Patent GB-924089-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to multifilament yarns
IPC: D02G1/16
Filed: 1959-07-30
Abstract: 924,089. Spinning and finishing yarns. E. I. DU PONT DE NEMOURS & CO. July 30, 1959 [Aug. 1, 1958; April 2, 1959], No. 26230/59. Class 120 (3). A textured multifilament yarn (which at zero bundle twist has the mechanical handling properties of i.e. it can be handled by machinery normally used with, a true twist yarn of the same composition and having at least  turn per inch twist) comprises filaments which are so interlaced i.e. interacting as crossed or interwoven pairs or multiples, as twisted pairs or multiples and/or by plaiting, that the yarn at zero bundle twist is a compact unitary strand in which individual filaments are free from crunodal loops. The filaments may have an average residual shrinkage less than 7%. The interlaced yarn may have a bulk less than 5% greater than a true twist yarn of the same composition, and a final twist of at least two turns per inch. The yarn is produced by subjecting untextured yarn to the action of two or more fluid vortices having their axes parallel to the mean axis of the yarn and such that they exert no twisting action on the yarn bundle as a whole, the yarn being maintained under a tension sufficient to prevent looping i.e. it is withdrawn from the zone of controlled fluid turbulence at within about 5% of the speed and/or tension with which it is supplied thereto. The yarn may be relaxed a controlled degree during the treatment by the vortices and/or by processes described in Specification 887,325. The interlacing may be effected as an adjunct to normal textile operations such as spinning and/or drawing, packaging, beaming, weaving, slashing, creeling, knitting, coating or winding. The interlacing density or intermittent occurrence of sections of interlaced structure may vary at random along the length of the yarn. Two or more yarns may be fed to an interlacer at different tensions so that interlacing is different therein or present in one or more only of the yarns e.g. one yarn may become a loadbearing core member with another yarn interlaced thereabout as a loose sheath. Bulk may be enhanced by feeding a component yarn slack or overfed so that the sheath is looped and whorled and the core remains free of crunodal loops. The components of such sheath yarns may differ as regards material, quality, tensile strength, colour, shrinkage capacity. The interlaced yarn may contain stable alternating twist i.e. successive lengthwise segments of " S " and " Z " twist as described in Specification 871,112. The yarn may be plasticized e.g. by wetting, heating, chemical agents or residual solvent, before interlacing to permit increased tension and reduced fluid pressure. The interlaced structure may be " set " by cooling, removal of plasticizing agent, or incorporating a high shrinkage component in the yarn then subsequently heating, steaming or boiling the yarn to induce shrinking of that component. If fine yarns of low mechanical strength are to be interlaced, supporting components (which are later to be removed, as by selective solvents or heating) are incorporated during the texturing. Staple fibres may be introduced during interlacing e.g. through a hopper feed or within the fluid media or through an auxiliary conduit which opens into the zone of fluid turbulence, and are permanently retained in the yarn. Staple and/or continuous filament yarns may be interlaced and plied or blended and the process variables e.g. yarn speed and tension, fluid pressure, may be adjusted or made intermittent to produce, inter alia, variable denier slubs, thick and thin yarns, unhomogeneous structure and/or variable interlacing density. The interlaced yarns or yarn components, associated yarns and/or fibrous additives may comprise polyamide, polyester e.g. polyethylene terephthalate, acrylic polymer e.g. polyacrylonitrile, vinyl polymer, polyethylene, polypropylene cellulose ester, rayon, elastomeric, silk, asbestos, glass, cotton and/or wool fibres. Finishing agents e.g. delustrants, antioxidants, antistatic, may be applied to the yarns. The fluid medium may be a liquid or a gas e.g. air, steam, nitrogen, carbon dioxide or mixtures thereof, heated e.g. at a temperature of 200-500 C., or refrigerated, and may constitute or contain a plasticizer for the yarn. Interlacing apparatus 11 comprises single or multiple yarn passageways, as at 12a, 12b, 12c, of uniform, and/or single- or double-tapered, circular or rectangular cross-section, intercepted by one or more fluid conduits, as at 13a, 13b, 13c, adapted to create in the passageway(s) two or more fluid vortices. The axis of the or each passageway forms an angle of 60-120 degrees with the axis of its associated conduit. As shown in Figs. 10, 11 and 12, the passageways are supplied with fluid from manifold means 15 through duct 17 by extensions 16. Countercurrent i.e. fibre opening, effects may be produced by passage restrictions, as at 19 in Fig. 13. Pairs of fluid conduits 13, 13<SP>1</SP>, Figs. 19 and 20, may be opposed and, if the area of cross-section of each equals or exceeds the area of cross-section of passageway 12, microvortices are formed each having its axis of rotation parallel to the yarn axis. In the rotary " wheel " interlacer shown in Figs. 23 and 24, the passageway 12 is a circumferential slot into which open eight radially disposed fluid outlets 14, 14a, &c. alternately on opposite sides of the passageway. Each of the fluid conduits 13, 13a, &c. feeding outlets 14 &c. communicates with common duct 17 within a hollow shaft 23 supported by bearings 24 in housing 25 which is interrupted at threaded opening 26 to admit fluid. In the embodiment of Fig. 34, a stream of fluid directed through passageway 12 from conduit 13 encounters a fixed pin 22 so that, downstream thereof, multiple vortices, which may extend in three dimensions, are formed. The interlacer may comprise means for " selfstringing," e.g. a slot 111 as shown in Fig. 37. Specification 543,466 also is referred to.