US3626557A - Yarn texturizing method and apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TEXTURIZING MULTI-FILAMENT THERMOSPLASTIC YARN. THE YARN IS FED INTO A YARN DELIVERY TUBE HAVING A TERMINAL END PROJECTING INTO A LARGER TUBE. THE LARGER TUBE TERMINATES AT A TEXTURIZING ZONE DEFINED BY THE BIGHT BETWEEN A PAIR OF OPPOSED MESH BELTS AS THEY PASS AROUND THEIR RESPECTIVE SUPPORT ROLLERS AND BY ADJUSTABLE PLATES CONTROLLING THE WIDTH OF THE ZONE. AIR UNDER PRESSURE AND WITH A SWIRLING MOTION IMPARTED THERETO IS FED INTO THE LARGER TUBE, THE AIR FLOWING THERETHROUGH TO THE TEXTURIZING ZONE AND DRAWING THE YARN THEREWITH AND CAUSING THE YARN TO TWIST AS IT LEAVES THE YARN DELIVERY TUBE. AS THE YARN REACHES THE TEXTURIZING ZONE THE SWIRLING CURRENT OF AIR CAUSES THE YARN TO FORM SPIRALS WHICH ARE CONFINED IN OVERLAPPING COMPACTED RELATIONSHIP AS

THEY ENTER THE BIGHT BETWEEN THE BELTS. DURING THE PASSAGE OF THE YARN BETWEEN THE BELTS IT IS SUBJECTED TO HEATING AND THEREAFTER TO COOLING. AFTER THE YARN LEAVES THE BELTS IT IS TENSIONED TO BULK THE YARN AND THE TENSION IS THEREAFTER RELAXED AND THE YARN WOUND INTO A PACKAGE.

Description

Dec. 14, 1911 Filed may 1 1970 :TLE-

'A. J. CHUDGAR ETAL 3,626,557

YARN TEXTURIZING METHQD AND APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 14, 1971 CHUDGAR ETAL 3,626,557

YARN TEXTURIZING METHOD AND APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 18, 1970 Dec. 14, 1Y1 QHUDGAR ETAL 3&2555! YARN TEXTURIZING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed May 18, 1970 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent 3,626,557 YARN TEXTURIZING METHOD AND APPARATUS Ashvin J. Chudgar and Walter R. Dunn, Reading, and Vincent A. Iannucci, West Lawn, Pa., assignors to North American Rockwell Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Filed May 18, 1970, Ser. No. 37,995 Int. Cl. D02g 1/20 US. Cl. 281.3 13 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Method and apparatus for texturizing multi-filament thermoplastic yarn. The yarn is fed into a yarn delivery tube having a terminal end projecting into a larger tube. The larger tube terminates at a texturizing zone defined by the bight between a pair of opposed mesh belts as they pass around their respective support rollers and by adjustable plates controlling the width of the zone. Air under pressure and with a swirling motion imparted thereto is fed into the larger tube, the air flowing therethrough to the texturizing zone and drawing the yarn therewith and causing the yarn to twist as it leaves the yarn delivery tube. As the yarn reaches the texturizing zone the swirling current of air causes the yarn to form spirals which are confined in overlapping compacted relationship as they enter the bight between the belts. During the passage of the yarn between the belts it is subjected to heating and thereafter to cooling. After the yarn leaves the belts it is tensioned to bulk the yarn and the tension is thereafter relaxed and the yarn wound into a package.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The instant invention relates to a method and apparatus for modifying thermoplastic multi-filaments yarns. Heretofore man-made multi-filament thermoplastic yarns such for example as polymedic yarns including nylon, Orlon and Dacron, synthetic resin yarns such as phenolic and acrylic resin yarns, polypropylene yarns and yarns composed of organic derivatives of cellulose have been treated in various ways to convert them into what is known in the art as textured yarns. Such textured yarns as distinguished from the original yarns have greatly improved absorbance and hand and depending upon the particular conversion method employed have bulk and/or stretch characteristics.

The known methods for producing textured yarn include the false twist method in which the yarn is twisted, heat set and then untwisted, the so-called edge crimping method in which the yarn is drawn at a sharp angle around an edged member under tension, the stutter boX method in which the yarn is compacted into a confined zone and then heat set, the knit deknit method in which the yarn is first knitted into a fabric, then heat set and thereafter the fabric unraveled or deknit, and variations of said methods. The instant invention has for its principal object the provision of method and apparatus for texturizing thermoplastic yarn the method being some what analogous to the method heretofore employed such as the stulfer box method but which imparts to the yarn a superior and substantially uniform texture and uniform dyeability.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the instant invention a thermoplastic multi-filament yarn of any of the types referred to above is drawn from a supply thereof and delivered through a yarn delivery tube to a cylindrical tube-like member in which it is subjected to the action of a swirling current of air traveling at high velocity in the direction of movement of the yarn. The swirling air current within the tubelike member tends to distort and spread the filaments of the yarn, and imparts a certain degree of twist thereto. It also serves to draw the yarn through the delivery tube. The tube-like member projects into a texturizing enclosure defined by the bite between a pair of opposed mesh belts as they pass around their respective end rollers, by top and bottom members defining the vertical dimension of the enclosure and by adjustably mounted side plates defining the width of the enclosure. The side plates have opposed edges forming the enclosure side walls the edges converging in the direction of movement of the yarn to provide with the mesh belts a final restricted passageway or texturizing zone for the yarn as it passes into the bits between the belts. As the yarn leaves the tube-like member it is drawn or forced forwardly by the air stream into the texturing zone the yarn at that point being formed into a spiral or succession of coils by the swirling motion of the air stream. The width of the restricted passageway determines the amplitude of the coils. As the coils enter the said nip between the belts they are pressed backwardly into overlapping relationship and confined and compacted between the belts. The belts, traveling at a greatly reduced speed as compared to the in-feed velocity of the yarn to the texturizing zone, carry the compacted yarn first through a heating Zone to heat set the yarn in its compacted form and thereafter through a cooling zone. As the yarn leaves the belts it is drawn by a first set of draw-off rolls which advance the yarn at a relatively high speed as compared to the speed of the belts to extend the yarn to the extent that it approaches an uncoiled state and is then drawn by a second set of draw-off rolls at somewhat higher speed. As the yarn leaves the second set of rolls it is allowed to relax and in consequence the filaments of the yarn separate thus imparting a bulked formation of the yarn.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic elevational view of an apparatus for processing thermoplastic yarn in accordance with the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view on an enlarged scale as compared to FIG. 1 and with parts broken away for clearness of illustration of the texturizing unit of the instant invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 2; and

FIGS. 6 to 10 inclusive are magnified photographic views of a continuous monofilament yarn as it appears at points in its processing indicated by the arrows A to E respectively of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1 there is disclosed an apparatus for processing a multifilament thermoplastic yarn Y in accordance with the instant invention. The yarn Y may be of any of the compositions previously referred to as employed for texturized yarns or of other suitable compositions. The yarn Y is supplied from a pirn 10 which is rotatably mounted on a suitable pirn holder 11 and is drawn from the pirn by a driven feed roll set 12. From the feed roll set the yarn passes through a yarn texturizing unit indicated generally at 13 and Which will be hereinafter described in detail and by which the yarn is deposited in the form of overlapping spirals in the nip between endless mesh belts 14 and 15 carried by end rolls 16, 17 and 18, 19 respectively the roll shafts being supported from a frame structure in suitable bearings (not shown). Rolls 16 and 18 have surface characteristics, such as for example as peripheral grooves (-not shown), to permit air passing through the main belts at the nip therebetween to escape to the atmosphere. The mesh belts are driven to cause their adjacent runs, which lie in approximately contacting relationship, to travel in a forward direction but at greatly reduced speed as compared to the rate of delivery of the yarn by feed roll set 12.

Heaters 21 and 22 are supported in a suitable manner (not shown) on opposite sides of the adjacent runs of the mesh belts to heat set the yarn carried therebetween. Heaters 21 and 22 may be of any suitable type as for example they may be in the form of metal platens positioned closely adjacent the belts the platens being heated by electrical resistance units, by open flames or by other suitable means. The temperatures to which the platens are raised will depend upon the type and denier of the yarn being processed, the effective heating length of the heaters and the like but in any event are such as to assure that the yarn will be heat set in its passage therepast. Cooling means is provided forwardly of the heaters the cooling means suitably consisting of an upper hood 23 having an open mouth closely adjacent the upper side of the lower run of the upper belt the hood being connected by conduit 24 to any suitable source of air under pressure (not shown) and a lower hood 25 having an open mouth adjacent the lower side of the upper run of the lower belt 15 connected by a conduit 26 to any suitable air exhaustion means (not shown) whereby cooling air may be passed through the adjacent runs of the mesh belt and the yarn being processed carried therebetween. The hoods may be supported in the positions described by any suitable means (not shown).

The yarn Y as it emerges from between the belts passes around a guide roll 27 and from the guide roll to a first godet roll set indicated generally at 28 and comprising an upper idler roll 30 and a lower driven roll 31. A second godet roll set indicated generally at 32 and including an upper idler roll 33 and a lower driven roll 34 is positioned forwardly of roll set 28. The shafts of guide roll 27 and of the several rolls of the godet roll sets are mounted in suitable bearings supported by the frame structure (not shown).

A yarn spooler indicated generally at 35 is supported on a frame member 36 the spooler including a core or spindle 37 mounted for free rotation in bearings in arms, one of which is shown at 38, pivotally carried by spaced brackets one of which is shown at 41. A driving roll 42 on which the spindle or a yarn body wound thereon rests is mounted for rotation is spaced arms 43-, one of which is shown in FIG. 1 the arms also being carried by bracket 41. A yarn traverse device 44 of any suitable type is located in front of the nip between the driving roller and the spindle the traverse device being reciprocated to wind the yarn on the spindle in a conventional manner by any suitable means (not shown).

Feed roll set 12, the supporting rolls for the mesh belts 14 and 15, rolls 31 and 34 and driving roll 42 may be driven from a common source such as a motor 45 through a line shaft 46 and associated drive means 47, 48, 49, 50, 51 and 52 respectively, all indicated diagrammatically. As heretofore pointed out the relationship between the drive of feed roll set 12 and mesh belts 14 and 15 is such that the latter travel at a greatly reduced speed as compared to the infeed of the yarn. As for example the speed ratio may be of the order of 30 to 1. With respect to belts 14 and 15, the godet roll sets 28 and 32, and the driving roll 42 of spooler 35 the relative speeds of operation are such that godet roll set 28 advances the yarn at a greatly enhanced rate as compared to the rate of its delivery by the belts, as for example the ratio may be of the order of 24 to 1, godet roll set 32 advances the yarn at a higher speed than godet roll set 28 as for example the ratio may be of the order of 1.05 to 1, and the ratio of travel of the yarn is reduced between godet roll set 32 and the spooler 35 as for example the speed ratio between the rate of delivery of the yarn by roll set 32 and its rate of windup may be of the order of 1 to 0.95. It will be understood however that one or more of the various speed ratios of yarn travel may be altered depending upon various features as for example the amplitude of the spirals in which the yarn is laid in the nip of the conveyor, the desired properties of the textured yarn, and the denier of the yarn employed.

Referring now particularly to FIGS. 2 to 5 inclusive the texturizing unit indicated generally at 13 and previously referred to will be described in detail. The unit includes a tubular member 55 the hollow interior of which is closed at the forward end by a preferably integral wall 56 and at the rearward end by a cap 57 suitably threaded onto member 55 and confining a gasket 58 between the end of member and the cap. A liner 60 is mounted with in member 55 the liner including a transverse wall 61 dividing the interior thereof into a relatively long chamber 62 and a relatively short chamber 63. A yarn delivery tube 64 having a bore of a diameter to readily accommodate the yarn to be delivered therethrough extends from a point externally of member 55 and relatively adjacent to feed roll set 12 through cap 57, gasket 58 and transverse wall 61 and in air tight relationship therewith and through a bore 65 in forward wall 56 the bore being of enlarged diameter relatively to the tube to provide an annular air passageway therebetween. A tube 66 connected by a conduit 67 to any suitable source of air under pressure (not shown) has a terminal end secured in aligned bores in the walls of member 55 and liner 60 the tube communicating with the interior of chamber 62. As illustrated particularly in FIGS. 3 and 4 transverse wall 61 of liner 60 is provided with air passageways 68 and 70 at opposite sides of yarn delivery tube 64 the air passageways providing communication between chambers 62 and 63 and extending from chamber 62 in downwardly and upwardly inclined directions respectively with respect to the delivery tube.

Tubular member 55 is supported on a bracket 71 carried by the machine frame the supporting means including a cap member 72 aifixed to the brackets as by screws 73 (see FIG. 2). The tubular member is adapted for axial adjustment and may be secured in any adjusted position as by set screw 74. A tube 75 which may be integral with member 55 or attached thereto in any suitable way has a bore of the same diameter as that of, and in alignment with, bore 65 in end wall 56. Tube 75 projects into a texturizing enclosure defined in part by a U-shaped member forming top and bottom walls 76 and 77 and an integral end wall 78 the latter being bored for the extension of tube 75 therethrough in airtight relationship therewith. The U-shaped member is secured to and supported by a bracket 89 forming a portion of the framework. A spacer washer 79 surrounds tube 75 and fills the gap between end wall 78 and member 55. Walls 76 and 77 include forward edges lying closely adjacent to mesh belts 14 and 15 respectively, as they pass around their respective end rolls 16 and 18, the edges being contoured to conform to the contour of the belts. The texturizing enclosure is additionally defined by side plates 80 and 81 of a thickness to fit between walls 76 and 77 and of a width to extend from rear wall 78 into the nip between the belts to the point 82 (see FIG. 3). The forward edges of the plates are contoured similarly as the forward edges of walls 76 and 77 to conform to the contour of the belts. The inner end walls 83 and 84 of plates 80 and 81 respectively diverge in a forward direction from a relatively wide spacing at their rear ends to a relatively narrow spacing at point 85 and thereafter continue to converge but at lesser angles to point 82. The side plates are mounted for adjustment relatively toward and away from each other to vary the width of a texturizing zone 86 defined by the forward edges of the plates and the mesh belts and are adapted to be secured in their adjusted positions by studs 87 passing through elongated slots 88 in the plates the studs being threaded into portions of the framework. Tube 75 projects into the texturizing enclosure to a point adjacent the texturizing zone. Yarn delivery tube 64 projects into tube 75 and lies centrally thereof to define an annular air passageway therebetween, tube 64 terminating at a point substantially rearwardly of the forward end of tube 75 as illustrated.

The operation of the apparatus described above in carrying out the method of the instant invention will now be described. The yarn employed for the purpose of the description is a polyester yarn of 150 denier and having 34 filaments, the yarn having substantially no twist. In setting up the apparatus for operation yarn Y is initially drawn from pirn and threaded between feed rolls 12 and through yarn delivery tube 64 and tube 75 to the nip between the conveyor belts. Air under a pressure of approximately 80 pounds per square inch is then supplied through conduit 67 to chamber 62. The drive mechanism for the several driven elements is so adjusted that upon energization of motor 45 feed roll set 12 advances the yarn at a velocity of the order of 500 yards per minute and belts 14 and 15 advance their adjacent runs at a speed of the order of 17.0 yards per minute. The adjustment of the drive mechanism is also such that godet roll set 28 will advance the yarn at a velocity of the order of 400 yards per minute, godet roll set 32 will advance the yarn at a velocity of the order of 500 yards per minute and the driving roll 42 of the yarn spooler will cause the yarn to be wound into a package at a rate of 490 yards per minute. Heaters 21 and 22 are activated to raise the temperature of the yarn in its passage between belts 14 and 15 to approximately 400 degrees F. to heat set the yarn and air is circulated through the cooling means comprising upper and lower hoods 23 and 25 respectively to reduce the temperature of the yarn substantially below that required for setting as the belts convey it past the cooling means.

In the operation of the apparatus air under pressure entering chamber 62 moves through passageways 68 and 70 to chamber 63 and due to the angularity of the passageways adopts a swirling motion in chamber 63. As the air thereafter passes from chamber 63 into the relatively small annular passageway defined by the outer diameter of yarn delivery tube 64 and the inner diameter of tube 75 the rapidity of its swirling motion and its velocity of forward movement are both greatly increased. As the air stream passes beyond the end of the delivery tube and during its continued travel in tube 75 it grasps the yarn and due to its velocity and swirling motion it draws the yarn from the tube at the rate permitted by roll set 12 and imparts twist to the yarn. Also the turbulence of the air stream tends to separate and distort individual filaments of the yarn. As the yarn carried in the air stream emerges from the forward end of tube 75 and enters into texturizing zone 86 the swirling action of the air stream imparts a spiral formation to the yarn the diameter of the coils of which are determined by the spacing of side plates 80 and 81. The coils of the spiraled yarn as they enter the nip defined by the mesh belts are forced backwardly to lie in overlapping compacted relationship as illustrated in FIG. 3 and are maintained in such condition as they pass between the belts. It will be understood that due to the high rate of delivery of the yarn to texturizing zone 86 as compared to the rate of removal of the yarn by the belts a relatively densified yarn mass results. As the yarn is carried by the belts past heaters 21 and 22 the yarn is heat set and is thereafter cooled by the circulation of air therethrough.

The appearance of the yarn layer as it emerges from between the belts is illustrated in photographic view FIG. 6 the latter having been taken at the position indicated by the arrow A. Referring particularly to FIG. 1 due to the relatively rapid draw-off rate of the yarn by godet roll set 28 as compared to its delivery by belts 14 and 15, the yarn is greatly drawn out or extended during its travel from the belts to the roll set. The yarn when it reaches the point indicated by the arrow B is extended to the point that its spiral formation becomes apparent as illustrated in photographic view FIG. 7. Upon further travel of the yarn to the point indicated by arrow C its extension is such that it has the appearance illustrated by photographic view FIG. 8. The further extension of the yarn as it is drawn at a still higher rate of travel by godet roll set 32 produces the formation illustrated by photographic view FIG. 9 taken at the point indicated by arrow D. Thereafter and due to the relatively lower speed of windup of the yarn as it is packaged as compared to its rate of delivery by godet roll set 32, the yarn relaxes and bulks to impart to it the characteristics illustrated by photographic view FIG. 10 the view being taken at approximately the point indicated by the arrow B in FIG. 1.

It will be understood that the particular character or configuration of the yarn in the completed form as illustrated in FIG. 10 may be varied in a number of ways. For example the diameter of the coils into which it is formed in the texturizing zone may be increased or decreased as desired by adjustment of said plates and 81. Also air under a different pressure than that previously stated may be supplied to chamber 62. In addition the rate of yarn feed relatively to the rate of travel of belts 14 and 15 may be varied to produce different effects.

Having thus described the invention in rather complete detail it will be understood that these details need not be strictly adhered to and that various changes and modifications may be made all falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of processing thermoplastic multi-filament yarn which comprises drawing said yarn from a supply thereof, subjecting said yarn to a swirling stream of air to form a continuous series of coils therein, delivering said coils of yarn to a confined texturizing zone, mechanically compressing said coils into overlapping relationship, and heating and thereafter cooling said compressed coils of yarn while continuing to hold them in mechanical compression.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said yarn following said heating and cooling operations is subjected to tension to separate the overlapped coils thereof.

3. A method as defined in claim 2 wherein said yarn, following said separation of the overlapped coils thereof, is subjected to further tension to cause the separation of the individual filaments with attendant bulking of the yarn.

4. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said causing of the yarn to form coils thereof is obtained by subjecting said yarn to a whirling air stream.

5. A method as defined in claim 4 wherein said air stream additionally serves to advance said yarn to said texturizing zone.

6. An apparatus for processing thermoplastic multifilament yarn during its travel in a forward direction comprising a yarn delivery tube having a yarn delivery end, a tube of enlarged diameter relative to said delivery tube surrounding the latter at the yarn delivery end thereof and extending forwardly therefrom and terminating in an open end, means surrounding said open end defining a yarn texturizing zone said means including opposed endless belts supported to provide a nip therebetween, means for advancing said belts in said forward direction and means for supplying a whirling and forwardly moving air stream in said tube of enlarged diameter to advance sa d yarn to said texturizing zone and, upon the issuance of said air stream from said tube of enlarged diameter, to form spiral convolutions of said yarn at said nip between said rolls.

7. An apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said means for supplying the whirling and forwardly moving air stream comprises a first air chamber, means for supplying air under pressure to said first air chamber, a second air chamber, inclined air inlet passages connecting said first and second chambers and an outlet in said second chamber defining with said yarn delivery tube an annular air passageway to said tube of enlarged diameter.

8. An apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said first and second air chambers are separated by a dividing wall which is penetrated by said delivery tube substantially centrally thereof and wherein said air inlet passages comprise a pair of passageways through said walls on opposite sides of said delivery tube and inclined in opposite directions from each other.

9. An apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein there is means to advance said endless belts to cause said yarn convolutions to be compacted in overlapping relationship within said nip and to be carried between said belts and there is means to heat set said yarn as it is carried between said belts.

10. An apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein there is means to control the rate of feed of yarn to said yarn delivery tube.

11. An apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein there is a first draw-off means to advance said yarn as it issues from between said belts at a higher speed than the rate of advance of said endless belts to separate the overlapped convolutions thereof.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein there is a second draw-off means forwardly of said first drawoff means to advance said yarn at a higher speed than said first draw-off means to cause separation of the individual filaments thereof with attendant bulking of said yarn.

13. An apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein there is means located adjacent said belts to cool said yarn after it has been heat set.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,938,258 5/1960 Starkie 28 1.6 3,044,145 7/1962 Tager et al. 28-16 3,058,167 10/1962 Rainard et al. 28-1.6 3,247,567 4/1966 Hartmann 28-l.6 3,303,546 2/1967 Van Blerk 28-1.3 3,389,445 6/1968 Schrefiler 281.3 3,482,294 12/1969 Joly 281.6

LOUIS K. RIMRODT, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

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