US3525653A - Reduction of pilling of fabrics with ultrasonic energy - Google Patents

Reduction of pilling of fabrics with ultrasonic energy Download PDF

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Publication number
US3525653A
US3525653A US851153A US3525653DA US3525653A US 3525653 A US3525653 A US 3525653A US 851153 A US851153 A US 851153A US 3525653D A US3525653D A US 3525653DA US 3525653 A US3525653 A US 3525653A
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fabric
pilling
fibres
fabrics
inch
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US851153A
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Geoffrey Windle Manock
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Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd
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Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd
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    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06M—TREATMENT, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE IN CLASS D06, OF FIBRES, THREADS, YARNS, FABRICS, FEATHERS OR FIBROUS GOODS MADE FROM SUCH MATERIALS
    • D06M10/00—Physical treatment of fibres, threads, yarns, fabrics, or fibrous goods made from such materials, e.g. ultrasonic, corona discharge, irradiation, electric currents, or magnetic fields; Physical treatment combined with treatment with chemical compounds or elements
    • D06M10/02—Physical treatment of fibres, threads, yarns, fabrics, or fibrous goods made from such materials, e.g. ultrasonic, corona discharge, irradiation, electric currents, or magnetic fields; Physical treatment combined with treatment with chemical compounds or elements ultrasonic or sonic; Corona discharge
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C65/00—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C65/02—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure
    • B29C65/08—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure using ultrasonic vibrations
    • B29C65/088—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure using ultrasonic vibrations using several cooperating sonotrodes, i.e. interacting with each other, e.g. for realising the same joint
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/70—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material
    • B29C66/71—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/70—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material
    • B29C66/72—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the structure of the material of the parts to be joined
    • B29C66/729—Textile or other fibrous material made from plastics
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/70—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material
    • B29C66/73—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the intensive physical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the optical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the extensive physical properties of the parts to be joined, by the state of the material of the parts to be joined or by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset
    • B29C66/739—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the intensive physical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the optical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the extensive physical properties of the parts to be joined, by the state of the material of the parts to be joined or by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset characterised by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset
    • B29C66/7392—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the intensive physical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the optical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the extensive physical properties of the parts to be joined, by the state of the material of the parts to be joined or by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset characterised by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset characterised by the material of at least one of the parts being a thermoplastic
    • B29C66/73921—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the intensive physical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the optical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the extensive physical properties of the parts to be joined, by the state of the material of the parts to be joined or by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset characterised by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset characterised by the material of at least one of the parts being a thermoplastic characterised by the materials of both parts being thermoplastics
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/80—General aspects of machine operations or constructions and parts thereof
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C65/00—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C65/02—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure
    • B29C65/08—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure using ultrasonic vibrations
    • B29C65/083—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure using ultrasonic vibrations using a rotary sonotrode or a rotary anvil
    • B29C65/085—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure using ultrasonic vibrations using a rotary sonotrode or a rotary anvil using a rotary sonotrode
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/80—General aspects of machine operations or constructions and parts thereof
    • B29C66/81—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps
    • B29C66/814—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the design of the pressing elements, e.g. of the welding jaws or clamps
    • B29C66/8145—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the design of the pressing elements, e.g. of the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the constructional aspects of the pressing elements, e.g. of the welding jaws or clamps
    • B29C66/81463—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the design of the pressing elements, e.g. of the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the constructional aspects of the pressing elements, e.g. of the welding jaws or clamps comprising a plurality of single pressing elements, e.g. a plurality of sonotrodes, or comprising a plurality of single counter-pressing elements, e.g. a plurality of anvils, said plurality of said single elements being suitable for making a single joint
    • B29C66/81469—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the design of the pressing elements, e.g. of the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the constructional aspects of the pressing elements, e.g. of the welding jaws or clamps comprising a plurality of single pressing elements, e.g. a plurality of sonotrodes, or comprising a plurality of single counter-pressing elements, e.g. a plurality of anvils, said plurality of said single elements being suitable for making a single joint one placed next to the other in a single line transverse to the feed direction, e.g. shoulder to shoulder sonotrodes
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/80—General aspects of machine operations or constructions and parts thereof
    • B29C66/83—General aspects of machine operations or constructions and parts thereof characterised by the movement of the joining or pressing tools
    • B29C66/834—General aspects of machine operations or constructions and parts thereof characterised by the movement of the joining or pressing tools moving with the parts to be joined
    • B29C66/8341—Roller, cylinder or drum types; Band or belt types; Ball types
    • B29C66/83411—Roller, cylinder or drum types
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29K—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR MOULDS, REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
    • B29K2067/00—Use of polyesters or derivatives thereof, as moulding material

Definitions

  • This invention relates to improved fabrics and to a process for making such fabrics which are woven or knitted from spun yarns containing high tenacity synthetic fibres which cause pilling.
  • our invention we provide a process for eliminating or reducing by at least 50% the phenomenon called pilling in woven or knitted fabrics made from spun yarns containing high tenacity synthetic fibres which are liable to cause pilling, wherein the fabric is treated by one or more ultrasonic beams in order to attach at least some of the synthetic fibres to the same or to other fibresin the spun yarn and thereby to eliminate or reduce said pilling by preventing teasing out and migration of the synthetic fibres to the surface of the fabric during testing or in wear.
  • Suitable equipment comprises an ultrasonic head piece and an anvil or strip, roller or bar between which the fabric is passed using a magnetostrictive or piezoelectric transducer for exciting the head.
  • a head piece or horn and an anvil two head pieces orhorns may be used.
  • two such head pieces are used they are preferably placed in juxtaposition with the fabric to be treated passing therebetween.
  • two such heads it is preferred that their vibrations are synchronised.
  • spacing of the rows may be chosen so that the majority of fibres which give rise to pilling are held at least in one spot along their length in the yarn. This holding is believed to be elfected by a local fusing action caused by the ultrasonic beam, with neighbouring fibres.
  • the fibres may be attached to other fibres in a pre-selected pattern using ultrasonic beams, in a process somewhat resembling spot welding in that the beams are allowed to act in very small confined areas or spots in the cloth, according to a selected pattern.
  • Suitable devices such as are used on sewing machines for embroidery work may be used to obtain a symmetrical or a'random pattern where the ultrasonic beams are allowed to effect attachment of the fibres.
  • the beam or beams are arranged to be emitted from a head or horn which is in the form of a strip at its tip so that the entire width of the fabric may be simultaneously treated across its width, using for example a rotating roller as the anvil or two heads in strip form at opposite sides of the fabric.
  • Strips as wide as 6" are known to be operated by one transducer. If wider strips are used several transducers mounted along their length are required.
  • a relay circuit may be used to interrupt power whenever the head and the anvil touch, for example when running 01f a finished length of fabric.
  • the electric power used for generating the ultrasonic beams may be controlled by a micro-switch which is held in the on position by the fabric entering the apparatus or alternatively there may be manual or foot control.
  • a feed and delivery system of rollers may be incorporated to provide suitable passage of the fabric through the apparatus.
  • the head may be spring loaded and may have various shapes to suit various requirements such as a shape of a chisel, a round tip, a wheel, a bar or a spherical or other convex shape.
  • the complete head may be released by a suitable control and can be lifted to clear the fabric before re-engaging it in another area.
  • An amplifier may be used to provide the power for the magnetostrictive or piezoelectric transducer at a suittable frequency such as 20 kilo cycles.
  • a suitable device may be included to vary the level of output of power as required.
  • a suitable frequency range is 10 to 50 kilo cycles but preferably more than 18 'kilo cycles should be used since on a frequency below 15 kilo cycles the process is too noisy for use without eai protection for the operator.
  • the power supplied to each head is 100 to 250 watts per inch Width of fabric to be treated.
  • a suitable gap between the head and anvil or between heads in juxtaposition varies between to 50% of the fabric thickness. In practice speeds of fabric of 10 to 60 cm. per sec. are most suitable. We have found that fabrics showing at least 4 pills per sq. inch when tested have the number of pills per sq. inch reduced by at least 50% after the treatment. Fabrics having 3 or less pills per square inch on test have the pilling tendency eliminated by the treatment. It should be appreciated that not only is cooling of the transformer essential but the temperature of the head, should not be allowed to approach frequency of 20 kilo cycles, higher frequencies requiring shorter horns. Suitable material from which the horns are made comprise silver steel.
  • EXAMPLE A woven twill fabric made from cotton-spun yarn containing 67% polyethylene terephthalate crimped 2 inch staple fibres and 33% viscose rayon with 60 ends per inch and 55 picks per inch is subjected to a pilling test, wherein samples of the fabric are wrapped round 5 inch tubes of 1 inch diameter and tumbled in a cuboid cork-lined box of 9 inches side length for 5 hours. The average number of pills per sq. inch are counted after removal of the fabric from the tube and it is found that the fabric after tumbling shows 1 to 7 pills per sq. inch depending on the severity offabric cropping.
  • each horn being activated by a magnetostrictive transducer powered by a suitable current transformed from the mains to 7 amps at 26 volts, having 20,000 sinusoidal vibrations per second, the current for each transducer and horn being synchronised and coming from separate power units of known construction, each horn about 5.2 in. long of tapering rectangular cross-section 1 x 1 inch had two parallel sides and two concave sides which tapered on a convex curve along their length to a tip having an area of 1 inch x 7 inch at the tip of each horn.
  • the horns or heads were adjusted to have a gap of 80% of the fabric thickness.
  • the fabric thickness being measured as described in British Standard Test (The Thickness of Textile Fabrics) BS 2544/1954.
  • the fabric was passed between the horns at a speed of 1 ft. per second. In this way 1 inch bands of fabric were treated along the length and repeat parallel rows were made until the entire fabric width had been treated.
  • Pilling in the treated fabrics is reduced as is set out in the following table.
  • a process for eliminating or reducing pilling by at least in woven or knitted fabric made from spun yarns containing high tenacity polyethylene terephthalate fibers comprising: passing the fabric between two juxtapositioned head pieces of a ultrasonic beam generator and attaching at least some of the synthetic fibres to the same or other fibres in the spun yarn by means of ultrasonic beams concentrated at center of the fabric and produced by vibrating the head pieces in synchronization thereby avoiding glazing of the fabric and deterioration of handle while eliminating or reducng the tendency of the fabric to pill by preventing teasing out and migration of the polyethylene terephthalate fibres to the surface during subsequent use.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Textile Engineering (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
  • Treatment Of Fiber Materials (AREA)

Description

United States Patent 01 iice 3,525,653 Patented Aug. 25, 1970 3,525,653 REDUCTION OF PILLING F FABRICS WITH ULTRASONIC ENERGY Geoffrey Windle Manock, Harrogate, England, assignor to Imperial Chemical Industries Limited, London, England, a corporation of Great Britain No Drawing. Continuation of application Ser. No. 540,832, Apr. 7, 1966. This application Aug. 13, 1969, Ser. No. 851,153
Int. Cl. B29c 27/08 US. Cl. 15673 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Pilling of woven or knit fabrics made from spun yarns containing synthetic fibres is reduced by treating the fabric with an ultrasonic beam in order to attach at least some of the fibres to neighboring fibres at intervals.
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation of applicants copending application 'Ser. No. 540,832, filed Apr. 7, 1966, now abandoned.
This invention relates to improved fabrics and to a process for making such fabrics which are woven or knitted from spun yarns containing high tenacity synthetic fibres which cause pilling.
It is known that fabrics containing yarns spun from synthetic fibres, particularly those made from high tenacity synthetic linear polymers such as polyethylene terephthalate, give rise during wear, to an effect known as pilling. Pilling is caused through rubbing or abrasion of the fabric which causes the fibres to form into small balls on the surface of the fabric and which due to their high tenacity and abrasion resistance, are retained on the surface of the fabric giving it an unsightly appearance. We now propose to prevent or reduce pilling by a novel method using ultrasonic energy.
According to our invention we provide a process for eliminating or reducing by at least 50% the phenomenon called pilling in woven or knitted fabrics made from spun yarns containing high tenacity synthetic fibres which are liable to cause pilling, wherein the fabric is treated by one or more ultrasonic beams in order to attach at least some of the synthetic fibres to the same or to other fibresin the spun yarn and thereby to eliminate or reduce said pilling by preventing teasing out and migration of the synthetic fibres to the surface of the fabric during testing or in wear.
We also provide improved woven or knitted fabrics made from spun yarns containing high tenacity synthetic fibres in a construction which gives rise to pilling wherein said pilling is eliminated or reduced in that at least a proportion of the synthetic fibres in the spun yarns have become attached more firmly to other fibres in the spun yarns or fabric by the use of one or more ultrasonic beams so that teasing out of the fibres is eliminated or reduced.
Suitable equipment comprises an ultrasonic head piece and an anvil or strip, roller or bar between which the fabric is passed using a magnetostrictive or piezoelectric transducer for exciting the head. Instead of a head piece or horn and an anvil two head pieces orhorns may be used. When two such head pieces are used they are preferably placed in juxtaposition with the fabric to be treated passing therebetween. When two such heads are used it is preferred that their vibrations are synchronised. We have found that if two such heads are so used pilling in the fabric is reduced and glazing of the fabric is minimised and the fabric appearance is improved compared with the each other are submitted to the ultrasonic effect. The
spacing of the rows may be chosen so that the majority of fibres which give rise to pilling are held at least in one spot along their length in the yarn. This holding is believed to be elfected by a local fusing action caused by the ultrasonic beam, with neighbouring fibres. Alternatively the fibres may be attached to other fibres in a pre-selected pattern using ultrasonic beams, in a process somewhat resembling spot welding in that the beams are allowed to act in very small confined areas or spots in the cloth, according to a selected pattern. Suitable devices such as are used on sewing machines for embroidery work may be used to obtain a symmetrical or a'random pattern where the ultrasonic beams are allowed to effect attachment of the fibres.
Preferably the beam or beams are arranged to be emitted from a head or horn which is in the form of a strip at its tip so that the entire width of the fabric may be simultaneously treated across its width, using for example a rotating roller as the anvil or two heads in strip form at opposite sides of the fabric. Strips as wide as 6" are known to be operated by one transducer. If wider strips are used several transducers mounted along their length are required.
A relay circuit may be used to interrupt power whenever the head and the anvil touch, for example when running 01f a finished length of fabric. The electric power used for generating the ultrasonic beams may be controlled by a micro-switch which is held in the on position by the fabric entering the apparatus or alternatively there may be manual or foot control.
A feed and delivery system of rollers may be incorporated to provide suitable passage of the fabric through the apparatus. The head may be spring loaded and may have various shapes to suit various requirements such as a shape of a chisel, a round tip, a wheel, a bar or a spherical or other convex shape.
The complete head may be released by a suitable control and can be lifted to clear the fabric before re-engaging it in another area.
An amplifier may be used to provide the power for the magnetostrictive or piezoelectric transducer at a suittable frequency such as 20 kilo cycles. A suitable device may be included to vary the level of output of power as required.
A suitable frequency range is 10 to 50 kilo cycles but preferably more than 18 'kilo cycles should be used since on a frequency below 15 kilo cycles the process is too noisy for use without eai protection for the operator. The power supplied to each head is 100 to 250 watts per inch Width of fabric to be treated.
A suitable gap between the head and anvil or between heads in juxtaposition varies between to 50% of the fabric thickness. In practice speeds of fabric of 10 to 60 cm. per sec. are most suitable. We have found that fabrics showing at least 4 pills per sq. inch when tested have the number of pills per sq. inch reduced by at least 50% after the treatment. Fabrics having 3 or less pills per square inch on test have the pilling tendency eliminated by the treatment. It should be appreciated that not only is cooling of the transformer essential but the temperature of the head, should not be allowed to approach frequency of 20 kilo cycles, higher frequencies requiring shorter horns. Suitable material from which the horns are made comprise silver steel.
By having two magnetostrictive transducers working in synchronisation and in juxtaposition the maximum effect of the beam will be concentrated at the centre of the fabric without causing any appreciable attachment of the fibres at either surface, thereby unexpectedly avoiding deterioration in the surface properties of the fabric and its handle.
The following example illustrates but does not limit our invention.
EXAMPLE A woven twill fabric made from cotton-spun yarn containing 67% polyethylene terephthalate crimped 2 inch staple fibres and 33% viscose rayon with 60 ends per inch and 55 picks per inch is subjected to a pilling test, wherein samples of the fabric are wrapped round 5 inch tubes of 1 inch diameter and tumbled in a cuboid cork-lined box of 9 inches side length for 5 hours. The average number of pills per sq. inch are counted after removal of the fabric from the tube and it is found that the fabric after tumbling shows 1 to 7 pills per sq. inch depending on the severity offabric cropping. Samples of the fabric were treated between two synchronised heads by an ultrasonic beam using an apparatus which was assembled with the two heads or horns in juxtaposition, each horn being activated by a magnetostrictive transducer powered by a suitable current transformed from the mains to 7 amps at 26 volts, having 20,000 sinusoidal vibrations per second, the current for each transducer and horn being synchronised and coming from separate power units of known construction, each horn about 5.2 in. long of tapering rectangular cross-section 1 x 1 inch had two parallel sides and two concave sides which tapered on a convex curve along their length to a tip having an area of 1 inch x 7 inch at the tip of each horn.
The horns or heads were adjusted to have a gap of 80% of the fabric thickness. The fabric thickness being measured as described in British Standard Test (The Thickness of Textile Fabrics) BS 2544/1954. The fabric was passed between the horns at a speed of 1 ft. per second. In this way 1 inch bands of fabric were treated along the length and repeat parallel rows were made until the entire fabric width had been treated.
Pilling in the treated fabrics is reduced as is set out in the following table.
Pills per square inch Percent reduction in pllling What is claimed is:
1. A process for eliminating or reducing pilling by at least in woven or knitted fabric made from spun yarns containing high tenacity polyethylene terephthalate fibers comprising: passing the fabric between two juxtapositioned head pieces of a ultrasonic beam generator and attaching at least some of the synthetic fibres to the same or other fibres in the spun yarn by means of ultrasonic beams concentrated at center of the fabric and produced by vibrating the head pieces in synchronization thereby avoiding glazing of the fabric and deterioration of handle while eliminating or reducng the tendency of the fabric to pill by preventing teasing out and migration of the polyethylene terephthalate fibres to the surface during subsequent use.
2. A process as in claim 1 wherein narrow, spacedapart rows of the fabric are submitted to the ultrasonic beam.
3. A process as in claim 1 wherein the ultrasonic beam is vibrated at a frequency range of at least 19 kc./s. up to 50 kc./s.
4. A process according to claim 1 wherein narrow rows of the fabric are submitted to at least one ultrasonic beam vibrating at a frequency range of at least 19 kc./s. up to 50 kc./s., the rows being at right angles to each other and so arranged that the majority of fibres which give rise to pilling are held at least in one spot along their length in the yarn.
References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,053,609 9/1962 Miller.
3,184,354 5/1965 Strother 156-73 3,392,219 7/1968 Smith et al 15673 X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,018,971 2/1966 Great Britain.
OTHER REFERENCES High Frequency Bonding, Parts 1 & 2, Plastics Technology, March 1964.
ROBERT F. BURNETT, Primary Examiner R. O. LINKER, JR., Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 26-1; 161-150
US851153A 1969-08-13 1969-08-13 Reduction of pilling of fabrics with ultrasonic energy Expired - Lifetime US3525653A (en)

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Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3765193A (en) * 1970-06-12 1973-10-16 Rech Dev Technologiques Soc Method and apparatus for the circular knitting of hook and loop fastener elements
US3949127A (en) * 1973-05-14 1976-04-06 Kimberly-Clark Corporation Apertured nonwoven webs
EP1283294A2 (en) * 2001-08-07 2003-02-12 Sonotronic Nagel GmbH Apparatus and process for heatsetting, for deforming and/or smoothing of the weft - and/or meshstructure of a workpiece, in particular of a workpiece in rope ,strip or bandlike form
USRE39737E1 (en) * 1999-02-24 2007-07-24 Hbi Branded Apparel Enterprises, Llc Print-receptive, pill-resistant, knitted fabric

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
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US3053609A (en) * 1958-11-17 1962-09-11 Du Pont Textile
US3184354A (en) * 1962-02-28 1965-05-18 West Point Mfg Co Method of splicing multifilament yarns by vibratory treatment
GB1018971A (en) * 1962-08-16 1966-02-02 Ronald Oliver Hargreaves Bull Improvements in or relating to the joining of fibrous materials
US3392219A (en) * 1966-03-03 1968-07-09 Burlington Industries Inc Process for imparting creases

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US3053609A (en) * 1958-11-17 1962-09-11 Du Pont Textile
US3184354A (en) * 1962-02-28 1965-05-18 West Point Mfg Co Method of splicing multifilament yarns by vibratory treatment
GB1018971A (en) * 1962-08-16 1966-02-02 Ronald Oliver Hargreaves Bull Improvements in or relating to the joining of fibrous materials
US3392219A (en) * 1966-03-03 1968-07-09 Burlington Industries Inc Process for imparting creases

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3765193A (en) * 1970-06-12 1973-10-16 Rech Dev Technologiques Soc Method and apparatus for the circular knitting of hook and loop fastener elements
US3949127A (en) * 1973-05-14 1976-04-06 Kimberly-Clark Corporation Apertured nonwoven webs
USRE39737E1 (en) * 1999-02-24 2007-07-24 Hbi Branded Apparel Enterprises, Llc Print-receptive, pill-resistant, knitted fabric
EP1283294A2 (en) * 2001-08-07 2003-02-12 Sonotronic Nagel GmbH Apparatus and process for heatsetting, for deforming and/or smoothing of the weft - and/or meshstructure of a workpiece, in particular of a workpiece in rope ,strip or bandlike form
EP1283294A3 (en) * 2001-08-07 2003-03-12 Sonotronic Nagel GmbH Apparatus and process for heatsetting, for deforming and/or smoothing of the weft - and/or meshstructure of a workpiece, in particular of a workpiece in rope ,strip or bandlike form

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