US3311961A - Process for treating filamentary material - Google Patents

Description

April 1967 K. lWNlCKl ETAL I PROCESS FOR TREATING FILAMENTARY MATERIAL 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 14, 1964 Inventor April 4, 1967 K. IWNICKI ETAL PROCESS FOR TREATING FILAMENTARY MATERIAL 3 Sheets sheet 2 Filed Sept. 14, 1964 R k w NR Q 1 ll 14 A ak -3% H l lllk I w I NN ,M A ttorrz e ys Filed Sept. 14, 1964 April 4, 6 K. lWNlCKI ETAL 3,311,961

PROCESS FOR TREATING FILAMENTARY MATERIAL 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 A ttorneys $311361 PROCESS FUR TREATENG FILAMENTARY MATERIAL Kurt Iwnicki, Pontllir, and James Frederick Thomas, Newport, England, assignors to British Nylon Spinners Limited. Pontypool, England Filed Sept. 14, 1964, Ser. No. 396.175

Claims priority, application Great Britain, Sept. 26, 1963,

37,846/63 2 Claims. (Cl. 28-72) The invention concerns a process for treating filamentary material.

In the course of the manufacture of filamentary material into yarns, tows. slivers and such like endless textile materials, it is often required to treat the material in some way or another, as in steaming, dyeing or heating treatments.

Broadly speaking, such treatments can take place either on batches of filamentary material, for example packages of yarn or bales of tow, or continuously on the filamentary material whilst it is travelling from one station to another.

The latter, continuous method of treatment has advantages over the batch method as regards both the uniformity of treatment and the ability to coincide with other continuous treatments or winding operations.

A limiting factor on the productivity of such continuous methods of treatment is the time required to accomplish a full and uniform treatment of the filamentary ma terial in question, as that time will limit the speed at which the material can be passed. through the limited space of the treating stage.

In the well-known thread advancing reels, this problem of time and speed has been resolved in the production of filaments and yarns of viscose rayon by utilising the curved surface of the reel for a plurality of helical coils of filamentary material, thus concentrating a relatively lengthy treatment into a relatively small space.

A thread advancing reel may not, however, be an adequate means for carrying out all continuous treatments on filamentary material, for instance a heating treatment on bulked filamentary yarn to set crimp therein, in which heating treatment it is necessary to effect the heating very uniformly and completely along the length of the bulky yarn to avoid subsequent differential behaviour of the yarn during dyeing, knitting or weaving.

in the present invention, advantage is taken of the principle of space-saving achieved by the thread-advancing reel, in that a length of filamentary material is treated whilst passing in coils axially along a cylindrical member, whilst the capability of the process for treating, e.g. heating a bulked yarn, is enhanced by the total enclosure of the treatment zone.

According to the invention, a process for treating filamentary material comprises the steps of positively forwarding said material continuously and at least substantially tangentially to one end of a treatment zone constituted by an annular space bounded by an outer and an inner cylindrical member at least one said member being rotatable about its axis in a direction such that it is moveable in the same direction as the forwarded filamentary material at the point of initial contact there with, of advancing said material in the axial direction of said members towards the other end of said treatment zone in the form of contiguous helical coils between said members, and of removing said material from said other end of said treatment zone.

A preferred form of such process relates to the heatsetting of bulked filamentary yarn, said yarn in the contiguous helical coils being heated in the treatment zone by heat derived from a heated cylindrical member or 3,3l lfifil Patented Apr. 4, 1967 members, and said yarn completely filling the annular space between said members.

Either one or both of the cylindrical members shall be rotatable, and preferably it is or they are positively ro tated with a speed. of rotation equal to the linear speed of the forwarded filamentary material. If both members are positively rotated, they may be rotated at the same or at different rotation-a1 speeds. Alternatively, one member may be rotated and the otherbe merely rotatably mounted for rotation by the action of the filamentary material.

The filamentary material is caused to advance axially along the annular space by an urging of the first coil to adopt a helical position, whereafter succeeding coils are kept moving along towards the withdrawal end of the treatment zone by axial pressure exerted 'on them by their predecessors, and by the he ical direction of linear motion originally imparted to the coils.

One apparatus by which the treatment of the invention can be carried out is described in a co-pending application filed on even date hereto.

In that apparatus, which is especially suitable for the treatment of nylon tow or bulked yarn to heat-set it, a rotatable inner cylinder is optionally provided with internal heating means, and a fixed or rotatable outer cylinder is optionally provided with external heating means. The annular space between the two cylinders comprises a treating, eg a heat-setting, zone, along which co ls of tow or yarn are advanced, thus enabling a relatively long treatment, eg. a not too severe heat-setting treatment, to be carried out.

The advance of the tow or yarn in contiguous coils axially along the annular treatment zone is brought about by the combined effect of the positive forwarding of the tow or yarn to the leading end of the zone, the rotation of one or both cylindrical members defining the zone, and the provision of a flange-like closure member for the leading end of the zone, the internal surface of which closure member is shaped to provide a helical surface of an axial width about or just over that of the bundle of tow or yarn in the form in which it is fed into the treatment zone.

Once the initial length of tow or yarn has been entrained within the annular space it is forwarded in the direction of its length around the inner cylinder and it is caused, during the first complete revolution of that cylinder. to adopt a helical position around that cylinder of a helix tangle just sufficient to cause the next complete coil to be started contiguously behind the first. Thus, the tow or yarn is advanced along the annular space in con tiguous coils, and the maximum use is made of the heatsetting space available.

If desired, a closure member may be provided for the withdrawal end of the zone, such member leaving a gap to enable yarn or tow to be withdrawn or pushed out therethrough.

In a particular use of the invention, described in a second co-pending application filed on even date hereto, for treating and advancing yarn that has been crimped in a stufier-box crimper, the said closure member conveniently consists of a spring loaded hell-shaped plunger, the rim of this plunger exerting light pressure against the last coil of compacted, crimped yarn within the annular zone, around the outside of which rim the yarn may positively be withdrawn, for instance, generally in the axia direction of the zone, in singles yarn form.

It is necessary that the filamentary material should be forwarded at least substantially tangentially to one end of the treatment zone. i.e. in a direction substantially normal to the axis of the annular space constituting that Zone and substantially in line with and between tangents to the peripheries of the cylindrical members, although 3 this l'atter'requirement is capable of variation some way towards the perpendicular to said tangents.

Whilst a treatment with dry heat has been mentioned above, it is possible according to the invention to carry out treatments with liquids or gases on the filamentary material within the treatment zone, liquid or gas being introduced, for instance, through perforations or porous portions in the periphery of one or both of the cylindrical members. Thu-s, steam may be so employed to set crimped tow or yarn of nylon continuous filaments.

The process of the invention is not limited in application to any particular type of filamentary structure, nor is it limited to filamentary material of any particular kind. The invention has a greater usefulness, however, with structures of a bulky nature, such as tow or heavy bulked yarn, than with structures such as fine denier yarns.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which FIGURE 1 is a diagram of a combined drawing and crimping lay-out in which the invention is employed;

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal partly sectional view, through XX of FIGURE 3, of crimping and advancing apparatus embodying the principle of the invention; @FJIGURE 3. is a transverse sectional view, through YY of FIGURE 2, of the said crimping and advancing apparatus;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of a flange-like member employed in-the said crimping and advancing apparatus;

FIGURE 5 is a side view on A of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a side view on B of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 7 is a side view on C of FIGURE 4;-

The lay-out depicted in FIGURE 1 comprises the withdrawal of undrawn yarn Y from square-ended package 1 wound on cylindrical former 3 by means of driven nip rolls 3. The yarn Y balloons on take-off and is drawn through balloon guide 5, on the axis of former 3, and thence through thread guide 7.

The undrawn yarn is then forwarded under tension to the drawing stage comprising feed roll 11, with its separator roll 13, and draw roll 17, with its separator roll 19. Between the feed and draw rolls the yarn is wrapped around snubbing pin to locate the point of draw. The pin may be heated by internal electric resistance means (not shown).

On departure from the draw roll 17 the yarn is fully drawn, and it is now directly submitted to crimping in the compression crimping stage.

The compression crimping apparatus comprises feed roll 21, whose periphery is directly driven by that of crimper roll 23, and crimper rolls 23 and 25. The drawn yarn is passed under feed roll 21, through the nip between it and crimper roll 23, and thence down through the nip of crimper rolls 23, 25 into the crimping chamber generally indicated at 27.

From the crimping chamber, the crimped yarn passes directly into the annular treating chamber generally indicated at 29.

Both said crimping apparatus and said annular treating chamber will be more specifically described with reference to FIGURE 2 and 3; but in FIGURE 1 it is shown that a rotary part of said annular treating chamber includes driving wharl fixed to a shaft rotatable in axially spaced bearings 33. Slidable axially of said shaft is spindle 37 of bell-shaped plunger 31, the latter serving as closure member for the discharge end of the annular treating chamber 29.

The yarn on withdrawal from the annular treating chamber 29 is crimped, and is now designated Y Withdrawal is effectedby rotation of wind-up roll 5'7 carrying package by the surface drive of said package from the periphery of drive roll 53. Crimped yarn Y is passed through thread guide 43 on the axis of the annular treating chamber, and thence around tensioning bollard 45 for imparting a low tension to the yarn so that it is in even condition when passed around the periphery of magnetic particle yarn brake 47. Finally, the yarn is passed over pin 49 and thence through reciprocating thread-guide 51 for traversing the yarn on to the wind-up package 55.

The regulation of the amount of yarn within the annular treating chamber 29 is performed by the function of the bell-shaped plunger 31 and the yarn brake 47. The plunger 31 is spring-loaded and hence its axial position with respect to the chamber 29 will give an indication of the amount of yarn compacted within the chamber. Movement of the plunger 31 and its spindle 37 is arranged to be transmitted, via the lever 39 and a cam fixedly mounted to the pivot thereof, to roller 41 on the spring-arm of a micro-switch.

The micro-switch is contained in an electrical circuit fed from the alternating current mains via two-tap transformer 59. Depending on whether the switch is made of broken, alternating current at either a high or a low voltage is supplied from the thus selected tapping of the transformer to rectifier circuit 61. The direct current output of said rectifier, at either the high or the low voltage, is fed to magnetic particle yarn brake 47, whereby more or less braking effect is imparted to the crimped yarn. The more the yarn is braked, the higher will be the tension in the yam between the brake and the windup; and, as the crimped yarn is extensible, the higher the tension the less amount, in weight, of yarn will be wound in unit time. Hence, the amount of yarn withdrawn from the annular treating chamber in unit time can be controlled by these means.

The crimping and advancing apparatus shown in FIG- URES 2 and 3 embodies the principle of the invention wherein yarn or the like is treated in an annular chamber whilst being advanced in contiguous coils axially of that chamber.

In the embodiment depicted in these two figures, yarn Y is fed by feed roll 21 into the nip of crimper rolls 2'3, 25, as already described with respect to FIGURE 1.

The crimping chamber 27 of the stutter-box type of compression crimper comprises back wall 79, front wall 77 and side walls 67, 69. These walls are shaped at their lower ends to fit closely against the outer cylindrical shell 71 of annular treating and advancing chamber 29.

The inlet end of the chamber 29 is closed by flangelike closure member 6 3 having an inwardly-facing helical cam surface 79-81, which will be described in greater detail with respect to FIGURES 4-7, in which it alone is depicted.

The crimped yarn is forced in a compressed column from the crimping chamber directly downwardly into the annular treating chamber, around which it is advanced in contiguous coils 75 of compressed yarn nature.

The annular chamber is formed by the fixed outer cylindrical shell 71 and the inner rotatable roller 73. The surface of the roller 73 is corrugated longitudinally, i.e. in the axial direction.

The discharge end of the annular chamber is provided with a closure member in the form of bell-shaped plunger 31, around the rim of which the crimped yarn Y is withdrawn through guide 43. The plunger 31 is lightly held in contact with the furthermost coil of com-pressed yarn by reason of compressed spring by which its spindle 37 is urged in the leftward direction of FIGURE 2.

As shown partially in FIGURES 2 and 3, and fully the helical cam surface on the opposite side, a fiat sur face 78 cut in the cam surface support and the back wall 70 of the crimping chamber (not shown in FIG- URE 6).

As described with reference to FIGURE 1, the rotatable roller 73 of the annular treating chamber is positively driven from wharl 35, and its shaft is supported in axially spaced bearings 33. The spindle 37 of plunger 31 is slideable within said shaft against the force of spring 65.

If it is desired positively to treat, e.g. to heat-set the yarn in the annular chamber 29, and not merely to condition it therein during its axial advance the outer cylindrical shell 71 may have an electrical resistance heater jacket attached exteriorly thereof. Alternatively, or in addition, the interior of roller 73 may be provided with electric cartridge heaters, the electric supply to which can be via slip-rings on the shaft between bearings 33.

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, by the specific operating conditions of processes for crimping yarns of polyhexamethylene adipamide.

EXAMPLE I Three ends (single yarns) of drawn 1040 denier/ 68 filament continuous-filament yarn of polyhexamethylene adipamide were withdrawn from draw-twist packages by means of rolls as illustrated in FIGURE 2, and a tension of 200 grams was applied to each end by pulling the yarn through a tension-imparting device.

The crimping rolls were positively driven at a peripheral speed of 1500 feet/minute; and the fluted roller of the annular treating chamber was rotated at 35 revolutions per minute. Under these conditions, 12 coils of compressed yarn were maintained within the annular chamber, which was heated to 180 C. by means of an electric resistance in an annular jacket surrounding the outer cylindrical shell.

The crimped yarn was withdrawn and wound-up according to the arrangement depicted in FIGURE 1, the wind-up speed being 1300 feet/minute. The magnetic particle brake oscillated between a high setting of 300 grams and a low setting of 100 grams.

The crimped yarn was adequately bulked, having a skein length (15 grams weight) of 12% inches.

EXAMPLE II Three ends (single yarns) of undrawn 3600 denier/ 68 filament yarn of polyhexamethylene adipamide were withdrawn from spinning cylinder supply packages, and drawn at a draw ratio of 3.7:1 and crimped according to the arrangement depicted in FIGURE 1. The crimping rolls were positively rotated at a peripheral speed of 1500 feet/ minute; and the fluted roller of the annular treating chamber was rotated at 42 revolutions per minute. No heat was supplied to the walls of the annular treating chamber, the temperature of which rose to 90 C. due to the heat imparted from the yarn.

12 coils of compressed yarn were maintained in the chamber.

The crimped yarn was bulked to an equivalent skein length value to that of the yarn of Example I, the actual skein length being 15 /2 inches with a weight of grams employed, rather than 15 grams.

EXAMPLE III The conditions of Example II were the same, except that the peripheral speed of the crimping rolls was 3000 feet/minute, and the rotational speed of the roller in the annular treating chamber was revolutions per minute.

EXAMPLE IV The process described in Example II was repeated for equivalent undrawn yarns of Terylene polyester fibre, but in this instance the snubbing pin was heated and the yarn was forwarded from the draw roll to the stutter-box feed rolls at a low degree of mechanical underfeed, i.e. the feed rolls were rotated at a peripheral speed slightly higher than that of the draw roll.

It will be appreciated that the process of the invention has been described in the examples and with reference to the drawings in connection with the specific embodiment of treating nylon yarn after stutter-box crimping. Such a treatment, whether with applied heat or without it, is but one presently important application of the invention..

Except for the crimping process specifically claimed in said second co-pending patent application filed on even date hereto, which process is disclaimed herein.

What we claim is:

1. A process for treating crimped filamentary material comprising: forming an annular treatment zone by arranging an inner cylindrical member within an outer cylindrical member, at least one of said members being rotatable about its axis in a given direction; positively forwarding said filamentary material continuously and at least substantially tangential to one end of said treatment zone in said given direction at the point of initial contact of said filamentary material with the rotatable member; advancing said filamentary material axially of said members toward the other end of said treatment Zone in the form of continuous helical coils between said members; treating said filamentary material to set the crimp therein while it is being advanced and removing said filamentary material from said other end of said treatment zone.

2. A process as in claim 1 including the step of positively rotating the rotatable cylindrical member in said given direction at a peripheral speed which is correlated with the linear speed at which the filamentary material is forwarded.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,217,482 11/1965 Baer 28-1 MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner.

L. K. RIMRODT, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A PROCESS FOR TREATING CRIMPED FILAMENTARY MATERIAL COMPRISING: FORMING AN ANNULAR TREATMENT ZONE BY ARRANGING AN INNER CYLINDRICAL MEMBER WITHIN AN OUTER CYLINDRICAL MEMBER, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID MEMBERSW BEING ROTATABLE ABOUT ITS AXIS IN A GIVEN DIRECTION; POSITIVELY FORWARDING SAID FILAMENTARY MATERIAL CONTINUOUSLY AND AT LEAST SUBSTANTIALLY TANGENTIAL TO ONE END OF SAID TREATMENT ZONE IN SAID GIVEN DIRECTION AT THE POINT OF INITIAL CONTRACT OF SAID FILAMENTARY MATERIAL WITH THE ROTATABLE MEMBER; ADVANCING SAID FILAMENTARY MATERIAL AXIALLY OF SAID MEMBER TOWARD THE OTHER END OF SAID TREATMENT ZONE IN THE FORM OF CONTINUOUS HELICAL COILS BETWEEN SAID MEMBERS; TREATING SAID FILAMENTARY MATERIAL SET THE CRIMP THEREIN WHILE IT IS BEING ADVANCED AND REMOVING SAID FILAMENTARY MATERIAL FROM SAID OTHER END OF SAID TREATMENT ZONE.

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