Burlington Industries, Inc.

John B Hodgin

Delano M Conklin

Kenneth Y Wang

John H Hansen

John H Sumner

Walter F Illman

Yarn hairiness is reduced by employing a vortex action of a fluid, such as air or steam. Yarn in a substantially dry condition is passed in a generally linear path through a body having a central through-extending generally linear passageway that is circular in cross-section. A plurality of bores are provided in the body which extend from the periphery of the body to intersect the central passageway, being tangentially disposed with respect to the central passageway. Fluid under pressure is introduced into the bores, and creates a vortex action which acts upon the yarn to twist and lay down protruding hairs that cause yarn hairiness. The bores are preferably disposed at an angle of about 40.degree.-50.degree. with respect to the central passageway, and are spaced along the length of the passageway. Shortly after the yarn exits the body, hot melt sizing is applied to it to maintain the protruding hairs in their laid down position.

Method vortex action yarn hairiness reduction

An apparatus and method effect application of molten size to textile yarns, such as spun yarns. An applicator cylinder is rotatable about a horizontal axis and has a number of grooves circumferentially formed in its surface, with peaked lands between the grooves, each land making an angle of about 8.degree.-12.degree. with respect to a plane bridging the top of an associated groove. A furnisher roll, also rotatable about a horizontal axis, picks up molten size from an open-top trough and delivers it to grooves in the rotating applicator cylinder. The surface of the furnisher roll cooperates with that of the applicator cylinder so that sloping areas of the furnisher roll mate with the lands of the applicator cylinder and so that flat areas of the furnisher roll bridge the entrances to the grooves. The furnisher roll may be of polytetrafluoroethylene machined to correspond to the surface of the applicator cylinder, or may have an elastomeric material surface. A cleaning device comprises a pad, which may be a thermoplastic polymeric material capable of lengthy exposure to high temperatures, having a surface corresponding essentially identically to the surface of the applicator cylinder, and mounted so that it is pressed into engagement with the applicator cylinder to remove molten size and contaminants from the grooves of the applicator cylinder. The molten size with contaminants is diverted by the cleaner to a filter, which removes lint from the size and returns it to the trough.

Hot melt size applying

Non-aqueous, quick setting sizing compositions suitable for application as a melt to textile yarns, and for later removal by solvent or aqueous means, characterized by substantial amounts of hydrogenated tallow-type triglyceride wax, are disclosed. The compositions may include an approximately 50:50 weight mixture of a specific class of 80/20 ethylene/acrylic acid copolymers intimately blended with an equal amount of the wax. A fatty acid amide may be included in an amount up to about 7 weight percent of the composition or from 1 to 14 weight percent sebacic acid or dodecanedioic acid, the amount of copolymer being reduced accordingly. The compositions may contain up to 62 weight percent of the wax, and rigidify at ambient temperatures.

Growing community of inventors

Greensboro, NC, United States of America

John B Hodgin