US3823452A

US3823452A - Method of forming pleated fabric

Info

Publication number: US3823452A
Application number: US00314780A
Authority: US
Inventors: L Harrow
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1972-12-13
Filing date: 1972-12-13
Publication date: 1974-07-16
Anticipated expiration: 1991-07-16

Abstract

A method of making a pleated decorative fabric in which a length of light and relatively sheer fabric woven from natural fiber yarns first is shirred adjacent to one end thereof in the direction of the fabric weft to reduce the fabric width by a factor of about one third, then is treated to remove the yarn size as by washing in a detergent and rinsing, then is wrung around an axis extending in the direction of the fabric warp and finally is dried to produce the desired pleated fabric.

Description

United States Patent [19 1 Harrow [11] 3,823,452 451 July 16,1974

[ METHOD OF FORMING PLEATED FABRIC [76] Inventor: Layton Bruce Harrow, 306 W.

100th St., New York, NY. 10025 22 Filed: Dec. 13, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 314,780

52 US. Cl. 28/72 FT, 28/77 51 Int. Cl. D06c 23/04 [58] Field of Search 28/72 FT, 77, 76 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/1918 Stansfield et a1 28/72 FT 5/1937 Secrist 28/72 FT 3/1944 Harpham 28/77 X Primary Examiner-Louis K. Rimrodt Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Shenier & OConnor 57 1 ABSTRACT A method of making a pleated decorative fabric in which a length of light and relatively sheer fabric woven from natural fiber yarns first is shirred adjacent to one end thereof in the direction of the fabric weft to' reduce the fabric width by a factor of about one third, then is treated to remove the yarn size as by washing in a detergent and rinsing, then is wrung around an axis extending in the direction of the fabric warp and finally is dried to produce the desired pleated fabric. I

11 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PAIENTEU JUL 1:61am

miaur'z 1 METHOD OF FORMING PLEATED FABRIC BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION There are known in the prior art various forms of novelty fabrics most of which have a distinctive appearance which is the result of surface ornamentation or dye applied to the fabric. There are further known in the prior art various pleated fabrics in which pleats are formed in the fabric by stitching or by pressing pleats into the fabric or by a combination of these two operations. Pleats formed in the natural fiber fabrics by operations such as pressing are relatively impermanent.

There are also known in the prior art relatively rough or inner fabrics which are incorporated in garments, for example, as liners, but which are not intended for externaluse. One of the most widely used of such inner fabrics is common cotton muslin. Another fabric hitherto not considered suitable for decorative uses is tobacco shade-cloth;

With today's revolution in clothing, particularly among the young, there has arisen a demand for fabrics, as well as garments, which are of relatively unconventional though attractive appearance. I have invented a methodof making a pleated decorative fabric having a distinctly different appearance from fabrics of the prior art. My method enables me to make a decorative fabric fromwhat heretofore was considered only an inner fabric. My method enables me to form irregular pleats of a relatively permanent nature in a natural fiber fabric. My method results in a fabric having particular appeal to the young for use in garments. The fabric resulting from my method is adapted to other decorative uses-such, for example, as for drapes and the like. i

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One object of my invention is to provide a method of making a pleated decorativefabric having an appeartime which is distinctly different from the appearance of fabrics of the prior art.

A further object of my invention is to provide. a method of making a pleated decorative fabric in which I form relatively permanent pleats in a natural fiber fabric..

A still further object of my invention is to provide a method of making a pleated decorative fabric from what has heretofore been considered only an inner fab- I'IC.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a method of making apleated decorative fabric which is particularly appealing to the young.

Yet another object of my invention is to provide a method of making a pleated decorative fabric having a relatively wide range of decorative uses.

Other and further objects of my invention will appear from the following description.

In general my invention contemplates the provision of a method of making a pleated decorative fabric in which[ first shirr a length of light and relatively sheer natural fiber fabric such as common muslin or tobacco shade cloth adjacent to one end thereof in the direction of the fabric weft to reduce the width of the fabric by about one third and then remove the size from the yarn by washing and rinsing, then wring the fabric around an axis extending in the direction of the fabric warp and finally dry the fabric to produce my pleated fabric having a distinctly different appearance than do decorative fabrics 'ofthe prior art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings which form part of the instant specification and which are to be read in conjunction therewith and in which like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts in the various views:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the sequence of steps carried out in the practice of my method of making a pleated decorative fabric.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of a length of fabric from which I make my pleated decorative fabric.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the fabric shown in FIG. 2 taken along the line 3-3 thereof.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the fabric shown in FIG. 2 taken along the line 4-4 thereof. FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating the first step in thepractice of my method of making a pleated decorative fabric. l 2

FIG. 6 is an elevation illustrating the intermediate step in the practice of my method of making a pleated decorative fabric.

FIG. 7 is an elevation illustrating a further intermediate step in the practice of my method of making a pleated decorative fabric.

FIG. 8 is an elevation illustrating the final step in the practice of my method of making a pleated decorative fabric.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of a pleated decorativefabric produced by my method.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the piece of fabric illus-. trated in FIG. 9 and taken along the line 10l0 thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, in practice of my method I use a length of woven fabric, indicated generally by the reference character 10. The fabric 10 is a light and relatively-sheer fabric which is woven from yarns of natural fibers such, for example, as cotton or silk. More specifically,'l have made my decorative fabric from material known in the art as tobacco shade cloth'which is a light and relatively sheercotton fabric. Common cotton muslin also is suitable for use in my process.

The fabric 10 is made up of weft yarns l2 and warp yarns 14. A length of fabric 10 may be provided with selvages 16 and 18 running in the direction of the warps 14 as indicated in FIG. 2. Fabric for use in the practice of my method to form useful and decorative pleated fabric fall within fabrics having warp by weft counts of from about 44 X 40 counts to the inch to about 32 X 28 counts to the inch. In cases in which garments are to be made from the finished fabric, I select a relatively denser fabric such, for example, as a 44 X 36 count fabric. Lighter or less dense fabrics having lower counts are not generally suitable for clothing but may be employed for drapes and the like. In one instance, for example, I used a muslin fabric having a 44 X 36 count,

such fabric normally being employed as an interlining threads by a line of stitching 20 which forms relatively tight gathers 22 adjacent to the upper end of the fabric as viewed in FIG. 5. This operation, which is represented by the box 24 in FIG. 1 can be carried out on any conventional sewing machine. It is to be noted that owing to the desired relatively random nature of the pleats to be described hereinbelow in my finished fabric, the shirring operation need not be carried out with any high degree of care.

Having shirred the fabric 10, I next remove the yarn size as indicated by the block 26 in FIG. 1. This operation is achieved by washing the shirred fabric in any solution which will dissolve the size. I then rinse the fabric in clean water. One of the most commonly used sizes in the manufacture of cotton goods is starch. To remove the starch size, I wash the shirred fabric in a bath of water containing any suitable commercial detergent. In the course of the washing operation, I use water at a temperature of about I50F and I carry out the operation for a period of about 10 to minutes either by hand or by use of any conventional washing machine. The action of the hot water and detergent solution dissolves the sizing and removes it from the yarn.

After the washing operation, it may be desirable to rinse the fabric in cold water to ensure that all the sizing comes out of the yarn. After rinsing, the fabric is lifted out of the bath by grasping the end above the shirring as indicated in FIG. 6. In the course of this operation water runs down the length of the fabric and tends to form it into folds 28.

When the fabric 10 has been removed from the bath, it is wrung as indicated in FIG. 7 about an axis running generally in the direction of the warp of the fabric.

After the fabric has been wrung as indicated by the block 30 in FIG. 1 to form the wrung length indicated generally by the reference character 32 in FIG. 7, the fabric is dried. This operation may be facilitated by holding it twisted at the ends as by rubber bands or the like and placing the length 32 in an extractor. This operation does not change the end product. It merely facilitates the drying operation.

In order to accomplish the drying operation, the fabric is untwisted and preferably subjected to heat. For example, the material was placed in an oven at a temperature of approximately 380F for one hour. Before being placed in the drying oven, the fabric is covered with some protective material, which might be paper or fabric, to prevent the fibers from being scorched. While it is possible to dry the fabric at atmospheric temperature, l have discovered that the steam created by the heat of the oven, together with the pressure of the twist. results in a more permanent pleat.

If it is desired to produce a wavy look in the resultant fabric, the material can be dried in a twisted state. It will be appreciated, however, that the drying operation will then take a relatively longer time. Alternatively, the fabric can be hung in the drying oven to allow the fibers to dry in relatively straight lines.

The final fabric indicated generally by the reference character 36 includes pleats 38 which are relatively irregular in nature. That is to say. the depth of the various pleats in the direction of the weft is irregular and the pleats themselves are more or less sharply defined. In addition, in the warp direction the pleats are somewhat wavy. All of these characteristics contribute to the novel and attractive appearance of the finished product.

As has been pointed out hereinabove, I may use any relatively light and relatively sheer natural fiber fabric in practicing my method of making a decorative fabric. For example, I have made my fabric from 58" 40 X 36 cotton fabric, 46" 32 X 28 cotton fabric having a weight of about 0.1 13 lb/yd., 58" 40 X 38 cotton fabric number WO32069, 36" 36 X 32 cotton fabric all obtained from Chicopee Mills Inc. of 1450 Broadway, New York, NY. 10018. Other fabrics which have been used successfully in making my fabric are 36 40 X 40 cotton fabric having a weight of about 0.15 ounces/yd. obtained from Washington Mills Co. of Fries, Va., 38 A" 44 X 36 cotton fabric having a weight of about 8.60 ounces/yd. obtained from Leslie, Catlin & Co. of 1345 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY. 10019; and 50" 44 X 40 cotton fabric having a weight of about 4.40 ounces/yd. obtained from Joshua L. Baily & Co. Inc. of 104 West 40th Street, New York, NY. 10018.

It will be seen that I have accomplished the objects of my invention. I have provided a method of making a pleated decorative fabric having a distinctly different appearance than do fabrics of the prior art. I have provided a method for forming relatively permanent pleats in natural fiber fabric. My method produces a pleated fabric which is especially attractive to the young. It enables me to make a decorative fabric from fabric which has heretofore been considered to be only aninner fabl'lC.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of my claims. It is further obvious that various changes may be made in details within the scope of my claims without departing from the spirit of my invention. It is, therefore, to beunderstood that my invention is not to be limited to the specific details shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. A method of making a pleated fabric including the steps of shirring a length of light and relatively sheer fabric woven of sized natural fiber yarns along a line adjacent to one end thereof, washing said fabric in the shirred condition in a solution adapted to remove the size from said yarns, wringing said washed fabric by twisting around an axis generally at right angles to said line of shirring, and drying said wrung fabric to form pleats therein.

2. A method as in claim I in which said drying step is performed while said fabric is twisted.

3. A method as in claim 1 including the step of untwisting said fabric before said drying operation.

4. A method as in claim 1 in which said washing operation is washing said fabric in a solution of water and a detergent.

5. A method as in claim 4 including the step of rinsing said fabric following said washing operation.

6. A method as in claim I in which said line of shirring runs generally perpendicularly to the warp yarns of said fabric.

7. A method as in claim 1 in which said fabric yarns are cotton.

.8. A method as in claim 1 in which said fabric has a count in the range of between about 44 X 40 and 32 X 28.

9. A method as in claim 1 in which said drying step is carried out at a temperature above the boiling point of water.

10. A method as in claim 1 in which said shirring reduces the width of said fabric by a factor of between about 2 and about 4.

and retwisting the rinsed fabric.

Claims

1. A method of making a pleated fabric including the steps of shirring a length of light and relatively sheer fabric woven of sized natural fiber yarns along a line adjacent to one end thereof, washing said fabric in the shirred condition in a solution adapted to remove the size from said yarns, wringing said washed fabric by twisting around an axis generally at right angles to said line of shirring, and drying said wrung fabric to form pleats therein.

2. A method as in claim 1 in which said drying step is performed while said fabric is twisted.

6. A method as in claim 1 in which said line of shirring runs generally perpendicularly to the warp yarns of said fabric.

7. A method as in claim 1 in which said fabric yarns are cotton.

8. A method as in claim 1 in which said fabric has a count in the range of between about 44 X 40 and 32 X 28.

11. A method as in claim 1 in which said washing step is performed in a solution of a detergent in hot water, said method including the steps of untwisting the twisted fabric, rinsing the untwisted fabric in cold water and retwisting the rinsed fabric.