in which the filaments for the purpose of aftertreating and subsequent drying are run in continuous operation, in helical turns over guide drums or reels, whereby they pass through the required aftertreating liquids for the purpose of being de-acidified, desulfurated, washed, bleached, shaded-oft, and the like. It further is known to run artificial filaments by means of rollers or guideways through the various aftertreating troughs or basins.

Our present invention follows a new path in the aftertreatment and drying of the filaments. According to our invention, as disclosed in the following description, the filament is aftertreated and, at the same time, transported in piped streams of aftertreating liquids. The filament, further, may be transported from one zone of aftertreatment, i. e. from one aftertreatment liquid, to the other without the aid of any transfer rollers or guide elements by purely hydraulic means, whereby the entire arrangement and its operation are substantially simplified.

Our invention also relates to means for carrying out such new method, comprising a piping system through which the filament is transported, and means for delivering a stream of aftertreating liquids through the pipes. The latter suitably are provided with constricted passages in order to run the filament along the center line of the pipes. The latter at their outlet ends may be tapered in order to impart a slight tension to the filament. The pipes suitably also are provided with bays or enlarged passages in which the filament bundle is repeatedly opened and, therefore, the time of treatment is reduced. In a further form of our present invention the pipe of each aftertreatment zone, through which the aftertreatment liquid is cycled, comprises a branch port through which the filament is transferred immediately to the beginning of the succeeding aftertreatment zone.

A plurality of means for carrying out the method disclosed by our present invention are shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1, comprising the section 1a and 1b, shows schematically a vertical section through the entire system of a first form,

Fig. 2 is a partial plan view of Figs. 1a and 1b,

Fig. 3 an end view of the spinning head,

Fig. 4 a longitudinal section through a liquid jet pump,

Figs. 5-7 show partial elevations of modifications,

Fig. 8 shows a pipe in elevation having a constricted passage,

Fig. 9 a pipe in elevation having a constricted passage, forming a Venturi tube,

Fig. a pipe in elevation having a tapered delivery end,

Fig. 11 a pipe in elevation having an enlarged passage,

Fig. 12 shows schematically a second form of invention, and

Fig. 13 shows schematically a modification of the form of invention shown in Fig. 12.

As shown in Figs. 1-3, the spinning solution is extruded in convention manner through nozzles 1 into a coagulation bath from which the filament is run to a collecting basin 4 over the two stretching means 2 and 3. One end of a pipe 5 which in its center portion is helically coiled, is disposed in the basin 4, and its other end is connected to a liquid jet pump 6. The latter, however, also could be put at the opposite end of pipe 5.

As shown in Fig. 4, liquid is supplied under pressure to the pump 6 through a pipe 7 and passes through a nozzle 8 into a collecting basin 9. By virtue of the injector action of the liquid flowing through nozzle 8, a vacuum is produced in pipe 5, and the filament sucked through the latter together with the liquid in basin 4. The liquid in basin 9 is fed through a pipe 10 to a sump 11. From the latter the liquid is fed through a pump 12 and pipe 13 partly back into basin 4 through a pipe 14, and partly through pipe 7 (see Figures 4 and 1) back into the jet pumps 6. The treating liquid thus is continuously circulated through pipe 5. From basin 9, the filament is run into a tray 15 associated with a second treating zone II in which the filament undergoes a second aftertreatment through a second liquid and in a manner similar as in the zone I.

In Fig. 1, a total of four similar zones of treatment I-IV are shown, in which the filament is aftertreated. Having passed through the last zone of treatment IV, the filament is run into a pipe 16 which terminates in an injector 17 Drying air is blown through the latter into a pipe 18 at the end of which is disposed a box 19. The air is sucked from the latter through a fan 20 and fed in circulation back to the injector 17 through a heater 21. Fresh air may be introduced into heater 21 and waste air taken therefrom, respectively, at points 22 and 23 in order to maintain the degree of humidity of the treating air. From box 19, the filament is run over a roller 24 to a twisting or throwing apparatus 25 or to a reel for parallel windmg.

Instead of using air, the filament may be dried by means of a dehydrating liquid or a non-hydroscopic heated liquid. In such case, the drying zone may be identical with the aftertreatment zone IV for example, so that the liquid is circulated through a pipe through which the filament runs at the same time.

Fig. 5 shows a modification in which the pipe 5', instead of being helically wound, is straight or, respectively, has a single bend.

Fig. 6 shows a further modification in which positively driven discs 26 are provided at the end of each aftertreating zone for the purpose of mechanically drawing ed the filament and thus aiding the transport thereof. The rate of flow of liquid through pipe 5" thereby may be reduced to a minimum.

Fig. 7 shows a'still further modification in which, at the end of each pipe 5, a chamber 27 is provided. In the latter, a vacuum is produced which induces the flow of liquid in the aftertreatment pipe 5", and, thus, causes the transport of the filament.

In Fig. 8, a rayon filament is passed through pipe 5a (see Fig. 12) in a stream of after-treatment liquid in the manner described. The pipe 5a is constricted at 2 for centrally guiding the filament in the pipe. At the points of constriction, the fiow velocity of the liquid is sufliciently high to afiord a good filament transport and to prevent the filament from sticking to the pipe wall. Such constricted passages permit a very material reduction of the amount of liquid in comparison with pipes of substantially uniform diameter.

A modified constriction 3 in pipe 5a in Fig. 9 diflFers from that shown in Fig. 8 in that the former is formed as Venturi tube in order to obtain a minimum pressure drop at the point of constriction.

The constrictions 2 and 3' of Figs. 8 and 9 may be introduced into pipes bearing the figure at points where the filaments tend to fall or be pushed against the sides of the pipes.

In Fig. 10, the discharge end of pipe 5 (as in Fig. 4, which may be any pipe where the aftertreatment is under positive pressure may be tapered at 4' in order to subject the filament to a slight tension.

The pipe 5:: in Fig. 1 1 is enlarged at Such enlargements afford a repeated or successive opening of the filament bundle at any desired points in the pipes bearing the figure 5 or 5a so as to very substantially reduce the time of treatment.

In the second form of invention illustrated in Fig. 12, a plurality of tanks 4a are shown for receiving difierent aftertreatment liquids. To each of said tanks is connected a pipe 5:: through which the respective liquid is returned in a cycle to the tank by means of a liquid jet pump or ejector 6a which is disposed at the very beginning of pipe 5a. Each pipe 5a comprises a top bend 5b, a branch port 50, and an outlet 5d. The rayon filament to be treated is passed through the pipe 5a with the aid of the liquid stream and leaves the pipe through the branch port 50 to enter directly into the pump 6a of the succeeding treatment zone. For the purpose of introducing the filament into the apparatus, the outlet 5d of the respective pipe 5a is closed or throttled, either manually or by means of a baffle, as soon as the filament has arrived in bend 5b so that at least part of the liquid stream is diverted through the said port 50 and entrains the filament therethrough. The respective outlet then is opened again, and such operation is repeated in each aftertreatment zone until the filament has been passed through the entire system. By suitably shaping and adapting the branch ports 50 and the outlets 5d, the amount of liquid flowing out through the port 5c during aftertreatment may be reduced to a minimum, thereby preventing the various treatment liquids from intermixing.

In the modification shown in Fig. 13, Obturators (closures) 28 are associated with the outlets 5d of all the pipes 5a. The said obturators are pivoted for readily closing and opening the outlets 5d by mounting the same on axle pins 29 and at the other end are connected to a common axially slidable rod 30. The latter is operable by means of a lever 31 pivoted on a pin 32. When the lever is swung clockwise from the position shown, the obturators 28 close or throttle all the outlets 5d so as to divert at least the major portion of the liquid stream through the branch ports 50. In such latter position (shown by a dotand-dash line in Fig. 13) of lever 31, the filament may be automatically introduced into the apparatus with the aid of the liquid stream, whereupon-during aftertreatment of the filament-the lever is swung back again into the position shown by full lines.

In the means described, the aftertreatment liquid may be moved by means of a vacuum (injector) or under pressure (ejector), which injector or ejector may be disposed at any point of the pipe. Mechanical transport means for carrying the filament onward may be reduced to a minimum or entirely eliminated. The means disclosed by our present invention are extremely simple in operation. The filament is handled with extreme care, since it does not contact any solid bodies on its path of travel, but mostly is surrounded by a protecting liquid current. As the means, further, do not comprise any complicated or structurally intricate parts, their maintenance is very much simplified.

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

1. An apparatus for the, continuous wet treatment of fresh spun artificial filament by passing it through a conduit in contact with an aftertreatment liquid comprising a tubular conduit for the treatment of the filament in a continuously flowing stream of the aftertreatment liquid, means for directing the filament into and out of said conduit, means for conveying the filament through said conduit by the action of said liquid comprising a pressure means for forcing said liquid through said conduit in the direction of fiow of said filament, and means for facilitating the treatment of said filament and guiding it along the central portion of the conduit and within the liquid therein comp-rising a section of restricted cross sectional area and a means on said conduit for repeatedly opening the fiber bundle, constituting said filament, comprising sections of enlarged cross sectional area intermediate the ends of the conduit.

2. An apparatus for the continuous wet treatment of fresh spun artificial filament by passing it through a conduit in contact with an aftertreatment liquid comprising a series of cyclic tubular conduits for the treatment of the filament in a flowing stream of aftertreatment liquid, means for directing the filament into the series of conduits, means for directing the filament out of the series of conduits, pump means for forcing the liquid through said conduits in the direction of fiow of said filament, branch port means in said conduits for discharging said filament from one of the series of conduits leading into an adjacent conduit, and means for guiding the filament along the central portion of the conduits and within the stream of liquid therein comprising a section of restricted cross sectional area in said conduits intermediate the ends thereof.

3. An apparatus for the continuous wet treatment of fresh spun artificial filament by passing it through a conduit in contact with an aftertreatment liquid comprising a series of cyclic tubular conduits for the treatment of the filament in a flowing stream of aftertreatment liquid provided with inlet and outlet ports for said liquid, means for directing the filament into the series of conduits, means for directing the filament out of the series of conduits, pump means for forcing the liquid through said conduits in the direction of flow of said filament, branch port means in said conduits for discharging said filament from one of the series of conduits leading into an adjacent conduit, means for closing said outlet ports, and means for guiding the filament along the central portion of the conduits and within the stream of liquid therein comprising a section of restricted cross sectional area in said conduits intermediate the ends thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 225,363 Gray et al. Mar. 9, 1880 231,014 Danunhauer Aug. 10, 1880 688,742 Laag et al. Dec. 10, 1901 1,430,126 Lyth Jan. 10, 1922 1,871,100 Walton Aug. 9, 1932 1,897,122 Hartmann Feb. 14, 1933 2,131,409 Nai Sept. 27, 1938 2,203,678 Dursteler June 11, 1940 2,203,793 Lovett June 11, 1940 2,268,590 Hinnekens June 6, 1942 2,344,973 Croft Mar. 28, 1944 2,360,352 Lodge Oct. 17, 1944 2,371,579 Cole Mar. 13, 1945 2,460,206 Wentz Jan. 25, 1949 2,568,499 Hood Sept. 18, 1951 2,577,915 Piller Dec. 11, 1951 2,642,035 McDermott June 16, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS- 504,995 Germany Aug. 13, 1930 256,814 Switzerland Mar. 1, 1949

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