Burlington Industries, Inc.

Lee K Powell

Michael W Brown

James C Slagle, Jr

Max H Hance

Ben M Croker

Charles L Crocker

Michael Wallace

Denim fabric is made from warp yarn which is at least 30% novelty cotton yarn having irregularly spaced effects (e.g. slubs) about one-half inch to two inches in length. The cotton novelty yarn is made by separating cotton sliver into cotton fibers, and acting on the cotton fibers with a negative wire combing roll, and then twisting the cotton fibers into the cotton novelty yarn. The negative wire combing roll has a tooth angle of about -0.01 to -15.degree. (e.g. about -2.degree.). The novelty cotton yarn is combined with at least 10% conventional novelty yarn or non-slub open end or ring spun yarn and made into a warp of about 54-100 ends per inch, and may be ring dyed (with indigo, vat, sulphur, pigment or reactive dye) so that the core of the yarn remains white. The warp is woven with a filling yarn to produce a denim fabric with a weight of about 5 oz. -17 oz. per sq. yd. having the weave and yarn size selected so that a tight construction is provided which highlights the slubs. The fabric may be subjected to surface abrasion to remove the surface of dye on the slubs to show a lighter slub than body of the fabric. Alternatively, the warp and filling yarns may be natural, and dyeing practiced after the yarns are woven into a fabric and the fabric made into a garment.

Making slub yarn on open-end machine, and composite fabric

Denim fabric is made from novelty cotton yarn having irregularly spaced irregularities (e.g. slubs) about one-half inch to two inches in length. The cotton novelty yarn is made by separating cotton sliver into cotton fibers, and acting on the cotton fibers with a negative wire combing roll, and then twisting the cotton fibers into the cotton novelty yarn. The negative wire combing roll has a tooth angle of about -0.01.degree. to -15.degree.. The novelty cotton yarn is made into a warp of about 54-100 (e.g. 54-78) ends per inch, and is ring dyed so that the core of the yarn remains white. The warp is woven with a filling yarn to produce a denim fabric with a weight of about 5 oz.-17 oz. per sq. yd. having the weave and yarn size selected so that a tight construction is provided which highlights the slubs. The fabric is subjected to surface abrasion to remove the surface of dye on the slubs to show a lighter slub than body of the fabric.

Making slub yarn on open-end machine

A guard is provided for a take-up shaft of an open-end yarn spinning machine. The shaft rotates about a first axis and cooperates with a cot (a small rubber wheel) which is rotatable about a second axis parallel to the first axis. The guard comprises a tubular body member, preferably circular in cross-section, having a central axis and first and second ends spaced from each other along the central axis. A slot is formed in the body, and the body surrounds the shaft. The body is concentric with the shaft and the slot is disposed beneath the shaft. A cut-out is formed adjacent, but spaced from, the first end of the shaft, and the cot operatively engages the shaft through the cut-out. The slot and cut-out preferably interconnect. A mounting bracket is joined to the body member at the second end of the body member preferably comprises a Y-shaped bracket having a stem integral with the body member and branches with openings for receipt of fasteners. The fasteners are otherwise operative components of the spinning machine, and the fasteners and bracket mount the tubular body member so that it is stationary with respect to the shaft. The body member preferably is formed of a flexible plastic so that the portions thereof defining the slot may be bent away from each other, and the body member easily disposed in a position surrounding the shaft, although it may also be of a rigid metal.

Growing community of inventors

China Grove, NC, United States of America

Lee K Powell