US3093867A

US3093867A - Process and apparatus for dyeing sliver

Info

Publication number: US3093867A
Application number: US82297A
Authority: US
Inventors: Norman H Chandler
Original assignee: Thor Mills Ltd
Current assignee: Thor Mills Ltd
Priority date: 1961-01-12
Filing date: 1961-01-12
Publication date: 1963-06-18
Anticipated expiration: 1980-06-18
Also published as: FR1315283A; CH387581A; GB934015A; CH37262A4; CH391635A; NL273433A; LU41087A1

Description

June 18, 1963 N. H. CHANDLER 3,093,867

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR DYEING SLIVER Filed Jan. 12, 1961 IIg 7 5m United States Patent 3,093,867 PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR DYEING SLIVER Norman H. Chandler, Granhy, Quebec, Canada, assignor to Thor Mills Limited, Granby, Quebec, Canada Filed Jan. 12, 1961, Ser. No. 82,297 3 Claims. (CI. 19-66) This invention relates to the colouring or dyeing of running lengths of non-woven textile fibres, for example in the form of roving, sliver, slubbing, top, yarn, warp or filament.

In many instances it is preferable to have textile fibres in various forms dyed prior to weaving or knitting. This is especially true in most cases where the finished fabric must have a colour pattern woven or knitted directly into the fabric. The generally accepted method of producing colour in running lengths of unwoven fibre is either by the batch process in both dyeing and printing or the con tinuous method which is also obtained in printing.

In dyeing running lengths of unwoven textile fibre the material is generally wound into a loose form such as a hank or skein or otherwise wound onto a perforated tube and the material immersed in a dye bath which ultimately contains a liquid carrier such as water, the colouring matter to be applied, and generally a number of auxiliaries to aid in the dyeing depending on the method being employed. Either the material moves through a stationary dye bath or the dye bath is moved through the material which is stationary. The dyeing depends on the afiinity of the fibre for the dyestuff contained in the bath. The auxiliaries in the bath are generally included to either aid affixing of the dyestuflt on the fibre, or to speed up the action, or to reduce the alfinity of the tdyestuff for the fibre so as to ultimately increase the levelness of the dyeing. The dyeing is complete when the dyer feels that the goods have come up to shade by taking on of dyestuff from the bath.

Printing, on the other hand, is generally carried out on running lengths of unwoven fibre by applying a thickened paste of colouring matter to the material by an embossed roll. This is generally referred to in the trade as vigoreux printing. After the printing paste has been applied in the desired fashion, the dyestulf is fixed to the fibre by convenient means. The fibre is then scoured to remove any excess colouring matter and thickening which has not become fixed to the fibre. Subsequent drafting and blending of the fibres is necessary to level out any unevenness occurring during printing.

APPLICANTS DEVELOPMENT The method of the present invention overcomes many of the difficulties encountered with existing methods of dyeing and printing running lengths of unwoven fibre. In the applicants method there is applied a non-varying percentage of dyestuff solution to the material on a continuous basis and that non-varying amount is forced to migrate evenly throughout the running length. The proportion of dyestuff based on the weight of the goods is non varying and such that it is always capable of being taken on by the fibre during the subsequent fixing operation and as a consequence a scour is not required to remove excess dyestuif. Thus, with the application of a fixed proportion of colouring matter to the normal fibre and with all of the colouring matter so applied being fixed to the fibre, there is no loss of colour in subsequent processes nor :a variation in colour from yard to yard or from foot to foot, dyelot to dyelot, etc.

In the applicants preferred method, the running lengths of unwoven fibres are passed between two surfaces of compression. To one or both of the surfaces of compression which move the material at a constant rate of feed, the dyes-tuft" is applied with necessary auxiliary materials Patented June 18, 1963 (egg. acids, softeners, alkalis) in solution to the surfaces of compression by means of a pump of constant flow. The solution to supply the pump comes from a reservoir in which the solution is constantly agitated so as to produce a homogeneous and constant solution to the surfaces of compression.

After the material leaves the nipmade by the two surfaces of compression it is impeded in its flow by a form of crimp box with a spring loaded trapdoor. The material is thus held back and held in con-tact with the surfaces of compression so as to wipe them clean of the dyestuif solution before new solution is applied. As the material under pressure in the crimp-box overcomes the pressure exerted by the trapdoor in the crimpbox, the material emerges from the crimp-box in an uneven fashion but always retaining constant pressure on material within the box.

If the running lengths were not forced into a crimp-box after application of the dyeing solution the dye solution could not be evenly dispersed throughout the strand, nor would all of the solution be absorb-ed from the compres sion surfaces. If all of the dyes-tuff is not removed from the compression surface and more dyestuff is added to that same surface there is no guarantee that a fixed percentage of the dyestulf will be applied to the material.

In an alternative procedure, according to the invention, the dye is applied in measured amounts to the strand itself before the strand contacts the press rolls. This may be done, for example, by spraying the dye stuff through the strand. Similar results are achieved when the dye is applied to the rolls, the action of the rolls in the crimpbox serving to spread the dye through the strand.

After the colouring solution has been evenly applied by the aforementioned method, the dyestuff may then be fixed to the fibre in the conventional methods: which employ heat, steam, etc.

So far the applicant has only talked of dyeing the unwoven fibres to a solid shade or colour. The same method may be modified so that a stripe or alternating stripe can be applied to the running length of unwoven fibre. This results in only a portion of the material being coloured. Several streams of colouring matter may also be applied to the compression surfaces, thus obtaining a variety of coloured stripes on the fibres. There is always a demand for such effects where the material so dyed is later processed and the fibres re-located with regard to one another so as to give a homogeneous and intimate fibre mix of the various colours.

In most cases where a solid shade is desire-d on the running length of 'unwoven fibre one must resort to a doctor blade, a jet of air, a felt wick, oscillating nozzle, etc, or some other means in order to disperse the colouring solution across the compression surface in order that dye solution will be forced through or printed into the unwoven strand to its entire length, width and. depth.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The invention has been generally described and it will now be discussed in more detail by reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a preferred apparatus according to the invention and capable of carrying out the process thereof, and in which FIGURE -1 is a front perspective View of the apparatus proper.

FIGURE 2 is a cross-section along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical cross-section through the apparatus of FIGURES 1 and 2. taken about mid-Way in the rollers.

FIGURE 4 is a diagrammatic view showing the approximate nature of the running length of unwoven fibre as it passes through the apparatus.

'FIGURES 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 are cross-sections along the lines 5-5, 66', 77, 8--8, and 99 of FIGURE 4.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, and 17 are a pair of crimp rolls arranged to rotate on

parallel shafts

15a and 17a respectively and extending from the frame A. The

rolls

15 and 17 are positioned so that their peripheral surfaces 15b and 1712 respectively form between them a nip N through which the textile material is passed.

A strand condenser 21 is adapted to receive a running length S of unwoven textile fiber i.e. a strand, for example a sliver and to lead it into the nip N. A crimp box 23 is arranged beneath the crimp rolls 15 and 17 and in a position to receive the strand forced from the delivery side of the nip N. The crimp box 23 is provided with a gate 25 hinged to the body 23 and under pressure effective to deter the passage of the strand. The amount of pressure is adjusted by a knob 24 through the shaft 24a. The strand is thus backed up in a well-known manner, forcing it against the rotating peripheral surfaces 15b and 17b causing it to wipe the rolls and at the same time putting a crimp in the strand before it is allowed to emerge from the gate.

Felt pads

31 and 33 respectively are held on

spring brackets

35 and 37 to bear against the

peripheral surfaces

15a and 17a respectively. Pipes "41 and 43 lead from the source of supply of liquid dye, for example, from a pump and a reservoir. The

pipes

41 and 43 have

outlets

41a and 43a just above the

pads

31 and 33 respectively.

OPERATION In operation, the strand S is fed from a source of supply, for example a can, to the strand condenser 21 into the nip N of the

rolls

15 and 17 which are rotated clockwise and counter-clockwise respectively so as to draw the strand into the nip N and force it into the crimp box 23. At the same time a sthe strand is being continuously passed into the condenser 21, between the nip N into the crimp box 23 and past the crimp gate 25, dye is fed at a metered rate through the

pipes

41 and 43 so as to supply dye at a known and constant rate to the felt

pads

31 and 33 and thence to the peripheral surfaces 150 and 17a of the crimp rolls.

In accordance with the invention, the amount of dye which is fed is at the most not greater than the amount which can be taken up by the strand. In other words, there is no excess. In the case where complete dyeing is desired, the amount of dye is adjusted to be just that amount which it is desired to retain in the strand. This is possible because the entire amount of dye fed is taken up by the strand because of the particular manner of its contact with the dye. That is to say, the strand is backed up against the

surfaces

15a and 17a of the crimp rolls by the action of the crimp gate and the strand wipes the surfaces of these rolls continually assuring the com plete transfer of dye from the rolls to the strand. At the same time, the strand is crimped by the action of the crimp gate. The speed of feed of the dye, the speed of rotation of the rolls, and the pressure of the gate are all adjusted to achieve the desired end.

The crimper rolls may operate at a speed at least fast enough that the dye will not flow 'faster than the rollers are moving, to a maximum speed where the centrifugal force is not suflicient to fling the dye from the rollers. The maximum amount of dye-stuff which the strand is able to absorb is about 25% in the case of polyesters, about 60% in the case of wool. For acrylics this will be about 35% and for cotton about 45%, from about 10 to about 600 feet per minute surface speed with a preferred speed being in the neighbourhood of 350 feet per minute.

The range of pressure on the press rolls may run from five pounds to fifteen hundred pounds of loading between crimper rolls. This will handle all types of fiber and will apply from about 8 to about crimps per inch,

with about 20 inches preferred. The force applied in a normal direction to the crimp box gate may range from about five pounds to about two hundred pounds, about fifty pounds being a preferred figure for most average processing.

The approximate range of strand weight for various crimper rolls and crimp box widths is as follows, it being understood that these ranges are approximate only as there is a certain dependency on the type of fiber being processed.

Strand weight range,

Roll and box width: grains/ yd.

The range of percentage of dye-stuff in the liquor will, under normal circumstances, be from about /2 to about 20% by weight, for example, 6% or 6 grams per milliliters of solution will yield medium to dark shades of a colour. The percent of liquor by weight applied to a strand will vary from about /2% to about 60%. An excess of over 60% will in most cases cause drip from the strand thus defeating the purpose of the consistent application as possible by the invention.

EXAMPLES This invention will be further understood by reference to specific examples which illustrate preferred aspects of the invention.

Example I 100% DYEING Orlon 42 tow of 58,750 denier (where denier represents the number of grams per 9000 meters) and containing fibens of 3 denier per filament was dyed by passing through equipment of the type described above and of the dimensions given below, under the following conditions:

Crimper roll diameters--- 4.0". Crimper troll pressure 500 lbs. Crimper roll width Crimp box width Crimp box depth (same as roll width). Crimp box length from nip..- 5 /2". Spring force on crimp box gate lbs. Crimper roll surface speed-.. ft./min. Crimper productivity 327 gnrs/min. Dye liquor flow rate 35 gms./min. per

nozzle (2 nozzles used). Percent liquor applied on wt.

of goods 21.4%.

The dye liquor was composed of the following components in grams per 100 milliliters of aqueous solution:

6.0 grams/100 ml. Sevron yellow L (catonic dye) 1.66 grams/100 ml. Brilliant Red 4G (catonic dye) 1.6 *grams/ 100 ml. glacial acetic acid The resulting orange coloured tow was found to have exceptional fastness properties and showed no signs of colour loss whatever on scouring indicating that all of the metered dyestuffs had been taken on by the tow.

The coloured tow so produced was in a condition suitable for any of the textile processes such as stapling, cutting, etc.

The dye liquor was well dispersed and kept in agitation during pumping. The liquor was metered to a nozzle above each pressure roll and the liquor fell onto a felt wick located on each roll. The purpose of the felt wick, which Was the same width as the roll and centered on the roll, was to cause the liquor to be dispersed across the width of the roll to guarantee complete dyeing of the tow being processed.

3 minutes of vacuum 3 minutes of steam at 230 F. (about 7 lbs. pressure) 20 seconds release of pressure 5% minutes of steam 20 seconds release 7 /2 minutes of steam 4 minutes of vacuum Example ll PARTIAL DYEING A sliver of nylon 66 containing 4 /2" 3 denier fibers and weighing 210 grains/yd. was processed through the invention with the purpose of dyeing only part of the sliver and leaving the remainder in its original colour. After subsequent drafting and blending the final yarn would have a two-tone effect which is often desirable.

The crimper which was used was the same as that used in the 100% dyeing example. Further details on the processing were as follows:

Crimper productivity grams/min-.. 150 Dye liquor flow rate do- 14.8 Percent liquor applied on wt. of goods The dye liquor contained the following components in grams per 100 milliliters of aqueous solution:

4.0 Chromacyl Yellow N 1.5 Chromacyl Blue GG 12.0 urea 12.0 ammonium sulphate The dye was well dispersed and agitated during pumping. The liquor was metered to a nozzle above the middle of one pressure roll and allowed to pour onto the middle of the roll as the nylon sliver was passed through between the rolls. The roll pressure was adjusted to 350 lbs. to yield the desired degree of liquor penetration. (Most pressure would have resulted in a larger percentage of the sliver being dyed or coloured.)

Example III OVERDYEING TWO COLOURS A wool strand of 64s quality and weighing 195 grains/yd. had been previously dyed to a yellow shade. It was desired to have a sliver containing yellow, green, brown and orange fibers which would result in a brown mix when intimately drafted and blended in subsequent processing. The colouring process was carried out by passing the sliver through the equipment of the applicants invention with settings similar to the case of 100% dyeing but with the following exceptions:

Crimper roll pressure 450 lbs.

Spring force on crimp box gate v 75 lbs.

Crimper roll surface speed 165 ft./min. Crimper {productivity 695 gms./min. Dye liquor flow rate 70 gms./min.of red from one nozzle. 85 gms./min. of blue from other nozzle. Percent of liquor applied on wt.

of goods 10.1% red, 12.2%

blue.

The red dye liquor was composed of the following components in gms./ millilitres of aqueous solution:

1.2 Acid Milling Red G 0.1 Acid Green BN VARIABLE FACTORS The types of fibers that can be dyed by the process of the invention include synthetic fibers like cellulose acetate, acrylic, azlon, nylon, nytril, polyesters, rayon, saran, vinal and natural fibers for example, cotton, linen, fur, silk and wool, monacrylics, and vinyon. Among the forms of the material that can be dyed by the process of the invention are sliver, top, roving, slubbiug, yarn, warp and tow.

I claim:

1. A continuous method of dyeing a running length of unwoven fiber, comprising, passing the running length into the nip between the converging surfaces of press rolls moving at a constant linear speed, confining the material leaving the nip under resilient pressure thereby crimping it and causing it to Wipe the diverging compressing surfaces of the press rolls subsequent to the nip, continuously applying liquid dye to the converging surfaces prior to their point of contact with the running length in an amount 'absorbable by the running length, the speed of the rolls, the amount of resilient pressure and the speed of feed of the dye being coordinated and constant whereby there is continuous complete removal of dye from the roll surfaces and absorption by the running length.

2. A method of dyeing a running length of unwoven fibre comprising passing the material to be dyed between converging then diverging compression surfaces of constant linear speed, continuously applying dye on the surfaces prior to contact with the material and thence crimping the material against the said diverging compression surfaces to assure the complete removal and absorption of the dye.

3. A method of dyeing a running length of unwoven fibre comprising passing the material to be dyed between converging then diverging compression surfaces of constant linear speed on which a plurality of dyes have been applied and thence crimping the material against the diverging compression surfaces to :assure complete removal and absorption of dye.

4. A method of dyeing a running length of unwoven fibre comprising passing the material to be dyed between converging then diverging compression surfaces of constant linear speed which have been grooved and mated in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the compression surfaces and in the grooves of which a dye is constantly applied and crimping the material against the diverging compression surfaces to assure the complete removal and absorption of dye.

5. An apparatus for applying dye to strands of textile material, comprising, a pair of smooth-surfaced crimp rolls arranged to rotate on parallel axes whereby their peripheral surfaces form therebetween a nip through which the strand is passed, a crimp box related to the rolls at the delivery side of the hip in such a. manner as to receive the strand from the rolls and to subject it to crimping pressure, a pad held to ride on the surface of each roll to disperse the dye across the width of the roll at a position prior to the nip, a condenser for the strand arranged in advance of the nip to deliver the material to the nip, and means for supplying metered amounts of dye in liquid form to the pads.

6. A method of dyeing, comprising, continuously passing a running length of unwoven fiber between converging, then diverging compression surfaces of constant linear speed, continuously applying dye to the surfaces prior to contact with the material, crimping the material against the diverging compression surfaces to ensure complete removal of the dye from the surfaces and its absorption by 7 the material, and subsequently treating the dyed crimped material to fix the dye.

7. A method of dyeing, comprising applying fluid dye to a continuous length of unwoven fiber whereby dye is absorbed therein, then substantially immediately passing said fiber continuously between converging then diverging compression surfaces of constant linear speed and crimping the length of said fiber against the diverging compression surfaces, and subsequently treating the dyed cr-imped fiber to fix the dye.

8. An apparatus for applying dye to strands of textile material, comprising, a pair of smooth-surfaced crimp rolls arranged to rotate on parallel axes whereby their peripheral surfaces form therebetween a nip through which the strand is passed, a crimp box related to the rolls at the delivery side of the nip in such a manner as to receive the strand from the rolls and to subject it to crimping pressure, a pad held to ride on the surface of at least one roll to disperse the dye across the width of the roll at a position prior to the nip, a condenser for the strand arranged in advance of the nip 'to deliver the material to the nip, and means for supplying metered amounts of dye in liquid form to the pad.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,115,218 Siever Apr. 26, 1933 2,311,174 Hitt Feb. 16, 1943 2,715,309 Rosenstein et a1 Aug. 16, 1955 2,867,005 Wheelock n Jan. 6, 1959

Claims

1. A CONTINUOUS METHOD OF DYEING A RUNNING LENGTH OF UNWOVEN FIBER, COMPRISING, PASSING THE RUNNING LENGTH INTO THE NIP BETWEEN THE CONVERGING SURFACES OF PRESS ROLLS MOVING AT A CONSTANT LINEAR SPEED, CONFINING THE MATERIAL LEAVING THE NIP UNDER RESILIENT PRESSURE THEREBY CRIMPING IT AND CAUSING IT TO WIPE THE DIVERGING COMPESSING SURFACE OF THE PRESS ROLLS SUBSEQUENT TO THE NIP, CONTINOUSLY APPLYING LIQUID DYE TOO THE CONVERGING SURFACES PRIOR TO THEIR POINT OF CONTACT WITH THE RUNNING LENGTH IN AN AMOUNT ABSORBABLE BY THE RUNNING LENGTH, THE SPEED OF THE ROLLS, THE AMOUNT OF RESILIENT PRESSURE AND THE SPEED OF FEED OF THE DYE BEING COORDINATED AND CONSTANT WHEREBY THERE IS CONTINUOUS COMPLETE REMOVAL OF DYE FROM THE ROLL SURFACES AND ABSORPTION BY THE RUNNING LENGHT.

5. AN APPARATUS FOR APPLYING DYE TO STRANDS OF TEXTILE MATERIAL, COMPRISING, A PAIR OF SMOOTH-SURFACED CRIMP ROLLS ARRANGED TO ROTATE ON PARALLEL AXES WHEREBY THEIR PERIPHERAL SURFACES FORM THEREBETWEEN A NIP THROUGH WHICH THE STRAND IS PASSED, A CRIMP BOX RELATED TO THE ROLLS AT THE DELIVERY SIDE OF THE NIP IN SUCH A MANNER AS TO RECEIVE THE STRAND FROM THE ROLLS AND TO SUBJECT IT TO CRIMPING PRESSURE, A PAD HELD TO RIDE ON THE SURFACE OF EACH ROLL TO DISPERSE THE DYE ACROSS THE WIDTH OF THE ROLL AT A POSITION PRIOR TO THE NIP, A CONDENSER FOR THE STRAND ARRANGED IN ADVANCE OF THE NIP TO DELIVER THE MATERIAL TO THE NIP, AND MEANS FOR SUPPYLING METERED AMOUNTS OF DYE IN LIQUID FORM TO THE PADS.