A PROCESS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A TEXTURAL EFFECT ON PRODUCTS

Abstract: A process for treating regions of a textile product to limit fibre movement and thereby control the amount of felting so that an aqueous or solvent tumbling treatment of the product in a rotary drum machine under controlled conditions felts groups of tufts on the product in some regions, while leaving other regions not felted or less felted, to thereby produce differing textured and patterned effects. The aqueous or solvent tumbling treatment can be in a rotary drum machine and is referred to as ''PEBBLEMILL<TM> processing''. The process is suitable for application to any tufted or woven textile substrate intended for use as a floor covering or the like that undergoes a significant texture change in the PEBBLEMILL<TM> processing caused by a felting process. The treatment of the regions of the textile product can be effected by using dissimilar yarns in a tufting or weaving process used to produce the textile product. Alternatively the treatment of the textile product can be effected by using a combination of loop pile and cut pile produced by a cut/loop tufting machine, or otherwise, for example, by tip shearing a high/low loop pile tufted substrate to produce regions which when treated with the tumbling treatment produce a textured pattern in which the PEBBLEMILL<TM> processing has little effect on the loop pile areas while creating the raised pebble effect on the cut pile areas, resulting in a relief pattern effect. The treatment of the textile product can also be effected by applying a durable latex to areas of the backside or reverse of a cut-pile substrate, the latex holding the fibres in the yarn tufts of the substrate and thereby greatly reducing their ability to felt during the PEBBLEMILL<TM> processing to thereby produce patterned areas of cut-pile carpet in amongst a pebble effect.

Description: A PROCESS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A TEXTURAL EFFECT ON PRODUCTS The invention relates to a process for the development of a textural patterning effect on textile products such as carpet squares, wall-to-wall carpets and wall hangings. The textural effect utilises the unique felting characteristics o some natural fibres such as wool to produce a patterning effect having the appearance and make up of felted "pebbles M . The textile products are suitable for use as floor coverings and the like. The effect and the processing route(s) for producing the effect are called TM PEBBLEMILL by the applicants. An object of the present invention is to utilise felting to create regions in a floor covering or the like that have a felted PEBBLEMILL TM surface texture. A further object of the present invention is to use methods resistant to felting to create regions in a floor covering or the like that do not felt which regions are distinct from felted parts of the floor covering or the like. According to a one aspect of the invention there is provided a process for treating regions of a textile product to limit fibre movement and thereby control the amount of felting so that an aqueous or solvent tumbling treatment of the product in a rotary drum machine under controlled conditions felts groups of tufts on the product in some regions, while leaving other regions not felted or less felted, to thereby produce differing textured and patterned effects. SUBSTITUTE SHEET The aqueous or solvent tumbling treatment can be in a rotary drum machine and is referred to herein as TM "PEBBLEMILL processing". The invention is suitable for application to any tufted or woven textile substrate intended for use as a floor covering or the like that undergoes a significant texture change in the PEBBLEMILL TM processing caused by a felting process. The treatment of the regions of the textile product can be effected by using dissimilar yarns in a tufting or weaving process used to produce the textile product. The dissimilar yarns felt at different rates to produce different textured TM patterns during the PEBBLEMILL processing. The dissimilar yarns can be a prefelted yarn, a high twist set yarn or some other yarn different to that of a main substrate yarn. Fibres in the main substrate yarn migrate and felt during the PEBBLEMILL TM processing at a faster rate than the other yarns, and will create a pebble effect, the pebble effect being raised higher than the other yarns because of the faster fibre migration. The result is a textured pattern TM effect. The result, known as "PEBBLEMILL resist patterning" is an attractive textured patterning effect, where the resist-patterned areas may be sunk down in relief TM from the PEBBLEMILL textured areas. Alternatively the treatment of the textile product can be effected by using a combination of loop pile and cut pile produced by a cut/loop tufting machine, or otherwise, for SUBSTITUTESHEET example, by tip shearing a high/low loop pile tufted substrate to produce regions which when treated with the tumbling treatment produce a textured pattern in which the PEBBLEMILL TM processing has little effect on the loop pile areas while creating the raised pebble effect on the cut pile areas, resulting in a relief pattern effect. The treatment of the textile product can also be effected by applying a durable latex to areas of the backside or reverse of a cut-pile substrate, the latex holding the fibres in the yarn tufts of the substrate and thereby greatly reducing their ability to felt during the PEBBLEMILL™ processing to thereby produce patterned areas of cut-pile carpet in amongst a pebble effect. The latex can be specially formulated to wick very well into the yarn tufts, and lock all the fibres within the yarn tufts together at the tuft base. It is this fibre-locking that stops fibre migration and hence felting. The fibre-. migration and felting that occur: in the unlatexed areas during the PEBBLEMILL TM processing creates the pebble effect, the pebbles may be raised higher than the latex-treated areas because of the fibre migration. The result is a relief pattern effect. Further aspects of the present invention which should be considered in all its novel aspects will become apparent from the following descriptions which are given by way of example only. SUBSTITUTE SHEET Examples of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings which show examples of the effect produced by the process according to the present invention and in which: Figure 1 is a photograph of part of a 4 m x 25 m sample of substrate showing the pattern produced after applying a latex on the backing and subjecting the treated substrate to an aqueous tumbling treatment process according to the invention; Figure 2 is a photograph of part of a sample showing the pattern produced on a cut/loop substrate after subjecting the sample to an aqueous tumbling treatment process according to the invention; Figure 3 is a photograph of part of a sample showing the patterning produced according to the invention using yarns with differing characteristics applied into a substrate; Figure 4 is a photograph of a carpet square showing,the pattern produced after applying a latex to a reverse side of a substrate and then applying a solvent, processing treatment according to the invention; and Figure 5 is a photograph of part of a carpet square showing the pattern produced after applying a latex on a backing and then applying a solvent processing treatment according to the invention. The PEBBLEMILL TM process relies on the unique felting nature of wools and some other natural fibres. Felting occurs when the fibres are wet and are then moved relative to SUBSTITUTE SHEET each other. The movement forces the wet fibres to lock into each other, forming a dense body of entangled fibres. The process is essentially irreversible, and the felted wool TM exhibits great durability. In the PEBBLEMILL process felting of an unbacked cut-pile substrate occurs when the substrate is immersed in water, and given vigorous mechanical action. This can take place in a horizontal tumbling machine. By controlling critical parameters such as tumbling speed, weight of substrate, volume and temperature of bath water, and process time, the felting can be controlled to create a required texture. When using a solvent tumbling machine- the same principles remain, but instead of a bath containing 100% water, it is made up of only a small fraction of water, the remainder being a solvent. The small amount of water wets out the wool fibres, allowing felting to occur. Examples of this texture can be seen in the non resist- patterned areas of Figures 1-5. The felted texture that is generated in the PEBBLEMILL TM process only occurs because wool fibres within each yarn are able to move relative to each other through the carpet substrates primary backing. This fast can be exploited to stop the formation of the TM TM PEBBLEMILL surface texture during PEBBLEMILL processing. TM This is called by the applicant PEBBLEMILL resist patterning. There are at least three quite different methods of achieving this. SUBSTITUTESHEET By using conventional patterning facilities of a cut- pile tufter the applicants can incorporate resists patterning into the substrate which is developed during PEBBLEMILL TM processing. This can be done by the use of dissimilar yarns, e.g. a prefelted yarn, a high twist set yarn or some other yarn having a lower felting propensity than that of the main substrate yarn. Such a resist yarn felts at a slower rate than the main substrate yarn because the fibres within the yarn are held more tightly together and so their movement thorough the primary backing is limited. After PEBBLEMIL processing the resist yarns look essentially the same as prior to processing, while the main substrate areas form the PEBBLEMILL TM texture. Because of fibre migration during processing the PEBBLEMILL TM "pebbles" are raised above the resist yarns, and so a relief pattern effect is created. An alternative is to use a combination of loop-pile and cut-pile. This can be done by tip shearing a high/low loop tufted substrate, or directly by using a cut/loop tufting or weaving machine. This method has the capability of producing larger scale textured patterns than the method mentioned above. The PEBBLEMILL TM processing has little effect on the loop pile areas while it creates the standard PEBBLEMILL TM texture in the cut-pile areas. Similarly to the previous method, the PEBBLEMILL TM "pebble" areas are raised above the loop pile areas, creating a relief effect. The third alternative is to apply a washable latex on the underside of the cut-pile carpet substrate to areas where SUBSTITUTESHEET a resist effect is desired. The latex effectively holds the fibres in the yarn structure resisting movement through the backing and greatly reducing their ability to felt. Similarly again, the "pebble" areas are raised above the cut- pile (resist) areas, creating a relief effect. This method of resist patterning differs from methods that have been used for patterning fabrics, knitwear and the like in that such methods have used chemical applications on a micro-scale to coat entire individual fibres with a shrink- resistant resin, whereas the application of latex in this invention is on a macro-scale, solidly filling in all of the yarns cross-section, and coating the individual fibres at one point only: where they protrude through the primary backing. The applicants have found that the type of yarn used has a large effect on whether or not good differentiation between the standard "pebble" areas and the resist areas is obtained. The applicants recommend an unset woollen spun singles yarn of 700-1000 g/km, (tex), with a twist factor of 3000- 2 3300. (Twist factor) = (Number of turns per metre) x (tex). Any one of the above mentioned methods, or combinations of them, can be used to create an enormous range of uniquely textured and patterned floor coverings or the like. Thus by this invention there is provided an approved method for producing resist patterning effects on textile products like carpets, rugs or wall hangings that undergo a felting process during manufacture that significantly changes their texture. SUBSTITUTESHEET Particular examples of the invention have been described by way of example and it is envisaged that improvements and modifications can take place without departing from the scope thereof. SUBSTITUTE SHEET

Claims: CLAIMS : 1. A process for treating regions of a textile product to limit fibre movement and thereby control the amount of felting so that an aqueous or solvent tumbling treatment of the product in a rotary drum machine under controlled conditions felts groups of tufts on the product in some regions, while leaving other regions not felted or less felted, to thereby produce differing textured and patterned effects. 2. A process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the aqueous or solvent tumbling treatment can be in a rotary drum machine. 3. A process as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the textile product is any tufted or woven textile substrate intended for use as a floor covering or the like that undergoes a significant texture change in the PEBBLEMILL TM processing. 4. A process as claimed in claim 1 or claim 3 wherein the treatment of the regions of the textile product is effected by using dissimilar yarns in a tufting.or weaving process used to produce the textile product, the dissimilar yarns felt at different rates to produce different textured patterns during the PEBBLEMILL TM processing. 5. A process as claimed in claim 4 wherein the dissimilar yarns are a prefelted yarn, a high twist set yarn or some other yarn different to that of a main substrate yarn in which fibres in the main substrate yarn migrate and felt during the PEBBLEMILL TM processing at a faster rate than the SUBSTITUTESHEET other yarns to create a pebble effect, the pebble effect being raised higher than the other yarns because of the faster fibre migration to thereby result in a relief pattern effect. 6. A process as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the treatment of the textile product is effected by using a combination of loop pile and cut pile produced by a cut/loop tufting machine, or by tip shearing a high/low loop pile tufted substrate to produce regions which when treated with the tumbling treatment produce a textured pattern in which the PEBBLEMILL TM processing has little effect on the loop pile areas while creating the raised pebble effect on the cut pile areas, resulting in a relief pattern effect. 7. A process as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the treatment of the textile product is effected by applying a durable latex to areas of the backside or reverse of a cut- pile substrate, the latex holding the fibres in the yarn- tufts of the•substrate and thereby greatly reducing their ability to felt during the PEBBLEMILL TM. processing to thereby produce patterned areas of cut-pile carpet in amongst a pebble effect. 8. A process as claimed in claim 7 wherein the latex is specially formulated to wick very well into the yarn tufts, and lock all the fibres within the yarn tufts together at the tuft base which fibre-locking stops fibre migration and hence felting. SUBSTITUTE SHEET 9. A process for treating regions of a textile product substantially hereinbefore described. 10. A textile produce produced in accordance with the process of any one of the preceding claims. SUBSTITUTESHEET

Inventors: MCFARLANE IAN DUNCAN, RADFORD EDWARD CHARLES, WATSON JULIAN MARK, MCFARLANE, IAN, DUNCAN, RADFORD, EDWARD, CHARLES, WATSON, JULIAN, MARK
Applicants: WATSON JULIAN MARK, WATSON, JULIAN, MARK
Application year: 1991
Main classification: D06C17
IPC codes: D06B11, D06C17, D06C23, D06Q1