The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 21, 1976
Filed:
Apr. 23, 1975
John G Tillotson, Dalton, GA (US);
Tillotson Corporation, Needham, MA (US);
Abstract
Apparatus and method for coloring yarn continuously in sheets thereof, the apparatus including a spatial sequence apparatus for testing the yarn by pre-stressing; a yarn tension relaxing means; a printing apparatus for coloring the yarn in an accurately predetermined longitudinal pattern; control means for correcting wet yarn length increase as the yarn progresses through the printer; wet hot box for fixation of the dye stuff onto the yarn fiber; yarn washing means; combined apparatus for yarn drying and/or stress relieving by raising the yarn temperature; yarn relative lateral displacement means; yarn longitudinal displacement means; and finally a tufting machine or a take up means such as a beam. The method steps include sequentially testing the yarn for weakness, coloring the yarn while relaxed, fixation of the dye stuff on the yarn, washing the yarn, drying and/or setting the yarn, laterally and longitudinally realigning the yarns of the sheet to obtain individual yarn positions eventually resulting in a desired pattern, and finally leading the yarn directly to a tufting machine or winding the yarn on beams or other packages which will later feed into a tufting machine. In the description, the word 'printing' is used synonymously with the word 'coloring.'