WO2012096799A1

WO2012096799A1 - Textile processing assembly and method utilizing a plurality of yarn texturing devices feeding a single climate chamber for heat-setting

Info

Publication number: WO2012096799A1
Application number: PCT/US2012/000028
Authority: WO
Inventors: Donald Lynn Hoover
Original assignee: American Linc, Llc
Priority date: 2011-01-14
Filing date: 2012-01-17
Publication date: 2012-07-19

Abstract

A textile processing assembly for texturing and heatsetting multiple moving lengths of yarn. The assembly comprises a plurality of spaced-apart textile stuffer boxes. Each stuffer box defines an internal crimping chamber for receiving and accumulating moving lengths of yarn. Cooperating pairs of feed rollers are located upstream of respective spaced stuffer boxes, and are adapted for engaging and moving multiple ends of yarn downstream away from a supply creel and into respective crimping chambers of the spaced stuffer boxes. A conveyor belt moves the yarn ends exiting respective crimping chambers of the spaced stuffer boxes downstream through a common climate chamber for heat-setting.

Description

TEXTILE PROCESSING ASSEMBLY AND METHOD UTILIZING A

PLURALITY OF YARN TEXTURING DEVICES FEEDING A SINGLE CLIMATE CHAMBER FOR HEAT-SETTING

Technical Field and Background

[0001] The present disclosure related broadly to a textile processing assembly and method for texturing yarn. In an exemplary implementation, the present disclosure comprises a textile processing assembly and method utilizing a plurality of yarn texturing devices feeding a single climate chamber for heat-setting. Yarn textured according to exemplary embodiments of the disclosure may have application in various types of cut-pile carpets— namely, saxony, plush, textured and frieze. Such carpets are manufactured to achieve certain desirable and distinctive surface textures impacting hand, appearance, and wear.

Summary of Exemplary Embodiments

[0002] Various exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described below. Use of the term "exemplary" means by way of example only, and any reference herein to "the invention" is not intended to restrict the claimed subject matter to exact features of any one or more of the exemplary embodiments disclosed in the present specification.

[0003] According to one exemplary embodiment, the disclosure comprises a textile processing assembly for texturing and heatsetting multiple moving lengths of yarn. The exemplary assembly comprises a plurality (two or more) of spaced-apart textile stuffer boxes. Each stuffer box defines an internal crimping chamber for receiving and accumulating moving lengths of yarn. Cooperating pairs of feed rollers are located upstream of respective spaced stuffer boxes, and are adapted for engaging and moving multiple ends of yarn downstream away from a supply creel and into respective crimping chambers of the spaced stuffer boxes. Means are provided for conveying the yarn ends exiting respective crimping chambers of the spaced stuffer boxes downstream through a common climate chamber for heat-setting.

[0004] According to another exemplary embodiment, means are provided for simultaneously driving each of the cooperating pairs of feed rollers such that the multiple ends of yarn are fed substantially simultaneously into respective crimping chambers of the spaced stuffer boxes.

[0005] According to another exemplary embodiment, the means for simultaneously driving comprises a common drive shaft, a plurality of drive belts operatively interconnecting the drive shaft and the pairs of feed rollers, and a drive motor adapted for rotating the drive shaft. Alternative means may comprise any combination of drive shafts, motors, gears, and/or belts, or other mechanical or electrical or electro-mechanical components.

[0006] According to another exemplary embodiment, each pair of feed rollers comprises cooperating meshing gears operatively connected to one of the plurality of drive belts.

[0007] According to another exemplary embodiment, a common overfeed roll is located upstream of the pairs of feed rollers, and is adapted for adjusting yarn speed moving downstream from the supply creel.

[0008] According to another exemplary embodiment, a plurality of rotatable false twisters are located upstream of respective pairs of feed rollers, and are adapted for twisting and untwisting yarn strands entering the spaced stuffer boxes.

[0009] According to another exemplary embodiment, means are provided for simultaneously rotating the plurality of false twisters. The exemplary means may comprise any combination of drive shafts, motors, gears, and/or belts, or other mechanical or electrical or electro-mechanical components.

[0010] According to another exemplary embodiment, the means for conveying comprises a moving conveyor belt. Alternative means may comprise any other vehicle or assembly capable of moving the bundled yarn downstream from the multiple stuffer boxes through the shared climate chamber.

[0011] According to another exemplary embodiment, a common compression roller is located downstream of the yarn chute.

[0012] According to another exemplary embodiment, a common angled chute is located downstream of the spaced stuffer boxes, and is adapted for converging the yarn ends exiting respective crimping chambers into a single yarn bundle for conveying downstream through the common climate chamber for heat-setting.

[0013] In another exemplary embodiment, each stuffer box comprises a housing having an entrance and an exit. The housing comprises cooperating chamber-forming surfaces defining an internal crimping chamber for receiving and accumulating the yarn. An adjustable sliding gate defines at least one of the chamber-forming surfaces adjacent the exit of the housing. Means are provided for releasably locking a position of the gate to selectively enlarge and narrow the exit of the housing, whereby selective adjustment of the gate operates to control axial compression of yarn accumulating inside of the crimping chamber.

[0014] In yet anotherexemplary embodiment, the disclosure comprises a method for texturing yarn. The method comprises locating a plurality of cooperating pairs of feed rollers upstream of a plurality of textile stuffer boxes, such that one cooperating pair of feed rollers feeds multiple ends of yarn into one stuffer box. The yarn ends exiting the spaced stuffer boxes are conveyed downstream through a common climate chamber for heat-setting.

[0015] As used herein, the term "common" refers to a single component, element, device, apparatus, or structure which is shared by multiple ends of yarn passed into and through the plurality of spaced stuffer boxes. In other words, for example, if three identical exemplary stuffer boxes process 20 ends of yarn each, then all 60 yarn ends would move together on a single common conveyor belt and through a single common climate chamber for heat-setting. Dividing the 60 ends of yarn into three separate bundles of 20 which pass through respective stuffer boxes and downstream through a single heat-setting chamber may improve yarn texture and overall efficiency of the yarn-texturing process. In another example, the present assembly may utilize a common drive shaft and common motor to drive the individual belts connected to respective feed rollers to simultaneously feed yarn to respective stuffer boxes.

[0016] The term "climate chamber" refers broadly herein to any enclosed or partially enclosed structure (e.g., tunnel) capable of establishing or sustaining an environment suitable for heat-setting.

[0017] As used herein, the term "yarn" refers broadly to a continuous filament or strand of fibers, such as that used in tufting, weaving, and bonding to form carpet and other fabrics. The yarn may be plied or without twist, and may be either spun staple or continuous filament.

[0018] The term "continuous filament" refers to an unbroken strand of synthetic fiber, such as filament nylon or olefin.

[0019] The term "crimp" refers to a nonlinear fiber configuration, such as a sawtooth, zigzag or random curl relative to the fiber axis. Fiber crimp generally increases bulk and cover and facilitates interlocking of staple fibers in spun yarns.

[0020] The term "textured yarn" refers to a continuous filament manufactured yarn that has been crimped— i.e., modified to create a different surface texture.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0021] The description of exemplary embodiments proceeds in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

[0022] Figure 1 is a schematic view illustrating a textile processing assembly according to one exemplary embodiment and implementation of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 illustrates various components of the textile processing assembly upstream of the textile stuffer boxes;

[0024] Figure 3 illustrates the common (shared) yarn-converging chute downstream of the textile stuffer boxes;

[0025] Figure 4 illustrates the exemplary common drive assembly for simultaneously driving the pairs of cooperating feed rollers;

[0026] Figure 5 illustrates the exemplary common actuator assembly for simultaneously actuating the false twisters; and

[0027] Figure 6 illustrates an exemplary stuffer box according to the present disclosure.

Description of Exemplary Embodiments and Best Mode

[0028] The present invention is described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which one or more exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be operative, enabling, and complete. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. As used herein, the article "a" is intended to include one or more items. Where only one item is intended, the term "one" or similar language is used. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. Unless otherwise expressly defined herein, such terms are intended to be given their broad ordinary and customary meaning not inconsistent with that applicable in the relevant industry and without restriction to any specific embodiment hereinafter described. Any references to advantages, benefits, unexpected results, or operability of the present invention are not intended as an affirmation that the invention has been previously reduced to practice or that any testing has been performed.

[0029] Referring now specifically to the drawings, a textile processing assembly according to one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated schematically in Figure 1 , and shown generally at reference numeral 10. In one implementation, the textile processing assembly 10 is applicable for texturing and heat- setting ply-twisted multifilament yarn, such as that used in saxony, plush, textured and frieze-type carpets. The term "ply-twisted multifilament yarn" refers to a multifilament yarn constructed by cabling together two or more single yarns by, for example, a two step twisting/cabling process or a direct cabling process, both of which are commonly known to those skilled in the art. The ply-twisted yarn may have a denier in the range of about 900 to 2800, and may be composed of either bulked continuous filament (BCF) yarns or staple spun yarns, for example. The assembly 10 may also be used to process other yarns including, for example, tow. [0030] In the present exemplary embodiment, the textile processing assembly

10 feeds multiple ends of yarn "Y" into individual spaced-apart textile stuffer boxes 12A, 12B, 12C (e.g., 16-20 ends per box) as shown in Figure 2 discussed below, and converges the separate yarn bundles exiting the stuffer boxes 12A-12C using a common (or "shared") angled and inwardly-tapered chute 14. A conveyor belt 15 moves the converged textured yarn bundle downstream from the chute 14 through a common (or "shared") climate chamber 16 for heat-setting. A more complete description of the present assembly 10 and exemplary method of the disclosure is provided below.

[0031] Referring to Figures 1 and 2, multiple ends of yarn Ύ" are supplied from a creel 21 and moved downstream in respective continuous lengths through guides 22 and 23, around a common overfeed roll 24 with (inverter) motor "M", and over spaced guide rolls 25A, 25B, 25C. As generally known and understood by those in the art, the overfeed roll 24 functions in a conventional manner to adjust the yarn speed for tension variations. From the spaced guide rolls 25A-25C, the yarn ends "Y" are passed through spaced guide rings 26A, 26B, 26C to bi-directionally rotating false twisters 28A, 28B, 28C. The guide rings 26A-26C and false twisters 28A-28C have respective circumferentially-spaced openings 31 , 32 for receiving and separating the yarn ends "Y". The exemplary false twisters 28A-28C operate by common actuator means (described further below) to twist and untwist the yarn strands. Cooperating pairs of gear-driven feed rollers 34A, 34B, 34C are located downstream of the false twisters 28A-28C, and operate to feed the yarn ends into respective spaced-apart stuffer boxes 12A-12C, described further below, where the moving yarn bundles are axially compressed (or "crimped") to add texture. In the exemplary embodiment, the pairs of feed rollers 34A-34C are driven simultaneously by common drive means described below. The yarn speed through the stuffer boxes 12A-12C may be infinitely adjustable between, for example, 250 m/min and 700 m/min. The median yarn speed for polypropylene is approximately 450 m/min, and approximately 550 m/min for polyester - and nylon.

[0032] As best shown in Figures 1 and 3, upon exiting the spaced stuffer boxes

12A-12C, the bundled textured yarn ends Ύ" converge and flow down the common angled and inwardly-tapered chute 14 to a common inverter-driven compression roller 35, and onto the inverter-driven, variable speed conveyor belt 15. The conveyor belt

15 transfers the textured yarn ends "Y" into and through the shared climate chamber

16 (or "tunnel") to heat-set the twist. The climate chamber 16 may comprise a conventional heat-setting machine, such as that known commercially as a "Superba", which treats the yarn with pressurized saturated steam. Alternatively, the climate chamber may comprise a machine known commercially as a "Suessen" which treats the yarn with dry heat to heat-set the twist. The speed of the conveyor belt 15 is controlled in order to transport the textured bundled yarn ends "Y" through the climate chamber 16 at a rate which yields the desired dwell time.

[0033] After heat-setting, the moving yarn "Y" accumulates downstream on the climate chamber 16 for cooling, and is pulled off the belt 15 by a winder 36. Prior to winding, the yarn "Y" undergoes a process (referred to as "shake-out") designed to separate and untangle the individual ends. From the conveyor belt 15, the yarn passes through a tension tower 37, and is taken back towards the climate chamber 16 by an adjustable traveling distance extender 38. The yarn "Y" extends from the distance extender 38 back to the winder 36 where it is wound on individual cones (not shown). The winder 36 may comprise, for example, an automatic doffing winder, or other suitable yarn take-up device. In one exemplary application, the resulting textured and heat-set yarn "Y" may be tufted into the backing of a carpet. The carpet may then be dyed and subjected to other standard finishing operations including stain and soil resist treatment followed by shearing of the tufts.

Common Drive Means— Feed Rollers 34A-34C

[0034] Referring to Figures 1 and 4, in the present exemplary embodiment the spaced pairs of cooperating feed rollers 34A-34C have respective meshing gears 41 A, 41 B, 41 C which are driven simultaneously by a common elongated drive shaft 42, motor 43, shaft belt 45, and individual drive belts 44A, 44B, 44C operatively connecting the drive shaft 42 and roller gears 41A-41C. The pairs of feed rollers 34A-34C move the yarn ends downstream into respective stuffer boxes 12A-12C at substantially the same rate. In alternative exemplary embodiments, individually-actuated drive means may be employed for each pair of feed rollers 34A-34C such that the yarn feed rates into respective stuffer boxes 12A-12C may be selectively varied.

Common Actuator Means— False Twisters 28A-28C

[0035] Referring to Figures 1 and 5, in the present exemplary embodiment the spaced-apart false twisters 28A-28C may be simultaneously bi-directionally actuated by a shared (common) drive motor 51 and shared drive belt 52. The false twisters 28A- 28C rotate back and forth, as indicated above, to twist and untwist the individual lengths of yarns prior to moving downstream through the feed rollers 34A-34C and stuffer boxes 12A-12C. In alternative exemplary embodiments, individual actuator means may be employed for each false twister 28A-28C. Other exemplary falser twisters and means for bi-directionally actuating are described in Applicant's prior U.S. Patent No. 6,415,971 ; the complete disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.

Exemplary Textile Stuffer Boxes 12A-12C

[0036] The textile stuffer boxes 12A-12C of the exemplary embodiment may be constructed as described in Applicant's prior U.S. Patent Nos. 6,481 ,072 and 7,735,204. The complete disclosures of these prior patents are incorporated by reference herein. The stuffer boxes 12A-12C are located upstream of the common climate chamber 16, as previously described, and operates to texture (or crimp) the ply- twisted yarn "Y" prior to heat-setting.

[0037] As described in Applicant's '204 Patent and referring to Figures 1 and 6, the exemplary stuffer box (indicated at reference numeral 12 in Figure 6) is located downstream of feed roller (indicated at reference numeral 34 in Figure 6) and comprises a metal housing 61 having an entrance 62 and an exit 63. The housing 61 has cooperating chamber-forming surfaces defining an internal crimping chamber 65 for receiving and accumulating the moving length of yarn "Y". An adjustable gate 66 is slidably mounted adjacent the exit 63 of the housing 61 , and is adjusted via locking set screw 67 (or other means) to selectively enlarge and narrow the housing exit 63, thereby controlling axial compression of yarn "Y" accumulating inside of the crimping chamber 65. Gate-setting indicia (not shown) may be provided on the housing 61 and an indexing element formed with adjustable gate 66 to facilitate desired placement of the gate 66. The indexing element of the gate 66 may comprise an indexing edge, or other conspicuous marking. Additionally, to create initial or start-up resistance in the moving yarn, a pivoted, arcuate, flat metal resistance finger 68 may extend from the gate 66 at the exit 63 of the housing 61. In other embodiments, the "start-up" resistance finger 68 may be eliminated and alternative means employed for creating initial yarn resistance. The exemplary stuffer boxes 12A-12C can be operated with or without steam to influence the texture, and can generally process several ends simultaneously depending on yarn size. While the examples described herein comprise three stuffer boxes 12A-12C feeding a single climate chamber 16, it understood that various improvements and advantages of the present concept may be achieved with other combinations of two or more stuffer boxes feeding yarn ends to a single climate chamber for heat-setting.

[0038] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described above.

No element, act, or instruction used in this description should be construed as important, necessary, critical, or essential to the invention unless explicitly described as such. Although only a view of the exemplary embodiments have been described in detail herein, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in these exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined in the following claims. In the claims, any means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents, but also equivalent structures. Thus, although a nail and a screw may not be structural equivalents in that a nail employs a cylindrical surface to secure wooden parts together, whereas a screw employs a helical surface, in the environment of fastening wooden parts, a nail and a screw may be equivalent structures.

Claims

What is Claimed:

1. A textile processing assembly for texturing and heatsetting multiple moving lengths of yarn, said assembly comprising:

a plurality of spaced-apart textile stuffer boxes, each defining an internal crimping chamber for receiving and accumulating moving lengths of yarn;

cooperating pairs of feed rollers upstream of respective spaced stuffer boxes, and adapted for engaging and moving multiple ends of the yarn downstream away from a supply creel and into respective crimping chambers of said spaced stuffer boxes; and means for conveying the yarn ends exiting respective crimping chambers of said spaced stuffer boxes downstream through a common climate chamberfor heat-setting.

2. A textile processing assembly according to claim 1 , and comprising means for simultaneously driving each of said cooperating pairs of feed rollers such that the multiple ends of yarn are fed substantially simultaneously into respective crimping chambers of said spaced stuffer boxes.

3. The textile processing assembly according to claim 2, wherein said means for simultaneously driving comprises a common drive shaft, a plurality of drive belts operatively interconnecting said drive shaft and said pairs of feed rollers, and a drive motor adapted for rotating said drive shaft.

4. The textile processing assembly according to claim 3, wherein each pair of feed rollers comprises cooperating meshing gears operatively connected to one of said plurality of drive belts.

5. The textile processing assembly according to claim 1 , and comprising a common overfeed roll upstream of said pairs of feed rollers, and adapted for adjusting yarn speed moving downstream from the supply creel.

6. The textile processing assembly according to claim 1 , and comprising a plurality of rotatable false twisters upstream of respective pairs of feed rollers and adapted for twisting and untwisting yarn strands entering said spaced stuffer boxes.

7. The textile processing assembly according to claim 6, and comprising means for simultaneously rotating said plurality of false twisters.

8. The textile processing assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said means for conveying comprises a moving conveyor belt.

9. The textile processing assembly according to claim 1 , and comprising a common yarn-converging chute downstream of said spaced stuffer boxes and adapted for converging the yarn ends exiting respective crimping chambers into a single yarn bundle for conveying downstream through the common climate chamber for heat- setting.

10. The textile processing assembly according to claim 9, and comprising a common compression roller downstream of said yarn-converging chute.

11. A textile processing assembly for texturing and heatsetting multiple moving lengths of yarn, said assembly comprising:

a plurality of spaced-apart textile stuffer boxes, each comprising:

(i) a housing having an entrance and an exit, and comprising cooperating chamber-forming surfaces defining an internal crimping chamber for receiving and accumulating the yarn;

(ii) an adjustable sliding gate defining at least one of said chamber-forming surfaces adjacent the exit of said housing; and

(iii) means for releasably locking a position of said gate to selectively enlarge and narrow the exit of said housing, whereby selective adjustment of said gate operates to control axial compression of yarn accumulating inside of said crimping chamber; cooperating pairs of feed rollers upstream of respective spaced stuffer boxes, and adapted for engaging and moving multiple ends of the yarn downstream away from a supply creel and into respective crimping chambers of said spaced stuffer boxes; and means for conveying the yarn ends exiting respective crimping chambers of said spaced stuffer boxes downstream through a common climate chamberfor heat-setting.

12. The textile processing assembly according to claim 11 , and comprising means for simultaneously driving each of said cooperating pairs of feed rollers such that the multiple ends of yarn are fed substantially simultaneously into respective crimping chambers of said spaced stuffer boxes.

13. The textile processing assembly according to claim 12, wherein said means for simultaneously driving comprises a common drive shaft, a plurality of drive belts operatively interconnecting said drive shaft and said pairs of feed rollers, and a drive motor adapted for rotating said drive shaft.

14. The textile processing assembly according to claim 13, wherein each pair of feed rollers comprises cooperating meshing gears operatively connected to one of said plurality of drive belts.

15. The textile processing assembly according to claim 11 , and comprising a common overfeed roll upstream of said pairs of feed rollers, and adapted for adjusting yarn speed moving downstream from the supply creel.

16. The textile processing assembly according to claim 11 , and comprising a plurality of rotatable false twisters upstream of respective pairs of feed rollers and adapted for twisting and untwisting yarn entering said spaced stuffer boxes, and means for simultaneously rotating said plurality of false twisters.

17. The textile processing assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said means for conveying comprises a moving conveyor belt.

18. The textile processing assembly according to claim 11 , and comprising a common yarn-converging chute downstream of said spaced stuffer boxes and adapted for converging the yarn ends exiting respective crimping chambers into a single yarn bundle for conveying downstream through the common climate chamber for heat- setting.

19. The textile processing assembly according to claim 18, and comprising a common compression roller downstream of said yarn-converging chute.

20. A method for texturing yarn, comprising:

locating a plurality of cooperating pairs of feed rollers upstream of a plurality of textile stuffer boxes, such that one cooperating pair of feed rollers feeds multiple ends of yarn into one stuffer box; and

conveying the yarn ends exiting the spaced stuffer boxes downstream through a common climate chamber for heat-setting.