Elongated textile product

A process for simultaneously texturizing a plurality of yarns including feeding a plurality of yarns separately through the inlet of a texturizing device to a cylindrical chamber, supplying a hot compressed fluid to the cylindrical chamber to advance the yarns therein, the hot compressed fluid escaping into an outer closed chamber, and maintaining the outer chamber at a pressure less than the feed pressure of the hot compressed fluid and greater than atmospheric pressure. A texturizing device for use in the above described process including a yarn supplying conduit and an intake member combined to form a suction nozzle supplying a plurality of yarns to be texturized to a cylindrical chamber defined by a tubular member with a wall surrounding the tubular member forming a closed chamber maintained at a pressure less than the feed pressure of a hot, compressed fluid supplied to the intake member and greater than atmospheric pressure, the yarn supplying conduit having tubular channels therein to maintain the yarns separate during introduction into the cylindrical chamber. A textile product formed of an elongated pack of at least two texturized yarns having a substantially smooth, uniform, continuous, peripheral surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention: 
The present invention pertains to a process and apparatus for high speed 
texturizing of thermoplastic yarns and, more particular, to such process 
and apparatus for simultaneously texturizing a plurality of thermoplastic 
yarns and to the product produced thereby. 
2. Discussion of the Prior Art: 
In the past a great number of processes have been utilized to produce 
springy texturized yarn with such prior art processes being specifically 
described in the above mentioned patent application Ser. No. 56,880, now 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,703,754, the specification of which is incorporated herein 
by reference. In order to more fully appreciate the present invention, 
however, prior art texturizing processes will be briefly described 
hereinafter. 
The false twist process, which is an example of a mechanical texturizing 
process, is utilized for texturizing by subjecting a yarn to an excess 
twist that is thermally fixed and then continuously untwisting the yarn. 
Another mechanical texturizing process is stuffing wherein a heated yarn 
is compressed in a stuffing box in which it remains for varying lengths of 
time. The mechanical texturizing processes as described above have the 
disadvantage of permitting only relatively low rates of production and, 
therefore, have not been as commercially feasible as is desirable. 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,373,470 describes a texturizing process that permits high 
rates of production on the order of 1,000 meters per minute or greater by 
compacting and compressing yarns in a limited space by means of a hot 
fluid under pressure. One portion of the fluid is permitted to escape 
laterally while the remaining portion of the fluid effects the advance of 
the packed yarn within the limited space. The apparatus utilized to effect 
the process of U.S. Pat. No. 3,373,470 basically includes a suction nozzle 
having a yarn passage extending therethrough and a pipe for delivering the 
hot fluid. A tubular chamber communicates with a nozzle receiving the hot 
fluid and the yarn, and the tubular chamber has gaps in its lateral wall 
to permit escape of the fluid. The process of Pat. No. 3,373,470 is 
particularly effective in texturizing of high tex yarns, such as carpet 
yarns, and medium tex yarns, and this process is presently commercially 
utilized for texturizing yarns above 500 dtex. 
The process and apparatus of U.S. Pat. No. 3,373,470 cannot be easily 
utilized to texturize fine yarns, that is yarns below 100 dtex, in that 
the dimensions of the apparatus must be reduced to the size of the yarn to 
be treated. Accordingly, in order to utilize this process for fine yarns 
the apparatus must be miniaturized which, of course, involves the 
disadvantages of precise machining and design of the gaps or piercing of 
the lateral escape holes for the fluid. In many cases the diameter of such 
escape holes must be on the order of 0.1mm. The provision of such small 
holes without leaving burrs inside the tubular chamber is an extremely 
difficult operation and from an economic standpoint is improper. 
The process of U.S. Pat. No. 3,373,470 has been utilized to assemble and 
texturize simultaneously two or more 500 dtex yarns by feeding several 
filament lengths together to the input of the texturizing device. At the 
output of the device a pack formed of a curling or crimped yarn, whose 
number of filaments is the sum of the number of filaments introduced into 
the device, is collected, the pack being normally collected in a skip or 
can. When the treated yarns are on the order of 500 dtex, it is possible 
to separate the different yarns in the pack without great difficulty since 
the yarns have a relatively high tex and are, accordingly, relatively 
heavy. Of course, the yarns have a tendency to stick or cling together, 
however, in the case of high titre yarns, when the yarns are extracted or 
removed from the skip or can the yarns separate due to the weight of the 
pack. In contradistinction; however, when fine yarns are treated, such 
fine yarns have a tendency to cling together even if they are not 
texturized; and, thus when they are texturized, the interengagement due to 
the kinks is stronger and is capable of resisting the effect of the weight 
of the pack. Accordingly, separation of the yarns is extremely difficult; 
and, of course, the degree of difficulty increases with the decrease in 
titre or increase in fineness of the texturized yarns. Furthermore, in 
certain applications the pack of texturized yarns after collection in a 
skip or can is subjected to additional treatments such as passage through 
a dye bath. During such additional treatments or operations the pack is 
subjected to movement which exposes the pack to deformation that could 
cause the pack to loose cohesion and its original configuration, such as 
crushing for example. If such deformation occurs, the difficulty in 
separating the yarns from the pack is greatly increased since the yarns 
are meshed and cling to each other with increased tenacity. 
To increase consistency and firmness of packs produced by the above 
processes an auxiliary yarn has been introduced into the texturizing 
device along with the yarn to be treated. The auxiliary yarn is fed at a 
slower speed than the yarn to be treated and constitutes a core imparting 
firmness to the pack. The use of such an auxiliary yarn has the 
disadvantage of requiring the delivery of a further element to the 
texturizing device, which element must then be removed from the pack by 
chemical, physical or mechanical means. Another manner in which it has 
been attempted to increase consistency and firmness of the pack is to 
incorporate a binder in the yarn substance; however, this solution has the 
disadvantage of effectively providing a compromise between the firmness of 
the produced pack to facilitate further operations and the facility of 
extracting or separating the yarn from the pack for winding. Furthermore, 
the binder must be such as not to have a chemical or physical effect on 
the yarn such as bonding the strands since such an effect produces a yarn 
having irregular bulk or cross section. 
Another problem in the separation of texturized yarns is that in the past 
separation was possible only at low speeds, and, thus, the entire process 
was slowed thereby. Of course, high speeds in the production of texturized 
yarns are greatly desirable. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a process 
and apparatus for simultaneously texturizing a plurality of yarns at high 
speeds and, more particularly, for simultaneously texturizing a plurality 
of fine yarns at high speeds to form a crimped pack from which the yarns 
may be easily and quickly separated. 
The present invention is generally characterized in a process for 
simultaneously texturizing a plurality of yarns including feeding a 
plurality of yarns to a texturizing device including a fluid inlet, a 
nozzle communicating with a tubular member having lateral discharge 
apertures therein and a closed outer chamber surrounding the tubular 
member; supplying a hot compressed fluid to the fluid inlet of the 
texturizing device, one portion of the fluid advancing the yarns through 
the tubular member and another portion of the fluid escaping laterally 
through the discharge apertures; and maintaining the pressure in the outer 
chamber less than the pressure of the fluid and greater than atmospheric 
pressure. The present invention is further generally characterized in a 
texturizing device including a tubular member for receiving a plurality of 
yarns and having lateral discharge apertures therein, a closed outer 
chamber surrounding the tubular member, a fluid inlet for receiving a hot 
compressed fluid, and a yarn inlet having a plurality of channels therein, 
each of the channels receiving a yarn to be texturized, one portion of the 
fluid advancing the yarns through the tubular member and another portion 
of the fluid escaping laterally through the discharge apertures into the 
outer chamber, the outer chamber having a pressure therein less than the 
pressure of the fluid at the fluid inlet and greater than atmospheric 
pressure. The present invention is additionally generally characterized in 
a product formed with the above described process and apparatus including 
an elongated pack of at least two crimped yarns having a substantially 
smooth, uniform and continuous outer peripheral surface. 
The present invention has another object in that at least two yarns to be 
crimped are introduced separately into a limited space substantially along 
the generatrix thereof with the yarns being texturized by compressed 
fluid, one portion of which escapes laterally from the limited space and 
the other portion of which effects advancement of the yarn. 
A further object of the present invention is to produce an elongated 
textile product formed of a compact packing of a least two texturized 
yarns with the peripheral portion of the packed product having a 
continuous, uniform and substantially smooth surface. 
Yet another object of the present invention is to form a pack of texturized 
yarns with each yarn being disposed substantially along a generatrix of a 
limited space such that entanglement between strands of adjacent yarns is 
substantially reduced thereby facilitating separation of the yarns after 
texturizing. 
A further object of the present invention is to maintain a plurality of 
yarns separate upstream of a texturizing device such that the yarns enter 
the texturizing device separately. 
The present invention has another object in that a plurality of yarns are 
texturized in a limited space having a circuit cross section in order to 
produce a pack having a substantially cylindrical configuration. 
A further object of the present invention is to provide a method of 
texturizing and separating a plurality of yarns either continuously after 
texturizing or some time thereafter wherein the rate of separation depends 
only on the speed at which the texturized yarn is wound. 
Some of the advantages of the present invention are that the number of 
yarns which may be treated is a function of both titre of the yarns and 
the dimensions of the device, in practice this number being advantageously 
between 4 and 8 or higher; a pack of yarns treated according to the 
present invention has sufficient cohesion to permit preservation of 
configuration during movement in a skip or can; the load-to-rupture, that 
is the load that must be applied to the pack to break its cohesion in a 
longitudinal direction as evidenced by cracks that distort the uniformity 
of the peripheral surface, corresponds to the weight of a length of the 
product greater than one meter; when polyamide yarns are treated, the 
specific weight of the pack is greater than 0.3 g/cc; the firmness and 
appearance of the pack render it useful as a semi-finished product able to 
withstand the rigors of transport over long distances and to be delivered 
as is to customers; after texturizing the pack can be collected in a 
conventional manner either in a can or skip for dying and also may be 
suitably packaged for delivery to a manufacturer; the pack may be 
collected by winding the pack on a support such as a cable or a cord; the 
yarns of the pack may be separated either immediately or continuously 
after texturizing or at some later period in time after further treatment 
or movement such as in the course of workup on a machine; for use in 
knitting where the rate of take-off of the yarn is slow, the pack may be 
utilized directly with yarn being separated from the pack in the course of 
take-off of the yarn; the yarns may be wound individually on a winding 
support or, preferably, after separation of the yarns may be assembled 
either in several groups or a single group and wound simultaneously, 
preferably in parallel; and the rate of separation of yarns is limited 
only by the rate of winding. 
Other objects and advantahges of the present invention will become apparent 
from the following description of the preferred embodiments taken in 
conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Apparatus according to the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 1 and 
includes a texturizing device 10 having a yarn inlet 12 for separately 
receiving a plurality of yarns 14 to be treated and an outlet 16 for 
dispensing a pack 18 of the crimped or curled yarns 14 after texturizing 
by device 10. A plurality of guides 20 are disposed upstream of inlet 12 
to guide yarns 14 individually from feed spools, not shown, to device 10 
in order to assure that the yarns are separately received at the inlet 12. 
The rate of movement of pack 18 from outlet 16 is controlled by a pair of 
rolls 22 and 24 disposed adjacent the outlet, and pack 18 is delivered to 
a moving endless belt 25 which carries the pack to a plurality of lift 
devices 26. From lift devices 26 the yarns of the pack, which are 
beginning to separate, are moved past a lubricating roll 28 and a 
separating comb 30 to a delivery mechanism 32 that delivers the yarns to a 
peripheral drive winding device 34 under tension controlled by a tension 
regulator 36. 
Texturizing device 10, as shown in FIG. 2, includes a nozzle assembly 
formed of an intake member 38 receiving hot compressed fluid, such as 
steam, at a fluid inlet 40 and a yarn delivery conduit 42 having a tapered 
end cooperating and aligned with a conical opening in intake member 38 to 
form a suction nozzle. Conduit 42 threadedly engages member 38 to permit 
orifice adjustment. The inlet of conduit 42 defines yarn inlet 12, and a 
plurality of tubular channels or passages 44 are formed in conduit 42 to 
receive individual yarns 14 and deliver the yarns separately to a 
cylindrical chamber 46 formed by a tubular member 48, which chamber 46 
defines a limited space communicating with the suction nozzle and conduit 
42 to receive hot, compressed fluid and the plurality of yarns 14. 
Tubular member 48 has a plurality of apertures 50 spaced longitudinally 
therein, and apertures 50 provide communication between cylindrical 
chamber 46 and a closed outer chamber 52 which is defined by a concentric 
wall 54 surrounding tubular member 48. A pressure regulator 56 is 
positioned at an outlet port 58 in order to control the pressure in 
chamber 52 and maintain such pressure above atmospheric pressure during 
operation. 
In operation the yarns 14 are supplied to the inlet 12 of the nozzle and 
are pulled into chamber 46 by the hot, compressed fluid, preferably 
saturated steam, supplied at inlet 40. The hot, compressed fluid serves to 
effect movement or advancement of the yarns 14 in chamber 46 as well as 
performing a curling or crimping function at the orifice and stuffing 
chamber 46 with the yarns. The hot, compressed fluid escapes laterally in 
a controlled manner into chamber 52 since the pressure in chamber 52 is 
maintained above atmospheric pressure. The egress rate of the pack 18 
formed by texturizing device 10 is controlled by rollers 22 and 24; and, 
after exit may be delivered to conveyor 25 for continuous separation of 
the yarns. That is, the yarns experience winding tension as they approach 
the lift devices 26 and begin to separate. The yarns are then lubricated 
by roll 28 and separation is completed as the yarns pass through comb 30. 
The separated yarns are then wound under tension by winding device 34 in a 
parallel configuration. Thus, utilizing the apparatus of FIG. 1 a process 
is provided for continuously crimping a plurality of yarns to form a pack 
18 and then separating the yarns for winding. 
If desired, the pack 18 may be collected in a can provided with a 
reciprocating motion, and the yarns may be separated and wound at any time 
thereafter with the pack 18 providing a firm and stable product. The yarns 
in pack 18 may be easily separated in the same manner as described with 
reference to FIG. 1 at any time after the pack is formed; and, 
accordingly, the pack may be shipped as a product for separation at a 
later time immediately before use in a suitable textile operation. 
The process, product and apparatus of the present invention will be 
described with reference to the following specific examples; however, it 
is understood that the following examples are presented for purposes of 
illustration only and the present invention is not meant to be limited 
thereto. 
The examples 1 and 2 were accomplished with winding of the yarn in a 
relaxed state. 
EXAMPLE 1 
Using the texturizing device of FIG. 2, four yarns, 44 dtex/13 strands, 
demi-matte, round section, are introduced separately into the tubular 
texturizing chamber 46 which is 110mm long and 3mm in diameter. The 
operating conditions are as follows: 
rate of yarn feed: 1000m/min. 
steam feed pressure at the nozzle: 7 bars 
escape pressure in the closed chamber 52: 3.6 bars 
The pack is collected in a can, and separation and winding is effected 
discontinuously with: 
rate of delivery mechanism 32: 900m/min. 
rate of winding: 780 m/min. 
Four texturized yarns are obtained, each having the following 
characteristics: 
bulk (according to the Koning test): 3.3 cc/g 
curl in half waves to the centimeter: 15 
elasticity: 44% 
The elasticity was measured by the following test. 
A ten meter sample of the yarn to be tested was treated for 5 minutes at 
130.degree. C in saturated steam, in a drying cabinet. Then a 50 cm length 
of yarn taken from this sample had applied to it a load of 0.045 g/dtex 
(0.05 g/denier) of the yarn before texturizing. A length L.sub.1 was 
measured. The load was then replaced by another smaller load of 0.0009 
g/dtex (0.001 g/den) of the yarn before texturizing. This load was 
maintained for one hour, and then a length L.sub.2 was measured. The 
elasticity is given by the following formula: 
##EQU1## 
EXAMPLE 2 
The apparatus of FIG. 1 is used, introducing separately 6 yarns, 78 dtex/23 
strands, matte, round section, in the tubular texturizing chamber 46 
having a length of 110mm and a diameter of 4mm. 
The operating conditions are as follows: 
rate of yarn feed: 600 m/min. 
steam feed pressure at the nozzle: 7.5 bars 
steam pressure in the closed chamber 52: 2.1 bars 
average winding speed 520 m/min. 
At the output, after separation, 6 texturized yarns are obtained, each 
having the following characteristics: 
bulk (according to the Koning test): 3.06 cc/g 
curl in half waves to the centimeter: 13 
elasticity: 24% 
The elasticity was measured in the same manner as in example 1. 
Examples 3 and 4 were effected with winding of the yarn under tension. 
EXAMPLE 3 
There are separately introduced into the texturizing device of FIG. 2 4 
polyhexamethylene adipamide yarns, each yarn being constituted by assembly 
of a 78 dtex/23 strand yarn, semi-matte, round section, and a 78 dtex/23 
strand yarn, glossy, multilobed section. The texturizing tubular chamber 
46 has a length of 105mm and a diameter of 3mm. 
The operating conditions are as follows: 
rate of yarn feed: 1000 m/min. 
steam feed pressure at the nozzle: 7 bars 
escape pressure in the closed chamber 52: 2.5 bars 
Separation and winding are performed continuously: 
rate of delivery mechanism 32: 920 m/min. 
rate of winding: 890 m/min. 
winding tension: 45 g 
A slight difference is maintained between the speed of the delivery 
mechanism 32 and the speed of winding to ensure greater regularity of the 
latter, though under tension. 
There are obtained 4 mixed yarns which look practically flat, resembling 
the yarns before texturizing, each mixed yarn having the following 
characteristics: 
______________________________________ 
Before After 
Revelation 
Revelation 
______________________________________ 
elasticity 7% 20% 
bulk 2.5cc/g 6.5cc/g 
curl in half wave per cm: 
7 14 
______________________________________ 
Revelation is defined as revealing of the texturizing of the yarn after 
thermal treatments for finishing or dying articles composed of the yarns. 
Bulk was measured according to the Koning test, and elasticity was measured 
in the manner of example 1. The mixed yarns thus prepared are used for 
making a knit on an interlock, gauge 20.13 stitches/cm. After knitting, 
the knitted product was steamed at 130.degree. C for revelation of the 
yarn. 
The knit has a slightly glossy mottled appearance, presenting a silky feel 
that contrasts with the dry feel of knits made from non-texturized 
synthetic yarns. Moreover, there is less puckering. The knit is used for 
manufacture of hosiery. 
EXAMPLE 4 
There are introduced separately into the device of FIG. 2 4 yarns each 
constituted by a 20 t/m twist of a 72 dtex/23 strand semi-matte round cut 
polyester yarn and a 78 dtex/23 strand glossy multilobed polyamide yarn. 
The tubular texturizing chamber 46 has a length of 105mm and a diameter of 
4mm. 
The operating conditions are as follows: 
rate of yarn feed: 1000 m/min. 
steam feed pressure at the nozzle: 6 bars 
escape pressure in the closed chamber 52: 1.2 bars 
Separation and winding are effected continuously: 
speed of the delivery mechanism 32: 900 m/min. 
winding rate: 880 m/min. 
winding tension: 30 g 
Four mixed yarns are obtained, with practically flat appearance, like that 
of the yarns before texturizing, each mixed yarn presenting the following 
characteristics: 
______________________________________ 
Before After 
Revelation 
Revelation 
______________________________________ 
elasticity 3.5% 13.3% 
bulk 2.5cc/g 7 cc/g 
curl, half wave to the 
centimeter 5.5 12 
______________________________________ 
These yarns are used for manufacture of outer clothing such as dresses, 
polo shirts, etc. and are very pleasant to wear. 
EXAMPLE 5 
Simultaneous texturizing of four lengths of polyhexamethylene adipamide 
(nylon 66) 100 dtex, 34 strands, which feed into the device of FIG. 2 with 
the tubular texturizing chamber 46 having a diameter of 3mm. The 
texturizing fluid is saturated steam. The operating conditions are as 
follows: 
rate of yarn feed: 1000 m/min. 
steam feed pressure at the nozzle: 8 bars 
escape pressure in the enclosed chamber 52: 3.5 bars 
rate of output of the pack: 22 m/min. 
An elongated pack is obtained, substantially cylindrical in form, with a 
diameter varying from 2 to 3 mm over its length, and presenting a 
peripheral surface that is uniform and substantially smooth. 
The specific weight of the pack is 0.59 g/cc. The necessary load for 
breaking the cohesion of the pack corresponds to the weight of a product 
length substantially equalling 3m. 
EXAMPLE 6 
With a device substantially the same as that of Example 1, four lengths of 
polyhexamethylene adipamide (nylon 66), 44 dtex/13 strands, are 
texturized. The texturizing fluid is saturated steam. The operating 
conditions are as follows: 
rate of yarn feed: 1000 m/min. 
steam feed pressure at the nozzle: 7.5 bars 
escape pressure in the closed chamber 52: 3.3 bars 
rate of output of the pack: 9.75 m/min. 
An elongated pack is obtained, substantially cylindrical in configuration, 
with a specific weight of about 0.550 g/cc, with a peripheral surface that 
is uniform and smooth. The load required to break the cohesion of the pack 
is equivalent to the weight of a product length substantially equalling 
2m. 
EXAMPLE 7 
With the device of FIG. 2 having a tubular texturizing chamber diameter of 
4 mm, six lengths of polyhexamethylene adipamide (nylon 66), 78 dtex/23 
strands, are texturized under the following conditions: 
texturizing fluid: saturated steam 
rate of yarn feed: 500 m/min. 
steam feed pressure at the nozzle: 8 bars 
escape pressure in the closed chamber 52: 3 bars 
rate of output of the pack: 6 m/min. 
There is obtained an elongated pack which is substantially cylindrical, 
with diameter equal to 4mm and specific weight about 0.300 g/cc. The load 
necessary for breaking the cohesion of the pack is equivalent to the 
weight of a product length of 12m. 
EXAMPLE 8 
With the device of FIG. 2 with the diameter of tubular texturizing chamber 
46 being 4mm, as in example 1, eight lengths of 210 dtex/34 strand yarn 
are texturized. The texturizing fluid is saturated steam. The operating 
conditions are the following: 
rate of yarn feed: 500 m/min. 
steam feed pressure at the nozzle: 8.75 bars 
escape pressure in the closed chamber 52: 3.3 bars 
output rate of the pack: 30 m/min. 
An elongated pack is obtained whose section is substantially elliptical 
with axes respectively 3 and 4mm. The specific weight of the pack is about 
0.31 g/cc and the load required for breaking the cohesion is equivalent to 
the weight of a product length substantially of 1.20m. 
In examples 5, 6, 7 and 8 the pack presents a specific weight that is 
greater than the specific weight of packs heretofore known, which for 
polyamide yarns is generally between 0.1 and 0.25 g/cc. 
Examples 1 through 4 are illustrative of the process of the present 
invention and the results obtained with the apparatus of the present 
invention, and examples 5 through 8 are illustrative of the quality, 
configuration and exterior appearance of the pack produced by the process 
and apparatus of the present invention. Thus, from examples 5 through 8 
the elongated pack textile product of the present invention can be seen to 
constitute a viable product capable of direct delivery to textile 
manufacturers, which pack is extremely stable and resistant to forces 
which might cause deformation in order to maintain the quality of easy 
separation of the texturized yarns therefrom. 
In accordance with the present invention, the yarns 14 to be treated in the 
texturizing device 10 are maintained separated as they enter the 
texturizing chamber 46, and the separation of the yarns prior to 
texturizing may be accomplished by devices disposed upstream of the 
texturizing device as well as by the tubular channels 44 defined in the 
inlet of the conduit 42. The tubular channels 44, however, are extremely 
effective in assuring that the yarns 14 enter the texturizing chamber or 
space 46 separately. That is, the tubular channels 44 assure that the 
yarns 14 are separated at the entrance into the texturizing chamber, and 
the resultant pack 18 is thus formed of a plurality of yarns 14, each of 
which is given a specifically spaced position within the pack 
substantially along the generatrix of the texturizing chamber 46. Thus, 
adjacent yarns are able to become entangled only to a minimum degree and 
separation of the yarns after texturizing is facilitated. 
The number of yarns 14 which may be treated in accordance with the process 
and apparatus of the present invention is a function of both the titre of 
the yarns and the dimensions of the texturizing device 10; however, in 
practice the number of yarns to be treated is advantageously between 4 and 
8 but the number may be considerably higher. Preferably, the yarns 14 to 
be treated are of substantially the same titre, less than 200 dtex and the 
yarns are fed at substantially the same speed to the texturizing device. 
From examples 5 through 8 it can be seen that the rupture strength of the 
elongated pack of texturized yarns corresponds to a length of the pack 
greater than one meter and that when polyamide yarns are treated, the 
specific weight is greater than 0.3 g/cc. 
When the texturized yarns from pack 18 are separated, the yarns are 
advantageously wound simultaneously. Each yarn may be wound separately on 
a winding support; however, it is preferably after separation of the yarns 
to assemble the yarns in one or several groups with each group of yarns 
wound on the same support, preferably in parallel. 
When it is desired to separate the yarns at some time after texturizing, 
the pack produced at the output of the texturizing device is collected in 
a skip or can normally provided with a reciprocating movement. The pack is 
thus temporarily stored in the skip or can, and when desired, the pack is 
transported to a winding machine and the pack is spread out and the yarns 
are separated on lifting devices such as those shown in FIG. 1. The yarns 
are finally separated at a comb and assembled and wound separately each on 
a support or wound separately on the same support. When it is desired to 
provide continuous separation of the pack 18 after texturizing, the pack 
is delivered to belt 25 as illustrated in FIG. 1. The yarns are separated 
by lift devices 26 and comb 30 and then assembled, relaxed and wound on a 
single support. 
The discontinuous or continuous separation of the yarns from pack 18 
depends on the resultant use of the yarns; and, thus, where a dying 
operation is desired, it is preferably to utilize discontinuous separation 
and winding of the yarns since the dying operation can be more effectively 
performed on the pack 18. For other uses such as a grey yarn, it is 
desired to collect the yarn directly on spools; and, thus, the yarns are 
continuously separated and wound. Whether the yarns are separated either 
continuously or discontinuously the winding of the yarns can be effected 
without tension in order to preserve the bulk of the texturized yarns; 
however, of course, the yarns may be wound under tension. If the yarns are 
wound under tension, the curled or crimped appearance of the yarns will be 
temporarily eliminated with the curled or crimped appearance manifesting 
itself again during subsequent thermal treatments. Thus, the yarns 
produced in accordance with the present invention are provided with latent 
texturization. 
The above described latent texturization is extremely advantageous for 
textile manufacturing in that the bulk and elasticity of yarns present 
problems when it is desired to knit, weave or stitch a background 
utilizing texturized yarns. In order to avoid irregular appearance in the 
finished article, the bulkiness and elasticity of the yarns must be taken 
into account especially with respect to tightening and tension. Thus, it 
is advantageous to be able to work with a yarn such as that provided by 
the present invention whose texturizing, curl and elasticity are in a 
latent state such that the yarn has substantially the appearance of 
untreated yarns. In order to reveal the texturization of the yarns, the 
finished article is treated to provide relaxation and the texturized yarn 
it thus returned to its previously texturized state. 
The winding tension required to separate and wind the yarns from the pack 
18 in order to eliminate the texturized appearance thereof is a function 
of the curl or crimp, the rate of winding, the titre of the yarns and the 
strength and structure of the yarn; for those yarns having a great 
elongate-to-rupture, the winding tension may cause a slight drawing; 
however, this drawing will not harm the final appearance of the yarn after 
revelation. The winding tension to be utilized is preferably between 20 
and 50 g. and the revelation of the yarns can be effected in the course of 
thermal treatments for finishing or dying the finished article containing 
the yarns. 
The yarns produced according to the present invention may be utilized for 
the manufacture of fabrics with or without nap, knits, nonwoven fabrics 
for use as floor coverings, wall coverings, furniture, and clothing such 
as outer garments, under clothing and hosiery as well as other articles. 
In particular, with the yarns of the present invention having latent 
texturization obtained by winding under tension, regular or fancy effects 
can be obtained, and it is possible to weave or knit these yarns, which, 
essentially, act like flat yarns, to provide less defects than occur in 
the weaving or knitting of elastic, bulky yarns. Furthermore, there is 
greater uniformity of reaction of the yarns at the time of revelation on 
the woven or knitted article. Articles that are made with the yarns of the 
present invention have an excellent feel; and, moreover, the pucker 
phenomenon is practically eliminated in the knit products. 
The process and apparatus of the present invention may be utilized with any 
thermoplastic yarns of the same or different titre, of the same or 
different nature, of the same or different section, matte or glossy, 
colored or natural. The term thermoplastic yarns includes yarns obtained 
by spinning or extrusion of polymers, copolymers, graft polymers, mixtures 
thereof, mixtures thereof having constituents of the same kind (but not 
the same properties and/or viscosity) or of a different kind, as well as 
yarns with heterogeneous structure in which the components are either 
adhering, concentric, or interdispersed, the yarns being obtained by 
spinning of filamentous products as well as those obtained by spinning or 
simultaneous extrusion through a single spinneret of products of different 
nature and appearance, whether they have the same cross section or not. 
Similarly, the present invention is applicable to simple yarns as well as 
to twisted or assembled yarns which are presented in continuous form or as 
spun materials from filaments that are preponderantly thermoplastic.